Is an apology in order?

At a joint meeting of the Anna Maria City Commission and Planning & Zoning Board on March 4th, City Commissioner JoAnn Mattick publicly delivered this rebuke of our city’s Comprehensive Plan (quoting from the recorded transcription):

We need a vision for ultimately what we want to have on Pine Avenue. All of these terms we keep coming up with on the LDR’s [Land Development Regulations] and Comp Plan  …  is a boilerplate that got dropped in by Tony Arrant that not one person commented on. I mean I participated in all the meetings when we were looking at the Comp Plan review. I don’t think anybody really understood what some of those things were. If they did, they weren’t concerned about it. I think we need to make decisions based on what we want to ultimately see on Pine Avenue. If it means rewriting the LDR’s and the Comp Plan, that’s what we should do to get the final vision of what we want...

This castigation is remarkable, to say the least, especially from an elected official who took part in the process.

Should a Developer be Appointed to Anna Maria's Planning and Zoning Board?!

On June 4, 2009, the spokesman for and partner in Pine Avenue Restoration (PAR), Michael Coleman, applied for a seat on the City of Anna Maria’s Planning & Zoning Board (P&Z). 

P&Z’s function is to review all matters relative to land use and then make recommendations to the City Commission. At this time, it is reviewing all Land Development Regulations for consistency with the recently approved Comprehensive Plan. Other key duties include reviews of development site plans and property owners’ requests for variances to codes. 

When there is an opening on the P&Z, the Mayor recommends a replacement to the Commission. There is not yet an opening, but two terms are nearing completion, and any board member could retire at any time. 

Unlike ordinances that require public hearings and much pre-discussion, Mayoral appointments to committees and boards are approved via the consent agenda at regular City Commission meetings, pretty much as a formality. However, “the times they are a changing” (Bob Dylan, 1965): Mr. Coleman is the same person who recently instigated an initiative for a guest house, on behalf of PAR, that would have required a city code change to allow motels—a change that many thought we’d never see in Anna Maria. That effort failed because of a huge public outcry by many concerned Anna Marians. 

Now, just weeks following that stalled effort, comes Coleman’s application for a seat on the very board that makes recommendations to the City Commission regarding land use! 

This is not an issue about an individual. Neither is it about someone’s qualifications nor professed dedication to our community. The heart of the issue is simple: Is it in our best interest that the Mayor appoints the only person spearheading a major development and re-development of our community to a board that recommends policies regarding the City of Anna Maria’s future? (In case you might doubt whether the Mayor would be so bold as to appoint Coleman, her signature is one of ten on his application endorsing him for consideration.) 

It is important that people express opinions on this matter NOW. It’s all too easy to slip in appointments like this via the consent agenda. What do you think? Sound off with a Comment in this blog. Then email your opinion to the Mayor at ammayor@cityofannamaria.com. And request that your email be copied to all commissioners by copying the City Clerk at amclerk@cityofannamaria.com.