Commission recommends comprehensive plan change for former Whispering Hills school site; rezoning approved with access conditions

The Planning and Zoning Commission on Jan. 22 recommended approval of SSA 7‑2024, a small‑scale comprehensive plan amendment and associated rezoning to Community Commercial (CC) for the former Whispering Hills Primary School site at the southwest corner of South Street and Lane Avenue.

Staff summarized the request: the property, roughly ten acres and previously declared surplus by the Brevard County School Board, is currently designated Education and Public (zoned P) with a small conservation pocket on the west side. The applicant seeks to retain Downtown Mixed Use (DMU) along the site's north frontage on South Street, reassign the middle of the site to Commercial High Intensity (CHI), and designate the southern portion Commercial Low Intensity (CLI). Staff said an environmental assessment found no wetlands on site and recommended approval of the small‑scale comprehensive plan amendment and rezoning consistent with the requested future land use.

Applicant planning consultant Kelly Hyvonen Delmonico described two rounds of community meetings and adjustments to the proposal in response to neighbor feedback: pushing buildings north, reducing driveways on Lane Avenue, adding buffering to the south, and proposing indoor recreation such as indoor pickleball and conditional outdoor recreation areas (which would require separate conditional‑use review). She said CC zoning was requested because it is the lowest‑intensity district that allows indoor recreation uses the owner wants to market to potential operators.

Neighbors and commissioners raised traffic concerns for Lane Avenue, a local street that ‘‘zigzags’’ into single‑family neighborhoods; commenters urged limiting site access to South Street and avoiding cut‑through traffic. Commissioner discussion also covered building height and compatibility with adjacent single‑family areas. Several commissioners suggested a planned development (PD) overlay might better address neighborhood concerns because it would include a binding concept plan and allow negotiated conditions.

On the small‑scale comprehensive plan amendment (SSA 7‑2024) the commission voted in favor and recommended the amendment to City Council. The subsequent rezoning debate produced a failed motion to deny the rezoning, followed by a motion to recommend rezoning to CC with conditions: a single entrance on Lane (located as far north as practicable), a right‑turn lane (traffic improvement) and an additional access off South Street; the applicant stated support for restricting Lane access and for limiting egress to northbound left‑turns at that Lane entrance. The rezoning recommendation passed on a 4‑3 roll call.

Ending: The comprehensive plan amendment and rezoning recommendations will be forwarded to City Council with the commission's conditions; staff and the applicant will provide required documents for the council hearing.