Residents urge housing solutions and oppose another downtown apartment project

Multiple residents used the council’s open-forum portion of the May 5 meeting to press the City Council on housing policy and a specific downtown proposal.

Guy (speaker 9) urged the council to amend Oldsmar’s Land Development Code to allow accessory dwelling units (ADUs) beyond the Town Center district so homeowners could add secondary units — also known as granny flats or garage apartments — as a low-cost way to expand housing supply. He argued ADUs align with Florida’s 2024 policy direction encouraging municipalities to permit accessory dwelling uses, and told the council ADUs support aging-in-place, family support, and workforce retention.

Fraser Young (speaker 14), a council candidate, told the council he has heard widespread local opposition to the downtown proposal, arguing the community does not want more apartments and suggesting the city put underused land on the open market so taxpayers receive direct value rather than subsidizing projects that increase density. He criticized a 2022 density increase he said set the stage for recent proposals.

Both speakers framed their remarks as recommendations to council rather than formal requests tied to an agenda item. Council members acknowledged the comments; no formal action on zoning or land sale was taken at the meeting.