The Brooksville City Council unanimously approved the addition of a new staffer and a pair of rezoning proposals during their regular meeting on Dec. 5.
During the meeting, Don Lacey presented the second reading of a plan to rezone more than 119 acres adjacent to the Southern Hills development from Hernando County Agricultural (AD) to a City of Brooksville Planned Development Residential (PDP-R) to allow for the development of 222 single-family detached homes and 72 townhomes.
The panel approved the rezoning plan on its first reading last month.
“You have a comprehensive plan to which this property is totally consistent,” Lacey told the panel. “And we’ve worked really closely with your staff.”
As a result, the city council approved the rezoning request by a vote of 5-0.
Also approved by unanimous vote was the rezoning of four parcels covering 14.41 acres located north of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, south of Daniel Avenue, east of Hale Avenue, and west of Mildred Avenue from Residential (R1B, R2, and R3) to PDP-R (Planned Development Project-Residential) to allow the development of the Brookstone Apartments up to 216 multi-family residential units.
Before the rezoning request, the parcel had a Mobile Home/Multi-Family Residential future land use designation under the City’s Comprehensive Plan.
On Nov. 7, the BCC heard the rezoning request, but it continued to Nov. 21 at the developer’s request to address specific issues, including open space and access.
The developer subsequently increased the number of playgrounds and increased open space from 40 to 44 percent.
On Nov. 21, the panel Council voted unanimously to accept the developer’s revised plan containing the modifications. It passed unanimously on Dec. 5.
Finally, on Dec. 5, Community Development Director David Hainley asked the panel to approve a request to hire someone to scan paper documents pertaining to permitting and development plans. “Last October, we became in violation of state law because we don’t have an electronic filing system for billing in place,” Hainley told Council members.
The need for the new hire came from work with CivicGov consultants that revealed that between 16 and 17 years of plans need to be scanned into a system that would hold them virtually and allow them to be accessed as needed.
He also told the Council that under Florida law, the salary for the new hire would emanate from the City’s building fund.
“This person that I’m asking for is not paid out of the general fund; he’s paid out of the building fund,” Hainley said. “Those funds would be used to pay for his salary and anything associated with those plans.”
He said the new hire would also back up the individual who checks in the plans.
According to Hainley’s request, the total cost for the new hire is $37,856.00. The cost includes fringe benefits, including medical, dental, vision, and other benefits the city covers.
The City Council approved the request by a vote of 5-0.
