(ESCAMBIA COUNTY, F.L.) --- Two rezoning applications near New Warrington Road and the wetlands now allow new development in Escambia County.
The Escambia County Planning Board approved changing High Density Mixed-Use/Medium Density Residential (HDMU/MDR) to HDMU for the first property at 4600 Twin Oaks Drive. Staff documents detail that the change is consistent with the Land Development Code, specifically resolving “a condition of split zoning for an existing parcel and land use.”
(Photo: Attorney Randy Abrams presentation for his applicant's rezoning application)
Escambia County Staff Analyst Caleb McCarty detailed the zoning change, noting its consistency with the Future Land Use, New Development and Redevelopment in Built Areas and Compact Development.
“There is a portion of the Warrington CRA on the southern portion of the property,” McCarty said while showing an aerial map of the residential and commercial use region.
Applicant Attorney Randy Abrams noted the two parcels total 11.9 acres, with 7.3 of that space before the planning board.
(Photo: Attorney Randy Abrams before the Escambia County Planning Board on August 4)
"I don’t really have anything to add to what staff had," Abrams said. "I have a presentation I could go through, but I don’t want to duplicate."
Abrams' presentation included a slide that the University of West Florida conducted a study titled "Resident Satisfaction Survey- Pensacola, Escambia County." According to the survey, "additional high-density residential capacity responds directly to the community's stated need." Abrams said his applicant is simply "looking to consolidate and make it consistent."
(Photo: Attorney Randy Abrams' presentation for his applicant's rezoning application)
The second application for Medium Density Residential (MDR) to Low Density Mixed-Use (LDMU) on Eight-Mile and Creed Roads was presented by applicant Attorney Meredith Bush.
“There are some significant wetlands,” Bush said. “Whether this is going to be development or not, it is going to limit the development area.”
Bush noted what could have potentially been a problem, is not.
(Photo: Aerial view of Medium Density Residential (MDR) to Low Density Mixed-Use (LDMU) rezone on Eight-Mile and Creed Roads)
“The two items I would flag from staff’s analysis, which doesn’t necessarily disagree with us, would be the spot zoning consideration and a statement about changing conditions,” Bush said. “In response to that, we submitted a supplemental compatibility analysis which I understand met all of the concerns.”
Additionally, Bush noted the decrease to LDMU from 10 units to 7, and a small retail establishment also has an adjacent barrier since the Escambia County Utility Authority “buffers from the neighborhood nearby.”
“Across the street is a Dollar General on Industrial property, and when the Dollar General came through, they submitted the compatibility analysis establishing that retail was appropriate in this area,” Bush said.
McCarty confirmed the same, noting he “did review and found it highly detailed and consistent with planning principles.” Walker Wilson, Planning Board chair, asked for the document to be brought forward.
(Photo: Escambia County Planning Board staff at the August 4 meeting)
“Like we do with other cases like this, we have evidence brought forward, take a look at it and decide as a board if we want to accept it or not," Wilson said. "I just want to make sure the public understood."
After pulling up the wetlands map, officials pointed out that with spot zoning, there is “a requirement of a higher demonstration that the proposal would not have adverse impacts on adjoining districts.”
"That is why the applicant had analysis and other commercial uses on the subject property," McCarty said. “I believe that demonstrates the higher burden."
After the board accepted the study into record, concluding with McCarty’s further recommendations, McCarty added the location area was “an important aspect of the zoning request,” and “important to our findings.” McCarty said he will confirm with the Transportation and Traffic Operations that the applicants' request meets the same criteria that approved the adjacent Dollar General.
(Photo: Aerial view of rezone application approved at the Escambia County Planning Board meeting August 4)
Both rezoning requests were approved with little discussion during the 35-minute-long meeting.
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