Lady Lake Mayor Ruth Kussard voted against a proposed town ordinance that would provide for a 232-unit expansion of Recreation Plantation on County Road 466.
The expansion, which would also include a restaurant, club house and other amenities, was approved Monday evening despite the mayor’s objection on a 4-1 vote by the Lady Lake Commission.
Some last-minute changes to the plan for the expansion were of a concern to the mayor, a resident of the Village of La Reynalda. She said the last-minute changes, some of which came through hours before the 6 p.m. meeting, did not give commissioners enough time to study the new language. She said it was not fair for the public to not have had time to review the revisions prior to a vote. The mayor noted that members of The Villages Church of Christ on Clay Avenue and other nearby residents had voiced concerns earlier this year about the expansion.
“This is not how we do business,” the mayor said.
She had suggested that the matter be tabled for consideration at a future date.
Attorney Alison Strange of Bret Jones PA, the firm representing Recreation Plantation, objected to the idea of tabling the matter.
She described the revisions as “minor revisions of language.” Strange said owner Grant Gore was eager to move forward.
Kussard asked about language allowing “tents” at the site. Tents are prohibited by the town’s existing land development regulations.
“This was missed by the applicant and the staff,” Kussard said. “Maybe we need to look over these packets a little better before we vote on things.”
She said she was “very disappointed” the commission had moved forward on the expansion.