Telecommunications extension granted

The town of Longboat Key has been granted an extension by the Department of Economic Opportunity for an extension of a state-mandated 180-day window to have a Comprehensive Plan amendment approved in order to bring both a telecommunications ordinance and comp clan amendment reviewed together by the Town Commission.

The extension — which now runs through April 11 — allows the town to bring the telecommunications ordinance forward for the commission’s review at its Nov. 13 regular workshop. That ordinance deals with everything from tower height to where towers or other structures can be placed on the Key.

That ordinance can then be considered along with the comp plan amendment at the commission’s December and January regular meetings.

The comp plan amendment, approved on first reading Oct. 7, removes the regulation of personal wireless service facilities, such as towers and other equipment, out of the comp plan and places it in the town’s land development regulations instead.

Commissioners expressed displeasure the comp plan amendment would be approved before they review the ordinance in December.

Town attorney Maggie Mooney-Portale informed town staff there’s a provision in state statutes that allowed the town to seek an extension of the comp plan amendment.

Earlier this month, Town Manager Dave Bullock said he recommended an extension because “we owe the community a full airing of the issue.”

The town requested an extension based “on the grounds of a new planning director who had little or no involvement with this ordinance, the relationship between the comp plan and the ordinance and the importance to the community of understanding both (changes together).”

Contact Kurt Schultheis at [email protected].