HomeMy WebLinkAboutM-94-0170,z
MEMORANDUM
TO: The Honorable Members of DATE: March 24, 1994
the City Commission
`
FROM: Stephen P. Clark RE: Local Zoning Boards
Mayor and a Restructured
Planning Adv. Board
During my election campaign and since my election as Mayor, I have heard concerns
from many City residents, especially in Coconut Grove and the Northeast, regarding a
lack of "self determination" in the current planning and zoning process. The consensus
from concerned residents is that the decision making process at the planning and zoning
board level should be brought closer to the residents affected by planning and zoning
decisions made for their area. As I indicated at the last Commission meeting, as well as
during my campaign, I believe the proper response to these concerns is to create local
zoning boards, similar to a proposal offered by Commissioner DeYurre once before, and
to restructure the planning advisory board, all in an effort to decentralize the planning and
zoning process. The concept is very simple. Advisory or quasi-judicial decisions related
to planning and zoning matters should be made by residents in the area affected by a
particular proposal or application.
Accordingly, I have attached for your consideration a resolution asking the City Manager
and City Attorney to draft an ordinance creating three (3) local zoning boards, each
consisting of nine (9) members and one (1) alternate member, all of which are required to
reside within their respective zoning district. Each commissioner shall have two (2)
Appointments to each zoning board. My intent is to have the alternate appointment rotate
amongst commission members. I have also attached for your review a map delineating
the geographic boundaries of each zoning board, which was created by grouping NET
service areas across the city. I.believed this to be proper, since the purpose of creating
NET boundaries was, in part, to identify areas of common interest. Also, the public will
more easily understand the boundaries of these local zoning boards, since they are already
familiar with the NET system.
Also created in this proposal is a restructured Planning Advisory Board. Please be
advised that I did consider a proposal of multiple planning advisory boards to correspond
with the proposal of local zoning boards. However, planning is truly a city-wide
function and implemented through a city-wide comprehensive development masterplan.
After being advised by the law department that multiple planning boards would provide
various- legal complications with regard to their interface with the comprehensive
94- 170
70
S NEIGHBORHGi7US
IMM
8
mw�w_
11
10
ZZ
VP FT < 7 G,
to