Waterfront rules get thumbs down

Regional council says land-use changes too vague

BY TIMOTHY O'HARA

Citizen Staff

The South Florida Regional Planning Council on Monday shot down Monroe County's plan to preserve working waterfronts, after its staff called the proposal 'too vague' and said it was unsure the plan would save commercial marinas.

The council agreed the plan needed to be tweaked and will recommend the Florida Department of Community Affairs, which oversees growth in Monroe County, reject the county's comprehensive plan amendments. The council is one of 16 agencies asked for input on comprehensive plan amendments.

Monroe County Commissioner George Neugent, a council member, said developers and landowners who want to redevelop Safe Harbor on Stock Island added too many last-minute items. One would give developers an extra eight to 12 feet in height, because the county would increase the point from where base flood elevation is measured, Neugent said. The county also rushed the amendments, which made them too vague, Neugent said.

"It was done sloppily because it was hurried," Neugent said. "Whenever you try and shorten the process, you only make it longer."

The council staff said some of the amendments were unclear, not supported with enough information and not reflective of county policies. The staff questioned why the amendments allowed for residential development in areas zoned for marinas and working waterfronts. Also, plans for the redevelopment of Safe Harbor call for a resort hotel.

"It is not clear in Policy 101.4.5 why 'permanent residential development,' other than employee housing and commercial apartments, are being permitted," the report states. "Data and analysis have not been included to support the amendment. "

Two Upper Keys residents attended the meeting to voice their opposition to the county's plan. Several Stock Island business owners who have a financial interest in the redevelopment, and their attorneys, lobbied the 19-member council to recommend approving the working waterfront comprehensive plan amendments.

Attorney Jerry Coleman, who spoke before the council, said the plan is not vague, but is flexible. He said it is consistent with the council's Strategic Regional Policy Plan, which was adopted in 2004 as a way for Monroe, Miami-Dade and Broward counties to have consistency.

"This is not vague," Coleman said. "This is a way to accommodate future needs."

Florida Keys land-use consultant Sandra Walters, a council member, said she hopes the staff lends its "technical expertise" and assists the county on the amendments. Stock Island property owners, she said, are the ones most affected by the amendments, as well as changes in the commercial fishing industry that are making it harder for them to do business.

"I understand the motives of the county," Walters said. "It is to come up with a flexible mixed-use approach that will power the economic engine to subsidize the commercial fishing and other maritime industrial uses. What is happening is commercial fishing is struggling to survive. Commercial fishing is being more heavily regulated and stocks are being reduced, while property owners are being assessed for the highest and best use, which is not fishing."

The amendments will go to the Department of Community Affairs next, and then back to the county for reworking.

tohara@keysnews.com