Orange County's Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously to recommend denial of the proposed Stonemont Manor development, a 38-home subdivision slated for 38.86 acres in the Tangerine Rural Settlement at 6322 Terrell Road and 6409 N. Orange Blossom Trail. The recommendation came even though county planning staff had urged approval of the project with 13 conditions attached.
The vote, reported by The Apopka Chief, sets up a high-stakes showdown before the Orange County Board of County Commissioners, which is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the rezoning request on November 10. The applicant is seeking to shift the property from its current agricultural classification to a Planned Development designation, a step required for any rural settlement proposal exceeding 25 units under Orange County Comprehensive Plan Policy FLU6.2.3, according to Engage Orange County.
The site currently carries A-1 Citrus Rural District zoning. Its Future Land Use designation of Rural Settlement 1/1 technically allows one unit per acre, meaning the gross density of 38 homes on roughly 39 acres fits within what the land use category permits.
Clustered Lots Spark Compatibility Concerns
County planner Allison Rice recommended approval with the 13 conditions, telling the board that county policy encourages clustering homes together in order to support rural character and preserve open space. Under the applicant's plan, Stonemont Manor would place homes on one-third-acre interior lots and half-acre perimeter lots while setting aside 50% of the property as open space.
But that clustering strategy didn't sit well with commission member David Boers, who questioned whether suburban-style neighborhoods belong inside a designated rural settlement at all. “This is another breakdown of making a rural area more suburban,” Boers said during the meeting, according to the Apopka Chief's reporting.
Applicant Points to Site's Unusual History
Julie Kendig-Schrader, who represented the applicant, argued the property's history sets it apart from a typical rural parcel. She described the land as unique because of its former use as a borrow pit and its inclusion in a joint planning area shared with the City of Mount Dora. Kendig-Schrader argued those circumstances limit how much weight the project should carry as a precedent for other rural rezonings. Tanner Kalebaugh is listed as the applicant behind the proposal.
An applicant-commissioned traffic study estimated the development would generate roughly 40 vehicle trips during its busiest hour, with about 15 vehicles entering and 25 leaving the neighborhood, per the applicant's figures cited in the Apopka Chief's report. Residents who spoke at the meeting opposed the project on multiple fronts, raising concerns about traffic safety, environmental impacts, and the potential erosion of Tangerine's character.
Residents Question Tangerine's Rural Character
Resident Mary Emanuel questioned what purpose a rural settlement designation serves if rezoning requests keep chipping away at it.
Tangerine's rural character carries specific legal weight under county policy. Orange County's Future Land Use Element Policy FLU6.2.2, adopted as part of the county's 1991 Comprehensive Plan, singles out five historic rural communities — Tangerine, Clarcona, Christmas, Gotha, and Zellwood — and mandates that “every effort” be made to preserve their rural character, according to a planning guide published by Orange County Government.
A Tougher Bar at the County Commission
Tangerine is one of several rural settlements Orange County designated to recognize existing rural communities. The settlements are designed to preserve rural lifestyles, agricultural uses, and established development patterns, per county policy language.
Whatever happens at the November 10 hearing, the final decision rests with the Board of County Commissioners.
Public notice for the Stonemont Manor hearing was published on October 18, and The Apopka Chief will likely continue tracking the case as it heads toward the commission's vote.
