AGENDA REPORT
DATE: June 9, 2025
TO: City Commission
FROM: Bill McDaniel, City Manager
SUBJECT: Quasi-judicial public hearing on an ordinance to rezone 14.0± acres to the Oakfield Business Park Expansion Planned Development District, with a specific approval request, located at the northwest corner of Swindell and County Line Roads (PB-2024-28).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The applicant proposes to rezone 14.0± acres from Hillsborough County Commercial Intensive (CI) and Agriculture Single Family-1 (AS-1) to the Oakfield Business Park Expansion Planned Development District to allow up to 15,151± square feet of building space to accommodate a Truck Stop/Travel Center (i.e. Convenience Store, Fast Food Restaurant with Drive-Thru, 16 Auto Fueling Positions and 8 Truck Fueling Positions).
In conjunction with this rezoning, the applicant is requesting the following specific approval:
• Relief from Section 94-138 not to require reclaimed water connections for the proposed Truck Stop/Travel Center.
On March 26, 2025, staff presented a recommendation of approval for the rezoning and associated specific approval for the Oakfield Business Park Expansion Planned Development District to the Planning Board, based on the positives, negatives and mitigating factors presented in the attached staff report for PB-2024-28. The Planning Board voted (4-3) to conditionally recommend approval of the proposal under the stipulation that the applicant develop and propose further enhancements to the buffering/screening of the project along its’ western boundary prior to final consideration by the City Commission.
To address concerns raised by the Planning Board, the applicant has since revised Condition #7 related to the Myrtle Lane Enhancement Buffer. The proposed width of the landscaped buffer has been increased from twenty-feet to thirty-feet. In addition, the requirement for a six-foot tall opaque fence has been updated to read an eight-foot tall masonry wall, which would be installed along the entire length of the western boundary of PB-2024-28. These revisions are reflected in the updated narrative and site plan for the Oakfield Business Park Expansion Planned Development District.
In addition, the applicant has also increased the number of proposed automobile parking spaces to seventy-five (from sixty-five) eliminating the need for a previous specific approval for relief (as noted in the staff report) from the requirements of Section 102-1421. Four of these additional parking spaces will be equipped to charge electric vehicles (EVs).
Several additional emails in opposition to this proposal have been received since the meeting of the Planning Board, which have been incorporated into the staff report for PB-2024-28. The concerns noted from these residents focused primarily on the potential flooding of nearby properties, the protection of wildlife habitat and wetlands, environmental contamination from petroleum products stored on site, traffic impacts on local roadways and the noise generated from trucks in the immediate area, and the changing overall character (rural to urban) of this part of northeast Plant City.
RECOMMENDATION
That the City Commission adopt an ordinance approving the Oakfield Business Park Expansion Planned Development District with its specific approvals (PB-2024-28).
FISCAL IMPACT
Increased potential for a 15,151± square foot Truck Stop/Travel Center.
Prepared by: Robyn Baker, AICP, Director of Planning and Zoning