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Florence approves rezoning of 40-acre Westland Village site to R-16, with roadway stipulations
Summary
The Town Council adopted Ordinance No. 760-25 to rezone approximately 40 acres at Butte Avenue and Centennial Park Avenue from RA-10 to R-16; the developer will dedicate roadways and provide traffic improvements as conditions of future development.
The Town of Florence adopted an ordinance June 17 approving a rezoning request for a roughly 40-acre parcel at the southwest corner of Butte Avenue and Centennial Park Avenue, clearing the way for a single-family residential development called Westland Village.
Planning staff briefed the council that the site, currently zoned RA-10, is proposed for rezoning to R-16, a straight single-family district that generally requires minimum lot sizes of about 6,000 square feet. The staff presentation noted adjacent land uses include ranchettes and existing single-family neighborhoods, and that the applicant held a neighborhood meeting May 21 that drew no attendees.
Jason Sanks of iPlan Consulting presented the applicant’s case, telling the council the project complies with the town center general plan and would extend utilities and roads that are expected to support future commercial development at Territorial Square. "This will bring more rooftops and families to support Territorial Square and downtown commercial," Sanks said.
Council members raised questions about amenities and roadway capacity. Councilmember Bensina urged the applicant to return at the subdivision stage with enhanced on-site amenities so Westland Village will stand out from nearby developments. Planning staff and the applicant confirmed a traffic impact analysis was prepared and that roadway dedications and improvements will be required at the time of development.
A single public commenter, longtime resident Bonnie Barriola, said she had submitted a written set of suggestions and emphasized concern about adjacent roads that are incomplete. Barriola told the council, "I'm very concerned about the traffic situation ... some [roadways] are incomplete and I just trust that" the town and developer will address them.
The council voted to adopt Ordinance No. 760-25 (planning case PL-25-0003) to change zoning from RA-10 to R-16 with stipulations. The motion to adopt was made by Councilmember Bensina and seconded by Councilmember Bedford; the vote was recorded as unanimous.
Key permit details from the hearing
- Site area: approximately 40 acres (southwest corner of Butte Ave and Centennial Park Ave). - Current zoning: Rural Agriculture (RA-10). - Approved zoning: Single-family Residential (R-16). - Minimum lot size in R-16: 6,000 sq ft (standard R-16 district requirement stated in presentation). - Planning case: PL-25-0003; Assessor Parcel Number given in staff presentation as APN 200-05-001H. - Public outreach: Neighborhood meeting May 21, 2025 (no attendees); mailed notice to property owners within 300 feet; sign posted; ad in local newspaper. - Conditions: Traffic impact analysis completed; developer to dedicate roads and fund required roadway improvements at time of subdivision/development.
Why it matters: The rezoning shifts land from agricultural to higher-density single-family use and anticipates road and utility work that the applicant agreed to complete when development proceeds. That in turn is intended to support downtown commercial investment at Territorial Square by adding households in the project area.
Speakers quoted in this article are taken from the public hearing and include town planning staff (presenter AJ), applicant representative Jason Sanks of iPlan Consulting, Councilmember Bensina, Councilmember Bedford, and resident Bonnie Barriola.
