The Planning Commission voted Tuesday to begin a series of public workshops starting in September to review the city’s Land Development Code, with commissioners saying they want to help shape future development regulations even though state law currently limits local governments’ ability to adopt more restrictive standards. 

The board unanimously approved holding its first workshop following its September meeting to begin discussing potential changes to the code and invite public participation. Commissioners indicated additional workshops are likely. 

“I’d like to initiate it,” Planning Commission Vice Chair Robert Ryan, who presided over the meeting, said. “I’d like for us to initiate the plans.”  

Commissioner Wes Dumey, who proposed the workshop, said the discussion should begin now rather than waiting for state restrictions to expire. 

“Let’s get the discussion started,” Dumey said. “We don’t want to waste another year to actually just start the discussion because if we don’t start it now, we’re never going to start it.”  

Much of the conversation focused on Senate Bill 180, a state law that limits local governments from adopting more restrictive land development regulations during specified periods following hurricane-related emergencies. 

City Attorney Andrew Hand told commissioners that while the board could begin discussing potential revisions, any changes that make development regulations more restrictive could not take effect until the current restrictions expire. 

“If you’re going to be discussing land development regulations and changes to the code, if they are, in fact, more restrictive, they would not be able to be implemented until Senate Bill 180 was no longer in effect,” Hand said.  

Hand said the current restrictions are expected to remain in place until at least October 2027 and could be extended if additional hurricane declarations trigger the law. 

Planning Manager Bobby Howell encouraged commissioners to focus initially on the Land Development Code rather than the city’s Comprehensive Plan, noting the Legislature has reduced local authority over planning matters. 

“The Legislature is kind of stripping away a lot of authority that local governments do have,” Howell said.  

Earlier in the meeting, the Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of a future land use amendment and rezoning for a proposed enclosed luxury vehicle storage development on a vacant 5.23-acre property at the northeast corner of Clarcona Road and East Keene Road. 

The proposal would change the property’s future land use designation from Commercial to Industrial and rezone it from Community Commercial to Light Industrial. If approved by the City Commission, the project calls for climate-controlled storage condominiums designed primarily for high-end and collectible vehicles. 

“We’re here with a rather unique project,” applicant Michael Rankin told commissioners.  

Dumey said the luxury car condo project would attract affluent buyers, boost surrounding property values and drive higher-end housing demand and local spending. 

“People driving the Lamborghini are going to be looking at the higher end of the housing market, which is a net aggregate benefit to the city,” he said. “These are the people out downtown shopping … and dining, taking their Lamborghini.”  

The Planning Commission also unanimously recommended approval of a special exception allowing an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) at 1030 E. Sandpiper St. so homeowner Lincoln Haynes can build a residence for his aging parents. 

“I am on a journey to help take care of my aging parents,” Haynes said. “The desire of purchasing this property was to build an ADU so that they can age in place.”  

Commissioners recommended approval of a revised major development plan for the Cold Link Apopka cold storage facility at 2560 W. Orange Blossom Trail. The revision corrects the stated size of a previously approved warehouse building from 147,624 square feet to 168,600 square feet after what staff described as a clerical error in the original plans.  

Tuesday’s meeting was the first since Chair William Gusler resigned from the Planning Commission in June. The agenda did not include an item regarding the selection of a new chair.