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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 08-13-2008PLANNING & ZONING BOARD MEETING MINUTES AUGUST 13, 2008 A Regular Meeting of the Planning & Zoning Board was held on August 13, 2008, at the City Hall Annex, 111 Polk Avenue, Cape Canaveral, Florida. Chairperson Bea McNeely called the meeting to order at 7:33 p.m. The Secretary called the roll. MEMBERS PRESENT Bea McNeely John Fredrickson Donald Dunn Harry Pearson John Johanson Ronald Friedman MEMBERS ABSENT Lamar Russell OTHERS PRESENT Chairperson 1 st Alternate 2nd Alternate Vice Chairperson Kate Latorre Assistant city Attorney Barry Brown Planning & Development Director Susan Chapman Board Secretary The Board members and audience congratulated and applauded Kate Latorre for her success in being Board certified by the Florida Bar in city, County, and Local Government Law. NEW BUSINESS 1. Approval of Meeting Minutes: July 9 2008. Motion by Harry Pearson, seconded by Bea McNeely, to approve the meeting minutes of July 9, 2008. Vote on the motion carried unanimously. 2. Recommendation to Ci!y Council Re: Resolution No. 2008-01 - Establishinj a New Meeting Time of 7:00 .m. for Regularly Scheduled Plannin-g & Zoning Board Meetin s. Motion by Donald Dunn, seconded by Harry Pearson, to recommend approval of Resolution 2008-01, changing the meeting time from 7:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Vote on the motion carried unanimously. Planning & Zoning Board Meeting Minutes August 13, 2008 Page 2 3. Discussion Re: Hotels. John Johanson advised that the City's Business and cultural Development Board performed a survey, with the University of central Florida, in 2006. one of the survey questions asked what the citizens would like to see less of. The results indicated that those uses were: porn shops, tattoo parlors, adult entertainment, hotels, and condominiums. He noted that the number of hotels had substantially increased over the past few years; the growth of the Port and increase of tourism at the Port was protruding into the city; since residents who participated in the survey did not support more hotels, maybe it was time to support the citizens and encourage types of businesses that they need and want; otherwise, the city is just going to continue supporting the Port and ignoring its citizens. He asked the Board to consider not allowing any more hotels to be built in Cape Canaveral. He asked the members to be realistic and open minded in considering this issue. He explained that if an existing hotel has the room to expand or if a new hotel project was already in the works, then those would be reasonable. He stated that the hotels did not serve the citizens; to continue allowing more and more hotels to be built would be a disservice to the citizens of Cape Canaveral. Chairperson McNeely stated that it would be very drastic if the Board recommended that the city not allow any more hotels. She advised that two hotels were built since the new hotel ordinance, and she believed that the proposed hotel that was presented by Mr. Porter met the requirements of that code. She suggested that the members consider how if they wanted the hotel ordinance to be changed, or if they wanted to ban hotels. She explained that the City has certain zones, within those zones were certain allowable uses; there may be problems when the City does not allow a certain use that has been allowed before, which may be consider a taking. She voiced her concern that there may be a property owner that has held onto their property planning to build a hotel on it when it was economically feasible, and for the City to say no they can't have a hotel would not be very fair. She advised that the City worked very hard and long hours, with a lot of thought and discussions, to write the ordinance and she was going to defend it because, there was nothing wrong with the hotels that have already been built. She disagreed that the hotels did not support local businesses. She noted that the city was becoming a tourist city and over 50% of residential units were rentals. Harry Pearson disagreed that the hotels did not support the City. He explained that office type businesses only supported themselves, hotels benefited the other businesses. Planning & Zoning Board Meeting Minutes August 13, 2008 Page 3 Ron Friedman advised that there was another hotel project in the works at Puerto Del Rio. He advised that they will be proposing a zoning change for a 150 unit hotel on five acres, including a stand alone building on an out parcel for a restaurant. He commented that before the Board even considers changing the codes, he would like to see a detailed report as to what impact more hotels or not having more hotels would have. He agreed that the guests of the hotels did support local businesses. Harry Pearson requested to see statistics, rather than consider someone's idea. He did not agree that hotels do not support local businesses, because some of the citizens who five in the City are employed by the hotels and local businesses that the hotels support. He agreed with Ron Friedman that there should be a survey performed to find out what the impact is and see how much business the hotels were providing. He further requested that the Board be provided an overall plan for the entire city, including: condominiums, hotels, office buildings, etc. Barry Brown, Planning & Development Director, advised that he and his staff, Susan Chapman, were not in the position to perform hotel economic impact studies. He suggested that as a group, the members may want to talk to a local economic development council or a tourist development council that could provide them certain numbers that may be germane to their discussion. He commented that when they go through their visioning sessions, which should start sometime in October, they could look at some of the issues, in total, at that time. Donald Dunn advised that the city has a lot of rental units and condominiums which the citizens who participated in the survey did not want any more of those either. He questioned if the Board should consider not allowing any more of them being built. He voiced his opinion that he did not see a reason to change the codes, unless there was a problem they were trying to resolve. Chairperson McNeely asked John Johanson if he could find out what the economic impact is for a hotel. Donald Dunn suggested that the next hotel project provide an economic impact study, since they may have already performed one or they wouldn't build it. Ron Friedman suggested asking the Business and Cultural Development Board if they have any information. Barry Brown offered that staff could provide the members with a list of various agencies that may have the information. He informed the members that the Business and Cultural Development Board would be meeting on August 20th. Planning & Zoning Board Meeting Minutes August 13, 2008 Page 4 John Fredrickson inquired if the Board could recommend a moratorium on hotels for the City to perform a study on this issue. Kate Latorre, Assistant Cit Attorney, advised that a moratorium would be appropriate for the City to perform a formai study on this issue. Chairperson McNeely gave a recap of the discussion. She advised that the Cit needed to have a visioning session regarding what the City wants. Joyce Hamilton, citizen, stated that it is important for the city to provide family oriented businesses to bring families into the City. Ray Osborne, citizen, commented that if the City looks at what it already has, identified which uses support it, then it may give the Board a vision of its future. OPEN DISCUSSION No discussion was held. There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 5:35p .m. W e,)L", Beam Irpefson Susan L. Chapman, ecretary