The Panama City Planning Board denied a request to change the land use and zoning at 1018 Oak Avenue from Residential 1 to Mixed Use 3 by a 3-0 vote. Staff recommended denial; several board members said the property’s immediate block is characterized by single-family homes and they were reluctant to introduce mixed-use zoning in the middle of a single-family street.

The application listed Jamco Properties LLC as the owner and Donald Cox of Southern Living Homes as the applicant. A speaker identified as living next door, Benedictine Zener of 1012 Oak Avenue, told the board she has lived on the block for 13 years and opposed the change because she feared the future insertion of a commercial business and a drastic change to neighborhood character.

One board member said the surrounding properties on the immediate street are single-family dwellings and expressed reluctance to “start in the middle” of the block with a mixed-use designation; another board member noted the difference between this street and other nearby areas that already contain duplexes. Citing those concerns, the board member moved to deny the rezoning request; the motion was seconded and passed on roll call: Carroll — yes; Rich — yes; Barker — yes.

For the record, staff noted the speaker had been sworn in at the start of the quasi-judicial proceeding. The denial preserves the property’s Residential 1 designation; no conditions or follow-up tasks were announced in the hearing.