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a Vero Beach 32963 / June 18, 2015 i�l1t OVCI Z(1 Cil portsupports IHP's rezoning request CONTINUED ot� an'p "Wetrynot totake sides with private property;' says Director of Commu- Sasan Rohani says the proposed OCR zoning would allow a developer "t move ahead with the approved site plan.' "Big developers pay for land'by the door,"' Paladin says. '7f II -IP can sell 499 doors instead of 350, they can get more money for the property." Despite that, Paladin says a smart de- veloper could do better with the kind of mixed use development he has in mind that combines retail, residential and some office, and allows people to eat and shop in their own neighborhood. Mixed use projects that add con n - ventece and amenities to neighbor- hoods and reduce the need to clog overcrowded roads have been the gold standard for new development for decades, but Paladin says Indian River County has lagged behind the nationwide trend. He cites Pointe West, Waterwayvil- ]age and Grand Harbor as examples of large residential developments that were supposed to include stores and restaurants that never got built, leaving residents stranded and de- pendent on their cars to get a carton of milk or plate of pasta. "That is the best corner in Indian River County for mitred use," Paladin says of the busy U.S. 1fCR 510 inter- section. "It should be a destination Point where people come to shop, if it is all residential, it just puts more trips on the road." County staff and officials were en- thusiastic about the mixed use plan Paladin was spearheading up until last fall, seeing it as a boon to the tax base and arearesidents. Buts June 2 staffre- nity Development Stan Boling. "Our positon is the existing commercial o zoning is appropriate, and itwould al- low you to build a shopping center in a good location along U.S. 1, The OCR zoning would limit the amount of commercial and offices and allow resi- dential, but it would also be appropri- ate for that area and matches up with the counry's land -use plan." "It may be appropriate, but it is not the highest and best use," says Paladin. "It would be bad for the county and it would reduce the value of the property." The rezoning request, affecting 41.95 acres of the Bristol Bay/Orchid Quay property, was slated to go before Planning and Zoning on June 11 but on June 10 Knight requested the hear- ing be postponed until August 13. '1f you seek rezoning and it gets turned down, you can't bring it back for 12 months," says Paladin, who had planned to argue against rezoning at the public meeting. "I don't think they had the votes and I think they knew W' In an email, Knight said the request was just common sense. There are seven voting members on the Commis- sion, meaning four votes are needed for approval, and only four commissioners were expected to be at the meeting. With only a quorum of four members present, Knight would have needed a unanimous vote to get the board's blessing. When summer vacations are over and seven commissioners are seat- ed, he will have a more leeway if some commissioners side with Paladin. If Planning and Zoning recommends approving the rezoning in August, the change will then have to be approved by die County Commission. ■ Shores moves A council election I BYUSAZANNER Pe srafjwaw In fix I By a close 3-2 vote, the Indian Riv- er Shores Town Council has voted to move forward with a series of steps re- quired to move council elections from March to November, beginning with the Presidential election in 2016. The change has been spearheaded by Councilman Dick Havetland, who said it would reduce the cost from S2 to 50 cents per voter, saving die town approx- imately $5,400 every two years when there is a scheduled municipal election. Town Attorney Chester Clem ex- plained what would need to be done hh a memo to Council. "If there is to be a change to have our elections coincide with the general elections held in November of even years, wewould fust pass an ordinance to place the issue on the ballot. The question would be whether the Char- ter of the'ibwn should be changed to hold our elections in November of even years at the time of the general elections," Clem wrote- "This would be placed on the ballot as a proposed charter amendment in November 2015." If approved by voters, the change would shorten all present town coun- cil terms by fon months. The terms of Mayor Brian Barefoot, Vice -Mayor Jer- ry Weick and Councilman Tom Slater would end in November, 2016, instead of March, 2017. The new qualifying Introducing the 2016 Mercedes-Maybach ` F. thi in vol VIN sail ter test be: P bie lot can Cal, sea, atm and dun at t wrot ing t they W Fells tion-' to Nt 01 err, , in the there re&i tion 93,56 P23