There are two requests associated with this item, including:

1) Rezoning from R-2, Residential District, Downtown District, and MF-14, Multi-family Residential District (and unzoned right-of-way) to PDD, Planned Development District (RPD, Residential Planned Development District Subcategory); and

2) Vacation of a portion of Central Avenue right-of-way.

A Performance Agreement is being prepared by the City Attorney which will be provided under a separate report. A utility service agreement and utility easement are being prepared for review by City Council following sale of the property.

City Council is to conduct a second public hearing of the ordinances under the quasi-judicial proceedings. It approved both requests at the first public hearing on May 2, 2017. 

Existing Conditions:

The overall site is 2.82 acres located primarily on the north and south sides of Central Avenue, east of Circle Boulevard and west of Adams Street.  A small parcel is located at the southeast corner of Central Avenue and Adams Street. A vacation of right-of-way (ROW) for a portion of Central Avenue is included in the site area.  The standards are based on the pending vacation.

The site is vacant. It had previously been occupied by a church. The City has owned the subject property since 2005 with the intention to market it for redevelopment purposes. The City intends to enter into a perfomance agreement with a developer for the proposed multi-family project.

Proposal: 

The proposals is to develop the site with 85 multi-family dwellings. The development is anticipated to be completed in phases. Phase 1 is parcel on the north side of Central Avenue.  It is to be developed with 23 units. Phase 2 is the largest piece, on the southwest corner of Central Avenue and Adams Street and will include 59 units.  It will be used for temporary special events until it is developed. Phase 3 is at the southeast corner of Central Avenue and Adams Street; it will be developed with three units.

The Planned Development District (PDD) zoning requires simultaneous site plan approval. The Development Review Committee (DRC) approved the site plan at its March 23, 2017 meeting. A Unity of Title is required to distribute the development rights among the four parcels. The request for approval to the PDD includes specific development standards as part of the site plan review as provided below:

Development Standards:

• Site location: Centered on the intersection of Central Avenue and Adams Street;

• Permitted uses: Multi-family residential development. The Phase 2 site may be used for special events until it is developed;  

• Density: 85 units on 2.82 acres permitted;

• Site layout: Three-story residential buildings with interior parking and recreational areas;  

• Setbacks: Allow the buildings to be located close to the street to provide a building wall;

• Building design: Mansion-type multi-family buildings;

• Building height:

• Phases 1 & 2 - 45 feet;

• Phases 1 & 2 tower features - 55 feet;

• Phase 3 - 35 feet;       

• Landscaping/buffering/streetscape: Perimeters of all parking areas will be landscaped per the Code. Vegetated buffers will be provided along the north lot line in Phase 1 and the southwest lot line in Phase 2;

  Parking: A minimum of one space per dwelling unit (85 spaces) plus 12 additional spaces on-site spaces for a total of 97 on-site spaces.  There will be 32 on-street spaces in the right-of-way adjacent to the site;

  Lighting: Lighting will be shielded to direct light away from adjoining properties and to emit no light upward.  Parking lot and pathway lighting shall follow “dark sky” practices including using warm-white or filtered LEDs;

• Signage: A single sign or lettering with the building name may be included above or adjacent to each building entrance.  Two monument signs will be located at the northeast and southeast corners of the intersection of Central Avenue and Circle Boulevard;

• Stormwater/drainage:  Two dry stormwater ponds will be provided. In addition, the site will drain to Orange Lake.

A vacation of right-of-way is requested that will narrow the Central Avenue to make the Unity of Title feasible. The area of the vacation request is included in the site area. Central Avenue’s right-of-way is 80 feet wide; the subject property includes the northern 15 feet and the southern 15 feet of the right-of-way between Circle Boulevard and Adams Street.

Concurrency Review:

To ensure that the rezoning will meet concurrency standards, an availability and demand analysis is performed for the maximum potential development.  Concurrency is determined by comparing the available capacity of a public facility/service with the total demand of the subject site, which is measured by determining the potential demand minus the demand generated by the existing uses.

• Traffic:

  The Land Development Code requires a transportation study for proposed projects that generate more than 50 trips per day in the PM peak hour of operation. The multi-family development will generate less than 50 trips per day in the PM peak hour of operation.  No traffic study is needed.

• Sanitary Sewer:

  Sanitary sewer treatment will be provided by the City’s wastewater treatment facility, which is designed to handle 7.5 million gallons per day (gpd).  From the 7.5 million gpd, Pasco County is allotted a capacity of 3.0 million gpd, which leaves the City with a capacity of 4.5 million gpd.  The total daily flow is approximately 5.0 million gpd, allowing for a 2.5 million gpd surplus capacity.  The proposed rezoning is expected to generate demand of 18,411 gpd with the 85 multi-family residential units which is serviceable by the City. 

   

• Potable Water:

  The City will provide water service which is supplied water by Tampa Bay Water.  The present design of the City’s water treatment facility is 11.1 million gpd.  The approximate average daily flow is 3.5 million gpd with a surplus of 7.6 million gpd.  The proposed rezoning is expected to generate demand of 24,548 gpd with the 85 multi-family residential units which is serviceable by the City.   

   

• Solid Waste:

  The City does not provide solid waste service.  This is provided through franchise agreements with independent haulers.  The City has an interlocal agreement with Pasco County for solid waste disposal and the County is responsible for providing adequate dumping sites. 

   

• Drainage:

The City handles drainage demand through the development review process at the time such development occurs.  Post-development drainage patterns cannot exceed pre-development patterns.  The majority of run-off from the proposed development is anticipated to flow west to Orange Lake. The City will soon commence a dredging project to increase capacity in Orange Lake. A portion of the project’s runoff will be contained in on-site stormwater detention areas.

• Recreation:

According to the adopted level of service for future recreation needs (Table 5, Recreation and Open Space Elements, Comprehensive Plan), the City of New Port Richey has a surplus of facilities for a population of 20,000 and over, depending on the type of facility.  The future residents are anticipated to utilize Sims Park for recreational purposes. The City has recently completed a multi-million-dollar refurbishment of the park. 

• Fire & Emergency Medical Services:

Fire and emergency medical services will be provided to this property by Station #1 is located at 6333 Madison Street.  The Fire Department will continue to serve this property and the rezoning will not adversely affect fire and EMS service and response time. 

• Police:

The City administers police service.  There are currently 42 officers that offer police protection to the residents of the City.  Community policing service will be provided through a zone system and officers in the field.

Compatibility with Comprehensive Plan:

The proposal will be consistent with the following Comprehensive Plan objectives and policies:

• FLU Policy 1.1.6 - The Planned Development District regulations, at minimum, shall address the following:

1. Allow for creative approaches for development and redevelopment;

2. Require that more open space be provided than that called for by the strict application of the minimum requirements in the Land Development Code;

3. Require enhanced architectural design of proposed structures;

4. Harmonious development of the site in consideration of surrounding areas and community facilities, while providing safe and efficient traffic circulation for both nonmotorized and motorized transportation modes;

5. Allow for zero lot line, cluster or other efficient lot layout or site design;

6. Identification of restrictions on proposed permitted or conditional land uses;

7. Establishment of minimum acreage and dimensional requirements;

8. Establishment of minimum design, landscaping, buffering and outdoor illumination criteria;

9. Establishment of procedures for the granting of increased structure height in exchange for increased open space and decreased amounts of impervious surfaces; and

10. Other provisions as deemed appropriate by the City in keeping with the intent of the Planned Development Districts.

• FLU Policy 1.2.2 - The City shall encourage a balanced land use mix providing for a variety of housing styles, densities and open space.

• LIV Policy 1.3.4 - Encourage site and building design that orients doors and windows to overlook streets and parking areas.

• LIV Policy 1.3.7 - Low-growing landscaping, outdoor lighting and property maintenance should be used to maximize visibility on a site, in accordance with CPTED principles.

• LIV Policy 2.1.1 - Plan for the evolution of neighborhoods into socially and economically vital places that provide choice in housing and transportation.

• LIV Policy 2.1.2 - Promote a mix of housing types, styles and lot sizes within neighbor-hoods, emphasizing harmonious design and building type.

• LIV Policy 2.5.2 - Walls and landscaping used to buffer new development from lesser intensity existing development should be designed to be compatible with the neighborhood and allow pedestrian penetration in safe and convenient locations.

• LIV Policy 2.5.3 - New development and redevelopment in Centers and Employment Districts shall utilize the Planned Development District zoning and pre-application coordination with City staff to ensure that community development objectives are thoroughly and efficiently addressed.

• LIV Policy 2.5.4 - Compatible new development and redevelopment may be achieved through site design techniques including but not limited to transitions in land uses, buffering, setbacks, open space and graduated height restrictions. 

• LIV Policy 3.9.1 - Traffic calming features emphasizing horizontal deflection (e.g., narrow travel lanes) rather than retrofitted with punitive devices that rely on vertical deflection (e.g., speed humps).

• LIV Policy 3.9.5 - Promote the installation of street trees and on-street parking as traffic calming features.

• LIV Policy 3.10.1 - Design street landscaping to include the following considerations:

1. Vehicular safety

2. Median landscaping

3. Preservation of existing vegetation  

• LIV Policy 3.10.2 - Provide for unified and well-designed landscape treatment.

• LIV Policy 4.2.1 - Provide a sense of vertical enclosure on streets through minimal front setbacks, similar building heights and street trees. Building heights should be proportionately higher on wide streets (inclusive of setbacks) to achieve vertical enclosure.

• LIV Policy 4.2.2 - In Centers and designated Transit Corridors, buildings should be located close or adjacent to the sidewalk.

• LIV Policy 4.3.1 - Provide visually unobtrusive parking lots and circulation aisles that do not visually dominate views from the street nor interfere with pedestrian accessibility. To the maximum extent feasible, parking shall be located behind buildings bordering the street and use landscaping to interrupt the visual appearance of large parking lots.

• LIV Policy 4.5.1 - Encourage building design to provide an ordered variety of entries, porches, windows, bays and balconies along public ways where it is consistent with neighborhood character; avoid blank or solid walls at street level; and include human-scale details and massing.