Commission did an LLC a favor by allowing a house in a commercial zone

The City Commission voted 3–2 on June 9 to do an LLC a favor at 610 A1A Beach Boulevard: a single-family house on a lot that stays commercially zoned. They did not rezone the strip. They left the map saying business and still granted the house.

Scott Patrou, agent for 610 A1A Properties LLC, said the leftover 60-by-100 had been listed more than 1,000 days, including on Zillow, and that a shop would not pay. The minutes do not record an asking price, an appraisal, or any showing that they ever sought a realistic number. The unsold listing is treated as proof the commercial zone is the problem.

On April 21 he told planning the alley behind it was vacated, a parking-lot company would not even lease it, and earlier house permits on the lots to the east had left this scrap. That is the applicant's story. June 9's answer was to help them sell or develop it anyway — another residence where commercial space is supposed to be.

Because the map still says commercial, Patrou told planning the house has the option to run as a short-term rental. Eric Kenney asked whether they were asking for something that would turn into an Airbnb. Patrou said it has that option. Mayor Beth Sweeny, Vice Mayor Virginia Morgan, and Commissioner Undine George voted yes. Commissioners Dylan Rumrell and Donald Samora voted no. The same file had tied 2–2 on May 4 with Rumrell out and George then voting no. Three votes was enough.