Bay County commissioners approve consent agenda, multiple zoning changes and contract awards

Bay County commissioners on June 17 approved a broad consent agenda, multiple small-scale land-use and zoning changes, and several contract actions summarized below.

Why it matters: The meeting cleared a package of routine and project-specific items that affect county contracts, infrastructure projects and the county’s land-use map. Several planning approvals convert existing or historically commercial uses into conforming county zoning or extend commercial designations into adjacent parcels.

Key approvals and votes (at-a-glance):

- Consent agenda: Board acknowledged financial reports, approved inventory deletions, and approved numerous contracts and budget actions including: - Sheriff expenditures from the special law enforcement trust fund (item 2). - A FY2025 budget amendment and related resolutions (item 3). - Bus procurement modification to change planned acquisitions from one 30-foot to four transit buses under 30 feet (item 4). - Release of deed restrictions on the Girls Incorporated parcel at 1100 Fountain Avenue (item 5). - Ratification of FEMA project worksheet PW1605 and an FDEM letter on FEMA project 83,475 (item 6). - Lease agreement with Stryker for EMS equipment (item 7). - Justice Assistance Grant countywide FY24 administration letter (item 8). - First amendment to janitorial services contract 25-11 with J and H Janitorial Company LLC (item 9). - Contract award for insurance and employee benefits consultant services to Gallagher Benefit Services (item 11 in human resources portion). - Award of contract 25-29 for rate and evaluation consulting to Raftelus Financial Consultants Inc. (utility services item 19). - Military Point Advanced Water Treatment Facility, Senate Bill 64, Phase 2: award to Dewberry Engineers, Inc. for recharge well design and facility upgrades in the amount of $1,395,590 (item 20).

The board voted to approve the consent agenda by roll call.

- Planning and zoning approvals (quasi-judicial items): - 15315 Memorial Circle: small-scale FLUM amendment and zoning change to Public Institutional (PI) for approximately 1.2 acres in West Bay (planning staff recommended approval; planning commission found proposal consistent). Applicant Roger Kranz, pastor at West Bay Baptist, said the parcel would be used for a cemetery and potentially a Sunday school building; the planning commission and board approved the amendment on roll call. - 3320 Bradenton Avenue (Lynn Haven area): approximately 6.6 acres redesignated General Commercial and rezoned to C3A to reflect an existing commercial use; owner Jeff Gregory testified the property has operated as an office and laydown yard for more than 20 years; board approved on roll call. - 18725 Highway 231 (Fountain area): approximately 9 acres from Agriculture (AG1) to General Commercial (C3); staff said the eastern portion already carried commercial designations and the change would extend that use west; board approved on roll call. - 8910 Front Beach Road: 0.7 acres rezoned from Public Institutional to C3 General Commercial (parcel already carried a general commercial land-use designation); staff recommended approval and the board approved on roll call. - Joan Avenue corridor (2016, 2018 and 2110 Joan Avenue): approximately 2.8 acres from Residential to Neighborhood Commercial (C1) to align with adjacent C1 designations; staff recommended approval and the board approved, with at least one commissioner noting concerns about potential gas-station uses and discussing the option of placing use restrictions at the time of approval.

- Code and ordinance revisions: - County Attorney presented revisions to Chapter 5 of the Bay County Code of Ordinances to clarify beach bonfire permit requirements and to give the fire department code-enforcement authority to issue citations for ordinance violations. The change removes a previous strict requirement for written permission from the property owner in all cases, reflecting practical limitations for vacation rental guests who cannot readily contact an owner. The board held a public hearing and the ordinance was approved (roll call recorded affirmative votes in the transcript). - Revisions to Chapter 7 (code enforcement) were presented as technical cleanups tied to earlier structural changes in the county’s enforcement process; staff described those as non-policy, technical amendments and the board approved them on roll call.

What applicants and staff said: Planning staff said the requested land-use and zoning amendments met relevant Land Development Regulation (LDR) tables and bulk standards and that the planning commission had recommended approval for each item. Applicants and owners who spoke described historical uses (Bradenton Avenue property) and community needs (a new cemetery to serve West Bay residents).

What was not changed: The board generally declined to delay or table the consent and planning items; where concerns were raised (for example, potential future uses on Joan Avenue), commissioners discussed conditional use restrictions as an available tool.

Next steps and implementation: Approved contracts and zoning changes will proceed to the administrative and permitting steps required by county code; planning approvals will be followed by development orders and any required site plans and buffer installations. The Military Point design contract authorizes Dewberry Engineers to proceed with design work under the terms authorized by the board.

Votes: Each item passed on motions and subsequent roll calls recorded on the June 17 meeting record; where roll-call transcript lines are explicit, those votes are reported in article provenance and actions below.