Cape Council to consider land use changes from commercial to residential
Cape Coral City Council will consider on Wednesday two city-initiated ordinances that would change zoning for about a dozen small properties from commercial to residential.
On what is an otherwise light agenda, Council will consider a small-scale future land use map amendment from Commercial/Professional (CP) to Multi-Family Residential (MF) for two properties totaling 0.53 acres in southwest Cape Coral. The city has joined this application to include additional sites.
According to the staff presentation, the change would remove the potential for commercial development for the parcels. There has been no commercial development or assemblage of these properties and these sites lack the assemblage opportunities and visibility to develop with commercially-viable uses, city officials said.
One of the two properties contains a single-family residence. Approving the amendment would make the existing residence conforming and permit the undeveloped property to develop with residences.
Council will also consider a small-scale future land use map amendment from Commercial/Professional (CP) to Single-Family Residential (SF) for 23 properties comprising 5.50 acres in the northwest Cape Coral.
Council directed staff to move forward with this request at a March 30 workshop, and this is considered a land use and zoning recalibration ordinance, several of which have been presented to Council over the past year.
The impact of this change would be to remove the potential for commercial development. There has been no commercial development or assemblage of these properties since the cites were designated CAC in the mid-2000s, then later to CP. Nine of the 23 properties have existing single-family residences.
Approving the amendment would make the existing residences conforming and permit the remaining undeveloped properties to develop with residences, according to the staff presentation.
In other business
• Council will get a presentation on the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) for the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, 2021.
Council will hear that the city is in good financial condition with a favorable cash position, stable revenue growth and a strong financial profile, according to the staff presentation.
The city has benefited from the sharp rise in property valuations (the new preliminary valuations are expected to be released this week) and home sales. Its unemployment rate is 2.5 percent compared to 4.2 percent this time last year.
Overall economic conditions are expected to be stable for the near future.
• Council will get a quarterly update from the Youth Council and attempt to fill two vacancies on the Budget Review Committee.
Wednesday’s City Council meeting will begin at 4:30 p.m. The elected board meets in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 1015 Cultural Park Blvd.
To reach CHUCK BALLARO, please email news@breezenewspapers.com