City of Live Oak Council approves final reading of rezoning ordinance 15-38

The City Council of the City of Live Oak approved final reading of Ordinance 15-38, a zoning change requested in application LDR 25-03 that reassigns specified parcels from commercial to neighborhood (CN) and residential-office (RO2) districts.

George Curtis, development manager for the City of Live Oak, told the council the property had been advertised with public hearing signage and that staff had received no public responses for or against the request. Curtis said the applicant presented "substantial competent evidence" supporting consistency with the comprehensive plan and the land development regulations and recommended approval.

Because the matter was heard in a quasi-judicial capacity, the council opened the record, administered the oath to speakers, and emphasized it would base its decision on evidence in the hearing. After closing the public portion with no speakers indicating opposition, a council member moved to approve final reading of Ordinance 15-38; the motion was seconded and the council voted to approve the ordinance. The transcript does not provide a numerical roll-call or vote tally.

The record presented to the council included staff reports and the application materials; the council noted the applicant bore the burden to show the rezoning was consistent with the comprehensive plan and that the governmental body could demonstrate a legitimate public purpose for maintaining existing zoning if it wished to deny the request. No ex parte disclosures or written communications were recorded in the portions of the transcript covering the hearing.

The ordinance, as read for final reading, provides severability and directions for codification and will take effect as provided by law.