Cocoa Beach leaders are considering changes to the city's controversial building height limit rules.
- City says height rule restricts new building growth
- Residents don't want to see Cocoa beach turned into 'Daytona'
Developers say very few buildings have been built since voters approved the height limit in 2002.
The referendum required new or redeveloped buildings to be no taller than 45 feet.
Residents were concerned new developments would block the sun from hitting the beach in the afternoons, and add more traffic on the already busy State Road A1A.
The city’s Charter Review Committee on Wednesday will consider revisions to the height rule, perhaps extending that limit to 70 feet.
"You don't want the community to look like Daytona, Miami Beach," said Cocoa Beach resident Roger Buchholtz, "We want a nice, beautiful, natural community (with) relatively low density so our highways can handle the traffic."
But developers and the city's mayor say Cocoa Beach is now dead last in new construction in Brevard County. They blame the height limit rule.
"I understand the need to not be congested and not have more crowds here, but certainly a 5 to 6 story building that mitigates the flood risk is hardly going to turn us into Miami," said Cocoa Beach Mayor Ben Malik.
Malik says new development would benefit the stagnant tax base, helping to pay for the city's $35 million in unfunded capital improvements.
The Charter Review Committee meets at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at city hall.
They will make a recommendation to the city commission, which will determine if raising the height limit should be put on next year's ballot.