Planning board recommends large-scale land-use change for Ashton Park’s western 33 acres, 4-1 vote

The Palm Bay Planning and Zoning Board voted 4-1 on Feb. 5 to recommend that City Council transmit a large-scale comprehensive-plan amendment to change a 33-acre tract at the western edge of the Ashton Park master plan from county-level neighborhood commercial/residential to the city’s Urban Mixed Use (UMU) future land-use designation.

Senior planner Debbie Flynn told the board the parcel is the western portion of a much larger, previously reviewed master plan (about 1,500 acres) and that the city’s comprehensive-plan UMU category is intended for concentrated, mixed-use development along arterial roadways. Flynn said the applicant provided the required citizen participation documents, an environmental natural-resources assessment and other materials. She said staff recommends approval of the future land-use amendment.

Applicant representative Jake Wise presented illustrative master-plan graphics and described the proposed downtown-style town center that would sit on the newly added 33 acres. Wise said the developer is coordinating extensions of St. John’s Heritage Parkway, utilities and a 30-acre school site and that the broader project includes provisions for a fire station and police site. He told the board the project team delayed earlier steps to incorporate the 33 acres so the town-center concept could expand and take advantage of improved visibility and access toward I-95.

Several residents urged caution. Bill Batten and Pat Dalper raised concerns about timing, existing road capacity and the sequence of infrastructure delivery: “Don’t change the zoning, we won’t have the traffic increase,” Batten said. Board members asked about school capacity; Flynn and the applicant said the proposal includes a 30-acre school site and that the school district is engaged, but the board heard that the district’s capacity projections remain a separate review.

After discussion, board member Crawford moved to recommend approval to City Council; the motion was seconded by McLeod and passed on a roll call 4-1, with board member Goode recording the lone nay. The board and staff also discussed process: the item is a large-scale amendment that, if recommended by council for transmittal, will go to the Florida Department of Commerce (state review) and return for final council adoption after state comments.

Staff emphasized that the 33-acre future land-use change is a required step before the applicant may file zoning, final development-plan applications and a development agreement. Flynn noted the city and developers have coordinated substantial utility and plant investments already under way to support buildout in the area.

The board’s recommendation and the staff record will be included in the City Council packet for a transmittal hearing; the state will review the proposed amendment before final adoption.