Placement: Resolutions
Action Requested: Motion / Vote
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Resolution 23-R115, Authorizing Mitigation Agreement between Oak Ridge Ranches, LLC, and the City of Port St. Lucie and/or request for authorization for staff to take other actions as necessary to preserve the City’s interests.
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Submitted By: Teresa Lamar-Sarno, AICP, ICMA-CM, Assistant City Manager
Strategic Plan Link: The City’s Mission to plan for smart and balanced growth.
Executive Summary (General Business): The Agreement contemplated herein is related to the proposed Oak Ridge Ranches development in St. Lucie County. St. Lucie County is scheduled to hold the final hearing on the Oak Ridge Ranches Comprehensive Plan amendment, MPUD rezoning, and associated site plan, on October 12, 2023. City staff has been working with the County and the developer on a mitigation agreement for impacts to City roadways. The intent of the agreement is to ensure that any development-related impacts to City roadways are addressed and mitigated in a manner acceptable to the City. As of the date of this agenda memorandum, the agreement has not been finalized. The purpose of this agenda item two-fold. First, staff would like to provide the City Council with an update on the available options at this point in the process in order to protect our interests. Staff’s opinion is that the City has two practical options, both of which should run in tandem. The preferred option is a signed mitigation agreement with the developer, and the failsafe option is for the City to be a party of the quasi-judicial hearing at October 12th to obtain party status and preserve its rights. Second, and to implement the failsafe option, staff recommends and requests authorization to seek party status and make a presentation at the quasi-judicial hearing on October 12th if an agreement is not reached with the developer and the City by Monday, October 9, 2023. Staff will continue to try and reach an agreement with the developer to mitigate for impacts to City Roadways.
Presentation Information: Staff will provide a 10-minute presentation.
Staff Recommendation: Move that the Council approve and authorize the execution of the agreement and authorize staff to participate in the hearing on October 12th as a party to preserve the City’s rights in the event that the parties do not finalize the agreement by October 9th.
Alternate Recommendation:
1. Move that the Council provide staff direction.
Background: The Oak Ridge Ranches project site is approximately 3,229.24 acres located north of Glades Cut Off Road, south and adjacent to the C-24 canal, and on the west side of Range Line Road in St. Lucie County. If approved, the project would allow up to 8,600 dwelling units and up to 650,000 square feet of non-residential development. A revised Traffic Impact Analysis prepared by the developer shows a net trip generation of 67,861 daily, 4,431 AM peak-hour, and 6,515 PM peak-hour trip ends.
The project provides for the following specific proposed development:
• 5,300 single-family dwelling units
• 1,900 multi-family dwelling units
• 1,400 senior adult housing
• 600,000 sf of commercial
• 3,200 student K-8 school(s).
The City Council directed staff to review development proposals that may impact City infrastructure. On September 25th, staff provided an update to the City Council on the Oak Ridge Ranches development in the County. That update included some preliminary observations regarding the potential impact to the City roadway system. The City Council authorized staff to preserve the City’s rights and interests related to Oak Ridge Ranches.
City staff has been meeting with the developer’s representatives regularly to negotiate a mitigation agreement that all parties are amenable to and can agree to. The City seeks through the agreement, for the developer to make a binding commitment for itself and its successors and assigns in the project to construct or pay for and fully mitigate those portions of the City roadways deemed by the City to be impacted by the project and to voluntarily advance the timing of some of those City roadways.
A summary of the Proposed Traffic Commitments by Oak Ridge Ranches development within the City of Port St. Lucie (detailed in the draft agreement) is as follows:
- Construction of Crosstown Parkway as 4 lane divided roadway from Village Parkway to Range Line Road including signalization at both intersections of North-South A and Range Line Road with Crosstown Parkway.
- Intersection improvements at Crosstown Parkway and Range Line Road to include:
o Range Line Road - Northbound
§ 1 through lane
§ 1 shared through/right turn lane
o Range Line Road - Southbound
§ 2 left turn lanes
§ 2 through lanes
o Crosstown Parkway - Westbound
§ 2 left turn lanes
§ 2 right turn lanes
- Future Proportionate Share payment for the addition of a Westbound right turn lane at Tradition Parkway and Community Boulevard.
- Biennial Report submitted for review.
Issues/Analysis: This agreement has been changing as staff has been working closely with the developer’s team. By the date of the Regular City Council meeting on October 9th there may be an agreement that both staff and the developer find agreeable.
Financial Information: n/a
Special Consideration: n/a
Location of Project: Oak Ridge Ranches in St. Lucie County
Attachments:
1. Resolution
NOTE: All of the listed items in the “Attachment” section above are in the custody of the City Clerk. Any item(s) not provided in City Council packets are available upon request from the City Clerk.
LEGAL SUFFICIENCY REVIEW:
Reviewed by Elizabeth L. Hertz, Deputy City Attorney. Approved as to Legal form and sufficiency by James D. Stokes, City Attorney.