CLERMONT, Fla. — Residents in a quiet Clermont neighborhood are bracing for a Tuesday morning showdown at the Lake County Administration Building as a major developer seeks to nearly double the density of a proposed subdivision.
KB Home Orlando is requesting a zoning change for a 40-acre wooded parcel along Log House Road, hoping to increase the number of allowable homes from 49 to 79 for a project dubbed Crescent Pines. Local homeowners like Charlie Wyckoff, who has lived in the area for 20 years, argue that the development will destroy a local sanctuary and create significant environmental risks.
Wyckoff, who walks the woods’ perimeter daily, points to the 40-foot slope of the land and fears that replacing the forest floor with rooftops and concrete will lead to severe flooding in homes at the bottom of the hill. He also noted the presence of protected gopher tortoises on the property, questioning the impact on local wildlife if the high-density plan moves forward.
Real estate experts, however, point to a different kind of pressure facing the region. Raymond Lopez, a Keller Williams operating principal, notes that approximately 150 people move to Clermont every single month, creating a desperate need for new housing inventory to keep values from skyrocketing out of reach for younger buyers.
Lopez warns that while many residents cherish their wooded views, those views are rarely permanent unless the land is officially designated for conservation.
While a court has already ordered the developer to increase the size of planned retention ponds by 25% to address drainage concerns, neighbors say the modification isn’t enough to protect their properties. Channel 9 reached out to all five Lake County Commissioners for comment on the proposal, but they have not yet issued a response.
The final decision rests with the commission during their 9 a.m. meeting this Tuesday in Tavares, where residents plan to present their own renderings and maps to argue against the expansion.
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