Zoning Amendment (Regular) – Connerton Villages III and IV MPUD Master Planned Unit Development - Lennar Homes, LLC - A Rezoning Request From An AC Agricultural Zoning District To An MPUD Master Planned Unit Development In Order To Allow The Development Of A Maximum Of 2,160 Dwelling Units, 55,000 Square Feet Of Retail, 150,000 Square Feet Of Office, A 765-Student Charter School, And An 80-Acre District Park – No Funding Required
What the county recorded
Staff recommendation
Approval with Conditions
DispositionApproved
Approved Staff’s recommendation with the included change of square footage for retail and the trees by a roll call vote.
The source document
The county’s agenda for Board of County Commissioners, Apr 20, 2021
The published PDF, as served by the county. This item is one entry in it.
The county’s minutes for Board of County Commissioners, Apr 20, 2021
The published PDF, as served by the county. This item is one entry in it.
This case, across meetings
PDD-21-7509 in full →PDD-21-7509 was taken up 4 times between Mar 4, 2021 and Apr 20, 2021, continued 1 time — this is appearance 4.
- Mar 4, 2021PlanningPC1No disposition in the minutes
- Mar 25, 2021PlanningPC4▶No disposition in the minutes
- Apr 7, 2021BoardP52▶Continued
- Apr 20, 2021BoardP59▶Approvedthis item
What was said
Machine transcription of 33m of recording, with speaker names inferred from voice matching. 66% of 157 lines carry a name. It shows what was said, not what was decided, and both the words and the names can be wrong.
Item P 59 was published in the Tampa Bay Times on February 24, 2021.
Who present session?
She left you on your own or so.
Um do you have Tammy Snyder on there? Can you elevate her? Okay, thank you.
There we go. Good afternoon, Commissioners. Tammy Snyder, Planning and Development Department. Um, I bring to you a rezoning amendment for Conerton Villages 3-4, MPUD Master Plan Unit Development, the NAR Homes LLC. It's a rezoning request from an AC Agricultural Zoning District to an MPUD Master Plan Unit Development in order to allow a maximum of 2,160 dwelling units and
And I want to note that there is a typo right here. Instead of 55,000 square feet of retail, it's 150,000 square feet of retail. 150,000 square feet of office, a 765 student charter school, and an 80-acre district park. Next slide, please.
Here is the location map. You can see the existing Conerton villages. Um to the west. Next slide please.
As I mentioned, they are proposing to rezone from AC to an MPUD, 2,160 dwelling units, 150,000 square feet of retail, 50,000 square feet of office in parcel D1, which is in downtown. And 100,000 square feet of other office, which could be in downtown or spread out throughout villages three and four. a 765 student charter school and an eighty acre district park. And seven acres for a prairie fire
and EMS facility in parcel D2, which is also in downtown Conerton. Um the applicant states that the desire is to create a better connected community. So they Of uh an extensive connectivity plan. They have various types of mobility options: pad ready employment site, local serving retail, higher density single-family attached units in the downtown area, pedestrian-oriented open spaces, community gathering spaces throughout, and other amenities to serve
the neighborhoods and the residents. Um, it's they want to create an authentic live, work and play environment. Next slide please.
And here is their master plan. You can see the purple running along the middle there. That is the downtown Conerton area. The park is proposed on the east side of there, residential on the north and south. Next slide, please.
Here's a connectivity plan. They have various hubs with various amenities within these hubs. They're proposing neighborhood vehicles and charging stations for them, bicycle, neighborhood bicycles, and things like that. These hubs will have community gathering spaces, you know, areas. is for people to congregate and enjoy each other's company and trails throughout to connect
everything. Next slide please.
God bless you. Bless you.
Presently the land is vacant. Uh this MPUD has been deemed and uh has been evaluated and deemed compatible with the surrounding zoning districts and also the current and future land uses. And the Conerton New Town. Future Land Use Policy 5.2.1 permits the MPUD to can include a connectivity plan to set forth specific standards and criteria of a Mutterum project, mixed use trip reduction methods or measures. That differs from the LDC, but it
does still meet the intent of the LDC. Next slide.
The LDC specifies that variations from the code may be reviewed and approved by the Planning Commission and the Board. Um and they are of course requesting a few that that differ from the mudterum. sections of the land development code, but they still meet the intent. Uh section LDC 901.13.E1, development pattern and block structure. They are proposing a gridded street pattern. Within
the constraints of the existing wetlands and things like that that are out there. And they will have mid-block pedestrian crossings within these blocks to make pedestrian access a lot easier. LDC 901.13.E.1.A5, building and parking standards. They will offer on-street parking for single-family detached and small lots for townhomes, proximity to trails and alternative vehicle and multimodal paths
that will reduce the traditional vehicle reliance that the mudder and desire. Can
I
can I ask you a question on that?
Can I ask you a question
on the town home parking? Is that rear loaded or front loaded?
That has not yet been determined.
Okay.
I think I have my opinion on front loaded. It's not it's not a good one.
Right.
Okay.
L D C nine O one point thirteen point E six. Density. The mudroom requires heavier density in areas and the downtown area will have a minimum of 6.0 dwelling units per gross acre. and also adjacent to the district park. It'll be a little bit higher density. LDC 901.13.E.1.A7, commercial and office standards. The downtown area exceeds the mudder minimum
of 22 square feet per residential unit. So they are definitely exceeding the um the code there. Um LDC nine oh one thirteen point E point one point A point eight neighborhood centers. As I mentioned, they will have those mobility hubs with amenities to be the to act as the neighborhood centers rather than just a traditional little um courtyard or, you know, gathering center like that. Next slide.
And then in addition to the variations previously mentioned, the applicant provides the following instances where the MPUD and connectivity plan meet or exceed the standards of the remaining components of Section 901.13.E, standard for compact development area. The street types, it's gonna be very interconnected, um, street network, very pedestrian friendly and lots of multimodal elements and um paths and trails and all that stuff. Um
L D C nine O one point thirteen point E point one point A three. The pedestrian network, bikeways, and open space. The connectivity plan is very comprehensive, has lots of trails and non-vehicular options that connect all the neighborhoods, the downtown and the district park. The connectivity hubs are required throughout the MPUD, and each will include a set of amenities to incent non-vehicular trips. Some examples include trailhead access
with wayfinding boards, water refill stations. bike repair stations, community share bikes, restrooms, outdoor gatherings and event spaces, and or electric vehicle charging stations. Uh LDC 901.13.1 point A four buffering. The conditions of approval refer to the cited LDC section and will meet or exceed those requirements. Next slide.
L D C nine O one point thirteen point E point one point B one through five land uses The connectivity plan, mixed use requirements and the conditions, the library, fire station, charter school, civic park and gathering spaces, varied housing types, shared parking facilities. Those are all components of a mudderum plan. The downtown shall be a minimum of 40 acres. And to further promote the mudroom and walkability, any proposed
self-storage facilities must be incorporated into mixed-use buildings. And regional serving uses and gas stations are prohibited in downtown. This proposed request is consistent with the PASCO LDC and the appropriate applicable provisions of the comprehensive plan. Next slide.
And with that, PDD and the Planning Commission recommend approval. What's the conditions?
Okay. Is the applicant available?
Hi, I am Mr. Chairman. This is Clark Hobby, Hobby and Hobby PA, 109 North Brush Street, Tampa, Florida, and I have Ben Sborn. Uh I'll keep it fairly brief because I think Tammy's giv given a pretty thorough analysis there, but this project has been planned since nineteen ninety eight to create uh a development that had essentially three core tenants around creating a new town in what was the Conerton Ranch, which was originally about eighty five hundred acres.
The core tenants were to create a compact development that discouraged urban straw and built a sense of community of place, And a sense of community. to have a mixed use uh development that provided a greater variety of uses closer to home and work. and to prevent a pedestrian oriented community that reduced reliance on the automobile. Those were kind of the core tenets of Conerton, and when the D R I was approved, the downtown Conerton
area was located in the village three and four MPUD that we're bringing to you today. The remainder of the entire Conerton development already has approved MPUDs. So this is the final area implementing the DRI. As Tammy pointed out, we have followed the intent of Connerton and what became Mudderham really to the T by creating this mixed-use hub that's going to be the downtown area and then the single-family communities
within the balance of Village 3 and 4 MPUD. The uses are all neighborhood scale, Originally when the DRI was approved there was going to be a bunch of very large retail in this area that was not neighborhood scale or neighborhood serving. It had over a million square feet of retail and a community college for a thousand people. that would not really have built a a sense of place that we're trying to do here. And so we retooled it and since Lenore's
gotten involved, we've created a great master plan that I really believe through the Connectivity Plan will draw this community together and provide the type of services that those who already live in Conerton would expect to the downtown and what will serve as a hub for Village 3 and 4 as well. So uh we're very proud of the project. I can tell Commissioner uh Starkey that yes, each single family detached lot is going to have a f uh uh a tree on the front. We're happy to commit to
that and if that needs to be part of our motion we're fine on that.
Hang on because you're slick, 'cause you're an attorney.
Thank you for
the single detached cabinet tree. And what about the multifamily? Either townhomes or
referring to townhouses, Commissioner. We're what our plan is there is we're hoping to use the same product that Lenar built in Bexley. which has been very well received, which has landscaping and trees within the the uh each townhouse block. So it's not one of the ones that you and I have been discussing with no street trees.
So are those rear loaded or front loaded?
There's front and rear loaded within it. Okay,
so
different types of communities within some of the areas are going to be more urban and higher density, and some of them are going to be a little bit lower density as you get away from the downtown.
So if I were to go into the reserve and look at those townhomes there, I know there's not I know that's not Lenar. Um, but they are front-loaded townhomes um that didn't have any trees, but they had 'em at the end of the blocks. And now they have palm trees. Um Will you f can can you find a way to put at least a palm tree? So that we don't have a if they're front loaded you said front loaded, right?
I said we're gonna have front and rear loaded on the right-of-way.
Okay, so the front loaded ones, and I'm happy to send you a picture or we can put it up here on the screen Um of what happens when you have front loaded townhomes with no landscaping.
I understood. We're very much aware of it and I appreciate you in the past and reminding me again now that we do not want extended townhouse blocks with no street trees in the front. That just doesn't work. It's not attractive.
Yes, so so um can you find a way to put a tree uh uh or some or It can be a palm tree or an understory tree or some kind of tree uh in each home.
Yes, I I I can commit to you. We'll we will do our level best to have a tree between each unit. That's that's our commitment.
Thank you very much. Yeah, Conerton's a great neighborhood and They deserve a tree.
We we plan on this being a feature community for Lenore. We're very proud of the work that we've done with staff over the last two and a half years and we really believe we're fulfilling the mission. that the board picked up on Connerton as early as two thousand and we believe we're bringing it home as everybody would want it to. We have the rest of our team here to answer any questions. The only thing I would say to the extent the board makes a motion to approve after it takes public comment and there's any rebuttal, if we could make sure that the motion includes the
correction on the amount of retail to 150 instead of 55. With that I'll I'll sort the balance of my time to answer any questions or for rebuttal.
Yes.
Mr. Chairman
Yeah.
I guess we're not hearing.
I'm hearing you.
Yeah, I I didn't you didn't hear me before. That's okay. Um I and I've worked with Clark through the throughout the process and and um as you know, I mean Lenar I mean Lenar, I apologize. Honerton he was here well long before my time, but uh Clark brought up some great points as as well as, you know, Tammy. Um You know they're they they're pulling back, which I appreciate. Some of the multi-family, you know, in the Rodzill Diara there was much more. Um Again, when we talk about the community, the Walkable community and that kind of
downtown atmosphere, that's exactly what they're doing. So I mean I'm I'm excited. I think the residents in Connerton are gonna be set. I know they're gonna be excited as well. But just with you know, nothing against you know the the group that was before, things just got stale, the market went down. We all know what happened. Malinars come in, things are great again, and uh they've been moving forward with you know, quite a few things that the residents are very, very happy with, the ones I've just I've spoken to out in the Conerton area. Um small things about having some co-work space
and things like that. It may be small to some people, but it's really big for the community. So they're really putting huge huge investments and they're working closely with Keith, Keith, and the parks department as well to add that um another district park in that area. So Uh It's been a good working relationship and I appreciate everything they've been doing.
Okay. Then we go to public comment. I have someone on Webex.
We have three um people signed up and registered. I'm sorry, an on queue in WebEx. Marion Yeah. Right.
Yes, hi. Can you hear me now? Yes. Yes. Okay. Uh my name is Marianne Bishop. I reside at [address removed]. Uh I did swear in when y'all did that. Uh general swearing. All right. Uh so today I'm speaking regarding this proposed development, but you can apply what I'm saying to almost any of the other multiple rezon zoning hearings that y'all continually uh visit. This is eleven hundred fifty-four acres of agricultural land. Turning into as much development as can possibly fit, including 2,160
new dwellings, approximately fourth over 4,000 new vehicles added, untold, additional traffic jams, unfathomable loss of precious Florida nature, and enough loss of our wildlife to make bone men and women cry, as long as you care about that more than your love of money. Pasco County, open spaces, vibrant places. This was our new county logo, just a little over. Over five years ago. I don't know if you forgot or if you ever even meant it, but the only open spaces we residents talk now about are the ones being rezoned or already being developed. As a longtime resident of Pasco
County who fell in love with the rural aspects that Land O' Lakes had to offer, I'm truly sickened by the lack of vision here across the board that the county officials have regarding responsible development. I'm not against development, but I am totally against the runaway. Development that is being allowed in Pasco County now. You're allowing developers to completely strip the lands bare first so they can fit as many dwellings and buildings as possible and then call it proper landscaping when they plant a few water oaks or palms. You're allowing them to mitigate natural wetlands with retention ponds that rarely,
if ever, replace what was removed. So why not require larger lots that fit in with what we are or were? Why not require Certain amount of common areas, I know you have some here, but much more, nature preserves, something that will continue to keep land or lake special. What do you ask of these developers who are making unbelievable amounts of money from their projects and then leaving us holding the problems of traffic, bad roads, unsightly areas, future flooding, overcrowding schools, and the list goes on. At a recent board meeting regarding the repaving of Lake Coma Road, Commissioner Starkey lamented, and
this is paragraph. Paraphrase, these developers build these bad roads and then the county has to come back and do redo them. Really? Why would you allow this? Why do you not set the requirements? I moved here many years ago from Houston, and every developer there had to build or pay for widening the money that they were making. I realize there are impact fee for each house, which are passed on to the buyers, but what about the overall impact that the developers are making? Why don't you require more from them and why don't you tell them? them what kind of neighborhoods we demand here. Ones with larger lots and more common space and nature preserves.
Don't worry, they'll still come out smelling like a rose. But let's also learn from the mistakes that that Houston West Houston made where they allowed builders to do basically what you are doing here now: taking agricultural land, stripping them bare, covering them up with buildings and concrete. And then when Harvey came, the entire area flooded because all of the natural drain and wetlands were paved over. It's like like why are the developers' wants more important than the residents? It's sad that when I talk to area residents, they all say that commissioners don't
listen to them. Every single one of them I talk to. Even when the Planning Commission recommended denying the development of Bell Lake and Alpine, the County Commissioner still approved it. Why? What exactly do you base your decisions on? We really want to know. Don't you forget that you're supposed to be representing us, not the developers. Stop now. Stop immediately broad stroking the approval of anything and everything. How about let's work together? Let's compromise. Let's have town hall meetings. Let's talk about what we all want. Thank you very much.
Thank you for your comments. some more.
The um next person um in in the WebEx to speak is Rob Park.
Is the on Q?
Hi, my name is Rob Park. I've been sworn in [address removed]. The applicant states in part, quote, it is important to note that the location of downtown Conerton is not being driven by proximity to large arterial roadways, end quote. Aaron cutoff is being used for an arterial traffic. It's labeled a collector road, but it's used as a shortcut for arterial traffic
between US 41 and State Road 52. Downtown Conerton will be in proximity to arterial traffic. If this board does not take steps to stop the use of errand cutoff as an arterial road, then approving the change in zoning contradicts the applicant's plan of use. In 2004 and 2006, Collier Parkway was a required road of the project. Call your parkway where intersecting Aaron Cutoff to the
south is where a signal light was required. This amended application does not have a signal light on Collier Parkway. For downtown Conerton to have less impact on the surrounding area, the only access should be from within Conerton and at the north and south intersections of Collier Parkway at Erin Cutoff. At the April 25th planning meeting, there was an erroneous statement that I would not be disturbed by the downtown
a half mile away. In the country, sound travels. I can hear the cement trucks mixing their loads mile and seven. away as the crow flies. I can hear the gun range one point one miles away that sounds like it's in my backyard. I can hear the traffic approaching well over a mile away. We like to sit in our spa at night and look at the stars. The light from downtown Conerton will all but eliminate that. Having said all this, I like the
idea of having possible dining, drinking, and shopping establishments close to home. I do not like driving to Wesley Chapel, the Ottolet Mall, Carol, etcetera. Downtown Chapel Yeah, would be a good thing for the area. but not at the cost of making it another Wesley Chapel. If you do not do something about the traffic, then downtown Conerton could fail the intended purpose. With the comments and discussions today about traffic and the misuse of Pasco's roadways, it would be hypocritical for the board to approve this zoning
without taking action to stop the arterial traffic on air and cutoff. Also, the applicant shows parcel P1 can be quote or residential neighborhood, unquote. If that happens, the lots directly along air and cutoff should be zoned R1 so not to contrast the existing neighborhood. Thank you. Thank you.
And the last person on WebEx is Nicole Miller.
Hi. Can you hear me?
We can.
Okay, wonderful. My name is Nicole Miller. I reside at [address removed], and I've been sworn in.
Okay, thank you.
Thank you. My first request, I was there today at 1.30 with the intention of attending attending in person and I left a document with the clerk and I'm requesting that that document be accepted by the board.
With these ones.
Move receive and file? Do we have it? Is that it?
How's this changing?
Is this it?
Her name is is uh Nicole Miller, but this is from Roger Molson.
Tracy Wolf has it.
If you're looking for my name in particular. Uh other than it's it's in the list, but I didn't write my name at the top of it because I had intended on handing it. Tracy has it. Maybe Tracy has it?
Tracy has
it.
Okay.
Motion
to assent.
Well, I have a I have a motion and a second to accept
the
whole vote.
Yeah.
Let's see what the document is before we accept it.
Sure.
That's only one copy.
Okay. Or the whole night.
This is what I was given. This and the names.
So Nicole we have uh document here's got um A couple of paragraphs on the front page of one part of it and the other's a list of names.
Yes, that's it.
Okay. And you're asking us if we'd read The parts you have in writing, read that in the record? So it appears to
be a petition of some sort.
Specific. Yeah, so yeah, I was just waiting for your approval to explain it.
And the petition is worth what it's worth. This is a quasi judicial proceeding. You're you can perceive and file it. Um what weight you give it in the in the outcome of the hearing is What quaint you give it? Yeah.
Okay, by roll call vote.
District two, Commissioner Moore.
All
right.
District three, Commissioner Starkey. District four, Commissioner Fitzpatrick. Aye. District five, Commissioner Mariano.
Aye.
District one, Chairman Oakley.
All right. Motion passed. Thank
you so much for accepting that document. Um the what I would like to be read into record if possible is the comments. Um the list of petition needs is a petition of what's now growing to 1,592 supporters. Um this petition has been circulating for um actually less than two weeks, and it's a compilation. Of different residents who are joining their voices together to speak out against these continued development
projects. I wanted to give a special thank you to Commissioner Moore, Commissioner Fitzpatrick, and Commissioner Oakley to listening to the residents of Meadowbrook Estates and their concerns. And also, Commissioner Starkey, I appreciate all your speaking about the trees. And as I talked about, about the trees uh by I'll lead that into Me stressing the necessity for us to preserve our agricultural land, preserve our farmland, especially
land that is bordering our uh preserved nature and water supply. Um we know that these types of spaces, these massive spaces, and this is not just a small development, this is a very, very large uh development project that not only it doesn't just have fifty five thousand of retail space, it has one hundred and fifty thousand square footage of retail space involved in cutting into what is just beautiful, pristine nature. Um and I mimic
what uh other residents have said that we
really are asking the county commissioners to listen to the people um to the people who are speaking out against these developments who um feel passionately about protecting our land and protecting our open spaces as Pasco County is known for. Um even the the developer who is uh presenting this project is based out of Tampa, Florida. Um to me that's not reflecting our health as Pasco County and a way for us to develop these spaces or preserve them
in a way that serves our future residents for generations to come. Um, you know, there was a a uh a comment that was made by uh this morning at ten AM. I was also listening to that meeting as well, from the gentleman with uh feeding Tampa Bay and he made a quote he said, There's not enough food in Pasco County to feed the residents. Um so with that quote, my question is why would we rezone agricultural land uh rather than promoting farming, promoting Young
farmers, future farmers of America, working with our schools to have people growing healthy local food to serve the communities rather than having to use relief resources to feed people who are hungry while we rezone and develop land. So this petition in particular is urging you to deny this request for rezoning. It was zoned this way for a reason. I know that when Conerton was envisioned,
it was envisioned in a certain way, but I also feel that when that land was uh zoned for agricultural use and preserved land, uh there was a reason for that as well. And I just urge you to deny this uh the approval of rezon rezoning. Thank you so much.
Thank you for your comments.
Thank you.
So I have no one else signed up on WebEx.
Um there was an email but only for file only.
Okay. Is anyone at the kiocks to speak to this item?
There is nobody else at the kiosk at this time.
Back to the applicant.
I'll be very brief. Uh Clark Cobbie again. I will say I my father will really get a kick out of somebody acting like my family's out of towners in Pasco County. That's that's a hoot. Um Uh uh I'll address just a couple of the issues that were raised, and this is really for the benefit of the folks who spoke, who I I don't think they understand a lot about Conerton. Uh Miss Bishop spoke about need to preserve open spaces and and land in general in the area. When Conerton
began, it was about eighty, five hundred acres, and three thousand of those eighty-five acres. Five hundred acres were conveyed for preserved to Swift Mud. Of those 3,000 acres, there was wetland enhancement done on over 1600 acres. That is enormous. And then additionally, there was a mitigation bank that was previously Village 5 and had a lot of entitlements. It's over a thousand acres mitigation bank now. Um as to Mr. Park's comment about errant cutoff,
we heard his comments. He's been making them on the record for some months now, and for that very reason, we have not changed anything about the trip thresholds for Collier uh call your and its construction. So if we meet those trip thresholds in the existing transportation study, my client will be building them. And there's nothing to prohibit, even if they're not triggered by my client. from the county building collier, if it so chooses in the future. And then lastly, when we uh I Ms. Miller as to preserving open spaces
and farmland. You all are well aware this project has been proposed since 1998. It's a development of regional impact that has already undergone extensive state and regional review and been approved for years. And to be honest with you, I'm not sure that the board, since it's an inexisting DRI, could refuse development in it because it's already been approved on the state and regional level for so. long. Having said that, we're very proud of what we have today and I want to focus on
the positive and what we're doing today and making this a great community and we plan to march forward doing just that.
Thank you. Over the board.
I'll make a motion to approve.
Second.
You got a motion to approve and a second. All those in favor by roll call vote.
District two, Commissioner Moore.
All right.
District three, Commissioner Starkey.
Aye.
District four, Commissioner Fitzpatrick. Aye. District five, Commissioner Mariano. Aye. District one, Chairman Oakley.
Aye. Motion passes five zero. Next is the I numbered it myself. P C thirteen. So Uh it's one we moved from consent because it was originally supposed to be here on uh public hearing today.