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Planning board backs rezoning and future‑land‑use change for 3.42‑acre parcel near Brookside Bluffs
Summary
The board recommended approval of a rezoning (A‑1 to C‑1) and a simultaneous amendment to the future land use map (agriculture to rural center) for a 3.42‑acre parcel on U.S. Highway 17 owned by Sol Mart Southwest Florida LLC; both items were recommended to the Board of County Commissioners.
The Hardee County Planning and Zoning Board on Aug. 7 recommended approval of two concurrent applications from Sol Mart Southwest Florida LLC to rezone a 3.42‑acre parcel at 7891 South U.S. Highway 17 from A‑1 (agriculture) to C‑1 (neighborhood commercial) and to change its future land use designation from agriculture to rural center.
Jordan, planning staff, said the parcel fronts U.S. 17 just south of the Brookside Bluffs community and is adjacent to a golf course. Staff’s review found the rezoning would allow neighborhood‑serving commercial uses along an arterial corridor, but noted the parcel slightly exceeds the acreage limit for commercial properties in the agricultural future land use category and does not meet the two‑mile proximity requirement to other C‑1 zones; those constraints are the reason the applicant filed a comprehensive plan amendment concurrently. "Staff has concluded the proposed amendment and associated development is consistent with L1.7 of the comp plan," Jordan said, and recommended that the Planning & Zoning Board recommend approval to the Board of County Commissioners.
Dana Riddell, owner of Stonehenge Land Development Consultants, representing Sol Mart, told the board the parcel currently contains a radio station and tower and that no additional development was proposed at this hearing. Riddell said likely future uses would be low‑intensity commercial — for example, a convenience store, small medical office or barber shop — and that any redevelopment would be required to comply with landscaping and parking requirements at time of redevelopment.
Board members asked about setback and landscaping expectations on the corridor and were told landscaping requirements would apply when and if redevelopment occurs. One member asked whether the rezoning would improve the appearance of the approach to the community; staff replied any landscaping updates would be handled as part of redevelopment and permitting.
A motion to recommend approval of Planning & Zoning Application 25‑59 (rezoning to C‑1) and a separate motion to recommend approval of Planning & Zoning Application 25‑60 (future land use amendment to Rural Center) were both seconded and carried; both items will be scheduled before the Hardee County Board of County Commissioners for final action.
