Saturday, November 18, 2006

Beach and Casino Zoning District Special Planning and Zoning Board Meeting - 11/29, 6 p.m., OLD COMMISSION ROOM, City Hall Annex

As a follow up to our October 19 meeting related to the Beach and Casino Zoning District, the Planning and Zoning Board will have a special meeting to further consider the details of the zoning ordinance.

At the October 19 meeting, the Planning and Zoning Board sent a recommendation to the City Commission to transmit to the State of Florida - a future land use plan text change and future land use map change for the beach property. The creation of this new land use district is necessary to reflect long-standing existing conditions (commercial and retail uses present on the property) and to prepare for the beach redevelopment plan currently in process. The future land use plan is part of the City's Comprehensive Plan and any changes to the text or land use map are reviewed by the State of Florida (they are considered "large scale amendments") and then sent back to the City for ultimate adoption. We will likely not hear from the State of Florida until sometime in January or February 2007. The following language is what is currently being reviewed by state authorities:


While we wait for the review by the State of Florida of the future land use plan change, we can use this time for further refinement of the Beach and Casino zoning district. The zoning district language will limit items such as height, permitted uses and other parameters.

It is important to realize that input is still possible regarding the specifics of the Beach and Casino zoning district. There are those that are attempting to confuse the situation and make it seem like there will be no more opportunity for public comment and that all decisions have been made regarding the creation of the zoning district.

I urge you to attend the special meeting of the Planning and Zoning Board on 11/29 to further understand the process and status of the beach project. Your input and guidance is sincerely appreciated. If the Board takes action at that meeting on the proposed Beach and Casino zoning district, it will be in the form of a recommendation to the City Commission.

Let's all do our best to support the public review process within the City of Lake Worth. Do no discount the importance of your input!

This is the current working draft of the Beach and Casino zoning district:



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