(PENSACOLA, F.L.) --- The Escambia Board of County Commissioners voted 5-0 on August 6 to transmit the OLF-8 master plan to Tallahassee for state review, after a hearing where commissioners appeared confused about the process and what they were voting on. The developers gave a twenty-five-minute presentation that began with an attorney telling the board they had to stick to a timeline. The board did not discuss the merits of the plan changes before voting.
The confusion began when agenda items 3 and 4 were combined into one public hearing. Item 3 was an ordinance amending the Future Land Use Map for the 540-acre county-owned OLF-8 property in Beulah. Item 4 was a text amendment to the Comprehensive Plan.
(Theresa Blackwell tells Commissioners that her trust was betrayed by the developers)
Theresa Blackwell called out Commissioner Steve Stroberger as well as Commissioner Lumon May for not understanding the item.
“Commissioner May, you asked what was different about this hearing; you got some bad advice,” Blackwell said. “This is a review of an ordinance amending the future land use map at the planning board.” Blackwell said.
Blackwell addressed Stroberger as well. “Stroberger, can't even tell me what the item is. He says, no, it's not about the future land use,” Blackwell said. “Read the damn thing, it’s about the future land use.”
Blackwell told the board they were misunderstanding their role. “You are here to review this. This is not some stop before it goes to Tallahassee,” Blackwell said. “They are not going to do a careful review and tell you how it might affect you. No, that's your step now.”
Francesca Yabraian told commissioners she felt thrown on the spot and she thought she was attending to give an OLF-8 speech and was not prepared for the developer’s presentation.
(Francesca Yabraian questions the extra time given to developers at the dais, after having a 25 minute presentation)
“I didn't know what was going on, I was really confused; I thought I was at a planning board meeting.” She said the developer told the board, “We made some changes,” including removing data centers, but she did not know what else changed. “I have no idea whether it was changed or not.”
(Photo credit: myescambia.com)
Commissioner May asked Yabraian, “What’s the change that adversely affects or changes your position?” Yabraian replied, “I don't know because I didn't get a chance to review it.” Yabraian said.
Commissioner Kohler commented on the confusion as well. “It shouldn't be this complicated to work with the government,” Kohler said.
When commissioners disagreed on whether the vote included a Future Land Use Map amendment, did not deliberate on the developer’s 25-minute presentation, and received no staff analysis to verify or dispute the claims, it demonstrated how clarity becomes an accessibility issue. Residents were given two minutes to respond to two combined ordinances and a new version of the plan they had not seen. With board members themselves unclear on the process and the substance, the public was left without a clear path to participate meaningfully in the decision.
To add to or correct any information in this report, please get in touch with me at pepper.w@lead4earth.org
Read OpGov.News’ full meeting summary and live coverage here.
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