RESIDENTS WANT MORE TIME FOR PLANNING

MORE THAN 100 RESIDENTS SHOWED UP AT THE TRINGALI CENTER IN ENGLEWOOD MONDAY NIGHT TO TALK ABOUT CHARLOTTE COUNTY’S PROPOSED REVISIONS TO THE ZONING OVERLAY CODE FOR MANASOTA AND SANDPIPER KEYS, AND THEIR MESSAGE WAS CLEAR; THE COUNTY NEEDS TO TAKE MORE TIME BEFORE MAKING ANY DECISIONS.  THE MAIN CONCERNS OF RESIDENTS INCLUDE MAINTAINING LIMITS ON BUILDING HEIGHT; SETBACK DISTANCES AND LANDSCAPING; DENSITY CALCULATIONS; AND ESPECIALLY THE NOISE OF PILE-DRIVING.  ONE WOMAN SPOKE UP ON THAT ISSUE, SAYING THE VIBRATIONS OF PILE-DRIVING HAVE ACTUALLY CRACKED TILES IN HER GULF BOULEVARD HOME.  THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WHICH MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS TO CHARLOTTE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, HAS BEEN IN FLUX THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER, WHICH HAS ADDED TO THE TENSION.  A NEW COMMITTEE HAS BEEN FORMED, BUT SOME RESIDENTS EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT MANY OF THE MEMBERS ARE HOLDOVERS.  A DRAFT OF THE RULES CHANGES WAS TO BE DISCUSSED AT A PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 13^TH, BUT CHARLOTTE COUNTY COMMISSIONER ROBERT SKIDMORE SAID THE PROPOSAL WILL LIKELY BE PUSHED BACK TO OCTOBER.