Live Oak council approves several zoning and land-use changes, including rezone affecting 713 Duval St. NW

The Live Oak City Council approved a bundle of land-use and zoning measures during its meeting, advancing one ordinance on first reading and adopting several companion zoning and comprehensive-plan amendments.

City Development Manager George Curtis told the council the request for 713 Duval Street NW is a rezone of roughly 0.39 acres (LDR 26-07) to change the assigned zoning from residential single-family/manufactured-home (RSF MH 2) to residential office (RO). Curtis said the parcel contains two older homes built before the city's 1985 code; new owners cleared overgrowth, sought separate water meters for each dwelling and asked to legitimize the two dwellings under the current land-use framework. The Planning & Zoning Board recommended approval, and staff supported the change based on submitted exhibits and a 16-point analysis.

The council also considered a two-part application affecting about 3.74 acres in the Canyon Vista Commercial Park (CPA 26-03). Curtis said the lots were originally given commercial land use when annexed but had been rezoned to high-density residential several years ago at the applicant's request. The applicant now seeks to restore commercial use and, as part two of the application, to rezone the parcels from multifamily (RMF 2) to commercial intensive (CI). Curtis said the planning board unanimously recommended returning the parcels to commercial use and that the case had been advertised with no written opposition received.

During the public hearing, Darren Webb identified himself as CEO of DSMS Developers and Circle of Accessive Living and offered to answer questions on the proposal. The council recorded voice votes on the ordinances; the transcript records council members responding "Aye," and no recorded opposition or roll-call tallies were provided in the meeting record.

Curtis closed the agenda items by noting a local trend he said staff has observed: buyers are increasingly rehabilitating older homes rather than demolishing them. "It's always a good sign from my standpoint when people are coming into the city and willing to take homes that are in disrepair ... they're willing to actually put the time, the energy, the money, the sweat equity to save those homes," he said.

Votes at a glance - Ordinance 15-65: first reading—motion made and approved for first reading (voice vote; individual roll-call not recorded in transcript). - Ordinance 15-66: zoning amendment affecting ~0.39 acres (LDR 26-07) changing RSF MH 2 to RO—approved (voice vote; tally not specified). - Ordinance 15-67: comprehensive-plan small-scale amendment (~3.74 acres, CPA 26-03) changing future land use from residential high density to commercial—considered and moved forward (record shows recommendation and approval). - Ordinance 15-68: zoning companion to CPA 26-03, changing RMF 2 to CI—approved (voice vote; tally not specified).

The council entered staff reports, maps, photographs and the applicants' letters of intent into the record; the Planning & Zoning Board had recommended approval on the contested items at its June meeting. The meeting record shows no written opposition filed and no formal amendments to the motions during the session. The council moved on after the approvals with general congratulations to newly seated members and board volunteers.