P&Z learns about O’Reilly site plan
Chair questions Pledge of Allegiance and invocation
BY DAN HILDEBRAN
The Keystone Heights Planning and Zoning Board welcomed its newest member on August 11, learned about a new site plan for an O’Reilly Auto Parts store, and listened to City Attorney Rich Komando explain the requirements of the state’s Sunshine Law.
New board member
The board welcomed Geraldine Robbins as its newest member. Appointed by the city council on August 8, Robbins is a Tallahassee native and has lived on Nelson’s Point for four-and-a-half years.
She holds a PhD in public policy evaluation and analytical methods from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
Concerns about Section 8 housing
Board member Gregory Gay asked whether the proposed development, Sunrise Estates, would include any Section 8 housing.
Komando responded that as far as he knew, developer Joe Wiggins’s subdivision of houses and townhomes behind Hitchcock’s grocery store did not include the U.S. Housing Department’s subsidy. Komando cautioned board members about drawing outdated conclusions about the subsidized housing program.
“I think because many of us, at least I think of the New York projects or when I lived in New Orleans, I think of the projects there as…Section 8 housing,” he said. “However, the world has changed. There are many single-family homes where a landlord has to pass certain requirements, like the house can’t be dilapidated, condemned, and falling down. And if the landlord passes certain requirements, they’re allowed to rent and get a Section 8 subsidy for
renting that property. So, you most
likely have Section 8 properties within the city and within the county that you don’t think of as the traditional ‘projects.’”
Pledge, invocation questioned
Toward the end of the meeting, Chair John Zieser asked Komando if the Pledge of Allegiance and invocation were required as part of the planning and zoning meeting.
The city attorney replied that neither was required but has been traditionally recited during city meetings for many years.
Komando added that some governing boards have eliminated the invocation and that its practice depends on the culture of the local government.
Board member Steve Hart asked Zieser if he objected to the two traditions.
“I haven’t formed an opinion one way or the other,” Zieser replied. “I am of the mind that if it is not necessary, then why do we have it? Why do we do it?”
“But you’re not making a motion,” Hart said.
“No, I’m just asking a question,” replied the chair.
Robbins then interjected her view.
“I would suggest they’re both necessary,” she said.
O’Reilly applies for site permit
Deputy City Manager Beau Wright informed board members that O’Reilly Auto Parts had applied for a site plan permit earlier in the day, which he had approved.
He said the parcel at the corner of State Road 21 and Commercial Circle is already zoned General Commercial and that no zoning change would be required for the store.
“I reviewed that with (City Planner) Janice Fleet, and we went through the site development and
their egress and ingress, and everything under their site development plan matched what we had. So, essentially, I just approved the site permit today for them,” he said.
