To fix a discrepancy in a planned development document that led to possible overbuilding at Rock Springs Ridge, the owner of the subdivision’s closed golf course is requesting a land use amendment change that would affect a portion of that property and allow more houses to be built on that property, the project engineer explained at a virtual community meeting.
Project engineer David Evans explained to more than 100 disgruntled homeowners on the Wednesday, December 16, virtual community meeting that Robert Dello Russo applied for a comprehensive plan amendment to change the land use category from the current “residential estates,” which allows a density of one dwelling unit per acre, to “residential very low suburban,” which permits a density of two units per acre.
Rock Springs Ridge residents have voiced opposition to any future development plans for that community.
Dello Russo did not log on to the meeting.
According to Evans, communities all over Florida have been changing their comprehensive plans since the state adopted one in 1985. Florida’s comprehensive plan designates land uses of different properties across the state relative to plans that various communities submitted.
“Since then, they have been modified all over the state. That’s why this process (involving Rock Springs Ridge) is allowed,” Evans said. “If there are areas that fit better as one type of land use or another, then they go back to the state and they modify it based on the comp plan amendment. That’s what’s we’re in now. We’re in a comp plan amendment for a portion of the golf course.”
The original planned development assumed the land area to be 1,320 acres and that one unit could be built per acre, even though the planned development only has a total of 1,142 acres. This means that nearly 200 more homes were constructed than intended.
Rock Springs Ridge homes and the golf course are split between the two land use designations of residential estates and residential very low suburban.
Through the current comprehensive plan amendment application, the developer hopes to get that inconsistency corrected, according to Evans.
Evans said there are intentions to build new homes on the former golf course. He pointed out that in the past five years homeowners may have seen some site plans for housing development, but they were only concept plans that were never submitted relative to the comprehensive plan change.
Even before the meeting began, homeowners were vocal about their stance against future buildout of a portion of the former golf course.
Comments such as “No rezoning” filled the chat section of the Zoom call throughout the meeting.
Following Evans’ presentation, homeowners gave their input for almost 80 minutes.
The full story starts on page 1A of the Friday, December 18, issue of The Apopka Chief. The Apopka Chief and The Planter are weekly community newspapers, independently owned and family operated, that have served the greater Apopka area in Central Florida since 1923 and 1965 respectively. Subscribe today!
