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Planning board approves tree-removal plan, allowing commercial infrastructure at Madera site with off-site mitigation
Summary
The Planning & Zoning Board approved a Conservation Overlay Zone development allowing removal of several trees on two commercial parcels adjacent to U.S. 1 North, after the developer presented a mitigation strategy that moves planting credits to common-area infrastructure and adds tree wells and fencing for screening.
The St. Augustine Planning & Zoning Board on Wednesday approved PZB202053, a Conservation Overlay Zone development request allowing significant tree impacts on two commercial parcels at the Madera/Montero project along U.S. 1 North, provided the developer implements the mitigation plan presented at the hearing.
The developer’s team said site constraints — areas requiring arsenic remediation and areas of fill that must be raised for utilities and stormwater — make removal of some large trees unavoidable. Developer representatives showed maps identifying Tree Protection Areas 1 and 2, arsenic remediation zones and fill depths up to about 6 feet in places; they said most significant canopy loss results from those remediation and fill demands.
Dominion Engineering president William Shaffer and landscape architect Brett Goddard presented a mitigation plan that consolidates replacement planting into common areas (a long spine road and adjacent open space) rather than on individual parcels. Goddard said the plan would plant several hundred trees (large caliper live oaks and supplementary pines/cypress) in the commons, producing credits to offset a listed deficit of 405 inches and produce no net deficit under chapter 25 requirements. The team also described protections for trees they can preserve, and tree wells around two specimen live oaks the team said could be retained near parking.
Neighbors and the Madera residents’ representative Kimberly Grain told the board she appreciated design improvements and the proposed screening between commercial and residential uses but urged continuing scrutiny of lighting, noise and arsenic remediation permits. Grain also asked that access from Ponce Island Drive be restricted to reduce cross-traffic with the adjacent residential entry.
Board members pressed the applicant for specifics on which parcels were under contract and which significant trees remain in question; the developer said four significant trees will be impacted now (parcels 3, 4, 10 and 11 are under contract and are the subject of the requested impacts), and that one parcel (Parcel 14) had been taken out of the request to reduce impacts while the owner seeks a lower-impact user. Several board members said they were satisfied that the team had reduced impacts and that the consolidated mitigation approach — planting larger trees in common areas up front — made enforcement and long-term survival easier to track.
After discussion the board voted, by roll call, to approve PZB202053. The motion passed unanimously following a roll call that recorded “yes” from Ashley Barnes, Charles Pappas, Susan Johns, Matthew Schafer, Carl Blow and Mike Davis.
The board’s approval covered the tree impacts and the mitigation plan as presented; the developer said it will continue to work with staff and the project arborist on tree-well details and to coordinate required environmental permits (including any St. Johns River Water Management District actions) as parcel-level work proceeds.
Board action details and next steps: the approval allows the developer to proceed with the Conservation Overlay Zone development application as presented; staff and the applicant will track mitigation plantings in common areas as the infrastructure is installed, and neighbors indicated they will monitor lighting, noise and remediation permitting at subsequent reviews.
