CCPC Minutes 09/21/2006 LDC S
September 21, 2006
TRANSCRIPT OF THE LDC MEETING OF THE
COLLIER COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION
Naples, Florida
September 21, 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 8:45 a.m. in SPECIAL SESSION
in the Community Development Building, Horseshoe Drive,
Naples, Florida, with the following members present:
CHAIRMAN:
Mark Strain
Lindy Adelstein
Donna Reed Caron
Tor Kolflat
Paul Midney
Robert Murray
Brad Schiffer
Russell Tuff
Robert Vigliotti
ALSO PRESENT:
Ray Bellows, Zoning & Land Dev. Review
Joseph Schmitt, Community Dev. & Env. Services
Jeffrey Klatzkow, Assistant County Attorney
Susan Mason, Environmental Services
Catherine Fabacher, Zoning & Land Dev. Review
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September 21, 2006
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: At this time, we will open the meeting
that has been continued from the September -- what was that date? I
was gone -- 7th, September 7th for a continuation of the LDC
amendments that -- cycle one.
MS. FABACHER: Second hearing.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, you may call it the second
hearing, but I think we've been discussing these many times. And I
understand what they're supposed to be.
I believe there are three issues for discussion today: One is the
environmental services department's issue on the EIS that didn't get
finished; another one will be the essential services issue; and the last
one will be the Bayshore Drive -- Bayshore/Gateway issue.
Is that correct, Ms. Fabacher?
MS. FABACHER: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. And I believe we'll start with the
environmental services division first.
What page of our -- is there a reference that you can give all of us
or somewhat on the same page? Probably not, because there's been a
lot of page changes.
MS. FABACHER: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: This is LDC Section 10.02.02.A.2 and
A.4.h and A.7. It did appear in our old book on Page 201. Mr.
Adelstein has the same or a newer document that appears on Page 145,
so I'm not sure who's got what amongst this commission.
MS. FABACHER: I have extra copies, if anybody needs them.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, this wasn't the one that had a lot
of issues, so maybe we can get our way through it.
It's all yours, Susan.
MS. MASON: Good morning. For the record, Susan Mason
with Environmental Services Department.
There's just a couple minor changes on -- let's see, it would be
2.D.V paragraph. There was some concern from the public on
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petitions such as PUDs where maybe only 75 percent of the preserve
had been designated, that we would require an EIS update to be done
for them to come up with the remaining 25 percent or whatever
portion they hadn't committed to yet. So that's where it was changed
to read, the required amount of preserve area was not previously
approved.
Just to clarify that we wouldn't -- we haven't been requiring that,
and we certainly don't want to start having to require that for that type
of preserve designation.
And the portion describing -- on my Page 204 where it says
provide an analysis demonstrating the project will remain fully
functional for its intended use after a six-inch sea rise, that --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Susan, you need to drop your speed
about 50 percent.
MS. MASON: Oh, sorry. I'm always too fast. Sorry about that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Let's go back to start over on the second
item, the second point you were trying to make.
MS. MASON: Okay. The analysis demonstrating that your
project will still function after a six-inch sea level rise. That is
verbatim from the Growth Management Plan.
And the last portion, paragraph H, just describes if -- it's an
exemption from the EIS at the time of a conventional rezone if they're
not proposing any site plan as part of that rezone.
In many cases with a straight or conventional rezone, they don't
come out with any detail, and we wouldn't require it at that point,
unless it's areas of environmental sensitivity that really needs to be
dealt with at that time.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Are there any questions from the
planning commission?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I have one, Susan. In the original text --
and the reason for the change, and I want to understand it, because --
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September 21, 2006
to eliminate the need for an EIS for proj ects where it was more
appropriate to postpone the assessment to a later process.
Does that mean that an EIS would not be required at a PUD level,
it would be required, say, at an SDP level? Is that where you're trying
to go?
MS. MASON: No. At PUD rezone, that is where most of the
preserves are required. I'm not sure which --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: My notes are off of the original
document, only because there's been so many follow-ups, and I'm not
sure which one we're using today. Maybe I could have a copy of the
one we're using today, and any questions --
MS. MASON: The update that you should be seeing today
should say -- the most recent version is September 6th, 2006.
MS. FABACHER: September 1.
MS. MASON: September 1.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: That still says what you said.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I'm trying to -- and I don't know how
the reasoning that I'm referring to, and it does stay the same on Page
145, fleshes out in the language that you provided. And it says, to
eliminate the need for an EIS for a project where it's more appropriate
to postpone the assessment to a later process.
I'm just trying to understand what that later process is.
MS. MASON: That would be in the case of the rezone, where
right now a straight or conventional rezone, even if they don't want to
provide a site plan, the exemption would apply. They would have to
do an EIS, they would have to designate preserves. And it's really not
appropriate at that development, since they're not coming up with a
site plan. But on PUDs there is a requirement in the LDC for a site
plan, and at that point it's the appropriate time for us to evaluate it for
preserves, as well as all the other required zoning or transportation
issues that need to be addressed.
So it's only for those type of projects where currently an EIS is
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required when other details have not been worked out either.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Which would be more conventional
zonIng.
MS. MASON: Right.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The reason I want to make -- because I
find the EIS is very valuable in understanding PUDs.
MS. MASON: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I want to make sure that there wasn't a
loophole trying to remove that from the PUD process --
MS. MASON: No, that certainly is not the intention. It was just
the paragraph at the end where it's talking about a conventional rezone
and adding that exemption.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And the other item on having -- in the
changed paragraph, number one, eliminate the requirement for an
environmental impact statement for changes in zoning not requiring
an approval of a development plan.
What is your intentions by that? And I'm just saying - for
example, if we have a PUD come in and it has a -- a master plan gets
approved. And I think there was one on Vanderbilt Beach that
recently had this happen. They got their master plan approved, within
a year they came back to us, they wanted to change the product sty Ie
that they had asked for originally, they did not change their master
plan. They would not have to do another EIS then for that, would
they?
MS. MASON: Correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. That's what I'm getting at. So if
your master plan is retained, in essence the existing vegetation in the
preserve areas would be then retained so you wouldn't require a
second EIS for that --
THE COURT REPORTER: Would you please say that again
slower?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So if the master plan is approved one
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time and they come back in for a text change, that doesn't affect the
layout of the master plan, then the EIS is not re-required.
MS. MASON: Correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's what I was getting at, okay.
Thank you. That's all the questions I had.
Were there any questions from any other members?
(N 0 response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Are there any questions from anybody
in the public interested in this issue?
(N 0 response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Seeing none, do we have a
motion to recommend approval or denial of LDC Section 2.02.02.A.2,
10.02.02.A.4.h, and 10.02.02.A.7?
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: So moved.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Vigliotti?
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: I'll make a recommendation for
approval.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: He's made a recommendation for
approval.
Mr. Kolflat has seconded. I have a recommendation for
approval.
Is there discussion?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I have a question. You've just
read off -- on Page 145, you read off a number less than 10.0. Page
145 --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: They should have all been 10.02.02.
The first one should have been A.2, then A.4.h and then A.7.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: All right.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You may have heard a misstate, I'm
sorry. In my quest to slow down I misstate.
Okay, is there any other discussion?
(N 0 response.)
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CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Hearing none, all those in favor of the
motion, signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
Anybody opposed?
(N 0 response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion carries. Thank you.
Next item for discussion today is the essential services LDC
Section 2.01.03.
Ms. Fabacher?
MS. FABACHER: Just a little history. We began working on
this, and I believe it was -- Chief Page was working with the
committee with some other EMS and fire people to look at this
amendment. And then a little bit later in the process, I think some of
the other fire districts got involved. And we're supposed to be
scheduled to have a couple more meetings to work the details out.
But the version that you got was a result of discussion among
some of the parties but not all of the parties. I'm not exactly sure
where they all stand on that. But--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, well, sometime--
MS. FABACHER: It was an attempt to -- we were requested--
staff was directed to come up with some stronger conditions that
would make it, you know, almost so that if it did come into a
neighborhood, you know, one of these facilities, looked at conditions
to try and mitigate against any possible negative impacts, you know.
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September 21, 2006
I don't want to speak for Susan but, you know, you can't always
mitigate for every site, because every site's different. But I think that
we're in the process of making a good faith effort to find some
restrictions that ought to generically protect the adjacent property
owners. And that's what you have before you today.
Now, I'm going to let the various applicants speak to whatever
they want to speak to.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. I meant to say something at the
beginning of this meeting. We have customarily had two readings,
first and second. This stuff has gone on way too long. And I'm not
talking about this particular issue, but others as well. We have one
coming up following this called Bayshore/Gateway issue.
I would like every effort of the board to resolve these today. And
if they can't be resolved today, then we can always recommend the
continuance to the next cycle as not being able to be resolved today.
But one way or another, this thing, we need to end it today. So
my goal here is to try to get us through this today and get it on the
table and a vote, whether it's up or down, by the time we get done with
this discussion.
So with that, are there any comments from the commissioners, or
do you want to hear from the public speakers first?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I would just comment that I met
with several of the chiefs and Commissioner Rautio, and also had a
discussion, and from that another iteration was formulated but not
provided to the committee, because at the last meeting a decision was
made not to provide any document to this commission within three
days of the meeting. So that mayor may not manifest today. Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, I mean, Mr. Murray, there was a
document sent out yesterday, so that seems to already have violated
whatever agreement there seemed to have been in place.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I recognize that. And I'm rather
uncomfortable by that fact, because I was trying to perform correctly.
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However, I believe that perhaps one of the chiefs in the audience
might very well have something to offer.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I wasn't here last meeting so I didn't
know there was such an arrangement.
Mr. Adelstein?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I had a discussion with
Commissioner Rautio also -- in fact, we had two of them, and that was
it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I don't think we have to do disclosures
for this issue, so -- okay, is there any other comments from the
planning commission before we hear from public speakers?
(N 0 response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, now how many people are here to
speak on this issue today? One, two speakers, three? Four? Okay.
We don't have registered sign-in sheets today, but we will hear
from each one of you. You're allocated five minutes' time. If you
want to come up, whoever is going to speak first, please come forward
and identify yourself and we'll move forward. Don't be shy.
CHIEF PAGE: No problem.
For the record, Jeff Page with Emergency Medical Services.
I believe at the last meeting the direction was for us to get together
with staff and try to make something that we could bring back to you.
Staff has been very busy, we haven't had the ability to meet yet to
formalize that. And I'm asking that you allow us to do that.
However, if it's your decision not to allow us to meet, then I
would propose that we use the -- for discussion the amendment that
was provided to the board last night.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, Mr. Page -- Chief Page, I'm sorry,
I'd like to see us get through this. And if this isn't in a form that your
group likes it to be, we could recommend it anyway, based on the
form we have in front of us. You could make any corrections or
changes you want when you go before the BCC, or you could
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continue this to another cycle, which could give you all the time you
need to probably do this a lot better.
I read what was provided last night. It was one of the more
sloppiest documents I've seen. So I could sit here and tear paragraph
by paragraph, piece by piece apart if that's what has to be done, but I
don't think we can accomplish anything more with this cycle past
today. I'd like to see it end. Unless this commission has a different
consensus.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Mr. Chairman, I would be an
advocate for your position on this, because I recognize in getting
involved that this matter is very significant and very important and
requires the coming together of all of the representatives and their
opportunity to input properly.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, with that -- Mr. Schmitt?
MR. SCHMITT: Mr. Chairman, just so you know, I'm under
instructions from my boss, the county manager, to bring a group
together and to work on this amendment. The purpose today was
certainly somewhat to try and get your guidance. This started out, as
Mr. Page certainly described, it was staff-initiated. Mr. Page is part of
the staff. And this thing has evolved -- last meeting, as you well
know, it went much further with other input. My guidance from my
boss, and I'm to include both Commissioner Henning and the county
manager in that meeting, is to sit down and develop language to
bring before the Board of County Commissioners.
Now, certainly we cannot bring anything in final until you all
approve it as a board. So I'll go on your direction as well. It has to go
through the planning commission. You have to deem it consistent
with the compo plan before we can present it to the Board of County
Commissioners, your job of course as the local planning authority.
So with that, I just wanted to make sure you understand, even if
we continue it, my guidance is to bring the team together and to
somehow work through and develop language.
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Now, that team is going to consist of most everybody that was on
this e-mail and we're going to bring this back to the board October
25th.
So sometime between now and October 25th, yes, we will at
least have a meeting of the minds, maybe agree to disagree, or
whatever, thrash or hash out this language, probably bring it back to
you in final form before we bring it to the board on the 25th of
October.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I'm -- so what you're telling me is it
doesn't really matter what we do here today, because you're going to
come back with this regardless.
MR. SCHMITT: Unless you today finalize -- we as a group
agree, I mean, there's folks out here that have positions as well. If
there's consensus, I think we can move forward. I still have to provide
some input to my boss and Commissioner Henning, who has now
weighed in on this as well on this, to make sure, at least from their
perspective, they're satisfied with this. But certainly yes, your input is
valuable.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yeah, but your final document
apparently is going to be more evolved after you have this meeting
with principals more involved than we are in the process, meaning
the county manager, yourself, a commissioner and other members of
this team. There's no telling what could come out of that meeting. It
could be something totally different than what we have in front of us
today.
MR. SCHMITT: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Now I'm wondering why we're even
wasting our time having this scheduled today if there's no possibility
of getting it resolved today.
CHIEF PAGE: And Chairman, that's why I'm really requesting
that you allow us to come back on the 5th, so that you see the
document first. Whether you vote for it or not, I want you to be able
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to see it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You're going to have your meeting
completed with the county manager and the commissioner and the
other people by the 5th of October and a new draft written and
completed by then?
CHIEF PAGE: I think we're very close, really.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: So do I.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I would like to get all of our stuff done.
But at the same time, I don't want to waste time going through the
document that's basically going to be --
CHIEF PAGE: That's why we don't want to take your time
today, we're just asking that you allow us to come back on the 5th.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Catherine, would this be the only item
left to continue?
MS. FABACHER: Yes.
MR. SCHMITT: Yes.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Mr. Chairman, I would urge we
continue this.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I'm heading that direction, Mr. Murray.
I'm just a little surprised, that this has been around so much. I was
hoping while I was on vacation at least this would end, but it didn't.
Mr. Schiffer?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yeah, one thing I'd like to make
sure we do is we do get together. Because every time we have a
meeting, there's always somebody that says I didn't, you know, pay
attention to this. Staff started this out. This should have been actually
in good format when it first arrived.
The last meeting Susan started taking an interest in it and asked
for more time for this meeting. Nothing happened between this one.
So we have to make sure something happens.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, I also wondered in this larger
meeting that you're going to have, you already have a date set for that?
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MR. SCHMITT: I do not. We've got to coordinate calendars.
I'm going to set a date and if you can make it, you can make it. If you
can't, you can't. I've got to finalize this thing to get it back to you at
the next scheduled meeting and get it prepared for the board.
I'm sure there's folks in the audience today who know this is of
importance to them, and they're going to have to set the priorities. But
I've got to set a date.
Now, I first apologize for the fact that you don't have a final
product in front of you. I have one person who works LDC and her
position was to prepare the packet for the Board of County
Commissioners. And that was the most important issue on her plate.
This thing had to take a second seat because of all the other ordinances
that -- the amendments that had to go before the board.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So your staff has not read the one -- has
not critiqued the one that was sent to us last night?
MR. SCHMITT: I've read the one that -- last night, but we've not
commented on it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: As you know, this commission has been
critical of ambiguous statements, and that's why the
Bayshore/Gateway has been back here 10 times and it's here again
today. And we better end that one today, I hope.
But the draft that I got last night was loaded with ambiguous
statements that I can't see how you could enforce. So based on that,
maybe as a hint that if somebody in staff could go through these kind
of documents and resolve those kind of statements first, we would
save a lot of times at these meetings.
MR. SCHMITT: This document you have is what we received
directly from, I believe --
MS. FABACHER: Commissioner Rautio.
MR. SCHMITT: Commissioner Rautio and Commissioner
Schiffer, who co-authored this, I believe, or participated in this. And
that's the revision you have. This has not been modified at all by staff.
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This is what was sent to us.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But Joe, there's a lot of these
revisions have been in there a while now. I mean, all of this stuff is
not new information.
MR. SCHMITT: I don't argue that. I agree.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So the point is, I think the only
additional information other than tweaking what was existing is
probably the public participation and the neighborhood meeting.
MR. SCHMITT: That's correct.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: The rest of it is stuff that we've
chatted out, the staff has chatted out, everybody's comfortable with
that.
MR. SCHMITT: The basic premise of this is going to be
whether the board wants to move forward with this as a permitted use.
Then if they decide that, certainly then we will have to define the
parameters. And that's the first hurdle that's got to be -- you know,
got to be jumped, quite honestly, is that conditional versus permitted.
This is growing simply to provide criteria that would be applied
through that permitted use process. And that's what's created the
evolution of this.
So it's that one point, at your last meeting we got clear guidance
from this board, at least my understanding, I had to leave that
meeting, but you all were -- had reached consensus that you were
agreeable at a certain size facility it would be a permitted use beyond
a certain size, which was three bays --
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: No, not at all.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I don't think that's any consensus I've
ever heard from this panel at all. In fact, that's a big bone of
contention, as far as I'm concerned.
MS. FABACHER: Catherine Fabacher, for the record.
I think we agreed that if it was larger than a small thing, had
administrative and training facilities, that it would have to remain a
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September 21, 2006
conditional use. Wasn't that in the last version?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Murray?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Yes. I will tell you, I've
become rather intimate with a lot of these details, and that
information, I believe, has come as a result of staff working with
Commissioner Rautio and others. That was not clear to other chiefs,
and it is not something that we as a body entertained. So that -- and it
should remain open, because of the declaration of a three versus a two
versus a four creates a question about the future and planning as to
what facilities and equipment are needed.
And I would ask also, perhaps I would have to discuss with Mr.
Klatzkow, but having myself gotten involved in it, I would wish to
remain so, but I know that Commissioner Schiffer is involved. And
we get back to that question, if the staff is going to have a meeting
with Commissioner Henning, what are the circumstances under which
I can provide some help and some assistance? Am I precluded
because Commissioner Schiffer will be there, or what do we have to
do?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I notice on this particular one, some of
the planning commissioners got themselves involved rather deeply,
and I would think it's hard to then, from this position you're in up
here, to weigh in on it without having a bias one way or the other. I
would hope that we would actually do just the opposite, let the staff
and the people involved, the stakeholders, work up what they want to
come forward with, and then us as the unbiased, impartial board
review that. Although I've not seen that happen with this particular
Issue.
Mr. Klatzkow, I'm sure there's probably no rules that prohibit
anything either way, so I imagine we're free to do what we want to do.
MR. KLATZKOW: I think you have been operating well within
the realm of what the Sunshine Law requires.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. But if Mr. Murray wanted to
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attend a meeting that Mr. Schmitt is trying to set up with
Commissioner Henning and the county manager, and Mr. Schiffer
were to attend it because Mr. Schiffer's been involved, then we have
a problem --
MR. KLATZKOW: You're right.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's what I think Mr. Schiffer's--
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Well, I'm cognizant of that, and I
would disagree with respect to the bias because, as the chair knows, he
gets involved in many, many details, and he comes here and works
very hard not to have a bias on these things. And I would do the
same. So I think as being a good citizen and representing parts of my
community to the East Naples Fire and Rescue District, as well as the
other chiefs, I would be inclined to provide whatever assistance I
could. I would hope not to be prohibited from doing so.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Schiffer?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Mark, I think what it is, the
commission wanted an amendment similar to this, and I think our job
really is to put it together the best we can, the most predictable code
we can. And it's up to the commission to decide whether they want to
make it a conditional use.
The reason I jumped in is I really wanted to give it a fair chance,
put in there staff -- you know, code that would be predictable, code
that would allow us to maybe minimize the impact of these and then
pass it to the commission. It's their job to decide whether they want it
to be permissible or not.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I agree with you, Mr. Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And then we'll make a
recommendation and whatever that recommendation is, the
commission will decide on their own.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I think you're 100 percent right.
Mr. Schmitt, if there is such a meeting, and if any member of this
planning commission is invited, I'd like to make it -- if that is the way
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September 21, 2006
the thing is going to be set up, I would like it set up so that all the
members of this planning commission could be invited and can
attend.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: That should be the way.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So if that is now an issue that prohibits
that meeting from occurring with the planning commission present,
then maybe you ought to restructure the meeting so that you're dealing
with Commissioner Henning and Mr. Mudd instead.
MR. KLATZKOW: Or you can have a meeting in the Sunshine
and you're all welcome to attend.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's fine. Well, it would have to be if
more than one planning commissioner attends. What I'm requesting
now is if one of us has a right to attend, I think we all have a right to
attend.
MR. SCHMITT: If that's the case, the meeting would then be
scheduled as an agenda item for your next scheduled meeting.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It's up to you. Or you could meet with
Commissioner Henning and Commissioner Mudd -- or, yeah,
Commissioner Mudd, ha, ha -- and County Manager Mudd on their
own and come up with what that group wants and maybe go forward
that way as a simpler way to approach it.
MR. SCHMITT: This is a difficult issue, because, as planning
commissioners, Commissioner Schiffer's participation is in some ways
in a different capacity than as a planning commissioner. But that
walks a fine edge. Same with Mr. Murray.
Commissioner Murray, are you there as the East Naples Civic
Association, or are you there as the planning commissioner?
So I have to assume that you're there in your capacity as a
planning commissioner. We will go with your guidance.
I only ask for one thing: Are we moving in the right direction
regarding permitted versus conditional? Because I want to correct that
there are two commissioners who are interested in this, we have no -- I
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September 21, 2006
cannot recall any specific guidance from the board as a board that
they wanted this to be any permitted use. We have guidance from
two commissioners who have expressed interest, but not as a body. So
I do not have guidance specifically from that board.
And you're going to see what's evolved is -- what's going to come
back to you is, is this a permitted use. And beyond a certain size it
will trigger into a conditional. If it's certain aspects, training facilities
or otherwise, it will go through a conditional. Under a certain
threshold, that's where we are right now, it will be a permitted use.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I think the basis of the permitted use is
the language that's backing up that permitted use, and that's where I
have the problem. I went through this and I strongly object to the
language that's in here.
Now, if this is the language that dictates the permitted use, I for
one on this commission can tell you flat-out I'm against it and I will
continue to be against it until this language is corrected.
Now, if you're going to have a meeting and come back to us with
better language, there's no sense in beating this thing up here today.
Why don't we just defer it to you, come back and have another
meeting for the fifth time on this same issue and let's stop today's
meeting on this issue, Mr. Schmitt.
MR. SCHMITT: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is that -- Mr. Schiffer?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And Mark, you've expressed--
I mean, you've equated this activity to illegal drug use so, you know,
we're really not trying to put together language to get a favorable
opinion of even this board. What we're trying to put together
language -- is language that would really make this work and put it in
the lap of the commission, and it's their decision.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Brad, I did not equate this to drug use. I
simply said you say no, just like you say no to drugs. I didn't say it
was equated to drug use.
September 21, 2006
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: You said EMS is like illegal
drug use, just say no.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No, that's not what I said, Brad.
But anyway, at this point I see no reason to go forward with this
one any further today. And I do agree that it can be deferred, it should
be deferred.
Anybody else have any objections to that?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: No.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Anybody in the public going to have
any objection to deferring this?
Ms. Rautio?
COMMISSIONER RAUTIO: For the record, Joyceanna "JA"
Rautio, North Naples Fire District Commissioner.
Thank you for the effort. I just want to concur with what you're
saying. Give all of us a chance. We have five districts, we have EMS
and we have the Sheriffs Department, and we're getting much closer
to getting on the page.
So I support the concept, withdraw what we had sent for in
discussion with staff, the one that you're objecting to, and simply
have a meeting that allows us to either it's a conditional use or a
permitted use. If it's a permitted use, have the criteria under which we
can work, and we're much closer now.
And I'm willing to change my schedule to be wherever we need
to be for the meeting that Administrator Schmitt is talking about.
So thank you for the opportunity, one more chance to give you
what you would need as a board and a planning commission to go
ahead and say yes or no. Because as you know, I believe in the
process.
And I have several concerns about what's in the document I sent
out myself. But in fairness to everyone that had worked on it, we put
the information -- I took the information from an e-mail that Catherine
Fabacher had put together, and we went forward. So thanks for the
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September 21,2006
delay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you.
Okay. With that, we'll move on to the next item, which is the
Bayshore mixed use overlay district. It has been in front of us many
times before.
MS. FABACHER: Chairman, I think we've already
recommended approval of the rest of the Bayshore/Gateway changes.
This is simply the administrative deviation process under the map
(phonetic) approval.
MR. WHITE: Patrick White, Porter, Wright, Morris & Arthur,
here hopefully for the last time to speak to you about administrative
deviation text and process.
We to some degree, similar to the prior item, have as recently as
yesterday and perhaps even this morning tried to find the perfect fit
between the staffs version of this, what we as applicants and agents
see as an appropriate level of review and approval, and in fact the
third leg of the triangle will be the CRA board -- to the CRA
Bayshore/Gateway advisory board as well, and their role in this. So
it's been a challenge in terms of the three-sided nature of it.
But I believe we're at a place where I can, with your indulgence,
walk through what minor differences there are in the one remaining
issue of process only that has to do with the type of appeals that
would be taken from any of these determinations made at the
administrative level.
You were given a hard copy version on Page 7 of your packets.
And what I would propose to do is to work from that and the next that
you should have today, I believe, if not already distributed --
MS. FABACHER: Well, not the most recent.
MR. WHITE: Okay, then it will be easy for me to take you
through what the structural changes are that we're proposing to what
you already have.
There are no substantive changes to any of the text. And I would
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September 21, 2006
just ask that if there's anything that I may not state exactly correct, that
Catherine would point that out.
As I'd indicated, the stuff that you have on Page 7, if you bear
with me, I will go through the minor changes one by one.
But suffice it to say, before I begin that, the only real change that
we're talking about from what you have on these pages in your
hardbound copies is to modify for each of those of the five types of
requests for administrative deviation, that those instances where they
reference the provisions of 5.05.08.F, that those procedures would
remain in effect but for the appeals process that's set forth there.
Under the 5.05.08.F text, an arbitration panel is to be established
if there's a disagreement between the applicant and the staff as to what
the proposed alternative architectural design would be.
That process is one that we as applicants can live with. The staff
believes that it's more appropriate to utilize the process that's set forth
in the code of laws and ordinances in the chapter that sets forth the
zoning and planning provisions.
That section is 250-58, and it deals with essentially
administrative appeals, or appeals from an administrative decision of
one of the county officials.
Like I said, we can go as far as appellate process either way. But
working with the staff to address this last substantive comment that
they have, we've worked through some version changes that simply
by restructuring the order of the five types of deviation requests, we
will be able to show you how those that make reference to 5.05.08.F
would be able to utilize instead 250-58 as the appellate source.
That's really the sum and substance of any difference that exists
for the purposes of any discussion today. It may seem a bit more
evolved than that to go through in meticulous detail. But that is more
of a housekeeping measure, because in all of the versions back and
forth, some text was lost, some text was added. But in the end, if we
work from the stuff on Page 7, I think we'll be okay. And I believe we
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September 21, 2006
can do it fairly simply.
We're of course at any point able to answer any questions you
may have. And--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Catherine, do you have a new handout?
My page -- he refers to a page, my page is a different number, and I
can follow it better if you did. I got one of your earlier e-mails that
didn't have the page numbers on it.
MR. WHITE: I'm working from what was the --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I've got your latest language, just
doesn't have the page numbers on it that you have, so I want to make
sure --
MR. WHITE: And again, I -- I apologize for the confusion.
There's little that can be done under the circumstances. Obviously
your staff has been working very diligently on a number of matters
that were attempting to be resolved. I think we can meet your wishes
today to get through this one. And if you'll bear with us, I believe we
will be able to do so quickly.
I would like to start, if we can, on Page 7 with your hardbound
versions. And Commissioner Strain, if you can follow along on the
handout from today that at the top in red says September 20th,
2006-1537. It will be a little more complicated, because the end-up
version that you have in your hardbound is actually similar.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It is, you're right. But I'd like to follow
up the one that was passed out today to make sure that any changes
are minor. But I want every single change fleshed out and done so we
can finish this today.
MR. WHITE: Absolutely. And I believe that I'm prepared to
address those for you today.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, could you start with Page 7 and
work your way through it, Patrick?
MR. WHITE: Yes. I'll start near the top. It's about the sixth line
down, the LDC section numbers themselves. I believe it's surplusage,
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September 21, 2006
it's an extraneous reference to Section 9.04.08.
There may be a desire in the next round to bring something in
that evolves what these provisions are for more general administrative
deviations, but that's a question for another day. So I think it's more
appropriate to strike that. Minor housekeeping.
Same for reference in the other notes and version dates that make
reference to the text changes from yesterday.
Substantively turning to Page 8, we readded in the text of2.03.07.I,
number two, entitled applicability. The text was inadvertently left out.
The hard copy version you have, your bound text, it has always been
there, it has been unchanged in any of the versions you've seen
previously. That was merely an oversight not to include it. We were
simply making sure that it's being brought back in so that when the
ordinance is prepared for this, it will be included. So there should be
no questions about that.
Turning to the substance of today's discussion under Arabic five,
administrative deviations, small letter a, no changes; b, the same, no
changes.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Can we interrupt?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes, go ahead.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Patrick, on a, the version we got
last night, there was some strike-throughs. Do you want those not
struck through? What it is the sentence from the following that starts
MR. WHITE: My understanding is that the staff is agreeable to
using the original version that you have in your hardbounds.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: That we have in our what?
MR. WHITE: In your hardbound copies, the ones with the green
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So the one we got last night --
MR. WHITE: This version here.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's the BCC version, not our version.
Page 23
September 21, 2006
MR. WHITE: All right, but--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Go ahead.
MS. FABACHER: For the record, Catherine Fabacher. Staffis
amenable to using the one that unfortunately you just got. Not the --
staff is supporting --
MR. WHITE: They are the same in both versions. So that the
September 20 --
MR. KLATZKOW: No.
MR. WHITE: -- 1537 is exactly the same as--
MR. KLATZKOW: No, no, no. Excuse me, I'm sorry. I got an
e-mail yesterday, and I just picked up a package over there, and there
are differences between the two.
And just for clarity's sake, which document do you want the
planning commission to be working off of?
MR. WHITE: If you have the handout from today, that would be
the simplest thing to move forward from.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And I would agree, because you are
already partway through it and it's fairly easy to follow.
MR. KLATZKOW: Okay.
MR. WHITE: And that is the same as the prior text that you
were given in all earlier versions.
The same is true for capital letter B -- I'm sorry, small letter b,
and then Roman I.
The difference then is under the sub-paragraph numbered one
parenthetical, and the only difference here is that the text should read
in a way that continues to make reference to the processes and
procedures of 5.05.08.F.
And what we're going to do is go through and collect up all four
of those types of requests that make reference to that. Then we're
going to add in a new provision that says that notwithstanding all of
those types of procedures under 5.05.08.F for administrative appeals
to that arbitration panel I made reference to, then instead all of these
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September 21, 2006
first four categories -- and I'll correct the version you have that only
shows three, so that all four of those will use the 250-58 process.
And that is really the gist of everything we're going to talk about.
The rest of it is just housekeeping and wordsmithing.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Patrick, I'm trying to follow you.
MR. WHITE: Sure.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The last I had heard, we were on Page 8,
5.B.i.1.
MR. WHITE: Correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Are we still there?
MR. WHITE: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. It looks to me like you've got
half a dozen words in blue lettering that were added to the sentence.
Is that the only change in that piece we're trying to discuss?
It says in order to be eligible for an administrative deviation, the site
shall meet at least one of the following conditions or circumstances.
That's pretty plain and simple. Is there everything --
MR. WHITE: That's correct. The only thing that should be
added --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Whoa, whoa. You mean you're trying
to change the changes we have in front of us?
MR. WHITE: That would be because the version that you
received did not properly leave in the process and procedure steps of
5.05.08.F. The agreed-upon approach was to use the appellate process
of 250-58 for your consideration today. But by removing the rest of
the process and procedure of 5.05.08.F, you effectively also removed
the criteria for evaluation and all other process steps prior to the actual
appeal, if you ever needed one.
So in order to make sure that there was some way to actually
handle these and a criterion for their evaluation, 5.05.08.F is critical to
the actual regulation in effect.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Catherine, you raised your hand. You
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September 21, 2006
don't have to identify yourself again because that takes five strokes of
this lady's typing. So just simply say I'm Catherine. You can go
ahead.
MS. FABACHER: It might be helpful if we talked about
5.05.08.F, which is the deviations and alternate compliance. And it
just talks about the review and approval procedure.
Upon the request of the applicant, the county manager or
designee may administratively approve a site development plan
application that includes an alternative architectural design and site
development plan that may be substituted, you know, for -- and then
the review criteria, it gives review criteria that says designee must
find that the proposed alternative plan accomplishes the purpose and
intent of this section --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Catherine, you have to slow down.
MS. FABACHER: I'm sorry.
THE COURT REPORTER: Could you just read, the designee--
MS. FABACHER: The county manager or his designee must
find that the proposed alternative plan accomplishes the purpose and
intent of this section -- those are the architectural standards -- in the
same manner as the provisions would.
The next section would be submittal requirements.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. But is staff--
MS. FABACHER: My point is just to say, if you bear with me one
more second, at the end of this section of how we review and so forth,
it's five, appeal and assistance procedure.
Now, this is what Patrick's talking about, the difference. The
only thing that we want to change is instead of calling together the
architectural arbitration board, which has to have five appointed
members and it has to be staffed and agendas, staff didn't want to do
that. So what we're talking about doing now is coming from the code
of laws and ordinances, and it's the appeal to an administrative
decision, which goes to the BZA, but it has a 30-day timeline. So it's
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September 21,2006
not going to be like a variance that takes forever.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is staff in support of the
recommendation?
MS. FABACHER: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. So it will work for staff. The
language that would read in item one, Patrick, am I to understand what
language, exactly as it would read, since no copy of anything we have
in front of us contains the language. Can you tell us what needs to be
filled in where and can staffverify that's appropriate?
MR. WHITE: It may be more difficult for me to do that verbatim
for you today. And I know that we're absolutely in agreement on
principle here, and I will do my best, because it is differing versions
that you have in the e-mail as opposed to what you had seen in your
prior hard copies. Under--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, before you go any further, I'm
already, again, very discouraged. This is the second one that's
happened to us today in the same manner. I did not expect this
commission to have to hear these again. We've already gone beyond
that by saying we'll hear them, we'll hear the fire department one
agaIn.
Mr. Schmitt, I don't see the need to ever come back to this
commission with constant, constant changes. If this one was deferred
until the time we heard the fire one again, could I get a commitment
from staff and from the applicant that we would receive nothing later
than one week prior to the meeting, exactly the language we're going
to review, and no changes will be discussed, brought forward, brought
or even hinted out at the meeting after that?
I am really getting sick and tired of this. I've never seen an LDC
amendment cycle like this before.
MR. SCHMITT: This is a petitioner-requested amendment. And
as long as I get the input from the petitioner in a timely manner, it will
be distributed to you.
Page 27
September 21, 2006
What I got was an e-mail yesterday. I'm just looking at an e-mail
which is a different version than what I have in front of me today.
I'm as frustrated as you are on this. We're responsible for providing
you the information. And if I don't get a timely submittal from the
applicant, this will be continued to the next meeting, because I too am
frustrated.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: What I would like to do is get an
agreement, as long as nobody on this panel objects to it, that we will
defer this one to the same time frame that we deferred for the fire
department. Under one caveat. If we don't get the paperwork in
advance of our meeting -- and I don't know how many days in
advance we need it, we need to discuss that, whether it be three days,
five days, seven days -- then this thing is automatically either
recommended for denial or pulled to the next cycle. I'm just tired of
hearing this coming back before us like this.
Patrick, I know it's been strenuous for you to get this together,
but we have got to have some way of bringing this to finality, and this
is not getting us there.
MR. WHITE: Mr. Chairman, I respect the administrator's
remarks. I'm not going to delve into a discussion about the substance
of them. I am going to agree with this commission's desire and the
staffs willingness to work together with us.
We will have for you, as soon as humanly possible, a version that
is identical in agreement with the staff. And all we need from
direction from you today is whether essentially you believe that the
process under 5.05.08.F, No.5, which is the alternative arbitration
panel versus the 250-58 administrative appeal is in fact substantively
something you have a preference for. And whatever your preference
is what the text will then include. As applicants/agents, we have no
preference. We were comfortable with the language that existed
before.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Patrick, all I wanted today was some
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September 21, 2006
final language to vote upon. We couldn't get that. You can't give it to
us, staff can't give it to us.
MR. WHITE: That's because, Mr. Chairman, we received
yesterday afternoon a version that was edited from what we provided.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: By whom --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Patrick, I'm not trying to blame
anybody. All I'm trying to say --
MR. WHITE: I just want the record to be complete.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: All I'm trying to say is we have another
opportunity to have to come back anyway, get it cleaned up. If you
agree with staff, then put it in there and give it back to us and then be
done with it.
MR. WHITE: We will.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Don't want anymore changes at a
meeting. It's not the right way to conduct business.
Mr. Adelstein?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I have a request of Joe
Schmitt, if it's possible. I would like to make sure that this meeting
will not be held before the 1 st of October.
MR. WHITE: I believe it's scheduled for the 5th. I believe it's
scheduled for October 5th.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Okay. I mean -- but not
before October 1st.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I don't see how--
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: It's not scheduled yet.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No, we can't do that -- we're not going
to have another meeting --
MR. SCHMITT: This will be an agenda item at your next
scheduled --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: October meeting --
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Oh--
MR. SCHMITT: -- October 5th.
Page 29
September 21, 2006
MR. WHITE: If I may beg the indulgence of the commission,
Mr. Chairman?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Schiffer has something to say. Let
me get his statement first.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: The concern I have is really
with the process. There's issues in here that we never discussed. As
we start to discuss it, we get into this train wreck of code and we
decided to move it to the next meeting. There's issues here that I think
we -- I would like to discuss.
The reason I know we're not discussing them is because they
keep moving them from version to version to version. So I wouldn't
mind if we actually --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: If you've got issues that you haven't
brought up before that need to be -- that are in addition to what may
be already changed on here, then by all means, let's get them on the
table in this meeting so they can get fixed before the next meeting.
So go ahead.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Patrick wants to respond to the
other stuff. But then I do -- I could go page by page. What happens is
we never get to discuss what's going on in here because we always say
we're going to come back with new words.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I thought we already had done that the
first meeting. But if we haven't -- I understand. Go ahead, Mr.
Schiffer, what comments do you have?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: This code isn't anywhere near
what we had in the first meeting either.
Patrick, when this occurs -- there's been an MUP approval already,
correct?
MR. WHITE: Correct.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Part of that process is to assure
that the darn thing's going to be built according to the B overlay. So
how can we then deviate that from that?
Page 30
September 21, 2006
MR. WHITE: Well, you'll recall that it's a conceptual master
plan that's approved. It does not have the specificity of on-ground site
development plan types of detail. So it is in harmonizing and finding
a way to make the otherwise existing rules with those overlays
actually function on the ground.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right. And again, that will lead
to my next question. But the approval of the master plan in the MUP
process, it really states that a master plan has to be provided. Is that a
process to approve that master plan?
MR. WHITE: It approves the conceptual master plan, yes, as
part of the MUP.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So that plan at that time would
have to show the deviations?
MR. WHITE: No, it does not. It is possible if they are known
and can be identified that they may, but it is not required.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. The lead-in to this is that
these are minor deviations, yet everything in 5, which is
administrative deviations, nothing really discusses minor.
Is there any way that can be --
MR. WHITE: I'm not going to try to characterize what minor
versus not minor means. But suffice it to say, that what we've
attempted to do is follow your direction to quantify and objectify the
very specific places where there are disconnects in the overlay
regulations in the actual parcel sizes and shapes on the ground where
projects are coming forward, and to point out how to be able to
achieve the overall obj ective of those rules by getting some degree of
deviation that's appropriate under the circumstances, with the criteria
that you've asked us to provide consistent with either -- with all
existing types of administrative deviation processes already on the
books.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And what you've done is you've
listed what areas, which are essentially all the design standards, all the
Page 3 1
September 21,2006
parking standards. You've opened up essentially everything in the
overlay, yet you don't limit --
MR. WHITE: No. In fact we've been very specific from what
your version was that you previously substantively commented on,
and gone, rather than looking for things across the board in the LDC
and in the overlay regulations, to five very specific points.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Correct. Which are -- let me make
sure I'm saying them. One is the front yard.
MR. WHITE: And build-to line, yes.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And you have two conditions where
that will occur. One is that if there's utilities in the front yard, which
we all agree makes a lot of sense to not encroach on those. And then
the other one is this parcel configuration.
MR. WHITE: Correct.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Which Michael was going to
get back to us and explain how he actually came up with that equation.
When I studied the equation, it's -- I mean, essen -- well,
Michael's not here, so I'm not going to drill you on that.
The other circumstance is the building design, architectural
design, architectural design, essentially all the geometry instructions
of the deviation, correct? It's number II.
MR. WHITE: I'm not sure I know what you mean by geometry,
but --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, the shape of the building,
the location of the building, the design of the building.
MR. WHITE: Only to the extent of what is set forth in the cited
provision can any deviation be sought.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: The next one is the parking
standards. They're up for grabs. The other one is design of awnings,
loading docks and stuff which is --
MR. WHITE: Mostly dumpster enclosures.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Correct. And then the other one
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September 21, 2006
is the landscaping.
MR. WHITE: Correct.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So what's not up for grabs in the
overlay?
MR. WHITE: All of the rest of Table 11, which is substantial.
And the --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Now wait a minute, II brings in
all of Table 11.
MR. WHITE: No, I believe it does not. In fact, one of the
differences in the versions we have is our concern is that it would
appear to try to do so, when in fact it is specifically limited to the
building design aspect of that table, not the rest of all of the other
headaches that exist under Table 11. And I think that staff concurs
with that.
I note for the record, Catherine's nodding her head yes.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: The reference to 4.02.16.A,
Table 11, Table 11 actually isn't under A, it's under D. Do you think
that should be changed?
MR. WHITE: Those are some of the housekeeping things that,
you know, we both need to look at to make sure we have what would
be essentially ordinance-ready text that would seamlessly fit with the
existing LDC. So that when the county attorney's office gives it, it's
going to go through seamlessly.
But I appreciate you pointing that out. And I do want to thank
Commissioner Murray for his point about the ratio. And you will note
that we did remove the percentage sign.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I'm looking at Table 11 now.
It's all design standards. It's nothing else in Table 11 that would --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Patrick, if you're not looking to change
all of Table 11, and it's not clear to some members of the planning
commission if that is the case, could you specify in a further
refinement of this document specifically what lines in Table 11
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September 21, 2006
you're trying to --
MR. WHITE: The specific line would be building design.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's what it says in the document I
have, but apparently that may mean something more to others. So in
order to sew that as tight as it needs to be, is there a way to define it
further?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Let me say, that is the title of
the table, Building Design. Everything in that table is building design,
there's nothing not building design in that table.
And the concern I have is back to the minor deviation. There's
nothing in this that references how minor a deviation can be or how
major it can be.
MR. WHITE: They obviously must fall within the scope, those
five and half, five areas. And if the only area where that may not
seem to be clear is with respect to what the words building design
mean, then I believe we can work with you and the staff and come to
some agreement on limits of what may be sought as a type of
administrative deviation.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: For example, the overlay has a
requirement to build the streets scene -- am I not supposed to be
talking that long? Okay. To be building a street scene. Would this
allow you to not do that? For example, would this allow you to put
the parking in front of the building?
MR. WHITE: I do not believe so.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Catherine, you see where I'm
coming from --
MR. WHITE: Unless the parking regulations could otherwise--
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: You know, this is -- minor
administrative deviations is in the intro, but there's nothing in here that
says minor. So let's pretend we're all gone, it's five years from now,
totally new people. How would they know that you couldn't
essentially change everything?
Page 34
September 21, 2006
MS. FABACHER: Well, Commissioner, hopefully in five years
these will have disappeared because we'll have worked all the bugs out
in the overlays. At this point --
MR. WHITE: In fact, you'll recall that was the intent of how we
were looking to propose at one point that we work through these
things once there have been some real world examples that come
forward. So that the actual regulations themselves would be amended
and we would diminish the necessity for administrative deviations
over time.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Brad, Donna's got a couple of questions,
if you're going to pause for a moment.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Well, I think there's no discussion
of minor deviations here because of the deviation process that we have
that gives the staff the right to change almost a quarter of every
project as an administrative after-the-fact variance. So, you know, I
brought this up many times before, that I don't think that our deviation
process is a minor deviation process, and that we should change that.
However, I've not gained any support for that.
So what you're going to see is what happens, for example, with
the MUP that went before the BCC the other day and got approval.
They were asked on a couple of occasions if there were any deviations
from the overlay. And the answer, of course, was no. Until they
decided that they want all five of these deviations and they were
administratively granted by staff. And there's been no public hearing,
no public airing of these things. And I have a real issue and a real
problem with this.
MR. WHITE: I'm not going to comment on the correctness or
not of your statement. I did not attend that hearing. My
understanding, however, is that the answer to the question was that
there would be deviations required. And if there's anyone here who
can further that, I'd ask that if they would like to do so, that they do.
But suffice it to say, I understand what your concern is. I realize that
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September 21,2006
it's a policy and to some extent a philosophical issue. But the goal
here is to be able to effectively implement a set of administrative
processes. Whether they're characterized as minor or otherwise, I'll
leave to others.
But to tightly define very specific ways where we've identified
that real world proj ects, including the ones that pertain to the
county's own lands that they're proposing to develop and have
purchased, would not otherwise be able to come forward as mixed use
projects.
COMMISSIONER CARON: And here's my point, Mr. White.
You already know right now that there are issues and problems, so
these do not have to come up after the fact. They can come up in the
hearing process as opposed to an administrative deviation after the
fact. And in 90 percent of the cases, with the exception probably
which I've already conceded, that parking standards may have to
change depending on what actually goes into a mixed use project.
But if there are site problems, for example, the build-back line,
you already know -- you know that ahead of time. You don't need that
as an after-the-fact variation. That should be stated up front to
everybody --
MR. WHITE: I don't disagree with you that there may be
already existing applications that are far enough along where those
things are known. The point here was to work with the CRA advisory
board, with the county staff, and to the degree that we had already
garnered factual know ledge to develop a process that would
harmonize what are effectively holes or unanticipated circumstances
in the existing overlay regulations so that the goal of actually
building and redeveloping land could be achieved.
I understand your concern, but the issue about whether or not
those types of things should be part of the MUP approval process is
one that the board has effectively decided. When they approved these
rules, they effectively approved them under the structure that now
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September 21,2006
exists.
As I said before, there may be circumstances where if they're
known early enough on and a property owner and agent are able to
bring those facts into part of the conceptual master plan, then maybe
that is something that staff would be willing to review.
But the concern we've heard -- because remember, this is a
three-sided process -- is that staff did not want to have to replicate at
the conceptual master plan in front of the BCC a discussion about the
details of what effectively are things that always occur at the
administrative level under site development planning.
And to go back to Commissioner Schiffer's point, I'm not
looking to characterize the distinction between these as minor or
something else, but rather to tightly define, to give predictability and
consistency, as you mentioned before about the firematic regulations,
so that not only the staff knows what to do but the applicants know
what to do, and everybody in the public will have an appreciation of
what the proj ect will be able to do from a conceptual point of view
that otherwise fits within the rules when it goes through for
administrative review and approval.
I hope that helps.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Commissioner Schiffer wanted to
continue.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: What I'd like to do, Brad, is for you to
get all your issues that you have with the remaining language on the
table today, so if there is a chance of this coming back for final
discussion, it gets over and done with.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And again, I think my concern
-- and it's really kind of redundant because if you get to the mixed use
approval, which essentially was a way to patch the problem of not
being able to actually use the overlay we have, you have to assure --
and especially if you're getting additional units, you have to assure
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September 21, 2006
that you're going to build it according to the overlay.
And then my concern is that when I read this, I see no limits as to
what the change is in the overlay, unless you can point that out.
MR. WHITE: Yes, sir, I think I can. I've brought with me the
already approved and adopted text that's part of the LDC, brought in
through Ordinance 06-08, which has the Table 11 in it as essentially
the now effective regulations.
The subsection that was mentioned is correctly identified as
capital letter A. And the table itself is not identified or entitled as
building design. It in fact says Table 11, design standards for the
BMUD neighborhood commercial subdistrict.
So again geographically we find ourselves constrained to just the NC
subdistrict that we're asking for deviations from, or it is possible to ask
for deviations from.
The small letter i provision that we've been talking about, the first
of the five, is set forth as front yard build-to line. And there are
specific provisions set forth in the table. Similarly, there is a heading
for building design, as referenced under small letter ii that you've
mentioned you were concerned was a more broad set of issues,
including, I think, the word was geometry.
I can read you, it's a one-sentence provision, and it deals mostly
with building facades.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is that the only provision you're
suggesting the deviation be applied to on that table?
MR. WHITE: Under the three of those identified in the small
letter ii, yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So that's limited then to that, is what
you're trying to say?
MR. WHITE: Yes. In reference to 4.2.16.A, Table 11, building
design, specifically limited to building facades facing the intersecting
east-west streets with Bayshore, having the same architectural design
treatment as the building facade facing Bayshore Drive. It is a very,
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September 21, 2006
very specific provision in terms of site planning.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Brad, is that -- are you following that?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, I printed out the
ordinance last night. You're right, it isn't in the Municode. It is an
ordinance. So mine says 4.02.16. A is just a letter of introduction.
Isn't that right, Patrick?
MR. WHITE: A specifically references dimensional standards.
And then it references Table 11.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I got a Municode and I got it
out of --
MR. KLATZKOW: That's nine months past--
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: No, but it's -- I got it under the
supplemental. In other words, I know it's not in the body of the code.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I'll tell you what--
MR. WHITE: I'll be happy to have a conversation with you
about it. I don't want to unnecessarily take up the time,
Commissioners, Mr. Chairman, but--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Another suggestion might be, I think it's
hard for all of us when we read any of these references that you have
in here to the things you want to change, to know -- and we would do
what Brad would have done, I would have gone to Municode, pull up
4.02.16.A, Table 11, design, building design, and if I didn't find it
exactly worded here, I'd say wow, this applies to a lot more than
maybe what I would think.
I think his argument is understandable. As a backup to your next
draft, couldn't you attach the references you have in this document as
a backup so we can all look at it and know --
MR. WHITE: I don't want to take credit for being prescient, but
when we last addressed you, those very sections were attached and
provided for everyone's review. I know you were physically absent. I
can easily give you those same sections of the LDC so that everyone
has them.
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September 21, 2006
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I would like those for my use then for
the next meeting, because I think they would be invaluable in making
sure we're all reading --
MR. WHITE: If it's the Commissioners' desire, we'll re-provide
those along with the final draft.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I'm trying to slow down. I'm sorry.
THE COURT REPORTER: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I keep looking over at you and thinking
oh, boy, you're talking too fast again.
Mr. Schiffer, did you want to move through some more issues then?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I'm still confused. In other
words, so ii, what that means is, and let's not argue the references, that
the areas in which you can -- it's one of the five. So the table,
Building Design, is something you can deviate from. The whole table,
right?
MR. WHITE: No, sir, there's one specific aspect of that table
labeled Building Design that refers only to the building facades at the
intersection I just read, at the corners of Bayshore and -- I'm sorry,
the buildings facing Bayshore.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Brad, would it be productive for you to
walk through the handout on your own that Patrick gave out last time
to understand the references he made?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: The handout he gave last time
was only part of the chart. That's the problem I'm having. The rest --
I mean, the -
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Where's the rest of the chart?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: The rest of the chart's in my
hand from off the Internet last night.
So what you're saying is that item two means Table 11, Building
Design, architectural design theme --
MR. WHITE: Yes.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: -- and architectural -- that's the
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September 21, 2006
only thing that applies?
MR. WHITE: That's correct. And what would be --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: It's not the whole thing?
MR. WHITE: Not the whole thing of what, sir?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Since we're going to have to
come back, if you would lead it where I can open up the discussion
again, I'll wait and maybe this can be explained to me. To me, I think
we can put a semi colon that means that, and then the thing means the
thing after, and then it means the thing after that.
If that's not the case, if what you're saying is you're filtering it down
through three steps, no.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Even further, I hate to get into more
paperwork, but if you were to take ii and convert it to another sub-A,
4.02.16, Table 11, building design, semi colon, and then define the
actual piece of that table you're addressing in this section, there would
be no doubt what you're trying to say is a minor issue, or a major,
whatever it is.
MR. WHITE: I guess we can repeat the text that's in the table, if
you all care to.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I think to get through this you may have
to. That might be the simplest way to get through it, because then we
all are reading on the same page.
MR. WHITE: If staff has no objection, I'm seeing no reason why
we can't.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Why don't we try to get there
that way. And that way we've all got something that we're all reading
-- familiar with and in front of us --
MR. SCHMITT: As long as I get a final version for distribution
sometime before the end of -- the close of business Monday so I can
send it to you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: We're going to talk about timing as soon
as we finish discussion. Because we're not going to have any more
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September 21, 2006
handouts at our meetings. This isn't going to work.
Mr. Schiffer, you want to continue, if there is any?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Patrick, would you repeat again
the ordinance that you got that off of?
MR. WHITE: It was 06-08. And I'll be happy to show you now
or after the meeting --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Mine was a 2005, so there
might be something that --
MR. WHITE: Yeah, 06-08 is the currently effective BMUD
regulation, other than what we're talking about in this matter.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I guess the only thing is, since
Michael's not here I won't -- is how he came up with that 005. So he
can give me a call on that before the next meeting.
MR. WHITE: He would have been here today but for -- he's the
more ill of the two of us, so --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I think it would be advantageous to get
that resolved before the next meeting.
Mr. Schiffer, is that --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: My only other comment is I
kind of believe what Donna said is true. If this process is going to
have deviations, it probably would be wise to have those deviations
prior to the -- or in front of the commission so that they would accept
those deviations. Because right now the way it is, it's totally staff that
has to approve the deviations, and the only way it gets before the
public is if you don't like staffs decision and then you appeal it to the
commISSIon.
MR. WHITE: That would be no different than what are already
the existing processes and procedures for those provisions we are
cross-referencing and otherwise agreeing to follow in their entirety but
for the most recent staffs suggestion of following 250-58 as to an
appellate process where there is such a disagreement. Otherwise, we
are following what are already adopted existing LDC revisions for this
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September 21, 2006
type of relief where there are disconnects in terms of site planning.
I understand your concept. I would look to the staff if they have a
concern about it. I know from the applicant's perspective there's
added time and money moving from just a conceptual master plan that
shows building footprints, massing, those kinds of things, already part
of the conceptual master plan, down to the fine details of site planning.
They're always administrative.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Schiffer, then Ms. Caron.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: The process you reference in
that last statement would be architectural deviation standards, correct?
MR. WHITE: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Which I'm not sure is a good
place to go for overlays, but --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ms. Caron?
COMMISSIONER CARON: Well, I mean, even moving on
beyond Table 11, if you move to the next deviation that's sought,
which is 4.02.16.G, which is architectural design theme, one of the
major points of the overlay was to have Old Florida cracker style
development in this area, and you're going to be able to have
deviations from that, and, you know, suddenly go to Mediterranean or
something or whatever. Because you've just exempted yourself here.
MR. WHITE: No, I would not characterize it as an exemption,
Commissioner. It is, again, something that's going to have to meet
those criteria. It is going to be reviewed and vetted by the staff. And
so unless it is otherwise somehow demonstrated further and be
consistent with the Bayshore overlay guidelines -- excuse me,
regulations, it won't be approved.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ms. Fabacher, did you have a comment?
MS. FABACHER: I just wanted to say that Patrick's right, most
of these processes already exist. For your dumpster, he references an
existing administrative deviation process that's already in the code.
F or your awnings and loading docks, for your landscaping, they
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September 21, 2006
already exist. Staff already has that power. And he's being very
specific in referencing things that are already in the code and have
criteria.
5.05.08.F is already in the code and staff already has the ability
to do this. The only thing that's confusing I think is the fact that staff
has said we're willing to follow that process except for the appeal,
which we said was to call an architectural arbitration board together
and staff it and agendas and meetings and minutes. We opted for the
appeal process from an administrative decision that's in the code of
law and ordinances. And that requires a 30-day time line to get before
the BZA and get approval. It's not the long deal that a variance is.
And that's when it would see daylight at the hearing.
These powers aren't any broader than what already exist now.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The process that you're recommending
would actually take it more in front of the public than the process
that's in place now, because you don't have the architectural board to
go before, you have to go back before the BZA for the deviation.
MS. FABACHER: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Schiffer--
MR. WHITE: As you'll recall--
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I don't think she gave you --
Catherine, what Mark just said is that since there is no architectural
board now, it would go to the BZA. But that's not true. The
architectural board would be formed for that meeting.
MS. FABACHER: It would have to be.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right. So it isn't --
MS. FABACHER: We've never had to use it before, but we may
have to use it and we don't want to have to use it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: What I think they're saying, though,
Brad, is that in lieu of going before that board, it go to the BZA. What
I was trying to say is if it went before the architectural board, it
wouldn't be a public hearing process like the BZA. So that's actually a
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September 21, 2006
more improved process for the public to participate in, not a less of
one.
Mr. Murray, you had a comment?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Just to help me a little bit. As
much as this is within a CRA, is it the BZA or is it the CRA board that
they go --
MS. FABACHER: The BZA.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: The BZA. Thank you.
MS. FABACHER: And if I might say one more thing. We
really worked hard with the CRA Advisory Board to make a process
that is to facilitate a more rapid process to be another incentive to
redevelop in that community redevelopment area. This is not
applying to any mixed use anywhere at this point, it's just that
redevelopment area and to help expedite the process for them.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Catherine, just one last thing to
be comfortable. Are you comfortable that in fact the concept of a
minor change is in the actual text of the deviation? It's in the
reasoning, but that doesn't follow it after we make it in the code.
MS. FABACHER: I'm very comfortable with what's already in
the code, okay. And in the beginning staff was somewhat concerned,
and we had written text to say that if the county manager or designee
feels that the request is beyond the scope of this process, then they
could move it to the BZA was what we originally said in the text.
And I think, at least I know with this zoning director --
MR. WHITE: Could I attempt to offer what I may not be
qualified to say is the distinction between minor and major, but
simply point out some other things that are in Table 11 that to me as
a seated board of county commissioner or a staff member I think
might go towards the concerns about what's major. And those are
things such as maximum residential density, building height,
minimum floor area, maximum building. Those are things that are not
being sought for any type of administrative deviation.
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September 21, 2006
And I think when you look at what is being requested, these are
very tightly constrained under existing processes, and ones that I think
are absolutely essential to the possibility of these projects seeing the
light of day.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Patrick, I think we're at a point now
where we can wrap it up as far as any more comments go and try to
get this to a more productive level at the next meeting. As much as I
hate to see that happen, I don't know any way around it.
MR. WHITE: I'd like to say that I think today has been
productive for us as drafters working with staff. And if there are other
additional comments that any of the other commissioners have, I
certainly want to make sure that they have an opportunity to provide
them today. Because we do want to give you a complete and timely
verSIon.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I think this is going to be, basically
from what I'm hearing from staff, is the October 5th meeting will
have this tacked onto the end of it. Is that the intent extent from what
staffs --
MS. FABACHER: (Nods.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. With that in mind, Patrick, how
much time in advance of that meeting can you have your notes to
staff? We need commitments. Your changes, and then staff needs to
respond back to us within a time frame prior to that meeting. I'd like
to get it down so it's known today.
MR. WHITE: I believe we can have those no later than noon
tomorrow. We will make every effort we can to have them done by
close of business today. But since I obviously cannot talk with the
other person who has assisted in this process, that being Mr.
Fernandez, the best I can do is commit to tomorrow at noon. We'll
continue to work with staff at any point in time as we have up until
now.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: How long does staff need to review it
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September 21, 2006
and prepare it and get it to us? How many days do you need?
MR. SCHMITT: I've got to get it out Monday, right?
MS. FABACHER: Susan's saying maybe Thursday or Friday
next week. Don't forget, we've got to meet with the fire people too.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I know that. And our next meeting is on
the 5th of October. All I'm trying to get to is if you need a week to do
your thing and the 5th of October is two weeks from today. Patrick
needs a day or two. Is there a reason -- can we expect our completed
package on this issue to be in our hands not bye-mail but by hard
copy by the second of October? That's a Monday, and our meeting is
on a Thursday . We only have to read two items, the fire and this. Can
everybody on this panel work with that much advance notice?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You okay?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Murray?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Remember, we have five
PUDs at that meeting.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I know, but that's -- I know it. I know
what we've got going. But I -- can you get to us with a completed
package by no later than October 2nd?
MS. F ABACHER: Yes.
MR. SCHMITT: Now, your other packets will be -- fire can
come out earlier.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right, that will give us time over the
weekend to review those.
MR. SCHMITT: That's what we -- we're meeting on four or five
land use petitions on that day as well.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I understand that. But our typical
packet would come out the week prior to our meeting, and that means
we'd have that weekend to get through the typical packet. And then
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September 21, 2006
we could have these. We'd have three or four days just to look at five
pages or whatever number of pages it's gong to be.
Does that work? Okay.
MR. WHITE: One other process timing issue. I'm aware that
you do have other previously scheduled advertised items for the 5th.
My personal schedule has me leaving town that afternoon. If it's
at all possible, and there are essentially agreements from the staff and
us as to text, and if there are any issues that are identified that we have
not been able to resolve from any of the commissioners, because we're
certainly willing to work with and answer any questions you may have
before the meeting on an individual basis, that we might possibly be
considered to be heard a little earlier in the agenda.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I was just thinking, with the fire people
that day, too, I hate to see all the fire chiefs sitting in this audience
when they should be out doing other things for the public besides
sitting here. Might we look at doing the LDC amendments at 8:30 on
the 5th, get those cleaned up and on the way and get the people
interested out of the way, and then move into the public hearings for
the developers after that?
MR. WHITE: That would be very greatly appreciated.
MR. SCHMITT: That would be my recommendation.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Then let's proceed on the 5th
from that schedule and go from there.
MR. WHITE: Thank you for your indulgence today. It truly is
helpful. I know it's difficult, and it may be just reflective of how
difficult it has been overall for the regulations in the BMUD to come
forward in a vibrant and vital manner.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Just do one thing, Patrick, please don't
walk in here with anymore paperwork on the 5th. Make sure it's to us
on the 2nd.
Okay, any other comments from this commission? Ifnot, we
will call this meeting continued until the 5th of October at 8:30 in the
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September 21, 2006
morning at the Board of County Commissioners chambers. Thank
you.
Meeting is adjourned.
*****
There being no further business for the good of the County, the
meeting was adjourned by order of the Chair at 10: 15 a.m.
COLLIER COUNTY
PLANNING COMMISSION
MARK P. STRAIN, Chairman
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