LRA tables Gulf Avenue sale pending legal review of adjacent-owner notice requirement

An application to purchase a small rear parcel on Gulf Avenue was tabled after board members raised procedural questions about state notice requirements for adjacent property owners. The applicant, identified at the meeting as Shannon, said she had been unaware of the statute; staff and members cited a provision transcribed in the meeting as "31 18 e‑10 d 2" that describes an adjacent-owner right to be notified and a 120‑day response period after notice.

Staff calculated the LRA's outlay for the parcel at roughly $2,364.76 and noted that state code can require the LRA to offer tax‑delinquent or acquired property to adjacent owners for a period before sale. Board members agreed not to proceed without the city attorney’s interpretation to avoid exposing a prospective buyer to legal risk. A member moved to table the Gulf Avenue item to the next regular meeting and asked staff to have the city attorney provide an opinion clarifying (a) whether the adjacent‑owner notice and 120‑day response applied in this instance and (b) what exceptions might apply to municipal land reuse transfers.

The motion to table passed and the applicant was advised to await the board’s next meeting for a formal recommendation. Staff will return with the cited statutory language and a recommendation informed by the city attorney’s advice.