Results from Special Planning and Zoning Board Meeting - 10/19

The Planning and Zoning Board acted last night (on a vote of 6-1, with Anne Hoctor dissenting) to recommend that the following language be transmitted by the City Commission to the State of Florida, Department of Community Affairs. This language would be added to our Comprehensive Plan, create a new future land use designation of "Beach and Casino" and amend the future land use map accordingly. (see inset)

The Commission Chambers might have been half full last night. I was expecting a larger crowd and some there thought that there was not adequate notice of the meeting and wondered if the meeting were advertised appropriately, which it was. We decided to move the meeting to a night that was one night later than our usual meeting, in the same place and at the same time as we usually meet. We wanted this to be the only item on our agenda for a couple of reasons. One is that our typical agendas for our regular meetings run to about 10 p.m., on average. An item such as a text amendment to the Comprehensive Plan would have been discussed during the last part of our meeting. We felt the need to make sure we discussed this at a "reasonable" hour of the day, when people were alert, etc. All of this was in the name of providing the most accessible way for the public to comment and discuss the land use and zoning changes to the beach property. Starting early would also allow us to process a lot of input from the public without a real time constraint.

I guess no good deed goes unpunished sometimes. However, the future land use plan change will be considered in a public hearing at a future regular City Commission meeting and that will be to consider our recommendation to transmit the proposed language to the State of Florida for their review. There will be future opportunity to comment on this item.

We also discussed the draft zoning code language related to the creation of the Beach and Casino zoning district. More on this soon...

"Political advertisement paid for and approved by Wes Blackman for Commissioner – District #3"