The City Commission approved the project at first reading on Tuesday May 26, 2020 with request to add a condition requiring the applicant to provide a preserve area management plan (PAMP) that included maintenance of the pedestrian paths around the project's lake. Also, the applicant has provided a new legal description that does not include non-contiguous parcels A & B for the project.
On February 20, 2020, the LPA asked for the project to be tabled to March 19th's regularly scheduled meeting which was canceled due to the Governor's mandatory quarantine regulations. Since then, the applicant has resubmitted a revised Site Plan with "no parking" signage at each T-turnaround, a seating area/bus waiting area near the shared entrance at SE Ocean Blvd, revised Landscaping Plans, revised Floor Plans, a revised School Capacity Analysis and revised Development Conditions.
The subject property is an approximately 11.04-acre vacant property located on SE Ocean A1A Blvd. in an urban area of on the eastern edge of jurisdictional limits of the City of Stuart. The Future Land Use Map (FLUM) designation of the property is Multifamily (MF) with a compatible zoning district designation of R-3 Residential - multi-family/office. The subject property had been part of the Kingswood Condominium community, built starting in 1970 through to 1995. The subject property includes the lands that remained vacant and unbuilt and now within separate ownership from the Kingswood Condo community.
The proposed project consist of eighty 80 townhomes housed in 14 buildings, with 3.11 acres of preserved/enhanced native areas or 28% of the site. The six dry retention areas totaling 26,848 sq. ft. are proposed to be planted with native vegetation. In Parcel B, 17,285 sq. ft. of the 34,571 sq. ft. of offsite preserve areas will be credited to the RPUD. Additionally, a 40,485 sq. ft. wet pond / lake will be planted with Low Impact Design techniques and Littoral plantings and will satisfy the drainage requirements for the proposed townhome community.
The proposed site plan achieves preservation requirements by creating areas of native landscape that are 25% of the site. To compensate for the removed trees, additional numbers of larger than required native trees and various palm trees are proposed. The pine tree mitigation has been met on site, however, the hardwoods cannot be reasonably accommodated so the applicant is proposing to contribute 50% of the required replacement inches equaling
$111,125 to be deposited to the City’s Tree Fund. The $111,125 currently slated for contribution will be due in full or in part unless substituted with the incorporation of innovative/low impact storm-water design and approved by the City's Development Department.
The site includes a driveway that runs through the parcel from the Kingswood entrance off East Ocean Boulevard and connects to the south and SE Kingswood Terrace. That driveway alignment will be slightly changed, and new asphalt constructed. Established access and circulation roads connected with the Kingswood Condo community are intended to be maintained and effectively linked to the proposed subject property driveways and circulation provisions.
In addition to vehicular access, the site includes effective pedestrian circulation that will accommodate the new residents while also maintaining and enhancing pedestrian connectivity within the established Kingswood Condo community. The creation of trails around the proposed detention area will connect with existing trails.
The developer has met with all three phases of the neighboring Kingswood Condo Association and have made progress toward a more cohesive project with design features that provide features benefitting both communities.
Kingswood 3 Condominium Association has filed to join as an intervenor in opposition to the application. At the time the agenda was prepared, the City was not in possession of a statement from the Intervenor.
If approved, The developer is ready to follow through obtain necessary permits with state agencies and the City's Development Department. The applicant has coordinated final plans with City of Stuart Public Works for water/sewer improvements. City staff and professional consultants have reviewed the project and are satisfied with the applicant's response and revisions to the plans.