Developers present six-unit addition to Villages of Amelia; county staff flag driveway, drainage, health and fire requirements

Developers presented a plan to add six retail units to the Villages of Amelia shopping center during a Nassau County Development Review Committee meeting (date not specified). William Schaffer, president of Dominion Engineering, said the addition ties into existing grading and utilities near the center’s pond and uses an existing front parking area; he described a vehicle turnaround, employee parking behind the stores and an enclosed dumpster area.

The review focused on site-access geometry, stormwater and drainage, sanitary controls for the proposed dumpster, landscape buffering within the PUD and building code triggers for sprinklers. Constance Lake, deputy floodplain administrator in the Building Department, said the site is mapped in an X flood hazard zone and offered no additional floodplain comments. Stephanie Kaiser of Planning noted the property is in an older PUD and inside the State Road 200 overlay and reminded the applicant that the 25-foot landscape buffer shown on the plan must be provided and that the dumpster enclosure will need landscaping.

Caleb Hurst of Development Services flagged the driveway and sidewalk geometry as the primary engineering issue. Hurst said the radius shown matches a 30-foot collector standard but that if the road is classified as a local street the standard is 25 feet; he asked staff to verify the classification with David Hollman and recommended either tightening the driveway radius or shifting the sidewalk and ramp to avoid crosswalks running through a driveway. Hurst also encouraged the applicant to explore tying a secondary entrance into the existing rear driveway serving the adjacent Academy Sports facility to avoid an additional curb cut on David Hollman, subject to existing utilities, grade and the PUD’s buffer requirements.

On stormwater, Development Services said the site’s added impervious area must be reflected in runoff calculations and that standard stormwater notes, payment requirements and construction inspection fees must be provided with the engineering submittal. Department staff reminded the applicant that Development Review Committee (DRC) approval must be obtained prior to breaking ground.

The Health Department representative, Ronnie, stated that the health agency is a state entity with its own application fees and that the applicant must provide a letter of availability confirming sewer capacity for the additional units. Ronnie told the group the dumpster pad must include a drain and hose bib so the pad can be routinely washed; he added this measure reduces “sanitary nuisance” problems such as flies.

Amanda (Fire Department) said the building “is most likely going to have to be sprinkled,” noting that an assembly or restaurant space exceeding 100 occupants would trigger the sprinkler requirement and that an auto-turn analysis will be required if the applicant proposes extending the access road behind the building so apparatus can maneuver. The applicant said the site currently has a backflow device and that an existing bank of meters was installed during earlier work for the adjacent Academy Sports tenant.

Staff also noted that the proposal includes a new monument sign, which will require a separate sign permit and confirmation that the PUD or State Road 200 overlay does not add sign restrictions. The applicant agreed to add landscaping around the dumpster enclosure, provide required stormwater calculations and include required notes and fees with the engineering submittal. No formal vote or final approval of the plan is recorded in the meeting transcript.

Next steps recorded by staff: verify roadway classification for the driveway radius, confirm whether a loop connection behind the building is feasible without reducing required PUD buffers, submit updated plans with stormwater calculations and standard notes, provide the health department’s sewer availability documentation and pay construction inspection fees before breaking ground.