Plans for the proposed Airport Commerce Center in North Jacksonville are taking off after a vote by the Jacksonville Planning Commission on Nov. 7.
The commission voted 6-0 to approve both a rezoning request (Ordinance 2024-0717) and large-scale amendment to the city’s 2045 comprehensive plan (2024-0716) for the proposed industrial park north of the Jacksonville International Airport.
Commissioner Julius Harden was not present for the vote. There was no public comment.
“This has been a long time coming,” said Michael Sittner, an attorney representing the project. “This project has been in works for two and half years.
“Right now this part of town is just grass and undeveloped land,” he said. “But in 10 years it’s going to be an industrial hub with lots of jobs.
The rezoning request approval came on condition that the developer perform a traffic study.
Flint Development LLC of Kansas is developing the 315.42-acre site, with plans to build up to 3.1 million square feet of industrial space. The land is owned by Subema LLC of Tallahassee.
The site, west of Interstate 95 and Pecan Park Road, is bordered to the north by a solar farm, to the east by Pecan Park Road, to the south by Jacksonville International Airport and to the west by Seton Creek.
Sittner said the developers worked with the Jacksonville Aviation Authority to ensure the commerce park will be compatible with the airport, including height overlay to ensure any structures developed at the site will not exceed 150 feet.
The rezoning is from Public Building and Facilities-2, Public Buildings Facilities-3 and Industrial Light to Planned Unit Development to permit light industrial development. The large-scale amendment changes the future land use designation from Agriculture and Public Buildings and Facilities to Light Industrial on about 229.01 acres.
A concept plan filed with the legislation shows seven buildings from 141,960 to 1,071,360 square feet in size. The plan shows the project being built in three phases.
The project is identified in city records as the Arnold Road PUD. It is also called the Airport Commerce Center.
The commission’s votes send the legislation to the City Council Land Use and Zoning Committee.