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Council advances land‑development and boards ordinances; DRB, PAB and notice rules revised
Summary
City Council held first‑reading votes that change how site plans are labeled and how several advisory and decision bodies operate, including adjustments to the Design Review Board process and notice requirements.
On Oct. 1, 2025, Naples City Council voted on first reading on a package of land‑development code changes and separate amendments to chapters governing city boards and committees. The council approved first reading changes that (a) rename the “site plan” review to “general development plan” and (b) alter which administrative hearings go to the Planning Advisory Board (PAB) and council. Council also approved an ordinance revising board procedures and the Design Review Board’s review sequencing.
Nut graf: Why this matters — The package reorganizes review steps in the development approvals process, updates board rules, and standardizes public‑notice distances and timeframes. The changes are intended to streamline review, clarify public notice requirements and improve staff consistency in preparing materials for boards and council.
Key changes approved on first reading
1) Rename and reframe site plan review (Text Amendment 25‑T‑1; Chapter 46 changes). The code will rename “site plan” review to “general development plan” to reduce confusion between the single “site plan” drawing and the broader review process that includes architectural, engineering and life‑safety submittals. When the plan is submitted, staff will continue to circulate the submittal to all relevant departments for sufficiency checks; items previously submitted only at a “final” DRB step will now be included up front so the design review body sees the full package.
2) Modify board referral and PAB role. The code changes clarify which items PAB reviews and which the council receives directly. During debate council members emphasized that the PAB remains an important advisory body and that council retains final decision authority. The council voted 6–1 in favor of the site‑plan/text package on first reading; Council Member Kramer cast the lone no vote citing concerns about changing the Design Review Board process and preserving a two‑step DRB review for certain projects.
3) Update board procedures and standardize city‑wide rules (Chapter 2 amendments). The council passed a companion ordinance on boards and committees (planning advisory board, design review board, community services advisory board, CRA advisory board) that standardizes bylaws, requires council approval of board rules by resolution, clarifies staff liaison roles, and updates meeting and notice procedures. The changes also removed a now‑superseded Citizens Police Review Board entry from the municipal code in response to state changes.
Other adjustments
- Public notice radius: The ordinances make the city’s notice radius consistent with the earlier code change the council adopted (1,000 feet) and clarify notice timing. - Review timing: Staff will apply the statutory timeline for administrative completeness and will have up to 120 days for certain plan sufficiency determinations where state rules apply; this replaces an earlier 44‑day benchmark in local procedural text.
Votes and next steps
- The text amendment and site‑plan renaming ordinance passed first reading 6–1 (Yes: Christman, Barton, Kramer, Penman, Petronoff, Heitman; No: Hutchison). The boards and committees ordinance passed first reading 5–2.
Staff will return with final ordinance language, and council members asked for clear staff reports that summarize DRB recommendations and any outstanding items so council can more efficiently review complex materials. City staff also noted they will prepare board resolutions and updated staff procedures to reflect consistent rules across boards.
Speakers and staff
- Erica Martin — Planning Director (staff presenter) - Matthew McConnell — City Attorney (legal and drafting background) - Gary Young — City Manager (administration)
Why council changed the labels and timing
Council members and staff said the “general development plan” label better reflects the full scope of a modern review (buildings, life‑safety, drainage and circulation) and reduces misreadings where readers confuse a single engineering sheet with the city’s multi‑departmental review process. Standardizing the boards’ procedural rules and notice rules was intended to reduce inconsistent interpretations and make staff reports more useful to council decision making.
Searchable tags: ["land development code","site plan","design review board","planning advisory board","public notice"].
Provenance: staff presentations and first‑reading votes recorded in the Oct. 1 transcript (agenda items 14A and 14C).
