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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Council 072298i CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL REGULAR MEETING JULY 22, 1998 The July 22, 1998, Special Regular Meeting of the City Council of the City of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, was called to order at 6:30 P.M. in the Council Chambers of the Municipal Complex located at 10500 North Military Trail, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida; and opened with the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. ROLL CALL The City Clerk called the roll and the following elected officials were found to be in attendance: Mayor Joseph R. Russo, Vice Mayor Lauren Furtado, Councilman Eric Jablin, Councilman David Clark and Councilman Carl Sabatello. ANNOUNCEMENTS Mayor Russo stated the announcements were as posted. BUDGET WORKSHOP City Manager Herakovich announced a tentative tax rate and rolled back rate based on the tentative budget, which she explained would • not result in a tax increase for the residents unless there were later changes to the budget. During review of budget categories, requests for additional personnel and duties of current personnel were discussed; job descriptions were requested by the City Council to help them understand the duties assigned to specific positions; the master site plan for a new fire station was clarified to be a master design to be used for all future fire stations; the number of computers used in City facilities and personnel assigned to maintain them was discussed; Mayor Russo requested that a uniform policy for travel expenses be established; the City Manager suggested that the possibility of hiring an in -house attorney be discussed later since there was no room for an attorney until the new facilities were completed; a footpath in the Lake Catherine area was requested to be included in the Parks and Recreation budget; and the policy on use of City cars was explained and the possibility of going to a car allowance instead of providing vehicles was discussed. During discussion of the Police Department budget, consensus was to raise the rate for hiring off - duty police officers so that the City would not be operating this service at a deficit and to approve the two additional police personnel requested as well as filling existing vacancies. Needs .studies and design of a master site plan for a new Senior Center _ which would be needed in two years were discussed. Mayor Russo expressed his concerns about bringing engineering in- house. CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL REGULAR MEETING, 7/22/98 2 Councilman Sabatello stated he did not support either in -house engineering or an in -house attorney. Consensus was to stay with outside engineering services and outside attorney services at this time. Personnel options for review of City codes to deal with the anticipated explosion of growth resulting from sale of MacArthur Foundation lands was discussed. Mayor Russo suggested costs could be recouped in application and permit fees going forward. It was the consensus of the City Council that Option One, hiring an outside consultant and a Planner to assist the consultant, was the best solution. City Manager Herakovich presented different options for district park boundaries along Central Boulevard north and east of the elementary school and Duncan Middle School. Plan I, 112,000 acres, was chosen by consensus in order to get as much land as possible since it would never again be offered at the price now available. Mayor Russo stated he would be voting against the items on tonight's agenda, since he did not believe items should be on a Special Meeting agenda unless the public had notified at a regular • City Council meeting that those items would be voted on at a special meeting. AWARDING OF BIDS Micro Surfacing City Manager Herakovich stated this item was time critical and had been placed on the agenda in order to qualify for FEMA funds. After micro surfacing was recommended for use in the annual road resurfacing program by Director of Public Works Bob Patty, discussion ensued regarding prior concerns regarding the micro surfacing formula. City Manager Herakovich explained that this item was on the agenda requesting the City Council to re- authorize the negotiated amount of the contract. The City Attorney explained that there was an executed, signed contract, and that possible withdrawal from the program set forth in that contract had been discussed; the question was whether to pay the contractor for mobilization costs incurred to date and have no product to answer the questions regarding micro surfacing or whether to negotiate with the contractor to come to agreement that for those same costs a limited number of roadways would be micro surfaced in order to answer the City's questions and to be satisfied that the proposed surface would perform as expected. After discussion, Mayor Russo recommended that Councilman Sabatello's suggestion for 10 legal review of the contract and the possibility of the contractor furnishing a performance bond or Chair Pro Tern Jablin's • CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL REGULAR MEETING, 7/22/98 3 suggestion of the contractor possibly providing a longer warranty be pursued and this issue brought back at a later meeting. Roger Blangy, 11658 Hemlock Street, questioned what decision had been reached and was advised by Mayor Russo that no decision had been made and that it would be discussed at another meeting. Threshold Inspection: Municipal Complex Councilman Clark made a motion, seconded by Councilman Jablin, to approve expansion of the City Engineer's contract to allow him to subcontract threshold inspections for the municipal complex in the amount of $20,000. During discussion of the motion Councilman Sabatello requested addition to the scope of work of inspection of new lights near the ballfields, if appropriate; and questioned whether the City Engineer's office had sufficient insurance coverage for this work, to which Mr. Lindahl responded that the $1 million in coverage carried by his firm would be sufficient. The motion carried by vote of 4 -1 with Mayor Russo voting against the motion because the public had not been notified at the last regular City Council meeting that this item would be voted on at this special meeting. Gardens Park Light Pole Removal Councilman Clark made a motion, seconded by Councilman Jablin, to approve removal of the light poles and fixtures from the present Gardens Park ballfields by Suffolk Construction Company, Inc., in the amount of $24,264.00. The motion carried by vote of 3 -2 with Mayor Russo and Vice Mayor Furtado voting against the motion. It was the consensus of the City Council to notify Suffolk Construction Company that the City was not happy that this item had been omitted from the original contract. Allamanda Bridge Councilman Clark made a motion, seconded by Vice Mayor Furtado, to award the bid to provide repairs to the Allamanda Bridge to Murray Logan Construction, Inc., in the amount of $69,500, by piggybacking the Northern Palm Beach County Improvement District Contract. The motion carried by vote of 4 -1 with Mayor Russo voting against the motion because the public had not been notified at the last regular City Council meeting that this item would be voted on at this special meeting. CONSENT AGENDA Vice Mayor Furtado made a motion, seconded by Councilman Clark, to approve the Consent Agenda. The motion carried by vote of 4 -1, with Mayor Russo voting against the motion because the public had not been notified at the last regular City Council meeting • CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL REGULAR MEETING, 7/22/98 4 that this item would be voted on at this special meeting. The following items were approved on the Consent Agenda: 1. Resolution 79, 1998 - Consideration of Approval to Provide for an Amendment to Resolution 8, 1997, Subsequently Amended by Resolution 8, 1997, Resolution 87, 1997, and Resolution 3, 1998, to Extend the Date of the Dissolution of the Neighborhood Initiative Task Force. 2. Resolution 80, 1998 - Consideration of Approval of Ratification for Article 10 and 21 of Collective Bargaining Agreement between the City and IAFF Local 1928. 3. Resolution 81, 1998 - Consideration of Approval Making Certain Amendments and Modifications to Resolution 166, 1996 and Resolution 52, 1998 of the City Council Relating to the City's General Obligation Bonds, Series 1998. REORDERING AGENDA Principal Planner Kim Glas requested the agenda be reordered to discuss the Golf Digest PCD Master Plan and Proposed Rezoning before review of the site plan for the Golf Campus. • ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION Golf Digest PCD Master Plan and Proposed Rezoning Principal Planner Kim Glas reviewed planning considerations which had been taken into account during review of the PCD Master Plan for Golf Digest. These included preservation of environmentally sensitive lands; parkways with adequate buffering from the roadways; concurrency requirements consisting of a 15 -acre improved park site, plus monies in lieu of an additional 12.5 acres of parkland anticipated to be applied to a district park; level of service standards to accommodate a new fire station on the project; 32 acres for a middle and elementary school regarding which negotiations were currently being held between the School Board and the petitioner; an aggressive buildout date of 2004; and timing elements for common areas. Mayor Russo expressed his desire to approve everything at once and not to have the petitioner come forward with items for approval at a later date, and referred to the original BallenIsles approval as a guideline. Golf Campus Site Plan Henry Skokowski, agent for the petitioner, presented the project, Site Plan for a 26.15 acre "Golf Campus ", a 4.1 acre golf maintenance facility, and two roadways connecting PGA • CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL REGULAR MEETING, 7/22/98 5 Boulevard with the golf courses. Mr. Skokowski announced that dedication of the school sites would be accomplished within a two -year period. The number of roadway lanes and unit densities were discussed. Mayor Russo expressed concern that the first phase would include residential units when the CRAWLS designation for Military Trail had been based on those units being built two years later into the project. John Gary, representing JCB Golf Ventures, Morgan Stanley, and Golf Digest, explained he had been before the City Council two years ago and the golf course was to have been started then and residential units two years later, and the fact that the golf course did not get built until now should not alter the fact that construction of residential units was planned two years ago to begin about now and the impact on the roads should be basically the same as if the golf course had been built two years ago. Mr. Gary assured the City Council that everything possible would be done to keep the high -end rentals and the golf courses from becoming less than high quality. Mr. Skokowski described vegetation for the project • as a much more natural look as opposed to projects such as BallenIsles where vegetation had been planned to be much more manicured. Another topic discussed by Mr. Skokowski was waivers requested to pathway requirements for sidewalks in areas where a third sidewalk would be unnecessary, or where as much buffering or green space as possible was desired. Concerns that were expressed included providing sidewalks for schoolchildren bicycling to school, that staff look at the fire station site to be sure it would work properly, that provisions be spelled out as to what would become of the sales office when it was no longer needed, that the School Board be consulted regarding bus routes, that odors from the and sounds from the water treatment facility would not be a problem, that lighting be provided for the pedestrian walkway, and holding future discussions regarding the amount of dollars which might be paid in lieu of a fire station located on the property. Harry Fix, representing the School Board, commented that it was more feasible to utilize a school site on this property within five years in lieu of a site on Abacoa during that time frame. Principal Planner Glas highlighted some of the conditions of approval in the staff report recommended by staff and the Planning and Zoning Commission, including a restriction on • CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL REGULAR MEETING, 7/22/98 6 the height of the office building, and recommended disclosures to buyers. Ms. Glas explained that Eastpointe property owners were present and had concerns regarding seasonal traffic on Hood Road and additional access to the project from Hood Road which might affect their access into their neighborhood; and that PGA National residents were concerned with construction traffic. The petitioner requested anything that could be done to facilitate approval of the project. BUDGET MEETING A budget meeting was announced for August 3, 1998 at 6 p.m. CITY ATTORNEY REPORT City Attorney Acton advised that the DeLuca case had been won by the City, however there was one item which might be appealed. 0 CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL REGULAR MEETING, 7/22/98 7 ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to discuss, upon motion by Councilman Clark, seconded by Vice Mayor Furtado, the meeting was adjourned, t 19:40 p APPROVAL: — JOSEPH R. RUSSO VICE MAYOR LAUREN FURTADO C"ff(VIA1-,;'PR0-- TE,M E C JABLIN . COUNCILMAN VID CLARK COUNCIVXAN CARL SABATELLO ATTEST: CINDY HARVEY. DEPUTY CITY CLERK