As required by Florida Statute, after a city annexes a property into the city, they must then assign a future land use designation from its Comprehensive Plan to the subject property.
The 18.9 acres being annexed is currently designated in the Pasco County Comprehensive Plan as RES-24. The City’s Comprehensive Plan and future land use classifications are structured in a manner that requires the City to assign a matching City future land use to the property to the previously adopted County future land use. In this case, the matching City future land use is HDR-24. Specifically, the locational criteria for HDR-24 in the City’s Comprehensive Plan (Table FLU 1.1.3) states: “Future application limited to land to be annexed with same designation within the County.”
Since the City’s HDR-24 future land use classification matches the County’s RES-24 future land use classification, the City’s adoption of HDR-24 is the appropriate future land use to be assigned to this property after annexation.
The City’s Comprehensive Plan structure of matching City future land uses to County future land uses after annexation is a strong tool to assure that annexation is not used simply to try to increase density above what is appropriate and already established for a property.
In fact, based on the proposed project for the subject property (32 condominium/townhomes and 50 apartment units), the gross density is only 4.34 dwelling units per acre, and the net density is only 10.86 dwelling units per acre. The proposed development densities are significantly less than the maximum 24 dwelling units that is provided under the City’s HDR-24 future land use classification. This significant reduction in actual proposed development density is meaningful as it reduces the impact of development on the subject property, reduces impacts on the transportation and utility networks, reduces impacts on public schools, and reduces actual density within the Coastal High Hazard Area (areas within the Hurricane Category 1 storm surge as determined by the Sea, Lake, and Overland Surge from Hurricanes [SLOSH] model).
The applicant provided analysis of the proposed future land use related to general consistency with the goals, objectives, and policies of the City’s Comprehensive Plan, impact on transportation, natural resources/features of the subject property, impact on public schools, and on public facilities and services. The City’s Development Review Committee reviewed the analysis provided by the applicant and agreed with the analysis provided.
Generally, the applicant provided analysis demonstrates that the assignment of the City’s HDR-24 future land use classification will not have a significant impact on public facilities and services and is consistent with the City’s Comprehensive Plan.
The applicant’s analysis of the proposed future land use amendment is included with this agenda item.
As a general note of information – the 2021 Florida Legislative Session passed a bill, which was signed into law by the Governor, which increased the threshold for Small Scale Future Land Use Map Amendments from 10 acres to 50 acres. Consequently, this request is being processed as a Small Scale Future Land Use Map Amendment.
The Land Development Review Board reviewed this matter at its meeting on September 16, 2021 and voted unanimously to approve this small scale future land use amendment.