In just over three hours Tuesday evening the Cedar Key Commission made numerous appointments, extended a limited moratorium on building activities, agreed upon a garbage collection contract and moved toward approval of a change of use of a Dock Street business location. After swearing in of reelected Commissioners Sue Colson and Heath Davis and newly elected Pat O'Neal, the Commission reappointed Commissioner Paul Oliver as Mayor and appointed Commissioner Vanessa Edmunds as Vice Mayor. Commissioner Edmunds was also given a special assignment to work with the County Commission on projects of mutual interest to the City and Levy County. Other reappointments were: David Coffey as City Attorney, Frances Hodges as City Clerk, and Dan Swogger as Police Chief. Discussion of Chief Swogger's reappointment involved the question of investigation of charges made in an anonymous letter to Commission members. The Commission followed in nearly all cases the recommendations of the Local Planning Agency and unanimously passed an ordinance that extends a limited moratorium that affects certain building activities for six months. However the moratorium on seawall permits, variances and permission for kitchens in rental units in the commercial area were removed from the ordinance. Following a presentation by Fred Woods of Waste Pro and a far-ranging discussion by the Commission and many audience members, the Commission voted four to one for an ordinance that adds five percent to monthly waste collection fees for commercial users. The fees are based on the volume of waste generated by individual businesses. In other business, the Commission approved an ordinance that increases fees for development plan review. The fees will pay for analysis of proposed developments by a professional planner, the Gail Easley Group, which is on retainer to the City and charges on a hourly basis. Beyond routine housekeeping agenda items and delayed action on a request to build a small dock for a kayak business, the Commission heard a request by Paul Rimavicus to change the use of a Dock Street mercantile business location to a sports bar. For change of use the Commission must find a way to justify nine or ten more parking spaces for a business such as a sports bar. A possible solution is a joint agreement between Mr. Rimavicus and the City whereby parking space used during the day by boat trailers becomes available after 5:00 PM for use by the sports bar patrons. Much of the discussion included boat trailers as the cause of parking problems in the Marina area. Mr. Rimavicus told Cedar Key News that he is happy with the prospect of a joint agreement with the City. He added that this may help resolve what has been a confusing issue of long standing. Commissioner Sue Colson reported that 450 cubic yards of white beach sand is available for deposit on the beach in City Park at no cost to the City. The Commission voted unanimously to accept the offer. The Commission also took final action in approving four petitions for construction projects by Stanley Klos, the Cedar Key Historical Society, Deborah Csere and Tom Crittenden. |