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Commission asks staff to study special‑magistrate model for planning and zoning hearings
Summary
A commissioner proposed studying whether to replace the city’s Planning & Zoning Commission with a special magistrate process for land‑use hearings. Commissioners asked staff to produce a report on pros, cons and code changes required; no decision was made.
A commissioner asked the commission on Sept. 8 to consider a switch from the city’s Planning & Zoning Commission to a special magistrate model for planning and zoning quasi‑judicial hearings.
The proponent said a special magistrate is typically an attorney with land‑use expertise who would run hearings and issue decisions in the role currently filled by the P&Z board. Commissioners discussed potential benefits — a more legal, consistent record and reduced pressure on staff — and potential concerns, including preserving opportunities for community members to present local history and context to a lay planning board.
Commissioners asked staff to prepare a report outlining the procedural differences, ordinance/code amendments that would be required, examples from peer cities (Wildwood, Fruitland Park and others were cited), and pros/cons for the commission to consider. No ordinance or code change was adopted at the Sept. 8 meeting; commissioners said they expected a staff report to appear at a future meeting.
