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Commission recommends rezoning 20 acres at Hunt and Felix from commercial to single‑family in Merryill Ranch PUD
Summary
The commission voted to recommend a major amendment to the Merryill Ranch PUD (PZ‑26‑32) that would convert roughly 20 acres of Parcel 14 from commercial/employment/retail (CER) to medium‑density residential (R2), reduce some rear setbacks for small‑lot products and preserve about 14 acres for commercial uses.
The Florence Planning & Zoning Commission on June 25 recommended approval of a major amendment to the Merryill Ranch Planned Unit Development for Parcel 14 (PZ‑26‑32), which would shift about 20 acres from commercial/employment/retail (CER) to R2 medium‑density residential while keeping approximately 14 acres for commercial uses at the Hunt Highway and Felix Road intersection.
Greg Davis, a land‑use consultant for Elorado Holdings, said the request is part of a broader, multi‑thousand‑acre master plan revision responding to changes since the PUD’s 2003/2007 approvals, including a likely freeway alignment that has shifted where commercial development is most viable. He told the commission the change would reduce potential multifamily density and better match surrounding single‑family development.
"This is the request that's being made that the buyer for it would maintain the parcel boundaries... the pre‑plat that's submitted is only for the 20 acres, not the 14," Davis said, adding that the applicant anticipates bringing a larger PUD amendment for the surrounding acreage later this year.
Commissioners pressed staff and the applicant on infrastructure readiness and traffic. Commissioner Woolly said the town must manage growth carefully and raised several infrastructure concerns: "There's no water, there's no sewer. And we want to put more homes in," he said, asking whether approvals should wait for confirmed utility capacity. Staff and the applicant responded that infrastructure is available adjacent to the parcel and that, for this specific change, traffic modeling in the packet showed reduced trip generation compared with the currently allowed CER/multifamily scenario.
Staff recommended approval with conditions and noted that a larger traffic and infrastructure analysis is underway for the full PUD amendment. Vice Chair D. Rosa moved, Commissioner Buckner seconded, and the commission recommended approval; the clerk recorded four votes in favor and one abstention.
Staff said the change reduces theoretical unit capacity at this corner (from multifamily potential under current zoning to an estimated 80–106 R2 units under the proposed standard for the 20 acres), preserves a commercial node on the highway, and will be followed by further submittals and a Town Council hearing on Aug. 4.
