CCPC Minutes 03/07/2002 RMarch 7, 2002
TRANSCRIPT OF THE MEETING OF THE
COLLIER COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION
Naples, Florida, March 7, 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 8:35 a.m. In REGULAR SESSION
in Building "F" of the Government Complex, East Naples, Florida,
with the following members present:
CHAIRMAN:
Kenneth L. Abemathy
Russell A. Budd
Paul Midney
Lindy Adelstein
Dwight Richardson
Mark P. Strain
David J. Wolfley
NOT PRESENT: Lora Jean Young
ALSO PRESENT:
Marjorie M. Student, Asst. County Attorney
Susan Murray, Chief Planner, Planning Services
Joe Schmitt, Administrator, Community
Development & Environmental Services
Page 1
AGENDA
COLLIER COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION WILL MEET AT 8:30 A.M., THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 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 MINIIFES ON ANY
ITEM. INDIVIDUALS SELECrED 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 MATERIALS 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.
1. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
2. ROLL CALL BY CLERK
3. ADDENDA TO THE AGENDA
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - JANUARY 17, 2002, AND FEBRUARY 7, 2002
5. PLANNING COMMISSION ABSENCES -LORA JEAN YOUNG
6. BCC REPORT - RECAPS FROM THE JANUARY 29, FEBRUARY 6, AND THE FEBRUARY 12, 2002, MEETINGS
7. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT
8. ADVERTISED PUBLIC HEARINGS
Ae
VA-2001-AR-1696, James and Genevieve O'Connell, requesting after-the-fact variances in the
RSF-4 Zoning District from the 25 foot from yard setback requirement, to allow a 15.1 foot
setback for the stairs (a 9.9 foot variance), and a 21.0 setback for the covered entry (a 4.0 foot
variance), for property located at 183 Sunset Cay, further described as .Lot 88, Port of the Islands,
in Section 9, Township 52 South, Range 28 East, Collier County, Florida. (Coordinator: Kay
Deselem)
B
10.
11.
12.
13.
PUDZ-2002-AR-1978, D. Wayne Arnold, AICP, ofQ. Grady Minor & Associates, P.A,
representing Gateway Shoppes Associates, LLC, requesting a rezone fi.om "RSF-3" to "PUD"
Planned Unit Development to be known as Henderson Creek PUD for a maximum of 500
residential dwelling units of which 363 units must be constructed as affordable housing units for
property located on U.S. 41 East, approximately ~A mile east of Collier Boulevard, in Section 3,
Township 51 South, Range 26 East, Collier County, Florida, consisting of 45.84- acres.
(Coordinator: Ray Bellows)
RZ-2001-AR-1625, Robert L. Duane, AICP, of Hole Montes, Inc., representing Leo J.
Fragiacomo and Annelise O'Donnel, requesting a rezone fi.om RMF-16 to RSF-4 for property
located at 227 Cays Drive, further described as Lot 72, Port of the Islands, Stella Maxis, iri Section
9, Township 52 South, Range 28 East, Collier County, Florida. (Coordinator: Fred Reischl)
ACCEPTANCE OF SETTLEMENT IN THE CASE OF B.J. BOYER-SAVARD, ET AL, vs.
COLLIER COUNTY, ET AL, CASE NO. 01-1082-CA, PENDING IN THE TWENTIETH
JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COURT, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA, RELATING TO THE
EXTENSION OF A BOAT DOCK.
OLD BUSINESS
NEW BUSINESS:
PUBLIC COMMENT ITEM
DISCUSSION OF ADDENDA
ADJOURN
CCPC AGENDA/SM/
2
March 7, 2002
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Good morning. I'd like to call to
order the March 7th meeting of the Collier County Planning
Commission. Would you please rise and join me in reciting the
pledge of allegiance to the flag.
(The pledge of allegiance was recited in unison.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Thank you very much. Before
proceeding, I -- I notice there are a number of people in the audience.
If you intend to speak on one of the items on our agenda, you need to
fill out a slip that -- found on the table outside in the hall and give it to
Ms. Murray over here so we'll be ready to call on you when that time
comes.
I'll call the roll. Mr. Midney.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Present.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Mr. Adelstein.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Present.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Mr. Budd.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Here.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Abernathy's here.
Mrs. Young is absent.
Mr. Richardson.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Yes.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Mr. Wolfley.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Yes.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
COMMISSIONER STRAIN:
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
Mr. Strain.
Here.
Addenda to the agenda.
Do you
have any, Susan?
MS. MURRAY: I do. I just need to make an announcement, that
the one petition that was scheduled for your March 21 st meeting has
been continued, and therefore, we have nothing on the agenda for
March 21st and have gone ahead and -- and canceled that meeting. So
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March 7, 2002
your next meeting will be the first meeting in April. If something
comes up today and you need to meet on that day, we may have a
small logistical problem with the room, but -- this room's in hot
demand, but we'll certainly try to accommodate you. So if that's the
case, I'll -- I'll call down to my office and--
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
that possibility.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN:
We will try assiduously to avoid
Mr. Chairman, I've got a couple of
suggestions for the agenda, if I could.
MS. MURRAY: May I continue? I just have one more item.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know you
weren't finished.
MS. MURRAY: The other item -- and I don't mean to -- I'm
bringing this up in a public forum because I think it's important that
the audience know what your policy and procedure is, Mr. Chairman,
on limiting time for speakers. And I don't mean to cast a negative
light. I just -- I did receive a complaint from a member of the public
about the last meeting, speakers being allowed to speak in excess of
the typically allowed five minutes. And that's certainly your policy
and your call, Mr. Chairman. But if that's the policy you wish to
implement, I think we just need to let the public know that they -- they
have five minutes to speak, or more if you wish.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: The complaint was they couldn't
speak long enough or--
MS. MURRAY: The complaint--
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
MS. MURRAY: Too long.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
-- they spoke too long?
Well, I really hate to -- to be that
arbitrary. If somebody has something that -- that's worth hearing and
it takes more than five minutes, I don't think it puts an undue strain on
us. So I think five is the target, and I will look to my fellow members
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March 7, 2002
to rein in a speaker who goes beyond that and who is not contributing
anything. So I guess that's my policy.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Sounds good.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Anything else, Susan?
MS. MURRAY: That's it. Thank you.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Mr. Chairman, I'd like to add to
old business a continuing discussion on the backup information
concerning the ULDC and the adoption notebook for the GMP. And
I'd also like to suggest, with the chairman's permission, if we could
move Item D, which is a settlement agreement through the county
attorney's office -- it doesn't seem to have any controversial aspects to
it -- if we could move that forward.
MS. STUDENT: May I -- Mr. Chair, may I address Mr. Strain's
concern? It's just been brought to my attention that the chair did not,
for some reason, receive that item in the agenda packet. And I think
now I would like to leave it where it is. So my legal assistant is going
to be bringing down a packet for the chair, and I'd like to leave it
where it is so he might have an opportunity to glance over it. We've
asked the Court for a continuance on when our response is due and
gotten an order just the other day allowing us till April 1st. So if this is
agreeable with the chair, I'd like to proceed that way rather than have
to continue this and go back to the Court and ask for another order
continuing the matter.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I wasn't asking for a continuance
anyway.
MS. STUDENT: No. I understand. But he brings -- if the item's
brought down, the chair -- it's not very thick at all -- the chair may
have a chance to look at it. And if we keep it on D, that'll give him a
chance to look at it so we can proceed this morning, because the
attorneys for the parties are here and we're all set to go, and it's set to
go before the board and has been advertised for the next -- the last
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March 7, 2002
board meeting in March. So that -- I just want to give him an
opportunity -- if he feels that he can consider it now, I guess I'll leave
it up to the chair, but I wanted to present that concern.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Marjorie, I had no way of knowing
the chair did not receive the --
MS. STUDENT: I didn't either until just now.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I have no objection to letting it
stay like it is, based on that. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Well, in addition to that, Mark,
Mr. Duane has a personal hardship and has asked that his item be
accelerated on the agenda, and I'm inclined to grant that subject to the
concurrence of the other members so --
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: I'll so move.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: -- we would be turning the entire
agenda upside down if we took too many liberties with it.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: I'll second the motion.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: All in favor of moving Item C to
the head of the list, in effect, to be the first thing to be considered this
morning, signify by saying aye. (Unanimous response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Moving right along, approval of
minutes, January 17th. Any corrections, additions, whatever to those
minutes?
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Move to approve.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Second.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: They were fascinating
reading.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Any discussion?
All in favor signify by saying aye.
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March 7, 2002
(Unanimous response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Opposed by like sign.
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Motion carries.
February 7th minutes, corrections, additions, deletions?
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Move to adopt.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I'll second it.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Richardson, Adelstein. Any
further discussion?
All those in favor signify by saying aye.
(Unanimous response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Opposed by like sign.
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Carried.
Planning Commission absences. I'm not sure this has really been
very helpful or very meaningful, but anybody anticipate meeting --
missing the first meeting in April?
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Yes, I will miss the first meeting in
April.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Well, then it is meaningful. Any
others?
BCC report. Susan, recaps for the three meetings?
MS. MURRAY: Do you have any questions?
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: You're getting smart now.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Did they agree with us on
anything?
MS. MURRAY: Yes.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
issues in there.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
I don't think there were any of our
The -- Avi Baron--
Avi Baron they agreed.
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March 7, 2002
Any
MS. MURRAY: -- variance they supported, and I think they
agreed with just about everything that you did, that I recall.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: They were all softballs, though.
questions of Susan about the recaps?
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: I know the one item that
they didn't agree with us on was the Richfield -- Richman --
MS. MURRAY: Richland PUD. And I think that item was -- the
one item that they didn't agree with you on was the phasing of the
project until that segment of Immokalee Road was widened. They did
not support that. You're correct.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: That was our brave move
into the new world to try to get traffic capacity available at the time
that the project was being put in.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Well, I either was here or listened
to that segment of that meeting, and my recollection is they might
have been inclined to do that, but they received legal advice that they
probably could not. So...
COMMISSIONER BUDD:
MS. MURRAY: That--
COMMISSIONER BUDD:
MS. MURRAY: I'm sorry.
COMMISSIONER BUDD:
Is that true, Susan --
-- because if--
That's my recollection, yes.
Because if that's true, it would just
be a word of advice to this Planning Commission that any further--
any such attempts, while well intentioned, are a waste of time. MS. MURRAY: Well said.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Well, I don't agree with that
at all.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Well, if we want to burn time to get
rejected every time -- if it's illegal, it's illegal.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Maybe we send a message --
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: There may be ways to --
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March 7, 2002
COMMISSIONER BUDD: They got the message.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: There may be ways to
structure it in terms of phasing, though, that the applicant might agree
with.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I would like to see the legal
opinion, personally have a copy of that opinion, so that we could have
a copy of it.
MS. MURRAY: It was a verbal opinion that was issued as part
of the minutes of the meeting. It was no written legal opinion.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I'm sure it --
MS. MURRAY: Marjorie, do--
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I'm sure it could be put in
writing so that we could look it over.
MS. STUDENT: I believe it was Mr. Weigel that delivered the
opinion. And he and I spoke about it, and I will talk to him about
putting something in writing.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I appreciate that. Thank you.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: And particularly the
circumstances under which that was given, because I don't think that's
all -- has to necessarily be viewed as an all-exclusive mandate for us
to cease and desist on any attempt to try to match traffic capacity with
buildings that are planned. It just doesn't -- that just doesn't make
sense.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: I want to double-back to addenda
to the agenda for just a moment. I've asked Dawn Wolfe to give us a
little bit of a briefing on the checkbook concept that seems to be
coming into vogue in county planning and which this Planning
Commission has never heard of in any official way. So we'll make
that Item 10-A, new business.
Do we have a motion to approve the agenda as amended and
expanded?
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March 7, 2002
COMMISSIONER BUDD: So moved.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Second.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
All in favor?
(Unanimous response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Carried.
All right, Mr. Duane. RZ-2001-AR- 1625.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN:
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
COMMISSIONER STRAIN:
Any discussion?
Disclosures, Mr. Chairman.
Disclosures.
I had a conversation with Fred
Reischl concerning the zoning to the south. I had documentation that
indicated it was different than what was shown to us on this
presentation.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Any others?
All those expecting to testify in the matter now in hearing should
rise and be sworn.
(The speakers were sworn.)
MR. REISCHL: Good morning, Commissioners.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Good morning, Fred.
MR. REISCHL: Fred Reischl, planning services. For the record,
I do have a correction, as Mr. Strain pointed out. The lot to the south,
on both the application and in my staff report, was listed as RSF-3.
It is actually RSF-4. Mr. Duane and I looked at this thing. I -- my
only explanation is that we both misread the zoning map. However, it
does not affect the analysis. In fact, our discussions on this topic were
that were you creating, technically, an isolated zoning district here?
And this takes away that discussion that we had. So I wanted to thank
Mr. Strain for pointing that out to me.
This is a rezone from RMF-16, multifamily, to single family, and
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March 7, 2002
it's in the Port of the Islands subdivision. And, as you can see on the
map, it's between the town house area and the single-family area. You
can see that better on an aerial. You can see the town houses to the
north and the single family to the south. And the petitioner does not
want to construct a town house; he wants to construct a single-family
home. This rezone is consistent with the Growth Management Plan.
The lot dimensions are consistent with the Land Development Code.
It's compatible with the adjacent zoning. And, as I passed out this
morning, there were three letters of no objection from residents in Port
of the Islands. And staff recommends approval.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Questions of staff?.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: This vacant lot in the
middle is the one we're talking about then?
MR. REISCHL: Yes. I'm sorry. That's the lot in question.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Other questions of staff?.
May we hear from the petitioner?
MR. DUANE: Good morning. For the record, Robert Duane,
and thank you for accommodating my schedule this morning. I
appreciate that very much. I have nothing to add, and I'm in
agreement with the staff recommendation -- I'm in agreement with the
staff recommendation and have nothing to add. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Any questions for the petitioner?
Any public speakers registered?
MS. MURRAY: No registered speakers.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Close the public hearing.
Discussion and motions?
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Mr. Chairman, I make a motion that
we forward Petition RZ-2001-AR-1625 to the Board of County
Commissioners with a recommendation of approval.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTE1N: I'll second the motion.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Budd and Adelstein. Any further
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March 7, 2002
discussion?
All in favor signify by saying aye.
(Unanimous response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Opposed by like sign.
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Unanimous.
Next item, VA-2001-AR-1696, James and Genevieve O'Connell
requesting after-the-fact variances in the RSF-4 zoning district.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Disclosures.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Disclosures.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Mr. Chairman, I had a meeting
with Kay Deselem, the planner, and reviewed the building permit file
in regards to this case. And we discussed some of the issues that I
found in the file.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Any other disclosures?
All those wishing to testify, please stand, raise your right hand,
be sworn.
(The speakers were sworn.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Thank you.
MS. DESELEM: Good morning. For the record, my name is
Kay Deselem. I'm the principal planner with development services
division, and I'm here to present the staff report to you. You have the
memo that is staff's position. One thing that has occurred since this
was prepared; the applicant has retained the services of Clay Brooker
with Young, van Assenderp and (sic) Vamadoe & Anderson. Boy, I'm
glad I don't have to answer their phone.
On page 1 of the staff report is the requested action, and it tells
you, as mentioned, that this is requesting after-the-fact variances in the
RSF-4 zoning district. I have put on the visualizer a zoning overlay
that shows you basically where the site is, the little, itty-bitty, yellow
piece. And you can see the different streets and see where the piece is
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March 7, 2002
and that the whole general area is zoned RSF-4. You might note that
this is in very close area -- very proximate to Mr. Reischl's petition
that he just did, as well.
Hang on a second. If you give me a moment, I do have a photo
of the house. The staff report does explain to you what the Collier
County Land Development Code calls for in Section 2.2.4.5, and we
have a geographic location to explain, as well as the zoning map that
tells you where the parcel is. It's located at 183 Sunset Cay. We now
have an aerial photograph that shows you more clearly where it is. In
this aerial photograph, the lot appears to be undeveloped, which it was
obviously at the time this was taken. However, since that time a house
has been constructed on the lot.
You can see there is a house across the street. The lots
immediately adjacent to this particular site are undeveloped. Here is a
photograph of the house that sits on the lot now. I'll try to move it so
you can see the -- the entry feature in comparison to the road, the
driveway, the stairs. I have some other photos if you need to see
them, and it's my understanding the applicant's agent also has some
photos.
The purpose and description, the petitioner wishes to remedy an
encroachment into a front setback for what is obviously an existing
single-family home, and the background information in the memo
kind of explained to you what has occurred in the process and the
different -- basically what it comes down to, when the site plans were
initially submitted, it was shown as an entry, and it was not shown as
covered. Covered is what triggers it to meet the setback requirements.
It was not determined until after the house was constructed that, in
fact, the entry was covered. That's why we're here before you today.
The memo goes on to tell you that this particular site is located in
the urban mixed-use residential land use category. The subject site is
consistent with the Future Land Use Element, although variance
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March 7, 2002
requests are not specifically addressed. Beginning on page 2, you
have a land use and zoning summary, and you have Attachment B in
your packet that basically goes along with this explanation.
The surrounding zoning and use, to the north there's an inlet
canal, then multifamily units along Stella Maris Drive, and that area is
zoned RMF-16. To the east -- I'll go back to the aerial, and you can
kind of piece it together from there. To the east are two undeveloped
single-family platted lots that are zoned RSF-4, then Cays Drive. To
the south is Sunset Cay. And, as you can see in the aerial, there is an
error in the report in that there is a home constructed on one of the
lots, and some of the other lots you can see up here to be cleared, and
there may be other homes constructed in the area. Down along the
cul-de-sac, there are homes existing there as well. And across from
that is Sunset Cay, the undeveloped single-family platted lots fronting
on Venus Cay. To the west are undeveloped single-family platted
lots.
This particular property is not located within an area of historical
and archaeological probability, so we didn't get into those issues.
There -- the variance request will have no effect on infrastructure,
transportation, or the environment. As you can see, the site is on a
paved road, and the site cleared. Staffs analysis gives you our
analysis as to the general guidelines to be used to make -- help you
make your determination, and they go through--
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Your voice is carrying.
MS. DESELEM: I'm sorry?
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: The people in the front row's
voices are competing with yours.
MS. DESELEM: Item A asks if there are special conditions or
circumstances that are pecu-- peculiar -- sorry about that -- to the
location, size, and characteristics of the land, structure, or building.
And, no, the home is designed to fit the lot. It just is -- a matter of
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March 7, 2002
omissions and errors amongst everybody involved has resulted in what
you have today.
And the response to B is basically the same thing, in that there
were no preexisting conditions. It was just the way the particular
home was sited on the lot.
Literal interpretations on (sic) the provisions work an undue,
necessary (sic) hardship on the applicant; there is no land-related
hardship.
And, D, will the variance, if granted, be the minimum variance
that will make possible the reasonable use of the land? Although it
may be the minimum variance that -- that would allow the use to exist,
there is a reasonable use of the land in that a home sited on the lot to
meet setbacks would be the reasonable use of the land.
Will granting the variance request confer on the petitioner any
special privilege that is denied by these zoning regulations to other
lands, buildings, or structures? Yes. In this case the granting of the
variance will allow the petitioner to have a front yard smaller than the
minimum required, in that those along the same street that are yet to
construct would have to comply, where this particular structure does
not.
This relates to Item F as far as the harmony of the neighborhood.
Other homeowners couldn't build the same thing that this particular
site exhibits unless they sought variances as well.
Item G, natural conditions or physically induced conditions? No.
There are no such issues in this particular request.
And, B (sic), will the variance be consistent with the Growth
Management Plan? As previously noted, variances aren't specifically
addressed by the Growth Management Plan.
Since it's a cleared site, it did not need to go to the Environmental
Advisory Council.
Planning staff, in summary, is recommending that this particular
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March 7, 2002
petition be forwarded to the BZA with a recommendation of denial,
and we have provided you with our reasoning behind that.
I would mention that I've received several phone calls and
correspondences regarding this particular request, and I believe the
applicant may actually be presenting copies of those. Suffice to say,
I've seen some things that say, yes, please approve it -- and obviously
I'm summarizing -- and others that are in-- not in support of it. So it
kind of-- I've seen both ways. I do -- I don't have copies of them, but
I do have the letters with me if anyone wants to see them.
And with me today I also have Johnnie Gebhardt, who is the
permitting supervisor, and Jackie Hart, who is the permitting
technician. If you have specific questions that they can address as far
as the actual intake and those kind of things, they'd be happy to
address those. Other than that, that's all I have for you. If you have
any questions, I'd be happy to attempt to answer them.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Questions for staff?.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Kay, the visual that you
used, did that come from the property appraiser's system?
MS. DESELEM: Which, the aerial photograph?
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON:
MS. DESELEM: Yes.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON:
Yeah.
I'm just curious why that's
so far out of date.
MS. DESELEM:
are dated 2000.
MS. MURRAY:
I thought they updated that at least once a year.
Correct me if I'm wrong, Susan. I think these
That's what I understand, yeah.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: So all those homes that you
showed on that one -- that were indicated on the other photograph
have been built since this was taken, obviously.
MS. DESELEM: It's been my experience in planning that aerial
photographs in an area that's growing as quickly as Southwest Florida
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March 7, 2002
are customarily at least a year behind, if not --
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: This area has not
traditionally been growing very fast down, though, at the Port of the
Islands.
MS. DESELEM: I meant Southwest Florida in general. By the
time you get everything flown and then organized, it takes it a while to
get available to anybody. And, unfortunately -- if we were in a big
city that didn't experience the growth that we do, it would be current.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Can you give us your
assessment as the principal planner as to what the problem is here?
Whose fault was this?
MS. DESELEM: I don't really like to cast aspersions as to --
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: We want you to.
MS. DESELEM: -- who was at fault. Oh, you do? Okay. It's
difficult to ascertain. It seems as though it's circumstances where it
was just a lot of things that went together to create the situation we
had. At some point staff has to back off and not question things that
are submitted by professionals because then it gets to a point where
you're questioning the integrity of the professional and they're
offended, and that's obviously a reasonable thing to -- to believe.
But since we looked at an entry feature -- and if you look at the
information that I've supplied to you as far as the various plans, you
see that in the first one the back area said "covered." The front area
said "entry." So at some point the technicians that look at these things
have to make a judgment call. They can't ask all the questions. They
have to assume the professional that prepared the plan, the person that
submitted the plan, understood what they wanted and if it were to be
covered, they would have said so. They didn't. Staff looked at it based
on what they were submitted.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: At what point did the
county discover the error?
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March 7, 2002
MS. DESELEM: The county discovered the error when the site
plan was submitted for certificate of occupancy, which was after the
home, was built. At that point -- let me see which -- this is
Attachment E. At that point it is noted as "covered entry." Up until
that time -- if you look at Attachment D, this is the -- the survey -- or
the -- what they supplied to us once they put in the footer, and it says
"walls only." Staff had no reason to question it. And if you look at
that particular exhibit, there is a notation at the top that says "setbacks
okay." At that point everything appeared to meet setbacks, and you
can see they're circled where the technicians looked at it and reviewed
it based on the information they knew to be correct.
Same way if you go back to Attachment C, which is the site plan
that was originally submitted when they applied for the building
permit. It says "entry." But if you'll notice, the porch at the rear of the
lot says "covered porch." I mean, it's unfortunate that we can't all
communicate everything that we know and -- and everything go along
that way. But, you know, it's hard to say. And, like I said, you don't
want to cast aspersions or -- or put blame on anybody. It's just one of
those things that happened. It's unfortunate for the homeowner. It's
difficult for staff to have to go back and deal with these issues. But
we're very busy. We do a lot of things, and at some point you have to
take them at their word and see what you see and go on with it.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: So it's your judgment that
we should deny this variance, and they should tear it down.
MS. DESELEM: At this point that's staff's recommendation.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Thank you.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Mr. Chairman, I have one question
of staff. Kay, I have an Exhibit E in -- in my packet. Something you
said I have a question. I mentioned the house was designed to fit the
lot. We're concentrating on the front setback. If you look at the rear
setback on this particular lot -- I shouldn't say the rear setback -- the
Page 17
March 7, 2002
rear dimensions shown on Exhibit E, it shows there's a 20-foot
drainage easement in the rear off the lake. Those are maintenance
easements. They're not allowed to be intruded upon with structures.
The pool deck that's there right now is shown pretty close to that 20-
foot drainage easement. If you had to move this house back 10 feet
that pool deck would be in the drainage easement. And I'm wondering
if the house was really designed to fit the lot, based on that.
MS. DESELEM: I really can't speak to that because I didn't
design the house.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay. If you move this house
back 10 feet and you've met the front setback, would the house that's
here, then, be designed to fit the lot in the build able area, considering
the fact you'd be intruding in that 20-foot maintenance easement in the
back yard?
MS. DESELEM: It may encroach, but it could have been
redesigned to fit the lot, in that there is plenty of room on this lot to
accommodate the size home and the things that they're asking for or
that they're showing.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I guess that's where I'm having
trouble with it. If this -- if this home wouldn't fit on this lot -- if they
didn't get this variance is what I'm trying to get at, because they would
be pushing their rear pool deck into the 20-foot maintenance easement
in the rear, and I'm -- is that a true statement or not.'? Do you know?
MS. DESELEM: If I understand you correctly, yes. I would say
that is a true statement.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay. So the house wouldn't fit
the lot. And what I'm getting at is maybe this was contrived from the
beginning by moving the house too far forward because they knew if
they moved it too far back, they would be into a maintenance
easement, and they wouldn't have gotten approval on that. And I'm
just wondering if that's something that was thought of or you've heard
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March 7, 2002
any discussion in that regard.
MS. DESELEM: I really can't respond to that because I don't
know what anybody's intent was, and nobody has told me. I mean, the
applicant or the agent may speak to that, but I truly can't.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN:
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
designed for the lot at all.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN:
Thank you.
So your point is it really wasn't
That's exactly right.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Kay, could you put that other
picture back up, the picture of-- the side picture of the house?
MS. DESELEM: Picture of the house? Okay.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Push it back a little bit to the
right or your left or whatever. All right. A couple of things. It looks
to me as though that house down the street -- now it may be a
perspective problem, but it looks as though it's closer to the street than
-- than is the porch, the covered porch. Is this just a --
MS. DESELEM: I didn't go out and measure it. I was basically
concentrating on the particular subject parcel. It very well could be a
perception thing because of the camera angles. I have some other
pictures, if you'd like to see them that might help put it into
perspective.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: While you're doing that, I just
wanted to -- while you're bringing those pictures up, you had
mentioned the first one that showed covered porch, Exhibit --
Attachment C, the covered porch, and then the entry just said "entry."
Then you went to Attachment D where it said "walls only." Well, that
was a -- a foundation plan.
MS. DESELEM: Right.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: It also says just "patio." It
doesn't say anything about covered. And it says "concrete slab with
block walls." It doesn't say anything about a roof. So I don't think
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March 7, 2002
that's a --
MS. DESELEM: I was just --
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: I understand.
MS. DESELEM: -- you know, trying to bring it through the --
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: But let's bring it into
perspective, that none of the things said anything about covered on
Attachment D. And then about what Mark said about if the house
were designed -- well, we're only looking at a 4-foot variance. And so
maybe if we moved -- if the house were moved only 4 feet back to
meet the front setback, it would fit and be inside the -- the drainage
easement.
MS. DESELEM: Yeah. I think in one instance if you look at the
stairs and the walkway -- you know, it's kind of hard to think back
now and look what might have been, but it doesn't look like the steps
are as -- as tall as they are. But the applicant can address this, because
I think they had to make some changes in their design as they went
through the process based on elevations that they had to meet and fill
and that type of thing. This is the house basically from a front
perspective.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
COMMISSIONER STRAIN:
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
COMMISSIONER STRAIN:
There are two variances, though.
That's what--
There's a 9.9 --
That's what I'm discovering too.
They're looking -- there is a 9 -- there is a request for a 9.9-foot
variance, Dave.
MS. DESELEM: Here is a perspective from the other side
looking back the other way. This particular picture -- is this the same
-- I don't think it's the same one. I think it shows more of the houses
down along the cul-de-sac where you can see that it actually has
developed a little bit.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: If you follow -- right there. If
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March 7, 2002
you follow the utility pedestals, you can kind of get a perspective of
where it is.
MS. DESELEM: Yeah. That's true. This is noted on the
caption. It's the house across the street. And I just put that in there so
you can see that there is a house across the street, and this is what it
looks like.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Kay, if the covered feature
were somehow able to be architecturally re -- changed and removed
and we leave the rest of the house there, then it would come into
conformance, because it wouldn't be a structure, then, if it were an
open stairwell?
MS. DESELEM: Yeah. It's the fact that it's covered. Obviously
that would be one remedy. Whether or not it's viable from a building
standpoint, I can't respond to that.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: There is an encroachment
maximum in setback areas by attachments to structures, and I'm
wondering how that fits into this. I mean, for example, an air-
conditioning unit can go into a side yard, but it's blended into a certain
depth. Would this exceed that depth that would be -- or do you know
offhand if the code addresses that?
MS. DESELEM: Susan can correct me if I'm wrong, but I think
it's allowed to go 3 feet or something.
MS. MURRAY: Yeah. It's right in the front page of the staff
report. MS. DESELEM:
MS. MURRAY:
Oh, yeah.
We put that in there for you so you can --
unroofed and unenclosed stairways, like air conditioners and whatnot,
can encroach 3 feet into the setback requirements.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: So they'd still need a variance if
the cover was taken off.
MS. DESELEM: I believe so, yes. I'm trying to backtrack it to
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March 7, 2002
give you the appropriate answer. Any other questions?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: You're saying now that they
would need a variance even if that roof came off.
MS. DESELEM: Yes. At least for the stairs, because the stairs--
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: They'd have to use a
trampoline to get into the house.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Funny looking house.
MS. DESELEM: It's a very awkward situation at best. It was
interesting to see that the neighbors' responses in their letters was
mixed. Some were concerned that there would be a precedence being
set by this and everybody would then want to do it; others were very
sympathetic to the problem. And it just was up and down the avenue
as far as what the neighbors thought about it. Any other questions?
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: I might point out, Kay, just
as a matter of process, we often -- and I don't know what the
procedure is going to be in the future. We often get copies of the
correspondence as part of our package.
MS. DESELEM: Yes. I would have done that had I gotten them
in time, but I was still getting them as of yesterday faxed into me. But
I would be more than happy to give you what I have at the time the
staff report goes out.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: I guess I'd like to hear from
the professionals on our side as to how they think this happened and if
there's any repair work that can be done to the process.
MS. DESELEM: Okay. Johnnie Gebhardt's here, and I think she
can address that.
MS. GEBHARDT: Good morning, gentlemen. As Kay pointed
out to you, this is one of those unfortunate things that -- you have a
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March 7, 2002
group of people at the front counter who are looking at setbacks.
They're looking at this is -- the site plan shows --
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Could you move closer to the
microphone, please?
MS. GEBHARDT: I'm sorry. They're looking at setbacks. They
look at it as an entry. An entry to them -- when they look back three
pages, all they see is a slab. It goes back to the plan reviewers. They
look at the plans. They see a covered entry, but they're not looking at
setbacks. We have a proposal to the administrator to hire two
additional people to do nothing but look at setbacks and zoning.
Hopefully that'll address the problems that we have, but this is one of
those things that could have slipped through the cracks very easily
even if we had additional staff who were doing nothing but looking at
setbacks and zoning.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Don't you have building
inspectors that go out there and look from time --
MS. GEBHARDT: Yes, sir, but they don't check setbacks. All
they're looking for is to make sure that construction meets the codes.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: And the code does not tell
them to look at distance from property lines?
MS. GEBHARDT: No, sir. They have no idea what the setback
is supposed to be. All they're checking is the construction of the
structure. In this particular instance, the builder, when he brought his
survey in, he was told that it encroached. It's my understanding that
he never relayed that to the property owner. She became aware of it
when she called me, like, two or three weeks after he had been in, and
she asked me why they couldn't get a CO. When I found out that it
was her house -- because Teri and I go back a long way -- I asked her
to come in and sit down and talk to us. And I told her then what the
problem was. She had no idea.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Has the house received a CO?
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March 7, 2002
MS. GEBHARDT: They have a temporary CO --
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Temporary. So they're in the
house?
MS. GEBHARDT: -- pending -- pending the outcome.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: They're living in the house
now?
MS. GEBHARDT: I -- I don't know.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Johnnie, you said the builder became
aware. Was that at the spot survey of the -- MS. GEBHARDT: No, sir.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: -- slab or the final --
MS. GEBHARDT: That was at the time he came in with the
final survey. That was the time that it came to light to us. My staff
pointed it out to me, but I had no idea that it was the O'Connell's house
until Teri called. This is a very unusual circumstance, because
normally when they bring a set of plans in and the site plan, it says,
"covered." Any entryway that is covered is marked as covered, and
that triggers staff to start looking at setbacks from that covered entry.
Without knowing that and without reviewing the plans, there was no
way -- for the people who were making the setback determination,
there was no way for them to know to measure from that entry.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: But I understand that if they
remove the cover now, it still would not be in compliance, so it --
MS. GEBHARDT: That's right, because the stairs would still
have an encroachment. They could encroach 3 feet, I think Susan
said, but they would still -- because of the size of the stairs, they
would still need a variance.
MR. SCHMITT: Mr. Chairman, I'd like to make a comment
from my perspective as administrator. For the record, Joe Schmitt,
administrator, community development, environmental services. The
-- the folks that work at the front counter certainly have a
Page 24
March 7, 2002
responsibility for reviewing the drawings, but we shall not and we
should not forget that there's some culpability on the -- on the side of
the AE firm that designed the house, that laid out the house, and
there's a professional responsibility of reviewing the code prior to
doing that. Our folks only had the responsibility to assure that the
setbacks are met. Those are clearly defined within the LDC.
And when you talk about our inspectors, our inspectors are --
certainly are certified to go out and do various aspects of construction.
And in the same vein, they're there to protect the public's interest.
They're not -- they're not there to, shall I say, augment the
responsibility of the builder, to perform quality assurance or quality
control. That's the builder's responsibility. Our inspectors go out to
ensure compliance with the codes.
And that's the same thing with the -- the folks when they come in
to review a drawing. It's to assure compliance. It's not to perform the
quality control. That is the responsibility of the -- the builder or-- or
the industry and the nature of the industry. So there is a professional
liability here that I think needs to be pointed to the direction of the
firm that designed the house.
MS. GEBHARDT: And just as a matter of-- of information to
you, when the staff at the front counter review these plans for
setbacks, they put a stamp on the site plan that says these are what
your setbacks are. Most builders are aware that if it's a covered
structure, it has to meet those setbacks.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Just so you know, I looked at the
building record file, and I didn't see a site plan by the architect. I saw
a site plan by the surveyor, and I'm not sure how accurate he had the
footprint of the building portrayed from the architectural firm. So it
apparently may have been some lack of communication between the
two firms. In the end I -- I have to fall back on what I said earlier:
This house could not have fit on this lot if they had used the setbacks
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March 7, 2002
that were allocated by code. Without your department seeing it on a
site plan, it would have been more difficult for you to understand that.
MS. GEBHARDT: But we have to rely on them to give us the
accurate information.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I agree with you.
MS. GEBHARDT: Because we have nine people that processed
almost 28,000 permits last year. They simply can't go through and
scale everything and check it.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Well, I don't think anybody was
attempting to cast any aspersions on the building department. I think,
rather, we're looking to see if the culpability of the builder and the
people on that side was in any way ameliorated by the fact that the
county might have caught it -- caught the problem in the normal
course of business. And from what we've heard, it sounds as if in the
normal course of business, the county would not catch an error of that
sort. So that does not relieve the -- the builder and his associates of
responsibility for it. That's the way I would sum it up, Joe. MR. SCHMITT: Yep.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Thank you. Any further
questions for any member of staff?.
May we hear from the petitioner?
MR. BROOKER: Good morning, Mr. Chairman, board
members. My name is Clay Brooker. I'm an attorney with the law
firm of Young, van Assenderp, Varnadoe & Anderson at 801 Laurel
Oak Drive, Suite 300, Naples 34108. We were retained after the
petition was filed for the variance and after the staff report came back
recommending denial.
I would first like to -- to clarify that this is an after-the-fact
variance, and neither I nor the clients, the O'Connells, relish the fact
that we are here before you trying to get a variance from (sic) an
encroachment that already exists. It's not a position that we like to be
Page 26
March 7, 2002
in. It doesn't put the board in a very good position. It doesn't put the
county in a very good position. But I would like to try to explain to
you in a presentation that this was not a contrived, deceptive,
intentional violation by the owners, and they are, in fact, an innocent
victim in this whole scheme.
Before I begin, I have a small packet of information I'd like to
pass out, Mr. Chairman, if I may approach. I'm sorry.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Is there one there for the reporter?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Marjorie, if something's passed out
to us at a meeting and it's issued as part of the record, does that mean
that it's assumed we've taken it into consideration in our deliberations
on this board?
MS. STUDENT: If it's part of the record, my opinion would be
that it is assumed that it was taken into account as part of
deliberations. I shared with one of the members a resolution that deals
with quasi-judicial hearings before this board and before the Board of
County Commissioners, and there's some time limits on when things
are received by the board, and it's at the discretion of the board if they
wish to receive other information. I would say that if you wish to -- if
you do make your decision and it doesn't include the information that
was passed out, that you need to state that and state on the record why
it would not.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well, there's quite a packet of
information here, Marjorie. And to be fair to the applicant, it would
be very hard to expect us to take this into consideration while we sit
here listening to you debate it today. On that premise alone, I cannot
make my deliberations based on this information. I can on what you
state, but I certainly don't have time to review this packet.
MR. BROOKER: If I may comment on it, much of it is
reproduction from the staff report that I'll be -- that I just wanted to
easily refer to in my presentation with the tabs. And I will go through
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March 7, 2002
it and point out certain portions that I would like to direct your
attention to be focused on. Is there -- do I need to ask for a motion to
have it admitted?
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Why don't we withhold judgment
on whether to -- to admit it until we hear how he ties it in. MS. STUDENT: Mr. Chair, may I read from--
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: I know it says five or seven days
in advance and--
MS. STUDENT: Yeah. It says, No later than one week prior to
the scheduled public hearing before the board -- and that would
include the Planning Commission -- any applicant, proponent, or
opponent may submit any written arguments, evidence, explanations,
studies, reports, petitions, or other documentation to staff for intended
consideration by the board in support of or in opposition to the
applicant. And then it states what needs to be done with the agenda
packet. And furthermore, no written materials will be accepted by the
board at its hearing unless, at the board's discretion, acceptance is
necessary to decide the issue.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Ergo, what? What's your bottom
line, that we should --
MS. STUDENT: I think--
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: -- reject it out of hand?
MS. STUDENT: I think it's up to the board to determine. It's at
the board's discretion, and it's up to the board's determination -- or up
to the board to determine whether or not this information is necessary
based on the description that's presented by the applicant. If it's merely
just recopying what you already have, as I think he stated, you may
wish to take that into consideration.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well, first of all, I can tell you by
looking at it, it's not a copy of what we already have. I'm not sure if
you've seen our packet, but this isn't a duplicate of that.
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March 7, 2002
MR. BROOKER: I was referring to the staff report attachments.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well, this isn't in the packet that
we received from the staff.
MR. BROOKER: It's not identical, but most of it is.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay. Well, we can debate that,
too, if you'd like. The photographs on your B are not part of the
packet received. The county permit on C are not part of the packet we
received, all of C. D we received -- part of D. We -- E we did not
receive. So you might have had two issues in there that we've
received. The rest of it is new information.
MR. BROOKER: E are -- E are some of the neighbor letters that
Ms. Deselem said she did not want -- did not have to provide to you.
Again, if you'll just withhold -- I'll request you withhold your
determination of whether to admit it in. You'll see it's not that
technical of an issue. And you can, I would then suggest, make your
determination after that.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I have no problem with --
MS. STUDENT: I would just add that if the board feels it can
make its determination based on what it already has and the testimony
that it hears today and -- then I think you can go forward. If you feel
that that material is necessary for you to make your decision, then I
think you could continue it, if you'd like, in order to study the
information or if you feel that the applicant can summarize it, because
after all, part of the requirement is based on the testimony that you
hear today. So you need to obviously digest what's presented orally to
you, and you haven't had any pre-presentation of that, other than the
staff report and what's in writing, and he has to highlight that, so it's at
your discretion pursuant --
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: It seems to me we're moving to
the point of rejecting this package and requiring the petitioner to
verbalize that -- portions of it that he wants us to know about.
Page 29
March 7, 2002
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY:
that effect.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN:
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
I would like to make a motion to
I'll second it.
Discussion?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I kind of feel that if the
applicant feels it's important enough that we go through this, then I
think this matter should be continued to give -- give us the opportunity
to do that. I know I can't go through it today. If you feel it's that
important that we use this, then all you have to do is say to us you'd
like to continue this to the next available meeting date, and I think that
would solve your problem.
MR. BROOKER: I believe you'll see that it's -- it's not that
important to it. It was just for reference purposes only.
MS. STUDENT: And I think we need to have the applicant
clearly state that on the record so if there's a problem later on, they
cannot come back at this board or the Board of County
Commissioners and allege that there was insufficient evidence or a
lack of competent substantial evidence to support the record.
MR. BROOKER: We will -- we will submit that -- when we get
to the Board of County Commissioners, we will submit it in a timely
manner and -- so there'll be no problems about due process.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: And you're ready to proceed
today knowing that we are rejecting this package -- MR. BROOKER: Absolutely.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: -- as such, or about to?
MR. BROOKER: Yes.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Marjorie, he just said when he gets
to the Board of County Commissioners, and you had requested
something pertaining to us today. Does that meet your requirement,
his stating--
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Well, I just asked him if he was
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March 7, 2002
proceeding today knowing -- MS. STUDENT: He--
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: -- that we're going to reject it.
MS. STUDENT: He essentially waived, you know, an argument
that there's lack of competent substantial evidence as to this board and
agreeing that, you know, he -- you-all don't have to consider this as
-- as part of your deliberation. It -- it's his opinion that he -- based on
his presentation and what you already have, that, you know, he's
agreeable to that.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Okay. I'm going to call the
question. All those in favor of the motion? (Unanimous response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Unanimous. Proceed.
MR. BROOKER: I apologize for the confusion. The house is in
the single-family residential zoning district, RSF-4. It is a waterfront
lot. It backs into a canal. The setbacks, therefore, are 25 feet front, 25
foot rear, and 10 feet on both sides. As mentioned above, the house is
already built. There is an approximate 1 O-foot encroachment into the
front yard setback. In other words, instead of the 25-foot setback
requirement, the house sits approximately 15 feet back from the
property line.
I will refer if you'd like -- I know it hasn't been admitted into
the record, but I'll refer to the packet. If you'd like to take a look at the
packet information, the photos are at Tab B, all of which, I believe,
have already been seen on the visualizer. The encroachment itself is
caused by the stairway and entryway element combined. If you look
at -- I believe it's any of the attachments to the staff report and my
Attachment D to the handout, you will see that the actual walls of--
the technical walls of the house do, in fact, meet the 25-foot setback.
Page 31
March 7, 2002
It is only the entryway and the stairway that cause the problem here.
I know there was a lot of confusion about how this occurred. As
the staff report mentions, there were errors and omissions on both the
county and the builder's side.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Just a point of clarification.
We did not hear anything that indicated there was any errors or
omissions on the county side, because I asked that question
specifically of the principal planner.
MR. BROOKER: I'll refer you to page 3 of 6 of the staff report.
Subparagraph A under analysis, the nonbolded, I guess the second full
sentence, "Omissions and errors on the part of county staff and the
surveyor/builder have resulted in the encroachment."
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: I'm aware that that was in
there, and that's the reason I asked that specific question and got
clarification that this was not what was intended. I will go back to
staff after you get through and see if they still stand by this statement
or want to correct it. Thank you.
MR. BROOKER: So the building permit was issued back in
December of 2000, and that-- that's why I attached Tab C to my
packet. All it is is the building permit filed to show the dates. There
are only two dates that are at issue. The building permit was issued in
December of 2000. The house was completed essentially in
September of 2001, at which time the CO was applied for and at
which time the county first caught the problem and at which time the
county or the owners of the house first became aware of this problem.
The initial site plan that was submitted for the building permit
application, there's been a lot of discussion about it this morning. That
is Attachment C to the staff report. That is the portion that-- that
states "entry," and it doesn't have the word "covered" on it. That
particular site plan that was submitted by the builder or surveyor on
behalf of the owners was flawed. It did not show the stairways, and it
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March 7, 2002
did not clarify that that entryway would be covered.
However, at the same time when this site plan is submitted, the
building plans come with it. The building plans that were submitted
on the same very day, I have a copy here, and I know you guys don't
want to go through this. The first page shows the stairways and the
covered portion -- the covered part of the entryway. So I -- I believe
that's where the errors of the county came in. Because of the
processing in the building department, all that really -- if there was
any confusion about whether this entry was covered or not, the
building plans from day one have always shown there are stairs and
that there is a covered entryway.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Do you happen to have a site
plan that shows Attachment C in there that we can put on the
overhead?
MR. BROOKER: I don't believe there is, and I -- because I think
these were plans that were drawn up by the architect, and there might
have been miscommunication between the architect and the surveyor.
And just for the record, the owners are not exactly on cooperating
terms with the builder at this point for obvious reasons, this petition
and this hearing being one of them. If you would like to take a look at
the plans, I'm more than happy to show them to you. But for the
record, I will state that the plans that have been with the county in
their files from day one have shown the stairs and the covered
entryway.
The -- as I said, the house was finished in September 2001. It
was at that time, after the CO was applied for for the first time, that
the owner, Mr. And Mrs. O'Connell, became aware of this problem,
and it was by a discussion with Ms. Johnnie Gebhardt from the
building department, that you heard from just a few moments ago.
I would like to make a comment about the pool and the comment
that was made that this was contrived from the beginning. There's
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March 7, 2002
nothing further -- nothing further from the truth exists. That pool was
added after-- if you look at Attachment C, which was initially
submitted, it has no pool. That pool was added after the fact, when the
owners found out that there was room to put this on and no
encroachment had occurred yet. So the pool came after the fact. It is -
- in fact, there's no question that this house -- it's a very -- compared to
the building envelope that you could -- what -- the size of the house
you could place on this -- this lot, the house is much, much smaller,
and I'll get to that in a minute.
The -- Section 2.7.5 of the Land Development Code sets out the
variance procedures and criteria. 2.7.5.1 discusses and states that a
variance may be issued if there's a -- if the literal enforcement of the
zoning code will result in unnecessary and undue hardship or practical
difficulty to the owner. Under these circumstances we believe that
there are un-- there would be an unnecessary and undue hardship to
either move this house 10 feet back, saw off the stairs and the -- and
the entryway thereby requiring a trampoline for entrance, whatever the
case may be. It would be a practical difficulty in no small sense of the
words. 2.7.5.6 of the Land Development Code talks about the criteria,
what guidelines the board should follow. Again, there's discussion of
hardship. There's discussion of special circumstances. And we
contend that those circumstances and hardship do exist here.
In my packet the -- we have received at least nine letters of
support from neighbors. To my knowledge, although I haven't
received the letters objecting, there have been two. Those are in
Section E. Again, I know it's not part of the record, but in general the -
- the neighbors are stating it's -- the home is a nice addition to the
community. We are not opposed. Any considerations you can show
to the petitioner would be appreciated. And just recently the house
directly across the street sent in another letter saying they do not
oppose the variance being--
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March 7, 2002
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Is there a reason some of those
letters are not signed?
MR. BROOKER: I'm sorry?
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: I did breeze through it. I
noticed about half the letters were not signed by --
MR. BROOKER: They are -- they're signed at the top. They
filled in their address. They didn't put very truly yours. They didn't
realize they had to sign it at the bottom, but they did sign their name at
the top and put their address.
Just a few last points as I wrap up, and I hope these comments
will reduce any anxiety about the variance that's being sought today or
any feelings of discomfort about this whole situation. The stairs are
uncovered, obviously, by the pictures that you see. The entryway is,
in fact, covered, but there are no walls to it. It's basically an open-air
structure. So this is not the type of circumstance where you have a
walled, enclosed structure that's encroaching into a setback.
So from that standpoint we -- we contend that the intrusiveness of the
encroachment is mitigated somewhat.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: If there's no walls -- Exhibit -- or
Attachment D, which is one of your surveys, shows walls only -- what
is it pointing to when it points to the walls in the entry area that are not
there?
MR. BROOKER: Unknown. There are no walls. There are
columns.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Unknown. Then why would a
surveyor submit that to the county as a document that was required for
review? That goes back to the original question, I guess, that --
MR. BROOKER: Again, I -- the surveyor and the builder we are
not in cooperation or communication with. Perhaps the building
department can answer that question.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Mark, if you look at the
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March 7, 2002
picture that you have and which Kay also had, it looks like there is a
structure there that's -- has walls. And underneath this covered porch,
there appears to be a storage area that you access from the driveway. I
mean, this is more than just a covered stairwell. It's actually an -- it's a
storage area for whatever they store in their storage area.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I wonder if anybody's living there.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: So I would-- I presume
that if they show walls, that's the walls they're talking about, because
that's the walls that are there.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Has that been taken into
consideration by county staff, in regards that this is a storage area as
well?
MS. DESELEM: In all reality, no, I -- until you actually
mentioned that. It's, like, by golly, there is something there, and I
never really thought that. I was looking at it from the point of view of
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: So do they need a variance for a
storage area, then, too?
MS. DESELEM: That's what I was just discussing with my
coworkers to see what the situation might be, because we dealt with
the entry feature, rather than the structure. I'll have to check on that
and get back to you.
Okay. The clarification is it doesn't matter -g from Ray Bellows,
the encroachment's the same. What you call it or what the structure is,
it has to do with the actual encroachment.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: But would it matter as far as the
remedy? If you pulled the roof back and it was no longer covered,
would it still be an encroachment?
MS. DESELEM: Yes, it would still be an encroachment. It
appears as though the revelation that there's a structure there other
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March 7, 2002
than the entry feature, it makes remedying the problem a little bit more
difficult perhaps, a little bit more involved anyway.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Kay, as long as you're up
there and if you don't mind, we've had this contention about your
report versus what I thought we elicited from our discussion with staff
about the extent to which the county staff was in error in processing
this. We heard from the administrator that while there may have been
an opportunity to have uncovered things along the way, that it was not
really part of the process, as it was unfolded to us, that we would
necessarily take up the slack from professional responsibility of the
other people that were involved here, meaning the applicant and his
surveyor and those folks.
MS. DESELEM: I--
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: But you've reported that it
is, and I just want to make sure. Do you still stand by that statement,
and therefore you're agreeing with the applicant; or is it more in line
with what was explained to us verbally?
MS. DESELEM: In retrospect, having been the one that authored
the staff report, I think it was more -- would have been more clear if
the word "perceived" error or omissions, because as has been
explained, it's, like, at what point in time do you rely on the
professionals that prepared it? Sure, if there were different ways to do
it and other -- I mean, there could have been some way you might
have found it. So it's a perceived error on the part -- and I'm sure the
applicant is -- is concerned with that, and that's their position, is that
staff should have caught it. So in their instance they would see it as an
error or an omission. But in reality, as I said, I don't think there was
any error on staff's part, and I do stand --
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Then I would like to have
the record show that --
MS. DESELEM: Yes.
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March 7, 2002
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: -_ as it goes forward.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: I'm not sure that this inquiry into
the county staff's action is much more than a red herring. It's always --
a person whose conduct is in question, it's always a good tactic to
make somebody else the defendant. And that seems to me, to a
degree, what this excursion into the staff's responsibility, since there
seems to have been none, amounts to.
MR. SCHMITT: Mr. Chairman, I -- I think just to clarify -- and
I'll ask Johnnie so you understand the procedures -- Johnnie, if you
could come up and explain and just clarify, but I'll just kind of
highlight. When a -- when an applicant comes in, the setbacks are
reviewed at the front counter. When the building plans go back for
building review, the plans are reviewed for compliance to the code as
far as for structural integrity and other aspects of the code. There's no
secondary review of setbacks when we look at the actual building
plans. That's a whole different review process. And, Johnnie, if you
would clarify that.
Okay. So there's not a -- there's not a duplicity here where --
the initial review are the setbacks. The setbacks are clearly stated in
the LDC. And, in fact, they're stamped, and they're an obvious --
they're obvious -- obviously stated right on the Exhibit C that-- or
Exhibit D when you look at the inspection sheet that was handed out.
But the building review process is -- is a different process. It's not a
review again of the setbacks.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: That's restating what I thought I
had said.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Johnnie, while--
MR. SCHMITT: I just wanted to clarify it for the record.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Okay.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: While we're on that, is there any
way that you could put Attachment C on the overhead?
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March 7, 2002
MR. SCHMITT: Our Attachment C or the --
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Correct. Yes. Is there any way
we can zoom in on the entry? Any closer, or is that it? What is that
above the word "entry"?
MS. GEBHARDT: I do not know. It appears from the plans that
something was erased. I don't know. It never showed up on our plans.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: It did sort of-- I didn't see it at
first because of all the other dots around the entry area, but then you
look at it, and it's --
MS. GEBHARDT: I have the original -- I have the original plans
here, if you'd like to look at them --
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Yes.
MS. GEBHARDT: -- the ones that we have in our file.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: It looks like that might be
"covered" that's been erased.
MS. GEBHARDT: If it was erased, it was done before it was
given to us, because our copy is -- is a photostatic copy or a carbon
copy, a reproduction.
MR. BROOKER: For the record, do the plans confirm that the
covered -- the entry was covered from day one and -- CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: No.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Building plans for a building that
could have been a model house anywhere in Collier County. They
were submitted for review based on that. It's not -- the site plans is
what's in question here, and your site plan is the issue that David was
trying to show is -- had some concern over the -- what may have been
whited out or taken off the plan.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Go ahead.
MR. BROOKER: Thank you. I would just like to make the
comment that we're not pointing fingers to anyone. The bottom line
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March 7, 2002
here is that the only person that's going to be harmed here is the only
innocent party in this, and that's clear, without dispute, if this variance
is not granted.
With regard to whether there's a word erased or not, we don't
have any information on that, and I would contend that we not go
down the speculation road because we simply don't know.
Two last comments: Again, talking about how -- this variance, if
granted, there -- there's not as much intrusiveness to it as it would first
appear. Sunset Cay, the right-of-way for the road is 50 feet according
to the attachments to the staff report. The actual road was built to
about a 24-foot width, meaning the -- if you stand on the edge of the
pavement of Sunset Cay on the north and look at this house, there's
actually 28 feet between the edge of the pavement and the beginning
of the stairways.
Finally -- and this gets back to Mr. Strain's comment about the
pool and was this house designed for the lot. If you look at the
setbacks, the other setbacks, on the left or west side of the house, there
is a 1 O-foot setback requirement; 12 foot -- 12 feet is -- the house
actually sits 12 feet back from that line, a 20 percent increase over the
setback requirement there. The rear yard setback, not counting the
pool, and you don't for this purpose, is 44 feet; it's required 25. That's
a 76 percent increase over what's required in the rear. The right side
of the house or the east side of the house, the setback required is 10
feet; the actual setback is 30 feet, a 300 percent increase over what's
required.
So the point being that this is a small house. This is not an
attempt to maximize the development potential and squish a building
that really didn't fit on this lot. There is a lot of room everywhere else.
The pool could actually be moved elsewhere -- or could have been
moved elsewhere had it not already been constructed. One of the
purposes of a setback is to create open air, green space, that kind of
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March 7, 2002
look. There is a lot of it on this property, on this lot.
Under these circumstances, then, we would -- we would ask that
you recommend an approval of the variance, if not for the only reason
that the only innocent party here is the only party that's going to be
detrimentally impacted by it. Again, I -- I'm happy to attempt to
answer any questions you may have, but we respectfully request a
recommendation for approval.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well, you missed my point. My
point was that this house as designed, as built, could not fit within the
building envelope allocated for this site. Is that true?
MR. BROOKER: That's -- that's correct. If you picked up the
pool --
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: That's my point.
MR. BROOKER: -- and picked up the house and moved it back
out of the 10 feet, I believe, according to these plans -- which I would
not put much credence on at this point -- the pool deck would actually
extend into the drainage easement in the back.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Thank you.
MR. BROOKER: That's not to say that the pool could have been
designed or placed elsewhere had this problem been made aware to
the owner.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN:
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
You can design anything to fit.
Further questions? Could you put
that picture of the profile of the house back on the visualizer, please.
MS. MURRAY: Mr. Chairman, I have one registered speaker if
you're ready to go.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Not quite. We're talking about
two variances here. One is 4 feet because the entry is covered,
irrespective of the storage area down below, assuming that's what it is.
The other is 9.9 feet for that stairway. Now, does that stairway -- from
the point of the porch to the point of the landing, is that 9.9 feet out?
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March 7, 2002
MR. BROOKER: No. The total encroachment, if you take both
elements into account, is 9.9 feet. The stairway itself, I believe, is 5.9
feet. The entryway is whatever the difference is, 4-point-some feet.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Well, my question is if there are
two variances involved here, one for the covered and one for the stairs,
is it feasible at all to swing that stairway around to the side of the
house opposite the driveway? You would have to walk around, but
that might be better than chopping off the front of the house.
MR. BROOKER: We would consider anything other than
chopping off the front of the house to be a better scenario.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: You see what I'm talking about?
MR. BROOKER: I believe if you're swinging the stairs parallel
to the landing--
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Yes. That's exactly--
MR. BROOKER: I'm not an architect. I can't -- I don't know if
that's feasible. That was your question, if that's feasible. The owners -
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Excuse me. Don't we have a
picture of it looking at it from that side? I thought we had one at the
beginning.
MR. BROOKER: My Packet B -- Tab B has some pictures that
might help.
MS. DESELEM: We were going to clarify for you the
measurements. If you look at Attachment F, where it's measured to,
whether it's measured to the walkway, it's measured to the actual
stairs, not that walkway. Look on Attachment F, and you can see
where the 15.1 feet measurement is taken from.
MR. SCHMITT: It's right at -- the first step of the stairway going
up is the 15.1 feet, which is the one variance. The 21.0 feet, which is
the actual stair structure, the top of the stairs is the second variance,
which is, of course, the same elevation as the covered porch entryway.
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March 7, 2002
So there are two -- CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: The stairs itself are 5.9; is that
right?
MS. DESELEM: Yes. That's what's shown. If I may, I do have
a picture that kind of shows the other side of that stairway --
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: All right. Please.
MS. DESELEM: -- that you were talking about switching it
around. And, again, I'm not an architect either, but there does appear
to be a window where the stairs may be, and I don't know what the
ramifications to that might be.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Well, it just strikes me that the 4-
foot covered, uncovered, and so forth, that's the real contest here. And
the stairs, there's no defense for those that I can fathom. So I might be
inclined to support a 4-foot variance for that covered entryway if the
stair could be remedied in some way. So I just throw that out for--
MR. BROOKER: Can I make a clarification?
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Of course.
MR. BROOKER: The -- the Land Development Code has
exceptions for the front setback, and a single-family home basically
states this whole covered versus uncovered issue. The Land
Development Code states that in a single-family residence situation,
un-- unroofed, stairs -- I'm looking for the exact language now.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: We should know it after that
condo up in Vanderbilt Beach that we wrestled with for half a day.
MR. BROOKER: Here. It says that -- I'm reading from
2.6.4.1.4. Fire escapes, stairways, and balconies which are unroofed--
and I'll summarize here -- can exceed -- or it can encroach not over 3
feet into a required front, side, or rear yard of a single-family
residential dwelling. So that's -- that's where we -- that's why this 3
foot -- the 3-foot issue has come up, the 25 feet where the front wall
is, and now this entryway is set back approximately 3 feet into the
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March 7, 2002
front yard setback. That's where possibly some of the confusion arose
over this particular exception language. I don't know if that helps or
not.
My second comment is the Land Development Code itself
specifically recognizes that there are going to be mistakes made and
after-the-fact variances may come up to be applied for. And I'm
looking at 2.7.5.7, and I'll read from it. It says, In this case of after-
the-fact variances, the Planning Commission may recommend as a
condition of approval that in the case of the destruction of the
encroaching structure for any reason to an extent equal to or greater
than 50 percent of the actual replacement cost of the structure at the
time of its destruction, any reconstruction shall conform to the
provisions of this code in effect at the time of reconstruction.
So the Land Development Code recognizes this exact type of
scenario, and it suggests that maybe a way out is to place this
condition on the variance approval. I've discussed that condition prior
with the owners, and they are willing to accept that condition if the
Planning Commission is willing to impose it.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Assuming the covered porch --
the covered entry were not there, the stairs would still encroach if the
stairs went right up to the front door.
MR. BROOKER: At that point that exception would come in
because it's--
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY:
3 feet.
It would be --
feet.
MR. BROOKER: Correct.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY:
MR. BROOKER: Exactly right.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY:
Well, but it would still be over
-- more like 2 feet over the 3
So, I mean, are the builders
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March 7, 2002
here by any stretch?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Do you-- you're the attorney. Is
there an agreement with the surveyor, engineer, or builder in this,
contract of some type?
MR. BROOKER: I am unaware of any agreement at this point in
time.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Because I'm wondering -- and I
understand the hardship on the -- the owners, and it does look like they
probably didn't have anything to do with this. But if this is let to go
through, what's going to become of how this could not happen in the
future? Meaning, if your builder and your surveyor just doesn't -- just
walks because we allowed a variance -- and if we didn't, on the other
hand, maybe somebody would force things down to a point where they
have to be accountable for their mistakes. I'm wondering if-- if that is
-- you've got anything that's going to happen in there, because this is --
this is obviously a wrong thing to have happened. It shouldn't have
happened, but it doesn't need to go away scot-free.
MR. BROOKER: The -- I can't comment on anything that we're
thinking about in that regard. However, in my discussions with Ms.
Johnnie Gebhardt of the building department, these types of mistakes -
- if you're afraid that they're going to happen a lot in the future --
apparently happen -- I don't know the number she quoted to me, .028
percent of the time. These things are -- well over 99 percent of the
time are caught and never occur. It's just this time it did,
unfortunately.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: It seems to me Mr. Strain brings out
a good point in that this situation is analogous to a case of arson where
the arsonist has escaped, but the person whose house is burning down
we're now pursuing for polluting the air; and that while they are not
guilty of any infraction, they're here, and darn it, we're going to punish
somebody even if you're not consciously part of the problem. Because
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March 7, 2002
you're here, now we're going to punish you, and I don't want to go that
way either. And in an attempt to make some correction here, I think
we got to recognize that we don't have the builder, and that was also
brought up by one of the other planning commissioners. Is the builder
present? No. So I hope we don't go and just beat the only live person
that came before us, because they're simply here, and keep in mind
who created the problem.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: The builder is culpable, isn't
he? I mean, he is a culpable individual. If changes have to be made, it
should be his nickel that's making the changes, the architect and the
builder. I mean, I don't want to see them punished either, but the
answer is, this is what we have. We know the problems that are
created if we let it go through. And as long as I can see there is a
culpable person who will be financially responsible, other than the
owner, to make any necessary changes, then the proper party is being
punished.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Well, that's a civil matter that's --
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Again, I agree.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: -- beyond us. My advice to you--
you know, you've got one negative vote on the county commission
before you get there on after-the-fact variances -- is to see if-- maybe
my idea is not the correct one, but see if you can come up with
something to sort of meet the county commission halfway on this and
enhance your chances of-- of getting your variance.
MR. BROOKER: Well, I guess we -- we would need a little bit
of guidance from the Planning Commission as to what --
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: I'd say fiddle with that stairway.
Uncovering the porch is draconian, but that flying stairway out there,
it seems to me something might be worked out with it.
MR. BROOKER: Well, is it appropriate at this time to possibly
ask for a continuance of this hearing? We will then go back and hire a
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March 7, 2002
new builder, I guess, to take a look at what we could possibly do with
the stairway to remove that portion of the encroachment, with the
understanding that that was one of the ideas raised by the Planning
Commission.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I'd be okay with that.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: You don't think you could do that
between now and your time at the county commission? It's up to you.
It's your petition. If you want to continue it, I -- I can't imagine
opposition up here for that.
MR. BROOKER: I guess I would-- I would prefer to have -- are
you suggesting that the Planning Commission would -- would
recommend approval of the entryway variance but deny approval of
the stairway with the understanding that we're going to try to move
that stairway out? Is that --
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: That's one vote out of nine (sic). I
don't know how the other commissioners feel about that.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: We still got to hear from the public
yet.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: We still got to hear from the
public as well.
MR. BROOKER: Well, all I can tell you at this point, then, is we
are willing to take a look at that issue. If it is architecturally and --
what other technical problems may exist, I don't know, but we are
willing to take a look at that issue.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Well, you can have a
conversation while we hear from the public, and if you have anything
more, you can come back.
MR. BROOKER: Thank you.
MS. MURRAY: You have one registered speaker, Norine
Dillon.
MS. DILLON: Good morning. My husband and I are --
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March 7, 2002
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Name, please.
MS. DILLON: I'm sorry. Norine Dillon. I'm a resident of Port
of the Islands.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: All right. Thank you.
MS. DILLON: And we are not in favor of this variance. We
built a home at Port of the Islands in the year 2000. We had to work
through inspections, permits, regulations every step of the way before
we could proceed. I personally think it would have been great if I
could have moved my house forward on my lot 10 feet and had much
more room in the back. You know, it would have been great, and then
I'd just come before you and say, "Well, I'm sorry. There was a
mistake made. I'd like a variance."
We have no malice against the O'Connells certainly, and I can
appreciate what they've gone through. But I find it hard to believe if
you're building a house and you're here, that you can't -- you don't see
something like that, you don't know it's going on. One question that I
still don't have an answer to is, what is the Collier County
responsibility when it comes to builders and plats and surveys? I
mean, there has to be something. Certainly someone in the Planning
Commission must have the responsibility to look at those plans and
approve them, just as I went through all the permitting processes.
To grant a variance now, I feel, is a great injustice to the people
that have built there and are going to build there in the future. We feel
there's been a lowering of the standards at Port of the Islands because
a lot of our covenants are being ignored, such as we have roof
requirements. And there's a lot of roofs going up there that are
shingled, which I think including the O Connells. Landscaping
requirements aren't being met. So this is a kind of a concern going
forward, as you were just talking about, that if you allow this variance,
what's going to happen down the road? It's a lovely community, and
it's starting to grow, and we don't want to see it grow the wrong way.
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March 7, 2002
And I have to ask one question, and I don't know the answer, but
whether this house would have fit on that lot, the east side -- I disagree
with the attorney's comments, because it appears as though their side
driveway is right on the lot line, right on that 1 O-foot variance. So
those are my comments, and I thank you for your time.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Well, Ms. Dillon, I'm sure you
didn't mean it, in all due respect, on the basis of the record we have
here today, there is no evidence that these people are lying to us. And
your scenario where you would deliberately misrepresent, though, if
you came before us asking for a variance, having deliberately built the
house outside the lines, you would be perjuring yourself and I don't
think you meant that.
MS. DILLON: I'm not saying it was deliberate. I'm just saying
that if I were building a house and I was there every day while they
were building it and they poured a slab and they put the footings and
all that in, I'd certainly know that I was more than 25 feet from the
road.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Well, that's quite a bit different
from what you said the first time.
MS. DILLON: Well that was my intention.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Thank you very much.
MR. BROOKER: IfI may, Mr. Chairman, a quick comment. I
would like -- or request that the commission disregard any comments
about deed restrictions or covenants or shingled roofs or driveways.
Those are private matters, and the Land Development Code
specifically states that the county does not and cannot get involved --
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: We agree with that.
MR. BROOKER: -_ in those sorts of-- of things. I have
conferred briefly with the clients at this time, with Mr. And Mrs.
O'Connell. I guess at this point, from the -- the direction we're getting,
we would like to request a continuance -- because of timing
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March 7, 2002
uncertainties, hiring a contractor and whatever may else be required --
to take a look at the feasibility of moving or relocating that stairway in
such a fashion where the stairway issue is removed from the equation.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Okay. I'll close the public hearing
and open for discussion, first of all, the continuance and -- and/or any
motions other than that that might be appropriate.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I'd like to make a motion that we
continue this hearing, VA-2001-AR-! 696, to the next possible
meeting date.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Second.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: No. To the next date avail --
favorable to the petitioner. They may not be able to get it done in a
week or two weeks.
MS. MURRAY: That would be April 4th that --
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: It was a month away. That's why I
thought that might be enough.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I'm sorry.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: April 4th sound --
MS. MURRAY: I believe that's the date.
MR. BROOKER: Unless you guys want to meet just for us two
weeks from now.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
COMMISSIONER STRAIN:
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
Strain, and who was the second?
April 4th sounds a lot better.
That's my intent, yes.
Okay. We have a motion by Mr.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I'll second it.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Adelstein, second. Any further
discussion?
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Yeah. I -- I'm not sure this
resolves the issue for me, even if you come back with a changed
stairwell, just to signal that. However, I'm certainly willing to take a
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March 7, 2002
look at a redesigned arrangement and see if you can, as the chair has
suggested, reduce the amount of encroachments that we're having to
face. But you've still got a big problem.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Further discussion?
All in favor?
(Unanimous response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Unanimous.
We better take about a ten-minute break now for the court
reporter, so let's try to be back at 10:20. (A break was held.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Take your seats, please. The next
item to be considered is PUDZ-2002-AR-1978, Gateway Shoppes
Associates requesting a rezone from RSF-3 to PUD, planned unit
development, to be known as Henderson Creek PUD. Any
disclosures, ex parte communications?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Yes, Mr. Chairman. I have a
whole series of disclosures. County staff and I have had various
conversations about deficiencies in the packet and other issues that I
had brought to them. And those discussions were held with Ray
Bellows, Steve Lenberger, and some with Dawn Wolfe. I also had
discussions with Marjorie Student over processes and procedures
within the PUD and how they interact with the GMP that was
approved in November, some CDD issues.
I also had discussions with Wayne Arnold and Grady Minor,
representing the applicant, and walked with them through a series of
problems I had with this submittal. I've also had discussions with
various representatives from the East Naples Civic Association, Jane
Eichhorn of county staff, Commissioner Fiala, and then Cormac of the
housing committee. That's -- I think that's everybody I've spoke to so
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March 7, 2002
far. Joe Schmitt as well.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Anyone else?
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Mr. Chairman, I just had
brief conversations with the agents for this, just in general discussion.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Mr. Chairman, I had
conversations with Donna Fiala regarding this particular situation.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Anyone else?
All right. All persons expecting to testify on this matter, raise
-- stand, raise your right hand, and be sworn. (The speakers were sworn.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Mr. Bellows.
MR. BELLOWS: Good morning, Commissioners. For the
record, Ray Bellows, chief planner with the current planning staff.
The petition before you today is a rezone, as you stated, from the RSF-
3 residential single-family zoning district at 3 units per acre to a PUD,
planned unit development, to be known as Henderson Creek. As you
can see on the visualizer, the subject site is located on the south side of
U.S. 41 and approximately a half-mile east of Collier Boulevard. The
petitioner is requesting to construct a residential development
consisting of 500 dwelling units which would be subject to an
affordable housing agreement allowing for an increase in density over
the -- a base density.
The surrounding uses in this area -- and I can show you on the
map on the wall behind me. The subject site is generally located here,
marked in red. It's -- across from Henderson Creek is the Graystone
Trailer Park, Mobile Home Park. To the south is the Holiday Manor
park with approximately 312 lots. To the north is undeveloped ag-
zoned land and some commercial-zoned land, and then there is the
Falling Waters Beach Resort that is developed. To the east is
undeveloped ag and residential-zoned lands, and there's Collier
Boulevard.
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March 7, 2002
As you can see on the Future Land Use map, the subject site is
located in the urban coastal fringe subdistrict of the Growth
Management Plan. This district is intended to provide transitional
densities between the conservation areas and the urban-designated
areas. The base density of this area is four units per acre. It's within
the traffic congestion zone, which is illustrated here, which requires a
subtraction of one dwelling unit per acre. The petitioner is eligible to
receive eight additional dwelling units through the adoption and
approval of the affordable housing density bonus agreement, which
allows for 11 total eligible units per acre. The requested density is
10.9 units per acre, which is consistent with the -- this requirement.
Therefore, staff has determined this project is consistent with the
Future Land Use Element.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Ray, excuse me. Your site arrow
would indicate that this site is right on the comer of S.R. 951. That's
not so, is it?
MR. BELLOWS: No. It's a half-mile to the east of Collier
Boulevard.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: It's east of this other hash mark --
it's west of the other hash mark area?
MR. BELLOWS: The red area you see is the intersection of--
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: I got that. I'm talking about going
east. Does it mn down where that other section of land intersects in the
comer?
MR. BELLOWS: This may be a better--
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: I think it is. That's a quarter mile
or half mile to the --
MR. BELLOWS: Half mile.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Half mile. Thank you.
MR. BELLOWS: The other elements of the Comprehensive Plan
have been reviewed by staff and have been deemed consistent with
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March 7, 2002
those elements of the Comprehensive Plan. Staff has also reviewed
this with the transportation element. Staff has reviewed the traffic
impact statement submitted by the applicant. The site-generated trips
are estimated to be approximately 3,131 weekday trips, 252 p.m. --
a.m. Peak hour trips, and 289 p.m. Peak hour trips. The project trips,
as -- taken as a whole, concerning what would be considered a
significant impact on the roadway, is deemed to have a significant
impact on U.S. 41 from the intersection of Collier Boulevard to the
site entrance. But the total trips will not adversely affect the roadway
level of service, meaning we have adopted level-of-service standards
for these roadways. This project will not lower those levels below the
adopted standards. So, therefore, this petition has been deemed
consistent with the transportation element.
I have a note here from Dawn Wolfe that there is a slight typo in
the text concerning the level-of-service standard of-- I think it's -- it
states Level of Service D, and it should be Level of Service F.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: For which?
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: That's more than a typo.
MR. BELLOWS: The roadway is operating at a Level of Service
F currently, she's indicating, but it-- this project does not significantly
impact that segment of the roadway. So, therefore, this is consistent
with the --
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well, now, Ray, in your
transportation element, the fourth line, it says, "The project will have a
significant impact on U.S. 41 from the intersection of Collier
Boulevard to the site entrance." And I know you just said it's at Level
F, and then--
MR. BELLOWS: I don't think it's that segment, and here's Dawn
to explain.
MS. WOLFE: Dawn Wolfe, transportation planning department
director for the record. I would like to make a correction to the stated
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March 7, 2002
whether or not it's operating at an adopted level of service. The section
of Collier Boulevard from U.S. 41 to Manatee Avenue, the roadway
has an adopted level-of-service standard of D with a service volume of
36,700. The projected with project traffic on that segment is 41,650,
which exceeds the adopted level-of-service standard. However, that
segment is not significantly impacted by this proposal before you
today, and that's the clarification we wanted to make for you on the
record.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Well, let me ask you about U.S.
41 from Collier Boulevard to the site entrance. Adopted standard
service volume of 9400, and this is going to add 3,131. That doesn't
put it down into F or below? MS. WOLFE: No, sir.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: It's a third of the volume.
MS. WOLFE: With the background traffic that we have today,
assuming an 8 percent background growth for other projects and
development occurring in the area, for the project build out period, the
estimated average daily traffic will be 7,800, which is less than the
capacity at Level of Service D, which is 9,400. So it is within the
level-of-service standard, even with the additional trips.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
MS. WOLFE: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
east, it must all go to Marco Island.
That 7800 includes the 3131 ?
Well, looking at the volume on 41
It just drops off the edge of the
world. You've got, what is it, 40,000-some-odd trips on 41 along by
Lely there, and then you drop down to -- it must be 4,000-some-odd if
these three are only going to raise it to seven.
MS. WOLFE: Yes, sir. The volumes drop off significantly
going north and south on Collier Boulevard -- CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Okay.
MS. WOLFE: -- at the intersection of U.S. 41.
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March 7, 2002
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Dawn, your next line, though, if
you follow what you just said is -- then the next line goes, For Collier
Boulevard from U.S. 41 to Manatee, the road is estimated at 41,650,
including background and site traffic, with a Level of Service -- and
you have D, but that's what's goes to F; is that correct?
MS. WOLFE: That -- the D is the standard, and that volume
there is 36,700 for that Level-of-Service Standard D. Therefore, when
you compare the 41,650 projected volume to that 36,000 capacity, you
are at Level of Service F, which is the final statement, which is,
Collier Boulevard from U.S. 41 to Manatee Road is projected to
exceed the adopted level-of-service standard. However the roadway
segment is not significantly impacted by the proposed application.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay. But the 41,650, which is
tripping the road level of service from D to F, does include the 3,131
contribution of this project or not?
MS. WOLFE: A portion of it. You don't get--
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay. But it does contribute to
going from D to F.
MS. WOLFE: Because it does not directly access and since the
predominant movements coming from that site will be to the west and
to the north. And we have reviewed the site distribution, evaluated
whether or not that would be 5 percent or more of the adopted level-
of-service standard, peak-season, peak-hour service volume in
determining significance. They do not trip that trigger on that
segment. If they had direct access to Collier Boulevard, they, in all
likelihood would; but they do not, having only access to U.S. 41.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay. But people coming north
on Collier Boulevard wanting to get to this project would have to go
up and take a right on 41, so they would be backing up on 951, which
is already backed up for a mile at any peak time of the day you drive
it.
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March 7, 2002
MS. WOLFE: That is a -- there is a situation that is out there.
However, we can only address whether or not this application is
significant or not. And as they move forward and request approvals,
they will be subject to the adequate public facilities requirements,
which may or may not, depending upon exactly where their trips are
triggered at or when they make their application, get approval for part,
all, or none of the development.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well, as you know, this project is
part of one that went through this last fall under a GMP amendment
that included some big box facilities in the front on 951. Part of that
requirement that I believe they're saying they're going to come back in
to and clear up at some point is a loop road connecting 41 and 951.
By the time you get that loop road connected allowing the people that
are in this facility to go onto Collier and the big boxes, like a Home
Depot or something, on Collier, you're going to have a traffic problem
on that roadway, and it's a cumulative traffic problem. And I'm
wondering if the act that we're -- that what we'll do today is going to
help that or hinder that. Is it going to make it worse, or is it going to
make it better? I know the answer. I just kind of wanted to see what
traffic had to say.
MS. WOLFE: The impacts of an application under a PUD
amendment would be considered cumulatively. And with the
provision of direct access onto Collier Boulevard, as indicated by our
specific evaluation of the traffic volumes, which differed somewhat
from those of the applicant -- we took the time to go back through,
because we had some questions in regards to their application, and
recalculated out the numbers. Although they are not substantially
different, we still show the problem on 951. The impacts would be
looked at cumulatively, and that does mean that we will re-look at the
residential component, as it would be included with any conunercial
components that may come forward in the future. We've already
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March 7, 2002
identified that under projections and additional trips, this will, in all
likelihood, be deemed a deficient roadway segment.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Did you, in your calculations for
the traffic impact statement that you did in house, use the formula for
multifamily for this project--
MS. WOLFE: We used--
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: -- as the applicant did?
MS. WOLFE: We used the same trip generation that they did,
yes.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Would single family generate a
higher trip generation than multifamily?
MS. WOLFE: At the same number of units, yes.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: That's what I thought. Their PUD
is asking for far more than multifamily on this site. And has anybody
taken that into consideration, the trip generations? I think the answer's
no, from what you're telling me.
MS. WOLFE: We are looking at the application as it's been
presented and trying to look at maximum impacts. The difference
between whether it's multifamily or single family with the same
number of units, there was sufficient distance in that-- whether or not
it's significant on that section of Collier Boulevard, that it would likely
still not have made the trigger of a significant impact.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: No one actually did the
calculation, though. That's just an assumption?
MS. WOLFE: That's an -- on my part it's an assumption from
having worked in transportation and traffic impacts for a long time.
But I can tell you that there was a fair difference in the volumes
between 5 percent of the Level of Service D at the peak hour volume
for Collier Boulevard and what their actual project trips were on there,
and they were significantly lower because they do only access U.S. 41
at this time.
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March 7, 2002
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Thank you.
MR. SCHMITT: Mr. Chairman, can I -- can I take a moment just
to kind of-- I wanted Ray to introduce this project just to provide an
overview, but I need, for the record, to provide some history on this
project so you can understand some of the background. This project
came into -- into the community development environmental services
for-- at least initially in early December.
Let's set the stage. This is a 500-unit affordable housing
application. Recognizing that the county is in need of affordable
housing, I agreed to fast track this through the process. What I mean
by that is to fast-track it through both the review process and planning
and to -- this project will be -- it's on your agenda today, and it's on the
board's agenda on Tuesday, and normally that does not occur. And the
reason for that is that it -- it was to meet the requirements of a March
15th deadline for tax assistance through the housing and urban
development process, and Cormac can talk more about that. So we're
-- the reason why this project is where it is today is because of the
March 15th deadline.
As of Tuesday night, I pulled this project from the agenda. I was
not comfortable with where this project was in the review process.
There were several deficiencies noted in the PUD. Frankly, we're not
comfortable with the drainage analysis. We're not comfortable with
the detailed transportation analysis. The water and sewer
requirements still have to be addressed and, frankly, the future
interrelationship with the adjoining commercial district. That being
said, the issue here, again, was the requirement for the March 15th
deadline. And-- and that decision was predicated on, of course, the --
recognizing the needs in the county for the housing.
So the responsibility, of course, is mine as far as recommending
approval of this project or denial. And given the current situation, at
least for your -- for the commission, we're recommending approval.
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March 7, 2002
But it -- I have to make a matter of record that it's approval. But,
frankly, it's an approval certainly with conditions, and it's conditioned
upon a better analysis by the -- by the staff of-- of several of the
deficiencies noted.
But the threshold -- in the discussion with the applicant and with
the -- the county manager's office, I agreed in the 1 1 th hour to put this
back on the agenda so that-- based on the applicant's request, because
we were -- we had recommended, or at least I had recommended, that
it be continued. But, again, if it didn't come before you today, we
would have missed that March 15th deadline, which significantly
impacts any -- any tax advantages that would be a result of a low-
income or affordable housing project. And that's kind of where we're
at today.
So I wanted to make sure you knew and understood that this
project has gone through quickly. It's gone through quickly based on a
recognized need within the county. But it doesn't -- and I'm
comfortable with this because it doesn't mean that we ought to do it
bad just for the sake of meeting the requirements of-- of a recognized
need. And I -- I apologize from the standpoint of the staffs presenting
the project as it is, but it was recognized by the staff, but it was also a
request of the applicant to move this forward. So that's where we
stand. And I think as you probe and discuss with the staff, you're
going to find that it -- it was not reviewed as -- as thoroughly as it
should have been --
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: If you're not --
MR. SCHMITT: -- given-- given the time frame.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I'm sorry.
MR. SCHMITT: Yes.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: If you're not satisfied with it
at this particular juncture -- and you're expecting us to be satisfied
with your not being satisfied?
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March 7, 2002
MR. SCHMITT: I cannot -- I hear what you're saying, but that's -
- that's the situation that was exactly presented to the applicant, and --
and the applicant chose to present his side of the story in front of the
commission.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: When I took this position, I
was under the understanding that I had to use the criteria that was
given to me before.
MR. SCHMITT: That's right.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: And I was told -- I read
through my -- what I was re -- was expecting to get. Additional
submittal requirements weren't even met. I mean, you have
knowledge and aren't satisfied. We were never even given the
knowledge. We don't have any plans of what this was going to look
like. We have no idea of the existing structures or the dimensions that
are going to be on them, what is going to be built, where is it going to
be put. And with this and your unsatis -- unsure position, I can't find
any way to go forward with this.
MR. SCHMITT: Well, just as a matter of record, we were, up
until last Thursday, still -- actually, Thursday or Friday, if I recollect.
It was the 28th of February where we did our final housing and urban
improvements analysis and still working with the numbers and the
density to meet the requirements for the March 15th deadline. And --
and it was that deadline -- because if we -- we pass the March 15th
deadline, then it'll be a year before we can apply for this again. So
that -- that's the situation.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I understand that. And if it
was that important to get that March 15th deadline, why weren't these
plans presented -- drawn and presented to us then and not say to us,
"Approve this; we'll get you the plans later"?
MR. SCHMITT: That -- I would have to defer that. I can't
answer that. That's a question that would have to be addressed to the
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March 7, 2002
applicant.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Is it correct to assume that the
developer would receive approximately a-million-dollar tax credit?
MR. SCHMITT: Actually, it's somewhere around $5 million.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: $5 million. I can understand
their need, but I still have a need sitting in this chair too, and I don't
see it coming.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Mr. Adelstein, I do note,
though, that he's been very candid with the process with us, but he has
signed off and recommended approval. So it's not that he is -- he's
pointed out the deficiencies, but he is -- he's put his name on the
document.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I saw his name on the
document. I saw that.
MR. BELLOWS: And if I may, the reason there is a
recommendation of approval is based on staffs analysis. Even though
we have fast-tracked this at a rate faster than we would like, I think we
have covered the significant elements of the project. The first issue
that really should be addressed is what Mr. Strain had pointed out, was
the traffic analysis. And, you know, it's a good question. If this was
developed with single family, the traffic generation would be
different.
We have -- current planning staff and transportation department
has discussed this issue, and the issue was resolved in the fact that the
affordable housing density bonus agreement deals with multifamily
housing, so that's why the traffic study solely addressed multifamily
housing. So I don't think there's an issue there in regards to single-
family development. They wouldn't be getting the number of units
then because it wouldn't qualify for the affordable housing density
agreement that they're applying for.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well, then when we get into the
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March 7, 2002
PUD, all the references to anything but multifamily should come out.
MR. BELLOWS: It's -- if they're going to do solely that.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well, you-- they have to
according to the density bonus that they were given according to --
MR. BELLOWS: Otherwise they'd go back the other way. If
they don't -- if for some reason the affordable housing just doesn't fly,
they have there zoning approval. They could still develop with the
other approved uses within the PUD. It could be single family, but at
a far less -- and not exceeding the base density of four units per acre.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN:
bonus --
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
COMMISSIONER STRAIN:
But then the affordable housing
Three.
-- doesn't apply.
MR. BELLOWS: That's correct.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: But the whole purpose of this
project getting the zoning it's got is the affordable housing density
bonus. So you would -- can we wipe that out today too?
MR. BELLOWS: I think that's something you need to address to
them. If they --
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Because if we take that off and
they have a project based just on the zoning they should have, which is
RSF-3 or 4, then that's a whole different program we're talking about
today than 1 1 units per acre like it is now.
MR. BELLOWS: That's -- that's correct, but that's the option. If
the affordable housing wasn't approved, the PUD still could be
approved with the other uses.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay.
MR. BELLOWS: The other issue was environmental. And, as
you can see on the master plan, we have an area shaded in green.
That's the preserve area. That currently meets our environmental
regulations for preserve area. There's also this area in white that's
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March 7, 2002
noted on the plan as preserve area also, but it also allows for future
development subject to PUD amendment and an environmental impact
statement, which require the project to go through the EAC. The
petition, as you see it before you today, did not go through the
Environmental Advisory Council because we avoided this
environmentally sensitive area. And it's, under this PUD application,
not an area of development. The applicant wanted to be fair and up
front with you and tell you that there are future plans to have that
developed, and they are making plans to come in for a PUD
amendment to show development on that site and after they go
through an Environmental Advisory Council review.
COMMISSIONER STRA1N: But, Ray, the PUD does allow
residential development in all the preserve areas, not just that white
area. And therefore, the fact that they included it that way, I thought
that the EAB would have been part of the review process.
MR. BELLOWS: I discussed this with Steve Lenberger, who did
our environmental review, and he seemed comfortable that the
preserve areas were properly preserved.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well, just so you know, 4.3(A),
residential development consistent with Section III of this PUD not to
exceed 300 dwelling units, subject to review and approval of the
Collier County environmental impact statement and PUD amendment.
That's under--
MR. BELLOWS: Yeah.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: That's under Section IV, but it
applies to the entire preserve/open space area shown on the master
plan. And if it applies to that entire area and it's acknowledged that
some of that area is wetlands, shouldn't that then become part of the
EAB review or EAC review?
MR. BELLOWS: I think the intent was the white area, and we
can clear up that language too.
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March 7, 2002
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I know you've said that. I
understand that, but the problem is that's not what was put forth to the
public, and that was not what was put forth for us to review so...
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Mr. Chairman.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Go ahead.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Ray, back on traffic, to try
to draw a little circle around that, I know we've got some concerns
about numbers and that, and I have the same concerns. But it seems to
me in the impact statements, they do call for phasing the development.
And we keep coming back to that, and I never quite get a satisfactory
answer. But it seems to me in this particular case that might be very
important to our consideration, that as additional data comes forward
and as this process -- project moves forward, they can -- we can
require it to be phased in order to match the capacities that are
available, and that's done in the project phasing portion of the TIS.
And I'd just like to make sure that that tool is available to us and will
be applied. And if you can say that, then I have less concern about the
-- the squishiness of the numbers right now.
MR. BELLOWS: The phasing would have to be included in the
PUD document. And if transportation has amended the PUD
document -- I'm not sure if the phasing is in there -- from what you
compared to the traffic impact statement, I need to verify that with
Dawn.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I have the TIS. I can't find phasing
referenced in it.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Well, I'm reading just from
the -- in the standards, and it calls for -- project phasing is dependent
upon roadway improvements. A phasing schedule may be included as
part of the traffic -- and I -- I don't know. That's why I asked Dawn
about --
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I thought I had-- it didn't-- I
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actually went and got their TIS, and it's not phased.
MS. WOLFE: Dawn Wolfe for the record. The standards
identify an opportunity, if there is a deficiency identified for which
they have significant and adverse impact, that they could show a
phasing. The -- their application did not show significant and adverse
impacts; therefore, it does not propose a phasing plan.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Okay. We'll talk to the
applicant about this, but it seems to me we've got an opportunity to --
to at least put some underpinning under some squishy numbers here.
If you're going to have single family there or you're going to have
something that's going to change the number of trips generated, that's
- that's, perhaps, going to tip some of these level-of-service standards
down the wrong way as we go forward. And it would just seem
reasonable that as those numbers firm up, then the traffic impact
statement would be modified or that the project would be phased in a
way that would match the capacity of the roadway system to handle it.
And so that's what I'd be asking the applicant. And it would seem to
me you'd have the same interest to cause that to occur.
MS. WOLFE: Yes, sir, I would.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: I have a question. It says that
there's a maximum of 500 dwelling units, and then it says that the
residential area consists of 10.34 acres. How can you have 500 units
on 10.34 acres.9
MS. MURRAY: Mr. Chairman--
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: We'll get that from the applicant
here.
MS. MURRAY: We're kind of going all over the circle here, and
I know it's part of the nature of this petition that's before you. Could
you maybe let Ray go ahead and go through his list, and then maybe
ask your questions and call --
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: We can do that.
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MS. MURRAY: I think the public needs to have an idea of
what's going on here as well.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Okay.
MS. MURRAY: Thanks.
MR. BELLOWS: The -- the last few things I'd just like to point
out is that staff has conducted a compatibility analysis of the
development standards with existing improved developments within
the area. The development standards are generally consistent with this
type of housing, and we've approved these standards in the past, and it
is comparable in nature with the developments adjacent and nearby.
Staff is recommending approval of this petition if we can resolve
the errors in the PUD document, and I think we can. I have assurances
from the staff members who are assisting me in the review of this
petition that we can come up with a document that is consistent with --
and legal review of the PUD document would catch any typographical
errors.
The other thing I'd like to point out, there was information
presented to me after you had received these staff reports that one of
the utility plans showed that water and sewer was not available to this
site. However, that may have been an outdated map. And there was a
recent approval of a new utilities map showing water and sewer is
available, and we'll have that verified prior to the Board of County
Commissioners. But it's my understanding now that water and sewer
is available to this site.
Staff has not received any letters of objection to this petition.
However, we did receive a letter from the development to the south,
the Holiday Manor. They had some concerns that their project wasn't
being fairly included in the review because they received an
advertising notice showing a general location map that didn't list their
properties. However, I think they had several meetings with the
petitioner showing that their project has been included in all reviews,
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and I'd like to reiterate that we were cognizant of the fact that they are
an adjacent property.
The affordable housing agreement that you have attached to your
petition has been reviewed by housing and urban improvement, and
our county attorney Patrick White has been working very diligently
with the applicant and with Cormac to resolve any inconsistencies
with the plan and that agreement. And Cormac has handed me a list
of revisions that have been made to the affordable housing agreement
that you have in your hands, and he has given me the revised
agreement that meets his satisfaction of being consistent with the
housing and improvement requirements.
The first page (sic) was to page 1 of the affordable housing
agreement. The Gateway Shoppes & Associates, Incorporated, has
been changed to LLC. On page 5, paragraph 3,366 DB units changed
to 363. On page 11, No. 4, 10.97 units per acre changed to 10.9. On
page 11, No. 6, the word "affordable" added before "income
classification." Page 19, No. 3, 10.99 changed to 10.9. On page 20,
Footnote No. 1, the word "affordable" added before "income
classification." Page 22, Table 2, the footnote from the previous
tables referencing the remaining 48 units was added. And then the last
one was on page 22, No. 7. Still no description of the units is
attached. That probably needs to be resolved.
The last remaining issue that needs to be resolved is the
percentage of income and the number of units meeting those income
requirements, and I think I'd rather have Cormac present that part of it.
MS. STUDENT: And, Mr. Chair, if I might, I, too, have been in
a position of having to review the PUD document late. And aside
from the usual typos and things like that, I also have some issues.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Okay.
MR. GIBLIN: Good morning, Commissioners. Cormac Giblin,
housing development manager for Collier County. I've been
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reviewing this affordable housing density bonus agreement for the
past few weeks now, and what is presented before you does conform
and meet the requirements of the LDC to receive the maximum eight
units per acre.
In terms of the breakdown number of units that would be
reserved for low-income residents, very low-income residents, and
very, very low-income residents, it does meets -- it does meet the LDC
requirements. The housing and urban improvement department,
however, would like to see the development more deeply skewed to
serve those portions of the populations in the very low and very, very
low income categories.
If I may put a chart on the visualizer here, this is a chart created
from data from the Collier County Public School System. As you can
see, we have categorized it by commissioner district. And this
development happens to lie in Commissioner District 1, which roughly
comprises the area known as East Naples. If you look at the far right
column, 53 percent of the families with school age children living in
District 1 are considered very low income, which means that they
currently make -- the families combined currently earn less than 50
percent of the area median income. That is why the housing and urban
improvement department has requested that the petitioner revise their
agreement to more deeply skew the development to serve that
population.
These are families who currently live in the area. The only
difference is right now they may be doubling or tripling up in a house
to make it affordable for their -- for each family, or they may be
currently living in conditions that are substandard or unsafe. This
development would provide 500 new affordable units to this area for
these families to then move into and pay something more affordable.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Cormac, aren't those families only
living there because that's the only place we're building affordable
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housing, is East Naples? I mean, if you-- you don't have the
children's statistics up there for North Naples and skewed in such a
manner because there's no -- there's very little affordable housing in
North Naples, as an example.
MR. GIBLIN: I have a map here, and this may be difficult to see
on the -- this may be difficult to see on the screen, but the little red
houses on the map are the location of every affordable housing
complex in Naples, in the urban coastal area.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Those overseen by your
department; not every one, just those that you are in charge of; right?
I mean, because the trailer -- some of the trailer parks and locations
that are -- are not on there. Hacienda Village isn't on there, places like
that. Is Habitat for Humanity on there as well?
MR. GIBLIN: No. This only speaks to rental developments.
Habitat for Humanity is a single-family development. In terms of
trailer parks or other areas not on the map, those are not defined by the
county as being affordable. Those may be cheaper to live in simply
because they may be substandard. But in terms of affordable housing,
these 18 developments are the only ones in the county that the county
would consider affordable housing. There are approximately 4 out of
the 18 located in the East Naples area on the map.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Cormac, I didn't know when you
were finished, and I had -- I had questions about your -- your
agreement if they haven't been resolved by the statements you made.
On page 7 of 22, you refer to covenants, and something similar to
covenants that has been applied for for this project is a CDD. Have
your-- has your department ever studied the impacts of a CDD on
affordable housing?
MR. GIBLIN: Not to my knowledge.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: What's a CDD?
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COMMISSIONER STRAIN: It's a community development
district. It's a -- it's another way of adding an additional tax for
infrastructure on to the property owners within a project, which means
the landowner here, the people living in the units if they were owning
the units, would have to pay for the costs of this additional tax over a
30-year period or 20-year period, whatever the bonds are for.
Item F on page 8 does refer to No. 7 as saying that you do have
these physical amenities, and I think you stated that's not been yet
received by you?
MR. GIBLIN: I believe the petitioner does have them in hand
today. They have not been received and made a part of this
application as of yet.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: This application is consistent in
the total number of units, then, which we're talking about, in this 500.
If this application was made out for 200 units, would that have any
effect on the way it's -- of its outcome with you? Would you still --
would the density bonus still be the same? Would the conditions still
be the same?
MR. GIBLIN: They would still qual -- the numbers would have
to be run, and a breakdown of the affordability of the units would have
an impact on how much density they did qualify for. But I ran some
quick numbers this morning, and a development in the area of around
250 units could be worked out to still qualify for the eight units.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Do you realize the PUD allows the
developer to reduce the number of units he's guaranteeing to be built
to 200?
And the reason I'm asking is if that's the case and you need at least 250
to make this work, then there's an additional flaw in the PUD.
MR. GIBLIN: No. We do not need at least 250. That's the
number I ran this morning, and it did work.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay.
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MR. GIBLIN: It may, in fact, work with different percentages at
different incomes at any unit number threshold. If he were to only
build the 200 units, he would not be in accordance with this agreement
at the time.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay. That's -- that's the point I
needed to --
MR. GIBLIN: The agreement does -- the agreement does speak
to phasing, though, and it is -- it does have a provision in there that
does allow phasing of the units.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay. I think the rest of my
questions on this document you've answered. Thank you.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: One quick question, Mr.
Cormac (sic). I notice in the staff analysis it tells that the PUD allows
500 residential units, of which 100 percent of the units would be,
affordable housing units. It seems pretty clear-cut. But then back on
the Section III, it talks about maximum dwelling units. It seems to say
that 200 shall be constructed-- a minimum of 200 shall be constructed
as affordable housing units. I don't quite get the connection, nexuses.
MR. GIBLIN: I'm sorry. Are you in the affordable housing
density bonus agreement?
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Well --
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: No. In the PUD.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: The PUD, Section III, Item
3.2.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: It also appears at 1.4, minimum of
200 dwelling units.
MR. BELLOWS: IfI may, I think when the original submission
came in; they had plans to do maybe some different mix of affordable.
However, during the review process, everything was to 100 percent
affordable. These are the things that we have circled in our --
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Okay.
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March 7, 2002
MR. BELLOWS: To have corrected.
MR. SCHMITT: This is part of where the -- when the applicant
first came in, there was -- we vacillated from 200 units to 500 units
and places in between. When it was finally agreed upon last week,
when we -- we agreed to the numbers, it came out to 500, so it was
going to be a total of 500 units. But what you're finding are the errors
that we found as well throughout the document. Again, the time line
and -- was certainly predicated on this March 15th deadline. So, as --
as Ray pointed out, we would have to go back and -- and correct many
deficiencies in the PUD itself.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Well, I was going to ask about
this PUD from Ray's point of view. It almost appears as if it's trying
to straddle the situation of whether the money is forthcoming or not.
And if it isn't, then you fall back to Plan B. Does Plan B include 200?
MR. BELLOWS: I don't believe so. I think maybe the best thing
to do is go to the applicant; because there is going to be future
amendments to this and part of a larger, overall plan. And I think if
you see their presentation, you'll have a better --
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Well, I was trying to find out your
understanding of it as the county's representative.
MR. BELLOWS: My understanding now is that there will not be
-- if all 100 percent of the units are to be affordable, then all 500 are
going to --
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: They should all be rental then?
MR. BELLOWS: That's correct.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Well, is it appropriate to have a
CDD when all you're talking about is rental? The owner, in effect, is
taxing himself, isn't he, if he owns it all?
MR. BELLOWS: I believe so. I'm not sure how they're going to
work there --
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Okay. Then let me see what else
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I -- there's talk in here about property owners association. That, again,
is inapplicable to a rental I would assume, is it not? MR. BELLOWS: More than likely.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: This whole thing needs a pretty
good scrub.
I just skimmed off a couple of things.
MR. BELLOWS: Like I said, it was a different mix when they
first submitted, and we're in the process of weeding out all of these --
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Then my last question is more a
generic one. If somebody comes in with the acreage that this petitioner
has and talks in terms of I want this density bonus of 11 units per acre
predicated on building affordable housing, which comes out to 500,
doesn't he have to reduce the number of acres, or doesn't the number
come down if he reduces the number of acres committed to affordable
housing? In other words, if it tums out to be a mix of regular housing
and affordable housing, he can't still have the same density bonus to
build regular houses, can he?
MR. BELLOWS: The density bonus agreement allows him to
get the additional units. The affordable housing agreement allows him
to market the units in a different way. And if Cormac Giblin indicates
that they have to be per his requested guidelines, that's what staff is
going to support. So 60 percent of the median units -- or median
income will be -- encompass 40 percent or 200 units; 50 percent of the
median, 250 units; and 50 units for 35 percent of the median income.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: No. I'm talking in generic terms.
I'm not talking about this PUD. Somebody comes in and has this kind
of acreage and would qualify for 500 units of affordable housing and
he decides to build 300 garden-variety housing and 200, doesn't that --
MR. GIBLIN: The affordable --
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: -- change the equation?
MR. GIBLIN: Cormac Giblin again, for the record. The
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March 7, 2002
affordable housing density bonus applies to the gross property
acreage.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Okay.
MR. GIBLIN: So you may qualify for extra density that not all
of which needs to go towards affordable housing. The developer may,
in fact, qualify to build a few extra market-rate units in the
development. That is the incentive that we offer for someone to build
affordable housing.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: But then my question is, in this
case if he builds 200, can he build 300 garden-variety houses?
MR. GIBLIN: He could if he had not already submitted to us
that all 500 would be affordable.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: That sounds like a Trojan horse to
me, but that's just --
MR. GIBLIN: Very simply, if they do not build out as the
affordable housing density bonus is written, they do not qualify for the
density.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: By the time you find that, you're
going to have 500 units sitting there. Are we going to bulldoze them
down if they don't -- if they're not affordable then? I mean, they've
already got it.
MR. GIBLIN: There are -- there are yearly reporting
requirements. And through the state financing that they will be
seeking as well, it imposes an additional quarterly inspection
requirement to ensure that all of the units that they say are affordable
are actually affordable.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: I used to work for a fellow who
had a favorite saying, that I don't understand all I know about this, and
I think I know what he was talking about now. Is that all you have,
Ray, for now?
MR. BELLOWS: That's all I have for now.
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March 7, 2002
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Okay. Thank you.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Just one question for Ray.
This is an easier one. I just didn't understand. The ag lands that are
northerly of that, are they across the road, or are they on the south side
of the road? What -- what are those two lots that are not developed
just in the northerly direction from the site that we're discussing? I
can't read --
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: One's owned by the Board of
Internal Improvement Trust Fund of the State of Florida and the other
is zoned vacant agricultural. It's right here. I went and got a larger
master plan.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: What's the one on the
right?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: This one is -- actually, I think it's -
- Rookery Bay has control over it. It's a Board of Trustees of the
Internal Improvement Trust Fund of the State of Florida on that. So
it'll be forever--
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: I guess what I'm really
wondering, in the adjacent lands analysis part of this, is what we might
reasonably expect would come in to those, because that's going to
provide different ways of accessing Highway 41, which I'm sure
Dawn would be interested in.
MR. BELLOWS: That's correct. And there's also -- yeah.
Depending on what is developed here in the future, will -- may affect
this access point. But this plan has been reviewed, and -- and right
now permitting of this is subject to FDOT permits and not Collier
County permitting.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Is that more than 600 feet
from that intersection?
MR. BELLOWS: It appears to be way more than that.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: What would you expect,
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Ray, just typically on that ag land? What kind of zoning would --
what is the -- is this one for five, or are we somewhere else?
MR. BELLOWS: Ag is one per five, one dwelling per 5 acres.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: But they're likely to come
in asking for something denser.
MR. BELLOWS: It's more than likely that sooner or later vacant
agricultural land will come in consistent with the Comprehensive Plan,
which right now limits the density to three units per acre unless they
also try for affordable housing.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Ray, while you're there, the entry
road to this project shown on U.S. 41, I know most of the project is
attempting to stay in existing farm fields. Is that entry road an existing
farm field, coming in off of 41 ? Do you know?
MR. BELLOWS: I'd have to check the -- with the
environmentalists.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON:
Thank you.
It seems to be very neat if
that could just come straight out to Highway 41, rather than this
gerrymander thing we've got. But that's property they don't control, so
I guess they can't do that.
MR. BELLOWS: That's correct.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Mr. Yovanovich.
MR. YOVANOVICH: Commissioners, for the record, Rich
Yovanovich representing the applicant. Also with me is the applicant,
the members of the applicant, which would be Rob Warstler; Bill
Shroggy (phonetic); also is Wayne Arnold, the planner on the project;
Grady Minor, the engineer on the project; Dean Smith, another
engineer on the project; and we have Pat Law, who will be doing the
affordable housing project. And we plan on making a presentation as
to everything -- I'm assuming it's on. But anyway, we -- we plan on
making a full presentation as to what will be constructed on this
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property, including pictures and architecture, and you will see exactly
what you're going to get.
I would like to point out that this process has been going on for a
lot longer than I think we're getting credit for, and we've done a lot of
public meetings. As you will recall, this project was first discussed in
context with a proposed Growth Management Plan change, which has
been transmitted to the Department of Community Affairs and has
come back with basically no comments negative to our project. The
comp plan amendment is not in effect yet, so we could not bring the
commercial project as part of this PUD. That would be inconsistent
with the existing Comprehensive Plan.
So we have submitted what we can legally apply for today under
the existing Comprehensive Plan, which is the residential affordable
housing density bonus portion of this project. Assuming that the
Comprehensive Plan amendment is adopted, we will come back, and
we will amend the PUD to add the commercial. But we can't do that
until the commercial is an allowable use for us to apply for. So that is
why you are seeing a project done in phases, for, as Mr. Schmitt has
said, a good reason. There are timing constraints on applying for state
monies to help these projects. And, as you know, every legislative
year changes, and priorities of the legislature change. And just
because there's money here this year, doesn't mean there's money there
next year, so you apply for what you know you can get at this time,
because we don't know that next year there will be money available
for these types of projects.
We have told the people of Eagle Creek, the people of Holiday
Manor, and we've mailed out many, many notices, exactly what we
intend to do and apply for on this project. There have been two public
meetings with -- where we mailed out the required notice. The first
meeting was at a county park. Nobody from Eagle Creek showed up.
Nobody from the mobile home park across the creek showed up. All
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of the attendees were residents of Holiday Manor. So we held a
second meeting last week with the people of Holiday Manor at their
facility to discuss concerns.
The concerns -- there are some people who are concerned about
affordable housing, but that happens in every affordable housing
application. No matter where you do it, there are people who are
concerned about affordable housing and should it be here or should it
not be here. But I would think that the majority of the concerns was,
what impact are we going to have on Holiday Manor from a flooding
standpoint? Now, that -- we brought Grady Minor, because at the first
meeting, it was me and Wayne, and neither one of us are licensed
professional engineers. So we said we need to bring a second-- we
need to bring someone who can talk to you who is qualified to explain
to you how we have to design our project to make sure that we are
complying with the law, and we did that.
It's difficult -- it's difficult, to say the least, for people to
understand that engineering does work and that we're not allowed to
negatively impact them. In layman's terms, we can't have an adverse
impact on them. The law won't allow us to do it, and we have to
divine our system -- design our system to meet the requirements, and
we will do that. That is a site planning issue. It is not a PUD issue.
We have utilities here. We have proposed our project to stay out
of, at this time, any environmentally sensitive lands. If we get into
those environmentally sensitive lands, the PUD requires us to go to the
EAC. That's clearly set out in this document.
The documents -- as proposed, you have the planned unit
development, which is the zoning on the property, and then you have a
separate document, which is your affordable housing density bonus
agreement. The PUD says that we have to have a minimum of 200
affordable housing units because that is what the proposed Growth
Management Plan requires -- amendment requires. What will
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March 7, 2002
absolutely -- and, as you know, the affordable housing density bonus
agreement is a document that frequently is negotiated back and forth
up to when you get to the Board of County Commissioners. The
affordable housing density bonus agreement is what will govern our
density and will be recorded as a deed restriction on the property.
This project is no different than every other affordable housing
project out there. This density bonus agreement is monitored and
enforced by your staff. It's no different. We are not creating anything
new. There are many of them out there already. We are subject to
monitoring requirements, and we have to meet those requirements. So
I hope that that will address the issue of making sure you get your 500
units, because it's a deed restriction on the property. It's an agreement
that can be enforced by your staff, and it is an agreement that will be
enforced by the state.
MS. STUDENT: And I just want to say that I think the PUD
document should say what the number of affordable housing units are.
And if there are 500, it should say that, because it creates an
inconsistency between the two documents. And even if the comp plan
amendment says a minimum of 200, there's no harm in putting 500,
because that's a minimum in the comp plan. That's not inconsistent
with --
MR. YOVANOVICH: And I don't have any objection to that. If
the Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday approves 500 --
approves this density bonus agreement, we'll strike the minimum of
200, and we'll go right to the maximum of--
MS. STUDENT: Well, I don't plan to sign it unless it says 500
that change. We'll delete the reference to a minimum of 200.
guess rock broke scissors.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Today.
MR. YOVANOVICH: Okay. All right. Well, then we'll make
So I
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March 7, 2002
MR. YOVANOVICH: I'll do it right now.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: All right.
MR. YOVANOVICH: You heard it. Okay. If that's -- anyway--
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: I don't think that's striking a real
hard bargain, by the way.
MR. YOVANOVICH: No.
We've always committed to that.
I've said that we're doing that.
We've always said that this project is
going to be a 100 percent affordable project. If the commission wants
something less than a hundred percent affordable, we're amenable to
that. Okay. We're amenable to not providing all of that. We don't
need to provide all 500 units as affordable to qualify for the 8 units per
acre on the entire property. We can still do a market-rate project and
qualify for 500 units. I want that to be perfectly clear.
We have agreed to limit ourselves as to our market, and it will be
affordable because there is a need. I don't think anybody can dispute
there is a need. There's a need in a lot of other areas, and there's still a
need in East Naples for this; not just because we're here in East
Naples, but there is a need up in the central part. You-all heard a
petition for Bucks Run. That's not in East Naples. People came in.
That was a hard-fought battle. Not everybody on the Planning
Commission voted for that, and it wasn't in East Naples.
I will tell you we had a neighborhood meeting for a project called
Wolf Run. There's another project called Wolf Creek, but this is up by
-- I think it's Island Walk, on 951 -- I'm sorry -- you know, Vanderbilt
Beach Road about a mile or so in from 951. We had a pre -- we had
the pre-neighborhood meeting. It's an affordable housing project.
Now, it is not immediately adjacent to a certain neighborhood, but that
neighborhood came out in droves, yelling and screaming about putting
an affordable housing project right next door to them. Well, we
weren't right next door to them. They confused the names.
But I am telling you there are -- and I am representing that
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developer of that affordable housing project. It is not only one area of
the county that is being -- where we are attempting to meet the need. I
will tell you trying to meet that need is no easy task because, you
know, I -- I find that no matter what you say, no matter what you do,
nobody wants it. Okay. That's my -- my opinion based upon the
meetings I had. We are attempting to meet a need. You will see a
very high-quality project. You will not be able to distinguish this
project from any market-rate apartment complex.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Richard, have you ever attempted
to provide an affordable housing that didn't maximize the density?
That may be where the problem is; not so much that it's affordable, but
it's the density that you -- that is always pushed down the public's
throat. That may be where the issue is.
MR. YOVANOVICH: If-- if-- Mr. Strain, if there were another
policy or another incentive for a developer to go ahead and make it to
where it is -- you know, most developers are not in the business to lose
money. Some of them do lose money, but they didn't start out
intending to lose money.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Not in Collier County.
MR. YOVANOVICH: Well, I don't know. I bet you there are a
few projects in Collier County that fail. But the intent is -- the only
incentive we have, Commissioner Strain, is density bonus. Okay.
Density bonus coupled with a delay in the payment of impact fees is
all we have, and what it's resulted in is a maximization of density. If
there were other incentives, you may get what you wish, but they don't
exist today. They have not been proposed. I haven't heard what they
are.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: They are being discussed. There is
a committee that does meet that does discuss those issues. They are
being formulated. They haven't finished their-- their findings yet.
MR. YOVANOVICH: And I appreciate that, but we have a need
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that exists today, and that is what we're trying to address. And we are
working hard, and your staff has worked hard. And I think your staff
has taken some unnecessary shots here, or undeserved shots, for being
cooperative in trying to meet a deadline, because they did meet with
us in December. They-- they-- we've explained everything. There
have been expedited reviews. If an "i"-- if we missed dotting an "i"
or crossing a "t," none of it has been substantive or substantial. There
-- from anything we've ever said, there is no ambiguity as to what we
have applied for from day one, as far as what we needed.
The CDD, Commissioner Strain, that's an option. A CDD may or
may not occur. And, by the way, it's still factored in, and I think
Cormac will tell you. You look at what someone can afford to pay per
month to live there. You can't add that to the rent, so it is factored in
to what they can pay per month. So however we finance our
infrastructure and charge it back will be factored into the maximum
rent an individual can pay to qualify in that category.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Who inherits the responsibility to
pay off the CDD? Isn't it the landowner?
MR. YOVANOVICH: Well, the landowner happens-- in a
rental community happens to be the same person, and that's what we're
doing. So it is one landowner who will pass it through in the rents, and
he's capped on the max he can charge for the rents.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: That landowner is an LLC?
MR. YOVANOVICH: Correct. '
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Limited liability company9
MR. YOVANOVICH: Sure. '
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: How much responsibility will they
have, if they just walk away, to pay that CDD bond off?.
MR. YOVANOVICH: I guess the property will go through --
you know, the bondholders will seek their collateral, and their
collateral would be the land.
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COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Right. That's what I'm worried
about.
MR. YOVANOVICH: Just like if-- same thing if they don't
make their payment on the mortgage.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well, this is a little --
MR. YOVANOVICH: No different than any other developer. If
you don't make your mortgage payment, the -- the remedy is going to
be whatever the security for the debt is.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: This -- this bond is an addition on
top of the landowner. So I'm just wondering if it's been factored in
appropriately as to the impact should an LLC walk and you're sitting
there with bonds and liens on this property that the affordable housing
is based on, and all of a sudden it's got to be addressed in order to
move forward.
MR. YOVANOVICH: Well, first of all, it's an option. It's not
certainly what we're required to do. And all of that is something that
needs to be addressed. I don't -- if you would like, we'll just strike the
fact that we can do a CDD.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well, I was going to get there.
MR. YOVANOVICH: We have met with Mr. Giblin, and we
have agreed to his percentages of units that meet the various
categories, so we're -- we're in agreement with that. We have stayed
out of-- and Wayne will get into more details, but we have done
everything we could to make sure that this application met all of the
county's criteria, which, I believe, it has as far as traffic impacts go, as
far as making sure we got that, the site plan. We're no different than
anybody else. We got it designed properly. We have water and sewer
there. We qualify for the density.
We are staying out of the environmentally sensitive lands on
purpose because there were time constraints on this application
process, so we had to put aside land that we can't use. And if we do
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go into the future -- future development stage, we have to amend the
PUD. We have to come back in front of this Planning Commission.
There's -- we're not hiding anything, and any implication that we're
trying to is -- is unfair.
We have spent a lot of time informing the neighbors as to what
we're going to do and trying to address their concerns. As recently as
Friday, we've agreed to extend what was -- there was going to be a
solid fence on a portion of the property. We've now agreed to extend
it all the way to the creek. So there will be a solid wall between us
and the Holiday Manor project, which will be reflected in the -- in the
submittals. But we have -- we are -- we are meeting all of the legal
requirements to make sure that this agreement is in place, with the
minor changes we just talked about today. There was a typo. One
place it said 363; one place it said 366. It's 363.
So I would hope that the Planning Commission would vote, after
you hear Wayne's presentation and after you see the project, to
transmit this to the Board of County Commissioners with a favorable
recommendation. There's no question there's a need. There's a need
in this area. Encourage it other places. Support it, embrace it, and
make it happen. And that's up to the committee you're on, Mr. Strain,
and also the Planning Commission and the Board of County
Commissioners to make that happen. Right now we are where we are,
as my -- as one of my coworkers used to say. And this is -- we can do
this here. There's a need, still, in this area. And we meet all the
criteria, and we would hope that we can get that recommendation of
approval from you-all. Unless you have any legal questions, I'm going
to sit down and let Wayne talk about planning and --
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I have a lot of questions, but
maybe Wayne will help so some of them haven't got to be answered.
MR. ARNOLD: Thank you. Wayne Arnold, Grady Minor
Engineering. I'd like to -- Rich touched on some of the history of this
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project, going back to our proposed plan amendment. Some of you
were on the Planning Commission at the time. I know Mr. Strain was
absent at that hearing.
We had -- as part of the Growth Management Plan amendment
process, we had come in for an approximate 85-acre site, which would
include 84, 85 -- 85 acres. Roughly 30 -- 35 acres would be
commercial, oriented toward Collier Boulevard. Housing, which we
said -- through the process with the county staff, they said, "We want a
commitment that some of this will be work-force and affordable
housing." We struck on the number 200 minimum units as part of this
proposed comp plan amendment that would need to be affordable to
help move this thing into a position that the county staff liked. We
agreed to that. So you see some references in our PUD to a minimum
200. There's where the minimum 200 comes from, from the proposed
Growth Management Plan amendment process.
I know when I met with Mr. Strain, he raised a question about the
Growth Management Plan consistency of this project with the full plan
amendment that includes the commercial relative to a loop road
system that we had proposed to connect at Eagle Creek Drive through
the project and out to our proposed entrance on U.S. 41. That, of
course -- we're not bringing in the commercial component, so we don't
have a full loop road system as of yet. Obviously, I talked to staff, and
they said, "Can we add language that would say that you will not
apply this PUD to be consistent with that plan amendment if
adopted?" We certainly will. We have no problem with that. That's
always been our intent, to bring them in together.
However, because of the timing issue, we're not before you with
the entire project yet. We fully expect that within the next 30 to 45
days, we'll be back here with an amendment; not before this board
within that time period, but back before the county staff doing this to
hopefully bring back the commercial component. As Rich indicated,
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this came back from the state with no objections, recommendations, or
otherwise. So from that favorable perspective, we hope that the board
will go ahead and continue the process and adopt this plan
amendment.
What we did with this PUD submittal was to break out that
residential component. And, as has been alluded to, the reason that we
kept this larger preserve area/open space open, and to hopefully clarify
for the record for Mr. Strain's earlier comment, in the preserve area, it
says we can have units, but we have to do a PUD amendment to get
there. And that PUD amendment and the EIS requirement require you
to go back to the EAC. That's part of the process. If you have to do
an environmental impact statement, you must go through the EAC.
There is no waiver of that. But because our project largely falls within
old farm fields where the units are being developed, there was no
impact.
And, as you can see, I went ahead and put the whole 85-acre
project on this aerial, and I hope it's legible. But the crosshatched area
shows some melaleuca-infested wetlands in part. Some of it's higher
quality, but you can see that the wetland areas don't touch any of our
development land. This area that's labeled preserve and future
development as open space, that is upland area. That is not wetlands.
So from that perspective we did not go to the EAC for this first portion
of it. We fully recognize that when we go back in to add a
commercial component or to do the next phase of the affordable
housing project, we will be back before that body and the Planning
Commission, as well as the Board of County Commissioners, asking
for your endorsement and approval of that.
What we had also done, we had met with the residents of Holiday
Manor extensively. They're our most immediate neighbor and those
obviously most impacted by what we intend to do. As has been
alluded to, the primary issue that we heard in meeting with them was
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concern over drainage. They're obviously an older park. Their roads
are substandard by today's elevation requirements. Yes, they have
flooding at times in their park from heavier rainfall events.
Part of what we discussed with them -- and that's why Grady
Minor's here, and he'll be addressing you in a few moments to talk to
you about our drainage plan. I know Mr. Schmitt mentioned that there
were drainage deficiencies. I'm not quite certain what those may be,
unless it's formulation of commitments in our PUD document. But
there was a storm water management report filed with the application,
and essentially -- I won't steal Grady's presentation, but we will be
routing the water to Henderson Creek. I know Mr. Boldt is here from
the storm water management department if you have specific
questions from your staff about how we treat this, but that is consistent
with how they want to treat the water management on the site. So
that's what we will be doing.
The other issue that came up with the Holiday Manor folks was
the issue of a buffer and some physical protection for them for both
security and just visual buffering. And we had proposed initially in
this project a 20-feet-wide buffer that would end up with a 6-foot-high
chain-link fence for the residential component; to which I had added
some landscape standards to buffer this chain-link fence so that when
it grows in, you don't see the chain-link fence, you see vegetation.
After our meeting on Friday -- and I don't know how many -- I
don't know the head count from that meeting, but there were easily
over a hundred people in the room -- the consensus was clearly we
want a hard, physical barrier, 6-foot-high minimum, precast concrete
wall. We want you to put it in some form either on the berm or near a
berm so that we get, you know, the protection physically from you for
security reasons, and then we get a berm with vegetation. And to that
we agreed, and that's something that is not reflected in your document,
but that's a commitment we're making to you on the record. And
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between now and, I guess, the county commission meeting, we would
write that standard into the document so that everyone knows that is
our intent. That, of course -- I don't want to get off track but we had
also proposed, obviously; an extension of that for the commercial
component, an 8-foot-high wall on the commercial component. But
those were the two issues that we discussed at length with the Holiday
Manor residents.
And obviously, as Rich mentioned, there are some of those folks
who obviously have concerns about affordable housing, but we think
through our development standards that are going to limit our building
heights -- we have development standards that mandate a 40-foot
minimum setback from our PUD boundary, and we have a 20-foot-
wide minimum buffer. Grady's going to tell you about what our berm
heights are going to be for water management purposes in that and
what we can do with respect to some landscaping and wall placement.
But with that, I think we've -- we've talked a lot about the issues.
The issue of compatibility, Mr. Richardson brought up the question of
what's our adjacent zoning. Well, we hope to our west will be large
intensity retail uses. The comer of our property does touch Activity
Center 18. That's part of your activity center at U.S. 41 and State
Road 951. The commercial properties are to our west and to the north.
The areas that are immediately adjacent to us in this area and next
to the DEP property were taken out of the activity center during the
evaluation appraisal report and Comprehensive Plan, but they are part
of the urban area. And there are water and sewer lines that mn down
U.S. 41 all the way to Boyne South. The lines were recently upsized
from Manatee Road south, and the water and sewer lines were also
upsized along State Road 951. But with respect to compatibility, we
think that we are compatible with surrounding development. There's
obviously vacant land to our north, and whatever happens there will
help make itself consistent if they're not supportive of what we've
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done.
But to the south we've provided a buffer that's twice the county's
requirement, in terms of width, between us and the Holiday Manor
Mobile Home Park. And, of course, for those folks -- and I think there
are a few in the audience that live across Henderson Creek. If it's not
Graystone Mobile Home Park, it's one of the other parks off of that
Henderson Creek Drive, I believe. We have about a 150-foot
minimum vegetative buffer shown along the creek back there. And
obviously, from my perspective, the first phase, obviously, is where
the residences are proposed to go. The next phase we intend to respect
that preserve boundary as well along the creek. So I don't think from
their perspective they will see us or hear us.
I don't think there's anything more I need to add with respect to
compatibility. I did want to try to clarify this issue of numbers of
units.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I have -- one of the
requirements, as I understand it, is that you are supposed to have for
us a drawing showing us the proposed structures. Is that going to be
available to us?
MR. ARNOLD: I was going to leave that to Mr. Law, the
affordable housing provider, to show you the type of units that we
intend --
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Not the type, the layout of
where they're going to be.
MR. ARNOLD: On our proposed master concept plan, we've
shown you the footprint of our internal road system, the access point.
We've shown you where the recreation center is, our proposed lake
system.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Right. What about the --
where are the residences? How are they going to structure, and where
are they going to be laid out?
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MR. ARNOLD: What I've shown you are the residential
building footprints that we intend to develop on the property, on this --
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: That will hold 500 units in
that?
MR. ARNOLD: No. That portion of it will not. That's why the
PUD, as it's structured, says we can only build 300 until we come back
for a PUD amendment. And I know the numbers are very confusing
for you. What we -- what we've set out is that we've established our
maximum density based on the 45.8 acres, times the 11-unit-per-acre
maximum density. That comes up to 500 units. What we've said is in
the PUD we're allowed a maximum of 500. If we're going to build at
least 200 of those that were affordable -- which Rich says we're
striking that. So the question is, can I fit 500 in the Phase I building
envelope? And the answer's no. And that's why we've simply put on
here the future residential development will occur in what we've
shown as preserve and open space subject to a PUD amendment.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Let's go to the last-- maybe I
can get my point out.
MR. ARNOLD: Okay.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: An architectural rending --
rendering of the proposed structures is required, but we are -- you're
required to do that. I still have yet to see what you're -- that's --
MR. ARNOLD: That's what I said. I was going to leave that
aspect of this to -- leave it to the affordable housing developer to tell
you a little bit about the product and what they're doing.
MS. MURRAY: Mr. Adelstein, I -- I'm not sure that's really
required. I'm not sure where you're getting that. We usually address
that during site planning process.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: During what?
MS. MURRAY: The site plan process, the administrative review
process. So is there some area of the code that maybe I'm not familiar
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with that you might be referring to?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Well, I'm reading right from
their own documents, and it said that one of the things that they were
going to present here was a -- what the existing and proposed
structures -- structures -- were going -- and their dimensions and what
was going -- how they were going to be laid out on the land. That's all
I've asked to see, and I would assume that they have that available.
MS. MURRAY: And that's part of the affordable housing
density bonus agreement that you're referring to?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: That's part of-- 8 of 16. I
think it's --
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: His point may have been that --
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Application for public hearing
and -- for rezoning. Application for public hearing for rezoning. And
I'm on page 8. I assume we're being -- we're talking about rezoning.
MR. YOVANOVICH: Commissioner Adelstein, we are going to
show you exactly what the architecture is going to look like, if that's
your question. It's not a zoning requirement that we have our specific
architecture in our PUD document, nor is it a zoning requirement that
we have our specific site development plan approved at the time of
rezoning. So what we are planning on showing you -- exactly what
you're asking for is, what -- what are the buildings going to look like?
You're going to see that, but you're not going the see the -- the finished
site plan at this time.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: It -- doesn't it say here
additional submittal requirements, under 1 1 ? Page 8, Item 11. MS. MURRAY: Of the application, Rich.
MR. YOVANOVICH: I'm trying to find it. I believe that criteria
applies to -- does not apply to this type of project. It never has in the
past, as far as staff, when you're talking about rezoning the project.
Just because we're talking about a multifamily project doesn't meet the
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criteria of a specific site plan, I think that is applicable to different --
different uses.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: This is your report that you
sent to --
MR. YOVANOVICH: This is the application off of the county's
application. This is -- it's just-- we just type in the information on the
application; correct?
MS. MURRAY: That's correct, yeah. That's -- and it also
provides the option to waive those requirements as well. So why don't
you let me look into it in the code a little bit. They've -- they're
proposing to show you the --
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Are you going to look into it
before I vote or after I vote?
MS. MURRAY: I have the book right here, sir.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Pardon me?
MS. MURRAY: I have the book right here, and I'll do it while
they're making there --
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Before we vote?
MS. MURRAY: Sure.
MR. ARNOLD: If I could just address that, I think in the context
of how this has been applied, it talks about a single use. If I were
coming in and I said, "I'm going to build John Smith's medical
building; here are my architectural requirements," that is something
the county can ask of us. What I'm telling you is we are
demonstrating to you the architectural elevations of what we intend to
do. I think we're -- we're probably exceeding the county's requirement
in doing this, but I think it's typical for what you see with affordable
housing projects. You want to see what they're going to look like.
We're trying to make that representation to you. I think we've met that
provision of the code, even though I'm not certain that it's truly
applicable.
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MR. BELLOWS: And if I may, the -- the -- for example, Bucks
Run did not have the specific architectural style that was committed
to. They had a general style that they committed to. The county staff
doesn't force architectural designs for large projects or varied-use
projects that allow for different uses. We have a site development
plan process, as Susan Murray has indicated, that we get into the
details of that. And Mr. Arnold is correct. When we have a single-
use, specific project, such as maybe a personal storage warehousing,
we want to see the architecturals up front, and we would not waive
that requirement at that time.
MS. MURRAY: Part of the problem with showing renderings
and architectural drawings is everything -- if everybody thinks they
look great and real pretty and they base part of their decision of
whether or not to approve the project based on how it looks -- it's a
proposal. It doesn't necessarily meet -- mean it meets the minimum
requirements of the code. Then we get into difficulties later on when
the applicant comes in and submits for their site plan and we are
reviewing the details of the site plan for compliance with the code and
we have a conflict because what appears to be shown before the board
as a proposal then later comes in for more detailed review and, lo and
behold, may or may not meet the requirements in the code. So it's --
it's to give a general overview or picture of what it may look like and
understanding that this is just a proposal at this point.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: And I understand, Commissioner
Adelstein, what you're pointing out. I think it's a good point to make,
and I -- I think it's something we probably could require. I do notice
on page 15 of 16 that it was addressed and that it was marked as not
required, and that may be why it didn't come through to us that--
during the pre-application process.
MS. MURRAY: It -- it's an option, and I'd be very hesitant. I
would just encourage this board to be hesitant. I know everybody
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likes to see pictures, but the -- the code is very detailed about
architectural requirements. And this is residential, so this is --
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I understand where you're
coming from, and I don't think I'd have this problem if all the things
that we were told that we weren't going to see or get because they
aren't available or we're not sure whether this is here yet -- weren't in
this PUD, I probably wouldn't be as -- as much in need of seeing what
they're really going to try to lay out for us.
MS. MURRAY: I understand, and we're probably beating a dead
horse because they did say they were going to provide them, and they
do have the pictures up there.
MS. STUDENT: I would just like to point out that Section
2731221 of the code -- and this may get to a bit of the issue -- when
determined necessary to adequately assess the compatibility of
proposed uses to existing or other proposed uses, the relationship to
open space, recreation facilities, or traffic impacts or to assess requests
for reductions in dimensional standards, the development services
director may -- it doesn't say shall -- request schematic architectural
drawings, in parens, floor plans, elevations, prospectus, for all
proposed structures and improvements as appropriate. So that's a code
require -- well, a code requirement that the DSD may require that
these be submitted. And, again, this is in supporting data for rezoning
to PUD.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: So if he may require, he may also
waive.
MS. STUDENT: It says --"shall" is -- by our code "shall" is
mandatory, and "may" is permissive.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I think that's what happened on --
with page 15. I think they waived the requirement, which is why it
probably wasn't --
MS. STUDENT: And that's under our 273 for planned unit
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development procedures.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Okay.
MR. BELLOWS: And I also would like to point out that staff
has deemed the application sufficient. That's why we are here today.
And that was, as Mr. Strain pointed out, a requirement that was
waived.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Any other questions of Mr.
Arnold?
MR. ARNOLD: If I -- I'd like to --
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: I have one. Go ahead.
MR. ARNOLD: I'm sorry. I just wanted to point out one other
thing that Mr. Strain mentioned to me yesterday that I did want to
commit to the record. This loop road system, we make allowances for
gated structures in this PUD. The intention there was simply to
provide gated access to the residential building pods if we deemed
necessary, but there was no intent to somehow create a gated system
on this loop road. That was intended to be a public through road
system connecting all the way to 951 at a future date. So I would like
to clarify that.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: And, Wayne, in relationship to the
stuff we discussed yesterday, as I told you then, before you-all finish
today, I would like the time to run through those issues in this public
meeting. But some of them may get resolved during the other
discussion, so I'm just going to hold off until we get to that point.
MR. ARNOLD: And I think that -- based on our conversation, I
think we were 90 percent there, I hope.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
Table 1, development standards --
MR. ARNOLD: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
setback from the PUD boundary is 40 feet.
My question, Wayne, is your
-- you have stated that your
According to the table,
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there are some instances where it would be 25 feet, not -- not if you
build 500 units. But does this language need to come out, or is it in
there as a fallback in case you don't go that route?
MR. ARNOLD: I think the latter. We structured this to allow all
residential dwelling types essentially, knowing that -- and what we've
told the -- our nearby residents, fully intend it to be multifamily.
However, there are provisions there for single family, attached,
detached, patio homes, things of that nature. And we put development
standards in there that are very typical. For instance, the 25-foot
setback, which would essentially be a rear setback, for those structures
is very common and typical for that type of structure. We felt that
going with a two story --
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Would it cause you heartburn to
make it 40 feet no matter--
MR. ARNOLD: As a minimum for any of the others?
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Any of the others.
MR. ARNOLD: I don't know. We -- we have not looked
specifically at laying this out for single family. I know that -- I don't
want to belabor this point of density, but as Mr. Strain was alluding to,
I don't think we could put 500 units on here if they were to be
detached products. The numbers --
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: And have the 40-foot--
MR. ARNOLD: Right. The only -- the way -- the only way you
can net 500 units on 45 acres is to build multifamily structures that are
at least two stories in height. If you go to a typical single-story or
two-story single-family home, you net somewhere in the
neighborhood of 4 to 6 units per acre, depending on how you can lay
out your site and what other environmental constraints you have.
So it goes back to the traffic analysis. What we looked at was
probably the worst-case scenario in terms of number of units times
trips equating to the multifamily. If I can only net something less than
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150 single-family units, although it has a higher trip generation rate,
that number, when you do the multiplication, comes out less than the
multifamily we're proposing.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: But, Wayne, with your affordable
density housing (sic) bonus, you're kind of locked into 500 units now,
which means you just locked yourself into multifamily. And does the
$5 million that you're going -- your company's going to receive, or
whatever that number is, is that based on a density? Is that based on a
number of units? Because are we just -- are we -- are you guys telling
us in no uncertain terms, forget the 200, forget the 300, forget
anything; it's going to be 500 multifamily, period, if this is to go
forward?
MR. ARNOLD: I'm going to let Rich Yovanovich answer that
question for you. He's been working much more closely with the
affordable housing agreement than I have.
MR. BELLOWS: And if it is all multifamily can we, at this point
of the process, eliminate all the development standards except for the
multifamily? That way --
MR. ARNOLD: I think if that's the direction we're headed and
we have an intent only to provide multifamily, I have -- I've got no
problem with--
MS. STUDENT: I don't know if I'm lost, but I thought we all
said already that it was going to be a hundred percent affordable.
That's what I thought was --
MR. YOVANOVICH: Commissioners may I --
(Several speakers at once.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
-- you said what you wanted to say?
MS. STUDENT: Yes.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
MR. YOVANOVICH:
Wait a minute. The court reporter
Okay. Rich.
Commissioners, we are committed that
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March 7, 2002
100 percent of what we build will be affordable. Okay. If-- if you
don't want us to -- if there's a lower number you're talking about, Mr.
Strain, than 500, let us know. But we would -- we're committed that a
hundred percent of our units will be affordable. We could -- it may
end up being less because when we get down and do the site planning
and get down to the specifics, we may not be able to fit them. But,
yes, we are -- because all we really have right now to -- to make this
work, together with, you know, the financial assistance available, is
density bonus.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well, I missed the GMP issue that
you guys brought up in November.
MR. YOVANOVICH: Right.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: And so knowing that the county
commission approved this GMP amendment or went -- sent them
forward thinking of 200 units, I would really be concerned to
understand what their thoughts would be if you had said 500 at that
meeting.
MR. YOVANOVICH: Well, we -- what we did say,
Commissioner Strain, if you -- if you -- it was a minimum of 200 with
a maximum of 500.
That was discussed during the GMP presentation. If-- if everybody's
more comfortable with our just doing Phase I right now and put the
number of 224 and come back for Phase II, I think we can live with
that.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: That seems to find favor with the
county attorney.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: We'll have to see where that goes.
MS. STUDENT: All I'm trying to do is establish what amount of
units are going to be affordable for this PUD document so I have some
direction, when I review it, what it's supposed to be. And, again, the
comp plan amendment is not approved yet. It has been transmitted,
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and it's in the process, so it's not approved. And a 200-unit minimum
means a minimum. You can go higher than that and not be
inconsistent with that comp plan amendment when it is adopted.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I was more worried about
perception.
MR. YOVANOVICH: Commissioner Strain, does that help,
with -- with a Phase I of 224, and we'll come back for Phase II with an
amendment?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I'll have -- I can-- I'll comment
further on that when we get through the rest of your document.
There's a lot of other issues here that are startling, to say the least.
MR. ARNOLD: I think with that, unless there are other
questions of me, I would turn it over to Grady Minor to talk to you
about how we intend to -- storm water management on the site. Is that
okay?
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: That's okay, but let's -- do we
want to change right now? Let's change court reporters. That'll take a
couple of minutes.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Let me ask, Wayne, how much
longer is your presentation going to take?
MR. LAW: Give me 5 or 10 minutes. If you all have questions,
I'm sure --
MR. ARNOLD: We probably need 15 total minutes.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: All right. I think at the
conclusion of your presentation, we'll break for lunch for a half hour
or 45 minutes, so you may proceed.
MR. LAW: Mr. Chairman, members of the board, my name's
Patrick Law. I'm with Windover Housing Partners, Inc. We are
developers of affordable housing. It happens that we have already
constructed the project I'm about to show you in this very county on
Green Boulevard. The project's called Whistler's Green. And what
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I'm going to show you are pictures of this product. We've built it all
over the state. And just for the record, we also constructed another
project, which is called Whistler's Cove, which is a three-story
product. I want to be clear; we're not talking about Whistler's Cove.
We are not going to build a three-story product. We have no problems
whatever with restrictions that indicate that it will be a two-story
product.
As far as the pictures I'm showing you, that they can be built in
this county is evidenced by the fact that we've built this exact product
in this county on Green Boulevard. So you can rely on these pictures
as being accurate representations of what would be constructed, and
we're -- I could have brought a set of plans if I would have thought
that mattered, because they're all down at the building department,
approved also.
This building over here is a typical building. It's an eight-unit
building. There's a unit up -- upstairs, downstairs, upstairs,
downstairs, and the same thing on the other side of the building. All
the units have individual entries, very popular with people. It's much
more like a home than having these corridors down between the
buildings.
The size of the buildings range from a three-bedroom unit, which
has a footprint of about 1200 square feet, so that you would have a
building footprint of a little over 4,000 square feet down to -- this is a
two-story product -- I mean, two-bedroom product here. The two-
bedroom units are a thousand square feet, and then we have one-
bedroom units that are 850 square -- or 800 square feet, and the eight -
- one-bedroom units are always built as part of two-bedroom -- there
will be a one-bedroom on one side, two-bedroom on the other, so that
the buildings keep some architectural perspective.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Is that a four-plex there?
MR. LAW: It's an eight-plex.
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March 7, 2002
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Eight-plex.
MR. LAW: It's an eight-plex.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: That's the speaker.
MR. LAW: I beg your pardon?
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: That's eight?
MR. LAW: Yes, sir. There's actually -- you can't see it from this
angle, but there's two doors here. One door goes upstairs; one door
goes into the ground-floor unit. The same thing happens over here.
That gives us four. Then we have -- down in the middle of the
building is in effect a wall, and on the other side are four more. That's
where the eight come from.
The clubhouse looks like this. By the way, if you go over to
Whistler's Green, you'll see it's exactly the same color. And this is
what -- this particular picture is a clubhouse we did in Charlotte
County in Rotunda, but it's -- again, it's the same. This is a picture of
the back of the clubhouse. Same construction standards. It's all
stucco. A lot of builders don't always use all stucco. We do. We've
been doing it with all of our jobs.
This is just a picture of the inside of the clubhouse with -- I brought
these particular pictures because they happen to be professionally shot
and would show up well.
The site plan of Whistler's Green, which is on the screen up here --
this is a 168-unit apartment. It's on Green Boulevard. It is exactly the
same product that you're seeing pictures of here in bigger scale, and
the design is very similar to what we intend to do on 951. What will
happen is, the clubhouse presents itself as you enter. We go around.
And fortunately in Naples, when you dig a hole you get a lake, so we
like to put a lake in the middle to build the retention that way.
I would make two other comments so everybody has a little bit of
an understanding of the -- why it is this has to stay affordable. We get
what are called tax credits. Tax credits, in effect, is a -- there's a
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section of the code called Section 42 of the IRS code. If you qualify
and are granted the tax credits, you get -- let's call them $10 million in
tax credits. What that $10 million in tax credits does is, it pays -- you
sell them, American Express, various large profitable companies, and
use the tax credits. They pay you for the tax credits. So if you had 10
million in tax credits, they pay right now about $8 million. You take
the $8 million and use it to pay part of the $19 million cost of the
project. That $8 million which paid for that cost reduced the cost of
the property. That's how you're able to afford the lower rents to build
the property and be able to offer at lower rents.
You now have $11 million to carry. We'll call it -- you know,
financially as opposed to carrying $19 million. That allows you -- and
the bargain the government makes in return is that you can only
charge so much rent.
Collier County has an interest in having a certain percentage of
those units at various rental levels. The most that we can charge is 60
percent of the median income. Then we can charge 50 percent of the
median income so that people have to qualify on that basis also, so a
millionaire can't walk in and rent the unit in one of these jobs. They
have to meet -- they have to also have income that matches up with the
median income.
So an easy way of putting it is, if you make 60 percent of the
median income, you could live in one of the 60 percent units. If you
make 50 percent of the median income, you can live in one of the 50
percent units, and if you make -- I think 35 is our bottom one. Thirty-
five percent of the median income, then you get to live in one of the
35 percent units, and you pay a rent that's determined by the
government, but it's basically 35 percent of the median income
annualized, divided by 12.
The utilities get taken off of that, and that number is the amount
of money that we collect in rent. It's set by the government. It never
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changes except with changing years. And there are people, appliance
people, who come around and audit us every year, who insure -- they
come from the state. They come from the investor who wants to be
sure that these tax credits stay valid, because if we violate and have
people that are in there that are not supposed to be in there, what
happens is, we lose the tax credits. Somebody that paid $7 million for
the $9 million in tax credits, they're out a lot of money. So they have
an interest in being sure that these things are maintained.
The IRS comes around and looks to make sure everything is
right, because they want to be sure that everybody in compliance. The
people that do that for the IRS in this state are Florida Housing
Finance Corporation. That's the state arm which man -- which handles
the tax credits. So what I'm really trying to say is, they will stay the
way they are.
There's also something called a land-use restriction agreement.
We call it in the business, the LURA. That determines if we will in
fact build a clubhouse. When we apply up at the state, we'll say things
we do. We'll say we're going to do a clubhouse. We'll do that because
we get points for--
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Excuse me, sir. Direct your
comments to us, please. The audience can do the best they can to hear
it.
MR. LAW: Yes, sir. I beg your pardon.
When we make our application to the State, we end up telling
them what we're going to do, all in writing in the application. That
goes into the land-use restriction agreement. So if we see we're doing
a clubhouse, we have to do a clubhouse or we wouldn't be in
compliance. If we put in a swimming pool, put in a mail kiosk, put in
a playing field, all these things get set down. Like insulation that's put
into the building -- R-30 in the roofs, R-15 in the walls, R-11 -- 13, I
guess, would be the walls.
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The sear rating on the HVAC units, all of these type of things are
set down. They're put into land-use restriction agreement. That land-
use restriction agreement in Florida applies for 50 years. So in
50 years, this property will be a -- what's called -- we like to call it
work force housing. Call it affordable housing. That's what it will be.
Thank you very much.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Thank you. Any questions?
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: I have another question here.
How many acres is Whistler's Green? Do you know offhand?
MR. LAW: Whistler's Green is approximately -- I think it's
about 16 acres. And, by the way, this -- the first phase of this job
would be about 20.5 or 20.6. If you take 224 and divide it by 10.9,
that's how many acres the first phase would be.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: And that's 224?
MR. LAW: Two twenty-four.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN:
in Collier County?
MR. LAW: We've done two.
Whistler's Cove.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN:
US41?
MR. LAW: Yes.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN:
MR. LAW: Correct.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN:
apparently?
MR. LAW: Yes, they are.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN:
MR. LAW: Yes.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN:
MR. ARNOLD: Yes.
Have you done any other projects
We built Whistler's Green and
Whistler's Cove is the one up on
That's just north of Lely.
And they are stick built,
Asphalt shingles?
Minimum landscape standards?
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March 7, 2002
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I mean, the one in Green is,
because I drive by there every day. It's pretty stark, and I just was --
that's the same intent you'd be putting here? MR. LAW: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER STRA1N: Thank you.
MR. MINOR: Good afternoon. My name is Grady Minor. I'm a
registered professional engineer in the State of Florida. I've been
providing land development engineering services in Collier County for
over 20 years now.
This development is going to be designed to meet all the rules
and regulations of the South Florida Water Management District. One
of their requirements is that you design your primitive berms, your
lakes, your conveyance system, to meet up what they call a 25-year,
three-day storm event, which, over 72 hours, is 12.2 inches of rain in
this area.
You're allowed to bleed off a certain amount of the water that
falls in your property during the storm event, but they limit you to the
amount of-- the amount that you can discharge in a post development.
After you've developed, the state can't exceed what is discharged at a
predevelopment state.
The advantage you get from having a water management system
with lakes and pipes is that right now what falls on the property
saturates the soil, and then it begins to find the lowest areas to run
right off your property. There's no staging of it.
Once we develop a property with primitive berms, the lakes and
pipes, you actually store the water. You stack it up in your lakes, and
then you bleed it off at a constant rate over a certain period of time.
So rather than everything going off quickly, you've managed it, which
is an improvement to the neighbors and to the entire grading system.
I talked with your Collier County Storm Water Management
director, John Boldt --
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March 7, 2002
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: I think John's still here. Here he
is.
MR. MINOR: -- about this property and the drainage patterns in
the area. He informed me that we wouldn't be able to discharge any of
our water to Collier Boulevard, nor would we be able to discharge any
of our water to
US 41. He wanted us to collect everything eternally, manage it and
then discharge it to Henderson Creek on our east property boundary.
I mentioned to Mr. Boldt that Holiday Manor Park was our
neighbor to the south. He said he was well aware of their park that
he'd been there. And he and I are both aware that that park was
developed without meeting any of the rules or regulations of the South
Florida Water Management District because it was developed so long
ago.
I told Mr. Boldt that I thought we would be improving their
situation because right now the water that lands on our property, once
the soil's saturated, can move to the south or wherever it needs to
reach equilibrium and flow out to them and cause them additional
problems. And he agreed with me that, once our property was
developed, that it would actually be an improvement to the Holiday
Manor situation.
We've done some preliminary calculations on our water
management system. It's going to require a perimeter berm of
approximately 3 feet in height, so we'll be circling the developed
portion of the property with at least a 3-foot-high berm, and that
would include the common property line with Holiday Manor so that
none of our storm water would go onto their property unless, of
course, it exceeded that 12.2 inches over 72 hours.
We met with over a hundred residents of Holiday Manor just last
Friday afternoon, and we discussed this with them. They're very
concerned about their park and the drainage issues there. And they're
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March 7, 2002
concerned, of course, about what we might do and -- especially if we
were to cause them a greater problem than they already have.
I tried to assure them that we will not have a negative impact on
them and we will actually be improving the drainage situation.
So in summary, we're going to design everything to meet this
year 2002 drainage standards. We won't have a drainage problem, nor
will we create a drainage problem for any of our neighbors. So based
on that, I'm respectfully requesting that you approve this petition
before you today.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Henderson Creek is there to the
extreme right; is that right?
MR. MINOR: Henderson Creek is this water body. This is US
41, and this is the tidal weir on 41. This is Holiday Manor.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Right.
MR. MINOR: This is the property we're -- well, this is the
property we're talking about today, yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Does Henderson Creek then go
into Eagle Creek?
MR. MINOR: I'm not sure if it goes into
Eagle Creek. It goes into Rookery Bay. CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Rookery Bay.
MR. MINOR: I'm not sure if it becomes Eagle Creek before it
gets there.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: There's a canal that runs down
951.
here.
MR. MINOR: There is.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Where does it go?
MR. MINOR: It comes in right here. It becomes the headwaters
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Of Henderson Creek?
MR. MINOR: Yes. It flows across that weir and becomes
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March 7, 2002
Henderson Creek.
MR. MINOR: What's the NGVD elevation of your project; do
you know?
MR. MINOR: The areas that are crosshatched are just below 5
feet NGVD. The areas that are above are just above 5 feet NGVD.
It's the upland wetland difference.
So right now what happens is, once the soil saturates, most of the
water will find its way into the wetland area and will discharge off of-
- onto --
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: What is NGVD of the trailer
park?
MR. MINOR: They gave me some information, and they show
elevations as low as, on their roadways, 3.5.
George Lacombe is here from Holiday Manor and may know better.
He's giving me a sketch that shows ground elevations in the 3.5 to 4-
foot range.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Now, your associate talked about
creating a lake when you dig. Are you going to raise the level of the
land in the housing project?
MR. MINOR: We are definitely going to raise the level of the
land in our housing project. Our finished floors --
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: By how much?
MR. MINOR: By probably 3 1/2 feet above the existing ground.
We'll be in the 8 1/2- to 9-foot finished floor range on the units.
Minimum FEMA here is 7. But then we'll grate away from the
buildings, and the parking lots will have to meet the county's 25-year
three-day storm event, which is pretty high. We'll probably be
somewhere around 7 1/2 or 8.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: So you'll be perched, in effect, as
compared to the trailer park.
MR. MINOR: We'll be perched, in effect, compared to the trailer
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March 7, 2002
park. But remember that we will collect our water. None of it will go
directly off site until it goes through our dried retention quality system
through our lake for quantity, stack up in our lakes, and then it gets
discharged out into Henderson Creek only.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: "Lakes," plural?
MR. MINOR: I think "lakes" plural. The plan that we use --
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Okay. I see the second one there.
MR. MINOR: You have two. You almost always create about
10 percent of your total land area into lakes. It seems to work well
with -- that meets the storm-water requirements. It gives you a pretty
good amount of fill. It gives you pretty good-sized lakes.
So I would see, if we're talking the full 80 acres, 8 to 9 acres of
lakes.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: What drives it? The amount of
fill you need or--
MR. MINOR: Sometimes. If you have enough property, you can
-- you can dig enough lakes so that your cut and fill balances.
Sometimes you can do a combination of cut from the lakes and still
bring in offsite fill. And at 11 units per acre, you probably won't
balance your cut and fill.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
questions?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN:
Okay. Thank you. Any other
Grady, how do you -- where's your
outfall going to be for that -- for the one lake you show on the PUD
application?
MR. MINOR: Where or what?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Where?
MR. MINOR: On Henderson Creek. And, Mark, I would
imagine that we would discharge to a spreader swale, that we would
build right on the edge of the preserve so that it might be a few
hundred feet long rather than have a point discharge, and it would just
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March 7, 2002
sheet-flow across there into Henderson Creek.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: And you're going to use RCP, a
regular box to outfall or --
MR. MINOR: The box would probably be concrete, yes.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: The reason I'm asking is, the area
that you're going to run that pipe through and the area you're going to
put your spreader swale in are areas that are not disturbed farm fields,
which means you're creating issues on undisturbed lands that -- I go
back to my argument that EAC should have reviewed this particular
petition.
MR. MINOR: You're going to talk -- okay. If you want to talk
about that, we could -- preliminarily; we could discharge here across
there or limit it to the farm field. I understand what you're getting at
for Phase I. We could come into here possibly and discharge.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well, your argument --
MR. MINOR: But we don't have been any wetlands back there.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well, but the argument to avoid
DAC was that you're only going to be working in disturbed farm
fields. And while you made -- I don't know about the other fields.
They don't appear to have been disturbed in the past. I just want to
make sure that that's your intent, is that anything that's going to be
developed or disturbed is in areas that were previously developed and
disturbed.
MR. MINOR: Okay. Then I would say we would have a Phase I
discharge here and then move it over after we go to the AEC.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: And did -- excuse me.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Did your environmentalist come
here today?
MR. MINOR: No.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay. Who would be answering
questions concerning questions like that?
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March 7, 2002
MR. MINOR: Well, our environmentalist is Boylin
Environmental Consultants.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Did they do an environmental
survey on properties outside the farm fields? MR. MINOR: They just completed.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: So it's not part of this application?
MR. MINOR: No. But it's on this map. It's the crosshatch areas
that you see here. And the only areas that are within the boundary
we're showing you today are up here.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: What about the entry road area; do
you know?
MR. MINOR: I know that it's not wetland, because the only
wetlands are crosshatch. The entry road is here.
MR. BELLOWS: IfI may, Commissioner, those type of issues
would be addressed at the -- oh, excuse me. For the record Ray
Bellows.
Those issues would be addressed at the time of site development
plan, where the outfall would go at the time of PUD zoning as long as
they're not impacting the wetland area.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Yeah. But that's not my point,
Ray. The point I was trying to make was that, if they're impacting
wetlands, they just have to go to the EAC. And that's what I was
trying to point out, is that --
MR. MINOR: Well, we're not proposing to do that.
And
we can make it work.
MR. MINOR: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
Is that everything?
MR. YOVANOVICH: Yes, sir. Unless you have any questions
before you want to -- any questions of the team before you take a
break for lunch.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: He has a number, but I guess we'll
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March 7, 2002
break first. Let's shoot for one o'clock.
(A recess was had from 12:20 p.m. Until 1:02 p.m.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: I think the next order of business
is for Mr. Strain to propound some questions. This is the strained
period of the hearing.
MR. STRAIN: Actually, it's Wayne -- no offense to the legal
counsel, but Wayne might know-- have more of these answers. MR. YOVANOVICH: I prefer those kinds of questions.
MR. STRAIN: Wayne, in the PUD document, the statement of
compliance -- these are some issues we brought up yesterday.
Paragraph 3, fourth line up from the bottom, used the words, "Such
amendments might include addition of the 40 acres adjacent to the
west." And I asked you to use the word "shall" there instead of the
word "might," since that is supposed to be part of this project's overall
strategy.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Marjorie?
MS. STUDENT: I just wanted to state that I would prefer this
entire statement to be lifted and put out in a regulatory portion of the
document. It's in a statement of compliance. It says how it complies.
And reference can be made to the upcoming adoption of the plan
amendment there, too, but I want that regulatory effect. And I also
would like to have it in another part of the document.
And I concur on the --
MR. STRAIN: Okay. So what other part of the document would
you like it added to, Marjorie?
MS. STUDENT: Okay. Probably-- probably a
Section II project development.
MR. YOVANOVICH: Mr. Strain?
MR. STRAIN: Yes?
MR. YOVANOVICH: I don't think we're talking -- speaking
from the same PUD document. Could you hang on a second.
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March 7, 2002
MR. STRAIN: Oh. Well, that would be interesting if we're not.
MR. YOVANOVICH: Well, there was some revisions that staff
has requested. I think -- I thought that statement you were referring to
was something that's been added by staff. Is that correct, Mr.
Bellows?
MR. BELLOWS: I didn't catch the first part of that.
MR. STRAIN: On the statement of compliance, Roman -- little
Roman numeral-- little "i," triple "i" on the first or second page of the
PUD document, there's a paragraph 3. Starts with the words,
"Henderson Creek PUD."
MR. BELLOWS: Yes?
MR. STRAIN: That's the paragraph that I referred to.
MR. YOVANOVICH: You've got it.
MR. STRAIN: Wayne, this is one of the comments I made to
you yesterday as well.
MR. ARNOLD: Yes. I -- I don't think we have a problem with
that at all, except I think we need to reference -- somehow we need to
contemplate its approval, or subject to its approval of the comp plan
amendment we will make these modifications.
MR. STRAIN: Well, then that has a concern to me, because the
whole basis of which you're putting this through is the fact that you're
going to come back and modify it based on the comp plan amendment.
Now, if you're going do leave this as a stand-alone project, then we
need to reconsider the way it's evaluated so I'm pleased in my mind.
MR. ARNOLD: Well, I guess the only way I can answer that,
Mr. Strain, is simply that, should the Board of County Commissioners
tell us that they don't want us to adopt the plan amendment that was
called the
Henderson Creek Mixed-Use District that was inclusive of this
regional component as well as the residential component -- if they
choose not to adopt it, we're still left with a project that is consistent
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with the current growth management plan today at the 11 units per
acre that is proposed.
So I -- I don't know. I might defer to Marjorie Student on that
issue on how we would clarify for the record. I don't know that I can
say that I'm going -- my -- my biggest concern would be simply that if
the board chooses not to adopt and I say that I am going to amend it, I
-- I don't have a basis for amending it if the plan amendment's not
adopted.
MR. STRAIN: Well, then, Wayne, if we use language that if
adopted --
MS. STUDENT: I think we could use some conditional language
that says, "upon adoption" or if-- "if adopted" or "upon adoption."
MR. ARNOLD: That's fine. I think that there needs to be that
clarification.
MR. STRAIN: But that also brings in the concern that this
project, then, is a real -- really a stand-alones project. And the way the
county commission transmitted the GNP documents was that the big
box was -- and the approvals on that were based on a comprehensive
document. So I'm not sure that we've gained anything by what you're
doing, but I'll definitely go forward with it.
MR. ARNOLD: Well, again, it goes back to the issue of this
residential component coming ahead of the game, because we have
this tax-credit deadline looming. It was always our intent to have this
residential component.
It's unfortunate that we can't bring it back all at the same time, but it's
certainly our intent to do that.
MR. STRAIN: Well, I'm in disagreement that you couldn't have
done this in a more timely manner, so -- we don't need to get into that,
because that's not productive right now.
MR. ARNOLD: I'm sorry. I missed it. Did she reference which
section we should--
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MS. STUDENT: I mentioned Section II. I believe it's called
Project Development.
MR. ARNOLD: Thank you.
MR. STRAIN: Are you guys ready?
MR. ARNOLD: Yes.
MR. STRAIN: Okay. Wayne, Page 2-2, Item H, talks about the
prototypical model homes.
MR. ARNOLD: Right.
MR. STRAIN: Would you explain to me what you did yesterday
just so it's on record what your intent on that last statement is.
MR. ARNOLD: I think what we said there is, in the event that
there were multiple dwelling types that were developed, that would
contemplate that we would have those. I -- I don't think we have a
problem with striking that language.
MR. STRAIN: That's what I was going to ask.
MR. ARNOLD: It probably makes it just as easy, because I think
the way we're headed, we're going to end up with one -- one dwelling
type. And if we don't, we can certainly live without having multiple
units in the--
MR. STRAIN: So the last sentence in H would be stricken?
MR. ARNOLD: Correct.
MR. STRAIN: On 2.4-A, under roadways, the last sentence there
references gates. Per discussion, you had intended those gates to be at
the entrance to the residential elements, not to the -- the main road.
There needs to be some clarification then, because that's not what
comes out of that paragraph.
MR. ARNOLD: We'll just add a whole new sentence there that
would reference that the proposed loop road shall be open to the
public and shall not be gated, or something to that effect.
MR. STRAIN: It doesn't become a loop road, though, unless it's
tied into the GNP that's going through that.
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MR. ARNOLD: Well, so a primary access road shall remain
open.
MR. STRAIN: I'm wondering how staff is going to keep track of
all this and produce a new document for BCC review.
MR. BELLOWS: We're writing it down as we speak.
MR. STRAIN: On Page 2.7 -- or 2-3, Item 2.7, there's a lot of
references in here to minor changes and refinements and how they are
to be looked at, whose authority can make those, such as the
development services director. That entire section, in my opinion, is
inappropriate. I think the limits that you can change things according
to the ULDC is as far as it needs to be, and that document speaks for
itself. I'm not sure we need to be redundant, nor do we add -- need to
add any flexibility that isn't already in the code.
MS. STUDENT: And I had a note here to address this, because I
reviewed this against the code. And it appears there's some additions
to what the code references as these very minor changes. So --
MR. ARNOLD: I think we're more than happy to live with what
the LDC says, if that makes it easier for all involved.
MR. STRAIN: Then 2.7 would basically just come out or just
stand as a small ref-- a minor reference to the ULDC?
MR. ARNOLD: Right. And I think the first -- first section that
references Section 2.7 or 3.5 of the Land Development Code is all that
we -- need be retained that says this is the process by how an
amendment is structured.
MR. STRAIN: 2.8, common area maintenance. There's the
reference to the CDD. And I know we've spoke about it. And for the
record, I need to know what your position is on that.
MR. ARNOLD: I think as Mr. Yovanovich tried to point out, it's
another funding mechanism. I'm not so sure we don't have that
mechanism in our PUD, so I think we can delete any references to the
CDD.
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MR. STRAIN: On 2.9-B, I'm just -- this is a point of
clarification. The fence or wall, maximum height is 6 feet as
measured from the finished floor elevation of the nearest residential
structure. Then the words, "within the development."
I think someone testified or stated that the Holiday Manor areas
are 5 1/2 or 3.5. If you're going to be at 7.5, and you're 6 feet above
that finished floor, you're going to be 13-1/2 feet with this wall. Now,
in -- compared to the Holiday Manor side. And I just wanted to make
sure on the record, if anybody is here from Holiday Manor, they
understand they're going to have a wall of that height along their
northern property line or something close to that.
MR. ARNOLD: Well, I think for clarification purposes, the
physical wall itself would be 6 feet. It could be placed on top of the 3-
foot-high berm, for instance, that we're contemplating, and I think
that's what we represented to them.
We -- or they tell us that they want the wall on the property line
on their side of the berm. Do they want it on top of the berm; would
they like it on our side of the berm, and then we structure our
landscape vegetation on the berm. Then that way, they may not even
see the wall at all, but they still get the security issue that they were
hoping to achieve.
So you may want to -- we're willing to do any of those.
Whatever is most, I guess, appropriate to the residents of Holiday
Manor.
MR. STRAIN: When the presentation was made to Holiday
Manor, which one of those plans did you use to explain the project to
them?
MR. ARNOLD: We showed both. We've talked to them about
the full option of having the entire project there that was contemplated
with the plan amendment, and then we've also discussed with them
this residential component on its own.
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MR. STRAIN: Okay. Because I was wondering their reaction.
But if they saw that whole project, including the big boxes in the front
MR. ARNOLD: Yes, they have.
MR. STRAIN: On 2-5, Item G, that references a chain-link
fence, which I understand is not a condition now. We're going to a
structural fence.
MR. ARNOLD: We committed to them that we would do a
precast concrete fence 6 feet in height.
MR. STRAIN: Item 2.10, fill storage. The first paragraph, the
third line from the bottom, "Stockpiling in these locations, developers
shall notify the County Community Development Environmental
Services administrator."
I told you yesterday I thought that ought to be changed to either
"request permission from" or "obtain permission from" to put those
stockpiles there.
MR. ARNOLD: I think if we simply put, "The developer shall
obtain approval by Collier County Community Development
Environmental Services administrator."
MR. STRAIN: That will work. And on item B, your stockpile
maximum height, I asked if you could consider a limitation on that for
a time frame. I don't -- dirt sitting there along the roadway forever
wouldn't be a sightly thing to see. And did you come back -- did you
talk to anybody to --
MR. ARNOLD: Excuse me for one second. I think what Grady's
indicated to me, we've done some number crunching. We would
reduce the height from 30 feet to 20 feet, not to exceed one year for
any stockpile.
MR. STRAIN: On page 2-6, item 2.13, general permitted uses,
your first sentence, "Certain uses shall be considered general permit
uses throughout the Henderson Creek PUD except in the conservation
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areas.
The problem is, on your master plan, you show no conservation
areas. So what is it that we're talking about here? Are you going to
change that language?
MR. ARNOLD: Yes. I think we should change that language to
say "preserve/open space," as it's referenced in the document
otherwise.
MR. STRAIN: Item A-3 on the same page, you're requesting
temporary sewage treatment facilities. I think that that should be
taken out.
MR. ARNOLD: We can do that.
MR. STRAIN: Item A-10, again, it allows flexibility as
determined by the planning services director. That should come out.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Excuse me, Mark. The two items
just before that, Number 8 and Number 9, the sections cited don't
support the propositions. I think that something was added along the
way. 2-11 should be 2-9 and 2-12 should be 2-10.
MR. ARNOLD: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Excuse me.
MR. STRAIN: On, no. Thank you for that.
On page 2-7, the top of the page, "Unless otherwise set forth in this
document, the following development standards shall apply to the
structures."
And as we spoke yesterday, these standards contradict the table
you have, so I believe you're going to suggest some language to be
added after the word "structure" is accepting table one. MR. ARNOLD: That's correct.
MR. RICHARDSON: Mark, in that same paragraph -- Wayne?
MR. ARNOLD: Yes, sir?
MR. RICHARDSON: I didn't quite understand what"minimum
floor area, none required" -- "minimum lot or parcel area, none
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required."
MR. ARNOLD: For instance -- these are other uses
contemplated. For instance, if you go to the prior page and it talks
about guardhouses, gatehouses, recreational facility, we just haven't
established a minimum floor area for that. That's pretty typical
generic language that you'll see in most PUDs.
MR. STRAIN: And 2-14, Open Space Requirements, the third
line. "Preserves lakes, recreation tracks and buffers as open space,"
and it says they'll be identified in the PUD master plan. There weren't
any recreation tracts identified in the plan that we have. Are you --
Have you -- are you going to be identifying those?
MR. ARNOLD: Well, I think we can doing two things: We can
simply label the recreation area that we show with the pool area on the
master plan as recreation, or we could simply take out the reference to
recreation under the open-space requirements. And I think that, either
way, it's a -- it cleans up the document to make it perfectly clear. I
don't think it has a bearing on the open-space requirement issue,
because it's in the LDC that you'll include it.
MR. STRAIN: My preference would be to leave it in so it's
another element that has to be defined and built rather than take it out
and leave that up in the air.
MR. ARNOLD: If we do that, then I would just add a label to
the PUD master plan.
MR. STRAIN: The -- page 2-8, item 2-18, substitutions to
subdivision design standards. I think when we talked yesterday; you
agreed that none of those should be applicable to the loop road or the
potential loop road.
MR. ARNOLD: Correct. We're fine with that. They would
meet all county minimums with the primary service road or loop road,
however we're going to refer to that.
MR. STRAIN: On 3-2, Number 7 needs to be struck.
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It, again, provides flexibility for the planning services director. MR. ARNOLD: That's not a problem.
MR. RICHARDSON: Back on the previous page, Mark.
The cul-de-sacs -- what does our current code say that the cul-de-sacs
-- they can only be how long?
MR. ARNOLD: I believe that number's a thousand feet.
MR. RICHARDSON: And this would allow you to go more than
a thousand feet by having this language in here? MR. ARNOLD: Yes.
MR. RICHARDSON: Do you anticipate having to do that?
MR. ARNOLD: I'm not certain, but I can tell you that a lot of the
fire codes dictate how long your cul-de-sacs will be and whether or
not you have to put in -- the real issue for length of cul-de-sacs was
getting fire apparatus and things of that nature in, and we'll have to
provide appropriate tumarounds if we were to exceed the thousand-
feet entry.
MR. STRAIN: The table on 3-3, I'm not sure on what the best
direction is to do on this table. I know that multifamily dwellings
were the issue at hand in order to get the density. My preference is not
to see that kind of density put on that property. By eliminating all the
single-family aspects of this page, you definitely lock yourselves into
mandatory affordable housing and higher densities.
In our discussions today, we -- we talked about making sure that
it was nonflexible, that we locked it in to 500 units. And thinking
about it this past hour or so, I'm not sure that's the best thing to do for
an outcome that might be best for the area. And I kind of wanted to
see what the board thought about it on that particular point, if there's
any other feelings on that whole thing. Because, by locking this
project into the 500 units on the affordable housing agreement, we
lock it into multifamily and affordable housing, where that may not be
the most desirable -- this may not be the best location for that.
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CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: I tend to agree.
MR. RICHARDSON: I've seen the renderings, though, and I'm
satisfied with the quality of this project as it's depicted and built in
Collier County. And I think the need is so omnipresent -- and you
certainly know those terms better than I do -- that I would go for as
much as they could get.
MR. STRAIN: The only problem I have, Dwight, is, I've driven
past every -- in fact, I drive past daily the Green Boulevard project,
and I didn't know it was this company's project. I am not impressed
with it. I also know that the east Naples area is generally an area that
is getting a lot of affordable housing, more than its share in the county.
The problem with that is, when people relocate or locate in east
Naples and they work in north Naples and they work in Pelican Bay,
and they work in the other -- in Marco Island or anywhere else, they
have to put an inordinate burden on our infrastructure system to get to
where they really need to go to work.
At the same time, it puts an additional cost on the people living
there to making sure that their means to get there is a way that is
dependable enough to get them to work each day.
So those are two basic concepts that -- the whole location bothers
me because of its concentration in an area already saturated.
COMMISSIONER MIDNE: I disagree. East Naples does not
have more than its share of affordable housing. We have more than
our share in Immokalee.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay. We can argue. And I think
Golden Gate does, too, for that matter. So I think there's three areas in
the county maybe where it's concentrated, Paul, and I think it needs it -
- and where there is a committee right now underway in Collier
County to figure out a way to spread it more evenly across the county.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: That young man that worked for
the county this morning with the little minuscule red dots, there wasn't
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a preponderance of them in east Naples.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: He's looking at the red dots in a
different manner than what I would have referred to as housing that is
affordable. I mean --
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Okay. All right.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: I think we'd have a hard time
getting affordable housing next to Pelican Bay, though.
MR. RICHARDSON: Well, actually, I live in Pel -- in Naples
Park, and that's exactly what we're planning. And that's right next-
door.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: The room will be more filled than
this.
MR. RICHARDSON: Well, I'm here.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Well, Mark, if you reduce the
5 -- the Number 500, is there a proportionate reduction in the density
bonus?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: That's what I asked Cormack
earlier, and I think he's still here.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: That's what I tried to ask, too.
Probably we haven't phrased it properly.
MR. CORNELL: Imagine this project could still qualify for the
maximum density bonus at a threshold of less than 500 affordable
units.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: How much would that be?
MR. CORNELL: It would vary, depending on how affordable
those units were held.
During the break, I was crunching some numbers. If there were a
225-unit development, it would still qualify for eight bonus units per
acre.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: For a 500-unit total --
MR. CORNELL: Correct.
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CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: -- developments?
MR. CORNELL: Correct.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Are you familiar with this award
or whatever this money situation is that the developer has an
opportunity to obtain?
MR. CORNELL: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Is that based on unit count?
MR. CORNELL: That is based on how affordable they promise
to keep the -- the project, and it is based on how many affordable units
are in the project, yes.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I mean, if they were to get
225 affordable units instead of 500, would they still get the full, say, 5
MR. CORNELL: No. They would not receive the maximum
they would qualify for.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: So they're driven in the opposite
direction. They're driven to put more affordable in by that formula.
MR. CORNELL: They are driven, and the Housing
Improvement Department is driven to maximize the number of
affordable units in the county.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay. That just helps with further
discussions.
Wayne, we talked about the table yesterday that we're on right
now. And I had pointed out some distance issues between structures.
Did you look at that any further and come back with anything, or --
MR. ARNOLD: I did. I think the numbers -- it gets a little bit
complicated in the application. I think a lot of it is going to be non-
applicable going towards more multifamily. But I think what we were
trying to achieve -- for instance, your reference was to the zero or six-
foot side yard setback that was shown for the patios zero lot line, two-
family and single-family attached and its potential or -- potential
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conflict or appearance of conflict with the minimum distance between
structures, which is 5 feet or 10 feet.
And the way that table was meant to be structured is that you end
up on a side yard setback. You're either at the zero line or a minimum
of six.
I know I've heard Mr. Abernathy, on many occasions; say he
doesn't like the 5-foot side yard setback for some of the smaller lots.
So--
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: I don't even like 6.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: They want 6 to avoid you, Ken.
MR. ARNOLD: So we went to 6. That number is something
that tends to work without changing the building footprint for some of
these more typical zero lot line patio homes.
The reference to the minimum distance between structures 5 or
10, I think in either case, you've exceeded it. So in those particular
instances, it may not even be applicable, and I think you might be able
to put "NA" under patio zero lot line and single-family attached, or
distance between--
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Well, frankly, I -- I don't imagine
that the average person living in affordable housing expects the
setbacks that are obtained in the Moorings or Park Shore. Just not --
not the way things work.
MR. ARNOLD: Correct. That is the case. And one of the other
comments you had, Mr. Strain, was in reference to the fact that the
footnote references the distances between principle structures are not
inclusive of garages. And I think I talked to you in the context that
you may end up with a bay of four attached garages, only to find that
you end up with two interior courtyard residential units that have to
meet guideline separation, but the garages technically would not have
to.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay. And as far as the board
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goes, I just -- if this does go forward, I'd rather it went forward with
this table in than out, only because, if we get something besides mid --
I mean, besides multifamily, it's still better to have some opportunity
to do that.
MR. ARNOLD: And I think while we're on that table, one of the
things I heard Mr. Law commit to you all is that he would build only
two-story structures.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Yeah.
MR. ARNOLD: The reference in here is to basically -- I don't
think it's in the table, but it's in the section. I think we might want to
go back and take out the "35 feet not to exceed three stories" to say
"two stories maximum."
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: That's -- I would agree with that.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Marjorie, are you all right leaving
the table in as is?
MS. STUDENT: Yes, I am.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: On page 4-1, the general
description, 4.2, "Preserve open space on the master plan designed to
accommodate conservation, passive recreation and water management
uses and functions."
Seeing as how some of those preserved open spaces are wetlands,
the assumption here would be -- and I think I talked to you about
putting some general language in that any intrusion into any areas
outside the farm fields would be something that the EAC would -- in
the whole process would have -- you'd have to go through the regular
process to get approval. Do you recall that conversation?
MR. ARNOLD: I do. And that was in reference, I think, to -- we
talked about making a more general statement up in the purposes, as
opposed to what staff has drafted as Section 4.3, Item Number 4, that
said that we were -- we can't exceed 300 dwelling units until we're
subject to review and approval by the county for environmental impact
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statement PUD amendment.
That in itself contemplates the EAC review, but we need to make
that more clear, and I think we have no problem limiting ourselves to
the impacted area for the residential development unless we go back
through this process.
MS. STUDENT: I have a question about that as it's presently
configured in the PUD. I'm assuming that what will happen when the
PUD amendment comes in, because you don't usually put residential-
type development in the preserve or open space. If the amended PUD
will show this as coming up on the master plan as a residential area
where these units go, and then the preserve open space area be
reconfigured in some way.
MR. ARNOLD: And let me explain to you why we put it there,
because we didn't want somebody -- we know -- we hope, with
approval, that we would be back in modifying this at some point in the
future to add the commercial and maybe the future phase of
residential. We didn't want to show pictures of something that implied
that this was always going to be preserve and then come back and
somebody think we did the bate-and-switch.
We simply wanted to note on our plan that this was going to be a
future development area that today will remain as preserve.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: But see, the fact that you're
bringing it up now, telling us that it's going to be a future development
area, more lends to the argument it should have gone through EAC
now instead of later.
MR. ARNOLD: Well, they will get their bite at that apple at the
time that we propose an impact to it.
MR. BELLOWS: If it went to the -- excuse me. For the record,
if it went to EAC, then we would not be at this meeting today.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: My point exactly. That's a good
point.
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MR. BELLOWS: And that's the reason why this language is put
in here, to keep it undevelopable and as a preserve area until they do
submit a DIS.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well, Ray, I'm -- I thought -- I
think it should have gone through the whole system. That's my --
MR. BELLOWS: Sure.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: -- point. And the fact that it didn't
and we're here today, it just voided the system. And you can do it with
tricks and smoke and mirrors, which is what's happening. I'm just not
in favor of it. That's all.
What I would suggest, if you're not going to go into the reserve
and open space areas without a PUD amendment and without going
through the process, then why don't we eliminate any references to the
residential areas, since you can't do those anyway without coming
back through the whole system? So we would take out A-4 and 4.4,
because you won't need development standards either at that point or
development standards for shelters.
MR. ARNOLD: Yeah. I think that would be applicable for some
of those other permitted uses and structures.
But I think -- again, my only fear of taking that reference out is simply
one of somebody reading this document and saying, hey, wait a
second. You guys told us this was a preserve area and, you know,
now you're back in asking to put some residential development over
there, and we think we got hoodwinked. And I don't want that
implication to be there because we're trying to be very upfront about
how we got to the point we are.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: When you talked to the
Holiday Manor people and you showed them that green plan there, did
they know there was going to be residential in that area that's not
shown?
MR. ARNOLD: I hope I made that abundantly clear, because we
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also showed them the other plan as well that showed two phases. So I
hope that they would certainly tell you that we did talk about that.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Maybe -- hopefully someone from
Holiday Manor is here today, too, so we can see how they feel about
it.
I'm not quite comfortable with A-4 but, I mean, let me chew on it
a bit, and I'm sure the other members have their opinions on it as we
go forward.
The -- page 5-2, item c, you reference Section 2.4. I think that
entire section -- we were going to drop that end of it because 2.4 is
your roadway reference. It's not a -- not a water utility reference.
MS. MURRAY: Could you repeat that again.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Page 5-2, item c, second line,
references Section 2.4. 2.4 is roadways, not sanitary sewer and water
system.
MR. ARNOLD: That's correct.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: The Water Management, under
5.5-A, the first line is redundant. You can't get a permit unless you
meet that language. And subject to possible changes in the future, I'd
just as soon that language came out and you were subject to South
Florida Water permit requirements, period.
MR. ARNOLD: We do reference that. And for everyone's
benefit, it references the fact our design storm is a 25-year three-day
duration event, which is the design standard of the district. But I don't
think there's an objection to take that language out.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: It is for now. You're in a flood
zone. You're below US 41, which means you can't have hurricane
evacuation centers on your property because of a storm surge. I'm just
wondering how you addressed the hurricane issue on this project.
MR. ARNOLD: I don't think we are addressing a hurricane issue
on the project because, in Collier County, the emergency preparedness
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standards -- again, on DRI-level reviews, there's hurricane
preparedness. Otherwise, the countywide application for storm
shelters are there.
I mean, our elevations, we've developed above the hundred-year
storm. The minimum elevation requirement on this property is 7 feet
in an 8 to 7 flood zone.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: You're going to be putting
500 units, say, 2 1/2 bodies per unit. That's 1250 people. I'm just
wondering, number one, based on traffic, how will they ever get out of
there. But once they did, where would they go? Have you-- have you
got any work on some offsite improvements of offsite contributions to
help hurricane--
MR. ARNOLD' We have not specifically for this project. I did
rezone the -- I worked on the
Winding Cypress DRI, which is just on the east and north across US
41. And on that particular project, there was a cash payment in lieu of
actual physical improvements anywhere to make storm shutters and
some other facilities available at the Laurel Oak Elementary up on
County Road 951, Collier Boulevard. That review normally does not
occur for a sub-DRI project.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Let's see. 5.6 -- and I'm almost
done, fellows. I'm trying. The same page, 5.6 environmental, item B,
you reference conservation/preservation areas. You don't show either
on your master plan. You just need to revise that language to conflict
-- or be concurrent with the master plan.
The last line of that same one talks about scheduling the removal
of exotic vegetation. I think that's clearly addressed in your building
permits. And the building department handles that at the time of CO,
so I'm not sure you need to have any special dispensation there.
MR. ARNOLD: I'll be happy to strike.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: And that's the last of my concerns
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about the PUD document.
MR. ARNOLD: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Did any of that raise any
questions? Mr. Midne?
COMMISSIONER MIDNE: I still am confused about how you
can fit 500 units on 45 acres at 11 units per acre. That comes out to
about 495 units. That's if you use every single acre. And so I don't
see where you have any room left for wetlands, lakes, conservation
areas, open space or commercial. That's my first question.
MR. ARNOLD: Well, the commercial component comes into
play when we end up with an 85-ace project, so the
45 we're looking at, net densities for multifamily housing that are 9 to
12 units per acre are not unreasonable to build physically and still
meet your water management open-space requirements.
Single-family -- for instance, I'm looking at a number of four to
six units per acre. But for multifamily housing, I can build 9 to 11
units per acre net without a problem at all.
COMMISSIONER MIDNE: You'll still have open space?
MR. ARNOLD: We will still be mandated to have open space,
yes.
COMMISSIONER MIDNE: How many eight-plexes are you
going do fit onto one acre?
MR. ARNOLD: I don't know that I can tell you that number.
Grady, do you have any --
MR. MINOR: We haven't gotten that far.
MR. ARNOLD: I don't think we've gotten to that point where I
can tell you how many of those eight-plexes would fit per acre.
COMMISSIONER MIDNE: It's just hard for me to imagine.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Wayne, could you ask one --
answer one other question I have? And that is, is this affordable
segment, this housing segment of this overall project going to be sold
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off?.
MR. ARNOLD: It's my understanding -- and I can be corrected
by the owner, but it's the affordable housing developer that will be
purchasing this property to develop it from the applicant deed.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: So the applicant and everything
that we're doing today, basically it's going to be passed on to -- to
another potential buyer.
MR. ARNOLD: Right. Our clients, the applicants, are not
affordable-housing developers. That's why they partnered with one to
bring this project forward.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN:
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
Mr. Yovanovich still over there?
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER:
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
Thank you.
Okay. Thank you.
Not right now. He stepped out.
Okay. You have -- speaking for
the team, then, you have nothing further at this point? MR. ARNOLD: That's correct.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: You reserve the right to --
MR. ARNOLD: We would like to come back and address
anything that's raised by the planning commissioners or the public
during their discussion.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Well, the public, at least -- once
we close the public hearing, I'm not inclined to have you address what
the planning commission discusses among themselves.
MR. ARNOLD: I thought maybe you meant in discourse with
the residences.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Of course. Okay. Are we ready
to hear from the public?
MS. MURRAY: We are.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: We are.
MS. MURRAY: We are. The first speaker is going to be Mario -
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March 7, 2002
- I'll spell the last name for you -- C-u-r-i-a-l-e. Doesn't look like he's
here.
Second one is Sylvia -- I'll spell it for you. It's
G-o-u-l-d-e-s-b-r-o-u-g-h. Gouldesbourgh. Is Sylvia here? Come up.
MS. GOULDESBROUGH: Good afternoon. My name's
Sylvia Gouldesbrough. I'm from Holiday Manor co-op, which is next
door to the planned development. We're a senior community, very
elderly, and we're concerned about two things: Traffic and drainage.
Maybe there are other concerns, but those are the ones I've heard most
about.
There's going to be a light, we understand, on 951 opposite Eagle
Creek. But even so, we think there will be about a thousand cars on
the road extra if we go ahead with this development. That makes it
very difficult for us to get out from our turning on Henderson Creek
Drive.
The second thing, of course, is -- is the drainage. I've heard
Grady talk about where the water's going to go, but I'm very
concerned, because I know that when there's a three-day storm and
lots of rain, the wind affects the tide, and if the water empties into the
creek, it won't be able to get out sometimes, which means that we'll be
flooded.
What's more, on 951, the water gully there, the state roads build
for us -- or rather, for the roads that holds the water will not be able to
get out at the bridge, because the tide is still up and water's coming
from the development further up, the one that's planned.
So I ask the commissioners, please do not allow this planned
development to go forward and to reduce the zoning back to where it
was. Thank you.
MS. MURRAY: Next speaker is Patrick Law.
MR. LAW: That was me. I thought I had to fill one of those out.
Sorry.
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MS. MURRAY: Okay. KenDrum.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: He's gone.
MS. MURRAY: Bob Murray.
MR. MURRAY: Yes. Commissioners, I have prepared remarks,
if I may.
Good afternoon to you all. My name is Bob Murray. I am a
citizen of Naples not far from locality of Henderson Creek, and I'm
also the secretary of the East Naples Civic Association and cochair of
the Economic Development Committee.
First, let me be clear: I am not against affordable housing. And
we, the East Naples Civic Association, whom I represent, are not
against affordable housing. I do not and we do not, however, support
this effort to build a very large number of affordable housing units in
the area known alternatively as south or east Naples for the following
reasons: Already serious traffic issues will be exacerbated, and the
problems that result from them will negatively and unnecessarily
impact adjoining communities' quality of life.
Traffic patterns at the general location of the proposed
development at the very major intersection of Tamiami Trail East and
Collier Boulevard are already severe, and with just the addition of the
Home Depot and the inevitable ancillary development that such a store
brings has more than issues and concerns for safety at this location.
The county's transportation administrator seeks to make Collier
Boulevard a limited access roadway from approximately 1-75 to the
State Road 41 intersection. Vehicular traffic, comfortable at 55 miles
plus, approaching this intersection from the north, will have to pattern
from high speed to restricted speed in a very short distance in time.
As accidents are inevitable at any intersection, just think what the
additional traffic loads will do. They're guaranteed to raise the
number, frequency and the mortality as the result.
Although we are pleased that Home Depot will soon build in the
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area proximate to the proposed Henderson Creek development,
nevertheless, we are concerned about that resulting traffic, let alone
the added traffic from 300 to 500 units, where an estimated additional
1250 residents. So please, don't rush to approve this project until
adequate studies reveal true impact.
With the intensity of traffic resulting there, County Road 951 and
State Road 41 will soon look very much like what Pine Ridge and
Airport-Pulling intersections and approaches are today: A quagmire,
but of tar. And I know of no one who thinks otherwise.
And what about storms? Hurricanes, tornados and tropical
depressions that bring huge amounts of rainwater and flooding and
high winds that destroy improvements and injure and kill people.
So I ask, inasmuch as 951 and 41 are evacuation routes, what is
the impact of this added burden, this unbelievable congestion and the
consequences that will, make no distake -- will manifest when an
event occurs.
What about offsite shelters to serve this added population
burden? Is the county ready for this? How many injured or stand
without clothes of food will be left to the elements because no
consideration of these factors was made?
What about medical facilities and emergency services? Can they
support large areas of these lands cut off by the flooding from tidal
surge alone? And isn't this an area of tidal surge zone? With most
properties built on filled lots of 4 to 6 or less feet above sea level, what
about the disaster resulting from flooding -- Loss of property, loss of
life -- as erosion takes away the underpinning of buildings.
Can we not serve the community by planning for the essential
contingencies, rather than playing catch-up later when lives are at
stake? Wouldn't that be worth waiting for? And speaking of
wetlands, in -- is the entire tract the developer intends for the building
of some 500 units on acreage defined as farm fields actually farm
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fields or is it possible, even probable, that access roads will have to
cross wetlands to facilitate ingress and egress? With such a large area,
incursion into protected acreage seems inevitable. We must be sure
that the Environmental Advisory Council gives approval before
building is permitted. Has this been requested? If not, why not? Isn't
it standard procedure to verify developers' claims? I understand that
the PUD submitted shows development going well into the protected
acreage, and that was offered for a plan to build only 300 units.
Procedures established for the review process called for a
minimum period of two weeks between planning commission and
county commission hearings. This is to permit a proper review and
consideration of all the facts disclosed in the review approval process.
In this case, it's just two business days. Why are they rushing? Does
this commission know whether all the required documentation and
reviews for accuracy and completeness have been done? Assertions
by the developer aside, can this commission act to approve if it does
not know? Has county staff at all levels and in all departments that
must review and approve done so?
Finally, the BOCC approved a new work-force housing
commission some three to five months ago; however, the commission
has not been formed yet. Shouldn't this request for approval wait for
consideration from that organization? If groundbreaking is not
intended in the year 2002, but instead in the year '03 or '04, why are
we rushing to make this happen now? What benefit will the citizens,
through the representatives of the county, Collier County government,
derive from this very time-driven request for approval process?
The developer seeks approval today, but it will derive certain
financial awards from the state, especially due to increased density
that results from changes in the original plan ratios. It is my
understanding that there are new ratios that raise the number of
planned units from somewhere in the neighborhood of 350 to 500.
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There is a rather large chunk of money to be gained from this
immediate approval. No one suggests that builders be denied fair
profit from their work. This let's-get-it-done-today approach of the
builder, however, seeks state credits for -- that are permitted by law,
providing approval is given by a certain day. Is this a usual fair-profit
approach, especially when the stakes are so high? I mean, people's
lives.
The builder has had plenty of time to assure it got it right. It is
assumed that it had financial wherewithal to employ professionals to
draw its plans, research codes and statutes and take the necessary steps
to assure that it conformed to all county requirements before coming
to the commission for approval to proceed.
In the course of its planning, it may have received advice that
caused it to delay. It may have vacillated and misspent precious time
that could have otherwise caused it to succeed in the allotted time
frame. It may have -- it is also assumed that it offered adjacent
citizens an opportunity to see what is going to be a good neighbor by
making certain that all issues were on the table for all to see.
Insofar as I know, their required paperwork was not complete or
correct as recently as March 5. Public hearings? What does that say?
Respectfully, Bob Murray. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Questions of Mr. Murray?
MS. MURRAY: George Lacombe?
MR. LACOMBE: I've already requested -- excuse me.
My name is George Lacombe from Holiday Manor, and I've already
sent you a packet that I'd be addressing your meeting here. Do you
want me to read those documents or just to carry on from the
documents?
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Why don't you just summarize for
the record--
MR. LACOMBE: All right.
Page 13 8
March 7, 2002
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: -- if you can do that.
MR. LACOMBE: Our greatest concern at Holiday Manor is
flooding. On your screen there, you see a picture of some of the
flooding from September where we had a five-inch rain. And the --
we are told that these problems have been solved by 951, which is the
highway department. Collier County -- or Collier Boulevard, they
replaced the tiles in -- underneath the Henderson Creek Drive and said
that that should solve our problem. Obviously it hasn't. If you see the
edge of the picture here, this is Henderson Creek Drive, and the water
is running over the top of the road rather than through the tiles,
because it just can't handle it.
The water from about a mile of Highway 951 drains in front of
our property. We are the low spot, and it's just not allowed to escape.
And now we have a development that's going to add to this problem,
and we're really, really concerned.
These are some of our streets, and there you see a couple of
inches of water on our streets. And this is just from a 5-inch rain. If
we -- if we get a 1 O-inch rain, heaven help us. And the engineers keep
telling us that they've resolved the problems, and now we have other
engineers saying, oh, yeah, don't worry about it. Well, we are worried
about it, and the only place we can get help is from this -- this board to
make the proper decision not to let this go on.
The -- the people who are concerned about this -- well, we have
47 Army veterans in our park, 10 Air Force veterans, 20 Navy
veterans, two Coast Guard veterans, three Marine veterans, four
retired policemen, 12 retired firemen. Please don't let them down.
Look after your heroes, because they live in this park. Thank you.
MS. MURRAY: John Juliano.
MR. JULIANO: Good afternoon. My name is
John Juliano. I'm a resident of Holiday Manor, and I'm also president
of the co-op. I would like to speak to you in a capacity as a resident
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and also in some capacity representing our co-op.
I found today's presentations very interesting and very informing
with the questions that you gentlemen have asked the developers. I do
agree that we had a meeting as late as -- recent as March 1 st. Wayne
Arnold was there. Greg Minor. We had Rich Yovanovich. We did
discuss these water issues, our flooding problems. We did discuss the
issues of security for our park.
As it was mentioned, we are a senior park, 55 and over. We're a
resident-owned co-op. We have a $6 million investment that the
shareholders made, and that is only in the land. So if we appear to be
defensive to the project or create an attitude of "not in our backyard," I
hope you'll understand, we are trying to protect an investment that we
have and trying to make our community a good community for east
Naples.
One of the issues is traffic. I plead total ignorance to your traffic
studies and your numbers, but if you experience driving on Collier
Boulevard, and especially a day like today when everybody exits
Marco Island, you have a tremendous problem of getting out of
Henderson Creek Drive.
I don't know if these studies have taken into account -- I
understand there are 6,000 more houses to be built at Fiddler's Creek.
You have developments going on at Marco Shores. I understand
there's some towers being looked at for Collier Boulevard. You don't
have Marco Island fully built out yet. And what happens when that
occurs? Are these traffic studies conducted just for today's impact of
these 500-housing unit, or is it looking down the road? Is there a
long-range plan as to how you move traffic? The -- so that is an issue
that we're concerned with, is traffic. We're right there.
Ray Bellows mentioned earlier this was a compatibility item. We
also agree that affordable housing is needed in Naples, and we're not
against it. What we are opposed to is the number of units being
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proposed on this piece of property. So is 500 units crammed in on
45 acres compatible with the neighborhood?
We have Eagle Creek condominiums and homes across the street.
Is that compatible? Will a Home Depot or a commercial installation
next to us and on 951 or Collier be compatible with the neighborhood?
We would be opposed to the commercial residential. We -- we feel
that putting 500 units exceeds the amount of usage properly on that
land.
Commissioner Abernathy, you talked a few minutes ago about--
you questioned about setbacks and that the people in these units could
not expect the setbacks you wouldn't expect at Moorings. I think if
you want to provide a better quality of life for affordable-housing
people, setbacks should be taken into account. I don't think you create
a good living atmosphere by cramming 500 families into a tight spot.
I think it needs to be spread out.
I know people in the south do not like to hear what the people in
the north live with, but I feel here density needs to be looked at. In the
north, we could never build a house on a lot that you have down here
that you'll put a 2 or a 300,000 dollar house on it. I did a subdivision,
and my minimum lot had to be 20,000 square feet for one house, and I
think here you could put two houses on that lot. So we hear of
density. We hear of traffic and we need to look at the density issues.
We can-- we also have a concern about if this preserve area is
not build able, should the density numbers or the bonus numbers be
different? Now, when the representatives were at our park on the 1 st,
we did see the drawing here on the left-hand side.
Wayne, I'm not sure if we really discussed that part with the
preserve part in there unless I was out of the office. But I don't
remember that discussion. It was just looking at this larger overall
blueprint of the project. So we are aware of the commercial park that's
being proposed. We were not aware that it would be in two segments.
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And my question to this board is, if that preserve area is not build able,
should not the bonus points be recalculated as to the number of build
able acreage that you have for affordable housing?
And again, I don't want to sound that "not in our backyard," but I
think the irmnediate area of 41 and Collier Boulevard is being
saturated with affordable housing. You have Whistler's Cove, which
is affordable housing. You have Habitat for Humanity building west
on 41 near the Lely entrance. You have Habitat that has property
down near Paradise point RV units, and I understand there is also
about 26 acres of land about three miles east on 41 that is going to be
coming in for affordable housing. And if you ratio those 26 acres to
this 45 acres, I could see another 300 affordable housing units coming
into that immediate area.
You take that traffic, and you couple it with the proposal of the
Collier company for Winding Cypress planned unit on 1900 acres,
how much more traffic are we going to dump into an intersection that
already is aggravated, congested and dangerous?
And I will state for the co-cop, at our board meeting yesterday,
the residents have asked that I, on behalf of the co-op, ask this
commission not to approve this development. Thank you.
MS. MURRAY: Daniel Hess, followed by--
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Just a minute. Just a minute.
Marjorie. Something this gentleman said I wanted to ask you about.
The presentation that was provided to these people during the town
meetings or the public participation meetings, should those meetings
have used the same graphics that we're seeing here today?
MS. STUDENT: I -- I think it's fair to say that conceptually what
was presented conceptually should have been presented there. I mean,
that's the idea of it, so that the property owners can have a change to
review the project and to know, you know, conceptually again, what's
going in there.
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I -- I don't think that specifically there's anything in the code that
says that, but it sort of defeats the purpose. And maybe Mr. Arnold
can explain, you know, what was presented.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I've asked Wayne. And Wayne, I
thought you indicated both of those plans, and now this gentleman
seems to recall one plan being presented. Do you know what -- what
do you say about that?
MR. ARNOLD: Both exhibits were presented, had them both on
the easel at different times, and I talked from both exhibits.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Those exact exhibits?
MR. ARNOLD: Those exact exhibits, yes.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Okay. Who's the next witness? Is
there --
MS. MURRAY: Daniel Hess, followed by Robert Smith.
MR. JULIANO: I may have -- I did step out of the meeting for a
few minutes, and maybe Wayne did discuss the proposal with the
preserve. There are other members here who were at the meeting the
entire time, and if I missed it, I do extend my apologies to Wayne.
But I do remember we discussed that one in more detail.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Thank you.
MS. MURRAY: Daniel Hess?
MR. HESS: Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman. My name is Daniel
Hess, and I'm speaking on behalf of Lee and
Margery Woodbury that live on 69 Kumquat Lane, which is on the
comer of Kumquat and Palm Drive. I am also a member of a -- the
Isabelli -- Issabella Planning Commission in the State of Michigan.
I've sat here today and listened to this project, and to myself,
there's a lot of gray areas that have not been addressed. And if they
have been, it's still gray. And I don't understand why that -- you
would go on with this project with -- without some explanation to the
soil, of what it's going to do. If they're sitting at possibly
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7 foot above Holiday Manor and you get a sudden rainfall that could
possibly find the easiest path of resistance and come back into the
Holiday Manor when you already have 14 inches of rain, which is
going to wind up flooding the area even more than what you have
now.
The other thing is, is the 951. If you do get that amount of rain,
where is all that water going to go off of their project? It will
probably flood out 951 even greater than what it is now during the
construction phase.
So looking at everything, I -- I would think that this matter
should be tabled. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Thank you.
MS. MURRAY: Last speaker is Roger Smith.
MR. SMITH: My name is Roger Smith. I've resided in Holiday
Manor for the last six years. I'm a winter resident. I'm here six to
seven months out of the year.
I haven't seen too many of the heavy rains, but I've ridden my
bicycle on some of our streets when the water is up to the axle on the
bicycle, full-size bicycle.
Some things I've heard today have surprised me, considering
what we heard in our meeting about a week ago on the 1 st. We were
told that this was going to be low-income housing, and I asked
whether -- what this low-income amount was and whether it was just
for the breadwinner of the house or total income of all those working
in the household. And they said it's just the income of the household,
so I assume that's for everyone working and living in a particular
household. Now, today, we hear another definition of low-income
housing. There's low income, lower income and lowest income.
Another new surprise in what we'd been told, in addition to the
original, which you've mentioned earlier, how much individual
housing and how much high-density housing, and now there is no
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individual housing and it's all high-density housing.
The traffic problems, the amount of children that will be brought
into the school in the local area, will the school no longer be able to
handle that many? Will there be a new school building program?
Will our taxes go up? All of these things are problems, which we
have.
Many of these problems have been listed much more eloquently
than I can, and I just wanted to add my request that this not be
approved. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Thank you.
MS. MURRAY: There's no more speakers.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Thank you.
MR. YOVANOVICH: I just want to respond to the last
comments about what was explained at the last neighborhood meeting,
and Mr. Giblin can confirm this. We explained the three categories of
affordable housing we would be serving. We said 60 percent of the
median, 50 percent of median. And I had to keep looking at Mr.
Giblin to make sure I had the right numbers. And I think the last one
was 35 percent of median income.
So we explained that we were covering all three of the affordable
housing, and we always -- and we said -- we always said it was going
to be multifamily. We never said it was going to be single family or
varying types.
So I just wanted to clarify that on the record, and unless you have
any other questions or comments -- do we need to address the drainage
anymore? I mean, Grady has explained in great detail. He can come
back up and explain all the requirements.
MR. M1NOR: Real quick. Holiday Manor-- excuse me. Grady
Minor, for the record.
Holiday Manor has a drainage problem now. They just showed
you photos of it. Our water management plan is going to keep sheet
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flow that presently would come from our property to the north from
entering onto their property. All of our drainage is going to be routed
to the east, back to Henderson Creek. Right now, some of our
drainage sheet flows out into Collier Boulevard. They have a problem
with the drainage in Collier Boulevard. He showed you a picture with
the water going across their entrance road. That won't happen
anymore. It won't happen from our property.
The sheet flow from our property is going to be routed in an
entirely different direction to the east, and it's going to discharge into
Henderson Creek. This is going to be an improvement.
Traffic. Yes, there's a lot of traffic here, and there is especially at
this time of year. But we did a traffic study, and it was based on the
methodology required by the land development code. And the traffic
study was reviewed by your transportation director, and she told you
this morning that we weren't going to lower the level of service
standard on the roads that were significantly impacted by our project.
Also, just because we were to develop 500 affordable apartments
doesn't mean that 500 new families are going to move down here from
somewhere else. A lot of these people are already here, and they're
already driving around. They're going to relocate to a better facility,
and there won't be new trips. So I don't think traffic is that big of an
issue for what we're requesting today, and I'm telling you that the
drainage is going to be taken care of because we can engineer that and
improve their situation.
Can I keep their subdivision dry? No. Somebody made that
decision a long time ago to build that that low. Thank you.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Grady, may I -- does their water
problem come from Henderson Creek or 951, or just the sheer fact that
it drains from all the surrounding property onto theirs?
MR. MINOR: I've asked about that. I talked to
John Boltd about it, and we think that there are times when Henderson
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Creek actually comes out of its banks and gives them a problem. And
that's a problem. I mean, that's how low they are.
There are times now -- and they tell me it's only since Collier
Boulevard was four-laned-- when Collier Boulevard was four-laned
the Water Management District made the state Department of
Transportation provide water quality within the swales of Collier
Boulevard. In other words, you don't just run the water off into a ditch
and hurry it out to Henderson Creek so it can run out to Rookery Bay.
They purposely made that system sluggish. They actually
designed a certain amount of time for that water to stay in the system
so that the particles could -- could set.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Heavy metals and whatnot?
MR. MINOR: Yeah. Thank you. So there's a water quality
system built into that that makes it sluggish, and that's causing part of
their problem, too. But the main reason they have a problem,
obviously, is because they're low. And I can't raise them up, but I can
keep our property from negatively impacting them.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Well, you said it's going to
positively impact.
MR. MINOR: I -- I -- it is. It's not -- no longer going to have
that -- we're not going to contribute to the flow in Collier Boulevard
anymore. We're not going to contribute to the flow from the north to
the south onto their property out. We will positively impact their
property.
MR. RICHARDSON: Mr. Chairman, I'm still back on traffic,
and I'm somewhat enamored with the idea of doing some phasing here
or getting you to commit to some phasing, because it does seem that
there's at least -- even though you've followed all the rules, that there's
some degree of uncertainty about what the future may bring as it
relates to the total traffic volume, the background traffic and other
projects coming down the line that you really don't have any control
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over.
I would -- it would really be helpful, I think, to our understanding
and perhaps moving towards approval if we could get some sort of
commitment from you folks that you would plan a phasing in of this
project that makes sense to everybody. But plan it, and then allow the
traffic analysis people that we have to take a look at that at the end of
each of those phases and decide when the appropriate time to issue
CO's and that sort of thing would--
MR. YOVANOVICH: For the record, Rich Yovanovich.
Mr. Richardson, we can commit to that. The first phase -- we'll do it
in two phases. The first phase would be 224 units, and then the
second phase would be -- it could be three phases, I guess, but the
remainder of the units would be in at least the second phase so that
you would have that opportunity to address that.
MR. RICHARDSON: I guess, in fact, you almost have to do that
because you have to come back to us for the second phase anyway.
MR. YOVANOVICH: We've created that internal phasing
mechanism already.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Well, I think getting that on
the record may be helpful.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I've got one question, and it's for
the members of the public that are here. How many of you are in
favor of this project? Raise your hand if you are. (No response.)
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: The reverse is, how many are not
in favor?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I'm going to make that assumption.
We're here to serve the public. I just wanted to see how much of the
public was in favor of this project.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Anything else, Rich?
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MR. YOVANOVICH: Other than the standard comment that
zoning is not a popularity contest, okay? The vote of the public is
irrelevant to the decision, and I would hope that the planning
commission would -- would limit itself to the merit of the project.
And with that, I don't think we have anything else to add.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Marjorie?
MS. STUDENT: I just have to advise that, in making your
decision and acting quasi-judicially, you're bound by the criteria that is
in the land code that has been set forth in your staff report, and that is
the proper grounds for making a decision. And when you do make
your motion, I would need for you to point out either in support or in -
- whichever way it goes, what criterion or criteria support it. Thank
you.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Let me ask you a question.
Mr. Murray, in his remarks, commented about the minimum period of
two weeks between planning commission and county commission
hearing. Are there provisions to waive that, or does that even exist?
MS. STUDENT: I don't find that in the PUD procedure section
of the code. We have those provisions and other sections for time
between hearings for planning commission hearings from LDC
amendments and the like, but I looked under the PUD procedures, and
I didn't find that.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Okay. All right.
MS. STUDENT: I'm just going to go check in another place to
make sure. So -- I don't find that in the section either where -- there's
several sections, and it can be confusing. In the land code, you have
sections where it's initiated by a property owner, sections where it's
initiated by the board, sections where it's
10 contiguous acres or less or more, so it can be confusing.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Thank you.
MR. BELLOWS: For the record, Ray Bellows.
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March 7, 2002
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Mr. Bellows?
MR. BELLOWS: This issue came up on a couple other projects
in the past few years that follow the same kind of tract a week after the
planning commission. And as I recall, staff review of the LDC did not
find any prohibition against scheduling the Board of County
Commissioners one week later.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Okay. Any other questions of
staff?.
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: I'm going to close the public
hearing. Open for discussion, motions, whatever.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I still believe that there's too
many unanswered questions for us to go forward with this issue. The
only one who will benefit if we rash this decision is the developer,
who's going to receive a good deal of money. But that's not our
problem. Our problem is to be able to say with our own good
conscious that we understand what's going on and that we agree with
what's going on, and therefore could go forward.
I personally believe at this stage -- I understand what it would do
to their problem -- that this motion be tabled until we get back answers
from staff that will give us the assurance that what's going to be done
will be done properly.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Well, I'm certain the developer
will benefit from this, and that's what they're in the business for. I
think there will be a great benefit to the folks who can't afford housing
in Collier County. I think that's what we're looking at here.
There may be some -- some questionable items here, but I -- I-- as
far as traffic is concerned, as water flow, I -- I don't think that's --
that's really the issue here. I think we need this -- we need this type of
development and -- well, I'm down there every day. I understand the
problems -- your problems that are existing, but I think that the
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benefits way out -- out way the -- any of the other problems that I see.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: You mean 30 days more
would be unreasonable to you to find out whether it's going to actually
work the way they say it's going to work and will bet the horse today
because it -- 30 days might make it that much easier for 500 units?
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Well, I rely on our professional
staff people.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: They've already told us that,
under the circumstances, they have a problem.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: No. They -- I don't agree
with that, Mr. Adelstein. It has come forward to us as a signed
document by the professional staff to approve this.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: You listened to his opening
statement?
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Yes.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: I'm in agreement with the comments
made by Mr. Wolfley. There are issues. There are some issues that
might be shades of gray, but I think there's been sufficient reasonable
and competent testimony presented by staff and the experts that have
presented to us. And I think time is an issue, and what will be lost in
30 days are the grant monies. And the people who would be hurt
would be those who can't afford adequate housing right now. And
there is a housing issue, and I'm inclined to support this petition.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: I agree with that assessment,
and it's the larger picture I think we've got to keep our eyes on.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Mr. Adelstein, do you want to
make a motion to table to see whether it flies?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: It's not going to go forward,
but I would like to make a motion to table this.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I'll second.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Margorie?
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it.
MS. STUDENT: I think the correct motion would be to continue
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Continue it? All right.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I'm sorry. To continue this.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Whichever.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I'll second that.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Any discussion of that?
Yes, sir?
COMMISSIONER MIDNE: I'm torn by the need of-- for
workhorses housing and also between that and the problem of
congestion. I'm kind of leaning more towards tabling it, because
congestion seems to me a harder problem to remedy than affordable
housing, because you can relocate affordable housing, but once
something gets to a point of extreme congestion, it's hard to remedy it.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Well, it seems do me that tabling
is an extreme remedy. If you don't like what you have, then you
should vote against it, against the petition.
COMMISSIONER MIDNE: I'd be inclined to do that.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Well, can I just add one thing --
just a second -- is that land is a precious commodity here. There ain't
much left, and you get it where you can get it. That's all I wanted to
say.
COMMISSIONER MIDNE: And that's what I'm -- noticed too,
is that it seems like affordable housing always seems to be in places
that are marginal; that's, you know, either in a congested area or near a
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Under water.
COMMISSIONER MIDNE: -- or a place -- you know, it's hard
to get the affordable housing in a place where it would be the most
desirable.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Mr. Yovanovich, do you want to
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speak to this motion? I think you're entitled to that.
MR. YOVANOVICH: I would appreciate that. Commissioners, I
would-- if you vote to continue this, it is a drastic remedy. You
basically have denied the project. I think we should appropriately -- if
you do -- are not convinced by what we have presented and our
willingness to do this in multiple phases, where the only commitment
you're making today is for 224 units, then vote against it and let us
have the opportunity to talk to our county commissioners as to
whether or not they will support this.
But prior to that, you are essentially taking the decision away
from the Board of County Commissioners and whether or not they feel
it is appropriate to consider this petition by continuing it. And I would
hope that you would not do that and at least let the county commission
decide whether or not they want to have the opportunity to vote in
favor or not in favor of trying to get these grant funds.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Mr. Chairman, can I -- I know I
don't say very much usually, but I'd like to just throw my two cents
into this meeting, if I could.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: You've been awfully quiet today.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Who is that gentleman down
far end?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: One thing that have -- that's come
out publicly by our -- by the Board of County Commissioners is that
there's been a system in place that's been somewhat flawed. And in --
this weekend's paper highlighted it when the commissioner called --
appropriately calling attention to it, and that is predictability and
consistency.
We don't have any predictability here because we'd know that
what you're coming in with is not what you want to do. You've
already stated that you want to use the space in there, but you're
showing nothing on it. I think predictability in that regard is
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questionable.
Consistency. You did not go through the due process that most
other projects would have gone through, both in a timely manner and
through the proper boards; nor is there a normal time lag between this
commission's meeting and the BCC. So I don't think there's
consistency in the way this was reviewed compared to other projects.
You missed the EAC. The traffic issue is one that I think is
extremely important for that area. I sit in traffic jams in that
intersection time and time again every single day, whether it's lunch,
noontime, or -- I mean, lunchtime or afternoon or on the way home.
And at the same time, the -- the density bonus that we have in front of
us, there's been some changes of that document. It is incomplete. Item
Number 7 has not been provided to us. We hob-walked through the
PUD.
I got to commend you fellows for agreeing to a lot of the terms
and conditions of the PUD, but it isn't this board's responsibility to
rewrite PUDs. That should have been done by staff over the normal
course of time before it got here.
So those are my reasons why I would agree with a continuance on
this project.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Rich, no more --
(Applause from the audience.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: All -- now, wait a minute. All
he's done is restate his position, all -- all of those things have been
previously stated, so we just can't keep this up all afternoon, I don't
think.
Now, Marjorie, let me ask you a question. Is there a way that the
county commission or county staff could override a --
MS. STUDENT: On the continuance, you have to --
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: -- on a continuance?
MS. STUDENT: The code requires --
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March 7, 2002
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
COMMISSIONER STRAIN:
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY:
down at the other end.
MS. STUDENT: I need --
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: We still have the jurisdiction,
then.
MS. STUDENT: -- a recommendation from you all. The code
requires that, that you all make a recommendation to the board. So
without that, I don't think -- it would be my opinion we can't proceed.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Okay. Well--
MS. STUDENT: I would ask, if you could, continue it to a date
certain so people know what the date is and staff knows whether they
might have to re-advertise, because if it's over five weeks, you've got
to re-advertise.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Let's cross that bridge just a block
or so later.
I would implore the commission, in the public interest, I think, to
forward this and let the county commission exercise its discretion.
You can send a powerful signal voting against it, and it -- it will go
forward with the recommendations of disapproval, but it will go
forward. And I think that's the preferable course. So -- any other
comments?
COMMISSIONER BUDD: I agree with that.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: I agree.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: All right. I'll call the question.
Let's have a show of hands. All those in favor of the motion to
continue this item to a date that we will determine if necessary, raise
your hands.
The motion fails. So now--
COMMISSIONER MIDNE: I'd like to make a motion to deny it.
All right.
I'll second that.
Well, I know you got a second
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March 7, 2002
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: We're the anchors.
MS. STUDENT: I need a reason or reasons as enunciated in the
staff report, the criteria that are in the code. We have to have a reason
set forth as part of the motion to deny.
COMMISSIONER MIDNE: My motion would have to do with
traffic congestion.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: And if you would so be inclined, I
could contribute two points that I would feel comfortable with adding,
and that's ULD Section 1.4 and ULD Section 2.1.2.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I'll second the motion.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: That was the second. I was adding
-- I was adding to the motion if-- if Paul didn't mind.
MS. STUDENT: I need to correct something for the record.
You're limited to the criteria that are in your staff reports. And those
would be -- just bear with me a minute. Either under 27.325 -- there's
another section here, too, and I'm not --
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: What page of the report are we --
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Page 1.
MS. STUDENT: In any event, it's on Exhibit A, page 1, of the
staff report, the findings. 27.325 or 27.25. That's exhibit-- one's
Exhibit A, and one's Exhibit B. And there are a list of criteria in there,
and those are the criteria that govern in making a decision on a reason
in a PUD rezone.
COMMISSIONER
COMMISSIONER
Could traffic congestion
COMMISSIONER
MS. STUDENT: I
mouth.
COMMISSIONER MIDNE:
okay. Now I can give--
MIDNE: I can't find it.
MIDNE: Would traffic be one of those?
be one of those?
STRAIN: Number 6 would hit that, Paul.
can't -- I can't put words in the commission's
I'm sorry. I just can't find it. Oh,
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March 7, 2002
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Where are we talking about,
Marjorie?
MS. STUDENT: There are criteria that the law requires that
govern a decision, and there's case law on that right out of the City of
Naples, for that matter.
And it should be in your staff report. CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: I've got it.
MR. BELLOWS: For the record, again, Ray Bellows. If you
look at Rezone Findings, Exhibit B to your staff report, it's Number 7:
"Whether the proposed change will create excessive -- or excessively
increase traffic congestion or create types of traffic deemed
incompatible with the surrounding land uses because the peak of
volumes or projected types of vehicular traffic, including activity
during construction phases of the development or otherwise affect
public safety."
COMMISSIONER MIDNE: Thank you.
MR. BELLOWS: That's one of the --
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Thank you.
COMMISSIONER MIDNE: That's what I would like to --
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: That's what he wants.
COMMISSIONER MIDNE: Thank you very much.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I'd like to add Number 1 as well.
MR. BELLOWS: Of the rezone findings?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Number 1 of the rezone findings,
yes.
COMMISSIONER MIDNE:
motion.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN:
but if you don't want to, I--
COMMISSIONER MIDNE:
COMMISSIONER STRAIN:
I don't agree with that for my
Okay. I'm asking if I can add that,
No.
You don't want to?
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COMMISSIONER MIDNE: No.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Mr. Chairman, I'm asking
whether or not it might be simpler to find out the sense of the
commission by having a motion to approve, and then-- if we go to
deny than to have to go through all the steps.
COMMISSIONER MIDNE: Absolutely.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: You want to withdraw your
motion, then?
COMMISSIONER MIDNE: I'll withdraw my motion.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: All right. Who wants to make a
motion to approve?
COMMISSIONER BUDD: I'll make a motion to approve.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: I'll second that.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Discussion of that? All right. All
those in favor, raise your right hand.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Of what?
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Of approving the petition.
MS. STUDENT: And can you ask for the vote? I mean, you can
assume it, but can you ask for the show of hands for those against, just
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Yeah. Aye.
MS. STUDENT: -- to make the record clear.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MIDNE: Aye.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Those against?
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Nay.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Nay.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Four to three. Motion passes.
MS. STUDENT: Patty's not here, so are you ready to address
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this? All right. I'll stand here.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Moving right along, Mr. Budd
wants to add some clarifying language to his motion.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Yeah. Things wrapped up quickly.
It was my intent that that motion would include all the stipulations
requested of the petitioner that were agreed to in the dialogue and
were entered into the record.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: All right.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: I'll certainly accept that
change to the motion. It was a clarification.
MS. STUDENT: Can we -- oh, a clarification.
MR. YOVANOVICH: That was our understanding.
COMMISSIONER BUDD: There was nothing new. I didn't add
anything. I just want to clarify, everything entered into the record
accepted by the petitioner was part of the motion.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: All right. The next item,
Item D, acceptance of settlement in the case ofBJ Boyer, et al.
MS. STUDENT: Good afternoon, Commissioners. For the
record, Marjorie Student. And a settlement in this matter was agreed
to between the parties, the BJ Boyer Sevard, and I think the E & D
Marinas has -- a new party has been substituted. And Mr. Yovanovich
is here to present a little bit of the background of this. I had our boat
dock expert review this. He has no problems with it. The only
question he posed was how would we deal with the resolution that's
currently been the subject of the litigation. What we would do to
would be to bring back a new resolution to the board where you would
have to approve this by that boat dock resolution, and we would put in
that resolution that the prior one was superceded by the new
resolution, so that would take care of that issue.
MR. YOVANOVICH: Just real briefly. This was a boat dock
petition that was approved with a maximum extension of-- it was like
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43 feet, total of 54.
But anyway, we agreed to what they -- this is -- to pull it back
closer. Twenty -- it will be 20 feet from the platted property, which is
what Mrs. Boyer had requested. And I believe she even testified in
front of you all as what she could accept. So I hope you'll approve the
settlement between the parties, and we'll move on.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Will you phase it?
MR. YOVANOVICH: Yes. The first phase is done.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Any member of the public wish to
address this?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Close the public hearing.
Entertain a motion?
COMMISSIONER BUDD: Motion to approve the settlement
agreement.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Second.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Motion. Second. Discussion? All
those in favor?
(Unanimous.)
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Opposed? Seven- zero.
All right. Number 9, old business. Backup info
regarding the LDC and the adoption notebook. Mr. Strain?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Ray, you had January 3rd
committed to try to find out where our adoption notebooks were. That
was the first --
MR. BELLOWS: Good news. I just got the word from David
Weeks. He's the chief planner in Comprehensive Planning. They're
working feverishly producing them. We're hoping to get them for
today. He indicated that, because of the nature of the amendments,
that they don't stockpile them, so it would be by your next meeting,
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definitely, because we're missing the next one. So I can almost
guarantee -- almost guarantee they'll be there before your next
meeting.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay. And the second part of my
issue on that was, there are some of us still missing updated ULDCs.
MR. BELLOWS: My understand is, Ms. Susan Murray has been
working diligently trying to get that, and I know she's been talking to
several of the commissioners, and I'm not sure what the status of that
is.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I will probably request this be
added to the -- that's all I have, Mr. Chairman, on that issue.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: There was no other old business.
New business. I asked Dawn Wolfe to give us a brief peep at what --
peek at what the checkbook concept is all about, so far as it applies to
roads and utilities, I guess.
MS. WOLFE: Dawn Wolfe with Transportation Planning
Department, director for the record. A brief overview as to our current
status is, with the assistance of Tallahassee legal counsel, we have
made substantial modifications to the adequate public facilities
division that we will be bringing forward under the next cycle of land
development code amendments. We will be processing that through
several of the committees, as well as bringing it to the planning
commission prior to the Board of County Commissioners for your
consideration.
It will in effect eliminate the AUIR of one-year-at-a-time
approvals in regards to level of service for adequate public facilities,
as has been in the past once it actually comes into implementation and
goes to what everyone keeps referring to as a checkbook method of
keeping track of things.
Former utilities administrator Jim Mudd, now our deputy
manager, upon his coming on board about the same time I did -- about
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a year and a half ago he noticed that we're giving out permits, but we
really don't know how many we're actually giving out and not keeping
track of how much water we're using, how much waste water we're
generating and the like. And he himself developed a bit of a tracking
system that, when a building permit got issued, that that meant this is
how much water was going to be consumed or this is how much waste
water was going to be generated, and they started them -- themselves a
method of keeping track of it, of accounting for it.
A lot simpler when you're dealing with one water treatment plant
or a couple of waste water plants; a little bit different in regards to
roadways, because you don't just come out on one road and you can
only go one way. You have lots of choices to make, lots of places to
avoid, or you can make your choice of which fast-food restaurant you
want to try and get to at lunchtime on a short break. But we need to
develop a data base system to go along with these amendments that
we're proposing.
The board, last week, approved at their prior meeting --
authorized us to utilize some of our gas tax revenues to have a out-of-
area consultant develop the data base system, actually put together a
system where I have all of my road segments that could potentially be
impacted and then enter in on a project-by-project basis when they
come forward to get their certificates for adequate public facilities, to
be able to enter in, this is what road, this is how much the project is,
this is how much it's impacting it, and it will be able to give us a
cumulative tally. It will also be able to keep track of how long it's
good for and how long those permits are available.
Anyway, so it's a lot of data collection right now. I have staff
frantically working through 20-odd years of past approved PUDs,
looking at how much development has really occurred, how much is
left to occur on them, so that we have a good, strong data base, a good
beginning point of this is what's approved out there and not subject to
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meeting adequate public facilities.
And then the remainder of it is going to -- as the process will
probably be argued through the adoption process, get in line if there's
capacity, then you can move forward.
The AUIR will still remain as a planning tool in order to make
sure that we have the opportunity to take that five-year snapshot
picture and make sure our five-year work program is sustainable and
maintainable. But the tracking system that we're indicating will also
help us keep you abreast of where we are. When a new zoning
product -- project comes along, we can say we have issued these many
certificates of level of service compliance and have had a consumption
of capacity on the primary roads impacted. These, in addition to
those, could either potentially impact negatively or not at all. We will
be able to give you that cumulative answer that you've been looking
for. And that's our goal to have in place, that product, by the middle
of this year.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: The whole system is not worth
anything if the beginning balance in the checkbook is not credible.
MS. WOLFE: And that's what we are working on right now, is
on that beginning -- we're putting the technical tool together, and staff
is pulling the information to get that beginning balance right.
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: Questions?
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: You spoke of there being a
number of approved PUDs that are already out there that have not
been built or only partially built. Is -- does an approved PUD get-- is
it already in line? That is, do they have the capacity that's already
reserved for them --
MS. WOLFE: No, they don't.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: -- in this checkbook
system?
MS. WOLFE: No, they won't.
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COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: What's your mechanism to
keep them from -- once it's approved, how do you go back and --
MS. WOLFE: The PUDs right now are subject to; I believe a
three-year period of being valid. We're looking at the vesting of-- the
sunsetting of those and whether or not you're going to have a lot
coming back to you in the near future. I'll let Ray --
MR. BELLOWS: And Marjorie may correct me. There are
some out there that are approved to five years, and those are still
subject to the five years. The ones -- like, if this Henderson Creek --
I'm sorry. I don't have the ordinance in front of
MS. STUDENT:
me, so --
MR. BELLOWS:
three-year sun setting.
I think it applies to all newly approved, the
We have a five-year sun setting, and all those
approved prior to the five-year sun-setting requirement are subject to
the five-year sun setting also, so they came in immediately with the
adoption of that ordinance if they were older than five years. And
those petitions have already been taken to the Board of County
Commissioners.
What Dawn is referring to is, we look at them. If no construction
has occurred during that three-year period and the level of service is
no longer acceptable, then they are not consistent with the
transportation element, and they could be down zoned.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Is it level of service at the
time you take a look at it or level of service three years out from when
they come back in for review?
MR. BELLOWS: When they come back in for the sun setting
three years later.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: So it's really six years.
MR. BELLOWS: No. No. It's from the time of approval of the
PUD --
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: I'm trying to really
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understand what this balance means, which is really
Mr. Abemathy's question, too.
MS. WOLFE: I think -- let me try and explain it in a little bit of a
different way. First off, zoning gives you no adequate public facility
guarantees. You -- just because what we're giving you is a potential of
whether or not they will or will not be able to meet those level of
service requirements in trying to take a little bit more of a general or
conceptual picture at the time that it comes forward.
That's why we're referring to consistency with that 5 percent on
level of service. We're just -- we're looking at that conceptual,
because we don't have the details to make the absolutes, nor do we
know if they're going to come in tomorrow or 18 months from now.
It's when they are coming in for their preliminary subdivision plats or
their site development plans that they're going to then say here's what -
- exactly what I'm going to build. I'm going to build 150 single-family
lots or I'm going to build 150,000 square foot of shopping center under
this SDP. I now want you to tell me I have adequate public facilities
for transportation.
We're going to make them run through some hoops and show that
there's sufficient capacity on their significantly impacted roads. And
after we find that out, we're going to put them in this system and say,
okay, you're reserved for this period of three years for this capacity on
these individual roadway segments. And that's part of what the
tracking system will do.
What we're looking at with the PUDs that are out there, because
there's not really a good system already in place to say a PUD that was
approved in 1990 has completely built out or that it's only built up to
85 percent of its overall density, but the available land has been
completely platted out.
A single-family home will not be subject to obtaining a certificate
of level of service. That's based on statute, because the -- it's denoted
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March 7, 2002
as having vested rights and being of de minims impact. So it's only --
that's why I'm saying at preliminary subdivision plat is the time they
would ascertain their adequate public facilities certificate, because any
time later, they've already put a massive investment in.
They have -- they need to know before they make that major
construction investment whether or not someone can pull a building
permit. And so that is what we're also looking at when they get those
certificates versus right now they just pull them at time of building
permit.
And since we go off of the one-year, everything's okay. Because
the county's going to put all the road improvements in, they are just
issued for transportation for roads, because we have no areas of
significant influence identified that would prevent that from
happening.
And what this system will do is completely replace that thought
process. And, yes, it can result in someone coming in today and
getting an approval for a 500-unit subdivision and a guy coming in
tomorrow looking for that 7-Eleven shop being turned down right
around the comer. That's the nature of it. But the thing is, it's less
speculative and it helps us keep a better control over what we've got.
There's going to be a lot of arguments coming before you as it's
presented out there. It's not going to be the best of both worlds
anymore for the development community. There will be an
accounting system in place, and that's what we've been told, that -- by
the board that they want to see because that's what the community
wants to see, an accounting of what is going on with growth and
keeping track of it and saying when enough is enough. So that's the
direction we're trying to take this.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: The checkbook would not
go to the point of getting right down to a CO and the capacity's not
there and stopping the CO; you'd stop it much earlier.
Page 166
March 7, 2002
MS. WOLFE: Correct. Not -- right now, it has an allowance of
you get it at time of building permit, because you kind of waive it until
that time. We're not recommending that. We're recommending that it
be required at the next step of development subsequent to a rezone.
Otherwise, you're taking a lot of risks, especially with major
infrastructure investment.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Of course, with Mr. Mudd's
former responsibilities, even though he might have had that thought in
mind, when the sewage starts flopping over the sides, it -- somebody
else comes in and says, stop right at the CO time. So -- can you ever
envision that we might be in that kind of a strait, that -- MS. WOLFE: With roadways?
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: Yeah. With roadways.
MS. WOLFE: In terms of-- no, because the thing is, once you've
got your certificate of occupancy -- I mean, your certificate of level of
service, your adequate public facilities certificate, you're going to get
that at preliminary subdivision plat. And as long as you've got your
final plat in place, by the end of three years the life span of that
adequate public facility certificate, you're good to go because single-
family residential lots, once they're a lot of record, are no longer
subject to being told you have to go get an adequate public utilities
certificate.
In terms of any -- any nonresidential use or a multifamily
residential use, you're going to get those at site development planning
stage, not when you pull a building permit. And you've got a certain
period of time from when you get that site the development plan to
pull your building permit, and that building permit -- as long as you
pull that building permit within three years of its issuance, which
you're required to, your site development plan isn't good for any
longer, then you're okay. Then we've got an accounting on it.
We want to make sure that the tracking -- the concerned
Page 167
March 7, 2002
management system is tied to when building permits get issued for
projects that have been issued, certificates under a site development
plan, so we know that this one is there, and as soon as it has a CO on
it, we can say the next time we have a ground count after that's been
CO'd that we can wipe that reservation off, because now it's part of
background traffic.
So that's the type of technical levels that we want to get into it so
that we have more of a real-time accounting of when those impacts hit
the road.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON: If we happen to miss,
which is, I guess -- one segment or another, and you have a level of
service F there, we really don't have any mechanism then to keep that
traffic from coming on line. That's a question, not a statement.
MS. WOLFE: And it's -- it's a guess at best. And we -- we're
using the best technical tool that we have available. I mean, we know
that the toilet will flush so much a day or how much --
CHAIRMAN ABERNATHY: I think we need to sort of wind
this down. So we're going to hear all of the minutiae in due course. I
just wanted to get sort of a feel for what it was all about. So I thank
you.
A motion to adjourn? All in favor? Out the door.
Page 168
March 7, 2002
There being no further business for the good of the
County, the meeting was adjourned by order of the Chair at 3:45 p.m.
COLLIER COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION
KEN ABERNATHY, CHAIRMAN
Page 169
COLLIER COUNTY GOVERNMENT
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES DIVISION
March 13, 2002
Christian Spilker
Turrell and Associates, Inc
3584 Exchange Ave., Ste. B
Naples, FL 34102
PLANNING SERVICES DEPARTMENT
2800 NORTH HORSESHOE DRIVE
NAPLES, FL 34104
REFERENCE: BD-2001 OAR- 1642, GOODLAND BAY
Dear Ms. Spilker:
On Thursday, March 7, 2002, the Collier County Planning Commission heard and approved
Petition No. BD-2001-AR- 1642.
A copy of Resolution No. 02-01 is enclosed approving this use.
If you have any questions, please contact me at 403-2400.
Sincere3~, /~
Ross GoctlSenaur
Planner
RG/Io
Enclosure
CC:
Lois Hoskins
4702 Wilkshire Drive
Knoxvie, TN 37921
Land Dept. Property Appraiser
Minutes & Records (BD, PSP & PDI)v/
Customer Service
Addressing (Peggy Jarrell)
M. Ocheltree, Graphics
File
Phone (941) 403-2400
Fax (941) 643-6968
www. col liergov, net
CCPC RESOLUTION NO. 02- 01
RELATING TO PETITION NUMBER BD-2001 -AR- 1642
FOR AN EXTENSION OF A BOAT DOCK ON PROPERTY
HEREINAFTER DESCRIBED IN COLLIER COUNTY,
FLORIDA.
WHEREAS, the Legislature of the State of Florida in Chapter 125, Florida Statutes, has conferred
on all counties in Florida the power to establish, coordinate and enforce zoning and such business
regulations as are necessary for the protection of the public; and
WHEREAS, the County pursuant thereto has adopted a Land Development Code (Ordinance
91-102) which establishes regulations for the zoning of particular geographic divisions of the County,
among which is the granting of variances; and
WHEREAS, the Collier County Planning Commission, being the duly elected and constituted
Planning Commission for the area hereby affected, has held a public hearing after notice as in said
regulations made and provided, and has considered the advisability of a 30-foot extension of a boat dock
from the permitted 20 feet to allow for a 50-foot boat dock facility in an VR~GZO Zoning District for the
property hereinafter described, and has found as a matter of fact that satisfactory provision and arrangement
have been made concerning all applicable matters required by said regulations and in accordance with
Section 2.6.21. of the Collier County Land Development Code; and
WHEREAS, all interested parties have been given the opportunity to be heard by this Commission
in public meeting assembled, and the Commission having considered all matters presented;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, BY the Collier County Planning Commission of
Collier County, Florida, that:
The petition filed by Christian Spilker, of Turrell & Associates, Inc., representing Lois S. Hoskins,
with respect to the property hereinafter described as:
Lot 18, Block 6, Goodland Heights Amended, as described in Plat Book 1, Page 85, of
the Public Records of Collier County, Florida.
be and the same is hereby approved for a 30-foot extension of a boat dock from the permitted 20 feet to
allow for a 50-foot boat docking facility in the VR-GZO zoning district wherein said property is located,
subject to the following conditions:
All docks, or mooring pilings, whichever protrude the greater into the water, regardless of length
shall have reflectors and house numbers four (4) inches minimum size installed at the outermost
end on both sides.
2. In order to address the protection of manatees, at least one (1) "Manatee Area" sign shall be
posted during construction.
3. Permits or letters of exemption from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Florida
Department of Environmental Protection shall be presented prior to issuance of a building permit.
4. All exotic vegetation as defined in Section 3.9.6.4.1 of the Land Development Code shall be
removed from the site and the property shall be maintained exotic-free in perpetuity.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Resolution relating to Petition Number
BD-2001-AR-1642 be recorded in the minutes of this Commission and filed with the County Clerk's
Office.
This Resolution adopted after motion, second and majority vote.
Done this ~ day of '~~ ,2002.
COLLIER COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION
COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA
ATTEST:
/dministrator
~ommunity Development and Environmental
Services
Approved as to Form
and Legal Sufficiency:
'~arj0~ 10vi. Studetnt
Assistant County Attorney
g:/admin/B D-2001 -AR- 1642/RG/lo