Town manager drafts questions for zoning, Comp Plan review

The Longboat Key town manager has put together a draft list of five categories of framing questions to serve as a starting point for discussion about what the town seeks in a possible review of its Zoning Code and Comprehensive Plan.

The first framing question proposed by Bullock is: What will it take to sustain our unique character and quality of life? The category includes questions about the Key’s competitive position compared to other communities. Questions include: “Should we try to attract more full-time residents?” “Should we try to grow our residential base through new development?” Other questions focus on who the town wants to attract — i.e., more family-oriented housing or younger baby boomers — along with the types of housing needed to attract those residents.

The second question concerns the role of the island’s tourist industry with questions about how important it is to the local economy, the level of support it provides and whether steps should be taken to encourage continued investment in tourism properties.

The third framing question focuses on the viability of the Key’s restaurants, commercial services, recreational facilities and professional businesses. “Given the seasonality of demand, can we expect these businesses to thrive or to barely survive?” the letter asks. The category includes questions about whether there is room for expansion or if the amount of land zoned available for commercial use should be reduced, the special arrangement of businesses and the possibility of mixed-use for vacant non-performing town properties.

The fourth framing question concerns the development of a strategic plan to ensure the future viability of the Key as a residential and tourist destination and to maintain a healthy balance between residents, visitors and commercial activities. The category includes questions about whether the land-use plan and allocation of zoning are consistent with achieving a mix of uses and activities or with an enhanced residential community and whether the Comprehensive Plan and land-use regulations need more focus on redevelopment and concentrating commercial uses.

The fifth framing question relates to land-development regulations and whether they need to be modified — and, if so, whether they should be strengthened or loosened and how they could be used to work toward the town’s goals.

Bullock wrote in his email that he will be prepared to discuss the draft at the commission’s Thursday, March 15 workshop. Bullock wrote that after a commission discussion, the draft could be sent to the Planning & Zoning Board for comment and made available to the public for comment before finalizing the draft and issuing a request for proposals or submitting it to the Urban Land Institute for response.

The commission began discussing a possible Zoning Code and Comprehensive Plan review in January after a writ of certiorari was granted in the challenge of the commission’s approval of a development order for the Longboat Key Club and Resort’s $400 million Islandside project. Bullock earlier suggested a two-phase approach, beginning with a review of planned-unit development (PUD) issues followed by a holistic look at the code, and possibly, the Comprehensive Plan.

Click here to read Bullock's entire letter.