HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Council 020472SPECIAL MEETING
CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLA.
rzt=yi F015. Zhi 1972
PURPOSE: This Meeting was called for the purpose of discussing with the
Officials from the Florida State Department of Health, the City's
Moratorium on the issuance of Building Permits. Mayor DeLonga
called the meeting to order at approximately 8100 P.M. Present
were Vice Mayor Wiley, Councilman Orr, James and Kiedis. The
City Attorney, Mr. Brant and the City Manager, Mr. Carlson were
also present. Ralph M. Baker and Larry Lukin, represented the
Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services, Division of
Health, Waste Water Section, State of Florida; Mr. Ray Vesterby,
Legal Advisor and James Collier, Engineer, represented the Public
Service Commission. Palm Beach County Utilities Company was
represented by Mr. Fred Trapnell.
DISCUSSION: Mayor DeLonga stated that the City of Palm Beach Gardens, at
the completion of the 1970 Census was declared the fastest growing
community in the United States percentage -wise in the past decade
and is now at a virtual standstill because of the moratorium on
building.
Mr. Ralph Baker, Jr., stated that even though the existing
Sewer Treatment Plant had undergone extensive improvements it
must still be considered sub - standard. The degree of treatment
has been improved from a previous 35% B.O.D. removal to about
74% B.O.D. removal. The current standard is 85% B.O.D, removal,
and that by January 1, 1973 all Sewer Treatment Plants in the
State of Florida will be required to have 90% B.O.A. treatment.
He reported the present average daily_-'sewage flow for January
as 744,000 gallons, This is 44,000 gallons above design capacity.
Special Meeting, February 4, 1972 Paget
Larry D. Lukin, Director, County Health Dept., Division of
Environmental Services, supported Mr. Baker's findings. He told
W the City Council "the Sewer Treatment Plant can not accommodate
any additional connections; you can't handle another bucket of
sewage in that plant. I will stake my professional reputation on
it; in order to permit the lifting of the Building Moratorium the
City needs a second sewage treatment plant or an expansion to the
present facility."
Mr. Fred Trapnell of the Palm Beach County Utility Company
said that he could not recommend spending $258,000.00 for
improvements to the present plant because the County might provide
its own Sewer System and take over existing facilities. He said
the upgrading of the present treatment plant has been completed
to the best of his ability. He recommended that the City Council
consider rescinding the Moratorium and put the problem on the County
Health Department's back. He also suggested that if the Council
considers rescinding the Moratorium they add the provision that
the owner of the Utility Company initiate plans to build a new
plant, or expand the present one by a specific date or the Council
would again impose the Moratorium.
Ray Vesterby, an Attorney for the Public Service Commission,
stated that the agency could require a Utility Company to provide
sewage disposal service, but that it requires evidence that the
Utility Company has actually denied customer service. What is
required is letters from individual property owners who are
willing to testify that they have been denied service by the
Utility Company. Several members in the audience stated they
would provide such testimony to the Public Service Commission if
proceedings were initiated against the Palm Beach County Utility
Company.
Special Meeting, February 4, 1972 Page 3
A general discussion, in which some members of the audience
participated, continued for another 45 minutes, but no immediate
solution was determined. The City Council will take under
advisement the remarks and information discussed at this Meeting
and will make a decision regards the amending of our Moratorium
Ordinance in the near future.
Meeting adjourned, approximately 10:00 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
R6bert H'. Carlson
City Manager