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HomeMy Public PortalAbout06/25/2009MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING AND PUBLIC HEARING HELD BY THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW AND PLANNING BOARD OF THE TOWN OF GULF STREAM, FLORIDA ON THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 2009 AT 8:30 A.M., IN THE TOWN HALL, 100 SEA ROAD, GULF STREAM, FLORIDA. I. Call to Order. Chairman Ganger called the meeting to order at 8:30 A.M. �) II. Roll Call. Present and Participating: Robert W. Ganger Chairman Donna White Vice -Chairman Thomas Smith Board Member Absent with Notice: Amanda Jones Board Member Scott Morgan Board Member Also Present and Participating: William Thrasher Town Manager Rita Taylor Town Clerk John Randolph Town Attorney William Wietsma Agent for Quarter Track LLC III. Minutes of the Regular Meeting and Public Hearing 5-28-09. Mr. Smith moved and Mrs. White seconded that the minutes be approved as circulated and all voted AYE. IV. Additions, withdrawals, deferrals, arrangement of agenda items. There was one withdrawal from the Agenda. Town Clerk Taylor explained that the application was submitted by a neighbor of the residence who takes care of the property and they indicated that they wanted to appear at the July meeting. Clerk Taylor reviewed the application with the neighbor and told her that if the application was received by the following Friday, the item could be heard in June. The application was submitted on the following Monday so Clerk Taylor assumed it was submitted for the June Agenda. When the meeting notices went out and the neighbor received a copy she panicked because the owner wanted to present his case and would not be available for the June meeting. Clerk C, Taylor sent out corrected Notices and the item will be on the ' July agenda. There were no other changes of agenda items. Mr. Ganger asked if postponing the item will place the residents in peril and wanted to know if these were hurricane shutters rather than decorative. Clerk Taylor confirmed that they were just decorative and the windows had recently been replaced with impact windows. Regular Meeting Architectural Review & Planning Board Page 2 V. Announcements. A. Meeting Dates 1. Regular Meeting & Public Hearing a. July 23, 2009 @ 8:30 A.M. b. September 24, 2009 @ 8:30 A.M. c. October 22, 2009 @ 8:30 A.M. d. November to be determined. C�e. December 24, 2009 @ 8:30 A.M. Chairman Ganger noted the next scheduled meetings so members would plan accordingly. There were no ex -parte communications declared. The Town Clerk administered the oath to Mr. Wietsma. VI. PUBLIC HEARING. A. Applications for Development Approval 1. An application submitted by William Wietsma, as Agent for Quarter Track LLC, the owners of property located at 555 Palm Way, Gulf Stream, Florida, which is legally described as Lot 20, Polo Cove Subdivision. a. LAND CLEARING PERMIT to clear the building site for new construction. b. SPECIAL EXCEPTION to permit 300 square feet of covered, unenclosed roof projection that exceeds the maximum permitted floor area ratio. c. LEVEL 3 ARCHITECTURAL/SITE PLAN REVIEW to permit the construction of a two-story single family Gulf Stream Bermuda style dwelling with 2 car garage, consisting of 5,568.5 square feet, and a swimming pool. Mr. Wietsma noted that the existing structure was the old Rogers residence and has a beautiful view. He displayed a site plan and rendering of the proposed construction of a two-story single-family Gulf Stream Bermuda style dwelling with a 2 -car garage, consisting of 5,568.5 square feet, and a swimming pool, and explained that the design has been changed so that the front door, which now faces west, will face south, and the garage is around the corner of the house. Everything complies with the setbacks and the Code. There is a special exception for additional outdoor space consisting of balconies and belvederes. The only discouraged item on the house is the eave on the second floor which is 22 ft. 6 inches rather than the typical 21 feet. Mr. Wietsma asked `) the Board if they had a chance to review his proposal and if there were any questions. Chairman Ganger asked if Vice -Mayor Orthwein, a neighbor of this property, was comfortable with the design. Mr. Wietsma confirmed that she approves. Chairman Ganger asked if the landscaping in the illustration is the proposed landscaping. Mr. Wietsma explained that it was an artistic arrangement and not the landscape design he is proposing at this time. He advised the Board that he will come back with a revised landscape proposal as the project goes through. Mr. Smith asked if the generator up against the house, which he had no doubt complies Regular Meeting Architectural Review & Planning Board Page 3 with Code and setbacks, could be moved by the garage. Mr. Wietsma said it could not be moved by the garage because it would be in the front yard and there is a street there. He pointed out that there was a 12 ft. ficus hedge along the property so the generator would not be visible and the generator is quiet. Chairman Ganger asked about the proposed color of the residence and Mr. Wietsma said the drawing shows it as a very light pink. Chairman Ganger reminded Mr. Wietsma that another O house he built in Town was considered to be too pink. Clerk Taylor explained that the house he was referring to was the brightest shade of pink allowed by Code. Chairman Ganger asked for comments by the Board. Town Manager Thrasher noted that, based on comments referring to the landscape plan coming back to the Board for approval, the landscape plan should become condition #5 in the approval of the Level III Architectural/Site Plan, stating that the landscape plan would either come back to ARPB or to the Town Manager for approval, however the Board would like that administered. Town Manager Thrasher asked Mr. Wietsma about the hedge on the east side of the property, noting that the drawing shows it as a 6 ft. hedge. He asked if it was the hedge Mr. Wietsma referred to as 12 feet tall. Mr. Wietsma said that the 6 ft. hedge is around the generator and the 12 ft. hedge is an existing hedge along the property line. Town Manager Thrasher stated that the 12 ft. hedge appears to be on the neighbor's property. Mr. Wietsma confirmed that it is on the neighbor's property and Quarter Track will trim the hedge on their side. Chairman Ganger said the Board has the option of conditionally approving the landscape plan as shown, subject to re- review and approval by the Town Manager if minor modifications are made, or by the Board in the event there are major modifications. Mr. Smith asked where the 300 sq. ft. of special exception are located. Mr. Wietsma replied that there is a total of 900 feet of covered, unenclosed space, not in one specific area. Chairman Ganger went back to the Code requirement of the 21 -foot second -floor eave height and asked if the height was established purely as an exterior feature or was it taken into account that owners would want 10 feet interiors on the second story. Chairman Ganger explained that he was not questioning the Code, only the logic behind this particular code. Town Manager Thrasher said it has been in the Code for quite some time and was written this way primarily to reduce the mass of the home. Mrs. White inquired about the condition of the Driveway Removal Agreement. Town Manager Thrasher explained that the pavers on all of the driveways go beyond the property line and are located on Gulf Stream's right-of-way. When such is the case, the Town requests a removal agreement so that in the event the Town has to do work in that area, the costs are absorbed by owner, not the Town, since the Town allowed them to be placed in the right-of-way. Mrs. White also inquired about the condition of the electric lines being buried and asked if this was a requirement for all new homes. Mr. Thrasher stated that there is a code which requires all service utility lines to be buried and applications such as this one are subject to that code. It is helpful to the Town in discussions with FP&L concerning right-of-way issues and the necessity for underground lines, he said. Regular Meeting Architectural Review & Planning Board Page 4 Town Manager Thrasher went back to Mr. Smith's inquiry about the 300 sq. ft. special exception and asked Mr. Wietsma to explain, in detail, how the 300 sq. ft. will be used and to point out the open areas on the floor plan. He asked Mr. Wietsma where the open areas are located and why he qualifies for special exception of an additional 300 sq. ft. Mr. Wietsma explained that the special exception is included in the Town Code to encourage more outdoor space, giving relief to a building and making it look more Anglo -Caribbean with covered patios and lots of shadows, instead of a box -like building. In order to get a 300 sq. ft. special exception, you need 900 sq. ft. of outdoor space, undercover and he has taken advantage of the extra square footage many times, allowing him to create a better design. He said there are two (2) open areas in front, including a covered entry and a balcony, and a large logia in the back of the house off of the living room, family room and library. Also, the area off of the master bedroom is called a belvedere which is covered, not enclosed. Mr. Ganger asked if the guardrail around the belvedere is functional and Mr. Wietsma said it is and you can actually go outside in that area. He said that 20% or more of the square footage of this house is outdoor space, covered, but not enclosed. Mr. Ganger asked about lights or fans in the covered outdoor spaces. Mr. Wietsma said there will be lights, fans and probably some sconces. Chairman Ganger asked if there was an existing dock. Mr. Wietsma said there is an existing dock which will be replaced and the seawall is in need of major repair. Chairman Ganger asked when building would commence and Mr. Wietsma said they would start sometime this year. Mr. Smith wanted to know if clearing the land between November and December would be allowed and Mr. Wietsma said yes, but he would not begin clearing until he has a permit to build. Chairman Ganger commented that it was a lovely design and will improve the look of the area. Mr. Smith moved and Mrs. white seconded to recommend approval of a land clearing permit. All voted AYE. Mr. Smith moved and Mrs. white seconded to recommend approval to permit 300 SF of covered unenclosed roof projection that exceeds the maximum permitted floor ratio. All voted AYE. Mr. Smith moved and Mrs. white seconded to recommend approval of the ^ Level III Architectural/Site Plan based on a finding that the proposed demolition of the existing structures and the construction of a two- story Gulf Stream Bermuda style single family dwelling with attached 2 - car garage consisting of 5,566.6 SF and a pool meet the minimum intent of the Design Manual and applicable review standards with the following conditions: 1. Electric Service lines shall be buried if they are not already. 2. The dock, boat and lifts will conform to the section 66-369 in entirety. 3. Prior to the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy, the owner of the property shall prepare and record a deed restriction which shall provide that all unenclosed roof projection areas as approved shall Regular Meeting Architectural Review & Planning Board Page 5 remain so for as long as the structure is in existence or exceeds the maximum permissible FAR. 4. Prior to the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy, the owner of the property shall prepare and record a Gulf Stream Driveway Removal Agreement. 5. The landscape plan, as shown, is conditionally approved; however, in the event of any minor modifications, the landscape plan will be submitted to the Town Manager for his review and approval. If major modifications are made to the landscape plan, it will be brought back before the Board for their review and approval, prior to commencement of landscaping. All voted AYE. VII. Items by Staff. There were no items by Staff. VIII. Items by Board Members. Mr. Smith said he noticed in the minutes of the May meeting that there is a need for ARPB Members and he asked about Suzy Lyons. Town Clerk Taylor explained that Ms. Lyons is out of Town for the entire summer and has not expressed an interest to date. Clerk Taylor said there was one possible candidate, but they have not yet expressed an interest to the Commission. Chairman Ganger asked Clerk Taylor if lack of interest is due to insufficient advertising or not enough residents in Town during the Summer to apply? Chairman Ganger offered to post information on the Notice Board of the Civic Association. He was planning to post a notice concerning undergrounding utility lines and will include a notice that the Town is seeking candidates for membership on their Architectural Review & Planning Board, with the requirement that candidates must be registered to vote in the Town of Gulf Stream. Chairman Ganger said, for his information only, he would like to go back to the shutter painting item which was withdrawn from this agenda. He said that when driving by the residence the color appears to be off- white and asked why painting the shutters white is unacceptable. Town Attorney Randolph felt that further discussion concerning this matter should not take place during this session. Chairman Ganger wanted to refer to the Code but didn't have it with him so Town Manager Thrasher informed him that the Code discourages shutters without contrasting color, referring the Board to Code Sections 70-102 and 70-240. IX. Public. There was no public comment. X. Adjournment. Chairman Ganger adjourned the meeting at 9:02 A.M. Administrative Assistan