Longboat Key Town Commission reviews tourism ordinance today

The Longboat Key Town Commission will review an ordinance today at its 1 p.m. regular workshop that could get the Longboat Key Beachfront Hilton renovation and expansion project back on track.

The Longboat Key Planning and Zoning Board recommended ordinance changes at its Tuesday, Jan. 15 regular meeting by a 6-1 vote, which relate to the outline development process that distributes the pool of 250 tourism units that were approved by Key voters in 2008.

Sarasota attorney John Patterson is representing the Hilton and told the planning board last week the Hilton was built in 1972 and is in need of an overhaul as soon as possible. Without the renovation, Hilton officials have alerted Ocean Properties Ltd. that it might consider pulling its name off the hotel.

Also at its regular workshop today at Town Hall, commissioners will:

Review:
• An ordinance that makes an annual update to the capital improvements element of the Comprehensive Plan.

Discuss:
• A selection process for hiring a new town attorney.
• A selection process for hiring a planning consultant to make changes to the town’s codes and its Comp Plan.

For more information, check www.yourobserver.com for updates and pick up a copy of Thursday’s Jan. 24 Longboat Observer.

Contact Kurt Schultheis at [email protected].