Paving Company Must Make Return Trip

BROOKSVILLE - A&E Interlocking Pavers Inc. of Hernando County will have to wait a month to find out if it can store its paving equipment in Brooksville.

Realtor Kris Cox, representing A&E, said his client has found an ideal spot: a 1.25-acre parcel at 1255 Howell Ave.

But to do it, the county needs to rezone the property from general commercial to a category that would allow a specific heavy outdoor storage.

Last month, planning and zoning commissioners denied the request, citing flooding problems along Howell Road and accessibility to the property. They said storage of the brick pavers was too intense for the residential neighborhood.

County commissioners at their Wednesday land use hearing cited many of the same concerns. But instead of denying the rezoning outright, they allowed Cox to come back in a month with more specifics that would sell them on the plan.

"I'd like to see a little more detailed information about what the project is going to entail," Commissioner Rose Rocco told Cox.

Rocco and the board seemed most concerned about how A&E would solve the drainage problem in that area.

"We all know that Brooksville already has a serious flooding problem," Commissioner Diane Rowden said.

Planning staffers said outdoor storage is considered a higher intensity use than what is currently on site.

The brick pavers would be stored on pallets and there would be no manufacturing on the property, according to Cox.

Commissioners will reconsider the project at their March 12 land use hearing.

Also at Wednesday's meeting, county commissioners:

- Voted 4-1 to ratify a revised employment contract for newly hired county administrator David Hamilton. The contract removes Hamilton's automatic 5 percent salary increase. Rocco, who originally voted against hiring Hamilton, said she could not go along with the contract revision.

"I was one of the ones who voted nay on this, and I will vote nay on it again," she said.

- Voted 5-0 to approve a developer's request to rezone a 2.29-acre portion of a 17-acre recreation tract to allow for the construction of a 24-unit two-story apartment complex on the west side of Outerbanks Drive, north of Glen Lakes Boulevard.