Title:
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Historic Oviedo Colored Schools Museum Small Scale Future Land Use Map Amendment and PD Rezone - Consider a Small Scale Future Land Use Map Amendment from Medium Density Residential to Planned Development, and a Rezone from R-1 (Single Family Residential) to PD (Planned Development) on approximately 0.12 acres, located at the intersection of W SR 426 and James Drive, Oviedo; (Judith Smith, Applicant) District1 - Dallari (Joy Giles, Principal Planner)
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Agenda Category:
Public Hearing Items
Department/Division:
division
Development Services
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Authorized By:
Jose Gomez, Development Services Director
Contact/Phone Number:
Joy Giles/407-665-7399
Background:
The Applicant is requesting a Small Scale Future Land Use Map Amendment from Medium Density Residential to Planned Development, and a Rezone from R-1 (Single Family Dwelling) to PD (Planned Development) for the purpose of restoring an existing historic 1,100 square foot building to be utilized as a museum to chronicle the history of the colored schools in the Oviedo area from 1913 - 1967.
The subject property is approximately 5,000 square feet in size, known as Lot 5 of the Jamestown Subdivision, located at the intersection of W SR 426 and James Drive. The existing historic structure was built in 1938 and operated as the St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church and the Gabriella Colored School until around 1952 when the school was consolidated with Jackson Heights School in Oviedo. At some point in time, the building was no longer occupied, and the structure fell into disrepair. Applicant Judith Smith formed the foundation “The Historic Jamestown Colored Schools Museum Incorporated” in 2019 and began raising funds to restore the historic structure. The foundation has since received a grant from the State of Florida to assist in the restoration. The subject site is still under the ownership of the St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church; the church and the historic foundation have entered a twenty-five (25) year lease to operate as the Historic Oviedo Colored Schools Museum.
The site has development constraints due to the size of the parcel and the placement of the existing historical building, constructed prior to Seminole County’s subdivision regulations. The 1,100 square foot building is positioned approximately one (1) foot from the front yard (south perimeter adjacent to James Drive) lot line. Due to the existing configuration of the building, the site is accessed from James Drive at the east perimeter of the parcel as shown on the Master Development Plan. The constrained site does not have the ability to provide for an onsite parking lot and associated drive aisles; therefore, one (1) parking space meeting the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) parking regulations will be provided onsite, and the remaining six (6) parking spaces will be provided offsite via a parking agreement. The parking agreement provides the subject property with six (6) parking spaces at the St. Lukes Evangelical Lutheran Church, located at 2021 W SR 426, approximately 1.25 miles north of the subject site. Per the executed agreement, six (6) parking spaces will be designated for the Museum’s use between the Museum’s operating hours of Monday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., by appointment only. Patrons visiting the museum must make an appointment for the tour and must have transportation for drop off and pick up at the museum. The transportation provider will have the ability to park at the St Lukes Evangelical Lutheran Church in the designated parking area and wait until the appointed pick-up time.
The site currently has a Medium Density Residential Future Land Use designation and an R-1 (Single Family Dwelling) zoning classification. The existing future land use and zoning does not allow for the proposed use of a museum; therefore, necessitating the need for a land use amendment and rezone.
The Future Land Use and zoning designations of the surrounding area are as follows:
East: James Drive
Future Land Use: Medium Density Residential
Zoning: R-1 (Single Family Dwelling)
West: W SR 426
Future Land Use: Industrial
Zoning: C-3 (Heavy Commercial and Very Light Industrial)
North: Future Land Use: Medium Density Residential
Zoning: R-1 (Single Family Dwelling)
South: James Drive
Future Land Use: Medium Density Residential
Zoning: R-1 (Single Family Dwelling)
Site Analysis
Floodplain Impacts:
Based on the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) with an effective date of 2007, the site does not appear to contain floodplain.
Wetland Impacts:
Based on preliminary aerial photo and County wetland map analysis, the site does not appear to contain wetlands.
Utilities:
The site is located within Seminole County’s water and sewer service area and is required to connect to public utilities. There is a six (6) inch potable water main along the northeast side of James Drive, and an eight (8) inch gravity sewer main along the southwest side of James Drive, available for connection. Reclaimed water is currently not available. Water and sewer capacity is available to serve the proposed development.
Transportation/Traffic:
The property is accessed from James Drive, which is classified as a local road and does not have improvements programmed in the County’s five (5) year Capital Improvement Program.
Sidewalks:
There is an existing sidewalk along W SR 426, adjacent to the west perimeter of the site; however, there is no sidewalk along James Drive. Due to the right-of-way constraints of James Drive, internal direct access to the sidewalk along W SR 426 will be provided.
Drainage:
The subject site is located within the Howell Creek Drainage Basin. The property is developed, and substantial improvements are not proposed. At time of Site Plan review additional drainage and conveyance requirements will be evaluated.
Buffers and Open Space:
The Master Development Plan illustrates a ten (10) foot wide landscape buffer along the north, south, and east perimeter, and a fifteen (15) foot wide buffer along the west perimeter adjacent to W SR 426. Buffer components will be established at Final Development Plan. A minimum of twenty-five (25) percent open space is provided in compliance with Seminole County Land Development Code (SCLDC) Sec. 30.1.4.2.2.
Consistency with the Land Development Code
The intent and purpose of the PD (Planned Development) zoning district is to promote flexibility and innovation to meet the needs of County residents and businesses by facilitating innovative design solutions and development plans, that may be difficult to achieve under conventional zoning regulations. Planned developments shall promote flexibility and creativity in addressing changing social, economic and market conditions, especially where they are used to implement adopted policies of the Comprehensive Plan.
The proposed PD zoning designation and the associated Master Development Plan have been evaluated for compliance with the review criteria for Planned Developments as follows:
SCLDC Sec. 30.8.5.3 - Review Criteria
(a) Comprehensive Plan Consistency. In approving a planned development, the Board of County Commissioners shall affirm that the proposed development is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan, and effectively implements any performance criteria that the Plan may provide.
Staff Analysis:
The requested Planned Development Future Land Use designation establishes the maximum intensity of the development and supports the proposed PD (Planned Development) zoning classification, as discussed further in the next section.
(b) Greater Benefit and Innovation Criteria. In addition, PD zoning may be approved only when the Board determines that the proposed development cannot be reasonably implemented though existing provisions of this Code, and that a PD would result in greater benefits to the County than development under conventional zoning district regulations. Such greater benefits must include two or more of the following:
(1) Natural resource preservation.
(2) Crime Prevention (CPTED).
(3) Neighborhood/community amenities.
(4) Provision of affordable or workforce housing.
(5) Reduction in vehicle miles traveled per household.
(6) Transit-oriented development.
(7) Provision of new multimodal connectivity.
(8) Innovation in water or energy conservation.
(9) Innovative development types not currently provided within the
County but consistent with the goals of the Comprehensive Plan.
Staff Analysis:
The subject site has development constraints due to the size of the parcel and the placement of the existing building, which dates back to 1938, prior to Seminole County’s subdivision regulations and building setback requirements. The building is located approximately one (1) foot from the front yard (south perimeter) lot line. The parcel is located at the intersection of W SR 426 and James Drive. Due to the existing configuration of the building, the site is accessed from James Drive at the east perimeter of the parcel. The constrained site does not have the ability to provide for an onsite parking lot and associated drive aisles; therefore, one (1) parking space meeting the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) parking regulations will be provided onsite and the remaining required parking spaces will be provided offsite via a parking agreement. Due to the unique nature of the subject site, redevelopment cannot be reasonably implemented with conventional zoning.
The proposed use of a museum for the preservation and sharing of the history associated with colored schools in the Oviedo area will provide an amenity to the community and will preserve a historical structure for generations to come.
(c) In addition, any proposed development under the PD ordinance must address the following goals:
(1) Meet or exceed the arbor, tree preservation, and tree planting requirements of this Code on a project-wide basis.
(2) Minimize transportation impacts through design elements, which
may include but are not limited to: multimodal connectivity; electric vehicle charging; infrastructure of pedestrian or bicycle infrastructure exceeding the minimum standards; shared transportation parking or devices; pedestrian-oriented architectural design; accommodation or neighborhood electric vehicles; transportation demand management; or permitting complementary uses.
Staff Analysis:
The proposed Master Development Plan illustrates perimeter landscape buffers that comply with the landscape buffer requirements of the SCLDC. The site currently has no landscaping; therefore, the proposed perimeter landscape buffers will provide an improvement to the existing condition of the site.
Shared transportation parking will be provided via a parking agreement between the Museum and St. Lukes Evangelical Lutheran Church located approximately one (1) mile north of the subject site. The site will also be directly connected to the sidewalk on SR 426 for pedestrian access.
(d) The PD application shall include a narrative addressing the following:
1. How the proposed development addresses the goals of the Comprehensive Plan.
2. Why the proposed development cannot be achieved under an
existing conventional or special zoning district.
3. How the proposed development provides an innovative approach to
land development.
4. A description of benefits to the County that cannot be achieved under the existing provisions of this Code.
Staff Analysis:
The Applicant has demonstrated compliance with SCLDC Sec. 30.8.5.3(d) - Review Criteria.
(e) Residential PD Design Standards:
Staff Analysis:
SCLDC Sec. 30.8.5.3(e) is not applicable to the proposed development.
(f) Required Residential Neighborhood Improvements:
Staff Analysis:
SCLDC Sec. 30.8.5.3(f) is not applicable to the proposed development.
(g) Common Useable Open Space:
Staff Analysis:
A minimum of twenty-five (25) percent open space shall be provided.
Consistency with the Comprehensive Plan
The purpose and intent of the Planned Development land use designation is to implement innovative arrangements of land development features that are not possible with the use of standard land use designations and zoning districts. The Planned Development future land use designation shall promote flexibility and creativity in the development design, especially where needed to implement adopted policies of the Comprehensive Plan. It may also be used to promote affordable/workforce housing, pedestrian-oriented development, and protection of natural resources such as wetlands, lakes, and other natural amenities.
Under Policy FLU 2.9 Determination of Compatibility in the Planned Development Zoning Classification, the County shall consider uses or structures proposed within the Planned Development zoning classification on a case by case basis evaluating the compatibility of the proposed use or structure with surrounding neighborhoods and uses. Compatibility may be achieved by application of performance standards such as, but not limited to, lot size, setbacks, buffering, landscaping, hours of operation, lighting, and building heights.
Due to the unique nature of the site and existing structure, along with the proposed use, Staff has determined that the Planned Development Future Land Use designation is most suitable for the development.
The proposed PD (Planned Development) zoning classification and associated Master Development Plan and Development Order addresses compatibility with the existing surrounding development. The proposed PD defines the specific use and hours of operation for the site; establishes a maximum building square footage and building height; and provides adequate buffering for compatibility with the adjacent neighbors.
Staff finds the proposed Planned Development Future Land Use designation and Planned Development Zoning classification to be consistent with the Comprehensive Plan.
Community Meeting
In compliance with Seminole County Land Development Code Sec. 30.49 - Community Meeting Procedure, the Applicant conducted a community meeting on March 19, 2024; details of the community meeting have been provided in the agenda package.
Planning & Zoning Commission
The Planning and Zoning Commission met on March 5, 2025, and voted unanimously to recommend the Board of County Commissioners adopt the Ordinance enacting a Small Scale Future Land Use Map Amendment from Medium Density Residential to Planned Development and adopt the Ordinance enacting a Rezone from R-1 (Single Family Dwelling) to PD (Planned Development), and approve the associated Development Order and Master Development Plan. The March 5, 2025 P&Z minutes are attached.
Requested Action:
Staff requests the Board of County Commissioners adopt the proposed Small Scale Future Land Use Map Amendment and concurrent Rezone with the following two motions:
1.) Based on Staff’s findings and the testimony and evidence received at the hearing, the Board finds the request meets the identified portions of the Comprehensive Plan and moves to adopt the requested Small Scale Future Land Use Map Amendment from Medium Density Residential to Planned Development; and
2.) Based on Staff’s findings and the testimony and evidence received at the hearing, the Board finds the request meets the identified portions of the Seminole County Land Development Code and moves to adopt the requested Rezone from R-1 (Single Family Dwelling) to PD (Planned Development), and associated Development Order and Master Development Plan.