ITEM DESCRIPTION:
Title
VA-2504: Request for multiple variances from the Ridgewood Corridor Design Regulations, Article XX, Section 21-630, specifically from the following sections:
1. Section 21-630.10, Drive-through windows and lanes shall not be located on a side of the building visible from the right-of-way of U.S. Highway 1, i.e., Ridgewood Avenue.
2. Section 21-630.10.b.1., Stacking Distance. The following stacking distances, measured from the point of entry to the center of the farthest drive-through service window area, are required for full-service car washes: Two hundred twenty feet (220’).
3. Section 21-630.10.c., Pass Through Lanes. A pass-through lane shall be required for all drive-through facilities constructed adjacent to at least one (1) stacking lane in order to provide egress from the stacking lane.
4. Section 21-640.05(2), Prohibited Façade Treatments. Garage doors used either as decoration or for vehicular service, storage or any other use (these elements must be side loaded).
Body
OWNER/APPLICANT: Edgewater Auto Spa, LLC / Gordon Hardwick, Managing Manager
|
PARCEL ID: 8402-00-00-0040 |
CURRENT LAND USE: Vacant |
|
VOTING DISTRICT: District One -Council Person Mike Thomas |
FUTURE LAND USE DESIGNATION: Commercial |
|
AREA: 1.83 acres |
ZONING DISTRICT: B-3, Highway Commercial |
PROPOSED USE: The proposed use of the property is a full-service car wash. The applicant has submitted a site plan that is currently under review.
REQUESTED ACTIONS:
1. Allow the drive-through lanes to be located on the side of the building visible from the right-of-way of U.S. Highway 1, i.e., Ridgewood Avenue.
2. Reduce the stacking lane length by 52.54 feet from the 220 feet requirement for full-service car washes to 167.46 feet.
3. Eliminate the pass-through lane required to be constructed adjacent to at least one stacking lane and allow the provision of an employee stationed cut-through exit prior to the pay station.
4. Allow the use of garage doors for vehicular service as a façade treatment on U.S. Highway 1, i.e., Ridgewood Avenue.
DISCUSSION:
City Code Section 21-100 establishes the process and criteria to allow a modification of the strict application of Article IV - Resource Protection Standards and Article V - Project Design Standards requirements under limited conditions.
Application VA-2504 is a non-administrative variance, which requires the Planning and Zoning Board to review a staff report and recommendation and make the following findings of fact in order to approve:
1. That granting of the proposed variance is not in conflict with the Comprehensive Plan;
2. That granting of the proposed variance will not result in creating or continuing a use which is not compatible with adjacent uses in the area;
3. That granting of the proposed variance is the minimum action available to permit reasonable use of the property;
4. That the physical characteristics of the subject site are unique and not present on adjacent sites;
5. That the circumstances creating the need for the variance are not the result of actions by the applicant, actions proposed by the applicant or actions by the previous property owner(s);
6. That granting of the proposed variance(s) will not cause substantial detriment to the public welfare or impair the purposes and intent of the Land Development Code.
The subject property is currently vacant and located at 1829 South Ridgewood Avenue, south of East River Boulevard, north of Boston Road, west of South Riverside Drive, and east of Riverwood Avenue. The applicant has submitted a site plan to construct a 4,210 SF full-service car wash on the property. The property has a Commercial future land use designation (FLU) in the Comprehensive Plan, and is assigned the B-3, Highway Commercial, zoning classification.
The subject property abuts properties with a Commercial FLU and the B-3 classification to the north and to the south; properties with a Low-Density Residential FLU and the R-3, Single Family Residential, and R-1, Single Family Residential, zoning classifications to the east; and highway right-of-way to the west.
|
Table 1. Abutting Properties |
|
|
Future Land Use Designation |
Zoning Classification |
|
North |
Commercial |
B-3, Highway Commercial |
|
South |
Commercial |
B-3, Highway Commercial |
|
East |
Low-Density Residential |
R-1, Single Family Residential |
|
|
Low-Density Residential |
R-3, Single Family Residential |
|
West |
Highway Right-of-way |
Figure 1 - Location Map
Figure 2 - Proposed Site Plan
STAFF REVIEW:
1. Granting of the proposed variance is not in conflict with the Comprehensive Plan.
The proposed site design is incompatible with the following policies adopted in the Comprehensive Plan:
Future Land Use Policy 1.5.7: Maintaining Site Design Requirements and Subdivision Regulations. The City shall maintain site design requirements and subdivision regulations in the Land Development Code, which adequately address the impacts of new development on adjacent properties in all land use categories and zoning districts.
Future Land Use Policy 1.6.6: Guidelines for the SR 442 and U.S. 1 Corridors. The City shall continue to use the Indian River Boulevard-S.R. 442 Corridor Design Regulations (adopted in April 2004) and the Ridgewood Avenue Corridor Design Regulations (adopted in 2012) as a guide to implement regulations for specific streetscape, landscape, architectural design standards and all other applicable requirements for properties developed along the S.R 442 and U.S. 1 corridors.
Transportation Policy 1.8.2 New Development Requirement for a Transportation Impact Study. New developments shall be required to submit a Transportation Impact Analysis pursuant to the Transportation Impact Analysis (TIA) Guidelines Methodology for Development Applications Requiring a TIA within the River to Sea TPO Metropolitan Planning Area as adopted on June 22, 2016, as may be amended from time to time.
This criterion has not been met.
2. Granting of the proposed variance will not result in creating or continuing a use which is not compatible with adjacent uses in the area.
Applicant: Elimination of the by-pass lane to instead provide the cut-through lane will not affect adjacent uses or properties in the area. The car wash use is very specific with no similar uses adjacent to the property.
Staff Response: By-pass lanes are intended to maintain separation of the drive-through lanes(s) from the internal circulation routes and prevent stacking into the driveway and roadway, in this case Ridgewood Avenue. It is unclear as to how the proposed solution meets this intent. Furthermore, the trip generation of the proposed use is directly related to the square footage, or proposed intensity, of the use as designed by the applicant.
The applicant further stated that the configuration of the property geometry does not allow for a dedicated by-pass lane. Due to the projected 667 daily and 60 PM trips, two pay stations are needed to prevent over stacking of vehicles in the que at the pay stations. The building setback line and rear buffer widths establish the car wash tunnel orientation and still provide the drive aisles and vacuum stations.
Per the Transportation Impact Statement (TIS) submitted by the applicant, total daily trips are anticipated to be 488, with 32 AM Peak hour trips of 32, and PM Peak hour trips at 45. It is unclear as to whether two pay stations are required with the number of trips provided in the TIS.
Additionally, the location of the vacuums appears to result in a sound level limit above 60 dbA at the property line with the single-family residential neighborhood to the east. City Code Section 10-22(b) states that Sound or noise emanating from one use occupancy category into another use occupancy category with a different noise level limit shall not exceed the limits of the use occupancy category into which the noise is projected.
A Class C buffer is required between the B-3 commercial and the single-family residential zoning classifications. The landscaping plan does not meet the minimum requirement of plants. City Code (2024) Section 21-54-04, Table V-5, requires 50 plants per 100 linear feet; the applicant states that the eastern buffer yard is 374 linear feet, which would result in a required 180 plants; 90 plants are provided on the landscaping plan.
This criterion has not been met.
3. The proposed variances are the minimum action available to permit reasonable use of the property.
Applicant: The cut-through lane is the minimum that can be provided to meet the intent of the Land Development Code. Patrons can still by-pass paying and entering the wash tunnel without dedicated by-pass lane. The cut-through lane is the minimum action available given the irregular shape of the property.
Staff Response: The proposed variances are not necessary to permit the reasonable use of the property. The necessity of the proposed variances is directly related to the proposed intensity of the use and site design by the applicant.
The intent of the by-pass lane is not to “by-pass paying and entering the wash tunnel”. The dedicated by-pass lane maintains separation between drive-through lanes and the internal circulation routes, per City Code Section 21-52.03.e.6. Additionally, the proposed design shows four (4) parking spaces that back out into the drive-through aisles in order to circulate and exit the site.
This criterion has not been met.
4. The physical characteristics of the subject site are unique and not present on adjacent sites.
Applicant: The irregular shape of the property narrows considerably at the location of the pay stations. The proposed development meets the landscape buffer setback which must be met due to the residential properties to the east. The property characteristics are unique to the property and are not present on adjacent properties.
Staff Response: The physical characteristics of the site are unique; however the location of the pay stations is determined by the proposed design of the site by the applicant.
This criterion has been met.
5. The circumstances creating the need for the variance are not the result of actions by the applicant, actions proposed by the applicant or actions by the previous property owner(s).
Applicant: The circumstance to not provide the by-pass lane is due to the irregular shape of the
property. Eliminating one pay station to provide a dedicated by-pass lane will result in vehicles stacking to the driveway entrance. The Applicant attempted to provide a by-pass lane but could not be solved due to the circulation from the pay station to the wash tunnel entrance. The cut-through lane was the best attempt to meet the intent of the Land Development Code.
Staff Response: The design of the site and intensity of use proposed by the applicant creates the need for the requested variances. Two pay stations are required per the trip generation of the use, which based upon the total square footage provided by the applicant. The requested reduction in the length of the stacking lanes presents the issue of stacking into the driveway and onto South Ridgewood Avenue.
Per City Code Section 21.03.01, g. through j, the intent of the land development code includes:
- provision of criteria and standards to regulate, protect and enhance unique areas of the City including but not limited to, the gateway highway corridor, such as Indian River Boulevard and Ridgewood Avenue.
- establishment of procedures to ensure that policies and objectives of the Comprehensive Plan
- provision of criteria and procedures to ensure that the level of service standards established in the Comprehensive Plan are met.
- ensuring safe and convenient on-site traffic flow and parking.
This criterion has not been met.
6. Granting of the proposed variances will not cause substantial detriment to the public welfare or impair the purposes and intent of the Land Development Code.
Applicant: Granting to approve the elimination of the by-pass lane does not cause substantial detriment to the public welfare. Instead, the cut-through lane is intended to meet the intent of the Land Development Code.
Staff Response: The proposed site design and variance request will impair the intent of Ridgewood Avenue Corridor Design Regulations.
City Code Section 21-610 identifies the intent as to ensure high quality private development in the Ridgewood Avenue Corridor. The two major components of these regulations are: 1) landscape, buffer and related site development treatments, especially areas immediately adjacent to the road and 2) building design standards for new and redeveloped structures, including signage.
City Code Section 21-620 states that parcels that share a common boundary with Ridgewood Avenue will be subject to the requirements, standards and criteria contained in these regulations. Furthermore, these requirements apply to all residential, commercial, office, institutional and industrial development, including both public and private facilities within the Ridgewood Avenue Corridor.
City Code Section 21-640.04 - Façade Treatments states that building walls and façade treatments must avoid large blank wall areas by including at least three (3) of the design elements listed. The elevations submitted appear to show the primary façade with a large blank expanse, in addition to the prohibited garage doors.
Additionally, the requested reduction in the length of the stacking lanes, along with the lack of a pass-through, presents the issue of stacking into the driveway and onto South Ridgewood Avenue.
This criterion has not been met.
REVIEW COMMENTS:
Staff did not receive review comments from other departments.
PUBLIC NOTICE:
In accordance with Florida Statues Chapter 166.041, a Public Notice sign was posted on the site on May 28, 2025. In addition, Public Notices were mailed to all addresses within 500’ of the proposed project.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff does not recommend approval of the proposed variances because the approval criteria, identified in City Code Section 21-100.04(d), have not been met for the following reasons:
1. The proposed development as designed is not consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. It should be noted that Section 163.3194(1)(a), F.S., states that after a comprehensive plan, or element or portion thereof, has been adopted in conformity with this act, all development undertaken by, and all actions taken in regard to development orders by, governmental agencies in regard to land covered by such plan or element shall be consistent with such plan or element as adopted.
2. The proposed development as designed does not meet the minimum landscaping requirements between the proposed use and the existing single-family neighborhood abutting to the east, even with the required 6-foot wall. Additionally, the location of the vacuums appears to result in a sound level limit above 60 dbA at the property line with the neighborhood.
3. Potential stacking into the driveway as a result of the reduced stacking length could affect the level of service of Ridgewood Avenue, impacting adjacent uses.
4. The design of the site and intensity of use proposed by the applicant creates the need for the requested variances. The site cannot support the intensity of the use as presented (4,210 SF), which is the reason for the inability to meet City Code requirements on the site.
5. The proposed variances are not necessary to permit the reasonable use of the property. The physical characteristics of the site are not unique and do not include natural resource protection areas.
6. The proposed site design and variance request will impair the intent of Ridgewood Avenue Corridor Design Regulations and specified intent of the land development code.