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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-04-2025 PZ MinutesCITY OF SEBASTIAN PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION/LOCAL PLANNING AGENCY MINUTES SEPTEMBER 4, 2025 FA Call to Order -- Chairperson Kautenburg called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Pledqe of Alleqiance -- was recited by all. Roll Call Present: Ms. Matthews Ms. Kautenburg Mr. Carter Absent: Ms. Lorusso (Excused) Ms. Kinchen (Excused) Ms. Geesey (Excused) Mr. Roberts (a) (Unexcused) Also Present Mr. Reno (a) Ms. Battles Jennifer Cockcroft, City Attorney Alix Bernard, Community Development Director Dorri Bosworth, Community Development Manager Jim Mann, Principal Planner Michelle Faulkner, Senior Planner Joseph Perez, AV Technical Assistant Janet Graham, Technical Writer Announcements and Aoenda Modifications: 0 �Om N 4C EIL H �0 Cd 'cp CU YIN Q < Ms. Kautenburg announced that Commissioners Geesey, Lorusso, and Kinchen are excused from tonight's meeting, and the alternate member, Mr. Reno, will be voting in their places. She added that the Commissioners would like to offer their congratulations to Ms. Matthews who will be seated on the City Council. She stated that the Commissioners know she will do a good job, and they look forward to working with her, and they will miss her presence. V. Approval of Minutes PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION/LOCAL PLANNING AGENCY PAGE 2 MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING SEPTEMBER 4, 2025 All commissioners having indicated that they have reviewed the Minutes of August 7, 2025, Ms. Kautenburg called for a motion. A motion accepting the Minutes of August 7, 2025 as presented was made by Mr. Carter, seconded by Ms. Matthews, and approved unanimously via voice vote. Ms. Cockcroft stated that Ms. Matthews is a member of the Planning Commission tonight. None of her title change has taken place officially yet. That is to be determined in the future, and she is not subject to any resignation tonight. So she is a valid member legally of the Planning Commission. V Local Planning Aaencv (LPA) Public Hearings A. Public Hearing -- Recommendation to City Council -- Large Scale Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map Amendment -- DR Horton, Inc./Henry A Fischer, Applicant: An Amendment to the Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map for Property containing 148.58 acres, Formerly Known as the Vickers Sandmine, Located East of Lance Street, West of the F.E.C. Railroad, South of Gilson and Concord Avenues, and North of Beach Cove Mobile Home Park -- Existing Future Land Uses: MU (Mixed Use, 10 du/ac), IN (Industrial), and C/I (Indian River County Commercial/Industrial) -- Requested Future Land Use: LDR (Low Density Residential, 5 du/ac) The City Attorney read the item into the record. Ms. Kautenburg called on staff for its presentation. Ms. Bosworth stated this is a request for a large-scale change to the Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map. It is 148 acres. Large scale is 50 acres or more. Since it is a large-scale change, it does require review by the State of Florida and some other state agencies, and some of our local surrounding communities will have the option to review this request and make comments if they have any. There is an 85-acre lake in the center of this piece of land with about 63 acres of upland. It is a site formerly known as the Vickers Sandmine. They have completed all of the sandmining activities and are either done or in the process of closing out their St. John's Water Management District for that sandmining operation. She gave some history of where the parties got to where they are with regards to this property having an existing land use of Mixed Use. The Mixed Use Land Use is new to the Sebastian Comprehensive Plan that was adopted in 2022. That land use was created to help develop our annexation to the south, the Graves Brothers. When staff was reviewing the Mixed Use and the commissioners were discussing it also, the City had looked at some other catalyst sites that may benefit from this mixed use/new land use that would help development of their properties. This happened to be one of those sites. We had three other sites that had been looked at and considered. PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION/LOCAL PLANNING AGENCY PAGE 3 MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING SEPTEMBER 4, 2025 After speaking with the property owner, he agreed that yes, he would like to go ahead and assign this Mixed Use designation to this property, which was done when we adopted the Comprehensive Plan in 2022. Since then, the property is listed for sale. There is a potential developer, and staff has over the last month or so, worked through different plans and options that they would like to develop this. It started off with possibly a mix of residential which met the Mixed Use/land use intention. But the final design that they would like to go forward with, staff let them know that we could not support it with the land use intentions for mixed use. At that point, they had an option to either redesign or come before this Commission and ask for a land use change with their proposed plan. She added that before the Mixed Use was granted to this property, the land use was low -density residential for most of it and an area along the railroad tracks that had an industrial land use. So this is requesting to change it to what it was before the Mixed Use was given to it through the comprehensive update of 2022, excluding the industrial use. She detailed that there are 10 parcels, seven of those belong to the sandmine and the lake area. There is another smaller 1.47-acre parcel that was annexed also around 2021- 2022, and it was given an industrial land use. Also included is Industrial Park Boulevard. She called the Commissioners' attention to the maps where all these areas are situated. Industrial Park Boulevard is a private road. That is the parcel that has the County Land Use, the Indian River County C/I. The industrial, the County land use, and the existing Mixed Use is all of what is being requested to change to the low -density residential. She described the land use of the surrounding properties. Ms. Bosworth stated that what is required of this Commission is to review this per our Land Development Code. In the staff report there is some criteria that the Commissioners are to consider in their deliberations. Staff has spelled that out in their staff report. There is also a written summary from the applicant. She stated that staff feels that the request is definitely in compliance with the Comprehensive Plan intentions for LDR. It meets the Comprehensive Plan, and staff is recommending approval. She stated that the property owner is here for any questions. Tonight the deliberation is just for the request of the land -use change. This will then be scheduled for City Council for September 24t". Depending on your recommendation, they may approve this on the first reading. Staff will then be scheduling the actual rezoning and the Conceptual Plan that you will then review. That will be in one of your early meetings in October. They are not considering anything regarding any of the subdivision designs at this hearing, just the land use. Ms. Kautenburg called for questions/comments from the Commissioners. PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION/LOCAL PLANNING AGENCY PAGE 4 MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING SEPTEMBER 4, 2025 Ms. Battles asked how many access points this property has currently. Ms. Bosworth said that would be more of a Conceptual Plan question. Definitely right now there is one existing, Industrial Park Boulevard. Ms. Battles asked how many other access roads abut this property. Ms. Bosworth said there will definitely be two accesses to this property with maybe some pedestrian accesses to it. Ms. Kautenburg called on anyone from the public who is in favor of this project. There were none. She then asked if anyone from the public is opposed to this project. There were none. She then called for final summary from the staff. Ms. Bosworth stated that staff recommends approval of the request and that the commissioners make a recommendation of approval to City Council. Ms. Kautenburg called for questions/comments from the commissioners. Ms. Battles stated her only concern would be in the current mixed use it allows for public access freely through the property if you have different types of uses potentially there. She know that the area just south of this property has a lot of access concerns. That area is very secluded from the rest of the City, so to speak. She stated that with the change to low residential potentially, they can restrict access, whereas with mixed use, access would be free flowing. Other than that, she agrees with everything staff outlined. Ms. Kautenburg said that is a very good point, because there is a bit of congestion there. However, that will be addressed when we get to the Conceptual Plan. Ms. Battles then asked the City Attorney if, in that case, there is any kind of condition that we could put on this rezoning from that standpoint. Ms. Cockcroft stated that as long as it is meeting the goals of the Comprehensive Plan, and it does talk about access to transportation, etc., then it is already adhering to the proposed goals, objectives, and policies. So the Commission members would have to make a finding that there was substantial competent evidence that they did not meet that. Ms. Bosworth reiterated that land use can have various zonings. This is just the land use, and with this low -density residential, you can have RS10, RS20, RE40, and a residential PUD. She opined that through the rezoning and possibly, if it is a PUD with conceptual, at that point if there are any access conditions of approval that you wanted to put on, that would be through the rezoning and possibly a preliminary plat or conceptual. This is just the land use, kind of establishing the density of the property going forward. Ms. Kautenburg said she does not have a problem with the change. She thinks it is sort of an upgrade. She is kind of glad to see industrial go away from that area. PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION/LOCAL PLANNING AGENCY PAGE 5 MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING SEPTEMBER 4, 2025 There being no further questions or comments, Ms. Kautenburg called for a motion. A motion recommending to City Council the requested change to future land use LDR, low - density residential, was made by Mr. Carter and seconded by Ms. Matthews. Roll Call Ms. Battles -- Yes Mr. Reno (a) -- Yes Ms. Kautenburg -- Yes Mr. Carter -- Yes Ms. Matthews -- Yes Vote was 5-0 in favor. Motion carries. VI. Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Commission Quasi -Judicial Hearings -- None VII. Unfinished Business -- None Vill. New Business -- None IX. Adiourn There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned by Mr. Kautenburg at 6:18 p.m. Louise Kautenburg, Chairperson j9 Date: