INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The Board of County Commissioners today approved a change in the frequency with which the county’s Comprehensive Plan can be amended. Currently, the Comp Plan, which governs land use and development in the county, can only be amended twice a year, with proposed changes submitted in July and January.
Under the new rule, which will have to be submitted to the state and receive final approval, Comp Plan amendments will be considered four times a year.
On May 22, Commissioner Wesley Davis raised the issue of allowing more frequent changes to the Comp Plan so businesses seeking zoning or use changes don’t face a potential six-month delay in carrying out plans for redesignated property.
Staff looked into the matter and came back today with a recommendation not to change amendment frequency.
“The Comp Plan is a weighty document that should not be changed every week in a scattershot way,” said Community Development Director Bob Keating.
He likened the plan to a constitution that shouldn’t be tampered with lightly and said changes in staff review of amendment requests has sped up the process so delays are not a problem.
He also noted that small changes can be made without amendments and recommended the Board leave the status quo in place.
Keating added that if the Board wanted to make a change, staff recommended changing to a quarterly amendment schedule, so that requests could still be reviewed in a consolidated, comprehensive, time-efficient process.
Commissioner Davis said he was still concerned businesses would face delays in carrying out their plans and made a motion to allow amendment every 30 days.
When that motion failed, Commissioner Joe Flescher made a motion to allow amendments quarterly.
That motion passed 3 to 1 with Davis voting against and Board Chairman Gary Wheeler absent.
In a bit of a Catch-22 situation, the Comp Plan will have to be amended according to the existing schedule to allow more frequent amendments in the future.
Keating said staff would prepare that amendment request in time for the July deadline.
