BY DAN HILDEBRAN
The Keystone Heights City Council voted 3-1 on Tuesday, January 5, to approve a controversial rezoning request for property at 200 Northeast Commercial Circle, overriding the recommendation of the city’s Planning and Zoning Board.
The council approved both a future land use map amendment and rezoning for the 2.72-acre property, changing its designation from commercial to light industrial.
Applicant Bob Mitchell, owner of Property Armor, sought to redevelop the site for his Jacksonville-based business specializing in air conditioning parts, security cages, and powder coating operations.
The property has sat vacant for several years and includes a 13,000-square-foot building, a garage, and an 18,000-square-foot canopy structure.
The decision came after extensive debate over spot zoning concerns, economic development opportunities, and the types of businesses that could potentially occupy the site in the future.
Staff recommends approval, planning and zoning board advises denial
City staff recommended approval of both measures, citing consistency with the city’s comprehensive plan and the potential for economic development. However, the Planning and Zoning Board had voted 4-1 in September to deny the request.
Dr. John Zieser and Dr. Geraldine Robbins explained that the board’s primary concern was spot zoning – applying a land use change to a single parcel without corresponding transitions in adjacent properties or buffer areas to protect surrounding land.
“The board understands that its role is advisory and that final authority rests with the city council,” Zieser said, reading from prepared remarks. “However, when the council is considering action that diverges from the formal board recommendation, it is important for transparency, institutional clarity, and public confidence that the reasoning and context behind the board’s decision are clearly communicated.”
Zieser also noted that economic development arguments presented at the council meeting had not been part of the September board discussion. The applicant’s proposed use would employ 8 to 10 workers in a light industrial operation, fabricating security equipment for HVAC systems.
City Planner Janice Fleet explained that staff believed the rezoning was appropriate because light industrial zoning already exists across the street from the property. She argued that this made the change a continuation of existing land-use patterns rather than spot zoning.
“The surrounding land uses are both a combination of light industrial, commercial, institutional,” Fleet said. “The buildings are kind of comparable – it’s hard to tell whether they’re really even commercial or industrial because of the same type of metal building.”
Fleet emphasized that the city’s comprehensive plan would take precedence over zoning regulations, limiting uses on the property to warehousing, indoor storage, auto repair, and processing or fabricating within an enclosed building. Outdoor storage would not be permitted under the comprehensive plan designation.
Ludwig: city’s regs more liberal than county’s
Councilman Brandon Ludwig, who cast the sole vote opposing the change, raised concerns about the breadth of uses permitted under the city’s current industrial zoning regulations. He noted that the city’s industrial zoning is actually less restrictive than Clay County’s, potentially allowing uses such as bulk storage yards, car dealerships, and laundry facilities.
However, Fleet clarified that the comprehensive plan’s more restrictive language would override the broader zoning code, limiting what could actually be developed on the property.
Councilman Dan Lewandowski acknowledged the difficulty of the decision, particularly in going against the Planning and Zoning Board’s recommendation.
“There are really good reasons to vote either way on this one. This is not easy. This is tough,” the council member said. “I am very reticent to go against the recommendation of the planning and zoning board. I respect them entirely.”
Economic development argument wins out
However, Lewandowski noted his previous advocacy for economic development and the city’s primary sources of income, which influenced his decision to support the rezoning.
Mayor Nina Rodenroth emphasized the practical considerations of leaving the building vacant.
“We can’t predict the future, none of us can,” Rodenroth said. “All we can do is do the best thing that we think is the best for our community as a whole, and that includes potential for economic growth. If it sits there with a very limited land use assignment, then it’s going to sit there vacant longer.”
