During a recent budget workshop in Loxahatchee Groves, council members engaged in a heated discussion regarding the town's building height regulations and the implications of recent ordinance changes. A resident raised concerns about the removal of specific language from the building code, which previously allowed for a maximum building height of 35 feet, or three stories. The resident urged the council to revisit this ordinance, suggesting that the original intent was to limit building heights to 10 feet, and called for either a repeal or a correction of the current code.

The discussion highlighted a lack of clarity surrounding the ordinance changes, with council members acknowledging that the language cleanup was not adequately explained in prior meetings. The resident's request to address this issue was met with a reminder that the workshop was primarily focused on budget matters, and that legal counsel was not present to provide further clarification.

Additionally, the council clarified the timeline for the fiscal year budget, noting that the budget being discussed pertains to fiscal year 2024-2025, which begins on October 1, 2024. This led to some confusion among members regarding the terminology used to describe the fiscal years.

The council agreed to place the building height issue on the agenda for the next meeting, scheduled for September 3, where further discussion and clarification are expected. The meeting underscored the importance of clear communication and community engagement in local governance, particularly regarding regulations that directly impact residents.