Board defers Coconut Drive vacation after neighbors raise notice and map concerns

Courtney Crush, counsel for the owners of property adjacent to Coconut Drive, asked the board to recommend vacation of a roughly 50‑foot portion of Coconut Drive that has functioned as a paper right‑of‑way and dead‑ends into private property. The application cites historic plats and staff analysis concluding the ROW is not needed for vehicular or pedestrian access; staff recommended retaining utility easements.

Several nearby residents raised concerns at the hearing. Kevin Scofield said notice was too short and hard to see; another neighbor highlighted apparent inconsistencies between the mailed diagram and the parcel’s zoning classification, fearing a covert rezoning or future higher‑density development. Lindsay Wei, a property owner and neighborhood representative, said securing the property is important for family safety and described repeated unwanted entry onto the site.

Board members split over whether the applicant had met the spirit of public participation: staff and the deputy city attorney said mailed notices and signage met code requirements, but several members, led by Jacqueline Scott, said a four‑year gap between the original neighborhood meeting and the board hearing undermined neighborhood engagement. After discussion, the applicant agreed to host a Zoom public‑participation meeting with the Tarpon River Civic Association and to mail a corrected 300‑foot notice. The board moved, seconded, and approved a motion to defer the item to the January 21, 2026 Planning & Zoning Board meeting so the outreach could occur.