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About 800 Acres Off Jacks Branch Road May Be Rezoned For Commercial, Other Development
September 2, 2013
The Escambia County Planning Board and the Escambia County Commission are considering a request to rezone just over 800 acres off Jacks Branch Road from residential to a variety of zoning districts including residential and retail commercial.
The property is located at 900 Jacks Branch Road and lies east of Jacks Branch and north of Well Line Road, all to the west of Highway 29. The rezoning is being proposed by the DDJ Land Company, LLC, managed by Jerry and Donald Long of Pensacola.
An area of 444 acres, 275 of which are not wetlands, would be rezoned to C-1 (commercial). The area would be intended to serve the surrounding area with larger and small scale retail, office and residential use. The center will be designed around pedestrian and utilized plazas and other public space “to create an attractive environment”, according to the application.
A 74 acre area, 60 acres of which are not wetlands, would be rezoned R-4 to allow for neighborhoods comprised primarily of attached single and multifamily residential dwellings. The roads will be designed in a gridded system, with public spaces for civic, community and recreational areas.
A 156 acre area, 65 acres not wetlands, would be zoned V-5. The area would be located in the “rural” area of the development with subdivision that would be clustered single family homes focusing on efficient use of land and infrastructure, conventional large lot development and accessible open space.
A 107 acre parcel, 85 which are not wetlands, would be zoned R-3 with a range of housing types on a gridded block road system.
An R-4 zoned area of 25 acres would provide a housing area of a variety of attached and detached residential homes. Parks, conservation and public spaces would be focal point for the neighborhoods.
The Escambia County Commission is expected to set a public hearing on the rezoning request for October 3 at 5:45 p.m. The Escambia County Planning Board will consider the proposal on Monday, September 9 at 8:30 a.m.
Pictured top: A location map for about 800 acres that may be rezoned. Pictured east: Looking north into the parcel from Well Line Road. Pictured below: Looking east into the parcel from Jacks Branch Road. Courtesy images for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Comments
27 Responses to “About 800 Acres Off Jacks Branch Road May Be Rezoned For Commercial, Other Development”
I do hope that the Long brothers will follow HUD guidelines and not forget to include public housing in their project. Diversity is the key to a happy and healthy community environment.
As Burt Bacharach once said “Living together, Growing together, just being together”.
Shalom
I do not believe it is anyones intent to tell others about how to best use their land however the idea that within avery few short years the area could go from rural and agricultrual to a urban setting is rather daunting and along with that all the problems of that enviroment.Our county fathers have never been blessed with a great amount of fore thought or the ability to hear the voice of the people.With hunreds of empty storefronts county wide,why then should we believe that businesses want to open up in the middle of the woods.Lets pray for the best.But be careful for what you wish for.
I think this kind of development would be great for Cantonment. We NEED jobs and an expanding tax base in this economy. Where is the public hearing on Oct. 3rd? I want to be there.
BTW – Phillip, have you thought about the person who owns what you call a “nice tract of undeveloped land”? Nobody should be proihibited from developing THEIR land because the neigbors have gotten used to the view.
I have an idea, if you want that land to stay the way it is then purchase it and when a developer approaches you about selling it, you can politely tell him no thank you. Until then I believe it is more than a little arrogant for folks to tell someone else what they can or can’t do with their private property. What if your neighbors didn’t want to see your house when you decided to build, was that their decision to make or yours?
Regardless of the applicant’s development plans mentioned in their application, once it’s rezoned to C-1, ANYTHING allowed in C-1 could possibly be developed -you can view the Permitted and Conditional Uses in Article 6 of the Land Development Code (LDC). Also, the property could be sold after the rezoning and used for completely different purposes than what the applicant has in his application.
To be heard, you MUST attend and speak at the Planning Board meeting next Monday 9/9/13; if you don’t, you CANNOT speak at the BOCC meeting! I also suggest reading Article 2.08 in the LDC.
http://myescambia.com/business/comprehensive-plan-and-land-development-code
I moved from this area to Alabama and absolutely love it! It is cheaper even with state taxes. I literally live about 15 minutes from the grocery store in Pensacola. It may be 11 miles. I have rental property near this prospected area and all I see is my property taxes good up. I hope this does not get pushed forward. This area has grown a lot with the subdivisions already. If anything, I would love to keep the woods and possibly put in local businesses where the Fugly Worm used to be. There is some empty space there that could use a face lift and some business.
It odd that when there was talk about a fast food place at 29 and 97 there were a lot of people all for it. Then the comments started about “how about building a WalMart also”. The comments were all for the idea because there would be more jobs. As for moving to Ala. — you may want to check the tax base. plus if you work in Ala, you’ll have to pay a state income tax. They also charge sales tax on groceries. There appears to be little or no price break on gas. Southern Co has backed off on their plans for a power plant on the Escambia River. It was to be built on the property they bought from people and runs from 29 to the river. So why would they want to build on Jack’s Branch
The development in downtown did not pan out. You have had to drop the tech property to entice other business to come to downtown and it has not produced fruit. There was talk of development of Barrineau Park area with self containment and it still has not came through. The development in Quinette has ran out of money and changed hands too many times. Also the property on Hwy 29 is still not full. We do not need another WalMart and the other businesses can not compete. Plus you are now trying to get the helicopter field for developement. Where is there room for more businesses in this economy? Adding more houseing to support the concept is not the whole way to pay for this business concept.
I moved to Gonzalez with my Mother and Father in 1973. Gonzalez was considered the country then. Now it’s the outskirts of Pensacola.
We moved from Gonzalez to get away from the close built houses and the light pollution. We love to look at the stars at night, something you could not do in the bright city and surrounding areas.
Why do the developers always want to keep pushing the city into our laps. they should develop the areas that are sitting vacant. We need to keep the land clean and the trees standing. I don’t have a problem with someone that wants to better their life but don’t let it be a big development because someone thinks he can get rich from it.
Hmmmmmmm . . . . Sounds like the perfect place to re-re-zone later for a Nuclear Power Plant. The government works in mysterious ways!
NO!!! I just moved out here…it’s beautiful here…don’t chop the trees!!!
Let’s all go to this meeting and let them know we don’t want this in our area. I don’t mind driving to Publix, Winn Dixie, or if I have to Wal Mart. Goodness….all the pending constructions that are not even finished the one on Quintette, the one on Well Line…Seriously? What about the deer? The other animals that live out here in these woods?
Why don’t they just build a Walmart or target at the 9 mile exit and call it good.
stay away…we moved here over 40 yrs ago JUST BECAUSE of the woods and animals,peace and quiet from the city. We have watched the destruction of woodlands to see homes mushroomed in…enough is enough. OH WELL..tax is lower in Alabama, better gas prices..keep pushing us Escambia we are just a few feet from the line of moving out!!
Just curious, but is this not part of the 15,000 acre Optional Sector Plan that was already approved by the commissioners for Cantonment? I agree with everyone, I moved out here to get away from big development and was shocked when they let me know that our deadend road would be cut threw to Quintette for access to this Sector Plan of new businesses, schools, residential developments that they are planning on the west side of Hwy 29.
Did anyone attend the meetings at the school last year and the year before concerning the Beulah I-10 off ramp and the 30 year build out?
Imo this is part of phase 2 of it. Land has to be acquired first.
Phase 3 east of Shiftco road will be even larger. Live walking distance from your home. Pack em in tight.
Research sustainable development. Form your own opinion on it.
Didn’t someone try this a few years ago? I have lived down the road for 46 years. They can plan and zone all they want, it doesn’t matter to me. Nothings going to happen without money to fund the project. In this economy? In the next few months, when Obama care kicks in, it’s only going to get worse! If you don’t have citizens who can afford the houses nothing will happen. Look at the subdivision right there on Well line. Nice plan, but after all these years only about 5-6 houses. The roads are nice though. They lead no where. Nice place to teach your kids how to drive.
I think it’s a good idea, not that I think it will actually come to pass though. Not everyone who lives on the North end is retired or independently wealthy so I, for one, would welcome the job opportunities this would provide.
No no no no! I do believe there are a few of this empty developments hanging around now! (One on quintet, one right of 29 in Molino.) If you wanna shop take the drive. Stop cutting down everything just so your walmart is closer to you. People don’t move on the outskirts to have the city come to them.
The county should not even have a say in the use of private property, if there is no harm done to others.
I agree with most comments. I would love to live in that area to get farther away from all the business of Pensacola and the 9 mile road area as I live in southern Cantonment. There is no need for commercial development that far out. If this becomes developed, it will sit vacant much like already developed properties near and in town. And to ME: if the drive is getting old, get out of the country city slicker. There’s plenty of property for sale in Pensacola and the immediate suburbs. I might would be willing to sale you my house or trade places with you to be farther out.
With the national debt exceeding Gross Domestic Production and a U.S. Total Debt of 60 Trillion, I don’t think this pipe dream is going to happen anytime soon.
This project’s developer for some reason makes me think of British Colonel Nicholson, from the novel Bridge on the Rive Kwai by Pierre Boulle.
The 5 acre parcel plan as was used years ago with the Schiftko Road community would be more realistic and better in line with the rest of the areas wants and needs. 10 acre parcels would be even nicer in preserving the rural atmosphere and motif.
This has no east and west corridor. It needs to be down on I 10
Be nice to have something a little closer than Cantonment for shopping, that drive is getting old.
More development, just what we need. Does anyone consider what the people who live out here want? We move to the country to get away from the busyness of subdivisions, businesses, and fast food restaurants and they just follow us out here. Will people ever learn there is nothing wrong with nice large tracts of undeveloped land?
We moved here to have the beautiful skies without the lights from the city and to have peace and quiet.. Why bring that out here? There are plenty of vacant properties in Pensacola or other areas that can be utilized. Leave our trees and our area alone. I guess it is time to start looking for some property in the woods.
That sounds like another Milestone.