Politics & Government

Zoning Code Change to be Explored as Option in ARI Dispute

Council members are open to exploring a change to explore a change to the city's comprehensive plan and land use ordinance to accommodate a business that wants to make New Port Richey its home.

The New Port Richey City Council agreed Tuesday to give staff the green light to explore the possibility of changing the city's comprehensive plan and zoning laws to keep open the doors of Advanced Research Institute, which has been cited for violating city zoning regulations.

Staff was instructed Tuesday to explore creating a land use category to fit the business.

ARI is a company that performs clinical drug trials. It recently moved to 6716 Congress Ave. from its former location in Trinity. The Congress Ave. address is zoned residential and previously served as a temporary home for troubled boys, called Harbinger House. ARI is a tenant and leases the building from Juvinelie Services Program, which ran Harbinger House.

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The city attorney has said ARI needs office zoning for its use, and city staff had wanted the company to apply for a rezoning. The

The company was made aware of the city's zoning concern months before opening its doors.

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The office use category doesn’t suit ARI, says company attorney Barbara Wilhite. Instead, ARI wants a new zoning district created that fits the existing building and the company's work in medical research. That would call for the city to amend its comprehensive plan and land use ordinance. ARI is offering a $2,000 payment to help lighten the financial burden the city would face.

“We have nothing we can apply for now that can fit the business, that can fit the building, that can fit the property owners,” Wilhite told city council members Tuesday.

After months of discussion with ARI about its move into the city, City Manager John Schneiger opted to bring Wilhite’s request to the council.

The council on Tuesday directed staff to work with ARI on creating a proposal for changing the city zoning regulations. That would come back to elected officials for a vote.

Zoning Change Could Create an Opportunity for the City

Councilman Bill Phillips said that if the process is followed appropriately “It could be a first step in making industries like this viable.”

He talked about the city thinking outside of the box to bring employer-based industries into the city to spur development.

“Or we will always be identified as a place that’s hard to do business in, and that doesn’t sit well with me," he said.

Mayor Bob Consalvo said when he first heard ARI was moving into the city, he thought it was a great opportunity because of the jobs it could bring. He doesn’t how the situation went off the rails.

“We need to find ways to make this work out, I believe,” he said. “ I dont have the solution. We need the solution brought to us, so that we can act on it. If that can happen, I think that this is a great fit for the city."

Councilman Bob Langford stated that he agreed that this type of business is what the city wants, but he doesn’t understand why they opened without the proper zoning

“Why would you do something that is just wrong?” he asked. 

A vote was not taken Tuesday.

Still, two city Council members opted to recuse themselves from taking a vote but were allowed to participate in Tuesday’s discussion.

Councilwoman Judy DeBella Thomas is employed by Advanced Research Institute as a marketing and enrollment liaison. She chose to recuse herself from taking a possible vote and said she would sign a conflict of interest form. She did express that she thought the city could do a better job of communicating its zoning rules.

Deputy Mayor Rob Marlowe also recused himself. His business, GulfCoast Networking in New Port Richey, handles ARI’s email accounts.

Randall said after the discussion that she was “very encouraged,” by the step taken by the council and that it seemed the majority of council members saw the value ARI brings to the city.

Randall said after the discussion that she was “very encouraged,” by the step taken by the council  and that it seemed the majority of council members saw the value ARI brings to the city.

Still a question is the issue is the city citation of ARI. Phillips raised the prospect of allowing an abatement while the city and company work through the zoning process.

"I don’t want you to face an untenable position,” he said.  

The city manager said it was too early to make those decisions Tuesday. The process being launched could take months. The city  projected the process could cost more than $10,000.

He said later to Patch that ARI's proposal had merit, althouh he still had concerns. When asked if he thought city leaders moving forward exploringing ARI's requested change was something that should be done, he said:

"As far as making the city a bit more business friendly: yes," he said

He said one thing he's not happy about is the way ARI moved into the city without obtaining the zoning. It put DeBella Thomas in an unfortunate position because of her relationship with the company, he said.

Every business that moves into the city ought to follow the right series of steps, he said.

"You do that before you open your doors," he said. "That's the waits supposed to be."


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