The Jacksonville Planning Commission recommended approval Oct. 8 of the revised rezoning request by Hodges Blvd. Development Group Inc. and the George H. Hodges Jr. Trust for 48.53 acres at northwest Butler and Hodges boulevards across from the Windsor Commons shopping center.
The current request would change the existing commercial planned unit development zonings to a mixed-use PUD allowing institutional, office, retail and commercial uses.
Previously the Planning Commission voted 4-2 recommending denial of Ordinance 2019-0317 in June 2019 to rezone the property for a mixed-use development with 970 apartment units. The vote did not reach five votes for or against the ordinance, so it was automatically deferred.
Neighbors raised concerns about traffic and school capacity.
Developers dropped the apartments, which eliminated the school capacity concerns, and returned with revised plans.
The proposed rezoning would allow uses such as senior housing, rehabilitation hospitals, hospice, student housing and colleges; retail and commercial uses such as grocery stores, convenience stores, pharmacies, retail shops, personal services, property storage, entertainment, hotels, restaurants and breweries; and office uses such as medical, dental, banks and professional businesses.
Conceptual site plans show the development split into four parcels with a Gate gas station and convenience store and a Gate Express Carwash south of the Glen Kernan Parkway right-of-way.
Depending upon the use, building heights could be up to 60 and 75 feet, with additional height granted subject to greater setbacks.
Conditions require at least 184,858 square feet of nonresidential use and paths for pedestrians and bicycles.
The planning commission approved a zoning exception for The Knowledge is Power Program charter school at 813 Golfair Blvd., between Castlewood Drive North and Brentwood Avenue, to allow an elementary school in the commercial community/general-2 zoning district.
The Planning Commission recommended approval for land use and zoning changes for:
• Ordinance 2019-0013, which seeks to rezone 16.06 undeveloped acres at Quinlan Road East, between Quinlan Road East and Mount Pleasant Creek in Arlington. It would change from residential rural-acre to residential low density-90 to allow a residential subdivision.
• Ordinance 2020-0381, which seeks a small-scale land use amendment for 9.85 undeveloped acres along the south side of West Beaver Street, west of Baldwin and across from Limann Road. It would change from agriculture to community/ general commercial to allow commercial development. Companion Ordinance 2020-0548 seeks rezoning from agriculture to commercial community/general-2.
• Ordinance 2020-0475, which seeks a small-scale land use amendment for 1 acre at 5050 Sunbeam Road, southeast of Sunbeam and Hood roads. It would change from neighborhood commercial and residential professional institutional to community/general commercial to allow liquor sales for off-site consumption at the existing Sunbeam Food Mart. Companion Ordinance 2020-0476 seeks rezoning from commercial neighborhood to PUD.
• Ordinance 2020-0544, which seeks a large-scale land use amendment for 189.05 undeveloped acres owned by Estuary LLC along the north side of WM Davis Parkway, northwest of Mayo Clinic. It would change from low and medium density residential to residential professional institutional to allow a mixed-use development of residential, schools and churches, hospitality, commercial retail, medical and business, hotel, plant nursery and other uses. Companion Ordinance 2020-0545 seeks rezoning from residential rural-acre and residential medium density-A to PUD. The property is divided into three parcels that restrict uses in each. Minor modifications will be required for specific developments in the development.
• Ordinance 2020-0546, which seeks a small-scale land use amendment for 0.84 acres at 6666 New Kings Road, south of Richardson Road, in Northwest Jacksonville. It would change from low density residential to community/general commercial to bring a nonconforming commercial retail use into compliance. The property historically has been in commercial use and contains a 1,428-square-foot retail building built in 1975. Companion Ordinance 2020-0547 seeks rezoning from residential low density-60 to commercial community/general-1.
• Ordinance 2019-0549, which seeks to rezone 0.5 acres at 12664 Flynn Road, between Westberry Manor Drive and Mandarin Road. It would change from residential low density-100A to PUD to allow a home occupation in an accessory structure at a single-family residence. The accessory structure is a pool used for infant swimming lessons.
Land use amendments and rezonings require approvals by the City Council Land Use and Zoning Committee and the full Council.
