Florence planning commission recommends rezoning 40-acre Westland Village to PUD amid traffic and timing concerns

The Town of Florence Planning and Zoning Commission on Thursday recommended that town council rezone a 40‑acre parcel at the southwest corner of Butte Avenue and Centennial Park Avenue from rural agricultural (RA‑10) to a planned unit development called Westland Village (PZ‑24‑36).

The commission’s 3–1 recommendation follows staff and applicant presentations, a traffic impact analysis and public testimony that flagged road capacity, timing and community benefits. Commissioner Lehman moved the recommendation; Vice Chair DeRosa seconded it. The motion included staff’s conditions; the commission recorded three votes in favor and one opposed and forwarded the item to town council for final action.

The rezoning request would allow about 27 acres for single‑family homes and 13 acres for a medium‑density residential (MDR) parcel, the applicant said. Land planner Greg Davis of iPlan Consulting told commissioners the PUD is intended “to lay the groundwork for the future” and that no builder is currently under contract to develop the site: “This project may not be ripe for development today. It's really more about laying the groundwork for the future.”

Why it matters: The change would replace the current RA‑10 zoning with a PUD framework that sets buffers, access and design expectations and reserves a 13‑acre area for a medium‑density product the applicant described as townhomes or patio‑home style units rather than traditional apartment buildings. The commission and multiple public speakers said traffic and road improvements are central community concerns before new rooftops are occupied.

Key facts and staff findings - Location and size: roughly 40 acres at the southwest corner of Butte Ave. and Centennial Park Ave. (site currently zoned RA‑10). (Staff…