The property was annexed into the City via Ordinance 1527-97 with a a Commercial future land use designation and a Commercial Planned Unit Development zoning designation. The applicant is requesting to change the land use from Commercial to Multi-family residential and a rezoning to a Residential Planned unit Development allowing for an 86-unit attached town-home community.
The project is located at the southeast corner of SE Indian Street and SE Commerce Avenue. The Silverthorn RPUD project proposes 86 attached town-home units within 14 buildings with a gross density of 9.05 units per acre.
The proposed land use is appropriate for the area due to the surrounding retail businesses as well as the large commerce center nearby which could provide local jobs for the residents of the proposed town-homes. In addition, with the addition of the AHS at Harbor Grove Apartment project and the Trillium RPUD this area is becoming a horizontally mixed-use area with nearby job and shopping opportunities for local 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 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 and the FEC Railway. Staff has conditioned that the developer install 'Low Impact Development' techniques that include littoral planting around the proposed retention area and lake to help maintain a healthy habitat.
The applicant is asking to depart from the to the City's Land Development Code which may be offset by providing other aspects of the project which exceed code requirements and or are amenities of value to the community. The departure is as follows:
1. Section 2.07.00.D.4.d - Native vegetation. Excluding wetlands defined by the SFWMD, not less than 25 percent of the total development site shall remain as undeveloped native vegetation area. The required native vegetation area may include open space areas and the landscape buffer between the site and adjacent property; however, other required landscaping such as parking area interior landscaping shall not count towards the native vegetation requirement. The location of the native vegetation area shall be determined using a study of the site with consideration to the value of existing vegetation. The applicant's environmental assessment states that no native upland habitat was observed on the property and the City's environmental consultant confirms that no wetlands or native habitat occur on-site, and no avoidance and minimization efforts regarding wetlands and environmental impacts will be required per Chapter 5 of the City's Land Development Code, however, staff's interpretation of the code Sec 2.07.00D4.d above requires the applicant to provide 25 percent of the site as native vegetation area. The applicant has made efforts to offset the required native vegetation and identified certain trees to remain and trees to be relocated. See Landscape Plan LA-6 Ord 2472-2021 Exhibit D
2. Sec. 6.01.04.B Minimum width. Except as otherwise provided by this Code or b ordinance, where practicable, all sidewalks and bikeways within the city shall be not less than eight feet in width. A 6 feet wide sidewalk exist at both SE Indian Street and SE Commerce Avenue right of ways. Martin County's engineering department has been contacted to determine if an 8 feet wide sidewalk would be allowed in both right of ways.
The developer's traffic engineer has coordinated with Martin County for necessary improvements. An ingress southbound left-turn lane along SE Commerce Avenue will be constructed at the driveway. The applicant will contribute to improvements at the intersection of SE Indian Street & SE Commerce Avenue. Improvements include eliminating the northbound left-turn lane and converting the northbound approach to right-out only. City staff and professional consultants have reviewed and approved the project.
Recommended Action:
Staff’s recommendation is that the LPA consider the application and either find the application:
A. In compliance – Approved
B. In compliance - Subject to stated conditions or modifications; or
C. Not in compliance – Not approved