Potential Land Use Changes are Far Reaching

[MRBS]

As scooterbug has stated, regulations regarding adequate parking and realistic setback lines will solve most of these problems. If I own a 1/4 acre lot I probably cannot build a nightclub or restaurant if the codes have been written correctly.

Not written to offend, but "realistic" and "written correctly" are terms that, in my experience, barely exist in zoning regs

 

[Elephant Child]

I have a house in Old Seagrove one lot off 30A. There is no way I want either of the houses next to me or across the street from there to be a commercial business of ANY kind - not a Pickets, a real estate office, a sweet little old lady that sells art, or an ice cream parlor. When we bought our house, there were houses in those locations and our expectation, based on the land use and plat, was that they would always be houses.

Did I read somewhere that the meeting for this has been changed to another date? Or did I miss it on Thursday?

Attend the SPECIAL County Commissioner's Meeting on Minday July 30th at 5PM at the Annex...there are many who are unhappy with the Planning Commissioners and the way they "passed" on many proposed changes at both of their meetings. These "passes" move on to another public hearing before the Commissioners before they are final.

 

[Elephant Child]

As scooterbug has stated, regulations regarding adequate parking and realistic setback lines will solve most of these problems. If I own a 1/4 acre lot I probably cannot build a nightclub or restaurant if the codes have been written correctly.

I heard 1 parking spot per 30 seats...not sure if that it right. I want to know what car, van or bus is the county using for their code if this is true?

 

[Grayton Girl]

Did I read somewhere that the meeting for this has been changed to another date? Or did I miss it on Thursday?

SGB, the Planning Commission gives recommendations to the County Commission and the PC has already held its meetings. (The County's review starts next Monday.) I was at the meeting yesterday and spoke directly to the dangerous and overly broad language that is in the proposal. The response from the Planning Commission Chairman, Mr. Terrell, was that I should not worry about all of this as the Land Development Code (LDC)would tighten up the requirements for Neighborhood Commercial.

I responded to Mr. Terrell and made 2 important points: (1) once the Comprehensive Plan (CP) language, which defines the allowable locations for Neighborhood Commercial, is adopted, no language in the LDC could change that because the LDC is not allowed to conflict with the CP and (2) if the CP specifically allows 25-room hotels and restaurants with possible outdoor music in the Neighborhood Commercial category (both of which are spelled out in the proposed language of the CP), then once again, the LDC may not change this.

If the county is hell-bent on allowing additional neighborhood commercial, then the county needs to sit down and do the work with members of the communities that will be affected to determine just WHAT will be considered neighborhood commercial and just where it should be located. With the proposed language, we are truly stepping back 25 years or more to the good ole boy, case by case zoning that existed.

And for those of you who want no regulations of any type on any property that you own, I don't know what planet you are living on. Why have planning or zoning of any sort? Why not let people do whatever they want whenever they want? We are not talking about legislating the color of a house or the architectural style. We are talking basic property uses and whether it is appropriate for you, who bought land that you knew to be residential in nature, to now be able to put your restaurant/bar or 25-room hotel directly adjacent to my family's home.

Please join those who are interested in this issue next Monday, August 26, at the South County Annex. I believe the meeting is at 5:00 p.m. but you will need to check that time with the county's website.

 

[passin thru]

When someone wants to pay a portion of my taxes and my mortgage or reimburse me for what I have already invested then they can have input into what I do with my property. Planning and zoning should be very limited and only to insure that my use does not adversely effect you. Adverse means real, measureable effects, not "I don't like the color of your house."

That property, which you own & in which you have already invested -- did it come with zoning or other land-use constraints when you bought it? If so, were you aware of them? Did you agree with them, or at least tacitly accept them by agreeing to buy the property with them in place? Do they still count today, can your neighbors and I count on them to tell US what you can do with your property? Would I be entitled to think that a commercial use at your property, even with some setbacks & parking provisions addressed, might be "adverse" to the residential neighborhood we thought we were buying into?

 

[miznotebook]

Grayton Girl, thanks for the information on the Aug. 25 planning commission meeting. I wish I had been able to attend. I did attend the Aug. 24 county commission meeting, and the commissioners voted to put off discussion of the county-sponsored large-scale map amendments to Monday, Aug. 30 at 5 p.m. The meeting is at the South Walton Annex. It was my understanding that the planning commission did not get through all of those amendments and would be continuing to review the ones that were remaining. The county commissioners assured us that all the amendments they would be looking at on Monday would be ones that had already been reviewed at the planning commission level. There have been so many county meetings in the last few weeks that it has been hard to keep up with all of them. However, I hope a good number of community members will be present on Monday.

 

[idlewind]

That property, which you own & in which you have already invested -- did it come with zoning or other land-use constraints when you bought it? If so, were you aware of them? Did you agree with them, or at least tacitly accept them by agreeing to buy the property with them in place? Do they still count today, can your neighbors and I count on them to tell US what you can do with your property? Would I be entitled to think that a commercial use at your property, even with some setbacks & parking provisions addressed, might be "adverse" to the residential neighborhood we thought we were buying into?

I have no problem abiding with the laws existing when I acquired my property. And I have no problem with any change that means less restrictions but oppose any more restrictive language.
I personally prefer no more development along 30-A but that preference is simular to my preference that no mosque be built at ground zero. The property owners have a right to build regardless of what I prefer.

 

[SGB]

SGB, the Planning Commission gives recommendations to the County Commission and the PC has already held its meetings. (The County's review starts next Monday.) I was at the meeting yesterday and spoke directly to the dangerous and overly broad language that is in the proposal. The response from the Planning Commission Chairman, Mr. Terrell, was that I should not worry about all of this as the Land Development Code (LDC)would tighten up the requirements for Neighborhood Commercial.

I responded to Mr. Terrell and made 2 important points: (1) once the Comprehensive Plan (CP) language, which defines the allowable locations for Neighborhood Commercial, is adopted, no language in the LDC could change that because the LDC is not allowed to conflict with the CP and (2) if the CP specifically allows 25-room hotels and restaurants with possible outdoor music in the Neighborhood Commercial category (both of which are spelled out in the proposed language of the CP), then once again, the LDC may not change this.

If the county is hell-bent on allowing additional neighborhood commercial, then the county needs to sit down and do the work with members of the communities that will be affected to determine just WHAT will be considered neighborhood commercial and just where it should be located. With the proposed language, we are truly stepping back 25 years or more to the good ole boy, case by case zoning that existed.

And for those of you who want no regulations of any type on any property that you own, I don't know what planet you are living on. Why have planning or zoning of any sort? Why not let people do whatever they want whenever they want? We are not talking about legislating the color of a house or the architectural style. We are talking basic property uses and whether it is appropriate for you, who bought land that you knew to be residential in nature, to now be able to put your restaurant/bar or 25-room hotel directly adjacent to my family's home.

Please join those who are interested in this issue next Monday, August 26, at the South County Annex. I believe the meeting is at 5:00 p.m. but you will need to check that time with the county's website.

Grayton Girl -Thanks for the info and your input at the meeting on Thursday. Sorry I missed it. Will see you Monday.

 

[rocket136]

Fascinating... I've only read the thread so far and take Grayton Girl's word for the language which disturbs me.

As the proposed language stands, ANY piece of property abutting ANY intersection on a Scenic Corridor will have the opportunity to apply to convert to a new category called "Neighborhood Commercial," which allows commercial uses as intense as restaurants and 25-room hotels. Without this new proposed language, such a conversion would not be an option for any property in the Residential Preservation category.

Changes will be granted on a "case by case" basis

.

My question is what constitutes ANY intersection? Scooterbug took the mental drive down those roads, as they are. Imagine more intersections.

I see a huge loophole here that will change the character of the entire area. Accuse me of aruging a slippery slope but think of all of the ramifcations of more and more development. These development issues are sometimes looked at in a vacuum - single factor analysis, which is dangerous. It was a while back that the private beach issue was a red hot topic on these boards. How many 20 to 30 room hotels can exist with private beach signs?

Yes you should have control over your private property but don't come complaining after the fact you bought something that you didn't understand had restrictions attached. That goes for beachfront owners as well as speculators wanting to increase the value of their ownership. Caveat emptor

Now imagine a case by case basis. Time to put the brakes on.

 

[Koa]

rocket, that is a good question about the intersections. Technically, when any driveway intersects 30A or a feeder road, it is an intersection, and you can bet that attorneys like George R Miller will use that in their client's best interest. Look out!