Unprecedented growth was the No. 1 story in Leesburg in 2024.
The Villages and other housing development has fueled growth in the city, with officials racing to stay ahead of the surging population by providing wastewater treatment and police protection.
There are cracks that show that not everyone is thrilled about the growth.
In November, an incumbent Leesburg commissioner who has been critical of growth was elected to a second term. Commissioner Jay Connell won re-election to Leesburg’s District 3 with 42.38 percent of the vote.
Since winning election to the commission in 2021, Connell has stressed the need to slow down the annexation of new areas into the city. He has noted during commission meetings that there are now 40,000 home sites which have been approved within the present city limits. Most of these homesites  have not yet been built up. He has stressed the need to have the roads in his District as well as the entire city upgraded to handle the traffic which the explosive growth has generated.
Meanwhile, residents fear that Growth has destroyed beauty and tranquility of Lake County while another feared that the The ‘experts’ have underestimated impact of growth.