On or about April 8, 2019, the Office of the City Attorney received a Petition for Writ of Mandamus from Plaintiff, Sara Goodman.  The issues in the case involve the City’s refusal to transmit the Plaintiff’s February 6, 2019 appeal to the City’s Development Special Magistrate, and statements made by the City’s Acting Director of Development Services at a January 10, 2019, Planning and Zoning Board meeting.  The statements relate to the application of off-site parking laws to a pending application for approval to redevelop what is generally known as the “Crab Pot” site.

The City has defended the Case and filed a Motion to Dismiss and Strike Goodman’s claims, to which the Plaintiff has filed a response to the City’s Motion.

Following the filing of said pleadings, the parties negotiated and reached a compromise to amicably resolve the case on terms that are satisfactory to all parties.

One such term included the City agreeing to schedule a public City Council workshop on the Crab Pot Redevelopment at a time that was mutually convenient to all parties, before February 1, 2020, and before any action was taken with respect to the Crab Pot Redevelopment Project.

Since approval of the Resolution, the parties could not mutually agree on the date and terms of the Workshop, and subsequent restrictions related to the COVID-19 local state of emergency created additional challenges.

However, after mutual negotiation on the date and the terms of the Workshop, the parties have reached a new amended settlement to resolve this matter, as outlined in the attached “Settlement Agreement”, which provides a specific date of August 11, 2020, for the City Council Workshop on the Crab Pot Redevelopment Project to be held in person. 

At that Workshop, the City will also agree to allow Ms. Goodman and two other principal presenters to make a special presentation, not to exceed one-hour total.  As a result of the aforementioned, the Plaintiff will agree to file a Notice of Dismissal of her petition.