EXPLANATION OF REQUEST: The subject 0.51-acre property is located in the Federal Highway Corridor District (South) of the Community Redevelopment Area (CRA). The applicant proposes the future land use (FLU) amendment and rezoning to develop the property with a three-story structure to be predominantly occupied by medical offices (for a total of 8,078 square feet), with 1,920 square feet of retail space on the first floor and a small, 900 square foot art museum.
The 2016 CRA Community Redevelopment Plan (the Plan) provides site-specific future land use recommendations for the entire CRA area. Consistently with the vision for economic revitalization embedded in the Plan, mixed use FLU categories are recommended for most areas close to downtown as well as for those along the major corridors.
The applicant is requesting the Mixed Use Low (MXL) future land use category rather than the higher intensity, Plan-recommended Mixed Use Medium (MXM). The latter option is not feasible, as the subject property falls short of the minimum size required for the zoning district corresponding to the MXM classification. Nevertheless, the request substantially conforms to the intent of the Plan: all mixed use FLU categories promote intensification of redevelopment and walkable environments in support of public transit and lead to higher property values. Also—arguably—the lower intensity MXL classification is preferable given the proximity of a single-family neighborhood to the east of the subject property.
Planning and Development Board recommended approval of these requests at its September 25, 2018 meeting.