Subject:
Title
Adoption of Amendments to Amending Chapter 62, Article II, Division 3 of the Brevard County Code of Ordinances, “Planning and Zoning Board”
End
Fiscal Impact:
None
Dept/Office:
Planning and Development
Requested Action:
Recommendation
It is requested that the Board of County Commissioners conduct a public hearing to consider adoption of the attached ordinance amendment. It is further requested that the Board issue direction on the procedure for reducing the number of Planning and Zoning Board/Local Planning Agency Members from fifteen to ten.
End
Summary Explanation and Background:
On August 4, 2026, the Board of County Commissioners directed staff to draft an ordinance for Board consideration that reduces the membership of the Planning and Zoning Board (and, by extension, the Local Planning Agency pursuant to Section 62-151, Brevard County Code) and adjusts the quorum requirements accordingly, as well as providing any other streamlining, efficiencies, and modernizations that it may identify to improve its function.
Currently, pursuant to Section 62-182, Brevard County Code, the Planning and Zoning Board membership is comprised of 3 appointees from each County Commissioner who are ratified by the Board. Additionally, there are two non-voting members (a school district representative and a Patrick Space Force Base representative). Staff have received several concerns from current P&Z Board/LPA members that the Board is too unwieldy with its current size. The attached ordinance would reduce voting membership size from 15 to 10, by reducing the number of appointees from each County Commissioner to two (2); there would be no change to nonvoting membership.
Historically, there were occasionally issues with reaching a quorum when this (and other advisory boards) were smaller in membership; however, the attached ordinance would also lower the threshold for constituting a quorum to three (3) in order to alleviate this concern.
It is also requested that the Board provide direction on reducing membership. It is suggested that each Commissioner submit two (2) appointees to staff by September 1, 2026, for inclusion on the Board’s September 10, 2026, Zoning agenda for ratification. The selected members’ terms will run through December 31, 2028, unless otherwise provided for in Section 62-182, Brevard County Code.
On August 17, 2026, the Planning and Zoning Board considered the proposal and unanimously made the following recommendation: Amend County Ordinance to reduce membership of the Planning and Zoning Board to 10 voting members (2 per Commission District), keep the school board member and Patrick Space Force member nonvoting, and to require at least 5 members to be present for a quorum.
Clerk to the Board Instructions:
Please file the executed ordinance with the Secretary of State and, upon acknowledgement by the State, provide a copy to Municode. Please provide a copy of the executed ordinance to the Director of the Planning and Development Department.