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Planning board approves switching floodplain appeals from volunteer variance board to paid special magistrate
Summary
The board recommended that City Council designate a special magistrate (instead of the volunteer variance review board) to hear appeals and variances under Article 6; staff said the change is intended to speed cases and provide legal expertise, and that Pinellas County uses a similar approach.
The Oldsmar Planning Board on Jan. 8 recommended that City Council amend the land development code to name a special magistrate — an appointed legal professional — to hear and decide appeals and variances under Article 6 (flood control, stormwater management and wetland protection) instead of using the volunteer Variance Review Board.
Planning staff said the proposed change is modeled on Pinellas County practice and is intended to provide a faster, legally informed process for complex floodplain appeals. Planning and Redevelopment Director Tatiana Childress told the board that "Pinellas County has put in, $300 per hour" as a typical rate for special magistrate services, and that council would need to approve any contract and associated…
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