The Planning and Zoning Board unanimously recommended for Town Council to approve the variance for Seminole Golf Club from flood plain regulations that would otherwise require raising the elevation of their historic building. The club was designed in 1929 by the renowned master architect Marion Sims Wyeth for E.F. Hutton. Wyeth also designed Mar-a-Largo, the Norton Museum of Art, and the Governor's Mansion in Tallahassee. A condition for the variance is that the applicant must retain the historic character of the Wyeth architecture.

The Board discussed additional conditions to further the purposes of the floodplain regulations, as allowed by Section 7-7(c) of our code. A condition for the applicant to install grey water, or reuse water capability, when it installs sewer lines was dropped for lack of support. The condition to have the applicant complete a landscape plan for its property that borders Ocean Drive, was tabled with the applicant agreeing to best efforts to remove invasive exotics from its vegetation screen along Ocean Drive.

The Town Council will rule on the variance request and conditions at its December 13th meeting. *State letter and application for deter-mination of eligibility for National Register of Historic Places *

Based on the damage to buildings and coastal areas by Hurricane Ian and Nicole, the State legislature banned local governments and the Counties within 100 miles of these devastating storms from changing their Land Development Regulations (or zoning code) to make it easier to build back in these areas. The ban was lifted in Juno Beach and Palm Beach County by a special legislative session in November. The ban remains in effect for Counties on the West Coast of Florida.

After the State lifted its ban on amending our code, the Planning and Zoning Board unanimously approved language to further define "harmony" used within architectural reviews to require comparison of other structures within 300 feet of the proposed project within the same zoning code.

Planning and Zoning Board members and their Council person who appointed them are: Chair - Diana Davis (Cooke), Vice Chair - Jim Ferguson (Wheeler), Michael Stern (Cotronakis), Laure Shearer (Halpern), Nancy Wolf (Hosta), and Jane Le Clainche (Council alternate).

Happy holiday cheer to you and yours! Here’s to a delightful present, a well-remembered past, and a healthy, joyful & prosperous year ahead!