Tuesday, July 22, 2008

P & Z Report: July 21, 2008

On July 21, the Planning and Zoning Commission held a special meeting to conduct three public hearings on requests for zoning changes and special exceptions. The following is a summary report of the three main action items that were on the agenda.

The first agenda item was a request for a special exception to permit a pre-school on 21st Avenue, in the Greater Apalachicola area. After polling surrounding property owners and hearing no objections, the P & Z voted to grant the special use with the condition that the school builds a privacy fence around the building.

The second item was a request made by John Croom for a special exception to permit a package store in the North Side Historic commercial district at the corner of 8th Street and Avenue I. In compliance with the Land Development Code, P & Z members determined they did not have the authority to grant the special exception and voted to deny the request.

The final request before P & Z was to rezone two lots 3 and 8 in Block 23, which is next door to the Coombs House Inn from Residential – 1 (R1) to Office Residential (OR). P & Z members discovered that the owner was not proposing to use the property; but wanted to increase the value of the property for sale. The Planning and Zoning Board made a recommendation to the City Commission to deny the request.

The Planning and Zoning Commission is not empowered to finalize action on zoning matters; the P & Z conducts the first public hearing on requests before sending a recommendation to the City Commission for final approval. Their report will now come before the Apalachicola Board of City Commissioners at our August 5, meeting for confirmation.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission is August 14, 2008, at 6 PM.

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