CCPC Minutes 03/06/2008 R
March 6, 2008
TRANSCRIPT OF THE MEETING OF THE
COLLIER COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION
Naples, Florida March 6,2008
LET IT BE REMEMBERED, that the Collier County Planning
Commission, in and for the County of Collier, having conducted
business herein, met on this date at 8:30 a.m. in REGULAR SESSION
in Building "F" of the Government Complex, East Naples, Florida,
with the following members present:
CHAIRMAN: Mark Strain
Lindy Adelstein
Donna Reed-Caron
Tor Kolflat
Paul Midney
Bob Murray
Brad Schiffer
Robert Vigliotti
David 1. Wolfley
ALSO PRESENT:
Jeffrey Klatzkow, Chief Asst. County Attorney
Joseph Schmitt, CDES Administrator
Kay Deselem, Principal Planner, Zoning & Land Development
Page 1
AGENDA
Revised II
COLLIER COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION WILL MEET AT 8:30 A.M., THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 2008, IN THE
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING ROOM, ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, COUNTY
GOVERNMENT CENTER, 330 I T AMIAMI TRAIL EAST, NAPLES, FLORIDA:
NOTE: INDIVIDUAL SPEAKERS WILL BE LIMITED TO 5 MINUTES ON ANY
----.-----
ITEM. INDIVIDUALS SELECTED TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF AN
ORGANIZATION OR GROUP ARE ENCOURAGED AND MAY BE ALLOTTED 10
MINUTES TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM IF SO RECOGNIZED BY THE CHAIRMAN.
PERSONS WISHING TO HAVE WRITTEN OR GRAPHIC MATERIALS INCLUDED
IN THE CCPC AGENDA PACKETS MUST SUBMIT SAID MATERIAL A MINIMUM
OF 10 DAYS PRIOR TO THE RESPECTIVE PUBLIC HEARING. IN ANY CASE,
WRITTEN 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 AVAILABLE FOR PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD
OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IF APPLICABLE.
ANY PERSON WHO DECIDES TO APPEAL A DECISION OF THE CCPC WILL
NEED A RECORD OF THE PROCEEDINGS PERTAINING THERETO, AND
THEREFORE MAY NEED TO ENSURE THAT A 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 SECRETARY
3. ADDENDA TO THE AGENDA
4. PLANNING COMMISSION ABSENCES
5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - Not Available at this time
6. BCC REPORT- RECAPS - FEBRUARY 5, 2008, LDC MEETING
7. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT
8. CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS
A. The Board of County Commissioners (BCC) has directed that the Collier County Planning Commission
(CCPC) review and comment on a proposed settlement agreement with Lodge Abbott Associates, L.L.C.
(owner of the Cocohatchee Bay Planned Unit Development (PUD) project) to settle alleged claims arising
from a denial of an amendment to the Cocohatchee Bay PUD. These claims are: (I) A petition for writ of
certiorari, Case No. 05-962-CA, now pending in the Twentieth Judicial Circuit in and for Collier County,
Florida, and (2) an alleged Bert Harris Private Property Rights claim. (Coordinator: David Weigel, County
Attorney; Jeff Klatzkow, Assistant County Attorney) FROM 2/25/08
9. ADVERTISED PUBLIC HEARINGS
1
A. Petition: VA-2007-AR-12477, Gregory W. and Beverly J. Schuelke. represented by Christopher J.
Thornton, ofCheffy, Passidomo, Wilson, and Johnson, Attorneys at Law, LLP, are requesting 4 Variances for
a project to be known as the Schuelke Variance. The Variance petition seeks approval for encroachment of
a pool retaining wall and wings, pool screen cage, and concrete stairs within a required 10-foot side yard
setback. The subject property is located at 496 Flamingo Avenue, in the Connor's Vanderbilt Beach
Estates, Unit 3, Lot I, Block U on 0.27 acres, Section 29, Township 48 South, Range 25 East, Collier
County, Florida. (Coordinator: Willie Brown)
B. Petition: PUDZ-A-2007-AR- I 1723, Amy Turner and/or Tammy Turner Kipp, represented by D. Wayne
Arnold, AICP, Q. Grady Minor and Associates, P.A., and Richard D. Yovanovich, Goodlette, Coleman and
Johnson, request a rezone from Planned Unit Development (PUD) to Community Facility Planned Unit
Development (CFPUD) for the Vanderbilt Trust 1989 PUD, to allow development of a maximum of 200
assisted living, continuing care retirement community, nursing home, retirement community and/or
independent living facility units for persons over the age of 55, to be developed at a 0.6 floor area ratio. The
subject 7.8* acre property is located on tbe nortb side of Vanderbilt Beach Road (CR 862),
approximately 1/4 mile east of Livingston Road (CR 881) in Section 31, Township 48 South, and Range
26 East, Collier County, Florida. (Coordinator: Kay Deselem)
10. OLD BUSINESS
A. Review and recommendation on a proposed ordinance of the Board of County Commissioners of Collier
County, Florida, providing for a permit to authorize the operation of outdoor serving areas; specifying
outdoor serving area pennit application requirements; providing for suspension of such permit; providing for
operating regulations; providing for conflict and severability; providing for inclusion in the Code of Laws and
Ordinances; providing for repeal of three specified ordinances; and providing an effective date.
(Coordinator: Chief Assistant County Attorney, Jeff Klatzkow)
II. NEW BUSINESS
II. PUBLIC COMMENT ITEM
12. DISCUSSION OF ADDENDA
13. ADJOURN
3/6/08 eepe Agenda/RB/sp
2
March 6, 2008
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Good morning, everyone. Welcome to
the March 6th meeting of the Collier County Planning Commission.
If you'll all please rise for a pledge of allegiance.
(Pledge of Allegiance was recited in unison.)
Item #2
ROLL CALL BY SECRETARY
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, will the secretary please take the
roll call.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Mr. Kolflat?
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Here.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Mr. Schiffer?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I'm here.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Mr. Midney is absent. Ms. Caron
is here.
Mr. Strain?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Here.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Mr. Adelstein?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Here.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Mr. Murray?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Here.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Mr. Vigliotti?
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Here.
COMMISSIONER CARON: And Mr. Wolfley?
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Here.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, addenda to the agenda. Are there
any changes needed for today's agenda?
(No response.)
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March 6, 2008
Item #4
PLANNING COMMISSION ABSENCES
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, hearing that, we'll move forward.
Planning Commission absences. Our next scheduled meeting is
the GMP Meeting on the 17th in this room at 8:30.
Is everybody -- does anybody know they're not going to be here
for that?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: While we're on this -- I was going to
bring it up under chairman's report, but I think we can bring it up here
just as easily. And that's an issue involving the county attorney's
office, as well as the consensus from this board.
The GMP Amendments that you've all received in a rather large
book, an over-stuffed book, included a lot of different petitions in
different parts of the county. And I've gone through very lightly to try
to understand what we're dealing with.
And there's three of them there that I want to ask the county
attorney if we could modify the agenda and the time frames. And I
know that this has been or will be advertised for March 17th. I have no
problem with that. And I think we certainly should have the meeting
that day and start in the morning at 9:00.
But what I'd like to suggest -- and first I'll tell you everything I'm
going to do, Jeff, and you can then tell me if it's legally doable. And
then if it is, I'd like the consensus from the commission that it's yea or
nay.
The first item that was scheduled for the 17th is an amendment
to the Immokalee Area Master Plan. It involves a million square feet
of leasable industrial space or commercial space out in Immokalee.
Now, that's a big issue for Immokalee. And we have many times
said that if we get an issue of any substance or controversy, we'd want
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March 6, 2008
to schedule the meeting in Immokalee so that people out there can be
here. Especially now knowing that this has been going through an
Immokalee master plan amendment, not only for this item, but they're
actually rewriting their master plan, so -- and it's a big issue for
working people out there.
I would suggest that we look to reschedule that Immokalee
meeting to a night -- that Immokalee item to a night in Immokalee
sometime after the 17th. So at the 17th meeting we could continue
Item A. And let me -- when I finish, I've got two others I want to
mention.
Item Band C are Golden Gate Estates. That's another working
area of Collier County. To have the working people fully participate,
it's difficult if you schedule everything in the daytime.
I would again like to suggest that we hold a second evening
meeting in which those two items are discussed. So on the 17th we
would start with Item D and work through the agenda. But Item A
would be on one night in Immokalee and Item Band C would be
another night here.
Now, first Mr. Klatzkow, is that something we can legally
entertain?
MR. KLATZKOW: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Good.
Comments from the Planning Commission on those issues?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: It's good.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You like it? Anybody have any
objection to it?
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: No, I think it's fine, but I just
want to go over it. The 17th we're going to start with Item D?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, that's what I'm suggesting. I'm
going to ask for a vote before this -- the one we've been discussing.
Yes, we'd start with Item D and between now and whenever Mr.
Schmitt could get back to us, we'd pick nights -- we'd set up a meeting
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March 6, 2008
in Immokalee for Item A. It doesn't -- you know, whatever night
works for the staff and for the convenience out there, and we set an
item for Band C in the time frame needed to make sure that the
Golden Gate ones are held in the evening in this room. Or -- well,
preferably this room, yes. It needs to be this room.
So Mr. Schmitt, if you could work on those scheduling items for
us, assuming that we want to do it.
Mr. Murray?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I have no problem in principle
with it. I just need to make sure we don't -- I mean, I have my plans,
like a lot of us do, set out for the evening for many things.
Do you have any idea of when you'd expect to do this?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No. We need a quorum, and so long as
five of us can show up and it's a transmittal, it's not just that we --
because it does have to come back through adoption.
I understand that we all -- and I too have things in the evening.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Sure.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I will change anything I have to
accommodate the Planning Commission, because that's the priority to
me. So in that regard, I'm open most every night, unless it's a medical
thing that I've got to attend with my wife or something. But other than
that, I'll be here every night.
Other than that, I don't know, Mr. Murray, we'll just have to take
that -- we'll play it by ear, we'll do the best to accommodate --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Like I said --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- everybody's schedule.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: -- I don't have a problem in
principle. I just want to be sure I can do what I have to do.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Well, I know you have a lot of
things going, and I understand that, so we'll do the best we can.
MR. SCHMITT: I could just offer, I -- first I've heard of this, of
course. And your second meeting is scheduled for March 28th. I'm
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March 6, 2008
going to have to find a time in the evening. I don't know what days
this room is open. I'll have to find that out.
Plus the other issue with Immokalee, even finding a facility out
there to do the meeting we'll have to coordinate that with Immokalee.
But I don't think there's what I would call a facility out there that's --
that will accommodate this type of meeting I'm aware.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Ave Maria?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, before Mr. Wolfley, Ms. Caron
had a question -- Mr. Adelstein, then Mr. Wolfley.
Go ahead, Mr. Adelstein.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Is there absolutely no reason
why we can't have that meeting here instead of from Immokalee?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, the Planning Commission's
ordinance that enacts us says that we can have -- we have the ability to
have meetings in Immokalee when the need arises.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Do they have a place that --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes, they do.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: We just got to find it. We have county
facilities out there.
This is not a new subject; we've agreed to do this before. It just
never materialized because an item of significance hasn't come up.
I think we need to go to the effort to accommodate that
community, and so I think it's important that we at least try. And you
know, even if we have -- there's ajail out there. I don't mind meeting
in the jail. We'll just meet there.
MR. KLATZKOW: Speak for yourself.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Wherever you can find, Mr. Schmitt, I
think we ought to look for it.
MR. SCHMITT: The only thing that comes to mind would be
the ago center. But that's not in Immokalee, you're at the edge of the
Estates for that.
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March 6, 2008
We'll look. I know there's another facility on, what is that, 29,
heading out of Immokalee.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: There's a nice --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Go ahead, Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRA Y: There's a -- I can't remember the
name of it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Wolfley, did you get yours?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I'm sorry.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Did you say your piece?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I'm sorry.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's fine. Mr. Wolfley was supposed
to be next. That's okay, go ahead.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I just wanted to mention that I
can't remember the name of the place, unfortunately, but it's a center
that was built for the folks to -- they do their -- the city business, if
you will. They have -- I'm stumbling and fumbling and I apologize,
but I can see it. You're going down the main road, just before you get
to the Seminole, you turn up to the left and you go up to the next long
block and turn right and there's this lovely place, and it's got a big
open room in there. And it would be suitable. And I wish I could recall
the name.
MR. SCHMITT: Yeah, I have to find out. I have to find out if
there's a cost associated with -- the other option may be what Mr.
Wolfley said, is Ave Maria.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Did you have anything else you want to
add, Mr. Wolfley?
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: I think what he was talking
about was One Stop in Immokalee? The One Stop center?
MR. SCHMITT: Yeah.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, you know, wherever it is--
MR. SCHMITT: I'll look --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- Mr. Schmitt will do the best he can to
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March 6, 2008
find it. And that's where we ought to leave it.
I take it from the consensus of the Planning Commission that
that's a doable item?
Okay, what about moving Band C to an evening meeting? Does
everybody have any problems with that (sic)?
Okay. Joe, before we leave today's meeting, which will be, you
know, probably around noon, is there a way you could check with the
scheduling staff to see what evening meetings are available, so we
could at least get that one locked in today?
MR. SCHMITT: I'll send a note back to my staff to find out--
they need to coordinate. Certainly that has to be -- meet availability of
advertising. It's already been advertised.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, we'll just -- what we would do is
MR. SCHMITT: -- continue.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- adjourn on the -- when we adjourn on
the 17th, we just officially then continue these two. But I wanted to
get a consensus now so that the public would know not to try to take
days off from work and show up when they're not going to be heard.
MR. SCHMITT: I understand. And I have to contact the
petitioners as well. So I've got --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, I mean --
MR. SCHMITT: And my other -- the crunch I have is Tuesday,
April 22nd is the day of the GMP Hearings to the board. So I've got
very little or small window to get these things scheduled in order to
get this through you, finalize our reports and get them to the board. So
it's -- I'll do what I can today.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. The consensus is the board; we'd
like to do it. If you can find a way to do it, that would be most
appreciative.
So let's just leave it at that and before the meetings over today
we'll add it to the old business discussion to see what we've been able
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March 6, 2008
to progress on.
That takes us past the Planning Commission absences.
Approval of minutes, there were none available at this time.
And as a side note to that, my last discussion with you all was
that we would try to post them somewhere where we could
electronically review them to save the cost of the collation and
printing.
I had e-mailed the county attorney an issue that came up and
trying to get that resolved and I didn't know that his e-mail has been
down until today. So I'll repeat the question I sent to you, Mr.
Klatzkow.
And that was, in talking with Sharon, she said well, you know,
your minutes are posted at the clerk's website. And I said no, I'm
talking about the minutes that we've not yet approved. She goes, no,
they're all posted.
I said, well, I don't think they legally should post the ones that
haven't been approved by this board.
And she said no, they post them immediately.
So before I went further with her and suggesting that we go to
that website then, I wanted to make sure that that scenario was even
the right procedure. Because until we say those minutes -- or
acknowledge those minutes on approval of the meeting, I didn't think
they were posted.
MR. KLATZKOW: I didn't think they were posted either. I'll
have to find out why we're doing it this way.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Would you then -- once you get that
answer, then we can figure out how to proceed with electronically
filing those pre-meetings in order for this board to review them so they
what I thought then could be posted. Thank you.
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March 6, 2008
Item #6
BCC REPORT - RECAPS - JANUARY 29,2008
BCC Recaps. I guess we have those here for our reading.
Does anybody have any questions or comments?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I guess we can read them ourselves and
that takes care of that.
Item #7
CHAIRMAN'S REPORT
Chairman's Report; I have two other items. I had talked to you
all about an electronic device. I can honestly tell you, I've made no
progress on that so far. So I will work on it. There have been other
things that have taken time.
Yes, Mr. Schmitt?
MR. SCHMITT: I think just of note, the LDC Amendments
that's on the second page, as you know, the amendment having to do
with the shoreline calculations for dock facilities, which was denied
by the Board of County Commissioners, there is an agenda item on
Tuesday's agenda requesting to have that item reheard. Just so you
know the tracking of that. And we'll deal with that. Whatever the
board decides, we'll deal with that accordingly.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, personally, that caught me by
surprise, because that went through this board without much of a
problem. I was surprised at the amount of people that showed up. I
wish that we had had the benefit of the discussion that occurred,
because I certainly hadn't realized there was such controversy over
this issue.
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March 6, 2008
MR. SCHMITT: I certainly would have appreciated information
as well, because we would have been prepared to deal with it at the
hearing.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. The other item I want to mention,
in talking with the staff who has to copy and distribute all of our
packages, I pick mine up at the county when it's available. And every
time I do, I keep getting these plastic see-through envelopes full of
folded up plans, which I just routinely throw out, because we have the
same plan in an II-by-17 in the package.
I found out -- I just left them there and I said, Sharon, I just don't
need these, why don't you just stop printing them? She said that would
be a great savings if she could.
Not all of us need those. I know some of us do.
(At which time, Mr. Midney enters the boardroom.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The 11 -- I have not found anything on
the II-by-l7's that I couldn't -- that I needed a larger plan for.
So from my perspective, I absolutely don't need the big plans.
And I suggested to her I'd ask the commissioner's who actually
wants them; and then that would save -- because those plans are
expensive to print. Then staffs got to collate them and fold each one,
stuff it in a plastic envelope and then include it with our packet.
If we don't need them, then we don't need to have them printed.
So I'd like to ask from end to end who would like them, and we'll just
eliminate the ones that -- Mr. Wolfley, did you need them?
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: (Shakes head negatively.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Vigliotti?
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: (Shakes head negatively.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Murray, do you need them?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I cannot see the others.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Pardon me?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I cannot see the others.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I know. Then do you need the larger
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March 6, 2008
ones?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Adelstein?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: (Shakes head negatively.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I don't.
Ms. Caron?
COMMISSIONER CARON: No.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Midney?
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Which plans are these? I'm sorry.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: In your packet, you would have
received two large blueprints that are duplicated in a regular size sheet
of paper or Il-by-17 in the package. Do you need --
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: No.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I don't need them either.
Mr. Schiffer?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I do, Mark. And the concern I
have is that there's a lot of written word in there that there's no way
you can read it on the small thing, so --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I've read every one of them, Brad.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: You can read the little ones?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yep, I certainly can. I read them out
loud to this -- but that's okay, I understand, everybody has different
issues. But I'm just trying to find out how many need -- Mr. Kolflat?
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: I want the large ones.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You want the large ones.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Well, Kay, if you could let
Sharon know Mr. Murray, Mr. Schiffer, Mr. Kolflat all need large
plans, and the rest of us don't. So that will save --
MS. DESELEM: Thank you.
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March 6, 2008
Item #8A
COCOHATCHEE BAY PUD PROPOSED SETTLEMENT
AGREEMENT
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you.
With that, we will move into the consent agenda. And this
week's consent agenda package was thicker than normal. It was
because of the Bert Harris discussion that we've been going through
for previously three meetings was all summarized.
Also included in that electronically was the summary I had
reviewed with all of you at our last meeting. I tried to make the
changes as I understood them to be at our last meeting on that
summary .
I added the date on top, I believe that we didn't discuss. And I
added the last sentence suggesting -- telling the BCC that it was
submitted by the Planning Commission so that they were assured it
was from us and not from staff.
Now, I need to know if there's a recommendation for approval of
the consent agenda or any other comments.
Ms. Caron?
COMMISSIONER CARON: Yeah, I just -- I think I'd like to
add one other item to our summary.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
COMMISSIONER CARON: And just I think number 10. I think
we need to note for the BCC that the petitioner has changed the master
plan. It's in there as Exhibit A as changed, but I think it needs to be
noted that that was one of the things that we went over for that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Let me look and see where you -- and
maybe there's a place to add it where we previously discussed it.
That's what I was just checking in here.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Well, I think it may fall here under
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March 6, 2008
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, you know, 1-B says amended site
plan.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Right. But I think that doesn't tell
them what changed. And I think we should add a comment that just
tells them what changed.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, I have no problem with it.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Not that we approve, but tell them
what changed.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. But in order to make sure that I
don't do something that becomes controversial with this board, I
would like to know the very specific language that we're talking about
adding to that so that no one can say they disagree with it or they don't
agree with it. Let's just get it done. And I don't want to be the one
responsible for that, because as soon as I do it, someone's going to say,
oh, that's not what we meant.
So what specific language -- if you were to go I-Band then put
a "i" after the "B", what specific language are we talking about?
Mr. Y ovanovich, you have something positive to contribute?
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Well, I think it's positive. Certainly we
don't mind --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I had to set you up for that.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: I know. For the record, Rich
Y ovanovich.
If you want to add that, because it does -- that's fine with us. But
I would like you to also add that we made that change because it's
consistent with our Corps and Water Management District's permits.
Those are the permitted lines for what the preservation area needs to
be, according to the Corps and Water Management District permits.
So if we could just -- I don't mind saying there's been a change,
but explain what the change was.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No, see, you're going beyond what I
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March 6, 2008
think was the intent. Because if we have to delineate in a paragraph
every change to that master plan, we might as well sit down and
rewrite it, because I don't think that's the intent. I think it's simply
saying that the master plan that's been amended is changed from the
master plan that was previously provided.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: And I don't think saying to reflect the
approved Corps permits is adding too much to that. I think it leaves it
a little open-ended as if there may have been some ill intent if you
don't explain the little bit I would like to add.
COMMISSIONER CARON: You'll be there to explain it to
them.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Wait a minute, I'm going to write the
language up.
Okay, let me run this language by everybody. Under I-B, it will
be an indented "i". Master plan as attached has been modified from the
master plan of the original PUD.
Does that meet everybody's --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: No, I think Mr. Y ovanovich is
correct. If you can introduce that particular part of it, there has to be a
basis that you're saying. Because it sticks out like a sore thumb.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, no, wait a minute. Mr.
Y ovanovich is focusing on one piece of the master plan that is
changed. There may be other areas then. If we're going to highlight
one, we have to go back and reanalyze it and highlight them all.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Well, keep in mind that as a
consent agenda we're now modifying it to highlight something, so it's
no longer really a consent.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No, I think we're restating I-B so that
it's clear. It just says amended site plan. We're saying the master plan,
as attached, has been modified from the master plan of the original
PUD.
I mean, Mr. Murray, if you want it changed, what language
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March 6, 2008
would you suggest?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I would add based on the
requirements of the Southwest Florida Water Management District
boundaries.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Do you know that that is true?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: No, but he is testifying to it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Anybody else see a need to
change the language I've suggested, or you want --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: No.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: You mean in this report?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, Ms. Caron is suggesting under
I-B we add a little "i" that says, master plan as attached has been
modified from the master plan of the original PUD.
Mr. Murray wants the language further referencing permitting of
the South Florida Water Management District and I think the Corps of
Engineers.
I'm suggesting we leave it like this, Ms. Caron's suggesting we
leave it like this.
Does anybody else see the need to have it changed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Then let's go on and we'll vote on the
entire consent agenda at one item.
So the language we're talking about as has been read into the
record. Is there any other suggested changes to any item in the consent
agenda?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Go ahead.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Mark, and it's in number six. It's
the large paragraph almost towards the end. It's -- I'll read the whole
sentence. It says, however, as a result of the language in the PUD, the
CCPC recommended that reference to building separation be removed
Page 16
March 6, 2008
from the settlement agreement and the applicant should rely upon the
interpretation of the PUD.
What I'd like to do is strike the rest of that sentence which says,
with the understanding that the separations would not be less than
those shown on the SDP reviewed by the CCPC.
And the concern is that might give the impression that we
endorse the separations.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, no, I actually put that in there to
protect the fact that the SDP's we reviewed were locked in by that
sentence.
See, without that sentence, between now and the time it gets to
the BCC, based on the testimony by staff and the language here, they
could actually change the building dimension. That makes sure that
this was based on what we saw. That's why I was trying -- as a
minimum. I didn't --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But then why when I read it I
get the impression that this board is okay with that from that sentence?
Is that an incorrect impression, do you think?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, I just -- I think the board is
acknowledging that they read an SDP, that the SDP had certain
dimensions, and that we don't want that SDP to change. If it changes,
it should come back to us, because it's -- then our recommendations
for language changes become irrelevant.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And see, that kind of proves my
-- we don't want it to change. There are some of us on the board that
don't want it the way it's shown. And therefore, that sentence gives the
illusion, as you even just worded it, that it's okay the way it is. And
that was something we were careful not to endorse the SDP.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You're missing the point of the
sentence. But maybe it needs to be clarified.
The point of the sentence is, if the SDP changes then our
recommendations don't hold true. I don't care if it changes to it's 1,000
Page 17
March 6, 2008
feet between buildings or 10 feet between buildings. If it changes from
what was presented to us, then our recommendations are null and
void. That was the intent of putting that there.
And if you got a better of doing it, then --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, I mean, look -- you know,
again, some of us don't think that the separation is being properly read.
What you just said is if they make the separations as per what we
think the PUD says, that that would throw this thing null and void.
And that would be a disaster.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No, it's not what I'm saying, Brad.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: You said if they made it 1,000
feet. That's greater than 120 feet.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No, you missed the point. What I'm
trying to say is if they changed the SDP, then our recommendations
are null and void.
Our recommendations were based on the SDP's that were
presented to us. If they modify those SDP's, I don't care if they modify
them to our benefit -- to your benefit, I should say, or against your
benefit, they change them, then our recommendations are null and
void.
The purpose -- point is we reviewed and we made
recommendations based on those SDP's, and I'm suggesting that we
have to lock them in, that they're not going to change. And that's all
I'm trying to say.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But then what we're saying is
by what you said, and tell me if I'm wrong, you're saying that we
endorse the SDP's, we accepted the separation between those
buildings as shown in those SDP's. And I don't think we did that. We
were careful to get ourselves away from the SDP approval.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I honestly don't know how to make this
any clearer, and maybe it's me.
What I'm saying is we made these recommendations to the Bert
Page 18
March 6, 2008
Harris argument based on the SDP's we reviewed as we reviewed
them. That's all I was trying to say.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. So that meant that this
board accepted the separation between those buildings as a proper
separation?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I'm saying that we made
recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners based on
our review of the SDP and the language in the Bert Harris claim and
the language in the PUD and the coordinating of those two documents.
This is our result.
Whether you want it to be 1,000 feet, 200 feet, 100 feet or 10
feet, I don't care. I care about one thing, that we don't get a different
SDP that goes to the Board of County Commissioners and they're
thinking that we accepted that. That's what I worry about. And that's
all I was trying to do here was cover that base.
Now, if you have a better way of doing it, tell me.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, yeah, I thought the
striking the rest of that sentence would remove the illusion that we
think it's okay.
But the point is, Mark, that we really, I thought, in our hearing
we removed from this board the acceptance of the SDP. What you're
saying now is that we in fact are locking in the SDP, which is
essentially the acceptance of the SDP.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No, I'm saying that, again it says, with
the understanding that the separations would not be less than those
shown on the SDP's.
Our review was based on our review of all the documentation,
including the SDP's. If they had produced a lesser separation, we may
have had a different review. They produced a certain separation that
we based all of our review on.
I'm not saying that everybody agreed on it and I'm not saying
that that was the review that you were citing. In fact, I did all this to
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March 6, 2008
accommodate you, and you're the only one that's been objecting to it.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I'm not objecting to it, I just
want to be careful with it.
The -- but one statement you said that scared me. So if they
actually in the review of the SDP, which we know is not final yet, they
actually really looked at that issue and decided to make the buildings
the proper 200 feet separation, that you would say that would throw
our work -- would they have to come back before us to do that?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I think any change to those SDP's -- and
if the commission wants our opinion on those SDP's that are more
intrusive than what we reviewed, then we need to see it.
Go ahead, Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: The SDP's, as I recall, weren't
even complete as reviewed. We hadn't even gotten to that point.
However, could we not just put a date on them or put some kind
of an identification to allow us to fix that point that you're attempting
to relate, rather than -- because I do agree with Brad that we really
didn't -- couldn't review the SDP's; they hadn't been yet finalized, to
my understanding of it.
I don't disagree with your attempt, but perhaps a common
ground would be the SDP's identified as X, Y and Z and that fixes
them.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, it doesn't change his argument.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I'm not saying that I agree with
his argument completely or your argument completely. I'm trying to
find some common ground that we can work with.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, let me ask a question,
Mark. Would the commissioners rely upon our review that everything
represented in the SDP is acceptable to this board and shows proper
interpretation of the PUD?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I don't think we attempted to--
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yes or no.
Page 20
March 6, 2008
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- do that. I mean, I don't think we
attempted to do that. I think we reviewed everything and decided with
our discussion if it was logically -- the settlement agreement was
logically interpreted based on the PUD and the LDC. I don't know if
we went in the direction you just suggested.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. So the commissioners,
when they're looking at this, shouldn't rely upon our review as that
fact that the SDP represent a proper development or a development
that matches the PUD.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I don't understand what you're asking.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, I mean, we had a lot of
conversation. Joe Schmitt was in it. Because I think what the staff
wanted us to do was sign off on the SDP's. We didn't sign off on the
SDP's did we?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I don't believe we signed off on the final
SDP's because they couldn't be finalized until the settlement
agreement terms are finalized and they know then what they got to
design to.
They proposed a concept in the SDP that was 90 percent there,
subject to finalization of this document. And when these documents
are finalized, I'm assuming their final submittal then would be
approved subject to the terms of the settlement agreement.
And Mr. Schmitt, am I right or wrong or --
MR. SCHMITT: Based on the way this has progressed, that's the
position we're in right now, that the settlement agreement is finalized.
I will then wait for a re-submittal which we expect will be
forthcoming from the applicant. We'll get the re-submittal of the three
separate SDP packets. We will review those based on the
strike-through and underlined PUD that is modeled after the
settlement agreement. That review will be connected.
And basically our intent is then to report to the Board of County
Commissioners that hopefully at that time that the SDP's will be
Page 21
March 6, 2008
deemed compliant with both the LDC and the settlement agreement.
Now, if this board wants those to come back, you need to so
advise. But right now we have a settlement agreement, we have a
strike-through and underlined PUD, I'm waiting for the re-submittal,
we'll go through the plans, and I'll deal with them accordingly based
on those reviews.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And Mark, let me ask.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Go ahead.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Joe, if a commissioner asked
you a question did the Planning Commission, okay these separations
between the buildings, what would your answer be?
MR. SCHMITT: Well, based on -- when you say okay the
separation, my answer would be the separation between the buildings
was never an issue that was discussed as part of the settlement
agreement. And I don't think it was an issue that was brought before
this board.
Now, it could have been inclusive in the direction that you got
from the Board of County Commissioners, because the commissioners
were asking, is everything that is involved in this settlement
agreement in compliance with the LDC.
I thought this board ruled based on the language both in the PUD
and in the language in the LDC that there was not much that could be
done other than acknowledge that they invoked the rule number three
and that the criteria in rule number three allowed for those building
separations.
Now, I don't have any other way to tell that to the board. I would
say, I guess to answer your question in simple terms, by affirmation,
yes, I would say that this board approved --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: That's the problem.
MR. SCHMITT: -- the design. I don't think we have any power
to deny it.
And we've been through this when we talked about the
Page 22
March 6, 2008
application of that rule. And --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And Joe, the reason we
discussed it was that they requested in the original -- one of the drafts,
it's a strike-through -- that it be reduced.
MR. SCHMITT: Yes.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: In other words, they want to
lock in 100 feet, when it's essentially because of the height of the
building, 200 feet.
So we had that taken out, because we did not want to give
approval of a reduced setback.
And then it was totally up to the administration of the staff, your
professional staff, to make a judgment on those things.
MR. SCHMITT: Yes. And we did. And basically --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And the thing I didn't want to
have happen and it sounds like it might have happened, is I didn't want
the Planning Commission to endorse that judgment. That's your staffs
judgment. And I don't want anybody rely -- I don't think anybody
should rely -- I mean, we should vote and they can rely on that
judgment.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, and Brad, again, I understand and
I have understood from the beginning what your position was. I wrote
paragraph six to try to acknowledge that you had a position there.
The ending sentence that you want struck, or the portion of it
you want struck was added only because I thought somebody else on
this panel was concerned to acknowledge that they don't change the
SDP again after -- between us and the BCC.
I don't care if we strike that last piece. I was trying to do it
because I thought it would benefit this board and not hurt it. If you
feel it hurts it and the rest --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, let me again state it and
the other members can judge, is that when you state something like so
long as it doesn't get any closer, I think you give the illusion that it's
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March 6, 2008
okay the way it is. So that's my concern.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Well, let's go from there. Let's
ask the rest of the board. Because I don't want to belabor this all
morning. It would take all morning to go back and forth on it.
From the board's perspective, let's just focus on this last piece
that Mr. Schiffer's suggesting being struck after the word -- after the
letters PUD in item six.
Those that would like to see it struck, as Mr. Schiffer is
suggesting, please acknowledge by raising your hand.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: (Indicating.)
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: (Indicating.)
COMMISSIONER CARON: (Indicating.)
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: (Indicating.)
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: (Indicating.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: One, two, three, four. Five. I'm sorry,
Mr. Midney.
There's five.
So those that wish to see it remain will obviously be the
remaining four.
So looks like that last piece will be struck.
Okay, I don't know who had wanted it, but we'll strike that last
piece. So number six.
Now, is there any other item on this document that is
problematic?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ifnot, can I get a motion to accept the
consent items, or -- yeah, motion to approve the consent agenda.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: So moved.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Can I ask a question?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Adelstein made a motion. Is there a
second?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Well, I'll second it for comment.
Page 24
March 6, 2008
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, Mr. Murray made a second.
Go ahead, Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I'm not going to vote no. But if!
were to vote no, if others were to vote no on a consent, that dies then,
doesn't it?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, it means the consent isn't
reflective of the corrections we asked --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- staff to make.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: All right. Well, I still have an
issue with the first item, but I have to vote for it, because I think it's
well done overall.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Any other discussion?
All those in favor of -- go ahead, Ms. Caron.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Yeah, I do want to make a
comment before we take this vote.
I believe that this document reflects what the majority of this
board agreed to. I, however, am not in agreement with the settlement.
I have major issues, as Mr. Schiffer does, with the setbacks. And I
neither agree with staff nor with the petitioner on this issue, and I
think we should be ashamed.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, any other comments on the
motion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, all those in favor of the consent
agenda motion, please acknowledge by raising -- signify by saying
aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
MR. MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
Page 25
March 6, 2008
MR. WOLFLEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Anybody opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion carries 9-0.
Item #9 A
PETITION: V A-2007-AR-12477
Next item on the agenda is Petition V A-2007-AR-12477. It's the
George W. and Beverly 1. Schuelke, Vanderbilt Beach Estates, 496
Flamingo Avenue variance.
All those wishing to testify on behalf of the petitioner, please
rise and be sworn in by the court reporter.
(Speakers were duly sworn.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Are there any disclosures from the
Planning Commission?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I have -- I talked to Mr. Thornton. I also
sent an e-mail to Mr. Schmitt and to Mr. Klatzkow concerning a
document I found on Monday that seemed to discuss this kind of
Issue.
I didn't get a response from Mr. Klatzkow because he hasn't been
getting his e-mail.InevergotaresponsefromMr.Schmitt.Mr.
Thornton I'm sure will bring it up for discussion today.
With that and there's no other disclosures, we'll go forward with
the presentation by the applicant.
MR. THORNTON: Good morning, Commissioners. My name is
Chris Thornton, for the record. I'm representing the property owners
Page 26
March 6, 2008
today.
This is an application for a variance in the Connor's Vanderbilt
Beach area.
The matter began as a code enforcement action against the
property owners because they had pulled some permits to do a pool
screen cage replacement in 2004.
And at the time they went to get their C.O. for the pool screen
cage replacement, the as-built survey revealed some setback problems
that were caught by the building department. And subsequently,
because the C.O.'s, the permits that were issued for those -- for the
pool screen cage replacement did not have C.O.'s, code enforcement
initiated an action, inspected the property and found not only setback
deficiencies with respect to the new improvements but also with
respect to the pool itself.
This is a corner lot at the end of a dead end canal.
And so we're here to address those issues.
We attempted to work the issues out with code enforcement to
try to find a way to resolve this matter without the need for a variance,
and we were unsuccessful in that attempt.
The main points I'd like you to consider are that these are
accessory structures that are not blocking anyone's view. It's at the end
ofa dead end canal adjacent to Vanderbilt Drive. The pool, which is
the primary issue from the property owners' perspective -- the issues
that we're dealing with have to do with a screen cage, the pool itself
and two stairways that lead up from the water level up to the pool
level.
The main issue is the pool itself. The pool has been on the
property card. The pool was constructed in about 1985, 1986 time
frame. And the property owners have been paying taxes on that pool
for many years, 23 years.
We do have 11 letters of no objection, and we do have a staff
recommendation of approval.
Page 27
March 6, 2008
The details can get complicated. This picture helps understand --
helps you understand what's occurred.
The stairway, the wall you see is supporting a pool. That's the
top of the pool deck. The seawall is below it, just above the canal.
The stairway to the left was originally constructed with the pool
in '85, '86. And the cage, as it sits in this picture, is the replacement
cage.
The home was built by Mario Lagrasta. This was his personal
residence. He was a builder in the county. This was his personal
residence from about 1986 through 1989.
He did permit and get a C.O. for the home. The pool and pool
deck had a permit but no C.O. We could not -- I have not been able to
find a C.O. for the pool.
The cage was knocked down by the hurricane and replaced, and
when the contractor who actually installed the cage originally for Mr.
Lagrasta, the contractor, when he went to replace the cage, using the
surveys that he had available to him, he placed it exactly 10 feet from
the outside face of the seawall.
The survey that he was using doesn't make it very apparent that
the property line does not match up with the outside face of the
seawall.
So basically the wall and the left stairway have been there since
1986, roughly. The cage is a little better than it has been for the past
20 years because we moved it back about a foot, a foot and a half off
of the outside face of that retaining wall.
But it still does not meet current setback requirements and we
are seeking four variances to authorize these improvements to remain
where they are.
I think we resolved with staff the fact that the wings of the wall
-- you can see one wing here projecting out towards the canal. We
resolved with staff the fact that the wings can be considered walls and
fences that are not subject to the setback requirement.
Page 28
March 6, 2008
The setback we're dealing with is a 10- foot side yard setback for
a corner lot on a waterfront property. The lO-foot setback, stairways
are allowed to encroach three feet into that setback.
So basically if everything was -- if everything was measured
from the seawall, according to the rules that existed when they were
built, including the 1986 original construction and the replacements
recently done, I think those would all comply. But they don't because
of we didn't have C.O.'s issued.
We're seeking a variance of four feet for the wall, because only
at its worse points it comes within six feet of the property boundary.
And we're seeking a variance for the cage and the two stairways
that are shown in this photo.
The staff report goes into great detail. It appears to be -- the
factual description seems to be accurate. And we hope you'll support
the staffs recommendation of approval.
And I'd be happy to answer any questions. I know the facts are
somewhat complicated.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you, sir.
Any questions from the Planning Commission?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, I got a few.
Kay, could this be put on the overhead?
MS. DESELEM: Sure.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I had sent this out originally to the
county attorney and to Joe, hoping that they would be prepared to
address my question I had sent them in an e-mail on Monday.
And my question was simply, how does this affect, or if it does
affect, the document -- or the variances we have in front of us today?
This is a 1998 clarification to the codes, and it was -- it did two
things: It addressed the dock facility section of the code, and it also
addressed the definitions for yard waterfront. And it talked about, in
your background and considerations on those two different issues.
Page 29
March 6, 2008
And the determination was that the measurement for structures
and for docks should be taken from the outer water side of either the
seawall or the seawall cap, as shown in the attached diagram.
I have not been able to find the attached diagram, I can only go
by the text here. But if the measurement, from what I can see, on Page
5 of the staff report, the applicant stated the setback problems appear
to stem from the unusual circumstance that their property line falls
approximately 2.7 feet inside of the seawall, which was perhaps
overlooked by the pool contractor.
He also states that the replacement cage and stairwell would
meet the current setback requirements, if measured from the outside
face of the seawall instead of the property line.
And therein lies my question and concern of staff as to how this
clarification might impact the needs of the multiple variances we have
here today.
And maybe Mr. Brown, if you did this, you could respond.
MR. BROWN: Yes, sir. Good morning.
The memorandum was discussed by staff, myself, Ray Bellows,
Zoning Manager and the Director Susan Murray weighed in.
If you only read the determination clarification part of the
memorandum, it does lead you to believe that -- and I'm sorry, I can't
really see it from here.
Okay, great. Well, if you read the determination clarification, it
says the measurement of both structures and dock facilities should be
taken from the outer water side of either the seawall or seawall cap, as
shown on the attached diagram. We don't have the attached diagram.
You read just that alone it does lead you to believe that the
measurement should be taken from the outside face of the seawall.
However, in the background considerations of Section 2.6.21.1 from
the LDC reads, in quotes, protrusions as well as extension of dock
facilities are measured from the property line, bulkhead line, shoreline
and seawall. Either one of these.
Page 30
March 6, 2008
And then it goes on to say whichever is more restrictive.
And I have a better -- if I may grab my photograph, just a
second.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Sure, go right ahead. We need to get it
resolved.
I take it then that after I sent this it did get circulated, because I
never got an acknowledgement. And that you did or somebody must
have tried to look for the diagram that's referenced in this document?
Because I could not find it.
MR. BROWN: Don't have the diagram. I do have a photo and
we do have the survey record of the property.
If you look at this, just an approximate of what exists on-site, the
property line lies 2.7 feet inside of the seawall. So in this scenario the
property line is the most restrictive point. And you use the most
restrictive point to determine your setback.
And so that's why the applicant finds himself with this variance
request and the property in conflict with the LDC.
A 10- foot setback is required, as he's already mentioned. The
concrete pair of stairs, the pool deck wall and the pool screen cage do
not sit back 10 feet from the property line, and that's why you have the
variance request before you today.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yeah, I understand that. If you could put
that other highlighted paper back on.
If the answer was as plain and simple as you've stated it, then
why did we have this clarification come out?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Mark, I can help answer it.
MR. BROWN: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Go ahead. I'm sorry, Brad.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I can remember when we
studied seawalls. First of all, to build a seawall, the furthest you can
bring a seawall into the waterway is the outside face of the seawall has
to be -- is the property line. This thing is encroaching quite a bit.
Page 31
March 6, 2008
The reason I think we had this is we have lots in Connor's where
the property line is actually outside the seawall.
MR. BROWN: That's what I was about to say.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So I think the reason this was
going to come about is that there are situations where really the lot
line could be three or four feet beyond the seawall, and this is to
clarify that you measure from the seawall, not that lot in the water
line.
MR. BROWN: Correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Brad, just for your first statement,
seawalls are routinely allowed to go past the property line. In fact, I'm
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Really?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes.
In fact, DEP and the Corps of Engineers do it as a letter
notification. The Corps of Engineers does it as a nationwide permit.
When you replace a seawall, they prefer you put it within one
foot of the existing seawall outside your property line so that you don't
have to water jet out the old seawall and cause more turbidity in the
water. I know that for a fact.
MR. BROWN: In this case --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The seawall then would be encroaching
more outward, which would lose the property line.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: That makes sense.
Willie, let me just answer, though, is that we do have a seawall
ordinance and in that ordinance it shows where the property line can
be.
MR. BROWN: That would be true, but in this case the seawall is
-- it's not public property. The canal is a public easement. The seawall
is actually owned by a private entity or a property owner. And so you
have the property line, you have the seawall, which is owned by
someone different, you have the canal, which is a public easement.
Page 32
March 6, 2008
And would you like to go into detail about the seawall and who
it's owned by? And a vacation would possibly be needed in order for
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I don't think we're asking that. My
whole purpose of the discussion was simply to understand how and if
this applied. It seems you're telling me it doesn't apply because --
MR. BROWN: It doesn't apply.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- the measurement -- okay, and that's
fine for this case and I'll drop it there.
But at some point I wish that staff would, number one, find the
backup to this document, and number two, explain why it was done in
the first place ifit doesn't apply.
And it doesn't -- what was this document done for in 1998?
Someone had to ask for it.
So that's the only comment I would like to note. Okay.
That -- okay, anybody have think other questions on the --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Yeah.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- for the applicant?
Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I do.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And Ms. Caron.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: That was the question I had, was
who has responsibility for the seawall and -- because I thought frankly
that that would be the homeowner. But apparently a third party can
have ownership of a seawall. I didn't know that.
Mr. Thornton, do you have the answer to that question?
MR. THORNTON: The seawall itself was constructed in the
early Eighties by a lady named Diane Smith who owned the property
at the time. She sold the property to Mr. Lagrasta. Mr. Lagrasta added
the part of the seawall that cuts the corner short. And the seawall was
C.O.'d, permitted and C.O.'d where it sits by the county when it was
constructed.
March 6, 2008
The -- if you want to know who holds title to the canal, I don't
know the answer to that question. I can tell you that for property
notification purposes, you're supposed to go by the property
appraiser's information. And that's basically shown as a publicly
dedicated waterway. The plat dedicates the canal and the streets to the
public.
So I can't tell you who actually holds legal --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: If the seawall were damaged or
in bad shape, who would be responsible for --
MR. THORNTON: Property owner.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Property owner.
MR. THORNTON: Property owner.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Even though you don't know
whether they own it or not.
MR. THORNTON: Well, I --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Because I think we've
established they don't own it because we've established a property line
that is some distance short of the seawall.
So that seawall is a separate entity owned by a property owner,
but he has no title to it. This is very confusing.
Measurement from ownership is what I thought we were
working from. But apparently that's --
MR. THORNTON: Before the adoption of 04-41, the re-
codification of your LDC, there was a phrase in your definition of
setback or setback line that said you measure from the most restrictive
of this long list of things.
In 04-41' s re-codification, that sentence that contained the phrase
the most restrictive was dropped.
I pushed with code enforcement and staff to let me measure from
the outside face of the seawall, because the most restrictive language
is no longer in the LDC.
I lost that argument. The counter argument was that 04-41 was
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March 6, 2008
only a re-codification, it was not intended to make any substantive
changes.
So you need to carry around 04-41 and prior versions of the
LDC to know exactly what rules apply. And the most restrictive
language is still effective, and that's where you should measure from.
And that's the ruling that I'm working with.
And that's the ruling that I'm working with, that I do have to
measure from the property lines for my improvements on the lot.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I think part of the basis for this whole
case, though, is that these structures were built at a time where the
rules may have been read or interpreted differently than they are
today.
The diagram that Mr. Schmitt put on here, if that's -- the diagram
that was supposed to accompany this staff clarification seems to
confirm that the measurement then in '98 would have been from the
outside face of the seawall cap.
Is that the way I'm reading it, Joe.
MR. SCHMITT: That's correct. That's -- I didn't know you were
looking for that drawing. I certainly would have found it, because I
know when I got your e-mail it was to Jeff. I didn't respond to that
e-mail, but I did circulate it to my staff to be prepared to address it.
The drawing -- and I'm almost positive this is the drawing that
was originally part of that is the staff policy or staff opinion on how to
apply it. But this was from a case we know about from a few years
ago.
But it is from the outer edge of the seawall cap as shown there.
That's the highlighted. That's the measurement.
Now, I believe -- and most of this area, the property lines are
actually in the water. And it wasn't from the property line, it's from the
seawall cap. There are areas out there. And that was the whole dispute
up in this area, that it wasn't from the property line, it was actually
from the outer edge of the cap of the seawall. That's what's shown
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March 6, 2008
there. And I believe that's the drawing you were looking for.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I appreciate that. Thank you.
Ms. Caron?
COMMISSIONER CARON: Yeah, tell me what exactly this is.
I don't -- there's no date on it, there's nothing that tells me that this is --
this particular property. I don't know what I'm looking at here.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: This was the diagram that's missing
from the green highlighted memo. If you read -- that memo that was
on the thing prior that I found --
COMMISSIONER CARON: Oh, okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- it says pursuant to the attached
diagram. This is it. See where -- and that's --
COMMISSIONER CARON: Yes, thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's what he was trying to show.
That's what explains --
COMMISSIONER CARON: So this --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- this.
COMMISSIONER CARON: -- dates back to 1998--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right.
COMMISSIONER CARON: -- is when this document was
written.
In 2002, Mr. Schmitt, you did a whole study and presented to the
Board of County Commissioners on seawalls and setbacks in the
Vanderbilt Lagoon area.
MR. SCHMITT: That's correct.
COMMISSIONER CARON: This particular property was one of
the ones that was noted in 2002 as not being to code. So I'm just -- I'm
concerned. Why would you in 2002 say it was not to code if in '98
you're saying according to a staff judgment it would have been?
MR. SCHMITT: I hear your question. I'm not prepared to
answer that because I'm not sure -- I didn't follow the logic on the --
I'm not that familiar with this case, so I'm not -- I can't -- all I know is
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March 6, 2008
what's in the case here, but I can't answer your questions specifically
unless I sit down and actually analyze what you just asked me.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, the only thing I think this points
out is maybe in any further of these variance requests that come
forward, this document, if it's proven to be applicable, is taken into
consideration. And I think if the staff were to know that that
document's there and if it's something that should apply to the
variance request that you're looking at, then so be it.
At the time -- that may prove why so many of these homes seem
out of compliance when at the time they may have been relying on
this clarification and may have ended up confusing the issue more
than making it more understanding.
So I think that's where we need to leave it today, and that's staffs
purview to go forward with it at this point.
Any other questions on this?
Ms. Caron?
COMMISSIONER CARON: Well, yeah, I have questions back
to the actual picture of the property there.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You mean the one with the seawall and
the steps?
COMMISSIONER CARON: Yep.
The steps to the right, when were they added?
MR. THORNTON: The steps to the right were added in 2004
with a permit approved by the county. And that's because the screen
cage replacement that was due to a hurricane, when that screen cage
replacement was being permitted, the stair to the left was determined
by the building department to not be a code compliant stairway
because it didn't have an adequate landing.
The property owner therefore screened over the left stair and
permitted a new stair, the stair to the right. And that stair was set back
exactly just a little over seven feet from the outside face of the
seawall.
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March 6, 2008
Apparently just like the original property owner and just like the
screen cage contractor, the survey that they've been using that was for
a purchase just didn't make it very clear where the property line fell in
relation to the seawall.
So that is a brand new stair built in -- well, not new now, but it
was built in '04, and it was never C.O.'d because it did not meet
setback. That stair -- the bottom right corner of the right stair actually
comes to within less than a foot of the property line. But if measured
from the seawall, it meets the seven-foot -- lO-foot setback with a
three- foot encroachment.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, are there any other questions of
the applicant?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Hearing none, we'll see if staff has
anything else to add.
MR. BROWN: Good morning. For the record, Willie Brown,
Principal Planner, Department of Zoning and Land Development
Review.
I won't repeat a lot of what's already been said by the applicant. I
just want to confirm that the petitioner's presentation is consistent with
the application on file with the department of zoning.
Staff is recommending approval, subject to two conditions, and
I'll put those up.
Staff is recommending approval subject to two conditions; those
being: That the development shall be limited to that which is depicted
in the record survey with the revised date of October 1, 2007. Here's
the record survey. Which is also in your packet.
And the second condition is that if for any reason the structure
shall be damaged by more than 50 percent, then the property shall be
brought into full compliance with the LDC requirements at the time of
permitting.
So those are the two conditions that staff is recommending.
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March 6, 2008
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Are there any questions of staff?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I do.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Schiffer, Ms. Caron, then Mr.
Kolflat.
MR. BROWN: I'll almost done but not quite. Sorry.
This property again was cited to be in violation by the county's
code enforcement department for the aforementioned reasons. You
can see from this photo the screen cage, the pool deck wall and the
concrete pair of stairs. Those are the specific variances being
requested here.
The home pool and pool accessory uses are permitted within the
RMF-3 zoning district. This property is zoned RMF-3. The uses are
also permitted within the urban residential designation of the GMP as
well.
In compliance with Section 9.04.03, criteria for variances, the
Planning Commission shall consider and be guided by the following
standards in making a determination.
Staff is offering criteria (sic) Band D which state approval may
be granted if there are special conditions and circumstances which do
not result from the action of the applicant, such as preexisting
conditions relative to the property.
These are preexisting conditions. The house was built by a
different property owner. The current property owner inherited these
problems.
D states, approval may be granted if the variance will be the
minimum variance that will make possible the reasonable use of the
land, building or structure. Staff feels these are minimal in nature.
Lastly, nine letters of -- I'm sorry, I believe he said eleven letters
of support have been received from neighboring property owners,
including a letter from the Zilavys (phonetic) who were approved for
rear yard variances in January, 2008 by the BCC for pool accessory
uses. And the Zalavy's property's immediately next door to this
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March 6, 2008
property .
No letters of opposition have been supported.
And if there are any questions, I'll be more than happy to
entertain those that this time.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Before we go to the commission, Mr.
Schmitt, did you have something you wanted to add to the staff
report?
MR. SCHMITT: No, I just want to make sure we answered Ms.
Caron's concerns.
I can go back and look at that briefing that was given. I know
what Willie just said, of course is this was a previous -- one of the
ones identified as a violation. And I just want to make sure we
answered your question.
Because we had a plethora of violations out there, all different --
for all different reasons, most of which violated the lO-foot four-foot
rule, setback rule, basically requiring the -- my recollection, 20 feet
from the seawall for the principal structure.
I don't know specifically what your question was and can we
answer it, between what is Willie knows about this and what I -- I'm
trying to recall from a couple of years ago when we first went into
this.
COMMISSIONER CARON: My question was simply -- and if
you want to look at this while we're going through the rest of this, then
you can tell me whether it is or not. I just wanted to know whether -- if
they had been cited in 200 -- you knew in 2002 that there were
problems, and problems with this specific property. Why wouldn't
they have gotten corrected then? Why were they allowed to continue
creating these issues? I don't understand it.
MR. SCHMITT: Well, that I can't answer. This is one of the
ones that was cited for a violation. And it's been cited for a violation. I
can't answer why they allowed to continue with the -- I guess with the
additional construction of the steps and the extension of the seawall is
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March 6, 2008
what you're asking.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But I think maybe Ms. Caron's touched
on something that needs to be revisited by staff and that is a
reevaluation of that disk of violations that purportedly are in that area,
based on that staff clarification language and the diagram that you
now just showed us.
And if that does have an impact on those, I think the commission
needs to know that.
MR. SCHMITT: That's the same staff clarification that we
applied when we debated the Dowdy case over what, three or four
years ago. That's where that drawing came from when I pulled up that
briefing.
That staff clarification is nothing new. It's exactly what we
applied back then.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Right. But all I want to make sure
is that clarification which was done in '98 --
MR. SCHMITT: Yes.
COMMISSIONER CARON: -- conforms to whatever you told
everybody in 2002. And if there are differences, why? And should
some of these people be cited and some of them not? I don't know.
MR. SCHMITT: I can't answer that unless I go through every
one of those.
But in 2002 the staff clarification, to the best of my knowledge,
was what we applied when we evaluated those evaluations.
COMMISSIONER CARON: And it was based on the '98.
MR. SCHMITT: That's correct.
COMMISSIONER CARON: So what's in here for 2002 was
based on what you had written in '98.
MR. SCHMITT: That's correct. We used that same staff
clarification when Mr. Dowdy came in and put the -- raised the
seawall and put the cap on the seawall. And then we issued the
administrative variance based on that. And that of course was
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March 6, 2008
subsequently appealed and overturned by the board.
But it was from the most outer portion of the cap. If you recall,
that's where he constructed the overhang, the cap and the overhang,
and constructed an additional foot.
And we allowed that as the most -- well, as the most restrictive
point, I guess. And we took it from there and measured that and that's
what the board -- when the board overruled that, but that --
COMMISSIONER CARON: Yeah, it was overruled.
MR. SCHMITT: But that has been consistently applied.
And most of the cases that you were citing in that briefing were,
I'll call it, at least alleged violations. We didn't have anything to
validate it, we just through suspicion and our initial measurements.
We were going back then and looking at various spot surveys, and this
was one of the properties from that original study over four years ago.
COMMISSIONER CARON: So you're consistently approving
something that's been overturned already by the BCC? Is that what
you just said to me?
MR. SCHMITT: No, no. No, what I said was back then we
applied that.
The reason the board overturned the Dowdy case was they felt it
was --
COMMISSIONER CARON: Yeah, we know.
MR. SCHMITT: -- an egregious violation as far as constructing
the overhang.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Right.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, then, one last comment.
You have -- now you're telling us that the '98 staff clarification
was -- has been utilized. Except if you utilize it on the variance that
was in front of us today, three out of the four probably wouldn't be
here.
So I'm not sure that -- and all I'm suggesting, maybe you ought
to go back through and check all those locations on that disk to make
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March 6, 2008
sure that they're either consistent or inconsistent with the '98 staff
clarification, so that we're not bringing people in here and forcing
them through the system when they may not need to be, based on the
readings of the time. That's all I think this board's saying.
So Mr. Schiffer, then we'll go back to Mr. Caron to see if she has
any follow-up, then Mr. Kolflat.
Go ahead, Mr. Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, I was going to -- if you
want to stay on this topic, go to Ms. Caron now then. Is that what --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No, we're done with this topic.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And Mark, I think one thing we
have to be careful of is that in the Dowdy case the property line was
outside the seawall, and that drawing was showing you that the most
restrictive in that case was the seawall.
This case is the exact opposite. The property line is inside the
seawall. Therefore, the most restrictive in this case is the property line.
Willie, my question is, what is the --
MR. BROWN: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: The property lines that are on
the canal, you're considering those sidelines? How come they're not
rear property lines?
MR. BROWN: They're not rear yards, because as you can see
from the diagram on the visualizer, this is a corner lot. Corner lots
don't have rear yards; they only have front yards and side yards. And
that's the way it's written in the LDC. And that's what we go by in
terms of establishing yards.
So you have Flamingo Avenue and Vanderbilt. Those are both
front yards.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So you interpret the LDC that if
a lot is a corner lot, which this definitely is, that from that point on you
only have front yards and side yards?
MR. BROWN: Correct.
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March 6, 2008
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Even though geometry like this
is -- essentially these are rear yards. I mean, in other words, if the side
yards did connect, you'd be 100 percent right. But in this case these
are not stout, and I don't know why the setbacks for rear yards
wouldn't apply.
The property next door, for example, that's a rear yard, the one
to the west of this.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It's not a corner lot.
MR. BROWN: I have something that -- okay, Section 5.03.02
from the LDC, fences -- related to fences and walls. If you go down to
item number four, it says for corner lots, one acre or less in area,
which by definition have only front yards and side yards. This is the
language we have to go by. There are no rear yards for corner lots.
And this is universal standard language in any ordinance in any
city in any state in the U.S. This is the way it's interpreted for all
ordinances for corner lots.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But see, here's the thing, is that
I do work all around and we do consider that that's a rear yard set --
what this says is a corner lot, which by definition has only front and
side yards. Well, this has year yards also, so this may not be a corner
lot by that definition. In other words, you can read that backwards too
and say that a corner lot has to have only front and side yards.
MR. BROWN: I respectfully disagree. It doesn't have a rear
yard.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: My only concern -- and I'm a
friend of the application -- is that, you know, if it is a rear yard, we've
got that problem with the seawall height. It's slightly over and would
require actually a 20- foot setback. So I would just want to make sure
we clear that up.
MR. BROWN: Yeah, and the very last sentence in number four
says, fences with required side yards may reach six feet in height. So
the height of the fence in this petition isn't an issue.
Page 44
March 6, 2008
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. All right, thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ms. Caron?
COMMISSIONER CARON: Yeah, just a couple of things.
When noting the stairs to the right, you said that they had been
done by the prior owners, that all these variances were required
because of steps taken by the prior owner.
And that's not true. The steps to the right were just constructed
by this current owner in 2004.
MR. BROWN: Yes, ma'am.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Okay. I just wanted that clarified.
Now, if you go to this Exhibit A plan that you're looking at
approving. If this cage gets blown down in another hurricane, what's
actually to prevent somebody from saying I'll put a door on the old
staircase again? It looks like that's part of this approved plan.
MR. BROWN: Yes, ma'am.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Why wouldn't we make them just
block off those stairs? They're not supposed to be used, they're not
supposed to be there anymore. Why wouldn't we say concrete them
in?
MR. BROWN: To date it hasn't been an issue. They were issued
building permits, but as the applicant has said, they have not received
a certificate of completion so of course our code enforcement officers
go out and they inspect these uses. And so in this case they were found
not to be in compliance with the LDC. And so until a certificate of
completion has been granted, they're found in violation. And for this
applicant, it's required them to come in for a variance to get approval.
If approval is not granted by this board today, then the screen
cage wall has to come down, the concrete stairs have to be demolished
and possibly even the pool.
COMMISSIONER CARON: So -- but my point is here now
we're compounding problems in variances. If they hadn't bothered to
put in the new staircases and come before us then, we'd only have one
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March 6, 2008
variance here for this one staircase. Now we're talking about
approving two.
Why wouldn't you ask them, ask the petitioner to concrete in this
old staircase that now there isn't an exit to? Because it's been in
violation apparently for a long time.
MR. BROWN: You raise a very good point. I'll let Mr. Thornton
respond.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Go ahead, sir.
MR. THORNTON: I'll just try to address your comment.
The old stair could be used -- could have been used if we
designed the screen when you come up the stairs to have a long tunnel
into the pool deck area and then a door. Because that would provide a
landing, I suppose.
That wasn't a very attractive option to have such a screen
protrusion into the pool deck area. And we asked for the variance,
because the stair does sit there today, and we're asking for the variance
so we don't have to demolish the stair. Demolishing the stair would
require demolition and then somehow reconstruction of that wall,
which would require engineering and masonry work.
And therefore, we're asking to let that old stair sit where it is,
even though it's not useful to us.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you, sir.
Mr. Kolflat?
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Could you put the overhead
aerial on, please.
Now, the petition included 11 letters, I believe, of neighbors that
-- this property?
MR. BROWN: The letters of support, yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Who wrote that letter? It's the
same letters. Do you know who wrote --
MR. BROWN: No, they're different signatures at the bottom of
each letter.
Page 46
March 6, 2008
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: But the letter contacted exactly
identical for all 11.
MR. BROWN: The letters are identical. I'm assuming Mr.
Thornton wrote the letter. But each individual property owner along
Flamingo Avenue, and that's where the bulk of the letters come from
in support. They signed -- each individual property owner along
Flamingo signed the letter.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: All right, the property just
adjacent to the subject property, was the letter writer from there also,
one of the letters from that person?
MR. BROWN: Yes, sir. That was the Zilavy variance I referred
to that this commission approved back in November oflast year for
rear yard --
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: When you look at this --
MR. BROWN: -- variances.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: -- aerial, it would appear that
there's very few houses that see what we're talking about as far as the
encroachment on it. A neighbor obviously would have an interest and
across the canal probably two or three of the properties. But what is
the relevance of having 11 neighbors write that it's no objection to it?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Doesn't matter.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: I mean, some of these people
are probably in houses they can't even see the property and know
what's going on.
MR. BROWN: I think it goes to making the point that the
neighboring property owners don't feel that there's a detriment to
public health, safety and welfare. I think that was their purpose in
submitting the letter of support.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: But because of the remoteness
of the people that are writing some of these letters to the property, I'm
concerned that we're letting voting take care of land use policy
decisions and making our decisions based on how many letters a
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March 6, 2008
person can come up with.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Kolflat, I don't think any of us are--
I'm not doing that. I don't think anybody on this panel is doing that,
sir. I mean, I certainly want to let the record show that that's not
swaying my way of voting on this particular --
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Well, then what is the purpose
of putting it in the petition?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I think staff was just trying to show us
that the immediate neighbors and the neighbors on that street, or
wherever they're from didn't have an objection to it. But it wasn't
something that necessarily is our -- what we find upon. We find upon
the LDC and the application for public safety and welfare, so --
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: But shouldn't there be some sort
of limit to how far an area we go in getting letters in support?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I don't think we could limit public
opinion and public input. I don't think we could legally do that, nor
would we want to, sir.
MR. SCHMITT: There's no limit. We've had petitions bring 500
letters in.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: So we should make the
determination of the relevancy or nonrelevancy.
MR. SCHMITT: Absolutely, sir, that's your prerogative.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's correct.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, are there any other questions of
staff?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you, Mr. Brown.
Any public speakers, Kay?
MS. DESELEM: I do not have any, no.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is there any rebuttal requested by the
applicant? I don't know if you need any. No.
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March 6, 2008
Okay, in any -- we'll close the public hearing.
Weare starting a new process. The last rezone or item we had,
we had discussion before the motion, so I'll certainly offer that up.
Does anybody want discussion? If they don't, I'll ask for a motion.
Any discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, is there a motion on this
particular issue?
Mr. Vigliotti?
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: I'll make a motion to approve.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I'll second that motion.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion's been made by Mr. Vigliotti,
seconded by Commissioner Adelstein.
Does your motion include staff recommendations --
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- Mr. Vigliotti?
Does the second include those, too?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Acknowledged.
Okay, any discussion from the Planning Commission?
Ms. Caron?
COMMISSIONER CARON: Yeah, I will vote against the
motion, and only because I think we're compounding it. I think that
that center staircase at the very minimum should be concreted in. I
understand that the pool was there from the beginning from the
Eighties. I have no problem with the pool. I don't have a problem with
replacing the cage on the pool. There are some questions here about
that right-hand staircase that I think easily have been handled, but I
don't see why we compound the issue here with that second staircase.
But that's just my opinion.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Anybody else have any comments?
(No response.)
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March 6, 2008
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, all those in favor of the motion to
approve, signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
MR. MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
MR. WOLFLEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Anybody opposed?
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion carries 8-1.
And with that, we will take a break until five after 10:00. Thank
you all.
(Recess.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, if everybody will resume their
seats, we can continue with the meeting.
Item #9B
PETITION: PUDZ-A-2007-AR-11723
The next petition up is PUDZ-A-2007-AR-11723. It's Amy and
Tammy -- no, Amy Turner and Tammy Turner Kipp for a location on
Vanderbilt Beach Road, quarter mile east of Livingston Road.
Would all those wishing to speak on behalf of the applicant
please rise and be sworn in by the court reporter.
(Speakers were duly sworn.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, are there any disclosures on the
part of Planning Commission?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Yes.
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CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Murray, then Ms. Caron.
COMMISSIONER MURRA Y: I had a very brief and not
in-depth conversation with Mr. Y ovanovich regarding the matter.
Superficial, completely.
COMMISSIONER CARON: I had a conversation with Mr.
Y ovanovich as well.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Adelstein?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I've had discussions with Mr.
Y ovanovich also.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Vigliotti?
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: I had a brief discussion in the
hallway with Mr. Y ovanovich.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And I -- you know, I think I had a
discussion with Mr. Y ovanovich and Mr. Arnold on this one. And I
know a young lady I came up with in the elevator who said she is
involved in the project, I talked with her too, but I don't even know her
name. So that's the best I can tell you. I'm an old man with a bad
memory.
So we'll go on with -- go ahead, applicant's presentation.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Thank you. Good morning. For the
record, Rich Y ovanovich.
And that individual was Amy Turner.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Oh, okay. Hi, Ms. Turner.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: So I introduce the two of you.
With me today are Amy Turner and Tammy Kipp, who are the
current property owners, as well as Tim Haskins and Kate Spiller, who
represent the contract purchaser on the property; Wayne Arnold and
Andres Correa and Heidi Williams from Q. Grady Minor and
Associates, to answer any planning and engineering related questions;
and Reed Jarvi from Vanasse and Daylor to answer any transportation
related questions.
On the visualizer is an aerial that shows the property location.
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March 6, 2008
As you can see, it's an approximate eight-acre parcel about a quarter
mile east of the Livingston Road/Vanderbilt Beach Road intersection.
To the north of us is the Tiburon Golf Course. Immediately to
the east is a portion of Wilshire Lakes. Adjacent to the west is -- it's
the farm, right, horse stables. And to the south is Village Walk.
This property is currently zoned PUD, which would allow 200
assisted living facilities -- facility units or a combination of up to 180
ALF units and up to 50 skilled nursing care beds, as well as a child
care center.
Hopefully this looks familiar to you. A couple of years back we
went through the Growth Management Plan amendment process to
establish the Vanderbilt Beach Road neighborhood commercial sub-
district. That sub-district contained two parcels: The parcel
immediately adjacent to the intersection of Livingston Road and
Vanderbilt Beach Road was parcel one, and that went through the
rezone process not too long ago and was rezoned the Bradford Square
PUD.
The other parcel is our parcel.
The Growth Management Plan specifically allows ALF units,
independent living units, a continuing care retirement community, or a
nursing home, or all the above to be requested on this particular piece
of property.
It limits it to a maximum of 200 units, and it allows a floor area
ratio of .6.
And a couple weeks back we -- in another petition that I was
involved in, the Land Development Code currently allows a floor area
ratio for these types of facilities of a .45.
When we were going through the comprehensive plan
amendment process for this particular piece of property, we explained
that that was an outdated standard based upon the amenities that
people who live in these facilities expect and the size of units that they
expect.
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So we came through with on this particular piece of property a .6
floor area ratio to address the current market and the level of amenities
people expect to live in these types of communities.
At this time it's anticipated that we will be building an
independent living facility on the property. Although we're asking for
assisted living, independent living, continuing care retirement
communities and skilled nursing on the site, at this time we expect it
to be an independent living facility.
The comprehensive plan requires that if you're going to do an
independent living facility, it's got to be age restricted to people 55
years and older, which our PUD specifically requires.
The county's Land Development Code does not define what an
independent living facility is, although it does refer to it in the group
care category. And Wayne will get into the master plan, as well as
some of the deviations.
But in the Land Development Code, the reference to
independent living facilities is just that, independent living units. And
it has a parking standard of one unit -- one parking space per unit. And
Wayne will get into explaining why we're asking for a deviation for
the clubhouse. So there's a reference in the code, it just doesn't define
what it is.
In speaking to one of your colleagues on the Planning
Commission, the question came about, Rich, what's the difference
between these types of units and just a regular old apartment complex
or a regular old condominium project?
What I -- and we've talked about this in the past on other
projects, but what I'm going to put on the visualizer is a list of the
operational amenities we provide to residents that live there -- we need
to zoom in on that, Kay -- that distinguishes our type of community
from a -- you know, I'll call it the garden variety complex or garden
variety condominium project.
What we will provide -- and if necessary, we're happy to include
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these operational criteria in the PUD document itself -- is we provide
on-site dining for the residents so they don't need to go off-site to get
their food. We will provide group transportation for residents to take
them to the grocery store or to other shopping. For individuals who
have other needs as far as going to a doctor or other, you know, kind
of specialized trips, you know, that don't readily serve themselves to
group transportation, we will coordinate for them transportation to get
to those trips. So they don't need a car if they don't want a car, but
obviously they'll be allowed to drive themselves to these places if they
want to.
There'll be an on-site manager that also serves as kind of an
activities coordinator. And what that person does is assist the residents
there to coordinate different things that they might need for their
individual needs, and will also coordinate off-site, as my kids call
them, field trips, but off-site trips to the Phil or other things like that
that they might be interested in attending, as well as bringing lectures
and entertainment to the residents on-site at the clubhouse.
So that person will provide opportunities for people to be
entertained on-site to meet their needs and not leave if they don't want
to leave, and provide them opportunities to go to other places off-site,
if they want to do that.
There will be an on-site wellness center and there will be
exercise and other fitness programs provided to the residents
coordinated by this activities coordinator who will be providing the
servIces.
Each unit will have an emergency pull cord that will
immediately contact 9-1-1 if there's a medical or other emergency.
And each unit will be designed so the residents can age in place. For
example, the kitchens will already be designed that if, you know, they
come in and in the future they somehow need a wheelchair, the
kitchen could be easily retrofitted to lower the sink and other things so
people can age in place and not have to move out just because they
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now need to use a wheelchair. The bathrooms will easily be retrofitted
with grab bars, if they need those things in the future.
So we're providing an opportunity for people to age in place.
Their aides will be allowed to obviously come and live with them if
they need to. So it will be an independent living unit, but people will
be able to age in place and continue to reside there.
We think that these additional services are not something you
typically find in a normal apartment complex or a normal
condominium project.
The purpose of this type of housing is really to serve people who
are getting older but they're still very -- they're fairly healthy. The
average age usually for people who move in here is kind of the early
to mid seventies. They can, if they had to, probably could take care of
themselves in a condominium, but it's probably not really what they
want to do. They want to move in and be with other people their own
age. They're usually single, so they have an opportunity to have
companionship with others in a similar situation.
My grandmother lived in one of these things. She moved in
when she was 80 and she stayed until, you know, she needed to go to
a nursing home. But it was good for her, and I jokingly said if they'd
have had this for me when I got out of college, it wouldn't have been
so bad to have that kind of an environment, and then she reminded me
that was what my dorm life was while I was in college, so I did
already have that experience, so it was her turn to have that
expenence.
Your staff is recommending approval. We have so far received
positive feedback from our surrounding neighbors. Village Walk has, I
believe, written a letter of support. I don't know if you have that or
not.
We haven't really received any real negative feedback from
Wilshire Lakes.
We've met with representatives of WCI, and I think that they
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generally support what we're doing.
Wayne's going to take you through the master plan and the
requested deviations. And then if you'll let him finish that, then we'll
be open to answer any questions you might have regarding the project.
I think that will go quicker and smoother if we can just do it that way.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Briefly?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Then all of us then should have the
same opportunity.
Go ahead, Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: No, minor point on number five.
I just wondered if that would be a C, D or E flat cord. I wasn't sure.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: What do you need it to be?
MS. ARNOLD: Good morning. I'm Wayne Arnold. And as Rich
indicated I think what I'll do is just start by briefly introducing you to
the master concept plan. I have a colorized version I'll put on the
visualizer for you. Give you an -- put it in an aerial photo, just to give
you some visual perspective with our neighboring properties.
But essentially what we're proposing on this master plan, and to
distinguish from the original PUD that was approved here, if you look
at that, it was one of the old type of master plans that had very little
detail on it. It had a big development envelope and showed the buffers
and an access point.
And with this particular property and working with our
neighbors through the compo plan process and then now through the
zoning, we've given a much more definitive picture of what and how
the development is going to occur on-site.
The access point that we show on Vanderbilt Beach Road was a
defined access point that occurred with the widening of Vanderbilt
Beach Road. There was a settlement agreement in essence when an
easement was given by the -- by Amy Turner and Tammy Kipp for the
property. So the access point, the stub-out's being provided now as
part of the road construction. We're working with a contractor to go
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ahead and facilitate the right turn lanes as necessary here, et cetera.
So that's moving forward. And that's one of the driving forces of
the layout of the site, because our access point was known.
What I don't reflect on this colorized version that is on your
master plan that's in your document is the potential to interconnect
with the horse stable to the west.
There's been no expressed interest by either party, but we've
provided for that, and our site plan's designed to accommodate it,
should they desire to do that.
We have a directional median opening. It's not a full median
opening. However, if that facilitates some better transportation
movements on Vanderbilt Beach Road then we're happy to provide
that.
The layout we're showing, we have our preserve area that is
predominantly to our eastern boundary. We made a commitment
during the comprehensive plan process that we would have at least a
30-foot wide buffer adjacent to the Wilshire Lakes neighbors that I
think the minimum width on our preserve is around 40 feet, and we've
worked with your environmental staff to make sure that it's in the most
appropriate location, it buffers the residences to the east, and I hope
they're satisfied with it.
We have water management that's going to be shown as a small
wet detention lake on-site. That will be designed to be closer to
Vanderbilt Beach Road. We discharge ultimately to Vanderbilt Beach
Road system, so that works for that purpose.
And then we have two proposed unit type buildings on here, as
well as a clubhouse facility.
The structures are being designed to house the parking
underneath the buildings, and I wouldn't call it a garage, but an open
covered parking area below the living units. And the orientation has
been laid out. So obviously we do take advantage of some of the golf
course views to the north. There will be open views internal to our
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courtyards and the clubhouse facility, as well as our water
management lake. And there are some units that will take advantage
of the horse stable, which we think some people will actually enjoy
looking at that as part of their amenity package.
As Rich said, we don't -- as far as I know we don't have
objections from any of our immediate neighbors. There was one letter
in your packet from somebody, and that letter was written some time
ago. It's something I think we saw during the comprehensive plan
amendment process.
And I think the one distinction that I would make, just to point
out on that letter, the property has been zoned PUD since 1999, and it
has provided for nursing homes, skilled nursing, assisted living since
that time. I think they pointed out that this was vacant and, you know,
we didn't need more development. But in fact development has been
approved here since that original PUD was approved.
We're asking for four deviations related to the project. I
understand in speaking with Kay Deselem that one of the deviations
where we were requesting to go from a .45 FAR to .6 may be
unnecessary. We were asking for that I think out of caution. Rather
than to be here and someone question it and then have to add a
deviation from the floor, we didn't think it was necessary, but we
added it at the time. It seemed to be easier to delete something than to
add it.
So if it's deemed not essential by the Planning Commission,
we're happy to withdraw that deviation that refers to our .6 FAR.
The comprehensive plan that was approved for this property
references that we can have a maximum FAR of .6. The zoning
document references a .6 FAR, and the intent was simply to note it as
a deviation from the Land Development Code standard, which is .45.
If it's unnecessary, we can delete it.
There are a couple other deviations that are specific to the site.
One was related to the parking standard that we should use for an
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independent living unit or retirement community type use. It's our
understanding in working with staff that the most comparable impact
fee related category that we are would be a retirement community.
And that retirement community we've referenced in this as well. And
we think that relates very closely to an independent living facility that
requires one parking space per unit. As Rich mentioned, the average
age of these residents are in their seventies, most likely, and they
probably have one vehicle. So we're accommodating at least one
vehicle in the parking garage for that use. And we believe that's
consistent with what the Land Development Code requires for an
independent living facility. It's just we were looking for a certainty as
we move forward in our site planning, that somebody didn't say, well,
wait a second, you're not really an independent living facility of sorts,
we want you to have two parking spaces per unit.
So we're asking for -- I don't know that it's really a deviation. It's
really a parking standard that I think we can establish ourselves. It's
just I think getting your acknowledgement that we are allowed to have
one parking space per unit.
The other deviation that we've asked for is one that would
require a Type B landscape buffer between our clubhouse structure
and any of the unit buildings on-site.
I think there's a discrepancy in your code between the landscape
provisions of your code and the fence and wall section of your code.
The fence and wall section says if you have any nonresidential use
adjacent to a residential type use, you're required to put in a masonry
wall. And I think that in our own community, this is one of the first
proj ects I've seen where that became an issue, that internal to your
own project you were asked to put in a masonry wall.
I think our deviation points out that if we're putting all of our
units above parking, a six foot high wall doesn't do anything to shield
and buffer a residential person from the view of a clubhouse.
And in fact that's part of the activities here, people do like to see
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activity, and we wouldn't want to buffer that from them. So we've
offered in the alternative of a wall to have an enhanced landscape
package that would go around the clubhouse facility. And we think
that staff is supportive of that and we're happy for that.
The other deviation that we had requested was related to -- let
me find the exact language in the staff report here. It was related to
our overall clubhouse parking requirement.
I think it stems from what I thought was a fairly new
interpretation of the code. The code talks about getting reductions for
parking for clubhouse type facilities when you have residents in close
proximity to them. And staff has said that the exception is it says
clubhouse -- it says golf course/clubhouse. And staff is saying that if
you have a clubhouse or a golf course, you don't qualify for that
reduction.
And in the past I can tell you that it has always been held that
the golf course clubhouse did not qualify for a reduced parking
standard, because residents typically aren't in walking distance of their
golf course clubhouse.
But in a community such as this where every resident is within
300 feet of their clubhouse facility, to provide parking for the standard
of one parking space per 100 square feet on a 10,000 square foot
clubhouse seems awfully excessive. To provide nearly 100 parking
spaces for that clubhouse seems totally unnecessary.
We think the reduction to the 25 percent that would normally be
allowed for units in close proximity to their clubhouse is appropriate
and works. We do have access parking on-site to accommodate
employees, guests, et cetera, but we don't think the clubhouse should
have a designated allocation of the full amount of parking.
Staff has recommended approval of that; we hope you do, too.
I think all the deviations that we've requested are very specific
and related to what we're hoping to achieve here. These people will
have a transportation package available to them, as Rich mentioned in
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our commitments. To provide additional parking for a clubhouse
facility at the full rate that the code might require is excessive and we
don't believe necessary.
I think that's our point, and I'm happy to answer questions. Or if
you want to hear from staff and then we can answer any questions, I'm
happy to do so.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, we'll get questions of the
applicant.
Mr. Midney, then Mr. Kolflat.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Yes, my first question is why are
you calling it an independent living facility instead of an assisted
living facility? The assisted is better defined. Would you consider
renaming it or naming it an assisted living facility?
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Well, the difference is, under the statutes,
an assisted living facility requires state licensure, there's a state
licensure process. We will not be providing those types of services
that would require state licensure for independent living units, and
that's why we've elected to go the independent living unit route, versus
an assisted living unit.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: And what extra services would
those be?
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Generally I think you've got to provide
additional medical services to become -- for assisted living. And we're
not going to be providing medical care for these residents. It doesn't
mean we won't coordinate that for them, but we will not be providing
that.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Will these units be owned or
leased?
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Right now they're anticipate to be leased,
but it could go either way. But right now they're anticipated to be
leased.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: On condition number one where
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you said meals would be provided, could you put those up again,
please?
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Sure.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: How many meals a day will be
provided?
MR. YOV ANOVICH: We have a meal plan that will provide for
two meals a day. They can go for a third if they prefer, but generally
it's two meals per day.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: And that's going to be anybody
who lives there will always have those two meals a day?
MR. YOV ANOVICH: They will have that available to them,
yes.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: And what if the owner decides to
drop any of these amenities? If he says well, we're not getting too
much, you know, response to this, you know, people are not coming to
the wellness center or they're not coming to too many trips, does the
owner have a right to drop any of these once the permission to do this
is given, or is this somehow defined that it has to be always offered?
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Well, what I had suggested, because we
are always going to offer that, is if you want to include that as a
requirement of the PUD document, we certainly have no objection to
do that.
I mean, this concept is not a new concept. People expect these
level of services and level of amenities. So we know that we're not
going to be dropping those uses. So if you want to make it a condition
of the PUD, we don't have an issue with that.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Kolflat?
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Could you put the overhead
again that you had up there, please.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Which, the master plan or --
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: The master plan.
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MR. YOV ANOVICH: Okay.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: I understand is that is all the
parking is under the -- or on the first floor of all the buildings; is that
correct?
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Well, not all of it. Not all of it. For the
units, yes. There'll they're be some parking here, and then you can see
there's also some parking here on the loop. So there'll be some
additional parking for visitors and for staff that is not under the
building.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: So there is parking both outdoor
and indoor?
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: And the outdoor is also for the
residents?
MR. YOV ANOVICH: They'd be able to utilize it as well, yes.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Is there any possibility of
relocating that outdoor parking closer to the clubhouse so you then
could have more up around the clubhouse?
MS. ARNOLD: If! could jump in. One of the things that the
way we've arranged this, the loop does provide, and this level of detail
doesn't really highlight how much might be there. But there are some
other opportunities where we could create 90-degree parking off of the
loop to increase the parking in that area.
The larger parking area that you see closer to Vanderbilt Beach
Road was really designed to accommodate some of the services that
we have and also any overflow in any of the events that one may have,
if there's a function at the clubhouse.
Keep in mind, that clubhouse is no more than 300 feet away
from any of those buildings.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, Mr. Murray, I think you indicated
you had questions, then Mr. Wolfley.
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COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Let Mr. Wolfley go, because I
think the parking issues were dealt with.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Mr. Wolfley?
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Two things. Mr. Y ovanovich,
you stated that this is an independent living facility?
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Well, I must have been
misthinking all the way through this, because it says ALF all the way
through, assisted living facility. And I may have missed -- unless I'm
looking at the wrong document.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Are you looking at Exhibit A, which is
the list of permitted uses?
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Well, I'm looking at the main
part of the document.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Well, that's the staff report. But the PUD
document says as principal uses, assisted living facilities, independent
living facilities for persons over age 55, continuing care retirement
communities, retirement communities. Those are the things that we're
asking as permitted uses.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Okay. So are you not going to
have 50 skilled nursing care beds?
MR. YOV ANOVICH: That's the old document I think you're
reading from.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Is it still then -- my second
question is, is it still going to be no more than 62 feet?
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Yes, sir. If you look at the development
standards table, which is Exhibit B, the zoned height is four stories
over parking, not to exceed 50 feet. And the actual height is four
stories over parking, not to exceed 62 feet.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Right.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: So that's -- those are the -- that is the
development standards for this particular project.
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COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Okay.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: For this PUD.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: So it's going to be fairly much
like directly to the north, that Aston Gardens, I believe it's called, off
Immokalee Road?
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Yeah, I think that's probably right.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Okay. I've got to put my hat on
different then. Thanks.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Murray, did you not then have a
question or did you have a question?
COMMISSIONER MURRA Y: Maybe a remark, because, I
think Tor covered the parking area issues that I had.
But I was amazed at the number of square feet not -- wasn't
amazed until you said most of them are going to be individuals who
are going to occupy those spaces. But that's neither here nor there.
It sounds like a great place from that point of view.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: I don't want you to say everybody's going
to be single. I mean, there's going to be married couples living there as
well. But, you know, our experience is that the majority are singles.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Questions of the applicant?
Mr. Schiffer?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Rich, and it's on the PUD
document, Page 1 of 10. And it's principal use one. Would you have a
problem putting in, all uses shall be permitted at a -- and then add the
word combined maximum of FAR .06 just to avoid--
MR. YOV ANOVICH: I understand that. Okay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Just to avoid temptation.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: That's fine.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, any other questions of the
applicant before we go to staff?
COMMISSIONER CARON: Yeah.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Go ahead, Ms. Caron.
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March 6, 2008
COMMISSIONER CARON: Well, I'll ask the height and
setback questions. Why the differences from the previous PUD? What
MS. ARNOLD: The original PUD was prepared back in 1999.
And we reflected in that a three-story maximum building height
without a reference to the specific number of feet that would be.
And I remember going through that in some detail back
whenever, and I think we always had in our mind that that three
stories probably would be over parking. We didn't express it that way
but your LDC allows under-building parking for any use.
And I think we had told the people back then, and Tammy and
Amy can refresh my memory because they were there with me. But I
think we always said it was going to be around 50 feet is what we
thought that height would be to support a three habitable story
building.
COMMISSIONER CARON: That was what was stated in the
hearings at the time?
MS. ARNOLD: Yeah. That's my recollection. I didn't go back
and look at the minutes, but that's what I've had in my mind since the
time of that.
To reference the setback, we have made some modifications to
the setback. And, you know, hopefully the fact that our neighbors are
here supporting us means that they are supportive of it. We've given
them I think in lieu of -- at the time we had a commitment on a buffer,
which the buffer's been increased and the preserve area's been
committed to being closer to the Wilshire Lakes Fieldstone Village
Condominiums. So I think that helps them.
The orientation of the one building puts the narrow side to them,
so the view of that's minimized. And that was done very consciously
and I think with their input, too.
The other thing I would say that we've asked for, originally we
had 100- foot setback from our eastern property boundary, which is
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probably the one setback that you're most concerned with. And I just
looked at the site development plan that we prepared, and I think we're
around 80 feet from the property line with that building edge.
And I think our neighbors are okay with what we've shown
them. And I guess to the extent we can increase the eastern setback to
something greater than what's expressed in the PUD document, we
certainly could do that.
But I think there were several factors that drove those changes.
COMMISSIONER CARON: In our code -- and this is actually
for Jeff -- we don't have a definition for retirement community, do
we?
MR. KLATZKOW: I don't believe so. But I don't believe that's
necessary. I think you would use the common usage of what a
retirement community would be.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Okay.
And we also don't have one for independent living either, right?
MR. KLATZKOW: With the same response, yeah.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Which is why I was the
commissioner that asked that a list of commitments be brought to this
board. Because without that, this is nothing more, according to their
permitted uses, than an apartment building and/or a condo, because
they could convert the day after approval to a condo, with a density of
25 units to the acre. With no commitment to anybody other than that
they must be 55 years of age.
The commitment list, which I'm hoping that we'll get a copy of,
that goes toward making this actually a retirement community in the
most general and common use of the term, or independent living
community in the most general and common senses of the word, I
think we all need to get a copy of that from you all.
But that went a long way toward providing the information that I
require. Certainly that it wasn't just a condo waiting to happen.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Any other questions of the
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applicant?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, Rich, we get to go through my
questions.
Did you provide a modifiable electronic format of this PUD to
staff?
MR. YOV ANOVICH: To my understanding we did.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I got the affirmation from staff. I want it
on record. So that's going to be a question that we ran into before.
Your point about the GMP amendment. I had questioned that on
staff. I have a list of my questions that I gave staff earlier so they
could have the ability to come better prepared to answer them.
That was on there. And the response I got was the following:
This issue is under discussion with Susan, Ray and Corby, David
Weeks and Margie Student and Jeff Klatzkow. Initial discussions
seem to be leaning towards the same conclusion. I will advise of the
outcome.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: What was the question?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: If the .6 needs to be a deviation to the
LDC.
I understand you're looking for clarification. But if we start
doing that, because our GMP is a dominant document we might as
well start going into every PUD and doing the same thing, believing
that we have to reclarify everything that's in the GMP.
I'm always trying to make our documents less cumbersome and
more plainly read. So I'd prefer not to see that there, if it's legally not
needed. And I'll have to turn to Mr. Klatzkow to respond.
MR. KLATZKOW: Yeah, I don't think it's legally needed. It's
just a question of -- it's ease of access of the information is the issue,
that you're able to pull the PUD and it's right there and you don't have
to go back to the GMP.
If you want it in there, it's fine. If you think it's not necessary
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because it's redundant, that's fine, too.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It's in the PUD. But I don't think they
need to list it as a deviation in the PUD as well.
MR. KLATZKOW: Yes, I agree.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's what I'm getting at.
MR. KLATZKOW: I agree.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. So deviation number one, ifno
one objects, I would like to see that removed, just to keep it less
cumbersome.
Okay, the other item is -- well, I'll just walk through them as we
get them all laid out. I'm going through parts of the staff report first.
Richard, the time frame on this, because our transportation
department can't get ahold of their contractor on that particular job in
front of your project, and that's been an eyesore in this community for
so long, not the project but the road, do you have any objection
withholding your permit applications until the road is C.O.'d?
MR. YOV ANOVICH: You're going to C.O. the road?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Accept into the road. You know, the
standard language.
And by the way, if you recall, I asked for this when Vanderbilt
Beach Road, before it started, on your projects up closer to 951.
Everybody assured us that Vanderbilt Beach Road would be done
before your project was done. Well, your project's done now;
Vanderbilt Beach Road is not even close to be being done.
And I just don't want to see this compounding itself again and
again. And I'm talking about the section from Oakes Boulevard to
Livingston Road, which would be the section affecting you most.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Well, I mean, we are basically in with
our site development plan. So we would like to be able to continue
processing the site development plan and get our building permits and
start building the project.
So I would hate to wait until a road that's already under
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construction actually gets finished. Plus I don't know even when that
date is or anticipated to be.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, you should say that in past tense.
It was anticipated to be a while back and we're still not even there yet.
I was driving on the road two days ago, and the backlog to wait
in line there was ludicrous. And I just -- I'm having a hard time with
that point, Rich. And I had that repeatedly with projects on that road.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Right. And realistically we probably
wouldn't C.O. any units until-- how long? How long before we have a
C.O. for units? A year, at least? About a year?
And plus it's a retirement community, so it's not going to
generate a lot of trips anyway. So I would hope that we wouldn't have
to be held up until the completion of the road.
I understand the issue, but --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, there's two timings. There's one
that could -- involving the issuance of a building permit and there's
one of a C.O. of a building permit, and each one would generate
different demands on the road system.
Mr. Klatzkow, if we were to issue a building permit, could we
hold a C.O. up if a stipulation was added that the road had to be
completed before C.O.'s were issued to the buildings?
MR. KLATZKOW: I don't have any problem with withholding
C.O.'s until that road is substantially completed. And I think that's the
term you want, substantial completion.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: But we may have a problem with that,
but --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, maybe then somebody ought to
put pressure on the transportation department to get that road done.
I'm tired of it.
Was that Nick clapping?
MR. YOV ANOVICH: And honestly, I don't think that this is the
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best economic times to be telling people don't go hire contractors and
put people to work. I mean, you've got someone who's willing to go
out here, invest a lot of money in Collier County and employ people
who need employment. I would hate to see us hold this up for this type
of project. I think this is a different type of project than others.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I know, Richard. And that road system
is a disaster. I just don't know what to do with it. We're only making it
worse every time we add more to it.
Your previously projects added a pile. And they're all partially
finished. Some of them are all finished. I know your buildings are
somewhat empty, or the one in front of the projects you brought
forward.
But if they were all occupied right now, it would be even worse.
You can't get -- it took me three miles yesterday morning -- three
miles to transverse that road, it took 30 minutes. I was so mad I text
messaged Nick, but he didn't respond. I'm sitting there in this line
typing up notes because it was so frustrating to sit there. And I have to
do that repeatedly each week, and it shouldn't be that way. And I'm
not the only one sitting in these lines. And so at some point we've got
to say okay, we've got to control it a little bit better, and that's all I'm
asking.
And I understand your point, I'm just -- unfortunate you're here
at the timing of this road.
Nick's walking up. I think he's finally figured out maybe he can
respond to us.
Nick, you got a time frame on that road?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: No, he's going to quit his job.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No, don't do that.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: For the record, Nick Casalanguida,
transportation.
Mark, I always enjoy the comments you have for transportation.
We're actually moving quickly now. They're building out over a
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million dollars a month. They moved traffic to the north side of the
road. Most of the utility work has been completed. The portion by I-75
has already been -- the curb returns have been done. So we expect to
be done by the end of this year. While late, they are moving quickly
now. So by the end of December of 2008 we expect to be completed.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: How confident do you feel in that date?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Very confident now, because the
eliminations of the utility conflicts are gone, and the north side of the
road is paved, and so they'll be able to work quickly on the south side.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Thank you for your input. I
appreciate it.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: You're welcome. I always enjoy
coming up and explaining.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I thought you were clapping about the
road.
Richard, if you went in for a building permit at the time you got
your second submittal ready for your SDP, because you'll have many
submittals, you got your building permit and then you started
construction, you couldn't get this building built, what, in less than 15
months, maybe 20, 24? Have you got a time frame on your
construction?
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Sixteen months.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. So if you had a restriction on
your C.O.'s, no C.O.'s issued until prior to the end of2008, that
wouldn't affect you then.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: If you put a date certain that says
December 31, 2008, let us think about that, I -- the open-ended issue
for us is once we start going, you know, we need to be able to let
people move in.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Klatzkow?
MR. KLATZKOW: In the past, just as a reminder, we have
staggered C.O.'s over time so that you can get like one-third in one
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year, another third the following year, you know, or until the road is
substantially completed. It's another approach.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: We can't do one-third of a project here.
We need to be able to just go do our project and get people moved in.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, you've got a 16-month
construction date, which I doubt if you'll hit. But even if you do, that
puts you well beyond the end of 2008.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Which argues against having to put any
restriction in here at all.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, just to be safe.
Anyway, that's -- I'm leaning in that direction. I just wanted to
have the conversation.
Under Exhibit B, PUD findings, let the record note that there's
been some changes to the PUD findings. They were sent -- passed out
to all of us this morning, and the court reporter has one for the record.
They involve some clarification of staff issues on there. And I don't
think we need to go into them. They weren't critical, they're just
cleanup of the document.
There is a consistency review memorandum in our package. I
asked staff to verify that the changes to the project that are currently
proposed do not change the outcome of that consistency review
memorandum. I've got an affirmative from staff that that is the case.
And I'm sure staff will reverifY that when they come forward.
Brad, just so my notes are right and I word the stipulations
correctly, what was the change you asked for in the page -- I think it
was Page I of the PUD?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Page 1. It was 1-A-1. Put the
word combined before maximum.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, thank you.
On that same page, I asked staff, and I guess the applicant was
contacted, that items 1-B-3, there be a reference in there that those
particular facilities would be restricted to residents only. I understand
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there's no objection to that.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: I was just going to say that. Residents
and their guests, correct?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, would their guests create more of
a parking problem? You're asking for a reduction in parking because --
MR. YOV ANOVICH: I understand.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- you're not going to have a lot of
people there.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Are you basically going to tell me that if
I go visit my grandmother, I can't go eat dinner with her on site?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Oh, I see what you're saying.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: That's what we're talking about.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I was more concerned about the beauty
shop and I couldn't figure out why you'd need that, Rich.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Well, every once in a while I need a little
trim. I know it's a little short right now but, you know, you never
know.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I have no problem, residents and guests,
and that's fine. I just didn't want it opened to the public before it
becomes --
MR. YOV ANOVICH: I understand that. I just didn't want to get
caught on something.
MS. ARNOLD: In might, just to clarify the point, I think in the
industry they're considered private amenities, not public. And if there's
a reference to -- and if the concern is that I can call up and go get a
salon appointment there or something, that's certainly not the case. So
I don't know how best to reference it. But it's not the intent to have
these open and available to the public. Residents and guests.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yeah, I understood that. I wanted to
make sure the language didn't allow any change that could have been
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modified.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Probably saying private amenities
is a good thing to do. I mean, that's what they are, and let their be no
question about it in the future.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I agree.
Okay, development standards table. I guess I got a response from
staff that probably fixes it. On the double asterisk, you're going to
remove the words per subdivided lot; is that correct?
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. And the next one -- go ahead,
Ms. Caron.
COMMISSIONER CARON: I have a question about that.
Explain to me what that means then, the maximum floor area
ratio, excluding parking areas under buildings.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: It's our understanding that you'd never
included under building parking anyway under the floor area ratio
calculation. We just wanted to make it very clear in the PUD
document that the below building square footage doesn't count against
our .6 floor area ratio.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Page 8 of the PUD, Item B-3. And staff
did respond to my concerns on this. And I'll read you what my
concerns were, so then you may be -- maybe the rest of the panel will
understand why I suggest it might be struck.
Seems that it's poorly worded, should someone actually exercise
the option. If the developer does not have any costs, what happens to
the landscaping that is removed to build this wall? Is a berm needed as
well? Who pays for the wall, the required landscaping, the irrigation,
the perpetual maintenance? And how is all this handled by this
paragraph? Obviously it isn't.
I'm concerned that by just putting a broad sweeping statement in
a PUD like that, it might end up being more confusing than just letting
the language of the GMP stand on its own. And should someone want
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to come in and put a wall there, it's permitted by the GMP and they
can deal with the process through staff the way it has to be instead of
referencing it in the PUD.
And I don't think the applicant had a problem with striking it,
and if I remember staff didn't seem to have a problem with it. As long
as the panel doesn't, then I think it would be better if it wasn't there.
Strike.
COMMISSIONER CARON: What number is that?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Exhibit F, B-3.
Okay, and I think that's -- oh, one other question on the transpor
-- fun thing for Nick. I know this has been affirmed, and staff or
somebody can probably just tell me. In the old PUD they had a
transportation commitment providing a right-of-way. I want to make
sure before we approve a new PUD the old PUD commitments were
satisfied.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Yeah, they've been satisfied. But you can
check with Nick.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No, I just want it for the record so that
there's no question that that's already been done and that's why it isn't
in the new one.
Okay, with that I'm done with my questions. And if nobody else
has any further of the applicant, we'll go to staff.
MS. DESELEM: Good morning. For the record, my name is
Kay Deselem, I am a principal planner with zoning staff.
And you have already gotten the full force of the applicant's
presentation. He's gone into detail about what's being proposed. You
do have the staff report that was sent to you that addresses staffs
Issues.
We did talk about the deviations and what is proposed. We did
go into the information about the surrounding land uses and zoning,
the growth management consistency. And then some questions came
up with that again today.
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And we do have someone here today, Corby Schmidt is here. He
is the author of Exhibit C, which is the full comprehensive plan
amendment memo -- or comprehensive plan analysis memo, and he
can address any specific questions you might have that I can't answer.
But staff is recommending that this petition be found consistent
with the Growth Management Plan and the elements of that to include
but not limit to the future land use, the transportation and the coastal
area management plan as well.
We did provide a zoning analysis and a staff analysis that
included environmental transportation, utility, emergency
management, housing, and parks and rec. staff, as well as a lengthy
. .
zonmg reVIew.
We went into detail regarding the consistency of the project with
Policy 5.4 of the FLUE, noting, as was discussed earlier, things like
the building orientation and the location of the preserve area and how
it helps to address compatibility issues.
And we are recommending that this particular project be found
compatible, therefore consistent with that particular policy.
We did discuss the deviations, and we are in agreement as noted
with the withdrawal of the first deviation. Weare recommending
approval of the other three deviations, and the staff report includes the
discussion and an analysis of those deviations.
In summary, we are recommending approval of this petition, and
recommending that it be found consistent with the Growth
Management Plan.
And if you have any questions, I'd be happy to try to address
them.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, are there any questions?
Mr. Murray?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Yeah, there's a -- one on page --
on your staff report, Page 10 of 12. It's the -- let's see, call it the
second paragraph up.
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On the third line it says, these buffers will be placed in available
planning areas to provide filtered screening. And I just wondered, is
that a common term? I looked at it and I said it seems almost
redundant. I didn't know what filtered screening was.
MS. DESELEM: Well, it's not a total opaque screen. I think the
terminology is just to understand that there will be some filtering. But
it's not a total screen. But I can see where --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Is that something that we accept,
that we typically use?
MS. DESELEM: Yeah. If I understand it, this is common
terminology --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: That's what I'm asking.
MS. DESELEM: -- used in the landscaping field.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: And if it is, then I'm comfortable
with it. That's fine.
The other question, which is more serious by a long shot, is
Commissioner Caron raised the question about 25 units per acre. And
for the record, what is it that we have -- were this to be approved, what
is it we have that would preclude conversion to condominiums and
establish a 25 unit per acre situation?
MS. DESELEM: I think in addition to the limitations of the uses
that we have, along with the commitments that were offered today by
the petitioner as far as what amenities will be provided, I think that's
going to maintain this particular project as this retirement community
that they spoke of.
And I don't think it was ever intended multi-family units that
would be available to the general public. That's not listed as a use. It is
clearly for the retirement community.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: So what I'm establishing for the
record is that in order to have it converted to a condominium, they'd
have to come back for a PUD revision, if that were possible, correct?
MS. DESELEM: That was my understanding, it would require
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an amendment.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Thank you. Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Any other questions of staff?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Well, I guess there's public
speakers. Kay, would you like to call the public speakers.
MS. DESELEM: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I ask that the public speakers try to limit
their discussion to five minutes, and use either one of the
microphones.
MS. DESELEM: We have one speaker, Paul-- I'm going to spell
the last name -- I believe F-E-L-I-E-R.
MR. FELIER: I wasn't planning on speaking, but I heard -- I'm
the president of Village Walk Homeowners Association. We have
about -- not about, we have 850 homes, about 1,700 residents living
there. And the proposed project is directly across from our
development.
What I'd like to do is just let you know that we did send in a
letter supporting this project. But more importantly, I think the way
the project was handled. I believe the family, the Turner family, sets a
standard with the way most developments should be handled.
To begin with, this project originally -- or I should say prior to
this project being submitted there was the intent to put in storage
facilities directly across from our development. We were of course
upset about the idea of a storage facility there.
We asked to meet with the Turner sisters. We did. Mr.
Y ovanovich was there at the time. And what they basically said is
we're going to be your neighbors and we want to do what's best for
you. You tell us what you want. And we did.
And they worked with us. They kept us informed from day one.
And right now as we see it, they've done exactly what we were hoping
they would do, and we fully support it. Thank you.
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CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you, sir.
Kay, that's the last public speaker?
MS. DESELEM: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Richard, I don't imagine you need a
rebuttal, because nothing seems to be going against you, but you can
certainly try to --
MR. YOV ANOVICH: No, I'm not going to try to do that. I just
wanted to see if we can agree on the language for the PUD document
itself so we know what to expect if it has to come back.
I understand the change that Mr. Schiffer was talking about. And
we thought that we'd address the private amenity comment in Exhibit
A, b-l- 3 by adding, before that starts, private amenities such as, and
then, you know, the beauty and barber shops continued on. So we
thought that that would help explain.
That's all I wanted to -- see if we can agree on that language.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, thank you.
With that we'll close the public hearing and we will entertain
discussion before the motion. Is there any discussion?
Ms. Caron?
COMMISSIONER CARON: Yeah. Actually, I just -- I need to
speak to staff on two issues. One, Corby is here, and I'd just like to
speak to him.
Corby, the list that the petitioner is providing that actually
defines what a retirement community is, I'd like to know what compo
planning has to say about that list.
MR. SCHMIDT: Certainly.
Compo planning is comfortable with those commitments. The list
of six helped define the continuing care facility. And we're
comfortable with those being a part of the PUD package and
guaranteeing that it meets the intent of the compo plan.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Okay, then I'm going to ask you.
You said it defines the continuing care portion. So it doesn't help
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define the retirement community portion? Because it says here
retirement community or continuing care communities. So do they
only need it if they decide to be a continuing care community?
MR. SCHMIDT: No, it is not --
COMMISSIONER CARON: I want to be very specific about
this.
MR. SCHMIDT: It is not for one or the other. We would ask that
those commitments be included, regardless of what terminology is
used.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Thank you. That's all I had for
Corby.
And just, Kay, one of the -- just a question here. This retirement
community is going to be housing seniors. And the petitioner has said
starting mostly in their seventies and going up from there, as long as
they're at least somewhat able to take care of themselves.
There is a note in the staff report that says that this development,
as do a lot of them here in this community, place some stresses on our
emergency management.
It's my understanding that in communities like mobile homes we
require their clubhouses to be hardened so that their people can shelter
in place. Would that not be a good idea for a community such as this,
to have their clubhouse be hardened --
MS. DESELEM: As a professional -- I'm sorry, go ahead.
COMMISSIONER CARON: -- so that they could shelter in
place if --
MS. DESELEM: As a professional planner, it sounds like a very
good idea. However, we don't have any Land Development Code or
other regulation that requires it.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Okay. I'll just ask the petitioner if
that might be something they would consider.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, first of all, let me make it clear.
We've reopened the public meeting because I didn't want to close it. I
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thought we were having discussion on a motion. So we'll continue
with the testimony and then we'll go back and close it again, in case
anybody else has to comment on it.
So go ahead. And the petitioner I think was asked a question.
Was that it, Ms. Caron?
COMMISSIONER CARON: Uh-huh.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: I don't believe we're within any real
hurricane zones, if! remember correctly. I think it's Category 3, or--
COMMISSIONER CARON: Three.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Three.
So I don't think we planned on building this to be a hurricane
shelter.
Now, I don't think that it's really necessary to do that. I mean, as
far as stressors on the emergency management system, we're paying
impact fees just like anybody else, and I'm sure that the impact fee
schedule has factored that in as far as EMS goes and the sheriffs
office and all those other uses.
So I think we are paying for our impact, and I don't think the
requirement to make this a hurricane shelter is necessary for this
project in this area.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Okay. Well, if we have another
Wilma, your people will have to evacuate, and --
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Ifwe have another Wilma, I think we're
all going. So I don't know that we want them to stay there. We
probably all want to go a little bit further away.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Donna, a comment.
First of all, Wilma was not a strong storm. So, you know, the
storm you've got to fear is not Wilma.
The fact that these units are raised up and everything, they're
going to have to go through the building code regulations. So, you
know, I think the people would actually be safer above ground than
they would on ground in the clubhouse.
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So with proper construction of the buildings up, to a Category 3,
when they're going to have to evacuate anyway, they're in good shape.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, are any other questions from the
applicant? Any questions from staff?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Are there any other public speakers?
MS. DESELEM: There are no public speakers.
I just wanted to make sure that we clarify the motion when it's
actually made.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: We're still going to close -- now we're
going to reclose the public hearing, and now we'll entertain discussion
on a motion and then go to the motion.
Is there any discussion on the motion?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Mark, the only --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Schiffer?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: -- thing that's come up that I'm
-- is the putting a restriction on their C.O.'s. If they had a permit in
hand and they could build this by the end of the year, the traffic
problem would be the spectator parking watching them do that, I
think so--
,
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, actually, Brad, with Nick's
guaranteed, absolute, positive assurance, as he put his life on the line,
Nick said that this will happen, that at the end of the year we will have
this road completed. I have no doubt now. And I wasn't even going to
bring up a stipulation involving traffic. Nick carries that much
authority with the board. So I'm sure that it's not going to happen. Add
a little pressure to Nick.
Is there any other discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I'll read the stipulations I was thinking
of adding to this when we got it read, and then we'll go into theamotion.
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The six criteria for operational services that were presented by
the applicant will be added to the PUD.
That we will change -- we'll add a word under Section l-A-l, the
reference of combined -- the word "combined" in front of "maximum"
for the FAR.
The deviation number one will be removed.
Under I-B-3 we'll add the words private amenities such as in the
beginning of the paragraph.
Exhibit F, B-3, that paragraph will be struck.
And the stipulation would include approval of the remaining
three deviations.
Is there any stipulations or thoughts that were missed?
Mr. Vigliotti?
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: At one point we said residents
and guests only.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, that was replaced by private
amenities such as.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Okay, so that's out.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right.
MR. KLATZKOW: Did you get the double asterisks?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Oh, yeah, the double asterisk. Thank
you, sir. The double asterisks removes the reference to the
subdivision, that language should be struck.
Ms. Caron?
COMMISSIONER CARON: Minimum 40-foot buffer on the
eastern border and the interconnect.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's all--
COMMISSIONER CARON: Which is not showing here, but the
interconnect shows on the master plan, so --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right, okay.
Anything else?
Mr. Y ovanovich?
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March 6, 2008
MR. YOV ANOVICH: We -- and just so we make sure we put
the six operational things in the right place in the PUD, we anticipated
adding that under Exhibit A, creating a new I-C.
And that way it would be in a location where everybody would
expect the operational standards instead of later in the document or the
development commitments, if --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: -- that's acceptable.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Permitted use is where it should be. I
would agree.
Does everybody agree with that?
Okay. Now, with those stipulations, does staff understand the
stipulations?
MS. DESELEM: Would you repeat the first one you said,
please?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Add the six operation criteria to Exhibit
A-I-C.
MS. DESELEM: And the second one, something about Exhibit
A.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Add to Exhibit A, item A-I, the
comment that Brad had, add the word "combined" before the word
"maximum" .
MS. DESELEM: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is staff clear on all of them now?
MR. KLA TZKOW: Yeah, could we just get those six additional
ones on the screen?
COMMISSIONER CARON: And we'll need copies of those as
well.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, yeah.
MS. DESELEM: If I may, I just had one question for the record.
There was some discussion about two meals maximum per day. Is that
included? It's not listed on here.
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March 6, 2008
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I don't think it needs to be.
MS. DESELEM: I just wanted to make sure.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You want to get into how they do their
laundry and all -- I'm not sure we need to get into those kind of
operational details. This is plenty to protect the intent of what the
question was.
Mr. Midney?
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Well, so we would say at least
one meal a day?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I don't think that's an issue we need to
get into. The concern was to make sure that this was being used as an
independent care facility, not as an apartment. I think these six clearly
do that. I mean, to add more, where do we stop?
MR. KLATZKOW: And just for clarification, what this is is
independent living facilities. Are we including the retirement
community?
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Okay, we're -- continuing care retirement
communities, assisted living facilities and skilled nursing are all
licensed by the State of Florida. And they're defined terms. So I don't
think you need to add the -- we don't object to it, but I don't think you
need to.
It's the only -- the only term that's not regulated by the state is
the independent living facilities. And that's what I heard was the issue,
please make sure you got these operational levels of things for
independent. We can do it all, but you really don't need to. It's kind of
overkill, if you will.
MR. KLATZKOW: What I'm saying is they could put in a
retirement community and it will have none of this.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: No, it says on this thing, it says for
independent living facilities.
MR. KLATZKOW: Right. But it doesn't say retirement
community.
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March 6,2008
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So I think what he's suggesting is
independent living units and retirement community.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: That's fine. That's fine. That's not a
problem.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you, sir.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Good point. I get it now.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Midney?
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: To me on-site dining is kind of
ambiguous. That could just mean that they eat on-site. I mean, the idea
is that meals will be offered to the residents on a daily basis.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, I mean, that's great, but why don't
we just tell every PUD they -- I mean, I don't understand why you
would single this one out for that purpose.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Because this is not any PUD, this
is an independent care facility.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right.
COMMISSIONER CARON: So what you want to do is just
make sure that in their clubhouse they actually have a dining room and
they serve meals to these residents every single day. That's part of
what these people will be buying into. That's part of the care that these
people are offering. Why would you not --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, okay. Well, we're in a different
tact then, because originally I thought the intent of the clarification
was to make sure they weren't going to just have apartments in which
they leased out to people.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Right.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Now we're saying it's okay, you can
have your independent living, but now we want to tell you what
amenities you have to provide to your people.
COMMISSIONER CARON: They said that, not us.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I'm not -- I know that. But putting such
things in the PUD is a little more, I don't know, detailed than we may
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March 6, 2008
want to get into. We're going to set a precedent in that kind of stuff
and I'm not sure it's needed.
If they don't -- if they do three meals a day or they do one, what
difference does it make? The people who live there will pay for the
service that they're getting.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: What do you think, Mr.
Y ovanovich?
MR. YOV ANOVICH: We don't have an objection to having a
meal plan being provided to the residents. If you feel that you need to
put that in the PUD, that's fine.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I'd like to know what you're going to
serve at each meal.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: What time is breakfast?
COMMISSIONER CARON: He'll provide you a menu.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I mean, it gets into that kind of stuff,
because your meal could be a box of cold cereal. And I'm sure Paul
doesn't intend that.
I'm just worried where this can go if we get into that kind of
detail in a document that's a record like this that's a zoning document.
The amount of meals a person gets is not a zoning issue. And if we've
got it locked in so they can't be anything but what they've claimed to
be under a permitted use, that seems to me the extent the zoning ought
to apply.
We get into health and how organically they're eating or not,
then I think we've got a whole realm of issues that we need to further
define if we want to put it in this document. And that's my only
concern. I'll go with what the majority feels is necessary.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Commissioner Strain will approve
it if you put a Starbuck's there, so don't worry.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Then you wouldn't have anybody living
there, because they'd be out flying around.
Mr. Schiffer?
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March 6, 2008
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yeah, Rich, number five, the --
what you're stating there is that there's going to be a pull cord that will
immediately trigger -- and I guess since it's 9-1-1, it will go right to
the rescue station. Which most alarm systems don't really do that, they
go to central and stuff like that.
Is there a -- the concern I have is you may not even be able to
get that service.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Okay. If it needs -- we will provide --
we'll get to 9-1-1, okay? Maybe I should just strike the word
immediately.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. That will --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yeah, just strike the word immediately
and leave it will contact --
MR. YOV ANOVICH: Will contact 9-1-1. So if it goes in
between -- if there's someone in between.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right. Because I don't think
you're allowed that privilege.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Are there any other comments to
the stipulations?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And now I've got to ask a really tough
question to staff. Now do you understand the stipulations?
MS. DESELEM: Yes, sir. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You.
Do? Okay, does legal understand it? Because I understand that
you guys are going to be the ones that actually rewrite these
documents to accommodate all this.
MR. KLATZKOW: We do that. And I've got everything on the
tape so that we can carefully go through each and every one of the
comments to make sure we get it right.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Was this discussion clear enough for
you to be right?
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March 6, 2008
MR. KLATZKOW: I hope so. I mean, I can't imagine it's not.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Well, you're going to come back
on a consent agenda anyway and we can double check it at that time.
MR. KLATZKOW: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Do we have to do this on a
consent? This one's simple enough.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I think everything -- policy said
everything comes back under consent.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Everything, yeah. I'd rather
have another look.
MR. KLATZKOW: It keeps us honest.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I agree. I think it's a good thing to do.
Okay, with the stipulations acknowledged by everyone -- Mr.
Y ovanovich?
MR. YOV ANOVICH: No, no, I just want to make sure we're not
going to lose our -- you don't think there's any chance that this consent
agenda thing is going to make us lose our board date of April 8th.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It's the next meeting.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: I know, I just want to make sure.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It would be two weeks from today.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: I just want to make sure.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, I think that maybe you ought to
make sure you get a draft or you go over to county to make sure it's
written like everybody talked about today, and if you have a
discrepancy, you certainly discuss it ahead of time and you look at the
tape to see who was right and make sure it's right. I mean, that's the
way I would approach it.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: We don't want another--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You come here unprepared, that isn't
our fault.
MS. DESELEM: If! may, you may not get this particular PUD
document with the rest of the information you get for that agenda.
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March 6, 2008
Because my understanding, that stuff goes to the printer today, and so
it might be a few days later that you get this PUD document. Just so
you know.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right. Well, on the consent agenda it's
been set up the same way. We've gotten them all along.
MS. DESELEM: Okay, just --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And we don't get executive summaries,
it's just the document.
MS. DESELEM: Correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So that's fine. That works.
Any other questions?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is there a motion?
Mr. Vigliotti?
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: I'd like to make a motion to
approve. I was going to -- with all of our changes, stipulations and
language changes.
I was going to add January 1st, 2009 C.O.'s, but I'm really
confident that Nick will deliver for us. And I really don't think we
need to tell them what kind of food they have to serve, when they
have to serve it. We have enough problems with our own zoning
issues rather than worrying about operational issues of a business.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So your motion was recommendation to
approve --
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Approve.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- pursuant to--
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: I'll second it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- the stipulations read into the record?
Mr. Schiffer had his hand up. Is that the second?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, I'll second it then.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Seconded by Mr. Schiffer.
Is there any further discussion?
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March 6, 2008
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: All those in favor of the motion, signify
by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
MR. MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
MR. WOLFLEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Anybody opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion carries 9-0.
Thank you all.
We have another couple of issues to go through. I really think
we can work through lunch and be done right after our normal
lunchtime, if the board favors that. With the instance we'll just take
like a 14-minute break right now. Is that okay with everybody?
Okay, we'll take a break till 11 :30.
(Recess.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, everybody, if you'll please take
your seats, we'll resume the meeting.
Kay, do you know how to turn -- Mr. Kolflat's having trouble
hearing on his end.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: I think I'm hearing it now.
Item #12
DISCUSSION OF ADDENDA
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March 6, 2008
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, good. Thank you. You probably
didn't know how to do it anyway, but I thought I'd throw it at you.
We're going to change the agenda just little bit here. Because of
the discussion on the GMP Amendments, I was going to ask Joe to
provide us with some times that we could meet in the evening for the
Golden Gate ones, and then he would look into the Immokalee ones.
Joe said that -- he just left and he said prior to his leaving they
haven't responded back to him yet. They're still working on dates. But
he did say the evening of the 17th is open.
Now, let me talk about the possibilities there. It's important for
the applicant in particular, because they have people coming in
apparently from all over, and if they came in on the 17th expecting a
morning meeting, they could still do the evening meeting on the 17th.
I know the evening meeting would work better for possibly the
residents in Golden Gate.
Now, we start at 8:30 in the morning on the 17th. So what I'm
suggesting is why don't we consider starting in the morning, stopping
at 3:00 and resuming at 5:00 or stopping at 2:00 and resuming at 5:00,
and at 5:00 stay in here and do just the two Golden Gate items, and
then do as many as we can from the morning until after lunch, or
however the board feels it might want to split the day up.
If that works. I think it would be a good accommodation if we
could do it. What do you all feel? Anybody?
Mr. Vigliotti?
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: The Immokalee you're not
addressing, you're just addressing --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No, just the Golden Gate.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: -- just B, and C is the Golden
Gate for at night.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: A would be off the table for the 17th.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Right.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay? Band C we would move to the
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March 6, 2008
evening, starting at whatever time we decide, 5:00,6:00, whatever.
And then what we would do in our regular agenda, we would
start at D and work our way through to whatever time we decided to
cut off. And we would do -- we'd set the cut-off date and times now.
Does anybody have any suggestions?
Mr. Adelstein?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Question. You're talking
about 6:00 for something like this. We get done with a meeting, and
then basically I have a way of going to dinner with my wife at 6:00.
Or be there at 7:00, it would be much easier to get there.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You mean start at 7:00?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: You're starting -- yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No, I'm suggesting we start at 5:00 or
6:00. Ifwe start at 7:00 we'll be here till 10:00 or 11:00. We don't
want to do that.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Okay, so when do you have
dinner?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN : Well, I'm just --
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: You're going from one to the
next.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Adelstein, I just suggested that we
set a cut-off date earlier in the day, whether it be 12:00, 1 :00, 2:00,
3:00, and we come back here at another time in the evening, so you
eat in between.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Okay, I didn't hear that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Does anybody have any thoughts
on the matter as far as --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: 6:00 would be better, because
you'd be breaking -- you need to have your dinner if you of diabetes
issues and so forth.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: That's what I was worried
about.
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March 6, 2008
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: So you'd have to have something
in your -- so you can function and work effectively. So 6:00 would be
preferable.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Absolutely perfect.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, what about the rest of the board?
So we can start in the evening on the 17th with the two items in
Golden Gate at 6:00.
Now, what about the break point during the day? We would be
starting at 8:30 on Item D. How long during the day do you all want to
go before we stop and then resume in the evening?
Mr. Vigliotti?
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: How about 3:00? This was
we'll have from 3:00 to 6:00. Three hours. That will give us plenty of
time.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, Mr. Adelstein. Anybody--
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: No, that's good.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- else have any comments on it?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. So Kay or Jeff, or I don't know
who's taking notes for the county now, but on the 17th we will start at
8:30 in the morning, we will start with Item D on the agenda. We'll go
until 3:00. Wherever we stop, we stop. Or as close to 3:00 as a
convenient cut-off is, which will be prior to that, maybe at 2:30, if we
finish up with something.
Then we resume at 6:00 with Items Band C only, Golden Gate.
And that's the only two we do at 6:00.
And then of the two that are coming up, are you involved in any
of those, or is that comprehensive planning, Kay?
MS. DESELEM: I'm not involved in it, no.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Because when we resume at 6:00
that night we'll probably go by the number in the audience as to which
one we take first. More than likely it's going to be the second one.
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March 6, 2008
So does anybody on the Planning Commission have a problem
with that schedule?
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: No.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, then that's the way it shall be.
Mr. Klatzkow, are we legally okay on all that?
MR. KLATZKOW: I think we're very fine.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Good.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Question.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Approximately how many
agenda items do you think we can get to? Because I'm going away and
I'm trying to figure out how many I should bring. I know we're going
to do the Golden Gate.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, we're going to do the Golden Gate
in the evening, so you've got two there. And I would not do A,
because we know that's going to be postponed. But I would do the
rest.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Oh, wonderful, thank you.
You've answered my question --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Honestly, Bob, I don't know. It's hard to
say. We could get a good presentation from staff, we could get a good
presentation from the applicant. We might find they all make sense,
we might find they don't. We might find out -- I just can't say. I'd at
least be prepared for at least four or five.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Okay. I just figured you might
have had a --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No, I don't. I don't have a feel for them
yet. I haven't read them all myself, so I haven't got into them myself
yet. After I would have read them I could have given you my own
opinion, but sorry.
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Item #lOA
OLD BUSINESS - OUTDOOR SERVING AREAS' ORDINANCE
Okay, with that we will move on to the item under 10-A, old
business. And this is a review of the proposed ordinance for the
outdoor seating issue that came up before the Board of County
Commissioners. I guess it's been through our board, their board, they
finished with it and asked us to re-review it before final conclusion; is
that right?
MR. KLATZKOW: I don't really think they've looked at it. I
think they want to make sure that you're comfortable with this before
they actually sit down and go through it. Because they know you've
had a look at this before, as it were.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Well, we've -- generally we go
through these documents page at a time. And if no one objects, we'll
just start doing that the same way with this one.
And that gets us on Page 1, which is mostly whereas's. Anybody
have any concern with Page I?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, Page 2, there's some
strike-through changes on Page 2.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I have --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Schiffer?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: This would be section 3-A,
applicability. What happens to areas of food where we carry food out
to it? In other words, if I go to an establishment, buy something and
walk outside to eat it, is that considered serving food in an outdoor
area?
MR. KLATZKOW: I wouldn't think it would be. An outdoor
serving area to me is someplace where you'd have to be able to sit
down.
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March 6, 2008
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. So in other words, if I go
to an ice cream parlor, buy an ice cream cone and I sit on their bench
out front, it does not apply to this?
MR. KLATZKOW: I think that would apply to this.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. So the fact that I carried
it out, it wasn't served to me out there meets this definition.
MR. KLATZKOW: That's how I read this, yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, you know, Brad just brought up a
good point.
And I had -- and Brad, I don't mean to jump in, but it might help
your answer.
In section two, definitions, we've got two definitions. But I
thought one was missing, and that was the definition for outdoor
serving area. Do we want to add a definition? That may actually have
answered Brad's question.
MR. KLATZKOW: I think that's an excellent idea.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Brad, does that work for you?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: That's fine. It's just that -- well,
and my only other comment about the serving, you know, based on
what generated this thing, you know, I would just like to bring up the
thought that maybe we limit this to alcoholic beverages being served,
rather than just food.
Because if you read through this whole thing, you know, you
can't even have breakfast outside until 11 :00 in the morning. And did
this thing kill more than we were supposed to -- with the concern?
But, you know, if we want a definition of outdoor service area,
what is it?
MR. KLATZKOW: I'm going to have to sit down with the
people who drafted this and get it.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay.
MR. KLATZKOW: I did not draft this ordinance.
COMMISSIONER MURRA Y: This would also go to a Burger
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March 6, 2008
King or --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Murray?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: -- anyone that has a table
outside. And they serve breakfast foods.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But they couldn't eat out there
till 11 :00.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Vigliotti?
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Did we at one point talk about
minimum number of people, maximum number of people before this
thing kicks in? I know we talked about it but I don't see it here.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: It's been all over the --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: First iteration.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Guys, we can't keep talking out of turn,
the court reporter can't take our comments. So please, let one person
finish before the next starts.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: I felt much more comfortable
with, you know, minimum of 10 people, something like that, where
the little mom and pop wouldn't be affected. Where here everybody is
affected.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, maybe that's something that can
be further defined when you define outdoor serving area as having a
quantity --
MR. KLATZKOW: Well, is that the recommendation of the
Planning Commission that we have a minimum number of tables, for
example?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Before it kicks in?
MR. KLATZKOW: Yeah.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, if we do that, then okay, what is
the minimum number? How do we find that out. And does it apply to
a Stevie Tomatoes minimum number or just to an ice cream parlor
minimum number?
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: I would say a minimum of 10
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March 6, 2008
or 12 people. I know in the city over nine or 10 people you need two
bathrooms. So nine is a cut-off between small restaurant and larger. So
I'm happy with nine or 10 people. Anything smaller than that, I don't
think it's an issue.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Anybody else?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, you know another --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Schiffer?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Another concern, too, the way
this is written is that, you know, even somebody who puts seating out
back for employees might get -- because there's -- you know, I mean,
they're not actually operating something that's serving food. But this
could be really a disaster on controlling and really make every little
outdoor seat that we see benches and everything to be pulled into this
resolution.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Why don't we approach it this way: Jeff,
the zoning department has had a lot of experience with this, and
undoubtedly code enforcement. Why don't, when you come back with
a definition of outdoor serving area, include input from them into the
sizing and the way that's defined so it only -- we have a certain
limitation, and then let us chew on that. That might be the way to
approach it.
MR. KLATZKOW: Oh, well, this is coming back to you, yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Mr. Vigliotti?
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: I have some additional
comments.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: We're still on Page 2.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Okay. I'm on three, sorry.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Let's just stay with Page 2 till we're
finished.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I have some more twos.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Go ahead, Mr. Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: You know, we call this thing--
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March 6, 2008
we get a one-time permit and then we call it a temporary use permit.
But isn't it just a permit? I mean, why are we dragging the word
temporary in all the time? Does that make it easier to get rid of it or to
yank it or -- a permit's a permit. If you violate the conditions of the
permit you can get it removed.
I mean, the -- calling it a one-time permit, then a temporary use
permit. Why isn't it just a permit?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Jeff, who wrote this? I mean, obviously
-- you said you didn't. So maybe --
MR. KLATZKOW: I didn't write this. This is zoning staff that
wrote this.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, who should we be addressing our
questions to and who should be here answering them today?
MR. KLATZKOW: That would be zoning staff.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, why aren't they here?
Okay, well, this is simple. Let's just table this issue until they
show up and we'll have it another meeting.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Perfect.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: This is going to be a waste of time and
we're going to go nowhere.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Thank you.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, is everybody in agreement with
that? If we are, we'll move on to the --
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: That's right.
COMMISSIONER CARON : Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Next business is new business, which I
had the GMP meetings, we already discussed those.
Public comments. Richard, are you here to comment?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Mark, let me ask one.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Go ahead.
MR. YOV ANOVICH: I'm just trying to get some work done.
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COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: During the last commission
meeting, Susan Murray was testifying about something and she noted
that the records for the county are only kept for 15 years. Is that true? I
mean IS--
,
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I think what she meant -- well, at least
to my understanding, Brad, is from '79 back they don't know if they
have all the records.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: She said 15 years. So that's, you
know, in the early Nineties.
Is that right, Jeff?
MR. KLATZKOW: Got my attention.
COMMISSIONER CARON: That's serious.
MR. KLATZKOW: I mean, I don't know what the issue is now.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I haven't heard that before. This is --
MR. KLATZKOW: But it got my attention.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But I wasn't wrong in -- okay.
The concern I had, especially like in this last case, this guy
would have no proof of what was happening to his property. Code
enforcement should take note of that too, maybe.
Also, there was mentioning a concern that the SIC codes weren't
sufficient enough to define fast food restaurants, stuff like that.
Is that true? Is there a better way we could be noting these
things? It was mentioned that the SIC codes are just some way to
track, you know, employment.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, they're talking -- the other code is
NAICS, you're probably familiar with that. And I've asked staff, why
don't we look at implementing that, since the Tax Assessor Office uses
it anyway and some of the other departments do.
But staff didn't feel that -- they feel it's more of a metropolitan
code and -- at least that was the input provided to me -- and it wasn't
one that was necessarily workable for Collier County. I didn't push the
issue, but I'm sure we can bring the suggestion up when zoning staff is
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March 6, 2008
here next meeting.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And if they're actually
describing using the SIC codes as the problem they're having in
defining bars and restaurants and stuff then maybe they should be the
one recommending we change it.
MR. KLATZKOW: If the issue is you want to limit fast food
places, one approach you can take is to not have take-out windows.
These drive-through windows? I think if you eliminated drive-through
windows as a permitted use, I think that takes out the people you want
to take out.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Interesting. That's how they serve their
food, huh?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And then the other issue is that
they were discussing something as if there's some kinds of memos or
codes other than the LDC we have. And I was curious. In other words,
there was an issue that while the code said one thing, staff did another
thing, based upon historical or legacy, you know, decisions.
Is there a lot of that out there? And if there are, shouldn't we be
privy to it as the Planning Commission?
MR. KLATZKOW: I think that when staff has a practice that's
contrary to the code, then it's unintended and it's -- it's unintended by
staff. I don't think they have a list of this is what the code says but this
is what we'll do. I think they're just misunderstanding sometimes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, there are OI's in which this board,
every member here, was issued a book of OI's.
MR. KLATZKOW: Yeah.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And you've been issued updates as it's
been modified all along.
MR. KLATZKOW: But the OI should really track the code. It's
just like -- it's sort of like filler where you're not quite sure which way
to go.
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But I really don't -- I truly do not believe the staff is intentionally
violating the code.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. But the testimony was
that even though the code says 75, we use 10 or something--
MR. KLATZKOW: Yeah, I think staff just had that for some
reason they think that's what the code said.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So you don't think there's a lot
of those sleeping around where there's memos or -- because that's what
they were looking for is this memo that would authorize it, and --
MR. KLATZKOW: No, I don't think that it's pervasive.
I will tell you, though, that I do think that some planners may
interpret the code differently than other planners. So I'm not entirely
sure that there's been consistency over the years.
So if you've got the same LDC provision over 20 years, you've
had different zoning directors, you've had different planners. I'm not
entirely sure that every time they've interpreted it the same exact way.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: All right. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Anybody else have any new business?
No discussion.
Then I'll look for a motion to adjourn.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: So moved.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So moved.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Commissioner Adelstein, seconded by
Commissioner Schiffer. All in favor?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
MR. MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MIDNEY: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
MR. WOLFLEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER ADELSTEIN: Aye.
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March 6, 2008
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Anybody opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion carries. We're adjourned. Thank
you all.
*****
There being no further business for the good of the County, the
meeting was adjourned by order of the Chair at 11 :45 a.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 Reporting Service, Inc., by
Cherie' R. Nottingham.
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