Sec. 656.399.71. - Legislative findings.

The Council hereby finds and determines as follows: A. The portion of Jacksonville that is located east of Boney Road and accessed by Cedar Point Road, Sawpit Road and their feeder local roads is defined by its rural character and contains some of the most pristine natural beauty within the County, and has been described as "Old Florida." B. The Preservation Project Jacksonville funded by the Better Jacksonville Plan in the early 2000's was instrumental in the acquisition of park and conservation land including Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve, Cedar Point Preserve, and Betz-Tiger Point Preserve. The City's Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department has recently branded that area as the "7 Creeks Recreation Area." C. Cedar Point Road, starting at Boney Road and going east is a dead-end road with a length of approximately 4.72 miles. Traveling Cedar Point Road to Sawpit Road to the northern end of Black Hammock Island is also a dead-end and equates to approximately 8.72 miles in length. D. The City's Adaptation Action Area ("AAA boundary"), which takes into consideration Category 3 storm surge and the Federal Emergency Management Agency's 500-year flood plain (2019), indicates that most of the land within the Cedar Point - Sawpit Zoning Overlay is within the AAA boundary and is at risk for more frequent and intense storm surge and sea level rise. E. Limiting the density in this Zoning Overlay to one (1) dwelling unit per one (1) net acre of land will help with evacuations in the event of a hurricane or fire emergency. F. Lots legally created and existing as of July 1, 2021 that do not contain at least one net acre of developable non-jurisdictional uplands shall not be considered "nonconforming lots" and may be developed as single family dwellings as if this Zoning Overlay were not in place. However, no lot existing as of July 1, 2021 shall be divided to create a lot or lots smaller than at least one net acre of land. G. The Planning Commission and the Land Use and Zoning Committee considered this density restriction, held public hearings and made their recommendations to the Council. H. Based on the foregoing findings, the Council hereby establishes the Cedar Point - Sawpit Zoning Overlay (the "Zoning Overlay") regulation contained in this Subpart T, of Part 3, of the Zoning Code for the purpose of controlling the density the Overlay area by limiting growth to no more than one dwelling unit per one net acre of land. (Ord. 2021-534-E , § 1)