HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Council 042894CITY COUNCIL
WORKSHOP MEETING
CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS
APRIL 28, 1994
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The Workshop Meeting of the City of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, was called to
order by Mayor Clark at 7:40 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 CALL The Assistant Deputy City Clerk called the roll and present were Mayor Clark,
Vice Mayor Monroe, and Councilwoman Furtado. Councilman Jablin arrived at
7::50 P.M.
ANNOUNCEMENTS Mayor Clark stated the announcements were as posted on the City's Bulletin Boards.
ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION
PARKS AND RECREATION
ADVISORY BOARD
CONCERNS Jeff Sabin spoke for the Parks and Recreational Advisory Board, and stated they
would like to see development of a regional or district park somewhere within the
City limits or adjacent to the City to serve the citizens of Palm Beach Gardens,
which would offer all types of recreation. The Parks and Recreational Advisory
Board plan to continue to focus on this, however, this would be a long -term plan !
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which would have to be funded by County impact fees. City Manager Herakovich
responded to the Advisory Board's concern regarding the Klock property, that the
redesignation of the Klock property so it could be counted in the inventory of parks
for the overall level of service was under the 94 -1 Comprehensive Plan which was
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING, 4/28/94
PAGE 2 1
on the agenda for this meeting. She stated another of the Board's concerns had been
the Police Station planning and design; she reported the survey for that property had
been received that day. Mr. Sabin stated the Board had been concerned that the
facilities would be developed before the seventeen acres designated for the ball
fields, and would like to be informed on a time line when the ball fields would be
developed. Councilwoman Furtado stated the first regular Council meeting in May
was the date designated for the conceptual plan to be brought before the City
Council. She stated the ball fields would be developed on a staggered basis so that
everything would not be torn up at once. City Manager Herakovich explained the
decision had not yet been made by the City Council whether to have a bond
referendum just for the police station or just for the redevelopment of Gardens Park,
or both. Councilwoman Furtado stated that matter had been discussed by the
Building Committee and the consensus was that both should be included in a bond
referendum in November 1994, although this had not yet been approved by the City E
Council.
Jeff Sabin spoke in regard to lighting the ball fields at Lake Catherine to extend
their use. Neighbors would be consulted to determine their feelings in regard to
lighting these ball fields. It was determined that funds have been earmarked for this
in the Capital Improvements budget. Vice Mayor Monroe questioned the ages of
children who would be using the ball fields on school nights and was told ages 12
and up, and the lights would probably go out at 10 p.m., so the children would need
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING, 4/28/94
PAGE 3
to complete homework before the game. Mr. Sabin also stated that within the past
fi-, a years the technology of reducing light pollution has been dramatic to a point
where very little light would escape from the confines of the ball fields, and aerial
photographs showing this would be shown to neighboring residents. Vice Mayor
Monroe asked the Recreation Department to provide the number of residents and
number of non — residents quarterly who are registered in sports programs. The
firdal concern of the Board was with land acquisition for recreational facilities. City
Manager Herakovich responded the needs assessment survey had resulted in two
major items residents would support, which were additional ball fields and a nature
center passive area. Vice Mayor Monroe asked that population figures be projected
so that areas could be located where more recreational facilities would be needed;
the City Manager reported she had been working with the MacArthur Foundation
to target specific properties for this purpose, and suggested the City identify a
property, have it appraised and make an offer on it to show the Foundation the City
is .serious. She also stated if this were done it might be eligible for a matching fund
program. Dan Eagle, President of the Palm Beach Gardens Youth Athletic
Association, thanked Sue Miller and her department for the playing fields being in
the best shape ever. He stated there were just over 1100 total participants in their
program, and non — residents were less than 100. He stated the ball fields at Lake
Catherine are now utilized 25 hours per week and if lighted to 9 or 9:30 P.M. could
be utilized 53 hours per week, and lighting could provide additional security for the
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING, 4/29/94
PAGE 4
trailer park across the canal. Mr. Eagle expressed concern over inadequate parking
for ball fields. Mr. Eagle stated there was a major soft drink company which offers
grants to non - profit organizations to acquire ballfields, and that if PGYA could win
this grant they would give it to the City.
John Ellsner thanked the City for the best tennis court in the area.
LEGISLATIVE
INFORMATION
SESSION It was the consensus of the City Council to grant use of the Community Center to
Mark Foley for a legislative information session.
STATUS REPORT:
SAM CARSILLO'S
CONCERNS Staff report on the helipad was that a site visit by Traumahawk and Fire Department
personnel had resulted in identification of a liquid nitrogen tank located close to the
proposed pad site, which the hospital would either move or construct a cinderblock
wall to prevent sparks from a helicopter igniting it, and that this project would move
forward. Regarding the train horns sounding during the hours 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.,
existing legislation was so stringent that the only options open would be for cities
to become involved in administrative hearings with the federal government or to
upgrade railroad crossings to specifications required by law which would cost
approximately a quarter of a million dollars per crossing. Regarding the issue of
hitting golf balls in the City's parks, staff reported that this was not illegal at the
present time. Staff planned to bring a resolution to the City Council at their next
meeting to appoint a Holly Drive Committee to address the issue of opening up all
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CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING, 4/28/94
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four lanes of traffic on Holly Drive. The issue of the sidewalk on Burns Road under
I -95 was not budgeted this year and would require staff to bring this item before
the City Council to add this item estimated at $22,000 to the budget. It was the
suggestion of Vice Mayor Monroe that staff provide the City Council with the total
amount needed for the sidewalk on Burns Road and also on the Holly Drive Bridge
so that they could determine whether gas tax funds might be used for these projects.
City Manager Herakovich also informed the Council that grant requests would be
submitted for twelve pathway/bikeway projects and that one of them was Bums
Road, and if figures could be obtained in time an additional pedestrian pathway on
Holly Drive would be included. It was the consensus of the City Council that the
issue of the train horns could not be resolved at this time because of the expense.
POLICE TRAINING
FACILITY Paul Friedman, Coordinator of Training, reported the training facility which had
been utilized free of charge at NorthCorp had been leased to a paying tenant and the
Police Department had been notified today to vacate as of Monday, May 9. The
least expensive site that has been located which would meet the needs for a training
facility was $8.00 /square foot, or approximately $1,600 per month for 2,400 square
feet needed for approximately two years or until the Police Department has been
remodeled. Also needed would be a facility to meet FDLE guidelines for training
non -police City personnel which would include Sexual Harassment and Human
Diversity instruction, The long -term goal would be that Palm Beach Gardens
a
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING, 4/28/94
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become a Regional Training Institute which would mean recognition for the Police
Department and for the City as well as making our department eligible for Region
MI training funds. It was the consensus of the Council that they would support the
concept of a regional training facility if the cost and revenue figures support the
facility, and asked that they be furnished with these figures. The Council also
requested budget figures for the short -term emergency facility.
DISCUSSION OF
DEAD -END STREETS City Manager Herakovich stated the issue of dead -end streets had been discussed
at the Planning & Zoning Department meeting, and staff had met with the Fire
Department, the City Engineer, and Planning staff. Currently zoning code required
a 50 -foot width in cul -de -sacs in one section, a 40 -foot width in another section
and a 60 -foot width in another section. This was a health and safety issue so that
file and emergency vehicles could get through and so that garbage trucks would
have room to operate. Lin Lindahl spoke about stub roads, and defined a stub road
as a short road that runs a very short distance and then terminates without the
benefit of provision for some specific turnaround facility. Within PUDs this topic
had been reviewed, examined, and approved or not approved based on the umbrella
of maintaining total flexibility in the planning process of the PUD or PCD.
Recently, the project Diamondhead contained stub roads which raised questions
within the Planning & Zoning Commission; and at City Council level the Council
abolished stub roads in PCDs and PUDs. Since that time there has been some
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING, 4/28/94
PAGE 7
re thinking of that with the request to find possible alternatives that would be
somewhere between total or unrestricted flexibility and no stub roads at all.
Minimum standards suggested including the following: for privately owned dead -
end streets a truncated dead -end may be used for a street not exceeding 120 feet
in length, with a minimum pavement width of 24 feet, right -of -way width that at
least meets minimum guidelines for planned unit developments and providing
access to a group of not more than four residential lots, subject to the approval of
the City's Planning & Zoning Director and the City's Engineer. If the road is 299
feet in length, a T- turnaround is required; if the road is 300 feet or more in length
a cut -de -sac must be provided. Emergency safety vehicles must be able to travel
in and out unobstructed. Jeff Orenstein, Chairman of the Planning & Zoning
Commission stated he felt stub roads should also be approved by the City Council,
and roads should be a function of the number of dwelling units, and that guidelines
were needed with flexibility allowed. Vice Mayor Monroe suggested minimum
standards needed to state the number of dwelling units, and proposed no more than
10 units for a T or a Y- turnaround. Scott Fetterman representing the Fire
D4:partment, stated their biggest problem was the cul -de -sacs. Their biggest
concerns were gaining access through gates, being able to access the residences
with fire equipment, and having enough width in the streets to get in and out
quickly. Joel Charming developer of Villa d'Este stated his original plan had a
perimeter road around the development until the Council asked that it be changed.
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING, 4/28/94
PAGE 8
Hank Skokowski, Urban Design Studio, showed the Council examples of stub roads
in different configurations, and asked the Council to consider how essential the
standards for cul —de —sacs were in terms of the frequency and importance and to
consider his suggestions as an alternative. He stated their willingness to work with
the Council and staff in working through this process. Mayor Clark recapped
changes to the document to insert "no more than 10 units" at Item 2 B.
94 -1 COMPREHENSIVE
LAND USE PLAN
AMENDMENT It was the consensus of the City Council to accept the summary presented by staff
as submitted.
INFORMATIONAL
DISCUSSION RE:
ABACOA Mayor Clark suggested staff soften the language in their report, but still cover all
the points for discussion. Staff pointed out both the police and fire departments
would be impacted because of increased traffic to the stadium. City Attorney Baird
stated the Jupiter staff had raised the same questions as raised by our staff. Vice
Mayor Monroe suggested changing the wording regarding open and usable
recreational areas so that those types of recreational activities would be available
in the proposed project and those people would not be coming to Palm Beach
Gardens to use the jogging trail, etc. Vice Mayor Monroe also requested staff find
out how the numbers for traffic and density had been determined, and also
suggested the golf course be moved to Phase 11. Vice Mayor Monroe asked City
Attorney Baird whether he had any concerns regarding this project. Attorney Baird
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING, 4/28/94
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responded the roadway network was the issue the City should be most concerned
about, with market competition between Palm Beach Gardens and Jupiter second.
He stated he believed regarding the Parks and Recreational issue that if the City
were vigilant in addressing regional greenway issues there could be some fine
conditions developed at regional planning level if they knew both municipalities
were interested. He also stated that local issues needed to be brought up now.
ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to discuss, motion was made by Vice Mayor
Monroe, seconded by Councilman Jablin, and unanimously approved, the meeting
was adjourned at 11:20 P.M.
APPROVAL
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MAYOR CLARK
VICE MAYOR MONROE
CINDY HARVEY, ASSISTANT 6EPUTY CITY CLERK
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