HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Council 041196CITY COUNCIL
WORKSHOP MEETING
CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS
APRIL 11, 1996
The Workshop Meeting of the City Council of the City
of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, was called to order by
Mayor Russo at 7:30 P.M. in the Assembly Room of the
Municipal Complex, 10500 North Military Trail, Palm
Beach Gardens, Florida, and opened with the Pledge of
Allegiance to the Flag.
ROLL CAT-T_. The City Clerk called the roll and present were Mayor
Russo, Vice Mayor Furtado, and Councilwoman Monroe.
Councilman Jablin arrived at 7:38 P.M. Councilman
Clark was absent from the meeting.
ANNOIJNrRMRNTS Mayor Russo stated that the announcements were as
posted on the City's bulletin boards.
PRESENTATIONS:
EAR - PROPOSED COMP
PLAN CHANGES Planning & Zoning Director Walton introduced DCA
representatives Richard Post and Roger Welburn. During
a discussion of school concurrency, one of the
representatives explained that because it was early in
the process that all possible processes were being
considered and that the main problem was finding a way
to mesh the School Board's budget with the Capital
Improvement Budget of the Comprehensive Plan.
Principal Planner Kim Glas Castro explained that the
purpose of tonight's meeting was to continue with the
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING, 4/11/96 PAGE ?
proposed amendments which would be identified in the
EAR, and that previous amendments discussed had been
those which updated data, placed newly required
elements and requirements into the Comprehensive Plan,
and included staff- initiated vision implementation
soft cost items. Ms. Glas Castro explained that
tonight's discussion would encompass vision
implementation with associated hard costs. $30,000
was estimated to establish a coordinated greenway area
to meet preserve requirements for the entire City.
$150,000 left from the original master drainage plan
was anticipated to be sufficient for completion of the
plan. The October flood had revealed various poor
drainage areas which were being studied at an
estimated cost of $30,000, with an estimated $500,000
needed to correct the areas. The budgeted amount for
ongoing maintenance of the canals and drainage
facilities was $120,000 per year. Ms. Glas Castro
explained that the current average 5- minute response
time for fire rescue would remain unchanged, and that
the future vision for the next 15 -20 years was to work
toward a district -by- district standard rather than an
average of the whole City. Tiered levels of service
were discussed as an option. One of the DCA
representatives confirmed that it was possible to
limit service to specific areas by setting an urban
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING, 4111196
PAGE 3
service boundary line. In response to a question
regarding police level of service, Ms. Glas- Castro
explained that other communities did not currently use
a LOS for police, and that staff had used a state
average figure of 2.5 officers per thousand. 1150
service calls was the LOS recommended for police,
based upon service calls which had been estimated out
to the year 2001, and those service calls were
anticipated to be a different type of service call
than in the past - -as a result of community policing
policies. Addition of two police officers per year
would be necessary to attain the recommended LOS. For
Parks and Recreation, a dual level of service for park
acreage and facilities was proposed for development.
Impact fees would be distributed among facilities,
which would accrue funds for future ballfields and
tennis courts. A request was made to add roller
hockey rinks. City Manager Herakovich explained that
facility standards had not existed in the past and
would affect future development, however, if that
development did not occur, the City would have to
provide a funding source. Assumptions used in the 5-
year plan were that approximately 20 acres would be
purchased for future recreation and a fire station.
Councilmember Monroe expressed concern that the City
needed to leave the door open so that all of these
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING, 4/11/96 PAGE 4
proposals would not be required as a result of placing
them into the Comprehensive Plan, in case some of them
could not be accomplished at some point in the future.
Ms. Glas Castro explained that the Comprehensive Plan
would have to be amended at that time. Ms. Glas
Castro explained that there would be a year to make
changes before actual adoption. Planning & zoning
Director Walton expressed concern that the County must
adopt their EAR amendment before the CRALLS
designation for Military Trail could be adopted.
Discussion ensued regarding ways to reduce trips.
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS
PROGRAM Finance Director Kent Olson explained that the Capital
Improvements program was intended as a five -year
guide, and that budgetary items over $7,500 had been
included because of their impact on the budget.
Although some funds had been allocated for buildings,
the assumption had been made that a referendum or
another revenue source would be found for major
expenditures. Discussion ensued regarding ways to
reduce the highest one -year tax increase of 6.22%
which was anticipated to be in the 1997 -98 tax year.
The City Manager explained that as large developments
were completed that impact fees would be reduced.
Possible utilization of the proposed NAMAC regional
services were discussed. Mayor Russo commented that
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PAGE 5
Palm Beach County was proposing amendment of their
current ordinance under which everyone in the county
paid the same rates for fire rescue services, so that
different communities could negotiate different rates;
and expressed concern that if one community did not
pay its fair share, then that share of the true costs
would be distributed among the rest. Vice Mayor
Furtado requested figures from staff of the percentage
of crimes committed by juveniles. The Vice Mayor
cited an ordinance passed in an Oregon community which
had made the parents of juvenile offenders accountable
for up to a stated dollar amount and had required them
to attend parenting classes, which had reduced the
juvenile crime rate by 44.5 %. Mayor Russo requested
that Acting Chief O'Rourke make a presentation of
programs he would like to see instituted at the
beginning of May or June. A discussion of crime
statistics ensued during which a comment was made that
the City must keep pace with current happenings which
might necessitate changing procedure.
T'TRM.q FOR nTgrTT.SSTON;
BOAT AND RV TASK
FORCE RECOMMENDATION Linda Hughey, Vice Chairman of the task force,
reported that the Chairman had been unable to attend
this meeting, introduced those members who were
present, and thanked the task force members for their
hard work. Safety, aesthetics, and economics had been
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING, 4/11/96
PAGE 6
concerns. The term boats had been changed to
watercraft. Grandfathering had been determined to be
the best avenue to affect the fewest amount of people
in the beginning, and attrition over the next several
years would eliminate boats and RVs in front yards.
The proposed ordinance would allow watercraft and RVs
in the side yard, in the back yard, or grandfathered
for the front yard which would require a decal
renewable annually and adherence to the ordinance.
The annual renewal would provide the City with a count
of remaining grandfathered watercraft and RVs, and
would help the City with enforcement of the ordinance.
The task force recommended a charge of $15 per decal
each year as suggested by the Finance Department as a
break even amount, and non - renewal would mean the boat
or RV could no longer stay in the front yard after a
90 -day period. Discussion ensued regarding
enforcement, during which the Vice Mayor suggested
merging Code Enforcement with Community Policing.
Councilmember Monroe pointed out that the
grandfathering section would not allow parking on
grass or exposed shell rock, and required current
valid registration plates, stickers, and State of
Florida decals on watercraft, which must be in
operable condition at all times. Staff was requested
to review the ordinance for ease of enforcement. It
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING, 4111/96
PAGE 7
was pointed out that a property owner who was
grandfathered could sell and purchase another boat;
however, City Attorney Baird clarified that a new
owner who purchased the property would not be
grandfathered, therefore, the term "grandfathered"
might have to be changed. The City Attorney suggested
changing the wording regarding the fee so that the
amount could be adjusted from time to time to reflect
administrative costs without changing the ordinance.
The City Attorney suggested a one -time recording of
the grandfathered status so that prospective
purchasers of a property would be on notice that they
were not permitted to store vehicles under the
grandfather rules. The recording cost could be
included in the first decal purchase. Councilwoman
Monroe requested that information regarding this
ordinance be placed in the next newsletter. The City
Council thanked the task force for their work.
ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to discuss, motion was
made by Councilwoman Monroe, seconded by Councilman
Jablin, and unanimously approved to adjourn the
meeting at 8:58 P.M.