Board/Committee Agenda Item

MEETING DATE:  3/10/2020

SUBJECT:  Tara Baywood Preliminary Plat: A request by Christopher Gmuer, P.E., of Gmuer Engineering, Inc., applicant and agent for Alachua Development Co, LLC, property owner, for consideration of the Preliminary Plat for the Tara Baywood Subdivision, which proposes the subdivision of a ±35.26 acre subject property into a total of 211 lots, with associated common areas and right-of-way. Tax Parcel Number 03067-006-000 (Quasi-Judicial Hearing).

PREPARED BY:  Adam Hall, AICP

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Staff recommends that the Planning and Zoning Board forward the Tara Baywood Preliminary Plat application to the City Commission with a recommendation to approve, subject to the five (5) conditions provided in Exhibit “A” and located on page 20 of the Staff Report.

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 Preliminary Plat of Tara Baywood to the City Commission, with a recommendation to approve, subject to the five (5) conditions provided in Exhibit “A” and located on page 21 of the Staff Report.  

Summary

This application is a request by Christopher Gmuer, P.E., of Gmuer Engineering, LLC., applicant and agent for Alachua Development Co, LLC ., property owner, for consideration of the preliminary plat of Tara Baywood , which proposes the subdivision of the ±35.26 acre subject property into a total of 211 lots, with associated right-of-way and common areas. The preliminary plat indicates the development will be constructed in 4 (four) phases, with the first phase consisting of 65 lots. The first phase is proposed to connect to an extension of NW 161^st Ave, west of the intersection of NW 147^th Drive. The application also proposes a secondary connection to NW 163^rd Place. A separate, but related application (Tara Forest East preliminary plat) for 340 single family lots is proposed to be located north of the Tara Baywood property. The Tara Forest East preliminary plat application was heard before the Planning and Zoning Board on February 11, 2020; a public hearing before the City Commission is scheduled for March 9, 2020. Tara Forest East and Tara Baywood would interconnect in three locations. Tara Forest East includes a connection to CR 241 and a pedestrian access to NW 166^th Place.

The subject property consists of Parcel Number 03067-006-006, and is located north of Lowe’s Home Improvement, west of the existing Baywood subdivision, and south of the proposed Tara Forest East subdivision.

The proposed Tara Baywood subdivision would consist of townhouse lots approximately 2,000 square feet (0.05 acre) in size, with a majority of lots being 20’ wide by 100’ deep. The preliminary plat proposes a series of common areas along the northern and eastern property boundaries that are 15’ wide. A 6’ privacy fence is proposed to be installed and maintained along the northern and eastern property boundary.

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 two stormwater retention areas. 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. Because of the proximity and relatedness of the proposed Tara Forest East preliminary plat, supplemental impact analysis tables have been provided showing the impacts of both projects.

While no Level of Service standard will be degraded as a result of this application or the proposed Tara Forest East preliminary plat 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 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 147^th 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.