Planning commission delays rezoning and countywide boat-launch rule after strong neighborhood opposition

The Clay County Planning Commission voted to continue a staff-initiated land-development-code amendment and the companion rezoning for a county‑owned parcel on Black Creek Drive after sustained opposition from nearby residents.

The amendment (ZON 20-58) would clarify permitted vessel types at public boat ramps in PO-2 (public ownership) zones to explicitly allow motorized and non‑motorized boats, reduce the required public-street frontage from 100 feet to 50 feet, and add a five‑space parking minimum for non‑motorized boat launches. Staff said the change was prompted by a FEMA repetitive‑loss grant that allowed the county to acquire the parcel and by a county effort to clarify code text; staff recommended approval. The companion rezoning (ZON 20-59) would apply the change to a specific parcel the county now owns.

During a lengthy public hearing, more than a dozen residents who live along Black Creek Drive described the parcel as narrow, within the floodway and accessible only by a narrow unpaved road. Speakers said the site has a history of trespassing, parties…