What is a PZA Board?

TAM would like to put a shout out to the Village of Indiantown PZA Board.

Our own TAM Contributor Tony Z is a serving member of the Board. The Board serves at the pleasure of the Council. One of their job’s is to review development proposals from persons that want to build on the land within the Village. Developers like the PZAB Chairman. Businesses like Tractor Supply.

The Staff spends an up-front amount of time keeping busy with the busy work they create to make sure that the application meets their basic requirements so everyone can be busy. If the application does not meet the busy work requirements, the Board discusses the reasons and potential fixes.

Beyond that they also make recommendation to the Council on approval, disapproval or changes they feel should be made. The outcomes from the PZA Board on development applications are not the final say. Just recommendations.

We tell you this because your PZA Board in the Village got hit upside the head with a big wet Tuna on an attempt to get through their first big development review. Before we get to the actual meeting there are some parts that need to be filled in.

May we say in all good nature to the good Village, please get the Board some training in Roberts Rules of Order. The parliamentary procedure being used is explainable, rough and very novice. Explainable because the people that were chosen appear to never have being exposed to parliamentary procedure.

We know you have had a workshop. Apparently, it is nowhere near the level of training the Board should be given after watching the next vote that was taken in the same workshop. As a friendly piece of advice to the Council members; if you are not going to appoint people with previous exposure to parliamentary procedures and rules, then be prepared to train them. It reflects on you.

That being what it is. We want each of the members, whom serve with no compensation, to know that we are grateful for their willingness to put themselves in the position to help amplify the voices of their neighbors in the process of growth in your community.

By having the microphone, they have a way to recommend changes or non-approval of development efforts. They are your neighbors. The recommendations & rulings of appeal they make can and should reflect the interest of all.  With the interest of the People first.

This was demonstrated in orchestrated detail by one of the Board members when discussing the Tractor Supply. Her friends call her “Maggie” (Marjorie Beary). TAM has not had an opportunity to speak one on one with her yet. We understand from some that we actually are not very well liked by her. Too bad really. We hope we can find common ground with Ms. Beary and one day meet.

We wanted to highlight her efforts at the last meeting for a reason. The first of which was her level of participation. Not only did the Board member perform her reading assignment. She took on extra credit reading as well. We could hardly stay in our seats when we watched her in action.

Do you know how refreshing it was to see a Board working in the direction it was designed to?

Her points were spot on with a number of items. A couple of which are the Heritage and wildlife on the undeveloped land.

We have been told by persons that know several of the Board members that “Maggie” is a Masters level Librarian and researcher. Wait it gets better. She has a compatriot on the Board with the same or similar Masters level skill set. It showed too. Her knowledge of the application and her points made were beginning to sound like a real issue for the applicant, Tractor Supply.

In the same meeting, Tony Zweiner brought to light a first-hand account from a local resident that they had witnessed a burial on the property when the witness was eight years old. It was believed to be an Indian. Now new information has surfaced and it appears it was a woman that lived in town. Her family was buried there and she wanted to be added to it. Recent reports to the Martin County Sheriffs office have resulted in interviews and investigation. Stay Tuned

During the period of time this was witnessed there was an enclave of Native Americans that were living in Indiantown. While it is not “officially” a Seminole mound it does not preclude it from being of another tribe or purpose. So now we have reasonable reason to think there may be a body buried, If not a family.

Well, you could have heard a pin drop when “Maggie” told the meeting that she had the coordinates on her GPS. She walked that property with frequency she said. It was 15’ in diameter she said.

Now, this is how the process should work. We could not believe our eyes. The Board was actually doing their job and due diligence.

Our expectation was that one or more of them would vote to table the development application for a period of time and return to investigate the remains. In the least.

Instead, staff drafted the language to be uttered by them and passed it out to the Board like good little puppets. Then they read their script and everything sailed right through for Tractor Supply.

Well, it sailed through after a strong chastisement from Althea. She has once again demonstrated quite openly that she has an attitude problem. Who has ever heard of staff drafting the motions for approval? Did she offer a motion to table too? There is a whole list of things that are wrong with this picture.

Well, this was about the time that the collective air was let out of the refreshing sounds that were filling the meeting. All of the sudden the same people that had issue with lighting, drainage, wildlife and more were voting for approval. We could not believe it. There was credible enough information placed in front of them that they expressed reservation with the plan in discussion. Then you have the small fact that PEOPLE may be buried on the property. Oh well, everyone of them, with exception one, Tony Zweiner, voted to approve the application for Council Rubber Stamping.

From what we saw of at least three of the Board members, the application should have rightfully been tabled to deal with some of the more blaring shortcomings with the application. Like the Light Trespassing they voted for. This will allow light to leave the lot and infringe on their neighbors, Indianwood.

Drainage anyone?

Remove 250 trees and decrease run off by 50%?

Another was the fact that they said they needed the additional light because of the potential of “Felony Thefts” occurring with merchandise stored outside. So, they are creating the potential for felony criminals to be on the border of a retirement park. Then they are only allowing 50 yards of landscaping to keep the transitory foot traffic from leaving the parking lot and wondering into the retirement community, Indianwood.

That is what we mean when we say this should have been slowed down for a bit. The PZAB has full authority to do so. They are supposed to be taking the rough edges off before it meets the Council for discussion. They would only be doing their job.

So, you can see why we said they got hit with a big wet Tuna on their first outing. We are encouraged by the interrogative nature of the Board. We hope to see it perform as it should without political mandate or team players. It is meant to do a job for the people. How this Board decides to behave is directly going to affect every citizen and business in the Village of  Indiantown. We will pray for you. So, again thank you to all that serve, it is never easy and there is always someone that is going to complain.

Your efforts are appreciated.

Your efforts will be watched.

Your efforts will be scrutinized as well.

So please continue with your level of energy and expertise.

Let the researcher come out in you all and please keep your eye on the ball.

More to follow – Stand by