New housing development approved in Clermont

A new housing development named WaterBrooke with 950 housing units planned is on the horizon in Clermont.

Mattamy Homes gained approval to annex a 540-acre former sand mine at 13431 Jahna Road from Lake County's jurisdiction into the Clermont city limits last week.

The move gives the development access to utilities and also netted it the ability to build more homes compared to what it would have received under Lake County's rules.

The county would have allowed 894 residences, while Clermont allowed 950. Clermont allowed the increase in lieu of some right-of way-land the city and county were interested in receiving for road improvements.

"Even with the 56 additional units the development is well under three dwelling units per acre," said Barbara Hollerand, Clermont's director of development services. "They have a lot of green space with this project. It's going to be a distinctive community."

The development is dotted with lakes and the home construction plan calls for the homes to be in clusters of development on the land, Hollerand said.

There are plans for single-family homes and townhomes in the development.

Lake County and Clermont planners worked together on the plan and annexation.

There were several other waivers of Clermont's city code also made by the city council for the development:

--Private streets within the subdivision are allowed to have gated entries and exits.

--Construction on Emil Jahna Road doesn't have to have separate bikeways. Instead they will be included in the 10-foot-wide trail on the west side of the road.

--Allows 20-foot-wide alleys with 12 feet of pavement as long as 20 feet of emergency access is maintained.

--Allows street trees within the road frontage of a residential lot to count toward the minimum number of trees allowed on the lot and allowing them less than 6 feet from curbs.

--Allows community amenity buildings a maximum height of 55 feet.

Hollerand said Mattamy is eager to get the development started, perhaps in a year to 15 months.

Tom McCarthy, vice president, land acquisition and development for Mattamy in Orlando, said meetings next week should firm up when work on the new development can get underway.

"We are looking forward to it," he said.

Teresa Burney can be reached at teresaburney4@gmail.com or at 352-455-1955.