Melbourne council takes final votes Tuesday on D.R. Horton’s 811-home Pines

Melbourne City Council is scheduled to take final votes Tuesday on The Pines, an 811-home D.R. Horton subdivision planned on 424.82 acres at the city’s western edge.

The hearings are part of the 6:30 p.m. meeting Tuesday, Nov. 10, at City Hall, 900 E. Strawbridge Ave. Council will hold second readings of six ordinances (2026-36 through 2026-41) for annexation, comprehensive plan changes and zoning, then consider the preliminary development plan, a development agreement and a three-way sewer agreement with West Melbourne and D.R. Horton.

The land lies east of St. Johns Heritage Parkway, between the Melbourne-Tillman C-63 and C-54 canals and west of the end of the Norfolk Parkway right-of-way. The 298.2-acre middle tract is already in the city; the ordinances would annex two parcels of 120.65 and 5.97 acres now in unincorporated Brevard.

How the votes have gone

On Oct. 27, with all seven members present, council approved all six ordinances on first reading, with Council Member Rachael Bassett voting no on each, according to the meeting minutes in the packet. The plan, development agreement and sewer agreement were held for Tuesday.

The Planning and Zoning Board voted 3-2 on Oct. 1 to recommend denying both the development plan and the development agreement, citing safety concerns and a lack of adequate access. City staff still recommend approval.

Traffic and the road timeline

The developer’s traffic study estimates about 7,346 new vehicle trips. All access would be from Norfolk Parkway, with no connection to Ranch Road or other local streets.

• Before the first home is occupied: a two-lane link from the current end of Norfolk Parkway in West Melbourne to the site.

• Before the 300th: improvements at Norfolk Parkway’s intersections with Shallow Creek Boulevard and Minton Road in West Melbourne.

• Before the 715th: a two-lane road west to St. Johns Heritage Parkway, with signal work there.

That means the first 714 homes would be reached only from the east, through West Melbourne via Minton Road, the staff memo says. And the western link isn’t guaranteed: the agreement says it depends on Brevard County issuing a right-of-way permit at a location, with conditions and a timeframe, acceptable to the developer and landowner “in their respective sole discretion.”

Water, sewer, schools and wetlands

West Melbourne would provide sewer service under the three-way agreement, which West Melbourne and D.R. Horton have already signed, and Melbourne’s Lake Washington plant would supply water. The school district found adequate school capacity, a determination good for two years. The Platt parcel has about 93.5 acres of wetlands and 12.07 acres of other surface water; the St. Johns River Water Management District will decide on any mitigation permits. Staff say the whole site is in Flood Zone X, outside the 500-year floodplain.

Protest petition fell short

Neighbors filed a protest petition against the zoning changes on Oct. 22. Staff counted signatures from owners of 10.57% of the land within 500 feet, about 24.91 acres. City code requires 20% to force a six-of-seven council vote, so a simple majority is enough. An earlier petition in March against a related land-use change reached 7.16%.

Projected city taxes

Staff estimate the homes’ average taxable value at $500,000, producing about $2.25 million a year in city property taxes. With Amendment 3’s larger homestead exemption, staff estimate an average taxable value of $250,000 and about $1.5 million a year.

The meeting is open to the public. The agenda and packet are posted on the city’s CivicClerk portal, melbournefl.portal.civicclerk.com.

Based on the city’s Nov. 10 agenda and agenda packet, including the staff memo, development agreement and Oct. 27 minutes. 321 Daily did not seek comment for this story.