Commentary: A Nightmare on 14th Street

By Chip Ross

City Commissioner

Traffic is about to get much worse on South 14th Street.

If the city commission votes at its next meeting to annex 3.47 acres of commercially zoned land just south of Nectarine Street between South 14th Street and South 15th Street, the developer could build up to 130 apartments. If the property remains in the county, only approximately 34 apartments could be built.

The difference results from a law recently enacted by the Florida Legislature: the Live Local Act. Previously, apartments were not allowed to be built on commercial or industrial-zoned land in the city or county. The law now allows a developer to build apartments on any commercial or industrial-zoned land with certain restrictions.

At least 40% of the units must be “affordable." The rest of the apartments could be rented at market rate. The “affordable” units in both the city and county could be rented for approximately $2,500 per month, which would include taxes, insurance, and utilities.

The law requires that the density allowed must be up to the highest allowable residential density. In the city, the highest density is 34 units per acre (allowed in the Central Business District). In the county, the highest density is only 10 units per acre.

The developer has not revealed what it intends to do with the parcel.

At the Planning Advisory Board meeting and initial presentation to the city commission, the city planning staff failed to provide any analysis of the impact that 130 apartments would have on the surrounding community. Yet the Planning Advisory Board (5-0 vote) and the city commission (4-1 vote) voted to preliminarily approve the annexation.

If you want more traffic on South 14th Street and South 15th Street, do nothing. Don’t attend the city commission meeting on Dec. 19 at 6 p.m. and voice your opposition to the annexation. Don’t send an email to the city commissioners voicing your opposition to the annexation.

But if you don’t do anything, do not complain when you are stuck in traffic.