A continuance requested by county staff on proposed development fronting First Coast Highway

Reporter

February 2, 2022

Sign marking the former Summer Beach Realty sales office.

The eleven-member Planning and Zoning Board for Nassau County had just one item on its agenda for the February 1, 2022 meeting.

That one item, in planning parlance -- was for consideration of the Final Development Plan (FDP) for the land designated as Parcel D-1 of the Summer Beach Planned Unit Development (PUD).

The FDP would allow for 15 residential condominium units and up to 4,500 square feet of neighborhood commercial uses on a parcel which is approximately 3.21 acres.

Located at 5456 First Coast Highway the parcel lies within District 2 (represented by Commissioner Aaron Bell) and formerly housed the sales office for the Summer Beach Resort but is now vacant.

Staff is currently working with the developer on the issue and hope to have it resolved by February 15, 2022.

Before approving the continuance, Robert Companion, County Engineer, was asked by a PZB board member about traffic and whether or not a roundabout or a traffic signal would be needed. Companion explained that a study measuring traffic patterns noted the proposed development would see an additional 128 trips more a day resulting in 12 additional trips during “peak hours.” That change in traffic is considered “de minimis” – i.e., such an increase does not meet the threshold to warrant any a traffic signal or a roundabout. Consequently, getting funding from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) would probably not make its way onto FDOT’s priority list due to their findings from a 2018 study.

Related to the approval of the final development plan for this area at the crossroads of First Coast Highway and Julia Street, is the issue of Canopy Tree Protection. The property is subject to Land Development Code section 37.08 as the applicant is proposing to remove two protected canopy road trees from the right-of-way.

It was explained by County staff at the meeting, that Canopy Tree Protection issues are not under the purview of the Planning and Zoning Board but are decided by the Board of County Commissioners and the Board of County Commissioners alone. The date for the BOCC to consider that issue has been scheduled for February 1,