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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Council 042772WORKSHOP MEETING CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS APRIL 27, 1972 The Workshop Meeting of the City of Palm Beach Gardens was called to order by Mayor Wiley at 8:00 P.M. The meeting was held at 10500 N. Military Trail in the Assemble Room and opened with the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. ROLL CALL: Roll was called by the City Clerk and present were: Councilman DeLonga, Councilman Orr, Councilman Dunbar, Vice Mayor Kiedis and Mayor Wiley. Mr. Carlson, City Manager and Attorney Brant attended. PERRY CABLE Mayor Wiley introduced Mr. Thomas S. Gilchrist, Vice President of Perry TELEVISION COMPANY: Cable Television Company who gave a presentation on the recent technical problems and the reasons for the interruptions of service to the sub- scribers in Palm Beach Gardens and area. He stated that the interruptions were due to vandalism and also tampering with equipment at the main transmission station in Riviera Beach. The main trunk had been blasted with a shotgun blast and there was also power failure due to a bad electrical storm which resulted in problems in the cable itself during the storm. He informed everyone that their crews have been working around the clock to repair and correct these interruptions. The Company is planning an emergency mobile unit that will be of such that it can be rushed on short notice to any damaged area for power reception. He stated the equipment used is the top of the line. He also presented the Council with a summary of the subscribers who called in to the CATV to complain. These reports will be submitted monthly to the City Manager. Mr. Gilchrist assured the people that a correction to the answering service is being made by an increase of incoming lines to the switchboard as this seemed to be the biggest complaint of the subscribers, they could not get through to the answer phone. Mr. Gilchrist gave his telephone number if anyone wants to call him - 655 -1125. He stated that the company will install free of charge to any subscriber, a small switch which would allow Workshop Meeting, April 27, 1972 Page 2 subscribers to change from the cable to the antenna if reception fails. He informed us that Perry Cable Television Company has owned Palm Beach Cable TV since December 1968, and there were approximately 15 technical men with the Company. He assured the Council that the CATV is determined to profit by these experiences and will do all possible to minimize or eliminate such failures. Councilman DeLonga stated that we have been continually hearing about poor service which was not a result of the shot gun blast or the weather, and people fail to have response to telephone inquiries. Joseph Blair of Community TV Store asked how the CATV measures the noise level. Chuck Lockhart the Director of Engineering discussed these with Mr. Blair and they came to an agreement where Mr. Blair will submit to Mr. Gilchrist the names of those subscribers who complain. W. Paxton stated his was a practical problem as his cable was cut many times when a lawn maintenance man used the edger and CATV always came out and replaced this. He felt that the cable should not be placed this shallow. Mr. Gilchrist assured him they would do something to eliminate the problem. William Haythorne stated he was the irritated man and complained of the service from the answer phone. He asked what the possibility was of getting the School Board Meetings and other meetings such as Telepromptor does. Mr. Gilchrist answered that CATV was permitted to do this and that they are waiting for the new FCS Rules which were adopted on March 31, 197; and which would explain what the CATV would be permitted to do and would then decide on priorities of programs. Mr. Haythorne asked why we did not receive more coverage. Mr. Gilchrist answered that the FCS controls this and the rules state that in this part Of Palm Beach County CATV would be entitled to carry 3 network stations, U I educational and 1 independant, which gives them 5 and we now offer 7 stations, and have been advised not to make any charges at this time. Workshop Meeting, April 27, 1972 Page 3 Don Kelly stated most of his questions were answered by Mr. Gilchrist but would like to pull in programs that have been blacked out. Mr. Gilchrist assured him that these were controlled by the Sports officials. He added that what it amounts to is that eventually it will come to "paid television" and that it would be here in a very short while, adding that Sports is big business. Mr. Kelly asked that the subscribers be notified if new channels were added to the Cable. Mr. Gilchrist assured him the subscribers would be notified. Harold Edwards stated he was the utterly frustrated man who called and could not get through on the telephone to CATV and eventually called Mr. Gilchrist, who then call Mr. Edwards at least 4 times that one day to try to assist. Mr. Gilchrist stated the Company has made plans for increased telephone service which would take a little time. He thanked the subscribers and appreciated the suggestions and will consider them as the CATV wants to serve the people. Councilman DeLonga stated that the communication was a main problem and that the service was not reliable and there were two alternatives; "number one if we are not receiving reliable service the people can either cancel their subscriptions or perhaps the Council should take action to revoke the franchise if the service doesn?t improve within a certain time, 30 -60 or 90 days. I think after a period of two years something should be done by the Council." Mr. Gilchrist asked that if complaints came to let him know, either through Mr. Carlson or individuals. He will keep the Council informed periodically. Mayor Wiley expressed thanks for the presentation and stated that this had been a very productive meeting. DISCUSSION Mayor Wiley asked Mr. Coleman, Director of Planning for the Kassuba OF THE KASSUBA CORP. PETITION Corporation to present a brief resume of the plans for the project. FOR REZONING FROM C -2 TO 2$r. Coleman stated that the cost of the project would be somewhere in the -4: r Workshop Meeting, April 27, 1972 Page 4 4g million dollars and that there would be approximately 478 units constructed and an adjacent shopping facility which would be mutually beneficial to the City. He offered to answer questions. Attorney Brant explained the difference between R -4 High Density and R -3 as taken from the Palm Beach Gardens Code. Mr. Schlaudecker expressed that he did not feel this was a desirable plan as there was no height limitation, sewage and water was a problem; it was not in keeping with the Long Range Plan and it would not benefit the Community and the City should not permit a change and the petition should be held in abeyance. Mrs. Mildred Peters stated that the Woman's Club would present their views next week. Seymour Fine felt that everyone should be treated equally and did not appreciate singling out a large corporation and giving them preference to build when an individual was not given this opportunity. 11-� Ed Schumacker stated his objection to the development ms the schools are overcrowded and there are adequate shopping areas close by and urged that the Council consider not bringing more people into the area and concern themselves of the welfare of the existing citizens. George Sunderland stated he owns a lot in the City and can't get a permit to build and asked Council to study the proposed plan also. Dr. T. Gerson could not understand why the petition was for R -4 zoning, why not R -3. He explained his situation regarding his application for a building permit just at the time the moratorium was established, and he is still waiting for the City to provide facilities in order to go ahead with his original plans. He felt that there was enough land zoned for apartments, and this new company, because it can provide sanitary facilitie of its own, can come in and build and did not feel this was fair, by lifting the building moratorium for this Company and not for anyone else. He objected to a zoning change and to the issuance of a building permit in Workshop Meeting, April 27, 1972 Page 5 the face of the building moratorium, and also felt it would be over- crowding the area. Mr. Bowdre, Chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals, read a letter which was sent to the members of the City Council from the Board objecting to the rezoning of the Kassuba Corporation property along I -95 and Northlake Blvd. and asked that all factors should be considered before making a decision on the zoning change. Mr. Raymond Royce, Attorney, representing Mr. Vincent Pappalardo, a property owner, expressed objection to the rezoning stating this would violate the master plan as prepared by Gerald Dake. "we don't object purely on competition but because the door would be left wide open for other developers to seek the same thing. you would use up most of the commercial property already zoned as such if you continue to change to residential." He felt that this would be unfair to the small property owner and the other citizens who have complied with the ordinances and would be creating a precedence if this rezoning were permitted. He suggested this matter go back to the master planner for over all study of what is exactly proposed here and find out why PUD wouldn't be appropriate here, and why all of a sudden an individually owned sewage treatment plant was not acceptable before. He felt that this was hastily conceived and submitted that it has not received half of the scrutiny that was given to other projects. In behalf of Mr. and Mrs. Pappalardo he requested that this be referred to Mr. Dake or others for further study. Mr. Allen Bregman felt that his views were covered well by Attorney Royce and others and also suggested further evaluation. Mayor Wiley announced that other additional comments would be heard at the Public Hearing Thursday, May 4, 1972. Councilman DeLonga commented that;the audience should not presume that the Council has made up its mind on the subject and to my knowledge no one on Workshop Meeting, April 27, 1972 Page 6 the Council has. He asked for consideration when discussing the petition,, on the overcrowding of the schools and that some efforts should be directed to the neighboring communities. He stated that in the letter It from the Division of Health they indicated that:This particular parcel of land is outside the certificated area of Palm Beach Gardens and this has a very direct bearing on the subject at hand. Mr. Carlson had contacted the Utility Company and we find that they feel this parcel is within the certified area of Palm Beach Gardens." He would like this point cleared prior to the Public Hearing. He stated that as long as he had been a member of the Council no member had been brought under undo pressure either in favor or against any particular party, no secret meetings, and everything has always been out in the open. This petition is not something that came on suddenly and has been taken up with the Planning and Zoning Commission and also a prior discussion was held at the City Council Meeting in the past month. � Councilman Dunbar asked that Mr. Carlson check out on the building permits pending, one of which was given an ok to go ahead with an onsight sewage plant, Kassuba, and one which was refused. Mayor Wiley stated that he would accept any calls of either objecting or approving the proposed plan and that anyone could also call the City Hall to voice their opinion prior to the Public Hearing. Mr. Coleman of Kassuba Corporation will present plans and drawings at the Public Hearing. DISCUSSION Tom Schlaudecker gave a brief explanation of the proposed Sign Ordinance ON THE PROPOSED as prepared by the Beautification and Environmental Committee. 7N t0 — DINANCE: COMMENTS BY Attorney Royce representing the First National Bank and Mr. Pappalardo, AUDIENCE: presented a letter to the City Clerk from Mr. Carl Cassel objecting to the proposed ordinance. Mr. Royce felt this was a radical ordinance and unreasonable. He submitted that Council take a long look at this ordinance prior to adoption and refer it to a citizens committee as this Workshop Meeting, April 27, 1972 Page 7 proposal is going to hit the small individual business man hard and it should have better balance so that it protects the interests of all the people. Those coming up to the Council and making their objections to the proposed sign ordinance and agreeing with Attorney Royce's opinion were also; Harold Mass, Attorney for Holiday Inn, Mr. Gallagher, a businessman in Tanglewood Plaza, and Mr. Koster, owner of the meat marked in Tanglewood Plaza. Dr. Hathaway of the Beautification and Environmental Committee stated signs will be polluting the area if there are no restrictions now to control them. Mr. Pappalardo urged the Council to combine the Beautification and Environmental Committee with a like committee to work with them someone who would represent the people affected. Councilman DeLonga stated a committee for the sign ordinance amendments had been discussed at a previous meeting. Mayor Wiley deferred any further discussion of the proposed ordinance until the next Workshop Meeting. LIGHTHOUSE Fred Cunningham of the Palm Beach Gardens Planning and Zoning Commission DRIVES presented a brief resume of the proposed improvements to Lighthouse Drive across AlA to MacArthur Blvd. to correct the hazardous conditions existing now. These improvements will be discussed at a Workshop Meeting. SELF- SERVICE Mr. Carlson reported that he had been contacted by the U. S. Corps of POSTAL UNIT: Engineers regarding the installation of the Self Service Postal Unit. They recommended that Council reconsider the location site as they preferred the original site just north of the asphalt parking area near the tennis courts because of accessibility and visibility. Council approved the change on a motion by Councilman Orr seconded by Councilman Dunbar. At 10:55 P.M. Mayor Wiley was called home and turned the gavel over to Vice Mayor Kiedis to complete the meeting . Workshop Meeting, April 27, 1972 Page 8 CENTRAL A written report of changes to the plans for the Central Fire Station as FIRE STATION: presented by Architects Schwab and Twitty was reviewed by the Council. These changes are of no expense and do not require a change order. SHUFFLEBOARD A proposal from Mr, Munsell, Building Official, of the plans and CANOPIES: specifications for the shuffleboard canopies was reviewed. Mr. Munsell informed the Council that Mr. Howard Searcy, Engineer will give his final approval prior to the Council's acceptance. Council will take this up at a Workshop Meeting. BENCHES: Mr. Carlson informed the Council that seating for the recreation area of the first floor foyer will be pursued and benches will probably be constructed by the City at a lesser cost than outright purchase of concret benches. ITEMS BY THE COUNCIL: Councilman DeLonga asked if the doors for the equipment room were taken care of and Mr. Carlson assured him they had been corrected and that �✓ re- enforcing the doors would be projected. Mr. Carlson was requested to contact the Publix Shopping area merchants regarding the consideyrable amount of debris in the parking lot. Mr. Dukes was requested to meet with the Teens and then inform the Council of what the policy is for admittance to the teen rooms. ADJOURNMENT: Motion for adjournment by Councilman Orr seconded by Councilman Dunbar. Time for the record 11:50 P.M. Thelma Compton, CiXy Clerk U