Nearly 83 acres of former landfill may be rezoned as industrial

A large swath of a former landfill between East Broadway Street and Lockwood Boulevard in Oviedo is on its way to being rezoned to bring it into compliance for its future land-use designation.

In the March 27 Local Planning Agency meeting, the applicant, Sunflower Holdings Agriculture, Inc. asked the board for the rezoning to industrial use of the nearly 83 acres, which are currently designated for agriculture. It is the site of the former City of Oviedo Landfill, which was closed in 1976, then converted into a transfer station until 1985. Following the closure, it was used as a storage area and source for clean dirt until Sunflower acquired the property in 2021.

Since the acquisition, the site has been used for concrete recycling and crushing . If the rezoning is approved, it will add a wet concrete production and distribution operation. 

The LPA voted to approve the amendment. It will now go to City Council for a first reading on April 15 and a public hearing on May 6.

Following the 2021 acquisition, Sunflower was granted a certificate of vesting, allowing the concrete processing on the site despite its designated zone use. 

The request is in line with the city’s 2045 Comprehensive Plan, as Oviedo works to update future land-use designations and compliance.

If approved by City Council, the site would be designated as an I-2 Industrial District, which are “established to accommodate enterprises engaged in the manufacturing, processing, creating, repairing, renovating, painting, cleaning, or assembling of goods, merchandise or equipment or adult entertainment,” according to the city’s land development code. 

No site plans have been proposed at this time, though the I-2 Industrial District does not allow for residential use, outside of temporary residences, such as a model home, with a special exception permit. The district does allow for professional and business offices, repair shops, funeral homes, service stations, specialty shops, nurseries, manufacturing and other similar uses, according to the land development code.

Environmental analysis and the city’s environmental consultant found that the zoning change “is not anticipated to result in a use that would result in adverse impacts to the natural environment other than potential effects on adjacent natural lands, including wetlands to the east of the property.” 

About 0.06 acres of the area are wetlands, and the consultant said “future proposed uses of the property should include natural buffers of sufficient width and consisting of native vegetation … to avoid potential offsite effects of future development.” Any further approvals would require a new wetland delineation, where wetlands are mapped on a property.