Crestview council approves ordinance for downtown mixed zoning

CRESTVIEW —  A new ordinance will allow residential and commercial land use in the downtown area.  

Jack Dorman —  the city's consultant and president of J.E. Dorman & Associates, a growth management firm in Destin — said the mixed-use zoning found no opposition.

“There have been (several) meetings,” he said. “We had the stakeholders meeting several months ago … there were about 40 property owners and business interests from downtown that attended that meeting. (They) whole-heartedly endorsed the proposed planned amendment.”

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity and other state agencies also reviewed the ordinance with no objections, Dorman said.

Before the council unanimously approved the ordinance on Monday, resident Landrum Edwards voiced one concern.

“Where are you going to park?” he said.

A city planning official is analyzing parking availability, needs and other concerns, Dorman said. The analysis should be completed before 2015.    

“Parking is an issue that has to be dealt with, obviously” Dorman said. “Both the policy and the zoning regulations provide for enhanced parking downtown.  Right now, we haven’t determined the need.” 

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview council approves ordinance for downtown mixed zoning