CCPC Minutes 01/05/2006 R
January 5, 2006
TRANSCRIPT OF THE MEETING OF THE
COLLIER COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION
Naples, Florida, January 5, 2006
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:
Mark P. Strain
Brad Schiffer
Paul Midney
Donna Reed Caron
Lindy Adelstein
Bob Murray
Robert Vigliotti
Russell Tuff
ALSO PRESENT:
Marjorie Student-Stirling, Assistant County Attorney
Joseph Schmitt, CDES administrator
Susan Murray, Planning Services
Catherine Fabacher, CDES principal planner
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January 5, 2006
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It's 8:30. If you'll all please rise for the
Pledge of Allegiance.
(The Pledge of Allegiance was recited in unison.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you. Good morning.
Miss secretary, would you do the roll call, please?
COMMISSIONER CARON: Mr. Schiffer?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Here.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Mr. Midney is absent. Ms. Caron
is here.
Mr. Strain?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Here.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Mr. Adelstein?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Here.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Mr. Murray?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Here.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Mr. Vigliotti?
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Here.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Semi here. And Mr. Tuff?
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Here.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Here's Midney.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Midney is--
COMMISSIONER CARON: Mr. Midney has just arrived.
Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Are there any addenda to the agenda?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Hearing none.
Planning commission absences. We have a meeting in -- is on
the 19th of January, Joe; is that the next meeting, I believe.
MR. SCHMITT: I'd have to check the calendar. I'll look.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I'll check mine, too. But I -- as long as
-- I believe everybody knows about it. I'm sure they're -- it's on
everyone's schedule.
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January 5, 2006
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: That was the advertised public
hearings.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yeah, the 19th. Okay. Anybody going
to be missing that meeting; we all intend to be here? Good.
Approval of minutes. November 17th, regular meeting.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: So moved.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Second.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion made and seconded to approve
the minutes. Motion made by Mr. Adelstein, seconded by Mr.
Murray.
Any discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: All those in favor?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Anybody opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No oppositions. Motion passes.
BCC report, December 13th, regular meeting. Anything to
report?
MR. SCHMITT: And I have nothing to report from that meeting.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Chairman's report. I don't have
anything to report today. Spent long hours in the night reading. So
I've got others to discuss, but we won't have a report today.
The advertised public hearings. Just so the -- everybody's knows,
we're going to have actually two meetings today. I believe the
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procedure will be to -- this meeting will go forward as the LDC, we'll
close this meeting, then re-open a second meeting to hear on the AUIR
issues that will occur immediately after this one.
So the advertised public hearings for this meeting is a
continuation of cycle 2, 2005 LDC. Continuation started a month or so
ago. We've had two or three continuations, and hopefully this will be
the day that we'll finish everything up.
And with that being said, Ms. Student, is there anything we need
to add?
MS. STUDENT -STIRLING: I just want to add for the record
that I have checked -- didn't have the affidavit from the paper
yesterday, but I have checked with our staff and been advised that this
meeting was properly noticed and advertised, so I want to put that in
the record.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you.
Okay. With that, I guess, Catherine, this is your bag?
MS. FABACHER: Good morning.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Good morning.
MS. FABACHER: Happy New Year.
All right. Hopefully we'll get through this real quick.
Okay . We're on page I of the summary sheet. And stop me if you
want to ask questions or we have staff, so -- we're on page 1. We're
looking at affordable -- the definition of affordable workforce housing,
and along with that is a twin amendment which amends the affordable
housing density bonus rating system. I'm going to ask Cormac Giblin
to go ahead and -- remember, this is what we got last time.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Before we go too far--
MS. FABACHER: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: This has been one change to this -- not
to the agenda, but to this package. If I'm not mistaken, the next two
items involving yard front definitions and yard measurements have
been cancelled for today's hearing and put off till sometime in the
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future; is that correct?
MS. FABACHER: Well, latest news is we do have one small
revision to one -- we are going to adopt one small provision.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Wait, wait, wait. Last night we got an
email that said those two items are off the agenda today and for us not
to waste our time reading them. Now, you're telling us they're back on
the agenda? Because we have a little problem with that.
MS. FABACHER: Okay. Well, perhaps--
MS. MURRAY: I can explain.
MS. FABACHER: Thank you, Susan.
MS. MURRAY: For the record, Susan Murray. Okay. Your
definitions, as in the email.foralotdepthandlotwidthareout.as
well as all the definitions for yards, except for waterfront yard, and
you've -- we've kind of hashed that one out already and we didn't have
any discussion about it last time, so that one stays.
And then 4.01.03, lot and dimension measurement standards, that
heading stays, as well as item C reverts to item A. And we've passed
-- we've discussed that one too, and nothing has changed since the last
meeting. The rest goes out.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, we -- we're going to have to go a
little further in this. Basically it says, Dear Commissioners, I
apologize for the late notice, however, staff has decided to pull the
referenced amendments from the LDC cycle and place them in the
next, the referenced amendments, lot width and measurement and
waterfront yard LDC amendments.
Although staff has worked diligently on them throughout the
cycle, they are still not the product we want to put in the LDC. If you
are still reviewing your packets for tomorrow's meeting, please skip
over both items that appear on the amendment summary sheet 2.
Now, I did that. So I'm assuming anything to do summary sheet
little Roman numeral II(i) is no longer going to be heard today in any
form whatsoever.
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Well, let's put it this way. Anything on page little Roman
numeral II(i) is not going to be heard today in any form whatsoever.
So pages 5 and 6 are offtoday's agenda, and we will go on to
page 1 and 2 and 3 and 4, and then we'll go into page 11, which is the
Bayshore mixed-use district.
Okay. Now, Cormac, you want to do your presentation.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Mr. Chairman, while we're still
talking about that. What happens -- because this is the third time those
items were brought up. Unfortunately, I reviewed them prior to the
notice. I mean, but what happens when stuff is presented to us that's
not finished or it's not -- I mean, what is -- this is the third time I've
reviewed these items.
MS. MURRAY: I understand your frustration. I really don't
want to air your dirty laundry in public. We've just had a lot of
difficulty with the staff that was assigned to this assignment not
delivering the product that was anticipated, so I --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN : Well, Brad, if staff doesn't feel
comfortable with it and we were asked to go past it, I don't have any
problem with continuing it because I think the system's getting along
without it -- right now without it. If it takes another cycle to get it
fixed and it can be done with more thorough review by staff, I mean, I
really don't have a problem with it.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: My question really is, why are
we looking at it if staff isn't comfortable with it yet?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, maybe they didn't realize there
were issues there until it got out more circulated in the public, and
issues have come up, and they realize now they can do a better job and
come back with it in a better format that maybe is more applicable in
the future.
MS. MURRAY: Exactly. You hit the nail on the head.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. So we'll just --let's just go on
with the meeting.
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And Cormac, you're up. Page 1.
MR. GIBLIN: Good morning, planning commission. For the
record, my name's Cormac Giblin. I'm the Housing and Grants
Manager for Collier County.
Starting on page 1, this is the first of two companion LDC
amendments that really were borne out of the gap housing workshop
that the Board of County Commissioners held on December 9th.
Staff received direction at that workshop to bring forward some
LDC amendments as quickly as possible to get them into this cycle,
recognizing what gap housing is, recognizing the income levels
associated or contemplated with the word gap housing. We're doing
that by way of amending the definition of affordable housing, which is
on page 1 and continues on to page 2.
The end of the definition on page 2 simply adds another line to
our already existing definition of affordable housing that expands it
from 101 to 150 percent of median income, which is the income
categories that are contemplated in gap housing.
There's also an addition at the end of the definition that says that,
you know, affordable workforce housing between that 101 to 150
percent of median income level is specifically intended to include
similar categories such as gap housing, essential personnel housing,
reasonably-priced housing.
These are all words that have been being -- been being used
interchangeably in the public and in county staff as well, so we're
hopeful that a definition like this with clarify exactly what people
mean when they say the words that they do.
Any questions on this amendment?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I have a comment. I've been working
on the gap issue on the committee that actually got it to -- through the
commission to today's meeting. One of the things we tend to see and I
would like to see is that gap have a separate definition. It can still be
calculated the way you're proposing to calculate it, but because it's
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January 5, 2006
something that I think is going to be specifically looked for, I doubt if
people will be looking under the affordable housing category to
understand what gap is.
And I don't know what harm it would do to title a -- to have a
definition title housing comma gap, or -- and list the requirements for
gap housing in that manner, that way as it develops through the system
as it's going through a whole series of events coming up in 2006, if
anybody wants to understand clearly what we're dealing with, they can
see the definition sitting right there. Do you see any harm that would
do?
MR. GIBLIN: I don't see any harm. I did review the tape of the
workshop yesterday rather intensively, and that was talked about at
great extent at the workshop between the board, and it came up several
times, do we want two separate definitions or do we want to roll it into
one. And ultimately the guidance that was given to staff was to roll it
into one.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, there also at that meeting -- and I
know you were at the following Tuesday's BCC meeting. Why you
were you there?
MR. GIBLIN: We were there in case the board wanted to
discuss the direction from the workshop again.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, I don't normally watch those
meetings all day, but I did that one because at the workshop, which I
attended and I sat in the circular table up front, it was very clear to me
that this issue was supposed to have been discussed on that Tuesday.
Now, for whatever reason, it didn't get discussed. But I believe
that had it been discussed at that Tuesday, all these issues would have
been fleshed out a little bit more instead of coming to this board in a
somewhat unclear fashion as it has now.
I know the commission gave direction at the meeting. I'm still
trying to get a hold of the tape so I can review it myself. But I don't
see how, by us suggesting that there be a separate definition for
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housing comma gap does harm to anybody. Mr. Schmitt?
MR. SCHMITT: I do have to note -- again, for the record, Joe
Schmitt, Administrator of Community Development/Environmental
Services. To define it as unclear, I think, is probably a bit of an
overstatement, because it was very clear to staff from the board as to
how to bring this amendment forward.
You may have some disagreement. But our review of the tape
clearly indicates that what we're doing is complying with board
guidance.
I would say if this board wants to recommend and forward to the
Board of County Commissioners that it have a separate definition, we
will bring that recommendation to the board.
The issue was -- the information was provided to the Board of
County Commissioners in regards to discussing specifically what you
addressed at that meeting, and that was between the commission and
the county manager. The county manager provided Commissioner
Fiala the information, but it was never brought up at the end of the
meeting. It was -- and there may have been a disconnect in regards to
who or whom -- who was going to bring it up to resolve some of these
Issues.
But based on the workshop the day prior, the guidance from the
Board of County Commissioners is very clear.
This certainly will air the issue when we bring this forward as
part of the LDC amendments. And the board, I'm certain, will provide
additional guidance. If this board wishes to make some kind of a
recommendation in regards to further defining or creating a term gap.
But the guidance we got was that there would not be two separate
programs. There would only be -- it'd be one program integral and--
well, basically integrated into this term called affordable housing, and
that's what we're presenting.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And my suggestion isn't suggesting
separate programs. It's simply a definition.
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Ms. Caron, did you have any--
COMMISSIONER CARON: Yes. If one does a word search on
gap housing, will it not lead you here?
MR. GIBLIN: Oh, in the LDC, yes, it would.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Murray?
COMMISSIONER CARON: My suggestion then would be to
add the term professional housing as well because a lot of people use
that term as well.
MR. GIBLIN: That gets along with so many terms trying to find
the same thing. We're trying to just create a laundry list and put
everything in one spot.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Murray?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Just for clarification for my
purposes. By the LDC being amended in this way, thereafter all
matters pertaining to gap fall under the government purview and under
your specific purview; is that right?
MR. GIBLIN: Sure. The definition doesn't create any programs
or incentives on its own, but --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: It permits the creation of
programs?
MR. GIBLIN: Sure.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Okay. And therefore part of the
organization that you operate?
MR. GIBLIN: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Okay. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Commissioner Adelstein?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Housekeeping issue. The last
statement where it says, date and time. The time says two hours --
two, three point oh eight -- three oh eight p.m.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So it's on both pages.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Yeah. It's a housekeeping
issue. That's all. I assume it's 2:30.
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MR. GIBLIN: I see. You're on page 3 now?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I'm sorry. Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Is there any other questions?
Mr. Schiffer?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Cormac, a couple things. We're
adding only one layer on top of that, which essentially is going to take
everything from 81 percent to 150.
MR. GIBLIN: Actually 101 to 150. We already had a definition
between 81 and 100. I'm sorry, what page -- are you still on the
definition side?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: No, I'm on this --
MR. GIBLIN: Okay. So now -- we're on page 4 now then.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Are we -- am I ahead of time?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No. We're still on the definition, pages
1 and 2 only.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I'll be back.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So we've got to get to -- the other one's
going to have another separate discussion probably more lengthy than
this one. Pages 1 and 2, are there any further questions from the panel?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Well, I'd like to get
recommendations to go forward on each piece of this, one at a time.
My only issue with pages 1 and 2 is I would like to recommend that
we use a separate line item for a definition so it's clear that, housing
comma gap, and what it is. I don't think that separates it out of the
program. And by the intent by definition surely doesn't mean it's
going to be separate. It just leaves it a little clearer for people to read.
But I need a motion and --
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: So move.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Move to? Mr. Adelstein, you move to
what, accept it as written or accept it with a change in the --
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: With the changes.
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CHAIRMAN STRAIN: With the changes being, gap housing
will have a separate definition?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Motion made by Commissioner
Adelstein.
Is there a second?
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Right here.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Second by Commissioner Vigliotti.
Any further discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: All those in favor?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I had --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Murray, did you have something?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Yeah. I just -- without getting
too deep in this thing, the housing, affordable workforce, and then
these numbers follow, you know, and I agree with you. But it does--
what constrains -- what bothers me is it seems to put it under the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development in some form by
wrapping it in. I think that's the reason why you'd like to see a
separate definition as well.
And so -- anyway, the motion has been made to have it with the
separate --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Definition, and the motion was
seconded to have housing comma gap as a separate definition, having
no effect on the program, just simply a separate definition.
Motion was made and seconded.
Mr. Schmitt?
MR. SCHMITT: I just need clarification on what Mr. Murray
mentioned. The term gap will still be associated with housing and
urban development only from a standpoint we use that as the
measurement for defining the price range.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Well, that's right. And my
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concern is, is that gap housing, for whatever it is, is a moving target on
a continuing basis.
MR. SCHMITT: Yes, it is.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: And so assigning a definition
with specific dollar or with specific number, percentage numbers,
locks you in to whatever that is at that given time, and it also --
everything now will be looked at through the eyes of compliance with
that. Now, I recognize it's a means by which you start.
MR. SCHMITT: And I have no problem with creating the term
gap. Just so everybody here understands, gap was nothing more than
to define the price range of housing that was above and beyond the
programs and assistance that we allow up to -- what, Cormac? The
top limited would be basically your -- any affordable housing or any
housing in general.
So that -- we'll have to create a definition that defines it from a
standpoint of what we mean, but it still will be listed, I believe, and
that's what I want to make sure from the chairman, that it will still be
listed as 101 to 150 percent of the median income.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: That's the departure point, isn't
it, from the --
MR. SCHMITT: Yes. That still will be the criteria, though the
term gap we'll define as -- we'll create a definition that defines it as
beyond what is termed --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I think this -- the only thing I'm
suggesting is, by allowing us a separate space for some definition of
gap can go into the detail Joe's talking about and that you're talking
about.
MR. SCHMITT: I assume you're talking in the space between --
well, under affordable housing -- under housing affordable, then there
would be another definition line there, housing, gap.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yeah, and then just go in and you
basically restate --
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MR. SCHMITT: Define what we mean by gap.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- the way it's structured, because it is
structured differently, as Mr. Murray pointed out, and this gives you
an opportunity to clearly state that without getting it confused with
affordable housing.
MR. SCHMITT: Can you come up with a definition? Do you
have one? Can we read a definition?
MR. GIBLIN: No, we don't -- well, it would read virtually
identical to the first paragraph of affordable housing comma
affordable workforce. That first paragraph that defines the income
level and how you calculate a person's income level is universal, so
that paragraph would remain the same, and then you would just add
the underlying portions from the end of the definition.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Ms. Caron, and then Mr.
Midney.
COMMISSIONER CARON: I think you can almost solve that
by just doing -- if you go back to page 1 where it says, housing
comma affordable workforce, and label that A, and then when you get
down to where you're defining this gap housing, label that B as
owner-occupied gap housing, 101 percent to 150 percent, give your
definition whatever other detail needs to go into that definition, and
the problem's solved. It's not a --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: And if I may -- and I'm out of
turn, but I must compliment you, because if I recall correctly in that
workshop, that was one of the criteria that was cited that it should be
-- correct me if I'm wrong, please -- that it should be owner-occupied
and not be rental housing.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It should be owner-occupied.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Sure, yeah.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: And that is a significant -- and
this wraps -- the way it's set up now, wraps everything into it under the
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COMMISSIONER CARON: No.
MR. GIBLIN: Well, no. We did define owner-occupied
workforce housing, 101 to 150 --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: You did.
MR. GIBLIN: -- as gap.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Owner-occupied.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Midney's been patiently waiting to
speak. Mr. Midney, could you --
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: It seems to me like if you've
numerically defined it as 100 to 150 percent, I don't see -- that's an
exact definition. I don't see why you have to worry about these other
terms, gap and so forth.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: My concern there was what Mr. Murray
had stated; the housing when you get to a certain level, doesn't get the
benefit of some of the federal programs, and gap is going to be one of
those that's going to be outside those benefits.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Right.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And that's why there's a separate
application for that. And people who are looking for it won't
necessarily go to the affordable housing category to figure it out
because they won't apply to affordable housing.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: It's a different --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It's a whole different way to approach it.
MR. GIBLIN: To address Mr. Midney's comment, if you
remember last year, we brought a similar amendment forward where
the LDC used to define affordable housing. We used to have a
separate definition for workforce housing. That's kind of where staff
is trying to go here is, avoid the names, and let's stick with the
numerical values of what they actually mean. Because once the
names are out, there's unclarity on exactly what you're talking about
when you say a name. So that's why the current format of this
definition seeks to define everything under one specifically with the
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target level of income that you're trying to achieve.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The benefits of the affordable housing
category, which means you get some assistance in the various fund cat
-- up to what percentage do they apply?
MR. GIBLIN: It depends on what you're talking about. Most
federal and state grant programs that provide monetary assistance
directly to a homebuyer are capped at about 80 percent of median
income. Our density bonus program, as you'll see in a few minutes,
was capped at 80 percent of median income, but now with this
addition of this additional category, we can assist -- we're proposing to
assist units up to 150 percent.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Well, there's been a motion
made and it's been seconded to add a second definition, housing
comma gap, and provide the detail needed in that definition to help
clarify the issues we've discussed.
I'm going to call the question. All those in favor of the motion,
signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Anybody opposed?
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: I'm opposed.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Motion carries 7-1. Thank you.
Catherine, I assume the next one is Cormac's, too.
MS. FABACHER: Yes, sir. It's affordable -- amending the
affordable housing density bonus rating system.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And Cormac, before you go too far, just
so everybody knows, I had asked Cormac to bring some examples and
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January 5, 2006
alternatives as to how this table could work, because right now at a
meeting that I had with Cormac with Richard Y ovanovich, we went
over the application of this table, and it was difficult to be profitable
under certain circumstances. And if it isn't profitable, the incentive to
build it may not be there.
So at my request, Cormac has worked up some, hopefully some
scenarios and numbers that he can show us today.
MR. GIBLIN: Sure. Again, for the record, Cormac Giblin,
Housing and Grants Manager.
We're on page 3 now, which starts the second half of the
direction that staff was given at the gap housing workshop, the first
being to define -- define the income level. The second being to
incorporate it into our density bonus program so that potential
applicants could immediately take advantage of it as soon as this LDC
cycle was adopted.
If you turn to page 5, you see our --
MS. FABACHER: Four.
MR. GIBLIN: I'm sorry, yeah -- no, 4, yeah. If you turn to page
4, you see our density bonus chart. This chart is accompanied in the
LDC by a full page of instruction on how to use it. I can walk you
through a couple examples on how the chart actually works, and then
we can get into actually what the numbers on the -- how the numbers
have been changed.
But it -- once you understand it, it does work pretty simply. The
numbers across the top, the 10 percent, 20 percent, 30 percent and so
on, those represent the percent of the overall development that will be
the type of unit that you're choosing to do.
F or example, if you tried -- if you proposed to do units at the 80
percent of median income level, follow that across to, say, 30 percent,
you end up with a density bonus of four. That will be added to your
base density. So in other words, if you did -- 30 percent of your
overall development consisted of units at 80 percent of median
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January 5, 2006
income, you would qualify for a density bonus of four.
You can then next mix and match and add different unit types,
different income levels to achieve up to a maximum of a bonus of
eight units per acre, okay?
What we've done here is added this new top line of the 150
percent category to give the option of a density bonus for units at the
gap housing income level, up to 150 percent of median income. At
the same time, we've had to increase by one all of the bonuses offered
to 80, 60 and 50 percent just to keep them in -- everything in line so
that the gap housing didn't get a greater bonus than the lower income
housing.
What developers typically do is provide -- what this does is allow
the opportunity to provide a mixture of income levels within any
development. You could end up with some units at 80 percent, some
units at 150, and then actually a majority of units at market rate.
This is -- the formula is meant to blend and mix in different unit
styles within any particular development, and in the end provide
additional market rate units to a development to make it financially
feasible for them to provide the affordable and gap housing at the
same time.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The way this reads, too, you're not
allowed to do gap by itself. If you do gap, you have to do affordable
with it; is that correct?
MR. GIBLIN: That's correct. That was another direction that
came from the direction from the BCC at the workshop was that --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's good to hear.
MR. GIBLIN: -- there was a desire not to create exclusively gap
housing on its own, but that any gap housing would need to include a
portion of 80 percent level or below housing as well.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: With the ability of gap to actually
produce profits more than affordable, would gap then act as a catalyst
to the affordable housing program in your mind?
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January 5, 2006
MR. GIBLIN: If someone could build it and make a profit, yes,
and I believe they probably could.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Cormac, there are other -- in this table
when you got through your top line at gap one, two, and then straight
threes, and then your income levels -- your other ones, the way they
were structured, there was some concern about, the incentive stops at
20 or 30 percent based on the way the table was written in front of us
today. And since that time till now, I know you haven't been able to
get to -- anything to us separately, but did you work on an alternative
table?
MR. GIBLIN: Yes, sir. After we met, we ran -- we did run
through several calculations and did notice that cutting it off at three
kind of provided a diminishing return as you're trying to encourage
people to build more gap and affordable housing.
And if I may, we can -- I think we can address that by continue --
proposing this alternative, which continues the lineal progression of
the bonuses up to six, six, because if you remember now, you have do
at least 10 percent at 80 percent or less, which gives you the extra two,
so you can cap out at your max of eight. And since -- staff would
propose this as an alternative to what's in your packet just by simply
continuing that out up to six.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: If I may?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Sure. Go ahead, Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Would that -- would that
formulation, that methodology, however the formulas, would that be
appropriate to have in your amendment so that anyone coming to look
at that can know clearly what they can do, rather than it being
relegated to a book on your desk that you bring out and qualify the
information for? This formulation, this mix and match that you're
speaking of, you know it. I don't know it. It's not here. Should it be
here?
MR. GIBLIN: Well, it is in the LDC. For when people use it,
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January 5, 2006
there is a --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I'm talking about the inclusion
of the -- the current LDC shows --
MR. GIBLIN: Shows the instruction on how to use the formula?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yeah. There are two pages or a page or
so --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Okay. It is in the LDC?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yeah. They didn't -- we didn't include
the whole LDC.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY : We didn't include this because it
hasn't been there, and that's what I'm basically asking is if -- so that
will be -- that will cover it?
MR. GIBLIN: It's a separate section in the LDC that we're not
proposing any changes to.
MR. SCHMITT: It gives examples on how to apply it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yeah. It explains how the whole--
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Okay. So the formula would be
there, and so people would not be subject to -- they'd know clearly
what it is.
MR. GIBLIN: Sure. That's our intent is to produce a reliable
table and a formula so that the industry can immediately look at it and
determine what they would qualify for.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Well, I don't want you to
misunderstand my demeanor. I'm very happy that we're going
forward with gap housing. My concern is that we don't lose gap
housing as a viable opportunity if we don't do this right, and I'm
obviously concerned that we need to have every base covered and not
have any of the supporters walk away because they're under the
impression that something is going to go wrong.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Are there any other questions
from the panel members? Mr. Schiffer?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Cormac, what I was saying
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January 5, 2006
before is that you have four levels of -- on your matrix.
MR. GIBLIN: Uh-huh.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So the top one is going to cover
from 81 percent to 150 percent?
MR. GIBLIN: That's correct.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Do you think it would be wise
to add one in between? I mean, because essentially a developer's
going to hit the top of that matrix. In other words, he's going to build
150 percent housing. He's not going to build the hundred.
MR. GIBLIN: There is a bright line in the sand, like we talked
earlier, at the 80 percent level. That is typically where federal
assistance and state assistance stops. There is no other line in the sand
between 80 and 150. We could add another line here. But, again, it
would be up to the developer which line they chose to take advantage
of.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right. And what you're saying
is no assistance above 80.
MR. GIBLIN: Right.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But shouldn't we be
encouraging people to be building 100 percent housing, 120 percent
housing? I mean, we have a category for -- I would think there should
be a category for that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: One thing though. Brad, let me mention
to you. The reason this came into our package today is because of that
workshop that occurred in December, and what we're trying to do is
slide in something to incentivize gap between now and when the real
LDC amendments come through in about six months to eight months,
and the inclusionary zoning and all the rest of it comes through where
this is further fleshed out, and most likely issues like you're talking
about --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: We'll come back for.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: We'll come back for, yeah. This is just
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January 5, 2006
trying to get it in quickly without making a massive amount of
changes to the land development code under this cycle scenario so we
can have it while it's -- at least get the benefit of it for a few more
month ahead of time.
MR. GIBLIN: That's exactly correct.
MR. SCHMITT: And the other issue was to ensure that we didn't
disincentivize those programs under 80 percent. And this chart kind
of equalizes the playing field, so to speak. It still does not -- what the
concern was originally was gap housing would be the favored
alternative, and nobody would build any of the affordable products.
And this chart, the way it allocates the density, still makes all the
products economically feasible.
And as Cormac said, the 80 percent mark and below is where a
developer can apply for other type of assistance, financial assistance.
So they have that incentive plus the density. The only thing --
the only thing you get above 80 percent is the density bonus. And so
there is -- it does equalize the playing field and it does, for a
developer, create various scenarios where they can do affordable
housing at all levels, and that's really what we're looking for.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Just as a further point. Do the
restrictive -- restrictions that apply to the affordable that you have
built into the system, will they apply in the gap as well?
MR. GIBLIN: Restrictions as in they --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: As in being able to sell it and the
rest of it.
MR. GIBLIN: Yes.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: So all of that is covered in here?
MR. GIBLIN: Yes.
MR. SCHMITT: Any density bonus awarded under this program
is accompanied with the rezoning affordable housing density bonus
agreement that is approved by the Board of County Commissioners,
which then places the responsibility into staffs hands in order -- it
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January 5, 2006
gives us the authority to monitor and put those other kind of
restrictions as far as --
MR. GIBLIN: Resales and appreciation.
MR. SCHMITT: -- resales and appreciation.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I recall that being an important
part of this.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: See, what's going to end up happening
is because gap is a little more viable profitably, it will become a
catalyst --
MR. SCHMITT: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- to actually produce more affordable.
MR. SCHMITT: Yes, it will.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Hopefully.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, that's what the hope is, so -- Mr.
Schiffer?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Cormac, what I did is I actually
made a chart out of the matrix and everything. And it became
apparent that the benefit really is to do the low percentages. You get
to the -- you know, the boost goes up pretty quickly, especially if you
combine them, and you get market value, a lot more market value
houses on there.
So I think a problem, a concern I have with the matrix is that it's
really favoring low percentages of the 10 percent, maybe to 10
percent, and then it generates a huge amount of market value houses.
That's a question Lindy always asks whenever these come before us,
how many new market houses are you getting. We never quite get an
answer because we get this percentage.
So, I mean, for example, any of these that cap out, like it shows
that you're working on reducing the market capital. All of these cap
out at low percentages, and it will be nobody's -- no developer's
interest to be unnecessarily removing marketplace houses.
MR. GIBLIN: That's a -- again, Mr. Strain and a couple others
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January 5, 2006
and I, we ran calculations on almost every combination. And you do
find that, that as you move into the higher percentages --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right.
MR. GIBLIN: -- the benefit goes down. The benefit being the
number of extra market rate units that you -- that you are allowed. But
then after stepping back for a second and thinking that, if you are
doing the higher percentages, say 60 or 70 percent affordable, it only
stands to reason that only 30 percent is left to be market rate.
So it's just -- I believe it's a function of your -- if you choose the
higher percentages, you are choosing to do a predominantly affordable
or gap level -- development.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But I mean, you won't get a
density benefit. I think the concern I have is that, you know, we're not
getting -- it would not be to the developer's incentive to do that, other
than his good will to build affordable housing.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: His best benefit is ifhe does 10
percent less than 50 percent, right?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Then he gets his -- then he gets
three units of market rate for just one unit affordable.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And the chart I made, it jumps
out because you can see that as soon as he gets into these zones where
he can choose these low percents, he gets a huge amount of
marketable units for hardly any affordable units the way the matrix is
set up.
MR. GIBLIN: Right. The lower income you keep your units,
say at 50 percent level or 60 percent level.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right.
MR. GIBLIN: We try to really incentivize the creation of those
units, because those are really tough to bring onto the market in the
private sector. So yeah, you do get a -- you do get a significant bonus
for providing units at those extremely low incomes.
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January 5, 2006
MR. SCHMITT: But understand, he has to sell more market
units to subsidize those units at 50 percent or less income. I mean,
that's what the chart does. It--
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I mean --
COMMISSIONER CARON: It would seem to me that we ought
to be taking out the bonuses at the lower end.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, like take, for example, the
50,10. Ifhe--
COMMISSIONER CARON: No, no, no. I mean, if you're up in
150 percent, take out bonuses for 10, 20, and 30 percent, and don't
start your bonuses until 40 and above, which would change the matrix
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Exactly.
COMMISSIONER CARON: -- and force greater percentages of
affordable and gap housing,
MR. GIBLIN: By doing that though, you really -- it is very
difficult to provide incentives for people to bring units on at the 50
and 60 -- at the extremely low incomes. And if you do what you're
proposing and you don't let --
COMMISSIONER CARON: You don't have to take it out at the
lower end.
MR. GIBLIN: Okay. So just at the gap level?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, I mean, Cormac, the--
say for example the 50, 10. The developer's at four units an acre. He
can build 50 units when it kicks in, meaning that 10 minimum kicks
in. All of a sudden now, when that kicks in, ifhe builds 10 affordable
housing, and the answer to Lindy's question that we never get, is he
can build 40 more. He goes from 50 to 40 more, in other words, 90
marketable housing for that 10. I mean, I think we should feather that
return a little bit.
MR. GIBLIN: Yeah. That is -- that's what's built into the
formula now as the incentive, is that --
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January 5, 2006
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: He can essentially double his
marketable housing for --
MR. GIBLIN: For providing some low income.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: For providing 10 percent of an
affordable housing.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Well, I think--
MR. SCHMITT: Let's talk about the cost ofa home at that
range. You're talking about a product that might cost the builder
$300,000 or 250- to build, and he's selling that product at that income
range -- Cormac, what, around 11 O?
MR. GIBLIN: Which income range, 50?
MR. SCHMITT: Fifty percent.
MR. GIBLIN: Oh, less than that.
MR. SCHMITT: Less than that.
MR. GIBLIN: Maybe 75,000.
MR. SCHMITT: So there's a significant amount of -- he needs --
the program was set to allow for more market subsidy, the production
of that low, low income product.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Well, I think that we had a lot of
input --
MR. SCHMITT: And we're actually in the -- trying to redefine
our whole program here.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Midney, you're next.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Okay. I think that, Cormac,
haven't you had a lot of input from people who are in the development
business, and they're the ones who are really the experts to find out
what ratios will fly and what will not. My attitude is that, you know,
they probably know more than I would on my intuition because I'm
not a real big real estate kind of person.
MR. GIBLIN: Well, the formula and the program has been
around since about 1991, and it's been very successful in producing a
significant number of these low income units. I think in the past five
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January 5, 2006
years we've produced about 5,000 units using this program.
The development industry seems to fall to a scenario that for
every affordable unit that is required, that they really need at least two
or three market rate units to offset the cost of that.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: And I think we kind of have to go
with that, because if we try to build something according to what we
would like, it may not be practical and, you know, it might not get
done.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Let me -- and Cormac, why --
and Joe, it's not like I want to change the whole thing, because we are
actually changing the whole thing. Why are we increasing the
incentive on the other low end stuff? In other words, obviously you've
added this new column and you've added incentives. Why did that
cause change in the other column?
MR. GIBLIN: I think Joe touched on it earlier, is that the desire
was not to disincentivize the creation of the lower income affordable
housing by adding this new category or these new bonuses on top. It
was -- we didn't want to create a new chart that -- where gap housing
was where everyone automatically saw the greatest benefit at the
expense of the provision of affordable housing below it. So it was
necessary to bump those up a little bit as well, have everything on the
same page.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Do you anticipate revising this chart in
the 2006 LDC cycle depending on what the BCC does with this when
it gets to them?
MR. GIBLIN: Yeah, yep.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I mean, this was still my understanding
that this attempt today is a stopgap measure to get it on the books
quickly, so that in the interim, while it was getting worked out through
2006, we at least have something there that produces something.
MR. GIBLIN: Direction by the board was to get it in as quickly
as possible, get something in the books rolled into our existing
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January 5, 2006
program, and then over the next year when we -- as we move forward
with some inclusionary zoning or linkage fees or other type -- or
density by right through a GMP amendment, this would be further
refined.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. And the board needs to keep that
in mind in our discussions, because this is just a quicky to get it going
and maybe help get some of it started.
Mr. Vigliotti?
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: If this is just a stopgap, I'd
suggest to just stay with it now and see how it rolls out in the next six
months.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Is there any further questions?
Mr. Schiffer?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yeah. And I really want to -- in
other words, I'm really in favor of it. But what you're saying is that by
increasing, for example, the 50, 10 from three to four, that's going to
make people do gap housing? To me -- and I can show you in the
chart -- it's going to make me not want to do gap housing. It's going to
make me throw 10 percent in there and get a lot of marketplace
housing for a few affordable housing units.
In other words, the reason you -- everything above the 150, I'm
fine, and today that's exactly what we've got to do. We've got to get
that into the books. It's the altering of the stuff below it I wonder
about. That's all. And especially, you know, incentivizing these low
percentage, high unit, you know, per acre, is really where I think the
thing has a weakness to begin with.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I don't have any -- I mean, I just don't
know how to fix it at today's meeting, Brad, and I don't necessarily
disagree with you, but I don't know of any fix for it now just to get this
in the system for the next few months or six months or whatever it
takes to get the further LDC amendments out of the system by the end
of2006.
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January 5, 2006
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, my question, Mark, is
why do we have to increase below the new column at all? I mean,
even Cormac's testimony is that it's working.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: We don't need to.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Ifwe make it work better,
which is what this does, it's going to be less incentive. I mean, why
would a guy go for a couple puny one or two gap houses when he can
get -- really get a lot of benefit --
MR. GIBLIN: I think it's because it's much more difficult to
bring a market on line at the 50 percent level in terms of, in the
development industry. Like we said, you're looking at selling a unit at
less than $100,000. A lot of developers are reluctant to do that and
still have it mix in with his overall development scheme. And so it's a
significant bonus to let him do that. That is what's needed there.
MR. SCHMITT: And understand, the other dynamic here is the
density itself. It's -- a lot of developments here in the last year, year
and a half or two, coming in to get nine, 10, 12 units an acre, they've
been -- it's been pushed back down to seven and six, for all the other
reasons you're aware of. So it's -- that's dynamic here.
It's -- there's -- yeah, the chart allows for greater density, but
developer's coming and asking for that density has not been
successful. So we want to make sure we have a program that does
provide the mix. As Cormac said, you just can't come in and do
strictly gap housing. There are other requirements as well.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But my concern, Joe, is that we
boost the other stuff.
MR. SCHMITT: Oh, I understand.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: The gap housing, I'm fine with.
Don't misund -- there's two problems here. One is, we wanted to
add gap housing to this chart, to this matrix while we're down on the
lower end boosting those lower things, I think, is the problem, because
it's really going to cause the people -- it's going to disincentivize the
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January 5, 2006
builder from even building gap housing.
MR. GIBLIN: I think the scenario I've put on the screen there,
number four, this is where -- this scenario uses only the extremely low
incomes, at 20 percent, at 60 percent, and 10 percent and 50 percent.
You know, this is a -- figure a 20-acre parcel, without anything,
they could have come in yesterday and been approved most likely for
80 units on 20 acres. Using the bonuses that are associated with those
lower income levels, they get a plus four for the 20 at 60 and another
plus four for the 10 at 50. They end up with a density of 12 units per
acre.
Now they can do 240 units on that same piece of property.
Forty-eight of them need to be at 60 percent, 24 of them need to be 50
percent, and the remaining 168 can be market. That leaves them with
88 extra market rate units as opposed to, you know, day one.
The 88 extra market rate units, a portion of them, have to offset
the construction of those, is it -- 72 affordable units. So at the end of
-- at the real end, they're really only getting maybe eight extra, you
know -- I'm sorry, no. They're getting 88 extra market rate units.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: They're getting a lot. They're
doubling their market rate units --
MR. GIBLIN: They are.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: -- which, again, is the Lindy
question that never gets answered at the hearing. But this is a good
example. There's no gap housing in there because the developer is
wisely down in these new low percentages boosting his units with that
but providing hardly any housing, but really, you know, getting his
bang for the buck on the marketplace.
MR. GIBLIN: Right. And--
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So what this -- again, my point
is, is that the way we've revised the lower part of the chart is, we've
made it such that no developer would wisely do the gap housing.
MR. SCHMITT: But when you do your cost analysis, they will.
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January 5, 2006
Because, again, what Cormac said, the market rate is subsidizing
significantly those 50 percent rate units. And we're getting into issues
where I would have to, you know, ask --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But, Joe, as an architect, I know
what a shell costs, I know the difference between the finishes for a
market rate and the finishes for a nonmarket rate. I mean, you're right,
there has to be some benefit to subsidize. That's a pretty good healthy
benefit on these low percentages.
MR. GIBLIN: This scenario, number seven, same piece of
property. Here we decided to include some gap, some 80 percent, and
some 60 percent. We end up with 200 units; 60 extra market rate units
on top of your otherwise allowable density. In this scenario the
developer does have the incentive to build that gap and affordable
together.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Murray?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY : Yes. Let me get it clear in my
mind, please, and yours, so you can let the public know.
Is it typical in a development that all of these structures will be
built equally, in other words, market rate, the subsidized rate? Will
they all look the same, feel the same, be the same? Is that the intent of
this?
MR. GIBLIN: That's what our code requires.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Okay. And yet Commissioner
Schiffer indicated very clearly, which I also know, that you can create
a shell and you can do some things internally that are different. And
my concern is, we're lumping the dollars and we're saying that the cost
to built offsets, et cetera, and apply here.
Is that really going to hold in this? Is this an absolute
requirement?
MR. GIBLIN: It has -- like I mentioned, this program's been
around for a while with the same restrictions. And the ones that have
been constructed are identical to the market rate units in the same
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January 5, 2006
complex. Once people get in, they do have the ability to upgrade their
cabinets or upgrades their floorings, but the builder's package is the
same for the market rate and the affordable units.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: So we're talking about a 4- or
$500,000 home being structurally equal and amenity equal to the
$150,000 home?
MR. GIBLIN: Exactly. That's the way it works.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Oh, I don't think they'd be
amenity equal. You think they're going to put the Roman tub in the
affordable housing?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: That's where I'm coming from.
MR. GIBLIN: That's what I meant about, the builder provides --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: The shell will be the same. And
with the building code, you're not going to get away with much more
than the shell anyway. And from the outside, the thing would look
identical. I'm sure the doors and the hardware and all that would be --
would be the same. Inside -- which is a big number. In other words,
the percentage of the cost of a house on the inside finishes is a large
percentage of it -- will not be the same, I'm sure, and -- nor should it
be.
MR. GIBLIN: The most recent one approved by the board, Serus
(phonetic) Point PUD down on Bayshore Road, the interior finishes of
all of those units will be at the same quality.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: And so they're going to be
valued the same, they'll be assessed the same and taxed the same.
MR. GIBLIN: Taxing is a -- that's a different -- different
question --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Okay.
MR. GIBLIN: -- because the units themselves have this cap
depression rate. So whether the tax appraiser recognizes that as part
of the valuation of the unit or not --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Because I'm coming back full
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January 5, 2006
circle to what Joe Schmitt indicated about the cost of building against
the cost of land, and I'm concerned about the dynamic actually driving
the cost of land up in something such as this, so -- all right.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Cormac, let me -- looking at the
example you gave. It shows that he gets 60 units. Now, I don't know
what -- you know, how many total market units is, but what this is
saying, for the same piece of land to the prior thing, going through the
addition of building all these additional units, he's only getting 60
additional market rate units, thus the prior scheme would be wiser for
him to do.
MR. GIBLIN: With the prior scheme, he had to sell those for a
lot less. In other words, they were 50 percent units in the prior
scheme.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right.
MR. GIBLIN: So he's going to take more of a loss on the 50
percent units than he would on the 60 percent units or the 80 percent
units.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I mean, I think, the important
thing is, we'll throw the thing out. That's fine. I mean, I'm not going to
-- we don't have the time to do it. I do think though it's something
that, if we are going to throw it another cycle, let's really carefully
look at it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I think that's the intent.
Mr. Midney?
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Yeah. After how many years can
these units be flipped?
MR. GIBLIN: It's a restriction that for 15 years there's a deed
restriction on the unit that your appreciation is shared with the county
if you were to resell it.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Because my concern is that, yeah,
these will affordable units for 15 years. After that they're going to
revert and they'll be lost to affordable housing most likely. And I
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January 5, 2006
would rather see the county set up something where something is
going to stay, something that middle income people can use. You
know, like normal houses -- like my house, you know, that is
inexpensive when it was built and it's always probably going to be
inexpensive. And -- so it seems like, couldn't it be restructured so that
they wouldn't have to be identical to the other houses? That way they
would stay as lower income housing, you know, for a longer period
than 15 years.
MR. GIBLIN: I think what you're getting into are other concepts
that we're working on, be it a land trust or share appreciation, and
those are ongoing efforts that hopefully one day every unit created
through a density bonus will end up in a land trust to guarantee
affordability for the long haul.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: For the life of the unit.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Those are issues that we hope to flesh
out in next cycle.
Ms. Caron?
MR. SCHMITT: They're welcome to join us in the debate on the
affordable housing program. Maybe the commissioners want it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ms. Caron?
COMMISSIONER CARON: Yeah. I'm going to make a
motion.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Before you do, are you going to--
please, when you make it, could you define what table we're using --
COMMISSIONER CARON: Yeah--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- because we had another table
presented to us.
COMMISSIONER CARON: -- exactly. The table on page 4,
I'm going to make a motion that we approve the new 150 percent
density bonuses and that we leave the rest of the chart as it was until it
can be fleshed out as -- because this is just supposedly a stopgap --
that we leave everything else the way it was until it can be
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January 5, 2006
successfully fleshed out and we know exactly what we're getting into
it.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I second that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion's been made by Commissioner
Caron, seconded by Mr. Schiffer.
Discussion?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Will -- can you operate if you
have -- if you don't have that information, can you then initiate any
program?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Nothing's changed.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Nothing's changed. She's just saying
the numbers that are crossed out on the last three rows don't get
crossed out and they stay the same.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Oh, I thought she was
referencing the table on page 4.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: She is.
COMMISSIONER CARON: I am.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Well, I'm a little confused then.
I apologize.
MR. GIBLIN: The cross-through and underlines in the 80
percent, 60 percent and 50 percent rows --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Oh, okay. Now I got you, okay.
MR. GIBLIN: -- would not -- they'd revert back to what they
were originally --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Okay.
MR. GIBLIN: -- is what the motion was.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Got ya.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: And clarification though. She's using
the four, five, six, six on the --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, that's where I was going, too,
Russell, because I like that concept, but I -- and I -- but I like her
concept as well, but I think the two ought to be blended together.
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January 5, 2006
COMMISSIONER CARON: I'm not sure that the four, five, six
is not going to be what we end up with. But again, what we're saying
is, this is just a stopgap measure until we actually analyze the four,
five, six, the cutting off of 10, 20, and 30 percent at the top level
maybe, whether we need to change these bonuses down below or not,
and how much we need to change them, and all of that really needs to
-- you know, we need a couple of matrix charts like Brad started in
order to take a look at what we're really going to be accomplishing.
MR. GIBLIN: And the immediate concern with the motion
though is that it provides the same exact bonus whether you do units at
80 percent or 150 percent, so there's no incentive to do less expensive
units.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And Donna, I favored this chart
here because what this chart could give us is a developer that's going
to go in and actually build high percent gap housing and benefit off of
this chart. The other chart that stopped at three, there would be no
reason for him to go beyond 30 percent. There'd be no incentive to
him. He's shooting himself in the foot. So this gives him a chance to
-- I think -- I would actually run it up, if you wanted to, till it hits eight
in the --
COMMISSIONER CARON: Start out with the four, five, six?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Till it hits eight at the 90, and
the reason is, is you really want to --
COMMISSIONER CARON: You can't get over 16, right.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Then you get all-- then you get all gap
and no affordable. That cuts affordable out of the picture.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, you'll have the 10 percent
affordable, because you've got to do that before you even enter the
gap.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But you can't do it if you use all the
density for the gap.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: You won't have any market rate.
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January 5, 2006
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And you'll have no market rate,
you're right.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But I think -- first of all, there's a
motion on the table for first -- there's a motion on the table, on the
floor, for the first table.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Well, if everybody's more
comfortable with this, you know, I --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, we've got to get through the first
one first, unless you want to withdraw your motion.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Or amend it to include this line.
COMMISSIONER CARON: I mean, we can amend it to include
this line.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But see, the problem with that is, as
Cormac just rightfully pointed out, if you make gap equal to the 80
percent, why is anybody going to do the 80 percent? They're all going
to do the gap. And at least the compromise that Cormac's coming in
with the new table he brought today incentivizes gap, and affordable
becomes the catalyst generated by the gap, otherwise, people are
going to say, why do I have to do any of the 80 percent? I'll just do
gap and the lower number and the heck with it. So this spreads it out a
little bit more evenly, and so it's a fairly decent compromise in the
table.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Yeah. I like the table as it is in
our packet except -- I mean, I like the table as it is on that screen on
the wall.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But Mark, here's the -- look at
your argument. They're going to be doing high percent gap, not high
percent 80. What a great argument because we don't have either of
those housings. I mean, we're short in anyone of those housing
markets. So I mean, if -- the point is that the mistake we make is that
they're going to do too much gap housing. That's not a problem.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Do you want to withdraw your motion
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January 5, 2006
or do you want to keep it? Well, the motion's been made and
seconded to accept the table that's in the packet, with the exception of
leaving the lower three lines as they were in the original LDC and not
modify those, but just include the top line as shown in the packet.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But Mark, as the seconder, I'd
like to talk to the motion maker, is that, could we revise our motion to
include this top line instead of the line that's in the packet? I would
certainly favor that revision. '
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, then -- but Brad, if you do that--
COMMISSIONER CARON: Well, then--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- you're going to have 100 gap and 80
percent equal, and no one's going to do that 80 percent. That's where
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But look at the problem, they
did too much gap. You know, let's deal with that problem next year,
you know.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
COMMISSIONER CARON: That seems to be the -- that seems
to be what we're lacking is gap. We're not --
MR. GIBLIN: Well, an analysis of the need for housing shows
that roughly one-third of the affordable housing is needed below 80
percent -- I'm sorry, two-thirds. Two-thirds of the affordable housing
needed in Collier County falls to those incomes below 80 percent and
one-third is above 80 percent. So if you want to say where's the need,
it's two-thirds below 80 percent, and that's why the original chart
favors the lower incomes.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So -- but Cormac, the reason
that we're not happy with the lower three lines on the matrix is that
they really favor small percentage, you know, 10, 20 percent product,
and we're -- we really need to get up higher than that.
So I think what you're doing is you're not going to get gap
housing. You're going to be 10, 20 percent, 60, 50, and that's to the
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January 5, 2006
developer's benefit. I mean, it's clear to me in this graph that there's
no reason for him not to do anything but that.
MR. SCHMITT: But in application, that has not happened.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, it is happening.
MR. SCHMITT: Developers -- developers, when they put it in
these 60 and -- even in the 80 and 60 percent and they're given that
bonus. We've had one developer actually want to come back and say
they couldn't even sell the product for what we were telling him he
had to sell it for, and so there's a balance here.
What you're saying --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I mean, what I'm saying, Joe, is
I want a guy --
MR. SCHMITT: -- you believe that this is incentivizing the 50
percent and 60 percent when, in fact, yes, it is, but when they actually
have to place it on the ground, it -- that's where the financial decision
is made. And like I said, when they take this and apply it and they
realize that they're selling, in some instances, a product that they could
sell at 350-, now they're being told to sell it at no more than 110,
they're coming back and saying, well, we want out of this deal. And
we're saying, no, you can't.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Cormac, let me ask you a
question. Is the reason you adjusted the three lines in the matrix, the
lower three, the existing three lines, to make it blend better with gap,
or was it that you were having a problem getting affordable housing
with the densities, you know, presently shown?
MR. GIBLIN: I think both. You know, certainly we could -- we
could improve on the formula. We could always try to incentivize the
creation of more affordable housing. But if we were to simply revert
back to the old numbers that were on the page and offer the same
incentive for gap and affordable, I think everyone would just built
affordable.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I think that's going to happen
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January 5, 2006
more so with the change, but anyway. I mean, I still like the motion.
So, Mark, maybe vote it, and we'll --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, the motion --let's get the motion
restated so we all know what we're voting on.
Ms. Caron, it's your motion.
COMMISSIONER CARON: My original motion was to accept
the chart as it appears on page 4 for the top 150 percent line and to
leave alone the rest of the density bonuses.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. And there was -- does he still
agree with that motion? Mr. Schiffer?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yes. I'm here, yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Motion's been made and
seconded.
All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Maybe raise by hand. Raise by -- how
many by hand? Mr. Adelstein, Mr. Schiffer, Ms. Caron.
All those opposed?
Aye.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: (Raises hand.)
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: (Raises hand.)
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: (Raises hand.)
COMMISSIONER TUFF: (Raises hand.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion fails, 5-3.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: I'd like to make a new motion that we
accept the one on the wall.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: I'll second.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: A motion's been made to accept the
chart on the wall. Seconded by Mr. Midney.
Any further discussion?
Page 40
January 5, 2006
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Adelstein?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: What about the last one? Just
stopping at 100, okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: This, what's on the wall.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Just at 100?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Under the 100 percent NA, is
that what you're saying?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Yes.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, the reason--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You can't do 100 percent gap is what
that chart's saying.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You've got to -- gap's being used as a
catalyst for affordable in some regard in the way this chart's written.
MR. GIBLIN: At least 10 percent must be at 80 percent. So you
couldn't do 100 percent gap.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So if you have 100 units of gap, at least
-- well, if you have 100 units of gap, only 90 can really be gap. Ten
percent -- ten of those would have to be affordable, so you've still got
a mixed incentivizing for it. So it's a balance between the two.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I would just like to comment, if I
may, that the whole idea of gap was brought forward, in my
understanding anyway, on the basis that we were bleeding in the
middle class, and we were losing people who are very important to our
communities.
And while we do have an absolute need to help people who are
of lesser means, the issue that was intended to be dealt with was to
find a means to help the so-called professional people.
And if this chart and this land development code amendment
does that without bleeding it away and compromising it by requiring
other things, then I would be in favor of it.
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January 5, 2006
My concern is that it seems to be getting it locked in, and maybe
that's the right thing. I'm not smart enough to know. But I do feel a
very strong concern that -- and Mr. Schiffer said it before. What's
wrong with building all gap?
Well, I don't think there's anything wrong with building all gap if
that's our specific particular problem at the moment. If we have to go
the other way and we can make it functional and workable for both the
builder and the people, then that's fine. If this does it, fine. But I do
have concerns, and I hope that the commissioners see a lot more
detail.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Before I go too far in this motion,
Catherine, I notice you've got some public speaker submittals.
MS. FABACHER: Those are--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Are any of those for this issue?
MS. FABACHER: No, sir.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Good.
Okay. Is there any final discussion? Mr. Midney?
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Yeah. It think that the gap is
important, but the lower income are equally as important, and the need
is greater there, so that's why I'm in favor of the motion.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Thank you, sir.
With that, let's call the motion. All those in favor, signify by
raising your hand, saying aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: All those opposed?
COMMISSIONER CARON: (Raises hand.)
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January 5, 2006
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion carries, 7-1. Thank you.
Weare now past that, into our favorite subject, the Bayshore
mixed-use district.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: All the subjects are our favor
subj ects, Mark.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Excuse me. Just before Cormac
goes, I think the rest of the panel would like a copy of that.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Of the chart.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Usually we don't accept anything
into the record without having a copy ahead of time, however --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's fine.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: It wouldn't be bad to have some
of those examples either.
COMMISSIONER CARON: -- that wasn't a problem.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And, Cormac, before the day's over, if
you could distribute copies to us of that chart.
MR. GIBLIN: I'll do it right now.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Mr. Chairman, I have a question
for Margie. Since I made a chart, my product, work product, what am
I allowed and not allowed to do with that chart? Am I allowed to
disperse it to my fellow board members or --
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Well, you're dispersing it at a
public meeting in the sunshine, so --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: As long as you give a copy to the court
reporter, right.
MS. STUDENT -STIRLING: Yeah, give a copy to the court
reporter.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, I didn't bring that many
copies. I was just curious.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No, that's -- okay. I think we ought to--
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January 5, 2006
we're going to take --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Would it have been appropriate
for him to go to the podium and qualify the information for us?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Sure.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: He can do it from his seat.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Well, I know, but I'm thinking
it's a visual.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes. He could have.
We're going to take a break at 10 o'clock and probably a lunch
break around 11 :30 or so, depending on where we're at with this.
Knowing that, let us proceed with the Bayshore mixed-use district.
And Catherine, I don't know who's going to make the
presentation, but --
MS. FABACHER: Well, it looks like -- I don't know.
Excuse me, is -- Nancy, are you going now, or are you going to
let Joe start or --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, just to let you know, we've been
approaching this page by page, and that may be still the way we need
to work through this.
MS. GUNDLACH: Okay, great.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So I'm not sure the landscaping issues
will be the first issue here today.
MS. GUNDLACH: Great.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: With that being said, I notice Mr.
Jackson, is he here?
MS. F ABACHER: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes. He usually likes to get up and
have fun with this today.
MS. F ABACHER: Here he comes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And I guess my first question -- and I
might as well start out on page 11, fiscal and operational impacts.
Way back when, when we first started this, the question was asked,
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January 5, 2006
how come it says none when there's various programs in here that
require additional levels of review at the county? Or are those being
paid by user fees? Is there truly no fiscal impact to county staff for
this program?
MS. FABACHER: Well, yes. As I commented at the last
meeting and as I put in the summary table -- summary table, staff had
originally looked at impacts because of the processes that were
originally put into the overlay, but now we've changed and modified
all the processes so that they go -- more or less run parallel with what
we're doing now. The only difference would just be, it would be more
projects to review, but --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MS. FABACHER: Remember I said that the last time? We kind
of determined that before we had -- the county was maintaining the
landscaping and all --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right.
MS. F ABACHER: -- kinds of special -- and we've changed just
about everything to run parallel with our current processes and
procedures. So aside from it just being an additional workload, there
is no real fiscal impact.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And that workload is covered by user
application fees, just like any other application?
MS. FABACHER: Susan will have to help on that, as far as
coming in for their SDPs and--
MS. MURRAY: Correct, yeah. User fees, yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, good. I just wanted to make sure,
because it said none. I wanted to make sure it was none. So thank
you.
MS. FABACHER: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. I guess if -- Mr. Jackson, if you
have no objection and this board has none, we'll just go like we have
before, we'll start page 1, page 2, and anybody that's got a question,
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January 5, 2006
raise your hand, and we'll try to get to it and try to work our way
through it.
The intent today is to finish with this. And if there are
disagreements or things that have not been changed to everyone's
satisfaction, then I would like that established as a point of contention,
and then this panel needs to weigh in on it, and then the majority will
then make a recommendation as a stipulation and go forward and go
on to the next issue.
Does that sound fair to everyone, so we can get past this today?
Okay. Page 11 is the staff original sheet. Any questions on that?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Page 12. I have one question about the
accessory units, not a -- it's just a clarification. It says, an accessory
unit is a separate structure located at the rear of the property.
I just want to make sure, because you have preferences in here
where you can have, I believe, studios or guest units above the
garages, and now all the garages are on the rear of the property.
Would that, by that definition, preclude you from being able to utilize
that accessory use?
MS. MURRAY: It could.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It could?
MS. MURRAY: It could. I don't see any reason for it to be in
there. Could you just take out "located at the rear" of the property?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Because I think that would make it
easier for you all to operate, and it would stop any problem in the
future by someone reading it.
So the first change, if there's no objections from others members
of this panel or anybody else, that we would take accessory unit and
drop the words "located at the rear."
MS. MURRAY: I would just take out "located at the rear of the
property. "
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, of the property.
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January 5, 2006
MS. MURRAY: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Any problem with that with
anybody else? None?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Any other questions on page 12?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Hearing none, let's -- oh, hi, David.
MR. WEEKS: Hello.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, you mysteriously appeared. I
didn't see you there.
MR. WEEKS: Commissioners, David Weeks, for the record, of
the Comprehensive Planning Department.
Mr. Chairman, after reviewing this overlay as well as the next
one, my only comments really are wordsmithing in nature, but I'm not
sure how comfortable this body is with me just simply saying -- sort of
like Margie sometimes does -- I've got some changes here,
wordsmithing, if you'll give your general blessing to that, I'll forward
those on to Catherine.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I just --let's finish with that one then. I
don't have a problem with it, and I'll let each member say it if they do
or not, as long as it doesn't change the concept of the issue at hand.
MR. WEEKS: Right. N ow in this particular case, on this page,
there is some change to the concept, and so I definitely want to get this
one on the record.
If it pleases the commission, what I'll do is, I'll just not stand up
every time I have a minor wordsmith and change and interrupt your
proceedings, but only in those handful of cases where it might be -- it
might -- I might feel or think that you might believe that the changes
could be of substance, and I'll gladly bring those to your attention.
There are not that many and I'll be as brief as possible.
On page 12 specifically, the definition of mixed-use approval
process, I suggested a significant rewording of it. And the only
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January 5, 2006
substantive matter that I would say I've changed is that the way it
presently reads is that a mixed-use approval process must include a
request for increased density.
And in my rewrite of that, I would eliminate that and simply
rephrase it as a may include, and the reason is, because the way this is
structured elsewhere in the document, and what staffs intent is, is that
all of -- all mixed-use projects, whether they request a density increase
or not, will be required to go through this process.
And the reason is -- there's two different reasons. One is because
there are some properties within the overlay that are zoned residential,
and if they're going to be allowed a mixed-use development that is
allowed commercial uses that their underlying zoning would not
allow, we need a way of giving that specific approval and tracking
that.
Conversely, there are some properties that are zoned C-4 and
C-5. And if they're going to do a mixed-use project, be consistent
with the comprehensive plan, they are limited to C-l through C-3
uses. I mean, that was the whole genesis for this opt 10 type of a
process to start with, so that's important that projects go through the
mixed use approval process whether or not they're requesting the
density increase.
And the second reason is, it will help staff in monitoring the
allocation of those density pool units going through this process.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Good catch, David.
Any questions from the commission?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Yeah. The density pool units
are the 368, or whatever that number is?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Three hundred eighty-eight.
MR. WEEKS: That is correct.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Yeah, okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Jackson, any concerns from your
side?
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January 5, 2006
MR. JACKSON: No, sir.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Thank you for pointing it out,
David. Is that the only concept issue you have today? If you have
other concept issues, pop up with them, if you could; let us know.
MR. WEEKS: Will do. Okay. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Let's move on to page 13.
Hearing nothing, page 14, which is just a map. Page 15.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I have something on 15.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Go ahead, Mr. Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: One other thing on 14, Dave,
remember last time we discussed the fact that you are making changes
to the map from the prior version. And I think that when -- especially
when it goes before the commission, I mean, we don't know what
those changes are unless we sit two of them side by side. Isn't that
correct? You are changing boundaries of zones and stuff?
MR. EHARDT: We're adding boundaries.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You'll have to use the speaker and
identify yourself if you're going to speak. Thank you.
MR. EHARDT: There's, I think, two -- two places where we
changed, but we are adding. My name's Joe Ehardt, E-H-A-R-D-T.
And then we're adding additional areas. We have another map that
can show what exists today and what we're proposing. I didn't know if
it would go in the overlay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But I think somewhere -- in
other words, much like we underline new words, cross out old words,
we have to do something, I think, to make everybody aware that there
are changes to the map also --
MR. EHARDT: Okay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: -- be it a clouding technique or
something like that.
MR. EHARDT: All right.
MR. JACKSON: Mr. Schiffer, I think that if you put a
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January 5,2006
preexisting old map and a new map in there, you're starting to cloud
the issue and you can cause some confusion on somebody looking at
which one is it that I'm really looking at. I think for language, just as
we've gone through here in underline, strike-through, that was only for
your edification. But once it goes into the LDC, it should be the map,
the words, and nothing that was in the past, so --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Nowhere am I proposing using
two maps, because that's what I had to do. I had to look at two words
and play, where's the Waldo to find out what was changed.
MR. JACKSON: Sure.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: What I'm trying to say is,
somewhere if you can note, either by a lead or something those areas
that you have changed through this process -- because I think the
commission should be aware of the fact that the boundaries are
changing on some of the districts, be it additional or be it new.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, are you suggesting then, Brad,
that when this goes to the BCC with whatever our recommendations
are, that there's another map side by side to this --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: No.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- so they can see what's going on?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I'm suggesting, on top of this
map, just for the hearings only, not to be included in the -- no?
MR. EHARDT: You won't be able to read it. You won't be able
to read it. Even at the bigger scale, you won't be able to -- the larger
scale you might be able to, if I have a full-size map.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, I asked for that. I never
got that. But I could do it even with the smaller.
So in other words, how many areas are changing where you
couldn't put a leader into that map? I think it's a major thing when
you're changing the use of a piece of property. I don't think that
should be stealth in the way it's presented here.
MR. EHARDT: I'd have to show you the two maps side by side,
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January 5, 2006
is the easiest way to do it, what you have today and what we're
proposing, and I could show some leaders on that large scale map. On
here it will get too confusing. This is hard enough to read right now at
the small scale. I mean, the areas -- basically the boundaries have
expanded to include other zoning categories that were R-6 or R-4 that
were in there.
MS. STRAIN: Catherine?
MS. FABACHER: Mr. Chair? Yeah, for the record, Catherine
Fabacher. We asked them to put this in, ready to go into the
amendment form for the council. Now, what Mr. Jackson did prepare
for the last meeting was, he has two full-side posters that you can read
that indicate -- which we asked him to do and he did -- that indicate
what has been added. The pro forma map and what has been under
this amendment.
Now, what I'm suggesting is, when I send this and put it in the
amendment and send it to municode, I'll take the old one and put an X
through it, and put this new one in its place.
Now, if you want to see what the change is, they have the two
large, really big scale maps to show you that. But all that's required
by law for us -- what Brad's -- I think Mr. Schiffer's asking for is just
some graphic to help him see the changes. And I think they've
brought that big graphic for that.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well-- and we couldn't see that
from here. This is very small, too. You can't even read half of the
words.
MS. FABACHER: No, I think they have some big boards.
MR. JACKSON: Correct. I think what -- to answer your
concern, is that on this chart or map, it not only -- it's not showing that
we're changing anybody's uses. In there you'll note that there is a
nomenclature put in there that is added to the property by the overlay.
Underneath that, in parens, is the underlying land use.
MS. FABACHER: No.
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January 5, 2006
MR. JACKSON: Or zoning, excuse me.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But let me give you an
example. On Thomasson and Bayshore down at the corner, you've
added a large neighborhood commercial center. I mean, I think the
neighbors, the council, everybody should be aware of that. I mean, I
favor it and I don't think it's a problem. But I think that that's new,
correct?
MR. EHARDT: Yes.
MR. JACKSON: Yes.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So somehow, much like
underlining the text as new words, crossing out as old words,
something has to be done graphically to make sure that that's
something that will go forward.
In other words, I don't want a whole bunch of people in here
yelling, what happened there? When I looked at the map, it didn't have
that.
MR. EHARDT: Like I said, I think it would be very confusing to
do it on this small-scale map. You won't be able to read anything. I
think if I have a -- now, I could prepare another map side by side at
this scale or we can use the large maps to indicate where those things
have changed. I just -- I know you won't be able to read it.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I don't want to argue this
forever. Make sure in the public record that if it could be proven that
these things were made aware of, in case anybody in the future has a
concern.
MR. EHARDT: I guess the large maps could -- excuse me. The
large maps could be adopted as part of the --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But I think Catherine's already stated
there's going to be -- the old map is going to be in the public record
with an X through it.
MR. EHARDT: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So if anybody wants to see what it used
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January 5, 2006
to be to what it is now, they can look and compare the two maps side
by side.
MS. FABACHER: Exactly.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's been done before.
MS. FABACHER: And when I make up the amendment, I'll do
that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MR. WEEKS: Mr. Chairman?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes, sir.
MR. WEEKS: If you don't mind, I'll make a suggestion. I
understand the concern. Could not the consultant simply make a
second map just like this proposed one, and all areas that are being
added to the -- to this overlay be just shown in black, for photocopy
purposes, shown in black? And then a person won't be able to read
anything. They'll just see this black area. It will be identified as new,
and then they come to this map in here and they see what the change
is, that is, that it's been added and it's going to be BMUD and C. That
would allow a person to easily see where properties have been added
to the overlay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I don't have a problem. The rest of the
panel?
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: That's fine.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: That sounds good.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Now we're -- okay.
MR. WEEKS: And Mr. Chairman, while I've interrupted, if you
don't mind.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No, go right ahead. It's the order of the
day.
MR. WEEKS: Back on page 12, the mixed-use approval process
definition, I should have specifically mentioned that one of the
changes I made, other than just rewriting it to read better and the
change I made before about the increased density pool not necessarily
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January 5, 2006
being requested.
This presented text still refers to rezoning process. And as we've
discussed more than once through these hearings, there's a new
process being created, which this definition is all about, this mixed-use
approval process, and my rewrite does eliminate that word rezoning.
Secondly on page 13, this is one of those things where I don't
think it's substantial, but I think I should bring it to your attention for
your judgment. On page 13, section 2.03.07(i)(1 )(a), it's under the
purpose and intent, in the -- about the second half of the page, the
word retail is used at two different locations. It's referring to
residential uses located over retail uses, and I would just suggest that
you change that to be commercial uses. I don't know that there would
be any particular reason for limiting it to retail commercial uses, only
what about personal service, what about office uses? And as this is
strictly written, it would prohibit residential over -- or could be read
that way at least.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you, David. I have a question.
Did you not read this before today?
MR. WEEKS: Yes, but not in time--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I mean, didn't you get your comments to
these applicants?
MR. WEEKS: Not in time to be included in the packet. What
happens is the consultant provides the documents to the county, but
we're on such a tight time line as we've gotten into the process. Way
back when, yes. But at this point --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Because we're not really on a tight
timeline. We're on a timeline set by you guys, and if the timeline's too
tight, you simply need to turn to the people providing you the
documents saying, there isn't enough time. I need to let this go for
another two weeks. I don't understand why we're constantly given
things without staffs full and complete review. Yours is extremely
important.
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January 5, 2006
MR. WEEKS: Sure.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And that goes to Ms. Student. Did you
review this entire document before today?
MS. STUDENT -STIRLING: I reviewed the document before
today, yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Because, I mean, we're going to
walk through every pages of this, and I guess we need your comments
then throughout the day.
MR. WEEKS: Mr. Chairman, two things. One, personally
speaking, I took a vacation some over the holidays, about a week. But
beyond that, we're trying to keep this on schedule to the board. As
you know, it's been delayed many times. And we're trying to keep it
on track to get to the county commission hearing. And if -- enough
said.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, the only thing I would have -- I
think the last thing the board would want is something that isn't done
right.
MR. WEEKS: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And our attempts to do it right include
your input. And from now on, I would hope that whoever's in charges
of scheduling these things makes sure that all the stuff that needs to be
done has the adequate time, because we need to ask these questions at
these meetings, and we don't need to be rewriting the document at the
meeting. I was hoping you'd have your stuff done by now. Enough
said on that.
We're on page -- we're still on page 15 now.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I have --
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Mr. Chairman?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Let Brad go ahead, then Commissioner
Adelstein.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Up at the top, it's worded -- and
I think David would be the one that -- to apply for this, you have to be
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January 5, 2006
eligible for a mixed use project and allocation of density units whether
or not you're requesting the density units. In other words, should that
"and" be "or"? I mean, what you're saying is that to go through this
process, you have to be a mixed-use project, and you have to be able
to get allocation of bonus density. So there's a limited amount of
density units. So theoretically that's going to expire, you know.
And so it's saying you have to be eligible for them whether or not
you're using them or not. I mean, to me that's looking in the two
conditions, one which is going to disappear.
MR. WEEKS: It should not be any an and/or, because they're
really synonymous. If you're eligible for a mixed-use project, then
you are eligible for the density bonus units.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right. So why -- then why do
we say, in allocation of density bonus units, whether or not requesting
a density bonus?
MR. JACKSON: Mr. Schiffer, that's because when the bonus
density units run out, a person still can ask for a mixed-use project
using his underlying density rating system.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right. That's the -- and I think
if you eliminate the allocation -- the bonus units as part of it --
obviously it's a mixed use. You've got to go get a mixed use.
What this is saying, that you have to be eligible for a mixed use
and you have to be eligible -- I'm adding that because of the way it's
worded -- but the allocation of bonus density units, whether you use
them or not. But conceptually, you would not be able to qualify for
the second part of that once they're gone; therefore --
MR. WEEKS: I just would disagree, because the way it reads is,
you're eligible to apply. You're eligible to apply for mixed use and
you're eligible to apply for the density bonus.
Now, if the end result is we have no density bonus units left to
give you, then that component of your request would be denied if you
said I want some density bonus units. But your eligibility to apply for
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January 5, 2006
the units is synonymous with your eligibility to apply for mixed-use
development. They are one and the same. You cannot qualify for the
bonus units and not be a mixed-use development.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. I mean, if you're
comfortable with that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Adelstein?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I have a little trouble with this
bonus density unit pool. I think that the 388 density units should be
controlled by the county commissioners and sold to developers, and
that would be the only way to be fair to get it done.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: If I may?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Yes.
MS. STUDENT -STIRLING: I consult -- this was an issue, and I
consulted with outside legal counsel, Greg Stewart of Nabors, Giblin
in Tallahassee, on this, and his recommendation was that it was
fraught with legal issues, double-dipping on impact fees, possible Bert
Harris, and so on, and would recommend against it.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I don't know this gentleman.
I can't see -- there are units here. They're already here. They are going
to be used. The person to control those units to make sure that it's done
properly should be the county commissioners. They're not making
any difference on any other structure. The ideal here is to make sure
that there is good equality in the division of these 388 units --
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: I don't know that there's argument
with them somehow being controlled by the county commission. The
issue is with the sale of the units.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, Margie, if you don't mind me
expounding on that a little bit. When this gentleman, whoever you
talked to, provided a recommendation as far as the sale of the units go,
we sell TDRs and we sell other types of units in the county. You said
double-dipping on impact fees.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: That was one of the --
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January 5, 2006
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Marjorie, let me finish.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Does that mean the 388 bonus units
have already paid their impact fees?
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: They would be paying impact fees
when -- at the appropriate time. As I -- because of the holiday and so
forth and because we really need direction from the Board of County
Commissioners to really have a consultant on board to fully advise us
of this, this was a general conversation that I had with Mr. Stewart,
and he would advise against it.
If the county commission would like to send a recommendation
to the board that we have it studied in greater detail, we can certainly
look into that.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Why would you start by
putting it in this way and then let the county commissioners decide
whether we want to do that or not do that? Because it's only a
recommendation that we have them control the 388 units. They
decide after that what they want to do with it. Whether they can sell
them, whether they cannot, that's not the issue.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Okay. I don't have a -- however
that might be fleshed out, I don't have a problem with the Board of
County Commissioners, in some way, controlling that. The issue is
with the sale of the units.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: That should be a decision
they would make.
MR. JACKSON : Well, Mr. Adelstein, the language is, if read,
reads, the units are controlled by the Board of County Commissioners,
so that's not an issue. It's in here and it's written.
Attaching a value to the bonus density units has been discussed
by the local advisory board, and it was denied. They voted to not
assess a value, to leave it as it is, as written and -- you know, in the
language in the growth management plan and as it is in the overlay,
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January 5, 2006
and this will go forward to the Board of County Commissioners. They
will control that through this mixed-use process. They will control the
numbers, but -- and the recommendation from this advisory board is to
not assess and attach a value to it.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I'm making it -- I'm asking to
make a change on that and to have them be sold. The county
commissioners can turn me down. That's not the issue. I do think it's
a way to start because, let's face it, there's a tremendous amount of
value in that land.
MR. JACKSON: I think it is your prerogative as a -- one of eight
or nine members of this planning commission to write your comments
and send that forward with this document as it goes forward to the
Board of County Commissioner for approval.
To put a recommendation in this overlay is nothing more than a
recommendation and it has no teeth and it doesn't -- you can't
implement it because there's no legal basis to implement it or a
process to go through. If you want to look at it over time after this has
been passed and approved for -- after it gets codified into real legal
language, then we can go back and modify the LDC and put it in
there.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: We would -- we would have to do
a couple of things. We would -- more than likely we'd have -- we'd
have to amend our comprehensive plan, we would have to have a
study, we would probably need a financial consultant to assist with
establishing a value. Just don't arbitrarily pick a number out of the air
for how much a unit mayor may not be worth in a program like this.
So we'd need a financial consultant and a legal consultant to
work with us. We'd have to, I believe, amend the comprehensive plan
to set up such a program, and then do a land development code
amendment as well.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you, Margie. We will further
discuss this after the break. We'll take a 10-minute break right now.
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January 5, 2006
Thank you.
(A brief recess was had.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. This meeting will come back to
order. Will everybody take your seats. We left off with
Commissioner Adelstein discussing the 388 density units, and that's
where we will resume.
Commissioner Adelstein?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I would like to at least have
from the board consensus as to how they feel about this idea.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Vigliotti?
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: David, as you know, I brought
up twice the fact of charging an arbitrary fee of $1,000 a unit. I think
there's a lot of -- actually more value than that in these units, and I
don't want to see it just go away by the wayside. So I think we should,
if we have to, hire the consultants and do what we need necessary to
find out the true value of the units and who should control them.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: And we would also not only have
to do that, but look at the legal ramifications of it and if it's legally
possible to do.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: That's fine. If that's what we
need to do, then we should go ahead and do it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Murray?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I have to agree with
Commissioners Adelstein and Vigliotti who have spoken so far. In the
context that we need to ascribe a value to those units, those units will
certainly have a value to some folks. And especially we talked about
the equality of the distribution was another factor.
So I think whether it goes beyond the commissioners is moot, but
I think it needs to be brought to them in that form.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. And I, too, believe it needs to be
researched and brought forward for the possibility of charging for
those 388 density bonus units. We're not going to vote on this now,
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January 5, 2006
but I want to make sure that each panel member weighed in on it so
that at the end of the meeting today when we vote on everything, all
these items are all hashed out and we go forward.
Ms. Caron?
COMMISSIONER CARON: Yeah. I think it definitely needs to
be investigated. We're sitting here with an overlay that is giving 12
units an acre. Twelve units an acre that sit in a TCA, so it's a road we
already know is failing. And while we're add -- but we're adding
bonus units anyway, in the coastal high hazard area where it should be
three or four units an acre, but we're up to at least 12 units an acre, and
with no requirement that any of these bonuses go to affordable or gap
housing. I think the county deserves something for this additional
density.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Mr. Midney, we're weighing in
on the idea of charging for or how to handle the 388 bonus units,
whether we would recommend -- it's not a motion right now, it's just a
discussion so that when we have our motion at the end of the day,
we're all in some kind of consensus.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Well, I'd like to hear what staff
has for their rationalization why they didn't ask for that.
MR. WEEKS: I know David Jackson may want to speak to this
as well. But Commissioners, I just wanted to briefly mention, when
the Bayshore/Triangle Redevelopment Area Overlay was adopted into
the future land use element to the growth management plan in the year
2000, the reason for this density pool to be created for this allocation
to be allowed was to promote redevelopment. It was never
contemplated -- it certainly doesn't mean a policy change cannot
occur, but it was never contemplated that there would be any charge
for these bonus units.
The allocation of this unit -- of these units for providing
mixed-use development was the objective. It is an incentive to get
mixed-use development and to get redevelopment in this particular
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area.
We have to go back and remember the beginning of all of this
process. Number one, the county commission had to declare this area
as blighted. And I'll emphasize blighted as defined in State Statutes
for this particular redevelopment area process. People get scared
when they hear that word. They get offended, I should say.
And then secondly, the county commission hired a consultant and
we prepared a redevelopment plan for this area, which subsequently
led to the adoption of the amendment in the future land use element.
And again, I just want to emphasize that this was an incentive for
redevelopment. And I just question whether charging people to get
these units is an incentive for redevelopment.
And if I may briefly respond to Mrs. Caron's comment just to
remind you. Yes, almost the entire overlay, both of them, are within
the coastal high hazard area; however, the density pool came from
prior zoning that was within the coastal high hazard area, and it was
when this overlay was adopted into the FLUE it contained this
provision that was going to allow for what we knew was going to be a
rezoning to create the Botanical Gardens project to allow the dwelling
units that were allowed by the former residential zoning on that site to
be used as this pool to be redistributed throughout the coastal high
hazard area or, if possible, for the small portion of the Gateway
Triangle Overlay that's outside of the area.
So it's -- we're not -- we are increasing density in the sense that if
you look today at how many dwelling units are there and you look
tomorrow, how many will be there, yes, we've gone up. But if we go
back to the time when the overlay was adopted into the comprehensive
plan, we are not increasing the density. It was known at that time that
we were just going to redistribute this. And then secondly -- oh.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Go ahead.
MR. WEEKS: Quickly, I believe Don Scott had spoken at one of
the previous hearings about the traffic impacts and that it was already,
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in their calculations for transportation network analysis, that they had
included this density bonus pool, that they were already aware of these
number of units that were there, so they've already taken those into
account.
Again, I'm not trying to convince you. I just wanted to get this
information to you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Midney?
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Yeah. I like what you're doing in
terms of redevelopment, but at the same time I do have some
reservation, Mark, because at present there are a lot of low-income
housing in that area. I know someone who lives there in apartments.
And I think that when this is redeveloped, you're going to get a net
loss in the low-income housing pool, and that disturbs me.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: David, one thing you said is that the 12
units -- the density of 12 units per acre, is that limited to the extent of
the use of the 388, and once those are gone, there's no more 12 units
per acre, or is 12 units per acre underlying the whole thing, regardless
of the use of the density bonus?
MR. WEEKS: Only until the density pool is used up.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So once the density pool is used up that
was there existing anyway, once that's used up by these
12-unit-per-acre projects wherever they would pop up, they'd use the
existing density within the coastal high hazard area that was there
before, and once that's used up, they don't get any more, so we're not
increasing the density that was going to be contemplated for the
CHHA; is that correct?
MR. WEEKS: That's correct. For example, after the pool is used
up and if someone has a piece of property that is zoned RMF -6,
they're still allowed to develop at six units per acre. If some of them
were to have a piece of property, let's say it's commercial in this area,
and they want to come in and rezone it to residential, under the
proposed EAR-based amendments, they will be capped at no more
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than four units per acre, and, in fact, be limited to three -- well, no
more than four units an acre.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The proposed EAR-based amendments,
are those the ones we're going to be hearing in --
MR. WEEKS: In March.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Do you have -- that means you've got
drafts of those now, right?
MR. WEEKS: Rough draft.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Can I have a copy?
MR. WEEKS: The FLUE is not completed yet. The only one
that's completed for distribution is the conservation and coastal
management element. The balance should be completed for review
within two weeks, little bit longer.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: If I come by your office tomorrow, I
could get a copy of your drafts? They're public record; are they not?
MR. WEEKS: Assuming the attorney's office says they're public
record, yes, sir. We've tried not to distribute those, and the reason is,
because they're not ready and we don't want people reading them and
coming back and saying, you need to change this and this. We're not
even done yet.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I'm just trying to get a head start.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: The draft is not necessarily a
public record, but once it's been ready for review and distributed, then
it becomes a public record.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So you're saying the drafts that David
Weeks has worked on for the current EAR-based amendments are not
public record?
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: I don't believe so. I would
probably have to investigate it further. You're asking me for an
off-the-cuff opinion, and that would be my off-the-cuff based on the
facts presented. I would have to look into it further.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I'll call you tomorrow. If you could look
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into it, I'd appreciate it.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: I'll be glad to.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It would be nice to get a head start in
these.
MR. WEEKS: Subj ect to approval, Commissioners, or anyone,
I'd be glad to provide them.
MR. EHARDT: Can I ask David just a clarification? Mr.
Ehardt. I think my -- sorry.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: We're still not done with the board.
And Mr. Midney finished weighing in.
Mr. Schiffer? We're weighing in on the 388 density bonuses
before we go too much further.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I'm not in favor of charging.
First of all, it's a rule change. People have made commitments in that
neighborhood already, not knowing that they'd be charged for that.
The big fear with that really is though that we're showing all
these pictures of nice urban mixed-use projects here and in the triangle
sharing from this pool. Once this pool's gone, there's going to be
hardly any density in that neighborhood, so the joke is really on us,
that you are not going to be able to do what our pictures are showing,
because we're only going to be able to have three units an acre, four if
it's an affordable addition.
And so these units, my biggest concern, is how they're going to
be portioned out, because, you know, it's a small amount of units. We
see -- every one of these paragraphs probably have more than that
number of units portrayed in it. So the joke that there's not that much
to go up Bayshore and then fulfill the triangle's for residential anyway.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I don't usually do this, Mr.
Schiffer, but I'm going to break in to you for a second, because that is
the underlying basis for this argument, is that, because there are so
few, they have a value because if they're not equally distributed, we
lose opportunities in there, in that community.
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January 5, 2006
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yes, you do.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: And that is -- you've made the
point I've been trying to make. Thank you.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And Paul's statement is really
true, and this is a very low-income neighborhood. The intent was to
make this an artist community, a creative area of town where we had
low-income housing in there. That's not happening at all. So maybe
they should be cleverly used.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, last weigh-in is Mr. Tuff. We're
weighing in on the possibility of how to handle these 388 bonus
density units, whether they be charged for, proportioned, affordable,
restricted, or however. Do you have any comments on that?
COMMISSIONER TUFF: I think my comments are, I'm with
what Jack wants to do. I think that, as far as no charge and let that
group determine where they go.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: I would also agree with that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. So basically of the eight
members, five would suggest some kind of fee basis looked into with
the County Attorney's Office, there's a consensus for proportioning of
the units and looking at it for an affordable housing application of
some format. Does that seem to be the general consensus?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I mean, I wouldn't mind -- I
don't know if you could do it -- if you could restrict it that only artists
could -- housing could be those units.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: I don't think you could do that.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: That would create the world
we're looking for.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I'd love to see you define artist.
MS. STUDENT -STIRLING: Point of clarification, that that
would entail, you know, having -- going to a consultant and possibly
financial consultant.,
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January 5, 2006
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: If the BCC--
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: At the BCC direction.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- follows up with it. We're just making
suggestions, and we haven't made the suggestion till the end of the
meeting. We still have to listen to the public and everything yet, so --
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Understood.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: As the meeting goes on and as the day
goes on, we'll see where we go with this whole thing.
Catherine, did you have something you wanted to say?
MS. FABACHER: Thank you.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Thank you.
MS. FABACHER: Thank you, Mr. Chair. Catherine Fabacher,
for the record.
I just wanted to apprise you of the fact that staff and the applicant
have had extensive conversations about having to come back next
cycle and tweak this, and I mean, the overlay -- no, just, you know --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Don't scare us.
MS. F ABACHER: We'll put it in, we'll get a few projects
through, and then we'll just see how it's playing out. And just, with
any new overlay or district, you really kind of need to do a little
tweaking. And I'm just wondering with the great amount of, you
know, research that's needed and everything, if this just couldn't come
back as part of the next cycle.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, I don't want to make -- let's not
make any radical changes right now. Let's just try to keep this thing
on track --
MS. FABACHER: That's what I'm saying, that's what I'm
saYIng.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- make our recommendations. And if
the BCC wants to bring it back, let them suggest to bring it back. We
need to get it through this board. We've heard it five times now, and --
MS. F ABACHER: Understood.
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January 5, 2006
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- it's getting long.
Any other questions of page 15? Commissioner Adelstein?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Yes, I do. Second paragraph.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I'm sorry. Just a second. He did have a
MR. EHARDT: I'm sorry. I just wanted to ask David a
clarification. It might be some of the legal issues you're talking about
selling these bonus units and so forth.
David, is it not true that there were really more than 388 bonus
units that were out there in the compo plan? Weren't there 156 that
were already given to another development? And I'm just wondering
if that sets a precedent. I don't think they were purchased. Maybe you
could clarify. I know there were some additional units. I just don't --
beyond the 388.
MR. WEEKS: Right. You're referring to the Sandpiper Village
PUD, which I believe just last year was annexed into the City of
Naples. When the future land use overlay was adopted back in 2000,
and it still reads this way, there was an exception for 156 dwelling
units, and that was because that project was, I think, in the pipeline at
the time or it was known that it was going to come through. That's
located at the southeast corner of Sandpiper Street and U.S. 41 East.
It's also in the coastal high hazard area.
And it was not part of a density bonus pool. The board simply
carved out an exception and said, this is -- this is one exception where
additional density's going to be allowed and it's not going to come
from that density bonus pool. They just made that clarification. We're
not taking the 156 from the 388. That project was using the
commercial under criteria -- excuse me -- conversion of commercial
zoning density bonus provision that's in the future lands use element.
It's been discussed more recently with other rezone petitions that
are in the coastal high hazard area, but at that particular time it was not
a particular issue.
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January 5, 2006
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Thank you. Now,
Commissioner Adelstein, I'm sorry.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN : Yeah. On paragraph two,
second sentence -- this was brought to my attention -- it says, BCC
shall approve the petitions for a mixed-use project by resolution. Shall
meaning they have to? So every one that comes up they have to vote
yes for.
MS. FABACHER: No. It means that they have to use a
resolution.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: That's what it should say --
MS. FABACHER: To approve it, right.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: -- but it says they shall
approve it. They must.
MS. FABACHER: You're suggesting we change it to may?
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Perhaps it should say, if approved,
it shall be by resolution.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: That's what --
MS. FABACHER: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. So on the second paragraph, staff
will make -- by the way, is someone in staff taking notes of all these
potential changes?
MS. F ABACHER: Yes, several.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Second paragraph of, what was
that?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Second paragraph of page 15, the word
-- that second sentence of that paragraph will be reworked.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: That's the BCC.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Under three or under four?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Under three.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. I have a question in that
paragraph, too.
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January 5, 2006
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Go ahead.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: It says here that it's going to
have a hearing as per 10.03.05G and that it has a CCPC hearing report
as part of that process. Do we hear these also or--
MR. JACKSON: No.
MS. FABACHER: No.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Then how -- but we do provide
a report. Or someone can check into that.
MS. F ABACHER: Well, I just meant the advertising notification
requirement. 10.03.05G. It's just the public hearing legally noticed
and advertised pursuant to the noticing and advertising provisions of
10.03.05G. If it's unclear, we can change it.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Just -- yeah. It looks like we
have to give a report.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I have one more small question. Mr.
Jackson, the third paragraph, the first line, it says within six months of
the date of approval you're going to be submitting a mixed-use project.
After it's been approved by the BCC, you're going to -- they'd be
submitting an SDP? I mean, I don't mind if you want to put yourself
into that tight of a time frame, but I'm wondering, I don't -- I can tell
you from being in the business, that's not always possible. But if you
think it is, I'll let you go forward with it, or I won't mess with it.
MR. JACKSON: County staff can talk to that language, which
was recommended by the staff; however, I think the intent is to
prevent someone that wants to do a mixed-use project coming in and
reserving in advance for a very long period of time a number of bonus
density units and then taking his time, one year, two years, three years
down the road when there are other viable projects that could have
gotten along and up and running sooner. So the objective is, is that if
you're going to ask for this, then you better have it all together, and
you need to submit and you need build.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, see, in order for you to submit for
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January 5, 2006
an SDP plan now, you have to -- after you get approval from the BCC,
you've got to schedule a pre-application meeting, which you've got to
schedule two of them, one with the general staff and one separately
with the utilities staff. So you've got two pre-aps to do, and then after
that, you've got to start your design.
You know, I'm not sure you can do that all in six months. I'm
just cautioning you, if you can't do it, you'd be in violation of this
section, and I'm just suggesting maybe you want to make it a little
longer is all.
MR. JACKSON: I'll defer -- I'll ask Ms. Fabacher to weigh in on
this. Original draft language had that the MUP process would be
initiated after an SDP was found sufficient.
MS. FABACHER: The submittal for an SDP was found
sufficient.
MR. JACKSON: Okay. So can you address the commissioner's
comment?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Catherine, do you think six months is
enough? I'm just -- again, it's not an issue I'm that concerned about. I
was more concerned about the applicants being able to perform in that
short of a time frame, and they really can't start the time frame until
after they have their pre-application conferences, which now lately
have required two instead of one, so --
MS. FABACHER: Well, there's two angles here. We could fast
track the SDP approval, but I believe that we would have adequate
time because, Mr. Chair, most of these applicants are working
concurrently on the -- two things.
You don't agree?
MR. SCHMITT: I already have a fast track program for -- and
those are based on incentives associated with affordable housing or
economic development. If these fall into one of those two categories,
yes. Otherwise, no.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Why don't you just change six to nine?
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January 5, 2006
MR. SCHMITT: Otherwise, I'd defer to the board if they'd want
to direct it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Why don't you just change six to nine?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Mark, isn't the thing, he has to
submit within six months?
MS. FABACHER: Right.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: In other words, it's in his court.
He's got his professionals working on it. He submits it within six
months. That doesn't mean they have to process it in six months.
MS. MURRAY: Correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No, I agree with you.
MS. MURRAY: If you preplan, six months should be adequate,
more than adequate to submit. I mean, you could certainly
pre-schedule your pre-application meetings to be, you know, the day
after the board hearing if you wish.
MS. F ABACHER: And there's no reason it couldn't run
concurrently.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Hey, if you guys want to leave it like
that, that's fine. I'm just telling you I -- from actual experience, I can
tell you it doesn't always work that way.
Okay. Let's move on to page--
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, wait, wait. I'm still on 15.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Oh, I'm sorry, go ahead, Brad.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: B, 3B. What essentially that
says in there, that if -- excuse my voice here -- if that -- the person that
owns the property wants to still build under the underlying zoning that
he has, he has to meet all the design requirements of the overlay
anyway.
MS. F ABACHER: Correct.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So I mean, he's not opting in.
He's -- but he has to design -- I mean, he has to do a project based on
that.
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January 5, 2006
MS. F ABACHER: Correct. That's generally the function of
overlays, to put special particular design requirements and other things
above and beyond the underlying zoning onto an area.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. And I agree with that.
The other question on this -- the whole topic is -- and this was
presented, Joe, the day you asked us what we could do to eliminate
some of the work of the commission.
If we write this overlay, it's gone through the growth
management plan, it was already -- it's been in since 2000 as an
overlay district with requirements. Why does the commission have to
see it? Why can't they just -- these people just opt in and meet the
requirements of the overlay? What is the advantage of the public
hearing? What could change paths in the public hearing?
MS. FABACHER: Excuse me, Mr. Chair, I have a comment on
that. I think I can address it.
The old opt-in process really took away a lot of the public
participation aspect. In fact, staff was not happy with that fact, that
you didn't have a public hearing, you didn't get a notice ahead of time,
a neighborhood information meeting to tell you what was coming up
in your neighborhood.
One day under the old opting in process, you opted in and
nobody knew it unless they did a title search. Next thing you know,
the SDP got approved and none of the adjoining neighbors or anything
had any warning that it was coming, so -- professional
recommendations.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, here's the point, is that,
we had the growth -- the plan -- it came into the growth management
plan. That's a public hearing process; that's public information. It
came through an LDC amendment, which is a public -- so everybody
in the neighborhood should know what was happening.
MS. FABACHER: Well, I don't think -- well--
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And what --
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January 5, 2006
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You guys need to talk one at a time,
excuse me.
MS. FABACHER: Sorry. I'm sorry.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: What is the old opt-in process?
MS. FABACHER: The old opt-in process was that an applicant
would go and file a paper with the clerk of courts acknowledging that
he wanted to develop under the mixed-use overlay district
requirements and that he was going to forego any more -- any future
request to go back to his underlying zoning to redevelop.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Schiffer--
MR. FABACHER: So no one would know that. I'm sorry.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yeah, I didn't know that
existed.
MR. JACKSON: Mr. Schiffer, may I weigh in? Is that we are--
CRA is very comfortable with this language and we're very
comfortable with this process. We do feel that the neighborhood
information meeting process is an essential part of it that the people
know what's going to go in there. Even though we've done some
underlying zoning and overlay zoning work in there, that the
developer or builder or person that's going to change the uses and
activity on his property, that he let his neighbors know.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. So in other words,
what's given on the street in terms of what this overlay map is, nobody
can really count on that until they can get it through that hearing.
MR. JACKSON: That's correct.
MS. F ABACHER: And another thing --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Prior to that -- did that exist
prior to this opt-in -- to this three?
MR. JACKSON: Well, I think it's -- the intent is to try to make
this not a kluge, which is basically -- we don't want to go through a
complete rezoning process, the time, effort, money, and we didn't
want to just opt in quietly and then have something pop up and people
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January 5, 2006
not know about it, so we're trying to meet somewhere in the middle.
But we're not in a rezone, but we're not in a quiet process, that we are
in a public information process for the overlay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Any other questions on page 15?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Move now to page 16. Any questions
on page 16?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Adelstein, then Mr. Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: It says, a maximum density of
12 units per acre. And I just heard you say that that would only be
allowed for the 388 bonus units; is that correct?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I guess, David, this was your statement
when I asked you specifically. In reference to item D, second line. I
think Mr. Adelstein's referring to, and E is the second line. They're
both referring to 12 unit densities. That only applies to the extent that
the use of the 388 exists; is that correct?
MR. WEEKS: That is correct.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Where does it say that?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: In the compo plan.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: I could point out that under
paragraph four, it's entitled bonus density pool allocation, so that
refers to -- that's the subtitle of the section, so that refers to it.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I would like to see verbiage
that says in this that states that the only use of that 12 will be the 388
bonus density units.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: And it has lead-in language that
indicates that, too, on page 15.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Fifteen?
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Three eighty-eight bonus density
units, and then these all fall under that.
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January 5, 2006
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But Lindy, an important thing
to note, that this is new -- excuse me -- this is new language. The
prior overlay did not make that clear. The prior overlay said you
could do 12 units per acre. It told you where you could do it. It didn't
tell you that you had this little 288 (sic) problem, which is in the
growth management plan. But in other words, anybody who's buying
our land development code, reading it, would have the impression that
there's 12 units per acre --
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Right.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: -- where it's shown. Not so.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I would just like something in
there verbally to say that that's the only time it could be used, just
those 388 units.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: In the introduction after number 4 on
page 15, could -- David, could you wordsmith some language just to
make it explicitly clear that the 12 units per acre are to the extent of
the existence of the 388 bonus units?
MR. WEEKS: Certainly.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Thank you.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Word it something like, buyer
beware.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yeah.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: On E on page 16, David, you
said those properties would access U. S. 41 as identified on the
Bayshore, the overlay. Where are those properties identified, or is it --
MR. WEEKS: That's in the map within this overlay itself that
we're looking at here.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay.
MR. WEEKS: Page 14.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. So properties would
access U.S. 41 as identified. Look at the map and tell me which one
of those.
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January 5, 2006
MR. WEEKS: Oh, I see what you're saying.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I mean, is it all the ones that are
in the activity center, or is it anything on 41, or is it --
MR. WEEKS: We view this -- going back to the genesis that's in
the comprehensive plan language, and it's almost verbatim from the
comprehensive plan. We intentionally -- because the objective here is
to promote redevelopment, we, the comprehensive planning
department, have intentionally viewed this very broadly, interpreted it
very broadly so that any of the properties in the overlay, the
Bayshore/Triangle overlay west -- particularly west of Bayshore Drive
could be viewed as having access to U.S. 41 because there are
connecting streets to do so.
I think your question suggests you're aware that we have, in most
other cases, in various subdistricts in the future land use element, we
used the term direct access, and sometimes even define that, and it
suggests in most cases that you're going to have an access cut onto that
roadway. This is not being viewed that strictly. This is being viewed
very broadly.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. That even makes me
more confused. So should we identify those things as it states here or
MR. WEEKS: Certainly, we--
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I mean, because you're --
MR. WEEKS: I understand your point.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: You're giving a special class of
properties, yet I thought it would be anything that's on 41. You're
telling me that's not even true. It's even broader than that.
MR. WEEKS: Broader than that, definitely
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So I mean, you really should
make that clear.
MR. WEEKS: Certainly, be glad to.
If I might, Commissioners, while I'm here. Another change to this
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January 5, 2006
very same paragraph. I want to make a change to this fourth line.
Two things; one, there's the words shall and must, and only one of
those could be used there.
But more particularly, it says, must provide access to existing
neighborhoods and adjoining commercial properties. That suggests
that if you're abutting a commercial site, you must have an
interconnection, and that is not what the comprehensive plan
language, which is the genesis for this paragraph, requires.
So I would propose that it be changed to read something to the
effect of -- starting on that fourth line -- to U.S. 41, must be accessible
to existing neighborhoods and adjoining properties. So it's not a harsh
requirement, a hard black and white, you must provide an
interconnection. It allows for streets -- so if you're fronting on a street
and there's another property that happens to be commercial or simply
the surrounding neighborhood has access to your site via those local
streets, you meet this condition.
And again, that reflects and the comprehensive plan says. It says,
will be accessible.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Thank you, David.
Any others -- Commissioner Adelstein?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Yeah. I'd like to know if it's
possible to get Don Scott -- I have a couple questions I'd like to ask
him. I'm still confused on -- confused a little -- I think there's a
problem with the 12 units per acre because of the drive -- the travel
time it will take and because I don't think 41 is going to be improved
or widened for a very long time, if ever.
What is your situation here, Don, as you talk to us about the
difference between eight units per acre and 12? Would it help our
road usage?
MR. SCOTT: Don Scott, Transportation Planning. And David
alluded to it. The model has some of those trips, or essentially those
units, in there already. But the opposite side of that is we are working
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January 5, 2006
with the Bayshore/Gateway area to essentially do a corridor study and
look at access management, build-out of the area.
If you do some of the things you're talking about, shared parking,
some other issues like that, to try to look at the impact to the area
through build-out. So at the moment I can't answer all of the
questions. Obviously, as you touch on 41, yes, that's why it's in a
TCEA, is because when you say a long time, I say probably --
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Never.
MR. SCOTT: -- never, yeah, it's six lanes. It's pretty impacted to
come back and add two more lanes to that. Probably impossible.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Could the 12 units per acre
cause a major problem?
MR. SCOTT: That's kind of why we're looking at the whole
modeling issue and how that -- and could it? Yes. But that's why
we're looking at that.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: But if they're going to
approve 12 now, going back and trying to get to eight won't be done.
So the question right now is, should it be allowed to go to 12 or
allowed to go to eight units, in your mind?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But before you answer that, if the
density pool is 388 and they use the 388 up, whether they use them at
eight units or 12 units per acre, it's going to have the same impact.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: It will be stretched out -- it
will be spread over a different area.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No, all within the triangle.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Yeah.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I see. You're right.
MR. EHARDT: Not just the triangle. It's the overlay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, that's what I mean, everywhere in
the overlay is where the 388 applies. And if you have 12 units per
acre or eight units per acre or six units per acre or four units per acre,
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January 5, 2006
you're still only going to use 388 units. So all you need to do is plan
for 388 units in regards to Mr. Adelstein's questions. And have you
planned for those 388 units?
MR. SCOTT: They were in there previously, yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Well, that answers the question
of where we're trying to go.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: It answered my question too.
Thank you.
MS. STUDENT -STIRLING: I just wanted to point out that the
comprehensive plan calls for 12 units an acre and the LDC
amendment has to be consistent with the comprehensive plan.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Any further questions on page
16?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: If not, let's move on to page 17.
Hearing nothing on 1 7 --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I have a 17.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. And I guess, David, you'd be the
one, David Weeks -- is in G it states that those parcels that fall within
the activity center -- I mean, what is different in the requirements in
the activity center that would be different from the overlay? Is there --
and where would somebody reading the land development code find
that out?
MR. WEEKS: They would need to go to the future land use
element, which I would say this is referring you to.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And read that --
MR. WEEKS: But also -- excuse me, if I may. In the map itself
within this overlay we've identified the prop -- the consultant has
identified the properties that are within the activity center so that a
person looking at the map could see if they're within the activity
center, then this language is telling them, you need to go to the future
land use element, a different document to see what uses are there.
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January 5, 2006
The short answer is, the future land use element, activity center
would allow for C-l through C-5 uses, greater intensity then is
allowed within the zoning overlay, and it would allow for -- at least
for that portion outside the coastal high hazard area, would allow a
density of all the way up to 16 units per acre.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. But we understand that
this in the triangle, there is nothing outside the coastal high hazard
area within this overlay, correct?
MR. WEEKS: Within this triangle, that's correct. Yeah, the
Gateway Triangle, a small portion is --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Any further questions on 17?
MR. WEEKS: Mr. Chairman, if I may.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes, sir.
MR. WEEKS: On that very same point, paragraph G on page 17,
we need to insert the language, again, that provides for the exception
for the development standards, that is, if a property's within the
activity center, then we go to the comprehensive plan activity center
language to find out what is allowed to be -- how the uses may be
developed, what uses.
But as far as the development standards, they would still be
subject to this overlay, back to Mr. Schiffer's question a few moments
ago about certain properties. So that even if you're not doing a
mixed-use development, or in this case, even though you're within the
mixed-use activity center, you still have to abide by the chapter four
development standards for this overlay so that you have the same
appearance and aesthetics, et cetera, of the overlay, even though your
uses may differ.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And you're going to clean that up?
MR. WEEKS: Yes, sir. And that's -- I think that's kind of gone
in and out, in and out. But it's been discussed as being applicable to
this area. And the comprehensive plan overlay specifically provides
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January 5, 2006
that properties within the activity center would be subject to the
activity center for uses but recognizes that a zoning overlay could
implement development standards.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Mr. Chairman, while I have
David Weeks, if I may.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes, sir, you may.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Just -- something's been nagging
me. I think it was last year at the EAR, but I'm not really clear
anymore, that we as a -- the two bodies, the two commissions talked
about restricting the coastal high hazard area for affordable units, the
density bonus.
These contain -- there would be density bonus units in here, if I'm
not incorrect. If that other is -- that's not passed yet, right, the other
thing that we've talked about? If that's passed, is this an exclusion to
that?
MR. WEEKS: Yes, sir, it is.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Okay.
MR. WEEKS: Specific exclusion.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Okay. So then that is possible to
put some density bonus in that area for affordable housing for the
overlay?
MR. WEEKS: Within the overlay, yes.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But wait a minute, David. Isn't
it set up where we have three units per acre? The only way to raise it
to four is to affordable housing? We can't go beyond four, can we?
MR. WEEKS: The conversion of commercial zoning would
allow you to --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But I think that's being
eliminated, from that same workshop.
MR. WEEKS: No. That was discussed, but ultimately was left
In.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Yes. See, you've got the mixed
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January 5, 2006
use, and that would give you --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: That was discussed more
serious than that. But anyway --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: So that's been nagging me this
whole process here, wondering whether we have created something
strange.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. So wait a minute now.
So if somebody takes a piece of commercial on Bayshore, converts it
into residential, you'll give them 16 units an acre?
MR. WEEKS: Under the present future land use element that
would be allowed rezone up to 16. Wait, wait, wait.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I think we can move on.
MR. WEEKS: Okay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: That's a nice side of the
conversation.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The EAR amendments are going to be
addressing that issue as well.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. We'll deal with it then.
MR. WEEKS: It's proposed to cap it at four, the EAR
amendment, except this area.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. I have a question on
number six. Page 17 it says, again, it's currently commercial zoned
properties. They have to build with the underlying current LDC
requirements. And it says, except for certain site development
standards, as stated in 4 of 6 (sic). Does that mean not all the site
development standards?
MR. JACKSON: That's exactly what David was talking about
and adding in paragraph G. It's addressed in paragraph six right
below. Basically your design development standards for -- if you're
going to maintain your property at the current zoning, when you
rebuild or you expand over grading for 50 percent, that you will
comply with the design guidelines that are in the back unless it's silent,
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then you comply with the current LDC code for Collier County.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So shouldn't that say, except
for, and then get rid of the word certain? Because certain gives the
sense of it not being exclusive of all the design elements. If we kill the
word certain, what would go wrong here?
MR. JACKSON: Well, what I was trying to say is that not all the
design standards are applicable. There's ones that are spelled out in
chapter four that relate to the C -- to the commercial zoning
categories.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. I'll remember that when
we're in chapter four. I'll look for it. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So are we striking the word certain or
not?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: He seems to think not. In other
words, if it's going to be obvious in that chapter then -- you know, in
.16 and .17, then let's wait and see. I'll remember it. We'll come back.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Well, the next -- go ahead.
MR. JACKSON : Well, on a quick read, we'll look at it. But I
think you are correct except for site development standards as stated in
paragraph four.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Maybe that's what we should
reference.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Kill the word certain.
MR. JACKSON: Yeah, take the word certain out. Because you
want them to apply to the whole thing.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Pages 18 through 36 are all charts. Are
there any questions on any of those pages?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I have some.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Why don't we start with
whatever -- your first page, Brad.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Page 18 back to -- and there's
not many this time. I'm a good guy. That 7922 keeps showing up in
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there, and what that is is theatrical production. So in other words, if
somebody's reading a chart and it has all these words under the
category, but then it has an SIC code, what would prevail? In other
words, the SIC code doesn't catch the word.
MR. JACKSON: Ms. Murray addressed that at the last meeting
to your satisfaction. I'll let her do it again.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay.
MS. MURRAY: For the record, Susan Murray. They would be
inclusive. So the words and the SIC code would work together.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. So what that's saying is
you could have an artist studio and a theatrical production?
MS. MURRAY: Correct.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: All right.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: And just for qualification, for
the nagging question I'm always asking about the ceramics and
pottery, that means that a kiln can be present on the property as well?
MS. MURRAY: Are you asking me?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Whomever it is that's able to
give the answer. I certainly don't know.
MS. MURRAY: Yes. I mean, it's part of the use.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Okay. And that could be located
outside as an ancillary item, or certainly shouldn't be in -- well, it
could be inside.
MS. MURRAY: Yeah, as long as it's consistent with the
development provision.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Okay. So then --
MS. MURRAY: I'm not overly familiar with a kiln, so I don't
know how they're set up. But--
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Well, I'm just concerned with
the --
MS . MURRAY: If they're in an outbuilding as an accessory
structure, then they would fall under --
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January 5, 2006
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: And that's permissible then?
Then that's good. I'm happy with that.
MS. MURRAY: It would be accessory -- yeah, it would be
accessory uses.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Good, thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Brad, your next page?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: My next page, just a question
on 20. Down at the bottom it says, drinking establishments. We do
allow restaurants. Restaurants could have drinking in it, so that's still
allowed. This is just really referencing bars and stuff?
MR. JACKSON: (Nods head.)
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. That's good.
On page 24, we use to have a category called multi-family, and
that was removed. Is that because it's covered someplace else?
MR. EHARDT: I didn't remove it.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: It would be between motor
homes and museums. It used to be there, I think. That's where you
guys should tell me to get a life where I'm noticing things missing.
MR. JACKSON: Can we address that at the next break we go
on?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: There's the clue right there.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's fine. Brad, would you mind
addressing that at the break?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: That's fine, as long as -- I want
to make sure we can have multi-family, because essentially all of
these mixed uses are multi-family function.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: What's your next one? Well, there is
residential uses on page 26, Brad.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right, but --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I think multi-family would be
residential.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, definitely resid -- I mean,
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January 5, 2006
if that's where it's covered, then that's fine.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, it would seem that you would take
-- I mean, I would -- I don't know, I'm not --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: It was there before and it's gone.
That's why.
MR. JACKSON: Yes. It was on the December 15th chart, and
why it's not there now I don't know, unless it had to do with
reformatting.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But everybody understands that
you can have multi-family residential based under the residential
category?
MS. MURRAY: Yes. I would just recommend you leave it as it
is, only because --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: That's fine. As long as you can
do that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. What's your next page, Brad?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I think I'm out of the uses.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Good. Page 37 is -- you get into site
design standards.
Page 38?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I have some.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Thirty-eight.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, kind of what we -- up in
purpose, the new tax it says, except for certain site development
standards. Is this the same -- I think code language that put things
behind a curtain is scary, so -- either we can spell it out or we can get
rid of the word certain again here.
MR. JACKSON: Correct. It's a -- should be deleted.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Next issue on page 38, Mr. Adelstein?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: C. Again, a misspelled word.
No automatic flood, F-L-O-O-D. It's supposed to be food.
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January 5, 2006
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It's flood. No automatic flooding.
MS. FABACHER: It's a strike-through.
MR. JACKSON: What you're missing is--
MS. FABACHER: Excuse me. I think there's a double
strike-through on the L.
MR. JACKSON: There's a strike-through on the L.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MR. JACKSON: That's from -- that was from the original
language. We left the strike-through in it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Did you have any other things,
Brad, on page 38?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: No. I think I'm good.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Page 39?
(N 0 response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Page 40? I have a question about page
40. I like the left column where you've changed and referenced the
maximum zone height and maximum actual height.
On the right column, instead of just saying three stories or 42
feet, meaning it would revert then to the left column as far as how you
measure the 42 feet, you measure it by maximum zoned height, you
went into a detail of how you measure now the 42 feet, which I'm not
sure that's consistent with the definition of zoned height in the code.
So was there a need on the part of either staff or anybody to add
that additional language, or just, why can't we just keep it straight with
the code like we tried to do?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I think that was, Mr. Schiffer
wanted that.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I mean, Mark's right. The two
things say -- the two phrases say different things. The intent was to
have -- allowed to have eaves at 42 feet. Then we decided we had to
use our zoned height in there somewhere. To have the zoned height of
42 feet, which is what you want, then you are guaranteed every
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January 5, 2006
building will be a flat-roofed building, because that's the only way
you're going to achieve -- and there will be actually no eaves in that
case.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, but the max you will-- the
maximum actual height is 56 feet.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: You're correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So if you're at 42 feet with zoned, you
don't have a straight --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: The zoned height would be to
the midpoint of a roof, to the top deck of a mansard, to --
MR. EHARDT: Well, what we were trying to do, if I may, is
that the zone height is to be measured like they shown on the
right-hand side, period. The overall height with roof para -- or
parapet. We have something in there. Other things would be the
actual height.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: See, I think that on the left-hand
side, the maximum zone height of structures 42 feet is a problem to
achieve what they want. They want four-story buildings in some
cases.
MR. EHARDT: Where are you now?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Why is it a problem? I mean, if your
actual height is 56 feet, all the embellishments that you want to add to
give you the varying degrees is fine.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, I'll tell you why. That if
it's a pitched roof, the actual -- the zoned height will measure to the
midpoint of that pitched roof. So that means you're pushing the roof
down into the --
MR. EHARDT: Oh, that's not what I said. I said, that's the
actual height, the overall height of the structure.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right. But we're using our
actual height definition in the code, which has a meaning. And I guess
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January5,2006
MR. EHARDT: Wait. We may need to change the meaning
here or use a different word. Because what I was trying to get at is the
actual top of the building.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Is 56 feet. That one there's no
question, no problem with that.
MR. EHARDT: No, wait a minute. Oh, okay. Which one are
you talking about, first of all, the first one?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yeah. And I said the wrong
word. I said actual when I should have said zoned. The zoned height
is the -- is to the midpoint of a roof, the top of a flat roof, which is why
I think you're going to get flat roofs, the top of a deck in a mansard
and --
MR. EHARDT: But I'm defining the zoned height here being
measured by -- to the eave. Is that not sufficient enough or do I need
to clarify that?
Let me -- what we're saying is that we want to hold that eave line
at 42 feet or whatever, you know, it might be according to how many
stories we're talking about. And then we had asked, Mr. Strain had
asked for an overall height of the building, so we added a dimension
for the overall height, the top to the peak, or wherever it might be.
Now, if I'm using the -- if I need to change a word to clarify that
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, here's the problem is that
in Collier, the word zoned height has a meaning, the definition.
Should be bolded here if that's what it is. And that defines how to
measure the height of a building, and it varies based on different roof
structures and things. So in other words, if you do have a zoned
height of 42 feet, you cannot have an eave height of 42 feet.
MR. EHARDT: So I need to change the word, or come up with a
different word for what I mean by zoned height?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I mean, I think the intent of
what's supposed to happen is --
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January 5, 2006
MR. EHARDT: Okay, all right.
MR. JACKSON: Mr. Schiffer, we've -- for the last four meetings
we've discussed this and we've put the language in exactly like you
want it. You wanted to measure the zoned height, so we came from
the first habitable floor to the eave, and then that is our definition, and
that's the definition that we put in here, and it's been agreed to.
Now, the earlier conversation was with the county's definition of
zone and actual height. So we've clarified that. We've put in here so
that we have that common height maximum of a building, we measure
it from -- in our measurement, not county measurement -- from first
habitable floor to the eave so you get the 42 feet for a maximum
height, zoned height of a building. And then at the request of
Commissioner Strain, we wanted -- you wanted a -- an actual height
and we put the actual height in there, and that is the most tippy-top
thing in the sky. So we've defined it exactly like you guys want. I
don't understand the difficulty.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, here's the difficulty is if I
have a plan in with the eave height of 42 feet and a roof on top of that,
then the plan reviewer may say, hey, the zoned height of this building
exceeds 42 feet. So I think if you -- we should get rid of the
maximum zoned height, the structures of 42 feet, and just -- because
we have a defi -- zoned height means something in Collier County.
MR. JACKSON: We've defined zoned height, 42 feet, first floor
to the eave. We've defined it.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: You -- Where did you define
that? It says maximum zoned height of structures is 42 feet. If I take
that back into the definitions --
COMMISSIONER CARON: Look to the other side.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, I mean--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Before we go further--
MR. EHARDT: Maybe there's a way of putting it -- and putting
the zoned height --
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January 5, 2006
COMMISSIONER STRAIN: Joe, let me explain something to
you. The attempt was to be consistent with the land development
code, so if someone reading your overlay or any other part of the code
would see zoned height and they would know it's 42 feet and they
would know what it means.
MR. SCHMITT: Right.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That was my intent for suggesting
getting there.
Now, I thought that was clear. And when I read this in the left
column, you said, zoned height, actual height. I thought great. If I
move into this district, I know my zoned height's 42 feet. I know how
to measure that, go right to the LDC, and it tells me.
Then I read your right column and it gave me a definition for
zoned height that you perceive, but it doesn't -- why are you defining
it when the LDC already does? The intent was to be consistent with
the land development code. And it wouldn't matter to me if it was 42
feet, 52 feet or 72 feet, as long as whatever the code says it needed to
be to fit within what you wanted as your guidelines, it was a consistent
definition throughout the code, so we don't have multiple definitions
in the same book.
Now, staff is sitting here -- correct me if I'm wrong -- do we -- is
the zoned height definition that we have in the code different than
what they're proposing in the right-hand column here? Can anybody
answer that?
MS. MURRAY: I've got the book, and I can compare while
,
you re --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, I know the answer
because I deal with this. The answer is, it is different. In other words,
we don't have an eave height. Cities like Palm Beach measure off the
eave, other people do. We don't.
The zoned height would be the midpoint of the slope on a roof, it
would be the deck of a flat roof, it would be the deck of a mansard,
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January 5, 2006
which is usually up on top of the mansard roof. So it is not going to
give you the ability to do a 42-foot eave.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. From your perspective then,
would you have any problem using the county's definition for zoned
and actual and putting in the height figures that fit within that
definition?
MR. EHARDT: I don't think we would get that common -- to the
eave dimension the same across the thing, which is what we're looking
for.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Because your objective is that this is not
a maximum. This is a mandatory?
MR. EHARDT: A maximum -- no, no. It's a maximum for three
stories or four stories, but you would have a consistency as far as the
eave line went, if there's two four-story buildings next to each other.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: They'd have to be exactly the same
height at the four-story level.
MR. EHARDT: At the eave, yes. Now the roof may vary. One
may be a parapet roof and one may be a hip roof next to it, but at least
the eave would be somewhat consistent -- or be consistent, is what
we're saying.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And, Mark, the problem has
been that there are different ways to measure heights of buildings.
There is a system that measures from the eave. Our definition could
not be applied. Ifhe wants to set the eave height, we can't use our
definition, because our definition is roof dependent. And, again, I said
that the only way you would get an eave, and it would be a faked out
eave at 42 feet, with our definition would be flat roof buildings.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And at some point, I guess, this needs to
be resolved. I thought it was something that had already been
resolved.
MR. JACKSON: It was, and I don't understand why we're going
back. And we're beating this horse to death, okay? There isn't going
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to be much meat left on the bones when we get through with it, sir.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I can explain why, okay?
MR. JACKSON: Mr. Schiffer, you were the one that made the
argument and the point that a zoned height, and we had the 14 feet and
we were going to measure 42 feet. We put that in here. And for the
last two meetings, this commission has had no problem with it. And
now here we are, we're at the time for approving it and you have a
problem with it again.
Now, if we need to put a word in there somewhere, we agreed --
we, the planning commission and myself as representative for the
CRA -- that we would define in this overlay, which is allowed to be
different than the LDC code, a zoned height measured from the first
floor to the eave, and then we wanted to put a maximum height, an
actual height of the building in there, and we put that number in there.
Now, again, I ask the question, I don't understand what the
difficulty is. We have defined it as you wanted the last meeting of
December, you had no problem with it, the language is the same, and
now you have a problem with it again.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, it's not a problem that we have.
It's a problem that you're going to have if this is unclear, that's why we
need to get it shaken out at this meeting.
Ms. Murray, if you were to read the columns on page 40, one
saying zoned height of 42 feet and the other saying three stories or 42
feet to the building eave or top of the flat built-up roof, is that
sufficient for you to make a determination as to how you would
measure heights with an SDP for a building of 42 feet? If staffs
happy with it, then I am. I was more concerned about being
consistent.
MS. MURRAY: Yes. I mean, yes, we could make a
determination with this language. But I agree with you, our past
discussions have been consistency related. And I just caution that
there just may be some confusion with applicants about which they
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January 5, 2006
should apply.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, let me just say this,
Susan.
MS. MURRAY: And that's all we're trying to achieve.
MR. EHARDT: Could I offer maybe a clarification? Upon the
right-hand column where it has the three stories or 42 feet or four
stories and 56 feet, if we said in that same column the maximum
zoned height is, and then go on with those words, then they would
know very clearly that that's what we're measuring height from.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: How would you come up with
that number?
Susan, let me ask you this question. I come in there and I have a
building and I have a roof on it. The eave is the lower part of the roof.
And I have an eave at 42 feet, like the right-hand column would like
me to have. And my roof, let's say, goes 15 feet in the air. Would not
your plan reviewer measure to the midpoint of that roof and say, hey,
your zoned height is actually excessive of 42 feet?
MS. MURRAY: Are you asking me a question?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yeah, I thought I was.
MS. MURRAY: I'm sorry. I didn't real -- I thought you were
directing it towards Joe. I'm sorry.
But let me back up just before we get back to that only because
my recommendation to you would be, if you're going to write
something that is different than what is already defined in the code, I
recommend that you don't call it the same thing, okay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right.
MS. MURRAY: So that's -- I think that's the first thing you need
to decide is, do you want to measure it differently in this district? And
if so, how. But don't call it what we're already calling it in the LDC if
they're not the same.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, that's where I was trying to go.
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January 5, 2006
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And Mark, that was --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And my concern is, if staff can handle
multiple definitions of the same thing in the code and this works for
staff, that's fine, but please do not have an applicant come in here with
a variance request because of this interpretation being skewed in the
future.
MS. MURRAY: Yeah. We can't -- I can't have the -- it defined
one way in the code and a -- I would prefer not -- let me put it this
way. I would prefer not to have it called maximum zoned height in
the Bayshore overlay if the defini -- if it's not consistent with the
definition in the LDC. That is just going to be massively confusing to
staff and mistakes -- and the applicants, most importantly, and
mistakes will be made, so --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So -- and we're hearing here today that
the applicant can't live with the definition zoned height in the LDC,
but they can live with the definition shown in the right-hand column.
So the simplest thing would be, is simply to change -- delete the word
zoned from the left-hand column definition and then leave the word
actual because we've agreed on the actual height. Does that get us to a
point of compromise?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So Mark, what you're saying is
MS. FABACHER: Mr. Chair?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: -- eliminate maximum zoned
height of 42 feet from the left-hand side would give us exactly what
we want?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right.
MR. EHARDT: Okay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And then leave the maximum,
and that's what we have. And Dave --
MS. MURRAY: And the actual height is as defined in the LDC.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right, 56 feet.
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January 5, 2006
MS. MURRAY: Then we're okay with that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Then that gives us the best of
everything. They got what they want --
MR. EHARDT: We'll strike that out.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- you've got a definition you can live
with, people driving by see a building, they know how high it's going
to be at the maximum point.
Catherine, you had an issue?
MS. FABACHER: I did. Under the LDC currently -- I'm talking
about maximum actual height now. In the LDC the maximum actual
height is excluded of appurtenances.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I don't think so.
MS. FABACHER: Well, I think--
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Susan has the definition. Can
you --
MS. F ABACHER: I think there's an exception --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: -- put it back up, Susan?
MS. FABACHER: -- a height exception for appurtenances and
towers and tent houses.
MR. EHARDT: That would be fine with me.
MS. F ABACHER: Well, I guess it would because that is going
to give you -- and everything on top of -- but whereas here, when we
came up with the maximum height here in our discussions, you said
the maximum height for this district would be inclusive of those
appurtenant structures on a roof.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: This is--
MR. EHARDT: I don't know if I said that or not.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: This is without the exclusion--
MS. FABACHER: I think so. David and I talked about that.
MR. EHARDT: All right.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I think the definition says without the
exclusions, so the maximum height's 56 feet.
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January 5, 2006
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: There's nothing above it.
MS. FABACHER: Oh, without the exclusion?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: That was why that definition
was just there.
MS. FABACHER: All right. Sorry.
MS. MURRAY: Yes.
MS. FABACHER: I thought there was some--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Let's move on to page 41.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, while we're on 40 though,
we're going to eliminate under all four of those categories, the two
lines that have maximum zoned height in it.
MR. EHARDT: In the left column.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yes.
MR. EHARDT: The only thing that should be in the right-hand
(sic) column is actual height.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Which is actually where you
started.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The only thing in the left column would
be actual height.
MR. EHARDT: Left.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Page 41? I have I question on the
bottom. It's talking about buildings where they're changing the use
and that -- they demonstrate the required parking does not fit within
the preexisting structures and may apply for a parking reduction.
The only way someone would not be able to fit the parking in is
if they simply built too big of a building. Is that what this is trying to
address?
MR. JACKSON: Paragraph 9?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes, sir.
MR. JACKSON: The key word is the fourth word, existing.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right. So if you have an existing
building and you're changing the use and the new use requires more
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January 5, 2006
parking, because the building was existing, you went to a more
intensive use, you still don't have to put in more parking; is that what
it's trying to do?
MR. JACKSON: Yes, sir.
MS. MURRAY: All it says is they -- it's really kind of not --
unnecessary to have this in there. It says that they may apply for one.
Well, okay, yeah. I mean, the code already allows them to do that.
We may have had this discussion before, I don't know.
But it doesn't grant them any relief, this sentence doesn't. It just
says if they can't meet it, they may apply. But the code already allows
you to apply.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: This is intended as
informational?
MR. JACKSON : Yes, it is. The evolutionary side of it all was
because we had some existing proj ects that had difficulty, and the
change of use could not comply. And then through discovery, we
found that there is a process in which they can get a deviation for
parking through going through the CDES program.
We had put in a number of criteria. Staffhad some difficulty
with it. We discussed it, and so we went back to, okay, as long as they
-- and we wanted to clarify here in paragraph 9, that if they had an
existing building, they changed the use, they could not handle it
because they didn't have the land, they were bounded by some means,
that they could apply for a deviation. We just wanted it to be clarified
here for any person that wanted to develop or redevelop in the
Bayshore overlay area.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Susan, does staffhave a concern? I
mean, although -- I know your position is it's not needed, but does it
hurt to leave it in there?
MS. MURRAY: No, no.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Then I don't want to reinvent the
wheel. We've done enough of that.
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Anything on page 41 besides that?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ifnot, page 42.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Item three. Shall be provided
in the four, in the forum. Three words there have to come out. In the
four.
MS. F ABACHER: Typographical error. Thank you for pointing
that out.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Four says shrubs -- and it
should, at least. You see, "shrubs least 24 inches." It should be at
I east.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Questions on 42?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I do. And I guess, you know, it
really goes back to the suburban landscape requirements in urban
areas still. So if Nancy wants to give her presentation first, I think this
would be a good segue.
MS. GUNDLACH: Yes. Good morning, Commissioners. Did
somebody else want to say something?
MS. F ABACHER: I'm sorry. I was just going to say, I have a
handout.
MS. GUNDLACH: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Oh, I hope it isn't changing things.
MS. FABACHER: That's why I waited till now to hand it out.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Oh, don't do this to us.
MS. MURRAY: It's not changing.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, thank you.
MS. MURRAY: It's a copy of the old language you had last
time.
MS. FABACHER: Page numbers are key to the page numbers in
your packets.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I have the old book.
MS. FABACHER: Oh, good for you.
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MR. GUNLOCK: Well, good morning, Commissioners. And
for the record, I'm Nancy Gundlach, and I'm a Landscape Architect
with Zoning and Land Development Review.
And at our last planning commission meeting, there were a lot of
questions and concerns about the appropriateness of landscaping
within the overlays. And the best way for me to answer the question
as to whether or not landscaping's even important in these areas is just
for me to show you, so I have a brief PowerPoint presentation that I'd
like to show you. I expect that it will be less than five minutes. And it
may generate some questions, and I'd be happy to answer them for
you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Hopefully it will answer questions too,
so go right ahead.
MS. GUNDLACH: Okay. Landscaping is important because it
creates people spaces. And when we talk about the objectives of the
overlay, we talk about increasing pedestrian mobility. And it also
creates green spaces that connect buildings to streets, it breaks up
parking areas and increases profit margins and property values.
And there was a recent University of Washington study that
showed that well landscaped areas increased profits by nine percent.
And it's also consistent with what we expect here in Collier County.
We expect beautiful green spaces.
And here's some examples of how we make our communities
more walkable. We're concerned about cars driving down the street.
Some of the roads are a little fast. For example, Bayshore Drive, and
in the triangle, Davis. And that strip of landscaping can make a
pedestrian feel more secure.
Landscaping also creates people spaces, and we want to draw
people to the Bayshore and triangle overlays.
And on the left-hand side you'll see a space. That's actually a
connector from the front of the commercial areas back to the parking
areas in the rear.
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And, again, on the left-hand side, that's actually a little pedestrian
park that was created, but it also serves to bring the people from the
front commercial areas back to the parking in the rear such as what we
would expect on Bayshore.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Where are these pictures taken? Could
you tell us as you go through each one?
MS. GUNDLACH: Sure. So far all the pictures -- actually, I
could probably say the entire presentation was photographed on 5th
and 3rd. The purpose is not so much to say, hey, let's go and recreate
5th and 3rd. Certainly Bayshore and the triangle can have their own
identities. But what I'm trying to show here is the importance of
integrating the green landscaping to soften the hardscape, the concrete,
and, in essence, create spaces that people are drawn to.
And this -- this shows landscaping between, again, the front of
the commercial area, the importance of it, and creating spaces that
people want to be at.
And here's a perfect example of what happens if you don't require
it. I mean, that's an example of a building. It's actually a redeveloped
building, and they have no landscaping between it and the street. And
actually the image on the left-hand side is on the same street. And you
can see the difference. I mean, which would you be drawn to?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: With my pick-up, I'd go to the one on
the right. I could drive in and out easier.
MS. GUNDLACH: Uh-oh.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Plus the prices would be cheaper, too,
but anyway.
MS. GUNDLACH: Actually, it's a Carvel. I hope they keep
their prices the same no matter where they are.
And this shows the importance of breaking up -- this is what I
would categorize as a typically small parking lot, perhaps, you know,
what we might expect to see when we redevelop Bayshore.
If we don't require landscaping, it's not going to be there. I mean,
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January 5, 2006
I can tell you from -- I've been reviewing landscape plans for the last
10 years, and when we say a 10-foot buffer, that's what we get. We
don't get 20. We get 10. So very rarely do they give us more than
what we require as a minimum requirement in the form of
landscaping, dimensionally, that is.
Here's an example of a larger parking area. I mean, look at the
difference. And so I think you can see here where it's just so critical
that we do require landscaping in our overlays.
And here's another critical point I want to make. It's really
important that you have landscaping to separate pavement from
vertical concrete in the form of buildings. I mean, just look at the
difference in the two spaces.
And here it is again, another example. It doesn't necessarily have
to be landscaping right up against the building. It could be set back a
certain dimension. In this case it's probably about 10 feet. But it's
important.
And so that was just the -- I figured it was easier for me just to
show you, you know, the difference between not having it and having
it.
And our recommendation to you as staff this morning is that we
just simply go back to what we had in the overlay district previous --
previously. It allows us more flexibility. And we would also
recommend that we come back next cycle -- we certainly do not want
to hold up the approval of these overlays this cycle -- come back next
cycle and address the landscaping in further detail.
One of the primary reasons I'd like to come back next cycle is,
this needs to be properly vetted among the landscape architect--
architectural community. There's a lot of changes that we want to --
that we want to make to this, but it needs -- it needs to be heard by
them as well. And we get the benefit of multiple minds. And I believe
they have a lot to contribute to this.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you very much, Nancy. And I'm
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sure we're going to have a few questions.
Before we do, looking at the time, members of the staff and other
people in the audience who are here for the AUIR, I can assure you we
will not get to it before lunch. So the earliest we will take lunch is
11 :30. The latest is 12 o'clock. The earliest we'd be back is 12:30, the
latest one clock. So somewhere between 12:30 and 1 :00 we will come
back into this if this isn't done. If this is done, we'll go into the AUIR
at that point.
So if you all want a break, I'm just letting you know that's the
situation for this morning.
So thank you, Nancy.
And Brad, I'm assuming you have questions?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yes, I guess.
Nancy, go back to the 5th Avenue, the walkway between two
buildings, there's a patio, some chairs. There was a planter in the
center of it. There was a palm tree and a planter.
And I guess as you're doing that, we can narrow it down. I mean,
I have no problem with item number two, which is stating, put a buffer
-- 10- foot buffer between commercial and residential. Good idea.
Let's not play with that.
It's the foundation plantings that I have a problem with. The
foundation planting would make that unable to be done because it
would require five foot of planting alongside those buildings,
assuming those are separate owners, and the property line's down the
center. So my fear is we won't be able to do that.
The picture on the right, by the way, is planting within the
right-of-way. That's not even stuff that's being controlled by this
ordinance. A lot of the pictures you showed is planting in the
right-of-way, which we certainly want to maintain and have. It's the
stuff against the building that I'm fearful of.
So let's take number three. You're requiring no buffer between
commercial and abutting, which would be a 10- foot buffer between
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January 5, 2006
the buildings. You do come here where you want a buffer between
the parking of 10 feet. But the buffer between the buildings. So what
you want to do is you -- what you're requesting in the code here is that
-- and one thing about the landscape, I mean, this has been going on
for quite a while. I can't imagine landscape architects feel left out. I
mean, this -- we've been ad nauseam. Look at David Jackson's face
every time he has to come back here. We've been dealing with this for
a long time, dealing with the landscape issues for a long time. So
we've put it off to bring the landscape architects in. Where were they?
MS. GUNDLACH: Well, the significant changes haven't
occurred until recently.
MS. MURRAY: Right. Last meeting. I mean, we've --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But anyway, what is the intent
to do? So in other words, I go in there and I take a buffer, which is all
along the property line, 10 feet wide. I have that area. Where is that
area supposed to land? I mean, it's going to be -- it's a huge amount of
landscaping.
MS. GUNDLACH: Which document are you talking about?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I'm looking at number --
MS. GUNDLACH: Are you talking about 1506, or are you
talking about --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: The one we were given to
reVIew.
MS. GUNDLACH: Okay. The one you were given to review --
you have -- the one that was passed out this morning is the one that we
recommend you go to.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And the reason we didn't have
this before the meeting? Is this the same as we had before?
MS. MURRAY: Yes, it is.
MS. GUNDLACH: Yes.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So we can go back and get our
old notes from before?
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January 5, 2006
COMMISSIONER MURRAY : Yes.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So what is this stuff we have in
here going to do? We can just --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yeah, I'm confused. What was the
purpose of today's handout? I thought this was just to give us
reference to what was available before.
MS. GUNDLACH: That's correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And not -- but what we're
recommending for approval today is what is in the bound packet; is
that correct?
MS. GUNDLACH: No.
MS. MURRAY: No. Commissioner -- and I'm sorry. Let me try
to explain where we're coming from.
Again, given that at the last meeting we had some significant
changes that were suggested, recommended, or what have you, talked
about, staff attempted to address -- address those, and that was the
information that you got in your packet.
Unfortunately, again, a timing issue. Nancy and I met yesterday,
went over the changes, or the day before, I'm sorry -- went over the
changes, and really feel, as professionals, we can't recommend those
changes.
Our attempt was simply to try to address what we talked about at
the last meeting. And, again, it's a matter of timing. The handout was
simply just to refer you back to the old code, which is, at this point,
we feel like we can support. We have been working through the
whole process, Nancy has been. So it's not new, it's not old. It's just
acceptable at this point.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, I want to get through this at this
meeting, first of all, and I didn't realized that the handout you gave us
was for consideration of approval. I thought it was for reference as to
what we had done for the last meeting versus what we now have in
front of us.
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MS. MURRAY: That's our -- that is reflective of our
recommendation as far as the landscape provisions go, and that is what
you had in your last packet.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right. So that handout that we have
today was in the last packet, it's not one we reviewed for today. What
we reviewed for today. What we reviewed for today was the one in
front of us in the packet.
MS. MURRAY: Correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Now, out of fairness -- and it's probably
Brad more than anybody on this commission, in order to have
adequate time for Brad to review this and have any questions that he
may have had last time, but to refresh his memory -- Brad, would we
be better off deferring this till after lunch so you could have time to
read this over lunchtime, and we can finish this up right after lunch,
we can finish the rest of the overlay now?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: If we're going back to where we
are, I can -- I can remember the problems I had with what we used to
have.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Well, then if you have concerns
then over the handout -- I didn't have any landscaping questions of my
own last time, you did. And if you have concerns, I'd like then, if you
can respond to this handout, then that's probably what we should be
focusing on.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I think I can. I mean, the
concern I have is that we definitely want a landscaped community
down there. Again, a lot of stuff you're showing is, if you go flip
through some of these slides, is right-of-way landscaping, which we're
hoping will occur. It's not -- this is not what we're dealing with now.
It looks nice. You're saying this is what we want. Yes, we want that
too. But go back. For example, there's one on 5th Avenue where you
had the building, the sidewalk, and then some landscaping on the
street. That's right-of-way landscaping. That's not covered by this
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January 5, 2006
ordinance.
MS. GUNDLACH: Okay. How about we look at the image that
would be --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, I mean --
MS. GUNDLACH: You don't require landscaping. You get
what's on the left.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: No. We don't want what's on
the left,
MS. GUNDLACH: Okay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And that's not -- there's nothing
that we would want to propose that would cause that. And showing
those two options, again those are suburban options between suburban
functions.
MS. GUNDLACH: Actually, this is not suburbia. This is -- this
is adjacent to 5th. This is just the north edge of 5th right here.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. I mean, there definitely
should be landscaping in that. But go back. Keep going. I mean,
you're going to the ugly picture. And there was a picture you showed
as being good. The thing I want to point out is that it does show no
landscaping on the property. It's in the right-of-way that we're --
MS. GUNDLACH: Okay. That would be an image of --
actually, this is a rear of a building, too, of an existing building. It
shows landscaping between the parking area and the building.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. Then let's say maybe we
should have landscaping between parking areas and buildings. That's
not something anybody's proposed yet, so that's a good idea.
MS. GUNDLACH: That's what we call building perimeter
landscaping.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Perimeter landscaping is around
the foundation of the building. The only thing that's allowed to go
through that is walkways. You want perimeter landscaping on 80
percent of the building.
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January 5, 2006
MS. GUNDLACH: Which would include something like this.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: All the sides, all the back, and --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Brad, I think she's--
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I mean, she's not finding the
picture.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I think she's trying to say the picture on
the right is foundation plantings as staff perceives it. Is that what you
perceive it?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: If it's the face of the columns, I
would consider that to be foundation planting.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Is that something that you're
trying to say is wrong or right? I'm trying to get a picture myself.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: My picture is the amount of it.
In other words, if you have 80 percent foundation planting, you're
going to have planting alongside all your building. You're not going
to have an urban space.
Go back again to that walkway there. You couldn't build that
because you would have to have planting alongside the face of the
building where they have seating. And it's a nice little courtyard. It's
MS. GUNDLACH: Okay. I think I know which one you're --
MS. FABACHER: The very first one.
MS. GUNDLACH: It's in the beginning.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Stop right there a second. Stop
there.
MS. GUNDLACH: Oh, that? Okay. I was thinking maybe this
one.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: That is the one I said second.
MS. GUNDLACH: Okay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But the first -- but this one, by
the way, you would have landscaping, a five foot requirement, if those
are a property line between those buildings. I don't think -- then I
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January 5, 2006
think we want what we have here.
MS. GUNDLACH: If this is what the property -- okay. I see
what you're saying. You want some more flexibility in the placement
of the foundation plantings.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Or another way to go about it --
I mean, maybe it's the percentage. Maybe it's a -- go back to the slide
before, too.
MS. GUNDLACH: Okay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: The slide on the right, again, is
-- the slide on the left, there's no landscaping on the property. The
buildings -- and David's got this set up where the buildings are five
foot back. You're not going to have much landscape anyway. The
prettiness of this is the landscaping on the left, which is in the
right-of-way, not part of the issue we're talking about.
MS . MURRAY: And so if you don't get landscaping in the
right-of-way and you don't have perimeter, then what does that picture
look like?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Stark.
MS. GUNDLACH: Yeah. It looks like the ugly example.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well--
MS. GUNDLACH: Actually, that's not my -- my ugliest one's
here.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But then the county -- let the
county deal with it in the right-of-way. In other words, if you take it
away from there, you're right, it doesn't look good.
MS. GUNDLACH: Yeah.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Brad, I know we've got a lot to get
through today. And I was wondering, is this something that you feel
is critical for this first draft -- first round of the overlay or could it be
resolved as we get into the critiquing or the -- I think Catherine said
that there's going to be some fine-tuning of it at the next LDC cycle.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right. I mean, I definitely think
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January 5, 2006
we have to fine-tune it.
What the staff should have done -- staff has an excellent
suburban landscape code. No one's put together an urban landscape
code, and that's really what we should have. It should apply to all
these overlays. It should be something that we could throw in.
What I don't want is a situation like the last one that required all
of the buffers that we have in the suburban thing, that means that two
property owners are going to have 20 feet of buffer between them.
You're not going to build a downtown where every -- and these are
very small lots. I mean, these lots are 100 feet across, so you've got a
lot with, you know, 20 foot of buffer on the perimeter of everything.
It's not going to be the downtown that we're looking at.
MS. MURRAY: I don't think you're getting any disagreement
from staff on the theory of that. I think that it's not something that's
just going to be piecemealed together as a patchwork quilt from our,
you know, existing code. And I think that's what we're perceiving as
happening in that -- and in part we're having difficulty in
recommending some of these certain sections.
If the thought is to encourage right-of-way landscaping, maybe
we ought to be looking at devising some agreements between the
county and the developers there either in the form of an LDC or some
form where we can encourage that, and I don't see that in here either.
So it's like a lot of pieces of the puzzle are missing --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Missing.
MS . MURRAY: -- to try to create that. And rather than just
eliminate ones that are objectionable, maybe we ought to be looking at
this wholesale through using the expertise we have in the community.
MS. GUNDLACH: I really recommend we come back next
cycle, you know, after we've had an opportunity to get some of our
professionals involved. I mean, a lot of them, you know, work
throughout the state in urban areas. I think they have a lot to
contribute to this.
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January 5, 2006
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And what are people going to
deal with -- I mean, I definitely think that's a good idea. That's
actually -- should have been done. You know, this is six months been
gOIng on.
MR. JACKSON: Well, from my point of view, Mr. Schiffer--
David Jackson -- the -- we took the recommendations from your
December meeting, and it was a -- it was difficult to put it together,
get it fully staffed, to get it -- some good professional advice, coming
together and putting a good meeting, because of the nature of the time
frame of where we were. You know, the holiday season and putting it
together in a time line to be here.
I recommend, and I support staffs comment, is to revert the
landscaping portion for the Gateway and Bayshore overlays back to
the December 15th format and insert that. The only change that I
would recommend is for the foundation plantings, instead of being 80
percent, which is one of your concerns, is to reduce that number down
to 50 percent, which is what we included in this one with major other
changes.
I do feel strongly that we need to go and fully staff this up, come
up with some kind of an urban master plan or a design plan that is a
little bit more comprehensive and well thought out, going to the area,
taking a look at what we've got, look at our building stock, look at
roads, see what we've got there. We've got an MSTU that has 10 feet
of landscaping that they control that's in the right-of-way.
Then in the Gateway area we have very little, if any,
right-of-way to landscape. It's all sidewalk or it's 45-mile-an-hour
road. So we need to think to look at those things.
So my recommendation is to support staffs comment, revert to
the December 15th copy, exchange -- change one number from 80
percent to 50 percent, and then in the next LDC cycle, come back with
something that is fully staffed out and approve by staff and the CRA.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I would ask a question of Mr. --
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Nancy, are you comfortable with the 50 percent number?
MS. GUNDLACH: I -- actually I think what would be better is
just to hold the 80 percent, but be more flexible in terms of where we
let them locate it. I mean, not nec -- maybe within 20 feet of the
perimeter of the building. That way you could create a space, oh,
gosh --
MR. JACKSON: I understand from your pictures --
MS. GUNDLACH: I want to go back in here and get --
MR. JACKSON: It doesn't have to be adjacent to the building
but could be around and move around and give them the flexibility to
make a very well-designed space, because we are working with a lot
of preexisting buildings that were built back in the '40s and '50s, and
there were no codes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Nancy, could you, between now and the
BCC meeting, provide some language that incorporates the flexibility
into that 80 percent?
MS. GUNDLACH: Yes.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Yeah, and my --
MS. GUNDLACH: Ifwe could achieve something like this on
the left-hand side.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Again, the right-hand side of
that is right-of-way parking. Could we do this, Nancy? Could we--
we're all talking about landscaping as if it's vegetation. It could be
decorative walkways. So could we keep your requirements, and in
place of that, it could be landscaping or decorative walkway? Here's
the thing I want, David, is we have a five-foot setback between
commercial buildings
MR. JACKSON: Correct.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: We build two buildings five feet
MR. JACKSON:
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: -- next to each other. And that's
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January 5, 2006
really the intent that you want.
MR. JACKSON: Correct.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: You don't want a 10-foot strip
of dark grass or -- nothing could grow in there anyway.
MS. GUNDLACH: Or maybe you don't want a five-foot strip of
concrete either.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But what do we want in there?
In other words, is that a service access, you know, that the
garbagemen might use to bring stuff around the building?
MR. JACKSON: Right. And at one time Mr. Ehardt had
suggested that the side setback, instead of being five, was a variation
between five and 10, which would allow somebody to set the building
a little further back and put some landscaping and do that little
walkway where you had, between buildings, where they could have
access to the back parking; however, at the last meeting, you -- you
wanted us to put a fixed hard number, so we put five. So if we can
live with -- and staff has no problem with, we could do between zero
and 10 between commercial buildings and be able to have that
flexibility to put in some plantings or seedings.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Dave, that five is a minimum,
so somebody could do that.
MS. GUNDLACH: Like I said, we get minimums.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: That's what it says.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Bob, did you have a--
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Yeah. I just wanted to make a
final comment on this, and we really need to wrap it up.
We've spoken about it being urban and urban, urban, urban, and I
agree, it's not an urban code; however, this is also a project that is in
transformation and we will see a long time before we have a lot of
these things come into place.
I can't imagine that we cannot refine it more effectively in the
next cycle. And whether it be 80 percent or 50 percent, whatever's
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January 5, 2006
appropriate, I think it's -- it really can be done. And who's to say that
an urban code, anyway, shouldn't have foundation planting and
shouldn't have other things? So I think you're well on your way to
doing the right thing, and I would hope that we could just get this
movIng now.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. In order to get this issue to
resolution, is it a consensus of our group, at the end of our meeting
today, we'll recommend that we go to the staffs addendum dated
1/05/06, as presented to us at the meeting? Is that the general idea?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: That would be my view.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Why can't we go over what they
proposed, an alternative of that? I mean, we haven't looked at that yet.
That's what we reviewed when we got -- sent the package out. I
mean, if the staff wanted us to go back to the old thing, then why did
they send us this new stuff --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Well, it's page 110 in the old
book.
MS. MURRAY: We were trying to address your comments.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yeah. I think that the -- Brad, I mean,
we can go over it --
MS. MURRAY: In the end what we came up with was
something we felt we professionally couldn't recommend. I mean,
that's all it is. You know, we attempted to try to do as you suggested,
and it just didn't work out for us professionally. So I think we can add
the suggested language about the flexibility. I think we already kind
of agreed on that, so --
MS. GUNDLACH: Yeah.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Brad, if you could take a look at it over
the lunch break, and if you have some concerns, then we can finalize
this when you get back. Let's just finish it up on this issue, and we'll
have public discussion at the end of the -- at the end of the discussion
on the Bayshore overlay.
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At this point we're going to take a lunch break. We'll be back
here at 12:30.
MR. FOGG: I have to leave. I've been sitting here. I wanted to
talk about this specific item. I have a brief comment that I --
MS. MURRAY: Do you have any registered -- I don't have any
registered speakers, so I'm sorry.
MS. FABACHER: No, but I believe Nancy had some people she
had --
MS. GUNDLACH: Aren't there two registered speakers?
MS. FABACHER: Oh, I'm sorry. Mr. Fogg. I'm so sorry. We
do have public speakers for this.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MS. FABACHER: Mr. Fogg, Mr. Fernandez.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, Mr. Fernandez is going to have a
lengthy discussion. I'm going to request he come back after lunch, if
that's okay.
Mr. Fogg, if you've got another appointment we'll accommodate
you, if you could -- you have five minutes to come up and speak.
MR. FOGG: It will be less than five.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Please come up and address us to the
mike, sir, thank you.
MR. FOGG: I thank you for this opportunity to speak. My name
is George Fogg. I'm a Landscape Architect. I've been practicing for
some time, longer than you people have been doing this work.
Over my long years, I can only say that the presentation that
Nancy made I think is clearly indicative of what it appears that most
of you wish to have.
My comments would be, very simply, that I concur that -- with
the latest revision that has just been talked about, that was just handed
to you, would be appropriate. The buffer requirements and other
components in that, especially in relationship to the comments of this
alleyway with the trees, these are all appropriate comments and I think
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need to be considered in a future cycle amendment.
It is important that we achieve the desired urban character of this
overlay district but we want to keep a desirable landscape appearance,
essentially similar to that character of the 5th Avenue that we've been
viewing, 3rd Street, the new extension of 5th Avenue that is the new
area -- not the 5th Avenue. I don't remember what they call it -- down
in Naples where they've been landscaping the street areas.
I think it's critical that this part of it in the refinement of the
overlay landscape requirements, that this part of it be looked at, and,
perhaps in your consideration, be made part of the requirements that,
when these developments go ahead, that the streetscape be necessarily
part of that total package.
I know Mr. Schiffer indicated that that's a streetscape situation.
It really is part of the total urban fabric situation and is a long-term
practicing professional, both rural and urban areas.
I can only strongly recommend that we approach this as staff has
suggested at this time, which is to adopt the ordinance that was given
-- the copy of the adjustments that were given to you today, that we
look at it as a professional group and come back with the necessary
refinements when we've thoroughly looked at it and where we aren't
taking and throwing bricks at one another. I would prefer to have
quality rather than bricks. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you. And sir, did you say you
were a landscape design professional?
MR. FOGG: I'm a landscape architect. Been practicing for 50
years now. Happen to be a fellow in American Society and
Landscape Architects, and I'm a vice-president of a maj or architectural
landscape, architectural firm out of Miami.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's all. I appreciate your input.
Thank you.
MR. FOGG: And a local resident, by the way. This is my home.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No. Thank you for attending today.
Page 11 7
January 5, 2006
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I'd like to ask him a question.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Sir, we have one question from Mr.
Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And the concern I had -- and
this was what we had before -- is that we couldn't build a 5th Avenue.
In other words, requirements in here were such that we weren't
able to build what we had at 5th Avenue, which is why we wanted to
change it. I mean, do you think, based on what you hold in your
hands, you can do -- and I walked around 5th Avenue with the latest
revisions, which is a little bit different than the others, and you weren't
able to do that. I mean, that was what was going to prevent you from
building 5th Avenue was the landscape requirements.
MR. FOGG: I think that all of us -- we were discussing this
amongst ourselves, the landscape architects, some of which had to
leave -- were discussing this amongst ourselves this morning. We
recognize that the current Collier County code would make it literally
impossible to achieve this kind of a result.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right.
MR. FOGG: We also recognize though -- and I didn't want to
speak about it but, I will bluntly -- if we don't have specific
requirements that are necessary to achieve the results that we've all
observed today, won't get them. It flat out won't happen. The
developers will not provide them. The owners will not provide them.
Therefore, we have to have something to guide us at least so that we
can, okay, let's adjust it a little bit and achieve this or this now.
If we have to have a special commission, recommendations to the
county commissioners, fine, but let's use something now, to put it
bluntly, at least a pretty good size two-by-four to hit somebody with if
we need to, and then refine it so that we can get what all of us seem to
think we want to get.
I agree that that's what we want. We don't want a great huge
buffer between the properties. That would not get us the effect.
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So I think we all want the same thing. I am convinced through
my long, long years of practice that if we don't have something pretty
thorough, I mean, pretty significant in our overlay district
requirements, we're going to get the alternative of the bare parking lot
and the bare -- we just don't want that bare building, bare parking lot.
You've said that, and I think all the other commissioners have said
that.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And I agree, and people
designed to minimums, you're right about that. What did you find out
that the landscape requirements were changing in the Bayshore
overlay?
MR. FOGG: What happened is, I got information that clearly
indicated that -- at least when I read it, and I have a copy of it sitting
in my briefcase. When I read it, I couldn't find what was going to
happen. It looked like the landscape was pretty much left out of the
formula.
And I don't feel comfortable. I feel much more comfortable --
and by the way, I would like to digress momentarily and say that the
consultant's provision of diagrams and photographs is to be strongly
admired and should be copied in the entire code, not just in the
overlay district.
I can read the plans and the pictures. I'm not always sure about
the words. But this is a good example of, I think, where we should be
going, and I strongly applaud.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But the problem is, is the
landscape ordinance, even in the past issue, you can't build what's in
these pictures because of the buffer system.
MR. FOGG: I don't think we should be hung up on that specific
item and leave out the rest of it. If you wish, I think maybe you direct
the staff to put a proviso in there that permits an adjustment of that
situation.
I don't think we should change wholesalely (sic) what we're
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doing. I think if that is a specific concern, then just address that
specific narrow item by saying, as it was suggested earlier, that the
buffer -- I mean the buffer may be adjusted to fit the criteria of that
particular property where the concept of a landscape site be
maintained.
I'm not being very specific because I don't have specific
language. I do better when I have it in writing in front of me.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you, Mr. Fogg.
Now, with that --
MS. MURRAY: Did you have somebody else?
MS. GUNDLACH: There's one more speaker. I think she'll be
very quick. Just -- we're going to lose her at 12.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No, that's fine. I didn't realize that. Go
ahead.
MS. FABACHER: Kristen Petry, sorry.
MS. PETRY: Good morning. I'm Kristen Petry, and we own a
landscape architecture, landscape construction, and landscape
maintenance company here in town. I'd just like to let you know that I
agree with the comments of Mrs. Gundlach and Mr. Fogg.
Thank you for your consideration.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you, ma'am.
Are there any other people that --
MS. FABACHER: Mr. Fernandez, but I think we determined
he'd be after lunch.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yeah. He's going to -- he has a little bit
lengthier discussion to have on another issue. So hearing no other
speakers, we're going to take a lunch break until 12:45. Thank you.
(A luncheon recess was had.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. It's 12:45, but -- oh, we do have
a quorum. There's five of us here.
With that, where we had left off is, Mr. Schiffer was going to
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review any final comments he may have on this, pages 41 -- or 42,43,
44 on the landscaping issues to see if there was anything that had to be
addressed now or could be delayed till one of the criteria's modified as
we go on with the LDC amendments.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, I actually just got it, Mark
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Oh.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: -- so I haven't had a really good
chance to look at it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Well, then--
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Subway set the -- you know,
that land speed record for how long it takes to make a sandwich. But
I'll tell you what, move on. I'll do it while we're -- we've got to do
something.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, the landscaping issues that are in
question are on pages 42, 43, and 44, so let's bypass those issues
involving landscaping on those couple of pages at this point.
Does anybody have any other issues besides landscape on pages
42, 43, and 44?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: None? On page 45? On 4.02.17(B)( 4),
it talks about height of structures again, and I just want to make sure
we're consistent. The 50 feet that we're talking about in that there, is
that the actual height or is that -- how is that measured?
MR. EHARDT: Should be actual height.
MR. JACKSON: Should be actual height.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MR. JACKSON: And that has to with marina structures.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So what we can insert before the word
50 that -- or before the word height, maximum actual height of.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Maximum actual height.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Of 50 feet, right.
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January 5, 2006
On page 46, any questions on page 46? On the top, it -- well, this
is a landscaping issue, uh-oh. I just have a clarification I need for it.
I'm not complaining about it. It says on the top in item E, an
additional 10- foot landscape buffer is required around the perimeter of
the outdoor boat sales area. Is that, in addition to what?
MR. JACKSON: That's original language.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right, but I--
MR. JACKSON: It precedes me by a few years.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. So we're adding 10-foot to
something, but we just don't know what we're adding it to? Is that fair
to say? Okay.
Maybe staff could look at that and get -- not now, but at some
point make a clarification.
MR. JACKSON : We'll put that in -- on the docket for this next
cycle to clean that up and fully define what that is.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: On page 47, any issues, other than the
striking of the reference to zoned height on page 47? I'm assuming we
would want to proceed there just as we proceeded in the previous
chart.
On page 48; anything on page 48? Boy, you guys had lunch and
turned quiet on me.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Well, they did a good job.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: On page 48 there's -- in the middle of
the page after the details, there's items A and C which regulate the
height of a building. I don't have any problem with it myself. I just
want to make sure, from a legal perspective, if someone wanted to go
higher to keep out of, say, higher insurance rates or to help their
FEMA position, would this prevent them from doing that? And if it
does, can we legally prevent them from doing that?
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Okay. I'm sorry. Would you--
would you repeat the question again, please?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: On page 48, item A and item C, about
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just below the detail.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: FEMA gives you the
maximum height you can do.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: A garage floor?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I'm talking about--
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: You said 24 inches of
elevation; is that what you're talking about?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No, on A, first of all --
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Okay, A.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- it says that the first habitable floor
can't be greater than three feet above the minimum first floor elevation
designed by National Flood Insurance Program. The minimum.
Now, FEMA talks about minimums. And the higher you go, the
more you save on your insurance. I'm not saying it's good to go
higher. I just want to make sure that we can't prevent somebody from
doing something to make their proj ect more safe if they want to stay
out of a flood potential. And I want to make sure the code doesn't put
us in that position, so that was my only question.
And A and C are both limitations to how high you can go in
regards to minimum versus the maximum. And I'm not sure that if
someone wanted to go higher to be less prone to flooding, that we
have a right to prevent them. If we do, that's fine.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Well, I haven't studied this
vis-a-vis the FEMA regulations, but I would argue that local
governments impose height restrictions in different zoning districts all
the time, and that may preclude somebody from going higher, and
then they may -- which may cause the situation that you allude to.
And I don't know of any case law or anything that says that that could
be problematic. If you want further research on it, we can certainly do
it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No, Margie. First of all, this isn't height
elevation. This is a maximum first floor elevation.
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MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: On the habitable floor. But a
height restriction may operate the same way.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I'm just throwing it out there. But if you
don't believe it's an issue, then there's nothing that needs to be said.
MS. F ABACHER: There's a couple things. I think -- I don't
know if I'm right, but maybe Susan could help me. But I think you
could possibly go and get a variance if you wanted to have your
garage be higher than that. If you look up at E, it says, a maximum of
two feet of fill shall be allowed to get up to FEMA standards. So if
you're going to change this other one, the garage, I think it refers to
this.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No. I think what it -- by a maximum of
two feet of fill, if you don't want to use -- once you go up with your
fill, if you go higher, you've got to use stem wall.
MS. FABACHER: Right. But you can't do that on a garage.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No, I know that.
MS. FABACHER: Right, okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But I'm not -- A is the one -- A doesn't
reference a garage. I think --
MS. F ABACHER: And then I have one more comment, being a
former flood plan administrator. You can have your garage floor
below base flood --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Correct.
MS. F ABACHER: -- as long as you, you know -- what is it,
equalizes for the hydrostatic pressure?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Flood proof it, right.
MS. F ABACHER: Well, equalize for hydrostatic, meaning
there's a flowway through, and you don't locate any of your electrical
or mechanical equipment below base flood, which means your light
switches, and you couldn't put a washer and dryer in there if it was
below, but you could still have a usable garage.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
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January 5, 2006
MS. F ABACHER: I'm just saying, there are options.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, my only concern was people
wanting to go higher for safety reasons. Ifwe can prevent that, then I
just --
MS. FABACHER: Well, and they may want to go higher for
handicap reasons.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Enough said.
Page 50? I'm sorry, go ahead, Bob.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: I have a question on 48.
There's a typo. It's national food insurance program instead of flood.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, down here they gave out food
stamps, so it was a dual insurance program.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: It's a dual program.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It's a dual program.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I have a 49.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Go ahead, Brad.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Just in -- and the illustration
shows steps coming off the front of the porch, what used to be allowed
in 4A, just to clean the illustration up.
There's -- up in the illustration there, front porches, there used to
be allowed seven feet into the setback and an additional three feet for
steps. But the three feet for steps are crossed off. The illustration still
shows the steps in the front.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yeah, good point.
MR. EHARDT: You want me to take the steps out?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Joe, you've got to use the podium, I'm
sorry .
MR. EHARDT: Sorry.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yeah. I mean, I wonder why
we got rid of that in the first place. I mean, that's --
MR. EHARDT: I can't remember if someone asked that we --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: All your pretty illustrations
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show it that way.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, all you've got to do is make the
diagram consistent with the language, if that's what you'd like to do.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But then we're -- over on F, we
-- 4 F, we show that steps shall encroach no more than three feet into
the front setback, which, the way that porch is configured, it would
probably look pretty to have steps the full seven feet of it, so --
MR. EHARDT: I -- I'm trying to remember what I had last time.
I had that three feet there? I'm not sure what you're -- you want the
steps in or out? I'm not sure.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, I mean, I like the way you
had it. For some reason we took it out. So if we took it out, we
should make the drawings match.
MR. EHARDT: I'll have to look at that.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And why we limit it to three
feet; in other words, take that seven foot porch, it would be nice if the
steps could run the whole, you know, depth of it.
MR. EHARDT: You mean the whole length of the front of the
porch.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Or the side of the porch is what
I'm talking about.
MR. EHARDT: Well, I just -- I think we were saying that in that
three feet you can have steps from the property line up to the porch.
I'll have to look at my illustration. I can't remember why we changed
that.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, we took it out--
MR. JACKSON: This came out of a conversation between Mr.
Schiffer and Mr. Strain concerning -- Mr. Strain, your concern was the
width of the stairs, the height of the stairs, how many steps, three
steps, two steps, and it was a -- you know, a free-for-all for a few
moments there about the steps and the stairs. We prefer that you
allow some steps to encroach further beyond the front porch to allow
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January 5, 2006
somebody to achieve access for that two-foot stem wall or that fill that
may be required in there for that part of it there, is that -- you know,
that architecturally and construction-wise, it's built to code.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN : Well, I think A and F are maybe where
the contradiction occurs. F says, steps Shall encroach no more than
three feet into the front yard setback, which means they can't be
further than three feet off the back side of the 10 feet. A said they can
have an additional three feet encroachment allowable for entry stairs
beyond the seven feet that the porch is.
So one has stairs seven feet -- starting seven feet out, and the
other one has stairs starting at the 10 foot setback line on F. I think
there's a clarification needed. That may have been where the original
point was coming from.
MR. JACKSON: Okay. Well, that would be a matter of whether
there's a porch on it. W e'lllook at that and we'll clean that up. Good
point.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And then as long as the diagram that
you have on page 49 corresponds to whatever you clean up, that's all
that I think we're trying to say.
Any more on that page, Brad?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: No, thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Page 50?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, Page 51? On this one, under
your accessory unit, in the first sentence you, again, refer to the rear of
the property for the accessory unit. Based on the fact we struck that
from the definition, you may want to strike that from that first
sentence as well.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: B, it says the fence shall have
a what? Excuse me.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: We're on page 51.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Fifty-one? I'm sorry, excuse
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January 5, 2006
me.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Anyway--
MR. JACKSON: Mr. Adelstein, what was your question?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: That was on 52. I'm a page
up.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: His is on -- we're still on page 51. If
you -- did you follow my comment about the rear? Okay.
If you go down to E, the maximum height of a structure
containing a guesthouse over a garage is limited to a maximum of 20
feet measured from the grade of the lot to the eave and with a
maximum overall building height of 26 feet. By overall, do you mean
actual?
MR. EHARDT: Yes.
MR. JACKSON: Correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. So we'll change that to actual.
And then the rest of that sentence says -- and since it isn't zoned
height, I guess it reads consistent with the way we're defining things,
so that works.
And under F, height requirement measured to the eave with a
maximum actual building height of 26 feet. Is that -- I think that then
becomes consistent with the correction we just made on E, right?
MR. EHARDT: Right, actual.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Any other questions on 51 ?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: If not, page 52. Mr. Adelstein?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: B, the fence shall have an,
and then you have O-P-A-C-I-T-Y.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Opacity.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Opacity.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Opacity.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: What does that word mean?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Opaque, something that's
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January 5, 2006
opaque. Something you can't look through.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Opaque, okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Fifty-three. Any questions on
page 53?
MR. JACKSON: I do have one point of clarification on page 53.
I believe it was the second meeting that we had, we talked about
the coastal high hazard area and mobile homes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes.
MR. JACKSON: Okay. And at this point, for the record, I'd like
to get a clarification from staff and/or from the planning commission
about mobile homes in the area that a currently -- has zoned mobile
home lots or a currently zoned mobile home condominium unit, a
co-op, that if a mobile home owner has it destroyed or wants to
replace it because of age, that they can do that, that they're not denied
the ability to replace their mobile home for either damage or because
of time and use.
And number two is, if somebody buys a vacant mobile home
zoned lot, that they can put a mobile home on that lot.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: In the coastal high hazard?
MR. JACKSON: Correct. And my entire area is in that pretty
much.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Susan, are you the right person to
respond to that?
MS. MURRAY: David is probably going to have to help me out,
so --
MR. WEEKS: Excuse me. The future land use element
specifically states that new rezones to permit mobile home
development within this subdistrict, referring to the urban coastal
fringe, south U.S. 41, are prohibited. So since we're not dealing with
the rezoning, it would not be prohibited or, conversely, would be
allowed.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. So ifsomeone's home got
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January 5, 2006
destroy, they could actually come in, and as long as it met whatever
codes were applicable, and put the new mobile home on there.
MR. JACKSON: Correct. If they had to bring it up for height or
codes. And that was a question from some mobile home owners and
people that owned the lots. When they saw this language there,
mobile homes were stricken out. They says, what do you mean, I
can't do that? And so that was a clarification. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, thank you.
Page 54. Any -- it's all crossed out except for the bottom two.
Page 55?
MS. FABACHER: Oh, excuse me. I think we had to make an
addition, didn't we, David, that we wanted to put back in about the --
I'm sorry. Catherine Fabacher -- that we wanted to put back something
in about the neighborhood meeting conducted by the applicant in
conjunction with the overlay, with local -- with area overlay advisory
board -- what was that last part in parens we were going to use?
MR. JACKSON: Well, the language we wanted to put in here is
that the neighborhood information meeting would be conducted in
conjunction with whoever was sponsoring the overlay. And they
wanted pretty much boilerplate language because it's going to be in
chapter 10, that talked about all future mixed-use project overlays that
may be coming in for the county, and they didn't want to have to
amend it every time with a new adding it -- you know, either the
Bayshore CRA advisory board or the Immokalee CRA advisory
board. They didn't want to have to keep amending it. So they wanted
it kind of generic.
But what we wanted to make sure was that any mixed use proj ect
for the neighborhood and for an information meeting, it was
conducted with whatever the -- whoever the local advisory board was,
whether it was the CRA or if it was a special unit or district.
So in paragraph two, you can see there that it doesn't read real
smoothly if something was omitted. The end of the sentence,
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January 5, 2006
conducted by the applicant or, and then for.
So that the drop-off there should be -- say, the local advisory
board conducted in conjunction with them. And this is to provide--
because usually your local advisory board has the feeling and the
pulse of the community and knows who to contact and who has the
hard points and soft points and can help bring them together as part of
the process and provides input into the mixed-use project with the
development or investor that's in the area.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN : Well, then on number three, are you
going to change the reference to the CRA advisory board --
MR. JACKSON: Correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- to the same whatever local board is--
MR. JACKSON: Yes, sir, that's the next step. It says, the date to
the neighborhood information meeting, period. And that's not before
the CRA board. That takes that out and puts it up in paragraph two.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MR. JACKSON: So it's not redundant and not too specific so
that their chapter 10 language can pretty much stay as it is and doesn't
have to be modified every cycle.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: So let me ask you. The county is
going to send out this notice, but it is -- it is brought about by the
advisory board?
MR. JACKSON: No. The notice is sent out by the applicant.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Okay. I'm just reading here,
what I thought I read, it said something, written notice of the meeting
shall be sent by applicant. Okay, sorry about that.
MR. JACKSON : Yeah. The applicant is the one. Just like it is
in any other process -- rezoning process, the applicant is the one that
bears the cost and has to do the mailings, put the sign on his property.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Yeah, my eye dropped to a
second line.
MR. JACKSON: That's fine, sir. And we're just trying to
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include the local advisory board who was the genesis for deciding and
building the overlay anyway, that they stay engaged in the process in
the neighborhood information and for the project redevelopment
process.
Now, this may not be specific to other areas when they do that.
But for the CRA, we are very engaged, and we will be there for a very
long period of time.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mrs. Caron?
COMMISSIONER CARON: Yeah. I have a question. Do these
mixed-use projects have to come before the CCPC?
MR. JACKSON: No. They're meant as an incentive fast track.
They're staffed up by county staff. And after the neighborhood
information meeting, they go directly to the Board of County
Commissioners, and the Board of County Commissioners -- Mr.
Adelstein is the one -- are the ones -- are the ones that look at the
mixed-use project and approves or denies, and along with the
allocation of bonus density units if they are requested, approves or
denies.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Any other questions on 55? I have one.
And I guess it's a question for staff. Susan or Catherine or somebody.
MS. FABACHER: I'm sorry.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Number four talks about posting a sign
on the out -- we have a requirement in the LDC for posting of signs.
I'm not sure, is there a reason why we just don't reference the LDC, or
-- there's a lot of language here that was added to accommodate that
issue, and then -- do we need it?
MS . MURRAY: Catherine, is this different than the LDC
requirement? I thought you did a different set of requirements for this.
MS. FABACHER: Well, I did it separately because this -- to
make this one from mixed use, because if I cite the whole section that
refers to some other pro -- it all has different applicability.
Understood?
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January 5, 2006
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So as a proc -- no. The --
MS. FABACHER: That's why I made a new G and explained
this was the mixed use because the other ones I would cite would be
for rezonings or PUD amendments and so forth. I didn't really want to
cross-reference something in a section that had applicability to another
process.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. I wanted to make sure it won't be
duplicative.
Page 56. Any questions on 56?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: If not, we have finished the Bayshore
mixed use district. Now--
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Want to go back to landscaping.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- we ought to break out the -- yes, we
do. We've got to go back to that. And before two o'clock we have one
public speaker.
MS. FABACHER: We now have two.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Two public speakers. And I would like
-- I would assume it would be appropriate to take these two separately
or -- that's how we've been doing this LDC cycle.
MS. FABACHER: Right, yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So -- then before we go to the final
resolutions on Bayshore and the public speakers, Brad, do you want to
finish up with your landscaping issues?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Let's try this, and maybe Nancy
can come up and we'll-- actually, Nancy and I should have gone to
lunch and worked it out probably. But, that's okay.
Nancy, let's stay with the one that you proposed in the packet, not
the old one. Because it's not that much different. I mean, there is
some things missing in the old one that you might want in the new
one, like the water management landscaping and stuff, okay?
MS. GUNDLACH: Okay. Would you like to make some
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recommendations?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yes.
MS. GUNDLACH: Okay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So let's just go down. G, we're
on page 42.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Forty-two of the new?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Of the --
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: The book?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Of the packet, the bound book.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: The bound book.
MS. GUNDLACH: Okay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Number one, no problem.
Number two, no problem. Number three, what I'd like to do -- we can
come back. For now just get rid of the line that says, how -- the buffer
square footage, because it doesn't really say how to do that, but we
may come back and visit that. But for now I suggest we cross it off.
MS. GUNDLACH: That's something we can consider when we
bring it back next cycle.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: For sure. And we should --
that's where we really should focus on.
Number four --
MS. GUNDLACH: Well, I mean, I wouldn't -- go ahead. I'm
not prepared to make any recommendations at this point. Go ahead.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: No, let me go through it first,
because some things actually go back and fix that.
Number four, the building foundation. What I think it should be
is the foundation planting within the side setback shall be -- get rid of
the minimum of 50 percent of the building width. In other words --
wait, let me say what I'm saying, then I'll go back.
MS. GUNDLACH: Okay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: What I'm saying is that, within
the side setback only, if the setback for the side is 10 foot or greater,
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then we should have a foundation planting within that area, okay? And
I think a five-foot -- and it could be, as long as it's within that area.
F or example, they could put it on the property line, have a walkway
alongside the building, or they could put it on the building and have a
walkway along or a patio on the property line, okay?
MS. GUNDLACH: Okay. So some flexibility there.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right. And it's only on the side
setback, because the front, we've eliminated it. And then going up to
parking, number -- well, number five, I think's fine. Leave it the way it
is. You want to decorate the retention, which you really should do.
Number six is -- I would try this, is the parking lot and/or access
drives abutting commercial properties or buildings shall be required to
have a five-foot perimeter landscape buffer. And what's that -- most
of the pictures you showed, the horrible ones, were paving up against
buildings.
So what you're saying is, if you're going to park behind your
building, you've got to have at least five feet of landscape. Preferably
what somebody does is put a five-foot walkway, five-foot landscape,
and then the parking. But this gives them the option to do it the other
way.
MS. GUNDLACH: Actually this is landscaping around a
parking lot, item number six.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Is perimeter parking, right. And
I --
MS. GUNDLACH: Yeah. Not necessarily up against a building.
It could be adjacent to -- that parking lot could be adjacent to
another property.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right. But if you think of it, if
a parking lot is not up against the building, then you have probably
landscape anyway. At least hopefully you don't have paving.
MS. GUNDLACH: You probably have building perimeter.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right. If you want, you could
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change that to access drive or any paved area just to prevent what
you're trying to avoid if somebody said I'm just paving for the sake of
it.
And then I think -- we definitely have to come back, but I think
that would make the rest of this -- seven is fine, eight is fine, and nine
is fine.
Now, one problem, if you look at the picture, the impression I get
is that would probably be two par -- two separate parcels. The --
would the parking perimeter problem cause a buffer to have to go
down that property line to eliminate the ability to do this shared
parking, which is going to be -- for this neighborhood to be successful,
they're going to have to be able to do that kind of configuration.
MS. GUNDLACH: They punch right through the landscape
buffer and connect the parking lots.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But what I'm thinking, if you
look at that illustration below, the property line is probably the center
of the drive.
MS. GUNDLACH: I think that's a street or a driveway access
shown in the middle there. Oh, okay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: No, remember the --
MR. EHARDT: Joe Ehardt. What I -- was intended here was to
show that you could have a building that has part of its parking on the
side and maybe in the rear. So this is like a double bay of parking.
That would be one parcel. The building on the right-hand side would
be -- a zero lot line, be on the property line.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Would be -- okay.
MR. EHARDT: And that would have whatever building
foundation planting, if there was room to do it. If not, it doesn't have
it.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Because I thought if you go
back to 41, do you see the illustration on top of 41 where you're doing
these accessory parking zones, which I think's a really smart idea,
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because what you could do is -- I assume what that was is, two
buildings were sharing the parking between them, and that that's what
we were showing, which would probably, in my case, again, put the
property line down the center of that property.
MR. EHARDT: Well, that illustration is really a block with two
streets on either side.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay.
MR. EHARDT: And they're getting their access from the side
street for the parking in the rear.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Then that's it. And I think,
Nancy, if we go back and maybe play with the wording, it would
eliminate that big sea of asphalt, which nobody wants.
I do agree that people landscape what the code says and that, you
know, the code minimum becomes their standard, so we do have to be
careful. Do you have any problem with that?
I mean, the only thing that doesn't do is -- I mean, when you take
like 80 percent building foundation, you know, a building, let's say, is
essentially square, and we can't have it on the front anyway, so we
really can't even achieve 80 percent with a square building --
MR. EHARDT: Well, you can have some of it on the front on
Bayshore, if you've got a five-foot front setback.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, we -- number seven kind
of eliminates the requirement for a buffer. You've got a five-foot
setback -- but do you really, you know, in the streetscape, do you
imagine the land between Bayshore and the building to be landscape?
Don't you see cafes, outdoor --
MR. EHARDT: Well, it could be both. They have that building
foundation buffer, and I guess, you know, they have a certain
percentage. It would be where they want to put it. If they want --
excuse me -- to put it in front or they want to put it on the side, that's
their choice to make it. That's why we used a percentage of the
perimeter of the building.
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COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: What I'm saying is, if it's a
square shape, let's say, 80 percent of it means you're going to have it
in the front, where I don't think you want it.
MR. EHARDT: I think we changed the percentage in this case to
50 percent.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But again, they're back
requesting --
MR. EHARDT: I'm sorry?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: They're back requesting 80
.
agaIn.
MR. EHARDT: Oh, I understand.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Anyway, that's --
MR. EHARDT: Oh, I'm sorry. What I was going to say, in that
illustration that shows the street wall, if the building on the left-hand
side of the page and that parking lot are the same parcel, then with this
perimeter landscaping, you would have a 10- foot buffer of
landscaping next to that building on the right-hand side going around,
according to the way we've --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, I'm proposing to make
that a five-foot buffer, just --
MR. EHARDT: Well, I don't know if you'll be getting many
trees in there, but you might be able to get some palms or something.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, do you think it should be
10 feet?
MR. EHARDT: Yes.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So this number six, the 10-foot
buffer --
MR. EHARDT: I would say it should be like I had it -- we
discussed this and put that -- left that in there, yes. But this one was
eliminating -- now, this particular way we wrote was eliminating the
buffer between commercial and commercial uses, which could be
more like 120 feet.
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COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: It would be.
MR. EHARDT: Right. And I'm saying it would go to 10 feet
here.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But this will be 20 feet, if the
guy has the parking on both sides.
MR. EHARDT: But what I said further down in there is that you
couldn't have two of these parking lots adjacent to each other. The
next building would have to be over to that side.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Where do you see that?
MR. EHARDT: B, no two street walls shall adjoin on a common
property line. In other words, I don't want 120 feet of street wall. I
want maybe 60 feet, if you've got, you know, just one bay of parking
going back.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. But like if the -- the
concern I have is the parking's behind the streets -- these buildings, I
mean, the intent is, the parking will be behind these buildings, so --
MR. EHARDT: There may be some behind the building, yes,
that's right.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And that's the area that would
have the 20 feet.
MR. EHARDT: That would have -- depend if it's -- it would
have 10 feet, and it could have 20 if it's butting up another commercial
property. If there's another parking lot behind there, yes.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Then what we really should be
doing is connecting them and sharing the parking spaces.
MR. EHARDT: Well, I think we can certainly connect them, but
the buffer may still stay there.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: All right. Anyway, that's my
proposal.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Nancy, I want to -- is any of those
objectionable with staff?
MS. GUNDLACH: I'm not prepared to respond to them right
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now. I'd like a little time for us to consider this, and I think if you
would like to make a recommendation for or against them, then we
can come back and address them at the -- at the next hearing.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, we're not--
MS. GUNDLACH: Support them.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I'm hoping we're not going to have
another hearing on this.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: You mean the BCC?
MS. GUNDLACH: I mean for the planning -- for the BCC.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, the BCC won't have the benefit of
Brad's input then.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I mean, this wasn't supposed to
be putty at this stage, so --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, I guess it's going to leave it up to
this panel to decide what they want to do.
MR. EHARDT: Excuse me. Didn't we decide earlier when
we're talking about Bayshore, that the landscaping thing was going to
be resolved in the next cycle and that we were going to adopt the one
that we had previously? I thought that was discussed. That would
apply -- would apply to this, too, I think.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Staff gave it to us, but we didn't really
form a consensus --
MR. EHARDT: I understand.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- on that. I just wanted to make sure
the panel was comfortable. Brad had not commented on it because it
was just given to him. He was going to take some time over lunch and
come back with some comments. He's now done that. Staff is not in a
position to comment on his comments.
So what's the feelings of the panel? Brad?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, I guess let's look and see
what the existing -- you know, there isn't a strike-through. Is there --
on any of these pages, is there a on the old landscape requirements, the
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one that exists today? If we leave it, that's maybe where we leave it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Nancy, if staff was left with direction to
try to take a further look at these issues that Brad's raised and provide
a response to those issues to the BCC both explaining his position and
yours, is that something that you feel could be done?
MS. GUNDLACH: Absolutely, sure.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Brad, might that not resolve it for
today?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Say it again.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: If staff took your position on each of
these items that you just mentioned, analyzed it, came back with their,
either acceptance of it or rebuttal of it and presented their explanation
to the BCC as part of our stipulations, would that resolve the issues as
far as getting it passed today?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I mean, can I see it -- I mean,
shoot it to me, let me comment on it?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Do you have any problem with that.
MS. GUNDLACH: That's fine.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Well, that might -- that might
work for everybody, because --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: A question. And actually, you
know, there is some strike-through language in the landscape. Should
that not be in this packet? I mean, why was that taken out, in other
words, unless it's --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, this was supposed to be a cleaned
up packet with all the highlighting and everything?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: The strike-through from
existing?
MR. JACKSON: No. Any existing strike-throughs are in the
packet. The other strike-throughs you see there is from about four or
five other boards. As we progress through them, we show that -- the
transition of language changing over the DSAC and the EAC and
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yourself, you know. So there's several iterations of it. So we've
cleaned all that up. And if it was original language, you see it here in
this booklet, and it is a strike-through or an underline for addition.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Murray, did you have something
you wanted to add?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Well, yeah. Inasmuch as, it
struck me that if Brad -- and I have no problem with Brad giving
further consideration to the matter after he's had conversation or
reviewed Nancy's work.
The issue for us, we would probably not know it. So I would ask
that we be included -- if he's going to make comments, we be given
the copies of that so that we know what it is that's transpired in case
one of the commissioners should ask us a question or someone else
should ask us a question.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I mean, once we vote on it, it's not
going to hurt to distribute it to us. That's fine.
Nancy, just mass mail everybody. And we know where you
stand, we know where -- and Brad can deal with it.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I'll respond the same way back.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Well, let's --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Let me just ask David real
quick. David, the strike-through here, you're saying this is not
language that is in the existing overlay? It was the proposal
somewhere along the way that was taken out? Okay. It could be,
because it's underlined and strike-through, so okay.
MR. JACKSON: All right. It was added in, and then over time
we struck it out because it doesn't fit, or through comment and review.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I got it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. We've finished with the
Bayshore mixed-use district with the exception of the final
recommendations.
Now, before we go there, let's ask public speakers to provide
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their input and then we can decide on how to finish this off.
Catherine, do we have any public speakers?
MS. FABACHER: Yes, we do. We have Mr. Michael
Fernandez first, and then Mr. Patrick White.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. You need to use the speaker.
We heard you, but you need to get closer.
MS. FABACHER: I'm sorry.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: There you go.
MS. FABACHER: We have first Mr. Michael Fernandez, and
then we have Mr. Patrick White.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Good afternoon. I've provided staff with
quite a number of comments that they can digest in between now.
Some are just clean-up items really. But I'd like to highlight just a few
items, the first one being in consideration to existing zoning. For
instance, if I have a piece of commercial, right now I'm able to build --
C-4 would allow me 75 feet and other development standards.
Under the proposal that you've considered today, we would have
the uses of, let's say, a C-4, C-5 zoning district, but we'd have to live
with the development standards, the new ones. Well, not include --
we'd actually be living with the standards that are in here, which, for
instance, would say, they would limit us to three stories, for instance.
It's a significant change. I know in public meetings that
happened -- and people referred to the angry meetings that were held
with people in the CRA, landowners that have commercial property. I
believe there was a commitment made to those landowners that they
would have the option of either working under the existing rules or
working and opting in to these new regulations.
The development standards that are being proposed would
significantly reduce the amount of development that they could use on
their property. And I think that's a consideration.
So anything that's either commercial or residential that's
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transferring into this mixed-use NC district, I think that they should
have the ability to either go under the existing regs. with the current
development standards, or go into the new program basically.
And I understand the wish to have more uniformity, more
consistency between buildings and so forth, but it could be a very,
very huge change in what somebody can do with their property.
The second thing is, there's a lot of comments or considerations
relative to the -- these proposed changes. We're not sure where they're
going to ferret out, whether it's landscaping, setbacks.
You have a process proposed that's going to take an applicant to
propose a regulation for a mixed use -- or a design for a mixed use to
give it to staff, allow staff to review it, it would then go to a public
meeting, go to a CRA, and eventually go to the Board of County
Commissioners.
I would propose an amendment to the criteria that's proposed
here, and I'm going to hand it out. And on the cover, what you're
going to see is the deviation proposal that was included and adopted
by the Mercato PUD, and that was a separate zoning district, but it
was put in there because it was a mixed-use district and it has certain
stand -- or certain challenges. And what I've done is just kind of
worked from that and propose that we would be allowed to do
deviations from the standards that are located in here.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Mr. Fernandez, have you shared
this with the CRA representative?
MR. FERNANDEZ: I've had an opportunity to talk with Joe,
and yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Guys, you can't ask questions off the
podium. So if you don't mind responding to Mr. Murray when you get
back to the podium, that way the court reporter can pick up on it.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Certainly.
Yes, I'd previously handed out information about the Mercato
and those changes. The actual text that I came up with is fresh as far
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as taking that concept and putting it into and attaching it to the
proposed language that's in the criteria for mixed use approval.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: So if there's a rebuttal, they're
able to speak to that, any issue.
MR. FERNANDEZ: I hope so. I mean, Susan's only seen it for
a few minutes, and Joe himself. But basically it would say, for
instance, if there's a requirement that -- for landscaping, a perimeter
landscaping and I've got a project that says, well, I'm going to have a
cafe over here, I'm not going to be able to meet that, but I'm going to
have a better product and I can show that to the public, the CRA, and
to the Board of County Commissioners. They would ultimately have
the decision whether or not to grant me essentially an administrative
variance from that provision that's in the code.
If they say no, then it's no. But I think it gives them some
flexibility. Mixed use projects are unique animals, and they are more
challenging. You've got contextural issues between -- especially small
parcels are very -- are even more challenging. And this would allow
us to also learn.
And eventually, I guess, we will fine-tune these LDC
requirements and amend the -- this overlay several times probably
until we kind of get it right. But in the meantime, this gives the
developer an opportunity to propose something that he believes is
better and have a methodology and a criteria for review. And so that's
-- it's something I think is very, very significant.
I'm working on a very large parcel, and I have some of the same
issues in that, for instance, I have requirements for front setbacks for
parcels for a large -- for a parcel with great depth, and I can't meet
these regulations. In other words, I can't put all the buildings right up
front. These regulations are mostly custom designed for small parcels.
So if I have a bigger one, it's a different kind of a challenge that
hasn't been addressed. I'd like the opportunity to propose something
in a public forum and take it to the board and let them make a decision
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on it.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Do you want to go directly to
the board? You wouldn't go to the administrative group, the
representative of the CRA --
MR. FERNANDEZ: No, you're misunderstanding.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: -- or the advisory board?
MR. FERNANDEZ: No. This would -- I would only submit that
as part of the mixed-use approval process.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Okay.
MR. FERNANDEZ: So when I submit that conceptual plan to
staff, it says here that staff has -- in order to review and evaluate a
requested deviation, county manager or his designee or staff, may
request materials, calculations, plan themes necessary to render a
determination. They would do their little staff report, it would go to
the CRA, it would have the neighborhood meeting, and then it would
go to the Board of County Commissioners. So no, it's not a separate
process. It's part of the mixed-use approval process that's been
proposed.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Okay. My question is simple.
Maybe I didn't put it simply. But you're going to make sure all of the
parties know what it is that you're intending to do?
MR. FERNANDEZ: Yes. Again, it goes to the exact same
process. There's a lot of public information.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Michael, you had said this is like the
Mercato PUD . You gave us copies of both. I've just quickly tried to
read them.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Sure.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The Mercato is very limited in its ability
for deviations. It limits it to an Exhibit D for development standards
as incorporated in their PUD.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Your introduction is extremely more
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broad. It's more than just standards. It goes to all kinds of challenges
inherent in mixed-use theme developments and their associated
conceptual development plans. And deviation at times are warranted
and address contextural programmatic and land parcel inherent issues
which are unanticipated and not directly addressed by development
standards for mixed-use developments provided herein.
I'm comfortable with what we approved for Mercato because it
was limited, and we had a document to which it was limited to. This
is pretty broad, and I don't feel comfortable with that.
Ms. Student, did you have a legal comment?
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Yeah. I'm just getting this
language right now, and I guess one of the concerns that I have is, we
normally do deviations in, you know, the PUD context. And Mercato
was a PUD context. This would not be a PUD context. And it looks
like we're, you know, starting to blur some distinctions here. And I
would need more time to study it out, but that's a concern that I just
wanted to put on the record.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Mark, actually, if you look at that
administrative deviations number one there, it says that staff can make
administrative deviations from the Mercato PUD itself or even the
land development code, so that's staff doing that.
Our proposal is that we can get deviations from the land
development code, this overlay district specifically, and it has to go
through a public process, and it gets approved by the Board of County
Commissioners. That's certainly significantly more oversight than just
allowing staff to grant any deviation from the LDC, that's what this --
the Mercato basically was allowed to do in consideration that it's a
mixed-use.
We have mixed-use standards here, you know, the combination
of residential and commercial. For instance, one of the most
challenging things I've found in doing mixed use is refuge collection,
where to put it for sound, noise, odors and so forth.
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It may require me or suggest to me the place that's someplace that
the LDC or the overlay positions say no, but it makes all the sense in
the world. I want to have that opportunity to go to staff, to the
neighborhood, and to the Board of County Commissioners to have
them review it. I think it's a very significant amount of oversight.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: There's no -- there's nothing prohibiting
you from presenting this document to the BCC just as you are to us
today.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Absolutely not.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Do you have any other things you
wanted to mention in regards to this project?
MR. FERNANDEZ: Just in passing. I do think there's a lot of
things that need to be considered that haven't been considered, and I've
given some of my comments to staff. For instance, there's a parking
requirement here that says everything's going to be one to 250.
F or instance, if I have a commercial piece of property, I can go
put a restaurant on there, which normally would require one per 60 or,
you know, a frac -- significantly more than one to 250, and -- or the
greater of one for every two seats. So I could put a restaurant with a
million seats in there and provide a very, very small -- like one out of
eight parking spaces that I normally would be required to have.
There's a lot of things here that we well intended, because in a
true mixed use where you have a lot of uses and it kind of mixes up,
that's fine, but there's nothing to say here, for instance, that I have five
little parcels and each one of these decides to become a little
restaurant, and everybody kind of struggles with it. There's a lot of
things here that haven't been thoroughly considered.
I've made some comments that staff will have a chance to look at,
hopefully, in the near term, and I'm sure there's going to be future
LDC amendments, but at least for mixed-use projects, I think we
really need that deviation process, and then also going back to that --
the first issue, which is basically, I'd love for our clients to be able to
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preserve their rights under what they currently can do.
You had a question?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Did you attend the meetings that
developed this program with the CRA board and the other -- and Mr.
Jackson's group?
MR. FERNANDEZ: I've attended some meetings. I haven't been
thoroughly immersed in this, only since our client retained us to start
looking at some of these issues, and I'm representing a couple different
landowners.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Did your client attend?
MR. FERNANDEZ: Yes, absolutely.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Because the input that you are now
providing could have been provided at an earlier date.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Actually, it was. Like I said, for instance,
relative -- well, some of these issues, like the deviation request, well,
the criteria wasn't presented to you until you got this packet. It was
never presented, nor the methodology. So this is brand new, so it
couldn't have been addressed before that.
In terms of whether or not our property rights for, like, existing
zoning, again, in public meetings, I was -- I believe that the general
public had an opinion. And in talking at lunch with David Jackson, he
agrees that essentially those in agreement say okay, look, if you've got
C-4, C-5, C-3, we're not going to take your zoning away from you.
You can opt to do that or you can opt in for this other.
So now basically by just saying yes, you can still do it, in other
words, you can have the land uses, but by changing the development
standards, you've really changed the -- what was understood by the
public. So I think it's just morphed into something that the public's not
aware of, those landowners.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Brad, did you have a question?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: One question. In the mixed-use
approval process, is there anything preventing you from requesting
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deviations during that process?
MR. FERNANDEZ: Well, actually, through that process,
basically they're going to be evaluating against the code here. So I'm
just saying, I want to make a provision that says that. And if I don't
put it in there, then I'm going to be measured and I'm going to have to
comply with the landscaping, the parking, everything that's in there,
and there's going to be -- it just hasn't -- there's going to be a lot of
unique things, small parcels, big parcels that are mixed.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So you feel that if you
requested a deviation in that application, it is very clear, you're up
front about it, staff would review it and make comment on it, it would
go before the board, they would have to review to make comment on
it, too, so wouldn't that be available anyway?
MR. FERNANDEZ: I don't believe so. If there's no provision --
Catherine, maybe you can -- if there's no provision for deviation, I
don't know that you can --
MS. FABACHER: Well, there is.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Well, for a variance, right?
MS. FABACHER: No, no. I'm prepared to address it.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Okay.
MS. FABACHER: Okay. The intent was to go before the -- for
the mixed-use approval process, the intent was to go before the BCC
to have them determine intensity and allocate essentially bonus
density units and make those decisions, okay.
MR. FERNANDEZ: There may not even be any density bonus
Issues.
MS. FABACHER: Right. Now, when you're talking about
intensity, you talk about the scenario with the four restaurants next to
each other, the board would look at that, someone would come in and
say, you've got too much intensity here for shared parking and for
these low parking, and that would be a board issue that they
considered based on their criteria. They're not to -- when you want to
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get deviations, you do that at the site development plan level where
you get an administrative deviation from staff.
MR. FERNANDEZ: First of all, like the restaurant --
MS. FABACHER: It's written in 25 percent.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You guys, you can only speak one at a
time, please.
MS. FABACHER: Sorry.
MR. FERNANDEZ: For the restaurant example, that's not a
mixed use. It doesn't go to the board, okay? That's by right. It says I
can put a restaurant on there, a little restaurant, and the guy next door
can do it, and the guy next door can do it. It's a permitted use. I can
put a restaurant, and that's my new parking requirements.
It's not a mixed use, so it doesn't go to staff, it doesn't go to the
public meetings, and it doesn't go to the board ultimately. You know,
correct me if I'm wrong, but, you know, I can ask staff all day long for
deviations, but if there's not a process specifically that says they can
grant relief from landscape codes and so forth, their hands are tied.
MS. F ABACHER: I believe there is an administrative process to
give you relief to give reductions in parking.
MR. FERNANDEZ: There's a few things, but this would give --
this would give a lot more latitude --
MS. F ABACHER: All right. But let me just --
MR. FERNANDEZ: -- to the county.
MS. F ABACHER: Let me just say this. You know, I mean, the
whole point was to make this a quick process. Now, if we're going to
turn it into a PUD where we have to go before the BCC with the entire
site plan and have them critique all the elements -- we tried to
eliminate that to let you just come basically before them with your
conceptual plan, ask for a certain amount of intensity --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Catherine, I think we understand what
Michael's argument is.
MS. FABACHER: Got that? Okay.
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CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And why don't we just go on from here.
Brad, you had another comment you wanted to make?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Yeah, I had -- Mr. Chairman.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You can go after Brad.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And Mike, what you're saying
is what you'd like to be able to do is that in these different zonings,
there's geometry that the zoning has, setback height and everything.
Once they're within this region, the overlay, they can't obtain that
setback, because they're gone. They have to build according to the
overlay, correct?
MR. FERNANDEZ: That's correct, and not even the board has
the ability to grant deviations.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I mean, that's actually the case
right now with the existing overlay.
MR. FERNANDEZ: With the existing overlay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yeah. I mean, there's --
MR. FERNANDEZ: But the existing --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: -- phrases in there that are
saying -- you know, that 2A says exactly that, that, you know, you
have to go by the overlay and whatever your zoning is. I mean, look
at page 13, 2A.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Well, I mean, there's lands there now that
are not part of or subject to the overlay that are being included now
that are going to be part of this. And certainly, for instance,
restaurants aren't covered the same way that they would be under
these new provisions. But that's just a couple items.
In terms of like a review process, the City of Naples has a general
development site plan review process that they process in three
months, and it has the full gamut, and you submit drawings, and it
goes to that review. So it can be a complete process and done quickly
and you can grant deviations from it.
MR. SCHMITT: And I --
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CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Can I -- Mr. Murray -- Bob was next,
Joe. Could you let him finish.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I just -- just to clear something
in my mind. The way -- and you gave us this example as your
approach.
My recommendation to you, if I have it right, from what you've
said, you seem to have decided to go to the county first, and then you
would go to a public meeting and the CRA. My recommendation, if
you're going to bring this forward, which is questionable, but you
ought to, in the spirit of cooperation, it would seem to me logical to go
first to the CRA advisory board or to the responsible parties, bounce it
off of them, and then go through the process rather than the other way,
because what if the community who is supporting this whole thing
doesn't like this idea? You put yourself at odds with them.
Now, that's just a recommendation and premised on the
assumption that I had it -- that I heard you correctly.
MR. FERNANDEZ: I mean, that -- I think that's fine. Normally
every consultant loves to do that if his client allows him. For instance,
this particular project, we vetted it out with a lot of people, and it's a
fairly detailed site plan that we've been working under, but we couldn't
develop that site plan right now because we couldn't meet these
limitations that are part of this overlay, that would prohibit developing
a large parcel of property right now. We couldn't take advantage of it.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Well, the merits of it I'm not
questioning. I'm just talking about process.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Joe, did you have --
MR. SCHMITT: Well, first of all, I think Michael's mixing
apples and oranges. We do not have a design review board like the
city does. We do not bring in the SDPs for public vetting. Certainly if
the board wants to go that direction, that's a board decision, but I guess
we would have to schedule this board Monday through Friday from
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nine o'clock in the morning till Friday at five o'clock at night. That's
the different volume of work we deal with.
You're talking about presenting to the board a detailed site plan
for them to review and review the criteria associated with the
deviations. Right now the process is -- that's not what -- this process,
as Catherine pointed out, is not that. We're not bringing a detailed site
plan that -- those things are done administratively in the review aspect,
or the reviews by staff.
So I guess in the short of this, Mr. Chairman, a good proposal,
but I think it's something if we want to pursue, we need -- staff needs
time to digest this, look at it. And I would say we move this to the
next cycle at the LDC.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, I think the board's had enough
input on this matter, so --
MR. FERNANDEZ: Joe, I'd make one quick comment on that. I
mean, I don't have a problem with just staff reviewing it. In other
words, if the Board of County Commissioners is going to review a
conceptual site plan, and then staff wants to take on the burden of
deviations like they did with Mercato, then why not?
MR. SCHMITT: But we already have existing processes for
administrative variances and deviations. If you exceed the
dimensional limits, then it has to go through the board through a board
action. And I'm sorry, that's the criteria in the code. What you're
asking for --
MR. FERNANDEZ: I'm just asking what other projects got.
MR. SCHMITT: -- is for the board to give staff more authority
in dealing with dimensional variances and deviations, and I've got to
tell you, I have one petition coming before the board Tuesday that
may turn the pendulum completely the other way and take more of it
away from us than what we currently have, so --
MR. FERNANDEZ: Okay.
MR. SCHMITT: -- I'm just -- I don't know if this board's ready
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for that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you, Michael.
MR. FERNANDEZ: You're welcome.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is there one other speaker? County--
oh, wait a minute. Not that side. The dark side's coming up.
MR. WHITE: Yes, the dark side in the form of Patrick White,
with the firm of Porter, Wright, Morris, and Arthur. I have no client
that I'm representing today; however, I'd like to make a few
observations, if I may, and, perhaps, a suggestion, and look for some
confirmation about the process here.
I'd start out by noting that notwithstanding what Mr. Schmitt and
Ms. Fabacher have said, I think everybody who's looked at these
provisions, in particular the devised definitions for Bayshore
mixed-use district will agree that what it says under mixed-use
approval process is that it's a process that pertains to mixed-use site
development plan submittals, SDP plan submittals.
And I agree that there's the notion that the provisions that talk
about the mixed-use approval process speak in terms of a conceptual
site plan. I think what Mr. Fernandez was suggesting was that it may
be appropriate for those applicants who want to go through this
broad-based mixed-use process and have those degrees of detail for
their plans, but recognize as a result of having done that detailed work,
they need some type of a relief or deviation, why would that be
anything that should be inconsistent with what the Board of County
Commissioners otherwise does when it considers deviations as part of
a PUD?
Now, I acknowledge that PUDs are at the point on the
development cycle time line where uses are being authorized along
with design, but here it's just site development plan design. And if
you've got a detailed enough plan and you can make the determination
based upon the criteria that are being provided for deciding a
deviation, it sounds to me like that's the appropriate place to do it, that
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it's not an addition beyond what the staff itself has proposed in terms
of the mixed-use approval process, being a site development plan
reVIew.
That's just an observation. So I offer that for your consideration,
as well as the staffs. It sounds like there was a bit of a dialogue and
difference of opinion when it seemed to me that they were really more
consistent than not.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: What you're saying though, Patrick, isn't
it -- and you're trying to tell us that basically the process that's already
in place in this document provides for a deviation simply by the fact
you're going before the BCC with a detailed plan of some sort in
which you could include the deviation request within that process? Is
that --
MR. WHITE: I think it makes sense to subsume the deviation
process within the request. And that if you otherwise want to use the
word I think that the staff uses when it looks at site development plan
requests administratively, and there are things that they believe ought
be altered that an applicant asks for, those, I think, are called
exceptions.
And I think Tom Kuck had some degree of latitude in that regard.
And I think what Mr. Fernandez was suggesting was, he'd like to
have that same type of discretion but he wants to put it into the public
hearing process. Set some criteria, create the process, add it in as part
of the mixed-use approval process, which is already site development
plan design based.
So it just seemed to me that it was the right place for it, and I
don't know that it swings the pendulum in any further direction or
distance than what's already being proposed at the beginning of today.
So that's just an observation.
The only reason I bothered to fill out a speaker request is because
-- concern about things that I've heard about the process itself
generally today and to be able to advise a client who's asked me about
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a particular legal issue. And my understanding in reading through
these things is that if you are anything other than a conditional use
listed in one of the BMUD subdistricts, then you're allowed to go
forward as a permitted use, just straight to SDP, unless you're one of
these mixed use proj ects.
And if you're a mixed-use project, then you have to go before the
board and submit your site development plan. And if that's, indeed,
the case, I think I can pretty easily just get someone to confirm that
that's, indeed, the way the process is going to operate. I can probably
get out of your hair.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, I think it's a reasonable request.
Can someone from staff confirm that the only processes through this
Bayshore mixed-use district will be -- that it will have to go before the
BCC, are the mixed-use process and the conditional uses, if any are
applied for?
MS. F ABACHER: It was the intent in -- and I'm going to need
some help from my colleagues -- intent in drafting this. We replaced
the opt-in process, which was kind of -- you filed a piece of paper, and
then the next -- you went to your SDP, and then the next day the
neighborhood saw your building go up.
So the intent to go from the opting into the mixed use was to give
a public participation aspect to it. But at the same time, staff was of
the opinion that when you passed the overlay you're not rezoning
properties to NC and all these others, that you would have to do the
mixed-use process on the mixed-use districts.
MR. SCHMITT: But I think the question --
MS. FABACHER: To be mixed use.
MR. SCHMITT: Well, I think the--
MS. FABACHER: To be an NC, to be an NC.
MR. SCHMITT: But it does not prohibit you from going through
any other process, the GMP amendment or coming in under the
straight zoning that currently exists. You can still apply and come in
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under that zoning. So, I guess, is that what you're asking?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No. I'm trying to get to the very simple
question. The district -- if you want to go with a mixed use --
MR. SCHMITT: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- or you want to go as a conditional use
to any of the underlying zoning, for those two purposes and those two
purposes only you have to go to the BCC and go through that process.
Any others, it's by right. Is that where we're at?
MS . MURRAY: It operates just like any other zoning district.
You have a list of permitted conditional. I think the only thing
different here is, that if you're in the neighborhood commercial
subdistrict or the BMUD waterfront subdistrict, then you've got to go
through the MUP approval process if you want to use those uses.
MR. WHITE: And if I understand what Susan said, I agree with
what she's saying if she'll accept the notion that, you have to be
mixing uses, which I take from the purpose and intent section, which
is under 2.03.07, capital letter 1(1), small letter a, on page 13 of your
packet, kind of in the middle of the paragraph there, the left edge starts
with the words, a mix of, and then it says, commercial uses, including
retail and office. I'm assuming that's not a finite and complete list,
there's maybe others. And then it says, and civic amenities and
residential uses.
Well, the mix of uses there would seem to be commercial ones
with residential ones, and the idea that you could also, if you were
going to add in civic amenities, whatever those may be, that that is a
mixed-use project. Nowhere else is that phrase specifically defined,
but I think we've all been talking in terms of the general planning
notion that mixed use means a series of commercial mixed with some
other series of residential uses.
And in specific, I think that's what 2.03.07, capital I talks about
for the mixed-use approval process.
MS. FABACHER: Well--
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MR. WHITE: And those are specific to NC and W subdistricts.
MS . MURRAY: Correct. If you're -- I think if I hear what
you're saying correctly, you're asking if the definition of mixed use
includes residential and some other use other than residential, that
mixed use would not be comprised of commercial land, light
industrial, for example, or commercial and civic. There would have to
be a residential component, is that --
MR. WHITE: I think the general notion is that would be true in a
planning context. But here it seems that for Bayshore, there seems to
be a desire to have some set of commercial mixed with some set of
residential. Kind of a TND, traditional neighborhood design concept.
More generally I think what Susan's saying is also true, that
mixed use could include any combination of commercial with
industrial, industrial with residential, residential with either of those,
and that is true.
But here I think the rules that are being proposed by the county
are ones that talk in terms of just commercial mixing with residential.
And assuming that's the case and it's limited to just the NC subdistrict
and W subdistrict, those are the ones that only have to go through the
mixed-use approval process.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is that the case from staff?
MS. MURRAY: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes, it is.
MS. FABACHER: Excuse me.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I have a question.
MS. FABACHER: I'm sorry. But are you looking at number
seven on page 1 7 where it says, permitted accessory and conditional
uses? It says, for properties located within the BMUD and C. or
BMUD W, districts, permitted, accessory and conditional uses shall be
in accordance with the underlying zoning district except in an
approved mixed-use project. When MUP approval has been granted,
permitted uses shall be in accordance with. So we anticipated under
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this process that you would have to go for mixed-use approval if you
wanted to get the uses in NC and W in these two tables.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So if you want any of the uses listed in
the NC commercial subdistrict or the BMUD waterfront subdistrict,
you have to go through the mixed-use process, which is a process
before the Board of County Commissioners? And the other -- only
other time you would need to go before the BCC is if you wanted an
underlying conditional use to the original zoning?
MS. FABACHER: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. I think that's the criteria we're
trying to find out.
MR. WHITE: Well, I don't want to disagree with Ms. Fabacher,
but the phrase is in there on the fourth line, page 17, under number
seven is, except in an approved mixed-use project, which tells me that
first you have to be a mixed-use project, which we've, just a moment
ago, recognized means commercial mixed with residential.
My point is, if I have a client who wants to come in and is just a
commercial or a residential use that's permitted otherwise by right in
either of those subdistricts, that they do not have to go through the
mixed-use approval process. But just like any of the other subdistricts
in the overlay that are P, that you go straight to site development plan.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That was my understanding. Is that
staffs position?
MS. MURRAY: I'm going to have to ask for clarification from
Catherine, because you wrote it. Sorry to put you on the spot.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Why are we going through an overlay
with all this detailed zoning and criteria if it isn't to provide uses by
right rather than have to go through this whole process again every
time we go into a separate piece of property? I would assume we're
doing it to be efficient.
MR. WHITE: I understand that there's a provision, you know,
kind of back on page 13 that says if you go through the mixed-use
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approval process, and effectively you got what you asked for, that
whatever underlying zoning district uses you may have had, those are
truncated. Those are kind of cut off. You're effectively electing
yourself out of that, and that is 3( d), small letter d on page 15. I said
13 but I meant 15.
So I understand that that happens for those two subdistricts when
you get mixed-use approval. But other than that, I don't understand
that the result would be anything other than if you have something that
has a P next to it and it's a single use in any of the subdistricts in the
overlay, that you're entitled to go straight to site development plan,
you have to meet whatever the additional criteria are for site design
that are specified if you're in NC or W, and there may be some that
more generally apply throughout the overlay district as well that I'm
not familiar with. But accepting those things, you know, kind of being
willing to do those things, I think it's just straight to the administrative
site development plan review, and the staff will apply those additional
standards if they're appropriate.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, we need to get to the bottom of it.
Mr. Jackson, did you have a comment on this?
MR. JACKSON: Yes, sir. I'm not sure where Catherine is -- you
know, or David's going to go on this, but the intent from when we
drafted the overlay was that the mixed uses, yes, when you're mixing
different types of uses, of which one of the major components would
be the residential side -- I'm not too concerned about the civic side. If
you have a site that's vacant, a piece of land, or a building that has a
preexisting building that's vacant and somebody wants to come in and
develop or put in a business that is in compliance with that underlining
land use, let's say it's C-4 and it's an existing building, he wants to put
a grocery store in there, an existing building, not mixing any other
uses with it, that it would go directly to the SDP process and not be
through this MUP process.
Well, if he has a vacant lot and he wants to build a 10,000 square
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foot metal building and put in his small machine shop, not mixing
anything else, he goes straight to the SDP process. However, if that
machine shop guy later wants to come on and put a second story on
and add residential, he's back into the MUP process again. That's the
way I see the intent, and it's over to staff. Now, if I'm different from
where they see it --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, if you're wrong, I think we're all
thinking wrong, because that's along the lines I've been trying to think.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Can I ask a --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Go ahead, Mr. Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: David, when you gave that
explanation, you gave sole uses. But you also agree that if he wanted
to mix uses that were allowed in the underriding zoning, he could go
straight to SDP, too?
In other words, he could be mixing already allowed uses. In
other words, your example of, I guess, a lawn mower shop repair, let's
sayan office -- I don't know. I mean, but in other words, just the fact
that he's mixing uses isn't the issue. The fact that he wants to get uses
that are in addition to what the underlying zoning allows?
MR. JACKSON: Correct. Ifhe's got a small strip mall in there
and he gets a machine shop, an office and hairdressing place, it's all
allowed by C-3 or C-4.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right.
MR. JACKSON: It's only when he wants to add a use that is not
under that C-4, would be an R, or residential designation or public
institutional wants to put a library in there, then he's mixing the uses
that is not allowed by the underlying use.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And we used to have --
remember we had Ibid (phonetic) Hall of Fame where we used to have
a statement that said that, you know, you could get the residential --
you know, you had to do a mixed use to get residential and
commercial or commercial and residential. I mean, we say it another
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way now.
MR. JACKSON: It's said in a much more concise way that the
staff put together that says, yeah. And when you start taking a piece
of commercial property and you start reaching out and bringing in
some residential property as part of that project, I don't know if that --
and it's a single use. I don't know how staff would look at it. But to
me it would still be -- it's still single use, and it would -- because the
residential seems to be the thing that we're really concerned about.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: David, can you salvage this?
MR. WEEKS: Yeah, let me give you what my take is on it, and
hopefully my colleagues will tell me where they disagree.
For properties within the neighborhood commercial or waterfront
subdistrict, they have two choices. Choice one is, I'm going to
develop per my underlying zoning district. That means I go to the
LDC, and whatever uses are allowed in my underlying zoning,
whether it's C-5, C-l, RSF, whatever it is, that's how I'm going to
develop that piece of property.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: By submission of an SDP, right?
MR. WEEKS: SDP, subdivision plat, whatever the normal SDP
process -- LDC process is.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MR. WEEKS: If I want to do mixed-use development, then I
must go through this mixed-use approval process which will, amongst
other things, limit me to the intensity of commercial uses of no greater
than C-l, C-2 and C-3.
I think David just alluded to -- David Jackson, that we previously
had the numerous footnotes throughout, and they were saying, you can
only do this use if you're doing a mixed-use project. Well, we did
away with all of that by concisely stating, if you're going to do mixed
use, here's the process you have to go through and, as Catherine
pointed out, paragraph seven on page 17, if you're doing a mixed-use
project, then, and only then, you go to table one and table two to see
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what the various uses would be allowed under that mixed-use project
scenario, moving away -- well --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Let me just ask a question. And
in both cases you build your building to the design parameters of the
N C or the waterfront?
MR. WEEKS: Yes, yes.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay.
MR. WEEKS: And the third scenario we talked about much
earlier in today's hearing, that those properties within the activity
center, which aren't limited at all by the uses in this subdistrict, those
also would be subj ect to the development standards over in chapter
four.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Is there any questions of David
from the panel? I appreciate your input, David. That has helped to
clarify.
MS. FABACHER: Excuse me. I think Mr. White was talking
about, that if your -- if your property is underlying C-3 but you now
have NC over it, he's saying that -- he's asking if you can go and use
the things on table two here, the special table and the special
mixed-use uses, without getting a mixed-use approval, if you don't
have a mixed use. That's what -- I think that's what we're talking
about. Because, I mean, I agree on underlying zoning. If you meet
the underlying zoning, you just go to SDP.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, Patrick, you're going to have to
reclarify what your question is, because I certainly would like an
answer. I'm dismayed that this has gone all these months and a simple
question as to what needs to go through a process and what doesn't
can't be answered by staff. I thought that would be -- something that
could easily be resolved by that. Well, there seems to be a conflict
already.
MR. WHITE: I think that the conflict, if there is one, is in how
the staff intends to have this apply and what may be presently written.
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If the staff intends effectively for any single permitted use,
whether residential or commercial, in NC or W to not be allowed as a
matter of right, that has to be expressly stated. It is not stated
presently, and --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is that per the tables? I think that's
where the question is. I think staffs already said -- and I'm -- that if
you want to use a use on the underlying zoning district, C-3, C-4,
whatever it is, you can do that by going right through the SDP process.
But if you want to use a use from the table and use the NC
waterfront standards of those tables, then that's where the question
seems to be, and I'm not sure what the question is.
MR. WHITE: And I know that Catherine pointed us to that
provision in subsection seven. In itself, has in it, as I mentioned a few
moments ago, an exception that says, you've got to be a mixed-use
proj ect.
So I'm left with a lack of understanding of how we get to the
place where a single-use project, which is not by definition a
mixed-use project, is somehow precluded from having permitted by
right status where there's a P in the column for NC or W --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MR. WHITE: -- so that they could go straight to SDP, nor am I
aware what the rationale is for that because I haven't heard it yet.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I understand your question better now,
and I think it's a legitimate question.
MS. FABACHER: And let me say this, it says that you have to
go through the mixed-use approval process. It doesn't say that you
have to be mixed use, as Mr. White has interpreted it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But his question is the process. You
have to -- if you want to do a single use in one of those tables, a single
commercial use in one of those tables and not a mixed use with
residential, just a single commercial use, do you have to go through
the mixed-use process?
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MS. F ABACHER: I'm going to defer to David.
MR. WEEKS: Absolutely not.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Good.
MR. WEEKS: Absolutely not. That table -- tables one and two
only apply when you're doing a mixed-use process.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Good. Then I think we've resolved the
.
Issue.
Mr. White, did that answer your question?
MR. WHITE: If there's no clarification from other staff, yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But Mark, let me just say one
thing.
David, if a guy mixed two allowable uses, would that ever be
confused as a mixed-use project?
MR. WEEKS: Not in my opinion, absolutely not. That goes
back to the underlying zoning, so I --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Mixing two underlying zones.
MR. WEEKS: -- could take 10 uses, if my zoning is C- 3 and I
have 10 different uses allowed by C- 3 that I want to do on that
property --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Mix them up.
MR. WEEKS: -- good for you. Go through the straight normal
nonmixed-use approval.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. You guys have pulled all my
teeth. Let's go on and see if we can finish this up today.
Is there any other public speakers?
MR. WHITE: Thank you for your time.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you, sir.
MS. FABACHER: That's it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Hearing that, I would like the
board to make a recommendation concerning the Bayshore mixed-use
district, and that's the section we just got through dealing with that
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went from page 13 to page 56.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: There was some -- if I may, Mr.
Schiffer, Commissioner Schiffer, brought up the question under the
tables in the old book, page 46 versus the new book. He said some
things were left out. Do you recall that, Commissioner?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yeah. It was mixed use, and
I'm comfortable that that's covered under--
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: You're comfortable.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: -- residential.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: But there were -- okay. If you're
comfortable, all right.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I mean, it was multi-family.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: All right. I'm happy if you're
happy.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I'm happy. Dave's the guy
we've got to make happy.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. There has been a series of
corrections or suggestions made to staff as we've gone along. There's
been one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10, 11, 12, 13,
14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, about two dozen different corrections made.
They've involved issues all the way from the density issue of
suggesting charging and proportioning units and allocating to
affordable housing, to foundation plantings and landscaping issues and
having staff provide Mr. Schiffer with their rebuttal to his comments,
and also whatever rebuttal they have, make sure they present that to
the BCC in deference to Mr. Schiffer's request for corrections.
All those things taken into consideration, does anybody on this
panel have a recommendation they'd like to put forth for this particular
portion?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Well, I would make a
recommendation if you would recite the particulars, if you have them
written down.
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CHAIRMAN STRAIN: All 24 of them?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: We have to. There's no other
way to do this.
MS. MURRAY: Mr. Strain, if it would help, we have them
written down.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: You have them written down.
Does that satisfy everybody?
MS. MURRAY: I need some clarification on the fee one though.
What I had written down was four -- five out of eight of the
CCPC members wish to have a fee associated with the bonus density
units.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right.
MS. MURRAY: And that was my last note, that I didn't know if
you wanted to expand on that or had details that I missed.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, there are two other issues
involving the units. It was the expression that I thought was the
majority, or all of us, that there was some concern about how the units
should be proportioned.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Equity.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Not all go to one player, as an example.
MS. MURRAY: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And the other concern that needed to
look at some way of implementing affordable or gap type housing in
with the mix.
MS. MURRAY: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And I think that was the consensus. If
anybody on this panel is disagreeing, please speak up. But I think that
was all part of our discussion that we would like to go forward as a
discussion to the BCC.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Marjorie wants you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Margie?
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Yes. I just wanted a clarification
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on the issue of the fee or charge, or whatever you wish to call it, for
the bonus units, that that would be a recommendation to have that
studied further because we'd need to do that in order to write it in here,
and I thought that -- that's what my understanding was.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I think the recommendation is that a fee
be established. Now how that happens, I'm not -- you know, we have
a legal department that should be supplying legal opinions. If they
want to send it out and get more studies, that's up to the board to let
them do that. But as far as I'm concerned, we're looking at -- this
board and a majority of votes suggested looking at a fee. How that's
done is up to the board. I mean, we're just going to suggest that to
them as well.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Just to clarify about the -- you
know, that since we have a substantially working-class neighborhood
now and, you know, what we've -- I've also been asking the question
lately, what does this do for affordable housing? And I don't want to
see this end up accelerating the loss of affordable housing stock in this
neighborhood.
So what can, you know, we do to keep the proportion of
affordable housing mix similar to what it is now?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And that's in reference to the additional
density?
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Yeah.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: All right. And I think that's where we're
all coming from, too, Paul.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: And the fees.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. And did you have any other -- I
mean, Susan, at some point -- I've made notes. I'll be glad to supply
them to you.
MS. MURRAY: I have a ton of notes. If you want to give me a
copy of yours, I could compare that. It may be helpful just in case, but
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CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I better type it first. You'll never read it.
Okay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Then, Mark, you'll check to
make sure that everything is in, right?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN : Well, I'll meet with -- I'll sit with Susan
and we'll go over the issues and make sure they get -- or Catherine,
whoever's making the changes.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I thought I made a motion.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: There is, and you've got a
motion on the floor. What he made, and then he asked you to give
him the details, now it came from over here. I think we have a
motion.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. The motion has been made to
recommend approval subj ect to the --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Recommend approval, right.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- subject to changes that--
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Recitation unnecessary because
it's already included within the notes and the various --
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: And I'll second that motion.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion made by Commissioner Murray,
second by Commissioner Adelstein.
Is there any further discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Hearing none, all those in favor, signify
by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Aye.
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January 5,2006
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Anybody opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: One down.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Could we just go ditto on the
next one?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, yes and no. There's a few things
that are a little different, but I assume we can do most of it.
And Mr. Jackson, or Catherine, whoever's the most authoritative
on this, I believe almost all the issues that we've talked about this
morning and through now apply equally to the Gateway Triangle
mixed-use district.
Okay. Does anybody on this panel have a disagreement with
that? I think we always intended this as the whole thing.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Together.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Are there -- I have a few, but are there
from other board members, any other issues regarding the Gateway
Triangle that are different issues than appeared in the Bayshore?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I do.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Because I think I have just a few
that I might want to ask. And I think one of them, Mr. Jackson, you
guys already brought up on page 83, side yards, all other, and there's
two numbers in the copy I have. One is highlighted and one is not. It
says, zero 10 feet minimum. I was wondering if you mean zero to 10
-- to 10 feet, and the highlighting just didn't get the word to in there.
MR. JACKSON: It's zero or 10 feet.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. So that -- we need to insert the
word "or" there.
MR. JACKSON: Right. A little bit more of an urban scape that
could go to zero lot lines, of which many buildings are already that
way, or 10 feet to add the landscaping or for the access to parking in
the rear.
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CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. And I -- did I hear 87, somebody
say 87?
COMMISSIONER CARON: Eighty-seven, same, same.
MR. JACKSON: Correct, the word "or" did not get inserted.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Page 83, Mr. Jackson, same page.
You've got the 12 units per acre in the minitriangle. Is that 12 units
per acre limited to the use from the 388 density bonus units?
MR. JACKSON: The way it is stated in the growth management
plan or the future land use, it says 12 units are authorized in the
minitriangle area, and it specifies it as that portion of the triangle that
goes between 41, Davis, and Commercial.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So these would not come from the 388
density bonus.
MR. JACKSON: No, sir.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Mr. Weeks, guess what? We
need you to comment on this, and you're looking puzzled. We're on
page 83 of the Gateway. We're talking about the 12 units per acre that
apparently are now applicable to the minitriangle that do not come out
of the 388 density bonus units that we previously discussed.
MR. WEEKS: Did you say, do not come out of?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's what we just found out.
COMMISSIONER CARON: That's what they're telling us.
MR. WEEKS: That's where Mr. Jackson and I have a
disagreement.
MR. JACKSON: In fairness is, we're reading English language
as typed, black and white, but the way I understand the words to
mean, it's that the minitriangle, when this was written, had 12 units per
acre for a mixed-use project. That's why it was designated as a
catalyst project in the plan and it detailed exactly what it had.
And it also followed on in your conversation, Mr. Adelstein, Mr.
Murray, about height. It also said it was exempt from any of the other
four- and three-story height limitations because it was a catalyst
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project, thereby it got 12 units per acre and it was allowed to be
developed as whatever the set standards we wanted for height and
setbacks, et cetera. And then that's the way I read the English
language as printed.
And as I understand also from a person that was involved -- I
don't know Mr. Weeks' involvement in the drafting of this language
when it was drafted in '99, 2000 and approved, was that was the intent,
that that was such a significant point of land or piece of land within
the Gateway CRA area that it needed to have special rules, criteria for
redevelopment, otherwise it would never be offered.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: You don't mean that you
construe that that is could build a 30-story building there.
MR. JACKSON: No. Well, we put -- no. It was -- I mean, if it
developed now under the C-4 status, they could go up to 75 feet. We
put in here -- and we put in limitations. And it's the limitations on the
height, actual and zoned height, was based on non-scientific
computations of what it would cost to be able to make it profitable for
that catalyst area to be redeveloped.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: David?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: That's a moving target.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Can you comment on the 12 units per
acre, because this does contradict what we were previously told about
the 12 units per acre, so --
MR. WEEKS: First -- thank you, David, for, I guess, setting the
stage. He's absolutely correct that a plain reading and the intent when
it was adopted in 2000, December of 2000, was that the minitriangle
would be allowed the 12 unit per acre and it would not be subject to
the density pool.
So why am I standing here telling you different? Because
frankly we as staff goofed -- I'm hesitant to say the board did, because
I don't think they were aware of this.
Earlier in the year 2000 when we adopted amendments to the
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future land use element and map, the coastal high hazard boundary
changed, and it used to run right along U.S. 41 east. Being that the
minitriangle is on the north side, it was outside of the coastal high
hazard area.
The error on staffs part was when we took this overlay and the
future land use element to the board for adoption in December, we
failed to recognize that change in the boundary.
The boundary actually runs from the east, runs along U.S. 41,
until you get to Airport Road and then goes north, which means this
minitriangle is within the coastal high hazard area.
So it really is going to come down, I believe, to an interpretation.
Now we have this -- the plain reading of the language saying,
yes, you're allowed 12 units per acre. And by implication -- if not,
certainly the intent was that you are not subject to this density pool,
but that conflicts with what I would call a pretty clear mandate from
the Board of County Commissioners that they don't want to see
increased density within the coastal high hazard area.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: How many acres are in this
minitriangle?
MR. JACKSON: The entire area is a little over 14 acres, 14 plus.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So 168 units.
MR. JACKSON: Correct. And the way I understand in talking
with people of the legal -- cut of the legal cloth is that this is -- you
know, this is passed, this is law, this is what it is.
And if we don't want to -- it to be what it is, then you need to
change it. But it is what it is right now, therefore, there's 12 units for
that 14 acres because it says it's so.
And to not allow us to go forth and address it for what it is as it is
in stated legal language and approved in the overlay, I don't know that
that is what applicable -- I'm trying to look for a word here to not be
condescending or derogatory. But it says that it has it. It says it has
12 units with development standards to be approved by the Board of
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County Commissioners at a later time.
It is what it is, otherwise, my counterpoint to Mr. Weeks is,
change it. Take the two years to do it, but right now I've got it what it
is. And if I can get a catalyst project in there under these guidelines, I
would like to do that.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: So--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Go ahead.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: So the true value is that you
have 388, plus what'd you say, 168? That's the totality of those units,
and those equate to a value. We're starting to get up to some heavy
numbers, I would think.
MR. JACKSON: Well, sir, please remember that the 388 would
have been developed there anyway. Those were already there. Those
are not affordable units on top of anything. Those were by right.
If the Botanical Gardens had developed by Sable Bay or
Botanical Place, those 388 units would be on that virgin land right
now, okay. So you can't throw the 388 in there and come -- now, the
168 for these 14 acres, if all 14 acres are assembled, is true. That is --
that is on top of. So the number we're looking at is a maximum of 168,
if Mr. Strain's math was there right. But that is if and only if all 14
acres are assembled, and that may not happen.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Mark?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Brad?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yeah. Let's just go back to the
coastal high hazard. This is right on the perimeter of that line,
correct?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: No, it's inside.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: It's inside now.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: It's got changes.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But wait a minute, doesn't the --
it runs down Davis Boulevard, correct?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: It runs down Airport.
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January 5, 2006
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: It goes up Airport, does some
jogging, and then comes down Davis.
MR. JACKSON: No, I think the -- I've got the picture of the
map. I believe it goes straight up Airport-Pulling and does it -- take a
dogleg over Davis Boulevard, and then follows the Bay, I believe.
MR. WEEKS: It goes up Airport, up to the vicinity of, I think,
north of Poinciana Village neighborhood, and then is starts jogging to
the west.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But is this on the perimeter of
that line, or is it well within?
MR. JACKSON: It's on the perimeter.
MR. WEEKS: Well within, because in this area the boundary
runs up Airport-Pulling Road. The triangle is over at the -- is formed
by Davis Boulevard, U.S. 41, and Commercial Drive.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is your EAR-based amendments going
to fix this?
MR. WEEKS : Yes. Yes, it will, but I should mention that the
issue, I think, is -- from a staff point is over. Marjorie has opined that
basically -- well, tell them.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: The intent at the time the
amendment to the comprehensive plan passed is what controls under
the law. And I believe that that intent, Mr. Weeks explained to you,
was that in the mini triangle or the Gateway Triangle --
MR. WEEKS: Minitriangle.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: -- that those 12 units were on top
and didn't come out of the density pool. And it's the intent that
controls. And since the CHHA has changed, this would be appropriate
to be taken care of in the EAR.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Controlled to what level?
How many units would there be per acre?
MR. WEEKS: So what I'm telling you is the staff position is, to
agree with Mr. Jackson, that the 12 unit per acre for the minitriangle is
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January 5, 2006
not coming out of that bonus density pool unless and until the time
comes when the board should change the future land use element to
say to the contrary.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: What you're doing through EAR-based
amendments when they come up.
MR. WEEKS: Being proposed.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Then they'll do what? They'll
take -- they'll add these units to the base units, the 288 (sic), or they'll
take them out for sure?
MR. WEEKS: The proposal would be to make the minitriangle
bonus --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Exempt from --
MR. WEEKS: -- part of -- no, part of the density pool, because it
is in the coastal high hazard area.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So it would take away the additional
168? That's what the EAR-based amendment would do. That's what
the BCC directed when they said, remove all density bonuses except
for X. There's a few they left in. They left one in, affordable housing
or something, didn't they?
MR. WEEKS: Even that--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's coming out, okay.
MR. WEEKS: Mr. Strain, I don't think the board was
specifically aware of this bonus provision. I wouldn't want to say that
they included that necessarily, but because it's clear at the broad level
they're very concerned about density in the coastal high hazard area.
We want to bring that to their attention. So we, as staff, are proposing
that that density bonus pool be used for that minitriangle and see what
the board says.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: This wasn't one that was mentioned
because it wasn't brought up.
MR. WEEKS: Correct.
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January 5, 2006
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: There's going to be no units in
that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Scott, I hate to wake you up. I
know you're nodding off back there, and I don't blame you. You had
previously -- I'd like to ask one question. You had previously said that
you had weighed in and acknowledged that the 388 were in the
concurrency or you had to allocated for those.
MR. SCOTT: It was in the long-range plan.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right. What's the additional 168 we're
now talking about?
MR. SCOTT: I'm not particularly sure. I checked on the others,
but I'm not sure about that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Sorry to bother you. That's all I
wanted to know.
Well --
MR. JACKSON: Mr. Strain, I would like to leave this portion of
this in the overlay, Gateway overlay, and forward it to the Board of
County Commissioners with your comments on there about the
EAR-based amendments and what's going to be in the future.
And at their discretion, since they did not know that this was --
bonus density units allocation was there, let them discuss it at that
time, and a review of this document, and decide what they were going
to do with it.
And I know that the five commissioners are now aware of the
extra bonus density in that triangle and that they will be keen on
discussing it when it gets forward.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, I'm sure that -- well, that could be
an option, but we also have the ability to comment on it, and I think
we generally tend to do those things.
MR. JACKSON: I don't have any problem with comments on it.
I would like to leave it in and forward it with your comments and
recommendations.C
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January 5, 2006
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: We can only recommend anyway. So
we told you to take it out, you really didn't have to do it. We just
recommend it.
MR. JACKSON: Oh, thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: As far as 12 units go, that's with the
base underlying zoning then, not to mention in this document, it still
stays with the base underlying zoning until the EAR-based
amendments take it away. By additionally mentioning it in this
document, I think you emphasized the presence of it and emphasized
the fact that it's going to have to be dealt with in the EAR and we may
have more of a problem taking it out by putting it in twice. Maybe
we're better off not including it in here.
MR. JACKSON: I appreciate your point of view. My point of
view is, based on what I'm hired to do, I want this in the overlay. And
I need it as part of what we're going to do and what the overall master
plan is for that area, in the Gateway area. The mini triangle is a key
catalyst project. I'd like to leave it in and then work on taking it out or
having it denied at the BCC level. But for me, this is my job. I need
this language in here for me to do my job, and that's what I'd like to
do.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: All right. Are there any other
comments from the board? Why don't we get the consensus on this so
that when we finish this document, we can decide on what to do. Any
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I'll make a --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Well, we can't make a motion. I
just want to get a consensus, because at the end we'll make a motion
that will cover the whole thing.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: No, I realize that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: What's your --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I was going to say, I really
support Dave in what he's saying. I mean, first of all, those units that
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January 5, 2006
are in there aren't going to go very far anyway. So, you know, the
illusion we have of what the -- if we close our eyes and picture the
neighborhood, joke's on us because we're not going to have that much
residential anyway. So I definitely think anything to keep the density
up in that's extremely important.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Donna?
COMMISSIONER CARON: I've made myself very clear a
million times on what I feel about density in the coastal high hazard
area.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So does that mean that you're not in
favor of this 12 units per acre?
COMMISSIONER CARON: I'm not in favor of the 12 units per
acre in the minitriangle.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: My position, I already stated, I think it's
already there as an underlying zoning. Until the underlying zoning's
changed, I don't see why we need to emphasize it any further,
especially knowing it's in the CHHA. We're just kind of compounding
a negative.
Lindy?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I tend to agree with Donna,
that this is not a good idea.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Paul, we're weighing in on the
12 acres additional in the minitriangle. What's your thoughts on it?
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: I'm a little bit confused because I
don't think we should have a real high density in the coastal high
hazard area, but I don't want to do anything that's legally wrong.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. I won't know what to do with
that, but anyway.
Bob?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Well, you know, likewise, now,
I associate the coastal high hazard area with the affordable housing
issue. We know we have density but we know we have problems with
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hurricanes and the like. So, quite frankly, I'm with Donna, and I'm of
the opinion that the -- probably you can use them, but, perhaps, it
would be best if they were not there.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Vigliotti?
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: I also agree with Donna at this
point.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Russell?
COMMISSIONER TUFF: I think they should stay there, be
there, written in there, and that's what it is. I'm with Mr. Jackson.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And let me kind of -- here's the
funny thing is that the coastal high hazard line is placed someplace.
The units are happily there. The fickle line moves, and all of a sudden
there's a horrible event that happens. I mean, they're still in the same
place. I mean, first of all, they're going to be high-rise units. They're
not going to be on the ground. They're not going to be susceptible to
flooding.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: This document isn't going to remove
those units. This document doesn't do anything to those units. All it
does is add them instead of -- their underlying zoning stays in place.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Oh, I think -- but what it does is
it takes away from the potential in other parts of this neighborhood.
One thing that is extremely important, is what Paul's saying, this
is an affordable neighbor that is not going to be affordable anymore if
we cream the density. It's going to be all high-end housing. We're
going to wipe out the affordability of it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, the consensus on the board is five
in favor, two against, one perplexed. How does that sound?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Maybe that's true, perplexed
(sic).
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Let's move on to page -- and
Brad, I think you stepped out. What we're trying to do is just hit the
pages that we feel are different issues than what was in Bayshore.
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COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I can -- there's a speaker in the
bathroom, I could hear exactly what you're saying. I agree, everything
that we did here should be transferred over.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Page 92, I had -- I have two more, I
think, and that's it. On page 92, number five, it talks about shared
parking requirements shall be consistent with those provided in
subsection 4.05.02, then it has an exception that the county manager
and designee can approve or deny requests instead of the zoning and
land development review director with the review by CDES
administrator, Board of Zoning and Appeals or planning commission.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Wow.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That just -- it's taken somebody--
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Flip a coin.
MR. JACKSON: That should have been all deleted, right? That
highlight should have been deleted.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Oh, okay.
MR. JACKSON: It's a wrong nomen --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's a good move.
MR. JACKSON: It's a wrong nomenclature.
MR. SCHMITT: It's some notes and some comments.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So that's all getting -- delete all the
highlights.
MR. SCHMITT: Those are notes and comments that should
have been deleted.
MR. JACKSON: Right.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Number six, they're talking
about a reduction in parking standards. This reduction -- the last
sentence says, this reduction can apply when the site conditions do not
allow the required parking to be physically feasible.
Now -- and it's the county manager or his designee that can make
this reduction. Usually you guy like criteria so you're not put in the
hot seat. Do you feel the criteria being physically or unphysically
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feasible is something you guys can rule by?
MR. SCHMITT: The criteria is described in the administrative
process, and so I think by applying that criteria, that's -- for the
administrative parking variance, that's all we need. It's already in the
code elsewhere.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. As long as you're--
MR. JACKSON: Paragraph six was also supposed to be deleted,
and I think that was part of just working the computer to make it go,
because we didn't want to put the 25 percent reduction in there. We
wanted to work through the existing system that they've got in place.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, I wouldn't -- see, I think it would
be better to have it removed. Does staff have any problem with that?
MS. MURRAY: No, no problem.
MR. JACKSON: No, we have discussed that. That was supposed
to have been deleted, and as you can see it connects to paragraph five,
so I think that it was a --
MR. SCHMITT: That makes paragraph seven, paragraph six.
MR. JACKSON: -- a mouse error.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. And the other -- the last
remaining item I have is page 97. Second line, it starts with county
manager or his designee, then there's parentheses, normally the
administrator or county development environmental services division.
Why do we even have that parentheses in there? Who cares what
it normally was. It's just, it is what it is.
MR. JACKSON: That should be deleted.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Those are all the comments I had
on the Gateway.
Brad?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Page 101? I'm not exactly sure
what that is. It's a chunk of code out of another part of the LDC.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: That's the thing we deleted
earlier.
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COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Oh, this is gone.
MR. SCHMITT: That is the entire NIM process, neighborhood
information meeting process, is what that is.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But for just the triangle or for
Bayshore also, or--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It's in Bayshore, we discussed it and
actually made changes to number two and number three.
MS. MURRAY: Correct.
MR. JACKSON: That's correct. It's chapter 10 in the LDC.
And earlier I explained the intent was to make it a placeholder for all
future mixed-use project overlays that came in, and tried to put
language in there that allowed the neighborhood information meetings
to be jointly conducted with whoever the local advisory board in the
area was, if they so desired.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And all this other criteria for
parking and everything makes sense there? In other words, six --
MR. JACKSON: Six A through F?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I mean, if -- I'll catch up on that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Catherine, are there any public speakers
left for this?
MS. FABACHER: No, sir.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MS. F ABACHER: Excuse me. I have one little omission to read
into the record before you --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Sure. Go right ahead.
MS. F ABACHER: It's just something that got changed in
Bayshore but didn't get changed in Gateway. I'm on page 60 in
Gateway. I'm under paragraph three of section three, the mixed-use
approval process.
At the very end, after it says environmental services division, it
should read something that we added in; after the SD P has been
approved, the applicant shall provide a legal description of the site,
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and the approved proj ect shall be identified on the Collier County
official zoning atlas map. We just didn't make the change here.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MS. FABACHER: Okay. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No problem.
Okay. With that I think we're ready to finally vote on the
Gateway Triangle mixed-use district. The outstanding -- we had four
or five additional comments.
Susan, I assume you got all the comments.
MS. MURRAY: Yep.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And the other issue that we have that we
got a consensus on is the issue concerning the density. Five in favor
of removing the 12 units per acre and two in favor of leaving it as it is.
With that said and the comments on the record that Susan's kept
track of, is there a motion to recommend or deny -- or recommend
approval with the stipulations -- deny or whatever, with this particular
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: So moved.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: I'll make a motion.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, no. So moved what, Mr.
Adelstein? Recommend approval out of the corrections and
comments that we provided?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I was going to say it, so
moved, if you'd let me finish.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. I'm sorry. It was seconded. I
thought you were done.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: No.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Seconded by Mr. Vigliotti.
And I understand that like our prior one, this is consistent with
the growth management plan.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: All right. I hope that's sufficient. Oh,
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well.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Let's hope so.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: All those -- any further discussions on
the motion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: All those in favor, signify by saying
aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Anybody opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion carries. We are done with the
Bayshore/Gateway Triangle. Probably a very happy day for Mr.
Jackson.
MR. JACKSON: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you, sir, for your patience.
MR. JACKSON: Thank you for your time and your diligence.
Your comments are well noted, and we'll make the corrections and get
them forwarded through the staff.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you. We have no old business.
By the way, we are going to wrap up this hearing, close, take a break,
and then go into a new hearing for the AUIR, and we should take a
couple minutes to get there.
So do we have any old business under this hearing?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I'd just like to say something.
Joe, remember last time you asked us some things that maybe
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this board could do instead of the BCC?
MR. SCHMITT: Yes.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Maybe you want to bring up in
front of them, maybe we're the ones reviewing these -- you know,
these mixed-use applications. And let me tell you why, because the
BCC has gone through the compo plan and made allowance for it,
they've done the overlay zoning, so they must trust that that's what
they want in these neighborhoods, so maybe it would be just up to this
board to discuss the -- you know, how these things, you know, became
reality.
MR. SCHMITT: You mean, what you just -- as part of the entire
mixed-use overlay?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: It's all designed. To get that
mixed-use approval, you have to go before the BCC.
MR. SCHMITT: Yes.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And maybe that's something
that the planning commission could handle because the BCC's put the
overlay and zoning requirements on top of it anyway.
MR. SCHMITT: It's worth bringing up to the Board of County
Commissioners during the -- even during this amendment cycle.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MR. SCHMITT: As part of this amendment.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yeah, maybe.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I think that's a good idea. I mean, make
a suggestion, if they want to use it. If they don't feel comfortable with
it --
MR. SCHMITT: We will look at -- and make that suggestion.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Because it really is a planning
issue. It's roads, sidewalks, arguments over buffers.
MR. SCHMITT: Yep.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Something that they don't
enjoy, I'm sure.
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The other thing is that all of the amendments we went through
prior to this -- because this concludes cycle two for us, correct?
MR. SCHMITT: Yes.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Could the website be updated?
It's -- like some of it's hanging back in August, some of it's in October.
MR. Schmitt: The amendments themselves that are posted?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, can't we see -- in other
words, we've made a movement on things, we've made changes to
things. It would be nice to see what's gone before the commission,
and that should be on the website, I believe.
MR. SCHMITT: We'll get it updated.
MS. FABACHER: We're sorry. We're just lagging behind,
putting together all our packets. That's our very next step to update
that.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. I'm done.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is there any new business?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Public comment?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Everybody's waiting for the AUIR, I
can tell.
This meeting's adjourned. We'll take a -- well, David, I'm sorry.
MR. WEEKS: I'm sorry to interrupt.
Mr. Chairman, point of clarification on the motion on the
Gateway Triangle overlay as pertains to the mini triangle. Was the
motion to not allow the 12 units in the minitriangle, or was it to make
that 12 unit per acre subject to -- to the density pool, taken from that
density pool?
MS. FABACHER: Subject to the pool.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: We had all thought -- a lot of us had
thought it was from the density pool, but the motion was made with
the consensus not to support the 12 units being added. So however the
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BCC wants to determine that. I think -- it was my assumption,
probably the majority of this board, that 388 was already going to be
applied anyway, and I'm not too concerned one way or the other.
MR. SCHMITT: Clarification. What I thought you motioned
was to take any reference of the 12 units an acre --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Out.
MR. SCHMITT: -- out, right, because the underlying premise is
that that density exists now. When the EAR-based amendment makes
that change, there'll be no requirement then to go back and amend this.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: That's correct.
MR. SCHMITT: Is that clear, David?
MR. WEEKS: Well, no, sir. The underlying zoning for the
entire minitriangle is C-4. It has no density.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Zero.
MR. WEEKS: Zero. So if your motion is to remove that
provision that talks about the 12 unit per acre bonus, that means
they're limited to commercial development only.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Or what they get out of 388.
MR. WEEKS: Okay. So it is --
COMMISSIONER CARON: Unless they come in as a mixed
use.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: With the 388.
COMMISSIONER CARON: With the 388.
MR. WEEKS: Okay. So it would be subject to the pool.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yeah, that's what the intent was.
MS. FABACHER: I see what he's saying.
MR. SCHMITT: I got it. Now I understand.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Now we're adjourned.
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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 2:35 p.m.
COLLIER COUNTY
PLANNING COMMISSION
Mark Strain, Chairman
TRANSCRIPT PREPARED ON BEHALF OF GREGORY
COURT REPORTING SERVICES, INC., BY TERRI LEWIS
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