Commission approves first reading for Oakland Exchange office park amendment amid traffic, design and tree protections

The Town of Oakland commission on Nov. 12 approved the first public reading of Ordinance 2024-10, a second amendment to the development agreement for the Oakland Commercial Center Planned Development that would allow the Oakland Exchange office park on Lots 5 and 6. The approval carries conditions: the commission asked for an additional traffic study, required enhanced screening around dumpster enclosures and did not approve enlarging a monument sign.

Sarah Matheson, the town-planner contractor with Wade Trim, told the commission the amendment would increase allowable office square footage from 30,000 to about 37,184 square feet (an additional ~7,184 sq ft), revise the site from roughly four larger buildings to about 12 smaller, one-story buildings, remove the landscape buffer between the two lots, reduce an internal sidewalk from 6 feet to 5 feet, and request a monument sign increase to 42 square feet. Matheson said the applicant's design preserves at least 18 trees of 16 inches DBH or greater as required by the development agreement and that stormwater must comply with the St. Johns River Water Management District permit.

Attorney Jimmy Crawford, representing the applicant JW Squared Development LLC and principals Wayne King and John Schmidt, said the project's traffic impact analysis found the development would generate "de minimis" additional traffic—less than 2% of existing volumes—and therefore required no mitigation under the counting standards used. Crawford said the design shift to smaller, single-story buildings is intended to reduce visual impact on the adjacent residential area and keep building heights compatible with neighbors.

Residents and commissioners pressed the applicant on peak-hour and school-related traffic, lighting, parking and dumpster locations. Anne Fulton, a nearby resident, asked the town and developer to "work together to make it a safer intersection, put in crosswalks" and consider traffic-calming measures before occupancy. The applicant agreed to schedule a call with its traffic engineer and staff before the next hearing and to revisit lighting and dumpster placement.

Town staff noted public notice for the hearing: mailed notices on 09/30/2024 and onsite signs posted on 10/01/2024. Planning & Zoning recommended approval with conditions including added landscaping around dumpster enclosures; P&Z denied the applicant's requests to increase the monument sign and to reduce the sidewalk from 6 to 5 feet. Staff recommended approval, with the commission adopting the P&Z conditions on screening and directing an updated traffic review.

The commission's action on Nov. 12 was a first reading; staff said the second hearing is scheduled for Dec. 10, 2024, after required replatting and additional reviews (appearance review already occurred and the PNC hearing was set for Nov. 19). If final approvals are granted, construction plans and building permits would follow.

"We heard concerns about safety and traffic and we expect the applicant and staff to come back with follow-up analysis," Mayor Taylor said after the vote. The commission voted in favor of the first reading by voice vote.

The ordinance and the development agreement amendments referenced public-record documents filed in Orange County; the amendment as presented preserves remaining conditions of the original development agreement unless specifically changed by the second amendment.