Planning board approves gateway overlay changes; vape shops added to prohibited uses, other uses allowed by conditional permit

The Panama City Planning Board on Nov. 10 approved a text amendment to the city—s gateway overlay district that will change which businesses are barred outright and which may operate under conditional-use permits.

Planning staff explained the amendment would add "vape shops or vape stores" to the list of prohibited uses in the gateway overlay and would allow several previously prohibited uses — including bail bonds, pawn shops and bottle clubs — to apply for a conditional use permit if they meet enumerated standards. Staff read the standards aloud: a conditional use must not be located within 300 feet of an existing similar use, it must be at least 100 feet from other existing conditional uses listed in the section, it must be compatible with adjacent land uses, it must limit signage to a single wall sign not to exceed specific square footage and it must comply with gateway overlay design standards (section 105-4).

Staff said the gateway overlay applies to the city's major commercial corridors, naming Business 98, 15th Street, Harrison Avenue, Beck Avenue and 23rd Street. Planning staff framed the change as a response to complaints that the overlay had been too restrictive and had prevented businesses from adapting to demand.

The board moved to approve the amendment; the vote was recorded as four affirmative votes from Board member Stamps, Barker, Rich and Chairman Neubauer.

Under the revised rules, prospective operators of the listed conditional uses will need to submit a conditional-use application to the Planning Department and appear before the board for approval; staff said such applications must demonstrate the conditional-use standards by a preponderance of the evidence. The board's action directs staff to accept and process conditional-use applications under the updated code sections.