CLAY COUNTY – Rezoning for a potential 50-home subdivision on County Road 220 was unanimously struck down by the Clay County Commissioners at a meeting Tuesday night.

The application for 2713 C.R. 220 sought to rezone 18.82 acres from the Public Service 1 category to Planned Unit Development. Due to wetlands on the property, about 12.07 acres could be developed. The Planning Commission recommended approval on Dec. 7 with an 8-0 vote.

The applicant is Agape Lighthouse Inc., represented by agent Curtis Hart. He said he planned to fence the property line and build a lift station to accommodate utilities.

“We tried to impact neighbors the least we could,” Hart said.

The minimum house size was 1,250 square feet for this development, though that could increase. Other homes of a similar size went for $350,000 on average, he said.

“They’re paying $350,000 for a 1,500-square-foot house?” Commissioner Betsy Condon asked.

Commissioner Mike Cella said he is aware material costs are high, but he is against smaller lot sizes and small setbacks like the minimum front setback of 15 feet and minimum side setback of five feet for the proposed development.

“The problem with houses today is if you have a third car, which is not unusual to have … then they end up parking on the street or parking on the sidewalk and that’s a problem,” Cella said.

BCC Chairman Wayne Bolla asked for a lot size larger than 45 feet.

“We’re pretty much done with forties,” Bolla said.

Commissioner Kristen Burke urged commissioners to shoot down the rezoning. She felt the driveways and roads were restrictive to families and it was difficult to imagine the response of emergency vehicles not being impacted.

“I’m not for this at all. I think you should go back to the drawing board and see what else you can do for that property,” Burke said. “Just because we have 18 acres of land doesn’t mean we should just have 50 homes on it. We’ve got to have space. These people have got to have room.”