Commission makes board changes

The Longboat Key Town Commission changed the way some of its boards work at its regular meeting Monday night at Town Hall. 

The commission approved on first reading an ordinance that establishes a new five-person board for its Zoning Board of Adjustment. The commission decided reducing the number of members from seven to five will make achieving a quorum easier. The commission, though, decided against giving certain duties to the Planning and Zoning Board in the event the zoning board can't reach a quorum.

Commissioners also approved on first reading an ordinance that gives site plan authority back to the Planning and Zoning Board for applications that don’t have departures from town code. The move cuts down on staff time that makes presentations for applications that currently must go before both the planning board and the commission.

The commission also approved an interlocal agreement between the town and the West Coast Inland Navigation District for a sand project that places sand from a site near Longboat Pass on the north end of the island. WCIND will pay $500,000 for the project and the town will pay $350,000 toward the project, which is expected to start on Wednesday.

Also at its regular meeting, commissioners:

Approved:
• A $100,000 budget transfer needed to make beach district ordinance revisions.
• A new 30-year franchise agreement between the town and Florida Power & Light.
• An ordinance that establishes fees for lien search services the Town Clerk’s Office provides.
• A resolution that executes an agrees with a Florida Department of Transportation contractor for Gulf of Mexico Drive rights-of-way mowing and litter collection.
• A revised interlocal agreement between the town and Sarasota County for Tourist Development Tax disbursements to the town.
• Resolutions that allow the Finance Committee, Community Center Advisory Committee and the Urban Land Institute Implementation Advisory Committee to continue as town committees.

Decided to hire:
• Special legal counsel relating to the Colony Beach & Tennis Resort public nuisance hearings that will continue May 28 at Town Hall.

Contact Kurt Schultheis at [email protected].