08-06-2013 Regular Meeting City of Clermont
MINUTES
PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION
August 6, 2013
Page 1
The meeting of the Planning& Zoning Commission was called to order Tuesday August 6, 2013
at 7:00 p.m. by Chairman Nick Jones. Other members present were Harry Mason, Gail Ash,
Bernadette Dubuss, and Raymond Loyko. Also in attendance were Curt Henschel, Senior
Planner, Dan Mantzaris, City Attorney, and Rae Chidlow, Administrative Assistant.
MINUTES of the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting held July 2, 2013 were approved
as amended.
REPORTS
There were no reports.
1. REQUEST FOR CHANGE TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE
APPLICANT: Staff
REQUESTED ACTION: Request for Land Development Code amendments to Chapter 34,
Environment, Section 34-65 Exceptions; Chapter 98, Parking and Vehicular Use Areas, Section
98-3, Parking Spaces; Chapter 118 Vegetation, Section 118-2 Definitions; Section 118-35
Maintenance and Pruning; 118-36 Plant Material; Section 118-37 Landscape Buffers; Section
118-38 Vehicular Use Area, Interior Landscaping; and Section 118-71 Minimum Tree
Requirements.
City planner Curt Henschel presented the following staff report:
Staff recommends approval of Ordinance 2013-17, which includes updates to eight sections of
the Land Development Code.
These sections address mowing exemptions for parcels greater than three acres; elimination of
wheel stop requirements; definitions for excessively pruned, raising and shaping of trees;
specifications for palm sizes at planting; provisions to allow landscape buffers to slope up to 4:1;
increases in landscape buffer width between abutting properties and buffers adjacent to rights-of-
way; and tying tree requirements to lots' available landscape space.
Some of the proposed changes, such as the change in slope maximums, are in response to
variance requests approved by the City Council. Other proposed changes, such as those
addressing tree requirements on residential lots, are intended to update the code to better match
the number of required trees to the size of the available planting area on a property.
Commissioner Dubuss asked if the tree amendment will affect the current ordinance that is
specific to Kings Ridge.
City of Clermont
MINUTES
PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION
August 6, 2013
Page 2
City attorney Dan Mantzaris stated that this amendment will not change the language that is
specific to Kings Ridge. He stated that this amendment will help avoid creating codes specific to
a subdivision.
Commissioner Mason asked if Chapter 118 requires homeowners to have trees in their front
yards.
Mr. Henschel stated that the code does not require a tree in the front yard.
Commissioner Ash stated that not planting trees close to the driveways should be included in the
language because the roots break up the driveways as well.
Commissioner Mason asked why 60%of required canopy trees in parking lots must be live oaks.
Mr. Henschel stated that this code was created after the hurricanes. He stated that the city had
tree experts come out. He stated that at that time laurel oaks were the preferred tree because they
grow fast and tall. He stated that it was the majority of the laurel oaks that fell over due to the
hurricanes. He stated the expert was asked what the best tree is for longevity and the live oak
was the tree suggested.
Commissioner Gail Ash moved to recommend approval of the Land Development Amendments
as amended; seconded by Commissioner Bernadette Dubuss. The vote was unanimous to
recommend approval for the Land Development Code Amendments to City Council.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:34 .m.
A_� l
N'.%' "ones, Chairman/
ATTEST:
Rae Chidlow—Administrative Assistant