Leesburg commissioners have approved a proportionate share mitigation agreement which requires the developer of the 970-unit Bellavia at Whispering Hills project to pay more than $4 million to the Lake County School Board.
Lake County schools, including Leesburg High School, are filled to capacity due to the explosive development in Lake County. A proportionate share mitigation agreement is a method of paying for student station costs to assist in future funding of additional student stations created by a new development.
In this case, the school board has determined that existing school capacity is insufficient and that the Whispering Hills development should be expected to generate 97 additional Leesburg high school students which are referred to in the resolution as the capacity deficit. The cost of each student station is estimated at $42,917 so 97 x $42,917 = $4,162,949.
The developer will be required to pay the mitigation payment prior to the recording of each plat for each phase of the development or no more than ninety days after the city approves the final site plan…