Board/Committee Agenda Item

MEETING DATE:  6/14/2022

SUBJECT:  HighPoint Crossing Site-Specific Amendment to the Official Zoning Atlas: (Rezoning): A request by Clay Sweger, AICP, of EDA Consultants, Inc., applicant and agent for Alachua A One, LLC, property owner, for consideration of a Rezoning to amend the Official Zoning Atlas from Corporate Park (CP) to Residential Multiple Family – 15 (RMF-15) on a ±27.9 acre subject property; consisting of a portion of Tax Parcel Number 03049-000-000 (Quasi-Judicial Hearing).

PREPARED BY:  Justin Tabor, AICP, Principal Planner

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Staff recommends that the Planning & Zoning Board transmit the proposed Site-Specific Amendment to the Official Zoning Atlas submitted by EDA Consultants, Inc. on behalf of Alachua A One, LLC to the City Commission with a recommendation to approve 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 for a Site-Specific Amendment to the Official Zoning Atlas submitted by Alachua A One, Inc. on behalf of Alachua A One, LLC to be consistent with the City of Alachua Comprehensive Plan and transmits the application to the City Commission, with a recommendation to approve.

Summary

The proposed Site-Specific Amendment to the Official Zoning Atlas (Rezoning) is a request by Clay Sweger, AICP, of EDA Consultants, Inc., for the consideration of an amendment to the Official Zoning Atlas to amend the zoning on a ±27.9 acre subject property from Corporate Park (CP) to Residential Multiple Family – 15 (RMF-15).

The applicant has submitted a companion Small Scale Comprehensive Plan Amendment which proposes to amend the Future Land Use Map (FLUM) Designation of the subject property from Corporate Park to High Density Residential.

The subject property is generally located north of the US 441/Interstate-75 interchange, and north of NW 161^st Terrace. The property undeveloped and is comprised of a mixture of cleared lands and naturally wooded areas.

The general purposes of the residential zone districts are established and described in Section 3.4.1 of the City’s Land Development Regulations (LDRs):

3.4.1 General purposes. The residential zone districts contained in this section are established and intended to provide a comfortable, healthy, safe, and pleasant environment in which to live. More specifically, they are intended to:

(A)   Provide appropriately located lands for residential development. Provide appropriately located lands for residential development that are consistent with the goals, objectives, and policies of the Comprehensive Plan;

(B)   Protect from harmful effects. Protect residents from the harmful effects of noise, traffic congestion, and other significant adverse environmental effects; and

(C)  Provide lands with varying degrees of density. Provide for residential lands with varying density, together with public and semipublic buildings and facilities, accessory structures, and nonresidential services, as may be compatible with such development.

The specific purpose of the Residential Multiple Family – 15 (RMF-15) zone district is established and described in Section 3.4.2(H) of the City’s Land Development Regulations (LDRs):

3.4.2(H)  RMF-15, Residential Multiple Family District-15. The RMF-15 district is established and intended to encourage a wide range of high-density housing types, especially multifamily development, but also single-family attached, townhouses, and two- to four-family dwellings, to meet the diverse needs of the Alachua housing market, in areas served by water and sewer systems. Complementary uses customarily found in residential zone districts, such as community facilities, religious institutions, parks and playgrounds, and schools, are also allowed. Limited, neighborhood-serving commercial uses are also allowed. The maximum residential density allowed is 15 dwelling units an acre.