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Sebastian council advances new mixed‑use PUD zoning, sets May 13 second reading
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Summary
After lengthy debate over minimum acreage and design‑guide language, the City Council approved first reading of Ordinance O‑26‑02 to add a PUD mixed‑use zoning category and master‑plan requirements, advancing the measure to a May 13 second reading.
The Sebastian City Council voted unanimously on first reading to advance Ordinance O‑26‑02, which would add a new planned‑unit‑development mixed‑use (PUDMU) zoning classification and require master plans and design guidelines for large master‑planned communities.
City planning staff described the measure as a code amendment to insert PUDMU into the land‑use compatibility table, create a PUDMU section and add master‑plan provisions where the code is currently silent. Applicant representative Ken Toome of Urban Design Studio, speaking for Graves Brothers, told the council the amendment implements an annexation agreement and noted, “we're not approving anything tonight at all,” emphasizing that the ordinance would only create the zoning framework.
Council members focused the debate on the ordinance's minimum acreage and the strength of the design‑guide requirements. Council member Dodd said a 100‑acre minimum in the draft would be too small to deliver an ‘‘innovative’’ town center and urged a higher threshold and tighter standards, saying, “I personally think that 400 acres is more appropriate.” Other members suggested 200–400 acres as a practical floor; staff and the applicant clarified the annexation agreement for the Graves Brothers project remains at 400 acres and that the code change governs future, site‑specific requests.
Council also directed staff to revise several packet provisions: change any optional phrasing so a master plan is required for PUDMU, remove the PUDMU designation from certain commercial categories, and tighten the town‑center and design‑guide language. Following that discussion, a council member moved to approve Ordinance O‑26‑02 “with the recommended changes discussed” and set the second reading for May 13. The motion carried on a unanimous roll call.
If adopted at the second reading, the ordinance would allow developers to seek a PUDMU designation in parcels meeting the revised minimum acreage and would require master plans and site‑specific design guidelines to govern future development. Staff said subsequent rezones would still return to Planning & Zoning and City Council for project‑level approval.
