LET’S GO DOWNTOWN …ICE CREAM?…YOGHURT? … OR A PUPPY? …
Dear Readers …you either love it or you hate it… So what else is new when it comes to LBTS…This time the issue is a puppy-jewelry store in the downtown area between Kilwinns and Cocoyoghurt… The P + Z board somehow ended up with this store as their sole item of business Wed. night (5/18/11) under conditional use …The applicant paid $900 to go through the conditional use process …This was after this item was at the tail end of a Comm. Roundtable last month where the response from the Commissioners was less than enthusiastic as they laughed at the combo of “doggies and diamonds” …Again, I believe due to all eyes on”pie in the sky” redevelopment issues the staff/Comm. was remiss in putting this on the next Comm. meeting to attach it to the new business ordinances to either not allow it in town or make it allowable only west of A1A as other businesses are … I am for one am not for it in the location desired … I’m not a fan of these types of businesses …but especially in the heart of town…Forget the big plans for the town…What does it matter when we backtrack to let items like this fall through the cracks and get stuck with them … Did this applicant go through a $900 process for nothing? …I would have thought so until the P + Z board voted 3-2 in favor of it!…Chair Buz Oldacker/ Pat Murphy and Bend Freeney voted yes…VChair Yann Brandt and Peanuts Wick voted no…Alternate Eric Yankwitt was not allowed to cast a vote but he would have been a 4th yes vote….The staff also recommended it with the requirements for odors /soundproofing/ventilation /up to 15 puppies at any time under 10 pounds… The applicant was not someone this writer felt any confidence in after hearing his presentation …He was asked if he had ever put in the kind of insulation required and answered no… A look at his store with a different name in Miami Beach online produced 11 reviews which were approx. 50/50 for good and horrible results found in purchasing a puppy… More important though is what VChair Yann Brand stated …the Town code requires that the use promote that area not just satisfy… Is that what this type of a store will do so?… This will be in front of the Commission to make the final decision …Let them know …love it or hate it?…
more to come….
Tags: Boards, Lauderdale-By-The-Sea Planning & Zoning Board Approves Puppy Store In Center Of Downtown Area, LBTS Agendas/Meetings, local government, Local Politics, Scoops
