12/19/2024 Special MINUTES
OF THE MONROE COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Special Meeting
Board of County Commissioners
Thursday, December 19, 2024
Marathon, Florida&
Via Communication Media Technology
A special meeting of the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners convened at
10:00 a.m. at the Marathon Government Center, and via Communication Media Technology.
Present and answering to roll call were Commissioner Craig Cates, Commissioner Michelle
Lincoln, Commissioner Holly Merrill Raschein, Commissioner David Rice, and Mayor James K.
Scholl. Also present at the meeting were Christine Hurley, County Administrator; Bob
Shillinger, County Attorney; Kevin Madok, County Clerk; Liz Yongue, Deputy Clerk; county
staff, members of the press and radio; and the general public.
ADDITIONS, CORRECTIONS & DELETIONS
A Motion was made by Commissioner Lincoln and seconded by Commissioner Cates
granting approval of the Additions, Corrections and Deletions to the agenda. Motion carried
unanimously.
SPECIAL BOCC MEETING
B 1 Christine Hurley, County Administrator, and Emily Schemper, Senior Director of
Planning and Environmental Resources, addressed the Board. Ms. Hurley gave a Power Point
Presentation regarding an Ordinance deferring new Rate of Growth Ordinance (ROGO)
applications for market rate and affordable ROGOs for ROGO Year 33, Quarter 3 and following,
awards by the Planning Commission of market rate and affordable ROGO allocations for ROGO
Year 33, Quarter 3 and following, reservations of affordable ROGO allocations, and new
applications for administrative relief, commencing January 14, 2025, until the BOCC can review
and possibly amend the Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code to update the criteria
for ROGO awards and re-distribute the County's remaining market rate, affordable, and
administrative relief ROGO allocations; providing for expiration within 365 days of the effective
date of an Emergency Interim Development Ordinance or when the Comprehensive Plan and
Land Development Code amendments become effective, whichever comes first; providing for
severability; providing for transmittal to the State Land Planning Agency and the Secretary of
State; providing for an effective date. The following individuals addressed the Board: Harry
Appel, representing Save-A-Turtle; Dave Wiggins; Beth Fennell; Richard Grosso, representing
Florida Keys ROGO Coalition; Captain Ed Davidson, representing the Florida Keys Citizens
Coalition; Alicia Putney, representing Key Deer Protection Alliance; and Owen Trepanier. Bob
Shillinger, County Attorney, addressed the Board. After discussion, motion was made by
Page 11 12/19/2024
Commissioner Cates to move forward with a 1-year moratorium. Motion failed due to lack of a
second. The Board took no official action.
B3 Ms. Schemper gave a Power Point Presentation regarding a Resolution requesting
approval by the State of Florida of additional Rate of Growth Ordinance (ROGO)building
permit allocations and proposed changes to Section 380.0552, Florida Statutes, to increase the
statutorily required Hurricane Evacuation Clearance Time for the Florida Keys Area of Critical
State Concern from 24 hours to 24.5 hours to accommodate the building of 500 Units of
additional residential development within the Florida Keys and Key West Areas of Critical State
Concern, following the Monroe County, Planning and Environmental Resources Department,
analysis of privately owned vacant parcels and potential affordable housing development project
sites. Mr. Shillinger and Ms. Hurley addressed the Board. The following individuals addressed
the Board: Daniel Samiss, representing Marathon Chamber of Commerce; Dave Wiggins; Beth
Fennell; Stuart Schaffer, representing Sugarloaf Shores Property Owners Association; Edie
Primavera, representing Breezeswept Beach Estates Civic Association; Ann Olsen, representing
Last Stand; Kathy Winters, representing Cudjoe Gardens Property Owners Association; Chris
Massicotte; George Garrett; Sue Miller, representing Islamorada Community Alliance; Captain
Ed Davidson, representing the Florida Keys Citizens Coalition; Robert Spottswood; Steve
Williams, representing City of Marathon; Dora DeMaria, representing Reef Relief, Richard
Grosso, representing Florida Keys ROGO Coalition; Brian Schmitt; and Alicia Putney. The
Board took no official action.
B2 Ms. Schemper gave a Power Point Presentation regarding a Resolution requesting that the
State of Florida approve additional Rate of Growth Ordinance (ROGO)permit allocations for
unincorporated Monroe County, following an analysis of vacant privately-owned land, risk of
takings liability, workforce and affordable housing considerations, and considering hurricane
evacuation timeframe requirements. Mr. Shillinger and Ms. Hurley addressed the Board. The
following individuals addressed the Board: Stuart Schaffer, representing Sugarloaf Shores
Property Owners Association; Kathy Winters; Steve Williams, representing the City of
Marathon; and Brian Schmitt.
After discussion, motion was made by Commissioner Rice and seconded by
Commissioner Raschein to increase the required hurricane evacuation clearance time for
permanent residents of the Florida Keys ACSC from 24 hours to a greater timeframe of up to 26
hours. Roll call vote was taken with the following results:
Commissioner Cates No
Commissioner Lincoln Yes
Commissioner Raschein Yes
Commissioner Rice Yes
Mayor Scholl Yes
Motion carried.
Page 12 12/19/2024
Ms. Hurley addressed the Board. Motion was made by Commissioner Lincoln to require
that at least 940 new permit allocations in unincorporated Monroe County be reserved for
issuance of only 1 allocation per vacant buildable parcel, regardless of maximum development
potential. Motion failed due to lack of a second.
Motion was made by Commissioner Raschein and seconded by Commissioner Rice to
require that at least 1,350 new permit allocations in unincorporated Monroe County be reserved
for issuance of only 1 allocation per vacant buildable parcel, regardless of maximum
development potential. Roll call vote was taken with the following results:
Commissioner Cates No
Commissioner Lincoln Yes
Commissioner Raschein Yes
Commissioner Rice Yes
Mayor Scholl Yes
Motion carried.
Ms. Hurley addressed the Board. After discussion, motion was made by Commissioner
Raschein and seconded by Commissioner Rice that of the allocations, 70% shall be designated as
Workforce Market Rate Housing. Roll call vote was taken with the following results:
Commissioner Cates No
Commissioner Lincoln Yes
Commissioner Raschein Yes
Commissioner Rice Yes
Mayor Scholl Yes
Motion carried.
Ms. Hurley addressed the Board. Motion was made by Commissioner Rice and seconded
by Commissioner Lincoln to require that each local jurisdiction shall distribute its allocations
evenly over a 40-year time period, and add an acceleration for Workforce Market Rate Housing
and Affordable allocations. Roll call vote was taken with the following results:
Commissioner Cates Yes
Commissioner Lincoln Yes
Commissioner Raschein Yes
Commissioner Rice Yes
Mayor Scholl Yes
Motion carried.
Ms. Hurley addressed the Board. Motion was made by Commissioner Raschein and
seconded by Commissioner Rice to require that 450 new permit allocations in unincorporated
Page 13 12/19/2024
Monroe County be used for Affordable and/or Workforce Market Rate Housing projects. Roll
call vote was taken with the following results:
Commissioner Cates No
Commissioner Lincoln Yes
Commissioner Raschein Yes
Commissioner Rice Yes
Mayor Scholl Yes
Motion carried.
The following individual addressed the Board: Stuart Schaffer. Ms. Schemper and Ms.
Hurley and Mr. Shillinger addressed the Board. After discussion, Commissioner Raschein
withdrew her prior motion. Motion was made by Commissioner Lincoln and seconded by
Commissioner Rice that any units above 1,350 in unincorporated Monroe County may be
utilized for Affordable and/or Workforce Market Rate Housing projects. Roll call vote was taken
with the following results:
Commissioner Cates No
Commissioner Lincoln Yes
Commissioner Raschein Yes
Commissioner Rice Yes
Mayor Scholl Yes
Motion carried.
Ms. Hurley, Ms. Schemper, and Mr. Shillinger addressed the Board. After discussion,
motion was made by Commissioner Rice and seconded by Commissioner Raschein to adopt the
following Resolution, as amended. Roll call vote was taken with the following results:
Commissioner Cates No
Commissioner Lincoln Yes
Commissioner Raschein Yes
Commissioner Rice Yes
Mayor Scholl Yes
Motion carried.
RESOLUTION NO. 549-2024
Said Resolution is incorporated herein by reference.
COMMISSIONER'S COMMENTS
Commissioner Raschein commended Representative Jim Mooney and Senator Ana Maria
Rodriguez and staff for their efforts.
Page 14 12/19/2024
There being no further business, the meeting of the Board of County Commissioners was
adj ourned.
Kevin Madok, CPA
Clerk and ex-officio Clerk to the
Board of County Commissioners
Monroe County, Florida
Liz Yongue, D.C.
Page 15 12/19/2024