CCPC Minutes 10/04/2001 ROctober 4, 2001
TRANSCRIPT OF THE MEETING OF THE
COLLIER COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION
Naples, Florida, October 4, 2001
LET IT BE REMEMBERED, that the Collier County Planning
Commission, in and for the County of Collier having conducted
business herein, met on this date at 8:35 a.m. In REGULAR
SESSION at the Supervisor of Elections Building of the Government
Complex, Naples, Florida, with the following members present:
CHAIRMAN:
MEMBERS ABSENT:
Joyceanna Rautio
Kenneth Abernathy
Lora Jean Young
Dwight Richardson
David Wolfley
Paul Midney
Mark Strain
Russell Budd
Lindy Adelstein
ALSO PRESENT:
Susan Murray, Planning Services Manager
Marjorie Student, Assistant County Attorney
Page 1
AGENDA
COLLIER COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION WILL MEET AT 8:30 A.M., THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2001 IN THE
GU'~"~Z COivE,~ISg~_ w~Pq MEET~!G k~O0~ ~, COUNTY
GOVERNMENT CENTER, 3301 TAMIAMI TRAIL EAST, NAPLES, FLORIDA:
NOTE: INDIVIDUAL SPEAKERS WILL BE LIMITED TO 5 MINLrrES ON ANY
ITEM. INDIVIDUALS SELECTED TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF AN
ORGANIZATION OR GROUP ARE ENCOURAGED AND MAY BE ALLOTTED I 0
MINUTES TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM IF SO RECOGNIZED BY THE CHAIRMAN.
PERSONS WISHING TO HAVE WRITTEN OR GRAPHIC MATERIALS INCLUDED
IN THE CCPC AGENDA PACKETS MUST SUBMIT SAID MATERIAL A
MINIMUM OF 10 DAYS PRIOR TO THE RESPE~ PUBLIC HEARING. IN
ANY CASE, WRITTEN MATERIALS INTENDED TO BE CONSIDERED BY THE
CCPC SHALL BE SUBMITTED TO THE APPROPRIATE COUNTY STAFF A
MINIMUM OF SEVEN DAYS PRIOR TO THE PUBLIC HEARING. ALL
MATERIAL USED IN PRESENTATIONS BEFORE THE CCPC WILL BECOME A
PERMANENT PART OF THE RECORD AND WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR
PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IF
APPLICABLE.
ANY PERSON WHO DECIDES TO APPEAL A DECISION OF THE CCPC WILL
NEED A RECORD OF THE PROCEEDINGS PERTAINING THERETO, AND
THEREFORE MAY NEED TO ENSURE THAT A VERBATIM RECORD OF THE
PROCEEDINGS IS MADE, WHICH RECORD INCLUDES THE TESTIMONY AND
EVIDENCE UPON WHICH THE APPEAL IS TO BE BASED.
1. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
2. ROLL CALL BY CLERK
3. ADDENDA TO THE AGENDA
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - SEPTEMBER 7, 2001
5. PLANNING COMMISSION ABSENCES
6. BCC REPORT - RECAPS OF SEPTEMBER 11, 2001, MEETING.
7. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT
8. ADVERTISED PUBLIC HEARINGS
BD-2001-AR-1198, Richard D. Yovanovich and Turrell & Associates, Inc., representing
Vanderbilt Partners, requesting a 56-slip dock facility which, in combination with a required
mitigation marsh area, would protrude a maximum of 245 feet into the waterway for property
located at 425-L~h-Circle, further d~s~-n'b-~d-~Lbt'l;-Block F;C~--~er'~-Vatxd-erbi~
Estates, Urdt 2 (Coordh-iator: '"~.,,oo--- ,.,,,,,..,~..,.,..~'~' ..... ~
BD-2001-AR-1122, Ben Nelson, Jr., of Nelson Marine, representing Jeff Garard, requesting a 20
foot boat dock extension to allow for a boat dock protruding a total of 40 feet into the waterway for
property located at 267 3rd Street West, further described as Lot 15, Replat of Block G, Little Hickory
Shores, Unit 3, in Section 5, Township 48 South, Range 25 East. (Coordinator: Ross Gochenaur)
RZ-2001-AR-1208, William L. Hoover, of Hoover Planning and Development, Inc., representing
Larry $. and Marcy A. Gode, requesting a rezone from C-3 to RMF-6 for property located on the north
side of 109th Avenue North, about 275 feet west of U.S. 41 North, further described as Lot 10, Naples
Park Unit 1, in Section 28, Township 48 South, Range 25 East, Collier County, Florida (Coordinator:
Chahram Badamtchian )
CU-2001-AR-1103, Scott E. Gustafson fi'om Lodestar Towers, Inc., representing Florida Department
of Transportation, requesting conditional use for a telecommunication tower in the CON-ACSC/ST
zoning district per Section 2.6.35.7 for property located on the north side of 1-75, Mile Marker 63.3,
within the rest area on the south side of Alligator Alley in Section 1, Township 50 South, Range 32
East, Collier County, Florida. (Coordinator: Chahram Badamtchian)
CU-2001-AR-1105, Scott E. Gustafson from Lodestar Tower, Inc., representing Florida Department of
Transportation, requesting conditional use for a telecommunication tower in the CON-ACSC/ST
zoning district per Section 2.6.35.6.7 for property located on the south side of the existing Florida
Department of Transportation fence within the Department of Transportation Right-of-Way in Section
1, Township 50 South, Range 34 East, Collier County, Florida. (Coordinator: Chahram Badamtchian)
PUDA-2001-AR-881, William L. Hoover, of Hoover Planning and Development, Inc., representing
James Morande, of Morande Kia, Inc., requesting an amendment to the Salvation Army PUD for the
purpose of a adding an automobile dealership as a permitted use, for property located at 3180 Estey
Avenue, on the western side of Airport Road, approximately 600 feet north of Davis Blvd., in Section
2, Township 50 South, Range 25 East, Collier County, Florida, consisting of 5.78± acres.
(Coordinator: Chahram Badamtchian)
SV-2001-AR-1265, Bo Gallegher, representing Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc. requesting a 5-foot variance
from the required 150-foot road fi'ontage established for pole signs to 145 feet for property located at
5495 Airport Road North, in Section 11, Township 49 South, Range 25 East, Collier County, Florida.
(Coordinator: Chahram Badamtchian)
PDI-2001-AR- 1220, George Vamadoe, Esq., of Young, vanAssenderp, Vamadoe and Anderson, P.A.,
representing WCI Communities, Inc., requesting an insubstantial change determination to the Marco
Shores PUD revising the Master Plan by the relocation and reconfiguration of Residential Parcel Two
and the Golf Club (Clubhouse) Tract, in Sections 26 and 28, Township 51 South, Range 26 East,
Collier County, Florida. (Coordinator: Fred Reischl)
9. OLD BUSINESS
!0.
11.
PUBLIC COMMENT ITEM
12. DISCUSSION OF ADDENDA
13. ADJOURN
10/4/01/CCPC AGENDA/lo
October 4, 2001
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to
call to order this meeting of the Collier County Planning Commission
for Thursday, October 4th. Please stand and recite the pledge of
allegiance.
(The pledge of allegiance was recited in unison.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: The first item on the agenda today is
roll call, but I would like to make a couple of comments before we
start. This is not our usual meeting room, and our mikes are only
going into the camera for recording. I believe the mike up here at the
front actually does work, so please, everyone, speak up so that
everyone in the room can hear you. And, remember, talk slowly so
the court reporter can record everything. And please show courtesy
to each person, whether it's staff or commissioners or the public. Do
not talk over the other person. It's next to impossible for the court
reporter to record two conversations at the same time. Thank you.
Mr. Strain.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Abstain. Oh, here.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: I hope you're here today.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I was just trying to get your
attention. I'll abstain from being here.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Abstain from being here.
Mr. Budd.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Here.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Mr. Adelstein. Absent, but excused.
Mr. Midney, a new member, is lost in action.
Mr. Abernathy.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Here.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Miss Rautio. Present.
Mrs. Young.
COMMISSIONER YOUNG: Here.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Mr. Richardson.
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October 4, 2001
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Yes.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Mr. Wolfley.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Present.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: We do have a quorum. The next item
on the agenda is addenda to the agenda.
MS. MURRAY: None, Madam Chair, but I would request that
anybody wishing to speak on any items of the agenda please fill out a
speaker slip. They're located on this table to the left, and hand them
to me me, please. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Okay. Item No. 4, approval of
minutes. We did have September 7th before, so we were given
September 19th last night from our Land Development Code meeting
previously. I need a motion for approval or any revisions.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: I will move for approval
of the September 7th minutes.
COMMISSIONER YOUNG: Second.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: I have a motion by Mr. Richardson and
a second by Mrs. Young for approval of the minutes for September
7th. All those in favor.
(Unanimous response.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: All those opposed same sign.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I'll be abstaining from that.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Motion carries with one abstention
from Mr. Strain.
Do we wish to consider the September 19th minutes?
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: So moved.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: We have a motion by
Mr. Richardson--
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Second.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: -- and a second by Mr. Budd for
approval of the minutes to the September 19th meeting. All those in
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October 4, 2001
favor say aye.
(Unanimous response.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Those opposed same sign.
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Motion carries. Thank you.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I'll be abstaining from that one as
well.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: We have one abstention also. Okay.
Item No. 5, do we have any Planning Commission absences that you-
all are aware of?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Hearing none we'll move on to the
next item.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Madam Chairman, does that
mean coming up?
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Yes.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay. Since I haven't been here
and it's my second meeting, I didn't know that. The next meeting I
may not be able to attend due to some medical issues that have to be
resolved.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: The next meeting being the 18th, I
believe, of October?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Yes, ma'am.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Okay. Hopefully, if you could attend,
that will be an informational workshop. We've been attempting to
have a review and training session for all new commissioners for
quite some time, and I believe that is still scheduled for the 18th if it's
possible to attend.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: It might be real difficult, but
I'll see what I can do.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: The Board of County Commissioners'
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October 4, 2001
report, the recap, do you have any highlights that you would like to
point out, Miss Murray?
MS. MURRAY: None, unless you have questions.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Do the commissioners have any
comments?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Okay. Item No. 7 is the chairman's
report. I would just like to make a couple of comments. Again,
please do show courtesy to everyone that's in the room when they are
speaking and, of course, to the commissioners. I would like to thank
the staff for officially placing the pledge of allegiance on our agenda
from here on out. Thank you.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Madam Chairman, before
we go ahead, I forgot -- Susan, what did the county commission do
with that Vanderbilt Villas that we recommended disapproval?
MS. MURRAY: At the last minute, they voted to continue it to
-- and I don't have the exact date.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: I don't care about the date,
but it hasn't been resolved then.
MS. MURRAY: Correct, it has not been resolved.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Thank you. Excuse me.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Okay. We are at Item No. 8,
advertised public hearings. The first public hearing is BD-2001-AR-
1198. All those wishing to giving testimony on this item please stand
and raise your right hand and be sworn in by the clerk of courts (sic).
(The oath was administered.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Okay.
MR. GOCHENAUR: Good morning, Commissioners. For the
record, Ross Gochenaur of planning services. I passed out an
addenda package to this petition. Hopefully, you-all have it. It
includes the Resolution Exhibits A and B, the site map that I would
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October 4, 2001
be putting on the visualizer if I had a visualizer, identification of the
partners, and the three letters of objection we received.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Thank you. I would like to note as a
disclosure that I received an e-mail from Mr. Dick Lydon, president
of the Vanderbilt Property Owners Association, I believe, with
reference to an agreement. It's not attached to my information, but as
best I recall they have resolved the issues as long as it's signed,
witnessed, and included in the proceedings today that the association
will accept that declaration of restrictions. So as a matter of
disclosure, I did as chairman receive an e-mail to that effect.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: I received the same e-mail
as vice-chairman, I guess.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Okay.
MR. GOCHENAUR: The petitioner is requesting a 225-foot
extension to create a docking facility protruding a total of 245 feet
into a waterway which is about 940 feet wide. The property is
located at 430 Launch Circle on Vanderbilt Beach and contains about
1100 feet of the water frontage.
The project consists of the construction of a communal dock
facility comprising 56 slips supporting the Regatta condominium.
The facility would include a mitigation marsh as a condition of DEP
approval of the project. Some of the slips would extend north of this
into the lagoon. In order to minimize the protrusion, a dredging plan
has been approved by state and federal regulatory agencies.
The proposed facility and particularly the mitigation marsh
would have some effect on navigation in the waterway; however, it
would not necessarily impede or prove a hazard to navigation. The
facility would also have an impact on the view from the condos to the
west. This impact would be significant but not necessarily negative.
The facility would be similar to existing multi-slip docks on the west
side of the lagoon.
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October 4, 2001
The petitioner held a public meeting on July 6th to solicit
community input into the project. According to the petitioner, no
objections were voiced at this meeting. Three written objections and
one verbal objection have been received. The meralia PUD
ordinance allows a maxium number of 74 slips, and the petitioner is
requesting only 56.
Since the requested slips, which are allowed as a permitted
accessory use, require an extension for their construction, the
petitioner's responsibility is to propose a reasonable plan to
accomplish this goal while minimizing the impact of the facility on
the surrounding community. Staff believes that the proposal
submitted is reasonable meeting the criteria to the greatest extent
possible under the circumstances, and we, therefore, recommend
approval of this petition.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Do we have any questions from
commissioners?
Mr. Richardson.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: If I may, Ross, I'm just
kind of overwhelmed by the immensity of this compared to what we
usually see in boat docks.
MR. GOCHENAUR: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: I realize the PUD
underlying it contrasts some of the numbers, but just to help clarify it,
typically we allow boat-dock extensions beyond 20 feet in order to
get a boat into the water that's deep enough to support it.
MR. GOCHENAUR: That's the most common reason for
requesting a boat-dock extension.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: If that reason were applied
to this project, it would change the configuration of this considerably
I would suspect. In other words, you would have one 20-foot boat
dock. But 20 foot out from where the shoreline is, how deep is the
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October 4, 2001
water?
MR. GOCHENAUR: Well, it depends on where you are on the
property. If you look at the drawings that the petitioner submitted
that included water depths, they vary. In some cases they're able to
put the slips that they need within the 20-feet limit, but in order to get
the maximum number of 56, they have to extend out beyond the
mitigation marsh for that one multi-slip dock.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Let the record reflect Mr. Midney has
arrived.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: You have kind of a cart
and horse here. I don't know that I'm seeing the full picture. If we
have to, I guess, assume that there's going to be a dredging and a lot
of fill and a whole situation then before you ever even get to put in
the docks. I'm just thinking normally people would come in, and
they'd have a shoreline, and they'd be looking to get the dock out to a
certain depth, and I'm wondering why this applicant wasn't
constrained the same way everybody else was constrained.
MR. GOCHENAUR: The constraints were basically the same.
The underlying fact is that the planned unit development document
allows them a certain number of boat slips. What their job was was
to figure out how they could get 56 slips on this property that were all
viable. And in order to do that, at one point they had to construct a
mitigation marsh to comply with the DEP requirements, which means
filling. Again, I'm going to let the petitioner explain this in detail, but
they had to create that area in order to get the DEP permits.
They're also doing dredging in order to minimize the extension
that they need. Even with that dredging, they're still going to need a
certain extension to allow the docks. The 245 feet is measured from
the absolute most restrictive point, and once they construct the
mitigation marsh, that will be well landward. It's easier understood
by looking at the drawings than me trying to give a narrative
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October 4, 2001
description.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: So, in summary, this
problem started because of the PUD, and we really are -- our hands
are tied at this point?
MR. GOCHENAUR: It's not a problem. It's a challenge. The
Board of County Commissioners allowed that number of boat slips.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Then we've been dealt a
deck that we can only deal one way.
MR. GOCHENAUR: Well, again, as I hope I made clear, the
petitioner's responsibility is to give us a reasonable proposal for
constructing a facility with 56 slips. And I think under the
circumstances they've been able to do that in compliance with the
code as closely as possible.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: I just think it's much,
much too intense.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Ross --
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Excuse me, Mr. Strain.
Marjorie Student.
MS. STUDENT: I just want to put something on the record
about that PUD. That reflects a settlement of a lawsuit. I worked on
it, and another attorney in our office worked on the lawsuit. Then
many years ago when Ken Cuyler was still the county attorney, he
and I together worked on a settlement, and the PUD was done to
effectuate the settlement that was blessed by the Court. I just wanted
to put that on the record.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Mr. Wolfley.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: My concern is going over the
25 percent. It's just 10 foot, but why couldn't they just go 235 feet
instead of 245?
MR. GOCHENAUR: According to the petitioner's application,
that's what they needed at that most extreme point in order to get the
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October 4, 2001
slips in. We met with the petitioner at least three times to discuss the
configuration of the docks. They modified it twice in response to
some of our comments as far as to how it will impede the use of the
docks to the west. The configuration they came up with was as close
as they could get under the circumstances.
Although it doesn't meet the 25 percent, it comes close to it. We
also have a very broad waterway. So I don't think the end result is
going to be an impact on navigation or safety. That was our
conclusion.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Well, rules are the rules.
That's why we have the codes to keep people in that area. I mean, ten
feet -- I don't see why we are breaking -- I agree with Mr. Richardson
here. I've got a problem with that situation.
MR. GOCHENAUR: Okay. Possibly the petitioner can give
you a more detailed explanation on why that extra ten feet was
considered necessary. My understanding is it was a result of the
water depth.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Then we're going to have boats
beyond that, so then we're going to have to make it even wider.
MR. GOCHENAUR: No, sir. That 245 feet is as far out as
anything can legally go. Nothing can be more, so that's most extreme
point. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Mr. Strain.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Ross, the settlement agreement
that Marjorie referred to as well as the PUD have identical language
in them in reference to the docks. This says, specifically, that the
docks are approved for Parcels 1 through 4. Parcel 1 has a -- Parcel 4
has a canal on it. Parcel 3 is mostly submerged bottom lands of
which these docks extend past.
My question is, if they have by the PUD approval to put docks
in those parcels or within those parcels because some of those are
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October 4, 2001
bottom lands or submerged lands, going beyond the parcel limitation
is a change to the configuration of the PUD. Wouldn't that trigger a
substantial change to the PUD and thus an amendment to the PUD
instead of a dock-extension request?
MR. GOCHENAUR: I can't answer that question off the top.
My understanding is that the PUD is considered a single site for the
purposes of development and that there are points at which the dock
can be constructed naturally along the waterline. Whether the parcels
that were described when the ordinance was approved have the same
legal description as the parcels currently registered with the property
appraiser's office, I can't answer that question.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I reviewed the legal descriptions,
and they appear to be the same. Parcel 3 goes 166 feet into the water,
which means they have 166 feet of depth past the seawall of
submerged lands right now. So they're asking for the extension of
240 feet which then would put the PUD's accessories outside the
PUD boundaries. I know there's an issue concerning amendments,
insubstantial and substantial deviations to a PUD and what triggers
that, and maybe Marjorie could answer that. MS. STUDENT: Okay.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Marjorie, for the benefit of the
audience, could you identify your position?
MS. STUDENT: Yes. Marjorie Student, assistant county
attorney. Without studying the PUD and without looking at the code,
there are ten criteria for insubstantial changes and substantial changes
to a master plan. Any change to the PUD document itself, to the text,
requires an amendment to the PUD. A substantial change to the
master plan requires the regular PUD amendment, as I recall, and the
insubstantial change, you know, if it's under these ten criteria, then
that would be the insubstantial change that just comes to the Planning
Commission. Again, that would be to the master plan only.
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October 4, 2001
If there is anything in the text that needs to be changed, it is a
PUD amendment. Staff didn't raise this question with me, so I'm just
kind of having to fly by the seat of my pants, if you will, right now.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Before you leave --
MS. STUDENT: I may need to have a cite. I'll just continue it
for -- not for an entire meeting or anything, but maybe for a couple of
items and have a chance to go over the PUD document with staff and
the petitioner. We can do that. I don't want to try and hold
everybody up and sit here and figure it out while you're waiting. You
could maybe take some other items.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Do you have another question for Miss
Student?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: In contrast to your comment
about the material changes to the PUD or master plan, Item No. 1
under the substantial and insubstantial definitions says (as read):
"For the purpose of this section, a substantial change shall be deemed
to exist where there is a proposed change to the boundary of the
PUD."
Now, I realize that if they're adding docks that they're going to
use exclusively for the PUD, they can't lease them out to anybody
else because they're restricted in the PUD. So if it seems that they're
only accessible through lands of the PUD and they're there to service
only the PUD, you're in essence extending the boundary. So that
would be what I would like to ask you to look into.
MS. STUDENT: We also have some provisions in the code -- I
believe it's in Division 1.6 that deals with boundaries when they abut
up against water bodies and how the boundaries are construed. If it
runs along a water body, it can go to the center line, or if it goes into
the water body, you know, you extend the lines a certain way. Those
are all things -- I would just have to have a little sidebar here with
staff while you took some other items to see if it did have that effect.
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October 4, 2001
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay.
MS. STUDENT: Thank you.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Madam Chair, in view of
the fact that we have incomplete staff information, I would suggest
that we table this until a time certain, and we can come back to it
rather than confuse the issue with more testimony not having the
complete set of facts.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: The option would be to table it or to
move on to another item or two. Excuse me, Marjorie. If we table to
another time, another meeting, or we postpone for a couple of items,
they could have the discussion and present the information then.
What is the feeling of the board?
COMMISSIONER BUDD: I would like to make a motion to
table it until the last item on today's agenda. If by that time the
assistant county attorney is not able to provide a decisive and clear
opinion on this, then we would set a date certain in the future to hear
it again.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: I'll second that.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: We have a motion by Mr. Budd and a
second by Mr. Richardson to table this item until the last item on our
agenda to obtain additional information. Is there any discussion on
the motion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: All those in favor say aye.
(Unanimous response.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Opposed, same sign.
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Motion carries. Moving right along to
the next public hearing -- the next public hearing on the agenda is
BD-2001-AR-1122. This is a boat-dock extension in the Little
Hickory Shores area. All those wishing to give testimony today on
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October 4, 2001
this item, please stand, raise your right hand and be sworn in by the
clerk of courts (sic).
(The oath was administered.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Mr. Gochenaur.
MR. GOCHENAUR: For the record, Ross Gochenaur, planning
services. The petitioner is requesting a 20-foot extension to create a
docking facility protruding a total of 40 feet into a waterway which is
about 330 feet wide. The property is located at 267 Third Street West
in Little Hickory Shores and contains about 30 feet of water frontage.
The project consists of construction of a finger dock -- excuse
me -- finger pier with one boat lift on either side. The subject lot is a
so-called boat dock lot in Block G, Little Hickory Shores. These
plotted lots are residentially zoned to support a single-family home.
A conditional use for all lots in Block G has been approved allowing
docks as principal structures. A variance has also been approved for
this and other lots in Block G reducing the side setbacks to zero feet.
No objections to this project have been received, and staff
recommends approval.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Do we have any questions of staff?.
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Hearing no questions of staff, would
the petitioner wish to present?
MR. NELSON: For the record, Ben Nelson representing the
applicant. I would be glad to answer any questions you might have.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Any questions of the applicant? Do
we have any registered public speakers?
MS. MURRAY: No registered speakers.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Having -- oh, okay. There is a
question.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: It seems like we've had
these come up before. There's a lot of these sites along here; right?
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October 4, 2001
MR. NELSON: Yes, there is. This is fairly typical of the design
element.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: A bit unusual in that
there's no houses associated with any of the lots. MR. NELSON: Right.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: The pattern in the past for
these, Ross, has been -- there hasn't been one.
MR. GOCHENAUR: I can recall one earlier time there was
some objections to one of these sites further up, but I guess that all
got resolved at the BCC meeting.
MR. GOCHENAUR: I'm afraid I don't understand.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Well, the pattern -- just to
clarify, this fits the pattern of the use of these lots that don't have any
houses on them. So it's kind of a specialized situation. We don't
really have this situation anywhere else, do we?
MR. GOCHENAUR: There are other lots -- other waterfront
lots that are too small to accommodate single-family homes, but these
lots in Little Hickory Shores, Blocks G and H, are the only ones that
have the conditional-use approval for boat docks.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Thank you.
MR. GOCHENAUR: You're welcome.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Any other questions?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: With no public speakers, I'll close the
public hearing. What's the pleasure of the board?
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Madam Chairman, I'll make a
motion that the Planning Commission approve Petition BD-2001-
AR-1122.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Second.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: We have a motion by Mr. Budd and a
second by Mr. Abernathy to approve this petition. Do we have any
Page 15
October 4, 2001
discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Hearing no discussion I'll call the
question. All those in favor state aye. (Unanimous response.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: All those opposed same sign.
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Motion carries. Thank you very much.
MR. NELSON: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: The next item on the agenda for public
hearing is RZ-2001-AR-1208, Mr. Hoover, with a rezone. All those
wishing to present testimony today please stand and be sworn in by
the court reporter.
(The oath was administered.)
MR. BADAMTCHIAN: Good morning, Commissioners.
Chahram Badamtchian from planning services staff. This is a rezone
in Naples Park from C-3 commercial to RMF-6 residential. The lot is
located on 109th Avenue North, and it's described as Lot 9, Block 2,
Naples Park, Unit 1.
This is the last commercial lot on that street, and a commercial
lot adjacent to residential requires a 15-foot setback on one side and
25 on the other side, and the lot set for zoning is only 50-foot wide.
So, basically, it's not a buildable lot.
The petitioner is requesting to rezone this to residential so he
can build a single-family house. This request complies with the
requirements of the Growth Management Plan. Staff recommends
approval. Staff hasn't received any opposition to this request.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO:
MR. BADAMTCHIAN:
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO:
Mr. Budd.
No opposition?
No.
Do we have any questions?
Page 16
October 4, 2001
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Chahram, if this is rezoned as
residential, that would make the adjacent lot the last commercial lot.
What does it do to that property?
MR. BADAMTCHIAN:
family house on it.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO:
The adjacent C-3 lot has a single-
Mr. Abernathy.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: It looks like there's one to
the east and one to the south that are C-3 commercial, and each is
single family; is that right?
MR. BADAMTCHIAN: Right.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Back in your compatibility
analysis you talk about the subject property abuts other RMF-6
residential-zoned properties developed with single-family residences.
MR. BADAMTCHIAN: Yes.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: That's not really correct,
then, is it?
MR. BADAMTCHIAN: I should have said there's also C-3s
with residential development.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: That doesn't really affect
the compatibility, though.
MR. BADAMTCHIAN: No, it will not.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Why are those other places
-- did they get caught in some time warp? Why are there single-
family residences on commercial --
MR. BADAMTCHIAN: I do not know. Those are all single-
family homes. I don't know when they were built. I did not research
that.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Okay. That's all I had.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Mr. Budd.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: If the other residences are on
commercial, then what's the functional advantage of rezoning this to
Page 17
October 4, 2001
residential? Why don't they just put the single-family home on the
existing zoning --
MR. BADAMTCHIAN: Our code does not allow residential on
commercial lots.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: It's that time-warp thing.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Mr. Wolfley.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: I did not have a chance to
research this. What is a setback for a single-family home?
MR. BADAMTCHIAN: Seven and a half on either side.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Okay.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Do we have any other questions of
staff?. Okay. Mr. Hoover, I believe, is here. Would the petitioner
wish to present?
MR. HOOVER: Good morning, Commissioners.
William Hoover representing the petitioners. We've taken this down
to the homeowners' association up there quite some time ago,
probably four or five months ago in the spring, and we got a vote of
-- I would estimate about around 21-1 in favor of this petition.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Do we have any questions of the
petitioner?
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: I have one. Bill, there's
some allusion in here to some previous use of this property. Was this
previously a parking lot for commercial next door or something like
that?
MR. HOOVER: No. We were bringing through -- the Planning
Commission approved unanimously a commercial building with the
variance on Lot 9 and then to the west for an off-site parking petition.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: That's not this lot.
MR. HOOVER: That's these two properties. But the board
recommended denial, so we got a continuance.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: I see. Now it's coming
Page 18
October 4, 2001
back.
MR. HOOVER: Basically, they said, "Go back and talk to the
homeowners' association." We did that. And so the plan was that my
client, who's a builder -- he was, actually, going to put up his own
office on Lot 9.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Right, right.
MR. HOOVER: But he gave up after the lengthy stuff, and he
just went out and bought another building. He said, 'Tll just go
ahead and build two single-family homes on here if that works for the
homeowners' association and if they like the idea. So we resubmitted
it as essentially a down-zone. So I think it's almost what they call a
no-brainer at this point.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Mr. Hoover --
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Mr. Richardson. We have a question.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: I'm familiar with the
previous actions and some of the confusion that came out in terms of
what the community wanted and what they didn't want. I appreciate
the fact that you came back with this, and I strongly support it.
MR. HOOVER: Okay. Thank you. It's been -- it's probably
why most of you -- I know half of you aren't familiar with it. It's
been a couple years or something now or a year and a half from the
time we submitted it.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Any further questions?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Do we have any registered public
speakers?
MS. MURRAY: No registered speakers.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Having no registered public speakers, I
close the public hearing. What's the pleasure of the board?
COMMISSIONER YOUNG: I move that we pass
RZ-2001-AR-1208.
Page 19
October 4, 2001
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Second.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: We have a motion by Mrs. Young and
a second by Mr. Wolfley that we approve this particular petition. Do
we have any discussion? (No response.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Hearing no discussion I'll call the
question. All those in favor say aye. (Unanimous response.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Those opposed same sign.
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Motion carries. Thank you.
The next item on the agenda is CU-2001-AR-1103, a
telecommunications tower. All those wishing to present testimony
today please stand and raise your right hand to be sworn in by the
court reporter.
(The oath was administered.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Good morning again.
MR. BADAMTCHIAN: Good morning. Chahram
Badamtchian from planning services staff. This is one of the four
towers that were approved by a Land Development Code amendment
in 1999. The first one for one of the four was approved by this board
a few months ago. This is Tower No. 2, and the next item is going to
be Tower No. 3.
Basically, the Florida Department of Transportation -- they are
trying to get towers along 1-75 so they can have their
communications and the sheriff's department can have their
communication equipment installed and also the Florida Highway
Patrol. These towers are also going to allow some private cellular
phone carriers to have the antenna on those towers.
Staff' reviewed this, and they are in full compliance with the
requirements of the Land Development Code and the Growth
Page 20
October 4, 2001
Management Plan. Staff recommends the approval of this today or a
recommendation for approval, and staff has not received any letters
or any phone calls in opposition.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Do we have any questions of staff?.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Just one. I notice this one
requires or is going to coincide with the removal of one that's close
by. Will that land that this other one is on revert back to the way it
was before the first tower was built?
MR. BADAMTCHIAN: No. First they have to build the tower
with the equipment, and then they dismantle the other tower.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Upon dismantle, though, they're
going to restore the property to natural vegetation? MR. BADAMTCHIAN: Yes.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: They had a conditional use
for the other tower?
MR. BADAMTCHIAN: They had a conditional use approved
maybe three or four months ago for Tower No. 1, and right about --.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: I'm talking about the tower
they're replacing.
MR. BADAMTCHIAN: That's an older tower. I don't believe
they have the conditional use. That's an older tower that needs to be
removed.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Even if they did, would
they not need another conditional use if you remove one and replace
it? That's my question.
MR. BADAMTCHIAN: This is a conditional use to allow a
new tower to be built so they can remove the old tower.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Okay. I think I got that.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Any other questions?
Mr. Wolfley.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: A 280-foot tower, is that what
Page 21
October 4, 2001
it is?
MR. BADAMTCHIAN: Yes.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: How far is it from the
highway?
MR. BADAMTCHIAN: It is real close to the highway. That
was one of the problems we were having when we amended the Land
Development Code. However FDOT rezoned the highway property,
and our county attorney's office opined that it would be okay if it was
approved by a Land Development Code amendment which -- we
went to an amendment. The Land Development Code was amended
in 1999 to exactly say where these towers can be built, and they are
built at the exact location.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: All right. Here is my problem
with this: Generally, when you have a 280-foot stick, you try to
allow for a 280-foot fall line. Let's say we have a little disturbance in
the Yucatan and it starts coming this way towards Southwest Florida,
and it develops into quite a large hurricane. For some reason or
another all the towers are all across 1-75. That's a problem for
evacuation.
MR. BADAMTCHIAN: I brought this up with FDOT. Their
answer to me was, "This tower is going to be built to a higher
standard, and they are not supposed to fall down." Anyway, that's
their road. They are responsible for it. They don't want to block it.
However, if that happened it's not going to happen before the
hurricane. It's not going to affect the evacuation. If it happens during
the hurricane, at that time cars should not be on that road. After the
hurricane, if that happens they can send a truck and move it to the
side. These towers also have what they call a weak point. They fold
on themselves. They don't fall down. That was the answer that
FDOT gave me.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Okay. Do we have any further
Page 22
October 4, 2001
questions of commissioners for staff?. Before we go any further, I
would like to point out to our commissioners -- and specifically the
new ones -- this is a conditional-use change, and buried within your
packet was the conditional findings of fact that we must have. So
please remove it from your packet and have it available. We'll need
to listen to all the testimony and then -- let's see -- a finding of fact,
the four criteria that I listed here, and as a reminder to staff, it would
be good if these were attached to the outside of the packets and that
they do change the word "chairman" to "member" because each
person does have to sign this.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: It's on the backside.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Oh, okay. The backside for members.
It's multi-purpose now. Okay. As long as you have these ready,
because once this is over, we must pass them down and provide them
to the secretary for the permanent record. Since we have no
questions of staff, I would like to hear from the petitioner.
MR. JOEL GUSTAFSON: Madam Chairman, members of the
planning board, my name is Joel Gustafson. I'm an attorney, and I
represent the applicant. This particular application and the following
application is your opportunity to vote again on this item and the
following item.
As you may recall back in, I believe, in May when it was here in
the year 2000. After going through all of the other stuff, because of
the fact it was a new ordinance and going through the other several
advisory committees or Environmental Advisory Committee, we
landed at your doorstep as part of that process. During that process
we went through, of course, the environmental issues, and that
ordinance, as you may recall, is site specific. So this particular tower
location and the one that's subsequent, the next item on your agenda,
Item E, were specifically noted and approved as such.
Then in the fall of 2000 you were going through the process of
Page 23
October 4, 2001
your twice-a-year modification. You came up with a new ordinance
and made these conditional uses. So we're back as a result of a
subsequent ordinance being passed after you already -- this board
approved it and the commission approved it.
But the question you asked as far as those issues as far as its
proximity to the highway, this particular tower, for example, is on the
rest area on the south side ofi-75. It's as far as you can get,
practically, from the structures and buildings in that particular
location. It also -- it's replacing a guide tower, which was on the
north side. This tower, actually, is a safer tower, and it's further from
the actual highway surface than the existing guide tower.
The staffs comment as far as the safety and the wind tolerance
representations -- we had a number of conversations with staff on
this, and it's correct. We beat the hurricane tolerances. But if by
chance there is a hurricane beyond, I guess, the perfect storm or
something like that, what would transpire from that -- they're
designed so that they collapse on themselves. They don't fall over as
such. It's the way they're designed. They meet those structural
guides. In fact, the last time we had our structural person with us
going through all of that. We brought him from St. Louis to go
through all of that.
Your ordinance requires that it be in the DOT right-of-way.
This particular-- in fact, if you remember, we're in a conservation
area. You appropriately zealously protected or were concerned about
us intruding on any more wetlands than there is. So to make this
happen it's required to be in the right-of-way. And, of course,
fortunately, in this particular case we have a service plaza at this
particular location, and yet we're replacing them on the other side of
the street.
So the question, I think, to ask is what are the consequences as
to the old tower. Is that going to be rehabbed back into wetlands? I
Page 24
October 4, 2001
honestly can't tell you what the FDOT plans to do there. Lodestar, in
conjunction with DOT, is building this tower, but I would assume
that you would -- I believe DOT would be a good steward on that and
they would do what would be appropriate for that particular area.
We've gone through the process, as you know, of-- the issue
here is -- or the particular program that the DOT is putting together
for their intelligent highway service system. At the current time, as
you're aware, you can't -- if you go to one of those call boxes on 1-75,
they aren't really telephones. Those trigger, I guess, a battery type of
effect that you can let somebody know where you are. It sets off that
type of a signal, but there is no phone line that runs east and west
across 1-75.
As a result of these towers, there will be a microwave system
installed by DOT which will allow them actually to have a dial
service for those emergency boxes, plus all the other aspects of that
program such as emergency vehicles coming, reader boards, to let
you know where the dangerous areas are or what conditions are as
they go along and, of course, the speed passes that you can use for
tolls. It will all be incorporated in this and the rest of the interstate
system that has tolls.
So that's basically the program. Of course, the advantage there
is if you have a cell phone and you happen to have a real problem--
at least a lot of people have problems on the Alley or a good portion
of them with getting any kind of good phone service regularly on it.
That's why we have a number of ready, willing, and anxious co-users
who want to put a dish on that.
Again, the reason for the height is it's a matter of distance. We
could have a shorter tower, but you would have more of them. So we
feel this is the best way to keep them out of harm's way and take
good care of them. Again, you'll see the next one probably 18 miles
from this one. I think that's the distance separation. I'll be happy to
Page 25
October 4, 2001
answer any questions.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Just to streamline things a
little bit, would you go ahead and just comment about the second
application and how different it is from the first one? Is it only
different in terms of location?
MR. JOEL GUSTAFSON: It's only different in terms of
location, correct.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: I'm not sure.
MR. JOEL GUSTAFSON: It's 240. I'm sorry, 240.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Excuse me. We take one petition at a
time.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: We only vote on one at a
time.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Okay.
MR. JOEL GUSTAFSON: As you know, it's the easternmost
location just over the Collier/Broward line. It's Collier County on the
north side, and this is one that really makes that connection.
Mr. Gustafson will be happy to show you where that system work.
Scott, do you want to walk out there?
MR. SCOTT GUSTAFSON: I'll show the board first. My name
is Scott Gustafson. I work for SpectraSite, which is also Lodestar.
To my right here, this would be Naples. Over here would be Fort
Lauderdale. This is the network of towers that -- some exist and
some are proposed. This is in Broward, and this is to be approved
and built.
MR. JOEL GUSTAFSON: Back up to it.
MR. SCOTT GUSTAFSON: The site that you are approving
today are -- is this tower here, which is the 240-foot tower. And then
this one which is a replacement tower from the tower that's on the
north side. This is the 280-foot tower.
What this is doing is this is building, basically, a network
Page 26
October 4, 2001
because, again, you mentioned there's no dial tone. But there is going
to be a microwave system of dishes on these towers that are going to
transmit the dial tone which is going to provide services for the cell
phones to work, as well as DOT is going to be using portions of the
dial tone.
In addition, this site here is going to provide dial tone to a tower
on Micosoukee that the DOT has for their services. So as you go
across -- this is another one that you approved earlier, too, for
conditional use. And there is where there's an existing guide tower
that is currently used by DOT and a lot of others.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Okay. As a courtesy to the audience,
would you turn that way and tell them which -- point to each picture
just so they can see it.
MR. SCOTT GUSTAFSON: Sure. Where I am would be the
Broward County side. Over there where you see the 1110, that is the
Naples side. The towers that we're looking to approve today is this
one here, which is our Lodestar Tower 6, which is just over the
Broward line in Collier County, and this tower here, which is a
replacement tower, Site No. 1107. This is for the 280-foot tower.
This is for the 250-foot tower, and there is a service area. There is an
existing tower just on the north side of it that this tower is replacing,
and this new tower is actually further away from 1-75 than the
existing tower.
Part of the purpose for this many is because we're trying to send
a microwave signal. For that signal to be usable, you have to have it
consistently. Also for the services that the DOT as well as PCS and
cellular providers are looking to do with their coverages. Basically,
it's about 13 to 15 miles in between each tower.
MR. JOEL GUSTAFSON: In Collier County.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: We have some questions from the
commissioners here for you. Mr. Abernathy.
Page 27
October 4, 2001
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Now, the more western of
the two towers you access -- or maintain that you have a deceleration
lane in connection with the rest area; right?
MR. JOEL GUSTAFSON: That's the most western one.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: That's what I said.
MR. JOEL GUSTAFSON: Yes. Right.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Now, the other, what sort
of access do you have to that?
MR. JOEL GUSTAFSON: We've gone over that with both your
staff and with DOT. It will be an improved service. It will be grass.
It will be an improved service based on the need. The thing they
don't want to do -- and you can appreciate this -- is they don't want to
build a pull off, paved, curb-cut driveway for the reason that it's
limited -- it's a very limited use. There will be people maybe once a
week at that site. If you put that pavement in, that kind of invites
travelers to pull up on it. So what they'll do is they'll build an
improved subsurface, grass it over, and the user or the service people
that come out to maintain that --
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: The shoulder.
MR. JOEL GUSTAFSON: Correct, the shoulder-- will just use
the shoulder.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: My other question is, each
of these packets has something about a Sun pass in them, and that's a
very nice program, but there aren't any toll booths anywhere near
these sites. What does that have to do with, this Sun pass?
MR. JOEL GUSTAFSON: Well, there is no toll booth. The
Sun pass is the overall system statewide. As to how applicable it is,
that's another thing. Again, remember, you do have a toll booth at
each end. The communications or the transmittals of communication
as to -- you know, as you come out of any town west of Fort
Lauderdale, you go through a toll booth, and as you leave here to go
Page 28
October 4, 2001
east, you go through a toll booth. As to the applicability -- COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: The communications are
readily available there.
MR. JOEL GUSTAFSON: Well, as to whether you have the
communication with the other side, I don't know. We have a
gentleman from FDOT which, I believe, would -- it may not be as
applicable on this particular road. That's part of the entire packet that
FDOT is putting together.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Okay.
MR. JOEL GUSTAFSON: For example, we have it up and
down 1-95, and there's no tolls at all. So the Sun passes won't be
applicable there at all.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: When it was in there, I
figured it was in there for some persuasive power. In this case it
doesn't persuade me of anything.
MR. JOEL GUSTAFSON: All right. That's fair.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Commissioner Strain.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I just have one question since we
brought up both of these towers. On your evaluation criteria, Item
No. 8, on the first tower you're mentioning that you do have a
microwave system for dial tone. I think you stated that earlier. On
the second one you don't -- you eliminated that language. I'm just
wondering, do you have microwave system for dial tone on both
towers like was stated or not?
MR. JOEL GUSTAFSON: Scott, do you want to answer that?
MR. SCOTT GUSTAFSON: Yes.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN:
the evaluation criteria?
MR. SCOTT GUSTAFSON:
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO:
the mike.
Okay. So it was just missed on
Yes.
Step forward and state your name into
Page 29
October 4, 2001
MR. SCOTT GUSTAFSON: Scott Gustafson. Yes, there will
be microwave dishes on both towers to provide the dial tone signals.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Do we have any other questions about
either one or both of these petitions? We could consider them
together, I guess.
MR. GUSTAFSON: Do you want to hear from DOT?
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Okay. DOT.
MR. RUWINSKY: My name is Rick Ruwinsky (phonetic).
Actually, I represent the state technology office.
THE COURT REPORTER: If you could speak up, please.
MR. RUWINSKY: Rick Ruwinsky with the state technology
office. Our interest in these towers is for the statewide law
enforcement communications network. We have -- we're developing
in Collier County Crystal River, Phase III, of the communication
network. We have Phase I and II operational from Key West to
Flagler County on the east coast.
This particular site is critical for us because it ties Phase I to
Phase III. We have -- we'll have both the transmitters and receivers
as well as microwaves on that tower. The microwave will link Phase
III back to Phase I. That ties the whole system together. Essentially
we'll have seamless communication for the law enforcement network
throughout the state when it's completed. It will include the Florida
Highway Patrol, FDLE, Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission,
the Department of Transportation compliance officers.
To answer your question earlier about the evacuation, it would
be our people that coordinate the evacuation, and without that tower
they don't have communications. So it's critical for the evacuation
route and the planning that goes into it.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Do we have any questions of
Mr. Ruwinsky?
Page 30
October 4, 2001
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Do we have any registered public
speakers?
MS. MURRAY: The only registered speakers I had were Scott
Gustafson and Joel Gustafson, and they've already spoken.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Okay. Hearing no further speakers
from either the public or the presenters, I'll close the public hearing.
What's the pleasure of the board?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I make a motion that we approve
-- can we do both at the same time?
MS. STUDENT: No.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN:
1103 as submitted.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Second.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: We have a motion by Mr. Strain and a
second by Mr. Budd that we approve the first conditional-use
petition. Do we have any discussion?
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Technically, we should be
recommending approval.
MS. STUDENT: That's correct.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Recommending approval. Each
commissioner must remember that they should find it, Item A,
consistent with the Land Development Code; B, ingress and egress to
the property and the various issues of pedestrian safety, convenience,
traffic flow, control, et cetera; C, the affects on the neighboring
properties; and D, compatibility with adjacent properties and other
properties in the district.
Do we have any questions or discussion?
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Call the question.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Okay. All those in favor say aye.
(Unanimous response.)
-- approve Petition CU-2001-AR-
Page 31
October 4, 2001
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Those opposed same sign.
(No response.).
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Motion carries. Please complete your
information and pass it down to the secretary.
The next item on our list is for CU-2001-AR-1105, the
communication tower. All those wishing to present testimony on this
particular item please stand, raise your right hand, and be sworn in by
the court reporter.
(The oath was administered.)
MR. BADAMTCHIAN: Commissioners, again, Chahram
Badamtchian representing CU-2001-AR-1105, which is another
tower for FDOT. This one is located almost at the county line. The
height is 240 feet. Staff recommends approval of this conditional
use.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Do we have any questions of staff?.
Any further questions? Would the petitioner wish to present again?
MR. JOEL GUSTAFSON: We'll be happy to answer any
questions.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: No questions of the petitioner. Do we
have any registered public speakers?
MS. MURRAY: Just Scott Gustafson and Joel Gustafson, but
they've indicated they don't wish to speak.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Okay. Hearing no further presentation
from the public or petitioner, I close the public hearing. What's the
pleasure of the board?
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: I recommend that we
forward recommending approval of Petition CU-2001-AR- 1105.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Second.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: I have a motion by Mr. Abernathy and
a second by Mr. Budd to approve this particular conditional use. All
those in favor say aye.
Page 32
October 4, 2001
(Unanimous response.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Those opposed same sign.
(No response.)
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Madam Chairman, may I
ask a question? It's just a technical issue. You were very specific in
going through the criteria on the prior one. Would you want to
amend your motion to incorporate that language as far as the criteria?
I know as part of our application we responded to it.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Right. I remind us all that it was a
conditional use so, as a reminder, each person must check the proper
finding.
All right. We are on Item F.
MS. MURRAY: May I just discuss something with you. Staff
informs me that they have the information for the boat-dock petition
if you wish to consider it now. I just wanted to bring that to your
attention.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: I think we placed it at the end of our
agenda, so unless there's some overriding reason.
MS. STUDENT: I think you have to untable it and go through
another motion to move it.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Thank you for that observation. We'll
move along to 8-F, which is PUDA-2001-AR-881. This is --
MR. BADAMTCHIAN: Madam Chairman, I have an
announcement to make. Marjorie Student, our assistant county
attorney, informed me that we haven't advertised this properly. We
called it a PUD amendment, and actually it's a rezone from PUD to
PUDA. Therefore, we have to continue it until it's advertised
properly.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Okay. So I don't open the public
hearing because I haven't had you sworn in yet. I want to be
procedurally correct.
Page 33
October 4, 2001
MS. STUDENT: Well, it should be advertised correctly for you
to consider it. I think while staff is not -- it may operate like a
withdrawal until the time -- not a withdrawal of the petition entirely,
but a withdrawal of the item before this commission so it can be
properly advertised and brought before you.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: So we won't continue it. It's being
withdrawn by--
MS. STUDENT: You're not going to be able to continue it
because if it's not advertised properly, then you don't have anything
to continue. It needs to be readvertised, and I think it will be
scheduled for the first one in November.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Pass it over.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Let the record reflect that we've
withdrawn Item F. Moving along --.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Excuse me. Just to clarify
it -- I didn't quite understand what was incorrect about it.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Let me just make one comment here. I
noticed when I was looking through the agenda -- I highlighted the
fact that our agenda says this is an addendum to the -- excuse me --
an amendment to the Salvation Army PUD. Our packet very clearly
states that it was a repeal and adoption of a new PUD.
MS. STUDENT: Let me explain. It was like that just in the
agenda item to be corrected on the record, and it wouldn't necessarily
be fatal as it appears on your agenda. But I asked Mr. Badamtchian
how it was advertised in the newspaper, because that is the issue.
And I understand from Mr. Badamtchian that it was advertised in the
same way that it appears in the agenda as an amendment. In fact, it is
a rezone from one PUD to another PUD and repeals the former PUD.
So for that reason it will need to be readvertised in the paper.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Thank you for that clarification.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Right.
Page 34
October 4, 2001
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Okay. See, I do read my packets very
carefully.
Item G, this is SV-2001-AR-1265, the Bridgestone/Firestone
sign variance. All those wishing to give testimony today please stand
and raise your right hand and be sworn in by the court reporter.
(The oath was administered.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Good morning.
MR. BADAMTCHIAN: Good morning, Chahram Badamtchian
from planning services staff. This is variance request for a sign for a
newly built Firestone store on Airport Road. The store is located
within the Bed, Bath & Beyond plaza on the comer of Airport and
Pine Ridge Road. Our code requires business to have 150 foot of
road frontage in order to qualify for a pole sign. This property
contains 145 foot of road frontage. Therefore, they do not qualify for
a pole or ground sign -- for a free-standing sign.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Did you say pole or ground
sign?
MR. BADAMTCHIAN: Our Land Development Code was
amended, and we just removed the language about pole and ground
signs. We are calling it free-standing signs. So it's just old habit to
call it a pole sign or ground sign.
MS. MURRAY: They're interchangeable.
MR. BADAMTCHIAN: They are interchangeable now.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: If you can't have one, you
can't have the other.
MR. BADAMTCHIAN: We are calling them free-standing
signs now. That's why they are requesting this variance to build a
free-standing sign. They had applied for a permit, and the sign
permit was issued for it, and we had to cancel the permit because on
the application they had mentioned having 150 foot of road frontage.
Later on during the site development plan process we noticed that the
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October 4, 2001
survey that they had given us showed 145 and not 150 as mentioned
on the application. Therefore, we cancelled the permit.
In the past several years, the board has consistently denied any
sign variances for properties with less than 150 foot of road frontage.
Last year one was denied on Airport Road, and the year before
another one was denied on U.S. 41. Staff recommended denial of
this request. There is no land-related hardship, and there's no reason
to approve a variance when they don't qualify for a sign. That
concludes my presentation.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Do we have any questions of staff?.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I have one.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Mr. Strain.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Did the applicant's building
permit -- was it submitted by a licensed sign contractor in Collier
County?
MR. BADAMTCHIAN: Yes, it was.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Thank you.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Well, Chahram, you say
that they shouldn't be given a variance to build a sign because they
don't qualify for one. That's the very essence of a variance, isn't it?
MR. BADAMTCHIAN: Yes, Commissioner. But you should
have some kind of land-related hardship.
with no reason.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY:
on that, I can agree with that.
circuitous reasoning.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO:
You cannot just ask for one
Okay. Well, if you base it
But saying they don't qualify is sort of
I want to make a semi disclosure. I
would rather err on the side of an abundance of caution here. I had a
couple messages from Mike Davis who wanted to provide some
information, but I was unable to actually speak to him personally,
although he did leave a message on my voice mail. So that's my
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October 4, 2001
disclosure for this particular item.
Do we have questions? Mr. Richardson.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Chahram, we just
readopted the sign ordinance last night. Does this ruling or the
recommendation you're making comport with that?
MR. BADAMTCHIAN: Yes. We didn't do any changes to that
ordinance. I believe when in 1999 or the year 2000 we adopted that
ordinance there were some problems with the disclosure or
something at the board meeting. That's why we are here adopting it,
so there wouldn't be any questions about the validity of it.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: So there's not a problem
with anything being grandfathered in here or anything like that.
MR. BADAMTCHIAN: No.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: This is brand new, and the
ordinance does apply.
MR. BADAMTCHIAN: Yes.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Any other questions of staff?.
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: I would like to hear from the
petitioner.
MR. PICKWORTH: Good morning. My name is Don
Pickworth representing Firestone, the leasee on this property. Let me
correct one thing that Chahram said. I had at least two conversations
with Mike Davis regarding that previous sign permit. It was a
lawfully issued permit. There was a suggestion that somehow they
snuck in and got a permit they shouldn't because they didn't have 150
feet.
Mike has explained to me -- and I'm sure there's others here who
know more of the details of this -- that it was based on an
interpretation of the issuance of these type of signs at the time that it
was issued. The sign wasn't built and, you know, things change. But
Page 37
October 4, 2001
that is the explanation I have had, that it's not a case of somebody
came in and got a permit, you know, that they shouldn't have gotten.
That's at least -- you know, if this continues on to the board, I will
have him there to -- if that statement is made again -- to take issue
with that.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Could I just ask a question
on that?
MR. PICKWORTH: Sure.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Then the previous sign
ordinance allowed free-standing signs on 145 feet?
MR. PICKWORTH: My understanding -- I don't want to put
words in Mr. Davis' mouth -- is that the -- I think it had to do with the
fact that there are a certain number of free-standing signs including, I
guess, these directory signs that are allowed. The center itself is
signed to a far less degree than what they lawfully can sign that
center. As a result of that, at least according to the explanation I got
from Mike, they were able to use their rights under that sign to get a
permit for this. As he explained it to me, they changed the
interpretation after Blockbuster. At least that's the explanation I got.
I'm not going to, you know, put words in his mouth but --
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: I wanted to make sure I understood
your statement. You said that the center that this particular business
is in is not signed to its ability to sign. Is that what you're saying?
MR. PICKWORTH: That's correct. I mean, Ridgeport Plaza
could create more parcels and create more signs. There's no question
about that.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: So this is creating difficulty, then, for
Bridgestone/Firestone?
MR. PICKWORTH: Well, our concern is this: You know, we
are the end parcel. As you know, we've got the Chevy dealer to the
north of us, we've got a bank, and then McDonald's immediately
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October 4, 2001
south of us on Pine Ridge Road, and then you've got the entrance into
the shopping center. The Chevy dealer, with the way the lot is, is
kind of, you know, raised in elevation there. It's a visual problem.
I mean, you've got a road that carries a lot of traffic. We're in
there. The bank next door has got a -- I don't know what they call it.
It's some kind of a free-standing sign out there. Monument sign? I'm
not sure what the current terminology is. And, obviously, the
McDonald's sign is an older sign and, you know, goes quite a bit
beyond what's authorized under the code today.
So, you know, we feel that, you know, a monument sign-- a
free-standing sign I guess the word is -- conforming to today's code,
which would be obviously a lot less expensive than, for instance, the
McDonald's sign, which is not going to be injurious to the
neighborhood and in any way, you know, create, quote, visual
pollution.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Mr. Strain.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: You made a statement earlier that
at the time this sign was designed, permitted, at some point the code
allowed it, and it since has changed; is that how this came about?
MR. PICKWORTH: As it was explained to me by Mr. Davis, at
the time the original permit was issued it was authorized. For
whatever reason they didn't build it, and clearly today they cannot get
that permit without a variance.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: That's a good question because we're
talking about 150-foot alleged frontage on the application, and the
way I read this, because our staff discovered it was 145, they had to
pull the permit. So we're talking about whether, A, you've got
something that was permitted before or, B, it was a mistake on the
permit. I'm not clear on that particular fact. Staff needs to clarify
that.
MR. PICKWORTH: You can clarify that. That is at variance
Page 39
October 4, 2001
with
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO:
MR. BADAMTCHIAN:
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO:
MR. BADAMTCHIAN:
the explanation Mr. Davis has given me.
It certainly sounds like it.
I wish I had the permit here.
I do too.
I didn't think that they were going to
argue that. The site plan submitted with the permit says "road
frontage 150 foot." On the application it says "road frontage 150."
The permit was issued based on that number. Then during the site
development plan -- you know, we do not ask them to provide the
survey with the sign because it's custom, but with the site
development plan we ask them to give us a survey. They gave us the
survey. The survey showed 145.
So I'm not saying they purposely told us it was 150. They might
have measured it and measured it wrong. But the thing is, we need
150-foot road frontage for a sign, and they have 145, and they told us
they had 150. That's one thing. This 150-foot road frontage has been
in our code since at least 1991. It has never changed. So this
discussion about that it was permitted at that time but it's not
permitted now, I do not understand it. We've had this code since
1991 requiring 150-foot road frontage.
Regarding that number of signs allotted for that shopping center,
we have some PUDs that -- basically they have language saying that
they can have so many free-standing signs. But this is not the PUDs.
This is straight zoning. We don't have any language saying how
many signs they're entitled to. So I'm a little bit puzzled with this
discussion about how many signs they're entitled to or what they
would have been allowed under the old code or under the old
interpretation. We never had any interpretation other than what the
code has, that 150 is the minimum required for a sign.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Okay. I have a question for our county
attorney. With reference to the issue of 145 feet and our Land
Page 40
October 4, 2001
Development Code specifying 150, if we grant this variance, are we
setting a precedent that we can have a number more come in? What
are we actually doing here?
MS. STUDENT: I don't think so, because it has to do with the
particular facts of each case, and every case involving land is
different. So it would have to be an identical situation. I don't think
there is that much -- there may be some, but not that much of setting
a precedent because each case is different. It stands on its own as it
relates to the criteria for granting a variance.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: For granting a variance as well as we
need to know exactly what the facts are so that we can make our
decision on what we perceive are the facts.
MS. STUDENT: The facts that are presented based on
competent, substantial evidence.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Mr. Budd.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Yes, Madam Chairman. I just
wanted to make a comment. References were made to an opinion
presented by Mr. Davis who I happen to know and respect very
much. But in the absence of Mr. Davis here today and what might
have been, could have been, might have, sort of, kind of, we thought
he said -- in my mind it's irrelevant as far as the shopping center
having other sign rights. There's nothing in our packet regarding that.
There's nothing regarding the permitting process, that the permit was
properly issued and pulled because of other reasons. I'm really
interested in testimony as far as what we have.
The sign ordinance, as I understand, is 150-foot frontage. This
doesn't have it. We just approved a sign ordinance last night where
the County Commission packed the chambers regarding the sign
ordinance. It's an important issue to this county. And all this other
testimony -- unless I see more information or firsthand testimony,
we're talking about something that's not -- that I can't consider. It's
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October 4, 2001
just loose secondhand information.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Thank you. That was part of my
difficulty. I want to base this on the facts. Do we have any further
question?
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Madam Chair, just a
general question. In terms of the sign ordinance that we have, there's
a process of getting rid of some of the older signs. There's a time
limit code enforcement has until they get downsized or brought into
conformance to the current code.
MS. MURRAY: Yes, you're correct.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: So the applicant is saying
that McDonald's, which has an outside sign, is restricted, and part of
the reason he's here is in order to get his sign. That issue will go
away because McDonald's, if it does not fit the ordinance, will have
to downsize to be in keeping with the current ordinance.
MS. MURRAY: If that is the case -- I'm not that familiar with
McDonald's sign other than to know they have a sign there. I'm not
sure if it's nonconforming or not. But if it is nonconforming, then in
accordance with the provisions of the code, yes, it will eventually
have to come down.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: So we should look at this
in terms of what will be in terms of the application of the entire code
as opposed to what's there now in terms of considering this variance.
MS. MURRAY: You really need to consider the variance on the
merits which were presented before you within the staff report and
the conditions of the property, not the conditions of the center itself.
It's really important to keep that in mind.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Do we have any further questions of
the commissioners?
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: I have one of Don.
Page 42
October 4, 2001
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Okay.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Can somebody testify here
today that $40,000 was spent on this sign?
MR. PICKWORTH: We have a representative of Firestone.
MR. ROBERTS: Larry Roberts with Firestone. I'm
representing Bo Gallegher. He was on the petition.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Okay.
MR. ROBERTS: I don't have the knowledge of that much
money being spent. The sign was manufactured and is down here,
actually, in the city. At the time we had the permit, we weren't able
to put the sign up at the time because there was no building on the
site as of yet. That was the main -- you know, if we had the building
up sooner, we would have been able to have the sign up.
I do want to make one statement. It is a hardship. I mean, we're
buried at the end of a shopping center. We have one sign on the
building, and everybody else has free-standing signs down the road,
and we do not. People are finding it hard to find our store.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: There is a sign in a
warehouse somewhere manufactured for this purpose?
MR. ROBERTS: Right. That was done back in '99 when the
permit was first issued.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Does that sign meet all of our current
-- the current code?
MR. ROBERTS: Yes.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: You hope.
MR. ROBERTS: I got the drawings on it.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Oh, you've got your drawings. Okay.
MR. ROBERTS: It's 13 x 8 foot high. As far as I know, that
meets the code.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Except that it's not
permitted on this site.
Page 43
October 4, 2001
MR. ROBERTS: It's not permitted -- again, that's why we're
asking for a variance for this hardship.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: You're stating your hardship is what?
MR. ROBERTS: One, that there's signs up and down the road.
Every business down the road has a sign. We're the only ones that
don't. Two, that we're on the end of a shopping center buried
between, you know, the car dealership next to us, which is about 5
feet higher than we are, and it limits the visibility coming down
Airport-Pulling Road.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: I'm trying to find something that
relates to the land. Maybe Mr. Pickworth would like to comment
because I'm not finding a land-related hardship. That's why I have
difficulty supporting the variance on the facts I'm presented. I was
wondering if you could elaborate at all.
MR. PICKWORTH: Well, the land-related hardship is it is the
last parcel to be built. He's at the end of the shopping center, as he
said. I mean, we have no -- it's not like there's a big piece of vacant
ground next door where the question would be, "Why don't you just
get some off of that and make it 150 foot of frontage?" It's just kind
of the last remaining parcel.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO:
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO:
speakers?
one.
Okay. Any further questions?
Do we have any other registered public
MS. MURRAY: No -- I'm sorry. Larry Roberts was the only
MR. ROBERTS: That's me.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: He was the only registered speaker.
Okay. Do we have any further questions from the board before I
close the public hearing?
(No response.)
Page 44
October 4, 2001
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Okay. I close the public hearing.
What is the pleasure of the board?
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Madam Chairman, I make a motion
that the Planning Commission forward petition SV-2001-AR-1265 to
the Board of Zoning Appeals with a recommendation for denial.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Second.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: We have a motion by Mr. Budd and a
second by Mr. Richardson to accept the staff recommendation for
denial of this petition. Discussion.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Well --
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Yes. Go right ahead.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: My fellow board members
seem to be willing to strip away any exculpatory comments that the
petitioner has made. If you strip both the exculpatory and the
inculpatory inferences away from this, the petitioner comes in, and
he's got a 145-foot lot, and he wants to put a sign on it that he could
put if he had a 150-foot lot.
Now, we grant variances much more where petitioners are
asking a whole lot more than that. If I have to find a hardship -- and
we have found hardships that we have pretty much created out of
ether in the past -- I could find one in the fact that he is locked in a
bunch of old signs and the fact that some amount of money has been
expended on a sign. The petition says that it was $40,000, and there's
no evidence to the contrary.
When I first read this thing, I thought the inference was that the
petitioner had lied the first time around, and if I thought that were the
case, I would probably deny it even though he is only asking for 5
feet or it only involved 5 feet. But having heard all of this, I'm not
convinced of that, so I would resolve it in his favor.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: I would like to state that my biggest
concern related to the 5-foot issue and whether or not the permit was
Page 45
October 4, 2001
granted erroneously or under false pretenses. I guess my second
issue was whether or not we were setting a precedent here.
As most of you-all on the board know -- and some of you are
new -- I am not a fan of variances, and I struggle each time they come
up. I try to relate to the facts. So I guess my effort at coming up with
a hardship is this possible last parcel and the fact that it is short 5 feet.
So I'm leaning towards voting against the denial, but we have a
petition -- excuse me -- a motion before us for denial. Is there any other further discussion?
COMMISSIONER BUDD: It's my last effort to preserve my
motion. I'm keeping in mind with the motion of denial that this is a
recommendation, and we're forwarding it for final action. If this was
a final action at this time, I would ask the petitioner if he wanted to
withdraw it and reconsider it because I really think their case hasn't
been proven. They're just not coming forward with the information.
So part of my motion is -- I think it will, in effect, be a wake-up call
that when they apepar before the Board of Zoning Appeals they need
to be better prepared with elevations, firsthand testimony by relevant
people, and get more information in their favor.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: I have to agree with that. Any further
comments? Mr. Richardson.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Upon my seconding, I
certainly agree with everything Mr. Budd has said. But just to refresh
the thought that I had before, while we're looking at the facts we have
now, we do know that we have a Land Development Code relating to
signs that has been readopted, that through the code work is going to
cost -- the signs that are there that are nonconforming that are
conflicting with his visibility to be repositioned in a way that I think
will remove part of the problem he currently testified to. So that's an
additional strength for support of Mr. Budd's motion.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Any further comments?
Page 46
October 4, 2001
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: I think Mr. Budd makes a
good point. If I vote no, it might be a signal to the county
commission that some of us at least thought it was a close question.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Okay. Hearing no further discussion, I
call the question and remind you that we are voting for denial of this
petition. All those -- when you say aye, you're voting for denial. All
those in favor say aye. (Chorus of ayes.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Those opposed?
(Chorus of ayes.)
THE COURT REPORTER: I'm going to need clarification of
the voting.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: There's a division of the house. Mr.
Strain.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Aye. I'm for denial.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Mr. Budd.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Yes, for denial.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Mr. Abernathy.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY:
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Rautio, no.
COMMISSIONER YOUNG: No.
No.
Mrs. Young.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Mr. Richardson.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Yes, for denial.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Mr. Wolfley.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: No.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Mr. Midney.
MR. MIDNEY: Yes, for denial.
MS. STUDENT: I think it's tied. It doesn't carry. It's 4 to 4.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: It's 4 to 4.
MS. STUDENT: It doesn't carry.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: I didn't mark it. I'm sorry.
Page 47
October 4, 2001
COMMISSIONER YOUNG: It is 4 to 4.
MS. STUDENT: The motion fails.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: The motion fails because it's a tie, so
we would like you to go forward.
MS. STUDENT: Well --
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Oh, wait a minute.
MS. STUDENT: What we usually have done is tried to --
because the motion for denial failed -- and I don't know if it's an
implicit improvement or implicit-- I don't know what it is, but if you
try to reframe -- we had this situation before, and we tried to reframe
it, you know, the other way to see what happens, and then --
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Then if it's a tie, then it
goes forward without approval.
MS. STUDENT: Yeah. But, I mean, it sounds like it could be
an implicit approval.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: I'll make a motion to
approve the petition.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Do we second the motion? I can
second it.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: I wonder how this vote is
going to come out.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: We might as well try it, folks. Okay.
We have a motion by Mr. Abernathy and a second by myself, which I
can do as chair. Is there any discussion? (No response.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Okay. I'll call the question. All those
in favor starting with Mr. -- excuse me.
All those in favor say aye.
(Chorus of ayes.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: One, two, three -- I'll call it a division
of the house. Those opposed?
Page 48
October 4, 2001
(Chores of ayes.)
THE COURT REPORTER: I'm going to need clarification.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Okay. Mr. Strain.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Opposed.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Mr. Budd.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: No.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Mr. Abemathy.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Aye.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Rautio, aye. Mrs. Young.
COMMISSIONER YOUNG: Aye.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Mr. Richardson.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Opposed.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Mr. Wolfley.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Aye.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Mr. Midney.
MR. MIDNEY: Opposed.
MS. STUDENT: The same.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Okay. The motion is denied, but it
goes forward.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Without approval.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: I would strongly recommend that
petitioner provide more documents and staff be better prepared
before you go before the Board of County Commissioners.
Okay. Do we need a break for the court reporter?
THE COURT REPORTER: We're almost done; right?
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: There's two more.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: All these people want to
talk about something.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: I just wanted to make sure if she
needed a five-minute break, the court reporter can have it.
Moving right along to our original last on the agenda. It's Item
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October 4, 2001
H, PDI-2001-AR-1220, an insubstantial change for Marco Shores
PUD. All those wishing to give testimony today on this particular
item please stand, raise your right hand, and be sworn in by the court
reporter.
The oath was administered.)
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I was --
THE COURT REPORTER: Excuse me. I'm going to need for
it to be quiet.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I was contacted by the agent for
the applicant, Mr. Varnadoe, and we discussed land planning issues
revolving around this application.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: We have a disclosure. Do we have any
other discussion?
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: I discussed it with
Mr. Varnadoe.
COMMISSIONER YOUNG: I have not.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: I have a disclosure that I spoke with
him. We never caught up with each other, just briefly, with no real
substance this morning, but I would like to err in the favor of caution.
Okay.
MR. REISCHL: Good morning, Commissioners. Fred Reischl
with planning services. This is a request for an insubstantial change
to the Marco Shores PUD. And for the audience and for the newer
members, the Land Development Code defines an insubstantial
change. There are ten conditions that this petition met, and it is
limited only to a change in the master plan, a map change. There is
no text change to the Marco Shores PUD.
You have in your packet -- I'm sorry, I don't have a visualizer
for the audience. The parcel is located south of U.S. 41 on Collier
Boulevard or County Road 951. It is south of the Marco Shores --
excuse me, south of the Fiddler's Creek project.
Page 50
October 4, 2001
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: You have to close the door so the court
reporter can hear. Thank you.
MR. REISCHL: It is within Collier County. The main road
through the project is Mainsail Drive which is a county road that
leads to the Marco Island airport which is also in Collier County.
Again, without the visualizer, what I've done is put it today on a
proposed map with copies for you.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Madam Chair, during the lull I want
to make a disclosure. I spoke with Mr. Varnadoe regarding this
petition.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Thank you.
MR. REISCHL: As you get that, the top picture is the way the
master plan exists today. The coloring is mine, not the petitioner's.
That's just -- I took black and white maps from the PUD. Then the
bottom is the proposed that, again, was colored by me and shows the
-- I'll give you the little key here. Yellow, obviously, is the roads.
Blue are the undeveloped residential parcels, and you'll see the
difference in the location and configuration between the two. The
green is the golf course, and red is the clubhouse location.
The reconfiguration will allow a common entrance to the
currently undeveloped parcel. As you can see today, the parcel in the
top picture -- in the top picture, the blue parcel to the west will have
its own driveway. Then the clubhouse has its own driveway. Then
the parcel to the east has its own driveway off Mainsail.
The picture on the bottom, they have a common driveway for all
of those parcels. They're all accessed before any of the traffic will
reach the existing residences which basically front along Mainsail
Drive.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Fred, what is the status of
that little bitty residential Parcel 2 up there in the northeast corner?
MR. REISCHL: That's slated to remain a portion of residential
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October 4, 2001
Parcel 2.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY:
MR. REISCHL: Yes.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY:
to that?
Undeveloped?
So there will be an entrance
MR. REISCHL: Yes. You're correct. I did receive
approximately six phone calls. I met with people face to face as
they've come into the office. I received letters which -- you got some
in your packet, and I put some -- I gave some to you today.
The concerns that were talked about were that the relocation would
alter the views from the existing condos. Again, questions on
construction, that construction traffic and a construction mess would
cause problems; that fewer than 10 percent of the residents are here,
and the hearing should not be heard until more of the residents come
to Naples. I heard a few complaints that people were not notified of
the meeting with the developer, which is not an official meeting as of
today. As you know, the public participation will become a part of it,
but as of today that's not a change in the code. They claim they were
not notified of the developer's meeting, not of this meeting. Also,
that the relocation would put the clubhouse in direct line of the view
of their back patios.
Now, again, this is still on the other side of the golf course;
however, if you look at the -- again, I wish I had a visualizer to point
this out -- but on the bottom picture where the clubhouse is being
relocated, it's across the golf course from a developed parcel. Now,
they are looking at a golf course today, and they'll be looking at a
golf course if this change is passed. This is the width of the golf
course that they're considering.
Because the size of the parcels is not affected, which is the main
-- one of the main criteria that makes it an insubstantial change -- it's
a reduction in traffic along Mainsail Drive. Staff does recommend
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October 4, 2001
approval. And, again, just to remind you that this is an insubstantial
change to the PUD. You are the final approval on this.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Do we have questions of staff?. Mr.
Richardson.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Are there any conservation
areas? I'm trying to decode your map.
MR. REISCHL: This is a portion of the Deltona settlement
agreement. This entire parcel is a developable parcel. If they wanted
to, they could develop the entire thing. There were tens of thousands
of acres, I believe, that were given to the state as part of the
settlement agreement. Those are the conservation areas now owned
by the state. This entire parcel is developable. There is no preserve
areas required or nothing like that. It's an unusual circumstance, but
that's how it got there.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: So this is a joint
mitigation situation that predates this being here?
MR. REISCHL: This PUD was the result of that settlement
agreement.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: When did this PUD first
come before the board?
MR. REISCHL: '84, I believe -- '81 -- 1981.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: So the fact that they
started construction and so forth have permitted them to have an
ongoing PUD, you know, the issues we've dealt with in terms of--
MR. REISCHL: For sunsetting?
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: -- sunsetting?
MR. REISCHL: That's right. This will not sunset.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: One of the-- when we had
this description at our first Land Development Code amendment
cycle last month, I was persuaded that the reason it's good to have
sunsetting and give them another cycle of three years is that that
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October 4, 2001
gives we and all the approval agencies an opportunity then to apply
the current code to the existing project, not what was originally
brought in place, which in this case would be back in 1980 or '84.
MS. STUDENT: It's been amended several times. I can't tell
you how many times, but probably five or six times since 1981.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: The PUD?
MS. STUDENT: Yeah, the PUD.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Which was probably from 1981.
MS. STUDENT: Yeah.
MR. REISCHL: And, again, it resulted from a settlement, an
out-of-court settlement, between several environmental intervenors as
they're called, Deltona Corporation, the State of Florida, and the
Army Corps of Engineers.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: I was here at that time. That's when I
first came to Florida. It was rather exciting.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: What we have here then is
a newly submitted PUD for us to consider which starts another three-
year window.
MR. REISCHL: No. This is only a change to the master plan.
The PUD is exactly the same in words. That's why you were just
given the old copy of it. The only change in this is the change in the
map.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Do you see that? That
doesn't strike me as insubstantial. You're moving these things
around.
MR. REISCHL: That's defined by code. That's how the code
defines it.
(Noise from audience.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Okay. Now, audience, please.
Mr. Richardson, are you through with your questions for the
moment? Mr. Strain has some.
Page 54
October 4, 2001
MR. REISCHL:
stories over parking.
comer.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Sure.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Mr. Strain.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I have a couple questions to start
out. The residential parcel that's being moved that's in the view of
the existing residential there, what's the height of the building that
will be allowed in that residential parcel? MR. REISCHL: The residential --.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I think it's labeled "two."
I believe it's -- I can look it up, but it's three
The high-rises are in Parcel 1, the southwest
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: My second question is, on your
coloration that you gave us, there's a -- on the top, the '94 -- I believe
it is -- PUD you show a utility site. The utility site is removed on the
new submittal. Is that utility site for residential?
MR. REISCHL: No, it's for water treatment.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Are you aware that there's a
clause in the new LDC that says if you move anything that is
nonresidential it cannot be considered insubstantial? And if so I
wonder how staff viewed that. I can cite the section if you would
like.
MR. REISCHL: I believe you. Utilities are used for residential.
That was --.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well, let me read the section.
(As read): "There is a proposed increase in the size of areas used for
nonresidential uses to include institutional, commercial, and
industrial land uses" --
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Slowly.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: -- "except preservation,
conservation, and open space, or a proposed relocation of
nonresidential land use."
Page 55
October 4, 2001
I understand you're moving Parcel 2, but if you move those
utility parcels, it would seem to me that you're moving a
nonresidential land use that would trigger substantial change to the
PUD, not an insubstantial.
MR. REISCHL: In my analysis the utilities are used for
residential. They would not be required if the residential was not
there. It's not a commercial -- it's commercial in the fact that the
utilities make money on doing this, but it's not open to the general
public or commercial in that sense.
being there.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN:
It's necessitated by the residential
The 81-6 PUD that originated
with this site did call that a utility site and included it in calculation
for its utilities sizing, and it labeled residential as well. Since they
separately labeled it in the PUD and it was approved that way, I just
-- Marjorie, you may have to help here in trying to help me
understand how the utility site can be defined as a residential site in
this case.
MS. STUDENT: Well, I'm going to sit here if I may because I
didn't want to drag this big book up there and collapse the podium.
This is what the section says. I'm going to have to defer to staff again
because we rely on staff-- and perhaps Miss Murray can shed some
light on it -- to do interpretations of this code as it relates to, you
know, strictly land-use matters as opposed to other legal matters like
constitutional law and things like that. And what it says, as he read,
and I'll read it again (as read): "There is a proposed increase in the
size of areas used for nonresidential uses to include institutional,
commercial, and industrial uses except preservation, conservation, or
open spaces, or a proposed relocation of nonresidential land uses."
The question then becomes how would staff interpret a separate
-- if that information is correct, a separate site that is a designated
utility on the master plan, and would that be considered a
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October 4, 2001
nonresidential use under this language or as contemplated by this, or
is there some kind of ancillary use to serve a residential facility? So I
need to defer to the current planning manager on this point.
MS. MURRAY: Unless the PUD says otherwise, we would
opine that that utility is there to serve the residential uses of the
property, and it would be considered an accessory use to the
residential uses.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Does that satisfy, Mr. Strain, your
questions?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I understand that. It just seems
-- I mean, residential and nonresidential I thought we were pretty
clear. You either live in it or you don't. You don't live in an
industrial site.
MS. MURRAY: It's an accessory use to the residential
structure. It wouldn't be there. It's not a commercial use. It's to
serve the residents of the area.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Madam Chair --
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Yes.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Could I just -- Susan, just
a matter of clarification. If this were viewed as a substantial change -
- it's my hypothetical -- would this have been submitted to a more
intensive review by other agencies or other staff or groups in the
county?
MS. MURRAY: If it was substantial, it would -- the final
decision would rest with the Board of County Commissioners, and
yes, it would be subject to a different set of reviews.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: The general problem I
have here is this seems to kind of fall in a little bit of gray area
between substantial and insubstantial. To a layman, which really I
am, I look at this and see a whole bunch of stuff going on. There's a
lot of things being moved around. It certainly seems very substantial
Page 57
October 4, 2001
to me. If that were the case, then I would, you know, have
appreciated more staff review from our experts to make sure that
what we're doing is really going to be supported.
MS. MURRAY: That petition -- the purpose of that petition and
the purpose of the criteria in the code is essentially to determine if it's
substantial or insubstantial. In our opinion, we are coming forward to
you saying the requested amendment is considered an insubstantial
change by the criteria we evaluated in the code. If you do not share
that opinion, you do have the final say in this, and you're welcome to
vote that way, and I would suggest -- I'm sure Marjorie would agree
-- that you state very clearly for the record why you disagree with it.
MS. STUDENT: I'd like to state one other item for the record.
If you look at how the insubstantial changes are to be reviewed, there
are criteria for the -- the only difference between an insubstantial and
substantial change is how many levels of review it goes through. But
you still are bound by the criteria for rezoning that are in the code
when you look at this substantial change. It's not like there's no
criteria there. It's just that it doesn't go to the Board of County
Commissioners after it goes to you, and the Planning Commission
has the final order authority on that. But you still have criteria which
is the same for an original application to utilize in making your
determination on whether or not to approve the petition.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: But what I think is
missing -- I agree with what you said, Marjorie, but what I think is
missing is the expertise of the rest of the ordinance -- of the county
organization to really take a look at this. I just think we're being
denied that opportunity, and my feeling is that -- and we'll hear from
the applicant. My feeling is that they're really doing some major
changes.
MR. REISCHL: IfI could interject or answer that. This was
reviewed by environmental and by transportation. It went to other
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October 4, 2001
review agencies that would see if this was a PUD amendment.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: However, we don't have
those criteria and responses and so forth that we normally see or that
analysis.
MR. REISCHL: I don't normally include review comments in
my staff report. I incorporate them in or write them in, but I don't
give you the responses that the reviewers wrote.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Okay. Since everybody grabbed their
code books, it would appear that Mr. Budd is reading quickly from
the code book and has a comment or two to make.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: The only comment I want to make
was in regard to the issue of substantial and insubstantial. I think
we're going to hear a lot more on that, and that's going to be a key
point on this thing. For our own purposes as planning commissioners
and for the public's input, I think it's important to realize that
substantial and insubstantial is not a matter of opinion, whether it's
major or minor, big or small, a lot or a little. That's not what
substantial and insubstantial is. There's very specific language in the
code, 11 specific criteria under the zoning section on what is
technically substantial or insubstantial. Mr. Strain brought up one
issue that, if his assertion was found to be true, would clearly make
this a substantial change. But in our correspondence that we got from
the public -- and I expect some of the testimony we're going to hear
is going to address that issue of substantial and insubstantial.
The only relevant criteria in making that determination is in an
opinion relevant to this code. Again, from the correspondence, and I
expect from a general inclination, there's going to be a strong
assertion that it is substantial. As one commissioner ifs only going to
matter to me if it's relevant to the criteria in our code.
MS. STUDENT: Okay. I just want to state for the record that,
really, the only difference here is the number of bodies it goes
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October 4, 2001
through. Everything else is the same. If it went to the board, I guess
under the code it would be treated like a new application if it were a
substantial change. But the review criteria are the same. They are
found on page 2:233 for rezonings generally which we apply to
PUDs and 2:24 ! which are the criteria for the PUDs. Those are the
criteria to guide you in making your determination as to whether or
not to approve this petition.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Are those enumerated here?
MS. STUDENT: That's if you find it's insubstantial.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: We don't have those right at our
fingertips.
MS. STUDENT: I'll be happy -- if you bear with me, I can read
them into the record. I have them here.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Is it a possibility --
MS. STUDENT: Or somebody could make some copies.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Okay. I think that making copies
would be easier to have in front of us, specifically, and we obviously
have a number of people that stood who were sworn in, and we have
a presentation by the petitioner. So during that we could listen to
what's being said to us and have copies made. Does that feel good to
the rest of the commissioners?
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Yes.
COMMISSIONER YOUNG: Yes.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Okay. Because we can proceed on
without taking too much time.
THE COURT REPORTER:
very shortly.
I'm going to need to change paper
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Okay. Well, why don't we take a
break on behalf of the court reporter so she can change her paper.
We will take about a seven-minute break. We'll take a recess. Thank
you.
Page 60
October 4, 2001
(A short break was held.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Everybody in their places and
positions, please. We are ready to reconvene. I believe staff has
finished its presentation, and we now have the petitioner who would
like to speak.
Mr. Vamadoe.
MR. VARNADOE: Thank you, Madam Chair. For the record,
George Vamadoe of the law firm of Young, vanAssenderp, Vamadoe
& Anderson for the petitioner, WCI Communities, Inc. WCI is the
contract purchaser of the undeveloped resident tracts in the Marco
Shores golf course community, which I'll call Marco Shores
hereafter, and the golf course.
Also here today to answer questions or address the Planning
Commission we have Margaret Perry, a planner with WilsonMiller;
Dan Johnson, an engineer with WilsonMiller, who were the engineers
and planners of the project; A1 Moscato, a division president of WCI;
Wanda Cross, who's the vice president and project manager on behalf
of the project; and Pat Bradshaw of Bradshaw & Gill landscape
architect firm doing the landscape design of this project.
Mr. Richardson led me into my next issue. It was kind of maybe
a brief history of this project that does have some history. Mr.
Midney, I'll move so you can see me. It's going to be kind of difficult
here today. I've got a lot of exhibits, and I've got my own Vanna
White, Margaret Perry, who's going to have to move around a little
bit so the audience and the Planning Commission can see them, so
just bear with me. It will take a little longer, but I want everybody to
understand the presentation so that if you do have questions at least
we're all dealing with the same subject.
The history of the project, I think, is important. This project
dates back to -- the original PUD was done in 1981. We've got an
aerial somewhere, Margaret. Hold it back here, Margaret. Turn it to
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October 4, 2001
the side so we can all see it. I need to be able to see it a little bit
better.
You can see what's -- north is to the top, State Road 951 is on
the left. The airport is on the far right. What you see cleared on that
was cleared in the early '80s and then dredged and filled and the golf
course built by Deltona. When Deltona had its problems with
permits in the late '70s or early '80s, the State of Florida and the
federal government ended up with a settlement agreement, so-called,
being entered into by Collier County, the State of Florida, Deltona,
and environmental intervenors whereby Deltona deeded some 15,000
acres to the state. In return for that they got some development rights
on various properties around the area. This is one of them. This is
specifically vested in that settlement agreement as far as
environmental and as to density and intensity. The other areas, of
course, include the other parts of Marco Shores Fiddler's Creek and
some land on Isle of Capri, etc. This is about a 321-acre site.
After that time, development took place with several developers.
Margaret, turn that around here. These people in the audience will
know where these are, but the board won't. This is Tropic Schooner
in this area here and here. This is the Mainsail condominiums which
is a series, I think, under-- they're all called Mainsail, I think, 1
through 4 maybe. You have Fairways Villas I and Fairways
Villas II. There's the golf course in this area coming down and going
over here and back around. There's some undeveloped tract here at
this location in here and over here. This is the maintenance facility.
There's also some utility sites -- Florida Water Service has both a
water treatment and a sewage treatment facility on the project.
In 1994 -- the PUD was amended, I think, at least twice. In
1985 it was amended, and it may have been amended subsequent to
that. In 1994 there was a substantial amendment to the PUD. The
'94 PUD amendment did not change any of the criteria or regulations
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October 4, 2001
with regard to the developed parcel. Obviously, they did not try to
change the application of any standards to the existing condominium
development. It did update the PUD as to the undeveloped tracts.
That PUD document also had several major changes. There was
a four-acre commercial tract which was deleted. Density was
reduced by 400 units or about 20 percent. It allowed for high-rise
parcels in Tract 1, which is the tract down in this area here. It
increased open space by about 15 acres, and it changed the routing of
the golf course or golf tract.
No development has taken place on those undeveloped tracts of
the golf course since 1994, so the aerial fairly reflects what's on the
ground today with regard to those parcels. The golf course is still in
the pre-'94 plan as shown on the reported plat. The development
tracts as they appear on the pre-'94 tracts are, as I said, still -- you can
see still see them clearly. You can still see the development tract in
this location.
As Mr. Reischl explained, the purpose of this amendment is a
master plan change, and even though Mr. Reischl went through it,
before I go through what the changes are, I think I'll explain what
they aren't. There is no change to the PUD text, so there's no change
to the number of units allowed. There is no change to the allowed
uses. There is no change in the heights of the buildings, no change to
the setbacks. We weren't changing the basic criteria. We're simply
making a map change. It reflects a relocation and reconfiguration of
the residential parcels and the golf course tract. Basically, we're
going back to the basic location where these tracts were prior to the
'94 amendment.
Margaret, why don't you hold up our proposed -- this is kind of a
large rendition of what Fred Reischl passed out. As I said, the
relocation basically reflects what's on the recorded plat now and
what's in the pre '94. Parcel 1, which is this parcel down in this
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October 4, 2001
location here, is the parcel that allowed high-rise tracts to have some
very significant setbacks. All buildings have to be set back 500 feet
from Mainsail Drive and 500 feet from the nearest existing residential
unit.
Parcel 2, which is the low-rise parcel, which is -- we called all of
this Parcel 2 just to delineate what we're talking about as far as
development standards. As you see it became linear in shape with
the golf course on both sides of the two main parcels, this one and
this one. It also allowed us to move the vast majority of the low-rise
units away from the airport. If you remember, there was a big
development parcel in this area right here. With the airport here, it
allows us to move them over in this area away from the airport,
which we think would reduce the number of complaints and potential
conflicts with the airport.
The golf course tract, which I'm sure you're going to hear about,
is right now on Mainsail Drive in between one of the Fairways
condominiums and Tropic Schooner right in this location. We're
moving it over here internal to the golf course and away from
Mainsail Drive. These changes allow it to have a common entrance,
one entrance, to the undeveloped parcels or the main parcels. We
still have this little small five-acre tract -- three-acre tract up here. It
also allows us to move the maintenance facilities, which is located
here, over to its location here away from residential.
The original PUD application did not contain the movement of
that maintenance facility. It was moved -- we got with staff and
changed the application on a later date in response to concerns from
residents. If that's going to cause this to become a substantial change,
then we won't move it, but I'm telling you it's being moved for
everybody's benefit, and I hope and trust that the residents would say
they want that thing moved.
It's not very -- where's that aerial that's kind of oblique? Again,
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October 4, 2001
forgive me for taking this much time, but I am trying to -- there is an
oblique aerial of the site. Margaret, let me look at the date on this. It
was taken in '96, so it reflects probably all the units on it with the
exception of a couple of buildings in Fairways II.
You can see in this location that some of those are still -- this is
the so-called maintenance facility. It's got a water tank. It's part of
the water management system for irrigation. It's got machinery and
the usual stuff you find. It's right on the main road. Perhaps -- I want
to use a conceptual master plan, but I think I can demonstrate some of
these changes and discuss some of the issues better fi'om this.
This is conceptual in nature, but all the proposed development
on here does reflect what would be within the project boundaries of
the new development tracts we're talking about. I think you can see
all the layouts we're talking about. We end up on the eastern side,
instead of having development in this area, with nothing but golf
courses. You can see the common entrance here.
I think that there are some benefit to the existing residents from
these changes, and I'm sure we're going to have some questions that
we can hopefully respond to. First, the project entry for the main part
of the undeveloped units moves to the west over here. I think that
has some benefits, first, with that construction traffic for the low-rise
development.
Previously, the entry was in this area. That construction traffic
will no longer be passing along Mainsail Drive in front of all the
existing residential units. That construction entrance is now going to
be in this location here, so as the trucks come -- this is only one
entrance for this project mainly or only because it's surrounded by
state land. We talked about all that land surrounding it as part of the
15,000 acres of Deltona. This property has got a surveyed line
around the edge of the property, and you can kind of see it on here.
On the inside you're allowed development. On the outside it
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October 4, 2001
belongs to the state, and it's part of conservation lands administered
by Rookery Bay, and you can't touch it. So we're limited to one
entrance into the project. But I do think it's a substantial benefit that
the construction traffic for the low-rise parcel and also the
construction traffic for the golf clubhouse, which is going to be
updated and a new clubhouse -- rather than construction traffic
coming in front of the Fairways I and Mainsail and being adjacent to
Fairways II, that will be moved and come down to this location for
the relocated golf clubhouse.
Second, the relocation also ensures that in the future traffic -- all
site traffic going to the golf club or going to those residential units in
the low-rise will not pass in front of the existing condominiums on
Mainsail Drive. And as a long-time resident of Collier County who
happens to live on Crayton Road, I can tell you I would applaud any
change that would reduce the traffic in front of my neighborhood.
We have an increase in open space of about 8 1/2 acres mainly
because of the changes in the development scenario that are
proposed. I think upgrading the clubhouse facility, providing new
and upscale residential units is going to raise the property values for
everybody in this project. Obviously we're going to be redoing the
golf course to something in keeping with what WCI has on its other
golf courses in Collier County, which are, of course, very nice.
Finally, WCI met with representatives of various condominium
entities on site. I know that some people feel they were excluded
from that. Please accept my apologies. It certainly wasn't the
intention to exclude anybody from that meeting. We've received
written questions from some -- one of the condominiums, Tropic
Schooner, and we have responded in writing to that, and I would like
to make that part of the record, please. I have copies if any of the
Planning Commission members would like to see those. I know that
we don't take time to read this stuff as we go along, but that's for the
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October 4, 2001
record.
They had questions -- I'm not trying to say that I know all their
questions, but they had questions about buffering the existing
residential from the entry road and the new development. Margaret,
hold that up. As I understand it from talking to residents, we're
talking about this road here and how we are going to buffer ourselves
from Tropic Schooner, Fairways II, and Fairways I and what
they'll be seeing as they look out the back of their units. Although
there is a significant separation between any of our development and
their development -- I think the closest development is about 350 feet
building to building. That is in excess of a football field.
WCI has committed to adding a landscape buffer. If you-all
excuse me, I'm going to step over here where the audience can see
that. Mr. Strain, can I borrow your microphone?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Sure.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: It doesn't work.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: It only works for the camera. It
doesn't work for the audience.
MR. VARNADOE: I think everybody's going to be able to hear
me. I've got a big mouth, and I've been accused of that several times.
WCI has committed to a landscape buffer along the east side of
this entry road and along the north side of this road. Boy, is my hand
steady or what? Damn, George, you're getting old.
The idea of putting the buffer there was that we would not be
blocking existing views of the golf course from Fairways I, Fairways
II, or Tropic Schooner. We would be blocking views of the entry
road and partially blocking views of the residential units that would
be across the road from those units.
At the top of this, you can kind of see a so-called cross-section.
This is a depiction of an existing Fairway I, Fairway II unit that's two
story. You can see that we're going to be redoing the golf course.
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October 4, 2001
The golf course is actually going to be bringing in a lot of dirt to get
some mounding and rolling effects on the golf course, and then the
road will actually be -- the entry road here will actually be below the
golf course in this area. Mr. Taft can talk about it later if he needs to.
You will not actually see that road from their condominium units.
The idea is to kind of mimic the views they have now, that is,
golf course and then vegetation, which is what they look at today.
There have also been some questions about the proximity of the golf
course clubhouse, which is in this location, to the units and does that
cause any problems, and what's going to be seen there.
It's 400 feet from the nearest Fairway -- I think this is the
Fairways I unit here -- to the edge of the golf course tract. And that
building on that -- although the building hasn't been designed, the
building, as WCI always does, has a circular entry in the front, and
the building is towards the rear of the tract. So we think that the
nearest unit to that golf clubhouse is going to be at least two football
fields, 600 feet. So it's a substantial distance with not only the
landscape on the golf course, but also the landscape buffer I talked
about along here.
What we're proposing is a Type B buffer, but one that allows for
the clustering of trees and shrubs with vistas and filtered views of the
golf course for the units that are going to be located in this area. A
typical Type B buffer, for those who aren't used to county standards,
has 1 tree every 25 feet, and it tells you how tall the trees have to be
when you put them in, and then shrubs underneath that. It ends up
with a very military looking buffer. We want the flexibility to cluster
those trees and shrubs so it provides a more natural look or
meandering look as opposed to a straight-line boulevard type of look.
We tried to provide continuous views of the golf course to the
existing condominiums, but also provide screening of the entry roads
in our future development.
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October 4, 2001
I don't think I want to go a lot further. I want to have time to, of
course, respond to questions and issues that are raised by the
audience. Margaret Perry is here to address any questions there may
be on whether the amendments meet the development code
requirements you were asked to look at, and we can certainly hear her
if we need to.
There's one item -- two items that I want to address. Although
they don't specifically have to do with the PUD amendment, I ask
your indulgence while I put this on the record. We've had meetings
with Tropic Schooner and their representatives. That's the large
condominium development on this location. They have expressed
concerns about what's going to happen with the drainage association
because when we met with representatives, WCI said, "We're going
to put this drainage association back in place and implement what's
required."
The deed restrictions for this project require a drainage
association -- and they're the deed restrictions that go to all the
property that everybody owns in there are subject to, including us.
The drainage association was put in place to manage the overall
water management system for the project. The South Florida Water
Management District permit requires the same thing. As Mr.
Richardson noted, 1981 is a long time ago. This has never been fully
implemented. The method of assessment is convoluted and probably
antiquated.
They had asked us to commit that we would not try to come up
with a system that would overly burden the existing condominiums in
there, that they would not be required to pay more than the share they
would have under the original plan in the event we are going to have
more lakes or bigger lakes or different lakes than originally
contemplated, and we're certainly happy to make that commitment.
We've also committed to work with them to revise the method of
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October 4, 2001
assessment to a more simplified method and probably would suggest
strictly an acreage assessment which would put more of the burden
on the golf course and less of the burden on the residential units. The
one that's there now -- I won't try to go into it -- puts more of the
burden on the residential and less on the golf course. Because there
are deed restrictions, it's going to take the cooperation and agreement
of the majority of the unit owners that are there to come up with a
better plan, and we commit on behalf of WCI to work with
everybody to come up with a plan that's fair and doesn't overly
burden the existing unit owners beyond what they are subject to
today.
The second thing is that Tropic Schooner has two buildings that
don't show on that plan, but they're in this general location right in
the comer down here very, very close to the property line. One is,
I think, a rec building, and the other one is a little maintenance
building. They were concerned that we might have a lake or
development very close to them. For the record, we commit to
provide enough buffer so that we don't -- they don't step out of the
door of their rec building and fall into a lake or whatever we'll be
setting back from that property line.
So with that if you have any questions, I'll be happy to respond
to them; otherwise, I think we ought to hear from the public. Please
leave us an opportunity to respond to the issues or questions they
might have.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: We have a couple of questions. One
question I have -- just want to clarify is, you said there is a drainage
association that's going to be reactivated? MR. VARNADOE: Yes.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: And the purpose of that?
MR. VARNADOE: The purpose of the drainage association
was to maintain the drainage facility for the entire project so that
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October 4, 2001
there's one system of drainage for the entire project.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: You need to maintain them, and you're
not worried about increased stormwater at all --
MR. VARNADOE: No.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO:
MR. VARNADOE: No.
-- or the retention?
We'll be building another lake to
provide the stormwater for what we're going to be building. Once
that's in place, the requirement under the deed restrictions that exists
is for one association to maintain the entire system, and the residents
were rightly concerned that more of the burden didn't fall on them as
a result of what we're doing, and that won't happen.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: You're going to spread out the sharing
of the drainage?
MR. VARNADOE: Yes.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Thank you. Mr. Wolfley.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Mine was a matter of, I think,
density. It looked like -- my eyes are not that good, but it appears
that the PUD is planning 1,580 units? MR. VARNADOE: Yes.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: How many exist between
Tropic Schooner and Mainsail now?
MR. VARNADOE: I think there's over 500 units built. I think
it leaves right at a thousand units for the undeveloped tracts.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: How many units does WCI
intend to construct?
MR. VARNADOE: That hasn't been totally determined, but it
certainly can't be any more than that.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: It doesn't look like it could be.
Are those quads or duplexes or what?
MR. VARNADOE: Right now-- and they're still in design, but
those are designed as four-plexes at the present time. What you're
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October 4, 2001
going to end up with is five high-rises here. You'll probably end up
with six to seven hundred units in this location here.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Did WCI acquire the golf
course?
MR. VARNADOE: Yes.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: And you're going to be
reconfiguring that?
MR. VARNADOE: Yes.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Mr. Abemathy.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Mr. Varnadoe, did I under
-- let me start over.
MR. VARNADOE: Don't trick me now.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: If we find that this is an
insubstantial change and
administrative finality to
MR. VARNADOE:
to the Board of County Commissioners.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY:
MR. VARNADOE: Absolutely.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY:
approve it, that gives a certain
it. That's it. Am I right?
Subject to any aggrieved party appealing it
They can appeal?
All right. Then did I
further understand you to say that if we were to think that this is a
substantial change because of that utility facility, the moving of it,
that you would be willing to leave it where it is?
MR. VARNADOE: Yes, sir, but I don't want to leave my
answer like that. I don't think that's in the best interest of the
community, and I'm not talking about WCI. If that's the outcome of
this hearing, then I would ask-- and I haven't talked to the client-- I
would ask WCI to come back and do another PUD amendment to
move that. I think it's in everybody's benefit to get that down to the
east end of the property and away from Mainsail Road.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Okay.
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October 4, 2001
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Mr. Richardson.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Mr. Varnadoe, you've
indicated several statements that had the word "commitment" in it.
You committed to someone that there will be a modified Type B
buffer in one area. You talked about a commitment to change the
assessment charges so that it's more equitable. I'm just going to ask
staff-- if I'm interpreting that correctly -- if these commitments then
would become part of the committment section of the PUD.
MR. VARNADOE: Let me -- I'm not trying to --
let me respond, and then I'll let them respond from there. As to the
buffer, we put a notation in that regard on the PUD master plan that,
obviously, becomes the approved master plan. That is part of the
PUD at that point in time.
I'll let staff respond as to the legal effect of the commitments
that we're making with regard to the drainage association. This is not
mentioned in the PUD. It's not part of the PUD. It is one of the big
issues for residents down there, and I think that they wanted to hear
on the record WCI's position with regard to that drainage association,
and I told them I would make those statements, Mr. Richardson.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Where I'm headed is we've
just gone through a big deal about public participation, as you know.
In the new ordinance that we've passed on up to BCC, we've had
quite a more extensive procedure for the public to be involved at
early stages and throughout the process. Part of what we identified
that needed to be tweaked in that was that there was a commitment
section that when the developer or applicant has these meetings,
which are manadated now under the new ordinance, that the
commitments, in fact, would have to be written down and brought
forward as part of the process to the approving bodies.
I'll come a little bit in the middle here. I'm hearing
commitments, but I'm not sure it's going to get appropriately reflected
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October 4, 2001
in the PUD, and if it is in the PUD, then it really moves it more to a
substantial change. Because it says you're not going to have any
changes to the PUD language, yet I would like to have some way for
these commitments to have a better remembered and a better
enforcement vehicle. I think the PUD amendment would be the best
way to do that. So that's my concern.
MR. VARNADOE: I understand that, and I don't want to get
into -- I'm not trying to get into a debate with you, but I certainly
understand your point. There is nothing in the PUD today about the
drainage association. So any amendment with regard to that doesn't
appear appropriate.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: I just used that as an
example of something you said.
MR. VARNADOE: I understand.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: There may be other
commitments that you've made to people in this room or to people
out there that's not part of the record.
MR. VARNADOE: Some of those commitments are always
going to be external to the zoning process and the PUD process in
this instance. With regard to the buffer that you were talking about, I
was merely showing you that it does become part of the record and is
reflected on the master plan. It will become part of the PUD
amendment.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: I don't want to argue about
this. My point is, you say that some of the commitments made in the
future will not be part of the record. I contend that if you follow the
new ordinance they will be part of the record.
MR. VARNADOE: I guess you and I disagree on that, sir.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: I'm not sure the word was
"commitment," Mr. Richardson, as much as it was contacts to the
information that was discussed. So we'll keep that one for future
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October 4, 2001
discussions, but I certainly do sympathize with what you're saying
given past experiences you've had. Mr. Strain had some questions.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I've got two questions. The first
one is, Mr. Varnadoe, in '94 you did a plan amendment, a PUD
amendment at the time. Contrary to the differences here, you've
received letters of objection on this particular plan amendment, but in
'94 on public record it was stated there were no objections. You did a
great job in '94, and I'm just wondering why there's a difference
between the actions in '94 and the actions now on the objections
you're seeing now.
MR. VARNADOE: I think, Mr. Strain, you're going to have to
listen to those objections and see what they are. I'll tell you that to
the best of my ability, as you know from working with me, I try to
work out with the residents their objections. In fact, we met with
some of them this morning and tried to answer questions and
concerns. I think we're better to hear the objections and questions
and then try to deal with them here as we always do.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: The other question I have is, the
approved PUD, which is the '94 version, Section 503(A)5 has a
couple of sentences that I would like to read, and then maybe you can
explain to me how this plan addresses those.
MR. VARNADOE: I would be glad to.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: (As read): "Tracts TU and E1 as
depicted on the PUD master plan on Marco Shores Unit 1 plat are not
owned by the petitioner and are developed or under development.
These tracts are currently contiguous to the golf course. Petitioner
agrees that in any reconfiguration of a golf course these tracts will
continue to have an equal or greater amount of contiguity with the
golf course tract as described in the record plat of Marco Shores
Unit 1."
MR. VARNADOE: Yes, sir.
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October 4, 2001
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Could you explain how the
movement now is to help fix that?
MR. VARNADOE: Absolutely. Tracts TU and E1 are
Fairways I, Fairways II, and Tropic Schooner. At the time we did the
amendment in '94, we did not have a golf course alignment, if you
would. We simply defined it as a golf course tract. Those people
were contiguous to the golf course, that is, as my Funk & Wagnell
describes it -- they border on or were abutting the golf course. And
what we've done is make sure they continue to abut or border upon
the golf course as you can -- let's do our master plan -- I'm sorry, the
conceptual plan. Sorry.
As you can see, this is Tract-- I think it's Tract T. I don't know
whether it's T or U, but I think this is Tract T, Fairways I. They
continue to abut the golf course. U continues to abut the golf course.
Tract E-1 continues to abut the golf course here, here, and over here.
So we've been very cognizant of that. I was the author of that
language, and there was some concern about -- that they were going
to not have golf course views, and we wanted to make sure that they
did.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: And your definition of contiguity,
then, is linear, not depth.
MR. VARNADOE: Absolutely. That's exactly what the
dictionary describes it as.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: How narrow do you think that
could be before it wouldn't be plotted?
MR. VARNADOE: Well, you're doing a golf course. What's the
normal width of a golf course?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well, you could have a cart path
at 11 feet and still be part of the golf course.
MR. VARNADOE: I don't think that's -- we certainly haven't
done that.
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October 4, 2001
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I know you haven't. I was just
asking about your definition.
MR. VARNADOE: No. I think it's a practical man's definition,
and that is, if you border on a golf course then, you border on a golf
course now.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Any further questions of
Mr. Varnadoe for the moment? COMMISSIONER STRAIN: No.
MR. VARNADOE: Thank you. Madam Chair, as the LDC
provides, I want a chance to respond.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Yes.
MR. VARNADOE: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Our first registered public speaker -- I
would like to remind you that if you were not sworn in, please bring
that to our attention when you approach the podium, and we'll call
two or three names and ask that you just sort of come up and line up
over here so we can move quickly. The first public speaker.
MS. MURRAY: These names are tough. Excuse me. Jean
LeFebvre would be the first public speaker. Then Jarig and Jila
Wiglama would be on deck, please.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: One thing that would be very helpful
for our court reporter is to state your name, say where you live, and
spell your name. That would be very helpful. Come on forward the
two or three names that were just mentioned.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Miss Murray, how many do we have?
MS. MURRAY: Twelve.
MS. LeFEBVRE: And I have an hour?
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: No, not quite.
THE COURT REPORTER: Your name?
MS. LeFEBVRE: My name is Jean LeFebvre, and I live on
Marco Shores at the Fairways I.
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October 4, 2001
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Spell it.
MS. LeFEBVRE: L-e-F-e-b-v-r-e.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Okay.
MS. LeFEBVRE: I'll bet you don't have it right. I wouldn't want
to be in this gentleman's shoes that was just up here a few minutes
ago because there's no way that this is going to be accepted by all of
us easily. I'm concerned-- I've been there six years. I live right
across from where the golf club is going to be or is proposed to be.
If this map is accurate, it says an inch is about 200 feet. Well,
the way I look at it it's going to be about 200 feet behind me. Where
I used to sit -- for six years now I've been sitting out looking at a
beautiful golf course at night and the stars; that's all going to go
away.
I don't even know how much impact we have here. If we all say
we don't want it, does that make it go away? And if not, then at least
I would like it to be as livable as possible. I have concerns that there
would be things like streetlights -- am I going to be looking out at
streetlights? I'm not sure I want that road behind us. The gentleman
says it takes traffic away from the front of the condo, yes, and it puts
it right in the back of the condo, which is where I am all the time. I
mean, my car is at the front.
I just would like -- one more thing also. It says here
insubstantial. Well, I'll tell you, I don't see much insubstantial
because this is going to affect us tremendously. Everything is being
changed. I just hope that there's some sort of a compromise that can
happen, and we can get some of the issues taken care of at a later
date. I don't suspect any of that is going to happen now. I mean, I
don't know. This is the first I hear of it. But those that are looking
out for my interests in the condo association, now do your thing.
Thank you.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Thank you. Next speaker.
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October 4, 2001
MR. WIGLAMA: We're a husband-and-wife team. Is that all
right?
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Speak one at a time. Go ahead. Say
who you are, where you live, and spell your name.
MRS. WIGLAMA: Good morning. My name is Jila Wiglama,
and we live in Unit 215 in Fairway I. We just recently bought the
house -- the condo as an investment for our--
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Spell your name.
MRS. WIGLAMA: Jila, J-i-l-a, and the last name is Wiglama,
W-i-g-l-a-m-a.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Thank you.
MRS. WIGLAMA: You're welcome. We recently bought this
condo as an investment for our future, but when we heard about this
new development, which we didn't know anything about until a
couple weeks ago, it got kind of scary because we didn't know, you
know, how far this back road is going to be from our backyard and if
we will have our privacy still and if the club facilities will be located
in the back of our backyard. And also, like, you know, we don't want
to sit in our backyard in the evening and see the cars going back and
forth and the lights as he mentioned and also the hazards of the fuel
and all that in the air.
We like to enjoy our house, but this movement or this new
development is kind of scary to us. We don't want to lose the value
of our property because that's what we've planned on for our future or
for our retirement. We would like him, you know, to be more
concerned about our point of view as well, someone who just
invested what they have for the future, and see our interest in it as
well.
At least, you know, let us know about what is going on. Not just
all of a sudden we here this and that is going on, and we had no idea.
We don't know how much it's going to affect our association, our
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October 4, 2001
monthly fees, our water if they're putting in new lakes, how it's going
to work out. It's all unknown to us, and it scares us, and we want
answers, please.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Okay.
MR. WIGLAMA: My name is Jarig Wiglama,
J-a-r-i-g W-i-g-l-a-m-a. I'm also the state health inspector here, and I
will be inspecting that clubhouse one of these days, I believe. My
sympathies and my -- I echo exactly what Jean said earlier and my
wife. We've been there just a couple of months now, and we had to
work pretty hard and save a lot of money to get in there. Now that
we're in there, we just received all this information, just within a
week, about these developments. We heard rumors prior to that. We
heard rumors that somebody was going to come in and buy us out
and all sorts of things.
I'll try to narrow it down, but when we sit out on our little lanai
there and look out there across the golf course, I can just envision this
clubhouse that's going to be about a football field away from me. It
seems to me it's going to squeeze that Fairway No. 4 a little bit even
tighter. I've already witnessed golfers out there in their golf carts
sober or whatever coming over by our area. I've seen golf balls
banging off of trees and heading over in our direction. Now, with
this squeeze of the golf course, is it going to bring them over a little
tighter into our place? Are we going to have golf balls banging in
and out of our place?
I've seen a lot of intoxicated drivers out there. Is it going to
squeeze it even tighter? Do we have to deal with this every day when
we look out there? I'm just concerned about the value. I'm
concerned about the quality of life that we're going to have, and I'll
just leave it to somebody else to pick it up from there.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Thank you. Next speaker.
MS. MURRAY: The next registered speaker is
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October 4, 2001
Ellen Fernandez followed by James Williams.
MS.FERNANDEZ: Good morning, Madam Chairman,
Commissioners. My name is Ellen Fernandez, F as in Frank, e-r-n-a-
n-d-e-z. I am a property owner and a permanent resident of Fairways
II at Marco Shores. My property is a unit that backs up to the 18th
green, and I'm on the second level of that development.
I'm here in reference to the proposed WCI development that
affects our property on Mainsail Drive. A group of the owners in
Fairways II have met informally with some of the WCI
representatives, and we have asked very specific questions. And in
response to some of those in Fairways I who are new owners who
feel like they have not been informed quickly enough about this
development, then I would urge you also to go directly to WCI
because you will get your questions answered. There is no reason to
be afraid about it at all. Do go and ask. That's the only way you're
going to find out.
When we first found out about this, we went directly -- actually
down to the Marco Shores Country Club and found out some
information there. Our condo association president, Jean McKinley,
has also been very instrumental in making sure that we have the
information. I would like to just go over just a few of the questions
that we asked. This is not limited to all of the questions, but we
talked about median enhancements, landscaping, and some minor
illumination that would certainly only enhance the property.
I must admitted that Collier County, unfortunately, has not done
a very good job of keeping the medians clear and cutting it. We have
to wait until the grass grows about four feet high before we even get a
cutting out there. That has just happened this year definitely. Also,
we talked about the construction phasing, including the golf course
renovation, the four-plex condos, the high-rise phasing, and also
enhancements to the entry.
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October 4, 2001
Further, we talked about the relocation of the maintenance
facility. Those of us in Fairways II, particularly those that are near
the pool area which look directly-- almost directly into the
maintenance facility have expressed that they feel very grateful to
WCI for wanting to move that facility because they're looking
directly at the water tower, and it's not the best view in the world. So
that should certainly enhance the property.
Further, we talked about the construction traffic concerns, which
Mr. Varnadoe directly addressed and, also, the environmental
considerations. It's my understanding there has been some discussion
here about the public -- basically the utility facility, which is only on
the maintenance area for the golf course. To me that can only
enhance the entire area.
And if the considerations are made and the commitments that
are made that I'm hearing here today are done properly, then I feel
that it can only enhance our property value on Fairways II. I've
owned my property for three years. I bought it under construction. I,
in consideration and also getting my further questions answered with
WCI, am fully in agreement with the developer. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Thank you.
MS. MURRAY: James Williams followed by Janice Williams.
MR. WILLIAMS: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. My
name is Jim Williams. I'm the president of the Commons
Association and the president of Mainsail IV Association, which are
across the street from Fairways I and II. Our concerns for many
years have been drainage which we haven't had. We haven't had any
control over that since 1994 at the time that the Anteramian
Development Company bought the golf course. We have had
problems with drainage. We've had problems with easements
coming from the course across the street into the lake, and nothing
has ever been resolved.
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October 4, 2001
We feel that a drainage association being reactivated with this
development is going to enhance not only the golf course side, but
also stop some of the pollution that's going into that lake, and there is
a lot of pollution going in there. The movement of that clubhouse
can only enhance the entire area. If you live there and you're there 12
months out of the year like I am and you get 240 or 250 golfers a day
up and down that street and a certain number of beer cans and
McDonald's wrappers and all the other things that they decide to
dump on their way to and from the course, you would appreciate the
fact that it's going to be now down at the other end, that their access
is going to be through their own property to that golf course.
Moving of the maintenance facility will be beneficial to all
parties. Just getting it down to the east end away and getting rid of a
lot of that tractor noise, mower noise, and everything early in the
morning for the residents. We are also seeing an increase in property
value at Mainsail. Three months ago properties were closing there in
the neighborhood of one hundred and eighteen to a hundred and
twenty thousand dollars. I know what's happening because we have
to approve all sales. I've just seen two close within the last three
weeks, one for 129,900 and one for 131,500. Does that say that
people are viewing what's going to happen positively? I think they
are.
The drainage association definitely needs to be revised. We've
talked about this for years and just hope that this will improve and go
on with the development. Most recently Florida Water has just been
really cracked on by the DEP for failure to monitor drainage. It was
amazing to me that after all these years, within the last 30 days
they've drilled 6 shallow wells on that golf course to monitor the
quality of the drainage. So there's a lot of positive things happening,
and we feel that the development by WCI in that area will be
beneficial to everyone that lives in that area.
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October 4, 2001
Thank you.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Thank you.
MS. MURRAY: Janice Williams followed by Jamie Greusel.
MS. WILLIAMS: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. My
name is Janice Williams. I'm on the board of directors at Tropic
Schooner condominium. We have 240 units out there. We're
situated on 19 acres of land, 23 buildings. We are one of the largest
developments on that road abutting Marco Shores Country Club. I
think we have a very large interest in what's going on here. Not all of
our owners are happy about this project coming in, and I won't give
you my opinion, but a great percentage are overjoyed with it.
e will lose something out there. We will lose the peace and
tranquility. The acre of land that we're viewing is wonderful. I've
lived there for nine years. It's a pretty spot to be. But change is
going to come, and we must accept change. If it has to change, most
of our owners fully accept and support this development. It can only
bring good things to us out there.
We have been in discussions with WCI and their attorneys. We
submitted a letter with 12 items -- 12 or 13 items, and they've been
presented today for the record. We are pleased with that. Some of
the items haven't been answered sufficiently to our concerns, but we
are still working with them, and we feel that we can work that out.
The only thing is or biggest concern is this Marco Drainage
Association. We are members of it with Mainsail and Fairways. The
deed goes back to -- I believe it's 1982 when we were -- I think it was
July of'82 when we took it over from Deltona. There was an
agreement with Deltona. We took the property, and also we took
three sections in our bylaws relating to the Marco Shores Drainage
Association.
I can tell you we do not understand it. We have all read it. We
don't know what our responsibilities are. We don't know what our
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October 4, 2001
percentage of sharing of costs would be. The document is so
complex we have had attorneys look at it. We feel that maybe those
sections could be rewritten. We would like to work with WCI and
maybe adjust our deed. It would be a big process for us to go
through. I don't know if it would be possible, but we would be all
striving to meet that end.
WCI's attorney made a commitment this morning to the
Planning Board that they would, yes, in fact, look into the issue and
working with us and maybe give us a pro rata expense for it. We're
on 19 acres. The full development is going to be 330 acres. If we
had 19 percent of the total or however it would work, we would not
like to see us paying for more lake maintenance than we are right
now for one lake. We pay approximately $2,000 a year to maintain
and prepare that lake. It's a living lake. It supports fish, alligators,
birds, and so forth, and we would never want to lose it.
We're kind of happy with communications with the WCI
attorneys. We can only -- we'd like it to remain the same. And we
wish WCI didn't come in. But on the other hand, our property values
have escalated so since this news has gone out. I mean, you would
have to be very foolish not to want this development to come in. If
we have to have a change, this is a good change. Thank you.
MS. MURRAY: Jamie Greusel followed by Martha Smith.
MS. GREUSEL: Good morning. I'm Jamie Greusel.
I am counsel to Tropic Schooner. When I registered this morning to
speak, it was obviously before the presentation. Subsequent to that
presentation I did meet with Mr. Varnadoe, and I would like to state
for the record that Tropic Schooner's concerns have been adequately
addressed.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Thank you.
MS. MURRAY: Martha Smith followed by Pam Gruber.
MS. SMITH: Good morning.
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October 4, 2001
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: I believe this is the lady that needs to
be sworn in.
MS. SMITH: Yes.
(The oath was administered.)
MS. SMITH: Good morning. It's still morning. Okay. My
name is Martha Smith. I am vice president of Fairways I at Marco
Shores. We are here this morning to talk about changes. The owners
of Fairways I are not here to dispute the rights of the developer or the
present or future owners or to develop the land that is already
approved for residential development. What we're here for is to
receive information and express concerns regarding the proposed
changes to the PUD and the revisions of the master plan.
I do want to make a comment about the hearing, though. I
understand some of the developments down there were notified
before Fairways I. Our hearing notices were dated September 14th,
2001, and received by some units owners on the 17th or later. Others
were sent to the wrong addresses, old locations, or no notice was
received at all. The board of directors and unit owners of Fairways I
were not invited by WCI to the preliminary meeting on August 22nd
at the country club to preview the proposal for the future
development. So at best there has been less than three weeks for us
to study the consequences of the proposed changes.
The second thing I would like to talk about are -- some of our
concerns are declared map changes and the modified use of
insubstantial. Number 1, the new relocated 25,000-square-foot
clubhouse that is to be situated behind the existing condos, Fairways
I. The existing clubhouse is accessed off the main road at present and
buffered from surrounding developments. Number 2, a two-lane road
proposed behind existing condos. The existing condos have Mainsail
Drive in front.
Presently traffic flows in front of the nonliving areas of our
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October 4, 2001
development. The proposed plans do not decrease the current traffic.
The plan is to divert future traffic off of Mainsail, and the result is the
addition of hundreds of cars using the road behind Fairways I,
including construction traffic. There is a potential of a thousand cars
using a single entrance and exit from Mainsail and State Road 951
with no secondary road or exit roads that exist. A guardhouse with a
main entrance in close proximity to an existing condo.
Third is our environmental concerns. There is a quote, "The
Environmental Advisory Council did not hear this petition because an
environmental impact statement was not required." That's according
to the August 23rd, 2001, report by the community development
environmental services.
Question. Regardless of any subsequent large tract relocations
and reconfiguration changes, no environmental impact study needs to
be revisited. Accepting a study of seven years or older, how can this
be consistent with today's goals of reducing short- and long-term
environmental impacts? What evidence is being submitted that the
proposed relocations and reconfigurations do not create an
environmental impact? How was this decision made that the removal
of vegetation, relocation, and the addition of a road is not an
environmental impact? And is this consistent with federal, state, and
local regulations? Would the submission of an environmental study
be accepted at a state level?
Now, we would like to submit our requests. Number 1, we
request that a hearing be rescheduled and no decision be made today.
There seems to be some details left unanswered. Number 2, zoning
concerns to be addressed because of new roadways and uses of a new
and relocated clubhouse. Number 3, an environmental -- updated
environmental impact study be submitted addressing short- and long-
term changes. And, No. 4, provide a reasonable timeline between the
meeting notice and the hearing to allow for increased participation of
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October 4, 2001
owners.
MS. MURRAY:
MS. GRUBER:
owner at Fairways I.
We hope you will consider our requests. Thank you.
Pam Gruber followed by Jean McKinley.
My name is Pam Gruber. I am an original
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Your spelling.
MS. GRUBER: G-r-u-b-e-r.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Thank you.
MS. GRUBER: I've recently been appointed to our board just
within the last few weeks due to some of our owners selling and
another one recently passing away. So all of this is new to me being
on the board. Martha and I have scampered. As we said, we didn't
get notification of that first meeting with WCI, so we've been
scampering to get all the information out to our owners. We heard
back and talked to a lot of them. Some of them are here today. But
we certainly haven't had time to get feedback from every one of
them. So I'm not really here to talk to you as a board member. I'm
here to talk to you as an owner.
I've been there six years. The brunt of what is happening out
there is going to be behind Fairways I. They keep saying they're
doing us a favor by taking the traffic off of Mainsail. Well, Mainsail
is the main road. We're used to hearing the traffic. We're used to
hearing the trucks. Now all the trucks and all the traffic is going to
be right behind Fairways I. Some of it will go to Fairways II. The
majority will be behind Fairways I.
We are looking across a small fairway at a 25,000-foot
clubhouse. They are also putting in, as I said, a road which is going
to impact noise, traffic noise, both in front and behind our condo, and
it's only 350 feet. They can buffer as much as they want, but I can
still hear a car or quite a few cars. I'm concerned about the
environment. We have a lot of animals out there. It's a very pristine
area. There are abutting areas out there in the development against
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October 4, 2001
the mangroves out there. I don't know what environmental effect that
will have on the mangroves out there. I certainly don't want to look
out and see them dead in five years because nobody studied it.
There are so many changes going on right now. Insubstantial is
a word that, you know, I find laughable. This is very substantial.
You're moving so many things around. You're causing changes to
the environment. You know, I can't understand why this hasn't been
studied. They say it has been environmentally. I don't know where
those results are. I haven't seen them. As far as changing roads,
putting in new roads, to me that's a substantial change.
I don't trust these words "commitment" and "intent" and, "yes,"
we'll do this and that and the other thing. I would like to see
something in writing about what they intend to do. And I really
-- to say I don't want it in my backyard, I don't think any of us do. If
I lived on Mainsail across the street, I'd be jumping up and down
right now, of course. They're going to take the clubhouse from where
it is, and they're going to dump it in our backyard. They can try and
hide it as best they can, but we're still going to hear the noise. We're
still going to see the lights. We're going to be greatly impacted by
this.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Mr. Strain would like to ask a
question.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: You had said you're one of the
original buyers?
MS. GRUBER: Original owners.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: About how long ago was that?
MS. GRUBER: Six years -- five or six years.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: So you bought -- the building was
only created about six years ago?
MS. GRUBER: '94.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN:
The original plat for that property
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October 4, 2001
did have more invasive site work across from your building
originally, and they changed it in '94.
MS. GRUBER: In '94 when Antaramian bought it.'?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Yeah.
MS. GRUBER: Right.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: He actually helped it be less
impact for you at that time.
MS. GRUBER: Well, we saw his plan. His plan was very --
what should I say -- it was -- he had the high-rises going in on Parcel
1. He had the other buildings going in behind Tropic Schooner and
that parcel back there. He had incorporated the entire community.
He kept the main road on Mainsail. He kept the clubhouse as it was.
He was going to redo the clubhouse. He was going to put in a nice
gated -- not gated; I shouldn't say that -- a nice area in the front. He
was going to put in, like, some kind of canoe ramp or something
down there on the lake. He was going to incorporate the whole area.
Now WCI is coming in, and they're putting in the whole area.
Behind us it will be gated. We're not using that clubhouse. That is
for their members only. We're not even going to be using the golf
course because it's private unless we want to join. You know, so
they're not doing anything for our benefit. They're doing it for their
own. And they're putting everything and consolidating everything
where it is now because they want to have a gated community, and
they want to have it private. They don't want to put the other condos
back where Antaramian had it behind Tropic Schooner because they
won't have their gated community because they can't gate us off in
my opinion.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Thank you.
MS. MURRAY: Jean McKinley followed by Harry Poulos.
MS. McKINLEY: I'm Jean McKinley. I live at Fairways II.
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October 4, 2001
McKinley is M-c-K-i-n-l-e-y. We at Fairway, the people that I have
talked to at Fairways II, all have a very positive attitude about WCI
building the golf course and the facility in the back of us. We would
be delighted. Since I am in the first building of Fairways II next to
the maintenance area, it would be to my and to my neighbors'
advantage to have that moved. Not only is the view not pleasant
since so many trees died that lived there before, but there is often a
smell of gasoline. There's equipment back there. They store their
fertilizer, which often you can smell, and it seems to me that moving
that maintenance area back by the airport would be a great advantage.
As I said, we're all very positive about it and feel that WCI, whatever
they put up, is very top scale. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Thank you.
MS. MURRAY: Harry Poulos followed by Patricia Sulima.
MR. POULOS: Good morning. My name is Harry Poulos, P-o-
u-l-o-s. You know, I don't know how many in the room remember
Gene Sarratin (phonetic), Esquire, who was there for the opening of
the first club. They're now going to remodel it. Before Gene passed
away, I had a chance to talk to him and, someone commented, "This
club is a little too small." He said, "Don't worry. They're going to
build a bigger one." I'm quite elated that it's going to happen. I think
that many people in this room must have visited the 'WCI
Community. I haven't, but I've heard a lot of good things about it.
I've heard some pro and some con here. You have to remember
one thing. We that live there will be the salesmen for WCI to sell
their property which are quite -- four times as many units as we have
there now. They're more concerned to compliment us or to make us
happy. I'm pretty sure if they're good salesmen that's what they'll do.
But I don't have to tell them. I think they're doing their job.
Actually, they've demonstrated that ability in their past communities.
But remember one thing. We have to sell their properties
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October 4, 2001
because we live there. That's how Marco Island was built, and I was
there for the opening of that. I was there when the Mackle brothers
were discussing that the clubhouse that they built is too small and
some day they're going to build a bigger one. I wish they were here
to see this. Thank you.
MS. MURRAY: Patricia Sulima followed by Richard
Skokowski.
MS. SULIMA: Hi. I'm Pat Sulima, S-u-l-i-m-a, and I'm a
resident of Fairways II in the third building on the 18th fairway. I
can only concur with what my neighbors said. We really feel it's
going to be an advantage for WCI to come in. And as far as the
traffic is concerned where we are, we've put up with a lot of people
going to the airport, going to the clubhouse. It will be a little quieter.
Sure, we're going to put up with some construction for a year or so
until that construction is completed behind us, but I think it will only
be good for us. Thank you.
MS. MURRAY: Richard Skokowski. That's your final speaker.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Thank you.
MR. SKOKOWSKI: Good morning. My name is Richard
Skokowski. That's S-k-o-k-o-w-s-k-i. I see it's nearing lunchtime, so
I'll keep it brief. I'm in favor of WCI coming in and building. It's
going to enhance all of our values. Everything they said in the
positive is good. Fairways I, I can see their point about saying, "I
don't want to see the golf house back the -- the club back there." I
don't blame them. But by the same token you can't please everybody.
Thank you.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Thank you. Mr. Varnadoe.
MR. VARNADOE: Sorry, Madam Chairman. I didn't mean to
hold up proceedings. I think we've heard -- and I tried to take some
notes -- the pros and cons, and I appreciate both of them. I think as
Mr. Strain pointed out, a couple of the speakers, Ms. Gruber and Ms.
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October 4, 2001
Smith, bought when the prior plan was in place when they had even
more development behind them and a road right next to them going
back to that property.
As I have indicated, this plan shows the entry road is going to be
a minimum of 200 feet from the nearest residence. It will be below
the level of the golf course. They will not be able to see that Type B
buffer there. One gentleman-- a couple speakers have mentioned the
clubhouse and the proximity. Their scale is different from mine.
What I would like to do to kind of put that to rest so Mr. Richardson
will be happy that it will be a real commitment is to put on the plan
that the golf clubhouse building will be a minimum of 600 feet to the
nearest Fairways 1 building. So there would be two football -- at
least a two football field separation from building to building. Folks,
that's a long way.
As far as any impacts from those buildings, if you look at our
conceptual plan, the closest units to that clubhouse are units that
we're going to be trying to sell for a lot of money. We can't have
activities going on in that clubhouse -- because that will be built first
-- that detracts from people trying to live in close proximity.
Everybody knows with these clubhouses you have the grand
entry in the front. But all the activities in the golf clubhouse are in
the back because that's where the carts are and the pro shop and the
restaurant overlooking the golf course and the meeting rooms.
There's nothing to the front other than some grandiose entrance that
makes a statement, and I don't mean that in a negative way, but
makes a statement for the project.
I'm not going to take any more time, Madam Chairman, unless
you've got questions or your board does that they would like to
address.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: I want to make sure I understand you
correctly. You're willing to put on the master plan map a statement
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October 4, 2001
about the 600 feet distance from Fairways I? MR. VARNADOE: Building separation.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Building separation. Okay. That
makes it a portion of the document. Mr. Richardson.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Mr. Varnadoe, WCI is a
quality development. We've seen that time and time again, so my
comments are not meant to detract from what I'm sure will be a
quality project. With our new public participation plan -- and I keep
coming back to that because what we have here is kind of a poster
child for why the new public participation plan will really keep a lot
of this sort of thing from happening in the future, because you will
have had -- if you follow the ordinance -- and I'm sure you would --
you would be having public meetings that would be recorded. And
although you weren't at our meeting last night, there was a section
added that there will be -- any commitments made by the developer
during these sessions will be written down and made part of the
proceedings.
What I'm having a little trouble with is that we have kind of a
floating set of commitments. I'm sure WCI has good intentions and
will do everything that they say they're going to do, but the staff and,
you know, the county really has no way to check off to make sure
that you did what you said you were going to do if it's not part of the
record in some way.
Now, we've got some things on the record, but I wrote down just
as they came along, you know, a dozen items that were mentioned by
various people that represent what you might have said to them, but
now are not anywhere in our documentation for the county to be able
to say, "Did you actually phase the construction? Did you put in the
landscaping like you said you were going to do? Are you going to
move" -- you know, some of these things that you said you're going
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October 4, 2001
to do. So I'm just wondering if there's some way we can help resolve
that.
The other missing piece is the lack of communication with
Fairways I. At least that's how they represented it. You know, there
again, with new public participation we wouldn't have had that
opportunity to miss it.
MR. VARNADOE: Yes, sir. I understand all that. That's all
very nice. Fairways I was invited. I think Mr. Laing --
MS. SMITH: No, he was not.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.
UNIDENTIFED FEMALE: No.
MR. VARNADOE: He's not the president?
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Excuse me.
THE COURT REPORTER: Your name.
MS. SMITH: My name is Martha Smith. I am the vice
president of the board of directors. Robert Laing is in close contact
with me, and he was indeeed not invited. In fact, I notified him of
what was going on.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Thank you.
MR. VARNADOE: All right. Whether he was or not I guess I
was misinformed. The sum and substance of it, Mr. Richardson, is
I'm dealing with the law as it existed then. We did try to reach out to
the community. We intended to reach out to the community both
verbally and in writing with regard to their issues. We will continue
to do that.
I think the major commitments as they relate to the development
are in the master plan or on the master plan. We tried to indicate that.
If there is something else that you think that should be on that master
plan, I'm happy to do that. Anything we said here today is -- I've
been doing this for longer than I care to admit, and the only thing I've
got going for me is my credibility. When I stand up here and say
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October 4, 2001
something, if the client doesn't do it, then I don't represent them. But
we have tried to put the major commitments as they relate to PUD
matters on the master plan.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Because it is an insubstantial change
versus any other substantial change that would be placed into the
document.
MR. VARNADOE: Yes, ma'am.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Mr. Strain, I know, is waiting.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Marjorie --
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Marjorie, are you going to talk on the
record? Are you having a sidebar?
MS. STUDENT: Yes. I was having a sidebar with Mr.
Varnadoe. I guess I need some further amplification maybe from
staff and Mr. Varnadoe about putting the changes on the map. If it's
stuff that explains the map, that's okay, but I just have to say if it
amounts to amending the PUD on the map, I have a problem with
that without going through the process. That's all.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: And I'm still not clear here whether we
resolved the issue of substantial or insubstantial, so we may have to
discuss that just a little more.
MR. VARNADOE: We can do that. There are no building
separation requirements in the PUD. As you know, that's not a
normal PUD thing. You have setbacks from property boundaries.
And, of course, those are in the PUD, and we're going to live with
that.
All I was simply trying to do was respond to this question of
whether the clubhouse is going to be 300 feet or 600 feet from the
nearest building, and I was simply suggesting we put a notation on
the map that it's going to be 600 and try to do what Mr. Richardson
says and calm some of the concerns down that people have. I'm
trying to be responsive here and not cause problems.
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October 4, 2001
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Now, would that be--
MR. VARNADOE: If there are any further questions for me, I'll
be happy to answer them.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I have a couple.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Mr. Strain.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Just so I understand it, George,
the road that's going to be put in, you are going to buffer that road
against the Fairways I building. So they'll have an adequate buffer of
some type, I'm assuming?
MR. VARNADOE: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: And then the other issue that they
brought up was the streetlights. Do you intend to put streetlights on
that road?
MR. VARNADOE: There will be some illumination on that
road. The PUD has a requirement that those be directed away from
residential properties at the current time, and we will live with that.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Okay. Do we need -- Mr. Budd, did
you wish to speak?
COMMISSIONER BUDD: No.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Do we need more clarification from
the staff?.
MR. REISCHL: On what question?
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: On the issue of substantial or
insubstantial. Since we took the time to --
MR. REISCHL: My office says that it's an insubstantial change.
It's a reconfiguration or relocation without changes in acreage.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Yes. Mr. Richardson.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Mr. Reischl, just let me be
argumentative for a moment.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: How unusual.
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October 4, 2001
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Well, just to perhaps
correct my misunderstanding. PUDs, at least in some aspects, have
as part of that process a list of commitments that are made to support
that PUD. There's a commitment section,- development
commitments. I'm just struggling with if we're now coming up with
another grocery list of commitments that have come out as a result of
good-faith efforts between WCI representatives and the public, I'm
just really trying to protect staff. I don't think that then makes this an
insubstantial document. I think it really moves it more towards a
substantial change.
MR. REISCHL: Substantial change?
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Substantial rather than
insubstantial. If we were, in fact, going to give the staff the tools to
follow up on these commitments, in fact, we would just like to see --
I would like to propose that this be considered substantial and be
moved back into the process now that we have, in effect, the new
public participation ordinance virtually in effect-- CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: No, it's not.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: "Virtually in effect"
meaning that it will be in the very near future. As this process will
initiate itself, it very well might then satisfy all our problems because
that document does clearly state how these commitments are to be
dealt with and made part of the record.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Mr. Richardson, I want to respond just
a moment as the chair. I understand what you're saying; however, we
cannot hold hostage projects that are going through a system if we
have changes that are going to be enacted to our Land Development
Code and to our ordinances. As a firm believer in the rules of law in
this country, I have to take exception to the fact that this is virtually
accepted because it has not gone before the Board of County
Commissioners. So we cannot put ourselves in a position, in my
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October 4, 2001
opinion, of holding items hostage. If that's the reason we would
choose for changing this to substantial versus insubstantial, I would
have to vote against it. I believe --
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: I would certainly not want
to--
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Go ahead.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: I would certainly not want
to hold anyone hostage these days; however, I think that the
commitments that are be stated would be a sufficient reason for this
to be put in the substantial category. And if it turned out that we had
a code that caused them to go through a different procedure, whatever
the code is, the code is.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Right. Miss Student, I believe you
wanted to make a legal comment.
MR. REISCHL: While she's talking, if I can just be clear on
what staff analyzed was an insubstantial change. It was relocation
and reconfiguration. We didn't analyze any buffers or anything like
that, just for the record.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: All right. Miss Student.
MS. STUDENT: Okay. What I wanted to read into the record
was the section that deals with language changes just so everybody is
clear (as read): "Language changes to a previously approved PUD
document shall require the same procedure as for amending the
official zoning atlas," which means a rezone. And I do know that
there can be commitments made on the record, I believe, that don't
necessarily find their way into a document, and staff-- I don't think
staff could shed some light on how those would be enforced. If it is a
problem, I don't know if there can be private documentation that
these things could be put in, but those are a couple of concerns that I
wanted to put on the record.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Miss Murray.
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October 4, 2001
MS. MURRAY: I'm not sure I can shed a lot of additional light.
Some of the commitments I heard were related to drainage easements
and whatnot that really don't have anything that's enforceable by the
county. I mean, that was a deed restriction, and we don't deal with
those. They don't end up in PUD documents, and we don't enforce
them. Commitments about buffering are perfectly acceptable on a
PUD master plan. Buffer areas, conservation areas, that sort of thing
are very typical on a PUD master plan. The commitment for a
separation of the building, usually you deal with those within the text
of the PUD document itself.
I will offer this opinion that the PUD document has already been
adopted with setbacks for structures, and it sounds like what Mr.
Varnadoe was proposing was merely a clarification of the location of
the clubhouse structure on the master plan with a distance
requirement. I have a mixed opinion on that, but I'm tending to lean
towards that it would be acceptable to staff. It's really merely a
clarification of location, which actually helps all of us in our review
process. With the master plan, we tend to be very general.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Well, in answer to
Mr. Richardson's concerns, I don't read the code the same way he
does. There are 11 indicia of whether change is substantial or
insubstantial, and no matter how strangely we may feel about it, if it
-- if this duck doesn't have one of these 11 legs, then it isn't a duck,
and we can't just call it that because we want to. The question is
whether -- what our interpretation is of No. 4 of the proposed
relocation of nonresidential land uses. That's the nub of the question.
We'll discuss that, I guess, later.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Just as a follow through,
Item 11 says, any modifications -- and I'm paraphrasing -- of the
PUD document. It seems to me that some of the things we talked
about would modify the development commitment section of the
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October 4, 2001
PUD document.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Well, it says -- you have to
go on and finish the sentence: Which impacts any consideration
deemed to be a substantial modification in 1 through 9 above." So if
it ain't one of those, it's still not a duck.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Quack, quack.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Mr. Budd, I think you wanted to
comment.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: I'm prepared after you close the
hearing to make or consider a motion with the assumption that this is
an insubstantial change. If that is a linchpin item in the mind of other
commissioners, then maybe we should hear a specific motion to
consider or not to consider this insubstantial. I'm in agreement with
the county recommendation, and I'm willing to proceed with that.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Wasn't it applied for as
insubstantial, so shouldn't the motion -- I mean, I don't think it's our
decision to make that. It's our decision to approve it as submitted or
not.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: I agree.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Well, if we find it's
insubstantial, Mark, it seems to me implicit, and that is our finding,
that this utility item is a residential land use. We would also almost
have to find that in order to maintain --
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well, the other side of the coin is
that the utilities site has been now designated or told to us to be a
maintenance facility for the golf course. If it's a maintenance facility
for the golf course --.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Those are two different
things, aren't they?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Just the maintenance --
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Yeah --
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October 4, 2001
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Is it a main facility for the golf
course, George?
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: I'm talking about a water
plant that --
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well, that's what staff said and
George --
THE COURT REPORTER: Wait a second.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: One at a time.
MR. REISCHL: That was my misunderstanding. The water
tower confused me.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Let's clarify that point because it's
important to me also to meet those 11 criteria.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: This helps it is what I'm getting
at.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Right.
MR. VARNADOE: It functions as a maintenance facility for
the golf course and the residential tract, but the main purpose is a
maintenance facility for the golf course. We have a water tower on
there that supplements the water management system for the entire
area. But as I told you, that wasn't part of our original application. If
that's going to make you say it's substantial, I don't want that
considered, and I will deal with that at a later date. We need to get on
with this.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Where I'm coming from is if it's
part of the golf course in servicing it or the maintenance it, it
becomes part of the recreation area then, which is not something that
is applicable as far as one of the triggers. So, you know, it may be
fine then to leave this in there and change the PUD.
MR. VARNADOE: I think you heard everybody say, "Let's
move that."
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: But I'm trying to find a way to see
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October 4, 2001
the --
MR. VARNADOE: And I agree with you. I mean --
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: It should be moved.
MR. VARNADOE: Our--
THE COURT REPORTER: Wait, wait, wait.
MR. VARNADOE: Excuse me. I'm sorry, ma'am.
t is not a -- there are utility sites on the site, Florida Water
Service. They're at the far east end. This is not that. This is in
conjunction with the residential and recreational aspects of this
project. So it's not a nonresidential from my perspective, but that's
just my opinion.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Certainly it comes closer to
being a residential use than the other things that are cited here which
are institutional, commercial, or industrial. It certainly doesn't sound
like one of those.
MR. VARNADOE: I can certainly affirm you it's none of those,
sir.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: None of those. Do we have any
further questions of staff or of petitioners? (No response.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: None whatsoever. I'm going to close
the public hearing. What's the pleasure of this board?
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Madam Chairman, I'd like to make
a motion that's predicated upon my assumption that staff's
interpretation that the disputed parcel is an accessory use to the
residential, so my motion is consistent with the insubstantial
assumption of this petition, and that is that we recommend approval
of petition PDI-2001-AR-1220 with the assurances as to the distance
of building separation and assurances on buffering that were stated by
Mr. Varnadoe and restated by Susan Murray.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: I'll second it.
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October 4, 2001
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: We have a motion by Mr. Budd and a
second by Mr. Abernathy to approve this particular petition.
Discussion, please.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Just one thing, Madam
Chair. It seems that the practical man's definition failed and we go
with the definitions that are in the document. I would just like to
admonish WCI -- that's the wrong word. I would like to encourage
WCI to go forward with what you have been doing, and that is trying
to contact them and meet with the community and particularly the
Fairways. Now, again, you may not be able to satisfy everyone, but I
really think that everything you can do to help continuing to be a
good neighbor is going to be helpful to this whole process. And
when we do get the public participation plan, I wouldn't have to ask
that question because I'll know you would have done it. So with that
I support the motion.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Any other statements you would like
to make?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: I'm basically convinced that we can
keep it in the insubstantial. I certainly have learned a few additional
items today. I always appreciate people pulling out their code books
and looking very carefully, because we do not want to make mistakes
here. We want to be able to go forward with what our code does say
as it exists now, and I feel comfortable that WCI is going to make
every effort to try to work out some of the other details that we have.
So with that, I'll call the question. All those in favor say aye.
(Unanimous response.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Those opposed same sign.
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Motion carries. Thank you, and thank
you-all for attending and being such a polite audience. We have one
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October 4, 2001
more item, so clear the room quickly. We'll take a five-minute break
to clear the room.
(A short break was held.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Ladies and gentlemen, we are back in
session. We are considering our tabled item which was placed at the
end. Our first item was BD-2001-AR-1198. We are back in this
public hearing, and I believe our county -- our assistant county
attorney would like to state something.
MS. STUDENT: I think you need to maybe do a motion to
bring it back to the table.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: So moved.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Second.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: We have a motion by Mr. Budd and a
second by Mr. Abernathy to untable this. We are now back in public
hearing officially -- oh, excuse me. All those in favor say aye.
(Unanimous response.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO:
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO:
Those opposed same sign.
Motion carries.
MS. STUDENT: Thank you. Marjorie Student, assistant county
attorney, for the record. Questions came up about the construction of
language in the PUD document and the settlement agreement relative
to private docks being that there's any accessory uses on Parcels 1
through 4. This parcel line isn't in the water.
First of all, the language is "on the parcel."
It doesn't say "solely within the parcel" or "solely in the parcel." It
says "on." And we have other situations, RSF-3, for example, where
docks are accessory uses, and the zoning line if they're situated on the
water goes along the waterway, yet all these properties enjoy what's
called common law riparian rights. Part of the common law riparian
right is the ability to wharf out, if you will, and get to navigable
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October 4, 2001
waterways. So it will be my opinion that the fact that this goes a little
bit beyond that parcel line for all the reasons stated doesn't present a
problem. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Mr. Yovanovich -- oh, do we need a
staff presentation? No, it's your turn.
MR. YOVANOVICH: You were just about to get to me. For
the record, Richard Yovanovich representing the petitioner.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Senior brain freeze, sorry.
MR. YOVANOVICH: That's okay. I would like you to take
notice that there's nobody here in the audience opposed to this, which
is something that is unusual for this area. I think you-all have seen
me come before you on other occasions where we've done boat docks
in the same area, and there's been representatives from the area
expressing concerns.
We have done, I think, a very good job of educating people in
the area. We met with the residents -- even people who aren't
adjacent to this, but people who usually come here and speak -- and
showed them what we had planned to do. We even got the
Vanderbilt Beach Property Owners' Association to recommend
approval of this subject to our recording the deed restriction
clarifying that the only individuals who could utilize these facilities
are owners or their tenants of residential units within the Regatta.
We have made that commitment. They have reviewed and
approved our deed restriction, which we will get executed and
recorded, so we stipulate to that condition. I have Todd Turrell here
and Tim Hall if you have any specific questions regarding the
proposal.
I just wanted to help Mr. Wolfley by showing the distance.
There's quite a bit of distance between where the 245 ends, and it
does include the boat that may be there. So there's ample navigability
to address safety and navigation. These are criteria that we have to
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October 4, 2001
comply with. We don't have to meet every one, but the calculation is
25.6. It's a little over 25 percent into the waterway.
But I hope that that is acceptable to you and the other members
of the Planning Commission. It was acceptable to the community. It
concurred because we ended up sliding the finger pier out -- in a little
bit. It used to be straight out, and it was shorter to move it to
accommodate some concerns. That's why it's out like that.
Unless you have any specific questions, I hope that the staff
report is complete. You've seen the application. All of that is part of
the record. We were -- under the PUD, it actually says a minimum of
74 is permitted. We have scaled back to a maximum of 56. So we
have -- it's a maximum of 56. I hope we can be rewarded for our
efforts in working with the community and having them not be here.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: That is quite a reward when it comes
to this particular area and these particular issues. I think you've done
an excellent job from what I see. Mr. Richardson.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Just a quick question. The
fingers that goes out -- whatever you call that -- how close is that to
the docks on the other side? That seems to be the closest area.
MR. HALL: It's --
THE COURT REPORTER: Your name, sir.
MR. HALL: Sorry. Tim Hall of Turrell & Associates. From
the outermost dock to that, it's 93 feet.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Stay in one place.
MR. HALL: It's 93 feet.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: So the innermost docks
run the closest, but that would be something like 80 feet, I suppose.
MR. HALL: Yes, sir. That was done to allow appropriate
backing distances for the boats on both sides. That's one of the
reasons that the finger pier is not straight up and down. The Barefoot
Pelican condominiums have a lease which allows boats up to, I
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October 4, 2001
believe, 38 feet, and in order to accommodate the appropriate backing
distance, if they did put a maximum-size boat in there, we shifted the
finger pier out a little bit to allow more room for them to navigate.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: And communications have
been made with those folks as well?
MR. YOVANOVICH: We wanted to let everybody and
anybody know what we were doing.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: And they had no objection
to it?
MR. YOVANOVICH: No. We had a neighborhood meeting,
and those who attended got to see the full presentation. They were
very pleased.
Ross mentioned there were three letters. I don't know where
they're located, but they're obviously not here so ...
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Well, they were on the
third floor waiting for us to show up.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: I was just going to comment that I
think we've been here long enough. They can read the sign over
there and have found the supervisor's training room, so they should
be here. That's my opinion. Any questions from this end? Any
further questions at all? (No response.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Do we have any registered public
speakers?
MS. MURRAY: No registered speakers.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Okay. I close the public hearing.
What's the pleasure of the board?
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Madam Chairman, I make a motion
that the Planning Commission approve Petition BD-2001-AR-1198
subject to the stipulations listed in the resolution.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Second.
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October 4, 2001
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: I have a motion by Mr. Budd, a second
by Mr. Abernathy to approve this petition. Do we have any
discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Hearing no discussion I call the
question. All those in favor say aye. (Unanimous response.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Those opposed same sign.
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Thank you. That is the last of our
public hearings.
Item No. 9, old business.
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Any new business?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I have a question.
MS. MURRAY: I have a question.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Okay. I'll give you the question first.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: You partially answered the
question earlier, but I wanted to expound on it a little bit. I
mentioned to Marjorie that at some point I thought it would be good -
- there's so many new members on this board -- that we have some
kind of workshop or training session to go over a series of things, not
just the -- I think it's important -- the county attorney's office has an
excellent presentation on the Sunshine law, which I think all the new
members could benefit from. At the same time I would like to
discuss openly with staff some concerns I have about packages and
the way we might be able to improve on things so there would be less
questions coming up at these meetings that are -- I don't know how
you want to call it -- known up front a little bit more. So I know you
had scheduled a workshop or you told me there's going to be some
kind of thing the next time. Is this going to be as involved as what
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October 4, 2001
I'm talking about, or is it going to be something different than that?
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Well, we're hoping. And to answer
your question, I believe it was the 29th of September that I was on
the board for two years, and I've been waiting for my orientation. We
made a major effort. Mrs. Young was very successful.
COMMISSIONER YOUNG: One year ago I made the same
suggestion.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: We've had a number of changeovers,
as you know, with staff changes and that type of thing, and so we
kept moving forward with a positive attitude, and it is set for the 18th
of October. I believe there's a couple set of documents that have
been produced that I have been carrying around that you should have
been given and Mr. Midney and Mr. Adelstein. If they don't already
have them, make sure they get them. That's why I was so concerned
that your medical issue would keep you from being here.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Yeah. My wife -- she's going to
be in surgery. It's going to be hard for me not to be there.
MS. MURRAY: My question was kind of related to that. You
don't know this yet, but you have a very heavy agenda on the 18th of
October. It involves Comprehensive Plan changes as well as our
regular agenda.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: If I'm not there, will it be shorter?
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Yes.
MS. MURRAY: Possibly. You may want -- I know this is a
sore subject, but you may want to consider -- I will make a concerted
effort to try to keep the agenda a little clearer when we do have this
workshop.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Okay. Let's try this question. I don't
have a calendar in front of me. We do have Land Development Code
in the normal cycle coming up in November; is that not correct?
MS. MURRAY: That's correct. Probably towards the end of
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October 4, 2001
November. I'm sorry. I don't have any schedule or calendar with me.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: They gave us the new revised special
stuff, and they didn't give you a --
MS. MURRAY: I just didn't bring it with me. I can only carry
so much.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Okay. Mr. Abernathy, what is the first
date in November?
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: One of November;
Thursday, November 1.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: How does that fit for those of us that
are here? We're missing Mr. Adelstein.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Could I suggest -- I don't
have my calendar either. I apologize for that. Maybe we can e-mail
Susan our available dates or maybe, on the other side, the dates that
are difficult, and maybe she can sort it out that way based on that.
MS. MURRAY: I would be willing to do that.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Right. Maybe on the 18th, if that's
possible, we could actually carry on a discussion in the open, not just
e-mails, of when we would have this. Would that be good?
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Madam Chairman, I'm
trying to facilitate finding a date.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Okay. We do have, then, two hearings
in November for the Land Development Code.
MS. MURRAY: I believe you do. I just don't know the dates
off the top of my head.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: All right. In deference to Mr. Strain,
who obviously is a well-informed board member on all the details
and mechanics of our particular charge, let's go ahead then and try to
let Susan know by e-mail or a telephone call when your dates are
available. We would like to have it in November as soon as possible
so we do not allow this. I remember the motion being made, I believe
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October 4, 2001
by Mr. Budd, that we absolutely were not going to change this, so I
guess we can change our mind.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: The supermajority.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Supermajority.
MS. MURRAY: I honestly did not know they were loading up
the agenda with all these items until yesterday, and I apologize.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Just as a matter of curiosity and
logistics, who loaded that agenda?
MS. MURRAY: My staff. Unfortunately, I'll blame this on the
comprehensive planning staff because it's their items that are making
your agenda so full.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Comprehensive, okay.
MS. MURRAY: They are the comp plan amendments which, as
you know, can be very long.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: I look forward to those.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: That will be entertaining for sure. So
we will shoot for coming to a conclusion and hopefully will have
some dates available to us when we talk in public on the 18th.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Just to support Mr. Strain's
point in asking a question of what would be involved in it, they'll
have their presentation, but I feel that's our opportunity to have any
kind of discussion we want to have.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN:
times I've sat in on the board, yes.
that way.
It's been that way in the past
I would hope that would continue
MS. MURRAY: In the interim, could I make a suggestion?
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Yes.
MS. MURRAY: I'm going to hand out my business cards to the
two new people that probably don't have them with my e-mail
address on them. I am encouraging you -- and Mr. Richardson is an
excellent example because he always e-mails me his questions before
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October 4, 2001
the hearing or after the hearing sometimes -- COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Sometimes.
MS. MURRAY: -- and asks about comprehensive planning
issues or interpretation issues of the code or procedural issues,
whether this is the correct procedure or not. I have a lot of difficulty
with coming to these meetings and having my staff pulled out into the
hall to read books and pour over our code. I would rather do that
ahead of the meeting for you-all if you have those kind of questions.
If you're concerned that this is not the proper procedure, I would
rather know about it ahead of time. What happens is inevitably the
rug gets pulled out from underneath a lot of people's feet in this
forum, including my staff and including the petitioner and the public
who comes here when those issues are raised. If that is a question
and your input is -- I love working with you guys. We really value
your input. We do not plan in a vacuum. I value the public's input as
well. We take heavily into consideration what you say and your
opinion. I guess I would ask for the same respect back to my staff.
If you have a question about whether or not this is even a proper
procedure, I ask that we not make each other look like idiots in the
public, that we are supportive of each other. I will make a comment
for the record that I am very supportive of this board in the public
when I talk to the public --
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Even when it's not
deserved.
MS. MURRAY: -- about what a great group this is. I'm a very
sincere and honest person. I hope you will respect that. I'm not
trying to smooze you. I do make those comments in the public, and I
just would appreciate the same back. It's difficult in a public forum
to have those kind of things happen.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: In response to that, I would like to say
that I do not under any cirumstances want the public to think that
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October 4, 2001
we're solving problems by e-mail and that they just are taken care of
and not actually mentioned on the record. In some cases I think we
will have to be very careful about making that statement because -- I
am still distressed at last night's statement by staff about the
excavation.
I recognize I have more of a responsibility to review a few
things, but I truly do not want to feel like I e-mail two pages and then
it's just forgotten because I didn't bring my copy. I didn't want it to
carry on any longer with the Land Development Code last night than
it did. I just do want to make the statement that, A, we don't want to
feel like we're doing things that the public can't have access to or
we're solving problems via e-mail, and that we do make our meetings
here run more smoothly and actually get some of those answers to the
questions that we asked, and we can ask them -- even ask a better
question so it's easier for the public to understand.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I understand your comments, and
since I'm a new member, I've been kind of vocal lately, and some of
the issues brought up today were brought up initially by me. It was
not brought up as an attack on your staff or trying to undermine
anything you-all have done. In fact, I've probably worked with most
of your staff longer than you have. I like everybody in the
department. I think they're doing an excellent job. But part of the
problem I had this time, and I think you're aware of it, is I didn't have
the documents I needed to do the research in a manner that allowed
me any time to contact anybody ahead of time.
When I was down at the county scrambling for money to get
documents that were referenced in our package, I got them, but then
when I got back home to try to read them in the evening, I found out I
only got one side of a two-sided document copied. So I still couldn't
use it. So I went down on my own time and pulled them myself and
made the copies so I would have a complete package to read. Then I
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October 4, 2001
read them -- I couldn't read them until the night before, and I didn't
get a chance to e-mail you and then receive an e-mail back. I don't
even get e-mails every 24 hours with the way it's set up. I don't have
time to tie in.
So please don't take it offensively. I did not mean it that way.
I'm just trying to make sure the record for the county's liability is as
perfect as it can be and everything is on the record. That's my intent.
MS. MURRAY: I appreciate that, and I don't take anything
personally. I have very high standards about meetings and public
forums and professionalism as do you, which is obvious, and I
appreciate that. So it's not taken as a personal attack at all. I just want
it to be more of a facilitation of communication.
I pointed out to Commissioner Rautio that I do maintain a list
throughout our meeting of things that you bring up. If you're missing
items in your agenda that you just realized, obviously, the night
before the meeting and you can't contact me, may be some
organizational tools that you would like to see changed in the agenda.
I keep a running list for my staff's presentations in ways that I think
they could more clearly communicate to you, their analysis both
verbally and in writing, as well as any pictures they show you so that
you can be clear on where, you know, our position is and what our
interpretation of the code is.
I do do that at every meeting, and my first priority when I go
back is to contact my staff via e-mail or in person and list it out and
make sure that they, hopefully, next time do a better job. But, as we
all know, it's an ongoing process.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Susan, could you add to
your list that we would like to have some water up here?
MS. MURRAY: Yeah, you told me that.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: And maybe a sandwich.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Sorry. That would be an expenditure.
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Water, I think, is relatively free.
Any other comments under the new business section here?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: Number 11 on the agenda is public
comment. I don't see any public out there. There is no comment.
had no addenda, so we have no discussion for Number 12, so I just
need to entertain a motion and a second to adjourn.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Move to adjourn.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Second.
CHAIRMAN RAUTIO: We are adjourned. Thank you.
We
There being no further business for the good of the County, the
meeting was adjourned by order of the Chair at 12:33 p.m.
COLLIER COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION
JOYCEANNA RAUTIO, CHAIRMAN
TRANSCRIPT PREPARED ON BEHALF OF DONOVAN COURT
REPORTING, INC., BY MARGARET A. SMITH, iRPR
Page 116
COLLIER COUNTY GOVERNMENT
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES DMSION
October 10, 2001
PLANNING SERVICES DEPARTMENT
2800 NORTH HORSESHOE DRIVE
NAPLES, FL 34104
TURRELL & ASSOCIATES, INC.
35384 EXCHANGE AVE
SUITE B
NAPLES, FL 34104
REFERENCE: BD-2001-/~-1198, MIRALIA
Dear Applicant:
On Thursday, October 4, 2001, the Collier County Planning Commission heard and approved
Petition No. BD-2001-AR-1198.
A copy of Resolution No. 01-23 is enclosed approving this use.
If you have any questions, please contact me at 403-2400.
Planner H
RG/Io
Enclosure
CC:
VANDERBILTL PARTNERS
5551 Ridgewood Drive
Naples, FL 34108
Land Dept. Property Appraiser
Minutes & Records (BD, PSP & PDI) ~
Customer Service
Addressing (Peggy Jarrell)
M. Ocheltree, Graphics
File
PHONE {941) 403-2400 FAX (941) 643-6968 www. co.collier, fl.us
CCPC RESOLUTION NO. 01- 23
RELATING TO PETITION NUMBER BD-2001-AR-1198
FOR AN EXTENSION OF A BOAT DOCK ON PROPERTY
HEREINAFTER DESCRIBED IN COLLIER COUNTY,
FLORIDA.
WHEREAS, the Legislature of the State of Florida in Chapter 125, Florida Statutes, has conferred
on ali counties in Florida the power to establish, coordinate and enforce zoning and such business
regulations as are necessary for the protection of tke public; and
WHEREAS, the County pursuant thereto has adopted a Land Development Code (Ordinance
91-102) which establishes regulations for the zoning of particular geographic divisions of the County,
among which is the granting of variances; and
WHEREAS, the Collier County Planning Commission, being the duly elected and constituted
Planning Commission for the area hereby affected, has held a public hearing after notice as in said
regulations made and provided, and has considered the advisability of a 225 -foot extension of a boat dock
from the permitted 20 feet to allow for a 245-foot boat dock facility, as shown on Exhibit A, in a PUD zone
for the property hereinafter described, and has found as a matter of fact that satisfactory provision and
arrangement have been made concerning all applicable matters required by said regulations and in
accordance with Section 2.6.21. of the Collier County Land Development Code; and
WHEREAS, all interested parties have been given the opportunity to be heard by this Commission
in public meeting assembled, and the Commission having considered all matters presented;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY the Collier County Planning Commission of
Collier County, Florida, that:
The petition filed by Richard D. Yovanovich, representing Vanderbilt Partners, with respect to the
property hereinafter described as:
Parcel 1, of Section 32, Township 48 South, Range 25 East, Collier County, Florida
(Exhibit B).
be and the same is hereby approved for a 225-foot extension of a boat dock from the permitted 20 feet to
allow for a 245-foot boat docking facility, as shown on Exhibit A, in the PUD Zoning district wherein said
property is located, subject to the following conditions:
All docks, or mooring pilings, whichever protrude the greater into the water, regardless of length
shall have reflectors and house numbers four (4) inches minimum size installed at the outermost
end on both sides.
2. In order to address the protection of manatees, at least one (1) "Manatee Area" sign shall be
posted during construction.
3. Permits or letters of exemption from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Florida
Department of Environmental Protection shall be presented prior to issuance of a building permit.
4. All exotic vegetation as defined in Section 3.9.6.4.1 of the Land Development Code shall be
removed from the site and the property shall be maintained exotic-free in perpetuity.
5. A sewage pumpout station shall be provided in accordance with Special Condition 17 of
Florida Department of Environmental Protection Permit #112363039, last revision, July 17, 2000.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Resolution relating to Petition Number BD-2001-AR-1198
be recorded in the minutes of this Commission and filed with the County Clerk's Office.
This Resolution adopted after motion, second and majority vote.
Donethis 4th dayof October ,2001.
COLLIER COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION
COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA
ATTEST:
JOHN ~. DUNNUCK, III
Interim(J~dministrator
Community Development and Environmental
Services
JOYCEA~NA J. RAUTIO, C~AIRMAN
Approved as to Form and Legal Sufficiency:
Marjorie09I. Student ~
Assistant County Attorney
g:/admin/BD-2001 -AR-200 I/RG/Io
COLLIER COUNTY GOVERNMENT
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES DIVISION
October 10, 2001
NELSON MARINE CONSTRUCTION, INC.
BEN NELSON, JR.
10530 WILSON ST.
BONITA SPRINGS, FL 34135
REFERENCE: BD-2001-AR-1122, GARARD, JEFF B.
PLANNING SERVICES DEPARTMENT
2800 NORTH HORSESHOE DRIVE
NAPLES, FL 34104
Dear Applicant:
On Thursday, October 4, 2001, the Collier County Planning Commission heard and approved
Petition No. BD-2001-AR-1122.
A copy of Resolution No. 01-25 is enclosed approving this use.
If you have any questions, please contact me at 403-2400.
Sincerely/,~
Ross Goch~,naur
Planner
RG~o
Enclosure
CC:
JEFF B & ~ GARARD
13105 Vanderbilt Drive ~405
Naples, FL 34110
Land Dept. Property Appraiser ~
Minutes & Records (BD, PSP & PDI)
Customer Service
Addressing (Peggy Jarrell)
M. Ocheltree, Graphics
File
PHONE (941) 403-2400
FAX (941) 643-6968
www. co.collier, fl.us
CCPC RESOLUTION NO. 01- 25
RELATING TO PETITION NUMBER BD-2001-AR-1122 FOR
AN EXTENSION OF A BOAT DOCK ON PROPERTY
HEREINAFTER DESCRIBED IN COLLIER COUNTY,
FLORIDA.
WHEREAS, the Legislature of the State of Florida in Chapter 125, Florida Statutes, has conferred
on all counties in Florida the power to establish, coordinate and enforce zoning and such business
regulations as are necessary for the protection of the public; and
WHEREAS, the County pursuant thereto has adopted a Land Development Code (Ordinance
91-102) which establishes regulations for the zoning of particular geographic divisions of the County,
among which is the granting of variances; and
WHEREAS, the Collier County Planning Commission, being the duly elected and constituted
Planning Commission for the area hereby affected, has held a public hearing after notice as in said
regulations made and provided, and has considered the advisability of a 20-foot extension of a boat dock
from the permitted 20 feet to allow for a 40-foot boat dock facility in an RSF-4 zone for the property
hereinafter described, and has found as a matter of fact that satisfactory provision and arrangement have
been made concerning all applicable matters required by said regulations and in accordance with Section
2.6.21. of the Collier County Land Development Code; and
WHEREAS, all interested parties have been given the opportunity to be heard by this Commission
in public meeting assembled, and the Commission having considered all matters presented;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY the Collier County Planning Commission of
Collier County, Florida, that:
The petition filed by Ben Nelson, Jr., representing Jeff Garard, with respect to the property hereinafter
described as:
Lot 15, Block G, Little Hickory Shores Unit 3 Replat, in Section 5, Township 48
South, Range 25 East, as described in Plat Book 6, Page 2, of the Public Records of
Collier County, Florida.
be and the same is hereby approved for a 20-foot extension of a boat dock from the permitted 20 feet to
allow for a 40-foot boat docking facility in the RSF-4 zoning district wherein said property is located,
subject to the following conditions:
All docks, or mooring pilings, whichever protrude the greater into the water, regardless of length
shall have reflectors and house numbers four (4) inches minimum size installed at the outermost
end on both sides.
2. In order to address the protection of manatees, at least one (1) "Manatee Area" sign shall be
posted during construction.
3. Permits or letters of exemption from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Florida
Department of Environmental Protection shall be presented prior to issuance of a building permit.
All exotic vegetation as defined in Section 3.9.6.4.1 of the Land Development Code shall be
removed from the site and the property shall be maintained exotic-free in perpetuity.
o
The dock shall be field-adjusted to minimize impact on mangroves.
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Resolution relating to Petition Number
BD-2001-AR-1122 be recorded in the minutes of this Commission and filed with the County Clerk's
Office.
This Resolution adopted after motion, second and majority vote.
Donethis 6~:h dayof Oel-oho_r , 2001.
ATTEST:
JOHN M.~)UNNUCK, III
ExecutiveVSecretary
Community Development and Environmental
Services Interim Administrator
COLLI~ER COUNTY PL/~I~G COMMISSION
JOYCE~qA J. RAUTIO, CHAIRMAN
Approved as to Form and Legal Sufficiency:
Marj~rie 2el.~ Student
Assistant County Attorney
g:/admin/BD-2001 -AR- 1122
COLLIER COUNTY GOVERNMENT
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES DIVISION
December 10, 2001
YOUNG, VAN ASSENDERP, VARNADOE & ANDERSON, P.A.
GEORGE L. VARNADOE
801 LAUREL OAK DR., # 300
NAPLES, FL 34108
REFERENCE: PDI-2001-AR-1220, Marco Shores Golf Course Community
Dear Mr Varnadoe:
On Thursday, October 4, 2001, the Collier County Planning Commission heard and approved
Petition No. PDI-2001-AR- 1220.
A copy of Resolution No. 01-29 is enclosed approving this use.
If you have any questions, please contact me at 403-2400.
Principal Planner
FR/Io
PLANNING SERVICES DEPARTMENT
2800 NORTH HORSESHOE DRIVE
NAPLES, FL 34104
Enclosure
CC:
WCI COMMUNITIES, INC.
Land Dept. Property Appraiser
Minutes & Records (BD, PSP & PDI)
Customer Service
Addressing (Peggy Jarrell)
M. Ocheltree, Graphics
File
PHONE (941) 403-2400
FAX (941) 643-6968
www. co.collier, fl.us
PDI RESOLUTION NO. 01- 29
RELATING TO PETITION NUMBER
PDI~2001-AR-1220 FOR INSUBSTANTIAL CHANGES
TO MARCO SHORES PUD FOR PURPOSE OF
REVISING THE MASTER PLAN BY THE
RELOCATION AND RECONFIGURATION OF
RESIDENTIAL PARCELS ONE. AND TWO AND THE
GOLF CLUB (CLUBHOUSE) TRACT, ON PROPERTY
HEREINAFTER DESCRIBED IN COLLIER COUNTY,
FLORIDA.
WHEREAS, the Legislature of the State of Florida in Chapter 125, Florida Statutes,
has conferred on all counties in Florida the power to establish, coordinate and enforce zoning
and such business regulations as are necessary for the protection of the public, and
WHEREAS, the County pursuant thereto has adopted a Land Development Code
(Ordinance No. 91-102) which establishes regulations for the zoning of particular geographic
divisions of the County, and
WHEREAS, the Collier County Planning Commission is authorized by the Board of
County Commissioners to grant insubstantial changes to PUDs in accordance with Subsection
2.7.3.5 of the Land Development Code of Collier County, and
WHEREAS, the Collier County Planning Commission, being the duly elected
constituted Planning Commission for the area hereby affected, has held a public hearing after
notice as in said regulations made and provided, and has considered the advisability of
approving PDI-2001-AR-1220, for insubstantial changes as shown on the revised Marco
Shores PUD Master Plan (Exhibit "A"), for the Marco Shores PUD, Ordinance Number
94-41, for the relocation and reconfiguration of Residential Parcel One and Residential Parvel
Two and the Golf Club (Clubhouse) Tract for property hereinafter described, and has found
as a matter of fact that satisfactory provision and arrangement have been made concerning all
applicable matters required by said regulations and in accordance with Subsection 2.7.3.5 of
the Collier County Land Development Code, and
WHEREAS, all interested parties have been given opportunity to be heard by this
Commission in public meeting assembled and the Commission having considered all matters
presented,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY the Collier County Planning
Commission of Collier County, Florida, that:
The petition filed by George Vamadoe, Esq., of Young, vanAssenderp, Varnadoe,
and Anderson, P.A., representing WCI Communities, Inc., be and the same hereby is
approved for making the noted minor design changes to the Marco Shores PUD Master Plan
(Exhibit "A") having the effect of revising the Master Plan by the relocation and
reconfiguration of Residential Parcel One and Residential Parcel Two and the Golf Club
(Clubhouse) Tract.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Resolution relating to Petition Number
PDI-2001-AR-1220 be recorded in the minutes of this Commission and filed with the
County Clerk's Office.
This Resolution adopted after motion, second and majority vote.
Done this /,~-h day of Ocrohor ., 2001.
ATTEST:
COLLIER COUNTY PLANNING
COMMISSION
COLLIER COUNTY, FLORID, A..
'JOYCE~NNA J. ,
JOHN M. DUNNUCK, llI
InterimAdministrator
Community Development and Environmental
Services
Approved as to Form and Legal Sufficiency:
Maxj 0ri~M~ Student
Assistant County Attorney
PDI-2001 ~AR-1220
851
ii
iZ
GOLF COURSE COMMUNITY
PUD MASTER PLAN
Prepsred For: WCl Communities, Inc.
EXHIBIT "A"
Wils Miller