At a glance

The LUZ Committee's most contentious action was a pair of Morse Avenue comp plan/rezoning items (Items 3 & 4) that drew more than 30 public speakers — overwhelmingly opposed — yet still passed 4-3, overruling a Planning Department denial. Both ORD 2026-0006 and ORD 2026-0007 cleared the committee 4-3, with Freeman, Gaffney Jr., and Johnson voting no.¹² The committee also granted a historic-preservation appeal 5-2, overturning a Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission denial for a new structure in the Riverside/Avondale Historic District. A long-pending Commonwealth Ave rezoning (2025-0630) was finally withdrawn after 12 public hearing continuances, with fees refunded.³ A separate Commonwealth Ave small-scale amendment (2026-0168) was deferred at CM Clark-Murray's request to allow time to speak with the applicant.⁴

Newsworthy items

Item 3 & 4: Morse Ave Comp Plan Amendment & Rezoning — 89-unit PUD

• Recommended: Planning Dept. denied both; Planning Commission approved both; SW CPAC amended/approved the rezoning (Item 4). Conflicting recommendations flagged on published agenda.
• Decided: PASSED as amended — comp plan FLUM change LDR→MDR (2026-0006) and rezoning RR-Acre→PUD for max 89 single-family units (2026-0007), with site-specific policy and revised exhibits attached.
• Vote: 4-3, dissenters: Freeman, Gaffney Jr., Johnson.
• Flags: close-vote, public-comment-heavy, staff-overruled, deferred-again, surprise-amendment
• Confidence: High — roll call recorded, speakers listed, amendments described.

The paired items cover 9.70± acres at 5735 Morse Ave, 5807 Morse Ave, and 6750 Seaboard Ave (Dist. 14-Johnson), seeking a comp plan change from LDR to MDR and a rezoning to PUD for up to 89 single-family units.⁵⁶ Public comment was extensive: roughly 5 speakers supported the project while more than 25 spoke in opposition, including neighbors Lawrence Chaney, Shelley Chaney, Henry Baker, David McClure, Bobbie O'Connor, and many others.⁷ The amendment to the rezoning (Item 4) attaching a revised written description and revised site plan passed 6-1 on its own, with Johnson the sole dissenter before the final 4-3 approval as amended.⁸ The comp plan amendment was amended to include Site Specific Policy 4.4.46 and attach Exhibit 3 (FLUE Site Specific Policy 4.4.46, dated April 21, 2026).⁹¹⁰

Item 26: Riverside/Avondale Historic District Appeal — 2230 St Johns Ave

• Recommended: Planning Dept. denied the Certificate of Appropriateness (COA-25-33142); no prior LUZ committee position recorded.
• Decided: PASSED — appeal granted, overturning the JHPC final order denying the COA for a new primary structure.
• Vote: 5-2, dissenters: Gaffney Jr., Johnson.
• Flags: close-vote, public-comment-heavy
• Confidence: High.

RESO-Q 2026-0232 concerns an appeal by St. Johns Quarter LLC seeking to construct a new primary structure in the Riverside/Avondale Historic District at 2230 St Johns Ave; the Planning Dept. recommended denial.¹¹ OGC's Mr. Harvey explained the appeal process; appellant's representative Brenna Durden made a presentation; OGC's Ms. Schell presented on behalf of the City.¹² Six speakers appeared — William Leuthold, Ron Root, and Brenna Durden in support; Ethan Gregory and Shannon Blankenship in opposition; Catherine Duncan in support.¹³ The committee sided with the appellant over both the JHPC and Planning Dept., a significant outcome for the historic district that will need full council ratification.

Item 1: Commonwealth Ave Rezoning Withdrawal — 2025-0630

• Recommended: Planning Dept. denied.
• Decided: WITHDRAWN with return of fees.
• Vote: Unanimous (6-0).
• Flags: deferred-again
• Confidence: High.

ORD-Q 2025-0630 sought to rezone 0 Commonwealth Ave (2.01± acres, Dist. 9-Clark-Murray) from RLD-60 to RMD-B; the Planning Dept. had recommended denial.¹⁴ The item had been continued through 12 public hearing dates spanning October 2025 through April 2026 before applicant Charles Powell withdrew.¹⁵ Motion to withdraw with refund of fees was made by Gaffney Jr./Arias and passed 6-0.¹⁶

Item 15 & 16: Commonwealth Ave Small-Scale Amendment & Rezoning — 2026-0168/0169

• Recommended: Planning Dept. and Planning Commission approved both.
• Decided: DEFERRED — public hearing continued to 5/5/26.
• Vote: No roll call recorded.
• Flags: public-comment-heavy
• Confidence: Medium — outcome recorded, but no debate detail.

CM Clark-Murray requested deferral to allow time to speak with the applicant on 2026-0168, a small-scale FLUM amendment at 0 Commonwealth Ave (LDR→MDR, 0.10± acres, Dist. 9).¹⁷ Speakers included applicant Benjamin Nzabarinda in support and Joyce Dars, Sallie Barnes, and Carolyn Griffin in opposition.¹⁸ Despite staff approval, the district CM's intervention put the brakes on both the comp plan piece and the companion rezoning (2026-0169, CCG-2/RLD-60→CRO). Both roll to May 5.

Item 17: College Park PUD — 903 University Blvd N — 2026-0170

• Recommended: Planning Dept. and Planning Commission amended/approved with conditions.
• Decided: PASSED as amended with conditions — PUD major modification permitting mixed commercial, residential, and office uses on 18.27± acres.
• Vote: Unanimous (6-0).
• Confidence: High.

ORD-Q 2026-0170 rezones 903 University Blvd N from PUD (2021-196-E) to PUD for mixed commercial, residential, and office uses (Dist. 1-Amaro), with Planning Dept. and Planning Commission recommending amended approval.¹⁹²⁰ Key attached conditions restrict the development meaningfully: the developer must install a minimum six-foot high, 100 percent opaque visual screen between the outdoor food court area and adjacent off-site outparcels (gas station and fast-food restaurant).²¹ The PUD is limited to a single liquor store, which must be developed in conjunction with a grocery store of 20,000 sq ft or more.²² The sidewalk on Harris Avenue must be extended to connect with University Boulevard.²³ Applicant Zach Miller spoke in support; the vote was 6-0 (Johnson not recorded as present for this item).

Items 5 & 6: Old Kings Rd FLUM & Rezoning — 2026-0122/0123

• Recommended: No PD/PC report recorded for either item; N CPAC denied the rezoning.
• Decided: DEFERRED — public hearing continued to 5/5/26 on both items.
• Vote: No roll call recorded.
• Flags: public-comment-heavy
• Confidence: Medium.

ORD 2026-0122 and ORD-Q 2026-0123 cover a 5.7± acre parcel at 0 Old Kings Rd (Dist. 8-Gaffney Jr.) for Sandcastle Capital Holdings, LLC, seeking AGR→LDR and AGR→PUD for manufactured single-family dwellings.²⁴²⁵ No Planning Dept. or Planning Commission report has been filed. Speakers Samantha Ceres and Jaime Travis-Leonard both spoke in opposition.²⁶ The absence of a staff report and community opposition make this one to watch at the May 5 hearing.

Items 7 & 8: Rampart Rd / Collins Rd Industrial PUD — 2026-0124/0125

• Recommended: PD and PC approved (with amendment) the rezoning; SW CPAC denied.
• Decided: DEFERRED — continued to 5/19/26 at applicant's request.
• Vote: No roll call recorded.
• Confidence: Medium.

ORD 2026-0124 proposes a comp plan change at 0 Rampart Rd (25.55± acres, Dist. 14-Johnson) from MDR to BP for Collins Rd Properties I, LLC, with PD and PC approval.²⁷²⁸ The companion rezoning, ORD-Q 2026-0125, would take the parcel from PUD (2021-736-E) to PUD for industrial business park and office uses; SW CPAC denied.²⁹³⁰ The applicant requested the May 19 continuance. CPAC opposition against a staff-approved industrial conversion near a residential land use designation is worth flagging for reporters covering southwest Jacksonville development.

Item 26 (companion note): Historic Preservation Process

• No committee or staff recommendation recorded beyond Planning Dept. denial.

The JHPC denied the Certificate of Appropriateness for St. Johns Quarter LLC (COA-25-33142) to construct a new primary structure at 2230 St Johns Ave in the Riverside/Avondale Historic District.³¹ The 5-2 LUZ grant of the appeal now goes to full council — a relatively rare instance of the legislative body overriding the historic preservation body. Multiple ex-parte contacts were declared by CMs White, Freeman, and Carlucci.

Consent agenda

No consent block recorded for this meeting.

Skipped

Not covered: call to order, ADA presentation by Teresa Eichner, page recognition for student pages Madelyn Knight and Dilan Patel, the boilerplate Council Rule 4.505 disruption notice, items 27–30 (routine second readings/rereferrals for JEA rezoning, Blanding Blvd CCG-2, Babylon Restaurant liquor exception, and Powers Ave sign waiver — all sent to 5/19 public hearing with no debate recorded), items 9–10 (Pitts Rd/Fluffy Buttons auto sales PUD, continued to 5/5 with opposition speakers only), items 11–14 (Leon Rd and Edgewood/Moncrief routine approvals with unanimous or near-unanimous votes and single speakers in support), items 18–19 (Wages Way frontage waiver and lot deviation, routine approvals 6-0), item 20 (Mundy Dr frontage waiver withdrawn 6-0), items 21–23 (Wilson Blvd, Almeda St, Owens Rd — deferred without debate), item 24 (Kappuccinos liquor exception, approved 6-0), item 25 (Valencia Dr frontage waiver, approved 6-0), and adjournment at 8:28 PM.

References