Palm Bay City Zoning Code
PART 7
REGIONAL ACTIVITY CENTER RAC PUD
§ 173.080 PURPOSE.
The provisions of this section are intended to implement Objective 1.6 of the Future Land Use Element of the City's Comprehensive Plan by establishing standards for regional activity centers (RAC). RACs are large-scale, master planned communities which serve as integrated centers of commerce and employment. Developments within a RAC future land use category shall be developed through a rezoning to PUD.
(Ord. 2024-33, passed 9-19-24)
§ 173.081 INTENT.
Development within a RAC shall be based on the generalized principles of smart growth, traditional neighborhood design, new urbanism, or transit oriented design. As such, the RAC shall feature walkability, compact development patterns, quality architecture and urban designs, and a hierarchy of streets or street system to foster connectivity and pedestrian mobility as well as alternative modes of travel. Buildings within a RAC shall meet LEED standards or best management practices from the United States Green Building Council and Florida Green Building Council to the fullest extent practicable.
(Ord. 2024-33, passed 9-19-24)
§ 173.082 DENSITY AND INTENSITY.
Density and intensity within a RAC shall not exceed maximums listed in Policy FLU-1.1A. Furthermore, development within a RAC shall have an overall minimum density of five (5) dwelling units per gross residential acre.
§ 173.083 RAC SUBAREAS.
(A) Subareas required. RAC PUDs shall provide a balanced mix of uses and shall be composed of urban living areas, open space areas, and a mixed-use town center or a workplace (or both) as defined below. When a RAC includes both a mixed-use town center and a workplace, the combined size of both uses shall be a minimum of thirty-five percent (35%) of the RAC's net buildable area.
(1) Urban living areas. Residential areas which include a variety of housing types, styles, and price points.
(2) Open space areas. Activity-based or resource-based outdoor areas.
(a) Activity-based open space areas provide recreational opportunities and include features such as walkways, bike paths, trails, picnic areas, playgrounds, lakes, and parks.
(b) Resource-based open space areas are intended to protect and enhance environmental systems and may include wetlands, uplands or any other environmental features.
(3) Mixed-use town centers. The recognizable commercial and civic core of the community that is sized to meet the needs of residents within one mile of the community core.
(4) Workplaces. Hubs that provide a variety of employment opportunities.
(B) Subarea standards. The following standards shall be met in designing each subarea within the RAC: For purposes of these provisions, net buildable area is defined as the gross acreage of the lands designated as a RAC, less the resource-based open space areas.
(1) Urban living areas:
(a) Size: Twenty-five percent (25%) minimum and forty percent (40%) maximum of the net buildable area of the RAC;
(b) Density: A minimum of five (5) units and a maximum of thirteen (13) units per gross acre within the urban living area;
(c) Uses: Single-family detached, single-family attached, multi-family, and appropriate public/semipublic, and recreation uses are permitted.
(2) Mixed-use town center:
(a) Size: Twenty percent (20%) minimum and fifty percent (50%) maximum of the net buildable area of the RAC;
(b) Intensity: Two million (2,000,000) square feet maximum;
(c) Uses:
1. Commercial, professional office, multi-family residential, and public/semipublic uses are permitted;
2. Shall include a vertically integrated mix of higher density and intensity development;
3. Residential uses may be located above commercial or professional office uses; and
4. On-street parking must be provided where appropriate.
(3) Workplace:
(a) Size: Twenty percent (20%) minimum and sixty percent (60%) maximum of the net buildable area of the RAC;
(b) Intensity: Two million (2,000,000) square feet maximum;
(c) Uses.
1. Uses may be mixed horizontally or may be contained within multiple use buildings;
2. Include denser housing products than traditional single-family detached homes;
3. Commercial, professional office, light industrial multi-family residential, and public/semipublic uses are permitted; and
4. Parklets shall be encouraged.
(4) Open space:
(a) Open space areas shall be a minimum of thirty percent (30%) of the gross acreage;
(b) A minimum of ten percent (10%) of the open space area shall be activity-based; and
(c) Stormwater management areas may be included in resource-based open space areas.
(Ord. 2024-33, passed 9-19-24)
§ 173.084 RESIDENTIAL AND EMPLOYMENT USES.
(A) Residential breakdown. The residential units in a RAC shall be allocated among the urban living area, mixed-use town center, and workplace as follows:
(1) Twenty percent (20%) of the approved residential units shall be placed in the mixed-use town center or the workplace;
(2) Single-family units shall be limited to forty-five percent (45%) of the total approved residential units;
(3) Multi-family units shall be a minimum of fifty-five percent (55%) of the approved residential units; and
(4) Ten percent (10%) of the approved residential units shall qualify as affordable housing which, for this purpose, shall mean housing affordable to persons with incomes between eighty percent (80%) and one hundred forty percent (140%) of the median household income in Brevard County.
(B) Employment. To promote the creation of employment opportunities, the following residential/nonresidential thresholds shall be met:
(1) Prior to the issuance of building permits for more than one third of the residential units, a minimum of one hundred fifty (150) square feet of nonresidential square footage shall be constructed for each residential unit developed.
(2) Prior to the issuance of building permits for more than two-thirds of the residential units, a minimum of one hundred fifty (150) square feet of nonresidential square footage shall be constructed for each residential unit developed.
(3) At buildout, a minimum of 0.6 jobs shall have been created for each residential unit constructed.
(4) The jobs/housing ratio shall be measured after the issuance of site plan approval for nonresidential development. If upon review, the jobs/housing ratio has not been reached, the city may require appropriate mitigation.
(Ord. 2024-33, passed 9-19-24)
§ 173.085 STREETS AND WALKABILITY STANDARDS.
To ensure that developments within the RAC PUD are pedestrian friendly and promote the efficient movement of people, the following standards shall be met:
(A) At buildout, all homes shall be within one half mile of transit, a mixed-use town center, a workplace, a recreational use, or a public/semipublic use.
(B) Streets shall be pedestrian friendly, tree-lined, and provide for on-street parking where appropriate.
(C) Homes shall be built close to streets with the majority of the homes having street-facing facades and/or porches, windows and doors. Homes may not need to front on the street so long as the home is designed in a manner that is consistent with the principles of traditional neighborhood design or new urbanism.
(D) Mixed-use and commercial structures shall be built close to streets with street facing facades and entrances. Parking lots and parking structures are to be hidden behind the building to the fullest extent practicable.
(E) Lighting shall be designed to enhance safety and be consistent with "dark sky" objectives to the maximum extent practicable.
(F) Brick pavers, roundabouts, traffic circles and other traffic calming techniques shall be employed in key locations to enhance aesthetics, improve pedestrian access, reduce vehicle speeds and promote safety within all travel modes.
(G) All streets shall have sidewalks on both sides. Sidewalks shall be a minimum of six (6) feet in width to accommodate pedestrian activity.
(H) The street system shall be a well-connected grid-based system that is fully integrated and designed to facilitate the expansion of the system as the RAC develops.
(I) The street system shall be designed in a hierarchy that provides for alternative cross sections to facilitate the development of narrow neighborhood streets, boulevards, and alleys. Streets are to be interconnected both internally and externally to both move and disperse traffic efficiently.
(J) The arrangement and design of streets shall promote a pleasant, pedestrian and bicycle-friendly environment with an emphasis on convenient access to surrounding neighborhoods and community amenities.
(K) Unimproved nature trails and boardwalks connecting residential areas with a mixed-use town center, a workplace, recreational uses, and public/semipublic uses shall be provided. Multi-purpose recreation trails shall be at least ten (10) feet wide.
(L) Traffic calming techniques shall be employed to the maximum extent practicable.
(M) Transit/bus/trolley locations shall be provided.
(Ord. 2024-33, passed 9-19-24)
§ 173.086 LANDSCAPING.
Landscaping shall be designed and installed using the University of Florida Friendly Plant List and managed in accordance with the latest University of Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Recognition Checklist.
(Ord. 2024-33, passed 9-19-24)