title
QUASI-JUDICIAL - REZONING - PORTION OF 1125 NE 8th AVENUE (B)
Ordinance No. 160123; Petition No. PB-16-75 ZON
An ordinance of the City of Gainesville, Florida, amending the Zoning Map Atlas by rezoning property generally located at 1125 NE 8th Avenue adjacent to and south of NE 8th Avenue, west of NE 12th Street, and east of NE 11th Street, as more specifically described in this ordinance, from Public Services and Operations District (PS) to Mixed-Use Low-Intensity District (MU-1); providing directions to the City Manager; providing a severability clause; providing a repealing clause; and providing an effective date.
recommendation
The City Commission: (1) approve Petition No. PB-16-75 ZON and (2) adopt the proposed ordinance.
explanation
PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT REPORT
This ordinance will change the zoning district for a developed, 3.2-acre property located at 1125 NE 8th Avenue adjacent to and south of NE 8th Avenue, west of NE 12th Street (approximately 1,155 feet west of Waldo Road), and east of NE 11th Street. This rezoning from Public Services and Operations District (PS) to Mixed-Use Low-Intensity District (MU-1) will allow a broad mix of residential and non-residential uses, including offices and retail scaled to serve the surrounding neighborhood.
The property is west of and adjacent to a place of religious assembly and two-family residences (duplexes) that front NE 12th Street. Duplexes and single-family houses are west across NE 11th Street, and the City's vacant 3.6-acre parcel is adjacent to the south. To the north across NE 8th Avenue are a convenience store and single-family houses. This property is within the Gainesville Innovation Zone.
This developed property contains a vacant 29,935 sq. ft. building (two-story and one-story components) that was owned by the federal government since 1950, and was used for many years by the U.S. Army Reserve. The property was the subject of a City of Gainesville visioning workshop in 2012. Ownership of the property (including the adjacent 3.6-acre parcel to the south) reverted to the City of Gainesville within the past year. The City issued a Request for Proposals for the reuse and redevelopment of the property in early March. The proposal that was selected by the City is from a small, innovative and successful Gainesville company that has outgrown its space in the former FAA building at Gainesville Regional Airport. The company, Phalanx Defense Systems, designs and manufactures body armor and related safety equipment for public safety workers (e.g., fire, police, as well as the U.S. military) using previously processed recycled materials.
City staff determined that the MU-1 zoning district would be the most appropriate for the use proposed by Phalanx and filed the application to rezone the property. This proposed rezoning to MU-1 will broaden the range of permitted uses for this property and is supportive of economic development in the eastern part of the City. The proposed rezoning is consistent with the City's Comprehensive Plan and supports mixed-use development at an appropriate location. This rezoning ordinance has a corresponding land use change ordinance as well as an ordinance that will amend the Land Development Code to allow armor systems manufacturing and assembly in the MU-1 zoning district.
At a public hearing on June 30, 2016, the City Plan Board voted to recommend approval of this rezoning to the City Commission.
CITY ATTORNEY MEMORANDUM
This ordinance requires one hearing. This ordinance shall become effective immediately upon adoption; however, the rezoning implemented by this ordinance shall become effective when the amendment to the City of Gainesville Comprehensive Plan adopted by Ordinance No. 160122 becomes effective as provided therein.