EXCERPTS FROM THE TOWN CHARTER AND CODES
Sec. 18-116. - Creation, appointment and organization of code enforcement board.
(a) There shall be a board known as the Code Enforcement Board of the Town of Sewall's Point, Florida, which shall consist of five full-time members and five alternate members. Members of the code enforcement board shall be residents of the town.
Section 1. - [Ordinance powers.]
The Commission within the limitations of this Act shall have the power by ordinance:
37th. To provide by ordinance for the adoption of a Town plan, creation of a Town Planning Board and the appointment of the members thereof. The Commission shall, by ordinance, prescribe the duties of the Town Planning Board, enact ordinances for the enforcement of the Board and prescribe penalties for their violation.
DIVISION 3. - BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT[
Sec. 2-101. - Established; membership; term of members.
(a) There shall be a board known as the board of zoning adjustment, which shall consist of five members appointed by the town commission.
OUR TOWN FOR OUR PEOPLE
The founders of Sewall's Point envisioned an involved electorate who would oversee the planning and enforcement of town ordinances.
Opportunities for citizen involvement is part of our town's culture. Unfortunately, in recent years, this has been undervalued by the town commission.
An example of non-involvement is that the commission voted to provide sewer services to South Sewall’s Point on 15 December 2020 with Resolution 897. However, in order to provide sewers to the entire south Sewall’s Point area of 706 homes, it will require the town to spend an estimated $29,548,900 and will “Require a Mandatory Special Assessment on all residents of South Sewall’s Point to cover the difference in costs needed to reach the required 50/50 match unless other means of making up the difference is found. “ (page 33, Captec Study)
Residents presented a petition to the commission objecting to sewers. They asked the Commissioners to put this to a non-binding referendum to measure the pulse of the community. The residents offered to underwrite the cost of the non-binding referendum. Commissioners Kurzman and Campo advocated for a referendum.
On 12/13/22, a vote was taken. Commissioners Fender, Mayfield & Tompeck voted against a referendum while Commissioners Campo and Kurzman voted to put the issue before the voters. The final vote was 3-2 against allowing the voters a voice in the largest capital project in town history.
This project is unnecessary for several reasons: 1. The South Indian River Lagoon water quality is deemed ideal
2. House Bill 1979, signed into law in July of 2023, allowed for the installation of Advanced Treatment Units on the west side of the peninsula and does not require any change to current septic systems on the balance of the peninsula. In short, the commission has ignored this option and instead is committing the tax payers to a needless expenditure. This was pointed out to the Commissioners at the July 16, 2023 meeting. Please see the recorded meeting at 1:33:58.
Citizen involvement has been curtailed under the current commission. Another example of this was the replacement of the Code Enforcement Board with a “special master” or an attorney, employed by the town who acts as judge and jury for code violations. Although the CEB has not been disbanded, it has been neutered and the TSP has incurred an additional expense of approximately $1,000/hearing.