IMPORTANT APPOINTMENTS TO WILTON MANORS PLANNING & ZONING BOARD

By John Hayden

The Planning & Zoning Board (P&Z) may be the most powerful entity in Wilton Manors.

With the city on the verge of major construction and redevelopment, P&Z holds major sway over which plans move forward and which one’s go away.

At their April 11 city commission meeting, city commissioners attempted to fill four openings (three seats and one alternate) on the board. Eight candidates got up to state their case before commissioners voted for their choices. Mayor Scott Newton was absent from the meeting, despite attempts to attend by phone. Therefore he did not participate or vote.

Tim Moses and Tim Theissen were re- appointed to the board. Justin Proffitt will join them as the third member who got the most votes. William Hayden and Scott McCoy tied with two votes each to fill the alternate spot. A revote with just those two also ended in a tie. Commissioners decided to delay filling the alternate P&Z spot until the next meeting when Newton is expected to return.

Candidates were grilled by commissioners, who seemed most concerned that P&Z members know the conditions for granting variances as well as their knowledge of the city. Most candidates said they would use the recently revamped city code as their guide.

Big Decisions

The board will face many decisions on development. From east of 26th St. and Five Points to Shoppes of Wilton Manors (aka Alibi Plaza), thousands of new units are to be built.

Up first will be Alibi Plaza in the heart of the city. P&Z Board was supposed to discuss it at their April 17 meeting, but moved the discussion until May 8. Multiple insiders tell SFGN that developers asked for more time because they didn’t feel they had the votes to move forward.

The project would destroy the building with the gym and Pride Factory, and put up a parking garage. The parking lot in front would become home to mixed use residential with about 250 units