Commission recommends annexation and future land‑use change and approves rezoning to PUD for 'Shelley’s/Chalets at Venice' despite neighbor concerns

The Planning Commission on Feb. 17 recommended City Council approval of annexation (petition 25‑19AM) and a future land‑use amendment (25‑20CP) and voted 5–1 to recommend rezoning petition 25‑21RZ to Planned Unit Development (PUD) for a proposed residential project commonly referred to in the record as "Shelley’s at Venice" or "Chalets at Venice." The project site is 282 North Auburn Road (≈10.1209 acres) in JPA Area 7.

Planner Britney Smith told the commission the annexation petition would bring the property into the city and that the pre‑annexation agreement had been approved by the City Council on Feb. 10. Smith said the applicant requests a comprehensive plan future land‑use designation of mixed‑use residential (MUR) and accompanying PUD zoning; she emphasized the JPA Area 7 limit of 5 dwelling units per acre and staff’s finding that the applicant’s proposed density (4.25 du/acre; 43 lots) is within that cap. "Consistent with the requested MUR future land use designation is a proposal to rezone the property PUD," Smith said, and staff reported the proposal provides minimum 50% open space (applicant reported 50.4%).

Jackson Boone, agent for the applicant, presented the binding master plan and development standards: 43 single‑family detached lots (minimum lot size 3,600 sq. ft.), sidewalks, a 25‑foot perimeter landscape buffer with planting and a 6‑foot PVC fence, two stormwater lakes on the west side, and building heights capped at 35 feet. Boone said stormwater will be collected and managed onsite and discharged to Blackburn Canal, and that the required ERP permit application to SWFWMD (Southwest Florida Water Management District) is already in the review process. "The ERP permit here has already been applied for," Boone said.

During public comment, multiple neighbors from Sawgrass, including Susan Heisen and Richard Clapp, urged the commission to slow or limit approvals, citing traffic on Auburn Road, water‑supply and drainage capacity, and downstream flood risk in Blackburn Canal and Curry Creek. Resident Susan Heisen said she was concerned about density and the canal’s ability to carry additional runoff, noting repeated heavy‑rain issues. Richard Clapp told commissioners that Curry Creek is under stress and warned of increased flooding risk if additional roofs and impervious area discharge to the system.

Planning & Zoning Director Roger Clark and staff responded that engineering review and SWFWMD permitting are required to ensure post‑development runoff matches pre‑development rate and volume, and that the city’s review departments flagged no concurrency issues. Clark explained the JPA’s history and that the property is identified for up to 5 du/acre and that the city’s reviews require further engineering approvals before construction.

On motions, the commission recommended approval of annexation petition 25‑19AM (6–0) and the future land‑use amendment petition 25‑20CP (6–0). On the rezoning petition 25‑21RZ (PUD), a commissioner proposed an amendment to stipulate a reduced density of 2.5 du/acre; that amendment failed for lack of a second. The main rezoning motion to recommend approval of 25‑21RZ passed 5–1. Commissioners' debate centered on whether density limitations could be addressed at the comprehensive‑plan stage or only during zoning/stipulation, and several commissioners emphasized that the JPA constrains comprehensive‑plan density options.

Next steps: the commission’s recommendations will be forwarded to City Council for final action; engineering reviews, preliminary plat and SWFWMD ERP permitting remain required before any land‑disturbing activities or building permits.