GREEN COVE SPRINGS—After weeks of meetings, the city council on Tuesday took the first step to finalize the Form-Based Code for the downtown area. The code establishes regulations based on existing downtown streets and block patterns and standards for promoting development with various uses, appropriate design and public benefits.

To achieve this, the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission recommended eliminating the Central Business Zoning District and changing properties within its boundaries to Form-Based Code.

“Basically, the entire system was replaced,” said Michael Daniels, Development Services Director. “So, as a result of that, staff put together this companion ordinance, which is basically a cleanup to eliminate all references, not only in the zoning codes but also out of the city code where we identified the DBZ and either changes it to Form Base Code or specifically the transects.”

Daniels said the Central Business Zoning District was redefined to Form-Based Code with transect zones of the downtown core, primary and secondary corridors, transition, civic and current Planned Unit Development zoning.

“We’re not changing anything,” Daniels said. “We’re just getting rid of information that no longer applies.”

Without much discussion, the council quickly approved the ordinance’s first reading. The second and final reading will be at a future meeting.

In other business, the council was updated on Sawcross Inc.'s plan to complete the Harbor Road Wastewater Treatment Facility.

The council originally awarded the job to Williams Industrial Services, but it abandoned the site and filed for bankruptcy on July 19. Since then, Green Cove Springs has worked with performance bond insurance company Surety to replace Williams Industrial.

Also, the council approved the first reading of a request by William Krieg and Mai Engineering to rezone approximately 6.03 acres from unzoned to light industrial to build River Oaks Industrial Park on Cooks Lane near U.S. Highway 17 near State Road 16.

The city council meets on the first and third Tuesday of every month at City Hall, 321 Walnut St., at 7 p.m.