Commission approves sidewalk-waiver request for 675 Cohen Lane; owner to pay into sidewalk fund

The Safety Harbor City Commission on March 17 approved a sidewalk-waiver request for 675 Cohen Lane (case 2025-04-SW), allowing the property owner to build a roughly 600-square-foot rear addition without constructing a new sidewalk along the street frontage. The motion passed on a 5-0 voice vote.

City planning staff presented the application. Derek Reeves, assistant department director, said the addition triggers the city's sidewalk requirement under the land development code (section 152). Staff cited an exception in the code for subdivisions in which at least 80% of built lots lack sidewalks and the construction is not included in the city's five-year capital improvement program. Reeves said Cohen Lane is a short, dead-end street with 12 lots; 11 are developed and the street currently has no sidewalks. Staff recommended approval with the condition that the applicant pay the calculated fee into the city’s sidewalk fund.

The applicant, identified in the meeting as Howard Smith, was present. Commissioners asked whether other nearby lots had previously received waivers and discussed the neighborhood’s development history, which dates to county-era plats from the 1960s and includes shared easements. Staff said the one remaining lot on the street is still developable.

Under the commission motion the property owner must make a one-time payment of $2,400 into the sidewalk fund in lieu of construction. The waiver was advertised as required and staff concluded the request meets the waiver criteria in the code. The recorded vote was 5-0 in favor.