09/09/2025 (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Board of County Commissioners Meeting Minutes - Final September 9, 2025 foundation governing the use of land, including what can happen and when. Specifically, when discussing the Future Land Use Element, it identified specific land use designations, their intensity or density, and the policies that regulate growth. The County went through the proper process and adopted those regulations into the LDRs. It was important to note that the LDRs, as described in the Statute, were crucial to the development process. Municipalities must assign a Land Development Plan during annexations, but until that was completed, the County's LDRs still applied. These regulations served as the implementing mechanism to achieve the goals and objectives of the Plan, a structure established since 1985 with the Growth Management Act. The Plans were the foundation, and the LDRs served as the means to implement them. It was also noteworthy that LDRs require an Ordinance that involved two public hearings and must be advertised. While staff can propose changes, they must go through the same process as any applicant seeking to amend the Land Development Code. Since 2011, the process has undergone significant changes due to the dissolution of the Department of Community Affairs, which was transferred to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity and now falls under the Florida Department of Commerce. This shift has emphasized local control, with the Ordinance being the primary area where such control can be exercised. When reviewing site plans and related matters before the Board, it was essential to determine whether they were consistent with the Planning and Zoning District regulations. What was proposed was that the County maintain building height limitations in the LDRs as per the respective zoning district regulations. Each zoning district would have defined height limitations and setbacks in place to preserve the County's low-density neighborhood character and protect low -intensity commercial areas and nodes. The County may adopt provisions or incentives that support this policy. Maintaining the limitations on residential structures to 35 feet and commercial buildings to a maximum of 50 feet, with a possible architectural allowance of an additional 15 feet, was a decision that rested with the Board and the community. Administrator Titkanich proposed that a policy statement be submitted regarding maintaining building heights, reflecting the suggested revisions, "to preserve the County's low-density neighborhood character and protect low-density commercial areas and nodes. Residential structures shall be limited to a maximum height of 35 feet, while non-residential and mixed-use structures shall be limited to a maximum height of 50 feet. For all structures, architectural embellishments may exceed the maximum height limitation by no more than 15 feet". This policy would integrate the existing height regulations, clearly stating that the County aimed to uphold building height limitations in line with the LDRs and Zoning District Regulations, thereby preserving the local character. According to this statement, Indian River County, Florida Page 12