SUBJECT:
Title
Request for Waivers from the Land Development Code Concerning Buffers and Ornamental Trees Requirements for Davis Dinkins Engineering, Parcel Number 24141-000-00, Application Number 32134 for Headsprings, LLC (Budget Impact - None)
Body
INITIATOR: DEPARTMENT:
Michael L. Savage, Sr., Building Safety Director Development Review Committee
DESCRIPTION/BACKGROUND:
The Applicant, Davis Dinkins Engineering, requested multiple waivers to the Land Development Code (LDC) siting:
• Section 2.12.4. - Landscape requirements, which states “Show location and dimensions of required land use buffering.”
• Section 6.8.6.A, which states “It is the intent of this section to eliminate or reduce the negative impacts of the adjacent uses upon each other such that the long-term continuance of either use is not threatened by such impacts and the uses may be considered compatible.”
• Section 6.8.7.A, which states “A minimum five-foot wide landscape area consisting of shrubs and groundcovers, excluding turfgrass, shall be provided around the perimeter of parking areas to form a landscape screen with a minimum height of three feet achieved within one year of planting. A land use buffer that abuts a parking area may satisfy this requirement.”
The applicant believes the buffers proposed are consistent with adjacent and connected development for uniformity, and consistent with the plan presented in Special Use Permit (SUP) 24101SE, approved by the BCC in February 2024.
These waiver requests were denied by the Development Review Committee (DRC) on July 14, 2025.
Upon meeting with the applicant, staff understands the waiver requests are as follows:
• Section 6.8.6, more particularly 6.8.6.K.(3), and 6.8.7.A as the buffer adjacent to Baseline Road is under a powerline corridor. Therefore, the applicant would like to replace the shade tree requirement with ornamental trees, and the change in tree type can support a reduction in the buffer from 15 feet wide to 10 feet wide.
• Section 6.8.7.D.(2) which requires parking lot islands to contain shade trees. For those islands closest to the overhead powerline corridor along Baseline Rd, the applicant would like to replace the shade tree requirement with ornamental trees.
This waiver consideration is for Headsprings, LLC., a proposed multi-story hotel in Silver Springs on approximately 4.22 acres.
Staff supports these waiver requests.
BUDGET/IMPACT:
None
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
Motion to uphold DRC’s action for the waiver request.
end