Venice council unanimously denies Fox Cove future land-use change amid density, compatibility concerns

The Venice City Council voted unanimously to deny a first-reading ordinance that would have amended the city’s future land use map to allow moderate-density residential development on a 10.73-acre parcel at the northeast corner of Auburn and Border Road. The vote followed staff presentations, an applicant briefing, technical testimony on stormwater, and public opposition from neighborhood representatives.

Britney Smith, a planner for the City of Venice, told council staff recommended consideration of future land use map amendment petition 2460CP (Fox Cove). The petition, filed by agent Morris Engineering on behalf of owner KB Home Tampa LLC, sought to change the site’s designation from low-density residential (1–5 units per acre) to moderate-density residential (5.1–9 units per acre) to allow a 70-unit single-family attached (townhome) project.

That recommendation came with context: the parcel sits adjacent to I‑75 on the north and east, abuts the Waterford planned development to the west and the Casada Oaks development to the south, and was the…