Longboat requests amendment assistance

Longboat Key Mayor Jim Brown sent an e-mail to elected officials June 21 urging them for assistance in getting an amendment granted to a new bill that now prohibits the town from holding a referendum regarding any future Comprehensive Plan amendment.

For the town of Longboat Key, that means a referendum can no longer be held to increase the island’s density.

Brown sent e-mails to Rep. Ray Pilon and Rep. Jim Boyd, as well as Senators Mike Bennett and Nancy Detert, urging their assistance.

“Under the charter provision of the town, the referenda process is used to liberalize density restrictions, not to limit them,” Brown wrote. “It has functioned well to insure an orderly and predictable growth process and appears to have wide support within the town. Since it has functioned so well for so long, we ask that an amendment be offered that would grandfather communities that have charter provisions enacted prior to Jan. 1, 2011, or some other reasonable date. “

Contact Kurt Schultheis at [email protected].