Developer proposes Avalon Road apartments

Orange County officials are considering future land-use map amendment and rezoning requests that could bring up to 360 apartments to Avalon Road.

Orange County staff held a community meeting Wednesday, Sept. 11, at Bridgewater Middle School regarding these requests for a 1.33-acre parcel of land located at 14506 Avalon Road. The land is located adjacent to the 18.33-acre The Registry on Grass Lake planned development on the west side of Avalon Road, east of the Orange and Lake County line and south of Grove Blossom Way.

The applicant, Robert Reese, is requesting the 1.33-acre parcel’s FLUM designation be changed from growth center commercial to growth center-planned development-medium-high density residential.

Reese also is requesting to rezone the piece of land from A-1 (Citrus Rural District) to PD (Planned Development District), which would allow it to be incorporated into the Registry at Grass Lake PD.

Case Planner Steven Thorp said only two people attended the meeting, with both being the property owner for the parcel being added into the Registry at Grass Lake PD.

“With that said, no comments were received on this project,” Thorp said.

County documents show the Registry on Grass Lake PD plans for 360 multi-family dwelling units on about 12.39 developable acres. In July, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners granted four waivers from Orange County Code relating to multi-family-use separation and building height. Development standards, according to the documents, require a 35-foot building setback from Avalon Road and a 50-foot setback from Grass Lake.

The plan states the buildings will be five stories, or about 70 feet tall, and the minimum floor area offered for the units is 600 square feet. Officials estimate the 360 units will generate 102 students, and the estimated traffic is about 1,800 daily trips.

Additionally, the developer will be required to construct a 6-foot-tall masonry, brick or block wall along the portion of the property that is adjacent to single-family properties.

Thorp added that as of press time, he has not seen any elevations or renderings of the proposed development. 

The Local Planning Agency adoption meeting is set for Oct. 17, and the Board of County Commissioners adoption hearing will take place Nov. 12.