Summary
The proposed Site Specific Amendment to the City of Alachua Official Zoning Atlas (Rezoning) is a request by Craig Brashier, AICP, of Causseaux, Hewett, & Walpole, Inc., applicant and agent for Tara Village, Inc., property owner, for the consideration of rezoning an approximate 21.64 acre subject property from Agriculture (“A”) to Planned Development – Residential (“PD-R.”)
The subject property consists of Tax Parcel Numbers 03974-004-000 and 03974-005-000, and is located in the 12000 block of and east of NW 157th Street, approximately 2,500 feet south of the intersection of NW 157th Street and County Road 235, east of the Savannah Station Subdivision, northeast of the Pilot Forest Subdivision, south of Shady Lane Acres, an unrecorded survey, and west of Interstate 75.
The applicant has submitted a concurrent Large Scale Comprehensive Plan Amendment (LSCPA) application which proposes to amend the Future Land Use Map (FLUM) Designation from Agriculture to Moderate Density Residential. In addition, the applicant has submitted an application for a Comprehensive Plan Text Amendment which would create Policy 1.2.a.1 of the Future Land Use Element (FLUE) to limit development on the subject property to a maximum of twenty (20) dwelling units.
The proposed PD-R zoning district would permit a maximum of 20 single-family residential units on the subject property, consistent with the aforementioned proposed Comprehensive Plan FLUE Policy 1.2.a.1. The proposed minimum lot area is 21,000 square feet (approximately 0.48 acres.) Development of the subject property would place residential areas within the central portion of the site, with common area/open space surrounding the perimeter of the site.
A proposed condition (condition #4 of Exhibit “A” to this Report) would require a minimum 25 foot natural buffer along the project’s property boundary lines. The natural buffer would be required to remain undisturbed in all areas and in its natural state, except where necessary to provide ingress/egress, stormwater management facilities, and utility service to the project. The natural buffer is intended to provide for compatibility of the project with the densities of contiguous and nearby properties, which range in size from 1.98 acres to 6.35 acres in areas east of NW 157th Street. As proposed by this condition, stormwater management facilities within the natural buffer would only be permitted within the area along the north property boundary line and west property boundary line of the project, and only if required to do so to meet design constraints. Should stormwater management facilities be located within the natural buffer area, the proposed condition would require the project to provide a Type D “Opaque” landscaping buffer between the stormwater management facility and the property boundary line. A Type D landscaping buffer requires two canopy trees every 40 linear feet and one of the following: an evergreen hedge; one shrub every 5 linear feet; or a fence or wall.
The applicant states that the parcel to the north of the subject property (Tax Parcel Number 03975-015-000), which is in common ownership with the property subject to this amendment, serves as a buffer between the proposed Tara Village PD-R and nearby lots in Shady Lane Acres. This parcel was initially a part of the proposed Tara Village PD-R. However, in subsequent revisions to the application, the applicant removed the parcel from the proposed PD-R.
Because Tax Parcel Number 03975-015-000 is not a part of the Tara Village PD-R, Staff finds that there would be no assurances that the parcel would serve perpetually as a buffer from lower density residential areas to the north (Shady Lane Acres). Lots that are proximate to the proposed Tara Village PD-R and within Shady Lane Acres are ±2.06 acres in size (90,000 square feet), representing a lot size over four (4) times greater than the minimum lot size proposed by the Tara Village PD-R (0.48 acres; 21,000 square feet.) The 25 foot natural buffer, as further discussed above, is intended to provide a buffer area between existing residential areas to the north and south that would serve perpetually as a buffer between the Tara Village PD-R and larger lot, rural residential areas to the north and south.
The road providing access to the subject property, NW 157th Street, is presently an unpaved limerock road. The City has programmed improvements to NW 157th Street within its Capital Improvements Program, to improve the roadway surface by “chip-sealing” the existing roadway surface or by applying an asphaltic pavement surface to the roadway, which would improve the condition of the road providing access to the subject property.
The general purpose of the Planned Development zoning districts is described by Section 3.6.1(A) of the Land Development Regulations (LDRs) as follows:
The Planned Development (PD) districts are established for the purpose of encouraging innovative land planning and site design concepts that conform to community quality of life benchmarks and that achieve a high quality of development, environmental sensitivity, energy efficiency, and other City goals by:
(1) Increasing Flexibility
Reducing or diminishing the uniform design that results from the strict application of zoning and development standards that are designed primarily for individual lots;
(2) Greater Freedom to Provide Access, Open Space, and Amenities
Allowing greater freedom in selecting the means to provide access, open space, and design amenities;
(3) Greater Freedom to Provide Mix of Uses and Housing Types
Allowing greater freedom in providing a mix of land uses in the same development, including a mix of housing types, lot sizes, and densities;
(4) Providing Greater Opportunity for More Efficient Land Use Patterns
Providing for an efficient use of land resulting in smaller networks of utilities and streets and thereby lowering development and housing costs;
(5) Promoting Quality Design and Environmentally Sensitive Development Through Site Characteristics
Promoting quality design and environmentally sensitive development by allowing development to take advantage of special site characteristics, locations, and land uses; and
(6) Quality Design Through Density Increases
In specific instances, encouraging quality design and environmentally sensitive development by allowing increases in base densities or floor area ratios when such increases can be justified by superior design or the provision of additional amenities such as public open space.
The purpose of the PD-R zoning district is described by Section 3.6.1(B)(1) of the LDRs as follows:
The purpose of the Planned Development-Residential (PD-R) District is to provide a mix of residential uses using innovative and creative design elements, while at the same time providing an efficient use of open space. Commercial uses may be allowed in the PD-R District primarily to serve the needs of the residents in the development.
While Section 3.6.1(B)(1) permits commercial uses within the PD-R zoning district, the Tara Village PD-R does NOT propose any commercial uses. Such areas must be shown on the PD Master Plan for a PD-R, and no such areas are shown/proposed on the PD Master Plan for the Tara Village PD-R.
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