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Commissioners continue Tanglewood PUD amendment amid traffic, fire safety and buffering concerns
Summary
The board continued a rezoning/PUD amendment for a 263-unit multifamily development (RZ24-0017) after staff and commissioners raised concerns about traffic impact study flaws, fire access and buffer specifications; the applicant must submit additional information.
Hendry County planning staff presented RZ24-0017, a PUD amendment that would allow a previously approved 263-unit multifamily development to change building heights so six of nine buildings would be four stories rather than the lower heights shown in the original approval. Staff said the amendment does not change the total unit count or overall density previously approved by the county.
Ryan Alexander, the county’s Director of Planning and Community Development, told commissioners staff is addressing several issues raised by residents and agencies, including traffic impacts at the project entrances on Cowboy Way and at the Tanglewood intersection, buffering and building placement to reduce views into existing backyards, and fire apparatus turning-radius requirements.
Commissioners and several residents expressed strong concerns about traffic congestion on Cowboy Way, emergency response capacity and school capacity. One commissioner said the road is “overstressed times 10” in morning and evening peak hours and questioned whether a four-lane road and one turning lane would be adequate for project traffic. Another commissioner noted the county’s fire chief has indicated a new ladder truck may arrive in December but said the apparatus had not yet been ordered and recommended the board verify fire department capacity before approval.
Staff and commissioners told the applicant that the traffic impact statement submitted with the application had flaws and must be redone; staff noted seven specific issues in its request for additional information. Staff also said utility capacity will be assessed at permitting and that the developer will likely need to phase construction to match available water and sewer capacity.
A resident from Tanglewood Oaks, Victoria Fenis, said the proposed development would remove tree buffers and change the residential character near her home. Fenis told the board she owns her property and does not want “a parking lot, like a football field in your backyard” and raised crime and quality-of-life concerns.
After discussion, a motion was made and seconded to continue the item until the applicant submits the corrected traffic impact study and other requested information and the county has time to review it. The board approved the continuance.
Staff indicated the timing for a return will depend on how quickly the applicant’s consultant completes the revised traffic study and on county review time; staff said a new study and county review could each take roughly 30 days, but noted the board might re-advertise the hearing depending on the revision timeline.
