DRAFT MINUTES
Planning and Zoning Board Meeting
August 31, 2021 at 5:45 PM
City Hall Commission Chambers
516 8th Avenue West
Palmetto, FL 34221
Planning and Zoning Board Members Present
Randy Iaboni, Chairman
William Price, III
Pamela Roberts
Planning and Zoning Board Members on Zoom
Jon Moore
Staff Present
Kera Hill, Planning Analyst
Penny Johnston, Executive Assistant
Chairman Iaboni called the meeting to order at 5:45 p.m., however seeing no visitors in the Chambers nor listening on Zoom, he went right into roll call. There is still a vacant position on the Board following Karen Jones’ departure due to a change in her employment.
1. PLANNING & ZONING BOARD AGENDA APPROVAL
MOTION: Mr. Price moved, Mrs. Roberts seconded, and the motion carried 4-0 to approve the August 31, 2021 Planning and Zoning Agenda.
2. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES
MOTION: Mr. Price moved, Mrs. Roberts seconded, and the motion carried 4-0 to approve the July 15, 2021 Minutes.
3. PUBLIC COMMENT
There was no public comment
4. ORDINANCE NO. 2021-13
Mrs. Hill reminded the Board about the legislative changes for local jurisdictions to add a property rights element into the comprehensive plan in order to be in compliance.
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PALMETTO, FLORIDA, AMENDING THE CITY OF PALMETTO COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO ADD A PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS ELEMENT; PROVIDING FOR CODIFICATION; PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
MOTION: Mr. Price moved, Mrs. Roberts seconded, and the motion carried 4-0 to recommend the City Commission adopt Ordinance No. 2021-13.
5.OLD BUSINESS
The Riviera Dunes project discussion was continued to September 27, 2021 and will be held at the Convention Center. The developer asked for the postponement.
6. NEW BUSINESS
Mr. Iaboni brought up a number of questions about the responsibilities of the Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Board. He started with Article 12 of the Zoning Code stating that the P&Z Board was also the Tree Board. Mrs. Hill remarked that Palmetto is a Tree City and there is budget in the Parks Department for Arbor Day to plant a special tree, in conjunction with Keep Manatee Beautiful. Mr. Iaboni questioned if we needed to meet with staff. Marisa Powers suggested that the P&Z Board is a recommending board, so she acknowledged that he raises a valid point. Kera Hill concurred that Parks and this Board could have conversations.
Jon Moore asked if the City had a tree ordinance, and suggested the P&Z Board review the ordinance at the next meeting.
Randy Iaboni read from Code 12.4 (a)1 and then remarked two big developments have come before the P&Z Board claiming they needed less than two parking spaces per unit. He suggested developers provide and independent study of the parking spaces needed. Mrs. Hill added that in the past, an independent analysis had been presented to the P&Z Board for parking at the senior apartments on Haben Avenue.
Ms. Powers opined the Board could recommend parking studies but did not feel they could mandate a study every time. Mr. Iaboni stated he had done an independent study about parking needed in the City, but the study had not yet been made public.
Mr. Iaboni said, statistically, Palmetto is a “white collar” city, not the “blue collar” city that our Commission claims.
Mr. Iaboni stressed that Conditional Use Permit approvals may run with the land or stay with the applicant. Mr. Iaboni was concerned about multiple trucks being stored on a vacant lot at the corner of 11th Avenue West and 17th Street West. He saw the residential property was not zoned for storage of trucks and City Code also states that parking must be on hard surfaces, not on the lawns. Ms. Powers stated the stored trucks would be a Code Enforcement issue.
Staff is not aware of plans to rewrite the entire code of ordinance bylaws. Specifically, Mr. Iaboni stated people are parking on their lawns. Ms. Powers replied we can amend parking rules if necessary, but again, that would be a code issue, not a topic to be decided by this board.
Mrs. Hill said if any citizen feels there is a code violation, they can submit concerns to the staff and department heads. Mrs. Hill said an email with specific issues is helpful for the City to resolve the concern.
Pam Roberts acknowledged the vacancy of Ms. Jones.
Mr. Iaboni adjourned the meeting at 6:08 p.m.
THE AUGUST 31, 2021 PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD MEETING MINUTES WERE APPROVED ON : ____________________________BY THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD.