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THIS SPECIAL MEETING, COMMISSION WORKSHOP OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, DATED MONDAY, JANUARY 22ND, 2024, WILL NOW COME TO ORDER.LET'S SEE, WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF TOPICS TODAY. WE'VE GOT AMANDA.
THANK YOU. ITEM 1A ON THE AGENDA IS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE.
AMANDA, DO YOU WANT TO KICK US OFF?
>> DO WE WANT TO DO A ROLL CALL QUICKLY?
>>> I DON'T HAVE A ROLL CALL ON THIS AGENDA, BUT WE CAN DO THAT.
>> PRESENT. THANK YOU, LIDIA. OKAY.
[1.A. Comprehensive Plan Update]
>> OKAY. GOOD EVENING. AMANDA ASKEW, THE DIRECTOR OF PLANNING, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND BUILDING.
WE HAD A TOWN HALL MEETING AND THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE THAT CAME ON SATURDAY.
THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT AGAIN TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT THESE TOPICS.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND CHAPTER 24 UPDATES FOR A WHILE NOW.
WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE PUBLIC MEETINGS.
WE STARTED IN 2022 AND THEN HAVE HAD, AT LEAST, LET'S SEE, SIX OR SEVEN PUBLIC MEETINGS.
THE NEXT STEP IN THIS PROCESS IS WE'VE BEEN GATHERING PUBLIC INPUT AS TO WHAT PROPOSED CHANGES NEED TO HAPPEN.
THE NEXT FORMAL STEP IS WE WILL HAVE A RED LINE VERSION.
YOU HAVE A RED LINE VERSION IN YOUR PACKET TONIGHT.
IT'S ACTUALLY AN AGENDA LINK BECAUSE IT'S A LOT OF PAGES.
WE DIDN'T PRINT OUT PAGES UPON PAGES.
WE WILL TAKE THAT FORMALLY BEFORE THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BOARD.
THEY ARE A RECOMMENDING BODY, THEY WILL ACTUALLY TAKE A VOTE AT THAT MEETING.
THAT MEETING IS A PUBLIC MEETING AS WELL, SO THERE'S PUBLIC INPUT THAT CAN BE HELD AS PART OF THE PROCESS IN THERE.
THEN IT WILL COME BEFORE YOU AS AN ORDINANCE AND ORDINANCE FORMAT.
YOU REMEMBER, ALL ORDINANCES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS AND THE CONFERENCEVE PLAN REQUIRE TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS.
THERE ARE ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND WE WELCOME ANY ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK AS WE'RE GOING FORWARD.
I DIDN'T WANT PEOPLE TO THINK THAT THIS WAS THE END OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES.
BEFORE I GET DEEPER INTO THE PRESENTATION, WE DID HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY SPECIFICALLY, THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERING OPINIONS ON STORMWATER REGULATIONS, ON LOT COVERAGE, AND THE DEFINITION OF IMPERVIOUS.
IN THE SAKE OF TIME, STAFF IS RECOMMENDING TAKING THOSE ELEMENTS OUT AND REVISITING THOSE AT A LATER TIME.
SPECIFICALLY, WE WANT TO GET SOME ADDITIONAL EXPERTS ON BOARD TO ALLOW FOR SOME DEEPER DIVE IN LOOKING INTO THOSE ELEMENTS.
AGAIN, WE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY AND THERE'S DIFFERING OPINIONS ON THAT.
WE DO HAVE SOME REQUIREMENTS FROM THE STATE, BOTH ON THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND CHAPTER 24 THAT WE NEED TO GET BEFORE THE STATE IN ORDER TO BE COMPLIANT.
AS YOU RECALL, EVERY YEAR THE STATE LEGISLATURE MAKES CHANGES.
SOME OF THOSE AFFECT US IN DIFFERENT WAYS, AND THEY ARE AFFECTING OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND OUR LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS.
GO INTO OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
THERE IS A RED LINE TRACKING SHEET, A CHEAT SHEET, IF YOU WILL.
WE TRY TO DO THAT TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER. LET'S SEE.
I'M GOING TO PULL IT UP ON THE SCREEN SO THE PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE CAN SEE IT.
I WAS NOT VERY GOOD AT TOWN HALL.
I DID NOT MAKE THE SCREEN VERY BIG.
WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO MAKE THIS BIGGER.
A LOT OF PEOPLE AT HOME AND IN THE AUDIENCE ALREADY KNOW WHAT A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS.
BUT IT'S AN OVERALL DOCUMENT THAT WE USE TO GUIDE GROWTH IN THE CITY.
IT DOES HAVE GOALS, AND POLICIES, AND OBJECTIVES.
WE DID HEAR FROM THE TOWN HALL MEETING ON SATURDAY SOME CONCERN ABOUT THE WETLANDS AND THE MARSH BASELINE.
WE'LL BE ADDING A NEW POLICY IN OUR COASTAL CONSERVATION SECTION, WHICH IS SECTION D, TO ADDRESS THAT.
BUT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS MADE UP OF DIFFERENT CHAPTERS OR ELEMENTS. MULTIPLE CHAPTERS.
ONE THAT WE USE OUT OF THAT RELATES TO CHAPTER 24 PREDOMINANTLY IS THE FUTURE LAND USE ELEMENT.
WE ARE SHOWING YOU SPECIFICALLY WHAT POLICIES ARE CHANGING.
AGAIN, THIS IS A RED LINE CHEAT SHEET.
YOU CAN GO AND GO BACK TO THE CONFERENCEIVE PLAN, THE RED LINE VERSION AND SEE THIS SPECIFIC TEXT.
BUT I'M GOING TO HIT ON SOME OF THE HIGH POINTS FOR THE POLICIES.
ONE OF THE POLICIES THAT WE ARE PROPOSING TO CHANGE IS CHANGES INTENDED TO CLARIFY WHEN A 50 FOOT WETLAND BUFFER IS REQUIRED.
RIGHT NOW, THE LANGUAGE IS NOT VERY CLEAR SO WE ARE PROPOSING
[00:05:02]
SOME CLEAN UP LANGUAGE SO THAT IT WILL BE VERY CLEAR FOR STAFF AND FOR HOMEOWNERS AS WELL.WE DO HAVE A POLICY IN A TABLE RELATED TO THAT.
CHANGES IN 2020 DIDN'T REVIEW DUE TO COVID BEING REMOVED BECAUSE DOESN'T MATCH ZONING CODE INTENDED FOR DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS.
I'M GOING TO TRY TO SPEED THROUGH THESE BECAUSE IT IS A LITTLE BIT DRY.
SOME OF IT OVER HERE IN THIS COLUMN, WE DO HAVE THE POLICIES, AND THEN THESE ARE THE COMMENTS OF WHY WE'RE CHANGING.
YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THESE POLICIES ARE BEING CHANGED DUE TO STATE STATUTES.
THE ITEMS IN YELLOW ARE PRIMARILY ONES THAT PROBABLY GARNER THE MOST DISCUSSION IN THE ONES THAT WE SHOULD LOOK INTO MORE AND CHECK IN WITH THE COMMUNITY.
I'LL GO OVER THE HIGHLIGHTED ONES IN POLICY, AND AGAIN, THIS IS THE FUTURE LAND USE ELEMENT LANGUAGE ADDED IN THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT FOR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS.
AGAIN, WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MATCHING UP OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WITH CHAPTER 24 AND THEN THE UPDATES TO CHAPTER 24 WOULD BE RELATED TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
WE HAVE A TRANSPORTATION ELEMENT.
WE'RE RECOMMENDING SOME MINIMAL CLEAN UP LANGUAGE IN THE TRANSPORTATION ELEMENT.
SOME OF THEM, THE STATE'S LEVEL OF SERVICE STANDARDS FOR ROADS AND CITIES DON'T MATCH WHAT WE HAVE IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
WE JUST NEED SOME MINOR UPDATES TO THAT.
LET'S SEE. ADDING A COMPLETE STREET SECTION.
WE'RE ADDING THAT INTO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
WE TALK ABOUT COMPLETE STREETS.
WE DO HAVE OUR PEDESTRIAN BICYCLE CONNECTIVITY PLAN, SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S EMBEDDED IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
WE'RE NOT COMPLIANT WITH THE STATE STATUTE, SO WE ARE GOING TO BE UPDATING THAT TO BECOME COMPLIANT WITH THE STATE STATUTE AND OUR COASTAL CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT ELEMENT, SORRY, ABOUT THAT, THE MAIN FOCUS IN THERE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS LANGUAGE ADDED TO ENCOURAGE LAND CONSERVATION THROUGH ACQUISITION INCENTIVES AND LANGUAGE ADDED TO CONSIDER FLEXIBLE ZONING TOOLS TO ENCOURAGE LAND CONSERVATION.
SOME EXAMPLES OF THAT WOULD BE THE REALLOCATION OF DENSITY ON A SITE TO AVOID WETLANDS OR ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREA.
UNDER OUR RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE, WE ARE LOOKING AT CHANGING THE LEVEL OF SERVICE.
THE STATE HAS MINIMUM LEVELS OF SERVICE FOR MUNICIPALITIES REGARDING TRANSPORTATION AND ALSO RECREATION.
IT TALKS ABOUT HOW MANY PARKS YOU SHOULD HAVE PER BASED ON YOUR POPULATION.
IT TALKS ABOUT AMENITIES YOU SHOULD HAVE BASED ON YOUR POPULATION.
WE ARE CHANGING THAT TO BE MORE CONSISTENT WITH WHAT THE STATE RECOMMENDS.
WE ARE LOOKING AT, LET'S SEE, TIDE VIEWS, DUTTON AND RIVER BRANCH PRESERVE, THEY'RE CURRENTLY USED AS ACTIVE PARKS.
WE ARE JUST CLARIFYING THAT LANGUAGE, THAT THEY ARE MORE PASSIVE PARKS.
OUR HOUSING ELEMENT, WE NEED TO ADD A TOOL IN THERE, A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN POLICY TO ENCOURAGE SOME AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THAT'S OUR WORKFORCE HOUSING, OUR INTERGOVERNMENTAL ELEMENT.
MINOR CHANGES, AGAIN, TO BE CONSISTENT, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS ELEMENT.
THE MAJOR CHANGE IN THERE IS THE TABLE RELATED TO OUR BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL FIELDS.
THAT SEEMS TO BE A BIG THING THAT'S CARRYING OVER FROM OUR PARKS MASTER PLAN AS WELL.
OUR MINOR CHANGES TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOL FACILITIES ELEMENT.
WE TALKED ABOUT THIS ON SATURDAY IN THE TOWN HALL MEETING.
THERE'S A STATE REQUIREMENT FOR PROPERTY RIGHTS ELEMENT.
WE ARE JUST USING MODEL LANGUAGE FOR THAT ELEMENT, THE SAME LANGUAGE THAT MANY MUNICIPALITIES ARE USING.
I'LL ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE AND I CAN BRING UP THE ACTUAL DOCUMENT IF YOU WANT TO SPECIFICALLY LOOK AT THE RED LINE CHANGES TO THE CONFERENCE OF PLAN.
>> COMMISSIONER? YES, COMMISSIONER KELLY.
IF YOU'RE DELETING VOLLEYBALL, WHICH IS FINE.
CAN YOU ADD IN GATOR PARTS THE ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY THAT WE'RE PAYING MONEY TO BE MEMBERS OF?
>> MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY AND I THINK WE PAID FOR SOME EQUIPMENT AND THEY AGREED TO LET US [OVERLAPPING] OKAY.
>> I THOUGHT IT HAD TO DO WITH LANDSCAPING, SO INCLUDING NOT JUST MOWING BUT PLANTING. [OVERLAPPING]
IF IT'S MORE THAN THAT, THAT'S GREAT.
BUT IF WE'RE PAYING MONEY FOR IT, WE SHOULD LIST IT AS AN AVAILABLE PARK,
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ALBEIT WITH LIMITED HOURS. THAT'S FINE TOO.>> I THINK THERE WAS DEFINITELY, I KNOW ON THE LANDSCAPING, BUT I THINK THERE WAS SOME EQUIPMENT PURCHASED. [OVERLAPPING]
>> WE'VE BOUGHT STUFF LIKE FOR THE FRIENDS FOR SWINGS FOR FIRST GRADE AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
BUT THAT WAS MORE OUT OF THE RECREATION FUND THAN IT WAS POLICY.
>> OKAY. WELL, WE'LL WORK THAT INTO THE CONFERENCEIVE PLAN.
>> JUST A QUICK QUESTION. THE STATE OF FLORIDA RECOMMENDS SO MANY PARKS PER 1,000 I SAW 5,000 TO ONE?
>> THAT'S FOR BASEBALL FIELDS AND SUCH?
>> IT DOES GET SPECIFIC INTO THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF RECREATION USES.
PRIMARILY, THE STATE PUTS THOSE REQUIREMENTS IN THERE FOR COMMUNITIES THAT ARE EXPERIENCING EXTREME GROWTH, WHERE DEVELOPERS ARE COMING IN AND REDEVELOPING AND NOT DEVELOPING AND SAVING AREAS.
>> WHERE I WAS GOING WITH THAT, I'M SURE WE EXCEED THE MIDDLE.
>> WE DO IN SOME AREAS AND WE COULD USE SOME WORK IN SOME OTHER AREAS.
>> IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, IT IS BRIAN, HELP ME OUT. I CAN'T REMEMBER.
>> OKAY. THAT'S WHY YOU'RE ANIMATED.
OKAY. THE NUMBER OF PARKS WE HAVE, THE ACREAGE WE HAVE.
>> WE'RE A VERY WALKABLE COMMUNITY.
WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE PARKS EVERYWHERE DISPERSED THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY, AND THERE'S A PARK AVAILABLE.
>> OUR PARK DENSITY, I'M SURE, IS HIGHER THAN ANY BEACH CITY ALONG THE COAST HERE. OKAY. THANKS.
>> BUT WE HAVE PARKS THAT NEED TO BE ACTIVATED MORE?
>> SOME PARKS DEFINITELY IN THE PARKS MASTER PLAN, FOR EXAMPLE, JORDAN PARK COULD BE ACTIVATED.
WE DEFINITELY DON'T WANT TO ACTIVATE OUR PASSIVE PARKS THAT WERE THERE TO PRESERVE THE ENVIRONMENT.
BUT YES, WE CAN ACTIVATE OUR MORE ACTIVE PARKS.
>> I JUST WANTED TO GO BACK TO THE VERY FIRST POLICY, THE FUTURE LAND USE ELEMENT.
WE'RE DISCUSSING THE BUFFERS IN THE WETLAND.
>> YES, I WILL GET THAT HERE, I'LL READ YOU THE EXISTING AND TELL YOU WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING.
CURRENTLY, IT'S POLICY A.1.2.1, AND THEN IT'S (A) [LAUGHTER] SO KIND OF FUN.
WE ARE ADDING THE WORD JURISDICTIONAL WETLANDS IN THERE RIGHT NOW.
IT SAYS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS PLANT'S AMENDMENT, A MINIMUM NATURAL UPLAND BUFFER OF 50 FEET SHALL BE REQUIRED AND MAINTAINED BETWEEN DEVELOPED AREAS, AND THEN WE'RE ADDING THE WORD JURISDICTIONAL WETLANDS IN THERE.
PREVIOUSLY, IT SAID THE INTERCOASTAL WATERWAY, BUT THE JURISDICTIONAL WETLANDS CAPTURE, IN ESSENCE, BASICALLY THE INTERCOASTAL WATERWAY THERE, SO WE'RE MAKING IT MORE SPECIFIC AND I THINK EASIER TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT BUFFER IS 50 FEET BETWEEN THE UPLAND BUFFER AND THE JURISDICTIONAL WATER LANDS.
>> FROM THE WATER 50 FEET, NOTHING CAN BE BUILT?
>> WELL, THIS IS A POLICY, AND THEN THE POLICIES ARE CARRIED OUT IN CHAPTER 24.
THE POLICY IS SAYING THAT WE REALLY WANT TO PRESERVE THIS 50 FEET IN HERE.
NOW, YOU GET INTO CHAPTER 24, AND CHAPTER 24 DOES HAVE SOME AREAS, AND IT ALLOWS FOR PROPERTIES THAT HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED FOR A LONG TIME TO HAVE A LESSER BUFFER BECAUSE IT'S JUST NOT PRACTICAL, AND SOME LOTS TO HAVE A 50 FOOT BUFFER AND YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO BUILD ON IT AT ALL.
>> OKAY. THE BUFFER MEANS THAT THERE WOULD BE NO BUILD OF THE SOURCE?
>> YEAH, THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THE BUFFER IS SO THAT IT FILTERS WATER RUNOFF, STORM WATER, BEFORE IT GETS INTO THE INTERCOASTAL.
IT ALSO SERVES DURING STORM EVENTS, HOPEFULLY TO NEUTRALIZE SOME OF THE WAVE ACTION THAT COMES UP AS WELL.
IF YOU ARE UNDISTURBED AND YOU HAVE THE GRASSES AND THEY HAVEN'T BEEN CUT OR DEVELOPED, IT REALLY PRESERVES THAT.
>> WHEN YOU SAY WATER WETLAND JURISDICTION?
>> THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAVE A WETLAND'S MAP THAT WE USE, AND YOU TYPICALLY WILL HAVE IT ON A SURVEY IF YOU LIVE ON THE INTERCOASTAL, YOU WILL HAVE IT SURVEYED AND IT SHOWS YOU A LOT OF TIMES THE MEAN HIGH TIDE, AND THEN IT'LL SHOW YOU THE JURISDICTIONAL WETLANDS LINE.
THAT'S A MAP DONE BY ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERS AND THEY GO OUT AND THEY ACTUALLY SURVEY THE SOIL.
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YOU DETERMINE WETLANDS BY THE SOIL TYPE.THEY'LL TAKE SAMPLES AND THEN THEY WILL PLOT ON YOUR SURVEY AND ON A DATABASE WHERE THE WETLANDS ARE, SO IT'S THAT BUFFER IN THERE.
>> WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING TO DO IS ADD CLARIFYING WORDING IN THERE AND THAT SPECIFICALLY IS SAYING JURISDICTIONAL?
>> IT'S HARD BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE BEFORE AND AFTER TO LOOK AT.
>> YOUR JURISDICTIONAL IS NOT VERY CLEAR.
I'D LIKE TO UNPACK A FEW THINGS.
WHEN I HEAR JURISDICTIONAL, I THINK OF ST. JOHNS RIVER WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT.
BUT ASSUMING FROM WHAT YOU JUST SAID ON SOME OF OUR WETLANDS DETERMINATION ALONG THE INTERCOASTAL, THAT'S PROBABLY CORPS OF ENGINEERS?
>> WELL, IT ULTIMATELY THE ST. JOHN'S RIVER WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT IS INVOLVED AS WELL.
BUT HIGHER UP, THERE'S A WETLAND MAPPER TOOL THAT COMES FROM THE STATE THAT WE USE, SO IT IS STATE REGULATED AS WELL.
YOU'VE GOT IN THE ST. JOHN'S RIVER WATER MANAGE.
>> I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH ST. JOHN'S RIVER WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT.
WHAT MY INTEREST IS ON THIS IS THIS IS A GLOBAL APPLICATION TO INDIVIDUALLY OWNED LOTS AND LAND FOR DEVELOPMENT BY DEVELOPERS, CORRECT?
>> THIS IS A POLICY AND LET ME READ YOU THE POLICY BEFORE THIS.
IT SAYS, THE CITY SHALL PROTECT NATURAL WETLANDS AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS AS MAY BE IDENTIFIED ON MAP A2 AND MAP 4A OF THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP SERIES, OR AS MAY BE IDENTIFIED BY OTHER ACCEPTABLE ENVIRONMENTAL SURVEY METHODOLOGIES AND THEIR FUNCTIONS FROM ADVERSE IMPACTS OF DEVELOPMENT BY MAINTAINING THE FOLLOWING REQUIRED UPLAND BUFFERS BETWEEN WETLANDS AND ADJACENT DEVELOPMENT ARE AS SET FORTH AND ALSO IMPLEMENTED THROUGH THE LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS.
AGAIN, THIS IS A POLICY AND THEN WE IMPLEMENT THAT POLICY THROUGH OUR LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS.
>> TO FURTHER UNPACK THIS, THE QUESTION I WOULD HAVE AND BY THE WAY, IF I TALK ABOUT ST. JOHNS RIVER WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT IN THE FUTURE, I'LL JUST SAY THE DISTRICT BECAUSE I CAN'T KEEP SAYING THAT.
THE DISTRICT WE'RE GOING TO LOOK TO THE DISTRICT FOR GUIDANCE ON MUCH OR MOST OF THIS.
AND MY QUESTION IS HAS THE DISTRICT GONE TO RECOMMENDATION OF 50 FOOT BUFFERS ON WETLANDS VERSUS THE 25?
>> YES. IT'S A FAIRLY COMMON PRACTICE ALONG MUCH OF THE AREA IN THE ST. JOHN'S RIVER WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT TO HAVE A GOAL.
THIS IS NOT SET FORTH IN THE ACTUAL CHAPTER 24, BUT A GOAL OF THIS 50 FOOT UPLAND BUFFER.
THE REST OF THE POLICY THAT WE'RE NOT CHANGING THAT WAS IN THERE AFTER JURISDICTIONAL WETLANDS WOULD BE PERIOD.
THEN THERE'S A SENTENCE THAT'S IN THE CURRENT CONFERENCE OF PLAN AND WE'RE NOT PROPOSING ANY CHANGES THAT SAYS THE 50 FOOT UPLAND BUFFER SHALL BE MEASURED FROM THE ST. JOHN'S RIVER WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT OR FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION WETLAND JURISDICTIONAL LINE.
>> I DON'T WANT TO DRAG THIS OUT, BUT I WANT TO GO PUT EVERYONE ON NOTICE THAT I HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT THIS.
THAT'S A HUGE A DOUBLING OF THE WETLANDS BUFFER.
I'D LIKE TO HEAR MORE FROM ENVIRONMENTALISTS, PERHAPS FROM THE DISTRICT THEMSELVES, BEFORE I PUT MY SIGNATURE ON THIS, BECAUSE I START TO THINK IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DEVELOPING ACREAGE, THAT'S ONE THING.
YET, THERE'S LITTLE TO NO AREA.
THERE'S A FEW PIECES LEFT IN ATLANTIC BEACH ON ACREAGE.
THAT'S FOR A DEVELOPER TO DEAL WITH THAT.
BUT IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INDIVIDUAL LOTS, WHICH MIGHT BE INTERCOASTAL, MIGHT NOT BE, WE HAVE WETLANDS THAT ARE NOT INTERCOASTAL.
WHAT HAPPENS TO AN INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OWNER WHERE ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY'VE GOT 50 FEET OF ADDITIONAL BUFFER OVER AND BEYOND WHERE THE WETLANDS ARE, SO IT COULD IMPACT SEVERELY THE USE OF SOME PROPERTY?
>> IT DEFINITELY COULD, ALTHOUGH I WOULD ARGUE WE WOULD WANT TO PROTECT FUTURE DEVELOPMENT COMING IN.
WE DO HAVE SOME TRACKS OUT THERE CURRENTLY THAT ARE RATHER LARGE.
THEY'RE USED AS AUTOMOTIVE STORAGE THAT I THINK ONE DAY WILL BECOME DEVELOPMENT WHERE WE CAN IN THE FUTURE.
WE WOULD DEFINITELY RECOMMEND STAFF WOOD ON THIS 50 FOOT BUFFER AGAIN, MULTIPLE ENVIRONMENTS.
>> MY ASK IS BECAUSE WE'RE NOT VOTING ON ANYTHING TONIGHT, WE'RE LISTENING.
BUT BEFORE WE GET TO THE POINT OF VOTING, I'D LIKE TO REALLY LOOK AT THIS TWO WAYS.
THE IMPACT ON DEVELOPMENT OF ACREAGE, AND THE IMPACT ON DEVELOPMENT OR BUILDING ON EXISTING PLANTED LOTS.
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>> A QUESTION. DOES THAT MEAN HIGH TIDE? IS THAT WHERE THEY MEASURE THAT FROM?
>> NO, IT'S NOT NEARLY WHERE IT'S MEASURED FROM.
TYPICALLY, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT RAW LAND, IT'S THE AREA THAT GETS A LITTLE BIT WET AND THERE'S GRASSES ON THERE.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S DETERMINED BY THE SOIL TYPE AND IT MIGHT NOT LOOK LIKE IT'S WET, BUT IT IS UPLAND BUFF.
>> BECAUSE WHERE WE'RE GOING, YOU MAY HAVE 50 FEET IN TWO YEARS FROM NOW, YOU REALLY HAVE 25 FEET BECAUSE THERE'S A RATE OF CHANGE.
>> THAT'S FROM EROSION. BUT AGAIN, TO COMMENT ON WHAT AMANDA IS SAYING, IT IS REALLY A SOILS BASED ANALYSIS TO DETERMINE WETLANDS.
>> AMANDA, WITH THE 24-271 PROVISION THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT, IT SAYS, REVISED WETLAND PROTECTION REGULATIONS TO CLEARLY STATE WHAT BUFFERS ARE REQUIRED AND WHAT IS ALLOWED, NOT ALLOWED, IN WETLANDS AND BUFFERS.
WHAT IS THE SPECIFIC THINGS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING TO ALLOW AND NOT ALLOW?
>> CERTAINLY, THAT GETS INTO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS? > SURE.
>> ON THE WETLAND REGULATIONS IN BOTH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND CHAPTER 24? CURRENTLY, THE LANGUAGE TALKS ABOUT TRIBUTARIES.
THERE'S A 50 FOOT BUFFER FROM WETLANDS ALONG TRIBUTARIES, STREAMS, AND OTHER WATER BODIES CONNECTED TO THE INTERCOASTAL WATERWAY.
OVER TIME, THAT'S LED TO A LOT OF INTERPRETATION ISSUES AND DEBATES.
FOR EXAMPLE, EL PRESERVE, THAT WAS A BIG ISSUE.
WE WERE PROPOSING INSTEAD OF JUST ALONG TRIBUTARIES CONNECTED TO THE INTERCOASTAL WATERWAY, THAT 50 FOOT BUFFER IS REQUIRED FOR ALL JURISDICTIONAL WETLANDS.
THAT TAKES OUT THE ISSUE OF IS IT CONNECTED TO THE INTERCOASTAL WATERWAY? BECAUSE YOU COULD DEBATE THAT SHERMAN CREEK IS CONNECTED, BUT IT STILL LEAVES IN THE EXEMPTION FOR LOTS PLOTTED BEFORE 2002 WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH EVERY MOST LOTS ALONG THE WETLANDS.
THAT'S WHERE THE CLARIFICATION COMING IN.
>> IT SAYS RIGHT NOW 25 FEET, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, DAVE?
>> YEAH. BOTH SAY A 50 FOOT BUFFER, EXCEPT FOR LOTS PLATTED BEFORE 2002.
IT'S A 25 FOOT BUFFER, WHICH IS MOST LOTS IN THE CITY.
>> CAN I TAKE FROM THAT THAT WE ALREADY HAVE ESTABLISHED 50 FOOT BUFFER ALONG THE INTERCOASTAL?
>> YEAH, THE 50 FOOT IS ALREADY IN THERE.
>> YES. IF IT WAS PLATTED, WHICH YOU HAD PLENTY THAT WASN'T PLATTED IN 2002 ALONG THE INTERCOASTAL.
>> MOST WERE PLATTED BEFORE 2002.
THERE'S JUST A COUPLE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WERE PLOTTED AFTERWARDS.
>> I'M NOT THINKING ABOUT NEIGHBORHOODS SO MUCH, I'M TALKING ABOUT UNDEVELOPED RAW LAND ACREAGE AND THERE'S ONLY A LITTLE BIT LEFT AND AGAIN, WE KNOW THE TRACKS.
I THINK WE'VE WORKED TO DEATH.
I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT MAPS OF OUR WETLANDS IN THE CITY, SO PERHAPS WE COULD DO A REVIEW OF THAT.
>> STILL HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT THE SECTION ON CONSERVATION AND COASTAL MANAGEMENT.
IS THERE A WAY FOR US OR IS IT APPROPRIATE FOR US TO INCLUDE OUR COMMITMENT TO RESILIENCY AND SEA LEVEL RISE ASPECTS TO IMPROVING PROPERTY?
>> WE CAN STRENGTHEN THE LANGUAGE THAT'S ALREADY IN THERE, IT'S SPRINKLED IN THROUGHOUT SEVERAL DIFFERENT POLICIES, BUT WE CAN MAKE ONE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE REGARDING THAT AND MAKE IT STRONGER IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE THAT.
>> I KNOW OF SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO WOULD DEFINITELY SECOND THAT MOTION.
>> ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. AMANDA, WE'RE GOOD WITH THAT PIECE.
>> I WILL SHARE THE TRACKING SHEET FOR THE CHAPTER 24 UPDATES.
[1.B. Chapter 24 (Land Development Regulations) Update]
[00:25:05]
AGAIN, REMEMBER THE CHAPTER 24 PRIMARILY COMES FROM THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.THAT'S HOW YOU ENACT GOALS AND POLICIES OUT OF YOUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
THE GREEN IS STATE REQUIREMENTS.
SINCE WE DID TAKE OUT ANYTHING TO DO WITH STORM WATER OR LOT COVERAGE AND JUST GOING THROUGH THE CODE, IT DID REQUIRE US TO RENUMBER SOME SECTIONS.
THE BLUE REALLY IS EITHER WE'RE REMOVING IT BECAUSE IT'S REDUNDANT OR REPLACING IT IN A DIFFERENT SECTION OF THE CODE.
IT LOOKS LIKE A LOT OF RED LINE.
REMEMBER IF YOU'VE LOOKED AT IT, IT'S SCARY SOMETIMES AND THE REASON IT IS IS BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT UPDATED CHAPTER 24 SINCE 2019.
WE PRIMARILY HAVE NOT UPDATED IT BECAUSE IT IS CURRENTLY A LARGE UNDERTAKING BECAUSE WE DO HAVE TO ADVERTISE AND BASICALLY MAIL EVERYONE A NOTICE IN THE MAIL THAT GETS COSTLY AND IT TAKES A LOT OF STAFF TIME.
THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE PROPOSING TO REMOVE OUT OF THIS.
I KNOW IT WAS A BIG CONCERN AND IT WAS PUT IN THE CODE SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE PEOPLE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF ANY CHANGES.
IT HAS SLOWED DOWN ANY CHANGES TO THE CODES BUT REMEMBER ALL CODES GO THROUGH MULTIPLE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
THIS WILL EVEN GO BEFORE THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BOARD.
AGAIN, THEY MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO COMMISSION.
IT GOES THROUGH TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS OR TWO ORDINANCE READS AT COMMISSION.
AS STAFF, WHAT WE WORKED WITH, AND I'VE CHECKED AND THIS IS POSSIBLE WE ARE GOING TO CREATE ON OUR WEB PAGE IN ORDER TO MAKE IT EASY FOR PEOPLE TO FIND ANY POTENTIAL CHANGES TO LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS OR CHAPTER 24 A BUTTON OR A TAB SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THE AGENDAS OR SEARCH.
YOU COULD GO TO THAT ONE TAB AND YOU CAN SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING COMING UP REGARDING ANY CHANGES.
WE ALSO WELCOME ANY SUGGESTIONS.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED REGARDING CHANGES.
>> JUST A QUICK QUESTION, MAYBE I SHOULD ASK KEVIN THIS.
HOW MANY ATLANTIC BEACH EMAIL ADDRESSES DO WE HAVE FOR THE CITY?
>> WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GETTING THE WORD OUT.
>> I'M KEVIN HOGAN, CAMP DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, 9,000 OR SO.
>> I KNOW THIS IS A TOUGH QUESTION BUT WHAT PERCENTAGE DO YOU THINK THAT COVERS A FAMILY UNIT IN ATLANTIC BEACH?
I'LL TRY TO GIVE THE COMMISSION TO THE CITY MANAGER A REPORT ANSWERING THAT.
>> BECAUSE YOU'RE TRYING TO SAVE MONEY HERE BY THE MAILINGS THAT MAY BE ALONG WITH YOUR WEB PAGE, ETC.
>> THIS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHY WE WANT TO GET RID OF THE REQUIREMENT TO DO MAIL.
SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, MAYBE SIX MONTHS AGO, WE HAD SOME CITIZENS THAT WANTED TO CHANGE AND LOOK AT RVS AND BOATS AND WHERE THEY WERE STORED.
NORMALLY, THIS WOULD GO THROUGH THE PUBLIC VETTING PROCESS AND THEN COME BEFORE YOU.
HOWEVER, BECAUSE RV AND BOAT IS IN THE DEFINITION SECTION OF CHAPTER 24, AND IF WE WERE CHANGING THAT, WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO MAIL EVERYBODY LETTERS WITHIN THE ENTIRE CITY.
BUT IN CHAPTER 24, THE DEFINITION SECTION, WE ARE ADDING SOME DEFINITIONS.
AGAIN, WE ARE MOSTLY CLARIFYING THINGS AT STAFF WHEN WE GO THROUGH TECHNOLOGY CHANGES AND WE LOOK AT THE CODES IN DEPTH.
SOMETIMES WE REALIZE THAT WE NEED TO UPDATE THINGS.
SOME OF THE DEFINITIONS ARE BEING UPDATED AS A RESULT OF SOME CODE ENFORCEMENT THINGS.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE STRONG LANGUAGE OR CLARIFYING LANGUAGE SPECIFICALLY SO THAT WE CAN SAY YOU'RE VIOLATING X, Y, AND Z A MULTIFAMILY UNIT IS DEFINED AS SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR DEFINITIONS ARE UPDATED.
WE'RE UPDATING THE DEFINITION SECTION.
THE OTHER THING WE ARE DOING IS, I THINK THIS WAS BROUGHT UP IN 24-49.
WE ARE CLARIFYING THE PROCESS OF WHAT WAIVERS GO TO.
LET ME GET TO THAT SECTION I'LL READ YOU THE LANGUAGE.
I THINK COMMISSION WAS CONCERNED ABOUT MAKING SURE EVERYONE HAS DUE PROCESS.
CURRENTLY, ONLY CERTAIN THINGS GO TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BOARD AND MOST ITEMS IN CHAPTER 24, IF YOU HAVE A DEVIATION, GO TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BOARD.
YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE WAIVERS? THE WAIVERS DO GO BEFORE COMMISSION.
[00:30:15]
THE BIG CHANGE IN THERE IS, LET'S SEE 24 APPEALS.APPEALS CURRENTLY HAD TO BE SCHEDULED WITHIN 10 DAYS OF HEARING THAT WE HAD AN APPLICATION.
THAT'S JUST NOT POSSIBLE SOMETIMES THE WAY THE CODES READ AND GETTING MEETINGS SCHEDULED SO WE'RE REMOVING THAT 10-DAY REQUIREMENT IN THERE.
LET'S SEE. SPECIAL MEETING WITH COMMISSIONS.
SUBSECTION 2451, THAT WAS THE BIG ONE THAT I'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THE MAILERS.
>> AMANDA, HOW MUCH MONEY DO WE SPEND A YEAR, ON AVERAGE OR LAST YEAR?
>> WELL, WE NEVER DID THE MAILERS LAST YEAR, BUT ON AVERAGE THEY'RE AROUND 4,000.
WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO- [OVERLAPPING]
>> FOUR THOUSAND A YEAR OR EACH TIME?
>> EACH TIME. WE WANT TO MAKE IT ONE CHANGE.
>> BUT LAST YEAR IN 2023, WE DIDN'T [OVERLAPPING].
>> WE DID NOT MAKE ANY CHANGES TO CHAPTER 24 IN 2023 SO WE DID NOT SPEND THAT AMOUNT FOR ADVERTISING ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM.
>> WHAT ABOUT THE YEAR BEFORE?
>> NO, WE HAD IT IN THE BUDGET AND WE DID NOT DO CHANGES IN 2022.
>> WE HAVEN'T SPENT IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS ON ANY MAILERS?
>> NO BECAUSE IT HASN'T BEEN READY TO COME BEFORE YOU.
>> BECAUSE YOU WERE REVISING IT ALL IN ONE LUMP?
>> YES. I HAVE PUT IT IN THE BUDGET, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT PREMATURELY.
HOPEFULLY IN THE BUDGET THAT MONEY WASN'T SPENT.
IF THAT MONEY ISN'T SPENT, IT GOES BACK INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
>> EVERY YEAR YOU PUT 4,000 IN THE BUDGET?
>> YEAH, THAT PARTICULAR LINE ITEM, IT ALSO COVERS COSTS WITH REGULAR VARIANCES AND USED BY EXCEPTIONS.
WE HAVE TO STILL PUT THEM IN THE NEWSPAPER, WE SEND OUT THE LETTERS.
>> I ALSO NOTICED YOU DO SIGNAGE.
WE DO DO SIGNS FOR [OVERLAPPING].
>> YES. THE ADVERTISING REQUIREMENT REQUIRES SIGNS IN PEOPLE'S FRONT YARDS HIGHLY VISIBLE IF IT'S A CORNER LOT.
SOMETIMES WE'LL PUT A SIGN ON EACH SIDE ALSO THAT MONEY IN THE BUDGET AND GETTING THE WORD OUT.
WE MAIL ALL PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN 300 FEET A NOTICE OF THE HEARING.
THAT'S FOR VARIANCES AND USE BY EXCEPTIONS AND WAIVERS AS WELL.
MOST THINGS THAT ARE SITE-SPECIFIC TO ONE PARCEL OR ONE ADDRESS, YOU'RE GOING TO GET NOTIFIED VIA MAIL.
THERE'S ALREADY A SIGN IN THE YARD AND WE PUT IT IN THE NEWSPAPER IN BEACHES LEADER BUT I CAN TELL YOU MOST PEOPLE THAT CONTACT ME SAY THEY'VE EITHER SEEN THE SIGN AND THEY'VE SEEN IT IN BEACHES LEADER.
IN AN EFFORT TO TRY TO GET THE WORD OUT EVEN MORE ON THE SIGNS, WE'VE BEEN PUTTING THE QR CODES SO PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO CALL US AT THE CITY AND SAY WHAT'S GOING ON AT THIS ADDRESS.
THE QR CODE TAKES YOU RIGHT TO THE APPLICATION SO THAT FOLKS CAN FIGURE IT OUT.
AGAIN, WE WANT TO BE TRANSPARENT AND GET THE WORD OUT ON ANYTHING THAT'S GOING ON RELATED TO CHAPTER 24.
>> CAN I ASK A QUICK QUESTION? THE OTHER DAY, I THOUGHT I SAW CHANGES IN THE MINIMUM HOME SIZE BASED ON ZONING.
CURRENTLY, WE HAVE SOME MINIMUM HOME SIZES IN OUR CODES.
WE ARE LOOKING TO REDUCE THOSE, AND THE REASON WHY WE WANT TO REDUCE THEM IS MULTIPLE.
ONE, IT'S LESS OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT ON THE PROPERTY.
TWO, IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE AFFORDABLE, A SMALLER HOUSE.
THEN IT ALSO GIVES YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY WHEN DESIGNING, YOU CAN PLACE THAT HOUSE.
CURRENTLY, WE HAVE THE MINIMUM LIVING AREAS.
CURRENTLY, A SINGLE FAMILY HOME IN OUR CODE HAS TO HAVE A MINIMUM LIVING AREA OF 1,000 SQUARE FEET.
A TWO-FAMILY IS 900 SQUARE FEET, AND A MULTIFAMILY IS 480-990.
WE ARE LOOKING AT REDUCING THOSE SO THAT AGAIN, YOU COULD BUILD A SMALLER HOUSE.
HOUSING PRICES KEEP ESCALATING THE COST OF CONSTRUCTION AGAIN, AND POTENTIALLY A SMALLER FOOTPRINT IF YOU DESIRE.
YOU WOULDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO, BUT THIS GIVES YOU THE OPTION TO BUILD A SMALLER HOUSE ON A PROPERTY.
>> YOU PROBABLY WOULD UNDERSTAND THAT I'M ALL
[00:35:01]
FOR CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT FOR MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.I DO HAVE A CONCERN THAT THERE ARE SOME COMMUNITIES WHERE THE HOUSING IS MUCH LARGER THAN THE NEW NUMBERS.
I WONDER WHAT THE IMPACT IS ON PROPERTY VALUES IN THOSE COMMUNITIES IF ALL OF A SUDDEN SOME TINY HOMES ARE PUT IN.
SOME OF OUR COMMUNITIES HAVE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS.
SOME OF THOSE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS DO REGULATE MINIMUM SIZES, AND THEY ACTUALLY CAN REGULATE THE LOOK OF YOUR HOUSE.
BUT IN OUR TRADITIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD WITHOUT A HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, WE ARE PROPOSING TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO BUILD SMALLER HOUSES.
>> THAT'S FINE, AND THANK YOU FOR TRYING TO TACKLE THAT.
I AM ALSO CURIOUS IN THE ANALYSIS TO GET TO WHERE WE ARE ON THE PROPOSED CHANGES IN THE REDUCED MINIMUM SQUARE FOOTAGE.
ARE WE USING SOME SUCCESS STORIES IN OTHER CITIES, OR ARE WE BLAZING A NEW TRAIL ALONG THIS?
>> NO. PLANNERS, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT WE'RE VERY CREATIVE.
WE GO TO THE INDUSTRY STANDARDS.
THE AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION, A LOT OF TIMES, HAS MODEL ORDINANCES.
OFTENTIMES, WHEN WE'RE CREATING ORDINANCES OR LOOKING AT CODES, WE LOOK AT CITIES WITH SIMILAR SIZES, SIMILAR DEMANDS, AND SEE WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND WHAT WORKS.
I'D LIKE TO SAY WE COULD TAKE CREDIT FOR THAT, BUT WE'RE NOT.
>> [INAUDIBLE] PACKET 24-65(A), ADDING LOT STANDARDS TO THE VARIANCE SECTION.
I KNOW YOU STARTED TALKING ABOUT THAT.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN THOSE CHANGES?
IN THAT SECTION 24-65, WE HAVE LANGUAGE IN THERE AND IT SAYS WHAT YOU BASICALLY CAN APPLY FOR A VARIANCE.
THE EXISTING CODE SAYS A FEW THINGS.
WE ALSO WANT TO CLARIFY THAT, IN ADDITION TO WHAT YOU CAN APPLY FOR BECAUSE WE ASKED THIS SPECIFIC QUESTION, THE ABILITY IN THE VARIANCE SECTION TO BE MORE CLEAR WITH LOT WIDTH, LOT DEPTH PROVIDED THAT THE APPLICABLE DENSITY IS MET AND THEN ADD CLARITY TO THE HEIGHT OF ACCESSORY STRUCTURES.
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE CURRENTLY ALREADY AUTHORIZED.
IT'S NOT IN THE CODE, THIS WOULD JUST FURTHER CLARIFY FOR THE USER THAT THEY COULD POTENTIALLY ASK FOR A VARIANCE ON THAT.
WE ALSO WANT TO CLARIFY WHAT'S NOT AUTHORIZED TO APPLY FOR BECAUSE WE GET ASKED SPECIFICALLY.
IT'S EASIER AS STAFF IF WE'RE CONSISTENT AND WE HAVE MODEL LANGUAGE YOU CAN JUST GO TO AND POINT.
BUT SPECIFICALLY, VARIANCES ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM HEIGHT OF THE PRINCIPAL BUILDINGS, INCREASE RESIDENTIAL DENSITY BEYOND THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, MODIFY THE PERMITTED OR PROHIBITED USES, DEVIATE OR GRANT RELIEF FROM THE SUBDIVISION AND SITE IMPROVEMENT REGULATIONS, OR DEVIATE OR GRANT FROM THE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS OF A SPECIAL PLANNED AREA.
WE'RE TRYING TO CLARIFY THAT LANGUAGE.
I HIT ON THIS. SOME OF THE OTHER CHANGES THAT ARE PROPOSED, THAT ARE NOTEWORTHY ARE IN OUR COMMERCIAL ZONING DISTRICTS, REDUCING THE REQUIRED FRONT YARD SETBACK IN THOSE AREAS AND BRINGING THE BUILDINGS CLOSER TO THE STREET.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT STAFF IS LOOKING AT, TRYING TO CREATE A MORE PEDESTRIAN ENVIRONMENT THAT'S MORE FRIENDLY, AND ALSO IN THE COMMERCIAL-AREA-RELATED LANDSCAPING THAT WOULD REQUIRE LANDSCAPING TO BE ADDED THROUGHOUT PARKING LOTS.
WE ALREADY HAVE LANDSCAPING REQUIREMENTS NOW.
THEY'RE NOT VERY SPECIFIC AND REQUIRING THOSE PARKING ISLANDS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PARKING LOT.
ONE PARTICULAR CODE CHANGE THAT WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT AND THINK IT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IS LOOKING AT THE INCREASING THE FENCE HEIGHT BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL.
RIGHT NOW, THE CODE SAYS IF A COMMERCIAL BUILDING COMES IN AND THEY'RE ADJACENT TO RESIDENTIAL, THEY HAVE TO HAVE A MINIMUM OF EIGHT FEET.
HOWEVER, IF THE HOMEOWNER LIVES ADJACENT TO A COMMERCIAL THAT'S BEEN THERE FOREVER, THE HOMEOWNER IS LIMITED TO SIX FEET.
WE ARE PROPOSING A CHANGE THAT WOULD ALLOW ANY RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY THAT ABUTS COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TO HAVE AN EIGHT-FOOT FENCE.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE GET ASKED QUITE FREQUENTLY,
[00:40:02]
AND I HAVE TO TELL THEM NO.IT FEELS A LITTLE AWKWARD TO SAY NO TO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
>> WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE MINIMUM LOT SIZE, DID YOU SAY WHAT IT WAS BEING BUMPED UP TO OR LOWERED TO? SORRY.
LET ME SEE WHAT SECTION, 24-81.
WE ARE PROPOSING TO DELETE A LARGE PORTION OF THIS SECTION, DELETE EVERYTHING IN THIS CODE REGARDING THE MINIMUM SIZES.
THEN WE ARE NOT PROPOSING ANY OTHER SIZES THAT YOU HAVE TO MEET.
>> YOU WOULDN'T HAVE, THERE IS NO MINIMUM SIZE.
>> LET'S SEE WHAT OTHER NOTEWORTHY THINGS.
WE ARE LOOKING AT STRENGTHENING AND REVISING THE COMMERCIAL DRIVEWAY STANDARDS.
I KNOW ON SATURDAY, I SHOWED A COUPLE OF SLIDES.
[BACKGROUND] [LAUGHTER] RIGHT NOW WE HAVE SOME VERY LAX STANDARDS IN COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS, AND WE HAVE BASICALLY NOTHING BUT A BIG DRIVEWAY.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT WHERE THE CHOCOLATE SHOP IS OVER HERE AT THE CORNER OF SEMINOLE IN ATLANTIC, IT IS DANGEROUS.
SO WE ARE PROPOSING TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF ACCESS POINTS ON COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES.
OF COURSE, REMEMBER A LOT OF THESE CODES DON'T COME INTO EFFECT UNTIL THE PROPERTY IS REDEVELOPED.
MOST PROPERTY OWNERS ARE GRANDFATHERED IN UNTIL SUCH TIME THAT THEY REDEVELOPED AND THEN THEY WOULD COME INTO THE NEW STANDARDS FOR TODAY.
>> YOU SHARED THIS AT THE TOWN HALL MEETING AND MULTIPLE EXAMPLES THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY.
THAT CHOCOLATE SHOP RIGHT THERE ON SEMINOLE, IT'S GOING TO STAY AS IS.
I DO SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AS FAR AS THE SAFETY HAZARD AS PEDESTRIANS ARE TRYING TO WALK THROUGH, AND YOU HAVE CARS CUTTING IN AND YOU HAVE CARS BACKING UP.
YOU'RE SAYING NO CHANGES WILL BE REQUIRED UNTIL THAT PARTICULAR PROPERTY OR ANY OF THE OTHER ONES WOULD LOOK TO REDEVELOP THAT AREA.
>> THAT'S CORRECT. TYPICALLY, THAT'S HOW YOU WRITE MOST CODES, OR YOU PUT A SUNSET DATE IN THE CODE THAT BY X YEAR, YOU HAVE TO DO THAT.
COMMERCIAL PROPERTY IS VERY EXPENSIVE.
I THINK THEY WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO MAKE THEM COME INTO COMPLIANCE RIGHT AWAY, BUT AS THEY REDEVELOP, WE WANT TO MAKE IT SAFER.
>> [LAUGHTER] A TEMPORARY POD ARE THOSE STORAGE UNITS THAT ARE DELIVERED TO YOUR HOME.
>> PODS. YES, IF YOU'RE REDOING YOUR FLOORING, YOU MIGHT STORE YOUR FURNITURE IN THERE.
WE DO HAVE LIMITATIONS ON HOW LONG YOU CAN HAVE ONE IN YOUR YARD.
WE DON'T WANT YOU TO HAVE IT OUT THERE FOR A YEAR, IT BECOMES A NUISANCE ISSUE. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
>> I DID HAVE ONE OTHER CODE RELATED, IT'S SIMILAR TO CHAPTER 24.
IT'S RIGHT NEXT TO IT, IT'S CHAPTER 23.
I KNOW ESC HAS MADE SEVERAL RECOMMENDATIONS IN CHAPTER 23 WANTING SOME UPDATES.
NORMALLY, THEY ARE RECOMMENDING BODY, BUT BEFORE WE BRING YOU AN ORDINANCE FORM, WE JUST WANTED TO GET THIS OUT THERE, YOU GUYS TO MARINATE AND THINK ON IT, BUT THEY'RE PRETTY MINOR CHANGES.
BUT SPECIFICALLY THEY'RE LOOKING AT ALLOWING TREE FUND MONEY, WHICH IS 24, 14, TO ALLOW THE TREES TO BE PLANTED IN PEOPLE'S BACKYARDS.
RIGHT NOW, TREES PLANTED OR THE FUND MONEY, THESE TREES CAN ONLY BE PLANTED IN PEOPLE'S FRONT YARDS.
ULTIMATELY, WE'RE LOOKING TO ESTABLISH OUR TREE CANOPY.
SOMETIMES OUR FRONT YARDS ARE VERY SMALL, YOU HAVE A DRIVEWAY, AND THERE'S NOT AS MANY OPPORTUNITY TO PLANT TREES, WHEREAS IN THE REAR YARD YOU TEND TO HAVE MORE AREAS TO PLANT TREES.
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR A CODE CHANGE FOR THAT.
THEY'RE ALSO LOOKING AND RECOMMENDING CHANGES TO PROTECT THE DRIP ZONE UNDERNEATH THE TREE.
[00:45:02]
WHEN YOU SEE CONSTRUCTION, A LOT OF TIMES YOU'LL SEE SOME ORANGE FENCING OR SOME BLACK FENCING, IT'S THE ROOT PROTECTION ZONE.WE DO ON TIGHT CONSTRUCTION SITES, SEE EQUIPMENT AND PEOPLE PARK THERE AND MATERIALS STORED THERE, SO THEY REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT AREA IS PROTECTED.
RIGHT NOW, IT'S MINIMAL, IT'S ONLY SIX FEET.
INCREASING THAT REQUIREMENT FOR A LARGER ROOT PROTECTION ZONE, AND THEN PROPOSED CHANGES TO SEE WHAT ELSE ARE WE DOING.
THE WAY THE MEMBERSHIP IS RIGHT NOW.
CURRENTLY, THIS BOARD IS MADE UP OF PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT DISTRICTS, WHICH IS GREAT.
YOU REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY, HOWEVER, SOMETIMES IT'S DIFFICULT TO FIND PEOPLE FROM ALL DISTRICTS.
THEY ARE STILL RECOMMENDING TO HAVE REPRESENTATION FROM EACH DISTRICT.
THEY'RE RECOMMENDING THAT FOUR MEMBERS WOULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH A VOTING DISTRICT, AND THEN THERE WOULD BE SEVEN AT LARGE MEMBERS.
OFTENTIMES, WE FIND THAT WE HAVE A VACANCY IN A DISTRICT AND CAN'T FILL THAT VACANCY AND THIS WOULD ALLOW SOME FLEXIBILITY ON THAT.
I KNOW THEY HAVE COME UP WITH A BUDGET, A BUDGET FOR HOW THE TREE FUNDS WOULD BE USED.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY ARE GOING TO LOOK AT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, THEY'VE DISCUSSED IT.
BUT YOU WILL BE SEEING THESE RECOMMENDATIONS COME TO YOU IN ORDINANCE FORMAT.
WE JUST WANTED TO GET YOU THINKING ABOUT THESE AND GET ANY THOUGHTS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE ON THEM.
>> AMANDA, ARE THERE ANY OPENINGS ON THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BOARD?
>> YES, I BELIEVE WE HAVE ONE OPENING.
I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S DISTRICT RELATED OR NOT. WE CAN FIND OUT THOUGH.
>> THANK YOU, AMANDA. LADECIA,
[2. PUBLIC COMMENT]
DO WE HAVE PEOPLE SIGNED IN TO SPEAK?>> GO AHEAD AND CALL THAT PERSON.
WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME.
IF WE ONLY HAVE ONE, IT CAN TAKE FIVE MINUTES.
BUT WE DO HAVE A COMMISSION MEETING STARTING AT 6:30, SO GO AHEAD.
I HAVE A DOCUMENT FOR EACH OF YOU.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, COMMISSION, STAFF.
I PLAN TO SPEAK AT THE COMMISSION MEETING AS WELL.
I'VE HANDED YOU THE LONG AWAITED POSITION PAPER FROM ATLANTIC BEACH PRESERVATION OF WHICH I'M A CO-CHAIR.
WE HAVE SEVERAL OF OUR MEMBERS HERE.
THE OTHER CO-CHAIR IS SUZANNE BAKER.
OUR PRIMARY FOCUS WITH THIS PAPER IS ADDRESSING THE IMPERVIOUS SURFACE RATIO OR THE ISR, WHICH WE UNDERSTAND IS NOT GOING TO BE ADDRESSED IN THE LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATION UPDATE.
BUT WE FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO TELL YOU HOW WE FEEL ABOUT THIS.
I WANT TO JUST ECHO WHAT AMANDA SAID ABOUT THE TOWN HALL ON SATURDAY.
IT WAS AN EXCELLENT FORUM FOR PEOPLE TO SPEAK.
THEY SPOKE WITH A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION.
I DO HOPE THAT YOU ADD AN ELEMENT TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO ADDRESS MARSH SIDE PROTECTION.
THERE MAY BE SOME CONFUSION FROM THAT TOWN HALL ABOUT THE LOPSIDED NATURE OF OUR APPROACH TO DUNE PROTECTION VERSUS MARSH PROTECTION.
DUNE PROTECTION IS HANDLED BY THE FEDS PRIMARILY, SO THAT IS A MUCH LARGER FUNDING SOURCE THAN WHAT WE WOULD HAVE HERE IN ATLANTIC BEACH, BUT I DO THINK THE POINT IS WELL TAKEN AND THE EASIEST FIRST STEP IS TO ADD IT.
ON SATURDAY, THE STAFF ANNOUNCED PROMINENTLY THAT THERE WOULD BE A DELAY ON ADJUSTING IMPERVIOUS SURFACE RATIO AND STORMWATER CHANGES TO CHAPTER 24.
THAT MAKES SENSE. THAT'S IN FACT, WHAT HAPPENED BACK IN 2019 WHEN WE DID A DOWNWARD ADJUSTMENT OF THE ISR TO 45% FOR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.
WE DID IT AFTER A STORM WATER MASTER PLAN UPDATE.
I DO WANT TO COMMEND STAFF FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK ON THAT, BUT I WILL SAY THAT WHEN WE REDUCED IT TO 45% SPEAKING OF PROPERTY VALUES, THEY CERTAINLY HAVE NOT SUFFERED IN ATLANTIC BEACH.
IN FACT, THEY PROBABLY TRIPLED SINCE THAT TIME, SO I THINK THAT'S A RED HERRING OF AN ARGUMENT.
[00:50:04]
BUT I WILL SAY THAT WE REALLY DON'T NEED A CONSULTANT TO TELL US THAT MORE IMPERVIOUS SURFACE IS GOING TO CAUSE MORE RUNOFF.BUT WE DON'T REALLY NEED A STUDY TO TELL US THAT OUR DRAINAGE SYSTEMS WERE NOT DESIGNED TO HANDLE THIS AMOUNT OF RUNOFF.
WE DON'T REALLY NEED A CONSULTANT TO SHOW US MODELING THAT WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN.
OUR GROUP BELIEVES THAT WE SHOULD NOT ALLOW ANY ADDITIONAL IMPERVIOUS SURFACE RUNOFF.
WE DON'T THINK YOU REALLY NEED TO WAIT TO MAKE A COMMITMENT TO DO THAT.
WE THINK YOU NEED TO CONSIDER BOTH THE QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF RUNOFF BECAUSE OF ALL THE STUFF PEOPLE ARE PUTTING IN THEIR YARDS, THE HERBICIDES, PESTICIDES, OTHER THINGS THAT ARE NOT GOOD FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT.
WE IN FACT THINK YOU SHOULD CONSIDER GOING BACK TO THE GOOD OLD DAYS WHEN IT WAS 35% AND WE WERE A QUAINT SMALL TOWN THAT WASN'T INTERRUPTED BLOCK BY BLOCK DEVELOPMENT OF HOUSES THAT ARE LOT TO LOT WITH NO GREEN SPACE.
WE DO BELIEVE THAT YOU SHOULD CONSIDER SCIENCE BASED SOLUTIONS AND CREDITS FOR PERMEABLE MATERIALS, TREES, AND GREEN SPACE, AND TO INCLUDE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
WE MET WITH ENGINEERS, WE MET WITH STAFF.
THEY PRETTY MUCH TOLD US THE SAME THING.
NOW, I REALIZE THERE'S A PRIVATE PROPERTY ELEMENT TO THIS, BUT ATLANTIC BEACH IS MUCH MORE THAN THAT.
THE REASON PEOPLE MOVE HERE IS BECAUSE OF OUR SMALL TOWN NATURE, OUR FRIENDLY PEOPLE.
IN FACT, OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND THE VISION OF ATLANTIC BEACH, SPEAK PRECISELY TO WHAT ATLANTIC BEACH PRESERVATION IS ALL ABOUT.
THEN FINALLY, I WILL SAY THAT WE DO BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD MAINTAIN COMPLIANCE AND THE CHEATERS THROUGH GREATER ENFORCEMENT.
WE LEARNED FROM ENGINEERS THAT SOME OF THE PAVERS DO HAVE INFILTRATION RATES THAT MIGHT DESERVE CREDIT, SO WE ARE GOOD WITH THE SCIENCE ON THAT.
WE'RE GOOD WITH GIVING CREDITS FOR PAVERS TOWARD THE TOTAL ISR.
WE'RE GOOD WITH MAYBE SOME CREDITS FOR POOLS EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW THEY ARE IMPERVIOUS, BUT THEY THAT TOP FREE BOARD CAN RETAIN SOME WATER, SO WE'RE NOT TOTALLY CLOSED MINDED TO THAT.
WE ALSO THINK THAT THE CITY SHOULD SET A GOOD EXAMPLE WITH ANY INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IT INSTALLS, THAT IT ALSO BE MADE OF PERMEABLE MATERIALS.
WITH THAT SAID, I HOPE YOU WILL TAKE A LOOK AT THIS POSITION PAPER.
WE DON'T THINK YOU NEED TO WAIT TO COMMIT TO NOT ADD MORE IMPERVIOUS SURFACE.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO SEE THE ARTIST EXHIBIT AT THE ADELE GRAGE CULTURAL CENTER WHICH IS ENTITLED VANISHING ATLANTIC BEACH.
IT WAS THE MOST WELL ATTENDED EXHIBIT I'VE BEEN TO IN THE LAST SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS, WHICH SPEAKS TO HOW MANY PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT OUR SPECIAL HOME.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE ELSE SIGNED IN, BUT WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO SPEAK? IF NOT HERE, WE'LL HAVE OPPORTUNITY AT THE NEXT MEETING.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY ADDITIONAL BUSINESS ON THIS, ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? IF NO, I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR PARTICIPATING IN SIX MINUTES.
WE'LL RECONVENE FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED JOURNEY.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.