Bill Type and Number: Ordinance 2007 - 194
Sponsor: Council President at the request of the Office of General Counsel
Date of Introduction: February 13, 2007
Committee(s) of Reference: LUZ
Date of Analysis: February 16, 2007
Type of Action: Approving Settlement Agreement
Bill Summary: The bill approves a Stipulated Settlement Agreement between the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) , Intervener Valeria Britt, the City of Jacksonville/Duval County, and the Intervener Nichols Creek Development, LLC. It also authorizes the Administration to execute the Agreement. Further, per the Agreement, the bill states that the City agrees to consider formally adopting all remedial actions listed in the Agreement within the required time period.
Background Information: The Agreement states the DCA has found an inconsistency in an amendment to the City's Comprehensive Plan that changed zoning classification of three parcels, affecting 80.2 acres, from WD-WR to CGC. This change would allow the construction of 400 residential units and a 250-room hotel on land within the Costal High Hazard Area. The City's Comprehensive Plan prohibits such zoning changes unless the change does not increase the established hurricane evacuation time. The City's standard is 16.75 hours; however, the Northeast Florida Regional Council uses 18.75 hours. The DCA agued that the City's standard is too low. Further, increased development, as may happen with the adopted zoning changes, could increase hurricane evacuation times.
Remedial actions proposed (Exhibit A), and which the City agrees to consider, are for the City to:
As remedial action stipulated in Exhibit B of the Agreement, the City will introduce a remedial future land use map amendment, within 60 days, that will reduce the potential density in the general area of the property in question so as to limit development to 400 residential units and a 250 hotel rooms, conserve salt water marsh areas, and reduce potential residential density.
Policy Impact Area: Economic development in coastal high hazard areas
Fiscal Impact: Undetermined
Analyst: Weiss