CCPC Minutes 01/17/2002 RJanuary 17, 2002
TRANSCRIPT OF THE MEETING OF THE
COLLIER COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION
NAPLES, FLORIDA, JANUARY 17, 2002
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 8:32 a.m. In REGULAR
SESSION in Building "F" of the Government Complex, East Naples,
Florida, with the following members present:
CHAIRMAN:
Kenneth L. Abernathy
Russell A. Budd
Paul Midney
Lindy Adelstein
Lora Jean Young
David J. Wolfley
Dwight Richardson
Mark P. Strain
ALSO PRESENT:
Patrick White, Assistant County Attorney
Susan Murray, Chief Planner, Planning Services
Page 1
AGENDA
COLLIER COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION WILL MEET AT 8:30 A.M., THURSDAY, JANUARY 17, 2002, IN THE
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING ROOM, ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, COUNTY
GOVERNMENT CENTER, 3301 TAMIAMI TRAIL EAST, NAPLES, FLORIDA:
NOTE: INDIVIDUAL SPEAKERS WILL BE LIMITED TO 5 MINUTES ON ANY
ITEM. IND~UALS SELECTED TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF AN
ORGANIZATION OR GROUP ARE ENCOURAGED AND MAY BE ALLOTTED 10
MINUTES TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM IF SO RECOGNIZED BY THE CHAIRMAN.
PERSONS WISHING TO HAVE WRITTEN OR GRAPHIC MATERIAI.~ INCLUDED
IN THE CCPC AGENDA PACKETS MUST SUBMIT SAID MATERIAL A
MINIMUM OF 10 DAYS PRIOR TO THE RESPECTIVE 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.
5.
6.
7.
8.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
ROLL CALL BY CLERK
ADDENDA TO THE AGENDA - DISCUSSION CONCERNING NEW MEETING DATE TO BE SCHEDULED
FOR THE "FINAL ORDER AMENDMENTS".
APPROVAL OF DECEMBER 20, 2001, MINUTES
PLANNING COlVIMISSION ABSENCES- $OYCEANNA I. RAUTIO
BCC REPORT- NONE
CHAIRlVIA~S REPORT
ADVERTISED PUBLIC HEARINGS
CU-2001-AR-1225, George L. Vamadoe, Esq., of Young, vanAssenderp, Varnadoe &
Anderson, P.A., requesting Conditional Use #20 of the Agricultural District for a "Sporting and
Recreational Camp" located approximately three quarters of a mile west of S.IL 29 and
approximately one mile south of Oil Well Road (C.IL 858), in Sections 19 & 30, Township 48
South, Range 30 East, Collier County, Florida. (Coordinator: Fred Reis. chi) and; ST-2001-AR-
1226, George L. Vamadoe, Esq., of Young, vanAssenderp, Vamadoe, & Anderson, P.A.,
representing Barron Collier Companies, requesting a Special Treatment Development Permit in the
A-MHO-ACSC/ST District for a "Sporting and Recreational Camp" located approximately three
quarters ora mile west of S.R. 29 and approximately one mile south of Oil Well Road (C.R. 858),
in Sections 19 & 30, Township 48 South, Range 30 East, Collier County, Florida. (Coordinator:
Barbara Burgeson)
Bo
CU-2001-AR-1255. Donald $. Murray, AICP, of Communication Development Services, Inc., representing
Collier County Emergency Management Services, requesting Conditional Use 13 of "E" Estates for an
Essential Service Communication Tower, as specified in Section 2.6.35.6.3 of the LDC, for property
located at 95 13~ Street SW at the intersection of Golden Gate Blvd. and 13*~ Street SW, Golden Gate
Estates, Unit 9, in Section 8, Township 49 South, Range 27 East, Collier County, Florida. (Coordinator:
Ray Bellows)
PUDA-2001-AR-431, Tim Hancock, AICP, representing Park East Development, LTD, requesting
amendment to the Founders Plaza PUD by updating the existing PUD for the purpose of including
language that permits additional retail and commercial uses on parcels that exceed 150' in depth
for property located on both sides of Golden Gate Parkway at the Santa Barbara Canal Crossing in
Golden Gate City, Section 28, Township 49 South, Range 26 East. (Coordinator: Ray Bellows)
(CONTINUED TO 2-12-02)
PUDA-2001-AR-1494, Cindy A. Penney, of PMS, Inc. of Naples, representing Kenco
Development Inc., requesting a rezone from PUD to PUD to be known as the Richland PUD for
the purpose of reducing the maximum number of dwelling units fi-om 650 to 400 and increasing
the commercial acreage fi-om 21.8 acres to 25 acres for property located on the southwest corner of
Immokalee Road and Collier Boulevard (C.R. 951), in Section 27, Township 48 South, Range 46
East, Collier County, Florida. (Coordinator: Ray Bellows)
VA-2001-AR-1442, Kirk Sanders, requesting a 2.3-foot after-the-fact variance from the required
1 O-foot rear yard setback established for accessory structures to 7.7 feet for property located at
1139 Sperling Avenue, further described as Lot 14, Block B, Sperlings Subdivision, in Section 22,
Township 49 South, Range 25 East, Collier County, Florida. Coordinator: Fred Reischl)
VA-2001-AR-1526, Kraft Construction Company, Inc., representing Diocese of Venice Catholic
Church, requesting a 6.5-foot variance fi-om the required 30-foot fi-om yard setback to 23.5 feet for
property located at 5225 Golden Gate Parkway, in Section 28, Township 49 South, Range 26 East,
Collier County, Florida. (Coordinator: Fred Reischl)
VA-2001-AR-1564, Bill Potter, of Potter Homes, Inc., representing Bill and Kristi Grigsby,
requesting a 6.5-foot variance fi-om the required 25-foot rear yard setback to 18.5 feet for the
principal structure and a 7-foot variance fi-om the required 20-foot rear yard setback to 13 feet for a
pool and enclosure for property located at 390 Willett Avenue, further described as Lot 8, Conners
Vanderbilt Unit 2, Collier County, Florida. (Coordinator: Fred Reischl)
H. PDI-2001-AR-1276 (SM) Brad C. Hedrich, of Hedrich En~neering, Inc., representing Meridian
Land Company, requesting an Insubstantial Change Determination to the Madeira PUD Master
Plan to move the location of the community's recreation center area from the northwest corner of
the project to the southwest corner of the project; to create additional preserve and lake areas; to
reconfigure the internal site circulation; to reconfigure internal lakes; and to designate the location
ora neighborhood park for property located in Sections 13 and 24, Township 48 South, Range 25
East, Collier County, Florida. (Coordinator: Susan Murray)
OLD BUSINESS - LDC MINUTES - NOVEMBER 14, 2001 AND NOVEMBER 28, 2001
2
10. NEW BUSINESS
11. PUBLIC COMMENT ITEM
12. DISCUSSION OF ADDENDA
13. ADJOURN
1/I 7/01/CCPC AGENDA/SM/lo
January 17, 2002
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: I would like to call the meeting
of Thursday, January 17, 2002, meeting of the Collier County
Planning Commission. Please rise and join me in reciting the pledge
allegiance to the flag.
(The pledge of allegiance was recited in unison.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
Mr. Midney.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY:
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
I will call the roll.
Present.
Mr. Adelstein.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Present.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Mr. Budd.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Here.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
Mrs. Young.
COMMISSIONER YOUNG:
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
Abemathy is present.
Here.
Mr. Richardson.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Yes.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Mr. Wolfley.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Present.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
MR. STRAIN: Here.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
Mr. Strain.
The next item, addenda to the
agenda. The first of those will be the election of new officers, since
our chairman has resigned. I'm the acting chairman, since I'm the
vice chairman. Apparently, we passed an election cycle last October
blindly ignorant of it, so we are overdue to have an election. We will
do that immediately.
Do you have any other addenda to the agenda, Miss Murray?
MS. MURRAY: Good morning. Susan Murray, current
planning manager. I do. I have received written requests from the
petitioner for Item H -- that's the Madeira PDI -- for an indefinite
Page 2
January 17, 2002
continuance.
So I advise anybody in the audience that is here to hear the
Madeira PDI it has been continued indefinitely. I would also like to
remind you that Item C, PD-2001-AR-431, regarding the Founders
Plaza PUD has been continued to 2/12. So if anybody in the
audience who wishes to speak about the Founders Plaza PUD, that
has been continued to 2/12/02.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Ms. Murray, is 2/12 a regular
commission date?
MS. MURRAY: I don't have a calendar in front of me.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: We have one. I have one here.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: It's a Saturday --
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I have got it as a Tuesday; that's
why I questioned that with Ray on e-mail, and I haven't got a
response yet.
MS. MURRAY: I'm sorry. It was -- the numbers were
transposed. It was the 21st. Does that coincide with our calendar?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I just wanted to make sure that's
what your intent was.
MS. MURRAY: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Indefinite continuance, that
maintains -- maintains its filing. They don't have to refile or any of
those things?
MS. MURRAY: Well--
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: It has to be readvertised, I
assume.
MS. MURRAY: It depends on the length of continuance, so if it
exceeds the statutory requirement for advertising based on the length
of its continuance, it will be readvertised appropriately. I think the
petitioner is just deciding how they want to handle the situation. I
know you were familiar with the situation because you heard it last
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January 17, 2002
time.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: We shouldn't be concerned with
it this morning, I don't suppose.
MS. MURRAY: And-- I don't know. Patrick, do they need to
take action to continue that to indefinitely?
MR. WHITE: Not anymore so that -- I'm sorry. Assistant
County Attorney Patrick White -- not any more sure than they
otherwise would, for example, with respect to Item C.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Item C, we are told it's been
continued. H, I suppose, is an application for indefinite continuance.
Can we have a motion to continue both C and H for whatever
effect that may have?
COMMISSIONER BUDD: So move.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Second it.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
(Unanimous response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
Any discussion? All in favor.
Opposed?
Carried. Now, we are going to
have some discussion about the final order amendments, Ms.
Murray?
MS. MURRAY: Do you want to do your elections first?
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: All right. We can do the election
first. In the past we have nominated a chairman, and then a vice
chairman and secretary; those are the three officers. We have also
done it as a package, if you will, where one person nominated all
three so a person considering that slate would understand the
relationship between the three parties to the deal.
My own preference is if somebody has a slate of three officers to
nominate, I would be interested in hearing that.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I have a slate, Mr. Chair, I would
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January 17, 2002
like to recommend. I would like to recommend you as chairman and
Mr. Budd as vice chairman and Ms. Young as secretary.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: I will second that.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Any other nominations?
COMMISSIONER BUDD: I like it.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: We will close the nominations.
All in favor.
(Unanimous response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Opposed?
(No response.)
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Congratulations.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Hold your applause. Now, are
we ready to talk about the final order amendment? MS. MURRAY: Yes, sir.
MR. LITZINGER: Good morning, Mr. Chairman--
congratulations -- and commissioners. For the record, I'm Stan
Litzinger, comprehensive planning manager. The reason I'm here to
speak to you this morning is it's come to our attention that you will
not probably have a quorum for either of your regularly scheduled
meetings in February, either on the 7th or the 21st. This creates
somewhat of a conundrum, if you will, because as you are all
probably aware we are in the final phases of completing what has
been over a two-year process of public hearings for the transmittal of
their final order amendment for the rural fringe assessment area.
We are in a position due to our deadlines that we have more or
less sworn ourselves to with the governor and the cabinet and the
folks in Tallahassee that we cannot afford to lose a month, but we
cannot go forward unless we have a public hearing before our local
planning agency, which is you folks. To do that we need a quorum.
So what I am here this morning to ask and petition that you do is
make a commitment to have a special meeting on either the 6th or the
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January 17, 2002
13th of February, which are both Wednesdays and on which.
Days this room is available because there would be a large
crowd. Also, that we have a commitment that we have at least five
commissioners present.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: You are telling me something
that I don't know, and I don't know it's a matter of record. Is there --
what is the source of your information that we wouldn't have a
quorum on the 7th and the 14th?
MR. LITZ1NGER: Because of the resignation of Ms. Rautio,
we thought it might be a good idea to poll all the commissioners --
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Okay.
MR. LITZINGER: -- along with those two dates. And, true
enough, we only have four commissioners committed to both the 7th
and the 21st of this date.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Can we poll them again
while we are here?
MR. LITZINGER: Certainly.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Mr. Midney, are you going to be
here?
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Both days.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I won't for the 21st, I will for
the 7th.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: I'm the opposite. I will be out of
town on the 7th, and I will be here on the 21st.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: That's two for each. I'm here for
both. That's three for each.
COMMISSIONER YOUNG: I will not be here for either.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: I will be here for both.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: That's four.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: I will be out of the country for
both.
Page 6
January 17, 2002
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I will definitely be here for both.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: That's five.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: You have a quorum.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: We definitely will have five
on the 7th. So we can advertise for the 7th. Those here on the 7th
raise your hands.
(Commissioners raised hands.)
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: You are locked in forever.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Do you want to do the 21st while
we are at it and get it on the record?
MS. MURRAY: Please, that would help me.
(Commissioners Abernathy, Strain, Midney, Adelstein, and
Richardson raised their hands.)
MS. MURRAY: Five for the 21st. Thank you.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN:
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
for the December 20th minutes.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY:
Just a different five.
Moving right along. Approval
So move.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Second it.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Anybody have any a corrections
or additions?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: All in favor.
(Unanimous response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Carried.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Mr. Chairman, are we going to
discuss the other minutes today? There were two other packages sent
out. I know they are not on the agenda, so I'm --
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Yes, they are on the agenda.
Page 7
January 17, 2002
Down at No. 9.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN:
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
COMMISSIONER STRAIN:
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
On the back page?
Yes, sir. Old LDC minutes.
Didn't see them.
Okay. We have covered
Planning Commission absences in our own way here. BCC report, Ms. Murray?
MS. MURRAY: There is none enclosed in your packet.
I was
MS. MURRAY:
yes.
hoping to, actually, be able to hand out to you the LDC amendments
or get them in your packet. If you were here early this morning, you
saw me run them up to the clerk's office. So I would like to hand out
those -- or have them mailed out to you, the final ordinance, and then
discuss it for the next meeting.
I don't think there was anything of interest to you that happened
at that last board meeting, a couple of minor petitions that were
approved consistent with your recommendations. Nothing else.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: In accordance with our
recommendations?
In accordance with your recommendations,
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Next item is the chairman's.
Report. I have none. So we will move to the advertised public
hearings.
Any member of the public who wants to address us on any of
these issues should fill out a slip that you will find out on the table in
the passageway and give them to the planning department
representative, Ms. Murray, sitting beside the court reporter.
MS. MURRAY: Excuse me, Mr. Chairman. I was just handed
a speaker slip for Item H; that is the Madeira PUD.
Mr. Murphy, I announced earlier that that item has been
continued indefinitely, as well I had sent you an e-mail to that affect.
Page 8
January 17, 2002
Again, if there is anybody here to hear Item H, the Madeira
PUD, it has been continued indefinitely.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Mr. Murphy, do you hear that?
MR. MURPHY: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Okay. Fred, all persons wishing
to testify on the matter now in hearing should raise their right hands
and be sworn.
MS. MURRAY: I'm sorry. The court reporter swears.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: I can do it.
(All parties sworn.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Do we have disclosures?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Me.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Ex parte disclosures to be made
as to this item.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I had a brief conversation.
With Mr. Vamadoe prior to the beginning of the meeting. He
was describing some of the aspects for this request. CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Anyone else?
MR. REISCHL: Fred Reischl, planning services. This is a
request for a conditional use and a special treatment development
permit. The location, as you can see on the visualizer, is in rural
Collier County.
In the southwest comer of the intersection of State Road 29 and
Oil Well Road, which is also County Road.
858. The closest landmark, if you will, is the general store in the
northeast comer. And this is a little further south on 29 from that.
The subject of the conditional use and ST permit is a 38-acre
parcel. The area controlled by the petitioner is over 4,500 acres. The
property is outside the urban designated area. However, the use is
not one of those that is prohibited by the final order.
The underlying zoning is rural agricultural, and there is also a
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January 17, 2002
mobile home overlay -- and that is not of concern as of today. It just
allows a mobile home can be put on an agricultural property. And
there is also a ACSC/ST overlay, area of critical state concern/special
treatment. And that's the reason for the ST development permit that
is also being heard today.
And on the visualizer you can see the approximate layout of the
38 acres, basically, designed to avoid having any wetlands on the site.
That is why the unusual configuration. You can see in pink the
cabins and the hunting lodge in the center there. There will be a --
road access from State Road 29, and, again, that is also across the
petitioner's property.
This was heard by the Environmental Advisory Council, and
they recommended approval 7-0; one member recused themselves
because of business with the company. And the one question that
came up at the EAC was regarding fencing. The petitioner has stated
that they are in talks with the panther refuge to the south, and they
will conform to the request of the panther refuge for fencing that will
keep out poachers but will allow panthers to cross. The staff
recommends approval of both petitions.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Questions of staff?.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Mr. Chair.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Fred.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: The line that says, "Area
Critical State Concern, "which site does this fall on? Or which part
is in the critical area?
MR. REISCHL: Okay. If you look at the visualizer again, I
have that line in yellow. The south portion is within the area of
critical state concern. The north portion is outside.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Do we have any
independent knowledge about the lack of wetlands in this area?
MR. REISCHL: Barbara Burgeson is here, and she wants to
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January 17, 2002
address that. She is our senior environmental specialist.
I have been informed the petitioner has an environmental
consultant that will address that.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: No. I said, do we have
any independent knowledge of that? As we have heard in the past,
we often get applicant's representative saying what the applicant
whats them to say.
MR. REISCHL: I have not been on the site, but Barbara has.
MS. BURGESON: For the record, Barbara Burgeson with
planning services. I did a site visit with Todd Turrell of Turrell &
Associates about a month and a half ago. There are wetlands
immediately adjacent to the boundary of the property on the east,
which is why there was a stipulation added. The last stipulation in
the resolution states that, "In lieu of providing the South Florida
Water Management District determination, the petitioner agrees to
provide a minimum of 25-foot buffer from all conditional-use
boundaries adjacent to the wetlands. "And that is for The -- the
reason for that is because the wetlands are all off site, and in order for
me to determine that they are not impacting the wetlands, they would
either have to approve jurisdictional wetland determination, which
may take them a few weeks or months to do, or the other option is
that we would normally require a minimal of 25 foot -- 25-foot
setback from the wetlands minimum 15. If they provide that 25-foot
setback from the property boundary, then they are assured of being at
least 25 foot away from the wetland boundary.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Might we expect, then,
that this boundary line will change based on the in-field conditions as
they find it?
MR. REISCHL: No. The legal description is -- will be
approved as part of this conditional use. That will stay the same.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: So we can be assured that
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January 17, 2002
is all upland land?
MR. REISCHL: According to what was submitted to us, yes.
Again, even if there was some wetland within there, they will still
have to maintain 25 feet from those wetlands, if the jurisdictional line
shows otherwise.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: So the boundary could
stay the same, but then the application will be deficient in that there
might be wetlands within the property to say that there are no
wetlands?
MR. REISCHL: I don't know it would be deficient, but, yes,
there could be wetlands shown --
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Okay. I will say
inaccurate.
MR. REISCHL: Okay.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Just out of curiosity, what else
can this land be used for? Can it all be planted with citrus or ag?
MR. REISCHL: Agricultural uses -- there are-- because it is
area state critical concern, that is one of the uses -- is that agricultural
uses are also limited, and ACSC could be used for one house or one
mobile home for every 5-acre parcel. There are some individual
parcels in the area. As I said, all under the same ownership.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Mr. Richardson, are you
finished?
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Yes. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Fred, as a planner does it strike
you as a bit of anomaly in this district you can build one dwelling
unit for every 5 acres, but if you call it a lodge and cabins you can
build 14 of them? Isn't there something a little askew about that?
MR. REISCHL: Well, what they are doing is clustering.
Because, as I say, they own-- it's over 4, 000 acres.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: So they are using all of that--
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January 17, 2002
MR. REISCHL: In one 38-acre parcel, basically.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: You did not make that clear.
That counts against them elsewhere on the property then? MR. REISCHL: That's right.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Mr. Varnadoe?
MR. VARNADOE: For the record, George Varnadoe
representing the property owner, Barron Collier Investments Limited.
Also here today to answer questions are Blake Gable of the Barron
Collier Company, Domenic Amico, and Stephen Basado of Agnoli,
Barber & Brundage, the planners and engineers on the project, and
Tim Hall of Turrell & Associates, who are the environmental
consultants.
The landowner is proposing a neat little project, private hunting
and fishing club in the rural ag areas that you have heard. Although
hunting and fishing are allowed uses in the area, conditional use is
necessary for the lodge and related facilities.
Conditional Use 20 in the Land Development Code with ag
district is 40 and recreational camp, in which this falls. As the SNAP
has indicated, the site is 38 acres, and I will direct your attention to
this aerial photograph.
This is 858 here (indicating) and State Road 29 here indicating).
The site in question is here (indicating).
Mr. Richardson was asking questions about the area of critical
state concern; that line boundary is right there, sir (indicating). As
you can see, we could have located that camp completely outside of
the area of critical state concern, but there is no need to do it since we
meet the mandates of the area of critical state concern, which merely
state you cannot alter more than 10 percent of the site, and you can't
have a pervious surface on more than one-half of that 10 percent or 5
percent of the site, so we are meeting that. So that's not a concern.
As far as what's allowed in the area of critical state concern, that
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January 17, 2002
really does not restrict usage. It really restricts how much of the site
you can alter.
To correct something that Mr. Reischl said, agricultural is totally
exempt from the rules of area critical state concern. So this whole
area could be turned into agricultural use.
What we have done here is -- you can see this is a blowup of this
area right here (indicating) on this aerial. We have sited the site
outside of this hammock here (indicating), which is a hardwood
hammock which has this typical mixed hardwood uses in it -- some
wetland, obviously, in there. We kept the cabins all outside of that,
main lodge outside of that, but also site -- pushed them up against
that hardwood hammock for aesthetic reasons and also to provide
vast views across this to the west and southwest.
The property is bordered on the south about this line right here
(indicating) by the Florida Panther and National Wildlife Refuge.
We have been in contact with them, and they have no objection to our
request. In fact, we are working on matters of mutual interest with
them.
The 38 acres is going to be used for the main lodge building up
to 14 cabins. Accessory buildings, we're going to have a welcome
building out in this area here (indicating), parking here (indicating),
and access into the site will only be on foot or by golf carts, trying to
get that traditional rural setting for this use.
The project was designed to limit the impervious surface and
provide a natural setting in keeping with what we think is a very
traditional use in a rural setting, which is a hunting lodge.
You can see the site is somewhat remote. The excess will be
via -- we had two alternates here -- via existing farm roads, some of
which are improved and some of which have not been greatly
improved. You can also notice the manmade lakes that have been
there for many years dating back to when 29 was constructed that
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January 17, 2002
will be used for the fishing activities on the site.
The major activity is going to be quail hunting, which will be a
managed activity, and we do have our state permit for that. As Fred
has said, the project is consistent with the Growth Management Plan,
the rules and regulations for the area state critical concern and interim
amendments to the Growth Management Plan that are in place.
While we go through the rural assessment, they are also consistent
with that.
The EAC recommended unanimous approval -- I will not take
much of your time up. If you have any questions, I will be glad to
answer them. I think this is a neat little project and one that is
allowed in the rural ag area and does and will keep this 4,800 acres in
pretty much its natural state for the forseeable future, which I think is
the reason the environmental audience has not been here to object --
either at the EAC or this meeting. The reason the EAC gave
unanimous approval is because it does -- to some it's a lot better than
turning it into ag. I will be glad to answer any questions.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Mr. Varnadoe, help me
picture the operations here. I'm just not familiar with how this
sporting club will work.
We have been reading a lot in the paper recently about swamp
buggies and the difficulty of getting in and out of certain areas and
restrictions. Do I picture this in wetlands sense in any -- how will
people be transported around? Do they walk or take a swamp buggy
or what?
MR. VARNADOE: Probably not swamp buggy because most
of your bird hunting is on upland areas, not in wetland areas.
Typically hunting in this area is done with bird dogs and usually
transported to an area, probably by jeep, and then from there it's
hunting on foot.
If you are familiar with North Florida and South Georgia
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January 17, 2002
hunting, they do it from wagons with mules, but I think that is kind of
out of place in South Florida. I think over the existing farm roads by
vehicle and then on foot, sir.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Thank you. One other
question. Are you going to have a caretaker on site? Is that planned?
MR. VARNADOE: That is the current plan. Whether they will
be there 24 hours a day or merely during all hours of operation, that
is yet to be decided. But, obviously, there will have to be a manager
or caretaker. That is one of the reasons for the outbuilding is to have
a place to store guns and have a meeting place with the guides with
the dogs and that type of facilities, yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: One of the concerns, of
course, raised by staff is that this would not be used as a transient
facility?
MR. VARNADOE: Yes, sir. Mr. Reischl and I have discussed
that. I think when you see the remote location, the fact that you are
going to be getting there over shell roads, and then you -- I have a
welcome station, and you get in a golf cart to go -- I don't think the
facility lends itself to a transient lodging facility, which is one of the
things that is prohibited in this area during the interim amendments.
We said if there are any rationale restrictions, the Planning
Commission or the staff would like to place on that, we will be happy
to do it. But it's just one of those things that the planner came up
with without really looking at the site, because I can't imagine anyone
traveling down 29 and then a mile over dirt roads and getting into a
golf cart to spend the night unless he has other activities in mind.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Any other questions? Any
member of the public registered to speak?
MS. MURRAY: No registered speakers.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Close the public hearing. What
is the pleasure of the board?
Page 16
January 17, 2002
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Make a motion --
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Chairman, I would like to make a
motion we recommend approval of Petition CU-2001-AR- 1225 and
ST-2001-AR-1226 to the Board of Zoning Appeals.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I will second it.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: We have a motion by Mr. Budd
and second by Mr. Strain. Any discussion?
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY:
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY:
Yes.
Yes, sir, Mr. Midney.
I thin -- to me it sounds like an
excellent use of private land because it gives the owners an incentive
to keep it in its natural state, and also they will be addressing the
exotic plants. It sounds to me like a good idea.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Any other? Call the question.
Call those all in favor?
(Unanimous response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Motion carries. Please fill out
your conditional-use petition forms and pass them in.
Next item, CU-2001-AR-1255, communications Development
Services, Incorporated. All of those wishing to testify on this matter
stand and raise your right-hands be sworn.
(All parties swom.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
COMMISSIONER STRAIN:
Any disclosures as to this item?
Yes. I spoke to.
Chief Peterson once since the last meeting, and I spoke to him
briefly in this room prior to the last meeting concerning this issue.
Our discussions centered around the use of the fire station's existing
tower in that same location instead of adding an additional tower.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Any other disclosures?
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January 17, 2002
Okay. Mr. Bellows?
MR. BELLOWS: For the record, Ray Bellows with current
planning staff. This petition was presented to you a couple of
meetings ago. It was continued to allow the petitioner to obtain
additional information as to the use of the fire district tower. That
information has been included in your packet.
Staff is recommending approval, and I would be happy to
answer any questions which you might have.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Go ahead.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I have a question for the county
attorney, unfortunately. This tower was in an area that has another
one across the street from it, and there is a library on the corner,
which is another governmental service. I believe the sheriff's
department is or is going to be out there, which is another
governmental service. According to our essential services they can
be placed -- they can place towers for their use anywhere. And I
believe that if you were Nextel or a communications company, and
you weren't an essential service, you would have to put your tower in
a properly zoned area.
The way the code is written it seems that we've got a loophole
that allows private companies by buying zoning to be able to put a
tower anywhere they want under the guise of essential services.
The fire department has an existing tower that is not completely
utilized by essential services. It is utilized by private companies.
Does the county have any mechanism, such as eminent domain, to
force those private companies off of the location or the existing
company that could be used by EMS, sheriff, library, county -- or
anybody they want so we can maintain just one tower for essential
services when it's needed for essential services?
MR. WHITE: My understanding is that the typical means by
which you acquire the rights to use your antennas on a tower is
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January 17, 2002
through contract. And I believe it may be that there is an interference
with those contracts, rather than the typical notion of property rights
against real property that eminent domain is utilized for when there
is, quote, taking by.
The government. So I would be concerned that we would be
crossing the line from real property law to contract law and maybe
doing something that was impermissible in terms of interference with
contracts.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: So we can take someone's home
for putting a road through, but we can't take an antenna of a tower to
put an essential service in its place because of a contract; is that what
it boils down?
MR. WHITE: I think that's a fair statement.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Mr. Abelstein.
COMMISSIONER ABELSTEIN: Is there no space available
from 145 feet to 165 feet on that present tower?
MR. BELLOWS: That's my understanding. The information
that was presented by the applicant indicates that there are no existing
space at the height on the existing tower that they need. Otherwise, it
would acquire additional towers to be built for EMS in order to have
the system operated.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: The petition states that there
is nothing at 145-foot level. It doesn't state that there is nothing
above that up to 165-foot level. It seems to me the higher they go the
better transmission would be anyway.
MR. BELLOWS: Their response was the 165-foot tower
located at the fire station across 13th Street to the east of the EMS
station was looked at by EMS, but that tower did not offer the height
that EMS.
Needed. The fire chief determined that he needed 145-foot
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January 17, 2002
space. The space above and below that level is not available.
I have also -- the -- the applicant has also tried to obtain a
written letter from the fire chief during the public hearing on
December 20th to determine what issues were involved-- about other
locations in the height. And it turns out that they really don't have the
space at the levels they really need for optimal efficiency. It really
has to be at that 145-foot mark.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Has anybody reviewed the
contracts of the parties that are presently on that tower?
MR. BELLOWS: I would have to defer to the applicant on that.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I'm aware many of the
contracts given out clause if the county needs the area.
MR. BELLOWS: The applicant -- the petitioner is here from
EMS.
MS. FLAGG: For the record, Diana Flagg with Emergency
Medical Services. This is a flagpole that is planned for the front of
the station.
In terms of the contract, that is a contract.
Relationship between Golden Gate Fire District and the people
that are on the tower on Golden Gate's Fire District's property.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Have those contracts been
reviewed to see if there is an out clause in any one of them at the
level necessary?
MS. FLAGG: I don't have that information. We have to ask
Don Peterson, who is the chief of Golden Gate Fire District. But I
think the county attorney would like to comment.
MR. PALMER: Yes. My name is Tom Palmer, assistant county
attorney. I have reviewed all of these contracts. They are leases.
Nobody in private enterprise has any right to get on a tower on a
essential service site except to the extent agreed to in the lease.
Therefore, these things could be wholly owned and used only by
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January 17, 2002
governmental units; sheriff, United States government, what have
you.
The rights that these private people have the tower are as agreed
to. In most cases they put up these towers. They pay the money for
the tower. They turn the title over to the county. The county gets
free use or other governmental use. And they reserve in those
agreements the right to sublease or allow licensees, technically --
they are called licensees on the tower. That essentially gives them an
opportunity to pay back themselves the capital cost of putting up the
tower.
There are no out clauses. For example, it does not say that you
can get on there but except if a governmental entity comes by later
and needs your space, that you will either have to get off the tower or
get down to a lower level on the tower, assuming the lower level will
meet your needs for a radio wave point of view. Therefore, there are
no outs. These are rights to the extent that the subleasee or the
other Has. Sometimes they enter into five years. Sometimes they are
renewable five and five and five. They are all individual
subagreements. But there are no out clauses that we can -- can
effectively bump them if we feel a subsequent need to utilize their
space.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Do we realize at that 145 level
that there is a -- the lease is coming up, or what the status of that
particular lease is?
MR. PALMER: The lease on the now existing tower?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Yes.
MR. PALMER: I understand that there is an occupant on there
under an existing lease, and I don't know it's term. But I understand
the tower at the fire station, there is an occupant on there actually
utilizing at this time under some specified term agreement.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: But we don't know what the
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January 17, 2002
term is?
MR. PALMER: No. No, I don't. I would speculate it would be
a minimum of five years, because of capital expenses they have to
put a structure at the ground, coaxial cable up the tower, and there is
quite a lot of capital expenditure. People don't normally want to do
that unless they have a guaranteed minimum period of time that they
are going to be able to stay on the tower.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: How many years has that
tower been in place?
MR. PALMER: I don't know. I think that's a relatively new
tower. I have so many of these that they get mixed up. I think that
tower has been there less than five years. The fire people can tell you
more of the details on that.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: On the face of it, it seems like
it's mutually advantageous to have somebody else pay for the tower
and everybody gets a use. The downside I get from Mr. Strain is that
we have a proliferation of tower. Is that the evil?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: That is my concern. This is a
residential area, and towers are supposed to be -- I believe it's a C-4,
if it's private use. And under the guise of essential services because a
private company can more or less pay for a tower, we think that is a
great freebie, and it almost gets allowed anywhere in the county. I
mean, I don't see any in Pelican Bay. I mean, why are they getting
off in Golden Gate Estates? It doesn't make any sense.
MR. PALMER: Well, if they can only go on essential service
sites, they have got accessories or reasonably affiliated with an
already existing -- this is an affiliated essential service tower, which
is what this case is. It has to be -- the essential service feels it already
has to be there; the fire station, the police station, and the
governmental entity. These things -- there are stand-alone essential
services. This is not one of those, because we are putting this already
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January 17, 2002
on a facility that is in and of itself an existing essential service
station.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Mr. Budd.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: If I understand you correctly, there
are no out clauses in the current lease agreements in place. Would it
be possible, considering the potential approval of this petition before
us today, that it be an added requirement that an out clause be
included in this new proposed tower that should a sheriff or some
other yet unknown critical essential service come in, that they would
have a priority position on the tower?
MR. PALMER: Well, right now we have the right to utilize --
in fact, the ordinance requires that the governmental purposes on the
tower be 51 percent -- at least 51 percent governmental; that leaves
the residual of 49 percent available to the extent that someone applies
in a private sector to get a leasehold interest in the section not
reserved to the government.
Are you saying if somebody gets on there on a five-year
subagreement that another governmental entity comes about, they can
bump those people?
COMMISSIONER BUDD: That's about -- yeah. That's what
I'm asking.
MR. PALMER: That's legally possible. Whether or not that
would be workable from the prospect of somebody that wants to
come on on essentially a short-term terminable agreement might nix
the value of the tower on the marketing standpoint a great deal less.
Because, essentially, like a person on a airplane, you don't know
whether you have a ticket, and you could be bumped out. It means
people would be more reluctant to come on that tower in a status that
they can be bumped out, because a layer need is perceived by the
government.
The way to do that if you want to have that reserve yourself is to
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January 17, 2002
build a tower yourself and reserve it 100 percent to yourself and use
it as needed. That could be reserved for years. It may be many years
before the total capacity of the tower is exhausted with occupation.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Mr. Adelstein.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Do we know who is the
tenant at the 145-foot level?
MR. PALMER: I don't know myself, but certainly the fire folks
know. They entered into a contractual relationship with that entity.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I would like to know before
we get into voting on this.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
COMMISSIONER STRAIN:
Mr. Strain.
Do either of the county attorneys
know if impact fees could have been used to pay for this tower if it
entirety if the -- it was deemed necessary? I mean, a lot of the reason
why these towers are happening like they are is because we like these
free offers that we are getting from private companies. Just out of
curiosity, since we do have impact fees for EMS and we do have
impact fees for other essential services, could the impact fees pay for
those towers?
MR. PALMER: I think that -- this is a capital improvement. If
it's necessitated by growth, I do not believe that-- depending on its
uses for -- obviously, some of the uses is going to be EMS. I believe
a certain percentage of this tower, at least, could be funded by EMS
impact fees. If sheriff is going to use part, perhaps part can be used
by sheriff impact fees. It's a question of, No. 1, is it driven by
growth, and, No. 2, is it the kind of capital improvement that is
susceptible to lawful expenditure of a given impact fees. We have
eight types of impact fees in the county --
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Right.
MR. PALMER: -- and they are limited, of course, to particular
types of capital improvements.
Page 24
January 17, 2002
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Thank you.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: I think you can understand
we are a little considered about these free offers that we are getting.
There are always strings attached to it. The strings we -- on the fire
department we didn't realize, collectively, from the county until after
it happened, and now we need other space and we have to go with
another free deal.
MR. PALMER: Well, what could be done, of course -- and I
don't have the details on the fire station, but they could have reserved
the highest portions of the tower specifically for governmental uses
where there would not be an election to allow the private enterprise
on the highest part of the tower; that can be done. I don't know the
private enterprise in that particular case got the best site on the tower.
But that's a question of negotiations between the fire people and the
private entity that is on that tower.
But the county itself does not approve the subleases. Once the
county approves the lease between the county and the fire
department, they do not come in for subsequent review approval.
They, essentially, enter into those subagreements, and they are the
contract administrators of those subleases.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Mr. Palmer, do you know if is it
being done here? Has EMS been reserving the top parts of the tower
for future essential service like you thought --
MR. PALMER: Well, certainly in this tower they are because
they need the top 145 feet. Then the question is whether or not the
next band would be available to private enterprise or that would also
be preempted to governmental use. That can be in the lease. I don't
remember if the lease has these specifics. But right now for sure the
EMS is getting the top section. We can put in the lease the
governmental use will be from a certain height -- 110 feet above or
above and all private uses will be below that; that is not an
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January 17, 2002
uncommon provision in these lease agreements.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: I can picture the Tower,
51 percent of it we would have liked and 49 percent they would
have?
MR. PALMER: And you can do that on the vertical, if you
wanted to. You could say the governmental uses are the top 51
percent and the private use shall be below that, depending on the
needs of a particular private enterprise applicant.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: You had an open
question?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: The only question I have is I
would still like to know who the tenants are on that lease and when
those leases are up.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Ms. Flagg, do you know that?
MS. FLAGG: No, sir. That is a private contract between the
Golden Gate Fire District and the people that they have signed a
contract with to put on their tower.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: The fire chief is not here? MS.
FLAGG: No, sir.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: It's public record, though. You
mean it's private but it's public record, so you could get the lease?
MS. FLAGG: I personally don't know that information. Both
his -- what he made clear was that he already has leases -- signed
leases with his people that are on his -- the flagpole that is planned
for the front of our tower, we have a lease that has already been
approved by the board. This -- this purpose is just to get your
approval to put the flagpole up from a permitting standpoint.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Basically, I'm personally
opposed to have too many towers. If there is space on the fire station
that can be made available for this purpose, I would like to see that
done so a new tower does not go up, so we don't have these flagpoles
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January 17, 2002
going up on four buildings.
MS. FLAGG: Yes, sir, I understand that. We did after the last
meeting at your request talk to Don Peterson, Chief Peterson with
Golden Gate, and he indicated that he does not have space on his
tower at the height that we need, and he has contracts for the spaces.
I don't know how many of his people are private, and I don't know
how many are government. I do know the ordinance requires, I
believe it's 51 percent be for government and the balance be for
private.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: I think where we are
coming from is that, okay, we acknowledge the testimony that there
is a contract in place on the current Golden Gate fire district tower.
What we don't know is -- that tower is slightly less than five years
old, and it's a five-year lease. If that lease may expire in 30 days or
in 3 months, we are going to look like a bunch of dopes that we
approved a complete new tower and, in fact, that space will be
available in an extremely short amount of time. And I think.
Mr. Adelstein, where he's coming from-- and I share his
concern -- is making the decision without the information if such a
fact might exist and we don't have that information.
MS. FLAGG: Yes, sir. If I can just summarize for you that
Chief Peterson has advised he has contracts on those locations, but
more importantly how this whole project came about and why it is
essential services is the purpose of this flagpole is to provide a piece
of a wireless network system for the EMS department so that we can
provide hard-copy dispatch to the medic units when a 911 call comes
in. The reason it has to go -- this flagpole -- and we have to be at 145
feet is the -- it's a wireless. It's point to point line of sight to the other
stations. If we -- if you all do not recommend approval of this
flagpole, then we are going to have to put a flagpole up somewhere
else to get that transmission across. The purpose of this whole thing
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January 17, 2002
is to provide hard-copy dispatch to the paramedic units.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: I don't think anyone is
disputing the need. You took us through that last time. We all
agreed. You are doing a good job and all of that. What we are trying
to do is our part of the job is to find out if there is some other way to
do this that is more economical in total in terms of the number of
flagpoles that we see that are proliferated.
For instance, you say it has to be at 145 feet. Technically, could
it be at 147 feet? Could it be at 150 feet? Could it be some other
space higher than that and still satisfy your needs?
MS. FLAGG: Well, as it is entered into the record that if this
flagpole does not go in, we would have to rework the project and put
one or two -- or more flagpoles somewhere else to make the project
work.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Excuse me. We still have
not given up on there being a possibility of a space on that other
tower. I just want to try and find out technically whether it's required
to be at exactly ! 45 feet on the fire tower, for instance, which is not
available, or if we can find out that there was space available or soon
to become available on the fire station tower that was higher than 145
feet, would that satisfy your needs? That's the question.
MS. FLAGG: If there was space on the fire tower, that would
certainly satisfy it from line of site. But the other component of this
and why this is such an important project for EMS is because we are
trying not to use any tax dollars to put this project in place. By
putting this flagpole up, they are paying $35,000 up front to allow us
to put the wireless project in place. In effect, we are going to be able
to provide hard-copy dispatch to EMS units county-wide, and it's not
going to utilize any tax dollars.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: You are describing the
free nature of this to EMS. I guess we are still on the side that says
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January 17, 2002
maybe we can get it free also on the 51 percent that is available to --
for critical uses on the fire station tower.
MS. FLAGG: Except that the difference there is that Nextel is
giving the tower to the county for ownership, and Nextel is paying
$35, 000. If we put the antenna on the Golden Gate tower and
completely rework the plan, we would still have to figure out how to
come up with $35,000, and our only option would be to go to ad
valorum or potentially impact fees. That was something that impact
fees are already preplanned for other projects.
But, again, the advantage of this project is that we went to the
board, explained to them that EMS needed a wireless network
system, and we had come up with a way to provide hard-copy
dispatch to all the units without costing any tax dollars.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Is it your statement then that
if we obtain the 145-foot level on the fire station and that didn't cost
us anything -- because we own that tower also -- MS. FLAGG: No, sir, we do not.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: The county does not own it
on the fire station?
MS. FLAGG: No, sir. The fire station is a separate
government. They come to the county for approvals, but they are not
part of Collier County.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: They are a governmental entity,
though, aren't they?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: And they would charge our
county if we put that up on the 145-foot level?
MS. FLAGG: They are -- Mr. Abemathy, they are a
governmental entity, and we don't know if they would charge us. I
would hope not, but we don't know.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Let's assume for the moment
of this discussion that they would not and we were able to put your
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January 17, 2002
equipment at that height. Would your system then substantially work
as it was planned to at no cost to you?
MS. FLAGG: Technically, yes. However, we would still be
lacking the 35,000 to put the system in place.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: They are actually paying for
our system also; is that the answer?
MS. FLAGG: This flagpole provides the revenue to put the
system in place, correct.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: I thought the thirty-five was to
erect the flagpole. The thirty-five is cash payment? MS. FLAGG: Yes, sir.
MR. PALMER: What it is is prepaid rent. They are prepaying
the rent so we have cash on hand. They are going to rent this tower.
It is going to cost money.
sum prepayment of rent.
together.
What they are going to do is make a lump-
They have the money to put the system
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: A lot of this discussion is
somewhat circular and doubles back to a lot of things we said at the
last meeting. I thought we would have every chapter, verse, footnote,
fact that could possibly bear on this brought to us today. Now we
don't, and I don't know how long we can spin our wheels on it, to tell
you the truth.
MR. WHITE: Mr. Chairman, what specifically is it that the
commission needs to know? Is it the name of the specific leasee on
the tower at the 145-foot level?
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: That's what one member wants
to know.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: And the contract.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: In other words--
MR. PALMER: We can find that out. That is public record.
We can probably call the fire station if somebody is available and
Page 30
January 17, 2002
find these facts in a matter of a few minutes, as long as the person
that knows these facts is there and has a copy of the sublease. These
are very simple matters, factually.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Mr. Chairman, I used to be a
commissioner with the Golden Gate Fire Department, and I know
you can call them and get the information. But I would want to rely
on a county attorney or a legal professional to review that contract to
see if it has a termination, under the terms of the termination and
deadlines. I wouldn't trust staff there to do in regards to legal means.
I can tell you that from experience. I would rather see a legal
professional do that interpretation. So could you -- do you have a
copy of the contract that you can review, and we can hear the rest of
this later today?
MR. PALMER: I have never seen the sublease agreement. I
don't think we have that. We have seen the basic lease agreement.
We can have it maybe faxed to us, and I can look at it very quickly
and see if it has any kind of a bumper provision in it; that would take
a matter of minutes.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Would the Chair consider
a short continuance on this?
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: I think we can put it back until
you come back to us until you are ready to talk about it.
MR. PALMER: All right. I can try to contact them
immediately and see if we can't have this information faxed to us.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: We will just move on to the next
item then.
MS. FLAGG: Thank you. We will be back to you if--
pursuant, of course, if we can get ahold of Chief Peterson.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Let's see if we can resolve this
today. It's obvious that this commission as a group is loathed to
approve another tower without being satisfied that there is absolutely
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January 17, 2002
no alternative to that.
MS. MURRAY: Mr. Chairman, you-all don't have final
approval. Again, you are a recommending body. You can always
opt to recommend denial, or the petitioner can, you know, request a
continuance again and come back with the information if the county
attorney's office can't provide it for you at this time.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: I recognize we are just
recommending, but we would like to do it on the basis of all the facts
that we can marshal.
MS. MURRAY: I understand. That's just an option to consider.
MR. WHITE: Mr. Chairman, I encourage the commission to
make a motion to continue until later in the agenda.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: I so move.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: I second that motion.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Any discussion? All in favor?
(Unanimous response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: We will revisit it sometime later
today.
MR. WHITE: Mr. Chairman, before we move too further on to
the next item, is there any other particular piece of information that
the commission at this point sees may be necessary in order to make
a recommendation in this matter? I don't want to get us down the
road and--
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Then redo it.
MR. WHITE: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER YOUNG: It seems to me that we have just
been going over this week everything that we discussed last time.
What we are trying to ascertain is, can EMS get the proper frequency
on the tower that is standing and is it possible. If so, when?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I find -- excuse me. I'm
sorry. I find it that 145 cannot only be a magic number. I have been
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January 17, 2002
involved with these before. And if you get above a height, a sight-to-
sight, you are probably a little better off. I don't understand why the
145 or 155 cannot do. Yet it bothers me that I cannot get a definitive
answer to that question.
MS. MURRAY: I think that was answered. I think the only
remaining answer is whether or not there is a lease that is going to
terminate in the near future that might make that space available.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Not only for 145. Let's say
150 or 160.
MR. MURRAY: I think Miss Flagg says she needs 145 feet.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: This flagpole is 165 feet
high.
MR. WHITE: There could be potentially interference issues that
arise from the location of the antenna at any other height regardless
of whether it's better on a site-to-site only. That is based upon my
prior experience with similar issues.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Which brings up -- I think we
also requested back on the 20th, I believe it was, that we see some
sort of frequency allocation due to the potential interference. All I
see that is new here is a letter dated January 9 from a David Quinlen
of Nextel that says that it should not cause significant interference.
Well, "should not" is hardly strong enough for me.
I have been involved in an awful lot of "should not" statements
and it usually is. So I would like to see a frequency allocation chart
for the people that intend to go on there and the ones from across the
street.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Are we ready to move on to
Agenda Item D? That is PUD-2001-AR-1494, PMS, Incorporated,
representing Kenco Development. Any -- all persons intending to
testify on this matter, raise your right hand to be sworn.
(All parties sworn.)
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January 17, 2002
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Any disclosures?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Yes, Mr. Chairman, I have quite a
few. I spoke with the applicants agent PMS, Inc., and we discussed
-- she described to me the concerns that she saw with -- the last time
it was brought forward to us concerning the -- some of the
inappropriate things that were in the report versus what they had
intended to submit, so I think hearing it today was probably a good
idea.
Also, we discussed my concern over some of the commercial
uses that were to be applied for, and I suggested she relook at those
commercial uses strongly.
I also spoke to Marjorie Student and Ray Bellows in a
conference call concerning delaying the last meeting because of the
lack of sufficient information.
I have various e-mails gone back from Dawn Wolff and I.
Dawn's department had not reviewed the final package in this case.
They had just gotten it, I believe, on Wednesday or maybe Tuesday,
from what I see in her e-mail. I'm not sure how much transportation
-- she did have some comments from transportation regarding some
of the uses not qualifying pursuant to the traffic impact statement that
was done.
And I have an e-mail from a Mr. Ardenhalt from the
Pebblebrooke Lake Subdivision. He asked that his e-mail be
submitted to the record.
Is that okay ifI do that, Mr. County Attorney? MR. WHITE: I
don't have any objection.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Who do I give it to?
MR. WHITE: I believe the court reporter.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Other disclosures?
Mr. Wolfley.
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January 17, 2002
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Yes. I spoke with Ms. Bishop
as well regarding the uses and -- within the Pebblebrooke
community. And also I may have to abstain due to an appearance of
conflict of interest with the applicant.
My question to Mr. White is, would my abstention would that--
should I or should I not comment throughout the --
MR. WHITE: If your intention, Commissioner, is to abstain
voting because of a conflict--
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Potentially.
MR. WHITE: -- a potential conflict, you still have the right to
participate in the discussion on the matter. You just must abstain
from the vote.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Other disclosures?
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: I spoke with Karen Bishop.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Yes, sir. I spoke with
some residents of Pebblebrooke; Jerry Brusso, Craig Haas, and Jeri
Buehler. I also spoke with Karen Bishop, the owner's agent, and
received an e-mail from Russell Ardenhalt that was submitted to the
record by Mr. Strain.
COMMISSIONER YOUNG:
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
COMMISSIONER YOUNG:
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
I received an e-mail also.
No other disclosures?
No.
Mr. Richardson, anything else?
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: I received an e-mail. I
didn't realize it was on this one.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: I did too. While we are on this
subject of disclosures, ex parte communications, Ms. Student advises
me that the county attorney in response to our question about ex parte
communications has reiterated his earlier advise that each of us as
individuals can decide not to engage in ex parte communications,
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January 17, 2002
period.
So that being the case, I'm going to take the county attorney up
on it. Henceforth I do not intend to engage in ex parte
communications on matters pending before the Collier County
Planning Commission. And I invite each of you do whatever your
desires are in the matter. I don't think you need to make it a matter of
record.
Mr. Bellows.
MR. BELLOWS: For the record, Ray Bellows, current planning
staff. The petitioner seeks to rezone the subject site from PUD to
PUD for the purposes of amending the Richland PUD. The purpose
is to reduce the number of dwelling units from 650 dwelling units to
400 dwelling units and reducing the residential acreage by
approximately 3.2 acres and increase the commercial tract by the
same amount.
As you can see on the visualizer, the subject site is located on
the southwest comer of Immokalee Road and Collier Boulevard.
This is currently a development -- or PUD that is currently under
development. We have a copy of the currently approved master plan.
As you can see, the existing commercial tract comes in and is
predominantly oriented in the -- down.
Along the frontage of County Road 951. The proposed change
to the master plan increases the commercial tract by 3.2 acres along
the southerly direction shaded in this cross-section area, resulting in
the final master plan to look like this (indicating) with the
commercial tract here.
This is an existing subdivision being developed to single-family
subdivision. There is requirement by transportation to provide an
interconnect from the residential portion into the commercial tract.
This would allow residents within the development to access the
commercial portion without having traffic to head on to County Road
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January 17, 2002
951 and back out -- back into the commercial tract there. That would
really drastically improve traffic circulation at that intersection.
The petitioner has not requested any changes to the list of
currently permitted commercial uses within the PUD. Those will
remain the same.
The future land use elements indicates the project's located
within an activity center. This is the future land use map (indicating).
As you can see, it's located within that activity center, which is the
place where county encourages commercial development. So this
particular commercial tract is solely -- wholly within this activity
center and is consistent with the Growth Management Plan for a wide
range -- full range of commercial uses.
The transportation review indicates that there was an estimate
done by Chahram Badamtchian concerning the possible difference in
traffic growth. His estimate was that the project could -- this
proposed amendment could increase traffic by 3,750 trips. That's an
estimate based on the increase of square footage possible with this
additional acreage of approximately 75,000 square feet versus the
reduction of dwelling units. However, it should be noted that this
estimate may be -- not taken in all the factors, such as reduction of
trips due to the interconnection of the residential tracts to the
commercial tract, which would reduce the traffic volume coming in
and out of the PUD. So we have a revised traffic estimate that
indicates that, in fact, there may be a slight decrease in traffic as a
result of this petition based on the reduction of dwelling units and
interconnection of this project to the commercial.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: The report said there was an
increase.
MR. BELLOWS: The environmental review by staff indicates
that the subject preserve area, as you see here (indicating), will not be
encroached upon by the change in the master plan. They have
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January 17, 2002
recommended approval. The staff has had discussions with many of
the residents within the community of Pebblebrooke.
Some of the concerns raised by the residents was the
interconnections to the site may cause a lot of traffic in front of their
homes, and they were concerned about the landscaping between the
two projects.
The petitioner also had a public meeting with the residents there,
and I think there was some agreement as to how the landscaping and
buffering and the gated entrance into this commercial tract should be
handled. And it's my understanding that some of the agreements that
have come out of those meetings with the residents included-- if I
can show you on this one particular map, this is the location of the
interconnect into the commercial tract (indicating).
The county's planning staff is recommending that the gated entry
occur approximately 20 feet north of this tract boundary line to allow
for any stacking of cars to occur on the commercial tract and not on
the residential tract in front of these lots here. We also are requiring
additional landscaping and buffering, a wall along this tract line to
help buffer this commercial from the residential units.
Staff is recommending that that stipulation be added to the PUD
document.
Staff has received three letters in support of this petition from
residents within Pebblebrooke, and I have received one complaint,
basically, because of the location of the gated entry into the
commercial tract that would be on their road in front of their house.
They prefer to see that interconnect on the other road.
I will be happy to answer any questions that you might have.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Ray, before we get to substantive
questions, let me ask sort of a housekeeping and procedural one.
This item is denominated PUDA -- so forth. Does that not connotate
a PUD amendment?
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January 17, 2002
MR. BELLOWS: Yes. PUD is amending -- we are amending
an existing zoning district, the Richland PUD, but we are amending it
through a rezone process of repealing the old ordinance and crediting
a new ordinance; so technically it's a PUD.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Going PUD to PUD.
MR. BELLOWS: That's correct.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: That becomes a PUD
amendment. Really, you are scraping the old PUD. MR. BELLOWS: Yes. But--
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: You are not amending it.
MS. MURRAY: Technically, I will agree with you,
Commissioner. It should read, "PUDZ, which is the acronym for
PUD to PUD rezone. In effect you are amending the PUD but --
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: But the way you do it -- Ron
Nino taught us so well -- was to go from a PUD to a new PUD.
MS. MURRAY: That's correct.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Then my question is, if this is a
PUD rezone, should we not have the findings necessary to support a
PUD as a part of the package?
MS. MURRAY: Are they contained in there, Frank?
MR. BELLOWS: This was intended to be a PDA. It's a
process -- yeah, the PDA, we're amending an existing zoning district,
and it's minor changes. We have a strikethrough and underline. It
was just a housekeeping method of going from PUD to PUD. So
therefore there was no need to do the findings for rezone because that
was already done when the project was rezoned.
We're not re-inventing the wheel. We are basically making
minor changes to the existing zoning district. The changes were
minor enough it was determined to be a PDA. Now, there should be
some question whether this should be a Z or an A -- it's my
understanding -- and I have been here 12 years -- that we do it as a
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January 17, 2002
PDA. It's just a form of convenience that we repeal the old ordinance
for the new ordinance.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: It seems to me that the questions
that you have to answer for a PUD, the answers might be different
considering all of the changes that are made.
MR. BELLOWS: The changes aren't to the uses of the land.
The uses still remain the same.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: All right.
MR. BELLOWS: It's just switching acreage around and
reducing dwelling units. So those conditions were already reviewed
and approved by this board and board of county commissioners.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Now, let's get to substantive.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Mr. Chair, would that
argue then that we can ask no questions about anything except just
what you consider to be insignificant?
MR. BELLOWS: No. As previously stated to this Planning
Commission, any PUD amendment whether it's PDZ -- repealing the
ordinance or PDA, amending and just repealing the old ordinance
with the new, it still opens up the entire PUD document for review,
and it's distributed to all of our review agencies, and they look at it as
a new zoning action too.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: In that spirit, then, was
this -- does this subject to the public participation process since it's a
brand-new PUD?
MR. BELLOWS: This petition was submitted prior to the
adoption of that ordinance, so they did not go through the public
information process as currently adopted by code. However, the
petitioner has on their own accord held public information meetings
to make up -- since they submitted prior to that ordinance being
adopted.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: However, we don't have
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January 17, 2002
any record of that; that's part of the public participation process or
any commitment--
MR. BELLOWS: This was in the works prior to the adoption of
that ordinance.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: This change in the traffic
impact is kind of curious because the document that we have says
there is going to be 3,750 more weekday trips. MR. BELLOWS: That's correct.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: And I don't have any other
information, except what you have given us verbally, that this
number may be a lesser number or may be even be a negative
number.
MR. BELLOWS: The applicant has their traffic consultant here.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: No, I'm wanting to hear
what the county's traffic people have to say about it.
MR. BELLOWS: Yes. And I believe we have Dawn Wolff
here to answer specific questions.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: That would be helpful.
MS. WOLFF: Dawn Wolff, transportation planning department
director. We did review a specific transportation impact statement
provided by the applicant's consultant. We required some
modifications to it to include additional detail.
They will be increasing the overall traffic. We were not
included in that specific write-up, which was referenced that
Chahram had calculated the number and had since been recalculated
between Mr. Bellows and the applicant's consultant, Mr. Jarvey, on
that.
The specific change in the square footage area, I believe that is
contained in the information, although I cannot attest to it since did I
not see the specific numbers that Mr. Bellows was referring to.
I am assuming based on the fact they were confirmed with Mr.
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January 17, 2002
Jarvey and we found that there traffic impact statement was sufficient
and consistent with the requested applications, that those numbers
would be consistent with their impacts on the system.
It is greater than what was previously approved. However, with
the board's direction from the December 18th meeting and the
commitment to make improvements within a 3-year time period on
both Collier Boulevard and Immokalee Road within the impact area,
they were deemed to not have created a significant and adverse
impact on any of the roads based on the current growth Management
Plan policies and procedures.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Ms. Wolff, I'm sorry. I
didn't catch the number.
MS. WOLFF: I don't have that specific number right here,
because I was not afforded the opportunity to put those numbers
together for you.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Is it a number higher than
3,750? Is it less than 10,0007
MS. WOLFF: It's less than 10, 000.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: It's your considered view
that the condition of 951 and Immokalee Road are such that they can
handle that much more traffic before the improvements are actually
made?
MS. WOLFF: I didn't make that specific statement.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Cannot say that, no.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: But I would like to hear
some assessment on your part.
MS. WOLFF: Based on the level of evaluation that we are
allowed to do because of the information that we have at the time of a
rezoning application, which is extremely general, the evaluation is
made on what potentially is a presumed level of impact for a
maximum land use of that area.
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January 17, 2002
We were provided a square footage number of 231,000 as a
total commercial square footage with some reductions in the
residential units. We allowed some compensation and reduction of
the difference between what had previously been approved as the
commercial total square footage, which was 125,000, and the
reduction of residential units to come up with a net new traffic
number. We did allow them, because we are requiring -- since this is
a singular PUD project. It's a mixed project. It's supposed to be -- to
have circulation throughout that it includes an interconnection to the
residential portion. We did allow for a partial reduction in external
new trips from that commercial because of that interaction between
the residential trips that they wouldn't be going out on the major road
system. So there was some allowance for that.
If this is built in the next two years and becomes active, will it
have a significant impact on the roadway system before those road
improvement go in? Yes, obviously it will. However, we are
required under statute and under our Growth Management Plan to
consider the capacity that will be created for projects which are
committed for construction within a three-year time period.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Did you read Brent Batton's
article in Monday's Naples Daily News about the three-year grace
period?
MS. WOLFF: No, I did not.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: It's instructive. He claims that
the county chose the most permissive of the three options available
and in that a catch-up period of three years is allowed, and the county
didn't have to do that. The state gave some choices that you could
make. If what he says is true, then, perhaps, some of us might want
to go back and take a look at -- at the Land Development Code
inasfar as how permissive we really want to be at this stage of the
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January 17, 2002
MS. WOLFF: Actually, it's not the most permissive. The
statute allows for five years for the local plan. Only three years for
the state plan. The county has chosen through its policies and
procedures to be consistent with that which is allowed for the state
program, which is to only consider the three years, because of
financial availability, because of priorities which may need to change
due to changing traffic patterns that aren't necessarily specific to
development patterns that allows us the flexibility to address issues
that may arise beyond that three-year period.
If we go all the way out and commit ourselves a full five years,
we are really pegging ourselves into a series of absolutes and leaving
very little room under our revenue availability to make any
adjustments which need to be made to address additional new system
deficiencies -- ones that may come on line that aren't necessarily
specific to new project development coming on line.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: But some more restrictive
option. Five is the least restrictive. Three is next. What is the -- if
you wanted to tighten up, what is the option?
MS. WOLFF: The county could have the option of anything
which is within the current fiscal year capital program. Some areas
of the state have been that restrictive. However, we would still be
forced under statute to recognize three years of the State's program.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Ms. Young.
COMMISSIONER YOUNG: Brent Batton says, "Instead of
using the three-year window, a county can elect to count only
facilities that are actually built. That would effectively slow
development while roads, drainage systems, and so on catch up." So
we could change our concurrency law to that effect.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: If he's right.
COMMISSIONER YOUNG: Is that right?
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: It is the newspaper, after all.
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January 17, 2002
MS. WOLFF: I would not speak to saying if that is or is not
correct. I don't have that specific statute in front of me to say that
that is absolutely correct. I believe we would be in a legal situation
to say we would only presume that level public facility availability is
-- has many definitions, and what is legally sustainable. I believe -- I
think Patrick could support me in the fact that I think that could put
us in a situation of not really meeting the intent of the Growth
Management Plan. However, I will not speak to that in regards to
what Mr. BaRon's article states. I did not review it. I have a
tendency not to.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Here, here.
MS. WOLFF' But the fact is that there is current policy onboard
in regard to what and how we may address it. Yes, staff is currently
reevaluating what thresholds are and will be coming forward with
Growth Management Plan amendments, as well as Land
Development Code amendments in regards to determination of
adequate public facilities. Yes, they will all be drastically different
than what is there today, and that is consistent what we spoke with
the Board of County Commissioners about during our late November
and December meetings with them in regard to AUIR.
COMMISSIONER YOUNG: Could we then maybe -- staff
could do some intensive study on the possibility of reviewing and
revising our concurrency --
MR. FEDER: For the record, I'm Norman Feder, transportation
administrator. What I would like to point out as Dawn mentioned,
we are looking at a number of things, very significant things.
Modifications of that whole provision that is annual update into the
report and our concurrency management system 315 of the Land
Development Code.
One of the things we will look at is the issue -- and we are
already looking at our time frames. But as Dawn pointed out, the
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January 17, 2002
State has a three-year time frame. They provide for five years.
Collier had already gone to three. The option of whether you go to a
lesser time frame and what the implications of that are and how much
it meets your needs versus many of the other things you are looking
at are things that we are looking at right now. We will be bringing
issues back by mid March based on direction, if that's what we are
given from the board, the 22nd to set up a specific schedule for next
round of land development changes.
There are a lot of issues we brought forward. One we brought
forward to you with PUD, provisions with access management -- that
is already moved forward. But there are quite a few other things we
are looking at.
As Dawn points out, there are issues we have to look at, and we
have to weight those back and forth. We will do that in a public
forum and obviously seek your input on those before they go
forward.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Mr. Chair, just to close up,
my last little thought with both Dawn and Mr. Feder -- perhaps, there
is -- back to the incident case here which is, perhaps, there is a way
we can find a middle ground here. I wonder if you would be kind
enough to craft or consider crafting a development commitment that
we could give to the applicant to consider that they would not bring
on line this additional commercial capacity, which is creating extra
traffic, until our growth facilities are in place. It would be, in effect,
a denial of COs until that would occur.
MS. WOLFF: That is something within the purview of this
commission to make such a recommendation that no COs would be
issued until such time as there is availability of the capacity of the
multi-laning of these roads. It would be somewhat similar to what
was imposed upon a PUD in November. I believe it was in regard to
a phasing of it. Perhaps a phasing might be considered upon that.
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January 17, 2002
As we said, our program identifies a design construction phase
in the next fiscal year to start. Such construction would start within a
three-year window to meet our obligations. The condition, as I said,
might be such that they would only be permitted to construct but not
receive certificates of occupancy until the capacity is available.
Which in this case, such as Immokalee Road is not yet fully
completed, but the capacity is available, you won't say, "Until such
time the contractor turns it over to us, "but there is some -- there is a
difference between.
Being done and done done with some roadway projects. You
have a couple of months sometimes of cleanup, but you have the
capacity available such as -- Pine Ridge Road has been open for
awhile with multi-lanes on it but which are not completely finished
with it. That would be an opportunity that allows the capacity
necessary improvements.
One thing that I would like to point out, though, is that we do
have a couple of other phases and stages that we will be having them
address when they come in. When they come in with a site
development plan, when that site development plan requires them to
do a specific site traffic assessment with the particular land uses they
are going to be putting in, we are going to be looking at things like
how much -- how many access points do they really need, what kind
of access points do they need, what kind of geometry do they need,
what kind of impact in this particular instance, what kind of impacts
are they going to have at that intersection of 951 as it exists today,
and can they fully function with it prior to those improvements
coming on line? We may make limitations they can move forward,
but not CO at that time as well. So there are a few triggers in there
yet. And if the direction is followed in regards to concurrency and
some reason the project was not yet built within the time it needs to
be and the capacity is not available when they come forward,
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January 17, 2002
someone else can come along after them and be on faster track and
consume all the capacity under a checkbook method they can come in
and need six lanes before -- under an extreme situation.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON:
MS. WOLFF: On this case--
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON:
Dawn, back on this case.
I'm asking on this case, as
our expert in this area, craft that language for us to consider
including. At least from this commission's point of view I would like
to see that.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: I have a question for you about
the traffic circulation elements significant test of 5 percent impact.
You say that projects have less than 5 percent increase, then it's
acceptable. How do you take into account the accumulative effects
of many different projects having less than 5 percent? Because what
we see when we drive down that road now is that's a very busy
intersection, and there is a lot of traffic delays there and also danger
because of the congestion there.
MS. WOLFF: The cumulative impacts of the --
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Right. You have 5 percent.
Each one can contribute up to 5 percent extra. What about the
cumulative? That does not address all the cumulative effects of all
the ones that have already impacted the road and all the ones that
may that may be less than 5 percent.
MS. WOLFF: We are addressing that through our traffic impact
statements in regards to we don't just let them say, "We have X
percent background growth in there. "We are also requiring them to
look at other projects which have come into the pipeline as well, and
they have to consider the guy up the street who has already just
gotten his approval for his 5, 000 units, he had to add those into his
background trips as well in determining whether or not -- whether
they are -- 5 percent is not the issue here. Because, yes, in point of
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January 17, 2002
fact they are 5 percent, the problem is they are not adverse. They
don't create a deficiency based on the committed road improvements
that we have in our program.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: But where is the math for that?
When I read the reports, it just says it passes the test because it's less
that 5 percent. Where do we have a documentation about the prior
impacts to the road so that we can address where we are at?
MS. WOLFF: As stated previously, I did not make those
statements in that write-up. I did not have a participation in what was
written in your staff report. What I can tell you is that part of the
submittal as they provide -- and they provide a lot of documentation
and backup that is not necessarily included as part of the package that
you see before you because of the level of technical detail that is
supposed to be more technical staff to do, but this is the traffic impact
statement that was provided to the county for review and evaluation
along with supplemental analyses as requested of the applicant in
order to make it a complete submittal for review. In it is included
increases in the background traffic for the duration of the build-out as
well as other projects which would be consistent with that time
frame.
All I can tell you is that we are doing a better job at getting the
projects that are coming on line and their representative to be more
inclusive. We are not letting them come in one after another and
everyone using the same baseline number. We are watching that. It
is not something that is necessarily included such -- as I said, this
thick document-- in each one of your packages for each.
Individual review. What is contained in your staff summary
report was generated by another staff person. And so I cannot speak
to how those numbers or statements were made.
MR. FEDER: Let me add, for the record -- again, Norman
Feder, transportation administrator. In addition to requiring in the
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January 17, 2002
traffic impact study that they look at background traffic, taking into
account other developments that has already been approved, part of
what we are looking for in change is we are looking in moving
changes and going to checkbook method -- I know that you have
heard that terminology -- but basically what that means is that every
time one is approved it becomes a debit to that basic service volume
remaining capacity out there. Once we go to that process, we will be
in a lot better shape to specifically identify to you link by link what
that remaining capacity is, what this new development is asking for
under that capacity, and therefore what the balance in the checkbook
will be after that.
The other issue that you asked us to craft relative to that, we can
work some language. Again, also on that issue you have a five year
-- we are working on three years, we said here, in the county
consistent with the state's, but there is also the issue of whether or not
that is when you are programmed for approval, which is typically
what has been looked at in the past or when you anticipate your
construction will be basically open and that capacity available, which
is a different statements -- which is another year and a half out
further. There is a number of things that we are going to look at
there.
But in answer to your questioning, I think Dawn pointed out we
are not allowing them to do the traffic impact statements now as we
look at them without looking at that cumulative impact based on the
background traffic that they start off with an analysis. And the 5
percent rule, we are looking at some modifications there as to test the
significance, you can have, basically, a smaller project that always
comes in under 5 percent every single time and still have significant
impacts.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: I think Mr. Strain is straining to
ask a question here.
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January 17, 2002
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Yes, I have quite a few questions.
I will try and keep them short. Page 1 of the traffic impact statement,
which I know the rest of the commission did not receive too, shows
that there is going to be a shopping center use. It's called LUA-20.
It's calling for 231,000 square foot, and it says it's going to be built in
the year 2003, which is a year from now, not three years from now.
So the impact is going to be a year from now. Dawn, I
think -- I know you have read the synopsis that I did on the zoning
issues. Can you tell me if shopping center LUA-20, the calculation
included used by that designation included used car dealers, boat
dealers, gas dealers, drive-in theaters, movie theaters, shooting
ranges, bowling alleys, motion picture theaters; items like that?
Because that's what -- if we approve the commercial uses that are
asked here today, that's some of the uses that could go there.
MS. WOLFF: Those uses that you listed off, there is only one
in there that I can say is consistent with the Institute of Traffic
Engineers, the trip generation manual handbook's definition for Land
Use A-20 Shopping Centers, and that would be movie theaters, but
that would be indoor movie theaters, not drive-in movie theaters.
The other land uses should be calculated under a separate trip
generation rate and are not consistent with the definitions contained
in that normally accepted manual in regard to trip generation.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: What about hotels and motels?
MS. WOLFF: No, it's not.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Based on that then, is the TIS -- I
thought you previously said the TIS was acceptable. Is the TIS now
acceptable, because if they get approved today with those commercial
uses and they have a TIS that references an LUA-20, what is it that
we are approving?
MS. WOLFF: The land uses that are inclusive of that series
were not explicitly identified in regard to the traffic impact statement.
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January 17, 2002
It was identified as a shopping center. To a great degree we try to
rely upon the professionalism of those who are submitting these
applications in providing us what is contained in the application for
approval and consistent with that application for approval.
The additional land uses, some of which you have read off, such
as used-car dealership, boat dealership and the like, have independent
land uses and trip generation rate that in some cases are higher than
that of a shopping center. A shopping center is generally a
consortium of multiple-land uses, which can include a supermarket,
storefronts with post office facilities, dry cleaners, tax preparers, and
the like. If you take and look at the trip generation as individual land
uses, they are going to vary widely. A shopping center rate tries to
average them, and it's how you apply that shopping center rate is
really dependent upon what your ultimate design and layout is, which
is -- since we don't have that level of specifics at this point -- this is
just a range of uses. The intent is to identify as shopping center uses,
yes, several of those uses which you have stated would be
inconsistent with it being explicitly a shopping center would have
different rates. Some of them twice as much as what would be a
shopping center, but if you have an equal balance, they tend to
average out for what would be a shopping center rate. If, for
instance, you have a supermarket, which is your primary square
footage, it has about a three times rate of an average of an overall
shopping center, and therefore it skews your actual trips coming out
of there. That is one reason why the specific details of how you
access circulation, requirements off site need to be left until the site
development plan stage. We try and deal with the best information
that we have.
I would agree that certain of those land uses should not be
considered as part of-- as being consistent with the application that
was prepared and submitted to the department.
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January 17, 2002
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: That's kind of the bottom line I
was wanting to hear. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Mr. Wolfley.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Dawn, when doing the traffic
study that we did that -- was it taken into account not only the
increase in commercial but the decrease of 250 units in residential?
MS. WOLFF: Yes.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Mr. Budd.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: I have got a question relative to this
square foot of commercial space. I'm looking at the PUD document
dated 9/11. It has the strikethroughs and underlines. It's clear under
project density that the maximum gross leaseable floor area is no
longer 150, 000 square feet -- that has been struck through. And
maybe you can clarify for me, I couldn't find anywhere where it says
what the new commercial square foot area is in the documents that
we have received, which would somehow seem to be relative to the
traffic input.
MR. BELLOWS: Yes. We will have the petitioner place that
back in. Really, because the traffic impact references certain square
footage, the PUD document should be consistent with that. We will
request that that number be placed --
COMMISSIONER BUDD: The PUD document, if I read it
correctly, is silent on that issue and does not cap the commercial
space.
MR. BELLOWS: Yes. The documents just -- base the density
based on the acreage of the commercial area and the required
setbacks and parking requirements dealing with the size of the
structure. The older PUDs was a strict square footage limitation. But
given the nature of the traffic concerns these days, we will request the
maximum square footage be placed back in the PUD document.
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January 17, 2002
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: What will that be?
MR. BELLOWS: Prior to the Board of County Commissioners.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: No. What will that be? What
square footage are you going to request? There is 231,000 in their
TIS. Is that what you are looking for?
MR. BELLOWS: Yes. Whatever their proposal will be based
on the traffic study.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: The traffic study that Dawn has
said is inaccurate for all the uses that they have applied to use?
MR. BELLOWS: Well, based on the square footage.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Mr. Richardson.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Mr. Chair, I have some
other staff questions, if we are through with traffic, which is a
fascinating subject and one that we hopefully go through many times.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Go ahead.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: I'm interested, Ray, in
your assessment of the substitutions to the county subdivision
regulations. I'm -- of course, I was not around when this originally
went through, so I'm happy to have an opportunity to look at it as a
brand-new PUD. On page 6-6 of the PUD it says things like you
waive the requirements for a 1,000 foot maximum deadend street.
Now, I thought There was a reason we had that as -- for instance, was
a fire and safety reasons, not to have long cul de sacs.
MR. BELLOWS: This is currently approved in -- the PUD was
approved prior. That is not what they are requesting now. This is an
approved condition. It was already approved.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Why?
MR. BELLOWS: Why was it approved at that time? We'll
have to pull their staff report at that time to find out what was
discussed. This is an approved condition. This is not what they are
requesting now. And the subdivision is mostly built that -- the
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January 17, 2002
Pebblebrooke single-family subdivision is nearly built out.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: You are saying --
MR. BELLOWS: This is an approved condition; that why this
is an amendment to the PUD.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Wait a minute. We have
been through this. It is not an amendment to the PUD. This is a new
PUD, and we have a chance to look at -- and all the agencies should
have within the organization had a chance to look at it. If you are
saying this is an as-built condition, then we are, in effect, providing
cover for them to let these conditions stay in; is that correct?
MR. BELLOWS: Given the fact that the subdivision is built,
yes. The subdivision was built consistent with this condition that was
approved prior.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: So we are to take on faith
there must have been some good reason that that happened in the
past, even though it's against the county subdivision regulations?
MR. BELLOWS: It went before the Planning Commission and
the Board of County Commissioners. It was approved. Preliminary
subdivision plans were approved and built and constructed to these
standards.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Okay.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Anyone else? I do think, Mr.
Richardson, there may be two issues there. One of them is whether
PUD to PUD reopens each and every item of a prior PUD. Mr. Nino
used to try and convince us that that wasn't so, but I don't think the
law supports that. I think we can go back. But in this case it's moot
because it's already built. So two issues.
MS. MURRAY: Mr. Chairman, I would remind you you have
six registered speakers, as well you have not heard from the
applicants.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Are we ready for the petitioner?
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January 17, 2002
MS. BISHOP: Good morning. My name is Karen Bishop. I'm
an agent for the owner. I'm not going to give a presentation, but I
will try and address some of the things that I was hearing, specifically
the traffic issues.
When you look at these traffic statements, they do them as if
everything is completed and in place at one time. There is an
absorption rate that goes through this. For instance, this project was
zoned, this PUD was created in 1990. The first person didn't move
into this place until around '97. So you are looking at a seven year--
even though at that time the traffic impact statements says, here is
how many trips you are going to have, it's seven years before the first
person has moved in.
Right now we have approximately 200 residents living there
now. So out of the 350 units that will be left in there residential, only
200 of them are currently living there. The commercial, which was --
as I said, the first PUD was 1990 was not finished until this year. It
took 11 years for that commercial to be utilized. So you are looking
at phasing of sorts just because of the market. That comer will be an
activity center at sometime, fully operational, hopefully, a lot better
shape than Pine Ridge and Airport, but that is what it's destined for
there. But I dare say that it doesn't pop up instantly. You are going
to see a phasing just by virture of rents and markets -- and even right
now the Publix shopping center is not at full capacity. They have
plenty of spaces that are available for rent.
The master plan, the commercial master plan itself all through
our existing documents -- when you put these things together, you try
to anticipate what your needs are going to be. You try and anticipate
the acreages you are going to use. All through these documents are
verbage that says approximates, that the final lines will be determined
at final permitting and platting.
If I were to change uses -- Dawn Wolff now is looking to have
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January 17, 2002
each applicant at SDP level do another update of TIS, so that gives
you -- if I said there was going to be 200 single-family in a certain
area but then I change my mind and I make it 200 multifamily, then
that traffic statement changes. I would have to update that each time
that I make those kind of changes at the time of permitting, at the
SDP or platting level.
The current commercial acreage includes 2.75 acres of right-of-
way that we have dedicated to the county. Essentially, even though it
says 25 acres, 2.75 of that is right-of-way that belongs to Immokalee
Road and 951.
The kind of situations, the interconnect, which is I think a very
important -- from a traffic standpoint as well as what we are looking
at throughout all of these projects where people have to go outside
the road, there are projects around the Carillon Plaza, because
Carillon would not allow them to interconnect -- have to literally go
out on Airport Road or Pine Ridge Road just to go get milk and
bread. So these kind of things are good and things that we need to
do. Finding a good transition between commercial and residential are
something that we pretty much see everywhere. We don't see people
doing crap anymore.
You see -- with our new community character plan, you see
commercial facilities that have four-sided architecture, that have
garbage areas that are covered. You see a lot more vegetation. You
see shielded lighting. I mean, these are things that people are doing
on their own based on the new criteria.
In our case the buffer between residential and the commercial
we have some cross-sections that we have prepared, which are shown
right there (indicating). I can give you each a copy of those of the
kinds of things we are looking to do here.
When we started our permitting, we had intentions of that
commercial road running through the middle of the preserve.
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January 17, 2002
Unfortunately, South Florida Water Management disagreed with that
and the Corps of Engineers disagreed with that, we had to waylay
that connection, which would have been from our perspective a better
interconnect. This is all we have left is this one piece to interconnect.
And because this is a one unit -- one planned unit development, the
internal accesses are important to be complete.
Now, of course, at the same time being here on the comer of an
activity center does not behoove us not to have gates because we
would get all kinds of cut-through traffic there.
As a matter of fact, I live in the subdivision and so does the
owner. We both live there. I can't imagine not having my gates
there, because every high school kid at Gulf Coast, you know, at 2:25
that doesn't like that line in front of 95 l's intersection is buzzing
through our subdivision at, like, 80 miles per hour. Those gates go
automatically down at that time and come up a little later. At night
they go down. So we would like to keep that privacy. The gate we
are proposing is intended to be inside the buffer. It is not intended
for the residents at either side of that gate to have to look at this gate
go up and down and the car stop in front of their yards.
We are also looking at traffic calming devices in there that,
perhaps, in front of this gate 100 feet or so we would put a speed
bump so that you are almost at a dead stop by the time you get to this
area as it is.
I did bring my traffic engineer to try and go through all of these
issues with traffic with you because, unfortunately, this staff report
that are -- Chahram's original staff report we did not receive until the
day after the Planning Commission was postponed last time. So we
did not really have the opportunity to address what the heck was
going on. We have since then looked at it and have addressed it.
And, unfortunately, I'm not sure how Dawn was left out of the loop --
I can't speak to that -- but we are here to discuss those things.
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January 17, 2002
Some of those uses that you have discussed, Commissioner
Strain, certainly we're amenable to remove some of them from that
area.
When we did this six or seven years ago, those were the kinds of
uses -- I mean, this was out in the twilight zone at that time. Nobody
-- who would have thought that everyone would have been moving
out here? Those are the kinds of uses at the time that seemed
appropriate, especially hotel/motel. You are on main drags -- two
main drags, and you're not that far -- three miles from the interstate.
It seemed appropriate at the time. We are willing to remove some of
those uses to be more in tune with what you might consider what we
see when we look at some of these commercial intersections.
Car dealers certainly does not seem appropriate. The drive-in
theaters, perhaps, not also. But I dare say, though, a gas station
would be appropriate, because I have seen them at every activity
center pretty much in town, and -- at least at one of the comers.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Yours says for gas dealers; bulk
liquified petroleum.
MS. BISHOP: We don't want that.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: That's right.
MS. BISHOP: I just want a gas station up there so I can go get
gas on the way to work.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: You have that one, too, but you
also have the bulk gas.
MS. BISHOP: We will be glad to remove the bulk gas from
that. It was not intended for that use. Really, when you put these
things together, you throw the smorgasbord together trying to make a
decision on something that may or may not happen -- in this case --
11 years later. So what we need to do then at -- certainly at your
request and some of the residents' request is remove some of those
uses, which we are willing to do.
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January 17, 2002
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: How would you propose doing
that at today's meeting?
MS. BISHOP: What is your list?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Here it is right here. There are
about 170 uses. You are welcome to have a copy. I have a copy for
the Planning Commission members as well and for public record.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Just pick out two that you
would like.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Any residents who would like a
copy, there are some extras up here.
MS. BISHOP: The used car dealers, no problem.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Yes, she needs a copy.
MS. BISHOP: The first three which is used car dealers, boat
dealers, and gas dealers, no problem.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: One for the court reporter.
MS. BISHOP: So far going down your list-- well,
unfortunately that is not going to happen. Used car dealer is dead.
Boat dealer, dead. Gas dealer, dead. Drive-in theater is dead.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
MS. BISHOP: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
Why don't we take 10 --
MS. BISHOP: Oh, good.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
list.
Excuse me, Karen.
The court reporter needs a break.
-- and you can work down that
MS. BISHOP: Great. I appreciate that.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Recess for 10 minutes.
(A short break was held.)
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Meeting will come to
order, Ms. Bishop.
MS. BISHOP:
I want to go on the record to say
that I spoke
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January 17, 2002
with Commissioner Strain during the break just to look at the list
along with the transportation director. Actually, it's a lot easier than I
thought it was going to be. The uses at C-1, C-2, and C-3 except for
retail nursery seem to be all fine. I do want to clarify that under the
veterinary we would have no outside kennels which was already
mentioned in the PUD. And the hardware store would not be a stand-
alone like a Home Depot; that would not be allowed either.
When we get up to the C-4 and C-5 uses, some are appropriate;
some are not. I will read that list of not appropriate uses.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Starting at the top?
MS. BISHOP: Certainly. Starting at the top, we have used car
dealer, boat dealer, gas dealer.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Those are inappropriate?
MS. BISHOP: Inappropriate. Drive-in theater. Then we get
down to hotels and motels, equipment rental, refrigeration service,
furniture repair, miscellaneous repair services, bowling center, and
the shooting range and water slides; which I'm personally going to
miss. Those are the ones that do not appear to be according to the
transportation director-- don't fit in a shopping center stuff.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Dawn--
MS. BISHOP: It's Karen.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Karen, I'm still on my.
Last question. You said C-1, C-2, and C-3 are not appropriate?
MS. BISHOP: No. Those are appropriate uses, and those fall
under the shopping center guise of what Dawn was talking about with
the current TIS. Even though if somebody had come in with one of
these other uses not covered under the current TIS, they would have
to -- like I said, at the time of permit -- Dawn reassesses your traffic
again.
So if anything was funky, at that point they would have a
problem. But we will remove the ones I mentioned off. The rest of
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January 17, 2002
these uses are appropriate for shopping centers.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Thank you.
MS. BISHOP: My kids are going to miss the water slides.
Can -- I have my traffic guy here to discuss traffic. I'm sure
you-guys want to hear from him, and specifically he's here to answer
questions for you.
Is there anything else, though, Commissioner Strain, that you
want to address?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I will wait until I hear the public
and see if they have any other concerns about the other uses.
One of the things that I wanted to know -- I guess your traffic
engineer will discuss it. I heard the property is being considered for
sale. If that's the case, the new -- one of the new companies that may
be purchasing, as I know, is a quick mover. This might get built out
rapidly. Do you know anything about that?
MS. BISHOP: I know there is a contract on it. As of this point,
I know that it is with DeAngelis Diamond. COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Yes.
MS. BISHOP: Do I know what their schedule is? No, sir. It
could be soon. It may not be soon. It's all based on the market.
Nobody wants to build commercial that does not get rented. I can't
speak for them, and I don't believe they are here. Maybe the owner
later on can discuss, if he has any knowledge, as to what their
schedule would be. But I do know they build quality product. At
least I have that comfort level.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: No problem. Thank you.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Miss Bishop, one last
thing. I'm interested in the traffic numbers, as we have all expressed,
but my eyes will tend to glaze over with a lot of numbers. What I
would really like to hear is, as represented in the applicant, that you
would agree to the conditions that we talked about earlier -- because
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January 17, 2002
of this absorption rate that you so eloquently defined -- it's probably
going to be slow building out anyway, that you would agree to not
bring these projects on line until the capacity in the road was actually
available.
MS. BISHOP: No, sir, I would really like not to have to do that.
As much as I appreciate what you are trying to do, which is certainly
to be commended, all we have to go by when we do these projects is
what the rules are today. When you change the rules, we will adhere
to those rules.
In this case, you know, we had this being an activity center, the
-- what could have been permitted here and built here would have
been a 40-acre commercial center, which is the typical size of the
activity center, commercial areas on all four-comers which will be at
some point a seven-unit-to-the-acre density band goes around that,
which means my project could have had 800 units in it and 40 acres
of commercial. So that's not what this owner did. This owner
decided to do something that was quality.
So his density at 650, I believe was -- is right. Around 5 units to
the acre. He has since then brought that down to 350 with this
commercial -- and then we have this commercial comer. We have
done so much already to give up for that -- lessening the impact on
the roads and creating a better neighborhood. It was -- for all intents
and purposes, this area was intended to be maxed out; that's what
these activity centers are intended for. But as we are seeing that's just
not what the market bears. We are doing less and less. We are
making those choices by not utilizing the maximum zoning abilities
of these areas.
In this case I would suggest that I would not really want to do
that.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: However, you would
agree it's within the purview of the Planning Commission to --
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January 17, 2002
MS. BISHOP: Certainly. If that's what you want to
recommend, but, yes, I would say -- I would not want to do that.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Karen, I just have one quick
one. You say the total commercial was it 237, 000 -- MS. BISHOP: 231,000.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: 231,000. Is that including
what is currently there?
MS. BISHOP: Yes.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: What is currently there? How
much?
MS. BISHOP: One hundred twenty thousand is what is
permitted currently. We were allowed one hundred fifty maximum.
And like Ray said, they used to put those numbers on there -- but
typically it's 10, 000 square foot an acre is typically what you do for
commercial. At that time we were still going through environmental
permitting, and we did not know what we were going to be left with
in the end, so we put a number up there.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: You are saying that Publix
center now is 120,0007
MS. BISHOP: Correct.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: So you are looking for
110, 000 more?
MS. BISHOP: Correct.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: You mean that little strip
of land is going to give you another 120,0007
MS. BISHOP: No, sir. We had a lot more commercial land set
aside for the least amount of density on it.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: You are increasing the
density someplace else?
MS. BISHOP: We are increasing the commercial density on the
tract what was already designated for commercial is what we are
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January 17, 2002
doing. It was already designated. The tract was already platted.
What we are doing is increasing the density on that tract only and
reducing the density internal to the residential.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Thank you for clarifying.
It's very misleading in terms of the depiction of showing a little strip
being added. I thought that's where the new commercial was going to
be added.
MS. BISHOP: No, sir. It's going to be spread out over the rest.
MR. JARVEY: Good morning, Commissioners. My name is
Reed Jarvey. I'm a transportation engineer with the firm of Vanasse
Daylor. I prepared the traffic impact statement for this amendment,
rezoning, whatever the procedural -- exact procedure is.
I will tell you also in a later life -- an earlier life I did prepare the
original Pebblebrooke back in 1990 --
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Surely, you will have a
better later life.
MR. JARVEY: Let me address a couple of points here and just
from a clarification standpoint -- from a technical standpoint. I will
try not to get into too much detail. I do know when I start these
traffic numbers and eyes start glazing over and people pass out -- I
will notice when you fall out of your chairs. I will stop at that point.
We will look at the traffic impacts to this as Dawn Wolff
presented earlier. Just for your clarification, I know you are not privy
to the traffic impact statement. It was reviewed by Dawn and her
staff. They had some comments in the fall sometime, and we
resubmitted it in November. And it was approved in November.
At that time we did a level service analysis for the proposed
project, and what we felt a prudent approach would be to look at a
fairly quick build-out, as was mentioned earlier to see what the
impacts would be now. So we felt that with our experience in land
development that roughly a year would be a potential -- or as quick as
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January 17, 2002
it could be, so it really would be not this year -- it might be done this
year, but it would not affect the peak season 2003. It would affect --
2002, excuse me -- it would affect peak season 2003; roughly a year
from now, you know, 13 months or so from now. That's what we
addressed in our traffic impact statement.
At the time we did it, Immokalee Road was being four-laned
under construction and 951 was in its current two-lane condition. So
we looked at impacts with a two-lane condition. Our impacts showed
that both Immokalee Road and 951, Collier Boulevard, would operate
within level service standards in the two-lane condition for Collier
Boulevard and four-lane for Immokalee Road. From my standpoint I
don't feel a phasing was necessary as was suggested; that's for 2003.
Now, to talk about some of the differences of the staff report,
which was the 3,750 units additional, I tried to replicate that number
and, unfortunately, Chahram who did it was not with us. I talked to
Ray Bellows, and I talked briefly with Dawn, and I could not
replicate the number. If I just added from one hundred fifty to two
hundred thirty-one thousand square feet, period, I came up with, like,
2,800. So I don't know where the 3,750 came from. But I did look at
it again and tried to look at the differences from the original PUD in
2000 -- excuse me -- 1990 -- the 1997 PUD amendment and then
what we are presenting.
Just for your information, the original PUD, 1990, talked about
150, 000 square feet, as we have been talking about. Single family
was limited at no more than or up to 130; multifamily was limited to
up to 520. So you add those together; 650 units. So when I did that I
took the trip generation that we used, the ITE methods that Dawn
talked about, the Institute of Transportation Engineers, and did their
procedures and came up with a trip generation. And to keep it
simple, I did daily trips -- I did daily and a.m. And p.m. Trips, which
is what we use more -- we used the peak hour trips more than a traffic
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January 17, 2002
profession, but I understand you-all know daily trips.
Better, so I did that. I came up with an amount of trips of
10,156. So 10, 000. Okay.
Then I looked at the 1997 PUD. The 1997 PUD doesn't --
doesn't differentiate between multi-family and single family. It just
says 650 units. From a traffic standpoint, we would do a worst-case
scenario. Single-family units do more trip generation than multi-
family units.
I did 650 single-family homes and shopping center of 150, 000
square feet, and I came up with 11,994 -- roughly 12, 000. Then I
looked at what we were proposing. We proposed 231,000 square
feet of shopping center. We have -- there is roughly 340 units there
now. We rounded those up to 300 single family and 100 multifamily
to keep the number -- to be a little conservative if something would
change in there -- and we came -- we used because we are now
interconnecting the shopping center to the -- to the residential -- and
so the people that live there don't have to go out on 951 or
Immokalee Road to get that loaf of bread or bottle of milk or
whatever they might need, they can go internal.
This is external trips now. So this is external impacts. There is
-- ITE has a procedure for internal capture -- what we call internal
capture; that the people -- the commercial trips that are generated by
the Publix and McDonalds or whatever else is there as attractors.
And the housing development that generates the trips, they have an
interaction. So if I'm going to get that milk and I drive out of my
driveway and drive through the interconnection and get that bottle of
milk, that's one trip. When I get out of that car-- get out at Publix
and get back in my car and come back into my house, that is another
trip. You have it both ways.
But I'm not on the external road network, not on 951, not on
Immokalee, not on Vanderbilt -- all of those. Once again, ITE has a
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January 17, 2002
procedure to look at those. When I added that internal capture -- and
the other correction factor is past by traffic which commercial has,
and I used that same corrections for the other two generations, I come
up with 9,799 trips. Roughly 10, 000. So potentially when we add
this together, we potentially have up to 2, 000 trip reduction. So, I
mean, we won't know that until we get an actual Do -- when they
build it, you see what actually happens. But using Institute of
Transportation Engineer's procedure and the discussions that we have
had and methodologies that Dawn Wolff and her staff and I have had,
potentially we come up with an actual reduction from the existing
PUD.
So I wanted to make that clear, and for my purposes -- and I
think for your purposes, from a traffic standpoint is probably you can
say it's a wash at this point. Could it be a little higher? Yes. Could it
would be a little higher? Yes. Could it be a little lower? Yes, it
could be lower. The numbers show that it could be substantially
lower. I just wanted to make that clear. That's really pretty much the
end of what I want to tell you, but I will certainly answer -- at least
address any questions that you have.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Just a question. I realize
your methodology probably speaks to some generalized cases. But
looking at the specific project with this big preserve in the center, it
doesn't seem to me that people over on the western side are going to
go all the way around to come in through this internal access. They
are more likely to go out on Immokalee and come back in. The
people that are up on the northwest quadrant of the development,
residential development, I don't see that should help you in your
numbers. Seems to me that would be -- if you factor in the real case
versus the generalized traffic data that you use -- I don't know.
MR. JARVEY: Commissioner, to some extent that is a true
statement. I mean, what I would say to your direct question -- and I
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January 17, 2002
have another comment on it -- is that those people -- more than likely
I would agree. If they are up there, you know, 100 feet or 200 feet
from the Immokalee Road access, they are probably going to
Immokalee Road, go down to turn into Publix. However, when they
return an easier trip would be to use the interconnect rather than
trying to do left -- right turn and then a U-turn at the signal or come
down Immokalee -- 951 and do a left turn out. So I think you
would -- you know, potentially what you are saying is half of that trip
would be true. Another answer to your question, when we do
this internal capture, we do what we call is a balancing. There is no
projected -- and unfortunately, I have the peak hour numbers -- so the
numbers I'm going to tell you are not exactly correct for the daily, but
they are along the same lines.
What ITE has done in their studies says in a peak-hour
standpoint, for instance, 53 percent of the peak-hour exiting trips
from a residential development could -- are captured by the adjacent
commercial development. Likewise, 9 percent of the commercial
trips, entering trips, which would be the same trip, are captured. And
in this case the -- what we do is a balancing. So it's a lesser of the
two. You can't make trips. You know, if you have 50 trips going one
way and you are only accepting 10 trips, that doesn't work. We
balance them. We take the lesser of the two. In this case the
commercial rules with the 9 percent. So some of those trips that the
ITE say could capture aren't being captured anyway, because the
commercial does not support all the trips that the residential area has.
So I think what you are saying is a potential -- within the rules !
have -- within the guidelines I have is -- is -- I think it can be covered
by other issues. But, yes, sir, that is a possibility.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: So, as I understand your
testimony, even though the commercial is virtually doubling in size,
these other pushes and pulls with the internal circulation will negate
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January 17, 2002
the traffic impact of that?
MR. JARVEY: I'm saying they potentially could. From my
calculations they're showing -- actually, they are potentially less than
what they are if you don't put the interconnect and you keep the
residential and commercial as it is.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: I respect your numbers. It
just seems counter intuitive with that much increase in commercial.
MR. JARVEY: I understand, sir. The big thing is the
interconnect; that's why -- I'm sure you have been here before when
Dawn's been up here and said, "We have to do the interconnects with
the commercial areas. "I'm a proponent of it, and Karen Bishop -- if
you have been here long enough -- has said it many times; that's the
key to the local trips off of the highway network and let the people
just go -- you know, get their loaf of bread or, you know, steak --
whatever --
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Six-pack.
MR. JARVEY: -- from an internal standpoint.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Mr. Strain.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Reed, I don't know if you
addressed this. I want to ask you, I was involved in a town meeting
in OrangeTree not too long ago on issues that they were having out
there with infrastructure. The biggest issue that came out of that
meeting was the roads -- Immokalee Road and the backup of traffic
getting into town, and it occurs at the intersection of 951 and
Immokalee Road. It's two lanes to the east once you pass 951.
I know you mentioned Immokalee Road is being four-laned; that
will solve some probleMs. But you didn't address the two lanes of
Immokalee Road coming from OrangeTree. Because the OrangeTree
people don't have a grocery store out there of the size that you guys
are going to have, they are going to be using that Publix. They are
going to be using that shopping center. Have you looked at the
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January 17, 2002
intensity there on that two-lane road?
MR. JARVEY: Yes, sir. Let me look through it. From a strict
level of service standpoint, it's -- and, once again, I'm looking at
2003, I'm -- I need to look a little longer. I think this is four lane and
not -- I have to look through the rest of it.
MS. MURRAY: Mr. Chairman, you have registered speakers.
Would you like to maybe go to them and have him come back and
answer that question later?
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Are you close to the
answer, or do you want a few minutes?
MR. JARVEY: I have it. At the intersection -- at the
intersection there would be four lanes -- excuse me -- two lanes, what
you are talking about going west -- at the intersection -- not out east
more -- I realize -- but the intersection itself. At that point -- when
that's complete, the level of service is adequate. It's within the
standards.
I'm not saying it is now, because it's under construction, and it's
not that situation yet. But in the -- I think there are supposed to be
done later this -- or, like, early summer or late spring. At that point in
time, there should be adequate infrastructure at that intersection for
that trip.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay. As long as you have
looked at that.
MR. JARVEY: Yes, we looked at the intersection.
Specifically we have four lanes -- two lanes going through. I
have looked at it. And I have looked at it out farther, but, quite
frankly, it's east of the intersection. I have not looked out --
OrangeTree way out.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN:
backs up. It's quite a ways.
MR. JARVEY:
That's just how far the traffic
Where I have looked at is four lanes. I was
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January 17, 2002
worried about in the vicinity of the intersection itself.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Thank you.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Any other questions?
Thank you.
MS. MURRAY: You have six registered speakers.
Your first speaker is Lull Johnson followed by Richard Creel.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Please come up to the
podium. State your name for the record, and if it's an unusual name
spell it. You have five minutes. If you will please limit yourself to
that. If others of you are going to speak and your neighbors, please
don't reiterate what has already been said. We need more and
different and new information.
MR. WHITE: Mr. Chairman, if each of the speakers will just
state for the record whether they were sworn or not. I'm assuming
they all were, but if not we will find out.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY:
we started this item?
MR. JOHNSON: No, sir.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Raise your right hand.
(Witness sworn.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: State your name.
MR. JOHNSON: Lull Johnson. Okay. My concerns are-- I
don't feel that the traffic numbers add up. I know there is a LOS --
there is a level of service standard. I do not feel that even if those
standards are met that they are adequate standards set by the county.
All you have to do is drive these roads and know that there is a major
problem right there on that intersection. I also don't understand how
350 people going to the grocery store, which you don't do every day,
can be captured -- can capture 3,700 trips or 20 -- over 2, 000 trips.
The information that was given from the DOT seems rather
vague. I mean, there is not concrete numbers from the Department of
Did you take the oath when
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January 17, 2002
Transportation. But there is definitely a major problem. It's
dangerous on Immokalee Road and Collier Boulevard.
People from the Estates, people from OrangeTree, they are all
coming down to this present Publix Shops at Pebblebrooke Lakes that
are there. There is at least ten stores that I have counted that are not
open yet. I have heard there is going to be a McDonalds, a gas
station, a bank, what have you, in the already present commercial
property. As those things open, traffic is going to increase. It has to.
Adding more commercial property, now, I'm questioning the timing.
Now, I think is maybe not the most prudent thing.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Where do you live in
relation to all of this?
MR. JOHNSON: I live in Pebblebrooke Lakes. That's pretty
much what I had to say.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: I think you can tell by the
questions and comments that this commission has that we share your
concerns, and we are trying to figure out a way to, if you will, legally
express those in some concrete way that will have an impact in
phasing this project or dealing with the timing issues that you have
raised.
MR. JOHNSON: Thank you, sir. I did notice that.
MS. MURRAY: The next speaker is Richard Creel followed by
Colleen McCartney.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Mr. Creel, did you take part
in the oath administration?
MR. CREEL: Yes, sir. Yes, sir. I was sworn previously. My
wife is also here. I was wondering if I would be allowed to have ten
minutes to speak on both of our behaves. That's fine. Let me
proceed.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Let's see what you can do
in five.
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January 17, 2002
MR. CREEL: I do have something that I would like to put on
the overhead so we can all see what we had to -- what we were
anticipating as development.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: I assume your wife shares your
views to a degree?
MR. CREEL: Yes, sir, I think she probably does; although not
all the time.
What I would like to point out, No. 1, is that we were -- it was
represented to most of the residents that there was going to be an
interconnect in terms of a pathway so that we could bike or walk to
the commercial area. And I would like to point out that if that was
completed, then we would have a way to access that without going
out on 951 or Immokalee Road. At this time there is walking or
biking access via a sidewalk to Publix and that shopping center. And
there is a lot of traffic going through that area. And we can all walk
or bike over there within a ten-minute period of time.
I think one of the major concerns that we have is the
interconnect, because we moved into the community specifically for
the purpose of living within an enclosed community. For instance,
my 8 1/2-year-old son, I feel comfortable allowing him to ride his
bicycle within the community because we have limited access. There
is no through traffic. I have a beeper I put on him. I beep him. He
comes home. When I lived in the City of Golden Gate, I was not
comfortable with that because of the amount of traffic and speed
limits. If we were to open a third access through there, then we're
going to have that much more traffic.
As far as the capture, the internal capture they are discussing, I
would submit to the commission -- to the planning board here that in
general most people are going to be coming home from work are
going to go to the store and then they are going to come home. So I
think that internal capture is being overstated in terms of the amount
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January 17, 2002
of traffic that is going to keep off the road, because we are all coming
home and going to the store and then coming back.
The other great concern that I have is we already have
tremendous problems with our gates. Our gates are wooden. They
are broken probably 40 percent of the time. And at this time due to
the amount of construction going on, they are open, basically, all day.
If we were to open this interconnect, depending on how it was set up,
first of all, we would have the problem of who's going to pay for it to
maintain it, who's going to build it, and if it's of the same type of gate
system that we have now, at least 40 percent of the time it's going to
be inoperable. If it's on the same system as our current gate system
is, then we are going to be in a situation where we have unlimited
access to our community through this commercial area.
I went to the dentist on Friday. I went up 951, and I had to go
pick my son up at his elementary school, Laurel Oaks, came up
Immokalee Road and was going to go down 951. I would like to
point out just to the south of our development is an apartment
complex opening up with a large number of units. It should be open
in, I would say, the next six months. On Immokalee Road right next
to where our community is, they are getting ready to build a large
apartment complex, and down the road on Immokalee there is a large
apartment complex that has opened, all multifamily homes generating
a tremendous amount of traffic.
I don't know what the plans are specifically for 951 at this time,
but I sat through four light changes at 951. And, then, finally, being a
resident of the community, I didn't feel quite so guilty about it, I
turned around and came back through and went through the
community and came back out onto 951 and saved myself about 15
minutes because of the backup. Granted, there is construction there,
and that should hopefully improve in the future. You can see what
my concerns are about that.
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Also, I have grave concerns -- I believe the issue is -- and the
fact of the matter is, there is a contract for sale open on the table right
now. My belief is -- and this is my belief-- I have no facts to back
this up -- my belief is that the contract for sale is, in essence,
conditioned upon immediate approval. I don't think there is going to
be any holdup in development of this. I think it's going to take place
right away, and it will completely saturate our situation.
I have two positions. Number 1, I'm asking the commission not
to approve this plan at all. I would like to have the community as it
was originally planned, an enclosed community with two entrances,
where I can feel safe with my son out playing and not have to worry
about internal traffic.
I can tell you I live in Pebblebrooke Lakes. I live right next to
the sidewalk to the middle school. I love to be next to the middle
school, but I can represent to you that cars line up in front of our
house right now to pick children up because they don't want to go
through that line. The gates are open. That may change in the future,
but we are already battling a situation with that.
Again, as to the interconnect, it was represented to us that there
would be an internal interconnect that would be a pathway. If you
had a pathway interconnect, I believe that a number of people or a
great majority of people would use it, and that would address some of
the planning board's concerns about the interconnect.
I think 951 is a big issue as well, because I don't know what the
plans are for four-laning, or if they are going to four lane it. There is
a tremendous backup at the light, not only coming in from
OrangeTree but coming northbound to that light ! know that the
people at OrangeTree and Falling Waters and Golden Gate Estates, in
general, are delighted with the fact that there is going to be this
Publix there. It's the closest one out to the Estates. I think it's going
to generate a tremendous amount of traffic. And in my viewing of it,
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January 17, 2002
it has already generated a tremendous amount of traffic. My concern
is rather than wait to try and get out on 951 or Immokalee Road they
will cut down through our facility and get back out.
The other issue that I have is, you know, the first idea was to run
a road right through our nature preserve. I have a serious problem
with that; that has been resolved. But I just want to make a point that
we all bought homes based on what we thought was going to happen.
We understood that the residential of Phase 4 may or may not be
single-family homes; it might be villas. It might be town homes, et
cetera. But our understanding it was going to be residential. There is
a large commercial activity area in existence. It's going to continue
to develop, and I think it's more than adequate to serve the needs of
the community as it exists right now.
In terms of gas station which was mentioned, if you start at 1-75
coming down Immokalee Road to Pebblebrooke, you get off the road,
there is gas stations right there immediately. You come down the
road a little farther, there's a Hess Station. A little further down there
is a Mobil Station directly across from Laural Oaks. A little further
down the road they are getting ready to open up a brand-new
Chevron. If we were to head south down 951 instead, you come to a
brand-new Chevron that was just opened and just past that there are a
number of other gas stations.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Could you wrap it up,
please?
MR. CREEL: That is basically my point.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: I thought so.
MR. CREEL: The one other comment if I can make briefly, the
uses that have been recommended, I disagree with a number of [hose
uses. And what I would like to see allowed there if the commission
were to agree to that, I would like to see a larger buffer zone. I would
like to see the commercial folks responsible for the gate and specific
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January 17, 2002
type of gate put up that is more secure than what we have, not a
wooden gate that is going to break all the time. And I think that's about it. Thank you.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Thank you. Next speaker.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: I have a question. On this display
that is on the overhead, it is kind of zeroed in, so I cannot see who
published this. Who provided that? Was it the developer or one of
builders or--
MR. CREEL: It was -- sorry, sir.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: -- or where does it come from?
MR. CREEL: I can provide the first page. I thought there was
five of you. I'm sorry. I made five copies. It's a home page that is
available over the internet anybody can access. The home page is at
the bottom of that particular picture. I would be more than happy to
leave that.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: I don't like it that much. I was just
curious where it came from.
MR. CREEL: I obtained it from the internet, and it was my
understanding the developers prepared it. It was an exact copy of a
map or a site plan that we were all provided with when we purchased
our homes.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Okay. The thing I wanted to point
out, Ray, if you can just get the commercial aerial back on the map
from where you have moved it.
There are two roads leading up into the residential area. The
current zoning already is commercial for two-thirds of that area that
is represented as residential. If you look at the lower cul de sac --
that short deadend cul de sac -- MR. CREEL: Correct.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Commercial zoning right now
bisects that commercial -- that short cul de sac and wipes out two-
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January 17, 2002
thirds of the other areas.
Yeah. Right there where Ray's finger is about where the
commercial line comes across now. So, just as a matter of record,
this is some kind of sales or promotional literature. In fact, the
commercial line was not where it was drawn here. It's much farther
south.
MR. CREEL: I understand. Part of the point I was trying to
make is that part of the information was misleading. I think it goes to
the truthfulness and veracity of the representations that are being
made as to what is going to be done on that site. COMMISSIONER BUDD: Thank you.
MS. MURRAY: Colleen McCarthy followed by Craig Haas.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Were you previously
sworn?
MS. McCARTHY: Yes, sir, I was. My name is Colleen
McCarthy. Just in quick reference to this brochure, it is a brochure
that was printed up by the association that is filing for this change in
the PUD. And I have several, so I would be happy to hand them to
you. They are printed up by the owner, the developer with his name
and face on it, and there is no disclaimer as to anything being
inaccurate. And it is the same one that you have up there. So we
have been misled as to the amount of property that is commercial.
Yesterday I went to both contractors in the development to get a
brochure to hand out that they hand to potential buyers. And both of
them, one being Beezer and one being Kimbel Hill, have this
brochure in their folder printed by Mr. Saundry stating that this is
what they are potentially offering to the future buyer.
Now, I presented to Mr. Saundry that this was inaccurate. He
said it was printed or made up four years ago, but it is being handed
out today to potential buyers inaccurately. He said it would cost him
money to print up a new one, so he hasn't printed up a new one.
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January 17, 2002
Now, I would also like to request of you -- because our
development is incomplete at this point. There are still hundreds to
be built. We have an association that is headed by the developer. In
that sense many of us do not think our association represents the
residents. And consequently nothing has been presented to the
residents -- I should say nothing -- but the fact we feel we have not
been able to obtain in a timely manner since we only had a matter of
ten days to two weeks.
We would like the time to hire an attorney to represent the
residents of the area in a more represented fashion, and I present that
to you. And I thank you for your time.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: And next speaker.
MS. MURRAY: Craig Haas followed by Michele Goguen.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Mr. Haas, were you
previously sworn?
MR. HAAS: Yes, I was.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Go ahead.
MR. HAAS: I have got a checklist here I would like to pass out
to each one of the members, if you would, please.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: You are Craig Haas.
MR. HAAS: Haas, H-a-a-s. I'm here to speak about if the
property is zoned commercial that the residents would like some
considerations of what is going to be built on there.
The buffer picture that he has got up here is something that I just
got a view of today. We have drawn a diagram at the bottom, and
it's -- excuse me -- it's relatively similar to what he has put there.
That was one of the considerations that we wanted.
At the start of the checklist, we were looking for dumpsters to be
located outside of the takeover zone, which is the 3.2 acres that you
are discussing the lighting, parking lot, landscaping, building to be
low intensity and shielded from the residents' side of the
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January 17, 2002
development.
Interconnect, we would like a gate similar to the ones that we
have. We would like to make sure that is for Pebblebrooke's
residents only, and construction traffic cannot come through our
subdivision.
Mr. Strain addressed this issue earlier, which is Item No. 5. I
have got copies of some of the information that they brought to us.
We had a meeting Tuesday that Kenco Development did show up for.
They had four items listed as to what could be developed there.
There is actually 28 groupings, which Mr. Strain's list addressed very
well.
One of the provisions in there in the staff report is Section 4.4,
Item 19. There is some verbage in there that the director would
approve what is going in and out of there. We would like to maintain
that stays in there for all issues or all commercial projects that go in
there, to make sure that the residents -- residential friendly services.
Item No. 6 is the buffer zone. And, like I said, we made a
drawing up down below of what we would like it to look like when
it's completed, which is very similar to what they have here. Like I
said, this was just presented to us this morning.
At our meeting Tuesday we asked Kenco Development if they
would be willing to postpone this so we could get together as a group
and have a united voice. As you can see, there is a lot of different
opinions what needs to be happened here. They did not want to do
that. We have had a couple of weeks to prepare for this and really
have only had two homeowners meeting and really don't -- we are all
going in different directions. We would really like to get together as
a homeowners association and have one united voice. I don't know if
we can make that happen today or not. But I understand the
petitioner is the only one that can request to be postponed.
So other than that I don't have any other things. Is there any
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questions of what I have presented?
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: How many residents of
Pebblebrooke showed up at your meeting?
MR. HAAS: The first one it was, I think, about 50, and the last
time it was probably a similar number.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Thank you.
MR. HAAS: The items I brought before you today -- there is
probably about 20 of us that have put this list together. We haven't
even had time to talk, as I said, as a whole group. This information is
new. We keep getting more information. Like I said, Tuesday,
which I brought copies, there were only four groupings that were told
to us to be the SIC codes. The first four groups were all that were
brought. And, in fact, there is Items 5 through 28, and each group
has several items in it.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: When you saw the SIC codes -- I
probably know the answer, but I kind of want to hear it from you --
did you know what those SIC codes meant?
MR. HAAS: I was familiar with them. I didn't know exactly
what they meant. I did meet with Karen Bishop. Like I said, there
was only the first four items in the information they brought us.
Items 5 through 28 and -- as you know, there is several items with
each group.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Right.
MR. HAAS: We looked through those first four. They didn't
seem, you know, very damaging to what property could be built
there. Like I said, if this is commercial, what we are looking for is if
it's built in a manner it will enhance our property and be convenient
for us and not in a manner that is detrimental to our assets that we
have there. That's all that I have got.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Mr. Haas, to summarize what you
are saying then -- don't let me put words in your mouth -- you are in
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favor of it with these qualifications? MR. HAAS: That is correct.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: We have heard other people say flat
they don't want it at all.
MR. HAAS: That's correct.
MS. MURRAY: Your next speaker is Michele Goguen
followed by your last speaker of Jerry Buehler.
MS. GOGUEN: Good morning. It's Michele Goguen.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Were you previously
sworn?
MS. GOGUEN: Yes, sir. Twice. I would like to revisit the
issue of the interconnect briefly. As it was said by Karen Bishop
earlier, twice before in the 1990 PUD and the 1996 PUD, the master
plan had a drawing depicting a road going through the preserve, and
for some reason Water Management, whoever it was, is now saying
that it's not possible to do that.
I would also like to point out that in the petition that is before
you today, this is not a preserve. Is it written as a reserve which, I
believe, the difference there is whether or not this area is protected or
if there is vegetation and plant growth, whatnot, in that area that
cannot be removed. I don't believe it's protected. It used to be when
the road went through that area there were only 16 to 17 acres of
reserve there. Now we have 30 and saying we can't touch it.
In light of the petition and where the interconnect is being
proposed at the end of Burnt Pine, I think we owe it to all of the
residents to explore an alternative place for that interconnect. As you
can see on the map, on Burnt Pine on the end where it is being
proposed, our residents' gate is only a distance of four lots away. All
the people that live in that side of the community, to the left on the
screen, they are going to go out the front entrance and are going to be
on Immokalee Road. When they come home, they are -- why come
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in through the interconnect? You can go a distance of four houses --
believe me, it's not great -- come right in your residents' gate. I don't
see a need for that interconnect at that location.
Also, it's known as soon as the area gets permitted all the
malaluca trees are going to be removed. I have been told that in the
front of the reserve area there is a substantial number of malalucas
that will come out. Why can't we explore the possibility of putting
this interconnect, if it is mandated and said in the petition, it's
recommended. I don't believe there is any mandate. There is no law
that says we have to have it. It's recommended by the Department of
Transportation. We need to look at the opportunity to put it
elsewhere.
Why can't it go up in the front, right alongside Immokalee Road,
perhaps, and into the development or into the commercial area?
There is no reason that it can't go there. It's more accessible to a
greater number of the residents if it's not tucked away in a little
comer in the back where you already have your resident gate already
available to you in a very short distance.
I would like to propose the commissioners here recommend that
we -- we look into the possibility of opening up a different avenue or
see how creative we can get with this. But I don't think that where
it's -- it's currently being proposed is the only place, as it was said
earlier, that was like the last resort place, the only place it could be
put. I don't buy it. It's not true. There are other areas it could go.
I would also like to mention that it was brought at the second
residents meeting on Tuesday -- it was brought to our attention by
Mr. Saundry that all of the records available to us, to the common
public, in the records room and currently on file concerning this
petition were either incorrect or inaccurate. I asked him at that time,
I said, "Well, it's Tuesday night. If I go to the planning office
tomorrow, am I going to be able to get a copy of what is going to be
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discussed on Thursday morning?" He said he didn't know it would
be available to me or not.
How are we as residents supposed to prepare ourselves
adequately, find who is opposed, who is object -- or who is in favor --
we can't unite ourselves and we can't come in here appearing as a
really organized community without having adequate time, as has
been said before, to have good documentation that we can rely upon
in order to make that preparation.
And I also would like to state the first community meeting that
was held a week ago this past Tuesday was organized by residents,
and it was attended by residents, and it was in excess of 50 people. I
do have a petition signed by more than 50 people in opposition to this
proposed change. And I have not honestly gone out there and
pounded the pavement to see who else -- you know, what their voice
is. Because the lack of information available to us -- there is no sense
in running in circles on it. We need to know exactly in which
direction we need to go, and without accurate data and without being
able to rely upon the documents available to us, you know, it would
be a waste of time literally to try and go out there and get opinions
and get everybody's ideas. We need to know what restraints we are
facing. I thank you.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Question for Ray Bellows. Ray, in
reference to the reserve/preserve issue, I had noticed in the PUD
documents, Section 5, it refers to a reserve district. But then it refers
to the Master Plan exhibit A, which has listed a preserve district,
which is consistent with Michele's comments. Is there a significant
difference between reserve and preserve?
MR. BELLOWS: No. The reserve section, if you look at that,
the definition clearly states it's a preserve conservation area. The
designation on the master plan -- we can have that corrected to be
consistent with the PUD document. It is, in fact, the same use.
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January 17, 2002
COMMISSIONER BUDD: My second question was, I know it
was stated earlier in the testimony, but can you refresh my memory.
What were the governing authorities that denied or recommended
against a violation of the preserve area? Wasn't that South Florida
Water Management and someone else? I know it was mentioned. I
can't remember.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Corp of Engineers.
MR. BELLOWS: Yes. Army Corps of Engineers.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Anyone else?
MR. BELLOWS: The South Florida Water Management
District.
MS. GOGUEN: May I add one point, Mr. Budd?
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Go ahead.
MS. GOGUEN: According to the existing documents -- and this
has been consistent since 1990 -- they are required to provide a
minimum of 35 percent, which is 45 acres of open space. That open
space requirement consists of three things; it's lakes, it's buffers, and
it's reserve or preserve, whichever it is going to be. If they are going
to take out vegetation in this supposed preserve area that is, say, the
malalucas, the exotic plants, take over everything, so let's get rid of
them. Or if they are going to increase our buffer, by whichever width
that they increase this buffer, they are adding to that open-space
requirement. So rather than put them -- you know, and, say, instead
of having 45 acres of open space you are granting the residents this
additional buffer -- reduce it by the same amount in your reserve
area, perhaps, and make that your interconnect.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: It's a great idea, but we can't do
that.
MS. GOGUEN: If it's going through the center and up on the
road?
COMMISSIONER BUDD: No, we can't touch it.
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January 17, 2002
MS. GOGUEN: Thank you.
MS. MURRAY: Your last speaker is Jeri Buehler.
MR. BUEHLER: My name is Jeri Buehler, and I have been
sworn in. I live at 389 Sweet Bay Lane. And our house will be
affected right here (indicating).
I -- one of my concerns is the buildings that will be butted up
against the buffer, that they not be any higher than one story. I don't
really care to have a two or three story looking down into my yard.
And if we chose to put a swimming pool in, to me that is a huge
invasion of my privacy.
We were told when we moved into the neighborhood that this
cul de sac was going to be homes, larger lots with bigger homes;
that's what we were told. Otherwise, my husband and I most likely
would not have chosen that particular lot in Pebblebrooke.
I also have an issue of safety. There are probably 100 plus
children in our subdivision. One of the pluses is that we do have a
middle school. The children do walk to school; that's a wonderful
plus.
I also have a handicapped daughter that works at the Publix
grocery store. My question would be, if the road at the end of Burnt
Pine Drive is to be open to commercial, are we going to have
sidewalks for the safety of our children and the residents walking?
Or are we going to, as I do now, continue to go out on 951 to the
sidewalk and walk that way? If we are looking at the safety of our
children, I think is a -- is a very large issue.
I also do not agree with everything that Ms. Bishop has marked
off of here. I don't understand sports and recreation club. What does
that mean? What kind of place is that?
The motion picture theater-- which would make huge amounts
of traffic. You also have here miscellaneous retail stores. What does
that mean? That's all that I have to say. Thank you.
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January 17, 2002
MS. MURRAY: That was your last speaker.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Ms. Bishop.
MS. BISHOP: Okay. I would like to try and address some of
these things. I will start with the last one, which was the sports club.
I assume that is like a karate center or a workout place; those kinds of
items themselves. I have not seen any other types of sport clubs in
this area other than those kinds, so I'm making the assumption that's
what that it.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Gold's Gym; that type of
thing?
MS. BISHOP: Those kinds of things is what I'm assuming it is.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: However, that could cover
things as a sports bar, could it not?
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Right.
MS. BISHOP: We had--
COMMISSIONER BUDD: -- 795 is a physical fitness center,
which would be Gold's Gym and the like.
MS. BISHOP: Right. Like the karate club and Tae Kwon Do
clubs, and those would be something separate. You could also have
boating clubs that met here.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: There is probably 30 uses that
would go under 7997 as sports and rec clubs. Aviation club
memberships, baseball clubs, beach clubs, boating clubs, bowling
leagues, bridge clubs, football clubs, golf clubs, hunting clubs,
racquetball clubs, recreation and sports clubs, riding clubs, shooting
clubs, and soccer clubs -- it goes on and on. These are the kind of
issues that when we have categories like this that are miscellaneous
or they are more encompassing than what they appear to be; those are
the things that cause the public concern down the road when all of a
sudden something gets built there, and they don't realize it was part of
the approval.
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January 17, 2002
MS. BISHOP: We can take out the sports clubs. They are gone.
I would like to take some of the things -- I took notes on some of
the things. I will start with the sidewalk to the middle school. When
we designed this subdivision-- and I designed this subdivision with
Ken -- we had a -- prior to our corp and district permit, we had a
whole different idea what this project was going to look like. The
1996 master plan was our vision of that project at that time, which
was a road that went through this preserve. And as it was pointed
out, at the time the preserve area was only 16 acres. Well, that was
also, you know, our concept of what we needed to be saving here.
Unfortunately, the permitting process for this site took over a
year. During that process the wildlife agencies, the environmental
agencies came in force and absolutely, positively required us to make
that preserve 30 acres, to have a bird wading habitat experiment,
which has gone awry, and to limit uses around that. We have since
then platted this whole subdivision which was -- the platting of the
subdivision was done in 1997, '98. And at that time the tracts were
defined at that time, which was after our second amendment to this
PUD.
At that time we had to change our master plan to conform with
the permits from the agencies. We had to plat that preserve agency
and call it a conservation area, never to be touched again. That's
what we had to do to get our permits to build the site. That's, in fact,
what we have done. So that preserve area is not open for access at
any point. It is, in fact, a reserve area. It has a conservation
easement on it. The district, in fact, holds that conservation
easement. So that is not an option for us. As much as we wish we
had an option, it is not.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON:
minute?
Can I pursue that for just a
MS. BISHOP: Sure.
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January 17, 2002
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: It would seem rational,
perhaps, the agencies that you deal with don't deal in those terms --
but it would seem rational to put an interconnect right up next to
Immokalee Road. We have a lot of access roads that are not part of
the major thoroughfare. I can't imagine that that would be something
that you wouldn't at least be willing to look at.
MS. BISHOP: Well, it does not belong to me anymore. It
belongs -- the conservation easement belongs to the district. It's not
up to me. I don't get to go back and ask them -- if I do ask them, they
are going to say no. They have no reason to give that land away
when we have another option internally on property that has already
been designated for development.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: However, it's not as an
attractive option in terms of looking at the total picture.
MS. BISHOP: And I --
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Ms. Bishop, let me just
say that, perhaps, our county and its transportation department would
be willing to join you in trying to come up with a more rational
solution. They can certainly represent to the current titleholders, if
that's the case, that now we have a new situation here. We are trying
to resolve it. We have people living there. And a little access road
just across the top, if there is some mitigation or something, have you
thought about?
MS. BISHOP: Right. That's another issue too. The mitigation
-- first of all, it would not be just a little road parallel, because you
would have to have some distance off that intersection for it to be
safe. You would be looking at more than just a little 60-foot strip
across that top. The mitigation for this property, just for us to be able
to do what we - did we had to save the on site. I believe my client
paid $300, 000 already in off-site mitigation.
MR. JARVEY: 450, 000.
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January 17, 2002
MS. BISHOP: $450, 00 in off-site mitigation just to have what
we have, and they locked us into this design. Going back now, there
is no guarantee. I have never been able to go in and impact a
conservation area to that degree without significant permitting
nightmares and additional significant cost in mitigation and
professional services.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: What you would be taking
back to them is not the project that you took to them before. You are
coming in and asking for a new PUD with changes in it that we are
struggling with to try and figure out how best to fit it into the
community.
MS. BISHOP: Right. But, unfortunately, the district -- they
care about your zoning. They don't care that I had 650 units on there
and I can't fit it on there. They don't care about those things. They
care about what your permits and development lines are and what
you, in fact, are saving. Those are wetlands up there. That is, in fact,
what they required us to save. They are not interested that -- that
some of the residents don't like this connection where it is. That is
not in their interest. Their interest is to protect wetlands; that's, in
fact, what they do.
I don't know that they would even consider such a request, since
there is a connection available through another access. Regardless of
whether that was commercial -- which is underlining commercial, but
residential, there still would have always been a connection there
because this -- this project is one project total. All the roads are
supposed to be internally connected. So we would be required by
that -- by the fact this is one document to still have an interconnect
there even if it was residential.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Mr. Strain, do you have a
question?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Just a quick one. Karen, I think I
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met you about a year ago on a project for the Golden Gate Fire
Department. A situation occurred where the fire department was
given some land, but it was land that was dedicated as a preserve to
South Florida Water Management District. MS. BISHOP: Correct.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: But if they could get that
changed, they could use the land for a fire department. Of course, I
didn't think it could be done. You did it. MS. BISHOP: That's true.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay. You should put that kind
of effort into this. We might have the results.
MS. BISHOP: That was two different reasons why that was
able to occur there. One is that the wetland line was not a part of the
development line, so that was -- we were not encroaching into any of
the district wetlands. Those were uplands there.
The other reason that was able to occur is because the fire
station is a public entity. Because it is for a public entity, the district
looks at that kind of issue for the public good to allow that. And the
preserve in that area was over 400 acres. This is only 30. You try
taking out -- let's just say 3 acres; that is 10 percent of this preserve.
That was not what was taken out. There was only 2 acres taken out
of that conservation area at the Golden Gate Fire Department at that
intersection.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: But it was a dedicated preserve
already given away.
MS. BISHOP: It was a dedicated preserve that was not wetlands
on that spot, correct.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Wetlands can be bypassed
sometimes by using things like culverts and elevated --
MS. BISHOP: You are still nailed at the impacts and secondary
impacts to those areas. And I do believe in that case that preserve
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had what would be considered extra credits for the amount of impacts
that project had originally; and that's why there wasn't an issue for
those 2 acres to be removed, because, in fact, they were not district
wetlands. They were uplands.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Next item?
MS. BISHOP: Sorry. I lost my place there for a moment.
The sidewalk at the middle school was something that we all
considered very important. And, yes, I'm one of those people who
park up next to that sidewalk and drop my little girl off if she's
running late or if it's raining, I pick her up there.
The intent was to keep people off the road from having to drive
next door. And, actually, one of the things this developer has spent
the last five years trying to do is that sidewalk on Immokalee Road
off the back of the curb was a part of the effort that this client and
myself personally took on for almost two years to keep those kids
from having to be on the back curb of that six-lane road.
We also went as far as to make sure that the project to the south
of the middle school, which is.
Also Mr. Saundry's, has its connections and that project
connects sidewalk to Ibis Cove, which has a connection to the high
school, which has a connection to the elementary school. We have
taken these interconnections for pedestrian access definitely to a
standard that certainly the whole community should be looking at.
But there are times when the pathways for walking aren't enough.
And that in this case for the groceries, driving your car -- I mean,
when I go shopping, it's every two weeks because I really hate to
shop. My car is loaded down. I dare say I could not carry that on my
back coming back and forth on my bicycle. When I send my kids up
there to get milk or something, then, yes, certainly they can take that
pathway.
We would increase the sidewalks or continue the sidewalks into
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the shopping center along that area. So, yes, there would be an
interconnect of sidewalks for pedestrian access.
At that -- it was brought up at the meeting on Tuesday that we
only had five items there. I came with the existing PUD document
that listed every item. We were only asked about several iteMs. I
also came with my SIC book so that I could go through the detail of
what was allowed in those things. We were only asked about a few
of them; one of them being the car dealers, which I then looked at.
And a gentleman asked, "Can I eat Chinese? Can we have a
McDonald's? Can we have a Walgreen?" I said, "Yes, we can have
all of those things."
If somebody would have asked for more information, we had it
readily available to supply to them when Ken Saundry was asked
about the staffs files, I corrected Mr. Saundry's conversation. What
he intended to say was that the original planner mistakenly used the
wrong master plan when he gave you your last staff report, which I
called some of you and found out that it happened. I did not get mine
until the day after, so I had no way to know that that, in fact, had
happened.
That part of what was in his file was incorrect, but his files were
complete. He has all the amendments in those files. Any person can
go down to those -- I sent my office down there just to check. We
pulled the documents from each of those subsequent amendments.
There are also the platting documents which are available down
there. And the platting documents are the instrument to which the
lines were defined, which in our document it says that all these
acreages and lines are approximate until we plat. And we platted.
The plat had to be in place before any of these people could move
into their homes. I'm sure you are all aware of that. The platting on
that line was established at that point.
The use on that tract to the north underlined was commercial --
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January 17, 2002
but Ken was looking at the market directions and seeing what else
could go there, just like any developer does. You cannot -- it's hard
to project what you are going to do. And it is a gracious idea to give
up commercial for residential, if you can. That was something at that
time he was looking at. But because -- unfortunantely, because of the
impact of the residential by the roadways there and the future activity
center in that corner, the -- it's not been as advantageous for a
developer to put the two-story four-plexes in.
I might want to point out a two-story four-plex or eight-plexs,
two story, three stories are allowed. They would go right next to the
single-family homes that are there. They would have literally no
buffer, no wall. They would have the 15-foot normal buffers that
would be required by residential, but there would be no walls, and
there would be, obviously, whatever amount of traffic that would go
by to go to those homes would be there, plus the interconnect to the
commercial would be at the end of that tract, wherever that would be.
So those things would still stay in place. Those elements are still
going to be an issue whether or not this PUD is amended or not. That
still has to be there.
One of the issues that we -- that the residents may not
understand is that when they build roadways -- at the time you do
these PUDs, you are given an opportunity to pick your accesses on
the roads. But during that process the transportation department
clearly, clearly does not guarantee you that these are going to be there
forever and that you are going to get median cuts when they improve
the roads or that you are going to get a light or any of those things.
Right now, based on what the plans are for this area, Pebblebrooke
may be limited on our 951 access to a right-in and right-out and to a
directional left but no lefthand turn to go north to the intersection.
The Immokalee Road may also be limited to right-in, right-out
with a directional left-in; and that's it, with no lefthand turn out. We
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don't know any of those things yet. We are still in limbo on what
those plans are going to be.
If this commercial piece comes into play where it is, Dawn has
agreed there would be a lefihand turn out of that commercial as a full
intersection through that area, which would give us an opportunity
not to have to head down to some other direction and U'ie-around and
come back the other way. So that solves future problems that haven't
even happened yet. We are trying to anticipate the needs for all of
these things, because we don't want another full access into 951
because we are not really going to get that. As a residential area, we
wouldn't want that. But having a gate-limited access through
whatever parcel to the commercial shops I think is imperative for all
projects.
You know, obviously there are people who don't agree and that's
-- you know, we are never going to get everyone to agree on this.
You have seen it at Livingston Road, the Livingstone Wood's people,
but yet I can tell you at Pelican Strand, you know, the commercial
does very well up there. It's very beautiful. It seems to do well. All
of those people that backup to it and see it everyday, we don't get
complaints from those projects. It does work if it's done well. The
same at the Vineyards. The Vineyards is another perfect example
where that kind of commercial really works. They have no main
gates on their main drags; just on the subcommunities inside that
area. They work well.
We are trying to work within good planning practices here. We
understand that when you buy into some of these places -- when I
bought into this place, that northwest area did not look like that at all.
Beezer came back and changed their mind and totally redid it the way
they wanted to do it, and it changed that whole idea. Well, that was
their prerogative. They owned the property. They had that right.
But it was still residential, which is what we understand.
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COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Mr. Budd, do you want to
question now, or do you want to wait?
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Well, I have a couple of things for
you, Karen.
MS. BISHOP: Sure.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: One, from the residents there are
three camps; "Don't do it. Not now. Not ever." You are, obviously,
not going to do agree with that.
There is the, "Postpone it. Give us more time to think about it."
I understand your owner has declined to postpone.
There is a third camp, which we can address, which is specific
requested modifications. If I can get your response or your owner's
response as to modifications which are agreeable -- MS. BISHOP: Sure.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: There is a request that the
dumpsters be located outside of the 3.2 acres that is going to become
commercial. Is that acceptable?
MS. BISHOP: I believe that's acceptable. I think more than just
that. I think what they are looking for is the noise element. I believe
the new community character criteria for commercial addresses that
with those dumpsters and the way they are done. You have to wall
them in now. You can't just leave them sitting out there. It's not just
its aesthetics. It's nasty. You know, just nasty stuff. So it's
addressed now through those processes.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: And, also -- which is also consistent
with the community character discussion is low intensity shielded
lighting.
MS. BISHOP: Correct.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: That is agreeable to you?
MS. BISHOP: That is agreeable. I want to point out when the
activity center across the street comes in that we might want to be
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looking at them big time. Because the bigger problem is going to be
the activity center across the street with all the lights from the front of
that place looking at projecting across to Pebblebrooke's owners also.
So when that comes in front of you guys, hopefully you will keep in
mind that there are residential people around there and nail them also
with making sure their lighting is conducive of residential Wherever
it's blaring at.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: We make every effort to be equally
oppressive.
MS. BISHOP: Thank you.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: How about the request that
buildings located within the area of the 3.2 acres be limited to single
story, the commercial buildings? MS. BISHOP: That's fine.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: That the interconnects will have a
secured gate. And I had a question. You talked about traffic calming
at some point, a speed bump or something like that. Will that be on
the commercial side, the new side, or would that be back on the
residential side that is currently completed?
MS. BISHOP: We had looked at this at the residential that is
completed. Because I live at the comer of two half-mile
straightways, so I'm one of the ones that is really affected. By the
time they hit my house, they are doing 40 miles per hour. The kids
play kickball right around that comer, so that is something we are
looking at as a community. If it is necessary to stick a speed bump
on the other side because we feel that this is a problem coming from
the commercial, I don't believe that Don DeAngelis will have a
problem with that speed bump close to the gate within that buffer
area outside of his parking lot area.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: The gate, there has also been
testimony that the current gating system is kind of a flimsy piece of
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wood. Will the gate that will be provided on the commercial side,
would that be metal gate or something more substantial?
MS. BISHOP: Actually, I'm going to suggest to you that we
have agreed to put the same kind of gate that is there. The
homeowners association at Pebblebrooke has the ability through their
buying power to buy better gates if they want, but those were the
gates that were provided to us when we came in. They are not
intended -- they are intended to be privacy gates more than anything
else, not security gates -- and to keep the pass-through traffic out.
I'm going to suggest to you that it would be -- I would be hard-
pressed to believe that when that full-cut intersection comes into that
part of the commercial area that somebody would think it would be
better to cut through Pebblebrooke to get out than go through a full
and-- perhaps, even lighted intersection where you can turn left or
right. So I'm of the belief that it's not necessary at this point. If we
want a better one, when we buy the other two better ones, if, in fact,
the homeowners choose to do that, we can upgrade that one also.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: On that gate would it be approval to
the developer that should it be approved with conditions that the gate
would not be open at any time for construction traffic? I know right
now there are hours of operation.
MS. BISHOP: Construction traffic will not be allowed to cut
through the project.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: It will be a 100 percent active gate
right at the beginning?
MS. BISHOP: Correct.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Then there is a buffer layout that
was discussed here by one of the residents, and there is a buffer
layout there, which I don't have a copy of, I have not seen before, and
cannot see from this distance?
MS. BISHOP: I have stuff for you.
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January 17, 2002
COMMISSIONER BUDD: I was interested in, is this buffer
acceptable or similar?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: You need to give one to the court
reporter.
MS. BISHOP: Okay. As you can see, the buffer is in the same
dimensional criteria as the one below. I think we showed our wall
closer to the center to make a more even berm. But I don't see that
his -- the problem is two-foot berm in an 1 O-foot area does not.
Leave a flat spot on the top. I don't believe that the design that
the homeowner provided will work, but we can certainly do it very
similar to that. Start the berm at the edge of that 30-foot line. I think
to make it a maintainable berm, it has to be a 3 to 1 for it to be
maintainable. So at a 3-to-1 slope the berm will come up 2 feet,
which is 6 foot in -- yeah, 6 foot and then you have a flat spot of a
couple of feet, and then 3 to 1 again. It would be at the minimum
probably -- about the center of it will be probably 8 foot in to 10 foot
in from the backside of the buffer.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Okay.
MS. BISHOP: Which we tried to do, as you can see.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: The interconnect, which is
primarily a vehicle interconnect, would that contain sidewalks?
MS. BISHOP: Yes.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: So the same residential sidewalks
that are currently there would continue right on into the commercial
area?
MS. BISHOP: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Those are all my questions.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I have a question.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Go ahead.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: The master plan that was up on
the screen that had a preserve area, it does not appear that the
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January 17, 2002
preserve area has changed. MS. BISHOP: No.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: It looks like it's about the same.
MS. BISHOP: We platted that several years ago. We cannot
change that.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: The lakes look pretty close.
MS. BISHOP: Correct. What you are looking at now is a
master plan; that is, in fact, the platted -- here is the project here
(indicating) on this area.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Let me get to my question,
though. The document that we have that was last approved for this
project called 16 acres of preserve and 22 acres of lake. The
document that we just got from planning staff says the preserve is
going to be 31 acres and lakes will be 22; that's changed sometime
then. You have built something different than what you previously
were approved for?
MS. BISHOP: When we originally did-- I had done the zoning
prior to receiving my district permit; so that's what happens. You
guys see it all the time. Zoning and environmental permitting have
had -- in the past had no real connection. You put a master plan out
there and then get your permit, and you are --
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: If it's over a 5 percent change,
aren't you suppose -- there is some rule that when you get to a certain
change you are supposed to apply for a substantial deviation.
Ray, do you recall what that rule is offhand?
MS. BISHOP: That's for DRIs.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: No, it's not. It's for PUDs.
MS. MURRAY: No. Typical PUD language allows for minor
changes due to permitting, but it does not necessarily define what
minor is. There is no threshold.
MR. BELLOWS: If you are discussing a PDI, a master plan
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change, that has 5 percent, I believe, criteria is what is a substantial
change if they are trying to do a PDI of the substantial master plan
change.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I have it in front of me. What
happened, this project changed its preserve areas -- they doubled
those, which is positive, but they cut the lakes in half. And in your
mind that wouldn't have required a previous requested change to the
PUD?
MR. BELLOWS: Not to the PUD.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Also, Karen, your buffer area --
not your buffer so much as your open space -- requirements is 30
percent, which is 45 acres. You call out 48 acres in the text of the
PUD, but on the master plan you only call out 42 acres; so how is that
addressed?
MS. BISHOP: I guess I'm kind of at a loss of what your
question is.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Turn to your PUD document.
MS. BISHOP: The existing or the current?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: The new one.
MS. BISHOP: The new one.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Page 2-4.
MS. BISHOP: Okay. Section 2.4.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: No. Page 2-4.
MS. BISHOP: Right. Page 2-4.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: You show 48 acres of open space.
On the master plan, the only open space that you show is preserves
and lakes, and they total 42 acres. The ULDC requires the buffers to
be on the master plan. Do you know where those are going to be?
MS. BISHOP: The buffers are already in place. They are
perimeter buffers, the perimeter buffers around the outside of the
project. Ken Saundry -- on the north and the west buffers, which are
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January 17, 2002
-- east buffers, which are 951 and Immokalee has a 25-foot buffer
there with a wall that he built and put in -- as a matter of fact, that's
where we built the county sidewalk on our property, so that we do get
that sidewalk outside of the curb.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: They do need to be shown on the
master plan. The master plan that we have does not show them. Do
they need to be added?
MS. BISHOP: Actually, no. This has already been platted, as I
discussed before. This whole project is platted currently. The
buffers are platted. The preserve is platted. The lakes are platted.
Everything is even built. The only piece left not built is this one little
square, which is north of the existing residential on the east side
along 951. If you look at the aerial, you will see that's the only spot
left in this project that has not been built yet. Those are already in
place. And I can't change them because they are already deeded over
to the owners.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I'm not asking you to change
them. I'm just asking you to put them on the master plan. MS. BISHOP: Show them, specifically?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well, I'm just looking at Section
2.7.3.1.1.3 and .4 of the ULDC where they call out the specific things
that need to be on the master plan. I'm just looking for the buffers as
part of your open-space requirements.
MS. BISHOP: I will be glad to. But your open space do -- I
believe also includes yards, doesn't it, Susan? MS. MURRAY: Yes, it does.
MS. BISHOP: So it's not just buffers. Your open shows also
yards, which I will not be able to show all of that as a part of my
open.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: No, but on your 2-15 open-space
requirements, you said this requirement shall not apply to individual
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development tracts. Are those yards within residential tracts?
MS. BISHOP: Correct. So my overall -- but I have additional
open space, which does include that. I just made sure that we had
open space that was not required -- or did not include those others.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Let's get simpler. I need your
master plan. I think your master plan should show the 45 acres --
MS. BISHOP: I will be glad to do that.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: -- of that. The other item I have
on your PUD, Page 3-4 -- Ray, I don't know if you realize this. This
is between principal structures under single family detached has been
reduced from 15 to 10. I'm not sure it's significant or not. I just want
to make sure that planning staff was aware of it.
MS. BISHOP: Right. That was done in 1997 also.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: No. I have your '97 one here. It
was not done in '97. It was 15, I believe.
MS. BISHOP: Principal structures? I'm looking right here,
single-family detached on the 1997 one, I'm showing 10.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well, I have the '97 staff gave
me. It shows distance between principal structures 15. MS. BISHOP: Well--
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Maybe I have the wrong one or
you have the wrong one.
MS. BISHOP: Well, maybe so. Actually, let me look at my '97.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: My question is, Ray, is that going
to have any impact on your deal?
MR. BELLOWS: From the planning perspective, the distance
between structures on single family, 10 feet is still within what is
typical on many PUDs. I don't have a problem with 10 foot.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay.
MS. BISHOP: Actually, most of the houses out there have been
built like that, except for mine and I have 15.
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January 17, 2002
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: But that's not what it says. It was
changed to prior owners, and I wanted to make sure that staff was
aware.
The last thing, I don't know how many other objections there is
going to be to other uses, the drinking places use -- and I want to ask
you if you need this. It says, "Bars, beer parlors, beer taverns,
cocktail lounges, discotheques, nightclubs, saloons, tab rooms and
taverns. "Do you need that in your list of goodies?
MS. BISHOP: I suggest to you that we need that. I have seen --
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: It will generate some noise.
MS. BISHOP: Well, there is some noise ordinance that, if fact,
does -- and the distance between that area -- I mean, obviously, if
there is something on the south end -- we see this all over Collier
County. If there is a noise-generating facility and it is disturbing its
surrounding neighbors, then they have a problem. There is decibel
levels that are required at certain times of the day. And the -- right
now, I dare say, I'm probably speaking louder than the allowed
decibels. As a matter of fact, a guy did my voice once and said I'm
something like 5 to 10 decibels higher than the normal allowance for
the noise ordinance, which is 55 decibels at night and 60 during the
day. Apparently I'm not allowed to go anywhere and speak out loud
because my voice is louder.
There are ordinances. There are time frames when these are
done. And now the county has very sophisticated noise equipment to
keep people in check. So I dare say that will be an issue, and if it is,
it won't be an issue for very long.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: It's one that I didn't want to see
the residents have to go through. I don't have any other comments at
this point.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Anything else from Mr.
Bellows?
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January 17, 2002
MR. BELLOWS: Yes. We have an additional stipulation to
clarify with transportation of the traffic, and they have -- Dawn Wolff
has provided me with language. I would like to read it into the.
Record. (As read): "No certificates of occupancy shall be
issued above the 150, 000 square foot within the commercial tract
until the four-lane capacity above Immokalee Road and County Road
951 to Wilson Boulevard and 951 from Immokalee Road to
Vanderbilt Road is available."
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: I support that 100 percent.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: So do I.
MS. MURRAY: Mr. Chairman, you also wanted clarification of
the square footage, the maximum square footage allowed?
MR. BELLOWS: That would be 231,000 square feet.
MS. MURRAY: For commercial.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: I thought we crossed that
bridge.
MR. BELLOWS: Karen mentioned that earlier.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: I will close the public
hearing. What is the pleasure of the board?
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Mr. Chairman, I would like to make
a motion that the Planning Commission -- let's see, are we approving
or forwarding the recommendation that the Planning Commission
forward Petition PUD-2001-AR- 14694 to the Board of County
Commissioners with a recommendation for approval with specific
attachments and recommendations, and that would be as agreed by
the petitioner, buffers to be located outside the 3.2 acre commercial
rezone, lighting to be low intensity and shielded from the residential
area, buildings within the 3.2 acre commercial rezones to be limited
to a single story. That there be -- the interconnect shall have a
secured gate that will be installed and operational immediately upon
the construction of that road and commencement of construction to
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January 17, 2002
limit construction traffic and -- contrary to the petitioner's request -- I
would like to see that as an upgraded gate, metal gate superior to the
current wooden-plank gate, and that the buffer design be as -- in the
recently submitted Vanasse and Daylor buffer. And last, but not
least, the transportation stipulation as read into the record by Ray
Bellows.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY:
A second?
I will second it.
MR. BELLOWS: IfI may, did you mention the revised -- list of
permitted uses?
COMMISSIONER BUDD: My mistake. Yes, the corrected
list -- the list of permitted uses provided by Mr. Strain and amended
by Miss Bishop.
MR. WHITE: Lastly, the master plan changes --
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I was going to -- as soon as we
got to discussion, I was going to throw in about 20 things, but we are
not there yet. After it's second.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Mr. Budd's motion. Mr.
Midney's second. Discussion?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Mr. Chairman.
COMMISSIONER
COMMISSIONER
commercial be 231,000
ABERNATHY: Mr. Strain.
STRAIN: I would like to add that the cap on
square feet, 231,000 square feet; the
discrepancy between the word "reserve" in the PUD document and
preserve as shown on the master plan will be corrected pursuant to
staffs direction, whether it should be preserve or reserve;.
And that the location of the interconnect and any buffers be
added to the master plan; there be sidewalks added along roads that
go through this interconnect area; and that 5813 be struck as an
acceptable use, drinking places.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Mr. Chairman, is that an
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amendment to this?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: That's additions that I would like
to add, if the motion maker and the second approve those conditions.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Is that all of your additions?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: That's all that I have.
MR. BUDD: I will agree to those.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: I will.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Including the elimination
of drinking establishments? MR. BUDD: Yes.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Any discussion?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Second has to agree to it also.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: He did. Well, I will
discuss. I think that eliminating the drinking establishments is being
unduly fussy. I think they should be allowed and dealt with as it
exists. There's hardly a place in one of these activity centers that
does not have someplace where somebody can watch a football game
and have a couple of beers. I don't drink myself, but I think other
people should not be presumed to create a nuisance just because they
have a drink. So I object on that basis.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Mr. Chairman, so do I. I
don't think it's our position to put something like that in. And I
personally would like to see it removed.
COMMISSIONER YOUNG: I would too. I think if you are
having dinner you might like a glass of wine.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: That doesn't apply. The
restaurants already have that. These are strictly taverns and saloons
and things like that. My concern is not that people drink; that is a
disruptive element to a neighborhood. I'm sure these people don't
want to have to go through having monitors put out there and certain
times of the day or night to see if they have decibel levels and then
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challenge it through county staff. That's why I'm suggesting this.
And that's my reason. It has nothing to do with people's morals.
They can do what they want.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: I will agree. Restaurants would
be permitted and people can drink at the restaurants.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Mr. Chair, maybe you can
just take a consensus question on just that one issue.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: How many people are
going to oppose this motion as long as the drinking establishments
prohibition is in it?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: As long as restaurants are
approved, that's fine with me.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: I may be the Lone Ranger
then. I don't know. Do you want non-restaurant type of alcohol
serving establishments?
COMMISSIONER YOUNG: I think as long as restaurants --
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: So we have two. I think the
motion can carry.
I call the question. All in favor.
(Unanimous response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Opposed?
Mr. Wolfley had a conflict, so he abstained.
MR. BUDD: The motion carries?
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: The motion carries 6 -- 7.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: I would like to make a
little comment, if I may. There is -- I would like to address the
fellow commissioners. I think we have turned a comer today, and the
first time in my year and a half that we have taken a more restrictive
position than what the applicant has brought forward in terms of
traffic. I think this is a signal -- that I'm sure Mr. Feder and Dawn are
listening to -- and would really hope that we can hold the line here
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and do more of this, because I think that's what the public is crying
for.
As far as the public at large, we have got a new public
participation ordinance in place. This one did not fall under it. But
we are going to see more and more opportunities for public
involvement earlier in the process that you may not be faced with in
this situation. There is help coming in terms of the process. Our
hands were somewhat tied in this particular issue.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: I would like to add to that also.
In conversations with people and talking about the traffic and the
congestion, people have sort of a hopeless attitude, "Well, there is
nothing that anybody can do about it. It's just inevitable. "I'm glad
to see that we can do some small things.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Thank you very much.
MS. MURRAY: Commissioner Abernathy--
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Do you want to go back to
Item B?
MS. MURRAY: That's up to you. They are ready. They have
indicated they have the information you sought.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Are they here now?
MS. MURRAY: Yes.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Let's go back to that.
We are backto Petition CU-2001-AR-1255. Sir. MR.
PALMER: For the record, Tom Palmer, assistant county attorney.
We have acquired leases that have been entered into by the Golden
Gate Fire Rescue District described as 100 -- from 130 feet plus or
minus to the top of the tower. The tower is occupied by agreement
for at least -- initial term of 5 years and 4 years automatically
renewable for 5 years. So the conceptual lease is essentially a 25-
year lease. And there is -- that is if the tenants wants to stay on there,
he stays on there unless he notifies the district he wants to get off, 90
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days prior to one of those 5-year terms.
The tower is owned by Golden Gate. Golden Gate negotiated all
of these leases themselves. So effectively for ! 30 feet, plus or minus,
the tower -- other people have the right to occupy the tower.
The district itself has the right to occupy the top level or the first
tier of the tower, and the next three tiers down to 130 feet, plus or
minus, are occupied by three independent private entities; Primco
acting as Horizon, Sprint, and one other one is down at the ! 30-feet
level. And there are no provisions in here where Golden Gate can
require them to vacate except for cause, and that is if they violate the
terms of the agreement like any other tenant. So that's the situation in
regard to that tower.
The tower was built in 1999, and most of these leases were
entered into in the year 2000.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Thank you for doing that.
MR. PALMER: We called them up, and they were very nice,
and they faxed them to us immediately.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Is that 49 percent of the tower,
then, or is it more than 49 percent -- of the usable space on the tower?
MR. PALMER: I don't know to what extent as a percentage of
the usable space on the tower that amounts to. There is some space
below the 130-foot level that has not been occupied by anybody. To
what extent that is available -- also Golden Gate does have the right
to rent that -- at least under their lease to private enterprise. So it
doesn't look like there is anything that binds them, Golden Gate, to
the 51/49 ratio.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Except our zoning ordinance.
MR. PALMER: Well, I don't know that-- whether this
provision existed in 1999, and I have not seen any of their
conditional-use application. They came before the board with a
conditional-use application. I don't believe the 51/49 was in there in
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1999. I think that was added subsequent to that time. So I cannot tell
you that they are bound to that.
They do get all the rental for-- all of the rentals to private
enterprise go to Golden Gate. The provider of the tower, Sprint, did
not get -- does not get any percentage of that rent; that's all cash to
the Golden Gate Fire District.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Yes.
COMMISSIONER YOUNG: So what you are saying is that
there is no way that the tower can be used for EMS?
MR. PALMER: That is correct.
COMMISSIONER YOUNG: Okay.
MR. PALMER: At least the next 23 years.
COMMISSIONER YOUNG: Okay.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: That's a little too long to
wait.
MR. PALMER: I can leave copies of these leases with you for
you folks--
that.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: No, I don't think I need
COMMISSIONER YOUNG: Call the question.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Is there any -- any public
speaker?
MS. MURRAY: No registered speakers.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: All right.
hearing. What is the pleasure of the board?
COMMISSIONER YOUNG: I move that the board forward
CU-2001-AR-1255 to the Board of Zoning Appeals with a
recommendation for approval, subject to staff stipulations.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Second.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Discussion?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Yes. Is there any way we can
I close the public
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January 17, 2002
amend some language to that so that the same situation that is a
travesty of what has occurred on the tower at Golden Gate Fire
Department doesn't occur at the EMS, meaning that they cannot get
into leases that cannot get acceptable positioning, so the sheriffs
department wants to get on that tower, or the county wants to get on
that tower, they will have the right to get on that tower where they
need to get. This doesn't make any sense. There is the library
property which is owned by the county; that could have a tower. The
Sheriffs Department could declare a space in the building, and they
could have a tower. We are going to have a field of towers. It's just
not right. It was not intended for this purpose.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I agree with what you are
saying. Unfortunately, I cannot conceive how that can have any
bearing if we put it into this PUD. It will not work. I mean, the
county commissioners can do something. Maybe a change in the
statute, but for us to put it into words like this would have no effect
on anything in the future.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: What I'm saying is make sure that
the tower that is going up does not get built with the same mistakes as
the Golden Gate tower so it's not usable by another entity if they
come into play. Then when it comes before the board, we should
know, no, you have space on this tower. That's the premises under
which that other tower was put in. See, Golden Gate Fire Department
did not allow for that. I think that was a serious mistake.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Let me ask the attorney,
would this be language we can condition this approval with?
MR. PALMER: Well, presently, you mean in regard to this
particular lease or generally?
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Do it one at a time.
MR. PALMER: This particular case they are already bound by
the 51/49 percentage breakup and anything else that comes in the
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future. But there are exceptions to that. If you wanted the Board of
County Commissioners to say that at least all communications towers
on any essential service site must be leased 51 percent for
governmental use, you can certainly make that recommendation to
the Board of County Commissioner's, that can be across the board, no
exceptions requirement.
MR. WHITE: Just so the commissioners understand, where that
51 versus 49 percent is allocated on whatever that structure is may
change over time with respect to technology. I understand there it's
site-to-site whatever, but I'm not sure that the specific intent you are
seeking to achieve will be met by such a condition.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I want -- my point was not 51/49
percent. It's that in the future if this tower had to be 100 percent
occupied by essential services, government services, that's what it
should be there for. The other services will have to leave.
MR. PALMER: Certainly, the Board of County Commissioners
could, as a matter of policy, in the future state that every essential
service communications tower be limited to governmental use. They
could do that as a matter of policy. If that is the policy, those things
are never going to be built again except at the expense of the county,
because no private developer is going to come in and put in a tower
for free for the county's use unless it gets some use of the tower.
In this specific instance, the entity that built the tower, Sprint,
has this tower rent free for 25 years a slot that is the distance below
the district's. The district would require the top part of it. The
second tier has been reserved to Sprint for 25 years rent free in lieu of
the cost to construct and convey that tower to the district. They did
that only because they had rent for use of that tower for 25 years
under the quid pro quo.
If the county wants to go in and say there will be no private use
of these facilities, that's fine, but that would result in the fact that all
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expenses of all future towers will be incurred by the county. So it's a
tradeoff. But it's a matter of policy, and the Board of County
Commissioners could do that if they chose to do that.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: You mentioned that in the Golden
Gate agreement there is a clause in there that they could terminate
agreements for cause. Could for cause be determined that Board of
County Commissioners or appropriate government authority decided
a critical service has need--
MR. PALMER: No, that is not one of the causes.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: No, that is not the cause?
MR. PALMER: You can take away contract rights by
condemnation. You can condemn contract rights. But if the county
-- and you would have to find a necessity to do it. And assuming
there was, in the eyes of the law, a necessity, you could condemn
these contract rights. But you would have to pay just compensation
to do it.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: That opens up a whole new can of
worms, because I thought Mr. White said it cannot be done, and now
you are saying it could be done. I don't care if the county has to pay
for it. They collect taxes and they collect impact fees just to do that
purpose with, so they should be paying for it. Then they own it, and
they can control it. Now you are telling us that the contract can be
like an eminent domain procedure and be taken over?
MR. PALMER: Well, there are technical issues here. Number
1, the tower is owned by a governmental entity. There are limits
where one governmental entity can condemn the property of another
governmental entity. So there is a legal issue of whether or not the
county can condemn property owned by the fire district. Assuming
they can, in any event, that right that Sprint has obtained on the lease
agreement would have to be paid for in just compensation. And that's
assuming, of course, that the county has the legal status, via the fire
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district, to condemn these rights at all.
MR. WHITE: And you can show the appropriate degree of
necessity. The distinction between the two, just so you are
understanding our point, is that I was speaking solely about contracts.
These are in the form of leases, which to some degree are a blending
of contracts and actual real property rights to the extent they are,
quote, leases and pertain to a term or a lesser estate than just outright
ownership of the land.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: If you tried to do that, it
seems to me that Sprint or whoever, the measure of damages would
be the cost of the tower-- or something like that?
MR. PALMER: They would allege that it's not the cost of this
tower, but it's what they would have to pay to find a substitute
location someplace else within the geographical distance.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: For that 25 years.
MR. PALMER: So it may not be limited to the value of the
tower. In fact, somebody remarked that they thought that Sprint got a
pretty good deal here with this, although so did the fire district,
because these tenants pay what is called a co-location expense.
That's $50, 000 right up front just to get on the tower, and then they
are paying approximately $16, 000 a year every year, so just on these
co-location expenses the district has $100, 000 right there. It's a win-
win situation for everybody.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Not the neighborhood.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: I'm going to call the
question, because I think we have jousted with this windmill just
about long enough. All in favor?
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
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January 17, 2002
COMMISSIONER YOUNG: Aye.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Aye.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Opposed?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Aye.
MS. MURRAY: Mr. Chairman, I understand the court reporter
needs a break.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: All right. Can we get the
dissents where --
MS. MURRAY: I'm sorry.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: -- three dissents? Two.
Richardson and Strain?
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: No, I was just.
Pointing to them.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Me.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Okay. We will recess until.
Half past the hour.
(A short break was held.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: The next item on the agenda,
Petition VA-2001-AR- 1442. Any disclosures? They want to swear
first? All right.
(The oath was administered.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Now, disclosures anyone?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: None. Go ahead.
MR. REISCHL: Fred Reischl, planning services. This is a
request for an after-the-fact variance for a shed. And the property is
located on Spurling Avenue, which is -- as you can see, is between
U.S. 41 and Goodlette Road, although there's no direct connect
because of how the actual fight-of-way was constructed.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Petitioner is here today?
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January 17, 2002
MR. REISCHL: Yes. And you can see the layout of the lot, the
existing house. And in the solid color is the shed that's in question.
You, as -- well, maybe not all of you individually, but the
Planning Commission heard this petition in August of 2000. You
recommended approval to the board of zoning appeals by a vote of 5
to 1. For some reason the petitioner did not appear at the board of
zoning appeals. They denied the petition. He petitioned for
reconsideration, and they told him to go back through the process, so
he is now back through the process.
There is a code enforcement case on the subject site, and I spoke
to the inspector. I was con -- you read the staff report. You know
that there was a conversion at some time in the past of the shed into a
residence. I had some concerns about that. Gary Dantini of code
enforcement assured me that since there was no building permit
issued for this in the first place, if the variance is approved, then the
petitioner will have to get a building permit, and the building permit
will be for a shed. Inspectors will come for inspections looking for a
shed, not for a residence. That -- that reassured me a little more on
that.
You can see the shed on the aerial right here, so you can see the
surrounding properties. And there's no directly encroaching -- not
encroaching, directly abutting neighbors. It is a 2.3-foot
encroachment. The setback for the rear yard that's required is 10.
Because the structure has been there for approximately 30 years,
as far as we can tell, and there have not been any complaints, the
complaint that was received by code enforcement was for the use as a
residence, not for an encroachment. We consider those ameliorating
factors and recommend approval.
MR. ADELSTEIN: Has this been turned back into a shed?
MR. REISCHL: It may have to be destroyed if the variance is
not approved, so I believe Mr. Sanders --
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January 17, 2002
MR. ADELSTEIN: I believe at one time it was house. Is it now
a shed? Again, they've removed the --
MR. REISCHL: I spoke to Mr. Dantini, and he said that it's --
right now it's still a residence. The owner does not want to do
anything until the variance is either approved or denied, he gets
direction either way.
MR. WOLFLEY: Is there a -- do you know the height of the
shed?
MR. REISCHL: Fifteen feet, I believe.
MR. WOLFLEY: Fifteen feet, okay. Is there a-- I didn't have a
chance to read on this, but could it -- if it were shorter -- or I'm sorry.
Not as tall, height was less than 15 feet, let's say 6 feet, could it then
be that close to the property line, or is it no matter what?
MR. REISCHL: No. An accessory structure, minimum setback
is 10 feet.
MR. WOLFLEY: Period?
MR. REISCHL: Yes.
MR. WOLFLEY: Okay.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Any other questions for staff?.
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: We'll hear from the petitioner?
MR. SANDERS: My name is Kirk Sanders for the record, and I
purchased the property. And it had the existing -- what -- what was
sold to me as a one-story residence. And I did get in trouble with
code enforcement. Since then I have removed all of the appliances
and whatnot to make it a residence, so it is converted back to a shed.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: It's already been converted back?
MR. SANDERS: Yes, sir. And there was also one other thing.
There was another shed beside that one. I -- I have a copy of the
blueprint, and it was told to me that -- that if I remove that, it would -
- would help out also so that -- that other shed has also been removed,
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so now there's only the one shed on the property.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: When you bought it, it was a
residence back there?
MR. SANDERS: Yes, sir. It was sold to me as a residence, and
that's the reason I did rent it out, and --
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: So there were two residences?
MR. SANDERS: Yes, sir. And according to the -- the -- the
county, I -- I did some -- some of my own research also as -- as well
as the title company, and I went to the county, and the county said
that it was a duplex property, or I could put two single-family homes,
but later on to find out that there's not enough square footage on the
property to allow for a duplex or two single-family homes.
So it is zoned that way, but I -- I did check it out but not far
enough, so I was kind of ignorant the fact that it was there and about
checking out in -- into it further. It -- everything has all been
removed and stuff, so it's a shed.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
completely?
MR. SANDERS: Completely.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: And you don't live in the
principal residence either, do you? MR. SANDERS: No, sir.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Any other questions?
MR. RICHARDSON: Mr. Reischl, am I to understand, then,
that there are two residences that can -- have habitation on this?
MR. REISCHL: No. What Mr. Sanders is saying, RMF-6
zoning could allow more than one dwelling unit, but because of the
size of the parcel, they're limited to one dwelling unit. There were
two residences. One of them was not legal. MR. RICHARDSON: Okay.
MR. REISCHL: The last photos I saw from Mr. Dantini still
The little shed has been removed
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had it, but Mr. -- Mr. Sanders had said that those are -- are removed
now so ...
MR. SANDERS: I also went to the tax -- tax record place down
below. And when I -- when I -- before I actually purchased it, and
they -- it was showing that -- a house and a guest house. I happen to
have the -- the -- the deal right here (indicating). And I can pass that
around if you wish.
MR. REISCHL: And if I can just state that that is something
that happens maybe not occasional -- a little more occasionally is that
the property appraiser assesses a parcel and doesn't notify us that
something's been constructed so we can determine whether or not it's
been permitted or legal or whatever. So that's -- we're constantly
trying to resolve that communication problem. CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Okay.
MR. RICHARDSON: So this plat, to finally be correct then,
will have that one shed removed. Where it says one-story residence,
that will be a one-story structure? MR. REISCHL: Correct.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Any other questions for
petitioner?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Any public speakers?
MS. MURRAY: No registered speakers.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Close the public hearing. What's
the pleasure of the board?
MR. STRAIN: I make a motion we recommend approval of the
Petition VA 2001-AR- 1442.
MR. WOLFLEY: Second.
MR. WHITE: Mr. Chairman, if I may interrupt, just as to the
attached Exhibit A, I'd like to ask if you would consider as to the
more northerly or the rear of the two, quote, residences that that
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identifying set of words be removed so that there isn't any further use
of this variance for the purposes of occupancy.
MR. REISCHL: I'll be -- I'll be happy to do that.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Any discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Call the question. All in favor?
(Unanimous approval.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: The motion carries.
MR. REISCHL: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: The motion was by Mr. Strain
and the second by Mr. Wolfley, I believe; is that right?
MR. STRAIN: Correct.
MR. WOLFLEY: Yeah.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Next, Petition VA-2001-AR-
1526, Diocese of Venice/Kraft Construction Company. All persons
expecting to testify on this matter, raise your right hand. (The oath was administered.)
MS. DESELEM: Good afternoon. For the record, my name is
Kay Deselem, and I am the new principal planner with Collier
County government, and I am here to present the staff report that was
prepared by a previous staff person.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: And the name was Katie --
MS. DESELEM: Kay Deselem.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Okay.
MS. DESELEM: Just Kay. What we have today is a petition
for a variance identified as Petition No. VA-2001-AR-1526. The
owner is the Diocese of Venice. The agent is Kraft Construction
Company. The requested action seeks a 6.5-foot variance from the
required 30-foot front-yard setback to 23.5-foot setback for a
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proposed construction of an unenclosed stairwell.
The geographic location, as you can see on the visualizer, the
site actually is accessed via 52nd Terrace, then to Golden Gate
Parkway. And some of the other roads that are around it -- there's
27th Avenue and 53rd Terrace.
The description of the action of the project, this particular
project is zoned RSF-3, and it's currently developed with a church
and a parochial school which is known as the St. Elizabeth Seton
School. It did receive conditional use previously to allow for that
use.
The school's library is located on one of the buildings to which
they want to have the stairway. If you look -- let me see if we can
narrow it down a bit. If you see the area that's identified outlined in
red, that is actually the school on the site. It is a -- like a 1 1/2-story
building in that the second story is not totally accessible; like, it's
short. It's not a full second story.
They have an access on one of the narrow ends for fire on that
second story which is the library. What's proposed at this point is a
fire escape outside the building on the other side, which would be on
27th Avenue. See if you can hone in on that. At this you can see the
existing school, and in red are the proposed stairs.
As noted in the staff report, the stairs wouldn't be required to be
constructed on this particular building because it is an existing
building, and it's best as -- the way it's constructed. However, the
parents of the children that attend the school have asked that the
school provide this secondary fire access and escape for the students;
and, therefore, that's why the petition has come before you today.
On page 2 it speaks of the surrounding zoning of the site. Okay.
On the visualizer you see an abbreviated form of the zoning map that
shows the subject site of the entire church property outlined in green.
There is a small X where the actual library and school facility is, and
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January 17, 2002
you can see the surrounding zoning is as depicted on page 2. To the
north are single-family residences zoned RSF. To the east is
commercially zoned land zoned C-4. It's identified on the various
exhibits as the Parkway Plaza.
To the south are multifamily residences and the church, and it's
zoned RF -- I'm sorry, RMF-12 and PUD. The commercial portion is
identified as Founder's Plaza. To the west are single-family
residences zoned RSF-3.
The staff report I -- has -- analysis has identified that there are
no historical or archeological impacts proposed from this proposal.
They have also evaluated this particular request for impacts on
transportation, infrastructure, and environment, and has determined
that there will be no effects. And staff has provided you an analysis
of the request in conjunction with Section 2.75, 2.75 -- 2.7.5.6.1
through 8 of the Land Development Code, and these are presented for
you beginning on page 2, continuing on to page 3 and 4. And I will
go over each one of them if you wish.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: No, I --
MS. DESELEM: In lieu of-- I kind of figured, in light of time,
you would not wish for me to do that.
Staff recommendation is that you would forward this petition to
the BCA (sic) with a recommendation of approval. There are no
letters on file, either in support or in opposition to the request. I have
spoken with the agent for the applicant. He has received a copy of
the staff report, and he is here to answer any questions that you may
have.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Any questions for staff?.
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: I thought it was rather startling
that you could have a public-service facility, like a library, and that
it's above the fire code.
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MS. DESELEM: This particular library is affiliated with the
school. It's not a public library per Se. It's the library facility of
the --
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: I know. But it's for the use of a
public. Maybe they're all members of the church, but -- but sort of a
gathering place, and with only one fire exit, that just --
MR. RICHARDSON: This particular congregation is fireproof.
MS. DESELEM: It's my understanding that the buil -- the
building was built to code when it was constructed. MS. YOUNG: Oh.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Yes. Well -- hmm.
MS. YOUNG: When are you planning to build the new
building?
MS. DESELEM: I personally can't speak for that. The
applicant can probably address that question.
MR. SHIRVANIPOUR: My name is Amir Shirvanipour. I'm
Amir, project manager for Kraft Construction.
To answer the question, yes, there is redevelopment plans that is
going to be coming up I don't know how many years from now. But
I know that this is a temporary stairs. So when that plan is going to
be reviewed I do not know. But this is -- was for the concerns of the
parents because they're worried about their kids and, of course, the
concerns of the students also, that they'd like to have the secondary
exit for the fire safety. And yes, this is temporary until they have
their new development plans submitted.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Questions of the petitioner? Is it
a wooden stairway?
MR. SHIRVANIPOUR: No. This is concrete and stucco to
match the existing building.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Okay. Thank you.
Registered speakers?
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January 17, 2002
MS. MURRAY: No registered speakers.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Close the public hearing.
Pleasure of the board?
MR. STRAIN: I make a motion we approve Petition VA -2001-
AR-1526.
MR. ADELSTEIN: I second it.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: All in favor?
(Unanimous approval.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: It carried.
The next Item, VA-2001-AR-1564, Bill and Kristi Grigsby;
agent, Bill Potter.
MS. MURRAY: We need to be sworn.
(The oath was administered.)
MR. REISCHL: Fred Reischl, planning services. This is a
request for a variance to reconstruct an existing home with the same
setback that's existed since 1983. On the visualizer you can see the
location of the home. It's offVanderbilt Drive on Willett Avenue in
the Conners Vanderbilt Beach area.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Upside down, I think.
MR. REISCHL: And you can see the existing layout of the
home. Here is the cul-de-sac for the street, the front of the house, and
you can see the 18.5-foot rear-yard setback on the house.
This is an unusual circumstance. The research that our staff did
found that the building permit was issued and handwritten on it --
well, everything was handwritten in 1983 -- were the words
waterfront variance per SDP 83085. One of my fellow planners was
doing research on this, and we could find no such thing as a
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January 17, 2002
waterfront variance. However, apparently it was accepted at the time
in 1983, and the building permits was issued. In fact, it was a 19.5-
foot rear-yard setback because of the 1-foot difference between the
property line and the seawall, which in those days they used the
property line, not -- today we use the seawall, so it's an 18.5-foot rear
yard.
The petitioner wants to reconstruct the home with a second
story; and, therefore, this variance is required. I did receive a phone
call from a concerned neighbor with a question. I believe he's here
today. And staff recommends approval because the ameliorating
factors, that the house has been in the same location for 19 years, it
was built according to the building permit issued at the time, and up
until a few minutes ago I -- I had not received any objections to this.
And I'll let Mr. Halas speak for himself.
Staff recommends -- oh, before I close my presentation, just
another thing, for the orientation of the house, too, I mentioned in my
staff report how the house is -- the neighboring house is oriented
away from where the encroachment is. You can see this is the
Grisbys' house, and this is the neighboring house (indicating). As
you -- as they come into their driveway, basically where the
encroachment is, over here (indicating), they -- this house
(indicating) is oriented towards the west, and the encroachment on
this side (indicating) won't affect this property owner. And as you
saw in your packet that was prepared by the Grigsbys, here is the --
the view from that side showing the -- the neighboring house also.
MR. STRAIN: Fred, are you getting those aerial photos from
the new tax assessor's site? MR. REISCHL: Yes.
MR. STRAIN: It's a pretty good site. I thought they looked
familiar.
MR. REISCHL: They're great.
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MR. STRAIN: They're great. Yeah. They did a great job.
MR. RICHARDSON: Mr. Reischl, I understood you to say this
is going to be a rebuild on the same -- to the same size; is that
correct?
MR. REISCHL: That's my understanding. That first floor could
not support the second story. Originally they came in. They -- they
just wanted to get an administrative variance according to code to put
the second story on, according to the same building line. They found
out that the first floor could not support the addition. Therefore,
they're here for the variance.
MR. RICHARDSON: In the packet that has been provided
which has the foldout map in it or diagram, that doesn't seem to be
the case. It's going to be a bigger house than what's there by some
number of feet because you have the existing one story shown in the
dotted lines, and you have the proposed in the solid lines. And it's
considerably larger. And I'm just --just -- it doesn't seem like that
represents -- it is what you have represented it to be.
MR. REISCHL: Well, I'm -- what I'm concerned about is the
rear property line where the encroachment is. They can build within
the other setbacks for the other side yards and -- and front yard. I
didn't mean to cause the impression that they were building the exact
same square footage house.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Oh. I thought that's what it said.
The same footprint, I thought.
MS. YOUNG: It says using the existing rear footprint and
setback.
MR. REISCHL: Right. Rear.
MR. RICHARDSON: And the addition must be along the same
building line as the existing structure. And that does not seem to be
the case.
MR. REISCHL: No. Okay. That was for the administrative
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variance. That has already been granted, and there is a copy of that in
your -- in your packet too.
MR. RICHARDSON: Okay.
MR. REISCHL: There was an administrative variance that was
granted along the same building line for the patio.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: But the second story?
MR. REISCHL: No. For the patio.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Patio.
MR. REISCHL: They wanted to use that same portion of the
code for the second story, but when they found out they had to
demolish the first story too because it wasn't strong enough to support
a second story, that took away the administrative variance portion of
it, and they had to go for a regular variance.
MR. RICHARDSON: But what we're faced here with then is a
building that's too large for the lot with -- unless we give this
variance.
MR. REISCHL: In -- that's the way to put it except that the
encroachment has been there for a number of years without objection.
And it was -- and it was put there legally, too.
MR. RICHARDSON: However, if this project came in -- you
know, they're going to have to tear it down. It's like starting over
new. If this project came in now, you would not approve it. I mean,
our process would not approve this house.
MR. REISCHL: Well, that's up to you and the board --
MR. RICHARDSON: No, it isn't. I'm talking about the --
MR. REISCHL: Without a variance? Without a variance, it
would not --
MR. RICHARDSON: If he had -- if he went in the for a
building permit and I brought this plan in with this setup, it would not
be approved.
MR. REISCHL: Not by the building department, no.
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January 17, 2002
MS. MURRAY: You'd need a variance. That's why they're
here before you.
MR. RICHARDSON: Okay.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Isn't this sort of the other -- other
side of the coin where we've granted variances and said if this ever
ceases to be the case, then you've got to go back to the original
footprint? It seems to me we've had--
MR. REISCHL: Yes, that's true. And that's why -- again, that's
why they're here seeking this variance because they --
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: In those cases was unless you
come back for another variance.
MR. REISCHL: That's true, yes. Just like in a PUD, you're
saying that these rules apply to this PUD. However, it's not hard and
fast that you can come back for a -- a PUD amendment and change
the rules. It's -- that's why there's a public hearing for it.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Well -- okay. Let's hear from the
petitioner.
MS. GRIGSBY: My name is Kristi Grigsby, and my husband
and I own this property at 390 Willett Avenue. And I would like to
provide a little bit of background on what brought us here today, and
hopefully this will make a little more sense. It's been a long process.
A little over a year ago we purchased this home with the
intentions of remodeling. We were going to remodel this house, and
we were going to add a second story. At that time the only glitch we
came across was with this lanai. We wanted to expand out to the
west because currently the lanai stops at about 19 feet from the
property line. So we had plenty of distance to move to expand out to
that 7 1/2-foot required setback. But because the pool is elevated
more than 4 feet above the seawall, we learned that we needed an
administrative variance. And at that time we applied for it, and it was
granted this past July. But as our planning process continued, we
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then learned from an engineering consultation that the structure that
is in existence today could not support a second story. There -- as far
as we could determine, there are -- there are no piles; there are no
footings of any kind. He had said at one point that it's very possible
this house is sitting on a big pile of dirt. So adding a second story
was out of the question.
It then became evident that we had two choices: Either we work
with what is there and somehow we -- we build up the support
needed for that second story, or we rebuild with a proper foundation.
I -- I suppose, in essence, we have -- we have entertained the idea of
using what is there, somehow driving down piles, getting the footings
to transfer the load, something so that we wouldn't have to rebuild
this, but we just don't believe that the end product could -- would be
the result or the strength that we need and that we could achieve by
rebuilding. So that is what we've been working with for about a year.
We have decided that is the much better alternative for everyone, not
only us but our neighbors as well, safety issues, hurricane issues, that
sort of thing.
So during the past year we've been meeting with various
members of the planning staff to ensure that our plans were
consistent with the code, and that is how we came upon this rear
setback issue and the need for -- for variance.
As -- as you know, the house sits 18 1/2 feet from the water as
opposed to the 25-foot requirement, and -- and that is why we are
here. But allowing us to rebuild this house will result in a much
stronger structure. We will build it -- we fully intend to build it to the
2002 hurricane codes. We just can't do that if we start with what is
there now.
You know, we're not looking to go any closer to the water. We
simply want to rebuild what's there and what was already approved
nearly 20 years ago, planned, permitted, built, C. O.'d, all that, legally
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nearly 20 years ago.
There's one other issue I'd like to address. One other advantage
of doing this, the house -- I don't know if you can tell from the -- I
think you can tell from the photo that was up there before, the house
basically sits on a hill. What that slope of land is on the side I don't
know. I can tell you it's -- it's severe enough that I don't allow my
children to walk on it. It's a very severe slope. It's -- it's -- was held
back by railroad tracks -- railroad ties. And you can imagine with the
summer rains we get here the runoff that the neighbors get from that.
And if-- you know, if we're allowed to rebuild this, we -- we can fix
that. I'd be happy to answer any questions.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Midney?
MR. MIDNEY: I have a question. Since you're thinking of
raising the existing house anyway and rebuilding, why not rebuild
according to the existing code that would apply to other people?
MS. GRIGSBY: Well, there's two reasons for that. One is the
lot is an odd-shaped lot because we have that cul-de-sac to deal with
in the front with the radius, which -- which I don't know if you have
the site map in your -- in your books. You know, we're going out to
the 30-foot -- I don't think we have a picture of that, do we? MR. REISCHL: No.
MS. GRIGSBY: The foldout site map that somebody -- I'll
show you this foldout. It's behind Tab No. 3. You can see that the
comer of the lot is already up there. If we're -- if-- if we move up 25
feet, basically, to where we should be in accordance to the current
code, we -- we lose -- we lose a room basically by doing that. And
it's also an issue of the view. I mean, you saw the pictures, I mean,
you know, quite honestly, this is also an issue of the view. You saw
the pictures. This house sitting where it is affects nobody, but it does
affect us. I mean, this is the house; this is the view that we purchased
a year ago. And if we're pushed back 7 feet, it -- it does make a
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difference to us. It doesn't make a difference to anybody else.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Other questions?
Do you live in the house?
MS. GRIGSBY: No, we don't live there in our permanent
residences yet because we've been trying to not move twice once we
start construction.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Do you intend--
MS. GRIGSBY: We will live there, yes, absolutely.
MS. YOUNG: And none of your neighbors object?
MS. GRIGSBY: None of my neighbors object, and we just had
the opportunity to meet with one of our neighbors who is here today,
and he intends -- as he says, as long as he's here he's going to speak,
and he's going to speak on our behalf.
MR. REISCHL: If I could add, too, this petition was subject to
public participation, and the Grigsbys did all the notification for
public participation, and we got no input from that.
MS. GRIGSBY: And, you know, I'll just add one more thing on
that. One of my neighbors I was talking to last week, and he -- he is
in full support of it. I know there's been concern with a little bit of
concern with the house to the east of us that as we showed in the
photo before, you can't even see it already with what's there. And,
you know, his point was, you know, the house doesn't have a view
anyway. They look at your house. So the only difference is, you
know, they either look at what's there, or they look at a nicer house.
There's really -- there's really no difference. And even those people
have no objections. They're -- everyone has been in full support of it
which, again, this is the Vanderbilt Beach area. I have to say that
that's rare, you know, so -- but we have talked with -- we have talked
with everyone involved and --
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Well, if you were talking about a
boat dock, it might be something different but -- no further questions
Page 133
January 17, 2002
for the petitioner? (No response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Registered public speakers?
MS. MURRAY: Kristi Grigsby was one, and then I also have
Frank Halas.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Thank you, Miss Grigsby.
MS. GRIGSBY: Thank you.
MR. HALAS: Good afternoon, Commissioners. For the record,
I'm Frank Halas. I live at 45 Flamingo Avenue. And I just took over
the duties of being the homeowners' president up there in Vanderbilt
Beach property area.
I met with the Grigsbys on this and am somewhat concerned
about setbacks. We ran into a setback problem a few years ago
building a brand new home up there in that we were encroaching on
the 30-foot front easement. And upon getting the house partly built
to the point where we were going to put the tie beam in, we found
that we were in error of-- of about 5 feet. And, needless to say, we
pled with the commissioners and everything and lost. And the house
came down. Good thing we had a good, reputable builder. They tore
the house down, put the house where it belonged.
But I met with the -- the parties here, the -- and looked at their
plans and got a better understanding of what they're up against in the
fact that the house is basically located on a cul-de-sac, and so you're
looking at a pie-shaped deal.
I came here with the intentions of opposing this. But upon
looking at what they got to work with and everything, I feel that in
order for them to be hopefully good residents through Vanderbilt
Beach, I think looking at their plans and everything, we'll probably
go along with -- with what they got there. Thank you very much.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Questions?
(No response.)
Page 134
January 17, 2002
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Close the public hearing.
Do I have a motion? Discussion? Whatever?
MR. STRAIN: I make a motion we approve VA-2001-AR-
1564.
MR. BUDD: Second.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Okay. We have a motion and a
second. Any discussion?
MR. MIDNEY: I think basically setbacks are a good thing.
And just to change the rules because the immediate neighbors don't
have an objection doesn't seem like a good idea to change -- to allow
a variance to me.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Any other?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
Aye.
MR. RICHARDSON: Aye.
MR. ADELSTEIN: Aye.
MS. YOUNG: Aye.
MR. WOLFLEY: Aye.
I call the question. All in favor?
MR. STRAIN: Aye.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Opposed?
MR. MIDNEY: Aye.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Mr. Midney is the one no vote.
The motion was by Strain, the second by Budd.
MR. RICHARDSON: I would like to compliment the applicant
for the excellent work you did in preparing this. It's unusual. MS. YOUNG: Very nice.
MR. ADELSTEIN: Yes. They certainly came prepared.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Thank you very much.
MS. GRIGSBY: Thank you very much.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Thanks for your short course in
Page 135
January 17, 2002
planning commission business; long course, I should say.
The next item is No. 9, old business, LDC minutes of November
14th and November 28th.
MR. RICHARDSON: Mr. Chair, if you so please, I would
move for their adoption.
MR. STRAIN: I -- I have some corrections. I don't know at
what stage you want them but --
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Do we have a second?
MR. MIDNEY: I'll second.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Okay. Now you have
discussion, then.
MR. STRAIN: Well, no. I have corrections to the minutes.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
MR. STRAIN: Page 52 on--
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
All right.
On the 14th?
MR. STRAIN: November 14th. I have corrections with both
sets, but let's start with the 14th.
The bottom of that page references my discussion, and I stated a
number. And it's read -- it reads here 262,122. That should be
2.6.21.2.2.
On page 53 the same number appears again. Likewise, it should
be stated the same way I just said. There's another number there that
is even longer. It's 2,621,314. That should be 2.6.21.3.14.
That's all I have for the November 14th minutes. Do you want
me to continue, Mr. Chairman, with the others? CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Please.
MR. STRAIN: On November 28th minutes, page 24, we were
talking about dead-end waterways. It says in the cases of dead-end
waterways that are in 100 feet in width. That should have been less
than 100 feet in width.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: That was at page which? 24?
Page 136
January 17, 2002
MR. STRAIN: Page 24, yes, bottom of the page.
Page 65, towards the bottom of the page, there's an s-i-c with a
question mark. And the sentence reads, "It boils down four." And it
should say "boils down to," t -o.
And on page 157 towards the second or third notation up from
the bottom of the page, there's another long value that says 221,443.
It should be 2.2.14.4.3. That's the extent of my corrections.
MR. RICHARDSON: I amend the motion to accept those
corrections.
MR. MIDNEY: Second.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Okay. I have a motion. I
suppose we will do them one -- one at a time. As to November 14th,
all in favor.
(Unanimous approval.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: November-- opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: November 28th, all in favor?
(Unanimous approval.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Carried.
MR. BUDD: Mr. Chairman, I abstain from vote -- vote since I
was not present at either meeting.
MS. YOUNG: Mr. Chairman, I think we should congratulate
Commissioner Strain for his painstaking surveillance.
MR. STRAIN: Thank you, Mrs. Young.
MS. YOUNG: Painstaking.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Next item is new business.
MR. STRAIN: I have a couple short items I'd like to bring up, if
that's okay.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Go ahead, Mr. Strain.
Page 137
January 17, 2002
MR. STRAIN: On the February 7th comprehensive plan
amendment meeting that now has been scheduled because we
apparently are going to have a quorum, the -- that issue that's coming
up, I've had a preview of it at one of my other boards that I sit on.
And it's very intense, and it's -- a lot of discussion ensues, so I know
it's a long meeting. But in order to prepare for it, how far in advance
of the February 7th meeting can we get our packages so we have
ample time to review it and number-- the second part of that is, sure,
it's referring to an existing something. We need the existing
something in order to know what we're comparing it to, and including
this one in particular, I believe, is a result of a governor's order. So
I'm sure we would need a copy of his order to understand what he
was asking for. Those things are going to take a lot of time for us to
digest, or at least for me, and I'm sure the others would want to get
into them too. So, back to my original question, Fred, what do you
think?
MR. REISCHL: I will let Stan Litsinger know that you need
these ASAP and not with a standard Planning Commission deadline
and as -- if they're ready now, I'll have -- I'll ask Stan to get them to
you right away. If there's still a little tweaking they're doing, I'll say
as soon as that's done, get you a copy of what there is right now.
MR. STRAIN: Okay. As far as relevance to the documents
they're going to be changing, those original documents -- that stuffs
very important, and I don't want -- this meeting is going to be rather
important. It's going to affect a lot of Collier County. So I certainly
don't want to do it with a half-day information and a very short time,
so -- I'd appreciate that. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: We're really talking next -- by
the end of next week, I think.
MR. STRAIN: That would be great.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: If it is possible.
Page 13 8
January 17, 2002
MR. REISCHL: I will let Stan know, and we can get them over
to you as soon as possible.
MR. WHITE: Those commissioners that have e-mail addresses,
I believe that -- I don't know that the final order is on any kind of
digital format, but I think that all of the other documents that you're
likely to be interested in may very well be. So if you have an e-mail
address and provide it to staff, they, I'm sure, would be more than
happy to send you an e-mail with those attachments.
MR. STRAIN: My only concern there, Mr. White --
MR. WHITE: I'm not suggesting that as a substitute.
MR. STRAIN: Because we have to bring whatever we have to
this meeting. And unless you've got modems tie-ins for me, I'm kind
of out of luck.
MR. WHITE: My point was that if you wanted to be able to
word search it or something similar to that, you would have the
document on your own PC.
MR. STRAIN: My second comment, Mr. Chairman, was one of
the issues today was apparent in my discussions with -- with Dawn
Wolfe that transportation isn't always aware of some of the
applications and how they're coming through. And procedurally I
was wondering if-- if staff could have transportation involved before
the package gets to us so that their comments can be incorporated
into the package, and we wouldn't have to spend so much time
questioning transportation here at the meeting.
MS. MURRAY: Actually, that is the proper procedure and the
procedure we have in place. Unfortunately, I'd say it just wasn't
followed this time and --
MR. STRAIN: Okay.
MS. MURRAY: -- unfortunately, with the loss of a staff
member and confusion in transferring projects between planners and
the petitioner's desired time frame to get in front of you, it fell
Page 139
January 17, 2002
through the cracks in this one case. But we do have procedures in
place, and they are e-mailed the staff reports before they're even
mailed out to you so in case they have any changes on the
transportation comments -- as well, they are the authors of the
comments in the report. So they see that -- a version of the final
report before it's mailed to you. They have the opportunity to
comment. Unfortunately, it just didn't happen in this case. MR. STRAIN: Okay. That's great.
MS. MURRAY: But we do have the procedure in place.
MR. STRAIN: I just wanted to make sure that that happens.
That would be helpful. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Mr. White mentioned e-mails
which remind me I tried to send a message to Mr. Adelstein using the
e-mail address on our roster, and the message bounced. And I went
and looked at Lorie's addresses where she had sent all of us a
message, and she was using the same one. It's just a simple misprint.
He is at cs.com, not c.s.com. There's an extra dot in there so --
MR. ADELSTEIN: I've already taken care of it. Thank you,
though.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Any other new business?
MR. RICHARDSON: Mr. Chair, just, perhaps, a quick item.
We have a new planning director. I guess that's his name, his title?
MS. MURRAY: No. That is Joseph Schmitt who is the
administrator of community development and environmental
services. And I'm sorry I didn't formally introduce him on the record,
but he -- he did come.
MR. RICHARDSON: In view of his coming on board-- and I
know he's got his hands full with a lot of transition issues, but our
commission is beginning to address some transition issues, too, in
terms of us finding our voice and, perhaps, a will to do things a little
differently than we've done in the past. And I'd like to suggest
Page 140
January 17, 2002
through the chair that at a early opportunity or when it seems
appropriate, really more to staff or more to him, that we could
schedule a workshop with the BCC and ourselves to give us a chance
in the public to discuss our mutual concerns and in -- more
particularly to get their take on what they think our role is. And we
can certainly give them some ideas of what we think we should be
doing or could be doing. And I would just like to see that format so -
- because we can't talk amongst ourselves, and we really can't really
talk to the commissioners as it relates to any planning issues. So I -- I
would just -- I know it's an imposition to get everybody together, but
if we could do that at some appropriate time and particularly with the
influence of your administrative bed, I think it would be very helpful
to me.
MR. STRAIN: Where would they sit?
MR. RICHARDSON: They usually sit right down in the --
(indicating).
MR. WHITE: Mr. Chairman, that -- in furtherance of that idea,
I believe it may be helpful to the board and perhaps even to this
commission to identify what those issues might be so that for the
purposes of developing an agenda for that meeting or -- even if it's,
you know, broad brush, at least there would be something that would
service the focus and the point of reference for the discussions so that
also you could make some determination about the amount of time
that may be necessary to --
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: It might be best for us to meet
with Mr. Schmitt first and see what we want to talk about and then --
then go forward to the BCC. I won't limit any use of their time while
we're searching for what we want to talk about.
MR. WHITE: The other point, Mr. Chairman, simply is that
anytime you are assembled in a public forum and you want to discuss
any matter of new business, including policy issues or otherwise,
Page 141
January 17, 2002
you're certainly free to do so.
MR. RICHARDSON: In a public forum.
MR. WHITE: Such as today.
MR. RICHARDSON: That's fine. But I'd like to have the -- a
little better focus from planning staff, particularly as it's coming into
its new station in life with a new leader. That's -- you've got the
sense of what I'm trying to say.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Yes.
MR. RICHARDSON: If we could do that, I'd appreciate it.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Any further business?
MS. MURRAY: May I ask one question? I got LDCs, and I
haven't heard anybody else speak up other than Mr. Wolfley, so I
assume that everybody else has their LDC? MR. BUDD: (Indicating).
MS. MURRAY: Okay. I've got one for you. Thanks. Great.
MR. ADELSTEIN: Old business. Susan, I would like you to do
me a favor, if you could, and thank Jody for the way she's handled
this. For those of you that haven't heard, the two, three codes for the
new people are already here, and they'll be -- I've picked up mine.
They'll be picking up theirs soon. We still have another two coming,
and we also have the tabs which were not yet sent to us. She did a
heck of a job, and she really pushed it a lot to get it done. MS. MURRAY: Thanks.
MR. ADELSTEIN: I'd like her to have our thanks.
MR. MURRAY: I'll tell her thanks.
MR. RICHARDSON: While we're handing out thanks, I think it
might be appropriate for us to go on record to thank our former
chairwoman who is no longer with us.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: I suspect she may be watching
SO...
MR. RICHARDSON: If she is, I'd certainly like to indicate my
Page 142
January 17, 2002
appreciation for the fine service she provided the county and the
guidance and leadership for this group.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Let's give her a hand.
MR. WOLFLEY: I'll second that.
MR. ADELSTEIN: Let's put that in a motion, and let's get a
vote on it.
MR. RICHARDSON: So moved. Is anybody going to vote
against it?
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Aye.
(Applause.)
There being no further business for the good of the County, the
meeting was adjourned by order of the Chair at 1:30 p.m.
COLLIER COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION
KENNETH L. ABERNATHY, CHAIRMAN
TRANSCRIPT PREPARED ON BEHALF OF DONOVAN
COURT REPORTING, INC., BY BARBARA A. DONOVAN,
RMR, CRR, AND EMILY UNDERWOOD, COURT REPORTER
Page 143
FORM 8B MEMORANDUM OF VOTING CONFLICT FOR
_...COUNTY, MUNICIPAL, AND OTHER LOCAL PUBLIC OFFICERS
L,~ "AME--FIRST NAME--MIDDLE NAME
._./~ C- ~, .. ~_ ~,,~,
MAILING ADDRESS f /
DATE ON ~IOH VOTE O00URRED
COUNTY
THE BOARD, COUNCIL, COMMISSION, AUTHORITY OR COMMrYrEE ON
WHICH I SERVE 18 A UNIT OF:
)I~COUNTY n OTHER LOCAL AGENCY
CITY
NAME OF P~oLrrlCAL SUBDIVISION;
MY POSITION IS:
[3 ELECTIVE ~ APPOINTIVE
WHO MUST FILE FORM 8B
This form is for use by any person serving at the county, city, or other local level of government on an appointed or elected board, council,
commission, authority, or committee. It applies equally to members of advisory and non-advisory bodies who are presented with a voting
conflict of interest under Section 112.3143, Florida Statutes.
Your responsibilities under the law when faced with voting on a measure in which you have a conflict of interest will vary greatly depending
on whether you hold an elective or appointive position. For this reason, please pay close attention to the instructions on this form before
completing the reverse side and filing the form.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION .112.3143, FLORIDA STATUTES
A ~rson holding elective or appointive county, municipal, or other local public office MUST ABSTAIN from voting on a measure which
il ; to his or her special private gain or loss. Each elected or appointed local officer also is prohibited from knowingly voting on a mea-
sure which inures to the special gain or loss of a principal (other than a government agency) by whom he or she is retained (including the
parent organization or subsidiary of a corporate principal by which he or she is retained); to the special private gain or loss of a relative; or.
to the special private gain or loss of a business associate. Commissioners of community redevelopment agencies under Sec. 163.356 or
163.357, F.S., and officers of independent special tax districts elected on a one-acre, one-vote basis are not prohibited from voting in that
capacity.
For purposes of this law, a "relative" includes only the officer's father, mother, son, daughter, husband, wife, brother, sister, father-in-law,
mother-in-law, son-in-law, and daughter-in-law. A "business associate" means any person or entity engaged in or carrying on a business
enterprise with the officer as a partner, joint venturer, coowner of property, or corporate shareholder (where the shares of the corporation
are not listed on any national or regional stock exchange).
ELECTED OFFICERS:
In addition to abstaining from voting in the situations described above, you must disclose the conflict:
PRIOR TO THE VOTE BEING TAKEN by publicly stating to the assembly the nature of your interest in the measure on which you
are abstaining from voting; and
WITHIN 15 DAYS AFTER THE VOTE OCCURS by completing and filing this form with the person responsible for recording the min-
utes of the meeting, who should incorporate the form in the minutes.
APPOINTED OFFICERS:
Although you must abstain from voting in the situations described above, you otherwise may participate in these matters. However, you
m~..~t disclose the nature of the conflict before making any attempt to influence the decision, whether orally or in writing and whether made
J or at your direction.
IF YOU INTEND TO MAKE ANY ATTEMPT TO INFLUENCE THE DECISION PRIOR TO THE MEETING AT WHICH THE VOTE WILL BE
TAKEN:
· You must complete and file this form (before making any attempt to influence the decision) with the person responsible for recording the
minutes of the meeting, who will incorporate the form in the minutes. (Continued on other side)
CE FORM 8B - REV. 1/98 PAGE I
APPOINTED OFFICERS (continued)
· A copy of the form must be provided immediately to the other members of the agency.
· The form must be read publicly at the next meeting after the form is filed.
IF YOU MAKE NO ATTEMPT TO INFLUENCE THE DECISION EXCEPT BY DISCUSSION AT THE MEETING:
· You must disclose orally the nature of your conflict in the measure before participating.
· You must complete the form and file it within 15 days after the vote occurs with the person responsible for recording the minutes of the
meeting, who must incorporate the form in the minutes. A copy of the form must be provided immediately to the other members of the
agency, and the form must be read publicly at the next meeting after the form is filed.
DISCLOSURE OF LOCAL OFFICER'S INTEREST
I, ~"~/'%,~.//r3 ~'o/-.- fL-_ Z tz' ~, , hereby disclose that on _~/~
(a) A measure came or will come before my agency which (check one)
inured to my special private gain or loss;
inured to the special gain or loss of my business associate,
inured to the special gain or loss of my relative,
c.-"~nured to the special gain or loss of ',~/~ ~,z \_ __~.,,~ .,~ .~,J ~ t'L
whom I am retained; or ~'~/~..//O/__ O ~-/,'(.~: ~
inured to the special gain or loss of
is the parent organization or subsidiary of a principal which has retained me.
(b) The measure before my agency and the nature of my conflicting interest in the measure is as follows:
, which
Date Filed
Signature/~~'~'~
NOTICE: UNDER PROVISIONS OF FLORIDA STATUTES §112.317, A FAILURE TO MAKE ANY REQUIRED DISCLOSURE
CONSTITUTES GROUNDS FOR AND MAY BE PUNISHED BY ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING: IMPEACHMENT,
REMOVAL OR SUSPENSION FROM OFFICE OR EMPLOYMENT, DEMOTION, REDUCTION IN SALARY, REPRIMAND, OR A
CIVIL PENALTY NOT TO EXCEED $10,000·
CE FORM 8B - REV. 1/98 PAGE 2