Commissioners reject interim ROGO ordinance after hours-long debate, 3-2

The Monroe County Board of County Commissioners voted 3-2 on Jan. 15 to deny an interim ordinance that would have paused receipt and approval of new market-rate and affordable ROGO applications while the county prepares comprehensive-plan and Land Development Code amendments.

Supporters of the pause argued it would let the county convert a larger share of its remaining ROGO allocations into a new “workforce market-rate” pool and stretch available units over a longer timeframe. Opponents said a moratorium (the meeting included repeated references to that term) would send mixed signals to state officials and developers, could harm property owners and builders, and might not be necessary if the county coordinates closely with the Department of Commerce and the county’s legislative delegation.

Why it matters: The ROGO (Rate of Growth Ordinance) system governs how Monroe County awards limited development allocations. County staff told the board it currently holds 92 remaining regular market‑rate ROGO allocations and 144 administrative‑relief units; staff proposed using a pause to move more units into the workforce pool and to spread awards farther into the future, possibly into 2031, rather than run out earlier.

What happened at the meeting: Commissioners debated for more than an hour, hearing from staff, the county’s planning consultant and the City of Marathon’s attorney, who said Secretary Kelly of the Department of Commerce emphasized that local governments should “spend down” what they have and prioritize workforce housing. Commissioners described competing goals—use allocations now versus preserve them for an anticipated comp‑plan amendment and a state allocation process—and raised concerns about equity and legal limits.

The motion to deny the interim ordinance passed on a roll call vote: Commissioner Lincoln — yes; Commissioner Raschein — yes; Commissioner Rice — yes; Commissioner Cates — no; Mayor Scholl — no. The board recorded the result as 3–2 in favor of denying the ordinance, meaning the moratorium/deferral ordinance did not advance.

Discussion highlights: - Commissioner Lincoln and others said they had met with Representative Mooney and the Department of Commerce and that the state wants jurisdictions to prioritize workforce housing, but disagreed about whether a local pause is the right tactical move. - City of Marathon Attorney Steve Williams told the board Marathon had a recent, positive meeting with Secretary Kelly; Marathon officials said they are effectively drawn down sooner than some county areas and urged clarity and coordination. - Some commissioners urged staff and the delegation to continue negotiating with Tallahassee and stressed that comp‑plan and code amendments take time (commonly about a year) and include many state steps.

Next steps: The denial means staff will continue the current distribution schedule for ROGO allocations. Staff said it will continue to work with the county’s legislative delegation and Commerce on the proposed workforce market-rate category and on a comp‑plan amendment to accept additional state‑modeled units if and when those become available.

Votes at a glance: The board recorded the roll call on the motion to deny as follows: Lincoln — yes; Raschein — yes; Rice — yes; Cates — no; Scholl — no.

Source: Monroe County BOCC meeting transcript, Jan. 15, 2025; public staff presentation and roll-call vote.