Nassau County planning board recommends approval of three comprehensive plan amendments

The Nassau County Planning and Zoning Board on Sept. 2 recommended approval of three comprehensive plan amendments to correct mismatches between future land-use designations and zoning in Commission District 3.

Planning Director Elizabeth Bach presented all three items for staff, saying each amendment would align future land use with existing or proposed zoning and that water and sewer are available to the sites. Staff recommended approval of each application based on consistency with the comprehensive plan and cited specific plan policies in its findings.

CPA 25-006: First Federal Bank / industrial-to-commercial (0.92 acres) Elizabeth Bach said CPA 25-006 would change one parcel at the intersection of Chester Road and State Road 200 from an industrial underlying land use to commercial; the parcel is already zoned Commercial Intensive (CI). Bach told the board the site is developed, not in a special flood hazard area, and that required buffers would apply only if redevelopment occurs. Board member Fending moved to recommend approval; board member Henson seconded. The motion carried by voice vote.

CPA 25-007: FKPLTD / medium-density residential and commercial to commercial (approximately 18.37 acres) Bach said CPA 25-007 would convert a uniquely shaped parcel south of State Road 200 east of U.S. Highway 17 to commercial land use across the site. She noted isolated wetland areas shown on county maps and said required wetland buffers and standard land-development-code screening would apply at site-plan review. Board member Henson moved to recommend approval; board member Morris seconded. The motion carried by voice vote.

CPA 25-010: Yulee Villas Ltd. (Flynn Management) / commercial to high-density residential (approx. 4.12 acres) Bach described CPA 25-010 as two parcels near the previous application, south of State Road 200 on the east side of U.S. Highway 17, with a proposal to convert part of the site from commercial to high-density residential (HDR). Staff noted a small wetlands area along the U.S. 17 frontage and that required buffers per the land development code would apply. Board member Morris moved to recommend approval; board member Brantley seconded. The motion carried by voice vote.

Board members asked staff clarifying questions about planned-unit-district status, buffer and screening requirements when future land-use categories change, and county options to revisit land-development-code buffering rules during the next code update. Bach said the department will add the buffer-screening issue to a list for future LDC consideration and reiterated that, for currently developed properties, new buffers typically apply only on redevelopment.

There were no public comment cards for any of the three comprehensive plan amendment items. The board closed the public hearings, took the motions described above, and recommended approval for CPA 25-006, CPA 25-007 and CPA 25-010.

Less-critical board business after the votes included scheduling: planners said there were no cases for the board's Sept. 16 meeting and that the next regular meeting with matters on the agenda will be Oct. 7. A board member asked staff to consider a workshop on potential LDC changes; staff advised that proposed code changes should be submitted to the department for routing through the Board of County Commissioners or staff work programs.