SOUTH BRANCH RANCH PD/MPUD Application for Planned Development/Master Planned Unit Development Approval Project Narrative Introduction The subject site (the Property ) contains 715 acres and is located at the northwest corner of S.R. 54 and the Suncoast Parkway. The Pasco County Comprehensive Plan indicates that the Property contains 440 acres of land within the RES-3 (Residential 3 DU/GA) Future Land Use Classification ( FLUC ) and 275 acres of land in the EC (Employment Center) FLUC ( EC FLUC ) and is presently zoned AC (Agricultural) and MPUD (Master Planned Unit Development). The Property is bounded by S.R. 54 on the south, the Legacy MPUD (called Asturia by its developer, Hines) to the west, the Suncoast Parkway to the east and the proposed Tower Road extension to the north and conservation lands lying north of Tower Road. The Property lies within the Pasco County Urban Service Area and the South Market Area, where the County has planned for, and is experiencing, its highest rate of growth. Significant residential, office/industrial and mixed use development is underway within a mile of the site, taking advantage of the major intersection of the arterials S.R. 54 and the Suncoast Parkway. While the RES-3 land use generally allows residential development at a density up to 3.0 dwelling units/developable residential acre and can be used with virtually any sized property, the EC FLUC is more complex and can be difficult to effectively develop based on the size and configuration of the site at issue. According to the Appendix to the Comprehensive Plan, the EC FLUC is designed to support and reinforce Pasco County s growth management vision and economic development goals by focusing development that provides an economic benefit in terms of employment opportunities and increased tax base within compact and specified employment centers. Therefore, the EC FLUC is a mixed-use land use classification that permits corporate business parks, targeted primary businesses, higher-density residential, industrial uses and support retail uses. Specifically, the EC FLUC use permits only the three primary uses; business park, multiple-family residential and support commercial/office. Those uses are permitted at very high densities and intensities, but because certain minimum acreage ratios must be met, the EC FLUC can effectively require larger amounts of certain uses than may be advisable. The County has determined since the adoption of the EC FLUC in 2007 that some areas designated with the EC FLUC were too large or irregularly shaped to effectively take advantage of the densities and intensities provided by the classification and that the intent of creating mixed use, mutually-supportive developments can be met more effectively through the use of planned development, so as to avoid the site design limitations that are required in the EC FLUC. This is one of those cases. The Property s sheer size and the requirements of the EC FLUC would mean that at between 55 and 110 acres of the Property would have to be planned and developed as multiple-family residential and would likely leave the site between 1,760 and 3,520 apartments. Applicant believes that multiple-family is an appropriate residential use within the Project, but that the inclusion of several different forms of residential (detached single family, attached single
family and multiple-family) will lead to a more successful and sustainable development over time, while still providing a balance of mutually-supportive uses within the Project. The configuration of the Property is also an issue. Because the subject site extends north from S.R. 54 for over 1.4 miles, its development under the present FLUCs would create significant office/industrial, retail and multiple-family development well north of the major activity center at S.R. 54. This would mean that high density and intensity uses would be located a great distance from the intersection of S.R. 54 and the Suncoast Parkway, which is the activity hub around which likely end users for these uses would want to locate. As such, applicant believes that the present FLUCs for the Property would yield a number of locations for the required FLUC uses that are unlikely to be in demand by the marketplace. The County s Growth Management Department realized the limitations in the present FLUCs for the Property a couple of years ago and reimagined the Property as part of a concept called the Pinnacle. The Pinnacle concept sought to take advantage of the Property s critical location and highway frontage, while permitting a transitioning of the Property to mostly single family residential uses north of the S.R. 54 frontage, which would be developed with mixed uses. The intent in the mixed-use area in the Pinnacle was to provide complementary uses that would maximize the Property s potential for significant-scale office, retail and multiple-family residential along the highway frontage. Specifically, the Pinnacle foresaw regional scale office, retail and multiple-family residential uses, designed to permit future redevelopment with additional density and intensity over many years. It was those planning concepts that drove the County s adoption of its MUTRM (Mixed Use Trip Reduction Measures) ordinance as discussed further below. Based on the foregoing, applicant has filed an application to amend the Property s FLUC from RES-3 and EC to the PD (Planned Development) FLUC with the following Subarea Policies: Residential Uses Single family (attached and detached) and multi-family Non-Residential Uses Commercial/retail, professional services, office (including administrative, medical and professional office and facilities), light industrial, research/corporate parks, warehouse/distribution, hospitals, medical facilities and clinics, entertainment (including theaters), civic, cultural, restaurants, hotels/motels, vertically mixed-use, adult congregate and living facilities (including, without limitation, ALF and ILF), daycare, churches, public Maximum Dwelling Units 2,300 units Maximum Square Feet 1,500,000 sq. ft. 2
service and educational facilities (all schools), support commercial/retail and services, and permanent and temporary retail and service kiosks It is important to note that the levels of development in the table above were based roughly on the levels of development that would be permitted by the existing FLUCs with some reasonable adjustments made for wetlands on site and the historic floor area ratios that most mixed-use project have at project buildout. The intent is to provide some level of flexibility in the event greater demand is experienced in employment-generating land uses and multi-family as the area urbanizes over time. Since the existing FLUCs permit even greater density and intensity than is being requested, additional facilities demands are not required at this time for the amendment to PD as proposed. Applicant has also filed an accompanying application to rezone the Property to MPUD (Master Planned Unit Development) (the MPUD ) to implement the PD and to allow the Property to develop as a large, mixed-use project (the Project ) with uses that are well-located, sized and supportive of one another. The Project will comply with the MUTRM (Mixed Use Trip Reduction Measures) requirements of Section 901.13 of the Pasco County Land Development Code (the LDC ), which requires that the Project create a connected, mixed-use, compact development pattern and contain Compact Development Area(s) and certain minimum density to ensure that the Project is sustainable, mutually-supportive and reduces automobile dependency. Consistent with the vision for the Property as shown in the Pinnacle concept, the Project will be split into two major areas: (a) the area running north from S.R. 54 for approximately 2,300 feet will be planned as a mixed-use area that would allow a wide range of office, light industrial, retail, governmental/institutional and multiple-family uses; and (b) the area north of the mixeduse area will primarily allow residential uses, but will contain some neighborhood center area(s) in accordance with the MUTRM requirements of the LDC. The mixed-use area will contain a variety of offices/light industrial, shops, service establishments, and stores, as well as other retail that will serve both this Project and the surrounding residential neighborhoods. The developer of the mixed-use area has already conducted extensive marketing for office opportunities and is attempting to deliver several large-scale office users in the mixed-use area. The area north of the mixed-use section of the Property will be primarily used to meet the significant residential demand in the area. This area will contain a variety of residential product types and sizes and will be developed by a large homebuilder with extensive experience in bringing successful residential communities to the Tampa Bay area. Market demand for residential is very strong given the emerging presence of the S.R. 54 and Suncoast Parkway intersection and its proximity to regional uses. As noted above, neighborhood center area(s) will 3
be provided in this portion of the Project in accordance with the MUTRM requirements of the LDC. This will allow for certain amenities for residents and help foster a connected, walkable community that will be more sustainable over time and will decrease the need for car dependency. The Project will be tied together by the construction of the Vision Road running from S.R. 54 to the proposed Tower Road extension. The proposed developer of the site has already met with the Florida Department of Transportation and County staff to ensure appropriate County and state-level spacing is provided between the subject site, the full median opening at S.R. 54 and Crossings Boulevard (the intersection at Suncoast Crossings DRI) and median openings to the west of the Property. Applicant envisions constructing several roundabouts within the Project along the Vision Road to serve as project amenities, trip distributers and traffic calming devices. Their use is part of a critical transition from the mixed-use area to the residential areas to the north and great care will be given to create an integrated Project while creating a sense of place for the residential community. The MPUD will include the following equivalency matrix that will permit a trade-off of uses within the Project. The matrix will be developed by the Project s transportation consultant using standard ITE trip generation rates and the uses permitted within the MPUD. The idea is to permit as much flexibility as possible within the limitation for the PD so that as the Project matures and evolves over time, additional land use approvals will be unnecessary. A portion of the Property that is composed primarily of wetlands on the west side appears to be part of a County-proposed Critical Linkage. However, no Critical Linkage for this area is shown on Conservation Element Map 3-4, which is intended to show all Critical Linkages with the County, and the County has not adopted an ordinance to implement its vision for Critical Linkages. Nevertheless, applicant is committed to working with the County to create a Critical Linkage for the wetlands on the west side of the Property that will complement the 1,100-foot wide Critical Linkage that was provided by the Legacy MPUD pursuant to a settlement agreement with the County. It is critical to the developer of the Project that the Critical Linkage not encroach into the surrounding, developable uplands because the Project will not be successful or economically-feasible in that case. Applicant estimates that the preservation of the wetland area within such a Critical Linkage would preserve approximately 285 acres and assist the County is creating these important wildlife conveyances. Project Description, LDC Section 402.2.C.2: a. General purpose & character of the proposed development As indicated above, the MPUD is a proposed 715 acre mixed-use development located at the northwest corner of S.R. 54 and the Suncoast Parkway. Consistent with the Pinnacle concept and the Project s MUTRM designation, the Project will create a connected and sustainable mixed-use project that will respond to market demands at this critical intersection. The Property lies within the Pasco County Urban Service Area and the South Market Area, where the County has planned for, and is experiencing, its highest rate of growth. Significant residential, 4
office/industrial and mixed use development is underway within a mile of the site, taking advantage of the major intersection of the arterials S.R. 54 and the Suncoast Parkway. Those developments include the Asturia project mentioned above, the Bexley MPUD and the Suncoast Crossings DRI (including the large Northpointe office/industrial development). The County has made significant infrastructure investments in the Urban Service Area and encourages intense development in the area to further the County s economic goals. The Urban Service Area is intended to provide areas for the most efficient growth and the least regulation for large developments, including a waiver of regulations that would otherwise be applicable to Development of Regional Impact. Comprehensive Plan Policy FLU 8.1.2 states that the South Market Area (Comprehensive Plan Map 2-18) is envisioned as an urban gateway opportunity area and has a distinct and dual role as a gateway to and from Pasco County and shall serve as a premier location for employers in Pasco County. The subject policy also states that the mission for the South Market Area is creation of a high density, compact, and mixed-use location with maximized transportation opportunities that attracts a broad spectrum of employers and businesses and that the area promotes higher-density, compact development and encourages mixed-use communities that are live/work. The Project will be developed consistent with the stated goals for the South Market Area. The intense/dense mixed-use area in the Project will attempt to maximize the available land for employers and retail uses, while doing so consistent with the County s MUTRM requirements. The uses will be integrated and complimentary. To the north, the residential uses with complement the non-residential uses and provide a neighborhood center, all based around a design that attempts to integrate the residential uses with the non-residential uses to create live/work opportunities and a sense of community. Large connected systems of existing wetlands will be preserved and pedestrian/bicycle trails will provide connectivity throughout while being sensitive to natural features. The PD for the Project contains the Subarea Policies noted above which list the maximum levels of development for the various residential and non-residential uses. The MPUD Master Plan includes two land use areas listed below with the proposed uses in each: (1) Mixed Use: Commercial/retail, professional services, office (including administrative, medical and professional office and facilities), light industrial, research/corporate parks, warehouses/distribution, hospitals, medical facilities and clinics, entertainment (including theaters), civic, cultural, restaurants, hotels/motels, vertically mixed-use, multiple-family residential (apartments or condominium), adult congregate and living facilities (including, without limitation, ALF and ILF), daycare, churches, public service and educational facilities (all schools), support commercial/retail and services, and permanent and temporary retail and service kiosks. (2) Residential: Single-family attached and detached units, multiple-family residential (apartments or condominium), and neighborhood center uses per the MUTRM provisions of the LDC, including, but not limited to, parks, local-serving commercial/retail uses, office and civic/public-serving land uses (e.g., public school, 5
library, civic or cultural assembly building, place of worship, or other similar recreational, educational, or public/semi-public use). b. Land use table See MPUD Master Plan. c. Structural concepts, including height, anticipated building type As illustrated on the Master Plan, non-residential uses will be primarily located in the Mixed Use area along State Road 54 and the Suncoast Parkway. Non-residential uses are planned with an integrated variety of offices, shops and service establishments, as well as restaurants and entertainment. Residential uses are planned to the north of the Mixed Use area. The Residential area will contain a mixture of residential uses; detached and attached single family, as well as the potential for multiple-family housing. Care will be given to transition to a single-family residential adjacent to the Asturia project /Legacy MPUD. d. Recreation and open space The plans for the MPUD include engaging, interactive, and affordable amenities for residents and visitors. Easy walkable access to parks and public spaces will be available for residents and visitors to gather and play. Significant open space is being preserved and enhanced through the preservation of large, forested wetlands and the creation of community recreational open space in the form of trails, pocket parks, neighborhood parks, a market green in the lifestyle center and common areas. e. Facilities commitments Adequate water and waste water utility lines and capacity exist along the perimeter of the Project. Water and sewer connections and a Utilities Service Plan will be provided as required during permitting. A Letter of Service Availability for water, sewer and reclaimed water dated February 22, 2016 has been obtained from the County's Utility Department and is being provided with the application. f. Management of common areas and facilities All common components not deeded or dedicated to the County, will be owned and maintained by either one or more property owners associations or a community development district. g. Special requests for variances, alternative standards and other approvals The MPUD is designed to meet the current popular demand for innovative, compact and walkable communities. The LDC did not anticipate the changes in design or technical requirements necessary to create a mixed use compact walkable community. Therefore, as noted below, the applicant requests relief from certain development standards per LDC Section 407.5 Alternative Standards. 6
Section 700.7 of LDC (Street and Road Design)- Applicant requests alternative standards for the major roadways (streets and roads) depicted on the property to the extent such roadways and their typology (sizes, widths, on-street parking) as depicted on the draft Master Roadway and Phasing Plan (MRP) differ from the requirements and standards set forth in Section 700.7 of the LDC. The MRP sets forth the proposed road network and typology for all major streets and roads within the proposed development. Section 905.1 of the LDC (Location and Size of Neighborhood Parks)- Applicant requests alternative standards for the neighborhood parks within the property to the extent the location and size of the parks depicted on the Project s Parks Plan differs from the requirements set forth in Section 905.1 of the LDC. Additional requests for variances or alternative standards may arise during the approval process, and will be included in the Conditions of Approval. a. Location map Map Information, LDC Section 402.2.C.3 A Location Map and current aerial, as required by LDC Section 402.2.C.3, are shown on the Master Plan. b. Major county roads All major roadways within 1 mile of the Project boundary, as required by LDC Section 402.2.C.3, are shown on the location map included on the Master Plan. The Project has approximately 0.46 miles of frontage along the north side of SR 54 and 1.3 miles of frontage along the Suncoast Parkway. c. Wellhead Protection/Special Protection Areas The Wellhead Protection map is shown on Sheet 3 of the MPUD Plan. There are no wellhead protection areas within 1,000 ft of the proposed MPUD boundary. d. Proposed Roadways The locations of all existing and proposed major public roadway, rights-of-way, and easements adjacent to or within the property are shown on the MPUD plan or on the Survey prepared by GeoPoint Surveying, Inc. with a most recent revision as of November 2016, included in the application materials. As shown on the survey, there are several easements on the site, none of which are anticipated to have any adverse impact on the proposed development as they are generally along various ROWs and/or no longer applicable. 7
Physical Resources Information, LDC section 402.2.C.4 a. Topographic information providing 100-year floodplain and wetland delineations Topographic information obtained from a field survey completed by GeoPoint Surveying, Inc. in 2015 is shown on the Master Plan. A Formal Wetland Determination for the subject property was approved by the Southwest Florida Water Management District under ERP No. 42026611.002, which expires on January 29, 2020. The limits of these wetlands are included on the Master Plan. b. Soils A copy of the most recent Pasco County soils survey is included on Sheet 3 of the MPUD Plan. The upland soils within the project area include Pomona fine sand, Pineda fine sand, Wabasso fine sand, Narcoossee fine sand and EauGallie fine sand. These soil types are located mostly in the center and eastern side of the project site and all of these soil types are suitable for urban development. Along the South Branch of the Anclote River, on the west side of the property are isolated upland areas of Basinger fine sand/depressional, EauGallie fine sand, and Smyrna fine sand surrounded by an expansive wetland slough system. The surrounding wetland area consists primarily of, Sellers mucky loamy fine sand, which is considered a hydric soil by the NRCS and have limited suitability for development. There are also several small water areas throughout the property, generally surrounding cypress bayheads. In some cases, with approval of the regulatory agencies and sensitivity to the environment, mitigation of wetland/water areas will be permitted. Geotechnical studies will be performed to ascertain that all areas that are planned for buildings or major structures will be located on suitable soils. c. Environmental/Wildlife study An Environmental/Wildlife Habitat study report was prepared by WRA, dated December 12, 2015. This report concluded that the due to the habitats present and lack of native habitat on site, that the development of the Project site would not result in the unacceptable or significant loss of wildlife, habitat or listed species. d. Phase I Cultural Resource Assessment A State Historical Preservation Concurrence Letter from the Florida Department of State Division of Historical Resources dated February 2, 2006 is included in the application materials. The assessment concluded that there are no sites within the Project boundaries that meet the minimum criteria for listing on the NRHP. No further research or archaeological testing is recommended. 8
e. Estimated predevelopment and post development acres of wetlands by category (I, II, and III) Please see table set forth on MPUD Master Plan. Master Plan, LDC Section 402.C.5: a. The master plan includes the following base information: (1) Topography. (2) Floodplains and elevations. (3) Wetlands (Categories I, II, and III). (4) Critical linkages as defined in the Comprehensive Plan. Not Applicable b. The master graphically depicts the proposed use of the site, including: (1) Proposed land uses, including the proposed number of units, lots, non-residential square feet, density, and intensity as applicable. (2) Conceptual lot layouts. (3) Open space. (4) Proposed preservation or conservation areas. (5) The proposed location of major streets and thoroughfares. (6) A generalized mobility plan, including bicycle, pedestrian and transit facilities. The generalized mobility plan is included on the Master Plan. A separate Master Roadway Phasing Plan is being developed and will be finalized prior to approval of the MPUD. (7) Recreation areas for residential projects, including neighborhood parks. Neighborhood parks are not being shown per the Pre-Application Meeting. Applicant is seeking approval of a Master Parks & Trails Plan simultaneously with the MPUD. (8) Buffers and setbacks meeting the requirements of this Code and as necessary to ensure compatibility with the surrounding area. Due to the size of the Project and the scale of the Master Plan, it is not practical to show buffers and setbacks. It is noted that applicant is requesting a 30 ft. buffer off of the Suncoast Parkway 9
right-of-way and a reduction in the Type D buffer to 10 feet as permitted by the LDC due to the right-of-way to be dedicated along the future Tower Road extension. (9) Major facilities, including a delineation of proposed school sites and fire station sites, if necessary, for the service of the area as developed. School Board staff have agreed that a school site is not required. No other major facilities are necessary. c. The master plan identifies: (1) The existing zoning. (2) The existing land use. (3) The Future Land Use Classification on the site and the surrounding areas within 500 feet of the site. d. The master plan shall include a phasing plan that describes the proposed timing for, location of, and sequence of phasing or incremental development and the proposed density for each such phase or increment of development. As noted during the Pre-Application meeting, phasing of the MPUD is not required, but will be addressed in the Timing & Phasing, as necessary. e. A table showing the acreage for each category of land use, including Category I, II, and III wetlands, critical linkages, open space, and recreation. f. A table of proposed minimum and/or maximum gross and net residential acreages for residential land uses and proposed minimum and/or maximum floor area ratio for non-residential land uses, as applicable. a. Existing Utility Locations Utilities and Services Plan, LDC Section 402.2.C.6: Existing County utility mains are located along the southern and northern perimeter of the subject property. To the south, these include a 12 water main and a 10 sewer forcemain on the south side of State Road 54. To the north, these include a 24 water main and a 24 reclaimed water main. Also along the north side of the property is an 84 Tampa Bay Water transmission. A Utility Master Plan for the Project area will be prepared and provided as required during preliminary site plan review. Potable water and sewer: Pasco County Utilities Fire Service: Pasco County Fire/Rescue Electric Service: Duke Energy Telephone: Verizon Florida, Inc. 10
b. Drainage The general direction of surface drainage is shown on the Master Plan. Stormwater generally drains from east to west into a slough system along the west side of the site that is part of the south branch of the Alafia River. Large portions of the site drain to the slough via overland flow, however, there are sever isolated wetland features throughout the site that attenuate stormwater before overtopping and discharging west to the slough. There is also a number of existing upland cut ditches throughout the site connecting the isolated wetlands. The existing general drainage pattern of flow from east to west into the slough will remain in place, while hydroperiods of any preserve isolated wetlands will not be adversely impacted. The design of the Project will be in accordance with Pasco County and the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) regulations. The subject property is located on Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) Panel 12101C0383F revised September 26, 2014. Several portions of the property are within either A or AE FEMA Zones. Portions of the Property within AE zones have a designated 100-year base flood elevation referring the NAVD 88 datum as identified on Sheet 3 of the MPUD Plan. Portions of the property within A zones do not have a defined base flood elevation and are also shown on Sheet 3 of the MPUD Plan. c. School Impact A questionnaire has been provided to the District School Board and it has responded pursuant to the letter that is being provided with the application. School Board staff have agreed that a school site is not required. Transportation Management, LDC Section 402.2.C.7: a. A transportation analysis is being performed by Lincks and Associates. A copy of the submitted Methodology is included. b. Applicant is submitting a Master Roadway Phasing Plan simultaneously with the present application. The roadway plan for the MPUD is included on the Master Roadway Phasing Plan. c. The traffic study by Lincks and Associates will be completed and approved prior to the scheduling of the DRC meeting for the total MPUD approval. Content Meeting, LDC Section 303.6.A: A preapplication meeting took place on Wednesday, December 16, 2015, and a content review meeting is taking place at the time of submittal. 11