Commission continues Central Park pattern-plan amendment to Oct. 28, asks staff to negotiate buffer compromises with neighbors

The Northport City Commission on Oct. 14 continued the first reading of an ordinance (Ordinance 2025-28) to amend the Central Park at Northport activity-center pattern plan after a tie vote on an attempt to approve the developer's requested landscaping waivers.

The amendment would remove planting buffers along the back edges of multiple lakes adjacent to existing neighborhoods and seeks waivers from the Unified Land Development Code so some lake edges would be graded and sodded rather than planted with trees and shrubs. The developer requested two specific waivers: roughly 450 linear feet along the Colony (called waiver 1 in the application) and roughly 275 linear feet adjacent to Fairway Villas (waiver 2). The applicant said the change responds to neighbors who want unobstructed views of lakes; staff recommended a compromise that removes berms in certain areas while retaining planting standards in areas of incompatible uses.

Why it matters:The proposal affects existing homeowners' views and the municipality's buffer and screening standards. Staff highlighted environmental and stormwater concerns — natural-resources staff noted trees and shrubs provide bank stabilization, shade and pollutant filtering — while residents urged the commission to honor their preference for open lake views.

Key points from the hearing: Peter Van Buskirk, the applicant’s planner, said the request grew from neighborhood input and argued sod and maintained lake edges stabilize banks and meet water-management requirements. Senior planner Sherry Willette Grandin presented staff analysis recommending a compromise (staff’s Option 1) that would allow some visual access but keep enhanced planting adjacent to identified incompatible uses (staff recommended retaining certain type-2 buffers). The Planning and Zoning Advisory Board recommended approval of the petition as presented by the applicant but explicitly asked that waivers 1 and 2 not be granted; its recommendation urged that buffers adjacent to Lakes 5, 9 and 13 meet type-2 planting specifications.

Public comment: Speakers included homeowners and HOA representatives from Linkside, Fairway Villas, The Colony and Sable Trace. Supporters said tree and shrub buffers would block long-established lake views. Opponents cited erosion control, habitat and noise attenuation worries, with staff testifying vegetation is superior to sod for ecological benefits.

Commission action: An initial motion to continue with the applicant’s waivers failed on a 2-2 vote. After further discussion commissioners adopted a motion instructing the city manager to work with staff, the developer and community groups to seek negotiated adjustments that reduce view disruption while addressing environmental concerns; the ordinance was continued to second reading on Oct. 28, 2025.

Next steps: Staff will pursue the negotiated language, document environmental mitigations and return the amended ordinance and any recommended waivers to the commission at the Oct. 28 meeting for second reading and final action.

Ending: With the continuation the commission left the door open to a negotiated middle ground before taking a final vote.