Edgewater planning board backs rezoning, sends contentious Deering Park plat to council; several variances approved

The Edgewater Planning & Zoning Board on Oct. 8 voted on a series of land‑use requests, sending a 3–2 favorable recommendation to City Council for a rezoning at 2945 West Park Avenue and, after extended debate over drainage, issuing a 3–2 favorable recommendation for the Deering Park Center preliminary plat.

Staff opened the meeting with a presentation of RZ2503, a request to rezone 2945 West Park Avenue from I‑1 (light industrial) to a mixed‑use planned unit development (MUPUD) that staff said would fund trail activation and create a two‑phase project featuring a multipurpose exercise/coffee shop and enclosed pickleball courts. City staff recommended the rezoning be sent favorably to council. Applicant David Godickson told the board “my wife and I … this is not a big business endeavor,” saying the project is intended as a community amenity with after‑school programming and weather‑protected recreation.

Resident Mary Forrester urged caution, citing school traffic near the planned Park‑Airpark entrance and warning about safety during peak school travel: “It’s a disaster waiting to happen during school days,” she said. Staff replied the driveway is aligned with the opposite side of Park Avenue, the applicant will dedicate a 50‑by‑50 corner cut for future intersection improvements, and protected bike lanes along Park and Airpark are part of the overall plan. The board voted 3–2 to forward a favorable recommendation for RZ2503 to City Council.

The meeting’s most contested item was SD2405, the preliminary plat for the Deering Park Center single‑family phase. Staff detailed lot mixes, sidewalk and roadway standards, tree‑survey results and stormwater calculations; the staff report said the applicant provided compensating storage (listed in the staff materials as 88.32 acre‑feet) and found the plat met the land‑development code and MPUD agreement. The board debated a motion by a member to continue the item until the city’s stormwater master plan is available. Several members and the board’s legal advisor warned that plats are subject to statutory timeframes and that, if a plat meets the comp plan, zoning and code, the review is ministerial rather than discretionary.

Applicant representatives described the overall Deering Park master plan and said large acreage would be set aside in conservation easements; counsel Glenn Storch told the board that required stormwater permits have been issued and that the project is “fully vested.” Opponents and board members repeatedly pressed whether the proposed lake and pond system would handle higher‑magnitude storms under changing climate conditions; resident Agnes Witter asked whether project infrastructure is designed for what FEMA is increasingly treating as a 500‑year risk. Staff and the applicant said the design exceeds the 100‑year standard and includes extensive lake systems and compensating storage, while acknowledging no system can guarantee absolute protection.

After debate, the board voted 3–2 to send a favorable recommendation for SD2405 to City Council; dissenting members said they preferred postponement until the city’s stormwater master plan (the city reported that study is expected in December).

On other items the board: approved CU2501, a conditional use permit for a woodworking shop at 2421 Guava Drive; denied a request for a large front‑yard carport at 3015 Queen Palm Drive (VA2512); approved a landscape buffer variance for an industrial lot at 191 Mango Tree Drive (VA2513); approved variances to demolish and rebuild a nonconforming house at 125 Rio Vista Drive with conditions that the northeast corner of the new structure match the existing corner and that a front porch not be closer than roughly 17.4 feet to the property line (VA2514); and approved a reduced planting requirement for 1824 Hibiscus Drive (VA2516) while noting on‑street parking details will need to meet city standards.

The board’s actions were largely procedural recommendations; final decisions for the rezoning and the preliminary plat now move to City Council. City staff told the board the stormwater master plan is due in December and reiterated that site‑level engineering and subsequent site‑plan review remain required steps before construction.

Votes at a glance: RZ2503 (2945 West Park Ave) — favorable recommendation, 3–2. SD2405 (Deering Park Center prelim plat) — favorable recommendation, 3–2. CU2501 (woodworking shop, 2421 Guava Dr) — approved, unanimous. VA2512 (carport, 3015 Queen Palm Dr) — denied. VA2513 (landscape buffer, 191 Mango Tree Dr) — approved. VA2514 (demolish/rebuild nonconforming, 125 Rio Vista Dr) — approved with conditions. VA2516 (reduced planting, 1824 Hibiscus Dr) — approved.

Next steps: the rezoning and the Deering Park preliminary plat will be forwarded to City Council for final action; project teams must still complete civil engineering, site plans, and any additional permitting. The city expects to deliver its stormwater master plan in December.