Greeneway Preserve gets first approval for four-story, 308-unit apartment complex near Lukas Nursery

The Seminole County Planning and Zoning Commission has approved a 308-unit apartment that could rise four stories in the area near Lukas Nursery in unincorporated Oviedo. 

Greeneway Preserve, as it’s known, is on 23 acres northwest of the State Road 417 overpass on Slavia Road in Seminole County, down the road from Lukas Nursery. The owner is requesting to change the future land use from low-density residential to high-density residential, and to change the zoning from agriculture to multiple-family dwelling. 

Seminole County’s Planning and Zoning Commission approved the project Wednesday. The Planning and Zoning Commission gives recommendations to the Seminole County Commission, which ultimately signs off on the proposal. If approved, it would also require a more detailed site plan before construction could start.  

“In addition to the residences, the project includes a clubhouse and pool amenity, preserved wetlands and an upland buffer, three stormwater ponds and the dedication and construction of a new public road providing access to northern adjacent properties,” the applicant wrote. “Further, the project will help meet the rising housing needs of the community.”

Calls to the applicant were not immediately returned. The site is currently an RV and boat storage site. 

Caleb Lukas, one of the owners of nearby Lukas Nursery, asked the Planning and Zoning Commission to pause on the project. He was worried about flooding, and asked if the standard used to evaluate the issues – a 24-hour, 25-year storm – were appropriate. 

He was also worried about traffic on Slavia Road. The county is planning to widen Slavia Road into four lanes. 

“I’m concerned about which comes first,” Lukas said. “If certificates of occupancy are issued on this and scheduled, will that be working for a two-lane road as it presently sits before a widening project can alleviate that?”

Lukas Nursery has also been impacted by the widening of Slavia Road, and is working on plans for expansion. 

Staff officials said the project wouldn’t make Slavia Road operate at less capacity on its own. But the project would require a deceleration lane – but only until Slavia Road is four-laned. 

Brent Lenzen, a vice president with Kimley-Horn and Associates working on the project, said the developer is working with staff on the timing. 

“It’s really a matter of timing of the two projects collaborating them together, so we’re not building turn lanes and then adding cost to the county’s project to demolish turn lanes,” Lenzen said. 

Kaitlyn Apgar, a senior planner with Seminole County, said the site has 2.1 acres of wetlands, and that will drop down to 1.8 acres if developed. The project is in the floodplain, but that new maps show less of it will be in the floodplain.

“Based on firm maps from 2007, most of the site is in the floodplain,” Apgar said. “However, based on the county’s new Howell Creek Basin Study, there appears to be less floodplain than previously shown. The applicant will be required to compensate for any impacts to the county floodplain.”

See below to watch a video of the meeting.

Ultimately, the project will require Seminole County Commission approval. The Commission is expected to consider the project in October. The project is in County Commissioner Jay Zembower’s district. 

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Check here to watch a video of the meeting. 

Oviedo Mayor Megan Sladek said that, with the project right next to 417, it’s near “ugly high-voltage power lines.” The land was also clear-cut years ago, and is now a boat and RV storage.

“It would be a shame to put low density residential housing here,” Sladek said, noting that the city of Oviedo has no authority over the project. Sladek said that the area was better suited to apartments than a possible future single-family home development.

”While many can wrap their brains around temporarily living in an apartment with these sorts of surroundings, no one aspires to live in a single family home next to all that,” Sladek said. “It appears that the market is asking for this change, and it seems like a reasonable request to grant.” 

Abe Aboraya is a Report for America corps member.