CCPC Minutes 06/07/2007 R
June 7, 2007
TRANSCRIPT OF THE MEETING OF THE
COLLIER COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION
Naples, Florida June 7, 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
Tor Kolflat
Brad Schiffer
Donna Caron
Lindy Adelstein
Bob Murray
Robert Vigliotti
Russell Tuff
ALSO PRESENT:
Ray Bellows, Zoning & Land Dev. Review
Joseph Schmitt, Community Dev. & Env. Services
Marjorie Student-Stirling, Assistant County Attorney
Jeffrey A. Klatzkow, Assistant County Attorney
Page 1
AGENDA
Revised
COLLIER COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION WILL MEET AT 8:30 A.M., THURSDAY, JUNE 7, 2007, IN THE
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING ROOM, ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, COUNTY
GOVERNMENT CENTER, 3301 TAMIAMI TRAIL EAST, NAPLES, FLORIDA:
NOTE: INDIVIDUAL SPEAKERS WILL BE LIMITED TO 5 MINUTES ON ANY
ITEM. INDIVIDUALS SELECTED TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF AN
ORGANIZATION OR GROUP ARE ENCOURAGED AND MAY BE ALLOTTED 10
MINUTES TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM IF SO RECOGNIZED BY THE CHAIRMAN.
PERSONS WISHING TO HAVE WRITTEN OR GRAPHIC MATERIALS INCLUDED
IN THE CCPC AGENDA PACKETS MUST SUBMIT SAID MATERIAL A MINIMUM
OF 10 DAYS PRIOR TO THE RESPECTIVE PUBLIC HEARING. IN ANY CASE,
WRITTEN MATERIALS INTENDED TO BE CONSIDERED BY THE CCPC SHALL
BE SUBMITTED TO THE APPROPRIATE COUNTY STAFF A MINIMUM OF
SEVEN DAYS PRIOR TO THE PUBLIC HEARING. ALL MATERIAL USED IN
PRESENTATIONS BEFORE THE CCPC WILL BECOME A PERMANENT PART OF
THE RECORD AND WILL BE A V AILABLE FOR PRESENT A TION TO THE BOARD
OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IF APPLICABLE.
ANY PERSON WHO DECIDES TO APPEAL A DECISION OF THE CCPC WILL
NEED A RECORD OF THE PROCEEDINGS PERTAINING THERETO, AND
THEREFORE MAY NEED TO ENSURE THAT A VERBATIM RECORD OF THE
PROCEEDINGS IS MADE, WHICH RECORD INCLUDES THE TESTIMONY AND
EVIDENCE UPON WHICH THE APPEAL IS TO BE BASED.
I. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
2. ROLL CALL BY CLERK
3. ADDENDA TO THE AGENDA
4. PLANNING COMMISSION ABSENCES
5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - APRIL 19,2007, REGULAR MEETING; APRIL 19,2007, SPECIAL GMP MEETING
6. BCC REPORT- RECAPS - MAY 8, 2007, REGULAR MEETING
7. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT
8. ADVERTISED PUBLIC HEARINGS
A. Petition: PUDZ-2005-AR-8284, Tree Farm Land Trust, represented by Robert Mulhere, AICP of RW A,
Inc., and George Varnadoe, Esquire, of Cheffy, Passidomo, Wilson & Johnson, LLP, is requesting a rezone
from the Agricultural (A) zoning district to the Mixed-Use Planned Unit Development (MPUD) zoning
district for project to be known as Tree Farm MPUD consisting of a maximum of 200,000 square feet of
commercial uses; and a maximum of 425 residential units. The subject property, consisting of 58.84 acres, is
located at 8799 Immokalee Road, in Section 22, Township 48 South, Range 26 East, Collier County,
Florida. (Coordinator: Mike DeRuntz) CONTINUED FROM 5117/07
B. Petition: V A-2007-AR-I 1459. James and Lavonne Williamson, represented by Son rise Properties of
Naples, DBA Son rise Building Company, requesting a variance within the Wyndemere Planned Unit
Development (PUD) for a four foot variance from the required 40 foot front yard setback for a comer lot
located within the Wyndemere Planned Unit Development, for a project to be known as the Williamson
Garage Addition. The subject property consisting of 0.34 acres is located at 186 Edgemere Way South, in
Section 19, Township 49 South, Range 26 East, in Collier County, Florida. (Coordinator: Willie Brown)
1
C. Petition: CU-2005-AR-8479, Southeastern Association of Seventh Day Adventists, Inc" represented by
Fred Learned, LA of Community Engineering Services, Inc. requesting a Conditional Use in the Village
Residential (VR) zoning district pursuant to Table 2, Section 2.04.03 of the Land Development Code (LDC).
The 1.0 IT acre VR zoned site is proposed to permit a Church with a maximum of 4,200 square feet of floor
area. The subject property is located at 745 5th Street South, Immokalee, in Section 9, Township 47 South,
Range 29 East, in Collier County, Florida. (Coordinator: Nancy Gundlach)
D. Petition: PUDA-2007-AR-11081, Dr. Terry P. McMahan, president for International College, Inc.,
represented by Michael J. Volpe, Esquire of Robins, Kaplan, Miller and Ciresi, LLP, is requesting an
amendment to the Harvest for Humanity pun to change the permitted uses to replace the current resident's
activity center and blueberry farm with its ancillary sales facility with limited Educational Services on certain
tracts. The subject property, consisting of 38.4 acres, is located in the northeastern quadrant of the
intersection of Lake Trafford Road and Carson Road in Immokalee, Florida, in Section 32, Township
46 South, Range 29 East, Collier County, Florida. (Coordinator: Kay Deselem)
9. OLD BUSINESS
10. NEW BUSINESS
11. PUBLIC COMMENT ITEM
12. DISCUSSION OF ADDENDA
13. ADJOURN
617/07 cepe AgendalRB/sp
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June 7, 2007
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Good morning. Welcome to the June
7th meeting of the Collier County Planning Commission.
If you will all please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance.
(Pledge of Allegiance was recited in unison.)
Item #2
ROLL CALL BY CLERK
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you. 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.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Present.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Mr. Tuff.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Here.
Item #3
ADDENDA TO THE AGENDA
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you. The addenda to the agenda.
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June 7, 2007
The agenda, from what I understand, hasn't got any changes. We will
be going forward with all four cases this morning.
There is a clarification. The staff report -- the staff report dated
June 29, 2007 on Tree Farm Road that said we were going to be
hearing Tree Farm Road on June 27, 2007 is a typo, I would hope,
unless somebody is working in the future. Today we'll be hearing
Tree Farm Road, just for that clarification on the agenda.
Item #4
PLANNING COMMISSION ABSENCES
Planning Commission absences. Our next meeting is June 21 st.
Does anybody know that they are not going to be here?
Mr. Tuff.
Anybody else?
(No response.)
Item #5
APPROVAL OF MINUTES -APRIL 19,2007, REGULAR
MEETING; APRIL 19, 2007, SPECIAL GMP MEETING
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Approval of minutes. April 19th,
2007 regular meeting and April 19th, special GMP meeting.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: So move.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is that for both, sir?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Both.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Anybody second?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Sure.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Seconded by Mr. Murray.
Any comments?
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June 7, 2007
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: All in favor, signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Anybody opposed?
(No response.)
Item #6
BCC REPORT RECAPS - MAY 8, 2007 REGULAR MEETING
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: BCC reports and recaps, Ray.
MR. BELLOWS: Yeah. On May 23rd the Board of County
Commissioners heard the Wolf Creek PUD. That was approved by a
five to zero vote. The companion item, community development
district, was denied by a vote of two to three.
The Silver Strand conditional use for rip mining was approved on
the summary agenda, as well as the Williams Horse Stable conditional
use and the Naples Bridge Center conditional use. All of them were
approved on the summary agenda.
Item #7
CHAIRMAN'S REPORT
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you, sir.
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June 7, 2007
The Chairman's Report; I have two things to mention. Ray, I
may not have discussed this previously with staff. I know I have with
some because Michael has been very conscientious to call me at times
that we've had Immokalee petitions to ask if we wanted to have the
petition heard in Immokalee. And in those times when he has called
me, I have asked him if there has been any response at the
neighborhood information meetings, were there any attendees because
prior issues were rather non-controversial. And in each case he had
told me no. Based on that, I didn't see the need then to move out there
for that one issue.
In this particular case, I wasn't called ahead of time, that I recall.
And the neighborhood informational meeting had quite a few
attendees. And I know there are some here today. In the future, I
would prefer if there is ever a NIM that has attendees in Immokalee, I
certainly think that would show us an indication that we need to hold
the meeting in Immokalee.
If there is reasons not to, certainly let me know. I think from
now on if we can just kind of set that as a rule of thumb, it might help
us be more, you know, respondent to the Immokalee community and
getting those people to attend our meetings.
Would that work?
MR. BELLOWS: Yes. We did discuss that with staff, but I'll put
in a more formal process where nothing goes on without coordinating
with you on the agenda.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, the agenda is coordinated. But by
the time I get the agenda, the advertising is already done. So I think it
needs to be that it is prior to you setting the ads because that's what
spurs the --
MR. BELLOWS: Yes. We have them scheduled on the
calendar. We'll just go through that and pick out all of those that have
Immokalee petitions. And we'll run that by you and determine what
kind of attendance was at the NIMs.
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June 7, 2007
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And if we can consolidate on those days
and even make it an off Thursday. If we do the first and third
Thursdays here, maybe we -- if we have too much going on along the
coastal area, you might look at the second and fourth Thursdays out
there. That way the court reporters and staff and any people that want
to participate can be out there.
MR. BELLOWS: We can do that. There are going to be special
instances. I think the one with the Nogaj's had very much a time
constraint on their part and they really could not afford to wait any
longer than they already have.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: There are documents that indicate they
needed to have this done this morning.
The second thing I want to mention is handouts. I did meet with
some applicants prior to today's meeting. One in particular is the
Immokalee application. And they had a couple of letters --
single-page letters that they wanted to give us during the meeting.
And I know that I, as well as the rest of the Planning
Commission, really wish that we didn't get handouts during the
meeting because they are hard to read and digest. These were short.
I suggested that from now on, during this phase of the process,
any handouts be passed out so that we can read them during the breaks
and different down times throughout the day as we approach the
applicant's hearing.
So ifthere are no objections from the Planning Commission, we
won't admit them into evidence right now. We'll do that when we
actually hear the application, but at least we'll get them passed out.
We'll have a break around 10:00. Ifwe want to read them during that
break, we can do so.
Mr. Volpe, I believe you had some handouts. Would you mind
distributing them to the court reporter, as well as the Planning
Commission members.
MR. VOLPE: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
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June 7, 2007
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And are there any other applicants -- if
there is any other applicants that have handouts that they did not run
through staff, please use this time to distribute them to us.
Okay. The first thing I want to make sure is that the court
reporter has five packages. Everybody that just gave us a copy, you
have to give one to this young lady sitting here or it doesn't count.
I appreciate everybody providing those early. That will give us
time to read them for those cases that come up later in the day during
breaks. I want to caution everyone that this is a courtesy to you all
and in the future we'll try to do it, as well. If you take advantage of it
by flooding us with too much detail and too many documents that we
can't accommodate, we can always decline the ability to accept that
into evidence and it won't help you at all. So, still, I think you need to
strive to get it through staff during the normal channels. Occasionally
there are a page or two, letters and stuff that are missing, and that's
what this opportunity is for. Thank you.
Item #8A
PETITION: PUDZ-2005-AR-8284
With that, we'll move into the advertised public hearings. The
first petition is PUDZ-2005-AR-8284, Tree Farm Land Trust. It is the
mixed-used planning development, MPUD, zoning for the Tree Farm
MPUD. This was continued from May 17th, '07.
All those wishing to testify in regards to this application, please
rise and be sworn in by the court reporter.
(Speakers were duly sworn.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Are there disclosures on the part
of the Planning Commission?
Let's start with the left. Mr. Tuff.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Yes. I spoke with John Passidomo
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June 7, 2007
about this issue.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: I had spoken to Mr. Passidomo
also.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I have spoken with Mr.
Passidomo and Mr. Varnadoe and Mr. Paul Mulhere.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Adelstein.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: The same.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I spoke with Mr. Varnadoe, Mr.
Passidomo, Mr. Mulhere. And we discussed the various items of the
PUD, including the development standards table, which was in error
again today and which is going to be corrected again today.
Ms. Caron.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Yes. I met with Mr. Mulhere and
Mr. Passidomo and discussed issues of density and intensity and
traffic issues and affordable housing issues and on and on for about an
hour and a half.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Nothing.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: I spoke with Mr. Passidomo.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. In the packages that were passed
out to us, if I'm not mistaken, there were two items that pertained to
this particular document -- this case. One is the memorandum from
Cheffy and Passidomo. It's dated April 23rd, 2007. It is addressed to
Collier County Developmental and Environmental Services Division
staff. And it is from Christopher Thornton. It is pretty thick. I'm not
sure we're going to have time to read it. We'll have to see.
The other package is a stipulation listing deviations and utilities.
It's a lot more data than what I think we can read immediately.
Any comments from the Planning Commission?
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Yeah. I think this is wrong to do this.
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June 7, 2007
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, before we go forward, we need to
decide to accept it into evidence or not. Having received it this late, I
offer only -- maybe staff has some explanation.
Has this been received by them and read by them prior to now or
is staff in the same position the Planning Commission is at having just
received this today?
MR. DeRUNTZ: For the record, Mike DeRuntz, Principal
Planner with the Department of Zoning and Land Development
Review. I just received this today.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Go ahead, Ms. Caron.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Perhaps the petitioner would like
to continue this so that we will have a chance to review it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I don't know how necessary this is to
their arguments today. But if it's critical, this commission can't read
this stuff on the fly. You have, I guess, maybe two options. You
could continue this to later this afternoon, give us time to read it
during the break, if that works for the Planning Commission. I
certainly think we continued it once. I would rather get through this,
if we can.
And let us hear the other two cases -- the other three cases first
and you go to the last today or you can continue it to a new date if this
is critical to you.
MR. P ASSIDOMO: Good morning, Mr. Chairman. John
Passidomo,on behalf of the petitioner. The memorandum that you
have is really an articulation of substantiated consistency with the
comp plan. We have talked to the planning staff about that. We
understand that EAR-based amendments were later adopted by the
Board of County Commissioners. So there is no question about
consistency with the comp plan.
We just want to simply submit that into the record just to show
that the submittal, as originally offered and as currently contemplated,
is consistent with the comprehensive plan.
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June 7, 2007
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Passidomo, if we admit this into the
record -- maybe the county attorney can provide some information on
this. I'm concerned that it would signify that somehow we've
acknowledged it and read it and digested it. Having just handed it to
us, I don't think we could have done that.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: I agree with you, Mr. Strain. I
have just seen it for the first time also. So I agree with Mr. Strain's
position.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ifwe were to move this item to the last
today, would that give you time to review this?
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Yes, it would.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Would that give the rest of this Planning
Commission time to take a look at it during our break?
Mr. Passidomo, what do you want to do?
MR. P ASSIDOMO: Mr. Chairman, alternatively, we can
withdraw it. We just thought as a matter of pleading the record it
might be helpful.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: If you need it in the record, the only
way you're going to get it in the record right now probably is to
continue this to the last item today. Otherwise, you want to withdraw
these?
MR. P ASSIDOMO: Yes, sir, we do.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And they will not be considered for
today's meeting. Thank you.
Mr. Passidomo, it's all yours, sir.
MR. P ASSIDOMO: Thank you. Good morning, Mr. Chairman,
Commissioners, my name is John Passidomo. My address is 821 Fifth
Avenue South in the city of Naples. Our firm represents Thomas S.
Monaghan, as owner, and Tree Farm Land Trust, as the developer, in
the mixed-use planned unit development petition before you for
consideration this morning.
Our land use planner is Bob Mulhere of R W A. Our transportation
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June 7, 2007
consultants are Ron Talone and Vijay Kornala of David Plummer and
Associates. Our environmental consultants are Elena Mandia of
Passarella and Associates. Our economic consultant is Russ Weyer of
Fishkind and Associates.
Mr. Mulhere will present our land use petition to you at the
conclusion of my introductory remarks. Mr. Talone, Mr. Kornala, Ms.
Mandia, and Mr. Weyer are available, or on their way, and will be
available to respond to any questions of a technical nature you may
have at the conclusion of our presentation.
Let me begin that presentation by sharing with you the three
guiding principles which drove the creation of the land use plan Mr.
Mulhere will present to you after my remarks. The first, adherence to
the precepts of a mixed-used activity center as espoused in the Growth
Management Plan. And those are that commercial activity is
concentrated where traffic impacts can be accommodated and strip
and disorganized patterns of commercial development discouraged.
The residential developments are located in close proximity to
activity centers and the portions of the project within the activity
center are developed at a human scale with a pedestrian orientation
and interconnected within the project and with adjacent projects by
multi modal means; vehicular, pedestrian and bicycle access.
As such, the project before you is consistent with the future land
use element as it existed at the time the submittal was made and it is
consistent with the EAR-based amendments to the future land use
element later adopted by the Board of County Commissioners.
The eligible gross density for the project is some 580 units. 425
are proposed as part of this submittal in the planned unit development
document.
The second driving consideration that drove the creation of the
plan before you today is responsiveness to the county's preexisting
transportation needs at and adjacent to the project site and sensitivity
to traffic generated from the project on significantly impacted
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June 7, 2007
roadways.
The plan, therefore, reserves some 7.42 acres of land for
right-of-way to accommodate the expansion ofImmokalee Road and
the extension and expansion of Collier Boulevard. The property that
is depicted in green on the display and here in front of you today . You
can see that of that property there -- of the 7.42 acres, some 4.35 of
those acres that are reserved for right-of-way are located within the
activity center.
Impact fee credits for this donation are limited to .47 acres and
the balance of the land reserved and ultimately dedicated to the county
for public right-of-way are not proposed to receive any impact fee
credits. Approximately seven-eighths of the plan is being donated
without any impact fee credits being requested.
The plan also proposes that the project accept and treat
stormwater from the impervious area of the proposed adjacent Collier
Boulevard, the property along the full 60 acres of the property as it
runs north and south and adjacent to the anticipated extension of
Collier Boulevard North from the intersection ofImmokalee Road.
Our consultant's estimate that -- that if a donation of an impervious
pond were required there, some 1.2 to perhaps 1.5 additional acres of
land would have to be accommodated to accept and treat that
stormwater.
We respectfully submit that these and other transportation related
commitments described in the PUD document greatly exceed the
applicant's legal obligation under what is commonly referred to as the
rational nexus test. You know that test as the test that requires that
there be an assurance given, that there be a reasonable connection
between the required dedication of land and the anticipated needs of
the community because of the new development.
And we hope that you agree that to encourage donations of this
sort to meet compelling public needs, the appropriate standard to
measure commercial intensity within an activity center is the amount
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June 7, 2007
of land located within the activity center prior to and not after the
dedication of the right-of-way. That's how the Growth Management
Plan specifically addresses residential densities and we think that is
the appropriate standard to apply as it considers -- concerns
commercial intensities.
We propose to mitigate traffic impacts by requiring
interconnections to adjacent projects -- and Mr. Mulhere will describe
that to you in some detail -- paying our fair share of improvements to
the Immokalee Road and Collier Boulevard extension intersection.
And that includes the rebuilding of the bridge that you see depicted on
the western -- to the west ofthe project and the extension of the
right-of-way coming across Immokalee Road, and, finally, stipulating
that no certificates of occupancy for development within the master
planned unit development will be issued until the six laning of the
three significantly affected roadway segments are, in fact,
substantially completed.
Finally, we believe a mixed-used activity center at this location
creates an opportunity to provide workforce housing in close
proximity to workplaces. The third guiding principle that drives the
plan before you today is, therefore, to capture this opportunity by
requiring that in addition to a voluntary contribution to the workforce
housing trust fund of$I,OOO per dwelling unit and 50 cents per
commercial square foot built on the project, that 15 percent of the
dwelling units built in the project be designated for workforce
housing.
We have taken the liberty of reducing these stipulations to
writing and they have been circulated to you. Although, they are three
pages in number, the ones that are italicized are simply the ones that
are reiterated from the planned unit development document.
Well, the memorandum may have been given back, but we
intended to actually submit the stipulations. The stipulations, as far as
new materials, Mr. Chairman, are very limited in nature. They are
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June 7, 2007
really just stipulations that I have alluded to here and that are reflected
in actual typed print on principally page three of that stipulation.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ms. Student, those stipulation pages that
were just handed back were several pages in length. Is that something
that could be reviewed by you or needs to be reviewed by you?
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: I have already started on it
because, as I understand it -- and Mr. Passidomo could clarify it. The
italic is already in the PUD document.
MR. P ASSIDOMO: It is.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: So without doing a cross-check
between the two, which could take a little bit of time -- assuming that
is correct, there is not that much additional to review.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And that is in a separate sheet, not the
memorandum that is multipaged?
MR. P ASSIDOMO: Yes, sir. That's correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Do you want to repass that out to us,
with the permission of the Planning Commission?
Is everybody else satisfied?
(No response.)
MR. MULHERE: Some people kept it. I don't have that many
copies left.
I thought you kept yours and said you were going to toss it.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: No.
MR. MULHERE: Except the last page is the new one. I'm out.
COMMISSIONER CARON: That's all right. I will take Paul's.
MR. P ASSIDOMO: Mr. Chairman, I was under the impression
you still had that. Let me apologize for not having submitted that
before.
As you can see, the first two and a half pages or so are simply a
reiteration of what you had seen already articulated verbatim from the
planned unit development document. The balance of it are things that
we have offered as stipulations, as conditions to any motion for
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June 7, 2007
approval that the commission may want to entertain.
The first is the transportation one. And it is -- articulates the
condition that no certificates of occupancy will be issued until the
roadway segments have been substantially completed and identifies
those three significantly impacted roadway segments.
The next provides a proposed stipulation on commercial space.
As we suggested, there is 175,000 square feet of commercial space.
We are proposing to build only a maximum of 143,500 square feet of
retail commercial space. The balance, if at all, would have to be
office.
And affordable housing conditions or stipulations are as I just
proposed them to be.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That was a lot shorter than the last one
you gave us, so I don't have a problem with it.
MR. P ASSIDOMO: Yes, sir, it is.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: How about the rest of the members of
the Planning Commission?
Ms. Student.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Yes. Thank you. I have a
comment, just on my very quick review here.
On the transportation it just says, "Has been substantially
completed and that is fully opened to traffic." It would seem that
would mean it's completed, rather than substantially completed.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Before you go too far on that, there is a
difference between final completion and substantially completed. I
think the difference is the punch-out items, but Nick is here.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: I would like to have clarification
on that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: We have used that word in that
reference "substantially" before.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: I want to make sure we are okay
with that.
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June 7, 2007
MR. MULHERE: I did check with transportation. And
"substantially completed" means fully open to traffic, but maybe Nick
can --
MR. CASALANGUIDA: I have not been sworn.
(Speaker was duly sworn.)
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Nick Casalanguida, transportation.
Substantial completion means that through lanes are actually carrying
the vehicles on the roadway. Final completion is the landscaping and
things like that installed.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Thank you for that clarification. I
also have one other comment under the commercial space section.
This doesn't -- totally reflective of what Mr. Passidomo stated.
The balance he said would be office and it just references retail. I
don't know if we want to add, "The balance of office," for clarity.
MR. P ASSIDOMO: I would be happy to do that. Thank you.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Also, on the affordable housing
provisions, paragraph Roman numeral 5(B). I'm not seeing when these
contributions are going to be made. There is no trigger event.
MR. P ASSIDOMO: At CO we anticipated.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: At CO?
MR. PASSIDOMO: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Joe, how do you monitor those? Have
others been at building permit or is it CO?
MR. SCHMITT: We prefer at CO. It's the best way to collect it.
That has been the stated method here recently.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ms. Student, anything else?
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: That's all without -- I didn't check
the italicized portion, obviously, word for word. I just have received
it. And I think if they stipulate that that's what's in the PUD, ifthere is
a discrepancy between this and the PUD, then what is in the PUD will
control.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. So it's my understanding then--
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June 7, 2007
first of all, we are not voting on the text of this document. Weare
simply accepting it into evidence based on the stipulation that the
italicized text is what is in the PUD and with the couple of corrections
that the county attorney has recommended.
Is there a motion to recommend evidence?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I will. I have one question on
the affordable housing. Is that the right name for the trust fund?
Is it affordable housing trust fund or a workforce housing trust
fund?
Is that right, Marjorie?
MS. STUDENT -STIRLING: I believe -- without having
anybody from staff here, I have to think -- workforce is in it, but we
can correct the title.
MR. SCHMITT: Affordable workforce housing is fine. It's not
been approved yet by the board under an official name, but the board
of housing trust fund is somewhat the nomenclature being used now to
identify that trust fund.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: My question is: This denotes it
as affordable workforce housing trust fund, which is --
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: I think we probably need to take
workforce out.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: This motion that we're seeking is purely
to accept this into evidence. The details of it -- when we get into
discussion after presentation, we can probably get into those details at
that time.
Is there a motion to accept this into evidence?
COMMISSIONER TUFF: So move.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Tuff seconded by Mr. Adelstein.
All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
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June 7, 2007
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Anybody opposed?
(No response.)
MR. P ASSIDOMO: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would be
happy to respond to any questions you may have now at the
conclusion of Mr. Mulhere's remarks or any other time prior to close
of the public hearing.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I know there is probably a lot of
questions. Brad, if you want to -- do you have any other questions
about this stipulation sheet?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: No. I was just curious about the
word "workforce".
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Let's start with that. Is there any other
questions about this particular sheet?
COMMISSIONER CARON : Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ms. Caron.
COMMISSIONER CARON: According to your affordable
housing section, does that mean that all of the affordable housing
could be in that upper range?
MR. P ASSIDOMO: Yes, it does.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Of321,000?
MR. P ASSIDOMO: Yes, it does.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You're proposing by the way I read this
to do both 15 percent and the contribution.
MR. PASSIDOMO: That is correct. We want to recognize that
making a monetary contribution will be helpful -- hopefully will be
helpful. And we certainly recognize the action of the Board of County
Commissioners' stake in that regard. But we think that this site
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June 7, 2007
uniquely lends itself to the creation of workforce housing with the
adjacency of residential, with dwelling units contained within the
activity center per se. We think it is a natural and we're happy to
provide both of those commitments.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I notice in your first couple of lines
you're very careful the way you have worded this. "The applicant
shall provide 15 percent of the total number of units built in the
project in the affordable housing price range for workforce housing."
Does that mean you're entering our affordable housing program
with those?
MR. P ASSIDOMO: No, sir, it does not.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is it a one-time sale issue?
MR. P ASSIDOMO: No, sir, it is not.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So you're going to restrict the price for
resales on those units?
MR. PASSIDOMO: I'm sorry, sir. There is no limitation on
those units, no. We're simply making them available so that they
come into the marketplace, but there is no quid pro quo requested in
exchange for providing the workforce housing.
Weare not looking for an impact deferral. We're not looking for
any kind of a density bonus or any other kind of benefit accruing as a
result of it. So they come into the marketplace, but after that they are
free to be held to the marketplace.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I just want this to be understood for
what it is. I commend you on number 5-B. That is the standard
contribution a lot of folks are making. That's all you needed to do.
It appears as though you're trying to do more with 5-A, when in
actuality what you're doing is you've got a market condition which is
going to allow you to price under 321,000. And you're basically
saying, "We are going to do that for at least 15 percent of them." I
think you would probably do it anyway, but I wanted to make sure
that that was clear.
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June 7, 2007
MR. P ASSIDOMO: Mr. Chairman, point well taken. I think it is
also a recognition that in an activity center it really lends itself to
workforce housing. We recognize that reality. We think it's certainly
something we can do and we're going to commit to doing it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Got you. Thank you, sir.
Any other questions of Mr. Passidomo's section of the
presentation?
Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: The commercial space area--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I'm sorry. Mr. Tuff, go ahead.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Just the commercial space you went
from the 175 to 143. Would that mess up any of your feasibility
studies with -- what you based on square footage?
MR. P ASSIDOMO: No, sir, it won't. It recognizes that the
market isn't at the point now to determine how we allocate between
retail and commercial space -- retail and office space. At the
appropriate time, three years from now, when we want to put a shovel
in the ground, we'll do a market analysis and determine whether the
demand is for retail or office and make that determination at that time
in the future.
But it commits to limit commercial space to 143,500 square feet
of retail. Anything in excess of that will have to be office.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: You indicated that the -- that
location and way it is structured lends itself to workforce housing.
And I would tend to agree with you and certainly appreciate the offer
to give some folks an opportunity.
What distresses me is that the whole premise is to create a
condition where workforce housing survives so that others may
benefit. I just wonder if you folks would consider, if a stipulation
were offered, that we do constrain you as it is stated in our Land
Development Code documents to require you to remain in workforce
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June 7, 2007
housing for those 15 percent for the stated period. I believe it's 15
years.
And we would like you to talk that over and think about it
because I'm inclined to offer that as a stipulation.
MR. PASSIDOMO: Thank you, Mr. Murray. We actually have
discussed that. And, if you would like, I would be happy to respond to
it right now.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Please.
MR. P ASSIDOMO: I tried to allude to this in my introductory
remarks. Weare not asking for anything in exchange. Weare not
asking for impact fee deferral. The Land Development Code talks
about things in exchange for providing workforce housing.
Weare simply recognizing the reality that this site lends itself to
workforce housing. We will commit to selling 15 percent of whatever
number units are built to accommodate workforce housing, but we
cannot put any kind of a limitation on our ability to deal with those
units after they are sold to the initial buyers.
COMMISSIONER MURRA Y: And I appreciate that. My
thinking process was that we keep on trying to build an inventory of
these houses. And this -- while the offer is generous and it is
considered, what you indicated was that -- I think that generally the
area lends itself to workforce housing. So as Mr. Chairman has
indicated, you're basically going to offer it all at the same price
anyway. That's the impression that I get out of that.
And as a sales approach it might be fine, but it doesn't help us
overall in keeping some kind of an inventory going. And that's the
distressing factor. I recognize there's no advantage to you. But, then
again, if you're not constrained, there is no advantage to the county
either. And so the question is whether this is truly an offer on your
part.
MR. PASSIDOMO: We're concerned that the marketplace won't
react as favorably to a workforce housing unit that has limitations as
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June 7, 2007
the inability to sell and capture all the benefits of home ownership that
you and I enjoy. And it's offered in good faith, but it's offered with
the recognition that we cannot -- we are not asking for anything in
exchange for it. And we cannot, in good faith, apply any conditions to
it.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Very well.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I think what we ought -- because of the
obvious 5-A, 5-B is what we really ought to base our decision on.
What they are offering is what everybody has come forward and
accepted and what has more or less been somewhat established.
$1,000 per unit is $425,000. The 50 cents per square foot is just
under a hundred. So you're looking at about a half a million dollars in
revenues for affordable housing out of this project.
The other part of it is the limitation of 15 percent. Well, that is
fine and dandy. I think that is going to happen anyway. It might be
even more than that the way the price of the market is going. Thank
you, SIr.
Any other questions of Mr. Passidomo before we go to Mr.
Mulhere?
MR. P ASSIDOMO: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
MR. MULHERE: Good morning. For the record, Bob Mulhere
with R W A. I think John -- I will try to not be repetitive, in terms of
some of the information that he had already provided. But, generally,
I'm sure you're all familiar with the location, northwest corner of the
intersection of Collier Boulevard and Immokalee Road.
I have a -- I'm going to stick with this one. On the visualizer
there's an exhibit that shows the project and shows some of the
surrounding lands. I will discuss those briefly. To the north of the
project is the Mirasol PUD. Directly to the west there are some, I
believe, predominantly five-acre tracts in this area here. There is an
easement that runs through the property to access these tracts. And we
have maintained that easement for interconnectivity purposes.
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June 7, 2007
You will also note that there is interconnectivity both directly
north and west of the northernmost point of the project, which will
allow -- assuming that the northern property owner of Mirasol does
connect -- would allow them to access Collier Boulevard Extension.
They do not have access to Collier Boulevard otherwise.
Heritage Bay PUD DRI is located to our east across the future
Collier Boulevard Extension in here and, as you can see, is already
under construction. And we have located really what would be our
primary entrance point at what might be a full intersection. There is
no commitment on transportation staff at this point, but it does meet
the separation requirements to be located where the Heritage Bay
main access point along Collier Boulevard is located.
We have also met with property owners immediately to our west,
The property within the commercial activity center -- mixed-use
activity center and we are in negotiations with them. We have agreed
to provide an interconnection here. We have agreed in principle with
them that they will provide that interconnection. Perhaps, more
importantly, staff has indicated to me that it will be required. And
they are -- I don't think they have submitted their rezone, but they are
very close to submitting it.
This will allow access from our project and through our project to
Immokalee Road. That access will line up with the Pebblebrooke
access there and will also, conversely, allow traffic from this project
or traffic entering this project to access the future Collier Boulevard
Extension.
Immediately to the south across Immokalee Road is Richland
PUD, which is known as Pebblebrooke. And caddy-corner in this
vicinity here -- this is ag zoned and used for agricultural production
purposes.
I think Mr. Passidomo indicated we are requesting 425 dwelling
units. That is 7.22 units per gross acre. The project is eligible for up
to 580 units, which would be just under -- about 9.9, just under ten
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June 7, 2007
units per acre.
That density is acquired -- that eligible density is calculated
through the following mechanism: Your base density of four dwelling
units per acre. The activity portion center of the project, which is
18.69 acres, allows for up to and is eligible for up to 16 units per acre.
And then the balance of the property heading north falls within the
residential density band allowing for up to a three dwelling unit per
acre density bonus. So when you calculate that all out, the maximum
eligible density is 580 dwelling units per acre.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Ten units per acre.
MR. MULHERE: 580 dwelling units total. Ten per acre.
We are requesting 175,000 square feet of retail and office. As
Mr. Passidomo indicated, we have offered a limitation on that -- on the
retail portion of that to 143,500 square feet. The staff had expressed a
concern relative to the amount of total commercial square footage.
Originally when we submitted the PUD we were asking for
200,000 square feet. We reduced that to 175,000. And staff
continued to express a concern. And, as a result, we have offered this
condition, which would allow 143,500 maximum retail and the
balance office.
We don't know exactly what the mix will be. Weare very certain
that there will be a mix of retail and office and we'll know more
specifically in -- as Mr. Passidomo indicated, probably two or three
years.
I do feel that the more retail that we construct on the site, the
lower the total number we can achieve. And that is based on the fact
that retail generally is single-story and also it is based on the fact that
there is greater parking requirements for retail. So you're going to
consume more geography with retail.
So the more retail we build, the less total square footage we are
going to build on the site. By providing that flexibility, there's a
greater likelihood that we will, in fact, build more of a mixture of
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June 7, 2007
office and retail.
I do want to go over the PUD briefly. This is within the
mixed-used activity center. The recently adopted EAR-based future
land use element amendments to -- relative to mixed-use activity
centers requires us to construct at least 30 percent ofthe units that are
generated from the activity center density within the activity center.
And we have committed to that.
The balance of the units that are generated from the activity
center density must be built within a third of a mile. You are probably
familiar with this because it wasn't that long ago that you all looked at
it and approved it or recommended approval to the Board.
Weare committed to that. Weare also committed to full
interconnectivity from a vehicular, pedestrian and bicycle perspective
both within our project and the residential portions to the commercial
portions, but also to the projects along and adjacent to our project. We
think that will have a very beneficial impact on overall traffic.
For one thing, by having that interconnection that I previously
indicated to you there is the opportunity for traffic to avoid the
intersection and access this property. In fact, ultimately when Collier
Boulevard Extension is constructed they would be able to then avoid
the intersection and head north on Collier Boulevard Extension. I
have no idea when that is going to happen. At present, that roadway
will only be constructed probably as far north as this main point of
access so that -- I think that, to some extent, is incumbent upon
Heritage Bay.
We have, as was indicated, provided 7.42 acres, of which .47 will
receive impact fee credits. And I just want to very briefly tell you
why that is. It seems like an odd number.
During our discussions with staff, it was indicated that they
needed a small portion of land, which is why the master plan shows
those right-of-way areas in three tracts so we can identify that .47-acre
tract for impact fee credits. Staff felt they needed that sooner, rather
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June 7, 2007
than later as it relates to some interim improvements that were going
to occur. We said, "Well, we are not even at the stage of zoning. So
we'll need impact fee credits for that." Staff agreed. And that is why
that .47 piece is eligible for impact fee credits.
It was indicated that we will be handling the stormwater for that
portion of Collier Boulevard. Fifty percent of that portion is
immediately adjacent to us. We have provided for well easement
locations and two well sites. We have provided three locations. There
is some choice in one of the locations and we'll work that out with the
utility department as soon as we move forward.
The site is -- has been historically utilized for a tree farming
operation. And so it is really entirely void of native vegetation. There
was some native vegetation on there that was inadvertently cleared
during an agricultural clearing operation. It was close to the
right-of-way, I believe, at the northern portion of the project.
There was a compliance code -- notice of violation issued and
that was resolved. That compliance agreement is attached to the PUD
and we are providing for .51 acres of replanted native vegetation as a
commitment to that code compliance case.
We asked for three deviations. Staff supported two of them. One
is pretty standardly approved. That is the 50-foot -- reduction from
60-foot to 50-foot for roadways. The second one was we wanted to
have more than the maximum five model homes. Staff didn't support
it. We are fine with that. We'll live with that LDC condition.
And deviation three I did want to discuss very briefly. That
allows for an off-site sign and it allows the off-site sign to exceed the
maximum square footage of 12 feet, but not greater than 16 feet. So
it's a little bit larger and also allows for it to be located -- the LDC
limits the distance for an off-site sign to 1,000 feet from the business
or property that it serves.
And I just wanted to show you that we are planning on locating
that in this vicinity here because we'll have that off-site connection
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June 7, 2007
here. And this will be, you know, six lanes and this will be ultimately
six lanes. And it seems appropriate to have some sort of signage that
would recognize that by making a left in here you can access this
property. And, for that matter, I guess, a right if you missed it, if you
don't turn up on Collier Boulevard Extension. And we feel we have
limited it and staff supports that.
I want to talk just a little bit about -- by the way, we are also
providing for a greenway. I don't know why they call it greenway
because it is asphalt. However, that's what they call it.
So we are providing for a 12-foot greenway along the frontage.
And that can be located within this reservation area to the north of the
canal or -- on our property. It really depends on the ultimate design.
The Immokalee -- the intersection of Immokalee Road and Collier
Boulevard presently is slightly offset. And you really couldn't make
the connection north with a fully improved intersection, two left turns,
two through lanes, two right turns or some very similar configuration
without the right-of-way that we are providing, which is why you see
that larger amount of right-of-way as you approach the intersection to
accommodate intersection improvements and actually shifting on the
north half the intersection slightly to the west so it does match up with
the balance of the southern portion of the intersection.
And then the other portion of that deals with what ultimately will
be a relocation of the canal in that vicinity. Presumably when this
property to our west comes in, they will also have to provide a slip of
land there for that canal relocation. And so we have spent a lot of
time over the last -- more than two years with staff in looking -- and
CH2M Hill has been the design engineer looking at the ultimate
intersection improvements.
I just wanted to give you some sense of comfort that we are
providing what is necessary for that to be improved. And, obviously,
we benefit from it and we are willing to share -- to pay our fair share
of costs of those improvements.
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June 7, 2007
With respect to the commercial demand analysis and some
concerns that staff raised relative to that -- and we do have experts
here who can speak to the specifics. I am going to deal with it very
generally and in particular some issues that Mr. Passidomo touched on
briefly.
That is, the -- I want to reiterate that we do have 18.69 acres of
land in the commercial activity center. For years a rule of thumb
generation commercial square footage per acre of commercial zoned
land for retail uses -- and I reiterate -- for retail uses has been 10,000
square foot per acre. And so if you use that rule of thumb and use the
18.69 acres that we have, we would be eligible for 186,000 square feet
of retail uses within the 18.69 acres that we have.
We are not asking for 186,000. We are asking for 175,000,
which is less than that rule of thumb. Staff raised the issue that 4.34
acres of that is going to actually be right-of-way and we concur. But
we are also asking for a mixed-use -- mixed commercial use
development allowing office and retail and we have limited the
amount of retail. And that rule of thumb only applies to retail.
When you build office, which can be multistory and has a lower
parking requirement, you can yield a reasonably higher number and
still meet all the development standards that are required; buffers,
setbacks, open space, native vegetation. That number is anywhere --
depending whether you're going all office or part office and how many
stories you're going, that number is anywhere from 12,000 to 15,000
square feet. And if you look at only our remaining acreage,
subtracting out the 14.34 acres that will be right-of-way within the
activity center, the remaining acreage, our yield at 175,000 is slightly
over 12,000 square foot. It's 12,200.
And I would argue to you that allowing that 175,000 with the
restriction we have put in place that limits the retail to 143,500 makes
sense because it is an incentive. It is what we need when the time
comes to determine if we, in fact, will do more office. To do anything
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June 7, 2007
other than that, with the yield being significantly higher on retail, is
likely, at least in some way, to increase the likelihood of retail versus
office and mixed-use. We expect it to be mixed-use and we can
reasonably accommodate 175,000 square feet on the remaining parcel.
I think that really concludes my portion of the presentation. I--
as Mr. Passidomo indicated, we are available for questions and we do
have several experts that I'm sure will need to answer some of those
questions.
Mr. Strain, I know that you have several corrections to the PUD
document. I don't know if you want to go over those now.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I certainly would like to address the part
of the presentation that you're responsible for. I know I have -- and
maybe the others have questions on the economics. And Russ is here,
so I will certainly have questions of him.
As far as the PUD document goes and that portion of the
presentation that you're involved with, I would rather get your
questions out now and move into the rest of the elements after that.
Does that work for everybody?
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Are there questions ofMr. Mulhere and
the PUD document?
Mr. Kolflat.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Are you addressing the
commercial needs report which was submitted?
MR. MULHERE: Only to the extent that I just did.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Perhaps you can answer it. On
the last page of the report there is a Tree Farm site map. Could you
take a look at that.
MR. MULHERE: I have to defer to Russ Weyer. I did not
prepare that.
Russ, do you want to come up and speak to this question?
I know that we changed that site map several times at staffs
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June 7, 2007
request. I am going to let Russ answer that.
MR. WEYER: I need to be sworn in.
(Speaker was duly sworn.)
MR. WEYER: For the record, Russ Weyer from Fishkind and
Associates.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: On this site map that you have
here, the blue line, as I understand it, describes the market area; is that
correct?
MR. WEYER: Actually, is this the map you are looking at?
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Mine is blue.
MR. WEYER: Is that the most current report?
MR. MULHERE: Hold up what map you're looking at.
MR. WEYER: That was the older map.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Maybe it has been changed, but
the blue line here describes the market area; is that correct?
MR. WEYER: That's correct.
CHAIRMAN KOLFLA T: It is kind of a gerrymander line. How
do you arrive at that description?
MR. WEYER: We utilize a program called Eyesight and they
utilize drive times based on speed limits going through there. And we
utilized conservative speed limits. And then it draws the lines around
those roads utilizing the roads on drive time.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: This is a special program that
does this?
MR. WEYER: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Any other questions ofMr.
Mulhere?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I do.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Bob, this is on the development
standards. I assume the recent one is 5 of25, correct? The PUD.
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June 7, 2007
MR. MULHERE: I'm sorry. Which date did you say?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Dated 5/29/07.
MR. MULHERE: That's correct. That's the one I'm using.
The commercial development standards?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: It will be residential. My typical
concern about the distance between buildings. Can you make that
greater than 20 feet?
The multifamily building is the only thing I'm concerned about.
And that will be -- you will be building them greater than 20-foot high
anyway, so that is a moot point probably.
MR. MULHERE: Right. Because the separation increases.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: As the height --
MR. MULHERE: What you were suggesting was make it 20,
instead of --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Make it greater than 20. Use
the greater than symbol. It would be 20 feet and one millimeter.
MR. MULHERE: What I'm looking at, wouldn't it be just as
easy to say 20 feet or one-half the building height, whichever is
greater?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I'm just trying to avoid a
building code penalty you had if you put it at 20 feet. You can do
that, if you want.
MR. MULHERE: I see. So somewhere down the road the art
desk is going to say we have to be 21 feet?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Or 20 feet, 1 millimeter. It is
going to be greater than 20 feet, but you can put 20, if that's what you
MR. MULHERE: Okay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And the next thing, since we are
starting to add the actual height for these, I think your disclaimer takes
away what would be the impact of that. For the building heights you
do put down there that is the zoned building height, not to be confused
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June 7, 2007
with the actual building height.
MR. MULHERE: Yeah, I have no objection to that. In fact, I
know that that is now happening, but this PUD, I think, preceded that.
Apparently at one of the Planning Commission recent meetings you
asked to make sure that that happen. I have no objection to adding
both zoned and actual if that is -- you know, between now and the
board. But I will have to do that --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, you have actual-- you
listed an actual height, so that is not the issue. The issue is the
building height that is referenced in the separation. Since you do have
two heights, clarify which height you're referring to.
MR. MULHERE: I understand, yeah.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: That's it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Any other questions ofMr. Mulhere?
Bob, let's go to the --
MR. MULHERE: I am on that page, I think.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, no, no. Go to page 425. Let's
start from the beginning and work our way to the --
MR. MULHERE: I'm there. Compliance.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Number five. It says that you have met
certain -- you're going to implement the further objective to the FLUE,
which is your concurrency management of the public facilities. And
you go into your transportation element and your sanitary sewer
subelement.
But under objective 1.5 of the recreation and open space element,
what criteria of that element did you meet that you feel you complied
in this regard on this project? I didn't see any parks in the project.
MR. MULHERE: No. But the provisions for open space, the
provisions for native vegetation retention, and payment of park impact
fees.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. The objective that you reference
says, "Continue to operate existing program for enforcing existing
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June 7, 2007
future developer commitments for recreation facilities and open
space."
So even though you're not -- there is no recreation in those open
spaces --
MR. MULHERE: I have no objection to removing that. I
assume that paying impact fees does that. It is not over and above that,
I agree.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, I'm just trying to understand it.
MR. MULHERE: Mr. Strain, I have no objection to removing it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MR. MULHERE: I might have gotten carried away.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, it happens.
We don't need to go to a page. I can just talk to you about this.
You are providing the area for the future widening of Collier
Boulevard. That's 951. And then someday it's supposed to go up
through your project, through Mirasol, and connect to somewhere
along Bonita Beach Road, if that ever happens.
What width are you providing in your project for -- to
accommodate?
MR. MULHERE: We are providing -- well, it varies. Let me
step to the exhibit for a minute.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Sure.
MR. MULHERE: It is significantly wider here and then it
narrows at this point just about right here. This is to accommodate
turn lanes and canal relocation, et cetera.
From here and northward it is 50 feet. And that is because there
is a commitment on the part of Heritage Bay -- and I'm looking for
Nick. I think they are required to provide -- I think it's 100 foot. I
defer to Nick on that.
And the reason that we reduced -- we originally had 100 foot, but
by taking the water and looking at the commitment from Heritage
Bay, staff agreed that we did not have to provide any additional
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June 7, 2007
right-of-way.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: By the way, how many acres oflakes do
you have on your project?
That number wasn't in any of your documentation.
MR. MULHERE: I do not know. Perhaps I can find out for
you, if I get a minute.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I will need to know that before we're
done.
Nick is behind you.
Nick, if you have got 100 feet from Heritage Bay and 50 feet
from this project for 150 feet, what width thoroughfare are you going
to be putting in there?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: It's going to be a four lane section,
Commissioner.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Peter a long time ago told this
county that his standard now was nothing less than six lanes. Why are
you putting four lanes here?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: When we run the modeling, it's
consistent with the long-range transportation plan. From that section
of Collier Boulevard up to Bonita Beach Road, you will not have a
need for above four lanes. So it has been documented and we have
done a traffic analysis and we have also done a typical section.
We actually went way beyond what we normally do to review a
PUD. We used our consultant actually laying the roadway alignment.
Past this PUD, once you get into Mirasol, it breaks off into 200 feet of
right-of-way. You could go more, but when you run the volumes just
up to Bonita Beach Road, four lanes carries that.
There is limited access between the two projects. In other words,
once you get past Mirasol, there is no driveway interconnections on
this roadway.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, Nick, one of the big items about
the extension of 951 was that it would give future access to the eastern
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June 7, 2007
side of Collier County directly to the Gulf Coast University. And, to
me, your justification of four lanes is odd when somehow you have
justified six lanes for the extension of Vanderbilt Beach Road that is
just going to suck up neighborhood supposed traffic from the estates.
So how do you justify those discrepancies?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: No, sir. With the VBR extension your
ultimate build-out study shows a six lane need. With Collier
Boulevard going up -- past Bonita Beach Road it may warrant a six
lane per your DRE report.
So continuing north through Lee County, it may warrant a six
lane. But that Bonita Beach to Collier connection, because you have
got that Logan connection, as well, too, tying into it, it only shows a
four lane need between that section.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I'm just curious as to how you can have
a road so obviously traveled as 951. Right now with four lanes from
Golden Gate Boulevard to Pine Ridge and south are jammed up,
packed tight. And now you're suggesting four lanes is all that you
need to go from Immokalee Road up to Bonita Beach Road. And that,
to me, is going to be the main alternative to 1-75.
I just think it's odd, but I certainly can't argue with your statistics
because I don't have them in front of me, nor did I do my own yet.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Sure. It's the driveway restriction. If
you look at I-75, currently it's a four lane section. And if you have no
driveways on either side that road runs pretty fast.
Once you get past the Mirasol/Tree Farm connection, there are
no driveways. So a four lane section will carry a significant amount
of volume. Obviously once you get to Bonita Beach Road and
continue north and the driveways come into play, you may be looking
at a six lane section.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Going north on 951 right now from
Green all the way up the Boulevard there is no driveways.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: There's a lot of conflict points on
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June 7, 2007
Collier Boulevard. On here you wouldn't have that many. That's what
the model shows. I haven't picked it apart.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I was hoping you had for this because if
you need more right-of-way in the future, you're not going to get it I
wouldn't doubt.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: There is 150 feet. I think based on
what we have done, we have got some flexibility there.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Thank you, sir.
Mr. Mulhere, on page 19, item 4.4(B). This language surprised
me. It talks about the number of residential units and says -- it starts
in the second line, "A minimum of 44 residential units shall be
constructed and the balance of the density accumulated from the
activity center shall be developed within a third mile of the northern
boundary of the activity center."
I understand that you have to develop some within the activity
center, the 44 units, but this, by the word "shall", seems to be saying
you have to commit -- you have to build the rest outside of that
activity center, whether you want to or not. The word "shall" is rather
strong.
MR. MULHERE: You raise a very good point. I think I took the
language very -- it has got to be very close from the policy language.
However, you raise a good point. That could be read two ways.
It could be read to say you have to build the balance within a
third of a mile, which is what I'm trying to say, but that doesn't mean
that you couldn't put more in the activity center.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right.
MR. MULHERE: I agree with you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I am just suggesting that you may want
to provide some flexibility.
MR. MULHERE: Maybe we need to say within a third of a mile
or within the activity center. That ought to get it, right?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Are you committed to have to build the
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June 7, 2007
full amount of the residential under any circumstance?
See, the way I read this is you have got a certain amount of
residential that you're saying here you shall build. You shall build it
within the activity center or you shall build it within a third of a mile.
You can't get away from that based on this language.
Anything goes wrong, you still shall build it. I'm just wondering
if the word "may" would be a better opportunity than "shall".
MR. MULHERE: Well, I will defer to staff. For me, yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The second part of it, not the first.
MR. MULHERE: For the second part, yes, "May be developed."
I think you still want to add a comma, "Or within the activity center."
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right.
And now we'll get to your infamous developmental standards
table.
Ms. Caron.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Can I just ask a question on what
you were just discussing? Should it be -- should it read, "That you
may -- that the balance of the density may be developed."
MR. MULHERE: You're getting at the word "units".
COMMISSIONER CARON: But it shall-- if it is developed, it
shall be within a third of a mile. Isn't that what the real intent is?
MR. MULHERE: Instead of saying "units", you simply say,
"Whatever density is generated from the activity center, 15 percent
should." I understand that.
I think, you know, we were committed -- we were okay with the
units only because -- and I think what you're saying is helpful. I think
we were okay because that number is less than half of the overall
density that we are going to build in the project.
As a result, we assume we will at least build that number and be
committed to the generation of that through the activity center.
However, if you feel it would read better to say minimum residential
-- within the 18 -- because it does start out, "Minimum residential
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June 7, 2007
density." And it uses that word and I agree.
If you say within 18.69 acre mixed-use -- a minimum of30
percent of the residential density -- of the density, right?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MR. MULHERE: Shall be constructed and the balance of the
density -- see, we use density in every location. I think that does work
better.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I think so, too.
MR. MULHERE: The rest of it, I think, Mr. Strain, your change
is stated. They still make sense.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I just didn't want us to be in the position
where we're forcing you to develop more density if you choose not to.
MR. MULHERE: You're absolutely right.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Your developmental standards table on
page 20. I spoke to these about you already -- yeah. We addressed
this already earlier.
MR. MULHERE: Yes. I have to apologize. I thought I had it
right and clearly I did not.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: For the record, let's walk through it. If
you go to the very first header line and you go all the way to the right
where it says clubhouse/recreational buildings and it references a sub-
note five.
MR. MULHERE: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That sub-note five has nothing to do
with that category.
MR. MULHERE: It can be struck.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. You go five lines down where it
says minimum front yard and it references a footnote four.
MR. MULHERE: It can be struck.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Same thing. It doesn't refer to anything.
Under accessory structures, under front, sub-note four, same
condition.
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June 7, 2007
MR. MULHERE: It can be struck.
Page 20 of25 of the PUD.
MR. SCHMITT: You handed out another one.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: This is the new one we got from staff.
MR. MULHERE: This is the most recent PUD.
MR. SCHMITT: I have a supplemental information.
MR. MULHERE: That has to do with other PUDs.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: This is dated 5/29/07.
MR. MULHERE: Weare on the right page.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: We are, but staff is not is what you're
telling us?
Down under accessory structures to preserve setback. The
reference three relates to garages. It has nothing to do with preserve
setback.
MR. MULHERE: Strike it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Let's go back up to the body of
the document. Minimum side yard, two family patio and zero lot line,
as well as single-family. If you see note two, it references a four-foot
setback, yet yours is supposed to be zero or six feet.
MR. MULHERE: Yeah. I can tell you what I was trying to
accommodate there was -- in all cases having a separation of 12 feet,
which I think you know the Planning Commission has always said
was desirable. However, what I was trying to do was create some
flexibility so that if you had four foot on one side, which allows room
for maintenance, you could have eight foot on the other.
But I have apparently -- I agree with you. If you go back to the
table, it doesn't say that. This footnote is in conflict with the table.
So, you know, I don't have an objection to striking through that
language. It will say zero or six.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's what I'm getting at.
While we are on the footnotes, the following one down. I
mentioned this to you, too. The side-loaded garages may be located
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June 7, 2007
less than 25 feet from the back of sidewalk.
MR. MULHERE: Yeah. That should have been 23 feet.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Back to the table under maximum zoned
height. You have two stories, 42 feet. Do you mean two stories not to
exceed 42 feet?
MR. MULHERE: Yeah. I am just getting to that right now. I
forgot we actually made that change on staffs request. Let me look.
Two stories, yes, NTE.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: All across there you have to add that
language not to exceed.
MR. MULHERE: Got it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Footnote four. You're striking the
footnote or you're striking the reference to the footnote in the
developmental standards table?
MR. MULHERE: I'm sorry. Tell me that again.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Under your footnote four, when you
said -- my comment that on the residential development standards
table the references where you have four located --
MR. MULHERE: No.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Are you striking four or are you striking
the reference?
MR. MULHERE: Striking four everywhere along the left
column as you go down under principal structures and accessory
structures. Under clubhouse and recreational buildings, instead of
five, that should be four.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So you're leaving four in as a footnote,
but a different reference?
MR. MULHERE: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. I had a question about
specifically four then. It says, "Although neither setbacks nor
separation between structures are applicable to the clubhouse and
other recreational structures located on the clubhouse tract."
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June 7, 2007
But what I think that is trying to say is that there is no setbacks or
separation between the structures that are on that tract. But if you
look down under accessory structures, you do have setbacks, which, if
you read number four, you're not supposed to. I'm wondering what
you're trying to say.
MR. MULHERE: I'm trying to say that -- the thing that concerns
folks is the separation from the clubhouse tract to the adjacent tracts.
And we have committed to 20 feet, but within the tract there really is
no -- you can have the pool next to the clubhouse and so on and so
forth.
How about under accessory structures under front, side and rear
we say N/ A, N/ A. And under preserve setbacks, since we know it is
going to be at least 20 feet from the preserve, that doesn't really apply
either. We have said that it is 20 feet from any tract adjacent to it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. So you're going to do N/A for all
MR. MULHERE: Just like I did on the top. I left the 25 because
that is greater.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I see that.
MR. MULHERE: If you look under principal structures for
preserve, I left that in because that's actually greater. It has got to be
more.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That is in a separate section in the LDC
anyway.
MR. MULHERE: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Then your maximum height, by the
way, not to exceed under accessory structure would still be NTE, as
well, right?
MR. MULHERE: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Marjorie.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: I take accessory structures to also
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June 7, 2007
mean for the residential. You know, accessory to that because this
says residential development standards. If you put N/ A in there, are
you creating a hole where you don't intend to?
MR. MULHERE: No. Only under the clubhouse.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Bob, that gets us through the
residential development standards table.
MR. MULHERE: Okay. That's good. I'm glad to hear that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I appreciate your cooperation.
MR. MULHERE: I apologize.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Under 6.2 on page 23, general.
MR. MULHERE: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Your last sentence says, "Upon
assignment or delegation, the developer shall be released from
responsibility for the commitments." And it's referring to the
commitments of the PUD after you pass them on to the homeowners'
association, I would assume.
Ray, is that language unique or is that standard language in the
Land Development Code?
MR. BELLOWS: I don't know. I will have to check. I'm not
sure.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: If it's already in the code, it may not
need to be here. If it's unique and they're asking for something that's
different, then it needs to be stated as a deviation. So if you could
check before you go to the board.
MR. MULHERE: Yeah, if we could check because I think that
is the way it is. Once you have assigned them, you're released. That's
why it's important to have that final walk-through with homeowners'
associations.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I just want to make sure the language
that you inserted doesn't change the requirements of the Land
Development Code.
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June 7, 2007
MR. MULHERE: I am with you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: How many acres of lakes are there,
Bob?
MR. MULHERE: I have a call in. The only thing I can tell you,
Mr. Strain, is typically we use 15 percent as a rule of thumb on a
conceptual plan. I believe that's what we did.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That was my next question.
Under 6.4, utilities.
Ms. Caron.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Before you move on from that
point, should that figure be in the PUD?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I don't think --
MR. MULHERE: It's conceptual.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I don't know ifit needs to be.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It's a water management criteria.
MR. MULHERE: I was just going to say especially with taking
the water to the roadway that probably will go up.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Under 6.4, utilities. Your first
line, "The developer shall reserve two areas to be granted easement in
fee to Collier County."
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: That's out. I caught that and it is
not -- the two are not compatible with one another. It's an oxymoronic
statement.
MR. MULHERE: I didn't write that.
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: We had an e-mail from utilities
about the grant of an easement.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Grant of an easement. So in fee -- the
words "in fee" drop?
MR. MULHERE: I met with Marjorie -- what; Monday?
MS. STUDENT-STIRLING: Yeah.
MR. MULHERE: And I did mean to put that on the record and I
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apologize. There were some syntax corrections still. But I would like
to put on the record the majority of them were standard stipulations
where those corrections need to be made.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Nick always has standard stipulations.
He provided us with a rather detailed paper that we'll discuss at the
business section of to day's meeting paragraph by paragraph and line
by line. It will be a lengthy process.
MR. MULHERE: That will be interesting.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Under your master plan -- I notice on
the far left side of the master plan you have a greenway.
MR. MULHERE: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Asphalt greenway, which I'd love to see
how the environmentalists, as you noted. I had circled that same
question: How can asphalt be green?
MR. MULHERE: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It is on the outside of the dedicated land
that you're giving up for what, I think, is a future canal.
MR. MULHERE: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: How are people going to get to it?
MR. MULHERE: We are going to provide -- we're actually
required to provide a couple of parking spaces.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, no. How do you cross the canal
once it is dug? Why would you want a greenway between the canal
and the roadway?
Wouldn't you want the greenway up against your property so
people can walk to and from your property?
MR. MULHERE: Are you suggesting that it is on the south
side?
I'm trying to find it here, Mark. I need something bigger.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So do I, but I used it. If you go to the
master plan--
MR. MULHERE: I see it. What you're saying is within A -- that
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June 7, 2007
Tract A that's where the future canal is going to be relocated?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I thought that's what you said earlier.
MR. MULHERE: It is. It is probably a remnant of -- prior to us
having those final discussions. We are permitted -- the intent is to put
it on the north side of the canal.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Is there language in the PUD
that can address it or could you add language?
MR. MULHERE: I will make sure that that is in there. That's
the intent.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Well, I think I have exhausted
the PUD questions. I still have traffic and economic, but we'll move
on to whoever your next speaker is, Bob.
MR. MULHERE: We didn't have any specifically assigned, so --
but we knew you would have questions. We have the experts here to
respond to those.
I will sit down and wipe my brow.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Are there any questions of Mr. Mulhere
at this point in the PUD?
I have some questions of Russ Weyer, if he is here still. Yes.
Anybody else have any questions with the economic feasibility
analysis supplied?
Russ, how are you?
MR. WEYER: Thank you. How are you, sir?
For the record, Russ Weyer from Fishkind and Associates.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: On page three of your document, 2.1,
under supply of commercial space, the very last line. It seems when
you got to --
MR. WEYER: Excuse me. Are you using the most current one
dated on March -- May 25th?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: There was a supplement sent out to the
Planning Commission that included the most recent PUD. That's the
one I'm using.
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June 7, 2007
MR. WEYER: That's correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN : Yeah. It is the 25th.
MR. WEYER: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Page three, 2.1, very last line of that
page. It talks about your market area that you studied.
MR. WEYER: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: What it seems to say is anything above
300,000 square feet you did not include in your synopsis or your
analysis; is that right?
MR. WEYER: That is correct. There were three parcels that had
over 300,000 square feet.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You said they were removed from the
supply since they are not competing as community serving, but are
regional serving.
MR. WEYER: That is correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: What are those three that you
eliminated?
MR. WEYER: Back in the appendix page -- there's not a page
number. But appendix number three talks about the supply -- demand
and supply.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The Orange Tree, Malibu Lakes and the
Vineyards?
MR. WEYER: That's correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. What shopping center in the
Vineyards did you eliminate?
MR. WEYER: Actually, all the 600,000 square feet was taken
out of there, Mr. Strain. Generally --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The Vineyards -- the shopping center I
know about in the Vineyards is the one where the Publix is because it
has a Starbucks.
MR. WEYER: Right. Most of them do.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: If there's not a Starbucks, I don't know
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June 7, 2007
there is a shopping center there. Where is there -- where is there a
large shopping center in the Vineyards?
MR. WEYER: Mr. Strain, when we do the market analysis we
take into account all the PUDs. That land has also been approved and
zoned, not necessarily built at that point. What we do is we utilize the
Urban Land Institute's measurements on retail, which neighborhood is
under 100,000 square feet. Community is between 100 and 300,000
square feet and then regional is over 300,000 square feet.
Since this project is proposing 175,000 square feet, it falls into
the community category. Therefore, what we did is -- in reality when
we do these analyses -- and more often than not it's usually for Growth
Management Plan amendments. And in this case since that -- it is just
a rezone, we went ahead and did this at length anyway.
What we did is we eliminated the regional ones that were
approved, but we also did not include the demand for regional in this
analysis.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But in eliminating the regional -- that is
over 300,000 square feet?
MR. WEYER: Correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I mean, normally someone would think
that that would have to be a shopping center of over 300,000 square
feet.
MR. WEYER: That's correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Do you have any shopping centers in
the Vineyards over 300,000 square feet?
MR. WEYER: No, sir.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But you eliminated the Vineyards?
MR. WEYER: Correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Even though you don't have any
shopping center in there over 300,000 square feet?
MR. WEYER: Correct. But it has the potential for that. We
took out --
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June 7, 2007
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Where? That is built out.
MR. WEYER: Mr. Strain, we can go ahead and include it back
in. It is not a great amount of square feet in that strip center.
However, we went through the approved PUD list and we took out all
of the ones that were over 300,000 square feet. Approved to have
them in there.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Again, it goes back to kind of
the conversation we had about your contribution to 15 percent of
affordable housing. I understand what you're trying to say, but it
appears -- it may appear like you're trying to do something, but it is
not in maybe reality as it touches the ground.
Because you eliminated the Vineyards because it supposedly
could have the regional size mall, when in actuality it is built out and
it doesn't have a regional size mall. But you eliminated all that
commercial from your total in your study.
MR. WEYER: That's correct. We eliminated the 600,000 square
feet.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The shopping that is going on in the
Vineyards commercial area is going to be no different and mostly --
and be competitive to what you're building or proposing to build at
this location. And you're saying that it was removed from the supply
since they are not competing as community serving, but are regional
servmg.
That's not true. They are not built regional. They are built more
community serving. And I think if you were to check with the
Vineyards, they believe their shopping centers are more community
serving and not regional serving.
MR. WEYER: Actually, they're probably even closer to
neighborhood serving. However, in either case, we can go ahead and
put that back in.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Russ, that is just a disingenuous
statement in regards to the way the thing was set up. That's all I'm
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trying to say. If you're going to make a statement like that, let's make
it for real. That's all. It just doesn't correlate.
Malibu Lakes. That one is 330,000 square feet. It was eliminated
and so was Orange Tree.
Regional would be like our mall. Regional would be like the
Edison Mall. Regional would be like Coconut Point and then the
other one where the Bass is.
I don't see any of these as regional. I mean, they are all -- they're,
at the most, the type of thing you're building at an intersection of an
activity center. And to eliminate those from your study I just didn't
think is the right approach.
I understand your reasoning for it, but I wanted to make it clear
that from a regional perspective I don't see how any of these classify
as regional centers. They are centers, but they are not drawing
regional crowds like Coconut Point is and places like that.
MR. WEYER: I understand your concern, Mr. Strain. We were
going by the guidelines of ULI at that point. Again, it can be adjusted
if need be.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. It all goes more to the need for
your commercial size. And that's why I am bringing the point up.
MR. WEYER: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: On page five, population growth. And
you have a projection for the year 2010. Do you know what this
year's growth rate has been?
MR. WEYER: It has been reduced I know.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes. So do you still think based on this
year's growth rate that you're going to have a growth per year of3,194
units, which is 6.2 percent?
MR. WEYER: It is all going to depend on economics. This is
going out to 2010. It's all going to depend on the market at this point.
We do it from a historical measurement. Forecasting going
forward is -- you know, we give it our best shot based on historical for
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June 7, 2007
the most part.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Again, it is back to what 138,000
represents. I'm not sure the growth rate is going to keep up based on
what we are now seeing.
MR. WEYER: I understand.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Page six, first paragraph, second to last
line, "In 2010 the allocation ratio is projected to be just above the
desired market equilibrium level of2.0."
Now, the note that I made here was: Who decided this? And
then I read your appendix four and I figured out who decided it. It
was not the federal government or any particular group like that. It
was somebody, but it wasn't -- we just arbitrarily went to 2.0 as what
we think we need, from what I could read in appendix four.
Can you explain how 2.0 came about?
MR. WEYER: Yes. The 2.0 actually is a planning guideline that
is handed down from the Department of Community Affairs from the
state of Florida when they are looking at commercial going forward.
The 2.0 is actually, again, for Growth Management Plan
purposes. It is looking at projected all the way out and it allows for
flexibility in forecasting on population and households, et cetera.
So what they like to see is a 2.0 allocation ratio. However, as
you go on down the line, that ratio is going to get closer to one to one
as you get out there. For this purposes, and also when you look at that
allocation ratio 2.0, they take into consideration under the Growth
Management Plan the commercial overlays that really don't have any
zoning on them at the point.
Some of those we have -- we have taken away. We didn't take a
look in context to this because it isn't a growth management change
and a future land use map change. This actually is just a rezone.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I understand now if you say DCA. I
wish I would have known that. Your appendix four didn't reference
DCA. I would have done some research with the DCA site to find that
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June 7, 2007
out.
MR. WEYER: I will be happy to provide that for you in the
future.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you.
Your reference in the appendix four says that in order to reduce
traveling costs and maintain reasonable land costs that you want to go
to 2.2. And the allocation of2.0 is generally used in the current time
frame for reasons mentioned above.
I mean, do you think that land costs in Collier County are
reasonable?
MR. WEYER: No, sir.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. That's why I'm wondering why
2.0 might be, but I thought that was interesting.
On page six, towards the bottom, you have a statement that says,
"Based on this analysis, there is a clear and compelling case for adding
additional community commercial lands in the marketplace." And it
goes back to the 2.0 condition.
And the reason that is important is on the next page. Under 4.3,
in the middle of the paragraph, it says, "Adding the additional land for
the zoned commercial inventory increases the allocation ratio from
1.06 to 1.14. An allocation ratio of 1.14 is substantially below the
desired level of 2.0."
Where is the threshold for substantially?
MR. WEYER: Substantially below?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN : Yeah. Why is 1.14 substantially below
versus I .24, one point whatever? What triggers substantially; anything
in particular?
MR. WEYER: Nothing in particular, Mr. Strain. It's my
professional opinion. Generally 1.5 and below.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. 1.5 and below. So you're saying
anything a half a point off might be substantially?
MR. WEYER: Right.
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June 7, 2007
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Because in the next line you say, "An
allocation ratio of 2.66 is just above the desired level of 2.0."
MR. WEYER: Again, a professional opinion.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But you just said that.5 was maybe the
threshold for substantial. So wouldn't .66, because it is over .5, be
substantially above 2.0?
MR. WEYER: I understand what you're saying, sir.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Ms. Caron.
COMMISSIONER CARON: And just to follow up on that. If
you go back to page six, it says, "The allocation ratio indicates that the
commercial supply and the market area is being developed in lockstep
with demand."
MR. WEYER: At the moment.
COMMISSIONER CARON: So we don't need to be increasing
anyway. We are doing a good job without this rezone.
MR. WEYER: Remember, you already have zoned land out
there that will be absorbed as the market comes to it. And in this case,
you're only adding .04 to the market itself. And when we get to that
point, there will be market studies, as Mr. Mulhere had represented
earlier, to see what really will need to be developed at that point.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: In your tables you talk about the
primary market retail demands. And this is your development and
zone commercial table 4.3.1 for 2010. The primary market retail and
demand is 2.2 million. The supply is 6.061. That is almost three
times the demand.
Yet, you're saying it is justified because you go back to this 2.0
ratio that is double what -- the federal government uses 1.0 because
DCA established 2.0. And really by adding yours into that demand,
you're at 2.74. You're almost 3.0.
I mean, it's just a lot, Russ. I understand you have to justify the
commercial allocation. I know that's what your paper's intent was, but
I'm just saying I'm not sure I agree with everything you're saying here
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in regards to that justification.
MR. WEYER: I understand that, Mr. Strain. Again,
understanding market economics and market supply and demand and
all of that good economic language, the point being is that it just
doesn't force commercial into one area. And sometimes, in that case,
you probably will force the prices up and everything else on the land
itself. This allows for the market flexibility, if you will.
When you get on down the line, you may not -- it may not be
approved in 2020, 2030.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Russ, I think I have got all my
questions like that done, yes. I appreciate it. I wish that I had read
your report earlier so I could have called you. I would have liked to
have understood your economics better.
MR. WEYER: Okay. I will be happy to--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It's intriguing the way it came about and
then some of that information. Unfortunately, I really digested this last
night, so I didn't get a chance to call you.
MR. WEYER: I understand. I will be happy to explain it to you
in the future.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I may take you up on that. Thank you.
MR. WEYER: I look forward to it.
MR. MULHERE: Mr. Chairman, I just wanted to jump up for a
minute. I just was informed and agreed that there was a commitment
on our part to do a Big Cypress Fox Squirrel management plan as part
of or prior to the SDP approval. It was under environmental.
Somehow I think it got struck through when all the repetitive
language came out. We will reinsert that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MR. MULHERE: Big Cypress Fox Squirrel. There is habitat
there. There is no evidence of Fox Squirrels, but there is habitat. We
agreed to do a Big Cypress Fox Squirrel management plan prior to
SDP.
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June 7, 2007
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Do you have any Fox Squirrels on the
property?
MR. MULHERE: Elena, was there any?
MS. HOFFMAN: Elena Hoffman with Passarella and
Associates. We didn't see any during our surveys. The main
instrument plan was requested by Jim Beever when he was at FWC.
He requested it from staff, so we agreed to it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Could you show me where on your plan
that this preserve area is going to be that would have to be impacted
by this management plan?
MR. MULHERE: You don't -- tell him what is involved in it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I mean, we're in an activity center.
You're putting in hundreds of thousands of square feet surrounded by
hundreds of thousands of square feet more. Why are we putting
through a plan that theoretically or practically will never ever be used
because there is nothing there to use it for?
MS. HOFFMAN: There was about 2.02 acres of Pine Flatwoods
on the site. It was on the periphery of the north area.
MR. MULHERE: It is gone now.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ijust heard Mr. Mulhere say it is gone
now. Is that true?
MS. HOFFMAN: Well, the majority of it is. If you look at this
hatched portion, that was the portion that was accidentally cleared and
that was part of the consent agreement. So all along here and then
down in this portion there is -- there was Pine Flatwoods. There is
still some Pine Flatwoods here.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Miss, can you tell me on this -- on your
site plan, your master plan, the one that's in color on the wall there on
the left -- can you tell me where the preserve areas are on that plan?
MS. HOFFMAN: I believe this is going to be the preserve area.
I think it is going to contain some native retention, but it is mostly
going to be replanted.
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June 7, 2007
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is that where this Fox Squirrel
management plan would apply?
MS. HOFFMAN: Essentially the plan is a requirement to -- prior
to clearing activities to go out to the site and look for any potential
nests. Ifthere is any potential nests, to monitor the nests until you see
either a gray squirrel or a Fox Squirrel come out of it. If they're
nesting, you cannot clear until they are done nesting. The Fox
Squirrel.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Did you do a survey?
MS. HOFFMAN: No. You do that prior to clearing activities
because they're mobile and they could build a nest right prior to
clearing.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So even though there was some
property illegally cleared, there is property that still needs to be
cleared of native vegetation?
MS. HOFFMAN: Well, there is areas of Pine Flatwoods that are
still on the site.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MS. HOFFMAN: It is very minimal, but--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I mean, the last thing that we need to do
is be imposing standards that are impractical. However, if they are
justified, they absolutely need to be imposed. That's all I'm trying to
find out.
MS. HOFFMAN: Well, it was requested by the FWC from staff
to include and we agreed to do it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Thank you.
Mr. Mulhere, I know that we may have transportation questions,
but it is time for Katie and Kelley to have a break. So we will take a
IS-minute break and be back here at 10:20. Thank you.
(A recess was held from 10:05 a.m. until 10:20 a.m.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Ray, cue us back up. Thank you.
Okay. Everybody, this meeting will come back to order. We'll
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June 7, 2007
resume where we left off. We still were trying to get through the
applicant's presentation. While they had their presentation done, we
were into questions and responses.
There are some -- at least I have got some transportation
questions. And Nick has been anxious to talk to us about all the
enhancements for the transportation quarters he has been doing lately.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: I can report some good news, if you
would let me.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Sure. Go right ahead.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: They bid Collier Boulevard last night
and it came in at about $25 million, which is approximately eight to
$10 million less than the engineer's estimate.
(Applause.)
So we'll start that with a good note.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Now, a skeptic may say the engineer
just eyeballed it so he would look good.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: That went through my head
immediately.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: You want me to give you the per lane
mile cost, huh?
MR. SCHMITT: And it will be done when; in six months?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Don't go there, Joe.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Nick, in the traffic analysis provided
with the Tree Farm Road, I notice that they went through and did a
Collier County traffic count, growth trends and went ahead and listed
various roads. There's tables in here.
I didn't find where Mirasol PUD's now vested trips were
allocated in any of their analyses. Do you know if they were or not?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: They would be in the trip bank section
of those columns if they are in there. The 799 units would be in the
trip bank.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. But at the time this TIS was
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June 7, 2007
done, Mirasol was not vested. Would they still have put that -- would
it still have been expected to be used?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: What was the date of that TIS that you
have in front of you?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: August 11,2005.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: No.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Revised January 12,2006.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: The revision date would have the trip
bank for Mirasol in there.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. I missed it, but I will look for it
agam.
In their introduction they indicate that the project is expected in
2008. The traffic analyses were conducted 2010. The testimony
today and the stipulation that they said that they are going to defer
COs until the six-Ianing of those immediate three roads that are listed.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: That's correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The way it is written, it's until the road
is substantially complete.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: There's no dates on these. I'mjust
curious. Of the three road sections, when do you think the dates --
what is the latest one out, do you know, for completion?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Immokalee to the east is '08.
Immokalee to the west is early '09. And Collier to the south is mid
'09. And they are all ahead of schedule, except Immokalee to the east,
which is running as scheduled.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Good.
Speaking of schedules, how far behind is Vanderbilt Beach
Road?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: You had to go there.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I mean, from Collier to Airport Road
that is the goofiest thing I have ever seen. They have a piece going
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here and a piece going there, nothing in between, half done. And you
go out and half the time there's not a single vehicle moving.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Can I go with one of those Oliver
North responses?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I just thought that was odd.
Under page two of their traffic report, committed roadway
improvements. I think you will find this interesting. "FDOT has
scheduled the widening of 1-75 from Golden Gate Parkway to south of
Bonita Beach Road in 2007."
I s that true?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: The widening is scheduled to begin
and notice to proceed is scheduled to begin in 2007.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: This year?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: This year.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Do you still think that?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: I have met with HDR. They expect
the north to proceed and their schedule and liquidated damages
schedule is extremely tight, so they are ready to go out the door.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. On page four they talk about
future 2010 traffic conditions without the project. And they have got a
"0" and an "F". Immokalee Road/Shoppes of Pebblebrooke, level of
service "F". And it's for the un-signalized directional intersection,
major street, left turn; minor street, right turn. LOS reported.
What does that mean?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Are they referring to the entrance into
the Pebblebrooke Shopping Center on Collier or Immokalee?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It says, "Future traffic conditions
without the project." That's the title to -- the title to the section.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Do you want to --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It's talking about intersection capacity
analysis or performance for the intersection. It's on page four, the TIS.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: I believe they are looking at the
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June 7, 2007
directional median that is not part of their entrance.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, does that mean that with the
project we won't have a level of service "F" in that intersection?
Because if we have a level of service "F" without the project --
MR. CASALANGUIDA: It's not at the county intersection. I
believe it's a turn lane or coming out of the Shoppes at Pebblebrooke.
I don't believe it is Immokalee Road. Shoppes ofPebblebrooke.
Do you guys want to clarify that? It is not the road.
MR. T ALONE: My name is Ron Talone. I'm a transportation
planner for David Plummer and Associates and I worked on this
project.
That's an indication that the exiting movements would meet some
delay. There's no question about that with the through traffic on
Immokalee. That's not a reflection of the carrying capacity or the
levels of service on Immokalee Road, which has been determined to
be -- certainly with the improvement will operate at the level of
service standard.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So with the project -- well, let's go to
the next page then. Because it's the same reference on the next page;
Immokalee Road/project entrance/Shoppes of Pebble brooke, "F" with
project.
Why do you have an "F" condition with the project if we're
supposed to have it fixed with the project?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: I believe it's something they can't
control. It is the shopping. We had them look at all the intersections
west of that intersection. It is something that is being experienced at
the Shoppes ofPebblebrooke that they don't control.
Through the widening of Immokalee Road, you're not going to be
able to get the proper access, management, and spacing at the Shoppes
of Pebblebrooke.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: If they can't control it, why is it even in
this TIS?
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June 7, 2007
MR. CASALANGUIDA: We had them look at everything.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Why look at something -- Nick, I'm
trying to understand where the correlation is between all these little
problems. Ifwe already have an "F" condition and with them in
service it's still going to be an "F" condition, isn't there a way to fix it?
How do we approve something knowing there is an "F" condition
out there? I'm not saying we are not, I'm just trying to understand
your reasoning as to why it can be done.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Sure. I usually ask for more analyses
than what would typically be required. I'll see how all the intersections
work. And when you've got a driveway that is attached to Immokalee
Road, and, say, the Shoppes of Pebble brooke, that driver may feel
because of the shops -- they may put additional trips on that
intersection -- minimal trips on that intersection, So I want to address
that. If it is something they can't control, it's a side street failure.
In other words, the people may experience an unreasonable delay
coming out of the Shoppes ofPebblebrooke. That's something that we
don't prioritize our concurrency system. Immokalee Road is running
okay. People experience delay coming out of a shopping center, that's
understandable. That's a side street failure.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So that "F" then applies to the people
sitting in line in the Publix shopping center trying to get onto
Immokalee Road?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: That would be correct because that
directional left would -- the westbound directional will go away and
improve conditions. So that would have to be that coming out,
movmg.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: This project is contributing sizable land
and other improvements to the intersection. I know Mirasol, which is
through their DCA, is doing some of that intersection improvement, as
well. Are those intersection improvements going to be in place by the
time this project is CO'ed?
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June 7, 2007
MR. CASALANGUIDA: The intersection improvements that
Mirasol will be doing will be the northeast comer. It will not be the
bridge relocation and the bridge widening. These developers are
aware that that has to be done and there is a fair share agreement in
that PUD or fair share requirement in the PUD for that bridge
improvement.
We couldn't program that improvement without the right-of-way.
So we have approached them about doing eventually some sort of
agreement where they would actually fund that improvement. We
would give them some impact fee credits because it would be way
above and beyond what they would be required to do. In the PUD you
will find that there is a fair share commitment for them to pay for that,
as well, too.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. But my question centered more
around the timing of the completion of those intersection
improvements. Will they be done before this project is requesting its
CO?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: All the county roadways east and west
__ Immokalee East, Immokalee West, Collier, those three legs will be
done. The north leg will be at their beck to do it.
In other words, they will have poor access unless they do it. So it
would bequest them to go forward and improve that intersection.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So they can come in and request a CO
and the intersection improvements may not necessarily be done?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: All the county intersections would be.
They will have poor access coming out and poor access coming in.
But all the county improvements will be in place on the main-line
road.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: In the past you have differentiated
between the legs of the roads and the intersection. You one time even
said we study concurrency on the legs of the road, but we fail to look
at concurrency on intersections or something to that effect. We don't
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June 7, 2007
have an LOS, let's say, for intersections.
So thinking of that and trying to focus on this intersection, will
this intersection be operating at a year better level of service when this
project comes in for CO?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: All the approaching movements on the
roads that we would consider, like county roadways, I know 951 is a
county road. Right now I look at that as a dead end. So the three legs
that you will travel on, the public will travel on, will be at acceptable
level of service.
Coming out of Collier North, the extension, won't work properly
until they fix it. But that is to their detriment, not to the county's. I
am sure when we're done and they come through, the first thing that
they are going to want to do is work with the county to improve that
bridge.
That would benefit Heritage Bay, Mirasol and them. They are all
looking at it. They know it has to be done.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Go ahead, Mr. Vigliotti.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Nick, if this project doesn't go
ahead, what problems are going to cause you with driveways and land
and --
MR. CASALANGUIDA: The county has no plans to improve to
the north of that intersection currently right now. But I can tell you
that if any development -- and I don't say this too often -- has given
what these people have given, in terms of -- everything I have asked
for they have said yes to; the right-of-way for an existing 951,
right-of-way for the future 951, right-of-way for an overpass, water
management for 951, interconnection, the path, withholding of COs
until the roads around them are completed.
They have pretty much done anything we could have probably
asked for. Way above and beyond. It would be a detriment not to
have the right-of-way in place. We could not continue to improve that
intersection without that right-of-way.
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June 7, 2007
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: I agree with that same list that
you have. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Nick, in the sufficiency comments you
had some additional comments. One of them was noise wall
mitigation language. What were you referring to?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: I believe -- and hopefully it's in there.
It's that any future noise wall consideration shall be the responsibility
of the developer, not the county, for the widening of the roads. If it's
not in there, then it should be.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, then we need to check it because
offhand I didn't know what you meant by that, so I didn't know what I
was looking for. Where would it be; under the transportation section, I
assume?
MR. MULHERE: I am not sure if it's in there. I will look at the
same time as you're looking because those have been eliminated and
then replaced and eliminated, replaced based on the duplicative
language stuff. I will take a look.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Do you have any objection to adding
the language if it is not there?
MR. MULHERE: No. It was in there at one time. I don't think I
took it out.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. DeRuntz, I'm sure you're making
notes on things that need to be modified in the PUD. This is one that
can be addressed before it got to the Board of County Commissioners.
MR. DeRUNTZ: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Any other traffic questions of the
transportation department?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Thank you very much.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you.
I think that ends the applicant's portion of this, except for any
rebuttal they may have after we hear from staff and proceed with the
public speakers.
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June 7, 2007
Mr. DeRuntz, hello.
MR. DeRUNTZ: Good morning. My name is Mike DeRuntz.
I'm the Principal Planner with the Department of Zoning and Land
Development Review.
First off, I want to, as mentioned at the beginning of the meeting,
correct the record of the supplemental staff report. The date of this
meeting is the June 7th, instead of the 29th. And the date of the staff
report that was attached was May 17th, instead of the June 7th. I was
having problems with my dates. I apologize.
You have heard extensive comments from the petitioner about
the deviations requested and about the needs analysis. And staff has
found that this project is consistent with the Growth Management Plan
and compatible with the adjoining property owners, the LDC. And
staff would like to state in our supplemental staff report we would like
to strike condition number three, four and five now with the
modifications that was addressed by the applicant.
I believe that the donations of affordable housing are very
acceptable by the staff and that the conditions of development are very
reasonable.
And if you have any questions, I would be more than happy to
try to address those.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you, Mike.
Questions of staff?
Ms. Caron.
COMMISSIONER CARON: What did you just say was
reasonable?
MR. DeRUNTZ: That the COs would not be approved until the
three county roads would be substantially improved.
COMMISSIONER CARON: All right. Thank you.
MR. DeRUNTZ: That's what I meant.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Just so I'm clear, we're now
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June 7, 2007
considering the gross acreage and we're not deducting the space for
the roads and then requiring them to do their math on the basis of the
net, correct?
MR. DeRUNTZ: That's correct.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Any other questions of staff?
COMMISSIONER CARON: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ms. Caron.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Staff has been using this rule of
thumb for 10,000 square feet for commercial. However, you're also
quoting in here county urban area build-out study that uses 8,500
square feet.
Is this staff doing one of their usual insubstantial changes or why
is there a difference?
MR. DeRUNTZ: I think I will have Michelle address that
comment.
MS. MOSCA: Good morning, Mr. Chairman, Commissioners.
For the record, Michele Mosca with the Comprehensive Planning
Department. The 1995 build-out number included -- of 8,500 square
feet per acre includes all commercial development. It doesn't -- there
is no distinction between office, retail, et cetera. That's the figure that
we've used previously.
If you look at some of the approved PUDs in the past prior to '95,
I would have to say -- I don't want to say the majority of them, but
they are lower than 8,500 square feet per acre of the development. If
you look at some of the recent approvals, you will see that the
numbers are much higher. But the actual developed or built out
square footage is probably somewhere in between 9,000 to 11,000
square feet. The 10,000 is a -- sort of a national rule of thumb number
that's used.
Did I answer your question?
COMMISSIONER CARON: Yes. I think that perhaps what we
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had done was decided that we wanted a stricter standard here in
Collier County and that we probably should have been following that
all along. And what happens, Michelle, is where this will become a
factor is 20 or 30 years down the line when we get into redevelopment
of these areas. And they will all be -- vested I'm sure will be the term
at the time -- to these higher square footages, when perhaps what
we've wanted all along was a stricter standard.
MS. MOSCA: But the square footage will be controlled by the
development standards in place.
I'm sorry.
If you look at one of the maybe first or second iterations of the
commercial needs analysis that was done by the sub-consultant
Fishkind and Associates -- when you look at office development, let's
say, in areas outside of this county, you're looking at higher square
footages, 12, 13, maybe up to 15,000 square feet.
Again, if you look at that iteration of the document provided by
Fishkind and Associates, the average office square feet per acre in this
county is somewhere around 6,600 square feet, unlike other areas in
the state. Our average has been in the past, and according to the 1995
build-out study for commercial development, 8,500 square feet.
COMMISSIONER CARON: All I'm saying is that's what we
should be using.
MR. MULHERE: Why would we use an average? That means
that much is above that and much is below that.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Why would you use something
above that?
MR. MULHERE: Well, because, to be honest with you, that's
not a standard. The standard is what is set forth in the Land
Development Code with all of the requirements that you can't build on
today. Land costs have gone up significantly and restrictions have
increased very much from what they were in 1994, 1993, and 1990.
We have more open space requirements. We have more native
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June 7, 2007
preservation. We have greater water management. And these are all
fine. But that has caused -- and with land values going up, that has
caused a developer to try to maximize what they can develop in the
area that they can develop. Maybe in 1994 developers didn't do that.
Probably they didn't.
Besides, that's an average. That's not even a rule of thumb. It's
what the average build-out was in 1994, 8,500 square feet. That's the
only relevance to that number. There is no other relevance.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Any other questions?
COMMISSIONER CARON: We'll continue to argue that point,
I'm sure.
At any rate, yeah, back to staff. On page six when you talk about
the density here -- the residential density.
MR. DeRUNTZ: Yes, ma'am.
COMMISSIONER CARON: The additional three units an acre
for the residential density band, that is not an entitlement, is it?
MR. DeRUNTZ: It is not an entitlement, but --
COMMISSIONER CARON: Okay. That's all I wanted to know.
Secondly, with regard to that, you have just made a change in
what you think is appropriate for their commercial. That they should
be allowed, as we do with residential, to use their full acreage in order
to calculate, not taking out what they are giving for right-of-way.
MR. DeRUNTZ: That's correct, ma'am.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Okay. I mean, we already allow--
in residential we allow essentially this double dipping and we will
allow it in the commercial. And I think that's appropriate. Ifwe are
going to allow it in one area, we should allow it in both.
And Nick said 1-75 is a done deal, huh?
That's all I have for staff right now.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Mr. Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Michelle, this question is for
you. So essentially what you're saying is Collier has -- over here.
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June 7, 2007
MS. MOSCA: I'm sorry.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: It is hard to see who is talking.
Collier has an FAR like about less than .2; is that what you're
saying?
MS. MOSCA: I would say yes.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. In terms of planning, is
that something -- I mean, I know where Donna is concerned is keeping
things small. But the problem is if we're really building the county out
at that Iowan FAR -- I mean, most communities I have designed in
they have .5 stuff.
Aren't we sprawling our development across the county?
MS. MOSCA: That's been the standard. Whether or not that
sprawl -- what I would like to see as a professional planner is -- we
would have liked to have seen a greater mix of residential with the
commercial within the mixed-use activity centers. And that just hasn't
occurred over the years.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right. But this project is kind
of aiming that way, isn't it?
MS. MOSCA: Well, I think they have sort of been forced into
that with the EAR-based amendments that requires the density
generated within the activity center cannot be completely distributed
outside of the activity center, which they originally requested to do.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right.
MS. MOSCA: I mean, the idea behind the activity center
originally, again, was to have that mix within that defined area. There
was a cap. And then back in '89 -- a cap on the acreage in the
commercial in '89. And then these factors came into play when we
start talking about the needs -- the commercial needs within a given
area.
So it has just kind of been watered down over the years. We
don't have that mix in these activity centers.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Hopefully this project does mix
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June 7, 2007
it up a little bit. That's their intent.
MS. MOSCA: Well, it will be 44 units that they are required to
build within the activity center.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Thank you.
I am done, too.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Any other questions of staff?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Michael, thank you.
Ray, do we have public speakers?
MR. BELLOWS: No.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Mulhere or Mr. Passidomo. Did
either of you want a short rebuttal?
MR. P ASSIDOMO: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Go ahead.
MR. PASSIDOMO: Mr. Chairman, I have an observation and
acknowledgment and a request. The observation pertaining to the
Fishkind and Associates analysis, I think important questions were
posed to Mr. Weyer. The observation is that the Growth Management
Plan requires consideration of 13 different factors in assessing a
planned unit development in a mixed-use activity center.
The one that was the focal point was the one that was the basis of
the questions posed to Mr. Weyer. It requires a feasibility analysis of
proposed commercial uses in a mixed-use planned unit development
within an activity center already designated for intensive commercial
uses in the county's Growth Management Plan. It's separate and apart
and distinguishable from justification to amend the Growth
Management Plan to add commercial designation to land previously
designated for noncommercial uses, to create capacity and add new
commercial capacity.
The existing commercial development is, in fact, developed in
lockstep. I think the ratios Mr. Weyer testified to were that the
existing demand compared to existing supply was at a ratio of 1.06. It
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June 7, 2007
would raise to about 1.14 with the addition of this project.
It is important to recognize that isn't a market analysis. This isn't
the time for a market analysis. That time will be three years from now
when we're ready to move forward. At that point in time the
developer, as an entrepreneur, will look into the marketplace and
make the determination as to what, if any, retail is built; what, if any,
office is built; what, if any, residential is built and will make a
market-based judgment based on a market analysis available at that
time.
We wanted to acknowledge staffs hard work on the process and
greatly appreciate their withdrawal of the proposed staff conditions
three, four and five and the acceptance of our alternative proposal to
restrict the commercial development to 175,000 square feet, of which
no more than 143,500 may be retail, commercial in nature. The
balance, if any, would be of office.
We tried to make a point of emphasis during our introductory
remarks about the transportation commitments. We tried to be
responsive and to be sensitive not only to the impacts that this
development will impose by all significantly impacted roadways, but
the needs of the county and to respond to those in a forthright, and I
hope it may be even suggested in a generous way, to the county so
that we can work collectively with the county in meeting what we
recognize are compelling transportation needs.
With that, I would be happy to respond to any questions and
greatly appreciate your consideration and respectfully request your
approval.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Any questions ofMr. Passidomo?
John, I have one question. Your TIF -- originally the one I have
in front of me was based on 475 residential units, 200,000 square feet
of retail and 50,000 square feet of office. So that is a quarter million
of commercial at 475.
You're asking for a different amount today. Why was the TIS
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June 7, 2007
originally done for a larger amount?
MR. P ASSIDOMO: Because the original proposal was for a
larger project.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So you have dropped your project
request from 475 to 425, from 200,000 in retail down to 143, and then
for 50,000 of office to the difference between 175 and 143?
MR. PASSIDOMO: Yes, sir.
Mr. Chairman, I have just been informed by Mr. Mulhere that
Ms. Mosca would like us to reinstate our minimum requirement of
5,000 square feet of office. And, of course, we're happy to do that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Minimum above the 143?
MR. MULHERE: No. In any case.
MR. P ASSIDOMO: In any case there will be at least 5,000
square feet of office development in the project.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: What you're trying to say is if you
decided you want to build 1,000 square feet of retail, you're going to
build 105 with the 5,000 of office?
No matter what, you're always going to build -- if you build a
McDonald's, you're going to have 5,000 square feet in office?
MR. P ASSIDOMO: Yes, sir. If we built no retail, we have to
build 5,000 square feet of office.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Well, wait a minute. If you build
no retail, you still have to build 5,000 square feet in office?
MR. PASSIDOMO: That's what I understand. We are agreeable
to that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. I'm not sure why we would want
to force you to build something. What is the value of that?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: 5,000 square feet, that's one
doctor's office. What is 5,000 square feet?
MR. MULHERE: Well, we didn't really want to commit to any
minimum in the negotiations with staff because we want to -- we
really want to leave it up to the marketplace as we move closer. The
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June 7, 2007
example is that if right next door to us Heritage Bay builds 200,000
square feet of office, then obviously we are going to focus on retail.
But we did agree to a minimum of 5,000.
Now, we subsequently have changed what we're asking for to
reduce the -- to establish a minimum -- a maximum amount of retail
and then we have got this balance. I think Michelle's concern is that
she wants to see a mixture of commercial uses there. And without that
minimum, there's no requirement for us to build any office.
We could just build 143,500 of retail. We don't object to it. I
mean, I think the site lends itself at the northern portion of it to office.
And I assume that there would be some minimum amount of office
building there at the minimum. Weare not objecting to it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. If you're not objecting to it, I
guess --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Let's not waste time on it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Any other -- no other questions.
That's it.
MR. P ASSIDOMO: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No speakers. We'll close the public
hearing and entertain a motion.
Mr. Adelstein.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Thank you. I move that
PUDZ-05-AR-8284 be forwarded to the Board of County
Commissioners with a recommendation of approval subject to staff
recommendations.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is there a second?
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Second.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion seconded by Commissioner
Vigliotti.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: May I make a statement?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes, sir. Go ahead.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: I think this is a fantastic
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June 7, 2007
project. It approaches two major problems we have. One is
workforce housing and the other is traffic.
They are donating seven and a half acres of land for all the
improvements, $550,000 to affordable housing, stormwater retention,
well site donations, greenway 12-foot wide, interconnectivity at
multiple locations. And they just gave 5,000 square foot of office. I
don't know why, but they did.
MR. BELLOWS: For the record, Ray Bellows. I just want to
make sure that the staff recommendations as amended and revised.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I would assume so because staff is
recommending only two recommendations now. The other three were
dismissed because the applicant agreed to them.
So the two recommendations as staff made is what both of you
are agreeing to, Mr. Adelstein?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Vigliotti?
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Yes. And, again, I agree with
Nick on the traffic end. They have done a lot of -- a lot to work with
the county on this. The two major issues was traffic and workforce
housing. That's why I vote to approve.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you.
Any other comments?
Ms. Caron.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I would voice one comment.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Go ahead, Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Ditto.
COMMISSIONER CARON: I'm glad we waited for that.
I'm going to -- I am not going to support the motion. And the
reason for not supporting the motion is that I think that the intensity of
the project is way out of scale for the area surrounding it.
If you look at the rest of this activity center area, you have got on
150 acres 150,000 square feet of commercial at the Richland PUD.
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June 7, 2007
And Heritage Bay, which is a 2,500 acre DR!, you have got 230 acres
of commercial. And I think this is a case where, once again, we are
trying to stuff ten pounds into a five-pound bag and that both -- in
terms of the density of residential, which is out of scale.
They are looking at seven versus four for Richland, 1.3 for
Heritage Bay, and .5 for Mirasol. I just think that the scale is getting
way out of control.
I also seriously question the commercial needs at this time. The
needs analysis said that commercial may be needed in the 2030 time
period based on increases in population. Well, first of all, we are not
sure that the increases are going to be what they were before.
And, secondly, as you looked at that gerrymandered map in order
to get there, I'm not sure that the needs will necessarily be in this area.
And when we are talking about having this project put forth here in
the next couple of years, I can already tell you that just down the road
to the west we're already seeing failures of commercial at other major
intersections.
And I'll cite, for example, Livingston and Immokalee. We
already have had the closure of an Albertson's at that location because
-- with much higher densities in that area And we can't support it.
And I'm not sure that this project, as intense as they would like to
make it, is warranted.
I think we probably, if you want to approve -- and obviously this
is an activity center and I think there should be commercial here. And
I like the residential. There is nothing wrong with the concept. It is
just the density and intensity of what they are trying to put on this 58
acres that you should be looking to scale back what you're looking at.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Anybody else?
COMMISSIONER CARON: That's my comment.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I am pleased the applicant has chosen to
go with the recommendations of staff. Staff did a very good job in
analyzing this project. I am displeased with some of the data provided.
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June 7, 2007
I think it could have been done a little bit clearer.
I will support the project. I do feel it does -- it is consistent with
the other projects in that area. Contrary to some comments, I believe
that the Richland PUD or the Pebblebrooke PUD was one of the
referenced. It's not 150 acres as commercial. It is 21.2 acres as
commercial and it has 231,000 square feet allocated for 21.2 acres,
which is greater than what we're looking at here for 58 acres on a
ratio.
While the PUD itself is 150, you have got to look at commercial
and commercial at the intersection. Under that basis, I think this is,
therefore, amongst the other reasons that staff has provided. And I
will support the motion.
Any other comments?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, I will make a quick one. I
am going to support the motion. I think these activity centers were
planned well. This is where the density should be, based on my
experience as an architect in other counties. I kind of think we're
putting two pounds in a ten-pound bag. And I am more concerned
about spreading the density, rather than compiling it in these activity
centers where it belongs.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Brad, you have never let me down.
Okay. I will call for the vote. All those in favor of the vote,
signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: All those opposed?
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
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June 7, 2007
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion carries seven to one. Thank you
very much.
Any conversation, if you wouldn't mind going into the hallway
for that. It would be helpful to clear the room.
Item #8B
PETITION: V A-2007-AR-11459
The next petition up today is V A-2007-AR-11459, James and
Lavonne Williamson represented by Sonrise Properties for the project
on Edgemere Way South.
All those wishing to testify on behalf of this project, please stand
and be sworn in by the court reporter.
(Speakers were duly sworn.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you.
Disclosures from the Planning Commission.
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: None.
Okay. Just so before we get into the presentation, it's 11 :00. We
will be taking a lunch break close to noon. I don't think we'll get
finished with everything today.
So -- just so everybody knows, about another hour we're going to
take a break.
Okay. Will the applicant like to make a presentation.
MR. FREDRICKSON: Good morning. My name is Randy
Fredrickson. I'm from the Sonrise Building Company . We've been
charged with representing the Williamsons in this request.
Lavonne and Jim came to us to extend their garage to allow a
second car to be part of that garage. Right now the garage is a two-car
garage, but it has a -- they have installed over the past or it was there
when we got there anyway, a room -- kind of a multi-purpose room
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June 7, 2007
that took up probably a third of the one stall.
They would like now to put two cars in their garage and that can
be done by extending one of the bays approximately seven feet. This
will encroach on the present easement in Wyndemere that is now 40
feet.
Right now the addition to the garage would bring the easement
down to 36 feet. And that's what the variance is a request to do.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Your variance, sir, is the reduction from
40 feet to 36 feet, correct?
MR. FREDRICKSON: Correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you.
Mr. Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Is it time to question?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, you were raising your hand, so I
guess you might have something to say.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: A concern I have is that we're
discussing the 40 foot, but that's really measuring it to the curb.
MR. FREDRICKSON: Correct.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And setbacks are normally
measured to the property line. So I'm not really sure technically -- any
maybe staff would answer better.
But -- in other words, I'm not sure that you have a 40-foot
setback requirement. If you do, the existing building wouldn't even
comply maybe.
So why are we measuring this to the property line; why aren't we
measuring to the back of the curb?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I checked the PUD. It is 40 feet. And
it's measured -- and if you -- a PUD we just got done approving, they
measured from the back of the curb in private zoning.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: The one we just did said
right-of-way of the road. I mean, is there a setback requirement from
the property line in Wyndemere?
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June 7, 2007
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's a deed restriction. I don't know if
we would count -- the PUD was for the -- it was on that private
roadway. It's usually from the back of curb or edge of asphalt.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So in the Wyndemere PUD it
states that setbacks shall be measured to the back of curb?
MR. FREDRICKSON: From the research that we did, that's
correct.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Because the last one that we
had, Mark, it did say right-of-way. I did notice that because I knew
this was coming up.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: For public roads.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: There's no public roads in the
last one.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yeah. You had the extension of Collier
Boulevard and Immokalee Road. And those were your public roads.
And internally you have private roads, so --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Everybody is comfortable, staff
and legal -- I mean, the word "setback" that doesn't match the
definition of setback in our code. And normally we don't play with
deed restrictions.
But the PUD stated that it's 40 feet?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Brad, I know I checked the PUD and it
said 40 feet, but I can't remember the exact language. So I can't -- I
don't want to respond on record to your request without the PUD in
front of me. I don't have it in front of me.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Maybe if staff can research that.
MR. BROWN: I can answer your question. Willy Brown,
principal planner in the department of zoning and land development
reView.
Under the residential standards of the Wyndemere PUD, it does
say minimum front yard 40 feet measured from the back of curb.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. Thank you.
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June 7, 2007
MR. FREDRICKSON: The neighbors have been petitioned in
this, As you can tell by your paperwork. There has been no
disgruntled neighbors or anything like that. It's been fairly amicable,
so --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: In the variance application and
on page five of nine, there's a question, number five, and it speaks to
granting the variance. Will the granting of the variance requested
confer petitioner's special privileges -- well, privilege?
And the answer is, yes, but we live on a comer lot, which is two
40- foot setbacks in place. Most common lots only have the frontage
40 feet.
I was trying to understand why that was relevant, Why that was
pertinent even if you wish -- if I had a lot in between several others
and I wanted to move my garage out four feet, what physical
differentiation would that be from my being on the comer lot?
MR. FREDRICKSON: Mainly, I'm just expressing the wishes of
the owner concerning this. But they do have two 40s since they are a
comer lot. And to expand on the east side, which they want to do,
they just felt that this was a hardship on them.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Would it be any different if they
had a lot in between two other lots and they wanted to expand; would
that be a hardship on that basis?
MR. FREDRICKSON: Well, at that point they only have a--
one 40-foot setback in the front, not on the sides. Their house faces
the one street and so they're on the one side lot, if you will. On the
comer lot they still have a 40-foot setback.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: It must be a nuance, but I missed
it there. I can't seem to get that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Any other questions of the applicant?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you, sir.
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June 7, 2007
MR. FREDRICKSON: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Staff.
MR. BROWN: Mr. Chairman, Commissioners, good morning. I
am, again, Willie Brown, principal planner, department of zoning and
land development review.
It's already mentioned the property is located at 186 Edgemere
Way South at the intersection of Bramblewood and Edgemere Way
within the Wyndemere PUD.
The property has two front yards, as already indicated, and is
abutted by single-family residences on all four sides. The Wyndemere
PUD residential standards requires a 40- foot front yard setback. The
existing dwelling complies currently with that standard.
A four foot expansion of the existing garage, as already
mentioned, again, is needed to accommodate the applicant's second
vehicle. The applicant's hardship justification is based upon a past
recent modification, which incorporated an office, storage and safety
space within the existing garage. This causes the need for the garage
addition and is the applicant's hardship justification.
Variances are typically granted based upon some physical
constraint of the land; a lot too narrow or a lot too shallow. In other
instances development criteria may inhibit reasonable development on
a lot. The regulation itself sometimes inhibits development on a
reasonably sized lot.
The applicant's hardship justification in this case, in staffs
opinion, is self-imposed. Should the commission, however,
recommend approval of the request, two conditions are proposed for
your consideration as outlined in the staff report.
No letters of objection were received from surrounding property
owners. One letter of support was received. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you, sir.
Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Mr. Brown, good morning. I
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June 7, 2007
notice that there was a change inside the garage actually. Was there
permits associated with that?
Would they have had to get permits to do that; to build an office?
I'm not trying to put you on the spot, but if that's something that
someone could answer.
MR. BROWN: Perhaps the applicant could answer. I'm not sure
what the answer is.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. They have a two-car
garage; is that what was built there originally?
MR. BROWN: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: So, you're right, the individual
chose to -- thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Adelstein.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I'm just questioning. Has staff
recommended denial on this?
MR. BROWN: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Any other questions?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Just a comment. Willie, I think
in the future if there is a way to measure setbacks different than the
Land Development Code somehow include a page out of their PUD or
something just to keep guys like me from wasting thought, Okay?
MR. BROWN: Noted.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Willie, in the PUD when I reviewed it, I
did not notice that there was a separate call out for a side setback on a
comer lot. In this particular case you have ten feet between buildings,
10 feet, 6 inches, whatever it is on this one. And because they're on a
comer lot, instead of having zero on the other side, like the lots
adjoining them do, they have 40 feet. And then they have got 40 feet
in the front.
So actually they have got a lot that's much further restricted
because they're squeezed down. Because instead of zero, they're at 40;
is that a fair statement?
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June 7, 2007
THE DEPONENT:
MR. BROWN: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So because the PUD does not address
comer lots, it falls back on the LDC, which is generic in terms of its
application and under a -- under the Land Development Code a comer
lot has to have the same setback on the side that it does on the front; Is
that fair statement?
MR. BROWN: Yes, it is.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So in the end, had this house not been
on a comer lot, on the side that we're talking about now, the setback
would have been zero because they would have been ten on either
side.
MR. BROWN: It would have been whatever the residential
standards call for.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. But it's the comer lot issue that
caused them the problem?
MR. BROWN: That's the applicant's justification, yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you.
Any other --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Just -- I mean, I think living on
a comer lot is an asset. That gives you essentially two good
exposures. So that's why people buy it. That's why everybody else in
the neighborhood bought it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Oh, I'm not disagreeing with you. I'm
just trying to figure out how they got there.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But there is no side street
setback. Because that's a common thing to have -- not in Collier
County. But there's nothing in the PUD that noted a side street
setback?
MR. BROWN: Nothing in the PUD.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's why it felt back on the LDC.
Any other questions of staff?
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June 7, 2007
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Are there any public speakers, Ray?
MR. BELLOWS: No one has registered.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. With that, we'll close the public
hearing and entertain a motion.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I would move.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes, Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I would move that we forward to
-- that we make a recommendation of denial of petition
V A-2007-AR-11459, Williamson remodel variance.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I second the motion.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: A motion has been made and seconded.
Is there any discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I will not support the motion. There is
no objection from the neighborhood on this particular action. I cannot
see why there's any problem with it.
It's within a gated community that seems to be satisfied that this
isn't a problem for their neighborhood. I just don't see a need to reject
it, So I will not go along with the motion.
Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I did have a question that I had
lost sight of. It was -- I noted in the documentation offered that the
neighborhood condo or HOA rubber-stamped it. I was going to ask
Mr. Brown whether or not there was a supporting documentation to
that, other than the letter being asserted.
MR. BROWN: I didn't make that comment. The applicant did.
I don't have any information in regard to that.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Okay. That was part of the
reason why I made my motion in denial.
MR. FREDRICKSON: Sir, there's a letter--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Could you state your name for the
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June 7, 2007
record.
MR. FREDRICKSON: I'm sorry. Randy Fredrickson from
Sonrise Building Company.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you.
MR. FREDRICKSON: There is a letter in the documentation
there from the homeowners' association that fully supported the
addition.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I may have slipped through it,
but I did not see it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I'm afraid not.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I read these things pretty
thoroughly and I didn't see it, so -- I know I read it and they said that
they rubber-stamped it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Who said; someone said it was
rubber-stamped?
MR. FREDRICKSON: Yeah. This came from us and we
supported it with a copy of the letter.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. I'm just curious as to why the
term "rubber-stamp" was used by a county employee. Is that what
was used?
MR. FREDRICKSON: No. That was by me, sir.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: No. We'll put it as justification
with --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Why would you refer to a letter in your
favor as being rubber-stamped, just out of curiosity?
MR. FREDRICKSON: Just by the -- what I meant by it was just
it was okay with the homeowners' association. I supported it with a
copy from the homeowners' association.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: See, absent that document, I just
had -- it didn't ring true for me.
MR. BROWN: Okay. I do have a letter from E. Martin Duncan,
WHOA architectural review committee. It says: Dear Mr. and Mrs.
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Williamson, your request to modify your existing garage door with an
8- foot extension has been approved. The proposed extension includes
replacement of the single door with two new doors.
The ARC approval is based solely on plans, information
provided. Any modifications to the original architectural design,
including color or material changes, must be resubmitted to the ARC
for approval before construction or application.
Accordingly, the actual constructed residence and any
modifications thereto must be in conformity with the plans approved
by the ARC.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So they do have approval from the--
apparently the HOA; is that what your letter reflects?
MR. BROWN: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You will be able to provide a copy of
that letter for the record?
MR. BROWN: I shall.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: They don't really have approval
from the homeowners stating that we can reduce the side street
setbacks. What they have is a letter just saying the architectural
review board looked at something. We don't -- aren't privy to what
they looked at.
It obviously must be in more detail than what we have because
they're discussing the number of doors. So, essentially, what they're
saying is architecturally they have no problem with it, but I don't
know what they saw. I don't know if they saw that this had a variance
in setbacks. I don't know what that letter -- the power of that letter is.
It's certainly not from the homeowners saying, "Go ahead." It's
from a review board within the homeowners' association.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Absolutely.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So we don't have a copy what
they saw because it may not even show that there's a required setback.
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June 7, 2007
MR. BROWN: Was there an architectural-- I'm directing my
question to the applicant. Was there a -- do you have an architectural
rendering of what the WHOA saw?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Sir, to answer you have to come up to
the microphone, please.
MR. BELLOWS: For the record, Ray Bellows. I just also want
to point out that the residents within the community have been notified
by letter, signs posted on the site. Anyone who had an opposition to
the variance request could have sent a letter or showed up today.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Do you have a design that you showed
to the HOA, sir?
MR. FREDRICKSON: I do, but I don't have it with me.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is it the same one that's been shown in
this plan -- on this site plan to us today; do you know?
MR. FREDRICKSON: I don't know. I haven't seen one.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The one that's on the screen.
MR. FREDRICKSON: No, sir, it's not.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Thank you.
Okay. Ms. Caron, we're --
By the way, we're in discussion on a motion still, so --
COMMISSIONER CARON: Right. And I will support the
motion because this action strictly is caused by an action of the
applicant. They determined -- they already had a garage that would fit
their two cars no problem. That's the way they bought the house. The
two cars fit -- they chose to use part of the bay of their garage for this
other room. So I see no reason to grant the variance. They knew what
they were doing at the time.
It is very typical of homeowners' associations for people not to
object. I submit to you you might get instead a series of these because
everybody will say, "Well, Joe did it and so now we can all put these
little extra storage rooms in our garage and just bump out."
And, you know, it could cause a major problem for the
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June 7, 2007
community of Wyndemere. So I will be supporting the motion.
Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Any other comments?
Mr. Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And I'm going to also support
the motion. If the community wants to lessen up their setbacks, then I
think they should do it by amending their PUD, not at a one-by-one
variance like this. This variance is a hardship self caused.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Any other comments?
Mr. Tuff.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Ifhe's got a letter for approval, then I
will be not supporting the motion. I think we should let them go. The
whole community knows about it. They're just --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Murray, did you want to say
something?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I didn't want to have argument.
I just wanted to point out that in those events, there are a series of
things. A committee can agree to something, but it must go before a
board and that board has the responsibility. And in the absence of a
board authority letter that leaves you with some serious question.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: With that, we will close the comments.
All those in favor of the motion of denial, signify by saying aye
and raising your hand.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: One, two, three, four, five, six in favor.
All those against.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
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June 7, 2007
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Two against.
Motion carries six to two.
Thank you.
Item #8C
PETITION: CU-2005-AR-8479
With that, we will move on to Petition CU-2005-AR-8479. The
Southeastern Association of the Seventh Day Adventist, Inc.
represented by Fred Learned. And it's for the 745 Fifth Street South in
Immokalee.
All those wishing to testify on behalf of this petition, please rise
and be sworn in by the court reporter.
(Speakers were duly sworn.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you. Is there any disclosures on
the part of the Planning Commission?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Hearing none, we'll go into the
presentation by the applicant.
MR. LEARNED: For the record, my name is Fred Learned from
Community Engineering representing the Southeastern Conference of
the Seventh Day Adventist Church.
They are interested in constructing a church in Immokalee. They
have a one-acre parcel of land that they own directly across the street
from a county facility. On that aerial map, this driveway leads to the
county facility.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Sir, you'll need the microphone if you're
going to speak away from it. I'm sorry.
The court reporter can't get your discussion.
MR. LEARNED: Thank you. Like I was pointing on the map,
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June 7, 2007
there's a driveway to the county continuing education center slightly
in front of this parcel.
The church has got a number of 4,200 square foot. It's got a 44
car parking space -- parking lot.
I'll walk over there. It's got grass parking against the
conservation area. It's got an environmentally sensitive preserve. Or
what actually it is a treed area. It's got a few trees in there, not a
whole lot.
It's got scattered oaks and pines and Sabal Palms on the site right
now, but pretty much it's all grass. It's been well kept by the
applicant. And currently it has frontage on a dirt road. And we're
proposing that this be paved and become the driveway entrance point.
That's pretty much it. I guess I should say we have 100 seats in
the church, which on a three-to-one basis there's seven seats for three
parking spaces. There's 43 spaces required. We have 44 spaces
proposed.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is that it, sir?
MR. LEARNED: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Sir, are there any plans with
regard to that road that you intend to pave?
And, I guess, it's only a portion of that road actually from what I
got from what you just said. Although, I wasn't sure. Do you intend to
pave the entire road or just that portion?
MR. LEARNED: We intend to pave the portion up to the edge
of the property.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Okay. That's what I thought.
And you have no plans to offer it in dedication to the county; it's
going to remain a private road?
MR. LEARNED: I believe it's an easement.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Okay. An easement. Whose
favor is the easement?
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June 7, 2007
MR. LEARNED: It's every land owner.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Okay. Common use easement.
MR. LEARNED: It's not a right-of-way.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Okay. But you will be -- I'm
just trying to find out whether you will be paving it according to any
standard.
MR. LEARNED: We would be improving it to county road
standards.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: That's what I needed to
understand. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Are there any other questions of the
applicant?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Hearing none, we'll ask for the
staff report.
Thank you, sir.
MS. GUNDLACH: Good morning, Commissioners. I'm Nancy
Gundlach, Principal Planner for Zoning and Land Development
Review. And this particular conditional use is compliant with the
Growth Management Plan and the Land Development Code. I have a
few clarifications I'd like to make about the presentation that was
given this morning.
Stokes Avenue is a right-of-way. And also we do have one
condition of approval in our staff report. And that is that the native
vegetation will be -- in the preserve area -- any areas that are void of
native vegetation will be replanted.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Are there any questions of staff?
Nancy, when you initial something are you NG?
MS. GUNDLACH: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So on the Capital Engineering TIS,
those notations are you?
MS. GUNDLACH: Yes.
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June 7, 2007
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Capital Engineering is a certified
engineering firm that does DIS work. You altered their document.
Are you a certified traffic engineer?
MS. GUNDLACH: No, I'm not.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Maybe our traffic engineer could
explain to me the validity of the document then.
Hello.
MS. GUNDLACH: Can I try to save the day?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Sure.
MS. GUNDLACH: If you look at that report, it's based on a
higher number than what this is actually going forth as. I believe it
was 150 seats in the church. And because it was reduced, I just
wanted to note for you that it's actually 100. That's it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And, Nancy, I realize that. But my
concern was that you've changed an engineering report that is public
record and a required report for this hearing.
I just want to see the impact of that, ifthere is any legally, so that
we know we're not basing something on a report that's been modified
inappropriately.
Sir, could you state your name.
MR. TINDALL: I'm sorry. For the record, Phil Tindall,
Transportation Planning Department.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And I can tell that you weren't
observing what -- where we were at. So do you know the TIS that I'm
talking about in regards to this particular church?
MR. TINDALL: I'm afraid I don't have it in front of me.
MS. GUNDLACH: I have it, Phil.
MR. TINDALL: I was referring to a trip generation analysis by
Kepple Engineering.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes. It's -- on it there's some notations
that have been crossed out in pen or pencil and initialed by Nancy and,
apparently, has corrections.
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June 7, 2007
My concern is that you required a TIS in your meeting with
county staff. Under the conditional use application submittal checklist
a TIS was required. TISs, by our code, I believe, have to be done by a
traffic engineer, someone with a professional background.
This one, because it's been modified by someone, other than the
engineer of record who did it, does that have any impact on the
requirements of the Land Development Code in relationship to this
particular project?
MR. TINDALL: We would be concerned with that had the
change resulted in a higher number, in terms of an impact. In this
case, with the original number it still would have been an acceptable
level, in terms of concurrency. So there's really no harm, no foul to
be, other than the fact that the change was indicated by someone other
than a professional engineer, who originally prepared the document.
In it's original state, with the original information, it was
acceptable, in terms of the transportation impacts.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: On the -- on that particular report,
besides the quantity of people being reduced from 150 to 100, the
building size went up from 4,000 to 4,200. One of the days on the
bottom was altered from being on a Sunday to on a Saturday, which
means then we don't have a Sunday calculation, which is the date most
likely the active -- is the most active day for a church.
MR. TINDALL: Ifwe're making a determination for consistency
with the comp plan or for concurrency it's based upon weekday traffic
anyway . Weekday peak hour, p.m.
MR. KLA TZKOW: I believe this church meets on Saturday, sir.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I'm sorry. I just was --I heard. I didn't
know.
MR. TINDALL: Saturday or Sunday would not have really any
weight, in terms of our analysis.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Then, I guess, Mr. Klatzkow, the
last question I have is: Based on the LDC language, the traffic report
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June 7, 2007
requirements, does this document meet the sufficiency requirements
pursuant to the LDC for review by conditional use?
MR. KLA TZKOW: I would like to ask Mr. Tindall one question
first.
Does transportation have any concerns about this project?
MR. TINDALL: In terms of the content and the technical
analysis, no.
MR. KLATZKOW: Then I have no concerns.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Sounds good with me. Thank
you very much.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: When I read it, I thought it
meant no good.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: As a cautionary point to maybe Mr.
Smith and Ray in the future, please do not have staff amend
professional documents at any time. And if the applicant can't get
their professional to do it properly and in time for this meeting, then
postpone the meeting. That would be better, for the record.
COMMISSIONER CARON: I think that's a really important
point to make.
MR. SCHMITT: I noted it was not stamped and sealed by the
professional, but just submitted. But, regardless, we should have just
put a cover letter on it and not written over a document submitted as
evidence. Ray and I discussed that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Thank you.
With that, is there any speakers, Ray -- public speakers in this
particular petition?
MR. BELLOWS: No speakers on "C".
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. With that, we'll close the public
hearing and entertain a motion.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: I'd like to make a motion.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Vigliotti.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: I'd like to make a motion to
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June 7, 2007
approve, including staffs recommendation and Nancy's notes on the
side of the paper.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I'll second the motion.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion has made and seconded.
Any discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Hearing none, all in favor of the motion,
signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Anybody opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion carries eight to zero.
We have in our pack of findings of fact. Please fill it out and
pass it down to Ms. Caron.
Ray, before we go into the next one, how many public speakers
are there for it?
MR. BELLOWS: Look likes ten. There may be some
duplicates.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Eight, ten, somewhere in that
neighborhood. Plus, I know it's a rather lengthy document. I have an
awful lot of questions.
Based on that, we can start it now and stop in 30 minutes,
Michael, or we can take an early lunch, get back maybe a few minutes
early and do it all together at one time.
Do you have any concerns or preferences?
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June 7, 2007
MR. VOLPE: Whatever the preference of the commission is.
We're prepared. I think maybe in terms of presentation, if we didn't
interrupt it with the lunch break it might be better, Mr. Chairman.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I'm sorry. I was distracted.
MR. VOLPE: I was just suggesting whatever the pleasure of the
commission is. But in terms of the presentation and the dialogue, it
may be best not to interrupt it with a lunch break.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's what I'm thinking.
Mr. Adelstein, I know you are particular about your lunchtime. I
think it would be better if we take a break now and try to get back here
at 12: 15 and finish this one up.
Does that sound workable to all of us?
That's less than an hour. Can we all do that?
. Does that work for everybody? I don't want anybody coming in
late saying they didn't have enough time. I would rather you say it
now.
We will take a lunch break until 12: 15 and I'll see you all back
here at 12: 15.
(A recess was held from 11:30 a.m. until 12:15 p.m.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ray, if you could crank it up for me.
Thank you.
Item #8D
PETITION: PUDA-2007-AR-I1081
Welcome back to our meeting. We'll resume after lunch break
with Petition PUDA-2007-AR-II081. It's Dr. Terry McMahan for
International College involving the Harvest for Humanity PUD.
For all those wishing to testify on behalf of this petition, please
rise and be sworn in by the court reporter.
(Speakers were duly sworn.)
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June 7, 2007
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you.
And disclosures on behalf of the Planning Commission?
We'll start with Mr. Tuff.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: I rode up with him in the elevator, if
that counts.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Only if you talked to him. Did you
stand there in silence?
COMMISSIONER TUFF: I smiled and was nice.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Well, that's rare for you.
Mr. Vigliotti.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: None.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Gee, I did the same thing as that
gentleman did. No conversation, but pleasantries.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: We came off the same
elevator.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I had a meeting with Mr. Volpe. We
went over a lot of details involving the project, which we will go over
again today.
I talked to Mr. Fred Thomas on the phone. I talked to Mr. Dick
Weiss on the phone, as well.
Ms. Caron.
COMMISSIONER CARON: No, I had no conversations on the
project.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I had a phone conversation with
Dick Nogaj and he sent me an e-mail, which I think he sent
everybody.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: No contact.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The last comment I want to make is -- I
want to ask the Planning Commissioners how you want to proceed
with this.
I had gotten an e-mail from, I think, Mrs. Nogaj telling me that
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Mr. -- Commissioner Midney wanted to submit something. But
because of the Sunshine Law, he knew he couldn't do it to me.
She asked me what he should do. And I suggested he contact
staff and go through the normal process for distribution and not go to
anyone of us individually, which is the way it came through. Staff
distributed it or somebody did.
But we all have a letter from Mr. Midney. At the time I was
asked, one of the things I was asked was to read it into the record. I
hadn't seen it because I couldn't have. And I said, "Well, if Paul can't
be there and he wants something read in the record, I don't have any
problem with that."
I didn't realize that Paul would write a book. And it's three pages
of data. If you've all read it, it would save us a lot of trouble. I don't
feel like being redundant and having to read three pages into the
record, but I'd just like to make sure you've all gotten it and you've all
read it.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I'll move to include it in our
paperwork. It wasn't part of my packet.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It was handed to us. It was sitting up
here. That's how it was distributed.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Second. I've also read it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. So the motion was made to
accept Mr. Midney's statements into the record or texted into the
record and seconded by Commissioner Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I did, too. But several of us did.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Seconded by Commissioner Murray.
All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
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June 7, 2007
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Klatzkow, did you -- you looked
like you were trying to say something.
MR. KLA TZKOW: No, sir. I think it's fine.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. While we're at it, we have a
series of documents and I'll try to describe them so we can get them
into the record that were provided to us earlier today.
The first one is a -- it starts out like an e-mail provided to us by
Michael Volpe from Florence Nogaj. The date on it is June 5, 2007.
And it's two pages and it's the budget for the condo area.
The second page is a site plan of the project. It's more of a
marketing type site plan. It's called Jubilation site plan.
The next package is two pages of the activity center, visitor
center, Tract B. It looks like it is out of the PUD. It's Section Four.
The next page is another -- it looks like a marketing submission
statement for International College. And the page following that is an
aerial of the Jubilation subdivision. The page following that is a press
release dated June 2007.
And then we have tract map of the Jubilation subdivision. Then
we have a Jubilation Serenity Patio Homes and custom features
included. Again, Mr. Midney's letter is in the same package.
Then we have a board resolution in support of International
College/Hodges University. Then we have a board resolution in
support of -- there's two of them. One from the Jubilation Community
Association and one as a member of the Jubilation Community
Association. It's a condominium association.
That's what I find in the packet. Is there a motion to accept it into
evidence?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Move to include.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Schiffer made a motion seconded
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June 7, 2007
by Mr. Tuff.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Second.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Mark, one point. That one I
thought was the president, not just a member of the association. The
letter from the condo association. I thought I recognized that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, yeah. I was reading that. It says
as a member of the Jubilation Community Association.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Okay.
COMMISSIONER CARON: It's the different communities
within the PUD. One is from the Reflection and Jubilation Condo
Association and the other is from the overall Jubilation Community
Association.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right.
There's a motion and it has been seconded. All those in favor of
accepting these in, signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Anybody opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The motion carries.
Mr. Volpe, thank you for your patience. You can go forward
with your presentation, sir.
MR. VOLPE: Thank you, Mr. Chairman, members of the
commission. For the record, my name is Michael Volpe. I'm with the
law firm of Robins, Kaplan, Miller and Ciresi.
I'm here today proudly representing the International College and
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Harvest for Humanity. International College recently, as a result of the
generosity of Thelma and Earl Hodges, as a gift, the college has
changed its name and it is now known as Hodges University.
Although the name has changed, the mission of the International
College has not. International College's mission has been and
continues to be to offer degree and non-degree programs that enhance
the ability of students to achieve life and career objectives.
International College/Hodges University is a 501(c)3
not-for-profit. The co-petitioner is the Harvest for Humanity, Inc.,
which is also a 501 (c)3 not- for-profit corporation.
Harvest for Humanity, Inc. was founded by Dick and Florence
Nogaj. The mission, which was included in the little package of this
501 (c)3 -- and this is important to put this into context -- is to improve
the quality of life for limited income individuals in Immokalee by
providing opportunities for living wage employment, home ownership
and education.
To that end, Harvest for Humanity back in 1998/1999 purchased
110 acres in Immokalee and established a blueberry farm. I've been
here for a long time. I never realized that blueberries were grown in
Immokalee. Maybe some of you did.
So there's an 11 O-acre farm growing blueberries in Immokalee.
And this farm is a functioning farm. And the purpose of the
acquisition of that 11 O-acre farm was in furtherance of the mission of
the Harvest for Humanity to provide for living wage employment for
the people in Immokalee. And to that end the people who work on
that farm have been and continue to be paid $8.50 an hour for the
work that they do in the Immokalee community on the blueberry farm.
The second part of the mission was to provide housing in
Immokalee for limited income people. To that end, Harvest for
Humanity purchased approximately a 40-acre parcel of land located at
the northeast quadrant of Carson Road and Lake Trafford Road in
lmmokalee. That 40-acre -- it's a little bit less than 40 acres went
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June 7, 2007
through the PUD process back in 1999 and there was an approval for
the Harvest for Humanity PUD.
The Harvest for Humanity PUD -- and probably I need to explain
just a little bit -- has gone through a subdivision and its PUD has been
completely developed. When it went through the subdivision process,
it went through as the Jubilation subdivision and there are 11 tracts
within the platted subdivision.
The tracts that are involved on this petition are Tracts D, H, G,
and J. All of the other tracts, except for those four tracts, are owned
by the homeowners or the condominium associations within that
subdivision. Those four tracts continue to be owned by Harvest for
Humanity.
This is a traditional neighborhood community and there are
single- family homes that have been constructed and there are
condominiums. Those are and were constructed on Tract A.
What's highlighted in yellow are the tracts that are not involved
here. We've got the large tract, which is Tract D, which is about a
15-acre preserve area owned by Harvest for Humanity. There's Tract
J, which is a maintenance facility. And then there's Tract G, which is
where currently there exists a u-pick farm for blueberries. It's about
an acre and an eighth, acre, 6.3. And then there is Tract H. Tract His
the location of a visitors' activity/visitors' center.
This is how the subdivision looks today. The large water
retention area is Blueberry Lake. There are single-family residences
and condominiums that have been built. The activity center is located
on Tract H and the activity, according to the approved PUD, allows
for a myriad of uses. There was included in my little handout, but it's
also included in your agenda package the whole list of permitted
principal uses at the activity center.
The concept here was that through the encouragement of the
county and the development of eco tourism in the Immokalee
community, this activity/visitors' center would be a focal point for
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visitors to the blueberry farm, those who would be traveling to
Immokalee for other eco tourism visits. There is within the activity
center, which is about the building, 6,800 square feet.
It has a meeting room. It has a full commercial kitchen. It has a
cafe. And it has retail shop, all of which are permitted principal uses.
And I won't bore you with all of the uses, but the uses that are
important I think are -- that included in the permitted principal uses
are adult education classes for Harvest, neighborhood and community
residents, youth after-school structured education activities for the
Harvest neighborhood and community residents. The facility was
available and has been used for worship. Different meeting groups
have met and continue to meet at the activity center.
It has also provided the location for the Harvest for Humanities to
continue its 501(c)3 functions. They operate this 110-acre blueberry
farm, the landscape company that's involved in what was -- what
occurs at that location.
As we know, over the last several years we've had Wilma, we've
had some other storms. The blueberry crop, just like some of the other
crops in our community, have not faired very well. And, as a result,
from a financial perspective, this project financially became less than
viable.
So the Nogaj's sought out a partner who could proceed with the
other important part of their mission. We had wage. We had housing
and now education. And so the Nogaj's found Hodges University and
we entered into a contract pursuant to which the Nogaj's, through their
continued generosity, have essentially offered to donate those four
parcels that I've identified, including this activity center, to Hodges
University for the purposes of furthering the education component of
their mission, as well as the mission oflntemational College.
We understand the lmmokalee community. We understand the
programs. One of the important programs that will be pursued will be
English as a second language and similar programs, in terms of
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achieving for the adult learner their career objectives.
I forgot to mention -- I think it's important that there was mention
made earlier today about commitments to affordable housing. Those
are affordable homes. And the Nogaj's, through the Harvest for
Humanity, underwrote each one of those units to the tune of
approximately $20,000. Ninety-four percent of the people who bought
those homes came from the Immokalee community.
The people who live there -- it's diversity. We have Haitians. We
have Latinos. We have African-Americans. They live in this
community. If you haven't been there, it is a lovely community, well
maintained and very, very nice.
We -- because of the principal permitted uses, we had originally
applied for a zoning verification letter thinking that the programs of
the International College/Harvest University were permitted principal
uses. Staff, however, found that they were not and suggested that the
appropriate process for us to follow would be to proceed with an
amendment to the PUD.
Several months later here we are, but we're here sooner than most
because the EDC found that this project was in furtherance of the
objectives for the Immokalee community. So we're on a fast track.
EDC's resolution approving it is included, I'm sure, in your files.
The amendment to the PUD which we are requesting will
eliminate all of the principal permitted uses that are currently
identified in the existing PUD; retail sales, the maintenance facility
operations and the like. And what will be substituted is simply an
educational/learning site.
And we are, in the PUD, limiting ourselves to 80 students. So
there would be a maximum of 80 students who would be enrolled in
any term, who would be attending the programs that are being offered
by Hodges University.
As a practical matter, the people who we hope and we anticipate
will benefit most will be the residents of the Harvest for Humanity.
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The Nogaj's have given to -- and have proposed to give to each of the
residents a $500 scholarship so that they can attend Hodges
University. I pause at that. It's been so long I have been thinking of
International College.
In addition to that, of course, in the Immokalee community, we
would expect that the residents of Immokalee would avail themselves
of the programs that are going to be offered.
Staff has reviewed our request for the amendment to PUD. It's a
change of use. We're not going to add any buildings. We're not going
to change the exterior of anything.
What you see here today is what you're going to see next year
and the year after. There are no plans in the foreseeable future to
build any additional buildings. There may be some interior
improvements to the activity/visitors' center, but there will be no
changes at all.
In staffs review, their concerns, as I have read their staff report,
are two-fold. First, I must say that your staff did find that the
amendment was consistent with the Growth Management Plan and the
lmmokalee Master Plan. Transportation found that it was consistent
with the transportation element of the Growth Management Plan. And
the environmental group found that there were no environmental
issues.
Zoning review, however, identified some concerns. And those
concerns related to traffic and to parking. And specifically there were
concerns that perhaps with the change in use that there would be
additional traffic generated, the result of which would be to somehow
impact the movement of the residents within the community.
The focus on the traffic issue -- as I said, transportation found
that it was consistent with the transportation element. The staff,
however, when they drill down on that issue felt that what we should
be looking at is the reality of what exists as opposed to what the plan
was approved for.
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Our TIS says that there will be no increase in the number of trips
per day. And what the staff has concluded though is that if you were
just to compare what activity occurs at the activity/visitors' center,
u-pick with a college that, in their opinion, what would happen is there
would be an increase of about 19 percent in traffic. And that raised
the concern that there may be some problem with the movement of
residents within the community.
In the first place, the project's built out. It was approved for a
certain number of trips per day. The change in use will not change the
approved capacity or the TIS trips generation within the development.
The second concern that was expressed in your staff report was
parking. And I'm not sure -- we did talk with the principal planner
concerning the report. So the LDC requirements for parking are, in
fact, met. In fact, there are -- with the 80 students, there are excess
parking places on Tracts G and H.
Now, G is the -- where the u-pick is. But if you'll notice on the
photograph there, there is a parking lot there in the front. That's where
people who are using the u-pick would park their vehicle and then
they would use the -- they would pick the blueberries. And then there
are parking available on Tract H, which is where the activity center is.
The staff wanted to make sure that the students used that area and
the immediate vicinity of the activity center for parking. There is
ample parking and I think that that is reflected in the -- on both sides
of the activity center. And then there are, I think, 26 parking places
parking lot there on Tract G.
One of the things that will be done is that the blueberry -- the
u-pick area will be grassed over by International College. It will be
irrigated -- pardon me. It will be irrigated and landscaped with some
bushes and the like. I may have made the point. There are 19 more
parking places than are required on your LDC.
But the last concern that I've identified in reviewing the staff
report is that in the activity center, 6,800 square feet, all types of --
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there's a full commercial kitchen in there that -- and there are restroom
facilities within the activity center.
But if you'll note on tract -- just behind Tract H, this is where the
activity center is, there is another tract, which is Tract B where I think
maybe there may be a little bit of confusion. That's a common area.
That's owned -- that is owned by the homeowners' association.
And on that tract there is a swimming pool, which is for the use
of the residents within the Jubilation subdivision. There is also
another common area where they have basketball courts, but that's
located over by the maintenance facility.
That bathroom facility is within 150 feet of the activity center.
There is, on the exterior of the activity center, a bathroom facility that
provides bathroom facilities for the users of the pool area. And you
can see there's a walkway between the swimming pool and that
bathroom. That bathroom is not accessible from the inside of the
activity center. It is accessible only from the outside.
Staff in their report was concerned, and is concerned, about the
sharing of these bathroom facilities by the students and by the
residents. And I would like -- to a certain, I'd appreciate that concern,
but I think probably it's overstated.
But, first, we have to understand the types of activities that have
been going on, that will continue to go on if this PUD, I guess, is not
-- amendment is not approved. So there have been sharing of those
bathroom facilities by guests certainly to the u-pick, probably not by
people who are using the conference facilities.
But the other part is that Hodges University is for the adult
student. The average age of the student is about 38 years old. Most
people have not obtained their college degree, have been interrupted
by their work, and so they work during the day and they come in the
evening. So the students -- typically the classes are evening classes
for the most part. That's where we expect to see the most attendance
between 6:00 and 10:00 in the evening.
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And so considering the time when it would be used, we don't see
that there would be that opportunity to share this bathroom facility to
any great extent. And, I think, more importantly or equally as
important is the fact that there are bathroom facilities that are
accessible from within the activity center.
The staff is -- suggested that -- the staff regrettably, in my
opinion, has recommended denial of this petition based upon, as I
have read their report, these concerns, traffic, parking and the sharing
of bathroom facilities. And they have included in your agenda
package a number of stipulations which they believe could ameliorate
some of their concerns.
The parking issue that -- they've suggested constructing another
parking lot. And I'm not sure -- and I'm sure Ms. Deselem will
explain that, but I think that we do have capacity -- excess capacity as
she would want it on "G" and "H". So I'm not sure that that's a
condition that will continue to be a condition.
Included in that request may also be though the request that a
parking lot be constructed on the common area where the pool is. I
guess the theory would be that when people come to use the pool, they
ought to be able to drive and park there. However, this is a walkable
community. This is not open to the outside of this community. It's for
residents only. And so the likelihood of people necessarily driving
from their home to park on the common area to use the common area
swimming pool we don't think exists.
There was some concern about the possibility of the students
intruding into the residential neighborhood. I think it's a very
legitimate concern. What -- to address that, we have indicated -- I
think it was in the neighborhood informational meeting, we've
indicated that we will put appropriate signage to make sure that people
knew the location of the activity/visitors' center. And also as part of
the orientation program for the students they would be given a map
and told how they are to gain access and the sole means of access.
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There are some other requirements. Probably the only other one
that I can mention at this point, and I'm sure there will be questions
later, is that oflighting. The staff has felt that there may be some
adjustment that would be required in the lighting around the activity
center.
I don't know how to demonstrate. We don't have an illumination
plan, but there is and has been approved an illumination plan for the
activity center for the uses that are currently permitted at that site.
With what we have submitted and what we will submit, we think
that we have -- we hope to have established that this change in use is
consistent with your Growth Management Plan, That the -- you'll see
in your package that the residents of this community wholly endorse
and welcome the new user of that facility.
We think it's a real opportunity for not only the residents, but the
Immokalee community. And it's -- it completes the last part of the
mission of the Nogaj's. And that is to provide the educational
opportunities for the people in the Immokalee community.
I'm happy to answer any question that I can that you may have.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. We have questions of the
applicant, Mr. Adelstein and Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I have a couple of questions.
First of all, is these people who actually bought the homes; did they
not?
MR. VOLPE: Yes, they did, sir.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: And they were -- in about
1999?
MR. VOLPE: In that area, yes.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: They own the homes then?
MR. VOLPE: They do.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: In this situation it came
before the college education structure?
MR. VOLPE: That's correct.
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COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Well, as far as I'm concerned
-- and I have spent a lot of time in this situation. That if they own
these homes, you can say to them, "We would like you to do this, this
and this and make these changes," but as long as they are the owners
of the homes and those changes weren't there when they bought the
home, they have a right to say no to you.
Because they are the owners of the homes. You didn't -- can say
in the purchase necessary that they couldn't do this or they couldn't do
that or they have to do this, what you did was sold them the homes.
Now all of a sudden there are changes you want to make. And I can't
see how you can afford -- enforce that issue because they are the
owners of the homes.
MR. VOLPE: And I appreciate that concern. My comment is as
follows: These four parcels were never turned over to the
homeowners' association or to the condominium association.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Do you have, by any chance,
a copy of the original purchase contracts?
MR. VOLPE: I don't --
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Or a purchase contract?
MR. VOLPE: I don't have the contract, but what I do have -- and
it was included in your package. Proposed Harvest Visitor/Activity
Center. It was that one page --
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Yes.
MR. VOLPE: -- That you have there. And I need to put this in
the context because there's another part of your question I want to
make sure that I answer.
It says as follows: That the center is not an association common
area and the parcel owners are under no obligation to maintain the
facilities. Use of the center shall be permitted at the sole and
unfettered discretion of Harvest and is nonexclusive in nature. It is the
intent to develop a cooperative relationship with the Harvest parcel
owners.
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June 7, 2007
Now, keep in mind that this activity/visitors' center under the
principal permitted uses allowed for a retail shop. It allowed for adult
education. It allowed for after-school programs by a -- it could have
been a day-care center. There were houses of worship. It was a -- and
it is. There is a full commercial kitchen there. There's a cafe.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I understand what you're
saying and I understand what you're trying to suggest here. I'm saying
that we have got to start out with item one, "A", these people
purchased homes.
MR. VOLPE: They did.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Now, they have those homes
and there were nothing in those -- in that property that said they can
do this or they can't do that. They are the owners in the homes.
MR. VOLPE: Right.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Now, all ofa sudden, you
want to make changes. They have a right, as owners in that property,
to live with what they expected the first time they got it. And that's
why it's very important to me to see one of those purchase contracts so
I can say "yes" or "no" to it.
In this situation -- and you're an attorney and I'm an attorney. Sit
back and say, "Wait a minute here. If this home right is theirs, it is
theirs. If they change it" --
MR. VOLPE: They purchased the home.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Correct.
MR. VOLPE: They didn't purchase the activity center. They
obviously were provided with a copy of the PUD. They must have
understood how the activity/visitors' center was going to be used.
Simply because they bought a home doesn't give them the
absolute right to control what activities are permitted under the PUD.
But, more importantly, at least at this point in time, the residents who
are there today have endorsed this. If -- we may have an objector, I
don't know, But there is included in your package a letter from the
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homeowners' association and from the condominium association
endorsing it.
So we're concerned about the residents, as well. Mr. Nogaj and
Mrs. Nogaj did what they did for the residents. The third leg of their
program is education.
Education -- they knew that education was going to occur there.
Adult education. I guess, International College could have rented
space and done that. So it isn't a use -- we're not changing this to --
what I could -- to a bait shop. You know, we're consistent with what
those uses were in the -- and are in the existing PUD. At least that's
my position.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: The question is: Do you have
-- you, them -- have the authority to say now that you want these
changes to be made?
Because basically if that wasn't the issue when they bought their
home, you haven't got the right to change it now. And I'm saying to
you that it's not a matter of what the owners are going to do, they have
the rights that I'm trying to suggest they have.
And I think, as an attorney, you understand that you gave them --
or whoever did it gave them the contract to buy the house. They
bought the house.
MR. VOLPE: I guess, two responses. One is, I don't know by
virtue of what -- how that right comes about. Where does that right
come from?
There is no covenant that runs with the land. There is no
contractual obligation that says, "If we make any change in what is
approved by the PUD, we need to get your approval."
We want -- we want your cooperation, but we don't need your
approval. The residents -- the change is going to be approved by your
commission and by the BCe. That's why we're here.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: The only thing that is going to
prove this is for someone in your office area to deliver to, at least this
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June 7, 2007
board at least, whether or not they bought the homes free and clear of
any other item that they -- in that area. If they do, you have a real
estate problem that you have to solve and they can do something with,
but you can't tell them to.
MR. VOLPE: The only other comment that I may have is that
included in the package is the budget for the homeowners' association
and for the condominium association. The homeowners' association
and condominium association do not bear any of the expenses
associated with the activity center.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: You're skipping the problem
that I want to see. I do feel it is very important for us to see the
original contract purchase by anyone of these people. I don't need
them all. Just one.
MR. VOLPE: Okay.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: And let us decide whether or
not your change is proper or your change leaves them to say it's proper
if they want it to be proper. I can't change it because I don't have the
answer to that. But I do believe we need the answer before we can
start anything else.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Adelstein, I don't think the
document that you are seeking is here. I think he's already
acknowledged that, right?
MR. VOLPE: We do not have a contract for purchase and sale
for the individual condominium units. What I'm telling you is that this
was in the marketing material. And what I also tell you is that the
governing documents for the homeowners' association and the
governing documents for the condominium association, those are
legally binding. Those are recorded. Those are how these people who
bought within this community must abide by.
There is nothing in the recorded declaration of condominium or
in the homeowners' governing documents that would give to the
residents the absolute right or any right to consent to the change. We
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do not need their consent to the change.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: All I'm saying is you should
be able to deliver to us at least one contract of a purchaser in that 1999
time and then decide -- let us decide.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: We have other questions to get into. I
think you've made your point, Mr. Adelstein, and Mr. Volpe.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: This will stop. Where is it
going to go forward until we get the basic --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Adelstein, it's an issue you're
concerned with that you want. I don't need that issue. You do. Mr.
Volpe has responded to you.
Do you have any other questions on another subject that you
want to go forward? Any other subject at this point?
Because he's responded the best he can to your answer. He hasn't
got it. So there's no sense in beating a dead horse. Let's just move on
to the next question.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Maybe it should be continued
until we find out which way we're going.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, I don't see it relevant to the case at
hand myself. So I don't know why we would continue it for that
reason.
Mr. Schmitt.
MR. SCHMITT: And I fully understand what Mr. Adelstein is
looking for, but it has nothing to do with the zoning, nor does it have
anything to do with the PUD. There is nothing in the PUD that
restricted any -- that what you're looking for defined that as a
community facility.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Yes.
MR. SCHMITT: And we didn't evaluate it as such and maybe
Kay -- Kay may have some information. But what -- we're treading in
a legal matter. That may be a legal matter between the purchaser and
the homeowners, which is beyond the scope of this hearing.
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COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Right. Yeah.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It's a civil matter that this board is not
involved with. So, I mean, I understand where you're going, Mr.
Adelstein, but we're not -- it's not our issue.
We are dealing with a zoning issue, a PUD issue, and an
application of good planning. That's what we're limited to.
Now, that we've got past this issue, Kay, did you have something
to contribute?
MS. DESELEM: Yeah, I was just going mention. In the PUD
document itself, in Ordinance 99-80, within the project description,
but not in the development commitment, there is a sentence that says,
quote, "The residential sections will have a centrally located activity
center, basketball court, covered playground, park, gazebos and
swimming pool for the recreation of the residents, period."
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you.
MS. DESELEM: That is in here. But, like you said, it's not in
the commitments. It's in the project description.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you, Kay.
Okay. Mr. Adelstein, do you have any other questions, besides
that one?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: No. I think that's it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I just -- I need to get a couple of
things in. And relevant to that, I would ask this question. Relevant to
those particular tracts, Mr. Nogaj and his family, if they decide that
they can't do anything anymore and they were to abandon the
property, do you know of anything in your documentation that would
suggest or require that the homeowners' associations and the
condominium associations act to do anything about those properties?
Would they be responsible for them? Would they have to take
them over?
Would they -- anyway, they don't own them, do they?
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MR. VOLPE: They don't own them. They have no financial
commitment or obligation. So the answer to your question is no.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: So I think that tends to flavor the
issue a little bit.
I have a question regarding the -- there are a number of things
that I'm fascinated. I know that the staff is trying to bring every -- you
know, levels up and try to do everything that they can to make things
better, But I wondered about -- and I don't know anything about this
operation, okay? I'm absolutely ignorant of it.
But I'm assuming, like everything else in life, if you open up,
there's an opening and there's a high attendance potential and that over
time attendance may drop off, conditions change, whatever. I don't
know. But I'm wondering about the snapshot that was made. It was a
number 19 percent increase. I think that was the number. Or 19
percent decrease now. I'm confused.
But my point was: There is a snapshot that was made, which is
the predicate for causing other things to happen. And I'm just
wondering: Do you have any attendance records or anything to show
that there was a time when it was better attended, That those levels -- I
think I'm talking about parking here and I think I'm talking about use,
okay?
And I'm -- it's difficult for me because I'm trying to -- I'm really
ignorant of this and I wish I had more knowledge. I guess what I'm
trying to express to you is that: When the staff took its position, it
took its position on a given day and a given conclusion. And that's
fine. That's what you have to do basically.
But did it give consideration -- in your opinion, did it give
consideration to all that had been intended and all that had been when
it was in its most vibrant point? Because I'm thinking about all of
those people that were coming and going and using the activity center,
some of whom may have strayed into near the swimming pool, et
cetera.
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June 7, 2007
Have I made myself in any --
MR. VOLPE: I understand the concern. I guess probably the
best response would be, "A", your transportation services people have
found that this program is consistent with the Growth Management
Plan.
Zoning review has perceived that there may be a concern. And
perhaps the report has been rewritten, but it was beliefs and
perceptions that we addressed in a follow-up letter that I sent to you
and probably is included in your package. This didn't just happen in
Immokalee.
You've got people who have a vision and you've got the EDC and
you've got the Board of County Commissioners and you've got county
that's encouraging this to occur in the Immokalee community. They
want eco-tourism to grow there, the idea of the blueberry farm.
So it's not like you and I opening up a retail store or a bar and the
first few days were really good. Trying to encourage activity. So to
take a snapshot -- I mean, the idea of 80 students, we would hope that
we're able to get 80 students.
Eighty students is the figure that International College/Hodges
University has determined is the break even point to -- in order to
sustain it from a financial perspective. That's what it represents. We
really don't expect to have 80 students. We don't expect to have 80
students from Immokalee at any time driving into this subdivision.
We're going to get residents who live there. And I don't know
how many people in Immokalee own a car, but there are a lot that do
not. And so they will walk to this location.
So this perception about a 19 percent increase in traffic when
transportation has said, you know, "You're not increasing the number
of trips per day." That's the best response I can give you. I don't have
any charts to show you that certain days of the week there's more
activity than others.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: And I was trying to make
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probably an unrealistic comparison --
MR. VOLPE: I understand the issue. I just don't have enough
factual information to address that.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Well, I think I understood that
this was a collaborative effort on the part of the persons that own the
property to do something good for the community. And the only thing
you've now provoked as a question for me: When you say a break
even point of 80 students, did I mishear you?
Did you say they don't expect to have 80 students? And if they
don't break even, are they willing to run it at a loss; is that what you're
saying?
MR. VOLPE: Absolutely, Yeah. You have to remember this is a
donation. So we're going to receive this facility. They're going to be
ongomg expenses.
And perhaps this will come up a little bit later in the question and
answer period. But the owner of the four parcels that are being
donated to Hodges University bear a significant expense in
maintaining --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Oh, yes.
MR. VOLPE: -- the common areas. Not the common areas. The
streets, the roadways and so on and so forth.
So the International College has made a commitment. So just
crunching numbers, we need 80 students. We didn't want to do 120
because it didn't make any sense. Eighty was the number. That's
where it came from. I don't have any other explanation.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: And that's fine. And I think that
I'm going to conclude my comments by just saying that I think that
this is a -- from their point of view, that's an investment of some
significance and a willingness to make a commitment for a period of
time.
One other thing I had that crossed my mind: Do we have any
evidence about the lighting? And I may ask staff this, as well.
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June 7, 2007
The lighting that staff has requesting, lower level lighting, would
that in any way save any money relative to any of this? Or this is -- I
haven't heard any comments -- I haven't seen any commentary that
suggests that the lighting is a problem.
MR. VOLPE: Mr. Nogaj can address what lighting is there
currently. There is ample lighting there currently, which obviously
has been approved. And it's moved in the direction not to interfere
with the residential neighborhoods.
The staffs concern about additional lighting, how much more,
where it should take place, we have photographs, which I can just
show you what it looks like in the evening. I should also say that I
mentioned that primarily the college programs would last until 10:00
in the evening.
The college has security at all of its locations after 6:00. So that
there will be a security person, from one of -- Wackenhut or whatever,
that will be there at the activity/visitors' center, which will address any
security issues.
So in terms of concerns about the safety of our students, that
would be a concern. Mr. Nogaj has made me aware of the fact that in
this community the vandalism, criminal activities, there haven't been
any.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I guess that was what I was
trying to do earlier, too. When this operated, perhaps at its fullest and
the blueberry crops were adequate, there were lots of people that came
and went. And the question then: Would there have been any issues
of security? And if there had not been, I don't know that we would
have had a significant increase.
Thank you so much.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Mr. Volpe, just a couple
questions. And it's -- really I'm having trouble in the strike-through
version of the PUD as to what happens to some of the other tracts.
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June 7, 2007
Tract D is a conservation easement.
MR. VOLPE: And there's a monitoring program which there is
in the governing documents. Hodges University will have to maintain
the monitoring program on the conservation tract.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But it will be owned by Hodges
University?
MR. VOLPE: It will.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And that tract is part of the
PUD obviously?
MR. VOLPE: It is.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Tract J, what is it currently
being used for?
MR. VOLPE: Tract J is a maintenance facility The u-pick --
there is a 110-acre blueberry farm. Workers have been using these
facilities. It used to be landscaping was provided from this
maintenance facility owned by Harvest for Humanity.
The activities there probably going forward will be -- we've
asked that that site be designated as well for an education learning site,
but it will probably be maybe some offices for staff is probably what
would be used there.
But currently the activities that are occurring there are associated
with the commercial enterprise that does take place in that area.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So they're not the maintenance
facilities for the rest of the PUD, the residential areas?
MR. VOLPE: Well, no, no. The residents -- the residents have
absolutely no ownership interests in these -- in any of these and they
don't have any given right to use what I read was. It is all, and has
been, at the discretion of the Harvest for Humanity how it will be
used.
And perhaps it sounds kind of Draconian, but if you -- in terms of
concerns for the protection of those assets, they wanted to exercise
some control themselves, not knowing exactly how the residents
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might be interested in using those facilities.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Any other comments ofMr.
Volpe?
Okay. Ms. Caron.
COMMISSIONER CARON: I just have one. The 110-acre
blueberry farm, which obviously is not part of the PUD, is that still
going to exist or is that gone, as well?
MR. VOLPE: The answer to that is Mr. and Mrs. Nogaj are
going to be returning to Chicago. Probably that 11 O-acre blueberry
farm will be sold. Mr. Nogaj has advised me that a portion ofthat 110
acres will continue to be devoted to blueberries and growing
blueberries.
But, in addition, there will be row crops that will be added,
tomatoes and other things, that perhaps -- I don't know what the
season of blueberries are. But from where I'm from, it's usually a fall
crop. So, I guess, something to balance it out. But that will remain
for, quote, farming purposes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Adelstein.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I'm sorry to do this again in
one respect. I have a responsibility to --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Use the microphone, sir.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I have a responsibility here.
As far as I'm concerned right now, I have -- none of us know what the
purchase of these homes actually said in the statement in which they
were purchased. And until I see that, I would like to ask for a
continuance of this until we have that answer and can go on with
either it is or it isn't.
Ifit is illegal to go on -- ifit is illegal for them to say, "We have
control or, no, we don't," they have the control and they should. But
we don't know at all which way it is. And I think we have to know
before we can go forward.
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CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Volpe, before you answer, we
might as well see if that's the sentiment of the balance of this board. I
will ask from left to right.
Mr. Tuff, would you want to see this continued for the reason
stated by Mr. Adelstein?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is that a "no", Mr. Tuff?
COMMISSIONER TUFF: I'd like this to continue on. Not a
continuance.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Not a continuance.
Mr. Vigliotti.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: I would like a question of Jeff.
Do you see a problem here with this -- with us going ahead
without a contract?
MR. KLA TZKOW: I don't know that I'd call it a problem. I
mean, one of the things that you're always considering is whether or
not this is in the public good. It could very well be that ifthis line of
inquiry was pursued that he might feel that this was not in the best
interest of the community, given the sales brochures and contracts and
everything else.
But that's a hypothetical. I don't know. That's up to you to decide
whether or not you want to pursue that inquiry. I do know that a
continuance may result in hardship here if there are contractual issues.
That's why they're here so quickly, but --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Klatzkow--
MR. KLATZKOW: It is up to you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- do you see a real estate contract as
being a document under the purview of this committee?
MR. KLA TZKOW: I think that if you felt that they were
substantially breaching the original agreements between all of the
residents that you could put a stop to it, if you wanted to. But we don't
know that and we're not there.
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CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MR. KLATZKOW: You could also not. This is a zoning matter.
You could say that one thing has nothing to do with the other.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's what I'm trying to get to.
MR. KLA TZKOW: It's your discretion, sir.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: This is a zoning board. It's the Planning
Commission. If you're telling us we have the authority to open up
project investigations into land contracts and the like, that brings a
whole different realm of items that we've never really been supplied
much with by staff and staff has never reviewed, as far as know.
That's a civil matter.
MR. KLA TZKOW: But this is a very unusual project we're
looking at here. I mean, I haven't seen anything quite like this one
since I've been with the county. It presents unique issues.
I mean, what happens if the blueberry farm goes out of business?
What happens to the rest of the stuff if it gets abandoned?
It's a maras of legal issues that could result here. I don't know
that you want to get into it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Vigliotti.
MR. VOLPE: Mr. Chairman.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes, sir, Mr. Volpe.
MR. VOLPE: Just if! may respond.
We have some of the residents who are here. I don't know if
they're first-time buyers. Maybe, if you choose to, you can inquire of
them for the record as a matter. They've been sworn and they can
testify as to what their understanding was when they purchased,
number one.
Number two, I submit to you that it is the governing documents
that control; the declaration of condominium and the homeowners'
documents. The contract I can assure you is silent. What it says, as
all contracts for the purchase of real estate where there is a
homeowners' association or a condominium association, it says you
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June 7, 2007
need to review. Here's the disclosure --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Volpe, we're getting off on
tangents. I simply -- Mr. Adelstein insisted on making this motion
now. I want to get it passed, so we can either go on or stop today. I
don't need a rebuttal on it.
Mr. Vigliotti, can you just tell us "yes" or "no"; do you want to
see a continuance of this project or not?
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: No. I'd like to finish it up
today. I don't think we should get into this whole --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Today.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Adelstein, obviously you don't want
it to go today.
I see no reason why it shouldn't continue today.
Ms. Caron.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Keep going.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Keep going.
And, Mark, in the packet there is a resolution from the
community association. It would be in there. They would say, "Hey,
what are you doing giving away my community center?" So
definitely continue.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Kolflat.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Continue.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. The motion -- the consensus of
this Board is to continue and we will continue with the meeting.
Mr. Volpe, we left off on questions of you. Does anybody have
any further questions ofMr. Volpe?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Because I do have some, Mike.
The objective that Mr. Adelstein was trying to get to was
somehow factor in, I think, the understanding of what the residents
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there thought they were getting when they bought into this project
through their contractual real estate contract. I don't believe that a real
estate contract has enough -- a lot of items that we should be dealing
with, but the PUD is something we should be dealing with.
Kay's comments a few minutes ago were relevant and I think we
need to walk through her example. And in the PUD, in the
strike-through version, the following language did exist. It said, "The
residential sections will have a centrally located activity center or
basketball court, covered playground, park, gazebos and swimming
pool for the recreation of the residents. They emphasize. It says the
sections -- the residential sections will have."
The new language in the new PUD change that paragraph and it
now says, "Recreational uses and facilities may include, but are not
limited to, a swimming pool, basketball court, children's playground
area, common open areas and gazebos. Such uses shall be visually and
functionally compatible with the adjacent residences whose occupants
will have the use of such facilities."
Now, based on the changes to the two PUDs, one saying they
will have and the other saying they may include, I would think that
through that avenue Mr. Adelstein's question may be relevant. And I
want to know from you or somebody on your team of those facilities
that were committed to by the words "will have" in the first PUD,
where they are on the property.
MR. VOLPE: There are, Mr. Strain -- excuse me. Tract B, which
is the tract immediately -- you have the-- maybe I should put this up.
Tract H is here. This is where the activity/visitors' center is
located. Immediately behind Tract H is Tract B.
On Tract B is a swimming pool that has been constructed for the
residents. There's a -- that's Tract B. That is the swimming pool that
has been constructed for the residents. The -- that's a soccer field, play
field. There's a common area for use by all of the members of the
homeowners' association.
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So those recreational amenities have, in fact, been provided to the
residents. In addition --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mike, you want to stop there for a
minute.
MR. VOLPE: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I want to read that section again and
we'll stop at each thing. I want you to show me.
"Residential sections will have a centrally located activity
center." Where is that?
MR. VOLPE: The activity center is located on Tract H. It's the
use of that facility, which the residents have had at the discretion of
Mr. -- of Harvest for Humanity to use that facility for their meetings
when they would assemble. The association meetings would occur
there.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mike--
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Can you point it on the
overhead? Just point it on the overhead what he's talking about.
MR. VOLPE: "H" right there.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: It's the white part, right?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No. The whole thing is a building, Tor.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mike, the objective here is that Tract B
is going to stay with the residents as a common area. Tract H is going
to go to International College for a college facility.
The PUD says, "The residential sections will have a centrally
located activity center." Now, if it goes to International College, what
do they have left to meet the intent of the PUD as an activity center?
MR. VOLPE: The International College has, as a part of the
neighborhood commitment -- the bathroom facilities are and will
continue to be available to the residents.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, I know that -- going to the
bathroom is an activity, But I don't think that was the intended activity
of an activity center, Mike.
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June 7, 2007
MR. VOLPE: No. I understand. I wasn't trying to be facetious.
I was trying to show the use of -- or how the activity, what the activity
center has provided to the residents. And so it will continue to provide
to the residents that aspect of how it has been used probably most
often by the residents.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So you're saying they can use the
bathrooms now and they can use them in the future and that's what the
reference for activity center was in this PUD?
MR. VOLPE: No, I'm not saying that's the only reason.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Let's stay right on focus. Where is the
activity center, as referenced in this PUD, that meets the needs of the
residents after International College would assume control of those
tracts? Where is that activity center?
That's all I want to know?
MR. VOLPE: Of course, that activity center, as it existed, once it
becomes the learning center for the college, the policies that the
International College would have for use by any other group would be
the policies that the homeowners would have to abide by, in terms of
how they would use that facility.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So you would provide them with an
activity area within that building after International College were to
assume control of it; is that what you're saying?
MR. VOLPE: No, I'm not. And, I guess, you probably have to --
what Ms. Deselem pointed out, that's in the description -- overall
description. That's not what is required. And, I guess, the -- what the
residents have always understood, this is private property. This is
private property. And so --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You're missing the point. First of all --
MR. VOLPE: I'm sorry.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I think your project would be a good
thing for the Immokalee community. So I'm trying to get there to
make it work. At the same time, we have to be protective of the
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June 7, 2007
people that bought into this project, as Mr. Adelstein was alluding to,
but from a different direction.
The PUD is a document you're bound to; your developer is bound
to. Your developer had commitments in the PUD document that he
had to meet. Well, however he met them, apparently he has because
he's gotten this far along. He's gotten CO's and staff has approved the
project to date.
But now there's changes coming to the project. Some changes
may change the commitments that were previously made in the PUD.
They may take away rights that are -- or benefits or amenities that the
previous owners bought into when they bought the zoning that this
PUD offered, that the developer was supposed to commit to them and
provide to them.
I just want to make sure that after International College were to
take this over that the people that had these abilities and these
amenities that were contracted to them by the zoning document are
still in place in some manner. That's my objection. You need to tell
me how to get there.
When I ask a question of where the activity center is, I don't
mean the bathrooms. And I don't me it's something that you'll lease
out to the people like you would anybody else. I want to know what
conveniences you are making to meet the commitment of this zoning
document.
MR. VOLPE: In the first place, in terms of the commitment, as
Mr. Adelstein pointed out, what you're reading from, Mr. Strain, is
from the project description. The project -- it is a project description
that talks to the centrally located activity center.
If you look at the Tract B, in terms of what the uses are permitted
and the nature of how this was developed, what -- the use that was
made and that could be made by the residents perhaps they never had
in their ownership a centrally located activity center. This parcel was
never deeded to the homeowners' association. They have never borne
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any of the expenses.
So in direct response to your question, if the concept is they had
unfettered use of an activity center for whatever types of activities the
residents may have wanted, may have used, which they would have
the cost of maintaining, "A", they didn't have it to begin with, but they
will not have that if this amendment is approved.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I guess then staffs report is --I'm going
to be looking from staff and from the county attorney a -- some kind
of opinion as to how strong that statement is in the requirements of the
PUD. Because if this PUD has been approved, then those provisions
and the developer commitments have not been met. I certainly want
to know that.
On the other hand, if the residents stand up here today -- those
that are here -- and voice no objection and these issues aren't
problematic with them, then there may not be any need to go further.
Is there a basketball court somewhere on the property?
MR. VOLPE: Yes, there is. In fact, there's a playground and
basketball court. And it is -- let me --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: What tract is it on? That's all I need to
know.
MR. VOLPE: It's Tract I.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Is there a covered playground?
MR. NOGAJ: Semi.
MR. VOLPE: Right there.
Tract B. Partially covered, as I'm told. Partially covered.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is there a park?
MR. VOLPE: The green area in the common area.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Are there any gazebos?
MR. VOLPE: Yes, there are. In the -- there is by Blueberry
Lake. There's a gazebo there. And, I believe, there's also one in the
preserve area back on --
MR. NOGAJ: No, no. Just by the lake.
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June 7, 2007
MR. VOLPE: Just by the lake. I'm sorry.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Then basically what we're saying is
you've met the conditions with the exception -- there's some clarity on
the activity center. Basically that's what I can see from what you've
just told me.
We're 90 percent there, So we're moving forward. That's all I
was trying to get to.
MR. SCHMITT: Commissioner Strain, for clarification --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes, sir.
MR. SCHMITT: On the strike-through and underlining, there
will be no reference to an activity center. And that will be --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I know that. That's why I'm bringing
this up. We're taking a PUD that the residents bought into or modified
a benefit they had in a PUD that they bought into to one that they don't
have now. You're not seeking out individual signatures of every
resident there as property owners having an amenity removed from
them. So I'm wondering how you're doing it.
And, therefore, I'm saying we need to substitute for it if you
intend to do this. That's what I'm looking at.
MR. VOLPE: I understand.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And I will still have my question of the
county attorney and the staff members as to how they look upon this.
Because it seems to me if you've got a PUD community and you've
got commitments made and you take away from those commitments
in the zoning document of which they all bought into, then there
probably is something needed from them or their endorsement of what
you're doing. And I will ask that of the county attorney when we get
down further.
So, anyway, that's where my questioning was going.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And your question that we were
just talking about here, just for clarification, is Tract H being carved
out of Tract B?
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June 7, 2007
MR. VOLPE: No. When it was subdivided that's how it turned
out. So the original master plan that's attached to the PUD had it as B.
But when it was a platted subdivision, Tract H has always been Tract
H since the subdivision for Jubilation was approved.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay.
MR. VOLPE: Is that responsive to your question?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, I think the answer would
be, Yes, during subdivision Tract H was carved out.
MR. VOLPE: That's correct, yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mike, I want to go over the staff
commitments because -- we'll do the same thing with staff. They
seem to be the issues that -- for staffs viewpoint it would make it
work. I notice some of them, however, are objectionable to you.
The parking issue. I have page eight of ten and nine and ten, but
between page eight and nine number one is gone. I don't know why,
but I would like someone to put it on the projector so I can read what
the full part of number one was.
I have got the last three lines of number one. And it has
something to do with parking. Does anybody here on the panel have
number one?
COMMISSIONER CARON: No.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: No, no. It's printed on the edge.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No, it can't be printed on the edge
because it's got an indent in it. So it's missing lines.
I just want to make sure we read the whole item.
MR. VOLPE: I noticed that, as well, Mr. Strain. I also had an
earlier draft of the staff report. I was just looking to see if that one
maybe had that.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Paul Midney said that it was
okay, too.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So his vote for you. You're his proxy.
MS. DESELEM: For the record, Kay Deselem. I'll be darned if I
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know what happened to the first part of number one, to be perfectly
honest with you. I will have to go back to some of the prior versions to
see.
Oh, you have it. It was a computer thing with all the revisions.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Would you mind reading that into the
record so that we have it squared. Because no one seems to have a
copy of it.
MS. DESELEM: And I do apologize. You want to go ahead and
read it because I can't see it.
MR. VOLPE: A site development -- a site development plan
must be approved by Collier County that shows parking in compliance
with the design criteria ofthe LDC requirements for college/
university of two per five commuter students, plus four per five
faculty/staff members. Said parking spaces must be solely provided
on Tracts Hand G. Parking by students, faculty or visitor related to
the educational classes and any other tract within the project,
including Tract E, is prohibited.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Mike, do you have any problem
with that paragraph?
MR. VOLPE: I don't have a problem, Mr. Strain, but what I
submit is that there are already sufficient parking spaces in
compliance with the LDC on Tracts G and H.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And I'm not saying you're right or
wrong. I just want to make sure that if we were to recommend
approval and that number one stayed intact that it works.
MR. VOLPE: It works. I think it's an unnecessary condition
because -- I did respond and I think you have a copy of my letter. The
original staff report that was submitted didn't have the criteria. It
might have been a typographical error.
They had two parking spaces per student. Two parking spaces
per student. It's not what it is. It's two per five. And so we corrected
that. The redraft of the staff report shows that. And if you run the
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calculations, there are 55 parking places on Tracts G and H. And the
number of parking spaces that are required, we have 19 excess parking
spaces.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I know you do. I know you answered it.
But I want to make sure -- what I'm trying to do, again, is to get to a
solution.
If staff wants this as a recommendation and it doesn't cause you a
problem, why don't we just do it?
MR. VOLPE: We can do it. Ijust don't think it's necessary.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Let's go on to number three.
Now, this -- here staff is asking to have men and women
restroom facilities constructed on Tract B. I know that the cost of that
is something you're balking at. Health code allows, I think, within 150
feet of the pool facility.
MR. VOLPE: Correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You have rest rooms in the building.
Are you going to provide a perpetual easement and the perpetual
maintenance on the -- as far as the college goes for those rest rooms to
the residents?
MR. VOLPE: We've committed to that in the PUD.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And also they are going to be forever
restricted from use by anybody, but the people utilizing the swimming
pool?
MR. VOLPE: They aren't restricted for use by -- I mean, if there
were -- if someone who found his or her way to that facility, it could
be -- it would be shared by -- it could be shared by people who are
utilizing the activity/visitors' center. My point was -- is that the
opportunity for a sharing on any kind of a regular basis would be
minimal considering how the activity/visitors' center will be used by
the college.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I thought you had told me or I thought
you said earlier today that there wasn't any connection -- there wasn't
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June 7, 2007
any way for an internal access to these rest rooms.
MR. VOLPE: There is not. There is no way to reach those
facilities, but someone would have to walk outside to get to it. But
we're not prohibiting people who are using the college site from using
those bathrooms. I'm just saying as a practical matter, in reality, that
ifthere's a bathroom right inside the building, they're not going to go
outside to use it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. But you would have no problem
with a perpetual easement for the use of those facilities for the
community?
MR. VOLPE: No.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Number four, buffering along the
various boundaries of the tracts. Let's take it one at a time.
Boundaries of Tract G. "K" is a roadway and "G", in your future
plan, is not going to have a structure on it. It's going to have what's
there today; isn't that correct?
MR. VOLPE: Correct. No new structures.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And at the most you're going to do is
take out a blueberry patch and put in sod?
MR. VOLPE: Correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I don't know why that would change--
would show the need for a buffer.
MR. VOLPE: I think -- if I may, the only thought I had was that
staff might be concerned that people would turn off coming in that
drive for some reason. But we would commit to put some modest
type of hedge along that tract as you approach just for aesthetic
purposes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. As far as the entire lines of Tract
B boundary from Tract H, that's to separate the school facilities from
the common areas of the residential facility. Do you have any
problem with that?
MR. VOLPE: I do. And let me explain. The actual buffering,
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the effect ofthat would be -- I need to get just one other.
What staff is requesting is a buffer along this boundary line that
separates Tract H from Tract B.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, it says the entire. So I think you
have the line that goes in both directions all the way. So you'd be all
the way down, I would think.
MR. VOLPE: Perhaps I didn't interpret it correctly. Along the
entire -- on all sides of that property line?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, that's the way it seems to read.
"On Tract H along the entire length of the Tract B boundary."
MR. VOLPE: As it relates to that area, which is immediately
behind the activity center, the concerns that we have are as follows:
One, is if we -- the college has no intention of expanding or adding
any additional structures. That area here, which I think Mr. Schiffer
alluded to, that area is a park and has been used by the residents for
their soccer field, for the playground, and whatever activities young
people become involved in. That property is not property that is
owned by the residents, the homeowners' association.
If we were to construct a buffer along that area, it would
effectively reduce significantly the opportunity for the young people
to continue to use that play area for their recreational activities.
So that would be the reason why, at least along that -- along that
boundary line we would have a problem with buffering it because it
would then prohibit them from using that area.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Do you have any problem giving them
an easement to use that area for recreational purposes as they are
today?
MR. VOLPE: No.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. So if you provide them with an
easement for that purpose, then that takes care of that buffer area.
Now, on the north side of that pool deck --
MR. VOLPE: If! may, Mr. Strain.
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CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes.
MR. VOLPE: Could we have the option of either giving them an
easement or deeding them the -- that portion? That kind of evens it
off so that it would be a continuation.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I don't see a problem with that at all.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: That's better.
MR. VOLPE: There are liability issues that I've identified being
a lawyer that apparently have existed for a period of time. So there
may be -- that issue can be resolved be actually deeding it to the
homeowners' association. They then become responsible for its
maintenance, et cetera, et cetera.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And from the common line, that red line
that's on there, if you go to the north edge of the pool deck and you go
down to the south edge of whatever that white rectangle is south of the
poo I --
MR. VOLPE: That's the playground. And that actually has
some play equipment on there.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. That's basically a "Z". And I'm
not talking about the one that extends all the way to the left across the
back side of that parking lot. That little narrow strip isn't worth a lot.
But that "Z" piece that's left on the south side of that playground
to the north side of the pool deck, if you were to put a buffer there, do
you see a problem with that?
MR. VOLPE: I need a second, if! may.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Would that impede the use of
the toilet facility?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No. Because it would--
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: You wouldn't put it where the
walkway is.
MR. VOLPE: This graphic shows Tract H and then what is in
yellow is that portion that is where we were discussing putting a
boundary along here. This is the portion in yellow that we will deed
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to the homeowners' association. So what you see in yellow would be
-- would become an owner -- owned by the homeowners' association.
So, I guess, in terms of your buffering along the --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The only buffer I'm talking about is a
hedge between the parking lot and the playground. That's about it.
MR. VOLPE: That's fine.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
Go ahead, Mr. Vigliotti.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: I don't want to confuse this, by
any means. But you had mentioned you were going to deed it over to
them and now make them pay for it. The homeowners' association is
not paying for anything now.
Are we going to cause a problem by making the homeowners'
association start to pay for facilities that they've been getting for free?
MR. VOLPE: What it is though -- the answer is it's mowing
grass is really what it is. They already have the obligation of
maintaining the other part of -- so the concern -- it's not going to put
any kind of a financial burden. There's nothing for them to maintain,
other than grass.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: I just--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Number five. Mr. Volpe, number five,
"Type "B" buffering shall be maintained to replace on Lake Trafford
Road and Carson Road."
Any problem with that?
MR. VOLPE: Again, I'm not sure why that -- this is an existing
subdivision. I'm not sure why we would be required to do that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, because it says maintained or
replaced. I mean, if it's -- died or something like that, do you have an
objection?
MR. VOLPE: No. Mr. Nogaj has just advised me that it is there
already and we are maintaining it. And so, yes, we'll continue to
maintain what exists there.
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June 7, 2007
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Number six, "The developer shall
construct or cause to be constructed a parking lot on Tract B built to
LDC design and use for requirement standards." I'm not sure what
that parking lot would be for. That's -- that's for -- that's for the pool?
MR. VOLPE: Correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. The pool doesn't take a lot of
parking because the people from the community mostly walk, from
what I understand.
MR. VOLPE: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Do you have any problem with
providing a cross easement to the further four parking spaces on the
east side of that parking lot, just south of your Building H?
MR. VOLPE: Again, I have no problem with that. They're
available. It's not restricted parking, but I just -- if it would give them
their right so that they would have parking available to them that they
could touch and feel, I don't have any objection.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's all I'm saying. I mean, right now
it may not be contentious. If it is contentious a year from now, at least
the people can say, "We have a right to use four spaces." That's all I'm
asking.
MR. VOLPE: That's fine.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Number seven, "The developer shall
upgrade the lighting on Tracts G and H." Is there lighting there right
now?
MR. NOGAJ: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You'll have to answer on the record.
MR. VOLPE: I have pictures, which I -- let me -- let me submit,
for the record, the pictures that I have of the -- of the lighting that
currently exists. May I?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Sure.
After we see them, we'll just make sure we give them to the court
reporter. Send it this way, then send it back this way.
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June 7, 2007
MR. VOLPE: These are different.
COMMISSIONER CARON: That lighting currently exists. So
based on some statements that we've heard from the -- and I noticed
Mr. Midney's comments. There's been comment -- there's been belief
that the lighting is adequate the way it is.
MR. VOLPE: The lighting that exists is high intensity mental --
metal, shoebox fixtures. That's what's there now.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I know what you mean.
When staff gets up, we'll try to understand why they wanted
more lighting if it's already there and how critical that is to the
process.
MR. VOLPE: That photograph is the area on the tract which is
the recreational amenity near the swimming pool. So you can see --
MR. NOGAJ: No, it's not.
MR. VOLPE: I thought that was the --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You do know you can't have
conversation off the record. So you guys can't do that, please.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Can I ask a question though?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes. Go ahead, Mr. Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: There was a neighborhood
meeting. You were at the meeting. Were these items that were
brought up to you at that time that the residents wanted?
MR. VOLPE: Which items?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: The ones we just went through.
MR. VOLPE: The items that were addressed were the issues
about continuing being able to use the bathroom facilities, that they
would be available for them.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But they didn't suggest that you
build them -- they wanted new bathroom facilities?
MR. VOLPE: No, they didn't. In fact, I think you'll hear from
some of the residents that they're not interested in having either
bathroom facilities separate and apart where they would have the
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obligation to maintain and repair, and, likewise, with any type of a
clubhouse facility or activity center. That that's an additional burden.
These are low income people and the emphasis has been at trying
to keep the costs of home ownership and the like with what's there
affordable and continuing to be affordable for them.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Did they request buffering so
they wouldn't have to look at this building?
MR. VOLPE: Not that I recall.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Did they request a place to park
so they could drive up to the pool?
MR. VOLPE: No.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Volpe -- well, actually I have -- I
have a question of staff on this next one. I have a PUD question, but I
think it's a staff issue more than yours.
Let me run through it. I think I might be close to being finished.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Let me slip one more in. Did
they request better lighting?
MR. VOLPE: No, they didn't.
I should mention that as the owner of these four tracts, the
college will be a member of the homeowners' association. The
homeowners control. These four tracts have 20 votes. So anything
that changes in this community particularly -- the college will have to
vote, along with the other voting members.
So if there's a change in any regard as it relates to the common
area -- as it relates to the common area, they're going to work with the
college/university .
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you. I don't have anymore
questions, Mr. Volpe.
Does anybody else?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you. We'll have the staff report
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June 7, 2007
now. Thank you, sir.
MS. DESELEM: Good afternoon. Again, for the record, my
name is Kay Deselem. I'm a Principal Planner with Zoning.
And I'll try not to go over the same issues. You have had a
description of what's proposed. You have the staff report and the
findings of fact to support the recommendations contained therein.
As noted, staff has recommended that this particular petition be
found inconsistent with the overall Growth Management Plan and we
are recommending denial.
However, we have provided conditions for your considerations. I
will just touch the high points of the staff report. On page one you
have the requested action, an explanation of the geographic location,
and the description of what's proposed. It continues on to page two.
You have the surrounding land use and zoning in text and you can see
it in the aerial photograph. And you do have the growth management
consistency discussion.
And it's important to realize that although it -- this particular
request has been deemed by comp planning and in their memo to be
consistent with the FLUE, that is, the future land use element, as in the
map, That's reviewing the uses pursuant to what's allowed in that land
use category. And it doesn't necessarily deal with the idea of
consistency. That's a separate review that's done by zoning. And
that's, wherein, lies the issue.
You have the transportation element. And, yes, they are
consistent with the Growth Management Plan's Transportation
Element. But the consistency that that's based upon and the review
that staff performed in the staff report comparing the uses as it exists
versus the uses that are proposed, rather than the consistency review
pursuant to the direction in the Growth Management Plan that
reviewed the trip generation report for the uses that were originally
allowed versus what's being proposed, is where you see that staffs
evaluation shows that what's proposed could actually be viewed as an
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intensity of the project.
And you have the analysis that continues on page three regarding
the environmental review, the transportation review, and then it goes
into the zoning review that I just alluded to. And you do see there
where it talks about the GMP and the future land use element policy
5.4. And that is where this particular petition hinges is on that
particular policy. And it has been broken down into several elements
of concern.
And, again, staff raised elements of concern. We didn't
necessarily, nor do we, go into an evaluation of a concentrated
analysis of the site. The site is different in several ways.
One, it's developed and so that does, you know, change it. And
as noted in numerous places in the staff report, the old PUD document
did allude to the fact that this particular activity center/visitors' center
was intended to be used by the community, to some extent. But staffs
analysis has concluded that the proposed use exceeds what was
originally proposed.
And we go into the discussion of that in the staff report beginning
on page four with the traffic comparison and our synopsis that there's
a 19 percent increase in the trips over what's there now, which is what
the residents that live there now are accustomed to and what's
proposed.
It talks about the neighborhood information meeting that you
were speaking of. There was a concern about the entrance gate that
was raised. And I don't know exactly that that's been resolved yet.
Because there is an entrance gate there and I don't know exactly how
that's going to work.
But, again, I wasn't aware until we got the letters from the Nogajs
that there is going to be a security guard on-site. So maybe those
issues will take care of themselves, as far as the security gate with a
security guard there.
And we did have concerns about the private rest rooms. And it
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had not been discussed whether or not there were interior rest rooms
that would be available to the university students. It's possible there
may be. But at this point staff didn't have that information to know.
As the site exists right now; there are rest rooms that are shared and
that was our concern.
And on page five of the staff report, staff tried to do an analysis
of what's proposed here, understanding that this particular site is truly
different. You have a developed residential subdivision, but that
developed residential subdivision has a component to it that has a
commercial part and it supports the neighborhood to some extent.
But what we have here is proposing a college use. And we
compared it with Ave Maria noting that that is a much, much larger
scale development and it was done as a DR!. And the Ave Maria
campus is the focus of that particular project, rather than an added
entity later.
And we also looked at the Vineyards because there is an
International College campus element within the Vineyards. But, as
we noted in the staff report, that particular use is not adjacent to any
kind of a residential use within the Vineyards. The campus is
bordered by a park and a school and it does have access to a major
roadway.
And in this particular instance, as noted in the staff report, this
particular satellite campus, college use, however you want to
categorize it, does not have access to either a collector road or an
arterial road. It strictly has access from local streets within a gated
subdivision, which is a little bit unusual and is somewhat concerning
to staff.
And we have noted that buffering -- and the information that was
provided just a short time ago regarding the changes of what's going to
be deeded within Tract H that would go to Tract B, that was staffs
concern. And apparently that might help to alleviate it if more of the
land is, in fact, deeded over to the homeowners' association. You
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won't have the disparity of the huge open area that apparently the
residents are using, but you're still not going to get it buffered.
And I think it's important to separate the uses because they are
distinct and different. And usually in planning practices you do
separate uses that are distinctly different. You have uses that are
comparable, comparable and complement one another, But I don't
think in this particular instance a college campus and a swimming
pool and activity area for, basically, children, a playground, are
necessarily complimentary. And I think the buffer is important.
And I saw in the letters that we were receiving from the Nogajs
that they -- when they did it, it was a financial hardship to put in a
buffer. Again, financial hardship isn't a consideration that staff uses in
evaluating a zoning proposal.
We did mention that the parking conflicts and we had concerns
about the parking. The letters that we received from the Nogajs later
on talked about 50 some parking places. And if you look at the master
plan, it talked about 70 some parking places. So somewhere along the
line there's a discrepancy in the parking that's available.
And I know that staff had conversations with the applicants or the
applicant's agents throughout this process and there was discussions
about using Tract E for the parking for this college. And that was one
of staffs major concerns. Because the parking for the college would
have to track through the residential units, the residential areas to get
to that parking as is shown on page six.
You can see Tract D is shown as part of the plat. And it's
adjacent to lots 1, 10, 11, 20. And it's at the end of a local street
within that single-family area. And you can see it in the aerial
photograph even more clearly that the traffic would definitely have to
go through one of those residential streets to get to that. So that was
our concern.
And we did not have all the information available to us, nor did
we attempt to evaluate the total parking. That's not part of what we do
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June 7, 2007
in zoning. We did have a fairly detailed site plan in this case, but we
were raising the issue as a concern based on the fact that the proposal
appeared to use parking outside of the tract where the college campus
use was going to be.
On page seven the discussion continues about compatibility.
And, again, we talked about students' safety. And that's where the
lighting came in. With the proposal to have the college campuses --
college campus use after dark, it was a concern of staff about having
people wandering through the site not knowing where they were going
to be, if they were going to be wandering down to Tract E or wherever
they might be going to reach their particular parking spot.
And that's why the condition is worded the way it is to state that
the developer shall upgrade. The implication, although it's not stated
clearly, is that if it's adequate, then an upgrade obviously wouldn't be
necessary. But we were not certain at this point that what was
provided was adequate. We didn't go into that kind of an evaluation.
Again, we were raising an issue for consideration.
I think it's important to understand in this particular petition
we've had a lot of discussion about Harvest for Humanity and
International College and who they are and what they stand for and
what they do. But it's important to understand that in zoning it's not
about who, it's about what. It's about the use itself.
The zoning runs with the land, stays with the PUD. There's no
assurances in the future who might be the entity that actually runs this
campus use. It's an educational facility and anybody that can qualify
can run that facility. So I don't think you can go on the basis of
any body's reputation.
It's a matter of use, not of names or owners or petitioners or
contractors or purchasers or anything like that. And, again, as I
mentioned before, it's important to understand that financial
considerations, although they're very important to the people involved,
aren't an issue as part of zoning. Those aren't considerations that we
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are normally concerned about.
And I think you find that in the findings that staff has provided to
you in support of our recommendation. It's repeated over and over
again that financial considerations are not something that we consider.
We have to look at the use and the reasons.
And I think we've provided ample information to you to support
our recommendation. But, again, we have provided to you conditions
or stipulations for your consideration. And I know you've had
discussions and I'm willing to enter into those discussions, as well.
Commissioner Strain had indicated that he would also be asking staff
about those.
But it's important to realize that you have transportation
consistency and you have consistency with the FLUE land use
category, but you also have compatibility. And compatibility is a big
element, the policy 5.4. Therefore, we are recommending denial.
And I'm available if you have any questions about anything that
staff has presented to you in the packet.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Okay. With regard to the
parking that you're concerned about -- and I appreciate your statement
that your zoning plans are not predicated on reputations and the rest of
it. Likewise, in attempting to -- you said that the -- that today -- the
people today are used to a certain number of vehicles for parking.
When this PUD was put together, the intent was to draw people
to it. Would it not have been prepared -- were the number of units,
parking spaces made intended to be for the maximum number that
people would come on there and visit and look around and so forth?
Wouldn't -- I mean, today if it has failed or not done well, there
may only be 20 percent of the cars that they once had. Do we want to
make a judgment based on what they're used to or what is possible?
Are you clear with my question?
MS. DESELEM: I'm not certain I understand your question. But
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I can say that I'd have to go back and look at the actual SDP to see
what use the actual parking for that activity center was based upon.
But I can tell you for certain that it wasn't based on a college campus,
But I don't know that it's more or less.
Like I said, what we have is my concern with Tract E, which was
supposed to provide overflow parking for the residents, visitors. And
my concern was perhaps the college campus people would be using
that. And I wasn't aware of any proposals to limit that access by
signage until they said something today in Mr. Volpe's testimony that
it was their intention to provide maps and some kind of signage. But
he didn't indicate exactly how that was supposed to work.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Well, that wouldn't necessarily
stop students from parking there anyway. I mean, just the fact that
they have signs. But were you aware that they intended to only have
80 students?
MS. DESELEM: Yes. We went through that.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Wouldn't that be a limiting
factor?
MS. DESELEM: Very much so, yes.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: So you're saying that the number
of parking spaces that calculate out are insufficient for 80 students?
MS. DESELEM: We did not -- I'm sorry. We did not do the
calculation. We were just raising the issue that it could have been an
issue, as far as: Was there adequate parking?
One of the concerns that staff had was the whole idea that this
wasn't designed as a college campus, understanding how things work
with the college campus and college classes. Say you have a class that
begins at four and ends at six and you've got another class that starts at
five and goes until seven, and you've got people going around, "I need
a parking place," and the other class isn't out yet, so their parking
places aren't open.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I know that experience.
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MS. DESELEM: Yeah. And you park anywhere you can find a
spot, whether it be in the grass. And, you know, it wasn't designed for
that intensity. And that was just something we were trying to allude to
in our discussions.
Like I said, it's a different animal. You don't normally have a
satellite campus going into a residential campus.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: And I more appreciate what
your concern was. You brought that point quite out. That makes real
good sense. However, arithmetic would be very helpful in this case to
really know what the numbers should be.
Not as you've indicated, which was your basis, I am not
quibbling with it, but what they've come to be used to. Because
something could have happened in that activity center, things could
have changed, a restaurant could have been viable and they could have
had a whole lot of people coming and going at all given times. I
mean, that's the thing that is weighing in my mind. And I'm not
quibbling with you.
MS. DESELEM: I can see that. And also we have Tract J,
which really hasn't come up too much in discussion. But that's
proposed to be used as educational facilities, as well. We don't know
to what extent or for what, but there is some parking available there,
as well.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Yes.
MS. DESELEM: Like I said, I don't know that there's a parking
issue. There may not be. We just wanted to raise the issue that there
could be.
CO MMISSI ONER MURRAY : You're a very good principal
planner and I respect everything you do. So I certainly don't have to
challenge you. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Schiffer, I've got some questions of
Kay, as well, but someone just reminded me it's time for a break.
Kelley and Katie could use it. We'll take a IS-minute break and be
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back here at 2:15. Thank you.
(A recess held from 2:00 p.m. until 2:15 p.m.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Ray, can you turn us back on.
MR. BELLOWS: You're on.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you. Now, we're back from our
break. The last we left off Commissioner Schiffer was going to ask a
question of Kay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Kay, when these people go in
for at least a certificate of occupancy or any kind of other work they'll
do, that's the time in which you're going to check the parking.
Everything they want to do is according to the LDC so there's no
reason to really focus on parking. They have to meet it. There's
nothing in this PUD that we're giving them any kind of variance on
the requirements for parking.
MS. DESELEM: I would say that's a pretty correct assumption.
We just weren't sure where it was going to be on the site and we
wanted to make certain that the parking for the college use was
adjacent to or within as best as possible the college use itself on Tract
H.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Or on the site that the facility is
providing parking for like the LDC has to have it or within 300 feet or
whatever else is in the parking. So there's nothing they're going to get
away with by this PUD, other than what's required by code.
MS. DESELEM: You have to bring up a structure to the greatest
extent possible. And if it's deemed impossible because the site is
already developed, as in Tract H, that was the concern we had. We
wanted to make it clear that if Tract H had parking or Tract G had the
parking, but in any case the parking was provided and they wouldn't
be going into the residential subdivision area and parking on the
residential streets. And, I guess, you could do that as much with
signage as anything else.
It appears that -- based on what we've discussed today and what
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I've seen that there will be adequate parking for the college use. I
think that issue has been pretty well resolved. It's just a matter of
where it is.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Any other questions of Kay?
COMMISSIONER CARON : Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Go ahead.
COMMISSIONER CARON: You mentioned that this was a
gated community. It's hard to tell from the picture.
Can you tell us where the gates are? Are they at Carson and
Lake Trafford or are they on the internal streets?
MS. DESELEM: It's a quasi-gated community, I guess is one
way to say it. In talking with the applicant, it appears as though some
gates are open in the daytime and closed at night.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Uh-huh.
MS. DESELEM: Hang on. Let me grab the master plan. I
believe that the -- there's a gate at the corner of Reflection Way, which
is in the north end, that would go out to Carson Road. And if I recall
correctly, when I was there that was closed. And I was there in the
daytime.
But there was also a gate, I believe, on Reflections A venue and
Harvest Drive right as it comes in. But perhaps the best persons to
answer your questions to exactly where the gates are and when they
operate might be the petitioner.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Any other questions of Kay?
MS.DESELEM: If I may, if you don't have any more questions.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I do.
MS. DESELEM: Oh, okay. I was going to say I would go back
to the conditions.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Kay, you forgot me. In the minutes to
the NIM that you had with the residents, I had several questions, but I
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boiled it down to one that seems to be -- didn't get answered. It's on
page seven. And Ms. Deselem said the following, "We are here for a
zoning process and the county is not a party to the homeowners'
association document."
Where did she go?
MS. DESELEM: I'm right here. I just went to get my copy.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: "We cannot enforce them, but ifit is
part of the PUD document it can become a zoning issue, therefore,
subject to code enforcement. And I want these people to have that
assurance. "
Now, Kay, my reading of that says that you believe the
homeowners' association documents can be enforced by code
enforcement.
MS. DESELEM: I'm trying to find where you are.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Page seven, the NIM minutes that you--
that somebody provided. Staff provided.
MS. DESELEM: I must not be looking at the same thing
because mine stops at page five. I'm looking at the version that was
submitted by the petitioner. It's a -- hang on a second. I'm looking at
the wrong thing. Hang on a second.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The one I have is titled, "Synopsis of
Neighborhood Informational Meeting held on Wednesday, March 28,
2007." It was in the package.
MS.DESELEM: I have just got to get to it. Okay. I got to it.
I'm sorry . Would you restate your question now that I'm looking
at the same thing you were?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: On page seven, under your name, Ms.
Deselem, I believe you're trying to tell them that we can make the
homeowners' association document part of the PUD and, therefore,
subject to code enforcement.
MS. DESELEM: No. My comment was that we are not a party
to the homeowners' association documents. If they want the county to
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be involved in the enforcement of any issue, it has to be in the PUD
document. They're two separate documents controlled by two
separate processes.
The homeowner documents are a civil issue amongst the parties.
Whereas, the PUD document is a zoning issue enforced by the county.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I know that, but I was surprised at your
statement. Because the way it reads, it doesn't seem -- it seems like
someone thought these could be part of the PUD and therein lies my
next question.
In the PUD the following paragraph reads, 7.2 (C), "The owner
of Tracts G, Hand J shall be a member of the Jubilation Homeowners'
Association, Inc. and as such member shall be bound by all of the
covenants, conditions and restrictions applicable to said tracts by
virtue of the governed documents and association."
Typically we see the first part of that sentence and not the latter.
"The owner of Tracts G, Hand J shall be a member of the Jubilation
Homeowners' Association, Inc.," period. Having the rest of it in there,
I'm concerned how we can assure ourselves that they are bound by
those.
And my other concern is that a homeowners' document is not
necessarily, and many times does not follow a PUD zoning or a
county zoning. So if you have a discrepancy in the homeowners'
document and by the zoning document in the PUD -- disagrees with
the PUD, which one would prevail?
MS. DESELEM: I see your point. Perhaps it would be better to
rephrase it, like you say, just to leave that portion that's normally in
there. Because we don't control the homeowner documents.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I would think it would be much safer for
the county not to go past the Inc. on Homeowners' Association, Inc.
Drop the rest of it and let's just leave homeowners' docs as civil
matters like they have been.
MS.DESELEM: I believe that would be an appropriate action.
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CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. The other question I have, Kay,
is in the PUD we read the project description concerning the
residential sections, what they will have in regards to amenities. And
we read a section of the PUD that contains language that is changed.
In one it said "will have" and the other said "may have." I would
recommend that we leave the "will have" language in there since the
college in some manner and form is going to address it and we will
stipulate that. And, therefore, they will be consistent with the PUD,
rather than put in language with "may have" so that later on if the
college vacates, somehow it becomes undone and yet they're not
bound because the PUD does no longer make it strong enough to
reqUIre.
MS. DESELEM: I was following that or trying to follow that
discussion earlier and I couldn't find the part in the new PUD
document where this was supposed to be.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: They took it out of the description and
put it under permitted uses and structures.
MS. DESELEM: Okay. That's why.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And it's under 2-3 -- page 2-3 and it's
talking about residential single-family and multifamily plan, Tract A.
So the reference in the old one was taken out of the description and
put there. And that's fine. It completely changes it, but as long as we
know -- if we put the old one back in the description, then we can
retain the amenities the developer was supposed to provide to the
residents as he was supposed to originally provide to them.
MS. DESELEM: I don't know that putting a "will" -- the word
"will", rather than "may" in actuality would require it. I think if you
want to require those things to be done it needs to be placed in the
commitment section, rather than in the part -- because it's kind of hard
to make somebody do a principal use.
They're proposing accessory uses or the principal uses, but they
usually can pick and choose which of those they want. So if you want
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to require something, you have to put it in the commitment section.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Mr. Klatzkow, does the word
"will" -- is "will" mandatory?
MR. KLA TZKOW: It is. I mean, "will" is mandatory, yeah.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. So it's mandatory. I don't care
where we put it, but I think it was a commitment made by the
developer and it needs to stay in there somewhere.
So, Kay, between now and the board I'm just recommending that
they put -- not be struck and it be put somewhere relevant. I don't care
how you work it out. And the applicant has already agreed to
basically work all the differences out and we'll stipulate those and
everybody should walk away happy with regards to that issue.
MS. DESELEM: If it's acceptable to all parties, I will move it to
the commitment section because I believe that's a more appropriate
place.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Anybody on the Planning Commission
have a problem?
MR. BELLOWS: I agree.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ray agrees.
Michael, do you have a concern?
MR. VOLPE: (No verbal response was given.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Indicating by a no shake of his head.
That doesn't mean he's not shaking his head. It means he shook his
head no.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Mark, my only question is that
we don't have the developer anymore, do we?
I mean, you're saying these are commitments that the developer
has to provide. Who is the developer?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, we're going to stipulate, I would
assume, in our discussion the various commitments to use some of the
facilities as we've talked about; the recreational area being expanded
on being -- either easement or deeded over to the common area and all
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that stuff. And that will meet the intent, I think, of what the PUD was
trying to get to.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: For example, one of the
requirements was a covered playground. They've obviously saw fit --
you know, the community wanted something different than a covered
playground. So we're making who build a covered playground?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, they've got a covered playground.
But I think the homeowners' association was the recipient of the
developer's -- it was passed on like it is in every project. The HOA
eventually takes it over.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Which they have already.
MS. DESELEM: The playground area is within Tract B, which
belongs to the homeowners' association. But I do see Commissioner
Schiffer's point. Just simply moving this over to the commitment
section isn't going to necessarily help because it has to say who is
going to do it and when they have to do it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Why don't you just leave it in the
description section, Kay, because we're going to be stipulating the
various issues so that should lock it up.
MS. DESELEM: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. I don't have any other questions
of Kay. Does anybody else?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I thought we were going to run
through the stipulations to see -- because it appears to me that the
stipulations purely came out of staff.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN : Well, I mean, I went through all their
stipulations with Michael Volpe. We have come back with
alternatives for each one that he said would work. I thought that's how
we were going to -- I thought we were going to -- we would stipulate
that in the end.
Do you want to go through them again?
MS.DESELEM: IfI may, I wanted to ask some questions and
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get some clarifications on those. And I was kind of waiting until you
wanted to discuss those with me.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Sure. Go ahead.
MS. DESELEM: And I can explain where each one comes from,
but I kind of did in my explanation.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Kay, on number one and two they don't
have an objection to that. So why don't we just pop into three. And
three they expressed the ability to provide a perpetual easement for the
existing non-shared restroom that's in the building on Tract H.
MS.DESELEM: My question there, again, is a matter of timing.
When, obviously, the developer or the university has to do it. Because
it says the college/university entity.
When do you want it done so that we can ensure that it's done?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It has got to be done now. Not now,
meaning after this meeting. It has got to be open right now. They
can't use the pool without a restroom. I believe there's a health code to
the effect.
MS. DESELEM: That's correct.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: They wouldn't have got a
permit without the bathroom.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So, I mean, I don't think it's an issue of
when. It's already there and it has got to stay there. If they shut it
down, they have got to shut the pool down, which they can't do.
MS. DESELEM: What is it exactly you want to see?
You want to see an agreement with them whereby the residents
have exclusive use to that restroom?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, the word "exclusive" wasn't--
well, it's been non-shared.
MS. DESELEM: Non-shared.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Non-shared. And the reason that
language is in there is because Mr. Volpe has said that that facility is
not directly accessible from inside the main building.
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MS.DESELEM: That's correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That was the intent. That they're not
going to cut a hole in the wall and all of a sudden make that a
restroom for the students. I just wanted to prevent that.
So the intent was that they were providing a perpetual easement
to the homeowners' association for access to those rest rooms and that
those rest rooms will not be shared with the students. Now, how that
sharing is defined is a question. There's not going to be any direct
access to the main building.
Is that a fair statement?
MS. DESELEM: I understand what you're saying now. I wasn't
thinking about knocking out the wall and all that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right. That's all I'm worried about.
MS. DESELEM: I see.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And I think that's all.
Mr. Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: One thing, could we also put in
there, "Or provide bathrooms on Tract B," just in case they want to get
rid of that requirement and they could build some bathrooms on Tract
B.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I think that's a good idea. So in lieu of
the perpetual easement for a bathroom facility in the main building,
they could always provide the bathrooms on Tract B.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I have a question.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Wasn't it a thought that they
didn't want to go to the expense of having to add those and the
possibility of dealing with them? I thought I heard that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, it's an option, correct?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: An option? Okay.
MS. DESELEM: And I don't mean to keep bringing it back up --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: They could exercise the option.
June 7, 2007
MS. DESELEM: I'm sorry. I just want to make it clear that -- so
you're saying prior to the facility used as a college that perpetual
easement has to be fulfilled that requires it?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Created.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Kay, all I know is they can't have a pool
without a bathroom. The bathrooms are being utilized right now by
some means. I don't know what that is.
If the homeowners' association doesn't have an easement
currently, well, shame on them. They needed to have it and they
probably didn't realize it. So maybe now we ought to get it done as
quickly as possible. I don't know how to put a time frame on that.
But I think it ought to be done as soon as possible because you
can't operate a pool legally pursuant to the health department rules that
I know of.
MS.DESELEM: That's correct. I did check with the health
department and this does meet the standards now because it is within
the prescribed distance.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right. So it will become a serious
problem if those bathrooms are now closed for any reason.
MS. DESELEM: Correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Do you have enough
understanding of three to move forward with that?
MS. DESELEM: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Four.
MS.DESELEM: And we're going to -- you had talked about in
condition six -- again, you wanted to provide a cross easement?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, first of all, let's go to number four,
buffering.
MS. DESELEM: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: We talked about a hedge along the north
side of Tract G only.
MS. DESELEM: Okay.
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CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, there's three items in that one. Do
you want me to give them all to you first?
MS. DESELEM: Okay. I'll try to follow. Go ahead.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Hedge along the north side of
Tract G. The second one was the perpetual easement or deed for the
recreation area that's to the -- west of the pool and poolhouse right
now. The open space that Mr. Volpe showed us in color on the plan.
And the third is that there be a hedge between the western edge
of the playground -- the partially covered playground and the parking
lot. That's the only place a hedge will be needed.
MS.DESELEM: Okay. A hedge along the western edge of the
playground --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: To separate the parking from the
playground. That was the point.
MS.DESELEM: I don't mean to be nitpicky, but just so that we
understand and we can make sure that there's compliance. Can you
refer to some element of the LDC or explain what you want that hedge
to consist of so that we know their --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yeah. I'll ask Kay Deselem to tell me
what buffer it is out of the LDC and she'll tell us.
If you drive past any of your newer parking lots, they all got little
hedges around them. I think that's the intent that I --
MS. DESELEM: Okay. Just so I understand. I think we can
work it out amongst ourselves from that.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Mark, let me say something.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Myself, I'm not personally --
you know, I don't know why we're doing these hedges to begin with.
I mean, the facility is built. Essentially the geometry that's out
there is going to be the same. I mean, why are we doing this?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The facility is built and the geometry is
the same. And I think a hedge to separate a playground from a
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parking lot may be in the interest of safety. It may not be a bad idea.
I agree with you it hasn't been done and it didn't need to be done
maybe in the past. But if they've agreed to do that short distance as a
hedge and it helps prevent kids from just running over into a parking
lot, that's a --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Why are we doing the one
along the top of Tract G then? What are we gaining out of that, other
than -- because they have trees planted there. They have like a little
boulevard set up. There's not hedging on the other side.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It's got a parking lot. And generally
parking lots are separated from roadways by hedges.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: It looks like there might even be
something around that already.
MR. NOGAJ: There already is.
MS. DESELEM: There is some limited vegetation. I mean, as I
recall, it's like trees 30 foot on center, 25 foot on center. I don't recall
a hedge. There may be.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I see a hedge.
MS. DESELEM: The applicant is there every day. They can
testify .
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: In this crummy picture I can see
a hedge.
The point is: What are we gaining by putting a hedge along --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You're going to have a lot of traffic
there at night. People are going to be pulling into that parking lot.
Their lights un-buffered will go into the residential section across the
street or anywhere they want to. A hedge would just --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I'm fine with the parking lot
because I think there is a hedge. It's along -- the Reflections Avenue
that I don't understand.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Which is what we said. Along
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the northern part of Tract G that was stated.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I guess where the parking lot is.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. So the parking lot should
be surrounded, I guess? It looks like it may be already.
MS. DESELEM: We are trying to accommodate a parking lot
that would be a parking lot for a commercial entity, trying to find
something that was similar. Because normally you don't have a
parking lot in the middle of a residential subdivision that services
something else. And that was our concern was the glare from the
lights.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But these parking lots were
built for commercial entities. They look like they met the
requirements for commercial entities already.
MS. DESELEM: But it appears as though at 10:00 with students
coming and going --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, whether it's a community
meeting or buying blueberries, I mean, the thing was a commercial
entity already.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But they're not doing blueberry picking
at night, Brad.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But I think it was built,
permitted and constructed already as a commercial parking lot.
Is that true?
MS.DESELEM: I would have to check the LDC or the site
development plan to see. I would assume that it meets the standards
for some type of commercial parking lot. I don't know if it was
designed for overflow for the activity center, exactly what it was.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: When they come in for a CO to
make this a new college, you will have an SOP kind of a process
where you would review to make sure everything is according to what
would be there. Unless we gave them some variance today, they
would still have to be there.
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MS. DESELEM: I don't know that an SDP would be required
since they're not proposing any additional structures. And if nothing
in our conditions required them to build anything else, I don't know
that there would be any requirements.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: They would have to get a
certificate of occupancy, which requires everybody else in the
community to meet the standards.
MR. VOLPE: Mr. Chairman, just one comment.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Go ahead, Michael.
MR. VOLPE: We have already been informed that we -- even
though it's only a change of use, even though the development has
been built out, we have to go through an SDP process. So we are
going to go through the SDP process.
We thought it might be insubstantial. That's a determination that
will be made by your staff, but we are going to go through the SDP
progress.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So by being silent today, you'll
have to meet the buffer requirements.
MR. VOLPE: Whatever the requirements are at the time.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: If anything we do today by
mistake, we may lessen the requirement.
Next question. Sorry.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Kay, they are going through an SDP
now apparently. Will a buffer be required around that parking lot
through the SDP process?
MS. DESELEM: I would believe so, yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So let's kill that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And we will still leave the perpetual
easement or deed for the residential area. And there will still be a
hedge requirement between the parking lot and the playground.
Number five, there was no objection to so we can leave that.
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Number six, the developer shall construct or cause to be
constructed a parking lot on Tract B built to LDC design and use
requirement standards.
Instead of -- in lieu of that or an easement for the use of parking
spaces within the Tract H to the extent -- four spaces within Tract H
for the pool.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Let me just jump in again. Why
are we doing that one?
Because this is a little community that everybody walks to the
swimming pool. The only use of that swimming pool is by residents
of the community. Why are we now providing -- is that a requirement
to provide parking?
MS. DESELEM: In my experience as a planner these 20 some
years, when you work in a residential subdivision like that, when mom
decides to take the kids to the pool for the day, she has to load up the
stroller or the playpen for the baby to sleep in, Take the cooler for the
kids' drinks and their snacks. By the time she's done and ready to go
to the pool, she's got half of her house in her car ready to go to the
pool.
COMMISSIONER CARON: It will be very helpful. You're
correct.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Is that as your opinion as a
planner or--
MS. DESELEM: As a mom and a planner, yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: We don't have an objection from the
applicant. We have an agreement.
What is wrong with giving the people the potential to have more
space?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Unnecessarily -- to me it's
encumbering the other people, but go with it if you need it.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Kay, the last item that we need
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to address and we started to address and we didn't finish and I want to
talk to -- Mike might want to chime in on this.
The activity center, the meeting room, you have space inside that
building. And, Mike, when you and I met we talked about a
possibility of an easement so that if the people through -- say a week
in advance notice needed to have a room so they could meet, that
could be afforded to them. Is that something that was able -- that you
still feel might be doable?
MR. VOLPE: Well, not by easement, but by -- the college
makes their facilities at Northbrook Plaza, on Colonial Boulevard -- If
your group wants to meet there, they have a program and a policy. So
whatever the policy would be for any other not-for-profit organization,
which is a homeowners' association, they certainly can use the facility
to the same extent as any other not-for-profit organization.
And I'm not sure about cost for this. There's probably no cost
associated with it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Do you mind if we state that it will be
for no cost?
MR. VOLPE: No.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No, you don't mind?
MR. VOLPE: No.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It's okay?
MR. VOLPE: It's okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you. The only other addition,
Kay, is that something will stipulate that an activity area will be
available to the group just like it is to any other nonprofit through the
International program at no cost.
MS.DESELEM: We don't need to specify how much?
I just wondered -- and I'll defer to the county attorney's office
about how we would ensure compliance or --
MR. KLA TZKOW: Put it in the PUD. It would be a code
violation if they refused.
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MS. DESELEM: We don't need a specific space, an amount; just
a room, a facility?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, I don't know how to--
MS. DESELEM: I don't either. That's why I'm asking.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: To be honest with you, Kay, if you don't
have a room, I think you've got a problem in compliance with the
PUD because you don't have an activity center any longer. So I think
you need something that people can meet at if they want the -
opportunity to meet.
MR. KLA TZKOW: Just call it a meeting room.
MS.DESELEM: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I don't think there's going to be a lot of
-- anybody going out of their way to violate this, at least I hope not.
We're talking with a reputable establishment and an college, so
hopefully they'll be good neighbors.
Anything else?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: How about seven, the lighting;
we're going to drop that?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And what about one? Why can't
we just drop one? That was just redundancy from the code.
And then two, I'm not too sure why we want to block off some of
these other roads as private. We have the main road coming out of
Lake Trafford as Harvest Drive. That to me would be a logical road to
access this.
I could understand the entrance is Serenity Drive and past the
parking to Friendship Drive be noted, but -- and maybe Reflections
Lane and up at the end Reflections Way. But the way it's worded in
two, I don't think that's a good idea.
MS. DESELEM: The staff is looking at the shortest distance that
would have the least impact on the least intense use. Looking at the
single-family homes that were located along Harvest Drive as opposed
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to Tract G and the multifamily uses that didn't appear to be as
impacted and a shorter distance.
But I don't believe that it's a huge issue, but I think it should be
limited to one particular area where they can come and go so the
security guard can keep a closer track of where the students might be.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But the way you've worked it, you've
limited access to the parking lots. So I don't think that's a good idea.
In other words, Harvest Drive you're going to -- we want the
parking lots not to be accessible? I think we do.
MS.DESELEM: My idea was to limit the other streets so that it
would only be for the main entrance in and -- I mean, yeah, obviously
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Let's do Friendship Drive,
Serenity Drive, Reflections Lane, Reflections Way to be private.
MS. DESELEM: I guess past the point of access to the parking
lots is the way you'd have to phrase it.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: That would be right with the
SIgn.
MS. DESELEM: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Kay, I think the intent is that the private
areas in this development remain private. Anywhere else needs to
have a sign. Staff is really capable of doing that, I'm sure.
MR. VOLPE: Mr. Chairman, I just have to comment. I
apologize for interrupting. But we have to remember that this is a
homeowners' association. And all of these signs that I've indicated
before, we only have 20 percent of the vote. So all signage is going to
have to be approved within.
The concept of providing appropriate signage to ensure that the
traffic that's going to be utilizing does not intrude into the residential
areas, that's the commitment. But, I mean, if we start to get really
specific, I'm a little concerned. I don't know. Because the
homeowners' association isn't bound by this document. You're going
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to bind us to it. And if they say no, which I don't anticipate, it could
be -- we could have a conflict that we don't need.
The concerns are we need to use appropriate signage to ensure --
and that's the homeowners' association who live there are going to tell
us where they want the signs and where they don't want the signs.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I mean, Mike, I'd strike the
whole thing. I'm just trying to --
MR. VOLPE: I'm just concerned that when we get down to that
level of detail about exactly where the sign is going to be, the
homeowners' association, again -- and homeowners' associations are
wonderful, but we only have 20 percent of the vote.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: We'll be picking colors in a
minute here.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I thought we were done with one and
two.
Anything else of Kay?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you. Thank you, Kay.
Ray, I know we have public speakers.
MR. VOLPE: Mr. Chairman, just because you've been through
those -- there may be some adjustment--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You have to get close to the
microphone.
MR. VOLPE: Of the stipulations that you discussed with your
staff, the only one that causes me some pause and I think it just needs
to be clarified. That has to do with the existing bathroom facilities.
If you look at the PUD 7.1 -- page 7.1, it's 7.2(B). We've
committed that the existing bathroom facilities on the exterior of the
building located on Tract H will be available for use by the Harvest
neighborhood residents and their guests using the swimming pool
located on Tract B during normal hours of operation of the pool. The
owner of Tract H shall be responsible for the repair and maintenance
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of the bathroom facilities.
That's the commitment that we have made. If you want us to
commit that we will never allow for access to that facility from the
interior of the building, we will commit to not providing access from
the interior of the building.
But if we start talking about easements and that sort of thing, I
just don't know how we would do that. It is the commitment. It
would be a violation of our commitment in the PUD. So what we're
trying to accomplish I think we've actually thoughtfully put forth in
that commitment.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Mike, that's fine. Staffhad it
separately written up. So I'm assuming that the language in the PUD
wasn't sufficient for staff.
I just noticed the county attorney nodded in agreement, so -- with
your statements. That's fine. So if you want to add that stipulation that
you just said about access -- no access from the interior of the
building, that would be fine, okay?
MR. VOLPE: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So that means we can strike number
three. And number seven, of course, was out. So that leaves us with
the rest.
Now, Ray, can we have the public speakers.
And public speakers, please, you need to approach either podium.
And we have to ask you to limit your discussion to five minutes.
Thank you.
MR. BELLOWS: The first speaker is Barbara Cacchione
followed by Thomas Carmichael.
MS. CACCHIONE: Good afternoon. For the record, my name
is Barbara Cacchione. And I wanted to give you just a little bit of
background on myself just so you can understand why -- what
comments I have today.
I have been a previous planner for Collier County from 1981 to
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1999, heading up the Comprehensive Planning Department, working
in the Zoning Department, and was here when this project was
approved and helped work on it through the approval process.
I think we have been kind of going around in circles a bit here
today. This project has been found consistent with the Immokalee
master plan by the comprehensive planning staff. It has been found
consistent by your transportation planning staff. And they, in fact,
have told you it's a reduction of trips on this project.
When you look at the list of permitted uses when this is
approved, you look at that whole range of permitted uses as being
appropriate at their maximum intensity on that project when you
decide that that project is compatible. And that is what was done
when this project was originally approved. The permitted uses
included a whole range of uses, including adult education services.
It doesn't matter who provides those services, whether it's
International College or another nonprofit organization or the school
system. If they wanted to just provide educational services on that
project, there would be no need for a PUD amendment, which is kind
of confusing as to why we're even here today.
So when I look at the issue of compatibility, what is changing on
this property? The building is not changing. The use is changing
somewhat to be all adult education, instead of a blueberry store and a
retail store. It is now being all adult education. So the changes, in my
mind, are actually reducing the number of trips.
So when I look at compatibility, I'm not changing the building
footprint. I'm not adding a new structure. I'm not doing anything
different, but providing a use that is currently permitted in this PUD to
operate full scale within the project.
Now, because you have looked at it as a college campus, that
raises a whole bunch of issues in your mind. And I think that was one
of the reasons for the limitation of the 80 students. So that that could
be alleviated as a concern in terms of the intensity of that use.
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Now, this project is very different than what you normally deal
with in Naples because the ownership is completely separate. It is not
a clubhouse for the residents. They have access and use of some of
those facilities as described in the permitted use list, but it is not
something that they pay for and contribute to. And it has always been
designed as separate uses.
So I think that is something that you don't normally deal with
when you look at projects coming through the process. You don't
normally deal with these separate types of ownership, which is what
you have here.
The property owners were made fully aware through the
descriptions that they were given at the time that this was separate
ownership. That this was an activity center that would be a blueberry
farm. And if it had gone to the level that we had all hoped it would
have, the traffic would have been much more intense than anything we
see with 80 students having adult education by adults in the evenings
and on the weekends and things of that nature.
When you look at the entrance they're going to be coming in,
they're going to be going past five homes. And I think you'll hear
from one of those homeowners here today, in terms of the impact she
feels it would cause on her property.
All of those five single-family homes are pulled in and out
through a back alleyway. So there isn't even a conflict there with
traffic coming by their home and then having to pull in and out of a
driveway. That conflict is not there.
I think when you look at Immokalee it is a different community.
It is a community based on lower income families, which is what we
have in this grouping here. And it is based on a walkable community.
And basically every facility we have, because they are so limited,
need to be used to their fullest. And we need to have multiple uses of
facilities. And that is one reason this facility is so vital and important
to the community.
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And having the ability to have adult education in a community
where 76 percent of the population doesn't have a high school
education is critical. And being able to have this service here in this
community that people can walk to, that people that are residents
within the community can use is absolutely critical.
And I would be happy to answer any questions. I hope that you
can find it in your hearts to recommend unanimously to approve this
project because it is so important for the community.
If you have any questions, I would be happy to answer them.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Any questions of Barbara?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Barbara, thank you. I have one
statement to make and I want to read it to you. It's from the staff
report.
"In the purest sense of comparison for compatibility sake, if a
college use is compared to the u-pick use that is going to replace, then
there is in reality an approximately 19 percent net increase in trips."
So there is an increase. I know how you measured them and I
read your TIS. That is a maximum build-out that was not attained on
this project. But if you really fall on the uses today, you are going to
be increasing the traffic.
MS. CACCHIONE: But that was just the u-pick. That didn't
account the ability of the retail store. It didn't account the ability of
being able to do more adult education within there at the same time.
I mean, all of those permitted uses could be expanded under the
current PUD than what they are today. That was just one permitted
use on the property that was picked out for comparison.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, if you use the uses on the units
that you provide today, you have a total of978 on impacts; whereas,
the new uses have 1,005. So all I'm saying -- I understand your
statement.
In the purest sense of the form, you calculate out the maximum
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use and the worst intensity, yes. What you're doing is not an increase,
but that's not the way it's used today. That's all I'm trying to say.
Thank you.
Okay. Next speaker, Ray.
MR. BELLOWS: Thomas Carmichael followed by Elda
Hernandez.
MR. CARMICHAEL: Good afternoon. I'm Thomas
Carmichael. I am president of Jubilation's association. I would like to
address the conditions you are suggesting for the turnover of the
Harvest activity center to International College/Hodges University
from Florence and Dick Nogaj.
I feel that there is adequate parking space now available. The
college/university is projecting 80 students not all at the same time.
So current parking will suffice. If the college/university feels a need
for additional parking space, they will have the blueberry patch which
they can build on.
The suggesting of putting in parking spaces I think was in Lot B,
in front of our homes, is not acceptable. And I will strongly urge the
board of directors to not allow this. This is not what homeowners
would like to look at each day. And the association would not be able
to take on the added expense of maintaining such parking spaces.
I feel we should keep our one way in and one way out with
visitors using Reflection Lane currently in effect. It has worked over
the years with many visitors using the cafe and gift store. The
college/university will have a security guard on duty who can see that
students do not drive into the residential areas.
With Collier County approval our residents have been sharing the
current restroom facility with the public over the years with no
difficulties. To require a new bathhouse facility would not only be a
great expense to the college/university, but a greater expense for the
homeowners to maintain not only -- the county insurance problems.
Again, I would strongly urge the board to disallow it. In fact, I
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took a poll of all the board members last night. Some of them are here
today. And they all agree that we do not want to see this change.
Also, we have an agreement with the college/university that will
be satisfaction to both parties. And by witness after the meeting
today, it would be a little bit different. I've had meetings with the
president of the college/university and they have assured me that we
will have the use of the facilities for meetings and for other activities.
It's open to negotiations, which we're looking forward to when
the college comes in, but they've assured us that we will have use of
the building.
When I and other residents bought into Jubilation community,
one of the reasons was the layout of the area. Not only the layout of
the residents' homes, but the open green space. The space for
community activities and open spaces for the children to use for
soccer and other play. To imagine driving onto Serenity Drive and
seeing a 20-foot buffer running down the center of our open area is a
nightmare. You would be taking away one-third of our space. Using
Ave Maria as an example is like comparing oranges and lemons and
this proposal being the lemon.
What you are proposing would add more maintenance expense to
the residents. And I am sure, again, the board of directors will not
sign off on this. We do not want to be isolated from the college. We
want to share with them.
As far as the need for lighting goes, I feel that what we have has
served us well over the years. Again, this proposal would create
additional expense on the residents. We all share the cost of the
lighting.
To sum up, I feel your proposal is not only unnecessarily large
expense to the college and university, but a huge expense to the
residents of Jubilation, which we cannot absorb. Proposals that the
board of -- proposals that the board of directors of the Jubilation
community cannot sign off on. If the proposals would cause this
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exchange from going through, you are creating a nightmare for our
residents.
Florence and Dick Nogaj have already stated that they are
closing down the activity building and that leaves the residents with a
vacant building in their community. Even though Nogaj's would be
responsible, being out-of-state owners the chances of vandalism are
great. Values of properties could plunge that would possibly create
the need for security for 24/7 at great expense.
You have a chance to bring higher education to Immokalee more
swiftly and less expensively by not putting unnecessary road blocks to
hinder this exchange from going through. The Nogaj's are offering
scholarships to our residents of Jubilation. And the board of directors
and the residents of Jubilation are looking forward to a long and
fruitful relationship with International College/Hodges University.
Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you, sir. I believe the
adjustments we made in our discussions with staff brought everything
into compliance with the actions you just asked for, sir.
MR. CARMICHAEL: I think so.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I think we did a good job on that.
MR. CARMICHAEL: I highly recommend it. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you, sir.
Next speaker, please.
MR. BELLOWS: Elda Hernandez.
MS. HERNANDEZ: I believe I need to be sworn in. I came in
late.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you for telling us.
(Speaker was duly sworn.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MS. HERNANDEZ: Okay. Hi, my name is Elda Hernandez. I
live in Lot 26. I have a family of four children. And they range from
7 year old to 12 year old.
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And Lot 26 is actually right behind lot -- Tract B. I'm also a
current student at Hodges University. I'm a senior. And my
experience with Hodges is that there is a low census during the
summertime and that's also when the swimming pool is going to be
used. So I personally believe there won't be much traffic during the
summer when most of the residents are using the swimming pool area.
Also, I wanted to mention that, yes, I am low income. My
household income is 55,000 annually, but at the same time we pay
1,300 or so for just association dues. So you can just imagine if we
were to have more burden financials to my family.
Also -- I'm very nervous. Also, I just want to let you know that,
yes, when we purchased the home in 2003 we were aware that we
were not the owners of the activity center. Weare to use it at the
discretion ofMr. and Mrs. Nogaj. But we've used it. We are very
comfortable with them. And I feel that we're also very comfortable
with Hodges University while they're coming into the system with us.
So we do welcome them.
Also, for the swimming pool, we walk to our swimming pool
area. We do not carry a --luggage into the swimming pool area. Of
course, there is no glass around or you're not allowed to have any food
in your swimming pool area.
So my children change at home, then we walk into the swimming
pool area. They only carry a towel. So with -- the fact that the
zoning, we do not carry our luggage with us. And I have four
children.
Also, I wanted to mention that Tract Band H, that empty area,
my children do fly kites there. Why? Because it's an empty lot where
my kids can just play around. They're safe and secure. Also, there's
no utility wires running around everywhere. So I know when they're
flying their kite it will not be caught and they will not be in danger.
Also, the parking area or the activity center is separated by some
shrubbery, but that helps them out also for my little ones. But they
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don't get into the parking area as it is. So I would prefer, for my
family anyways, leave the area as it is now because my children will
be using that area for flying kites, running around, playing soccer or
touch football.
What else? Oh, preferably no shrubs in between, which you have
already mentioned there won't be no shrubbery between Hand B.
And that's it, if anybody has any questions for me.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you. I appreciate your time.
MR. BELLOWS: Carmelita Lopez.
MS. LOPEZ: Hello. My name is Carmelita Lopez. I live at 1115
Serenity Way. I'm a homeowner since 2002. I was one of the
homeowners that moved in first. And I also live in one of the front
houses on Harvest -- in front of Harvest Drive.
So I've never -- we've never had any problems with the traffic or
anything like that. So that right there has -- you know, has been fine,
you know, so far. Anything -- I don't know.
I don't know anything else that might -- I'm an employee of the
Harvest for Humanity. So I've been there since the beginning. Since
2002. So I was there since, you know, we were selling the houses.
And all of the homeowners that we talked to, we did tell them that the
Harvest activity center was not a part of Jubilation. So they did know
that.
And, you know, that's all I got to say.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's great. Thank you very much.
Next speaker.
MR. BELLOWS: Grisel Gaspar.
MS. GASPAR: Hello. My name is Grisel Gaspar. I live at 1315
Reflections Way, which is one of the condominium areas.
And I just wanted to say that I totally agree about the college
coming into our community. Because it will be a great opportunity for
our community in Immokalee for all the people that have, you know --
students that are going soon to college. So I just wanted to say that I
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strongly believe that the college will be a great opportunity for
Immokalee.
And I just -- you know, I agree on the college, but not on the
conditions on building or tearing apart our community. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you.
Next speaker, Ray.
MR. BELLOWS: Froylan Resindez.
MS. GASPAR: He would like me to see ifI can translate for him
just a few words.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Then you'll have to use the mic
and let him speak to you and then you can repeat it in the mic.
MR. RESINDEZ: Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman and
everybody. I'm speaking little bit. I'm sorry.
Jubilation -- in Immokalee.
(Speaking in Spanish.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Uno momento. Let her catch up with
you, if you don't mind.
MS. GASPAR: Okay. Well, he was just saying the same thing
as all of us. He would like to agree about the college coming in in the
community. And he agrees in all of that, except for all the conditions
that they want to -- you know, coming in the parking lot and all that
building area.
I mean, he just don't want that because he has been speaking with
all our relatives in the community, our neighbors, and they all agree
about the college. But they just don't want the conditions that they are
putting, so --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. I didn't want him to -- he doesn't
have to stop. I just wanted to make sure he didn't get so far ahead of
you, you couldn't repeat stuff to us.
MS. GASPAR: That's all he was saying.
MR. RESINDEZ: (Speaking in Spanish.)
MS. GASPAR: And he was just saying about if they would have
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decided to put the parking lot on the Tract B, it will be a great danger
for our kids because it will be in front of the playground. That's all.
He just wants to say thank you to Richard and Florence Nogaj
about the beautiful community that they gave us and for the
opportunity that the college will come to us.
Thank you.
MR. RESINDEZ: Thank you very much.
MR. BELLOWS: Florence Nogaj.
MS. NOGAJ: Hello. My name is Florence Nogaj. And my
husband Dick and I are not developers. Dick was the civil engineer
and I work in accounting. And my degree is in communication.
But as retired people, retired a little bit younger and a little bit
more energy than we needed. Immokalee was on the 10:00 news two
years in a row when we were here and we felt a calling to Immokalee
and --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Take your time. It's okay.
MS. NOGAJ: Well, we were overwhelmed at the conditions in
Immokalee and the housing, particularly the housing. Dick and I had
volunteered with Habitat for Humanity in the DuPage County area.
And we saw what a difference ownership meant to these families not
being moved around from place to place, being able to have a safe and
secure place for that family.
So that's what we wanted to do there. And that is what we did
there. And that's part of what we did there. The other thing we
wanted to do was for future development in Immokalee because --
because -- oh, gosh.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Take your time.
MS. NOGAJ: Because there were two PUDs in Immokalee in
1999.
Thank you.
And the people were waiting to see what happened in
Immokalee. And so we said, "The county is not going to do anything.
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The builders are not going to do anything." We had the time, the
talent and the energy and we did it.
We did spur future development. Arrowhead has taken off. It
has been a shot in the arm for Immokalee and it has been a blessing
for the people that live there. And Dick and I bought a condo and we
live there since 2003.
We have tried to organize and energize and empower the people
that live there to stand up to those things that hold them down. And
we believe that education -- that education is one of those things that
can lift them, besides living wages and home ownership. Education
will lift them out of poverty.
And then I wanted to say one more thing about the main
entrance. The main entrance is off of Lake Trafford Road. It has a
telephone key pad. The gate is up from six in the morning until eight
at night. And the residents have always had it that way.
The residents are the ones that wanted the gate. We told them,
"We have a business. We can have the gate open during the day."
They said, "That's fine, just so the gate is closed at night."
The gate is controlled by the professional management
association in Fort Myers, BCH Management, by computer. The
people that visit the activity center enter just the same way that all the
other people that enter that community. That Lake Trafford entrance
is the main entrance. It's open all day and closes at eight at night.
When visitors come in and the gate is down, they dial the owner. He
touches nine on the key pad and the gate opens.
If we make the residents -- if we make the students use
Reflections Lane, it just wouldn't be possible. There's no key pad
there. It's by resident use only with a remote control device. There's
no other way to open that gate.
So I believe that whatever stipulation it was, Reflections Lane
cannot be the main entrance for the students. It has to be Harvest
Drive. And I think that's -- I mean, we built it as a model for
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workforce housing.
Everybody wants workforce housing, but not in my
neighborhood. Build it in the next neighborhood. And we built
Jubilation because we don't believe that affordable housing has to look
like public housing. We built it a little bit better and a little bit nicer.
The people are very proud of what they own. We were told a
year after residents moved in it would look just like the rest of
Immokalee and it doesn't. People own it. There's an association.
They love it. They take care of it. And I think that's possible in all
workforce housing.
And I want to thank you very much.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you. Thank you.
(Applause.)
MR. BELLOWS: The last speaker is Richard Nogaj.
MR. NOGAJ: Hi, Mr. Chairman, members of the commission.
Thank you. I appreciate this opportunity to address you today. I'm
last so it's not going to be very long, so hang in there with me a little
bit.
COMMISSIONER CARON: I'm not sure you should try to
compete with your wife at any rate.
MR. NOGAJ: I can't follow that. But I just want to answer a
question that all of you have in your mind. Who are these guys? Who
is this couple and where do they come from? And why and what, Mr.
Chairman, are they doing? To answer your what, It will only take a
few minutes.
You have all heard of the Blues Brothers. You all heard of them
from Chicago. When we came down here, we're known as the
blueberry couple from Chicago on a mission from God. This truly is a
lay ministry for us.
We came to Immokalee because we had previously been in
Barahona, Dominican Republic building homes for Habitat, the third
world. We previously started filling in for Habitat for Humanity in
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DuPage County, a county of a million people. We started it and
turned it over to a new board, executive director.
Prior to that, we started our foundation. And prior to that, I sold
my engineering firm to all my employees. And with that ESOP we
had the resources. We were blessed. Because to whom much is given,
much is required.
We decided that we were going to retire, but not really retire.
We were going to enter our give-back journey. This is the latter stage
of a ten-year journey in Immokalee.
We met last year in Toronto, Canada at an expo -- book expo
with Scott Turrow. You probably know of him. He's a great author.
He's also an attorney in Chicago.
He talked to us about what we all did in Jubilation in Immokalee.
He said, "You've got to sit down, Dick, and write your books. You
got to get this story out."
A year later, we're still trying to finalize the sales contract with
International College because the third leg of our journey, of our
commitment when we came to Immokalee, the education leg, we
hadn't met. And what Florence and I came up with is not only running
out of resources, but the under-utilization of this center that we had
visualized, as Barbara Cacchione said in the PUD, for many, many
different purposes.
But Immokalee is not a Naples. It's not a high-income
community. And to support that, we couldn't do it. So the
under-utilization in that facility is why we had to close it.
However, the Lord has brought us, you know, the partner that
will make this a place of higher education. Our journey has been one
of tremendous upheaval, tremendous give-back. All the experiences
you'll be able to read about in our book.
But when we came here to build a living wage farm, that's what
the blueberry farm is all about. It's raising the minimum to 8.50 an
hour. It's paying people 12, $14 an hour to learn how to be skilled
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blueberry pickers so they can go north, come back, Do this year
round, leave their kids in Immokalee and let their kids stay in school
all year round.
The living wage concept at the farm has now developed into the
Fair Food America Campaign -- Fair America Campaign. We're
going back to Chicago. That's what we're willing to do. But we're
going to do it on issues throughout all of this country and we're going
to take it globally so that we can keep promoting that fair food
concept.
Living wages, the breakdown, poverty. The anti-poverty models
that we've built, not to eliminate poverty in Immokalee, but to show
that you can have an agricultural farm that pays living wages and
survive. I did it with a lot of work and help from the University of
Florida/IF AS group blueberries because nobody ever grew blueberries
this far south in the United States. We're the first.
So when you come to the farm, which is under lease right now
and the buyer -- potential buyer is supposed to close on it towards this
year, but he's still going to continue the label and the living wages for
his farm workers. The farm manager, who grew up with us in the last
six years, along with Carmelita, he's working for them now, but he's
going to be buying our condominium. Because we live with the
community, with the residents in Reflections at Jubilation.
Jubilation was our dream. Because when we built homes for
Habitat, we never built a community. We always built homes one at a
time. But in Jubilation we built a traditional neighborhood
development designed by myself, as a registered professional engineer
in Florida and in Illinois, with the help of other people. We built a
community that we couldn't get loans to build the infrastructure.
Florence and I put our money into that thing.
We said $20,000 per home. We ended up giving the
homeowners a $20,000 shared appreciation agreement, which retired
in five years. That was a gift to them. Because the mortgage
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companies would not give them $120,000 mortgages. They would
give them 100, so we had to make up that difference.
We've left that money. We have left that here. It's part of our
legacy because we accomplished the second leg under our -- for our
Journey.
The third leg of education is the one we ask you today to help us
with. The under-utilization of that facility is sad, but now we have the
opportunity for optimization of that facility for education and for a
higher purpose. Help us accomplish that higher purpose.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you, sir.
Ms. Caron.
COMMISSIONER CARON: I just have one question.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Sir, I believe she has one question.
MR. NOGAJ: Yes, sir. Sorry.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Your wife mentioned that the
Harvest A venue or Harvest Road entrance off of Lake Trafford is
gated and that that gate is open between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.
MR. NOGAJ: That's correct.
COMMISSIONER CARON: And you all believe that that is the
entrance that the college should use?
MR. NOGAJ: Anybody visiting Jubilation uses that entrance.
Everybody uses that entrance and have for five years. We've had
thousands and thousands of visitors to our center and that's --
COMMISSIONER CARON: Right.
MR. NOGAJ: And that's what the transportation approved
initially because it has a turning lane, which we put in at our expense.
It has a proper approach. It's a safety issue. And Lake Trafford Road
has always been used by everyone coming into Jubilation.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Now my final question is: Now the
gate would have to be open until 10:00 p.m. Is that an issue for the
college?
MR. NOGAJ: No. The college has assured me -- and Michael
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can second this. Their latest class starts at six in the evening and will
go to ten.
So nobody will be coming in -- or 9:50 or 9:30. Nobody will be
coming in basically after 6:00, 6:30 unless they're late to class. They
won't be coming in at eight. They will all be leaving before 10:00.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Okay. So that's not an issue?
MR. NOGAJ: Right.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Good. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you.
Ray, are there any more public speakers?
MR. BELLOWS: No, sir.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The gentleman that represents the
homeowners' association, could I ask you a question, sir? Can you
come back up?
Sir, in your discussion I thought you had said that your
association wants the entrance to be off Reflections A venue. Was I
mistaken in hearing that?
MR. CARMICHAEL: Yes. That's Harvest Drive. I've only been
there a year and a half and I still get my streets mixed up. Harvest
Drive goes into Reflection Lane, so it's Harvest Drive.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's the one you meant?
MR. CARMICHAEL: That's right.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And what was your name for the record
again?
MR. CARMICHAEL: Thomas Carmichael.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you, sir.
No more public speakers?
MR. BELLOWS: No.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Volpe, do you want any rebuttal of
any kind?
MR. VOLPE: Just very brief.
In direct response to Ms. Caron's question, the commitment
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7.2(0), the normal hours -- the normal hours of business for the
education college learning site shall be weekdays, 7:00 to 10:00, and
holidays and weekends, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. The entry gate to the
Jubilation subdivision shall control access to the educational site after
8:00 p.m.
So this is -- again, it's a homeowners' controlled, So we'll have
security. So people will be able to exit after, but they won't be able to
enter, in terms of the security. And there is the security issue.
I started out several hours ago telling you that it was a privilege.
This is truly -- I've done this for a long time. You've sat there for a
long time. This is really unique in so many ways.
I think that we have hopefully established that this is a
compatible use within this existing approved PUD and that the issue
of compatibility is one that has been addressed both from the residents'
perspective, which is important as well, but also from the strict
provisions of our Land Development Code.
I appreciate your time and your attention. And we would ask that
you approve the amendment to the PUD and send it to our Board of
County Commissioners with a unanimous recommendation of
approval. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you, Michael.
Mr. Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Are you looking for a motion
yet?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No, sir, I'm not. I still want to ask Kay
-- I have to close the public meeting before we can have a motion.
Kay, in your number two you talk about all roadways within the
project and you say, "Other than Reflection."
Now, after hearing the testimony, do you have any problem with
changing that to Harvest Drive and then that the entrance -- instead of
Carson Road, Lake Trafford Road?
MS. DESELEM: I have no objection to that.
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CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. I just wanted that clarification so
that when you write this up it's accurate.
MS. DESELEM: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you.
Now, with that, Ray, I will close the public hearing and entertain
a motion.
Mr. Schiffer, did you want to make the motion?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Sure. I would like to make a
motion that we forward PUDA-2007-AR-I1081 to the Board of
County Commissioners with a recommendation of approval.
And at this point I'm doing that with no conditions. We've talked
all of them away, I believe.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is there a second?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Second.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Murray has seconded it.
Discussion?
First of all, I certainly cannot support it without the conditions
that we discussed with Kay, items one through six or seven. There
was two amended. We discussed the acceptance of one, two, four,
five, six and we added the one about the meeting area. And we
eliminated numbers three and seven.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I withdraw my second then
because I misheard. I realized we had some revised.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: He said without conditions.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I didn't hear that correctly. I
apologize.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Now, is there a second to the motion as
Mr. Schiffer made it without conditions?
COMMISSIONER TUFF: I second it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Mr. Tuff now is seconding Mr.
Schiffer's motion, which is a recommendation of approval with no
conditions.
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June 7, 2007
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Mark, just so we don't miss a
good condition. Why don't you run through them one at a time.
For example, one is in the Land Development Code. Why we
have that as a condition, there's no way we can -- they can not do that.
Two is the private drive situation. That's something that they're
going to work out in-house with their own association. We're
micromanaging how to do that, I believe.
Three was the restroom situation, which is clearly covered in the
PUD.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: We said that was struck. We didn't
include that.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Four -- you know, if you want
to read them off.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Brad, we've been through this three
times. My concern is that -- I understand you don't want any
conditions. These conditions coincide with what the condominium
owners have asked us to put in place. And I think those are important
to have here.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, then run through the ones
you think are good. I mean --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: All but numbers two -- number three
and number seven. We've been over them with Kay ad nauseam here.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But the buffering we've taken
that one out, except for around the parking lot, which I insist when
they go in and get a certificate -- or SDP they're going to have to
provide if it's necessary.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: We went over that with Kay.
Kay, just out of curiosity, do you have any unclarity in the
tedious effort we went through with you word for word on these
conditions?
MS. DESELEM: I think I'm relatively clear on it. And your
reiteration about one, two, four, five and six and then you added a new
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June 7, 2007
one about the meeting room. And we went back to the PUD
document and clarified the restroom issue that -- we were going to do
that on 7.2(B).
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right.
MS.DESELEM: And then there were several things that came
up about the security guard that I didn't know if you wanted that
included. Because they offered that, but it wasn't a condition of the
PUD.
And then they also offered something about deeding over a
portion of Tract H to the homeowners' association that was depicted as
a rectangular section.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yeah. That was in number four. One
was perpetual easement or deed for the recreation area, which is that
portion of "H" that Mr. Volpe clearly showed in the highlighting.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Kay, read me back how four is
in your mind now.
MS. DESELEM: Hang on.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Or, Mark, if you have it written
down.
MS. DESELEM: I don't have it exact because, you know, we
were discussing it. But there was talk about the buffering shall be
provided along the north boundary of Tract G.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I thought we --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Around the parking lot.
MS. DESELEM: Yes. Around the parking lot.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Let me -- once again, wouldn't
that SDP process require a buffering around the parking lot?
MS. DESELEM: It is my understanding it would, yes.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Me, too.
I mean, in the private end that we've been doing. So that's
covered in the LDC.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: If they don't come in for an SDP, would
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June 7, 2007
they require buffering around the parking lot?
MS. DESELEM: No.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Thank you.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But they have it in the -- the
testimony is it's there.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Then it's harmless to leave it here. It
protects the residents.
MR. VOLPE:
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Mr. Chairman, the only
redundancy problem --
MR. VOLPE: If we're going to include it, I do need a little bit
more specificity. I hate to belabor this, but what the staff is
recommending is a 20-foot buffer. If we're talking about--
MALE VOICE:
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: A hedge.
MR. VOLPE: -- providing some privacy here, the staff is
recommending a 20-foot buffer.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You'll have to get closer to the mic,
Michael. I heard you, but I -- from now on.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Here's the point where I'm
coming from. I think we've gone through these where essentially we
have found out were they covered. Yes, you can say, "Well, ifit's in
the LDC what is the problem. And the condition" -- I'm going to say,
"If it's in the LDC, why do we confuse it with a condition?"
And I don't mean to be a pain. I think Paul Midney is channeling
through me or something.
MS.DESELEM: IfI understood correctly, you also wanted to
include a buffer between the newly described Tract Hand B and you
talked about having it like in a commercial parking lot. That was my
understanding.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: There's a parking lot on the south side
of Tract H that adjoins the playground area in Tract B. It's a small,
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June 7, 2007
little section of land that should have a buffer between the parking lot
and the playground so the kids don't go over and slip into the
playground and accidentally get run over by a car. That's the only
piece that we were suggesting having a buffer.
MS.DESELEM: Correct. And that's what I was thinking that
we needed to include in this.
MR. VOLPE: Chairman, Mr. Strain, this is the area that you're
talking about?
MS. DESELEM: No. Down in the other part.
MR. VOLPE: This part here?
MS.DESELEM: Yes.
MR. NOGAJ: But that's a hedge.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Just a hedge. Kay, by buffer we have
referred to repeatedly a hedge.
MS. DESELEM: Yes. And when I asked for specif -- yeah, that.
To specify what it was going to be, we talked about what it would be
for a commercial parking lot, which is like an "A" buffer.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Five foot or something like that.
MS. DESELEM: Yes.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Mark, why don't we do this.
Why don't we just require that they go through the SDP process and
that way you would pick up all of our beautiful standards.
They've had to go through the process anyway. They're probably
all there anyway. This was a commercial parking lot the first time.
It's a commercial parking lot now.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Ifwe fail to specify the things
that we've worked out to benefit the residents, we -- it will be an SDP
that staff may -- that could create difficulties for the association. I
think we're doing a service by --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Bob, no resident testified that
they wanted any of these conditions.
As a matter of fact, they testified against --
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June 7, 2007
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The first gentleman stood up here and
he read a litany of things and they matched it word for word.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: That he wanted these
conditions? I don't recall that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Not the conditions that staff imposed,
but the conditions that we corrected for the benefit of the residents.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And then we asked staff and we
can't --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. We have got to get past this.
Mr. Schiffer, you made a motion, no conditions. It was seconded by
Mr. Tuff.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I am not in favor of a motion with no
conditions. I am going to vote no on that.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Me, too.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So is there any other discussion on it at
this point?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. All those in favor of the motion
as Mr. Schiffer recommended with no conditions signify by saying
aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: All those opposed in the same sign.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion is opposed. Therefore, it doesn't
carry .
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June 7, 2007
Now we will entertain another motion.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I would make a motion for
approval of the subject before us subject to the modified stipulations
that we have worked over and over.
And if Chairman would like to restate them, fine. But I think
they're in -- they're in the record. And if they need to be specified in
order for everybody to have clarity, I guess that's fine. I'll take a shot,
you'll take a shot, whichever. But that's my motion.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is there a second?
CHAIRMAN KOLFLA T: I'll second it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Kolflat seconded it. Mr. Murray
made the motion.
MR. VOLPE: Now, Mr. Chairman, I request that we -- if you
would specify, just because there's been a lot of discussion. I've got
some notes. It sounds like our principal planner -- just so that we
know precisely what are going to be the conditions that we will
comply with. We have --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Let me run through them.
MR. VOLPE: Okay. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Number one and two. The staffs
recommendations will stay.
Number two will change. Instead of Reflections Drive, it's
Harvest Drive. Instead of Carson Road, it will be Lake Trafford Road.
MR. VOLPE: Can I ask, as you go through them, you say one
and two will stay. The first one is the --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: One will stay.
MR. VOLPE: That has to do with the parking on "G" and "H"?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right.
Number two will stay with the exception of the changes that
Reflections A venue will be Harvest Drive and Carson Road will be
Lake Trafford Road.
Number three is eliminated because it's addressed in the PUD.
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June 7, 2007
Number four, the buffering around the parking lot in Tract G will
be that commercial type that's a hedge-type buffer.
In addition, we've weaved it into number four because it was a
buffering one. There will be a perpetual easement or a deed for that
recreational -- it's a rectangular area next to Tract B that's now in Part
H for the residents -- to the benefit of the residents of the community.
And the last one would be that the -- there will be a hedge
between the parking lot and the playground on the south side of Tract
H and the south side of Tract B.
Number five, Type 0 buffering. That will stay as stated. That's
just simply a maintenance and replacement if needed.
Number six, the developer will provide an easement for the
residents for up to four parking spaces in that parking lot on Tract H
next to the playground to be used for people who may want to park
and drive to that pool.
Number seven was omitted as written here in the staff report, but
we interjected a new number seven that stated that there will be an
easement -- oh, no. There will be the conditions utilized for the -- by
the International College for the use of their meeting rooms will be
freely utilized for the people of this community in the same basis that
you do for others. Although, there will be no cost allocated for it.
Is that understood?
MR. VOLPE: It is. And the only other is that we had discussed
prohibiting access to the shared bathroom facilities. There was a
commitment that was made in the PUD, so --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right.
MR. VOLPE: So that should be added to the PUD that we will
not --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I was only going over the staff
provisions. The conditions we -- language changes in the PUD are
automatically done by staff and we make -- unless we object to them.
MR. VOLPE: I apologize. Thank you.
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June 7, 2007
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Did I miss anything, Mr. Murray?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: No, sir. I think you covered
everything. I thank you for your good records. You meet what I've
marked out.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Any members -- anybody else have any
further discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So the motion has been made. It's been
seconded on the conditions as stated. Signify by saying aye and
raising your hand.
All those in favor.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TUFF: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Seven in favor.
All those opposed?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: One opposed.
Motion carries.
Thank you all and I wish to tell the Immokalee community who's
here today, I apologize for making you wait all day. I apologize for
having you have to drive this far.
The intent of this meeting was to have it in your community. In
the future we will try to do so and be more diligent in that manner. So
thank you for your patience today.
MR. NOGAJ: Thank you.
Items #9 & #10
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June 7, 2007
OLD BUSINESS & NEW BUSINESS
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Old business.
There's one item of old business and it's basically a thank you to
the zoning staff for their copying us with this official interpretation
that was provided to us today. These can be added to the book that
was previously distributed.
And I certainly appreciate staff being conscientious to get that to
us. Thank you.
We also have a package in our -- with us today from
transportation. I would suggest that we defer discussion on that
package until our next meeting.
I know that Mr. Casalanguida needs to review it and so does Mr.
Tindall. So all of you please -- it was several pages of multicolored
discussion about staff standards in regards for transportation. So
please take a look at it and we'll have that discussion at the next
meeting.
Is there any other old or new business on the part of the Planning
Commission?
(No response.)
Item #11
PUBLIC COMMENT ITEM
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Is there a motion -- no public.
Motion to adjourn?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So move.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Made and seconded.
We are adjourned. Thank you.
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June 7, 2007
*****
There being no further business for the good of the County, the
meeting was adjourned by order of the Chair at 3:34 p.m.
COLLIER COUNTY
PLANNING COMMISSION
MARK STRAIN, Chairman
These minutes approved by the Board on
presented or as corrected
, as
TRANSCRIPT PREPARED ON BEHALF OF GREGORY COURT
REPORTING SERVICE, INC. BY KELLEY MARIE NADOTTI,
RPR
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