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HomeMy WebLinkAbout_2001 05 23 City Commission Workshop Minutes CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS MINUTES CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP MAY 23,2001 I. CALL TO ORDER The Workshop of May 23, 2001 of the City Commission was called to order by Mayor Paul P. Partyka at 6:30 p.m. in the Commission Chambers of the Municipal Building (City Hall, 1126 East State Road 434, Winter Springs, Florida 32708). Roll Call Roll Call: Mayor Paul P. Partyka, present Deputy Mayor David W. McLeod, present Commissioner Robert S. Miller, absent Commissioner Michael S. Blake, present Commissioner Edward Martinez, Jr., present Commissioner Cindy Gennell, present City Manager Ronald W. McLemore, present City Attorney Anthony A. Garganese, arrived at 6:37 p.m. II. WORKSHOP AGENDA City Manager Requests That The City Commission Conduct A Workshop On The Town Center District Code Adopted June 12, 2000. City Manager Ronald W. McLemore said, "The goal coming out of this was making sure that as we review projects on a project by project basis and we are trying to work with developers and make things fit into our Code that we don't give up those things that are absolutely essential to maintaining the character of the Town Center and I think Victor in the end we can go back and say these are things that you absolutely have to be very careful of not giving up." Mr. Anthony A. Garganese, City Attorney, arrived 6:37 p.m. Mr. Victor Dover, Dover, Kohl & Associates: spoke of present projects being worked on; and the "Educational process". Commissioner Cindy Gennell that a video of "Guidelines and requirements" be developed for applicants. CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS MINUTES CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP - MA Y 23, 2001 PAGE20FS Mr. Dover displayed the following chart and spoke of the differences between Typical Zoning and the Town Center Code. Typical Zoning Town Center Code One-Parcel Coordinated, Incremental Land Use Flexibility Density Design Setback Build- To-Line Floor Are Ratio Height: Shape of Space Parking Minimums Parking Location Streets For Autos Only Pedestrians First Random Open Space Squares, Plazas Berms & Buffers Connectors Covenants, Restrictions Architecture Stds Strict Signage Traditional City Signs Mr. Dover then reviewed How To Use This Code on page one (1) and page two (2) of the Town Center District Code. Commissioner Michael S. Blake asked Mr. Dover to explain the importance of the Commission following the rules in order to maintain the integrity, as opposed to granting a "Special Exception" or Variance because someone asks for one. Mr. Dover said, "The essence of this is that not every situation or good idea can be forecast or predicted and built into the Code as a pre-approved, pre-scrutinized thing. The Code has a lot more details because its meant to sort of memorialize those things that you have already thought about, thought through, and want to pre-approve so they can move through the pipeline to a permit more quickly and still come out with development that you can live with. But there are other ideas; there are cases where the greater good of the Town Center might be served by moving away from those things. That's not to say the same as a Variance that runs with - because of hardship running with the land. The test is different for a Variance. That's supposed to be a hardship. It is just a better idea, a more workable idea for a special situation." Mayor Partyka spoke of arbitrary standards such as years ago the popular color being teal, today pink, and tomorrow something else and asked "On special exceptions do you allow for arbitrariness like that - at what point does it not become a Special Exception?" Mr. Dover explained that special exceptions require discipline on the part of the Commission and said "The whole idea of putting yourselves and the applicants through the process of gathering and reviewing this substantial incumbent evidence is that these are not meant to be things you give away like candy and, or that you casually and - that somebody with more influence get one answer and somebody with less influence get another. No, you are sitting quasi-judicially and following the rules of evidence and so CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS MINUTES CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP - MA Y 23. 200J PAGE30F5 you have to - this is requiring some discipline and discretionary thought on the part of the City Commission." Manager McLemore stated "Let me break right here just a minute on this issue of special exceptions and how you discipline yourself with them. You need to make specific findings on the criteria that are laid out. Specific, in writing, findings based on each criteria and if you do it that way it will discipline the process and I think the Staff should be engaged to do that, make specific findings on the criteria. That's the best way to do it. " Tape IISide B Commissioner Gennell suggested that Staff and the Commission consider the building being shared by schools. Discussion. Mr. Dover reviewed the General Provision and touched on the topics of: alleys; build-to lines; first floor height residential; and diversity of building width. Regarding accessory structures, Mr. Dover agreed to "tighten up" this language. Discussion. Drive-through's; civic sites; parking; that main streets should be able to accommodate buses; and parking structures were then reviewed. Mr. Dover stressed not putting the garages next to the sidewalks along the main streets and that "blank walls are not okay." Further discussion. Tape 2/Side A Mayor Partyka asked Mr. Dover for a copy of the chart being shown on the screen and Deputy Mayor David McLeod suggested changing the language of "no" to "not required". Mr. Dover agreed to both requests. Commissioner Gennell spoke of her understanding that the Corridor 434 requirements included shade elements being built into all of the buildings that fronted State Road 434. Mr. Dover said, "So, this is a good thing for us to go check. If, let's just say if that's the case, if it is then that might be something you might want to revise by Ordinance because if that is the case and they are allowed but not required under the Town Center District Code it in effect repeals that requirement from that State Road 434 Corridor. The next topics reviewed were building elements, followed by colonnades and arcades; porches; architectural guidelines building walls; windows; the "traditional look"; windows and signage. Discussion. Commissioner Blake spoke of his concern of "Where can we give a little and it doesn't hurt and where do we stand very, very strong." Commissioner Blake suggested "It would be helpful for me and perhaps with the rest of the Commission if you could - make a table CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS MINUTES CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP - MAY 23, 2001 PAGE 4 OF 5 or maybe a short narrative or something, kind of roll these things in together and give us some sort of feel for the real trade-offs that we might have to make in some incidents." Manager McLemore said, "I don't personally see any problem. I think you can reduce the presentation tonight before five (5) pages of like the graphs that you created and those types of things would be good. But I think the thing that is important to remember here is what has changed is now in the portfolio - we've introduced now an architectural element yet we still have the reviewers, type of reviewers. And that's the reason that we have to understand that dynamic that we have suggested it to you before that we needed to keep an architectural reviewer in the process with us and that is why we have used Victor on all the projects, to try to help us make those trade-offs." Manager McLemore further said, "So I think is very important for us, at least in the near term to continue thinking of Victor as a consultant to the City and the DRC because a lot of these things you're just not going to know what to do when they face you and you'll need help architecturally to make those decisions." Commissioner Blake requested that the Deputy City Clerk put the Town Center District Code in the their book on the dais. Discussion ensued regarding several developers' progress with various parcels and how to expedite the process for approval. Discussion. Tape 2/Side B Commissioner Martinez departed at 8:57 p.m. Deputy Mayor McLeod said "I do remember us all sitting here and I do remember part of the reason that this Commission was supposed to be sitting here as the DRC now, was to make the permitting process easier, faster, to encourage the development of this and to move it through City Hall, fairly quick. I believe that was the original intent. It would be interesting - that you have your Staff bring back to us how we can achieve that in a shorter window in this Town Center than what may be required at - the present process." Discussion. Mr. Charles Carrington, AICP, Community Development Department Director reviewed the process that an applicant would have to follow. Discussion followed concerning the scheduling ofDRC meetings; and speeding up the process by utilizing Staff. Mr. Anthony A. Garganeese, City Attorney stated, " By appointing yourself DRC you have freed Staff up to do a lot more handholding with the developers, - more handholding, more dialog, more communication with the developer that they would not have been able to do if they were a final decision making authority. Because final decision making on site plans is a quasi-judicial action which would require the Staff to meet as a DRC in a public meeting and not technically communicate with one another on a particular matter, and now they can go out individually and meet with the applicant and CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS MINUTES CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP - MA Y 23, 200 I PAGE 5 OF 5 help them develop a site plan that can be presented to this Commission. You have improved the process." Mr. Carrington introduced Community Development Department's new Land Coordinator, Mr. John Baker. III. ADJOURNMENT WITH CONSENSUS OF THE COMMISSION THE WORKSHOP WAS ADJOURNED. Mayor Partyka adjourned the Meeting at 9:21 p.m. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED: ~~ DEBBIE GILLESPIE DEPUTY CITY CLERK