Staff Report Rezoning Application PUD-21-01

Copies of the application are available at the Clay County Administration Office, 3rd floor, located at 477
Houston Street Green Cove Springs, FL 32043

Owner / Agent Information

Applicant: G&T Batton Properties LLC Address: 1607 Lucas Avenue
Batton Lake Development, Inc. Green Cove Springs, FL 32043
Phone:
Email:

Agent: Rogers Towers, PA/ Wyman Dugan Address: 1301 Riverside Blvd., Suite 1500,
Phone: 904-346-5502 Jacksonville, Fla 32207
Email: wduggan@rtlaw.com

Property Information
Parcel ID: See Below Address: 5268 S. Hwy 17 & 1172 Batton Rd
Zoning Current: AG & AR Land Use: AG & RR
Zoning Proposed: PUD Acres: 95.23+/-
Commission District: 1 (Commissioner Cella) Planning District: Green Cove Springs

Parcel ID: 03-07-26-015793-019-00; 03-07-26-015793-023-00; 03-07-26-015793-019-01; 03-07-26-

015812-002-00; 10-07-26-015830-040-00; 03-07-26-015809-000-00

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PUD 21-01
Surrounding Zoning

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Aerial and Site Photos

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Proposed PUD Zoning District
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The application for the proposed PUD provides a site plan and written statement describing the intended
campground/RV park and associated uses. Please refer to applicant’s written statement and site plan for
uses and restrictions.

Analysis
The applicant is requesting a change in zoning of six parcels from Agricultural (Ag) and
Agricultural/Residential (AR) to Planned Use Development (PUD) district. The request would change
48.34 acres of Agricultural/Residential zoned property and 46.89 acres of Agricultural zoned property PUD.
The surrounding zoning and future land use are as follows:

Surrounbdng Zoning and Future Land Use

Zoning Future Land Use
North Agricultural & Agricultural/Residential Agriculture & Rural Residential
South Agricultural & Agricultural/Residential Agriculture & Rural Residential
East Agricultural/Residential Rural Residential
West Agricultural Agriculture

The intent of the request is to facilitate the development of a campground/RV park project on the subject
parcels containing 95.23+ acres.

The property is located on the west of US Highway 17 approxmately 2.6 miles south of the proposed
interchange of the First Coast Expressway at US Hwy. 17. The site has been utilized for agricultural and
silviculture activities. The site also contains an existing 15+ acre borrow area. The borrow area is proposed
to be reclaimed as a pond amenity to support the campground/RV park use.

The development plan, as proposed, includes 550 RV spaces with associated accessory uses to support the
RV resort including, convenience store, laundry facilities pool, clubhouse , restaurant, and recreational
faciilties. A single access to the proposed campground will be from U.S Hwy. 17 South. A private paved
road network will be provided for internal circulation within the development.

The intent of the PUD zoning dirtict is to encourage the development of land as planned communities;
encourage flexible and creative concepts of site planning; preserve the natural amenities of the land by
encouraging scenic and functional open space; accomplish a more desirable environment than would be
possible through the strict application of the minimum requirements of this regulation; provide for the
efficient use of land resulting in smaller networks of utilities and streets and thereby lowering development
and housing costs; and provide a stable environment character compatible with surrounding areas.

Recommendation
Staff has reviewed the application and finds the proposed PUD to be compatible with the surrounding uses.
The PUD zoning provides assurance as to the type and intensity of development allowed for the property.
Staff finds the proposed RV Park and PUD zoning is consistent with the future land use, if the land
development code text changes proposed by the same applicant in LDC 21-04 are adopted. Staff
recommends approval of PUD-21-01 as shown in the attached written description contigent upon the
adoption of the proposed changes to the land development code proposed in application LDC 21-04.

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 Batton Lake RV Resort
Written Description

I. SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPERTY

A. Current Land Use Designation: AG

B. Current Zoning District: AG/AR

C. Requested Zoning District: Planned Unit Development (PUD)

D. RE #: 03-07-26-015793-019-00; 03-07-26-015793-023-00; 03-07-26-015793-

019-01; 03-07-26-015812-002-00; 10-07-26-015830-040-00; 03-07-26-015809-
000-00

II. SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF THE PLAN

The Applicant proposes to rezone approximately 96± acres of property from AG/AR
to the Planned Unit Development (PUD) zoning district, in accordance with this written
description and the conceptual site plan of the proposed development attached to this
application (the “Site Plan”). The Property is located off US Hwy 17 South (the
“Property”), and is currently undeveloped except for a borrow pit. The proposed land
use amendment and rezoning permits the Property to be developed as a recreational
vehicle resort. Upon approval, the terms of this written description and of the Site Plan
will govern the development of the Property.
III. DEVELOPMENT CRITERIA

A. Description of Permitted Uses.

1. Recreational vehicle resort/park containing no more than 550 total RV

spaces to serve the following RV types: Class A, B, and C motor homes,
conventional travel trailers, 5th wheel travel trailers, expandable travel
trailers, and park model recreational vehicles. Individuals may stay for up
to 180 consecutive days. Recreational vehicles may stay for up to 180 days,
with the exception of park models, which may have stays of unlimited
duration. Up to 40% of RV spaces may be used for park models.

2. Various permanent structures to serve the needs of the resort and its visitors
including but not limited to service and administrative office/center,
convenience store, laundry facility, lavatory, toilet and shower facilities,
manager’s residence, storage buildings, utility sheds, maintenance facilities,
open air pavilions, theater structure, pool house, clubhouse, restaurant, and
various other structures. The total square footage of permanent structures
under roof shall not exceed 22,000 square feet.

3. Park, public recreation, community, and special event uses and facilities to
serve occupants of the park and/or the general public, including but not
limited to car shows, music concerts, farmers markets, youth camps,
corporate retreats, weddings, outdoor theater events, bingo events, cooking

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 events, etc. Sales of the following to include but not be limited to:
merchandise, souvenirs, food, drinks, convenience items, arts, crafts, event
passes, parking passes, and other ancillary concessions and entertainment
goods and services.

4. Golf amenities, playground, picnic area, recreational ball and game court,
swimming pool and poolhouse/cabana, water slides, swimming lake,
inflatables, splash park, ropes course, zip lines, climbing wall, dock, fishing
pond, dog park, walking and riding trails and other recreational activity
amenities.

5. Outside storage of recreational vehicles, cars, motorcycle, boats, golf carts,

and trailers.

6. Meeting venue for clubs, associations, fraternal organizations, and other

organizations.

7. Essential services including wireless telecommunication and internet

facilities and structures, roads, water, sewer, gas, telephone, stormwater
management facilities, radio, television, electric, marine and land
communication devices, small satellite dishes, and similar uses.

8. Restaurants/bars serving food and all alcoholic beverages.

9. Recreational vehicle leasing, sales and service, cabin leasing and sales.
Typical hotel operations.

10. Vending machines, equipment and facility rental, sporting events, fire pits,
open space, and recreation areas.

B. Permitted Accessory Uses and Structures. Accessory uses and structures

typically ancillary to the foregoing permitted uses.

C. Prohibited Uses: Tent camping, primitive camping, truck campers, folding

camping trailers.

D. Minimum Development Requirements.

1. Minimum parcel size: 96 acres.

2. Minimum setback: Recreational vehicles and buildings shall be located a

minimum of fifteen (15) feet from all property lines.

3. Minimum RV space lot requirements: Thirty-five (35) feet by fifty (50) feet;
1,750 square feet in area. There shall be no more than one recreational
vehicle parked in each space. Each space may be grassed, mulched or
covered with some other natural material, covered with crushed gravel, or
paved with asphalt, concrete, or similar material. The spaces will not be
platted.

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 4. Minimum yard requirements: None.

5. Maximum height of structures: Thirty-five (35) feet. Spires, cupolas,

antennas, chimneys, flagpoles, and other appurtenances not intended for
human occupancy may be placed above the maximum heights provided for
herein.

6. Maximum lot coverage by all buildings and structure: Seventy-five (75)

percent.

7. Phasing: The Property may be developed in several phases of various

sizes.

E. Common Area Landscape Maintenance. The Applicant shall ensure the proper
maintenance of all common areas.

F. Access. Access to the site will be from US Hwy 17 South. As indicated on the Site
Plan, the Property will have one primary access point. The design of the access
point and internal road as shown on the Site Plan may vary prior to development.

G. Circulation. The site will be developed with an internal network of private roads
surfaced with concrete, asphaltic cement, or similar hard-surfaced material which
is resistant to dust or mud. Access drives will be provided to each rental space and
shall be continuous unless provided with adequate turn-around area. No access
drive will be less than 22 feet wide if for two-way traffic. One way access drives
will be not less than 15 feet wide.

H. Lavatory facilities. Lavatory facilities will be provided at a ratio of 1 toilet and 1

lavatory per 50 RV spaces or fraction thereof (regardless of sex). Similarly, shower
facilities will be provided at a ratio of 1 shower per 75 RV spaces (regardless of
sex). Toilets and lavatories in the clubhouse, pavilion, and other support structures
servicing the Property will be included and will count toward the above
requirements.

I. Signage.

One (1) externally or internally illuminated (including digital) double-sided project

identity sign up to eight (8) feet by sixteen (16) feet is permitted at the entrance to
the Property.
Directional signs for drivers of vehicles and for pedestrians shall be permitted
throughout the resort. The design of such signs shall be reflective of the overall
character of the resort, and may include the relevant project logo and name.
Vehicle-oriented signs shall be a maximum of four (4) square feet in area per sign
face. Pedestrian-oriented signs, such as “informational sidewalk kiosks,” 1-, 2-, 3-
or 4-sided (or cylindrical signs) shall be a maximum of four (4) square feet per side
(or 16 square feet for a cylinder). Directional signs may be attached to lighting
fixtures. Real estate signs and construction signs are also permitted.
Because the signs discussed above are architectural elements of the resort, intended
to be compatible with and complementary of the buildings in the park, they may be

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 located in structures or frames that are part of the architecture of the project.
Accordingly, the area of such signs shall be computed on the basis of the smallest
regular geometric shape encompassing the outermost individual letter, words, and
numbers on the sign and shall not include the frame or surrounding mount.
J. Landscaping/Fencing/Screening. Each RV space will be buffered as depicted on
the attached exhibit. Buildings shall be located a minimum of fifteen (15) feet from
all property lines. A perimeter fence, wall, or berm of up to ten (10) feet in height
and up to 100% opaque is permitted. Landscaping in buffers around the perimeter
of the Property and around buildings will meet County code. Vegetated buffering
between RV spaces will be of a height no taller than four (4) feet.

K. Lighting. Lighting shall be designed and installed to localize illumination onto the
Property and to minimize unreasonable interference or impact on any residential
zoning districts outside of the resort.

L. Stormwater Retention. Stormwater retention/detention system shall be designed

and constructed in accordance with the requirements of Clay County and the St.
Johns River Water Management District.

M. Utilities. Each RV site will be provided with piped potable water, sewage disposal
service and electricity and be permitted by FDEP and the Florida Department of
Health.

N. Temporary Uses. Temporary leasing and construction office(s) and trailers shall
be allowed.

O. Conceptual Site Plan. The configuration of the development as depicted in the

Site Plan is conceptual and revisions to the Site Plan, including access points and
internal circulation, are likely and will be allowed as the proposed development
proceeds through final engineering and site plan review.

P. Silviculture. Bona fide commercial agricultural activities may continue until

buildout.

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