A 900-home age-restricted community has received preliminary approval from Sebastian City Council for a zoning and land-use change, and now is awaiting state review before moving forward.
Cresswind is the latest Kolter Homes project presented to the City Council. The 382-acres south of 69th Street and east of 82nd Avenue was annexed into the city May 26. Having the development within city limits would give Sebastian greater control over the project, council members said.
The property, currently zoned agricultural, received preliminary approval July 8 to change the future land-use designation to very low-density residential and zoning to city planned unit development residential. The large-scale land use change requires a state review — which can take up to 30 days — before the City Council can hold the second and final public hearing.
The property is adjacent to the 2,044-acre Graves Brothers property, which was annexed in 2023 but remains undeveloped. The City Council has said projects annexed into the city would have to comply with greater restrictions from the city than from Indian River County — a major factor in the city’s decision to annex multiple parcels within the past year.
Annexing the property also was expected to bring Sebastian $2.5 million through about $1.8 million in property taxes and additional fees, according to city reports.
Kolter Homes plans to develop Cresswind into a 55+community, where at least one resident of each home must be 55 or older. The development would include an amenity center built on 8.29 acres and about 83 acres of lakes of trails. The project would be completed in five phases. Kolter Homes would extend the utility infrastructure and implement road improvements outside the community, city staff said.
While some residents have favored the annexations as a way to manage growth, others have expressed concern about the large-scale developments altering the city’s character.
“It’s not consistent with what’s going on in our community,” former City Council member Damien Gilliams told the City Council on July 8. “This is going to (have) a big impact on this community, and you are setting the standards for the future.”
Gilliams said he was concerned about the aftermath when the development is completed.
“We’re going to bring these guys in. They’re going to profit,” he said. “They’re going to leave, and we’re going to be stuck with all this traffic.”
Colleen Wixon is the Indian River County government watchdog reporter for TCPalm and Treasure Coast Newspapers.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Florida city looking to grow again with mega 55+ housing community
Reporting by Colleen Wixon, Treasure Coast Newspapers / Treasure Coast Newspapers
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By Colleen Wixon, Treasure Coast Newspapers | USA TODAY Network
