Today is Election Day in Lake County. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Find your precinct at lakevotes.gov.

DocketHeron

your local government, delivered weekly.

How Lake County zoning changes work

The Lake County Office of Planning and Zoning handles land use regulations, development review, and zoning changes. This guide explains the process for understanding and participating in zoning decisions.

Who handles zoning

The Office of Planning and Zoning is responsible for current and long-range planning, land development review and permitting, and environmental monitoring under the County's comprehensive plan. The office is located at 320 W. Main Street, Tavares. Call 352-343-9641 for information.

Cities handle their own zoning inside city limits. Contact your city for zoning matters within incorporated areas.

Look up zoning for a property

The county's GIS map, "Lake County Connect," is available at gis.lakecountyfl.gov/gisweb/. You can view the Interactive 2030 Future Land Use Map on this site.

The county offers a Zoning Information Request form that answers zoning, future land use, setbacks, and height restrictions for an address or alternate key. Fill out the form on the Property Zoning Use Inquiries page.

Comprehensive Plan vs zoning

The Comprehensive Plan provides principles, guidelines, standards, and strategies for future development. It is organized into goals, objectives, and policies, and includes a Future Land Use Map. The county's Comprehensive Plan is available on the Comprehensive Planning page.

A rezoning that requires a different future land use classification must first go through the Future Land Use Map amendment process.

Application types

The county processes several types of land development applications:

Application packets are available on the Planning-Zoning Forms page. Handwritten applications are not accepted.

A Pre-Application Meeting is required for subdivisions, master park plans, site plans, and Planned Unit Developments (PUDs). More information is on the Development Review Process page.

The Planning and Zoning Board

The Planning and Zoning Board has eight members appointed by the Board of County Commissioners for four-year terms. Members include one representative from each of the five commission districts, one at-large member, one School Board representative, and one non-voting military representative.

The board reviews rezoning applications for conformance with the Comprehensive Plan and recommends approval, approval with conditions, or denial to the BCC. The board meets on the first Wednesday of each month. Check the Planning-Zoning Board page for meeting dates.

Public notice requirements

Public notice is required for zoning hearings. The requirements include:

BCC hearings follow Florida Statutes for publication. If notice requirements are not met, the hearing is postponed.

The decision process

Rezoning applications go to the Planning and Zoning Board for review, then to the BCC for a final decision. Decisions are based on consistency with the Comprehensive Plan, compatibility with surrounding uses, and adequacy of public facilities.

Variances are decided by the BCC at a public hearing. Large-scale comprehensive plan amendments over 50 acres follow a more extended process that includes a Transmittal Hearing, state agency review, and an Adoption Hearing.

Sources

↑