The Local Planning Agency approved the project (5-1) at the boards regularly scheduled meeting on May 21, 2020 with conditions, which included the addition of a school bus bench, striping of the interior crosswalks, clarification in the City's staff report regarding the proximity to neighboring property, adding four electric vehicle spaces on the site plan with the developer providing the infrastructure to easily add charging stations in the future and to revise development condition #3 restricting the rental rates to no more than 120% of the Area Median Income for the City of Stuart as determined by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Since then, the applicant's agent has submitted a revised site plan with two school bus benches, one at the pedestrian gate along SE Indian Street and the other at the projects main entrance along SE Commerce Avenue, the four future spaces for charging electrical vehicles has also been added. At the time of preparation of this agenda item, the applicant's counsel is working with the City Attorney finalizing language relating to rental rates.
The intent of this application is to assign a Residential Planned Unit Development (RPUD) zoning designation and a multifamily land use to property in the city in order to construct 324 multifamily units on 13.93 acres owned by Ted Glasrud Associates, Fl, LLC. The proposed project consist of nine (9) 3-story apartment buildings. In addition to the apartment buildings, there will be amenities such as a clubhouse, pool, recreation/gym buildings and an outdoor gazebo. The apartment access will be privately gated for vehicles with separate secured gates for pedestrian access/egress.
The property is bounded to the east by undeveloped property and the recently approved Plantation Storage facility. To the west is an existing gas station and strip mall fronting U.S.1, both in Martin County. Access to the property will be from Commerce Avenue, which the applicant plans to make significant improvements to the roadway to allow for better access for the community. The proposed roadway improvements have been coordinated with the City of Stuart Public Works Department as well as with the Martin County Engineering Department via Bill Mathers Engineering.
The 13.93 acre property currently has a commercial future land use designation and was the subject of a prior PUD which consolidated the preserve offsite in anticipation of the development of the property. The proposal is to change the land use to multifamily for 324 units with a gross density of 23.3 units per acre (UPA).
The applicant is asking for the following 3 variance exceptions to the City's code which allows for flexibility to the code which may be offset by providing other aspects of the project that above and beyond what the code requires. The exceptions are as follows:
1. 2.07.00.D3 Density, The code allow up to 15 dwelling units per acre by right and up to 30 DUI with City Commission approval. The applicant is proposing 23.26 DU/acre.
2. 6.01.09 Parking Code: The code requires 1.5 parking spaces for one bedroom apartments and 2 parking spaces for two bedrooms. The applicant is proposing 1.5 spaces for both the one and two-bedroom units a reduction of 93 parking stalls overall.
3. 6.04.06 Land Use transitions: (Buffers) The code requires 25 feet between commercial and multifamily uses. The applicant is proposing 15 feet between commercial uses along U.S1 and the multifamily project.