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03-02-1988 o o B ~ CITY OF EDGEWATER SCREENING COMMITTEE March 2, 1988 7:00 p.m. COMMUNITY CENTER MINUTES The meeting of the Screening Committee was called to order by the Chairman, Thomas L. Sheridan, in the Community Center at 7:00 p.m. Mr. Sheridan announced the Committee is assembled again to interview applicants for the Land Development and Regulatory Agency. He stated the Committee will have five people for interviews this evening; Mr. Mackie, Mr. Garthwaite, Mr. Klein, Mrs. Bennington and Mr. Vath. Mr. Sheridan asked clockwise if the Committee had anything to offer and they replied negatively. The Committee then went on to the first applicant. JAMES MACKIE Mr. Sheridan explained the purpose of the Land Development and Regulatory Agency to Mr. Mackie. Mr. Fazzone stated he is interested in the technical background of all applicants and asked if Mr. Mackie is familiar with blueprints, layouts and sketches presented by contractors and b~ilders, and Mr. Mackie said yes, he has been doing that for twelve years for the City. Mr. Fazzone also asked if Mr. Mackie had a knowledge of the building codes and ordinances and Mr. Mackie said yes because of his experience with the Planning and Zoning Board. Mr. Bonneville said his problem concerned the future - ten twenty or even thirty years ahead - and asked if Mr. Mackie had looked at the possibility of a bridge someday going to the peninsula. Mr. Mackie stated he thought the ideal place would be Indian River Boulevard; run ramps right off, which wouldn't interfere with the shopping center. Mr. Sheridan then asked Mr. Mackie's reasons for wanting to be on the Agency and Mr. Mackie replied he has served for twelve years; that he likes to plan; would like to see things go forward; that he can contribute with the experience he has had on the Planning and Zoning Board. Mr. Mackie also stated when the City gets a Planner it will help the Agency. Mr. Sheridan then asked if Mr. Mackie would find the time, as it will involve a lot of work; that the Agency will be taking the place of two boards and a committee. Mr. Mackie said that would not be a problem for him. Mr. Sheridan then asked if Mr. Mackie thought he had the ability to be subjective in discussion on different points of views relating to the agenda and after discussion, Mr. Mackie said yes, he thought he could handle this; that you may be enemies at the meeting but ouside the best of friends. He was then asked what he would do if he did not get approval of a pet project and Mr. Mackie said he would accept the rule of the majority. As to conflict of interest, Mr. Mackie related there had been one incident which was dropped. He also stated he would not go to the Mayor or members of Council trying to resolve a project which had been turned down; that he did not work that way. Mr. Fazzone then asked Mr. Mackie, since he had beeninvorved so many years with the City, how a contractor could bring in a subdivision that had been okayed and the division was really defective. Mr. Mackie stated everthing would have been brought before the Board and the contractor would have had to sign to the City Engineer that everything was o.k. Mr. Fazzone said they now have a subdivision (Shangri La) where it was built two and a half feet lower on one end than the other. Mr. Sheridan said they would have to cut this short as they were running out of time. ROBERT GARTHWAITE Mr. Garthwaite was introduced to all members of the Committee and Mr. Sheridan explained the reasons for the new Agency. He then asked Mr. Garthwaite why he would like to be on the Agency and Mr. Garthwaite / answered the work on the Board of Adjustments was interesting but hard; preparing for the meetings was hard, especially having to tell people no; that he would like to be in on the planning of the City and being on the Agency would get him on the ground floor to grow and expand with the City of Edgewater. When asked if his education, background and work experience would qualify him for service on the Agency, Mr. Garthwaite replied yes, he has some college courses, has worked with NASA as an Engineer and is knowledgeable as to plats, site plans, and the code enforcement book. Mr. Sheridan then asked Mr. Garthwaite o o :) what knowledge he has of the function and direction of this Agency, and Mr. Garthwaite answered he just has the Ordinance which states they will do the work of the Planning and Zoning Board and Board of Adjustments. Mr. Sheridan discussed the eleven elements of Compre- hensive Plan and the deadline, which will be November 1, 1989. Mr. Garthwaite said he will have the time/ to serve, as he missed just 2~ meetings on the Board of Adjustments in over five years. Mr. Sheridan then posed the question of being subjective to different points of view relating to agenda subjects, and Mr. Garthwaite said he would not object to being shot down on a project; if it is shot down, o.k., it is shot down. Mr. Garthwaite answered negatively as to being involved in conflict of interest and-the Sunshine Law. 'Mr. Sheridan asked what Mr. Garthwaite's positionvould be if he had a project and some members wouldn't agree. Mr. Garthwaite answered he would like justification for it being shot down and if the justi- fication was in line that would be it and if it went before Council the same situation would exist; they are our elected leaders. Mr. Sheridan asked Mr. Garthwaite's opinion as to the consolidation of th~se Boards and Mr. Garthwaite said it is a pretty drastic change; it is something you can only guess at; that the decisions of the Board of Adjustments had to go to Circuit Court, and may' or may not have been good, but it left pressures off the Council which will now be on the Council. He said as far as lumping it all togetherf he believes it is going to be a lot of work, a lot of responsibility on seven people, but believes it is not insurmountable. BILLY KLEIN Mr. Sheridan asked Mr. Klein his reasons for wanting to serve on this Agency and Mr. Klein stated he had served on the Planning and Zoning Board for a two year period and had become very active in City affairs. Mr. Klein said he would like to stress the fact we need to improve the City of Edgewater and that is what he had basically tried to do. Mr. Hoffart then asked Mr. Klein as to looking toward the future and the plans for a bridge to go to the peninsula. He asked Mr. Klein how much property it would have to take to make room for the bridge. Mr. Klein said he ha.dn',t heard it was going down 30th Street but it might come down 442. A discussion followed as to a bridge and where it may be located. Mr. Sheridan said the elements of traffic and transportation will be taken up by this new Agency. Mr. Klein said he was upset there was not much publicity about this Comittee being formed, as there are many qualified people in this City who would volunteer to do things but we don't get the message to them. Mr. Klein also stated he didn't know about the deadli~e until he came in. The Committee members stated they didn't know this themselves, that a notice was put in the newspaper by Mrs. Susan Wadsworth, Acting City Clerk/Administrator. Quite a discussion followed as to there not being enough publicity and the Committee then got on with the interview. Mr. Sheridan asked the question of having a pet project shot down and Mr. Klein replied he could handle that and also stated he would never go to the Mayor or City Council to try and put pressure on any project. Mr. Fazzone asked about the technical aspeot of confronting contractors, builders, etc., with sketches and maps, and Mr. Klein said yes, he had been an industrial arts teacher. He also said he was concerned about selecting seven people instead of ten, and a discussion followed as to the term of office, etc., of this Committee. The Board then concluded the interview of Mr. Klein. GI GI BENNINGTON Mr. Sheridan introduced Mrs. Bennington to the Committee members and started the interview. Mr. Hoffart asked his question about the possibility of a bridge in the future and Mrs. Bennington said it is her understanding it will be going over Indian River Boulevard and a discussion followed as to this being part of the action to be taken by the new Agency. Mr. Sheridan stated it is covered in the eleven elements of the Comprehensive Plan which have to be finalized by November 1, 1989. Mr. Sheridan then explained the reason for the new Agency and that seven people will be doing the work of about twenty people. Mrs. Bennington said she would like to serve on the Agency because of problems and potential problems and would like to be able to help develop the City into something nice. Mr. Sheridan said the Committee is aware of her qualifications, she having at one time been an elected official. Mr. Fazzone asked if she could read blueprints, sketches, site plans, and Mrs. Bennington answered yes, she had worked with Respectfully submitted by Dorothy C. Garrity, Secretary -2- Screening Committee Minutes of March 2, 1988 Meeting o o o ~' draftsmen and she would have the time to serve on the Committee. Mrs. Bennington was then asked the question of a project being shot down and her reaction, to which she answered she would want to know why it was shot down and if the explanation was not reasonable, she would pursue it. Mrs. Bennington gave an example of this by outlining the work she had finally succeeded in doing on Mango Tree being paved. In answer to seeking the help of the Mayor or Council to pursue a project, Mrs. Bennington answered no, she does not condone or agree with that at all. Mrs. Bennington also stated she had never had a conflict of interest. RAY VATH Mr. Sheridan asked Mr. Vath for his background. Mr. Vath stated he was a Reverend at one time, then went into hospital equipment service in New York, an old missionary in the bowery. He continued he then had a landscape business which he sold; carne to Florida five years ago with the idea of retiring and did just that for a year or so. He received his real estate license and is now making a living at that. .Mr. Sheridan asked if being a real estate person he is familiar with site plans, plats, surveys and variances and Mr. Vath said yes. Mr. Sheridan then asked Mr. Vath's opinion of the structure and function of the new Land Development and Regulatory Agency and Mr. Vath stated he believes the Agency is trying to plan the community so everyone can live close enough to each other and yet still build up the tax rate so we can afford to do the things we want to do, and carry on from there. He also stated he believes the Agency will have a huge impact on the future. Mr. Sheridan then explained the reasons for the new Agency which will be a tremendous responsibility and asked Mr. Vath if he will have the time available and Mr. Vath said yes, he would. Mr. Sheridan asked if Mr. Vath was capable of being subjective in discussions on different points of view and Mr. Vath said yes, although he sometimes gets a little headstrong and has to look at things from another angle. Mr. Sheridan then asked Mr. Vath's views on apet project of his not being accepted and he replied he would wonder why it.= was not accepted-if :hehad spent months on it and would try to present it again. When asked if he would seek the Mayor or Council's opinion on a project, Mr. Vath said no, he believes the Board could iron it out themselves. Mr. Hoffart then asked his question as to Mr. Vath's'opinion as to the future of 442 and U.S. 1 and he said it must be talked 'about and planned ahead. Mr. Fazzone then asked Mr. Vath if, with his b~ckground, he was familiar with blueprints, land use, sketches and plats. Mr. Vath stated plot plans he understood but when it comes to building codes he is a little vague but would do the best he can. Mr. Fazzone said Mr. Vath had to have a knowledge, of building codes, ordinances, etc., and Mr. Vath agreed. He stated in real,estate he does have to know about zoning ordinances, etc., among other things. ~r. Sheridan then turned to the question of a conflict of interest and Mr. Vath stated if it involved a real estate question he would have to file papers to not vote. Mr. Sheridan then thanked Mr. Vath for corning in. , ' The Committee discussed the manner ~n which they will vote tomorrow, with Mr. Hoffart handing a'sealed envelope to the secretary with his selection. The secretary stated she had told Mrs. Koser, Executive Secretary, a list of, seven names will be submitted for her agenda to Council. There being no further business before the Committee, Mr. Trickey moved the meeting adjourn, seconded by Mr. Fazzone. The meeting adjourned at 9:35 p.m. '" ' Respectfully submitted by Dorothy C. Garrity, Secretary Screening Committee Minutes of March 2, 1988, Meeting -3-