By Suzy Kridner
skridner@hometownnewsol.com
NEW SMYRNA BEACH - Walmart and McDonald's are already there and now more commercial development is planned for State Road 44 and I-95.
The original plans for 184-acres called Ocean Gate, known as the Snowden property because it has been in that family since the 1940s, had included commercial and industrial, said James S. Morris, attorney for the Snowdens.
Now industrial has been eliminated and commercial and retail uses are in the plans for the development in the southwest quadrant of the I-95/S.R. 44 interchange.
Mr. Morris spoke at last week's Planning and Zoning Commission meeting to request rezoning to a Planned Unit Development to include a Master Development Agreement and Conceptual Development Plan.
The property is vacant.
New Smyrna Beach resident Randy Herman said he is concerned that the S.R. 44 access to the city may begin to look like a strip mall.
Planning manager Gail Henrikson said the city is working with the state Department of Transportation on a traffic study, including a frontage road.
"We don't want a bunch of driveway cuts off a six-lane road," she said.
She also said updates will need to be made to the traffic impact analysis that was done earlier.
Mr. Morris said the Snowdens are talking to retailers and other businesses, but nothing is finalized.
The Master Development Agreement would allow the properties to have a mix of non-residential uses. Primary access would be from S.R.44.
The city's planning staff decided to ask the Planning and Zoning Board to recommend that the City Commission approve the rezoning, the Master Development Agreement and the conceptual Development Plan with certain conditions.
The Planning and Zoning Board vote was unanimous.
The conditions include revisions to the Traffic Impact Study before the plans can go before the city Commission, Ms. Hendrikson said.