Commission approves Moore's request

The Longboat Key Town Commission approved Moore’s Stone Crab Restaurant’s Comprehensive Plan amendment and zoning request change at its regular meeting Feb. 1 at Town Hall.

The move means restaurant co-owner Alan Moore can change the zoning his Village restaurant sits on from commercial to residential.

Also at the meeting, the commission added an item to its agenda after more than 15 residents came to the meeting to urge the commission to act quickly to fix its fast eroding beach.

“We have to do something that’s right and simple at the north end,” said Dr. Murray “Murf” Klauber, who urged the commission to build a groin in the area.

Town Manager Bruce St Denis told the commission he hopes to work with state agencies to get a permit modification to rebuild the beach near the eroded North Shore Road beach access while working to obtain sand from a dredging project.

Said St. Denis: “We could potentially have three nourishment projects coming in the next several years, keeping sand on the beach as we work toward a long-term goal.”

St. Denis said the state did not look favorably upon a groin project in that area.

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

Authorized:
• A request by the police department to seek a $2,200 grant to fund the purchase of a citation printer for the marine patrol unit. The grant does not require the town to match the grant.

Approved:
• A design for future entryway and way-finding signs that will be placed on the Key as part of a federal stimulus beautification project being performed by Florida Department of Transportation officials.

• A request by Cedars Tennis Club for an outline development plan amendment that allows the club to retain members who are not citizens of Longboat Key.

Allowed:
• The town manager to waive a sound regulation requirement that will allow Florida Department of Transportation to work extended hours in the summer months when they repave the Sarasota County portion of Gulf of Mexico Drive.

Forwarded to its Monday, March 1 regular meeting for second reading and public hearing:
• An ordinance that amends the employment policies of the firefighters’ retirement system for the town to remain eligible for the receipt of state premium tax monies.

• An ordinance that amends the employment policies of the general employees’ retirement system for the system to remain compliant with changes made by the Legislature.

• An ordinance that amends the employment policies of the police officers’ retirement system for the town to remain eligible for the receipt of state premium tax monies.

Postponed:
• A request by a member of the firefighter retirement system to have his years of service credit reviewed until the commission can discuss the matter at its 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 18, regular workshop.

Passed:
• A resolution that approves spending 125,000 for its share of a joint Longboat Pass Inlet Management Study that will be worked on with Manatee County.

• A resolution that approves spending $103,879 for a sand search in federal waters for future beach renourishments.

• A resolution that approves spending $25,365 to fund permitting costs for the upcoming town-wide renourishment project.

Decided:
• Not to offer two weeks of early voting for its municipal election in March on the island. Residents will be able to vote early in either Manatee or Sarasota counties at the election offices.

Appointed:
• Andrew Aitken to the Zoning Board of Adjustment.

• John "Jack" Brill to the Code Enforcement Board.

Contact Kurt Schultheis at [email protected].