Last Stand urges delay in Monroe County Comp Plan height changes
Last Stand is urging Monroe County’s Board of County Commissioners at their Wednesday meeting in Marathon to separate newly proposed changes in the Comprehensive Plan that deal with building height, sea level rise and affordable housing from other changes that are ready to submit for approval by the Department of Economic Opportunity in Tallahassee. The four-year process of updating the Comprehensive Plan is nearly complete, but Last Stand feels these issues were introduced at the last minute not allowing for sufficient public notice or input. These changes will be significant to the community character of the Florida Keys, and they should be part of a separate amendment to the Comprehensive Plan after more analysis and public discussion, said Last Stand in a news release.
Last Stand listed four separate areas of change being proposed:
- Increasing the 35 foot height limit to better prepare for sea level rise;
- Allowing an additional 5 feet in height for decorative features;
- Increasing the height limit of new affordable housing structures; and
- Defining policy to “grandfather in” existing structures with non-conforming heights.
Last Stand supports “well-reasoned exceptions” to the current 35 foot height limit to accommodate public safety. But LS says it has studied the proposed language and finds “we have too many questions to determine whether to support or oppose what is to be voted upon by the Board of County Commissioners. Separating these issues, providing time for analysis of the data supporting the need for changes, allowing more time for the public to understand what is being proposed and the impacts of the changes will give us a much better result than rushing to meet a deadline.”
LS explains, “The existing 35 foot height limit was fought for by the citizens of the Florida Keys in the late 1970s to protect the Keys from Miami Beach-style high-rises and the loss of our unique community character. The 35 foot limit is based on the height of the tree line in the Keys. The protection of community character is a primary element in planning. By protecting the unique community character of the Keys we are not only protecting the aesthetics, we are protecting our quality of life and what brings visitors to the Keys.”
Each county in Florida is required to have an up-to-date Comprehensive Plan. Monroe County has been in the process of reviewing and revising its entire Plan, , since 2010. On Oct. 7, 2014, the BOCC met to finalize the agreed-upon changes and vote to transmit the document to Tallahassee. It was at that fifth and final special BOCC meeting on the Comprehensive Plan when the transmittal was delayed to add changes to the 35 foot height limit, says LS. “The public has been given one week to review proposed language and understand these changes. Without a delay, the only opportunity to comment will be at the Dec. 10 meeting.
Last Stand states it feels strongly that members of the public who wish to weigh in on this issue should call or email county commissioners and ask them to postpone their Dec. 10 decision on changing height limits until the public has been informed and involved. The Comprehensive Plan transmittal to DEO should move forward without these last-minute proposed changes, says Last Stand. BOCC contact information on the county website is found at: http://www.monroecounty-fl.gov/index.aspx?NID=27
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