Title:
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Vantage Bank Special Exception - Consider a Special Exception to allow the use of a bank in the OP (Office) zoning district on approximately 1.52 acres, located on the corner of SR 434, and East of Lake Brantley Dr; BS# 2025-12 (Vanessa Johnson - Vantage Properties, LLC, Applicant) District3 - Constantine (Annie Sillaway, Principal Planner)
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Division:
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Development Services
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Authorized By:
Mike Rhodes - Interim Development Services Director
Contact/Phone Number:
Annie Sillaway/407-665-7936
Background:
The Applicant is requesting a Special Exception to reinstate the operation of a bank on the subject property. The property has a Future Land Use of Office and OP (Office) zoning, where banks are only allowed via a Special Exception.
The property was originally approved for a bank by the Board of Adjustment on September 17, 1984. In 1996, the Board of Adjustment approved a Special Exception to reinstate the bank use after the facility had been vacant for more than 180 days, causing the previous Special Exception to expire. Pursuant to Section 30.3.6 of the Seminole County Land Development Code (SCLDC), when a Special Exception use is discontinued or abandoned for 180 days or longer, the future use of the land shall revert to the permitted uses in the district in which said land is located, and a new Special Exception is required for the proposed use.
Due to the property not being used as a bank for more than 180 days, the Special Exception has expired; therefore, necessitating the need for another Special Exception.
No site improvements are being proposed at this time, and the existing building will be reoccupied as a bank. On March 2, 2022, the existing TD Bank approved a site plan to remove a retaining wall, sidewalk, and parking areas behind the drive-thru and relocate the parking toward the front of the property. The approved site plan meets the SCLDC requirements for required landscape buffers, and off-street parking requirements for the use of a bank.
STAFF FINDINGS
In reviewing Special Exception requests, Section 30.3.1.5(a) of the SCLDC requires that the Planning and Zoning Commission hold a public hearing to consider the proposed Special Exception and submit written recommendations to approve of conditions or deny the request to the Board of County Commissioners for official action. After reviewing the Special Exception request and a public hearing, the Board of County Commissioner may approve the request if it is determined that the use requested:
(1) Is not detrimental to the character of the area or neighborhood or inconsistent with trends of development in the area:
Staff Analysis:
The use of the site as a bank has been established since 1984. The site was originally approved for the use of a bank by the Board of Adjustment on September 17, 1984; the Special Exception was reinstated in 1996 after the use had been discontinued for 180 days.
The Applicant will be using the same drive thru lanes, existing building square feet, and off-street parking.
The existing trend of development of the area is residential, office, and commercial uses; the corner site on the west of the subject site currently operates as a Seacoast Bank.
(2) Does not have an unduly adverse effect on existing traffic patterns, movements and volumes:
Staff Analysis:
The subject site has been utilized as a bank intermittently since 1984. At time of original approval the use was evaluated for traffic impacts; therefore, the bank is not expected to have an unduly adverse effect on existing traffic patterns, movements and volumes.
(3) Is consistent with the County’s Comprehensive Plan:
Staff Analysis:
The subject property has a Future Land Use designation of Office. Pursuant to the Seminole County Comprehensive Plan, the purpose and intent of this land use designation is to identify locations for a variety of office uses and allow for the conversion of existing residential structures to low intensity (residential professional) office uses. This Land Use permits the use of a bank, when approved through the Special Exception process.
Further, the requested Special Exception to allow the use of a bank would not increase the Floor Area Ratio (F.A.R.) above 0.35, which is the maximum allowed intensity in the Office Future Land Use; therefore, the request is consistent with the Seminole County Comprehensive Plan.
(4) Will not adversely affect the public interest:
Staff Analysis:
The use of a bank has been established on the subject site since 1984. Along SR 434, there is an existing Seacoast bank and existing professional office establishments. Therefore, granting the subject Special Exception will not adversely affect public interest.
(5) Meets any Special Exception criteria described in Additional Use Standards.
Staff Analysis:
Not applicable to this request.
(6) Meets the following additional requirements if located in the OP (Office) zoning district:
(i) Is consistent with the general zoning category and plan of the OP (Office) District.
Staff Analysis:
The use of a bank is consistent with the zoning category of Office with the intent of an office use that provides a transactional service to their bank members. The site currently has two (2) access points: The primary access point is from SR 434, which is classified as an arterial roadway, and the secondary access point is from Lake Brantley Drive, which is classified as a local road. The existing site will not introduce any noise or heavy commercial operations. Overall, the continued use of the site as a bank can be found to satisfy the OP District’s purpose of promoting orderly, low-intensity development that blends with nearby residential areas while maintaining appropriate access and circulation characteristics.
(ii) Is compatible with the concept of low intensity of land usage and site coverage.
Staff Analysis:
A bank is considered a low traffic generator with limited noise and operational impacts compared to retail and commercial uses. The hours of operation are daytime hours between 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. (with some mid-week extensions to 6:00 p.m.) Monday - Friday and 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Saturday. The bank use is primarily inside the building with vehicles utilizing the drive-thru sporadically throughout the day. The size of the existing building 3,228 square feet, which is compatible with the surrounding office and bank uses in the surrounding area.
(iii) Has access to urban services, such as sewer, water, police, fire, and related services.
Staff Analysis:
The existing building is already connected to water and sewer, and the subject property is addressed for police and fire to locate the site.
(iv) Will not create, by reason of its characteristics, a requirement for the granting of a variance as a prerequisite to the granting of said special exception, especially (by way of illustration and not limitation) variances relating to setbacks, lot size, building height, access, or parking and loading.
Staff Analysis:
During the review of the conceptual plan, the Applicant demonstrated that the subject site meets the minimum building setbacks, lot size, width at building line, building height, and the minimum off-street parking requirements for a bank.
Community Meeting
Per Sec. 30.3.5.1 - The Division Manager may waive the required Community Meeting, based upon the needs of the abutting communities or the County, as a result of generally accepted land use planning practices and principles. Because the property has been continuously used as a bank since its original approval in 1984, the requirement for a community meeting has been waived for this Special Exception request.
Planning and Zoning Commission
The Planning and Zoning Commission met on December 3, 2025, and voted unanimously to recommend the Board of County Commissioners approve the Special Exception and the associated Development Order, to allow the use of a bank in the OP (Office) zoning district on approximately 1.52 acres, located at the corner of SR 434 and E Lake Brantley Dr.
Requested Action:
Staff requests the Board of County Commissioners approve the Special Exception as per the following motion:
Based on Staff’s findings and testimony and evidence received at the hearing, the Board of County Commissioners finds the request meets the identified portions of the Seminole County Land Development Code and moves to approve the Special Exception to allow, with the conditions stated in the Development Order, a bank in the OP (Office) district.