Lighthouse Point boat dock approval granted

After years of discussions and conversations with the Longboat Key Planning, Zoning and Building Department staff, Lighthouse Point residents are getting their community docks upgraded.

At its Tuesday, June 21 regular meeting, the Longboat Key Planning and Zoning Board approved an outline development plan amendment and a site plan amendment that allows the community to reconfigure the boat moorings areas at two Lighthouse Point community docks. The change would provide better access to the mooring area and greater protection to the surrounding seagrass.

Currently, the community’s two docks have a common dock area to provide for boat access for six Lighthouse Point residents who have lots that don’t allow for docks on their properties.

Lighthouse Point requested an amendment from the town code to increase the projection of two docks into the waterway by 59.6 feet and to allow for a total dock area of 1,891 square feet. The request was an increase of 10 feet in length and 480 square feet of dock space than what currently exists on the docks in the Islandside community. The request would also reconfigure finger piers, which are used to moor boats, parallel to the dock structure.

The request also maintains eight boat slips but reconfigures them on the docks to place four on each dock.

However, neither of the community docks can extend further than 50 feet into the water, and one of the finger piers must be removed on the western dock. The request to remove one of the finger piers was granted after one homeowner complained that the revised docks hampered his view of New Pass.

In a video shown to the planning board, more than 15 Lighthouse Point residents, who are either gone for the summer or couldn’t attend the meeting, voiced their overwhelming support for the project.

Town planner Steve Schield said the request was “a long time coming.”

“Staff has been working for more than two years to improve this area and allow better access to the docks,” Schield said. “We believe that’s been accomplished.”

The Longboat Key Town Commission will now review the planning board’s recommendation in September.

Contact Kurt Schultheis at [email protected].