Commission defers some ULDC changes, approves stormwater and mixed-use amendments

At the Nov. 18 meeting, the Panama City Commission considered multiple Unified Land Development Code (ULDC) amendments and zoning items across several agenda entries.

Ordinance 32-85 (amending administrative development review procedures) drew public concern because it would shift some preliminary-plat authority from the planning board to a staff technical-review committee (TRC) and an administrative official. Public speakers and commissioners asked for a formal appeals mechanism and better reporting. The commission directed staff to draft appeal-process language and deferred the ordinance so the appeal language can be included; the motion to defer with instruction to add an appeals process passed 5-0.

Commissioners approved Ordinance 32-88, which revises developer stormwater and erosion-control plan standards and requires additional acceptance testing and post-construction groundwater monitoring. Commenters raised neighborhood drainage concerns; city engineering staff explained "freeboard" calculations, geotechnical borings and the need for monitoring wells to verify long-term roadway performance. The ordinance was adopted (vote 5-0).

Ordinance 32-89, revisions to mixed-use MU-2 bulk regulations, was adopted on second reading without public comment (vote 5-0).

Separately, Ordinance 32-94 (amendments to the Gateway Overlay allowing certain conditional uses while prohibiting others) was the subject of extended comment from commissioners and the public on visual impacts, clustering and the conditional-use review pathway. Commissioners directed staff to revise language and tabled the item to a future meeting so the planning board/architectural review process and the commission's role can be clarified (motion to table passed 5-0).

Several first readings and quasi-judicial items (annexation and land-use/zoning changes for specific parcels, including 1817 Beck Ave, 3719 Shoreline Circle, and 1310 Lincoln Drive) were advanced as first readings with no final votes.

What's next: Staff will return with a draft appeals process for administrative determinations and revised Gateway Overlay language addressing commissioners' concerns about conditional uses, architectural treatment and referral to the architectural review board. Several first-reading land-use items will return for second readings as scheduled.