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• Future Land Use Element Policy 14.3 The most important policy to consider in evaluating a plan amendment request for consistency with the county's Comprehensive Plan is Future Land Use Element Policy 14.3. This policy requires that at (east one of four criteria be met in order to approve a land use amendment request. These criteria are: • the proposed amendment will correct a mistake in the approved plan; • the proposed amendment will correct an oversight in the approved plan; • the proposed amendment involves a swap or reconfiguration of land uses at separate sites, and that swap or reconfiguration will not increase the overall land use density or intensity depicted on the Future Land Use Map; or • the proposed amendment is warranted based on a substantial change in circumstances affecting the subject property. Based on its analysis, staff feels that the proposed land use amendment meets Policy 14.3's fourth criterion. When the comprehensive plan was adopted in 1990, the area between CR 510 and the City of Sebastian was designated R from 90th Avenue to 66th Avenue. As a result, the subject property was bounded on two sides by L-1 designated land, but was part of a larger contiguous area of R designated land. In 1994, however, the adjacent 159 acres to the east of the site were redesignated to R. That 1994 amendment affected the subject property in the following two ways. • The site is now surrounded on three sides by L-1 designated land; and • The site is no longer part of a larger contiguous area of R designated land. While the redesignation of adjacent land is not always justification for a land use amendment, in this case it is relevant for the above reasons. Another change affecting the site involves public schools. The new Sebastian River High School, located just west of the subject property (just across 90th Avenue), was completed in the mid -1990's. Additionally, a new elementary school is now planned to be located just south of the subject property (just across 85th Street). Allowing a slightly denser land use designation near these schools makes sense for the following reasons. • These schools will attract families with children. Generally, housing at a density of up to 3 units/acre is more affordable for families with children than the up to 1 unit/acre density permitted under the current land use designation. • The entire subject property is within one mile of both school sites. That proximity allows residents on the subject property to walk or bike to the school sites. thus reducing automobile trips and student reliance on others for transportation. The siting (and in the case of the high school. the construction) of these schools has occurred since plan adoption. March 20, 2001 BKI PC 582 110 E€ r.,