Planning board recommends denial of future land-use map amendment and rezoning at 112 Martin Luther King Ave

The St. Augustine Planning & Zoning Board voted to recommend denial of a proposed future land-use map amendment and rezoning for 112 Martin Luther King Avenue after sustained public comment and board debate.

Applicant Kyle Campbell sought to change the property’s future land use from Residential Low Density to Commercial Low Intensity and rezone from RS-2 to CL-1 to operate a nonalcoholic juice/record listening bar with the owner living above. Staff reported updates since the packet and noted the application was routed to the Development Review Committee. Several neighbors and public commenters urged denial, arguing that the change would be an upzone, would create an isolated commercial parcel within a residential area and that rezoning could enable future, unanticipated commercial uses. One commenter urged the board to preserve the future land-use map and avoid setting a precedent for spot zoning.

The applicant said his goal was to remain in the neighborhood and run a quiet, family-friendly business and that he was seeking agreements with a nearby museum to provide parking. Board members repeatedly emphasized they were weighing the legislative comprehensive-plan amendment separately from the quasi-judicial rezoning; members found the requested land-use map change inconsistent with comprehensive-plan policies and identified spot-zoning concerns. The board voted to recommend denial of the FLUM change and, separately, recommended denial of rezoning, citing incompatibility with the surrounding residential pattern and lack of contiguous commercial zoning.

The decision followed roll-call votes, and staff advised the applicant of alternatives including Friday review to explore what might be permitted under existing code without a rezoning.