Tract rezoned, but at lower density

The County Commission voted to rezone about 20 acres of land south of 65th Street and west of the Lateral G canal from agriculture to up to three homes per acre, half of what the developer wanted.

By James Kirley
Press Journal staff writer
February 23, 2005

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — A Boca Raton developer looking to enter the local home building market got less than requested Tuesday, running instead into what some described as a new trend in rezoning county land.

"What I think the headline should be is, 'Finally, the County Commission starts to reverse its policy of approving all requests for maximum (population) densities,'" said Bob Johnson of the Taxpayers Association of Indian River County.

"This is some of the first you've seen of the new County Commission since the election," association director Jim Granse agreed.

In November, Sandra Bowden, Gary Wheeler and Wesley Davis joined the board. That trio, plus Commission Chairman Tom Lowther, voted 4-1 Tuesday to rezone about 20 acres of land south of 65th Street and west of the Lateral G canal from agriculture to a maximum of three homes per acre.

CJM Communities had requested zoning that would allow twice that density — in theory, up to 119 homes on the parcel.

The actual number of homes would have been far fewer, said David Ofstein, CJM's director of planning and land development.

"The county zoning regulations — setbacks, set-asides for irrigation, buffers, roads — you could never get up to six per acre," Ofstein said after Tuesday's meeting.

He estimated CJM would have put "just over three" homes per acre, each priced between $250,000 and $300,000, had it gotten its requested zoning.

After getting only half the density his company requested, Ofstein said Tuesday, it was too soon to say what CJM would build on the land.

"We're not walking away from the project," Ofstein said. "I think we've got a good project...We will absolutely work with the county to achieve a successful development on that property."

Land surrounding the tract that CJM wants to develop already has been zoned residential. Bent Pines Golf Course to the south is zoned multifamily, up to four units per acre; the North Carolina subdivision to the west is zoned for six; land to the north for three; and an application is pending to rezone for up to six homes per acre on a vacant tract to the east.

"We are just trying to make our property consistent," said Brad Currie of Land Design South, CJM's planning consultant.

County staff and the Planning and Zoning Commission had recommended county commissioners approve up to six units per acre. However, opponents in the audience voiced concern about congested roads and county services lagging behind the building boom.

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