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Existing Land Use Pattern
<br />Consisting primarily of undeveloped sand pine scrub and pine
<br />flatwoods, the site is currently zoned RM -6. The area located
<br />directly north of the subject property, within the Sebastian City
<br />Limits, is zoned Mobile Home Planned Unit Development (up to 5
<br />units/acre). Currently, the portion of that property that abuts
<br />the subject property is undeveloped xeric oak scrub.
<br />Wabasso Park, a county -operated park facility that is zoned A-1,
<br />Agricultural District (up to 1 unit/5 acres), is located at the
<br />northwest corner of the subject property. West of the site, land
<br />is zoned RM -6. Land along the northern half of the site's western
<br />boundary consists of rangeland and single-family houses on large
<br />lots, while the Lows Park Subdivision of single-family houses abuts
<br />the southern half of the site's western boundary.
<br />South of the site, across CR 510, land is zoned RM -3, Multiple -
<br />Family Residential District (up to 3 units/acre) and RS -3, Single -
<br />Family Residential District (up to 3 units/acre). Consisting
<br />primarily of single-family homes, that area also contains several
<br />churches.
<br />Land east of the site contains a mix of land uses including The
<br />John's Island Club -West Golf Course (zoned RM -6), an abandoned
<br />citrus grove (zoned RM -8), a church (zoned RM -6), and a legally
<br />established non -conforming mobile home park (zoned RM -6 and CL).
<br />Future Land Use Pattern
<br />On March 18, 1997 the BCC adopted an ordinance redesignating the
<br />subject property from L-2 to C-1. However, consistent with state
<br />law, the effective date of that ordinance is when the land use
<br />designation amendment is found "in compliance" by the State
<br />Department of Community Affairs (DCA). According to state law, DCA
<br />must determine that the amendment is either "in compliance" or "not
<br />in compliance" within.45 days from receipt of the amendment. DCA
<br />has not --yet formally made that determination.
<br />Therefore, at this time, the subject property as well as land to
<br />the west of the subject property, and the northern half of land to
<br />the east of the subject property are designated L-2, Low -Density
<br />Residential -2, on the future land use map. The L-2 designation
<br />allows residential uses with densities of up to 6 units/acre.
<br />With the exception of two small C/I, Commercial/ Industrial Node,
<br />designated areas near CR 510, the land to the east of the subject
<br />property is designated M-1, Medium -Density Residential -1, on the
<br />future land use map. The M-1 designation allows residential uses
<br />with densities of up to 8 units/acre. The C/I designation allows
<br />commercial and industrial uses.
<br />To the south of the subject property, across CR 510, land is
<br />designated L-1, Low -Density Residential -1, on the future land use
<br />map. The L-1 designation allows residential uses with densities of
<br />up to 3 units/acre.
<br />Environment
<br />Consisting of approximately 54 acres of sand pine scrub, 42 acres
<br />of pine flatwoods, and 15 acres of fresh water wetlands, the
<br />subject property is an environmentally important site.
<br />Approximately 2�4 acres, located primarily along the site's east
<br />and west boundaries, are environmentally_ disturbed. Portions of
<br />the site are within an "A" 100 -year flood plain for which no
<br />minimum base flood elevation requirement has been determined.
<br />Approximately 34 acres of the property's scrub have been identified
<br />by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) as occupied territory
<br />of the federally threatened Florida scrub jay. FWS considers this
<br />property to be one of the "core" scrub jay territories in the
<br />county critical to the long term survival of the county's scrub jay
<br />population. Moreover, the site contains mature sand pine scrub
<br />that, if properly managed, could expand the area of scrub jay
<br />habitat on the property. Other rare listed species documented or
<br />expected to occur on site include the gopher tortoise, eastern
<br />indigo snake, and gopher frog. Overall, the scrub native plant
<br />community is recognized as endangered regionally and statewide.
<br />Utilities and Services
<br />Potable water service is available to the site from the South
<br />County Reverse Osmosis Plant. When it is complete, the North
<br />County Reverse Osmosis Plant will (if necessary) provide potable
<br />water to the site. Although wastewater lines from the North County
<br />Wastewater Treatment Plant are planned to extend to the site by
<br />2010, wastewater service is not currently available to the site.
<br />BOOK `1.�. FAGS 43
<br />"RM 1� 1�7 37
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