Oviedo planning agency continues rezoning hearing for 3.8-acre Pine Avenue site to July 29

The Local Planning Agency of the City of Oviedo on July 15 voted to continue a public hearing on Ordinance No. 1759, a zoning map amendment affecting approximately 3.8 acres on the west side of Pine Avenue, to July 29 after staff said there was an inadvertent mailing error.

Staff read the ordinance into the record and asked the agency to continue the item so required notice could be corrected. "An ordinance of the City of Oviedo, Florida amending the zoning map of approximately 3.8 acres of land generally located on the west side of Pine Avenue, approximately 510 feet north of West Broadway Street from residential R-2 to residential R-3," the staff member read. The staff member also said the property posting and a newspaper notice had been made but that an "inadvertent mailing issue" prompted the request to postpone the hearing.

The continuation matters because the requested rezoning from R-2 to R-3 would change the parcel’s allowable residential density; the applicant’s consultant said the development would include duplex units. Chris Thompson, civil engineering consultant for the applicant, and the property owner were present at the July 15 meeting. "Postpone the hearing, that's that's fine," Thompson said when staff requested the continuance.

During the meeting a nearby resident, Douglas Davis of 807 West Broadway, urged the agency to consider the effect of the proposed development on adjacent homes. "We've been staying there for over 50 years, and all of a sudden, they wanna put some duplexes right in your back door," Davis said, and he asked about the property line and whether there would be an eight-foot separation or other setback. The staff member said the agency could not answer setback specifics at that time and that the matter would be addressed when the hearing resumes.

After brief discussion the agency voted to continue Ordinance No. 1759 to the July 29 meeting; the chair called the vote and members present responded in the affirmative. The agenda notes posted at the close of the meeting listed future meeting dates including July 29, with possible meetings on Aug. 5 and Aug. 19.

The hearing will reopen July 29 to allow staff to correct the mailing notice and for the applicant and property owner to present any additional materials; no final action on the rezoning was taken on July 15.