this morning. All right. Good morning everybody. Uh this meeting of the Escambia County Planning Board
for August 5th, 2025 is hereby called to order with five voting members present. We do have a quorum. Uh just a reminder to please put your phones on silent or turn it off either way. um while we're in the meeting so we don't have any disruptions and if you would please stand and join me in the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation indivisibley and justice for all
right thank you I'll note we do now have six voting members present as he makes his way to the front. Uh, do we have proof of publication? Yes, sir. Did publication meet all legal requirements? Yes, sir. I'll entertain a motion to wave the reading of the legal advertisement. Is there a motion? Got a motion. Do we have a second? We have a second. All those in favor, please signify by raising your right hand. All those opposed? Motion carries. Reszoning meeting minutes from the previous board meeting dated July 1st have been provided to the board. Are there any additions,
deletions, or corrections? Seeing none, I'll entertain a motion to accept the reszoning meeting minutes into evidence. Is there a motion? Sec. All right. Motion second. All those in favor, please signify by raising your right hand. Those opposed. All right. Motion carries. The reasoning hearing package for today's meeting, August 5th, 2025, with findings of fact, has been provided to board members. I'll entertain a motion to accept the reasonzoning hearing package with findings of fact
and legal advertisement into evidence. Do I have a motion? So moved. Do we have a second? All right. All those in favor, please signify by raising your right hand. All those opposed? Motion carries. All right. Will the court reporter please swear in members of staff? Raise your right hand. Do you swear or affirm testimony you're about to give in this case be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? Affirm. All right. And the board has previously qualified staff to
offer expert testimony in the area of land use and planning. Does anyone have any questions regarding their qualifications and ability to offer expert testimony? All right. Seeing none, we're good to go there. Okay. At this hearing, the planning board is acting under its authority to hear and make recommendations to the board of county commissioners, the BCC, on reszoning applications. These are quasi judicial in nature, and these hearings are like evidentiary hearings
in a court of law, however less formal. All testimony will be given under oath, and anyone testifying before the planning board may be subject to cross-examination. All documents and exhibits that the planning board considers will be entered into evidence and made part of the record. Opinion testimony will be limited to experts and closing arguments limited to the evidence in the record. And before making a decision, the planning board will consider the relevant testimony and the exhibits entered into evidence today. Each individual who wishes to
address the planning board must complete a speaker request form and submit to the planning clerk at the front of the room. The forms uh are on the table in the back of the room and you will not be allowed to speak until we receive a form. And please note only those individuals who are present and give testimony today on the record will be able to speak before the subsequent hearing um at the board of county commissioners meeting. No new evidence can be presented at the board of county commissioners meeting. So all testimony and evidence must be presented here today. The
planning board will provide a recommendation for each resoning request to the BCC which will review testimony documents and exhibits, consider closing arguments, and make the final decision. All decisions by the BCC are final and anyone who wishes to seek judicial review of their decision must do so in a court of competent jurisdiction within 30 days of the date the BCC approves or rejects the recommended order of the planning board. All written or oral communication outside
of this hearing with members of the planning board regarding matters under consideration today are considered exparte communications. Exparte communications are presumed prejuditial under Florida law and must be disclosed as provided in BCC resolution 96-13. As we hear each case today, I'll ask that any board member who has been involved in any expparte communication to please identify themselves and describe the communication as required by section 2-7.2 of
the Escambia County Land Development Code. The planning board's recom recommendation to the BCC shall include consideration of the following approval conditions. The applicant has the burden of presenting competent substantial evidence of the reviewing board establishing that the requested zoning district would contribute to or result in a logical and orderly development pattern. The appropriate surrounding area within which uses and conditions must be considered may vary with those uses and conditions and is not necessarily the same area that is
required for mailed notification. A logical and orderly pattern shall require demonstration of each of the following conditions. a consistent with the comprehensive plan that the proposed zoning is consistent with the future land use flu category as prescribed in the LDC chapter 3 and with all other goals, objectives, and policies of the comprehensive plan. If the resoning is required to properly enact a proposed flu map amendment transmitted for state agency,
the proposed zoning is consistent with the proposed flu and conditional to its adoption. B consistent with zoning district provisions. The proposed zoning is consistent with the purpose and intent and with any other zoning establishment provisions prescribed by the proposed district in chapter 3. C. Compatible with surround the surroundings. All the permitted uses of the proposed zoning, not just those anticipated by the resoning applicant, are compatible as defined in chapter six with the surrounding uses. These uses of any surrounding
undeveloped land shall be considered the permitted uses of the applicable district. Compatibility is not considered with potential conditional uses or with any non-conforming or unapproved uses. Also, in establishing the compatibility of a residential use, there is no additional burden to demonstrate the compatibility of specific residence or activities protected by fair housing laws. D. Appropriate spot zoning, where the proposed zoning would establish or reinforce a condition of spot
zoning as defined in chapter 6. The isolated district would nevertheless be transitional in character between the adjoining districts or the differences between those districts would be minor or sufficiently limited. The extent of these mitigating characteristics or conditions demonstrates an appropriate sight specific balancing of interest between the isolated districts and adjoining lands. and E appropriate with changed or changing conditions. If the land uses or development conditions within the area surrounding the property of resoning have changed,
the changes are to such a degree in character that is in the public interest to allow new uses, densities or intensities in the area through resoning and the permitted uses of the proposed district are appropriate and not premature for the for the area or likely to create sprawl. So, at the beginning of each case, as long as there's no objections from the applicant, um I'll allow staff to briefly present their maps and photographs of the property. Next, we'll hear from the applicant and anybody that they may wish to call forward. Then, we'll hear from staff and
anybody that they may wish to call forward. And then, finally, we'll hear from members of the public who have turned in a speaker request form. Today, we have two cases to be heard. Um the first is the reasonzoning application case number Z-2025-05 which requests resoning of 220 East 9M road from commercial district 25 dwelling units per acre
HDMU highdensity mixeduse district 25 dwelling units per acre and HCLI heavy commercial and light industrial district 25 dwelling units per acres to commercial district 25 dwelling units per acre as requested by Jay Brotten agent for Gulf Winds credit union owner and members of the board has there been any experte communication between you and the applicant of the applicant's agents attorneys or witnesses with fellow planning board members or anyone from the general public prior to
this hearing? Have you visited the subject property? And then please also disclose if you are a relative or business associate of the applicant or the applicant's agent. No to all. No to all. No to all. No to all. No to all. No to all. No to all. All righty. Um and do we have the representative for the applicant here today? And are you okay with staff presenting photographs and maps first? Okay, great. We'll go ahead and knock that out. Um good morning. Good morning
planning board members. My name is Harris Jones, the director for development service department of county. I will be presenting this case on this morning. Uh for this morning, we have the the location map as you can see on the screen. We have the 500 foot radius zoning map. We have the uh uh future land use map. We have the wellhead protection map. We have the area map. You have the
um the public notification map. The signage again for the reasonzoning map. There is there's a picture of the site that's in question. Again, there's another picture for the site that that is in question with the parcels as well. You have across the street from the site in question. Another uh uh property looking east from the subject property. Public hearing sign post
on nine mile road. We have looking north from the nine mile road and commercial intersection. Looking east from subject property across nine mile road. Looking south along the nine mile road row of the subject matter property. Public hearing sign posted on property along Hostbury. A view of a portion of the property along Holberry. Another view of the property along Holbury Road. Looking west along Hosbury Road looking east from the property along Hosbury
Road looking south. And that and I believe that's conclusion of all of the maps and the pictures. All right. Appreciate it for us. All right, Mr. Broton, I'll get you up here now and we'll go ahead and have you um swearing as well and just state your full name and address for the record. Yeah. Uh good morning. Jay Broton with Broton Associates, 314 Magnolia Avenue, Sweet 115, Fair Hope, Alabama. Um your right hand, sir. No. So where I refer the testimony about the truth,
the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Yes, my and just a couple questions real quick. Get on the record here. Have you received a copy of the resoning hearing package with findings of fact for today's case? Yes. And you understand that you have the burden of providing by substantial competent evidence that the proposed resoning is consistent with the comprehensive plan, furthers the goals, objectives, and policies of the comprehensive plan and is not in conflict with any portion of the county's land development code. Yes. All right. for yours. Okay. Um, like I said, I appreciate y'all's consideration on this. Uh, obviously the purpose of this reszoning
is to create all like zoned parcels so they can subdivide to build the the full the new admin building there. Um, it it is in keeping with current development trends of the area. It's already commercial. It's a commercial use now. So, it'll really just enable them to to build a uh you know, real state-of-the-art headquarters facility. Um, I know there's there's some concern about uh, you know, one of the the parcels on uh, Hill Strand. That's that plan has been revised now
to include a much bigger uh, storm water facility and it's going to have walking trails all the way around it. So, it's really going to promote a lot of the green space and and uh natural features of the site without just completely, you know, developing the whole thing. So, um if y'all have any questions, I'd be more than happy to hear u answer them. All right, board. Do you'all have any questions at this time for the applicant? No. All right. And um you you did get staff's findings and were you in agreement with their
findings that they that they had? Yes. For today's case. Okay. Reed, did you have something or I make that up? Okay. All right. Uh if we do have questions for you, we'll get you back up here. Okay. Perfect. Thank you. All right. Um staff, I'll have you go ahead and make it. Yes, sir. Thank you. Thank you, Chairman Wilson. For today we have we have this following reszoning case Z 2025-05 again as stated 220 East now my road we have several zoning categories on this property
we have the first is high density mixed use with a density of 25 dwelling units per acre again on the same parcel in question we have heavy commercial light industrial and also we have a portion of the property as on commercial as you can see from the map when the map will come um they all want to go to one zoning category which is always good for everyone in the county which is is a consistent zoning category. So we have criterion A uh consistent with the comprehensive plan. You can
see the provisions that are that are referenced CP flu- 1.31 um flu one flu one-51 and and the other one now we have two future land use category on this site you have um you have the commercial flu as well as the mixeduse urban both of those future land use categories they are consistent with the zoning categories on the propert that are currently and even with the proposed so the proposed Amendment to commercial is consistent with the flu categories of commercial and mixeduse
urban as stated in CP flu- 1.31. The commercial flutinities category allows for different type of retails and services as well as residential if part of a predominant commercial development. Likewise, mixed use urban future range category allows for an intense mix of residential and non-residential uses while promoting compatible infield development. And all of that is very very um is what's going on in this area as far as the comprehensive plan. We have criteria B consistent
with the land development code. We have the following sections that has to be found to be consistent. So I'm going directly to the findings for criterion B. And it says verbatim commercial zoning may be established only within the mixeduse suburban uh I'm sorry mixeduse suburban mixuse urban or commercial vigilance category. The district is appropriate to provide transition between area zone or use as high density mixed use area zone or use as heavy commercial industrial.
resorting to commercial is subject to the same location criteria as any non-residential use proposed within commercial district. So again for criterion B we found that there was consistency with the existing regulations of the land development code. So now we have the uh we have the criterion C consistent with the surrounding areas. The findings is as
following for criterion C going to read it verbatim. The promo the proposed amendment is compatible with the wellestablished general commercial uses developments and activities surrounding the subject parcel. As stated by the applicant, we know the area is very very commercial highly predominant commercial corridor surrounding parcel. Notably, the area that's in close proximity to the to these parts contains a wide range of existing high high density general
commercial use including both intensive retail operations and heavy commercial with limited industrial type activities. So again, criteria C was found to be consistent with existing regulations. Criterion D, appropriate if spot zoning. Going to read the findings. Given that the subject parcel is surrounded by a plethora of existing general commercial uses with conforming
zoning designations, the proposed zoning does not constitute spot zoning as defined and referenced in criterion D. The last criterion that is that we have to look at today is appropriate with change or changing conditions. Findings for criterion E. The land uses and development conditions in the area surrounding the subject property have changed and continue to evolve. General commercial
businesses are being established throughout the vicinity. The proposed resoning is appropriate and consistent with the ongoing transition occurring within this predominant commercial corridor. Importantly, the resoning requests represent an expansion of an existing commercial operation located along an arterial roadway that already supports other intense commercial uses. As such,
this request does not contribute to urban sprawl as defined by the scam county land development code. According to the code, sprawl is defined reference to the hazard pattern of disperse and strip development in suburban and rural areas particularly along highways. The pattern is characterized by low intensity, I'm sorry, by low density automobile dependent development with single or unrelated multiple uses in inefficient extension of public facility and services and
lack of clear separation between urban and rural areas. So again, as stated previously in the same section, the proposed resoning is consistent with established commercial development pattern and does not meet the criteria for urban sprawl as defined by the county. So, so in my conclusion, it appears that each resoning criteria has been met according to the terms of the land development code as well as the comprehensive plan of a scam county. Thank you, Horus. Uh board members,
are there any questions for staff at this time? All right, seeing none, we will move on to uh comments from the public for those who have signed up and members of the public who wish to speak on this matter. Please note that the planning board uh we base our decision on the approval conditions and exceptions described in section 2-6.8 of the county land development code. During our deliberations, the planning board will not consider statements of uh general
support or opposition. Accordingly, please limit your testimony to the approval conditions and exceptions described in section 2-6.8. And please also note that only those individuals who are present and give testimony on the record today at this hearing before the planning board will be allowed to speak at the subsequent border county commission meeting. So I've got um two speakers signed up for this case and the first is Laura Mitchell. If you'll please come forward
and state your name and address for the record and be sworn in and then we'll get your time started. My name is Laura Mitchell and I am a business on the corner of Holsberry and Nine Mile Road. Well, 198 East 9 Mile Road. Raise your right hand. Nothing but the truth. I do. I would like to say I didn't come totally prepared to what I
have been furnished with and you have also and the gentleman has discussed some of the information. I came here as a concerned citizens not necessarily a business that I have on the corner of Nine Mile Road in Holbury. I have been there for 35 and a half years and I have seen the growth in that area and trust me I' I'd love to do an insurance and if it's commercial I'd love to have my hand hold of
it but some things that doesn't happen but to be honestly and as honest I can about this that road is not equipped to handle what you're asking to do here. You did a very poor job in my in my opinion of the last thing y'all approved over there where that little horse place was and you put in houses with no other outlet. There is an area right now where that I am seeing you put in those duplexes
twotory no parking when you got people who live there and they got three cars. You went ahead and put in another residential area across the street. still. What are we doing? They their their little retention pond went way over with the first big rain we had. That old area is subject to flooding. I find it uh awful. Also, well, I'll save that for last. But I do not think the structure of what the
use of that road is going to be. I cannot even get out of my office to turn right without the traffic backed up all the way to your first little commercial park you had on there. And that place is not dotted through commercial. That is all residential. I have another gripe about it is the fact that whenever we have these hurricanes come along and those people lose their power, I lose mine because I am on a residential feed. I've already had my little discussion with Guff Power,
so trust me that that's just the way it is. I have seen too many wrecks at that intersection. I guess all I get qu requests all the time to do I have a camera to see what happened at that intersection and purposely I don't have my cameras poised at that position so they can look at it because I would be unendated. We did have a death and I therefore did offer the footage at that point
in time. The infrastructure is not there. You got a school right down at the end of Holsbury. The cut through traffic is ungodly there. I have a water man or some little something there. The ECU has replaced two to three times because those big trucks at that little dump area. I'll let you wrap up real quick. They have come and had to replace more than three times in the 35 years I've been there because the trucks are turning right and they're heavy duty and they're destroying
that road. That little two lane is not meant for heavy duty. I will be prepared for the next reach. I promise you. Yes, ma'am. I appreciate it. Thank you so much. Thank you. Uh, next speaker is Chris Kerb. If you'll please come forward and state your name and address for the record and be sworn in. Chris Kerb I live in Crescent White test.
I do. 5999 Somerset Drive in Crescent Lake. Well, I'm not either for or against this one because it looks like the density is going to be the same. But, um, this is the same issue that you got on Belleview with the reasonzoning there. Your code design standards for a 100redyear storm is not up to par.
your county allows archived rainfall data that DOT archived and says do not use for design. Therefore, you're not meeting a 100redyear storm as specified in your code. Therefore, legally, when you claim an act of God, which is a legal term, force majour, you got a loss in lawsuit.
Now, we have a pretty good uh active hurricane season coming up. LA couple of weeks ago, we had four 1,000year storms in the United States in a period of a week. The data that y'all's using or allowing to be used by your design engineers,
it only goes up to a hundredyear storm. So the area of Holsbury Sprag and the few roads that run over to the Holsbury pond that do expanded uh couple few years back couple years back. Um I think it was about 35 40 homes that flooded in uh April 2014. Um, there's a whole bunch over on Chandler. All this drainage goes
over there. My recommendation to your engineer for the applicant is don't use the minimum design standards. Use your Noah Atlas for 14 and 15 if you're uh uh happen to do your design after 2026. Otherwise, you're going to end up in a lawsuit. Thank you. Thank you, Chris. All right, board. Is there um any questions that anyone has for applicant or staff or any members of
the public that spoke? The applicant or staff need to add anything um before we have discussion or Yeah. Uh again, Jay Brolton, I don't know if I need to go through all this again, but um all really great points that have been brought up. Um and look, they're pretty systemic. Doesn't matter whether you're in Pensacola or Baldwin County or farther into the panhandle. Look,
the impacts of traffic and growth and density and development, it it's felt everywhere on roadways, utilities, um storm water facilities. So, a couple of things that that I' I've picked up on. Um, I'm going to address the traffic first and then we're going to talk about the storm water. Just now I'll keep it pretty pretty brief. As far as traffic goes, right now there's only a single access point right to to the existing facility. Once this is developed, there will be four access points with a new one being off of Allison, which is going to be dedicated strictly for employee
usage. Right. So what what is happening is that we're actually distributing the flow of traffic more. Instead of everybody coming in to a single point and leaving from a single point now you got, you know, I guess for for your your clients and your customers, you got three different entrances to choose from. The employees have got a design, excuse me, a designated entrance. Um so it'll distribute the traffic a little u better than it is today. Um, as far as storm water goes, uh, you know, we design all of our storm water facilities first and foremost to our
best judgment. Um, we look at not just what's published in the standards and the regulations, but we also look at current Noah rainfall data, which they update that pretty regularly. Um, so you actually get a real time, you know, real-time rainfall data for these different storm events. Um, and and I happen to really like my license. So, I I'm going to make sure everything's designed such that we're not going to get ourselves in trouble. Um, and and to make sure that we're doing right by the community and protecting upstream and downstream infrastructure. So
um that so we will obviously when it comes time to you know to get this permitted everything's going to be designed according to the current standards and regulations but also to sound engineering judgment you know cognizant of what's going on with the times with you traffic and development density increasing and all that. So um that's the only uh thoughts I had and if y'all have any follow-up questions I'd be happy to answer them. All right. Any uh questions from the board? Do you
have any imagery of the uh proposed development of what the the final site layout would look like? I sure we do. I don't I'm not prepared to have it. I don't have it right now, but we do have some imagery. I'm I'm sure we'd be happy to share. And this is just a a uh improvement to the current building there or completely raise and re It's it's it's expanding on it's it's so it's expanding the existing facility there. Okay. Thank you. Yeah. And if I may, if I may, they they're they are definitely engaged already currently with the site plan review
process. We had a good publication. We have all the drawings, all of the plans. They are already currently based in our preapp and initial review. Uh and everything that he's everything he has indicated. Staff going to make sure that they adhere to those standards. And even if there's an intention to go above, they will they will because we do know our engine department, they are quite of all of the issues. All of the issues. So, so working with the engineer and we're going to make sure that when this come to the point that there is known that it would not create
additional impacts to the area. All right. Any Go ahead. Thank you. Anything else? Just making note that we also understand up here that our purview is not due to one particular development is simply the zoning change at hand. Yes. Yes. Correct. All right. You're absolutely correct. All right. If there's uh Thank you very much. All right. Thank you. Um there's nothing else at this time or questions from the board. I will entertain a motion if someone would like to make one.
Uh I make a motion based on staff findings and um the applicant's agreement with those findings that we approve case Z205. Second. Okay. Okay, we got a motion to second. Any discussion on the motion? Seeing none, all those in favor, please signify by raising your right hand. All those opposed, motion carries. Thank you very much. And we'll move on to the next resoning application for consideration today is case number Z-2025-06
which is requesting resoning of 1980 West 10M Road from LDMU lowdensity mixeduse district 7 dwelling units per acre and MDR medium density residential district 10 dwelling units per acre to commercial district 25 dwelling units per acre As requested by Alli Palmer and Hadley Peterson, agents for fata self storage, IV DST manager, LLC, trustee for FAM shelf storage uh for 111 DST trust owner,
members of the board, have there been any exparte communication between you and the applicant of the applicant's agents, attorneys, or witnesses with fellow planning board members, or anyone from the general public prior to this hearing. Did you visit the subject property? And please also disclose if you're a relative, business associate of the applicant or the applicant's agents. I'll start. No. No to all. No to all. No. I apolog. No to all. No to all. All. All righty. Um,
and then Miss Palmer, we good with staff presenting uh photographs first? Okay. All right. We'll go ahead and have you do that. Good morning, board. Caleb McCarti, um, ASAP certified planner and planning manager for the county. Here for case 2025-06. This is our location map showing the subject property along 10 mile. Um, here's our 500 foot radius zoning map showing the southern half of the property is LDMU, low density mixuse, and the northern piece is MDR,
medium density residential. The future land use of the property is mixeduse suburban. Um, this is showing the 20 and seven-year wellhead um in the area, which factors into our development standards. This is the a subdivision map that we included with our findings um showing the subdivisions in the surrounding area. Here's an aerial photograph that shows
the current state of the property. This is our notice of public hearing sign that we placed at the front of the property along 10 mile. This is looking north onto the site. There is a current uh storage facility that's been there for some time in operation. This is looking east along West 10M Road there. This is looking west along West 10 Mile Road. And
this is looking south across West 10M Road. That concludes our maps and photos for this case. All right. I appreciate it. And then M. Palmer, we'll get you up here now. um and and have you please state your full name and address for the record and go ahead and be sworn in. Good morning. Thank you so much. Alisandrea Palmer. I am with Kimley Horn and Associates. Uh just a little bit. Just a little. Too loud. Step forward a little bit. There you go. There you go.
Now don't move. Did I step on the X? Okay. Thank you. Um 2619 uh Centennial Boulevard, Tallahassee, Florida, and I'm here representing the uh Storage Reynolds of America resoning request. Raise your right hand about the truth. Truth is nothing but the truth. I do. All righty. Um did you receive a copy of the resoning hearing package with findings fact? I did. Okay. Okay. And that
you understand you have the burden of providing by substantial competent evidence that a proposed resoning is consistent with the comprehensive plan furthers the goals, objectives, and policies of the comprehensive plan and is not in conflict with any portion of the county's land development code. I do. All right. You may proceed. Thank you. Um, so we have a brief presentation. I'll try to run through it. Um, a lot of this information you've already seen in your package, but we did want to uh put it on record for you today. So, um, as staff mentioned, the property is located
at 1980 West 10M Road. The property size is approximately just under seven acres. Today, um, the site is developed. It is urbanized. It holds, uh, many warehouse and self- storage uses. There's eight existing buildings on the property with a total of about 35,000 square ft. Um, all the buildings are one story. And there is also, as you can probably see in the aerial, u a good bit of outdoor storage that's existing on the property today uncovered. Next slide. Also,
as uh staff already mentioned, the future land use of the property is mixeduse suburban. We are not proposing any changes to the future land use. Uh we are only requesting a change to the existing zoning district. Um as mentioned today the zoning district is lower density mixeduse and medium density residential. So it is already a split zoning condition which we are uh trying to resolve with the request today with the proposed resoning of commercial which uh we find is more suitable for the existing use of the property. So we'll run through the resoning
approval conditions here in the following slides. First uh with consistency with comprehensive plan as mentioned the future land use is mixeduse suburban which encourages residential commercial and institutional uses. We are proposing the uh the continuence of the existing use which is many warehouse and storage and we find that that is in support of the mixeduse suburban future land use designation. Uh the reasonzoning aligns with the mixeduse suburban future land use goals by
promoting neighborhood serving development. We hope um we know that there are many residents in the area that utilize this property and the warehouse use um excuse me self- storage use and we see that continuing and we'll talk about that here in just a minute. We also find that this is consistent with the infill development policies of the comprehensive plan specifically policy uh in future land use 1.5.1. And we also find that the proposed resoning is consistent with the
comprehensive plan because we are not proposing anything that would be more intense on the county's um level of service including traffic, utilities, and public safety. Self- storage use, as you probably could imagine, is a very low impact use. there is not a lot of traffic that enters the site and it has very low impact on um the county's utilities and emergency services. Next slide. Thank you. Uh consistency with the zoning district provisions. As mentioned, we are proposing a commercial uh zoning district. The proposed use is consistent um and excuse me is
permitted um within the commercial zoning district amongst a wide range of neighborhood serving commercial uses. Um the PL the the site itself as it exists is also consistent with all of the um development regulations for the commercial zoning district and the applicant will of course ensure that any future modifications to the site would also be consistent with those regulations. Compatibility with surroundings. Um it's important to note that again this is an existing self-
storage use. The use has been there since 1997 and has been operating consistently through that time frame. It has never closed. The uh self storage again is a low impact transitional use compatible with we feel with the residential because it provides somewhat of a buffer between the heavier industrial uses and the railroad to the east. And so it essentially provides um a bit of a transition zone between those uses and the residential to the west. Some of the things that the applicant plans to do as they begin improving the property in the future uh when they come in
with a site plan is providing a new fence and a landscape buffer between um the residential and the subject property which will help with that those compatibility um enhancements. I believe staff already went over the surrounding uses so I'll skip this slide. Um and then this is just a very high level con concept buffer plan that essentially demonstrates how the applicant may propose to show that buffer um when they come in for site plan approval. But essentially it would run along the entire uh two boundaries in which they are adjacent to
the single family residential use. And again that would include landscape and a fence. Um it's also important to note that as they um modify the outdoor storage areas of the site that anything that is uncovered in nature would be removed from the perimeter of the site as well in the future red any future redevelopment or modification to the site. appropriative spot zoning. Um we feel that the reasonzoning is appropriate reflecting a logical context sensitive land use transition. Again um adjacent parcels to the east include that heavy
commercial and light industrial zoning. And so this proposed resoning would really enable that transition zone from the industrial to the east um to the residential to the west. appropriate with uh changed or changing conditions. So as mentioned earlier uh we do feel that there has been a an economic and demographic shift in the area that has increased the demand for self storage. We know it's being utilized today to its capacity. Um however we feel that this type of use will become more and more demand um in
that particular area and in the county overall due to an aging population and of course because of uh just general population growth in the county. The owner does plan to modernize the facility. They are going to be uh creating more temperature controlled indoor storage and they're going to be again as mentioned um essentially re re modifying the outdoor storage areas so that they are uh better screened and essentially beautifying the property so um it looks a little bit better for the neighboring residential. If the resident the reasoning is adopted,
the applicant will submit the site plan amendment to address many of these uh compatibility and enhancement issues. And with that, that concludes my presentation. I'm happy to answer any questions. I also have a member of the ownership uh team who is here with me today and he is also um available for questions. All right. Thank you. Any uh questions from the board at this time? No. All right. Um staff will have you run through your presentation. Excellent. Thank you again, board.
Uh as a reminder, this request is to be reszoned. Current zoning LDMU, low density mixuse in MDR, medium density residential. The reasonzoning request is to take the property to commercial entirely. Um I believe the applicant gave a good presentation based upon the criteria of the land development code. We did find that the resoning request did meet all the criteria. There is some critical information from staff perspective that would um support the reasonzoning and we found
that it did align with the comprehensive plan and the land development code and I'll hit on those key points here. Um concerning criterion A consistent with the comprehensive plan, we found that the proposed amendment is comprehensive with the intent and purpose of future land use category mixeduse suburban. Um the mixeduse suburban does allow for residential development and different types of retail sales and services. In accordance with our comprehensive future land use um criteria 1.5.1 the maximum densities intensities are encouraged in underutilized properties in the
mixeduse suburban category. Um furthermore as in the future land use 2.1.2 um it promotes compact residential development by allowing resonings to higher densities in the future land use category. We also found that the proposed amendment is consistent with comprehensive plan future land use 1.1.2 by correcting the non-conforming uses of the property through the requested reszoning to commercial. The policy of the comprehensive plan states that the land development code shall
contain detailed and specific presvisions to implement the goals and objectives and policies of the plan. Additionally, it provides that such regulations shall include provisions for the correction of non-conforming uses and structures supporting the broader planning goal of transitioning such non uses into conformity with adopted regulations. From exhibit A as we provided, our research found that per the county development act archives, it appears that the existing legal non-conforming use as determined by the current zoning not allowing for the existing
use was established sometime in 1997 with approval given for the development of the site for a business known as POP's Attic Storage Facility. It must be noted that at that time the proposed zoning regulations and provisions for certain areas within Escambia County were not clearly established as the rule of law as the zoning regulations and associated provisions applicable to certain areas within Escambia County were not clearly defined or fully enforced as the prevailing rule of law. It appears that this type of business at the subject site has continued
to operate without interruption. As such, the longstanding operation of the business qualifies it to be considered a legal non-conforming use as governed by the current provisions of the land development code and the comprehensive plan. Concerning criterion B, if it is consistent with the land development code, we found that the proposed amendment to reszone to commercial is consistent with the land development code. The intent of the commercial zoning district is to allow for more diverse and intense commercial uses than the neighborhood commercial uses allowed in
the mixeduse district. All commercial zoning uses are limited to the confines of a building and are not not allowed to produce undesirable effects on the surrounding property. The property to the west is a platted residential subdivision that is zoned LDMU and MDR. The proposed reszoning to commercial is an appropriate transition between the LDMU and MDR property to the west and the HCLI heavy commercial light industrial property to the east. Now in section 1-2.31A of the land development
code allows for legal non-conforming use uses to be converted to or replaced with a conforming use based on the documentation submitted by the applicant in support of the resoning request. The proposed district would allow for the existing use if the request is approved. The applicant has also demonstrated actions towards compliance with all current regulations including applicable site and building requirements as well as the submission of all required documents necessary for review. Taken together, this indicates a proactive and strategic planning effort by the applicant to
bring the use into full compliance with current regulatory standards. This intent aligns with the overarching goals of the comprehensive plan and the land development code provisions and supports the rationale for favorable consideration of the resoning request. Let's note the previous zoning designation of VM2 of the southern portion of the property would allow for many storage facilities. Additionally, in a memo dated July 22nd, 2025, our TTO um provided some comments related to the request and they have no capacity concerns related to West 10 Mile Road. Concerning criterion C,
if the proposal is compatible with sounding uses, the proposed amendment is compatible with the surrounding properties in the area. The existing use as a storage facility is considered a non-conforming use within the current LDMU and MDR zoning districts. Per review of aerial photos and county records, it appears the current use as a storage facility may precede any zoning requirements as assigned by the county. A historic site plan for initial approval of the storage facility was issued by the county in 1996 with sub subisant county approval of
the northern storage buildings in 1999. We provide an attachment and is as exhibit A pops attic 1996 and exhibit B pops attic edition 1999 and those available for viewing if needed. The surrounding uses vary greatly within the 500t radius. All properties are within the MDR, LDMU, commercial, and HCLI zoning districts that consist of single family dwellings or commercial and industrial uses on individual lots. The abuing MDR zone property to the west is 85 lot single family dwelling
subdivision containing newly constructed homes which is Allison acres and totaling approximately 18 acres that was platted in October 2022. The property to the south along west 10 mile varies from commercial to MDR zoning and consist of individual single family dwellings and mobile homes on the individual lots to the east. Heavy commercial and light industrial uses are found in the subject properties western property line lies along the railroad rightway there. The requested resoning is corrective in nature and the outdoor storage and outdoor uses are not found
as a permanent use of the requested commercial zoning district. Therefore, the owner applicant must take corrective action for any non-conforming uses prior to any redevelopment authorizations. Additional requirements of the land development code that establish and maintain compatibility with the surrounding uses include substantial buffering and fencing that will be required in the redevelopment of the property. We also found that the subject property is in accordance with the location criteria of the commercial zoning district. The subject property is along a major collector street of West 10 milei road and less than a quarter mile from South Highway 29.
Criterion D, if the request is appropriate if spot zoning. By definition, the proposed amendment to commercial would be considered spot zoning as there are no abuing commercial zoning commercial zone properties. However, the existing use as a storage facility is long established on the property and the proposed resoning to commercial acts as a transition between the MDR and LDMU zoning districts to the west and the HLE HCLI zoning districts to the east. Then finally criterion E appropriate with change or changing conditions. The land uses or redevelopment or
development conditions within the area surrounding properties have changed. The subdivision to the west Allison acres again is a 85 lot single family residential subdivision that was recently approved by the county and therefore the resoning request would allow commercial uses that support the surrounding residential and commercial uses of the area. The development within the area has remained mix of residential, commercial and industrial uses and with the request for commercial. The potential uses density intensities allowed by that district would be compatible with the existing surrounding
development patterns. The proposed amendment would not create or contribute to urban sprawl when assign appropriate zoning to the property based on the established historic use requiring buffering fencing on the adjacent residential uses that is otherwise not currently in place. That's our findings for this case. All right. Thank you very much. Are there any questions for staff from the board? All right. Seeing none, we will we do have uh three speakers from the public that have signed up. We'll start with John Schuman. If you'll please come forward, state your name and address
for the record and be sworn in. My name is John Schuman. I live at 1919 West Mile Road. Your right answer. So, swear affirm testimony about to give in this case will be the truth. Yes, I do. You're good to go. Okay. Yes, sir. Uh, I live directly across the street from the not directly, but Caddy Corner across the street from the storage building. I've been there ever since the original
storage building has been installed. The uh what I would like to know is why the storage building facility is now going to be commercial when on West 10 mile road there's no commercial zoning and why is changing from limited LMDU to commercial uh also have concern about traffic if it's going to
be expanded or what have you. There's only one access road which to 29 is 10 mile road and in the mornings the traffic's from the railroad track to Stfanni and uh you can't even get out your driveway. Uh also uh recently the the storage facility part you have up front the the
uh undeveloped area. They came in and they did the drill testing, perk testing. What I want to know is what are they building? What are they changing? You know, it's been there since 1997. No problem. But why the commercial? Why can't it maintain residential? You have, like you said, 88 new homes adjacent to it. Just completed some homes right next to the property line
where the storage facility begins. uh you know my understanding is it's shouldn't be commercial because then you can have anything and everything and the only other uh business on 10mi road west 10 mile road is uh uh barber jud Judah bait shop uh the storage facility and the and the
uh nursing home that's next to my property. So, you know, I'm against the change to commercial. That's all I have to say. Thank you, Mr. Schuman. Okay. All right. Next, we have Jodie Schuman Davis. If you'll please come forward and state your name and address for the record and be sworn in. I'm Jodie Schuman Davis. I'm 5410 Garden Brook Boulevard, Milton, Florida. Um, raise your right hand, please. Affirm the testimony about this case. Yes. I wasn't prepared to speak, but
since I heard that you have to speak to be in the meeting. So, basically what my dad just said, um, this property right across is my family. I will be inheriting it. I don't understand why. like he said, going to go from this to commercial. I look right outside. It's a beautiful piece of property. It's been in my family since the 1800s. I have the land grant and everything. Um the property that they're changing up that used to be a historical family-owned business, uh family-owned property.
Also, I'm okay with the subdivision going in. It's beautiful. it's um HOAs, you know, but I I bet they have no clue that right behind them will be a commercial business. So, I just against it and like you said, traffic, especially when schools in coming is just lined up. They're not even able to get out of their driveway. So, I you know, I'm I'm very against it because like I said, once you make it a commercial, we don't know what's going to go in. Even though they say I don't want to look out
and see a twotory or threetory commercial storage facility, this is all residential around us and little bitty, you know, bitty like a small house of nursing home only holds 10 beds and stuff. So, I'm against it and thank you for my time. Thank you. All right, Chris Kerb, you're up next. this morning. Chris Kerb, I'm with Flood Defenders. Um, matter of fact, when Pop's Addict
was approved in 1996, I reviewed the storm water management plan for that project and uh it's in in the 8 Mile Creek basin and I think the county's I don't know how many millions of dollars the county spend on drainage in that basin, but the design standards back then were 25-year design storm. But back on the act of God, the legal term 100-year storm. Um,
think I remember I'm a little vague there, but I think I asked the engineer to design to a 100redyear storm back then because of the drainage issues in the 8 mile creek basin. Um this one actually increases density. So if you increase the density, you increase impervious area, you increase storm water runoff, and you increase your cumulative impact to downgradient
properties. That's something that the HBA brought up that, oh, we're not having any problems using this old 1979 rainfall data in our developments. Maybe you're not. It's all about the downgraded impacts to your watershed, your accumulative impacts. Let me give you an accumulative impact here. Uh, was it 6.89 acres? Um, if you look up Noah Atlas 14 rainfall data versus the 13.44 in
that the county allows to be used right now for storm water design versus 16.2 which is what Noah says for this site is located. Uh, the difference to is 2.76 in. Multiply that over 6.89 89 acres and you get about 10,000 cubic feet. That's a lot of water that's not being accommodated in your storm water designs. And if you multiply that by however many sites
in your watershed, no wonder our creeks are flooding. No wonder our homes are flooding. No wonder we're shelling out millions of dollars fixing these drainage projects, drainage problems. When I mentioned lawsuit earlier, it's just a matter of time. And I really hate to be on the other side of the fence suing the public when a a resident gets flooded out because we decided to use archived rainfall data.
Thank you. Thanks, Chris. All right, board. Um, any qu further questions for the applicant, staff, or any of the speakers? I was going to ask uh staff when you mentioned that they uh with this zoning, they have to come up and do some additional uh requirements to what what it appeared was make it aesthetically pleasing. Um does that also take in account again what we're
talking about a lot of this is drainage and water. Uh so the additional 25 acre 25 units per acre and the density you're taking that in consideration or are you doing that per development submitted to you? In other words, when you're looking at this, you're only going to address it when the proposal or the plan is submitted to you according to what they're proposing. I'm I'm assuming uh but in your estimate of changing this zoning, does that consideration come in under review as
far as storm water and Yeah, absolutely. So, the applicant has been engaged with our development review team with the county um and that essentially be reviewed by them. I would note that, you know, we although we can't conditionally reszone the property, um that engagement and applicant understands that the existing site is non-conforming. Um and that's the key and that was the key in our our findings and that this this was issued a development order for a storage facility
years ago prior to all indications before zoning was even adopted for the property. Well, we came along as the county and as we've seen in a lot of these reszoning cases, we have a reasonzoning or the zoning assigned to the property didn't even allow it in the first place. So, we we see that the applicant is taking a corrective approach and assigning an appropriate reasoning when the actions actually may have fell fell on us. So, and it it's great. We wish things would go more like
this because also the applicant understands that all the outdoor stores that you see on that site in addition to the brand new subdivision beside it requires some extensive buffering and all that stuff is going away. So that the assignment of the commercial zoning district, it essentially would rectify and is really a a prime example on how these things can be beneficial um whether it's for the applicant or for the county provisions when our land development code and comprehensive plan. As far as a storm water goes, yes, there are some improvements that are going to have to be done in
coordination with our county staff um to make sure it's in full compliance. it it may not be in in compliance with today just as the zoning is not in compliance. Um it may not be in compliance um but now is the opportunity for rectification of not only the zoning but potential site um work that would need to be done to bring it into current land development storm water requirements. And if I and if I may if I add to this and um one thing one thing that I have one thing that I am learning
yet learning from from the county engineering department is that they do look at with our new standards they do look at offsite impacts they do look at all the surrounding areas so that it can enhance it not make it worse. That's one thing I am learning more and more. I got four more years to learn that they do look at off-site impacts when it come to drainage and all of those issues. Right. So, I mean, we're caught in the this this happens too many times. We didn't have zoning.
Now, we have to figure it out and make it look pretty. And they're helping by making this look conforming. To the the people in opposition, it makes sense. uh because we're we're we're told not to look at the development. We're told to look at the zoning change. And to their point, this will be commercial. Well, I I guess my my question to the applicant at this point in time is not only I have two things. First, for the applicant, what is the impacted or or theoretical future advant or
uh increase in in units there? How much more? But uh then two, my question I guess for county is 2000 was it 14 the spring rains that absolutely flooded everybody? Yeah, that was okay. Did that alter I mean everyone's and I know Chris is probably frothing at the mouth over there, but I mean did that not alter our overall assumption of engineering? Yes, Mr. Power, you're absolutely correct. Uh that was that was uh an abnormal event anyway. It was it was it was horrendous. Um and
and after that my limited understanding that they really really they had a SWAT storm water committee and they looked at all of that and they did some substantial changes that we that we're dealing that we yet then yet making changes to that. So 2014 was a catalyst for change. Seems like we have a hundred-year event every two to three years. So, um I guess it it bears, you know, certainly further investigation in that, but I would ask the applicant for the benefit of the
folks that live across who have again to to their point, they lived there happily with this nice pops attic. They're not opposed to necessarily the business, but we're not supposed to really look at that, right? So I'd be interested to hear what the applicant has to say to you know resolve any fears and or you know and if I may little unusual obviously but Mr. If I may before we have commentary, you're absolutely you're absolutely correct. We're not supposed to. Even if the property is zone commercial, all of the high standards for any development will yet have
to come into play. All of the higher standards for any development. Right now, if that you stay in, they can continue to keep it as is. But when they go when they change the reszone, we don't look at this use specifically, but going to that zoning category, all of the high and the best standards will be which will make which has the tendency to make the whole area better and more compatible. Uh Bo R A I C address uh 15290 96 Lane North, West Palm Beach, Florida, 33412.
I do. Uh thank you all. Bo Ration with Storage Reels of America. I run the uh development team there. I'm VP of development. Um, we are a vertically integrated self- storage company. Uh, we're nationwide. We own about 700 stores. That's all we do is self- storage. I don't I don't, you know, and we own them in funds that hold them for, you know, pretty long term. We've actually never sold anything that we've ever bought of the 700 stores. So, uh, this fund has at least a 10-year life, which will probably be extended. Um, once these things are built and leased and operating,
you know, you don't tend to just go tear them down and build something else. I mean, you know, absent some compelling reason to do so, which would have to be put in front of you and be a compatible use of, you know, with your code. So, yeah, as far as our plans, it's, you know, and I'll just I'll I know you're not supposed to look at the development. We're just looking at the zoning. My intention here is to build just probably a 30 to 40,000 foot singlestory storage facility and then some covered RV parking and then try to screen the whole property in. I mean, that's kind of we haven't gotten into that. I know there's going to be a lot of storm water improvements
that need to happen. I need to get topo surveys. I need to get perk tests, you know, geotech, all that stuff. I didn't want to go spend, you know, 200 grand on, you know, engineering and studies before I even knew if I had the zoning. So that's why I don't have a, you know, fully baked site plan to show you. But, you know, that's our intent and regardless if we don't get it, at least we've reszoned the property and now it's a conforming use. So, which which is a benefit to us. So, that's what, you know, that's what we're here today for. But, as far as just, you know, to reassure everyone, I don't I'm not trying to do a bait and switch here and build a, you know, you know, used car lot or something here, you know, you whatever else would be compatible
with commercial. This is going to be storage. It's going to be as low impact as possible. We're we do this all over the country. I've got, you know, 20 projects going on any given time. I'm, you know, you know, if I tried to fight the neighbors on every one of them, I', you know, probably pull my hair out. So, you know, we know we try to go in and build something that's compatible. I know not, you know, I know I can't keep everybody happy, but, you know, that that's that's the goal here is just to just to, you know, a beautifification. I mean, we want, you know, I know we got a lot of outdoors. Last time I was on the property, I'm walking through there and, you know, some guy's taking a shower behind his RV and asked me if I have any soap,
you know. I'm like, we don't we don't want that. I I don't want that for my customers, you know. So, you know, there are a lot of lot of nice, you know, I look at sort of the character of what's there. There's a lot of nice RVs there. you know, people that's, you know, I don't want I'm not providing a public service, but you know, for people that want to store their RVs, I'd like to keep providing that service, but we'll do so in a, you know, we'll we'll provide covered areas that are screened off from the uh from the thing. But we'll, you know, and on that front, we'll be back in front of you with a full site plan for, you know, for your consideration and approval. So, you know, we can we can kind of deal with deal with that
then. But that's that's sort of what our intent is here. If that if that answers your question. Yep. Thanks. Why don't you do that? Alli Palmer again. Kimley Horn. I from a technical perspective, I just wanted to address some of your questions. Um, and so, uh, Kimley Horn is also I am in the community planning practice, but, uh, Kimley Horn will also be handling the, uh, civil engineering and transportation engineering for the
site development. And I just wanted to put on the record that we obviously will be looking at the county standards as well as the more stringent state standards as well. And so that will both be considered as we are uh putting the um plans together to propose to the county for approval and permitting. Oh, and I did want to just add and we will be um getting with the adjacent property owner that's here today, but um just for the record, as far as traffic is concerned, there is some benefit to the storage use remaining on the property because as we know, storage use um AM
and PM peak hour trips are completely at opposite times of the traffic that's probably coming on to 10 mile from all the residences going to and from work during the the business day. And so we're hoping that this will actually um you know have very minimal if any impact to that traffic that's going to be on 10 mile. But we'll be performing that traffic analysis of course once we come in with the proposed um increase in square footage. Thank you. And thank you. Any further questions from the board. All right. Uh seeing none, I'll entertain a motion if someone like to make one.
like to make a motion based on staff's findings uh for Z 202506 for approval. Second. All right, we've got a motion and a second. Any discussion on the motion? All right, seeing none, all those in favor, please signify by raising your right hand. All those opposed? Motion carries. All right, that was the uh last resoning case we had for the resoning meeting. So, we will adjourn uh the resoning meeting and go into our regular planning board meeting. And so,
the meeting of the Escambia County Planning Board for August 5th is hereby called to order with six voting members present. We do have a quorum. Uh do we have proof of publication? Yes, sir. Did the publication meet all legal requirements? Yes, sir. I'll entertain a motion to wave the reading of the legal advertisement. Have a motion. So moved. Second. Motion is second. All those in favor, please raise your right hand. All those opposed. Motion carries. Planning board meeting minutes for July 1st, 2025 have been provided to the board members. Do I have a motion to accept?
So moved. I have second. Second. All those in favor, please signify by raising your right hand. All those opposed. Motion carries. Planning board hearing package for August 5th, 2025 has been provided to the board members. I'll entertain a motion to accept the planning board hearing package and legal advertisement into evidence. Do I have a motion? Motion to approve it. All right. Do I have a second? Second. All those in favor, please signify by raising your right hand. All those opposed? Motion carries. All right. We have one uh public hearing
today. a public hearing to review and consider uh conformance of the Myrtle Grove redevelopment plan uh that the board review and recommend to the board of county commissioners for adoption of the Myrtle Grove redevelopment plan. So, we'll turn it over um to staff for presentation. Good morning, chair and board. Uh my name is Max Rogers. I'm a development program manager with Scambia County Community Redevelopment Agency. On February 20th, 2025, the board of county commissioners approved resolution 2025-21,
which was a finding that the Myrtle Grove, the proposed Myrtle Grove redevelopment area was a blighted area with a shortage of affordable housing for low and moderate incomes. All right. So the planning the Myrtle Grove redevelopment area is 1,529.73 acres and consists of 3,746 parcels. Of that of note is uh the Myrtle Grove redevelopment area is 82.3% residential. Um the
Myrtle Grove redevelopment area is um will be the 10th re uh CRA for the uh Escambia County CRA. Um, it's adjacent to Brownsville. It's just west of it and borders it on New Warrington Spur and it's north of uh the Warrington CRA. Its boundary is uh Mobile Highway to the east, West Fairfield to the north and west as well as Jackson Street until you get to
57th Street of which it um goes above the Twin Pines neighborhood um at the parcel level. Um, next slide, please. All right. The planning process. We had a uh had input from the public at three public meetings. Uh, two in April and a final meeting on May 22nd to uh present the concept and receive input and then present the final draft at the West Coast Senior Center. U next slide. So, we asked the question is Myrtle Grove is it blighted? Um,
we did a housing condition windshield survey as well as uh commercial blight survey. Took a look at the demographics and as well as crime. So, Myrtle Groves housing condition uh most of it is fair with 68.6% in the fair condition. Although they are older homes, they technically meet the the fair qualification. Um, however, 19.1% are in the worst uh poor or worse condition. Um, so
all right, here's a couple images of the blighted commercial property. Um, of which Myrtle Grove has has some um so there's room for improvement um that we would hope to improve through our redevelopment programs. Um, regarding demographics, Myrtle Grove has a substantially lower average household income, median household income, and per capita income, uh, approximately between 26 and 29% less than the Escambia County average.
It is interesting to note that the household households below poverty levels actually there's less of those in Myrtle Grove than there is at the county level, but that is attributed to that there's a higher percentage of what we call the Alice um households which are asset limited income constrained and employed. Uh and those are people that um would be considered more the working poor that um don't meet the federal poverty level standards but they have trouble u making ends meet. other demographic data including education, the the amount of households with one car or less
um support that the the area is a low-income area um in need of redevelopment and investment from the county. Next slide. Crime is higher in Myrtle Grove than it is in the rest of in compar comparison for the rest of the county. Uh in the areas of rape, robbery, lararseny, burglary, and motor vehicle theft. Um surprisingly, it has less aggravated assault and less murder than the than
the rest of the county as a whole, but um the data shows that the crime is higher in Myrtle Grove. So the question is is Myrtle Grove blighted with 20% of the homes in poor worse condition commercial blight with demographics with less income than the county average and a higher percentage of Alice households and in most categories crime is higher in Myrtle Grove and trending higher. So the data supports that Myrtle Grove is a blighted area. Um I reviewed the tools to address the blight
with the public and it's included in the plan. Investing in infrastructure is a very important thing that we can do. Uh improving safety, uh supporting public private partnerships, uh as an example, our grant programs. Um also providing home repair assistance to the low-income people who cannot afford to fix up their properties. Uh beautifification and neighborhood cleanups and overlay zoning district uh is a opportunity to promote quality commercial development. um and is an opportunity as well to exclude new mobile homes and trailer parks and having CRA
staff for redevelopment is an opportunity to um turn the area around. Next slide. So just real quickly the objectives and strategies um this is where we got a lot of input from the public. These are very similar to our other CRA districts. Um we want to improve the appearance. We want citizen and business involvement. We want robust code compliance. Uh investing in community facilities and programs, reducing congestion for all users, improving infrastructure, maintaining
our infrastructure and our beautififications, reinvestment into the community, increasing security, and upholding the zoning and land use for the area. We also have area wide strategies which are just a slightly uh into a little more detail than the objectives. We want to make roadway improvements. We have code enforcement, crime reduction, improve storm water drainage, um provide housing across a wide spectrum, increasing neighborhood pr uh neighborhood pride and citizen
involvement, expanding the sewer network, and preserving commercial zoning on Ontario roads, and considering an overlay zoning district. for neighborhood strategies. Um we received input about storm water flooding, adding sidewalks, extending the sewer, adding street lights, traffic calming, beautifification, improving the fire station, which now has funding and is moving forward, and potentially redeveloping the old YMCA site at the corner of 57th and Lillian Highway.
For commercial strategies, um we have business quarter improvements uh such as gateway signs, landscaping, and removing blight. As an example, we provided the block at New Warrington Spur, Lillington, Lillington Highway, and North New Warrington Road, uh which is a pretty good example of blight if you're familiar. Uh for commercial strategies also would be to implement the reimagined Jackson Street 2023 plan for streetscape improvements. Um Jackson Street in particular is um important for the county to improve is that it is a county road
as opposed to Fairfield and Lilian Highway which are state roads which it's a little bit more difficult to implement the beautifification um but it is possible. Um we also have a list of capital improvements. I won't go through all that, but we do have um a a robust list of sidewalk projects, storm water drainage, which includes um all the SWAT projects that you mentioned u Mr. Pile from the 2014 plan about everything that was identified in the that was that flooded in 2014
became a a SWAT project. So all those projects uh in addition to others mentioned by the public are included. Uh we have beautifification projects and park improvements. We also have um sewer expansion projects. That one's going to be a little bit more vague as we get with Easy Way into the future. This being a 30-year plan. We just leaving it open to that we support sewer expansion. Also have the new fire station, possibly a new library at the old YMCA site um as an idea and um speed bumps and
traffic coming in the neighborhoods. Uh finally or and as we as I'm wrapping up here is uh the end parts of the plan are the plan implementation as required uh under Florida statutes that we mentioned the implementation partners which are the commercial reinvestment partners um housing partners the capital improvement projects we're going to implement and development controls. We also have financing mechanisms that could be CDBG, local option sales tax,
private investment, the state and housing programs as well as tax increment financing. Uh a neighborhood impact analysis is required under chapter 163. Um just to demonstrate that if this plan will have any negative impact on the neighborhood, uh we do not propose any relocation. So there's no issue there. uh traffic circulation would be improved by the capital improvement projects for all modes. Uh we intend to improve environmental quality
with sewer conversion projects and ecological storm water projects. Um we're going to support community and facility services. Um no impacts to schools and we intend to improve the physical and social quality of the neighborhood. Um as well as coordinating with the sheriff's office. The plan has four appendices which are the Myrtle Grove red development area maps, the legal description, the public workshops and um selections from the Escambia County comprehensive plan. Um the
comprehensive plan I referenced chapter 7 the future land use element uh the goals of future development pattern development and public service. Chapter eight, the mobility element including transportation. Chapter nine, housing element uh with the goal of provision of housing. Chapter 10, infrastructure with wastewater, storm water management, potable water and the recreation open space element to increase recreation opportunities. So with that is that was a brief overview of what the plan is about and what the planning process was. If you have any questions,
any questions from the board? So I take this is the CRA is kind of a vehic financial vehicle uh for these improvements uh kind of the gate we have to go through in order to implement a lot of these and and then I would ask my associate to the right of me in your estimation how did the CRA help the Warrington I mean that's better asked for actually the program head right there actually than anything else I mean sure um you can go and then I can get my thoughts on every bit of this
Yes. So to implement the the desires of the board by uh adopting the findings of necessity in in February necessitated the cre creation of this plan and the tiff ordinance which is in the backup. So by bringing this to the planning board with a favorable recommendation, this will go to the board of county commissioners on September 4th for uh final approval as a public hearing as well, which will put in which will adopt the redevelopment plan as well as put the TIFF ordinance into place. Um so starting in next year, the TIFF will start acrewing slowly and then we
can start with small projects and then build it up uh further. Warrington uh is one of my districts and you know that's been one of our economically most successful tiffs uh in that um the area has grown from the base year. Um there's a lot of projects that we've done to improve the area. Um obviously it is a public private partnership that the that the CRA can't fix at all but um through our grant programs uh investing in infrastructure uh working with the sheriff's office to reduce
crime uh we help to bring in new investment uh and redevelopment of the area. So we hope that uh Myrtle Grove will be similar to our other CRAAS in particular like Warrington. If you could give a a broad history lesson on these CRAAS, this would be the 10th. Uh what was the first and when was it implemented? Sure. That was Warrington actually. It was 1995. So the Scami County had five original CRAAS uh in the late 90s and early 2000s. So So the first five were all at
once right in the same area, right around the same time. So very first was Warrington. You actually go to that screen. So it's the it's the most southern one. So you have Warrington, Barancus, Brownsville, Englewood, and Palifox. Uh Warrington was first in 1995. Brownsville was second in 1997. Englewood and Palifox were I believe 2000 and Brancus I believe was 2002. So for quite a while those were the original CRAAS. Um since then um in I believe it was 2010 cantonment was created
but a it the finding of necessity was approved in 2010 but the plan uh wasn't created until 20 late 2013 or 2014. Um and then we had Ensley and Oakfield uh created at the same time in I believe 2016. Uh then there was Atwood 2017 I believe and Atwood actually expanded to the west to the east. Um a couple years ago. Um and that Myrtle Grove will be the the last one that the most recent one.
So we do have the most of of all the counties. So we do win that prize. So a 30-year program represented here in effect effectually. Correct. Um, so Warrington, interesting that the um the dates are brought up because it is a 30-year plan and Warrington is due to sunset in 20 this year in December 2025. So that was my next question, but I think you answered it. We have not sunseted a CRA. We have correct. We have not and we're we have adopted a plan to uh extend the CRA. However,
you'll notice that the upcoming BOCC for September 4th is um we're rectifying the issue that we adopted it without a resolution. So, we're going to resend the Warrington plan and at the same time adopt it again with the resolution. So, it's more of a technical clerical type error. But, um yes, Warrington will be the first CRA of the Scambia County that will be um extended um under chapter 163 as allowed. that will um extend it another 30 years. So, are are most CRAAS a 30-year?
Correct. Yes. Yeah. So, Brownsville's next uh in 2027. So, we are um interested in extending that one as well. So, we have to um update the redevelopment plan and use the correct legal language to extend the time certain um to meet the u the requirements of the Florida statutes. What I'm find interesting why in support of this is we look at just for instance like the sewer map. I mean we have a great and mind you it's works of ECway but we see in the heart of it
which I don't know if we can pull up that map but in the heart of this Myrtle Grove redevelopment area we see a massive lack of sewer infrastructure. what the CRAAS push for in terms of sewer connection programs is a great aid to this and when we start overlapping like the safe neighborhoods on top of it getting additional street lighting there's a lot of benefits to this once we see the crime everything like that another point and this one here will be more of a marathon not a sprint if you look at where it's at we look at almost 70% of the
acreage or roughly give or take about 3,300 100 parcels in this are single family residential or vacant commercial or residential. I mean it is going to take the improvement programs that are targeted to the individuals in this one versus commercial. So this will be really more grassroots than anything else of a program but it should hit the individuals the individual taxpayers in this area and keeping their money in that tiff fund more than anything else. So that is a good problem to see in this specific area. So my 10 cents into that, but once again,
it is going to be for that TIFF fund to start acrewing funds. It's going to probably be a good time before you see large capital projects or anything like that come out of this. All right. Any more questions from board? Um if not, I've got something I I would like to share on this. Um, do I need to have a vote on for me to share this with the rest of the board members to add it into the meeting file or is
we don't need to worry about that for this? You wouldn't need to. It's a public hearing. All right. So I I had I talked to um property appraisers office and then Max I think you got with them as well. Um I asked for an example of what what the taxable value was for this this current year which will set the base year um for Myrtle Grove CRA which is that $329 million.
I also asked for what was last year's just to give us some sort of idea of what revenue will be generated out of this. Um, and again, we don't know what property values will do in 2026, but this gives you some sort of idea if this was created 12 months ago, what would be the first kind of installment into the the TIFF? Um, and and right now all of our CRAAS have a 75% uh capture rate. um for the increment counties uh municipalities can go anywhere from 50 to 95%
uh capture rate on your your TIF financing. Um counties at 75. So you see if this was created a year ago and we were looking at what was going to be brought in um $136,000 would be what would be going into this Myrtle CRA TIF U which is six just over 6% of the total amount of property tax that would be collected in that area which is that $2.18 million there at the top and then the remaining 2 million uh would go into the general revenue fund. Um I've got
also on the next the next page broken out all of the CRAAS with their extensions or annexes. Um you've got in the taxable value uh in the tiff that is what is assessed for this current um or I guess as the tax role on June 1st. Um and that last sheet is is showing that the the taxable values that are that were just put out. So you'll see that the tiff revenue
uh 75% of the capturing from the base um what is going to be going in into each CRA as a payment. Um in that under that 75% column the on the left to the left of that says general fund revenue. So that's out of all the taxes that are paid, that's the amount of money that is paid in property tax, it'll go into the general fund. So you see out of all the CRAAS that we currently have, 10.3 million is going to go into the general fund, 9.3 divvied up uh among these these CRA areas, which
still gives you this 9.7 19.7 million in property tax, which is what's being taxed under the taxable value in in the TIF. Um my suggestion or proposal would be to we can't change u my understanding is we can't change what the percentage of the capture rate is for the tiff um and what they've the county's got already but I think it if we want to move forward and approve this myrtle CRA to at
least throw the suggestion of have for the county commission to consider raising the capture rate um in the tiffs to create to keep more of that those property tax dollars in these CRAAS um especially for something that's new like this Myrtle Grove one which back on the first sheet um you can see if you went to 95% increment in the Myrtle Grove CRA um your revenue jumps from what would be 136,000 to 172,000 and you're still contributing 92% of their property tax
that they're paying into the general fund with 7.9% of it going into the CRA. Um, and again, they can they can pick to stay where they're at. They can pick to go to, you know, 78% if they wanted to or go down to 50% or go to 95. But I think it's worth the conversation. Um, if you go back to the the sheet with all the all the um CRAAS on it and look, if if the county went to 95% capture rate on on all of their CRAAS, um, you would have, you know,
$7.8 million going into the general fund from all those properties with 11.8 million going into the CRAAS. Um, and so again, you know, that might be a conversation for the board to have, but I think it's certainly one uh that the county commission should look at if we're really trying to, you know, invest in and develop these areas um that are underdeveloped and and need some help. So, that's my suggestion. Um, happy to any comments, questions, or uh whatever you might have.
I actually don't disagree with you in principle here at all to be truthful. I mean this is especially with this one with the income like if we guesstimate year one it is going to be a marathon of this it is going to take a while before it has substantial funds even a reserve I mean and the county is pretty good about not doing bonds or anything like that with their CRAAS which I applaud your department always for that um but I mean that is some conversation I think does merit some with the commission you know I will agree with the chair on
Anything else? All right. Um, if that's something that y'all are open to as a suggestion to the board um to at least have under consideration and uh talk about as a part of your motion, um, I would appreciate it. Yeah, that's what I was going to ask is what does that look like in our motion? Is it a motion to approve with a request or recommendation?
be a request if it been just an action for Max to get with his to get with his uh uh uh uh director and and and to see how they want to frame that to the board for not the recommendation because the board controls all of that with with with laws and policies and state statutes on how that is done. So So probably better for the question to definitely have discussion if I can make a recommendation. Y okay. Okay. under u chapter 163.360 section 4 um the purpose of
the meeting today is for the CRA to bring the redevelopment plan to the planning board for view and recommendation as to its conformity conformity with the comprehensive plan. So that in of itself is basically what the action is here today. Um, however, it does say that the the local planning agency shall submit its written written recommendations with respect to the conformity to the proposed community redevelopment plan to the community redevelopment agency within 60 days after receive the plan for review. that in your comments, in your recommendation,
you could have that discussion. But the hopefully the motion we're looking for here today is that the the planning board finds the the Myrtle Grove redevelopment plan in conformance with the comprehensive plan to move it forward to the port of county commissioners for its September 4th meeting. But in your written communication, that would probably be the more appropriate place to to mention um and you can provide the backup that if you different scenarios of um tiff capture might be warranted. Okay. Does that sound fair, Mr. Attorney? That works. Okay. All right.
And then did we have somebody in the public that would like to speak? Okay. Just want to make sure Mr. Kurb. Uh Chris Kerb with Flood Defenders. Um I rise in support of this. Uh I've worked with Max for several years. I've been to pretty much all his uh public meetings on this uh CRA. Um and I've seen a lot of good done with the CRA funding. Uh if you don't know uh investment in
your infrastructure, it's a six to1 payback. Um bring to mind uh one project that uh and yeah, I mean it doesn't provide a whole lot of funding, but it provides seed money. um Beach Haven project in 2003 CRA with uh ECUA. Uh they funded uh a basin study um for sanitary sewer and
drainage for Beach Haven. It was a pretty good uh basic plan concept and what it resulted in is uh funding I guess they're on the northeast phase now phase two of Beach Haven putting in sewer and drainage improvements and it has five different funding sources even in phase one but it never would have been possible without that initial study done that was paid for by CRA. Um I
believe CRA put some sidewalks in the phase one of Northeast Beach Haven, but uh I'm all for this. Um it's it's I'm I'm only thing I can say about Max is he's doing an excellent job. Um so uh I hope y'all vote to approve this. Thank you. Thanks, Chris. All right. So, if um the board's looking to approve it, it sounds like we need a motion to approve um the uh Myrtle Grove redevelopment
plan and then as a note or communication to the board that we'd ask them to review the the TIFF uh percentage capture rate or I'm not sure how we need to word that exactly, but um it's a percentage of the TIFF, I guess, the TIFF rate. So then I'll go ahead and make a motion that we approve the Myrtle Grove redevelopment plan and also Senate for consideration conversation about the TIFF rate. All right, we got a motion. Second. Second. Any discussion on the motion? Okay,
all those in favor, please signify by raising your right hand. All those opposed. All right. Motion carries 5 to one. Right. Yeah. 51. Sorry. Yes. 521. Yep. Um all right. That was uh the only item we had on the agenda for today. Um anything from staff before we leave? I will just say ne next meeting we just have one ordinance, but it will not be the first Tuesday. It's going to be the second Tuesday because the first Tuesday is the day after a holiday. So it'll be September 9th.
Alrighty. says September 9th. Sounds good. You said we only have one what? One ordinance. Okay. Y Chris says he's adding an item. All right. Good stuff. We stand adjourned.