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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1990 11 28 Planning and Zoning Board Special Minutes Planning and Zoning Board Minutes Special Workshop November 28, 1990 The meeting was called to order at 7:35 P.M. BOARD MEMBERS David Hopkins, Chairman, Present John Langelotti, Present John Torcaso, Absent David McLeod, Vice-Chairman, Absent John Horan, Present CITY OFFICIALS J.Koch,Dir. Admin./Comp. Planning Approval of Minutes of November 7, 1990: Horan moved to approve the minutes of November 7, 1990. Langelotti seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: All ayes. Motion carried. Approval of Minutes of November 14, 1990: The minutes of November 14, 1990 have to be rescheduled for the next meeting, as Mr. Horan was not present at the meeting on the 14th, and Mr. Torcaso, who was present at that meeting, is not present tonight. Workshop: Future Land Use Ma..Q and Future Land Use Goals: Koch said we need to go back and see if we all have the same general consensus on most of the questions. She said we can confirm that we can provide necessary housing for the anticipated population for the next five years with existing approved developments. Tuscawilla will accommodate an additional 900 housing uni~s. Then with 400 in Eagle Ridge and more construction in the Highlands, Mt. Greenwood. and other areas, we're in compliance with the requirement that we made sure we have planned for adequate housing, for the population the University of Florida says we should expect. We don't really know yet what effect the downturn in the economy will have on liS. There has been a slowdown in the last year. Processing of new development plans has been slow. There has been a hesitation by developers and financial people to invest in developing new land because they're not sure what will happen with concurrency and also because there is a large inventory of unsold housing. We had 3 percent more vacant housing than we normally would have. Developers will generally want to sell what they've already built before developing new lots. We've had a 25 percent drop in building permits this year. She said through 1996 she wouldn't say our average would drop down: construction will probably increase again and even out as it has over the last 20 years, unless the concurrency aspect has more of an effect than we anticipate. We need to decide what we want to classify vacant land. We have the option, based on the housing research we've done, to direct the City in one of three ways: 1. to reject commercialization and remain a total "bedroom community". 2. to say we have enough residential areas, and emphasize commercial, not just retail stores but employment centers; or 3. to decide we will develop more residential areas but that also we need enough commercial centers to provide convenient access to basic goods and services. .-. - Planning and Zoning Board Minutes November 28, 1990 Page 2 Koch pointed out on the Master Planning map the undeveloped land areas and tile options for those areas. In the southwestern area including the Ranchlands, all we have left is one phase of Foxmoor, she didn't see any basis for changing it from residential. Under the new planning' legislation, however, we are not limited by what the existing land use on paper is. She mentioned the Fisher Road property west of Ounmar, the land near which the north-south collector road will run. Up to this time it I S been rural residential. It would be better to have 20,000 sq. ft. lots there. The only other option would be to buy it for a park, but it would be inaccessible to most children. Koch was asked how the plans are coming along for the Super Park. She said engineering is under way. Horan asked Koch if we're required as part of the Comprehensive Plan, to consider schools. She said we're required to include ill the Land Use element what we know about schools being planned. Horan said his concern is that we have a city of 23,000 wi th only two elementary schools, no junior high and no hIgh school. Koch said her understanding is that we cannot invoke anything that is not under our jurisdiction. Hopkins asked if she was aware of whether any municipalities have approached the school issue. Discussion. Hopkins said it appears to him that the majority of the residents enjoy the kind of bedroom community we have now, and are not geared toward a dOwlltown rush situation. He said it appears that the residents don't want the city to grow at an alarming rate. He said the people enjoy the undeveloped land. Koch said it's not their land, but they can say through us this will be residential. Hopkins said the Expressway would be an ideal place to create some revenue for the City. Horan said if you're concerned about traffic in your neighborhood, such as Tuscawilla, it would seem that you would want something to the north of 434 that would be a traffic interceptor as opposed to a traffic creator. Koch said Duda is not going have retail services to attract a lot of traffic, but an office park. Discussion. Koch suggested having all of the residential on the south side and all commercial on north, so there is not a lot of criss-crossing of traffic. She said the problem is do you want to devote a lot of your natural assets to commerce. Hopkins said it would take away from the country atmosphere. Horan said he sees a lot of benefits in commercial usage north of 434. He said he has a problem wi th whether a "regional mall" is consistent with the kind of commercial uses we need north of 434. Koch said that in our new Land Use element we need some mixed use category other than PUD that will be more flexible. Koch said that east of the City there is not much developable land. Discussion. It was suggested that a restaurant on the lake that is easily accessible would be an asset. Planning and Zoning Board Minutes November 28, 1990 Page 3 Koch said she was hesitant to change anything on the land north of the railroad. that she is tempted to leave it Rural Residential. Horan asked Koch what she thinks will happen with the railroad. She said it may be totally abandoned or the right-of-way may be dedicated for a future commuter project. Koch recommended no development occur that would attract traffic across the tracks until we know their ultimate disposition. Langellotti asked about the strip of property next to the Super Park. He suggested an entrance-way to the Park, there. Koch said there would have to be a public crossing at the railroad and another lane. Discussion of commercialization. Horan said he could envision a commercial development north of 434 that could be water oriented. Discussion. Hopkins said he felt it would be foolish not to take advantage of the asset of Lake Jesup. Hopkins asked what has taken place regarding Shepard Road. Koch said there will be a Public Hearing in January. Horan said that once the residents are informed about the need for the road, it will help. He said at a Tuscawilla Homeowner's Association the people were "up in arms" about Vistawilla. but when he explained it to them, they began to see the reasoning behind it. Hopkins thanked Mr. Langelotti for his input and good service on the Board. Meeting adjourned at 9:30 P.M.. Respectfully submitted, Caroline McGinley