Nassau County Planning & Zoning Board approves garage-setback change for William Burgess overlay; grants four conditional uses and one rezoning

The Nassau County Planning and Zoning Board on July 1 unanimously approved a land-development-code amendment to the William Burgess Mixed Use Activity Center Overlay that changes how attached-garage setbacks are measured in the T3 (Transect 3) zoning district. The board also approved four conditional-use permits and recommended one rezoning at the Callahan meeting.

The amendment (LDC 25-003) was presented by Elizabeth Back of the Nassau County Planning Department. Back said the proposed change would require attached garages in T3 to be recessed at least five feet from the front facade of the porch rather than from the front plane of the house. Staff said the change is intended to increase design flexibility on narrow lots while remaining consistent with the county comprehensive plan and with state law. Back told the board the William Burgess overlay covers about 5,200 acres generally south of State Road 200, west of US 17, north of the Duval County line and east of I-95.

Developer Greg Matovino spoke in support, describing why the alternate porch-based measurement helps on narrow lots. Matovino said, for a 40-foot lot with a 5-foot side yard, a typical 20-foot garage can push living space deep into the structure unless the porch is allowed to project forward; allowing the porch to define the front plane, with a five-foot recess for the garage, encourages active front porches and improves streetscape variety. Back noted the county used the same porch-based measure recently in the Timber to Tides overlay.

After board discussion, the motion to recommend approval (ordinance 2025-028) passed on a 4-0 roll call. The board then heard and approved four quasi-judicial items and one rezoning, all by unanimous votes. Staff presentations for those items emphasized compliance with conditional-use review criteria (Nassau County LDC Section 5.04 and cited sections listed below) and applicable comprehensive-plan policies. The board also recommended appointment of a member to the Nassau County Affordable Housing Advisory Committee and heard an introduction of the county's comprehensive-plan consultant team, Inspire Placemaking, which will assist with upcoming amendments and the 2050 plan update.

Votes at a glance

- LDC 25-003 / Ordinance 2025-028 (William Burgess Mixed Use Activity Center Overlay amendment): Approved (4-0). Action: amend blueprint text to require attached garages in T3 to be recessed at least 5 feet from the front facade of the porch (not from the house front plane). Staff recommended approval; developer Greg Matovino spoke in support; Timber to Tides overlay used a similar standard. (Provenance: staff presentation beginning ~00:03:49; motion and roll call concluded ~00:14:50.)

- CU 20 25-011 (mother-in-law dwelling, RS-1): Approved (4-0). Staff (Kaelin/Caitlin Thompson) recommended approval subject to conditions. Key conditions recorded in the staff report: the permit is granted to the applicant (does not automatically transfer), the exception must be renewed annually, and once the exception terminates the owner has 3 months to remove the dwelling. Applicant: Jimmy L. Higginbotham stood on the staff record. (Provenance: staff presentation beginning ~00:21:33; vote ~00:34:30.)

- CU 20 25-010 (mobile home sales, Commercial General/CG): Approved (4-0). Staff recommended approval with condition that the conditional use be granted to the applicant and not transferable (does not run with the land). Applicant/owner identified as J and JRE Capital LLC; Justin Crumley spoke as owner/operator and offered a site layout for the record. (Provenance: staff presentation beginning ~00:35:48; applicant remarks ~00:42:45; vote ~00:47:30.)

- CU 20 25-009 (mobile home in RS-2 — replacement of existing mobile home): Approved (4-0). Staff (Michael Ironman) recommended approval; the board approved the conditional use with the condition that it be transferable and run with the land. The application proposed replacing a dilapidated mobile home with a new mobile home on the same lot; site is served by well and septic and must meet lot/yard/code standards. (Provenance: staff presentation beginning ~00:48:40; vote ~01:04:50.)

- R 25-001 (rezoning ~1.56 acres along US-1 at Colson Road from Residential Mixed (RM) to Commercial Intensive (CI)): Recommended for approval (4-0). Staff explained the applicant consolidated adjacent parcels, the rezoned area fronts an arterial road (US-1) and adjoins existing CI uses; required buffers would apply if commercial development abuts residential uses. Applicant: Jimmy L. Higginbotham. (Provenance: staff presentation beginning ~00:56:31; applicant remarks ~01:06:45; vote ~01:10:40.)

Other board business and announcements

- Appointment recommendation: The board recommended (4-0) reappointing a Planning & Zoning Board member to the Nassau County Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (motion recorded and approved by roll call).

- Comprehensive-plan work: Consultants Jay McLeod and Chris Doherty of Inspire Placemaking introduced themselves and described an upcoming phase-one process (EAR-based amendments) and a later comprehensive-plan update (2050). They will work with staff and the board during the planning process.

- Scheduling: Staff announced there will be no Planning & Zoning Board meeting on July 15; the next scheduled board meeting is August 5.

What the board did not change

Board members discussed but did not take action on proposed code edits to building/structure height (Section 6.04), and staff advised against taking code action on height while related litigation remains pending; no workshop or code amendment on that subject was advanced at this meeting.

Meeting context and next steps

Most quasi-judicial items had no public opposition; staff presentations emphasized consistency with specific LDC and comprehensive-plan criteria. Items requiring development-level details (buffers, driveway/plat questions, DRC review) will be handled during subsequent permitting and DRC phases. Next steps for approved items include ordinance adoption (where applicable), any required permits, and implementation details to be reviewed by county development review staff.