Villagers hit roadblock with alley request

A group of Longbeach Village property owners sought a change that wasn’t up the Planning and Zoning Board’s alley.

The board voted unanimously at its Tuesday meeting to deny a request Allan and Virginia Luke filed to close an alley that runs from Poinsettia Avenue to Longboat Drive South, abutting nine single-family homes and two vacant lots, and discontinue an existing 10-foot right of way.

There was no indication that anyone sought to develop the alley, but Allan Luke noted that approval of the petition would prevent the issue from surfacing at a later date.

“Opening the alley would be a major blow to our privacy and security to our homes, which we feel would reduce our home’s value. With the alley only being 10 feet wide, it would not allow for safe passage of any vehicular traffic. Also, any utilities that are present are accessible with this closure, so that would be a non-issue,” Allan Luke wrote in the petition.

The Lukes were out of town and could not attend the meeting, however, approximately a half-dozen residents attended to express support.

Elizabeth Brown said she isn’t sure she would have bought her property had she known about the possibility that the lot could be opened.

“I would have certainly been very concerned if I thought there would be access to my property,” she said.
“Vacation is the only way to ensure that no opening or development can occur in the future,” said resident Michael Riter.

Town staff, however, recommended denial of the ordinance, which would have transferred the town-owned land to private property owners.

“Staff cannot determine a public benefit in giving this town-owned land to the private property owners … ” a staff report states.

The Public Works Department also recommended denying the request, noting that there could be a future need for the right of way to place future utilities or other public infrastructure.

The report also stated that the signatures of two property owners on the block were not included.

One owner, Michael Yeatman, who owns a vacant lot on Hibiscus Way, did not sign the petition and told the PZB Department that he objects to the request and would like the town to clear the alley of vegetation.

A second property owner is in a nursing home and could not be reached by residents.

The alley is currently passable behind the homes at both ends of the block and serves as a driveway for those homes. If the town vacated the alley, the land would be evenly divided between the properties. That means property owners would be able to put fences along their newly acquired portions of the alley, which could inhibit the ability of homeowners to access the property.

It wasn’t the first time the town considered a request to vacate the alley.

In April 2000, the Longboat Key Town Commission adopted an ordinance to “close, vacate and abandon the unnamed Longbeach alley right of way” provided that property owners executed an easement and recorded it in Manatee County within 90 days. But in July 2000, the Town Clerk mailed property owners to notify them that the commission was unmet and the ordinance was, therefore, null and void.

Musical chairs
The Longboat Key Planning and Zoning Board voted 5-4 to elect Al Hixon chairman.

Vice Chairman Jack Daly made a motion to re-elect Chairwoman B.J. Bishop. George Symanski then nominated Hixon for the post.

Daly and John Wild were unanimously re-elected for their roles as vice chairman and secretary.

“Mr. Hixon, congratulations. I am off the chair,” Bishop said after the vote.

“And you have served us all quite well,” Hixon replied.

Contact Robin Hartill at [email protected]