3/5/2002 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

• • • The site is located near several of the county's largest employment centers, including the US 1 Corridor, Indian River Memorial Hospital, and Vero Beach Municipal Aiiport. Many people who work in those employment centers live in moderately -priced low to medium density housing. The RM -8 zoning district is intended for such housing. Therefore, the proposed rezoning will increase the opportunity for people who work in those areas to live near their jobs, thus reducing the length of their trips to and from work. For this reason, the request implements Future Land Use Element Objective 4. Consistency Summary As part of its consistency analysis, staff compared the proposed request to all the objectives and policies in the plan and found no conflicts. Therefore, the request is consistent with the comprehensive plan. Compatibility with the Surrounding Area B ecause the subject property is surrounded by either major roads, commercial uses, or other multiple -family zoning districts, compatibility is not a major concern with respect to this request. Although citrus groves currently abut the subject property, the county anticipates that those groves will eventually be converted to residential uses. Staff's position is that multiple -family residential development is appropriate for the site and that such development would be compatible with surrounding land uses. Located near several employment centers, the subject property is particularly well suited to meet the demand for multiple - family housing generated by those employment centers. In effect, the proposed rezoning would increase the opportunity for people to live near their place of employment. Since the request is to change the site from one multiple -family district to a similar multiple -family district, granting the request would not change the basic character or type of development permitted on the subject property. Granting this request would make the subject property's zoning correspond to the property's land use designation. For these reasons, staff feels the requested zoning district would be compatible with adjacent residential development. P otential Impact on Environmental Quality B ecause the site contains no native upland habitat, the county's upland preservation requirement does not apply. County, state and federal wetland protection and mitigation regulations apply to the wetland areas in the northwest portion of the site. Those regulations apply under both the existing RM -6 district and the proposed RM -8 district. For those reasons, no adverse environmental impacts associated with this request are anticipated. CONCLUSION B ased on the analysis, staff has deteiuiined that the requested zoning district is compatible with surrounding areas, is consistent with the comprehensive plan, meets all concurrency criteria, will have no negative impacts on environmental quality, and meets all applicable rezoning criteria. Most importantly, the subject property is located in an area deemed suited for medium -density multiple - family residential uses. For these reasons, staff supports the request. March 5, 2002 • 61 BK 62