TO: Indian River County Board of County Commissioners
THROUGH: John A. Titkanich, Jr., County Administrator
FROM: Patrick J. Murphy, Chief of Long-Range Planning
DATE: November 26, 2025
SUBJECT: Schwerin 510 LLC’s Request to Rezone Approximately
±1.04 Acres from CL, Limited Commercial District
to CG, General Commercial District
(200705003-98447) [Quasi-Judicial]
__________________________________________________________________
BACKGROUND
The subject property, comprising approximately ±1.04 acres, is located on the north side of State Road 510, approximately 500 feet northeast of U.S. Highway 1. The parcel is currently zoned CL, Limited Commercial (Attachment 1) with a Future Land Use designation of C/I (Commercial/Industrial) (Attachment 2). The property is situated within the established U.S. 1 & C.R. 510 North, commercial and industrial node [Comprehensive Plan: Table 2.5, Commercial/industrial Nodes (2006)] (Attachment 3). The property is also located within the Wabasso Corridor, as set forth in Section 911.18. - Wabasso Corridor regulations of the Indian River County Land Development Regulations (LDRs). These regulations are intended to promote an attractive and orderly development pattern through enhanced landscaping, quality building design, and signage, consistent with the vision of Wabasso as an uncluttered, well-maintained, small-town environment characterized by safe, uncongested roadways and a balanced mix of commercial and residential uses.
The applicant’s justification letter states “this rezoning is requested so that the land owned by the applicant can be developed with unified zoning for its highest and best use, which would be CG zoning.” The applicant owns the adjacent ±7.92 acres to the northeast, which are already zoned CG and represent the remaining undeveloped commercial holdings on the north side of SR 510 east of U.S. Highway 1. The purpose of this rezoning is to establish consistent zoning across all commonly owned parcels in the immediate area, resulting in a unified zoning designation that aligns the assemblage with the Wabasso Corridor’s established commercial development pattern. The Comprehensive Plan specifies under NEED FOR REDEVELOPMENT; Wabasso (Page 125) that “In Wabasso, one obstacle to major development is the difficulty in assembling enough parcels to create a site large enough for commercial development.”.
The surrounding area reflects a mix of commercial and institutional uses consistent with the established U.S. 1 / CR 510 commercial node and the Wabasso Corridor development pattern. Directly north of the subject parcel is undeveloped Commercial General (CG) zoned land under common ownership with the applicant. Further northeast, the remainder of the applicant’s CG-zoned holdings continues along the north side of SR 510 east of U.S. Highway 1, forming a contiguous block of commercially designated property. Immediately north of the applicant’s CG-zoned holdings is RM-6 (Residential Multi-Family) zoning, which in this area is developed with single-family residences and interspersed undeveloped parcels. Northwest of the subject property, across 47th Avenue, is the Coastal Community Church of Indian River; additional single-family residences and undeveloped lots extend further west behind the commercially zoned frontage along U.S. Highway 1. South of the subject parcel, across State Road 510, is the Bridge Marketplace shopping center (SP-MA-22-03-12 / 2006090048-91478), approved in 2023 for development, whose approved site plan includes a supermarket, small-scale retail uses, and a bank. Southwest of the site, Limited Commercial (CL) zoning continues westward along SR 510 toward the U.S. Highway 1 intersection, where a Mobil / 7-Eleven convenience store and gas station anchors the corridor.
The area is characterized by a compact, node-based commercial development pattern near the U.S. Highway 1/SR 510 intersection, with supporting institutional uses and transitional multifamily residential zoning located behind it. The subject site’s Commercial/Industrial Future Land Use designation aligns with this established pattern, and the requested rezoning from CL to CG would provide consistency with adjacent properties to facilitate cohesive development in accordance with the County’s planning framework for the Wabasso Corridor. In terms of permitted uses, there are both similarities and differences between the existing CL district and the proposed CG district (See Attachment 4 for a zoning district comparison table). The distinctions between these two zoning districts are best illustrated through their respective purpose statements, as outlined in the County’s Land Development Regulations (LDRs). These purpose statements provide a clear framework for understanding the intent and scope of each district's allowable uses and development potential. The purpose statements are as follows:
CL: Limited Commercial District: The CL, Limited Commercial District is intended to provide areas for the development of restricted commercial activities. The CL district is intended to accommodate the convenience retail and service needs of area residents while minimizing the impact of such activities on any nearby residential areas.
CG: General Commercial District. The CG, General Commercial District, is intended to provide areas for the development of general retail sales and selected service activities. The CG district is not intended to provide for heavy commercial activities, such as commercial service uses, heavy repair services, or industrial uses.
ANALYSIS
The following analysis is per Chapter 902: Administrative Mechanisms, Section 902.12(3), which states that all proposed amendments shall be submitted to the Planning and Zoning Commission, which shall consider such proposals in accordance with items (a) through (k) of Section 902.12(3).
Item A - Whether the proposed amendment conflicts with any applicable portion of the land development regulations (LDRs).
Staff cannot identify any conflicts between the requested CG zoning and the County’s LDRs. Both the current CL zoning and the proposed CG zoning are established districts under the LDRs. The requested CG zoning district is consistent with the property’s existing C/I (Commercial / Industrial) Future Land Use designation and with the established commercial node at the intersection of U.S. Highway 1 and CR 510.
Item B - Whether the proposed amendment is consistent with all elements of the Indian River County Comprehensive Plan.
The goals, objectives, and policies outlined in the comprehensive plan are critical to guiding the County's development. Policies serve as actionable commitments that direct how the County will shape and manage growth. These policies form the foundation for all land development decisions, ensuring that the County’s planning efforts align with its long-term vision.
The request to rezone to CG is consistent with the goals, objectives, and policies of the Comprehensive Plan, particularly the provisions of Chapter 2 Future Land Use Element regarding commercial development and land use compatibility. Several key Comprehensive Plan policies and objectives apply to this proposal:
Urban Service Area & Efficient Growth: The Comprehensive Plan directs commercial development into the Urban Service Area, where infrastructure and services are available. (Objective 1: Compact, Energy Efficient, Low-Density Development). The subject property is located within the Urban Service Area and fronts State Road 510, an arterial roadway with county water and sewer service available. By focusing development on this infill site consistent with its Commercial/Industrial designation, the rezoning advances the Plan’s intent to concentrate growth where it can be most efficiently served (Objective 1), thereby discouraging sprawl and ensuring effective use of infrastructure investments. It is also consistent with Policy 4.1, which states that land use districts should be located in a manner that “concentrates urban uses, thereby discouraging urban sprawl.”
The Comprehensive Plan further provides that all non-agricultural commercial and industrial uses are to be located inside the Urban Service Area (Objective 2). Policy 2.2 specifies that the County shall encourage and direct growth into the Urban Service Area through zoning and the application of LDRs Since the proposed rezoning supports these objectives by concentrating new commercial intensity on a parcel contiguous to an established CG-zoned area, already positioned to utilize major transportation and utility infrastructure, and located within the Urban Service Area, the request directly implements Policy 2.2 by aligning the zoning with the site’s designated land use and reinforcing the County’s growth management strategy.
Future Land Use Designation: The property’s future land use is C/I (Commercial/Industrial), which supports urban-scale development consistent with the Commercial General (CG) zoning district. As outlined in Policy 1.18 of the Future Land Use Element, the C/I designation permits a range of non-residential uses at defined maximum intensities, including retail trade at 0.23 FAR and office, business, and personal services at 0.35 FAR. Additionally, Policy 1.17 directs commercial development to areas near existing urban centers. The proposed CG zoning would allow a broader and more flexible range of commercial uses at intensities consistent with the Future Land Use designation, supporting efficient infill development within an established commercial corridor.
Zoning Compatibility: The proposed rezoning from Commercial Limited (CL) to Commercial General (CG) is compatible with surrounding land uses and consistent with the locational criteria outlined in Future Land Use Policy 1.43 of the Comprehensive Plan. The subject property fronts State Road 510, a designated arterial Roadway, providing appropriate vehicular access. The site is situated near existing office and retail development, established within a designated Commercial/Industrial (C/I) node northeast of the intersection of State Road 510 and U.S. Highway 1. To the west, the property is adjacent to vacant RM-6 (Multiple-Family 6 du/ac) zoning, and to the northwest is a local church. The RM-6 Lands are separated from the commercial parcels by 47th Avenue and 86th Street.
The site is not adjacent to any industrial districts. Additionally, Policy 1.4 of the Future Land Use Element calls for the LDRs to ensure adjacent land uses are made compatible through tools such as buffers, setbacks, and open space. Any future development on the site will be required to incorporate such measures, which are feasible and practical under the CG zoning, thereby upholding the Plan’s intent to protect neighboring uses.
Item C - Whether the proposed amendment is consistent with existing and proposed land uses.
The proposed rezoning is consistent with the existing and planned land uses in the vicinity, as reflected in both the current development pattern and the County’s Future Land Use Map. The subject property is designated as C/I (Commercial/Industrial) on the Future Land Use Map. Since CG, General Commercial zoning is permitted within the C/I land use designation, the proposed rezoning is consistent with the property's Future Land Use Map designation.
Item D - Whether the proposed amendment follows the adopted county thoroughfare plan.
The County’s Thoroughfare Plan identifies 510 as an arterial road serving this portion of the Urban Service Area. The subject property has direct frontage on State Road 510, providing suitable access for Commercial development. Concentrating Commercial use at this location is consistent with thoroughfare planning principles, as arterial roadways are designed to accommodate higher traffic volumes associated with commercial and industrial development. At the time of development review, the project will be required to meet all applicable access management, driveway spacing, and roadway design standards under the County’s Thoroughfare Plan and Land Development Regulations. The rezoning itself does not propose any changes to roadway alignments and remains fully consistent with the adopted Thoroughfare Plan.
Item E - Whether the proposed amendment would generate traffic which would decrease the service levels on roadways below the level adopted in the comprehensive plan.
Under the current CL zoning, development consistent with a high-turnover sit-down restaurant (ITE Land Use Code 932) would generate approximately 1,439 daily trips, based on the ITE Trip Generation Manual (11th Edition). Under the proposed CG zoning, a fast-food restaurant with drive-through service (ITE Land Use Code 934), representing the highest-intensity use permitted in the CG district, could generate up to 6,276 daily trips, also based on the ITE Trip Generation Manual (11th Edition). This represents a theoretical increase of 4,837 daily trips at full buildout.
Thus, the proposed future rezoning may impact traffic levels of service on State Road 510; however, the actual extent of any impact will depend on the specific development proposed at the site plan stage. At the time of site plan review by both the County and FDOT, concurrency and access management evaluation will ensure compliance with all applicable roadway capacity and design standards. Importantly, the trip generation scenario reflects a “maximum-intensity” concurrency analysis for rezoning purposes only; a rezoning does not commit the parcel to the assumed use, nor does it guarantee that this level of traffic will occur.
Item F - Whether there have been changed conditions which would warrant an amendment.
Since the establishment of CL zoning on the subject property, which was implemented through the original 1975-1985 Indian River County Zoning Atlas along with the surrounding commercial designations and has remained unchanged since that adoption, the surrounding development pattern along the CR/SR 510 corridor has continued to mature, reflecting the area’s function as a gateway connection between U.S. Highway 1 and the barrier island. The Comprehensive Plan identifies Wabasso as a location expected to experience continued redevelopment activity associated with regional travel demand generated by the Barrier Island and Wabasso Corridor.
In addition, the Comprehensive Plan notes that redevelopment feasibility within Wabasso has historically been constrained by small parcel sizes, and that coordinated ownership, or assembly improves the viability of commercial infill and reinvestment. Given the corridor’s evolving role, the applicant’s ownership of contiguous CG-zoned lands to the northeast, the approval of the Bridge Place Marketplace project south of SR 510, and the ongoing buildout of the Harbor Isle residential development, a gradual shift toward more intensive corridor activity within this portion of the Urban Service Area is reflected.
Item G - Whether the proposed amendment would decrease the level of service established in the comprehensive plan for sanitary sewer, potable water, solid waste, drainage, and recreation.
Based upon the analysis conducted by staff, it has been determined that all concurrency-mandated facilities, including stormwater management, solid waste, water, wastewater, and recreation, have adequate capacity to accommodate the most intense use of the subject property under the proposed rezoning. Per Indian River County LDRs, the applicant will be required to pay utility connection and other customary fees and comply with other routine administrative procedures. As with all developments, a more detailed concurrency review will be conducted during the development review process.
As per Section 910.07 of the County’s LDRs, the conditional concurrency review examines the available capacity of each facility with respect to a proposed project. Since rezoning requests are not development projects, County regulations call for the concurrency review to be based on the most intense use of the subject property allowed within the requested zoning district. For commercial rezoning requests, the most intense use of a property varies with the zoning district. In the case of CL zoned property, the most intense use (according to County LDRs) is retail commercial, with 10,000 square feet of gross floor area per acre. For the CG rezoning request, the most intense use is general manufacturing, with 10,000 square feet of gross floor area per acre. The site information used for the concurrency analysis is as follows:
1. Size of Area to be Rezoned: ±1.04 acres
2. Existing Zoning District: CL, Light Commercial District
3. Proposed Zoning District: CG, General Commercial District
4. Most Intense Use of Entire Property 10,400 s.f. of Retail Commercial
Under Existing Zoning District:
5. Most Intense Use of Entire Property 10,400 s.f. of Retail Commercial
Under Proposed Zoning District:
Item H - Whether the proposed amendment would result in significant adverse impacts on the natural environment.
No adverse environmental impacts are expected to result from the rezoning. The subject property is a former citrus grove and does not contain any land designated by the State of Florida or the U.S. Federal Government as environmentally sensitive or protected land, such as wetlands or sensitive uplands. The rezoning does not authorize any specific construction or site disturbance (it only changes the zoning map designation), and so it has no direct impact on the environment. When development is proposed for the subject site, a more detailed environmental analysis based on the site-specific development proposal will be conducted.
Item I - Whether the proposed amendment would result in an orderly and logical development pattern, specifically identifying any negative effects on such pattern.
The proposed amendment aligns with the Comprehensive Plan and surrounding zoning districts, supporting a logical and orderly development pattern along the SR 510 corridor. By establishing CG zoning consistent with adjacent commercially designated property under common ownership, the amendment facilitates compatible land use relationships and reinforces the planned commercial character of this gateway segment. The rezoning will also support coordinated frontage development rather than dispersed incremental buildout, promoting functional corridor design and efficient use of infrastructure without introducing adverse effects to the surrounding development pattern.
Item J - Whether the proposed amendment would conflict with the public interest and is in harmony with the purpose and interest of the land development regulations.
Staff has not identified any adverse impacts to public welfare and finds that the request aligns with the purpose and intent of the land development regulations. The proposed amendment is consistent with established planning principles and supports the broader objectives of promoting orderly growth and compatible land use. As such, the request is deemed to be in harmony with the County's regulatory framework and community development goals.
Item K - Any other matters that may be deemed appropriate by the planning and zoning commission or the board of county commissioners in review and consideration of the proposed amendment, such as police protection, fire protection, and emergency medical services.
Based upon the analysis conducted by staff, it has been determined that all concurrency-mandated facilities have adequate capacity to accommodate the most intense use of the subject property under the proposed rezoning. The subject property is in an area of the County that is readily serviceable by existing fire and emergency medical facilities. The Indian River County Sheriff’s Office provides law enforcement in the unincorporated area and routine patrols already cover the CR/SR 510 corridor. No issues are foreseen in extending coverage to new development.
REQUIRED NOTICE
For this project, staff were required to publish a legal advertisement in the newspaper, send out notice by mail to all property owners within 300 feet of the project site, and post a project notice sign at the project site. All these items were completed by staff.
CONCLUSION
Based on the analysis above, staff conclude that the request to rezone the ±1.04-acre parcel from CL to CG is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan, meets all applicable land development regulations, and will advance the County’s planning objectives for the area. The subject property is situated in a location that is well-suited for commercial uses, including those permitted within the CG district, reinforcing its appropriateness for the proposed rezoning. This request supports the County’s vision for balanced and strategic land use development.
BUDGETARY IMPACT
This request has no budgetary impact
PREVIOUS BOARD ACTIONS
At their regular meeting of November 13, 2025, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted 6-0 to recommend approval of the requested rezoning from A-1 to RS-6
POTENTIAL FUTURE BOARD ACTIONS
This request is the only Board action needed to effectuate the rezoning of the property
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommended Action
Based on the analysis and conclusions outlined in this report, staff recommends that the Board of County Commissioners approve the request to rezone the ±1.04-acre subject parcel from CL to CG.