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difference between the allowed commercial area within low density residential districts and medium <br /> density residential districts is only 5%,allowing the same percentage in both low and medium density <br /> residential districts will simplify the policy without much additional impact. Staff's position is that the <br /> Planning and Zoning Commission's recommendation is acceptable, and staff supports the change. <br /> The second change recommended by the Planning and Zoning Commission is to increase the amount of <br /> commercial area that may be developed prior to any residential development to a maximum of 3 acres <br /> or 50% of the total allowed commercial area, whichever is greater. That change would increase the <br /> amount of upfront commercial acreage allowed,especially for larger mixed use projects. Table below <br /> shows the impact on different size mixed use projects. <br /> Project area(acres) Maximum Commercial Area Allowed Proposed Maximum upfront Commercial <br /> (30%) in a mixed use project(acres) Area Allowed (3 acres or 50% of total <br /> commercial area allowed) <br /> 10 <br /> 0 6 <br /> 0 9 4.5 <br /> 40 12 6 <br /> With respect to the timing issue,the Planning and Zoning Commission felt that all projects regardless of <br /> their size should be treated equally. The Planning and Zoning Commission also felt that permitting up <br /> �... to 50% of the total allowed commercial area to be constructed before any of the residential is <br /> constructed would encourage larger sites to be developed as mixed use projects. Staffs position is that <br /> both recommendations are acceptable, and staff supports the changes. <br /> Consistency with the Comprehensive Plan <br /> Comprehensive Plan amendment requests are reviewed for consistency with all applicable policies of <br /> the comprehensive plan. As per section 800.07(1) of the county code,the"Comprehensive Plan may <br /> only be amended in such a way as to preserve the internal consistency of the plan". <br /> For a proposed amendment to be consistent with the plan,the amendment must be consistent with the <br /> goals, objectives and policies of the comprehensive plan. Policies are statements in the plan which <br /> identify actions that the county will take in order to direct the community's development. As courses <br /> of action committed to by the county,policies provide the basis for all county land development related <br /> decisions,including plan amendment decisions. While all comprehensive plan objectives and policies <br /> are important, some have more applicability than others in reviewing plan amendment requests. Of <br /> particular applicability for this request is Policy 14.3 of the Future Land Use Element. <br /> Future Land Use Element Policy 14.3 <br /> In evaluating a comprehensive plan amendment request, the most important consideration is Future <br /> Land Use Element Policy 14.3. That policy requires that at least one of four criteria be met in order to <br /> approve a comprehensive plan amendment request. Those criteria are: <br /> 5 19 <br />