Longboat Key Town Commission candidate profile: Jim Brown, At-Large seat

What are some changes you would like to see to the town’s policy on beach renourishment?

As a former member of the commission, I believe the town’s beach management plan is doing a good job of managing our beaches. It is always difficult to second guess Mother Nature. I use the beaches frequently and believe they are in good condition as a whole. There will always be areas that need attention. My opponent thinks we should use sand savers, but all of our consultants tell us that they don’t work.

What are your thoughts on a terminal groin at the north tip of the island?

It may be necessary to place a terminal groin at the north end of the Key near Beer Can Island. We planned one when we placed the other two groins on the north end, but because the town was sued by my opponent and others, we had to remove them from the plans.

What should the town do to help alleviate traffic issues?

The town has been and will continue to be actively working with our surrounding communities to put in place ideas to minimize our traffic problem. Unfortunately, most of the problems are not under our control, so we are at the mercy of our neighboring communities. We have to continue to control our own density and not create issues that will make the problems greater.

What are some other issues on Gulf of Mexico Drive you want the state to address?

My thoughts are that we need to educate our citizens about ways they can help alleviate our traffic problems, especially during our busy seasons. Such things like not making unnecessary trips during busy traffic periods, maintaining proper speed so as not to impede traffic, etc.

Do you think the town should allow the opportunity for mixed-use redevelopment on nonconforming properties?

A very high number of our properties are currently nonconforming due to the fact that the town down-zoned the entire island in 1984. I have been working for years, both on the P&Z and the commission, to rectify this situation. The P&Z has proposed to the commission that we allow the redevelopment of our properties using Planned Unit Developments. One of the proposed PUDs is a mixed-use. I believe that this is an acceptable option as long as the guidelines being proposed are followed. The type of PUDs being proposed for Longboat are very restrictive compared to PUDs used in other communities so as to maintain the low density of our Key.

Should developers be allowed the option to build above eight stories with more strict open space, setback or other regulations?

Absolutely not! One of the reasons that the community came together in 1984 and changed the zoning as it did was to stop the construction of the tall buildings that destroy the low-key residential scale of our community. The highest building height being allowed currently on LBK is 65 feet except in the special zoning districts of Islandside and Bay Isles.

Do you feel like the current proposal for the Colony Beach & Tennis Resort redevelopment is compatible with Longboat Key?

No comment. I will only say that it does not meet the zoning codes of LBK.

How would you describe your vision of what Longboat Key should look like in 15 years?

I have spent about 15 years serving the citizens of Longboat in one capacity or another. If there’s one thing I’m certain of, it is that we want Longboat to remain a primarily low density residential community with just enough tourism and commercial services to make the Key a pleasant place to live. I would like to see the Key more self-supportive with things like our new medical offices so we don’t have to leave the Key to see a doctor and our proposed cultural center for the same reason. We don’t want to attract people from outside to our services, we want them for ourselves and to make our lives more simple.

As the town moves to update the charter, are there changes you would like to see?

Over the past several years that I have served on the commission or planning board, many times we have come across items in our charter that we have questioned. I hope we can take a comprehensive look at the charter and make sure it is up to date and works well for all of our community. I don’t have any specific suggestions.

What are three main priorities you would undertake as a town policymaker?

1) I think we need to complete the task of figuring out what is the most fair way to underground our utilities in our neighborhood.

2) We have to continue to work to solve the problems with our traffic. Unfortunately, it is not totally under our control. The best method we have to do this is to control growth on the Key.

3) We must continue to provide the very good services we have today without burdening the taxpayer with high taxes. I think we have done a great job of doing this in the past and must continue to do so.

Why do you think you are the best candidate?

I have volunteered my time and energies on Longboat for many years. I have listened to the input of the citizens and have learned what they want. In every committee, appointed position or elected position I have served in, I have been chosen to lead the group. I believe I can continue to provide a service to the community, relying on the history and knowledge I have gained over the many years I have served. I don’t believe my opponent can say that.