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04-13-1993 Regular Meeting CITY OF CLERMONT MINUTES REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING APRIL 13, 1993 A Regular Meeting of the City Council of the City of Clermont was held Tuesday, April 13, 1993 in the Council Chambers. The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by Mayor Pool with the following Council Members present: Council Member Turville, Council Member Cole, Council Member Ivey, and Council Member Norquist. Other City Officials present were City Manager Saunders, City Attorney Baird, and Deputy City Clerk Whitlock. INVOCATION The Invocation was offered by Council Member Ivey followed by the repeating of The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag by all present. MINUTES The minutes of_the Regular Meeting held March 23, 1993 and Workshop Meeting held March 25, 1993 were approved as presented. CITY MANAGER SAUNDERS' REPORT Workshop Meeting City Manager Saunders suggested scheduling a Workshop Meeting for April 20, 1993 at 7:00 p.m. Council Members agreed to this time. Polling Place Agreement Emogene Stegel, Supervisor of Elections for Lake County has requested an agreement for Jenkins Auditorium as a polling place for elections to be held in 1994. 93-048 A motion was made by Council Member Ivey, seconded by Council Member Cole, and carried unanimously to approve the agreement for Jenkins Auditorium as a polling place for 1994 elections. CITY OF CLERMONT MINUTES REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING APRIL 13, 1993 PAGE 2 1993 F.S.R.A. State Championship Regatta Mr. Martyn Dennis, President of the Florida Scholastic Rowing Association, on behalf of the high schools in the F.S.R.A. has requested permission to use the Jaycee Beach facility for the 1993 F.S.R.A. State Championship Regatta to be held May 9, 1993. The have agreed to provide portable toilets, rent a dumpster, and clean up the beach area before leaving. The Clermont Chamber of Commerce has also requested permission to provide concessions for this event. 93-04 A motion was made by Council Member Norquist, seconded by Council Member Turville, and carried unanimously to approve use of Jaycee Beach area to the Florida Scholastic Rowing Association for the May_ 9, 1993 F.S.R.A. State Championship Regatta, and approve the Clermont Chamber of Commerce to provide concessions for the event. South Lake Press 80th Year Edition (April 28) City Manager Saunders stated the South Lake Press is requesting area cities and businesses to place an ad congratulating the South Lake Press for serving South Lake County for 80 years. 93-050 A motion was made by Council Member Turville, seconded by Council Member Cole, and carried unanimously to approve a half-page ad in the South Lake Press for $106 containing useful information to citizens. MAYOR POOL'S REPORT Mayor Pool congratulated the Chamber of Commerce and the local merchants for the successful Springfest. He also thanked the Beautification Committee and City crews for the plantings in the area. CITY OF CLERMONT MINUTES REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING APRIL 13, 1993 PAGE 3 VISITORS WITH BUSINESS Clyde & Toni Plummer Variance Requests City Manager Saunders explained that two variances are being requested by the Plummers for 955 W. Minnehaha Avenue. They wish to enclose the carport which would place the west wall 7' from the existing property line instead of the required 7.5' setback. A small portion of the existing house to the south of the carport is 7'. The Council has in the past granted a variance which extends an encroachment, but does not increase the encroachment, and staff does not object to a setback variance needed to enclose the carport. A second variance is requested for relief of the requirement of two off-street parking spaces. The applicants will be losing one parking space with the enclosure of the carport, leaving a single-wide driveway 33' long. City Code requires two parking spaces that are 10' x 20', which can be placed behind each other. Staff opposes the parking space variance request in that it is necessary to have a minimum of two spaces to keep the right-of-way clear and eliminate as much on-street parking as possible. Mayor Pool advised that the variance requests require a Quasi-Judicial hearing, and that all those people wishing to speak in favor of, or opposition to the request should be sworn in. Clyde Plummer, 953 W. Minnehaha Avenue, Clermont, and Amy Moss, 955 Minnehaha Avenue, Clermont were sworn in by Deputy City Clerk Whitlock. Mayor Pool opened the public heating, and invited those in favor or opposition of the requests to speak. Clyde Plummer stated he would like to enclose the existing carport to match with the rest of the home. They are not using the carport for parking at the present because it is being used for storage. Enclosing the carport would improve the appearance. Mr. Plummer stated there is a drainage problem in the area and if he is required to put in additional paving, it would increase the problem. He would like to use mulch if an additional space is required. Amy Moss stated that enclosing the carport would enhance the appearance and she was in favor of the variance. CITY OF CLERMONT MINUTES REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING APRIL 13, 1993 PAGE 4 Mayor Pool closed the' public hearing. 93-051 A motion was made by Council Member Ivey to grant the variance with the stipulation that a second parking space of mulch or pine bark be constructed. The motion died for lack of a second. Council Member Ivey stated that variances have been granted in the past to day care centers and churches to allow mulch parking and it would be arbitrary to deny this variance. Council Member Norquist stated that the day care centers that were granted variances were given time limits so as to conform with Conditional Use Permits. Council Member Turville stated there was no hardship and it would be arbitrary to grant a parking variance without changing the ordinance. 93-052 A motion was made by Council Member Turville, seconded by Council Member Norquist, and carried four to one, with Council Member Ivey_ voting nay_ to grant a variance for a 7' setback to allow enclosing the carport, but deny the parking space requirement variance. Mr. Plummer was informed that the Land Development Regulations Committee is considering alternative forms of pavement such as interlocking bricks, updating the Ordinance which may be approved in about six months. City Manager Saunders also stated that they are aware of the drainage problem in this area and he has asked the City Engineer to inspect the area. OLD BUSINESS 'Ordinance 277-C changing the meeting time of Planning & Zoning Commission Mayor Pool stated that Ordinance 277-C would change the meeting time of the Planning and Zoning Commission from 7:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. He read the Ordinance by title only and opened the public heating. No one spoke in favor of or opposition to Ordinance 277-C and Mayor Pool closed the public heating. ]53 A motion was made by Council Member Cole, seconded by Council Member Norquist, and carried unanimously to adopt Ordinance 277-C. CITY OF CLERMONT MINUTES REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING APRIL 13, 1993 PAGE 5 NEW BUSINESS Introduction of Ordinance 250-M closing a portion of Knapp Street Mayor Pool read Ordinance 250-M by title only and stated the ordinance was for introduction only. City Manager Saunders explained that the ordinance would close and abandon the portion of Knapp Street lying south of Lakeshore Drive up to the waters edge of Lake Minnehaha. The majority of the property along the lake was closed several years ago and transferred to the upland property owners. Closing a portion of a street requires that the property be deeded to the adjacent property owners, not upland property owners. The history of other properties in this area will be reviewed later. 93-054 A motion was made by Council Member Norquist and seconded by Council Member Ivey to introduce Ordinance 250-M. Community Development Block Grant Queen Simmons of Fred Fox Enterprises stated that 11 homes have been completed and 2 are under construction of the required 24 homes under the Community Development Block Grant. She stated that the Citizens Advisory Task Force had reviewed bids received April 12 and have determined that more homes can be rehabilitated than previously believed because of new, low-cost participants. They are recommending 8 of the bids received on April 12 be approved, as follows: Low Bid Low Bidder 1. Buddy and Betty Beverly 12,762 Tallon/Biczek 952 W. Montrose 2. Louise Lockhart 17,119 Tallon/Biczek 447 E. DeSoto 3. Gloria Jones 10,682 Tallon/Biczek 940 School Street CITY OF CLERMONT MINUTES REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING APRIL 13, 1993 PAGE 6 4. Willie Thompson 8,926 Tallon/Biczek 615 DeSoto Street '5. Annie L. Shuman 13,596 Tallon/Biczek 550 E. Highlands 6. Louise & Victoria Range 5,026 Tallon/Biczek 624 Bloxham Ave. 7. Johnny Jones 8,495 Tallon/Biczek 960 School Street 8. Mary Boney 12,049 Tallon/Biczek 749 E. Minneola Avenue Ms. Simmons stated three previously received bids were also recommended for approval, as follows: 1. Rebecca Anderson 25,600 558 Highlands Avenue Donle Enterprises 2. Willie Mae Simmons 24,390 1018 School Street Donle Enterprises 3. Lonnie Staton 25,060 760 E. Juniata Donle Enterprises The committee also recommended that two homes be replaced, as follows: Addie Sullivan 657 W. Pitt Street 2. Jacob Odom 364 Chestnut CITY OF CLERMONT MINUTES REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING APRIL 13, 1993 PAGE 7 93-055 A motion was made by Council Member Ivey, seconded by Council Member Cole, and unanimously carried to approve bids on the 11 above- listed homes, and approve the two abbve-listed replacement homes. Property Acquisitions City Manager Saunders reviewed the two sites considered for purchase, as follows: The American Aluminum site located on 12th Street is available at a price of $75,000. The property is approximately one acre and is located on 333 North 12th Street. It is adjacent to the City owned West Beach recreation property which would allow expansion of this area for additional recreational purposes. 2. The second parcel is Bill's Junkyard located on Minneola Avenue totaling approximately 2.26 acres with a selling price of $160,000. It is zoned R-3 residential which would allow for single-family, multi-family, or professional offices. The property could be used for Iow income housing. Purchase of this property would allow the City to eliminate an undesirable use in this area which can continue under its grandfather status unless it is not in operation for 12 months. The business has been abandoned for, approximately 5 months. An initial environmental assessment has been conducted on the American Aluminum site. The junk yard possibly has enough materials that can be sold that would pay for' the clean up of the site. There are approximately 60 cars on the property worth about $100 each. There is also steel that can be sold which is located on the property. The tires will cost about $.60 each in disposal costs. Council Members Turville and Ivey stated they wanted a utilization plan for the junk yard property before considering it for purchase. Council Member Norquist stated that small offices with storages in back would be appropriate for the area, but eliminating a junk yard in the City is an important goal. He stated that there are other parties wanting to purchase the property, and a decision should be made at this meeting. CITY OF CLERMONT MINUTES REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING APRH. 13, 1993 PAGE 8 93-056 A motion was made by Council Member Ivey_, seconded by Council Member Cole, and carried unanimously to approve the purchase of the All American Aluminum Installations property_ on 12th Street for $75,000. City Attorney Baird suggested that an offer to purchase can be made on the junk yard property subject to Council's approval of a Phase I Environmental Assessment. 93-057 A motion was made by Council Member Norquist, seconded by Council Member Pool (who turned the gavel over to Mayor Pro Tem Turville), and carried unanimously to enter into a contract with Peoples State Bank to purchase the Junk Yard Property. on Minneola Avenue for $160,000 subject to Council's final approval after receiving a Phase I Environmental Audit of the property_. Project Approval City Manager Saunders stated that the City Public Works crews have recently competed a sidewalk extension on 12th Street from the Palaflakaha Recreation Area north for approximately 150'. The sidewalk now ends adjacent to the Emerald Lakes Mobile Home Park at the north which has a very narrow grass path which leads to Emerald Lakes Drive. Authorization is requested to continue this sidewalk project to the north for approximately 200' to Emerald Lakes Drive which would terminate across the street from. the sidewalk now existing which leads to the shopping center. A 3 to 4' high retaining wall will be necessary for approximately 175' adjacent to the mobile home park property due to the narrow width of the remaining right-of-way in this area and the steep slope leading to the mobile home park. City crews will be able to construct the sidewalk, but a block mason will need to be hired to construct the retaining wall. Heavy pedestrian traffic in this area necessitates the need for the sidewalk for the safety of the pedestrians. Money is available in the current year sidewalk budget for this sidewalk extension. New sealants are available to apply to concrete block that will enable graffiti removal. CITY OF CLERMONT MINUTES REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING APRIL 13, 1993 PAGE 9 93-058 A motion was made by Council Member Ivey_, seconded by Council Member Turville, and carried unanimously to approve the 200' sidewalk extension. City Manager Saunders stated that a total of $8,000 was included in this year's budget for the paving of the parking lot adjacent to the softball field at Palatlakaha Recreation Area. The area has been utilized as grass parking since the park was built. This lot is full at many times during the baseball and softball season which runs from February through June. The lot is also heavily used in the fall for football and soccer seasons. The grass in this area has been difficult to maintain which has created a constant erosion problem which requires constant maintenance. 3-059 A motion was'made by Council Member Cole, seconded by Council Member Norquist, and carried unanimously to approve the request for bids for the Palatlakaha Recreation ,4 rea parking lot paving. There being no further business or discussion, the meeting adjourned at 9:00 p.m. Attest: an Zile/e~C~ Clerk