Expediency for the Staff vs. Rights of Residents to be Heard!

In 2014, the City Council amended the Land Development Code (LDC), changing the Site Development Plan Approval Process to require Planning Board review and approval, plus City Council review and final approval of all Site Development Plans (SDP), Site Development Plan Amendments (SDPA), and Site Improvement Plans (SIP) projects proposed to the city by a developer. Previously, approvals were only required from City Staff.

At the Planning Board meeting of May 7, 2021, City Staff proposed to amend the approval process in the Code of Ordinance Article IX which at present requires all SDP, SDPA, SIP projects proposed by developers, to go to the City Council for final approval. 

The new Approval Process being proposed will allow the City Staff to make approval decisions WITHOUT involving the City Council, as long as the project meets all Ordinance requirements.

The staff proposed changes will be brought back to the Planning Board for a second reading and final vote on July 2nd. Unfortunately, the choice of the date (July 2) is just prior to a holiday weekend, when traditionally the Island is sparsely populated.

Four Key Changes to Proposed Approval Process: 

1. Variances of 10% or less to a previously approved Site Plan project (SDP; SDPA; SIP) can be with City Staff sign-off only; no Planning Board or City Council review.

2. City Council and City Manager review and approval will no longer be required for any Site Plan project that is in compliance with requirements set out by the Land Development Code (LDC); the Planning Board is the final and only required approval.

3. The City Manager will no longer be required to participate in pre-approval meetings or any aspect of the approval process for site plans that meet requirements; the Director of Growth Management assumes all review & recommendation responsibilities.

4. The City’s Public Works Director will make the final determination if a Traffic Study needs to be included with Site Plan project proposals.

Upsides to Proposed Changes: (It is all about Expediency)

1. Speeds up the approval process for projects that meet requirements. 

2. Less demand on Planning Board and City Council agendas!

3. Saves time and money for construction contractors and developers!

Downsides: Transparency & Residents Voice Cancelled!

1. Integrity Cancelled: The current process was adopted in 2014 to put integrity and transparency back into the approval process. Going back to the pre-2014 process puts the integrity of our approval process at risk again!

2. SHUTS DOWN DISCUSSION: Elimination of the City Council review also eliminates the opportunity for Residents to voice their support or objection to proposed development projects on the island. Resident’s rights should not be silenced while strengthening the authority of non-elected city staffers.

1. RELIEVES CITY MANAGER OF RESPONSIBILITY: In a city of less than 20,000 residents, what part of the Site Plan project review and advisory process is not part of the City Manager’s job? 

2. TRAFFIC STUDIES ARE CRITICAL: In the next 10 years, traffic will be a critical factor to our quality of life on Marco Island. The decisions on traffic studies need to be reviewed at the highest level of our city government, not left to the discretion of a “generalist.”

Please express your opinion. It’s your right!