Council approves future land‑use change and rezoning for Riverwood property

After a quasi‑judicial hearing on Aug. 7, the City Council voted unanimously to adopt Ordinance 2025‑23‑24, which amends the future land use designation from residential medium density (up to 8 dwelling units per acre) to industrial, and companion Ordinance 2025‑23‑25, rezoning the same parcels from Residential Mobile Home 3 to Industrial Light and Warehousing. The property owners are listed as Leslie Earl Peeler and Riverwood Investments of Jacksonville LLC; Carol Chadwick is recorded as agent on the applications.

The change was considered in a quasi‑judicial proceeding led by City Attorney Martin that followed the city's published hearing procedures and the standards in Florida Statutes sections 163.3161–163.3248. Planning staff adopted their prior presentation and reports into the record from the July 21 hearing; no interveners registered to claim party status and no additional public comment was offered at the second‑reading hearing.

Curtis Carter, representing Riverwood Investments, told the council that if the rezoning is approved the property’s use would remain similar to its current tenant and that a potential new tenant would use the site for operations “very similar” to Century Ambulance, with no planned building modifications. “There’ll be no alterations of the building or modifications or anything like that,” Carter said.

Council members asked no substantive questions during the hearing. Roll call on both ordinances recorded votes in favor from the five council members present, and each ordinance passed on second reading.

Because the matter was heard quasi‑judicially, the council based its decision on the sworn testimony and the planning record. The ordinances include standard severability and effective‑date language; city staff said the rezoning is now part of the official zoning atlas and the comprehensive plan amendment will be effective consistent with statutory notice and challenge periods.