CCPC Minutes 02/26/2010 LDC
February 26, 2010
TRANSCRIPT OF THE MEETING OF THE
COLLIER COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION
Naples, Florida
February 26,2010
LET IT BE REMEMBERED, that the Collier County Planning
Commission, in and for the County of Collier, having conducted
business herein, met on this date at 8:30 a.m. in SPECIAL SESSION
in Building "F" of the Government Complex, East Naples, Florida,
with the following members present:
CHAIRMAN: Mark Strain
Donna Reed-Caron
Tor Kolflat
Paul Midney (absent)
Bob Murray
Brad Schiffer
Robert Vigliotti
David 1. W olf1ey
Karen Homiak
ALSO PRESENT:
Jeffrey Klatzkow, County Attorney
David Weeks, Comprehensive Planning Manager
Ray Bellows, Zoning Manager
Thomas Eastman, CC School District, Real Property Director
Page 1
AGENDA
COLLIER COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION WILL MEET AT 8:30 A.M., FRIDAY, February 26, 2010, IN
THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING ROOM, ADMINISTRATION BUILDING,
COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER, 3301 TAMIAMI TRAIL EAST, NAPLES, FLORIDA:
NOTE: INDIVIDUAL SPEAKERS WILL BE LIMITED TO 5 MINUTES ON ANY
ITEM. INDIVIDUALS SELECTED TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF AN ORGANIZATION OR
GROUP ARE ENCOURAGED AND MAYBE ALLOTTED 10 MINUTES TO SPEAK ON AN
ITEM IF SO RECOGNIZED BY THE CHAIRMAN. PERSONS WISHING TO HAVE
WRITTEN OR GRAPHIC MATERIALS INCLUDED IN TilE CCPC AGENDA PACKETS
MUST SUBMIT SAID MATERIAL A MINIMUM OF 10 DAYS PRIOR TO THE
RESPECTIVE PUBLIC HEARING. IN ANY CASE, WRITTEN MATERIALS INTENDED TO
BE CONSIDERED BY THE CCPC SIIALL BE SUBMITTED TO THE APPROPRIATE
COUNTY STAFF A MINIMUM OF SEVEN DA YS PRIOR TO THE PUBLIC HEARING. ALL
MATERIAL USED IN PRESENTATIONS BEFORE THE CCPC WILL BECOME A
PERMANENT PART OF THE RECORD AND WILL BE A V AILABLE FOR PRESENTATION
TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IF APPLICABLE.
ANY PERSON WHO DECIDES TO APPEAL A DECISION OF TIlE CCPC WILL
NEED A RECORD OF THE PROCEEDINGS PERTAINING THERETO, AND THEREFORE
MAY NEED TO ENSURE THAT A VERBATIM RECORD OF THE PROCEEDINGS IS
MADE, WHICH RECORD INCLUDES THE TESTIMONY AND EVIDENCE UPON WHICH
THE APPEAL IS TO BE BASED.
1. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
2. ROLL CALL BY SECRETARY
3. PLANNING COMMISSION ABSENCES
4. ADVERTISED PUBLIC HEARINGS
A. Land Development Code (LDC) Amendments:
Subsection Descriotion Author Publication Sum. Pape
2.03.03 E.I C-5 Commercial Sumical MfQ. IPL2009-49I) R. Y ovanovich Januarv 28-Pktl F 59
2.03.04 A.l.a Industrial Zoninl! Districts (PL2009-338) A. Pires Januarv 28-Pktl G 57
... .... . ..... .
3.05.07 A-B Native vegetation Definition Single-Family Lcnberger January 28-Pktl N 143
Preserve Setback Clarification
3.05.07 H.l.b Preserve Dimensional Criteria Lenberger Januarv 28-Pktl 0 151
3.05.07 H.l.d Conservation Mechanisms Lemberger Januarv 28-Pktl 0 155
3.05.07 H.l.e Created Preserves, Supplemental Plantings & Lenberger January 28-Pktl P 159
Off Site Preserve Criteria
3.05.07 H.I.2 Preserve Manal!ement Plans Lenberger Januarv 28-Pktl Q 175
5.05.02 MPP-Shoreline Calculations Lcnberger Januarv 20-Pktl BB 199
4.02.01 D.9 Dimcnsional Stanuards for Principal Uses in S. Istcnes January 28-Pktl U 181
Base Zoning Districts-Pool Pumns
4.02.35 B.2 GTMUD, ligures 1 3-4-5 S.Istenes Januarv 28-Pktl V 185
40303.40304 Lot Line Adjuslrnents lstenes January 28- Pkt 1 W 193
10.02.02 nTHlS ITEM HAS BEJi:N \VITHOI<A \\'N--
5.04.04 Model Homes and Sales Centers Weeks Januarv 28-Pktl Z 197
R.03.0U)oJU3.Ul, Deletion of Advisory Boards $.Istcncs January 28-Pktl DD 203
8.03.02,8.03.03
8.03.04, 8.03.05
8.03.06, 8.03.07
8.03.08. 8.04.00 (Continued from previous page)
8.04.01,8.04.02
8.04.03, 8.04.04
8.04.05, 8.04.06
8.05.00, 8.05.01
8.05.02,8.05.03
8.05.04,8.05.05
8'()6.00,8.06.01
8.06.02,8'()6,O3
8'()6.04, 8,06.05
8.06.06, 8.06.07
8.06,08, 8,06.09
8.06.](},8.07.00
8.07.0l,8.07.02
8.07.03, 8.07.04
8.07.05
2.03.07 G Immokalee Overlay.- Deviation Process! R. Mulhere February 26-Pkt H 1
Interim Standards
10.02.13 Planned Unit Develooment /PUD) Procedures S. Istenes Februarv 26-Pkt HH II
11l.03.05 Noticc Requircments for Public Hearings Befor S. Istenes February 26-Pkt 11 13
thc BCC, Cepc, BZA, EAC, etc..
1.08.01,1.08.02 School Board Concurrency M. Mosca. Fcbruary 26-Pkt JJ 15
4.08.07. 6.02.09 A. Taylor
]0.02.04,
JO.02.07,
JO.04.09,
10.02.12,
JO.02.IJ,
10.04.00
2.03.03 F Travel-Trailcr Rcc Vchicle Campground S. Istcncs February 26-Pkt G 34
(TTRVC).- Park models from 480 to 500 sa.ft.
2.03.071.6 Bavshorc Mixed Use Overlav District /BMUD) S. Istenes Februarv 26-Pkt: I 42
2.03.07 J Goodland Overlav Zonim! District (GZO) S. Istenes Februarv 26-Pkt: I 46
2.04.0{),2'()4.01 Scrivencr's errors from permiued, accessory an S. Istencs February 26-Pkt L 48
2.04.02,2.04.03 conditional table dcconversion.
4.02.02,4.02.29
4.05.02 M Tvoical Off-Strect Parkin\! Desil!l1 - Exhibit A Chrzanowski Februarv 26-PkL X 64
4.05.04 Parkinll Soace Reuuirements S.lstenes Februarv 26-Pkt X 69
4.1l6.01, & Generally ! Clcar Sight Distance S.lstenes February 26-PkL y 73
6.06.05
4.06.05 General Landscaoing Requirements S. Istenes Februarv 26-Pkt Y 79
5.03.02 Fences and Walls S. Istenes Februarv 26-Pkt Z 81
5.n5.0J, 5.04.05 Temporary Use Permits Refonnalted for S. Istenes February 2G-Pkt AA 94
5.04.06,5.04.07 clarification and to allow for processes required
5.04,08, 10.02,0 as a result of revisions to the Sign Code.
(i,and
^~ncndix G
5.05.05 Automobile Service Stations - Returning S. (stenes February 26-Pkt CC 120
portions of codc lost during re-codification;
DSAC found that side and rear selbacks for
properties abutting non-residential to be extrem
and had desire to change Lhem, requesting that
such SSs be broUQht back nexL cycle to evaluate
10.03.05 B & Notice Rcuuirements for Public Hearings S.lstenes Febru~26-Pkt JJ 124
5. OLD BUSINESS
6. NEW BUSINESS
7. ADJOURN
NEXT MEETING DATES
cepe Regular Meeting on Thursday, March 4,2010
cepe LDe Meeting on Wednesday, Mareh 10,2010
ecpc Regular Meeting on Thursday, March 18,2010
2
February 26, 2010
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Good morning, everyone. Welcome
back to a continuation of the very tedious meeting of the Land
Development Code amendments, February 26th, 2010.
Everyone please rise for Pledge of Allegiance.
(Pledge of Allegiance was recited in unison.)
Item #2
ROLL CALL BY SECRETARY
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Will the secretary please do the roll call.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Mr. Eastman?
MR. EASTMAN: Here.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Commissioner Kolflat.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Here.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Commissioner Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I'm here.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Commissioner Midney is
absent.
Commissioner Caron.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Here.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Chairman Strain.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Here.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Commissioner Vigliotti is
present.
Commissioner Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Here.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Commissioner Wolfley.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Here.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Commissioner Homiak.
COMMISSIONER HOMIAK: Here.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you.
Page 2
February 26, 2010
Item #3
PLANNING COMMISSION ABSENCES
Planning Commission absences. Weare meeting once a week
for the entire month of February. We're actually meeting more than
the Board of County Commissioners meets in that regard for meetings.
So we all have to be aware that we need to be here once a week
starting in March.
The first one or next one up is March 4th.
Does anybody know if they are not going to make it here on
March 4th?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: We'll still have a quorum, then.
Our regular meeting is March 4th but on that particular day we're
going to be doing the Immokalee Master Plan.
The meeting that we have after that will most likely be a
continuation of this meeting on March 10th. I won't ask you today if
you are going to be here on the 10th, I'll ask you that on the 4th.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: What a guy.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: After that we have our March 18th is a
regular meeting, and I'm not sure what that is going to involve yet. I
know we have a couple issues on it. So that will be our next regular
meeting.
And then we have another continuation of this LDC meeting, if
we don't finish on the 10th, on March 24th.
The reason we have all these meetings is because we don't seem
to have a code that wants to stay consistent. We just got another
package given to us today. It's the third package of a pile, more of
code amendments. We already have Package 1 and 2. I'm certainly
not faulting staff on any of this, it's just the way things seem to have
evolved. Every year we talk about having way too many
Page 3
February 26,2010
amendments. I honestly wish we didn't have so many because it's sure
making it difficult for people to know what our Code is.
Item #3
ADDENDA TO THE AGENDA
With that in mind, we have some changes to today's agenda that
are being put off 'til March 10th.
The first one is the very first thing that was supposed to be up,
Section 2.03.03 .E.l. It was a private amendment for the C-5
Commercial Surgical Manufacturing. That particular item was
requested to be put off to the March 10th meeting. I didn't see any
reason why we should object to that.
Is that okay? Anybody have any concerns?
If not, the other one that was discussed for being moved to the
March 10th meeting, and Mr. Mulhere is here to, I believe, confirm
that. Yesterday, I think, or the day before, there were some staff
responses to the requested changes for the Immokalee Deviation
Process. And, based on those, I suggested to Bob, rather than us beat
those up back and forth and try to understand them at this meeting,
that he first try to work out those with staff and come back with a
boilerplate of what their -- where they are, you know -- where they
agree and where they don't agree, so we haven't got to go through all
that in the process.
I think that's what you're going to do. Is that right, Bob?
MR. MULHERE: Yes. Bob Mulhere, for the record,
representing the Immokalee CRA on this.
I did talk to my client, Penny Phillippi, and rather than occupy
three or four hours of your time, it's best for us, I think, to -- although
she wasn't very happy, she agreed the best thing for us to do is to get
with staff and see what issues we still had that were of separation.
Page 4
February 26, 2010
And I've already spoken to Susan a couple of times and we're going to
meet on Monday to try to finalize that.
My objective would be to get a revised document out to you all
by Wednesday or Thursday, which would give you enough time
before the 10th.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. And if you find you need more
time and you want to move it until the last meeting in March, I mean,
that's fine, too, Bob.
I think we're served better if --
MR. MULHERE: You are right.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- you guys work out your differences
and we focus on where everybody is in agreement and not, and then
step forward like that.
MR. MULHERE: Yes, that's good. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So, if anybody is here today for the
Immokalee Deviation Standards, they are going to be at least off until
the 10th. That was 2.03.07.G. It was Page 1 of the second book.
And I believe there is one more item. County Attorney is
reviewing Ordinance 08-64. It's a proposal that starts on Page 85.
And I honestly don't -- I think it's 85 of the second book or the first--
it doesn't matter. Whatever Page 85 deals with Ordinance 08-64, I
believe that's going to be put off until at least March 10th as well.
Is that right, Mr. Klatzkow?
MR. KLATZKOW: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I think those are the only changes.
Are there any other changes that staff is suggesting to be delayed
from today's meeting or are we set to go on the rest of it, in order, as
it's written?
MS.ISTENES: Good morning. Susan Istenes.
We have no other changes. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ms. Caron?
COMMISSIONER CARON: Just a question. Page 85 in which
Page 5
February 26,2010
book, did we say?
MR. KLATZKOW: That was my book, but I got so many now.
This was the parking exemption.
COMMISSIONER CARON: The parking. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And it looks like it's in the first book,
from what I can tell. Okay.
These books, in the future, and I know this won't affect this
amendment cycle, but maybe we ought to run a continuous series of
numbers instead of starting each book over with one, or two, dash one,
so we have a Book 2 starting with Page 1, something of that nature, to
keep a better track.
MS. ISTENES: It is actually one book. It just, you know, it
sounds like a lot, but it's just divided, otherwise it would be in one,
huge book. So, hopefully, it's making it a little bit easier for you to at
least keep track of the amendments by having them separated.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The only problem I would suggest is
that we start the numbering over with each piece, maybe just run the
numbers in order.
MS. ISTENES: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. First item up is a private
amendment. It's Subsection 2.03.04.A.l.a. Industrial Zoning Districts,
Tony Pires.
Tony, I think the best thing, since it's yours, you can present it.
We'll hear staff's comments and then we'll go into questions.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: What page are we on?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: We're on Page 57 of Book 1.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Thank you very much. And it
came to pass.
MR. PIRES: Ray, do you want these?
MR. BELLOWS: Those are extras.
MR. PIRES: I have enough papers in my files also for the
Planning Commission.
Page 6
February 26, 2010
Good morning, Mr. Chairman, members of the Planning
Commission. My name is Tony Pires with the law firm of Woodward,
Pires & Lombardo. And I filed this particular private amendment and
request the favorable recommendation of this amendment to the Board
of County Commissioners.
The subcommittee ofDSAC and DSAC in its entirety have
unanimously recommended this petition and the code of amendments,
changes, for approval.
Previously provided with the application, some of the rationale
and basis for the proposal is outlined in the original submittal, that the
proposed language and the uses outlined are consistent with and no
more intense than the -- a number of existing uses that are permitted
uses in the current I industrial district that are deemed consistent with
the Growth Management Plan and the Comprehensive Plan, and
therefore we believe these proposed uses would be consistent with the
Comprehensive Plan and are, in fact, compatible with the Industrial
District and the other uses.
I e-mailed to you, the board members -- the commissioners, on
the 24th an additional set of SIC codes with outline of additional uses,
I believe, are once again, similar to this in intensity and are consistent
with the growth management plan, again, by virtue of them being
listed as permitted uses in the industrial district.
By way of example, auction rooms is outlined in the submittal,
that SIC Code 5999. It is listed as an allowable use, permitted use, in
the industrial district. Dinner theaters and tea rooms.
Now, I know the staff has stated in their staff report a number of
issues about compatibility, and that they have stated that the, quote,
unquote, retail uses or quote, unquote, commercial uses in the
industrial district are there to support the industrial uses. In other
words, you have a little snack bar so the workers can go there. You
have a little bank so the workers can go there.
Dinner theaters, I think, are of a different type of use. Typically
Page 7
February 26, 2010
you don't see those, I would submit, in industrial. So again, that use is
-- and tea rooms, I'm not sure how many tea rooms we have in the
industrial districts in Collier County, quite frankly.
And I can't imagine the 6-foot five, 300-pound construction guys
going to a tea room. Now, maybe they do. I'm not sure I can hold the
cups properly. Maybe they learned.
Coin-operated laundries, and again, typically those are more of a
commercial retail operation and are not inconsistent with the industrial
district or, again -- a similar type of use. Photocopying services, I
outlined, like Kinko's.
In this particular property I think it's also important to recognize
its location, for a number of purposes, and here is a zoning map.
Thank you.
And, once again, that's from the zoning atlas in Collier County
and it reflects the location of this property in yellow relative to the
C-5, and also Pine Ridge Road.
And there is an aerial photograph. Yellow is the property. And
you can see where it is relative to Pine Ridge Road. It's about 600 feet
away from this particular area.
Again, we believe the proposed uses are no more intense than
other uses and no more inconsistent, quote, unquote, than other
permitted uses deemed consistent with the Growth Management Plan.
Interestingly enough, there have been a number of discussions
and correspondence with staff over the years involving this issue,
going back to 2006. And Mr. Schmitt, Joe Schmitt, in December 12th
to 13th of 2006, at a county commission hearing on this, where the
county commission had tasked staff with analyzing how many uses of
this type are in this industrial district -- and there was a conversation
and Mr. Schmitt stated that all of it -- secondhand. And then there are
some arguments that secondhand furniture is really more wholesale
operation than retail. And what we have here is a secondhand
operation.
Page 8
February 26, 2010
Mr. Schmitt sent a letter of May 22nd, 2007, and stating that staff
determined that the antique mall at that time falls under the used
merchandise stores classification. This industry includes stores
engaged in the retail sale of used merchandise, antiques and
secondhand goods. Again secondhand goods, back in December he
stated, arguably, in the merchandise and the furniture area, could be
considered wholesale.
This type of use that we propose, we believe is very similar to
auction rooms and auction houses. David Weeks, in his
memorandum, made an observation stating that, historically the
zoning code, 1982 and prior, allowed more commercial uses in the I
District than today's Land Development Code.
And, to my take of things, that would mean that more
commercial uses that used to be in the code, not being deemed
necessarily, were not incompatible with industrial uses, but the board
made a policy decision to not to have them in there.
And I believe, from the historical background of this, the
limitation is a concern with regards to preserving the, quote, unquote,
integrity from a vacancy standpoint and availability standpoint of
industrial zoned space in Collier County.
I think you all know, if you go through the Pine Ridge Industrial
Park, you go through the industrial parks on J & C Boulevard, go to
the industrial district off of Airport Road, off of Radio Road, huge
vacanCies.
I think the rationale in the past was that there was a shortage
projected of industrial space in Collier County. I do not think you
have seen that same rationale today. I think that was part of the
rationale why this type of use should not be allowed in the industrial
district, the one that we're proposing today.
Susan Istenes, in her staff report, made a number of observations
that we -- I think worth a comment on. One, at Page 3, she states,
commercial building vacancy rates located in commercial zoning
Page 9
February 26, 2010
districts are currently relatively high. What is not stated in her report
is the same holds true for industrial.
Additionally she states that maintaining the integrity of the
industrial zoning district offers protection of existing manufacturing
and industrial operations from the encroachment of incompatible,
nonindustrial land uses in occupancies that might impede ordinary
business operations.
I think that's broad and speculative, and we believe that this use,
propose uses, do not affect the integrity of the industrial zoning
district.
Also, staff has indicated, Ms. Istenes, that the proposed
commercial retail land use is not comparable to those uses permitted
by right in the industrial zoning district.
I believe, by virtue of the SIC code and the materials previously
provided, that it is in fact comparable to those.
Non-industrial support services are listed, like barber shops and
others. Again, we've listed other uses that, really, I would not
consider them to be industrial support services. I would consider a
large number to be non-industrial. So this a not plowing new ground.
Additionally, she states in her report at Page 4 that retail,
commercial and industrial land uses are not compatible both in their
form and function. However, I believe the code by itself, by allowing
the various uses in the industrial area, shows that they are, in fact,
compatible.
The -- also states in their conclusion that a variety -- the proposed
amendment will open up the industrial zoning district to allow a
variety of retail land uses that are currently only permissible in
commercial zoning districts, thus competing with industrial land uses.
Again, 1 don't believe there is any competition. I don't think that
there is any competition. It's 10 or ] 5 years out.
Again, from the availability of industrial space that we have in
this county, the huge vacancy rates. If you go up and down Shirley
Page 10
February 26,2010
Street, Mr. Halter indicated to me this morning, he's been there since
1998, he has not seen the level of vacancies in the industrial district
since 1998. It's worse than before.
With regards to the Southwest Florida Industrial Market, I think
we all know that it is in deep trouble, and in a report that was online in
Florida Real Estate Journal of December 15,2009, relating to the
Southwest Florida industrial market, states that the overall vacancy
rate in the Fort MyerslNaples industrial market rose to 17.5 percent
during the quarter, up 1.7 percent from the second quarter of 2009.
Overall demand remains at historically low levels with leasing
activity during the third quarter totaling a negative 254,000 square
feet. This decrease in leased volume is related to the continued
slowdown of the general economy and, in particular, limited
construction related employment.
Overall absorption, another testament to the decline in tenant
demand, also fell significantly for the third quarter. As can be
expected with such a dramatic quarter over quarter increase in
vacancy, the market recorded 156,881 square feet of negative
absorption.
So again, the reason 1 mention that is that, in the past, part of the
rationale for -- in addition to the issues about alleging incompatibility,
alleging inconsistency was that we need to make sure we have
adequate industrial space in this county because we're going to run
out.
I don't believe we're going to run out. I think there is plenty out
there and I think that these proposed uses are compatible and
consistent with other uses and compatible and consistent in the
industrial district.
I'm available for any questions that you may have.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Anybody have any questions of Tony?
Go ahead, Brad.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Tony, in your proposed
Page 11
February 26, 2010
wording here, you have in brackets, without limitations as to
percentage of gross floor area.
Why was that put in?
MR. PIRES: The Land Development Code, at the present time,
in the industrial district -- and, once again, just for clarification, just to
make sure, is that, under accessory uses, B3, states, retail sales and/or
display areas as accessory to the principal use, excluding automotive
sales and/or display areas, not to exceed an area more than 20 percent
of the floor area of the permitted principal use.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But you are requesting this to
be permitted for principal use, thus --
MR. PIRES: Without that particular cap, that's correct.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Would anybody go to that cap,
if this was an allowable, principal use?
MR. PIRES: Under that category of uses for the one outlined in
the proposal.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: That's my question. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Anybody else have any questions ofMr.
Pires?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I've got some questions but I want to
hear staffs comments first, and then 1'11 -- I might pursue some more
questions with you.
MR. PIRES: Thank you very kindly. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Does staff want to weigh in on this?
MS.ISTENES: Good morning, again. Susan Istenes.
I think our analysis is pretty complete in our staff report. David
Weeks is here. I think one of the key issues here, obviously, is
consistency with the compo plan. So he would, I'm sure, be able to
answer any questions you may have as well, related to the compo plan.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Does anybody have any
questions based on the staff report or of David at this time?
Page 12
February 26,2010
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Tony?
MR. PIRES: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Staffs report, and I read it when I first
got it and I didn't read it again since then, but my recollection is that
they are concerned that this will open up a lot of commercial and --
out of industrial uses, and you articulated how you don't see that as
that much of a concern in today's market.
But let's assume that the market changes and let's assume time
goes on. There are some options here that may be explored in order to
make sure we don't have an unnecessary use of industrial property by
commercial uses. And one of them, I think I had mentioned to you
when we had talked one time, and that was, if this were to be
approved, on this particular use, because it is considered more
commercial than industrial, limit this use to a certain distance from an
arterial roadway. We have had similar applications come in. The one
most recently was the dealership up on Airport Road, just north of the
Dodge dealership there. And, if we did that, I think we would be
protecting the heart of the industrial. And I am not -- if you're closer
to an arterial road, it seems to make more sense. And I do believe
Pine Ridge is considered an arterial road.
Does anybody --
MR. KLATZKOW: Yes, it is.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Do you know the distance of
your property from Pine Ridge Road?
MR. PIRES: Yes, sir.
Based upon the little clicking and measuring on the Property
Appraiser's website, it reflects the distance from Pine Ridge Road to
the southwest corner of the property where this is located in yellow as
approximately 608 feet, approximately 600 feet.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So my suggestion would be that, if we
are in favor of this, honestly, with the gentleman being there ten years
Page 13
February 26,2010
and with the problems in the economy now, I'm not sure there is, from
my perspective, I didn't see that much wrong with it, but I did
understand staffs concern. I think if we were to limit it to, the platted
tract must be within a portion of the -- the edge of the platted tract, or
the boundary of the platted tract must be within 600 feet of an arterial
road, that would severely limit the amount of applications where this
could occur in Collier County and thus protect more than a substantial
amount of industrial in the county and leaving a limited amount open
to possible -- this particular SIC code of commercial.
Anyway, that's my suggestion. It certainly is open for suggestion
and for discussion.
Mr. Murray?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I think it's a good suggestion in
general but I'm a little concerned with using the 600 feet because it
pertains directly to this. What would that mean to someone who had
700 feet or, you know -- could we not come up with a different
number that might be more reasonable for an overall application, such
as a thousand feet. Now I'm using an arbitrary number, too, but it is
arbitrary on purpose.
I think your suggestion is a good one. I just -- what happens
when somebody comes in with 650 feet? Do we run into a snag on
that? That's my concern. I hope I've stated it correctly.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No. I certainly understand. If this
project had been a thousand feet away, then the suggestion might have
been a thousand feet. 1 was simply trying to get something to work
that's been in existence a long time without opening up a floodgate to
address the concerns staff had, which I think was a legitimate concern.
I don't think it matters, Bob. I just didn't know if we wanted to
open it up further. If this satisfies the immediate problem, we may not
ever have this problem arise again, and so --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Well, yes. And so I agree with
that part of it, but I'm aware that it may very likely become an issue as
Page 14
February 26, 2010
we continue along this path of economic woe, that there may be
others. That was my concern in that.
I can be happy with the 600 feet, 608.
MR. PIRES: Well, and, once again, it's based upon clicking a
mouse on the Property Appraiser's website. I don't have a survey that
reflects it, so a higher number would be something that would be
requested.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, this would have to come back
with the proper language inserted, if that's the recommendation of this
board.
MR. PIRES: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And by the time it came back, I would
hope that staff would find out an accurate measurement to know our
concern and, at the same time, write it in a manner that -- the 600 feet
is to the property boundary of a tract, and it includes the whole tract if
the boundary falls within that 600 feet. And they have good ways of
massaging that language so it reads right.
MR. PIRES: And, Mr. Strain, in your comment you mentioned
about platted tracts and if they have to have to be metes and bounds, I
think you can say, to the parcel of land and to try to protect against
people re-describing their property, and it could be, you know, those
parcels in existence as of a particular date.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And anything we can do to tighten it up
I think would help the concerns, but I don't -- in this economy, I think,
if this gentleman is doing a business there, more power to him. I'm
very pleased to see that someone is succeeding enough to want to go
on and actually put together the time and money it takes to come
through one of these hearings to stay in business.
Any other questions?
Mr. Klatzkow?
MR. KLA TZKOW: Yes. I just heard Mr. Pires say something.
Are you suggesting that perhaps we just put a grandfather clause
Page 1 5
February 26,2010
in on this one, just to allow your guy to continue the use that's been
there for a very, very long period of time, but to get the staff concern
if this use does --
MR. PIRES: What I was saying was, from the standpoint of any
parcel that would qualify, but that you couldn't try to recreate a new
parcel boundary after the accepted date. Because a platted tract is
easier to control.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. I mean, I think all of that is good
input. And as staff is listening, when this gets voted on, if this is
deemed the direction to go, they can incorporate as much of that
limitations as they can.
Ms. Caron?
COMMISSIONER CARON: I think that perhaps grandfathering
this particular business that has been there forever might be a better
way to handle this situation. It seems to be an anomaly. It's been
there since '98. I'm certainly not looking to put the guy out of
business. Let's grandfather him in without destroying the code. Let's
try to maintain some integrity here in the industrial district and in the
commercial districts and deal with it that way. The simplest way is
often the best way.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is there a way to legally grandfather this
in?
MR. KLA TZKOW: I think, between now and your next
meeting, we can look into that and get back with a recommendation to
you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. And if that isn't one that seems
to easily work, then would you explore the other recommendation?
Is that a consensus from this board?
Mr. Schiffer?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I have a question, and it's
actually to staff.
I am a fan of allowing this. I think used merchandise shouldn't
Page 16
February 26, 2010
be, maybe in -- some of the commercial lease, some of the used
merchandise I'm picturing.
We allow art galleries and all of that in these areas, correct?
MS. ISTENES: I would have to check on that but I don't recall
that art galleries were permitted in industrial areas?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: There is a -- Ms. Caron?
COMMISSIONER CARON: I can guarantee it because I've
been to them, in this industrial district.
MS. ISTENES: I can look.
I did want to make one other comment, though.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Go ahead.
MS. ISTENES: Just for the record. This isn't a lawful use so
when you use the word grandfathering, you imply that it was lawful at
one time and now it's not. It's just not. It's an illegal use.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's exactly--
MS. ISTENES: So anyway, I'll work together with the county
attorney's office --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's why I suggested to the county
attorney -- that's why we would like you to look at that. And if it is a
way to do it and that's a simpler way, fine. But it may be difficult to
grandfather something that has never been legal in the first place, even
though it's been open. So, maybe, by making it legal, it irons it out, so
either way.
I think the sentiment of this board seems to be that this needs to
go forward with a positive. Staff has been given direction, two
different directions to come back with some or one that, hopefully,
fits.
David has got that troubled David Weeks look on his face this
mornmg.
MR. WEEKS: For the record, David Weeks, Comprehensive
Planning Section.
Commissioners, I remind you that, whatever recommendation
Page 17
February 26,2010
you make as far as an actual amendment to the code, grandfathering
being an exception, because that really is a, in my mind, is a zoning
consideration, and in few -- very few instances does the Future Land
Use Element dictate to the zoning code how a use is allowed.
So, generally speaking, and in most circumstances, a use that is
grandfathered is a zoning issue, it is not a GMP, Growth Management
Plan, issue.
In this particular case, what is being discussed, though, is
amending the industrial zoning district which implements the
industrial future land use designation. I just respectfully remind you
that, whatever your recommendation is as far as an actual change to
the code, you'll need to have -- you'll need to make a finding that it is
consistent with the industrial designation. And in the staff memo we
-- as you've already acknowledged, we do raise some concerns about
that consistency.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ms. Caron.
COMMISSIONER CARON: David, in Mr. Pires' memo, he did
point out a couple of instances that seem dramatically inconsistent
with industrial zoning. For example, dinner theaters and tea rooms. I
would assume, since this has been brought to your attention, you'll be
trying to correct that in another cycle or --
MR. WEEKS: I was going to say that -- yes.
I would take the opposing point of view. Rather than saying these
other types of commercial uses are a justification for allowing this
additional use, that we should take the opposite approach and say, we
need to re-examine those uses and find out, why are they in there?
Now, the presumption is going to be because the county
commission has approved the industrial district with those uses in
there, that, knowingly or unknowingly, the county commission has
determined that they are consistent.
But I agree with your comment, that it raises the question. We
need to go back and take a look at those uses and reevaluate whether
Page 18
February 26, 2010
they should be allowed or not.
Some of the other uses that Mr. Pires has identified, such as the
barbershop, I do think they fall within that support commercial
category. Those are -- as I noted in the memo, the intent is to allow
some commercial uses within the industrial area that seemingly have
no relationship to industrial designation but they provide an important
service to the industrial users. The industrial designations -- excuse
me, the industrial zoning district -- one more time.
The industrial areas in the county tend to be very large, typically
hundreds of acres. They serve as major employment centers. For that
reason we believe it's acceptable to have some support commercial
uses. Don't force the employees and patrons of the industrial areas to
leave to go get lunch or to take care of certain types of personal
business, even a haircut. Retain them within that park. It's better for
transportation purposes, for one reason.
But again, there are some uses that I have to scratch my head,
why is a dinner theater allowed in an industrial designation? Off the
top of my head, I can't answer that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Dave, I think when you trace it
back you'll find that they changed the zoning to fit a circumstance
exactly like the one here. I know in the architectural standards there
was a lot of anomaly stuff, and everything had a business name to it,
so that's what you'll find.
MR. WEEKS: Last couple of comments, just, really, in the vein
of what the Planning Commission was discussing as one alternative,
that is, a certain dimension from the external roadway, Pine Ridge
Road in this case.
The industrial designation used to have very specific language
that did allow for lands around the perimeter of the industrial
designation to have commercial uses, so as to serve as a transition.
That language has since been removed but any existing commercial
Page 19
February 26, 2010
zoning around the perimeter is still recognized, that is, we didn't make
it nonconforming. The plan still recognizes that.
I submit to you that that already exists. There is a strip of C-5
zoning along Pine Ridge Road right now that would function as that
transition, just as there is on most, if not every other industrially
designated area, there is a strip along the perimeter of C-4 or C-5
zoning, in most cases, that would function as that transition.
So, when the discussion about having a certain dimension under
the prior language of the future land use element, I think, absolutely,
no argument, that that could be found consistent. But, with the
language change now, I just -- I question how that decision can be
made.
But, on the other hand, I certainly recognize the authority of the
Planning Commission, and ultimately the board, to make the
consistency determination.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: David, how -- if you have a
recollection, how deep does that transitional area go from commercial
to industrial?
MR. WEEKS: The plan never specified a dimension, so it left it
flexible. Again, with only a few exceptions, because I can't think of
one up around the railhead, these industrially designated areas do have
existing commercial. The commercial along the perimeter, that C-5
zoning, typically, predated the future land use element coming along
and saying, you can have this transition.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I understand.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: David, before you leave, I hate creating
a problem where there isn't one. Can you tell me how many dinner
theaters we have in the industrial zoning now?
MR. WEEKS: To the best of my knowledge, we have no dinner
theaters in the industrial or, I don't think, anywhere, for that matter, in
the county any longer.
Page 20
February 26, 2010
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Can you tell me how many tea rooms
we have in the industrial area now?
MR. WEEKS: To my knowledge, none.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Then, before you waste all of
your time on changing something that is not impacting anybody, why
do we want to do that? And, if we were to have a dinner theater come
along, I think we ought to welcome it with open arms instead of
saying, no, you don't go here.
So maybe -- and I don't think we're hurting the industrial
processing. I don't think the coastal area is where the industrial
market is going to turn. I think Silver Strand, when it goes, Tradeport,
when it goes, the Immokalee airport, when it goes, and where the
working -- more of the working population seems to be, is going to
end up being our industrial hub.
And that may be more to the master planning or desires of Collier
County as a whole. Limit industrial internally, yes. But when our
road systems get internally clogged and everything else happens, those
big semis have to steer around more neighborhoods to get to these
smaller little enclaves of industrial, we may find that it's not as
desirable where it's located now anyway.
So I'm just thinking, let's not create problems or cure problems
where ones don't exist.
And another thing, if you have a lot of heartburn about this as a
Comprehensive Plan issue, it looks like this gentleman's been there ten
years. The whole process where his involvement to get to us today
started at, what, two, three, years ago, I don't know how long ago, and
he's been given, more or less, a grace period to get through this
process, maybe, if he's thinking of staying in business for five more
years, he gets another five year grace period.
And then, all of a sudden, we don't have to worry about the
grand fathering, we don't have to worry about the distance, changing
the Compo Plan or changing what you may perceive as a problem, and
Page 21
February 26, 2010
the Board of County Commissioners just gives them a five-year grace
period and it's over with. They have already given him some,
apparently, because he's here today without being penalized.
Yes, sir.
MR. WEEKS: In response, I'm not sure what -- let me ask.
What does the additional five-year grace period grant the
gentleman, other than -- I mean, the ability to operate for another five
years, but then what?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, I don't -- I'm trying to figure out if
he intends to stay in business forever. And if five years works for him
to work his way out of it and it's an easier way to get this
accomplished, fine. Ifhe's saying that it doesn't or the applicant says
it's unacceptable, they still have an application, then we have to deal
with it. I'm trying to think of time frames and solutions to everybody's
problem.
Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I've was -- I've got to talk about
that, then, because I think we're going to see more of these. And if
grace period is a potential solution, I would certainly be an advocate
for that because it does suggest sunset. And, when things turn around,
we can revert to our original intent. So that is something to explore, I
truly believe.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And maybe -- and, Tony, at some point
maybe you would get together with staff and talk that over. And, if
there is an acceptable time frame in there or with a time frame with an
option for more, depending on how badly needed industrial is at the
time, I think that's the way to solve this.
I'm just looking for options, all of which try to let this gentleman
operate where he is at. I think the mind-set of the whole board is
there, it's just that we all have different ideas on how to get there and
they all need to be explored a little further.
MR. PIRES: Thank you. We'll have those conversations.
Page 22
February 26, 2010
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MR. PIRES: Thank you very much.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I just have a question. I don't
know the situation that well.
Is this a code enforcement case or something?
MR. PIRES: No. Years ago there were some complaints that led
up to code enforcement further investigations, but it was put in
abeyance by the Board of County Commissioners, in providing the
property owners various alternatives. One could be try to go and
change the Comprehensive Plan, which is a very expensive, timely
process, with -- and it appeared to be staff would not be inclined to
even go that particular route.
When the cycle came available last year for amendments, then I
was looking at the code, I thought, maybe this is an opportunity, after
looking at all of the uses.
So there is no code enforcement case pending over him. There
was an abeyance period to December of last year. It has been
extended by the board to December of this year. And so, having
further discussions about a further time frame as a solution is
appropriate and acceptable.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And this business has a business
license that was given to it by the county and everything?
MR. PIRES: Yes. And the question is whether or not it's a
business license for retail or wholesale basis, and that's the difficulty.
I believe it is currently of a wholesale nature.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Anybody have any other
questions on this issue, or comments? If not, we'll move on to more
exciting things.
And the next one up is on Page 143. It's Section 3.05.07.A-B.
It's on the preserve standards and definitions. And this was a staff
generated amendment.
Page 23
February 26,2010
So, Steve, it's --
MR. LENBERGER: Good morning. For the record, Stephen
Lenberger, environmental section, from the engineering
environmental comprehensive planning and zoning services
department.
The amendment -- the amendments here, all but one of them, are
GMP related. They are in response to changes that occurred in 2007
to the Growth Management Plan, and particularly the conservation
coastal management element.
The last time I was here, and the last meeting, I had wanted to go
through and see if you had any questions line by line.
Did you wish to do it the same way, and see what questions you
have, or how do you want to handle this?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Yes. We can start with first page
and we'll work our way through it just like we have before.
Page 143. Does anybody have any questions on Page 143?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Page 144. We're still on the staff
write-up.
Steven, the -- Page 144, I know it's further in the document, too,
but this right-of-way acquisitions language, one of the nice things
about making the right-of-way subject to mitigation, if they have
preserves where they could avoid them, they try to avoid them more.
This language would completely eliminate any reason for
transportation just not to plow down every cypress head that they want
to go through, unless you can tell me differently, because they would
have no penalty. They have no reason not to. They just go in straight
lines.
Is that an assumption I should be making?
MR. LENBERGER: The county would not impose a restriction
on it, no, but they still have to go through permitting with the state and
federal agencies.
Page 24
February 26, 2010
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And how does the county restrict it
now? What is it -- without this language, what would happen when --
I can't say Nick anymore. But Nick set the pattern, so let's say Nick
wanted to plow down a cypress head because he knew he could get
away with it. The agencies -- what did the county do before in regards
to stopping him from doing that?
MR. LENBERGER: We -- our department does not permit road
projects. They would design the roads, the MPO would design the
roads and the Board of County Commissioners would approve future
roads and they are permitted by the transportation department and
eventually they are put into right-of-way. They are not permitted
through our department at all.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Well, then, this paragraph, who
does it apply to, what department?
MR. LENBERGER: I was taking -- this amendment came into
being because it was clear and requested for infrastructure to support
highways and utilities adjacent to the right-of-way. They were not
actually part of the public dedicated right-of-way. And this
amendment was put into place to allow that -- also to be clear and to
pretty much take the permitting out of the county's hands, our
department, and to let transportation permit it. Things that might not
be in the right-of-way would be utility lines and also water
management areas.
The state requires water retention areas for these new highways,
and they often are located outside of the dedicated public
right-of-way.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right. And to put those retention areas
in, they basically bulldoze down everything, build berms around it and
apply gravel, or whatever other drainage necessities they need, to
accept the drainage.
And I know they need drainage, and I'm glad they are having it,
but -- so now you are saying the environmental review or sensitivity,
Page 25
February 26, 2010
as a corridor or a road approaches an area, and all their drainage
requirements and edge requirements, are not going to be reviewed by
anybody but the very people that are wanting to do this, is that --
MR. LENBERGER: Permitted by the state and federal agencies.
They will require mitigation. And, if those areas are more pristine, it's
going to cost the county quite a bit more money to impact those areas.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. If they are going to already do
that, then why do we have this language needed? Can you explain
that to me?
MS. MASON: Good morning. For the record, Susan Mason
with Environmental Services Section.
One other way, besides a road building that's in, like, a virgin
area, this would be applied would be for an existing PUD or
development that has already a designated preserve on site and the
county, as part of their expansion project, was going to take part of
their property and make it -- what once was preserve, that was
required, into stormwater, for instance.
The way the code before this went into the GMP, that PUD, for
example, would then become out of compliance. They would no
longer meet their minimum requirement for preservation if that area
was taken and that development would have to make up that
requirement somehow.
And this would make it so those people, if they did come into an
agreement with the county or state as part of a road building project,
would not have to mitigate for that --
MR. KLATZKOW: Mr. Chairman?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Go ahead, Mr. Klatzkow.
MR. KLATZKOW: I'm pretty sure I know why this is here, but I
can't give you testimony. I would suggest you get Transportation in
here and tell you exactly why --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: This is absolutely confusing me. Ifwe
have federal requirements --
Page 26
February 26, 2010
MR. KLA TZKOW: This has nothing to do with federal or state
requirements.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, I know that.
MR. KLA TZKOW: But you need Transportation to tell you that
because you are not getting the answer here.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
Are there any other questions on Page l44? And we're going to
have to defer this particular issue until Transportation gets here.
Go ahead. Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Just to nail it down, if an
individual on private property wanted to put a road in, they would
have mitigation requirements, would they not?
MR. LENBERGER: Whoever would be building a road, if they
were building it in wetland areas or whatever permitting requirements
in the area, there would be mitigation required, private or public.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, this particular phrase here from
Item 33 or Line 33 through 35, especially 35, sets out, shall be exempt
from mitigation.
You've now said, though, that the state and the fed have their
particular. I'm -- this is more than confusing to me, this is concerning,
because of the fact that what Susan Mason just testified to suggested
that a PUD would be okay, but that certainly doesn't apply in this
document.
MR. KLATZKOW: This is a very clear answer. If you can get
Transportation here, it will be fine.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Okay, that's it.
MR. LENBERGER: IfI may. If you turn to Page 149, we've
included an exemption for these right-of-way acquisitions under the
exceptions section. And you'll notice it's an exception from the native
vegetation retention standards. So that's what this is referring to. It's
not referring to the state and federal mitigation, it's referring to the
native vegetation retention where this is located.
Page 27
February 26,2010
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But the language on Page 144 does not
match the language on Page 149. So now, can you tell me where you
are using the language on Page 144, then, to be more exact, otherwise
why did we have the language presented on Page 144 in the manner in
which it is?
MR. LENBERGER: We've expanded the exemptions,
right-of-way acquisitions, utility easements and access easements for
ingress, egress. These are things that we don't normally require
retention of native vegetation for when calculating preserve
requirements. Obviously, you know, they could be cleared by
adjoining properties which need ingress/egress. This is to clarify it.
That's why we didn't split the language exactly. We expanded upon it
to try to make clearer.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, I think we're going to wait for
Transportation and we'll explore it further on that particular issue.
And ifthere are no other questions on 144, how about 145.
Anybody have any questions on Page l45?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Stephen, on the Number 2 on
145, towards the bottom, it talks about a tree count. I'm assuming
somewhere in here, and 1 -- there is a -- oh, it is on the next page, the
minimum diameter for trees that have to be included in the count.
Does that all apply to that? So a tree count can't be any sized tree, it
has got to have a certain diameter to it or a size to it?
MR. LENBERGER: Right. We spell that out.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Any other questions on l45? Ifnot we'll
move to 146.
Any questions on l46?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The top paragraph of 146, is that
reading that we basically have a 30-foot drip --
MR. LENBERGER: Excuse me. Do you want us to get
Page 28
February 26,2010
Transportation here now, for this meeting, or for the next meeting?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, I know Nick is going to be here
this afternoon. We can talk to him this afternoon about it. It doesn't
matter. I mean, there is no sense in anybody making a special trip.
They've got things they've got to do, and if they are planning to be
here today, or someone is, who can answer it -- Nick always has a way
of answering things, so we certainly can see what he's got to say when
he gets here.
MR. LENBERGER: Sorry to interrupt you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: On Page 146, up towards the top, it
talks about a drip line or within 30 feet of the trunk, whichever is
greater. So, basically, if you have a slash pine, a retained required
tree, you can't be any closer than 30-foot to that tree; is that right?
MR. LENBERGER: As a base standard, yes. You can't be
within 30 feet or within the drip line, but if you look at the sentence
after that, it says, encroachment may occur within these distances
where evaluation by a certified arborist determines that it will not
affect the health of the trees.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right. And I saw that, and I circled part
of it. Doesn't this have an impact on the minimum preserve setback?
MR. LENBERGER: There will be no -- there are no setbacks for
retaining just trees. The last sentence in that paragraph says, areas of
retained trees shall not be subject to the requirements of3.05.07,
capital H, and that's the preserve requirements, that include the
setback requirements.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So if you have a tree with a 30-foot
required setback from the trunk of the tree, you are saying it's -- that
retained tree shall not be subject to the requirements of3.05.07.H?
MR. LENBERGER: What we're saying is we broke this down
into two categories, native vegetative communities -- this came from
the stakeholders, and native trees. This is also how Lee County
handles it.
Page 29
February 26, 2010
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But, I mean, we have still got to
understand that, that's where --
MR. LENBERGER: That's okay. I'm trying to explain.
So the preserve setback is a different issue. Retained trees is to
try to preserve the integrity of a tree so it will survive. This is why
that distance was put in, 30 feet or the drip line. And we are --
understand, there are instances where you could get closer, and
arborists are basically the people who will tell us that. That's why we
left an option in there where they can do an evaluation and
determination whether it will affect the tree or not. As you know,
some trees are more sensitive to disturbance, like pine trees as
opposed to hardwood trees as opposed to cabbage palms.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. You may be answering the
question, but, I'm sorry, I haven't had enough coffee or something
today.
You've got a tree that's 28 feet from where someone wants to
build, and it's one of the trees that qualifies as a retained tree. The drip
line is, say, 20 feet, but the requirement here is you have got to be 30
feet from that trunk. So that means the 25-foot setback that would be
required from the edge of the preserve in which this tree sits would
have to be expanded to the distance to make it 30 feet to the trunk of
that free; is that correct?
MR. LENBERGER: It's not within a preserve.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: These are trees that are not within a
preserve, so it only applies to trees not in a preserve?
MR. KLATZKOW: That's correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, why would anybody -- okay.
MR. LENBERGER: We -- there was concern, and part of the
reason the Growth Management Plan was amended, to try to resolve
these issues. In the past, areas of trees were determined to be native
vegetative communities. And, as a result of that, if they -- if that
portion of it was retained as part of the preserve requirement, it had to
Page 30
February 26,2010
be restored.
And many times, in many areas, the understory has been
completed wiped out, there is no mid-story, there is no ground cover
that's native, it's been converted to a pasture or lawn, and that was
determined to be a hardship on applicants. And staff understood that.
We listened to stakeholders and that's why we proposed and they
proposed separating it out.
If you just have trees on site and your understory has been
eliminated and converted to lawn or pasture, they just retain the trees
and the same percentage requirement. But if you have a true native
plant community, a native vegetative community, then that would be
the preserve requirement. So we broke the two out.
The setback to preserve is to protect the integrity of the preserve.
For individual trees, you have had disturbance around the tree, it was
determined that 30 feet would be a good setback, and/or the drip line
of the tree.
If your concern is -- I'm not sure.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No. I am trying to understand it.
MR. LENBERGER: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I mean, the whole purpose of this code
is so we can read this and understand what it means. I honestly can't
understand what this is getting at. And I'm sorry if it seems simpler,
maybe since you wrote it, word for word. I can't figure it out.
I'm trying to understand. We have preserve requirements, we
enforce those. Now, if you decide to go beyond those preserve
requirements and leave a native tree on your property, even though it's
not in a preserve, you more or less treat it as a restricted area in which
to use your property.
MR. LENBERGER: It's not restricted in the sense of use. It's
restricted in the sense of constructing something next to it that could
kill the tree. If a certified arborist says it isn't going to matter, then
you can go closer.
Page 31
February 26, 2010
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Let's take a house in the Estates.
They go clear the pad. I mean, I know all of the Estates isn't a
preserve, but let's use this as an example because it's --
MR. LENBERGER: Well, it won't apply to the Estates.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I know that. Okay.
Let's take a house in Grey Oaks.
MR. KLATZKOW: It won't apply to a single-family lot, to a
single- family home.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. What does it apply to?
MR. LENBERGER: It applies to developments such as
commercial projects and the subdivisions. The same that would be
required to retain preserves. And what this is saying is, this is an
attempt to -- saying, it's not all preserve. You just have trees, just
retain the percentage of trees that are required. I mean, part of the
flexibility on there, we tried to give leeway and listen to stakeholders.
So it's one or the other. It says here, on A on Line 45, general
standards and criteria, it says, the following criteria shall be used to
administer the preservation standards in all unincorporated areas of the
county.
And number one is, native vegetative communities. And it talks
about that, all naturally occurring strata and then it talks about native
trees where the property has been legally cleared and only native trees
remain and the native ground cover replaced with lawn or pasture. It's
providing some relief, saying the county still gets the benefit of
retaining trees on site but we're not imposing the more stringent
requirements for preserves on these properties.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I'm all for seeing more trees preserved.
I'm just worried that we need to incentivize the preservation of trees.
This, to me, may be doing the opposite because if you preserve a tree,
now you are restricting yourself.
And I'm just wondering, will we have the opposite impact we're
trying to have with it because you can't go out and force them to
Page 32
February 26,2010
preserve the tree if they don't want to because they have already
provided the minimum preserve area. Is that correct?
MR. LENBERGER: Let me give you a scenario, I guess, to
explain this.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MR. LENBERGER: Let's just say 50 percent of the property has
native vegetation and the other half of the property, other 50 percent,
is just pasture with trees, okay.
In the old scenario those trees, if those trees are fairly dense, staff
would say your whole site is vegetated with native vegetative
community, therefore you need 25 of your percent of your site, or
whatever the percent was for that particular type of development, we
have to put that in a preserve.
What we're saying here is that your preserve area, your native
vegetation area, your 50 percent, you would have to preserve a
percentage of that, say 25 percent, for argument's sake. And, where
your trees are, we're not going to make that as preserve, we're going to
say you have to preserve 25 percent of the trees. But you don't have
to make it a preserve, it's just retaining trees.
And we included flexibility in here. Where it's within the drip
line, we try to include flexibility, if they couldn't retain it, you know,
where they did. We tried to spell out. We tried to add flexibility
along the way.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. I appreciate your example. It
helps.
Now, how do you or who defines the 50 percent that is
considered native and the 50 percent that is considered just trees?
MR. LENBERGER: That would be evaluated by the
environmental consultant staff when the project came in. Usually it's
pretty cut and dry, you know, the examples I've seen. Most people
like to use the Estey Avenue example. You see the trees there.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I remember that one.
Page 33
February 26,2010
MR. LENBERGER: It's all lawn underneath it. That's just trees.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: How would this have applied to that
Estey A venue example, since many of us were here when that came
up?
MR. LENBERGER: Well, the Estey A venue has got some
history with it, as far as legality of clearance, so I'm not going to get
into that issue, but let's just assume it was legally cleared, then they
would only retain, say -- I don't remember the total acreage.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Let's say 20 acres, total.
MR. LENBERGER: Okay. Let's just say it was 25 percent. 25
percent of the trees would be retained as a -- creating a preserve area
equaling 25 percent of the site.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Now you used the word preserve
agam.
We have Estey Avenue. That particular site is on the northwest
corner. It's been -- let's assume it's been previously legally cleared and
let's assume it's 10 acres.
MR. LENBERGER: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: They have remaining a bunch of
standing, large trees. Those trees, because it's not native preserve,
because it was cleared, you are going to require 25 percent of those
trees to be saved?
MR. LENBERGER: Correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. But they wouldn't be in a
preserve?
MR. KLATZKOW: Correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Because you used the word, preserve,
and you said you were going to preserve the trees.
MR. LENBERGER: I'll say retained.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And I'm confused again.
You are going to save 25 percent of the trees. And, of the 25
percent you save, you have got to be a minimum of 30 feet from the
Page 34
February 26,2010
nearest trunk?
MR. LENBERGER: Correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MR. LENBERGER: Unless you have an arborist evaluate it and
saying that it's okay to get closer.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. That's fine.
Am I the only one that didn't understand that? I guess so. Well,
now I get it.
But thank you. I appreciate you walking me through it, because I
just didn't follow it.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I have a question.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Go ahead, Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Let's say, for the sake of
argument, we use that same example, that structures were ultimately
built there and they had an arborist certify that they could be closer
than 30 feet. Reality is that very often, in insuring the buildings, the
insurance companies require that the branches be trimmed back to
avoid destruction to the building in windstorms.
What are the implications there?
MR. LENBERGER: This amendment doesn't address the
trimming. We would -- I would assume the trees would be trimmed
according to arborists' guidelines, and we would -- we don't regulate
that here. This is retention of the trees.
The tree trimming would have to be done, hopefully, by a
professional. The professional is going to evaluate the distance. I
would hope that an arborist would trim the tree properly.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I think hope is not a good word
here.
MR. LENBERGER: We don't regulate --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: We bring it to the edge in terms
of requirement and then we let it drop off into space because, quite
frankly, it would be a lawn company that would be hired to do that.
Page 35
February 26,2010
Whether they have certification or capability is a question that often is
raised.
MR. LENBERGER: Are you suggesting we increase that
distance?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I'm suggesting that we're not yet
there, to where it is you want to get because it's a set of arbitrary
standards that, in reality, you're going to meet with another set of
arbitrary standards, and you are going to have a problem. You are
going to end up with code cases, you are going to end up with issues.
So I don't think you have satisfied -- I don't think you have
achieved your results.
MR. LENBERGER: Well, also, too, though, if the tree dies, we
do have criteria for replacing the tree, if it dies.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Any other questions on Page l46?
Ifnot, we'll move to 147. Any questions?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Why did you drop Paragraph 5? Well,
former Paragraph 5. It's been crossed out.
MR. LENBERGER: Yes. I'm looking.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MR. LENBERGER: It really doesn't have any -- it's kind of feel
good language. It really is not enforceable. It says, to the greatest
extent possible native vegetation in quantities and type as set forth in
4.06.00 shall be incorporated into the landscape designs in order to
promote the preservation of native plant communities and to
encourage water conservation.
Here we kind of set criteria for retaining trees. I don't think this
is needed at this point.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, it just sounded like positive
things, but, ifthere is -- if it's going to be accomplished by not having
that paragraph in here, then I'm satisfied with it. I'm curious what
your reasonmg was.
Page 36
February 26,2010
Number 6, it says you are going to determine, the third line, the
amount of, basically, where native vegetation used to be at the time
prior to the illegal clearing. How is that found out?
Say you have a clearing that is now discovered to be 15 or 20
years old. How do you know what the native vegetation was prior to
that time? And I'm assuming the native vegetation would be not
inundated with exotics.
MR. LENBERGER: We look at historic aerials, if we have them
available. They are not available in all portions of the county,
particularly the eastern reaches. But that's an initial approach. And,
normally, when environmental consultants look at products, we look
at the signatures of the landscape in an environmental sense. And you
can pretty much read the type of vegetation on a site, areas of, for
example, Melaleuca or Brazilian Pepper or Cypress. But that's how
we look at it.
There was concern from the consultants we dealt with, on this,
and this is why we put in the ability to get an after the fact clearing
permit, particularly for those older parcels. That's why we include the
triple I in there. We want the ability to make it legal. And, if they had
an in-ago use, the ability to get an ag -- after the fact agricultural
clearing permit.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And then, triple I, down towards the
bottom, it's a bona fide agricultural operation. Do we have a
definition of what a bona fide agricultural operation must be?
MR. LENBERGER: It's under the Right to Farm Act, but we
haven't had any questions as far as someone coming in [or an
agricultural use. They usually grow crops, usually be cattle,
something pretty obvious. We haven't had any problem interpreting
that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. I do know that you tend to let
rows go fallow for certain numbers of years before you do a rotation
and I just wanted to make sure that that wasn't disturbing that.
Page 37
February 26, 2010
Any other questions on l47?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: How about 148; any questions on l48?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I have one, Mark.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Go ahead.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And this is Number 10, you are
discussing that you can trim back preserves to meet -- and I guess you
are referring to the fire-wise requirements of30 feet. Would that be
allowed? I can strip back the preserve 30 feet?
MR. LENBERGER: Well, 30 feet, I wouldn't just pick that
number out. There are different widths of firebreaks, depending on
fuel loads and adjoining properties. So I wouldn't just put 30 feet in
your mind.
But if there is concern about protection of neighboring properties,
having firebreaks is a good idea. We had the state foresters involved,
Michael Weston and Victor involved in drafting these amendments.
And what we wanted to do is say, we understand you have these
firebreaks. They are composed of sand.
A lot of animals do use these areas, whether it's for movement,
whether it's for burrowing in them, whether it be for things from
insects on up to larger mammals. They are utilized, and natural areas
have mosaics of cleared areas, certain different types of vegetation.
We understand that.
So we tried to add the fire and fuel breaks in here as counting
towards the native vegetation requirement to give them a little
flexibility. We want the preserves to be safe, particularly if they are
fire dominated.
And I can tell you, from personal opinion or personal experience,
that, in pine flatwoods communities, those open areas do support a lot
of animals, particularly the insect life, and also have interesting plants
that grow on them. So it's not a bad thing to have bare soil areas in
pine flatwoods.
Page 38
February 26, 2010
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And why is this in the illegal
clearing section? I mean, why do you point that out here? In case
somebody cleared a fire break, this would -- wait, never mind. It's not
in there. It's a separate item. Okay. I have it.
Thank you.
MR. LENBERGER: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ms. Caron?
COMMISSIONER CARON: Under B.
MR. LENBERGER: Which number?
COMMISSIONER CARON: B.
MR. LENBERGER: B. Okay.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Why did you take out the areas of
critical state concern? Why was this language struck through? Is it
somewhere else?
MR. LENBERGER: Yes. We addressed it in 8, above
development standards. I believe it's there in 4.02.14, shall apply to
all developments, including single family that's in ACST.
We tried to break it out, make it clearer.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Page 148, anything else? If not,
149.
Any questions on Page l49? And that Item 2C is going to be left
for discussion when Transportation gets here to try to explain it.
Is that where we're at? I think D is a similar situation.
What is -- in your mind, how does, Steven, how does D work?
MR. LENBERGER: D?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: D.
MR. LENBERGER: Existing utility and easements for
ingress/egress. Often when we look at properties in for development,
they will often have 30 feet or 15 feet, or whatever the case, along the
edge of the property on some areas allowed for ingress/egress for
adjoining properties. And they have a legal right to clear those areas.
So, in essence, that's a legal access. We shouldn't be penalizing a
Page 39
February 26, 2010
property owner for retaining that portion of the vegetation where their
neighbor can come in, who needs that, come in for a clearing permit
and clear it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So that, when you do the total gross
calculation of native vegetation area, you exclude any native
vegetation area that is in an easement that would potentially be
cleared, or whatever?
MR. LENBERGER: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Anybody else?
MR. LENBERGER: Helps clarify it here. That's why I spelled it
out.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right. Well, I just wanted to make sure
we understood if it's what stirred the question.
Anybody else, questions on Page l49?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Well, that one section, through
Page 150 or -- 143, we'll come back to just when Transportation gets
back and try to clarify what they are looking for.
And with that we'll move on to -- does anybody in the public
have any comments on that first piece? Okay.
Mr. Hancock.
MR. HANCOCK: Good morning, Mr. Chairman, members of
the Planning Commission. Tim Hancock of Davidson Engineering. I
worked with the LDC subcommittee on amendments, basically as an
EAC/LDC subcommittee we tried to throw as many letters in there as
we could.
And, with particular concern on the one you discussed about tree
counts, and the Estey Avenue property is actually the poster child for
that amendment, as to why it needs to occur.
There are some difficulties with that that I think we can work out.
But one of the things I wanted to point out to you is, one of the
difficulties we ran into as we looked at dealing with what is and isn't
Page 40
February 26,2010
native vegetation and how you do declare what is counted towards a
preserve and what's not, is, actually, the definition of native vegetation
in itself.
And the problem I have, personally, is, it's in your Growth
Management Plan. We define native vegetation in the GMP. Why?
We don't define building heighth in the Growth Management Plan, but
we define native vegetation. And we find there are problems in how
it's applied. It all comes back to the same issue: Well, we can't touch
that, it's in the GMP.
So what I'm going to ask you to do as you go forward is I'm
going to ask you to forward a recommendation, if you see fit, that, in
this upcoming cycle, that the definition of native vegetation either be
reviewed in the GMP or removed from the GMP and put into the
documents that we, as a county, control, without the state slapping our
hand, because I'm not sure the definition itself is perfect. And the fact
that it's in the GMP gives us far less ability to make any corrections or
changes to it in the future.
So that's the basis for my request, is -- a lot of what you see here
is because we're dealing with a definition that may not fit all
circumstances but, because it's in the GMP, it greatly reduces our
flexibility in how we approach it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you. And I certainly will be
talking to staff about that suggestion.
MR. HANCOCK: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Appreciate it.
Anybody else?
And I think, Ray, as a -- even a -- one item that we ought to do at
some point is research why the percentage is in the -- or the definition
is in the GMP, how it got there. There was, undoubtedly, a reason for
putting it there. If staff could take a look at that and let us know.
Before any decision is made that it shouldn't be there I think we need
an understanding of why it's there in the first place. Okay?
Page 41
February 26,2010
MR. BELLOWS: Okay. I made a note of that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Thank you.
We'll move on to Page 151, it's 3.05.07, preservation standards.
Do you have anything you want to start out with, Steve?
MR. LENBERGER: This is preserve, dimensional criteria. I
have nothing to add for this. We went through this last year. I
explained it in the front part of the amendment. We had one
consultant, environmental consultant, who proposed the thin layer of
picture frame -- picture frame shaped language, which is what we
added.
I have nothing more to say about it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Does anybody have any
questions on Pages 1 -- and there is -- it's only a three-page document,
151 through l53? Any questions at all?
Ms. Caron.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Yes. On 153, the last underlined
paragraph, is this just giving people an out?
MR. LENBERGER: You are talking BA on the bottom of Page
153?
COMMISSIONER CARON: Yes.
MR. LENBERGER: Sometimes you have areas that we're
required to retain by the county that are narrower than the minimum
width. In order for them to preserve that, they actually would have to
create along the edge to at least get the minimum width. And the
stakeholders wanted the ability to be able just to retain it as is, so that
was at their request.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Any other questions through that
document?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Susan, in the last meeting we had, it
wasn't one we could vote on and we had some lingering items left over
that we were going to go back and vote on before we finish with this
Page 42
February 26, 2010
phase or portion.
As we go through today, I would assume the best process from
the perspective of staff to keep track is that we vote on things that we
can finish with, actually move forward as we have done customarily.
Does that still work is that the best --
MS. ISTENES: Yes, thank you. That probably would work best
for our recordkeeping as well.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is there any questions from the public
on those three pages, 151 through l53?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ifnot, is there -- we can take a motion
from the planning commission to recommend for approval, or denial.
But it's Section 3.05.07 .H.l.B, preserve dimensional criteria.
Is there such a motion, either way?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I will make that motion, Mark.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Approval?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Motion to approve.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Second.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion to approve, seconded by Mr.
Vigliotti. Is there any further discussion?
MS. ISTENES: Would you make the finding, also, that it is
consistent with the comprehensive plan as part of your motion?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Of course. Just to satisfY David Weeks,
of course.
And the motion maker and the second accepted the consistency
with the comprehensive plan?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yes.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. All in favor, signifY by saying
aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
Page 43
February 26, 2010
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Aye.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HOMIAK: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
Anybody opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion carries, 8 to O.
Well, we got one down.
And I assume that, when we finish the first book, which will be
later today, Susan, if it's convenient, I would like to go back and have
staff restate the ones from the prior meeting so we can clean them up
and just say improved or not. Is that the best timing to do that?
MS. ISTENES: Are you wanting to take a vote on those?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The ones we didn't have any issues with
from the last time.
MS. ISTENES: Yes. You would just need to take a separate
vote for each one.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Just wanted to clean up -- we have three
books. I want to clean up one book as far as we can before we go into
the second.
MS.ISTENES: Okay. That works.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Kolflat.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Will you identify it by the page
that occurred in the first packet?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes. I'll read out the section and the
page it was on in the first packet and then we'll take the vote, as long
as we didn't have any return items. If it was a return item, we have to
go back to the reasons for its return and discuss that, so --
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Page 155 is the next piece.
Page 44
February 26, 2010
Steve, anything?
MR. LENBERGER: Nothing more to add. We went through the
analysis that you requested last year and your recommendation. I did
notice a couple of typos, after proofreading everything before I came
here. One of those is on Page 157. That would be Line 31. The
section should be 10.02.04, not 01.
And the last paragraph that's bolded should not be bolded.
Perhaps there are a few defined terms, and I would have to check, but
somehow that all got bolded, so it has to be removed. I just noticed
that in proofreading.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Does anybody have any
questions on -- and we'll just take this, because it's short enough, 155
through 1577
Steve, on Page 157, under D, the third paragraph, it says, no
individual, residential or commercial lot parcel lines or other
easements, including but not limited to utility or access easements that
are not compatible with allowable uses in preserve areas may project
into a preserve area.
Does that conflict with what we discussed in the prior ability for
utilities and roads to go into preserve areas?
MR. LENBERGER: No. They would be excluded from
preserve areas.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. So what happens is, if you've got
-- well, the way I read the previous document, I thought what you
were trying to say is, if you had a road right-of-way and then you
needed more space for the utilities on the side, you could use the
preserve areas for that space. Right?
MR. LENBERGER: If the government entity had to take that
land and make it part of the right-of-way, it would be removed, yes,
from the preserve, but it would be removed from the preserve, it
wouldn't be a part of it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So by taking it through that process, you
Page 45
February 26, 2010
automatically eliminate it as a preserve, so you are really not, then,
going into a preserve any longer?
MR. LENBERGER: That's correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And so D, where it says they cannot
project into a preserve if they are not compatible with it, it wouldn't
hurt because there are no longer preserves in the area that they have
now taken from them?
MR. LENBERGER: Been removed.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Phew. Okay. Twisted way we get there
but I understand now when you are saying.
Anybody else have any questions on those few pages?
Okay. Same process as before.
Are there any public speakers on that issue?
Okay. Is there a motion for either approval or denial, consistent
or not consistent with the GMP, for 3.05.07, preservation standards?
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: So move to approve.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Vigliotti approved that is consistent
with the GMP.
Is there a second?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I'll second.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Schiffer, second.
Discussion?
All in favor signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HOMIAK: Aye.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye.
Anybody opposed?
Page 46
February 26, 2010
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion carries, 8 to O.
Page 159, well, you know what? We're close enough for a break
before we get into that one.
Let's take a l5-minute break and come back at five after 10:00.
(A recess was taken.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, everybody. If you'll please take
your seats, we'll try move on.
The last, we almost started on, was 3.05.07 H.1.e, created
preserves, supplemental plantings and off site preserve criteria. And
that's on Page 159, is where it starts. And this one is a lengthier one,
so we'll probably take a couple of pages at a time and see where it
goes from there.
MR. LENBERGER: Mr. Chairman, if I may?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Steven?
MR. LENBERGER: If I may.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Go ahead, sir.
MR. LENBERGER: Just looking into the pruning, trying to
address Mr. Murray's concerns about the vegetation and trees which
were retained, and it is included in the landscape section, basically,
instead of pruning it talks about, vegetation required by the code shall
be pruned to promote healthy, uniform, natural growth of the
vegetation. And it goes on and on. It talks about the National Arborist
Association standard practices. It references that in here as well. So it
is in here. And, if you like, we can put a reference to it in that portion
of the amendment, if that would make you feel better about it.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I am not sure, with regard to
that, for a direct answer to you, but I can tell you this, that the concern
I have is that, after the fact, when the insurance people come in and
they make an inspection and make a recommendation that limbs be cut
back, that certainly wouldn't necessarily be based on natural styling of
the tree, or however you phrased it.
Page 47
February 26,2010
That was a concern I had as to what the potential can be. And
I'm glad that you have some intent in here, at least, to try to deal with
it. I still think, though, that this tends to -- I was thinking of the Estey
property. I remember it well. And, if they start building the structures
in there and they try to relate it to this, they are going to be building
close to those trees in order to get any kind of logical building in there
and make some money.
And that was where my question rooted from, so -- I don't know.
I'm not sure. I appreciate you giving us the answer in that regard.
Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Steve, we'll go on, listen to your
-- if you have any opening comments on, starting with the policy on
159, we'll go forward from there.
MR. LENBERGER: This is a long amendment. It has several
components dealing with the creation and restoration of native
vegetation. I took a hard look at that. I worked with stakeholders, got
a lot of really good input from environment consultants, the whole
process. I'm really grateful for that. And we also took a look at the
outside native vegetation retention alternative, as also required by
GMP.
It's fairly lengthy. I added a lot of analysis, physical impact. 1"11
be glad to answer questions you have. I know it's quite long. It might
be easier to go page by page like we were doing.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: We will. I wanted to see if you had any
general statements. Now that you've made them, we'll move forward.
Let's take a couple of pages at a time.
Pages 159 and 160, are there any comments on those two pages?
Mr. Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: This is just to bring me up to
speed on this.
In here is where we discuss, if we have a piece of land with no
preserves on it, where we will create the preserve, is that right or is
Page 48
February 26,2010
that wrong?
MR. LENBERGER: I didn't understand your question.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Is this in the part of the code
that would require the creation of a preserve, if one didn't exist, say,
on a commercial property that is required to have --
MR. LENBERGER: Well, legality of clearing on a previous
amendment will determine whether you needed to create one. Also in
here there is criteria listed for what you can create, obviously if you
have site constraints or whatnot with regard to create a preserve. So
that is all addressed in here.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: As far as the legality goes, the way it
would apply is, if you have a piece of property that was legally
cleared, then you don't have to do any native vegetation preservation.
But, if it was illegally cleared and part of what was illegally cleared
had a percentage of native vegetation or a certain amount of native
vegetation on it, you are then required to keep a percentage of that,
and that percentage, then, is defined as to how it would be recreated
by this document, right?
MR. LENBERGER: According to these standards, or go offsite,
if you wish to do that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I just -- I am trying to figure it all out.
So we're back on Page 159 and 160. Any other questions?
I have one, and back to the same thing again. I'll have to wait for
-- F, up on the top, I just still want to understand what Transportation
is getting at with that, since they are required anyway for the other
agencies, what they are trying to do with that. I think that's the same
question from the previous language. And that particular answer
won't hold this particular amendment up. I'll get that answer on the
pnor one.
Pages 161 and 162. Are there any questions?
Mr. Murray.
Page 49
February 26, 2010
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Going back to 160 and 161, I
truly appreciate your desire to provide money, you know, pricing in
there. I wonder, though, whether that will serve, in the long term,
because of the change in costs associated with products, plants,
whether we are doing ourselves a service or a disservice. I'm not
aware that we've done this before. That doesn't mean we haven't done
it before. I'm not aware of it.
Is that something, Mr. Chairman, that you think is appropriate to
keep in there, pricing?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, this isjust in the physical
write-up. This isn't going to be in the amendment, so I think -- to try
to explain to us how the costs fall for decision-making purposes.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Got it. Lost sight of that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But Mr. Murray started touching on a
point that I wanted to bring up as well.
On Page 61, at the end of your discussion for the bullet points,
for by-acre price, if you take the tree, shrub and ground cover cost per
acre, as estimated here, it comes to 117,220. You can reduce it by
two-thirds, based on the note. So that means you take the 117, divide
it by 3 and that one-third is the cost per acre to recreate.
Is that what we're looking at, about 30,000 an acre?
MR. LENBERGER: It was all broken out in strata. You can
break it down, yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. But if you take each strata, that it
says in the note, the number of plantings each, for ground cover,
shrubs and trees, and the estimate listed above, will roughly be
reduced beside two-thirds?
MR. LENBERGER: That's roughly.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's all three strata. So, if you divide
the total of all three strata by three, that outcome becomes the
one-third that is left that you have to do in estimated costs.
MR. LENBERGER: Approximately.
Page 50
February 26, 2010
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. So, to recreate native vegetation,
we're looking at approximately 30,000 an acre. Does that stay the
same -- I think the answer is going to be yes, because what's native is
native. But if the acreage is for an affordable housing project or an
acreage is for a multi-million dollar subdivision, they each would be
basically having to face the same amount for restoration of native
vegetation at 30,000 an acre; is that correct?
MR. LENBERGER: Well, that's the requirement. They could
always enhance it more if they want.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Let's say minimum, because that's what
most people end up doing in a lot of cases.
It just seems that we have some unfair leveraging there. To those
that have the high-end projects, that kind of money would be less
concerning than the affordable housing projects. And I don't know if
there is a solution in that, but this certainly does paint that picture.
I guess I just wanted to mention that because, ifthere is a
solution, we ought to think about it.
Ms. Caron.
COMMISSIONER CARON: This would only affect you if you
don't want to keep native vegetation on your site. You only incur
these costs if you want to clear every bit of your site, and then pay to
have it done somewhere else. If you have a piece ofland and you
keep your native vegetation, whatever that requirement is on-site, it
doesn't cost you any more at all.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right. Which is -- you are actually
making my argument for me because your higher density projects are
usually affordable housing projects. Your lower density are the
high-priced, high ticket projects.
In this scenario, the high-priced projects, which are much lower
density, would have a lot less need to not be able to preserve that
additional preserve on-site, whereas your affordable housing projects,
because they are high density, would run into this more often, I would
Page 51
February 26,2010
think, than your low density, high priced project. I think -- you kind
of made my point.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Except that, in those high density
situations they are more compact. I mean, you are talking about
multi-story, multi-family.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But they are more -- they are urban
areas, more compact and they are higher density and they are
affordable, so they try to fit more on the property. But it doesn't mean
the building footprints are less. Generally the building footprints may
even be more, to fit more density on and make the price more
affordable.
Has anybody put any thought into how this impacts our
affordable housing abilities to proceed versus regular high-end
housing?
So, if an affordable housing project comes in and can't preserve
what they have to, they have to pay about 30,000 an acre to recreate
the preserve somewhere else; is that what this says?
MR. LENBERGER: First, that was an estimate provided by one
consultant that I contacted. They were nice enough to do that for me.
The price is going to be the same, whoever is doing the project.
If you have a high density product, and obviously more site, trying to
pack more on, I can see where someone might not want to retain
vegetation because they can try to get more in that way.
We have included -- well, it's in the GMP policy, too, of allowing
offsite for affordable housing projects. There may be, actually, a
cheaper alternative, depending on where the product is, of course. But
we have included that specifically in the offsite criteria, as far as
affordable housing, and according to the density bonus agreement they
have. So if we didn't look at affordable housing, that would be
affected by the price of, specifically, through creative education. The
same criteria were left there, but we did look at that as far as the offset
criteria.
Page 52
February 26,2010
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yes. And that is a question I
have in the offsite. We can wait until we get there. Is this a good
time?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Go ahead.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Go to Page 170, and it's F,
sub E. What are you exactly trying to say there? I'm confused about
MR. LENBERGER: It says, affordable housing products with a
BCC-approved affordable housing density bonus agreement. The
maximum percent of native vegetation retention allowed offsite -- and
again, this is applicability for the offsite in this section -- shall be no
more than the percent of affordable housing units allowed under the
affordable housing density bonus agreement with that limitation to the
site as a preserve.
So what we're saying is, if you have a hundred percent of
affordable housing, you can do a hundred percent of your preserve
requirement offsite. That's what that is saying. If you have a 75
percent affordable housing, you could do 75 percent of that
requirement offsite, up to. You can do less, of course, if you want.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No. I don't mean to step no Brad, but--
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: No. Go ahead.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- I think what this says is, no more than
the percent of affordable housing units allowed under the affordable
housing density bonus agreement. That's not necessarily a hundred
percent of the housing on the site. The density bonus agreement only,
I think, addresses the amount of additional vegetation. So I think this
reads a little differently than what I think you just said.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: The wording is clumsy. Ifit is
what he just said, it would be a lot easier to write than this.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: If you have got a density bonus and
you're asking for -- say you have a base of four and you are asking for
Page 53
February 26, 2010
four more units under your density bonus, so you have a total of eight,
the way this reads. Your retention would then be what? You are
getting an additional four by the density bonus, so the maximum
percent of native vegetation retention allowed offsite will be no more
than the percent of the affordable housing units allowed under the
density bonus agreement, without limitation to the size of preserve.
So if you are picking up a hundred percent of density, then you
can do a hundred percent offsite, but if you are picking up fifty
percent density, you only can do fifty percent offsite. Is that the way
this is intended?
MR. LENBERGER: Well, that's the way it's written, yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. But it's not for a hundred percent
of the units on-site, it's for a percentage of the density bonus
agreement for on-site.
MR. LENBERGER: Affordable housing. That's correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Now--
COMMISSIONER CARON: It does say units.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Go ahead.
Ms. Caron.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Affordable housing units allowed.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It says under, allowed under, it says,
allowed under the affordable housing density bonus agreement, so that
limits the --
COMMISSIONER CARON: I agree.
MR. LENBERGER: How would you suggest wording it?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I'm not --I'm trying to explain it first,
and then I think we need to reword it.
Brad, did you have another comment?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yes. Could we have affordable
housing units that are not there because of the density bonus? I mean,
essentially it's a base -- I mean, if somebody did a hundred percent,
yes, density bonus, yes. Let's say he could build four affordable
Page 54
February 26, 2010
housing, he wanted to go in and get eight, this only lets him do 50
percent offsite, ifhe's building a hundred percent affordable, right?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right. So that we're discouraging
building any more affordable than what the density bonus provides by
that paragraph, in regards to preserve preservation.
And where that differs, too, is in Immokalee. If the master plan
for Immokalee goes forward, in any close manner to the way it's being
presented, we have four by right, and four, in some cases, by right
again. So you wouldn't need a density bonus, you would actually
have it. Maybe we need to consider that as an issue, too.
Ms. Caron.
COMMISSIONER CARON: If what Stephen said is the real
intent, the language needs to be rewritten so that it says that, I mean, if
that's really what was intended.
And is that your testimony? Is that what you are saying?
MR. LENBERGER: I will have to look at this. I'm not an expert
on this topic, by any means. If you could provide suggestions, it
would be appreciated.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Let's wait until we get to it and we can
flush it out as we get there.
We left off on Page 161. If there are no more questions there, we
have 162 and 163, which wraps up the staffs introduction to this
policy.
Anybody have any issues with that?
If not, we'll move into Page 164 and 165.
Any questions there?
On your Item 1.i.a. you added the words, or removal of fill where
site elevations or conditions require placement of fill, is the way it
used to read. Now it's, placement or removal.
There isn't a site in this county that wouldn't require one or the
other. And then, who decides if it's harmful in regards to survivability
of native vegetation? Is that done by the applicant's consultant or does
Page 55
February 26, 2010
staff come up with the criteria for that?
MR. LENBERGER: The applicant would propose to create
vegetation.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But by adding the word, removal, you
are talking about excavations, right?
MR. LENBERGER: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Which changes hydrology?
MR. LENBERGER: Which could affect vegetation, yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So the creative preserves would then --
this is applicability under creative preserves. So anywhere where you
have -- so any site, then, is basically -- let's see. Criteria for
determining when a parcel cannot reasonably accommodate both a
required on-site preserve and the proposed activity include -- okay.
So any site, basically, you can do creative preserves? Every site
is going to have either placement or removal, or both?
MR. LENBERGER: Depends on the site constraints. You
know, the development community, at least the products I've looked
at, they don't particularly want to create vegetation. It's expensive to
do that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right.
MR. LENBERGER: So they try to retain it. But there are
instances where you have a lot on your site, you need to.
Did you want to the tighten that up or --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No. I'm just trying to understand it,
because, as we understand all of the pieces, maybe it will develop
more issues. I just need an understanding of what you were getting at.
Any other questions on Page 164 or l65?
Page 166 and 166, any questions?
Under your Number 6.b.i., second paragraph, third line, talking
about utilizing larger plant materials to quickly recreate the loss of
mature vegetation, but in your prior discussions, under your narrative,
you indicated that the smaller plant materials have a higher percentage
Page 56
February 26,2010
of survival rate. Is this contradicting that?
MR. LENBERGER: Different plants have different sensitivities
as far as container size when you plant them out. So we did -- in this
amendment, we broke out certain species which do better, smaller.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's what--
MR. LENBERGER: But there is also a size you have to meet in
order to be able to compete with other vegetation. You can't just put a
tiny plant in, in a lot of instances, and be shaded out by other plant
material. So there is a balance there. There is a gradation.
As far as larger plant material, that's -- in the GMP, to recreate
native vegetation, you want to do it faster. What staff did is kind of
look at the balance, okay.
You have 14- foot high trees, I mean, they may do fine in an
irrigated landscaped median, but you put them a preserve,
survivability or the ultimate success of that plant is going to be lower
or jeopardized.
So we kind of looked at a balance, still having larger sizes, to
more quickly create the vegetative community but less than what we
had, trying to create a balance there where you would get more of a
visual impact for the community, because they had concerns about this
initially. That's how it got on the GMP. But, understanding that we
want the vegetation to be successful, to do well, which is obviously
what the community would want to do as well.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Any other questions on Page 166
or l67?
Page 168 and 169. Any questions there?
Page 170, and 171. We're back to the paragraph that Brad
previously brought up. And it's, I think the intention or the suggestion
is that it shouldn't be limited to just that affordable housing acquired
by the density bonus agreement. It should be for all affordable
housing on the site, as a percentage of the overall site. So if you have a
hundred units allowed, both as a density bonus and as a base, and you
Page 57
February 26,2010
use 80 of those for affordable, then you've got an 80 percent ability to
move offsite. So that just -- those came from the density bonus. I
think that is where we're all coming from.
F .i.a., you have the applicability for offsite vegetation retention.
Now, that means you can do some mitigation offsite. Is that what that
means?
MR. LENBERGER: Yes. You can call it that. That would be --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: A different way of saying it?
MR. LENBERGER: Right.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So, if you were a church, under a
conditional use, where would you fit in here in having the ability to go
offsite for your mitigation, if you needed to? Because I looked at
F.i.a, and A is -- doesn't seem to fit for churches or conditional uses.
It just says, property zoned commercial or industrial.
How would you fit -- because I know you have had some issues
with churches. And so how would that work for offsite vegetation, in
lieu of on-site, where it was needed?
MR. LENBERGER: Well, the preserves -- well, the churches
would be -- if they had a small preserve, D, preserves less than 1 acre
in size, they would qualifY there.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. So even if you had it listed as
one of the zoned property in A, they still qualifY from the other
criteria?
MR. LENBERGER: That's correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Any other criteria provided in any type
of zoning, except if you have a commercial or industrial zoning, it's
got to be less than 2 acres in size, so that's why you added A in there;
is that --
MR. LENBERGER: That's right.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So if someone has a half-acre preserve
requirement on-site and they kind of aren't able to do that anymore,
they can purchase that half-acre offsite as a created preserve
Page 58
February 26, 2010
somewhere else?
MR. LENBERGER: Correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And we cleaned up E.
MR. LENBERGER: Well, it wouldn't be to create a preserve
offsite.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It would just be offsite. Okay.
Anybody else on Page l70?
Page 171, up on top, H, and then it goes to regular I. Now, this is
offsite vegetation retention, the applicability. Portions of preserves
located within platted single family lots. I thought single family lots
were exempt.
MR. LENBERGER: I'm not following you. What page?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Page 171, top of the page, Item 1.
MR. LENBERGER: Okay. I see. Little 1.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes.
MR. LENBERGER: Portions of preserves located within platted
single family lots. There are preserves, and there have been preserves
in the past, and still existing today, with special preserve easements on
property. So they were -- the county allowed preservation
requirements to be retained on the individual single family lots
historically. And we recognize that they are out there. And what
we're doing is we're giving the option for the single family lots to take
a portion within their lot offsite, understanding that it may be a
hardship on the single family lot owner.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I understand. I just -- previously the
discussion was that there is an exemption from certain preserve
requirements for the preservation, and that's why this didn't seem to
fit. I understand now.
MR. LENBERGER: They were done as a whole subdivision.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I understand.
J. Now, this is back to that public infrastructure thing, where
future planned public infrastructure, approved by the BCC, requires
Page 59
February 26, 2010
preserves to be located elsewhere.
What does that mean now? I mean, the other one, the other
explanation you gave us in regards to the road system was that, if the
county or somebody wanted to put a road in and it took out some
existing preserves of a PUD, then the PUD would have been required
to come back and potentially create more preserves. Doesn't this do
that?
MR. LENBERGER: For future planned public infrastructure,
approved by the BCC, required preserves to be located elsewhere.
The roads -- this is for the offsite applicability. It would be a
requirement for the roads, per se, because they would be sand, so --
but it could be other infrastructure, so -- I guess, if that were to read
more correctly, future planned public infrastructure, excluding roads,
right-of-way.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But the language that I questioned on
Page 143 previously, that we're going to have to hear again, or discuss
shortly again, I thought included roads in public infrastructure.
MR. LENBERGER: Let me check that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: My question is, ifit was already -- are
we consistent? In fact, it says, right-of-way acquisitions by any
government entity for all purposes necessary for roadway
construction, including ancillary drainage facilities and including
utilities within the right-of-way acquisition area, shall be exempt from
mitigation requirements.
MR. LENBERGER: What page was that?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That was on Page 144. That's the
previous policy that we're building some of this stuff off of.
MR. LENBERGER: Let me take a look at that.
This is in the right-of-way acquisition area, including utilities
within that area. So it is for, basically, the road projects. It could be
other forms of infrastructure.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I'm just trying to figure out how it
Page 60
February 26, 2010
applies so I can understand it better.
MR. LENBERGER: Probably should exclude the right-of-way
acquisition area, right-of-way.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Then it would tie to that policy.
MR. LENBERGER: Excuse me. Just to clarifY that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Then it wouldn't be the same.
Any other questions on Page l7l?
MR. LENBERGER: I see one typo, Line 30, NRP A, apostrophe,
S; that should not be apostrophe, just small S.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. 2B, preserve shall remain on-site
if located adjacent to or within natural flow ways, natural water
bodies, estuaries, government required preserves, not being the offsite
preservation purpose.
Under that classification, knowing we have new FEMA maps
coming out in April, isn't the entire county, then, going to required to
be on-site? I mean, they must put us all in, basically -- I don't know if
they call them flow ways or what they are going to call them.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: River--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Does this paragraph -- has it taken into
consideration the new FEMA maps, and do they apply to this? Okay.
That is a better question.
MR. LENBERGER: Natural flow way is a defined term and I
would have to take a look at the definition.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I mean, FEMA certainly is going to
have to have some definition as to why they are saying the entire
county floods, so they are going to call us something.
MR. LENBERGER: Flood but isn't considered a flow way. We
use natural flow way as defined in the LDC. I do have the definition
at the back table. I could pull it out for you, if you would like to see it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Could you check that language with
Robert Wiley to see ifthere is a conflict in terminologies between the
new FEMA maps and what B would be required?
Page 61
February 26, 2010
MR. LENBERGER: I will do that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And that clarification is all my concern
IS.
Any other questions on 170, l7l?
172 and 173. Anybody have any questions there?
On Page 172, up on top, A, applicant shall make monetary
payment to Conservation Collier.
Conservation Collier was created by that special tax, right?
MR. LENBERGER: Correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Wouldn't we -- why are we -- it's like
we're treating Conservation Collier as a separate agency, and it's not.
It's not, I don't believe, is it? I mean, why are we making it to
Conservation Collier? Who oversees the money going in there, how is
it handled? Why wouldn't we make it to Collier County and let
Collier County decide how it goes, because we're not -- I would hate
to see Conservation Collier be created and all of a sudden become
almost a new agency, standing by itself in perpetuity.
I don't know if the taxpayers were told that or intended that when
we voted that in. I know they bought land in perpetuity, but to require
monetary payments to them, they are the --
MR. LENBERGER: They are the county entity which buys
preserve lands and manages those preserve lands in perpetuity. There
are also mitigation products. I know, for example, that the
transportation department handles mitigation.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ms. Caron.
MR. LENBERGER: Go ahead.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Well, I was just going to say, I
think Conservation Collier is going to be here forever because they
have to manage those lands in perpetuity.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, I understand that.
COMMISSIONER CARON: They bought them that way and so
Page 62
February 26, 2010
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But isn't --
COMMISSIONER CARON: Giving, I guess, having the county
turn what, in a sense, is mitigation dollars over to them, is the right
place for it to go, to help pay for the long-term care of these lands that
all of us have bought and paid for.
Is that what it -- is that the goal here?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So offsite native vegetation retention
requirements can be met by monetary payment or by land donation?
MR. LENBERGER: Right.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And so when a developer or landowner
comes in and is required to do something, we can exact from them a
demand to make payment to Conservation Collier?
MR. LENBERGER: If they wish to not preserve native
vegetation on-site and they meet the criteria in order go offsite, they
have that option to give money or donate land to a receiving entity to
manage that land. They also wouldn't have to manage preserves
on-site. They would be pretty much saying, okay, it's done offsite.
Conservation Collier is going to manage it. Here are the funds.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Wolfley.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: It was my understanding that
Conservation Collier was made up of a group of people who chose
particular sites for preservation land, and, then, out of that, the BCC,
upon their recommendations, chooses a particular piece that is going
to be purchased for a particular amount of money. So if it was Collier
County that writes a check for that land, then it should also be
accepting money from a particular, let's say, a developer or a person.
And then, if they choose to forward that money or keep that
money for Conservation Collier, which I think is what the chair was
referring to, it is not an individual, stand-alone entity, it's an advisory
committee, so to speak. Is it not?
MR. LENBERGER: Conservation Collier is a county program.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Okay.
Page 63
February 26,2010
MR. LENBERGER: I'm not an expert on the budgeting and how
that works. I know Conservation Collier is the entity that purchases
and managing it.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: But they don't have a
checkbook.
MR. LENBERGER: Right. It's the county.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Then how can you deposit the check? I
mean, my complaint is not that we're trying to use this for more
preservation land and useful purposes like that. I just don't know if
Conservation Collier is the right entity to have a check made out to
and deposited in the name of.
MR. LENBERGER: Right. We'll look at that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MR. LENBERGER: And we'll get clarification.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But that is riddled throughout that
whole page. So wherever you see the reference to Conservation
Collier, you really need to see, should it be better Collier County and
Collier County breaks it down in the budget process.
Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I think you can correct it easily
enough by simply saying Collier County, parentheses, for
Conservation Collier purposes, close parentheses. That means it's
earmarked for Conservation Collier purposes, but it clearly shows it
goes to Collier County.
No?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I mean, it could be. But, if Collier
County receives the money and the purpose of the money has to be for
purchase and management of offsite conservation lands within the
county, why do we need to limit it to those owned by Conservation
Collier?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I agree. I didn't realize the
Page 64
February 26,2010
qualification of that. Thank you.
Yes, I agree.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Would you look into that and get back
with us on that?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Good point.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Any other questions on 172 or 173?
Ms. Caron.
COMMISSIONER CARON: On the PUD zoning, on PUDs
we're required, on master plans, to indicate the certain amount, a
certain percentage of preserve?
MR. LENBERGER: Current code requires a minimum of75
percent of the preserve to be identified on the PUD master plan.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Back on the Conservation Collier thing.
I've just been reading my notes on the next page, because I had the
other page full.
I went through and pulled the Conservation Collier management
plan. My note -- and I don't have it with me, unfortunately -- it says,
Page 14 of Conservation Collier does not allow infrastructure or
improvements on Conservation Collier property.
So you may want to be real careful of what of these you put into
CC property, because, if they don't allow infrastructure improvements
on those properties -- I wish I had the paragraph with me. I didn't have
time to bring it. Take a look at that, though, to see if it has any
negative impacts with the changes you are making to the allowance of
roadways and other utility systems in preserves. These would be -- I
know they would not be preserves, once they are in there. But, if
Conservation Collier purchased the property, and you want to put a
road next to it, in which your other application is supposed to apply,
could you now do it? So that's the only cautionary thing you might
want to look at when you pull this up. Okay.
Anything else on through l73? And I think that one is going to
have to come back for discussion.
Page 65
February 26, 2010
We'll move on to Page 175.
Any comments before we go right to the pages, Steve?
MR. LENBERGER: No comments.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Any questions on Page 175 or l76?
Now, this is the preserve management submission and the fact of
putting it on an SDP, in this second paragraph.
What is the rationale for the per sheet charge? I mean, basically,
you guys are supposed to be a non-profit, or at least they -- you are
supposed to bill out what it costs you to do it. And any additional fees
-- I just got done experiencing this. And I went in to -- and I was
helping a homeowners association in North Naples process their plans
for a preserve management on an SDP, and, thankfully, it got
corrected. But, because they went a couple of times and had a
rejection and some minor changes, changes that would have taken
somebody very little time to see the change and read it, when I went
back in they wanted a thousand dollars for the re-submittal, for a one
paragraph change that was only a couple sentences. I said, how could
you possibly justify that?
It turns out it wasn't really applicable, the way it was thought to
be at the time and it got taken care of. But how can you justify those
fees on that page? I'm just astounded by them.
MR. LENBERGER: Our department -- I don't regulate fees.
Like, I let Ray speak to fees and plans. They are to cover --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ray is going to have an answer, I know
that. He's getting as good as Nick at that.
Ray, is somebody -- I heard Nick stand before the Board of
County Commissioners right after he had first gotten his position
saying he was going to look over all of the fees and the bases for those
fees and he was going to look at a different way of charging by the
actual expenditure of time.
Would these fees be subject to that review as well?
MR. BELLOWS: I believe they could be. I think, my
Page 66
February 26,2010
understanding of what Nick is explaining the concept, is that they
would fall under that. Any kind of staff time involved in any kind of
project review, whether it's a land use petition, we charge, or even if
it's other research we do for other divisions within the county. That's
staff time that is being taken. And, if we're going to operate like a
private business, we are going to bill.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I understand Stephen's comment. It's
not part of his -- it was in this document, that's why I questioned it.
But at some point let's see what happens.
I know you can't answer that question. I should have thought
about that before I brought this up, so I'll move on.
Anything else on l76? Ifnot, is there anything on Page l77?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I do.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: In double I, the second
paragraph down, a strange thing. What you are saying is you want a
berm or a wall between the preserve so that non-preserve vegetation
doesn't sneak in?
MR. LENBERGER: Well, that's one of the things, that, yes, that
could happen. It's just to preserve the integrity of the retained
vegetation. And what this says here is, you have the option of either
putting a berm or a wall to define the boundary, or some sort of
program to control the edge that occurs, such as lawn grasses creeping
in, things of that nature.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So, then, in other words, you
would be happy if there was a curb surrounding all of the preserves?
That would suffice?
But how do you really do that? And a wall -- let's say somebody
actually built a tall wall. Then you don't even see the preserve. Why
capture the --
MR. LENBERGER: It doesn't say the height of the wall. It
could be a stem wall. But it's -- the idea here is just to protect the
Page 67
February 26, 2010
integrity of preserve. And most of the time you will see a small berm,
and they will have a program where they will either edge the grass --
and, if the grass goes beyond that point, sometimes herbicide just the
edge of it, just to keep it in balance so it doesn't encroach in the
preserve.
That's all we're talking here. We're just giving the option,
however they want to handle it.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But you don't give that edge as
an option, you know, a structure, a berm or a wall. I think if the grass
had a clear edge, is what -- I mean, if you had to put some material at
that edge, be it a divider or something, you are going to really run up
an expense. These are large --
MR. LENBERGER: It says, or special management program,
and that's what that means. It says, a structural buffer, and we gave a
couple of examples there, or a special management program to prevent
encroachment of undesirable vegetation in the preserve.
So a program would be edging the grass. Most of the time we
see a small berm. Also, too, is, a lot of times preserves abut
residential, encroachment on the preserve. You kind of put the lawn
furniture out there and all kinds of things. We want that boundary
defined, visual aspect for maintenance, also for residents to know that
you shouldn't be in there planting sod, landscape plans. We've seen
that as well.
It's not just a problem in this county. It's a problem for state and
federal agencies as well. I dealt with it when I worked with the state
quite a while back.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: You know what I think would
make me comfortable? Could you add something that actually defines
an edge that you would like to see? Because I wouldn't want
somebody to point to this and say it has to be a berm or a wall. And
you are saying a management program, you know. That's a physical
edge.
Page 68
February 26, 2010
MR. LENBERGER: Maybe we can put a parentheses in there,
something about maintaining an edge on the property or something.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I would feel better with that. It
looks like -- you know, when you say berm, that's a hunk of soil, and
wall. So it looks like you are requiring something to go into a third
dimension to define that edge.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Klatzkow.
MR. KLATZKOW: Just so I understand this, we have God only
knows how many existing PUDs with preserves that we have
residential property that we have in this county. Is this going to
suddenly create a code environment issue throughout the county or are
those other places grandfathered from this?
MR. LENBERGER: The double line above that talks about
exotic vegetation removal, nuisance vegetation. If they have grasses
creeping in the preserve, it already is a violation.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Then why do you need this new
language?
MR. LENBERGER: This was a clarification. It is under the
preserve management plan, to try to guide people to do this, put it
right in there, how you are going to maintain the edge, where you
might see a problem.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: If they have a preserve management
plan that says in the plan they are required to maintain the edge, isn't
that the special management program that you are asking for for
encroachment? It's already there, so why are we re-asking for it again
in this paragraph?
MR. LENBERGER: Where is it asked for? Maybe I missed
that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I thought you said that, up there in
double I.
MR. LENBERGER: No. Double I talks about exotic vegetation,
nuisance vegetation. Lawn grasses are not native, nuisance
Page 69
February 26,2010
vegetation.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right.
MR. LENBERGER: They are creeping in the preserve. They
are required to be maintained out of the preserve presently.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. So then what is this paragraph
doing?
MR. LENBERGER: It's hoping to clarify, to put something in
the preserve management plan, that they are going to address the edge
before concerns arise. Usually where it abuts residential units is
where the problem occurs.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You know, I had one of your people
review a preserve management plan. I can't imagine they are going to
miss something like that. They review every word. I'm just
wondering, this may be added language that only confuses the issue,
not helps it.
Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I was thinking the same thing.
So, by, a management plan, you have an expectation that the
person will come in and, in detail, depict how they are going to
maintain the property, is that correct? They are going to file that with
you?
MR. LENBERGER: They are going to maintain the preserve.
COMMISSIONER MURRA Y: Yes. Maintain the preserve.
They are going to file that with you?
MR. LENBERGER: And it's included on the site plans for the
whatever, the development subdivision.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: So that environmental code
people will come out and take a look at that and see if they are
complying, correct?
MR. LENBERGER: Code enforcement acts on complaints.
PUDs are handled through the PUD monitoring process.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I don't know. It seems like you
Page 70
February 26,201 0
have language in there that just, while it's intended to enhance, it may
actually --
MR. LENBERGER: Perhaps an easier way to do this, then, if
you're concerned about the second paragraph under double I, exotic
vegetation paragraph, at the end, add a sentence in there, something
about, maintenance of edge, lawn grasses, encroachment of lawn
grasses in preserves, something to address that. We can --
MR. KLATZKOW: You -- just a moment. You are going to
create, right now, a code enforcement nightmare with this. I'm just
telling you right now.
If I own residential property abutting a preserve, I can't put
anything into that preserve without committing a trespass. Am I
right?
Unless you are going to, on a prospective basis, limit this, you
are going to be putting countless properties into violation overnight.
I'm just telling you. And I don't really understand the purpose of this
language.
MR. LENBERGER: I would suggest, then -- we'll delete that
paragraph. But I would say that, if there are exotic vegetation, lawn
grasses already creeping into the preserve, it already is a violation.
MR. KLA TZKOW: Yes.
MR. LENBERGER: It already is.
MR. KLATZKOW: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So I would suggest--
MR. LENBERGER: -- we're not creating more. It already is a
violation of current code, is what I'm saying.
Mr. Klatzkow said we're creating it. We're not creating it. It
already is a violation of code, the way it's written.
MR. KLATZKOW: If! have a private residence, not in a PUD,
and it borders a preserve, maybe my neighbor's preserve, who has a
PUD, I am not going to have a special management program. Does
that mean I have to now put up a berm or a wall?
Page 71
February 26,2010
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: That's what it suggests.
MR. KLATZKOW: That's what it says.
MR. LENBERGER: That's not the intent here. If you're
uncomfortable with that, I would suggest deleting it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I think, keep it simple, is the better way
to go.
MR. LENBERGER: Fine.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Any other --let's take that paragraph out
of the picture.
Any other issues on Page l77?
Up on, towards the middle of the double I paragraph, up towards
the top, you've crossed out the word, prohibited. Why? Before exotic
vegetation bold.
MR. LENBERGER: Line 14, is that what you're talking about?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Approximately, yes.
MR. LENBERGER: Preserve would be maintained free of
exotic vegetation.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. But my--
MR. LENBERGER: Prohibited exotic vegetation are only those
listed in the code under prohibited exotic vegetation, which have more
implications because you have to remove those from other portions of
the property as well.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Let me back up and ask my question
agam.
MR. LENBERGER: Sure.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Line 14, actually, it starts on Line 13. It
says -- it used to say, when prohibited, exotic vegetation is removed
but the base of the vegetation remains, yada, yada, yada, the base shall
be treated.
Now you are going to say, when exotic vegetation is removed but
the base of the vegetation remains, the base shall be treated.
Prohibited exotic vegetation is in bold, so I'm presuming that is a
Page 72
February 26,2010
defined term.
MR. LENBERGER: Correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And you are leaving exotic vegetation,
so exotic vegetation is bolded.
What is the difference of intensity between the word, prohibited,
being in front of exotic vegetation?
MR. LENBERGER: It includes all exotic vegetation, non-native
vegetation.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Are you requiring, then, the removal of
all exotic vegetation and not just prohibited exotic vegetation?
MR. LENBERGER: Actually, we went the other way. We kind
of realized -- and I'll explain. We realized that there are all kinds of
exotic vegetation. There are always weeds. And, as you know, you
can't get all of the weeds out.
The code, the first sentence on that, double I, says, exotic
vegetation removal, non-native vegetation and nuisance invasive plant
control. It talks about exotic vegetation, removal and maintenance
plan shall require that all Category 1 exotics be removed.
If you go to the bottom of that paragraph, it talks about -- find
where the sentence starts. It says, it did say, non-native vegetation and
nuisance or invasive plants shall be removed from all preserves.
Do you see that?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes.
MR. LENBERGER: What I did there is I took out, nuisance and
invasive plants, under non-native ornamental vegetation,
understanding that we're looking at the nuisance vegetation. Not
every plant that is native -- we can't remove every weed. That would
be an impossible compliance issue. What I'm doing there is saying
we're looking at the nuisance stuff.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. But that's not bolded, which
means it's not a defined term.
MR. LENBERGER: Right.
Page 73
February 26,2010
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So how do we determine what is
nuisance or invasive and what is non-native, ornamental vegetation?
MR. LENBERGER: The environmental community and the
environmental consultants we deal with, they are pretty good at
identifying those. Generally speaking, most of the time it's what the
district requires, as far as Water Management District requires, as far
as removal of vegetation from a preserve. That's generally Category
1.
Category 2 species listed by the Florida Exotic Pest Plant
Council, rarely, would I see anything other than that being required to
be removed.
It is a judgmental call. Obviously the environmental consultant
is going to look at that. They are basically following what the district
is using. They are using the list which the Exotic Pest Plant Council
uses and the Water Management District requires, in both of them.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: If you have prohibitive -- what is
Brazilian Pepper? Let's start with a common --
MR. LENBERGER: That's a prohibited exotic plant for Collier
County, and that is a Category 1 plant listed on the Florida Exotic Pest
Plant Council.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And we know that if you have Brazilian
Pepper on your property, before you can get a CO, you have got to
remove it all, right?
Now, what if you didn't have Brazilian Pepper and you had
something that was only classified as an exotic vegetation? Give me
an example of an exotic species, a common example.
MR. LENBERGER: Someone plants a shefflera or a Queen
Palm in a preserve, that's an exotic species. Not a defined exotic,
according to county code, but it's a non-native species.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Are they allowed to plant
non-natives in preserves?
MR. LENBERGER: No.
Page 74
February 26, 2010
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So we're telling them to remove
something they are not allowed to put there in the first place?
MR. LENBERGER: To plant things in preserves.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I'm trying figure out where this last
sentence leads, because this whole paragraph leads up, basically, to
the last sentence.
The last sentence used to read, non-native vegetation in plants
shall be removed from all preserves.
MR. LENBERGER: And, if we look at all non-native
vegetation, that would include every small weed in the preserve.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I'm not arguing with your point there.
I'm saying, wouldn't we be better off saying, prohibitive exotic
vegetation and plants shall be eradicated from all preserves? Why are
we going into these non-defined terms that we don't know what they
are? They are not even defined in our code? Nuisance, invasive,
non-native ornamental vegetation, because I thought you said those
couldn't be planted there in the first place in preserves. So they
couldn't be planted in the first place, which means, if they are ever
found, they have got to be removed because they shouldn't be there.
MS. MASON: Again, for the record, Susan Mason with the
Environmental Services section. Perhaps I can try to help clarity this
a little bit.
The prohibited exotic vegetation that is the bolded definition, that
actually just covers the 12 kind of worst-case that have to be removed
from any development in the county, Brazilian Pepper being one,
Australian Pine, acacia.
Category 1 is a much broader category of exotics, and those have
to be eradicated from areas designated as preserve but not the rest of
your property.
So those are two different kinds of exotic definition or exotic
vegetation by definition in the county.
And part of the problem, and this is based on some experience I
Page 75
February 26,2010
had working environmental code compliance, is, people do often go in
in their back yards encroaching the preserve, plant things and then --
or the plants show up. They don't admit that they were put in there
and they argue with code enforcement staff that, well, that is just
growing there and it's natural.
So this is to clarify that non-native ornamental vegetation that has
shown up in a preserve, no matter how, would have to be removed. It's
really to clarify for code enforcement that this stuff shouldn't be here
and it needs to be removed.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. So now we're really down -- now
I guess it's this nuisance and invasive plants. How does anybody
judge what those are to know if they need to be removed?
MR. LENBERGER: It is an evaluation done by the
environmental consultants hired to do the project. And in most cases
it is the Category 1 and Category 2 listed plants that occur in this
county that the Water Management District requires the removal of.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So the Water Management District
requires the removal of it in order for them to issue a permit?
MR. LENBERGER: It's a condition of approval.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Then why do we want to get into it
when we don't really have a definition for it? Why do we even want
to bring it up?
Susan's point about the non-native ornamental vegetation, I think
that can be identified. And I think the prohibitive exotic vegetation
can be identified.
If South Florida already takes care of, to the extent needed, the
nuisance and invasive plants, why do we want to get into that when
we don't have a definition for it and we're leaving it up to the
applicant's expert to tell us, and then us starting to debate it with him,
whether or not we consider as a nuisance as he thinks it is or as
invasive as he thinks or she thinks it is? Why do we want to get into
all of that?
Page 76
February 26,2010
MR. LENBERGER: First, the county requires preserves, that
aren't district required, so the district would not be involved. That's
one example.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I thought you just said--
MR. LENBERGER: Not all county preserves are district
required preserves.
The other is, do you want non-native vegetation in our preserves?
I would say that it affects the integrity of the preserve and 1 would say
it affects the diversity of the preserve.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Stephen, I'm not going there. All I'm
trying to figure out is, how does a person read this and know what it
means?
What you are trying to do is a worthy goal. I'm not saying it isn't.
I'm simply trying to figure out, every citizen in this county that wants
to get involved and try to understand our code has to read and
understand it. I wouldn't know what you think is a nuisance or
invasive plant if I couldn't look it up in the LDC and find a definition
for it, and I know one isn't there. That's what I'm getting at.
MR. LENBERGER: Well, alot of the environmental work is
stuff that is cut and dry. There are plants coming in all the time that
they are introducing to this state. You couldn't possibly list them all.
I mean, we can say, nuisance or invasive non-native plants, but
there is still subjectivity of what is a nuisance and what is invasive.
And, basically, when something goes in a preserve and all of a sudden
starts spreading and displacing native material, it's usually pretty
obvious to staff and the environmental consultant.
I haven't personally had any issues with this. This is existing
language, talks about nuisance or invasive plants. I added the
non-native ornamental, but it hasn't been an issue, at least that I see.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, then, I hate to suggest this, then
why are we changing it?
Mr. Murray.
Page 77
February 26, 2010
COMMISSIONER MURRA Y: Let me get into the fray here.
I'm going to try relate to it the way I understand it, or try to understand
it.
On Line 14 you've deleted, prohibited, and you just refer to,
exotic. But on Line 30, I think that's 30, you talk about, prohibited
exotic, again.
You also talk, on Line 14, about the base, once there, the base
has to be treated, presumably for the purpose of eradication, but you
don't state that. But for nuisance plants you stipulate eradication.
So I'm trying to understand why you put great emphasis on the
non-native ornamental and invasive and only infer eradication for the
exotic. And why would you in one case delete, prohibited, and then
leave the other one there, if a person reading that would, I think, get
kind of confused?
MR. LENBERGER: Couple things. First, let's go to the
prohibited exotic vegetation, where prohibited was crossed out. You
are right. That's where it is removed. If you remove an exotic
vegetation that isn't one of the 12 that is listed as prohibited, plus --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: That's one question.
MR. LENBERGER: No. Just the 12 that the county has. And if
you remove it, you cut it out, a schefflera or a ficus, whatever the
exotic is, and you don't herbicide it, kill it, it's going to come right
back.
So what it says here is, when exotic vegetation is removed, the
base of the vegetation remains, the base shall be treated with
appropriate herbicide.
Well, what we're saying is, if you are removing exotic vegetation,
you should treat it, not just the prohibited ones but all of the rest
because they are just going to come back. So that's all that is saying
there.
As far as eradication, that eradication term was given to me by
the consultants because otherwise it is removal. We don't want to
Page 78
February 26,2010
have to them, force them to remove it. Sometimes that does detriment
to the habitat.
Eradication also means killing it in place, is what I'm trying to
tell you.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I understand what eradication
means.
MR. LENBERGER: So that was from the consultants, wanted
that.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I'm trying to understand. There
is a significant difference between the use of that word in that context
as opposed to the way you explained it in the exotic vegetation. I
could see that you could use the word in both places. You are saying
-- you are saying that you cannot.
MR. LENBERGER: Well, where it says here, where it says
prohibited exotics, it says, when exotic vegetation is removed. When
it's removed. It doesn't say it has to be. It says, when you remove it,
the base has to be treated with the herbicide.
I f you look above that it says, exotics of an interior preserve may
be approved and be treated in place, if it is determined that physical
removal might cause more damage to the native vegetation of the
preserve.
We're not requiring removal. That says, when it's removed, you
treat it. You are either going to remove it or you are going to
herbicide it in place, one of the two.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I guess that's what my point of
confusion is. Aren't you always going to require that it be removed?
MR. LENBERGER: Physically removed, no. The code -- we
require within the first 75 feet, and that came about because people
didn't want to look at dead Melaleuca trees or dead Brazilian Pepper
on the edge of a preserve. That's how it came about. Also a safety
concern, with trees falling within that distance. That's how that all
came about.
Page 79
February 26, 2010
But, other than that 75 feet, we allow them to treat it in place. So
eradication is a term the consultants wanted, eradication.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Wolfley.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Well, I was going to get into
some things, but I would just as soon see a tree pulled out than putting
chemicals into the ground, but that's just me.
But down on Line 28, and it was to what Commissioner Murray
was just referring to, should you just say, invasion, there instead of
reinvasion? Because you took out the prohibited exotic vegetation.
Now you are talking about the reinvasion of prohibited exotic
vegetation.
MR. LENBERGER: Either way is fine with me.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: It doesn't mention it anywhere
else.
MR. LENBERGER: It wouldn't matter to me.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: But I didn't get into my first -- I
was going to start screaming about chemicals in the ground. Thank
you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Any other questions on Page l77?
I think where we left it, that paragraph that was added for about
referencing the structural buffer will come out.
And, just to let you know, you are going to come back with us
anyway. Personally, I'm not comfortable with that last sentence.
MR. LENBERGER: Which one?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The one we've been focusing on
concerning nuisance and invasive plants. I will look at that myself
between now and when you come back and try to figure out a way
that I can explain myself.
MR. LENBERGER: We can leave it as is, but then we have a
problem with every weed in the preserve.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And I am not saying you can leave it as
IS. I just don't know if putting something in there that isn't defined is
Page 80
February 26, 2010
the right way to go.
MR. LENBERGER: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So let's go to page -- okay.
Nicole, come up. If it's relevant to the page we're on, that's great.
MS. RYAN: Yes. Nicole Ryan, Conservancy of Southwest
Florida, and I hadn't actually intended to speak on this but the term,
nuisance plant, really caught my attention. And I would certainly
warn against using something like nuisance plant or weed when you
are talking about what should or shouldn't be in a preserve because
those terms are open to interpretation.
And I'll use the example of Key Marco down on Marco Island.
They have a conservation easement that does allow removal of
nuisance plants and weeds. And the proposal supplied to the City of
Marco Island was the Weed Society of North America's list of weeds.
Well, guess what? A weed or a nuisance plant is something that you
don't like growing where it's growing. Their list was 58 pages long,
3600 species, including Live Oak, Laurel Oak, I think 24 oak species,
maple species. If you leave it open to that interpretation, it becomes
problematic.
So, exotic, I think is good. That can be easily defined. Invasive
exotic, the Category 1, Category 2, those are great. But for preserves,
stay away from nuisance plants and weeds. It's way too broad-based
and open to interpretation.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I think that's part of the concern we're
having.
And here I thought you were only bugs and bunnies. Now
you've got plants in your whole background, too.
MR. LENBERGER: That was my suggestion, nuisance or
invasive exotic plants. That's what I was talking about earlier, add the
word, exotic, or, non-native. Probably non-native nuisance or
invasive non-native plants.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Could you E-mail us -- I'm saying it for
Page 81
February 26, 2010
all of us, but I'm probably the one that wants it, too -- a list that you
are talking about so I know what you are considering?
MR. LENBERGER: Which list?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I list of the nuisance and invasive,
non-exotic or exotic.
MR. LENBERGER: There is no such list. It will vary in areas.
There are all kinds of plants that could be potentially nuisance. The
only thing I can send you is the -- well, you know, it's in the county
code, as far as the listed plants, but the Florida Exotic Pest Plant
Council list, if you wish, I can E-mail that to you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, the only thing -- I'm going to be--
when this comes back, I think my position is going to be that we need
to tie it to something definitive. And, if you can't do that, then I have
a big problem with the language, so -- whatever you can do to help me
along, I sure would appreciate it.
Page 178 and 179, are there any questions on those pages?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I have one.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Go ahead, Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: We're pretty strong on this one.
I like this one. Under -- I never saw that before, little i.v. Is that
supposed to be four? I guess that's four.
Where it says, the county will accept -- will accept state and
federal management plans that are consistent with the requirements of
the LDC. And then -- in other words, they have no supersedure rights
over us in these matters. That puts us on the top of the pyramid in that
phrase. And I don't have an objection to it, I'm just curious about it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So--
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: So if the fed had a plan that was
not consistent with our LDC, we wouldn't go along with it?
MR. LENBERGER: Not to scrutinize individual plans. But, just
generally, the GMP language that was added to the CCME and the
county could be more stringent than the agencies. I hate to say that
Page 82
February 26,2010
the language has -- it was in the CCME. I will double check that, but
it's on Page -- the first page talks about the policy. I'm trying to find
the language. 175, Page -- Line 32, state and federal management
plans consistent with the requirements of the LDC will be accepted.
That's the GMP language.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Interesting. I don't have a -- I
mean, I'm an Amendment 10 of the Constitution, I'm that kind of guy,
but I just find it interesting that it would be good enough to accept it,
as long as it comports with our LDC. I thought that they had certain
rights. We accept grants.
MR. LENBERGER: We accept what.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: We accept grants, money. We
accept various things from the federal and state governments and,
which, tied to those grants, usually, pretty strong requirements. And
some of them may be in conflict with our LDC. That was my
question. That's really the basis for my question.
So as long as you are clear that that will never happen, then --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ms. Caron.
COMMISSIONER CARON: I think that that paragraph or that
line simply indicates that the county always has the right to be stricter
than either the federal government or the state government in any of
their plans. We have that right.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: But it should say that, then. It
should say that, not the way it's said.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: We're on Page 178 and 179.
Up on the top of 179 you refer to wildlife habitat management
plans. How many of those do we have in place in the county? What
are you referring to there, I should say? Maybe that's a better
question.
MR. LENBERGER: Which paragraph are you referring to?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Page 179, top of the page, Line 11.
MR. LENBERGER: Fire management plans, is that what you
Page 83
February 26, 2010
are talking about?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's the beginning of the sentence.
Shall be --
MR. LENBERGER: Wildlife habitat management plans.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right. How many of those do we have
or --
MR. LENBERGER: Well, they are -- wherever listed species are
present in preserves, the preserve management plan will have a
wildlife habitat management plan.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Well, that's all capitalized but it
wasn't bolded.
So you are talking about each preserve management plan that is
created for the preserve management, involving one with species in
them?
MR. LENBERGER: That's correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Now I understand. So wouldn't that be
better said, shall be consistent with a wildlife habitat management plan
approved by Collier County? Maybe it says the same thing that way.
I was just trying to --
MR. LENBERGER: Shall be what, consistent with?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I was just reversing the order. My
suggestion was, shall be consistent with a wildlife habitat management
plan approved by Collier County. I think it says the same thing in the
end. I made that note, so I'm not too worried about it.
MR. LENBERGER: I'll take a look.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The next one where it says VI,
vegetation removal permits, though not required for clearing of fuel
management or fire lines in accordance with normal fire and forestry
practices. Why don't we add in there, they wouldn't be required for
approved fire-wise safety plans, because those plans have a certain
delineation from structures. And if someone goes to the effort to have
an approved fire-wise safety plan, why would we want to force them
Page 84
February 26,2010
to come in for more permits?
MR. LENBERGER: Well, I think it would be one and the same,
as relates to preserves. But where was that, preserve management
plans?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I don't know where in that paragraph
you would put it, but it seems like you would want to throw that -- in
the paragraph you refer to, an example, clearing for fuel management
and fire lines, all I'm saying is, also for approved firewise safety plans.
MR. LENBERGER: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Those are becoming more popular in the
area, and we might as well help them when they are.
And the last page is 180. Any questions through that element, up
to Page l80?
Okay. I think you are going to be coming back with some return
on that one, Stephen, so we'll wait until you come back with that.
MR. LENBERGER: Sure.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Then the next one -- go ahead, Ms.
Caron.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Before you go on, what was it that
it you just wanted, approved fire-wise --
MR. LENBERGER: Safety plan?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Fire-wise safety plan.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Fire-wise.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: A lot of the communities and
homeowners associations are getting approved. That's a nice thing for
their insurance and everything else
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The next one is, we skip a few pages
and we go to Page I 99.
Now, we want to break for lunch at some point. I don't know how
much of a discussion this one will be, so I guess I will ask the panel.
Do you want to break for lunch now and come back at, say,
12:30 or do you want to wait until we're closer to 12:00.
Page 85
February 26,2010
COMMISSIONER CARON: Always better to--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Do what?
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Do it now.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Do lunch now or do the review now?
COMMISSIONER VIGLIOTTI: Do lunch now.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Lunch now. Okay.
Everybody else?
Okay. Let's take a -- we'll go for an early lunch while we can
still get in line downstairs and we'll come back at 12:30 and we'll
finish this one up.
(A lunch recess was taken.)
(Commissioners Vigliotti and Murray are not present.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay, everybody, welcome back from
lunch. That was the only peaceful time we'll have today or
non-confusing time, I hope -- well, I shouldn't say I hope. I hope we
don't have any more like that.
There is a slight change from -- before we went to lunch, we
were going to come back and discuss 30 -- I mean, 5.05.02, which is
on Page 199. Just after the break, I found out that that needed to be
continued, and so that item won't happen until March 10th. So with
that not being up, we'll move right into the other items on the agenda,
which is -- starts on Page 181, and it's Section 4.02.01 D.9.
And, Ray, are you filling in for Susan?
MR. BELLOWS: Susan will be up in a few minutes. Can we go
maybe to the next one?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MR. BELLOWS: Homes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Which one?
MR. BELLOWS: That would be 5.04.04.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. So we'll go to Page 197.
Everybody, let's go Page 197. Okay.
MS. MOSCA: Mr. Chairman, are we ready to begin?
Page 86
-. -- _._"----~-_..............-.,~,..... ...,....."'-..".. _.' ~.~_._---^"-,-~_...."---
February 26,2010
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes, ma'am. I'm sorry.
MS. MOSCA: That's okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: We're getting orientated here.
MS. MOSCA: That's okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ray has us jumping all over this book
agam.
MS. MOSCA: Good afternoon. For the record, Michele Mosca,
comprehensive planning staff.
Generally, the purpose of this amendment is to allow for the
application of the model home and model sales center requirements
and standards for the estates and rural agricultural zoning districts
consistent with the residential zoning districts. Now, this is not a new
application of those requirements. In practice staff is already applying
these standards to those zoning districts. So it's just a matter of
codifying what's presently being done.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Are there any other -- any questions?
Mr. Wolfley?
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: We've been through this a few
times. The last one I recall specifically, I think, was along Collier,
951, when we discussed it. And they were -- they were trying to go
for almost permanent model homes.
MS. MOSCA: Uh-huh.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: And I had an issue with the
commercial -- whether that would designate a commercial area and
did not want that.
MS. MOSCA: Right.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: So my -- my question is: I
thought in reading this -- and I -- I -- I failed to -- the current LDC, I
thought there was a time limit on sale -- or model homes, and then it
could be re -- like two years, and it could be re --
MS. MOSCA: Right. I believe -- and Ray may have to correct
me if I'm wrong -- with a temporary use, you're allowed a three-year
Page 87
February 26,2010
period.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Three years.
MS. MOSCA: And then, with a conditional use, I think it's at the
discretion of the board.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: No, I thought that we changed
it to something like five. It was something that I was opposed to; I
know that.
MR. BELLOWS: For the record, Ray Bellows.
It's five years for PUD extensions.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: For PUD extensions but not--
MR. BELLOWS: No, the PUDs are good for five years. That
was extended from three years, plus you get one two-year extension
for PUDs.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: So a two-year extension --
MR. BELLOWS: The conditional uses are good for three years
plus one --
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Okay. Well, I'm just --
MR. BELLOWS: -- year extension.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: These are now -- it's the estates
and ago And you -- is this referring mostly to the things in the rural
lands? Is that what you're trying to bring into it? Or is it just homes
out in the estates where you could go along Golden Gate Boulevard,
stick up more of those empty model homes?
MS. MOSCA: It would be for the estates zoning district as well
as the agricultural zoning district. So it would be for both. So the
same rules would apply that apply now for the residential zoning
districts. It's just a matter of consistency, but it applies across the
board, that all of those requests for model homes would be consistent
with the requirements and regulations of that provision of the LDC.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Okay. Well, I -- one thing is I
hate -- is I don't like to see things repeated. But on the other hand,
when -- when you narrow down on, you know, 5.04.04 A, for
Page 88
February 26, 2010
instance, that first paragraph, a temp -- "The model sales center shall
be of a temporary nature. " Well, then you've got to go see what is a
"temporary nature"? And I just don't know why you can't just keep it
in that section. That was an issue I had before. And I'm just saying
it's a three -- it's a three and two or whatever.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, because we have a temporary-use
section that actually -- because there's a lot of different temporary
uses.
MR. BELLOWS: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And isn't this one defined in amongst
those?
MR. BELLOWS: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And I think that's the reason. There's--
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Well, 1 -- so we're -- we're
going to end up then just going back to the temporary uses, trying to
find a model home, and then reading that. Is that what we're looking
at here? All we're doing is adding the estates ag district?
MR. BELLOWS: It's my understanding we're clarifying some
language that was, I think, inconsistent with the Golden Gate Area
Master Plan.
MS. MOSCA: That's correct. That's how this particular LDC
originated -- LDC amendment originated from, was the growth
management plan amendment to the Golden Gate Area Master Plan
for conditional uses.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Okay. Well, I'm not -- we'll
leave it with that. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Just for the benefit, the temporary-use
permits are how long? And then they're renewed; is that correct?
MR. BELLOWS: Yeah. The temporary-use permit for a model
home, I believe, is three years.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right. Then it's renewed based upon
need?
Page 89
February 26, 2010
MR. BELLOWS: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And they've got to show need, and
staffs got to agree with it?
MR. BELLOWS: Yeah. And then it's -- I believe it's five years
to apply for conditional use.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's when -- okay. So after a certain
amount of time, it automatically has to go into a conditional-use
status?
MR. BELLOWS: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Anybody else have -- Mr.
Schiffer?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yeah. Ray, this -- the -- the
intent of this is, if you have a model home, it has to be in the zoning
district that you want to be selling homes for; is that right? I mean,
the confusion is that, if you put it in any agricultural-zoned piece of
property, that means essentially you're selling to agricultural-zoned
districts, or -- or why do you have that in there? What is the reason for
that?
MR. BELLOWS: Well, the intent is that, if you're a home
builder and you're selling homes, say, in the Golden Gate Estates
subdivision -- there are certain locations where these things are going
to be prevalent along arterial roads. And there was some language in
the Golden -- Golden Gate Area Master Plan that restricted that, and I
believe that language has been removed. And so we're just clarifying
that language to allow those model homes to go back on these arterial
roads.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. But -- but this phrase in
b that it's restricted to the promotion of the products permitted within
the zoning district, I mean, I'm not sure how you would -- in other
words, I'm -- I get into the estates, I build a model home, my intent is
to use it on vacant lots in the estates; but I can be selling it for -- to be
built anywhere. I mean, what are we gaining with that?
Page 90
February 26, 2010
Obviously, building a model home in a PUD makes sense,
because that model home is to sell PUD -- the product in that PUD.
But once we add estates and the agricultural district here, are we -- I
mean, because how would you confine --
MR. BELLOWS: It's much harder, I agree, within the estates. If
somebody put -- built a model and they're selling homes down in East
Naples, and they're not really selling homes in the estates, it's hard --
how is staff going to determine that?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And why do you care?
MR. BELLOWS: We don't.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, but the community might.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Yeah. I was just going to say, I
can think of a specific example, and that was Falling Waters. Falling
Waters built a mobile home sales center in Pine Ridge --
MR. BELLOWS: Oh, that's right.
COMMISSIONER CARON: -- to sell Falling Waters down on
the East Trail and Falling Waters up in almost -- north of Wiggin's
Pass Road. I don't think that the community wants to support that
kind of thing.
MR. BELLOWS: And I don't think that's the intent of this
language --
COMMISSIONER CARON: I know, but I'm not sure that the
language gets you there.
MR. BELLOWS: -- because --
COMMISSIONER CARON: I think Mr. Schiffer's right.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: If you look at what the language
says, I build a -- I can build it in a residential PUD, estates, or
agricultural, and I sell product for -- I mean, of course, I'm going to
sell residential; I'm selling residences, you know. So that -- there is
supposedly control. That just opens it up. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But at the same time, doesn't it say,
"Shall be restricted to the promotion of a product or products
Page 91
February 26, 2010
permitted within the zoning district in which the model home or model
sales center is located and further subject to the following"? So if it's
in the estates, they have -- the model home has to be on an estates lot
in the estates area, and out of that, they can't sell homes in Marco
Island. Isn't that what that's saying? Or do you not agree?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, I mean, that one might be
clear. But what -- in agricultural, what does that mean? In other
words, any agricultural lot means that I can sell this house for any
other agricultural lot?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: See, actually, I saw that -- maybe I'm--
a lot of times when you go into a development, it's zoned ag to begin
with. They might get their ability to put a model home in prior to their
finalization of their PUD or whatever else they applied for. I'm not
sure if that's where this applies or not.
Ray, do you have an example of where the agricultural reference
in here will apply or how it would apply?
MR. BELLOWS: Yeah, let me see here.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: While he's thinking, Mark, let
me -- like, how would you control somebody -- I -- in an agricultural
-- I build a model home. I mean, I could sell that to people who build
in the estates. I mean, it's -- these are private lots. It's not -- it's easy
to control within a PUD, because the product can be built in that PUD,
but only that PUD has that potential.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yeah, the PUDs have it. And I thought
-- the way I thought this was always intended is, if you're a builder in
the estates, you've got to -- you get an estates lot, and you can build a
model home.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And I walk in there, and I say,
"I have this ago lot up Immokalee. Can you build it there?" And he
will say --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Sure.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: -- "Of course."
Page 92
February 26, 2010
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yeah. But I don't think he's promoting
that site as an off-site model site for another location in the
community. And I think -- and I think if he was that blatant, this
would give a way for code enforcement to stop it if someone saw
harm by it. I think periodically it may be happening in reality. But
until someone sees the harm in it, I don't think they're going to say
anything.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And I guess the concern is you
don't want a strip of model homes for product being sold all over the
county .
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Absolutely not. I think that's -- that
certainly is a concern.
Okay. Is there any other -- is there any other issues with 199 and
-- 197 and 198? Then at this point, where the language stays as it is,
and we seek a recommendation for approval or denial and finding a
consistency or inconsistency with the growth management plan. Is
there such a motion for either way? Brad.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, I mean, I'm usually the
one that -- but I think that the wording of that -- I don't -- I'm not sure
it gives you what you want. I'm not comfortable with that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, then--
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: It kind of says that, but -- but
the enforcement of what it kind of says, I think, is impossible.
MS. MOSCA: Now, is the concern having model home sales
from agriculturally zoned properties? Is that the concern that you
have?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I think the concern is to have a
strip of model homes or a bunch of builders. The intent is that, if you
want to put a model home, it's because you're selling something in that
vicinity.
MS. MOSCA: But eventually -- because it is temporary in
nature, eventually it will go away. It will be a single-family residence.
Page 93
February 26, 2010
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right. I mean, it's just a control
thing. I mean, Mark, it's really the estates that could have the
problem. So if you're comfortable with it, I'll buy it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, I don't -- and, Brad, I'm trying not
to miss anything. So I don't understand your concern, which I would
like to understand, because if you have one, then there may be --
somebody else may have it, and that would be a problem. So can you
explain to me why that bothers you?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. What it says is
"restricted to the promotion of a product or products permitted within
the zoning district in which the model homes or model sales center is
located." (As read.)
So the four choices for zoning districts are residential, which is
all the residential; a PUD, that one's easy, that one's clean; the estates
zoning is estates zoning, quite a bit of that; or agricultural. So
essentially if I put it on any ago lot, it's -- it's not saying that it's really
to promote the sale of housing in that vicinity. It's --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, okay. Now, that's probably --
then I understand what you're saying. Where I read this is, when it
said "or model sales center is located," I saw that as meaning if it's
located in an estates lot in the estates, then it's the estates that they're
selling out of there. If it's located in an estates lot in East Naples, it's
the estates areas in East Naples.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: It doesn't say -- it says the
"zoning district" in which it's located.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right. It's located in estates zoning, in
the estate -- in Golden Gate Estates.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But if -- I mean, ifI --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: How do you -- give us some -- some
correction then if you feel it should be corrected. That's fine. I'm not
objecting to it.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yeah.
Page 94
February 26,2010
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I'm trying to get us there.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I mean, essentially the intent is
that it's -- it's for selling homes in that vicinity. But -- but do you
think you've described that vicinity -- when you say it's located -- you
know, you're really located in a zoning district, which can be all over
town. For example, a residential zoning district, there's tons of it all
over the place. And you're not corralling it into that neighborhood.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: How about if you take the word "res"--
where you have the word "residential" crossed out, put the word
"vicinity" in, "vicinity of the zoning district in which the model home
or model sales center is located." Does that get you --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, actually, if you're happy,
like I said, I really will back off, because it doesn't bother me in any
way. I mean, this -- I can't imagine anything that -- you know, I know
we have model homes in District 2, and I know that they're not selling
homes for exactly that vicinity. They're selling for whoever has a
vacant lot in the county -- or Lee and Collier probably.
MS. ISTENES: The other instance you might get is somebody
with a model in a development that also happens to have a
development elsewhere may -- they -- multiple, you know,
developments, and they happen to offer the same product, just in a
different development. I don't know that we've really had problems or
complaints about that.
MR. BELLOWS: No.
MS. ISTENES: So it's up to -- to you-all, but --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Because you don't know about
that.
MR. BELLOWS: Well, I mean--
MS. ISTENES: You usually know about complaints, yes.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: No, but it -- the enforcement of
this is what I'm saying. You wouldn't know, you know, where the
contracts are being drawn up.
Page 95
February 26, 2010
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Wolfley.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Well, it would be like a
DiV osta project.
MS. ISTENES: Sure, exactly.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: You know, a DiVosta's a
DiVosta's a DiVosta. That's okay. There's five ofthem, so--
MS. ISTENES: Yeah.
MR. BELLOWS: I don't know how you prevent somebody, even
in the estates, selling homes in the estates, from also selling a home
elsewhere in the county or in the ag district.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But that's not what you're
writing.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: If they started doing that and someone
objected, you always could just not reissue the temporary permit.
MS. ISTENES: Correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I don't have a problem with it.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Then I'll move to forward this
to a recommendation of approval.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And finding it consistent--
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And it is -- it is consistent with
the growth management plan.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is there a second?
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: I'll second.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Wolfley's second. Discussion? All
in favor signify by saying "aye."
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HOMIAK: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye. Anybody opposed? Motion
carries. And we're down to --
Page 96
February 26, 2010
COMMISSIONER CARON: Seven.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- seven -- yeah, 6 to O.
Okay. Let's go back and -- since Susan's here, we'll go back to
Page 181, and that is Item 4.02.01 D.9. Susan, do you have anything
-- do you want to start?
MS. ISTENES: Well, yes, I -- Susan Istenes for the record. I
just wanted to bring you up to date. This actually has been in a
previous LDC cycle, and the board of county commissioners directed
us to go back and employ the assistance of the Development Services
Advisory Committee in determining some of the impacts.
And if you look under "Fiscal and Operational Impacts" on Page
181, the bulleted list there is essentially the information we got back
from DSAC. This amendment is simply to codify an existing practice
by staff that allows encroachments of pool equipment and well pumps
if unenclosed into required yards. And 182 just basically shows that.
The word "pad" was scratched out, and "ground" was put in, only
because in the past there had been some confusion about pads being
elevated and whether or not -- what the intent of the regulation was,
whether it be a pad on the ground or an elevated pad. So the intent, as
staff had been applying it, was for ground, and that's why you see
"ground" there, to clarify that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Anybody? Brad?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I do. I mean, I would somewhat
argue, because that could be confused as just you have to mount it to
the ground. So could maybe we put a "slab on grade" or something
instead? They have to be mounted on a concrete -- piece of concrete,
whether you call it a pad or a slab but --
MS. ISTENES: It doesn't matter to me. It's -- that's acceptable.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Your intent is that it's not
raised, although in flood zones it is raised. So what happens there?
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: And we do have new maps
coming out, and we do have some -- a whole lot of raisings going on.
Page 97
February 26, 2010
MS. ISTENES: Yeah. I believe there's a different section of the
code that may address that, and I'd have to pull it out to answer that
question. I'm happy to do that if you want while y'all are
collaborating.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. And then the only other
thing: Do we want to put any provision to landscape the view of it
from the street?
MS. ISTENES: I'm sorry?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Do we want to put any
provision to landscape the view of it from the street?
MS. ISTENES: That's up to you.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: A lot of communities have it
where you have to have landscaping on the street side of that so that
it's not sticking out here (indicating). I mean, it ends up being a small
hedge to --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well-- but if it's elevated because of
FEMA, it's going to be a small hedge with high trees. And I
understand gated communities doing that, because that's what they get
to do.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: They get to control people's lives. But
we ought to have some places in the county where things aren't so
controlled. I know that's hard to believe.
Go ahead, Mr. Wolfley.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: I -- four or five years ago I had
to have a new well drilled. Well, they did not drill the well where the
old well was back by the equipment. They drilled it almost right on
the street. I mean, they might just as well have -- but, anyway, it was
on my property that I had. And it -- you're right, it is unsightly. It's a
white -- well, you know, it sat about three feet. I had to plant some
trees around it, because I thought it was ugly.
So, I mean, I -- I kind of agree with Brad there. I don't know if
Page 98
February 26,2010
we could make it a condition, but I did mine.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I think we ought to prohibit people from
letting people drill wells in their front yard.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: I know. I couldn't believe it.
You know, I rolled out there in my wheelchair, and I went, "What in
the hell is that?" you know, so it was an issue.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Did you pay them for it?
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Yes, I--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I'm just curious. Why would you pay
somebody to drill a well where you didn't want it?
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: That's a long story.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: I was weak at the time.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I don't think your example's going to go
and happen to a lot of people, though. I mean, I'm not sure we need a
code to cover that.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: I guess it depends on the well
driller.
MR. BELLOWS: For the record, Ray Bellows. There's certain
requirements for health safety depending on where other well sites and
septic tanks are located. To meet those health safety standards, it may
be forced to put a well site in the front yard.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: That was not -- well, that's true,
but --
MR. BELLOWS: It may not in your case.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: -- not in my case.
MR. BELLOWS: But in other cases I've known those situations
to exist.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: To make it easier for them.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Let's try to get through these two pages
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Yeah.
Page 99
February 26,2010
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- 181 and 182.
MS. ISTENES: To answer your question --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes.
MS. ISTENES: -- Ray reminded me that, once you're over 30
inches, then you just don't -- you can't encroach. You just have to
meet the setbacks. So that would be the difference.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay.
MS. ISTENES: But we talked about that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. So Brad had made a suggestion
that the word "ground" be substituted with "slab on grade." Is that still
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: It actually may be better -- why
don't we put parentheses "slab on grade," so the -- it's ground -- the
intent of it, it's on the ground, and it's essentially a slab on grade, is
what -- to use that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Are there any more comments or
questions on Pages 181 and 182? because I have one -- one or two,
actually. The reference to the last bullet under "Fiscal Operational
Impacts" on 181, "This will create nonconformance for over 100,000
existing residents," now that isn't what you're proposing in this
language on Page 182, right?
MS. ISTENES: Correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So we never saw the original language.
MS. ISTENES: I don't think that it differed much from this. I
mean, the language is simply just to allow the pool equipment and
well pumps to encroach, because it's not specifically stated in the
LDC; but that's been the practice of staff when they've been approving
permits. And so just in an attempt to make it more clear, we wanted to
add that language in so there was no question.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Can you tell me what the reference to
the nonconforming -- was it -- was referring to then? I mean, for
someone to make a statement that there's -- could be over 100,000
Page 100
February 26,2010
existing residences deemed nonconforming -- because of what?
MS. ISTENES: I believe -- I think when -- and Catherine
presented this to DSAC. But I think one of the concerns was the fact
that the board didn't approve it and that, in not approving it,
nonconformities would exist because permits had been issued
allowing the encroachments by these types of accessories.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So you're saying if the board did not
approve the encroachments in the side yards, we would have over
100,000 in nonconformity. Is that a simple way of saying it?
MS. ISTENES: Yeah. I don't know if that number's accurate,
but that was what DSAC said.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Gotcha.
MS. ISTENES: You got it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Now I'm focusing on where the
issue is. If you get to the -- and on Page 182, the second line, Line 16
refers to unenclosed pool equipment and well pumps. What is
considered unenclosed? Is it a defined term?
MS. ISTENES: Generally speaking, it's without a roof, you
know.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So then your air conditioners have to
have four sides on them?
MS. ISTENES: Well, you don't have to have anything around
your air conditioning.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I mean pool equipment. I'm sorry. Pool
equipment and well pumps, you've got to have four sides around
them?
MS. ISTENES: No, you don't have to have anything. What it's
saying is, if you enclose them, you can't encroach, because then it
becomes a structure.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. So you could -- you can put four
sides up, but no roof. That's what I mean.
MS. ISTENES: Correct.
Page 10 1
February 26,2010
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's what I should have said.
MS. ISTENES: Correct. Do you disagree, Ray?
MR. BELLOWS: No, I don't disagree.
MS. ISTENES: Okay. Ray agrees.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, that makes it fine.
MS. ISTENES: We're ready for a vote.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No more questions.
COMMISSIONER CARON: How frightening.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Oh. Okay. I understand what you're
saying. Anybody else? Okay. Now let's ask the same question again.
Is there a motion for a approval, recommendation, denial, whatever?
Brad.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I'll move that we forward with a
recommendation of approval based on the amendment of putting
parentheses "slabs on grade" after "ground." And that
recommendation of approval is saying it would meet the growth
management plan.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Second.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion made and seconded.
Discussion?
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: What's the page number on
that?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: 181.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: 181. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion's been made and seconded. All
those in favor signify by saying "aye."
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Aye.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HOMIAK: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye. Anybody opposed? Motion
Page 102
February 26,2010
carries 6 to O.
We're moving on to Page 185. 185 is the Gateway Triangle.
Susan, do you want to explain to us?
MS. ISTENES: I can attempt to. I don't have a lot of the
background on this. It's--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MS. ISTENES: Essentially they're eliminating the reference to a
front yard build-to line. And I believe there was a graphic that had
that reference on there. So they wish to remove that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And that's on Page 186 where they had
't?
1 .
MS. ISTENES: Correct. If you see a -- let's see.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The top one has it; the bottom one does
not --
MS. ISTENES: Correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- ifI'm not mistaken. And they
reference a build-to line on Page 188 -- excuse me -- and on 189 they
do not.
MS. ISTENES: That is correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And on Page 187, they mention a
build-to line; and 189, they do not. So what I'm assuming is all the
ones that do not reference the build-to line are the new ones; is that
right?
MS. ISTENES: That's my understanding, yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. And the last one is on Page 191,
talking about parking locations. The old one is on top, and the new
one, I believe, is on the bottom; is that correct? Yeah -- yes, because
the build-to line is gone from the bottom one.
MS. ISTENES: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. That I understand. What we have
in front of us, does anybody have any questions? Why do they change
the trees? Never mind. I'm just kinding.
Page 103
February 26,2010
MS. ISTENES: I really don't know.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: They went from a royal palm to a sable
palm. I'm just wondering, is that a sign of the times?
MR. BELLOWS: I liked the other one better.
MS. ISTENES: I did too.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Brad?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I'll make a motion if you want.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Please.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And you must have been good
at where is Waldo? I move that we forward it with a recommendation
of approval and with a finding that it's compliant with the GMP.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is there a second?
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Second.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Wolfley. Discussion? All in favor,
signify by saying "aye."
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HOMIAK: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye. Anybody opposed? Motion
carries 6 to O.
We're on to Page 193.
MS. ISTENES: That was withdrawn. You see it hashed out
there.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Oh, you're right. Okay. We're on to
Page 203.
This is the one that removes the planning commission from the
code of laws to the -- to a code of -- I mean, from the code of -- from
the LDC to the code of laws, right?
MS. ISTENES: Yes, that was already done. This is essentially
just cleaning up by removing it from the LDC. And that's on Page --
Page 104
February 26, 2010
starts on Page 203, 204.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Any questions or comments? I have
one, and I don't know who wants to answer it. But if we take the
planning commission standards out of the LDC and we put it in the
code of laws, if it stays in the LOC, the planning commission gets to
weigh in on the changes that are occurring. If it's in the code of laws,
it's done in silence, like everything else that sometimes doesn't work
for us.
Why would this be a benefit to this planning commission? And
the example I can think of is in '0 -- in 2001 when the hearing officer
ordinance came through. It was the same similar thing. They were
going to basically trash the planning commission and replace them
with a hearing officer who wouldn't have been nearly as accessible to
the public as this planning commission.
MR. KLATZKOW: I will give you the reason since it was my
idea.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Oh, okay.
MR. KLA TZKOW: And it has nothing to do with the planning
commission. It had to do with all ofthe LDC advisory committees.
We have a mishmash -- well, we had a mishmash of areas in the -- in
the code where you could find the advisory boards if you were looking
for their ordinance. Some were in the LOCs; some were in the code of
laws and ordinances; some were buried within the other ordinances.
One of the problems with it being in the LOC is that, when you
want to make a minor change to it, you've got to go through this
process, okay? So, you know, matters that were -- and we made a
couple of minor amendments to the planning commission ordinance
last year, you know, dealing with, among other things, how the board
of county commissioners would select which ones from which district
and what have you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Oh, I remember that.
MR. KLATZKOW: We would have to go through the entire pro
February 26, 2010
-- LOC process; whereas, if it's a regular ordinance, the board could
just hear it, make the change, and do it. That is why it's in there.
So, yes, you are not going to be seeing, in this particular arena,
any changes to the CCPC ordinance, just like the rest of the
committees who used to be there, the EAC and the historical board
and everybody else. You won't see those changes either. But they
will -- any changes will get advertised and noticed by the BCC --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. That's--
MR. KLATZKOW: -- and -- no, and you are, you know,
welcome to comment there.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: First of all, we couldn't make that
argument in the three minutes before we're pulled off the show.
Second of all, some of the minor things that you -- that the reasoning
is to move this there, could just as well be major things that could be
changed. And we would be in -- unknowledgeable of it. Third of all,
this board has a lot different standing than the EAC, the historic board,
and the others in the sense we're quasi-judicial.
We're the official LPA for Collier County, and as long as we
have that kind of standing, I think it would be a grave mistake to put
this into a process where we don't know when and how it could be
changed except for reading all those ridiculous legal ads in the paper
that nobody can sit there and read, except maybe an attorney who's
trying to make a living -- not you, Jeff, but the outside private sector.
But I just -- this is -- I think this is wrong for this board. I don't --
you know, the rest of the boards have a different standing than we do.
And I certainly am against it.
MR. KLA TZKOW: And that's fair. I hear the reason why we
did it. It was to make it easier to change the ordinance.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I'd rather see it harder, to be honest with
you.
MR. KLA TZKOW: No, that's fair; that's fair. And you can make
that recommendation to the board.
Page 106
February 26,2010
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Ms. Caron?
COMMISSIONER CARON: Yeah, and I'll support you in that
recommendation to the board. I don't think that the planning
commission should be removed from the LDC. It's not a good -- it's
not a good thing for the planning commission; it's not a good thing for
the board of county commissioners.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: In fact, I think we ought to take it a step
further. Can we bring the board of county commissioners' ordinance
into the LDC so we can -- just kidding. So what I -- I would suggest
in the -- in the parts of this that are being considered for the planning
commission application, that the recommendation would be to deny
and leave the planning commission here, but for the rest of them, leave
it as it is -- as proposed.
MR. KLATZKOW: That's your prerogative.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: What's the rest of you think?
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: I think we ought to cross it and
vote.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Is there a motion for anything on
that?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Why don't you make that
motion.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Fine. I'll make a motion that LDC
Section 8- I through 20 -- well, that's on -- on Page 203 and two
hundred -- as articulated on 203 and 204 be forwarded to the board of
county commissioners with a recommendation of a denial for those
sections applicable to the planning commission, but a recommendation
of approval for the remaining, and finding both those
recommendations consistent with the growth management plan.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Second.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion made and seconded by
Commissioner Schiffer. Discussion? All in favor, signify by saying
"aye."
Page 107
February 26,2010
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HOMIAK: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye. Anybody opposed? Motion
carries 6 to O.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Jeff, one question. I remember
watching the commission meeting. Oidn't -- in the planning
commission Item D, the reappointment, wasn't that removed or
changed or --
MR. KLATZKOW: Yeah, I had a -- there were a couple of
minor adminis -- what I would term administerial changes made to the
planning commission ordinance and a couple of others as well. We
were making changes to the EAC ordinance. And this is a rather
lengthy and expensive process, going through changing the LDC. So
the thought was just pushing everything into the code of laws and
ordinances, like many other places do. But you guys are special; I've
always told you that. That's why I sit here.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: The special what?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But yet the change isn't in here
yet. So when we're looking at this wording, it's the old wording?
MR. KLATZKOW: It's the old wording.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And you were going to catch it
on the other side?
MR. KLATZKOW: Oh, it's already -- it's already been codified.
You have a sample of that ordinance now --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: All right.
MR. KLA TZKOW: -- which you'll find in the code of laws and
ordinances.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Susan?
Page 108
February 26, 2010
MS. ISTENES: They're in the book too.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, I wanted to talk to you about that.
MS. ISTENES: Okay.
(Commissioner Murray entered the room.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is it a better time now to go back and
sign off on those that we did go through on Book 1 in our private --
previous meeting where we could not vote and get that done with
and/or go into Book 2 in order now?
MS. ISTENES: Well, two thoughts on that. We don't have
everything you -- obviously, there was things that had to come back
that are not coming back until March, and those are in Book 3.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MS. ISTENES: I also have some staff that wanted to be here,
and I told them they were in Book 3.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Oh, okay.
MS. ISTENES: And so that's --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's enough.
MS. ISTENES: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I was just trying to make sure we were
most efficient. And we'll just hold off and go through those workshop
-- it wasn't a workshop, but whatever we called it -- at the March 10th
meeting.
MS. ISTENES: I have the agenda from that meeting. And if, at
the end of the meeting, you want to go through it and -- just for a
mental checklist, or if you're satisfied with just waiting to come back
to the third meeting, we can do that too if you wish.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Well, we'll see what happens as
the day goes on then.
MS. ISTENES: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Let's move into Page 1 of Book 2. That
one's the one that's been continued. That's the Immokalee master plan.
MS. ISTENES: Yes.
Page 109
February 26,2010
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I mean, the Immokalee deviation
process. So let's now move into Page 11 of Book 2.
MS. ISTENES: And I -- Maryann Devanas prepared this. And
the reason she had was the county attorney's office has opined that the
responsibility for annual monitoring reports is held by the owners, all
of them, of undeveloped or developing lands or, in the case of a fully
developed PUD, by the owners, meaning governing associations of the
common lands. And that is essentially the basis upon which this
amendment was drafted, to be consistent with their opinion.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: This is Page 11, Mark?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Pardon me?
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Page II?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Page 11, yes, sir.
MS. ISTENES: Of Book 2.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Anybody have any questions on Pages
-- there's only two pages; it's 11 and 12.
On the -- Page 11, Susan, the reason -- the last sentence, it says:
"Following this opinion from the CAO the language struck through
below in 10.02.13 F.1.4 is not correct."
MS. ISTENES: I think the intent there was to say, based on the
opinion, the language that's presently in there is not correct. I'll -- I'm
going to clean that up, because it almost reads like what I'm propose --
what she's proposing is not correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right. I figured you just had a different
opinion than the county attorney.
MS. ISTENES: That never happens.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So the language then on Page 12 were
the two changes on 8.a and 4 -- those are changes that are correctly
proposed.
MS. ISTENES: That is my understanding. Do you agree, Jeff?
MR. KLA TZKOW: I hate talking about this since Maryann's not
here to ask why she's doing it. I'll have to get back to you, Mr.
Page 110
February 26, 2010
Chairman. I just--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MS. ISTENES: It does appear to be consistent with the reason.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Who was -- was this -- is that something
we should wait 'til the 10th then, Jeff?
MR. KLA TZKOW: Yeah, just why don't you wait on that. Let
me double check on this. 1 mean, that might have been me who gave
that opinion. I don't even remember. It's been a while.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I know the feeling.
Okay. Let's move to Page 13, Section 10.03.05. That's just a
two-page issue concerning the notifications for conditional use.
MS. ISTENES: Yes. This is actually -- we believe it was an
oversight. But if you recall-- I know you don't do that many of them.
Actually, I don't think the planning commission even sees those.
These just go straight to the board. Isn't that right, Ray, the
conditional-use extensions?
MR. BELLOWS: Yes.
MS. ISTENES: So anyway, there's the ability for somebody to
get an extension to their approved conditional use if they haven't
developed it in accordance with the code. And -- well -- and let me
clarify that. If it hasn't commenced, they can extend it, because it typ
-- it only has a life of three years unless the use has commenced.
So sometimes there's a need, a legitimate need, for -- for a
extension. And this will require -- and we've -- actually, I believe
we've already been requiring it -- the notice to -- public notice to be
published when this extension goes to hearing in front of the board so
the public can be aware.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Ooes anybody have any
questions?
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: I just have a comment. We're
probably going to see a lot of these coming up, extensions.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, they go up to the board. They
Page III
February 26,2010
don't come to us.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: I know. But, I mean, they are
going to be seeing a lot of them.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And they can do it on summary?
MS. ISTENES: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yeah. Comments? Questions?
Anybody? If not, is there a format for a motion?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I'll move.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, we've got to go through the
process. Motion to approve 10.03.05. Is that--
COMMISSIONER CARON: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Consistent with the--
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I'll second.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Murray made the motion; Mr.
Schiffer seconded it. Discussion? All in favor signify by saying
"aye."
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HOMIAK: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye. Anybody opposed? Motion
carries 7 to O.
Now we're on Page 15.
MS. ISTENES: May I just interrupt? because a thought just
occurred to me, that these ones that are being continued really have to
be continued to -- if you don't have -- in other words -- well, never
mind; never mind; scratch that. Go ahead. Sorry.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Whoa.
MS. ISTENES: No, I was just getting concerned that -- I don't--
we've got to be careful if we're continuing things that have to be
Page 112
February 26,2010
changed. They really are coming back on your fourth meeting, not
your third, which is March 10th.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MS. ISTENES: So I was just recalling what maybe we had said
-- well, we'll talk about them on March 10th instead. But ifthey have
to have corrections, you have your book already for March 10th. So,
obviously, anything that needs a correction will not be coming back
until the fourth hearing, not the third. That just popped in my head.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's fine. I think when we meant
continued, it wasn't going to be today. It wasn't like a regular
advertised hearing where it's going to have an applicant worrying
about coming back with witnesses. So let's just -- we understand.
Another day it will come to us.
MR. KLATZKOW: Mr. Chairman?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes, sir.
MR. KLA TZKOW: If you want to talk about the Devanas one, I
-- I've refreshed my recollection on the reasoning on that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. We're back to Page 11.
MR. KLA TZKO W: What was happening was this: Over the
course of time, PUDs were getting transferred; sometimes parcels
were being sold outright to other developers; sometimes you'd get
changes in corporate structure. And what was happening, when staff
was asking for a monitoring report, we were, in essence, getting --
getting one of these (indicating). Everybody was pointing fingers at
everybody else.
And what I said was, you know, this has to stop. The guy who
originally got the PUD, he's responsible for it. And ifhe wants to
have other people do it among themselves, they can figure out from
the expense standpoint, time standpoint who can do it.
But we had to have somebody held accountable for it so that the
original developer is responsible for the PUD irrespective of the
corporate machinations or transfers he might have within his
Page 113
February 26, 2010
development. And that was the reason for the change.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yeah, but aren't you taking that -- that
out?
MR. KLATZKOW: No, the changed portion says it "shall not
absolve the original owner."
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. But a change in the entire PUD
and moving it to a HOA for the PUD would absolve the original
owner.
MR. KLA TZKOW: Portions of --
COMMISSIONER CARON: I don't think it's--
MR. KLATZKOW: Well, there shouldn't be a change in this
then, huh?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yeah.
MR. KLATZKOW: Because that was -- that was -- that was the
discussion we had.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Why don't we -- rather than -- why don't
we -- since the person who authored it is not here, it needs to be
reviewed, why don't we just wait and bring that back on the 24th so
we can --
MR. KLATZKOW: She's never going to be here.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Huh?
MS. ISTENES: The author will not be here.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I know that. So what I'm saying is, why
not wait until the 24th and let somebody else digest it better so that
we're assured we're not doing something that's going to be detrimental.
It's two pages. We can hear it quickly on the 24th and be done with it.
Is that okay?
MR. KLA TZKOW: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Good. Let's wait 'til the 24th then.
We're on school board concurrency. And Tom Eastman knew we
were going to discuss this, and he wanted to leave before we did; so
he's gone. And he said, "Oh, I'm going leave this to Amy Taylor; she
Page 114
February 26, 2010
can handle it." So Amy's here. I don't know who wants to make the
presentation or discussion, ifthere is any, but go right ahead.
MS. MOSCA: For the record, Michele Mosca again with the
comprehensive planning staff. The proposed school concurrency land
development code regulations before you today were developed
and/or intended to implement the countywide school concurrency
program, which was adopted by the board of county commissioners in
October of 2008.
Generally, these amendments codify portions of the school
concurrency interlocal agreement and the public school facilities
element of the growth management plan and provide a process to
review and approve residential developments that are subject to school
concurrency.
And I don't have any further presentation; however, I do have
some minor editorial changes that I'd like to put on the record when
directed to do so.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. What we'll do is we'll go through
page by page --
MS. MOSCA: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- and when we get to the page you need
to do an editorial change, we're there.
Okay. Are there questions on Pages 16 and 17 from the planning
commission? On 16, the ancillary facility, is that considered an
essential service at any -- at any point in time?
MS. ISTENES: I don't think so; I don't think so.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MS. ISTENES: I can do a quick search. We can look.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Murray?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Yeah. Some of those are
designated as shelters.
MS. MOSCA: Not the -- not the ancillary facilities, no.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Okay. All right.
Page 115
February 26,2010
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And while Susan's looking up that, I'll
see ifthere's anything else on 16 and 17, and we'll move to 18 and 19.
MS. MOSCA: Mr. Chairman, I'm sorry.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes.
MS. MOSCA: I do have a correction -- or just to make you -- or
alert you to, Page 17 rather, where there is a blank next to the official
record book on Line 7, we're waiting for that interlocal to be recorded.
So you'll see an X and a page and a --
MS. TAYLOR: It has been re -- it has been recorded.
MS. MOSCA: Okay. 00 you want to--
MS. TAYLOR: It has --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Amy Taylor for the record, right?
MS. TAYLOR: Amy Taylor for the record, long-range planner
with the school district. It has been recorded. And we will get those
numbers to --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Staff?
MS. TAYLOR: -- the staff.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's fine. Thank you. Okay.
Anything else from 16, 17? If not, 18, 19? Questions? How about 20,
21?
MS. MOSCA: Mr. Chairman?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes, ma'am.
MS. MOSCA: On Page 19, Line 7, if we could just remove the
bolding from the acroment -- acronym, excuse me, LOS.
And, again, on Page 19, Line 9, if we could also remove the
bolding from the term "Florida Inventory of Schoolhouses" and,
paren, "FISH capacity" and again on Line 10, for "FISH capacity,"
please.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Now we're on Page 20 and 21.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Chair?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: I have something here.
Page 116
February 26,2010
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Wolfley.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: I've been thinking about this,
and it went back to ancillary facilities. Do we consider the sheriffs
mobile home, whatever you call it, an ancillary facility? And is that
part of the school district? I don't know what made me think about it,
but I -- they're at every school.
MS. ISTENES: We as the county, actually, look at it as kind ofa
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: A separate--
MS. ISTENES: -- accessory use essentially to the school.
MS. TAYLOR: Yes.
MS. ISTENES: They have a -- they have trail-- on some -- some
cases they have trailers or --
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Yeah.
MS. ISTENES: -- portables.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Right.
MS. ISTENES: And we've just looked at it that way --
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Okay. So--
MS. ISTENES: -- as an accessory to the school.
MS. TAYLOR: And it's not considered an ancillary as defined
by the state. There's a definition for ancillary.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Okay, but--
MS. TAYLOR: And it's consistent with the definition, yes.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: That got it. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. We're on Pages 20 and 21.
Anybody have any questions? Michele, when I turn to the next page,
are you going to tell me to go back to 21 ?
MS. MOSCA: No, I won't. Sorry.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. How about 22 and 23? Questions
on 22 and 23? 24 and 25? 26 and 277 28 and 29?
Michele, on the top of Page 29: "Adjacent Concurrency Service
Areas: Concurrency service areas which are contiguous and touch
Page 11 7
February 26,2010
along one side of their outside geographic boundary," I remember
when this came through we talked about how these can be fitted
together. Where it says "along one side," do we mean any portion of
one side, or does it have to be the entire side of side one?
MS. MOSCA: I believe it's anyone portion.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Amy, you may want to clarify that.
MS. TAYLOR: That's fine.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MS. MOSCA: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. So if you've got a quarter ofa
side against the side of another facility, you just -- a piece that -- an
overhang, then you still get the benefit of that quarter side as being
considered adjacent.
MS. TAYLOR: I'm not sure I under --I'm sorry.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, your adjacent concurrency--
MS. TAYLOR: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And I didn't go back and reread all those
volumes of data on the school issue. If you have a shortage of
concurrency and you're --
MS. TAYLOR: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I was going to say you're square, if you
have another square next to you that has an excess, you can somehow
blend it so you --
MS. TAYLOR: Absolutely, yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- get the benefit of that.
MS. TAYLOR: That's the whole -- that's the reason for the
adjacency description.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right. What I'm saying is that you
wouldn't need to be adjacent for the full length of whatever common
line you have. It could be just a portion of that common line, and you
could still benefit from that blending.
MS. TAYLOR: Yes, you could.
Page 118
February 26, 2010
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. So the only reason I'm
suggesting is you may want to say "along any portion of one side of
their outside geographic boundary," so that's clear.
MS. TAYLOR: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's all I was getting at.
MS. TAYLOR: Yes, uh-huh.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Pages 30 and 31, questions? Pages 32
and 33?
MS. MOSCA: And, Mr. Chairman, I have --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes.
MS. MOSCA: -- a couple of changes on 32.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MS. MOSCA: Okay. Page 32, Lines 20,22,23, and 38, delete
the phrase "or its functional equivalent." And that should have come
out previously. When we worked with municipalities, we weren't
certain -- we weren't sure if they had some other functional equivalent
to a building permit, et cetera. So that needs to come out.
Also on Page 32 --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Uh-huh.
MS. MOSCA: -- Line 22, delete the word "approval" and the
comma, and insert the word "or" before the word "site."
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Anything else?
MS. MOSCA: Excuse me. And then finally, on Line 38, delete
the comma after the word "plat," and insert the word "or" before the
word "residential."
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Is that it?
MS. MOSCA: And that's it. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Anything else on 32 or 33?
D-l, Line 8: "The county shall not issue a COA for a residential
development until receiving confirmation of available school
capacity." There are some exempt residential developments, right?
MS. MOSCA: That's correct.
Page 11 9
February 26,2010
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. So not every residential
development will require a COA. Are those expandable, any of those
non -- those exempt residential developments?
MS. TAYLOR: The -- and I'm sorry I don't have the state statute
with me. But the state statute provides for the exemptions, so it's -- it's
-- for example, all Golden -- Golden Gate Estates previously platted
lots are exempt. Those that are designated as adult communities are
exempt. So -- and they are as specifically outlined in the state statute.
Any -- any other development, site development plan or plat in the
future is subject to concurrency.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Mr. Murray?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: You -- you might consider
modifying that line to say, "The county shall not issue a COA for a
non-exempted residential development." Does that help some?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, that's -- yeah, that's the note that I
had on that line. And it also should occur on Line 12 for the
"non-exempted residential development" there, and it should occur on
Line 13 for "extension or modification of a COA for non-exempted
residential development."
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Right.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is that -- is that useful to add in there or
not?
MS. MOSCA: I think it's -- actually, Mr. Chairman, I think it's
already covered within the previous pages of the same LDC
amendment, because --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MS. MOSCA: -- it addresses all of the exemptions.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Page 20; is that right?
MS. MOSCA: I believe it's located in two areas under -- on Page
30, there's a list of exemptions under Item 3, which is Line 17.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
COMMISSIONER CARON: It also does it on Page 20 --
Page 120
February 26, 2010
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yeah, that's fine.
MS. MOSCA: And that's correct.
COMMISSIONER CARON: -- under "Submittal Requirements
for Certificate of Public Facility Adequacy." And B is "Exemptions,"
so --
MS. MOSCA: That's correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. That works.
And that takes us to the end of the one for the school
concurrency, and that's a whole pile of different sections of the code.
Is there a motion -- or is there any discussion, any further discussion,
by the planning commission? Okay. Is there a motion on that one?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I'll make the motion.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. The motion needs to be -- and I'll
just make -- for simplification, it needs to be either for approval or --
for recommendation for approval or denial for the following sections:
1.08.01, 1.08.02,4.08.07,6.02.09, 10.02.04, 10.02.07, 10.04.09,
10.02.12, 10.02.13, and 10.04.00.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I did that rather well, didn't I?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, I was just trying to help you get
there.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: No, I appreciate that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Is that a motion?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: That's my motion, and it
comports with the growth management plan.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Motion for approval, right?
MS. MOSCA: Mr. -- excuse me.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: It is that, yes.
MS. MOSCA: Mr. Chairman, Amy indicated that we missed --
1.08.02?
MS. TAYLOR: 10.02.03, in your list, when you were listing
them, yeah.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Oh, it's not in the list. That's what we're
Page 121
February 26, 2010
here to review, so --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: 10.02.03.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- 10.02.03 should be added to that. Mr.
Murray, do you accept that into your motion?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I do.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is there a second to Mr. Murray's
motion?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I will.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Brad, okay. A motion was made
stipulating all those sections, and it was seconded, that it's consistent
with the growth management plan. All those in favor, signify by
saying "aye."
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HOMIAK: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye. Anybody opposed? The motion
carries 6 to 0 -- or 7 -- 7 to O. I'm sorry. People are coming and
gomg.
Okay. Let's move on to Page, it looks like, 34.
MS. ISTENES: This one's very straightforward. It's just
amending the square footage of the travel -- the size of the vehicles
that are going from 480 square feet to 500 square feet in gross floor
area. This was brought before the board on a public petition, and the
board -- kind of keeping up with the times, I guess.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yeah, but the -- you said it's
straightforward. That means we need to spend some time on it.
MS. ISTENES: Okay. It's really difficult.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Well, that's -- is there any
questions on Pages 34 or 35?
Page 122
February 26,2010
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I would make a motion for
approval, and it comports with the growth management plan, for LDC
Section 2.03.03 F, "Travel Trailer-Recreational Vehicle Campground
District (TTRVC)."
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is there a second?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I'm good with it. Second.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Motion made and seconded for
approval consistent with the growth management plan. Discussion?
All in favor signify by saying "aye."
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Aye.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HOMIAK: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye. Anybody opposed? Okay.
Motion carries 7 to O.
Okay. We're on to Page 42.
MS. ISTENES: Okay. This is to increase the maximum number
of seats allowed within the permitted-use classification of Performing
Arts Theater. And this is in the Bayshore mixed-use overlay district,
LOC Sections 2.03.07 I.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MS. ISTENES: And the change is to increase the performance
seating, limited -- it was 200, and this proposes to raise it to 500 seats.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Any questions on Pages 42,43, 44? 00
you know why they limited themselves to 500 seats?
MS. ISTENES: I don't.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MS. ISTENES: I can find out if you want.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, how big is the Philharmonic, for
example? Do you know how many seats that is?
Page 123
February 26, 2010
MS. ISTENES: No, I don't. I don't have--
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I think it's something like three
hundred --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yeah. I'm just wondering --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: -- forty.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: They may not need more than 500, but
why do they want to limit themselves? Is there any reason in the code
or the GMP that staff or anybody has an objection just to giving them
-- I mean, any -- if we could put another facility in East Naples, that
would be fabulous. So I wouldn't know why we'd want -- wouldn't
want to encourage it, not put any limitations.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Well, then you get into the
section -- the issue of size overall, number of parking spots.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Is there any property in there
that could do that? I don't really have a problem with your
advocation, but I'm assuming that 500 is a pretty good number.
MS. ISTENES: If you want, I could e-mail David Jackson and
Gene and see if they can give me a response and even hold off on this
one. That's just an option.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, I'd rather not hold off on it if it's --
MS. ISTENES: Well, I mean--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I mean, no one's -- no one's here to
object to it, and barring anything else, it's too simple. I don't want to
-- I was just trying to -- you know, for Naples -- for East Naples to
have the benefit of a facility like this would be great. And if it's
bigger than smaller, that's even better.
MR. KLA TZKOW: You could recommend that, when the issue
goes to the board, if they want more at that time, you're okay with
that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Yeah, that's good.
Page 124
February 26, 2010
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So we should recommend approval as
requested with the caveat that we might suggest they consider even
more at -- potentially, if that's ever wanted. So okay. Is everybody
satisfied with the discussion? If there is, is there a motion?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I'd make that motion.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I would recommend approval for
LDC 2:86.64.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's the -
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Section 2.03.07 I, or -- yeah,
with -- it comports with the growth management plan, and a
recommendation that the board consider an additional number over
500.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Is there a second?
COMMISSIONER HOMIAK: Second.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Second.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Schiffer -- who said it?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Karen.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Karen seconded. Karen's from
East Naples. We'll let that be a good one for her to second. Any
discussion? All in favor signify by saying "aye."
COMMISSIONER KOLFLAT: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HOMIAK: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye. Anybody opposed? Motion
carries 7 to O. Boy, we are just moving along.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I love it. We're on a roll.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Maybe it's because of the court reporter
we have. Boy, Cherie's going to hate that.
Page 125
February 26,2010
COMMISSIONER CARON: You're -- you're dead. You are
dead meat.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Oon't tell Cherie I said that. Okay.
Page 46, Goodland overlay zoning district.
MS. ISTENES: This is probably the toughest one of the day.
There's an error there. Bayshore Orive is supposed to be Bayshore
Way.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Ms. Caron?
MS. ISTENES: And it's correcting it.
COMMISSIONER CARON: On Page 47, where Way is
underlined, is it not supposed to be capitalized because it is the name
of the street?
MS. ISTENES: Yes, I will capitalize that.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Okay. There you go.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I don't know. Let's discuss this.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Nobody gets out of here easy.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Is there any further discussion?
Ifnot, is there a motion for that particular section, 2.03.07 J.4.b?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Karen?
COMMISSIONER HOMIAK: Motion to approve.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Consistent with the GMP?
COMMISSIONER HOMIAK: Consistent with the GMP.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Is there a second, Bob?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Discussion? All those in favor,
signify by saying "aye."
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HOMIAK: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Aye.
Page 126
February 26, 2010
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye. Anybody opposed? Motion
carries 7 to O. Susan, your stuff is too easy.
Page 48.
MS. ISTENES: Okay. This is essentially a cleanup. When
Ordinance 08-11 was adopted -- remember when we converted back
from the list of permitted and conditional uses in the zoning district,
we had the table, and we took them back to the list?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes.
MS. ISTENES: I guess there were some things that were not
stricken out that were supposed to be struck out, and this is just
cleaning that up. And 1 probably didn't do a good explanation of -- of
that, but essentially that is what it is.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Do one of you have Municode
pulled up in front of you?
MS.ISTENES: I can real quick if you want.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Because I did have when I
reviewed this, and I gave up after a while, because the references for
the sections that were being referenced did not seem to match up to
the Municode references. And I couldn't follow it, so I kind of need to
see if you found out what I found out.
MS. ISTENES: Well, Ray's going to open it, because I just
accidentally turned my computer off when I picked it up.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Are you opening it up?
MR. BELLOWS: Yeah.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Let's start with Page 49.
MR. BELLOWS: Page 49.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Under 2 -- I'm going to say Line 28 and
29. The "Rules for Interpretation of Uses" was 2.04.01. It's being
crossed out because the one above it says now Subsection 2.03.01 A.
If you go to 2.03.01 A on Municode, 1 believe it's the agricultural
zoning district definition or something like that. I'm trying to pull it
up, but my screen's slow.
Page 127
February 26, 2010
MR. BELLOWS: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. So how does -- how does 2.04.01
get transferred from a rules for interpretation of uses to the ag zoning
district description? Don't we need a different reference? And, by the
way, that --
MS. ISTENES: I guess I'm not quite understanding the question.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MS. ISTENES: Can we try that again?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It may be because I haven't read this
correctly. Go to Page 49 and Line 29.
MS. ISTENES: Uh-huh.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: 00 you see a crossed-out section,
2.04.01, "Rules for Interpretation of Uses," and then you see the entire
paragraph crossed out.
MS. ISTENES: Correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The presumption is it's crossed out
because it's been replaced elsewhere in the code; is that correct?
MS. ISTENES: Right.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The reference on Line 28 seems to say
now subsection 2.03.01 A. So if you go to Section 2.03.01 A, looking
for that old paragraph, I don't find it there. And I found that in quite a
few of these, not all of them, but quite a few of them. So I'm -- I'm
just wondering if I'm reading the references correct or not.
MR. KLA TZKOW: Mr. Chairman, let -- let my staff double
check this. We'll bring it back so we're sure this -- it's correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Good. Ooes that work for you guys,
Ray and --
MS. ISTENES: Sure.
MR. BELLOWS: Yeah.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. And 1-- and, Jeff, I went through
a bunch of them. You'll find quite a few that are inconsistent. And if
you look at some of the cross-outs, they --
Page 128
February 26, 2010
MR. KLATZKOW: When we--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- they weren't transferred.
MR. KLATZKOW: When we re-codified way back when, there
were tons of stuff just like this. And I understand --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MR. KLA TZKOW: I understand -- fully understand the issue.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Then let's move on to Page 64.
MS. ISTENES: This, I believe, was simply replacing an exhibit
that was difficult to read. Let me just get there, though, to make sure.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Probably with one that's more
difficult to read.
MS. ISTENES: Yeah. There was a -- it's a replacement ofa
current graphic or exhibit with one containing greater detail. And it
has to do with the -- if you look on Page 66, that is the one that is
going to be removed and replaced with Page 67.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Who wants to be Waldo?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I've got a bunch. Have you got
some, Mark?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Well, go ahead. Let's -- you've
probably got the ones that I've got, so --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yeah. First of all, Susan, there's
the phrase -- and I guess I'm trying to figure out how to describe it to
you. But it says 10-feet, 15-feet, 20-feet landscape buffers--
MS. ISTENES: Yes.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: When you read that, why does
it have that second parentheses?
MS. ISTENES: "Two-foot setback behind curb does not apply."
It looks -- there's a -- let's see. There is a requirement to set the curb
back, I believe, two feet, but -- from a buffer. But I'm not sure why
it's specifically res -- referencing a 10-, 15-, or 20-foot buffer, because
I thought it applied to all of them. But I could be wrong.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right. I mean, the thing is, it's
Page 129
February 26,2010
telling you that these are for the 10, 15, and 20; and then the thing
below says it's not for the 10, 15, or 20. Which--
MS. ISTENES: Well, the setback is -- I believe is referring to the
curb -- wheel stop.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right. I understand what the
two feet means.
MS. ISTENES: Okay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: That's not my question. My
question is: Did your -- in the illustration, it shows you that it's for
that buffer, and then, at the thing in parentheses, it tells you it's not for
that buffer. So just --
MS. ISTENES: Okay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: -- see what that means --
MS. ISTENES: Okay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: -- because one says it is, and
then the --
MS. ISTENES: Got it.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: -- parenthesis says it isn't.
And the -- another question I have is that -- the ramp cut you're
doing there is not the -- actually, it's not the preferred ramp cut for the
handicapped. The concern 1 have, since you show it, is you might be
forcing people to do that. In other words, what's kind of lately been --
been done, because of the steepness of that short little triangle piece, is
that you would slope down for five feet or, let's say, six feet if it's
six-inch curb, and then you go flat for the handicapped ramp, and then
you slope back up with the sidewalk rather than going around like you
do.
MS. ISTENES: Okay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I think I prefer you showing
that, because this could be interpreted that you have to go around like
you do.
MS. ISTENES: Okay.
Page 130
February 26,2010
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Or show nothing and say -- or
put a note that says "or as allowed by" and reference the proper
accessibility thing.
MS. ISTENES: Well, I'm -- I'm not disagreeing with you. I
think the important things are the dimensional requirements here, so
perhaps a reference to any design that meets the dimension --
minimum dimensional standards and is ADA compliant or something
to that effect.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right. But somebody could
force somebody to say, "Look, it shows you" -- and, you know, we
have conversations with planning reviewers that are like this -- but,
"Look, it shows you a four-foot thing there; you have to do the
four- foot thing."
MS. ISTENES: Understand.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: You know -- and that's what I
have, Mark.
MS. ISTENES: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. If you look at the old plan and
you look at the -- about the center of the page where it says "blue,"
"white," "blue," "white," I have a real smudged-out version, but I see
four inches there. On the new plan, if you look at the same reference
on the right-hand side ofthe page, they've all been increased to six
inches, which, in essence, you know, increases 50 percent the amount
of material and other efforts used there.
Does anybody -- was that known -- done with knowledge?
because that's more than -- I'm not -- I'm just wondering if that's more
than clarity. It seems like a standard change.
MS. ISTENES: I would agree with that. And I'm not sure if the
standard did change. I apologize for Stan not being here, but I -- since
we're coming -- it sounds like we're coming back anyway --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Oh, yeah.
MS. ISTENES: -- I can -- we'll be happy to clarify that for you.
Page 131
February 26,2010
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. And there's a reference in the
middle of the new page that says: "Single 6-inch wide white stripe"
between the two parking spaces. That one again, on the old plan, was
4 inches, at least as of -- the smudged way I'm reading it.
I notice there's a lot more detail in here, which was part of the
reason it was done. But is all the detail requirements, or are they
things that can be done in lieu of something else? And in particular,
on the top of the new page where it says a -- "For 2-foot buffer only,"
where did we get that from? I don't recall a two-foot buffer. There
certainly may be one.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: And, Mark, it also talks typical,
typical, typical, so --
MS. ISTENES: Yeah, I mean, it -- this is -- this should frequent
the current standards of either the LDC originated or any of the ADA
requirements. But I -- Ray, if -- I think I'm going to have to talk to
Stan.
MR. KLA TZKOW: 00 you find it's better clarity than the old
one?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: No.
MR. KLATZKOW: Because that's the only reason we're doing
this. And--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, no. I mean, I think the -- the
inconsistency is what concerns me. If we need to put more -- if we
need to -- if we had some code changes, I think we should have
advertised it then as to what it is. It doesn't seem to be giving us that.
Filling it up with a bunch of supplemental diagrams that may
change in other parts of the code I'm not sure is the best idea either.
So maybe someone needs to take a look at it --
MS. ISTENES: Yeah--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- and get back to us with it.
MS. ISTENES: Let me -- let me find out. I mean, it could be
this drawing was just really old and it never was updated. But let me
Page 132
February 26,2010
get more information on that. It's -- I -- I agree. I read the changes as
some -- simply replacing it, and I didn't question it. So I will -- I will
question it based on your input.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Mark, let me say --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Go ahead, sir.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Susan, I think what's wrong
with that right-hand drawing is -- what they're showing there is -- if
you look above, they've added that detail where they have a curb, and
then they have two inches, and then they have grass.
MS. ISTENES: Uh-huh.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I think that's what they intended
to show on that lower one, but they didn't, because they actually
showed curb stop, curb, and then grass. So I think the intent of that
drawing would be something to match the one on the left, only using
curb stops instead of a curb.
MS. ISTENES: Okay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And I think that's what they're
trying to draw there. So it's a totally messed up drawing.
MS. ISTENES: Messed up. Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Maybe if they keep it simpler, it might
be better. And let some of the code that describes those other
elements stay in the code where they are and not try to illustrate them;
just a suggestion.
Okay. Let's move on to Page 69, 4.05.04, "Parking Space
Requirements. "
MS. ISTENES: This is actually just replacing language that
didn't get carried over. Essentially what it does -- it says when you
have a change in use -- hang on a second. Let me reread it. "Required
off-street parking according to the requirements of this code shall not
be reduced in area or changed to any other use unless the permitted or
permissible use that it serves is discontinued or modified, or
Page 133
February 26, 2010
equivalent required off-street parking is provided meeting the
requirements of the code."
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Mark?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes, go ahead. I'm sorry, Brad.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Susan, doesn't that go without
saying?
MS. ISTENES: Yeah. That's why I'm trying to explain to you,
and I'm kind of thinking, "Uh, this is sort of, you know, common sense
here."
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That will be the only thing in the code
that's common sense, though.
MS. ISTENES: Okay. I said sort of. Yeah, I mean -- but, again,
it -- I imagine what happened is somebody ran into an issue and
realized this part of the code was missing and wasn't carried over and
had a question about it and realized -- and that's when they realized, so
that's why it's being brought back.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: David?
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: That's exactly what I was going
to bring up, that it was omitted during the re-codification.
MS. ISTENES: Yes.
MR. KLATZKOW: Was it?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yeah, was it, or was it removed
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: I don't know.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: -- because maybe it wasn't
necessary?
COMMISSIONER CARON: We didn't remove anything.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Some of this was added.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: We didn't change anything. We
removed a lot.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, what's the--
MR. KLATZKOW: I mean--
Page 134
February 26, 2010
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: What's the scoop? Yeah, what do we--
MR. KLA TZKOW: See, this -- this is the problem with this,
because this goes back to -- how many years, Susan?
MS. ISTENES: '04.
MR. KLATZKOW: '04.
MS. ISTENES: For 41.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: '04 for 41, yeah, that's right.
MR. KLA TZKOW: I don't know what was removed anymore
intentionally or unintentionally.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But it's still the law.
MR. KLATZKOW: Well, maybe not, not if you can't find it, it
isn't. But -- but what I'm getting at -- if this is not substantive, let's
just withdraw it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, we ought to find out why it was
put there first. Could staff do some research and see if you can come
back with a reason why it was being added specifically?
MR. BELLOWS: Yeah, we can do that. I think what the
concern is -- you have a lot of staff who are trained to make sure that
things that didn't get cod - re-codified -- that it still applied. I think
we just need to be clear on how to treat these things.
MR. KLA TZKOW: I've been assured from staff that, "We
caught everything."
MS. ISTENES: No.
MR. KLA TZKOW: I'm telling you, I've been through this now
-- how many times?
MS. ISTENES: No.
MR. KLATZKOW: I don't know anymore what was intended to
be deleted, what wasn't intended to be deleted. I've had staff
previously tell me that, "We've caught everything. We've gone
through it with a fine-toothed comb." And we continue to get these
old things. And without going through 1 0 different LDC changes, you
know, every time you have one of these, you don't know. Youjust
Page 135
February 26,2010
don't know.
Fifteen years from now, are we still going to be doing this, "We
think we might have lost this doing a re-codification?" It gets to a
point in time where we've -- we're -- we're done with this. If this is not
substantive --
MS. ISTENES: Jeff--
MR. KLATZKOW: --I don't know why we're bothering.
MS. ISTENES: Wouldn't it be possible to draft an ordinance or a
resolution that says that? I mean, I guess -- you know, you're right.
It's open ended. And when we do stop?
MR. KLATZKOW: Yeah, we'll-- what--
MS. ISTENES: I guess -- is that feasible?
MR. KLA TZKOW: Yeah. We'll go to the board of county
commissioners and say, you know --
MS. ISTENES: We're done.
MR. KLATZKOW: -- we're done, I think.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Go ahead, Brad.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Susan, one concern I have with
you, if you put this in, if I recall, there is a situation where you can --
with recycling in the commercial districts, they allowed you to use one
of the parking places for that recycling bin. This would actually make
you unable to do that, because you're changing the use of the parking
space.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I remember that.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Oh, yeah.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So -- and there was -- maybe--
that wouldn't be nice.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, why don't you guys take a look at
it --
MS. ISTENES: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- and let us know if we should even
bother with it when we come back.
Page 136
February 26, 2010
MS. ISTENES: Okay. Will do.
MR. KLATZKOW: Or let me just ask if you want to add it to
the code.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, we don't want to add anything that
isn't needed, because the code's already too big and --
MR. KLATZKOW: If you don't want to add it to the code, it
shouldn't be in the code. How's that? If it doesn't belong --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well--
MR. KLA TZKOW: If you don't think it belongs in the code,
why are we even putting it back?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I'd like to find out ifthere was a reason
why someone started the process that got us here today first.
MR. KLATZKOW: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Then we'll go from there.
Okay. Page 73.
MS. ISTENES: There were inconsistencies in the code regarding
the safe-sight triangles and -- both in, I believe, the pictures and the
dimensions. And this is essentially making them consistent.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And does this apply to county work on
county facilities on county -- within county right-of-ways? Ooes this
apply to everybody or just the public?
MS. ISTENES: I think it should apply to everybody. I don't
know why it wouldn't.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, the reason is, I keep driving out of
Sweetbay and making a right onto Collier Boulevard on Mission Hills
Drive, and there's this giant wall right up against the edge of the back
of the sidewalk. You cannot see any oncoming traffic.
So I tried to figure out why was that there after I read this. I
started checking it out. It's because it's a utility site, and apparently
some utility doesn't want to move the house that this wall's behind --
not -- it's not a house. It's one of those little squares.
MS. ISTENES: Unless there was some self -- self -- safety,
Page 137
February 26,2010
health, and welfare issue that necessitated that wall -- and that could
be it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, we ought to put it -- see, if that
wall has got to be there, then put the exception in here, because I don't
-- I didn't see any exception language.
MS. ISTENES: Well, I guess we could do that. My assumption
would be that engineers got together and decided that the safety of
putting the wall was more important than the safety of sight or that
you could see reasonably well. I'm just making an assumption,
Commissioner. But if you want to add that in there as a clarification,
we can certainly do that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You know the one I'm talking about?
MS. ISTENES: Yes. Oh, yeah.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. So I'm not the only one that
wonders, "Oh, my God, you're going to get killed in this intersection."
And I thought -- then I never gave it -- I figured, "Well, somehow it
got done that way," until I read this, and I thought it shouldn't have
been done that way. So there are no exceptions to this rule.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: On poles and stuff. But, you
know, one of the exception questions I had is we do have boxes for
signals and stuff that are probably in these sight triangles too. So even
though it allows poles, lampposts -- you know, it does give you some
things -- you might want to check and make --
MS. ISTENES: Okay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: See if something else is bigger.
And then the other question I have is the -- on the drawing for Section
A-A -- it's the center one on 75 -- you're showing a three-foot -- you
know, the triangle actually goes to the edge of the pavement, but the --
you are showing some three-foot sod thing. What is that? Is that a
requirement, or why doesn't the sight triangle cover that? Obviously,
if it's sod, it doesn't, but --
MS. ISTENES: No, I think this was just for illustrative -- to look
Page 138
February 26,2010
at a typical layout. And usually on county roads, for example, at least
the newer ones, you've got that sod strip and then --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But I think if you're --
MS. ISTENES: But it's not a regulatory -- in -- in my opinion.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Then I would worry because
your -- your triangles of required visibility are the hatched areas, and
they should theoretically go over that sodded area to match the
description in the -- it's 10 feet from the edge of pavement. And that
sod's three feet from -- you know what I mean? So--
MS. ISTENES: Uh-huh.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: -- show the triangle over that
area too, I think.
MS. ISTENES: Okay. Let me check on that, since I've got to
check on any exceptions. I really would probably feel more
comfortable asking transportation anyway if there are some exceptions
that they regularly put in there. And then we'll put some language in
there as you suggest for potential exceptions.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. And ifthere are exceptions, I
think somebody from a risk management viewpoint will want to
weigh that exception.
Anyway, we'll move on to Page 79.
MS. ISTENES: May we take a break, 10 minutes? I -- I'm
getting behind and --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No. Okay. Let's -- let's come back at
five minutes after 2.
MS. ISTENES: Thank you.
(Recess held.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Welcome back from a much
deserved break. Let's start off on Page 79.
MS. ISTENES: The reason -- this says, again, a scrivener's error
made during the re-codification. I -- quite frankly, even if it wasn't a
scrivener's error, I think that this reads better. So there's no change
Page 139
February 26, 2010
here. It's more applicable relative to intersections than street visibility,
so to speak. So that's the only change.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Miss -- Ms. Caron?
COMMISSIONER CARON: Okay. You think it reads better the
way it is now --
MS. ISTENES: Yes.
COMMISSIONER CARON: -- than before? So when you say
visibility at intersections, we're talking about places like Immokalee
and Goodlette-Frank or 41 and Immokalee or --
MS. ISTENES: Yes, the intersection of two streets.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Okay. So -- but what about when
you're coming out -- I mean, if you talk about the intersection of 41
and Immokalee -- but what about if you're coming out of Riverchase,
the -- where Publix is? Shouldn't that -- that entrance to the street,
shouldn't that be visible as well?
MS. ISTENES: Commissioner, I would read that to apply here.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Okay.
MS. ISTENES: I mean, I don't think this is intended to be, you
know --
COMMISSIONER CARON: So "intersection" doesn't limit--
it's all -- it's all street --
MS. ISTENES: That would be my position on it, yes.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Okay.
MR. BELLOWS: I agree. Yeah, when I read it, my take was it
was -- excuse me. My take was it reads better because, when you put
"street" in front of it, then that kind of narrows the scope of what
intersections. And this takes into -- your scenario.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Okay. All right. I just wanted to
be clear.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And, Ray, my thing is the word
"intersection." And I looked it up. It says to "meet and cross,"
Page 140
February 26, 2010
because to me an intersection would be where two streets cross each
other. So, for example, a T section wouldn't -- may not be an
intersection. So is that the right word?
MS. ISTENES: I -- I read it as a T. I mean, they inter--
"intersect" meaning--
MR. BELLOWS: Those are intersecting--
MS. ISTENES: They cross -- their planes cross.
MR. BELLOWS: Yeah, this -- that's the way I'm reading it too.
I -- it's basically an intersection, whether it's a T or a cross-through
intersection.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: If you remember--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: -- your old geometry classes,
they showed you the intersect points. They didn't have to cross
completely.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: With the lines in it. Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: What about driveways and -- coming
out to streets, private driveways to -- things like that? Is there any
requirement for those to be -- have a visibilty -- set a line requirement?
MR. BELLOWS: Yes. I believe that's the same issue.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Ooes this cover--
MR. BELLOWS: We have a lot of those issues in -- I almost got
run over in one of those situations on a driveway with a hedge right up
to the intersection with a roadway. In the City of Naples, they have
many of those things, and it's very difficult for someone to see where a
sidewalk and a hedge come right up to each other. And I think this is
the same situation.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Are you --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: 00 you have any gum?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: What if, you know, I'm a -- what if we
were to clarify it "except where visibility at interconnections with
Page 141
February 26, 2010
roadways are required and where pedestrian access is provided"? I just
think "intersections," in most people's minds could be argued to be
roadways or more substantial improvements over and above a
driveway. I mean, if you have an old dirt road or a driveway leading
out -- especially like in the estates, you've got a dirt driveway going
out to one of the roads, if this isn't made -- is supposed to apply to
that, I'm not sure it's going to be clear, because it says "intersection."
Do you need to have that potential argument down the future, or
is there a better way to word it so that you don't have that?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Well, Mark--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes, sir, Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: -- you could say "except where
visibility at public and/or private intersections" -- I mean, if you want
it --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I mean, we could say --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: -- elucidated.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: -- "where drive, roads, and" --
where a bunch of things meet or intersect. I still say the word
"intersect" means where it passes through, so I think "where it meets
the roadway or intersects the roadway."
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Why don't you guys take a look at it and
come back to us with a couple of suggestions.
Mr. Wolfley.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: I had a question in reviewing
this as -- where does it come -- how do you get the height
requirements, you know, where -- at these intersections of the shrubs,
where the -- where's the height standard come from? I mean --
because I have been -- you know, I've got a 250 pickup truck, and, you
know, you're up there, and there's not many obstructions.
Well, I had an occasion when I was riding a bike, and it was a
place where there's no bike lanes, so I was up on the sidewalk so I
wouldn't get killed. And out from someone's driveway comes a
Page 142
February 26,2010
Corvette. Well, needless to say, I went right over the hood and--
because you can't -- you couldn't see. And he pulled right -- because
he couldn't see, so he had to go over the, you know, side -- sidewalk.
So what kind vehicle do they use to determine the height of these
shrubs?
MS. ISTENES: Well--
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: I was wondering that as I was
going over the hood.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: How much did it cost you to fix the
hood?
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: I had a bump on my head, and
my front tire was destroyed, and I was peeved.
MS. ISTENES: I -- well -- and I think the issue here is the
placement of them, regardless of their height.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Well--
MS. ISTENES: I suppose that -- and the -- the heights are
minimums normally in our codes, so --
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: That's the problem.
MS. ISTENES: Yeah, yeah. So when you're talking about
visibility, depending on what type of vehicle you're driving or whether
you're a pedestrian or on a bike or in a car or, you know, crawling on
the ground, I guess -- you know, there isn't -- there isn't a regulation
that I'm aware of as far as height of the shrubs. The regulation would
be contained within the safety hazard and the setback of the --
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Well, I can't tell you--
MS. ISTENES: -- vegetation.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: -- how many times I've had to
creep out into a road, and I'm in the road and realize I'm about to get
killed.
MR. BELLOWS: And I believe some of those are in violation of
the sight triangles -- the sight book (indicating) -- at intersections.
And some of those don't meet -- clearly don't meet that, and many of
Page 143
February 26, 2010
those are code issues too.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Maybe they do if they only talk
about minimums. I mean, this is -- that was my problem. We should
be talking maximums.
MR. BELLOWS: Well, there should always be the sight triangle
as specified in the LOC to be kept completely open. You know, I'm
sure I've been in the -- some of those are right up -- right -- well, the
corners of the intersections --
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Yeah. Regardless, could we
somehow take a look at this minimum/maximum thing for these
hedges that are located at intersections?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: But not in this LDC cycle, though.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Not -- not in this one.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You guys need to come back; just
address the issue at hand.
MS. ISTENES: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And if you have a better way of stating
it, fine. If not, just tell us that, and we'll finish with it next time around
-- or the 24th, whatever date that is.
Let's move on to Page 81.
MS. ISTENES: Okay. Page 81 is the fences and walls section of
the land development code. And the changes -- I tried to outline the
changes very succinctly on Page 81 and 82. There's seven,
essentially, summations of the change. What I did was I took
advantage oftrying to reorganize this to make it easier to read and
follow and group like categories together.
Normally -- and this section is a section that normally your
everyday person is going to read a lot. And usually when it comes to
fences the first question we get is, "How high of a fence can I have?"
And the structure of the old code was such that you literally had to
read down the entire section of fence height just to figure out where
you were and what your height was supposed to be -- or your
Page 144
February 26,2010
maximum allowable height was. So things like that were kind of the
impetus behind the organizational structure of that.
We had a lot of regulations dealing with different issues, such as
architectural and fence-height measurement that were commingled in
different sections. So I tried to segregate all those sections out so that
-- and put headings over them so that, as a reader, you could go and
look at a heading and then know what the underlying information was
talking about. So hopefully that -- that part of it helps the reader.
The other change was per the BCC removing the ability to get an
administrative height variance for residential fences.
I'll just go down the list here on Page 81. The other change I -- I
made -- and this was not BZA directed, but in looking over the
ordinance I realized this is sort of onerous, to have to go to the BZA to
decide if barbed wire in conjunction with a chain-link fence was
permissible in a residential district. I thought that we could do that
administratively given the conditions of the request and evaluate that
administratively with our professional expertise and make that
decision, rather than making somebody go before the BZA. So that
was a change.
I had a question about wire-mesh fencing, because the code is so
specific. It talks about chain-link fencing. I had somebody
challenging me saying, "This is not chain link," you know, per the
industry standard. It was a wire fence --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Wire.
MS. ISTENES: -- that looked exactly like chain link. And I
know that sounds a little ridiculous, but when you spend hours arguing
with somebody about it, it just -- you just start to say, "Look, you
know, the fencing is changing in the community, and maybe I'd better
reference wire fencing. It's the same intent." So we added a reference
to wire-mesh fencing.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Because there is no chain in
fence.
Page 145
February 26, 2010
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Wolfley.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: I'm sorry. I said there's no
chain in fence.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I just wanted to keep it straight for the
court reporter.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: I'm sorry.
MS. ISTENES: There was some word replacements there. We
-- when we get to them, I can highlight those.
The other issue we were running up against was the requirement
to have a wall between non-resident -- residential and residential
developments. If you applied the code as it was -- as it is currently
written, you would have to do that between a golf course and a
preserve. And that seemed sort of silly aesthe -- I mean,
understanding that a golf -- you know, if you're talking about fairways
or you're talking about the open-space portion of a golf course or --
and -- and preserves are generally open and not developed. It seemed
sort of silly to put a wall up there, especially -- you know, you're
blocking a view or you're blocking transmission of wildlife or people
or whatever from -- from these facilities. So we clarified that that
would not be required.
We changed a reference for the sight-triangle requirement at all
street intersections for all districts, because it was currently listed as
applicable only -- only under residential. And those affect all
intersections regardless of the zoning. We already talked about that a
lot today.
And the big one was that we added a reference in regulations
pertaining to sound walls, which are currently not recognized in the
LOC.
I struck everything and rewrote it rather than trying to do
strike-outs, underlines, because things were relocated. But I did -- I
can summarize for you where things were and where they went and
answer any questions if you want.
Page 146
February 26, 2010
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yeah. Let's just start with the pages,
Susan, and go through our questions --
MS. ISTENES: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- like we normally do. I think it starts
-- let's go to the first two pages, 81 and 82. Are there any questions on
those two pages?
Susan, under your "Fiscal & Operational Impacts," the first
words say: "Need to fill this out." I'm not sure what that means.
MS. ISTENES: I saw -- I saw that the other day. I'm sorry about
that.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's okay. Then it says: "Operational
impact lessen workload on BZA," and the parenthetical, "How many
cases per year?" Well, if this is removing the ability to get an
administrative height variance for residential fences per the BCC
direction, if -- so how do you get the height variance then? You've got
to go to the BCC, right?
MS. ISTENES: Actually, that reference -- the operational impact
lessening the workload on the BZA would really be for that barb --
barbed-wire section, which appeared to be kind of antiquated for me --
to me. In other words, in order to have barbed wire where it's not
permitted, you'd have to go to the BZA for approval. Now, we -- I can
tell you, I may have seen one of those in my 13 and a half years here
go to the BZA.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. But the entire change you have,
aren't you -- in your first bullet on Page 81, didn't you say, "Removed
the ability to get an administrative height variance for residential
fences per BCC direction"?
MS. ISTENES: Right.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. So now how do you get an
amend -- how do you get a height variance now for a fence?
MS. ISTENES: A regular dimensional variance through the
public hearing process.
Page 147
February 26, 2010
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So you have to go to the BCC.
MS. ISTENES: Correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So--
MS. ISTENES: BZA, essentially.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: What--
MS. ISTENES: That -- that statement would not be applicable, I
guess, Commissioner --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, that's what I'm saying. It's
misleading, because you wouldn't know by the statement that you're
talking about just the barbed-wire part of it. You'd think you're
talking about the whole section that's being presented. And, therefore,
it is not lessening the workload; it's actually increasing the workload,
because they can't go administratively now. They'd have to go --
MS. ISTENES: Well, it probably equals out, to be honest with
you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Well, I still-- so--
MS. ISTENES: And I say that because the -- remember, this
change is only for residential. And I've got -- in my research of the
last 10 years, we've had two requests for residential. Both were
denied by staff, and both went to the board on some form of appeal.
The rest -- in other words, you can still get a height variance for
commercial and industrial. There's no height issues in ag and estates,
so --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MS. ISTENES: That's the impact.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, let's move on to Page 83 and 84.
Any -- well, those are all cross-outs. 85's a cross-out. 86 -- let's go
back to -- the first substantive area is 86 and 87. Any questions
through 87?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I have a --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: What you're doing on 86,
Page 148
February 26, 2010
bottom, A, is you're calling -- fences are permitted to be a principal
use. So is the intent there that you can fence a site without any
structures or anything or --
MS. ISTENES: Yes.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay.
MS. ISTENES: And that -- that is current -- in the current code,
so it's not a change.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: It's just a relocation.
MS. ISTENES: It's just a relocation. It was previously 5.03.02
B.4.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. So it is a principal use.
And then this other stuff is saying, "But it's not allowed to have
accessory uses."
MS. ISTENES: Correct.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. Good. On -- go to 87,
Mark or--
,
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes, sir, through 87.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Eighty-seven, B, you're
discussing -- and I'm not sure of the wording to that. I want to make
sure that you point out that the foundation can't go across the property
line, which is a big problem in fences, especially with the wind loads
in Florida.
So the way you're phrasing that is, "A fence shall not protrude in
full or a part." Could maybe we add a -- reword that to state, I mean,
"No part of a fence shall protrude," or -- I mean, are you having
trouble with people designing footings that are going across the
property line? because sometimes we go to work on sites and the
footing is across the property line. And to do -- you know, a fence in
Florida with wind load is essentially a large cantilever, and you do
have to have a pretty excessive overturning on that footing to build it
per code. So--
MS. ISTENES: Then I guess you better make sure it's on your
Page 149
February 26, 2010
property. Put your fence -- move your fence back a little bit.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, yeah. You can do it, and
you can design eccentric footings. But the point is, should -- I mean,
the way you worded it sounds nice, "full or part." Could we maybe at
least put in parentheses after "part," "including foundation" or
something?
MS. ISTENES: Okay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Just to remind people of that.
MS. ISTENES: All right.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Down on a., you and I had this
conversation about the difference between front yards -- or yard and
setback, okay?
MS. ISTENES: Yes.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And we're getting close to
maybe agreeing. But the definition in the code is that the yard is a
space between the building and the property line. So I'm not sure it's a
good idea to limit the height of a building in the front yard based on
the word "yard." For example, I could have a site with a 50-foot front
setback. I put my house 75 feet, and you're telling me that the height
of that wall's going to depend on where I put the house, not the
setback.
So could we talk about maybe changing these -- the setbacks and
make it required setbacks such that -- or is it your intent that, if I do
pull my house further away from the setback, that you don't want me
to have a taller fence in that area?
MS. ISTENES: Is it too late in the afternoon to have a
philosophical discussion with you?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It is. And I already realized he was
going there again.
MS. ISTENES: No, and -- and I understand. Brad and I spoke,
and -- and I sent you an e-mail late yesterday. I don't know if you got
it. But I'm -- I'm glad we spoke, because -- and I knew this was going
Page 150
February 26,2010
to come up.
And there is something missing in the code, per se, and it has to
do with the definition of a "yard." And what is missing is -- if you
read the code as it's currently structured, it talks about regulating the
fence within the required yard. And the "required yard" is formed
when you -- and I even drew pretty pictures -- when you apply the
setback and the relationship of the -- the distance of the setback to the
street, which forms the buildable area.
So if you see on this drawing (indicating), at the bottom, you'll
see that is the front of this lot. And the setback in this case happens to
be 25 feet. And if you're measuring that from the property line, or the
back of the right-of-way line, whatever -- whatever's the most
restrictive point in this case, you'll see that it forms the -- an outline of
a buildable area when you apply all the setbacks that way.
The "required yard" is that which is created when you apply the
re -- the setback. The -- the regulation as it currently stands regulates
only fences in the re -- the height of fences in required yards.
Now, per the definition of the code, there are other yards in your
-- on your lot. And if you look at this illustration (indicating), per the
definition, you'll see where it's crosshatched in multiple colors. That
is your required yard. And then where you've got a crosshatching in a
single color, that single green, that is just a yard per the -- per the
definition.
So right now the way the code is structured, it says "required
yard" and gives the height limit. So if you do want to place a fence
elsewhere in your "yard," per the definition, there is no height limit.
So the question becomes do you want a height limit or not. My
recommendation would -- would say you do, but I wanted to -- I think
that's where you're going. Is it? Am I correct?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Not yet. I mean, you do point
out something, and -- and I'm not sure you pointed out a problem,
because there are buildings -- within the setbacks, you have height
Page 151
February 26,2010
limitations. You -- essentially the same as a building. A fence is a
structure.
MS. ISTENES: Not per our code.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: It excludes fences --
MS. ISTENES: Yes.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: -- as the --
MS. ISTENES: Fences, yes. And I understand that walls require
footings and they -- they --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right.
MS. ISTENES: -- may take on the -- but for purposes of
regulating them --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: We have a definition of
"structure" that does not have fences in it?
MS. ISTENES: It specifically excludes them--
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay.
MS. ISTENES: -- yes.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But -- but my point really is --
is -- and I agree. I think if you change it to "required front yard" -- but
doing -- I mean, we're using in the code "yard" and "setback,"
interchangeable.
MS. ISTENES: Correct.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And, hence, that's the problem.
MS. ISTENES: Exactly.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So I do believe they're two
different things. And if you design buildings, especially if you use
building codes, especially if you use some of the fire-code aspects of
it, the yard is an important creature, and it is different than setbacks.
But, you know, is your intent here, though -- is to -- in that area within
the setbacks -- I mean, again, the definition of "yard" in our code goes
from the face of a building to the property line.
So if you change it to "required," I'm happier, because that way
it's essentially the same as saying the "setback."
Page 152
February 26, 2010
The question does become -- and your drawings never showed it
-- is that yards kind of overlap. In other words, a side yard -- or does
it? Where the side yard comes down towards the street and the front
yard goes over, isn't there an overlap of those two yards? And,
obviously, the most restrictive --
MS. ISTENES: Yeah, and if I -- well, to answer your question,
yes, yards can overlap. So for -- and I didn't draw it on my drawing.
But if you look back on my drawing, if you were to put a shed in your
back yard, for example, the setbacks are different for accessory
structures. So your shed could theoretically go in the required yard of
the principal structure but still be a lawful structure. And that's where
the yards would overlap.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right. Anyway, I think if you
do "required" in front of all of these setbacks, I'll be happier than not
having the word there.
I guess -- and I'm just looking down the rest of the -- down at the
bottom of87, 0.1., we really have an allowance where you could have
an eight-foot-high fence in front of an office building.
MS. ISTENES: I'm sorry. What are you on?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: D.1.
MS. ISTENES: D.1, yes.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. I mean, I don't think
anybody would want that. But essentially what you're saying is -- or
an industrial -- that I could have, on the property line, an
eight-foot-high fence.
MS. ISTENES: Correct. Look at Evans Oil. They actually had a
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right.
MS. ISTENES: -- administrative height variance for that fence.
I think it's 10 feet. That wall is 10 feet, I believe, 10 or 12 even.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: All right. I guess that makes
sense on an industrial more than a commercial. I mean, you wouldn't
Page 153
February 26, 2010
-- an office building wouldn't want that. I think -- wouldn't that vi --
would that violate the architectural standards, ifthey -- in buy an
office building and I just want to fence it in totally?
MS. ISTENES: Not to -- you may -- you may be restricted on
the location and type, but I think you could --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay.
MS. ISTENES: -- put a fence around it, yeah.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. And then the only other
thing's a small, tiny thing. In No.2., I would just spell out the word
"one" instead ofthe number "1" before "health," welfare (sic)--
MS. ISTENES: Okay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: That's it for those pages.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Anybody else through Page 877
Susan, Item B on the top of Page 87: "A fence may be located on
a lot line, but no fence shall protrude in full or part on adjacent
property or right-of-way." Is that a fence and a wall or just a fence?
So you can't have a fence on a right-of-way, but you can have a wall?
MS. ISTENES: Could you tell me that section again? I--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Page 87.
MS. ISTENES: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: B.
MS. ISTENES: B?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: B.
MS. ISTENES: Oh, I'm sorry, at the top. I'm looking at little b.
"A fence may be located on a lot line, but no fence shall protrude in
full or part on adjacent property or right-of-way." And your question
is ...
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, say someone had a wall on their
property line. But can a -- can the wall be right on the right-of-way,
since it's not a fence, or does this mean fence and wall?
MS. ISTENES: This should be -- mean both.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. So are you going to change that
Page 154
February 26, 2010
to "fence and wall"?
MS. ISTENES: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Now, if you change it to "fence
and wall," then you need an exclusion for the wall that's in the
right-of-way on Mission Hills Drive and Collier Boulevard.
MS. ISTENES: Well, that's the one I'm going to be checking on.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right. But your -- your results of that
check needs to be --
MS. ISTENES: Would be reflected in this, yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- considered in here.
MS. ISTENES: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right. Page--
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Susan--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Oh, Mr. Wolfley.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Has that changed that -- the
property-line issue in the right-of-way? Or has that always been that
way -- I mean, because I've noticed in later -- past years -- and I
apologize for taking up time. But I've seen two concrete walls and
two -- two adjoin -- adjacent properties, and they are six inches apart.
I have no idea how they built those con -- concrete-block walls. But, I
mean, why would they -- why would that be?
And I've seen that a number of times, concrete-block walls, and
there's a -- space enough for a mouse to get in between. I mean, why
would they do that? I mean, that's what I was wondering.
MS. ISTENES: I honestly don't know.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Somebody's--
MS. ISTENES: I haven't seen that.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: That's -- that's what--
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Maybe it's a runway for a
mouse.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: It's a mouse runway. Okay.
Thank you.
Page 155
February 26,2010
MS. ISTENES: Unless there's some water-management reason.
But, I mean, that's just a wild guess. I don't know.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Could be.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: We're on 88 and 89. Any questions?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I have a--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Wolfley -- or Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: At the bottom, on Line 41 --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: What page?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: -- you speak to concrete block,
brick, wood, or decorative iron and steel, wire, chain link. What about
cementitious fences? I think they've become popular.
MS. ISTENES: What kind?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Made out of cement,
cementitious, a material that's not entirely cement necessarily, but it is
-- sometimes it's a combination of materials.
MS. ISTENES: That would be acceptable the way I read this.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Well, since you stipulated
concrete block, I wondered if somebody might look at that. I know
we have these type fences now. In fact, we have a preference for
them. I remember the commissioners --
MS. ISTENES: Yeah, they're just poured. They're just poured
slabs in a sense, functioning --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: They're poured--
MS. ISTENES: -- as a fence?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: They're formed, yeah.
MS. ISTENES: Formed, yeah.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: "Or similar material."
MS. ISTENES: "Or similar material," I think, covers that.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I didn't see "similar material" in
that particular phase; that's why --
MS. ISTENES: I mean, honestly, to the -- to the uninformed
eye, I don't know that you would be able to recognize the differences
Page 156
February 26, 2010
between a concrete-block fence and a poured fence once they're
finished.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Yeah, we--
MS. ISTENES: I mean, if you're not that familiar with them,
they kind of look the same.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I wasn't concerned with the
person looking at it as much as the individual who's passing on
somebody's request.
MS. ISTENES: No, I was just stating that they're a similar
material, and that was my example for saying they're -- they look and
function the same way and are made out of similar materials. So I
don't think we've had an issue with that.
MR. BELLOWS: No, I don't think so.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: It says "but not limited to."
MS. ISTENES: I mean, I guess if they were making them out of
car tires, you know, I think that would be a problem. But that's not
conventional material.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: All right. I -- and I don't -- I'm
not going to argue that issue with you. I do know -- I do know that
there's one commissioner who has a preference -- and maybe more --
who has a preference to avoid chain link. And I remember that there
was a meeting of the commission where it was established by -- by
their policy that they would have a great deal of preference for a
cementitious type of fence. And in the absence of it being here as that
form, I thought, "That's not a good idea."
MS. ISTENES: I mean, I can add "cement" if you want.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: As long as -- as long as you
folks are going to not prevent that from going up, that's fine for me.
MS. ISTENES: Do you want me to add "cement"?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It says "but not limited to," so wouldn't
that mean everything that -- anything and -- anything you make a
fence out of? So I think it's covered.
Page 157
February 26, 2010
MS. ISTENES: That's conventional. I mean, the car-tire thing I
don't think is conventional.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, I don't think any -- I think if it's
the car tire, we'd certainly want to have a say in that.
Anybody else have -- Brad.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And my thoughts on that,
Susan, would -- just add "concrete," and then -- and then after that
have "concrete masonry" instead of "concrete block."
MS. ISTENES: Okay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: The things we see are concrete
-- concrete masonry units.
MS. ISTENES: Okay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: "Concrete block" is slang.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: That does the job.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yeah, and that's --
MS. ISTENES: Okay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Up at E., at the top, I kind of
like the word -- get rid of the word "requirements," because -- I know
what you're saying is, you know, you want to exempt them from the
height and what they're made out of. But there may be code
requirements on the construction that we don't even govern. So if
you'd just -- I think "height and type of construction" gets your point
across.
MS. ISTENES: Okay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: In b -- well, let that one go, b.
I'd like to think about maybe adding a ii, and make that ground
elevation of the adjoining lots. These are considerations when you're
determining what is the ground level. I think the adjoining lot should
be brought into that conversation.
MS. ISTENES: I think that's implied under C, but we could
certainly beef that up if you think it's not clear enough.
Page 158
February 26, 2010
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yeah, well, let's see.
MS. ISTENES: I mean, if you're -- and, again, this is assuming
your fence is placed on a property line.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right. So maybe that wouldn't
be -- and are we on 88 and 89, Mark, or just 88?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes, sir, 88 and 89.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Hold on a second. Okay.
Number 5, fences and walls should be construction to present -- I
would kind of -- I'd like to add -- make that "a" finished side instead of
"the" finished side, because -- let's not give the impression you can
only have one finished side.
MS. ISTENES: Okay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: So if we give the -- present "a"
finished side on the fence or wall of the adjoining lot.
MS. ISTENES: Is that the -- the only issue I see with that--
because I've only debated this with -- is somebody's definition of
"finished" may not be -- I mean, you know what I'm saying? There's --
if -- generally on wood sen -- fences there's a finished and an
unfinished side.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right.
MS. ISTENES: And they're different. I mean, could somebody
potentially argue with me that the -- the one we consider usually the
unfinished side is finished? I don't know. I'm just --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: My concern here is they're
going to have at least one finished side. So if the requirement is that
"a" finished side, then that would be -- that's -- the one finished side
has to be on the outside.
MS. ISTENES: That's fine. I don't have a -- -- I don't--
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But I don't want to make them
think that there's a finished and unfinished side to everything. And
there's not.
MS. ISTENES: True.
Page 159
February 26,2010
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And then I had a note here, and
I'm not sure why I had it. But No. 5.1, if a -- after "this provision may
be," I have "temporarily administratively waived," and I'm not sure
why, so never mind. Go ahead.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Anybody else on 88 and 89? Mr.
Wolfley.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Nothing. I just said, "Brad,
would you finish your sentences?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yeah. Okay. Susan, on to Page 88.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: You're getting testy.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: F starts out "Fence and wall design
standards." One goes "Measurement offence or wall height." And if
you go in to b, third line, it talks about "ground level at the fence
location"; Line 25, "Measuring the fence height"; Line 33, "Average
elevation over the length of the fence"; Line 36, "Ground elevation on
both sides of the fence."
And I just think you might want to --
MS. ISTENES: 00 the wall --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- add a wall in there so there's no
argument in the future that you meant both.
MS. ISTENES: Yeah. It's -- it is -- "wall" is in the -- the
heading, but -- and then under F and 1, but, yeah, it certainly doesn't
hurt. That way there's no question.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well-- or just--
MS. ISTENES: Especially when you're kind of jumping in the
middle of it and not reading the heading. So--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I mean, just -- and drop the reference to
"either" and write it as though it applies always to fence and wall. I
mean, that's all I'm suggesting.
MS. ISTENES: Got it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: On Page 89, at the top, same thing.
"Fences shall be" means "fences and walls shall be."
Page 160
February 26,2010
Number 6 -- why did you omit 6?
MS. ISTENES: I was just looking in my notes for that because --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Because you knew I was going to ask it,
huh?
MS. ISTENES: Well, no, I had the same question because -- and
I had on here, "Eliminated 5.03.02 B.5." And Ire -- my recollection
was, when we went to DSAC, they thought that was redundant with
something else. And -- actually, hang on. Let me -- I'm just looking
at my notes here.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I just saw it as a good catchall. In case
those -- the sight-distance triangle didn't address all of the conditions,
including different heights between elevated arterials and local streets
intersecting, this would be a good way to enforce a safety haz --
problem.
MS. ISTENES: This is what we did on -- we combined it and
put it under No.3, because we felt it was somewhat redundant.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MS. ISTENES: If you look on No.3, "Fences" -- "Fences" -- and
we're going to add in "walls" -- "shall be constructed and maintained
in a manner as to not create a safety hazard or a public nuisance."
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MS. ISTENES: And that was -- we essentially felt that captured
what was already in 6, so we eliminated 6.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. That works.
Any other through 89? If not, 90 and 91. Questions? Brad.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: The chain-link fence on 1.a,
you're citing a situation there where the fences face a public or private
street. What do you really mean by that, because aren't they not
allowed on the primary facade -- or on the front setbacks?
MS. ISTENES: They're prohibited -- "Chain link (including wire
mesh) and wood" -- and these are only for structures that must comply
with the architectural and site design guidelines. Those are prohibited
Page 161
February 26, 2010
forward of the primary facade. So the setback really doesn't come into
play here. It's wherever the building is located on the property forms --
and along the primary facaade, you can't have a fence in front of it
made of those materials.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. Now, this thing here, if
it faces a public -- what I'm trying to get at -- is that a fence that's
behind the primary facade yet visible from the street; in other words,
in the side yard --
MS. ISTENES: Yes.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: -- crossing the side yard?
MS. ISTENES: Yes.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. So it -- it's a --
MS. ISTENES: Hundred-foot distance.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay.
MS. ISTENES: Yes.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. That's good. Down on 2,
you go with the exception of the single-family dwellings. And yet 2.c
exempts this whole section from single-family dwellings, so --
MS. ISTENES: Yeah, I -- I caught that yesterday. And I think I
meant to strike it. So if you feel it's redundant -- I do -- I'll --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I think you can take out the first
part of A, don't you? And then --
MS. ISTENES: Sure.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And then the -- c will -- unless
you want to put c first and make that a, and then that way you don't
read on if you're in residential.
MS. ISTENES: I would rather do it that way, yeah.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: On the next page, 91, H -- H, it
says, "masonry wall or pre-fabricated concrete wall." Couldn't we
have "masonry wall, concrete, or prefabricated con" -- I mean, you're
really limiting the use of concrete only to prefabricated walls.
MS. ISTENES: Sure.
Page 162
February 26, 2010
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And I guess the thing Mark
pointed out is -- you use the word "wall" and "fence." Make sure that
when you mean "wall" you mean "wall" and -- because, actually, your
prefabricated concrete thing, the ones I've seen would actually be
fences, not walls.
MS. ISTENES: Yeah. I noticed they're referred that way -- to
that way in the industry. Now, we kind oflook at them as walls.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: The same -- I mean, you could
MS. ISTENES: They're treated the same, yeah, as walls.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right. See, it's too bad you
don't come up with a word that means both and use that throughout --
or use both throughout, like -- but -- but you probably wouldn't have a
prefabricated -- you could. I could think of prefabricated concrete
walls, but fences would be more --
MS. ISTENES: The only thing with fences is it's somewhat
misleading, because they're -- you can see through them. Nor -- on a
lot of fences, you can see through them; whereas, the intent here is not
to have -- not to be able to see through them. And that's why it's --
you're kind of looking at walls, concrete --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yeah.
MS. ISTENES: -- versus -- I mean, a fence is wire. A fence
could be wood. A fence could be, you know --
MR. BELLOWS: Pickets.
MS. ISTENES: -- pickets.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: It could be anything. I think the
definition -- maybe if we need a definition we should do that. But I
don't think a fence is -- fences tend to have air movement through it
where a wall wouldn't, stuff like that. But it's not see-through.
H.l.b -- I'm not exactly sure what band c are describing. I mean
-- and when you say "opposite" a residence, you mean adjacent? In
other words, we have that word that would mean across the street and
Page 163
February 26,2010
stuff, but -- and c is really difficult for me to picture.
MS. ISTENES: You want us to explain where -- when these
apply, in what situation?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yeah, graphically. I'm having
trouble -- you know, I'm sitting here sketching trying to follow the --
the wording. And I'm not sure, along a street, which is opposite the
pnmary --
MS. ISTENES: If you -- I'm trying to think ofa good example.
We -- and I can't remember the project name. But, again, these are
non-resi -- between residential and non-residential.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right.
MS. ISTENES: If you're across the street from residential -- on a
local street, don't forget, or -- or an alley separates you -- so if a local
street separates you or an alley separates you and on the other side is
residential -- residentially zoned, then the wall's required.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. So what you're defining
is that -- you know, across from that -- I mean, are we -- okay. So if--
MS. ISTENES: It doesn't happen a lot, honestly. The alley
situation happens more, and you'll see that in Golden Gate --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay.
MS. ISTENES: -- City.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. I'm done. Thanks.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Anybody else through Page 91?
Susan, let's go back to Page 90.
MS. ISTENES: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: 2.b: "The fence shall be screened by a
mechanically irrigated" -- I don't think you need the word
"mechanically" -- "living plant hedge." So that means you can't have
a dead plant hedge?
MS. ISTENES: You're right.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So--
MS. ISTENES: You would be amazed.
Page 164
February 26, 2010
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, let's just assume that they're in
violation of their standards if they're dead.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: They look dead.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So wouldn't it be, "A fence shall be
screened by an irrigated plant hedge at least 30 inches in height"?
MS. ISTENES: I don't mind taking out "mechanically." I
honestly would prefer to have "living" in there. I -- like I said, you
would be amazed at what people think meets the intent of the code.
And they're not willing to replace their buffers that have died and are
just sitting there. And this is kind of one more avenue for code
enforcement to use to make sure that they have the adequate buffers
and that the buffers are functioning as they're intended.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, then every reference in the code
to "plant hedge," we need to put the word "living" in front of it if the
intention is always to have a living plant hedge. I can't imagine our
code allows a plant hedge to die. I thought we had enough --
MS. ISTENES: No, and I don't -- it -- it probably references
some -- it somewhere else, Commissioner.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well--
MS. ISTENES: It -- what 1-- it doesn't matter to me. I'm sure
it's somewhere else in the code, honestly.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: It's -- could you check? And if you've
got another way to enforce it, to make sure a hedge stays alive, that's
required --
MS. ISTENES: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- which I mentioned -- I thought code
enforcement made sure those things happened. But if they don't, then,
yes, the word's needed, but --
MS. ISTENES: I know it's in there. I just can't cite it for you off
the top of my head, but it's -- I'm sure it's in the landscaping section,
the buffering section, so ...
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Then the last two pages, 92 and
Page 165
February 26, 2010
93, anybody have a -- anything on those two pages?
Four, "Oeviation from Wall Requirement," was that existing
language, Susan?
MS. ISTENES: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Anybody have any questions
through Page 93?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I have one, Commissioner.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Go ahead.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: It's on sound walls, and it's on
93, a. And essentially it's giving them carte blanche on whatever they
want to do with these side walls -- or sound walls.
MS. ISTENES: Right.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And is that something we have
to do, or is that us being nice? because the ugliest walls in a
community are these sound walls.
MS. ISTENES: Right.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And the -- and they're almost
always erected to compensate for a planning mistake. So why do we
just let them be whatever they want to be? Why don't we -- why don't
we make it difficult so that people will avoid using them?
MS. ISTENES: I -- well, Nick's here, so he might want to talk
about it too. But my understanding is the --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I think Nick would have a great input on
this one.
MS. ISTENES: He knows how I feel about them.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Susan, how do you feel about
them?
MS. ISTENES: I think they're the ugliest walls we have in the
county.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Good.
MS. ISTENES: And wait 'til -- wait 'til they start getting older,
and the cost to maintain them -- and they get moldy, and the paint
Page 166
February 26,2010
starts peeling, and you have no landscaping in front of them to hide
them. It's becoming a walled city. That's my planner -- professional
planner's opinion. Thanks for letting me share.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Don't you -- don't you agree--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Just a minute, Mr. Wolfley. As soon as
Mr. Schiffer's finished.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Don't you agree that they really
are essentially patching a mistake in planning? In other words, we
shouldn't have let units get that close to a right-of-way. We shouldn't
have --
MS. ISTENES: Not necessarily. I do know they're being used as
somewhat of a tradeoff to acquire right-of-way, which saves the
taxpayers money, and certainly nothing wrong with that.
But, again, like I said, Nick has a little more insight into that.
But I think -- I wouldn't agree they're necessarily a planning mistake,
per se, as far as the setback goes. But you have a little bit --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I mean, I think if we zoned all
our right-of-ways way away -- and I don't want to get Mark started on
this one again. But if we --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Go ahead.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: -- had all zoned right-of-ways
prior to trying to get these things, we wouldn't have to do this, because
people would be planning for the future road.
MS. ISTENES: Potentially, but maybe not. And Nick -- Nick
may have more.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I'm done. Thank you, Mark.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, Mr. Wolfley had a question. And
then I'm sure that we'll --
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Well, she mostly mentioned--
Susan mostly mentioned it when -- regarding the tradeoff thing. But I
was thinking of75, where the taxpayers did pay for miles offences
because it came so close to the community. So it's --
Page 167
February 26, 2010
MS. ISTENES: Uh-huh.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: That's all I was going to say.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Did I have --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. -- Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I just wanted to -- it's in the
same context. I'm looking at Page 92, No.4, where -- on the third
line, No. 28, where it says "local street lies contiguous." I think that
was part of the last discussion. I'm not sure.
But wouldn't it be more appropriate to say "right-of-way" as
opposed to a street? because the vision that I see when I read this is a
street, an actual street directly next to a commercial building or -- I
mean, actually right there at the building, which you might find in
Brooklyn, New York.
MS. ISTENES: I'm--
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Because they use the word
"contiguous," and that's the reason why I'm relating to it.
MS. ISTENES: I guess I would just prefer to stay with "street."
It's -- it's somewhat of a generic term that people just apply in all
situations. And I think it's possibly even defined that way in our code,
but --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Well, I appreciate your desire.
And I'm -- I'm trying to support the chair's many previous statements
about contiguity and adjacency. And where we talk about a street I --
I envision blacktop right against a wall, or so to speak. I don't see -- in
my mind when I read this, I don't see a space of green or any other
form. I just see a structure, and I see a street, because you use the
word "contiguous." I would see "right-of-way," because generally a
street lies within the right-of-way. I'm not trying to pick --
MS. ISTENES: What I'm --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: -- at you--
MS. ISTENES: Whatever the rest of the board feels, I'm -- I
think it could go either way. I'm just stating my preference, but --
Page 168
February 26,2010
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Wolfley.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Let me just add something to
that. When I -- what I got the vision of when I read this was behind a
shopping center that is contiguous to residential, putting a wall up.
MS. ISTENES: Uh-huh.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: You're calling that a road. It's
not really a road. It's just an access to get the products to the stores, to
the commercial location.
MS. ISTENES: Well, yeah. There again --
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: What would you call that?
MS. ISTENES: There's some -- a number of different situations
explained here as to when the wall is required. And the -- the street
relationship to residential across from commercial and industrial is
one instance. Another is exactly as you describe, where you've got a
commercial -- commercially designated and developed property
abutting residential. The two property lines -- or zoning lines touch.
And you would definitely require a wall there too.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: There's a roadway of sorts.
Trucks drive on it, but it's not a street. So, I mean, is there another way
we can --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Stevie Tomato's is a perfect
example.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: There, you had to go.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Think about the video, right?
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Yeah. Yeah, that would be it.
MS. ISTENES: That's a -- that's a driveway.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Well, that's right--
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Well--
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: -- but let's not think about that
one for a minute.
MR. BELLOWS: There's other developments. Like in Berkshire,
there's commercial -- there's a -- a true road behind there.
Page 169
February 26,2010
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Okay. So my point is--
MR. BELLOWS: Commercially, it is.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: It doesn't look like a road. Can
we call it something? Is there something that we can call it other than
just a "street"? because that is an issue.
MS. ISTENES: Access? Vehicular access or access way?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I don't -- I don't have a problem
if you want to take out the word "contiguous." I -- I think -- if you
want to put "street" in there and -- and you understand it and the
people that come after you understand it to mean that it really -- it's
the entire right-of-way that carries the street, that's fine. But we like to
be as precise as we can, and that's what I was working toward.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: A "local street" or "roadway"?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: "Right-of-way"?
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: "Right-of-way"? "Roadway"?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Why don't staff just take a look at it and
try to --
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Let's get on with it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- come back with something ifit has to
be.
Any other questions on 92 and 93?
MS. ISTENES: Did you want --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, as far as the sound walls go, I
think we -- did we -- did we have any recommendation on that? Or
did you guys -- everybody just hates them, but they are a necessity.
And Nick wanted to talk about them and tell us --
MS. ISTENES: I was going to say it, are your questions
answered, because he -- if you don't want him to talk, I'm sure he's --
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Just for the record, Nick
Casalanguida. I -- I agree with Susan. They're not -- they're not the
most attractive things in the world. The issue is they meet sound
requirements, attenuation requirements.
Page 170
February 26, 2010
And one of the issues that's come up is the county's total
communities. We don't want to be punished twice. You make the
warrant for a sound wall. Then we have to buy more land to put the
sound wall on. It's kind of a Catch-22.
So we've said, "If you're willing to donate that property to the
county or put it on your own property, we'll maintain it." So then you
get in conflict with the land development code.
So if we didn't apply that -- a factor for that, now you're
condemning more property to put the sound wall on to meet the
setback requirements. It's a strange situation. But, again, I agree, these
walls are an issue.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Mark.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Brad.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And here's the way this thing's
worded, Susan. We had a hearing one time -- it was up in the north as
75 is leading the -- leaving the county. These guys wanted to develop
the area. We wanted to push the preserve up against 75, but they
really wanted to build sound walls. I mean, in their proposal for their
PUD was sound walls, which to me was, you know, lunatic. But--
but it -- and it actually passed.
But, anyway, the -- the important thing is would this ever be
construed that any government entity -- are we the ones telling them to
do that when we do a development order or -- I mean, I would never
want that paragraph -- first of all, I'd like to get rid of the paragraph.
But I would never want it to be that that development order, because it
was part of the PUD, made them put the sound walls up in case
somebody came to their senses down the road. But it says --
MS. ISTENES: It depends how their development order is
worded, but --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But "at the direction of any
government entity" would not be considered the fact that it was in a
PUD?
Page 171
February 26,2010
MS. ISTENES: Well -- and this "at the direction of' is mostly, I
think, to capture the -- maybe some agreements that transportation has
worked out with property owners for ownership and maintenance
and/or construction. You know, when they're acquiring right-of-way,
they negotiate a lot of different things. And this may be just an
avenue of negotiation if the county directs them to erect one out of
some sort of agreement.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay.
MS. ISTENES: That's -- this language was actually crafted and
monkeyed around with quite a bit by OSAC. And then they came up
-- came up with this. So this is kind of how it evolved that way.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I'm done.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Anybody else through Page 93?
And it looks like, Susan, you're going to come back with some
suggestions --
MS. ISTENES: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- at some point in the future.
Page 94, temporary-use permits.
MS. ISTENES: Okay. This is actually a holdover from the sign
regulations. This is when we amended the sign code pursuant to that
lawsuit. We needed to go ahead and make this change. And, actually,
it was already presented before the board as a change that was coming,
and so this is it. So it's all -- I -- truthfully, it -- if my recollection is
correct, it's been vetted already. And this area of the temporary-use
permits is going to house some of the signage provisions for sales and
special events, and that is really about it.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Well, let's plow our way through
it. 94 and 95, any questions from anybody? 96 and 97?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I do have a question.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Susan, on f on 97, which is Line
24, the -- the thing I have -- isn't there situations where we could have
Page 172
February 26,2010
an undeveloped property that somebody might want to put -- a fair or
a circus might want to set up or something like that? Is -- would that
stop it? And I guess -- what does "undeveloped" mean is --
MS. ISTENES: I don't mean to put John Kelly on the spot, but
I'll ask him just to be thinking of situations where that may occur. But
my recollection is that the special-event permits usually almost always
go on some sort of developed property or in association with a
developed property. So, for example, if a church has a vacant lot next
to it that they own, they could use that. But are you -- can you think
of any other situations, Ray or --
MR. BELLOWS: I think that's--
MS. ISTENES: -- or John? I don't know that this is really a
change. I don't think this is changing anything in the code. It's just --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, you show it as new. I just
MS. ISTENES: Okay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I'm just -- you know, there
might be situations where there is a piece of land, undeveloped, that
could hold something and the parking and everything for it, and this
might stop it, unless I don't know what "undeveloped" means. I mean,
it's -- if it's an agricultural piece of land that wasn't -- somehow wasn't
used, it's got sod on it, so it's not a mud pond.
MS. ISTENES: Yeah, I mean, generally "unimproved" -- and I
would call un -- "undeveloped" and "unimproved" the same,
synonymous -- that, you know, you're not going to have the
infrastructure and the facilities for -- for parking, for access, for
handicapped, for things like that. I mean -- so I think what the code
intent is is to try to eliminate or preclude that from happening, where
those don't exist.
Now, I know that's -- that doesn't always happen, especially if
you're using open property on -- that's in conjunction with an
improved property, but I think that's the intent.
Page 173
February 26, 2010
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But I think we can all think of
going to events that were out in the middle of nowhere where all that
was brought in temporarily, again, a fair or carnival.
MS. ISTENES: Uh-huh.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Woodstock would be a bad
example, but --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Let's leave that out.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But the point is that there -- I
can think of circumstances where you would want to do it on a piece
of property.
MS. ISTENES: 00 you want me to look at that a little bit further
and explore that if we don't have an answer right now? because that's
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay.
MS. ISTENES: -- not one that jumps out at me.
MR. BELLOWS: The only thing I can add is, historically, we
have never issued temporary permits on undeveloped properties. And
this is just to allow for recent trends where they want to have
groundbreaking ceremonies prior to having the permitted use on site.
That's the only reason. Normally we just don't allow temporary-use
permits on vacant properties --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Murray.
MR. BELLOWS: -- because there is a safety issue with access
and all that.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Well, I can't give you a -- a
really good example. But you might remember that -- or know that
Antaramian's property as you come into the city -- and I know that is
the city -- they use that in the boat show. They use that for various
activities, and they have tents and so forth, and they're there for
several days.
I can imagine, in our economic conditions, where there may
come a time where some undeveloped property, particularly out in the
Page 174
February 26, 2010
lmmokalee area -- that might -- they might want to do something of
that nature. So I think it does bear some additional consideration.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Ray, would fapply to something
like a sunrise service on an empty lot or an empty place?
MR. BELLOWS: F on--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: The one we're talking about.
MR. BELLOWS: All right. Right there, yeah.
MS. ISTENES: Usually what we're trying to do is associate
them with some sort of use, because the other complaint we get is
people coming into town, setting up shop in a vacant lot, and taking
business away from other people. Now, I don't know if that would
happen so much in the -- in a special event, per se, but you'll get that
in special sales and things like that.
So the intent is to keep them very temporary in nature and to
have them on improved properties where the use is already occurring,
for special sales, for example.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MS. ISTENES: So it's kind of the same theory here, but a little
bit different.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Would a sunrise service require a
temporary-use permit?
MS. ISTENES: Yes, ifit was -- you know, if they were going to
hold some big, special event kind of outdoor of the regular building.
But if you're just having your regular sunrise church service in your
church building, absolutely not.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: No.
MS. ISTENES: It -- but, no, if you're going to do some special --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Let me give you a specific example.
MS. ISTENES: Sure.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: On the Isle of Capri, in the center of the
commercial area, the company I work for owns a bunch of
commercial property. It's undeveloped. Every year the local church
Page 175
February 26,2010
comes and wants to do an Easter sunrise service. And they put up a
tent, and they serve some beverages there. Is that a special event, first
of all?
MS. ISTENES: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Would it be allowed under f
since the property is not developed and has no improvements on it?
MS. ISTENES: Probably not, unless there was some association
we could make with a nearby developed property where there was a
relationship there.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: There wouldn't be. So, now, I don't
want to see them prevented. That's a typical arrangement that may
happen other places. So I think that's why f needs to be kind of
reconsidered, for --
MS. ISTENES: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- events like that. So -- because they
currently do that, so they're currently receiving a temporary-use
permit to do it every year. So somehow they need to still fit into that
category .
MS. ISTENES: Okay.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Mark.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Up at Mercado this past
weekend there was an Asian concert or event out there opposite where
the theater is located. Would that qualify as that type of event, and
would they require a permit?
MS. ISTENES: It depends on how the Mercado PUD is
structured. They may have something in there for those type of
events. I don't know. It could possibly.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Because the crowd was large,
and it completely changed the complexion of the area where it was
gomg on.
MS. ISTENES: Uh-huh, uh-huh. Yeah, I couldn't answer that
Page 176
February 26,2010
without looking --
MR. BELLOWS: I'll have to do some research on that.
MS. ISTENES: But, yeah, we'd have to research it.
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. 98 and 99, any questions? 100,
101?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I do.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Brad.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: And, actually, Mercado would
be a good example of this. For these temporary signs, do you think
we could be wise to exempt them from inside mixed uses? And then
we're back to that concept of not being visible from the property lines.
In other words, you go into a development -- well, maybe
Waterside's a better example too. "I'm in the center of Waterside.
Why are you controlling my temporary signs?" Or are you or --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I think we established she was
not --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Murray.
MS. ISTENES: Well, yeah, I mean, when we're talking
temporary signs -- I mean, generally you're talking about signs aligned
with a temporary use.
MR. BELLOWS: Exactly.
MS. ISTENES: So it's -- you know what I'm saying? I'm not
sure those would be considered temporary signs the way you're
describing them.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Bob, did you have something you
wanted to say?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Well, I just -- I just remember,
Susan, the last time that came up, my recollection, you were very clear
that you weren't interested in controlling internal signs.
MR. BELLOWS: That's right.
Page 1 77
February 26,2010
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: And so that went away, as I
thought.
MS. ISTENES: Yeah, I thought we had kind of addressed that
already at the sign ordinance. This is a -- this is a little different
animal, though. This is an association with a temporary event, and it --
it truly is just short term, temporary, in association with an event.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: But if it's interior too was, I
thought, the basis for the question. And that's okay. I was only
adding that I heard your testimony and remembered it.
MS. ISTENES: Thank you.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: You're welcome.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: 102,103?
COMMISSIONER CARON: I have --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ms. Caron.
COMMISSIONER CARON: If you could just go back for a
minute to 98.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Whoa, going way back.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Well, just because we had this big
discussion about f. And then, if you go to a, it says "sports, religious,
and community events," and underlined here it says, "on lands not
specifically developed and approved for such." So I don't know if that
conflicts with f on the previous page as well or -- both look to me like
they need to be cleaned up.
MS. ISTENES: Okay. F is applying to sales and promotional
events. So maybe we didn't realize that when we were talking about
it, although I do believe I gave that as an ex -- as an explanation. But
do you agree with that? because it looks like --
COMMISSIONER CARON: Well, I'm just trying to get to--
Commissioner Strain's concerned about the sunrise service.
MS. ISTENES: But he would -- but that wouldn't be a temporary
sales; that would be a temporary religious event.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Right. So it looks to me like that
Page 178
February 26,2010
can happen on lands not specifically developed --
MS. ISTENES: Correct.
COMMISSIONER CARON: -- for such activities on a regular
basis.
MS. ISTENES: You're right. So I answered correctly.
COMMISSIONER CARON: All right.
MS. ISTENES: Yes. Thank you for calling that to my attention.
I apologize. I didn't realize we were talking about temporary sales.
COMMISSIONER CARON: ljust want to make--
MS. ISTENES: It's getting late.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Well, it is. And we probably
shouldn't, you know, do some of these changes -- you know, bring up
the issues, and then let's look at them in the light of the morning.
MS. ISTENES: So would I still need to look at f, or are we--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Not from my perspective. I think you
may from Brad's, but not from mine.
MS. ISTENES: Okay.
COMMISSIONER CARON: I'm sorry. What page are we
supposed to be on?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: I have no idea.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: 102.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Let's start on 102, 102 and 103 together.
Does anybody have any questions?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I mean --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Brad.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: -- Susan, you may have
clarified. You know, when I asked you a question about inside these
mixed-use things, you said, "No, that's only when it's associated with a
temporary use." In other words, this is a temporary sign for a
temporary use?
MS. ISTENES: Yes.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But I don't see where that's -- I
Page 179
February 26, 2010
mean, where would I come to that conclusion?
MS. ISTENES: Well, again, it's going to kind of depend on what
kind of temporary use. When you say "temporary use," we've got
temporary -- like special events, temporary sales. And we've got
things like holiday sales, like pumpkins and trees and all that. They
all have their own various set of regulations.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Well, what in had a fixed store
and I just want a temporary sign? I mean, I'm a permanent use, and I
want a temporary sign. I mean, I'm not sure --
MS. ISTENES: You can have one if you're doing, like, for
example, a promotional event --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right.
MS. ISTENES: -- like, let's say you're going out of business, or
let's say you're having a grand opening or a grand reopening, or, gosh,
you're having your, you know, yearly super sale.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right. So -- but that was -- my
point is that -- why are we regulating these? And your point was,
"Wait a minute, that's not what these are. These are only when they're
associated with temporary uses."
But that's -- that's not the case, I don't think, in reading 5.04.06,
because that's a temporary sign. And I may have a permanent use, and
I may want a temporary sign at the Waterside Shops. And, obviously,
I have to deal with the -- the governance of the Waterside Shops. But,
I mean, why does the county get involved in that? And that was what I
was looking for, is an exemption --
MS. ISTENES: Oh, okay. I understand.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: -- an exemption from that.
MS.ISTENES: I understand what you're saying. I mean,
essentially, you're looking to treat people fairly within the -- the
context of the rules. So, in other words, when you're giving additional
signage, you're giving it for a reason and for a set period of time.
Page 180
February 26,2010
And so just because somebody happens to be in a mall, per se,
you know, I mean, it -- it doesn't mean that -- that the signage is -- isn't
important. I'm not explaining it very well. But you're talking about --
I would call it -- I want to say "litter" almost.
In other words, you start -- people start hanging banners. Then
they forget -- we don't have a time limit, so they stay up for six
months, and the sale was, you know, four months ago, and it was only
for a week. They start to become obnoxious and look like trash.
They start to mess with our architectural standards. They--
people start feeling like they're being treated unfairly, because, "This
guy has three banner signs that have been up for nine months, and I
can only have one for a week. And I abide by the code, and he
doesn't." Or -- you see what I'm saying?
So it starts to get very, very prescriptive when it comes to signs,
how long they can be up, how big they can be, and when you can have
them as far as temporary signs go.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: But the point I'm making is,
only within developments that aren't visible to the community, private
developments, why are we going into the -- why can't we exempt them
from it? I mean, one thing you're missing is they have their own
governance. They have their own set of standards. They have their
own architectural standards. They might even exceed our standards.
But why can't we exempt, you know, inside these malls? I mean,
,
we ve --
MS. ISTENES: I mean, is that your recommendation? because
I'll -- you know, I'll forward it on to the board, and we can discuss it
with them. I'm not, you know --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right. Just for the approval
process, I think that would be a good idea. There are situations where
we don't see into it. We've had the discussion before. If you put a
roof on it -- like Coastland, you don't go indoors there. Take the roof
off; you're indoors there.
Page 181
February 26, 2010
MS. ISTENES: I understand. Yeah, I understand. And, I mean,
I'll certainly -- I would like to actually get your vote on this so we
could move it on, and it's -- and it sounds like I've addressed f already
when it talks about undeveloped properties, because we're talking
about sales there.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right.
MS. ISTENES: And I think we didn't realize that.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right.
MS. ISTENES: And I would submit to you, you probably don't
want to allow people just to set up shop --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right.
MS. ISTENES: -- in vacant lots everywhere for safety reasons --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Yeah.
MS. ISTENES: -- for fair -- for fairness reasons too, you know,
that sort of thing, but --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right.
MS. ISTENES: But -- so I hope that issue's dead. I mean, I'll
certainly look at the temporary signs internal to malls. And if -- if it's
consistent with what we did before, we could just add it.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Can I make a point?
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, no, Ms. Caron was next, then Mr.
Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: That's right. Your turn.
MS. ISTENES: If that's what y'all want.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Yeah. I'm thinking I don't want to
take a vote on that today --
MS.ISTENES: Okay.
COMMISSIONER CARON: -- on that issue, because I'd like to
think about it more --
MS. ISTENES: Okay.
COMMISSIONER CARON: -- personally, because I'm not sure
it's a great idea. So I'd just like -- since it was just brought up, I'd like
Page 182
February 26, 2010
to have time, since it's coming back anyway.
MS.ISTENES: Okay. That'll give me time to dive into some of
the history behind it too, so ...
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Susan, one of your concerns--
and perhaps one of a number, but perhaps only one -- was some folks
getting a temporary sign permit and then selling various articles,
retailing and so forth. But they couldn't actually get a permit, could
they, if the property were zoned ag or if it was zoned out of what it is
they would intend to sell? Am I correct in that?
MS. ISTENES: You're supposed to have a -- for example, for
temporary sales, you're supposed to be selling similar goods or goods
that would be allowed to be sold on the property pursuant to the
underlying zoning district.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Zoning district. So it could be
ag, a small parcel of ag, within a zoning district that's retail; is that
what you're saying?
MS.ISTENES: Vegetable -- maybe, you know, a temporary
pumpkin sale or vegetable sales or something like that --
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Well, if you're --
MS. ISTENES: -- possibly.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Okay. You--
MS. ISTENES: Do you see what I'm saying? You're not selling
clothing in ag zoning districts.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I understood you, and I
appreciated your concern.
MS. ISTENES: Okay.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: I'm trying to get it to the extent
that that goes, and I was trying to feel whether or not somebody could
sell clothing in a space that that -- if an area was zoned ago
MS. ISTENES: No, to answer that question. But let's say you
have a commercial parcel that happens to be selling -- well, I mean,
Page 183
February 26, 2010
I'm just kind of pulling what-ifs out. But if you're -- if you happen to
have a small shopping center that doesn't happen to sell rugs, but it's a
retail commercial center that could sell rugs, they could possibly do a
short-term rug sale. You see what I'm saying?
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Exactly. Now, holding that
thought in mind, would that same condition prevent the retailer, who
occupies that space legitimately and long term -- would that same
condition prevent them from doing the same thing?
MS. ISTENES: No.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Okay.
MS.ISTENES: We have that, yeah.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. I'm going to propose a radical
departure here from the normal. Let's take a I5-minute break. It gets
pretty bad. 3:30 we'll come back and resume.
(Recess held.)
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Welcome from the -- back from
the much-needed break. And during the break it was resolved. Nick
has asked us to finish Book 2 and go as far as we can to Book 3 until 8
o'clock tonight.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Thanks, Oave.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: You do all these social events during the
day, and you come here refreshed. It's a whole different program.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Oh, Mr. Stain, Mr. Strain.
COMMISSIONER CARON: And he's promised to stop the
Vanderbilt Extension --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: That's right, because it wasn't needed,
yes. Thank you, Donna. I needed that help.
But speaking of our agendas, it's 3:30. We have two more items
to finish up in this one we're on for Book 2. Ifwe all think we can
hang in there, I'd like to see Book 2 done today and get it past us, at
least to a point where it's either going to come back as rewrites or
Page 184
February 26,2010
whatever. Book 3 will have to come up on the 10th.
I asked staff to start checking for another available date because,
even with two days in March, we are not going to finish this LDC
review in those two days, especially with the Immokalee one having
been continued. That alone is going to take quite a while. We have a
few others that are going to take some time, so I know we're not going
to finish this month. With that in mind, we'll -- and I'm sure on the
meeting on the 4th we can discuss that.
We left off on -- through Page 103. So let's look at Page 104 and
105.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Mark, I had --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Go ahead, Brad.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: -- a question on 102--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Sure.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: -- b, up at the top. Is that per
tenant, or is that por -- per mixed-use facility, or -- I mean, I think I
know the answer. It's per facility. But what seems unfair is that, if
there are multiple tenants --
MS. ISTENES: "b. The occupant of a lot, parcel, multi-tenant
parcel or mixed use building may display Ion" -- it's -- it's per tenant,
I believe.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay. Good.
MS. ISTENES: Yeah.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: All right. Thank you. And then
on 103, 2.c, the grand opening can be obtained within the first three
months of building, do you measure that from their certificate of
occupancy?
MS. ISTENES: I'm sorry. I didn't hear you.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: On 103, 2.c.
MS. ISTENES: Yes. I didn't hear your question.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Do you -- do you measure that
from the certificate of occupancy, or how -- how do you know--
Page 185
February 26, 2010
what's the three months measured from?
MR. BELLOWS: Occupational license.
MS. ISTENES: Yeah. I mean, generally, the -- not necessarily
certificate of occupancy. Normally what happens is they want to be in
the building before they have this. It's sort of senseless to put the sign
up that says "grand opening" --
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Right.
MS. ISTENES: -- if they're not having anything open to sell to
you at that moment. Usually it's to generate business. So usually
certificate -- I mean, the -- the day they open is usually the day we see
it. And--
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Okay.
MS. ISTENES: -- that's -- you know, when they come in and
apply for it, they get the three months. So it's not a problem.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I'm good. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. We're on 104 and 105. Any
questions?
Susan, under 105 Item d, this is for a temporary business ID sign.
It says "may remain in place no longer than 120 days, or until
construction has been completed, whichever occurs first." Maybe you
want to add "or when the permanent sign is installed" as well.
MS. ISTENES: Sure.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Otherwise, they end up with a
temporary and a permanent.
So anything else through 105? Ifnot, 106, 107, any questions?
107 starts the annual beach events permit. 108,109, most of it's all
existing language. 110 and Ill? 112, 113?
Susan, on 113 under 2, Line 27, the word "appropriate," if we
just drop that, would it read better?
MS. ISTENES: Sure.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. 114 and 1I5?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: 114, a question.
Page 186
February 26,2010
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Brad.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: It's e, Susan. My thought was
to add -- it's fire protection. I would add "and emergency access
measures. "
MS. ISTENES: Okay.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: That's it. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Anybody else through lI5?
On the top of Page 114, Susan, we're talking about i and little i
(sic). It's the provision that begins on 113 that says: "Adequate
on-site or additional off-site parking use shall be provided as follows,"
a maximum of 10 percent of the parking required by the code and the
required number of handicapped. But how is it -- is this where you
would want to calculate it? How do you calculate the amount of
additional parking needed? See, it says "shall be provided as follows."
Is -- are they asking -- are they saying that you -- a maximum of 10
percent --
MS. ISTENES: They're -- what they're --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- of whatever is required to be there or
MS. ISTENES: Yes, of the parking required by the code--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right.
MS. ISTENES: -- can be occupied by temporary structures and
equipment and merchandise. So if you're having, you know, a tent set
up or what have you in the parking lot, you can only take up a
maximum of 10 percent of the required parking.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And that's in your existing
code-required parking lot for the -- for your permanent structure?
MS. ISTENES: Yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. And then this is a special event,
so where do we show them -- or where do we have a requirement for
additional parking for the special event itself? Or is it considered
there's enough parking on the permanent facility to accommodate the
Page 187
February 26, 2010
special event?
MS. ISTENES: It's not always on the permanent facility. The
conceptual site plan is required essentially to show -- like, for
example, if you have off-site parking--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Uh-huh.
MS. ISTENES: -- sometimes you'll have shuttles and things like
that. That has to be indicated on the -- on this conceptual site plan
(indicating). And this can be drawn by hand. This is not any
engineered drawing. It--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Just--
MS. ISTENES: It's just essentially a map to show the staffwhere
things are going to be located, whether there's any safety concerns.
We copy it and give it to code enforcement, the -- fire, transportation,
sheriff, whatever the situation warrants.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: How do we know the quantity of
parking that we're going to ask them to provide for on their conceptual
site plan? Is that -- I mean, do we have a re -- do we have a basis for
't?
I .
MS. ISTENES: Not in code, per se, not in the land development
code.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MS. ISTENES: Generally speaking -- do you want to add to that
or --
MR. BELLOWS: I believe as long as they demonstrate they
have the remaining nine -- 90 percent of the parking -- required
parking demonstrated on the temporary-use permit, I mean, number--
little i just basically says a maximum of 10 percent. So whatever
special event comes in, they show they have the parking for 90
percent.
MS. ISTENES: And if, for example -- you know, most people
know when they're setting up these events. Obviously, they don't
want people not to have a place to park. They -- and we know what
Page 188
February 26,2010
kind of event it was -- is. They'll know about how many people
they're going to have attend, especially if it's a regular event. And--
and we'll attempt to just ensure that they have adequate parking, either
on or off site, just --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. I don't mean to beat a dead
horse. I'm just trying to figure out how we figure out how much they
need.
MS. ISTENES: It's not really that scientific.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MS.ISTENES: Honestly, it's not--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And we haven't had any -- we haven't
had many problems with this issue?
MS. ISTENES: I don't want to say that. Sometimes people park
where they're not supposed to, even if you have designated parking,
and they block, you know, alleyways and roads and things like that.
And it's sort of a live -- live and learn type of thing. If you have
complaints, then next year you know that the parking was inadequate
and they needed to have additional. Hopefully you remember and you
-- or you have a record of it, and you can make accommodations to
ensure they have adequate parking next time.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay.
MS. ISTENES: So it's -- you know, it's not scientific.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Under g on the same page: "If
required, a faithful performance bond to guarantee compliance with
the conditions of the permit." How do you side -- decide if it's
required? You don't particularly like that group, so we're going to
require one? I mean, we have to have a standard of some kind, I
would assume.
MS. ISTENES: Some of -- like, if they're on county property, for
example, I know the county has certain rules and regulations that
require performance bonds and other type of assurances that the site
will be cleaned up and --
Page 189
February 26, 2010
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So this isn't arbitrary on behalf of staff
when they come in for the temporary-use permit? See -- and I'm
thinking of that -- remember the concert that wanted to go in -- out in
the fairgrounds or somewhere? And it was one of those concerts that,
I guess, the community -- wasn't desirable. And one of the reasons
they couldn't go there is, I understood, they couldn't put the bond up
that was required.
MS.ISTENES: And that was in the county fairgrounds, correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right.
MS. ISTENES: Yeah, the county's got some pretty explicit
restrictions as far as the use of their property by outside people, and
that includes performance bonds and insurance --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. So the only--
MS. ISTENES: -- and approvals by the board, in some cases, or
staff.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So the only time a bond is required is if
it's on county property?
MS. ISTENES: I'm not aware of any other time a bond is
specifically required, unless there's an agreement between two
property owners to re -- require that, and that would be a private
agreement. But as far as the code goes -- and -- and that's -- as far as
the code goes, I'm not re -- I'm not aware of any, but I'll have John just
kind of do a quick Municode search just to confirm that, if you wish.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, you know, what I'm suggesting is
if it's -- I'd rather take the arbitrary nature of a requirement out of the
hands of staff having to make that decision, because the way this
reads, anybody -- a sunrise service, could come in, and, if someone at
the county decided that they should have a performance bond, then --
this just says "ifrequired." So maybe we should say, "On government
properties, a faithful performance bond to guarantee compliance with
the conditions of the permit," something like that, if that's the way it
fits, is all I'm suggesting. Refine it if it's -- it needs to be to the spec --
Page 190
February 26,2010
specificity that --
MS. ISTENES: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- may apply.
MS. ISTENES: I'll look in the code and make sure we're not--
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ms. Caron.
COMMISSIONER CARON: I was just going to go back up to c,
"Limited activity hours." But we don't specify what those limited
activities hours are, or we do somewhere else?
MS. ISTENES: Not that I'm aware of that it's specified. I mean,
we may ask people -- what we try to do is -- we really -- on these
permits, we try to ask people what they're doing, where they're
parking, how many people they're going to have, what are their hours
of operation. We try to get an idea of their impact, and we try to
evaluate the site plan for any safety considerations or any access
considerations or concerns. That way --
MR. BELLOWS: Music?
MS. ISTENES: Outdoor music, yeah, noise, obviously. When
we are -- if there is a complaint or the public does question that, we
have a permit with a map and all of that information on there so we
can at least tell people what's going on, the extent to which their
permit was issued, et cetera, et cetera.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Well, let's move on to--
MS. ISTENES: It's fairly wide open. I'm -- yeah.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- 116 and 117. Anybody have any
question on those two pages? They're existing language, I believe.
118 and I19? And that brings us to the end of that issue. And that is
going to have some -- a couple of items need to be looked at to be
back. Hopefully it'll be a shorter discussion when it comes back.
We'll move on to Page 120, automobile service stations. Susan?
MS. ISTENES: This isjust returning what was left out of the re-
codification of the LDC.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Anybody have any questions on Pages
Page 191
February 26, 2010
120 or 121 and 122 and 123 all together? If there are no questions,
does anybody feel like they want to make a motion?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I will, Mark.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Mr. Schiffer.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I move we forward a
recommendation of approval and find it to be in compliance with the
growth management plan the LOC amendment request for 5.05.05.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Second?
COMMISSIONER CARON: Second.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ms. Caron. Discussion? All in favor,
signify by saying "aye."
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HOMIAK: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye. Anybody opposed? Motion
carries 8 -- or 7 to O.
Okay. Next and last item for today is Page 124, and it's three
pages. Susan?
MS. ISTENES: This looks -- correct the time limit and return
language previously removed that provides for notification to property
owners with regard to neighborhood information meetings. I'm not
sure when this was removed. That's kind of the question that pops
into my head, is when it got left out. It must have been a previous
amendment. I can check if you want. But, anyway, it's just replacing.
And it says "correct the time limit." Let's see here. It looks like that's
on 125 and 126 under 2.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Ooesn't the sentence that's being added
on 125 -- first of all, it says the "notice of the meeting shall be sent to
all property owners who are required to receive legal notification from
Page 192
February 26,2010
the county pursuant to" the sections of the code. Then it says:
"Written notice of the meeting shall be sent to all property owners
within 500 feet of the property lines."
Are we saying something twice? And is what we're saying in the
second sentence I read that's been added the same or different than
what was being referred to in the subsections of the first sentence?
MS.ISTENES: It looks like there's a period after "11" --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Right.
MS. ISTENES: -- there. And then it says: "Written notice of the
meeting shall be sent to all property owners within 500 feet of the
property lines of the land for which the amendment" is sought.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Wouldn't those be the same required to
receive legal notification pursuant to subsections? I mean, I think it
says the same thing. But one refers to a section of the code, and the
other then redefines the distance requirement. I'm not sure if the
subsection referenced just takes care of that.
MS. ISTENES: Let me look real quick, if you want.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Sure, that or we can bring it back.
Anybody else have any questions? And that would be through Page
127. Ms. Caron.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Well, I just don't see a corrected
time limit.
MS. ISTENES: Well, this is correcting something that was left
out, so it may --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Where are you?
COMMISSIONER CARON: I see notification -- the change "to
correct the time limit."
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well--
MS. ISTENES: Well, if it was left out, it may not make sense
the way it's written in here, so I'll see if I can kind of figure that out. It
looks like what was left out is just -- that's interesting -- okay -- is just
simply that first part of the sentence up until after" 11."
Page 193
February 26, 2010
So there was a reference left out to 10.05 -- 10.03.05 B.1 0 or 11,
and then the remainder of that actually is already in there. 10.03.05,
let me go to B.11 just real quick. Okay. And that is a reference to the
-- "for all petitions except small-scale or other site-specific
amendments to the comp plan for subject properties located within
areas of future land use element of the growth management plan that
are not designated urban. All the foregoing notice requirements apply
except that written notification must be sent to all property owners
within 1,000 linear feet of the subject property."
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, then the second sentence says 500
feet. So that would be a conflict, wouldn't it?
MS. ISTENES: Yeah, that doesn't make sense to me. Let me
bring that back.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. If -- yeah, maybe if you'd take--
yeah, take a look at it closer.
MS. ISTENES: Sorry about that. Yeah, I don't even know who
authored this, but --
COMMISSIONER CARON: It just goes on in that paragraph to
call out the 1,000 feet for the non-urban areas.
MS. ISTENES: Correct, yes.
COMMISSIONER CARON: All right. But my question is -- to
correct the time limit is one -- is one of the changes, and I'm not sure
what that means.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: There doesn't seem to be a time-limit
change.
MS. ISTENES: There doesn't seem to be one.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Right.
MS. ISTENES: So let me check on that too.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Thank you, Susan.
COMMISSIONER HOMIAK: There's a change in the date on
Line 19 on Page 125, the number of days.
MS. ISTENES: Oh, yes, you're right. Thank you.
Page 194
February 26,2010
COMMISSIONER CARON: Oh, there it is. Thank you. I
totally didn't see it.
COMMISSIONER HOMIAK: It also says when the notice
should be mailed to property owners within 500 feet. It kind of says
the same thing.
MS. ISTENES: Okay. Let me just double check on all that and
make sure I -- I'm not even sure who wrote this.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. Well, then what we -- all right.
We're at the end of Book 2. We went through the first draft of both
Book 1 and Book 2. And on the 10th of March -- there's a few that
may come back on that date. I think the very first one that was
scheduled for today will come back that day. That'll be first on the
agenda on the 10th.
And, Susan, any other ones that need to be cleaned up from
Books 1 and 2 -- not cleanup, not rewrites. But if we haven't heard
them and they want them -- and we want to hear them on the 10th, if
you can get them scheduled by then, that's fine, as long as we haven't
got a bunch of data we have to reread by the 10th.
MS. ISTENES: Okay.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. And then--
MS. ISTENES: I'll see how things --
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: -- what we'll do primarily on the 10th,
then, is probably Book 3, unless the Immokalee one comes back. I
don't know if you'll have it done by the 10th.
MS. ISTENES: Bob said he was going to try to and get it to you
by Wednesday of next week.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: And ifhe does, then we're going to
spend a lot of time probably on the 1 Oth just on that one.
MS. ISTENES: Okay. All right.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: So -- and then you're going to have to
find another date. Our next regular meeting on March 4th, Ray, ifI'm
not mistaken, the only thing on that date is the Immokalee master
Page 195
February 26, 2010
plan; is that correct?
MR. BELLOWS: That is correct.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. And that's a continuation, and
that will be for the data-analysis section and for the staff reports that
we didn't go through and all the questions and issues on staff reports,
for that matter.
MR. BELLOWS: I believe so.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. With that, we need a
continuation of to day's meeting to March 10th. Ray, is it in -- I assume
it's 8:30 in the morning on the 10th in this --
MS.ISTENES: Actually, I believe it's -- John, is that 1 -- 1 -- 1
o'clock, 1 p.m. on the 10th, yeah.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: In this building.
MS. ISTENES: It's only a half-day meeting in this -- chambers,
yes.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Okay. So does someone want to make a
motion to continue today's meeting to March 10th at 1 o'clock in these
chambers? Mr. Wolfley.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: So moved.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Seconded by Mr. Murray.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: That's fine.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Any other -- does anybody have any
other discussion?
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Just a question -- we can vote.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Well, if you've got some discussion--
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: I just want John -- John Kelly,
this is Paul Midney's Packet No.3? He's obviously not here, so you're
going to get it to him.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: If there's no other discussion, we'lI-- all
those in favor of the continuance -- or, yeah, continuing until March
10th, signify by saying "aye."
COMMISSIONER KOLFLA T: Aye.
Page 196
February 26,2010
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER: Aye.
COMMISSIONER WOLFLEY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY: Aye.
COMMISSIONER CARON: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HOMIAK: Aye.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Aye. Anybody -- better not oppose.
Good. We're continued to March 10th. Thank you all.
*****
There being no further business for the good of the County, the
meeting was adjourned by order of the Chairman at 3:52 p.m.
COLLIER COUNTY
PLANNING COMMISSION
MARK STRAIN, Chairman
These minutes approved by the board on
presented or as corrected
, as
TRANSCRIPT PREPARED ON BEHALF OF GREGORY COURT
REPORTING SERVICE, INC., BY ELIZABETH BROOKS AND
KAREN BLOCKBURGER, RPR, NOTARY PUBLIC
Page 197