03.19.18 Meeting Minutes
Voted up: Council members voted to choose Tracey Gore as Mayor and Joanne Shamp as Vice Mayor, with votes unanimous for both. At the end of the meeting, Gore thanked her council for helping her through the first meeting and for supporting her.
Fireworks finally: Council voted 4 to 1*, and for once with no discussion, to fund the entirety of the Fourth of July events, including the parade and the fireworks. The members agreed again to make the Citizen of the Year recipient the parade Grand Marshal.
Moot on moratorium: Council voted to deny a proposed moratorium that would freeze new applications that used a specific residential density calculation for one zoning district on lots less than 15,000 square feet. These qualifying lots in the zone along Estero Boulevard between Junkanoo’s and Connecticut Street are currently allowed to use right of way in its calculation and round up on dwelling units if the property meets the criteria. The moratorium had its first reading Feb. 28, when Council Member Anita Cereceda expressed her concern that the tool to examine the town’s codes should have first gone to the LPA for vetting. At Monday’s meeting, Bruce Butcher agreed. Shame also said while she thought the issued needed to be tended to “immediately,” a moratorium may not be the most appropriate path to take. Council agreed deny the moratorium and instead ask the LPA to take up the issue for review.
Docks delayed: Butcher asked for a status update on the Hercules and Coconut docks the town has pledged to replace. Town Manager Roger Hernstadt said the town put the docks out to bid and the returning prices were “higher than expected,” and exceeded the town’s budgeted line item for the projects. Delmar Avenue has already received its “observation deck” revamp, which was included in the line item. Hernstadt said the plan was to rebid the projects and hopefully get back more bids with lower price tags.
*Correction: The vote was 4-1 with Council Member Boback dissenting.