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Jacksonville committee approves comprehensive plan changes after removing 'missing middle' policies
Summary
The Land Use & Zoning Committee approved ordinance 2025-0090, a package of comprehensive-plan text amendments including updated population projections, new wastewater and septic policies, and clarified affordable/workforce-housing language after amendments removed proposed "missing middle" policies and added a 20-year affordability requirement.
The Land Use & Zoning Committee on April 1 approved ordinance 2025-0090, adopting a set of text amendments to Jacksonville's comprehensive plan that update population projections, add infrastructure and wastewater objectives, require sanitary sewer feasibility studies for large septic communities and revise how the city addresses affordable and workforce housing.
The committee voted 7-0 to approve the ordinance as amended after members removed language the staff had inserted to encourage "missing middle" housing and added a definition and durability requirement for affordable and workforce projects.
Planning staff told the committee the package reflects state requirements and updated population projections from the Office of Economic and Demographic Research to meet the city’s 10-year planning horizon and to refine housing and service needs. Staff said the package also adds policies—developed with JEA—encouraging advanced wastewater treatment, prioritizing upgrades to treatment facilities and directing programs to phase out on-site septic in developments of 50 lots or more, with a sanitary-sewer feasibility analysis attached as an exhibit.
Several residents and homeowners spoke in opposition to the missing-middle language, saying the provisions would allow duplexes, triplexes and other multifamily types into single-family neighborhoods. In response, Councilman Joe Carlucci and Councilman Arias led an amendment that struck the added missing-middle policies and the exhibit definition for "missing middle."
Councilman Amaro offered and the committee approved a separate amendment defining "affordable and workforce housing" to mean projects developed under federal, state or local grants or appropriations that include oversight and affordability compliance; the amendment requires eligible projects to maintain affordability for at least 20 years. Committee members later added the word "local" to that definition to ensure locally funded programs could qualify. Planning staff said the state’s requirement sometimes uses the combined phrase "affordable workforce housing," while local programs separate the two; staff explained the local breakdown used by the city (affordable: 51–80% AMI; workforce: 81–120% AMI).
After amendments were consolidated and the committee voted, the ordinance was approved as amended.
Committee members and staff said additional technical edits and consistency checks will be handled in subsequent committee meetings before the ordinance goes to full council.
Votes at a glance 2025-0090 — Adoption of comprehensive-plan text amendments as amended: Approved, 7-0.
