Leeds officials have told Minneola's council members the Orlando-based developer is prepared to give the city $5 million worth of amenities in exchange for a formal approval on Founders Ridge, a planned multi-million-dollar, 963-townhome and single-family subdivision near Grassy Lake Road. The project would include 240 townhomes and 723 single-family residents and would be completed within seven years.

The offer is believed to be the largest of its kind in Lake County development annals, area brokers familiar with the south end of the county tell GlobeSt.com. The offer was made after numerous Central Florida towns and cities began having second thoughts of approving new subdivisions that would tax the area's school population and utilities' reserves.

Leeds is offering to build a 40-acre public park, a 4,000-seat amphitheater and children's playground; contribute $2 million over the county's set impact fee schedule to help pay for a new school; pay $364,000 more than the city's current water and sewer impact fees; $200,000 to help pay for fire and law-enforcement services; $50,000 to help the city process permits for the project; and $60,000 to help pay for maintenance of the public park.