1994.10.27_CAB_Minutes_Regular TOWN OF HIGHLAND BEACH
COMMUNITY APPEARANCE BOARD
REGULAR MEETING - MINUTES
Thursday. October 27, 1994 9:30 A.M.
Chair Elvine Gordon called the Regular Meeting to order at 9:40 A.M. in Conference Room
in Town Hall. Delay of the start of the meeting and change in meeting place was due to
a power failure in Town Commission building.
Deputy Town Clerk Doris Trinley called the roll. Present were the Chair and Members John
W. Littlejohn, Paul Heetmann, Frank Arenella, Miriam S. Zwick and Theresa M. Colarullo.
Vice Chair Eugene I. Behrman was absent.
Building Official Lee Leffingwell was also present; however, due to lack of space in the
Conference Room, applicants were asked to appear as their agenda items were called
Preliminary Review of Single Family Residence to be Built on Vacant Lot 131W. Submitted
by Rick Brautigan, Architect, for Marasa [Owner].
eTh
Mr. Brautigan was present to represent the project; he answered members' questions to their
satisfaction as they reviewed plans.
During review, Ms. Leffingwell noted the 30' wide easement on the lot, which is assigned
to the Army Corps of Engineers. Mr. Brautigan explained that it was granted in case the
Corps ever needed to lay pipe in order to dredge the Intracoastal and pump into the ocean.
However, given today's environmental climate, he doubted that the easement would ever
be used. He referred to the "Hold Harmless" agreement that will be transmitted in
accordance with the Planning Board's request, wherein it would be stated that the owner
of the property would take full responsibility if, in fact, the easement was ever needed by
the Corps of Engineers. It was also noted that the easement had been assigned over 20
years ago and never been used, and that no part of the major structure would be built on
it.
Concluding discussion and review, the following MRS. ZWICK/MRS. COLARULLO made
the following MOTION, which met with unanimous roll call vote:
THE COMMUNITY APPEARANCE BOARD GIVES FINAL APPROVAL TO PLANS
FOR A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE ON VACANT LOT 131W; SUBMITTED BY
ARCHITECTURE, INC., JOB NO. 13294.07, BASED ON CONDITIONS SET
FORTH BY THE PLANNING BOARD AT THEIR MEETING ON OCTOBER 12,
1994 RELATIVE TO THE 30' WIDE EASEMENT ON THE LOT.
Community Appearance Board
Regular Meeting - Minutes
October 27, 1994 Page 2 of 4
Review of Plans for Pool Fence per Insurance Requirement. Submitted by C. Pfretzschner,
1105 Bel Air Drive (Owner)
No representative for the project was present, so Ms. Leffingwell spoke for it. She said all
information was in order, except for the type and location of the mandated child-proof
self-latching locks.
After discussion and review, Ms. Leffingwell advised final approval could be given in that
this was an insurance-required fence, but she would not issue a permit until the
aforementioned information was forthcoming.
MRS. ZWICK/MR. ARENELLA then made the following MOTION:
THE PLANNING BOARD GIVES FINAL APPROVAL TO PLANS FOR AN
INSURANCE-REQUIRED POOL FENCE AT 1105 BEL AIR DRIVE,
SUBMITTED BY C. PFRETZSCHNER (OWNER) PER PLANS AS DRAWN
BY SCREENCO, INC. NORTH DATED 10/7/94. APPROVAL IS GIVEN
CONTINGENT UPON INFORMATION REGARDING TYPE AND LOCATION
(Th OF CHILD-PROOF SELF-LATCHING LOCKS BEING SUBMITTED TO
BUILDING OFFICIAL.
MOTION met with unanimous favorable response.
Continued discussion re Height of Tennis Court Fences.
The Chair explained that the members had been requested to revisit this topic because their
previous recommendation had not been specific. Discussion was brief and consensus was
to transmit a recommendation that Section 5.1(a) [Fences, Walls & Hedges/Height Limits]
of Chapter 30 [Zoning] be amended to include the following as a separate item:
That the height of tennis court/paddle ball court fences be
set at 10'.
Further Review of Proposed Amendment to Town Code of Ordinances Chapter 23 [Signs
and Advertising].
Mrs. Gordon advised that some concern had been expressed by the Realtor Association of
South Palm Beach County regarding the size and color of the smaller proposed real estate
signs, as well as the language proposed to be allowed on same. Accordingly, the Board had
been requested to review this portion again with a representative from that Association, and,
for the record, it was noted that Beth Dullaghan, their Director of Governmental Affairs, was
present to join in discussion.
Community Appearance Board
n Regular Meeting - Minutes
October 27, 1994 Page 3 of 4
Ms. Dullaghan was invited to express her Association's concerns regarding the Community
Appearance Board's recommendations relative to real estate signs. She noted four (4) areas,
i.e., what could be printed on sign did not conform to Florida Real Estate Commission's
regulation 61)-10.025; the size of the sign (9" x 12") was too small; the color (black on
white) was too common and did not allow identification of certain real estate agencies that
used specific colors in a specific way for advertising purposes; and an "H-type" sign was
preferred by real estate persons over the proposed two-sided "swinging" type.
Mrs. Gordon responded, using a series of photographs taken of smaller real estate signs of
the type proposed, which were already in place in the communities similar to Highland
Beach. She had taken these from a car, at various distances, and it was agreed that the
pertinent information was easily readable. She had also taken photographs in the Town of
Highland Beach that showed as many as three (3) real estate signs, 3 sq.ft. in size, on the
same property; there was also a photograph of a 3 sq. ft. real estate sign with the word
"SOLD" marked across it.
After the photos had been reviewed, Mrs. Gordon noted she was in favor of the Board's
original recommendations. Some of the reasons she gave for this opinion were as follows:
. Being "Home" to residents, the Town should not be required
to be a "billboard" for the real estate industry.
. The aesthetics of the Town were marred by the profusion
of signs as they are now allowed to exist.
. Highland Beach was not the kind of community that needed
these large signs to sell property; rather, anyone interested
in a certain property, or a property at large, would know
enough to contact a realtor and inquire what is available.
Mrs. Gordon also related an unsuccessful three-year attempt to sell a piece of personal
property using a real estate sign; she said it was only after a newspaper ad was placed that
the property was sold. In this regard, she questioned the overall usefulness of such signs.
After it was apparent that the members would not defer their initial recommendations,
Ms. Dullaghan requested that they at least consider the previously mentioned FREC
regulation and, after substantial deliberation, it was agreed to recommend that this regulation
be acknowledged in the proposed amendment, using appropriate legal language.
It was noted that the Board's recommendations would be transmitted to the Town
Commission.
n Community Appearance Board
Regular Meeting - Minutes
October 27, 1994 Page 4 of 4
GREENING COMMITTEE
No Report.
OTHER
Before adjournment, Mrs. Zwick, on behalf of the members, complimented Mrs. Gordon on
her fine presentation regarding real estate signage, noting its thoroughness reflected the time
and effort put forth. Joined by all the members, Mrs. Zwick extended sincere thanks to Mrs.
Gordon for her most worthwhile gesture.
Mrs. Gordon then annnounced Mrs. Colarullo would be Inspector for November. Because
of the Thanksgiving Holiday, the November meeting would be held on the 17th, with the
agenda closing on the 3rd.
There being no further business to come before the Board at this time, the meeting was
adjourned upon MOTION by MR. ARENELLA/MR. LITTLEJOHN at 10:50 A.M.
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