Planning and Zoning Commission OKs MotorHaus 3 site plan for vehicle storage

The Indian River County Planning and Zoning Commission on June 12 approved a major site plan for MotorHaus 3, an auto parking and storage facility west of U.S. Highway 1 and 30 Ninth Avenue.

Staff presentation said the site will be developed in two phases with a total of nine vehicle storage buildings, a gated entry, internal drives and landscaping buffers. Brandon, a county planning staff member, told commissioners, “Before you today is the MotorHaus 3 major site plan.” He said the site is split-zoned; all activity will occur in the General Commercial portion while the limited-commercial portion to the south will receive a conservation easement and a wet detention pond.

The project design calls for a full-movement driveway on 30 Ninth Avenue, internal circulation aisles, a 20-foot thoroughfare landscape buffer along Old Dixie Highway and 30 Ninth Avenue, and a five-foot compatibility buffer with the commercial parcel to the north. Staff recommended approval subject to conditions in the staff report, principally the dedication of right-of-way along 30 Ninth Avenue, final conservation-easement documents, finalized landscape and mitigation plans, and construction of indicated improvements including external sidewalks.

Applicant representative Joe Schulke of Schulke, Biddle & Stoddard said the applicant has worked “really good” with staff, especially environmental and stormwater reviewers, and that the team had multiple coordination meetings to address environmental criteria. “I don't have anything really further to add. I want to offer I'm here for any questions you might have,” Schulke said.

Commissioners asked for clarification on why the item required commission review; Brandon explained that because the project creates more than 150,000 square feet of impervious area it requires Planning and Zoning Commission approval rather than staff-level approval. After public comment and a brief discussion, a commissioner moved to adopt the staff recommendation and another commissioner seconded. The motion carried on a voice vote; the transcript records only a voice vote — “All in favor. Aye. Opposed? Very good.” — and does not include a roll-call tally.

The approval allows the applicant to proceed to the county’s follow-up permitting steps, including final civil engineering and implementation of the conservation easement and stormwater measures described in staff conditions. County staff said the applicant has provided draft documents and staff is finalizing them prior to permitting.

Notes: The transcript identifies the applicant representative as Joe Schulke and the primary presenter as Brandon (county planning staff). The transcript does not record a detailed roll-call vote or list the names of the commissioners who moved and seconded the motion.