The Jacksonville Planning Advisory Board recommended approval Dec. 8 of a proposed change to the Unified Development Ordinance that would increase the maximum allowable paved area in front yards for residential lots.

Planning staff told the board the amendment—submitted by Tidewater Associates and described in Attachment A—replaces a current standard that limits the first 40 feet of a front-yard area to 33% or 750 square feet (whichever is less). Under the proposal, homeowners would be able to pave up to 45% of the front yard, with the measurement taken to the minimum setback line instead of using a fixed 40-foot standard.

“Instead of the first 40 feet, we want it to be based on the minimum setback line,” a planning staff member said, adding that adopting a single 45% threshold would simplify calculations and reflect differences in lot width. Staff also showed graphic updates moving the measurement point to the right-of-way boundary and explained that the change would make the rule easier to apply across a range of lot sizes.

Staff said the revision also aligns the UDO with the city’s Manual Specification Standards and Design (MSSD). As part of that alignment, staff proposed reducing a specific dimensional standard (referred to in the meeting as an L3 standard) from 10 feet to 5 feet so the UDO and MSSD do not conflict. Staff noted other clarifications, including defining one-way driveway widths (12 feet at the public right-of-way; 10 feet internal to a site) and keeping established traffic-safety spacing—50 feet from intersections and a 15-foot corner-side clearance—unchanged.

A board member moved to recommend approval, citing consistency with the city’s land-use policy (referred to in the meeting as policy 38.2). The motion carried after an affirmative voice vote; the board did not request additional findings of reasonableness for the text amendment. The board’s recommendation will be forwarded to city council, which staff said expects to take up related signage items and possible UDO tweaks in January.

The amendment will change how residential driveway and paved-area allowances are calculated but does not itself adopt a new fee, permit, or construction standard beyond the UDO text change. The matter is scheduled for further review by city council in January.