by Michelle Delaney
On the 2nd Tuesday of each month, Lake County Commissioner Sean Parks attends Clermont City Council and gives a BOCC update.
The main concerns voiced regularly by the residents are roads, traffic, and the county’s failure to keep up with the rapid increase in traffic. The need of road improvements is especially evident on Hartwood Marsh Road, a county-maintained road. Speaking of Hartwood Marsh….
The City of Winter Garden recently passed a resolution restricting truck traffic on Marsh Road from the Lake/Orange county line to Williams Road located in Winter Garden. Marsh Road connects to Hartwood Marsh Road in Lake County. The Hartwood Marsh Road / Marsh Road corridor provides a connection from US 27 in Lake County to the SR 429 expressway in Orange County. US 27 and SR 429 are designated State of Florida Strategic Intermodal Highways.
The Winter Garden restrictions could negatively impact roadways within Lake County such as Citrus Tower Boulevard and Hancock Road. Both Citrus Tower Boulevard and Hancock Road are collector roads that would act as an alternative route for truck traffic needing to reach Orange County via State Road 50.
Commissioner Parks said that the Lake Board of County Commissioners sent a letter to The City of Winter Garden requesting the resolution be reconsidered/rescinded. The Clermont Council is considering its course of action and sending councilmember Tim Bates to represent Clermont at the next Winter Garden council meeting.
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Hooks Street/Skorman Multi-family Planned Unit Development (PUD)
The Clermont City Council unanimously denied the request to rezone a 17+/- acre site located southwest of Hooks Street and Excalibur Road intersection. The rezoning would open the way for the development of a 204-unit multi-family apartment complex adjacent to East Ridge Middle School and across from East Ridge High School.
After lengthy discussion, council agreed that the location was not ideal for the project, voicing such concerns as the increase of traffic and the negative impact along Hooks Street and Excalibur Road causing safety concerns for students/pedestrians during peak hours. Mayor Murry also mentioned the need for more “affordable” housing in Clermont.
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Remodel and Expansion of the Ford Dealership
Ford of Clermont, located at 1101 E. Highway 50, was built in 1976 and not many upgrades have been made since. The council unanimously approved the remodeling and expansion of the existing building. The required landscape buffers and interior landscape islands will help improve the aesthetic appearance of the site and preserve natural resources that provides a well-landscaped and attractive buffer to enhance
