Follow the real intent of DPZ design code on OLF 8, not 'spirit' | Guestview
On Thursday, a new $20 million offer for the southern 375 acres of Outlying Landing Field 8 (OLF 8) was on the agenda for Escambia County Commissioners to discuss. Fred Hemmer and his partners in Beulah TownCenter, LLC, recently submitted the offer with a sketched plan.
With each offer, I consult the DPZ CoDesign project manager for the OLF 8 Master Plan, Marina Khoury. She said earlier plans were nothing like the master plan and would violate the OLF 8 Design Code. That code is our insurance that whoever develops the site will build a place that people love. If developers follow the “Intent” section of the design code, she said, Beulah will be alright.
The latest offer is much better, she says.
Latest offer: Escambia County has new offer for Beulah OLF 8 property. Why this one could be THE one.
The letter of intent package the partners submitted says they will develop “following the design principles as were approved by the Board of County Commissioners in the DPZ Master Plan for OLF-8.” Later, they say, “These design aspects will follow the intent set forth in the approved DPZ Master Plan” with the land uses in their sketched plan.
It is crucial that we insist on following the real “Intent” guidelines in the DPZ design code - not the “spirit” or any other apparitions.
What does it say in the intent section of the DPZ Design Code?
You can read “Sec. DC-1.1 Intent”on page 6 of the design code: OLF-8 Design Code
Here’s a condensed version:
The OLF 8 Design Code provides a predictable framework for development and zoning regulations to guide the placement, form and use of buildings within the master plan area.
The intent of the OLF 8 zoning regulations is to support the county’s goals for the site and sustainable growth in Beulah that will attract new investment, and to create a regional destination with a variety of commerce, retail and civic establishments.
It is to promote small, incremental development alongside larger development, with diverse, mixed-use business and civic uses in the town center. The scale, placement and design of public buildings will be pedestrian friendly, with safe, pleasant and walkable streets in a small-town, urban character. It should encourage a connected transportation network for all modes of transportation.
Residential will have a mix of moderate density buildings with a wide range of options to meet the current and future needs of residents. The developer will encourage healthy neighborhoods with a network of public, connected recreational areas and trails.
BCC approved Zoning Districts that DPZ created specifically for OLF 8
Following the “Intent” statement in the design code, is a summary of the zoning districts that DPZ created specifically for OLF 8. Here are two of the seven zoning districts:
Z3: Commerce District: A medium intensity commerce district, consisting of commercial uses only, and in particular retail uses. Buildings should be set close to the sidewalk and parking should be screened from public frontages.
Z6: Low Intensity Residential: A low intensity residential district, consisting of single-family attached and detached housing. Blocks should be laid out on a regular network of streets with sidewalks, and steady street tree planting. Setbacks and landscaping are variable.
This zoning will be critical if OLF 8 is to become a place where others will want to visit, work and invest.
What else matters as Escambia county considers new OLF 8 offer?
The new offer has no detached, single family residential, just a mix of multi-family building types. Denser residential will help support the town center but also create more traffic. The county needs to speed up planned road improvements.
The last appraisals of OLF 8 were in 2016, so who knows what it is worth today. What is to prevent anyone from buying low and then selling high? Still, there is long-term value in building according to plan ? even if the price seems a bit low now.
Hemmer has said he will have partners with experience in creating a town center. We need to know who those partners will be.
The offer reduces the number of roads coming off Nine Mile Road. Less curb cuts on speedy Nine Mile Road may reduce accidents and save lives, but they will also reduce road connectivity.
Escambia School Board member Kevin Adams wants a high school on OLF 8. And a business/cyber/leadership magnet could be great. Should it go on the south side, civic-zoned property or off Frank Reeder Road?
Hemmer met with me long before there was an OLF 8 master plan. We talked about town planning ideas I was learning through CivicCon and from The Congress for the New Urbanism that could be realized on OLF 8. I do trust his intentions with this project, but we still need to cover all the bases in negotiations.
Theresa Blackwell is a former Tampa Bay Times reporter and advocate for Beulah.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Follow the real intent of DPZ design code on OLF 8, not 'spirit' | Guestview