West Melbourne Ordinances 2026-10 and 2026-11: City Council First Reading on 235 Park Hill Blvd Rezoning, October 20

On Tuesday, October 20, 2026, the West Melbourne City Council will hold public hearings on three related requests for 235 Park Hill Boulevard. The 0.31 acre lot sits at the southwest corner of Dorchester Avenue and Park Hill Boulevard. Ordinance No. 2026-10 would change the lot's future land use from Low Density Residential (LD-RES) to Integrated Business (IB). Ordinance No. 2026-11 would rezone the lot from R-1A, single-family residential, to IB. A development agreement would set a two phase plan for a shared parking lot now and a 2,400 square foot warehouse building later. The requests are items 5.B.1 through 5.B.3 on the agenda. October 20 is the first reading of both ordinances. The staff reports list November 17, 2026 for second reading and adoption.

The Request for 235 Park Hill Boulevard

The owner and applicant is Alex C. Lamarre, with Robert Robb, P.E., as agent. The case numbers are SSA-2026-01 for the land use change, REZ-2026-01 for the rezoning, and DA-2026-02 for the development agreement.

The staff reports say the lot has been used to park cars for the automotive business at 1275 Dorchester Avenue. The current land use and zoning do not allow a parking lot. Staff describes an unimproved surface with no approved parking area or stormwater retention. The property has been under commercial ownership since 2013.

The owner also owns 1255 and 1275 Dorchester Avenue and 184 Westover Drive. The warehouse at 184 Westover Drive is leased to a business that offers gymnastics and other recreation. Staff reports that its customers park along Dorchester Avenue and Westover Drive because parking there is limited. The city does not permit on-street parking, and staff says the parked cars cause traffic disruptions.

The lot has industrial warehousing to the north and an automotive use to the east. A single-family home sits to the south at 245 Park Hill Boulevard. A stormwater pond for the Bella Luna subdivision lies to the west.

Park Hill History and the Staff Analysis

The city adopted the Park Hill Small Area Study in 2011. The area lies south of U.S. Highway 192 and west of Dairy Road. Staff calls it the city's only concentrated area with an established mix of homes and businesses. This lot kept its residential designation at that time. Residents on the south side of Park Hill Boulevard preferred to keep the residential character of their block between Henry Avenue and Dorchester Avenue.

Staff now supports the change. Its land use report cites growth over the past 15 years in businesses, rental duplexes, and larger rental homes, along with fewer single-family homes. It also points to the lot's corner location near New Haven Avenue.

LD-RES allows one single-family home on this lot. IB allows a mix of commercial, industrial, institutional, and residential uses. The IB category caps intensity at a 0.60 floor area ratio. Staff puts the maximum building area allowed on the lot under IB at 8,102 square feet.

Development Agreement Terms for Nearby Owners and the Applicant

Staff explains that commercially zoned property must include a building and cannot be used only for vehicle storage. The agreement sets two phases. Phase 1 is a parking lot shared by the businesses at 184 Westover Drive and 1275 Dorchester Avenue. Phase 2 is a 2,400 square foot warehouse building. The concept plan states that the Phase 1 parking will be gravel. Phase 2 would add the building and replace the gravel with pavement and curbs.

The draft agreement includes these terms.

• A minor site plan must be approved before work begins. It must be substantially consistent with the concept plan.

• Parking spaces must be 10 feet wide and 20 feet long, or 18 feet long with a two foot overhang. Two way drive aisles must be at least 24 feet wide.

• No cars may be parked outside the fence. The agreement also states that "no parking signs are to be installed along Park Hill Blvd."

• Access comes from Dorchester Avenue. The existing culvert pipe on Park Hill Boulevard is to be removed.

• A sidewalk will connect the lot to the Dorchester Avenue sidewalk in Phase 1.

• The owner must keep a 10 foot landscaping buffer and maintain the stormwater system.

• A waiver of City Code Section 98-1051, which requires a minimum size building for a business, lets the parking lot come before the building.

For the home to the south, the rezoning staff report says the parking lot and the future warehouse would both stay behind a solid fence to screen the view. The concept plan shows a 6 foot opaque fence to remain along the south and west lines. Staff reports no complaints from the owner to the south about the cars now parked on the lot. As of the land use report, staff had received no comments from nearby owners.

For the applicant and later owners, the agreement runs with the land and binds successors. It lasts 30 years. It must be recorded in the county public records at the owner's expense. Staff states that significant changes to the site layout would require an amendment approved by City Council.

The Legal Framework and the Hearing Process

Section 163.3187, Florida Statutes, sets the process for what it calls small scale development amendments. These involve a use of 50 acres or fewer and a site-specific change to the future land use map. The statute requires one public hearing before the governing board, which is the adoption hearing. Any affected person may file a petition to challenge the amendment within 30 days after adoption. A small scale amendment cannot take effect until 31 days after adoption. Ordinance No. 2026-11 states that the rezoning takes effect at the same time as Ordinance No. 2026-10.

Under section 166.041, Florida Statutes, a rezoning started by someone other than the city may be read on at least two separate days. Notice must be published at least 10 days before adoption. Staff reports that the rezoning and the agreement were advertised on September 24, 2026, and that notices were mailed to owners within 500 feet.

The Florida Local Government Development Agreement Act, sections 163.3220 through 163.3243, sets general rules for development agreements. Section 163.3225 requires at least two public hearings, and the local planning agency may hold one. Section 163.3239 requires recording within 14 days, and an agreement is not effective until recorded. The draft agreement cites the city's own rules in City Code Sections 64-66 through 64-72.

The Planning and Zoning Board, the city's local planning agency, had all three requests on its October 13 agenda. The Council packet states that the board recommends approval of the rezoning and the development agreement. The packet recommends approval of all three items.

The hearing is Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. in the City Council Chamber. The city's City Council web page lists the meeting place as the Veterans Memorial Complex, 2285 Minton Road. The agenda states that all persons wishing to be heard should appear in person at the hearings or send written comments to the City Clerk. Second reading and adoption of Ordinances 2026-10 and 2026-11 are listed for November 17, 2026.