Summary The proposed Site Specific Amendment to the City of Alachua Official Zoning Atlas (Rezoning) is a request by Clay Sweger, AICP, LEED AP, of eda engineers – surveyors – planners, inc., applicant and agent for AMES/Detrick Truck Company, property owner, for the consideration of rezoning an approximate 9.32 acre subject property from Light and Warehouse Industrial (ILW) to Commercial Intensive (CI.) The subject property consists of a portion of Tax Parcel Number 05920-001-002, and is immediately south of the existing Polaris of Gainesville dealership.
The applicant has submitted a companion Small Scale Comprehensive Plan Amendment (SSCPA) which proposes to amend the Future Land Use Map (FLUM) Designation of the subject property from Industrial to Commercial. If the proposed SSCPA application is approved, the proposed zoning district would be consistent with the underlying FLUM Designation of the subject property.
The current FLUM and zoning designations of the parcel are split with commercial designations on the portion of the property fronting NW US Highway 441 (the land comprising the existing Polaris of Gainesville dealership) and industrial designations of the southern portion of the property (the area subject to the proposed amendment.) The commercial FLUM and zoning designations on the northern portion of the parcel were approved by amendments to the FLUM and Official Zoning Atlas in June 2004.
The property subject to the proposed amendment is presently vacant. The subject property is generally located south of NW US Highway 441 and the Polaris of Gainesville dealership, southwest of Smyder Motor Sales and Equipment, and west of the Turkey Creek Subdivision.
The applicant’s report states that the purpose of the proposed amendment is to apply a Commercial FLUM Designation to the property, as the property owner is considering an expansion to the existing Polaris of Gainesville business with the potential to encroach into the currently designated Industrial portion of the property, necessitating the proposed change.
On July 12, 2016, the Planning & Zoning Board (PZB) held a public hearing on the proposed Rezoning, and voted 5-0 to transmit the proposed Rezoning to the City Commission with a recommendation to approve. During the public hearing, two (2) individuals commented on the proposed amendment. Comments pertained to existing noise from the Polaris of Gainesville dealership (use of a public address system), visibility of future development from residences within the Turkey Creek subdivision, potential buffering requirements between residences within Turkey Creek and future development of the site, and the uses permitted within the Commercial FLUM Designation/CI zoning district.
On August 8, 2016, the City Commission held the first public hearing of Ordinance 16-14 and voted 5-0 to approve the ordinance on first reading. |