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1985.08.07_PB_Minutes_Special'-Z,4A/ &ID, FQ 7 • TOWN OF HIGHLAND BEACH, FLORIDA PLANNING BOARD SPECIAL MEETING Wednesday, August 7, 1985 9:30 A. M. Chairman Irving S. Saunders called the Special Meeting of the Planning Board of the Town of Highland Beach to order at 9:35 a.m. in the Town Commission Chambers at Town Hall. The recording secretary called the roll: Chairman Irving S. Saunders, Vice.Chairman Doris R. Rome, Regular Member John Ward, First Alternate Member Amelie Leng, and Second Alternate Member Chris H. Bartlett. Regular Member Marvin A. Waldman was absent. Also present were: Town Attorney Thomas E. Sliney, Town Manager Hugh D. Williams, Building Official Bruce Sutherland, Acting Recording Secretary Elizabeth L. Kolek, Attorney Stephen Moss, Roy Brown, Laurenz Schmidt, and members of the general public. Chairman Saunders stated the purpose of the Special Meeting: A SPECIAL MEETING HAS BEEN CALLED BY THE PLANNING BOARD, TOWN OF • HIGHLAND BEACH, FLORIDA, TO CONTINUE DISCUSSION AND REVIEW OF ROYAL HIGHLANDS. Attorney Stephen Moss (partner of law firm Holland and Knight) representing the owner and developer, Teron International Inc., introduced their architects (from Canada) who were requested by the Planning Board at their 7/10/85 meeting to be present today, Mr. Roy Brown and Mr. Laurenz Schmidt. Mr. Moss presented a recent survey of the Royal Highlands property (requested by the Planning Board) to Attorney Thomas E. Sliney. Mr. Moss stated that the acreage of the property is 5.2 acres, more or less, in answer to Mrs. Rome's question. Mr. Brown and Mr. Schmidt introduced two alternative plans for the Planning Boards' review today. Mr. Schmidt described the three alternative plans: NO. 1---The original plan, 156 units, is presently on file in the Town's Building Department. NO. 2---Scheme "B" --- Consists of two tower buildings, 13 stories each, plus 2-level parking at ground level, 78 two - bedroom units in each tower (total 156 units), 130 feet high 240 feet long by 60 feet deep, three elevator cores, each unit has an east and west view and two balconies (20 ft. x 8 ft. on east side and 22 ft. x 6 ft. on west side. There are shuttered windows on every other floor which gives the viewer a feeling of a much lower building. t. PLANNING BOARD • Special Meeting August 7, 1985 Page 2 of 5 NO. 3---Scheme "C"---Consists of two buildings (Mizner effect), graduated from 13 stories at the highest level and 7 stories at lowest level, with an 176 foot aperture between the two buildings, 78 two -bedroom units in each building, a total of 156 units. Each building is 320 feet long by 60 feet deep, with 2-level parking at ground level, and has four elevator cores. Each unit has an east and west exposure and two balconies. There is 36 feet from the North Building to the North boundary and 51 feet 10 inches from the South Building to the South property line. Mr. Brown stated that Scheme C has more potential for landscapiong that enhances and conceals the building. Mr. Schmidt stated that Teron International withdrew the plan submitted earlier in the year which was not acceptable to the Planning Board and has provided three comparable schemes to comply with the Court Order of 156 units. Town Manager Hugh Williams said that an up -date by the Town's • surveying consultants, Coastal Technology of Vero Beach, Florida, was not completed yet and that the survey probably will affect the Town. CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS CALLED FOR A FIVE-MINUTE RECESS. Upon reconvening at 10:55 a.m., Town Manager Williams discussed the vegetation line, the Coastal Construction Control Line, showed how the "foot -print" of the buildings would sit on the site in relation to the seawall, and demonstrated (with a diagram) how seawalls are affected by wave action, which would topple them. He stated that the D.N.R., in an effort to prevent seawall damage and building failure, encourages the use of buttresses and that a permit must be obtained from the D.N.R. prior to installation. Mr. Williams stated that at this site, vegetation is now 35 feet, not 50 feet, from the Coastal Construction Control Line and that the plans submitted should be reevaluated as per court order and any danger of the building falling over be taken into account. Mr. Schmidt stated that as experts in their field they have taken all such facts into consideration in their plans regarding toppling action and stated that pilings go into cap rock beneath the building to carry the mass of the building. He also stated that time is money and economics is an important factor making it economically unfeasable to build a 120 unit project at this site. C J PLANNING BOARD • Special Meeting August 7, 1985 Page 3 of 5 Mr. Ward stated that he had been studying allowable density in the nearby communities, and they could still make money on them, in comparison to the 15 units per acre (maximum) allowed by the Town of Highland Beach, such as: Boca Raton 20 units per acre Delray Beach 11 units per acre Boynton Beach 10.8 units per acre Mr. Ward also stated that it is no fault of the Planning Board or the Town Commission that five years have elapsed since the court stipulation. When the developers representatives asked what the Planning Board wanted of them since they were confused, Chairman Saunders felt that the board should not dictate to the developer because the developer owns the land and should present the plans within the allowable limits but the consensus of the board was that no one liked the mass and would like density reduced. • After much discussion, it was mutually decided that more information was needed, in addition to the Town's survey, and all the facts from the experts studied and analized further before any decision or recommendations could be made. The Planning Board felt their obligation was to the Town. Mr. Schmidt's closing comments were that it would not be practical for them to attend next weeks Planning Board meeting due to what the Town Manager said, that Teron was going to lose the lawsuit so they should compromise somewhere between 80 and 156 units. He felt they would go before the judge and take their chances. At this point, he still had no idea as to what direction the Planning Board would like them to go. MOTION was made by Doris Rome, seconded by Irving Saunders, that Teron International should come to the Planning Board meeting on August 14, 1985 with the plans they presented on April 10, 1985, which included 120 units, 4 buildings, with the 20 ft. "wind tunnel" removed, so the Planning Board could review the revised plan, as well as the unchanged plan. 0 1E L� • PLANNING BOARD Special Meeting August 7, 1985 Page 4 of 5 Upon being polled the vote was as follows: Amelie Leng AYE Chris Bartlett AYE Doris Rome AYE John Ward AYE Irving Saunders AYE Mr. Schmidt asked if the Planning Board would then accept the plan. Mrs. Rome stated they would review the revised plan first. Mr. Schmidt then stated that 120 units were not economical and the plan was withdrawn and they are not willing to submit it again. Attorney Moss reminded the Board that they objected to the architectural design at the 4/10/85 presentation, not the density, and said that this board was not giving a united message. As an advisory board, it is going in different directions. Attorney Sliney stated that motion just made was carried by a 5-0 vote of the board but was rejected by Teron's representatives, which he said is their perogative. He stated that this board would like less units, less space between buildings, and that the Board would like to review what they saw before. At this time, Mr. Williams received a telephone message verifying the Town's surveyors report to be 5.1 acres for the Royal High- lands project, to the mean high water line. Mr. Schmidt stated that because of this undocumented information, before meeting, all must do their homeowrk and also stated that reality (referring to the Court Order) cannot be negotiated and still exists. Chairman Saunders invited the representatives to attend the Planning Board meeting on August 14, 1985 so that they can proceed to build something. Attorney Moss stated that reports and surveys will be distributed at that meeting and that they will be at the meeting. Attorney Sliney stated that the Town is not bound, that the "foot- print" can be varied, and that the Board is looking for less density. This concluded the discussion regarding Royal Highlands at this meeting. r PLANNING BOARD • Special Meeting August 7, 1985 Page 5 of 5 Chairman Saunders announced that the Board will proceed to discuss the second item on todays agenda: DISCUSS RECOMMENDATION TO TOWN COMMISSION THE APPOINTMENT OF FIRST ALTERNATE AMELIE LENG AS A REGULAR MEMBER TO THE PLANNING BOARD. After some discussion, MOTION was made by Doris Rome, seconded by Irving Saunders, that the Town Commission appoint the present First Alternate Member, Amelie Leng, to the Regular Member vacancy on the Planning Board. Upon being polled, the Board voted as follows: Chris Bartlett AYE John Ward AYE Irving Saunders AYE Doris Rome AYE Chairman Saunders asked the recording secretary to notify the Town Commission of this Motion by the Planning Board. • There being no further business to discuss at this Special Meeting of the Planning Board, MOTION was made by Doris Rome, seconded by Irving Saunders, to adjourn the meeting. All voted AYE. Chairman Saunders adjourned the Sp� MytetjofT"at ,/4: 10 p.m. APP r Doris Rbme,-V`ice Chaiirman Jo n rd Amel len g Chris H. Bartlett DATE: 5 • ELK