2023-12-21 Handwritten Minutes?(� 2 IDa3 - 1a ,a �
CITY OF OKEECHOBEE, FLORIDA
DECEMBER 21, 2023, PLANNING BOARD MEETING
HANDWRITTEN MINUTES BY KELI TRIMNAL
I. CALL TO ORDER
Chairperson Hoover called the regular meeting of the Planning Board for the City of Okeechobee
to order on Thursday, December 21, 2023, at �:OQ P.M. in the City Council Chambers, located
at 55 Southeast 3rd Avenue, Room 200, Okeechobee; Florida, followed by the Pledge of
Allegiance.
II. ATTENDANCE
Chairperson Dawn Hoover
Vice Chairperson Doug McCoy
Board Member Phil Baughman
Board Member Carl Berlin, Jr.
Board Member Karyne Brass
Board Member Mac Jonassaint
Board Member Jim Shaw
Alternate Board Member Jon Folbrecht
Alternate Board Member James Dean Murray
City Attorney
City Administrator Gary Ritter
City Planning Consultant Ben Smith
Board Secretary Patty Burnette
General Services Secretary Keli Trimnal
PRESENT ABSENT
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ZOOM
III. AGENDA
A. Chairperson Hoover asked whether there were any agenda items to be added, deferred, or
withdrawn. There were 0O c�C
A
Motion by Board Member
approve the agenda as presented.
seconded by Board Member to
Chairperson Hoover , Vice Chairperson McCoy ., Board Members Baughman ,
Berlin , Brass , Jonassaint , Shaw _. Motion Carried/Denied.
C. Chairperson Hoover asked whether there were any comment cards submitted for items not
on the agenda. There were O br' -
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IV. MINUTES •�
Motion by Board Member seconded by Board Member ►' to
dispense with the reading and ap rove the October 119, 2023, Regular Meeting minutes.
V.
Chairperson Hoover , Vice Chairperson McCoy ., Board Members Baughman ,
Berlin , Brass , Jonassaint , Shaw . Motion Carried/Denied.
CHAIRPERSON HOOVER OPENED THE QUASI-JUDI(�IAL PUBLIC HEARING AT,, "P.M.
A. Rezoning Petition No. 23-002-R, requests to rezone 0.65± acres from Central Business District
(CBD) to Heavy Commercial (CHV), located at 201 South Parrott Avenue. The proposed use is the
expansion of an established hotel.
1. Notary Public Keli Trimnal administered the Oath to:
Y Obb 5
K. Trimnal Handwritten Minutes, December 21, 2023, Page 1 of 7
V. QUASI-JUDICIAL PUBLIC HEARING ITEM A CONTINUED
2. City Planning Consultant Mr. Ben Smith of Morris-Depew Associates, Inc. reviewed the
Planning Staff Report. Motel use is not listed as a permitted use in the CBD district and
therefore is an existing nonconforming use. The applicant has stated their ultimate intent is
to expand the motel use to add another motel room, though no site plan application has
been submitted for that development program at this time. Motels are listed as a permitted
use in the CHV district and expansion of the hotel would be permitted upon approval of this
request, subject to submittal of a site plan which meets the standards of the Comprehensive
Plan and the Land Development Code, specifically those that pertain to the Heavy
Commercial district and the nonconforming structure provisions of Chapter 90, Article II.
Notwithstanding the applicant's stated intentions, there are differences between the CBD
and CHV districts that could affect future redevelopment of the subject property if this
request is approved. The CHV generally allows for a greater number of permitted and
special exception uses, though it requires more restrictive setbacks and lot coverage.
Every permitted use in the CBD district is also permitted in the CHV district, though there are a
number of uses permitted in CHV district that are not permitted in the CBD district as follows:
• Funeral home
• Hotel, motel
• Taxidermist
• Pet grooming
• Convenience store
• Indoor auction house
• Pawnshop
Sys
K. Trimnal Handwritten Minutes, December 21, 2023, Page 2 of 7
V. QUASI-JUDICIAL PUBLIC HEARING ITEM A CONTINUED
Every use allowed by special exception in the CBD district is also allowed by special exception in
the CHV district (except pawnshops, which'are_lisTed permitted in CHV), though there are a number
of uses allowed by special exception in CHV district that are not allowed by special exception in
the CBD district as follows:
• Wholesale, warehouse not including bulk storage of flammable liquids
• Enclosed warehouse and storage
• Outdoor sales and storage, building trades contractor
• Flea market
• Commercial outdoor recreation
• Veterinary service
• Crematory
• Recreational vehicle park, for transient recreation use
• Hospitals, which means in -patient hospital care
• Adult family care homes, assisted living facilities as defined in F.S. § 429.02(5)
• Nursing homes
• Alcohol and drug rehabilitation center/detox center
• Convenience store with fuel pumps
• Retail pool supplies and equipment (including storage of chemicals for use and/or retail
sale)
• Water treatment services (including storage of chemiicals for use and/or retail sale)
• Pest control (including storage of chemicals for use and/or retail sale)
The CBD district allows for development with zero setbacks, whereas the CHV district requires at
least a 20-foot front setback, 8-foot side setbacks, and 10-foot rear setback.
The CBD district allows for development with 85% lot coverage, whereas the CHV district allows
for development with 50% lot coverage.
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PUBLIC HEARING QUASI-JUDICIAL ITEM A CONTINUED - ���
Mr. Jay Patel, Trustee, on behalf of the Property Owner, Jitendra Living Trust, was/wgs�t
present and available for questions.
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4. There were 1` CO �- public comments or questions from those in attendance or
submitted to the Board Secretary.
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V. PUBLIC HEARING QUASI-JUDICIAL ITEM A CONTINUED
K. Trimnal Handwritten Minutes, December 21, 2023, Page 5 of 7
V. PUBLIC HEARING QUASI-JUDICIAL ITEM A CONTINUED
5. There were/were not, Disclosure of Ex-Parte Communications' by the Board.
6. Planning Staff's findings are as follows: Per Policy 2.1(e) of the City of Okeechobee
Comprehensive Plan, CHV is an appropriate district within the proposed Future Land Use
(FLU); Motel use is specifically authorized as a permitted use in the CHV District per LDR
90-282(7); Approval of this request will allow for uses to be developed on the subject
property consistent with the CHV zoning district. As listed above, there are a number of
additional uses that will be permitted and allowed by special exception if this request is
approved. However, the abutting properties are all zoned commercial, developed with
existing commercial uses, which should not be adversely affected by approval of this
request. Heavy commercial zoning is prevalent along SR 441 and is generally desired by
the City in order to provide a range of commercial uses along this commercial corridor. The
current use of the property is a motel, which is not a permitted use, or a use allowed by
special exception in the CBD district, though it is a permitted use in the CHV district. The
motel use has existed on this site for many years adjacent to the neighboring uses. Hotels
and motels are a common use along the City's commercial corridors and are not contrary
or detrimental to urbanizing land use patterns; there is no reason to suspect that rezoning
the subject property from Central Business District to Heavy Commercial will have any
adverse impacts on property values or living conditions or be a deterrent to the improvement
or redevelopment of adjacent properties; Expansion of the existing motel use or
redevelopment of a new use will be subject to all Land Development Code required buffers
within the Heavy Commercial zoning district. Additionally, no nuisances or hazards are
expected to the surrounding commercial properties as a result of this rezoning; Only one
residential dwelling unit per commercial building can be allowed as a special exception use
in both the CBD and CHV district, which would have a de minimis impact on public facilities;
The applicant has submitted a Traffic Impact Statement, affirming that the proposed change
in zoning will not result in an increase in the number of trips, as the potential maximum trip
generation of this property is not increased by this rezoning. The applicant states that the
highest trip -generating use permitted under both existing and proposed zoning
classifications is a medical dental office; Water management issues will be considered at
time of site plan approval; proposed use has not been inordinately burdened by
unnecessary restrictions.
K. Trimnal Handwritten Minutes, December 21, 2023, Page 6 of 7
V. PUBLIC HEARING QUASI-JUDICIAL ITEM A CONTINUED
Based on the materials provided by the applicant and the above analysis, we find that this
request to rezone the subject property from CBD to CHV is consistent with the City's
Comprehensive Plan, reasonably compatible with adjacent uses, and is consistent with the
surrounding pattern of land use. Therefore, we recommend approval of the Applicant's
request.
Motion by Board Member Ph, \ , seconded by Board Member
�f\aC to recommend approval to the City Council for Rezoning Petition No. 23-
002-R as presented in [Exhibit 1, which includes the findings as required for granting
petitions per Code Section 70-340; and the Planning Consultant's analysis of the findings
and recommendation for approval.] The recommendation will be forwarded to the City
Council for consideration at Public Hearings, tentatively scheduled for January 16, 2024
and February 20, 2024, Motion Carried.
\� "Chairperson Hoover , Vice Chairperson McCoy__, Board Members Baughman ,
Berlin , Brass , Jonassaint , Shaw . Motion Carried/Denied.
CHAIRPERSON HOOVER CLOSED THE QUASI-JUDICIAL PUBLIC HEARING AT`v '' P.M.
VI. CITY ADMINISTRATOR UPDATE
VII. CHAIRPERSON HOOVER ADJOURNED THE MEETING AT IJ A� P.M.
Please take notice and be advised that when a person decides to appeal any decision made by the Planning Board with respect to
any matter considered at this proceeding, he/she may need to ensure that .a verbatim record of the proceeding is made, which
record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based. General Services' media are for the sole purpose
of backup for official records.
K. Trimnal Handwritten Minutes, December 21, 2023, Page 7 of 7