The Applicant proposes to develop the subject site as an office/warehouse distribution center with a maximum Floor Area Ratio (F.A.R) of 0.32, and a maximum building height of fifty (50) feet. The facility will be utilized for warehouse distribution and office, no manufacturing will occur onsite. The proposed building height of fifty (50) feet is requested for the purpose of accommodating the interior racking, overhead crane system, and required safety clearances. The Applicant is requesting a variance from the required parking ratio of one (1) parking space per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area, to one (1) space per 3,150 square feet of gross floor area. The Applicant has submitted a parking waiver justification that supports this request.
On January 22, 2008, the Board of County Commissioners approved the W. Chapman Road PD on approximately eleven (11) acres of the subject site, permitting C-3 (General Commercial and Wholesale) uses. The PD was never developed and the entitlements have since expired.
The subject property has an Industrial future land use designation, which permits a maximum F.A.R of 0.65. The Future Land Use and zoning designations of the surrounding area are as follows:
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North – W. Chapman Road – Medium Density Residential future land use with A-1 (Agriculture) zoning.
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West – S.R. 417
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East – Industrial future land use with A-1 (Agriculture) zoning.
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South – Industrial future land use with A-1 (Agriculture) and C-3 (General Wholesale Commercial) zoning.
Site Analysis
Floodplain Impacts:
Based on the 2007 FIRM map there does not appear to be floodplain on the subject property.
Wetland Impacts:
Based on preliminary County wetland map analysis, the site contains approximately nineteen (19) acres of wetlands, of which the Developer proposes to impact approximately five (5) acres; the Developer will be required to mitigate all impacted wetlands. A fifteen (15) foot minimum, twenty-five (25) foot overall average wetland buffer will be required, and all post development wetlands will be placed in a conservation easement dedicated to Seminole County.
Utilities:
The site is located within the Seminole County utility service area. There is a water main on the north side of W. Chapman Road; however, it has not yet been determined if sewer if available within ¼ mile of the subject site. Per State Statute, if sewer hookup is available within ¼ mile of the facility, then connection to public utilities will be required. If lines are not available within ¼ mile, then sewer may be served by an onsite septic system. The development will be required to connect to public utilities for water; the requirement to connect to public utilities for sewer will be determined at the Final Engineering phase of review.
Transportation/Traffic:
The site will access onto W. Chapman Road, which is classified as a Local Road and does not have improvements programmed in the County five (5) year Capital Improvement Program. The developer will be required to improve W. Chapman Road to County standards. Additional improvements may be required per the Traffic Impact Analysis review at Final Engineering.
Sidewalks:
The developer will be required to construct a five (5) foot wide sidewalk along W. Chapman Road. The developer shall provide a connection to sidewalks outside of the development.
Drainage:
The proposed project is located within the Lake Howell Drainage Basin, and has downstream capacity. Based on preliminary review, the site will be required to hold water quality and not exceed the predevelopment rate of discharge for the twenty-five (25) year, twenty-four (24) hour storm event.
Buffers:
The Developer will provide a minimum twenty-five (25) foot landscape buffer around the perimeter of the subject site. Landscape components will be determined at Final Development Plan.
Open Space:
Twenty-five (25) percent open space will be provided on the subject property.
Consistency with the Land Development Code
The Planned Development (PD) zoning designation and the associated Master Development Plan have been evaluated for compatibility with the Land Development Code of Seminole County in accordance with Chapter 30, Part 25.
The request is consistent with the Land Development Code of Seminole County and the surrounding area. The proposed project supports the objectives of the PD zoning designation in that it provides the required minimum of twenty-five (25) percent open space, adequate landscape buffering, a maximum building height of fifty (50) feet with architectural renderings to be incorporated into the PD Development Order, and specific permitted uses of office and warehouse for distribution.
Consistency with the Comprehensive Plan
The purpose and intent of the existing Industrial future land use designation is to identify locations for a variety of heavy commercial and industrial uses oriented towards wholesale distribution, storage, manufacturing, and other industrial uses. The Industrial future land use allows a maximum Floor Area Ratio (F.A.R.) of 0.65.
Staff finds the request to be consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and compatible with the Land Development Code. All the properties on the west side of W. S.R. 426, lying south of W. Chapman road and north of Aloma Woods, have an Industrial future land use. The proposed PD permits office and warehouse uses for the purposed of storage and distribution, with a maximum F.A.R. of 0.32, which is less intense than the allowable 0.65 F.A.R. permitted under the existing future land use.
In compliance with the Seminole County Community Meeting requirements, the Applicant held a Community Meeting on October 13, 2021.
Planning and Zoning Commission
The Planning and Zoning Commission met on November 3, 2021, and voted unanimously to recommend the Board of County Commissioners adopt the Ordinance enacting a Rezone from A-1 (Agriculture) and PD (Planned Development) to PD (Planned Development) and approve the associated Development Order and Master Plan for 32.16 acres, located on the south side of W. Chapman Road, approximately ¼ mile west of W. S.R. 426.