10.15.2024 - City Council MinutesCity of Clermont
MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP
October 15, 2024
CALL TO ORDER
The City Council met in a workshop session on Tuesday, October 15, 2024 in the Clermont City
Council Chambers. Mayor Murry called the workshop to order at 6:30 pm with the following
Council Members present: Council Members Howard, Pines, and Gonzalez.
Absent: Council Member Myers.
Other City officials present were City Manager Bulthuis, City Attorney Mantzaris, and City Clerk
Howe.
AGENDA ITEMS
1. Lake Apopka Natural Gas District Presentation
Brent Haywood, General Manager/CEO of Lake Apopka Natural Gas District presented a
PowerPoint presentation regarding a new initiative to bring natural gas to the communities in a
more vigorous effort. The Energy Choice Initiative is a movement to ensure residents the right to
choose their energy needs. Developers in the Electrification Movement are proposing moving to
an all -electric, single source model that eliminates the use of natural gas and natural gas products.
Mr. Haywood spoke about the cost of electrification and a community's right to choose between
natural gas and electric.
Lake Apopka Natural Gas District has met with Lake County and several surrounding cities
regarding their initiative and passing a natural gas installation ordinance to make natural gas
available to new developments. The ordinance has passed in Apopka and in first reading in Winter
Garden.
Mayor Murry invited the public to speak. There were no comments.
Council Member Howard inquired on Lake Apopka Natural Gas' plan to fulfill the need for natural
gas in current neighborhoods.
Mr. Haywood stated that there are three -parts to this initiative. The first part is the ordinance to
provide the right to choose in new developments, the second is to increase the budget to expand
into existing neighborhoods and the third is overall education.
Discussion ensued regarding Apopka and Winter Gardens ordinances and the differences. Council
reviewed language that they were comfortable with and came to a consensus of requiring a
development within 1,000 feet of a main gas line to offer natural gas to those homes.
Mr. Haywood spoke about the incentives offered to developers to install gas in new homes.
City Attorney Mantzaris informed Council that he would draft an ordinance to bring before
Council.
1
City of Clermont
MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP
October 15, 2024
2. Zoning Discussion
City Manager Bulthuis stated that this discussion is an opportunity for Council to speak with City
Attorney Mantzaris and ultimately provide staff with direction on zoning issues that have come to
him from different Council Members.
City Attorney Mantzaris spoke on how the City Code works. He reviewed three zoning related
matters that typically come before Council, rezoning, planned unit developments, and conditional
use permits.
Discussion moved to The Clermont West project. The city is in receipt of an appeal from the
applicant to Councils denial under the state statute. The applicant's reason for appeal is that
Councils decision did not support substantial competent evidence. City Attorney Mantzaris went
through the steps of the process, which includes city staff working to come back to Council with
a result for approval.
City Attorney Mantzaris opened the discussion to Council. He stated he has heard some issues
regarding particular uses, how the city may be able to move forward with restricting certain uses
to a particular area or limit certain types of uses. If the number of a particular use is restricted,
make sure the use is uniquely different from something similar.
Council Member Howard said that from a city standpoint we should be trying to maximize the ad
valorem tax as well. Some of the projects approved by Conditional Use Permit are not maximizing
the ad valorem or the improvement of development for that area. Council needs to be aware of
bringing in as much value as possible to each of those properties for our residents.
City Attorney Mantzaris explained that there is a concept that can create overlay districts that focus
uses in a particular area that Council feels are better for non-residential, commercial development
that would create economic development zones, employment zones that ultimately lead to higher
ad valorem taxes. Within those districts, the city can limit uses that do not fit the design.
Council Member Gonzalez spoke about form -based codes and asked to implement them into the
City's Comprehensive Plan.
City Attorney Mantzaris stated that the city has mixed -use zoning within the code, which falls
within what form -based code is. The trend is moving in that direction, to create retail centers and
make better use of an area.
Council Member Pines gave the example of Wellness Way being a base of form -based code.
Discussion ensued on how form -based code would look in older areas of the city.
Council Member Howard stated that he would agree to have a discussion regarding form -based
code but would like to focus on building ad valorem tax, being more commercial and walker
friendly. He stated that Hooks Street would be a good area to be commercial and walker friendly.
2
City of Clermont
MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP
October 15, 2024
Council Member Howard would also like a discussion regarding removal of impact fees for infill
zoning in specific areas.
City Attorney Mantzaris explained there are certain reasons to waive impact fees. The city can
offer credits to encourage development, and existing lots that were developed at some point in the
last 100 years and are now redeveloped get credit and do not pay impact fees.
Mayor Murry asked about the property at Lakeshore and 12a' Street that has been in the building
process for years along with the property on Desoto with the same issue.
Development Services Director Henschel stated that per the Florida Building Code an applicant
has six months to request an inspection, which then provides them another six months. These
properties have dragged out the permitting process. The permits are now expired and Code
Enforcement will be moving forward with code action.
City Manager Bulthuis brought up the topic of chickens within the city limits.
Discussion ensued among Council regarding the number of chickens per household, requiring a
permit, where chicken pens are located, selling the eggs and having this as a trial or moving
forward indefinitely. Consensus from Council was for five chickens per household.
City staff stated that any Home Owners Association would override the city's ordinance. Staff will
move forward with an Ordinance to present to Council.
City Manager Bulthuis informed Council that there are several billboards within the city and the
companies have asked to switch to electronic
Development Services Director Henschel stated that the companies have said that if they move to
electronic they would reduce the billboard locations by half. Current code prohibits billboards
unless grandfathered in.
City Attorney Mantzaris explained that if Council moves forward with allowing the electronic
billboards, the code would need to be changed. Council consensus was to leave the billboards as
is.
Council Member Gonzalez spoke about golf carts within the city.
Deputy City Manager Davidoff talked about splitting the city into quadrants and the different
issues within the quadrants. Some issues are crossing major roads and not being able to use roads
where the posted speed limit is higher than 35 MPH. Discussion ensued on being able to cross
State Road 50, the difference between a golf cart and a low speed vehicle, safety features and
requiring inspections for golf carts.
City Attorney Mantzaris told Council that this had previously come before Council and denied.
Staff will prepare an ordinance to present to Council for consideration.
City of Clermont
MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP
October 15, 2024
3.Other
Erin Follweiler, Wellness Ridge — inquired on the MSTU as she understood it would be discussed
at this workshop.
City Manager Bulthuis explained that Council would not be discussing the topic; the plan is for
the County to do a presentation since it is a county tax.
City Manager Bulthuis informed Council that he would like to provide them with an update from
Hurricane Milton and invited Police Chief Broadway, Fire Chief Ezell and Public Services
Director Brunson to provide reports to Council,
Police Chief Broadway informed Council that Hurricane Milton was a Category 2 hitting central
Florida. Police Chief Broadway and Fire Chief Ezell provided public service announcements to
educate residents on safety measures prior to the hurricane. Staff knocked on every door at Emerald
Lakes, and other mobile home parks, and encouraged evacuation. At 10:30pm on October 9, all
vehicles were grounded due to sustained winds. The city deployed a rescue vehicle to three medical
calls during that time. During the late night/early morning, there were a couple of crimes at
marijuana dispensaries along with a stolen vehicle. Staff has continued to do routine checks and
assessments of the city.
Fire Chief Ezell shared with Council a new platform they started utilizing to do damage
assessments in real time. The platform is connected with Lake County and Clermont is currently
the only city using it.
City Manager Bulthuis explained that the Firefighters take pictures with their phones and upload
them to the platform. The location is geo coded and shared directly with Lake County. The city
would like to add the Police Department and Public Works to the platform.
Public Services Director Brunson gave an update on damage around the city. Palatlakaha Park will
be closed for a while due to the damage occurred. Public Services staff are working twelve-hour
shifts, seven days a week until all debris is gone.
Council Member Howard inquired on how many power lines were down and if there is a list of
trees that are an issue.
Public Services Director Brunson stated that the Emergency Operations Center tracks downed
power lines. City staff did a complete tree inventory last year.
Discussion ensued on trash pickup throughout the city, docks, and FEMA's process along with
reimbursement.
Fire Chief Ezell showed Council a website that tracks what is happening in the city. As calls came
in regarding downed trees and power lines, the city was able to dispatch crews to assist.
City Manager Bulthuis provided an update on Emerald Lakes. City staff is monitoring the
neighborhood daily as the lake levels may not recede for a couple weeks.
4
City of Clermont
MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP
October 15, 2024
ADJOURN: With no further comments, this workshop adjourned at 9:00 pm.
APPROVED:
1�.7U1d i
Tim Murry, Mayor
ATTEST:
Tracy Ackro�d Howe, MMC
City Clerk