The Apopka City Council unanimously approved the second reading of a major rezoning request on Wednesday, making way for a 618-acre planned development east of Vick Road in the northwestern region of the city.

The ordinance rezones property owned by Paulucci Acres LLC from Transitional/RSF-1 and Mixed Use East Shore Gateway to a Planned Development (PD) district.

The site is located east of Vick Road and Jason Dwelley Parkway, north and south of Ponkan Road, south and east of Pittman Road and east of Ponkan Summit Drive.

During public comment, Rod Olsen, a resident of Rock Springs Ridge, raised concerns about[JD1]  traffic impacts along Ponkan Road and connections to Vick Road and Jason Dwelley Parkway.

Responding on behalf of the applicant, Elesa Sowell of Shutts and Bowen outlined a package of improvements along Ponkan[JD2]  Road within the project’s frontage, including a roundabout, street lighting, a trail and right-of-way dedications.

She clarified that these upgrades would extend from just east of Vick Road all the way to Jason Dwelley, on both sides of Ponkan Road, where the property is adjacent.

After that explanation, Olsen said that the project could add roughly 2,500 cars to an already burdened network and therefore create a situation similar to Jason Dwelley, where traffic flows from a “nice wide area” and a roundabout back into a two-lane road.

“They go back to two lane road,” he said. “This is crazy.”

On Jan. 7, the  City Council approved the first reading of the Paulucci Acres rezoning.

The rezoning means that Paulucci Acres is poised to go from the 1990s-era entitlements that could allow up to 1,829 homes and 6.3 million square feet of commercial/mixed-use to a total of 1,034 residential units – 876 single-family detached homes and 158 townhomes – according to city planning manager Bobby Howell told the City Council on Jan. 7.