This item has been brought before the City Council again for first public hearing due to an advertising error.
As the City continues its efforts to redevelop catalytic properties in the downtown, Staff proposes a new future land use category to further encourage and incentivize development in the heart of New Port Richey. The intent of the Downtown Core (DC) future land use category is to promote higher density to create a stronger residential base from which other developments will be established. A companion ordinance (#2015-2054) amending the Downtown zoning district to implement the changes contained herein was reviewed at first public hearing August 18, 2015.
Much like the existing Downtown Category, the proposed Downtown Core Category’s primary uses are proposed to be residential, transient accommodation, retail, service and office. The secondary uses are proposed to be public/semi-public, recreation/open space and residential equivalent. Ground-floor retail uses are encouraged in this category and sites greater than one acre are required to incorporate a residential component. Additionally, the maximum non-residential intensity is proposed to be a 2.0 floor area ratio, the same as that of the Downtown Category. The primary difference between the Downtown and new Downtown Core Categories is the maximum residential density: Downtown entitles up to 15 dwelling units per acre; Downtown Core will permit 30 dwelling units per acre.
To create the new Downtown Core Category, approximately 18 acres from the existing Downtown Category will be assigned to the new designation on the Future Land Use Map. The map amendment area is the heart of downtown, located south of Central Avenue, north of Missouri Avenue, east of River Road and west of Adams Street.
Approximately five acres of the new Downtown Core Category is located within the Coastal High Hazard Area (CHHA). The State regulates density within the CHHA and prohibits additional density from current allowances. The proposed amendment would allow properties located outside the CHHA, and designated with the DC Category, the proposed 30 dwelling units per acre by right. However, properties located within the CHHA would only be able to increase density by means of the City’s Coastal Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) program. The TDR program allows a transfer of density on City-owned property in the CHHA to other properties in the CHHA. The City administers a TDR entitlement bank to implement this process of which there are roughly 370 available dwelling units.
Future Land Use Element Policy 1.6.1 is proposed to be amended to note that the City shall establish incentives which enhance opportunities for mixed-use development in the DC Category, as well as the Highway Commercial, General Commercial, Downtown, Residential/Office and Residential/Office/Retail Categories. The incentive provided in the DC Category is the opportunity for a higher residential density of 30 dwelling units per acre, either by right or by means of the TDR process, depending on location relative to the CHHA.
The Staff also proposes to amend the Downtown Category to allow transient accommodation as a use. The Staff believes it has been an oversight not to have identified this as an allowable use in this category heretofore. The Downtown zoning district presently allows hotel and bed and breakfast uses, which are forms of transient accommodation. The proposed Comprehensive Plan amendment would provide support for these uses in the Downtown District.
The proposed new language is shown with underlining and deleted language is shown with strikethrough.
Compatibility with Comprehensive Plan:
The proposal is consistent with the following Comprehensive Plan objectives and policies:
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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.
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FLU Policy 1.6.1 - In order to encourage the best use of the Highway Commercial, General Commercial, Downtown, Residential/Office and Residential/Office/Retail land use categories, the City shall establish incentives which enhance the opportunities for mixed use development in these categories.
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FLU Objective 3.2 - By 2007, the City of New Port Richey shall adopt a Coastal Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) program as part of the City Land Development Code. This Coastal TDR program shall:
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Assist in the redevelopment of the Coastal High Hazard Area (CHHA) of the City;
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Protect environmentally-sensitive lands within the CHHA;
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Redistribute residential development rights allocated by the FLUM to achieve the requirements of Rule 9J-5012, FAC;
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Redistribute residential development rights allocated by the FLUM to achieve growth management goals of the City; and
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Implement hazard mitigation strategies.
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FLU Policy 3.2.2 - The City of New Port Richey shall create an “entitlement bank” where residential development rights from City-owned land that have been severed may be deposited for the purpose of implementing the Coastal TDR program.
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FLU Policy 3.2.3 - As part of the Coastal TDR program, the City shall sever all or part of the residential development rights allocated by the FLUM on City-owned property and deposit those development rights into a City-owned residential entitlement bank to be used to further the growth management goals of the City.
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FLU Policy 3.2.4 - Development rights authorized by the Future Land Use Map on lands owned by the City of New Port Richey within the CHHA may be transferable to designated receiving lands within the CHHA.
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FLU Policy 3.2.5 - The residential development rights allocated by the Future Land Use Map in the CHHA shall not be exceeded.
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LIV Policy 2.5.8 – Maintain and periodically review height and density maximums to discourage single uses that represent the inefficient use of land and public facilities and are not consistent with the size and scale of the surrounding neighborhood.
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TRA Policy 3.1.3 - The Downtown TCEA will become more pedestrian-oriented through mixed-use development utilizing urban design principles including, but are not limited to:
a. clustered densities to preserve open space and enhance multi-modal opportunities,
b. transit-oriented densities and/or intensities,
c. building placement/build-to lines,
d. first floor retail in mixed-use buildings on street frontage,
e. parking integration with alternative modes,
f. pedestrian/bicycle circulation and facilities, and
g. roadway/right-of-way aesthetics.