On August 9, 2016, the Board of County Commissioners approved the Riverside Oaks PD on 63.25 acres consisting of a single family residential subdivision with a maximum density of 3.5 dwelling units per net buildable acre for a maximum of 130 units with a minimum lot size of 6,000 square feet, and a minimum lot width of fifty (50) feet.
The Applicant is requesting a Major Amendment Rezone to the Riverside Oaks PD to incorporate an additional 23.08 acres hereinafter referred to as “Phase 4”, into the existing Planned Development with a maximum density of 3.5 dwelling units per net buildable acre with a maximum of sixty (60) single family residential lots with a minimum lot size of 6,000 square feet and a minimum lot width of fifty (50) feet. Phase 4 will access internally from three (3) existing streets within the Riverside Oaks Ph 1 subdivision.
The subject site is located in Sub Area 1 of the Seminole County/City of Sanford Joint Planning Agreement (JPA). The JPA allows for a maximum density of 3.5 units per net buildable acre with the following conditions:
- A minimum of fifteen percent (15%) open space is provided.
- Perimeter lots shall be a minimum of 9,000 square feet in size.
- Perimeter lots less than 9,000 square feet in size must be separated from the perimeter boundary by an open space/buffer tract no less than twenty-five (25) feet in width.
The Applicant proposes a minimum of fifteen percent (15%) common open space including a twenty-five (25) foot open space buffer tract along the south and east perimeter of the subject site in accordance with the JPA requirements.
The subject property has a Low Density Residential future land use designation, which allows a maximum net density of four (4) dwelling units per net buildable acre. The intent of the Low Density Residential land use designation is to provide appropriate locations for standard detached single family residences; however, the JPA further limits the maximum net density to 3.5 units per acre.
The Future Land Use and zoning designation of the surrounding area are as follows:
- East – Suburban Estates and A-1 (Agriculture) with a minimum lot size of one (1) acre.
- West – Low Density Residential and PD (Planned Development) known as the Riverside Oaks PD with a minimum lot size of 6,000 square feet.
- North – St. Johns River/Suburban Estates and A-1 (Agriculture) with a minimum lot size of one (1) acre
- South – Celery Avenue/Suburban Estates and A-1 (Agriculture) with a minimum lot size of one (1) acre
Site Analysis
Floodplain Impacts:
Based on the 2007 FIRM map, there is floodplain on the subject property. A topographic survey showing floodplain delineations will be required prior to Final Engineering approval. The maximum number of lots may be decreased based on the determination of net buildable area above the 100-year flood elevation. Conservation easements, dedicated to Seminole County, will be required over all property within the post development 100-year floodplain.
Wetland Impacts:
Based on preliminary aerial photo and County wetland map analysis, there is approximately 3.36 acres of wetlands on the subject property. A topographic survey showing wetland delineations will be required prior to Final Engineering approval. A fifteen (15) foot minimum, twenty-five (25) foot average undisturbed upland buffer must be provided from all approved jurisdictional wetland boundaries. Conservation easements, dedicated to Seminole County, will be required over the wetlands and required buffers.
Endangered and Threatened:
Based on a preliminary analysis, there may be endangered and threatened wildlife on the subject property. A listed species survey will be required prior to Final Engineering approval.
Utilities:
The subject property is located within the City of Sanford Utilities service area and will be required to connect to public utilities. The Applicant has signed a pre-annexation agreement with the City of Sanford as required.
Transportation/Traffic:
The existing Riverside Oaks subdivision accesses onto Celery Avenue, which is classified as an urban major collector road, and does not have improvements programmed in the County five (5) year Capital Improvement Program. The proposed Riverside Oaks Phase 4 will access internally from the existing Riverside Oaks Ph 1 development; the Developer will be required to dedicate twenty-five (25) feet of right-of-way along Celery Avenue to Seminole County.
Sidewalks:
There is currently no existing sidewalk along Celery Avenue; however, there is a plan in the Seminole County Trails Capital Improvement Program for the construction of a trail to extend from the Riverwalk to S.R. 415 along the north side of Celery Avenue. A twenty-five (25) foot right-of-way dedication along Celery Avenue will be required to accommodate the trail.
Drainage:
The proposed project is located within the Midway Drainage Basin, and does not have limited downstream capacity from the site. The site will have to be designed to not exceed the pre-development rate of discharge for the twenty-five (25) year, twenty-four (24) hour storm event. There is existing drainage through the site from upstream that will have to be addressed also during Final Engineering.
Buffers:
The Applicant proposes a twenty-five (25) foot open space buffer tract along the east and south perimeter in compliance with the Seminole County/City of Sanford JPA. The northwest portion of the proposed Phase 4 addition will provide a forty (40) foot buffer adjacent to the existing single family residence as shown and referenced on the Master Development Plan as Tract R. Buffer components will be determined at Final Development Plan.
Open Space:
Fifteen (15) percent common usable open space will be provided on the subject property which includes the twenty-five (25) foot south and east perimeter buffer.
Public School Capacity Determination:
Seminole County Public Schools provided a School Impact Analysis School Capacity Determination for the proposed project based on Concurrency Service Area (CSA) and zoned Schools for the property. The analysis concluded that the students generated by the project at this time, would be accommodated without exceeding the adopted level of service for the currently zoned schools. The analysis concluded that the students generated by the project at the three (3) CSA levels would, at this time, be able to be accommodated without exceeding the adopted level of service for each CSA by school type. The analysis notes this is a nonbinding review for informational purposes and as indicated in the analysis may not represent future conditions when final approval requires a School Capacity Availability Letter of Determination (SCALD) reservation letter from the School board.
Consistency with the Land Development Code
The proposed 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 fifteen percent (15%) open space, provides adequate buffering, and proposes a minimum lot size that is compatible with the adjacent existing zoning classifications.
Consistency with the Comprehensive Plan
Under Policy FLU 2.9 Determination of Compatibility in the Planned Development Zoning Classification, the County shall consider uses or structures proposed within the Planned Development zoning classification on a case by case basis evaluating the compatibility of the proposed use or structure with surrounding neighborhoods and uses. Compatibility may be achieved by application of performance standards such as, but not limited to, lot size, setbacks, buffering, landscaping, hours of operation, lighting, and building heights.
The proposed Planned Development zoning classification is compatible with the allowable use and density provisions of the Low Density Residential future land use designation, as well as consistent with the Seminole County/City of Sanford JPA, which allows a maximum density of 3.5 units per net buildable acre when utilizing a cluster plan design.
The overall design layout meets the intent of a "Cluster Development" by providing smaller lot sizes clustered together with a perimeter common open space tract to provide recreational or aesthetic amenities, preserving wetlands and clustering lots on uplands. The development will have a twenty-five (25) foot perimeter buffer along the east and south perimeter, and a portion of the northwest perimeter adjacent to existing Suburban Estates property in compliance with the Seminole County/City of Sanford JPA.
Staff finds the requested PD (Planned Development) zoning classification to be consistent with the Comprehensive plan and compatible with the trend of development in the area.
In compliance with Seminole County Land Development Code Sec. 30.49 – Community Meeting Procedures, the Applicant conducted a community meeting on November 9, 2021.
Planning & Zoning Commission
The Planning and Zoning Commission Board met on December 1, 2021, to consider a Rezone from A-1 (Agriculture) and PD (Planned Development) to PD (Planned Development) and approve the associated Development Order and Master Development Plan for 23.08 acres, located on the north side of Celery Avenue, approximately ½ mile west of Cameron Avenue.
The Planning and Zoning Commission recommendation and meeting minutes will be distributed under separate cover.