Housing Rumors Dispelled

March 1st City Commission Meeting Highlights

Mr. Robert Williams, executive Director of the Levy County Housing Authority, addressed the City Commission Tuesday night to dispel certain rumors concerning government housing in Cedar Key. He stated that 12 percent of Levy County`s government housing, or 18 dwelling units, were located in the City of Cedar Key. Mr. Williams said that this housing is owned by the federal government, and is administered by Levy County. He wished to make it clear that these dwellings were public property, and that there have been, and will always be, eighteen units located here. Apparently it had been heard among the residents that the future status of the government housing was in doubt. Mr. Williams was emphatic that neither the federal government nor Levy County had any plans to change the housing, and that no one had spoken to him about such action. Arriving in the middle of the presentation, someone asked Mr. Williams if there were any plans to make the government housing available for private purchase, rehabilitation, and resale. Mr. Williams explained that, "That was exactly the rumor he had come to stomp out." He further said that in renting out these units, the County screens applicants to filter out unacceptable people. If problems arise with a tenant the Housing Authority should be notified. Some discussion relating to permissible landscaping activities followed.

Mr. Fred Fox made a detailed, intricate, and rapid presentation to the Commission regarding HUD Community Development Block Grants. The grant involved in his discussion amounts to a total, apparently, of $600,000 dollars with a match of $375,000 on the part of Cedar Key. There seemed to be four categories into which this money could be allocated: 1) "Streetscape" work, 2) Relocation of utilities, 3) Property acquisition for parking, and, 4) Facades for businesses. It seemed as though the timetable were to complete and perhaps submit the application in 60 days, that the work should go to bid in 12 months, and everything be completed in thirty months. Without a printed presentation in hand, the public was somewhat bewildered by this proposal of, perhaps, a million dollars expenditure of public funds.

Mr. Fox also made mention of a separate Grant under which the City could apply for funds with which to acquire recreational property. This is a unique opportunity to acquire land under the "Florida Forever" program. Lands so acquired are to be used solely for passive recreation, and are, typically, lowlands and wetlands in an undisturbed state which are thereby preserved for conservation. Mr. Fox said that the maximum for which to apply was 6.6 million dollars under this grant. If the City were interested, the next step would to be to identify candidate lands.

All four Quasi Judicial Hearings received unanimous votes by the City Commission. In a 4 - 0 decision, (Commissioner Colson was absent) the City upheld the decision of the Building Official to deny Bruce Wilson permission to use what was described as a "park model" trailer for use as an office at the Sunset Isle RV Park. Although evidence was submitted that the proposed "park model" was qualified as a recreational vehicle under Florida Law, the City`s laws classify it as a mobile home, and that it is not allowed in a Flood Zone. To permit it would have been to put Cedar Key`s participation at risk under FEMA`s Flood Hazard Mitigation Act. The Building Official`s decision was upheld.

Petitions for certificates of appropriateness were unanimously approved for Bridges/King, and Robert Whitener for work on residences in the Historic District.

Walter White had filed a Petition for a Certificate of Appropriateness for Demolition of a Contributing Building. The house in question is known as the Crevasse House, and it is located at the northwest comer of Seventh and G Streets. The house is listed on the Historic Walking Tour of Cedar Key, and it dates to 1890. This matter had been heard by the Architectural Review Board, which did not approve the request. At that hearing the possibility arose that the house might be moved to a nearby lot and refurbished, so the matter of the house` s demolition was continued pending a further proposal by the applicant. Mr. Tom Maguran was sworn in, and spoke for the applicant. He stated that the building was to have been moved to a site very close to its existing location, but that plans to do so had not been formalized. He said that Mr. White wanted to build two houses on the four lots at the site of the Crevasse House and wanted to get rid of it. He said they" Just wanted it gone." Because of the uncertainty of the moving or demolition of the structure, it appeared that the applicant`s interests were best served by a continuance of the issue, The Commission voted to continue the matter until April 5, 2005.