The intent of this application is to request a voluntary annexation, small scale future land use map (FLUM) amendment to the City’s Comprehensive Plan assigning a “Commercial” land use, and a designation of Commercial Planned Unit Development (CPUD) district on the City of Stuart Zoning Map. The subject property is 0.80 acres. The property is currently undeveloped. The intent of this project is the construction of 6,800 sf retail building.
The Public Works, Fire, and Police Departments and Zoning have reviewed the applications and have offered their comments. Each department, including engineering, will provide specific comments at final site approval (with civil drawings) for permitting.
The applicant is requesting individual setbacks that do not reflect the B-2 General Business zoning district. The flexibility of allowing a lesser front setback along US Highway One (from 30 feet to 20 feet), allows the applicant to provide rear loaded parking, and keep the building and business activity away from the residential property to the west. Staff supports these reduced setbacks.
The applicant is requesting 12 parking spaces in a row, as opposed to the code requirement of no more than ten (10) parking spaces between interior landscape islands.
Due to the constrained, narrow lot, the applicant would have to lose valuable parking or buffer landscaping to include an additional parking island. In lieu of the parking island, staff has provided a condition that the applicant shall provide landscaping in a similar manner that the Hilton Suites provided along Baker Road, so that both sides of the road have the same treatment. In order to plan the landscaped entrance into Palm Lake Park with enhanced and unified manner, staff is willing to support the waiver.
The applicant is also requesting a 6-foot internal sidewalk when 8-foot sidewalks are required where practicable.
As the code reads, where practicable, it is the opinion of staff that proposed 6’ sidewalk is practicable for the low intensity use of a small medical office building, and in such a narrow, constrained lot.
On August 16, 2018, the LPA voted to approve the item and move it forward to the City Commission. However, the board and a resident of the Palm Lake Park raised concerns that needed to be addressed prior to city commission hearing. On August 27th, staff recommended to continue the item until the October 24th City Commission. In the meantime, the applicant has provided a full traffic statement (see attached traffic report), reflecting the combined traffic impacts to 14th Street from the Hilton Suites and the proposed development. The applicant has also provided updated architectural renderings, site plan and landscape plan, responding to the concerns from staff and the LPA board. The applicant has provided the sidewalk connection, additional landscaping along 14th Street and provided the location of the HVAC units on the site plan.
Staff notes that two (2) residents from the Palm Lake Park neighborhood have expressed to staff concern that additional traffic from the proposed development should be diverted away from 14th Street and the location of the parking and dumpster should be geared toward the front of the property. They are not in support of the petition.
Staff has included the traffic analysis which shows that in combination with the approved Hilton suites hotel, the proposed development will not cause the traffic intersection to be impacted beyond its level of operation and the preferred traffic circulation is to bring traffic to the signaled intersection. Also, staff has provided the analysis showing the permitted uses within the County’s Limited Commercial Land use and Zoning district. The City’s proposed CPUD ordinance limits the uses to Medical and Professional Office, which is far more restrictive than the County’s current list of uses permitted on the site. Finally, staff supports the applicant’s desire to have a strong building frontage presence along US Highway One, similar to the commercial building adjacent and to the South, and similar to the Hampton Inn, also just south of the property along US One. The parking lot and dumpster location is landscaped in order to provide adequate screening from the interior right of ways and the actual front entrance of the building is facing the neighborhood and is similar to the elevation one would see from US Highway One.