Seminole County commissioners on Tuesday cleared the way for a 308-unit apartment complex on Slavia Road near the SR 417 interchange and for a Land Rover dealership on the former Rogers Corvette Center property on U.S. 17-92, according to the county's records of the Oct. 13 meeting. Each project needed two votes, a land use map change and a rezoning, and all four passed 5-0.
Greeneway Preserve
The apartment project, called Greeneway Preserve, covers about 23.4 acres on the north side of Slavia Road, east of SR 417. Commissioners changed the land use from low density residential and planned development to high density residential, then rezoned the land to R-4, which allows multifamily buildings. Commissioner Jay Zembower made both motions and Commissioner Bob Dallari seconded them.
The site holds an RV and boat storage lot today; the rest of it is vacant, according to the applicant's narrative. Plans filed with the county show a clubhouse and pool, three stormwater ponds, preserved wetlands with an upland buffer, and a new public road to the properties to the north. County staff said the buildings are proposed at 60 feet tall.
The county's file holds five letters opposing the project, but no one spoke during Tuesday's public hearing, the meeting notes show.
Dealership on U.S. 17-92
The dealership site is about 7.5 acres on the east side of U.S. 17-92, roughly 420 feet south of O'Brien Road. The board moved it from mixed-use development to industrial land use and rezoned it from general commercial to C-3, heavy commercial and very light industrial. Staff described a 38,000-square-foot new car showroom with service and repair bays.
The county's planning commission had unanimously recommended approval on Sept. 2.
One resident spoke. Commissioner Lee Constantine asked what had been done to keep noise from carrying across the lake. Staff said the building would be turned so its doors do not face the water, and the applicant's representative said the dealership would skip an outdoor PA system and use walkie-talkies instead, according to the meeting notes.
Vice Chairman Amy Lockhart, who made both motions, said the planned retention pond should improve the lake's water quality.
Temple expansion denied, townhomes withdrawn
Commissioners unanimously denied the Jain Society of Central Florida's request to expand its worship hall and community center on 1.93 acres at the northwest corner of Citrus Street and Laura Avenue. Under staff's draft conditions, the multipurpose hall would have grown from 8,065 to 15,043 square feet, and the society had bought neighboring vacant lots for overflow parking.
