CLEARWATER - Clearwater's Community Development Board voted on Tuesday to recommend the rejection of a proposed moratorium on processing certain site plan applications in the Old Florida District of Clearwater Beach.
The moratorium had been proposed by the City's Planning Department as a "time-out", giving them 9 months to correct conflicts between Beach by Design and the district's underlying zoning regulations. But area property owners objected, fearing that the moratorium might derail certain development projects, and would likely depress property values.
CDB Member J. B. Johnson said, "After due consideration and the fact that moratoriums are not good for the City, I recommend that we notify the City Commission that we can not support this amendment." Johnson's motion carries by a vote of 5-1, only Chairman Gildersleeve voting against.
The CDB's decision is only a recommendation; the Clearwater City Council will decide the outcome of the proposed moratorium during a public hearing at their meeting at 6PM tonight, January 20.