Leesburg commissioners have approved a proportionate share mitigation agreement which requires the developer of the 307 single family homes in the proposed Blue Cedar development to pay $1.2 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.
Several thousand homes will be built in the Leesburg portion of The Villages and even though the 55+ developments do not directly contribute students, as those developments grow they spur housing needs for the people who work in The Villages and surrounding area.
In this case the school board has determined that existing school capacity is insufficient and that the Blue Cedar development should be expected to generate 35 high school students  which are referred to in the resolution as the capacity deficit. The cost of each student station is estimated at $34,862 so 35 x $34,862 = $1,220,170.
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.
The Blue Cedar development will be located just south of the Florida Turnpike along U.S. Hwy 27 and is owned by the Blue Cedar Investments, LLC.
