Latest news with #PCBPD
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lynn Haven commission candidates discuss zoning challenges
LYNN HAVEN, Fla. (WMBB) – Lynn Haven municipal election candidates addressed residents Thursday night at the last forum before the election. Lynn Haven commissioner seats one and four are on the upcoming ballot. At the forum, all candidates acknowledged Lynn Haven's flooding problem. The candidates all agreed that the storm-water assessment fee is necessary, but the funds need to go towards capital projects. Candidates also discussed what they would change about Lynn Havens' current zoning codes. Panama City Beach Council makes budget adjustment to help PCBPD 'One thing we can control that I've been trying to do for almost two years now is updating our comprehensive plan, which is basically what is the vision? What do we want the city to look like now and in the future? And that's in dire need of updating. We updated it not too long ago to satisfy the state, but we really need to go through that line by line and update that. And that feeds into that unified Land Development code, which is, you know, the rules and regulations that developers and landowners have to abide by. And by updating that, because every time we get a development order, I think maybe there's something we can put in the unified land development code that could make that better for Lynn Haven. As far as zoning, I'm in favor of zoning. And I think by having zoning, it'll kind of put some tools in our toolbox,' Lynn Haven Seat Three Commission Candidate Jamie Warrick said. 'With our current zoning, our current comprehensive plan, we can have overlay districts; we can do overlays currently which will address some of the zoning issues we may have. Right now, there's an ordinance coming into place about RVs, allowing RVs in the front yard. How that works out, I don't know, but we'll see what the commission does. But we can change, make changes like that with ordinances on an as-needed basis right now. So I don't see that we need to go to a full-blown zoning map that'll be expensive and time-consuming. So, it is something that needs to be approached very carefully. It's just something that we need to look at,' Lynn Haven Seat Three Commission Candidate Johnnie Beshearse said. 'What I would like to see is a little more clarity when projects are proposed because as it sits right now, when a developer or an individual that wants to build something in the neighborhood brings the project to us, all that we're allowed to do is consider 'does it match the existing land use, does it check all of the boxes that are required?' Because we're a right-to-develop state. What I would like to see happen is not that it hinges on our approval or recommendation, but just have an idea of what the person wants to build. And so I'll give you an example. There's Dunkin' Donuts in Lynn Haven; right behind that is a storage building. It's one of the multistory storage facilities. When that project came to the planning board, the title of the project was Market Shops at Lynn Haven. And I mean, it doesn't look like a market shop. And that's what I'd like to change,' Lynn Haven Seat Four Commission Candidate Jeff Snyder said. 'Lynn Haven doesn't currently have zoning requirements. They did years ago. I don't know what year that changed, but we still use land usage maps for planning for whatever business is coming in. There could be a benefit to zoning. And what we have to look at is the amount of debt the city has. Obviously, because of Hurricane Michael's unfortunate, we're going to be left with some debt. And it could benefit the city. I think we do a pretty good job with it. But there's a really good example currently with a development that wants to come in. It just doesn't fit right. Even though they've been matched and checked all the boxes, it's pretty unpopular to most people. It's hard as a commissioner to have to make that decision. So, I would say we could benefit from zoning. I'm all for that. But we have to pay the debt first,' Lynn Haven Seat Four Commission Candidate Jamie Marler said. Seat four commission candidate Judy Tinder was not in attendance Thursday night. Bay County's Municipal Election Day is on April 22, and early voting starts on Monday. For more information on the upcoming election, . Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Yahoo
PCBPD announces curfew, new restrictions in Pier Park
BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – Starting Friday, Pier Park will be adding restrictions in order to increase safety among crowds. There will be an 8 pm to 5 am curfew for unaccompanied minors. Anyone under 18 must be with an adult to stay on the property past 8 pm. Pier Park is also prohibiting backpacks, large bags, weapons, and alcohol during the is establishing security check points at all the entrances to check for prohibited items. These measures will be in place until 5 a.m. April 7th. The new measure are a direct response to Saturday night's shootings. 'We had a critical incident. Your park, everybody knows that it was a shooting event that discussed and the investigation is still ongoing. Pier Park and us together combined have come up with a what we would see as a potential solution to that that is restricting minors,' PCBPD Chief JR Talamantez said. Other private entities have also decided to follow similar protocols. Shores at Panama announced they will be prohibiting backpacks, fanny packs, and stereos on the sandy beaches behind shoes and Pineapple Willys. The city is also taking their own measures to control the crowds for the next few weeks. Starting April 3 through April 6 , city operated parking lots like this one will be closed. In addition, they have already implemented 2 special event zones that will run through April 7th. City officials have decided to extend the special event zones for another two weeks. The zones allows officers to increase traffic fines, tow vehicles involved in an infraction, and charge unpermitted event organizers the cost for law enforcement to respond. The zones are east of Richard Jackson Boulevard, and the area surrounding Pier Park. Talamantez says he's hoping these new restrictions will prevent their biggest challenge, keeping large crowds from forming. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Yahoo
Law enforcement agencies turn communication into prevention
BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – A multi-agency collaboration in Hartford, Alabama on Wednesday will turn communication into prevention. Florida and Alabama agencies will increase traffic interdictions through March and April in a proactive measure to improve roadways and deter narcotics crime. 'It's a meeting where we all just kind of get together and share. It might be with people that are known to, you know, transport narcotics. It's people that might have active warrants and just we share information like that. So it's just something that we do. We found that it works and we're going to continue that,' said PCBPD Lt. Anderson. Florida boaters' rights to be protected with Boater Freedom Act Anderson says around 40 officers met for several hours to discuss enforcement tactics not only for spring break but for the busy season that continues through fall. The annual meeting connects agencies from several different areas. 'It's our agency with multiple other agencies around our jurisdiction. Like Bay County sheriff's office. You go up a little north, like Washington County, Holmes County, and then we get into Alabama agencies, maybe Houston County Sheriff's office and the Dothan area law enforcement, Dale County and different agencies like that,' added Anderson. The Panama City Beach Police Department hosts the meeting to promote intelligence sharing. You may already see some of the department's strategies in effect, with more coming. 'Starting tomorrow, 5 a.m., a small portion of pier park, the roadway in there is going to be closed. So South Pier Park drive from LC Hilton South to Front Beach road will be closed up until May 5th. And we do that because there's such a high volume of pedestrians in that area.' Anderson says open communication with nearby agencies is a constant. Many of the people they'll encounter are heading to Panama City Beach, and their activity along the way, can put those counties at risk. 'Between Tallahassee and Panama City, and then all the all the universities and colleges that are letting out from the north, coming down here they travel right through here. You know, they might not stop in Liberty County, but they fly trying to get down to the beaches,' said Liberty County Sherriff Dusty Arnold. Prepare your boots and hats for the Shaddai Shriners rodeo Arnold says they'll also be ramping up enforcement to keep his citizens safe. 'We just see a lot of a lot of speeders. And we're also going to have our canines out there because we do interdict a lot of drugs that are trying to make it down to the beaches and especially on State Road 65 going to St. George Island and SR 20 going to Panama City Beach.' Those barricades are out and ready to be used to close the south Pier Park, Front Beach Road intersection. Anderson says it's the only major road closure the beach has during the spring break season. That closure will begin tomorrow at 5 a.m. and continue through May 5th. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
