Bradenton Beach residents must wait until September to find out about any possible changes to zoning in the Azure Shores subdivision in the city.
The commission voted unanimously July 22 to continue the first reading of an ordinance to noon, Thursday, Sept. 15.
In a June 15 meeting, city building official Steve Gilbert said the request for the city-initiated ordinance was meant to correct inconsistencies between the zoning map and the future land use map in the city’s comprehensive plan.
The continuance delays a squabble between planning and zoning board members and staff over the ordinance drafted by Gilbert and planner Luis Serna.
The staff request proposes rezoning about 2.53 acres in Azure Shores between Second Street North and Cortez Road and between Gulf Drive North and Highland Avenue from the multiple-family dwelling, R-3 designation, to MXD or mixed-use zoning.
The P&Z, however, had recommended the parcels, as well as much of the surrounding area, be rezoned to R-2 family dwellings and that the future land use of the area be changed to medium-density residential.
The P&Z voted June 15 not to accept the staff’s draft ordinance and directed staff to do a rewrite reflecting the board’s previous determination.
As of July 22, no rewrite of the ordinance had been submitted for the P&Z board’s consideration.
In other matters
In other matters at the meeting, the commission:
- Approved funding for server upgrades on anti-ransomware software and information technology professional services.
Gov. Ron DeSantis this year signed a bill into law that prohibits local governments from paying or otherwise complying with ransom demands.
Upgrades to the servers and information technology enhancements will bring the city into compliance with new legislation.
The commission also unanimously approved an Office 365 upgrade.
Fit Management of Tampa will perform the upgrades with the cost not to exceed $70,000. Funding will come from federal American Rescue Plan dollars and the city budget.
- Approved consolidation of the fee schedule for the planning and development department.
Building official Steve Gilbert did not attend the meeting but in a memo said the state had directed building departments to reduce permit fees appropriately when owners and contractors employ a “private provider” for plan reviews, inspections or both.
The building department’s revised fee schedule eliminates plan review fees when a private provider performs and certifies the review and to reflect a 30% discount when a private provider performs and certifies inspections for compliance with the Florida Building Code. The city had allowed a 15% discount since 2020.
A $750,000 project would now see a reduction of about $7,900 from previous fees of about $20,000.
- Voted to support recommendations from a traffic safety team for speed control equipment, such as extra speedbumps and vertical delineators.
Vertical delineators are intended to warn drivers of an approaching curve or to highlight an area in the roadway not intended for traffic.
The safety team — Police Chief John Cosby and public works director Tom Woodard — wants vertical delineators along Second and First streets north, where motorists often park in the sidewalk area.
City attorney Ricinda Perry addressed commissioners regarding the ongoing Bay Drive South resiliency project.
In January, the city authorized the engineering firm Environmental Science Associates of Sarasota to work on the project, which includes redevelopment of the shoreline from Bridge Street to Fifth Street South to introduce such shore protection elements as oyster bags, riprap, plantings and sand.
An August deadline for engineering and permitting is approaching and, Perry said, with the work about 60% done, the city should have all those tasks completed in the coming month.
The next commission meeting will be at 6 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 4, at city hall, 107 Gulf Drive N.