Beach project moving forward

Town Manager Bruce St. Denis assuaged concerns about a $4 million north-end beach project at the Town Commission’s regular meeting Monday, Nov. 1.

Telling the commission he already received authority from the commission to move forward with the project, St. Denis said the project, which will place 130,000 cubic yards of sand from the north end of the island to Broadway, is necessary.

“You are buying a lot of protection for these folks down there for a year,” said St. Denis, who explained the town is working on a long-term plan for the area in the meantime.

Also at its 7 p.m. regular meeting tonight at Town Hall, 501 Bay Isles Road, the commission:

Approved:
• A proposed Town Commission meeting calendar for 2011.

• A request by the Longboat Key Garden Club to replace existing bricks in the Butterfly Garden with engraved bricks.

Forwarded to its Monday, Dec. 6, regular meeting for second reading and public hearing:
• An ordinance that will allow the fire chief to participate in a defined contribution plan, which reduces the chief’s pension cost from 46% to 16% of salary.

• An ordinance that amends certain portions of the town’s tree code.

• An ordinance that revises the infrastructure element of the town’s Comprehensive Plan to support the town’s 10-year potable water supply plan.

• An amendment to The Centre Shops’ outline development plan that would modify the list of permitted commercial uses for the shopping center.

Forwarded to its Thursday, Nov. 18, special meeting for second reading and public hearing:
• An ordinance that adopts an amendment to the Comprehensive Plan to update its capital improvements element.

• An ordinance that makes minor changes to the town’s sign code.

Adopted:
• An ordinance that allows for a budget transfer of $208,815.49 from the beach improvements fund to the beach capital projects fund.

• An ordinance that amends sections of the town’s code to provide consistency for public hearings regarding land-use matters.

• An ordinance that updates the town’s election schedule to ensure compliance and consistency with state statutes.

Passed:
• A resolution that allows for changes to the future land use map for parcels in the Bayfront Park Recreation Center for future redevelopment.

• Two resolutions that allows for reimbursable government costs for the town’s 2011-12 island-wide beach project.

Contact Kurt Schultheis at [email protected].