LADY LAKE - New powers may be granted to The Villages at a meeting of the Lady Lake Town Commission Monday night. The retirement community, which has become one of the fastest growing residential developments in the country, is seeking to expand its size and abilities in small degrees. 

Commissioners will likely adopt changes to the interlocal agreement with the Village Community Center Development District, a governing body for the Villages. 

District administrator Pete Wahl said the expansion, which would grant all special powers currently available for community development districts in Florida, is desired because it would allow the district ability to provide solid waste service in the community. 

“At some point in time, we would like to acquire the trash clusters in solid waste (that are adjacent to The Villages),” Wahl said. “We want to be prepared for that.” 

Wahl said those clusters are not currently available, but that the district will likely be interested when the property owner puts the property up for sale. 

In a first reading of the ordinance two weeks ago, commissioners gave preliminary support for the change in powers, but only if the shift is limited to those powers available under state law right now. 

Town Manager Jim Coleman said the town wanted to avoid creating a situation where The Villages would receive new powers automatically every time the Florida Legislature made one available. 

The original ordinance granting powers to the district was passed by the town commission in 1994. 

Also on the agenda Monday, The Villages would like permission to build on two properties currently being utilized as buffalo pens. The properties on U.S. Highway 441 would likely be used for an 80-room hotel and a new restaurant, according to Coleman. As the property is on a major highway which homes numerous commercial storefronts already, town staff is recommending this request be approved by the commission. The total size of the property is 2.1 acres and is located north of the St. Timothy’s Cathedral. 

Also on the agenda, the commission will approve Coleman’s mid-year evaluations and discuss his employment. Two commissioners gave Coleman poor or unacceptable ratings, while two others rated him as acceptable to excellent and one commissioner sent in a report with no ratings but had remarks noting improvement in Coleman’s services. 

Though the evaluations seem to indicate that a majority of commissioners support Coleman, the manager said he is still anxious about hearing discussion Monday night. 

“Do I feel safe?, No,” he said.