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Building height changes take first official step forward

On July 17, 2019

The Safety Harbor City Commission got one step closer to limiting the height of downtown buildings to 35 feet after initial approvals of changes to the city’s Downtown Master Plan on Monday night.

The area in red is the Community Town Center zoning designation, which presently allows buildings as tall as 45 feet but will be reduced to 35 feet if approved on second reading at the next meeting and pass muster with county and state agencies.

Meeting first as the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency and then later as the Commission, the body voted 5-0 in both cases to approve changes that will reduce the height of buildings in the city’s Community Town Center zoning area, which is the city’s most dense zoning area, to 35 feet and three stories, with exceptions to be discussed later, from 45 feet on first reading. Second and final reading will take place at the next Commission meeting, and then county and state agencies will consider the change.

In September, Commission will consider enacting legislation for the changes, which will include exceptions, if any. In recent discussions, Commission has expressed some consensus that those exceptions will be for builders who include certain design elements into their site plans, or who negotiate a development agreement with the city.

OTHER ACTION TAKEN

Updates to code enforcement and open burning regulations: Commission voted 5-0 to make eight changes to the city’s code enforcement regulations as recommended by city staff.

Candidate notifications: Commission voted 5-0 to approve posting a note about election qualifying on the city’s website 30 days before qualifying begins, as well as in a newspaper and on social media.

National Parks & Recreation Month proclamation and athletics & fitness recreational programming update: The city’s Leisure Services department made a presentation on its accomplishments, followed by Recreation Supervisor Tim Sattinger updating Commission on the city’s athletics and fitness programs.

MISSED THE MEETING?

Watch the video of the regular City Commission meeting it on the city’s website here: http://safetyharbor.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=6&clip_id=2140. Here is the link to the audio of the Budget Workshop:
http://safetyharbor.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=6&clip_id=2141 h.

NEXT MEETING

7 p.m., Monday, Aug. 5, with a Budget Workshop at 6 p.m. on July 29.