Three single-family homes are headed to Solomon Street after the Orange Park Planning and Zoning Board approved all three applications 4-0 on Sept. 10, according to draft meeting minutes.

The homes, proposed by American Classic Homes at 1629, 1639 and 1649 Solomon St., each contain about 1,642 square feet of living space plus a 381-square-foot garage. All three lots sit in Flood Zone A, a 100-year floodplain with a 1% annual chance of flooding, according to town records.

Neighbor Aaron Canady, who lives at 1670 Solomon St., told the board he already deals with water problems on his side of the street. Canady said heavy rainfall saturates yards and leaves standing water along his stretch of Solomon Street, and that drainage ditches and a culvert in the area struggle to drain during heavy rain, according to the draft minutes.

Economic and Community Development Director Stephen Smith said the engineered drainage plan directs stormwater through swales toward the rear of the properties. The plans call for a finished floor elevation at least 18 inches above the roadway, meeting the town's drainage requirements, Smith said. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection issued an environmental resource permit, and the town's engineering consultant, Means Engineering, reviewed the site plans.

Smith offered to meet with Canady and the town's engineer to review the drainage plans and existing conditions, including photographs of standing water. The board acknowledged Canady's concerns but noted the existing drainage problems may be separate from the new development.

Vice Chair Alex Hawkins presided over the meeting. Board members Dena Olejnik, Marc Jernigan and George Niles were present. Chairman Paul Bement was absent.

New ordinance would set ex parte disclosure rules

Attorney Sabrina Smith of Smith, Gambrell and Russell presented Ordinance 08-26, which would establish formal rules for disclosing ex parte communications in quasi-judicial proceedings before town boards.

Under the proposed ordinance, board members who receive written communications must file a copy with the board secretary. Oral communications that significantly influence a member's views must be disclosed, including the substance and the identity of the person involved. Site visits and expert opinions are permitted if disclosed at the hearing and entered into the record.

Attorney Smith said the ordinance's purpose is "to remove the presumption of prejudice associated with communications occurring outside a public hearing by establishing a procedure for disclosure." She indicated she would confirm whether the board could adopt stricter requirements and whether the rules would be incorporated into the board's standing rules.

Town Center Plan workshop moved to Sept. 24

The board's review of the proposed Town Center Plan and Design Guidelines is scheduled for Sept. 24 at 5:30 p.m. The workshop was originally planned for the Sept. 10 meeting but was moved to a separate session at Chairman Bement's request during the Aug. 13 meeting, given the anticipated length of discussion.

The next regular Planning and Zoning Board meeting is Oct. 8 at 6 p.m.