Loading...
Minutes 06-07-00MINUTES OF THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS BOARD MEETING HELD IN COMMISSION CHAMBERS, CITY HALL, BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7, 2000 AT 7:00 P.M. PRESENT ALSO PRESENT Chairman Ron Washam Dan DeCarlo, Neighborhood Joy Currier Specialist Blanche Girtman Hansome Jones Eddie Mitchell Brenda Williams (ardved at 7:30 p.m.) ABSENT Vice Chairperson Beth Miller Brett Sherman Anne Centi David Carter David Katz I. OPENING Chairman Washam called the meeting to order at 7:14 P.M. and requested that Joy Currier lead the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, followed by a moment of silent prayer. I1. ROLL CALL The Recording Secretary called the roll and declared thata quorum was present. I1. WELCOME AND RECOGNITION OF VISITORS Chairman Washam welcomed the visitors to the meeting, noting the presence in the audience of former candidate for City Commissioner, Brian Edwards, Ms. Sara Lorenz, a local businesswoman, and a local property owner, Mr. Jacomino. IV. AGENDA APPROVAL Chairman Washam noted that the Minutes approval would be for the May 3, 2000 and May 17, 2000 meetings. MEETING MINUTES ....... " COMMUNITY RELATIONS BOARD BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA June 7,2000 Motion Mr. Mitchell moved to accept the agenda as amended. The motion was seconded by Ms. Girtman and carried 5-0. V. MINUTES APPROVAL OF MAY 3, 2000 and MAY 17, 2000 MEETINGS There were no additiOns, changes or deletions to the minutes. Motion Ms. Girtman moved to approve the minutes as submitted. Ms. Currier seconded the motion that carried 5-0. VI. CORRESPONDENCE AND ANNOUNCEMENTS Ms. Currier announced that there would be a fashion show put on under the auspices of the Bahamian government in Delray Beach at the Marriott on Ocean Avenue, June 10, 2000 from 12:00 to 3:00 P.M. Ms. Girtman mentioned that there would be a multi-cultural event at Sam Sims Park on June 10, 2000 from 12:00 to 7:00 P.M. Ms. Currier passed out fliers for this event to the meeting participants and audience. VII. PUBLIC AUDIENCE Chairman Washam advised the Board that Ms. Sam Lorenz wished to address the Board concerning her plans for a body-piercing/tattoo parlor in Boynton Beach. Chairman Washam asked the Board members to listen to Ms: Lorenz's comments with an open mind and to consider giving a position on the matter at the conclusion of her remarks. Chairman Washam noted that the opinions of the Board would be passed on to the legislators via the minutes. Ms. Sara Lorenz, 2508 N.W. 21st Street, Boynton Beach, took the podium and addressed the Board and audience. Ms. Lorenz stated that she was coming to this Board to ask for its assistance in the Lorenz's request to establish a body-piercing/tattoo parlor in Boynton Beach. Ms. Lorenz believed that the atmosphere of negativity surrounding the venture had to do with the prejudices people held in their minds concerning tattoo parlors and the kind of persons they were believed to attract. She wished to make it known that tattoo parlors are frequented by many kinds of people to include, doctors, lawyers, business people and senators, and that the identification of 2 MEETING MINUTES -- COMMUNITY RELATIONS BOARD BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA June 7,2000 tattoo parlors with bikers and gangs was no longer accurate. She believed that their business would be an asset to the area and not a detriment. Ms. Lorenz proceeded to detail the history behind the tattoo parlor. The Lorenz's began three years ago to accumulate the necessary equipment. After purchasing a house in Boynton Beach, they began to search for a place to open the parlor. They visited and considered Boca Raton, Delray Beach, West Palm Beach, Lake Worth, and Lantana before deciding on Boynton Beach. She stated that Boynton Beach's plans to improve the area of Ocean Avenue and north of Boynton Beach Boulevard on Federal Highway had figured in their choice of location, desiring to be a part of that improvement. Ms. Lorenz stated that she was told by one of the Commissioners that they should look for property in a C4 zone to improve their chances of having the business approved. The C4 zoned areas are supposed to be the most liberal of all the zoned areas. Ms. Lorenz was to have had a meeting on February 24, 2000 with the Planning & Zoning Board but it was cancelled due to lack of staff. Mr. Rumpf's assistants in the Planning & Zoning Department advised Ms. Lorenz to look for property in a C4 zone because if her business was going to be approved, it needed to be in a very liberal area. Ms. Lorenz looked for, found and leased a property in a C4 zone and got in touch with the head of Occupational Licenses to see what the requirements would be to get an occupational license. Mr. Yates explained the City Code and that if a use was not specifiCally stated on the books, it was prohibited. He said they would have to go before the Commission and ask them to amend the text. About two months ago Ms. Lorenz had a meeting with the new City Manager, Kurt Bressner, who recommended that they locate in an industrial zone. Ms. Lorenz disagreed and asked him what was behind that idea. He said he would like to follow suit with the adjoining cities. Ms. Lorenz brought to his attention that there were two tattoo parlors in Boca Raton, one actually across the street from Mizner Park. Ms. Lorenz asked Mr. Bressner to elaborate on the 20/20 Vision. She was told the City wanted boutiques, art galleries, and shops that people would want to have in the main corridor of their city. Ms. Lorenz felt that their business could be likened to an art gallery, technically. She believed that if they were to put their shop in an industrial zone, they would more than likely fail or at the least, deter the type of clientele they were trying to attract. Ms. Lorenz reported receiving a very strong feeling from the Commission that they wanted no part of having a tattoo parlor on a main corridor to their City. She invited City staff to "meet them and see that they Were not "fly-by-night" people, that they were in for the long haul." She was also told that tattoos were an embarrassment and that they didn't want them to be seen. 3 MEETING MINUTES COMMUNITY RELATIONS BOARD BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA June 7, 2000 Ms. Lorenz said she had letters of reference from her employer where she had worked for four years, managing a very busy restaurant and dealing with a lot of cash. She said she knew they were young but that they were a hard-working couple. She wanted to remind everyone that their building was only 500 square feet and that they could not fit enough people in it to hang out if they wanted to. When the Lorenz's were first advised about the need for a text amendment, within 24 hours they had collected more than 135 signatures from local business owners, adjacent residential properties, and people from adjoining towns that would actually come in to the proposed shop (and bring revenue into the City) if the Lorenz's were to be allowed to open their parlor. The Planning & Zoning Department told Ms. Lorenz that those signatures were biased. Ms. Lorenz stated she would be going before the Planning & Zoning Board on June 13 and she hoped they would not turn down her request. Ms. Currier asked her where she was located and Ms. Lorenz replied 813 North Federal Highway, a block and a half south of Martin Luther King Blvd. Chairman Washam asked if they were told to be in that particular area? Were they told that would be O.K.? Ms. Lorenz said she was told if they were able to get the text amended for a tattoo pador, that it would be allowable in C4 zoned arei~ls. Ms. Lorenz felt she and her husband wanted to run a legal, legitimate business. They had a medical compliance company come in and, once a few more steps were taken, they would be able to achieve their endorsement. She said they went out of their way, spent money to do more than necessary, so they could be "squeaky clean" and meet all the requirements of the City of Boynton Beach. She expressed sadness that they had about $30,000 in equipment and were not allowed to have an alarm system installed because they could not obtain a Certificate of Occupancy. Ms. Currier asked if they were near a church and if they were offending anybody?. Ms. Lorenz said they were closest to Showtime and Morey's. Chairman Washam polled the members of the Board for an opinion on the matter, acknowledging that they were not a Planning & Zoning Board and had no authority to make any final decisions on the issue. Mr. Washam believed that the matter had been blown out of proportion. He also believed people had legitimate concerns about their neighborhoods, which should be addressed. Chairman Washam said he had heard things like "1 just don't like it in our City". He understood that position but he did not necessarily agree with it. He worried about that kind of statement. He wondered what would happen if someone said "1 don't want a bakery there or a gas station"? Chairman Washam's belief was that the Lorenz's had worked with the City diligently and fairly and he personally 4 MEETING MINUTES" COMMUNITY RELATIONS BOARD BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA June 7,2000 would say to the legislators, "Go for it, let them in", but that not everybody would agree with that. Mr. Jones said that he did not know enough about it but in his family, his daughter had fake tattoos and they did not offend him. It seemed to him that the Lorenz's had done all that they had been asked to do. Ms.. Girtman stated that she did not know enough about it to make any decisions on the matter and would have to look into it further. Mr. Mitchell had no comment. Ms. Currier said they had invested a lot of time and money and that somebody ought to try to stand up and help them and offered to attend the Planning & Zoning meeting on June 13 on the Lorenz's behalf. Chairman Washam and other Board members lauded the Lorenz's for their persistence and for the dignity Ms. Lorenz had displayed in trying to achieve her objectives with the City. Chairman Washam said that they had done a good job and he hoped they would be allowed to have their business someplace, promising to pass along the positive comments from himself, Ms. Currier and Mr. Jones. Ms. Blanche Girtman, 912 N.W. 3rd Street, Boynton Beach, assumed the podium to make a public statement. Ms. Girtman wished to see a correction made on the new Community Relations Board flier as to the year the name of the Community Relations Board was changed. She stated that in 1972 the long-standing Inter-racial Committee had become the Community Relations Board and the current flier listed that as happening in 1992. Ms. Currier said that there were a number of errors in the flier and that it would be corrected. Ms Girtman's reason for speaking was to solicit the support and intervention of Code Enforcement, the Police Department, and any other appropriate City agency to improve the conditions surrounding the St. Paul AME Church at 315 Martin L. King Boulevard, of which Ms. Girtman is both member and steward. She spoke of filth on the ground, a seeming lack of garbage containers, useless bicycles, empty boxes, a dog tied in back of the apartments who barked incessantly, much profanity and cursing by people loitering in the church vicinity, and constant speeding, all of which seriously disturbed the peace and threatened the safety of the church members on an ongoing basis. 5 MEETING MINUTES ..... COMMUNITY RELATIONS BOARD BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA June 7,2000 Ms. Girtman was particularly concerned with the appearance of the grounds of the apartment building to the east of the church. She questioned whether Code Enforcement had seen all that trash and whether they were trying to do anything about it. They wanted the whole area cleaned up. Ms. Girtman stressed that she had not been sent by the church to tell this story but that she had taken it upon herself to address the issue due to her dual role of church steward and Community Relations Board member. Ms. Girtman stated that she was a steward of the church, selected by the Pastor to see to the welfare of the church. She thought it was a disgrace that she had to clean the lots surrounding the church every three or four months and that she had been doing so for the last 25-30 years. The personal labor involved was not the issue but the fact that City departments could be helping clean up the area and did not appear to be doing so. The cleanup should not fall on single individuals when the City has a department with the responsibility for overseeing community appearance issues. Ms. Girtman had seen policemen drive by during the time of their services but said that no one had stopped to assist by discouraging the cursing, profanity, and other disturbances caused by the people loitering near the church. She stated that they had church at 8:00 in the morning, again at 11:00 and sometimes in the afternoon. Ms. Girtman stated that she was making a formal issue of this because she was a taxpayer and deserved the services of the City in regard to the stated negative conditions. She said the City had paid officers who rode around but who either did not see the problems or did not do anything about them. Addressing herself to the appropriate City Departments, Ms. Girtman said: "Please do something about this." Chairman Washam suggested to Dan DeCarlo that someone from the Police Department and Code Enforcement should be invited to the August meeting. Mr. Jones echoed Ms. Girtman's sentiments and even wanted to amplify them. Mr. Mitchell asked if the Church had made any complaints to Code Enforcement? Ms. Girtman said that they were going to make complaints but she was taking the opportunity tonight to go on record with the issues. Brian Edwards, 629 N.E. 9th Avenue, took the podium. He said he thought the meetings of the Community Relations Board were extremely important to the community and he hoped that the information filtered through to the Commissioners because he believed the Board was doing an outstanding job. 6 MEETING MINUTES COMMUNITY RELATIONS BOARD BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA June 7,2000 Mr. Edwards spoke about the tattoo parlor issue, saying that he believed it stemmed, at least in part, from a lack of definite direction as to the City's goals and visions for the CRA corridor along Federal Highway. Mr. Edwards did not believe that the City had sufficiently defined the types of businesses they wanted to see in this corridor. He believed it would be a good idea to have the appropriate Boards get together in a workshop, invite the public, and come to a consensus on these issues, setting it down in writing. Mr. Edwards echoed the comments of the Board, commending Ms. Lorenz on her dignity, thoroughness and persistence in her effort to get approval for her business. Mr. Edwards invited Ms. Lorenz to attend one of the meetings of his neighborhood association, INCA, Inlet Cove Association, a group located in the vicinity of the proposed establishment. Chairman Washam said that he wanted to have a corridor that was nice too but even more than that he wanted Boynton Beach to reflect its people in an accurate way. VIII. OLD BUSINESS A. Discussion of proposed health services facility on Martin Luther King Boulevard Chairman Washam stated that the Community Relations Board Workshop had met on May 17 and come up with a list of candidates for the steering committee. Motion Ms. Girtman made a committee be accepted. 6-0. motion that the slate of candidates for the steering The motion was seconded by Mr. Mitchell and passed A discussion ensued as to the best date for the two-day training session to be given to the steering committee. Chairman Washam reiterated that attendance at this training session was a condition of being on the Committee. After much discussion Mr. DeCarlo was asked to arrange the training sessions for either July 19 and 20 or July 26 and 27. Motion Ms. Williams made a motion that the dates for the two-day training session be on July 19 and 20 or July 26 and 27. The motion was seconded by Mr. Mitchell and Passed 6-0. MEETING MINUTES" COMMUNITY RELATIONS BOARD BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA June 7,2000 Mr. DeCado said that he would do a mailing to the steering committee members, telling them that these dates were the ones under consideration and set the actual date based on the one that worked the best for everyone. Chairman Washam said he would fax the names and addresses of the steering committee members to Mr. DeCarlo. Mr. DeCarlo stated that both the Sun Sentinel and the Post were interested in finding out the names of the steering committee members. The Board was unanimous in its opinion that formal commitments needed to be obtained from the steering committee members before going public with the list of members. Mr. DeCarlo said he understood he had been appointed as liaison between the steering committee and the Community Relations Board. This understanding was confirmed by Chairman Washam. Health Center Update Mr. DeCarlo gave a brief update on the proposed health services center. He stated Gee and Jenson were doing a preliminary cost estimate as to the necessary street improvements, brick paving and period lighting for Martin L. King Boulevard. He stated he was meeting with Mr. Greene and the Planning Department to finalize that study and that once that was done, there would be a meeting on Martin L King Boulevard with the property owners regarding the proposed streetscape improvements. The next step after that was to be his recommendation that $25,000 of his budget be allocated to the design of the street improvements. Mr. DeCarlo also stated he was working with Gee and Jenson on the design of the health services center. They are looking at other health centers in the County and in the region to see what types and sizes of buildings would be appropriate, in preparation for a site plan. He said money had been included in his budget for next year to do this. Mr. DeCarlo wanted the Board members to realize that the PATCH activities and the health center were proceeding on separate but parallel paths. He stated that it was an on-going process but that it WAS going to happen! Chairman Washam mentioned the multicultural festival on June 10 at Sara Sims Park. He stated that due to the short notice, the Board would not take full sponsorship of the activity but had voted to participate. Ms. Currier stated that the individual doing the face-painting would be there. Chairman Washam asked that members come to the event during the day. 8 MEETING MINUTES ~ COMMUNITY RELATIONS BOARD BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA June 7,2000 IX. NEW BUSINESS Chairman Washam notified the group that the City Commission would be meeting at Boynton Leisureville on Wednesday, July 5, the Community Relation Board's normal meeting night. Although the Commission would not be using the Chambers, Chairman Washam wondered if the Board wanted to skip the July meeting or have it somewhere else. There was some discussion and it was decided to skip the meeting for the month of July and resume meetings in August. Chairman. Washam also said that the group would probably have to have a regular meeting and a workshop meeting in August to prepare for the STARS program for October. He also said he wanted some volunteers for that and he wanted it to be better than it was the previous year. Motion Ms. Williams made a motion to cancel the July meeting and have the next meeting on the first Wednesday in August. Joy Currier seconded the motion that passed 6-0. Ms. Currier said she had gotten quite a few phone calls during the past week as to the plans for the proposed health center. The callers wondered where the Community Relations Board was getting the money to build the center?. She said that most people thought the Community Relations Board was paying for the whole thing. She said that the Community Relations Board was not a bank, were not architects and did not engage in construction. She preferred that the calls be directed to Mr. DeCado. Chairman Washam said that members of all the Boards do some wonderful things and he knew they did not get recognition for it. He said that the extra work each member of the Community Relations Board did should be recognized and appreciated. He expressed his appreciation to Ms. Currier and all of the Board members who do things that were over and above the normal call of duty. Ms. Currier thanked the Palm Beach County Head Start Group for the award they gave her. Chairman Washam said he was proud to see that. Ms. Girtman said that the time for the Community Relations Board to meet on the brochure said 7:30 p.m. and they had been meeting for quite some time at 7:00 p.m. Ms. Girtman was told the brochure would be changed. Ms. Girtman invited everyone to the Treasure Chest Early Learning Center for the graduation of the kindergarten children at the Civic Center on June 25, at 2:30 p.m. 9 MEETING MINUTEs~-~ COMMUNITY RELATIONS BOARD BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA June 7,2000 There being no further business to come before the meeting, the meeting was properly adjourned at 8:30 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Susan Collins Recording Secretary (two tapes) 10