Sebastian keeps growing as City Council approves more annexation requests

SEBASTIAN — The city is going through a growth spurt, adding nearly 250 acres in the last several months.

In July, the City Council approved annexation of 182 acres from unincorporated Indian River County for Spirit of Sebastian, a planned urban development. Over the next 10 years, more than 500 homes could be built on the property, south of Sebastian Highlands.

On Wednesday, the council approved the latest annexation, about 67 acres of former citrus land, owned by Graves Brothers Co., along County Road 510 and 82nd Street. Recently-received approval from the state Department of Economic Opportunity cleared the way for rezoning the land from rural to general commercial development.

That zoning, city Community Development Director Lisa Frazier said, allows for retail operations and/or highway sales; hotels and motels; and high-density apartment complexes.

The intersection of C.R. 510 and 85th Street is considered a future-improvement intersection, which requires a zoning density higher than strictly agricultural, Frazier said.

No development plans for that property have been submitted to the city.