Commission agrees with code changes

Mayor George Spoll, Vice Mayor Jim Brown and Commissioners David Brenner and Lynn Larson moved the list of seven town code clarifications and changes suggested by The Longboat Key Club and Resort forward to for a first reading 9 a.m. Monday, May 3, at Town Hall.

Commissioners Gene Jaleski, Robert Siekmann and Hal Lenobel did not support the decision because they do not support all of the seven code suggestions being proposed.

Mayor George Spoll, however, noted that moving all seven changes forward would allow for more discussion. At that meeting, the commission will review each proposed change individually and either approve or disapprove the changes.

The seven proposed clarifications to the code submitted to the town, club attorney John Patterson said, will eliminate code ambiguities and move the project forward to a Town Commission vote without much of the legal challenges presented to the commission by attorneys for the Islandside Property Owners Coalition, which opposes the project.

IPOC attorney Michael Furen said Friday that he believes all seven changes to the code were major policy changes that would impact the Key.

Jaleski, Siekmann and Lenobel expressed issues with granting a code change that allows hotels and other accessory uses the club is proposing to not be subject to a 5% limitation on non-accessory commercial development of the gross area of the Islandside planned-unit development.

For more information, pick up a copy of the April 22 edition of The Longboat Observer.

Contact Kurt Schultheis at [email protected].