HomeMy WebLinkAbout03162005 CEB
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HOME OF PEUCAN ISLAND
1225 Main Street, Sebastian, FL 32958
(772) 589-5330 . Fax (772) 589-5570
CODE ENFORCEMENT BOARD
MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING
MARCH 16, 2005
I. Chairman Dodd called the meeting to order at 2:00 p.m. with a pledge to the flag.
2. ROLL CALL:
Present:
Chairman Charles Ed Dodd
Ronald Van Buskirk
Mr. Carl Anderson
Ms. Eva Schofield
Mr. Hank Buchanan
Mr. Howard Brauer
Absent:
Mr. Fred Clement
Mr. Leon Griffin
City Attorney Rich Stringer
Excused:
Also Present:
Code Enforcement Officers:
Growth Management Manager
Growth Management
Code Enforcement Board Secretary
Antoine Van Meir
Warren Lindquist
Ian King
Dorri Bosworth
Shirley Lynch
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Regular Meeting 02/16/05
The minutes were approved as written by a voice vote 6-0
Please note, Alternate Howard Brauer was voting because of the absence of two board
members
4. Additions & Deletions-
CEO Antoine VanMeir stated Growth Management personnel were here to update the
board on Florida Power Sports and Hurricane Harbor
5. NOTICED HEARINGS:
A. VIOLATION HEARING- CASE #2004-31408
LOUIS ESPERANDIEU - 108 DUNCAN STREET
. SECTiON 66-3.(12) CODE OF ORDINANCES
It shall constitute a violation of this ordinance to allow: inoperative, junk or
abandoned vehicles and vessels on the exterior portions of residential
property
Code Enforcement Meeting
March 16, 2005
Page 2 of 4
Ms. Esperandieu was not in attendance- Chairman Dodd swore in Officer
VanMeir who then testified on the case and showed pictures of the abandoned vehicle. He asked
the board to find the owner in violation of the code, to give her 24 hours to remedy the situation
or face a fine of $250 per day for every day the property is in violation. He explained that this
vehicle was not her vehicle but that she was the only one that could have the vehicle removed
from her vacant lot. City of Sebastian Codes does not allow abandoned, junk vehicles on vacant
lots. Mr. VanMeir stated that the police cannot go on private property to remove the vehicle;
only the owner of the property can have it removed. After a discussion, a MOTION was made
by Carl Anderson, reference CASE #2004-31408, to find the respondent in violation of 66-3.(12)
giving her 24 hours from the receipt of the notice to remove the vehicle and then issue a $250
fine per day until the vehicle is removed, second by Eva Schofield.
ROLL CALL VOTE: Chairman Ed Dodd Yes
Eva Schofield Yes
Ronald VanBuskirk Yes
Carl Anderson Yes
Hank Buchanan Yes
Howard Brauer Yes
Motion carried 6-0
D. VIOLATION HEARING - CASE #2004-24810-
MR. & MRS. JOHNNY D. DIAZ- 108 DUBAN STREET
. SECTION 66-3.(1) CODE OF ORDINANCES
. SECTION 66-3.(2) CODE OF ORDINANCES
The following items, conditions, or actions, is hereby declared to be and
constitute a nuisauce:
(1) Accumulations of trash, litter, debris, garbage, bottles, paper, cans, rags,
dead or decayed fish, fowl, meat or other animal matter, fruit, vegetables,
offal, bricks, concrete, scrap lumber or other building debris or other refuse
of any nature;
(2) Any condition which provides harborage for rats, mice, snakes, and other
vermin
Mr. & Mrs. Diaz were not in attendance- Officer VanMeir testified on the case, that
debris has been there since he started as Code Enforcement Officer and that the property remains
in violation as of this date. He suggested the board find the respondent in violation and to abate
the nuisance at the City's expense and place a lien on the property for the amount of the work
with an additional fine of$250, or to give 24 hours to comply with the ordinance violation notice
and then assess a fine of $250 per day this property is in violation of the City's ordinance. He
reported the realtor has had the lawn cut 5 or 6 times in the past two years. After a question from
the board, Officer VanMeir stated he would probably post the property for 14 days since it is not
an emergency and then hire a private vendor to clean it up. After a discussion, MOTION made
by Ed Dodd reference Case #2004-24810 finding the respondents in violation of 66-3(1) and (2),
and to hereby notify them that the City will abate the non-compliance problem if they haven't
corrected it within 24 hours of receiving notification, they will then be billed for the abatement
costs plus the administrative fees, second Carl Anderson.
Code Enforcement Meeting
March 16, 2005
Page 3 of 4
ROLL CALL VOTE: Chairman Dodd Yes
Eva Schofield Yes
Ronald VanBuskirk Yes
Carl Anderson Yes
Hank Buchanan Yes
Howard Brauer Yes
Motion carried 6-0
6. CHAIRMAN'S MATTERS- Chairman Dodd discussed the different code enforcement
boards around the state of Florida, stating that some boards give the respondents until the next
board meeting to abate the problem, if they haven't remedied the situation, they are placed on the
agenda of the next code board meeting and, if not in compliance, fines will be levied against the
owners.
7. MEMBERS MATTERS- There were no member matters
8. CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS MATTERS- Officer VanMeir introduced lan King and
Dorri Bosworth ofthe Growth Management Office. Both are here to address the Florida Power
Sports and Hurricane Harbor issues.
Chairman Dodd asked to start with Hurricane Harbor. lan King discussed the improvements to
parking lot and the restaurant itself The restaurant didn't have enough parking for restaurant.
They then added a deck to the riverside of the property and some additional seating in the
restaurant, which required more parking. Because they needed more parking spaces then they
had, they entered into an agreement with the city whereby they would only use the deck when
the front dining room was not being used and wouldn't use the deck when the front dining room
was being used. It was an either or situation. They then came back to the City and asked to use
both places at the same time plus the tour boat that left from their dock. They received site plan
approval to make improvements to their parking lot. It was stated to the board that there are
special requirements specific to the riverfront district. The parking lot had to be addressed
differently, they needed a retention pond, they had to address drainage issues, landscaping, and
fencing around the dumpster area. The Planning & Zoning Commission approved the site plan
presented to them by Hurricane Harbor. Hurricane Harbor started to put some of the
improvements in, and then they stopped working on them, and have done nothing for some time.
They came to the City with an application for a sign permit that has not been issued. The City
tried to get a time frame from Hurricane Harbor for finalizing the site plan improvements. The
City is working on the premise that they have an expired site plan at this point. Regarding the
drainage issues, the engineer department did an on site inspection. It was reported that the
drainage system does not function to the extent that it should. It was only partially completed-
the silt fence is up still up- there is garbage and debris in the drainage system itself- The
restaurant has problems with the drainage and they have major landscaping issues, plus the
fencing of the dumpster is not finished. The City Attorney instructed Growth Management that
the City is not under any obligation to issue the sign permit.
Officer VanMeir read the findings offact from the October 15,2004 Code Board meeting. The
original site plan approval was dated on 6/5/03 with the condition that they add two additional
handicapped parking spaces and adjust the landscaping plan per the staff report. They never
Code Enforcement Meeting
March 16, 2005
Page 4 of 4
came in with the adjusted landscape plan. They are now in violation of the Code Board's
finding. They must come back to the Code Enforcement Board.
Update on the Florida Power Sports- Dorrie Bosworth stated the business owners believe that
they should be grandfathered in to the old car sales store that was at the locations prior to their
leasing the property. They came to the City stating they would no longer sell cars, thereby
creating a change of use, which stipulates that the site must be brought up to code. This includes
signage, drainage, landscaping, and anything that is not in compliance. Mr. Browning submitted
his site plan that had new landscaping. Ms. Bosworth stated that Mr. Browning understood
about the monument sign, and the drainage issue at the point where Main Street and US I come
together. Mr. Browning stated he was going to address that problem so drainage wouldn't go out
onto US 1 and down Main Street. Ms. Bosworth stated that usually the infrastructure of a
business must be in place before an occupational license is issued. At the time in question,
finance was issuing occupational licenses. Mr. Browning went to finance and before any of the
improvements were in place, he was given his license. The City then told Mr. Browning that he
was operating a business without an approved site plan. At that point the case was brought before
the Code Enforcement Board. The decision of the Code Enforcement Board was giving Mr.
Browning 90 days from October 15, 2004 to come into compliance with their site plan. Ms.
Bosworth stated the business sign hasn't been changed, landscaping hasn't been addressed, there
is no handicapped parking, and the drainage issue wasn't taken care of As per the City's Code
of Ordinances, all businesses are subject to City's zoning restrictions, the issuance ofa license
under this article does not constitute the only authorization required to conduct a business in the
City. Failure to comply with zoning, fire prevention and code enforcement ordinances, after
reasonable notice shall be given to the licensee to eliminate or correct any condition in violation
of such ordinance, is a basis of revocation of the license. It was stated that the City will revoke
his occupational license, which he must keep to retain his dealer license through the State. A
copy ofthe letter showing this revocation will be sent to the State. This means the State of
Florida can revoke his State dealers license.
After a discussion, it was suggested that Tracy Hass and the City Attorney be in attendance
when Hurricane Harbor is brought back to the board.
Being no further business to come before the Board, Chairman Dodd adjourned the meeting
at 2:55 P.M.
Approved at the ~;/g gCClf Code Enforcement Board meeting.
Cha~~e
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