CCPC Minutes 01/04/2007 R
January 4, 2007
TRANSCRIPT OF THE MEETING OF THE
COLLIER COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION
Naples, Florida
January 4, 2007
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 Strain
Lindy Adelstein
Donna Reed Caron
Tor Ko I flat
Paul Midney
Robert Murray
Brad Schiffer
Russell Tuff
Robert Vigliotti (absent)
ALSO PRESENT:
Ray Bellows, Zoning & Land Dev. Review
Joseph Schmitt, Community Dev. & Env. Services
Marjorie Student-Stirling, Assistant County Attorney
Don Scott, Transportation Planning
Corby Schmidt, Zoning & Land Dev. Review
Page 1
AGENDA
COLLIER COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION WILL MEET AT 8:30 A.M., THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2007 IN THE
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING ROOM, ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, COUNTY
GOVERNMENT CENTER, 3301 T AMIAMI TRAIL EAST, NAPLES, FLORIDA:
NOTE: INDIVIDUAL SPEAKERS WILL BE LIMITED TO 5 MINUTES ON ANY
ITEM. INDIVIDUALS SELECTED TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF AN ORGANIZATION
OR GROUP ARE ENCOURAGED AND MAY BE ALLOTTED 10 MINUTES TO
SPEAK ON AN ITEM IF SO RECOGNIZED BY THE CHAIRMAN. PERSONS
WISHING TO HAVE WRITTEN OR GRAPHIC MATERIALS INCLUDED IN THE
CCPC AGENDA PACKETS MUST SUBMIT SAID MATERIAL A MINIMUM OF 10
DAYS PRIOR TO THE RESPECTIVE PUBLIC HEARING. IN ANY CASE, WRITTEN
MA TERIALS INTENDED TO BE CONSIDERED BY THE CCPC SHALL BE
SUBMITTED TO THE APPROPRIATE COUNTY STAFF A MINIMUM OF SEVEN
DAYS PRIOR TO THE PUBLIC HEARING. ALL MATERIAL USED IN
PRESENTATIONS BEFORE THE CCPC WILL BECOME A PERMANENT PART OF
THE RECORD AND WILL BE A V AILABLE FOR PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD
OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IF APPLICABLE.
ANY PERSON WHO DECIDES TO APPEAL A DECISION OF THE CCPC WILL
NEED A RECORD OF THE PROCEEDINGS PERTAINING THERETO, AND
THEREFORE MAY NEED TO ENSURE THAT A VERBA TIM RECORD OF THE
PROCEEDINGS IS MADE, WHICH RECORD INCLUDES THE TESTIMONY AND
EVIDENCE UPON WHICH THE APPEAL IS TO BE BASED.
1. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
2. ROLL CALL BY CLERK
3. ADDENDA TO THE AGENDA
4. PLANNING COMMISSION ABSENCES
5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - NOVEMBER 20, 2006, PC WORKSHOP
6. BCC REPORT- RECAPS - DECEMBER 12,2006, DECEMBER 13,2006, REGULAR MEETING
7. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT
8. ADVERTISED PUBLIC HEARINGS
A. CONTINUATION OF EAR-BASED AMENDMENTS:
1. SUMMARY OF PAST EAR ELEMENT AND SUB-ELEMENT ACTION
2. HOUSING ELEMENT
3. RECREATION & OPEN SPACE ELEMENT
4. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT ELEMENT (CIE) & FUTURE LAND USE ELEMENT (FLUE)
5. EAR GMP A REQUESTED ACTION - RECOMMEND A TION ON COMPLETED ELEMENTS &
SUB-ELEMENTS
1
B. Petition: BD-2006-AR-IOI18, Richard S. Downs, represented by Davidson Engineering, requesting a 55-foot
boat dock extension, from the 20 feet allowed for a 75 foot total protrusion, authorizing a boat dock facility
with boat lift to accommodate a vessel. The subject property is located at 25 Pelican Street West, Lot 74,
Isles of Capri No.1, in Section 32, Township 51 South, Range 26 East, Collier County, Florida. (Coordinator:
David Hedrich)
C. Petition: RZ-2005-AR-7271 , Collier County Public Utilities Department, represented by Fred Reischl,
AICP, of Agnoli, Barber & Brundage, Inc., requesting a rezone from the Agricultural (A) zoning district to
the Public Use (P) zoning district limited to Essential Service use only. The subject property, consisting of
42.2 acres, is located at 1300 Manatee Road, in Section 10, Township 51 South, Range 26 East, Collier
County, Florida. (Coordinator: Kay Deselem)
D. Petition:PUDZ-2004-AR-68l0, Livingston Greens, LLC, represented by George L. Varnadoe of Cheffy,
Passidomo, Wilson & Johnson, LLP, requesting a rezone from the Rural Agricultural (A) zoning district to
the Residential Planned Unit Development (RPUD) zoning district by submitting a PUD document and
Master Plan for Hamilton Greens, which will consist of 88 residential units on 29.68 acres. The subject
property is located on the east side of Livingston Road, approximately 3/4 of a mile north of Vanderbilt
Beach Road, in Section 31, Township 48 South, Range 26 East, Collier County, Florida. (Coordinator:
Carolina Valera)
9. OLD BUSINESS
10. NEW BUSINES
11. PUBLIC COMMENT ITEM
12. DISCUSSION OF ADDENDA
13. ADJOURN
1/4/07CCPC AgendaIRB/hr
2
January 4, 2007
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Good morning everyone, and thank you
for attending today's meeting.
If you'd all rise for the Pledge of Allegiance.
(Pledge of Allegiance was recited in unison.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, this is the meeting of the Collier
County Planning Commission, January 4th. We have an agenda that
will start with the EAR.
Item #2
ROLL CALL BY CLERK
First let's do roll call by the clerk.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Mr. Kolflat.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Here.
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 is absent.
And Mr. Tuff.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Here.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Mr. Midney is here.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Midney is here. Thank you.
Item #3
Page 2
January 4, 2007
ADDENDA TO THE AGENDA
Okay, the addenda to the agenda.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Mr. Chairman?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes, sir, Mr. Kolflat.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: At our last meeting we reviewed
PUDA-2006-AR-100-30, which was Hammock Park. And because
there were discrepancies or inconsistencies between the PUD, we
continued that. And I wondered why that wasn't on the agenda today.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Because I spoke with the applicant
yesterday. They had not had all the issues resolved in getting the
clean copy to us. That's going to be -- we're going to hear that on the
18th of January instead of today.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: There were two things that we were
going to continue over, one thing, that is, from last month's meeting.
And -- last year's meeting, for that matter.
Under old business, Mr. Schiffer, did you still want to retain the
issue on the setback issue you had brought up?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, so that will be under old business,
9(A).
And Mr. Murray, you had asked for some time to address the --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I'm not prepared this morning.
Thank you, though.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And the last thing I would suggest to
this board is that Petition PUDZ-2004-AR-681 0, which is Item D,
called Livingston Greens, LLC, presented by George Varnadoe, that
this item be continued to January 18th due to a problem in the package
that we received. There was some incomplete documentation, as well
as incomplete review -- I should say a complete review but incomplete
implementation into the PUD from legal.
Page 3
January 4, 2007
So with that in mind, I talked to the applicant and the applicant
has agreed that they would have no problem with the continuation. So
that is another addendum to the agenda that I would suggest for today.
Is there any comments?
Mr. Schiffer.
MS. DESELEM: Excuse me, if I may?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Schiffer is first.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I was just going to say, what
was missing? I know that the Exhibit D, which is the site plan, was
missing. Is there other stuff missing?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: In my package there was, yes. And I
made note of it.
Ms. Deselem?
MS. DESELEM: I was going to back up, if I could, to the other
issue, the old business issue. Ray or Susan are not here, neither one is
here to address the issue under old business, so we really can't discuss
it today.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Schiffer, do you have--
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Move it to next meeting, that's
fine.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, we'll move it to our next meeting
then.
MS. DESELEM: Thank you.
MR. VARNADOE: Mr. Strain, if I might, on the continuation, in
response to Mr. Schiffer. Mr. Schiffer, there were some clean-up items
from the county attorney's office which unfortunately did not reach
my office until Tuesday. I have cleaned those up now and I'd like,
really, for the record to reflect a receipt by the planning commission of
a complete PUD.
But we have no problem at all with continuing this to the 18th so
we're all on the same page as to what we review.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I think that would be a much better idea.
Page 4
January 4, 2007
MS. VALERA: If I may, Commissioner. Carolina Valera,
Principal Planner with Zoning and Land Development Review.
Just for the record, Commissioner, we have not had the time to
review this document that is being presented to you today.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I realize you haven't, and I would
assume that we're going to get it today, you're going to have a copy of
it. I would like your comments on it before the 18th so that we all
know we're working from a document that you've reviewed.
MS. VALERA: Because of internal deadlines, Commissioner,
the deadline for it to have everything, the packets ready for the 18th,
are past due. I mean, they're gone.
So the next available hearing date for the staff to be ready and
have all the packets for you with the new revisions and review the new
documents that you have today will be February the 1st.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, we already have a packet. All of
us have a packet here. This is a supplement to make it complete and
collated in a manner that we can read it so we're not reading scattered
pieces of it throughout the document. I can't see what necessitates
more work on your part. If anything, this is less work.
MS . VALERA: Okay, typically staff are required to do a
supplemental staff report to the one that, you know, we give to you
when an item is continued. If you decide that you don't need that then,
you know, staff definitely -- I mean, it's up to you, the board, if you do
not need that supplemental packet.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I don't see the -- we've got a rather thick
packet on this already. The problem was it was not too
comprehensible the way it was presented. So I'd just as soon we take
this. If you see this as in any way inappropriate in regards to what you
reviewed, notify us, and in that case we'll have to delay it.
But assuming this does meet all the criteria you've previously
reviewed for, I'd rather see us continue this meeting until the 18th and
be just done with it.
Page 5
January 4, 2007
Does anybody on this -- Mr. Kolflat?
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Does this packet include the site
drawing that Brad referred to?
MR. VARNADOE: It's Exhibit D, the last page, Mr. Kolflat.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN : Yes, it does. This is a complete packet.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: So it is complete.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes. Well, we hope it is.
But I would rather move forward under that premise for the 18th,
and if staff has some grave concerns that they can point out between
now and then and so justify further continuance, fine, but let's just get
this done.
MS. VALERA: Will do so. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: We're going to be voting on the addenda
to the agenda.
Are there any other addenda to the agenda?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Hearing none, is there a motion to
approve the agenda as recommended with changes?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: So moved.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: (Indicating.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Made by Mr. Adelstein, seconded by
Mr. Murray.
All in favor, signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
Motion carries.
Page 6
January 4, 2007
For people in the audience who are attending, the Livingston
Greens LLC, which is the last one on today's agenda, that's off
Livingston Road, will be -- has been postponed to January 18th.
The other remaining items on the agenda stay in place. Just for
your reference, those include the public utilities department on
Manatee Road and the dock extension on Pelican Street in Isles of
Capri.
Item #4
PLANNING COMMISSION ADSENCES
With that, we'll move into the first item -- well, wait a minute,
we've got to go through planning commission absences. Our next
meeting I believe is February 1st, did I hear -- or January 18th and
then February 1st. As far as the 18th of January, is everybody
planning to be here? Okay.
Item #5
APPROVAL OF MINUTES - NOVEMBER 20, 2006, PC
WORKSHOP
Approval of minutes for November 20th, 2006, which was a PC
workshop.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: So moved.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion made by Commissioner Tuff.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: (Indicating.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Seconded by Commissioner Murray.
All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
Page 7
January 4, 2007
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
Anybody opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion carries.
Item #6
BCC - REPORT - RECAPS - DECEMBER 12, 2006, DECEMBER
13~ 2006~ REGULAR MEETING
Is someone here to provide the BCC recaps, or is that --
MS. DESELEM: Yes, I can do that. Hang on just a second.
Thank you for waiting. Sorry for the delay. For the record, Kay
Deselem. And you have -- the only meeting that the board has had
since our last meeting with you was December 12th/13th meeting.
There were several petitions on that particular agenda, Summit Place
being one. And that one was approved. The others were continued.
There was -- there was a PUD for Lakeview Drive of Naples, Clay
Brooker, Windstar. That was continued to February 13th.
And Whippoorwill was approved on that agenda 5-0. And as I
mentioned, the Waterways Joint Venture, which was Summit Lakes,
was also continued -- I'm sorry, approved, as was its accompanying
affordable housing density bonus agreement and the developer's
contribution agreement that went with it. Those were the only land use
items that were on that agenda.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Great, thank you, Ms. Deselem.
Page 8
January 4, 2007
Item #7
CHAIRMAN'S REPORT
Chairman's report. I have a lot of issues, but I think we'll be
bringing those up in the discussion of the EAR. I'll wait for them to
go into them.
Item #8A
CONTINUATION OF EAR-BASED AMENDMENTS
With that, we'll go into the advertised public hearings, the first of
which is the continuation and hopefully the near finalization of the
EAR-based amendments.
And I don't know who on staffs presenting it.
MR. COHEN: Mr. Chairman, for the record, Randy Cohen,
Comprehensive Planning Department Director. The initial item on
your agenda is a summary of the past EAR-based amendment
elements, as well as sub-element actions. Corby Schmidt will be
presenting that on behalf of the department.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You had sent us quite a stack of
paperwork. I hope that we're going to walk through each of those
items as well somewhere in this discussion today.
MR. COHEN: The items related to population will be run
through in conjunction with the CIE and the future land element as
they predominantly apply to those particular elements. And the other
stuff that was provided will be addressed with the respective elements
as they apply or with the summary as they apply in this particular
instance.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you.
MR. SCHMIDT: Mr. Chairman, in previous action, the planning
Page 9
January 4, 2007
commission -- for the record, Corby Schmidt, Principal Planner with
Planning Staff. In previous action, you took informal action on the
sanitary sewer sub-element, potable water sub-element, the CCME,
the drainage sub-elements and the transportation element. The FLUE
and housing elements are still under your consideration, and you've
taken no action on the recreation and open space elements and the
CIE.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Now, as far as your beginning
statement, you said we took a preliminary position on those? I mean,
how -- are you looking for a formal conclusion to all the elements at
today's meeting?
MR. SCHMIDT: That's correct, Mr. Chairman. Each individual
element requires a formal vote on its own.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you. Okay, I guess the next up
on the agenda is the housing element. And Cormac is here. Good.
Is that where we're going to go? Oh, Michelle, okay.
MS. MOSCA: Yes, good morning, Mr. Chairman,
Commissioners. For the record, Michelle Mosca with the
Comprehensive Planning Staff. And I'll also have Cormac come up so
we can address any of your concerns.
Mr. Chairman, what I'd like to do is first present the outstanding
issues related to the ORC Report. And then we had correspondence
from the Department of Community Affairs in an e-mail dated 11/14
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Now, Michelle, we've received a lot of
paperwork since the last couple of meetings on the EAR. Can you
refer us to whatever paperwork you want us to be reviewing this off of
as you speak?
MS. MOSCA: Well, generally what I want to first address are
the ORC-related issues. All of you have received the ORC Report in
the past, the objection one and objection two, specifically. And I
believe in your most recent staff report dated -- well, the hearing date
Page 10
January 4, 2007
of January 4th, which is today. Do you all have a copy of that?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I've got an ORC Report titled on the top
of the page, 7/28/06 ORC Report and Collier County response. Is that
the document you'll be working off?
MS. MOSCA: That will be fine.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Than that's --
MS. MOSCA: I'm just going to refer -- excuse me, I'm just going
to refer to the objections.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, that's numbered 1 through Page
44.
MS. MOSCA: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So when you get into a topic that's
referenced in here that's in one of those pages, could you just kindly
refer us to the pages?
MS. MOSCA: What I might need to do instead, then, Mr.
Chairman, is probably just refer you to the most recent staff report on
Page 4.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Can you identify the most recent staff
report?
MS. MOSCA: Yes. It's hearing date January 4th, 2007.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. That's the one with the multiple
colored strike-throughs.
MS. MOSCA: That's correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Again, let's start with a page on that.
MS. MOSCA: Number four.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Everybody familiar with that particular
document on the planning commission? We're going -- we may spend
some extra time trying to get on the same page. I think that's going to
be important, since this has been a confusing, lingering issue. Thank
you.
Okay, Page 4 of the staff report. Go ahead, Michelle.
MS. MOSCA: The first objective, objective one, that was
Page 11
January 4, 2007
rewritten to include legal resident. And that was at the request of the
planning commission.
So if you don't have any questions, I'll continue with that.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: On 1.4, if you're looking at the
yellow area right under that?
MS. MOSCA: I was actually looking at objective one first, and
then we'll continue on to Policy 1.4 under objective one.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: And where does it say legal
resident?
MS. MOSCA: Under objective one on Page 4 --
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Oh, I see.
MS. MOSCA: -- in the highlighted area.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: May I ask, we're basing this on
population, are we not?
MS. MOSCA: Yes.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Okay. And for example,
Immokalee has as certain population, and a certain population is
documented and a certain population is undocumented. That means
that we totally exclude the undocumented from our estimates of the
need for housing?
Because doesn't that impact everybody's housing if certain people
are occupying housing -- you know, a large percentage of the people
who are occupying the low-income housing are probably
undocumented. Doesn't that influence the amount of housing that's
needed for the other ones, if you're counting the number of units?
MS. MOSCA: I would say that it does. But the population
counts are for permanent residents.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Paul, if they're undocumented, how
would you count somebody that's not here?
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Well, the Department of
Community Affairs wants to know the population. Isn't that what
they're asking for? Or are they only asking for the population of
Page 12
January 4, 2007
people that -- because when we do census counts, United States
census, they count everybody, because they want to know what the
population is. In order to plan for needs such as housing and other
things, you have to know how many people are living someplace.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: We use the census for the population
basis. So if they're counted in the census, they're counted in this
number.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: But the census counts people who
are documented and those who are undocumented.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, I mean, they use the -- Randy, if
I'm wrong, let me know, but I think your basis and BEBR's basis is the
2000 census. Is that --
MR. COHEN: Yeah, the base year for BEBR is 2000. And any
extrapolation that's done by BEBR subsequent to that takes the
building that transpires in the county and basically extrapolates out
each additional year.
The question that you would have is, based off that 2000 year,
has the population in Immokalee changed any from 2000. And there's
really no way to address that until we do our next census in 2010.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: But why does it say documented
only then?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It says legal.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Legal. Well, that's the same
thing.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, this board recommended that
language change, and I think I was --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: The BCC confirmed that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yeah. I think if they're not legal, then I
think you need to take it up with the Sheriffs Department. If you're
filing a complaint against all the undocumented maybe illegal
residents of Immokalee, maybe you should talk to the Sheriffs
Department.
Page 13
January 4, 2007
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: No, it's not a law enforcement
issue. What we're trying to do is plan for the future of this county,
things like roads, housing and so forth, needs that people will be
having.
So I'm not looking at it from a law enforcement issue, I'm
looking at it from a county planning issue. Because in order to plan
for what the needs of the county are, the starting point is the actual
population. And I think that's what DCA is interested in.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, Paul, I mean, I guess we can
debate it, but I think the two boards have already found issue that legal
is the right word to use. Are you saying you don't agree with that? I'm
trying to understand what you think needs to be changed.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Yeah.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, do you want -- I guess we can
take that language change up then as far as the first correction that we
had on here was changing the word from current and future to legal
residents, which was also agreed to by the BCC.
Is there a motion on this panel that wishes to see that changed?
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: I would like to make that motion.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is there a second to the motion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, hearing none, the motion dies for
lack of a second. We will move on to the next portion.
MS. MOSCA: We'll just go ahead and go into Policy 1.4, if
there are any questions. I know Chairman Strain had a question
regarding the term in the second line, adequate infrastructure.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I've resolved my issue with that, thank
you. We're on objective one, Policy 1.4 in the housing element.
MS. MOSCA: Still on Page 4.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Go ahead, Ms. Caron.
COMMISSIONER CARON: I have a question about density by
right. It's my understanding that we do not have density by right in
Page 14
January 4,2007
this county, with the exception of Immokalee's overlay. And they
have set up a specific policy there.
But as far as the county is concerned, I think this -- we voted and
the BCC voted that there isn't density by right.
MS. MOSCA: That's correct. And this would apply to
Immokalee. It was a general listing of the programs in place.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Then I think we need to say
density by right in Immokalee.
MS. MOSCA: Would "where applicable" be acceptable?
COMMISSIONER CARON: There you go.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That would work.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Good.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, any other questions on 1.4?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Hearing none, we can move on.
MS. MOSCA: Going on to Policy 1.5. Again, Chairman Strain
had a question with one of the words approved, affordable workforce
and what the intent is.
And my understanding, and Cormac can correct me, approved
would apply to the LDC standards for approved affordable workforce
housing. With the exception of Ave Maria that's listed, what is most
likely to happen, anything that is approved beyond the requirements of
the LDC for the affordable workforce housing requirement would be
listed in a separate category, if they don't in fact meet all of those
requirements of the Land Development Code.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Why is Ave Maria listed when it is not
meeting the approved standards of Collier County in regards to
affordable housing?
MS. MOSCA: Well, it is an approved project and -- Cormac can
address that as well.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Every project in Collier County that has
as permit is an approved project.o
Page 15
January 4, 2007
MR. GIBLIN: That's correct, Chairman. Cormac Giblin for the
record, the Housing and Grants Manager.
Ave Maria is on our list of affordable -- of projects containing
affordable units or affordable housing commitments. As evidenced by
this very amendment here, prior to this there was no formal
requirement by the DCA that we maintain a list. That's what this
amendment does, is it puts that in writing that we maintain a list of
projects that include affordable housing commitments.
Ave Maria being a D RI made certain commitments to this
commission and to the Board of County Commissioners of affordable
housing that they would include. And in negotiation with staff and
with this commission and with the Board of County Commissioners,
their development order was approved with those stipulations.
So while the stipulations that apply to the affordable housing
units in Ave Maria or other DRI's that may come forward may not
mirror exactly the affordable housing restrictions as someone getting a
density bonus as part of the LDC, nonetheless, they still do have
affordable housing restrictions.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And Cormac, in Policy 1.5 the word
approved should be struck. Because Ave Maria's 2,100 units are not
meeting the standards of the approved affordable workforce housing
in Collier County. In fact, only 200 of those do out of2,100.
So either your table's got to be changed to reflect 200, which are
actually approved under the standards of this county, or the word
approved doesn't apply in Policy 1.5.
Or if it does apply, and approved now includes homes that are
only deed restricted for two years, as is Ave Maria for 1,000 or 1,700
of their units or so, then you need to include all of that kind of housing
in Collier County, not limit it to just listing Ave Maria's.
MR. GIBLIN: I believe that the word approved in this sentence
is talking about an approved development order that includes
affordable housing. It's not -- this sentence does not necessarily refer
January 4, 2007
you back to the LDC definition of an approved affordable housing unit
using a density bonus. There may be a development that voluntarily
includes a certain number of affordable housing units with or without
a density bonus, like Ave Maria did. The word approved in this
sentence, I take it to mean an approved development, not an approved
-- approval within some guidelines.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: What about straight zoning? So if you
have affordable housing in straight zoning, it doesn't count?
MR. GIBLIN: No, I would say it would count.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, then we don't -- then approved in
this case means anything that's got a building permit --
MR. GIBLIN: With an affordable housing commitment tied to it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: A commitment. But the commitment
now doesn't have to meet the county standards?
MR. GIBLIN: Well the county standard, again, only applies
right now when someone requests a density bonus. So you can have
an approved affordable housing unit that -- of varying different
commitments like we do have now.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So now instead of 15 years being the
time frame in which housing has to be restricted in Collier County, it's
whatever anybody wants to come forward with, and you'll accept that
as an affordable housing unit?
MR. GIBLIN: If they're outside the scope of the LDC, if they're
outside the scope of a density bonus agreement, it is negotiated
between the planning commission, the Board of County
Commissioners, the developer and staff.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Except in conventional zoning, which
doesn't come before those boards.
MR. GIBLIN: Again, if they're getting a density bonus, it would.
If they're not, it would just be a voluntary contribution to the
affordable housing stock, and tough to track anyway and tough to hold
anyone's feet to the fire.
Page 17
January 4, 2007
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You provided us with a list that's rather
lengthy of all the projects that have affordable housing. Are any
projects on this list not providing IS-year contract -- the relationships
that we're normally used to seeing in regards to duration for affordable
housing deed restricted?
MR. GIBLIN: Of course I'd say Ave Maria.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's the only one.
MR. GIBLIN: It's outside the norm. Some of these others, for
example, Palermo Cove, is a project on this list that again includes
affordable housing but does not include a density bonus. I don't know
if -- I don't remember off the top of my head -- Heritage Bay includes
some affordable housing units. But again, off the top of my head, I
don't remember the exact details of their agreement.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I'm just wondering why Ave Maria
keeps getting singled out as a special district that's providing excessive
affordable housing, when in reality the affordable housing they
provide, only 200 of the units really meet the program that we're used
to seeing, which is a IS-year deed restriction. I just think it's not -- it's
disingenuous to put that kind of information on a list that says we have
the affordable housing component that we're used to dealing with in
this county.
MR. GIBLIN: I agree, Mr. Strain. And like Michelle prefaced,
when we ultimately provide the list, as required by this new language,
we would expect to have another column that details exactly what the
affordability restrictions on each development are. So it would be
very easy for someone to see these are 15 years, these are 10 years,
these are five years, these are two years.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Schiffer, then Ms. Caron.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I would just -- Cormac, on this
list, when the Ave Maria units drop off their time frame, will you take
them off the list?
MR. GIBLIN : Yes, sir.
Page 18
January 4, 2007
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So then we're going to end up
with a bigger problem in the future. We're going to be backing this
list. You tend to go backwards faster than forwards.
MR. GIBLIN: That holds true, though, with any of the units on
this list. When they are no longer affordable, then they would not be
considered on the list anymore.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ms. Caron?
COMMISSIONER CARON: And so when we're coming up
with figures like the jump that we're making here from going from 500
affordable units a year to 1,000 -- or what was offered was 1,500
initially -- it was based on essentially taking these numbers and doing
a little math, just a little division saying this is how many units we've
approved in the past, you know, "X" number of years and coming up
with the fact that the average was whatever, 1,000 units a year.
Well, in reality, it's numbers like Ave Maria that skew this and
throw it all out of whack and then we're not going to be able to keep
pace with what you're trying --
MR. GIBLIN: No, ma'am, I don't -- the target number of500 or
1,000, or 1,500 or whatever the board ultimately approves, is not
arrived at by taking what we've approved in the past and dividing it
out by year. It's arrived at by looking at projections for future demand
as we get from the Shimberg center and from population studies and
demand studies.
So we didn't arrive at that number by looking at what we've
approved in the past, we arrived at that number by looking at what
we're going to need in the future.
COMMISSIONER CARON: All right.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Murray?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I just wonder relative to this
would it be useful to create a second row along the Ave Maria area to
segregate the housing that is truly appropriate to the standard, leaving
Page 19
January 4, 2007
the other in some way indicated. And that might be helpful to keep
everybody on track in that regard.
MR. GIBLIN: Yes, sir, that's what we would plan on doing.
And track them by income level and affordability restriction and
number of bedrooms and income range and those kinds of things.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Okay. So then you would plan
on modifying this document in any way?
MR. GIBLIN: Certainly. As soon as this--
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: That might be a start toward
making it clearer. Because I do agree with the chairman.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Schiffer?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: While we're adjusting the form,
Cormac, could you also take the affordable units and split it up to
what's built and what's approved, or at least in the process? Because
it's hard to go through this.
MR. GIBLIN: There is a column. Number of affordable units
and then number of units built to date.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I'm sorry, I didn't see that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Cormac, another issue on the affordable
housing, and I was provided, and I think everybody was, an affordable
housing contribution list. And in that list it lists various projects that
are contributing to the Collier County affordable housing something.
It tells the time frame and the values and comes up to about $3
million.
As you well know, there have been many, many projects coming
before this commission that have been required to contribute to the
alliance of -- some program in Immokalee, I think it's called the
Endowment or Empowerment Alliance of Immokalee, and Habitat for
Humanity, and maybe others.
Where are their contributions shown on here?
MR. GIBLIN: This is a listing that Corby is putting on the
visualizer now, and it may be even updated from the one you have, to
Page 20
January 4, 2007
include the very latest -- the last board meetings. This is a listing of
contributions that are due to the county. Now, there have been other
PUD stipulations that occurred prior to the beginning of this list that
have been certain commitments made to private not-for-profit groups,
the Empowerment Alliance, Habitat for Humanity, the Housing
Development Corporation.
Those are contributions or commitments that are included in
those PUD documents and tracked as a function of the regular PUD
monitoring reports in the community development division. The
purpose of this list was only to show those contributions made to the
county. I mean, we do have a list of everything that's been
contributed. But this list was specifically for monies that are going to
be made due to the county.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Weren't those others affordable housing
contributions? Weren't they considered that?
MR. GIBLIN: They are, but not to the county.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, yes, they are, in the sense that you
or somebody -- and maybe the county legal staff needs to opine on
this. Through those development documents, we have provided credits
against any future county impact fees, inclusionary zoning ordinances
or any other ordinances.
So in essence those fees or those contributions to other
non-profits become a credit against the county-generated revenues we
would normally have expected. So isn't that to the county but
indirectly?
MR. GIBLIN: No, sir. Those contributions that go to the private
organizations do not count against future linkage fees or
county-imposed fees. In fact, developments have tried to slip that in
and make that a point. But time after time we have pointed out that
the only way they can be credited against a future county fee is if the
payment or the donation comes to the county and not to a third party.
In fact, the latest example was Summit Lakes at the last board
Page 21
January 4, 2007
meeting was asking the board for that very thing for a contribution
they were making to Habitat for Humanity. And the county attorney
advised them that it would be improper to credit a donation to a third
party against a county-imposed fee.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: What about Palermo Cove, a quarter
million dollars that went to the Endowment Alliance of Immokalee.
Are you telling me that that quarter million dollars is not being
credited against their future requirements of any fees they may have?
MR. GIBLIN: Sir, I don't have that PUD in front of me, I don't
know. But it's been the practice of the staff and the county attorney
not to allow those fees to be credited.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's new to this board, because the
various applicants have come before this board and they stipulate as
part of their condition of contribution that they be credited against
those such fees. And the recommendation from this board to the BCC
was to accept those statements.
And I was always under the assumption, because I hadn't been
told otherwise till now, that the BCC was also accepting that condition
from the contribution provided by the applicant. Mr. -- the county
attorney, do you have any knowledge of this issue?
MR. KLATZKOW: The ones that I've worked on, I've kept a
wall of separation between monies going to the county and monies
going to outside entities so that no credits would be going to the
outside entities. That doesn't mean there have not been PUDs or other
arrangements made that other attorneys worked on that that wasn't so.
You're really getting into an accounting issue. And I think you're
right. If there are any DCAs or other agreements where these things
should be credited, then there should be a ledger showing that. I just
don't know that there are. And I think Cormac's recollection is that
there is not. But if there is such, then it should be shown.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I would certainly like staff to find that
out. And if that language is as we suspect it might be or might not,
Page 22
January 4, 2007
include it, because it should be in this document.
Ms. Caron, then Mr. Midney.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Why wouldn't the Collier County
Housing Development Corporation be included? You said the
housing development corporation was --
MR. GIBLIN: They're a private not- for-profit group not
associated with Collier County government, in much the same way
that the Empowerment Alliance is structured or Habitat for Humanity
is structured.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Midney?
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: When we've talked about these
voluntary contributions in the past, hasn't the entity been called the
Affordable Housing Trust Fund? And what is that?
MR. GIBLIN: Well, that's not an entity, that's the name of a fund
over in the county's accounting office. It's a depository where these
funds will be deposited.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: But it's not going to Collier
County? The Affordable Housing Trust Fund is holding it for private
entities such as Habitat?
MR. GIBLIN: No, sir, the Affordable Housing Trust Fund is the
name of a county-controlled fund. It's a fund just like we have a road
impact fee trust fund and things --
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: I thought that's what these
payments here were going towards.
MR. GIBLIN: That's correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's what I think we all thought.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: So I'm confused. You're saying
that it's not part of the county but yet that it's being held by the county
and it's not going to a private entity. Could you try to clarify that for
me?
MR. GIBLIN: The Collier County Housing Development
Corporation, Inc. is a private not- for-profit group. The Collier County
Page 23
January 4, 2007
Affordable Housing Trust Fund is a county fund. It's a
county-controlled fund. They're two separate issues, two separate --
the name Collier County appears in both, but that's their only
similarity, I assure you.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: But I thought the contributions
were going to the trust fund.
MR. GIBLIN: They are.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Okay, I'm confused.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I am, too. We've got a county trust fund
and then we have, what, at least three private non-profits which have
received contributions from some rezoning methodology that's
occurred. Is that a true statement?
MR. GIBLIN: That's correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. The three non-profits are not
linked to the county in reality, just the trust fund is. And the sheet you
have in front of us is the monies going to the trust fund; is that right?
MR. GIBLIN: To the trust fund, which means to the county.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Does that help?
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: (Shakes head, no.)
Because you're saying that it doesn't count towards any county
fees or obligations that a developer has, but yet it's going to the
county .
MR. GIBLIN: No. Let me back up. This started about 18
months ago when developers took it upon themselves to address the
affordable housing issue. Some at the request of this commission or
other commissions. To address the issue, they really have a few
options. They can either include some affordable units to address the
problem, they can make a monetary donation of whatever they felt
was an appropriate amount to another entity to address the problem.
In the beginning, those donations were funneled directly from the
development developer to a nonprofit affordable housing provider:
Collier County Housing Development Corporation, the Empowerment
Page 24
January 4, 2007
Alliance of Southwest Florida, Habitat for Humanity, maybe the
Shelter For Abused Women, maybe the St. Matthew's House, those
types of affordable housing providers. Those contributions that were
made directly or to third parties cannot count, or historically in staffs
opinion do not count against any future county-imposed fee that may
happen.
About maybe 12 months ago we started receiving monies
donated directly to the county. And since then, it's been steady. Since
then no more have gone to these third-party entities, and they've gone
to the Collier County Affordable Housing Trust Fund, which is Collier
County. Fees or contributions made to Collier County may apply to a
future county-imposed fee. And those are the ones on the list in front
of you now.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: A future county-imposed fee.
Because there is none now.
MR. GIBLIN: If one should be --
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: I think I understand now.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Mr. Chairman?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes, sir, Mr. Kolflat.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: You indicated there were three
entities that might receive some of these funds. Could you articulate
which three those are?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, from what Cormac has just said,
there may be more than three. The three that I recall in our discussions
on this board, Habitat for Humanity is one. I think it's called the
Endowment Alliance ofImmokalee?
MR. GIBLIN: Empowerment Alliance.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Empowerment Alliance of Immokalee.
And then the Collier County Housing Development Authority?
MR. GIBLIN: Corporation.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Corporation. Those three.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Thank you.
Page 25
January 4, 2007
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: There may be more, but those are the
three that I recall coming before this board.
Cormac, in relation to your objective one and your changes here,
the ORC Report also did respond to some affordable housing issues
that were raised.
Is it appropriate now to bring up those issues in the ORC Report
as they relate to affordable housing for our discussion, or is that
something we're going to be re-presented with later in today's
meeting?
MR. GIBLIN: I'll be happy to address any concerns you have
now.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, I'm just trying to make sure that
all of our questions get responded to. And the ORC Report did have
affordable housing issues in it. And I guess I'm trying to figure out
where they started. Page 25 of the ORC Report response, we're talking
about the Shimberg Center and a cost per households in Collier
County. And I brought this issue up when you weren't here prior to
the holidays.
Michelle was kind enough to provide me with some information
from the Shimberg Center. However, that information basically
discussed how they obtained their population statistics. It did not tell
me what was in the 26,663 very low, low and moderate income
cost-burdened households, meaning how did they derive that number.
I went to their site, and I went to the University of Florida's site for
Shimberg. I could not find that figure anywhere in either site on the
Internet. Maybe I just didn't look at the right place.
My concern is that if Shimberg is saying we have 26,663
shortages in households, is that what they're trying to say, is that what
you're trying to say in your ORC response?
MR. GIBLIN: Well, the Shimberg numbers are not -- do not
translate directly to a shortage in affordable housing. Shimberg
reports the number of cost-burdened households.
Page 26
January 4, 2007
So they look at the people already living in Collier County, they
look at what they're currently paying in housing expenses and what
their income is. And those that are determined to be cost-burdened, in
other words, they're spending more than 30 percent of their gross
monthly income on housing expenses, make up that 26,000 household
number.
So you could maybe extrapolate or logically maybe deduce that
okay, well, if there are 26,000 households in Collier County that are
cost-burdened, paying more than -- essentially living here
unaffordably, then they would be prime candidates for something
more affordable. But that you do have to consciously make that step.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But also, that would include people who
want to buy into a neighborhood that is above their means just because
that's where they want to be and they don't want to be in another
neighborhood. Is that a fair statement?
MR. GIBLIN: It does. But I think that -- I mean, if you look at
the gross number, it would include people like that. But when you
look at the net number, which is only a very low, low, and moderate
income households, I think the likelihood of that diminishes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The reason I'm bringing it up is because
it seems that that use of that 26,663 and then the projections for the
future were what became the basis to equate the approximate
1 ,OOO-unit need per year of affordable housing.
And if that 26,663 is maybe inappropriately applied, then that
would certainly have an impact on the amount of affordable housing
that we mayor may not need. I'm not saying we don't need it, that
would be a wrong statement. But I certainly want to make sure that
the number we come up with is accurate as a goal.
And I'm just wondering, if you use the 26,663, how does the
1,000 equate to that, if it isn't really low-income affordable housing?
Or if it is, I just need to know that.
MR. GIBLIN: Sure. The new goal of 1,000 units per year
Page 27
January 4, 2007
encompasses everything from low income, very low income,
homeless, all the way up to the new definition of gap housing. So in a
sense the target pool has increased from what it used to be in the past.
But using the Shimberg numbers as a base, a starting point, is
really -- Shimberg is the state-approved, the DCA-approved authority
for affordable housing needs assessment. To use anything else would
-- needs very substantial documentation and approval by the DCA.
So however Shimberg determines their numbers or whatever
their methodology is, that is the state-approved methodology.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And I reviewed their site in detail, and I
don't doubt what you say, that they do a very thorough job. I couldn't
find, though, a differentiation between people in the low-income
bracket who are truly needing an affordable house versus those in a
low-income bracket who have bought into a neighborhood that they
purposely bought into because that's where they wanted their kids to
go to school or something, so they generated their own problem.
I didn't see where Shimberg differentiated that all, and that was just
my concern.
Mr. Midney?
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Thank you.
Cormac, the Shimberg data, that is not at all related to our
population estimates here that we're going to be talking about shortly?
MR. GIBLIN : Well, Shimberg is based on population. They use
mainly the census data to establish their population. And I think what
we've done in an effort to arrive at this 1,000 unit per year goal is try
to merge the Shimberg population estimates and their housing needs
assessment with our population growth projections to try to obtain a
number based on fact.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Mark, I have a problem with the
population estimate for Immokalee, especially the migrant. But since
we're going to get to that, why don't we wait till we get to that point,
even though it does relate to this estimate of housing need.
Page 28
January 4, 2007
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: We'll probably have a lot of questions
on population.
MR. COHEN: Commissioner, for the record, Randy Cohen.
I just wanted to clarify, you raised the point pertaining to the ORC
Report as it applied to this particular objection raised by DCA. Ms.
Mosca and I spoke with Bernard Piowa with DCA to make sure what
does DCA want back from us.
And the root of what they wanted was from the Shimberg study.
Obviously, Ms. Mosca modified the Shimberg study data with respect
to population to match our projections. And if you would like her to
clarify what she's done and how she did it and why, she's here to do
so.
But the methodology that we used we discussed at length with
DCA, and they seemed to be satisfied with the route that we were
.
gOIng.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I don't need any further -- I'm getting
the clarification I need from Cormac. Thank you.
Cormac, on the ORC Report, we also talked about making sure
the City of Naples, Marco Island and Everglades City provide their
proportionate share of affordable workforce housing. And we're going
to do that through some financial equivalent methodology.
Could you tell me, right now you currently are floating a
document around internally called an inclusionary zoning ordinance.
You're working on an inclusionary zoning ordinance. If you're not,
that would be news.
MR. GIBLIN: Well, work on that has taken a back seat to what
we're referring to now as the linkage fee ordinance. The linkage fee
ordinance needs to come first and then an inclusionary zoning
ordinance would follow.
But there was a draft of an inclusionary zoning ordinance
prepared seven, eight months ago. But since then it has not--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: What is the buy-out proposed or thoughty
Page 29
January 4, 2007
about in the inclusionary zoning ordinance?
MR. GIBLIN: See, that's the reason we need the linkage fee
ordinance first, because the linkage fee ordinance establishes a
buy-out fee.
So we're working with Dr. Nicholas and various outside legal
counsel to develop and really develop a study to put hard dollars to
what is the value of not providing an affordable unit or what is the
value of providing one.
And so when the linkage fee ordinance is finalized and then
hopefully approved by the Board of County Commissioners, that will
establish the buy-out fee.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Linkage fee, though, applies to
commercial, not residential; is that --
MR. GIBLIN: The way it's being written is we're encompassing
both residential and commercial. And the residential would
essentially establish that buy-out fee.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So then you're eliminating the
inclusionary zoning ordinance?
MR. GIBLIN: No, sir.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So you're going to have an ordinance --
a linkage fee ordinance that establishes commercial and residential
tie-ins to affordable housing. And you're going to have an
inclusionary zoning ordinance that does it as well?
MR. GIBLIN: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is there -- the buy-out for the
inclusionary zoning ordinance, because that's the one most related to
residential, which creates an affordable housing element, what are the
current thoughts as far as the ranges go for the buy-out of that? I'm
just -- out of curiosity.
MR. GIBLIN: For residential development it's a square footage
basis. We've only seen estimates to this point. We don't have any
hard data. It would be close to what the development community has
Page 30
January 4, 2007
come forward to in terms of their voluntary contributions, I would
think. Close to or maybe a little bit more.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: $1,000 a unit?
MR. GIBLIN: Close to or maybe a little bit more.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You shouldn't be wasting your time
with inclusionary zoning then, because that sure isn't going to buy an
affordable housing unit. Where I was trying to go with this is we've
got current documents arranged with the City of Naples and the City
of Everglades or Marco Island in regards to their affordable housing.
Basically they supply us a small contribution.
And if I remember correctly with discussions of this panel a year
ago, those contributions weren't even enough to provide one
affordable housing unit. They're very minor. I notice this language
that you have in the ORC Report response says that we are going to
have a financial -- there's going to be a proportionate share and
financial equivalent will be evaluated and substantiated by the most
current data, studies and methodologies available to the county.
I'm just trying to understand how you're going to establish that.
If you're going to the trouble to have a linkage fee and/or an
inclusionary zoning ordinance, it would seem practical that any
affordable housing buy-out recommended by those ordinances would
also be applicable as a financial equivalent for a unit in regards to how
the city should be buying out of their obligations.
Is that something that someone is going to be considering?
MR. GIBLIN: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Any other questions at this point?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is there anything else on the affordable
housing from your side, Cormac, or Michelle's?
MS. MOSCA: No, I don't have anything else, unless you have
any additional questions.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Are we in a position that you want us to
Page 31
January 4, 2007
vote on this particular issue at this time, or are we going to do this
somewhere where you walk them all through to the end and do them
one at a time at the end?
MR. COHEN: I would it would be appropriate to establish a
preliminary position with respect to each of the questions that you
raised in the element. And then at the end of the day, go ahead and
take a vote on each individual element.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Go ahead, Ms. Caron.
COMMISSIONER CARON: I just have one comment to make.
Back to -- let's just make sure it's the same on everything. Objective
two.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: What page are you on?
COMMISSIONER CARON: Well, I'm actually looking at what
we had received last time, objective two, Policy 2.1. Now, I don't see
that -- oh, yes, I do see that included. It says here the Collier County
Housing Development Corporation shall assist the county in reaching
its affordable workforce housing goal.
So why wouldn't -- back to my question earlier, why aren't they
counted in your chart? I mean, they are very much part of this county.
We gave them the grant to get started, they are part of our GMP, and
yet nothing they do will be counted?
MR. GIBLIN: They are part of the county, again, much in the
same way that a Habitat for Humanity, Incorporated is. We give
Habitat for Humanity grants, we give -- Habitat for Humanity builds
units.
COMMISSIONER CARON: But they are not part of our GMP,
Habitat for Humanity.
MR. GIBLIN: They were added by name here in this
amendment because, if you recall, the prior objective was that by
2002, Collier County will assist in the creation of a new not- for-profit
housing development corporation. We did that. Collier County
assisted in the creation of the Collier County Housing DevelopmentA
Page 32
January 4, 2007
Corporation, Incorporated.
And then the ORC request from the DCA was okay, you told us
you did it, but now what will they do?
COMMISSIONER CARON: And the big thing we're going to
ask them to do is hold workshops and fairs to raise awareness?
Somebody's --
MR. GIBLIN: And work with other nonprofits to purchase
developed parcels contributing --
COMMISSIONER CARON: All sort of squishy kind of semi
commitments. I just don't get it.
MR. GIBLIN : Well, those workshops, fairs, partnering with
developers, purchasing land, contributing funds towards the purchase
of land, those are all things that need to occur in the entire affordable
housing world here. And those are things that Collier County does not
necessarily do ourselves. And so we need to have those types of
nonprofit partners to help us achieve those goals.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Maybe a solution would be to provide a
little more generic references to it by saying something to the effect
not-for-profit entities such as the Collier County Housing
Development Corporation may assist Collier County. That way --
MR. GIBLIN: I very much agree with that suggestion. Because
we don't know if this organization may change its name or may merge
with something else in two years, and then we've got their name in
black and white here in the GMP. So I agree with that suggestion.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Mr. Midney?
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: In terms of the -- we talk about
creating 1,000 new units. I'm a little bit concerned, especially from
what's happening in Immokalee, they're talking about destruction or
demolition of 833 units within the near future, most of them -- well,
all of them serving the low-income people of Immokalee. Some of
them are uninhabitable, but others are just substandard. And to me it
would seem that it would be much cheaper to rehabilitate existing
Page 33
January 4, 2007
units than to build a new unit. To build a new, you know, apartment
or home is many, many, many thousands of dollars. And I think that
we could get more efficiency with our money if we put in our goal
something to be more aggressive about rehabilitating existing units
instead of demolishing them.
MR. GIBLIN: In some of the other objectives and policies, there
is specific language about rehabilitation of affordable units as one of
our policy goals. In fact, it is one of my department's main task is
rehabilitation, specifically in Immokalee. I don't believe that that
belongs in the 1,000 new units goal. But--
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: I'd like to see it on an equal par,
because it's a much more efficient way of saving housing or creating,
if you will, housing, by preventing the destruction of housing that is
now slated to be destroyed.
And I'd like to see it put in here that yes, we will create this, but
we will also -- I'd like to see more emphasis on rehabilitation.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But Cormac, didn't you just say there
already was a policy that does that? It's just that it's not being
changed, so it isn't in this portion of what you're seeing. This
document we have in front of us only reflects the changes that are
being suggested. The other elements and policies that are in place and
are being used aren't shown here. Cormac's indicating there is one that
does what you're indicating.
MR. GIBLIN: Yes. And even if you just look at objective one,
when we talked about the number of new affordable workforce
housing units shall increase by 1,000 units each year. That doesn't say
that they all need to be new construction or they should all be
rehabilitation units.
So that does give us the flexibility built in there that those units
can come to the market or come to the surface through whatever
means necessary or whatever means appropriate by the county.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Well, I'd like to see something
Page 34
January 4, 2007
about creating 1,000 units. But I'd also like to see some expansion of
the plans for renovation, because I think that will be very efficient in
terms of cost effectiveness.
And maybe we need some new initiative for that to increase it.
Because right now in the Immokalee master plan, they're talking about
very soon demolishing 833 units, most of which will be serving
migrant farm workers, which will cut out a very large percent of the
housing stock that services those people.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I understand what you're saying, Paul.
Maybe at the next round of GMP issues, if that paragraph or that
policy needs to be addressed, staff can bring it forward. It isn't up for
discussion today because it's not one of the policies that are listed
here. If you have it with you and you've got changes suggested to it, I
would suggest giving it to staff so we can implement it at a time and
notification process.
But I don't know how you're going to do that on a policy that's
not in front of us for changing today. That's the only reason I bring it
up.
MR. GIBLIN: Mr. Schmitt wanted me to clarify that the migrant
housing issues for the county are for the most part handled by Collier
County Housing Authority and the Collier County Health Department.
Both are separate. I know the word Collier County again is in the
title of both of those entities, but those are separate.
But I assure Commissioner Midney that housing rehabilitation
and specifically housing rehabilitation in Immokalee is a top priority
of our department.
And in fact we're going to be coming to the Board of County
Commissioners in a couple of weeks with some state housing disaster
dollars that for the most part is all dedicated to Immokalee. And for
the most part the majority of it is going to be funneled to rehabilitation
of existing substandard and dilapidated units.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, we've made some text suggested
Page 35
January 4, 2007
changes that I know staff has taken note of. And we've also made
some previous comments earlier that have now been incorporated into
the language in front of us. I think what is recommended by staff later
this morning, we will vote on each element one at a time in finality.
But conceptually at this point to move past this one, is there a
motion as from concept that this is so noted -- from a concept basis
this is okay to more forward?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: So moved.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion made by Commissioner
Adelstein.
Is there a second?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: (Indicating.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Seconded by Commissioner Schiffer.
Discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: All in favor, signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
Thank you.
Corby, just out of curiosity, so I know when to stop, is there any
public speakers registered for any parts of the EAR today?
MR. SCHMIDT: Not that I'm aware of, Mr. Chairman.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. With that, we will move on to
wherever staff wants to go next.
MR. COHEN: The next element on the agenda is the recreation
and open space element.
Page 36
January 4, 2007
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That would be starting on Page 5?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Mr. Chairman, while people are
coming up, could I just make a suggestion that we don't use magenta
as a highlight color again? Especially in the dim lighting.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: How about light magenta next time.
MR. SCHMIDT: So noted.
MR. COHEN: It just happens to be Corby's favorite color.
MR. SCHMIDT: The recreation and open space only has a few
revisions there. And yes, they are shadowed in, but it's a simple
removal of references to the old -- or the soon to be old population
methodology or terminology regarding weighted average population
calculations.
Otherwise, there were no changes to bring before you for the
recreation and open space element.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Corby, a few weeks ago we had to deal
with the AUIR, and we did it jointly with the productivity committee.
And if I recall, I know this panel as well as I think the members
of the productivity committee felt questionable about the values used
for the acreages and even the values in dollars from the recreation for
both community and regional parks. If I'm not mistaken, we were
instructed that because those values were locked into the GMP, we
had to use those in last year's A UIR.
And the panel's requested a review of the basis for those so that
next year's A UIR might need to be changed based on some different
statistics or evaluations.
So now my concern is under Policy 1.1.1, A and Band C, you've
locked in values again. And I don't want staff to be in a position where
they have to come back to us next year and say well, you're right, we
should look at this again, but we can't because it's approved in the
GMP based on last year's EAR.
So I don't want us today to put us in the same situation we were
told we couldn't change a month ago in regards to the statistics used to
Page 37
January 4, 2007
multiply for the AUIR.
So tell me how we get around that little problem, based on what
we have here in front of us.
MR. COHEN: Mr. Chairman, it's probably more appropriate for
me to answer that question for you, rather than Mr. Schmidt. As part
of this year's EAR-based amendments, they go back to the 2005
AUIR. And we've incorporated that particular AUIR numbers into
these particular EAR-based amendments.
However, under instruction from both this board and also from
the Board of County Commissioners, you asked us to take a look at
population. And in conjunction with the objection from DCA, we did
so accordingly as well, too.
As part of this year's AUIR process, you're well aware that
yourself and also the productivity committee raised some major issues
with respect to how we measure levels of service. Are we tied to
those particular levels of service. It's not unusual to revisit levels of
service at various increments, and then if you decide to make a change
to go ahead and to incorporate then into a future AUIR as well as a
future GMP. Please take note that if you're going to do that also, that
there's going to be ancillary effects with regard to things like impact
fee ordinances and some other items as well, too. So there's going to
need to be some study with regard to that.
If we have a level of service, for example, for recreation and a
decision is made to change that level of service based upon whatever
factor that may be. For example, I know our parks and recreation
department right now is doing an inventory of all our facilities and
making a determination of what they have and what their respective
needs would be with regard to a variety of different facilities. That
would very well change how we go about doing things. And I know
that's the direction that we've received from you.
So are we tied into something? Any time we want to change the
CIE, whether it's in a narrative form or whether it's part of a table or
Page 38
January 4, 2007
changing the timing of an improvement or removing or adding an
improvement, we're going to be required to revisit this document on
an annual basis. That's a requirement starting March 1st, 2008.
In subsequent years we will have to by statute provide DCA with
an update of this element and any respective changes that you decide
to make or recommend to be made to be changed and the BCC acts
on, what we've provided the DCA with the proper data and analysis.
So you're not tied in.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Randy, when that question was
specifically asked of you during the AUIR, we were told we were tied
in. And because it was tied into last year's -- or to the prior CIE, we
couldn't change the AUIR.
MR. COHEN : We're tied into the population methodology as
adopted. We're tied into -- which is the basis for the CIE. And I think
we wanted to change population methodology at that point in time.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: We brought up -- we specifically
brought these numbers up. This 1.2882 and 2.9412 were brought into
question by this panel at the AUIR. We were told because it was
adopted in the GMP, we could not change it, but that next year you
guys would look at coming back with a possible change to it.
N ow I'm wondering how you can do that based on your previous
statements if it's locked into this EAR through the GMP?
MR. COHEN: I don't believe that absolute statement was made
that you can't change it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No, no, we can't change the AUIR use
of it because it's in the GMP.
MR. COHEN: Well, that was a problem with this year's AUIR
because of the EAR-based amendments going through the process.
This AUIR is for this particular year, because of the EAR-based
amendments going through the process --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: She can't hear you.
MR. COHEN: Excuse me.
Page 39
January 4, 2007
This AUIR, because of the EAR-based amendments going
through the process the way they have been for about a year and a half
or two years is kind of like an anomaly. It's not the normal AUIR that
you're going to be using because it's based on -- and this is where the
problem is: It's based on the population methodology as set forth in
the GMP, which is different than the population methodology that's
going forward with the EAR-based amendments.
So for all practical purposes, this year's AUIR becomes more a
planning tool for this year as opposed to a mechanism for something
that would go in to create a CIE for this particular year.
Because what would happen is if we were to provide a CIE based
on this year's particular AUIR, it would be based on a population
methodology which DCA says now is unacceptable. However, it is the
accepted population methodology by this Board of County
Commissioners and will not change until we go through the
EAR-based amendment process and DCA finds it in compliance.
There's no objections or it doesn't go to hearing and then finally gets
adopted.
So the AUIR this particular year is really -- it's an anomaly, it's
something that in future AUIRs you will be able to do what you feel in
terms of recommending changes to levels of service based on the new
population methodology, whether you decide to change from a
population-based methodology to some other type of methodology.
And the supporting data analysis to do so, you can revisit that as well,
too.
So this AUIR this year was really not the time to do it because of
the problem with the population basis, which is flawed, in DCA's
opinion, and asked us to change that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Randy, let's go back to Policy 1.1.I.A.
It says, 1.2882 acres of community park for 1,000 population. It
really doesn't matter then if the population in this county is 300,000 or
400,000, the 1.2882 is per 1,000.
Page 40
January 4, 2007
Now, are you telling me -- and I'm going to ask the county
attorney to opine that this is correct, so that at the next AUIR, which
will be sitting here for, we can tell you you're wrong and we can go
forward and change the AUIR -- are you telling me that if this is
approved in the EAR as 1.2882 per 1,000 population and 2.9412 per
1,000 population and $270 per capita of population, that those
numbers in the EAR now, adopted in the GMP, do not have to apply
to next year's AUIR? Is that what you're telling me?
MR. COHEN: Mr. Chairman, for the record, you can make
recommendations in the AUIR process to change the levels of service,
okay. If you do that -- for example, the 270 that's in there used to be, if
I recall correctly, 245, and there was a recommendation at one point in
time to change the 245 to 270.
So the mechanism exists in the A UIR process to modify a level
of service if you find it to be inadequate. That would then translate
into a respective change in the CIE, based on your recommendation to
the Board of County Commissioners, okay, concurred with that
recommendation and determined to proffer that to DCA as part of a
change in the CIE.
F or example, and this is a hypothetical, we have potable water
and sanitary sewer, we have levels of service with respect to
consumption. If that consumption, for whatever reason was to change
based on, say, use of gray water, okay, and as a result of that we no
longer were needing that much potable water for consumption
purposes in a certain area, it would be incumbent on us to visit that
item in the AUIR with a reduction obviously in that consumption, and
make a respective change also in the CIE.
So are we stuck with certain numbers? The answer is no. You
have the right to revisit them. Jurisdictions statewide revisit their
levels of service at various times and make respective changes based
on data and analysis. You may find for recreation purposes when our
recreation department comes back and they do their analysis of
Page 41
----------1
January 4, 2007
existing facilities in conjunction with facilities in PUDs that you do
not need certain acreages or certain facilities and as a result of that
data that's being collected make a subsequent change. They didn't
have that data analysis for four years as part of this AUIR or CIE, but
they indicated that they would probably have it for the next one.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Klatzkow?
MR. KLATZKOW: You can change it next year.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. I want to ask you, when you say
we can change this, I'm specifically talking about the two numerics.
One --
MR. KLATZKOW: I understand. You can make a
recommendation to the board that the board relook at this and make a
change to it, yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So in order to change the number that's
used in the AUIR, the board first would have to go back in and change
the CIE; is that correct?
MR. KLATZKOW: That's my understanding, yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. And that's the problem we ran
into this year. We were told we could not change the AUIR statistics
because they were locked in by approval of the GMP. You're asking
us today to do the same thing -- not you, sir, but staff -- to approve the
numbers that we questioned last year in the AUIR, again approve
them in this GMP amendment that gets locked in and that can't be
changed before the next A UIR comes out.
So how is that accomplishing any of the goals that this panel and
the others talked about over the AUIR process? I'm just -- this isn't
going to work under this basis, at least as far as my vote goes.
MR. KLATZKOW: I understand.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. I have no more to say on the
recreation and open space elements. Does anybody here?
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Are we getting an answer yet?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, you're going to get a round and
Page 42
January 4, 2007
round answer. I mean, we've been going around this for 15 minutes
now and gotten nothing.
So I think the conclusion is if this EAR is approved with these
numbers, that's what's got to be used in the AUIR, unless you go back
in and change this first, which I don't think there would be enough
time to because you've got to go to DCA and the whole process before
the AUIR can be recalculated.
So in the end we're locking ourselves into another AUIR.
Mr. Adelstein?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: What if you don't approve it?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, that's up to this board. We can
vote any way we want. Right now I'm inclined not to, so -- there's a
huddle going on, does that mean we should wait to proceed?
COMMISSIONER CARON: Take a pause.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Take a pause here for a second?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Midney?
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Yes, thank you. I'm not clear, are
you more having problems with the population estimates or the levels
of service?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Both.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, it's the numbers 1.2882 and
2.9412.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: The levels of service.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: If you want to call them a level of
service, yes. And the $270. I am not comfortable with any of those as
far as how they would apply in next year's AUIR. We specifically
asked that all departments in the AUIR look for alternatives for
measurements of level of service. That is items like calls for service.
The one gentleman from the productivity committee specifically said
the libraries have accurate door counts. Why aren't we using those to
generate the need for new libraries?
Whether they're good or bad ideas isn't the issue. We want the
Page 43
-..-1
January 4, 2007
right to be able to explore those. And this document would take that
right away, based on what I'm hearing from our attorney.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Well, could you suggest like an
alternative methodology for determining, you know, the, quote, level
of service or level of provision of opportunity for parks and
recreation?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's what we asked staff to come back
with to us in our last AUIR meeting.
Yes, Mr. Schmitt.
MR. SCHMITT: For the record, Joe Schmitt, your Administrator
of Community Development and Environmental Services Division. I
understand exactly what you're saying. You're kind of thinking you're
caught in a do-loop. It says it, therefore you have to apply it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: A do-loop. I like that. Is that military?
MR. SCHMITT: A do-loop is the old Fortran, don't you
remember? Anybody that did Fortran years ago, Fortran
programming. That's like really ancient, Corby.
MR. SCHMIDT: I was there.
MR. SCHMITT: Those were punch card days, you know?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yeah, I remember those.
MR. SCHMITT: Why don't we make this more generic in a
sense that a level of service will be established annually as part of the
CIE and applied during the AUIR process or some verbiage to that,
that gives the Board of County Commissioners the option annually to
change the level of service certainly based on budget, based on need,
or based on perceived or assessed needs or whatever.
Because you're right, if it's in the GMP, then we apply it. And if
we want to amend it or change it, I need to go back and amend the
GMP. So maybe a more generic sentence would work.
But I have to defer to Randy. You've been talking to the DCA
and Bernard. Would they accept a more generic type of statement in
here?
Page 44
January 4, 2007
MR. COHEN: What we would need to do is to include a policy
in the CIE which would actually -- similar to population where they
ask us to review it on an annual basis, where we could put something
in the policy in the CIE that says that we will be reviewing levels of
service on an annual basis.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Can you put that policy in the CIE and
have it effective so that when this future AUIR comes up, which I
know is going to come up around midterm in 2007 --
MR. SCHMITT: You're going to see that early . We're going to
be starting that probably in the May, June, July time frame. You may
see it as early as August or September this year.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I'd like to see, though, I'd like make sure
that we have and the other board has the flexibility to question these
kind of things so we're not locked into it, so we don't have the do-loop
you're talking about. And as long as the language in this policy can be
flexible enough to provide that, then I think we're in good shape.
MR. COHEN: Mr. Chairman, obviously we can include the
language in the policy. The key is the effective date of that policy. If
we don't get tied up in an appeal or administrative hearing, it will be
effective before the AUIR goes before this body, as well as the BCC.
And then you'll be fine to go ahead and move along along the lines
that you want to.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, this document in front of us today,
if it's written flexibly, should have ample time before August to be
effective. Is that a good assumption?
MR. COHEN: The problem with the assumption is is that if it
goes through the process and it's not appealed and it doesn't go to
hearing, then we're fine. If it does, then it wouldn't have an effective
date until such time that those issues are resolved.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. And then we fall back on what's
currently in place --
MR. COHEN: Yes.
Page 45
T -
January 4, 2007
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- which is last year's, so we can't do
any worse than that.
MR. COHEN: Correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Well, then, I think you need to
come back to us on this one, though. Do we have time before the
BCC?
MR. COHEN: We go to the BCC on the 25th and 26th, but we
can provide you with language -- you mean on the 17th?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: On the 18th--
MR. COHEN: A simple language statement?
MR. SCHMITT: I would propose one of two things. Let's at
least table this. I think maybe between now and by the end of the
meeting that we can come back with some language, we'll bring it
back at the end of the meeting. Because you're going to be hearing
some land use petitions. Otherwise we'll have to bring it back the next
meeting and discuss it.
But I understand exactly what you're saying. And in fact your
logic to me is absolutely correct. I think I'd just make this generic. I
just need to figure out at the point where we would change the level of
service, because the board makes that final decision, and it's certainly
based on budget and assessed needs, kind of balancing both. But we
want to give the latitude to change this level of service, similar to what
we did with the EMS and some other type of levels of service where
we ought to have some generic statement in here that that applies. So
we'll look at that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Midney?
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Yeah, just for my own
clarification again. You don't have a problem with tying level of
service to population, so as the population grows then the level of
service would grow by proportionate amount. You want to attack the
level of service, how they come at that level of service, how could
they calculate it, right? I'm asking Mark.
Page 46
.... T
January 4, 2007
MR. SCHMITT: That's what I understood the chairman argued
-- or probably not argued, but addressed during the AUIR.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, there needs to be a truthing of
how that's calculated.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Right.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Then that truthing needs to be applied in
a manner that we can use it in the AUIR, which would then require
some flexibility in the language in this EAR.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: But there's no problem with the
linkage to the growth of population?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No, not if they can justify it. I think if
there's a better way to do it -- now, we had suggested each department
look for possible better ways. I'm not sure parks and rec. has a better
way. They refer to a document that they use also called SCORP from
the state. But in looking and reviewing the 300 pages of SCORP, I
found out they're not following SCORP either.
So somewhere there needs to be some standardization that we
can rely on. And that's what we asked each department to look at
before the next AUIR.
And all I'm trying to assure is that if they come up with a better
system, it can be implemented and we're not locked into an archaic
system based on the GMP language. That's it.
Okay, so we'll just table this one until later today or possibly the
18th. And you'll come back to us today on that.
Corby, where are we going to next -- is there any other comments
on parks or on rec. open space?
(No response.)
MR. SCHMIDT: At this time, Mr. Chairman, I think I would
suggest going to the beginning of the staff report and returning to the
capital improvement elements and population calculation
methodologies, of which Mr. Cohen is prepared to address.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Well, we normally take a break
Page 47
r--
January 4, 2007
at 10:00. I think that's going to be a rather entwined subject, so let's
take a IS-minute break and come back here at five after 10:00. Thank
you.
(A break was taken.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, we resume the meeting. But
before we do, I just spoke with the county attorney about the -- during
the break, I spoke with the county attorney about an issue concerning
our agenda today.
First of all, I want to know if anybody is here from the public to
speak on any of the elements of the EAR. Okay.
With that in mind then, and based on the comments I've received
from the county attorney, we can modify the agenda to move forward
with the two public hearings we have to accommodate those in the
public who are here to address those two and then come back and do
the EAR afterwards.
And since we're here to serve the public, I think that that would
be the best thing we could possibly do. So I need a recommendation
from this board --
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: So moved.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- to modify the agenda to go forward
with the two public hearings, which are items 8(B) and 8(C).
Mr. Kolflat, you --
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: So moved.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion made.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Second.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Seconded by Commissioner Adelstein.
All in favor, signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
Page 48
January 4, 2007
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
Item #8B
PETITION: BD-2006-AR-I0118
Great. We will move into the first of the two public hearings,
which is a boat dock amendment. It's Petition BD-2006-AR-I0118,
Richard S. Downs, represented by Davidson Engineering. And it
involves 25 Pelican Street West, lot 74, Isles of Capri No. 1.
Would all those wishing to speak on behalf of this petition,
please rise to be sworn in by the court reporter.
(All speakers were duly sworn.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Let me, for clarification to the public, if
anybody is willing -- is wishing to speak on any subject, they have to
fill out a little one of these speaker cards. They're out front on the
desk out there and you have to turn them in to the county attorney
right here. Even on this issue or even on the next one, the one on
Manatee Road, if you want to speak, fill out one of those cards and
please give it to the county attorney, and that way you're registered to
speak.
Are there any disclosures on the part of the planning commission
on this issue?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I got a phone call from Mr. Hancock,
asked me if I had any issues with this. I told him at the time he called
me I did not have any and I'd like to see what came out of today' s
meeting.
Any others?
(No response.)
Page 49
January 4, 2007
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, with that, Mr. Hancock, it's all
yours.
MR. HANCOCK: Good morning, Mr. Chairman, members of
the planning commission. My name is Tim Hancock with Davidson
Engineering, here today representing the property owner and the
applicant Richard and Ann Downs of 25 Pelican Street West in Isles
of Capri, Florida. The item before you today, Boat Dock Extension
2006-AR-I0-118. It deals with property that is located to the south of
Pompano Bay in Isles of Capri. If you're looking at the aerial in front
of you, the westerly view is to your left. Easterly view is to your
right. And the property lies on the south end of this bay.
A little bit closer, what you can see here and this really
graphically illustrates the basis and reasoning for the request.
Pompano Bay at its narrowest point extending to the north is about
900 feet. The bay is seawalled on three sides. And as you can see in
certain areas, accretion has occurred to varying degrees. Some homes
on the bay need only go out the required 20 feet or are allowed 20 feet
to have access to water deep enough for a small craft.
Other properties, such as the ones to the west of the Downs', have
to go out considerably further, in some cases in excess of 100 feet, in
order to achieve a depth that allows for the use by watercraft. And by
watercraft what we're talking about really are small boats.
This property has already received a permit from the Florida
Department of Environmental Protection and the Army Corps of
Engineers to allow for a dock and to moor a vessel up to 26 feet in
length. So we're not talking about large cabin cruisers, although I'll
tell you, some of these properties have been configured in such a way
that allow that. The Downs are currently building a house on the
property and wish to have this dock constructed so that they have use
and access to the water in a reasonable fashion consistent with the
completion of the house. This picture is fairly recent, taken yesterday.
As you're standing behind the property and look to the west, this
Page 50
r ---
January 4, 2007
is the dock that you saw on the aerial that extends through a mangrove
area and out some 100 feet plus or minus to allow for the mooring of
this particular vessel.
As you look to the east, the grassy lot here, the home has been
torn down and is under construction. As you can see, we're assuming
this dock is going to be replaced or modified at some point. The
planks have been taken up.
But again, similarly to what you're going to be seeing with the
Downs' property, this dock extends out approximately 50 feet from the
seawall, again to reach a depth suitable for small craft. The dock, as
proposed and approved by the FDEP, is roughly centered on the
property with a four-foot walkway extending seaward to a terminal
platform and a small walkway here. There would be four mooring
pilings that would support a boat lift ultimately. And what's shown
here is an approximate 23-foot boat with an eight-foot beam. The
facility itself, according to DEP standards, is less than 500 square feet
in total area. There are no sea grasses present. And the issues dealing
with the manatee are minimal, if any. Again, the water's really not
deep enough to accommodate the manatees in this area.
I would like to clarify, the request for the extension today is
actually a request for a total of 55 feet. There was a simple math error
in your staff report that added the 20 foot to the 55. The truth is the
20- foot line, as you can see from this example, expends out to right
here, and the water depth at mean low is 1.3 feet. Certainly not
suitable for anything but the skinniest of flatboats. The 55 feet is a
total distance from the existing seawall which has been recently
reconstructed under permit to the outside of the mooring piling. The
actual dock itself extends approximately 42 and a half feet, and then
we have an outboard mooring piling which will eventually support a
boat lift in this location.
The purpose for that link is quite honestly simply to get to a point
where the landward side of the dock is sitting in four feet of water at
Page 51
.---,---
January 4, 2007
mean low tide. This will accommodate small to medium-sized
vessels, certainly up to the 26- foot lengths that are approved by the
FDEP.
To give you an idea of just how shallow the water is, yesterday
this nice lady was up to her calves halfway out to her boat and her dog
is standing right here. So it's fairly shallow. I appreciate them
deciding to exercise while I was out there taking pictures.
But this shoal's out a little bit further than the Downs' property
does. As you can see it's a little bit shallower here.
So the request here is based on a couple of basic facts: Number
one, this is waterfront property, and reasonable right of use of the
water is inherent in the purchase of waterfront property.
Number two, the conditions that exist behind the Downs'
property are not of their creation. They are in essence a result of
development of the Isles of Capri and the natural accretion that occurs
many times in bays like this that don't have a tremendous flushing
action. We believe it's stable enough that -- the bottom is stable
enough that the dock length that's being proposed is the minimum
variance required in order to obtain reasonable use of the land. And
we think the dock that is proposed is -- there's no boathouse proposed
with this that would require a separate process. It's simply a four-foot
walkway out to a terminal platform with mooring pilings for a boat lift
at the end.
The Downs have also installed or will be installing two sets of
ladders. They're avid kayakers and look forward to continuing doing
that in the surrounding waters.
With the exception of the one change to the staff report that the
total distance of the dock is 55 feet, not the 75 feet that was proposed,
so the variance is actually a 35-foot variance beyond the 20 feet, we
are in concurrence with the recommendations and findings of staff that
deem this application to be consistent with the Land Development
Code.
Page 52
January 4, 2007
And at this time we would be happy to address any questions you
may have.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ms. Caron and Mr. Kolflat and Mr.
Adelstein.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Thank you for the correction. That
was very important.
Just as a point of reference, will your dock extension bring you
approximately in line with the boathouse?
MR. HANCOCK: The one to this side over here?
COMMISSIONER CARON: Yeah, to your right.
MR. HANCOCK: Yes, ma'am, very close. The bottom
topography is a little bit different. We drop off a little faster here but
we still don't get to that minus four any faster than they do. So I've
walked the area out there at low tide and it's going to be roughly
similar to that existing boathouse.
I think if someone were looking at this and thinking 75 feet they
would have thought, hey, that sticks out much further than what sits
there today, particularly if you're on this side looking towards the
west.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Kolflat?
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Yes, could you put the plan
view on again that you had just previous to this?
MR. HANCOCK: You want the plan view from the top, sir?
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: The plan view. That one.
Those red lines that run vertically on that slide, what do they
represent?
MR. HANCOCK: These red lines represent where the setback
from the property line will be. For example, the property line is over
here, and this is a setback line. The entire dock and the boat itself must
be within the land development code setbacks. So you can't have -- in
other words, you can't put your dock right against the setback and
have your boat overhanging into the side yard setback.
Page 53
January 4, 2007
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: And this is located
approximately in the center of the lot line, isn't it?
MR. HANCOCK: Yes, sir. It's slightly offset, but not by much.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: The staffreport
recommendations contain four stipulation. Are you familiar with
those?
MR. HANCOCK: Yes, sir, and we are in concurrence with those
stipulations.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Thank you, that's all I have.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Adelstein?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I've got a little problem here.
The SPGP. It said your project has been reviewed and in compliance.
But it also says the authority granted under this SPGP expires
December 17th, 2006.
MR. HANCOCK: Yes, sir. The -- we submitted this application
in July of last year. We expected to be through the process before
December, but there were a lot of workload issues at development
services and -- there really weren't any delays in the sense of us
responding to staff requests, I think we just got caught in the system
and it took a little longer to get through the process than anticipated.
The FDEP permit does not expire until 2011 or 2021. It's a long
time out. The Army Corps of Engineers has a six-month period on
SPGP. They do not have an extension vehicle. What we have done is
we have resubmitted the original information to Skip Bergmann of the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and requested a reissuance of their
approval. We cannot receive a building permit for this until we have
the reissuance from the Army Corps of Engineers. So unfortunately,
due to the time in process, that date has passed. But we are requesting
a reissuance and we will be unable to obtain a building permit for this
dock until that occurs.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Well, how can we approve it
until we know that again that situation comes forward and again thee
Page 54
January 4, 2007
SPGP approve it again until you have another length of time to get it
done? Because right now they're saying you don't have the time to get
it done, it's expired.
MR. HANCOCK: I believe that the answer to that lies in the
staff stipulations which requires that your Army Corps of Engineers
permit and DEP permit be in place prior to the issuance of the building
permit. It is incumbent upon us to have that reissued. Obviously, we
didn't anticipate being here in January.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I understand that.
MR. HANCOCK: So -- and we notified the Corps voluntarily
ahead of time and they indicated if we resubmit the original
application, they will put it through the review process. There's no
fee. But they simply don't have an extension mechanism, which is --
in the time it takes to even get building permits these days, that makes
it a little difficult.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I understand what you're
saying, and I understand (sic) it when I read it. And I just can't
conceive of how I could turn around and say well, I'm sure you're
going to get it again, but I really don't know that. It mean, it should
happen. You're going to send it. Until it comes, I can't see how we
can vote.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But Mr. Adelstein, we vote on all
projects before they get building permits. He can't get a building
permit without a Corps permit. Which means we're not in jeopardy at
all. We're simply saying this is okay to go ahead, if that's what we
decide, but you have to still go through the process of getting a
building permit, which he can't get unless he has the Corps permit
you've got questions about. So he's locked into getting it no matter
what.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Any other questions from the panel or
the applicant before we hear staff report?
Page 55
IW
January 4, 2007
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you, Mr. Hancock.
MR. HEDRICH: Good morning, all. For the record, my name is
Dave Hedrich, I'm a Planner with Zoning and Land Development
Review, Collier County. Mr. Hancock covered everything very well.
His photographs nearly mimic every one that I have taken. I would
like to pass out at this time -- we had received one letter of objection
on this project, as well as one letter of recommendation from the
residents in the area that did not make it into your packet. And these
letters came just before -- the day before Christmas break. So I made
.
copIes.
And at this time if you allow, my associate will pass those out for
you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Certainly. Thank you. We'll have to
review them and if so, admit them into evidence.
Yes, Mr. Schiffer?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Dave, where are those letters
from? Are there any from the immediate neighbors?
MR. HEDRICH: Yes, there is one -- actually, one's just down
the street around the corner from where we were speaking of the
boathouse. And the other one is -- and the one for approval is around
the corner where the other docks extend out greatly.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But not the immediate
neighbors?
MR. HEDRICH: No, none from the immediate neighbors.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Mr. Chairman, I'll move to put
it into evidence.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is there a second to put it into evidence?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: So moved.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion made and seconded.
And for the record, it's two letters. One is dated December 18th,
2006 from Joanne and George Moore, and the other dated December
Page 56
T
January 4, 2007
18th, 2006 from Eleanor D. Hughes.
Any discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: All in favor of the motion, signify by
.
saYIng aye.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
All opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion carries.
Ms. Caron?
COMMISSIONER CARON: In this letter of objection, which
just happened to be the one on top, it says that there was a picture
included, which you did not attach here, which we should have a copy
of. At any rate, this letter also is under the misconception that this
would be 75 feet as opposed to 55 feet in total. Did you notify -- have
you talked to these people? Have you let them know that it's actually
not 75 feet, it's only 55 feet.
MR. HEDRICH: I believe one of our speakers from this letter of
objection is here.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Are there any other questions of staff?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: David, looks like this is going to be easy
for you so far. Thank you.
MR. HEDRICH: I also wanted to address that time period
Page 57
'r-"-'
January 4,2007
concern there. It was due to a lack of getting the legal right. It seems
that even the Army Corps of Engineers, our own property appraiser's
office, everybody had a wrong legal description for this particular site
as far as section and township range was concerned. And trying to
iron that out with all the departments was a great monthly process.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Maybe they bought a lot in Port Royal
and don't know it. Okay, thank you. Hearing no other questions of
staff, I'll ask for public speakers.
MS. DESELEM: Yes, we have one registered speakers. We
have Joanne Moore.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, Ms. Moore, if you'd like to come
up to either podium, that would be great.
MS. MOORE: Yes, Chairman.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Pull that a little closer. There you go.
MS. MOORE: This one right here? Okay. I am a close neighbor
of the property they're talking about. It's -- it is a shallow area, that
whole side of the bay. And I dispute the fact that everyone is entitled
to the use of the water. I believe everybody is entitled to enjoy the
beauty of the water. And nature is going to change those sands back
and forth. So I don't think that is a reason to allow such a large, long
dock. It obstructs half of our living room, the view that they propose.
I never -- I didn't realize that they're not going to go out 75 feet,
but to me 20 feet allowance is adequate, and it destroys longer docks.
I disputed the one that's over on the west corner as well. It's an
eyesore to us. I think you have to realize that Florida draws their
residents and their people here because of the natural beauty, and
because a newcomer comes along and wants to have his wishes
shouldn't override those who have lived here a long time. I've owned
this property since 1958 and I've seen a lot of changes. A lot of those
problems with shallow water were because an early man who owned
that property left it as a beach for his grandchildren. And of course
nature took over and built more shallow water.
Page 58
r
January 4, 2007
So I'd like for you to consider the options of allowing people to
put in things for their pleasure and allowing others to enjoy nature as it
is. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ma'am, for the record -- Ms. Moore, for
the record, would you state your full name, please?
MS. MOORE: My name is Joanne Moore.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. And one question, would you
mind somehow pointing to the house that you own? You maybe won't
be able to reach that.
MS. MOORE: I can't reach it. Right there.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So you own that very first house?
MS. MOORE: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, thank you very much. Very first
house from Hawk's Nest in from this property. Thank you, Ms.
Moore.
Any other questions?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, are there any public speakers,
Kay?
MS. DESELEM: That's all. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Now last, is there any rebuttal by the
applicant? Thank you, David, we're all set. Appreciate it.
MR. HANCOCK: By using the scale on the aerial photograph, I
think it's important to note that you can see the line extending outward
from the property. The furthest reach of that is 75 feet. That is
approximately at the end of the existing Tahitian-style boathouse that
currently lies to the west of Ms. Moore's property. The line closer to
shore is approximately 55 feet. So we actually are going to be some
20 feet landward of an existing boathouse which currently is within
her view window.
So the actual effect of this visually of existing conditions I expect
to be nominal, if any.
Page 59
""'---'--''1-
January 4, 2007
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ms. Caron?
COMMISSIONER CARON: And that -- well, you're saying 50
feet here. Is that what it's going to be really?
MR. HANCOCK: The number is 55 feet to the outward mooring
piling. And that's the outside edge of that piling.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Okay, that's my question. So I'm
interested in the outside of your boat dock lift piling.
MR. HANCOCK: That would be 55 feet --
COMMISSIONER CARON: So that would be another five feet
out beyond -- what you're showing here is the inside line.
MR. HANCOCK: This was scaled, so it's -- that number is plus
or minus. I think the important thing, the point of reference is the
existing Tahitian boat dock--
COMMISSIONER CARON: Right.
MR. HANCOCK: -- is some 75 feet offshore already.
COMMISSIONER CARON: But included in your 55 feet is the
outside of that piling for the boat dock lift?
MR. HANCOCK: If that helps clarify it, that is the extent of the
variance. And it's 55 feet to give us that six --
COMMISSIONER CARON: That's what I wanted on the record,
55 feet is to the outside of that piling.
MR. HANCOCK: Yes, ma'am.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Midney?
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Yeah, I just have a question about
what are the legal rights of a waterfront property owner? Mr.
Hancock had said that that includes the right to moor a boat. Is that
true?
MR. KLATZKOW: As a general proposition, that is true. You
have a right to use the water as a riparian line.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: But does that refer to a specific
depth of water that you need in order to moor?
MR. KLATZKOW: You should have reasonable access to that
Page 60
--- r
January 4, 2007
water. So that what the applicant's asking for I believe is absolutely
reasonable.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Any other questions of the
applicant at this point?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Hancock, are you finished?
MR. HANCOCK: I am done, sir.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, with that, we will close the public
hearing and entertain a motion.
Commissioner Adelstein, you indicated you want to make a
motion.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I move that we approve
BD-2006-1 0 118, subject to staff approval -- recommendation, pardon
me.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And would that be at the 55-foot total?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is there a second to the motion?
Mr. Kolflat?
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Second the motion.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion made by Commissioner
Adelstein, seconded by Commissioner --
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Excuse me. If they include the
stipulations of the staff report.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's what Mr. Adelstein said, yes, sir.
Any discussion on the motion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Hearing none, we'll call for the vote.
All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
Page 61
I ----
January 4, 2007
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
Anybody opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion carries 8-0. Thank you.
Item #8C
PETITION: RZ-2005-AR-7271
And now we will probably go into the one that everybody's been
waiting for. This will be Petition RZ-2005-AR-7271, and it's the
Collier County public utilities department, represented by Frank (sic)
Reischl, involving property located at 1300 Manatee Road.
Will all those wishing to speak on this matter, please rise to be
sworn in by the court reporter. If any members of the public are going
to speak on this, you have to stand up and be sworn in.
(All speakers were duly sworn.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you.
Are there disclosures on the part of planning commission?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, hearing none, we will move
forward with the applicant's presentation. And I know Fred Reischl,
and you're not him.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: How did you guess that?
MR. AMICO: As soon as I get this right, I'll tell you who I am.
Good morning. For the record, Dominick Amico with Agnoli,
Barber and Brundage, representing Collier County public utilities.
This project is a very important element to my client and to the
future -- current and future potable water users in the southeast area of
Page 62
~ ~-----r--- ~
January 4, 2007
Collier County.
The main purpose of this rezone is to provide information. My
client has a good neighbor policy where their plants and their facilities
are concerned. And it's their policy to try and provide the public and
the neighbors with information at the earliest possible convenience.
And that's really what this is about. It's a rezone to P, public use,
limited to essential services.
The essential services that we're limiting this zoning application
to can already be done on this site. They're allowed in all zoning
districts except for a few of the environmentally sensitive zoning
districts. They are -- the limitations are very innocuous uses. They're
buried utilities, power lines, buried gas lines, anything that you would
find in any neighborhood. So that's what we're limiting this to.
The goal of the rezone is to have this property tagged with a
public use zoning, as opposed to its existing agricultural zoning so that
the current and future neighbors know that there's a water plant some
day coming on this site. And I can explain the some day part.
The Growth Management Plan, the potable water element of the
Growth Management Plan currently shows this site as an approved
location for a water treatment plant. Potable water. That plan has been
approved -- or that -- this location has been approved in that plan
every year since 2000. The county acquired this site in 1983. Prior to
1983, the site was part of the Capri Water Services District, or Capri
Utilities.
As early as 1979, we have records of there being an active water
treatment plant on this site. Obviously when the county obtained the
Capri water system, that plant was discontinued and served -- those
uses were served from existing county plants.
Like I said before, the goal of the rezone is to tag the property
with the P zoning or some other sort of zoning such that the public
would know something was coming here. In order to achieve that, we
have basically three choices of zoning activity that we can do on this
Page 63
'~----'1
January 4, 2007
site. The first and the most common one for this type of use would
have been a conditional use, which was what we initially set out to do.
The unfortunate part of the conditional use is that they expire in two
years. And we have a seven to 10-year time horizon of when this
plant will be designed and built.
So the conditional use option didn't work, because we'd have to
go back through the process every two years to keep it active. The
second choice of zoning activity that we pursued or looked into was of
course a PUD. PUD would allow us to specify all these uses on this
site, but the unfortunate part about a PUD is they sunset in five years.
So a PUD didn't really work for us. That left the P rezone, straight
rezone, which is what we're pursuing at this time. If I can get some of
the slides up for you.
Okay, this is a site location, located south of Manatee Road. You
can see there are existing neighbors to the north and to the east. To
the west and south are currently vacant. The westerly property is
zoned, I believe, multi-family. And the southerly property is also
zoned multi-family, if I remember correctly. My client attempted to
purchase those properties and was unable to do it. They wanted a
larger property so they could further buffer this plant from the
neighbors. They were beat to the punch by private developers, so it's
The second slide is just a blow-up of the site. You can see there
are currently existing water -- potable water facilities existing on the
site. These consist of the ASR project and a water storage tank, both
of which do not rely on this zoning for approval. They are allowed
uses of the existing agricultural zoning.
This is an exhibit out of the Growth Management Plan that
indicates the location of this site is an approved location for a water
treatment plant, or a required location. The site is in a flood zone. It's
in FEMA zone AE. Elevation is 6.3 NGVD. The existing site grades
are roughly a foot below that, so there is not an inordinate amount of
Page 64
-- r
January 4, 2007
fill that will need to be used to elevate this site to achieve flood zone
compliance.
This is a conceptual site plan that was presented to the EAB,
showing how the plant would fit in and avoid all the environmentally
sensitive areas on the site. Being a rezone to straight zoning, a site
plan isn't really required. But we felt like there was sufficient interest
in knowing if it would fit or not that we provided a site plan.
And these are the essential service limitations that we're limiting
this rezone to. As you can see, these uses are allowed in any zoning
district. So the result of what we're doing here won't really change
anything that can happen on the site today other than it will be tagged
with P zoning in the official zoning atlas.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Does that conclude--
MR. AMICO: If you have any questions, I can give you more
information.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Other questions?
Mr. Kolflat, Mr. Schiffer, then Mr. Midney.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: No.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Oh, not you?
Okay, Mr. Kolflat?
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Yes. Under essential services,
does that include fire or EMS or police or anything of that nature?
MR. AMICO: No, sir. The essential services list is up. It's
directly out of the LDC, and those use are not permitted under
essential services.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: On the first page of the staff
report, it refers to public hearing item number eight in the application
for public hearing. I don't find that being the same. What I have
under eight there is whether the proposed change would create a
drainage problem.
MS. DESELEM: For the record, Kay Deselem.
I'm sorry, the evaluation in the application for public hearing, the
Page 65
-- 1
January 4, 2007
standard rezone considerations are item eight. And we are referencing
the applicant's response of those.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: So that item eight does not refer
to the item eight there in the application? This one?
MS. DESELEM: Yes, it is. It's -- the application that you have,
application for public hearing, and the pages are not numbered. But
you'll see that number seven is rezone request. Number eight is
evaluation criteria. And it goes on to standard rezone considerations
per LDC Section 10.03.05.G. And it lists 1 through 18.
In addition, those were supplemented by narrative statements
provided by the petitioner.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Thank you, Kay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is that all, Mr. Kolflat?
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: That's all.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Brad, did you have anything?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yes, I do.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Russell Tuff after you.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Obviously these essential
services are allowed in any zoning, and the water tank I guess is an
ancillary facility for number seven, correct?
MR. AMICO: My understanding is that the water tank is an
approved allowable use under the ago zone that it is currently zoned.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: The big question is when you
determine that it's a P zone, what additional things is it now allowed to
do that it's not allowed to do under ag.?
MR. AMICO: Nothing. Under the proposal that we're making to
limit the P zone to essential services, there is nothing we'd be able to
do if you approve it versus if you don't.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And--
MR. AMICO: The water treatment plant that is proposed to go
on this site in the future will require a conditional use before it can go
forward. Even if we didn't limit it to essential services. If we just
Page 66
1 -,
January 4, 2007
rezoned P with no limitations, a water plant would still require a
conditional use to be built on this site.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And how are we limiting that
then? I'm looking at the resolution, it doesn't do it. So how do we
limit it to what's allowed in 2.01 or .03? Once it goes into Pit's -- I
think this building is in P zoning, isn't it?
MR. AMICO: No, sir, we're PUD on this whole courthouse site.
The original zoning was P, but it was since revised. I'm not sure how
staff has proposed to write the resolution to limit the uses, but that is
our intent.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: The way it's written, it's just
going to flip it to P and then all the rights of P would be yours.
MS. DESELEM: If I may, for the record again, Kay Deselem. I
can respond to that, since I'm the one that prepared that.
Apparently we did not get that update yet. We can do that update
once it's approved. But it would be limited as stipulated by the
petitioner. That would be the only use allowed, if in fact that's the
way the approval's written.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And it will be only the uses
allowed in this --
MS. DESELEM: The essential services. And we can cite this
section of the LDC, as has been done in the rest of them. This is how
it was advertised, to not be approved anything more intense than that.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And is there any way to control
height of that? For example, if you wanted to build a 100- foot tall
water tank, could you do it?
MR. AMICO: I believe that is true at this time. I think we could.
I know the way Collier County's facilities are built currently, they
don't build water tanks anymore, but that's obviously not a zoning
guarantee.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So the concern I really have is
that since you chose not to use a PUD, which would give us the ability
Page 67
1.--....
January 4, 2007
to put limitations on it, this is the way it's proposed, the way it's
written.
MR. AMICO: No, sir. The way the process works, as defined in
the LDC, is we still have to come back for a conditional use. You can
put those conditions on the conditional use, those height limitations.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: To obtain these essential
services, you would have to go through the conditional use process?
MR. AMICO: No, sir. To do the water plant we would have to
go back through the conditional use process.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. So the water plant would
not be considered number seven on this list.
MR. AMICO: That's correct. That is staffs opinion.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Tuff?
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Yeah, my main concern is you drive
on Collier Boulevard and there's a water treatment plant there and it
reeks an awful lot, and so if I -- I think it's admirable to want to try
and put that zoning in so people know that it's there and it's going to
be there.
Since you're asking for that, is there a way that we could stipulate
somehow that there's -- odor is going to be taken care of? Because
that's the main -- like I think I'd rather have that there if there was no
smell if I lived there than some other things that could be there.
But I just know I would not want to have that next to my home if
I was there.
MR. AMICO: Well, I'm not sure that we have the ability to
make that condition at this point, at this stage of the project. It would
seem that the appropriate time to do that might be during the
conditional use and -- oh, we have an expert.
MS. ABBOTT: For the record, I'm Alicia Abbott. I'm the
Project Manager. I'm with Public Utilities Engineering in Collier
County.
Page 68
<M"r
January 4, 2007
With regards to odor control, we have been using state-of-the-art
odor control on our treatment plants, and we plan to use that on all the
treatment plants going forward.
So we're currently doing that, retrofitting some of our plants and
moving forward. We're also putting it in all of the new plants. So we
will-- that's already considered. So once you get into design we'll be
doing that.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Now where are you at with the
Collier Boulevard one, if that one has been retrofitted and is supposed
to be working? It doesn't work at all.
MS. ABBOTT: I'm sorry, I'm just looking at the -- because that's
not my proj ect, so --
MR. GRAMATGES: For the record, Phil Gramatges, Public
Utilities Engineering. I am the project manager for the expansion of
the south water plant. And as part of that expansion project, we are
updating the odor control system within that plant. It has not been
updated at this time. But we are in the process of doing that.
And in fact the equipment is already on-site and is being
assembled and will be connected before the project is completed,
which is scheduled to be completed sometime late this year.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: That's the one on 951 ?
MR. GRAMATGES: That's the one on 951 just north of 1-75,
.
yes, SIr.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you.
Mr. Murray, then Mr. --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Yeah, what tank will be put in
there? There will be ASR wells, and there will be a tank, right?
There will be large tank at the plant?
MR. GRAMATGES: It's currently existing.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: There's -- currently there's a tank
there, but I thought I read that there would be an expansion, there
would be a second tank.
Page 69
-I
January 4, 2007
MR. AMICO: There is a current SDP, which is in administrative
approval, underway to add a second tank.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Correct, okay, fine.
Could you give me an idea of what we're -- and that's going to be
buried, if I'm not mistaken, as well. That's not going to be buried?
That's interesting.
MR. AMICO: I believe it will be similar to what's there now.
And that isn't the subject of this zoning. Once again, those uses --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Okay. Are you saying I'm not
allowed to ask you questions?
MR. AMICO: No, sir, I'm just trying to answer your --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Thank you very much.
What I'd like to know is what the size of the current tank is, if
you may.
MS. LIBBY: That one is two million gallons.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You'll need to identify yourself.
MS. LIBBY: This is Pam Libby, Water Operations Manager.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Could you tell me how high that
is right now? The height of it, roughly? Roughly. I don't have to
have it exact.
MS. LIBBY: Forty feet.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Forty feet. So you anticipate --
you're going to build a volume of some greater amount, and it will be
roughly the same height, regardless of volume?
MS. LIBBY: Industry standards, there is about two million
gallons a tank, so there would be probably -- there's one going in right
now as part of an additional ASR project that's in the process right
now.
And then as part of the plant expansion there's a possibility there
would be a third.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: And these tanks then would be
Page 70
. I
January 4, 2007
set back? I know I saw the plan, okay. They don't look to be set back,
they look to be more on the avenue, so to speak. Is it because of the
plant life, the protection of the preserve that we didn't set them back
further?
MS. LIBBY: I will have to let Alicia speak to that issue, because
she's involved in the design of the project.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I'm just wondering from a visual
point of view, it would seem -- you know, we try to protect the view
of people. And I just wondered if there's a basis for putting them on
the avenue. That's one thing. But I wonder.
MS. ABBOTT: Yeah. Well, currently because, you know, we're
at this stage, we haven't hired design consultants, we haven't gone into
it, really we had just a very basic site plan put together.
But the plan is to put, you know, setbacks. And usually we go a
little bit more than what the required goals are to try -- and we use
buffering as well on our plants to try and, you know, not have it quite
as visible, that type of thing.
So that's not been designed. I mean, that's going to be in the
future. And as Dominick said, it's all going to come back to you once
we come back for conditional use. You will see what we have come
up with at that point. But it's way too early. Like I said, I don't have --
the only consultants I have are the ones helping with this zoning. We
haven't gotten to the point of design or even pre-design for this facility
yet.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Okay, I can appreciate what this
is, it's an effort to put the foot in the door, so to speak. But at the same
time, once the foot is in the door, eventually the body follows. And
we want to make sure that the body is pretty. And so my concern
would be that we need to be cognizant of that, and the neighborhood
deserves to have the same, perhaps even better treatment in terms of
visualization. It's 40 feet high, it's a tank, it's not a home and so forth.
So I don't know that we here as a body can do much, you're right,
Page 71
January 4, 2007
in the context of this rezoning, but who knows who's going to be here
eight or 10 years from now? So I thought maybe we might be able to
say something about it. So thank you.
MS. ABBOTT: No, we will take all that into consideration,
definitely.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Okay. That was the one
question I had having to do with -- I think you've answered my
questions, especially, since I've listened to the questions of the other
commissioners. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: One question I'd like to point out -- I'm
sorry, Mr. Midney, go ahead.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: I'm sorry. Are you willing to
commit that this is only going to be for water treatment and not
vvastevvatertreatnnent?
MR. AMICO: That is the intent, that is the commitment.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: That's the commitment? Then my
question is, what chemical odors are with talking about? I'm familiar
with wastewater treatment odors but I'm not familiar with water
treatment odors.
MR. AMICO: There shouldn't be any odors to the neighbors.
The chlorine smell that people have talked about shouldn't be any
stronger than what's coming out of your tap.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Is that what you were talking
about, Mr. Tuff?
COMMISSIONER TUFF: No, it's a rotten egg smell.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: That sounds more like
wastewater.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: No, sulfur.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Oh, sulfur.
MS. LIBBY: For the record again, Pam Libby, Water Operations
Manager. The odors that I think Mr. Tuff was referring to, it's the
hydrogen sulfide. It's a degasification process for all the treatment. It's
Page 72
I --
January 4, 2007
not really coming from chemicals themselves.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Thank you.
MS. LIBBY: You're welcome.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ms. Libby, I think you were the one that
testified to the size of the existing tank and the proposed new tank? I
thought you had said two million gallons, but the records I have in
front of me suggest you're putting in a six million gallon tank. Is that
correct?
MS. LIBBY: I'd have to go back and look.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, I'll just read it. It is proposed that
the dry retention area --
MS. LIBBY: The existing tank is two million gallons. That's
what I was stating.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But Mr. Murray may have been asking
about what your intention was for the next tank, and I think your next
tank, from what --
MS. LIBBY: Okay, I apologize.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN : Yeah, it's six million gallons. So just so
the record's clear, you're looking at a six million gallon tank.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: And a second one on top of that
would make it 12 million, in fact. That's big.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Are there any other questions of the
applicant at this time?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Staff, but I'll wait for staff.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I've got some of staff, too. Thank you,
.
su.
MS. LIBBY: Again, Pam Libby. The tanks go wider, they don't
go higher, as they get larger. Just to kind of allay what I think Mr.
Murray's alluding to. They don't get higher.
MS. DESELEM: Good morning. For the record, Kay Deselem,
Principal Planner with Zoning and Land Development Review.
You have received a copy of the staff report. Staff is
Page 73
January 4, 2007
recommending that this petition be found consistent with Growth
Management Plan, and we are recommending approval of it.
And we have noted, as has been discussed, that the applicant has
limited the approval to just seeking essential service facilities uses.
In addition, just a little while ago I heard a commitment also that
seems to clarify number six shown on that list, and I'll ask for
clarification on that, that would not allow sewage lift stations, would
only allow water pumping stations. But I wanted to get clarification
on that later. The applicant has provided you with a purpose and
description explaining to you what this is about, and noting that under
the proposed rezoning they're not going to be allowed to do anything
other than what's already actually allowed to be done in the ago zoning
district that already exists.
Anything like a water treatment facility, if you had the addition
that is A that you're seeing there, if it went on to B, C, D and the
others, it would note that many of those uses like fire station and the
other uses do require conditional use approval. That's where the
petitioner is telling you that anything else other than this limited use
right through here would require conditional use approval.
The petitioner explained to you what the surrounding zoning is. I
would note that to the south it's zoned mobile home. It is
undeveloped. We've had several petitions in and out as far as pre-aps
speculating about some development, but no petitions have been
submitted. Just interest in the surrounding area, but nothing has been
submitted.
In the staff report on Page 2 it goes into a discussion of the
Growth Management Plan consistency, noting that this particular
parcel is an urban mixed use district, urban coastal fringe subdistrict,
and notes that the proposed use is allowable.
You also have on Page 3 the transportation element analysis, and
it's important to note here that this petition did go through analysis by
the transportation planning staff, and it was determined that because of
Page 74
..1
January 4, 2007
issues with roadway access available in this area that they could not
support the petition unless it was limited to essential services uses.
Things like fairgrounds and other things that would have been allowed
in the public zoning district would have incurred additional traffic that
the area would not have accommodated.
Therefore, that's one of the reasons why this petition's been
limited to essential services uses. That's the only way transportation
planning would support it. And that is a stipulation therefore of staffs
approval. You also have a discussion of the coastal and conservation
management element. And this petition was heard by the EAC. In
actuality it was heard twice by the EAC.
And again, they've made a change based on the first finding of
the EAC to limit the use. Once they limited the use, they were
unanimously supported in their rezoning petition by the EAC. You
have the zoning analysis included in the staff report. You have a brief
synopsis of the EAC council meeting. You have also in the staff
report on Page 4 the neighborhood information notes. Noting that, if I
may, when this particular petition was involved in the neighborhood
information process, at that time the petitioner had not agreed to any
limitations on the uses.
And many of the comments that you see in here were based on
other uses that would have been allowed in that zoning district. And it
seems in staffs opinion as though most of those concerns would go
away based on the limitation you now have.
And as I noted, staff is recommending that this particular petition
be found consistent with the Growth Management Plan, and we are
recommending approval of it. I'd be happy to address any questions
you might have.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Schiffer, did you indicate you had a
question?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Kay, I'm still concerned with
the height limitations on this site. If it goes to P, and I just read in here
Page 75
January 4, 2007
that a building -- and we could argue whether the water tank's a
building or not, but let's not do that. If it's within -- if it's greater than
100 feet from a property line, there's really unlimited height.
So is there a way that we can, while we're changing it to P, put
limitations on what it can be?
MS. DESELEM: Certainly. You can offer suggestions and
include those in your recommendation. If you have determined that a
specific height is appropriate or nothing above and beyond a specific
height is appropriate, you can offer that as part of the conditions in
your recommendation.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And then the other question
was, the tank that's in there now, was that done through a public
hearing?
MS. DESELEM: No, I don't believe so. As any use now within
the zoning district, if it's an allowable use in the zoning district,
doesn't require any kind of a conditional use or a rezone approval, the
action or process by which you now get approvals to put structures on
sites is administrative. That is the site development process wherein
an applicant submits a site development plan application and that is
reviewed by the county staff. It is not acted upon in any public
hearing forum situation.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So if they were to build that
today, they wouldn't have a public hearing in the A zoning?
MS. DESELEM: That's correct.
And as noted, there is an SDP application in-house now. It's
being reviewed. And it was submitted, as is appropriate, under the
existing zoning, and it is being reviewed for that. That would allow
for an expansion at the existing facility.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And that's not requiring a
conditional use? We heard earlier that there was going to be a
conditional use for a water plant.
MS. DESELEM: A water treatment plant would require --
Page 76
January 4, 2007
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: A well on a tank.
MS. DESELEM: Correct.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: What's the height of those
facilities that are in SDP right now?
MS. DESELEM: I must admit, I don't know. Perhaps the
applicant can address that, because I believe it's their petition as well.
I'm not the reviewer on that SDP and I'm not certain what it is. I
apologize, I should have had that information for you.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I'll wait. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Are there any other questions of staff?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Kay, sorry, I can't let you off that easy.
MS. DESELEM: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I know this is being presented by the
utility division to put the public on notice that something is going to
go there involving essential services or the like. Do you know of any
place in the county where they've utilized 42 acres under the by right
essential services?
MS. DESELEM: I'm not aware of any that -- or I haven't looked.
I mean, it's not like I did any research to find it. I'm not aware of any
because I didn't look.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Are you familiar with the fact that the
fire department and EMS have tried to -- have added their uses to the
essential service list, and that that recently was defeated?
MS. DESELEM: I was aware there was something going on
with the LDC amendment seeking that, yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: If -- and I understand they're going to
try it again next year. If they were to succeed in doing that, in adding
fire and EMS to this list of2.01.03 and this approval was provided
subject to the LDC of2.01.03, would they then be allowed to put a fire
station and EMS station there as well?
MS. DESELEM: In my estimation, yes, they would. If it's stated
Page 77
January 4, 2007
in the approval that they can do what's allowed within the zoning
district in effect at the time they seek development plan approval, then
that would allow that if in fact that is approved.
However, you again have the authority to add conditions to your
recommendations, should you desire to recommend approval, that
would limit and prohibit specific uses, if you so desire.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Or we could limit it to the essential
services as stated in today's LDC.
MS. DESELEM: The best way to do that is to actually list it in
the resolution and just call them out, and staff will just pull up that and
plug it into the resolution itself.
Because again, if the LDC changes, nobody's going to be able to
go back and find it. It's better to just have the actual language and
limitations within the ordinance itself.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Kay, you -- there was a note I caught on
the pre-ap. Or did you attend the pre-ap?
MS. DESELEM: I believe so. I'd have to go back and look, but
I believe I did, yes. Oh, yes, I know I did, because there was confusion
in the pre-ap. as to whether it was a conditional use or a rezone.
Therefore you have two different sets of pre-ap. notes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: In one of the pre-ap. notes, in one of the
last pages of the piece I'm looking at it says in someone's handwriting,
probably a member of staff, address concerns about placing a critical
public facility within a special flood hazard area. Potential impacts to
the community rating system and the national flood emergency
program.
Has that issue been resolved?
MS. DESELEM: To my knowledge, no, because I believe that
was on the conditional use pre-ap. notes. And I believe the staff
person that might have made that, and I'm not certain, but I think it
was Robert Wiley, who is in engineering.
But that issue has come up at the EAC and the applicant did
Page 78
--- r
January 4, 2007
address it at that time.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, how did they address it?
MS. DESELEM: I would rather that they -- rather than me try to
paraphrase, they can respond to that better than 1.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Before we go to them, I have one other
question.
MS. DESELEM: Sure.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You recommended -- you suggested this
meets the intent of the comprehensive plan; is that right?
MS. DESELEM: That's correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: In the CCME we have a policy titled
12.2.8. Offhand, you probably don't know what that is, do you?
MS. DESELEM: Offhand, you're right, I don't.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The reason I'm asking, is because if you
knew it offhand, that means you'd be prepared to answer my question.
But if you don't, I will read it to you. It says, public facilities that are
dependent upon county funding shall not be built in a coastal high
hazard area unless the facility is designed for public access or for
resource and restoration. Public access you're referring to obviously is
the beaches and launch ramps.
Now, how do we get around Policy 12.2.8 in regards to this
publicly funded facility?
MS. DESELEM: Without looking at the whole thing in context,
I don't know. And we didn't -- sometimes it's tied to something else,
and I don't know. And I don't have that in front of me so I'd have to
say at this point I don't know. And I'd be more than happy to look it
up and respond to you, but I don't have it in front of me right now.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, for my part of this meeting, that's
going to be important. It may not be for others, but I will tell you
right now, that has got to be overcome in my concerns. And so
depending on how this meeting gels up, we may want to get that
answer before the day is over.
Page 79
1-
January 4, 2007
MS. DESELEM: Could I ask that you cite that again, please.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Policy 12.2.8. It's a--
MS. DESELEM: Eight or A?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Eight, E-I-G-H-T. It's a one-sentence
policy. And the reason I knew about it is on Coconilla -- remember
that project that was in the coastal high hazard area? We went through
and pulled every piece of coastal high hazard references we could in
discussing that project at the public meetings.
And the public funding of facilities was an issue there. And of
course there wasn't going to be any public funding of facilities in
regards to additional facilities, there was only going to be piping and
stuff that you would have to put to supply existing -- or approved
dwelling units. This is a little different. This is an entire treatment
facility. And I want to understand how the county funding of that
treatment facility can be provided in a coastal high hazard area.
And of course if it is, I imagine the applicant realizes that they
have to have special flood control and flood prevention costs that will
have to go into that facility. And that's another policy in the CCME for
flood prone areas.
So anyway, if you could look at 12.2.8, I'd appreciate it.
MS. DESELEM: Yeah. And again, we've got to take it into
context with the other maps that the applicant showed you, where the
board has actually approved this site for this use. So I'm going to have
to go back and do some coordination as well.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I'm glad you brought it up.
Mr. Klatzkow, does the Growth Management Plan language take
precedent over subsequent documents such as master plan by the
utility department that was approved by the board, or would the board
have to physically go back and amend the GMP if the utility master
plan differed from the GMP?
MR. KLATZKOW: GMP trumps.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you. Okay, I think it's important
Page 80
-"->>',
January 4, 2007
that that question get answered.
MS. DESELEM: Certainly, I'd be happy to look into that for
you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Any other questions of staff?
Mr. Midney?
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Yeah, for a water treatment plant,
do you need 40 acres?
MS. DESELEM: I'm sorry, pardon me?
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: For this water treatment plant, do
you need 40 acres?
MS. DESELEM: Let me clarify. It's not a water treatment at this
point. What it is, it's a rezoning to P to allow essential service
facilities, as limited in that list. The water treatment facility would
require a conditional use, and that would come back to you if at such
time they decide to pursue that approval. At this point we don't know.
And there's no assurances if or if not the P zoning is approved whether
or not they're going to get any conditional use. It would be reviewed
on its own merit when and if it's submitted.
So right now it's not a specific use, other than the limit we have.
And I just wanted to say that before -- because I can't really respond
until I clarify the question.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Well, I was just interested to find
that out, because I wasn't aware that you would need that big of an
area in order to do water treatment. And that leads to the question, are
they planning to do anything else besides that?
MS. DESELEM: They can better address that than I, because all
I'm reviewing is the actual petition with the limitations set forth by the
petitioner. Joe wants to respond to your question about the 12.2.8.
MR. SCHMITT: Commissioner Strain, I'm well aware of the
prohibition and construction in the coastal high hazard. And of course
we have the guidance from the board regarding the -- at least applying
those rules to approve our CRS community rating system. And we
Page 81
January 4, 2007
recently of course established the floodplain management ordinance to
do the kind of things that are expressly directed in that policy.
The issue here would be that when they come back for a
conditional use, any type of conditional use or any type of proposal
for a plant in that facility would have to meet the requirements of that
policy, and that would be a criteria established under the conditional
use that there would have to be berming or flood protection or other
type or -- and we would certainly point out to the board that this
conditional use could be in direct conflict with the stated policy of not
putting those type of facilities in a coastal high hazard area.
The problem here is most of those policies were developed of
course after -- this land has been owned and -- since 1983, I believe,
the county has owned this land. This is the first action. What happens
after this is the follow-on or subsequent application that comes to the
board for the conditional use for the property.
And Mr. Midney, in regards to the size of the property, most of
that would be retained as buffering. That would be the intent. But I
would have to defer to the applicant. I don't even know if they have a
conceptual design. But the intent would be to ensure that there was
certainly adequate buffering if any type of plant would go in there.
But I don't know, Mr. Strain, if your questions have been
answered. I think most of that would have to come in the follow-on
hearings, pointing out the conflict between a proposal to develop a
facility which clearly now is going to be in conflict with another stated
policy in the GMP which says not to build in the coastal-- these type
of essential services in a coastal hazard area.
We had this same problem when we dealt with the EMS station.
It didn't come to you for rezoning, but the EMS station essentially is
the same thing, it was deemed to be in the coastal high hazard, the
facility that's being built in the Lely site, which is well north of 41.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, no, my question wasn't answered
in the sense, it doesn't say that you can build it there if you berm it. It
Page 82
l'
January 4, 2007
says public facilities that are dependent on county funding shall not be
built in the coastal high hazard area.
So it's not saying you can build it and protect it. It's saying you
won't build it. And I'm saying we're here today to talk about changing
the essential services -- or approving this to put the public on notice
that something's going to happen there. Even though all the items in
front of us can be done without doing that.
So the intent is something further than what's in front of us.
MR. SCHMITT: And I have to defer to the public utilities, what
their plans are for this. We're of course the staff bringing this forward.
This just happens to be the county. But we as the review agent are
doing nothing more than bringing this forward for a rezone for a P
public use.
Naturally, certainly there is a presumption that that public use
will later be used and come in for a conditional use for a plant facility.
But that is not part of this petition.
But where you go with this, that is under your authority as the
local planning authority . You can certainly extrapolate and take it one
step further.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN : Joe, where I was trying to finish this at,
if you guys have a different use for this, then you don't really need to
establish the fact you can do essential services there because you can
do that by right. Then all of this effort may be for naught if the GMP
doesn't allow it to begin with.
So I would think that someone would want to resolve that GMP
issue first rather than waste all this effort into putting something there
that can't transpire in the future anyway, because then you're going to
have change the zoning again to resell the property to do something
else with it.
MR. SCHMITT: And I don't argue that. Part of the review for
any type of facility in the future, we would have -- staff would have to
point out to the board that the conditional use is in direct conflict with
Page 83
- !
January 4, 2007
a policy in the GMP. And that would have to be the board to make
that decision as to whether they want to basically violate the guidance
in the GMP. The board can do that. Then certainly then they can later
be challenged.
But I don't know, I have to defer to the applicant. I don't even
know if the applicant even had considered whether this type of facility
would be deemed in direct conflict with the GMP. I agree with you,
the policy's in there, and it's very clear. And it's also part of our new
floodplain management ordinance and some of the other ordinances
that clearly state, and it's part of the community rating system in
regards to there are so many points associated with preventing those
kind of things from taking place and have a direct bearing on -- every
member of the county or every homeowner of the county who pays
flood insurance could be impacted by a plus or minus point in the
community rating system. There is a direct correlation.
We are now -- we are now CRS 7, which 15 percent discount.
Every member of -- every homeowner of the county who pays flood
insurance who are in a flood zone has a 15 percent discount. And
anything that we do that could impact that and increase our -- say we
go to an eight, it has a direct impact on what residents pay in flood
.
Insurance.
I think we're getting into a lot more than you probably wanted to
know, but yes, it does impact the CRS and it does impact -- I mean, it
would be in direct conflict with a stated policy within the GMP. And I
guess I have to defer to the applicant if they're aware that any future
expansion isn't in conflict with what's stated in the GMP.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ms. Caron?
COMMISSIONER CARON: I just have a question. Because if
you look at the staff report on Page 2, this -- it says that it is consistent
with the GMP. And I want to know why or if 12.2.8 was ever brought
to the attention of the petitioner. Was there ever a discussion about it
in those hearings? I mean, it certainly should be --
Page 84
---T-
January 4, 2007
MR. SCHMITT: It's consistent under the P use. This was
reviewed for rezoning to P, not for future expansion of a water
treatment plant. Even though conceptually we realize that that
potentially could be the use. But that would be dealt with at the CU.
And I know this is being somewhat obfuscating what you're asking.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Yeah, it really is, Joe, because in
reality, everybody on staff, and certainly the department who brought
it forward knows what they want to put there.
MR. SCHMITT: Right.
COMMISSIONER CARON: And so shouldn't that discussion
have happened already? Why would we go through a silly exercise of
saying well, we'll just approve it as P first and then we'll deal with
everything else later? I'm not understanding the logic.
MR. SCHMITT: I defer to the applicant to answer that question.
Because their intent was to come in and zone it P so that it would be
identified as a public use site.
COMMISSIONER CARON: But then in this hearing they said
that they wanted to limit it to a water treatment plant, and that they
would take everything else off the table except that. I can't believe that
was never brought up in any meeting that their intent was to have a
water treatment plant there.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Joe, I think --let us go through with the
community's response and the applicant's and let us see where this
gels out. Go ahead.
MR. AMICO: I think this issue was discussed with staff. Robert
Wiley was the person who brought it up. And I think the conclusion
was that since the Growth Management Plan potable water element
shows the site as a water treatment plant site, as a required water
treatment plant site, that it overruled -- and it's been that way since
before that rule was written, 12.02.08, I believe.
So the staffs thought in my mind was that look, this site is
grandfathered. It's been on the books. It's been a water treatment
Page 85
January 4, 2007
plant site since 1972. Before that. I don't know how long Capri
Water's been around, but they've been around a long time. That was
the line of reasoning with staff. It was discussed and that's where it
ended.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So the intent, unspoken intent, is
grandfathered? And that's pretty interesting, because if that applies,
we've got a pile of developments out there that have got zoning they
don't even know they own. I'm not saying your whole thing is wrong,
but to believe that you've grandfathered something that hasn't been
really in the public's -- through the public process would be real
difficult to understand how that could be. If that's your only argument,
I don't --
MR. AMICO: It's not an argument I'm making to you. It's not an
attempt to convince you. I'm just telling you that is how it was
discussed with staff and that's where it ended.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Well, I think we probably will--
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I still have a staff question that
was punted to the applicant, so let me --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, go ahead. You're the applicant,
Dominick, sorry.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Dominick, the height of the
existing tank you said now is what, like 40 feet?
MR. AMICO: We don't have an exact measurement, but
typically they're about 45 feet.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: How about the new one? Aren't
you doing the new plant?
MR. AMICO: No, sir, I'm just doing the zoning. Someone else
is designing that.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Then who knows the height of
the new one?
And the reason I bring that up is agricultural, you have a height
of 35 feet. So could the reason for this P be that it would be -- now
Page 86
---or
January 4, 2007
allow you to build the things that you can build? You can't build
anything on that site greater than 35 feet now.
MR. AMICO: Okay, well, I would have to assume -- here again,
I'm not doing the SDP on the tank expansion -- that that tank
expansion project is consistent with the requirements of the ago
zoning. There's no guarantee we're going to be successful on this.
That's not the intent of what we're doing.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: The intent of what you're doing
is just to notify the neighbors that the county owns this site.
MR. AMICO: That is what's written on my work order with the
county .
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. There may be additional
benefits.
MR. AMICO: It's possible.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Kolflat?
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Yes, for the applicant, I don't
think Mr. Midney's question has been answered. He asked about 42
acres, whether that was a reasonable amount of land for the water
treatment facility, considering, or whether that's oversized or it's
undersized. I'd like to hear the answer to that also.
MR. AMICO: Basically the site is oversized on purpose. They
want to provide additional buffers for the neighbors. They want
buffers on all four sides. There are some additional wetlands on the
site that we also are avoiding. I think they total some 10 acres. So the
usable is only about 30.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Well, if it's oversized, that
would mean that in future should fire and EMS or other facilities be
declared an essential service that would qualify for P, they might also
take some of that land for their use; is that correct?
MR. AMICO: Well, I don't know how exactly to define take.
The property is owned by the water-sewer district. It isn't owned by
Page 87
I"" " .
January 4, 2007
the fire district, it isn't owned by the Board of County Commissioners.
It's owned by the water-sewer district. I don't know what the legal
maneuvering would take in order to give a piece of it to the fire
department or to give a piece of it to EMS. But right now the property
is owned by the water-sewer district.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: But it could be sold, or parts of
it could be sold.
MR. AMICO: Could be.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Thank you.
MR. AMICO: There was one other point that staff wanted some
clarification on. On number six, we cannot commit to not build a
sewage lift station. I think the water plant is going to have a small
sewage lift station associated with it. And staff needed clarification on
that, so I just wanted to make that clarification.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Do you have a difference between a
sewage lift station and a sewage treatment plant?
MR. AMICO: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So you would commit there would be
no sewage treatment plant?
MR. AMICO: That's correct. But the project will need a sewage
lift station.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It would.
Any other questions of the applicant or staff?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Kay, are you finished with your
presentation at this point?
MS. DESELEM: I just wanted -- thank you for bringing up the
issue about that policy. I was unaware of the conflict. It does appear
as though there is an inherent conflict in the GMP where we have
potable water policies in one section that indicate that this site's to be
used for that, and then a conflict in another section stating that it
shouldn't be used for that because it's in a flood zone.
Page 88
I"
January 4, 2007
So at this point staff did recommend that it be found consistent
with the Growth Management Plan. Exactly how we can get past that
dilemma, you make a recommendation to the board. You can
determine if you want to go that way, to say that it's inconsistent based
on that policy.
It's basically going to become a board decision as to which policy
the board determines to be the overriding policy. At least that seems
to be the way it's turning out, in staffs opinion.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So based upon the Growth Management
Plan, the board then has a right to override their own plan without
amending it?
MS. DESELEM: I don't know exactly how that's going to work.
But like I said, we have conflicting policies, objectives and goals
within the Growth Management Plan in two different elements. And I
don't know how to resolve that dilemma.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I just want to make sure that whatever
way it gets revolved, it's done fairly and openly and accurately, so that
we don't have a challenge down the road to whatever decision is
made.
And maybe that's something the county attorney can tell us
procedurally - wise.
First of all, if this board has an issue that is now questionable in
regards to consistency with the GMP, is it something that we can
move forward? Is it better to maybe get the issue resolved before we
go further, or is the board someone who can override their own GMP
policies without amending them?
MR. KLATZKOW: I think one of the things you're struggling
with is that there's no real case of controversy here, in that what
they're asking you to do is not really what they want, all right?
So that you're struggling with issues as to whether or not they
should put a water treatment plant here, but they're not asking you for
that now, but they might ask you for that later.
Page 89
January 4, 2007
And I'm not really sure what it is that they're asking you for,
because they want it changed from ago to public, but they don't really
want the public, what they really want is the water treatment. But
they really don't want to talk about the water treatment because they're
not ready to go there now. And there may need to be changes to the
LDC or the GMP before they can actually go there.
So you're being presented with a very difficult task here, because
you don't really have a specific request that you can deal with. And I
don't know how to untangle that for you, other than for you to tell
them no, come back when you actually have a plan what you want to
do with this. And then you can actually focus on an issue.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you, Jeff. Appreciate it. I guess
we need to hear from the public, if you're done with all the questions
and comments from staff and the applicant at this point.
Kay, how many public speakers do we have?
MS. ABBOTT: Can I make one comment?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes, ma'am.
MS. ABBOTT: Alicia Abbott again, for the record. I'd just like
to say that we do know what we want to do. We do want to have P
zoning to essential services. This is a problem that comes up on all our
projects. We have county property that a lot of people believe what's
is what's going to remain there.
If we could have gone to the PUD process or the conditional use,
we would have. It's just that the time frame, those would have
expired. And then it would have been, you know, all that work started
all over again.
So we thought the best way, to notify not only those who are
there, a water plant has been on that site since the Sixties. Just
because we have modified that over the years and only used it for a
pumping station doesn't mean that we don't plan to ultimately go back
to a water treatment plant on that site.
So the whole thing is we haven't really changed the use. It has
Page 90
January 4, 2007
been owned by the water-sewer district which is under, you know, the
board. But we want them to know this is coming.
So we're not asking you to approve the conditional use or the
design, because we don't have that yet. But we want the future
development -- what they see right now is agricultural zoning and I
get a lot of but we thought it was only going to -- it was only a
preserve, a tank with a preserve in the back.
And we want to say no, what we have here is not the future. We
will be coming in with a water -- and that's what we're trying to do. So
I just want to make that last comment before you go to public record.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's a very good point that you've
made. And I appreciate it because that is a very positive point in
regards to notification of the public.
And I don't disagree with that. I'm not even to a point where I
disagree with the use that you're trying to put there. My concern is
consistency that this board and that the other board has to go for on
the basis of the Growth Management Plan. These consistency issues
that we're talking about in regards to the public expending of funds in
the coastal high hazard has come up before, and we dealt with it
before by saying we wouldn't do that.
And basically I'm talking about the Coconilla project. And I
remember specifically asking about issues on that project because they
were going to increase and change density and we wanted to make
sure there would be no other public expenditures. Well, yet we're
doing what we weren't going to do there by the same issue in the GMP
that we may do here.
I think that it would be incumbent on your department to make
sure you're not going to have this problem or trigger future problems
for the rest of the county by building in a flood zone before you jump
to this stage. I'm just wondering if maybe after we hear public
testimony and get a little more input, you may want to consider
continuing this to look at this a little bit further and come back with a
Page 91
January 4, 2007
more cleaner approach to it so that everybody's got it on the table as to
where this has got to go and how it's got to be there.
Again, I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm just simply saying we
ought to make sure it's done as absolutely lock tight as possible.
And that policy is a pretty big flaw. And I don't think you want
that hanging over your head. Because if you really plan for this and
you lock it all in and 10 years from now you go to build it and this is
brought up, you've got a real problem on your hands.
So it might be something to be better and wiser looked at now.
So I appreciate your comments. Thank you.
Kay, how many speakers do we have?
MS. DESELEM: We have three public speakers. The first one
would be Bruce Nelson, followed by Jack Dowling.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: If you'll each come up and use one of
the podiums, one at a time. And we have to ask that you limit your
discussion to five minutes. And we'll let you go from there. You need
to state your name for the record, first thing.
MR. NELSON: My name is Bruce Nelson. I am a resident of
Enchanting Shores.
And my only -- my concern here is that this site map is
erroneous. The west end of Enchanting Shores, the way you have it
laid out here, is not the way it is. The streets -- or the individual lots
are wrong.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The site map that was given to you as a
legal notice?
MR. NELSON: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Kay, you might want to take a look at
that and then we need to see -- weigh in with the county attorney if the
legal notice has to be accurate if in fact it is inaccurate.
MR. NELSON: Well, that's my concern.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right. That's a good point. Again, we'll
have to see what it comes out to.
Page 92
--_._-- ~ T --.- M"__
January 4, 2007
MS. DESELEM: I have to ask, is this the document that he's
referring to?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You'll need to come up back to the
speaker, sir. You might want to just stand there for just a few minutes
in case there's any other questions.
MR. NELSON: Yes, that's the document.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Kay, that doesn't match the aerial in
regards to layout. But I'm not sure how definitive we need to be in the
public notice, so I think that's --
MS. DESELEM: The legal is the defining document, the legal
description. This is a depiction. It's not a scaled drawing in any case.
It just has a north arrow. It's just a general depiction. It's a location
map. And it's called a site map as far as this is the general depiction of
the site itself. It's not a site plan that's going to be approved as part of
the petition. It's a general information document that's sent out with
public notices.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I agree it's not a site plan, but if this was
sent out to the residents in the neighborhood in regards to whether
they were in proximity to this plant, but the streets and the houses and
the lots that were currently on the aerial that are in our package aren't
on this, and you can look at the aerial on Page 2 and see there's an
entire housing development to the east that's not shown on this plan
here.
MS. DESELEM: It's not a, quote, unquote, development, per see
It's a mobile home park. They're not platted lots, it's a rental park.
Therefore, the lot depictions aren't shown on this graphic display. You
only get lot depictions on a platted subdivision. If it's zoned mobile
home, it's one ID number for the county and it's shown as one tract.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Sir, that does explain why it came out
that way.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Mr. Chairman?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ms. Caron first then Mr. Kolflat.
Page 93
l"-"~
January 4, 2007
COMMISSIONER CARON: Well, no, why then are there
streets and -- to the north, which is labeled mobile home?
MS. DESELEM: Apparently that may be a co-op or some kind
of ownership entity that identifies lots.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Kolflat?
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Yeah, do you have a large copy
of this aerial photo?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: I'm apparently missing where
the discrepancy is, because it looks to me like we're pretty -- all right,
thank you, I was misreading it. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Sir, I think that supplies an answer to
your question. It may not be one that you like, but it does supply an
answer.
MR. NELSON : Well, if you're going to have any further action
on this type of thing here, I would recommend that you upgrade your
plot maps. Evidently this is really, really ancient, and it does not in
any way depict what's there right now.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And I think that the plat maps are based
on recorded plats, and maybe the plat for the area that you're referring
to isn't delineated any different than here. But we'll check that. I'm
sure that we can check that in the future. Thank you, sir.
Next speaker, please.
MS. DESELEM: Trying to be two people at the same time, here.
The next speaker is Jack Dowling, followed by, it looks like Karl
Ristow.
MR. DOWLING: Just a couple of questions. Adjacent to this
property there is another unit. Is that a water treatment unit? Can
anybody answer that question?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: On the property currently there is a
water storage tank. Is that --
Page 94
January 4, 2007
MR. DOWLING: Is that what it is? Okay.
And if you approve this, are you approving it for a water
treatment plant or are you giving them carte blanche, they could put
anything in there?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I think the approval of this would allow
them to put more storage tanks on there. But they could do that
anyway with or without the approval today. This approval today
really will really have no bearing on what they could do there today.
They're asking for the approval only to put the difference -- right now
if you look at the map that's up there, see the little letter A in the
middle of that property? That A would change to P. P would then tell
anybody building in the area that that isn't agricultural zoning
anymore, that's public use zoning. And under public use zoning you
can have different things than you can have under A.
MR. DOWLING: Can you have a sewage treatment plant in
there?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Not without going through an additional
step in the process, which involves more public hearings. That's
called a conditional use process. You would be renotified that they
want to do something more intense than what they're asking for today.
Then you have the opportunity to come back there and talk to us
.
agaIn.
MR. DOWLING: What will you approve today?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: If this is approved today we approve no
different than the uses that are there right now or that they could put
there right now. Right now it's zoned ago with essential services as a
right. They're talking about zoning it P with the same limitation that
the essential services that are already allowed there be the only thing
still be allowed there with the exception of they would eliminate the
sewage treatment plant opportunity. And we're talking about
limitation of height of the structures that would be there. That's what
would happen iftoday's motions were approved.
Page 95
January 4, 2007
MR. DOWLING: Thank you.
MS. DESELEM: If I can for the record. I was just informed that
Robert Wiley is on his way here now to address your questions about
the growth management plan coastal construction element. So I
would ask that before you take any motion and make any votes that
you wait till he comes and can address your questions. He's on his
way.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But while we're getting
information, could you call down and find out what the height of the
tanks are in the SDP that's being processed now?
MS. DESELEM: Yes, I will attempt to do that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Could you call the next speaker, since
you've got so little to do this morning.
MS. DESELEM: I think it's Karl Ristow.
MR. RISTOW: That's correct.
First of all, I'd like to thank you for moving this up in your
agenda today. That was very nice of you. And I appreciate your
spirited talks here with the applicants and the staff and everything. It's
something I didn't expect coming here. I came here mainly for two
reasons: Number one, I received a letter from you and I'm a
homeowner in Enchanting Shores. I live at 26 Peridot Avenue, and
I'm also a director on the board of directors for Enchanting Shores.
And I'm interested -- we're all interested, obviously, in what the
intent is of using these 42 acres. I think a couple of years ago we also
received a letter which I did not attend those meetings and everything
for a rezoning. Does anybody know what happened two years ago
when they sent out a letter to rezone this property?
MS. DESELEM: I'm sorry, I missed that. I was trying to get
ahold of the information on the height.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The gentleman indicated that a couple
of years ago this property had sent out a letter indicating it might be
rezoned, but nothing ever materialized. Do you know what the status
Page 96
n__" I
January 4, 2007
MS. DESELEM: As far as I know, what he's talking about is the
neighborhood information notice that went out.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So this is still a continuation of that
original letter that was sent out?
MS. DESELEM: (Nods.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MS. DESELEM: Because it's -- I can go back and look in the
staff report. The date of the neighborhood information meeting is in
there. I don't have it in front of me. But it has been a while.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: This process takes a long time. And
that's -- it started when you got your other letter.
MR. RISTOW: Oh, okay. So it's a continuation, actually.
Nothing happened before, basically --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No, sir.
MR. RISTOW: -- other than notification.
MS. DESELEM: That meeting was May 19th, 2005.
MR. RISTOW: I'd like to address the site plan, which one of my
colleagues in the plant talked about. We are a co-op, okay, and we do
have plot plans that are filed with the county. They were originally
filed when we became a co-op back in 1987. So you do have accurate
records of the plats there. We do have many more streets than what
are depicted there. We have another end of our park that's not
depicted here. And you also probably would want to show the Marco
Shores, who are immediately east of your 42 acres here. They're not
shown in here. I don't think there's anybody here from their
organization, and I don't know if they were given a letter as we were
so that they could come and speak at this hearing.
One thing I think that would help us, and especially me, to
address our people and our park who also received letters and
everything is maybe some information from the county somehow. I
made some notes here. You had the -- we read that you're going to use
Page 97
January 4, 2007
this for essential services, and what that means and everything. You
put the chart up there but it's very difficult. Could we get a copy of
that? Would that be possible?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I think if you were to leave your address
with Ms. Deselem before you left today --
MR. RISTOW: She has it on my speaker card there.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Kay, would you have any
problem getting a copy of the essential services to this gentleman?
MS. DESELEM: Not at all. Plus I can offer that if you have
access to the Internet, it is available on the Internet. I'd be more than
happy to explain to you how to find it.
MR. RISTOW: Okay.
MS. DESELEM: But in any case, I can give it to you.
MR. RISTOW: I would prefer a copy, if you don't mind.
MS. DESELEM: Certainly. No problem.
MR. RISTOW: Okay. We were talking about the height of the
tanks. I heard you talking about them. I believe they're probably not
over 25 foot tall. We go by them just about every day. I don't think
they're forties. For informational purposes.
I think we have a better understanding that if there's anything put
there, such as a sewage treatment plant, if that were in the works or
something like that, that that requires a conditional hearing or
whatever you call them.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And they've already waived the right to
put a sewage treatment plant there, so most likely that is not
something that would happen there now.
MR. RISTOW: When would we know what the real intent here
is of the applicant for this? It seems like that was a ball that was
bounced back and forth here a number of times.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: They've provided information that this
would greater than five years but maybe less than 10, somewhere in
that neighborhood.
Page 98
- .--.- !
January 4, 2007
MR. RISTOW: Okay. And primarily it would probably be a
water treatment plant? The way I understand it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's what the indications have been so
far, yes, sir.
MR. RISTOW: Okay, that's all I had.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you, sir.
Kay, are there any other speakers?
MS. DESELEM: No, sir, that's all the speakers that are listed.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Dominick?
MR. AMICO: We have that information. The existing tank
height, the one that's there now, is 25 feet.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The gentleman was right on the dollar.
MR. AMICO: And the proposed one is 35.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Is there any final comments from
the applicant, staff? Questions from the board?
MS. DESELEM: The only thing I would ask is if you wanted to
wait for Robert Wiley, but that's your call.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, I mean, based on the public input,
we may be able to put something together that doesn't need Mr.
Wiley's input at this point. Because we could always preface it that
it's subject to clarification of that particular section of the GMP.
So with that in mind, I will close the public hearing and entertain
any comments from the planning commission.
Mr. Murray?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Well, it may have been
premature to close it, but I --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: We can open it back up again.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Thank you. There was
something in there about the EAC twice hearing it and they had
concerns about water treatment, they had concerns about anything
being put there that might have been impacted by flood.
And I just wondered, you know, based on that, you folks came
Page 99
.. ."r
January 4, 2007
back to the EAC and you satisfied them by saying what?
MR. AMICO: The main concern the EAC had was the lack of
specificity. You know, when we first went to them it was a PUD
rezone, period, no limitations. They were concerned with traffic
because the P could allow us to put a fairgrounds there. Well, it's not
our intent. By limiting the conditions to essential services, they were
comfortable that they weren't giving us the keys to the neighborhood.
And that's really what helped them through it.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Okay. So the issue was not
really fixed on the notion of a water treatment plant or the need for
buffering and flood control and all those other aspects of it?
MR. AMICO: Their issue was primarily and mostly uncertainty
of what we were trying to do by asking for plain PUD rezone.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, Mr. Murray.
Are there any other questions of staff or the applicant at this time
before we try again to close the public hearing?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, we will close the public hearing
and we can entertain a motion. Is there a motion from the planning
commission?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I'll make a motion.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Schiffer?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I move that we forward with a
recommendation of approval -- I'm trying to find out what we're
forwarding -- Petition RZ-2005-AR-7271. And I'd like to add the
following conditions:
Number one be that it is limited to 2.01.03, essential services
uses only.
And I think I wouldn't mind if you in that put as per January 1 st,
2007. That would eliminate creep into the -- I'd like to set, and it's an
actual height, of 60 feet for the site. Sixty . We can discuss it.
Page 100
-- . I
January 4, 2007
Because the next thing might cure that. And a minimum setback of
100 feet. That answers Paul's need.
Pardon?
MS. DESELEM: Just to clarify, on what sides? All sides?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: All sides.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, that's inconsistent with the
current. But anyway, let's go for a second. We can discuss --
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I'll second the motion just to
get it started.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion made by Commissioner Schiffer
with certain stipulations. Motion's been seconded by Commissioner
Adelstein. Now we'll open it for discussion.
Ms. Caron?
COMMISSIONER CARON: Well, I think we need to address
the inconsistency with -- that Mr. Strain brought up of 12.2.8. And I
don't think it should go forward before --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I was going to recommend a stipulation
that this go forward, if it does go forward, with a stipulation that the
Policy 12.2.8 of the Growth Management Plan be dealt with in a
manner for consistency -- determine if it's consistent or not as it moves
forward in the future.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Additionally, they've limited to a
water treatment plant only. And, you know, if they're going to put
that limitation on themselves, obviously having to deal with the GMP
issue first. But I don't see why we would add all the other essential
services and make that limitation as well.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It needs some of them to operate the
water treatment plant. You need a sewage lift station, you need utility
lines. And those are not -- anything that the public hasn't had to deal
with all over the county anyway, so I don't think they're a problem.
But those in conjunction with a limitation that they have no
sewage treatment plant may solve all the public's concerns we've
Page 101
..-........,
January 4, 2007
heard.
COMMISSIONER CARON: That works for me.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And we've got the setback, but I think it
can't apply to the existing facilities but maybe to new facilities.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right, new facilities only, of
course.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Then the height that Mr. Schiffer
brought in at 60 feet I think is extraordinary compared to the fact that
it's only 25 feet now and they only need 35 feet.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: They only need 30.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, the agricultural is 35.
But the problem I have is that if we just with P without limiting
it. P, the requirement is that if you're within 100 feet of a boundary
line, you match that boundary line; otherwise there's no limit.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I'm saying limit it, but not to 60 feet.
They don't need 60 feet.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: They said 30.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I think somewhere in the future
with the water treatment plant they might want further height than
that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, but they've stated now that the
current one is 25 feet, the future one is 35 feet.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But that's tanks, that's not a
water treatment plant.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, if we leave it -- go ahead,
Dominick, do you have any input on the height?
MR. AMICO: Yeah. I think we're getting a little confused
between the tanks and the actual treatment plant. The treatment plants
that the county's been building recently have been two-story treatment
plants.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Give us a number.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, and I've looked at the one
Page 102
,_. 1
January 4, 2007
that's on Goodlette-Frank. That's a tall -- that's not -- that's a tall
structure. And remember, I'm also saying actual height, which means
it's measured from the road to the top of the uppermost part of the
building. I'm not saying zoned height.
MS. ABBOTT: I'm concerned with limiting the height of the
structures. I mean, what we have been talking about are the tanks.
But we also have degasifier units and odor control and that type of
thing that might provide height there. We may need -- I don't want to
say cellular tower but we may need a communication tower, you
know, for our telemetry because all our plants, we are trying to link
that and get all the data back.
So I'm concerned about you limiting heights without having a
design in place.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay, but towers aren't a
building. I'm talking about building height.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ma'am, I think what you're talking
about is when you come in for your conditional use, you have a
concern about limiting height. So if we limit height under the current
application but your conditional use comes in and raises it and you're
approved for that conditional use, you'll have what you want, or at
least you'll have whatever comes out of the public process.
I think right now we're worried that if we give you the P zoning
with unlimited height on the essential services, you can come in there
with a stacked tank 100 feet high versus the zoning district now only
allows, I think, 35 feet.
I think that's where our concern is and what you're asking for
now, not what you're so much asking for in the future.
MS. ABBOTT: Okay. As long as we can, if we need to change
that, when we come in --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Kay, is there any reason in our
conditional use application, if we limited the height in the P district
now today and they want to come back in with a conditional use for an
Page 103
. I
January 4, 2007
expanded or different use in the future but that's allowed by
conditional use, could then they ask for a revision to the height for that
conditional use application?
MS. DESELEM: I'll defer that question to the county attorney's
office.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: For the record, Marjorie
Student-Stirling.
I think they would have to come for a variance to go above the
height that's established in a zoning -- for this rezone. Because the
zoning is the controlling thing. And the way to get around the height
or dimensional requirement like that is through a variance process, not
the conditional use process.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Could they be done simultaneously?
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: They could, yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So either way you've got an avenue to
do it, if that's the way it ends up.
Go ahead, Mr. Adelstein.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Mr. Schiffer, is there any
reason why you -- because these changes can be made that you want
to use 65 now instead of 35 that they brought up just the past two
minutes ago?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, based on just what
Margie said, 35 could be a disaster. The concern I have is that they've
promoted this thing as if it's just changing the letter A to P. But there
really is something sleeping in there and that's the height that you
would be allowed.
And I don't think it's fair to the neighbors that all of a sudden
they look out their window and they see, essentially it's an unlimited
height once you get 100 feet away from the property line. Who knows
what they could come up with.
So the point is that I think it's okay to change it to P. They're not
asking for anything that's unreasonable now anyway. But I do think
Page 104
- --"j
January 4, 2007
we've got to put a limit on the height for it also.
MS. ABBOTT: And at this point you're talking about 60 feet is
what --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Actual height. That means from
the centerline of the roads that these neighbors are on, there will be
nothing taller than 60 feet. You know, in other words, the roof
structure of the penthouse will be at 60 feet.
Remember, I'm also having there 100- foot setbacks, so there's
100 foot of vegetation before that P.
MR. AMICO: If I could, maybe a way to get to where we're
really trying to get to here is to modify the language a little bit to limit
the height of the essential services so that we don't have to come back
for a variance when we do a conditional use for the water treatment
plant.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Jeff, you're shaking your head no.
MR. KLATZKOW: Again, we're trying to put conditions on
something that --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Doesn't exist.
MR. KLATZKOW: -- doesn't exist. It's -- the time to do this is
when you come in for your conditional use and you can see what the
site development plan looks like or what the site looks like anyway,
and you can go back and forth what do you really need. They're just
asking for P now, and I don't know that any conditions on that really
are such a good idea at this point in time. Because now when they
come in with what they really want to come in with seven years from
now, you know, at that point in time they may be looking for
variances as well as everything else because they came in too early
here.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Margie, then Mr. Schiffer.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Thank you. There's also case law
that when you rezone to a straight district, the board that's doing the
rezoning cannot, unless the applicant agrees, pick and choose which
Page 105
January 4, 2007
standards of that district will apply to that particular rezone.
In other words, if you come in for P, you get P with the setbacks
and the height and the uses that are part of that district. And if the
applicant disagrees with it and were taken to court, then it's likely that
the local government would not prevail.
In this case I understand the local government is the applicant.
And so if the applicant -- and not likely to take ourselves to court or
anything like that. But if the applicant agrees to these, it's okay and
you could prevail legally if they do. But otherwise it's questionable
when you go to a straight zoning district.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you. Mr. Schiffer, then Mr.
Murray.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And Kay, at the neighborhood
meeting did anybody point out the fact that you could build unlimited
height buildings in the center of this site?
MS. DESELEM: Right off the top of my head I don't recall. I'd
have to go back and look at the --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And the purpose of this thing to
us even is to provide notice to the surrounding property owners.
That's not notice. That's not fair to have something like that sleeping
in there and them not be aware of it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: There may be a solution here before we
get done. I'll simply ask the applicant what they can live with it. But
Mr. Murray, did you have something you wanted to --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY : Yeah, just trying to put a height
restriction on it will have negative impact all the way around because I
think at the BCC the argument might change and we have no way of
inputting then. I've been to the water treatment plants, and they're
higher than 60 feet, at least some of the ancillary items are. They have
scrubbers and they have other items that extend higher than that.
And so we're really asking to create issues that I would rather
stay with the zoning that is being requested. Although I think I fully
Page 106t
[ .
January 4,2007
well understand what it's intended to do.
And in seven years in the future they have a means by which
they can qualify it. So I would ask that maybe you would withdraw
the 60 feet.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But let me tell you, I think the
height's an issue. I'll withdraw the whole motion and I'm going to vote
for it to stay at agricultural zoning.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, wait a minute. Before you go --
why don't we let him finish talking this out. You're jumping the gun --
are you withdrawing your motion now after all this work?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yeah, I'm going to vote to keep
it at agricultural.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So you withdrew your motion. So now
we're --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I'll make the motion.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I would make a motion that we
recommend approval to the Board of County Commissioners Petition
RZ-2005-AR-7271, public facilities rezone to that ofP with the
restrictions associated with P, and that there will be no sewage
treatment plant contemplated, requested or built, and that the condition
that exists as a contradiction in the Growth Management Plan be
resolved before any activity goes forward to the BCC with a
recommendation from staff.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I'll second the motion.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion's been made by Commissioner
Murray, seconded by Commissioner Adelstein.
Now we'll have some discussion and try to sort it out. Are you
limiting it to the listed essential services that are in the Land
Development Code as stated today and recommending that those be
stipulated in the resolution on an item by item basis?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: The list that we saw on the
Page 107
-,-.
January 4, 2007
screen, yes, that's what I was referring to. With an additional aspect of
deleting sewage treatment plant but leaving sewage lift in there.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But sewage treatment plant's not in
there to begin with.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I'm sorry -- yes, sewage, yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And sewage lift station can stay there
.
SInce you --
COMMISSIONER MORRAY: Stay there.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- don't want to delete it. So let's just
not -- let's go back to what we were trying to leave in.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: If I saw it here again--
THE COURT REPORTER: Excuse me, you're both talking at
the same time.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Sorry about that. I'll try to
answer the question. The answer is the listing that was shown before,
that's the one I'm recommending.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Are you considering any issues
involving the setbacks? Mr. Schiffer had previously stated 100-foot
setback. It won't work on all sides, but it will work for any new
construction.
COMMISSIONER MORRAY: See, I don't know where the new
tank is supposed to go so I don't know what their plan is.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Murray, let me help you. Will the
applicant come to the microphone, please.
Dominick, this 100- foot setback idea, I'm trying to get as many
votes one way on this motion or the other. So I want to make sure we
have everything in there that anybody could want. And if they still
don't want it, that's okay, too. The 100-foot setbacks, if that was
limited to any new construction on the site, would you as an applicant
be able to live with that?
MR. AMICO: Would that apply to the SDP that's currently
under review? The SDP that's currently under review places a tank
Page 108
January 4, 2007
right next to the other tank --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's not an essential service
application. That doesn't need this zoning today, correct?
MR. AMICO: That's correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So I don't think it should apply to that.
Does anybody have any feelings one way or the other?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I'm in agreement with you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. No, it would not apply.
MR. AMICO: I don't think the 100-foot setback is a problem to
the future plants --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So as the applicant you would accept
the 100-foot setback to any future plans beyond the SDP that's in the
works today.
MR. AMICO: That's correct.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Good, that's fine.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: As the applicant, would you accept a
height limit -- go ahead.
MS. DESELEM: I just wanted the county attorney's office to
clarify that. Because that SDP has not been approved. And I don't
know what effect a rezoning action might have on something that's
pending but not approved, if in fact there's some limitation on a
setback.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: We're not limiting the SDP. The SDP
can have whatever it wants to have. That's why --
MS. DESELEM: The zoning would follow with whatever you
approve if the board adopts the approval of the zoning. And if that
SDP isn't approved until after the zoning is approved, that has a more
stringent limitation. I just want to make sure that the applicant--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But you don't understand, the SDP is
unaffected by what we're commenting on in regards to this setback
issue. Is that what you're trying to -- because that's what we're
discussing. Are you discussing something different than that?
Page 109
January 4, 2007
MS. DESELEM: No, I'm not certain that that's the case, because
the zoning runs with the land, and if it's rezoned in the process before
that SDP is approved, the zoning would affect it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, then why are they here at all?
Why didn't we bring this up in the beginning of today's meeting?
So now we're just bringing up a new issue, basically, not one
related to the motion.
MS. DESELEM: Well, no. If you start adding setback
limitations and stuff with which the applicant's site plans that are
under review are not consistent with, there is the --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No, Kay, we very explicitly just said it
would accept the current SDP application. The SDP application that's
in now would not -- would not come under the setback criteria.
MR. SCHMITT: That was in the motion.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right.
MR. SCHMITT: Can I ask Mr. Murray to clarify? You made the
statement, though, in your motion that no plan would be -- no water
treatment plant would be planned, conceived or otherwise planned for
until such -- and I didn't quite understand that, because it is being
planned and it is already in the planning. And I thought I heard that as
part of your motion.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: You know what? I don't
actually recall the context of all of that, but I can tell you that that is
the truth, that's why we're having such a trouble with this. It is being
planned, but it's not part of this.
And what I was attempting to do, if I'm not mistaken, was to
eliminate all of that and focus on trying to get this P designation in
place.
MR. SCHMITT: Yes, and that the--
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: And if I over-committed it, and
I'm not sure that I did, if I was too stringent, I don't think I was, but if
you're looking for clarification, what I was trying to do is focus on just
Page 110
January 4, 2007
making this happen --
MR. SCHMITT: Yes.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: -- as presented.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Joe, let me try to cut to the chase.
Basically the motion as I understand it was that for the essential
services shown right here on the screen, we don't need to get into
whether or not there's a water treatment plant being proposed there
because that's a separate -- it's not included in this.
MR. SCHMITT: That's right--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: There is no sewage treatment plant in
this either.
MR. SCHMITT: That's correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So we're not even -- that doesn't even
need to be on the table. Simply the motion should be for the essential
services that are in front of us here on this screen today, incorporated
into --
MR. SCHMITT: Thank you. You clarified that as the motion.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's the first part of the motion. The
second part was concerning the setbacks, which got into some
confusion, because the setbacks were suggested by one member of the
panel at 100 feet for any new construction, and that did not include
what was there today, and did not include what was in the process in
the county under the SDP. The applicant, as Margie had indicated to
us, needed to agree to that. The applicant has agreed to that. So the
100- foot setback for new construction, other than those exceptions,
would be part of the stipulation.
The next one we were trying to get into is the height. Does the
applicant have a recommended height that they could live with for this
portion of their process, and then worry about the rest when they come
back in for any conditional use? Because it may mean a vote or two
on this board. You may want to the consider that.
MR. AMICO: They're indicating that they cannot commit to a
Page 111
January 4, 2007
height right now without the plant being designed, especially if it's
measured from the road elevation, as has been mentioned.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. So you think that in this future
plant you may come in with a conditional use, you may need the full
100 feet?
MR. AMICO: It's possible. The appurtenances to the plant are
the things that get high. The degasifiers, the scrubbing towers. And
you know, who's to know what the technology's going to look like
seven, 10 years from now.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Well, I'm just trying to make the
P process simpler. But if the P process needs to remain with that
height in it, then you'll have to deal with that height when you come
back before the public to do this thing all over again to get a
conditional use.
Mr. Schiffer?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I'd like to clarify. There is no
height limit of 100 feet. What the P height is, within 100 feet of the
property line you have to match the height limitation of the adjoining
zoning district. It's silent past that 100 feet. Essentially it's unlimited.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Yeah.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And my concern with this is,
first of all, they're not asking for anything they need. The only thing
they claim is that it's just to notify the neighbors. But I'm afraid that
this could be a Trojan horse. I mean, that height thing was never
pointed out to the neighbors.
My point is that there's no need for this. I think that what the
county needs to do is design this plant, come before the neighbors,
work out the issues with the neighbors, come before the boards and
build the plant. That handles the coastal issues, that handles the
neighbors issues. This A to P is just a Trojan horse, I feel. Or I fear.
It may not be.
MS. ABBOTT: That wasn't our intent. I'm currently working on
Page 112
January 4, 2007
a new facility where we were able because it was more accelerated in
the master plan, so it's going to construction in 2009.
And when we got ready to do our design, we set up a citizen's
advisory panel made up of homeowners so they could be a part of the
input. I believe our highest structure right now, I believe is at about 60
feet. However, this is a smaller site. You're squeezing us in tighter.
Especially with 100-foot setback. You know, we're squeezing it in.
And we do try to do a good setback of at least 100 feet. That's what
we would look at under our design and so on. We also try to limit
height. And we did that with this other facility, because we realize
people don't want these tall structures in their backyard. But if it
means that when we're on the design one structure has to move 62
feet, I'm looking at a variance.
And we also try not to go back and do a lot of variances, or any
variances at all. We prefer to stay within the codes or policies,
whatever has been set for a certain proj ect.
And on the northeast, as we said, we have tried to work with the
neighbors and with the citizens and -- throughout the design process.
We have them look at it, you know . We moved one building because
they didn't like where we had put it. And we moved it into another
area -- you know, we do things like that.
So I don't think -- my goal is never to come in with a Trojan
horse where we're going to go ad infinitum under this P. It really was
for notification.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. But ma'am, I think -- go ahead,
Brad.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Then why do you need this P
zoning? If you're that far along with your designs and you have
conflicts, why don't you come in for the conditional use, we can
discuss the coastal area, we can discuss would it affect the neighbors,
we could discuss what they see.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But the conditional use would only be
Page 113
January 4, 2007
good for two years, that's why they can't come in with it--
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Then let's wait till --
THE COURT REPORTER: Excuse me, you're talking over one
another.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Then let's wait till, you're, you
know, at the appropriate time. I mean, this P doesn't give you
anything. I mean, you're saying this P doesn't mean anything. You're
saying this P is only a notice to the neighborhoods. I mean, I could do
that with a Christmas card.
So I don't know why we're doing this P, and the P has stuff in it
that could be dangerous to the neighbors.
MS. ABBOTT: Without me having a design, I mean, you're
asking me on the spot to limit my height. I think that's a tough
decision to have me make right now. I mean, if you gave me
something, you know, a bit taller. But even so, it may be too high. I
may not need that. But I feel like I'm being limited.
And I know what you're saying. We don't normally do this. We
normally just go for conditional use, we normally just go for a PUD.
This is just something that we thought would be in the best interest of
the neighborhood to let them know what we're doing in the future.
Our design probably will not start maybe 2011.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But why can't you just live with
the A and then come in in 2011? What is this P giving you? I mean,
you started out saying it's giving you nothing. There's no reason for it.
But it does have stuff in it that could be a problem.
MS. ABBOTT: On other sites where we have that ago zoning,
people think it's a preserve because nothing's going on there. We feel
that if they see it has a P zoning, they will realize something else is
coming. I don't know that people who are buying property go into the
master plans of the utilities. Some might, because they're aware of
that's where you look at what the transportation is doing. But most
people don't do that.
Page 114
January 4, 2007
And some might look at the zoning. If they look at the zoning,
they will see that this is a P zoning, so something could come here.
And that's what we're trying. It will make them ask questions and
realize early that this is what we plan to do. Just by this process.
And then the homeowners realize that they're going to have a
water treatment plant here between 2014 and 2018; whereas before
they didn't know that. They probably thought it's just going to stay the
way the way it is, we'll put in a couple more tanks and the rest will be
a preserve.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Adelstein, you had a question?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: No, I don't have a question at
all. I have a statement I wanted to make.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Kolflat?
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: As I understand it, what we're
trying to send to the County Commissioners is a recommendation to
approve something that is not consistent with the GMP that and can
have an unlimited height and can be built on sometime in the future,
and I don't think that's good planning.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Kolflat -- okay, Mr. Adelstein?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I come to the same
conclusion. I think I would be very foolish if I voted for this.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Kolflat, we are not sending
something to the Board of County Commissioners that is inconsistent
with the GMP at this time. We're sending a P use.
And what we would be recommending by stipulation is that they
consider the inconsistency of what the intended use would be should
the applicant come back in with a conditional use in the future.
And then because if the whole purpose of this is to eventually get
that conditional use, it may be for naught, because the GMP has a
direct conflict in it.
But that conflict doesn't apply to this P zoning. P zoning is for
essential services which are allowed there right now as it is today. It's
Page 115
January 4,2007
simply a notification to the public that this is not agricultural property
and not intended to be in the future. How they deal with it in the
future, consistency with the GMP, would be something we're
recommending they look at now instead of waiting till then.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: But the future is no mystery to
us. Everybody has declared what the intent is to build there
eventually. I mean, it's not a matter of we don't know what the future
is. The future is to put a water treatment plant there.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But that is why we're asking them to
look at the GMP consistency now. So they don't go any further with
that if it can't be done. I mean, it's up to this board.
Mr. Murray, go ahead.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Well, I just add a little bit more
oil to the fire here. If you consider some of your comments, ma'am,
about what you're intending to do, which I applaud, I think it's good
that government should notify neighbors of its intent in some fashion,
and I'm sure nobody planned for this to get this confusing.
But thinking about it, if we don't put any kind of -- I don't want to
use the word limitation, but statements of qualification such as height
and setback, then the questions for the next five to seven years will
always be from adjoining neighbors, what are you going to build
there, how high, and what is it going to do? And your answer will
have to be, we don't know because we haven't designed it yet. And
that will in fact impact the value of property and how people perceive
what they should or should not build.
And so I would say that it may not resolve what it is you intend
to resolve, the way I perceived it anyway. I'm willing to go forward
with my motion. I did not answer your question, didn't have the
chance to answer your question. A 100- foot setback is fine for me.
I am concerned about the height. I do not think that we should have
an unlimited height there. But I am also concerned that we don't want
to constrain any future structure which inevitably is intended to be
Page 116
January 4, 2007
built there.
So I myself, Mr. Chairman, am in a quandary with regard to the
height. And I would ask you, with your very good knowledge, to help
me in that regard, if you have a comment.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, to be honest with you, Mr.
Schiffer's previous recommendation of 60 feet to me is generous,
considering this is only a P use and the intent has been clearly stated,
they don't want do anything extraordinary there and that this is strictly
for notification purposes. If it was over 60 feet, to me that is due
notice to the public.
So I could live with the 60 feet. And if they have to come in for
a variance concurrent with a conditional use in the future, so be it.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Okay. And I accept that
qualification, and I would look for a nod. Well, I've already heard that
they're not happy with that notion. And I can appreciate that.
But just as a conditional use could be turned down, a variance
could be turned down, just as it can be -- you go forward and so can a
variance go forward.
So I'm going to add that to my motion. I will make it 60 feet.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: One other point. Marjorie Student made
it very clear that if they don't agree with the 60 feet, basically it
doesn't really stick. Because it could be subject to successful
challenge.
So I think contingent on whether or not this board votes on it, it's
going to be on their answer whether or not they'll agree to the 60- foot
limitation on the record. Because if they don't, that will affect some
votes. And if they do, it may affect others.
So I'm going to ask the water plant question, do you guys -- will
you guys accept the 60- foot limitation of actual height on your project
as well?
MS. ABBOTT: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's an acknowledgment in thea
Page 11 7
January 4, 2007
affirmative, okay.
Now with that, the motion is to limit it to essential services
shown on our screen here and be stipulated in the resolution. Limit
the height to 60 feet of actual height. The setbacks on all sides for the
future construction, excluding what's there today and excluding the
current SD P that's in process shall be 100 feet. And the
recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners that they
seriously review the application of the GMP 12.02.08 section in
regards to future uses of this property in their consideration of this
particular application.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: That's an excellent recap of my
motion. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Does the second accept the recap?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Yes, absolutely.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Mark, I have a question.
Did you limit the date for the essential services to be the current
date?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: In our original discussion we did, but
we'll reemphasize that, that the essential services of 2.0 1.03 as shown
today on the screen will be stipulated in the resolution.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: That I thought we had done, but
okay.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Second includes it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Dominick, you're going to -- be
careful.
MR. AMICO: Yeah, a quick question. The 60-foot height
limitation, that applies to the building or to all --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Everything 60 feet.
MR. AMICO: Everything.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Everything 60 feet.
MR. AMICO: Well, the applicant's indicating they can't accept
Page 118
January 4, 2007
that because their communications tower is typically a lot higher than
that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: They're not willing to address that
during the variance or conditional use process? They might want to
reconsider doing that at that time.
MS. DESELEM: If I may, while they're discussing that, also tell
you that Robert Wiley is here if you wish to have any input regarding
that policy and the position of staff.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I think we can try to get through as it is
now. Yes, sir.
MR. MULLIN: For the record, Bill Mullin, Principal Project
Manager, Public Utilities. None of us here are design engineers, so we
really don't know the complete design. And 60 feet sounds like a
reasonable compromise.
But we do know that we will need a communications tower. A
lot of those towers have a line of sight that are above 60 feet, and we
have those at all of our other facilities. By limiting the total -- any
structure to 60 feet would minimize our ability to have radio
communications with all of our other facilities. It would be something
that is just not -- wouldn't be good for us.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And that's a reasonable request. I would
suggest we consider eliminating the 60- foot height for communication
towers.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: In my motion I originally had
the building height to be 60 feet.
MR. MULLIN: I thought that was the motion.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Antennas and communication
towers would not fall under that requirement, they have their own
section of the code.
So the intent -- and I guess I may have to vote for this, is the
building height to be 60 feet.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I would like that the motion
Page 119
January 4, 2007
maker gets an opportunity to look at the motion and revise that, if I
can. May I?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The motion as we previously stated,
with the exception of the limit to the building height will be 60 feet of
actual height. Is that acceptable to you?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Before I do, a tower would be a
conditional use in any event, would it not?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Yes.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: That's automatically a
conditional use --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, no, number four allows
communication towers.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I'm not going to have a problem
with modifying that. If we want to exclude -- do we want to also
exclude scrubbers? Or are we just talking about --
MR. MULLIN: Those facilities would fall under the 60 feet.
But the communications towers is really a critical link.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Well, let's exclude the towers as
being subject to the limitation.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Adelstein, do you accept that?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I'll accept that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Kay, do you have this down? Do you
feel adequate with this discussion?
MS. DESELEM: Yes. For the record, Kay Deselem. I believe I
do. And did he just add a specific exclusion of communication
towers?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes, we did.
MS. DESELEM: That's what I thought, okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, back to -- very complex motion
has been made and seconded. We've had a lot of lengthy discussion.
Call for the vote. All those in favor of the motion, please signify
by saying aye.
Page 120
January 4, 2007
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
All those opposed?
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: One opposed. Motion carries 7-1. And
with that, we will take a break until 1 :00.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: It's got to be later than 1 :00. I've
got to go home.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Later than 1:00, okay.
MS. DESELEM: Would it be possible to give you the calendars
that I have so you can have those before you take your break so --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Calendars for?
MS. DESELEM: The year. Pursuant to Ray Bellows and your
request with Joe and Ray.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You can pass them out, but yeah, that's
fine. We'll just take them as we leave. This board will break until
1: 15.
(A lunch break was taken.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: We'll bring the meeting back to order.
And we have a roomful of people that are interested, as usual.
Item #8A
CONTINUATION OF EAR-BASED AMENDMENTS
Okay, we're back on the schedule for the planning commission.
Page 121
January 4, 2007
We're going to resume the continuation of the EAR-based
amendments. We left off by just starting to go into the population
portion of our discussion. I don't know who from staff is going to
present it, but I hope one of you guys are.
MR. COHEN: Before we get to that, Mr. Chairman, I know you
raised the question with respect to the CIE and the review of that on
an annual basis. And we wanted to provide some language to you.
You asked us to come back and do that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes. You ready to do that now? That's
fine.
MR. COHEN: Yes, sir. And if you turn to Policy 1.3 in the CIE.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Give us a page?
MR. COHEN: I'll try to do it from your staff report.
COMMISSIONER CARON: It's not here.
MR. COHEN: It's in the CIE itself. It's not part of your
unamended version. I'll read that policy to you and then I'll tell you
what we would add on to it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I've gone the CIE, so I'll turn to it real
quick. 1.3, which would be on Page 4 of the original document you
guys gave us, if I'm not mistaken.
MR. COHEN: Currently 1.3 reads, the determination of location
of improvements to expand public facilities will take into
consideration the projected growth patterns as identified in the
county's annual population projections.
And the next sentence says, where applicable public facility
improvements will be coordinated with the capital facility plans of any
other governmental entity providing public facilities within Collier
County. The part that we would add on would be, levels of service
standards for public facilities may be adjusted annually based on more
recent data and analysis.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: When you had shown me that language
earlier, my comment to you was -- and I guess now that Marge is here
Page 122
January 4, 2007
she can weigh in on it -- if we have an element in the CIE which we
currently have under, let's use parks and recs as an example because
that's what start this whole discussion. On Page 5 of our amended
document, they actually have specific acreages listed as the level of
service. 1.2882 as an example. The language you're saying says that
that can be amended any time in the future.
But I want to -- what I'm concerned about is the AUIR -- I don't
want the AUIR to be contingent on the 1.2882 if that's not the number
that we intend to use. So we have to go back and amend it before
we're allowed to use it in the AUIR.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: I think for the AUIR, that -- well,
we all understand that amendments to the CIE are based upon the
A UIR. So I think if something changes in the A UIR, then we go ahead
and we amend our plan in keeping with that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, Margie, at the last AUIR
discussion we had just a month or two ago, we were told, this panel
and the productivity committee, when we questioned some of these
numbers, we were told we had to use them because they were in the
adopted part of the GMP.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Right. And there was a disconnect
there because of some time lags associated between when the AUIR
was done and the -- because of the EAR when the compo plan
amendments were done. I think the long and short of it is that if we
have to do a special cycle or something to bring that, you know, in
closer harmony, then we could do that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But you are saying that if we adopt this
today with the 1.2822 in it, that we have to use that LOS in the
upcoming AUIR, or we have to go in and change the CIE again.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: No, I don't think -- I didn't mean to
say it that way.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, then why don't you tell me the
process.
Page 123
January 4, 2007
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Okay. This is in the plan for now.
Then we do our new AUIR. And we're not bound by -- I don't feel that
we're bound by this for the new AUIR because the purpose of the new
AUIR is to see what we've got and see if we need to adjust this.
So then we have this, then we do the new AUIR, and then we
adopt the compo plan language based on the new AUIR of the new
level of service if we have to do that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Maybe I'm -- maybe I fell asleep
during the AUIR process. Maybe I didn't hear it right. I'm the only
one --
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Mark, what I was talking about--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Margie, let me finish. Any other
members of this commission recall the discussion in which we tried to
change the level of service and we were told we couldn't because of
the adoption of the GMP?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: You're right.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Very specific, yeah.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Now I think you're saying we
don't -- if we adopt it, it doesn't apply to the AUIR.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: No, because I don't do
doublespeak. But what I'm trying to say is in that other situation, it
was an anomaly because of the EAR -- we were -- the EAR
amendments were lagging behind and it was an anomaly.
MR. COHEN: What was transpiring is the EAR-based
amendments were based on a new population projection, and the
AUIR was based on the adopted population methodology. So the
problem that we had going forward at two times -- at the same time is
in essence two different methodologies, and that's where the problem
arose at that particular time. Whereas, normally an AUIR serves the
purpose of modifying the CIE. Because of the EAR-based
amendments going forward and not being adopted, we ran into what
Margie said, an anomaly with different methodologies. In the intent
Page 124
January 4, 2007
behind this particular AUIR for this year, she used it as a planning tool
but it's not to move forward with it to modify the CIE.
Subsequent AUIRs that you'll see in every other year that come
forward now, they will be used as a planning tool but in addition to
that, as in the past, to modify the CIA. This year's is not. And that's
the anomaly, because of EAR-based amendments.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So what you're saying, and I understand
the language you want to add. Margie, what you're telling us is in your
legal opinion, when the AUIR comes up before us, we can basically
change whatever we want in that document. We're not tied to this
GMP amendment or this EAR or any GMP references.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Right. I don't think so, because
that's the purpose of the A UIR, to serve as a basis to change this,
except for that anomalous situation that we had this last year.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Mark?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I remember we had this
problem years before, too. It wasn't just last year.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I'm completely baffled by it myself.
Because it was convenient two months ago to leave it the way it was.
We wanted to change it, we strongly recommended changes. The
argument was that staff didn't have time to change it. So then we were
hit with well, we can't change it anyway because the GMP was
adopted with this language in it. Okay, with that argument, we had to
put it to rest.
MR. COHEN: What I can tell you is -- and this is the problem
associated with modifying the CIE itself, the levels of service
standards, is there are other sections of the GMP that would have to be
modified in addition to that, okay.
So in conjunction with this language, what I would do from a
staff perspective is also tell you to make a recommendation to the
Board of County Commissioners that when we change level of service
Page 125
January 4, 2007
standards in the CIE because we have different elements like
recreation and open space and potable water sub-element and
water-sewer that also have levels of service standards, that we only do
one cycle of amendments on an annual basis and when we can do two,
that we do some staff-generated GMP amendments as a second cycle,
which would allow us to make those changes at the same time so we
don't have conflicting provisions in the GMP.
For example, if you were to change the level of service
provisions for recreation like we discussed today, you would also want
to make changes to the recreation and open space element at the same
time or you're going to have that lag until some cycle comes about and
you're going to have conflicting provisions. We couldn't have that
happen.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So you're -- well, are we going to come
back to the recreation and open space? Or I guess this is the time we
best discuss it. Are you recommending then we leave these
calculations 1.2882 in here, and 2.9412 per acre in there?
MR. COHEN: I'm personally not making any recommendations
with that. If this board has a recommendation that's contrary to that
that you feel should be made where you adjust the level of service
standard with respect to any part of the GMP, then it's in your purview
to do just that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ms. Caron?
COMMISSIONER CARON: I believe that as was discussed
earlier with Mr. Schmitt, he agreed that the language should be
changed and become more generic. And that's partly why you
changed the CIE language. But it also needs to be changed here as
well. And that's what he was talking about was making this language
be more generic. I wrote it down when he said it, change the language
to be more generic.
MR. COHEN: And the intent would be to modify the CIE. And
that's where the levels of service standards are set forth for everything.
Page 126
January 4, 2007
If you're asking us to go through and put policies which would be
basically, you know, analogous provisions in all different elements
that have levels of service standards, obviously we can do that as well.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, my concern is I don't want to
recommend for approval Policy 1.1.1 with definitive levels of service
in it. So that's where my position is.
MR. COHEN: Well, correct me if I'm wrong, from the county
attorney's perspective, but pursuant to 9J-5, we have to have a
definitive level of service --
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: We have to establish the level of
.
serVIce --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I thought you might say that. Then I'd
like to see the backup for the numbers that are shown here. Because I
don't know how those are derived. And I specifically know that when
parks and recreation came before us during the AUIR in reference to
the fact they used the SCORP standards, in reading the SCORP
standards it was shown they don't use those as a true guideline.
So now I'd like to know how they got those specific numbers that
they're using for level of service.
MR. COHEN: And Commissioner, quite frankly I can't answer
that because since I've been here with the county for four years, those
standards have remained the same since I've been here. I would
imagine they probably came about during the adoption of the '97 plan.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, I don't know where you want to
go with it, but I've already stated my concern. The rest of the planning
commission, do you have any issues on this one while we lay them
out? If not, let's just move back to the population discussion. We'll
have to deal with this when we come to it.
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, the population discussion is the
methodology paper you gave us, starting with Policy 4.8; is that
correct, Randy?
Page 127
January 4, 2007
MR. COHEN: Yes, sir. And it's dated December 20th, 2006.
And on the first page of that memorandum, the item that's
outlined in red, that's the language that was provided to us by the
Department of Community Affairs. I think the important part of that
particular provision is one, that it reflects that the county will be using
the medium BEBR numbers adjusted by a seasonal population rate.
And it does not specify a specific percentage. Which allows us -- in
addition, if you look at the second sentence in there, to adjust things
annually as we determine.
And the reason that's important is that allows us to take a look at
the projections as they come forward, whether or not we're building at
an accelerated rate or a slower rate or if our seasonal population
changes. And we all know from past history we were building at a
very high rate, and now it's slowed down. And that's probably more
obvious when you look at BEBR, which made additional estimates of
what our population was going to be, for example, this past year.
And then when they looked at the real data that came in, I think it
was reduced by about 4,000 people, based on actual building trends
that occurred in the county.
So looking at it on an annual basis is very important from a
planning perspective, and we will do that every CIE. I think what I'd
like to do is to run through what I've done. And first, one of the things
that we did do is I had Corby go back and take exhaustive notes of
some of the things that you told us to take a look at. One of the things
you told us to take a look at as a group was to take a look at all the
BEBR bulletins from 2001 to the present, which we did. You told us
to take a look at the block data, census data within the water and sewer
district, which we did do. You asked us to verify with BEBR, you
know, their methodology . We had conversations with them,
obviously not of a seasonal population variety, because they don't do
seasonal population projections, they just base their permanent
population off the 2000 census and then move forward from that, that
Page 128
January 4, 2007
point.
In addition to that, we tried to look at some local sources of
seasonal population data to see if we could grasp something from
another source that could provide something to us. And we contacted
the Naples area Board of Realtors to see if we could get a gauge from
them as far as what their vacancy rates are and how their units actually
worked in terms of their listings.
And what we found out from that particular conversation was
that there's such a limited amount of seasonal rentals that are put on
the market, and most are handled differently, that it really was less
than three percent of the units that are seasonal that were currently
rented through them. And that just wasn't a good source of
information, so we had to discount that.
So the intent was to take a look at the variety of sources that you
asked us to identify. I think of really good importance was looking at
the population within the water and sewer districts.
And I want point out that what we did is we went back to the
year 2000, so we didn't double count anything. We used the basis for
the year 2000, which established our permanent population, but also a
seasonal population rate of23.8 percent.
And what you've got up on the visualizer right now is a map of
the water-sewer -- water and sewer districts, but only those blocks that
are contained within those -- in their entirety within those districts.
We didn't use any of the blocks that straddle the districts because we
didn't want to try to interpolate data within those in the short amount
of time that we had.
But it gave us a very large representative sample, which we
believe is statistically sound from a statistics standpoint, at least within
most statistical realms. What we did find from that analysis is that
when we took a look at the water district itself, we ended up with
about a 56.9 percent sample of all the population within the water
district. And when we looked at the units, 23.9 percent of those were
Page 129
January 4, 2007
actually held for seasonal use. When we did it for the sewer district,
which is when you -- if you refer back to that large map, we were able
to capture a lot larger amount of the population. And in a number of
units it actually came out to about a 78 percent sample. And about
19.9 percent of those units were held for seasonal use. When you
looked at the seasonal population for the entire county, which was
23.8, it's kind of interesting that that number kind of correlated a little
bit with the sample that we had for the sewer district.
But, you know, numbers are just what they are. We're trying to
get the most representative numbers that we can to provide what the
board provided us, which was direction to come back to them with a
very conservative population estimate. In particular to make sure that
they don't run into a situation where we have not addressed our water
and sewer concerns, where we run into a problem like we did in, I
think it was in 2001. And that's what we've done in terms of
addressing a conservative approach.
The main problem that we had in undertaking an analysis of this
type, and it's something that's going to be cumbersome or almost
impossible to address, is what is the peak occupancy of those seasonal
units at any given time. It's obviously not 100 percent. And we used a
factor of 85 percent just to be on the conservative side. To be able to
actually go out and determine at anyone given point in time what is
the exact peak season, you know, in terms of how many of those units
are occupied, you'd have to do it on one given day and find out what it
would be. And I think that's extremely difficult to do.
We do know that January typically is the peak month for most
season-driven economies. But the question is how do you do that in
such a timely fashion to where you get a sample of such a large size to
give you an exact number of what that peak occupancy is. I don't
think you really can do it.
What I can tell you is that looking at trends, hotel and motel
trends and looking at the occupancy of those units, I know the highest
Page 130
January 4, 2007
month that we had, which I think was February, had 90 percent
occupancy. And that's why I chose the 85 percent number, in addition
to trying to err on the side of being conservative as the board directed.
Is that an exact number? No, it's not. Is the methodology flawed
in that respect? I'd have to say yes, it is. But I think it's a good
conservative estimate of what the peak season could be.
The other thing that we didn't put into the equation, and you may
notice that, is hotel and motel units. We did not factor them into the
peak season. The rationale for that is a lot of those are located in the
incorporated areas and not served by Collier County public
infrastructure. But in some instances they are.
And the board pointed out deliberately to us that when we apply
these percentages -- and we have to have one methodology across the
board, we can't vary, which is problematic in some respects -- that
when we look at certain public facilities, we need to apply like solid
waste across the county, because we do collect solid waste across the
county. But at the same time we have different populations for water
and the sewer districts. Regional parks are done on a countywide
basis. Community parks are done just for the incorporated area.
So it becomes kind of problematic when I see numbers that
differentiate sometimes when you have a water district seasonal use --
seasonal peak population that differs by four percentage points from a
sewer -- from the sewer district's peak -- seasonal population. Where
do you draw the line and how do you come up with a definitive
number?
And I think what's really important is that when you look at the
numbers themselves, when you look at the graphic that's near the end
and which is in the chart itself, I think what's really important -- this is
the second to last page of what I've put together. If you look at that
black line that's on that particular page, what that is is that represents
the weighted average as it exists today applied to determining
population when we determine what our capital infrastructure needs
Page 131
January 4, 2007
are.
And if you take a look at that line, because it's based on high
BEBR numbers, and then what equates to about an 11 percent
seasonal factor, because of the way the high population numbers
continue to go on up, it rises above the medium BEBR numbers with
probably any percentage increase on seasonal population after a
certain point in time up to about, I guess probably around the 24, 25
percent level. That red line at the top, what that represents is if we
were to use medium BEBR plus the seasonal population rate as it
exists in today's comprehensive plan, which is 33 percent, that red line
up top would be that number.
What I did is, based on the numbers that I had and discounting
them based on the 85 percent seasonal population rate, I took a look at
what I thought were percentages that were representative of the
various different numbers that we looked at for the water district, the
sewer district when we took Naples and Marco Island out of the
equation, and used a variety of items to take a look at what would be
the effect on capital facilities if we used a 15 percent seasonal
population, up to 20 percent.
And what's kind of interesting with that is in any given year--
because if you go out five years, which is to the year of 20 11, you
know, based on the prior methodology that exists today we would
have had, you know, 491,147. And if you look at all the other, you
know, percentages based on medium BEBR plus a seasonal
adjustment, every one of them actually was less than the five-year
horizon. That provided a decent comfort level, because we know in
the past that our water and sewer projections have been pretty close to
where they need to be in projecting population, as well as projecting
needs ever since we changed the methodology.
The other interesting point is if you look in that same year of
2011, whether it's 15, 16, 17, 18 percent, you know, each year kind of
represents a 4,000 -- each percentage point represents an increase of
Page 132
January 4, 2007
4,000 people, approximately. Which is not a major increase.
However, erring on the side of caution, you know, we looked at it
from the perspective of we need to be as conservative as possible. And
when we looked at things from the perspective of conservative as
possible, we looked at the water and sewer districts and we had the
one that had that 23.4 percent seasonal population. And that's where
the due care came in coming up with the right -- and doing the
recommendation of the 20 percent.
So the recommendation is based on a variety of factors, I think
statistically sound samples which exist in the water sewer district.
Starting also by looking at the 23.8 percent countywide seasonal
population. But also knowing that when we took out the City of
Naples and the City of Marco Island that the seasonal population
outside of those areas was only 19.4 percent.
So we tried to come up with a figure that was adequate to address
what our actual seasonal population was at some type of peak usage
and at the same time being conservative within the approach as
dictated by the Board of County Commissioners with respect to water
and sewer. So that's what you've got. I'm here to answer any questions
you might have. I'm sure you may. It's not an exact science. But in
talking with DCA, and I had that conversation with them, it is data
analysis that would appear to be acceptable to them.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Midney?
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: On Page 4, about halfway down
where you talk about the seasonal population of Immokalee, I see
where it's crossed out increased by 15,000 persons and substituted 20
percent, which would be about -- going from about a $15,000--
15,000 person rise in population during season down to 5,000, which
is a very substantial decrease.
Could you tell me the methodology you used to justify that?
MR. COHEN: Which page are you on?
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Page 4 of the objections,
Page 133
January 4,2007
recommendations and comments report.
MR. COHEN: That's not in the memo that -- or attachments that
I provided to you, if I recall correctly.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: This is the one that I got this
weekend.
MR. COHEN: Excuse me, you're in the staffreport?
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: It's the ORC Report and Collier
County response.
MR. COHEN: A different document.
Let me try and find where you are, Mr. Midney; bear with me
here.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Randy, he's in the -- remember
the paperwork we had for the meeting that was canceled when we got
there? It's in that paperwork on the cover.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: We are going to get to that document
today at some point, just so you know.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Was that Page 4, Paul?
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Yeah, Page 4.
MR. COHEN: Well, Mr. Midney, I think the concern was that
the except Immokalee portion was taken out, because we realized that
the peak -- the seasonal population of Immokalee didn't increase by 20
percent, and that's why that language was taken out. You know, if you
have any suggestions, we'd be more than happy to take them into
consideration.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Yeah, I do. The way I read it is
that it says the seasonal population is going to be 20 percent for all
areas of the county. And crossed out is except Immokalee. So does
that mean that you're saying that the seasonal population of
Immokalee only increases by 20 percent?
MR. COHEN: No, sir. And I think that probably should be
reworded. I think what's happening is the way the 20 percent would
factor in for public facilities would be an across-the-board 20 percent
Page 134
January 4, 2007
for whatever that particular public facility would be. Say it's regional
parks, the 20 percent would apply across the board countywide, just
like it does today. Same thing for solid waste. I think the intent there,
and I didn't work on that particular provision, was to address the
15,000 population that was there. And I think that came across in the
wrong manner, and we need to address that.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: I'm a little bit confused. Are we
talking about the amount of county services or capital investments that
we need or are we talking about population?
MR. COHEN: Well, we're in two different documents, okay, and
that's kind of --
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: That's what confused me because
I thought we were talking about population.
MR. COHEN: We are. And the population that we're talking
about is the population methodology memorandum that I provided
under separate cover, and you're in a different document from that.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: But that document excludes
Immokalee?
MR. COHEN: The document that pertains to population pertains
to establishing a new population methodology countywide.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: There might be a solution to this. That
document that Paul's talking about, I have a lot of questions on, as
other board members may have. At some point we were going to get
into that document. And that may be -- by the time we get into that,
maybe some of this other population stuffwill be resolved. We're not
into this document yet, we're still on the first one.
So maybe if we work our way through the documents, when we
get to that it might help understand it better.
MR. COHEN: And the intent here is, obviously this is one
section that I did for your review and consideration. And Mr. Weeks
is going to be back to discuss the provisions as they pertain to the
future land use element and the CIE as well, as well as Mr. Schmidt
Page 135
January 4, 2007
here. So it's kind of a little tandem effect here.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, let's try to get through the
population methodology document first, which is the one with the
BEBR information in it, and then we'll work our way through the rest
of the two or three documents that were provided to us.
So Randy, you were working from the population methodology
document in your discussion just now?
MR. COHEN: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. That is a multi-page document
with a lot of tables.
Is there any questions from the planning commission on the way
the population methodology has come about?
Ms. Caron?
COMMISSIONER CARON: I just want to ask, you made a
comment that currently we're using BEBR high plus 11 percent? Is
that what I heard you say?
MR. COHEN: Yeah. The way the formula works, which is how
we calculate weighted average, which is two-thirds times the
permanent population plus one-third times the peak population, it
equates out to an 11 percent seasonal adjustment.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Including Naples and Marco
Island?
MR. COHEN: It includes the entirety of the whole county, yes,
ma'am.
COMMISSIONER CARON: The whole county. Using BEBR
high. Then you move on to these other figures, and we step down to
BEBR medium --
MR. COHEN: Yes, ma'am. And the rationale for that is that the
medium BEBR numbers that were provided --
COMMISSIONER CARON: Understood. And we take out
Naples and Marco Island.
MR. COHEN: The numbers that you have in this particular
Page 136
January 4, 2007
graphic do not take out Naples and Marco Island.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Oh, okay.
MR. COHEN: The way you would take out Naples and Marco
Island would be is when you apply the factor to like, say, community
parks and -- I'm trying to think, community parks and the water and
sewer districts, which will have different populations. That's when the
different numbers will come about, as we address specific populations
that do not include those geographic areas.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Midney?
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: I'm still back to Immokalee,
because -- is this graph here including the Immokalee change, which is
a much different type of change than the rest of the county?
MR. COHEN: From the standpoint of providing, you know,
public services countywide, it addresses -- I guess the best way of
looking at it, say we were looking at original parks, which includes
Immokalee. Obviously we're including the seasonal factor that
includes the population countywide because that's not only your
existing population that's in your CIE, it's also the board's direction.
Community parks for Immokalee and for the rest of the county
would include a discount that would take out the incorporated areas of
Naples and Marco Island. The water and sewer district for Immokalee
would obviously not be affected whatsoever because it's a separate
water and sewer district that sits out there.
So it affects it in some respects and in others it does not, based on
the percentages that are there.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Because the problem I have is if
the rest of the county increases 20 percent and Immokalee increases
let's say 60 percent or more -- you know, traditionally it's been thought
of as more than that -- then the services for Immokalee should be
affected by that increased amount.
MR. COHEN: I think what ends up happening, Mr. Midney, is
when we start breaking out data in terms of respective needs for
Page 137
January 4, 2007
different parts of the county -- let's use recreation as an example.
When they do their planning, I would anticipate, based especially on
past trends and the increases in population for example in District 5
that has transpired as that district grows -- that the needs for certain
services in that area obviously are going to increase. And that would
be an area that they would highlight where population growth is
.
occurrIng.
So when you ask that question you look at population growth on
a countywide basis, but at the same time when you do your planning
for capital improvements in providing things, you have to look at
respective need where that growth is transpiring. And that's how the
area of Immokalee and the area in eastern Collier County would be
addressed.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Thank you.
MR. COHEN: You're welcome.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Any other questions?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Randy, you provided us with a flyer
from Florida Population Studies, BEBR.
MR. COHEN: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: What was the purpose of that? It had
some tables in it.
MR. COHEN: The reason I provided that to everybody is there
were questions that were raised previously about what the BEBR
methodology was and how it applied statewide as well, too.
So I -- my understanding was that most people on the
commission had not seen anything from the Bureau of Economic and
Business Research. So what I wanted to provide you with was a
typical population study so you were aware, one, of the methodology.
Two, how it applied to Collier County. And three, how it applied
statewide.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: If you -- you had provided a data table
Page 138
January 4, 2007
after the charts. And in it you broke down the existing -- I found it
more useful than the charts, because it was a little easier to follow.
You talked about existing methodology and then 15 percent plus
BEBR medium and 16 percent. I went and tried to take that chart,
match it up to numbers in the document I just asked you about called
Florida Population Studies. And the first one that should match up is
on Page 4. The estimate for Collier County on April 1st, 2005 was
317,788. I'm wondering why that doesn't appear anywhere in 2005 on
the data table that you've provided.
MR. COHEN: Normally what's going to happen, a lot of our
population projections that we do, David takes the April 1 population
projections and he does an October 1 projection from that. Usually
they're not -- they're never going to match up exactly because of that.
And that's where you have a lot of the differentiation that occurs.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So this has a six-month adjustment
backwards and forwards?
MR. COHEN: It should, yes, sir. The numbers should be fairly
close, though. They shouldn't be that far apart.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Do the cities, Marco and Naples in
particular, have to provide any type of similar document to DCA, like
an EAR document?
MR. COHEN: The EAR for the City of Naples has been lagging
behind. They do have to provide an EAR. Every governmental entity
in the State of Florida, whether they're a city or a county have to
provide one.
And Naples, as far as I know I think they have one that's under
review. I don't think it's complete as of yet. I know they haven't
started the EAR-based amendments yet.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Do you know why if they're doing one
and the City Marco and whatever other city happens to be involved
are doing their own, why do we include them in our tables?
MR. COHEN: I think one of the reasons we include them in
Page 139
January 4, 2007
some of the areas is we provide services to them. We do for solid
waste, for example. We do for regional parks.
And I think that's where when we look at the CIE, when we look
at the different populations, you know, that's where the percentages
are applied differently . Well, they're applied the same but to different
numbered populations. And I think that's where it comes into play.
When I looked at the seasonal population, for example, for the county
countywide, which was the 23.8 percent, and then when you looked at
the numbers for the cities of Marco Island and Naples, it was very
apparent how skewed, you know, the countywide percentage was as a
result of that.
And that's one of the reasons, you know, you have to take a look
at all the data sets in their entirety when coming up with some type of
seasonal adjustment. Your point's well taken. The board brought up
the same point, you know, why are we looking at the cities of Naples
and Marco Island with regard to providing certain services when they
provide their own? And they asked us to take those -- you know, to
not apply those percentages to the county as a whole with regard to
those services.
At the same time, they made a point with regard to solid waste,
please make sure that you do.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: In regards to the City of Naples and
Marco, do we get to see their EAR? Because I had asked at the last,
well, I don't know, two meetings ago, pursuant to 9J-5, there were
other studies available from other municipalities. And 9J-5 clearly
said that all you had to do was ask DCA for them and they would give
them to you. I haven't seen any of those. So did we not ask?
MR. COHEN: We're supposed to be provided with a copy as a
neighboring jurisdiction by anyone that does their EAR, as well as
with compo plan amendments. We never have received an EAR from
the City of Naples. The last I knew was that they were working on
their EAR, okay.
Page 140
January 4, 2007
So I haven't seen it. I know they had a transition in their staff.
And we provided them with a copy. It's fairly typical as a commenting
agency, which we are with regard to their EAR, any of their compo
plan amendments, they're required to provide it to us. DCA, in my
conversations with them, I don't recall them saying whether or not the
status of their -- what the status is of Naples' EAR. All I can tell you
is that I got a listing from DCA of who was delinquent and who was
not with regard to the EARs, and Naples wasn't on the list.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: We had requested that you obtain the
methodology for the neighboring municipalities. And we actually
talked about Lee and Charlotte and the other counties. I still haven't
seen any of that. Did we not get that?
MR. COHEN: We actually had conversations with -- and I
discussed this with you at the last meeting on population. The
discussions with Lee County with regard to their population
methodology, I spoke with Paul O'Connor, who's their planning
director and asked them about their permanent population calculations
and actually how they use the seasonal adjustment rate. And in
particular with respect to certain facilities, one being recreation and
open space, the other one being potable water and sewer.
Lee County's methodology for using seasonal population for
community parks and regional parks, they do not have a seasonal
adjustment whatsoever. They provide parks just based on permanent
population. For water and sewer, they have a very limited amount of
service that they provide as a governmental entity. They almost have
all private utilities, in talking with Mr. O'Connor.
And their water/sewer districts pretty much include certain
planning communities and track data, so they have certain figures for
those private utilities, but it's not a publicly-provided service. So it
really differs a lot from Collier County. When I spoke with Sarasota
County -- excuse me, when I had one of my staff speak with Sarasota
County, what they use is a seasonal adjustment factor of 18 percent.
Page 141
January 4, 2007
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The reference in 9J-5 to the fact that we
could request the population methodologies for other jurisdictions, we
didn't follow up and do that?
MR. COHEN: What I can tell you is there's no data and analysis,
okay, behind the methodologies that exists.
So when you ask me did we follow up on it, yes, we did. They
gave us their numbers. But was there any data and analysis to support
it because it's a very old methodology? The answer is no.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So how does DCA understand what
they're doing?
MR. COHEN: Well, what I can tell you is, and when I spoke
with Mr. O'Connor -- because they're not at the stage that we're at--
that he anticipated they were probably going to undergo the same type
of scrutiny that we're undergoing right now.
So do they understand the methodology and rationale? Probably
not. Was it approved in the past just like ours was in 2003? Yes, it
was, with little scrutiny.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Any other questions on the
population methodology that's in front of us right now?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I have a question.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Murray?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: In this document here, Florida
BEBR, on the second page, third paragraph down.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Your mic. is turned away.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Oh. Thank you. I'll go again.
Page 2 of that document, third paragraph down, it says projections of
foreign immigration were also based on data from census 2000.
A question was raised this morning with regard to whether legal
and illegal immigration were considered. And I wonder, is this --
would you know, is this immigration strictly legal? I would assume
so.
MR. COHEN: It would be legal, Mr. Murray.
Page 142
January 4, 2007
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Yeah, that's what I assumed.
Okay, so we would not realistically know. And that's why in this
country we don't know whether we have seven million or 20 million
illegals.
MR. COHEN : We would not be able to address the question that
Mr. Midney asked earlier today.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Okay. I wanted just to have that
clear for myself. And that was it for me on that. This is -- looking at
your chart here, it is really quite interesting. I'm not sure yet what
numbers we should be picking in any event.
It would look like, if we gave it a second thought, which is what
we're doing, we're going to go lower than what has been in the past
where we're using the BEBR high.
MR. COHEN: I think the direction obviously from DCA is that
we should be using from a permanent population perspective the
medium BEBR numbers. The question then becomes what do we do
from a seasonal perspective, and that's based on your
recommendations to the board, based on the analysis and the numbers
that we provided to you.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Are we coming down? I'm not
really clear on this, that's why I'm asking. Are we coming down in
terms of our numbers? It would appear from the conversations that
the numbers are coming down from original calculations.
MR. COHEN: If you look at the chart, which is the second page,
and if you look at the year of2011, I guess that's probably a good year
to look at. If you were using the 20 percent seasonal adjustment, your
number would be approximately 5,000 less than the old methodology
that was in place, which was the weighted population.
And as you go on out further into the horizon years, the numbers
started getting farther and farther apart because the BEBR high
numbers obviously grossly overestimated what our growth would be.
So from that five-year increment out, definitely coming down. In
Page 143
January 4, 2007
the first five years, the numbers are relatively close to what exists
today.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: So what I'm gathering out of this
is that the questions having been asked here, we now -- and between
DCA saying let's go to the medium, it's a more realistic number, but
the real juice is I think found in the fact that we're zeroing in a lot
more effectively on the peak population question. And that seems to
be coming down as well.
MR. COHEN: I think we -- well, the old methodology was
flawed from the standpoint because it didn't really take into account
the 33 percent factor. It had a formula which was kind of odd in its
own way.
But I think what we've done is we've tried to take a realistic look
at the permanent population as well as the seasonal population using
that base year 2000 census and coming up with something that's more
realistic based on our current growth.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: My comment is simply that
although this was very tedious for all of us, I think it was an exercise
that was very good to do, important to do and will benefit us in the
long term by bringing us to a more realistic number for our planning
purposes.
MR. COHEN: And I'd like to point out, it's really important
from a long-term horizon. Especially in an area like solid waste.
Because as you see that number being lower, when you apply that to
your capital improvements element, what that's going to show is that
you actually have extra capacity at your landfill. That's an example.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, Mr. Midney?
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Yeah, getting back to the quote,
unquote, legal and illegal thing, do you -- these data are supposedly
based on U.S. census data. And as a volunteer census worker in 2000,
we were instructed that we had to count everybody, didn't matter what
their legal status was.
Page 144
January 4, 2007
So that's confusing to me, because my understanding is that we're
looking for population, we're not making that distinction.
But you said that it's -- we're only counting legal people?
MR. COHEN: That was my understanding in my conversations
with BEBR. But I can obviously contact them again and clarify it.
But that's my understanding, yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Any other questions on the population
methodology?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Randy, there's two other
documents we need to plow through today. One is the ORC Report
and the other is the staff report. I'd like to get through the ORC Report
so we can have everything on the table and done with for discussion
so when we get into the staff report we can just finalize our
discussions.
MR. COHEN: I think with that probably David ought to join us
up here as well, and I'll take my seat back at the other side and we'll
see if we can do this all in tandem.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Paul, this is the report that you had
brought your question up, so that we can get into that as we move in to
the --
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: The staffreport is first, though?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No, no, the ORC Report.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: ORC Report is first.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right. David, would it be easiest if we
just went through the document and asked what questions we had as
we made notes on pages, or do you feel like you want to do a
presentation of some kind?
MR. WEEKS: The former.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Then let's start. We're all on the
same page. This is the ORC Report. It has a black planner across the
top that says 7/28/06 ORC Report, Collier County Response. Most of
Page 145
January 4, 2007
what is pertinent in here is the highlighted sections. The first section
of that occurs on Page 4 and actually comes into play for Mr.
Midney's question from an earlier point.
And I think, David, Paul was questioning the change from 20
percent overall county, not excluding or treating Immokalee
differently. So I guess he was looking for an explanation as how that
works for Immokalee.
Is that a fair statement?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: David looks at Corby, now he's going to
look over at Randy, Randy's going to look at Margie.
MR. COHEN: I think the appropriate thing to do would be to
remove the words excluding Immokalee from that provision. I think
the provisions for determining countywide population do apply across
the board.
And as I explained earlier, in providing capital facilities we
looked at population based on where the actual growth is transpiring.
So I think that would be appropriate to remove the excluding
Immokalee from that provision.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: If I'm not mistaken, the 20 percent that
you guys are dealing with is the median across the county. Because I
know Golden Gate has like a four percent vacancy rate. The
population on the coast is much higher. Immokalee will have even a
different one.
So by the time you take out all those vacancy different rates and
average them together, 20 percent across the county picks up
everything that used to be there, including the higher peak rate for the
farm season in Immokalee. Is that a fair statement?
MR. SCHMIDT: It is.
MR. COHEN: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I think that's what I was trying to get the
point, Paul, is that instead of pegging a number, the 20 percent as an
average across the county brings everything into the same realm.
Page 146
January 4, 2007
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Well, I think that you shouldn't
strike out except Immokalee. You should have -- you should leave it
in that says except Immokalee to reflect the increase of part-time
seasonal residents. Because Immokalee is different.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So is Golden Gate. So is Vanderbilt
Beach. So is East Naples. Every one has a different population.
That's why they averaged them together to come up with 20 percent
countywide.
So if you exclude one, you've got to exclude them all and do
separate percentages for every single CDM -- CDP for the county.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Well, I think it's a question of
magnitude really. Because Immokalee's -- you know, where the
average of the other areas of the county is maybe around 20 percent,
Immokalee's is at least 60 percent.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Paul, that's not true. Golden Gate is not
20 percent. I've got the CPD from Golden Gate in this packet. If you
give me a minute, I'll find it for you. But it's below five percent.
So I understand what you're trying to do, and you're -- it's good
you're doing it. But the point is that some areas are going to have far,
far less. And when you take the ones that are extreme and you
average them with the less, if you use a percentage across the board
that's been justified by the staffs studies, that's what they're saying
comes up, the 20 percent.
Now, if I'm wrong, fellows, tell me.
COMMISSIONER SCHIPPER: Paul, just so you're not
concerned, what it was in the old methodology they would take out
Immokalee and just add 15,000 to that and then use some other
method. So this is changing the methodology.
So what they're saying is rather than exempt Immokalee and then
add it back in later, it's just going to be 20 percent across the board,
including Immokalee.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: I don't know, wouldn't it be more
Page 147
January 4, 2007
accurate to have the 15,000 people in Immokalee?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: That's figured in. It's not like
that's going away.
MR. COHEN: It's calculated in with the percentage. The
problem is, is with that 15,000 number -- and DCA came back with a
comment, you know, what's the justification for the 15,000. And
those numbers continue to change on a regular basis. Probably
agricultural has a downward trend that that seasonal population would
decrease. So rather than going with an exception for Immokalee, it
was probably more appropriate to take a look at the block data and
also the census point data countywide and take a look at that from the
perspective of what is those seasonal rates and then coming up with a
figure that would apply countywide. And that's what Commissioner
Strain was eluding to. We have a differentiation countywide. Golden
Gate I think was four percent.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN : It was four percent, yeah, I just checked.
MR. COHEN: Naples I think was in the 30-something percent
range. Marco Island was over 50 percent.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's correct.
MR. COHEN: So we're looking at numbers that go all the way
across the board.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Well, let me just make a
comment about Immokalee, since we're on the subject. I spoke to Dr.
Fritz Roka, who is the agricultural economist with IF AS at the
University of Florida center in Immokalee about that, because I was
wondering why the change. And he said that there has been no
decrease in the amount of agricultural acreage. I asked him about the
Ave Maria and the acreage that has been or will be taken out of
production there, and he said it's already been replanted somewhere
else.
And I also asked him if farmworker housing has moved out of
the area, maybe to LaBelle or to Hendry County. He said, no, there
Page 148
January 4, 2007
really hasn't been any increase in farm worker housing in the other
areas.
So -- I also asked about -- let's see, I guess that just about covers
everything.
Basically there hasn't been any decrease in the amount of
farmworkers in the Immokalee area.
MR. COHEN: And I don't think the existing methodology as
proposed is discounting any changes in the population that would
occur in Immokalee. The intent behind that is to have a static, you
know, across-the-board population countywide population
methodology.
And then when the board sees, as well as this body as a
recommendary (sic) body does, they see certain needs that occur
based on population growth or trends, you would recommend where
certain capital infrastructure should go as part of your AUIR process
in conjunction with your staffs, based on that population growth. And
we all know a lot of that growth is going to occur out east.
So if that occurs, then you'll make those recommendations based
on those trends.
So the key is making sure that we adequately address our
permanent population; at the same time make sure that we
appropriately address our peak seasonal population at the same time.
And that's what the methodology with the 20 percent seasonal
adjustment tends to do.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Just one more comment with
regard to housing. Usually when you talk about seasonal housing it's
people who are coming down for vacation or for recreation or tourism
to Collier County. In the Immokalee area the seasonal housing is
talking about homes where people need to live. And they're almost
uniformly low-income housing.
And so I think that that needs to be taken into account when you
get into the housing element.
Page 149
January 4,2007
MR. COHEN: I think if you look at the definition based on the
census -- and David, correct me if I'm wrong -- when we looked at
what a seasonal unit is, if it's occupied for, I guess it's a minimum of
one week and less than a certain amount of time, it qualifies as a
seasonal unit as long as it's not for permanent residency.
So it takes into account those units in Immokalee, as well as that
broad spectrum as to somebody that may come down here for six or
seven months of the year.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: We're on Page 4. Is there any other
questions from the markups on Page 4?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Randy, I have one. It involves the
paragraph after the one that Paul had a question on. Actually, it's the
last sentence of that paragraph and continues to that next paragraph.
It says peak population calculations will no longer be used. Seasonal
population projections will be uniformly used consistent with state
law. Then I think it jumps down to for calculating the need for
regional parks, solid waste, potable water, sanitary sewer and drainage
facilities.
Is that how it reads?
MR. SCHMIDT: It is. It's meant to close up those two
paragraphs and make one longer one.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: My question is, we had asked during the
AUIR that the departments look at other methods of calculating their
needs and levels of service.
I'm going back to the same argument I had earlier today. This
doesn't appear to allow that flexibility. And the reason I'm concerned
is the utility department doesn't build the sewer and water plants based
on seasonal occupation -- use of units, or seasonally occupied units. It
builds it based on housing units and COs, and COs of infrastructure,
meaning hotels, COs of commercial buildings and COs of residential
buildings. Every time you want a building permit you have to go in
Page 150
January 4, 2007
and they have to acknowledge they have the capacity. And with that
acknowledgement, they build the capacity.
So why do we need to calculate their needs based on population
if their needs are based on actual on-the-ground construction? And
that's what we asked them to explore as an alternative.
Now, they haven't gotten back to us yet and I don't expect they
would for some time. But I don't want this to lock us out of being able
to look at a better alternative for their connections, because their
connections are locked in by permits. They're not going to have a
change of the number of permits they issue based on seasonal. A hotel
is there whether it's occupied or not, and they've got capacity for it
whether it's occupied or not.
MR. COHEN: Commissioner, your point is well taken. As most
of you are well aware, that was one of the recommendations that came
from this body as well as the productivity committee as part of the
AUIR. The AUIR will be considered by the Board of County
Commissioners on January the 24th. In that, obviously, your report, as
well as the report from the productivity committee is going forward to
the Board of County Commissioners where we are asking them for
direction with regard to looking at alternative methods of looking at
different levels of service, based on your recommendation.
If -- you know, and my -- what I would anticipate is they're going
to provide us with that direction. And what would transpire then is
that as part of your next AUIR process, we would probably have a
meeting after the AUIR by the board as a group of staff to formulate
how to go about coming up with different alternative methodologies
for you to consider as part of the AUIR.
And also whether or not they work or not. I think you need to
know whether or not what works for, say, EMS, whether it be a time,
distance type of study; what works with potable water, does it need to
be based on population or do you need to use the ERCs, whatever the
case may be? And those are the items that you wanted us to take a
Page 151
January 4, 2007
look at.
Right now obviously we're tied into this existing population
methodology. Are we bound by it? As the county attorney opined
earlier, when we go through the AUIR process that can form the
foundation again for changes to the CIE in upcoming years as you
deem necessary and recommend accordingly. And that's the route that
we would prefer to go at this time.
And I would anticipate in the future you're going to revisit the
AUIR and the CIE and make recommendations in some areas to
change the level of service based on some different methodology.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, Margie, you'll be probably sitting
in that seat when the next AUIR comes up.
So I want to ask you the question: Will this language lock us into
this particular methodology, or will we have the flexibility to look at a
new and utilize a new system --
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Mark--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- than the ones introduced?
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: -- what I'm going to do, I'm going
to get the minutes from the prior meeting, and I would -- and based on
what was asked today, and I'm going to try and put it all together and
explain it so we're clear and consistent.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. But I guess -- well, then we
aren't --
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: And I hopefully will be sitting here
and we'll pick it up again.
(Telephone ringing.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It's probably a security guard. In the
next paragraph it reads, the unincorporated area seasonal population is
the seasonal population figure described above for unincorporated
Collier County only, adjusted to represent how seasonal residents
utilize certain park facilities differently.
Well, how do you do that? What statistic do you have that's
Page 152
January 4, 2007
going to give you that kind of information? Because I haven't heard it
during the whole AUIR, and it would have been nice to know.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I think it's called Quigi Board.
MR. SCHMIDT: That may be one of the methods used.
But seriously, I believe Amanda Townsend did address that at a
previous AUIR hearing. And the language here is not proposed for
change from previous versions, because her explanation was simply
that the seasonal population uses parks differently. They use parks
more locally when they visit, they use the community parks
differently, the regional parks differently. And this was the one item
the community parks set off from the others in the characteristics of
the use.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, Corby, my question was not so
much saying that that's wrong. I'm just curious, if you've got that kind
of statistic that tells you that, can we see it? The reason, because it's a
valuable statistic. If you know specifically how these parks are utilized
by the seasonal population, that's going to have a good impact on
justifying how many units, what parks we need to increase for that
season. I'd like to see that statistic. That's the only reason I pointed it
out. You reference it, so if you have it, it would be handy.
Page 5, there's a lot of yellow cross-outs. Are there any questions
on Page 5?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Page 6, there's a change in the last--
bottom of the page.
Page 7, we have a series of cross-outs and referencing the new
methodol -- basically crossing out the old references to the population
methodology. It carries over on Page 8, correcting the methodology
agaIn.
Page 9, regarding the utilities service master plan, mostly
cross-outs and corrections.
MR. SCHMIDT: Excuse me, Mr. Chairman.
Page 153
January 4, 2007
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes, sir.
MR. SCHMIDT: A point, returning to Page 8, about a third--
Page 8. This may be stated on other pages, but this is the language for
adoption proposed.
In the entry for seasonal population, about a third of the way
down, it now reads seasonal population is the BEBR population figure
converted to its October 1 figure increased by 20 percent for all areas
of the county to reflect the increase of seasonal part-time residents and
visitors based on the 2000 U.S. Bureau of Census occupancy-vacancy
data, gasoline tax, gasoline sales data, retail sales data and hotel-motel
occupancy rates.
That finishing phrase in the second half of that entry is no longer
necessary, because those individual criteria, the occupancy-vacancy
data, the gasoline data and so forth, are no longer used in what you
just talked about for the last hour.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So you want to cross that language out?
MR. SCHMIDT: From based to the end, yeah, right.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Anybody have any concerns with that?
Does that work for you, Corby?
MR. SCHMIDT: It does.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: We left off on Page 10, correction to
eliminate the essential sewer service area, because it isn't existing. The
rest of the pages have not been changed all the way up to Page 14.
There's a reference to an addition to some text.
Now, this is just the ORC Report. It is not the staff report. So
we're just reviewing the ORC Report at this point. Page 16, there's a
small deletion. There's a revision on Page 20, referencing, yes, the
population methodology. Page 21, there's a correction on the last
paragraph.
MR. SCHMIDT: Mr. Chairman?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes, sir.
MR. SCHMIDT: The highlighted portion of Page 21 is actually
Page 154
January 4, 2007
a staff note to self and not part of text.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's not an addition?
MR. SCHMIDT: That's correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Page 24. Are you including that
methodology report, I guess, with this document or something to
DCA?
MR. SCHMIDT: A few pages back where you had a large
section of a single page crossed out, the new methodology explanation
will replace that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Page 25 and 26 refer for the
most part to the affordable housing issues, a lot of which we discussed
with Cormac this morning. And Page 27 as well.
Are there any questions for any of that?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Page 28 brings into play the issues
involving the parks and rec. department in regards to their levels of
service. There's some cross-outs on weighted population. Except on
C-1, you left weighted in after the last word of that sentence.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Mine's crossed out.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: On Page 28.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Oh, that's on 29 on mine it's
crossed out.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Let's get one at a time. Let's let Corby
look at it and then Mr. Adelstein, you can bring up your question.
Corby, on Page 28, C-1, the very last word is parentheses
weighted, underlined.
MR. SCHMIDT: It should show that way in that portion where
that was the language transmitted the first time to DCA.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
Mr. Adelstein?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Twenty-seven, Policy 1.5.
Collier County shall maintain an inventory of affordable workforce
Page 155
January 4, 2007
housing.
Are we talking about those that are being applied to or those that
are being built or are being built? Because I can't get a number. I've
tried that to see how many affordable housing units have actually been
built.
F or example, go back the last year. The amount of those that
were applied for and were acceptable and those that were being built
were substantially different numbers.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Adelstein, the document that was
passed out this morning provides all that information. There is your
contributions and this is your inventory. This is what we discussed
when Cormac was here this morning.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Okay. But this is from now
or is this going back --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: This goes back to the year 2000.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Fine. Then I have it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes, sir, Mr. Murray?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Page 29 on mine is the one that
has it crossed out. I've been following up to this point but you and I
departed at that point. The weighted average was crossed out.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mine is too. It was on Page 28, the one
that is not crossed out.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I couldn't find that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It's not highlighted. It's up in C-1,
towards the middle of the page.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Here it is, got it. Thank you.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: You're still on 28? Are you still
there?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: On C, it just says the 179 and 270,
both numbers there.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right. Well, that's the numbers that
Page 156
January 4, 2007
we've got problems with on the other document that we brought up.
MR. SCHMIDT: I see where you mean that, though.
COMMISSIONER CARON: One should be crossed out.
MR. SCHMIDT: So noted.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, on Page 29 we just discussed the
one cross-out there. The next change is on Page 32. Similar one on
page -- same change on page 33, and it's all referencing the population
methodology. There's some changes on Page 35 involving preserve
areas.
David or Corby, my question on the preserve areas that are listed
on Page 35, 9(A) references the word rarity. I thought we had -- we
may have asked this question before. Is rarity the right word? Is that
what --
MR. SCHMIDT: The question was asked and answered
previously. It was explained I believe by Mr. Lorenz as to what was
intended to be meant by that term. And it was at least understood.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And they're going to define that in the
LDC, I believe.
MR. SCHMIDT: That's correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Page 36. Page 37.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I have a question.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Go ahead, Mr. Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: This seems like a pretty
ambitious goal is that we're going to have everybody in a safe refuge
prior to the arrival of the storm. How are we going to do that? We're
going to build refuges for 300,000 people?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, I think that dovetails with another
question. Mr. Schiffer's at the right point. It talks about refuges, yet
we're referring everything else to shelters. You don't want people
evacuating to a refuge, don't you want them heading to a shelter?
There is a big different between the two by Florida Statute.
MR. SCHMIDT: And I believe this may be the only remaining
Page 157
January 4, 2007
place where refuge was missed in the first time around of changes.
You'll notice in here the remaining portion of the document, it has
been changed.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So the refuge should be shelter, but then
that even makes Mr. Schiffer's question more relevant. I guess it's the
school system that we would be relying upon for shelters for the most
part.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Depending on the extent of the
storm, maybe a small one, Category 1, we could do. Two we're going
to start getting in trouble. Three -- I mean, first of all, people are
going to head out of town, probably.
So what does that sentence actually mean?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Well, it doesn't say all residents
or all visitors.
MR. SCHMIDT: This is apparently the language proposed by
the staff who handles this portion of it. My understanding of the
shelter system and the way it works is people from different kinds of
housing head to different kinds of shelters.
MR. COHEN: Let me go ahead and try to address that a little bit
more, because Mr. Summers' department provided that particular
language.
And I think the intent behind that is, one, to address their
statutory mandates as required by the state with respect to emergency
operations when we have a storm of that nature. And that's why that
language reads the way it does. Mr. Schiffer's point is that it's, I guess,
aspirational in some respects. Maybe it is, but it's the requirement that
needs to be there.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ms. Caron?
COMMISSIONER CARON: Then perhaps that's why the word
refuge was in there and not shelter. And perhaps we should just
double check that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, I just --
Page 158
January 4, 2007
COMMISSIONER CARON: Because having someone in an
appropriate refuge could mean sending them out of town, you know,
as opposed to a shelter, which the county would have to build and
temporarily house people.
And so perhaps the wise move is to double check with Mr.
Summers and his crew on the actual language.
MR. COHEN: What we can do is we will check with Mr.
Summers, and whatever language that he deems appropriate we can
incorporate in there based on the recommendation of this body.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Move on to page -- next change
is Page 39. This refers to a density bonus provision referencing
affordable, and shall be defined in Chapter 420.
Does that match the fact that we consider affordable up to 150
percent of medium income? Because if it doesn't, because we do have
a matrix that gives density bonuses, I believe, for what's called gap
housing, which is a higher level of what we now look at as affordable
housing. Does anybody know?
MR. SCHMIDT: Mr. Chairman, my understanding of the
insertion of the as defined by Chapter was to simply distinguish what
statutorily is affordable housing from what in Collier County we've
introduced as workforce housing. So the two would not cross lines or
be confused.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: This says you basically -- is that
defining when you get a density bonus? As used in this density bonus
provision the term affordable shall be as defined in Chapter 420.
Does that mean it's limiting to that definition? Because if it's
different than the definition we have, it could have an impact.
MR. SCHMIDT: It is not a limiting factor.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Are you saying --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Interesting.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Are you saying that we give
Page 159
January 4, 2007
density bonuses now for gap housing?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's what that matrix table does.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I'm trying to visualize the table.
But it doesn't under the -- I guess where my question is really rooted
in the federal and state system that doesn't recognize the gap. So I was
wondering whether or not you want to also include that matrix in there
or whether this does the job. You raised the question and I saw what
you were going after.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Midney? No?
The next question is on -- the next mark-up is it. That's the last
mark-up in the book, or last highlight in the book. That really wraps
up the ORC Report.
Anybody else have any questions on the ORC Report?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Does staff need anything from us other
than our review like we just did, or are you looking for -- you're just
sending that out to DCA, right? You're looking puzzled.
MR. COHEN: Well, what's going to transpire obviously is we're
going to incorporate your recommendations into a staff report to the
Board of County Commissioners. And obviously if there's any
difference between what this board recommends and what the staff
does, we'll point out what our differences are. But your document will
go to the Board of County Commissioners.
So what we're going to need from you is action on each
individual element which incorporates the changes that you want at
the appropriate time, which would be near the end.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, I was only talking about the ORC
Report.
MR. COHEN: I think the ORC Report, as it pertains to each
element, those changes that are in there, if you concur with that, then
what I would say is that you make a motion to incorporate those into
the elements and then we'll deal with each one of those elements at the
Page 160
January 4, 2007
end of the meeting.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, let's go through the staffreport
then and move through that. Then we'll see where we agree or
disagree. The staff report is the second document received. It's the
one with the chartreuse, pink, magenta, you name it, whatever Corby's
favorite color is. That's the one that Brad was talking about earlier.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Mr. Chairman?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Regarding those colors too on
those graphs that we had, I think white and yellow ought to be deleted,
because you can't read the numbers or follow the lines.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I think overall we'll try to have more
readable graphs and charts and colors when we come to -- you guys
really think about the colors before you send them to us.
Let's start, if you don't mind, unless staff has a better idea. You
just want to go page by page?
MR. WEEKS: Please.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That seems to work. The changes on--
all the pages in front of us. So let's start with Page 2. Are there any
questions on the changes on Page 2, which mostly center around the
population issue?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, Page 3, utility issues?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Page 4, we start to get into the housing
issue we spoke to Cormac about earlier. We did recommend some
changes on that. Policy 1.4, for example, after the density by right, it
would be where applicable.
MR. SCHMIDT: That's correct.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Mark?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes, sir, Mr. Midney.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: I have a question, going back to
Page 161
January 4, 2007
Page 3.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Sure.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: We talked about the ability of
changing level of service standards. And I see here that in the Collier
County sewer facilities, they've changed some of the level of service
standards, so it's obviously something that can be done. It's the
question of who decides to do it and how do you get it to that point.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It's timing mostly. That was what my
concern was, was timing.
And as far as how it gets changed, staffs probably going to
recommend something that they'll spend hours backing up that we will
only have a few minutes to understand. So we're not going to
challenge it too much.
But I think it's the timing of it. If something needs to be done,
can we do it without having to wait for the CIE to be amended? And I
think they've answered that question earlier today, if that's what you're
getting at.
Anything else on three?
(N 0 response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: On four?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Other than the change you mentioned,
Page 5? We talked about rewording policy 2.1 concerning the
reference to the Collier County Housing Development Corporation.
MR. SCHMIDT: So noted.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Now, Policy 1.1.1 involves the statistics
for the acres of community park and regional park that are going to be
entered in for level of service. I want to -- and Margie, you're telling
us that those numbers don't need to be used in the upcoming AUIR; is
that a fair statement?
MS. STUDENT -STIRLING: I'm saying that the level that --
maybe I misunderstood the question, but the purpose of the AUIR is to
Page 162
January 4, 2007
see if you're meeting your levels of service. And then if there's a
problem meeting them, based on the facilities that you have in the
inventory and all the rest of it, you can lower the level of service, you
can throw more money at it, and there's options that you have to do.
So I'm saying based on what you learn in the AUIR, you can then
amend the plan to lower level of service or raise it or whatever you
need to do.
But the AUIR is the basis, generally speaking, for what you later
do in amendments to the capital improvement element. And that
serves as the data and the rationale to do it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Margie, for the upcoming AUIR that
we're going to probably receive in August, do these numbers under
Policy 1.1.1.A, Band C, are we locked into using those -- seeing those
numbers used into the AUIR?
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: I think staff will use these numbers
to show you whether we're meeting it or not. But what I'm trying to
say is after you look at the AUIR, if there's a problem you don't have
to keep these numbers in the CIE forever. The CIE can be amended to
change them, based on the A UIR.
But yes, I think these numbers -- and I don't put together the
AUIR, but I think these numbers would have to be looked at as part of
the AUIR to see if you're meeting your standard. And then if you're
not meeting your standard, you can throw more money at it to meet it
or you can lower the level of service standard. But you would do that
in a later plan amendment.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, let me ask--
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: I'm trying to understand what
you're getting at.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Let me ask the question again. We have
an upcoming AUIR.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Right.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: In that AUIR, parks and rec. will be
Page 163
January 4, 2007
calculating their needs. Do they have to use the numbers stated in
Policy 1.1.1.A, B, C as stated here in front of --
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Yes, I think they look at those
numbers.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I didn't ask you if they have to look at
them. I can look at them right now. I'm saying do they have to use
them in their calculations?
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Yes, because that's the baseline.
And then from there, you go to see if you need to change them, which
is what I said earlier today.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. If they have to use these in the
AUIR and we don't agree or the board actually doesn't agree through
some kind of process that the basis for these numbers is justified, can
they then change the AUIR in August, or whenever it gets to them for
that upcoming year that would be different than the numbers in this
policy?
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Well, I think you have--
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Yes or no.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: God, it's so hard to get an answer here.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Well, it's complicated, and I don't
prepare the A UIR myself.
But the way I understand that it works is that they use this basis
in the AUIR. I don't think they change the level of service in the
AUIR. You change the level of service later in the amendment to the
plan. Because the AUIR is only the data to do it.
MR. COHEN: Mr. Chairman, let me see if I can help out a little
bit here. Your direction to us and also as a recommendation to the
Board of County Commissioners as part of the AUIR is to take a look
at alternative methods of looking at different levels of service.
I think probably it could be taken a step further, and that's from
the standpoint of can you justify the existing level of service as it's set
forth in the CIE? What's the basis for this particular number, which
Page 164
January 4, 2007
hasn't probably been looked at in over 10 years. And I think that's the
point that he's getting at.
I think the Board of County Commissioners as part of the AUIR
this year could direct the staff to do just that, as the justification for
that number and to provide the basis for that in the upcoming AUIR
which we provide --
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Yeah, then you amend the plan--
MR. COHEN: Then the data analysis for the CIE. And then I
think that would be the appropriate way to do it.
So I think the answer to Margie's question probably is yes, but
the staff needs to be directed to one, take a look at the existing
methodologies, which were justified probably 10, 12, I don't know,
maybe even in the '87 plan, '89 plan, and make sure that they're
actually up to date. And if they're not, then adjust them accordingly.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: And say okay, here's the problem,
we need to fix it and then you amend the plan after the AUIR to fix it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So the AUIR coming up, staff comes
forward, does the calculations based on 1.2882. After--
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Yeah, and then they--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Margie, don't interrupt me, please. We
have a court reporter who's trying to take notes. One at a time.
After they come forward with that, we go through a long
dissertation on whether or not that's relevant or not. We find out that
1.6 should be used instead. Can the AUIR then be immediately
amended at that point in time using 1.6 as the level of service to
placate the following year's needs?
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: But you need to--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Just yes or no.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: -- then amend the plan as well,
after the A UIR.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I hate to ask this, but can I just get a yes
or a no?
Page 165
January 4, 2007
So no, we cannot then change the AUIR with that new numeric
until this plan then is reamended.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: You can change the AUIR with
direction to later -- to then amend the CIE to make it consistent with
the AUIR as a basis for the amendment to the CIE.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. So these numbers can be
changed then in the AUIR. Wow, took a bit to get there, but I think we
finally did.
Are there any other questions on Page 5?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Can I ask a question about what
we're discussing?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Absolutely. Go ahead.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: We have a meeting in February
to look at the -- at least I thought we were, can't find it -- to look at the
CIE. Wouldn't we do that then?
MR. COHEN: Mr. Schiffer, let me help you out with that a little
bit. The original CIE meeting for you, you should have gotten a new
schedule today. It should have been taken off of there. The CIE, was
it crossed off of there?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It's not even on -- there's no CIE
meeting referenced in here.
MR. COHEN: It should have been removed. And the rationale
for that was because the 2006 AUIR was based on the old
methodology. It would be pretty much useless to send forward a CIE
based on last year's A UIR to DCA to review that would conflict with
the population methodology that was in the EAR-based amendments.
So that meeting is not going to transpire, and I briefed the board
on that when I provided them with the population methodology and
will be very deliberate with them in the AUIR as well that they're not
going to see a CIE this year.
But I think it would be appropriate, you know, from this board at
this time, okay, as we go forward with the EAR-based amendments
Page 166
January 4, 2007
that you would like to see the level of service standards both in the --
in the CIE addressed at the AUIR level. You can make that as a
recommendation. We could include that as a staff report. Because it
obviously provides the foundation for the CIE in upcoming years. We
can do that on an annual basis, obviously.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And we just got acknowledgement from
the county attorney that it can be done, so we will look forward to
doing that.
Cherie', what time do you have a switch-over coming, or do you?
THE COURT REPORTER: I don't.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: We'll take a break here in a couple of
minutes. We'll hopefully finish up shortly after that. Page 6.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: The question I have is that what
does it mean that -- it's the start of the first large magenta block -- if
applicable, the boundary of a natural wetland flowway or slough shall
reflect elevated surface water elevations caused by surrounding
development? How will that be figured out? Through historic data or
through prediction?
MR. SCHMIDT: I'm sorry?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I mean, through historic data
from flooding or through prediction or how will that be -- what does
that really mean?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Before you answer, you might want to
consider the fact that that seems to indicate that you are allowed then
to raise the water elevations on someone else's property by diversion
of the water that was coming from your property. And if that's the
case, I don't know how we can do that.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: That's prediction.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But see, that's the issue that I think
Golden Gate Estates is partly suffering for because no one predicted
that and allowed it to happen. And now we have flooded homes out
there. Mr. Wiley was here earlier. He left. He was probably the one
Page 167
January 4, 2007
that could answer this, I bet.
MR. SCHMIDT: I'm sure.
MR. WEEKS: My comment was simply going to be that I know
this is something that was discussed quite a bit at one of your previous
meetings. I know Mr. Wiley was involved in coming up with this
language that you see here.
MR. COHEN: And I think the caveat that's on there, the
applicable is there for an obvious reason.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But see, it seems like by consenting that
-- by acknowledging that such a thing can occur and may occur is
almost giving it permission to occur. And I thought that that was not
what we were not trying to do with our water management system.
You're not allowed to dump water on your neighboring properties.
That's what every project in here is supposedly not doing. I'm just
worried this might open the door to something negative if it's not
explained properly.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And if the water level is rising
by historical data, then obviously that map would change. But this
looks like you're predicting development has caused a rise.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I'll tell you what, it's 2:45. You could
call Mr. Wiley, get an -- if there's an explanation or maybe a
strike-out, we can take a IS-minute break and be back here at 3:00.
How does that sound? Okay, we'll take a break until 3:00. Thank you.
(A break was taken.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, everyone, we'll resume our
meeting. We left off on Page 6. Staffwas going to get ahold of Mr.
Wiley concerning the added language in the bright color on the bottom
of Page 6.
Did that happen?
MR. SCHMIDT: It did, Mr. Chairman. And inasmuch as his
discussion helped me to understand it a bit better, his understanding of
the entry is it had been discussed to some extent here. After
Page 168
January 4, 2007
discussion there was a sentence that was added by Mr. Lorenz, or
suggested by Mr. Lorenz.
And because there are no ideal situations out there to be able to
surveyor measure or predict how these things may happen, there's at
least not an easily explainable way to enforce this, or to explain this to
you now.
So I guess what I would suggest is ask Mr. Lorenz to explain
further to you or on to the BCC if there's more explanation necessary.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, sir, I want to get this done today.
We've dragged this thing out for months waiting for responses. I just
assume that that language -- my idea would be to strike it because it's
too ambiguous and we don't know what connotations it has with it.
And if he wants to argue this case in front of the BCC, then more
power to him. Does anybody else --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I agree, Mark, and --
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: So moved.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: -- the sentence before that gives
him what he wants. And that's where you can determine where that
line is, by field investigation, by historical trends, not by predictions.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: There's too many unknown
consequences to that ambiguous language.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Can we strike it?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The board -- anybody here object to the
striking of that sentence?
COMMISSIONER TUFF: No.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No? From at least our perspective and
recommendation, would you show that as being removed?
MR. SCHMIDT: It is.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you. Page 7. This is references
to the geological survey data. Page 8.
Ms. Caron?
COMMISSIONER CARON: Let me just take a look. All right,
Page 169
January 4, 2007
I'm just going to make a comment here. In Policy 6.1.1, within one
year of the effective date of these amendments, the county shall adopt
land development regulations that allow for a process whereby a
property owner may submit a petition requesting that all or a portion
of the native vegetation preservation retention requirement to be
satisfied by a monetary payment. I just have a problem with us
allowing everybody to buy their way out of everything. And I think
this is bad policy. I'd just like to make that comment on the record.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I mean, it's not a bad comment. I'mjust
thinking, to make this a little bit more palatable, where the
highlighting words end where the word "that" is, why don't we just
cross out all or? So that a portion -- so that something has to be
retained. Maybe that would make it a little more acceptable so that we
have some area of green space left in the county in those conditions.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Sounds like a plan.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: What are the thoughts of the panel?
Marj orie?
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: I just -- and staff can correct me if
I'm wrong if they know, but I think we had this situation up by
Immokalee Road where we had a PUD, and then after the PUD came
in, the -- there was a situation where another loop could be built or
something for the interstate. And if the landowner gave up the
preserve area to the state, then they would help us with this facility.
And if Don Scott were here, he could give --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It's the Target you're referring to.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Pardon?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You're referring to the Target project.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Yes, that's correct. And I think
there was actually nothing left. So there could -- I'm just saying there
might be a situation where because of a circumstance like that, there
may be nothing whatsoever left.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Or the applicant could have decided not
Page 1 70
January 4, 2007
to build so much on the property.
COMMISSIONER CARON: There you go. And really, that
becomes the bottom line is do we have to max out every square inch
on every square inch? And I have a problem with it.
MR. WEEKS: I think one of the other concerns -- one of the
concerns, and I think the reason for wanting this language is there's
some instances where the amount of native vegetation is very small
on-site, and from an environmental perspective, habitat value-wise it
may be meaningless.
That is, if you have maybe a third of an acre, a quarter of an acre,
some very small amount that from a standpoint of open space it may
have some value, but from a habitat value standpoint, it simply does
not exist. And in that instance it may be better served -- the county
may be better served by allowing that development to occur, the
clearing of that vegetation, and compensate for it elsewhere.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Then I would go back to Mr.
Strain's suggestion that a portion is probably a better --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But I think what's David's pointed out is
there's a difference between green space or open space and native
vegetation.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Oh, absolutely.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And this doesn't -- that's where the
problem lies with this statement. It doesn't take in the fact that if
you've got native vegetation that can exist -- that cannot exist, instead
of buying it all out as an option, they should be required to keep some
of it as open space.
Now, unfortunately open space has a huge definition.
Mr. Tuff?
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Bruce Anderson had that one where
we -- does this apply to that too, where he had the photos, where what
he had was better than what they had? They were going to remove all
theirs but this was going to be better. Is that reflective of this?
Page 171
January 4,2007
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: That was Estey Avenue they
were talking about.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It was a little different than that. This
would be like -- if you remember the Wal-Mart in North Naples. In
North Naples, that Wal-Mart, if you drive through the parking lot, you
see these pine trees coming up through the road. Well, you look over
the edge, there's an eight-foot wall. And down at the bottom of this
wall is where these pine are rooted to the ground. They were forced to
leave those and build these giant retaining walls around their project.
Now that might be an impractical application for native
vegetation. There probably isn't a thing in the world that's going to
use that successfully. Maybe in that case monetary compensation
would have been good.
But I think where Ms. Caron's coming from is if that extreme
situation does occur, there ought to be some requirement to leave
something. Maybe not native but at least some green space on the
property. Maybe that's -- is that --
COMMISSIONER CARON: I just see it as a -- the statement as
it reads now I just see as wide open. And I think you're going to find a
lot of people in here buying their way out, as opposed to doing what
they should be doing. And I just would like to put some qualifiers on
it.
MR. WEEKS: Well, I point out two things: One thing about the
language, it does say -- and of course you specifically touch on this
point -- all or a portion. Granted, if you take out all of them, that
means there's only the ability for a portion of it, which means there
must be a retention of some portion. And that goes back to my point
where there may be some instances where that just doesn't make
sense.
The second thing I would point out, though, is that the language
is saying that we're going to establish a process in the LDC, there's
going to be a petition process, which means there's going to be some
Page 1 72
January 4, 2007
application that has to be submitted, there's going to be some criteria
established in the LDC.
So it's going to be fleshed out further through an LDC
amendment, which of course this body will see.
COMMISSIONER CARON: And they do further describe that
further down in this paragraph. I mean, I will grant you that. I just --
and that -- maybe it will all work out in the Land Development Code.
I just -- my initial reaction to reading this paragraph is that I just don't
want to leave open-ended opportunities for people to try to get around
things that we really want in this county.
And that's my -- and maybe the end of this paragraph where we
talk about the Land Development Code regulations and the criteria
that they'll be based on, perhaps that suffices to handle everything. If
the board could just take a minute and read it, maybe everybody will
be comfortable with that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I think the least we can do is assure that
when this comes through in the LDC amendments that it's tightened
up to a point we feel comfortable with it that we could correct the
deficiencies there.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Yeah, I'm fine with that. But I will
be watching.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No, you won't. Page 9, references to the
Belle Meade changed and moved. Page 10. This question on Page 10
involves the sheltering -- changing refuge to shelter, which is the right
thing, I would believe. And it references in mobile home parks. Don't
we have a prohibition -- well, I think it says mobile home parks and
subdivisions -- mobile home parks or subdivisions.
My concern there is a lot of subdivisions are in the coastal high
hazard area. If I'm not mistaken, you're not allowed to put a shelter in
a coastal high hazard area, because it encourages people to seek
shelter in the danger zones. Is that correct? Let's put it this way:
When Ken Pineau was in charge of emergency services, he would not
Page 1 73
January 4, 2007
allow shelters in the coastal high hazard. Instead he required
developers to buyout of it and make contributions to other projects
away from the coastal high hazard under the premise that people
seeking shelter should not seek it where the flood waters are certainly
going to come.
Now, based on that and the fact that this references not only
mobile home parks, which can't be put in coastal hazard areas
anymore, I felt comfortable with that. But then it says or subdivision
residences. I'm just wondering if that pertains to more than just
mobile home subdivisions.
MR. WEEKS: No, it does not.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I don't think it's saying that. I
think it's saying mobile home divisions.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's why I'm asking.
MR. WEEKS: That's correct. That was a clarification requested
by the planning commission in the past because of -- it simply said
mobile home parks. And the question came about, well, what about
subdivisions, they're all mobile home subdivisions. In both cases it's
referring to mobile homes.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: I'd just like to point out in a
subsequent sentence it does say mobile home subdivision.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: In one of them it says mobile home park
or subdivision, so I wanted to make sure that it meant just mobile
home subdivisions.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Or is struck out. It's the magenta
problem again.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Mark, I'm seeing and, not or. So
I don't know.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I think what staffs telling us, it's mobile
home parks and mobile home subdivisions. So maybe that
clarification needs to be made.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Because in the fifth line down, if
Page 174
January 4, 2007
you look at the fifth line down, it says -- it starts on the fourth, such
mobile home parks or mobile home subdivisions. And there it has the
qualifier by the subdivisions where it doesn't earlier.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But in the second sentence it refers to
mobile home parks but does not use the word mobile home in front, so
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: I know. And I think it should.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ifwe just clean that up, I think that's
what would be required. Make sure it references mobile home.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And Mark, are we allowed to
build mobile home parks in coastal high hazard areas?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I don't believe so, David.
MR. WEEKS: No. But there are some instances where there's
existing mobile home zoning that is undeveloped. There's no new
mobile home zoning is allowed, but the development of existing
zoning is allowed.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. But if someone in that -- we just
had the Manatee Road issue come up. And there's mobile home
zoning to the south and west of that particular facility, it was pointed
out to us today. If someone comes in for a mobile home park there,
would this require them to put a shelter on that site? Because if it does
I believe that may be in conflict with some other provisions
somewhere else of having a shelter in a coastal high hazard area that is
subject to inundation during a minimum event.
MR. WEEKS: The first answer is yes, this would require that. I
think there's a threshold of, I think it's at 26 -- if they cross a certain
threshold, yes, they would be. And we'll definitely check to see. I
know the CCME and subsequent close to this area objectives and
policies deals with public expenditures for shelters. I'm not sure if
that's the only limitation. Because in this case you're talking about a
privately provided shelter, and that may be viewed differently.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But I remember the discussion I myself
Page 175
January 4, 2007
had with Ken Pineau years ago. And there was something involving --
it's either Florida statues or 9J-5. So you may want to check, because
I'd hate to see our document be in conflict with either one of those.
MR. WEEKS: We'll do that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Anything else on Page 10?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Page 11 doesn't have anything. Page 12
has one word. Page 13. And 14 ends it.
David, when you check on that issue with the coastal hazard,
could someone send some message to us to let us know? I'm curious
as to the result of that.
Okay, I think that brings us to the end of the staff report, the
ORC Report and the methodology for population. What is the staffs--
how do you want to see this finish out?
MR. SCHMIDT: If you'll allow me--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Sure.
MR. SCHMIDT: -- to return to the recreation and open space
element where you've had no action and make a recommendation on
that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is there a recommendation from the
panel on the recreation and open space element?
Mr. Tuff?
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Move to pass.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Move to approve. Is there a second?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Second.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, discussion. I will myselfvote for
the affirmative as well on the condition that we've been -- that's been
expressed to us by the county attorney involving our ability not to
have to follow the guidelines in here and that we can actually utilize
different and some flexible methodology in the AUIR. So that is the
only reason I'm recommending -- I would go along with it.
Ms. Caron?
Page 176
January 4, 2007
COMMISSIONER CARON: Yeah, and I would just like to add
to that, I think we should check with Mr. Schmitt. He may have had
some language. Because I note he specifically said that this language
could be changed to be slightly more generic. And if that's the case,
perhaps that helps everybody in the long run. So I would just request
that before this is final, final, that you double check with Mr. Schmitt.
MR. SCHMIDT: I can do that for you, but I thought our
discussions covered that, knowing that we must show levels of service
in the CIE, and all other elements for levels of service are part of that
element. My note to self, when Mr. Schmitt made that statement, I
told myself to check that state regs may not allow a generic phrase to
be changed and replace those levels of service.
And since that time, with discussions here, I've come to
understand that we can't replace those levels of service. If you'd like
me to triple check, I can.
COMMISSIONER CARON: No, no, no, that's --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, the fact that we can modify those
at the AUIR level is going to be a big help in getting all this passed.
Any other discussion on the conceptual approval of the parks and
rec. and open space?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Hearing none, I'll call for the vote. All
those in favor, signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
Anybody opposed?
Page 1 77
January 4, 2007
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion carries. There are several
lingering outstanding overall elements, Corby. I know you're going to
ask us to now do the whole document. But I want to make sure that
you're going to add some language to CIE Policy 1.3. That was
already something you volunteered to do.
MR. COHEN: The language that I provided to you will be added
accordingly.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. You had mentioned earlier that
we should recommend and include in our recommendation that the
level of service be addressed through the AUIR implementation as
well.
MR. COHEN: And I think that would take place just in the staff
report but not be a part of the response to DCA.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: From the panel, does anybody object to
the inclusion of those two general languages in regards to our
recommendations to move forward?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Corby, how do you want to
format the balance of these approvals?
MR. SCHMIDT: I still have the outstanding informal approvals
of the CIE, which you're just covering now. And the FLUE. And
then on to the formal approval of each.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Want to take the CIE first? Is
there a recommendation to approve the CIE subj ect to the changes we
have discussed and of course the fact that the elements are going to be
able to be flexible enough for us to utilize in the AUIR.
Mr. Kolflat, are you making that recommendation?
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Make the recommendation.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: (Indicates.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion made by Mr. Kolflat, seconded
by Mr. Tuff.
Page 178
January 4, 2007
Is there any discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: All those in favor, signify by saying
aye.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
Motion carries unanimously. Corby, the next one was the FLUE?
MR. SCHMIDT: It is.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Is there a motion to make a
recommendation for the FLUE under the same conditions we did the
CIE?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yes.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: (Indicates.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Made by Commissioner Schiffer,
seconded by Commissioner Tuff.
Discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Hearing none, all those in favor, signify
by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
Page 1 79
January 4,2007
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
Anybody opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion carries.
MR. SCHMIDT: Now for each of the elements. The CIE, the
sanitary sewer sub-element, potable water sub-element, housing,
recreation and open space, the CCME, the FLUE, the drainage
sub-element and transportation. Formal individual votes on each of
those, please.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Boy, you're a slave driver, Corby.
MR. SCHMIDT: So I'm told.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, let me pull my book out and we'll
try to do it in some kind of order. First one that I've got in the book,
and I'll take them in the order that they were presented to us originally.
The CIE is the first one, is that --
MR. SCHMIDT: It is.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's what I have. Okay, so now we're
looking for formal recommendation. And let me set the criteria so we
can move through these pretty fast.
Of the various elements of the EAR, the approvals will be subject
to all the conditions, suggestions and approvals that we've done
conceptually and recommended to staff throughout our discussions on
this process and the general policy suggestions that we just made a
little while ago.
So based on that and the input from the county attorney
concerning the flexibility of their language in regards to the AUIR
usage, I'm looking for a motion to approve the capital improvement
element as submitted.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So moved.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: So moved.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion made by Commissioner
Schiffer, seconded by Commissioner Adelstein.
Page 180
January 4, 2007
Discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: All in favor, signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
Motion carries 8-0.
The next element would be the transportation element. Is there a
motion to recommend approval of the transportation element?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I will.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I'll second.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Schiffer, seconded by Mr.
Adelstein.
Discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: All in favor, signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
Anybody opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion carries 8-0.
Page 181
January 4, 2007
Sanitary sewer sub-element. Is there a motion to recommend
approval for the sanitary sewer sub-element?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: So moved.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So moved.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Adelstein, and seconded by Mr.
Schiffer.
Is there any discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Hearing none, I'll call for the vote. All
those in favor, signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
Anybody opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion carries 8-0.
The potable water sub-element. Is there a motion to recommend
approval to the Board of County Commissioners?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: (Indicates.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Murray, seconded by--
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: (Indicates.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- Mr. Adelstein. You guys are getting
mixed up here. You were on a roll. Motion made by Commissioner
Murray, seconded by Commissioner Adelstein.
Any discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: All in favor, signify by saying aye.
Page 182
January 4, 2007
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
Anybody opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion carries.
The drainage sub-element. We even had some discussion on that
today. We struck a sentence. I'm sure staff understands that's
included in our motion. Is there a motion to recommend approval for
the drainage sub-element?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So moved.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: (Indicates.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Commissioner Schiffer approved (sic),
Mr. Tuff seconded.
Discussion?
(N 0 response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: All in favor, signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
Motion carries 8-0. Anybody opposed?
(No response.)
Page 183
January 4, 2007
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The solid waste sub-element, is there a
motion to approve -- recommend approval?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I'll do it.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: (Indicates.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Schiffer. Mr. Tuffseconded.
Discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: All those in favor of the --
MR. SCHMIDT: Excuse me, Mr. Chairman, the solid waste
sub-element, my note says had no ORC or DCA concerns.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You don't care if we approve it then or
not?
MR. SCHMIDT: Go for it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Succinct. We're already there, it's in our
book.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Let's do it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Motion's been made to
recommend approval.
All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
Anybody opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion carries.
Corby, why don't you tell me what next one you'd like us to
discuss? Groundwater?
Page 184
January 4, 2007
MR. SCHMIDT: I'm sorry, let's go to housing.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Is there a recommendation to
move for approval to the BCC for the housing sub-element?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: So moved.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: (Indicates.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion made by Commissioner Murray,
seconded by Commissioner Tuff.
Any discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: All in favor, signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
Motion carries.
Anybody opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Recreation and open space.
MR. SCHMIDT: Please.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion to approve recreation and open
space.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: So moved.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: (Indicates.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Adelstein, seconded by
Commissioner Schiffer.
Any discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: All in favor of the motion, please
Page 185
January 4, 2007
signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
Anybody opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion carries.
CCME?
MR. SCHMIDT: Please.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion to approve the CCME.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: (Indicates.)
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: (Indicates.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Kolflat, seconded by Mr. Schiffer.
His hand was faster than yours on that one.
Any discussion?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Yeah, I want to hear from Mr.
Midneyonce.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: He's got to raise his hand or something.
He's just sitting back.
Call for the motion. All those in favor of the motion, signify by
.
saYIng aye.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
Page 186
January 4, 2007
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
Anybody opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion carries.
ICE or FLUE?
MR. SCHMIDT: The FLUE, please.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion to recommend approval of the
future land use element?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: (Indicates.)
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: (Indicates.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Schiffer, seconded by
Commissioner Adelstein.
Discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: All in favor, signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
All opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion carries.
Corby, is that the end of it?
MR. SCHMIDT: The ICE. We'll go back to that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You're going to go back to the ICE?
You're not allowed to go back, Corby.
Is there a motion to recommend approval of the ICE?
Page 187
January 4, 2007
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I will.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: (Indicates.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Commissioner Schiffer, seconded by
Commissioner Adelstein.
Discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: All in favor, signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
Anybody opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion carries.
Corby?
MR. SCHMIDT: Natural ground water should be your last one.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It's not last in my book.
Recommendation to approve the natural ground water sub-element?
Mr. Midney, did you want to recommend approval on that?
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: (Indicates.)
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: (Indicates.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion made by Mr. Midney, seconded
by Mr. Murray.
Any discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: All those in favor, signify by saying
aye.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Aye.
Page 188
January 4, 2007
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
Any opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion carries.
Anything else, Corby?
MR. SCHMIDT: There is. The Golden Gate Area Master Plan.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I was hoping Ms. Caron had an
opportunity to recommend something.
COMMISSIONER CARON: I thought we had already done
those.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Not the Golden Gate master plan.
Do you like that one?
COMMISSIONER CARON: Sure.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ms. Caron recommended approval of
the Golden Gate Area Master Plan. Is there a second?
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Second.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Tuff seconded.
Any discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: All in favor of the motion, signify by
.
saYIng aye.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
Page 189
January 4, 2007
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
Anybody opposed?
(No response.)
MR. SCHMIDT: Immokalee area master plan.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Boy, Paul, if you don't make this one.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: We haven't finalized our master
plan, how can we vote on it?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: This is the changes to the existing
portion of it. Yours will come through under a separate amendment to
the growth management plan.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: The ones that -- okay, yeah. I
move that we approve.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Second.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion made by Paul Midney, seconded
by Commissioner Schiffer.
Any discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: All those in favor, signify by saying
aye.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
Anybody opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion carries.
Page 190
January 4, 2007
MR. SCHMIDT: And with two remaining. Marco Island Master
Plan.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Wait a minute, there is no Marco Island
Master Plan.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: It was taken out.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Oh, it was taken out. Okay, want to
recommend the approval of removing Marco Island from Collier
County. Boy is that a good one.
MR. SCHMIDT: I'll rephrase that in my notes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Recommendation to approve the
changes to Marco Island Master Plan.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: So moved.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Adelstein.
Seconded by?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I'll second.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Schiffer.
Any discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: All those in favor, signify by saying
aye.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
Anybody opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I bet you want the economic element
last.
Page 191
January 4, 2007
MR. SCHMIDT: I do.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is there a motion to recommend
approval of the economic element?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: So moved.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: (Indicates.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Made by Commissioner Murray,
seconded by Commissioner Tuff.
Discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: All those in favor, signify by saying
aye.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
Anybody opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion carries.
Corby, is that it?
MR. SCHMIDT: That is.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I'll be darned.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Let's see where we are with our agenda.
We've got like six more items here, guys. No, I'm just kidding.
Item #9
OLD BUSINESS
Page 192
January 4, 2007
The old business, which is Brad's issue, has been postponed to
the next regular meeting, which would be the 18th.
Mr. Murray, you had something you may want to add at that
time?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I'll do it at that time I think,
yeah.
Item #10
NEW BUSINESS
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: There's no new business.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Mr. Chairman?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: I'd like to just introduce
something, if I could. At our next meeting, I wanted to bring up the
subject and I wanted to advise you of where the area is in case you
might want to take a look at it.
On Golden Gate Parkway between Airport Road and U.S. 41,
there is a development called The Estuary, which is on the south side
of Golden Gate going west, and they have an eight-foot wall there
with some beautiful landscaping in front of it. I'd like to bring that
subject up at our next meet. I'd like to have an opportunity to pass that
out to take a look at that landscaping and make a judgment as to what
your opinion is of it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: We can discuss anything you'd like, Mr.
Kolflat. I'm not sure we can do anything about it, but we certainly can
discuss it. And if there's any issues that staff may have as far as
background research, maybe that can be addressed at the same --
provide that information to us to help with the discussion.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: But I just want to alert you that
I'll be bringing it up. So if you have the opportunity to go take look at
Page 193
January 4, 2007
it, I'd appreciate it. Because I'll give you a little bit of background on
it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Thank you, sir.
MR. COHEN: Mr. Chairman and Mr. Kolflat, for the record,
because Kay Deselem's not here, do you want any information
provided to you for that meeting with regard to that subject matter like
aerials, anything in particular?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Kolflat, your intention is to do what
with that, so we know how to prepare for it?
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: I want to ask your opinion as far
as what you think that could be as a standard.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Oh, well, I think that's something that
staff would really -- that's an LDC issue, so you're getting into a whole
Pandora's Box of standards that would have to be brought into play
with the land development code. So maybe Michael Sawyer or one of
those landscaping fellows might just want to attend at some point at
the end of that meeting just to answer any questions we have about the
applicability of Land Development Code for that kind of a use.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: I don't think that's necessary,
because this would apply to one of the petitioners that will be on the
agenda.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Now you've got me confused.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Now you got us in trouble.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yeah. You know ofa petition coming
up on the 18th that involves the landscaping of The Estuary?
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Not the -- doesn't involve the
Estuary, but involves that type of landscape.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Kolflat, if you think that that
landscaping is something that may be needed in regards to the
petition, instead of adding it as a separate item on our next agenda,
you may want to incorporate that into your deliberations on that
particular application when it comes through and bring with you
Page 194
January 4,2007
anything that you feel is applicable to it to reemphasize the position
you'd like to take.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: I will, and I intend to do that.
But I just want to alert you that in the event that you are traveling that
way, if you could get a look at it, that might give you some opinion in
your mind that I bring it up.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Well, then I don't think, Randy,
we're going to look at it as a separate issue. It will be part of a
discussion on the application.
Anything else for new business?
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Yeah, the Immokalee master plan
will be coming up this year, I think, before this planning commission.
And we've never, since I've been on the board, had a meeting in
Immokalee. Just sort of a word to staff to think about it, having that
meeting in Immokalee.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: We already had decided that would
happen. We've already asked staff. In fact, we even suggested that we
have a preliminary meeting with that committee to move it along, if
that was helpful. So I think -- no, Paul, you're absolutely right.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Just to refresh their memory.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: When that comes up, if you see it
coming up on the agenda, please let us know ahead of time, because
that will have to have a separate meeting special for Immokalee. And
if it's one that is needed in the evening over the daytime, I think that
may -- you may want to consider that too if you could find out for us
what best works for the people out there.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: I don't know, evenings are always
better. Is this board open to evening meetings for something like that?
Because other people might want to say well, we want evening
meetings too.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It would be an LDC or GMP. I don't
see why we couldn't meet in the evening.
Page 195
January 4, 2007
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: I would prefer that.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: What day are the meetings
normally?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Out there we haven't set a time. We
usually meet on Thursdays.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: No, I know what you were
saying. We usually have our master plan meetings in the evenings,
half in the evenings and half in the daytime. But for our CCPC to
discuss the Immokalee master plan I'd like to see that in Immokalee in
the evening.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I think we've already kind of mentioned
that to staff that's what we'd like to see happen, too.
MR. COHEN: And Mr. Chairman, Tom Greenwood from my
office acts as staff to that particular committee and works with Mr.
Midney, and I'll have him coordinate with Mr. Midney as they get
closer to that point in time.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you.
Item #11
PUBLIC COMMENT
Are there any other -- there's no public comment, because
nobody from the public is here.
Discussion of the -- no, that's it. Motion to adjourn.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So moved.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: So moved.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, meeting is adjourned.
*****
Page 196
January 4,2007
There being no further business for the good of the County, the
meeting was adjourned by order of the Chair at 3:35 p.m.
COLLIER COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION
MARK STRAIN, Chairman
TRANSCRIPT PREPARED ON BEHALF OF GREGORY COURT
REPORTING SERVICE, INC. BY CHERIE' NOTTINGHAM.
Page 197