Planning board backs rezoning for mixed-use development on LPGA Boulevard

The Daytona Beach Planning Board on Oct. 23 unanimously recommended that the City Commission rezone about 10.16 acres along LPGA Boulevard from Single-Family Residential (SFR-5) to Planned Development General (PDG) to allow a mixed-use commercial development of retail and office buildings.

The rezoning request, DEV2024-584, would allow a conceptual plan that shows six buildings—four retail and two office—stormwater ponds and internal infrastructure adjacent to existing residential neighborhoods, staff said. The board’s recommendation forwards the item to the City Commission for a first reading Dec. 3 and second reading Dec. 17.

Danley, senior planner, told the board the site is vacant, has a mixed-use future land use designation and that “no waivers or modifications to the land development code are requested with this rezone.” The staff presentation described the project as “consistent with the mixed use future land use designation while limiting the potential non-residential uses and intensity the future land use would allow.”

Applicant consultant Dave Glunt, managing coordinator with Precinct Civil Engineering, described proposed access and coordination with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). He said FDOT is planning a four-lane divided cross section with multimodal paths and a roundabout near the stadium, and that the project likely will be limited to right-in/right-out access until FDOT completes improvements. “With this scenario, we are most likely looking at right in, right out only with u turns at the roundabouts, just because we don't meet the access separation for any kind of full median opening,” Glunt said.

Board members and residents raised traffic and stormwater concerns tied to stadium events and existing local flooding. A planning board member noted that game-day traffic already creates long backups. Glunt said the project proposes two access points and a future connection to Dunn Avenue to provide alternate circulation for local residents.

Stormwater measures and buffers were discussed at length. The applicant’s conceptual plan shows two retention ponds. Glunt said the ponds will be sized to meet state requirements and to maintain predevelopment discharge rates for the 25-year storm event; he added the team will evaluate treatment trains (filtration and wetland-like systems) to meet state water-quality rules. On runoff questions, he said the project will “mimic what the predevelopment drainage patterns are for post development” and that ponds will be modeled so “both ponds discharge less than that rate.”

Buffering between the commercial site and the adjacent neighborhood was a major topic. Staff described a Type D opaque buffer; the applicant said it proposes a Type 2 (15-foot) buffer with dense plantings but offered alternatives if residents prefer immediate screening. “We have no objection to go into the concrete wall if that's what the commission wants,” Glunt said, describing a six-foot masonry wall option that would reduce the planted buffer width to 5 feet. Staff cautioned that a masonry wall could require removing some existing trees because wall footings can conflict with retained vegetation.

Resident and landowner Kevin Hypes (1266 Burgundy Court) spoke in favor of the project for economic reasons and noted he owns nearby land. Board members and the applicant discussed aesthetic tradeoffs between an immediate wall and longer-term plant growth.

The planning board motion to recommend approval passed unanimously; the board did not request any code waivers. The City Commission will consider the rezoning in December.

Votes at a glance: the planning board recommended approval of DEV2024-584 (rezoning SFR-5 to PDG for mixed-use, “The Commons at LPGA PD”) by unanimous vote and forwarded the item to City Commission first reading Dec. 3 and second reading Dec. 17.