1994.01.19_CEB_Minutes_Regular
TOWN OF HIGHLAND BEACH
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CODE ENFORCEMENT BOARD
REGULAR MEETING - MINUTES
Wednesday, January 19, 1994 9:30 A.M.
Chairman Victor P. Hadeed called the Regular Meeting of the Code En-
forcement Board to order in Commission Chambers at 9:30 A.M.
Deputy Town Clerk Doris Trinley called the roll. Present were the
Chairman, Vice Chair Ellen B. Gerber and Regular Members Merton Rubin,
Arthur Hamerman, Joseph Sarubbi and Russell Richardson. Regular
Member Leonard D. Bell was absent.
Also present were Town Attorney Thomas E. Sliney and Code Enforcement
Officer Lee Leffingwell. Mayor Arlin Voress, Vice Mayor Bill Paul,
Town Manager Mary Ann Mariano and Mr. Sliney's partner, Attorney Larry
Corman, were in attendance, as were members of the general
public.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Upon MOTION by MR. HAMMERMAN/MR. SARUBBI, the Minutes of the Regular
• Meeting held November 17 were unanimously approved.
OLO BUSINESS
CITATION 2345-93. Roy and Mary Lemon. 4201 Intracoastal Drive. Ghap. 6
Sec. 130 (Maintenance of Seawalls), Sec. 132 (Abatement of Nuisance),
Chap 13 Land Clearance).
Ms. Leffingwell advised that all violations for which the Lemons had
been cited had come into compliance. She said some further repairs to
the property sti 1 1 have to be addressed , and Dr . Lemon had agreed to
meet personally with her to discuss priority projects, which would
hopefully negate the necessity of issuing any future Citations regard-
ing the condition of the property.
CITATION 2348-93. Lucia Milani. Lots 9 & lOW. Chap. 20, Sec. 140 (Ex-
ceptions for Betterment Plans).
Ms. Leffingwell advised that Mrs. Milani had completed the landscaping
on the lot; to allow for access, only one tree was not planted. She
noted the project was now completed and in compliance with Code.
For the record, the Board acknowledged Ms. Leffingwell's accounts of
the above Citations, which were then declared to be satisfied.
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Regular Meeting - Minutes
Januar 19, 1994 Pa e 2 of 4
NEW BUSINESS
CITATION 2349-93. Marianne Nestor. 4302 Tranquility Dr ., Block 3, Lot
4, Be Lido C ap 30, Sec 5.2(d)(1) (Accessory Uses & Structures).
Before testimony began, persons wishing to testify, including the Code
Enforcement Officer, were sworn in by the Deputy Town Clerk.
Ms. Leffingwell first addressed the members, giving a history of what
she termed an "ongoing problem." She said the existing dock extended
into the setback by approximately 10' on the west side. It was also
noted that some years ago it was believed a smaller dock existed at
this address, which was somehow allowed to remain when others in the
immediate area had to be removed in order to comply with zoning codes.
Noting that the current problem had existed through the tenures of
several of her Code Enforcement Officer predecessors, Ms. Leffingwell
referred to a permit issued to BK Marine approximately 10 years ago.
The drawing submitted for permit at that time was inaccurate and
indicated that a dock was to be "installed." However, the then
Building OfficiallCode Enforcement Officer never completed inspection
of the finished project because the dock was "too long." And so the
• problem remained, for various reasons, through to the present time,
with several of her predecessors being unsuccessful in bringing the
property into compliance.
Cutting to the present, Ms. Leffingwell advised that BK Marine, in a
effort to help rectify what might have been a mistake on their part
relative to an incorrect drawing being submitted 10 or so years ago,
had offered to remove, at their expense, that portion of the dock
which extended into the setback. This would result in an approximate
5'x5' dock, which the Town would most likely allow to be "grand-
fathered in" thereby giving the benefit of doubt that if indeed a
small dock had existed some years ago, a Zoing Code change at that
time would probably have allowed same.
Concluding her remarks, Ms. Leffingwell stated that BK's offer had
been rejected by the current owner, under the premise that a dock of
the current size had been in place going back to the time when the
house served as a "model" for the Bel Lido development in the early
1970's. She also noted that "repair and maintenance" of an existing
dock would not require a permit; therefore, the fact that a permit had
been applied for by BK Marine some 10 years ago, would indicate that
something other than "repair and maintenance" had indeed taken place.
Consequently, first a Notice of Violation, followed in due course by
the Citation, had been served.
• Marianne Nestor, current owner of the property next addressed the
members, giving a description of ownership through the years, which
included two of her sisters and finally herself. She said the dock
Code Enforcement Board
• Regular Meeting - Minutes
January 19, 1994 Page 3 of 4
as it now existed, existed when her family had initially purchased the
house. She also noted that the family to this date had never owned a
boat or used the dock for boating purposes; in this regard, she also
referred to the shallowness of the water at the dock site which would
preclude other than the use of a small boat. Further, she disputed
that BK Marine had offered to remove "just the area of dock that
extended into the setback;" rather she contended that what BK Marine
had offered to do was to "take the entire dock out to sea." During
the course of her remarks she also indicated that a previous Code
Enforcement Officer had advised to just "do nothing."
Citing among other things the stress this situation had created for
her rather aged father, who resides at the property, Ms. Nestor re-
quested that the Board see fit to allow the dock to remain as is,
particularly since none of the family owns not even a small boat and
has no plans to purchase one.
Ms. Nestor's sister and brother-in-law, Camille and Larry Todd, next
addressed the Board, confirming Ms. Nestor's statements.
At this time, Town Manager Mary Ann Mariano asked to be heard and was
sworn in. She stated that the problem had indeed been ongoing and
• several Code Enforcement Officers had endeavored to get the Nestor
family - whoever was the owner down through the years - to cooperate
in complying with Code. In regard to this ongoing uncooperative
attitude, she made note that the immediate previous Code Enforcement
Officer had felt the need to request - and had received - police
department accompaniment to the property.
After all testimony had been given, discussion took place among the
members wherein it was agreed that they would require more time to
review the information that both Ms. Leffingwell and Ms. Nestor had
submitted. Therefore, on advice of counsel, MOTION was made by
MRS. GERBER/MR. HAMERMAN to defer any decision at this time and to
include this Citation as an agenda item for the February 16, 1994
Regular Meeting. The Motion met with unanimous favorable vote.
Town Attorney Sliney requested that Ms. Nestor submit a copy of all
information she had presented and instructed the Deputy Town Clerk to
denote each copy as an exhibit item.
There being no further business to come before the Board at this time,
Chairman Hadeed adjourned the meeting at 10:20 AM upon MOTION by
MRS. GERBER/MR. SARUBBI.
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Regular Meeting - Minutes
January 19, 199 Page 4 of 4
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