Clay County planning commission approves PCD for Fraser Road CPA office with 4,000-sq.-ft. cap

The Clay County Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of PUD 25-002 on May 6, 2025, a rezoning request to convert a commercially zoned parcel adjacent to U.S. 17 and Fraser Road from BA-2 to a planned commercial development (PCD) to accommodate a two-story CPA office building, with a condition limiting the building to 4,000 gross square feet.

Staff and the applicant said the PCD narrows allowed uses and adds site-specific protections for nearby residents. Jenny Bridal, Clay County zoning chief, told commissioners staff found the application met the county—s zoning criteria and that the Citizens Advisory Committee recommended approval 5-0.

The request replaces a by-right development pattern under BA-2 that could place buildings and parking nearer to an adjacent 1958 single-family home. Applicant Stan Hunt and agent Josh Cockerell said the PCD is intended to produce a single, attractive two-story office set toward U.S. 17 with parking behind the structure, increased landscaping, a 6-foot opaque fence, and a proposed 10-foot undisturbed vegetative buffer along the western property line. Hunt said, "to say that the PUD will increase and make it more of a place for a bigger business and more parking spaces is just not factual. And in fact, the PUD is reducing what is allowed there." Cockerell described other voluntary changes including removing medical office from the list of permitted uses to reduce traffic generation.

Residents of Fraser Road and immediately adjacent properties strongly opposed the rezoning during public comment, saying the private single-lane residential road is already congested and unsafe. Chelsea Baker Shaw said she opposed rezoning because it "allows for much heavier traffic onto our already burdened road" and expressed concern about children and mailboxes near the entrance. Suzanne Ryan, the homeowner immediately west of the parcel, described the proximity of her front windows and a wellhead to the proposed site and said she feared traffic, noise and loss of privacy.

The applicant and his engineer told the commission the Florida Department of Transportation would not allow the use of an existing curb cut on U.S. 17; as a result access will use Fraser Road and the applicant must bring that frontage up to county standards, including pavement, curb and gutter. The engineer, Charles Som, said FDOT often requires removal of curb cuts that are too close to other access points and that the applicant would be required to meet county engineering and drainage standards if developed.

Commission discussion focused on enforceability of the PCD conditions and the square-footage limit. Commissioners and staff confirmed that the site plan and written PCD conditions become part of the ordinance and bind future owners unless they seek another amendment. After discussion the commission approved the staff recommendation as amended to specify a 4,000 gross-square-foot cap on the building and to tie the site plan to the PCD ordinance. A motion to approve the staff report including that 4,000-square-foot limit carried.

The commission—s recommendation will be forwarded to the Clay County Board of County Commissioners, which will decide the final zoning at a future BCC meeting.