The Planning and Zoning Board on Sept. 10 recommended the City Commission approve a site plan for 3404 and 3406 Enterprise Road East to subdivide about 3.6 acres into eight single-family detached lots, subject to conditions on sidewalks, tree preservation efforts and utility/HOA agreements.

Senior planner Cecilia Eutron, presenting the application, said, "Before you is a site plan application for 3404 and 3406 Enterprise Road East," and described the site as vacant, previously a plant nursery, with a future land-use designation of residential low and an R-3 conditional mixed-residential zoning designation. The proposal follows a development agreement approved in October 2022 and a land-use amendment approved in February 2023.

The proposal calls for a private road and eight lots, two stormwater ponds and extension of water and sewer infrastructure. Eutron said the development agreement limits the maximum units to nine and the applicant is proposing eight, and she summarized dimensional and buffer requirements, noting a required 25-foot natural buffer along the north property line and a 15-foot buffer along the east property line. She explained the city engineer and other departments have recommended standard conditions including tree removal permits, replanting requirements and operational and maintenance agreements for private systems.

The applicant’s representative, Chris Meares of Native Engineering, said the development team initially tried to preserve an on-site 26-inch live oak (tree ID 1545) but that grading and the need to raise the site for drainage make saving it uncertain. "Ideally, it'd be great if we could save it, but we just can't guarantee that it could be," Meares said, adding the issue will be revisited once final building placement and grading are finalized in the field.

City engineer Michelle Giuliani told the board the stormwater system must meet Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) permitting requirements and that the homeowner association will be responsible for operation and maintenance of the stormwater system. "Regarding stormwater, it will be the responsibility of [the] HOA, and they'll have to provide their agreement for the stormwater system," Giuliani said; she said the city will not accept a final plat without the required operations documents and SWFWMD certifications.

Residents raised site-specific concerns during public comment. Karen Owen, a nearby resident, said the site photograph in the application is out of date and that the sidewalk adjacent to the property is overgrown, creating a safety hazard for pedestrians. "The photo that you all were presented by the applicant is way out of date, and there's no access on the sidewalk right now," Owen said. Another resident, Bill Geffert, asked whether the project’s drainage plan directs runoff against natural topography and whether tying into existing county infrastructure with known issues might overload downstream systems; the applicant and staff said the post-development design is intended to match pre-development runoff rates for the 25-year storm and that the project will require SWFWMD and Pinellas County right-of-way permitting for discharge.

Board members discussed concerns about private utilities and the long-term reliability of HOA maintenance for the proposed private sewer force main and lift station. The applicant’s utility plan as submitted stated that sewer and stormwater would be private and the water main and roadway would be public; staff noted those ownership assignments could change as plan review proceeds and that any changes would be negotiated before plat/permit stage. Board members asked staff to review HOA documents and consider performance bonds and other assurances; staff replied city code requires a performance bond during construction and staff will review HOA documents and legal provisions as part of final review.

The board added two recommendations to the staff conditions: that the developer make every reasonable effort to preserve tree 1545 (the large live oak) where feasible during grading and construction, and that sidewalks adjacent to the property be brought up to applicable standards before plat/permit approval. The board chair also asked staff to forward to the commission the board’s recommendation that city staff coordinate with Pinellas County regarding the condition and maintenance of the county drainage pipe the project proposes to tie into (the coordination was recorded as direction to staff, not a condition on the developer).

A motion to recommend approval of the site plan with the planning staff recommendations and the board’s additional recommendations passed unanimously.

The item will go to the City Commission on Oct. 6 for final action; the board’s vote is a recommendation.

The board’s discussion and the public comments focused chiefly on tree preservation, sidewalk safety/maintenance, HOA responsibility for private utilities and the details of the stormwater discharge plan and permitting; those issues will be resolved during final plan review, permitting and the platting process.