Item O07 BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
Meeting Date: March 19, 2008 Division: Growth Management
Bulk Item: Yes _ No x Department:
Staff Contact Person: Susan Grimsley
AGENDA ITEM WORDING:
A public hearing to adopt an ordinance by the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners amending the
Land Development Regulations Section 9.5-45 concerning noticing provisions.
ITEM BACKGROUND:
The Planning Department is proposing an amendment to the notice provisions of the code. Currently
all notices for any public hearing on conditional uses, text amendments or any other required public
hearings in Chapter 9.5 (Land Development Regulations) require a large ad in all three newspapers in
the Keys. Text amendments and zoning map changes will still require a large ad. Other ads may be
smaller, similar to those seen for the municipalities within the keys. Since some advertisements must
be in a newspaper of paid general circulation in the County published 5 days per week, for consistency
in noticing the public, the 5 day per week newspaper will be used. The BOCC by resolution may use
other papers for smaller ads. At its meeting of March 4, 2008, the Planning Commission voted 2-2 to
advance the ordinance to the BOCC. This should provide a savings of$65,000 this year.
PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION: N/A
CONTRACT/AGREEMENT CHANGES: N/A
STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: Approval
TOTAL COST: N/A BUDGETED: Yes No
COST TO COUNTY: N/A SOURCE OF FUNDS:
REVENUE PRODUCING: Yes No AMOUNT PER MONTH Year
APPROVED BY: County Atty X OMB/Purchasing_ Risk Management
DOCUMENTATION: Included X Not Required
DISPOSITION: AGENDA ITEM#
Revised 8/46
MEMORANDUM
MONROE COUNTY GROWTH MANAGEMENT DIVISION
We strive to be caring,professional and fair
To: Board of County Commissioners
Through: Townsley Schwab, Acting Planning Director off
Off
Andrew Trivette, Director of Growth Management f,f
From: Susan Grimsley, Assistant County Attorney
Date: March 4, 2008
RE: Amendment to Notice Requirements Section 9.5-45
Quarter page or larger ads have been used for all text changes, land use map
changes and other public hearings for many years. They are published, along with
other notices for specific projects that require public hearings, in all three Keys
newspapers. By statute, the quarter page ads are really necessary only for text
changes that amend a permitted, conditional or prohibited use, or where the
County is requesting a land use district (zoning) map change. These ads must be
in one newspaper published 5 days a week with paid general circulation. By local
ordinance, the Planning Department currently is required to use three newspapers
with quarter page ads for all notices.
Staff is proposing an amendment to the notice provisions of the Code that would
allow the use of one newspaper for the large ads that are required in certain
circumstances, as well as for other text amendments even though not required, in
order to give adequate notice to the public. However, fiscal constraints are
changing the ability to gratuitously provide more than the requisite notice. Over
$65,000.00 can be saved by eliminating the non-required ads in two newspapers
and by using the one newspaper which has publications five days per week. At the
January 25, 2008 BOCC Special meeting the Board removed the funding for
continued advertising in two of the three local newspapers.
The proposed ordinance allows the Board of County Commissioners to direct staff
by resolution to use reduced ads that simply give notice of the meeting in the other
papers instead of eliminating them. In general, public hearings are required at
most Planning Commission meetings and BOCC meetings for ordinances and will
be adequately advertised. The use of smaller ads and the availability of the
internet should still provide notice to the public of public hearings. In the future, if
ordered by the BOCC, use of the three newspapers for full size advertisement may
be reinstated. However, at this time, the County is expending a large sum of
money for advertising that is not required.
The Planning Commission held a public hearing on March 4, 2008. The
ordinance is being moved forward to the Monroe County Board of Commissioners
by a vote of 2 - 2.
Staff recommends approval.
ORDINANCE 2008
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MONROE COUNTY BOARD OF
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AMENDING SECTION 9.5 -45 OF
THE MONROE COUNTY CODE CONCERNING PUBLIC
NOTICES; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR
REPEAL OF INCONSISTENT PROVISIONS; PROVIDING FOR
INCLUSION IN THE CODE OF ORDINANCES; PROVIDING FOR
FORWARDING TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS; PROVIDING FOR
AN EFFECTIVE DATE
WHEREAS,the requirements for notice of public meetings and public hearings on land use
matters are set forth in the Florida Statutes; and
WHEREAS,Monroe County has for many years exceeded the statutory requirements by
advertising in more than one newspaper in the County,by placing ads larger than required
and giving more time for notice than required; and
WHEREAS, due to severe budgetary constraints, it is necessary to reduce the spending for
advertising by the Growth Management Division; and
WHEREAS,calendars, schedules and agendas are available online along with all materials
applicable to each item; and
WHEREAS,despite the fiscal issues, it is desirable for the Board of County Commissioners
to retain flexibility in its advertising protocol in order to disseminate as much notice to the
public as possible;
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission held a public hearing on March 4, 2008 and
forwarded the ordinance to the BOCC with a 2-2 vote;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY,FLORIDA:
Section 1. Section 9.5-45 shall be amended as follows:
Sec. 9.5-45.Notice.
(a) Content of Notice: Every required notice shall include the date, time and place of the
hearing, the address of the site where known, a description of the site of the proposed
development to identify it for others to locate with reference to the closest mile marker, a
summary of the proposal to be considered, and identification of the board, committee, or
body conducting the hearing.
(b)Advertisements for amendments to the land use district map shall be captioned, "NOTICE
OF CHANGE TO LAND USE MAP " in ei teen (18)point type and shall
contain a geographic location map which clearly indicates the area covered by the proposal,
shall include major street names as a means of identification of the area and shall state in a
brief form the nature of the amendment to be considered by ordinance title.
( c) Advertisements for amendments to the text of the Land Development Regulations shall
be captioned "NOTICE OF CHANGE TO LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS" in
eighteen(18) point type and shall be advertised by ordinance title. The advertisements in this
subsection and subsection (b) above may be combined by title and content with other
advertisements required by this section.
Publication of Land Use District Map (Zonin3z) Changes or Text Amendments to
Land Development Regulations : Notice of public hearings for Land Use District Map
Changes or Land Development Regulations shall be given at least fifteen (15) days in
advance of the hearing date by publication in the non-legal section of a local newspapers-of
gfeatest general paid circulation in the r ,,we Middle, atia Upper- Ke,,s e Monroe County.
The newspaper shall be of general interest and readership in the community.
pessible, tThe advertisement shall appear in a newspaper that is published five (5) days a
week. 1OSS that f;..o (5) da, 'S
week. The advertisements shall be no less than two columns wide by 10
inches long in a standard size or tabloid size newspaper and the headline in the
advertisements shall be in a type no smaller than eighteen (18) point. If directed by
Resolution of the Board of County Commissioners, advertisements may be put in additional
newspapers published less frequently than five days a week in the legal advertising or non-
legal section prior to the hearing without the same specification as to size or timeframe, or as
a NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING with the agenda available from the Planning Department.
(e) Publication for Other Required Notices : Notice of public hearings required by the land
development regulations other than land use district map or text changes shall be published in
a newspaper of paid general circulation at least 15 days prior to the public hearing in the non-
legal section of the paper, and shall be captioned"Notice of Public Hearing". In addition to
the usual information concerning location, date and time, the body of the advertisement shall
describe the matter(s) on which the public may be heard. This advertisement may be
combined with the advertisements listed above if the hearings are scheduled for the same
meeting.
(d Lf Posting of Notice: At least fifteen (15) days prior to any public hearing, all
applicants, excluding governmental agencies, shall post the property that is the subject of the
hearing with a waterproof signs(s)provided by the Planning Department which are so located
that the notices shall be easily visible from all public streets and public ways abutting the
property. Failure to provide proper notice as per the Monroe County Code or other reason
resulting in a delayed hearing shall result in the re-noticing and rehearing of the original
proposal and which shall be at the expense of the applicant and which shall be an amount
equal to double the appropriate application fee. The applicant shall remove the posted notice
within ten(10)days after completion of the hearing.
(e)Jg� Mailing of Notice: Notice of a public hearing to consider a major conditional use
shall be mailed by the county to all owners of real property located within three hundred
(300) feet of the property proposed to be developed as a major conditional use, including any
residents of the parcel proposed for development, at least fifteen (15) days prior to a public
hearing. A list of such owners, as shown by the latest available records in the Monroe County
Property Appraiser's Office, shall be provided by the applicant with an application for
development approval.
(f} (h) Other Notice: Notice of all public hearings shall be posted on the Monroe County
Website as soon as is practical. Failure to post notice on the Monroe County Website shall
not constitute grounds for the cancellation of any public hearing nor shall it constitute
grounds for the cancellation of any action taken by a board at such a meeting.
(-' (i) Affidavit and Photograph of Notice: An affidavit and photographic evidence shall be
provided by the applicant at the public hearing that the applicant has complied with the notice
required by this section.
Section 2. Severability. The provisions of this Ordinance are declared to be severable and if
any section, sentence, clause or phrase of this Ordinance shall for any reason be held to be
invalid or unconstitutional, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining
sections, sentences, clauses, and phrases of this Ordinance but they shall remain in effect, it
being the legislative intent that this Ordinance shall stand notwithstanding the invalidity of
any part.
Section 3. Repeal of Conflicting Provisions. The provisions of the Monroe County Code
and all Ordinances or parts of Ordinances in conflict with the provisions of this Ordinance are
hereby repealed.
Section 4. Inclusion in the Code. The provisions of this ordinance shall be included and
incorporated in the Code of Ordinances of Monroe County, Florida as an addition or
amendment thereto, and shall be appropriately numbered to conform to the uniform
numbering system of the Code.
Section 5. Approval by the State Department of Community Affairs. The provisions of
this Ordinance constitute a "land development regulation" as State law defines that term.
Accordingly, the Director of Planning or Growth Management for the County is authorized to
forward a copy of this Ordinance to the State Department of Community Affairs for approval
pursuant to Sections 380.05(6) and(11), Florida Statutes and the Monroe County Clerk shall
send it to the Secretary of State for the State of Florida, as required.
Section 6. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall be effective immediately upon approval by
the State Department of Community Affairs pursuant to Chapter 380, Florida Statutes.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County,
Florida at a regular meeting held on the day of ,2008.
Mayor Charles"Sonny"McCoy
Mayor Pro Tem Mario DiGennaro
Commissioner George Neugent
Commissioner Sylvia J. Murphy
Commissioner Dixie Spehar
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
BY
Mayor Charles"Sonny"Mc Coy
(SEAL)
ATTEST: DANNY L. KOLHAGE,CLERK
DEPUTY CLERK MONROE'o(,NTY ATTORNEY
APPRqOD AS T , RM
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