Board/Committee Agenda Item

MEETING DATE:  12/8/2015

SUBJECT:  Benton Hills Preliminary Plat: A request by James J. Meehan, P.E., applicant and agent, for Golden Pond Farms Inc. and Florida Timber Company, property owner, for consideration of the subdivision of the ±81.14 acre property into 210 lots. Tax Parcel Nos. 03044-010-002; 03044-010-003; 03044-011-001; 03044-011-002; 03044-011-003 (Quasi-Judicial Hearing)

PREPARED BY:  Justin Tabor, AICP, Principal Planner

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Staff recommends that the Planning & Zoning Board transmit the preliminary plat to the City Commission with a recommendation to approve, subject to the 4 conditions provided in Exhibit “A” of the December 8, 2015, Staff Report to the Planning & Zoning Board, upon making the following motion:

Based upon the competent substantial evidence presented at this hearing, the presentation before this Board, and Staff’s recommendation, this Board finds the application to be consistent with the City of Alachua Comprehensive Plan and in compliance with the Land Development Regulations and transmits the application to the City Commission, with a recommendation to approve, subject to the 4 conditions provided in Exhibit “A” of the December 8, 2015, Staff Report to the Planning & Zoning Board. 

Summary

This application is a request by James J. Meehan, P.E., applicant and agent for Golden Pond Farms Inc. and Florida Timber Co, property owners, for the approval of a preliminary plat for a proposed 210 lot subdivision. Phase 1 of the proposed development shall consist of 75 lots.

The subject property is located immediately south of the Meadowglen subdivision, west of County Road 235-A (also known as NW 173^rd Street,) and north-northwest of the Santa Fe Hills subdivision. Access to the subject property shall be provided by a connection to County Road 235-A

The proposed Benton Hills subdivision would consist of lots ranging in size from ±7,500 square feet to ±12,000 square feet, with the majority of lots between ±7,500 square feet and ±9,000 square feet. The preliminary plat proposes a series of common areas throughout the development and a project boundary buffer ranging in width from ±20 feet to ±40 feet around the north, east, and west sides of the project, with many of the development’s lots located adjacent to either a common area or project boundary buffer. The density of Phase 1 of the development would be 2.43 units per acre, while the project’s overall density would be 2.59 units per acre.

The applicant indicates that fire protection shall be provided through the installation of a sprinkler system within each single-family residential dwelling until such time that sufficient water pressure exists in the City’s potable water system at the subject property to meet National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards for non-sprinkled single-family residential dwellings. Further review by the City’s Public Services Department of the project’s compliance with fire protection standards shall occur throughout the subdivision review process (i.e., during construction plan review) and will determine if water system upgrades are necessary.

Development within the proposed subdivision would connect to potable water and wastewater facilities. Stormwater for Phase 1 of the project would be conveyed to a stormwater management facility in the northwestern portion of the subject property. Future phases of the project shall also be served by a stormwater management facility in the southwestern portion of the subject property. An analysis of the development’s impact on public facilities is provided within this report.

Section 2.4.10(G)(2) of the City’s Land Development Regulations (LDRs) establishes the requirements for a plat. An analysis of the application’s compliance with the applicable standards of this section has been provided within the Staff Report (attached.)