The Jacksonville Planning Commission voted 7-0 on Aug. 21 to support construction of 650 single-family homes on 345 acres along Interstate 95 near Jacksonville International Airport.
The commission’s vote came on two companion ordinances for a large-scale land use amendment and rezoning for the project, sited on three parcels west of International 95 and about three-fourths of a mile north of Pecan Park Road. The land is owned by Bacardi Bottling Corp.
Plans call for single-family homes, attached homes described as “paired villas,” and townhomes.
The property is bordered by single-family developments to the south and southwest, the Seaton Creek Historic Preserve to the west and Timucuan Ecological and Historical Preserve to the north.
Ordinance 2025-0484 would rezone the full space from Agriculture to Planned Unit Development, a special zoning district that allows for a mix of residential, commercial and industrial uses within a single district.
Companion legislation Ordinance 2025-0483 would amend the land-use from Agriculture to Low Density Residential and Conservation.
Conservation zoning consists of areas with valuable environmental resources, such as sensitive vegetation, high value habitat, wetlands, high aquifer recharge potential, carbon sinks and unique coastal areas.
If approved by the Jacksonville City Council, the land use amendment would change 312.87 acres to the LDR designation, while 31.73 would become CSV.
The rezoning is a partnership between Bacardi Bottling Corp., the rum-maker that owns a bottling and distribution facility nearby off of Interstate 95, and Tampa-based Pecan Enterprises LLC. The partnership is under the name Pecan Envy, LLC.
As part of the proposal, the developer would donate about 23 acres of the property to the city Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department to allow for an expansion project in the center of Seaton Creek Historic Preserve.
The property is across I-95 from the 1,000-acre site where Benderson Development Co. LLC of University Park, near Sarasota, is planning a commercial, industrial and residential development on property it purchased from Bacardi in 2007. In February 2025, the Jacksonville City Council approved legislation for rezoning and a land-use amendment of that property.
Ross Puzzitiello, the president of Pecan Enterprises, said the residential development west of I-95 was not related to the Benderson project.
According to an analysis attached to the legislation, the residential development would generate 4,680 daily automobile trips, which would not put nearby Interstate 95 and Pecan Park Road over capacity.
The legislation before the planning commission drew no public comment, and commissioners approved it without discussion.