ZEPHYRHILLS – AdventHealth has been granted more flexibility to develop 23 acres next to its Zephyrhills hospital.
The hospital system applied to rezone four parcels east of Dairy Road and north of Daughtery Road to general commercial uses. Most of the land is undeveloped wooded area, with the exception of some unpaved parking and a community garden.
William McCaw, a planner for the city, told the Zephyrhill City Council on Sept. 22 during the first reading that AdventHealth will use the site across Dairy Road to replace parking as it expands the hospital.
The hospital system will also continue to maintain the community garden.
AdventHealth offered deed restrictions to eliminate certain uses from the commercial zoning.
Some of these uses include big box retail, convenience store, gas station, hotel, landscape supply, garden center, pawn shop, drinking establishment, distillery and auto service, repair, retail, wash or detailing.
Barbara Wilhite, who spoke on behalf of AdventHealth on Oct. 13 during the second reading, said the petitioner has met with staff for three rounds to discuss prohibited uses. The most recent round of restrinctions included mini-warehouse and recreational vehicle storage.
“These are voluntary deed restrictions for the record,” Wilhite told the council. “We were not told we had to do this. We volunteered to do this. We were asked about those uses and we said, ‘absolutely, we’ll prohibit those as well.’”
The city advised AdventHealth that a traffic study would be needed for the intersection of Gall Boulevard and Daughtery Road prior to construction, according to McCaw.
City leaders have also expressed a desire for the parking area to be well-lit to protect pedestrians.
Public Works Director Shane LeBlanc assured the council that he has been working with the petitioner to add flashing pedestrian crossings to the site that are ADA-accessible.
“We’re working behind the scenes with them to make sure it’s a safe intersection,” LeBlanc said.
