Board/Committee Agenda Item

MEETING DATE:  6/9/2020

SUBJECT:  Site-Specific Amendment to the Official Zoning Atlas: A request by Clay Sweger, AICP, LEED AP, of EDA Consultants, Inc., applicant and agent for Black Flag Metalsmith, LLC, property owner, to amend the Official Zoning Atlas from Agricultural to Light & Warehouse Industrial (ILW) on a ±6.98 acre subject property. Consisting of Tax Parcel Number 03918-003-000 (Quasi-Judicial Hearing).

PREPARED BY:  Justin Tabor, AICP, Principal Planner

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Staff recommends that the Planning & Zoning Board transmit the Site-Specific Amendment to the Official Zoning Atlas submitted by EDA Consultants, Inc. on behalf of Black Flag Metalsmith, 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 EDA Consultants, Inc. on behalf of Black Flag Metalsmith, LLC 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.

Summary

The proposed Site Specific Amendment to the City of Alachua Official Zoning Atlas (Rezoning) is a request by Clay Sweger, AICP, LEED AP, EDA Consultants, Inc., for the consideration of the rezoning of the subject property from Agricultural (A) to Light & Warehouse Industrial (ILW). 

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 Agriculture to Industrial.

The subject property is located north of NW County Road 235 approximately 600 feet west of the intersection of NW County Road 235 and NW 148th Terrace. The property historically has consisted of natural vegetation, however, a large portion of the site was recently cleared.

The property is generally surrounded by single-family residential uses to the south, industrial uses (Sandvik Mining) to the east, a CSX rail line to the north, and Interstate 75 to the west.

The general purposes of the Business zone districts are established and described in Section 3.5.1 of the City’s Land Development Regulations (LDRs):

3.5.1 General purposes. The business zone districts are established for the general purpose of ensuring there are lands in the City that provide a wide range of office, retail, service, light industrial and related uses to meet household and business needs, and more specifically:

(A) Provide appropriately located lands for business uses consistent with Comprehensive Plan. Provide appropriately located lands in areas served by water and sewer for the full range of business uses needed by Alachua's residents, businesses, and workers, consistent with the goals, objectives, and policies of the Comprehensive Plan;

(B)    Strengthen economic base. Strengthen the City's economic base, and provide employment opportunities close to home for residents of the City and surrounding communities;

(C)    Provide suitable environment for business uses. Create suitable environments for various types of business uses, and protect them from the adverse effects of incompatible uses; and

(D) Minimize impact of business development on residential districts and uses. Minimize the impact of business development on residential districts and uses.

The specific purpose of the Light & Warehouse Industrial zone district is established and described in Section 3.5.2(G) of the City’s Land Development Regulations (LDRs):

 3.5.2(G) ILW, Light and Warehouse Industrial District. The ILW district is established and intended to accommodate a wide range of employment-generating office, institutional, research and development, and light manufacturing uses. Such uses shall be developed in a manner compatible with surrounding land uses, and to minimize potential nuisances or damage to the environment. In addition, by allowing a wide range of permitted uses, the ILW district is intended to accommodate the development of "flex space" arrangements, where the developer can establish different combinations of uses on a site over time, as the market dictates, as long as all uses and development conform to the standards established by these LDRs to protect adjacent land uses and the natural environment. Residential uses are limited to caretaker dwellings, live/work units, and upper-story dwellings.