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Staffs position is that commercial/industrial development on the subject property would result in fewer incompatibilities than residential development on the site. Because the site is bordered on the south by C/I designated land, the request is for the continuation of an existing land use designation pattern. In fact, the subject property is a 18.7 acre residential enclave within a 351 acre commercial/industrial node. By eliminating that enclave, the proposed amendment would result in a more consistent, efficient and logical land use designation and zoning pattern in that area of the county. Additionally, eliminating the enclave would also make zoning administration more efficient. Residential development on the subject property would be particularly impacted by noise and traffic generated by adjacent and nearby uses such as the airport, the jail, and industrial uses to the south. Although designated for conservation uses in the City of Vero Beach's comprehensive plan, the wooded area east of the site continues to be zoned for industrial uses. In contrast to residential development on the site, the industrial and institutional uses surrounding the subject property would have little impact on commercial development on the site. Although site design features such as additional buffering may partially mitigate impacts on residential projects, the added costs of those features may render a project unfeasible. This is especially relevant to affordable and lower cost housing projects which are most feasible for the subject property. The primary impacts of commercial development on the subject site would be on the residentially designated citrus grove along the subject property's west boundary. That land consists of one 10 - acre parcel that is ±330 feet wide. Since that site shares many of the same circumstances as the subject property (including location within the noise impact zone), the feasibility of residential development on that site is questionable. For these reasons, staff feels that commercial development on the subject property would be compatible with surrounding uses. The site has been cleared, and contains no environmentally important land, such as wetlands or native upland habitat. Therefore, development of the site is anticipated to have little or no impact on the environmental quality of the site. Compared to residential development, however, commercial/industrial development on the site may have a greater impact on the wooded areas abutting the site on the east. Those impacts can be at least partially mitigated through site design. For this reason, only minimal adverse environmental impacts associated with this request are anticipated. C•Z�1►L�=rli�.��3� Situated within a noise impact zone, and adjacent to a municipal airport and industrially zoned land, the subject property is located along the south side of 41s` Street, an area dominated by industrial, heavy commercial, and institutional uses. The subject property is an appropriate site for commercial industrial uses. The proposed amendment is the best alternative to eliminate the existing non -conforming use on the site. Based on the analysis, staff has determined that the requested land use designation and zoning district are compatible with surrounding areas, consistent with the comprehensive plan, meet all concurrency criteria, will have no negative impacts on environmental quality, and meet all applicable land use designation amendment and rezoning criteria. For these reasons, staff supports the request. RECOM WMATION Based on the analysis performed, staff recommends that the Board of County Commissioners take the following actions: 1. approve the requested land use designation amendment for transmittal to DCA for their review, and 2. announce its intention to hold and advertise a final public heating at the adoption stage of the plan amendment process. NOVEMBER 4, 1997 41 BOOK 103 PnE 337