Lake Worth commissioners vote down building-height ordinance for November ballot

LAKE WORTH, Fla. -- Controversy is brewing in the City of Lake Worth and it could cost taxpayers in the city thousand of dollars.

It all surrounds building heights and an ordinance that could restrict how high structures can be built.

At a special session on Saturday, city commissioners voted 3-to-2 against placing the building-height ordinance on the November ballot. This was the third time the initiative was voted down by commissioners.

The only other option is to put the ordinance on a special election that requires needed signatures for it to happen.

A group in favor of limiting the height of buildings in and around downtown has already collected the necessary signatures. And because the signatures have been collected, some commissioners estimate the special election will cost taxpayers thousands of dollars.

"As a resident who has to spend my money on my taxes here and as a commissioner, as an elected official our tax dollars are now going to be spent on something that doesn't need to be spent, said Suzanne Mulvehill, a Lake Worth commissioner. "It's a waste of taxpayers dollars and it should be voted on in November."

One commissioner who voted against putting the ordinance on the November ballot said he wants to allow his residents enough time to understand what is at stake. He said many Lake Worth residents are seasonal and are not here to get in on the conversation.