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Piotti resigns commission over planning board issue

The vice mayor gives up his seat after the City Commission adopted an ordinance reducing the planning panel's powers.

By PAUL SWIDER
Published July 17, 2005

MADEIRA BEACH - The simmering issue of the city advisory planning commission's powers boiled over Tuesday night when Commissioner Len Piotti resigned in protest after board bickering and a divisive vote.

"It was something I felt was necessary at the time," said Piotti, who was also vice mayor. "I had the welfare of the people of the city at heart."

The commissioners have argued for weeks over what to do following a tumultuous June 13 meeting of the city's planning commission. Following an argument during that meeting, the spouse of a board member allegedly drove a car at another board member in the parking lot, leading to an arrest of the driver and bad feelings on the board, commissioners said.

The next day, at the request of Mayor Charles Parker, city staff drew up an ordinance stripping the planning commission of some of its powers, and the commissioners approved the ordinance's first reading. Final passage of that ordinance was part of what spurred Piotti's resignation, he said.

"That's not the whole issue, but it's a big one," he said. "I campaigned for citizen involvement. When the board backstabs people it appointed, that's not what I came here for."

The ordinance passed 3-2 with Piotti and Commissioner John Wolbert in dissent. Those voting in favor said they felt the planning commission could not get along and complete all its tasks, so the ordinance removed powers over reviewing major building projects. Though the commissioners agree the planning commission worked well enough despite disagreements before the arrest, the city commission majority felt it necessary to curb the board before its members could try to resolve issues themselves.

"There are so many hard feelings on the planning commission about what happened," said Commissioner Martha Boos. "People had started to take sides.

"We wanted to see the redevelopment keep going."

The history of the planning commission factors into the ordinance and Piotti's decision as well. Piotti was the city commission's liaison with the planning commission and watched as new volunteers struggled with their roles and tried to dig into their work. At one point, the planning commission wanted to review details of site plans for new developments. Some city commissioners felt that would impede processing new developments and could open the city to litigation, even though the planning commission is only advisory. Disagreements over this and other matters within the planning commission eventually led to the argument, arrest and ordinance.

"We had to give them a time out," Commissioner Art Thomas said of the planning commission. "We just felt someone was going to get hurt. A citizen's group is not always the best way to go."

Parker agreed with Thomas that the planning commission's troubles could increase the city's liabilities on development issues. The city commission had appointed the current board members as part of a voter-inspired housecleaning.

"We felt there should be no personalities involved," Parker said. "There are some very strong personalities on that board."

The ordinance removes some powers from the planning commission but for no longer than six months. Before then, several planning commission board members' terms expire, so the city will have a chance to reshape the board before returning its full powers. In the meantime, the city commission will act as the planning commission.

Parker said the city also will advertise for someone to replace Piotti and the commissioners will appoint that replacement in August. He, like other commissioners, said he was surprised at Piotti's leaving.

"I'm sorry he felt he had to do it," Parker said. "I know he's been unhappy lately, but I was surprised."

Wolbert, who ran with Piotti in 2004 on a platform of clean government and keeping developers from running rampant, said he was "speechless" when Piotti handed in his letter of resignation at the end of Tuesday's meeting. Other commissioners had felt Piotti quit because of a series of personal troubles, but Wolbert said it was difficulties with city work that drove Piotti's decision.

"He was internalizing the whole city," Wolbert said. "It was eating him up."

Wolbert also noted ironically that he and Piotti had campaigned hard this year on behalf of Parker and Thomas, both of whom vigorously opposed Piotti's attempts to resolve the planning commission's issues without the ordinance stripping it of powers.

"He's a fighter," Wolbert said of Piotti. "He almost single-handedly turned our town around.

"The worst thing to happen to this city is him stepping down."

[Last modified July 17, 2005, 01:06:14]