The Jacksonville Planning Commission on Thursday approved a zoning exception for Cornerstone Christian School of Jacksonville to use the former Arlington Family YMCA at 8301 Fort Caroline Road for athletic and sports competition facilities and camps.
The YMCA ceased operations of its Arlington branch Jan. 1 and sold the 7.36-acre Fort Caroline Road campus to the school Feb. 26 for $1.2 million.
Because the property is zoned residential low density, use by Cornerstone Christian School requires an exception from the city zoning code.
The school plans to use the facilities as they exist for sports-related activities.
The property comprises an 18,176-square-foot gymnasium and club space along with outdoor athletic fields.
Students will be transported from the school at 9039 Beach Blvd., which contains a 31,500-square-foot building on a 3-acre property.
The commission approved the exception with conditions. If the property is used for academics, the school will be required to submit a traffic study for approval from the city Planning Division of the Planning and Development Department.
The school would be required to provide pedestrian enhancements, such as sidewalks and a crosswalk, and signage indicating the presence of children.
According to the school’s website, the private school is nondenominational and has 380 students from prekindergarten through 12th grade.
The planning commission also approved zoning exceptions for:
• A Wawa gas station and convenience store at 1004 Edgewood Ave. N., at Commonwealth Boulevard.
A former bank building on the site will be demolished. Wawa’s exception allows outside sales and service in conjunction with food service.
In addition, the 5,636-square-foot Wawa was approved for companion administrative deviations to reduce landscape requirements and increase the number of parking spaces allowed.
• Cinemark Tinseltown and XD Theater at 4535 Southside Blvd. to allow all alcohol sales in the lobby and theater exclusively for patrons.
Sales of alcohol will be allowed only in conjunction with a movie theater and no other use.
The 102,945-square-foot theater, on 16.48 acres, has been in operation since 1998, according to property records.
• Crazy Crab, a proposed full-service seafood restaurant in the Cedar Hills Shopping Center at 3620 Blanding Blvd. and Wilson Boulevard, to allow liquor sales. The property has had similar uses since it was constructed in 1956.
n CrossFit Salt de Terre fitness center at 2385-2 Corbett St. to allow a fitness center in the Industrial Light zoning district.
The studio will be in a 4,850-square-foot metal building constructed in 1972.
The property is within the North Riverside Area Action Plan, whose goals are to promote business opportunities.
• The planning commission approved a minor modification to a planned unit development at 9722 Touchton Road and Deer Lake Court.
It amends the previously approved Touchton Road Car Wash on a 0.56-acre parcel and allows a proposed two-story, 12,015-square-foot office building.
The planning commission also approved land use amendments and rezonings. They will require City Council approval. The commission approved:
• Ordinances to allow up to 30,000 square feet of commercial space on the west side of Florida 9B and 25,000 square feet on the east side, just north of St. Johns County at 5239 Racetrack Road. Ordinance 2018-068 is the land use amendment and companion Ordinance 2018-069 is to rezone the 6.43 acres.
Applicant New Era Development Co. Inc. seeks to convert the land use from Agriculture to Neighborhood Commercial and change the zoning from Agriculture to Planned Unit Development. The amendment and rezoning require council approval.
• An ordinance to allow Saddle Brook Landings Annex LLC to develop 216 apartment units on 53.84 acres north of Normandy Boulevard at Bicentennial Drive near Cecil Commerce Center.
The applicant said it will submit a rezoning request for a Planned Unit Development. Ordinance 2018-070 is the land use amendment to change the use from Public Buildings and Facilities to Low Density Residential. It will require council and state approval.
• Interstate Center, a 35.31-acre, 117-lot single-family development with a 5.66-acre outparcel for commercial use next to Interstate Center Drive.
Ordinance 2018-071 is the land use amendment and Ordinance 2018-072 is the rezoning from Residential Low Density-60 to Planned Unit Development. The property is owned by the Diocese of St. Augustine.
• The Nine Mile Creek subdivision of up to 50 single-family lots on 12.12 acres on Trout River Boulevard at Wagner Road.
The current zoning allows for 89 multifamily units.
The application allows the developer to retain the multifamily use with an option to build townhomes through an amendment.