HomeMy Public PortalAbout11/21/2002MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING AND PUBLIC HEARING HELD BY THE
ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW AND PLANNING BOARD OF THE TOWN OF GULF STREAM,
FLORIDA ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2002, AT 8:30 A.M., IN THE TOWN HALL,
100 SEA ROAD, GULF STREAM, FLORIDA.
I. Call to Order. Chairman Wheeler called the meeting to order at
8:30 A.M.
CII. Roll Call.
Present and Chris Wheeler
Participating: Hewlett Kent (arrived
Muriel Anderson
Perry O'Neal
Anne Strawn
Absent with Charles Frankel
Notice: Cynthia Neeves
Also Present and William Thrasher
Participating: John Randolph
Rita Taylor
Hassan Tajalli
Mark Marsh
Chairman
late) Vice Chairman
Board Member
Board Member
Alternate Member
Board Member
Alternate Member
Town Manager
Town Attorney
Town Clerk
Agent for O'Brien
Architect
III. Minutes of the Regular Meetinq and Public Hearing of 10-17-02.
Mrs. Anderson pointed out a typo. Mr. O'Neal moved and Mrs.
Anderson seconded that the minutes be approved with the changes and all
voted AYE at Roll Call.
IV. Additions, withdrawals, deferrals, arrangement of agenda items.
There were no requests for changes in the agenda.
V. Announcements.
A. Meeting Dates
1. Regular Meeting & Public Hearing 12-19-02 @ 8:30 A.M.
2. Regular Meeting & Public Hearing 1-23-03 @ 8:30 A.M.
3. Regular Meeting & Public Hearing 2-27-03 @ 8:30 A.M.
4. Regular Meeting & Public Hearing 3-27-03 @ 8:30 A.M.
5. Regular Meeting & Public Hearing 4-24-03 @ 8:30 A.M.
Chairman Wheeler announced these dates.
GVI. PUBLIC HEARING.
Chairman Wheeler asked if any of the Board Members had ex -parte
communications to declare. Mr. O'Neal disclosed he met with the property
owner and complimented him for adding to the existing cottage rather
than demolishing and building a new home.
Chairman Wheeler asked that all persons who intended to speak please
stand to take the Oath. Town Clerk Taylor administered the Oath to Mark
Marsh and Hassan Tajalli.
Regular Meeting & Public Hearing Page 2
Architectural Review & Planning Board
November 21, 2002
Hassan Tajalli displayed a rendering of the proposed improvement.
Chairman Wheeler asked the Board if they approved of the requested
improvements. Mrs. Anderson commented that it is a nice improvement,
Mr. O'Neal agreed.
01 The Chairman noted for the record that there was no one present from the
public and all Board members had a complete set of drawings. In view of
this he felt no further presentations to be necessary and asked for a
motion.
A. Applications for Development Approval
1.An application submitted by Shane Ames, as agent for Robert
O'Brien, owner of the property located at 12 Banyan Road,
Gulf Stream, Florida, which is legally described as Lot 54,
Gulf Stream Properties #2 and the west % of Palm Way lying
east and adjacent thereto.
a. LEVEL 2 ARCHITECTURAL SITE PLAN REVIEW to permit
construction of an addition consisting of 547.5 square
feet to the existing Bermuda style single-family
dwelling.
Mrs. Anderson moved and Mr. O'Neal seconded to approve the Level 2
Architectural/Site Plan based on a finding that the proposed plans are
consistent with applicable review standards, with the following
conditions: 1) A Construction Traffic Management Plan shall be submitted
and approved by the Gulf Stream Police Department prior to application
for building permit and shall be followed during construction. 2) Comply
with all National Flood Insurance Program requirements applicable to the
addition. 3) Health Department approval of the septic system will be
required prior to issuance of a building permit. Roll Call: Mrs. Strawn;
AYE, Mr. O'Neal; AYE, Mrs. Anderson; AYE and Mr. Wheeler; AYE.
Mr. Kent joined the Meeting at this time.
VII. Items by Staff.
A. Reduction of eave & roof heights on 2 -story dwellings -
Presentation by Mark Marsh
Chairman Wheeler reminded that several of the Board members were not
Opresent during Mr. Marsh's previous presentation on save and roof
heights and he then invited Mr. Marsh to do the presentation again.
Mark Marsh of Digby Bridges, Marsh and Associates, displayed
illustrations of various tie beam heights, which demonstrated how the
various heights affect the appearance of the structures. He explained
that there should be 2 points of reference with one being the top of the
finished floor and the other being the top of the tie beam. He believes
that 12' between these 2 points would result in the best proportioned
single story structure.
Regular Meeting & Public Hearing
Architectural Review & Planning Board
November 21, 2002
Page 3
Chairman Wheeler and Mr. Kent believed the measurement to the eave as
provided in the current code is adequate in that any eave overhang
greater than 2 %1 is counted in the FAR. They did however, still feel
the maximum heights should be reduced as they originally recommended.
OTown Manager Thrasher advised that the Commission was very concerned
about the "cookie cutter" design of the new homes.
Mr. Kent was also concerned about the "cookie cutter" design of the
newer homes but believed all of the Design Manual criteria works except
for the roof and eave height specification.
Chairman Wheeler believes that the Board has to approve a design if all
the criteria are met. Furthermore, if a design has discouraged features,
the architect should be given direction as to how to make it better and
present it at the next meeting.
Attorney Randolph confirmed that the Board could not reject a design if
all the criteria are met. He advised that if the Board wanted more
flexibility, they could no longer apply the Design Manual, which
encourages a "cookie cutter" type of development. He went on to explain
that in some Codes, one of the criteria for approval is that the
structure not be too similar or dissimilar to others in the area. Mr.
Randolph believed it would be difficult to incorporate this in the
current Code.
Town Clerk Taylor advised that before the Design Manual was revised the
use of "similar" and "dissimilar" was in the Town code. Now the Design
Manual dictates "consistency". Ms. Taylor reminded that the Commission
had made some changes to the save and roof heights that the ARPB had
presented previously. However, the Commissioners did not feel
comfortable making a final decision without professional advice.
Mr. Marsh stated that he would prefer to collaborate with other
architects in order to make a final decision.
The Board believed that if the Code could be amended to include
"similar" and "dissimilar" as one of the criteria of approval, it would
C) help to control the "cookie cutter" design. They directed Mr. Thrasher
to ask the Commission if they would be willing to grant them additional
authority if this additional criteria could be included in the code.
After much discussion Chairman Wheeler summarized that the Board would
like 2 things. 1) A written professional opinion regarding if eave
heights were lowered as previously recommended by the ARPB, would the
result improve the design or make it acceptable.
Regular Meeting & Public Hearing
Architectural Review & Planning Board
November 21, 2002
Page 4
2) Ask the Commission if they are willing to give the Board more
discretion in reviewing designs if the Code could be amended to do so.
VIII. Items by Board Members.
Mrs. Strawn inquired about the status of the sewer study and Mrs.
Anderson asked if the project includes Place Au Soleil.
C) Town Manager Thrasher stated that the Sewer Feasibility Study includes
Place Au Soleil and at the previous Commission Meeting the sewer study
was approved. Mr. Thrasher explained that the engineers would furnish a
rough cost that that property owners can use to determine the cost to
connect to the force main. He advised that there were federal grants
and appropriations offered and added that the total estimated cost for
the entire Town is ten million dollars.
XI. Public. Mr. Marsh, speaking from the audience commented on the
lack of professionalism in some of the presentations to the Board by
architects. Mr. Marsh suggested a more formal standardized presentation
be established and added that many other towns have guidelines for
presentations, such as the materials that were to be used and the order
of the presentation.
Chairman Wheeler directed staff to draft proposed guidelines for
presentations for further considerations.
X. Adjournment. Chairman Wheeler adjourned the meeting at 9:45 A.M.
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