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Satellite Beach planning board recommends against rezoning beachfront parcel at 1253 A1A
Summary
After extensive public comment and discussion about parking, safety and precedent, the Planning & Advisory Board voted to recommend that the city not change the comprehensive plan or zoning for 1253 A1A from RM-3 to commercial; the recommendation now goes to city council.
The Satellite Beach Planning & Advisory Board on March 16 voted to recommend that the city not change the comprehensive plan and zoning for the parcel at 1253 A1A, a small lot near Park Avenue that an owner wants reclassified from RM-3 (residential mixed use) to commercial.
Residents and board members spent more than an hour discussing the request and its possible effects. Russell Green, who said he lives at 5 Park Avenue, urged the board to leave the property residential, citing pedestrian-safety concerns and neighborhood character: "Pertaining to the property located at 1253 A1A and the zoning changes, I'm requesting on behalf of the residents that the property zoning is not altered," he said. Green added that "two people have lost their lives crossing" near the beach access in the area in the last 18 months, a safety concern he said could be exacerbated by more intensive commercial uses.
Other neighbors echoed those concerns. Stephanie Hill, who said she represents homeowners Joan and Bobby Morris, told the board there are multiple open commercially zoned lots within half a mile of Park Avenue and argued the city does not need more commercial space immediately. "So I feel as though...we have parking issues as it is," she said, urging the board to maintain the residential designation.
Daniel Genovese, a longtime resident, said city permitting records show a commercial building permit for the site dating to 1993. "If you go to the permitting website at Satellite Beach, in 1993, there's a permit...and it says type building commercial permit," he said, noting the property historically supported only small-scale uses but warning that redevelopment could produce larger, more intrusive buildings.
City planning staff told the board the parcel has operated as a commercial use for many years and that the owner is seeking to regularize that use. Staff and board members repeatedly noted the lot's very small size (about 0.16 acres) and limited parking — the planner estimated roughly six spaces — which would constrain more intensive uses and trigger full site-plan and parking reviews if redevelopment were proposed.
Board members discussed options including recommending approval, recommending denial, or taking no position (in which case the zoning remains residential). Several members expressed discomfort placing limitations on a future buyer by recommending a specific binding-development plan without the applicant present. The board ultimately approved a motion "not to recommend" the change; the board's recommendation will go to city council, which makes the final decision.
The chair emphasized that the board's action is advisory. If the property is substantially damaged in a storm and must be rebuilt, members noted it could be required to conform to the underlying RM-3 standards. The city council will receive the board's recommendation and any applicant materials the council requires before making a final determination.
