Panama City- Panama City Commissioners spent nearly 3 ours haggling over a plan for future land use in the city, before settling on one version. The commission was trying to decide if they wanted to adopt a proposal that came from the city planning board, or one their own staff devised.

One of the differences between the two plans was a 150-foot height limit for residential buildings. The planning commissioners version kept that limit, but the staff version was not as definite. Commissioner John Kady made the motion to approve the planning commission's version. "All I'm asking and this is what the planning board is asking and I know very well because I spent hours in these meetings listening to the public, that we leave it alone until we resolve it and have a time for public debate about the issue and not try to slip it in in the dark of night through a change during an EAR amendment," said Kady.

Mayor Scott Clemons has gone on record as saying he'd like the height limit lowered. "You know personally I look at Hawk's Nest, .8 acres going up 140 feet, that just doesn't sit well with me. And I don't think it sits well with most of the citizens. It's out of sync with the character of our community."

In the end the commission voted to send the planning commission's version of the land use agreement to the Florida Department of Community Affairs for approval. It may be mid-summer before the city commission makes a final decision on the issue.