Minutes 09-23-03MZNUTES OF THE REGULAR PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT BOARD
MEETING HELD IN COMMISSION CHAMBERS, C1~TY HALL, BOYNTON BEACH,
FLORIDA, ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER P~, 2003 AT 6:30 P.M.
Present
Lee Wische, Chairman
Bill Cwynar, Vice Chair
Sergio Casaine
Mike Friedland
Woodrow Hay
.lames McMahon
Steve Myott
Mike Fitzpatrick, Alternate
David Tolces, Assistant City Attorney
Michael Rumpf, Planning & Zoning Director
Absent
Bob Ensler, Alternate
Pledge of Allegiance
Chairman Wische called the meeting to order at 6:33 p.m. and Steve Myott led members in the
Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
Introduction of the Board
Chairman Wische introduced the Board members, Assistant City Attorney Tolces, and staff.
III. Agenda Approval
There were no changes, additions, or deletions to the agenda.
Motion
Mr. Hay moved to approve the agenda as submitted. The motion was seconded by Vice Chair
Cwynar and carried unanimously.
IV, Approval of Hinute$ of August 26, 2003
There were no changes to the minutes,
r4oti~n
Mr. Myott moved to approve the minutes as submitted.
Friedland and carried unanimously.
The motion was seconded by Mr.
Meeting Minutes
Planning and Development Board
Boynton Beach, Florida
September 23, 2003
V. Communications and Announcements
A. Planning and Zoning Report
Mike Rumpf, Planning and Zoning Director, gave a report of the actions that were taken by the
City Commission on items considered by the Planning and Development Board.
1. Final Disposition of the August 26, 2003 Planning and Development Board items.
Mr. Rumpf reported on items heard by the City Commission at the September 2, 2003 meeting.
a. List of approved uses for Boynton Commerce Center approved
b. Front yard setback request for East Coast Mechanical approved
c. 18 foot variance for a commercial office/warehouse building in a P.I.D. District
and a 7-foot wide peripheral greenbelt approved for Quantum Park Lot 3
d. Site plan approval for construction of multiple bay building for Winchester
Commons
e. Site plan approval and height exception for St. Gregory's Armenian Church with
additional condition applied of a buffer on the eastern side where
the project abuts residential properties
f. Arby's conditional use and new site plan approved
g. Serrano items approved on 2nd reading (annexation, land use amendment and
rezoning)
h. Abandonment of ingress/egress easement for Boynton Commerce Center
approved on 2nd reading
i. Abandonment of 3 additional easements (ingress/egress, FPL, and utility) for
Boynton Commerce Center approved on 2"d reading
Dock ordinance restricting distance a dock can extend into canal tabled on 1st
reading
Mr. Rumpf reported on items heard by the City Commission at the September 16, 2003
meeting.
Vii.
a. Dock ordinance approved on 1~t reading.
b. Abandonment for Boynton Commerce Center approved on 1~t reading.
Old Business
None
Vi:I;. New Business
Attorney Tolces administered the oath to all persons who would be testifying at the meeting.
A. _Zonin(~ Code Variance
1. Project:
Griffith Variance (ZNCV 03-009)
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Meeting Minutes
Planning and Development Board
Boynton Beach, Florida
September 23, 2003
Agent: Craig Griffith
Owner: Craig Griffith
Location: 1301 N.W. 8th Court
Description: Request relief from Chapter 2, Zoning
Section 5.C.2.a, requiring a minimum rear
yard setback of 25 feet for a single-family
home within the R-l-AA zoning district, to
allow for a variance of 5 feet, and a rear
yard setback of 20 feet.
Mr. Myott recused himself because he is the architect for the applicants.
Nancy Cavanaugh and Craig (~riffith explained that they were getting married and wanted
to make the house larger. They worked with an architect to come up with the best possible
configuration for the property and believed they had achieved this. Ms. Cavanaugh stated that
she also had many letters from the neighbors in support of granting the variance.
Steve Myott spoke in a private capacity at the podium, stating that the goal had been to bring
the house up to the current specifications and provide a 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 2000 square foot
house comparable to the other houses in the vicinity. He had worked on four different
additions on this same street and this was the only one where there was not quite enough
room, by 5 feet.
Maxime Ducoste-Amedee, Planner, presented the Staff Report. Staff recommended denial of
the project because it did not meet traditional hardship criteria. However, staff had received
many letters of support from the neighbors and did not feel that the addition would present any
problem in the area. ]:f the Board wished to grant the variance, staff offered several points of
information that would tend to support that action. Attorney Tolces drew the Board's attention
to the Land Development Regulations, Section 4.1, containing criteria the Board would have to
consider in order to grant a variance.
Mike Fitzpatrick recommended that the Board deny the request, believing that it set a bad
precedent to allow it.
Motion
Mr. Friedland moved to approve the request to grant relief from Chapter 2, Zoning Section
S.C.2.a, requiring a minimum rear yard setback of 25 feet for a single-family home within the R-
1-AA zoning district, to allow for a variance of $ feet, and a rear yard setback of 20 feet, subject
to all staff conditions of approval. Mr. Casaine seconded the motion that carried 6-0.
B. Abandonment
Project:
Agent:
Owner:
L.A. Fitness (ABAN 03-O10)
Derek Vander Ploeg, Vander Ploeg & Assoc., Tnc.
RM Boynton Shoppes Regal, LLC and RM Boynton
Shoppes, LLC
Meeting Minutes
Planning and Development Board
Boynton Beach, Florida
September 23, 2003
Location: 2290 and 2298 N. Congress Avenue
Description: Request for abandonment of a public utility
easement
The applicant requested staff to postpone this item.
Vice Chair Cwynar moved to continue this item until the October 28, 2003 meeting. Mr. Casaine
seconded the motion that carried unanimously.
C. Major Site Plan Modification
1. Project:
Agent:
Owner:
Location:
Description:
space on 6.27 acres in the C-3 zoning district.
The applicant made a request to staff that this item be postponed.
Vice Chair Cwynar moved to continue this item until the October 28, 2003 meeting.
seconded the motion that carried unanimously.
Project:
Agent:
Owner:
Location:
Description:
L.A. Fitness (MSPM 03-OO7)
Derek Vander Ploeg, Vander Ploeg & Assoc., Inc.
RM Boynton Shoppes Regal, LLC and RM Boynton
Shoppes, LLC
2290 and 2298 N. Congress Avenue
Request for major site plan modification to replace
an existing movie complex with a 77,000 square
foot building, consisting of a 43,000 square foot
fitness club and 34,000 square feet of future retail
Mr. Hay
Bethesda Memorial Hospital (MSPM O3-OO8)
Dennis Campbell, Kilday & Associates, Inc.
Bethesda Memorial Hospital, Inc.
2815 S. Seacrest Boulevard
Request for major site plan modification to an
existing site plan to add 56,277 square feet in two
additional floors to accommodate a comprehensive
in-patient rehabilitation center within the existing
building footprint of the hospital.
Kiernan Kilda¥, Kilda¥ & Associates, ]:nc., responded that the applicant was in agreement
with all staff Conditions of Approval.
Chairman Wische opened the Public Audience, closing it when no one wished to speak.
Ed Breese, Principal Planner, advised that staff had worked very closely with the applicant and
believed that there were no outstanding issues on either side. He offered to give a full
presentation, but the Board declined.
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Meeting Minutes
Planning and Development Board
Boynton Beach, Florida
September 23, 2003
Vice Chair Cwynar moved to approve the Bethesda Memorial Hospital request for major site
plan modification to an existing site plan to add 56,277 square feet in two additional floors to
accommodate a comprehensive in-patient rehabilitation center within the existing building
footprint of the hospital, subject to all staff Conditions of Approval. Mr. Hay seconded the
motion that carried 7-0.
D. Heiaht Exception
1. Project: Bethesda Memorial Hospital (HTEX O3-OO6)
Agent: Dennis Campbell, Kilday & Associates, Thc.
Owner: Bethesda Memorial Hospital, ]:nc.
Location: 2815 S. Seacrest Boulevard
Description: Request for a height exception of 10 feet-5 inches
Pursuant to the City's Land Development
Regulations, Chapter 2, Zoning, Section 4.F.2, to
allow the mechanical room housing elevators and
stair tower to be 55'5" in height, a distance of 10'5"
above the maximum 45-foot height allowed in the
Public Usage (PU) zoning district.
Fd Breese, Principal Planner, stated that staff recommended approval of the height exception.
Chairman Wische opened the public hearing, but closed it when no one wished to speak.
Mr. Fitzpatrick wanted assurance that the helicopter-landing pad (for Trauma Hawk) would not
be affected by this height exception, and Mr. Kilday assured him that this had been reviewed
and that there would be no impact to the pad.
Mr. Hay moved to approve Bethesda Memorial Hospital's request for a height exception of 10
feet, 5 inches pursuant to the City's Land Development Regulation, Chapter 2, Zoning, Section
4.F.2, to allow the mechanical room housing elevators and stair tower to be 55; 5 inches in
height, a distance of 10', 5 inches above the maximum 45-foot height allowed in the Public
Usage (PU) zoning district, subject to all staff Conditions of Approval. Mr. Friedland seconded
the motion that carried 7-0.
E. New Site Plan
Project:
Agent:
Owner:
Location:
Description:
Safe & Secure (NWSP 03-001)
Bradley Miller, Miller Land Planning Consultants,
Inc.
Estelle Blumberg
Northwest corner of SW 30m Avenue & Congress
Avenue
Request for new site plan approval for the
construction of a three story, 95,588 square foot
Meeting Minutes
Planning and Development Board
Boynton Beach, Florida
September 23, 2003
self-storage facility on 3.39 acres in the M-1 zoning
district.
Eric Johnson, Planner, stated that staff recommended approval of this request. There are 28
Conditions of Approval and the applicant agrees with all of them. He only added that if Parcel
"B" of the site were to be developed later, it would require a separate site plan approval.
Bradley Miller, Miller Land Planning Consultants, Inc., stated that the applicant agreed
with all Conditions of Approval.
Chairman Wische opened the public hearing and closed it when no one wished to speak.
Vice Chair Cwynar moved to approve Safe & Secure's request for new site plan approval for the
construction of a three (3) story, 9.5,588 square foot self-storage facility on 3.39 acres in the M-
1 zoning district, subject to all Conditions of Approval. Mr. Hay seconded the motion that carried
7-0.
2. Project: :~nterstate Sign Crafters (NWSP 03-014)
Agent: Mike Sipula, .1MS Designs, ]:nc.
Owner: Jeffrey Petersen
Location: Lots 13 & 14 High Ridge Commerce Park,
130 Commerce Road
Description: Request for new site plan approval for a 17,384
square foot warehouse building on a 2.53-acre
parcel in a Planned ]:ndustrial Development (P]:D).
Mike Sipula, .1MS Designs, stated that the applicant agreed with all Conditions of Approval.
Ed Breese, Principal Planner, stated that staff had worked very closely with the applicant and
felt that all concerns had been answered.
Chairman Wische opened the public audience, but closed it when no one wished to speak.
Mr. Myott asked if all of the space were going to be used by ]:nterstate Sign Crafters and Mr.
Sipula responded that it was set up as a four-space area and that ]:nterstate would use two of
them and offer the other two for lease.
Mr. Fitzpatrick commented that mahogany trees were inappropriate plant species for a high and
dry area like High Ridge. He also stated that the City had given away the Miner Road right-of-
way and did not get anything in return. He asked if the applicant would have any problem with
allowing the area behind his facility, in the setback buffer area, to be used as a future public
bike path, assuming permission from other contiguous owners. Mr. Sipula stated that this was
where they had their l-foot drainage swale area and that site security would be a
consideration. He did not know if the applicant would allow this or not.
Meeting Minutes
Planning and Development Board
Boynton Beach, Florida
September 23, 2003
Motion
Mr. Casaine moved to approve Interstate Sign Crafters' request for new site plan approval for a
17,384 square foot warehouse building on a 2.53-acare parcel in a Planned Industrial
Development (PID), subject to all staff Conditions of Approval. Vice Chair Cwynar seconded the
motion that carried 7-0.
VIII. Other- None
IX. Comments by Members
Mr. Fitzpatrick made the comment that someone had approached Crosspointe Elementary
School about changing the color of their building and making adjustments to some landscaping.
The School made the changes at a cost of $8,000. The Principal and the Building Facilities
Manager confirmed that someone had come to the school and initiated this request but neither
of them knew the identity of the individual. The Principal believed the person lived in Hunters
Run. One of the teachers at the school told Mr. Fitzpatrick that the person was Mr. Ensler. The
Building Facilities Manager told Mr. Fitzpatrick that there was a report but he did not have a
copy of it. Mr. Fitzpatrick wanted staff to investigate this matter and find out if a person had
appeared at the school as a representative of the City, asking that the colors and landscaping
be changed.
Some Board members felt that this was based on rumor and did not want to pursue it. Other
Board members wanted to pursue it but not at this time. Chair Wische suggested that if Mr.
Fitzpatrick wished to pursue this, he could do so on his own. Attorney Tolces commented that
the Board did not have the power to investigate anything and that if they wanted to know the
facts, they would have to ask staff to investigate and report back to them. Everyone
acknowledged that with the election in the offing, it was not a good time to pursue this. No
one wanted to "sling mud." The Board did not want to get involved politically; on the other
hand, there was some concern that anyone would, on their own, purport to represent the City
or the Board and request such changes. Mr. Friedland agreed that the timing was bad but felt
that the matter should be explored.
Motion
Mr. Friedland moved to direct staff to investigate this matter, get the facts, and relay them back
to the Board. Mr. Myott seconded the motion that carried 5-2, Vice Chair Cwynar and Mr./-/ay
dissenting.
X. Adjournment
Since there was no further business before the Board, the meeting was duly adjourned at 7:15
p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Susan Collins,
Recording Secretary (092403)
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