Dunedin LPA Meeting: Historic Preservation Ordinance & Affordable Housing Project – July 9, 2025
Dunedin Local Planning Agency Regular Meeting – July 9, 2025
The Local Planning Agency (LPA) met on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, at 6:00 PM in City Hall, 737 Louden Avenue, Dunedin. Chair Michael Broom presided with Vice Chair Kevin Benjamin and members Sally Caron, Charlie Flatley, Deborah Kynes, Paul Stanek, and alternates Tim Young and James Johns. Member Elizabeth Telford was absent. The LPA considered two major items: recommending changes to the Historic Preservation ordinance (legislative) and recommending approval of a 78-unit affordable housing development (quasi-judicial). The meeting adjourned at 7:50 PM.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of June 11, 2025 LPA Minutes: Motion by Vice Chair Benjamin, seconded by Ms. Caron, passed unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Ordinance 25-02 (Historic Preservation): Written comments from Bill Brennan and Lorraine Snipper were read. Brennan argued the ordinance is about revenue, not citizens, and called for voluntary-only historic districts. Snipper raised questions about involuntary inclusion, storm damage procedures, property values, and the City Manager's power. Ryan Saunders (250 Lyndhurst St.) provided a handout, noting the LPA had asked for three clarifications last meeting (clear FAQs on City Manager's power, storm protections, expedited process) and said the FAQs were insufficient, especially regarding irreparable harm and permit delays. Paul Gionis (159 Beltrees St.) stated the Master Survey Plan (200 pages, $125,000) tied to the ordinance is not publicized, affects 600+ homes, and would force homeowners to get approval from 12 strangers for exterior changes.
- Item 1.d (The Flats on Main Street): Sworn testimony from three residents. Nancy Schmidt (1380 Daffodil Place) said the city mentioned sacrifices – the 112 families in San Christopher Villas are being sacrificed for 78 new units; she cited $20,000 in water damage from a previous project despite assurances. Rob Refo (1341 Azalea Drive) echoed concerns about flooding and asked what guarantee the city provides against damage; he also raised safety issues with the single entrance/exit on Carnation Drive. Debra Swinicki (1271 Powder Puff Drive) questioned if the density calculation uses net (developed) acreage, which would reduce allowable units.
Discussion Items
- City Attorney Update on LPA Format: City Attorney Jennifer Cowan explained that legislative items (e.g., ordinance amendments) do not require sworn testimony, while quasi-judicial items (e.g., design reviews) do. Staff will identify each on future agendas.
- Ordinance 25-02 & Resolution 25-13 (Historic Preservation):
- Staff (Planner Leong Sharp and consultant Blair Knighting of Kimley-Horn) presented changes to the Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) Matrix: the City Commission previously approved 9 of 30 items; under the proposed matrix, only the Historic Preservation Committee (formerly HPAC) would approve most items, and Commission approval is only needed for demolition of >20% of contributing structures. New definitions: Landmark (just building) vs. Landmark Site, and owner consent required for landmark designations. For Local Historic Districts: only property owners (100% support) or the City Manager (when failure to designate would cause irreparable harm) can apply.
- Debate centered on the City Manager's initiation power. Vice Chair Benjamin questioned how
Meeting Transcript
We're coming. The July 9th, 2025 meeting of the local planning agency of the City of Dunedin will now come to order. The local planning agency is an advisory board of citizens appointed by the City Commission. This board is comprised of volunteers who represent the thoughts and concerns of the community. The purpose of tonight's meeting is to make recommendations to the City Commission regarding each item on the agenda. Except for item 1D, tonight's format will be as follows. I will introduce each item on the agenda after which the city representative will present information about it. Therefore, thereafter, the members of the local planning agency will have an opportunity to ask questions of the city representative. Finally, anyone from the public may come forward. Those from the public wishing to provide comment would need to please approach the lector and state your name and address, and then utilize the microphone in the speaker's lecture in order for your comments to be recorded. Individual public speakers would be limited to three minutes of speaking time. And we will kindly request that speakers are respectful of the clock countdown. Citizens speaking on an agenda item or during citizens' comments shall not engage in loud, boisterous or disruptive speech or conduct. That would never happen in Dunedin, would it? Any speaker that has continued inappropriate or irrelevant comments will be requested to relinquish the podium by me. The first item on our agenda is an update from our city attorney when I'm reading format. City Attorney Cowan. Thank you, Chair. So I just I think it was a while back possibly during a sunshine law training, there was a question that came up from an LPA board member where I was asked, well, you know, we have a speech at the beginning where we talk about that we hand, even though we're a legislative or a recommending body, we handle this in our hearings in a quasi-judicial manner, and is that always necessary? And so the simple answer is no, it's not always necessary. There are some items that come before you that are strictly legislative. So for instance, when there is an ordinance that's going before the city commission ultimately on any land development regulation, it passes through this body first. And you all are free to discuss it as well. And with quasi-judicial items, there are, I believe, a couple that come before this commission. One tonight is an example when it's design review. They come before the commission for the ultimate decision making, but you review it first. Provide the sworn testimony and the evidence, because ultimately that's what you're basing your recommendation on that will go to the commission. So the question was asked: well, how do we know whether or not it's going to be a legislative or quasi-judicial item? And staff is going to identify that. So on your agenda, you will have legislative items, and if there's a quasi-judicial one, you'll have quasi-judicial. I don't know whether they'll be which come which will come first and which will be second. Um that will be decided between staff and the clerk's office, but they will be grouped together in that way. So for tonight, all of your legislative items are being handled first. People are free to come up and provide comments when appropriate, you know, when the agenda item is heard, and we're at the public comment section. And there won't be sworn. When we get to the second part of the agenda and specifically item one D, then we will go through the formality of swearing everyone in and taking their testimony. And it'll be more rigid as far as the time frames on the applicant to present and the city to present. Super. Are there any questions? So tonight, the historic preservation advised uh ordinance is a legislative issue. It is a legislative item. I'm asking tonight whether this issue of the historic preservation ordinance is a legislative issue. Yes. Yes, the historic preservation ordinance is an ordinance that is revising or proposing to revise the land development regulations. So it must come through this body, and it is a legislative item that will go to the commission and they can determine whether or not they want to proceed with this ordinance or not. I think we're good. Okay. Thank you. Absolutely. All right.
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