[BrianL99]

So on November 10, the Sumter County Commissioners will likely vote to allow apartments in Sumter Landing, in formerly commercial space along Lake Sumter Landing, Canal Street, Old Mill Run and Lake Shore Drive.

The change will allow "1st floor" space to be used for apartments/residential use, which was previously not allowed.

Here's the dynamic as I see it.

The Developer is having trouble renting commercial space. His argument to the Sumter County Commissioners is, allowing residential use provides more diverse housing opportunities.

I think he's right, but perhaps short-sighted? Requiring the existing commercial space to remain available only for "business", would force lower rental rates. Is this advantageous? It might be. Consider that the Town Squares currently have mostly larger, well-financed businesses/restaurants and choices (& variety) are limited.

Take Mt. Dora as an example. The downtown area, which seems to be packed with people most every day, is dominated by small, "mom & pop" operations, in small retail spaces. I was in a store there, operated only by a woman and her daughter. The store was only about 150-200 sq. ft. She made and sold, organic, homemade lipstick (I didn't buy any). I think micro-businesses might do really well in a community like The Villages.

If forced to leave 1st floor space available only for commercial use, would the Developer be forced to adjust his business model, to allow small operators to rent smaller spaces, devoted to craft type shops? Small, entrepreneurial businesses? One or two people operations? Small bakery? Hair dresser? A dry cleaner? Jewelry? Think about all the businesses that show up for Square events ... could some of them operate on a regular basis, if they could rent a micro-store from the Developer?

I don't really know the answer, but I don't thinking changing ground floor space to residential use, isn't consistent with the Town Square concept.