TO: Indian River County Board of County Commissioners
THROUGH: John Titkanich, Jr.; County Administrator
FROM: Sibel Bode; Senior Planner, Current Development
DATE: September 10, 2024
SUBJECT: Treasure Coast Detox, LLC’s Request for Special Exception Use and Site
Plan Approval for a Change of Use from Adult Congregate Living Facility
to Residential Treatment Center [SP-SE-24-08-30 / 94030071-96621]
__________________________________________________________________
BACKGROUND
Mills, Short & Associates, LLC, on behalf of Treasure Coast Detox, LLC, is requesting special exception use and site plan approval for a change of use from an adult congregate living facility (ACLF) to a residential treatment center for up to 29 residents at 6410 Old Dixie Highway. Located on the east side of Old Dixie Highway, approximately 500 feet south of the 65th Street/Old Dixie Highway intersection, the subject site is zoned CL, Limited Commercial, and has a C/I, Commercial/Industrial land use designation (see Attachment #1). Special exception use approval is required to change the use to a residential treatment center.
Currently, the subject site consists of one existing building totaling 10,466 square feet (SF) that is used as an ACLF with a total of 29 beds. The existing ACLF building dimensions and area will remain, with the change of use to a residential treatment center requiring four additional parking spaces. A residential treatment center is defined in LDR Chapter 901 as a secure facility providing diagnosis, treatment, habitation, or rehabilitation on an in-patient basis in a living environment, which includes the supervision and care necessary to meet physical, emotional and/or social needs of clients.
At its meeting of August 28, 2025, the Planning & Zoning Commission (PZC) voted 7-0 to recommend that the BCC grant special exception use and site plan approval for the proposed change of use from an ACLF to a residential treatment center, with the conditions recommended by staff. The BCC now needs to consider the special exception use and site plan approval request for the proposed change of use from an ACLF to a residential treatment center, conduct a public hearing, and vote to approve, approve with conditions, or deny the request for special exception use.
ANALYSIS
Project Site Area: 51,863 SF (1.19 acres)
2. Zoning Classification: CL, Limited Commercial
3. Land Use Designation: C/I, Commercial/Industrial
4. Building Area: Existing/Proposed: 10,466 SF
Note: The existing building will not be increasing or decreasing in size.
5. Open Space: Required: 25.0% (minimum)
Proposed: 42.6%
6. Impervious Surface Area: Existing: 20,887 SF
Proposed Increase: 1,384 SF (Parking Area)
Total: 22,097 SF
7. Off-Street Parking: Required: 21 spaces
Proposed: 21 spaces (20 standard, 1 ADA)
8. Stormwater Management: The existing dry retention area in the southeast section of the subject site is to remain as a dry retention area but it is proposed to be slightly modified. With proposed modification in sloping, the dry retention area will slightly increase from the existing area of 7,438 SF to a final area of 7,495 SF.
9. Traffic Circulation: The site will be accessed from Old Dixie Highway via two existing full-movement, two-way driveway connections. Traffic engineering staff have reviewed and approved the project’s traffic impact statement and internal circulation plan. Based on the traffic impact statement, no off-site improvements are required for this development, and none are proposed.
10. Landscape Plan: The proposed landscape plan has been reviewed by planning staff and meets the requirements of Chapter 926 of the Land Development Regulations (LDRs) for perimeter, interior, roadway, and non-vehicular open space landscaping areas. As the subject site is located across from the High Pointe Planned Development (PD), Sec. 971.28(6)(C) requires a 20’ “Type A” landscape buffer with screening along the project’s frontage. This buffer is provided within the proposed landscape plan.
11. Utilities: The existing facility is served by the County Utility Services Department for potable water and sewer services. These existing services will be utilized for the proposed change of use within the existing building. This has been reviewed and approved by the County Utility Services Department.
12. Required Improvements: No additional improvements are required beyond the additional parking area (four standard parking spaces) as a result of the proposed change of use.
13. Specific Land Use Criteria for a Residential Treatment Center [971.28(6)(C)]: The specific criteria for the proposed residential treatment center are addressed as follows:
Residential treatment centers must meet all licensing requirements of the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services of the State of Florida;
Note: The State of Florida Department of Health has replaced The State of Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services, and Department of Health (DOH) staff have approved the proposed plan set, with two advisory conditions provided. The applicant was advised to contact the Department of Children and Family Services (DCF) to determine permitting and inspection requirements, with a note that the DOH may perform inspections at this facility in conjunction with or at the request of the jurisdictional authority. It was also advised to contact DOH staff to perform biomedical waste permitting and inspection prior to the facility becoming operational.
b. To avoid unsafe or unhealthy conditions that may be produced by the overcrowding of persons living in these facilities, a minimum floor area per person shall be required. Floor area requirements shall be measured from the interior walls of all rooms including closet space.
i. Total interior living space. A minimum of two hundred (200) square feet of interior living space shall be provided per facility resident. Interior living space shall include sleeping space and all other interior space accessible on a regular basis to all facility residents.
Note: The applicant proposes 288.27 SF of living space per resident.
ii. Minimum sleeping areas. A minimum of eighty (80) square feet shall be provided in each sleeping space for single occupancy. A minimum of sixty (60) square feet of sleeping space shall be provided for each bed in a sleeping space for multiple occupancy.
Note: The project proposes an average of 155 SF of sleeping area per occupant. Wing 1 double rooms propose 102 SF per occupant, Wing 1 single rooms propose 204 SF per occupant, and Wing 2 double rooms propose 159 SF per occupant.
iii. Bathroom facilities. A full bathroom with toilet, sink, and tub or shower shall be provided for each five (5) residents.
Note: The applicant proposes 17 complete bathrooms for the 29 residents that will occupy the existing building.
c. The facility shall provide parking at a rate of one space per five hundred (500) square feet of gross floor area and comply with all other aspects of the off-street parking requirements of Chapter 954.
Note: The proposed site plan provides an increase of four (4) parking spaces to comply with the total 21 off-street parking spaces required for this change in use.
d. The maximum capacity of residential treatment centers shall not exceed the applicable number permitted by the department of health and rehabilitative services.
Note: Since this residential treatment center is not regulated by any state agencies, the maximum capacity of the facility shall be controlled by the minimum living space requirement cited from LDR section 971.28(6) b. noted above. The applicant has indicated that they will meet all required state codes.
e. No residential treatment center shall be located within one thousand two hundred (1,200) feet of any other residential treatment facility, measured between the closest points of property.
Note: No other residential treatment center exists within 1,200 feet of the subject site.
f. Residential treatment centers shall have a twenty-foot buffer strip with Type "A" screening at all points where they abut residentially designated property.
Note: This buffer has been provided along the site’s frontage within the proposed landscape plan, as the subject site is located across from the High Pointe PD.
Therefore, all applicable specific land use criteria for the proposed residential treatment center are satisfied by the proposed site plan.
14. Surrounding Land Use and Zoning:
North: Vacant Commercial, 65th Street / CL
South: Vacant Commercial, 63rd Street / CL
East: Vacant Commercial, US Highway 1, The Antilles Subdivision / CL & RM-3
West: Old Dixie Highway, FEC R/R, High Pointe PD / PD
In summary, staff's analysis indicates that the application, with the conditions recommended below, meets the general and specific criteria for special exception use approval for the proposed residential treatment center expansion.
PREVIOUS BOARD ACTIONS
At its regular meeting of August 28, 2025, the Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended that the BCC grant special exception use approval.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the BCC grant special exception use approval for the proposed change in use from adult congregate living facility to residential treatment center with the following conditions: 1. Prior to issuance of a new certificate of occupancy for the proposed change of use within the existing building, the applicant shall: a. Install the required 20’ “Type A” landscape buffer with screening along Old Dixie Highway; and b. Construct all other improvements indicated on the project’s approved site plan.