4/12/1994 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

6)OUR 92 -LrtiuF. 16 School. The subject property borders the City of Sebastian and lies one half of a mile from the Vero Lake Estates subdivision which has the same land use designation as that requested for the subject property. Additionally, the zoning of the land in the City of Sebastian that abuts the subject property permits a higher density than that requested for the subject property. For these reasons, the proposed amendment is consistent with Future Land Use Element Policy 1.11. Future Land Use Element Policy 4.1 Future Land Use Element Policy 4.1 states that land use categories shall be designated in a manner which concentrates urban uses, thereby discouraging urban sprawl. By increasing the density of land currently within the urban service area, as opposed to expanding the urban service area, the proposed amendment concentrates growth in the area designated for urban uses. For this reason, the proposed amendment is consistent with Future Land Use Element Policy 4.1. - Mass Transit Element Policy 1.2 Mass Transit Element Policy 1.2 states that the county will, through the future land use element, provide higher densities along major transportation corridors in order to facilitate future mass transit provision. Since the proposed amendment will increase the allowed density along C.R. 510, which is a major transportation corridor, this request is consistent with Mass Transit Element Policy 1.2. As part of its consistency analysis, staff compared the proposed request to all the policies in the plan and found no conflicts. Therefore, staff's position is that the proposed amendment is consistent with the comprehensive plan. Compatibility with the Surrounding Area Staff's position is that granting the request to redesignate the subject property to L-1 would result in development which would be compatible with surrounding areas. Although bordered on all sides by groves or the St. Sebastian River, the subject property, at approximately 159 acres, is large enough to buffer itself from the adjacent agricultural uses (as required in Future Land Use Element Policy 6.3 and in section 911.04(3)(c)5b of the County LDRs). Despite the fact that it is currently used for groves, the land to the north, east, and west is designated for future low density residential development. In fact, the adjacent land in the City of Sebastian is designated for a higher density than that requested for the subject property. For these reasons, staff feels the requested L-1 land use designation would be compatible with the surrounding area. Potential Impact on Environmental Oualit Environmental impacts of residential development on the subject property would be essentially the same under either the existing or the proposed land use designation. Changing the land use designation of the subject property from R to L-1 may enhance environmental quality by encouraging residential development of the site which is currently a grove. 76 M M M