Residents ask Lake County for a public hearing on Embry Riddle airfield plans; staff says site plan under review

Multiple residents asked the board to place the Embry Riddle/Deep Woods Ranch Aviation Training Facility on a future agenda for a formal public hearing to examine land‑use impacts, tree clearing and noise in and around the Ocala National Forest.

"A hearing would allow all commissioners to review the facts, ask questions, and especially about how the current proposal seems to expand well beyond the scope of the existing CUPs," Lisa Hayden said from the Zoom line. Alan Chen and Cindy Newton described concerns about tree removal, noise impacts, and whether the county had been fully apprised of the project's extent.

Planning staff (Mike Fitzgerald) told the board the site's plan application is still under review and that Embry Riddle had previously withdrawn a proposed CUP amendment and instead is working under the existing conditional use permit. Staff said the applicant must also obtain outside permits from the St. Johns River Water Management District and Forestry for tree clearing outside the property, and that county zoning review cannot lawfully withhold action while outside permits remain pending (citing Florida statute 125.022). The county attorney read the statute on the record and clarified the county may not impose an outside‑agency permit as a condition of processing a local development permit unless the outside agency's final action has denied the permit.

The board agreed staff should attempt to get updates from outside agencies and suggested inviting the applicant’s counsel or outside agencies to present or submit written updates. Commissioners emphasized balancing property owners' rights with public disclosure and suggested bringing an update to a future meeting so the public can see the regulatory status.