Patrick Murphy, Chief of Long Range Planning, presented the Emerson Oaks
Planned Development formerly known as Red Tree Cove. He noted that on
November 15, 2022, the Board of County Commissioners approved the Red
Tree Cove development plan, which allowed for up to 175 detached single-family
homes at a density of 2.39 homes per acre. The applicant received waivers for
minimum lot size, setbacks, and building coverage in exchange for dedicating road
right-of-way (ROW) and contributing to a future bridge on 17th Street SW. He
stated that this was back before the Board because the project has since been
renamed Emerson Oaks and now included increased building coverage, which
would reduce the open space from 69.7% to 60.73%. To mitigate this change,
the applicant had agreed to dedicate additional ROW and realign the intersection
of 43rd Avenue SW and 13th Street SW, resulting in a decrease of four homes
from the total proposed plan. Mr. Murphy presented these details using a
PowerPoint presentation and stated that on November 14, 2024, the Planning
and Zoning Commission (PZC) recommended approval of the project.
Mr. Murphy responded to Commissioner Moss and stated that the open and
green spaces would remain as originally approved. The homes would take up
more space on each lot, reducing the open space on individual lots while keeping
the overall open space for the entire project the same. Jim Vitter, BGE, Inc., the
project civil engineer, concurred with Mr. Murphy.
Resident Charles Festo raised concerns about the development’s impact on the
canal at 13th Street Southwest, noting that it was overwhelmed during the 2017
Hurricane, causing backups into the lakes. He also highlighted potential traffic
issues on 43rd Avenue, particularly when turning north from 13th Street, suggesting
the need for a traffic light at 17th or 13th Avenue Southwest or speed bumps to
curb speeding.
Mr. Murphy explained that this development's approved traffic study was
conducted in 2022, Emerson Oaks featured fewer lots than initially planned, so a
revised study was unnecessary. The study concluded that the development did not
require a traffic signal at the intersections. However, the Public Works
Department reviewed major roads and intersections annually to address traffic
concerns, and had lengthened turn lanes to improve traffic flow.
Mr. Vitter discussed the impact of water management beyond the project site.
The plan included four water tracks designed to manage on-site water and
accommodate additional off-site water.
Resident John Leslie voiced concerns about traffic and flood control. Drawing
from his experience with the South Florida Water Management District, he
highlighted flooding issues in the area and the proposal for a retention pond near
Cypress Street. He was particularly worried about the impact of severe storms,