Loading...
Minutes 06-10-97 MINUTES OF THE PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT BOARD MEETING HELD IN COMMISSION CHAMBERS, CITY HALL, BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA, ON TUESDAY, JUNE 10, 1997, AT 7:00 P.M. PRESENT Jim Golden Vice Chairman Jos6 Aguila Pat Fraz~er Maurice Rosenstock Lee Wische Steve Myott. Alternate ABSENT Stan Dub6. Chairman Robed Eisner James Reed Jerzy Lewicki, Asst. Planner Mike Haag, Current Planning Coordinator PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Vice Chairman Golder called the meeting to order at 7':04 p.m.. and led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. 2. INTRODUCTION OF MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, AND BOARD MEMBERS Vice Chairman Golden acknowledged the oresence in the audience of Vice Mayor Titcomb, and introduced the board members. 3. AGENDA APPROVAL Mr. Aguila requested an opportunity to make a number of remarks under "Comments by Members". Motion Mr. Aguila moved to approve the agenda. Mr. Rosenstock seconded the motion which carried unanimously. 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Mr. Aguila moved approval Mr. Wische seconded the motion which carried unanimously. 5. COMMUNICATIONS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS Report from the Planning and Zoning Depart, ment MEETING MINUTES PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT BOARD BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA JUNE 10, 1997 1. Final Disposition of Last Meeting's Agenda Items In the absence of Planning and Zoning Department Director Tambri Heyden, no report was available. 6. OLD BUSINESS ' None 7. NEW BUSINESS A. SITE PLANS New Site Plan Project: Agent: Owner: Location: Description Amerope Enterprises, Inc. at High Ridge Commerce Park PID Richard C. Ahrens Condor Investment of Palm Beach County, Inc. South side of Commerce Road, approximately 620' east of High Ridge Road; Lot 16 of High Ridge Commerce Park PID Request to construct a 19,449 square foot Warehouse on 1.267 acres The Planning and Development Board members did not require a presentation from staff. Richard Moss of Ahrens Company, represented the agent. He confirmed that the conditions of approval contained in Exhibit "C" had been reviewed, and the only objectionable condition was #17. The board members did not see a need for this recommendation and requested that staff explain why this condition was included. Mr. Lewicki explained that this was staff's attempt to make the office part of this structure more arChitecturally explicit. Mr. Moss advised that there will be a vertical control joint separating the office area from the warehouse. Motion Mr. Aguila moved to approve the site plan for Amerope Enterprises, Inc. at High Ridge Commerce Park, located at the south side of Commerce Road, approximately 620' east of High Ridge Road; Lot 16 of High Ridge Commerce Park PID, as submitted subject to staff comments except Comment #17. Comment #17 is to be deleted. Mr. Wische seconded the motion which carried unanimously. 2 MEETING MINUTES PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT BOARD BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA JUNE 10, 1997 Use Approval Project: Agent: Owner: Location: Description: High Ridge Commerce Park PID Richard C. Ahrens Condor Investment of Palm Beach County, Inc. Northeast corner of High Ridge Road and Miner Road Request for use approval to add manufacturing and warehousing of X-ray and nuclear shielding products to the High Ridge Commerce Park PID list of permitted uses. Motion Mr. Aguila moved [o approve staff's recommendation. Mr. Wische seconded the motion. Mr. Rosens[ocK expressed concern about the approval for nuclear shielding products, and questioned whether this use will be properly shielded from radio television, cellular phones and anything else that can have ~ problem Mr. Myott felt a problem might be experienced if testing is permitted in this facility. Mr. Moss was unable to advise whether or not testing would be conducted at this facili[y, but rem~nded the members that this particular company is already in existence in the City Boynton Beach and there has been no environmental impact. Mr. Lewicki explained that the owner informed him that this is more of an assembly use than a production use. They have two lines of operation. One is storage of the nuclear shielding which is made out of glass with a layer of protective material melted into the glass. The shielding matedal is not manufactured in this country. It is brought here from Japan, stored, and distributed. The second line of operation, which will be done here in Boynton Beach, is to protect a chip' board with a layer of protective material. Mr. Rosenst0ck would be more comfortable with this approval if the City had documentation from the operator of this project that Would make it easier for the City to close this business if they violate any Codes. His concern was the future potential for lawsuits involving the City. Another representative of the Ahrens Company advised that they are already in operation in the Boynton Commerce Center, and Palm Beach County Code Enforcement Officers check the operatiOn once a year. The motion carried unanimously. B. OTHER None 3 MEETING MINUTES PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT BOARD BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA JUNE 10, 1997 8.~ COMMENTS BY MEMBERS Mr. Aguila advised that the Burger King on Woolbright Road and SW 8TM has rooftop equipment that is not shielded from view for 600'. He asked staff to investigate this. Mr. Aguila said this City has an Ordinance that prohibits heavy equipment use on weekends. This past weekend, dirt was being leveled with heavy equipment on Congress Avenue and Old Boynton Road. He requested that staff contact them and advise that they are violating the Code Mr. Aguila questioned whether the Planning and Zoning Department has the ability, within its budget, of getting students to help with tasks that are important, but ones that staff does not have the time to do. He would like the City to begin inventorying all development projects along major thoroughfares to ensure that they are in compliance with the approved plan. The City of Delray Beach hires these students who get a great deal accomplished at a very Iow cost. Mr. Aguila recommended that the City begin to deal with the issue of unspecified visitor parking by finding a formula that makes sense and instituting it in the Code He requested that staff review this issue and provide alternatives for consideration. Mr. Rosenstock advised that Palm Beach County has a tremendous number of graduate and undergraduate students in almost all departments that have just begun work this week. Most of these students are not paid by the County. Their wages are subsidized by various Foundations. Our City Manager, and previous City Managers. have been remiss by not capitalizing on this usage. Mr. Rosenstock explained that his daughter, who was a Comell School of Architecture student, worked with a team of people who were unpaid, to revise development plans for various cities. This City should begin to investigate areas where we can get good talent at a very Iow price. Mr. Rosenstock pointed out that he has heard proponents of various petitioners plead for the use of corporate Iogos for identification purposes. He feels this is nonsense. On a recent trip to Naples, Florida, he noticed that the Publix Supermarket logo is blue on a white building. In addition; in Boca Raton, McDonald's does not look like McDonald's. He feels it is time to begin workshops to begin revising the Sign Code and Building Codes so that we can determine how we want our City to look. While in Naples, Mr. Rosenstock observed that there were no weeds in the medians. All of the grass is cut, and most of the streets have curbs and gutters. The distance between the sidewalk and the curb is sprinklered and cut consistently, and most are planted with shrubs. The setbacks from the curbs to the houses are greater distances and, with consistency, there are trees block after block. This City paid $8 million to Tradewinds, and then allowed them to develop their property without an overall theme or coordination of the buildings. Boynton Beach will never look like Delray Beach, Boca Raton, or Naples because the only thing we know how to do is hire consultants to do the things that we can do ourselves with common sense. No amount of visioning will help 4 MEETING MINUTES PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT BOARD BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA JUNE 10, 1997 until we decide how we want the City to look on an overall basis. He suggested that the Planning & Development Board become proactive about this issue. Mr. Aguila pointed out that it woukt be pointless to begin reviewing the Codes because that is one of the tasks the consultant will be addressing. He is hopeful that the Planning & Development Board will be part of that process. Prior to Commissioner Jaskiewicz' election. Mr. Aguila talked with her about beautification of the City. He suggested that the City needed to lead by e×ample by ensuring that all City operations are brought up [o Code. On Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach, the City did the pavers, landscaping and the streets. When the business owners saw the improvement, they moved i~orward to improve their own property. They were not given assistance by the City to make those improvements. They made the improvements because they took pride in their businesses. Mr. Rosenstock feels there must be an overall plan so that if a person does not improve his/her property, a Code violation results. Mr Aguila feels this issue needs to be addressed ~n a way that encourages peopIe to make improvements because they want to do it. Mr. Aguila believes more positive things are happening now in Boynton Beach than have happened in a very long time. Ms. Frazier agreed with Mr. Aguila's remarks and pointed out that the issue of civic pride was discussedat the Visions 20/20 Quick Victory presentation last evening. She believes we wil see changes. Ms. Frazier pointed out that Tiffany's now has roof line lighting that she never noticed in the past. In additi°n, all of the trees are gone. She requested that Code Enforcement investigate this situation. 9. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the board, the meeting properly adjourned at 7:35 p.m. Recording Secretary (One Tape) 5