CONA provides tech support in neighborhood’s rezoning victory
Olde Englewood Village Neighborhood (OEV), with a little help from CONA, showed how to convince county commissioners to deny a proposed rezoning incompatible with the character of their lovely “Old Florida” neighborhood. After a request for help, CONA board members spent several sessions with OEV neighbors providing tips based on their experience as to how to organize and present the required “competent substantial evidence” needed for county commissioners to deny a rezoning. OEV members presented their case during several hours of hearing on November 28 in Venice on the proposed townhouse, condo project.
Bill Earl, representing CONA at the hearing, suggested to commissioners that they had never seen a better neighborhood incompatibility case against a rezoning than that presented by the OEV Neighborhood. After a well-deserved unanimous county commission vote denying the project, OEV neighborhood organizer Carolyn Pope told CONA’s Ann Kaplan “Thank you for your support. It made a difference, and for now, our historic neighborhood stands protected.” Another neighbor, Martha Demetriou, thanked CONA, saying,
“You (CONA) stepped in when no-one else would.”
Commenting on success of neighborhood's efforts, CONA President Ann Kaplan said:
“Helping neighborhoods protect themselves from incompatible development is one important reason that CONA exists.”
