Planning panel recommends rezoning 36 acres to conservation for Indian River Land Trust project

The Indian River County Planning and Zoning Commission on June 12 recommended that the Board of County Commissioners approve a future land use designation amendment and rezone for about 35.73 acres owned by the Indian River Land Trust.

Patrick Murphy, chief of Long Range Planning, told commissioners the land trust purchased the property using funds from the Florida Communities Trust and that one condition of that funding requires the land to be designated and zoned for conservation. “This proposed amendment meets the policy's third criteria,” Murphy said, citing Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Element policy 1.43 as the governing standard for redesignation.

Murphy told the commission the parcel lies immediately south of Sebastian Highlands Unit 11, about 1,300 feet north of County Road 510 and roughly 1.5 miles west of 60 Sixth Avenue. He said the site contains old-growth cypress, mature oaks and native cabbage palms and is cut by a natural watercourse identified as the south prong/headwaters of the St. Sebastian River. Murphy concluded staff’s analysis by saying the requested Con 3 (Conservation) zoning aligns with the proposed C3 conservation future land use category and recommended approval.

Rose West, land acquisition manager for Indian River Land Trust, told the commission the purchase is intended to be part of a larger St. Sebastian River greenway or trail network and that the land trust plans interpretive signage and educational tours on the parcel. “This is part of a larger network of trails, part of the St. Sebastian River Greenway concept,” West said. She added that the land trust expects to seek reimbursement from the Florida Communities Trust and that reimbursement is contingent on obtaining the conservation land-use designation and rezoning.

Commissioners asked whether the property would include active recreation or primarily passive uses such as walking trails. Murphy and West said the Con 3 designation restricts uses to conservation and passive recreation; Murphy explained active recreation (ball fields, gym) differs from the passive trails and kiosks proposed. West said access points and trailheads are still being coordinated with partners, including the Marine Resources Council and the county’s South Prong Preserve, and that the parcel is intended as a piece of a multi-parcel trail network.

A motion to recommend the comprehensive plan amendment and rezoning passed on a voice vote. The Planning and Zoning Commission’s recommendation will be forwarded to the Board of County Commissioners; Murphy told the commission staff will ensure the board receives the approved minutes and backup materials.

Notes: The transcript records the parcel size as approximately 35.73 acres. Staff repeatedly cited comprehensive-plan policies 1.43, 1.5 and 1.6 and table 2.14 in concluding that the Con 3 zoning is consistent with the requested C3 future land use designation. The land trust said rostered partners and potential trailheads are under discussion; final public access locations were not specified in the hearing.