CCPC Minutes 08/18/2005 S
August 18,2005
TRANSCRIPT OF THE MEETING OF THE
COLLIER COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION
NAPLES, FLORIDA
AUGUST 18,2005
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 8:30 a.m. in REGULAR SESSION
in Building F of the Government Complex, East Naples, Florida, with
the following members present:
CHAIRMAN:
Russell Budd
Kenneth Abernathy
Donna Reed Caron
Lindy Adelstein
Paul Midney
Brad Schiffer
Robert Murray
Mark Strain
Robert Vigliotti
ALSO PRESENT:
Ray Bellows, Zoning & Land Dev. Review
Joseph Schmitt, Community Dev. & Env. Services
Marjorie Student-Stirling, Assistant County Attorney
Don Scott, Transportation Planning
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AGENDA
".IU..,.
COLLIER COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION WILL MEET AT 8:30 A.M., THURSDAY, AUGUST 18,2005, IN THE
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING ROOM, ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, COUNTY
GOVERNMENT CENTER, 3301 TAMIAMI TRAIL EAST, NAPLES, FLORIDA:
NOTE: INDIVIDUAL SPEAKERS WILL BE LIMITED TO 5 MINUTES ON ANY
ITEM. INDIVIDUALS SELECTED TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF AN
ORGANIZATION OR GROUP ARE ENCOURAGED AND MAY BE ALLOTTED 10
MINUTES TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM IF SO RECOGNIZED BY THE CHAIRMAN.
PERSONS WISHING TO HAVE WRITTEN OR GRAPHIC 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. PLANNING COMMISSION ABSENCES
5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - Not available at this time
6. BCC REPORT- RECAPS - JULY 26, 2005, REGULAR MEETING
7. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT
8. ADVERTISED PUBLIC HEARINGS
A. LDC Amendments Special Cycle 2a. 2005: An Ordinance Of The Board Of County Commissioners Of
Collier County, Florida, Amending Ordinance Number 04-41, As Amended, The Collier County Land
Development Code, Which Includes The Comprehensive Land Development Regulations For The
Unincorporated Area Of Collier County, Florida, By Providing For: Section One, Recitals; Section Two,
Findings Of Fact; Section Three, Adoption Of Amendments To The Land Developme,nt Code, More
Specifically Amending The Following: Chapter 2 - Zoning Districts and Uses, including Section 2.03.07
Overlay Zoning Districts, Section 2.03.08, Rural Fringe Zoning Districts; Chapter 10 - Application Review
and Decision-making Procedures, including Section 10.02.13, Planned Unit Development (PUD) Procedures;
Section Four, Conflict And Severability; Section Five, Inclusion In The Collier County Land Development
Code; And Section Six, Effective Date. (Coordinator: Catherine Fabacher)
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B. Petition: V A-2005-AR-7444, Terry & Charlotte Rhodes represented by McGarvey Custom Homes, is
requesting a 8'11" side yard variance on the east side property line in order to be able to replace an existing
pool fence with a screen enclosure, thus causing an encroachment into the required 30 foot side setback.
The property to be considered for the variance is located at 11230 Five Oaks Lane, and is further described
as Phase I, Lot 64, Block E, of the Twin Eagles Subdivision, in Section 20, Township 48 South, Range 27
East, Collier County, Florida. (Coordinator: Carolina Valera)
C. Petition: PUDZ-A-2004-AR-6084, Waterways Joint Venture IV, represented by Dwight H. Nadeau, of
RWA, Inc., and Richard D. Yovanovich, of Goodlette, Coleman and Johnson, P.A., requesting a rezone from
Rural Agricultural (A) and Residential Planned Unit Development (RPUD) to Residential Planned Unit
Development (RPUD) for a project to be known as Bristol Pines RPUD to amend the existing PUD
document and master plan for a residential subdivision to add land and units to allow for a maximum number
of 292 residential units and recreational amenities. The project density is proposed to be 6.85 units per acre
subject to the approval of the companion Affordable Housing Density Bonus Agreement, authorizing the
developer to utilize affordable housing bonus density units (in the amount of 121 units at 3.0 bonus density
units per acre) in the development of this project for low-income residents that will include a maximum of29
units designated as affordable housing units. The project consists of 42.61 acres and is generally located at
14750 Collier Boulevard on the east side of Collier Boulevard (CR-951), approximately 1 mile south of
Immokalee Road (CR-846). Access to serve the project is proposed to be from Tree Farm Road in
Section 35, Township 48 South, Range 26 East, Collier County, Florida. (Coordinator: Kay Deselem)
CONTINUED INDEFINITELY
D. Petition: PUDA-2005-AR-7152, Valewood Properties, LLC, represented by Bruce Tyson ofWilsonMiller,
Inc., is requesting an amendment to the Planned Unit Development "PUD" Document and Master Plan to
revise 21.74 acres ofland from Commercial to Residential use, allowing an additional 260 multi-family
residential units. The subject property is located in Section 20, Township 48 South, Range 26 East.
(Coordinator: Heidi Williams) CONTINUED FROM 8/4/05
E. Petition: PUDZ-2005-AR-7469. Richard and Frances Craig and CDN Properties, LLC, represented by
Robert Mulhere of RW A, Inc., requesting a rezone from the Rural Agricultural (A) zoning district to the
Planned Unit Development (PUD) zoning district to be known as Sonoma Oaks PUD, a mixed-use
development consisting of a maximum of 112 residential dwelling units and 120,000 square feet of .
commercial uses on a total of 37.5± acres. The subject property is located on the west side of Collier
Boulevard, approximately 1/4 mile north of Vanderbilt Beach Road, in Section 34, Township 48 South,
Range 26 East Collier County, Florida. (Coordinator: Heidi Williams) CONTINUED FROM 8/4/05
9. OLD BUSINESS
10. NEW BUSINESS
11. PUBLIC COMMENT ITEM
12. DISCUSSION OF ADDENDA
13. ADJOURN
8-18-05/CCPC AgendaIRB/sp
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August 18, 2005
CHAIRMAN BUDD: We'll call this meeting of the Planning
Commission to order. Please join me and rise for the Pledge of
Allegiance.
(Whereupon, the Pledge of Allegiance was recited in unison.)
CHAIRMAN BUDD: First item like to address is to make sure
I've got the correct agenda. I've had an agenda that was replaced by
another one that was replaced by another one, and currently I have an
agenda that is marked Revised II that was e-mailed out on August 12th
at 10:21 a.m. By chance, is that the correct agenda?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: That's what I have.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Does that sound, correct, Mr. Schmitt,
called Revised II?
MR. SCHMITT: The agenda I have is one that came in my
packet and Ray is not here.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: I've got that one and two more.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: And I don't even have that one.
However you all decide, I'd sure like a copy of whatever we decide to
use today.
MR. SCHMITT: The one I have shows LDC Amendment Cycle
2A followed by Petition B, which is the BA2005-AR7-444. And then
petition involving Waterways Joint Venture.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Yes.
MR. SCHMITT: Petition Valleywood Properties and petition
Craig Properties, Richard and Frances Craig CDN. This is the
AR-2005 -- or AR-7469.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: That's it.
MR. SCHMITT: We're on the same page.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: All right. Roll call then. Ms. Caron.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Here.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Vigliotti.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Here.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Abernathy.
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August 18, 2005
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Here.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Strain.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Here.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Budd is here. Mr. Adelstein.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Here.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Midney is absent. Mr. Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Here.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Here.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Addenda to the agenda. Our agenda, just
for clarification is not an addenda. Our agenda is clarified that
PUDZ-A2004-AR-6084, Waterways Joint Venture IV has been
continued indefinitely. So I just wanted to point that out. That's not a
change. And also, there is a request by the petitioner on item D, that is
petition PUDA-2005-AR-7152, Valewood Properties represented by
Bruce Tyson has made a request to continue their petition. It's my
understanding from the petitioner that they just met yesterday with the
residents and given -- and request to have sufficient time to entertain
that dialogue and see what changes might occur as a result of that
dialogue and it would be inappropriate to continue today.
On the other hand, because nothing is ever easy, it's my
understanding that there are residents who have flown in from out of
town and wish to speak on this item. And they have been advised by
the county attorney that it would be appropriate and proper if this
planning commission would hear them, allow their comments to be
put on the record, but not take any action today. My personal response
to that would be that I respect the county attorney's recommendation
and certainly think we should do that if the residents so desire, but I
would recommend against it because we hear so darn many
petitioners, quite frankly, your message would be somewhat mooted
or forgotten between now and whenever it is that we might hear your
petition. But we do not wish to infringe on your rights, and if you wish
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August 18, 2005
to make any representations into the record, I think we should hear
those. So, between the petitioner and the residents, what are the
thoughts? Or is there a request to anything other than to continue this
petition? Yes, sir, Mr. Brooker.
MR. BROOKER: Clay Brooker from the law firm of Cheffy
Passidomo. We represent the Quail Creek Country Club. And I guess
our only comment would be that, if it's possible could we get a
representation from the petitioner this will be the only continuance
requested, so that a lot of the other people who are flying in or coming
to speak are in fact given some level of assurance, given the fact that
we found out about this request about 5:00 p.m. yesterday afternoon.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Yovanovich, your thought on that
request?
MR. YOV ANOVICH: That's fine. And we're requesting
continuance to your next meeting, so it's time certain. Excuse me. And
we're not going to request, you know, the continuance, we just want to
react to the information we heard yesterday.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Okay.
(Whereupon, Commissioner Paul Midney arrived.)
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Now, I just want you to know we had met
with other groups long before yesterday. This was the first time we
had a chance to meet with Quail Creek Estates and Quail Creek
Country Club.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Our next regularly scheduled meeting. The
first Thursday of September, September 1 st.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Mr. Chairman?
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Just a question. Why are we
continuing it again? This is the second continuance.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Because the residents just met with the
petitioner yesterday. Petitioner feels that with less than 24 hours after
that first dialogue, it's not enough time, and in the context of LDC
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August 18, 2005
amendments we heard last night, that the dialogue was not finished
and we're trying to render judgment, was incredibly frustrating, and I'd
like to not do that on this petition.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: And also, Mr. Schiffer, the first
continuance was at the residents' request. They asked us to postpone
so they can have some additional time to digest the information which
we graciously agreed to.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Very gracious. Well put, Mr. Yovanovich.
MR. ABERNATHY: Spare us the adjectives.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: In any case, we've well served that any
negotiations happen before it gets here and everybody is in agreement,
life is good. That being the case, do we have a motion to continue this
petition with Valewood Properties until September 1 st?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: So moved.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Second.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: I have a motion by Mr. Adelstein, second
by Mr. Murray.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Any further discussion? All those in favor
say aye.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Aye.
MR. STRAIN: Aye.
MR. MURRAY: Aye.
MR. ADELSTEIN: Aye.
MR. ABERNATHY: Aye.
MR. VIGLIOTTI: Aye.
MS. CARON: Aye.
MR. MINDY: Aye.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Those opposed?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Motion carries. Petition is continued.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Mr. Chairman, I would like to
bring up a motion in old business which is pertaining to owners
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August 18, 2005
notification.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Okay. Old business.
MR. WHITE: Mr. Chairman.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Yes, sir.
MR. WHITE: Assistant county attorney, Patrick White. Have
you moved on beyond addenda to the agenda?
CHAIRMAN BUDD: We're still making addenda to the agenda.
MR. WHITE: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: So Mr. Adelstein has a request to modify
the agenda to discuss owner notification under item nine. And Mr.
Strain has some other requests for agenda.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: My first request is that we schedule
some discussion on this agenda addenda. Agenda for discussion for
continuance of last night's meeting to a time certain date. I know it's
not on here because we just did this last night, but I'd certainly like to
see it added to the agenda.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Would it be logical to add that under old
business or item 8A, which is LDC cycle, a different cycle, but we'll
have all the relevant parties here?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well, it might be because I have an
issue with 8A that might involve the agenda.
MR. SCHMITT: We have two different cycles --
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Distinctly different, but I'm thinking we
should make them back-to-back discussion.
MR. SCHMITT: I would recommend we discuss that first before
proceeding in 8A, so we'll mark that 8A 1. I don't know.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Okay.
MR. SCHMITT: That we proceed with that discussion first
before we proceed with the next cycle.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: So the schedule will be the first thing we
discuss under advertised public hearings.
MR. SCHMITT: Would be the continuation of the LDC hearing
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August 18, 2005
from -- my only comment -- meeting from last night. My wife is going
to kill me.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: You keep calling it a hearing. As
part of that discussion I would like to discuss the fact that all of the --
all of 8A, the first one we're going to hear, which is the cycle 2A
special, is not the second hearing. The back of that book is a brand
new item that has not had a first hearing yet. So if you want to make
sure we reschedule that at a time -- if you want to dovetail it into the
one we're going to schedule on the 1st, that's fine.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Well, that will be our first item up. Any
other addenda to the agenda? Okay. Can we have a motion that under
item 9, old business we discuss owner notification, and as first item
under 8A 1 would be the LDC schedule. Do we have a motion to that
effect?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: So moved.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Second.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Motion by Mr. Murray, second by Mr.
Adelstein. All those in favor say aye.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Aye.
MR. STRAIN: Aye.
MR. MURRAY: Aye.
MR. ADELSTEIN: Aye.
MR. ABERNATHY: Aye.
MR. VIGLIOTTI: Aye.
MS. CARON: Aye.
MR. MINDY: Aye.
MR. SCHIFFER: Aye.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Those opposed? The agenda is modified.
Planning Commission absences. I will not be present at the
second September meeting, September 15th. Any other planned
absences?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: That's your last meeting, isn't it?
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August 18,2005
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Not now. September 1st is my last
meeting.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: That's what I mean. Oh, okay. So
the party that everybody is planning has to be September 1 st.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Well, the party will be after I'm gone. Any
other planned absences?
Approval of minutes. There were none.
Board of County Commissioners' report. No report. No
chairman's report. We'll go into our item 8, advertised public hearings.
The first item up is the LDC schedule as requested by Mr. Stain.
MS. FABACHER: Good morning. Catherine Fabacher with
Zoning & Land Development Review. We're discussing Special Cycle
2A, which was approached by the Board of County Commissioners.
First two items are in response to the Glitch Amendments to the GNP
you recall were heard before by you and were pulled from the last
cycle, so we're going to try to pass those today. Because you know
they had preceded the changes to the Growth Management Plan.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: That was our item 8A as scheduled. We
stuck something in front of it and that's Mr. Strain's continued
discussion, which I think is tailing off of last night's meeting.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Right. That kind of dovetails to
what you said. And maybe I need a clarification because in reading
what's on the agenda for 8A today, I see the TDR process is the
beginning part of that, and I know we did discuss that before. But
slipped into the back, unbeknownst to most people, are four pages. For
the whole new concept for Collier County is removing growth density.
I don't recall having seen that before.
MS. FABACHER: No, sir, you haven't.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Therefore, I want to make sure
when we discuss the second reading, that this is the first reading for
that, and that portion of what you're bringing for us in 2A is the
second reading only for TDRs, and the first reading for the vesting
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August 18, 2005
Issue.
MR. WHITE: Mr. Chairman?
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. White.
MR. WHITE: I don't recall this body ever having voted to have a
second hearing on any of these matters. Now, certainly, I guess what
Mr. Strain is suggesting is that maybe you should have one. But as to
the TDRs, those, as you correctly understood, flow from matters that
were previously continued and heard as part of Cycle One. Okay? So
whether you're going to want to have a second hearing of those,
whether we're going to use a new word in j argon form called reading,
further confuse the matter between hearings and meetings, readings, I
don't know, but my suggestion would be that we attempt as we did last
night, to speak precisely about these things, and if you want to have a
second hearing -- this is my opinion -- a continued meeting of those
TDR provisions, even though it's not from a point in time, date time
certain. It's a new advertised, it's a new meeting, and it's a first
hearing, arguably of the TDR provisions, as well as what otherwise
has been referred to as excess intensity. Okay? So they are a package
being presented to you today. And if you choose to think of them as
being before you for the first hearing, or a continued meeting for a
first hearing, either of those would be true and legally appropriate.
But, there has never been, to my knowledge, any determination made
by this body as to either the TDRs or the excess intensity provisions
that you want to have a second hearing. If you choose to do so today,
that would require you to make a motion, second and have a majority
vote.
MR. SCHMITT: Can I add to make sure for the record you
understand that this was presented to the Board of County
Commissioners on the 26th of July at the Board of County
Commissioners meeting. Just for the record, in order to have more
than two LDC cycles a year, we have to request a special cycle. We
requested that special cycle. That special cycle was approved by the
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Board of County Commissioners at that July 26th meeting, and at that
meeting, we identified the subjects of that special cycle. One being the
handling of amendments dealing with TDRs, and the other
amendment dealing with the excess intensity issue. So that was
publicly presented there in the Board of County Commissioner's
hearing, and in the associated executive summary that was published
as part of the public record, and identified as part of the public record.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Strain.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay. For sake of argument, I
believe this is the second discussion we're having on this TDR process
here today before us. I believe it might be the first discussion we're
having on the gross density issue that's before us. We have chosen in
the past issues that have been problematic or first time through or
early or for whatever reason, to have a second discussion on a possible
issue. All I'm suggesting is that the TDR process today could be our
final discussion, and that the second part of to day's meeting, or today's
second cycle, whatever you want to call it, needs to have a second
discussion after today because of the very limited amount of
distribution that that one has had to affected parties within the county.
MS. CARON: I would second that.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Your attorneys can label it
anything you want.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Strain, can we take that as a second
motion from you that there will be a second hearing?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I'm not going to use the word
hearing again. Call it anything you want.
MR. VIGLIOTTI: Meeting.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Second meeting. There will be a second
meeting on this item, which we will pick a date and time, depending
upon availability of everybody.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: And the vesting on the gross
density issue.
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August 18, 2005
MR. ABERNATHY: Why don't we hear it before we decide
whether it needs a second hearing -- second meeting.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Given that, it's brand new to us and the
public is largely uninformed, I guarantee you we need to discuss it at a
future date to allow it to disseminate through the community.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Is that a motion, Mark?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Yes.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Yes, that's a motion by Mr. Strain. Do we
have a second?
COMMISSIONER CARON: Second.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Second by Ms. Caron. Discussion that
there will be a second meeting.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: You want to call it a meeting,
hearing or discussion? Let's just say discussion. We're safe with that
word.
MR. WHITE: I would suggest you're not safe, in fact, Mr. Strain.
I'd suggest that you're injecting ambiguity. And I think the whole point
of my comments is to try to bring some clarity and precision to this
process so the public can be informed.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: What do you want us to call it, Pat?
MR. WHITE: I think you should call it what it is. If you want to
have a second hearing on it, please do.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Okay. That's good. Mr. Strain's motion is
for a second hearing on this item. Ms. Caron, your second is
confirmed on that?
MS. CARON: Second.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Any discussion on that?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I do have one.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Yes, sir, Mr. Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: In the same ordinance, like Pat
said, we're allowed to have a second hearing if we so decide, also
states that it has to be in the evening. In other words, if we have one
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August 18, 2005
meeting, it has to be in the evening. In other words, we have to air any
change in the public's eye in the evening.
MR. WHITE: I'm unaware of that, of the requirement of the
LDC. You may be correct, Commissioner Schiffer, but the most we've
ever had in anything, even use changing provisions have been one of
the meetings only, not both, had to be in the evening.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Correct. That's my point. I
mean, you can't have one meeting in the morning and not meet the
code.
MR. WHITE: I don't believe that either of these would fall under
the heading of what change uses in a particular zoning district. And in
that sense, in my opinion, it wouldn't fall into that category, but there
may be others who differ in that opinion.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Well, Mr. White, will that next hearing
have to be properly advertised rather than a date certain picked right
now?
MR. WHITE: Yes.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Okay. Since there will be some time
before that advertisement takes place, can we have an appropriate
search and see if there is an evening requirement, and if so, we will
schedule accordingly. And if not, we don't have a problem.
MR. WHITE: Assuming that's the form of the motion, that's what
we'll do, but.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Is that --
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I'll accept that as an amendment to
the motion.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Ms. Caron, you're in agreement?
COMMISSIONER CARON: Yes.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Further discussion?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I can give you that code section.
It's old code, 2.7.2.3.4. It's disappeared in the recodification.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Okay. Any further discussion? Mr.
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August 18, 2005
Schmitt?
MR. SCHMITT: Just for the record, to advise this special cycle
as approved by the Board of County Commissioners that as of
September 13th, here in the regular agenda to the Board, and the
September 27, second hearing to the Board, obviously if you choose to
have a second hearing, those dates will change. And I want to make
that known on the record, that we will not be able to -- if you choose
to have a second hearing, which is your prerogative, I want to make it
known that those dates on September 13th and September 27th, will
most likely change.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Thank you. This is understood. Any
further discussion?
MR. ABERNATHY: So what?
MR. SCHMITT: I just wanted to add it to the record.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: There being no further discussion, we'll
call the question, all those in favor of the motion signify by saying
aye.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Aye.
MR. STRAIN: Aye.
MR. MURRAY: Aye.
MR. ADELSTEIN: Aye.
MR. ABERNATHY: Aye.
MR. VIGLIOTTI: Aye.
MS. CARON: Aye.
MR. MINDY: Aye.
MR. SCHIFFER: Aye.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Those opposed.
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN BUDD: We will have a second hearing. It will be
advertised for a time and date certain.
MR. WHITE: Thank you very much, Commissioner.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Now we'll move on to our regularly
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August 18,2005
scheduled Agenda Item 8A.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Do you want to--
MR. SCHMITT: First of all, before we get into 8A, do we want
to talk and continue the meeting --
CHAIRMAN BUDD: That's correct.
MR. SCHMITT: --last night's meeting, continue last night's
meeting so we can make that discussion? Resolve that.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Yes, indeed. I forgot that, thank you for
the reminder. We continued last night's meeting to today.
MR. MURRAY: To today?
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Yes. Our meeting that ran from 5:05 to
approximately 8:00 p.m. last night was continued until this morning.
And now we can pick a time, because last night we were not able to
access the Board of County Commissioners boardroom schedule
because it was after hours. Now we have that information available.
Mr. Schmitt, what times and dates are available to us?
MR. SCHMITT: We can continue with the date of September
21st and we can have this room from 2:00 p.m. on, if you choose to
start at 2:00 p.m. If you want to start later, we certainly can. But this
room will be ours from 2:00 p.m. on the 21st until whenever. And if
we do not get through that, we will have to continue that meeting.
We'll search for a follow-ups on date.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: What is the pleasure of the Planning
Commission? Do we want to start earlier in the day to give ourselves
more time, or still hold to 5 :05 p.m? Mr. Schiffer?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: My concern again is, if there is a
requirement, which I believe there is, that it's heard in the evening by
items being first heard during the day, does not meet that requirement.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Adelstein?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I personally can't make the
meeting at 2:00. I can make it at 5:00.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Okay. Mr. Strain.
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August 18,2005
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: That would then make the first and
second hearing basically all the same day. We can second hear some
of the things we talked about last night, but it would still be the first
hearing for the rest of the items, which we haven't even seen the
corrections from last night's ones yet, which I don't expect this
morning. But on the same side of the coin, last night we got through
18 pages in the front and a few pages in back. So let's say 25 pages out
of 200 in three hours. And last night, because of some of the defensive
comments made, I believe they've got to be looked at more thoroughly
not less thoroughly. And as a result I think it's going to take longer to
get through the rest of those 175 pages now than it would have been
otherwise. So, I don't know how we're going to get through this on the
first hearing in one afternoon and go right into the second hearing in
the evening. It's even, you know, past Brad's comment as well. If
there's a requirement to do it in the evenings, we should do it in the
evenIngs.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Strain, I don't think that when we
reconvene on the 21 st, we have to complete our business on that
evening. And that if we continue from there to another time, and it
takes hours, days or weeks to complete, it takes whatever time it takes
to complete the process.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: That's fine, if that's the way the
Board would go. I know it was listed as our last hearing. That's what
my concern was, if it's not going to be, then I have no problem with it.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. White, would that be our last hearing
or our next hearing?
MR. WHITE: As to those matters, I believe you're only referring
to those as meetings. I understand that there's a sense of concern on
one or more of the part of the Commissioners today about some of this
confusion. And what I would hope is that what is recognized is that
my fervent intent to be clear and to recognize the value and
importance of the distinctions we're making, rather than to find humor
Page 15
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August 18,2005
in them. So I'm hoping we can treat this, you know, discussion with a
degree of decorum I think is appropriate.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: So with that, we will -- it sounds to me
like there's a consensus that we should meet at 5:05 p.m. on
September 21 st for our next meeting on the LDC2 cycle to continue
the first discussion, first hearing on those matters that we did not hear
last night. And then from that completion, either move into or
reschedule future meetings, as appropriate, for the second reading and
further discussion as time requirements may be apparent to us at that
time.
MR. ABERNATHY: Mr. Chairman?
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Yes, sir.
MR. ABERNATHY: It's unfortunate that our lawyer sitting here
can't tell us whether it has to been at 5 :05 or whether it can be earlier
in the day. Based on my six years, and you probably remember this as
well as I, we have commenced these hearings at 5:05 and if they had
to be continued, we took up at 8:00 or 8:30 having started at 5:05, we
were told there was no requirement that we go from 5:05 to 5:05 to
5:05. That has not been the practice the last six years and nobody
seems to have had any problem with that. I think we just hamstring
ourselves if we keep doing this 5:05 stuff knowing that we can't finish
anything in that amount of time.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I agree.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: I would agree, Mr. Abernathy. So, if
there's not a legal requirement that we meet at 5:05 as a practical
scheduling requirement, Mr. Adelstein has made clear that he can't
meet earlier in the day. Are there any other Commissioners that cannot
meet earlier in the day on the 21 st?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well, is there another day Mr.
Adelstein can join us?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Any day but Wednesday.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: That may not be so hard.
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August 18, 2005
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Well, he can join us at 5:05,
there will still be plenty left.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I'll just layout the facts.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: And I think that's true. And certainly, we
clearly have a majority of Planning Commissioners available. Do we
have a motion to meet on September 21st, 2:00 p.m. to continue to
hear the LDC cycle --
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: So moved.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Second.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: I have a motion by Mr. Abernathy and a
second by Mr. Vigliotti. Discussion?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I kind of agree because last night
we did ask anybody in the public, we did hear what the public was
here on for the evening, so I certainly think we honored these
meetings on cycle one.
MR. SCHMITT: Yes, we did. We met the requirement for Cycle
One.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yeah, I'm comfortable with that.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Any further discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN BUDD: There being none, we'll call the question.
All those in favor of the motion signify by saying aye.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Aye.
MR. STRAIN: Aye.
MR. MURRAY: Aye.
MR. ADELSTEIN: Aye.
MR. ABERNATHY: Aye.
MR. VIGLIOTTI: Aye.
MS. CARON: Aye.
MR. MINDY: Aye.
MR. SCHIFFER: Aye.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Those opposed?
Page 1 7
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August 18, 2005
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Motion carries.
MR. MURRAY: If I just may, is it possible in the future that we
could avoid having the Wednesday followed by the Thursday normal
agenda? It really puts an inordinate amount of pressure in trying to
read all of this in four to five days.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Bob, that came up at a
meeting and Joe said he was going to take care of it.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I know it did.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: But not this quickly.
MR. WHITE: I'd just like to note for the record, I think Mr.
Schmitt's comments regarding Cycle One were meant to be Cycle
Two.
MR. SCHMITT: Yes.
MR. WHITE: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Okay. Are we complete with all of the
items and ready to hear LDC Amendment Special Cycle 2A? I think
we are.
Yes, ma'am.
MS. CHUMBLER: Good morning, Commissioners. I'm Marti
Chumbler, outside land use counsel for the county. And I'm here to
talk about the first two items, the two TDR amendments, LDRs. And
I'm now able to tell you that these are in fact implementing LDRs for
Comprehensive Plan provisions, all of which have been adopted by
the county commission.
MR. WHITE: If I may interject momentarily, be a pest one more
time. I'd just like to put on the record the Affidavit of Publications,
which I have reviewed and found to be legally sufficient for the public
hearing to proceed for Cycle 2A at this time. Thank you. I'll be turning
it over to our minutes keeper. I apologize.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Thank you.
MS. CHUMBLER: And Mr. Chairman, my intent since I have
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August 18, 2005
been here and discussed these with the Commission previously, it's not
to spend a great deal of time speaking of details, but to give a brief
summary, and certainly address any questions that the Commissioners
may have as to get approved.
These amendments really relate to two different things. There's a
few of them which relate to what we call Glitch Amendments to the
Comprehensive Plan. But the majority of them implement those
provisions of the Comprehensive Plan that deal with TDRs and what
we now have as TDR bonus credits. So you'll see throughout these--
throughout both -- both of the first two of these LDRs, we've added
the term LDR credits in conjunction with -- sorry. TDR credits in
conjunction with the TDR bonus credits in conjunction with the TDR
credits. As an example, on page two, and hopefully finally I have the
same pagination that you do. If I do, it will be the very first time. You
will see at the very top of that page existing language, CTDR credits,
and then a new little Roman I, which deals with the creation of the
TDR bonus credits of which there are three. There is an environmental
restoration and maintenance bonus credit. It's created when a
landowner, ascending landowner, who has several TDR credits from
their property also chooses to take the extra step of placing a
restoration and maintenance plan on that property. If you recall,
they've already put it in a conservation easement. That's a requirement
for getting the TDR credit to begin with. When we created, or when
we adopted the TDR provisions to begin with, there was some concern
that this property would be placed in the conservation easement. There
was no requirement that they maintain it, and, therefore, it might
became overrun with exotics. So this is a step to encourage people for
that not to occur, and if they will take that extra step of making --
putting together a restoration maintenance program, imposing it and
applying it to their property then, and following these steps -- and also
given financial assurance that that maintenance is going to continue
for the period of time that is deemed appropriate for that particular
Page 19
August 18, 2005
property, then they can get one additional TDR, or one TDR bonus
credit. Now there, I think last time was some question about how long
a period of time this security would need to apply for. That's going to
depend on the property. Some properties, it may take longer to reach a
point where essentially nature is going to have an equilibrium, and
you're not too concerned about the natural vegetation has come back
and there's less concern about continued maintenance. That will be a
fact -- that will be a situation-by-situation determination that will be
made by environmental consultants in conjunction with the
environmental division.
The second TDR bonus credit that is created is a conveyance
bonus credit. Conveyance bonus credits are only available if you have
first put in place a restoration and maintenance program, and you
then would get a conveyance bonus credit if you convey your property
free of charge to a governmental entity. In other words, you are giving
your property away to the county, to the state, to the water
management district, to some governmental entity. That gives you one
additional TDR bonus credit.
The final TDR bonus credit, and this one was put in place to
encourage people to begin entering into the program, is the early entry
bonus credit. That bonus credit is available for a period of three years
after the adoption of this LDR -- the effective date of this LDR, and
goes back to any TDRs that were created were severed prior to the
effective date. I'm not sure I know when I was here last spring there
had at that time not yet been any TDRs credit -- created. I'm not sure
whether any have as of yet or not. There have. Okay. So there are
some now that have been created. And those would be entitled to get
this early entry bonus as well. At the end of that three years, no more
early entry bonuses can be created, but those people who have in fact
gotten them, and you get a piece of paper that signifies that bonus,
could continue to use them forever. As long as there is a TDR
program. So it's like cash at that point anyway.
Page 20
August 18,2005
All of those TDR bonus credits can be used in the same way that
TDR bonuses, TDR credits can. They're worth the same thing. They're
all worth one residential unit. They're worth five golf course acres, and
I'll get to that in a few minutes. Not both, just one probably. And so
that's the intent behind the bonus credits. There's a calculation here on
page three of how you would calculate the number of bonus credits
that would be created, if you're entitled to one. We have throughout
added TDR bonus credits to make sure that the TDR bonus credits can
be used the same way that TDR credits can.
There is further -- on page five, further explanation of the bonus
credits and how they're created. They're created just as TDR credits
are through issuance of certificate by the county. And these county
certificates will -- the TDR bonus credits will be identified in such a
way that you can tell what TDR credit they're associated with. They
will all have an individual and distinct number. If you also look at
paren 2 on page five, you'll see that we've added a provision that if
you -- if your property is being used as part of a mitigation program
for the governmental entities that are listed here, the Army Corps, the
US Fish & Wildlife Service, the Florida DEP, Florida Wildlife
Commission, or the South Florida Water Management District, then
the mitigation program that that government entity has approved of,
will suffice as your registration and maintenance program.
This is also language on a slightly different subject at the bottom
of page six, in paren G, this was added to clarify that the county bears
no responsibility to notify lenders or those who hold a security interest
in property, that the property, that TDR credits have been severed and
the property now is subj ect to a conveyance bonus -- or conservation
easement, that that obligation falls squarely on the shoulders of the
property owner. Before I move on to the next--
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Any questions or comments?
MS. CHUMBLER: Are there any questions?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yes.
Page 21
August 18,2005
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yeah, one quick thing. Look on
page three, our page three, and down at the bottom it's Roman numeral
6A. It says TDR credits nor early entry bonus credits.
There's no way an early entry, or any bonus credit, would be
available unless you had a TDR, correct? The point is, do we really
need this? If no TDR credits are available, then essentially none of
these others are available, correct?
MS. CHUMBLER: Well, I think this was to be made clear. And
you may be correct that it's redundant language, but, we just want to
make it absolutely clear that if you have a preexisting conservation
easement on property prior to severing the TDR, those two, the TDR
credit and the early entry bonus are not available to you. One reason
for doing that is, it's available. I mean, you may have -- for example, if
you've got a TDR -- you've got property that you've severed TDRs
from and now have a conservation easement, three years from now,
even though that conservation easement is already there, the other two
bonus credits still can be generated. The only two that are subject to
that restriction, have no -- not being able to be generated if there's a
preexisting conservation easement are the initial TDR credit, and the
early entry.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So the other two credits would
be available?
MS. CHUMBLER: They're available because -- well, remember
for the other two credits, you first have to have severed your TDR.
However, let's say I sever a TDR from a property I own as a
descending land today, I've decided, you know what, I don't want to
spend the money, or go get the loan or whatever I need to do the
restoration and maintenance bonus today, three years from now I
change my mind. The fact that I've already got a conservation
easement on my property, doesn't preclude me then from choosing to
take the steps necessary to get that restoration and maintenance bonus.
Page 22
August 18, 2005
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. All right. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Any other questions or comments? Yes,
sir, Mr. Vigliotti.
MR. VIGLIOTTI: On the restoration and maintenance bonus,
you were speaking about the amount of time. Is that done on an
individual basis, in approximately one year, ten years, five years? Do
you have any --
MS. CHUMBLER: Bill Lorenz may be able to speak to this
better. But, you know, I think when we originally talked about this,
the sense was probably 25 years was a pretty good average. Is that
right, Bill? But my understanding is it's really going to depend a lot on
the property. If you've got property that's not heavily infested already,
it might not take as long. If you've got property that's heavily infested
and it's situated such where there's going to be a continuing problem
with infestation, and other problems that may not just be exotics, then
it may take much longer. OERP.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Other questions or comments?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Let me jump back in again. The
restoration benefit, it's going to be like fairly easy for like a farm land;
isn't it? If someone had two pieces of land, one is totally wild, the
other one is farmland, aren't they two different creatures, and would
they get the same benefit for both?
MS. CHUMBLER: Not necessarily. I mean, farmland you may
have to do some planting there that's going to have to be -- we're
talking about restoration.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay.
MS. CHUMBLER: It also may be that there's been some
hydrological changes that have to be cured, too. So, again, it's going to
be property specific.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Other questions? Move on.
MS. CHUMBLER: The next provision has what I characterized
earlier as the glitch amendments. There are in addition to this section
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August 18,2005
or in this regulation, the addition of the concept of TDR bonus credits.
I think the first change that bears some discussion is the bottom of
page nine. There was a lot of discussion about this one when I was
here in the spring. That relates to the use of TDRs and TDR bonus
credits for golf course acreage. And I would recommend -- I notice
reading it this morning, you know, I mentioned to Randy Cohen, you
can read something 100 times and that 101 st time you see something
you've missed each reading before that. I notice in reading paren 3,
little Roman 21, that we had neglected to add the or TDR bonus
credits. So, let's say under two Roman I where it says one TDR credit
shall be required per five golf course acres, it should -- we should add
one TDR credit or TDR bonus credit. The intent all along is those
bonus credits could be used in the same manner as a TDR credit.
The reason that this language was changed, or proposed to be
changed in the first place, is because the comp plan, the way it's
currently written, does say that the TDR credit and, in fact, the
amended language adds TDR bonus credits, can be used to entitle five
acres of golf course in the rural fringe. There was confusion about
whether that meant that TDR credit, or bonus credit could also be used
to entitle an associated residential unit. And so, I think as we were
here before, we said, ultimately for the Board of County
Commissioners there's going to be two options, the option of yes it can
be used for both, or no it cannot. The recollection of staff was that the
original intent was that it could be double used and that's the reason
the language was drafted as it was. We have now received
clarification from the Board, it appears that, in fact, their intent is that
it not be double used. And that's why we are proposing that this
language be amended, that everything beginning with TDR credit--
that at such time as be stricken. That's about little more than halfway
down little Roman two, it begins at such time as the county approves
golf course development, that that not be added. That the sentence
before that should be revised to read, a TDR credit may not be used to
Page 24
August 18,2005
entitle golf course development as well as dwelling units. TDR credit
or bonus credit. To make it absolutely clear that you may not use it for
both. You can only use it for one.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Marti, for clarification. The
version we have has a pink highlight X through that.
MS. CHUMBLER: Right.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Does that mean you're going to
strike that whole thing?
MS. CHUMBLER: Yes. Except for we need to add -- and I
discussed this again this morning with staff. We need to add the
sentence, or otherwise we've gone through this somewhat painful
process without accomplishing what we intended to accomplish to
begin with, which is to clarify this language. We do need to add in a
sentence that very clearly says, a TDR credit and a TDR -- or a TDR
bonus credit, may not be used to entitle both five golf course acres and
a dwelling unit. That would be new language.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. I'm simple, I guess. Let's
assume we wipe out that whole paragraph, and you're going to replace
it with a sentence that says -- go ahead.
MS. CHUMBLER: Well, we wouldn't wipe out the entire
paragraph, just what's been marked off in pink.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, that's what I mean. The
pink stuff.
MS. CHUMBLER: We would replace that with a sentence that
says, a TDR credit or a TDR bonus credit that is used to entitle golf
course development, may not also be used to entitle a dwelling unit.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I got it.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Anything else, Mr. Schiffer?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: No.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Any other questions or comments? Okay.
We'll continue, please.
MS. F ABACHER: I believe we have -- oh, she's not finished.
Page 25
August 18, 2005
MS. CHUMBLER: The rest of these are all items that are Glitch
Amendments. There are some changes in the oil and gas exploration
language that's made primarily to make the language consistent
throughout the LDR's. There are some other languages, for example,
under golf course to clarify what's intended by compliance with
Audubon gold standard for golf courses. As you may recall -- and I'm
on page 13 right now -- as you may recall there's a proposed language
to reduce the green belt in north Belle Meade rural villages from 500
feet in width, but not less than -- an average of 500 feet in width, but
not less than 300 in any given point to 300 feet in width on average,
but not less than 200 feet at any given point. In fact, when we were
requested to revisit that issue, we went back and found that in the
eastern land, in the stewardship lands, this is the kind of green belt
that's required for townships within the eastern lands. This makes the
green belt provisions in the rural fringe for rural villages similar to that
that applies in the eastern lands. Unless there are specific questions --
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Marti, and I'm sorry I have to go
back to page three again. I'm still confused on that. Roman Numeral
6A, the example you gave was if somebody had sold a TDR, but
reading in a sense --
MS. CHUMBLER: I'm sorry. Can you point me again? I'm not --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: It's Roman Numeral 6A. And we
discussed --
MS. CHUMBLER: On page?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: On page three.
MS. CHUMBLER: Page three?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Is it the intent that somewhere in
the county where somebody already has a conservation easement or
some restriction where they can't develop residential units, they can
now come in with the bonus, the two bonuses, the conservation?
MS. CHUMBLER: No, because a prerequisite of both the
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August 18, 2005
conservation bonus credit and the conveyance is that you first must
sever TDRs from that.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right, that's what I thought. So
the thing is, if you don't have a TDR credit, there's no way you're
going to get any of these three bonuses.
MS. CHUMBLER: Right, that's correct. That's a prerequisite for
all three of the bonus credits.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Then in the redundant language,
why do we only point out early entry bonus credits? Why don't we
just -- first of all, why don't we just eliminate that? Why do we need to
say that? I mean, if you can't get a TDR, then you can't get a bonus.
Obviously, if you got your TDR prior to this ordinance, you
should be able to go back and get these bonuses.
MS. CHUMBLER: Correct. And that's what we're -- we want to
make sure there's no confusion. If we create a confusion, then we
should write it a different way. But the intent is that someone who,
you know, five or six years from now wants to get an additional bonus
credit, they wouldn't have an early entry bonus available to them, but
if they want the restoration or conveyance, the cost of the property has
been under conservation easement for six years, they're not precluded
from getting that bonus credit.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right. But they had already
given away their TDR initially.
MS. CHUMBLER: Right.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So, obviously, you can't get two
TDRs on a piece of land anyway. So that goes without saying.
MS. CHUMBLER: Right.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: The concern I have is the way
it's worded. It gives the impression -- let's say that somebody had
donated, or something out there other than the TDR program could
cause a conservation easement or development restriction, which has
nothing to do with this program. What this looks like is, if you have a
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August 18, 2005
piece of land which has a conservation easement, or you can't develop
residential units, you could go after the two bonuses, the
environmental restoration and the conveyance bonus.
MS. CHUMBLER: Well, if you look back at page two, little
Roman two.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right.
MS. CHUMBLER: It says TDR bonus credits shall only be
generated from RFMU sending land property from which TDR credits
have been severed. So that's a base requirement.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. So what if you changed
an a -- neither TDR nor bonus credits, then I'd be safe that there's no
loophole there?
MS. CHUMBLER: Well, you've created a potential problem
again for those people who come in, you know, four or five years from
now to get -- I mean, at that point there would in fact be a
conservation easement on their property.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right. But they've already
satisfied the fact that there's a TDR.
MS. CHUMBLER: But we're now creating another limitation.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I don't see --
MS. CHUMBLER: This is a limitation on the creation of that
unit. You can't at any time -- you know the TDR -- TDRs and TDR
early entry bonuses are -- if someone came in after this was effective
and sought to sever their TDRs for the first time, their TDR credit and
their early entry bonus credit, would be generated at exactly the same
time, Simultaneously. So it would be very clear how this conservation
works. But let's say the person who is already -- I don't know who it
is, but whoever has already applied for and received a TDR, they don't
have a -- they can't -- that early entry bonus hadn't been generated yet
because the land development regulation is not in place. As soon as
this land development regulation goes in place, they'd then be entitled
for the early entry bonus, but their property already has a conservation
Page 28
August 18, 2005
easement. So we needed to make clear that that early entry bonus
credit was not going to be precluded because their property already
has a conservation easement on it.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right. But -- okay. I mean, I
honestly think the way it's worded, somebody who is not even in the
TDR program and has a development restriction or a conservation
easement, can now apply for those two bonus credits.
MS. CHUMBLER: Well, perhaps we can consider adding
something at the bottom that says, you know, all other requirements
for TDR bonus credits must be met, or something, if that's what your
concern IS.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Because I'm not concerned -- if
the guy has a TDR, then ten years later decides to do the conservation,
the two conservation easements, I can't see where that's confusing.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Does that suggested language address your
concern, Mr. Schiffer?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I think so. I just think -- and
maybe it's just me, the way it's worded somebody could take a piece
of land that's restricted for development and go for those other two
bonuses.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Strain.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Just for the record, I have strongly
expressed my distaste for this entire part of our recommended changes
to the TDR program. I've done it on record previously, and I'm going
to save you all and the public the time of having to hear it again, so,
but I still stand by my prior objections.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Further comments, questions? Any other
presentation, Marti, or we're on to registered speakers?
MR. WHITE: Can I make a suggestion?
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Yes, sir, Mr. White.
MR. WHITE: Perhaps, Marti, taking an opportunity to draft that
text in handwritten version and we would be happy to share it with
Page 29
August 18, 2005
Commissioner Schiffer at our break or before and maybe get
something on the record prior to your vote.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: That would be fine.
MR. WHITE: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Registered speakers?
MS. FABACHER: We have one speaker for the TDRs. It's
Nancy Patton. I'm sorry. We have more.
MS PAYTON: Nancy Payton representing the Florida Wildlife
Federation. And I'll be very brief. I agree with you, Mr. Schiffer, that
there should be something very clear that conservation easements that
were put on land prior to this program should be very clear that they're
not entitled to any TDRs, whether they be base, bonus, or conveyance
or mitigation. And maybe a simple sentence that says that would help
clarify this problem because we don't want sending lands that are
already protected to sort of double dip in this program. And the other
comment I had is just a housekeeping one on page five, the very
bottom, it's the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission Just
to get the name correct. That's it. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Thank you. Next speaker, please. Mr.
Anderson.
MS. FABACHER: What's the name?
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Bruce Anderson.
MR. ANDERSON: Good morning, Mr. Chairman. I'm here on
behalf of the Collier Building Industry Association. You may recall
that that organization as well as the Florida Wildlife Federation and
Collier County Audubon Society worked collaboratively on these
TDR bonus amendments. They've continued those collaborative
efforts, and the organizations support the staff recommendation. One
correction -- I believe Marti misspoke when she was discussing the
green belt change in width. It applies to all rural villages, not the rural
village in North Belle Meade because a green belt is not required in
North Belle Meade overlay. And lastly, I would share with you the
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.,"--~,-
August 18, 2005
news, if you don't already know it, that the Department of Community
Affairs has published its notice of intent to find the TDR bonus
amendments and all the other comprehensive plan amendments that
were adopted at the same time to find those in compliance with the
State Roof Management Act. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Thank you, sir. Any other speakers? Mr.
Mulhere.
MR. MULHARE: Thank you. Bob Mulhere with RW A. I'm
actually representing myself as a professional who's been involved in
this process since the outset. Lord knows seven years ago, I think. I
think one of the primary objectives of the TDR program was to
provide a return, an appropriate return, to the landowners ascending
lands who have restrictions placed on their lands. And I believe that
the amendments that are proposed at this point in time will result in a
market attraction for those TDRs and will result in landowners having
the opportunity to get that return. And then the second objective of the
program, that is the preservation of those sending lands will occur
through that process. So I would encourage you to support this, and I
thank you.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Thank you, sir. Other speakers?
MS. FABACHER: I'm sorry. It's hard to say. They all put LDC
Amendment 2A, so it's hard to know whether they're here for the
intensity reduction or --
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Let's call them off and see if they want to
talk.
MS. FABACHER: All right. Coulombe.
MR. COULOMBE: Nope. Not on that one.
MS. FABACHER: Clay Brooker, Kathy Sellers and Rich
Y ovanovich.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Brooker.
MR. BROOKER: Clay Brooker, for the record. I was going to
speak just very briefly on the excess intensity provisions only, and I
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August 18, 2005
know you haven't reached that yet. And I speak as vice chair of
Development Services Advisory Commission. We were unable to
reach -- we had the same problem you guys did. We had Cycle 2 and
Cycle 2A and about a three hour time period to try to review and we
weren't able to get to this particular provision, the excess intensity. It's
our hope and desire that before your second hearing, we will in fact be
able to come back with our comments on that provision.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Okay. Thank you. We're not there yet, but
thank you. other speakers? You mentioned a couple other names. Who
were those?
MS. FABACHER: Oh, I'm sorry. Cathy Sellers and Scott
Coulombe.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Which he already -- Mr. Coulombe has
already acknowledged it's on another item, and the lady has indicated
the same.
MS. FABACHER: Mr. Yovanovich.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Y ovanovich. Another item.
MS. FABACHER: That's it.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Okay. Any questions, comments by
Planning Commission? Mr. Strain?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Yeah. I'd like to ask a question of
transportation if they have a representative here.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: No, but they have Don Scott. I'm sorry,
Don. You didn't deserve that.
MR. SCOTT: Thanks. Don Scott.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Good morning, Don. This
particular provision is going to greatly increase density in the rural
areas. Has your department reviewed this?
MR. SCOTT: Not that closely, no.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay. Last night your department
came forward with what, in essence, is a moratorium for areas of
Collier County where there could be potentially deficit roads. The
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August 18, 2005
rural fringe, if I'm not mistaken, has to exit this like everybody else
through intersections that were identified last night, as deficient, or
potentially deficient. You have not analyzed this to see what impact
they have on those roadways, but seeing the severity of what was
proposed last night, how could your department justify supporting this
amendment not knowing the impact it's going to have on the very
roads that you're trying to stop last night?
MS. SCOTT: Well, I'm looking at it from the holistic picture.
The east of 951 study that we're doing right now looking at everything
that I'm going to deed out there based on the build-out study, which
includes all of what they're talking about. Have I reviewed that
petition specifically? No. Actually my involvement was probably
more like a year-and-a-half ago, two years ago when all this, you
know, the rural land started. The -- I mean, we have a lot -- I have a
lot of projects out in the estates. I'm going to have a lot more in the
future to address these issues.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: And I empathize with you. I
understand what you're saying, and my point is simply that if we're in
such a shape that we want to go back and try to stop things that have
previously been approved, or limit them, then why are we not stopping
them before they get approved? And this is a prime example. This is
one that didn't need to be done right now. We could do it later when
we have a better opportunity to understand the impacts. And in the
meantime, there was a program in place that could have worked to
some limitation if people wanted to spend the money to make it work.
I know that's not your point, or your issue, but that's my concern is the
impacts on concurrency as a result of these greater impacts out there.
MR. SCOTT: Well, don't misunderstand last night's attempt
either. Do I want to stop all those that were previously approved? No.
I want to have the improvements in place when they were coming
forward. That's what our intent was.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Maybe the better reaction to that is
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August 18, 2005
we have rezones coming forward. Instead of your department
approving them, why don't we just say no for a while. Because they
are discretionary until things change.
MR. SCOTT: They are.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Thank you. Ms. Caron.
MS. CARON: I'd like to just follow up on that for a minute
because the dirty little secret here is that it doesn't just affect the fringe
area, it affects the urban area. These TDRs and TDR bonus credits can
be done into the urban area as well. So your traffic is going to be
impacted all across the board.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Other comments or questions? Mr.
Schiffer?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Just talking to Mark a second.
Mark, what we're trying to do here is create a way to get credits and I
think this is a noble cause to get the credits. All four of them. It's how
would they cash them in is where you're going to go control what
you're concerned about.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well, get the credits. The intent is
to use them. Are you telling all these people --let's go out and -- we'll
encourage you to buy all these, but after you come in, we're going to
tell you you can't use them for X number of years. In the case of US
41 East, for example, the DOT controls that. That was on the Habitat
for Humanity project. They talked five to eight years before that's
brought back into compliance. So here we are encouraging people to
spend their money, invest, get their bankers involved, get lending
institutions involved to buy the property and say, you know, that's
great, but we're not going to let you use it for eight years.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: There may be parts of town they
can't use it. There may be other parts of town where they're readily
available. So maybe it's the future use of it that's really the value of it.
MR. SCOTT: And you still have your concurrency rules that,
even if somebody wants to do all that, you might not be able to go
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August 18,2005
forward based on that.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Quadrupling this is going to go
make those concurrency rules a little further stretched than they
already are.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But, Mark, it is a two-step
process. One generating it and the other one cashing them in. All we're
talking about today is generating the --
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Brad, I realized before today's
meeting that this board has addressed this before and I was
outnumbered each time. I realize that's going to occur today so I don't
need to debate it with you. I'm simply making my statements for the
record.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Further discussions? Questions? There are
no other public speakers. Before we transmit, there was some
consideration of, Marti, you were going to try to come up with some
alternate language. Do you have that or do we need to take a break?
MS. CHUMBLER: I'm trying to write it -- I'm trying to write it
in a form that I can read.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Are you ready or --
MS. CHUMBLER: Let's see what I can do for you.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: -- should we take a short break to allow
you to wrap it up?
MS. CHUMBLER: I think I can.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Okay. Take a shot at it.
MS. CHUMBLER: Okay. How about adding at the end of -- this
is on page three at the end of paren A, environmental restoration and
maintenance bonus credits and conveyance bonus credits may only be
generated for those RFMU sending lands where conservation
easement or other similar development restriction that prohibits
residential development was imposed in conjunction with the
severance of TDR credits.
MS. CARON: Say it one more time.
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August 18, 2005
MS. CHUMBLER: Okay. Environmental restoration and
maintenance bonus credits and conveyance bonus credits may only be
generated from those RFMU sending lands where conservation
easements or other similar development restriction which prohibits
residential development was imposed in conjunction with a severance
ofTDR credits.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Okay. Any thoughts on that modified
language?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yes. I think it's going to make a
really wordy sentence because you're repeating essentially the
sentence prior to it. But as long as the intent is that unless they have a
TDR -- but actually this sentence says they can't get a TDR. So what
you're saying in this sentence is also saying is, you can't get two TDRs
for the same piece of land. I think this is confusing the way it's
written, but as long as it's clear it doesn't pass here without the intent
you can't get these TDR -- or these credits on non TDR properties.
MS. CHUMBLER: The intent is to say that the only conservation
easements that we're going to allow there to be on property for
environmental restoration or conveyance bonus, is that conservation to
the easement that was imposed when the TDR was first severed. Back
whenever that occurred.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Sounds like we're there. It doesn't have to
be entertaining reading, it just has to be clear. Any other thoughts or
comments?
Now, are we -- is our appropriate action to hear this again at a
specific meeting or trans -- refresh my memory. Where are we?
MS. CHUMBLER: Well, I think that's probably at your
discretion, but it has in fact been heard before, so this is at least the
second reading of this one.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: We've beaten this one pretty good.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Okay. This would be a recommendation to
transmit?
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August 18, 2005
MS. CHUMBLER: Yes.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Okay. If we're in agreement, do we have a
motion to that effect?
MS. CHUMBLER: A recommendation to the BCC.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Recommendation to the Board of County
Commissioners.
MR. WHITE: For adoption.
MS. CHUMBLER: For adoption, right. There's no transmittal for
TDR.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Okay. Recommendation to the Board of
County Commissioners for adoption. Is that your motion, Mr.
Schiffer?
MR. WHITE: For the finding of consistency with the
comprehensive plan under its notice of intent.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: You have that finding, Mr. Schiffer, in
your motion?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yes, I do.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Okay. Very good.
MS. CHUMBLER: Mr. Chairman, I'm reminded that we need to
add in that motion what the other changes have being noted both by
myself and by, I believe, Ms. Payton. She suggested a corrected title
for the gain commission.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: As noted.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: And a second by Mr. Adelstein.
Discussion?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I win be voting no on this motion
because, as acknowledged, transportation concurrency issues have not
been merited out on this issue. And I believe there are other
concurrency issues that this win interfere with to a point where they
win became more of a detriment to the taxpayers of this county than a
positive.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Further discussion?
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August 18,2005
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN BUDD: There being none, we'll call the question.
All those in favor signify by saying aye.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Aye.
MR. MURRAY: Aye.
MR. ABERNATHY: Aye.
MR. VIGLIOTTI: Aye.
MR. MINDY: Aye.
MR. SCHIFFER: Aye.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Those opposed?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Opposed.
MS. CARON: Opposed.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Opposed.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: And that would be Ms. Caron and Mr.
Strain in opposition. And who was the third?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I was.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Adelstein. Motion carries six to three.
All right. Our next agenda item.
MS. FABACHER: Okay. Our next agenda item would be what
we're calling the excess intensity.
Margie, did you want to explain?
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Yes, I'll -- excuse me. Yes, I'll
explain. For the record, Marjorie Student-Sterling, Assistant County
Attorney. And this ordinance was prepared at the direction of the
Board of County Commissioners. And it is to address the situation that
I'm sure that you've heard many times come up in hearings on rezones
about some of the density out there being taken up by already built out
PUDs that may not have developed to their authorized number of
units, but have developed because of the market conditions or
otherwise to less than that. So, in our view, it's a process oriented
approach to get rid of those excess units that are not going to be
utilized, and this approach very closely follows what the county did
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August 18, 2005
many years ago in our zoning reevaluation ordinance where we had
compatibility exceptions. And I'll just kind of walk you through this.
First of all, there's a definition of what a built-out PUD is. And
that's the situation where the resident's already constructed or, and
received a CO and so forth, or is under construction pursuant to a
validly issued building permit, or you have a platted subdivided lot
which plat has been lawfully approved by the Board of County
Commissioners. We don't want to get in a situation where someone
owns the lot but it hasn't yet been built on and it's a platted lot taking
their ability away to build their home. So, we want to make sure that
that was addressed.
The process would be that the staff would study the PUDs by
zoning district. And before in the zoning reevaluation ordinance there
were 12 planning communities that were established. And I want to
point out that Marco Island is one of those planning communities, and
I left the reference into 12, just in case that planning community has
some area that's still within the county and not within the boundary of
the City of Marco Island. Then there would be an opportunity for
planning staff to evaluate the different PUDs and the different
planning communities to determine which ones are built out and
which ones have excess density that needs to be removed. There
would be a notice to the Master Property Owners Association, and
then there would be notice to all the property owners that own
property within the PUD giving them an opportunity to come in and
voice any objections that they have to staff as to the removal of this
excess density. So that's the first process. That would be done on a
planning community -- by the planning community basis.
The next process would be the actual rezoning process where the
units would be reduced. And of course they would be duly advertised.
And we are not going to have the requirement for a neighborhood
information meeting. And also there's another change that just came
about in talking this over with staff. We would not have the
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August 18, 2005
requirement for the posting of signs, but all the other requirements
would have to be met. And then there would be the ordinance or
ordinances presented where the density would be adjusted as well as
the number of units. Because if the number of units is reduced, that
would result in a change in the density.
There's also a provision here where individuals, if they feel they
have a vested right or a takings claim, that they can utilize our local
processes under section 902 of our land development code. So, the
idea this is filled with processes to give property owners at every turn
the ability to come in and voice their objections or concerns, and if
they feel that they have a vested right or they're takings issue, there's
another process that they can avail themselves of.
There are also some exemptions in here. For example, if there is
a PUD district that is tied to a development of regional impact,
developments of regional impact have a date until which they get to
develop before the local government could down zone them. And I'm
also adding a provision on further thought that includes the
termination date. Because developments of regional impact have
termination dates in them. And, so, we wouldn't be involved in any of
those PUDs until either one of those dates were achieved. Of course
built-out PUDs that have developed to the maximum number of
dwelling units authorized by the regulations, that sort of goes without
saying. That they would be exempt. And then also PUD zoning
districts consisting of residential dwelling units which have been
determined to have a vested right under our vesting provisions, would
be exempt. And also the situation such as Pelican Bay. And that's the
only one that I know of in the county. But that is where you have a
master association that has retained development rights in the
association. And I don't know if there are others, but that would
certainly be part of the staff review. So, those are the exemptions.
Also, there's a provision here where if a PUD has not yet been
turned over to the Master Property Owners Association, that the
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August 18, 2005
ONUS would be upon the developer at the time of turnover to come in
and process an amendment to the PUD that reflects the actual number
of units that either have been built, or the actual number of subdivided
lots, so we could adjust that number accordingly. And I spoke a bit
with Mr. Y ovanovich about this provision and he explained the
turnover happens incrementally. So we would want to include some
language that addresses the final turnover, or the final -- or the
turnover of the final phase to the Master Property Owner's
Association.
And then the other portion of this is that new PUDs and PUDs
coming in for amendments would need to include what you have in
your language now as expiration date, but staff thought it was better to
include the language of a build-out date. So we're changing -- where
you see expiration date, it would be build-out date. And to put in the
PUDs, so there's some certainty as to the life of this thing and how
long it has to develop. And, of course, the developer would be free to
come in at any time to amend the PUD, and extend that date. And
there's also some clarifications of what a property owner could do
after that date passed. And of course they could remodel, rebuild or
make additions to their residence, and it doesn't affect their right again
to build on a platted but unapproved lot, if they haven't yet built on it.
And I see the transportation folks are here, but again, as I had stated,
the idea of this is to take away the phantom units that get calculated in
the checkbook concurrency system that might otherwise hold up a
project that don't -- that if this is done, they can be deducted out of
these units and free up density or number of units for another proj ect
that would be coming in.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Russell?
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Sir?
MR. ABERNATHY: Marjorie, the capture of these units that you
outline in paragraph 8G7 on page 23, where the planning staff initiates
an amendment --
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August 18,2005
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Right.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: That is going to come
through the CCPC and the BCC.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Yes, it would.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Okay.
MS. STUDENT -STIRLING: And how -- I'll just explain.
MR. ABERNATHY: Affected property owners would be able to
contest at that point?
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Absolutely. And again, that is for a
situation -- and I'm just going to use an example of where I currently
live, and it's in an older PUD. But in Lely, and in Lely, there's a
master association and then there are condo associations and
homeowners associations under that master association. And the thing
has been built out. There's no developer involved anymore. It's the
property owners themselves and the property owners association. And
I have identified that situation again. What I call the Pelican Bay
situation where the association and perhaps in concert with the
developer still, has retained rights to those residential units.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Anything else?
MR. ABERNATHY: That's it.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Other questions on this item? Mr. Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Margie, first of all, the intent is
to really drop them from the concurrency management system, right?
Why don't we just drop their vested rights, rather than go through and
take out all the units that they're allowed to build, why don't we just
drop their vested concurrency?
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Well, I'm not quite sure how that
would work. I mean, this is a predictable process. You have something
in the ordinances that a person can look at and state, this is how many
units that -- you know, it reflects how many units are actually on the
ground.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I mean, I can understand why
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August 18, 2005
we want to clean up the slate so we know exactly how many units will
be in there. The thing about the master association getting the
ownership of the units. When the Waterside Shops were renewed,
WCI, which is the developer, owned the units.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: I said it could be in combination
with the developer. I think it says or like entity. And we would--
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yeah. The concern I had about
that in that case, that had commercial property on it. And with the
smart growth of things we've been studying, maybe somebody would
want to revise these commercial areas and use these units. So while it
would appear there's no need for them, in the future there may be a
need for them.
MS. STUDENT -STIRLING: Well, I think that in that case it
wouldn't affect those -- that type of situation where they've retained an
interest in the unit, and the residential units. If you're saying that they
would want to switch out from the commercial and use that for
residential, that would probably engender a PUD amendment anyway.
And if anybody wanted to come in and change anything, they're free
at any time to come in and amend their PUD.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Another question is, we're only
dealing with dwelling units?
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: That's right. We're not dealing with
industrial/commercial. And there are a couple of reasons for that. I
haven't made a study for all the PUDs, but I've reviewed a good
number over my time here with the county. And my recollection is,
there's not that many that specify a maximum gross leasable floor
area. And usually the -- and where it doesn't, the footprint's arrived at
by leasing out your setbacks and your buffering and preservation and
so on requirements. So number one, it would be hard to make that type
of amendment. Number two, commercial and industrial are dynamic.
They may need to enlarge their building, or do something to meet
market conditions, and having to come through a PUD amendment
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August 18, 2005
process, could be onerous. And we have an economic development
council here in the county who's actively trying to encourage industry
and commercial to come to Collier County and to put an -- I think that
would just be perhaps a further disincentive. So those are reasons why
they're not included.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Do we carry phantom square
footage?
MS. STUDENT -STIRLING: I would have to defer to the folks in
transportation.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Another question. Just going
down on page 20, it's 8A, the last paragraph in there, isn't that
essentially the reason why we're doing it? We want to put that in the
statutes, or?
MS. STUDENT -STIRLING: It's under purpose and intent. And
as the purpose and intent explains the reasons why you're doing
something.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. That's it. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Murray?
MR. MURRAY: I'm going to pass on it. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Other questions? Mr. Strain.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Yes, I have a few. Catherine, did
this meet the deadline submittal for those amendments to your office?
MS. F ABACHER: I cannot recollect that this particular version
did, but one version did.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: One version did, but you don't
know if this one did.
MS. FABACHER: No.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay. Can anybody tell me when
was this distributed to the business community, the building
community and other members of the community that would be
mostly affected by this?
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Commissioner Strain, there were
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August 18,2005
two workshops that the Board of County Commissioners had. My
recollection is, one was in December of 2004 and there was another in
April of 2005. And an earlier iteration of this was made part of that
workshop. And then in the later iteration was made part of the
workshop in April.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Then maybe someone could tell
me, when was this document distributed to the business community or
development community, development community, since they are the
people most affected by this? When was this document given to them
for review so we can have the benefit of their input today?
MS. STUDENT -STIRLING: There's a date of July 26, 2005 on
the notebook when it was available for distribution; is that right,
Catherine?
MS. FABACHER: Right.
MR. SCHMITT: I need to question. We normally -- I mean, we
do not have a process where we distribute to the business community.
We have a public notification. We have a public meeting and review
process. The public, if you want to call it public unveiling was at the
Development Services Advisory Committee meeting where we
presented the first version of this. That meeting, Catherine was --
when was that?
MS. FABACHER: August 3rd.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Joe, my concern is that this is a
very substantial issue.
MR. SCHMITT: I understand.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: We are taking units that were
approved in one of these hearings in the past and now telling the
developer who may have used those for lending institutions or
whatever, and saying we're going to take those away from you if you
don't use them. I don't know if that's the right way to approach this. A
better way may have been not to provide those in the first place. But
in regards to that I'd like to ask how this -- how this gets around the
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August 18, 2005
Burt Harris claim because you're basically taking away someone's
right that they had prior to this.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Well, again, this applies to a
situation where -- I don't think a developer is involved anymore.
Because this is where the PUD is built out. And you have a master
association and property owners. And, for example, if you want to use
the Lely example, and you can travel, what I call old original Lely. I
think it's called Lely Golf Estates or Lely Golf and Country Club,
there's no developer involved at all. The homes are all built on platted
and subdivided lots where if somebody didn't build a home, they have
a vacant lot that they still have the ability to build on. And everything
has been built and there's no developer anymore and we're not taking
any right away from anybody. Because if it's a multi-family tract, the
multi-family has all been built and under the control of a condo
association. If it's a single family lot in a subdivision, it's either been
built on or it has a vacant lot, and vacant lots are protected, so, and the
developer is out of the picture. It's just property owners.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: So then you don't mind stipulating
somewhere in this document that this only applies to developments,
PUDs, DRIs, or whatever with the exception, obviously, not taken into
consideration. But it only applies to projects that have been turned
over to master homeowner associations.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: We have the definition of built-out
PUD here. And we do have the one situation, and this is for
administrative ease so the county doesn't have to keep continuing to
study these areas that now, prior to turnover, and we could craft some
language of maybe turnover to the final phase. The developer would
come in and process a PUD amendment that would reflect the total
number of units that have actually been constructed or they've platted
and subdivided lots for because I don't believe the developer would be
turning it over to the association, unless, you know -- obviously the
condos have to be built and people have to be living in them for there
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August 18,2005
to be, you know, an association that's been -- having the development
turned over too. And in the homeowners platted lot situation, there
obviously has to be the platted lots and residents constructed and
people living in them for the developer to release their control and turn
it over to the association. So that's why I don't believe there is any
problem with, you know, with developers, per se. And that -- that one
situation is covered in there for administrative ease of the county so
the county doesn't have to continue to do this study.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: The example of course that comes
to mind is the Waterside Shops, and where I think this issue may have
started. The developer there is, for the most part, built out, or close to
being built out at least. And the excess density that was there was used
to offset traffic impacts to move commercial. The excess density
theoretically was built into the system, therefore they were having a
positive impact on the system. But it seems to me that if you've got a
value in a number of units assigned to a project, that to unilaterally
take those away from the developer, to me would seem like you're
doing some kind of taking. And I know where your position is on it,
Margie, I just heard it. I would wonder if Richard Y ovanovich would
mind lending comment to it since he does deal with Burt Harris claims
as well and then we can hear both sides of the story. If Richard could
come up. If you don't mind.
MR. SCHMITT: Mr. Chairman, are we now asking for public
speakers?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: No. I'm exercising my ability to
ask someone from the audience who is willing to speak on a matter.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: My opinion on this is just as he has, Mr.
Strain asked Don Scott some questions a minute ago, he's asking Mr.
Y ovanovich some questions as part of the Planning Commission
Interrogatories and questions. But I shouldn't say Interrogatories.
That's a legal term. Questions.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Richard, I was just wondering from
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a Burt Harris perspective, do you see any problems with this?
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Well, and I did register to speak and was
probably going to raise that as an issue. I do think that there is -- you
have some rights in what you have gotten approved, and you've given
some things to get those approvals. And to unilaterally take those
away from the developer, I think you've got some problems. I don't
think the county has the ability to just unilaterally amend a PUD to
say, you know what, instead of there being 600 units, there's now 500
units. I mean, the PUD is a deal that's struck between the parties. And
the county can't unilaterally take that away and I think that is a
property right that's being taken away from the developer, and I do
think you've got some issues that may result from that. And I've got
other comments that I'll make to the document.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I just wanted to get that point from
you. And then I've got both sides of the issue from two attorneys on
each side.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: I want to point out that again, Mr.
Y ovanovich said the developer. This is not a situation involving the
developer anymore. And furthermore, yes, the developer is part of the
PUD process. There were some issues about things that they gave up
to get the units. But when they built the PUD and it's built out, they
built the number of units that they chose to build and platted and
subdivided the number of lots that they chose to plat and subdivide
under that PUD. And if it's somewhat less and the developer is out of
the picture, I don't -- I can't imagine a homeowners association or a
condo association coming in and saying, well, in this development our
PUD originally said that we had, you know, 300 units but there's only
275 that were built, and that's taken up all the dirt, if you will, in our
development, and you've taken away a right from us. Because the
developer is not involved anymore. It's the homeowner, individual
homeowner or the association.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Thank you, Margie. I'd like to go
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August 18, 2005
on and work in other questions, I'm sure I'll have more questions after
Richard gets up here later.
Part of the basis for this seems to be that once the building, or the
project is built out, there will be no change in the future. As we saw in
Pelican Bay, even though something was built, there were changes in
the future. And I have seen developments that come in for a plat for a
single family subdivision get approved, actually put the infrastructure
in, then decide the market is changing by the time they get through all
that effort and process to multi-family and they rip out all that
infrastructure, come in for a plat, change the plat to an SDP and put in
multi-family. How do those exceptions fit into this category as the
future rolls on and the market conditions change and things like that?
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Well, again, this would be a case
where the developer is no longer involved and it's in the homeowners
and the property owners association. And the homes would have been
sold and the lots would have been sold, or the condo units would have
been sold, and they are occupied by the people that purchased them.
So I think the scenario that you point out, we're beyond that scenario
now because it's strictly the property owners and the homeowners
association. And the only scenario I can imagine is if a developer
wanted to come in and buy up a number of lots that had houses on
them and redevelop or buy up an entire completely built-out
developed condominium project and redo it. I haven't seen it that
much here. I've seen it with some smaller ones. That scenario could
happen, but at the same time they could come in, and probably have to
come in, to amend the PUD. Probably would want to come in to
amend the PUD to do what they want to do. But, again, I haven't --
that would be a redevelopment scenario, and I have not seen it that
much in the county.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well, in the scenario you just
talked about, Margie, they would come in to do their PUD, but they
would come in saying that they have excess density of say, 1,000
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August 18, 2005
units. And by redoing their PUD and reducing it to X by -- they
actually have a positive impact on traffic, and they can justify the redo
of the PUD. In that scenario, wouldn't you agree that those ghost
densities, or those unused densities at that point have a value to the
developer?
MS. STUDENT -STIRLING: Well, I don't think it's necessarily
the case because the developer would have purchased the property
from the homeowners knowing the amount of units that are on that
property, that have been actually built, or have platted lots.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: With the intent of maybe
redeveloping it.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: And that would affect the price that
he would pay. That's, you know, the number of units. And if you
wanted to do a redevelopment stream, then he could come in and
amend the PUD.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: A lot of this is coming about from
a statement I read. I think it's the second paragraph. It says, these
processes are necessary to enable the county to plan effectively for
realized transportation impacts to be evaluated by the concurrency
management system.
Now, it was our understanding by presentations of checkbook
concurrency that all the prior approval in the county would be taken
into consideration and evaluation of checkbook concurrency. Now it
seems we're finding out that either they haven't been, or now that they
are, they don't like what they're learning, or that we've over approved
things since then, now we're going to go back and fix the system by
taking things away from people we've previously given things to.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: I think I have to defer to
transportation.
MR. SCOTT: Don Scott, Transportation Planning. That's not
really the reason why it's coming about.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay. Then why don't you tell us.
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August 18, 2005
MR. SCOTT: Let's take a development that's turned over to the
homeowners off of Goodlette, I think it's called Wilderness. There's
300 extra units in there that are essentially running around the system
right now. Not only in the concurrency system, but in the long range
transportation model. And nobody in there wants the units now. The
opposite thing that could happen, based on the fact that the property
values are going up so much, someone might go in there and buy the
whole thing out and then put the units in there. Is that what we want? I
don't know. I'm not really complaining that -- actually, I'm not
complaining from the concurrency thing, I'm actually complaining
from the long range transportation model, because I think the model is
better if I can do that.
Why am I not complaining from the concurrency side of it? So I
have a few more trips in there. So it's a little bit of a cushion in there.
You know, that part of it, it's probably not so bad. But from a long
range transportation modeling thing, it would be nice to get -- you
know, from one of our aspects of it, I noticed this way before the
concurrency side of it when we were doing the Vanderbilt Drive
corridor study. You start looking up and down the corridor and it's
four units here, ten units here, 20 units here that, when you talk to
anybody in the neighborhood they say, we're all built out. We're
turned over to the association, but here we are with the units still
hanging out there.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Don, in your relationship to
concurrency in the example you just provided, I think it's Goodlette,
or wherever it was, those 300 units, why weren't those figured in the
system from the get-go?
MR. SCOTT: They are in the system.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay. So now you're trying to get
them released from the system?
MR. SCOTT: That's right.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Another statement in this document
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August 18, 2005
says that you're doing this -- not you but somebody -- so that an
orderly process of land development may continue in predictable
sequence with manageable confidence levels. What is it when we do
PUDs? That is an orderly management -- orderly system of
development. It's a rezone in this county that meets the most stringent
criteria. Why is it that if there's excess in those PUDs, we don't strike
it through your processes and review processes of all the county
departments when it comes in instead of now after the fact and then
we risk the situation of taking from an individual property owner?
MR. SCOTT: I can't answer for some of those that were
approved 20 years ago. I have a hard time doing that. But now I think
you're pointing onto one thing that is happening now. Even if someone
comes in here and says, I want to put 1200 units on there, you go, not
1200 units, thank you anyway.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I agree with you. The process that's
in place today is taking care of the issues that probably should have
been taken care of a long time ago. My concern is now that we're
going to go back and take things away that may -- we may even be in
a bigger mess by taking them away.
MR. SCOTT: It's not a simple process if you're on the other side.
Do you want to give up something that was given to you as a right?
Probably not.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I think the chairman wants to take
a break. I've a few questions after that so.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: We will take a ten minute break.
(Whereupon, a brief recess was taken.)
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Okay. We will reconvene the Planning
Commission. Mr. Adelstein, did you have some comments or
questions?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I do. It seems that the county
is trying to say well, nobody is using it so why don't we take it away.
Why not just do it in a mathematical way. Nobody is using it so why
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August 18, 2005
don't you say nobody is using it. Therefore, we will delete it in our
books for traffic conditions showing that they are no longer actually
there to be used. Nobody gets hurt in the condominium association,
because, as you said in your statement, nobody is using it so we're
taking it away . Well, fine, if nobody is using it, you don't need to take
it away. All you need is the record so that transportation can determine
how many real units are actually there. So nobody gets hurt and
nothing happens.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: By take away, Mr. Adelstein, you're
suggesting to just pull it out of the model --
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Mathematically.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Pull it out of the modeling, but not pull it
out of the vested rights?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: That's correct.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: And just to take that a little bit further, I've
got a rhetorical question which is, if this is going to improve the
modeling, given that all these units are currently in the model, where
are all these unused, unfilled, under utilized roads that are being built,
planned, and existing out here in the community, since we've got
obviously more capacity than we need, we just can't find it because of
the car in front of us. And that's a rhetorical question.
MR. SCOTT: Let me get to the first one first. Actually, my boss
was saying the same thing. He said, okay, if we're saying our average
buildout is seven years and that's where the one-seventh came from,
he says, why don't we takes those and do a 50 year, or 100 year, then
you get down to so little trips that that's a way of doing it,
administratively.
The second part of that is, the model goes out 20 years. Right
now we're dealing with the 2030 actually. So what you're realizing
right now is what was done in 1990 for the model, essentially, 2010,
and if you go back and look at what the population estimate was at
that time for 2010 and some of the other issues, even the roadway
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August 18, 2005
system that was in there, we're not there. I mean, for five years they
didn't build any roads here. And the population was held down. That's
kind of why I'm -- even the argument of what is our population going
to be in 2030. At the moment, though, we have a 2030 plan, I'm going
beyond that and saying, I don't care. I'm going to model a buildout and
see what happens with that. Then I don't have to worry about well,
what is it, somewhere in between.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Well, I think we owe it to Mr. Strain to
continue in his line of questions. And there will be other Planning
Commission questions, but I think there's really some merit that rather
than go out on this plank of potential Burt Harris claims, taking away
rights and all kind of loose ends purely to modify the model, I think it
would be smarter to consider modifying the model and not go down
this road.
But, Mr. Strain, you had a line of questions. If you'd continue,
please.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I've just got a few. If something
like this were to happen, and this density would disappear, if a
homeowner on a previously plotted and built lot wanted to add a
guesthouse, what process would they have to go through to add the
density for that guesthouse?
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Yes, I know there are some PUDs
that do have guesthouse. And I think that I have one right in front of
me. I think they may be considered more of an accessory use, and
that's something we could look at, but I would think that -- well, that's
something I would have to look at. Thank you for bringing that up.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: In the planning communities that
are being suggested, were the calculations of those limited to the
built-out PUDs, the tally, the way those are being structured?
MS. STUDENT -STIRLING: Yes. It would -- that's just for
administrative convenience for staff to look at the PUDs in a given
discrete planning community to see which ones are built out.
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August 18,2005
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: But the way this seems to read is
staff would initiate amendments for what they would believe the
excess density based on the build-out, but is that -- then are those 12
planning community calculations and all that, only apply to built out
PUDs.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Right. You would take a PUD, or
the PUDZ, in a particular planning community. And the way I
envision the ordinance, what it would look like, would be you would
have an ordinance for a planning community. And then you would
have a section in that ordinance for a given PUD, specific PUD. And
then you would have a subsection that wherever the number of units
were referenced or the density, because the density would change, you
would do a strike and underline for those areas of the that particular
PUD under that section, and then it would be a section for each PUD
per planning community. This is the way the setting -- the evaluation
ordinance was set up when we did compatibility exceptions. We had
one master -- I believe it was one master ordinance, and then it was
broken down in this way for properties. So it would address each
particular PUD, and section for that PUD, with the appropriate
subsections with the strike through and underline for the number of
units and the corresponding density.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I notice the last paragraph of this
document talks about moratoriums and that they would basically stay
this issue.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: That would have to do with the
build-out, or expiration date requirement in the PUD. That if there
were a moratorium, that date would be told.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Right. I understand that. But last
night brings up another example. The proposal from transportation last
night was worded craftfully enough that they didn't define it as a
moratorium up because it allowed 10 or 20 homes a year
development. Well, when you've got a development of thousands of
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August 18,2005
units and you only allow them to build 10 or 20 homes a year, that's a
moratorium. But because it wasn't called one, how would that affect
your paragraph I. Because in essence what happens is, you're
stretching their required build-out period forever if you're limiting the
number they can build, but you're not calling it a moratorium. So how
would that fit into this?
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Well, I suppose that you could put
some language, craft some language that would describe the condition
that was referenced last night and include it in here. I don't want to get
into a debate on what's a moratorium and what isn't. The intent would
be if it were a moratorium or some other situation, and I want to be
rather precise about what that situation might be, that, you know, it
would affect their ability to go forward, then the time line would be
told.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well, that precision you want to
be, would be very important.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Yes, it certainly would.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Because there are various forms of
government interaction that would cause delays out of the control of
the development industry and it wouldn't be fair to hold them
accountable for that. And that's all I got. I'll reserve my right to cross
as we get done.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Schmitt.
MR. SCHMITT: Just as a form of discussion that clarifies with
Commissioner Strain. What would you define, for instance, if a
developer comes in, which one has, wants to build, will sue the entire
process, gets the SDP, goes through, has all the zoning but finally is
told at the end, sorry, no concurrency, therefore your project is
shelved. Is that a moratorium?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: It's a form of government inaction
that doesn't allow the developer to proceed so he shouldn't be held
responsible for that under this criteria. I mean, how can you come in
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one door and say if you don't build this in a certain amount of time
we're going to declare your density gone, yet you can't build it
because you can't get concurrency so you have to wait until it's ready.
MR. SCHMITT: I mean, this is a problem we discussed, and we
as staff recognized. You have everything ready, your SDP is designed,
it's on the shelf, you're just waiting now for capacity, but we also have
rules in place that say if you don't build within two years, your site
plan is revoked.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: So you're revoking it because of
government's inability to react. Which I'm not saying you're wrong in
doing that, but at the same time you don't come back in and take it out
on the previous approval that I think was applicably --
MR. SCHMITT: And we do have other regulations. For instance,
the sunsetting where we set due to government inaction or inability to
provide, whatever, a permit. Let's say, delayed for US Army Corps of
Engineer permit or whatever, that at that time does not count against
the developer. We could look at something like that in this where there
are, due to actions of government, for whatever reason that prevented
the development from moving forward. But again, I think it's a
situation where it still hasn't been turned over to the homeowners
association, or isn't being built out so this wouldn't apply.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well, there's a lot of, in my
thinking, between now and the next time we see this, I would imagine
there would be a lot of rewriting, but I would hope that some of the
points like that issue be looked at and addressed somewhere in this
document.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Anything else, Mr. Strain?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: No.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Schiffer had a question, then Mr.
Murray.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And, Margie, this is kind of a
hypothetical. Let's say a developer got an approval for a PUD for 500
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units. He builds it out for 400 units, sells it out and the association
takes over and he's gone. Who owns the PUD and who owns the 100
units at that point?
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Well, on each individual property,
the owner owns their unit.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Their share of the unit plus their
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: I'm talking about if it's single
family, each property owner owns that residence, and if it's the condo,
however it's describe in the condo docs, usually it's, you know, some
kind of space of air that includes the interior, you know. And they own
that unit. The association in a condo situation would own limited
common areas and common elements.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I understand that. It's kind of off
course. What I'm saying is, who owns extra units? In other words, in a
subdivision with no common areas --
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: The association would.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, there's no association in
that case. Those are gone.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: I think they're gone. And I also
think that unless there's something in the documentation for the
Master Property Owners Association that says they retain the rights to
them, I believe they're gone.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But who owns essentially the
right to the PUD? Does the -- if there's one homeowners association--
in other words, we've even had the problem where they -- people
come in to amend the PUD, and part of it that isn't developed yet, who
owns the whole PUD?
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Well, I don't think anybody owns
the whole PUD. I think it is a zoning district. And then each individual
owns a lot in the zoning district, or a condominium unit in the zoning
district, and there are common areas that are owned by the association.
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August 18, 2005
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And then these extra units --
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: And then if you want to say who
the property owners within the PUD are, it's all-- that can be the
Master Property Owners Association, it can be individual lot owners,
condo association and unit owners. And they all are owners under that
PUD.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So, in one ownership, let's say
one association. Make it simple. If there is extra units, and let's say
their thing was damaged by a storm or something and they wanted to
decide to sell it out rather than rebuild it, would the new owner get
those units?
MS. STUDENT -STIRLING: I think in your situation in order for
them to have a claim to those units that they would have to establish
something in their documents that they retained the right to those units
like Pelican Bay did, otherwise they're gone. And if they have such a
document, they are exempt from this.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So if otherwise they're gone,
why are we going through this process? They're gone.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: So there is -- so the county knows
that they're gone. And it's adjusted in the PUD document that way,
and planning staff knows for planning purposes that they are, and
transportation knows for their purposes that they are. Without just
being, well, they're gone and nobody really knows.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So we get the annual report for
all the PUDs. So don't we know with that report what's built, what's
gone, and what's not here? And Don, when you use that, don't you use
the annual report to realize that phantom units don't exist? I mean,
they're just gone.
MR. SCOTT: You do get the data, and not always in the forms.
Let's say in the perfect world, yeah, you do get what's been built, and
you know what is not going to be built essentially from what is in
there. I mean, if someone says administratively to do this, then I'm just
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August 18, 2005
going to do it, that's fine. The problem was, someone wanted to go
through a process to get to taking it all off of Joe's documents,
everything that we have, that type of thing.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: I think you have -- if they had just
gone that way, and, you know, what notices it, you know, that they're
gone, and, you know, they're still on the books as far as zoning goes,
so this was a process to adjust that.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: All right. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Murray.
MR. MURRAY: Adding to the complexity of it, let's take a case
where a development is partially constructed and there's, perhaps there
will be several condo associations and a master association and the
developer goes belly up and those unbuilt units remain. The Master
Association nor the condo associations would be in a position to do
anything on their own, and they would be put upon to even get
organized to even begin the process, what happens to those units? Do
they get taken away or is the association at a later time in a position
finally to acquire a builder who will build them.
MS. STUDENT -STIRLING: I don't think they're subject to this
because the proj ect is not built out yet because all the dirt -- you know,
all the units aren't built. So I don't --
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: So they would not think they were
abandoned?
MS. STUDENT -STIRLING: I don't think they would be subject
to it because this has to be where all the dirt has been used up for the,
you know, for the units that are allowed by the PUD.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Okay. So those units would still
be on the books.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Right.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Midney.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: I have a question about the Burt
Harris Act. The way I would understand a private property rights,
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would be infinite in time. In other words, there's no ending in the time.
And what this ordinance would do would basically put a time limit
onto the property owner and say, you have to make some sort of a
plan about what you're going to do and when. Whereas, the Burt
Harris Act would seem to me to indicate that you have as much time
as you want. So it seems as though you would infringe on Burt Harris,
or am I wrong?
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: I don't think that's necessarily the
case because in the DRI scenario, you have to establish a termination
date and a DRI that you need to finish by. Often times they have
phasing schedules in them and so on. And I don't think that there's
any, you know, Burt Harris problem with, you know, having an
expiration date go into a PUD. Particularly into a new PUD because
there's no reasonable investment expectation to do it infinitely if you
have to put an expiration date in a PUD or amend one to put an
expiration date in it.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: So it's not a Burt Harris issue?
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: I don't see an issue with the
expiration of build-out date.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: And on the other side, I don't see
an incentive, if it's in a homeowners association where the
homeowners would have a financial assistance in increasing the
density in their own neighborhood. Usually people would want to
keep the density the same not certainly increase it.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Well, that was my point. That one
of my thoughts in this process that once you have a neighborhood and
the properties are owned by the individuals homeowners, or individual
condo units, they want to keep their neighborhood as it is. And I think
one example that's come up in a situation like that is over with
Ironwood, I don't know what's happened to it, but over there was a
problem with the golf course. And it was some talk of, you know, a
developer coming in and taking that up and getting rezoned and doing
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something with it. And I think that folks over there, you know, want to
maintain the neighborhood. They bought their units on a golf course
and so on. And I think there's a big incentive for people wanting to
keep their neighborhoods as they are and not have increases in
density.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Adelstein.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I think we're talking about two
different scenarios. One is where we're going to have 500 units and we
build 450 because that's all the land we have. There's a second group
like Falling Waters that always has lands yet and we've had two come
in front of us to build additional units in Falling Waters. Now, those
two things are absolutely different when you have built it out totally.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Right.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: And that's what you're talking
about. Everybody else is coming in with a second scenario though
there's still land here.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Right. That's when it's totally built
out and there's no more land.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: If there is no more lands
available, then why waste the time to try to actually get to remove
what is absolutely not possible to be used because there's no land left
to build, and just let the number be taken off for the amount of units
that are there. In the other situation where there is land, under no
circumstances can you take that responsibility because the association
does own the 50, if in fact there's land for the 50.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Again, this was just for
predictability and so the PUD could be adjusted to reflect what's on
the ground to give staff, planning staff, transportation staff, and so on
the predictability.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: It's already there.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Abernathy and then Mr. Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Mr. Chairman, at the risk of
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being the old gramudgen in this group, it seems to me we're going
down the line with everybody thinking up their clever hypothetical.
And I'm not sure that we're going to resolve all those hypotheticals, or
this is going to help us decide what position to take on this particular
item. So, it seems to me we ought to get some questions rather than
solving puzzles.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: And if I might address that, that's
why this has process built into it. Because you can't think of every
hypothetical. And if there's an objector, they can come in through one
of these processes and make their situation known and staff can
evaluate it and see how to handle it. Because you just can't know
every scenario that's out there.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Good point, Mr. Abernathy. Mr. Schiffer
and then Mr. Strain.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And I think kind of going along,
Ken, is what we really want to do is be able to change the
bookkeeping in the concurrency method to remove development rights
and, like you said, we're all playing with hypotheticals as to what that
is. I don't think it's the way to do it. I mean, we don't know when the
development rights would be necessary. There could be an old project
that gets destroyed in the storm, or the people decide to sell it when
they want that additional rights to build on that property, even though
they're not using it in their neighborhood. So I do think we should try
to find a way to fix the books without diminishing development rights
of existing projects.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Strain.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: My comment to Mr. Abernathy's
comment is that the discussion of hypotheticals for my purposes helps
me understand the interpretation that would be -- would come out of
an issue like this. This one is such an impactful issue, I certainly
would want to understand it as deeply as I can and that's the purpose I
have asked for certain hypotheticals to be put forth. If there's a value
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established to these ghost units, for example, that could have a huge
impact on litigation as it goes forward. I do know that in some cases
there was a discussion between developers where there was a shortage
on density, or shortage on traffic trips. One developer would agree to
give up some trips from his PUD to go -- and another developer would
simultaneously apply for a concurrency request and be able to use
that. Well, there's a value there. There's a value and exchange rate
there. I just want to make sure that whatever we decide on isn't going
to come back and bite us in the negative because we didn't think these
scenarios out. So that's where I'm trying to go.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Appreciate that.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Getting back into our format here. We
have staff presentation followed by public comment. Marjorie, have
you completed your staff presentation?
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: I have.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Are there registered public speakers on
this item?
MS. F ABACHER: Yes, there are. First one is Ms. Sellers.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: And who is next so they can be prepared?
MS. FABACHER: Mr. Coulombe.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Okay. Ms. Sellers with Scott Coulombe on
deck.
MS. SELLERS: Commissioners, thank you. I have one brief
comment here. I note that in 8D, paragraph D, dealing with the
exceptions, there's's a recognition of an exemption for PUDs that have
DRI development orders that have down zoning dates listed in them.
There are some DRI development orders out there that in fact don't
have such dates. They may be some older ones.
MS. STUDENT -STIRLING: I've tried to cover that -- I had
stated I was also going to include language or termination date to
cover that.
MS. SELLERS: We'll have some language to submit if this is
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going to go through the iterate process, we'll do that. That's my sole
comment. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Thank you. Mr. Coulombe. And who is --
is there another speaker?
MS. FABACHER: Yes. And then Mr. Brooker and then Mr.
Y ovanovich.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Okay. Thank you.
MR. COULOMBE: Good morning. For the record, Scott
Coulombe, executive vice president, CBIA. Last name is spelled
C-O-U-L-O-M-B-E. It is French not Italian. Anyway, long time, no
see. Fourteen hours ago. Same request as last night, we got this -- in
answering your question, Mr. Strain, 10:30 Tuesday morning and we
didn't really have a chance to crack this open, in between other
meetings and other issues and the other issue we had to discuss last
night. We really haven't been able to put our arms around to see what
the collateral effect is.
We understand the intent from Marjorie. Of course you want to
find out what phantoms -- you know, exist and what really doesn't
exist. But there could be a lot of ramifications from this. And you're
hearing great scenarios. You're all asking wonderful questions that we
have too, but we don't have the answers for it yet. We're requesting
that we can work with Marjorie on this, give input, sit down and
analyze this further just to see what the collateral effect is going to be.
It's easier said than actually done because you don't want to trip
anything up further down the road. You don't want to deny people any
of their rights, especially homeowners and homeowners association.
Thank you.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Thank you, Mr. Coulombe. Just to clarify
for the record, as Dave Ellis has moved to Atlanta and you have come
to us from New Orleans, you are the updated and better looking
version of Dave Ellis.
MR. COULOMBE: Well, thank you. It's the goatee. It's the
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white. Thank you.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: It's too short.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Okay. Mr. Yovanovich.
MR YOV ANOVICH: Good morning.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: He's not the tallest thing on the panel.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Just virtually challenged. I've made some
earlier comments in response to Mr. Strain's questions, but it seems
like what Mr. Adelstein is suggesting is really the practical solution to
what we need to do. You don't need to worry about taking away
people's rights. You can take them out of the equation and there's, you
know, you're fairly certain that you've addressed that and don't have to
worry about it, but there are going to be redevelopment scenarios that
come through where people may like to use the units that they own.
I'm fairly sure that most developers believe they own those units, even
after they turn it over. They believe they have an asset.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY : Yes.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: And someone might come to them some
day and say, you know what, I bought all these condo units it X, Y, Z
subdivision and I want to redevelop and I'd like to add some more
units because they're available and I can do that without amending the
PUD. I can do it under the existing development standards and I'd like
to do that. And I believe some developers believe that that's an asset
they have. I don't think it's an asset that you should worry about
carrying on the books because there's some -- it may never happen so
you don't need to continually plan for it. So I think what Mr. Adelstein
is suggesting is a reasonable accommodation.
I think what we're -- a lot of this is duplicative to what you
already have in your regulations. I mean, now we want to put a
build-out date in a PUD where we already have sunsetting provisions
that say, if you don't meet certain development criteria, you're PUD
sunset and you have to come back and keep the PUD alive. I don't
know why we need to also throw in a build-out date when we already
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have that addressed by the LDC. I'm not sure.
I mean, this is under the guide of concurrency management, yet,
we're exempting from the ordinance the very things that we're trying
to regulate. We're exempting vested projects from the application of
this ordinance. They are the only units that are actually included in the
concurrency management system. New PUDs that come through are
not included in the concurrency management system. You have to
come through the process and do your SDP and that's when you start
getting your reservations and that's when you're included. It's vested
projects that you include one-seventh, one-seventh, one-seventh. And
they're exempt from this process. So you're really not addressing the
concurrency issue I think you are trying to address.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: I'd like to address that before I lose
the thought. The vesting that that addresses is not the planning vesting
that was addressed in the concurrency management system, it's -- it
would be for an individual that came through the process of vested
rights and had their -- in 902 of the code and had their proj ect
determined to be vested under that scenario. It's not what Mr.
Y ovanovich is talking about.
MR. YO V ANOVICH: Well, you know, I see the purpose of
intent is to address the concurrency management system. Now we got
concerns that we have concurrency management issues, is the purpose
and intent of why we're doing this. I asked Don Scott, and I don't see
him. There he is. If I misunderstood what he said, he can correct me,
but when we talk about how the concurrency management system
works, it's for vested projects that he includes one-seventh each year.
For non-vested projects, we don't include one-seventh.
Is that right, Mr. Scott?
MR. SCOTT: The vested that we have in there was what was
determined by Carlton Fields originally and it's more than just the
DRIs. But, obviously, we had a little conversation over here --
MS. STUDENT -STIRLING: That's not what this -- I drafted this.
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That was not my intent. That would be stupid.
MR. SCOTT: I understand that. And I think our bigger intent was
-- I mean, not that I can legally do that, was to get rid of, you know,
even units that aren't going to be built in vested things. Obviously it's
dwindling down to -- I don't know what's left, but, there might be
proj ects that are affected that are already in there and it might not. It
might be in the model side of it and not in the -- the concurrency for
us is not just the concurrency system. It's also the long-range term.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Right. And that's why I think Mr.
Adelstein talking about the model makes sense. Maybe I
misunderstood the reason. These processes are necessary to enable the
county to plan effectively for realized transportation impact to be
evaluated by the concurrency management system. So I thought the
reason we're doing this is to deal with the concurrency management
system. I don't think whether what we're changing is dealing with the
concurrency management system. I think what Mr. Adelstein is
suggesting will deal with the concurrency management system. But I
don't know what we're changing here will deal with that because the
exemptions that are already in there will still be counting those units
for a long time on the concurrency management system.
MS. STUDENT -STIRLING: That exemption for vesting, let me
reiterate, is not the same as the vested language in the concurrency
management system. It is for a situation where the property owner
comes in and says I'm vested for whatever reason and you can't take
my unit away. They go through our local process. Maybe go through a
court process after the local process. And that's what that vested
language means. It does not mean what Mr. Y ovanovich is talking
about.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Okay. So I would assume it would also
include developer contribution agreements between the county and the
developer where it specifically says you're vested for X number of
units. Then I would be exempt.
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August 18, 2005
MR. ABERNATHY: Mr. Chairman, hold it a second. A member
of the public is entitled to come up here and speak and he doesn't need
to be hectored by any member of the staff. He says his piece and then
in due course the staff can pour cool water on it or say he's full of you
know what. But to have this tennis match going on is just -- there's no
order to it.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Good point, Mr. Abernathy. Mr.
Y ovanovich, if you'll make your comments, please.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Okay.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: I have a question for Mr.
Y ovanovich when he's finished.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: We wouldn't dare interrupt him now.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: You know, in my previous comments, I'm
not sure the county has the ability to just unilaterally amend someone's
PUD document. With that, I mean, I don't need to repeat myself. And
sorry I got sidetracked.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Okay. That concludes your presentation.
Mr. Abernathy, you have a question?
MR. ABERNATHY: Rich, when I objected a few minutes ago to
the serial hypotheticals, it occurred to me that if you don't cover all of
them, then there are still hypotheticals that we haven't thought of. So
how would we deal with those?
What does occur to me is, you've got a PUD amendment process.
Anytime you're going to take these units away from anybody, whether
it's an individual or a developer, now there must be some process
involved in that. We don't just have a hearing where you get up and
say you are not using them so they're gone. Anybody who feels
aggrieved by that can state his case and contest it. And then that's
when we deal with the hypotheticals as to whether they're entitled to
be exempt or made an exception for, or whatever conditions we're
going to develop in this process. Otherwise what's the hearing for.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Well, I'm suggesting that I don't think you
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have the right to just subject me to that hearing. When you have a
PUD, it's a document that the property owner comes and negotiates
with the government. The government cannot impose a PUD on a
property owner. I think that's clear under the law. Therefore, you can't
amend my PUD documents just because the government can't come in
and say, we want to amend the PUD document unless I consent to it.
Now, we consent to a whole lot of things in PUD documents,
including sunset provisions and things like that. The sunset provision
is there. If we don't continue to move along, we come forward to you
and we say can we extend. And if we meet the criteria, yes, we get our
extension, or we can get two of those. You can't now say, you know
what, I didn't like the deal I struck so I'm going to adopt a new process
where I can bring you in front of us and say, you know, we're going to
amend to take away your units. I don't think you can legally do that. I
think we have certain rights. You know, Margie may disagree. You
know, I'm just giving you my opinion, my legal analysis. What I'm
suggesting is, you don't need to do all this. You already have
provisions in place.
MR. ABERNATHY: It seems likes we have two ships passing in
the night. This regulation is aimed at situations where the developer is
already out of it except in some remote sense that the units are there
and he's got a better claim to them than anybody else. But assuming
you lose the argument that you can't be here before this hearing, you
lose that, what do you do at the hearing. Aren't there reasons to say, I
understand this process. I object to it, but I'm here and here's why it
shouldn't apply to me.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Right. And assuming I lose that, then
what's my recourse? My recourse is then to go ahead and file a
lawsuit.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: What would you think the
grounds would be for winning at that point?
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Well, Mr. Abernathy, we're going so far
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out in the future right now on some of these issues. What I'm
suggesting is, there's a practical solution to the concern. And this was
all raised under concurrency management. There's a practical solution
and that is to take those units out of the model and not have to worry
about the issue. Maybe it never becomes an issue. Just you can take
them out of the model and you've accomplished what you need to do.
You have a better idea of what your road transportation is going to be
like. What are the odds of wilderness coming in and challenging the
developer wilderness if you take away those units? I don't know. But
do you have to get to that point when you can simply alter the model
and worry about it some date in the future, which you will probably
never have to worry about it in that scenario.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: I don't have any problem
with that. But apparently the planning staff has a problem.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: I don't know. I think Mr. Scott said he'd
take them out of the model if that's what he thought was the better
solution.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Richard, who does own the
PUD? In other words the developer comes before us. It's a form of
zoning. He wants to zone the land and it be governed by this PUD
document. Is there an ownership of that document?
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Yeah. I'm going to take the position that
the client that I represent, that whose property -- has agreed to do that,
owns all those rights, and he subdivides and gives them a few units
here and a few units there and he keeps the rest.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. Now as he's given it all
away, the people that bought all the property essentially gave him the
right to do that was that he owned the property that the PUD is laid on.
Once he sells that all off, what gives him the right to hold these
additional units?
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Well, it's still a property right. The units
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are still a property right, the units are still a property right. Another
property owner can come to him and say, you know what.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But he doesn't own the property
anymore.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: The units -- but it can be separate.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: So you know there are in a lot of
cases deed restrictions that restrict the right of expansion on individual
lots by buyers and purchasers subject to the approval of the developer,
even a long time after the developer is gone. In those cases the
developer can turn around it and grant a unit right, or whatever he
wanted to. Ifhe had them available to those property owners, then he
would more likely sell them for a price. So there's a value attached to
these ghost densities to that regard.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: From a practical standpoint, I don't think
you need to keep them in the model.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I definitely agree with that.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: I don't think you have to keep them in the
model.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But now that the topic is open
here, I mean, as the town redevelops itself, in the future we may be
taking condos down or redoing them, would the developer then be
selling those rights to the people that own that condo, or what is going
on with those?
MR. YOV ANOVICH: We haven't gotten there yet. But, you
know, and I don't think we've reached that situation in the City of
Naples where a PUD had extra units that that happened, but there's
redevelopment happening in the City of Naples all the time. I mean,
older condos are going away and being replaced with newer ones
based upon the zoning that's on the property.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: At that time these additional
PUDs would be something marketable?
MR. YOV ANOVICH: There might be. It might be a market for
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it.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Ms. Student-Stirling.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: That's why perhaps the exemption
that I wrote didn't cover every scenario that Mr. Y ovanovich
addressed. But it covered the scenario the one I personally knew
about, that being Pelican Bay. And so if there is a situation where the
developer retains some development rights under some kind of
instrument and I would assume there would have to, you know, be
some kind of documentation that he's retained those, then that was
meant to be exempt from this process.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Okay.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: I have to discuss with Mr.
Y ovanovich some of the -- the situation I addressed was the one that I
had personal knowledge of, that being Pelican Bay, but it wasn't the
intent if somebody retained some development rights through some
kind of instrument to take them away through this process.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Y ovanovich, thank you for your
comments. We've grilled you long enough.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Are there any other speakers?
MS. FABACHER: No. Not ifMr. Brooker is gone, no.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Okay. Mr. Strain, you had some
comments?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: This looks like it's gotten a long
way in the direction it may not even have gone. We're here to provide
direction to staff in regards to the next hearing. I would suggest that
the direction we provide is to follow the Lindy Declaration. And that
is that, these units simply after build-out be removed from the
concurrency management system and they would obviously sit there,
but they wouldn't be calculated in so they wouldn't upset Mr. Scott.
And at such time the developer wanted to use them, they'd have to
come back in at the concurrency requirement at that time. It's a real
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simple solution to what seems to be everybody's issue.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: And that's our recommendation as we
direct staff in the interim and then we will rehear this item.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: That would be my suggestion.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Other comments or recommendations to
staff on this item? Mr. Midney.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: I'm thinking that, you know, if the
feeling of this Board is almost unanimous that this is not something
that we should probably leave alone, I'm wondering if we need to
rehear it again.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: It will come back. We definitely have to.
It's a matter of process. It has to come back. And then if we say,
whatever, we'll make that call then. We've already established the
format for it to come back.
Other comments and direction for staff?
MS. FABACHER: I'm sorry, Mr. Chair, could you repeat that
first one about the interim?
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Strain, could you rephrase your, or
restate your suggestion?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Yes. Upon build-out we can get
into the language of describing build-out. The units that are remaining
simply get removed from the calculations for concurrency
management as Mr. Scott has to use those now. All that means is, they
still sit there as units, but for them to come back in the system, they
have to come out of the current concurrency management at the time,
and if there's room for them, fine, if not they get treated like
everybody else.
COMMISSIONER CARON: That's long term planning.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: He wouldn't have to plan for them
because they're not coming back in the system until they ask for it.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Okay. But they're out there.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: If the developer has a right to
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those, then they can be used at some time. Should we not leave them
in the system?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Oh, no, they'd be left on the books.
They just wouldn't be calculated under traffic management system.
And they wouldn't be calculated until the developer, if it ever came in,
say 10, 20 years in the future and request that those be used, or if he
want to add a guesthouse that takes a unit. He'd have to come back in
and see if the road could take them at that time. And if it can, then he's
back in the system for that number of units that he comes in to request.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: But then aren't you taking away
something that he had?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: He had it while he was active with
the development, not afterwards.
MR. SCHMITT: But what Mr. Strain is saying, it remains zoned,
but due to the developer not executing on that zoning basically, then it
is no longer -- it would revert back to the current concurrency rules,
and that they would have to come back in through some kind of plat or
plan amendment and be subj ect to the transportation concurrency. At
that time then we're only dealing with the impact concurrency, we're
not dealing with the zoning. And we'll look at that.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Schiffer and Ms. Caron.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: I think the end result is almost the
same really.
MR. SCHMITT: It's a good suggestion. It may not be what the
Board of County Commissioners directed because there's other issues
behind this that the board directed us to remove this excess zoning, but
we'll look at it from a legal perimeter and discuss it and that may be
the solution that we come back to this body with in regards to how to
deal with it. Because the issue for us is to get it, or for Don to get it off
of his books and a way to get it off the books and having them then
meet the concurrency rules. To get it back on without taking, quote, a
development right from them. So, they still have the right, they just
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August 18, 2005
have to now conform like every other developer and meet the capacity
requirement. Either providing capacity or waiting for the county to
build the capacity.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And one thing I'd like to say,
and, Don, you can probably provide this is, some sort of status as to
what kind of an impact this has on the roads. I mean, the condition of
Naples roads, I don't think anybody is driving around wondering
where the phantom cars are. I don't think -- I'm not sure how big an
impact or how little this has.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: He answered -- on behalf of Mr. Scott he
answered earlier has no impact today. It's our future planning.
MR. SCOTT: Well, and what I said was a little cushion doesn't
matter, but, no, that's a direction. And, obviously, I think the original
intent was -- there's so many exceptions we're not even where we're at
the original intent.
COMMISSIONER CARON: How does that help you in long
range planning? It doesn't, correct?
MR. SCOTT: No, I think we'll probably need to look at that
differently.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Exactly. I mean, so one of your
intents with this was to help you, or long term planning and this is not
doing that at all. Just take them off in paper.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: First of all, they're just on in paper.
But when they're on in paper now, he has to count them today. And
the road has to be able to take them today. So if you left them on in
paper and took them off as far as concurrency goes, he wouldn't have
to count them today. If they wanted to be used in the future, I would
suggest that at that time they have to come in and provide the proper
request to the county to use and add them back both on paper -- I
mean, both in the concurrency system as they would need to be.
MR. SCHMITT: But as Don and I were talking about, let me
give you an example. Lely is 10,000 units. We know probably built
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out at 5,500. 10,900 and whatever units. It's a DR!. Until that DR!
expires, I can't even go back and get those excess units. That's almost
twice what we know, and of course that's impacting Don's calculations
on 41 and 951. So as Don and I were talking, we're going to be able to
deal with what each one here and go out and get some of those PUDs.
But the large DRIs are still going to be problematic because they are
in essence, still have capacity that Don is looking at. And until that
DR!, we wouldn't even be able to go out after that PUD until the DR!
is either passed its DO or expires.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And we have to be careful
because the outcome of this, no matter which way we go, is we're
going to be allowing more cars on the roads that may be already -- I
mean, the reward for this exercise is we're going to allow more cars on
the road.
MR. SCOTT: Well, and it's funny because hearing the responses
again, it's competing interest because you could be a -- representing a
developer that wants to go forward and you could theoretically get
trips you didn't have before.
MR. SCHMITT: And that's exactly what happened. We had
some zonings come in along 951 that have been denied.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And again, the problem with our
roads is not too many cars not there.
MR. SCOTT: No, I don't usually worry about over building the
system, or at least not yet.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Okay. We've had our staff presentation,
public comments, extensive dialogue. We need to pick a time for the
second hearing on this item. Mr. Schmitt, you gave me a couple
choices. First being Wednesday, August 31 st. We could meet anytime
during the day at Horseshoe Drive, or the next day we have September
1 st, a Thursday . We have a regularly scheduled meeting that currently
only has two items on the agenda. We can put it on that agenda for our
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August 18, 2005
regularly scheduled September 1 st meeting, which I'm inclined to do.
Is there any feeling by on Planning Commission?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Is that because you won't be
here at that meeting?
CHAIRMAN BUDD: I'll be here.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: The one that just passed today
got to be three.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: The LDC item we discussed earlier today
is coming back September 21 st.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I'm talking about at the
meeting, before the --
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Oh, yes. There's two on plus, we continued
Mr. Yovanovich's Valewood property, so there's three which--
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Mr. Chairman, we already have an
LDC meeting set up for the 21 st. Why don't we just put it there. That
gives the county attorney time to meet with the various parties that
have expressed interest. And maybe look at --
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: The 21st is?
MS. F ABACHER: The LDC Cycle Two meeting.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Okay. That seems like it gives us a
whole lot of time really.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well, I think based on the
comments maybe that would be well used.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And Patrick White hasn't shown
me that it's not something that has to be done after 5:00 so I'm
comfortable we can do that any time during the day.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Okay. Do we have a consensus? Is there a
motion whether we meet on September 1 st with our regular planning
commission agenda, or on the 21 st to hear it with the LDC two cycle
that we discussed earlier? Which way do we want to go?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I'd like to go not on the 21st,
because I'll be able to be at the second meeting. I would like to do it
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on that one if possible.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: On September 1st?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: On September 1st.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Adelstein makes a motion for
September 1 st. Do we have a second.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: I'll second.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Midney is a second. Discussion. Being
none, call the question. All those in favor signify by saying aye.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Aye.
MR. STRAIN: Aye.
MR. MURRAY: Aye.
MR. ADELSTEIN: Aye.
MR. ABERNATHY: Aye.
MR. VIGLIOTTI: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
MR. MINDY: Aye.
MR. SCHIFFER: Aye.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Those opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Motion carries. We will hear this item
again on Thursday, September 1 st as part of our regular Collier
County Planning Commission agenda.
Okay. We're through our LDC items. Back to our regular agenda.
Item B, that is petition V A-2005-AR-7444, a request for an 8-foot
II-inch side yard variance. All those wishing to present testimony on
this item, please stand and raise your right hand to be sworn.
Do you swear or affirm the testimony you're about to give on the
matter now in hearing shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing
but the truth so help you?
(All affirm.)
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Are there any disclosures by Planning
Commissioners relative to this item?
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August 18, 2005
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN BUDD: There appear to be none. Ifwe can hear
from the petitioner, please.
MR. MUST: Good morning. For the record, William Must on
behalf of Terry and Charlotte Rhodes of 1123 5 Oaks Lane, Naples.
Twin Eagles. I'm here to reinforce their position with regard to the
variance requested for a screen enclosure on their property. I want to
address the guidelines set forth by the Planning Commission with
response to those.
The first question that was set out was well, are there special
conditions and circumstances which are peculiar to the location size
and characteristic to the land, structure, building involved. The owners
believe there are. First the land is zoned agriculture district mobile
home overlay. Also the land in this PUD is a five-acre parcel. There is
a 50-foot front setback, 30-foot side setback, and it is a corner unit. All
those things are why we feel it's unusual and it's a special condition
which relates to the hardship of where they're going to place the
screen enclosure.
Second item was, are there special conditions and circumstances
which do not result from the action of the applicant, such as a
preexisting condition relative to the property which is subject to the
variant request? Our answer is yes. The house was built to code as
well as there was a fence put on the property according to the setback.
And the fence is in the current 30-foot side yard setback, but it was
allowed because the land development code does not restrict the
location of fences in the agricultural mobile home overlay. So, beings
that we can't put a screen enclosure in that setback as well, that is a
preexisting condition that we feel prevents us from getting this
vanance.
Item number three was, will a literal interpretation of the
provisions of the zoning code work unnecessary or undue hardship on
the applicant to create practical difficulties for the applicant? Again,
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August 18, 2005
we feel yes, that in order to put up a screen enclosure, we would be
able to put up a screen enclosure, however, we would have to move
the house or the pool to do that. Also there's a tremendous amount of
wildlife out there, deer, bears, raccoon that almost require a screen
enclosure to be out there.
Item number four, will the variance, if granted, be the minimum
variance that will make possible the reasonable use of the land,
building, or structure which promotes standards of health, safety and
welfare? We don't believe that it will be the minimum variance. We
believe it's the maximum variance needed. We don't need any more
than just the eight foot into the side 30- foot setback. And it's just a
corner portion of that. It's not a full eight foot from the setback to
setback. And also, it will enhance and promote the standards of health
and safety and welfare for the homeowners of that house by putting up
the screen enclosure.
Item number five, will granting the variance confer on the
applicant any specific privilege that is denied by the zoning
regulations to other lands, buildings or structures in the same zoning?
We don't believe that this -- granting the variance will be injurious to
any of the neighbors. There being Bonita Bay has already approved
the location of the screen enclosure.
Item number six, will the granting of the variance be in harmony
with the general intent purpose of this Land Development Code and
not be injurious to neighbors or otherwise? I just touched on that. No,
we don't -- it's already been approved. None of the homeowners have
any obj ection to it, and it wouldn't be injurious to the neighbors. So it
will be in harmony with the land development code from our
standpoint.
Item number seven, are there any natural conditions or physically
induced conditions that ameliorate the goals and objectives of the
regulations such as natural preserves, lakes, golf courses, et cetera?
There is a lake in the rear corner of the property. It is a corner lot, and
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August 18,2005
because of the way it's zoned, there's wetlands in the front and a
common area of the front that take up most of the 50-foot front
setback.
The last item, will granting the variance be consistent with the
Growth Management Plan? Obviously, it is consistent. I think that in
summary, I've demonstrated that there's a definite need for the screen
enclosure based on the wildlife that's out there and, you know, the
bugs and alligators and things that may run into the house.
Also, the functional nature and aesthetic need to be preserved in
this high-end community. It's Bonita Bay Communities so they need
to preserve the aesthetics and the functionality of the screen enclosure.
That's why we have designed it as such, as you can see on the picture.
Also the zoning obviously for this agriculture mobile home
overlay is inconsistent with all the types of communities that we build
in a single-family home. Typically we deal with 25-foot front
setbacks, 10 foot side setbacks, 25 foot rear and ten foot on the
accessory structure, so 3 foot side setbacks to us is an undue hardship.
We haven't received any letters of objection from the neighbors
or the architectural review board. They also have a community in
there that they just started, Grand Arbors, that they have -- the Bonita
Bay has done that has less than 30 feet setbacks on each side. So, I
don't know whether the board or someone has granted that to them,
but I'm sure that there's less than 30-foot setbacks in there.
We have a landscape buffer that blocks the view from the
neighbor, from the screen enclosure so that's really not an issue. So
with all these things in mind, I ask that the Planning Commission
approve the variance requested for this screen enclosure for the
Rhodes. Mr. Chairman.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Thank you, sir. Ms. Caron followed by
Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER CARON: When was this house built?
MR. MUST: This house was built I believe four years ago.
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COMMISSIONER CARON: And why at that time didn't they
plan for these critters who are suddenly invading this piece of
property?
MR. MUST: We didn't know until after we built the house. We --
McGarvey Custom Homes built the house. I was a project manager for
McGarvey at the time. And of course we're building in Twin Eagles. It
was our first house that we built out there. After we moved in -- after
-- it was a model for us when the Rhodes had bought the place. We
had been replacing landscape on a regular basis and we found out that
there were deer eating the landscape. We sold it to the Rhodes. There
was some areas in Twin Eagles and Quail West that we were building
that had some bears. Obviously, there's a lake back there. They have
problems with alligators, so the homeowners certainly, that's one of
their contentions. They want the screen enclosure up like everyone
else so that they can, you know, prevent the bears or -- I mean, it's a
realistic concern. There are bears out there, there are raccoons out
there. So, that's one of their concerns.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Anything else, Ms. Caron?
COMMISSIONER CARON: No.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: You mentioned, sir, that -- I don't
know exactly your phrasing. Some paraphrase you weren't used to the
setbacks, 30 feet. You're saying that at the time that this structure was
built, that they weren't aware of the zoning requirements of the
setback requirements?
MR. MUST: The homeowner has never been aware of the
setback requirements. We as builders were aware of the setback
requirements, and we built the house according to setback
requirements.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: You built it as a model, you
stated.
MR. MUST: We did build it as a model.
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August 18, 2005
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: So it would be the homeowner's
due diligence to determine or what?
MR. MUST: Yes.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: When you built it as a model,
didn't you intend ultimately to sell it?
MR. MUST: We did intend to sell it.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: So wouldn't you have complied
with the requirements in the first instance?
MR. MUST: We complied with all the requirements of the
building code, and we had intent on the idea that homeowner may
want to come and put a fence up, screen enclosure. I'm sorry. The
fence is already existing. So we made accommodations for that. The
homeowner wants -- does not want to change the location of the pool
to do that. We represented to the homeowner that we would -- you
would be able to put a screen enclosure on the lot. It would have to be
within certain restrictions but, you know, there were going to be some
financial and aesthetic impacts upon that.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: But the homeowner bought the
property, nevertheless?
MR. MUST: The homeowner did buy the property with that
information.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Okay. There was informed
consent? There was information and they acknowledged it; is that
correct?
MR. MUST: Yes, that's correct.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Adelstein followed by Mr. Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Can the fence be moved closer
to the pool area and come within restrictions?
MR. MUST: The screen enclosure?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Yes.
MR. MUST: Yes. If you see the dotted line that angles towards
the lake and as to the pool, if you move -- do we have an arrow? That
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dotted line is where the screen enclosure would have to be to meet the
setback requirement.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: So it can be done?
MR. MUST: Yes.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: And the pool would still be
able to be used?
MR. MUST: We would have to move the pool and quite a bit of
the plumbing and some of the -- well, not us. Whoever the homeowner
would have do the work. We would have to get the cage engineered in
a certain configuration to make it work.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Anything else?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: That's it.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Questions on what the site is. It's
an agriculture site so it would have to be five acres. And the shape of
the site is rather unique, right?
MR. MUST: Very unusual, yes.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And then the, for example, the
rear setback is being measured off of 190 foot long property. What is
that line representing?
MR. MUST: I have questioned of that myself, why it was ever
zoned agriculture mobile home overlay. It's created an unusual
situation out there.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I think, I'm sure it's probably to
allow you to build the house. You had to be on five acres.
MR. MUST: Not necessarily. If you see the front part of the
setbacks, it just consists of wetlands and -- I mean --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But it is -- I think all these lots
are probably five-acre lots.
MR. MUST: And I think it's Bonita Bay's intention to change the
zoning on these properties, at least that's what I have been told. And I
know within Twin Eagles they've changed the zoning community that
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August 18, 2005
they're doing in there called Grand Arbor so that they don't have the
30- foot side setbacks. It's just -- it's unusual. In all the communities I
build, I don't have a 30-foot side setback. A 10 or 15 maximum, or 20,
but not 30.
N ow we have a five-acre site, but they don't pay taxes on the
whole five acres. They just pay the taxes on a certain portion of it.
And the rear setback, I don't know where it begins and where it ends. I
mean, it should end in the lake somewhere. There's a drainage and
lake easement which is not delineated, so I don't know exactly where
that goes to or comes from. If I can determine that, then maybe we can
use the 30- foot side setback as the rear and use the rear setback on the
opposing property side. I don't know.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Anything else, Mr. Schiffer?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yeah. In the design of this
neighborhood, were all these homes intended to have screened
porches?
MR. MUST: I don't know what the intent -- it was had by a
developer, it went bankrupt, and then Bonita Bay bought it out. It's
unusual. Bonita Bay bought the property out so, most of the
community -- most of the houses in there do have a screen enclosure
now. In fact, the two other houses that are on the street do have screen
enclosures.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So had the house -- the site plan
been altered rather insignificantly, you would have been easily to get
that 30 feet? You're only -- had the house been rotated slightly.
MR. MUST: No. Well --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: In other words, you're not
restrained by the site, you're only restrained by the fact that it was --
MR. MUST: No. I believe we looked into that. To get that -- the
only thing we would have been able to change was the size of the
house. We have tried. We had our land designers try to rotate the site
to get it within the setback with the screen enclosure that we would
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typically put on there and we weren't able to do it.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I think you could. You could
rotate it on the corner of that garage and easily do it. But, anyway, I
have some questions for staff. That's all.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Okay. Mr. Strain.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Yes, I've got some questions. How
long have you been in town? In this area. Very long?
MR. MUST: Twelve years.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Have you ever hear of a project
called Twin Eagles? I mean, do you know the history of this project?
MR. MUST: I do.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well then, you know the reason
that you've got long weird lots is because that was the only way they
could circumvent the PUD process in the old days. This project would
never have flown if it had gone through the public process for PUD as
would have been required in the old days. And what they did is they
said, okay, we're going to call ourselves Ag and go to five-acre lots
and you can't stop us from doing what we want. And they got golf
courses and roads and everything else stuck on those five-acre lots to
circumvent the rules so they could do what they wanted out there.
That issue spurred the governor's order that we ended up with a rural
fringe in some other processes now that we have. So you got what
your developer wanted to live with.
Now, as far as lines go, I thought I heard you say earlier you had
to move the house and the pool. Do you still believe you have to move
the house and the pool to be consistent with the setback?
MR. MUST: Well, the first item is, yes, you're right. I mean, they
did do it, from my understanding, to, you know, get around the PUD.
That's all I knew about it as far as that goes.
As far as moving the house, I have to maintain that 50-foot front
setback, so I don't know that we would have to move the house and
the pool, so to speak. I mean, certainly, to only have a foot to walk
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behind the pool is -- I don't know if that would be a life safety issue or
not. I'm sure that it would be problematic to only have a foot to walk
behind the pool from the screen enclosure. But to dig the footer that
the screen enclosure now has to go on, we're going to be into the pipes
and skimmers and stuff like that, so we would certainly have to move
some plumbing and whatnot.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well, there are engineering ways to
support a screen enclosure that would not necessarily need a footer.
But the point is though, you can meet the setback, you just may not be
able to utilize the configuration you have that you desire. As far as
closeness to the pool, we have approved others with screen enclosures
closer to the pool. The four foot around the pool that's desired is for
maintenance and a lot of purposes, but you could wall that off and put,
at one end of the pool, you can still clean it from approach on both
sides, so I don't see the hardship here. I don't see one that was created
by other than the developer's need to have this project zoned the way
it was. I mean, at this point I don't see --
MR. MUST: It was the original developer's need, not the current
developer's need.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well, due diligence requires the
new developer to know what he's getting into.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Other questions of the petitioner? Thank
you, sir. Hear from staff, please.
MS. V ALARA: Good morning. Carolina Valara, Principal
Planning with Zoning & Land Development Review. Staff has
reviewed his petition and found no land hardship associated with this
variance. There's no condition to ameliorate the variance petition and
the petitioner could still enjoy the land without this variance. So staff
recommends denial of this petition.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Thank you. Questions for staff.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I do.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Schiffer.
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August 18, 2005
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Carolina, how do we determine
what setbacks are required on this lot? Obviously, it's a large lot, and
obviously there was reasons for that beyond what we're talking about.
There's a road that goes through the lot. So, I mean, how do we
determine front or rear? I mean, none of the boundaries of the property
are really at play here. It's really, you know, there's like an imaginary
lot within the lot. But where is this front setback off of -- where is his
front property line, just out of curiosity.
MS. V ALARA: Right. It is an odd type of lot. And what staffhas
determined is that you take it from the roads. There is a road so you
have your 50 feet on the front, you know, for each road. You have two
sides and you have --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And, you know, essentially, and
we actually discussed this a little bit last night on the LDC stuff. This
is a road right of way and access right of way, as we tripped over. And
so you're measuring from that as essentially the front setback. So,
theoretically if you build across the street, which I know we can't, you
would have an additional front setback. When a road bisects a
property, it ultimately would be conceptually two front setbacks.
MS. V ALARA: That is correct. So they had two 3D-feet side
setbacks and five feet front. Two side front setbacks.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And do you agree that the
position of this site, the way it was placed on this property line and
there are other ways to replace what caused hardship here?
MS. V ALARA: Yes. And I think you said it before that if the
house had been positioned in a different way, slightly a different way,
they could have met the setbacks.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: With the existing house even?
MS. V ALARA: Right.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Strain.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Just one question to something you
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said. You said across the street they couldn't build another house.
They could build a guesthouse, couldn't they?
MS. V ALARA: I am not completely sure if they could.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: That's okay. I was just trying to
make sure I understood. This is an estates lot, I believe.
MS. V ALARA: It's agricultural.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Agricultural lot. I didn't know if it
compared to structures in the estates the same way or not.
MR. BELLOWS: You could have an accessory structure.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Ray, what's the mobile home
overlay? What does that mean? This is a mighty fine mobile home.
MR. BELLOWS: The agricultural zoning district allows for
single homes, stick homes, such as you see here. There's an Overlay,
HMO mobile home overlay allows for the option of having a mobile
home constructed instead of a stick house. So it's an option.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Ray, just one comment. The
speaker indicated that Bonita Bay was going to come in and change
the zoning on this. And, obviously, going into a PUD on this would
probably be the right thing to do. Do you know of anything to validate
that? Is that something that's going to be happening? By the way, if it
isn't happening, how are they getting Grand Arbor through with the
reduced setbacks if it's not ag?
MR. BELLOWS: I'm not working on Grand Arbor and I can
check into that for you. Any change would have to be -- any
subdivision would have to be consistent with the zoning, which is
agriculture zoning. And if there is to be a change, that would have to
be through some kind of variance or create a PUD where you develop
your own development standards.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: That would clarify all this, not for
just this landowner but for anyone.
MR. BELLOWS: I'll investigate that. I'm not familiar with that
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August 18, 2005
project.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Other questions for staff? Are there any
other registered public speakers?
MR. BELLOWS: I had a clarification they're developing under
the rural fringe development standards can.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Okay.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: How does that affect this? Is there
a way that those standards would --
MR. BELLOWS: I'll have to check. I'm not all that familiar.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I know staff recommended denial,
and based on what we've heard, I haven't seen a reason to verify --
vary from that, but if this could fall under rural fringe, there may be
some latitude there that would then make it consistent with our codes
instead of needing a variance. But at some point maybe someone
ought to check that out.
MS. V ALARA: Staff will investigate on this.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well, does the applicant want to
continue during that investigation? Is that worthwhile or do you want
to go forward today? I mean, I'm just suggesting.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: We're to take Mr. Strain's recommendation
a little bit further. My guess is one-ninth of the votes is you're headed
for non approval. The better part of Valara would be to retreat and
investigate this rather than face a probably unfavorable decision. So if
the petitioner would choose to continue this while this is being
investigated, it might be a good idea.
MR. MUST: Yes, we would like to do that.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Okay. Do we need a motion to continue or
what's the appropriate mechanism?
MR. WHITE: Either you will have a request from the petitioner
to continue --
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Which we just received.
MR. WHITE: And you can knowledge that out of vote or with
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one, if you choose. But at this point just ask the question if it's known
as to when it might be that it would be continued to so that if there's a
way to avoid having to re-advertise you could, otherwise if it's not to a
date and time certain, then it would require another ad.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Well, we've got September 1st stacking up
already. How about the second September meeting. That gives
approximately 30 days. It should be enough time to investigate these
issues. So would the petitioner request to come back on Thursday,
September 21 st?
MR. MUST: Yes, sir, we would make that request.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Motion to accept the petitioner's request?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I would make that motion.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Second?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Second.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: I have a motion by Mr. Murray, second by
Mr. Adelstein. Discussion?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So what would happen, he
would go and find out that in the rural fringe he could do this? And,
therefore, we wouldn't see him again. He would just disappear?
MR. BELLOWS: He would withdraw his petition.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Exactly. Further discussion on the motion?
There being none, all those in favor saying aye.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Aye.
MR. STRAIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
MR. ADELSTEIN: Aye.
MR. ABERNATHY: Aye.
MR. VIGLIOTTI: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
MR. MINDY: Aye.
MR. SCHIFFER: Aye.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Those opposed? It's continued. Next.
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agenda item, that is petition PUDZ 2005-AR-7469. Richard and
Frances Craig and CDN Properties requesting a rezone. All those
wishing to present testimony on this item, please stand, raise your
right hand to be sworn in.
Do you swear or affirm the testimony you're about to give on the
matter now in hearing shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing
but the truth so help you?
(All affirm.)
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Thank you. Disclosures on this item? We'll
start down at one end. Ms. Caron?
COMMISSIONER CARON: I've met with the petitioner, Mr.
Anderson and Mr. Mulhere.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Thank you. Moving on down.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Yes, I met with Mr. Mulhere and
Mr. Anderson. We discussed the errors of their ways and they have
come in today for redemption.
MR. WHITE: Mr. Chairman, in the interest of a complete record
with regards to ex parte disclosures, I would just simply ask if even
just a cursory description of the subject matter, transportation,
something along those lines, that would be helpful.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Okay. Let's start back at the end. Ms.
Caron.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Yes, I met with the petitioner
representatives, Mr. Anderson and Mr. Mulhere.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I think he's indicating you need a
little bit of what you discussed.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Regarding the issues that they have
with the transportation staff.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I my meeting we discussed
transportation issues, some layout issues, heights and a whole bunch
of notes I have. I can't remember them all, but that's part of it.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Vigliotti, do you have a disclosure?
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August 18, 2005
MR. VIGLIOTTI: Yes, I had a phone conversation regarding this
Issue.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Okay. Who was that with and in general,
the nature?
MR. VIGLIOTTI: Mr. Mulhere, we had a conference call
regarding the issues that he was going to reevaluate and bring forth
today.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Okay. On my own part I met with Mr.
Mulhere, Mr. Anderson talking about the various components of the
project with some elaboration on the transportation issues.
Mr. Adelstein.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I had the same thing exactly as
you did.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Midney.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: None.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: None. Mr. Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: None.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: I had conversations with Mr.
Mulhere and Mr. Anderson and we discussed, or the discussion
focused on the OCI issue and applicability under comprehensive
planning.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Very good. All our disclosures are on the
record. If we could hear from the petitioner, please.
MR. ANDERSON: Good morning, Mr. Chairman. For the
record, my name is Bruce Anderson from the Roetzel and Andress
Law Firm on behalf of the applicants, here with Bob Mulhere from
RWA.
You may recall about a year ago this same property came before
the Planning Commission and was scheduled to go before the county
commission for a rezone to a business part PUD with light industrial
and retail and office commercial uses.
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August 18, 2005
After initially recommending approval, the Planning Commission
heard the application a second time because of an advertising error. At
the second hearing neighboring residents objected to a PUD which
allowed light industrial uses and the Planning Commission changed its
recommendation to denial. That business part PUD was never acted on
by the county commission, and instead it was continued indefinitely
while a new PUD application was prepared and submitted. It was as a
result of number one, input from neighboring residents, particularly
Vanderbilt Country Club, and number two, the county's request for a
new public connector road through the property, but this project was
resubmitted as a mixed use PUD with commercial uses fronting along
Collier Boulevard and residential uses behind the commercial. There
is a difference of opinion with the comprehensive planning staff as to
the interpretation and application of the infill commercial provisions
of the growth management plan to this mixed used PUD. But staff
does agree that this is a policy decision for the county commission to
make and for you to recommend on. Is that correct, Mr. Schmitt?
MR. SCHMITT: Yes.
MR. ANDERSON: The infill commercial language does not
prohibit reconfiguration of a parcel that is eligible for commercial
zoning. Is it silent on the matter and, therefore, it is a policy decision.
N ow as the staff reports indicates, this PUD is comprised of three
separate tax parcels. The southerly parcel is approximately 9.38 acres
in size and it abuts the commercially zoned in developing Mission
Hills PUD. Could you point that out?
I believe that the comprehensive planning staff agrees that this
9.38 acre parcel clearly qualifies for the commercial infield zoning
even under their more restrictive interpretation. It is when this
9.38-acre parcel is included in a PUD and reconfigured to front along
Collier Boulevard that staff and the applicant have their differences of
opinion on whether the 9.38 acres still meets the intent of the
commercial infill provisions. Simply put, the question is, can you take
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August 18, 2005
the acres of the eligible parcel and reconfigure those eligible acres in a
PUD. We assert that the answer is yes. The county commission can
interpret its own growth management ordinance policy to reconfigure
the eligible acreage of a commercial infill parcel. This is especially
true where there is an important public benefit which is driving the
reconfiguration. In this instance, the driving force literally and
figuratively is the County Transportation's Department request for a
new North/South public connector road through the middle of the
property. And this request for dedication is in addition to the half-acre
site that county wants for a well. Reconfiguring the commercially
eligible acreage results in a more compatible development pattern and
enhances traffic circulation in and around a major arterial roadway
intersection. I'm going to ask Bob Mulhere who issued growth
management plan interpretations regularly when he served as the
county's planning services director to come forward and expand on
these points and go over the PUD master plan with you. Thank you.
MR. MULHARE: For the record, Bob Mulhere with RW A. I
want to start out by just stepping over to the Board there and going
over the PUD master plan, and I'll start actually with the surrounding
lands as well.
I know you're familiar with the site but it's just North of the
Vanderbilt Beach Road on the west side of Collier Boulevard. Directly
south of the site is the Mission Hills PUD, which is a commercial
PUD commercial shopping center that is partially developed and
continues to be under development. It is, however, open at this point
in time.
To the west is Wolf Creek PUD, which is a residential PUD. And
to the south is Carolina -- I think it's Carolina Village, which allows
for commercial uses in this vicinity right here. Wolf Creek is here,
here, here and here. And to the north is the Palermo Cove PUD in this
vicinity of which comes down and accesses Wolf Road at a point due
north of the subject property. In addition there is the Golden Gate Fire
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August 18,2005
Station directly north of us.
To the east across Collier Boulevard is several agriculture used
properties, as well as just a little bit north of us and further east of
Vanderbilt Country Club.
As Mr. Anderson indicated, the site has been designed to
accommodate the request by the county to provide this connecting
road which takes on, I think a great deal of significance because this
will be a fully signalized intersection where Wolf Road intersects with
Collier Boulevard. We therefore, provided 80 foot of right of way
from our property for a distance of in excess of 500 feet to the west,
and the balance will be a 60- feet right of way. And there is some right
of way coming from also the property owners to the north, so this is, I
believe 110 foot in width. The purpose is to provide turn lanes into
this connecting road as well as right turn lane, left turn lanes, and
through lanes at the intersection.
Wolf Road goes all the way west for a distance and then south
again to connect to Vanderbilt. In addition, there's a loop road that
runs around, and I'll show you some aerials. I think it will be a little bit
easier to see. But runs from Collier Boulevard to the south of the
subj ect property and to the north of the Mission Hills shopping center,
and that also connects with Vanderbilt.
Again, those aerials just I think provide you with a little bit of
context again. The one -- this picture is Vanderbilt, Collier from east
looking west. Island Walk. This is the subject property. This is the
Mission Hills shopping center. And in here you can see the loop road
which has already been constructed.
And Wolf Road, which will be constructed to a point here and
then south meeting with Vanderbilt. All of the agreements are in place
for the construction of Wolf Road. And this is just a different
perspective. This is from the north looking to the south. Again this
would be Vanderbilt and that would be Collier Boulevard. The subject
property. Again, the shopping center. Over here is the Carolina
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August 18, 2005
Village and this is Wolf Creek.
As Mr. Anderson indicated, during my previous position with the
county, part of my responsibility was to make official interpretations
with the Comprehensive Plan, in the Land Development Code as well
and reviewing the language that qualifies, in our opinion, this
property, this 9.38 parcel, which is the southerly 9.38 acres in the
PUD, that language does not prohibit reconfiguring that, particularly
through a PUD process where you have the opportunity to look at all
of the components and public benefits. We believe that raises the
question to a policy discussion for Planning Commission to make
recommendations for the board to make a decision with.
I'd like to discuss a few of the other issues raised by the staff.
One of the issues -- there are basically, as I understand it, two issues
this staffhas raised. One is the DMP policy issue, and the other is the
fact that, within that policy the parcel that does qualify for
commercial, is intended to transition down from the intensity of the
commercial that is adjacent to it. I'll state that again over here. If we're
talking about commercial here, whereas we're reconfiguring along
Collier Boulevard, that commercial should be of lesser intensity in
transitioning down from the intensity that exists already within the
Mission Hills PUD.
One of the issues I wanted to raise with respect to reconfiguring
this is, number one, we are limiting the acreage to the exact acreage
that exists in that parcel that was running to west, 9.38 acres here, 9.38
acres here.
Also, this property is somewhat limited for residential
development by its proximity to this six-lane roadway, and now what
will be a busy connector road between the shopping center and this
fully -- full intersection and Wolf Road and the residential lanes to the
north, again, allowing everybody to access the shopping center or
avoid the intersection.
Therefore, it seems from a planning perspective to us, very
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August 18, 2005
appropriate to shift that commercial acreage to the Collier Boulevard
frontage. I think the staff record indicates that that's not really the
issue. In fact, I think the staff agrees that this is a better plan, its
question of purpose and intent. Again, we feel that since that policy
language doesn't prohibit it, that the board should have the opportunity
to look at these on a case-by-case basis, particularly through the PUD.
I wanted to talk about a second staff issue which was raised,
which is the intensity of use acres. And I did take a look at the list of
uses in our PUD, as well as the list of uses in the Mission Hills PUD.
The Mission Hills is predominantly C3 and below with 10 or 12,
maybe 15 C4 type uses. This is probably a little hard for you to see,
but the yellow and the blue represent permitted uses in the C3 district.
And on this page they all would be. The green represents permitted
uses in the C 1 district. And as you are aware, anything that's permitted
in C 1 is permitted in C2. And anything permitted in C2 and C 1 is
permitted in C3. It's a hierarchy, the way the zoning ordinance is set
up.
So really, to make a long story short, the uses that are
problematic from a transition perspective would be those C4 uses.
And I've highlighted those in gray, and I'll go over those uses
specifically with you because we are prepared to eliminate the number
of those uses.
The C4 uses that are in our PUD -- and, by the way, the reason
we provided those C4 uses within the PUD was not that we were
looking to create some greater intensity, but was because they are
predominantly office uses. And in our view, arguably they could be
permitted in the C 1 district because they are predominantly office
related uses. However, for some reason, they show up in C4. But we're
prepared to eliminate those.
So, one is an SIC code 731, 733, 735 and 737, and these deal
with establishments operating primarily to provide business services to
the following industry groups: Advertising, mailing, reproduction,
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August 18, 2005
commercial art, photography, miscellaneous equipment rental and
leasing and computer programming, data processing and other
computer-related services. So, although we believe that that would, for
all intents and purposes, look like an office and appear to be an office,
maybe with some collateral retail, we're prepared to eliminate that use.
COMMISSIONER CARON: In other words, all 24 of them?
MR. MULHARE: Yes, thank you. And if you go down to 28. In
28, the only C4 use is C, 7941 professional sports club and promoters.
I don't think we have a big market for that in that location anyway and
we're happy to take that use out. And then down to 30. Thirty is
medical and dental labs. SIC code 8071 and 8072. And I assume that's
C4 because that could generate additional traffic or have some other
components that are typically not found in an office and we would
eliminate that one as well.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Biomedical hazard.
MR. MULHARE: Yeah, we would take that out. On the next
page, number 33. They have -- this is one that we would like to
include uses A, Band C in our PUD. And by the way, we have spoken
with the representatives who are here from Vanderbilt Country Club.
Certainly they can speak themselves, but I don't think they object to
these uses. We also have spoken to staff as it relates to these uses.
The first three there, A, Band C, engineering services,
architectural services, surveying services, really typically office uses. I
mean, I worked for a civil engineering surveying and planning firm
and architectural firms located in many office buildings. For some
reason it shows up here. The accounting, D, F, G, H and I are all
permitted in C 1. So really that leaves only E, which is commercial,
economic, sociological, and educational research. I can't really see
how that can be problematic, but certainly we wouldn't object to
removing that one.
Weare asking to retain the first three, A, B, and C, which is
engineering services, architectural services, and surveying services.
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August 18, 2005
Those are the uses that are C4 that would be considered, I think,
objectionable potentially from a transitional perspective issue. There
are a couple of others that we -- excuse me. A couple of other uses that
we are prepared to eliminate from the PUD but not because of the
transitional component because they are allowed in C3 and C2, but
really more because, in speaking with some of the Planning
Commissioners and with others, issues are raised with respect to
potential traffic generation. And so we're prepared to eliminate
number five, which is freestanding grocery stores. Again, we don't feel
that this is probably a supermarket shopping center just to the south,
and it's unlikely that use would occur here, but we're prepared to
eliminate that one.
And the second one is number 13, drinking places. Now this is a
bar. You can still have a restaurant, sit down restaurant and sell
alcohol, and that falls under eating places, because the majority of
your income comes from food and not alcoholic beverages. So, again,
drinking places is a use that we would be prepared to eliminate and
that's number 13.
I think that covers the list of uses that we're prepared to
eliminate. Again, on number 33 asking to retain those three uses that
we believe are predominantly office related.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Just A, B, and C?
MR. MULHARE: Yes. Well, and the other ones are permitted in
C 1. The only one that is not permitted is E. It's A, B, C and E, are the
four uses that are C4 in that list. D, G, H and I are allowed in Cl so
those aren't problematic.
I want to mention, we did have of course the required
neighborhood information meeting. There were a handful of folks
there. We have continued to communicate with representatives from
Island Walk, I think at least one individual is here, who have not
expressed any concerns. At that neighborhood information meeting
representatives from Vanderbilt Country club were in attendance and
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August 18, 2005
we provided them with copies of the PUD and the master plan. And
they're here and certainly they can speak themselves. As we
understand it, this is a much more favorable development plan from
their perspective than the one that we previously submitted from the
business part. I'll just look to see from my notes to see if I have any
other comments.
In terms of building height, we've requested 42 feet zoned height
for residential uses and 42 feet also for the commercial uses within the
PUD. And it was pointed out that we should be prepared to identify a
maximum height in the truth and advertising provisions of the code
now. And we're prepared to limit the building height for single family
to 35 feet, not to exceed a maximum height from ground elevation to
the highest point of 40 feet. The zoned height 35, highest point 40 for
single family. For multi-family, we're requesting 42 feet zoned height,
and maximum height from ground elevation to the highest point of the
roof to 45 feet. And for commercial, we're asking for 42 feet and
highest point from ground to the top point of 50 feet.
So I think with those -- with that information on the record, we're
prepared to answer any questions that you might have, and also we'd
like the opportunity to rebut to any comments that might be made
from the public or staff.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Before we start with questions, we've been
going for almost two hours. We're going to take a 10-minute break.
(Whereupon a brief recess was taken.)
CHAIRMAN BUDD: All right. We'll reconvene the
Planning Commission. We have a new court reporter. The petitioner
has just a couple of more comments to make before we open for
questions.
Mr. Mulhere?
MR. MULHERE: Thank you. And, in fact, a couple of
comments that were made during the break, I think I can address,
talking with both staff and some members of the public. I failed to
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August 18, 2005
mention in terms of the list of permitted uses that we have also agreed
to limit the fast food to only one fast food restaurant within the
commercial tract. And that was, again, a traffic -- a trip generation
issue. Also -- within all of the zoning districts, when I said whatever is
permitted in the lesser district is permitted in the higher district, C-1,
C-2 -- C-1 and C-2 and C-3, all of the districts have conditional uses
and typically, unless expressly prohibited, these conditional uses
become permitted uses in the higher district. And some of the uses that
we have as permitted uses in C-3 are conditional uses. They are
permitted uses for a certain sized square footage and then, above that,
they are conditional uses. So I just wanted to clear that on the record.
I did want to speak a little bit about the buffers. There was a question
about the buffers. I think we've done a very good job of retaining
native vegetation in areas where they will serve the best to protect the
neighbors, but also -- this happens to be where the best native
vegetation exists. And we worked closely with the environmental
staff. Over here, this buffer adjacent to Willow Creek is a minimum of
fifty feet. There are some locations where it will have to be
supplemented and replanted, and we've identified those. And then, of
course, it makes good sense for us to buffer ourselves from the
shopping center in this location, and we did that, and up here as well.
With respect to the roadway, there is -- I didn't want to
underemphasize the benefit of that, and I think this aerial perhaps will
allow you to consider, if you look at this -- this site plan right here,
again we're talking about this connecting roadway. And north of us
you have the fire station, which will allow fire trucks to travel south
and then west, and other emergency vehicles, without impacting or
going through the intersection. But the same holds true for a whole lot
of other people.
If you think about it, this will be a signalized intersection. And,
as I understand it -- and Don may have to correct me if I'm wrong or
I'm sure he'll have something to say about it -- but I believe there's --
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August 18, 2005
there is the possibility of where Wolf Road connects with Vanderbilt
will also be signalized, but other than that, talking most likely, when
Vanderbilt is improved and Collier is improved, right in, right out,
right in, right out.
So, without the opportunity for people to -- to come this way to
go north, basically we're talking about people making swinging U
turns wherever they could, and it's just not a good situation. So I think
this connecting roadway becomes very, very, important and I didn't
want to underemphasize that. With all of the residences in Claremont
Cove, even across the street, Vanderbilt Country Club, they are going
to be able to come down and access the shopping enter and again
leave.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Bob, does the roadway, the way
it swings to the south, does that line up with a road system on the --
MR. MULHERE: That's an excellent question.
This point lines up with the entrance to the shopping center. And
this lines up with the fire station. And it lines up across. So they are all
designed for that reason. And this is pushed west to allow the
appropriate amount of road depth.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Good.
MR. MULHERE: I wanted to just mention one other thing. I
indicated that I thought, from the staff report and from discussions
with staff, that it's not really a question of whether or not it's an
appropriate plan but what is the policy intent. And if we -- under the
staffs interpretation, that we can't shift that commercial within the
PUD, we would need to -- to go through a comprehensive planning
amendment process at this point would be in the neighborhood of two
years away, another year for zoning, another year for construction. So
that connecting roadway would be four to five years out. Since it
expressly doesn't prohibit it, we're asking.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: For the Board to make that
policy decision.
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August 18, 2005
Another issue they raised that I failed to discuss was language
within the policy, the Comprehensive Plan. It states that a rezoned
commercial zoning is requested for the subj ect property in its entirety
up to a maximum of 12 acres.
Well, we certainly don't think that means in the case of a PUD.
Remember, we're only asking for the 9.3 acres that is this parcel,
which is the only parcel that qualifies for it. Of course we're shifting it
over here.
We don't think that means, in the case of the PUD that the
balance of this property, some 27 acres, would then have to be put into
preservation or conservation. Weare limiting the commercial use to
that property, and it's less than 12 acres. You know, the way around
that would be, you rezone this parcel and then you come in for a PUD
later, and it just seems like a waste of time and resources. It just
doesn't make any sense in the PUD process, so --
I think that concludes additional comments. I appreciate the
opportunity to cover some things that I neglected to cover the first
time.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Okay. Questions for the petitioner?
Mr. Strain?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I'm trying to get through it
quickly.
MR. MULHERE: Okay.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I have some of staff, not too many.
Mostly you, Bob, because we talked the other day. Do you have any
problem limiting your COs to no sooner than October of '07?
MR. MULHERE: Well, we have a problem with it but, however,
however, we understand that that has been the position of the Planning
Commission.
We would like to not have that restriction, yes. But limiting COs
to October of '07 is acceptable.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: That's the same condition we've
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August 18, 2005
imposed on other projects.
MR. MULHERE: I understand.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: There was a neighborhood
information meeting. In that meeting there were certain items stated.
Have you read the staff report?
MR. MULHERE: Yes.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Do you have any concerns about
the items stated as being mentioned in the neighborhood information
meeting?
MR. MULHERE: The only slight difference in recollection from
my point to their point is that I do not recall saying absolutely no C-4
uses. I said predominantly, at least in my recollection, C-3 uses,
because I knew there were a couple of office type uses in C-4 that we
would want. And those are the three that I identified.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I'm assuming a staff member was
there and citizens so I'm sure I'll get more verification.
MR. MULHERE: Yes. And I have a tape.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: But you might save a lot of effort,
both now and as we get into the PUD, instead of having me go
through every single line item of that commercial application. Would
you be willing to change the language of the PUD that you will not
exceed commercial uses of C-3 -- as up to the C-3 zoning category,
with the exception of -- and tell us today, which ones you think are
outside of the C-3 that you would want to keep, and that would be a
lot simpler than listing --
MR. MULHERE: Sure.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: -- three pages of uses and SIC
codes that mean nothing to generally anybody --
MR. MULHERE: Well, I agree. I agree with you, Mark. We'll
have to go in there and eliminate those anyway because the county
will want the SIC codes.
But I agree that we can put a general statement to that effect in
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August 18, 2005
there and I can tell you what those are.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay. So -- in the stipulation
portion of our meeting today --
MR. MULHERE: Right.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: -- we can get into that.
At some point between now and then, while the staff is making a
presentation, jot down those numbers, because I would like to discuss
them so that it's clear to the public what C-4 elements that you are
now adding in that may not or may not have been clearly stated at the
informational meeting.
MR. MULHERE: Yes. I've got those, so. I mean, I'm prepared to
do them right now.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Wait until I get to it and then you
can tell us what they are, please.
The reason on the findings for the petition,
PUDZ-2005-AR-7469, it's a standard template that is used all the
time. Did you write that or did staff right that? Do you know?
MR. MULHERE: Typically the rezone findings, if they are part
of the application packet, would be written by me.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay. The reason I'm asking is,
they are written as if there was no contested issue with comprehensive
planning. I want to make that, in the findings, the premise for writing
those was that, because, if it wasn't that, then we've got -- they're
wrong, because, if you are writing them into the context that the
Comprehensive Planning issue is real, then you wouldn't come to the
same conclusions in those rezone findings that are written there today.
MR. MULHERE: Well, I mean, I think they were written under
the context that we felt as though we had the correct interpretation of
the Comprehensive Plan, if that's what your question was, yes.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Yes.
MR. MULHERE: Yes.
MR. WHITE: If I could interject, just briefly, that dovetails
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August 18, 2005
exactly with the same idea that you have an approval document
essentially as part of the legislation, the ordinance here, which is
inconsistent, of course, with what, arguably, the staffs position was
with respect to the finding of inconsistency with the Compo Plan.
So kind of making your point and taking it the next step further,
the pattern and practice has been to provide an affirmative choice __
MR. MULHERE: Yes.
MR. WHITE: -- to the Planning Commission in the event that
they were to choose the petitioner point of view and perspective as
opposed to that of the staff recommendation.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Thank you.
In those rezone findings, Item Number 4, if you wrote them,
Bob, it says that the subj ect site is surrounded on three sides, east,
west and south, by property included in the activity center. It's
capitalized, as though it was a definition.
I will check the GMP map. I didn't see that area of Vanderbilt
and 951 indicated as an activity center.
MR. MULHERE: Is that yours? Oh, that's the staff report. Thank
God. I'm getting out of here.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I still don't -- I'm not asking you,
but I don't believe that's an activity center. Can you clarify?
MS. WILLIAMS: Sure. Heidi Williams, Zoning and Land
Development Review.
To clarify, this was written by staff and it is -- some of the items
do address the compo plan issue, that it is not consistent. This item
looks to be a holdover from any other petition and is not
actually pertinent to this petition. That's an error that's in there and I
apologize for that.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: So we're not in an activity center.
Would that change your findings at all?
MS. WILLIAMS: The first sentence does not belong in that
response, but the remainder that is written there does relate to this
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-.'~--_..,..
August 18, 2005
petition.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay. And the remainder, then,
has no bearing on the fact whether it is or is not an activity center?
MS. WILLIAMS: No, it does not.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: That helps. Thank you.
A lot of this is going to get skipped because of what you just
answered.
Bob, you clarified this when we discussed it. I wanted to clarify
it for the record.
Your traffic impact statement is for Tanglewood. In this case,
you mean --
MR. MULHERE: Sonoma Oaks, because we couldn't use -- I'm
not sure why we couldn't use Tanglewood, but apparently there are a
few other Tanglewoods out there.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: In your Table 1 under your
Tanglewood PUD Traffic TIS -- well, actually Sonoma now, but you
know what one I mean -- on Page 3, you talk about uses. You have a
general office use. You use the ITE LUCE 710 code for 40,000 square
feet. And under the shopping center category --
MR. MULHERE: Yup.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: -- you use the LUC 820 code for
80,000 square feet. Do you have any problem with limiting your uses
for general office and for shopping center to the ITE trip generation
rates not to exceed either of those two codes?
MR. MULHERE: Well, in general, no. I just have one comment.
The office generation is actually lower, so I guess my question would
be, if it's unlikely that there would be, you know, office exceeding
those numbers, but if it did, it would take away from the square
footage that we would be allowed for retail. I think if you are asking
about the retail issue, I think it makes sense. But for us to have more
office than retail would simply reduce the traffic impact.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I think what I would suggest is,
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August 18, 2005
under any category that you're going to propose here today, you will
not exceed the ITE trip generation rate for offices of 710 and other
uses of 820.
MR. MULHERE: And the only -- and I would agree. I don't
think we have a problem with that, with one exception. We did ask to
have one fast food -- the opportunity to put one fast food restaurant.
We would limit it to one.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I was wondering if you would
figure that out. Okay. I'll make sure when we get into that discussion,
it's so noted.
Collier County is planning to signalize Wolf Road and Collier
Boulevard. Is that a true statement?
MR. MULHERE: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: You mentioned it in your public
information meeting and it needs to be --
MR. MULHERE: Yes. And just if I could add to that, that
improvement -- I'm not sure if the light -- Don could probably shed
some light on that, but the improvement of the intersection up to
approximately the fire station is incorporated in the Collier Boulevard
improvement program, so that those turning lanes and that access, at
least up to the fire station --
MR. SCOTT: That's correct.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: That's fine. Bob has probably
talked to you more than I have, Don.
MR. SCOTT: Yes.
MR. MULHERE: Oh, yes.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: In the PUD, under Section 2.10,
you have existing structures. And it is talking about that they may be
retained and utilized for temporary uses, under, I would assume, the
assumption that they are not to be expanded.
MR. MULHERE: Correct.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Bob, I am going to try to make
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notes on all of these comments so that in the end we can expedite any
stipulations.
MR. MULHERE: Okay.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Under 2.14, native vegetation
retention requirements --
MR. MULHERE: Yes.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: You have a sentence, viable,
natural, functioning, native vegetation areas, shall not remove those
areas of the vegetation that have a 75 percent or greater canopy
coverage of exotic species.
Did you write this PUD and send it on to staff electronically?
MR. MULHERE: Yes.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Is that a deviation?
MR. MULHERE: You know, I really don't know the answer to
that. I apologize. To me, you are suggesting that that language no
longer applies?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well, if it's in the LDC, we don't
need it to be redundant in the PUD.
MR. MULHERE: Ah, I see what you're saying.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: If it's in the PUD I'm concerned
that you are putting it there because it's a deviation.
MR. MULHERE: No, I don't believe that's a deviation. I believe
that's consistent with the LDC, but we're generally asked to provide
for a statement of compliance with the native preservation standards.
And that's a typical statement that we would use.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well, I hope -- and I know that
Mr. Schmidt made a commitment to Mr. Bellows to have a certain
template made, and all of this stuff is supposed to go away, but, until it
is, I just want to make sure we're clear.
Under sidewalks, Item 2.16 B, you quote -- apparently you say,
pursuant to the LDC-Section 60602 sidewalks shall be permitted as
follows. Is that a deviation or is that what is in the LDC? And, if it is
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in the LDC, why are you repeating it in this document?
I can tell you for sure that Russ Muller does an extremely
capable job of reviewing for sidewalks and he's going to be adding
things involving the ADA that I don't want limited by language in this
PUD.
MR. MULHERE: There is no deviation. That is the language in
the LDC.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Ray, in order to avoid conflict
between any changes in the LDC, which we had one that we may have
discussed last night concerning ADA requirements, which they have
to abide by anyway, whether it's in the LDC or not. But I wouldn't
want this document to be contradictory to those kind of things. Do you
recommend striking these kind of redundancies so that we're following
one document as the Bible or --
MR. BELLOWS: For the record, Ray Bellows.
The engineering staff, including Russ Muller, reviews the
document to ensure that there is no inconsistencies. However, it is
covered by the LDC and I don't have a problem with that being
eliminated.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I'll so note it.
2.19 landscape buffers, berms, fences and walls. You have a
series of landscape berms that are allowed to have some layer of
following maximum side slopes. Are those consistent with the LDC or
are these deviations you are looking for?
MR. MULHERE: To my knowledge, those are consistent with
the LDC.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: You know what? Maybe we can
summarize all of this.
The only deviation you are asking for in this entire document is
the one that you've already asked for and spelled out as a deviation.
MR. MULHERE: Correct.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Is that something we can stipulate?
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MR. MULHERE: Correct.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: All of those other nuances, I'll just
go ahead and try to save time and not go into them.
Under your development standards, Table Roman Numeral III-3
is the page you have an Item 3 on there -- I'm sorry Item 5, starts out
that, front loading garages shall have a minimum front yard setback of
23 feet.
MR. MULHERE: Yes. It should be 23. The second 25 should be
23, if that's your question.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: That's my question.
MR. MULHERE: Thank you.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Mark, on that point, can I ask a
question?
According to that, it also looks like you could have a garage
right on the sidewalk if you wanted. Obviously you would have to
have a traffic lane that would get the other cars off.
Is there any kind of a minimum --
MR. MULHERE: There is a setback. Yes.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: A setback, which is 15 feet?
MR. MULHERE: It's 15 feet, right.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Are you sure, the way it's
worded, though?
MR. MULHERE: Yes.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Because it is -- it's under front
setback, it is a footnote and the footnote states that garages can be less
than 20, now 23 feet.
MR. MULHERE: Yes.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: It doesn't say that it can truly
pass the setback.
MR. MULHERE: But under the table, the table for accessory
structures and principal structures are the same in the front. So you
can't be less than the required setback.
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In this case you are required to be more than the front setback if
you have a front loading garage.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right.
MR. MULHERE: And what we're saying, the staff always
requires a statement that says that the garage front shall not be less
than 23 feet. I think you remember the issue. It's cars parking across
the sidewalk.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right.
MR. MULHERE: So if you have a side-loading garage and you
build your driveway so that you can pull in front of the garage and still
not be crossing the sidewalk, you can be closer -- you can -- but not
slower than 15 feet.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But since it is --
MR. MULHERE: I can put a statement that says in no case shall
the garage --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Be less than 15 feet.
MR. MULHERE: -- be less than 15 feet from -- well, it's
measured from the edge of pavement, right. Okay.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I'm fine. Thank you.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I'm on the commercial section.
So if we were to suggest language that all uses shall not exceed
the CIs through C3 categories accept -- by the way, Bob, when we
finish I'm going to ask that representatives of the civic association, the
homeowners groups that are here today, comment on your exceptions
in regards to what was presented at the public --
MR. MULHERE: Okay. What reportedly was presented, from
my perspective.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well, from yours, but I can get
others to state what they thought it was, too, so we don't need to go
that far.
What elements of C-4?
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MR. MULHERE: Okay. I've got those right here.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay.
MR. MULHERE: We're just talking about that because we put
on the record some other ones, such as the grocery stores that are
permitted and the limit of one fast food. Those are all -- you're just
talking C-4.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Here is what I'm trying to say.
Rather than getting into all of your commercial uses that you
have there today, we'll simply say that you'll be limited to the uses of
the C-1 through C-3 zoning districts.
MR. MULHERE: Yes.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: And the following.
MR. MULHERE: Okay.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: And the and being anything
outside of those districts that you feel you need to have, and we'll see
how that fares.
MR. MULHERE: And that would be permitted use number 24,
which is -- we've listed as SIC Code 731, 733, 735 and 737.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Now, those are the ones you
previously said you are not going to want.
MR. MULHERE: That's correct.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I am going in the opposite
direction.
MR. MULHERE: Oh, you just want the ones we are -- okay.
Yes. I'm sorry. I've got those.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I'm trying to figure out--
MR. MULHERE: Yes. I've got those.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: You can simplify the three pages
by telling us --
MR. MULHERE: I've got them. I've got them.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay.
MR. MULHERE: They fall under SIC Code Number 33 ands
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they are the following SIC code numbers: 8711, 8712 and 8713.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: So those are the only three uses,
outside of the C-3 categories, that you would like to retain in addition
to those in the C-1 district. So 8711. What are those so the public that
has got an SIC book with them can know?
MR. MULHERE: Those are -- 8711 is engineering services,
8712 is architectural services and 8713 is surveying services.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay. And then the only
additional commercial item, there is going to be language limited to
one fast food.
MR. MULHERE: Correct.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: And is there a square footage
limitation that you thought of, that you can live with?
MR. MULHERE: For fast food?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Yes. I mean, you could have a
10-acre fast food restaurant. Some of those --
MR. MULHERE: Yeah. I mean, typically they are kind of
cookie cutter. I wouldn't think that they are any bigger than 4,000
square feet, maybe five, just to -- I'm not suggesting we would need it,
but just because I don't really know the answer. I don't think they are
any bigger than that, so you said one, they're not to exceed 5,000
square feet, yes.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Right. Okay. Then I can bypass all
of the questions I had on the commercial applications.
Under the commercial development standards.
MR. MULHERE: Okay.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I was looking for a setback from
residential. I didn't figure out how that was stated here.
Do you have one?
MR. MULHERE: I don't think there is one in there, I think for
the following reason.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: The road, is what you're probably
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going to say.
MR. MULHERE: Yes. Correct. You have got this road,
landscape buffer here, landscape buffer there. So you have a pretty
substantial setback. And we're going to have to -- even though we
didn't put native vegetation in here, because there isn't one and we
exceeded the requirement here, I mean, we recognize that for these
lots to be marketable adjacent to this that there is going to have to be a
nice, thick landscape buffer in there. So we're prepared to do it.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I just want it on the record as to
why you want them. That's fine.
And lastly, the PUD plan that we have attached to our document
I understand was changed. You showed me one that is a newer one in
your office.
MR. MULHERE: Correct.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Which one do you want on
record?
MR. MULHERE: Well, I think the one difference was that, on
the one you have, if I'm not mistaken, the cross-section has an
incorrect front setback showing 20 feet.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Correct.
MR. MULHERE: And it should have showed 15 feet.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Are you going to -- do you want
that just noted as a stipulation?
MR. MULHERE: Yes. If that could be noted. And I'll make sure
__ I thought we sent the revised master plan to staff but we have had a
few iterations back and forth, so it's possible that either we didn't send
it to them or they just used one that wasn't the most recent. But that
was the only difference, was that the front setback's 15 feet so in the
cross section we don't want to show 20. It doesn't make sense.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well, it's 15 or 23.
MR. MULHERE: Correct. You are right.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: That's the remainder of the
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questions I have, except I have a couple of staff.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Other questions for the petitioner?
Mr. Midney?
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Bob, what is this project doing to
address affordable housing?
MR. MULHERE: Well, I mean, it's only 112 units, and I don't
think we know right now what the market -- the market segment that
those units will be directed towards is going to be. But, I mean, there's
just an economy of scale here, really that, with us building this
roadway and then dedicating it to the public and then, of course,
65-foot along Collier, 80 foot for 500 feet plus 30 feet. I mean, I know
these things benefit us but, I mean, they also benefit the public. And
there is a utility site being requested somewhere in the neighborhood
of a half an acre.
There is just an economy of scale here where there really isn't an
opportunity for us -- I mean, we didn't come in for an affordable
housing density bonus agreement. And I just don't know what the
marketplace, and I don't think my clients know at this point in time,
where they are going to market this. But obviously it's not a very big
site. It's not highly amenitized. There isn't that much room. So,
arguably, I think we will have a niche that, while it may not address
affordable housing, I believe it will address what is being called gap or
work force housing. I don't know what the, you know, what the final
product is and I don't think my clients do either.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Other questions?
Mr. Strain?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I think I have one ofMr. White.
Patrick, in this document, the PUD document, unlike some
others that we reviewed, there are some very specific references to
sections of the -- of the LDC that they believe they are trying to
describe themselves as falling under for various elements, for
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landscape buffers, for example, for rights of way, for common area
maintenance. All different little pieces throughout the document. They
just referenced the LDC section to which they are going to be building
pursuant to. My concern is, we've changed the LDC periodically and
the section numbers actually get changed. By having those direct,
distinct references in the PUD, does that have any impact, should the
number system change in the future?
MR. WHITE: The impact would be that the staff and anyone
from our office who is asked to assist, will be required to go back and
look at today's LDC in effect when this is approved, assuming it will
be, to note what those provisions then said and to follow them through
to where they may be renumbered, relocated or even recodified. That
is essentially the same as what happens with older PUDs at this point
in time that reference prior LDC provisions and must be implemented
by applying current LDC revisions. We do the best we can to find
what that exact parallel provision is for the purposes of giving
meaning to what was stated in the PUD document.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: What if we added more paragraphs
in the LDC than were originally listed or referenced? Can those
additional ones be then added as a condition of the PUD's criteria or
are they limited to those in existence only at the time --
MR. WHITE: You've asked the fundamental question that is
required to be made by anyone who attempts to apply the Land
Development Code in combination with any of our PUDs. It is always
a case by case analysis and one where a general rule should be
avoided, in terms of saying either the latter enacted or the more
specific enacted provision should control. I think that it's an area that
is important to try to find the appropriate balance between those ideas.
It is obviously easier if you do not include those types of
citations and instead just otherwise rely on a general provision that
says that you must meet what then existent LDC requirements
otherwise are.
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MR. MULHERE: There is a provision in the PUD that provides
-- that says, unless otherwise exempted or more specifically stated in
this PUD document, the Land Development Code prevails. And I
assume, at least in my past experience, that where the land
development code has been amended after a PUD is approved but it's
the land development code that is the prevailing document on that
regulatory issue, it has been applied in its new application.
MR. WHITE: And that is, indeed, I think the case consistent for
all applicants, all aspects of staff who have dealt with this.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well, I -- in reading this PUD, I
did notice there was a lot more references to specific chapters of the
LDC. But in each and every case that I read, if you just struck those
references and simply said -- like in this one, Sanoma Oaks MPUD
subject to the requirements of the Land Development Code. Instead
your sentence says subject to the requirements of, and it lists four
chapters, and then the Land Development Code. So I would
recommend that we strike all of those references where not needed
and leave it simply the Land Development Code. Then, no matter how
many switches there are or additional chapters that might come into
play, you fall under those.
MR. MULHERE: Ifwe said something like, with respect to this
issue, I agree, or with respect to this provision. I think if we could get
to the point where -- I think what you are driving at is, if we can get to
the point where we can create a PUD document that isn't redundant
that only provides for development standards and deviations, then the
rest of it is superfluous, really, and the general statement that, for the
balance you comply with the LDC. I don't think --
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Certainly would speed it up.
MR. MULHERE: I don't think we're there yet, but, you know--
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Probably make these meetings go
a little bit faster.
Thank you. That's all I've got.
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CHAIRMAN BUDD: Other questions on the staff presentation?
MR. WHITE: Just one comment. I note in this PUD document,
the version I have is Roman Numeral IV-4. It's under capital letter A,
Number 34, and I don't recall any discussion about it at this particular
hearing, but I know in prior, recent hearings there's been some
discussion about that generic provision involving any other use
comparable in age with the foregoing list. And I don't know whether
that is something that -- that the commission wants to consider or not
at this point.
MR. MULHERE: I can speak to that issue. That language is the
acceptable language at present, Pat, because it requires a
determination by the Board of Zoning Appeals, which in this case is
the Board of County Commissioners. Previously those PUDs used to
simply say in which the zoning director determines to be comparable.
That was the only one.
MR. WHITE: I just am unaware of any process that allows you
to immediately jump to the BZA to make that kind of a determination.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: That is a subtle difference.
MR. MULHERE: I don't know. I think, Marjorie, she's not here,
but I believe she previously was involved in causing the -- I won't say
causing as an individual, but involved in changing that condition from
its previous format in most PUDs, which was -- in which the zoning
director determines to be comparable and compatible with the
foregoing to now, that the process should be handled by the BZA. I
would say that the process should be maybe through a conditional use.
MR. BELLOWS: Well, for the record, Ray Bellows.
That was the original intent of the language and most PUDs are
structured to have -- not that language listed under permitted uses but
under conditional uses.
MR. MULHERE: And that's fine. That's fine. We would agree to
move that as a conditional use.
It simply is there because you can't foresee everything. If there is
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a use that isn't identified, that is comparable, let it go through a public
hearing process. I think that addresses everybody's concern.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: We have no other questions?
We'll hear the staff report, please.
MS. WILLIAMS: Good afternoon. Again, for the record, Heidi
Williams. Principal Planner, Zoning and Land Development Review.
Staff review of this petition has found that, as laid out, this PUD
does not comply with the criteria in the Growth Management Plan.
We do have staff members available to answer specific questions
about that. But essentially the four dwelling units per acre requested
for the residential portion is consistent with the density rating system.
There are criteria of the office and infill commercial subdistrict,
however, that staff does not feel have been met.
With respect to environmental issues, no EAC meeting was
required for this petition because there are no wetlands or wildlife
Issues.
The neighborhood information meeting was held as required by
the applicant. There were a few residents in attendance and, to
anticipate your question, my notes on that meeting do indicate that no
C-4 or C-5 uses would have been allowed. I verified this with Linda
Bedtelyon, who is our community information coordinator for CDES
and that was her impression as well.
We did not have an opportunity to review the tape of that
meeting. It is to be -- yet to be provided by the applicant, I believe.
Zoning review. Just to clarify a statement made by the applicant,
it's not the intention of the staff report to indicate that this layout is
necessarily better than any other layout. However, it is compatible
with the existing uses and intended uses for the area. Single family
residential to the west would be compatible with the residential area,
as indicated on this master plan. There is a commercial shopping
center to the south and fire station to the north.
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The applicant has mentioned that the utilities division has
requested an up to one half acre well site easement. This is not
reflected on the master plan. They would prefer that it is. However, I
understand there is ongoing conversation on that.
There is one deviation requested, as noted by Commissioner
Strain. That is a deviation that would allow the applicant to provide a
50-foot right-of-way instead of a 60-foot, which is normally required.
And, as I feel that many of the issues have been pretty
thoroughly discussed already, I just would like to say that staff
recommends denial of the petition, based on the fact that staff does not
find it consistent with the growth management plan.
And I would be happy to answer any questions.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Questions for staff?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Staff member, I have questions.
You answered the questions you knew I was going to ask so I'm done
there. Michele Mosca had written a memo. I wanted to ask her one
question about it. That's the only staff question I have.
MS. MOSCA: Good afternoon, Commissioners. Michele Mosca
with the Comprehensive Planning Staff.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Hi, Michele.
MS. MOSCA: Hi.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Page 6 of your memoranda, the
one attached is dated July 21st, 2005. The last conclusion, Item
Number 3, PUD document should be revised as noted above.
Did all of your revisions get into this PUD document that we're
seeing today?
MS. MOSCA: I don't believe so.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Well -- Lindy, did you have -- can
you hang in there for a little while or do you want do --
COMMISSIONERMIDNEY: Yes. Go ahead.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Let's start walking through it and
see what's missing.
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MS. MOSCA: Well, I believe the reason why my recommended
changes were not provided in the PUD is because the agent for the
applicant believes that the subject request is consistent with the office
and infill commercial subdistrict. But everything else that I had
requested from the applicant is within the PUD, so it's related to that
Issue.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: If there is a finding of -- or if there
is a recommendation to the BCC for consistency or to approve this,
then all of the other elements, other than that one, have been corrected
pursuant to your request?
MS. MOSCA: I believe so.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Thank you, Michele. That was my
concern.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Schiffer, you had a question?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yes. Could you outline what
your concerns are with the Growth Management Plan, GMP?
MS. MOSCA: Yes, I would. Staff believes that the application
is, first, inconsistent with the intent of the subdistrict. And I could read
the intent, if you would like. And also two particular provisions within
that subdistrict.
The intent of the commercial and office infill subdistrict is to
provide low intensity office commercial or infill commercial
development on small parcels within the urban mixed use district
located along arterial and collective roadways where residential
development, as allowed by the density rating system, may not be
compatible or appropriate.
What the applicant is requesting, the only parcel that would
qualify under the office and infill subdistrict would be the most
southern parcel, which is approximately 9.38 acres. Collectively, this
project is somewhere around 37 somewhat acres, which mayor may
not be a viable location for residential.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Do you think it would be viable
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August 18, 2005
to locate residential along Immokalee Road?
MS. MOSCA: I believe there is residential located along
Immokalee Road.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay, and the second point--
MS. MOSCA: The specific criteria -- the first one is on 2 of my
memorandum. The rezone to commercial zoning is requested for the
subject property in its entirety, up to a maximum of 12 acres. For a
property that is greater than 12 acres in size, the balance of the
property in excess of the 12 acres is to be limited to an environmental
conservation easement or open space.
We're not suggesting that perhaps if collectively these parcels --
only the southern parcel, which is approximately 9.38 acres, should be
commercial. The remaining could be used for residential development.
We're not suggesting that the remainder of the acreage within the
PUD be set aside for conservation or otherwise, or open space.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Anything else, Mr. Schiffer?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I want to see what is being put
on the --
MS. MOSCA: David Weeks has put up a drawing. That -- the
southern portion would be the eligible property for the commercial
request under the subdistrict.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Any other questions for staff? Okay.
The staff presentation is complete and we've asked questions.
Are there any registered public speakers?
MR. BELLOWS: One registered speaker. Larry Smith.
MR. SMITH: Good afternoon. My name is Larry Smith. I am
Chairman of the CoUnty and Local Development Committee that
represents Vanderbilt Country Club, which is made up of a bunch of
local members there.
And yes, we did attend the local hearing for this particular
petition. And at that hearing we were also of the impression that we
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heard that the permitted uses was to be C-l, C-2, C-3, at least that was
. .
our ImpreSSIon.
However, in relation to Mr. Strain's question, we don't have any
opposition to the designated C-4s that Mr. Strain got Mr. Mulhere to
commit to, as long as we're sure that those are offices, which we have
been told that specifically.
So therefore I would just like to comment that Vanderbilt sees
no reason to oppose this petition at this time.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Thank you, sir.
Any other speakers?
MR. BELLOWS: No other speakers.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: There being none, we'll pose the --oh, you
have another question?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I have one question of Mr.
Mulhere.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Go right ahead.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Bob, do you realize that you are
not being granted any concurrency determinations or rights, even if
this is approved by us, that the BCC and that you will have to fully
meet all concurrency requirements before you can build the proj ect?
MR. MULHERE: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: With that, we'll close the public hearing.
Do we have a motion on the table?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I move that AR7496 -- 69,
rather, be forwarded to the Board of County Commissioners with a
recommendation of approval, subject to the conditions given by Mark
Strain.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I second.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: I have a motion by Mr. Adelstein, a
second by Mr. Murray.
Mr. Strain, for clarification on the record, would you restate
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those conditions?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Yes. The first one is to limit the
uses on the proj ect to two categories, general office, and I think they
said shopping center, but the purpose is that the ITE trip generation
rates for offices will not exceed the office use of 710 and, for the
commercial uses other than office, will not exceed the trip generation
rate of 820 for the square footages shown in the master plan, or the
PUD.
There will be no rental units in the residential portion of this
project as committed to in the public information meeting. The
maximum actual height, not zoned but actually will be 40 feet for
single family, 45 feet for multi-family, 50 feet for commercial.
There will be no COs issued on the project until October of '07.
There will be no expansion to the existing uses that, according to the
PUD, are allowed as a temporary use.
There will be no deviations requested except the single one that
is requested for. Any references to changes in the LDC or
clarifications are not deviations to the LDC.
The correct setbacks -- the setbacks will be corrected on the
master plan. The references to the LDC in regards to the specific
chapters in the PUD will be removed. The commercial uses will be
limited to those uses in a C-1, C-2 or C-3 category, plus offices for
8711, 8712 and 8713. And the fast food category will be limited to
one fast food restaurant not to exceed 5,000 square feet.
Item Number 34 under the uses for commercial will be removed
from that category and put into a conditional use category. And there
will be no -- no rental of residential units -- I already said that.
So those are the nine conditions I have come up with.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Adelstein, do you agree with those
stipulations?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Absolutely.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Murray?
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COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I do.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Anderson?
MR. ANDERSON: I have just one clarification on that rental
unit provision, because I bumped up against this on another PUD. The
prohibition is on that this will not be a rental complex. If you or I buy
a unit there, and we want to rent it out, that should be permitted.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: I don't disagree with you, but I'm
assuming it will be limited to a certain number of times a year and
certain length of -- period of time, like other residential units.
MR. ANDERSON: Whatever the Land Development Code
provides generally for that.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Okay. I don't think that's a
problem.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Do the motion and the second come
through with that clarification?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I'm clear with that.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. White, would it also be appropriate
for us, as part of this motion, to find it consistent with the growth
management plan, even though that's contrary to the staff direction,
staff opinion?
MR. WHITE: I think that you are free to make such a finding in
the form of a recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners
for their consideration. And you are, I believe, free to agree or
disagree to any extent with the staff or the petitioner.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Would the motion maker and the second
agree with that?
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Can we phrase it that, due to the
unique circumstances of this property, that this particular situation
would, we believe --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Does in spirit --
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: -- does in spirit meet the intent of
the -- meet the consistency of the growth management plan.
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COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I'll accept that.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: That's much better said than what I had in
mind.
The motion and second are in agreement?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Yes.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Ms. Caron had a question, followed by
Mr. Abernathy, or a comment. Excuse me.
COMMISSIONER CARON: I don't really have a question. I
have a real problem. I cannot find it consistent with our growth
management plan. I think our Growth Management Plan is very clear
here, for a change, perhaps, but very clear in that it states the criteria
listed below must be met for any proj ect utilizing this subdistrict. And
there are 17 criteria listed. And at least four or five of them are not met
by this petitioner.
Now, I'll qualify that by saying that I think this is probably a
really good proj ect. All right? And there are a lot of things here that
we would like to have happen. However, they need to go through the
process, and the process is to have a Growth Management Plan
amendment in order to make this change. And I'm going vote against
it, just because of that fact.
I don't think that we can find it consistent.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Abernathy?
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: My question sort of
dovetails with what she said. I wonder if we should be forwarding this
rejecting the staffs notion that the BCC would have to make an
exception or make a finding that it is consistent by their having said
so.
On the one hand, we could forward it saying we don't think it's
consistent but the BCC should, since it's a meritorious project, should
exercise its discretion and approve it.
I'm hung up on saying it's consistent with the -- I just think that
crosses over the whole thrust of what this staff, comprehensive
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planning staff has said.
I don't have any problem with it being approved by the BCC,
and would like to tell them so, but I don't think I can find it -- I don't
think it's incumbent or necessary for us to find that it's consistent with
the Growth Management Plan, because it clearly isn't.
MR. WHITE: To address Commissioner Abernathy's comment,
there is no legal requirement that the Planning Commission make that
precise finding. I understood, from the form of the motion and the
intent of the motion maker and the second, to essentially be making
just that type of a recommendation to the board, not a specific finding
of consistency or not.
But you are free to bring it forward with any degree of
recommendation or finding you may choose, in agreement or
disagreement.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: For that clarification, Mr. White, because
I was under the misimpression that we did have to make that finding,
and I would leave it to the motion maker and the second to withdraw
that portion of their motion which is raising roadblocks in the approval
of this petition request.
So, Mr. Adelstein --
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I never said it was going to be
consistent.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Okay. So the motion maker wants to
remove the finding that it is consistent. And the second?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I would agree with that. If I may
just comment?
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I was struggling with how I
could -- if I were to make the motion, that I would recommend denial
but recommend that the BCC approve. And so I thought the motion
that was made by Mr. Adelstein, Commissioner Adelstein was fine
and we can remove that portion if clarifies the issues.
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August 18, 2005
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Basically, then, the first ten
suggested stipulations would stand. And I agree with the chairman. I
was under the impression we had to weigh in on it. I don't think it's
our purview. It's nice to know that it isn't our purview to have to do
that.
MR. BELLOWS: For the record, Ray Bellows --
MR. WHITE: I think your desire --
MR. BELLOWS: If you look at your rezone findings--
MR. WHITE: Right.
MR. BELLOWS: -- Page 1 of 4, it clearly says, whether the
proposed change will be consistent with the goals, objectives and
policies of the future land use -- element of the Growth Management
Plan.
Now, that's requirements for this Planning Commission. But the
Board, as previously stated, can make other findings.
MR. WHITE: And I thought that you had adequately addressed
both what your charge is and those things that arguably you cannot
intercede the distance to make the final finding on with respect to
consistency by couching it as a recommendation to the board of a
finding of consistency and a recommendation based on that,
otherwise, of approval, with those stipulations enumerated.
That's how I understood the form of the motion and didn't see
that legally it required anything changed in order to comply with both
what you are responsible to do and, arguably, which you can't do that
remains, you know, the jurisdiction of the board, that being
specifically to make a finding of consistency or not.
You are making a recommendation in that regard, and I think
that's appropriate.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: We have a motion and a second on the
floor to make a recommendation to the Board of County
Commissioners. If there is any further discussion --
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Yes, sir.
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CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Abernathy.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: I think we're on dangerous
grounds if we forward to the BCC things that we believe are not
consistent with the Growth Management Plan. I don't think that's our
position at all.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Okay.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: So I can't vote for it, as it's
stated. I think it could be stated in a way that expresses my view that
yes, but, is what we're saying. But this is -- we're just saying flat out,
approve it.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: No. I think we have eliminated
that comment from our recommendation. We're just saying, here is the
stipulations which we would recommend approval. Obviously it's
going to be subject to their creating a policy in which -- that this
applies pursuant to the GMP, at least that's what I'm thinking.
MR. BELLOWS: For the record, again. Ray Bellows.
I think you can make your recommendation that -- you can
forward a recommendation of approval subject to the board finding the
project consistent with the comprehensive plan.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: That's good.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Okay. Mr. White, is that --
MR. WHITE: That is the essence of what I took the original
motion to be.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Good. Excellent. Stop right there.
Does the motion maker --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I would --
CHAIRMAN BUDD: -- and the second --
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: I wish you had just said
that.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Okay. Any further discussion on the
motion?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Call the question.
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CHAIRMAN BUDD: There being none, all those in favor of the
motion signify by saying aye.
Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Aye.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: All opposed?
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Please raise your hand if you are in
opposition.
Mr. Midney and Ms. Caron.
The motion passes 7 to 2.
Thank you very much.
Moving on to our next agenda item, we had modified Item 9,
Old Business, to add in some discussion about owner notification at
the request of Mr. Adelstein.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: What happens now is, I
think all of you are aware, that owners within 500 feet of an issue that
has come to the floor are given an opportunity to come -- notice, get a
letter and are notified that on that particular date the hearing on their
issue will come before the board. That kind of thing. What is
happening now is that, for example, the September 1 st meeting, the
letter to the owners went out on August 3rd. We know that, by our
own situation, that a certain amount are going to be moved on to other
dates because of issues. Now~ with this length of time between it, it's
going to be a great number of these people, who are going to be
coming to a meeting, expecting to be protecting their home rights and
find out that the meeting isn't going to go forward on that particular
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date.
Now, the rules of law say they have to be notified. What is
happening here is the county is taking the situation of, well, we
notified you and you've got to follow up to find out whether or not it's
going to happen. These people, many of them, are coming from --
taking time off of their jobs. I feel that there has -- that staff should
find a way to let people know when a situation, at reasonable length,
will be put on to another level, not like something today, which
nobody could have guessed that is going to happen sometime.
But, in this situation, I have watched people come in here and
the meeting is not there and they look at each other and they missed a
day's work, done this and done that. I think staff should take a look at
this and see if there's any way, for example, that, if a person calls staff
stating that they want to come to this meeting and leave a phone
number, that they could be called back if in fact, within three days of
the thing, of the meeting, that the meeting is not going to go forward.
Otherwise, it's just a -- it's not an amenable, clean thing. We're now
going to end up with at least probably close to 50 percent of these, by
that letter situation, not go forward at the time that they are told it's
going to go forward.
MR. BELLOWS: For the record, I think we want to address that
by looking at an LDC Amendment that would refer back to the 15 day
requirement to have the letter sent out. It does pose a lot of problems
with consistency that people will be notified early on via letter, only to
have the letter be superseded a week later, let's say, by -- for whatever
reason, of continuation.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I think, if you gave them 15
days, give them at least a reasonable account of what could happen.
MR. BELLOWS: I've discussed this with our staff that does the
advertising and they have a tremendous amount of trouble
implementing a two tiered notification process, one at the 21 days and
the remainder at the 15 days. It's inconsistent, the way it's written now,
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and we're looking at trying to fix that, and because of this very
situation you've --
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: And they have expanded that
out now, beyond, because the 3rd of this month until the 1st of next
month is not 15 days.
MR. BELLOWS: I agree.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Mr. Schiffer?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Is the agenda on the web site
where somebody could check that, even at the 11 th hour? Maybe that
would be the way to do it.
MR. BELLOWS: That's a good idea and I'll follow up on that.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: The other thing, too, is there a
time limit because some of those postponements -- I think today was a
good example. The developer is ready to go, the neighbors request
that, wait a minute, we want to look at it for at least two weeks. And
then two weeks later the neighbors, who in this case some of the
conversations were coming in from out of town, all fly in for the
meeting, and then the developer decides he doesn't want to do it, yet
the developer is ready two weeks ago.
Could we put some sort of a deadline on continuing? The other
problem is that we come in and we have one hearing because
everybody is, I don't know if they are out of town or for whatever
reason, they all don't want to hear the thing.
So I think today is an example of how a developer or how people
could really use the continuance system to tire out opposition and
things like that.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Actually, Mr. Schiffer, I take an opposite
viewpoint, which is, today is an example of how the kind of dialogue
and negotiations that ought to occur between the residents and a
developer does appropriately occur before it gets to us so that it's
vetted appropriately and everybody has a chance to hear this side, that
side and weigh it all out. I would hate to confine that and say, ready or
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not, bring it in front of us so that we can all argue here in a public
forum rather than have people come in. Because I can think of specific
petitions that were continued several times and then, when they came
in, they said, we've hammered it all. Here is what we want. We like it.
Boom. We've got a deal. That's the best of all worlds.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I agree with that but I think that
should be done prior to being scheduled for us to hear. Why are we
using the continuance process to do what should be done prior to you
putting it on the schedule?
MR. BELLOWS: Well, we do have the neighborhood
information meetings, which is a form of early communication that is
incumbent upon or forced upon the petitioner to meet with residents,
which hasn't been done previously to enacting that ordinance.
To address the late continuances, there is really nothing we can
do other than charge additional fees as a penalty. We have
implemented that. But even during the day of the planning
commission they will ask for a continuance. They are hit with
additional fees for that. There is also -- it may be to dissuade some -- it
won't dissuade the larger developer, but the small person being
dissuaded continuing at the last minute.
We also have a requirement that if there is continuance, several
continuances and it goes beyond four weeks from the original
advertisement, that everything has to be re- noticed, the letters have to
go out again, new newspapers ads, the signs have to be redone.
So we try to -- we don't want to discourage petitioners from
meeting with residents. If some issue comes up at the last minute --
and it's really incumbent upon them to meet with them and resolve
those issues. And I don't -- personally would not like to see anything
done to prohibit them from doing that.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Okay. Any further discussion on that
item?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: All I'm saying is, I would like
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to have a decision made in the near future.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Ray, could you report back to us, how
you are going to respond to that challenge?
MR. BELLOWS: Okay.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Thank you. Just one other thing I would
like to bring up.
During the break Mr. White asked me for a clarification. Earlier
today we had the LDC Item 2A that we are going to hear again at a
future date, and my -- I clarified to Mr. White, and I wanted the
planning commission to either agree with me or straighten things out,
that our future discussion of Item 2A is a continuation of our
proceeding and not a second or new hearing, the significance being a
second hearing would require readvertising. And I indicated to Mr.
White that it would be a continuation of the meeting. And I wanted to
get an affirmation of the planning commissioner that either indeed
that's what we did or let's straighten things out.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: So moved. Let's just make it a
motion.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Indeed, that's what we do.
And is that sufficient, Mr. White, by affirmation that I told you
the truth?
MR. WHITE: A meeting it is.
CHAIRMAN BUDD: Deal.
So, with that, we're adjourned.
(Meeting adjourned at 1:10 p.m.)
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*****
There being no further business for the good of the County, the
meeting was adjourned by order of the Chair at 12:40 p.m.
COLLIER COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION
RUSSELL A. BUDD, Chairman
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