United Land Development Code Review Committee

TOWN OF LOXAHATCHEE GROVES TOWN HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS 155 F ROAD, LOXAHATCHEE GROVE, FLORIDA. 33470 UNIFIED LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING MONDAY, JULY 14, 2025- 4:00 P.M. - 5:20 P.M. Meeting Audio Available Upon Request in the Office of the Town Clerk CALL TO ORDER July 14, 2025, meeting of the Unified Land Development Code (ULDC) Review Committee was called to order at 4:00 p.m. by Committee Chairperson Jo Siciliano. Following the call to order, Chair Siciliano led the Committee and attendees in the Pledge of Allegiance. ADDITIONS, DELETIONS, AND MODIFICATIONS TO THE AGENDA Town Clerk Assistant Sammie Brown provided an addition to the Unified Land Development Code Review Committee Agenda - the swearing-in/Oath of Office for the newly appointed ULDC Committee Member Dannielle Harrity. ROLL CALL The roll call was conducted by Sammie Brown, Town Clerk Assistant, with the following members present: PRESENT: • Jo Siciliano - Chairperson (Seat 1) • Karen Plante - Vice Chairperson (Seat 2) • Robert Austin - Committee Member (Seat 4) • Dannielle Harrity - Committee Member (Seat 3, sworn in during the meeting) ABSENT: • Sarah Palmer - Committee Member (Seat 5) • Francine Ramaglia – Town Manager STAFF PRESENT: • Sammie T. Brown, Town Clerk Assistant • Caryn Gardner-Young, Community Standards Director • Jeff Kurtz, Project Coordinator/ Committee Liaison Town of Loxahatchee Groves July 14, 2025 Unified Land Development Code Review Committee Page No. 2 1. SWEARING-IN OF COMMITTEE MEMBER DANNIELLE HARRITY Town Clerk Assistant Sammie Brown administered the official Oath of Office to Dannielle Harrity, who had been confirmed by the Town Council during its previous regular meeting. Ms. Harrity took the oath and was welcomed as an official voting member of the Committee. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA MOTION: COMMITTEE MEMBER ROBERT AUSTIN MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MODIFIED AGENDA WITH THE ADDED ITEM "OATH OF OFFICE FOR COMMITTEE MEMBER DANIELLE HARRITY". THE MOTION WAS SECONDED BY COMMITTEE MEMBER DANIELLE HARRITY. THIS MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY (4-0). APPROVAL OF MINUTES MOTION: COMMITTEE MEMBER AUSTIN MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MAY 12rn, 2025, UNIFIED LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES. THE MOTION WAS SECONDED BY VICE CHAIRPERSON KAREN PLANTE. THIS MOTION PASSED (4-0). The Committee engaged in an extended discussion regarding the format and purpose of approving both current and backlogged meeting minutes. Town staff clarified that the backlog of minutes from previous years had recently been audited and compiled by the Town Clerk's Office using available video and audio recordings. These minutes had not been created or approved at the time of the original meetings and were now being presented for official acknowledgment and archival. Several Committee members expressed hesitation in approving minutes for meetings they either did not attend or could not recall in detail due to the time lapse. It was explained by both staff and legal counsel that approval in this context would be limited to acknowledging the minutes for receipt and filing as part of the official public record, not an attestation of the accuracy of recollection. MOTION TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE FOLLOWING PAST MEETING MINUTES. COMMITTEE MEMBER AUSTIN MADE A MOTION TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE FOLLOWING PREVIOUSLY UNAPPROVED MEETING MINUTES: • June17,2019 • September 26, 2019 • October 29, 2019 • November 21, 2019 • December 19, 2019 • November 18, 2020 • January 13, 2021 THE MOTION WAS SECONDED BY CHAIRPERSON SICILANO. THE MOTION PASSED 3-1 WITH VICE CHAIRPERSON KAREN PLANTE DISSENTING. AGENDA ITEM PUBLIC COMMENTS There were no public comments submitted or presented during the meeting. Town of Loxahatchee Groves July 14, 2025 Unified Land Development Code Review Co,nmittee Page No. 3 REGULAR AGENDA AGENDA ITEM: DISCUSSION ON COMMERCIAL SIGNAGE The Committee moved to the primary agenda item for the evening: a comprehensive discussion on commercial signage, with specific focus on the adoption of a Master Sign Plan program. Community Standards Director Caryn Gardner-Young presented a memorandum and handout detailing the concept, purpose, and implementation strategies for master sign plans. She explained that master sign plans are commonly used in commercial developments with multiple tenants or multiple buildings to ensure a consistent and coordinated signage approach. Examples from nearby jurisdictions were shared, ranging from simple narrative formats to detailed architectural renderings and multi-page standards. Director Gardner-Young emphasized that master sign plans help ensure signage within a development is aesthetically consistent in terms of size, font, color, location, and lighting. She further explained that adopting such a program could streamline the permitting process for tenants, since a conforming sign within an approved plan would not require additional review, thereby promoting predictability and efficiency for property owners and staff. Committee members discussed various approaches to implementation, including: • Whether to apply master sign plan requirements only to Planned Unit Developments (PUDs) or also to multi-tenant standalone buildings • The role of the ULDC Review Committee in reviewing or recommending sign plans • Potential overlaps or conflicts with existing sign code • The need for flexibility in design while maintaining uniform standards • Legal implications regarding signage regulations and limitations under Senate Bill 180 (SB 180), which temporarily restricts municipalities from imposing more burdensome regulations The Committee generally agreed that the master sign plan approach was beneficial and appropriate for the Town's current and future commercial growth. It was further clarified by the Town Attorney and staff that while the ULDC Review Committee would not directly approve sign applications, it could recommend language to be incorporated into the code, including establishing a process for the Planning and Zoning Board to review and Town Council to approve master sign plans. Town staff was directed to return with draft language for master sign plans, with options for the Committee to review and mark up at a future meeting. It was noted that this effort would complement, not replace, the broader sign code update currently underway. AGENDA ITEM: DISCUSSION ON AMORTIZATION OF NON-CONFORMING SIGNS Director Gardner-Young introduced the topic of amortization of non-conforming signs, those signs which may have been legal at the time of installation but no longer complied with current or future code standards. The concept of amortization would require such signage to be updated or removed Town ofLoxahatchee Groves July 14, 2025 Unified Land Development Code Review Committee Page No. 4 after a specified grace period, often between five to ten years, allowing property owners to recoup the investment before compliance is mandated. Committee members asked clarifying questions, including: • How amortization applies to legacy or pre-incorporation signage • Whether a current inventory of non-compliant signs exists (it does not) • How a proactive enforcement approach might be implemented versus the Town's current complaint-based model • Whether historical signage might qualify for preservation under a "historical sign" classification Town staff explained that enforcement of existing signage rules has historically been driven by citizen complaints and resource limitations. The Committee discussed moving towards a proactive, staff-led enforcement model, noting that such a change would require Council direction and potentially additional resources for inventory, inspection, and property owner notification. The Committee expressed interest in reviewing the current amortization language already within the Town's code. Staff were directed to bring back the current provisions along with draft revisions and examples from other municipalities. Additionally, an impact assessment was requested to determine the number and type of signs that would be affected by the enforcement of amortization provisions. GENERAL COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC No public comment was submitted prior to the start of the meeting, and no public comment cards were submitted during the meeting. COMMENTS FROM COMMITTEE MEMBERS Committee members voiced support for continuing work on the comprehensive sign code, even with the delay imposed by SB 180. They agreed it would be beneficial to have updated regulations ready for adoption when restrictions are lifted in 2027. It was suggested that updates allowing more flexibility for certain signage types, including institutional or church signage, might be permissible under the current legal landscape. Staff was committed to providing the relevant sign code sections for the Town's two commercial zoning districts-Commercial Low (CL) and Commercial Low Office (CLO)-in advance of the next meeting. Committee members will review the permitted signage in each district and make recommendations regarding which aspects should remain, be relaxed, or be made more restrictive. CONFIRM NEXT REGULAR MEETING DATE: The Committee confirmed that the next meeting of the Unified Land Development Code Review Committee is scheduled for Monday, August 11, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers. ADJOURNMENT Town of Loxahatchee Groves July 14, 2025 Un1fied Land Development Code Review Committee Page No. 5 MOTION TO ADJOURN: A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING WAS MADE BY COMMITTEE MEMBER ROBERT AUSTIN AND SECONDED BY COMMITTEE VICE CHAIRPERSON KAREN PLANTE, AND THE MEETING ADJOURNED AT 5:20 P.M. Town Clerk Assistant Unjfied Land Development Code Review Committee Chairperson