BCC Minutes 10/24/1995 RREGULAR MEETING OF OCTOBER 24, 1995,
OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COHMISSIONERS
LET IT BE REHEHBERED, that the Board of County Commissioners in
and for the County of Collier, and also acting as the Board of Zoning
Appeals and as the governing board(s) of such special districts as
have been created according to law and having conducted business
herein, met on this date at 9:07 a.m. in REGULAR SESSION in Building
"F" of the Government Complex, East Naples, Florida, with the following
members present:
CHAIRPERSON:
ALSO PRESENT:
Bettye J. Hatthews
Timothy J. Constantine
John C. Norris
Timothy L. Hancock
Pamela S. Hac'Kie
W. Neil Dotrill, County Hanager
David Weigel, County Attorney
Item #3 & 3A
AGENDA AND CONSENT AGENDA - APPROVED WITH CHANGES
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Call to order the Board of County
Commission meeting for Collier County, Tuesday, October 24th. Mr.
Dotrill, would you lead us in an invocation and pledge.
MR. DORRILL: Heavenly Father, we thank you. We give
praise to your name this morning for the wonders that you had bestowed
on southwest Florida and Collier County. Father, we are thankful that
we have a respite from the rain for people in Bonita Springs and
northern Collier County. Father, as always, it's our prayer that you
guide the hand of this county commission today as they make important
business decisions for our community. We give thanks for the
opportunity to recognize young people as part of Red Ribbon Week and
also career achievement upon the part of several county employees this
morning. We'd ask that you bless our time here together, and we pray
these things in Jesus's name. Amen.
(The pledge of allegiance was recited in unison.)
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Mr. Dorrill, we have a few
changes to the agenda?
MR. DORRILL: Yes, ma'am, good morning. Very few. I
have two add-on items. Several items are requesting to be continued.
The first add-on item is item 8(B)(3), which would be under public
works and is a revised conceptual agreement between the Board of
County Commissioners and Florida Communities Trust. Commissioners
received an executive summary this morning with a changed list that
explains this particular request.
The second one is 8(C)(2) under public services. This
is part of the regular agenda. That's a recommendation that the board
respond favorably to a request by the Florida Association of Counties
as it pertains to the state health care committee's proposal
pertaining to Hedicaid; that's 8(C)(2). CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Uh-huh.
MR. DORRILL: I have three items that are requested to
be continued this morning. The first is under public hearings; it's
12(A)(1) to be continued for three weeks -- excuse me, four weeks
until your meeting of the November the 21st. It's an amendment to the
land use element of the comp. plan pertaining to the area of state
critical concern.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Mr. Dorrill, I understand that
that's being continued because of a lack of quorum at the CCPC. MR. DORRILL: That's my understanding.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Is there any way that we can urge
the members of the CCPC, because we have several members conflicting
out of this one, to -- to attend so that we can get a quorum?
MR. DORRILL: I'm sure Mr. Cautero can make an
extraordinary request and phone calls and whatnot to make sure that we
have adequate representation there.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay, thank you.
MR. DORRILL: The next item is item 12(C)(10). It's
requested to be continued until your next regular meeting, which would
be two weeks from today. That was at the request of the petitioner as
it pertains to the creation of the Islesworth Community Development
District, 12(C)(10).
And then finally also for two weeks a request to
continue consent agenda 16(I)(1), which deals with making a partial
payment for final judgment for a lien on certain property associated
with the county attorney's report, item 16(1)(1) continued for two
weeks.
I have two agenda notes this morning. The first is that
item 8(C)(1), which is the annual agreement between the Board of
County Commissioners and the health department be heard just prior to
your lunch recess in order to accommodate HRS's attorney, who will be
traveling down from Fort Hyers, and also that item 8(B)(2) be heard
later in the day so that an agreement -- the final agreement that was
dropped off by Mr. Siesky's office can be reviewed by our county
attorney's office. We're not in receipt of that yet this morning, and
there's a concern that we not take action on that until it's been
properly reviewed.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Do we have a specific time at the
end of the day or --
MR. DORRILL: It will be near the end of the day unless
it arrives and there are no problems with it, and then I'll bring that
to your attention at the appropriate time.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Hancock.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Mr. Weigel, is that sufficient
time to review a contract of this nature, or would you prefer to
continue the item?
MR. WEIGEL: Well, we've reviewed the document as it's
evolved very significantly. The changes we are looking to now,
potential changes, are small in number, although important. We can do
the review during the course of the day and advise the board
appropriately when it comes back this afternoon. COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Thank you.
MR. DORRILL: Those are the only changes I had. I will
be at your discretion concerning the Naples Park item.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Our discretion concerning --
MR. DORRILL: Yes, ma'am.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I know we have a lot of people
here who, I think, are Naples Park, but that's advertised in our
afternoon agenda as a public hearing.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Yes, ma'am, but as has been the
case on different occasions when we have a significant turnout from
the public on an item, we have taken liberty to move it in the
schedule to try and accommodate those people.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I don't know if we can do that on
a public hearing, Mr. Weigel, can we?
MR. WEIGEL: Yes, you can.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We can?
MR. WEIGEL: The legal advertisement that appears in the
newspaper states 9 a.m., so it gives us that flexibility.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. All right. Commissioner
Hancock, then are you proposing that we hear that earlier in the
agenda?
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Yes, ma'am, I would like to move
it up to one of the earlier appropriate slots in the agenda. I know
it is going to be a timing item. It's probably going to take a few --
few more minutes to hear than others.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Can I make a suggestion that
we make that the very first public hearing, because I think the
morning agenda may only take 90 minutes, and that way we can take that
first and still have it before lunchtime.
COHHISSIONER HANCOCK: That's fine.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. Do you have any other
changes, Mr. Weigel?
MR. WEIGEL: No, thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS:
Hancock, anything else?
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK:
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS:
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE:
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS:
Commissioner Norris, Commissioner
No, ma'am.
Commissioner Hac'Kie?
No, thank you.
Commissioner Constantine?
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Yeah, I'd like to remove
16(C)(3) from the consent agenda to comment and clarification; that
has to do with the roof on the museum's gallery.
HR. DORRILL: 16(C)(3) will become 8(C)(3).
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: 8(C)(4)? I'll also have a
couple of items under BCC communications, but I suspect that will be
eight or ten hours from now, so we'll get into those things.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Good night.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: It will be a while. I have
essentially a question and two items to remove if we need to do that.
It's a legal question for Mr. Weigel. MR. WEIGEL: Pardon me?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Yeah, that's okay. We have two
items on the consent agenda that are companion items to public
hearings. Can we approve the consent agenda making those two items
subject to approval of the public hearings, or should we remove those
and hear them concurrently?
MR. WEIGEL: You may -- if -- if you make the record
specific as you stated, you may do -- do what you wish. However, you
may -- you may take that -- take that option. However, if you do not
approve the companion item in the regular agenda, the record should
reflect that these consent agenda items are not approved either if you
wish to leave them on the consent agenda that way.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Anyone on the board have any
druthers as to how we should handle that?
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: If we just state for the record
the number of the two items, and if the consent agenda is not
approved, that those two items are to be not approved either, that
should be sufficient.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: And then at the conclusion of the
vote on the public hearing, we specifically say on the record that
companion item 16 something or other is not approved?
MR. WEIGEL: Well, I think that would even be redundant
at that point.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay.
MR. WEIGEL: If you made the clarification early on, the
record will reflect your action.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Madam Chairman.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Hac'Kie.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: While we're on this subject of
the consent agenda, I need to abstain from items 16(A)(1) and its
companion item which is 12(C)(5). That's the Walden Shores plat. I
have a conflict there.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. 12(C)(5).
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: And 16(A)(1).
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I'd like to recommend to the
board that we stipulate in our motion to approve the consent agenda
that items 16(A)(1) and 16 -- what's the other one -- (A)(10) be noted
to be approved only if the companion item is approved.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Madam Chairman, I'll make a
motion to approve the agenda and consent agenda subject to the changes
we've made today and to the stipulations you've just outlined.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: Second.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: A motion and a second to approve
the agenda and the consent agenda. All in favor, please say aye.
Opposed?
There being none, motion passes five to zero.
Item #4
MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 26, 1995 - APPROVED AS PRESENTED
COMHISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Madam Chairman, motion to
approve the minutes of the September 26, 1995, regular meeting.
COMHISSIONER MAC'KIE: Second.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: A motion and a second to approve
the minutes of September 26 meeting. All those in favor, please say
aye.
Opposed?
There being none, motion passes five to zero.
Item #5A
PROCLAivLATION DESIGNATING OCTOBER 23 - OCTOBER 31, 1995 NATIONAL RED
RIBBON WEEK - ADOPTED
Next item on the agenda, proclamations and service
awards. Commissioner Mac'Kie.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: I'd like to ask our State Representative
Butt Saunders if he would come forward, please. He is the honorary
chairperson of the Collier County Red Ribbon Week. And if anybody can
question Collier County's commitment to this with the red in this room,
I -- I doubt it. So if you would come forward, Butt, I'll read this
proclamation.
Whereas, the Collier County Red Ribbon Coalition is
proud to participate in the eighth National Red Ribbon Week by
sponsoring the local celebration with the theme, "We have better
things to do than drugs!"; a theme we invite each member of the
community to help us celebrate; and
Whereas, Red Ribbon Week began after Federal Agent
Enrique Camarena was murdered by drug traffickers in 1985. The red
ribbon then became the symbol to reduce the demand for drugs. The
week-long activities developed as a way to spotlight a community's
many prevention education activities and programs; and
Whereas, the ultimate goal is to end the use of illegal
drugs and the misuse of legal drugs. The coalition's approach is a
proactive one to show that a drug-free life-style is not only healthy,
but active, fulfilling, and fun; and,.
Whereas, you can demonstrate your personal commitment to
a Drug Free America by wearing and displaying red ribbons during Red
Ribbon Week, by wearing red on Red Day and by attending scheduled
activities such as the Monster Dash Run/ Fun Walk, the Health Fair,
and the Swamp Buggy Parade; and
Whereas, following the acceptance of this proclamation,
the fifth grade D.A.R.E. Students from Golden Terrace Elementary
School will demonstrate an important message for us with a silent
skit.
Now, therefore, be it proclaimed by the Board of County
Commissioners of Collier County, Florida, that the week of October
23rd through 31st, 1995, be designated as National Red Ribbon Week.
Done and ordered this 24th day of October 1995, Board of
County Commissioners, Collier County, Bettye J. Matthews, chairman.
I'd like to move we accept this proclamation.
COMHISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Madam Chairman, I'll second
that motion.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We have a motion and a second to
accept the proclamation. All in favor, please say aye. Opposed?
There being none, motion passes five to zero.
(Applause)
REPRESENTATIVE SAUNDERS: I'd like to compliment the
county commission, the county manager, and the county staff for the
enthusiastic support for a drug-free community. You can be assured
that this type of publicity sends a very strong and very positive
signal to the youth in our community that drug free is what we expect
in Collier County. So, again, I just simply want to thank you for
your enthusiastic support of the proclamation.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you. Thank you very much.
Do we have -- okay, I guess that's all.
(A silent skit was presented by Golden Terrace Elementary School
students.)
MR. BUSH: My name is Lee Bush.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Before you start, let me just say
that we keep saying that pictures are worth a thousand words. I think
we just saw a million words. Great!
MR. BUSH: Thank you.
(Applause)
MR. BUSH: My name is Lee Bush. I'm principal at Golden
Terrace Elementary School. I would like to publicly thank our youth
relations officer, Deputy Jackie Nolder, for the skit, for being with
us to do our DARE lessons. I'd like to thank Sheriff Hunter for his
commitment to Collier County students to have youth relations deputies
in our schools.
It does take a whole group of people like the skit
portrayed to stop our drug problem. We do our part in our schools to
educate the students, but it takes parents, teachers, all elected
officials from the legislation and judicial branches of our government
to help stop this problem. So, please, parents, if you're listening,
if you are going to do drugs, don't do them at home. Don't let your
children see them, and please try to get help. But we need to help
all of us together to stop the problem. Thank you very much for Red
Ribbon Week and your proclamation. Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you.
(Applause)
Item #5B
EHPLOYEE SERVICE AWARDS - PRESENTED
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: That's a tough act to follow. It
gives me pleasure -- we're at the service awards portion of our
agenda, and it gives me great pleasure to ask Kathleen HcLarty to come
forward. Kathleen has been with budget and management for 20 years.
(Applause)
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you very much for so much
hard work.
(Applause)
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Alice Toppe. Alice has been with
management for ten years.
(Applause)
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: And thank you very, very much.
MS. TOPPE: You're very welcome.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: And Kevin Dugan, is he here? He
certainly is. He's been with natural resources for five years.
(Applause)
Item #SA1
RESOLUTION 95-608 APPROVING THE COLLIER COUNTY NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC
MANAGEMENT PROGRAM (NTHP) - ADOPTED
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Next item on the agenda is -- I
have my pages all mixed up today. COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: 8(A)(1).
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: 8(A)(1), the neighborhood traffic
management plan. Mr. Perry.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Wonderful article in the
newspaper, Mr. Perry.
MR. PERRY: Thank you. Good morning, Madam Chairman,
Commissioners. For the record my name is Jeff Perry, chief planner in
your planning services department and also the coordinator for the
metropolitan planning organization. I'm here today with two of your
staff members, Anita Chapman and Joe HcHarris, the co-authors of the
neighborhood traffic management program. It was developed by your
staff for the City of Naples and Collier County.
The -- about a year ago during the review of a -- during
a hearing on the -- an amendment to the growth management plan, there
was a discussion about the quality of life in our neighborhoods and
the streets that were being impacted by speeding vehicles and
cut-through traffic. The board directed staff to look at policies
that could be implemented in its growth management plan, and to that
end we went a little bit farther and developed not only the policies,
but we also developed a program to help the City of Naples and Collier
County to deal with -- with traffic problems in neighborhoods.
With the help of a task force and your staff, the
neighborhood traffic management program was developed. It has since
been adopted by the City of Naples. It is identical to the one that
you have in your agenda package with the exception of the names
changed. Anita will be making a short presentation to you today to
explain the program, give you a little bit of taste as to the
techniques that can be employed within neighborhoods. And then we'll
be coming back to you asking for adoption of a resolution that would
implement the program and set into motion the process that will help
our neighbors and communities reclaim their streets. Anita.
MS. CHAPMAN: Good morning, Commissioners. I will be
making a brief presentation this morning on the neighborhood traffic
management program. First, wewll begin with the goal of the
neighborhood traffic management program, and this goal is to establish
procedures and techniques that will promote neighborhood liveability
by mitigating the negative impacts of the automobile traffic on
residential neighborhoods.
We developed this program with the traffic calming task
force that was made up of 25 citizens and transportation
professionals. We began meeting in September of 1994, and we met
through June of 1995 for a total of 15 meetings in over 30 hours of
meeting times, but it equaled almost 600 man-hours that went into this
program.
We also began the development of this program by
extensive research. We researched traffic calming in other
communities in Florida and found that we are really on the cutting
edge in Florida. There are very few communities in Florida that have
adopted formal traffic calming programs. Some cities that have them
are the City of Sarasota, Sarasota County, and Hillsborough County is
in the process of developing one as well. We also looked to the
United States to some of the top programs in the United States
including Portland, Oregon; Seattle, Washington; Boulder, Colorado;
and Montgomery County, Maryland. We went back to the beginning of
traffic calming and found that it began in Australia and England in
the 1970s due to the carnage that they were experiencing on their
streets.
We invited professionals to come and make presentations
to the traffic calming task force to learn more about their successes
and failures. And we also distributed questionnaires to learn a
little bit more about the management of these programs, exactly what
type of funding and managerial resources we would expect for this
program.
The program components include the goal, objectives, and
policies, application requirements, the procedures, the techniques,
and the application forms. This is the procedure as it was developed
by the traffic calming task force, and wewll go through this in a
little bit more detail by breaking it down into three different
issues, the first being identifying the problem.
This procedure establishes identifying the problem by
the application submittal; whereas, the neighborhood representative
would come to the staff and say we have some type of problem on our
street and we would like some help with it. Then the resident is
expected to go back to their neighborhood, collect over 50 percent of
signatures on a petition form, fill out the necessary application, and
then resubmit that to the staff. The staff will go through a
preliminary analysis which will include traffic counts and speed
counts among other neighborhood characteristics. We will then
schedule the first neighborhood workshop. In the first neighborhood
workshop, a traffic team is formed which will be made up of one to
four citizens from that neighborhood and the staff.
The next procedure will be developing the project. And
developing the project is left up to that traffic team which again is
made up of the residents and the staff. They will go through the
process of developing different alternatives and then form the second
neighborhood workshop where they will present their alternatives to
the neighborhood, and the neighborhood will be expected to come up
with a consensus of which project theywd like to support.
We will then go into implementing the project where the
staff will prepare the necessary documentation and report for the
commission to review. With favorable action from the commission,
staff will prepare the final designs and implement the project. We
will then go through a period of testing and monitoring the project to
make sure that it is meeting the objective of the neighborhood traffic
team.
Some of the techniques that are included in this program
can be broken down into simply physical or psychological techniques.
Physical techniques physically change the design of the street where
psychological techniques merely change the feel of the street. Some
examples of these are -- of the physical techniques include
roundabouts. This one here is the first one in Florida, and it is in
Gainesville, Florida, and it replaced a traffic signal. Some other
physical techniques -- this is in Montgomery County, Maryland,
mid-block pedestrian crosses, crossings which netdown the travel lane
for the automobile, slows them down, and it also gives the pedestrian
greater ease to cross the road.
Speed humps are a popular technique that are being used
in Hillsborough County and the City of Sarasota. Therews research
going on at this time to see exactly what the length should be and how
long that they can contain that slower speed for traffic.
Netdowns at intersections controlling the entrance and
egress of the neighborhood is also another physical traffic calming
technique; chicanes which allow the motor vehicle to slow down by
changing their direction while theywre traveling down the street; and
the raised crosswalk.
These physical techniques can also be accompanied by
psychological techniques as seen here in this slide with the sign that
says, "Motorists, we have people walking, children playing. We live
on this street, so please drive appropriately." It sends that clear
message. Also a change in surface pavement breaks up the segments of
the street so it doesnwt appear to be such a long, straight shot.
This also acts to get better behavior out of the motorist who will
then be expected to yield to the pedestrian and give the pedestrian
the right of way.
Tunneling effects can be done horizontally by just
simply restriping the roadway and also pigmenting it in some certain
situations. This gives the bicyclist a space to be. And also, again,
it narrows down the lane width so the automobile travels more slowly.
The tunneling effect can also be done vertically with landscaping. So
by vertically having this treatment, the tunneling effect, again,
takes place, and the drivers will slow down.
Those are some of the techniques, and today our
recommendations for implementation of this program will be to adopt it
by resolution, to provide the necessary staff resources to manage the
program, to establish the appropriate funding levels to make
improvements, and also to continue to support and enhance vehicle trip
reduction efforts. That is the brief presentation of this program.
Wewll be happy to answer any specific questions that you have on it
now. We'll ask Mr. Perry to come back up and also explain any funding
questions that you may have.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you. Commissioner
Constantine.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: A couple of questions. Miss
Chapman, in the recommendations it says, "Ensure additional staff will
be considered if needed for the successful management." Yet at the
conclusion of your presentation you indicated, I think, that staff was
wanted.
MS. CHAPMAN: At this time until we get the program up
and running, we don't know the complexity or the number of projects
we'll be dealing with. So at this time at the start-up of the program
the existing staff will manage the program, but if we experience a
tremendous increase in these projects, then we will be back to the
board and ask you to consider additional staff if it's needed at that
time.
COMHISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Okay. The level of funding
in here you suggested is somewhere between fifty and seventy-five
thousand dollars in the first year? MS. CHAPMAN: Yes.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: From where do we anticipate
getting those funds? What source are we looking toward?
MR. PERRY: We're looking at the transportation
revenues. Each year the county includes in its capital improvement
program funds for major reconstructions and different types of
projects that are not necessarily capital improvements, traffic
signals and the like. We're hoping that some of these types of
improvements would actually take place instead of those more expensive
improvements.
A lot of them would be very inexpensive. Others would
be perhaps at your discretion would be -- a little more expensive
types of projects. What we're asking in -- in the resolution is that
if you -- if you support the project, is give us direction to go back
and work and give us a feel for the amount of money that you'd like to
invest in the project at least the first year, and we'll put together
a budget for you.
COMHISSIONER CONSTANTINE: So for clarification
purposes, the money is available there. It's a matter of
prioritization, and you're suggesting this may be a good priority
item?
MR. PERRY: That's correct.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I just want to interrupt. We
have a lot of background noise in the room, and all that's going to do
is slow the meeting down for the day. So I ask you to keep your
conversation to a minimum while we're trying to get other business
done.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: The final question I have is
are we looking for any sort of pilot programs to begin this, or is it
just -- I know you outlined the procedure a community or neighborhood
would go through. It's just open to everyone and first come, first
serve?
MS. CHAPMAN: Exactly.
COMHISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Okay.
MR. PERRY: And they're already standing in line. We've
made several presentations already to the President's Council and
other groups have contacted us. There's a lot of interest in the
community in trying to see if we can actually solve some of their
problems. I might mention the City of Naples has had their first
application, Central Avenue. They've had their first workshop and
have had success in getting the community to come together to talk
about the problems to try to resolve those, so we think it will work.
COHHISSIONER CONSTANTINE: As part of that will there be
any procedure to weigh -- I mean, if three or four projects all come
in in a week's time, one is more clearly needed than a couple of the
others, or is it strictly whenever you turn it in?
MS. CHAPMAN: It's strictly right now first come, first
serve. If we -- I think if we see some problems that are problems
with the procedure, then we can ask the traffic calming task force to
go back and look at that and see if we need to set up some sort of
prioritizing criteria, but at this point it's strictly a first-come,
first-serve basis.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Thank you.
MR. PERRY: Some of the projects will be more
complicated than others and will require longer times to work through
and to implement. Others may be quick fixes where we may be able to
go out and solve the problem -- identify and solve it fairly quickly.
So we would hope to have a number of projects in the pipeline at any
one time, but they would not all be competing basically at the same
time.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you. Commissioner Norris.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Yes, Hiss Chapman, this is driven
by the neighborhoods themselves. That's the way I understand it. The
county commission is not going to come in and impose any plan on
anybody's neighborhood, but the neighborhood is going to come to us
with the request for the plan.
MS. CHAPMAN: That's correct. If -- the neighborhood
representative has to present to staff their problems as they see
them. Then they have the responsibility of collecting over 50 percent
of the signatures within the petition area that's identified.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: All right. So the neighborhood
will bring this forward, not the county commission bringing it
forward.
MS. CHAPMAN: That's correct.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: And funding for a specific
neighborhood will be accomplished how?
MS. CHAPMAN: That's what we're just discussing with Mr.
Perry, and you have those options. But right now we're looking at the
funding from the transportation funds.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Okay. Are we also looking at
perhaps HSTU-type funding?
MS. CHAPMAN: I'll let Mr. Perry address that.
MR. PERRY: In certain instances where we find the
problems being created in the neighborhood are really the
neighborhood's problems, they're the fault of the neighbors
themselves, for instance, speeding vehicles that might be the
neighbors that live next to the -- next to you. In many cases things
like that should probably be solved by the neighbors themselves at
their expense. But in some cases where -- where -- where the problem
is created by the general public, the cut-through traffic and the
like, those types of things --
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Well, I just want to make sure
that we do have that sort of review process in our search for these --
these neighborhoods that are going to have a program that we do take
that into account who -- where is the most appropriate funding
source.
MR. PERRY: I think that's going to be a case-by-case
situation where each -- each one will be examined separately.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. Commissioner Hancock.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: I know at least in North Naples
we've got neighborhoods lining up waiting for this to move ahead, and
I know we can expect an initial swell of applications, probably at
least two or three the first week or two or three inquiries the first
week, so my concern comes into the staffing aspect. I think initially
you are going to find a very broad and hurried attempt to get in and
get working. I would encourage you to muster your way through that
and wait for it to level off before making any staffing requests,
because I think initially we can expect a pretty big workload on this,
but I am supportive of the plan. Naples Park, Pine Ridge, these are
areas that experience cut-through traffic significantly, and I see
this as a way to bring the community into that decision and to curtail
some of it, so I am supportive.
MR. PERRY: I would expect to be back here about nine
months from now during your program priority budgeting process to
determine whether or not -- to explain to you whether or not the
program has worked and whether or not it should be funded again for
the following year. I think that's a good opportunity to evaluate it
each year whether or not it's -- it's serving its purpose.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Constantine.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: First, my compliments. I
think we do have problems, as Commissioner Hancock mentioned, in
neighborhoods; and that's throughout the county. And I think the fact
that you all are taking a proactive attempt -- making a proactive
attempt to correct that before it worsens or before it becomes
unbearable in those places and adds to other communities should be
complimented.
I'll make a motion to approve the item with the three
recommendations that we consider and ask Mr. Perry and his staff to
work with a $50,000 capital budget and to return to us at some point,
I assume as part of the process, what you foresee that being as the
items come up.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: I'll second that.
MR. DORRILL: Hiss Matthews, you do have two speakers.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We have two speakers?
MR. DORRILL: Mr. Fernandez and then, Miss Barker, if I
could have you stand by, please, ma'am.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Michael, your neighborhood was
the first to be traffic calmed already, wasn't it?
MR. FERNANDEZ: Yes, Commissioners. Michael Fernandez
representing the River Reach single-family homeowners association as
an owner. We came before you last January and, of course, one of the
things that happened was that some of the remedial changes that we
asked for our street were tabled until this program was underway. Two
concerns that I have: One is that right now it would take us
significant greater effort to go and get all these signatures. In our
particular case we have the ability, because we're all one homeowner's
association. We've already made the effort. We've come before you.
We've come before staff. I would suggest that in the procedures that
you make an amendment that when a homeowners' association covers the
entire area that's being reviewed, that in lieu of a petition, that
the homeowners' association can bring forth representation that they
need this done as in the case that we did before. That will speed up
the process, which looking at the procedures, my other concern is that
in the procedures they're showing a time line of about 22 months. And
it's a very staff-intensive process which, you know, I believe can be
streamlined. And if nothing else, let's streamline that portion for
the petitioning process which can be very difficult, because I learned
in my own neighborhood petitioning for additional street trees. So I
think that in -- in those cases where homeowners' association has a --
has governing powers over that district, that they should be able to
come in through that process rather than doing it on a
signature-by-signature basis.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. Thank you.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Hiss Barker.
MS. BARKER: Good morning, Commissioners. For the
record my name is Sally Barker. I am a member of the traffic calming
task force. And I'm sorry Mr. Fernandez was not on the task force.
It was open to everyone who wanted to join, and some of these issues
could have been resolved at the time. But all in all, I think it's a
very good program. Primarily I'm here this morning -- I cannot speak
for the entire task force, but I do speak for a lot of the task force
in saying that we are very grateful and very thankful to the county
for giving us the opportunity to put this program together.
As citizens we are very quick to criticize the sins of
omission and commission by our elected leaders and our government, and
I've been known to do it once or twice myself. Unfortunately, we're
not always so quick to tell you when you've done things right. And
this is one of those instances when I think you've done things right.
And I particularly want to thank Jeff Perry and Anita
Chapman and Joe HcHarris for the tons and tons and tons of work they
did on this program. They presented us with a foot-high stack of
material to go through. They were patient in translating technical
terms into plain English so we could understand them. And I think
they went above and beyond the call of duty to make this program as
user friendly as possible. And once again, thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you, and I'm sure we all
thank Mr. Perry and Hiss Chapman. We have a motion and a second on
the floor. Is there further discussion?
All those in favor, please say aye.
Opposed?
There being none, motion passes five to zero.
Thank you, Mr. Perry and Hiss Chapman, for doing what
appears to be an excellent job.
Item #8A2
CP-95-3 RE PETITION CP-95-4, REVEREND JOSEPH SPINELLI OF ST. ELIZABETH
SETON CATHOLIC CHURCH, REQUESTING A PERMIT TO CONDUCT A CARNIVAL FROM
NOVEMBER 8 THROUGH NOVEMBER 12, 1995 AT 5325 28TH AVE. S.W. GOLDEN GATE
- APPROVED
Next item on the agenda, 8(A)(2), petition C-95-4.
Joseph Spinelli.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: I make a motion to approve.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I second the motion.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We have a motion and a second to
approve the item, which is a permit to conduct a carnival from
November the 8th through November the 12th at 5325 -- what road is
that -- 285th Avenue -- 28th Avenue Southwest, Golden Gate.
If there's no further discussion, all in favor, please
say aye. Opposed?
There being none, motion passes five to zero.
Item #8A3
RE-ENGINEERING OF THE WESTERN HALF OF THE DEVELOPHENT SERVICES BUILDING
AUTHORIZED SUBJECT TO REVIEW OF THE PROJECT REGARDING AIRPORT AUTHORITY
FUNDS
Next item on the agenda is a recommendation the Board of
County Commissioners authorize reengineering of the western half of
development services building.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Madam Chairman, I'm going to move
approval on this item. It's simply following up with the board's
direction --
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Second.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: -- during the budget hearings.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We have a motion and a second --
MR. DORRILL: We have one speaker.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: -- to approve the item. We have
a speaker before I call the question.
MR. DORRILL: Mr. Drury is here at the request of the
airport authority board. I'm looking for him. Here he comes.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: An important note for those
who don't have the executive summary in front of them, this is saving
-- how much is it? $108,000 annually or something.
MR. DORRILL: Ten thousand a month.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Ten thousand a month.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: That's 120,000 then.
MR. DRURY: For the record, John Drury, executive
director of the Collier County Airport Authority. This item calls for
the airport authority to expend $10,000 to participate in the
redevelopment of the building, and we were not made aware of that
until yesterday. And basically it calls for a budget amendment to
come out of our reserves to participate in the department of revenue's
needs. And in our case, as you know, we are very conscious of all of
our expenditures, because we are going to be paying all of our
expenditures back plus interest. And the airport authority had
concern that this is a budget amendment not of our request, but
basically coming out of our funding. And we needed to take objection
to participating with that kind of a cost. With that I can answer any
questions.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Constantine.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I'm a little disturbed that
one of our departments is being charged and wasn't aware of it until
24 hours before this came up. Excluding capital costs, excluding the
projects we're working on, how much is the annual budget for the
airport authority right now?
MR. DRURY: About at $700,000.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Okay. So this is a fairly
substantial chunk to just pull out of thin air unexpectedly.
MR. DRURY: It's coming out of our reserves, and we just
-- for us it's an expense that we will carry, and we will pay back.
We -- we're -- we're like tenants in the development services
building. We pay about $4,500 a year. We budget for that. We lease
about 250 square feet of office space, and we're just being asked to
re -- move for the department of revenue and -- and then pay $10,000.
We just weren't -- had budgeted for, and that's -- from our
perspective, we just need to make you aware that --
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Mr. Dorrill, is there a
rationale for this, or is there an alternative?
MR. DORRILL: Two different issues. I'd be happy to
look at what their pro rata share of the cost is. If we did not
adequately bring this to their attention -- we didn't have a cost in
order to present to you for your final budget hearing, and rather than
make up costs, we thought we would wait until we had final costs from
the contractor. If we need to relook at the airport authority's
costs, that's fine.
The separate issue, though, is one a little more
important. Everyone in that building pays not rent, but they pay
allocated costs. And everyone in the county pays allocated costs to
pay for the light and utility bills, the insurance, and the custodial
costs. That's a separate item. If those have not been budgeted for
in the airport authority's budget, they need to be. My impression is
that they're the smallest tenant over there, and we'd be happy to take
a look at that. Otherwise we're recommending approval.
MR. DRURY: And we do budget every year the 4,500 to pay
for our two offices. We just weren't ready for this $10,000
renovation program.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Well, it sounds like a review is
in order. And, Mr. Dotrill, you've agreed to perform that review? MR. DORRILL: Yup.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: With that in mind I'll make a
motion to approve the item subject to the review of the airport
authority and perhaps reporting back to us before any final action is
taken.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK:
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS:
COMHISSIONER NORRIS:
floor?
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK:
COMHISSIONER MAC'KIE:
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK:
Second.
We have a motion and a second to
Don't we have two motions on the
Yeah, we do.
I'll withdraw. What the heck.
Withdraw the second on the first
motion -- or I'll withdraw the motion.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: And I'll withdraw the second on
the first motion.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Now we have a clear table. Do we
have a motion?
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I'll make a motion we approve
the item subject to the review of the airport authority's portion of
that and request that Mr. Dorrill return to us with some sort of
solution to the airport authority's dilemma. COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Second.
MR. DORRILL: Is it -- is it necessary for me to have to
bring this back to the board after --
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Just as an information item.
MR. DORRILL: Okay. But otherwise we can proceed and
sign the contract to do the renovation or the demolition in the
balance of the building?
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: As long as you're not
charging the airport authority $10,000 to do it.
MR. DORRILL: We'll proceed with the other tenants, and
then if Mr. Price has a problem that I can't solve, then -- or as a
result of my conversation with him, then I'll be happy to come back to
you.
COHHISSIONER HAC'KIE: Perfect.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Good. Okay. We have a motion
and a second to approve the item pending a review of the project as it
affects the airport authority. All those in favor, please say aye.
Opposed?
There being none, motion passes five to zero.
Item #SB1
RESOLUTION 95-609 AND RESOLUTION CWS-95-8 APPROVING PRELIHINARY PLANS,
SPECIFICATIONS AND ESTIMATE OF COSTS OF THE PROPOSED SANITARY SEWER
SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ROYAL COVE SEWER SPECIAL ASSESSMENT
DISTRICT; TENTATIVE APPORTIONMENT OF SUCH ESTIMATED COSTS AMONTH THE
PARCELS OF PROPERTY TO BE ASSESSED; FIXING THE DATE, TIME AND PLACE FOR
PUBLIC HEARING ON THE CONFIRMATION OF THE DISTRICT'S RESOLUTION 95-583
INITIATING THE PROGRAM FOR THE ROYAL COVE SEWER SPECIAL ASSESSMENT;
ORDERING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE ASSESSABLE IMPROVEMENTS; AND PROVIDING
FOR MAILING AND PUBLISHING NOTICE OF SUCH PUBLIC HEARING - ADOPTED
Next item on the agenda is public works, 8(B)(1),
approval of a resolution approving preliminary plans, Royal Cove.
MR. CONRECODE: Commissioners, for the record, Tom
Conrecode from your public works division. And the item before you is
the next step in a multistep process in establishing an assessment
district. And it would be -- it would require the board to approve a
resolution today that approves the preliminary plan specs and
estimated costs for the proposed sanitary system improvements that are
occurring as a result of the abandonment of the current system in
Royal Cove.
A tentative portion -- apportionment of such estimated
costs among the parcels of the properties to be assessed is submitted
by the district's engineer for the project. And the resolution also
fixes the date, time, and place for the public hearing for the
confirmations of the district resolution. It initiates a program for
the Royal Cove sewer special assessments and orders the construction
of the assessment improvements providing for the mailing and
publishing of notices for such public hearing.
The process started on October 10th, and the board
approved the resolution initiating the establishment of the sewer
special assessment district for Royal Cove and Royal Cove unit 2. And
at that point the board received the preliminary engineering report
from Agnoli, Barber, and Brundage. In order to proceed, staff is
requesting the board to adopt the resolution regarding the
above-written items subject to any questions.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Hancock.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Mr. Conrecode, we have moved
ahead at each step out of necessity on this matter, but the prevailing
question has always been the folks in phase one that this line has to
go through, the required hookup of them, and at what time it would be
required and what mechanism would be available for them to do so when
their septic system fails or the house is sold. I -- we continue to
move ahead, and I continue hearing that we will work on those
questions, and I'm just looking for some definitive answers at some
point before we get too -- so far down this process we've expended too
many dollars to turn back. So whether it be Mr. Weigel or Mr.
Conrecode's answer, I'm looking for some level of comfort that the
folks in Royal Cove are going to have options here as opposed to being
forced to hook up when the line is in place.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Mr. Weigel and I discussed that
yesterday, and he still has, I think, some research to do.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Okay.
MR. WEIGEL: If I were to give a definitive answer
today, it would err on the side of caution and say that, no, that
there would not be an ability to provide a variation in the -- in the
requirement to hook up once the facilities or infrastructure is close
to the premises of the -- of the subject properties, whether they have
septic tanks on their premises or not. We continue to look to see if
we can avoid the legal issues that -- that would appear to exist if we
attempt to make that distinction. At this point if the board does not
approve this resolution from a timing standpoint, the staff and -- and
the project can't go forward, and we are not permitted to assess
anyone at all with the matter before you today. But it's a difficult
issue, and we're striving to see if we can resolve it favorably to all
of the parties, those with septic tanks and those with not, so that
the timing works best. But we do have some credit and finance issues
that are very difficult to -- to give you the comfort that I want to
with the response saying that we can do it.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Essentially what I read in this
today is that we're -- we're initiating the program and ordering the
construction of the -- of the improvements and providing for the
mailing and publishing of a notice of public hearing. So it appears
that all we're doing is letting the bids to find out what it's going
to cost; is that correct?
MR. CONRECODE: The most important element of this is
you giving us direction to proceed with that process as well as
noticing the public hearing, which would be held in November. That's
mainly what we're asking for today.
If I could elaborate on what David was saying a minute
ago, currently the board requires connection within 90 days of the
line passing in front of the home. We are looking at an alternative,
because Royal Cove is a relatively low-income area. At an alternative
of taking just the Royal Cove Two portion and going with a pump
station and allying down the FP&L easement as opposed to going the 41
connection, we would connect to the pump station in Imperial Golf
Estates. It may be a lower-cost option for those in phase two. At
the time phase one would come on line, we could then run a gravity
line serving phase one, which would feed into the pump station and
transmit the rest of that. So we're looking at some of those
options. By the time we have the public hearing in a month, five
weeks, we can come back to you with more specific items. The problem
there may be in getting FP&L to allow us to run a pipeline within
their easements.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Constantine.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I share Commissioner
Hancock's concern that we go too far with those unknowns. Like him, I
have heard several times -- and I appreciate where you're trying to
go, and I appreciate how difficult a situation this is. But I've
heard -- we've heard this maybe four or five times now, and each time
while we're looking at those options -- we should have those questions
answered soon -- we -- and we don't. I just hesitate to move forward
because there -- yes, we have the option if we get bids back to turn
those down, but there's some level of commitment and I think some
level of expectation we create by moving to that next phase. And it
is much harder. We certainly have the authority to, but it becomes
much harder to turn back at that point. So I think I would feel more
comfortable if we knew some of those answers with some definitiveness.
MR. CONRECODE: Okay. I would be -- I would stand here
today and make you that promise that I will have those answers and
will provide them weeks in advance of the public hearing, which is
when you would actually take your next step and approving tentative
assessments up there. We need to have those final numbers before you
can do that tentative assessment anyway. This whole Royal Cove
drainage issue, as you're aware, is as a result of the abandonment of
that pump station or that small package plant up there, and we're kind
of in a jam in both directions. He has approval to shut that thing
down next month, so --
COMHISSIONER CONSTANTINE: How long will it take you to
get that information?
MR. CONRECODE: Probably two to three weeks. The big
holdup is going to be getting approval from FP&L to run a line within
their easement. And dealing with their attorneys is never a quick
process.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: I'm somewhat comforted in that
this is something we have not heard until today. So it appears that
Mr. Conrecode is looking for plan B, so to speak, if we can't get
around the assessment issue through Royal Cove One, that there may be
another option. If we move ahead on this today, letting it go out to
bid, and that option does not become available, have we expended
efforts that are significant by the time this board has the
opportunity to hear this item again?
MR. CONRECODE: Only staff effort and not -- not a
significant staff effort.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: Okay. So not a tremendous amount
of time on staff's part for this to the next step. And how far away
is that next step that this board would heard an item on?
MR. CONRECODE: That would be November -- I think it's
November 28th in the resolution. November 28th at 9 a.m.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: Can we --
MR. CONRECODE: And I could get you something two weeks
in advance of that meeting.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: I was just wondering if we could
get an interim report to find out where we are on some of these items
so that we could -- you know, if there is different direction, that we
could issue it then as opposed to waiting five weeks. What I would
like to do is, I don't want to -- I understand because of -- of the
situation of that plant being shut down, that we need to continue
moving in a direction. We're almost bound to. But what I would like
to do is I would like to approve staff recommendation with a
stipulation that we receive a report three weeks from today on the
items we've discussed and ask that that report be rather definitive in
nature so we know what options do or do not exist.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Is that a motion?
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: That is a motion.
COMHISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I'll second that. My
concern, again, is I don't want us to create some sort of expectation
either amongst the board and staff or, more importantly, amongst the
people who live there but realizing a sensitivity of the shutdown of
a little sewer station there, we could be in a heap of trouble.
MR. CONRECODE: Well, and on the other side of that, we
have major concerns of the fact that the assessment is going to be
more than the value of the home on some of those properties up there.
So that's a serious concern that we have in realistically providing
them sewer service.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: I'll say.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Hac'Kie, did you
still have a question?
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: No, they've addressed them.
Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We have a motion and a second to
give direction, I guess, to adopt the resolution; is that correct?
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Correct, with the stipulation
that we receive a report --
MR. CONRECODE: In three weeks.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Within three weeks.
MR. CONRECODE: Yes.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: All those in favor, please say
aye.
Opposed?
Motion passes five to zero. I guess we'll see you in
three weeks then.
MR. CONRECODE: Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you, Mr. Conrecode.
Item #883
REVISED CONSEPTUAL APPROVAL AGREEHENT WITH FLORIDA COHMUNITIES TRUST -
APPROVED
Next item has been delayed. That's the Bathey item.
Next is 8(B)(3) dealing with the Florida Communities
Trust.
MR. GONZALEZ: Good morning, Commissioners, Adolfo
Gonzalez with your office of capital projects management. In August
of this year, you approved the conceptual approval of the agreement
with Florida Communities Trust to acquire through a matching grant up
to $388,000 worth of land to meet some of our mitigation needs for
transportation projects. The revised approval agreement that you have
before you today is to acknowledge that we, Collier County, already
had done some negotiations with property owners for three out of the
four parcels. And the Florida Communities Trust is acknowledging that
we can follow our policies and procedures for the first three parcels,
and we will follow their policies and procedures for the last, the
fourth parcel. Staff's recommendation is that you approve the revised
agreement as submitted to you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Questions? Is there a motion?
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Motion to approve.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Second.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We have a motion and a second to
approve the item. All those in favor, please say aye. Opposed?
There being none, motion passes five to zero.
Item #8C1
ANNUAL AGREEMENT WITH THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
REHABILITATIVE SERVICES (HRS), COLLIER COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH UNIT
(CCPHU); AND LEASE AGREEMENT FOR USE OF COUNTY OFFICE SPACE BY THE
CCPHU AND STAFF DIRECTED TO NEGOTIATE A SEPARATE AGREEMENT REGARDING
THE USE OF COUNTY VEHICLES BY THE CCPHU - APPROVED
Next item is 8(C)(1). This is the recommendation --
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Excuse me. We had another add-on
item, number 4, wasn't it, 8(B) (4), the huntoon (phonetic) roof?
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: I thought that was 8 (C) (4) --
8 (C) (3).
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Oh, okay. Sorry.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: 8(C)(1) is recommendation of
Board of County Commissioners to approve the annual agreement -- do we
have a request to hear this as close to noon as possible? MR. WEIGEL: No.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Or just in the morning?
MR. WEIGEL: That's right. They're ready if you're
ready.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: They're here? Okay. Let's move
on with it. Mr. Olliff.
MR. OLLIFF: Yes, ma'am, good morning. For the record,
Tom Olliff, your public services administer. This item originally was
designed to ask for three specific and separate items. One was the
approval of the annual agreement with the Collier County public health
unit. The second was the approval of a lease agreement for the office
and clinical space that the public health unit uses in building --
it's not building H anymore. It's the health and community services
building. And the last was direction and negotiate by separate
agreement the use of county vehicles by the public health unit staff.
Unfortunately, there are still some outstanding issues
with regard to the lease. We're asking that that item be continued
off of this particular item, and we'll bring that back hopefully at
your next meeting.
In regards to the contract, the easiest way to outline
the contract is simply to move to the fiscal impact statement of the
executive summary in terms of cash from the county, the actual
contract request is a request for $1,094,000 in cash from the county.
$875,000 of that cash is for direct service provisions. $219,600 is
actually a pass-through type account where the health department is
required to pay, as we saw with the airport authority, its fair share
of utilities, janitorial services, and other expenses associated with
the building and insurances.
In terms of the agreement, the last year we -- we spent
a great deal of time discussing liability, indemnification, and those
issues. And just so the board is aware, the language that was agreed
to last year is included in this year's contract as well.
The three issues that I need to discuss with you
regarding this contract are -- are, again, the trust fund issue, which
is part of this agreement and as outlined in the executive summary;
the health department by contract -- according to this contract, will
continue to keep unexpended funds provided by the county from last
year's contract. Unlike other contracts which we generally return
those monies to the general fund, the health department is allowed to
maintain those and can use those at their discretion. The amount of
what would be carryforward money in this particular case is about
$199,000 of county funds.
The second issue is -- is the vehicle issue, and this is
a new issue for you to consider. The health department has for years
used county vehicles primarily just out of necessity. Actually, I was
the county's fleet management director at the time when we made this
transition. The vehicles that were currently being used through the
state system were, frankly, inadequate for the use of the health
department staff. They requested; we approved use of county vehicles
which they pay for like any other county department. However, we do
not have an agreement that covers that use. And it's been recommended
that we have an agreement. I support that recommendation, and we're
only looking for direction this morning that you -- you tell us to
actually go negotiate that agreement with the health department and
bring that back to you.
The last issue is -- is a subcontracts issue. And under
their current agreement, the health department is allowed to
subcontract for any and all of the services that they provide.
Unfortunately, as the agreement is currently structured, it would have
to amount to more than 10 percent of their current contract for you to
have any review or approval of the subcontract. And there are
currently some subcontracts where it's been determined that there is a
certain amount of risk and/or liability associated with those
subcontracts to the county because they're provided in county space
using county equipment.
There is a current move to subcontract the largest
portion of the clinical service that the health department is
providing. And that has some very specific liability related issues
to it. And there are two ways that we can handle subcontracts.
Either you can approve each and every subcontract that the health
department has -- and they're not recommending that and neither are
we, because there are a number of minor subcontracts that you,
frankly, don't need to see. But there are those subcontracts that
either you need to see or we need to develop some standardized
language that would be liability insurance-type protection language
for all those subcontracts for the county.
What we're asking this morning is that you approve this
agreement subject to the development of that language and inclusion of
that in the contract. And I think Roger agrees to that. We've got a
draft language, but I don't think that we've had an opportunity to
actually agree to that language. I think we can come to an agreement
of that. And if you'll approve this contract subject to that language
being developed and incorporated as part of the agreement, that's what
would be recommended.
With that, I think Roger's here to answer any questions
that you might have, and I'm available to answer questions as well on
this annual agreement.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Questions? Are there speakers,
Mr. McNees?
MR. McNEES: No, ma'am.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I didn't think there were.
Commissioner Constantine.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Just a quick question, if you
can help me clarify something. You mentioned early on the
indemnification language that we had included last year is included
again now. Then you went on to talk about the subcontracts that go
out and the liability that the county may be responsible for. Where
is the line drawn there? What's the difference? Why aren't we
indemnified there?
MR. OLLIFF: The language that was developed last year
was specifically for services provided by the public health unit as an
agency unto themselves. When they subcontract -- and I will tell you
that they are working on an agreement with Collier Health Services,
Incorporated, to come in and provide all of their prenatal, maternal,
and child health services through the clinic. That language would not
cover any subcontracted entity.
MR. EVANS: Commissioners, Roger Evans with the public
health unit. There are several vehicles which can be utilized to
cover the liability issues, one of which, of course, is the discussion
of the additional element, attachment, additional component of an
agreement that Mr. Olliff is discussing. The other is what will be
generated and is -- is currently being drafted in -- in the form of a
lease agreement for the use of portions of building H within the
content of the lease agreement that would be generated between the
Board of County Commissioners and Collier Health Services -- can be
included language with respect to liability and responsibilities
associated with that.
So what's being discussed is a broad issue with regard
to any -- any types of services agreements that we might have to put
together in order to assure that services are being provided to the
community. The major issue with regard to the CHSI service delivery,
the liabilities associated with that would be covered hopefully
adequately to the board's commission agreement with regard to the --
to the lease agreement.
MR. OLLIFF: Commissioner, in its simplest terms we have
an agreement with them where they are protecting us. But when they
subcontract, their agreement has nothing to do with Collier County.
So it's an agreement between the state and some other agency, whoever
that is, and they don't reference Collier County at all in their
agreements. And we just need to make sure that when they do
subcontract, that they do include that language.
MR. EVANS: And we're agreeable to work with Tom and
staff to make sure that a document is prepared that can either be
connected to any service agreement that we create with appropriate
language to protect all entities involved.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Mr. Weigel, I don't need to
know the hows, but I need a simple yes or no. You're comfortable that
we can cover the liability issue in this type of agreement?
MR. WEIGEL: I think we can. Yeah, I'm comfortable.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS:
motion?
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE:
recommendation.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK:
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS:
Any other questions? Is there a
Hove approval of staff's
Second.
A motion and a second to accept
staff's recommendation. I presume that's all of them?
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Yes, ma'am.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: If there's no further discussion,
all those in further please say aye. Opposed?
There being none, motion passes five to zero. Thank
you, Mr. Olliff.
Item #8C2
RECOMMENDATION THAT THE BCC RESPOND TO THE FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF
COUNTIES' REQUEST TO OPPOSE THE STATE HEALTH CARE COMMITTEE'S PROPOSAL
THAT COUNTY'S ADMINISTRATE MEDICAID BLOCK GRANTS - APPROVED
Next item on the agenda is 8(C)(2). This is the FAC's
request to oppose the state health care plan.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: While -- while Miss Skinner's
coming up, we can probably boil this down to a pretty simple
question. In essence, this shift would cause an additional tax burden
on Collier County, the administration of a program that currently
occurs at the state level. Is that about what we're talking about?
MS. SKINNER: Significantly.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: And this is going to occur in all
counties throughout the state, and now we're being asked by FAC to
support a countywide position or statewide position of counties that
we don't want to bear the burden of the cost of administering this
program and, in essence, it becomes an unfunded mandate?
MS. SKINNER: If they proper -- if they go through with
it. It's -- it's to administra -- take over the administration of
Medicaid program. That goes off in every direction. The questions
that I had were the ones I supplied to you at the back of the packet
here, and I don't know the answer. I have no idea what it will cost
the counties. I think the reason is that the state is anticipating a
shortfall of funds when congress hands down the Medicaid block
grants. And the easiest thing, I guess, to do would be to get
counties involved. And FAC is opposed. They say many, many of our
small - to middle-sized counties could not handle these kind of
programs at all. There are one or two of the large counties in the
state that would like to give it a try, but they're set up for this.
And I would like very much for you all to go on record by sending a
letter to the parties that I've requested you to in opposition, if --
if you will.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Constantine.
COMHISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Commissioner Hancock's
comments and mine -- obviously we will likely agree to such a letter,
a resolution. However, we also just received a summary this morning.
I haven't had a chance to read it all --
MS. SKINNER: I received it last week --
COMHISSIONER MAC'KIE: Could you close that door,
please? It's hard to hear.
MS. SKINNER: -- and it was a rush-time item, and I
regret that, but I didn't have enough time to get it to you --
COMHISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I was just going to ask you
if you could give me like a 60-second-or-less synopsis of the
specifics of what they will be asking the county to do beginning --
MS. SKINNER: Okay. In your packet --
COMHISSIONER CONSTANTINE: -- with Commissioner
Hancock's explanation, I think --
MS. SKINNER: In your packet page number 5 is the
proposal as it is written now. The house health care committee has
put this proposal together, their chairman, Ben Graber (phonetic) from
Broward County, I understand. And the second -- they -- each county
will enter into contract with the state to receive the county's block
grant money. And participation by each county is anticipated. The
state will establish the minimum eligibility levels. Of course, the
counties can adopt higher levels if we want to pay for it.
Eligibility determination will be done by the county and monitored by
the state. So, of course, that would be --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I don't have any problems in
doing that.
MS. SKINNER: We would have to do that.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: In essence, the state is going to
cut its administrative costs by passing it on to the counties, in
essence, and then we have to create the structure to administer the
program, which is, in essence, in my opinion, an unfunded mandate.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Commissioner Hancock, would
you like to make a motion?
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: I make a motion that we authorize
the chairman to sign a letter supporting the FAC position in
opposition to the Hedicaid block grant state transfer to the
counties.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Second.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: A motion and a -- and a second.
I don't want to delay this, but it seems to me I see a little bit of
arm twisting here that if we don't agree to what they want, we don't
get the money, which we're automatically getting now.
MS. SKINNER: I see that too, but I think this is going
to be developing. Their initial meeting with the house is the 31st of
October, and FAC is going in opposing. And they would like county
backup to their position. And I think this is just a start that -- of
something we really need to take care with and be advised and know
what's going on. And, of course, as it develops, I'll certainly let
you know.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. We have a motion and a
second to support the chairman signing the letter in opposition to the
state's proposed Hedicare block grants. All those in favor, please
say aye.
Opposed?
There being none, motion passes five to zero. Perhaps
Commissioner Hancock might want to argue that issue in Tallahassee
next week.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: We certainly will. And thank
you, Hiss Skinner, for your work on this.
MS. SKINNER: Thank you.
Item #8C3
BUDGET AMENDHENT FOR $5,500 TO REPLACE THE ROOF AT THE HUSEUH'S HUNTOON
GALLERY - APPROVED
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Next item on the agenda is item
8(C)(3). This deals with the roof on the Huntoon Gallery.
Commissioner Constantine.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I had removed this from the
consent agenda. I certainly do not object to our participating, but I
wanted to make sure -- I know -- I think all of you received a copy of
a letter from CBIA this week. I had asked them maybe even a year ago,
a long time ago, if they would help out with this, and they had
agreed. My concern is with some of the numbers here. We're being
asked for a budget amendment of $5,500. On -- the removal of the
asbestos shingles will cost 4,000, an additional new roof, it says
3,000, and a thousand for interior ceiling. Estimated cost of putting
the roof on from CBIA is about twenty-seven fifty as opposed to the
three thousand which they have indicated, A. It's less but, B, they've
indicated they're willing to cover. And then I was under the
impression -- I may be mistaken -- that the museum folks were going to
-- were either in the process of starting some preliminary work or
were going to do the work on the interior ceiling as -- as the roof
was completed. It's only $1,500, but $1,500 is $1,500. And if there
is a differential between 4,000 and 5,500, I wanted to make sure we
clarified that.
MR. OLLIFF: The only -- the only issue here is actually
we had put together this executive summary prior to getting the actual
hard number from CBIA as what their actual contribution would be.
We've asked for $5,500. Because of CBIA's contribution, it looks like
we may be spending a little closer to 1,500 as opposed to 5,500. We
would ask that you go ahead and approve this only because with
asbestos removal and destruction of it according to federal law, it's
a difficult issue. And we've gotten some very wild estimates from one
end to the other in terms of how much that will actually cost, but we
don't anticipate spending anywhere near the amount because of the CBIA
participation there, and all the rest of the money we would return by
budget amendment back to the general fund reserve.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: The -- two other items. One,
CBIA will keep this offer good through December 20th, 1995. We can
stay on that schedule so we can take advantage of that?
MR. OLLIFF: If we don't by then, we're not going to
have a roof there.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: And just a comment, I
certainly support, and I will make a motion to approve it, but a
little bit disappointed in that when the gallery was brought over, we
were -- we were assured it would not cost one dollar to take care of
it. Now, I know they did not anticipate the problem with the asbestos
on the roof. But I'm a little disappointed that we ended up having to
expend funds on that when we were promised we would not have to. But,
nonetheless, I will make the motion that we approve the item and take
full advantage of CBIA's offer to assist us in that. CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I call for a second.
MR. HcNEES: You have one registered speaker, Doug
Nelson.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Mr. Nelson.
MR. NELSON: Hi, Doug Nelson, president of CBIA. I
don't want to really cloud the issue, because as I understand it, the
executive summary just went in to obtain funds to fix the roof.
CBIA's offer from the very beginning was to assist in putting a new
roof in. We've obtained a donation of roofing materials, and we will
work with our subcontractors to obtain donation of labor. We have
additionally allocated funds within our own budget to step forward if
we can't get our own people to step up to bat.
The real issue that wasn't there beginning, which makes
it kind of look silly, was the issue of the asbestos and actually how
to deal with that. When this first came up a year ago, there was a
large sentiment that this type of asbestos was not a big deal, and it
was just taken care of, and nobody knew about it. Today the world has
changed. Like with a lot of things, it's big dollars to get rid of
the asbestos. So what we're trying to do is if the county working
with their resources -- and we'll assist them -- can get rid of the
asbestos, we will then step up to bat and do everything we possibly
can to get that roof on at the least cost to the taxpayers.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I'll amend my motion also to
commend CBIA, because they don't have a darn thing to do with this
except just being good neighbors and helping out the county so -- MR. NELSON: Appreciate that.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: -- we appreciate that.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Norris, do you have
a second?
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Yes, I did.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you. We have a motion and
a second to approve the item. And to thank CBIA for its aid in the
project. Any further discussion?
All in favor, please say aye.
Opposed?
There being none, motion passes five to zero. Thank
you, Mr. Olliff.
Item #BE1
NET PRESENT VALUE SAVINGS TARGET REVISED FROH 8e TO 7e FOR THE
REFUNDING OF THE COUNTY'S GENERAL OBLIGATION REFUNDING BONDS, SERIES
1986 - APPROVED
Next item on the agenda is 8(E)(1), recommendation to
revise the net present value of savings target from 8 to 7.
MR. HcNEES: Good morning, Madam Chairman. I am Mike
HcNees representing the county manager's office. This is a relatively
straightforward item. 1994 you authorized the advance refunding of
series 1986 general obligation revenue bonds. And the finance
committee at that time recommended to you that we hold out for a
target net present value savings of 8 percent. We have not been able
to reach that target. In fact, we considered at one point changing
that recommendation and decided that given the size of this issue, it
would be appropriate to hold out for interest rates to come down to a
point where we could actually maintain the 8 percent.
The situation has changed somewhat, and there are two
factors that we want to iljustrate for you. One is that we just don't
think we will get the 8 percent, at least not anytime soon. That
doesn't necessarily change. We thought that was a good target, but
the other factor here is those bonds have now become callable so that
on top of the unlikelihood of getting 8 percent, if we wait a year and
get 8 percent, we will make less money on the refunding given the
shrinking pool then we would make today if we go with a near certain 7
percent funding. In other words, a bird in the hand today is worth
more than three-fourths of a bird in the bush a year from now is
essentially what it comes down to. And we would recommend to you that
we take advantage of what is approximately a $335,000 savings if we go
with 7 percent target today as opposed to waiting until some future
uncertain date when we might get 8 percent and still make less money
at -- at a future date. So I will be happy to answer any questions.
Mr. Ziev is here representing Raymond James, your financial advisor,
also to answer any questions on this issue if you have any.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Hancock.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: Two quick questions. Mr. McNees,
are we fairly sure that it's 7 percent, this refinancing will go?
MR. McNEES: Yes. And I'll let Mr. Ziev speak to the
marketing conditions if you'd like to.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: Okay. My second question,
probably more appropriate for Mr. Ziev, is I assume what we see is a
fairly stagnant market in the foreseeable future on these types of
bonds, and that's why we're here today talking about 7 percent instead
of 8.
MR. ZIEV: Yeah, I believe the general thought is that
rates are going to stay pretty much the same. They may trend downward
a little bit. But as part of our analysis to the finance committee to
you, we determined how far interest rates had to go in order to get to
8 percent, 8 percent savings. And it was basically a drop of almost a
half a percentage point in interest rates, and I don't think the
general consensus is that it's going to be that big of a drop in the
near term.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Questions? Motion?
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: I'm going to make a motion to
approve staff recommendation to revise net present savings value
target from 8 percent to 7 percent for funding the county's general
obligation refunding bond series 1986.
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: I'm going to second that.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We have a motion and a second to
approve staff recommendation on item 8(E)(1). Any further
discussion?
All in favor, please say aye.
Opposed?
Motion passes five to zero.
Item #8E2
DISCUSSION REGARDING COLLIER COUNTY UTILITIES RATE AUTHORITY;
IMPLEMENTATION PROCEDURES - REPORT TO BE PRESENTED ON 11/14/95
Next item on the agenda is a discussion regarding
Collier County utilities rate authority implementation procedures.
Mr. Weigel, is that you?
MR. WEIGEL: Well, in part. The board directed the
county staff and the county attorney office to come back to the board
at an advertised -- for an advertised public hearing or an advertised
date to discuss both the logical and procedural office type of
considerations that would be necessary if the county were to take
back, once again, utility jurisdiction, including rate making and all
the other functions. And also the board was looking from the -- from
the legal side to be apprised of what needs to be done to actually
accomplish that task of -- of jurisdiction coming back to the county.
And so although today -- today's agenda was a date that came up as a
potential interim informational fill-in date, you do not have before
you the formal report from the manager's office, nor do you have
advertised resolution or ordinance from the county attorney office,
although on behalf of -- of the legal side of the question, we
provided the informational and legal and technical memo that we
provided the board in mid-September. Once again, important to note
that different utilities have different -- in Collier County are under
particular jurisdictional requirements based upon public service
commission proceedings and Chapter 367 of the Florida Statutes.
Again, that's -- it's just a restatement of what you had learned and
the public had learned from the previous meeting. All the -- all that
the county attorney office would have to do is adopt a resolution
which supersedes and rescinds the previous 1985 resolution that states
that the county is exercising its legal prerogative to take back
jurisdiction.
Beyond that, however, is the requirement to make it
work, is that once you have the -- the authority and the
responsibility, there must be the mechanisms in place to make it work,
which would be an ordinance that would create or recognize the
appropriate rate making review authority and setting authority. Prior
to 1985 we had an ordinance in place with an entity called CCURB.
CCURB is the acronym, and it was the Collier County utility ratemaking
board, and it was an especially-appointed created by ordinance board
that purported to do all of the responsibilities, including ratemaking
and rate review, that would be contemplated if we were to take back
jurisdiction at this time. The county attorney office, based upon the
information that would ultimately come forward and be directed by --
come forward to the board and be directed from the board to the county
attorney, we can create an ordinance that provides for in-house
expertise or expertise outside of the -- outside of county staff. But
-- but we need that information before we could, I think, effectively
draft such an ordinance that would be advertised and brought back to
the board for consideration.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Constantine.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: We in the Golden Gate
community and I know more recently particularly on Marco Island have
been anxiously awaiting 1995 to come around where we had this option.
Under the current scenario with the Public Service Commission, water
rates in Golden Gate are up over a hundred percent over the last five
years. Sewer is up at half of that. If you combine those, and if
you're paying a water and sewer bill every month, it's almost 80
percent higher than you were paying five years ago. We've had three
rate hikes in that period of time. I know Marco has experienced a
couple of very, very big spikes. And I think -- I thought the board
had sent a fairly aggressive message that we want to move with this.
And, Mr. HcNees, maybe you can help me out with why the manager's
office is still doing whatever it is they're doing. But -- and where
we are in that. Hopefully that would unfold fairly rapidly.
MR. HcNEES: Well, I guess the why would be we want to
bring to you fully developed costs, because the last thing that we
want to see happen is you undertake this and then find out that the
costs for the petitioners to bring the petitions forward to your rate
regulation board or to you, whichever you decide to do, ends up
costing more than it would have cost to either do the same thing with
the PSC or to do, you know, some other process. So we recently
received, I would call -- I won't call it pages, but a few inches of
documentation that the attorney's office gathered from another county
that does the similar effort. And it's just -- we don't want to give
you a quick answer; we want to give you a good answer.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I guess if we're not going to
have a final answer today -- we've got a long agenda. We probably
don't want to spend a lot of time. I'd like to have a target date
where we can do this, because I'd like to -- assuming that it makes
sense, I would like to move forward with it fairly rapidly and make
sure that -- we have just completed in both Golden Gate and Marco two
rate increases. I think yours is still in the review process --
COMHISSIONER NORRIS: Yeah.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: -- but I don't want to wait a
year down the road where they'll be filing for another increase at
some point. So if -- do we have some time frame of which we can
expect a report on this?
MR. McNEES: We can be prepared by the end of November.
We have some advertising time, so I think that would be about as
quickly as --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Why do we need to advertise
this?
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Yeah, if we're not taking
specific action that day, I mean, we don't need advertising time for a
report. Obviously I'd love to be taking some action at the end of
November, but is there any way to get any information prior to that?
MR. HcNEES: If that's necessary. I guess what I'm
saying is we could be prepared for the public hearing and have all the
information to you. That way we don't have to come back twice.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Right.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Is it possible that we can go
ahead and advertise the public hearing for the end of November, but,
again get some interim information along the way so that we're not
having to digest all of this at one time? MR. HcNEES: Yes, ma'am.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I think you're going to put
18,000 people in Golden Gate and how many in -- on Marco at ease as we
move forward with this. MR. HcNEES: Okay.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: About the same number.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Mr. Weigel.
MR. WEIGEL: Madam Chairman, in regard to an advertised
public hearing, there is obviously statutorily required lead time
where an ordinance is drafted; and it must be on file with the clerk,
the board office, and the county attorney office. We always have
those available for the public ahead of time. It may be that we still
have a two-step process before us in the sense that the manager's
office, again, working with the county attorney may come forward with
some alternatives in regard to whether -- and the board may have the
opportunity to make choices as to whether to use, as an example, the
in-house expertise or outside counsel or outside rate making board
expertise. And if -- if this is to be the end-all, be-all hearing, a
definitive hearing on this, the county attorney office will have to
make a determination early as to which way it's going to be, and the
ordinance will be drafted and advertised accordingly. So it may be
that the -- the informational meeting might be separated from the
ordinance creation meeting whereby you could give us direction, and we
could immediately at that point go out and craft and advertise the
ordinance to follow what you determine having the benefit of the
information before you that will -- that will come to you at that date
in November.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: What I want to avoid is
having this the last week in November and then start advertising and
end up in January or February by the time we actually get around to
having the public hearing. MR. WEIGEL: Yeah.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Can we have that informational
meeting like November 14th, three weeks?
MR. McNEES: Yes.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Yes. And it will be a good
answer, not a quick answer?
MR. McNEES: Yes.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you. Commissioner Norris.
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: Thank you. As to the subject of
funding for the petitioners when they come for rate adjustments or so
forth, it's my understanding that currently those utility customers
that are served by private utilities have four and a half percent
gross of their bills as paid to the PSC to fund PSC operations. I
think probably that our operation would be more cost effective and
that we wouldn't need to assess them four and a half percent, that we
could come up with some figure that would be substantially less to
fund our regulatory operation.
MR. McNEES: The old CCURB board only had one employee
and charged -- I think it was a 2 percent franchise fee, and then the
costs of the rate cases themselves were additional payments.
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: Okay, thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Yeah, I know that -- that
hopefully we can do it for less than four and a half percent, but we
have to remember the PSC has economy of scale, which is probably one
of the reasons they're trying to consolidate all these guys into a
single hearing in the first place. So I would hope we could do it for
less, but I'm anticipating, because rate studies are not cheap.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I take the somewhat more
cynical view that the utilities are pursuing having one single rate
hearing for their own advantage rather than for the economy of scale.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Talk about reducing the
franchise, are they? But anyway, Mr. McNees, you can get us that
report on the week of the 14th.
MR. McNEES: Yes, ma'am.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: As a quick side note, it's
probably very important for us to continue to follow the Florida
Association of Counties' lead on trying to -- we have intervened in
the suit that -- that tries to break away the ridiculous assertion
that you can -- if you provide service in one county, the mere fact
that you drive across county lines gives you the ability to average
the service in cost and repair from one municipality to another. If
we can break that off, a lot of these problems will be solved. Marco
will pay for Marco, not a faulty plant in Englewood and so forth. So
if we can accomplish that, some of these things may go away.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I thought the assertion was
merely that they were mailing their bills across county lines.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: They've tried to make that one,
tOO.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay.
Weigel.
MR. WEIGEL: Thank you.
Thank you very much, Mr.
Item #9A
SETTLEMENT OF CASE NUMBERS 94-1182 AND 95-3482 CONCERNING THE
OPERATION, MAINTENANCE AND INTENDED ABANDONMENT OF ROYAL COVE OF
NAPLES, INC.'S WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT - APPROVED
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Next item on the agenda is county
attorney's report, 9(A), a recommendation to approve a settlement of
case number 94-1182 and 95-3482.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: Madam Chairman, Mr. Weigel
probably has -- and Mr. Pettit probably has a very nice presentation
planned for this, but the truth is the sum of these cases has allowed
us to get to the point where Mr. Vetter has to continue operating the
plant to a date certain, and then the county's options become
available. There's been a lot of work put in on this, we've heard,
every step of the way. Unless there's something dramatic presented
today, I'm going to make a motion to approve.
MR. PETTIT: Commissioner, Mike Pettit from the county
attorney's office. I have nothing dramatic to add, but I do have some
responses to some questions that were raised on the other Royal Cove
item by you and Commissioner Constantine. COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: Okay.
MR. PETTIT: First of all, the settlement agreement as
drafted -- and I intentionally drafted it this way -- does not
obligate us to connect Royal Cove 1 and 2 or its Royal Cove and Royal
Cove unit 2 to our sanitary sewer system. It obligates us to consider
the necessary steps. In that regard I think in good faith we would go
through the November 28th hearing. The concern about bidding, we are
on a very tight time leash, as I think you know, at least, on
accomplishing all these things and getting on the tax roll assuming an
assessment district is created.
We had contemplated going to bid somewhere in the middle
of November. Certainly that could be postponed until after the public
hearing. You know, if a decision is made at the public hearing that,
no, we're not going to proceed with an assessment district, we
wouldn't have the issue of having put out bids and having contractors
prepare responses. We simply would have to then make sure when we did
bid and if an assessment district went forward, that those contractors
were on notice that time was going to be critical in the project. So
I think that answers at least a couple of the questions.
My understanding is that the only costs we're going to
incur, if go through all these steps through November 28th, is the
engineering cost to date and the prep -- from Agnoli, Barber, and
Brundage. I'm not aware of what that cost is to prepare the
preliminary plans and so on and the tentative assessment roll; and,
secondarily, we will owe the property appraiser and the tax collector
a little money, my understanding is a very small amount of money, as
they begin to get involved with the process.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: Our credit is good with them.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Agnoli, Barber, and Brundage
didn't volunteer their services for this?
MR. PETTIT: No.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I have a question before we have
a motion on this. There was some discussion early on. And I'm
assuming, since I didn't see it here, that it's been put to rest, but
that Mr. Vetter was looking for something for the lots that this plant
sits on. He's abandoned that concept?
MR. PETTIT: Yes, he has.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Wisely so.
MR. PETTIT: He initially had sought -- in addition to
having the DEP drop its suit and being relieved of the potential of
approximately $15,000 in fines, he has signed a waiver of any
financial assessment if the assessment district went through and also
a waiver of impact fees, and he's -- he's abandoned those requests.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: He's abandoned that request?
Well, that's -- that's wise.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK:
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS:
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK:
floor to approve.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS:
Smart.
Is there a motion?
I believe I have a motion on the
Is there a second?
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I'll second it. Again, I
understand and I appreciate the fact that we can put the brakes on at
the next step. I just don't want to -- government sometimes has a
hard time doing that, and I want to -- I think the board after our
discussion today will be comfortable doing that if it's appropriate.
But it's -- I get a little nervous every time we keep that train
rolling.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I have a question now because I
just heard if we keep moving on, this is a -- this s a settlement of
the issues?
MR. PETTIT: This is a settlement agreement --
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Yeah, he was referring to
this morning.
MR. PETTIT: -- resolving the lawsuits.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Uh-huh.
MR. PETTIT: It is actually on a separate track from the
creation of the assessment district except to the extent that we've
obligated ourselves, and DEP was looking for this certainly, to
explore a way to provide permanent service to these residents.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I apologize. My comments
were in reference to you answering our earlier question.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I was just a little bit concerned
about settling this and letting Mr. Vetter off the hook, and then we
have another problem.
MR. VETTER: Right.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. We have a motion and a
second. All in favor, please say aye. Opposed?
Motion passes five to zero.
Let's take a short ten-minute break, and then we will
come back and hear the Naples Park. We're going to take a short break
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Nature calls, folks.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: -- till five minutes of.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: We'll take the Naples Park
item when we get back?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: And we'll take the Naples Park
item immediately upon reconvening.
(A short break was held.)
Item #12C9
STAFF TO WORK WITH CONSULTANT TO REVISE THE METHODOLOGY BY USING
PHASING, OUTSIDE STORHWATERAND BASINS REGARDING NAPLES PARK DRAINAGE
IMPROVEMENTS MUNICIPAL SERVICE BENEFIT UNIT; STAFF TO RETURN IN 90
DAYS AND ALSO TO INCLUDE THE USE OF PLASTIC PIPE AND THE PHASING
ASPECTS WITH REGARDS TO COST
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Call to order -- we reconvene the
Board of County Commission meeting for October 24, 1995. We -- we are
going to take the next issue, which is the Naples drainage -- what
number is it?
MR. DORRILL: 12 (C) (9) .
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: 12 (C) (9) .
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: 12 (C) (9). Before we get started
on this, we are -- we are intending to take our regularly scheduled
lunch from noon to one, so we will be taking the information part of
this and moving into public speakers, but it -- it is our intention to
take our break at noon until one o'clock and then come back and
continue with this. Mr. Boldt.
MR. BOLDT: Good morning. For the record I'm John
Boldt, your stormwater management director. The objective of this
morning's hearing is that the board consider adoption of the attached
resolution which approves the plans, specifications, the estimated
cost, the tentative assessment roll for the Naples Park area drainage
improvement municipal benefit unit. In addition, it would confirm the
initiating resolution and the ordering of the construction of the
assessable improvements. This public hearing on the tentative
assessment roll has been duly advertised in the Naples Daily News, and
each of the 3,700-plus property owners within the improvement district
have been sent a notice of the public hearing along with the amount of
their tentative assessment for the stormwater drainage improvements.
A letter that was sent out -- the first-class letters
made provisions for those people who would want to have opposition to
it to send a letter in. We have received a number of letters. The
memoranda I put on your desk during the break outlines those. I need
to read some of these things for you into the record.
There's a number of just individual letters that were
received from people who were stating their opposition to the
tentative assessment roll that was prepared to fund the proposed
improvements of 91st and 92nd Avenue and the 8th Street ditch
enclosure project. And you'll see the nine names there that had
submitted individual handwritten or typed letters in opposition.
In addition, there was a standard form letter that was
widely circulated in the Park indicating opposition to the project and
to the tentative assessment roll. And there are three separate lists
attached to the memorandum I gave you this morning showing the 239
property owners who had signed that form letter and returned it, and
the recorder has the originals over there. So it's a -- it's quite a
stack of papers, but those are all basically a standard form letter.
In addition, there are two property owner groups in
Naples Park that sent letters directly to me, and I think they copied
you. The first one was from the property owners in Naples Park. Doug
HcGilvra is their president. And the letter states basically that
Property Owners of Naples Park has withdrawn their support of the
Naples Park drainage plan; in addition, the Naples Park Area
Association, Ray Sarb (phonetic), their president. The letter states
that the improvements at any price is not being well accepted by the
people who live in Naples Park.
(Applause)
MR. BOLDT: Even though -- even though the first-class
letter that was sent out didn't ask for people in support of the
project to file letters of support, we did receive six letters signed
by six individuals that took the time to send in and support the
project.
In addition, also there were two letters received which
questioned the computation of the square footage of the property they
owned that was used to compute their assessments. Not all of the lots
in there were nice and square and even. There were some of them with
some odd shapes and had some lake property involved; and both of these
situations have been directed to Agnoli, Barber, and Brundage on the
project. They are evaluating them, and they'll be making
recommendations eventually to make some real minor adjustments to the
roll with just a matter of a hundred dollars or so. That's very, very
minor.
At this point I'd like to just briefly outline some of
the costs that are involved here and what's in -- what we're looking
at today. The current cost of the construction of the project, which
is the -- to enclose the ditches between 91st and 92nd and along 8th
Street is estimated at about $3,900,000.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Mr. Boldt, let me interrupt you.
Ladies and gentlemen, you know, this is a public forum, and we all
have our own ideas. I'm going to ask you to keep your ideas to
yourself until we get to the public comment, and then be courteous to
one another and allow each other to speak. Thank you. Mr. Boldt.
MR. BOLDT: That boils down to for a typical 50-foot lot
in Naples Park at $1,071. There's quite an elaborate procedure we
developed, the methodology we'll explain in a little bit that puts
higher costs or different costs or different benefitting people, but
the typical lot in Naples Park would be $1,071 per 50-foot lot. That
-- that figure would be adjusted if somebody were to want to pay the
cost total up front. In the first year the figure would be reduced
about 10 percent, take advantage of their proration share of the
finance cost, the cost to set up the financing. If they were to
decide to finance that over, say, a seven-year period, there would be
about 23 percent more than that $1,071 figure. We can get into that,
again, in a little more detail.
If bids were to come in around three million dollars,
which is real close to our original estimate, which was originally two
million seven and then raised later on to three million two, the cost
of that fifty -- typical 50-foot lot would be about $850 or about $150
a year for the seven-year period. So that's where we think we would
be at if the bids were to come in closer to our original estimate.
Some questions had been raised earlier about the
possibility of a stormwater utility in Collier County and funding
these type of projects. The state legislature authorized the
development of stormwater utility a number of years ago. I was to a
meeting not too long ago up in Orlando, and there's like about 60
different communities and municipalities in the State of Florida now
that have developed and have implemented a stormwater utility.
Fifty-five of them are cities, which are typically small -- smaller
homogeneous compact unit of government that has a monthly billing
system built in. Only 5 counties out of the 67 counties in the State
of Florida have adopted a stormwater utility, and they're all in a
state of struggling at this point in time.
There's a case going on in Sarasota between the County
of Sarasota and the churches up there that really only originally
attacked the fact that we're talking about assessment or utility
assessment versus a tax. The judge involved got more wide ranging in
that. It's gone through an appeal process. The last I knew it was in
the state supreme court, and they expected to have a hearing by now.
Most of the people in the state familiar with this case are not
pessimistic. They feel like it's going to be challenged greatly and
that the state supreme court's going to throw it out, which means the
five counties that are up and running stormwater utilities at this
point may have to start over from scratch.
You also need to know that the stormwater utility that
we were in the process of developing here in Collier County was really
basically only for the operation and maintenance program for the
county stormwater program. It was not intended to fund capital
improvements and especially neighborhood-type improvements like we're
dealing with here in Naples Park. So at this point it doesn't look
like a stormwater utility is a viable option, particularly considering
the court challenge that's going on.
Now, if we should decide -- if you should decide this
morning to proceed with this project and authorize us to go out for
bids so we can actually get the actual construction dollars the
contractors are going to charge us, we're prepared to do that within
the next couple days. We have the bidding documents basically all
roughed out ready to go to the printer, and the plans are ready to go
out for duplicating. We would propose then to open bids from the
contractors in mid-November and return to you with recommendations on
an award in mid-December so that we could start construction the first
part of January of '96, which is the very beginning of what we hope
will be a dry winter season, because it will be absolutely crucial to
construct this work in a dry condition. We have a window of
opportunity for construction from like January through maybe April or
May.
The assessments on this project, once we know the actual
cost and -- would be put on the tax bills next fall, would be the very
earliest these assessments would be made. And they could then be, as
we mentioned, spread out over the seven-year period.
At this point I'd like to introduce Dan Brundage from
Agnoli, Barber, and Brundage who is going to review with you some of
the methodology that was used to develop the tentative assessment roll
and answer any of the other technical questions you have maybe about
the design or assessments.
COMHISSIONER MAC'KIE: Mr. Boldt, as he's coming up,
could I ask a question --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Sure.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: -- maybe of the county attorney?
I've mentioned this in forums a couple of times, and that is that I'm
aware that in the City of Naples that they offer an additional funding
alternative to property owners. I became aware of this in the Seagate
sewer improvements that are currently going in. They have the same
alternatives that Mr. Boldt just outlined as far as immediate payment,
monthly payments with interest, and that kind of stuff, or another
alternative, which is since you're improving the value of the
property, the assessment would be due upon the sale of the property or
the death of the property owner or 20 years, whichever comes first.
And I wonder why that alternative wouldn't help in -- why -- I think
it should be able to be available in this circumstance and -- and that
it probably should have been available in the East Naples sewer
district issues and others where these property value increases are
significant and the tax is significant, but the property owner doesn't
realize that increased value until the property is sold. Why can't we
lien the property and -- and do what the City of Naples does?
MR. WEIGEL: A very good question. Without having
reviewed specifically the -- the total operation of the City of Naples
in regard to funding and how they cover a shortfall or window period
when payment isn't made for individual properties, I can't respond too
definitively now. But we have the -- the ever present concern of the
county or an enterprise fund of the county providing credit for
extended sometimes indefinite periods of time for capital and
construction. And both the county attorney office on behalf of
Collier County and the clerk's office have viewed these things rather
closely, always cautiously, and have tried to afford the board the
flexibility that we legally thought they could have. Again, I think
this -- yes, this presents an opportunity to review the city and see
if there's something that applies to the county operation, and in no
way am I attempting to make a legal review or comment as to what the
city does for legal sufficiency, et cetera. But at the same time it's
-- it's -- it's an element where we have ratepayers or taxpayers or
some funding source potentially providing an indeterminate loan to
property owners --
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Now, it would be a maximum of 20
years --
MR. WEIGEL: Okay.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: -- or death or sale, whichever
occurs first. So it's not an undetermined length of time. Twenty
years is the perpetuity issue.
MR. WEIGEL: Okay.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: It seems to me that that would be
a real solution for people who are going to have to pay $1,400, don't
want to pay it now, but when their property is sold could add $1,400
to the purchase price.
MR. WEIGEL: Right. It may be, and I read a week or so
ago in the newspaper that City of Naples -- I stand to be corrected --
has an additional like $1 or some fee that they charge households
generally for stormwater management. COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: They do.
MR. WEIGEL: That may provide the funding source to
provide this kind of flexibility.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: This is different. Because the
one I'm referring to, and I'll -- I just want to give you enough
information to be able to ask the questions, because I'd like to know
the answers for future reference and with regard to this one, too.
This is a sewer -- this is the installation of sewer lines in the
Seagate subdivision --
MR. WEIGEL: Okay.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: -- so that in particular I'm
aware that they can either pay up front, and that's cheapest; they can
pay it monthly with interest; or upon the sale of the property. And
I'd like to have that alternative available if it's possible.
MR. WEIGEL: If it's possible, we'll respond quickly in
that regard.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE:
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS:
MR. BRUNDAGE: Yes.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS:
services on this one?
MR. BRUNDAGE: Sure.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK:
Thanks.
Thank you. Mr. Brundage.
Are you volunteering your
Do we have that on the record?
MR. BRUNDAGE: For the record my name is Dan Brundage.
I'm president of Agnoli, Barber, and Brundage. We're the engineer for
the project. With me today I have Laurie Swanson who is the project
manager and the design -- chief design engineer for the project.
She'll be assisting me today as we describe some of the methodologies
that we used to come up with the cost allocation. First, if I will,
I'll go over to the overhead here and see if we can get this to show
up. It's kind of bleached out. This is the chart that we used to
basically develop the various cost allocations, and the first column
we have here is column one. These are the various individual types of
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Mr. Brundage, we have to get the
lights down.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Yeah, I can't see it.
MR. BRUNDAGE: There, I think you can see it a little
bit better now. As I was stating, column number 1 contains the
various groups of properties that are located within the Naples Park
area that either have a unique location with regards to the specific
issue itself, or they are a commercial property or something that
makes them unique. And you can see there we've listed Beachwalk
Condominiums. There's a real small condominium called Kingswood
Condominium, and that's that little orange dot toward the top of the
Park there. Beachwalk is the dark red area located to the south. We
have Pavilion Club Condominium, Coventry Square Commercial Center,
Pavilion Shopping Center and its associated outparcels, Pavilion
Terraces Commercial Center. I might mention that all of the land uses
up here have the word Pavilion in them use a common water management
system; the Naples Park strip commercial, which is the general yellow
color running along U.S. Highway 41; and then we have the three
categories of the Naples Park residential lots themselves. The first
category would be the Naples Park lots along 91st and 92nd Street.
And this is the location where the major outfall channel or ditch, if
you will, flows from east to west and discharges into the receiving
waters. The next category is Naples Park lots along the Eighth
Street, and those are colored in this plan in the light blue that runs
up along Eighth Street. And then finally we have the balance of the
lots within the Naples Park community which are not colored at all.
They're -- they're remaining in white. These are the various
categories that we felt that we needed to look at specifically to see
if there's a unique cost associated with each one of the properties.
The next column we have there is what we call the land
use I.D., and that's just a number that we assigned to these
properties so that the computer could help sort them through the
database and generate the appropriate charge for the property.
The third column there is land area, and basically
that's just the area in acres of those parcels that we just described,
and that is directly -- you know, the amount of acreage you have
within a property is directly related to the amount of stormwater that
it generates.
Column number 4 is a column really that we just use for
the condominiums basically to identify the number of units in each of
the parcels. As I'll mention later on, a unit in a condominium rather
than being charged on a per-acre basis, which doesn't make a lot of
sense -- it would make more sense to us to charge them on a per-unit
basis. When you add up all the units, though, they would be charged
for the total amount of acreage that that particular condominium
occupies.
Okay. Now, column number 5 is the runoff intensity
factor, and I'm going to let Laurie Swanson describe how that was
developed, because she spent the most time working on that particular
number. Laurie.
COHMISSIONER HAC'KIE: Could I ask just a question on
the different land use sections? Is -- is there -- excuse me. Is
there no distinction -- on the white lots, you know, the balance of
Naples Park, I'm surprised that those are -- that there's no
distinction among any of those, no differing benefit or no differing
impacts. Does -- how did you come to categorize the balance in one
group?
MR. BRUNDAGE: Okay. Well, basically we're looking at
the areas that specifically are impacted, say, by the large ditch that
flows between 91st and 92nd, the green area there. People along those
properties could experience -- and I'm going to get into this a little
bit later on, too, with another factor, that benefit factor, but
they're having to put up with a lot of erosion. There's a specific
health, safety, and welfare issue --
COHMISSIONER HAC'KIE: I understand why the green and
why the blue and why the yellow and orange. I don't understand -- it
seems to me that there might should be subcategories among the white
lots, and -- and if you're telling me my assumption is incorrect,
that's fine.
MR. BRUNDAGE: No. We looked at that a little bit to
see if there was any engineering rationale to do that, and it really
-- we really couldn't come up with anything that we thought was
definable.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Okay.
MR. BRUNDAGE: We looked at perhaps some of the
properties being located further away from the outfall. We'll have
what we call in the drainage ditches a length and time of
concentration and that sometimes that will have an effect on the
amount of runoff generated, but to get into analyzing that on a
per-lot basis would be inordinately complicated and, again, in the
final analysis wouldn't have that much of a bearing on the final
results. So that's basically -- we basically looked at health,
safety, welfare, aesthetics, and those types of issues to identify --
or the amount of runoff that was contributed specifically from the
condominium and the commercial sites. Laurie.
MS. SWANSON: Good morning, Commissioners. Laurie
Swanson for the record. I'm a project manager with Agnoli, Barber,
and Brundage. First, I'd just like to explain to you what we based
the runoff intensity factor on. For those land type -- land use types
that did not have an improved water management system, they were based
upon the amount of what we call pervious and impervious coverage. And
that has to do with the amount of area that your house and your
driveway and so forth take up. The range that could be applied to
something -- for a residential lot could be anywhere from .3 to .5,
and those are typical numbers for Naples Park. For our typical
residential lots, we assigned a factor of .3, which is a more
conservative value.
Now, for the commercial areas, those are more intensely
developed. They have a higher amount of impervious area, and those
were the yellow area that Mr. Brundage pointed out. Those were given
a factor of .7. So none of those areas that we've just talked about
have what we call an improved water management system that would
provide a sufficient amount of storage to reduce the runoffs.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Laurie, I have a question there,
if I may. Some of the yellow commercial area that you assigned a .7
to are actually commercial lots with a single-family home on them.
Should those be adjusted to .3 if they're based on runoff intensity,
because if it's not a commercial property, they don't have higher
impervious, because there are some commercial lots in there that have
homes on them actually.
MR. BRUNDAGE: We considered that. However, there's
nothing to prevent that homeowner from selling that -- that
single-family residential lot and then letting a commercial
establishment get established there. That's fairly typical for -- you
know, to base it on zoning rather than the current land use for a
drainage assessment such as this. So we're really relying on the
permitted zone use for the parcel because in the ultimate analysis
that's what it could develop at.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: And we're really not basing this
on contribution then if there's a house with a yard. It's pervious,
yet you're still assigning it a .7 which is relatively impervious
according to the properties around it that have --
MS. SWANSON: That would address the potential that
somebody could come back, though, and develop that to a much greater
extent, though --
MR. BRUNDAGE: In 95 percent of the parcels it would be
true that it does address the currently existing runoff
characteristics. There are a few unique parcels, as Commissioner
Hancock pointed out, that may be zoned commercial, but they have a
residential house on it that perhaps would not be contributing the .7
percent of -- of impervious surface at this time, but there's nothing
to prevent that from happening in the future. As a matter of fact,
when we designed the system --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Did we do this on contribution,
current contribution, or not?
MR. BRUNDAGE: I believe -- in our opinion, it would be
better to do it on the potential contribution that could occur,
because we're designing a water management system based upon the
potential. I don't think you want to go out and construct a storm
sewer system that may be based on an area today that is developed,
say, a three-tenths percent but is zoned and it could be approved to
develop it something more intense and end up with a pipe that is too
small.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: The answer is no, that it's
not based on current contribution.
MR. BRUNDAGE: No, it's based on potential contribution.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: If one of those parcels were to
tear a house down and build a commercial property, they would have to
go through a current permitting process for water management for their
site; is that correct?
MR. BRUNDAGE: That's correct, but the sizes for these
along the commercial area are so small that, generally speaking, they
fall within a category where all you're required to do is store the
first inch of runoff. That usually gets occupied during what we call
the initial part of rainfall. In other words, that storage system --
it maybe a swale or retention area -- fills up during that first part
of the rain, and then when the real intense rainfall comes, you get a
direct runoff from it. So you don't really see -- as far as a
stormwater removal system, you don't see a benefit.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: Would holding that first inch be
an improvement over what they're currently doing? In other words,
would there be actually less -- well, I guess that's not proper. I'm
looking for an economy of scale here. Obviously commercial properties
that were built 20 years ago weren't built to the standards we've had
to build today. They weren't required to hold that first inch. So
something that's not going to be commercial may determine that fall
under today's standards which is going to give a better level of
protection than say a built commercial area that was not required to
do that. I understand your argument, but I'm looking for something in
the middle there that there may be an economy of not charging a
residential structure a .7 ratio, something reduced.
MR. BRUNDAGE: Yes, there could be. And, again, that's
your decision, too. If need be, we can go back and adjust the
database we have to take into effect certainly a decision like that if
it's made. Let me state on the commercial area, though, of what
you'll see. If they do put that first inch of storage in, you'll see
an improvement in the water quality contribution, but we believe that
you'll still see the same quantity of intense runoff coming off the
property during the intense part of the storm, because there's really
not enough storage area to continue that.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Just -- another issue that's very
similar to what Commissioner Hancock is saying is I've heard a lot
from commercial properties that were recently developed, recently
improved. There's a car wash right there that was very recently added
to and did significant improvements, you know, over -- how did those
people who have already paid once to put in what are current water
management good retention systems -- how are they compensated? How is
that factored in so that they aren't paying once for the improvements
they've already paid for and now again for improvements?
MR. BRUNDAGE: Okay. That will be addressed when we
talk about the really large-scale commercial condominium sites.
There's two different levels of water management systems.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: I'm more concerned about the
small commercial, the guy who just owns a car wash than the really
large.
MR. BRUNDAGE: Well, again, the guy that owns the car
wash was probably just required to do the first inch of runoff.
That's a water quality issue.
COMHISSIONER MAC'KIE: I don't think so.
MS. SWANSON: He hasn't -- typically for those -- for
those small sites like that, they do not provide atten -- what we call
attenuation of, you know, the larger storms. All they do is provide
what we call the first flush to improve the water quality. So once
that volume fills up, then as a major storm event continues, the water
will overflow and still flow into the Park system at the same rate as
it would otherwise.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: I see this, and I -- and I
understand that we're making broad decisions and broad distinctions,
but I think that a lot of the problems that we're having is we're
approaching this from too broad a perspective, and we have to make
some accommodations for exceptions because if -- if it is the general
rule that certain sized properties accommodate one inch of runoff and,
in fact, there are properties that have done more than that, we aren't
-- you know, this assessment methodology, the chart that was up there
before, is just too broad and general for -- you know, just take into
account particular circumstances.
MR. BRUNDAGE: I'll like to point out we do have the
flexibility within the database, again, to alter that and create, you
know, a slightly altered methodology, if you will.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Let's move forward with the
presentation on the methodology that was used and see if our questions
are answered as they go.
MS. SWANSON: Okay. The runoff factor, intensity factor
that was used for those developments that do have modern stormwater
management systems -- and those are Coventry School (phonetic) which
is located up at the north end just south of lllth, the Beachwalk
Condominium project there along Vanderbilt Beach Road, all of the
Pavilion development area. And those areas have either a lake system
that they discharge into or other storage which, for example, Coventry
has below ground, for example, like rock trench. Also part of the
Pavilion has a wetland area that stores water. But typically what you
see is that you -- you'll have a lake system, and in order to help
everybody understand why the runoff intensity factor is lower for a
development that has this type of a system, I've brought here a little
diagram to help everybody to understand that.
The way that we did arrive at the runoff intensity
factor for these is that we took the ten-year discharge rate that
would come off of those properties, and that was determined based upon
the permitted documents that have been approved by all your local
jurisdictions. We took those and ran a -- what we call a ten-year
storm event in order to determine what the discharge was. That
discharge was then divided by the area of the development in order to
come up with the discharge per acre. And the chart that Mr. Brundage
showed you shows that the runoff intensity factor is lower for those
areas than it is for the other areas in the Park that do not have
these improved systems.
So here I'll give you a little explanation to help to
clarify this. Here if you can look, we've got a vegetated undeveloped
land area. Now -- and then up here we have an outfall which is going
out to a receiving water body. Now, if you can imagine that it begins
to rain and over a period of time as it rains -- and we're talking a
major event -- the ground would begin to become saturated, and
initially there would be very little runoff off of this area because
it's all green, and it has a very -- it's 100 percent pervious so that
the water can hit and then basically soak into the ground, which is
what we call percolate. Now, as it continues to rain, however, this
will eventually get saturated, and you will begin to get some runoff
into this outfall over here and out to your receiving water body.
Now, if we take that same land area and we develop it,
we put home or commercial development there, we have just increased
the amount of impervious area by the roads, by the area of the
people's homes and their driveways. And so under current regulations
what is required is that the -- that stormwater storage be provided --
if I can just slide this over enough so you can see this other thing
here down at the bottom -- the stormwater storage be provided that
essentially keeps the runoff from this developed piece of property --
keeps it from being any more than it would have been in its
undeveloped state. And so those are the current regulations.
Now, Naples Park in general was not developed that way
and -- but these other improvements that we've mentioned were. Some
of them have lakes; others have underground. And you can see that the
way that this works is that you have a wet season water table right
here. And when they dig a lake, you've got an existing ground
contour. Usually the fill that comes out is used to build the ground
level up, and so the difference between where the wet season water
table is and how far they allow this to come up is the amount that's
available for storage. And that then is controlled. The amount of
discharge that comes off this lake is controlled by a control
structure that restricts the outflow into the outfall. And so that is
the reason that you see that these modern -- these places that have
these modern systems do not have the same amount of runoff coming off
of them on a per-acre basis as the remainder of Naples Park.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Questions?
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: That -- I know we're trying to
move along, but this is one of the main -- two main reasons why this
project has escalated in cost of the typical lot upwards of 40
percent. The two contributing factors of that have been overall
construction cost being increased -- or the proposed costs being
increased and the methodology changing such that the typical lot in
Naples Park begins to bear a larger and larger burden as we've
proceeded. If I hear you correctly, what you're telling me is during
wet season when we're at the wettest point all through Naples Park and
through Pavilion Club Shopping Center and so forth that during a
rainfall per square foot the Pavilion Club Shopping Center discharges
less than does a residential lot in Naples Park. Is that what I'm
hearing?
MR. BRUNDAGE: That's correct, because it goes into a
lake where the water is stored and then the flow out of that lake --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Ladies and gentlemen, please --
MR. BRUNDAGE: And then the flow out of that lake is
restricted. It's controlled by a weir control structure.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: Mr. Brundage, help me understand
-- help me understand this. During the wet season does that make the
control elevation and stay at control elevation for any period of
time?
MR. BRUNDAGE: Yes. It will reach control elevation,
stay there for the majority of the time. Usually there's -- within a
typical control structure, there's what we call a bleeder. And that
bleeder is sized so the amount of water that's stored in the lake will
bleed down. I believe the minimum requirement by South Florida Water
MAnagement District is that half of the stored area would bleed down
within a 24-hour period so that perhaps within a 48-, 72-hour period
it's back down to control elevation.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: Because here's where we seem to
have the problem. You know, street flooding is one thing. But when
water gets into people's homes, then we're dealing with a whole
'nother aspect. When that happens it's typically because we've had
consistent daily rainfalls, and I think we can exempt most of this
past year as an abnormal year. But prior to this year we've had
consistent normal 2- and 3-inch rainfalls day after day for a few
days, which is typical for summer. If that lake stays at or near
control elevation, wouldn't discharge from that lake be an excess, or
wouldn't it be roughly equal to what the rainfall amounts are on a
consistent day-to-day basis?
MR. BRUNDAGE: No, I don't believe so. It's still going
to be restricted by having to flow through the weir structure. The
only situation I would see something like what you just described
happening is if there were a berm around the entire site and that
overtopped. In other words, instead of the water from the lake going
out through the weir control structure, it was short-circuiting and
going out some other place. If that were occurring, then I would say,
yeah, there's a possibility you're getting direct -- you know, a
hundred percent direct discharge. But as long as those waters are
still contained within that water management system and required to go
through the restricted weir control structure, I believe you're going
to see a reduction. I know you will, as a matter of fact.
To go a step further, most lots that you don't have an
improved water management system become a hundred percent saturated,
you'll see a hundred percent runoff. You'll see -- in other words,
the water can't get into the ground anymore, so every drop of water
that hits that lot will be runoff, not 70 percent, not 30 percent, but
a hundred percent. So that's -- you know, that's really the rationale
behind this. South Florida Water Management District and various
regulatory agencies requiring these water management systems -- it's
twofold. One is to mitigate the amount of discharge that you put into
a receiving water and the second to also improve the water quality of
that -- of that discharge. So it serves both purposes. CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay.
MR. BRUNDAGE: Okay. As we described before, we have
the various land uses, and I've shown that under this land use
description for the various groups of properties we have. And it was
identified, I guess, early on in the process that various areas may
benefit more or less from the improvements that were being proposed.
So what this chart is is a -- it's a matrix that provides us a means
of trying to come up with what would that benefit factor be, in other
words, what type of number should we assign to the location of these
parcels and any special benefit that may be received.
The first column there is entitled the health, safety,
welfare, and convenience. And I just noticed my computer cut off the
end of convenience. But anyway, that is a number there that we try to
assign. And basically you can see all the numbers, and most of the
numbers in the columns are ones. And this is where we get to the
issue that all of the properties within Naples Park are going to
benefit somewhat from the improvement of a modern water management
system. I -- you know, you can tell that during the flooding we've
had just in the recent weeks that had an emergency vehicle needed to
get to someplace, it was going to be severely impeded by the amount of
flow. Traffic in the -- in the entire area was disturbed. There was
-- I'm sure that the sanitary sewage collection system with all the
infiltration that was evidenced was misbehaving itself and flowing out
into the streets, plus just in general the -- the overall appeal of
the area is reduced from the fact that flooding occurs all the time.
So if you remove that type of flooding, you know, we
believe that all the properties are going to benefit in one way or the
other from the health, safety, welfare, and improved convenience of a
drainage system. The exception to that would be, in our opinion, the
Beachway Condominium because all -- their -- a hundred percent of
their access is off roads that -- off of Vanderbilt Beach Drive. And
the other fact of the matter is they discharge into a part of the
water management or the drainage system that's already improved. They
discharge directly into a box culvert, and they're also located at the
extreme downstream end of the system. In addition to that they have
one of these water management systems that have a weir control
restriction device that limits the amount of water that can flow into
the area.
So we took all of these, and we said, gee, what is the
impact that Beachway Condominium is having on the rest of the
community. And the rationale we used to come up with a figure of 0.5
is even though they're discharging into the stream down end and
they're discharging a relatively small amount of water as compared to
the whole site, they are having an impact on what we call a tail-water
condition. And that tail-water condition is the amount of elevation
that the ditch or the storm drains are going to raise during a storm
event. It can be argued that if Beachway Condominium was not
discharging into the system that the tail water would be reduced
somewhat instead of being a, you know, relatively small amount for the
reasons I mentioned before. But based upon the impact it would have
on the tail water condition, we came up with a health, safety, and
convenience factor of .05. In other words, that is the amount of
impact that they have on that tail-water condition.
The next column I'd like to direct your attention to is
flooding correction, and then I'll back up and -- and address the
erosion control because they're basically interrelated, but flooding
correction comes first. And we feel that the flooding -- the main
people are going to benefit the highest from the flooding correction
are the Naples Park lots located along Eighth Street. Again, those
are the light blue shaded areas there. That's where the water gets
the deepest, if you will, where the -- where the most problems are
occurring. So, accordingly, if that situation is resolved, then we
feel that they've incurred a special benefit.
We took a look at how do we assign a number to this
value, or how do we assign a value to flooding correction. And what
we did was we looked at the probability of a storm event and what kind
of a storm event it would take to induce such flooding. And we had a
good storm, Tropical Storm Floyd, several years ago that came through
the area and basically discharged rainfall equivalent to about a
three-year storm. And we saw, you know, extreme amounts of flooding
taking place during that three-year storm. So -- also based upon some
of the routings that we've run, we believe some -- you know, the
degree of protection that's afforded by the existing system is within
that area, you know. It's going to be for a three-year storm or less
is what you're going to be provided. So the probability that they
would flood during any given year is basically .3. And that's the
flooding correction factor we came up with.
Now, that flooding that occurs out there is what causes
severe erosion or one of the main causes for severe erosion that will
take place within the lots located along 91st and 92nd within that
ditch located along the rear of those lots. That's where you see your
high flows, high velocities, and then associated erosion. So we tied
the same probability to both of those issues.
The next column is improved aesthetics, and we believe
that the areas that would benefit the most from improved aesthetics,
again, are these particular two sets of lots, the lots along 8th
Street and along 91st and 92nd Avenue, because of that stigma and
drive-by negative appeal, I should say, overflooding conditions,
unsightly ditches, and so forth. As a matter of fact, what we did was
we took a look at the county and tax appraiser's records for the area,
and we did find that, generally speaking, per square foot the parcels
located along the Eighth Street ditch were reduced in value from the
appraised value of about .23, which is the number we have in there
from parcels or projects or lots located within the rest of the
community. So that's the number that we -- we used there. We believe
that's attributed to the -- to the drainage problems, the unsightly
ditches. And if that area is removed, we would expect to see property
values along those areas to increase.
Similarly, but it's a little -- little less quantifiable
is the improved aesthetics along the 91st and 92nd Street ditch. The
fact that that ditch will be closed in and instead of having, you
know, an erosion mess in your backyard, you're going to end up with a
much more controlled greenbelt area, if you will, with a swale that
will exhibit very shallow side slopes, shallow depth. It's really
going to look like a grass lawn, so that would improve the
aesthetics. So we assigned a value of .1 to those parcels.
The final column there is the resulting benefit factor,
and this is basically just a summation of all the numbers in these
rows across, and those are the numbers we end up with. I'll change --
let me change overheads here a second.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: While you're doing that, Mr.
Brundage, I kind of have to follow a similar line again. I think it's
tough for me as a layman and probably equally as tough for the folks
here to understand how the Pavilion Club Shopping Center can pay
roughly 12 cents a square foot while they as homeowners have to pay
16. It's kind of an economy that doesn't make a lot of sense. And I
understand your explanation. I guess what I want to know is the
system that handles both Pavilion Club residences and the shopping
center, if they were to be built today, would that same water
management system be permitted today, or would it have to hold more
water than what it was designed to?
MR. BRUNDAGE: No, I believe it would be permitted the
same as today. Do you know of any rule changes that have taken place
in the last --
MS. SWANSON: I guess the only thing that I've seen is
that they -- it seems to me like countywide we have this thing with
different basins where they limit the amount of discharge per acre.
And I think that those were permitted before that came into effect,
and I think that under today's -- you know, the amount of storage
would be a little bit greater than what it currently is. But
certainly the amount of storage that is provided is -- you know, is a
significant amount when you look at what the amount of CFS -- what we
call cubic feet per second -- that would come off of those sites, and
you divide that into the acreage. If you were to take the same amount
of acreage of typical lots within Naples Park, you would see that the
amount of runoff would be roughly three times more than what comes off
those developments.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: Let me -- let me ask this then.
What -- assuming a typical storm produces an inch an hour typically,
what kind of rainfall would you have before you begin getting 100
percent discharge from the Pavilion Club, all the Pavilion properties
that go into that one drainage system? What kind of rainfall can it
handle before it begins discharging 100 percent of that? That's a
very tough question.
MS. SWANSON: I think it's something in excess of
25-year rainfall.
MR. BRUNDAGE: That would be your first reaction, in
excess of 25-year rainfall. However, we just had a hundred-year
rainfall event, and I don't recall any short-circuiting taking place
while we were driving around there looking. I still believe that all
the waters was contained on site and was being throttled through their
control structure.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: So even during these past storms
you didn't see a full discharge situation. There was still a
reduction of discharge?
MR. BRUNDAGE: Yeah. The flow went through the weir
control structure. John, did you observe anything different?
MR. BOLDT: Well, I think the whole thing that's
clouding this issue is the fact that we're designing this thing for a
future condition. We've already talked about the way this is going to
develop. The present conditions right now are that there's a wetland
on the east side of U.S. 41 over in the Pelican Harsh area that is
today discharging under 41 into the wetlands on the Pavilion side and
compounding the problem in the lake. That situation is going to go
away in the next couple of years when they six lane U.S. 41. That's
going to be terminated. Pelican Harsh project is obligated to take
that runoff off that marsh area on the swamp on the side of the road
and take it east into their project itself. At that point I think the
lakes are going to start functioning more in keeping with what Dan was
describing it in the way the size and the discharge and the bleed-down
between storms will be more traditional. Today it is being
overwhelmed by the fact that there is an unusually large amount of
water going under there. It's going to clear up in the next couple of
years.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Mr. Boldt, you're going to hear
later, probably from Ms. Fitz-Gerald in a discussion that she had with
DOT, that that's not the case. So what I would like to ask you, if
would confirm with DOT over the lunch break on that particular
element. It's very important, because if they're going to discharge
in the system, they need to be included. If they're not, I can
understand why they're not included. You know, we need to confirm
that with DOT.
MR. BOLDT: Okay. I do know for a fact that the PUD
documents for Pelican Harsh, that was one of the stipulations, that
they had to receive that water. They're not receiving now. They have
to make provisions to take it into their project.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Okay.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Mr. Brundage, do you have more?
MR. BRUNDAGE: Yes, I do. Just briefly I'll try to run
through this as quickly as possible.
Column number 7 there is the total contribution factor,
and that is the product of the acres, the amount of acreage of the
drainage parcel, the parcel times the runoff factor times the location
benefit factor. And that's what those numbers are. And that really
gives you a handle of how much that water -- that parcel is either
benefitting or is contributing to the -- to the issue.
The next column over is the percent of total. And
basically what we've done, we've totaled column 7. That comes to
206.06 at the bottom. And then the percent of total is what percent
of that particular land use type of the total. It's that percentage
that it represents.
Then the cost -- you see down at the bottom of column 9
is $4,905,000, and that is the cost of the estimated construction
costs as well as financing charges, et cetera. And what -- what we do
is we take that total dollars and then figure out what percentage
based on column 8 each associated land use would be responsible for,
and then column number 10 is the results of that. So basically what
that's saying is -- for instance, the first one is Beachway. Their
costs would be $23.42 a unit. Now, for the condominiums we use units
instead of acreage because it just makes sense as the first -- as --
as opposed to, say, the Naples Park lots in general, which is $7,141
per acre.
And then finally column number 11 is -- is really just
informational purposes, and this is where we just try to give you an
idea of what the typical lot or commercial parcel or what have you --
unit would cost, what their billing would be. Now, some -- some
people in Naples Park may own more than one lot, so their value, their
figure, their billing would be twice that amount basically.
That's it for the methodology. You got any other
questions?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Are there other questions? Don't
seem to be.
MR. BRUNDAGE: Thank you very much.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you. Mr. Boldt, do you
have more you want to add?
MR. BOLDT: That completes our presentation. The only
thing we would ask, that you consider the recommendation of the
executive summary which is to approve this tentative assessment roll
and the resolution --
VOICE: Louder, please.
MR. BOLDT: I don't know if these things are working.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Seems to be.
MR. BOLDT: Okay, excuse me. And also to authorize us
to proceed into the bidding phase of the project so we can know
exactly what the contractors are going to charge, and we'll have the
exact dollars available to know how we can reduce the cost of the
project on a per typical lot basis.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. Commissioner Hancock.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: There have been over the last
year several changes as we've moved along with each step in trying to
bring some form of relief and some resolution to the drainage problems
that Naples Park has been experiencing. The two items that have
resulted in people receiving a notice of $1,071; or if you have more
lots, 2,000; or if you have three lots, 3,000, seem to fall into one
of two areas. One is an increase in project costs over what we looked
at, I'll say, almost a year ago. The second is a change in
methodology that shifts the burden of the cost more to the typical
lots based on the engineering input that we've received from the
consultant.
When we moved ahead with this when we were talking about
$660 for a typical lot, and that was bumped up to 685, and I think the
last number I heard was 705 -- MR. BOLDT: Correct.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: -- and that was at the very edge
of any level of comfort I could find provided this system provided
real relief to Naples Park. What I'm hearing today is two things.
One is that the project cost, which you mentioned earlier, is
projected at 3.9 million dollars for hard construction costs. There's
a fair chance it could come in at 3 million dollars or less than 3
million dollars, being optimistic. Even if that were to occur based
on the current methodology, the typical lot in Naples Park is looking
at $850. This is, again, $200 in excess of where this board found a
certain level of comfort or the majority of this board found any
comfort in at least moving ahead and considering the project. I need
to know that there are some other things in here that can be looked
at, that can be worked on to bring that cost back down and in line
with what we originally considered for me to support continuing. I
think we need to go to bid to find what the hard construction cost
is. I think not doing it would be a mistake. That's making a
decision without all of the information. But assuming those numbers
come in favorably, there are some other things that have to give for
this cost per typical lot to come down. And what I'm looking to you
for, Mr. Boldt, is what other areas in here, in your opinion, can be
adjusted or need to be adjusted to bring that back down, sir. Because
if the project costs come back at 3 million dollars and I'm sitting
here and you're asking me to approve $850 for a typical lot, I can't
look upon that favorably. So I need some more help, and I think we do
need to take the next step, which is going to bid and find out the
hard costs. But, again, if the anticipation is it's going to come
back at $850 for a typical lot, I'm not going to be able to support it
because it's far outside of what we originally considered almost a
year ago. So I will -- I will say that clearly just to, in essence,
set the stage.
I know there are areas in here that there are charges
that need to be looked at that need to be questioned a little bit
further. And I'll put the onus of that on myself to do if this does
go beyond today. But I just felt it important at least to set the
stage of where I am and where I thought we needed to go.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Constantine.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: This issue has been before us
three or four times, at least in the last several months. I voted
against the tax each time each time it's come before us. And I've
used the analogy throughout of a car. I can go out in the morning and
get in my car, and it won't start. And I discover that it's the
battery. I fully acknowledge there's a problem my car will not start,
and I discover it's the battery. There's a couple different ways I
can fix the problem. I can go buy a new car, and the next morning
when I go out that new car will start, and for fifteen or twenty
thousand dollars then I will have solved the problem, or for seventy
dollars I can buy a new battery and put that in the car and solve the
problem, and the next day when I go out it will likely start. And I
see that here.
I think everyone will fully acknowledge there are some
drainage problems in Naples Park. No one is arguing with that. But
what the level we have to reach to correct that problem is in
dispute. And I would say plan A, the 3 million dollar plan or the 4
million dollar plan or whatever it turns out to be, is like going out
and purchasing that new car. It will solve the problem, but I don't
know that we need to do that much to solve the problem.
I think perhaps for $150,000, $200,000, some
considerably smaller amount, we can clean culverts, we can do swales,
we can do a number of things -- (Applause)
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Ladies and gentlemen, I'm going
to have to ask you -- once again, I know you're pleased with what
you're hearing, but we want to finish this in a reasonable time.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: From there I think we can
then institute a maintenance program annually that is cost effective.
But when you have $850 or a thousand dollars, or some of the numbers
have come in higher than that per household-- and these are
fixed-income retirees and working middle-class people that do not have
an extra thousand bucks kicking around. I don't have an extra
thousand bucks kicking around, and I'm sure most people don't. So I
think we need to look not only just at does it come in at 3 million or
4 million; I think we need to look at stepping away from plan A and
going back and looking at a more effective and certainly more cost
effective way of dealing with the problem.
(Applause)
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Hancock.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: Commissioner Constantine, you may
or may not recall -- I know you weren't at the -- the evening meeting
we had in Naples Park where we presented something that I had worked
on at that time that we called a plan B. And what it was was a
scaled-back version. Instead of going with the full enclosure system
to look at increasing pipe sizes under the roadways, which is, in
fact, one of the two main constrictions for water flow that we're
experiencing, and stabilizing the 91st-92nd Avenue ditch by basically
putting -- bringing soil back in, recreating it, riprapping the sides
to try and stabilize it.
My initial impression when looking at a 3.8 million
dollar project was that, you know, there -- there are different makes
of cars out there, and we are shopping outside of our budget. My goal
and I thought would be the overwhelming support for a -- a less
expensive plan. The total number of people that attended that meeting
and expressed their voices, the greatest number of votes was in the
plan A category. The second was in plan B, and the third was in the
do-nothing category. As a part of doing all that research, what I
came across is that plan B was about one-third the cost, which was
great, but it provided less than one-third of the relief for
stormwater drainage. So what we were doing was, in effect -- I had a
very real concern that if we were to move ahead with a scaled-back
plan that provided what I would call two- or three-year storm relief
as opposed to what we have right now, which is -- I call it 24-hour
relief, people would end up getting a bill, and the next time we got a
3-inch rainfall the water would be back in the streets, and we would
be dealing with the same problems. In other words, people weren't
going to see a real relief for the dollars they spent. For that
reason I felt that it was my responsibility to find out what, in
essence, the -- the greatest car available costs. That doesn't mean
you have to go ahead, and contrary to what -- some of you have been
passing notes back and forth that I've seen in Naples Park; this isn't
at all cost. I'm not pushing plan A at all costs, nor have I ever.
And those of you that have taken the time to call me or to write me
and I've had a chance to speak to you probably know that. But I think
finding out what that costs tells us whether or not it is or is not
affordable. And if it's the feeling of this board that regardless of
the cost it's not a good idea, I will -- I will go with that. But my
goal wasn't to just do the best, but to -- to make sure that was not a
possibility. And then if we have no other choice, but to scale it
back, then to do that. I just wanted to clarify that, because it --
that discussion has been -- has occurred, and I have done that work,
and there is an op -- there is a scale-back plan that will provide
less relief at a lower cost, but it won't provide the same relief or
near the same relief.
COMHISSIONER CONSTANTINE: My hope is -- and I know
you're open to this from our discussion today and from other days when
it's been before us, but my hope is that we can look not only at plan
A and B but at any variety of plans. I'm sure there are -- as with
any problem, there are any number of answers, and hopefully somewhere
out there we can address the problem, but doing it at a price --
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: My guess is there's 150 plans in
this room right now. Everyone has their own, but obviously if we
don't go ahead with plan A, you know, I've -- I'm not going to take it
completely upon myself to come up with plan B. I think there's a lot
of people in this room that are willing to help me with plan B. So,
again, I want to answer the question of plan A. And if it's not
feasible, not doable, then we know where we stand. And that's the
whole purpose of being here today and the whole purpose of having the
public comment.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We're going to break for lunch,
but I have one question, Mr. Boldt, before we do that, and it should
be one you could answer fairly quickly. The last time you were before
us we had questions about the plastic semicircular thing that you had
not yet been able to get DEP approval on that. How is that going?
MR. BOLDT: Very well. We've had meetings with DEP
involving use of the infiltrator-type product. We've showed them the
inventory we've made of the various ditches and swales in the Park,
convinced them there is a difference between a swale and a ditch, and
we have authority, verbal authority at this point in time, to conduct
a demonstration-type project on the use of it so we can get an idea
what the costs are going to be and what the construction problems we
might have. They've told us that they're very excited about the use
of the product within the Park, but if we're going to use it
extensively, they're asking for a major modification to the permit,
because we want to take into consideration the impact that's going to
have on the whole system. And we will be proceeding with your
permission towards that end.
At this point in time there is a temporary moratorium on
the enclosure of swales in the Park. It's due to end at the end of
the year. One of the conditions of the permit if we were to do the
large enclosures between Ninety-first and -second on Eighth Street is
that that prohibition would be permanent. And that's why they have so
much interest in what we're going to do as far as use of another
product to enclose the other 40 miles of ditches and swales in the
Park.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Quickly, for those of you that
are a little confused about what we're talking about, the moratorium
on closing your ditches in would continue. If we did a closed system,
it would continue to apply to those that are swales, the shallow
ones. The ones that are deep and hold water for the better part of
the year and grass can't grow in the bottom, those are classified as
ditches. There's a product called an infiltrator that can be
installed similar to a pipe. It's an open-end plastic pipe that would
allow you to enclose in these deeper, nastier ditches. Vera knows
full well what I'm talking about. So that's what we're talking about
is a product that would allow you to close in the deeper ones even if
a closed system were provided.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Constantine.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Madam Chairman, before we
break, two quick questions. One, do we know how many speakers? MR. DORRILL: Twenty-six.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: And we will go directly to
public speakers when we come back from lunch?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: It would be my anticipation, yes,
public speakers. We have 26 registered speakers.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Are we taking one hour?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We are taking one hour, so we
will break for lunch. We will reconvene at five minutes after one.
(A lunch break was held from 12:05 p.m. to 1:15 p.m.)
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Reconvene the Board of County
Commission meeting for October 24, 1995. We're moving toward the
public speakers portion of our public hearing regarding Naples Park
drainage. And, Mr. Dotrill, you said we have 26 speakers? MR. DORRILL: I bet we've got 30.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We've got 30. Ladies and
gentlemen, I want to ask you -- 30 speakers at five minutes each is
almost three hours. I'm going to ask you to contain your remarks to
the five minutes or to simply say ditto with someone else who has
already said the same thing that you want to say in the -- in the
interest of getting as much public comment on the record as you choose
to have -- and our interest is in hearing you but not necessarily
everyone repeating the same thing.
So with that in mind, we'll move forward. I'll ask Mr.
Dotrill to call two names. The second name each time will be a person
to stand by on the corner over here so that in the interest of time we
can move as quickly as possible.
MR. DORRILL: I have --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Mr. Dorrill.
(Commissioner Constantine entered the boardroom.)
MR. DORRILL: I have two individuals, Mr. Lucanegro, I
believe, and also Ms. Draper who indicated that they did not wish to
speak, but they are opposed, and they've provided letters and said
that if I would just mention that, that they would waive their right
to speak, and we appreciate that.
Mr. Cahill, you'll be first. And then, Mr. Krupa,
K-r-u-p-a, if I could have you stand by, please, sir. You'll follow
Mr. Cahill. Mr. Cahill, good afternoon.
MR. CAHILL: Good afternoon, Mr. Dorrill. Good
afternoon, commission, staff, public, and neighbors. I am Don Cahill,
an architect, a general contractor, and my wife and I have been a
Naples Park resident for 21 years. I also work in Naples Park. In
the commission of my professional and business work, I am required to
do as good a job as possible creating structures to withstand
hurricane winds, excessive rainfall, landscaped well, and look good
for the present and future owners. I feel it's government's duty to
do likewise and to try to keep its citizens secure and safe from harm
from at least the detrimental effects of excessive rainfall. I
recognize that sometimes costs money, and I am willing to pay my fair
share. My wife and I own five lots. I live on one. My son lives on
the one next door. We have several other -- two other vacant lots
that we've experienced a lot of flooding this summer.
I urge the commission to please give us the best
protection from high water you can. We deserve a good job, not less
than that. I know -- I've heard y'all say this morning we don't want
the best at any cost, but perhaps we can have a better system. We do
need a system that's going to work and not one that will only do
one-third of the job. I've heard that open ditches, no matter how
big, perhaps may do it, may not do it, but in my 21 years as a
resident here, the county has tried hard to maintain those ditches at
-- at -- at -- at a very unsuccessful rate, very unsuccessfully --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Sir, let me interrupt you.
MR. CAHILL: -- and they're attesting to that.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Excuse me. Let me interrupt you.
I don't want to have to do this, but if you can't control yourself
and can't contain your remarks, I will clear the room. I don't want
to do that, but this man has every right to speak just as you do.
I'm going to ask you to control your remarks.
MR. CAHILL: They've tried to keep the vegetation down,
but, really, by the time they come around, the vegetation is very
unsightly. The litter -- and the water rushing through there
transports that litter, and it's usually a slimy, open pit there.
It's very ugly. Plus the fact you've got this continuing maintenance
forever, you know.
If the -- If -- If the good money that you've spent to
have these engineers design this system says that we should have a
closed system, perhaps that's what we need to do. If there's some way
of doing it cheaper, fine, but I think the value of the property has
and will be increased. And if there's some way of helping pass that
buck to the future owners, perhaps that would be good. But we really
cannot afford not to do a good job now, especially with the experience
of this past summer. I know my house has been surrounded by water
over the crown of the road 10 inches deep. I've had 12, 13 inches in
my garage four times. We just need to do what we can do. I know this
is an unusual year and appreciate it and hope you give it a lot of
consideration. You do have a responsibility up there to make a good
judgment. Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you, Mr. Cahill.
MR. DORRILL: Mr. Krupa and then Dr. Gore. Dr. Gore, if
I can --
MR. KRUPA: My name is A1 Krupa. I live at the Pavilion
Club. I lived in Naples Park for about 10 or 11 years. I've been
reading in the paper how the people of Naples Park are complaining
about the Pavilion Club flooding them. Now, during the flood I walked
down through there many times to see what the problem was. The water
coming out of the Pavilion Club crosses 91st Avenue and goes into the
91st, 92nd Avenue drain ditch. That drain ditch, even during the
highest period of the flood, was only half full of water. This shows
you that the water coming down the Eighth Street ditch is dammed
between 93rd and 91st Avenue is a high spot. From 93rd north, it was
over the street. From 93rd to 91st, the ditch was half empty. That
should show someone that there's a fault there in the grading. We need
a little grading there so that the water can flow, and that will take
care of that. So -- That took care of that.
Now, about cost sharing of the Pavilion Club, I know
that there has to be something done to fix this, but I don't think
that the people in Pavilion Club should be responsible for the
landscaping of this thing. This is a beautification. For paying for
the work is one thing. For sodding this probably 250, $300,000 worth
of sod, I don't think we're responsible for fixing their area as far
as beautification.
And another thing that the commissioner had just said a
little bit ago was that he wouldn't like to put in $3 1/2 million for
plan B because he would feel very bad if plan B was put in there and
it wouldn't work. Well, I would feel even worse than he does if we
went to plan A and it didn't work after spending 5 or $6 million.
-- And also in the past month or two, the same commissioner had a
write-up in the paper, and it said this is not -- this is a fix but
not a cure. He said this will help some. If you're going to spend 5
and $6 million, we don't need a fix. I can go out there with a pick
and make a little drain field and do that. We want a fix that's going
to work, and I haven't heard anybody from the engineering firm saying
that they would guarantee this to work after spending 5 and $6
million. Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you.
MR. DORRILL: Dr. Gore.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Mr. Gore.
MR. DORRILL: And then, Ms. Milford, if I could get you
to stand by, please, ma'am.
DR. GORE: For the record, my name is Jim Gore. I work
for the Conservancy. I was asked, actually, to speak to you on behalf
of the Vanderbilt Beach Property Owners Association and for some of
the members of the Naples Park citizenry. We've gone through this
before, and I do want to reiterate concerns we have about water flow
into the lagoon, into Vanderbilt Lagoon. The quality of that water is
important. That water is in poor shape now. We don't want it to get
any worse. I know that there have been reports that freshwater
inflows into that lagoon may actually improve water quality. That's,
indeed, a possibility. I've seen that happen. On the other hand, I
just read a report here called "Freshwater Inflows into Texas Bays and
Estuaries" which actually takes a look at more similar type of
hydrology that we have in the -- the gulf around here than we do, say,
on the east coast. And at least in about three-quarters of the cases
in Texas bays and estuaries, water quality has been shown to decline
when they come out of urban areas and goes into these bays and
estuaries. So that's a concern.
I think that without having to buy that Cadillac, with
perhaps buying something in between, maybe a mid-size Ford, there is
an alternative that we can reach that can accomplish the drainage
that's needed, and we can also do some innovative things. That may
mean purchasing some land. It may mean rerouting some of that water
by creating artificial wetlands, by doing some bioremediation along
the embankments to stabilize them, including riprap, but including
also revegetating, doing some different types of vegetating of
embankments, that we can actually have the system itself as it's
draining the water act to clean the water. So I think that's
something to be considered.
I think there are some other alternatives that need to
be considered besides the top of the line, that enclosed system,
because that top-of-the-line system doesn't necessarily afford
protection of water quality to the Wiggins Pass area, to Vanderbilt
Lagoon. There is a possibility that that may in the future become an
Outstanding Florida Water. That may create problems in the future. I
don't know that because it hasn't been declared an OFW yet. But we'd
like to see some other alternatives investigated, and the Conservancy
is certainly willing to provide our help to the county staff, to the
consultants, to the citizens to come up with some alternative plans
for you to consider, and I thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you. Thank you, Dr. Gore.
MR. DORRILL: Ms. Milford and then Ms. Bateman.
MS. MILFORD: My name is Patricia Milford. I've got
four pieces of property in the projected assessment zone. One piece of
property this year had four inches of water three times, totally
destroying the house. The reason that it didn't drain was because of
culverts being closed up. After driving around with this knowledge, I
saw many people who had filled in their swales. I saw culverts that
were not draining that were backed up. I saw lots of things along
that line. To me, when I called the road and bridges department, they
told me it was the individual homeowner's responsibility. Then I
called code enforcement thinking that the guy down the street that had
the blocked culvert would be cited or at least got a letter so that he
would go out there and fix his drainage. No. I was told, this is not
our department, this is not our problem. I called another time with a
different scenario trying to get them to understand what I was talking
about. I, again, was told, sorry, this is not our problem.
If the responsibility for these culverts and these
swales belong to the individual property owners, then someone needs to
make them conform. And if we don't do that, I don't care what kind of
sophisticated drainage you put in, my water is not going to it because
it didn't go to it. I had between 4 and 15 inches of water on that
piece of property, and my floor is 10 inches above the culvert that it
was draining into. So somewhere along the line we've got to start
with the first thing and then go to the second thing because you're
putting the cart before the horse.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you, Miss Milford.
MR. DORRILL: Ms. Bateman and then Ms. Russell.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Can Miss Russell come forward and
wait while Miss Bateman is speaking?
MS. BATEMAN: Good afternoon, Commissioners. My name is
Barbara Bateman, for the record, and I have been a long-time resident
of Naples Park. I appeared before you at the board on MArch the 28th,
1995, and I had stated for public record that I had a petition with
over 200 Naples Park property owners' signatures not in favor of the
MSTBU special assessment to pay for the Naples Park stormwater
drainage improvement project to cover Eighth Street ditch, 91st and
92nd Avenues ditches, plus replacement of some larger box culverts
under Vanderbilt Drive. After my presentation, these petitions were
made a part of the public record.
On April 20, 1995, a non-binding straw vote
questionnaire was presented at the Naples Park Elementary School.
There were 313 responses. 141 or 45 percent favored plan A. 172 or
55 percent did not favor plan A. These responses do not indicate an
overwhelming majority of people that are in favor of this improvement
project.
September the 12th, '95, a resolution -- the board
passed a resolution initiating a program for the purpose of providing
stormwater drainage improvements within the Naples Park drainage
improvement municipal service benefit unit designating the name of
special assessment district, describing the area to be improved,
providing the cost of such improvements should be paid from the
assessments against the benefitted properties, instructing the
county's consulting engineers for the project to prepare the plans and
specifications, estimate of the cost of the project, and a tentative
assessment roll. Yet it continues. The project continues to move
forward when the will of the people did not favor the project in the
past, and they did not favor the cost of the project as it currently
is set up now.
The Naples Park drainage improvement will benefit some
of the residents; however, it will not improve nor will it benefit all
of the property owners. As the water throughout Naples Park continues
to stand, it flows nowhere. Small amounts of it may dissipate with
the evaporation of the sun taking it away.
We, the property and homeowners of Naples Park, do not
want to pay for an improvement project that will improve the area for
only a small number of property owners. Not all of the property
owners are going to be benefitted or improved by this project. And,
also, we have a number of property owners on fixed incomes, and they
have a need that -- This is going to be a tremendous cost that is
going to be unnecessarily -- unwarranted for the needs that they have
to do to -- to take care of the project.
What could possibly be done would be an ongoing
consistent maintenance program throughout Naples Park. Just by going
by and getting a number of petitions, there were a number of people
disabled that cannot do that. They have to pay their property taxes
to the community. They may not even have the cost to go and have it
maintained. It has been the board's policy, though, that projects of
this nature are to be, from what I understand, financed by special
assessment districts, initiated by a petition, signed by a simple
majority of the benefitted property.
Today, we, the Naples Park property owners, are
presenting a petition signed by over 1,100 signatures opposing this
assessment. We, the Naples Park property owners, do hereby request
that the board do not -- and we ask again -- do not adopt this
approving resolution which approves the plans, specifications, cost
estimates, and confirmation of the initial resolution as set forth at
today's public hearing. If this is mandated by the Florida Statutes,
we're asking that the board rescind the cost methodology of this
project. Thank you very much.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you. Hiss Bateman. Hiss
Bateman, you have a petition? You spoke of a petition of 1,000
signatures?
MS. BATEMAN: Oh, yes. I was going to run off with
them.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: A quick question. How many
signatures did you have?
MS. BATEMAN: We have over -- We have 1,100. And then,
of course, there are, I think, over 2,000 property owners that have
multiple ownership, bringing it to -- If we count that, because they
are being assessed for those individual properties, brings it up to
well over 1,200 which would be 50 plus one.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Did you want to turn the
petitions in -- MS. BATEMAN: Yes.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: -- for the record? Would you
hand them to Mr. Weigel, and he'll '-
MS. BATEMAN: Yes, I will. Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: -- see they get taken care of.
MR. DORRILL: Ms. Russell.
MR. WEIGEL: Thank you very much.
MS. BATEMAN: Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you.
MR. DORRILL: And then Lee Bowein.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Hiss Russell. She declined?
MR. DORRILL: Mr. And Ms. Bowein. Lee Bowein. And then,
Mr. HacCluge, (phonetic) you'll be next, please, sir. If I can get you
to come forward.
MR. BOWEIN: I'm Lloyd Bowein. Lee is going to pass.
MR. DORRILL: Go right ahead.
MR. BOWEIN: Hello. My name is Lloyd Bowein, and I own
several lots in Naples Park as well as my mom. We've been here, geez,
30 years, so we've seen it come and go, and we do have a problem that
-- I went and got a copy of the plans, and the way I look at it, it
will not work. It will not improve what's there. The big problem is,
the water can't get down the avenues to Eighth Street or to the 91st
Street canal, and it's clear from the turnout and the petitions that
the people in Naples Park do not want this plan.
In addition, this whole thing was started, I believe, by
the Naples Park associations coming to you and requesting this, and
they amounted to maybe 200 homeowners, and now both those associations
have withdrawn their support for this. So, clearly, they don't want
it either.
And, again, I'll make it short because I'd just be
repetitive with the other people. We just -- What we need is a
maintenance program. Clean the culverts out and the swales getting to
Eighth Street, cleaning up Eighth Street and the canal, and it will
work. The new system will not. That's all I have to say. CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you. Mr. MacCluge.
MR. DORRILL: Mr. Whitford, you'll follow Mr. HacCluge.
MR. MACCLUGAGE: Mr. HacClugage, please. I really don't
want to waste any time. Everybody that is coming forth -- What Mr.
Bowein has said is basically what he said. I would agree to -- Mr.
Constantine. Replace the battery. I mean, we don't -- I'm in that
business, as you can see. But we don't -- You know, we're all Naples
Park property owners. We're all not all new car buyers here. We're
regular, general people. We replace batteries. Okay. We don't
rebuild, have Pelican Bay stormwater systems. We have Naples Park
stormwater systems. We just want a fix. That's all. Not a big
thing. Don't want to waste any more time. Plan B looks a lot better
to Naples Park people than plan A. That's it. The majority here says
that. Just listen. Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you.
MR. DORRILL: Mr. Whitford and then Ms. Hathys.
MR. WHITFORD: I've been a resident of Naples Park for
11 years. I've been a contractor for 50 years. I've had a lot of
experience with ditches, canals, drain-offs. The solution is what
we're looking for, not financial. I'm against the financial
situation, this plan A and B. Mr. Constantine has offered what I feel
is the most feasible, the most economic, and the most practical
solution. You've got to clean out the ditches. You've got to grade
them down. I've been there 11 years. The weeds -- The weeds in lllth
Avenue are four feet high across from Saint John's church. On Seventh
Street between ll0th and 108th, there isn't any ditch. It's almost
one inch below the edge of the culvert. You call that maintenance?
If you cleaned out the ditches -- and I spoke to Mr. Hancock about two
weeks ago about this. If you clean the ditches out and you get rid of
all the trash and all the growth in there, if you have to put a
permeable barrier, a plastic barrier or porous concrete to inhibit the
growth of -- of more flora, then do so, but the answer is not in
making another culvert that's going to just back up because what
happens, it gets caught up. They clean it out. Two feet from the
edge of the culvert they let it grow up. So what have you got?
You've got a so-called dam, and everything that flows in there stops
there. Now nothing gets into the culvert, except sand. Now we've got
sand in the culvert. Who gets that out? Nobody. Unfortunately we
don't have the declivity of the land that we get a forceful flow. This
is the one thing that the engineering firm, Brundage, didnwt mention.
We donwt have the fall. I think, Mr. Hancock, you told me that we had
about 30 inches from 91st to lllth, two and a half feet. Thatws 30
inches. Thatws not so much of a fall. But if you clean the ditches
out and get rid of the trash, youwre going to have some flow. In
construction wewve got a saying. The water will flow if it has a
place to go. Thank you.
MR. DORRILL: Ms. Mathys.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Ms. Mathys.
MR. DORRILL: Then Mr. Simon.
MS. MATHYS: Iwm a resident of Naples Park, and I know
that our flooding problems are minor compared to Golden Gate, Old
Naples, and Bonita Springs. In the hundred-year storm, it was the
City of Naples that was asked not to flush their commodes, take
showers, or wash clothes because their sewers were overflowing, not
Naples Park. We ask Collier County to be a good citizen. We ask them
to maintain their property much as you require your citizens who pay
taxes to maintain their personal property. I think this is only fair.
This would solve the problem of the flooding and the erosion. If
the ditch were graded and cleaned and if there is erosion, then
Collier County as a good citizen should pay for the repairs.
On enclosing the ditches, if anyone wants to improve
their property, they should be allowed to at their expense but not at
mine. Eighth Street, 91st, 92nd, if they want their yards enlarged,
this should be their expense.
I also object to this project because of the hidden cost
of monitoring the water and, if need be, filtering the water that goes
into Vanderbilt Lagoon that Dr. Gore talked on. This could be an
ongoing expense for middle class homeowners.
The petitions represent the people who were at work, who
are too ill to be here, and the silent majority you rarely hear from.
Iwm a taxpayer who wants the county to spend existing tax dollars on
maintenance. Good maintenance saves dollars in the long run, be it a
ditch or your automobile.
On the cost, I hear you talking 3 million, but I read
the resolution in the Clerk of Courtws office Friday. The figure is
4.9 million. This includes partial of the cost of financing. There
is no reason to adopt the resolution calling for 4.9 million if you
donlt plan to spend but 3.
I was also intrigued by Mrs. MacIKiels suggestion of
being allowed to put this on your property until such time as you sold
it. But I think before this goes any further, the total cost at the
end of 20 years needs to be revealed. With added interest, Iim afraid
if I let it sit for 20 years and sold my house, I may not have enough
money to buy a house when I pay off the lien.
There -- There is no reason to continue with this
project. I beg you to pull the plug today. We have had enough strife
in Naples Park. We would like to get back to a peaceful existence and
all go back to the beach or playing cards or whatever. Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you.
MR. SIMON: Good afternoon. For the record, my name is
Jeff Simon. At the beginning of this presentation --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Excuse me, Mr. Simon. Mr. Dotrill
MR. DORRILL: Mr. Gagliardi, if youill come forward.
Youill follow Mr. Simon. Go ahead.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Go ahead, Mr. Simon.
MR. SIMON: The engineer that you hired to do this study
for this plan said that this Naples Park project was designed for
maintenance and was not designed for this drainage system that you're
proposing. Well, how long has this system been here, and how much
money has been spent to do this maintenance over this length of time?
And if it was not done, where did that money go? And if the money
went because it was excess for that and went somewhere else, now there
should be money someplace else that could be spent for this. It
doesn't make any sense to me that if all this work wasn't done over
all these years and the money went somewhere else, now we have to pay
for it all at once because someone else got the money for it.
Obviously the county budget had money in here all this time for this,
and if it wasn't spent -- I know the county doesn't put it away
somewhere and keep it and save it. They give it to somebody else if
it isn't spent.
I -- I don't want to reiterate everything that everyone
else here has said. I agree, but a lot of the things that were said I
disagree. But there's one thing I'd like to bring to point and put on
record, that the general disrespect of these people that have waited
here since 9:30 this morning and twice have been made to wait after
you saying you were back at a certain time and were not. You demand
our respect.
MR. DORRILL: Mr. Gagliardi. James Gagliardi. Mr.
McGilvra. Mr. Newman, you'll follow Mr. McGilvra.
MR. HCGILVRA: Do you want to pass these over to who
doesn't have it and give the rest back?
Hello, Commissioners. My name is Doug HcGilvra. I live
in Naples Park, and I am the president of the property owners of
Naples Park. Please refer to my letter to all of you dated 6 October
1995. Copies are now being passed up.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Can you pull the mike down and
talk louder?
MR. HCGILVRA: Talk louder. Okay. I'll talk louder. I
want to thank John Boldt and the commissioners, particularly Tim
Hancock and the people from AB and B for all the work they've done on
this. This has been going on for eight to ten years, so it's nothing
new, and it shouldn't be new to anybody here.
We need an improved drainage system in Naples Park and
have worked for improvements for many years; however, we can't afford
the present plan. Using the April '95 town hall meeting as a starting
point, the costs for an average lot have increased by 52 percent if
paid in a lump sum up front. The same lots have gone up by 60 percent
if paid on a yearly basis for seven years. This is -- information is
from the stormwater management press release dated 9-28-95. Increases
are due to three main factors; one, a 40 percent increase in the
construction estimates; two, about 1.2 million in additional costs not
considered at the town hall meeting; and three, extreme changes in the
cost allocation methodology. A brief description of the cost
methodology changes. Pavilion Center has gone down by 67 percent of
reduction in their cost allocation. Pavilion Club has gone back down
by 27 percent. Naples Park commercial has gone up by 17 percent
increase. Naples Park ditch lots, 5 percent reduction. Naples Park
average lots -- and that's roughly 3,431 lots in the whole park --
have gone up by 26 percent on the average. Beachwalk has gone down by
80 percent. It's an 80 percent reduction, but it's at the tail end.
It's at the tail end and it's -- it's -- it's possible that that's --
that's fair.
Now, a couple of things I want to point out and Tim
Hancock pointed them out. The Pavilion Shopping Center -- Shopping
centers bring in money -- that promote business, have money, that are
really concerned about people being able to get to them are paying on
the average 12 cents a square foot whereas the average lots in Naples
Park are paying 16.4 percent a square foot, and they present no income
to the people there. They're their place of abode. They live there.
This, I don't believe, is correct.
Also, the Pavilion Shopping Center has been known since
its inception, since it was built, that there's a 67 1/2-acre wetland
on the other side of U.S. 41 that's been dumping into it, and it's
been impinging upon the 91st, 92nd lots all this time, and that, I
don't believe, has been given proper consideration.
Strangely enough, a place called Coventry Square, which
is the little pink place on the top of the map over there, for some
reason has what they call underground facilities for taking care of
stormwater. It has no retention ponds, but it has underwater -- water
-- underground storm retention utilities, and they say that that's
very helpful. It must be because it's only down to 6.6 cents per
square foot. It's lower than Pavilion. It's lower than everybody
else.
Unless these three factors are readdressed, going out
for bid seems to be an exercise of futility. We need to talk of
buckets, buckets to remove water and buckets to put monies into for
the older neighborhoods that need stormwater problems corrected. The
county commissioners should come up with an equitable method shared by
public and private funds of helping the communities. This problem is
not going away. It will only get worse. Businesses or tenters of
property in the park would be the first to complain as it gets worse.
Anyone who believes this county will pay for all of the improvements
necessary in the park are wrong thinkers. The board should further
remove the moratorium on individual swale work so that those property
owners that wish to upgrade the property may do so without any further
delay. That's it.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you, Mr. McGilvra.
MR. DORRILL: Mr. Newman. And then, Ms. Sourbeer, if I
could have you stand by after Mr. Newman.
MS. MAIALE: Anthony Haiale had to leave, but he will be
back by 3:30 if we're still doing it. Would you put him to the end of
the list, please.
MR. DORRILL: Okay. This should be Mr. Newman. Good
afternoon.
MR. NEWMAN: Good afternoon. Good afternoon,
Commissioners. A1 Newman, Naples Park. I live on the 600 block of
94th Avenue. The past flooding from Hurricane Jerry proves that
something has to be done with the drainage problem in Naples Park. As
a member of property owners of Naples Park, I supported the plan to
put these pipes in Eighth Street and 91st, 92nd Street ditch, but the
cost has gotten way out of hand. It went from three million eight to
four million nine, and the county's share went from 33 percent to 10
percent. The Pavilion Shopping Center got a 67 percent cut in their
share. It seems unfair that commercial properties are assessed 12
cents a square foot and residential, 16.
And while I'm at it, why should we have to pay for the
improvements to county properties? If the improvement was on my
property, would the county help me pay for it? I think not. But I
was willing to help the county pay for the improvements on their
property as long as it was reasonable, but the last figures I've seen
were ridiculous. Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you. Who comes after Hiss
Sourbeer?
MR. DORRILL: Ms. Hannx, H-a-n-n-x, I believe; or Hanny,
H-a-n-n-y.
MS. SOURBEER: Good afternoon. My name is Marie
Sourbeer. I'm president of the Naples Park Area Association, but I'm
also here on behalf of myself. I've lived here 25 years. I've seen
what's happened to the Naples Park area over that time, and I'll tell
you, the county -- I'm not saying the seated commission, but the
county fathers have really hurt us out there. You have not fulfilled
your responsibility when it comes to enforcing what's being built on
those pieces of land that are out there. We have homes now on a
50-foot lot that take up the entire space practically, three bedrooms,
two baths, a big pool in the back, and now they have even on today's
docket a variance after the fact. Now, where is the water going to
go? I have never seen so much water in anyplace in all my life as we
have seen in Naples Park this year but it's -- They're equating it to
a hundred-year storm. This is not correct. I don't have all the
facts and figures about how much it's costing me a foot or an inch or
whatever, but I know my bill for the two lots that my little 960-foot
house sits on takes up a lot of water. That isn't running down to
Eighth Street or down to the lagoon, and we've been assessed over
$2,300 for that. Down at the association, we have a 50-by-100-foot
building on eight lots, and the assessment for that is 8,700 and some
dollars plus change. We can't handle it. So I would recommend that
this be scrapped until we can come up with a better methodology for
payment. Thank you.
MR. DORRILL: Ms. Hanny.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you.
MS. MANNIX: My name is Joan Mannix.
MR. DORRILL: Excuse me, Ms. Mannix. And then, Ms.
Elliot, you'll be next. Go ahead.
MS. MANNIX: Okay. I'm glad I came to this meeting.
It's the first time I really got involved in something like this, but
it was very informative. I'm glad I got to hear all the particulars
on what the plan was all about. I did feel, as I had in the past when
I looked at the literature initially, that I didn't think it was
profitable to me. I've recently purchased in the park in that large
white area there. That has no profit to this at all. My home is on a
little bit of an incline, so I don't have a problem. It has a culvert
pipe which is great, but the water doesn't go anywhere because we're
all not unified in having drainage all the way.
I agree with the rest of everyone that I think we should
have the present drainage cleaned out. You can either have culverts
or swales, but when it does end up on lllth, that there should be
something set up there to catch the water and then take that either to
one of the canals or another area of land where it can drop off into.
I've seen that there is more building being done on
lllth, and when I noticed the water from the storm, it started at one
end which was the Pavilion area, crossed through the park and went
northwest. So it crossed right through the center crossing all the
avenues and streets, but it ended up with the largest amount of water
on lllth. There is building, and it's, like, a berm all around now,
and we are the low point. We've got Pavilion on one side, Pelican
Marsh in the front, and on the other side a lot of building that's
being done on lllth, and that is bringing up like a berm and making us
a hole. I don't understand from the beginning why that would even be
contemplated because that originally was a runoff area.
But now that we have this situation, there is another
possible way, and I -- I was listening to TV, and I was listening to
Lee County, and they're going to take some of their workers to clean
out culverts and swales and so forth that are incarcerated people.
That would be one way of dis -- you know, alleviating some of the cost
to us. I definitely cannot afford $1,000. I mean, I just purchased a
home. I saw that, and I went, whoop. There's no way I can do it.
I'm just an ordinary person, and I know they are too.
So if we can find some other plan, we can work together,
you know, to get something that's going to work, but plan A is
definitely out. I don't see it going south. The water doesn't even
run that way. It runs the other way. So I didn't see how that was
going to work. Let me see. I guess that's about all my points.
Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you.
MR. DORRILL: Ms. Elliot. Mr. Elliot, you will be next.
MS. ELLIOT: People move to Florida or to little bedroom
communities because they want to get away from a big city. They chose
Naples Park because they had accesses to the beaches in a small
community. If you're going to make this a city, then maybe we should
do what California did and get a prop 13 here so that we're not going
to be taxed to death and we can keep our homes. Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you, Miss Elliot.
MR. DORRILL: Mr. Elliot.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Mr. Dorrill, could somebody
move this projector?
MR. DORRILL: And then, Ms. Fitz-Gerald, you'll follow
Mr. Elliot.
MR. ELLIOT: That was my sister that just talked, and
she said exactly what I wanted to say. I came here to retire and
enjoy myself, and I feel as though that I'm being milked with all my
money, you know. I -- I can't afford it. I can't afford what they're
asking me all the time, and just fix the drainage. That's it. Get
some shovels out and start digging. Cheap. Thank you.
MR. DORRILL: Ms. Pistori, you'll follow Ms.
Fitz-Gerald.
MS. FITZ-GERALD: I'm Vera Fitz-Gerald. There was a
number of things I wanted to say. One of them I want to say for my
husband. He insists that if once we pay our assessment for the
drainage plan, we're going to be hit twice because then if we're
finally able to do something about the ditch, we're going to have --
our own ditch, we're going to have to pay for that. So it's going to
end up costing us around 4,000 and not 22 or 23 which was the
assessment I got.
One of the things people are talking about, we've got to
clean out the swales so the water will get to wherever it's supposed
to go -- I sure hope I don't live where it's supposed to go. If we
clean out the swales and don't do anything about the primary system,
there's going to be flooding big time then. I agree we have to clean
out the swales, but if we don't do something about the primary system
at the same time, all of that water that's now being backed up onto
those like myself, that's all going to go down there to that one area,
and it's going to be really bad. So we've got to consider that.
And Commissioner Constantine's solution about buying a
battery instead of a car, that's okay, but if your car is so ugly that
your neighbor is going to drive you out of the country, I think you've
got to address that. That -- That ditch is totally ugly on Eighth
Street and it -- we really have to do something, and I can't think of
anything else but piping it because if we pipe it, it will take away
an awful lot of water. If we don't pipe it, it won't.
And this one woman said she wanted to get back to a
peaceful existence. Well, that's fine if you don't live in the flood.
It's not very peaceful for those people who are currently trying to
clean the mud and the crud out of their houses because they all
flooded.
One thing that really bothers me is that 91st, 92nd
ditch. The people who live on that ditch did not cause that problem,
and if it gets fixed, then to charge them extra for erosion control is
just about the most fractured piece of illogic I have ever heard. The
county owns that ditch. It's now becoming a public-used ditch. We
have a shopping center draining into it. We've got condos draining
into it. We've got the Lazyboy plaza draining into it. And after I
had that meeting with FDOT on Thursday night, FDOT said that pipe is
going to stay under that -- under that highway. They said that it is
a natural waterway. It drains those 68 acres across the road. This
is not Pelican Harsh. This is a Collier-owned activity center, the 68
acres. FDOT is going to build a lake on those acres to handle the
stormwater from the highway on the south end. I said, if you build a
lake that drains into the swamp, then that's going to drain into
Naples Park, and he said, well, we're allowed to discharge "X" number
of cubic feet per second. And I said, how many cubic feet per second.
He couldn't remember, but he very specifically stated they were being
allowed to drain into our system.
This really makes this thing public, and I think for the
91st, 92nd ditch, the county's share should be much, much higher. In
fact, I think you should pay the whole shot myself. I'm certainly
willing to contribute paying for Eighth Street but on a reasonable
basis. We told John Boldt years ago that this should be done more on
a basin basis, and he said he couldn't be bothered breaking it down
like that. But the people who live in the west basin don't contribute
to any of these problems. I think we're all willing to pay some but
not two, $3,000. The young guy, Joe HcHarris, who works for the
county, he lives down around the corner from me, and his bungalow --
it's only a single-family, and it goes across three lots fronting
Vanderbilt Drive. He got an assessment notice of about 3,200 or
3,700. He's a whole mile from the problem. And he said he would pay
up to 1,000. I said 500.
I cannot -- This -- This cost methodology that ABB put
forward is just -- It is the biggest boondoggle. I would like to see
this thing simplified. I would like to scrap the current plan. I'd
like to go to George Archibald just like Willoughby Acres did and
said, we want to pipe this Eighth Street. Would you please work it
out for us. Let us -- and do some cost methodology that's based on
some sound reasoning. I'm sorry, but that cost methodology was so
full of holes, you could run a Hack truck through it. I don't have
time to tell you why, and I wish I did.
Oh, yes. And the final point. That swale moratorium, I
finally found out where it came from, but the person who is
responsible for it is never going to own up to it. That swale
moratorium is so unfair. It is -- It's totally discriminatory.
Nobody else in the State of Florida, that I've been able to find out,
has a swale moratorium. I phoned the -- the water management over in
West Palm Beach, and they said, no, they've never heard of such a
thing. They'd never had it anywhere else. And my time is up. I want
to see that moratorium lifted. Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you.
MR. DORRILL: Ms. Pistori and then Ms. Veccia.
MS. PISTORI: I'm Ginevieve Pistori. I live in Naples
Park. I'm just shocked to hear about that water coming into us from
the east side of the -- I hope that Mr. Boldt is here. I hope that
he's going to stop that. When this -- Any -- I -- I understand that a
-- another little mall is going into that and that -- what is that
going to happen? It's going to create more water. There's going to
be more water into us. And the reason why I'm being flooded is
because their water that -- the Beachwalk water -- not the Beach --
the Pavilion water is coming in. It's flooding, and the water is
going through on 91st, 92nd, and that is the water that's going there,
and the rest of it is flowing right back and is backing up into us.
That should not be. Now I'm going to read my '-
Now, for eight years concerned property owners have
persistently petitioned the county commissioners to curb the flooding
and the piping in the unhealthy, unsightly, and erosion -- erosive
ditches according to design of our engineers. We have protesters going
-- protesters going around the park collecting signatures to stop
this plan. They are giving misinformation. Once the correct
information was explained, the same people were sorry they signed the
poli -- petition. Homeowners are also being told that the proposed
system will not work. This is not true. Our engineers say that it
will. We also have 3,300 homes in this -- in this -- in this
community. 1,100 is not 50 percent. We have reached the final stages
of debate. Some Naples Park residents are under the illusion that if
the -- they continue to oppose it, the county will pay for it. This
will not happen.
The past two months many owners have had flood damage to
their homes and furnishings. We had the hundred-year storm, and
according to the weather bureau, we are entering a wet cycle. That
means more water and that -- This -- All this flooding design has got
to go through.
When this drainage system is -- is completed, our homes
will have more of a value and a better resaleable value as well. No
one will want to buy into a community that floods. We must have
relief from the flooding problem. We must encourage the commissioners
to let the drainage system to go to bids. Don't let all of these years
go to naught. When the final cost comes in, the monthly payments will
not be that high, and I'm sure we will all be able to afford it.
Don't be under the illusion that all of Naples Park or a great deal of
Naples Park are paupers. We're not. We can afford to pay on a
monthly basis for seven years. Don't let anybody fool you.
When -- When -- When Willoughby Acres had their drainage
pipes in place, they paid them willingly. We have not heard any
complaints from them. We cannot have temporary patch-up jobs now and
repay it later and -- and at higher cost. The -- They -- There hasn't
been any maintenance in the past. Do we really believe there's going
to be maintenance in the future?
The Eighth Street ditch is always blocked up by all
types of debris, trees, yard waste, weeds, coconuts. Lawnmowers we
pulled out of there. Shopping carts we pulled out of here, bottles,
cans, and whatever else you can think of. We need a permanent
situation to our flooding problem now. The larger -- The longer we
wait, the higher the cost will be. The reason for which we are here
today is to allow the bids to -- bids to be presented to the county
and to get a more accurate price cost of the job. To sabatoge this
democratic process now after eight years would be irresponsible and
very demoralizing. The cost allocation by Mr. Agni Brundage (phonetic)
is unacceptable. It is high. So we have to please send this to the
bids. Let it come through. We are waiting for a final and accurate
cost. Please send it to bids. Thank you. CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you.
MR. DORRILL: Ms. Veccia. Ms. Veccia.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: She's apparently not here.
MR. DORRILL: Ms. Mortensen. Ms. Mortensen.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Apparently not here.
UNKNOWN VOICE: They probably can't hear.
MR. DORRILL: And then --
MS. MORTENSEN: Did you call me?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Your name?
MS. MORTENSEN: Mortensen.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Yes.
MR. DORRILL: Is that you?
MS. MORTENSEN: I'm sorry.
MR. DORRILL: And then Mr. And Ms. Amen, A-m-e-n, 92nd
Avenue.
MS. MORTENSEN: Commissioners, my name is Flo Mortensen.
I am a homeowner and a resident in Naples Park. It is
disconcerting, to say the least, to see signs like this all over
Naples Park on county-owned property.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: They'll clog up the drains, I
bet, too.
MS. MORTENSEN: Well, I hope they -- I hope someone sees
to it that they take them down. And it is despicable that some owners
of rental properties who reside in Vanderbilt Beach have chosen to
wage war at this late date. Where have they been? For eight years the
Naples Park drainage improvement plans have been openly discussed and
debated. One can only conclude that these selfish souls are moved
only by the cost and not by the pain and frustration of flooding and
erosion and filthy ditches. They don't offer solutions because they
care not for the health and safety of the residents. And,
incidentally, many long-time tenters beg for improvements but there is
no forum for their complaints. I would ask, therefore, that you not
be persuaded by rebelrousers and their cheap party threats nor by
others with personal agendas. Please don't abandon this project
before the bids are in, and please reconsider the methodology and
allocation of the assessment. Why shouldn't the Pavilion pay more?
Their retention lake can't possibly be large enough to accommodate the
stormwater runoff. And give some thought to the benefit factor for the
Eighth Street property owners. They should not have to bear such a
heavy burden. True, they will benefit, but so will many others
because when this ditch overflows, it go -- as it does frequently, it
flows far beyond the properties abutting the ditch, and Eighth Street
is closed to traffic more frequently than any other streets and
avenues. Children from other avenues who wait for school buses will
benefit if they don't have to stand in water. Please remember that
four of you voted in favor of the drainage improvement plan based upon
health, safety, and the welfare of the people. Keep that in mind.
In hearings past, I mentioned the possibility of
encephalitis. Commissioner Hancock says we don't have any in Collier
County. Is Collier County immune? When I talk about the children
possibly getting hurt, he says the parents are at fault, but I say the
county is responsible for an attractive nuisance.
Get the bids and proportion the costs equitably, keeping
in mind that existing drainage problems at Naples Park are not acts of
God. The swale system has been butchered and neglected by its owners,
the county, and the ditch between 91st and 92nd Avenues, originally
ten feet wide, has been allowed to grow into a river in some places
three times wider.
It has been said that the county owns 25 percent of the
land in Naples Park. Why shouldn't the county assessment be equal to
its ownership? Forget Willoughby Acres because it's not at all
comparable to the Naples Park problems which are worse than ever
before due to the heavy rainfall this year. Those who protest the tax
assessment should see the property destruction from all that rain, and
it will not get better.
I -- Some speakers today have mentioned maintenance.
Well, during the last two years, there was an effort to deepen the
swales, and I never had any problem in my swales, but I surely have
one now because they stopped my -- I have two swales, one east and
west, one north and south, and they stopped before the culvert;
therefore, they have created an -- a -- a -- a hill, and water does
not flow up hills. Now I have water in my swale. So before you
decide that all we need is maintenance, please give it some thought,
and come out and look at what some of the maintenance has done. Thank
you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you.
MR. DORRILL: Ms. Amen.
MS. AMEN: My name is Anna Amen, and I live in Naples
Park on 92nd Avenue. I urge the Board of Commissioners to move
forward today in order to construction -- in order to secure
construction bids on Naples Park drainage improvement. These bids are
necessary to arrive at a final cost figure knowing that the
construction cost is the only way to determine the individual cost to
each homeowners. Only then can an intelligent decision be made. I
totally -- am totally against the methodology. Do not bail out in
midstream. I urge the board to move forward with the bids. Thank
you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you.
MR. DORRILL: Mr. Fasone or Faccone. Then we'll be back
to Mr. Haiale.
UNKNOWN VOICE: Did you ask for Mr. Haiale or Mrs.
Haiale?
MR. DORRILL: Anthony. Mr.
UNKNOWN VOICE: He'll be here at 3:30.
MR. DORRILL: Mr. Faccone.
MR. FACCONE: My name is George Faccone. I live on 95th
Avenue in Naples Park. I urge the board to scrap this proposal today.
It's granted that we understand we do have a problem in Naples Park
and something should be addressed. I don't believe that this is the
proper avenue and the proper solution to the problem. People talk
about maintenance. Some people say maintenance is incorrect.
Maintenance, if done properly, would take care of the problem we have
out at Naples Park. Where the maintenance is done incorrectly -- and
it can be seen where it's done incorrectly. There is water standing
today in certain swales and ditches where the county did maintain but
not maintain properly. What has to be done is proper maintenance, set
the swales and ditches up the way they were originally planned back in
the '50s, slope them the way they're supposed to be sloped, and
connect them to everyone's culvert pipe that do have their ditches
covered, and I don't believe we'll have that much of a problem. So I
urge you to scrap this proposal and try to find a better solution and
a less costly solution. Thank you.
MR. DORRILL: Mr. Richardson.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you.
MR. DORRILL: And then Ms. Haiale.
MR. RICHARDSON: Good afternoon. Dwight Richardson. I
live on 101st Street in the 700 block right in the heart of Naples
Park. I don't envy your jobs today. This is a difficult situation.
This issue has divided our community. It's been divided not only by
factual matters, but by matters that have not been presented
factually, and I'm sure you can sort some of that out.
It's also been divided by what I see is a tendency
towards some simplistic thinking, simplistic thinking on some of our
parts and thinking that, well, the county is going to take care of
most of the problems if we just lay low and raise enough of a ruckus;
simplistic thinking along the lines, let's say, that if we can just
dig out the ditches a little more, it's going to flow better and those
structures will work. Well, those structures won't work. We've been
here before. The last time we talked to you in this kind of a public
forum, we said that we're only going to do this job once so let's try
to do it right. You know, pardon the language, but a half-ass job
will give us some half-ass results.
The other level of simplistic thinking I was surprised
at today came from one of the commissioners who suggested -- and see
if I've got this right -- I've got this broken down car, you see, and
it needs a new battery. So if I go down to a garage that he selects
and I get a new battery, then I can drive up to the county, and I can
get my bucket and my shovel and go back to Naples Park and take care
of the drainage problem.
That's just not, I think, good advice for the citizenry
in a difficult situation like this. This is a complicated problem.
It's one that I think everyone has to step up to and do their part on.
You folks have the toughest decision. My suggestion is, as many of
the thoughtful people have said today, let's stay the course, let's
find out what the costs are, and let's do the job right. Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you.
MR DORRILL: Mr. And Ms. Taylor.
MS MAIALE: Did you call me? Haiale?
MR DORRILL: Taylor.
MR TAYLOR: Clay Taylor?
MR DORRILL: Clay Taylor.
MR TAYLOR: That's me.
MR DORRILL: And then Richard Gollehan.
MR TAYLOR: Good afternoon, Commissioners. I would
like to say hello. My name is Clay Taylor. I live on 104th Avenue,
and I just wanted to mention that my wife and I are opposed to this
project because -- well, we spent a nice evening a couple of weeks ago
looking out our window watching a silvery moonlight as it danced
across the waves of the river crossing our street, and it was a
pleasant evening, but, then again, our house -- our impervious area
was not under water, and there are areas in Naples Park where it is.
I just have a couple responses to one of the
computations that was given earlier. The health and safety factor as
-- was assigned a value of one to everybody originally, and it was
reduced for -- I think it was Beachwalk condominium. That factor to
me is nothing more than a way to basically charge more individuals
with the cost involved with this project. As described earlier, that
factor, the health and safety factor, was made up of results coming
from the flooding benefits, the aesthetic benefits, the erosion
benefits, but on almost all the properties that were listed, those
benefits were zero, and yet there was still an assigned value of one
to the health and safety factor, and I -- I didn't see where that came
from.
Also, I'm a certified public accountant here in town.
I've been told in my training that a 5 percent increase is considered
material. And the original cost of this project to the final cost at
whatever it might be is -- you're looking at a 50 to 66 percent
increase in the cost, and that is far more than immaterial. It's --
It's substantially material. And if cost is a major factor of that,
then that -- it should be rejected immediately as not meeting the
specifications of the project as it was originally outlined. It's
really the only things I wanted to -- wanted to say. Thank you very
much.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you.
MR. DORRILL: Mr. Gollehan, Richard Gollehan and then --
MR. GOLLEHON: Gollehon.
MR. DORRILL: Very well. And then Ms. -- Ms. Maiale.
MR. GOLLEHON: My name is Richard Gollehon. I've lived
in Naples Park for over ten years. I think that the -- this thing
between 91st and 92nd is the county's fault. If I don't -- if I -- If
I'm right, that was only a little swale at one time, and every year it
gets deeper and deeper and deeper. I understand one year they had a
bulldozer in there cleaning it out. I think it's up to the county to
take care of their job.
But besides that, we have problems -- Everyone talks
about the problem of getting -- cleaning up the swales and so forth.
Can't seem to do anything with George Archibald. He says -- He comes
to our meetings, says, yes, we'll do everything we can for you. And
he promises and he promises and he promises. Nothing's been done for
at least four years in Naples Park. The only time he ever comes out
there or has the crews come out is to dig a ditch too deep so it -- so
we have mosquito ponds spread out all over the park.
And another thing I wanted to address is the people who
live in the 700, 800, some -- some of the 600 blocks, there's a ridge
that runs down through Naples Park. On the east side, it's all flood
zone, and there's a big hump in there. If the county would put in
what I call a sub -- subculvert or they could put in infiltrators, all
those people on that east side of Naples Park wouldn't have to be
paying for flood insurance. I think it's -- it's -- I'm not an
engineer, but it's a simple answer to a problem that we've had in the
park for years. Thank you very much.
MR. DORRILL: Miss Maiale.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you.
MR. DORRILL: Mr. Lamoureux.
MS. MAIALE: Hi. Good afternoon. My name is Jeannette
Maiale, and I've lived on 92nd Avenue for 25 years, and you all know I
live on that famous waterway and that I don't want a pipe put into it.
We have never had standing water in our swales on 92nd and 91st
Avenue, no standing water in the front, back, or anyplace and even
after the hundred-year storm, but I want to make some points here.
Number one, for seven of the last eight years, I have
belonged to an organization that we call Save Our Sod, and that was
what started this. We wanted the county to do something about the
waterway between 91st and 92nd Avenue, and what they did was put more
water in there for us. So, at any rate, our issue was never flooding.
It was -- It was always erosion. That's all that it was. I want my
property to be worth more. I want my -- I want to get my land back.
I wanted to build a swimming pool. So, at any rate, I had a wake-up
call. I'm not for that anymore. And I think the things that Vera
said are absolutely right about that 91st and 92nd Avenue ditch, but I
think it's wrong for us to put the water into the Vanderbilt Lagoon
without any treatment to it, and I think you have solved that problem.
For one thing, it used to be that the county would come along, the
men, and they would spray all of the bana -- You know about my banana
trees. They would spray them all, and they would be done for a couple
of months, also the flowers there. Now they only spray in the bottom
of that waterway. So that was my first point.
The second one is, I don't need protection from a
ten-year storm. You've already -- I have protection from a 100-year
storm. So I don't see where ABB gives me any benefit.
And then the next point is Collier Enterprises. A
number of people have told you about Collier Enterprises having the
water come under 41 from the east side. Okay. What I'm wondering --
They've been doing that for 26 years, and I'd like to know what ABB
wants to give them as their point of benefit for dumping water on us
for 26 years.
Another thing, Agnoli and Barber and Brundage, also,
they have a retainer fee from Collier Enterprises, and I just found
that out. Now, why didn't we know that eight years ago when they
first started this? So, anyhow, that's all I have to say about that.
Madam Chairman, you said to bring you 1,000 signatures
and you would rethink your position. We brought you 1,100, and I'd
like you to do that, rethink your position, and I'd also like you to
vote no on -- on funding plan A. Thank you.
MR. DORRILL: Mr. Lamoureux and then Mr. Lugara.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Your jersey tells me you're an
optimist.
MR. LAMOUREUX: A realist.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Oh, boy. We have a discussion.
MR. LAMOUREUX: I'm an engineer, and I have commercial
property and I -- CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Could you restate your name, sir
-- I didn't get it -- for the --
MR. LAMOUREUX: Hark Lamoureux is my name.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay.
MR. LAMOUREUX: Cleveland's my team. And I own property
and occupy commercial property in Naples Park. I'm actually very
confused and bewildered over how we have taken a county problem and
turned it into a community situation. The -- The subdivision has been
under development for many, many years, and the right-of-ways have
been scrutinized. And -- and for every driveway that's gone in, for
every development that's gone in, the county has issued a right-of-way
permit because it's their property, and they exercise jurisdiction
over it. We have a drainage problem there. We all identify that, and
we all agree that there is a problem. But we never did agree -- I
never did agree and maybe some people in this room -- that it is the
residents of that area, it is their problem only. It is the
countywide drainage problem just like our roads are countywide road
problems. And what do we do with those? We put those in a
prioritized order, and as we have the dollars to repair them, we
repair them. I would urge you to think about that particular
situation as it applies to Naples Park.
Many things have been brought up today about the lack of
maintenance. That is the one item that the county has never ever kept
up its bargain throughout the county. It is not because they haven't
wanted to, but there's lots of drainage work to do every year. I
think people who live in Naples Park can see the presence of the
county drainage maintenance crews trying to solve certain problems by
just redigging swales or whatever they do.
Anyway, all I want to say is I think you need to think
about the problem as a county problem and not shift the burden of the
financial responsibility onto the residents of Naples Park. Thank
you.
MR. DORRILL: Mr. Lugara and then Larry Pistori.
MR. LUGARA: Yes, Commissioners. I want to make this
very short. I support the project, and I really feel the commission
should proceed ahead, but I can see that there's some interest,
especially from Mr. Hancock before, that we need to -- to cut some
costs. Therefore, during the break I talked to Mr. Brundage, and I
said, what are ways where you can really cut a lot of funds, a lot of
money out of the project, and eventually get the project done. And he
said -- he said to me that there's about $1 million into this for
bonding to finance the project. So my suggestion is, why don't we
compromise. Why not we -- Why don't we not bond the project and go
pay as you go, and you could reduce the assessments. We would -- If
you do it that way, you could collect the assessments first but at a
lower rate and then proceed. I think this is something that maybe you
could look at with the engineers and maybe look at -- there could be a
compromise in how you could proceed.
So I think this is a -- you know, I really don't think
this -- the time now is to stop everything. I think we've waited too
long to get the job done. But I think some compromise can be made,
and maybe if we do some bonding or some other projects or maybe even
looking into some plastic pipes instead of aluminum pipes, I think
some costs can be made and maybe it can be reasonable for -- for the
people to pay maybe 650, 750. People may be able to pay something
like that if the costs are reduced on some of the suggestions I made.
Thank you very much.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you.
MR. DORRILL: Mr. Pistori. He's your final speaker.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you, Mr. Dorrill.
MR. PISTORI: How do you do, Commissioners. Actually,
this was written by -- Miss Lucy Veccia had a urgent call, had to
leave, and asked me to read it for you. If it's agreeable to you,
I'll go ahead.
Commissioners, my name is Lucy Veccia, and I have lived
on 92nd Avenue since 1978. I request that this Board of Commissioners
move the Naples Park drainage project forward into the bidding
process. During the past weeks and this morning, each of you have
been deluged -- deluged with a negative reaction aimed at putting an
end to years of hard work securing the necessary permits and plans and
-- and the waste of $68,000 paid by the residents of Naples Park to
Agnoli, Barber, and Brundage. There are over 3,000 households in
Naples Park compared to that total. The group here today is small --
represents a small representation of Naples Park, and I ask that you
not be impressed nor swayed from a positive path. The people in favor
of this project whom you have seen and heard many times are still out
there. They feel that you know their wishes and reasons by now and
need no further repetition.
I would like to bring to your attention three
contributing factors for your consideration pertaining to why we're
here today, and we all know all developments are required by state law
to provide all land improvements such as a sewer, street lights, and
complete drainage system before the first home is built.
With that, in fact, in mind, here is contributing factor
number one. When the development of Beachwalk, Pavilion Club and
shopping center were constructed, the developments provided for only
half a drainage system. For the other half, they plan to take a
cheaper shortcut by dumping their outfall into Naples Park drainage
ditch between 91st and 92nd Avenue. When their plans became known, I
recall standing on this very same spot side by side with other
residents of the park protesting that -- the plan and -- and
predicting that the erosion and flooding that has become today's
reality. We argued and the developers knew very well that the second
half of their drainage system should have been -- should have been a
-- a buried pipe along the wall of the south side of 91st Avenue
carrying their own outfall and their own system out to the bay as the
state law requires, but it was cheaper to dump into Naples Park
system. Buyers of the units in these developments were never told
that they were getting only half a drainage system and would need to
pay -- would need to pay for it some day for the other half. We
fought a long and gallant battle, but the developers won. Your
predecessors allowed the -- the expanded use of -- and overburdening
in Naples Park drainage system. This is a contributing factor because
these developments were built at a much higher elevation than Naples
Park, and the outfall is piped in, getting into the ditch first and
faster. Host of all, they should be in their own drainage system.
Contributing factor number two, years and years of
improper maintenance in ditches, swales in the secondary system
contributing to these problems of blocked culverts, culverts of
varying depths, culverts of varying diameter, blocked culverts, swales
that are dug out at random here and there -- and there. Now and then
we have ditches, swales that are dug out and -- oh, excuse me -- that
are -- ditches that are sprayed with weed killer, poisoning us and the
environment, encouraging erosion. For maintenance is definitely a
contributing factor to the -- to the lakes and our streets of flood
waters knocking on our neighbors' door.
Third and last contributing factor to the purchasing of
unimproved land that lacks sewers, street lights, with septic tanks,
pitch-dark streets, and drainage systems consisting of narrow ten-feet
ditch between 91st and 92nd. By 1978, sewers became a necessity, and
sewers were installed. All lots were assessed and were given six
years to pay it off at 300 to $400 a year, the next improvement to
what we are seeing here today. Street lights were finally installed.
We were all assessed the same and given ten years to pay for it once a
year. Nobody went to the poorhouse. We are faced with a final and
much-needed improvement to the drainage system. So the third factor,
the purchasing of unimproved and -- land to locate our homes is on the
same as what Pavilion Club and the shopping center did -- be paid --
be spent now because we need this drainage improvement. I have a few
more lines, or do I have to stop?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Can you --
MR. PISTORI: Well, one more last comment.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Can you close it up?
MR. PISTORI: Huh?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Wrap it up, please.
MR. PISTORI: Okay. Well, it said --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: You have two lines you said?
MR. PISTORI: Please consider these factors, and let
this go to bid. And I -- I'd like to add my own comment, that perhaps
a real cheap way of doing this is to dig the Eighth Street ditch as --
as wide and as deep as the 92nd, 91st canal, and maybe that will be
the way. Sit by and see what happens, and then by -- maybe five years
from now we can pay double for what it costs now.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you. That's an interesting
solution. Commissioner Hancock.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Mr. Pistori, your last comment is
exactly what has happened in the past. This thing was designed eight
years ago, and I think then the cost was $2 1/2 million for the whole
thing. The reason it wasn't pursued is -- is quite simple. It wasn't
politically correct to do it.
You know, if -- The comments I've heard today kind of
center on one thing. If you're standing in your living room ankle
deep in water, you think this is a good project. If you you're not,
you don't. With few exceptions, that's pretty much where the line is.
If you're not being flooded, you don't want to pay. And if you are
being flooded, you're asking for help. The problem we have and the
problem I experienced is, if this project is killed today and we all
go home and we get six inches of rainfall tomorrow, those of you that
are not flooded aren't really going to care, but it is left to this
commission to answer to those people who are standing ankle deep in
water in their homes as to what has to be done.
The county commission in 1950 did not design or build
this system. The developers of the property that you bought from did.
We now know that design is inadequate. It's not capable of handling
typical rainfalls in typical years in Naples Park. Everyone has said
the same thing. Something needs to be done.
UNKNOWN VOICE: Wasn't this before all of the --
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Excuse me.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Excuse me. We don't take -- We
do not comment from the general floor such as that. Continue, Mr.
Hancock.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Everyone has said today -- and I
-- I appreciate each of your responses in that something has to be
done. Where we all seem to differ is what that follow-through is and
who should pay for it and how much it should be, and I don't think any
solution that is presented is going to make everyone happy.
There are two ends of the spectrum that can occur. One
end is promise maintenance and walk away today. I can't do that. I
don't think it's going to solve anything. I don't think it's going to
better Naples Park. I don't think it's going to get the water out of
people's homes that they're experiencing.
The other end is to proceed with plan A at all costs.
That can't happen either. There is a line at which this entire
process stops, and that's a point of affordability.
When we began looking at this a year ago, we were
talking 8, $9 a month for plan A. In other words, we could give you
or proceed with the best protection that the engineers could come up
with for about 8 or $9 a month. In the scope of affordability, that's
about as close as you can get to it, and that's why I supported it
then.
Where we sit today is 50 percent more than that and some
cases going up from there, and I guess what I'm wrestling with is --
is, on one hand, the need to respond to a flooding problem in Naples
Park, and the flip side is, every dollar that's spent has got to
provide some positive benefit to the overall park. Somewhere between
there lies a solution.
Without knowing what the actual project cost is, I can't
even sit here and say whether plan A is, in my opinion, too expensive,
and many of you already can answer that, I know. No matter what it
comes back, it's going to be too expensive. But for me, I need to have
that information to make that decision. Without it, I'm -- I'm
guessing on an estimate that the engineers put forward, and I'm
assuming that's correct. And I worked in the engineering field long
enough to know that the upfront estimates are generally 10 to 20
percent higher than the project cost is anyway. That's fairly
typical.
So I'm looking -- and, of course, I know my colleagues
have some comments to make too. But what I'm looking to do today is
to achieve some form of a final answer on this, and by walking away
today and promising future maintenance, I don't think we're doing
that. I think we're fooling ourselves. If we can go ahead with plan
A, let's know that, and then let's work as hard as we can to come up
with something else that will give a different level or a lower level
of service at a lower cost, but I feel the need to answer that first
question before going to the other options. With that, I'll -- I'd be
happy to hear from my colleagues, and we'll go from there.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Constantine is next.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: What I've heard a couple
times from speakers at the end and then Commissioner Hancock is, if we
kill this today, if we walk away, and I'm -- I'm not suggesting that.
And going way back to the analogy early on, if -- if I did nothing
with the vehicle, it still won't start and won't do me any good and I
-- I -- I'm not suggesting we should do nothing. I am suggesting
though -- and I think it was Doug McGilvra who said, at this point,
going out to bid is an exercise in futility because the costs have
gotten so high. And even assuming if there is maybe a 10 percent
buffer in there from the engineer's estimate, we are still way, way
higher than this project was a year ago, eight months ago, ten months
ago, whatever it was, and -- But it seems somewhere between going
forward with those bids and working ahead with a 4 or 5 million, 3 --
$3 1/2 million project and walking away, there's got to be some ground
there. And -- And so I would suggest that we not move forward with
the bids, but at the same time, that we not simply turn our back on
the problem and walk away because you are absolutely right, that when
we get into a heavy water situation again, we are going to have a
problem again. So I think we need to address it. We need to look at
what is the appropriate solution, but I don't think moving forward
with A is that solution.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Norris.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Well, both of my colleagues have
brought up very good points. I -- I heard -- In the speakers today, I
heard common themes really. One was that the allocation system needs
to be redone, readjusted, perhaps done differently, and that the price
is too high. Well, how do we know the price is too high? We don't
know. We don't have a price. We have a guess. We need to get a
price before we know the answer.
Let me -- Let me ask for a show of hands. How many
people would like to have this issue settled? I mean, have this --
UNKNOWN VOICE: Settled?
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: One way or the other. One way or
the other.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Settled.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Nobody wants it settled. We don't
want to settle? Okay. Well, then let's go on forever.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Perhaps just a motion to
continue the item then.
UNKNOWN VOICE: They probably didn't hear you.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: They probably didn't hear me?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: The question was, how many people
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: How many people would like to have
this issue settled? Raise your hands, please.
UNKNOWN VOICE: How settled?
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Settled. Okay.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: All right. John, that's not --
John, that's not going to work.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Okay. The -- The only way to
really settle it is to get a bid. If the price is too high, that
settles it.
UNKNOWN VOICES: No.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Excuse me. We have --
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: It's my turn. You've had yours.
It's my turn now.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you, John.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: The only way to settle it is to
get a bid, see if the price is too high. If it is, then fine. We
know that. Then we have our answer. We don't have an answer right
now. We have a guess, and that's not good enough. We need to -- We
need to finish this process and see what the -- the actual bid is, and
then we have our answer.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner -- Commissioner
Hac'Kie.
Ha'am, we don't take comments from the floor in general
like that. Thank you. Commissioner Mac'Kie.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Well, I pretty much echo what
Commissioner Norris just said. I have one -- one concern -- is,
before when we were going through this process and I knew that there
was a lot of debate, that the community was split at Naples Park.
Frankly, Commissioner Hancock's leadership in this was very important
to me, and also that the property owners of Naples Park supported it
was very influential to me, and now I -- I don't understand why they
have withdrawn their support, and I wonder if somebody on the board
can help me with that.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS:
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK:
Doug --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS:
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK:
I understand it's just the cost.
Well, no. There are two -- Well,
Two?
-- listed three reasons. The two
predominant are that the cost has increased beyond what was
anticipated. The second is the methodology has changed in such a way
that an increasing burden is placed on the typical lot owner in Naples
Park. That's probably the one thing -- We -- I would like to find out
what the true project cost is. I think everyone would at least like
to know that.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: And on the -- Because on the
first point, if it's that it's too expensive, then I agree with
Commissioner Norris. We need to know for sure before we give up and
say it's too expensive. I'd like to know that and -- But at the same
point, my question is, have we gone too far -- Maybe Mr. Dotrill is
the person to tell me this. After we get the bid, do we still have
another shot at the allocation methodology? CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Oh, yeah.
MR. DORRILL: The -- The answer is -- is yes so long as
it's lower. You cannot go any higher in the unlikely event that that
were to occur. But the answer is yes. You can always lower
assessments when --
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: So -- So --
MR. DORRILL: -- you get to the final --
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: -- Commercial -- I couldn't raise
commercial and lower residential?
MR. DORRILL: My impression is that you -- you cannot.
MR. WEIGEL: The distinction is assessments are one
thing. Methodology is the other. The methodology establishes the
allocation of the assessments. If the price comes in lower, then you
apply the methodology, and everyone's assessments go down, but you
can't change the methodology after today. And, in fact, that which
has been advertised for today --
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: See, that changes everything for
me.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: That changes everything for me.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: I think I can take it from there.
The one -- The one saving grace here I was hoping for is that if the
cost comes in low enough, we can then expend the effort to really work
on the methodology, to massage it, to pull from here, to yank from
there, to put things together in a -- in a more what I would call a
fairer approach. And the one thing I've told people consistently
throughout this is that if I can't reduce the burden on the typical
lot owner on what is presented, then I can't move ahead. If I can't
increase the dollar amount assessed on anyone from here on out, that
means that the Pavilion Club Shopping Center is locked in at their
cost, not a dollar more. And if this project does go ahead, I was --
I was seeing a little more assessment placed on -- on the commercial
properties. That kind of throws a -- a much larger wrench into
everything than -- than I had anticipated.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Can I enter my -- I've got a list
of things too. Mr. Weigel, you wanted to tell us --
MR. WEIGEL: Yeah. In --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: -- more about this though?
MR. WEIGEL: In regard to the methodology, there was no
true methodology until Agnoli, Barber, and Brundage were hired to
provide a methodology, a legally defensible methodology, and they have
done so. In fact, for the first time ever in the history of special
assessment districts, we have them indemnifying the county for the
methodology that they've created.
Previous assessments, assessment districts -- We have
lawsuits from time to time and we -- we -- we tend to have to shoulder
it more alone and use -- use the consultant as the expert. In this
case, we have an indemnification where they have to be legally
responsible for the methodology. The methodology isn't arrived at
lightly, and that's not to say that that may not be the only
methodology or type of methodology that may apply. But the resolution
that's before the board today is a -- is a rather all-embracing
resolution. That's plans and specs, methodology, and the tentative
assessment roll, and it's an advertised resolution. And if -- if this
methodology were not approved today, we'd have to get back in the
process of creating a new methodology and bringing it back through the
hearing process.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: While we're -- I think we were on
my question, and I hadn't quite finished that if I can. CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Go ahead.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Is there -- I understand the
resolution that's in front of us. My fear was that we wouldn't be
able to readdress methodology after the fact because the resolution
that we have includes it. Is it possible to pass a resolution to get
the -- have the cost firmly ascertained? Can we get -- Can we do a bid
before we do the methodology for the assessment?
MR. WEIGEL: Yes.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: So --
MR. WEIGEL: I mean, if you wish -- You can continue
this advertised --
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Okay.
MR. WEIGEL: -- hearing today to a date certain. You've
got five weeks within our advertising requirement to do that and
conceivably go out to bid and get back in the same time. I know they
have a rather expedited schedule, and so starting tomorrow they're
going out for bid if it were to be approved today, and conceivably
they may be able to come back with the -- with the bid responses prior
to a continuation date for this.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Because my -- my other comment
and I -- I can certainly see the value in having the engineering firm
indemnify the county on its -- on its methodology. But just like all
the lawsuits in -- against doctors have made doctors be
ultraconservative when we get more tests than we need, I wonder if --
As a lawyer, if I'm asked to give a legal opinion and I know they're
going to sue me if I'm wrong, then I'm very conservative in my legal
opinion. I wonder if maybe that's a source of some of our problems
with the conservative nature of this assessment methodology, that we
are positive it's legally defensible, but it may not be the most fair
for this community. So what -- what I would like to see is -- is if
it's possible to go forward with ascertaining a firm price and then
looking again at assessment methodology over the next five weeks.
That's what I'm going to support. CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay.
MR. WEIGEL: Okay. Well, I think there is a question
there, and I feel compelled to respond. The methodology is defensible
because it strives to be fair. If it's not fair, that's where the
methodology is indefensible --
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: I understand.
MR. WEIGEL: -- And so that was the -- the goal behind
coming up with a methodology in the first place. We've just got a
consultant on the hook to back it up in court if it should fail. If
we come back -- If this matter is continued and we come back after the
county learns what the pricing is for the bids solicited, you really
cannot change the methodology based upon what is already advertised
and has notice to the public and everything else that's brought us
here now. Now, in previous special assessment projects, we have
tweaked individual parcels within a project, not changing methodology,
but recognizing exceptions to the general application or averaging the
methodology forces on properties and -- and that is still a
prerogative that might exist at some later point in time but -- And
usually that happens at the next public hearing step when you adopt
the final assessment roll after the project has gotten the previous
approval. So that would be next year.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: I'm confused now and -- and-- I
-- I promise this is my last comment. But I'm confused now about,
can we -- can we get -- send this out to bid and get a firm price and
then in the next five weeks completely redo or make significant
changes to the methodology of assessment? MR. WEIGEL: No.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: That's what I was afraid you'd
say.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Mr. Boldt, I would like to ask
you a question. Before lunch, you were -- you were asked to contact
the DOT during the break about the 68 acres of wetland on the east
side of 41 and the possibility of the drainage pipe will continue to
exist. Were you -- Were you able to do that?
MR. BOLDT: I was not able to. I called up there, and
they were on their lunch and were not available. I did talk --
however, talked to Mr. Archibald who had had conversations with a
Florida Department of Transportation representative within the last
week about this very situation, and Mr. Archibald expressed his
concern about the amount of water coming in, and I understand they
come to an understanding -- The county's position is that's going to
be the watershed divide between the park and the Pelican Marsh, and
the Pelican Marsh is by PUD stipulation obligated to take that water
and divert it over the ridge into the Pine Ridge canal. The pipe
under U.S. 41 may be left there as an equalizer, but it would not take
that wetland area and discharge it through the park. It has to go the
other way.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: What's going to make it do that?
MR. BOLDT: There -- They physically would berm it and
divert it east into the Pine Ridge canal through the Pelican Marsh
system.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: And I assume through the PUD
monitoring process or others -- How would that be monitored to ensure
compliance?
MR. BOLDT: That's a PUD stipulation, so it's just like
the rest of them. We'll monitor it. We have an annual review, and I
particularly would watch over that myself.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Norris.
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: I have a question for Mr. Dotrill.
Under the bidding process, will our own road and bridge department
be supplied a bid packet?
MR. DORRILL: The bid packet would be supplied by
Agnoli, Barber, and Brundage through your purchasing department.
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: Well, does our road and bridge
department get to bid on it, is my question.
MR. DORRILL: They would not typically, no.
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: Would they be able to in this
particular case?
MR. BOLDT: I would say that's going to be extremely
precise-type work. It's going to take a lot of management of the
water, dewatering, erosion control, turbidity. It's going to take a
highly trained contractor with some large equipment and many forces.
It's not a small job that the road and bridge could handle.
MR. DORRILL: They -- They could if directed by the
board. It could involve a series of subcontractors for cheap pile
work or dewatering work and that sort of thing if the board was
interested.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Well, I just thought of that as a
possibility. I have a comment too. While I understand the county
attorney's and respect his judgment on the -- the legal defensibility
of the methodology that the engineer has given us, that certainly
doesn't -- and I know that it's based on fairness, but that doesn't
mean that that's the only methodology that could be construed as fair,
and so we may want to consider that for a while.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Constantine.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: There's three very obvious
problems. One is what appears to be a majority of the people are
asking us not to pursue plan A at this point. The second is the
methodology is clearly a problem at this point and I -- maybe I'm
mistaken -- I think everyone has acknowledged that. And, third, I
think if we're realistic, the cost is likely to be a problem.
I'd like to suggest a couple of things, and we do two
motions separately. I'd like to see us -- and I'll make this motion
in a moment, but, first, I'd like to see us make a motion and approve
a motion to decline to move forward with plan A. After that, I would
like to have a motion that sets into mo -- in -- into -- sets into
motion a specific calendar for when and how to address this problem.
What I don't want to do is turn around and walk away today and say,
well, we'll get that at some point. I would like to have a particular
outline and a particular calendar in mind for how and when we can
address this rather than simply say no. But I'll make a motion
particularly with the methodology -- and the cost concerns but
particularly with the methodology and the fact that a majority of the
residents that are asking us to -- to do this, that we decline to move
forward with plan A.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: There's a motion. Is there a
second?
Motion dies.
I -- I'd like to -- I'd like to finish the comments that
I had -- I had started a couple of, oh, I don't know, 10, 15 minutes
ago and -- and I think that Mr. Weigel has said that we probably can't
go this way, but this is what I'd like to do, and I'm not sure how the
others feel. But I would like to move forward with the bids to see
what it costs but I -- I also want this 68 acres that's currently
draining into Naples Park east of 41 verified whether it's going to
continue that way or not. I know that there's -- The PUD document
says it won't, but I want it verified.
The other thing I'd like to do is I heard someone
mention an activity center is where this property is now, and we have
had already some parcels of land allocated through the methodology
based on zoning use, and if this 68 acres is going to continue to
drain and it's an activity center, then we have what will become a
very impervious source of water.
I -- I -- Based on those things happening, I'd like to
see a reallocation of cost benefit based on the three distinct basins
within Naples Park itself. I mean, we have heard people say their
water flows west. We've heard people say their water flows north and
others say theirs flows south and then west, and I've got some concern
that we're involving people in essentially a public works project that
they don't belong in. Beachwalk, Lord knows, in the last week, I've
learned a lot about capacity of water and I'm -- I'm a little bit
concerned that even though Beachwalk is at the end of the line, that
it's contributing enough water to take up capacity which slows down
the drainage from 91st, 92nd and Eighth. I understand -- We've heard
along Eighth Street at 93rd there's a plug in the culvert, and that's
fine. We need to get that cleaned out if that's what is causing
Eighth Avenue to back up -- Eighth Street -- I'm sorry -- then we need
to take a look at that.
And the -- the -- the last thing I'd like to try to get
in the five-week period that we're waiting on this, with the proviso
that maybe the bids come in too high and we don't want to go forward
with it, we get a report on what the maintenance costs are to properly
maintain the system as it currently exists and the probability of
property owners being able to continue the maintenance of the swales
in their own front yards. If they can't do it, we've got to find a
way that it gets done for them. I know we have some elderly people in
the area. We have some infirm people who just can't do it and -- but
yet it may be their culverts that clog up that are causing all the
problems for the rest of the people. Those are the things I'd like to
find out in the intervening five weeks.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Mr. Weigel, if we altered the
methodology, we're going to need to readvertise anyway, so we're not
really under a five-week time constraint unless we intend to keep this
methodology, are we?
MR. WEIGEL: That's true. If you alter the methodology,
you have to readvertise.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We have to readvertise. Okay.
Commissioner Hancock.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Assuming that were the case, how
far back do we go in this process? And the reason I ask the question
is we have -- in essence, in order to set up a taxing district that
begins on January 1, our final decision has to be made in this
calendar year; is that correct?
MR. WEIGEL: Well, the -- the district is created in the
sense that this district goes back to 1986. COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Okay.
MR. WEIGEL: And -- But we're on a very tight time frame
because we have to -- we have to have essentially this approved so
that by the calendar -- new calendar year so we go forward with the
tax collector and the -- and the property appraiser for next year.
John, I -- John Boldt --
MR. DORRILL: You need not have your assessment roll
approved by January the 1st though. You're under no obligation to do
that, if that's your question.
MR. WEIGEL: Yeah. I've got a -- We have a time frame
that shows when things have to be done, and part of this time frame
was based upon the window to do the construction after the bids came
in so that we knew what the final costs were so that it all came
together to be approved by June to get onto the tax bills as an
assessment on the tax bill this next fall. So I -- I think we have a
calendar year problem in any event if we have to readvertise. But
beyond that, it gets into doing the project if -- whatever project, so
it can get on the tax bill for next fall.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: My -- My concern at this point --
One of my many concerns at this point --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: It's our drop-dead day.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: Yeah. -- Is that if we go back
and revise the methodology, I believe it's going to push us into
another construction year. I think that time frame alone keeps the
project from moving ahead on January 1. I'm not interested in moving
ahead at all costs again. There are a lot of -- There have been a lot
of things floated today. I think the numerical and the engineering
side of methodology is probably -- it's probably correct. I'm sure in
a court of law you could defend it, and I think that's great, but my
gut doesn't tell me it's right. When I look at the number of people
in Naples Park that don't live on Eighth or 91st or 92nd and the
amount that they would be paying if this even came in at 60 percent of
the project cost versus what benefit they would be receiving, my gut
tells me that's not fair. And if by going in and trying to find
another method to make that more fair and appropriate to the
individual property owners it pushes us out of the necessary
construction window, then, no, we're not talking about five weeks.
We're talking about a longer period than that. The risk we run there
is that the folks that have been working so hard on this for so many
years get to this point, the momentum, in essence, stops, and there's
a risk it will never be picked up again. There's a risk that
restarting it again in any way, shape, or form is jeopardized.
Weighing all of those things, knowing that we cannot change the
methodology and get this done in the time frame proposed and knowing
that that methodology to be changed would probably put us in a
position that we can't defend ourselves, it does require us to back up
and -- and revise it, and I think we need to know that schedule. I
think part of that is knowing what the construction cost is.
So I'm asking you, Mr. Weigel, for a way to separate our
actions at this point that provide us with an up-to-date construction
estimate or a construction cost if we put it out to bid, what time
frame that would be good for and what our time frame is if we have to
revise the methodology, the earliest date at which we could get
something back. And I've thrown a lot at you at one point -- MR. WEIGEL: Sure.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: -- but I'm really looking for
general time frames.
MR. WEIGEL: Yeah. I can respond to that. And, again,
John Boldt or -- or Dan Brundage may be able to tell us exactly when
the bid response time was that we have right now. It's rather short
even now. It's -- It's, you know, well before the end of this
calendar year.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: Nothing's keeping us from really
going to bid.
MR. WEIGEL: No. Nothing --
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: We don't have to --
MR. WEIGEL: Nothing prevents that.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: -- approve anything today to put
that bid out, do we?
MR. WEIGEL: No. That can just be a directive to staff
to do that.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: And we're not married to this
assessment methodology if we put this bid out?
MR. DORRILL: Not as a function of taking bids, no.
MR. WEIGEL: No.
COHMISSIONER HAC'KIE: Okay.
MR. WEIGEL: The bid is only married to the plans and
specs that it must be responsive to.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: The specs.
MR. WEIGEL: Yes.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: But -- Okay. The job specs and
the methodology are two different things.
MR. WEIGEL: Yes. Yes. A couple of -- You had a
question and Commissioner Matthews had a question, and she was talking
about an activity center, and obviously some information could be
brought back to you in that regard. If it's already within the
parameters of the district and it has not been included as an
assessable property, that can be -- question can be brought back,
particularly if we don't approve the tentative assessment roll and the
other elements of this resolution, i.e., the resolution today. We can
-- We can look at that. Staff and the engineer can look at that and
determine if, in fact, there is a misallocation or something
overlooked, and those are maybe pejorative terms if there's something
that -- for fairness should bring that into play. If it's outside of
the Naples Park district that we've already approved in previous
resolutions leading up to today, we can't bring it in now for this
project now.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: But we're just finding out that
-- that it -- that it is or could possibly benefit from this program
and it was never considered. I mean, you know, we do PUD amendments
all the time --
MR. WEIGEL: Right.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: -- to change PUDs and -- and if
we go ahead with this project and make appropriate assessments and get
the project done, Lord knows, we'll get a PUD amendment in two years
to flow water through that pipe if that pipe stays there.
MR. WEIGEL: Yeah. It's -- It's just that if this
property -- And, again, I don't know where it's located, but if it's
located outside of the district that our -- CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: It is.
MR. WEIGEL: -- that our resolutions have been
addressing we've been bringing to you these last several months, then
we have -- we may conceivably have to amend the ordinance since it's
the ordinance that creates the district and the boundaries in the
first place --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: And it's gotten very complicated.
MR. WEIGEL: -- and then get back into our resolution
process for the project that -- that this is the next to the last
resolution of this project. But if it's outside of the HSTBU as
defined by ordinance and amended earlier this year, then -- then we --
that's where we have to start before we can legally bring it in and
make it a player subject to assessment.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I -- I understand that and -- and
-- and -- and I guess that what I would need and whatever time frame
we develop this thing is -- is assurances, I guess, from FDOT that
that pipe is coming out, and then it -- it's not an equalizer.
There's no opportunity for the PUD to be amended, to -- to take
whatever water that that pipe can handle and put it into a reservoir
system that really wasn't designed to handle it.
MR. WEIGEL: Yes. Well, of course, part of what is with
today's resolution package is a tentative assessment roll, and it
appears this property is not on that tentative assessment roll, and
this assessment roll is part of what legally had to be advertised and
reviewed by the affected public, including the owner of the activity
center who has not yet had that opportunity, whether it's a public
entity or private owner.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I under -- I -- I understand.
It's just another matter that complicates this.
MR. WEIGEL: Yes. I guess back, then, to the time
frames Commissioner Hancock and all of you are looking to, it won't
take much delay to get us beyond the ability to put it on the tax bill
for next year. That's not to say that there's -- could not
necessarily be a lot of work to be done to be brought back with the
board periodically to shape and tool this early in the new calendar
year to get beyond that to -- to a project, but there are certainly
some constraints with this resolution before you today and all that --
all that it carries with it.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: I'm at this point contemplating
two motions, and before I frame them, I'm going to float them and
let's --
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Can I just ask an
informational question of Mr. Dotrill first? COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Please.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: When we issue a request for
bid typically, how much does that cost us in staff time, postage, and
meeting all the legal obligations and so on?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: They're already written. The
steps are already written.
MR. DORRILL: Less than $10,000.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: In this case, that will be
funded from?
MR. DORRILL: In this case, that would be funded from
the general fund. We don't prorate out to the various purchasing
departments in the general fund. It's something less than $10,000. I
believe that we would make prospective bidders acquire the sets or
place a deposit on the number of blueprint sets, the construction
drawings that they would be evaluating.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Thank you. Sorry.
Commissioner Hancock.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: The two aspects I'm looking at
are, one, to make a motion to direct our staff to work with Agnoli,
Barber, and Brundage in revising the methodology from the aspect of
considering a basin division among Naples Park. There are three basins
with different work among each.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Can I ask you a question? Is
basically -- You're talking about all those white lots need to have --
need to be subcategorized?
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: There are three basins in Naples
Park. One is, in essence, the western half. The other two is the
northeast third and the southeast third.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Okay.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: That's really the majority of the
division. Oversimplification.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Well, but that's -- Yeah. And
that was the question I asked starting out this morning, is --
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: There are -- are three things
that I think a revised methodology could take into consideration. One
is a basin breakdown. The second is -- I lost my train of thought.
I'm sorry. The second is, if a project were phased in such a way to
reduce the overall construction cost, how does that impact the
methodology and how it's applied.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Pay as you go?
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: In a sense. And, granted, we
just scratched the surface on that today so I don't -- I really don't
know that much about it, to be honest with you. And the third is, even
though something may be legally and technically defensible, I think we
need to be a little more sensitive to the fact that this system when
it originally was put in in 1950 did not contemplate outside areas
draining into it. The fact that that has happened or has been
permitted doesn't take away the reality that it is adding to the
system and consuming capacity within the system. That in and of
itself to me warrants a -- a look at how those properties outside of
Naples Park are assessed, particularly when the burden for the
majority of this is falling upon homeowners in Naples Park. Those are
the three elements that I think if we review and try and put those in
a proper perspective, we can come back with a better methodology.
Commissioner Constantine raised a good point. I was
going to suggest that we go out to bid. The problem is that if we go
out to bid, yet we find a phased project to be the better option,
we've wasted the money on going out to bid. Until the methodology is
fixed or acceptable, I don't know that going to bid does us a lot of
good right now.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I don't know. We -- certainly
plan A which is what the specs have been developed to is the Cadillac
and -- and while we may not need the Cadillac, it will at least tell
us what the maximum cost is going to be.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: When we typically issue bids and
we receive them back, how long are those bid prices guaranteed if
we're to go to construction?
MR. DORRILL: Ninety days, and they post bid bond.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: And by revising the methodology,
there's no way we would need a construction schedule that would begin
in 90 days anyway. Is that a fair assessment? If we have to go back
and revise the entire methodology, that process in and of itself could
easily go beyond those 90 days?
MR. DORRILL: If I understand your question, not too
much, recognizing that we have -- we have a 20-day advertising
requirement in advance of that.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: If you have two or three
vendors who are fairly close in their bid, though, a change in
methodology, if you phase that in, that could alter, and so I don't
know that I am excited about doing a bidding process that may be moot.
I mean, you know, we'll get an idea overall cost-wise, but you've
got a bunch of vendors dangling out there, and then we change the way
we're going to do it and say, well, that's meaningless.
MR. DORRILL: It wouldn't make any difference to a
prospective bidder though. I mean, he's bidding a lump sum or
aggregate amount. How you apportion the payment of that is of -- of
absolutely no regard to him. He's -- He's going to get paid from us.
How we get our money --
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I'm sorry. I thought I heard
Commissioner Hancock say a phase --
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: Yeah. It would make a difference
if the project, in essence, were phased.
MR. DORRILL: Yes.
COHHISSIONER CONSTANTINE: That's what I was --
MR. DORRILL: If you're going to phase construction,
which was the fifth note that I had here, then -- and go something --
say, pay as you go, if there are 3,000 homes and you've got, let's
say, $200 per year and we're only going to spend the cash that we can
raise, at least for the residential equivalency, that would be
$600,000 that you could spend on construction next year. You're going
to increase your cost somewhat if a contractor knows that in 1996 he's
only going to do $600,000 worth of work as opposed to $3 million worth
of work.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: It seems like we might want
to define that before we spend $10,000 asking for bids.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: What this is doing is it's
putting us back in this room -- CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Yeah.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: -- in about 90 days with the same
people, having the same discussion.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Saying the same thing.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: We may be doing it right.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Let me -- Commissioner Norris
asked a question earlier, and I'm going to try and frame one a little
bit closer. This is two questions, and just a raise of hands, please.
No cheering -- or jeering. At the current -- At the cost of what
you have received in assessment, how many of you are opposed to this
project?
Okay. How many of you that are opposed to the project
are still opposed to it at 50 percent of that cost?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: So that's mostly cost.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Okay. So just by what's here,
what we're dealing with here for the most part is not that it's --
it's all a bad idea but the cost is excessive? COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Yeah.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: That's where I started about four
hours ago. Okay. So what we've got to do is we've got to set a
target of bringing the sucker down somewhere around 50 percent of what
-- what you received in the mail.
UNKNOWN VOICE: Buy the battery.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: So --
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Buy the battery?
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Buy that battery at Chevron
tOO .
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Sam's.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: The difference is that battery's
got a two-year guarantee. We're looking for a ten-year transportation
so --
Okay. I think we've got something on -- on the boards
here. We're going to have to revise the methodology because currently
the project can't go forward. Even if the -- if the cost is 2 1/2
million, that doesn't get us down to where we need to go. So I'm just
going to go --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Close.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Let's just go ahead and put the
first motion out. I'm going to make a motion we direct staff to work
with the project consultant in revising the methodology to take into
consideration a possibility of phasing the project to reduce the
overall cost in addition to considering the contribution of outside
stormwater to the Naples Park system and anything else that the
consultant can throw in there to help bring down the cost on this
project.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: The basin portion.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: Oh. And -- I'm sorry. And to
also consider the application of -- of charging or the assessments
going by drainage basin within Naples Park.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: That I can support, and I
will second.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Just a question on the motion.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Discussion? Yes.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: I -- I thought that when I asked
Mr. Brundage this morning couldn't we divide -- shouldn't those white
lots be divided into some subdistricts, you said that that was a bad
idea. You said no to that, and I don't want to be going down that
road again if the answer is no.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: Well, I -- I know Mr. Brundage.
I know his answer. You were talking about individually. One lot next
to each other, let's -- what's different between the two --
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: No, I --
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: Okay.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: -- wasn't but -- but if that's
what he --
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: There is, in fact, a -- it's not
a very clear -- it's a very jagged line that runs down Naples Park,
but there are three distinct basins. Some properties are going to
fall right on the middle, and that's a judgment call, but by basin we
can allocate cost at that basin that are attributed to the drainage
just from that basin.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: See -- Mr. Brundage, just nod
then if he's right because that is what I was trying to ask you this
morning, and I thought you said that was a bad idea. MR. BRUNDAGE: (Nodded head)
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: He's nodding. Okay.
MR. BRUNDAGE: Yes. We can -- We can do that. It's
going to make it extremely complicated in that you may have a lot that
has a basin boundary go through it. So, you know, it just increases
the complexity of the whole situation, but it -- it can be done.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Okay.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: You're going to have to call that
one if the basin boundary goes through a particular lot. You -- MR. BRUNDAGE: Yeah.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: You're going to have to call it.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Engineer's seal on the deal, the
big bucks.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We have a motion and a second.
I'm not going to attempt to repeat it. We've got this lady taking
minutes.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Well --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Is there any further discussion?
Commissioner MAc'Kie.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: I'm sorry, but I -- I -- I do
need to restate it. The motion was to direct staff to work with the
consultant to redo the allocation methodology by whatever methods are
appropriate, specifically phasing, outside properties and these basins
within Naples Park.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: Bingo.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Bingo.
COMHISSIONER MAC'KIE: Okay.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: You've got it.
COMHISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Obviously we're not moving
forward with the bids until we know.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: I was going to make a second
motion something along that line.
COMHISSIONER MAC'KIE: You want to put a time frame
anywhere in there?
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: I guess I'd have to look to Mr.
Brundage and Mr. Boldt on what would be appropriate. Obviously,
minimum time, the better but --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Let me interrupt. We've had a
lot of discussion here, and before we take a vote, I've got to close
the public hearing.
COMHISSIONER MAC'KIE: Whoops. Thank you, Mr. Weigel.
COMHISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Thirty days.
COMHISSIONER MAC'KIE: So I'd like a time frame so it
doesn't die.
COMHISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Thirty days.
COMHISSIONER MAC'KIE: Thirty days?
UNKNOWN VOICE: Ninety.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Ninety days?
COMHISSIONER MAC'KIE: Ninety days?
COMHISSIONER CONSTANTINE: What's the difference? Sixty?
COMHISSIONER MAC'KIE: Sixty days.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: What's reasonable, Mr. Brundage?
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: It's not supposed to rain for the
next couple of weeks.
MR. BRUNDAGE: I was checking with John and he -- we're
thinking 90.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS:
know.
COMHISSIONER MAC'KIE:
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS:
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK:
John is very busy right now, I
Up to 90.
Ninety days.
If that's our only choice, then
we're going to have to put it at 90 days. I'll make that a part of
the motion, request to report back within 90 days.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Mr. Weigel, do you need us to
restate the motion with the public hearing closed?
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Just say it's hereby restated.
MR. WEIGEL: No. Just you -- you make -- make a note
for the record that the motion was stated prior to noting on the
record that the hearing was closed. I think I'm doing it for you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: You are.
MR. WEIGEL: The motion is part of the record subsequent
to the -- CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you very much for doing
that for me.
MR. WEIGEL: -- public hearing being closed.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Consider my motion restated now.
MR. DORRILL: Just one point of clarification. I
understand the point of phasing. Phasing is not going to lower the
cost. It's only going to lower the first year's cost.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Except for the million dollars
being in there for bonding cost. CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Bonding.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: That's why I asked was it --
HR. DORRILL:
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS:
MR. DORRILL: Correct.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS:
over time.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK:
Well, phasing in lieu of borrowing money
It's still time value of money.
Construction costs will go up
Well, again, you know --
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: The motion asks to explore
that.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Yeah. The suggestion was made.
Let's get an answer to it.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. We have a motion and a
second.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: By the way, I'll -- I'll
accept the amendments that were made.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: There were amendments made?
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Yeah.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: She's just merely restated it.
Never mind. Second --
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Ninety days.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Ninety days for the --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Second accepts. Okay. There's a
motion and a second. All those in favor please say aye. Opposed?
Motion passes five to zero.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: There is a follow-up on this so
that we're all clear.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Let's take a break.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: It's very -- It should be very
quick. We know that we're not going to go to bid immediately on this.
There are two elements that could affect the bidding such as the use
of FDOT-approved plastic pipe as opposed to metal or concrete. What
does that do to the project cost, and could it be part of the project.
So --
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Phasing.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: And -- And also the phasing
aspect, what does it do to construction cost. I would like to direct
staff, if it's the board's agreement, to include those two aspects in
reviewing the -- the overall project cost.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I'll make a motion to that
effect along with -- obviously we won't then ask for bids until we
have answers to all -- the last motion and this motion's questions.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Correct.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Second.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Motion and a second. Any further
discussion?
All those in favor, please say aye.
Opposed?
There being none, motion passes five to zero. Let's
take a ten-minute break.
(A short break was held.)
Item #882
FINAL SETTLEHENT AGREEHENT REGARDING PURCHASE OF THE BATHEY PROPERTY -
CONSTRUCTION AGREEMENT AND CONTRACT APPROVED
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I want to reconvene the Board of
County Commission meeting for October 24, 1995. Mr. Weigel, I
understand we have an agreement on or -- on the Bathey property, and
we're ready to do that one first --
MR. WEIGEL: I believe --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: -- is that correct?
MR. WEIGEL: I believe we are.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Why don't we --
MR. WEIGEL: At last.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: -- get to it.
MR. HCNEES: Thank you, Madam Chairman. I'll be happy
to let Mr. Weigel go ahead with this if he wants to, but I think I'll
probably go ahead myself.
Mike HcNees from the county manager's office. As you
know, a few weeks ago you approved a purchase of a piece of property
in East Naples from the Hubschman family for the development of a
community park and treated wastewater storage ponds, and we told you
at that time that we had just received an updated draft of the actual
settlement agreement and that the -- a few minor details would be yet
to be resolved and that that -- we would then consummate that deal.
Well, as it turns out, as always, the devil was in the details, and
we've spent a good part of the last three or four weeks ironing out
those few minor details, and we believe that we've reached a point
today where we're here to recommend a final settlement agreement. I
have a number of engineers and attorneys from both sides here to keep
me honest. I'll give you the -- kind of the quick version of where we
are today and --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Why don't you just give us what
the differences are from what we thought we agreed to.
MR. HCNEES: There may not be any at this point.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Good.
MR. HCNEES: There's only one question that we have for
you, and that is regarding the timing of the closing on what we call
parcel two in the agreement which is the effluent pond storage site,
and that is whether you intended closing on that property at the
conclusion of construction or whether you intended closing on that
property once the contractor, which it would be the Hubschmans in this
case or Glades, Inc., has actually received the permits. They're
asking that that property close once they receive permits. We have
agreed to that as part of the agreement, and we just want to make sure
that you -- you are on board with that and that we're not making some
decision that was contrary to what you wanted.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I think that is different from
what we thought we agreed to the other -- three weeks ago. I -- I
believe we were talking about closing on a -- what was referred to as
a turnkey which would be then at the completion --
MR. HCNEES: Frankly, that was --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: -- of the construction.
MR. HCNEES: -- staff's recollection as well. The other
parties did, on the record, indicate that they were talking about
closing once they received permits. So there appeared to be a
conflict which is why we brought that issue to you today. CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I understand.
MR. HCNEES: The record was clear, there was conflict.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay.
MR. HCNEES: With that, there's only one other issue,
and Mr. Weigel may have a couple other things to add. Another issue
that we want to have on the record today, there are some provisions
that if certain things donwt happen, the second half of this
transaction -- that being the effluent ponds -- would not take place.
We would, however, continue to develop the park site. And Mr. Olliff
has a concern because a part of the grease that makes the park site
work is the relatively inexpensive fill that hews getting because of
the other site, and one of the -- and -- and the Hubschmans have
agreed that that fill they would still provide for the development of
the park site should parcel two for some reason fail to develop, and
we just need to have that on the record today for Mr. Olliffws
protection.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: So youwre going to -- Mr.
Hubschman, youwre --
MR. MCNEES: Have I stated that correctly, Harry?
MR. HUBSCHMAN: Yes. That is correct.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: So, essentially, youlre willing
to provide the fill at the same cost even if parcel two doesnlt move
forward?
MR. HUBSCHMAN: Thatls correct.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. Mr. Weigel, you have a
comment?
MR. WEIGEL: I was just going to say, Mr. Hubschman may
want to identify himself for the record because the record may be
important.
MR. HUBSCHMAN: Okay. Iim Harrison Hubschman.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. And so the only question
then we have at the end is whether this board is in agreement on
closing on parcel two at permitting as opposed to closing at
completion. Is there any thought on that?
(Commissioner Constantine and Commissioner Hancock
entered the boardroom.)
MR. WEIGEL: And while youlre thinking, Iill be happy to
provide a little background to that -- that question. Obviously the
distinctions are that payment obligations of the purchaser, the
county, for parcel number two would occur upon closing or the
conveyance of the -- of the title to the property which would be, you
know, up to several months prior to the finish of the construction.
If the board were to go that route and provide the payment for the
underlying property prior to it being -- to the improvements being
constructed, there would be in place then a construction -- There is
and shall be in place, based upon todayls action and approving the
settlement agreement, a construction agreement which provides and
largely follows the standard county large-scale capital construction
contract format whereupon we have progress payments, we have
indemnification, we have many of the elements that we typically would
have with any solicited and bid kind of contract that -- for work to
be done, capital improvement contract. Again, while youlre -- Go
ahead.
MR. HUBSCHMAN: The bonding is included.
MR. WEIGEL: Yeah. I was going to say, again, while
youlre thinking of that question about the turnkey or not, Iill tell
you a little bit more about the contract, the construction contract,
and part of the consideration today is to accept the concept of the
countyls form of construction agreement with some revisions. Itls
important that these go on the record, and itls important that Mr.
Hubschman or his agents on the record approve and agree to -- to what
is stated here as deviations from the standard county construction
agreement. These revisions are as follows: The design professional
for the construction for parcel number two would be employed by Glades
or Glades, Inc.; that is, the seller interest of the -- of parcel
number one and two.
MR. HUBSCHMAN: If I could interject, that design
professional right now is Q. Grady Minor -- Q. Grady Minor.
MR. WEIGEL: Okay. Second, a bond would be -- The --
The -- The construction contractor, which in this case is part of the
seller's party, would, in fact, be bonded, and my understanding is
that after negotiation here, the bond would be paid for by the county,
the purchaser. And correct me, Mike or Tom. That previous language
that we had in the settlement agreement and/or in the construction
agreement providing for the Hubschman private interest to be personal
guarantors will no longer be the case in these agreements; is that
correct?
MR. MCNEES: That would remain.
MR. WEIGEL: That will remain. Okay.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: It's correct that it will remain
in or out? I mean, I -- I get -- Which is correct?
MR. CONRECODE: For the record, Tom Conrecode from
public works. The payment and performance bond at two fifty-five o
five bond under Florida Statutes will be provided but paid for by the
county because it wasn't contemplated in the original negotiations.
The Hubschmans as guarantee -- or guarantors of the project would
remain.
MR. WEIGEL: Okay. I'll continue, and there may be
further comment. The construction schedule -- Mike, the construction
schedule within the construction agreement will follow what course?
Construction schedule, how is it different from the construction
schedule that we would typically have in our contract?
MR. MCNEES: I don't think it is different.
MR. WEIGEL: Okay.
MR. MCNEES: It talks about the schedule being defined
or the initiation date for the construction schedule being the actual
permit received.
MR. WEIGEL: Okay. In this contract, contrary to some
of our contracts, do we not pay 10 percent immediately or very shortly
thereafter the execution of the construction agreement?
MR. MCNEES: The payment schedule is somewhat different.
I think that's what you're getting at, and we would be paying 10
percent up front which is somewhat unusual, paying for engineering and
design work that in this case is already completed and giving them
essentially a reimbursement for that cost. On another type project,
we would probably be -- that work would not have already been done.
We would not be fronting 10 percent.
MR. WEIGEL: Okay. You're right. This is actually more
payment schedule than construction schedule. Additionally, for the
record now and for hereafter, on -- on payment schedule, the county is
-- does have a retention provision operative throughout the
agreement. Okay.
MR. MCNEES: (Nodded head.)
MR. WEIGEL: On construction schedule, I think what
we're looking for the board to -- to understand is that the
construction of parcel number two would commence subsequent to the
obtaining of the permits, just to make that clear at this point in
time and -- Go ahead.
MR. CONRECODE: That is correct. It would --
Construction would begin at the point where we obtain permits and be
completed within 60, 80, 90 days. There's several tricks within the
agreement.
MR. WEIGEL: Okay.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: So within 90 days after the
permitting is accomplished?
MR. CONRECODE: I -- It's -- It's all provided for in
detail in Exhibit D, Mr. Siesky, to your -- MR. SIESKY: Commissioner -- Jim Siesky, for the record.
The construction schedule varies for the different ponds to be
constructed, and your contract requires us to give you a construction
schedule within ten days after the signing of the contract. Our
problem is we can't tell you when the permits are going to be issued,
but we have laid out a schedule that says within 60 days after all
necessary permits, we'll complete the off-site piping; within 80 days
after all necessary -- necessary permitting, we'll complete pond C;
within 180 days after all necessary permitting, we'll complete lakes A
and B. That all put together leads to a total completion of the
project if it's to be completed within 18 months after the execution
of this agreement which is what was discussed at the last board
meeting.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. So you're anticipating,
then, the permitting taking about 12 months?
MR. SIESKY: We're hoping it will take one month, but
our experience has been, we don't know when they're issued with the
Corps of Engineers and other agencies.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. I'd like to know more
about the payment schedule. The payment for parcel one is to be
completed immediately like?
MR. HCNEES: Yes, ma'am.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: And for parcel two, in -- in --
Is this payment for parcel two -- is that only for the land and not
the improvements?
MR. HCNEES: That's correct. The payment for the land
would take place at closing which as we're identifying is once they've
received the permits to proceed with the construction.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: And how much is that for parcel
two?
MR. HCNEES: 4 million -- I believe -- 200,000. I have
to --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: And 1 million for parcel one?
MR. HCNEES: Yes, ma'am.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: And then the last payment less
retainage would be when it's completed?
MR. WEIGEL: Yeah. The -- The -- The -- The retainage
is a 10 percent factor based on construction cost.
MR. HUBSCHHAN: I think the number -- The price on the
-- on the closing on parcel two was incorrect. MR. HCNEES: I'm looking for it.
MR. HUBSCHHAN: It's three million five ninety-two. The
total price for the land is four million five ninety-two. CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay.
MR. HCNEES: That was not an offer. That was a mistake.
Three million five ninety-two.
MR. HUBSCHHAN: I didn't want that to slip by. You don't
want to pay me more than you have to.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. And the -- the
construction would be paid when completed? There's no construction
draws?
MR. HUBSCHHAN: That -- That would be on a -- on the
construction schedule --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay.
MR. HUBSCHHAN: -- which would start at that point in
time. When the property closes and we have our permits to build, we
would start the construction schedule and the construction payment
schedule.
Now, we have -- as I stated, we have already expended
quite a bit of money to get the permit -- permitting started. We've
got the plans done with the engineers, and we've done a lot of on-site
work already, and the first payment in the schedule is to reimburse us
for those, and we have agreed to the county's agreement in that 10
percent of all payments shall be withheld until the end of the
project, and upon completion and acceptance by the county, we will
receive that last 10 percent which is the normal -- which is in your
contract. It's a normal occurrence.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. Go on. Is that all we
need to --
MR. WEIGEL: I have a couple of other minor items and
just -- just for the information of the record really. This contract,
construction contract, will have a commencement date. Again, it works
with the permitting when it occurs. There is a provision for
liquidated damages if construction is not completed within a time
certain, and there is -- With our current form construction agreement,
we do have the elimination of some in this case irrelevant exhibits
that typically go, but we do have the incorporation of the relevant
exhibits based on previous contract draft and understandings and
specifications that were provided by the seller.
These two -- The two agreements, their draft agreement
and our standard form agreement, are going to be merged and melded
rather quickly so that we will have an agreement for the board to
sign. And ultimately if the board approves the settlement agreement
today, the record should reflect that they are also approving the
construction agreement. There will not -- be nothing further to be
brought back to the board and that the chairman will be authorized to
sign both of those -- of those documents.
Another element that we were looking at very carefully
was the title issues, the questions to make sure that with the rather
quick conveyance after execution of agreement that's occurring,
particularly for parcel one, but ultimately for parcel two, that we
have addressed any title issues that we -- ahead of time or put the
seller on notice of those things which we want to have taken care of,
and one of those things that's going to be taken care of is the fact
that there's a 30-foot easement running along -- I think it's the east
side of the property which does not affect parcel one which is more
toward -- a little bit toward the middle in -- in the park property,
but there is a 30-foot ingress/egress easement which the seller will
be using all reasonable efforts -- and the record should show Mr.
Hubschman nodding --
MR. HUBSCHHAN: I agree.
MR. WEIGEL: -- that -- efforts to remove that easement,
and if they can't remove that easement within a time certain, then the
purchase price on parcel two will be reduced by $32,000. That's
applying a per-acreage value to the approximate two acres that this
long easement comprises and I -- I expect that we'll have success and
they will have success in ridding the property of that easement;
although, conceivably, I don't -- I'm not the engineer. I'm not --
not the people on site, but I don't believe that if the easement were
to exist, that it -- that it creates a problem with the proposed site
use as -- as exists right now.
Environmental assessment is ongoing right now by the
county, and we want to make sure the property is environmentally
usable in both flora and fauna. You know, water management is still
out with the Corps, but we also need to know if there's any hazardous
waste or other environmental problems, including gophers -- gopher
tortoises or woodpeckers, and that's ongoing right now. We have 14
days from the execution of the agreement to complete our professional
review and notify the seller of any problems or objections that we
have based upon the environmental assessment. And the fruits of some
of this afternoon's discussion is that there is a 14 -- additional
14-day delay factor built in.
I think those are the -- Those are the essence of the
more material and important changes and elements of the agreements,
and the seller and his agents may have some additions to the record,
but that's what you have for your consideration after you get past
turnkey.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. Thank you. I presume
that's all that we need to get on the record. Is there discussion
amongst the board members regarding these issues, especially the
closing at completion versus closing at permitting? No discussion?
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: No discussion. I'm glad to see
that we finally got everything worked out on this piece of property.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Yeah. I am too.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Mr. McNees, you're clear, and
you're happy?
MR. MCNEES: We're ready.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Mr. Weigel --
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: Mr. Olliff, the same thing?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Mr. Olliff is nodding. Everybody
seems to be. Okay. Let's have a motion.
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: I'll make a motion that -- that we
enter into this contract and authorize the chairman to sign the
contract and also the construction agreement. COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: Second.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We have a motion and a second
that we approve the contract and the construction agreement. If
there's no further discussion, all in favor say aye. Does that motion
cover everything you need?
MR. MCNEES: Yes, ma'am.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: All in favor please say aye.
Opposed?
There being none, motion passes 5-0.
MR. MCNEES: Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We've got ourselves a park and
some perc ponds.
MR. HUBSCHHAN: Thank you, Commissioners.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you.
Next item on the agenda -- That concludes the morning
agenda. I'm sorry for -- but we -- we are at the public comment
portion of the agenda. Mr. Dotrill, is there anyone registered?
MR. DORRILL: No, ma'am.
Item #12B1
ORDINANCE 95-53 RE PETITION PUD-88-14(1) PURSE ASSOCIATES, INC.,
REPRESENTING GREYSTONE PARK MOBILE HOMES, INC., REQUESTING A REZONE
FROM PUD TO PUD KNOWN AS PARADISE POINTE RV RESORT FOR THE PURPOSE OF
AMEDING THE PUD DOCUMENT AND MASTER PLAN FOR PROPERTY ON EAST TAMIAMI
TRIAL 2.6 MILES EAST OF U.S. 41 AND C.R. 951 - ADOPTED
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you. Next item on the
agenda is item 12B(1), petition PUD-88-14, first amendment. Chahran.
MR. BADAMTCHIAN: Good afternoon, Commissioners.
PUD-88-14(1), this PUD was approved in 1988. It is known as Paradise
Pointe R.V. Park -- R.V. Resort. It is located two and a half miles
east of U.S. 41 -- east of 951 on U.S. 41. It contains 56 acres, and
it was approved for 383 R.V. sites. This project is partially
developed.
At the time of approval, it wasn't known to its staff
that this parcel was located within the Deltona settlement agreement;
therefore, we have some stipulations regarding preserving wetlands.
But according to the settlement agreement, they have mitigated for the
wetlands outside somewhere else; therefore, the applicant is
requesting removal of those stipulations -- regarding stipulations.
The other changes are basically change of ownership and the zone
changes initiated by staff in order to comply with the Land
Development Code.
Planning Commission heard this item on September 24 and
unanimously recommended approval. There were several people from the
neighboring park, Imperial Wilderness Park. They spoke against this
petition; however, the problem was the drainage canal which separates
those parks which is not part of this petition. As I said, the
Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of this petition.
The drainage issue is not related to this amendment.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: What is the drainage issue?
MR. BADAMTCHIAN: Basically -- I think Mr. Purse is
going to explain it to you. The county has acquired 65 feet of
easement for drainage, and they are digging a canal there for
drainage. The neighboring park, they don't like the fact that we are
removing trees to dig the canal, and they are losing the -- the trees
and the buffer, and I believe that's the major issue; however, I
believe there are some people from Imperial Wilderness that want to
talk about that issue.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. Mr. Weigel, I have a
question. We've -- We've been advised here that the amendment has
nothing to do with this drainage issue, but we don't get many
opportunities to relook at PUDs, but we do when they come back for
amendments.
MR. WEIGEL: Yes. Correct.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: If they bring back an amendment
-- If they bring back a PUD for an amendment, is it possible that all
sections of those PUDs may become available for revision? MR. WEIGEL: It is.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: But is this property within the
boundaries of the PUD? Is this drainage canal within the boundaries
of the --
MR. BADAMTCHIAN: I believe it is deeded to the county.
Mr. John Boldt is here from water management department and can speak
to that fact.
COHMISSIONER HAC'KIE: Do you own it, or do we own it,
sir?
MR. PURSE: For the record, Jeff Purse with Purse
Associates. Right now the county owns it. We were required in 1989
to dedicate it to the -- to the county. The original owners -- If I
could just take a moment to give some history of this project because
that's -- that is in where the confusion has come in this project. It
was originally developed by Imperial Wilderness, Incorporated, or
Imperial Wildwood, Incorporated, I believe, were the original
developers of Paradise Pointe. They also were, either through that
company or a different company, the owners of Imperial Wilderness that
developed that. During their PUD process for Imperial Wilderness, the
county commission required that a 65-foot drainage easement be
provided by Imperial Wilderness and since that -- the owners of
Imperial Wilderness at the time were also the developers of Paradise
Pointe, they put a stipulation that when Paradise Pointe came in, they
would have to put in a 65-foot drainage. This drainage easement and
now this 130-foot-wide drainageway was for the relief of the drainage
to the north, Westwinds Mobile Home Park, and lands to the north.
The -- Paradise Pointe, upon its approval, was to be
built as a condominium TTRV. The original developers got it permitted
and in -- in getting it approved, it was discovered that the Corps and
DNR had claimed 56 acres within it. We then went back; redesigned;
came up with a site plan, almost what you see now; and phase one was
built. The original developer, Imperial Wildwood or Wild -- whatever
the company's name was -- sold the project to my client who is
Greystone Park Mobile Homes, Incorporated. They are the developer now
of Paradise Pointe. They have finished phase one of Paradise Pointe.
That was an eyesore. They had weeds growing everywhere. They had
homeless people in it. Shacks were on there. They did everything
they did to clean up that land. They now have completed phase one.
They have -- also are under construction of phase two.
Now, what we're doing with this PUD amendment is coming
before you because the original PUD was for 383 units. The design
limitations brought on by the wetlands only allowed us to design in --
I believe it was 353 or 354, something like that. What the developer
is doing now is revising the site plan to get the lots up to what he
is due from the original PUD which was approved at 383 units, and that
is why we are here today.
The drainage issue has been a -- has been a problem, not
in effect of drainage. Paradise Pointe did not go under during all
the 22 or 24 inches of rain we had. It worked fine. We don't have a
drainage problem. We just have a drainage ditch that no one likes.
But the ditch -- The drainage facility needs to be there. And back in
the late '80s, the commissioners saw that it needed to be there. I
know the county has been working diligently for years to try to
complete the connection of -- of the ditch. So --
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Are there any items on today's
agenda that have nothing to do with drainage?
MR. PURSE: Really. We're only here --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Yeah. I think we might have one
coming up a little bit later.
MR. PURSE: We're only here for a PUD master plan change
and language amendment. All the permits have been received from South
Florida Water Management, the county for -- for the excavation of the
ditch, everything, all -- We have all the permits and -- and we are
under construction. We are intending to -- once the site plan is
approved, is to submit for phase three construction plans and to
finish the park.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Mac'Kie.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: One of the things that I've been
hearing a lot of in the -- you know, all the flooding talk is -- is,
yes, that's South Florida Water Management's jurisdiction, and, yes,
they permit that stuff, but you guys have the final say. You give
them the permits for the building. And so I -- I find myself being
less persuaded by the district's already given the permits. I mean,
if the problem exists --
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: They've done such a good job so
far.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: They've done such a good job.
Well, maybe we want to impose if -- if we legally can. Maybe we didn't
have that moral responsibility, whether it's the -- our legal
jurisdiction or not to try to do something about it.
MR. PURSE: Well, there is no drainage problem in that
area.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: Yet.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: It's just a nasty ditch; right?
I mean, that depends on the --
MR. PURSE: The county has been trying since 1988 or --
if Mr. Boldt is here, he can explain it more. He has been trying to
get that canal built for at least seven years.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Why is that so hard to do, Mr.
Boldt, seven years to build a canal? I know you're the height of
efficiency.
MR. PURSE: I don't mean to put him on the spot but --
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: How's your day going, John?
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: I know you're tired of talking to
us too but please.
MR. BOLDT: When I first came here in 1983, that was one
of my first real problem areas down here with severe flooding
problems, and we came up with a concept of developing these U.S. 41
outfall swales, and as these projects came through the process --
Well, as Mr. Purse described them, we obtained the drainage easements
from Imperial Wilderness and Paradise Pointe. We're close to getting
it from the Deltona properties that are south of there. It's now
known as Fiddler's Creek. When they plat that, they -- they promised
us '-
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: We'll get it then?
MR. BOLDT: We'll get it then. Our problem is the large
farm, formerly the Duda farm, now owned by Naples Tomato Growers, have
not granted us an easement and refuse to do it at this point. Once we
get everything else resolved, I propose to come back to you with --
looking for some direction as to how we proceed for -- abandon the
project, can we get it, or proceed with condemnation of the farm. But
we do have a South Florida permit. We do have the DEP permits. We're
just lacking the easements.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Can I -- Just -- I -- I almost
said I hate to personalize this, but I guess I'm going to anyway. If
-- If Naples Tomato Growers which is now, I believe, Andy Gargiulo,
owns the property over which we need the easement, Valetie Boyd
Gargiulo is in that family and is the queen of water management. Have
you spoken to her --
MR. BOLDT: I've had personal meetings with them.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: She would -- I just can't believe
they would be unresponsive. I'd like to participate in a discussion
like that. I would. I'd like to participate --
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: I appoint Commissioner Mac'Kie as
liaison to -- COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: The Gargiulo plan. I'd like to
do that --
MR. BOLDT: It's been real frustrating for us because --
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: -- because I'm -- I'm shocked.
MR. BOLDT: -- You know, they -- they have a couple
thousand acres there. There used to be about a dozen different points
the water could get under U.S. 41, and when they put the farm in there
20, 30 years ago, they bermed the whole farm, and so now that water
can't get through there. I think they have a moral obligation to wrap
that water around them, and that's what we've been proposing to do,
but they look at it more in dollars and cents. They're going to lose
a strip of land. It's "X" number of dollars of tomato loss every
year, and that's the impasse we're at.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: We may have to pay them something
for their property.
MR. BOLDT: That's possible.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: They may not give it away.
MR. BOLDT: Right. See, I can't subpoena to come to
there until I make sure I have all the other easements I need, and we
-- we hope to have that soon.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. Thank you.
MR. PURSE: I also would like to indicate to the board
that the canal is being built at the owner's expense, so there is no
tax -- tax dollars being spent for that.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. Mr. Dorrill, do we have
speakers?
MR. DORRILL: Not on this.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Not on this.
MR. MANGUM: Yes, we do.
MR. DORRILL: I'm sorry. Yes, we do. We've got two.
Mr. Portella.
MR. MANGUM: That's the next item.
MR. DORRILL: Okay. Go ahead. I don't see your slip.
MR. MANGUM: I submitted your slip earlier. I couldn't
find the agenda item. My name is Lewis Mangum. I own property abut
the parcel in question here. I'd like to clear up a couple of things
first. I think he made a couple of errors in his statements. Number
one, I '-
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: Wait a minute. Who made errors?
MR. MANGUM: Pardon?
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: Who made the errors you're about
to refer to?
MR. MANGUM: Mr. Purse.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: Okay.
MR. MANGUM: One of the items, Imperial Wilderness is
not a PUD. It's a condominium fee simple. The next thing is the
county does not own the property in question. It has an easement -- a
drainage easement in question. Now, I appeared before the county
commissioners a couple of years ago when this first plat was -- phase
one was applied for. At that time, the question of this drainage and
the -- and the land in question was supposed to come up on the plat of
phase two. Now, at that time, the commissioner -- commissioners
directed staff to get with me or me get with the staff for
consultation on this particular drainage ditch. Now, the problem in
question is the fact that with an easement on each side of the
property line, they obliterated the property line. Now --
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: Excuse me. They obliterated what?
MR. MANGUM: The property line between the two
properties.
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: Well, the property line doesn't
exist as a physical item. I mean, it's just -- you measure it.
MR. MANGUM: That's right. Now it's just water.
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: Well, there's still a property
line there though.
MR. MANGUM: Well, it's just -- There's no way to say
who does what to whom there anymore, what side of the property line
you're -- you're required to do. The only thing I know -- and water
drainage on an easement, it's supposed to help the property owner, not
penalize him. In this case, when they developed the property next
door and they got on our property in your easement and my
modifications to it at my expense. Now, I'm the only property owner
on that whole line that has a problem. There's nobody else. The
statement was made earlier today at an earlier hearing that they who
gets flooded is going to squeal the loudest, and I'm the one who would
get flooded first.
The problem lies in the fact there's no berm on my
property, so I'm below the berm elevation. If there's a great amount
of water, I'll be the first to get it. Now, I commend Mr. Boldt and
the drainage problems that he wants to prevent in this particular
area. I commend the board, and he has high aspirations of getting it
completed, but as it stands now, the only thing that will occur is I
will have waterfront property. There's very little drainage there. So
any water that comes down 41 comes down that ditch. Now, you have
sheet flow and everything else. Now, I will agree so far the drainage
problem -- there hasn't been any. But after the modifications are
completed and until that whole drainage system is completed, I will
have a problem.
Now, I tried to get together with staff, but
unfortunately my time constraints and theirs probably didn't meet.
Now, when I first heard of it, the permits were issued for them to do
their modifications. There was no effort to contact me. I never
received any notification about it. I received no notification about
the phase two part that was supposed to solve this problem or at least
try to alleviate it in my situation, and that's why I'm here today
because of the fact that I really am protesting. I think it's really
terrible about what's going on in that area. That's my problem.
Now, where this relates to the zoning, these people
bought that property. They either knew about it or had a good idea
that there was problems in this particular area. They already had
permission and permits on units. Now they're coming in and say all of
a sudden, hey, we resolved a lot of these things that we researched.
Now we want more units. It's going to cause more -- possibly more
water problems. I don't know. But at this stage of the game, as far
as I know, I'm still open to flooding, period. I have no alternative.
Either -- Either this commission either got to help me, or I've got
to do something to my property to protect myself. That's my position.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Mr. Boldt, based on what Mr.
Mangum has had to say in the projected development in that area and
your experience, especially in Collier County and our water
difficulties of late, what do you foresee is going to happen in this
area with the 130-foot drainage ditch that is not completed with the
construction going on around it?
MR. BOLDT: First of all, the flow is limited by the
size of the box culverts under U.S. 41. So we can only get so much
water down through the area. When Paradise Pointe just recently -- In
fact, they're still in the process of excavating the remainder of that
65-foot ditch. They're placing material over on the Imperial side on
the berm and raising it up, and the county then is -- is obligated to
go in and level the berm off and raise it up, and we're in the
process. We've got equipment down there even today doing that as --
as we work our way south. So the berm is going to be re-established
and should not be a problem.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. Can we get -- Is there a
commitment in this -- in this PUD amendment for Paradise Pointe or
Greystone, whoever the property owner is, to complete that berm
construction and for the county to level it off?
MR. BOLDT: Whether it's in the document, I'm not sure.
We've had a number of meetings. We had a -- like a letter of
understanding by all the different parties, including Imperial
Wilderness's attorney between staff, and we have that -- that word and
documentation, what their part was, what they were going to do, and
what the county is going to do. When it gets done in Imperial,
property owners are going to go in and sod it after we level it off.
So it's kind of a three-party situation.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: But the construction -- The
placement of the dirt to form the berm is not in the PUD and it's not
in the amendment.
MR. BOLDT: I think it was in the letter of
understanding we had with the parties involved after the fact.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: May I ask the petitioner if he's
willing to put it in there? Behind you, Mr. Mangum.
MR. PURSE: The -- I believe by the time we type up the
amendment, the berm will be done. I mean, it is -- it is -- All the
dirt has been placed on Imperial Wilderness's side right now.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: So why not put it in there then?
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: So say yes.
MR. PURSE: If that's the pleasure of the board, that's
fine. Also, I would like to clear up one point. Paradise Pointe is a
rental park under one ownership. It is not a plat, and we were in
before under an SDP that does not require public hearings. That's why
when we started phase two, no one was notified. This -- This is a
rental park. It is not a plat or a condo.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: It's still a PUD, isn't it?
MR. BADAMTCHIAN: It is a PUD, yes.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Sure.
MR. PURSE: The reason we're -- The reason we're here
for a public hearing is for the master plan change. We --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Wait a minute. Mr. Weigel, did
they have to notify people within 300 feet of them?
MR. MULHERE: I -- I can answer that question. The
confusion is I think Mr. Mangum is referring -- My name is Bob
Mulhere, current planning section manager. I think Mr. Mangum is
referring to when they initiated phase two development which only
requires a site development plan, and nobody was notified. Mr. Mangum
was notified of the PUD amendment. We have his name on the list of
the property owners that were notified.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. Mr. MAngum, you've got
about 15 seconds to finish up.
MR. MANGUM: Yeah. I know my time is limited. The only
thing I want to say is, I live on the Imperial Wilderness side which
is our property. There is no berm in front of my property for this
particular swale, ditch, canal.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Are you right next to the ditch?
MR. MANGUM: I'm right on it.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay.
MR. MANGUM: Now, there isn't any provisions made by our
side for any berm by anybody, and that's part of the problem.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: The gentleman has just said he's
willing to put a provision in his PUD that that berm be completed.
MR. MANGUM: He's got a lot of work besides just putting
a berm up to get a berm in there to begin with. That's the problem,
and this has been the problem since day one. And I was notified of
the planning hearing -- I'm going back to before when the phase two
was being developed. That's when the county commissioners says this
issue would come up, and that's what I was referring to.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. It's been explained that
when phase -- when the site development plan for phase two was brought
forward, there was no requirement to notify anybody and that -- so it
was not done.
MR. MANGUM: Except for me and that -- At that point in
time, I was never notified. That's what I was getting at.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I --
MR. MANGUM: This wasn't a public hearing. It was for
consideration of an adjacent property owner.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I -- I have no personal knowledge
of that but -- Mr. Weigel, can -- can we include in this PUD a
requirement for Greystone to complete this berm?
MR. WEIGEL: And, Harjorie, help me. And this -- And
this berm is on property outside of the PUD?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Apparently so. So I'm not sure
we can do it.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: I thought it was in the PUD, but
it was --
MS. STUDENT: I thought it was in the PUD also.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: -- owned to the -- by the county.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: No. No.
MR. PURSE: The -- The berm --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Norris, can you help
us then?
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Yes.
MR. PURSE: The berm in question was the berm that is
located on -- I'll say the -- the west side, and that is on Imperial
Wilderness property. In an agreement that we have between the
attorney with the Imperial Wilderness Homeowners Association,
Paradise, as they dug the canal out, would place dirt over on their
side, and the county would come in and grade it out and make the berm
correct. So it is on Imperial Wilderness's property that we're
placing it so --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: He's outside the PUD?
MR. PURSE: Right.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: I just need someone to answer the
question. Mr. MAngum says he's not going to have a berm on his
property. Everybody else says he is going to have a berm on his
property. Who's right?
MR. PURSE: He will have a berm on his property.
MR. BOLDT: There's --
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Today or tomorrow.
MR. BOLDT: There's an existing berm that's being raised
up or beefed up along the whole length of Imperial Wilderness.
MR. PURSE: The original berm was -- was not put in
correctly --
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Okay.
MR. PURSE: -- and so herein lies the problem.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: But you are going to correct that,
and he will have a nice -- MR. PURSE: Yeah. We have already been. Today if you
drove out there right now --
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: He'll have the same --
MR. PURSE: -- you will see.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: -- berm as everybody else along
that -- that nice --
MR. PURSE: Everybody else will be the same elevation.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: -- nice berm which is the
responsibility of Imperial Wilderness property owners to sod?
MR. PURSE: It is the responsibility of the county, I
believe.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: No. I think it's --
MR. BOLDT: Paradise will provide the fill. The county
is going to level it, and the Imperial Wilderness people were going to
sod it. That was the deal we had. MR. PURSE: Okay.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: That's in the three-party
agreement, and we've got that on the record, that all this is going to
happen. Okay.
MR. PURSE: That's correct. Yes.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Any other public speakers, Mr.
Dotrill?
MR. DORRILL: No, ma'am.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I'll close the public hearing.
Is there a motion?
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Motion to approve with
stipulations as noted.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Second.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We have a motion and a second to
approve this item with stipulations as noted. Any further discussion?
All in favor, please say aye.
Opposed?
Motion passes.
MR. MANGUM: I wish to thank the commissioners for their
time.
Item #12B2
ORDINANCE 95-54 RE PETITION R-95-5, DENNIS H. PORTELLA OF PORTELLA-ROWE
ASSOCIATES, INC., REPRESENTING IHMOKALEE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, INC.,
REQUESTING A REZONE FROM A-HHO AND C-F TO RSF-5 FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT
LAKE TRAFFORD ROAD AND LITTLE LEAGUE ROAD, IHMOKALEE - ADOPTED WITH
DENSITY CAP OF 4 UNITS PER ACRE
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you, Hr. Hangum. Next item
on the agenda is item 12B(2), petition --
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Madam Chairman, is this
pretty much ratifying the decision we made earlier regarding the
tourist tax?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: No.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Habitat.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: This is Habitat. Petition
R-95-5.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I'm sorry. I'm looking at
the wrong one.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: You're on the wrong page. Back
up.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Nice try to push things along
there though.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Yeah. Just wishful thinking.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I know. We'd like to too. Mr.
Nino.
MR. NINO: Ron Nino, for the record. Commissioners, this
petition is located in Immokalee. The petitioner is Immokalee Habitat
for Humanity. We have a land contract agreement with the Turner
Corporation. This petition would have land zoned agricultural zoned
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Mr. Nino, what were the objections
to this? Who objected to this? Did anybody?
MR. NINO: There were some objections at the Planning
Commission. Those have been resolved between -- and that was the
reason for the continuance. Those have been resolved with the
objector and that -- that -- that resolution had already been included
in the conditions of approval by the Planning Commission that no lot
would front directly on -- on Little League Road from Lake Trafford
Road to the --
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Okay.
MR. NINO: -- entry road to the park. The issues have
all been resolved.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Okay.
MR. NINO: And that is evidenced by the fact that your
attorney left.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I -- I just have one --
MR. NINO: Yes.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: -- comment. This is one of the
roads that we have had people in this room in the last month
complaining about the level of flooding, Little League Road and
Trafford Farm Road which is where Habitat Homes are being built. Is
there -- Is there any provision in this petition that's going to do
anything about that?
MR. NINO: Well, when they get to their PSP stage and
final platting stage, our staff will ensure that their water
management issues are addressed as a function of constructing the
individual lots in the plats.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: The water management for these
homes?
MR. NINO: That's their water management issue, yes.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: For these particular homes?
MR. NINO: For these particular homes.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: The others, we've got a problem.
MR. NINO: The others, we -- It's a county -- county
road and --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: No, it's not the county road.
It's a private road.
MR. NINO: Private road?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Uh-huh.
MR. NINO: Little League Road?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Little League Road is public up
to where --
MR. NINO: Up to the park which is all the way --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Right. Beyond that, it's
private.
MR. NINO: -- through this property. Yes. Yes. I'm
aware of that, and it's paved and -- CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: And the Habitat homes with people
of very low income -- MR. NINO: Yes.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Good luck fixing it.
MR. NINO: This petition went to the Planning
Commission, and it was unanimously recommended for approval. As I
indicated to Commissioner Norris, there was some opposition. That
opposition is identified in your agenda package; however, I believe
that opposition has since faded away as a result of the condition that
no lot will front on Little League Road or Lake Trafford Road.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Hancock.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: A couple of questions. Mr. Nino,
they're requesting RSF-5, but if I read it correctly, it's 8 acres, 32
units. So we really could be RSF-4?
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Hake-up score is --
MR. NINO: The Habitat for Humanity actually purchased
16.2 acres.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Okay.
MR. NINO: If you go into the history, nine point some
acres is set aside as mitigation. They have entered into an
arrangement with Fish and Game, and the net area of their project has
8.2 acres, thus the 32 lots and the less -- something less than four
units per acre on the gross area of the land that's included in the
rezoning petition. It didn't include the 16 acres and we -- we have
agreed with them. There was no point in Habitat paying another $30 an
acre for their rezoning petition to include land that was going to be
set aside in perpetuity in any event. But if we really look at this
realistically, we're really looking at two units per acre on the
original 16 acres of land that they own.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: But with the fezone, if Habitat
should not proceed and someone else can, the zoning on the property
would be five units an acre.
MR. NINO: It would be four units an acre under the
Immokalee master plan.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Well, we're rezoning it today to
five.
MR. NINO: No. We're rezoning it to four.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Okay. So my staff report says
fezone to RSF-5.
MR. NINO: There -- There --
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Five.
MR. NINO: Because there still is -- There's still-- The
yield in the number of lots is four units per acre -- 3.9 units per
acre and the lots are --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: This is a straight fezone. It's
not a PUD.
rezoning.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK:
saying the yield is.
MR. NINO: Yes.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK:
That's all but --
MR. NINO: Correct.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK:
RSF-4 --
I mean, we're not fixing the dwelling units. We're
Yeah. I understand what you're
That's all they plan on doing.
If all they plan on doing is
MR. NINO: Is -- is -- is RSF-4. But they need the
RSF-4 development standards, but what we don't appreciate is the RSF-4
development standards are 6,000-square-foot lots, 60 feet of frontage.
The RS -- The RSF-5. I'm sorry. The RSF-4 lots are 10,000 square
feet with 70 to --
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: You just answered my question.
MR. NINO: -- 80 feet of frontage.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: You just answered my question.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Got it.
MR. NINO: I'm sorry. I'm slow on the take.
COMHISSIONER MAC'KIE: Well, we're probably --
MR. NINO: It's the development standards that we're
after of the RSF-5 zoning district -- COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: Okay.
MR. NINO: -- even though the yield will be consistent
with the RSF-4.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: That being the case, can we
fezone to RSF-5 with a cap of four units per acre?
MR. NINO: Yes. That would be fine.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: Okay.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. Commissioner --
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: I had two more questions.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I'm sorry. Go ahead.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: We answered one on -- There are
no direct impacts on Little League Road as a result of this
development; is that correct?
MR. NINO: Other than the fact that there are a number
of lots that will still front on Little League Road. South of -- Let
me go to the wall here.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: We've been to the wall and back
today.
MR. NINO: The -- The proposed PSP, which will come to
the Planning Commission right after this meeting, would have direct
fronting lots on Little League Road from -- Well, a point of -- This
is lot --
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: That was my problem, is the roads
weren't labeled. So I was having a little tough time following that.
MR. NINO: Well, if we looked at this map, it would be
from -- from the beginning of the Memorial Gardens Cemetery to -- to
the little league field. By virtue of that narrow strip there,
there's no alternative but to have direct fronting lots. COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: Okay.
MR. NINO: So that's not terribly unusual because, after
all, Little League Road is -- is really a local street.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: Okay. And I understand these are
affordable houses, but are we requiring a sidewalk along that road to
the little league fields?
MR. NINO: Yes. The condition of the approval which is
in the -- which is in the ordinance of adoption would require them to
install a sidewalk on Little League Road and Lake Trafford Farms Road.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Okay. Those are my questions.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Any other questions? Petitioner
need to have anything on the record?
MR. DORRILL: Two -- Two registered speakers here to
answer your questions.
MR. NINO: Mr. Ed Sorenson is here representing the
Immokalee Habitat.
MR. SORENSON: Ed Sorenson with Habitat for Humanity.
No. I -- We're just here to respond to questions. I might comment on
your -- your comment earlier about Habitat houses and water. That
road -- your Little -- Lake Trafford Farms Road is about a mile west
of this tract and is not really connected to it or even close to it,
and there are quite a number of other houses out there that's not
particularly Habitat houses.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I know, but it's just all low
income. We have two speakers, Mr. Dotrill?
MR. DORRILL: Mr. Portella in the event that you have
further questions.
MR. PORTELLA: Good afternoon. Dennis Portella, for the
record. I just wanted to make myself available for questions. Thank
you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Are there any questions?
I'll close the public hearing. Is there a motion?
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Motion to approve.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I'll second.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Second. Third.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Hay I ask the motion maker to
make that motion in the form of approving RSF-5 with the density cap
of four units per acre?
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: I'll amend to that.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Second accept that?
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Sure.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Sure.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Yes.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Absolutely.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We have a motion to approve--
COMHISSIONER MAC'KIE: Both of us.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: -- to RSF-5 zoning with a density
cap of four per acre, and the second accepts that. All those in
favor, please say aye.
Opposed?
Motion passes five to zero.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: We are cooking now.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Next --
MR. SORENSON: Thank you.
Item #12C1
ORDINANCE 95-55 RE PETITION LDC-95-3, COHMUNITY DEVELOPHENT SERVICES
DIVISION, REPRESENTING THE BOARD OF COUNTY COHMISSIONERS, REQUESTING TO
CORRECT EXISTING SCRIVENER'S ERROR FOR VARIOUS ZONING DISTRICTS FROM
I-IND TO I, IND TO I, C-5 TO I, AND I TO C-5 THROUGHOUT COLLIER COUNTY
- ADOPTED
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Oh, you're welcome. Next item on
the agenda is 12C(1), LDC-95-3, which is essentially a scrivener's
error.
MR. BELLOWS: Yes. For the record, Ray Bellows.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Are they all scrivener's errors?
MR. BELLOWS: Yes. There are maps --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Mr. Dorrill, are there speakers?
MR. DORRILL: No, ma'am.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I'll close the public hearing.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Motion to approve the item.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Second.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We have a motion and a second to
approve item 12C(1), LDC-95-3. All those in favor, please say aye.
Opposed?
There being none, motion passes five to zero.
Item #12C2
ORDINANCE 95-56 AMENDING ORDINANCE 92-60 BY PROVIDING FOR AN ADDITIONAL
ONE PERCENT LEVY OF THE TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAX THROUGHOUT COLLIER
COUNTY BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 1996 AND TERMINATING ON DECEMBER 31, 1999;
AMENDING SECTION THREE RELATING TO THE USE OF TAX REVENUES - ADOPTED
Next item is an ordinance amending Ordinance 92-60.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Madam Chairman, this item is
the one I was optimistically hoping we were on before.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Yeah. Now we're there.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: The TDC item that we had
earlier in the year approved, this is just ratifying that.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Mr. Dorrill, are there public
speakers?
MR. DORRILL: No, ma'am.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Close the public hearing.
MR. WEIGEL: Postal error.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Is there a motion?
MR. WEIGEL: This was the postal error.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Motion to approve.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Second.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. This is the one putting
the extra penny on beginning January. MR. WEIGEL: That's correct.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. We have a motion and a
second to approve an ordinance amending 92-60. All in favor, please
say aye.
Opposed?
Motion passes five to zero.
Item #12C3
ORDINANCE 95-57 REPEALING IN ITS ENTIRETY COLLIER COUNTY ORDINANCE NO.
90-43 IMPOSING A THREE PERCENT TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAX - ADOPTED
Item 12C(3), an ordinance repealing in its entirety
Ordinance 90-43. This is generally housekeeping; is that correct, Mr.
Weigel?
MR. WEIGEL: That's exactly right. This is the original
ordinance that came under fire, was in the courts, and is of no longer
use -- use to us.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: All right. Now it's all settled.
Mr. Dotrill, are there public speakers? MR. DORRILL: No, ma'am.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I'll close the public hearing.
COMHISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Motion to approve the item.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: Second.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Motion and a second to re--
approve an ordinance repealing Ordinance 90-43.
COMHISSIONER MAC'KIE: Second. Sorry.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We got a third then.
in favor, please say aye.
Opposed?
Motion passes five to zero.
What? All those --
All those
Item #12C4
RESOLUTION 95-610 RE PETITION AV-95-014, BUTLER ENGINEERING, INC., AS
AGENT FOR OWNER, QUAIL WOODS ESTATES DEVELOPMENT, INC., REQUESTING
VACATION OF A UTILITY EASEMENT LOCATED ON A PORTION OF EDGEWILD BLVD. -
ADOPTED (COMPANION ITEM TO REPLAT ENTITLED COURTYARDS OF QUAIL WOODS)
Next item, petition AV-95-014, Butler Engineering.
MR. MULLER: Good afternoon, Commissioners. For the
record, my name is Russ Mullet in transportation. Item 12C(4) is a
public hearing to consider petition AV-95-014 for the vacation of a
60-foot utility easement platted at Edgewild Boulevard on the plat of
Edgewild.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: So, in a nutshell, you recommend
vacation?
MR. MULLER: Yeah.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Are there public speakers?
MR. DORRILL: No speakers.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: There are no public speakers.
I'll close the public hearing.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: Motion to approve.
COMHISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Second.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We have a motion and a second to
approve petition AV-95-014. Further discussion?
All in favor, please say aye. Opposed?
Motion passes five to -- five to zero. Is that --
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Yes, ma'am.
Item #12C5
RESOLUTION 95-611 RE PETITION AV-95-007, KAREN K. BISHOP AS AGENT FOR
OWNERS, THE LONE OAK, LTD., REQUESTING VACATION OF A DRAINAGE EASEMENT
LOCATED ON A PORTION OF LOTS 4 AND 5, BLOCK B, ON THE PLAT OF LEXINGTON
AT LONE OAK, UNIT 1 - ADOPTED (COMPANION ITEM TO PLAT OF WALDEN SHORES)
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. Next item is 12C(5),
petition AV-95-007. Commissioner Hac'Kie is abstaining on this one.
Mr. Mullet.
MR. HULLER: Item 12C(5) is a public hearing to consider
petition AV-007 for the vacation of a 15-foot drainage easement on a
portion of lots five -- four and five, block B of the plat of
Lexington at Lone Oak, unit one, plat book 22, pages 24 through 27.
The companion item plat of Walden Shores, 16A(1), offers replacement
easements. I've got letters of no objection from Collier County
stormwater management, engineering review, Walden Oak of Naples
Homeowners Association. Based on the letters of no objection and the
replacement on the replat, staff recommends approval.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Question? Commissioner Hancock.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Did we experience any problems in
this particular subdivision during the recent storms?
MR. HULLER: It was wet there but it's unbuilt.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Well, who wasn't.
MR. HULLER: It's unbuilt --
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: But nothing outstanding?
MR. HULLER: -- and they've -- No, nothing outstanding.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Okay. Thanks.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Any other questions?
Are there speakers, Mr. Dotrill?
MR. DORRILL: There are no speakers. I believe this is
the one where Ms. Hac'Kie is abstaining.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: She's abstaining. Uh-huh. No
speakers. I'll close the public hearing. Do we have a motion?
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Motion to approve.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We have a motion to approve. Is
there a second?
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Second.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Motion and a second to approve
petition AV-95-007. All in favor, please say aye.
Opposed?
There being none, motion passes four to zero.
Item #12C6
RESOLUTION 95-612 RE PETITION AV-95-016 FOR VACATION OF A PORTION OF
ROAD RIGHT-OF-WAY KNOWN AS LAKELAND AVENUE EXTENSION - ADOPTED
RESERVING A UTILITY ACCESS
Next item is petition AV-95-016. This is vacating a
portion of road right-of-way known as Lakeland Avenue Extension. Mr.
Mullet.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Before Mr. Mullet does his
thing, I think all of us got a letter from a Ken Waltson.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Waltson.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: And I don't know if staff had
a chance to see this.
MR. HULLER: Yes.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: And -- If you could address
the pertinent issues as part of your presentation, that would make me
feel much better.
MR. HULLER: Item 12C(6) is a public hearing to consider
vacation of a portion of a road right-of-way known as Lakeland Avenue
Extension. Per board direction, staff has processed the petition,
requested letters of no objection, prepared appropriate replacement
easements, advertised the public hearing.
A brief recap of -- of the issues is there was -- Four
property owners of a six-member assessment district petitioned the
board to pave an extension to Lakeland Avenue. They quitclaimed their
property to the county to allow construction. Two property owners
refused to join, and the cost of their property for right-of-way
prohibited the road from being built. The four owners pulled their
money together and built a driveway, slash, road below county road
standards. These four property owners want the right-of-way vacated
and returned unencumbered. Letters of no objection -- eight of nine
of the letters responded and requested that they had stipulations or
objections. These are in the agenda packet, pages 18 through 26. I
also received two letters since the advertisement of public hearing,
and those are provided in this handout -- two letters of objection
from property owners Tim Haloney, parcel 107 on the map on page four,
and Kazimier Dabrowski, parcel 109. Mr. Dabrowski included a copy of
the 1967 dedication from the Arnn Corporation to Collier County
stating that all roads in land section 24, township 48, 25 south are
to the perpetual use of the public. He has relied on this easement
since he purchased the property. Both letters object to the
possibility of denied access. We were also supplied a letter from Mr.
Waltson. I believe Mr. Waltson is -- is here and registered to speak.
Based on the objections and stipulations of the letters
of no objection, staff recommends vacation subject to conveyance of
right-of-way easements prepared as exhibits to the resolution.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Say that again, please, Mr.
Mullet.
MR. HULLER: We want to vacate and get a replacement
easement back.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Over the same property?
MR. HULLER: Over the same property.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: What's the point of it?
MR. HULLER: We don't want the fee. We want to return
the fee simple property to the property owners, but we want to retain
the right of public easement.
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: Okay. All right. Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I -- I believe the question here
is that the -- the property owners quitclaimed the land to the county
for the purpose of building a road which the county failed to build.
And as far as my understanding is, they -- the property owners have no
objection to a standard easement for acce -- standard access easement
over this property. There is a road there privately built. MR. MULLER: Right.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: And that's my understanding, that
they -- they are willing to provide the proper easements for in --
ingress access to the properties to the north but not to be a, quote,
unquote, "public thoroughfare." Is that my -- Have I said that --
MR. MULLER: We have -- Mr. Waltson and myself have went
back and forth with several different options on easements. Since
these letters of no objection from -- An example would be -- The
sheriff's office says they need an easement to be able to patrol the
-- the improved property. There's one improved property in a
fenced-in area that was broken into, and homeless were living there
for a while, and there was parties and painted walls and all kinds of
stuff. The sheriff's office wants in there.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: But -- But -- Excuse me, Mr.
Mullet, but isn't the property directly to the north of Lakeland
Avenue a private access easement, and then this public access easement
are the next properties up? So if the sheriff's going to have a
problem, he should already have a problem just by traversing the
portion that's private. MR. MULLER: Yes.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. So what are we talking
about?
MR. MULLER: Well, we're talking about county ownership.
If we give -- give it away unencumbered back to the property owners,
they could build a fence across it, they could charge a toll.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: It's my understanding that they
-- that they are willing to give an easement back. They just don't
want it to be a public road. Have I missed something here?
MR. ARCHIBALD: If I could step back a couple of steps.
For the record, George Archibald. In regards to the vacation of a
right-of-way, what we're concerned about are the rights that have been
created for those property owners to the north. And, in fact, there's
been many indications that if we vacate this right-of-way, the
property owners will, in fact, prohibit access and will, in fact, put
the county at risk for the cost of having a public roadway, having
access, and then taking it away through a vacation process.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: Mr. Archibald, so there are two
issues here. One is that these folks deeded the property over to the
county and they want that property back. That's one issue. The
second issue is, if we vacate the right-of-way, now there's no right
of access for anyone else. So what you're saying is we have no
problem with giving the property back. We just need to maintain a
form of easement that -- that can be used for access. Is there -- Is
there a way to do those two things?
MR. ARCHIBALD: Yes, there is, and that's the
recommendation of the staff, in fact, to preserve that easement as
part of the vacation process, because, in fact, we've created the
potential for all those property owners to the north being cut off
from access.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: But if we get this easement that
is little more than whatever easement existed prior to the
quitclaiming, there is access to the property to the north in their
legal easements that gave them access 20 years ago or 15 --
MR. ARCHIBALD: No. They --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: -- years ago.
MR. ARCHIBALD: They have a right of access, but they
have to create that. If we take it away from them, then all those
property owners to the north have to recreate that, and they may have
to recreate that through a process very similar to our eminent domain
process. If we, in fact, reserve that easement in behalf of the
public, then those property owners, in fact, will maintain access to
the land.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: How come we didn't just build the
road?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Because we didn't get the two
southern property owners to give the -- to give the land.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: Okay.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: That's why we didn't build it.
So is there a private easement along the road to the two parcels to
the south of this public property?
MR. MULLER: One of them there is.
MR. ARCHIBALD: Yes. There's -- There continues to be
lack of a county right-of-way or lack of a public dedicated
right-of-way between the parcels that have been dedicated to the
county and those parcels that are part of the Willoughby Acres plat.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. I'm more confused now than
ever.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: Can we hear from the property
owners on this? I'm just -- Do we have registered speakers?
MR. DORRILL: We have five. I don't -- I don't know who
are the actual individuals. I can call them in order or you can ask.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: Because maybe if the property
owners can tell us what they're willing to do and Mr. Archibald has
the other microphone, we can figure out which way to go on this.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: It's my understanding from
meeting with Mr. Waltson a couple of times now that the property
owners are willing to give back whatever easement existed prior to the
quitclaim, whatever that was.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: Mr. Archibald, would that be
sufficient for access?
MR. ARCHIBALD: No, I don't believe it will be, and
that's the problem.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: That's what we need to do.
MS. GLOECKNER: I'm here to represent one of the
properties north --
COMHISSIONER NORRIS: You need to come up to the
microphone.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: Have you registered to speak,
ma'am? Okay.
MR. MULLER: The easement you're talking about,
Commissioner Matthews, may be the one that -- that Mr. Dabrowski
supplied which -- which states that it's a -- a county right-of-way --
for the purpose of dedication to dedicate all streets, right-of-way,
and roads to the perpetual use of the public all of land section 24
which is what we would like. What we're proposing is to get an
easement over the property to the public.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: How is that different from what
existed prior to the quitclaim?
MR. HULLER: I think that's maybe what existed prior to
the quitclaim.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. Hiss Ashton.
MS. ASHTON: If -- If you'd like me to comment, I did
review the Arnn Corporation deed that was conveyed to the public in
1967. The problem with that deed is that it conveyed all streets and
roads in section 24, and we've been unable to determine what streets
were in existence in 1967 to determine whether or not this is, you
know, existing. So I don't think it's been recognized by the title
companies, and so that's -- we haven't been able to rely on that
easement as a public easement.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I see.
MS. ASHTON: That sheds some light on that. And if I
could comment, it was my understanding that Mr. Mullet had exchanged
easement documents with Mr. Waltson and his agent on behalf of the
property owners, and the problem with the county's proposed easement
was it's just a general easement, and Mr. Waltson had recommended or
had requested that there be language in the easement document that
would restrict any additional subdivision -- subdividing or buildout
to the north of his property so it would limit the easement, and
that's why we're -- we had never reached the agreement on the easement
for it to be used.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: So you're saying Mr. Waltson
wanted to limit the use of the easement by -- MS. ASHTON: Yeah. I gave him -- I gave Mr. Mullet a
copy of the language if you would like me to read it in.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: -- The development to the north
that.
HS. ASHTON: Right.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: -- off of their property which is
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I don't know that we could do
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: -- something I don't think we can
do.
MR. MULLER: Yeah. There's language in this easement
that -- that reads, this easement is not intended for subdivision
development and should not be construed in any way as road
right-of-way access for subdivision development.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Is that the easement that existed
prior to the quitclaim, the wording on it?
MR. MULLER: No, ma'am. This is the access easement
that -- that -- an access easement that Ken Waltson drafted and
proposed as a replacement easement.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Mr. Weigel, do you have a
suggestion of how we might be able to solve this?
MR. WEIGEL: Well, yeah. I think -- I think that we
have an interest of record not to continue to hold the land in fee to
start with. And, secondly, if George and Russ can assist me here, if
the county's easement interests -- As I see the letters of objection,
we have a drainage easement request from stormwater management, and
we've got emergency access, and I need to know for sure if the kind of
access that the county wants by an easement is not a public road
right-of-way access but limited to emergency vehicle access, things of
that nature which arguably we have over private roads if you've got to
get through anyway, but the fact is that this road isn't built to
county standards nor is it proposed to be. So what is the county's
actual vehicular access need might -- might assist us in tailoring the
easement.
MR. HULLER: Emergency access easement would handle the
letter of no objection from -- from the sheriff's office. The other
easements that we are -- The reason we're wanting a public
right-of-way easement is to handle the stipulations on the other
letters of no objection, say, from engineering review for drainage
concerns, from stormwater management for drainage concerns and -- and
the other letters from private utility companies are asking for
private utilities to be granted back. Our -- Our utility -- Collier
County utilities have a water line that extends through that property,
so there would be a utility easement. Now, that option could be that
we get an easement for this, an easement for that, an easement for
this and the other thing until we have all of those satisfied, but
they would all be satisfied by a public right-of-way easement.
MR. WEIGEL: Well, what I'm thinking is that by
tailoring the language, we can have one easement. It doesn't take
several easements for each of these things but one easement, but it's
tailored for the specific needs which doesn't go quite so far as to
say public -- public road access because each of these things are
either service or utility related. Utility -- we're talking about
utilities, drainage, emergency vehicular, but we're not talking about
the public going up and down the road as the public chooses. It's
service and government related, and we could have an easement that
does those things and perhaps reach the county objective of fulfilling
these letters of objection but also may work with the -- with the
landowner. I don't know.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Why don't we -- Why don't we hear
from the property owners and see what they're willing to do. Mr.
Dotrill.
MR. DORRILL: Mr. Murphy.
UNKNOWN VOICE: Mr. Murphy had to leave.
MR. DORRILL: Excellent. Ms. Gloeckner. Okay. Mr.
Waltson, you'll follow Ms. Gloeckner.
MS. GLOECKNER: My name is Florence Gloeckner. I
represent the partners of Caxambas Equity Company Limited. They are
the owners of the parcel of approximately five acres on the north side
of Lakeland Avenue Extension. We are interested in whatever will
promote the improvement of the area. Paving the street which the
property owners themselves did was undeniably promoting this goal.
However --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Miss, can you pull the mike down,
ma'am. Right.
MS. GLOECKNER: Okay.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you.
MS. GLOECKNER: However, this proposal to vacate
right-of-way will deny us the right access to our property. This is a
constitutional right. We cannot be denied access to our property.
Surely this proposal also would make access difficult for others.
Probably current property owners' houses would find resale difficult
in a climate such as this. These same houses might not properly
appreciate in the future either. How much will the county plan for an
uncooperative area? Will they maintain roads and bridges to an area
intent on keeping people out? Progress needs a little help, not
hindrance. One abandoned house is there already. That's enough.
Let's think positively. Thank you. CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you.
MR. DORRILL: Mr. Waltson. And then, Ms. Nelson, you
will follow Mr. Waltson.
MR. WALTSON: Good afternoon, Commissioners. For the
record, my name is Ken Waltson, and I live at 710 Lakeland Avenue, tax
parcel 59. I represent the homeowners along Lakeland Avenue Extension
located within a small community known as Armadillo Estates. On
November 18, 1980, the Collier County commissioners accepted a
petition signed by five homeowners requesting the establishment of a
road improvement district. The commissioners also authorized the
engineering department to obtain the needed right-of-way and prepare a
preliminary report and cost estimate for the district. It wasn't
until Hay 1984 that we received the quitclaim deeds in a letter from
Mr. Kuck, the county engineering director, asking for our roadway
land. The quitclaim deeds clearly noted the intent was to create a
Lakeland Avenue paving assessment district and the -- and the land was
specifically meant for the road construction project. Four of us
signed the deeds making our land available, and two did not, ending
the road project at that point.
On June 4, 1985, Mr. Hubert, the engineering director
for Collier County, sent a letter to the property owners. Title,
status, Lakeland Avenue Extension. In closing, his letter stated, if
the road right-of-way is not provided, the extension of Lakeland
Avenue cannot be considered for improvement.
Also, on October 2, 1985, Mr. Cuyler, the county
attorney, sent a letter to one of the hold-out property owners saying,
your 30 foot is an absolute necessity in order for the staff to
proceed with the improvement district. If for some reason you do not
wish to convey your property with the clear understanding that the
improvement district will not be initiated without the conveyance,
please inform this office.
Mr. Hubert and Mr. Cuyler's letter clearly indicated if
all roadway lands along -- along the 660-foot improvement district was
not acquired, the extension of Lakeland Avenue would not be considered
for improvement, and the improvement would not be initiated. And
that's exactly what happened.
When we deeded our land to the county on the utility
easements on the land existed, our reasons for entrusting our land to
the county were simple. We wanted a new road. We did not give the
county a gift of our land nor did we agree to have the land held in a
land bank so the road could be constructed sometime in the distant
future. On November 21, 1985, we hired our own contractor and built a
660-foot road ourselves.
On October 3, 1994, I sent a written request to Mr.
Archibald asking for the return of our roadway land. Following my
request was a series of meetings and written communications with Mr.
Archibald and Mr. Mullet which proved fruitless.
Florida Statute two five five two two
titled,"Reconveyance of Lands Not Used for the Purpose Specified,"
says, in the event of any party owning adjacent land conveys real
property without receipt, valuable consideration to any municipality
or county for a specific purpose or use and if such county or
municipality fails to use such property for such purpose for a period
of 60 consecutive months, then upon written demand of the grantor, the
municipality or county may execute quitclaim deeds returning the
property. In the event the purpose for which the property was
conveyed requires physical improvement or construction on such
property or maintenance thereof, any such municipality or county that
fails to construct, improve, or maintain such property for a period of
60 months shall be conclusively deemed to have abandoned the property
for the purpose for which it was conveyed.
I believe the issue here before the board today has two
main components. Number one, the transfer of the roadway land for --
from the homeowners to the county establishes our intent. Number two,
the retention of the roadway land by the county after the road
improvement district ended -- ended necessitates the board's action
here today. If the board recognizes the roadway land was made
available to the county for the sole purpose of building a road, then
the board should rule to return our land. To rule in favor of the
petitioners return the land with the same rights that -- that existed
before the deed -- deeds -- before we deeded the land to the county.
We will not relinquish our rights to the land by granting a public
easement for the return of our land. If the board moves to deny our
request for the return of our land with the same rights, I feel the
county has, in effect, reduced our property values which clearly makes
this a private property rights issue for Collier County. Our property
values would further depreciate as future development occurs on
smaller lots causing flooding to encroach our homes.
There are seven homes within Armadillo Estates, most
situated on two-plus acres providing ag -- adequate pervious --
pervious -- pervious soil to prevent flooding. The character of our
neighborhood would change as acquisition of public right-of-way would
lead to county maintained road encouraging future subdivisions on
smaller land parcels replacing the estates setting we now enjoy.
Since the community beginning -- Since the communities beginning more
than 30 years ago, the homeowners have -- CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Mr. Waltson.
MR. WALTSON: Just another minute, please.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Well, try to do it in less than a
minute because you've been well over five minutes now -- MR. WALTSON: Okay. Okay.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: -- even though --
MR. WALTSON: Since the communities beginning 30 years
ago, the homeowners have built and maintained a road access along
Lakeland Avenue Extension. The ingress and egress along Lakeland
Avenue Extension has provided unobstructed access more than 25 years.
We have no intention of changing that nor would we be permitted to do
so by law. I feel -- I feel we've made a mistake by -- by entrusting
our roadway land to -- to Collier -- to the county and have concluded
the county unworthy stewards of our land. The county
pro-developmental history furthers my concern should our land remain
in the county's hands. I believe the character of our older community
will be negatively affected, and we want a say in the future of
Armadillo Estates.
In 1984 we asked the county for help so we could make
our neighborhood better. Now we want -- Now we want what's rightfully
ours, and that's all. We want a la -- We want our land back with the
same rights we had on the land before we got involved with the county
in 1984. Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you, Mr. Waltson.
MR. DORRILL: Ms. Nelson.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Ms. Nelson.
MR. DORRILL: And then Mrs. Waltson.
MS. NELSON: My name is Beth Nelson, and I live at 615
Lakeland Avenue, and, once again, the storm drainage issue is going to
come up. There are several issues involved with our request here, and
we were hoping to keep it to the request. We deeded the land to the
county for a road. The county did not build a road. We wanted the
land back. But since these other issues have been brought up, they do
need to be addressed. One is public easement. We do have a problem
with that. And the other is Caxambas calling development an
improvement. In a large area where your home is situated on a large
lot, you know, small parcels is not an improvement to the area.
But, anyway, the project never got started as the land
could not be acquired for the road. At that point, the county should
have returned it, and instead of returning it, the county recorded it
as right-of-way land, and herein lies part of the problem, that it was
recorded. And I'm sure you're aware of the situation and a lot of the
details, as Mr. Waltson has kept you appraised. But the county
recorded the undeveloped or assessed the undeveloped properties. When
we paid for our storm drainage, we paid for the storm drainage that
went into Willoughby Acres. Our water does not impact Willoughby.
And then -- then the storm drainage department wants access to our
land for storm drainage? Is that -- We just went through that. But
undeveloped parcels north of -- north of us were assessed for the
storm drainage when, in fact, they should not have been because they
don't have legal access to a county road and there's -- there's
another issue that's being brought up here. These are all peripheral
issues. Our main thing is that the developer's interest in the land
-- This is our home. This is where we live. That's our interest.
It's a special area. It's a nice neighborhood. I don't know if
you're familiar with it, but it's different. It has a lot of
character. We're not asking that they don't have access. We'll give
them access. We're asking -- and since this has come up, we want the
land back -- that it doesn't be turned into another little subdivision
in the midst of all this, destroying our property values. Okay. That
would -- That would -- That's a property value issue -- private
property issue right there.
Another issue is the flooding. There's a flood plain to
the north of us, and it has been. It's not just because of the recent
rain. I realize that's a problem. We've got pictures going back to
the no name storm, all these other little -- We have water running
through our yard. Should developments happen to the back of us --
They had the Army Corps of Engineers down a few years ago. They
cannot legally obstruct the flow of water. So what happens when the
new standards come in, and the new standards with it has to be so high
above the road -- the crown of the road, the fill. All that water
backs up into our yards, and that is another problem.
But the main thing is that we would like back what was
ours, the land that we gave to the county for the purpose that wasn't
fulfilled. And we're not trying to deny anybody -- emergency
vehicles, utility vehicles access. We're just trying to prevent the
destruction of our neighborhood. Thank you. CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you.
MR. DORRILL: Ms. Waltson. She is your final speaker.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: She's the final speaker. Thank
you.
MS. WALTSON: Good afternoon, Commissioners. My name is
Ruth Waltson, and I'm here today to ask that our 30-foot roadway land
be returned to us with the same rights that we quitclaimed the land to
the county in May of 1984. The only reason that I signed the
quitclaim deed was to have the county build a 660-foot road for the
use of six residents. The county did not pursue the project because
two property owners would not sign their quitclaim deed, and we built
a private road soon after. We maintain the road and mow the grass on
the right-of-way. The county abandoned the project more than 11 years
ago and has no legal right to our quitclaim deed, and I want my
30-foot roadway returned.
And I'd like to ask Mr. Archibald a question about lot
number 107. Mr. Maloney -- his rights to Lakeland Avenue, when Mr.
Maloney paid no assessment for the storm drainage project on 20 acres
of land.
MR. ARCHIBALD: I believe that all those parcels to the
north paid some order of assessment.
MS. WALTSON: I said lot -- parcel 107 gave an
objection.
MR. ARCHIBALD: Well, there are a quite a lot of
objections to the assessments, including yours, and, as I recall, we
reduced those to the number of units that were plausible on the
parcels.
MS. WALTSON: Well, Mr. Maloney paid zero. He did not
pay for the use of Lakeland Avenue Extension.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Mrs. Waltson, I'm going to ask
you to take that up outside of this. Our discussion today is -- deals
with vacating --
MS. WALTSON: Well, I would like the board to address
that.
MR. ARCHIBALD: Well, the only --
MS. WALTSON: You know.
MR. ARCHIBALD: The only parcel that would not have been
assessed would be those parcels that we had acquired as part of
Livingston Road, but all the other parcels, to my knowledge, had some
assessment. Like yourselves, they may have had the ability to put
more than one unit on their land, but they were only assessed
approximately a unit.
MS. WALTSON: Well, I won't talk with Mr. Archibald, but
I'll put it in my five minutes that I don't believe Mr. Maloney has
any access whatsoever to Lakeland Avenue to give a -- give an
objection for us to get our roadway land back, and he's parcel number
107 if you have a map, and he did send in an objection. I have a map
here.
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: We have it.
MS. WALTSON: You have a map?
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: We have it.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: We have it in our package.
MS. WALTSON: Oh, okay. But that was one of the letters
of objection from Mr. Mullet about Mr. Maloney being able to use
Lakeland Avenue, and they had another objection from one of the other
property owners. I didn't get their name. CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: 109.
MS. WALTSON: Okay. And I believe that Mr. Dabrowski
paid for one unit for the storm drainage project the same as we did
and -- and I believe that he can build one house on that property, you
know, the same as us. There would be no objection to something like
that because most of that land is flood plain land all in there, and
that's why they were assessed at such a low assessment.
My neighbor across the street who did not sign the
quitclaim deed and she can no -- she can't subdivide her property. It
was assessed for four units and paid over $3,500, and she has one
house with no way to subdivide.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: That's all very interesting, but
we're talking about the vacation of the right-of-way today. We're not
talking about assessments for some prior storm drainage project.
MS. WALTSON: Okay. But I think Mr. Archibald brought
up the rights of the property owners to the north and that's why I --
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: He was referring to the rights of
access, and we don't have on our agenda publicly '- MS. WALTSON: Okay.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: -- advertised anything about '-
MS. WALTSON: All right.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: -- an assessment district.
MS. WALTSON: All right. Well, then I'll say that Mr.
Haloney, lot number 107, has no access to Lakeland Avenue for his
objection. Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you. That was our last
speaker?
MR. HCNEES: Yes.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I'm going to -- I'm going to
close the public hearing. And discussion from board members or a
motion? Commissioner Hancock.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Mr. Weigel, what is the minimum
requirement that the county has to ensure access and keep parcels from
being landlocked? Just as simple as possible, what's the minimum we
have to do to make sure a parcel is not landlocked and has access?
MR. WEIGEL: Well, the distinction is private property
rights and -- and -- and the responsibilities of public government.
Property can't be divided where it doesn't have access. I mean, it's
-- it's illegal and -- It's -- It's not legal to do so. It's an
improper transaction that occurs. And if we have properties that
would ostensibly not have access, if the county didn't have its strip
of -- of deed that it's got in there, those private properties would
have to show an easement or ingress/egress by necessity, and that
could be done through private property actions in court.
One thing I note is that we have the deed recorded for
the -- for this roadway from this particular owner, but we haven't
built the road. It's just a paper right one might say that we have.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Let me ask this question.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Could --
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: How -- How -- How did these
northern properties have access before 19807
MR. ARCHIBALD: In some cases there were easements that
pre-existed, but they were not clear, and I believe that some of them
would have had to create access through the original seller or
sellers.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Okay.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: So -- All right. We -- We have
this piece -- section of roadway to the south of the properties that
we're talking about that is -- is still in private hands. How does
Mr. Haloney get to his property traversing their private property as
well as the private property north of -- of these?
MR. ARCHIBALD: In the case of --
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: How do the Waltsons?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Well, that's public -- Yeah, or
how does he get over it?
MR. ARCHIBALD: In the case of 107, that parcel that's
owned by Haloney, that has access to Livingston Road or will be
acquired as part of the Livingston Road project. So that's one reason
why that's separate. Now, the other parcels that Haloney may own that
have frontage again would be dependent upon access.
If I may, very quickly, you know, the county isn't
looking for deeds. And, again, recognize that there's probably
thousands of cases like this where people come in and record their
easements to the county or the public or some entity, and what we're
doing, in fact, as you take a look on page four on that map or page
three, as the case may be, all the county is doing is, in fact,
holding it for the benefit of all of those property owners. At some
point in time, all of those property owners are going to want and need
access. And the method that was used back at the time of the
acceptance and recording of these documents was, in fact, to record
and hold. But, in fact, we're doing it in behalf of all the owners
that have frontage for their future needs, and those future needs may
be tomorrow. They may be in the very distant future. But, in fact, if
we take that away from them, then they have to recreate the steps that
have been outlined by Mr. Weigel, and that may involve them going
through a court procedure which, in fact, we may become a party to
because, in fact, we're giving away part of what they would have to
acquire in the future.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Let me ask Mr. Weigel a question
about this Florida Statute -- what is it -- 255, that Mr. Waltson was
quoting from? How does that impact us? They gave it for a specific
right, and we failed to do what they gave it for.
MR. WEIGEL: The gentleman did his homework. It -- It
means something if it's placed of record. How does it -- How does it
get placed of record? Well, conceivably a quiet title action unless
this board acts and creates something of record recognizing that.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Recognizing what?
MR. WEIGEL: Recognizing the -- that statute and what it
-- what it purports to do. There's -- It would appear that there's
nothing of record in the chain of title for this property that -- that
relates that statute to the property, but the statute exists, and it
says what it says. So it's a player here.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: So this is --
MR. WEIGEL: It may be a player here.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: So this is similar to Mr. Cuyler
having said a while back, we are where we are.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: And that's where we are.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: And that's where we are.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Maybe I'm oversimplifying this,
but there are apparently five parcels that have deeded land that want
the land back.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Yeah.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: And when they get it back, it
will be no different than the section line access to the south and the
section line access to the north. So correct me if I'm wrong, but the
owners of parcels 56 and 57 which are down right next to the north end
of the -- the --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Lakeland.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: -- Willoughby area -- can they
prevent Mr. Waltson and the Nippers and the Corles from getting to
their home? Can they block off that because the county doesn't own it
or we don't have easements? Can they keep the Waltsons from getting
home along that section line?
MR. ARCHIBALD: They could. At this point in time, I
don't believe the legal parameters have been established for either a
-- a dedicated access nor a prescriptive access. I'm not privy to
that. But to date, I haven't seen any document that would create that
access other than their use, and that hasn't been established in the
courts.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: But basically all this access is
operating because everyone's friends? There's no real legal basis?
COHMISSIONER HAC'KIE: We're talking about an easement
of necessity, by necessity, or by prescription. I mean, there's a lot
of other legal --
MS. ASHTON: Commissioner, if I could comment, I might
be able to shed some light on this. It's my understanding that there
is a revocable license over -- I think it's lot 56 or 57. So they do
have permission to go over the property. But where the access issue
is going to come up is when somebody north tries to subdivide because
although they have access because they've been doing it for so long,
they don't have legal access. In order to establish legal access,
they'll need to go into court for declaratory action to declare an
easement by necessity.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Hiss Ashton, let me ask -- Let me
see if I can understand it from layman's terms here. You're saying --
Well, let me ask the question this way. Before 1980 nobody had a
legal access here, but then this land was deeded over to the county,
and access was partially provided. Now, is the county going to be
construed as legally liable at some point in time if we just reverse
our deeds and turn the land back to the property owners, and at some
future point in time will some property owner to the north want to
take action against the county because of that?
MS. ASHTON: I think that's a difficult question to
answer because you never know what sort of clever argument a smart
attorney is going to come up with. But with respect to section
255.22, which is the section Mr. Waltson quoted, you're looking at two
things. Number one is the county may quitclaim the property back.
The second issue is that under one of the sections -- under the
section 255.22, it talks of the county constructively abandoning the
property. So irrespective of what you do today, if they went into
court tomorrow, based upon the facts we have today, it's likely that a
court would say the county doesn't have an interest. So in light of
that, maybe, you know, that helps you with your decision today. But I
-- You know, I think --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: So -- So why '-
MS. ASHTON: You know, we've all been trying to work
with everybody involved, including the northerly property owners, to
come up with something that, you know, everyone would be happy with.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: So why should we cause these five
property owners to spend money to pay attorneys and the county spends
money or spends time to pay our attorneys to defend an essentially
indefensible position.
MS. ASHTON: Well, the flip side of this --
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: There are always defenses but '-
MS. ASHTON: The flip side of this is when the northerly
property owners decide to subdivide and they go into court to
establish their easement by necessity, all the property owners that
haven't granted easements will be named in a lawsuit and will have to
either, you know, default or defend their position so -- you know.
COHHISSIONER HAC'KIE: This one's going to court.
MR. ASHTON: But that's -- That's sort of just a FYI,
you know -- CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: This one is going to court no
matter what we do.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Isn't that the way you see it,
Hiss Ashton? This one is going to court one way or another, either by
them to vacate -- to get -- to enforce the statute that they cited to
us or by the -- the --
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Northern property owners.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Yeah. To establish an easement
by necessity.
MS. ASHTON: Uh-huh.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: So I don't see a way to avoid
court in here if people don't grant easements. We could -- We can,
however, not participate in a lawsuit by giving these people back
their property, and then they can all go sue each other. The other
people can sue them --
MR. WEIGEL: Yeah.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: -- but we could be out of it.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: But we're out of it.
MR. WEIGEL: Yeah. That's -- That's exactly right. And
another thing is, as I mentioned, our interest exists on paper. We
didn't build the road that's out there. But I will say from a
liability standpoint that as a record owner out there, if something
should happen --
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Right.
MR. WEIGEL: -- we'd be named in the lawsuit, whatever
-- whatever might occur out there. So to that extent, we maybe don't
have an incentive to keep this interest as it is right now.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: It seems to me if -- if they gave
the land to the county for the purpose of building a road which the
county didn't build and even sent them a letter saying that we had
abandoned it, we --
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: It's theirs.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: -- we don't have much to say that
we have an interest in it.
MR. WEIGEL: No. What the board could do today just so
there's something recordable would -- conceivably would be a quitclaim
deed which merely says, whatever interest we have, which may be
nothing, we convey back to you.
And, incidentally, Mr. Waltson, I think is his name, had
indicated that there was some easements on the property in the first
place, and it's very possible that those easements are some of the
same interests that are addressing themselves in the letters of
objection today, and they may survive our quitclaiming whatever
interest we have anyway. I don't think there's been -- I wouldn't
expect that there's been a merger so -- because typically easements
exist separate from fee. So we may not have quite the problem that we
thought we did at first anyhow.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: So those easements you say
continue to run with this land regardless?
MR. WEIGEL: If they existed -- If they existed
separately and -- and prior to his quitclaim to the county for the --
for the road HSTU purposes, they would continue to exist.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: If we quitclaim back to them
their property, whatever its condition was on the date of their
quitclaim -- their deed to us, it reverts to that condition. If there
were -- If there were easements at that point in time, then they will
continue. If there weren't, they won't.
MR. WEIGEL: And if new interests occurred in the
meantime, we're not touching those either. COMHISSIONER MAC'KIE: Exactly.
MR. WEIGEL: We're just giving what we have, what little
there may be.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Which one Florida Statute says we
ought to do.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Yeah.
MR. WEIGEL: Well, yeah.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Yeah.
MR. WEIGEL: That's a great incentive. To -- To clear
the record, that's all we would be doing based on that statute.
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: Close the public hearing?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: The public hearing is closed. Is
there a motion?
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: Yes. I'll make a motion that we
quitclaim our fee simple interest in these road right-of-ways.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Very lawyerly. Second.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Wow.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: That's an insult if ever I've
heard one. I have a point of information.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: You're going to wind up with a
law degree, Commissioner Norris. COMMISSIONER NORRIS: Oh, no.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Oh, no? Commissioner Hancock,
you have a quick comment?
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: I did notice in the staff report
that utilities has issued an objection because of a water line
extending across the property. By taking this action, are we still
going to have access to maintenance of that water line?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: There's a utility easement that
was originally on it. What kind of easement is that?
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: And was that water line contained
within that utility easement? If not, we're going to have to come
back and provide some type of easement to a water line that's under --
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Mr. Norris --
MR. HULLER: Right. I'm not privy to that -- that
utility easement that existed prior to. The only easement that I've
seen prior to is that easement provided, the 1967 one.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: So, Mr. Norris, in our quitclaim
of the fee back to these people, we could reserve any necessary
easement for access to the existing utility line. Would you agree to
that?
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: I would amend my motion to include
that, actually.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: And so would the second.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. Does that solve our
problem, Mr. Mullet?
MR. HULLER: Drainage concerns that they've indicated --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Drainage.
MR. HULLER: They have drainage concerns, the property
owners?
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: No, they don't.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: No, they don't.
COHMISSIONER HAC'KIE: They don't --
MR. HULLER: They don't?
COHMISSIONER HAC'KIE: -- want it. No.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: No. No, they don't. So --
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: You're confusing them with the
rest of the county.
MR. HULLER: The rest of the day.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: That will take care of this one.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We have a motion and a second to
quitclaim the county's fee simple interest in these right-of-ways back
to the original property owners, reserving -- Help me.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS:
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE:
existing drainage.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK:
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS:
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE:
COHMISSIONER NORRIS:
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS:
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE:
Drainage.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS:
Access --
An easement for access to the
Nope. Existing water line.
Water line.
Pardon me.
Utility. Utilities.
God. I said the "D" word again.
If there's no further discussion,
I'll call the question. All in favor, please say aye. Opposed?
There being none, motion passes five to zero.
MS. WALTSON: The private road now.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: I'm -- I'm sorry, ma'am. The --
The public hearing is no longer open. So you're going to have to take
that up with our staff, and Mr. Weigel's office will do his best to
answer your questions.
Item #12C7
TENTATIVE RATE INCREASE, PUBLIC COMMENT AND REVISED RATES FOR THE MARCO
WATER AND SEWER DISTRICT - CONTINUED TO 11/14/95
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: Madam Chairman, on this next item,
I've had a request from some citizens to delay this for two weeks -- I
guess it would be three weeks probably. If -- If this is not a
time-critical item, I wonder if we could do that for the citizens.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Mr. Conrecode, is it time
critical?
MR. CONRECODE: No.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: No.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: If that's a motion, I'll second
it.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We have a motion and a second to
continue item 12C(7) for -- Did you say three weeks, Mr. -- Mr.
Norris?
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: Well, wouldn't that be the next
public hearing date?
MR. CONRECODE: November 14 is the next public hearing
date.
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: Three weeks.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Three weeks. Okay we have a
motion to continue 12C(7) for three weeks. I have a second. I guess I
need to close the public hearing, or we never opened the hearing.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS:
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS:
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE:
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS:
please say aye.
Opposed?
We never opened it. Okay.
It's long. We're tired.
It's long. All those in favor,
There being none, motion passes five to zero.
Next item is 12C(8), reconsideration -- That was
withdrawn.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: 12C(9) has already been handled.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: 12C(9) is done. (10) is
continued. Next item is 13A(1). That's continued.
Item #13A2
RESOLUTION 95-613 RE PETITION CU-95-12, JOHN J. DALY REPRESENTING THE
COLLIER COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS REQUESTING A CONDITIONAL
USE 2.6.35.5.1.3 IN THE ESTATES ZONING DISTRICT FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF
AN EXISTING 280 FOOT GUYED COMMUNICATION TOWER FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT
THE NORTHEAST INTERSECTION OF COUNTY BARN ROAD AND CREWS ROAD - ADOPTED
13A(2), petition CU-95-12, Mr. Daly representing the
Collier County Board of Commissioners.
MR. MILK: Good afternoon, Commissioners. For the
record --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: You're not --
MR. MILK: -- my name is Bryan Milk.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I didn't think you were Mr. Daly.
MR. MILK: I am presenting petition CU-95-12. Mr. John
Daly, communications manager of Collier County, is requesting
conditional use two six three five one three for the replacement of an
existing 280-foot guyed communication tower located on property
commonly referred as the County Barn located at the northeast
intersection of County Barn Road and Crews Road. The existing
280-foot guyed communication tower is a legal nonconforming tower
requiring replacement due to its age and due to the --
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Excuse me, Mr. Milk. We're --
We're -- We're replacing an old tower with an identical new one?
MR. MILK: That's correct. Identical new tower.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Are there speakers, Mr. HcNees?
MR. HCNEES: No, Madam Chairman.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I'll close the public hearing.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Motion to approve the item.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Second.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We have a motion and a second to
approve the item. All those in favor please say aye. Opposed?
There being none, motion passes 5-0.
Item #13A3
PETITION V-95-14, EDWALD RAUSCHHAIR AND DIETER HOLE REQUESTING A 1.15
FOOT AFTER-THE-FACT VARIANCE FROM THE REQUIRED 10 FOOT REAR YARD
ACCESSORY STRUCTURE SETBACK TO 8.85 FEET; A 3.7 FOOT VARIANCE FROM THE
REQUIRED SIDE YARD SETBACK OF 7.5 FEET TO 3.8 FEET; AND A .70 FOOT
VARIANCE FROM THE REQUIRED SIDE YARD SETBACK OF 7.5 FEET TO 6.8 FEET
FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT 630 103RD AVENUE NORTH, LOT 33, BLOCK 25,
NAPLES PARK, UNIT 3 - DENIED
Next item is -- Where the devil are we?
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: 13A(3).
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: -- 13A(3), petition V-95-14.
MR. BELLOWS: Ray Bellows, for the record --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Mr. Bellows.
MR. BELLOWS: -- planning services staff presenting
petition V-95-14. Challenger Pools requesting an after-the-fact
variance of 1.15 feet from the required 10-yard [sic] Rear yard
accessory structure setback, and they're also requesting a 3.7-foot
and a .70-foot variance from the required 7 1/2-foot side yard
setback.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Mr. Bellows, what is the
accessory structure here? COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: A Fool.
MR. BELLOWS: A Fool cage. The Fool cage encroaches
1.15 feet.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: How long has it been constructed
and completed?
MR. BELLOWS: Let's see. The spot survey was done on
Hay of '95. It was completed around that time.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: The spot survey --
MR. BELLOWS: April. This pool was completed in April.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: It looks to me like the Fool does
not extend beyond a line consistent with the edge of the home; is that
correct?
MR. BELLOWS: That's correct.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Okay. The rear yard setback
being -- MR. BELLOWS: So we're not encroaching more on the sides
than the existing house.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: You're not going any closer to
the property line with the structure than the home originally did? MR. BELLOWS: That is correct.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: The only difference is the rear
yard which is going within -- what -- a foot? MR. BELLOWS: That's -- Yeah. 1.15.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: As much as I'm not a fan of
variances, it doesn't appear that the pool deck itself encroaches any
further from the existing home, and it's -- it's fairly consistent
with what's already there.
MR. BELLOWS: Yeah. The planning commission recommended
approval.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Commissioner Norris, I know
from time to time you've been Mr. Heany-pants on these after-the-fact
variances. I'd just be looking there's some guidance --
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: We did make them saw one off here
recently.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS:
COHHISSIONER MAC'KIE:
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS:
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE:
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK:
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS:
land-related --
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE:
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS:
We did.
We sure as heck did.
We sure did make them saw it off.
That's consistency.
Where --
Where's the -- Where's the
-- hardship?
-- hardship other than they built
too big a house on a small lot?
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Well, then we're not -- We're not
cutting the house into pieces. We're just talking the pool here; is
that correct?
MR. BELLOWS: That's correct. On our staff report, our
staff's recommendation was approval of the side yard encroachments but
denial of the rear.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: And that's what I was about to
get to. Is -- Is someone here that can answer, can we shave the foot
-- 1.15 feet off the rear without getting into the wall of the pool?
MR. ESQUINALDO: For the record, I'm Bruce Esquinaldo
from Challenger Pools, contractor. It's got a retaining wall in the
back, so there's a lot more to it. There's the footer, cutting the
retaining wall down, and the pool cage.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: I understand that, but it was the
construction that encroached into a 10-foot yard, and we've
traditionally -- or at least in the last year, have taken a pretty
hard line on after-the-fact variances. I can understand the mistake
on the side since you didn't go beyond the house, but encroaching into
a rear yard setback like that, if that 1.15 feet can be shaved off the
rear without affecting the inner wall of the pool, I need to know
that.
MR. ESQUINALDO: We have a 10-inch bond beam on these
pools, so you have 2 feet on the back. You take off the foot and a
half, and you're cutting into the shell of the pool, the bond beam.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: You were the contractor on this?
MR. ESQUINALDO: Yes, sir.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: How did you make this mistake in
the first place, or was this a mistake?
MR. ESQUINALDO: It -- It was. The original survey that
I was supplied by the homeowner showed that we had enough room to
work. And then when we did the tie-in at the end, we had -- we were
out all over the place.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: What's the date on that survey?
MR. ESQUINALDO: The original?
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Yes.
MR. ESQUINALDO: It was December of 1991.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Who was it prepared by?
MR. ESQUINALDO: It was prepared by --
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Because that's who --
MR. ESQUINALDO: It's certified by Elliot Construction.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Who?
MR. ESQUINALDO: Elliot Construction.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Elliot?
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: But -- Now, you -- off of that
survey -- MR. ESQUINALDO: I'm sorry. It's certified to Elliot
Construction.
COHHISSIONER HAC'KIE: By.
COHHISSIONER HANCOCK: Off that survey, did your company
then stake out the ten feet from the known corner points of the lot
and claim that as the edge of the pool?
MR. ESQUINALDO: We built off the house.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Okay. So you measured off of the
house based on that survey and found yourself a foot into the rear
yard?
MR. ESQUINALDO: Yes.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Why wouldn't you measure off the
property lines?
MR. ESQUINALDO: The -- They have two picket fences up
in the back there along with landscaping. I -- Believing that the
survey was true and correct, we wanted to keep a true five-foot
measurement off the house, the size of the pool, and then the true two
feet of deck in the back, and then when they had the surveyor go out
in Hay, that's when we found out that the house was off from the
original one. The house actually encroached before we got there and
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: So you have another survey that
actually shows that the survey you were provided is incorrect?
MR. ESQUINALDO: I have the original survey here.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Okay. But you said you went out
and surveyed, and you found the house is not in the position that that
survey indicates?
HR. ESQUINALDO: Yes.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE:
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS:
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE:
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS:
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE:
That had been resolved before.
Action Surveys, I think is it.
That's who did ours.
Oh. That's who did ours.
That's who did the one we have.
I can't read the other one.
MR. ESQUINALDO:
found out everything else.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE:
MR. ESQUINALDO: Yeah.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE:
anybody inappropriately.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK:
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE:
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS:
speakers?
Action Surveys is the one who -- who
That's the good guy.
I didn't want to disparage
Again.
Again?
Mr. HcNees, are there any
HR. HCNEES: Yes, ma'am. We have one, Vera Fitz-Gerald.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Hiss Fitz-Gerald.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: You want me to give your
statement for you, Vera?
MS. FITZ-GERALD: I just really want to go home.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Where is the pool going to
drain to?
MS. FITZ-GERALD: I'm Vera Fitz-Gerald, and I live in
Naples Park. Doug HcGilvra was going to speak also, but Doug had to
go home. If you believe this was an accident, you've got to believe
in the tooth fairy too. I'm looking at this survey, and it says at
the back where it shows this line -- in the front -- sorry. The front
of the home is 5.6. The back line is 4.3, but that's only concrete
slab. They aren't part of the wall of the structures, and they're
allowed to build those closer. Now, there was a while there in Naples
Park when some developers had the setbacks moved to 5 feet instead of
7 1/2 feet, and not long -- oh, maybe last year -- we had that changed
back to 7 1/2 feet. It might have been two years ago. I don't know.
But -- So this house is probably built at the point where it was 5
feet, so the house is fine. But I see that they have got their --
what do you call that -- pool enclosure -- they want to build it 3.7
or 3.8 feet from the lot line?
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: It is built.
MS. FITZ-GERALD: Yes, it is. Sorry. That's after the
fact. Well, I want to bring this to your attention, that two years
ago a young couple came here for a variance, and they had built an
enclosure, a lanai, about the same distance, around three feet, and,
of course, we read this and marshalled our forces and came down, and
the commission said no. They had to take it down.
This is the same sort of thing. They want to put this
pool enclosure -- If you don't have enough room, you don't build it.
Either Challenger Pools are totally incompetent or they decided that
this was a way to get around it. What you do is you build it first.
Then you come down to the county and say, oh, gee, I've already built
it, and it's going to cost me so much money to tear it down.
Hardship. Oh, please let me leave it up. Well, I'm telling you, I've
got a patio on the east side of my home, and it's about three feet
from the lot line. Now, if you let them keep this enclosure, I want
one. Okay? And so --
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: You have to go build it first,
Vera.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: You have to go build it first,
Vera.
MS. FITZ-GERALD: And then come down and whine about how
poor I am. So I'm sorry. We are absolutely adamantly opposed to any
variations after the fact. If you know you don't have enough room,
come down and ask for a variation before you do it. Don't come down
here and pull this line that we made a mistake. Even I can read a
tape measure and -- and that -- that's absurd, and our position -- The
property owners -- I don't know if I can speak for them. No, I can't.
Sorry. I'm speaking for myself. I'm opposed. Okay?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you, Miss Fitz-Gerald. Is
that our last speaker, Mr. McNees?
MR. MCNEES: Yes, it is.
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: There's nobody else in the room.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: I -- I find it --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I just have to make it formal.
I'm going to close the public hearing.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: I find that more times than not
we end up in this position, and we feel like we're hurting, in fact,
the homeowner when it was not the homeowner's responsibility to stake
the legal boundaries in which this pool and cage could have been
built. It was the responsibility of the contractor to verify that
information. I know from being in the building industry that a survey
that is over 12 months old is not considered valid. As someone who
builds pools on a daily basis, you see a survey more than 12 months
old, I would think it would be worth the $120 to have it staked by a
surveyor as to where your -- your perimeter boundaries are, and you
there have a check-and-balance system, and you're not caught.
I guess -- Mr. Weigel, in a situation like this, if we
deny the variance and the pool has to be sucked into conforming with
the side yard setbacks and the rear yard setback, do we know who is
going to bear that cost, or is that between the homeowner and the --
the contractor?
MR. WEIGEL: Yeah. That's -- That's a private property
interest between the homeowner and the contractor and anyone else
involved.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: Has the homeowner paid you for
the completion of the pool yet? MR. ESQUINALDO: Yes.
COMHISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Well, I -- I don't think we
need to get into that. I mean, either it's right or wrong --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: It's either right or wrong.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: -- and there is a hardship or
there isn't and --
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: I just hate putting these people
in court because the contractor messed up and that -- you know, that's
where we end up. I'm not disagreeing with you. I'm just -- That --
That's ludicrous.
COMHISSIONER CONSTANTINE: The last thing I want to do
is play attorney, but I suspect they probably can blame the contractor
in court if they need to do that, but hopefully they'll all work
together and make this work out beautifully.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: The public hearing is closed. Is
there a motion?
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: Let's see. Mr. Bellows on the
two --
COMHISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Motion to deny.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We have a motion.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: Okay. Are we -- Are we going to
deny all the side yard and so forth? Because we have -- On the front
of the house, we have a 5 1/2-yard setback on the -- as we're looking
on the right-hand side. The requirement of 7 1/2 was encroached upon
when that was built. Well, it says 5 1/2 here.
MS. FITZ-GERALD: I know, but that was changed. It used
to be 5, but then they moved it to 7 1/2.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: Right. I know. That has come in
after --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Miss -- Miss Fitz-Gerald --
MS. FITZ-GERALD: I know.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: -- You know, you --
MS. FITZ-GERALD: Shut up.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: -- we already cleared this. Yeah.
When the house was built, it was a 5 -- 5-foot setback. It is now 7
1/2 foot.
COMHISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Mr. Bellows, you had
recommended -- Okay.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We're only dealing with the pool.
MR. BELLOWS: On the side setback because it's in
conformance with the existing structure.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I'll make a motion to deny on
the rear setback.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: I'll second.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. We have a motion to deny
on the rear setback. So the side setback you're -- you're accepting?
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Sure.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. So that is staff's
recommendation? Is that where we're at?
MR. BELLOWS: Staff's original recommendation was
approval of the side setbacks and denial of the rear. The Planning
Commission approved all set -- encroachments, all variances, and they
-- Hearing that you want to deny the rear but approve the sides.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: Mr. Constantine, would you be
willing to amend to also require a side yard setback of 5 1/2 feet on
the west side, I guess it is, where the -- currently the garage is
built 5 1/2 feet from the property line? I just want those to be
consistent because currently it's only 3.8 feet from the property
line.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Yes, I would.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK:
second.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS:
one of the sides?
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK:
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS:
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK:
Okay. I'll -- I'll amend the
So we are denying the variance on
Denying --
Is that what we're doing?
If I understand the motion, we're
denying the rear yard setback, and that needs to conform to 10 feet.
And the -- Help me out here. I think it's the west. Yeah. The west
side of the pool, which is at 3.8 feet, needs to conform to a minimum
of 5 1/2 feet.
MR. BELLOWS: We can also improve the side yard
encroachments administratively since they don't exceed the current
encroachment of the building, depending on how you want to --
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: So we can deny the rear yard and
administratively require that the side yard encroachments not exceed
what's currently in place?
MR. BELLOWS: That's correct.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: Does that make it easier?
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I'll withdraw my motion.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Is there a motion?
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: Make a motion to deny petition
V-95-14 with the requirement that the rear yard setback be conformed
to and the side yard setbacks not exceed what currently exists on
site.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Is there a second?
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: Second. Second.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We have a motion and a second to
deny petition V-95-14 with stipulations. I'm going to call the
question. All those in favor, please say aye. Opposed?
There being none, motion passes five to zero.
Item #13A4
RESOLUTION 95-614 RE PETITION CUP-94-11, HOYT HOLEBROOKS REPRESENTING
LAKE TRAFFORD BAPTIST CHURCH, REQUESTING AN EXTENSION OF A CONDITIONAL
USE "7" IN THE "A" AGRICULTURAL ZONING DISTRICT TO ALLOW FOR A CHURCH
EXPANSION THAT HAS PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED CONDITIONAL USE APPROVAL FOR
PROPERTY ON THE WEST SIDE OF CARSON ROAD NORTH OF LAKE TRAFFORD ROAD IN
IHMOKALEE - ADOPTED
These are getting tough. Next item is 12 -- 13A(4),
petition CU-94-11, which is an extension of conditional use 7.
MR. BELLOWS: Yeah. Ray Bellows, again, for the record.
The petitioner is requesting his first of a one-year extension.
COHHISSIONER HAC'KIE: May I interrupt to ask -- This
seems to me to be imminently approvable, and I'd like to make a motion
to do that unless --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I've got to close the public
hearing first. Are there public speakers?
There are none. I'll close the public hearing. Is there
a motion?
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE:
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK:
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS:
approve petition CU-94-11.
Opposed?
Move approval.
Second.
We have a motion and a second to
All in favor, please say aye.
Hotion passes five to zero.
HR. BELLOWS: Thank you.
Item #14
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS' COMMUNICATIONS
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: That concludes our agenda. We're
at communications. Commissioner Norris.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Nothing.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Hancock.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: No way.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Hac'Kie.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: No, ma'am.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Constantine.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I have four items, but I'll
eliminate one of them.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: How gracious of you.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Only one? You've only had three
the whole time.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: A couple of things. I think
you're all aware of this, but I heard this morning, and I understand
it was on yesterday afternoon's radio news as well -- I heard Mr.
Conrecode quoted as saying he was looking into a revised version of
the $80 million stormwater utility that we turned down a couple of
years ago.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: He didn't say that.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: He did say that. It was his
voice saying it. It wasn't just a misquote.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Not the $80 million part.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Anyway --
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I just said a revised version
of the $80 million one. COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Okay.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I'm not sure that the board
directed him to do that. I also might suggest -- I know the water
district -- water management district is currently in the middle year
of a three-year study --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Five-year study.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: -- that -- They're in the
middle of a study --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Yeah.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: -- that perhaps we want to
participate in rather than trying to re-invent the wheel. They're
already halfway through that and maybe for -- it's not an expensive
thing. Haybe for a minimal participation, $20,000 $25,000, we may be
able to share in that and work hand in hand with them to come up with
something long term, but I think rather than trying to pick and choose
some parts from a failed policy of two years ago, that might be a
better direction.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Okay. I'm glad you brought that
subject up because I think now our water is receding, and we can get
back to a little more -- to an ability to have a calm conversation
about drainage issues. I think that's exactly what we should do, and
rather than have some real elaborate program that's been proposed in
the past, I think we should sit down, take a look at our priorities of
what we need to do to help our drainage situation in the county and
then address those things on a priority list. I mean, obviously
you've got to look at something like the Lely outfall canal which is a
problem, and it drains a major portion of our square miles urban area,
and with the road improvements that are coming, that situation is
going to be exacerbated. So, you know, that -- that certainly has got
to be in the top one of the priority list. COMHISSIONER MAC'KIE: Absolutely.
COMHISSIONER NORRIS: And that's what I think we should
do, and I think we should do it fairly quickly while -- because I know
there's going to be a lot of lead time in getting into any of these
big drainage issues. I think we should -- We should have our staff
bring forward something, you know, reasonably soon, and let's start
prioritizing.
COMHISSIONER CONSTANTINE: My suggestion was going to be
that, that we ask them to come forward, maybe sometime in November,
and we can begin that process.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: The Big Cypress Basin Board
meeting is this Friday, and if this board wants, I'll certainly be
glad to ask them what their study plans are for their primary and
secondary works of the basin, and I am aware at this point that they
have applied for FEMA funds to deepen the 951 canal and to try to get
that flowing south from Immokalee Road instead of the portion that's
supposed to flow north but somehow never does and -- But I'll be glad
to get information from them Friday on what their proposed works of
the basin are.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Two other items, both very,
very brief. One, good news. Within probably two or three weeks, we
should have -- knock on wood -- our foreign trade zone agreement back
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Oh, good.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: -- and for some sort of final
vote. I -- I think we are where we need to be on that through a great
deal of work and compromise on a whole lot of people's part. So
that's good news, and hopefully early in November we'll see a final
format on that.
And, finally, there's an item that will -- I guess we
may have to look at November 7 because the -- She isn't here today,
but I just need staff to be aware. Special Olympics has an event
coming up in November. They have some minimal signage requirements,
and there's four signs at 42 bucks a pop or something. It's some
minimal cost, but they're looking for a waiver on that, and I don't
know how we go about that, if we can go about that, or where else the
money comes if we go about that, but we can look at that. Their event
is in mid November, so we need to do that, I think, at the next
meeting, and I'll get with you on the details.
MR. MCNEES: If you'll let me know who the contact
person is, we'll get in touch with the appropriate people.
COMHISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Thanks.
MR. MCNEES: Madam Chairman, I have one item under
communications --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. I --
MR. MCNEES: -- as much as I hate to.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I have one item myself, and that
is, probably all of you have been hearing a good bit about a juvenile
detention center with assessment center, and it's my anticipation that
this board will be discussing that on November the 7th, and as soon as
additional information comes in, I'll make it available to you, but
it's going to be an interesting project.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: Yeah, because we need more law
enforcement projects. We don't have enough cost problems.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Isn't it going to be nice,
though, to have something that assesses our juveniles before they get
into the court system?
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I don't know.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Yes, it is.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: You want to get them into the
court system?
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: No. It just sounds like a
wish.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Mr. HcNees.
MR. HCNEES: I'll put this in the late-breaking news
category. FEMA contacted our community development folks this
afternoon, and they're interested in putting some of their travel
trailers -- I believe it's at the Harmony Shores Park right up the
street here which is largely vacant at this time. They're asking about
waiver of impact fees, given that this is going to be a temporary use
and that those travel trailers will be removed. Staff obviously feels
like that's a great idea but doesn't want administratively to even say
waiver of impact fees. They are bringing that, and I suggested maybe I
could bring it up to you this afternoon. You won't be meeting next
week, so we can't really put it on the agenda. And just for your
affirmation that you don't have any problem with the concept of
allowing FEMA to install those purely temporary travel trailers
without assessing them impact fees. COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Go.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: But isn't that an existing
permitted park anyway? Why would there be impact fees?
MR. HCNEES: It would depend on whether -- if there are
vacant slots for which fees had not ever been paid, fees would be due.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: But the facilities are in place?
MR. HCNEES: Yes, as I understand it.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Yeah. The facilities are already
there. So why --
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Probably --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: If they've already tapped, I
don't know --
MR. HCNEES: There may be -- There may not be fees due
for all of them. There may be a case where they're going to exceed
the existing fee to capacity so to speak --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. I understand.
MR. HCNEES: -- and I just want to cover that base.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: If the need comes to this board
to waive that for a temporary nature for these trailers, I'm
supportive of that.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Mr. Weigel, there's no problem
with our waiving those fees -- MR. WEIGEL: No.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: -- after the fact?
MR. WEIGEL: No.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. Good.
MR. HCNEES: Even before the fact.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I guess you've got your
direction.
MR. HCNEES: Thank you very much.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Mr. Weigel, is there anything?
MR. WEIGEL: I've said quite enough today. Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Miss Filson.
MS. FILSON: We're adjourned.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We're adjourned.
***** Commissioner Constantine moved, seconded by Commissioner
Hancock, and carried unanimously, that the following items under the
consent agenda be approved and/or adopted with the stipulation that
Item #16A1 and Item #16A10 be approved as long as the companion item is
approved on the regular agenda (Commissioner Hac'Kie abstained on Item
#16A1 for a vote of 4/0) *****
Item #16A1
FINAL PLAT OF "WALDEN SHORES" (COMPANION TO ITEM #12C5) - WITH
STIPULATIONS, CASH BOND AND CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT
See Pages
Item #16A2
WATER FACILITIES ACCEPTANCE FOR LA PENINSULA BUILDING 400 - WITH
STIPULATIONS AND CASH BOND
O.R. Book Pages
Item #16A3
WATER FACILITIES ACCEPTANCE FOR RUBY TUESDAY AT NORTH BAY - WITH
STIPULATIONS AND CASH BOND
O.R. Book Pages
Item #16A4
FINAL PLAT OF "KENSINGTON PARK, PHASE TWO" - WITH STIPULATIONS;
CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT AND LETTER OF CREDIT
See Pages
Item #16A5
RESOLUTION 95-602 GRANTING FINAL ACCEPTANCE OF ROADWAY, DRAINAGE, WATER
AND SEWER IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE FINAL PLAT OF "HORR'S ISLAND A/K/A KEY
MARCO" AND RELEASE OF SECURITY
See Pages
Item #16A6
FINAL PLAT OF "MARNICK CORNER" - WITH STIPULATION
Item #16A7
RESOLUTION 95-603 GRANTING FINAL ACCEPTANCE OF ROADWAY, DRAINAGE, WATER
AND SEWER IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE FINAL PLAT OF "PARKWAY PLAZA REPLAT" AND
RELEASE OF SECURITY
See Pages
Item #16A8
APPROVAL OF ADDITIONAL CONTRACTORS TO THE LIST OF PRE-QUALIFIED
CONTRACTORS PERMITTED TO WORK ON PROJECTS FUNDED BY THE COLLIER COUNTY
RESIDENTIAL REHABILITATION PROGRAM (RFP #94-2280)
Item #16A9
RESOLUTION 95-604 PRO-RATING AND CENCELLING CURRENT TAXES AND
RESOLUTION 95-605 APPROVING SATISFACTION OF LIEN FOR ACCOUNT NO. 5322
FOR THE SOLID WASTE COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL SERVICES SPECIAL
ASSESSMENT; AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF QUIT CLAIM DEED AND SATISFACTION
OF LIENS RE THE CONVEYANCE OF REAL PROPERTY LOCATED IN CRAIGIS
SUBDIVISION, T50S, R5E, SECTION 14
See Pages
Item #16A10
FINAL PLAT OF "QUAIL WOODS COURTYARDS" (COMPANION TO ITEM #12C4) - WITH
STIPULATIONS AND CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT
See Pages
Item #16B1
CHANGE ORDER NO. 2 IN THE AMOUNT OF $82,535.00 FOR COUNTY-WIDE DITCH
BANK CLEARING PROJECT - PHASE IV CONTRACTED TO MONROE TREE SERVICE
See Pages
Item #16B2
SELECTION COMMITTEE TO BEGIN NEGOTIATIONS WITH INTENT TO ENTER INTO AN
ENGINEERING SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH KISSINGER, CAMP AND ASSOCIATES RE
RFP #95-2430, BRIDGE AND STRUCTURE REPAIRS
Item #16B3 - This item has been deleted
Item #16B4
AGREEMENT FOR THE ACQUISITION OF A TEMPORARY BEACH RESTORATION EASEMENT
AND AN ACCESS EASEMENT ACROSS THE LAST REMAINING VACANT LOT ON
VANDERBILT BEACH - WITH STIPULATIONS
See Pages
Item #16B5
AWARD CONTRACT FOR BID NO. 95-2427, TO FLORIDA DREDGE & DOCK, INC., IN
THE AMOUNT OF $215,891.12 FOR WIGGING PASS MAINTENANCE DREDGING
Item #16B6
CHANGE ORDER NO. 2 TO CONTRACT NO. 94-2253, BEACH CLEANING OPERATIONS
ON MARCO ISLAND
See Pages
Item #16C1
RESOLUTION 95-606 RE THE EXPENDITURE OF COUNTY FUNDS NOT TO EXCEED ONE
HUNDRED DOLLARS TO PURCHASE A PLAQUE TO RECOGNIZE OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEER
SERVICES OF THE CALUSA GARDEN CIVIC GROUP
See Pages
Item #16C2 - This item has been deleted
Item #16C3 - This item moved to Item #8C3
Item #16D1
BUDGET AMENDMENT REQUEST TRANSFERRING $103,000 FROM GAC LAND TRUST
(FUND 605) RESERVES TO THE APPROPRIATE OPERATING EXPENSE ACCOUNT IN
ORDER TO PROVIDE FUNDS TO COMPLETE THE SHERIFFS' OFFICE MULTIPURPOSE
TRAINING FACILITY
Item #16D2
AWARD BID #95-2433 - REBID, AVIATION FUEL, TO BELL FUELS, INC.
Item #16D3
LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN GTE MOBILNET OF TAMPA, INC. AND COLLIER COUNTY
FOR THE USE OF COUNTY-OWNED VACANT LAND IN IMHOKALEE TO ACCOMMODATE A
RADIO TOWER AS PART OF THE 800 MHZ RADIO SYSTEM
See Pages
Item #16D4
RESOLUTION 95-607 RE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT
OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS AND COLLIER COUNTY RE MONIES AVAILABLE IN THE
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PREPAREDNESS AND ASSISTANCE FUND
See Pages
Item #16El
BUDGET AMENDMENT RECOGNIZING CARRY FORWARD REVENUE FOR BOTH AIRPORT
AUTHORITY SHERIFF DWELLINGS E-AIP-94-7 AND I-AIP-94-9
Item #16E2
INTERLOCAL GOVERNMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN EVERGLADES CITY, COLLIER COUNTY
AIRPORT AUTHORITY AND BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
See Pages
Item #16E3
BUDGET AMENDMENT 95-588 AND 96-23
Item #16G1
SATISFACTIONS OF LIEN FOR SERVICES OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER
See Pages
Item #1662
MISCELLANEOUS CORRESPONDENCE - FILED AND/OR REFERRED
The following miscellaneous correspondence as presented by the
Board of County Commissioners has been directed to the various
departments as indicated:
Item #1611 - Continued to 11/7/95
There being no further business for the good of the County, the
meeting was adjourned by order of the Chair at 5:49 p.m.
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS/EX
OFFICIO GOVERNING BOARD(S) OF
SPECIAL DISTRICTS UNDER ITS
CONTROL
BETTYE J. MATTHEWS, CHAIRPERSON
ATTEST:
DWIGHT E. BROCK, CLERK
These minutes approved by the Board on
as presented or as corrected
TRANSCRIPT PREPARED ON BEHALF OF DONOVAN COURT REPORTING
BY: Barbara A. Donovan and Christine E. Whitfield