Palm Beach Town Council appoints Coniglio to Planning and Zoning Commission

Gail Coniglio's break from public service was a brief one.

The town's longtime mayor, who retired in April after 10 years, was appointed on Tuesday to one of two open seats on the Planning & Zoning Commission.

Coniglio and Richard Kleid were selected by the Town Council from a pool of eight applicants following presentations in council chambers and on Zoom.

Kleid, a former Town Council member, is the board's vice chair, and was seeking re-appointment to a second three-year term.

More:Town accepting applications for two openings on Planning & Zoning Commission

Coniglio, who served two terms as a council member before becoming mayor, is a businesswoman and longtime North End resident. She will fill the seat being vacated by Chair Michael Ainslie, who cannot seek another term until next year.

Commissioners are eligible to serve two consecutive, three-year terms.

During her presentation Tuesday, Coniglio told the council that her experience and knowledge of the town make her a good candidate for the zoning board as it begins to tackle zoning code reform.

Coniglio's family owns and manages E.R. Bradley’s restaurant in West Palm Beach, and formerly owned and operated Cucina dell’Arte and the now-closed Nick & Johnnie’s restaurants in Palm Beach.

"I'm proud of the Town Council and our staff for identifying that code reform has to be on our agenda, first for the things that are required, as in FEMA with sea level changes, but secondly in our neighborhoods," she told council members. "We must protect and preserve the unique charm of the town of Palm Beach for the next generation."

While code reform is crucial, Coniglio said, it must be addressed in a careful and steady manner.

"This will require a tremendous amount of outreach and education that the neighborhoods understand the advantages of making changes," she said. "We need to get this right, and we need to do it incrementally and slowly so there are not unintended consequences."

Council President Maggie Zeidman said she was thrilled to hear that Coniglio was seeking a position on the Planning & Zoning board, which acts in an advisory capacity to the council in all matters relating to municipal planning and development.

Coniglio's experience, judgment and adherence to the town's comprehensive plan, Zeidman said, would make her a good fit for the zoning board.

"Your outreach into the community is broad, and people trust you," she told Coniglio. "I think you will be superb person for us to have. This council will need your support as we go forward, and this community needs someone that they have had with them for a very long time, and that they trust."

Former zoning board chairman Martin Klein was among the six other applicants seeking appointments to the two seats. The others were board alternates William J. Gilbane III, Nicki McDonald and John J. Tatooles, who were seeking promotion to a regular seat, landscape architect Mario Nievera and Realtor Mary Elizabeth Speer.

Jodie Wagner is a USA TODAY Network of Florida journalist. You can reach her at jwagner@pbdailynews.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

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