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ITEM: ORDINANCE NO. 2020-18 REPEAL THE LAND USE ELEMENT AND REPLACE WITH THE LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
AN ORDINANCE OF WELLINGTON, FLORIDA’S COUNCIL AMENDING THE WELLINGTON COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, MORE SPECIFICALLY, TO REPEAL THE LAND USE ELEMENT AND REPLACE WITH THE LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT, INCLUDING ANY ELEMENT MAPS, IN ITS ENTIRETY, AS CONTAINED HEREIN; PROVIDING A CONFLICTS CLAUSE; PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
REQUEST: Approval of Ordinance No. 2020-18, a Comprehensive Plan Text Amendment (CPTA) to repeal the Land Use Element and replace with the Land Use and Community Design Element of Wellington’s Comprehensive Plan.
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EXPLANATION: The Wellington Comprehensive Plan is being updated. The Plan forms the blueprint for Wellington’s future for the next 10 to 20 years. The Plan is comprised of 10 “elements” or chapters and each element consists of goals, objectives, and policies to guide development and redevelopment, transportation, infrastructure, parks, and capital improvements.
The update of the Land Use and Community Design Element builds upon the original ideas adopted in 1999 to manage development and reorganizes the principles, guidelines, strategies, and standards into four distinct goals - Land Uses; Neighborhoods & Districts; Protect Our Investment; and Sustainability. Some of the continuing concepts for the element include:
• Compatibility with existing conditions and complementary uses
• Development performance standards to achieve high quality development
• Conservation property management
• Neighborhood and resource protection
• Concurrency for infrastructure and public facilities/services to ensure facilities are in place and funded by development
Generally, the land uses within the element remain the same (refer to Table LU&CD 1-1). Certain land uses have been renamed, but their density/intensity and purpose remain the same. These include:
• Residential Land Uses B and C - simplified
• Commercial Recreation - split into two land uses
o Equestrian Commercial Recreation; only for areas within the Equestrian Preserve Area
o Open Space Recreation; golf courses within the Wellington Planned Unit Development area
• Commercial - combines neighborhood, community, office, and medical into one land use
• Large Scale Mixed Use (LSMU) - previously referred to as Regional Commercial/LSMU
• Flex - previously referred to as Industrial
• Community Facility - previously referred to as Institutional/Public Facilities/Utilities
The element also begins to shift the focus from managing development to preserving and protecting the community and establishing objectives and policies to address reinvestment. Objective LU&CD 2.1 Community Design & Appearance introduces Wellington’s long standing practice of creating attractive streetscapes and a strong aesthetic character within neighborhoods. Objective LU&CD 2.4 Neighborhood Reinvestment introduces the concept of reinvestment which is presented in Table LU&CD 1-1. The Table LU&CD establishes the two levels of density and intensity bonuses. The first level of bonus is for a Planned Unit Development (PUD). The PUD bonus level is currently addressed in the Land Development Regulations and provides the standards and performance measures needed to achieve this level of development. The second and newest level of bonus is the “Reinvestment Bonus Density”. This concept is being introduced into the element to support future private reinvestment in existing commercial and multifamily areas. The table and supporting objective/policies establish the potential maximum density bonuses for a particular land use and also identifies the community benefits which may be required to achieve the bonus (Objective LU&CD 3.5 and Policies LU&CD 3.5.1, 3.5.2, 3.5.3, and 3.5.4). The bonus is targeted to certain land uses, but the specific eligible areas must be defined in the Land Development Regulations, along with the specific implementation program, as approved by Village Council. The Comprehensive Plan sets up the concept, but will require additional program development, public input, and Village Council approval for full execution and utilization by any property owner or developer.
The proposed plan also includes several new objectives and policies to address changing trends and conditions in Wellington. The following are new concepts in the plan:
• Reinvestment in the Wellington Green Mall
• A State Road 7 Medical Hub
• Potential conversion of existing planned development districts into conventional zoning districts
• Advisory land use for future annexation areas to define
• Sustainability goal with supporting objectives for economic development, innovative planning, and tree canopy
At the November 17, 2020 Planning, Zoning, and Adjustment Board meeting, the Board voted unanimously (5-0) to recommend approval of Ordinance No. 2020-18.
BUDGET AMENDMENT REQUIRED: NO
PUBLIC HEARING: YES QUASI-JUDICIAL: NO
FIRST READING: YES SECOND READING:
LEGAL SUFFICIENCY: YES
FISCAL IMPACT: N/A
WELLINGTON FUNDAMENTAL: Responsive Government
RECOMMENDATION: Approval of Ordinance No. 2020-18, a Comprehensive Plan Text Amendment (CPTA) to repeal the Land Use Element and replace with the Land Use and Community Design Element of Wellington’s Comprehensive Plan.