CLERMONT, Fla. — Clermont’s Planning and Zoning Committee is considering a new apartment complex, but the project is causing concern for some people who live in the area.

The complex is set to be built in the area of Hancock Road and Hooks Street, near State Road 50. Many residents told Spectrum News that it's not the development that’s the issue, it’s the location.

What You Need To Know

  • A 230-unit apartment complex, Hancock Commons, is being considered by Clermont's Planning and Zoning Committee

  • Some nearby residents say they are concerned about the added resident congestion on Hancock Road that could come with the project

  • Clermont resident Damaris Maraza lives next to the empty property and says she's not against development, but doesn't want a multifamily property to be built behind her

Chipping away at yard work, Damaris Maraza said there’s no place like Clermont.

"For me being part of a community that was growing was wonderful," she said. "It was an experience coming from Puerto Rico, having the opportunity to build my house from the ground up."

Back in 2001, Maraza said the rolling hills of south Lake County are what attracted her to call Clermont home. But she says her once-quiet town is far from silent anymore.

"It’s growing to a point that every corner is being filled with commercial (property)," said Maraza. 

She said traffic and an increased cost of living are the new reality, and the area continues to grow.

"I don’t mind having some growth with that piece of property, but not multifamily," she said.

Maraza is talking about Hancock Commons, a proposed 230-unit apartment complex that could soon be neighboring her home. She said it’s not just the prospect of an eyesore the apartment complex may bring, it’s also the added cars on the road.

"We have a lot of accidents," she said. "I use to sit down on my patio and not hear the sirens, but now every 5-10 minutes I hear the sirens of the fire truck. The accidents in that corner of Hooks and Hancock are terrible."

The developers prepared a traffic impact analysis that confirmed State Road 50 is over-capacity. In their analysis, they say the added traffic from the proposed apartment complex would be best served on Hancock Road and Hooks Street.

But Damaris told Spectrum News that even if the developers expanded the road, like State Road 50, Hancock Road is also over-capacity. She said the additional residents will only make matters worse.

"There’s no hills anymore sadly, it’s being leveled down everywhere," she said. "The charm of Clermont is slowly disappearing."

While the fate of the Hancock Commons Apartments is still up in the air, Damaris said she hopes city and county leaders focus on fixing the current infrastructure before building more homes.