CCPC Minutes 11/07/2024 DraftNovember 7, 2024
Page 1
TRANSCRIPT OF THE MEETING OF THE
COLLIER COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION
Naples, Florida, November 7, 2024
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 9:00 a.m., in
REGULAR SESSION in Building "F" of the Government Complex,
East Naples, Florida, with the following members present:
Chairman: Joe Schmitt (remote)
Acting Chairman/Vice Chairman: Chuck Schumacher
Paul Shea, Secretary
Randy Sparrazza
Michael Petscher
Michelle L. McLeod
Charles "Chap" Colucci
Amy Lockhart, (CCPS)
ALSO PRESENT:
Raymond V. Bellows, Zoning Manager
Mike Bosi, Planning and Zoning Director
Heidi Ashton-Cicko, Managing Assistant County Attorney
Derek Perry, County Attorney's Office
Ailyn Padron, Management Analyst I
Oscar Alonso, Specialist III
November 7, 2024
Page 2
MR. BOSI: Chair, you have a live mic.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Good morning. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Bosi.
Good morning. Welcome, everybody.
First order is stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.
(The Pledge of Allegiance was recited in unison.)
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Do we have Chairman
Schmitt on the phone?
COMMISSIONER SCHMITT: Yes. Hey. Good morning,
all. Sorry I can't be with you, but I can see you-all, and I think this
will be rather easy, but you've got to vote to allow me to participate
by audio and video. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: That is going to be my next is
to ask for a motion to approve.
COMMISSIONER SHEA: So moved.
COMMISSIONER SPARRAZZA: Second.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: All in favor?
COMMISSIONER COLUCCI: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SHEA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SPARRAZZA: Aye.
CMMISSIONER PETSCHER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER McLEOD: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHMITT: (No verbal response.)
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Roll call.
COMMISSIONER SHEA: Roll call.
Chairman Schmitt is on the phone.
Vice Chair Schumacher?
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Here.
COMMISSIONER SHEA: Secretary Shea is here.
Commissioner Sparrazza?
November 7, 2024
Page 3
COMMISSIONER SPARRAZZA: Here.
COMMISSIONER SHEA: Commissioner Colucci?
COMMISSIONER COLUCCI: Here.
COMMISSIONER SHEA: Am I saying that right, sir?
COMMISSIONER COLUCCI: Colucci or Colucci, whatever
you like.
COMMISSIONER SHEA: Commissioner McLeod?
COMMISSIONER McLEOD: Here.
COMMISSIONER SHEA: Commissioner Petscher?
CMMISSIONER PETSCHER: Here.
COMMISSIONER SHEA: And, Ms. Lockhart?
MS. LOCKHART: Here.
COMMISSIONER SHEA: All present, sir.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Excellent.
Starting with that, I wanted to give a couple minutes for our new
commissioners, one to say thank you for participating and
volunteering your time. It's going to be a lot of time. I know that
they sell it to you as it's not. But I would also like to extend an
opportunity for you just to introduce yourself if you'd like.
Commissioner McLeod, may I start with you?
COMMISSIONER McLEOD: Sure. Okay. So I am a
third-generation Floridian. I was raised in Southwest Florida. I've
lived in the City of Naples for over 30 years. I've served on several
government boards. I was on the Naples City Council. I served on
the Tourist Development Council. I am currently on the Big
Cypress Basin board. Now the Planning Commission. Happy to be
here.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Excellent. Excellent.
Commissioner Colucci?
COMMISSIONER COLUCCI: Do I push a button to talk?
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: No. Go ahead.
November 7, 2024
Page 4
COMMISSIONER SHEA: It picks you up automatically.
COMMISSIONER COLUCCI: Well, I'm Charles Colucci.
Everybody calls me Chap, like Chapstick, C-h-a-p. I represent
District 2. I live in Sterling Oaks, which is about as far north as you
can go and still be in Collier County.
I'm originally from New Jersey. I spent my working career in
Minneapolis. I have a bachelor's degree from Cornell University
and a master's degree from Northwestern.
I moved to Florida full-time about 12 years ago. Obviously,
one of the reasons being I spent 30-plus years in Minneapolis. So
you can understand why I came down here.
I have been the president of the Sterling Oaks community
association. We have 750 doors there.
I volunteered to do this because I like to believe I'm fairly smart
and fair, and I needed something to do. So it sounds like I'll have
plenty to do. So it's nice to be here.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Great. Well, thank you both
again for volunteering for this.
Mr. Bosi, addenda to the agenda, or Mr. Bellows.
MR. BELLOWS: Yes. For the record, Ray Bellows. At the
last Board of -- oh, addenda to the agenda, we don't have any for
today's meeting.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Okay.
MR. BOSI: We do have -- we do have a question as to whether
the Planning Commission is going to be available for the
December 19th meeting. It's, obviously, six days away from
Christmas so we didn't want to assume that everyone was going to be
available. Wanted to canvass the Board to see if there was going to
be -- if we were going to be able to have a quorum.
We do have two petitions that are wanting to go on, but if
there -- if we can't get a quorum, obviously, we just -- we will just
November 7, 2024
Page 5
move those to the first meeting in January.
But one of the things that we wanted to do was try to find if we
were going to have a meeting on the December 19th Planning
Commission date.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Does anybody foresee not
being available on the 19th of December?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: No?
COMMISSIONER SCHMITT: I will be available as well, so...
MR. BOSI: So it sounds like we can move forward with the
19th and schedule those petitions as requested.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Yes.
MR. BOSI: Awesome. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: The next item, approval of
minutes. We had the October 17th, 2024. If there's no
altercations -- alterations or changes, I'll take a motion to approve.
COMMISSIONER SPARRAZZA: So moved.
COMMISSIONER COLUCCI: Second.
COMMISSIONER SHEA: Second.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: All in favor?
COMMISSIONER COLUCCI: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SHEA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: (No verbal response.)
COMMISSIONER PETSCHER: (No verbal response.)
COMMISSIONER SPARRAZZA: Aye.
COMMISSIONER McLEOD: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHMITT: Aye.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Mr. Bellows, BCC recap.
MR. BELLOWS: At the last Board of County Commissioners
meeting, they heard the Mattson PUD and companion Growth
Management Plan amendment. That was approved 4-1 with
November 7, 2024
Page 6
Commissioner Saunders opposing.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Great.
COMMISSIONER SHEA: Mike has a --
MR. BOSI: And, Chair, just wanted to -- a public
announcement. Originally -- and just for the Planning Commission's
awareness, originally the Fiddler's Creek petition -- you remember
the Fiddler's Creek petition. That was three individual days of
testimony that the Planning Commission got to hear on it, that was
originally scheduled for the November 12th meeting.
Last week we had a request from Commissioner LoCastro to
push that to the December 12th -- or 10th meeting. The applicant
agreed to that -- to that change.
We're trying to notice the -- we've updated the legal notice
within the Collier County Clerk's website, and we're trying to just
promote -- spread the word for folks that had originally planned on
attending that November 12th meeting for the hearing. But it is now
being moved to the December 10th meeting, just so the Planning
Commission is aware of -- because of the time and effort and energy
that you guys spent on that item. I know you guys are looking
forward to what the conclusion of that will be.
And that's all I have.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Chairman's report.
Chairman Schmitt, did you have anything for your side, sir?
COMMISSIONER SCHMITT: Nothing. Mike already
covered that. I was going to make sure everybody knew about that
change that was prompted by Commissioner LoCastro.
And, Mike, if you would only make sure that the
applicants -- and I'm sure they will, in the staff follow-up, but change
the signs that are posted around Fiddler's Creek as well.
MR. BOSI: Thank you, Chair.
COMMISSIONER SCHMITT: I did not notice that they had
November 7, 2024
Page 7
been changed. Thank you.
MR. BOSI: You're welcome. And we -- Nancy Gundlach, the
project manager assigned to the petition within my office, has
reached out to the planning firm and requested that change. We
will -- if you have indicated that it has not been updated yet, we will
resend that request to the applicant's team to stress that we need to
have -- the sign updated with the correct dates.
Thank you.
COMMISSIONER SCHMITT: Yeah. And I trust -- I trust
that most of the folks who were involved and the neighboring
community have already been notified because they've been in
contact with Commissioner LoCastro. And the Commissioner and I
have spoken about that project, so that was at his request to allow him
more time to meet with the residents of the neighboring communities.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Okay. Consent agenda -- I'm
sorry. I jumped ahead there on that one. No consent? Thank you.
***All right. Public hearings. Starting out with
PL20220005822, Barefoot Williams Commercial District, which will
be heard with its companion item, PL20220005137.
Starting with ex parte disclosures with Commissioner McLeod.
COMMISSIONER McLEOD: Yes. I visited the site, I met
with staff on the details, and I spoke with Jacob Winge, past president
of the East Naples Civic Association.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Okay. Commissioner
Petscher. Mike.
CMMISSIONER PETSCHER: No. I met with -- with Bob
Mulhere and went over the agenda item, and that's all I have.
COMMISSIONER SPARRAZZA: Staff materials and a
conversation with Bob Mulhere and his team. I'm sorry. Ellen,
right? There she is. Thanks.
MS. SUMMERS: I'm hiding.
November 7, 2024
Page 8
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Commissioner Shea.
COMMISSIONER SHEA: Staff materials only.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Commissioner Colucci.
COMMISSIONER COLUCCI: I just read everything.
COMMISSIONER SHEA: Staff materials, then.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Staff materials only.
COMMISSIONER COLUCCI: Yeah.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Ms. Lockhart?
MS. LOCKHART: Staff materials only.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Chair Schmitt.
COMMISSIONER SCHMITT: Yes. I spoke with -- I spoke
with the petitioner, Bob Mulhere and Clay Brooker and his team as
well, so -- and staff material.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Excellent. And I had a
conversation with Bob yesterday and staff materials.
So that being said...
THE COURT REPORTER: Do you swear or affirm the
testimony you will give will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing
but the truth?
(The speakers were duly sworn and indicated in the affirmative.)
MR. BROOKER: Good morning, Mr. Chair.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Almost.
MR. BROOKER: Well, Mr. Chair, Mr. Vice Chair. My name
is Clay Brooker with the law firm of Cheffy Passidomo, 821 Fifth
Avenue South. Special welcome to the new planning
commissioners.
I represent 11760 property, LLC, the owner of the property at
issue with respect to the two companion applications before you
today, a Small-Scale Growth Management Plan amendment and a
rezone.
With me today are planners Ellen Summers and Bob Mulhere
November 7, 2024
Page 9
with the Bowman Firm, formerly known as Hole Montez, and
representative of the property owner, Mr. Rick Scali.
I'd like to make some brief introductory comments and then turn
it over to Ms. Summers to present the details of the applications.
Well, I had neglected to mention Mr. Norm Trebilcock. He's
our traffic engineer as well. He's here in attendance.
Here is the subject property. It's just shy of two acres located
on the East Trail just east of the Barefoot Williams Road intersection.
If you're familiar with this area, this is directly across U.S. 41 from
the Donna Fiala Eagle Lakes Community Park.
Mr. Scali is the owner and operator of several automated car
wash facilities around the nation, and he focused on this subject
property for a potential car wash due to the fact that it's sandwiched
between an existing RaceTrac gas station and now the newly or
recently approved Home Depot to the east.
Moreover, the front of the property -- and you'll see this in more
detail with the site plan that will be shown by Ms. Summers in a
moment -- the front of the property abutting U.S. 41 is burdened with
a 70-foot-wide vehicular easement that provides additional access to
both the RaceTrac gas station and a Home Depot site. So traffic
heading east on the east -- on the East Trail towards Marco can turn
right into the subject property and then go to RaceTrac or Home
Depot on either side.
From a market perspective, these circumstances constrain or
restrict the realistic development options or opportunities for this site;
however, a car wash makes perfect sense.
As Ms. Summers will detail for you in a moment, the existing
zoning for the site is C-3, the commercial intermediate district. The
C-3 district does not permit car washes, but the C-4 general
commercial zoning district does.
So generally speaking, the two companion applications before
November 7, 2024
Page 10
you today seek the necessary approvals from a development
entitlement perspective to allow a car wash on the property.
Please keep in mind that these applications have been
intentionally limited to the very minimum necessary to allow a car
wash. In other words, we are not requesting approval for the full
gamut of C-4 permitted uses on the property. Rather, the
applications, if granted, will continue to allow all of the C-3 uses
currently permitted today with the addition of just one C-4 use, a car
wash. These applications were filed over two years ago, back in
2022. It's taken quite a bit of time to get to this point, but we have
been working closely with staff to hone the site plan and develop the
conditions of approval.
Two neighborhood information meetings have been held, one in
July of 2023 and a second just last month. Both NIMs were sparsely
attended, two or three people at each, and we are not aware of any
objections to these applications.
In addition to the NIMs, we voluntarily reached out and met in
person with the neighbors behind the subject property and the East
Naples Civic and Commerce Association. It is our understanding
that neither of those groups objects to these applications.
The neighbors behind the subject property expressed satisfaction
with the proposed sound attenuation wall, which you'll hear about in
a minute and, frankly, were most concerned whether we would
disrupt their horseshoe courts immediately behind the immediate
subject property, and we will not.
With regard to the East Naples Civic and Commerce
Association, that group was intimately involved with the East Naples
Community Development plan, and the proposal before you today
voluntarily implements many of the concepts of that plan even
though it has not yet been formally codified into the Land
Development Code for the county.
November 7, 2024
Page 11
We appreciate staff's recommendation of approval for both of
the companion items, and we respectfully request your
recommendation of approval as well.
I'll now turn it over to Ms. Summers.
MS. SUMMERS: Thank you. Good morning. For the
record, Ellen Summers. I'm a certified land-use planner with
Bowman.
All right. So our subject site is currently located within the
Urban Coastal Fringe Subdistrict, and as Clay stated, we're currently
zoned C-3, and adjacent to this site we have -- which is now a
Commercial Planned Unit Development to the east, which was just
recently approved for the Home Depot. Just west or northwest of the
site, again, where that RaceTrac is located, that's the existing C-3
zoning district, and to the rear of the property we have the RT district
which has been developed with the Hitching Post development.
Again, as Clay has mentioned, one of the neighborhoods we have
really worked with extensively throughout this process.
And, again, as Clay has mentioned, we do -- as you can see on
the aerial here, we do have an existing driveway that's been in favor
for RaceTrac. So we had some existing encumbrances of the site
that we had to kind of work around to fit the -- excuse me -- the car
wash and any potential future development area.
Barefoot Williams Commercial Subdistrict, at a high level. It
establishes development standards for the car wash. It limits the
maximum intensity of the site to 11,000 square feet, of which the car
wash shall not exceed 5,000 square feet, and we also include some
extensive site design conditions, which I'll go into detail a little bit
further here.
And, again, that rezone request, we're rezoning to the C-4
zoning district to permit the car wash and only C-3 -- the remaining
C-4 zoning permitted uses, and the conditions of approval with those
November 7, 2024
Page 12
site design standards, I'll go into a little bit more detail here as well.
Before I go into those site design standards, I just want to give
you all a little bit of background. As Clay has mentioned, we have
worked really hard to address the East Naples Community
Development Plan, and for those of you that are not aware of what
this plan encompasses, back in 2017, the Board of County
Commissioners directed county staff to engage the East Naples
community to kind of come up with a planning process to identify
some desired uses and to come up with some incentives to
incorporate those uses within this area.
Following that process, the Board of County Commissioners
directed staff to prepare a community development plan for the East
Naples community. I believe consultants were involved, and there
was a huge public planning process. And in 2020, the East Naples
Community Development Plan was accepted by the Board of County
Commissioners.
Now, within that plan, it was prioritized that the staff come up
with a development -- or to develop a zoning overlay along the U.S.
41 east corridor where our site is located. And that overlay known
as the U.S. 41 East -- I'm sorry -- U.S. 41 East Zoning Overlay, U.S.
41 EZO, was drafted by staff in 2023, and it began the review process
through the Development Services Advisory Committee; however, in
July of 2021, Senate Bill 250 became effective. And this bill, as
amended, it provided that local governments in Collier County and
other counties that were impacted by Hurricane Ian or Hurricane
Nicole, that they shall not propose or adopt more burdensome or
restrictive amendments to its Comprehensive Plan or Land
Development Code regulations until October of 2026.
So that kind of put the LDC amendment process on pause;
however, those amendments have already been drafted, and it was
very important for us to incorporate some of those standards within
November 7, 2024
Page 13
the proposed rezone and as well as within the Growth Management
Plan amendment. And so I'll kind of identify as I go through the
conditions of approval which -- some of those attributes came from
those draft amendments.
You'll forgive me, I can't -- I'm not really sure how to zoom here
on the site plan. But again, this is our conceptual site plan. To the
top of the page is U.S. 41, and as you can see there, we have that
existing ingress/egress easement. It occupies just about 75 feet of
the front of the property, which really kind of limits, you know,
exactly how you can maneuver the site, but it works out great for us
to have that access between RaceTrac and then the future
development of Home Depot.
We have provided some extensive buffers. We have a 15-foot
Type B buffer directly adjacent to 41 before you have that assess
driveway, and then we also have an additional 10-foot Type D buffer,
which will be on the south side of that access drive. We have a
seven and a half [sic] Type A buffer that's going to be located along
the sides of the property. And in the rear, we are providing -- excuse
me -- a minimum 20-foot Type D buffer. And as you can see on that
plan -- I'll go into a little bit more further detail -- we have a sound
attenuation wall that's going to be located directly behind the car
wash, and that sound attenuation wall will be a -- it's required to be a
minimum of two feet above the height of the opening of the car wash,
and that will follow the length of the car wash portion of the
development, and then we will kind of tier that down to a minimum
of six feet through the remainder of the property.
So to go over some of the conditions that we have included,
these are conditions that are included within the Growth Management
Plan amendment as well as an exhibit to the rezone petition.
So we are restricting the maximum building height. The zoned
building height will be limited to 35 feet and an actual building
November 7, 2024
Page 14
height of 42 feet. And just of note, the C-3 zoning district, which is
the existing zoning district, only permits a zoned building height of
50 feet. So we have limited that quite a bit from what's currently
allowed.
Parking lots, the vehicular use areas and any service function
areas, they shall be located to the sides or the rear of the
property -- or, I'm sorry, to the rear of the building so that they're not
forward of the primary facade. And we do require that there is -- or
it does allow for a maximum of only one doubled-loaded drive aisle
of parking in the front yard. And this is a condition that's been
provided as part of the draft U.S. 41 EZO standard.
For drive-throughs, we are only permitting a maximum of 6,000
square feet of gross floor area in the principal structure, and we are
also requiring that the vehicular stacking lanes and drive-through
lanes shall not be located closer to U.S. 41 than the principal
building. And, again, this is another draft U.S. 41 EZO standard.
Specific to a car wash, again, we have limited it to one facility
not to exceed 5,000 square feet. We have incorporated hours of
operation so the car wash cannot operate between the hours of
10 p.m. and 7 a.m. And the minimum side yard, we're adjacent to a
commercially zoned property. A car wash may have a 10-foot
side-yard setback.
Vacuuming facilities may not be located in any required yard or
forward of the primary facade. And again, we have shown that
through our concept site plan that's also included within the rezone
ordinance.
Vehicular stacking lanes and drive-through lanes shall not be
located closer to the U.S. 41 right-of-way than the principal building.
And again, this is another draft U.S. 41 EZO standard.
Again, I briefly mentioned the sound attenuation wall. And the
sound attenuation wall was determined to be necessary based on a
November 7, 2024
Page 15
sound study which was provided to ensure compliance with the
Collier County noise ordinance.
The Collier County noise ordinance establishes maximum
permissible sound levels for sound propagating to receiving
properties, so those would be properties that are adjacent to our
subject site.
So in this study, it indicated that a sound attenuation wall would
be necessary, and it shall be a minimum height of two feet higher
than the entrance of the car wash tunnel but not exceed 12 height
[sic] above grade, and that sound wall may be provided 25 feet from
the rear property line along the entire width of the car wash facility,
and that includes the drive aisles that serve the car wash.
For our landscaping, we have provided, again, that 15-foot Type
B front yard landscape buffer easement, and that's going to be
enhanced based on the U.S. 41 EZO standards. So we are requiring
that the planting of canopy shade trees be spaced 25 feet on center
with trees having a minimum average mature canopy spread of
20 feet and an 8-foot vertical clearance. And, again, that's going to
be for pedestrian orientation.
We are also required or including to require plantings only to be
native vegetation, grass, ground cover, or other landscape treatments
in accordance with the LDC.
And, again, in the rear we have also provided an enhanced
landscape buffer in addition to that wall, the sound attenuation wall,
and the 6-foot wall that will be on the remainder of the property, and
that 20-foot Type B rear yard landscape buffer easement shall be
enhanced with a minimum of five canopy trees per 100 linear feet.
And again, another -- this wasn't exact language, but this is
something that we had worked with the staff, and this is a standard
that has been modeled off the draft U.S. 41 EZO.
I do have Norm here if there's any specific questions. But
November 7, 2024
Page 16
based on Norm's report, the proposed project is not a significant or
adverse traffic generator on the roadway network specifically to this
location. There is adequate and sufficient roadway capacity to
accommodate the proposed development, and then we have also
included the maximum total daily trip generation for the development
to not exceed 127 two-way p.m. peak-hour net new trips. So again,
that is something that is a condition that is going to be included
within the Growth Management Plan amendment as well as the
conditions of approval for the rezone.
Again, as Clay has stated, we did have two neighborhood
information meetings. One held in July of 2023. The second was
very recent, October of 2024. We had, you know, maybe two
members of public at each of these meetings, either in attendance or
via Zoom. Did not really receive any comments or concerns at those
times.
And then at this time, staff has recommended approval for both
of these land-use items, and we ask the same.
And that concludes our presentation. Happy to answer any
questions you-all may have. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Yeah. Commissioner
Sparrazza, go ahead.
COMMISSIONER SPARRAZZA: Great. Thank you.
Hello, Ellen.
MS. SUMMERS: Hi.
COMMISSIONER SPARRAZZA: Quick question: The
remainder of that lot is continued to be restricted to C-3?
MS. SUMMERS: That's correct.
COMMISSIONER SPARRAZZA: Okay. Very good. Thank
you.
COMMISSIONER SHEA: I have more of a question for Mike.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Go ahead.
November 7, 2024
Page 17
COMMISSIONER SHEA: It seems like we'd be better off just
taking -- leaving it C-3 and giving him a conditional use for -- rather
than moving the whole property to a C-4 and trying to limit
everything. I guess I don't understand why we don't do it the other
way.
MR. BOSI: Mike Bosi, Planning and Zoning director.
Within the C-3 zoning district, a car wash is not a permitted.
COMMISSIONER SHEA: It's only a conditional.
MR. BOSI: It's only a permitted use as accessory to an existing
gas station. This is -- as a stand-alone, it is not either a
conditional -- it's not a permitted nor a conditional use within C-3, so
therefore, we couldn't provide for -- per the code. Therefore, it
requires that they rezone -- or that they designate it within the Growth
Management Plan as eligible for C-4 zoning opportunities. They are
only taking the one land use, that being the car wash. But that's why
they had to go through the Growth Management Plan amendment.
COMMISSIONER SHEA: So if we give them a C-4, limiting
it to basically C-3 plus the car wash, in the future, if they sell it, they
have to come back here if they want to do anything different in terms
of C-4?
MR. BOSI: If they wanted to choose any of the other existing
C-4 uses that are permitted by right, they would need to -- they would
need to amend the subdistrict as well as the PUD to allow for that to
happen.
So in that response -- and it kind of leads me to -- I'm not sure if
you guys have other -- you guys may have other questions, so I'll
leave the staff's overview of how we reviewed it and why we've
arrived upon our recommendation. But I'll leave till -- yield to that
portion of the process.
COMMISSIONER SHEA: That's good. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Commissioner Sparrazza.
November 7, 2024
Page 18
COMMISSIONER SCHMITT: Vice Chair, I do have a
question, if I could --
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Go ahead, Chair Schmitt.
COMMISSIONER SCHMITT: Since Mike is talking, Chuck.
Thanks.
Mike, this petition -- and I talked to Bob Mulhere about this, and
Ellen as well, and Clay. This petition certainly was in play long
before the commercial PUD to the east was approved. Now that
the -- and I know there's a lot of angst about small-scale amendments,
specifically, of course, along the 41 corridor.
But with the commercial PUD now to the east, under today's
rulings, they could come in and ask for a C-4 for the entire site; is
that correct?
MR. BOSI: That is correct. When this was originally
submitted, the Home Depot had not been approved, and the zoning
designation for the Home Depot prior to the -- its rezoning would not
have supported the applicant to utilize the provision in the Growth
Management Plan referred to as the office and infill provisions. And
the office and infill provision says that if you have like zoning on
either side of a parcel, that parcel can seek the zoning of the two
adjoining parcels.
So they had -- because of that limitation, they weren't -- they
needed to submit a Growth Management Plan amendment. But
when the Home Depot was approved this year, rezoned it to C-4, it
created that opportunity for the parcel to grab the C-4 that's adjacent
to it. They could have withdrawn their petition for the Growth
Management Plan, submitted a new application for the zoning side of
the shop, but because they were so far down the road -- as they've
mentioned, they've been in the works for over two years -- they
decided to move forward with the Growth Management Plan.
And that's one of the reasons why staff is -- you know, is
November 7, 2024
Page 19
supporting the Growth Management Plan amendment even on such a
small scale is because they could move forward with this without, but
it would -- it would require utilizing the office and infill provision, a
new application, and we felt -- and they said, you know, the time
issue was something that was critical to them. They wanted to get
this through the process.
So yes, they could have withdrawn the Growth Management
Plan amendment, but that would have required a whole new process,
new time and new neighborhood information meetings and things
like that. The applicant's chose to move forward with what they had.
And that helped --
COMMISSIONER SCHMITT: I mean, the bottom -- the
bottom line -- and that's a great explanation, because -- and the
bottom line, they'd be in the same spot.
MR. BOSI: Yes.
COMMISSIONER SCHMITT: Of course, if they withdrew, it
would have been next year before this thing would have been before
the Planning Commission. But in reality, we're in the same spot.
We're allowing a C-4. But I think in this case it's probably more
favorable with the -- I'm just -- kind of summation
here -- summarizing, it's probably more favorable, because they
are -- the small-scale amendment is -- is going to provide more
flexibility with the standpoint now because it's going to be -- allow
for these additional, I guess, improvements to the property that
comply with the East Naples Community Development Plan but also
will eliminate -- as just pointed out, the other site will stay C-3.
So the real issue here is they could have -- the property would be
allowed to go to C-4 today to build the car wash, but with the
small -- since, like you said, they were already in well under the
process, and it would have meant a withdrawal and a reapplication.
I think we're in the -- we're in just as good of a position now as
November 7, 2024
Page 20
had they just come in and asked for a C-4. So it's not -- it's not any
greater intensity of use is the way I see it.
So thanks. I just wanted that clarified. Because that was in the
staff report. It was sort of -- that's what I asked Bob about, because
it was sort of confusing in the presentation, but I clearly understand
how -- how this thing evolved, so thank you.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Thank you, Chair.
Commissioner Sparrazza.
COMMISSIONER SPARRAZZA: Great. Thank you.
Ellen, I know we had a conversation on the phone with you and
Bob regarding noise and the suppression with the wall that is going to
be built.
My concern that we talked about, and wondered if you had any
type of response, was that 30-horsepower vacuum unit that's located
I'll call it in the middle -- almost dead set in the middle of the
property itself, I'm concerned that between 85 and 91, 93 decibels,
that that is extremely loud as we know by looking at normal levels of
associated decibel levels. Incidentally, I am a sound engineer, so I
know a little bit about this, and I didn't mean that sarcastically.
My concern is, if that vacuum unit is in the center of the lot,
center of the building lot there, whatever goes to the east of the car
wash could be very, very close to that extremely loud
noise-generating property. And we had talked, just blue skying it, is
there a way to put that on the west side of the car wash with possibly
a small noise-attenuating wall around it itself? Because the closest
thing you have on the west side are people coming to fill up with
gasoline that are there for three to five minutes versus somebody that
could be in that yet-to-be-proposed building to the east of the car
wash that might be there for hours.
Wondered if you had and your team had a chance to even review
anything like that.
November 7, 2024
Page 21
MS. SUMMERS: I will say we -- you know, we did have an
acoustics consultant that did the noise study, and for us to kind of
really reevaluate that, it would require a whole new -- you know, a
whole new noise study to really see how that would impact.
What we do know is that when we did the noise study, the
intention was to adhere to the noise ordinance which really is kind of
a protection for those abutting parcels, not necessarily just the other
half of our development.
So with that, the sound wall, it is intended to benefit that
residential community to the rear. I think when we -- we had a brief
conversation with our sound consultant earlier this week regarding
that comment, and his concern was that if we did place that closer to
the building, that there may be some more additional radiating sound
that bounces off the building; that it may have a more adverse impact
than initially reviewed for when he contemplated that location.
COMMISSIONER SPARRAZZA: Right. That would be a
reverberation effect from the hardened surface of the wall.
Okay. If you've gone through that, at least my request was
granted by chatting with your sound consultant, and just cautious
with whatever goes to the east side of it. There does not seem to be
any type of a sound deadening structure material around that vacuum
item. I have a feeling it's going to be extremely loud for people
driving by that to get to whatever that building is.
MS. SUMMERS: And I certainly understand your concern.
And I will say, you know, the primary intention use for this site is the
car wash. That will certainly be developed first and foremost. And
whatever we do decide or whatever the property owner does decide
to develop on that portion of the property, I mean, they will certainly
have to understand it or be aware of what the noise concerns may be
for the remainder of the site.
COMMISSIONER SPARRAZZA: Okay.
November 7, 2024
Page 22
MS. SUMMERS: But I do appreciate and understand as well.
COMMISSIONER SPARRAZZA: All right. And the vacuum
unit is not for the hand-held units. It's for within the proper car wash
structure itself, and it's not the dryer unit, is it?
MS. SUMMERS: I'm sorry. Say that --
COMMISSIONER SPARRAZZA: The vacuum unit is in
addition to the drying unit.
MS. SUMMERS: Yes.
COMMISSIONER SPARRAZZA: So they both could be on at
one time.
MS. SUMMERS: That's correct.
COMMISSIONER SPARRAZZA: Okay.
MR. SCALI: One's inside the building; one's outside the
building.
COMMISSIONER SPARRAZZA: Correct. But they're both
near the exits.
MR. SCALI: Correct.
MS. SUMMERS: Correct.
COMMISSIONER SPARRAZZA: Okay. Your witness.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Commissioner Shea.
COMMISSIONER SHEA: Just a quick question. Are -- can't
you put some kind of sound attenuating enclosure around it?
MS. SUMMERS: Potentially. I don't -- we haven't really kind
of specced that out based on the landscape island or, you know,
where -- you know, how we would be able to develop a wall large
enough for it. It's --
COMMISSIONER SHEA: But you can do an enclosure
pre -- you don't have to have it exposed and then rely on a wall over
here to attenuate the sound. You could put something around it. It's
a little more expensive, but not a lot.
MS. SUMMERS: I guess based on the way it functions, that
November 7, 2024
Page 23
exhaust, it has to be open. So I think it would -- having a sound
attenuation wall surrounding it would impact the function of the
producer, if that's what I'm hearing correctly.
COMMISSIONER SHEA: I don't know about that.
MR. BROOKER: All of these concerns are legitimate, and the
property owner -- well, the idea was to push all noise-making
elements of the car wash as far close to 41 and away from the
residentials as we could. All of the concerns that are being raised
now were concerns of ours and have been concerns of ours for some
time. It is going to potentially impact what goes on the east side of
the property. And it's at that point in time we will see what other
perhaps potential attenuation methods can be employed to shield or
mitigate the noise or the impact to the other side of our property.
But the important thing is we have a sound study that looked at
just exactly where these sound-producing elements are and as shown
on the site plan, with nothing more, and it complies with the noise
control ordinance.
COMMISSIONER SHEA: So my question, I guess, to Mike is,
there are county codes that limit the noise at the property line, and it
would be a code enforcement issue if they exceeded those
ordinances?
MR. BOSI: Yes, it would be, and it would apply to -- you
know, to all -- to all properties, the noise ordinance.
Remember, this is going to -- this is going to be a list of uses
that are in a C-1 through C-3 category, so this isn't a residential
category you're concerned about. You're concerned about what the
noise is going to have upon a commercial business.
I would say -- what I would say is most gas stations that I've
been to, each one of them always have vacuums. So I'm not sure if
it's -- if there is a uniqueness about this property or uniqueness about
having the vacuum at that location that's going to prohibit. I think
November 7, 2024
Page 24
what it may do is prohibit the opportunity for outdoor dining, but
you've got a whole list of C-1 through C-3 which are neighborhood
and community serving that they have a menu to choose from.
It's -- and I think as Clay has mentioned, they've designed the
site to be -- to be noise compliant in a -- and sensitive to the
residential development that sits to their -- the south of the property.
Less concerned with what potentially is going to go on their property
occupying to the east. And if that vacuum is creating such a noise
that prohibits certain type of C-1 through C-3 uses, those are the
opportunity cost of developing a car wash at that location. And
that's a decision that's made from a private developer within the
private rights that are associated with it.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Thank you.
Commissioner Colucci.
COMMISSIONER COLUCCI: This is a self-serve car wash,
and there's a few of those in Collier County, a lot of those in Collier
County. My question is, does anyone have any experience with
noise compliance from the myriad of self-serve car washes we have
now? Has this been an issue?
MR. BOSI: Staff would indicate that we haven't looked into
any code enforcement violations, but we do not know -- I mean, Code
Enforcement Board is part of Growth Management. It has been not
something that has been an issue of concern from their -- from our
code enforcement officers or from the Planning Department of noise
that generates from car washes or gas stations.
We recognize that they create more noise than some other
commercial uses, so we're sensitive to those other adjoining
residential properties, but those influences and the noise towards
other commercial properties haven't -- hasn't really been something
that has rose to our individual radar.
COMMISSIONER COLUCCI: Okay. Thank you.
November 7, 2024
Page 25
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Any other questions?
CMMISSIONER PETSCHER: I had a couple questions.
After -- say it's approved, when is this buildout supposed to be
completed?
MR. SCALI: We still have to do all the drawings still. So, I
mean, if we do get approval, I will --
MS. SUMMERS: So once this – once this goes through the
approval, assuming it's approved at the Board of County
Commissioners, we'll still have to go through the site development
planning process. That's an administrative process with the Growth
Management department. So it really kind of varies on that process
and when that SDP gets approved. But I would say hopefully within
a year or so of approval.
CMMISSIONER PETSCHER: And my other question, am I
reading this wrong, Mike? The second part of the future
development order, it's proposed wanting to go to C-4, and --
MR. BOSI: The subdistrict will allow for the development of
one C-4 use, and that's the car wash. All the other uses will be
constrained to the C-1 through C-3, which are neighborhood and
community serving. So the undeveloped land will have the option to
pick from C-1 through C-3. They will not have any opportunities to
choose from the C-4 zoning district.
CMMISSIONER PETSCHER: So the future development
area, that's going to be C-1 through C-3?
MR. BOSI: C-1 through C-3.
CMMISSIONER PETSCHER: Okay. That was my only
question.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Okay.
Staff; staff report.
MR. BOSI: Mike Bosi, Planning and Zoning director.
Michele Mosca provided for -- the lead on the Growth
November 7, 2024
Page 26
Management Plan, and Laura DeJohn and Ray Bellows provided the
lead on the rezoning staff report.
Both of them worked in coordination with the applicant. I
would say that this has been one of the -- and it has taken a little bit
of time, but this applicant has been very willing to incorporate the
standards of the East Naples Development Plan in the EZO that we've
obviously cannot adopt until at least October 1st of 2026 based upon
the state statutes of not allowing for us to add any additional
restrictions or regulations to our Land Development Code.
And I think that has a lot to do with why you see only staff, the
applicant, and the Planning Commission in this room. I think
because they have attended to the noise issues, to the site design
issues, to the placement of the building, the arrangements that are
suggested within the East Naples Development Plan. And because
of -- because of those improvements, I think we have a project that
really does fit the bill for this land-use condition.
Traditionally, the East Naples Development Plan looks at a car
wash as more unfavorably, but this location next to a gas station, next
to a C-4 Home Depot with the amount of activity, we think this is a
really good fit. It complements the gas station the west. RaceTracs
in Southwest Florida really do not have car washes. Normally
times -- people -- you know, there are -- there is synergy between gas
stations and car washes in locations.
So we think that there's a lot of positives with the inclusion of
some of the design standards. We think from a land-use perspective
there's synergy amongst the two uses.
As we said, they could have done this without a Growth
Management Plan, but they wanted to get to the finish line so it gets
us to where they could have gone even without a GMP.
So for all of those reasons, staff is supporting, and we -- you
know, we can answer any questions -- other questions that you may
November 7, 2024
Page 27
have. But we did appreciate the applicant and the owners'
willingness to incorporate a lot of the design standards that aren't
regulatory yet, just suggestions, but have been deemed as important
to the community. So for all those reasons, staff is supporting it.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Any questions for staff?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: No?
Thank you, Ms. Summers, for a great presentation. Great
overview.
I'll open it up --
COMMISSIONER SCHMITT: Chuck, I have just one
question --
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Go ahead, Chair.
COMMISSIONER SCHMITT: -- one question for Mike.
Thank you.
Mike -- and just to reiterate, you've received -- there's virtually
been no complaints from the community to the -- to the south.
I guess, as Clay brought up, they're going to protect their
horseshoe pits or horseshoe place over there and probably -- you
know, this lot has been vacant for years, and probably the biggest
detrimental effect will be the fact that the car movers that move cars
from the north to the south there in season and vice versa, this is
typically where they load and unload cars. So I guess from that
standpoint, that use will no longer be there. Because they probably
were using the property without approval. But that tends to be what
the property has pretty much been used for for years.
But you've heard nothing from the neighboring properties?
They're going to have the -- they got pretty much what they wanted.
And from what Clay said, it appears that -- what is that, the Hitching
Post community to the south has pretty much conceded and are in
agreement with the proposal? Go ahead.
November 7, 2024
Page 28
MR. BOSI: And thank you, Chair.
Yeah, this is an outlier. This is a Growth Management Plan and
a rezoning for specifically a car wash and other community-serving
uses. The community has embraced the design and the proposal.
There have been no letters of objection. It's a testament to the work
that the applicant has done I think just listening to the neighbors,
talking to their neighbors, talking to staff and addressing some of the
concerns that they heard.
I was very pleased that we were going to have this arrangement
of petitions for the Planning Commission with our new members to
kind of start them off on something a little -- that's been embraced by
the community that shows how those -- how good planning and
outreach can work in a positive effect because some of -- there's
going to be some petitions -- we're going to be bringing to you,
probably starting with the next meeting, where we might not have
unanimity amongst the surrounding property owners of what we're
proposing as a good idea.
So we gave you a -- we gave you a good test case to start for
your first full action as a board, but it's going to get a little bit steeper
and a little bit tougher as we go forward, as some of the more
seasoned Planning Commission members can tell you.
COMMISSIONER SHEA: You call that a softball.
MR. BOSI: Yes.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Okay. Any --
COMMISSIONER SCHMITT: Well said. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Any public comment?
Anybody?
MR. ALONSO: Hey, everyone. No, we do not have any
speakers this morning.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Such a controversial issue. I
thought we'd have more.
November 7, 2024
Page 29
All right. With that being said, I'll close this portion and open
up to Board questions, comments, or motion to approve or
disapprove.
Go ahead, Commissioner McLeod.
COMMISSIONER McLEOD: I just wanted to make note that
in speaking with Jacob Winge representing the East Naples Civic and
Community [sic] Association. I was happy to hear their support of
this project. They very much appreciated the petitioner
collaborating with them, incorporating some of the design plans in
the plan when you didn't have to, so they really appreciated that.
They appreciated the configuration of the car wash on the lot to
minimize the impact of its front elevation. And they're excited about
the potential of a gathering place in the subsequent -- or the property
on the east side. So I was glad to hear that.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: All right.
COMMISSIONER SCHMITT: Commissioner Schumacher, I
didn't hear any proposals, but I will make a motion to approve. Just
my comment that considering that they could come in for a C-4 today
under -- since the -- the passage of the Home Depot to the east. This
is sort of a fait accompli because it's going to pretty much give what
they probably could have gotten right now anyway.
So I will make a recommendation of approval for both the Comp
Plan amendment and the accompanying PUD -- or the rezoning. So
that's PL20220005822 and accompanying 5137. I will make a
recommendation of approval. And this does not require an EAC
review, so I recommend approval. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Thank you, Chair. Do I have
a second?
COMMISSIONER SPARRAZZA: I'll second.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: All in favor?
COMMISSIONER COLUCCI: Aye.
November 7, 2024
Page 30
COMMISSIONER SHEA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER PETSCHER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SPARRAZZA: Aye.
COMMISSIONER McLEOD: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHMITT: Aye.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Any opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: It passes unanimously.
MR. SCALI: Thank you.
MR. MULHERE: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Thank you.
Next agenda item, old business. We don't have any old
business.
Is there any new business? We don't have any new business.
Commissioner Sparrazza.
COMMISSIONER SPARRAZZA: One quick question for
staff. I know a couple of weeks ago we had discussed a proposal for
either an afternoon learning process -- and, Mike, I believe you
referred to maybe sometime in February or March we were going to
do that. Is that still at least something we're considering and looking
forward to putting a date on the calendar for?
MR. BOSI: And I think it was to review, as I said, the
Concurrency Management System and some of the other components
of the GMP and how the process works, just as an educational --
COMMISSIONER SPARRAZZA: Correct.
MR. BOSI: -- for the Planning Commission members. Yes,
that is. And we are monitoring the number of petitions that are
going to be within our -- both of our February meetings for which
would be a more appropriate -- you know, which one it slides in,
which one has the least amount of petitions so we can have that so
November 7, 2024
Page 31
we're not going to be stepping on the toes of any of the applicants,
but, you know, providing the opportunity for the discussion that the
Planning Commission's looking forward to.
COMMISSIONER SPARRAZZA: Wonderful. Thank you for
maintaining that and keeping it on the schedule. Appreciate that.
Thank you.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Commissioner Colucci.
COMMISSIONER COLUCCI: Well, as you know, I'm new,
and I'm interested in, what is the protocol for us speaking with
applicants outside of these meetings? I'm -- I was asked to talk to
people about what we approved today, but I didn't know what to do.
I didn't know if you could do that or what.
COMMISSIONER SHEA: I don't think there is a formal
protocol.
COMMISSIONER COLUCCI: So what are you supposed to
do?
COMMISSIONER SHEA: I establish my own.
Everybody -- I don't speak to them. Other people do speak to them.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: I would ask for Shenko [sic]
to chime in here, please.
COMMISSIONER COLUCCI: I said, "I'm not talking to you,"
so I guess that was a good start.
MS. ASHTON-CICKO: So, essentially, the law says that there
shouldn't be ex parte communication, okay. That's under the case
law. But it allows ex parte communication if you make the
disclosure that you spoke to people or had meetings or read materials,
visited the site, and so forth.
COMMISSIONER COLUCCI: Okay.
MS. ASHTON-CICKO: So it's really at your -- it's your
decision whether you want to allow ex parte communication with
you. And some members do, and some members don't.
November 7, 2024
Page 32
COMMISSIONER COLUCCI: So if I do, I just have to tell the
Commission that I've done it.
MS. ASHTON-CICKO: Yes. That's why in the beginning
before the petition is heard -- not all petitions require ex parte
disclosure. Those are the legislative actions. But the quasi-judicial
does require ex parte disclosure, and the Chairman, as he did today,
will ask for the disclosures before the hearing commences.
COMMISSIONER COLUCCI: All right. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Great.
COMMISSIONER SCHMITT: Hey, Chap, this is Joe Schmitt.
You know, it is a good opportunity if you have specific questions to
ask, and it also gives you an opportunity to talk to the petitioner in
regards to understanding what they're going to bring and present. So
it does provide an opportunity. And given my years on the Planning
Commission and also my years with staff, there's never been a real
issue. And as Heidi just said, as long as it's disclosed. Likewise, if
you want to make a site visit or if you even talk to any
opposition -- opposing parties, you just need to make sure that it's
you and it's not other planning -- other planning commissioners
involved, because that is a Sunshine violation. But otherwise, you
just disclose it.
And, Heidi, I think I made that pretty simple. Thanks.
MS. ASHTON-CICKO: You did. Good job.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Thank you, Chair.
All right. Having no other comment or business before us, we
will stand adjourned at 9:55 a.m.
COMMISSIONER SPARRAZZA: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN SCHUMACHER: Thank you.
COMMISSIONER SCHMITT: Thank you.
*******
November 7, 2024
Page 33
There being no further business for the good of the County, the
meeting was adjourned by order of the Chair at 9:55 a.m.
COLLIER COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION
_____________________________________
JOE SCHMITT, CHAIRMAN
These minutes approved by the Board on ____________, as
presented ______________ or as corrected _____________.
TRANSCRIPT PREPARED ON BEHALF OF FORT MYERS
COURT REPORTING BY TERRI L. LEWIS, RPR, FPR-C,
COURT REPORTER AND NOTARY PUBLIC.