Walking the fair beat this week

Peeking at the County Commission agenda while wondering if I can spend at least an hour each day this week at the Citrus County Fair…
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— The county is re-upping a contract for the Code Compliance special master. This in itself is not newsworthy, but it sparked thoughts of single person vs. volunteer board.

“Special master" is a fancy term for “hearing officer.” The concept works the same. Rather than an all-volunteer board that hears cases and then makes decisions, the county hires an attorney to do that.

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The idea being that an expert in code compliance should be deciding someone’s guilt or innocence, not a board of lay people.

There’s been some talk, mostly whispers here and there, whether to replace the Planning and Development Commission with a hearing officer.

It’s an interesting idea worth exploring.

The PDC is the first line of defense in land-use cases. Before Pine Ridgers packed the Courthouse to save their golf course, they first packed Room 166 of the Lecanto Government Building for Round One.

PDC hearings tend to be much more technical and detailed than County Commission hearings, which focus on procedure and politics. 

And, as the public has noticed lately, the County Commission and PDC don’t seem on the same page with many of these larger projects.

A hearing officer would be able to provide county commissioners a succinct report that recommends either for or against a zoning application. This person would be an expert in land-use, much like the expert used for code cases.

While I like the concept, I’m not so sure how it plays out. For one, the PDC is composed of local people who are more likely to appreciate the nuances of projects. And citizens likely wouldn’t be thrilled about the county tinkering with what is essentially a very public process.

Plus, I’d be worried that commissioners would feel the need to follow a hearing officer’s recommendation no matter what. That's what happens when lawyers get involved.

Yikes. This is a terrible idea. Never mind.

— Someone recently bequeathed to the county a chunk of land adjacent to the park at the Ozello boat ramp. Formal acceptance is on the board’s agenda.

I mention this because Commissioner Jeff Kinnard has not forgotten about buying the Pirates Cove property for a passive public park.

Kinnard’s idea is a public-private purchase. Before you poo-poo it, take a drive out Ozello Trail to the boat ramp. Then tell me, with all the crazy growth taking place, shouldn’t we preserve what we can?

I know some people consistently skewer Kinnard for his glampground vote. But for gosh sake, buying Pirates Cove sure makes sense. I hope this comes to fruition.

— I wrote recently about Chick-fil-A being rather over the top in its demand that Citrus County not only approve the planned unit development in Lecanto, but also provide the parking setup requested. If not, Chick-fil-A may fly the coop.

This is the development plan next to the Tidal Wave car wash on C.R. 491. Originally it included a storage unit, but the developer shelved that idea. Now he’s looking to subdivide individual commercial lots, including one for a Chick-fil-A. The public hearing is at 5:05 p.m.

I heard from the developer who said the parking plan is Chick-fil-A’s request, not his. If the County Commission approves the entire development plan without the parking arrangement Chick-fil-A wants, and Chick-fil-A hits the road, someone else will fill the space.

This particular development has traveled an odd political path. I haven’t a clue how it’s going to pan out.

— Attend the Citrus County Fair every day this week? Piece of cake (or homemade bread). See you there, friends.

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