At the Feb. 21 meeting of the Anna Maria Planning and Zoning Board, staff recommended code changes to the living-area ratio in residential dwellings, as well as the local construction regulation board, walls and fences, uses in rights of way and limits on beer and wine licenses.
Staff discussed ways of enforcing some regulations, including a limit on habitable space of 32% on the second floor of residences.
City planner Chad Minor said builders are finding ways around the limit in attic spaces, including furnishings and AC. “Nothing in the building code prevents them from installing window AC units.”
Owners are often turning the spaces into guest rooms, game rooms and bunk rooms, and a good number of homes are being used for vacation rentals, Minor said.
“The problem is these areas are not calculated in the total living area,” he said, suggesting a limit be placed on storage areas. “We can’t change the definition of the living-area ratio because it comes up against the building code.”
Currently, there are no limits on the number of bedrooms.
“I’m willing to make the assumption that this is being abused,” said P&Z board member Bob Carter. “I’ve watched it happen for 15 years.”
Minor said, “I think we need to internally, as staff, chew on this a little bit more and get input from the city attorney.”
The P&Z recommended a construction board with membership comprising no fewer than three residents of Manatee County, two of which must be members of the P&Z board. The remaining members would be individuals with knowledge and experience in technical codes.
Other recommendations include:
Define repairs to a fence to include maintenance, where replacement of materials do not exceed 24 linear feet of fence and does not change the scope, location or dimensions of the fence.
“We’ve determined internally that we should allow homeowners to repair fences without a building permit,” Minor said.
Rights of way: A permit for a pervious paver system within the right of way could be issued by the building department with approval of the public works director. The city would not be responsible for ROW repairs of privately installed pavers.
Finally, Minor suggested the board recommend doing away with the 2,500-foot separation required for businesses selling beer and wine.
“It’s never really been enforced,” Minor said. “I suggest getting rid of the 2,500-foot separation.”
Establishments selling beer and wine still would be required to have a special city permit.
Minor outlined the process: After input and general consensus from the P&Z, the proposed text changes are sent to the city attorney for review and compliance with Florida statutes. After the attorney review, the text changes are brought back before the P&Z for a public hearing.
At that point, Minor said, the P&Z board will vote on its recommendations and send them to the city commission.
The next meeting of the Anna Maria Planning and Zoning Board will be 2 p.m. Friday, March 20, at city hall, 10005 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria.
