Summary This application is a request by Christopher Gmuer, P.E., of Gmuer Engineering, LLC., applicant and agent for Tara Forest LLC and Alachua Development Co, LLC ., property owners, for consideration of the preliminary plat of Tara Forest East , which proposes the subdivision of the ±148.76 acre subject property into a total of 340 lots, with associated right-of-way and common areas. The preliminary plat indicates the development will be constructed in 10 (ten) phases, with the first phase consisting of 32 lots. The first phase would connect to an extension of NW 161st Ave, west of the intersection of NW 147th Drive. As a part of Phase 2, an additional connection would be made to CR 241, approximately ½ mile north of Mebane Middle School.
The subject property consists of Parcel Numbers 03067-005-000, 03067-005-001, 03067-000-000, and 03067900-000, and is located north of Lowe’s and the Baywood subdivision, south of the Dogwood Acres subdivision and west of Main Street/ NW 141st Street.
The proposed Tara Forest East subdivision would consist of lots approximately 10,000 square feet (0.23 acre) in size, with a majority being 80’ wide by 125’ deep. The preliminary plat proposes a series of common areas along the northern and eastern property boundaries, as well as several A 50’ wide common area will be located between any lots and the northern property line, including an approximately 15’ wide area outside of the stormwater drainage system.
Development within the proposed subdivision would connect to potable water and wastewater facilities. Stormwater for the proposed development would be conveyed to and treated by seven stormwater retention areas. Stormwater will be conveyed to the retention areas using a combination of traditional underground pipes and “transitional swales”- long, shallow swales along the front of the lots that help to percolate and treat stormwater before reaching a retention basin.
An analysis of the development’s impact on other public facilities, including transportation, potable water, sanitary sewer, solid waste, and public schools, is provided within this report.
While no Level of Service standard will be degraded as a result of this application, there are potential offsite impacts associated with traffic that have been specifically analyzed and reviewed as a part of this preliminary plat application. Based on the potential impacts, conditions related to traffic and transportation are proposed to mitigate any negative impacts that may occur in the future. These include future traffic studies to analyze the intersection of CR241 and SR235 and the intersection of SR235 and US 441 as the development builds out. Additionally, the applicant will be required to coordinate with the Florida Department of Transportation to “optimize” the traffic signal at the intersection NW 147th Drive and US 441.
Section 2.4.10(G)(2) of the City’s Land Development Regulations (LDRs) establishes the requirements for a preliminary plat. An analysis of the application’s compliance with the applicable standards of this section has been provided within this report.
At the February 11, 2020 Planning and Zoning Board Hearing, the Board voted 4-0 in favor of forwarding the Tara Forest East Preliminary Plat to the City Commission with a recommendation to approve.
A slight modification to the plan has been made since the Planning and Zoning Board hearing to meet minimum lot size: a tier of lots have been increased in size (Block 6 of Phase 10) by approximately 4 inches in depth. |