STUART AND ASSOCIATES Planning and Design Services 7910 Summerlin Lakes Drive Fort Myers, FL 33907 C 239-677-6126 Greg@Stuarturbandesign.com www.stuarturbandesign.com June 7, 2017 To: Mr. and Mrs. Herbert and Marilyn Graves From: Greg Stuart, MUP RE: CC: The 20-acre +/- 41991 Horseshoe Road Charlotte County Property Michael Frye, CCIM Dear Mr. and Mrs. Graves, Pursuant to our recent discussions I have examined the various planning and zoning considerations relating to changing your property s zoning to it higher and best commercial land use. The subject properties are located at 41991 Horseshoe Road, and 14021 and 14013 SR 31, within unincorporated Charlotte County, FL. Sited along SR 31 and strategically located opposite the entrance to the Babcock Ranch Mixed Use Community, the combined properties comprise approximately 19.8 acres. Referring to the attached Future Land Use and Zoning Map For the Babcock Ranch Neighborhood, the subject property is located opposite Lake Babcock Drive. This road is the main entrance to the Babcock Ranch mixed use development project. The Babcock Ranch project is currently under development and approved for 2,500 dwelling units and 126,000 sq.ft. of commercial uses. The subject Graves property is surrounded by commercial and industrial lands. To the north of the subject property and along Horseshoe Drive at 40721 Horseshoe Road is a five acre Commercial General zoned property. This site is adjoined by two additional north located properties properties (13811 SR 31 and 13711 SR 31). These two properties are also zoned Commercial General and comprise a combined 7.5-acres of commercial lands. To the north and further along SR 31 one finds 10 acres of combined Industrial General zoned lands (41911 Little Farm Rd. and 41900 Little Farm Rd.). A final Commercial General zoned property is the five acre 13521 SR 31 property. Finally, to the south of the Graves property at 14091 SR 31 one finds a ten acre Industrial General zoned property.
When evaluating the feasibility of amending the Urban Service Area map to include the Graves property, Policy 1.2.6 comes into play. It is first important to note that Charlotte County is in the process of relaxing its procedures relating to Urban Service Area map amendment requests. Prior to this year only through the County s formal Evaluation and Appraisal Report (EAR) process every five to seven years, can Service Area map amendment be made. The County is eliminating this requirement and now Urban Service Area map amendments can be requested annually without going through the EAR process. Consistent with Policy 1.2.6 Urban Service Area map amendments can be approved if the following five criteria are met: 1. Demonstration of Need; 2. Contiguity To Existing Urban Development Patterns; 3. Availability of Urban Infrastructure; 4. Compatibility; and 5. Discourages Urban Sprawl. It is feasible to meet the five referenced criteria and in so doing amend the Urban Service Area map to support rezoning to commercial. The County has had a demonstrated need for greater commercial lands, in part reflecting the very large land areas that have been historically platted for residential. For the Graves property, the addition of 20-acres of commercial land to the county s inventory to support highway oriented goods and services seems to be a logical argument. Any proposed map amendment will need to be backed up by a market study to demonstrate highway commercial and regional market demand. The property is continuous to commercial and industrial lands to the north and south. So the second criteria can be met. The Infrastructure criteria will need to be satisfied. Policy 1.2.6 does not differentiate the provision of privately developed and provided infrastructure versus public provided infrastructure. For the Graves property it is recommended that the entire asset be zoned for as a commercial planned development, with conditions requiring the development of onsite sanitary sewer and potable water systems to support the develop of between 175,000 sq.ft. and 200,000 sq.ft. of commercial goods and services (approximately 20% to 25% coverage). As with the Contiguity to Existing Urban Development Patterns criteria, the Compatibility criteria and Discourages Urban Sprawl criteria is met by the fact that the property is surrounding along SR 31 by Commercial and Industrial General zoned lands. Any commercial land use on the subject Graves property will be compatible with adjoining and adjacent commercial and industrial lands, and the Babcock Ranch Mixed Use Planned Development. From personal experience Charlotte County Staff have historically been reluctant to amend the Urban Service Area and Future Land Use Map. That said and from the above discussion it is feasible to meet the five criteria and ultimately obtain commercial zoning for the 19.8 acre property. The Urban Service Area Map amendment will need to be provided parallel with a Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map Amendment to Commercial. To successfully met the infrastructure criteria identified above, it is proposed that the two map amendments are to be accompanied by a Commercial Planned Development rezoning. The entire process is set up to take approxi- Page 3
mately twelve months. The map amendments and rezoning will require an Environmental Assessment Report that identifies habitat types, wetlands and protected species. Also required will be a Traffic Impact Statement, Archeological Survey, Boundary Survey with Topographic information, Utilities Assessment (service supply, demand, other), Justification Report with Comprehensive Plan Consistency Assessment, Adjacent Property information and Rezoning Narrative with Justification. The Planned Development Master Concept Plan will be required as the key element of the PD zoning process. An illustration of a site plan approach for the Graves property is attached to this memo. It is designed to support 175,000 sq.ft. of highway commercial uses along SR 31, along with commercial services, office and light industrial and warehousing in the rear of the property. The Planned Development Master Plan will be required to depict streets, buildings, buffers, drainage facilities, open space, development standards, sub-parcel area intensities, phasing, general architectural facades and/or architectural themes, parking supply and demand information, and deeds/management restrictions. Application fees for the land use and urban service area map amendments, along with the PD zoning are expected to be $9,820.00. Including land use attorney fees, for budgeting purposes one should expect a total professional service fee cost of between $60,000.00 to $70,000.00 for the two map amendments and PD zoning. I hope that this information is useful to you in evaluating the value and direction of your property. Please feel free to call me at any time. Sincerely yours, Greg Stuart, MUP gs/project/17017/7june17stuart_findingsmemo.pgs attachments Page 4
Low Density Residential w./mhc Zoning Existing Commercial Future Land Use w./commercial General Zoning Little Farm Road Existing Agriculture Future Land Use w./industrial General Zoning Existing Commercial Future Land Use w./commercial General Zoning Existing Agricultural Future Land Use w./ag Zoning Horseshoe Rd. SR 31 Lake Babcock Drive. The Babcock Ranch Mixed Use DRI The Graves Trust Property _ Proposed 19.8-ac. +/Commercial Future Land Use w./commercial General Zoning (Existing AG Land Use w./ AG Zoning) Existing Agriculture Future Land Use w./industrial General Zoning Future Land Use and Zoning Map For Babcock Ranch SR 31 Neighborhood Prepared for: The Herbert and Marilyn Graves Trust StuartandAssociates Greg@Stuarturbandesign.com www.stuarturbandesign.com 7910 Summerlin Lakes Dr. Fort Myers, FL 33907 (239) 677-6126 North
Horseshoe Road SR 31 Highway Commercial Commercial Plaza, Services & Offices Mixed Commercial, Distribution & Warehousing Babcock Ranch Mixed Use DRI A Commercial Planned Development Master Concept Plan For The Graves Trust 19.8 Ac. Prepared for: The Herbert and Marilyn Graves Trust North StuartandAssociates Greg@Stuarturbandesign.com www.stuarturbandesign.com 7910 Summerlin Lakes Dr. Fort Myers, FL 33907 (239) 677-6126