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Commissioners propose guidelines on 'unreasonable privacies,' consider new subcommittee
Summary
Commissioners discussed creating clearer standards for 'unreasonable privacies'—potentially through a new guidelines subcommittee or as part of the zoning code update—to reduce protracted neighbor appeals and improve predictability.
Chair Knowlman told colleagues the Ponte Vedra appeal highlighted a need to better define privacy impacts and recommended exploring a framework similar to the city's 'significant view' guidelines.
"Maybe the staff should consider or the commission could consider... look at ways in which to better define what is unreasonable privacies in a similar manner to the way that we have guidelines for what is a significant view as part of the view ordinance," Chair Knowlman said. Several commissioners agreed the issue contributed to a lengthy appeal process and suggested adopting a 'neighbor compatibility' concept or forming an ad hoc guidelines subcommittee to draft policy language for staff and City Council review.
One commissioner described the Ponte Vedra matter as taking about a year and urged earlier neighbor resolution: "If neighbors could have this conversation... much before they'd save time cumulatively," the commissioner said. Commissioners later agreed to form a guidelines subcommittee and to add that work to the roster so the commission can provide structured feedback to staff.
