Title
Rezone property located at 301 & 503 SE 4th Avenue (B)
Petition PB-14-76 ZON. eda engineers-surveyors-planners, inc., agent for City of Gainesville. Rezone property from Public services and operations district (PS) and CCD: Up to 150 units /acre central city district to UMU-2: 10 - 100 units/acre, and up to 25 additional units/acre by special use permit, urban mixed-use district. Located at 301 & 503 SE 4th Avenue. Related to PB-14-75 LUC & PB-14-77 TCH. *expected presentation time 5 minutes*
Explanation
This proposed rezoning is for an approximately 5.07-acre, City-owned, developed property on the south edge of downtown Gainesville, four blocks south of East University Avenue (State Road 26) and three blocks east of South Main Street. The property is the site of the Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU) administration building and of GRU fleet management facilities. The property fronts SE 3rd Street on the west, SE 4th Avenue on the north, and SE 5th Avenue on the south. It is immediately west of City-owned property previously used by GRU. It is within both the Innovation Zone and the Traditional City Special Area Plan, and is not within or adjacent to the Southeast Historic District. The property is within the Downtown Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) and within the Power District. (The CRA Board in December 2013 approved the Power District Redevelopment Plan. This redevelopment plan consists of a general master plan (street and block layout), public works standards, building design standards, and development controls. These development controls include a six-story height limit and a 3-story height limit with a step back for areas that face adjacent residential areas.)
This petition is related to Petition PB-14-75 LUC, which proposes a small-scale comprehensive plan amendment from Public & Institutional Facilities (PF) and Mixed-Use High-Intensity, up to 150 units per acre (MUH), to Urban Mixed-Use 2 (UMU-2: 10 to 100 units per acre; and up to 25 additional units per acre by special use permit) land use. This petition is also related to Petition PB-14-77 TCH, which proposes amending Section 30-65.2, Urban Mixed-use district 2 (UMU-2) to update Figure1.3 District Boundary Map, Figure 2.3 Street Types, and Figure 3.1 Height Limits, and adding Division J Public administration (excluding Correctional institutions (IN- 9223)) as a use by right.
The existing Public services and operations district (PS) zoning that is on most of the property (all but the northeast corner, which has CCD (up to 150 units/acre central city district) zoning) is primarily for utilities, recreation, and public facilities. The existing PS zoning on the majority of property severely limits its redevelopment potential. The proposed Urban Mixed-Use 2 (UMU-2: 10 to 100 units per acre; and up to 25 additional units per acre by special use permit) mixed-use district zoning allows a mixture of residential, retail, service and office/research uses, and, if approved will greatly increase the potential for redevelopment of this property. An essential component of the UMU-2 zoning district is orientation of structures to the street and multi-modal character of the area. Retail and office uses must be scaled to fit the character of the area. The maximum building height allowed by UMU-2 is six stories and up to 8 stories by special use permit. The building height limit proposed for this property by related Petition PB-14-77 TCH is six stories, in accordance with the Power District Redevelopment Plan for areas that do not face adjacent residentially-zoned areas.
The proposed rezoning to UMU-2 is consistent with the City's Comprehensive Plan redevelopment goals. The proposed rezoning to UMU-2 provides the best zoning category to implement the Power District Redevelopment Plan, and it will greatly increase the potential for redevelopment of the property and facilitate the leasing of available space in the GRU Administration Building.
Public notice was published in the Gainesville Sun on July 8, 2014. The City Plan Board held a public hearing on July 24, 2014, and voted 5-0 to approve the petition.
Fiscal Note
None.
Recommendation
City Plan Board to City Commission - The City Commission approve Petition PB-14-76 ZON.
The Plan Board voted 5-0.
Staff to City Commission - The City Commission approve Petition PB-14-76 ZON.
Staff to City Plan Board - Staff recommends approval of Petition PB-14-76 ZON.