On November 12, 2019, the City Commission unanimously approved the Trillium project consisting of 76 attached townhomes located south of SE Miami Street, east of SE Federal Highway, west of SE Commerce Avenue and abutting Walmart Supercenter.
In respect of housing provision in the City the Commission should be aware of the City of Stuart Housing Report of May, 2018. (attached to this item). Relevant extracts are below:
‘Traditional measures of housing affordability ignore transportation costs. Typically, a household’s second-largest expenditure, transportation costs, are largely a function of the characteristics of the neighborhood in which a household chooses to live. Compact and dynamic neighborhoods with walkable streets and high access to jobs, transit, and a wide variety of businesses are more efficient, affordable, and sustainable.’
'A focus on the development of new housing in areas adjacent to employment centers & transportation options will help build walkable, urban living environment to which millennials and young professionals are attracted.'
'Consider Underlying Multifamily Residential Zoning of Commercial Property: The demise of the “big box” store or 1970’s era strip center continues to be an issue. The city could amend their comprehensive land use plans and zoning codes to assign property in each commercial category a multifamily residential zoning overlay (i.e., allowing for redevelopment without a comprehensive land use plan change or rezoning), but only if a predesignated percentage of those units will be used for attainable housing, preferably creating a mixed income scenario.'
The property currently has a commercial future land use designation and was the subject of a prior PUD amendment which consolidated the upland preserve offsite in anticipation of the development of the property. The applicant is requesting to change the land use from commercial to multi-family residential to allow for 76-unit attached townhome community.
The project is located south of SE Miami Street, east of SE Federal Highway, west of SE Commerce Avenue and abutting Walmart Supercenter. The Trillium RPUD project proposes 76 attached town-home units within 13 buildings with a gross density of 8.05 units per acre.
The residential community is appropriate for the area due to the proximity of the existing Aldi grocery store, Walmart and other retail shops. The retail proximity will allow for residents of the townhome development to walk to the surrounding retail. Additionally, there are many commercial businesses located along SE Commerce Avenue and the nearby business park that could provide jobs for future residents.
The developer's architect has submitted contemporary elevations for the Town Home community. Site elements such as a cabana and pool area with connecting sidewalks make for a pedestrian friendly neighborhood. Other amenities include a centrally located lake with native plantings at the lake's perimeter. PVC fencing and native landscaping with a minimum width of 25 feet will buffer the project from the surrounding commercial businesses. Staff recommends the developer install littoral planting around the proposed wet retention pond and the existing lake to help maintain a healthy habitat.
Ordinance NO. 2263-2018 was approved by the City Commission which terminated the obligation for the proposed Trillium development to provide 3.64 acres of on-site upland preserve. The ordinance provided for the transfer for the obligation to a nearby undeveloped parcel with superior native habitat. See Ordinance No. 2263-2018 attached.