Planning & Zoning Board

MINUTES PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD MEETING March 26, 2024 5:30PM The City of Lake Wales Planning and Zoning Board held a meeting on March 26, 2024 at 5:30 p.m. in the Commission Chambers at City Hall, 201 W. Central Ave. Lake Wales Florida. ATTENDANCE Planning Board Members (Shaded area indicates absence): Chairperson Vice-Chair Roy Casey Eric Rio Courtney Bud Kyra Love Larry Bossarte Wilkinson McKibben McCrystal Colburn City Staff: Dept. of Planning and Development Autumn Cochella – Growth Management Director Jasmine Khammany – Senior Planner Fany Lozano – Recording Secretary Shannon Hancock- Recording Secretary 1. CALL TO ORDER – Ms. Love called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. 2. ROLL CALL – All members were present. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Meeting February 27,2024 Mr. Colburn made a motion to approve the minutes with corrections and Ms. McCrystal seconded the motion. All voted in favor. The motion passed unanimously. 4. COMMUNICATIONS AND PETITIONS – Ms. Love opened up the floor to communications and petitions. City resident Charlene Bennett made a few comments on the importance of the planning and zoning board because of the new growth issues going on. She talks about the staff and how good they are. She uses Lake Alta project as an example and how it was turned down two times and sent back to the drawing board for a better plan. Ms. Bennett explains how she has been trying to educate the public about the planning and zoning board and the importance of showing up. City resident Catherine Price wanted to thank the Planning and Zoning Board. She wants to talk about the ordinances that are coming before the board. She shows concern about a meeting that was held about the ordinances at the Lake Wales Recreation Center and stated that the public did not know about it. She would have liked town halls to of been held about the ordinances before they were brought in front of the board. NEW BUSINESS 5. 13 Orange Park Boulevard – Special Exception Use Permit for Auto Sales & Repairs PROJECT: 13 Orange Park Boulevard APPLICANT: Bruce Floyd APPROVAL: Special Exception Use Permit for a Tire Shop & Repairs PUBLIC HEARING: Requirements have not met  Ms. Khammany stated that this project was advertised and wanted to make sure that we were continuing this to the next meeting to allow the applicate time to provide documents needed. Mr. Colburn made a motion to continue. Ms. McCrystal seconded the motion. Ms. Love asked for a roll call vote. Chair Vice-Chair Roy Casey Eric Rio Courtney Bud Kyra Love Larry Bossarte Wilkinson Mckibben Yes McCrystal Colburn Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes The motion passes. 6. 200 Scenic Highway South – Major Site Plan with Waivers of Strict PROJECT: 200 Scenic Highway South APPLICANT: HAB Holdings, LLC APPROVAL: Major Site Plan with Request for Waivers of Strict Compliance to allow an eatery PUBLIC HEARING: Requirements met Ms. Khammany explained location of the project and presented the staff report. The applicant was in attendance. Mr. Colburn mentioned that the sight was a former gas station and was questioning if there was any hazardous material. Henry (applicant) stated that about 6 months ago he got a letter from EPA and that the tanks were cleaned back in 2015. Ms. Love questioned the concrete coverage and if it was going to be torn up for landscaping. Henry (applicant) explained that the concrete and pylon signage will be torn down and sod will be placed. Ms. Love opens the floor for public hearing. Seeing no movement, Ms. Love closed public hearing. Mr. Colburn accepts staff recommendation along with waiver requests and conditions of approval. Mr. McKibben seconded the motion. Ms. Love asked for a roll call vote. Chair Vice-Chair Roy Casey Eric Rio Courtney Bud Kyra Love Larry Bossarte Wilkinson Mckibben Yes McCrystal Colburn Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes The motion passes. 7. 242 Scenic Highway South – Special Exception Use Permit PROJECT: 242 Scenic Highway South APPLICANT: HAB Holdings, LLC APPROVAL: Special Exception Use Permit to allow Auto Sales & Repairs PUBLIC HEARING: Requirements met Ms. Khammany explained location of the project and explained existing tenants. Ms. Khammany presented the staff report. The applicant was in attendance. Ms. Love suggested not putting the 3 additional trees on the 200 Scenic Highway South project as she has concerns about line of sight for the intersection. Ms. Cochella explained the tree ordinance. Henry (applicant) spoke about how he can put trees within the 242 Scenic Highway South project. City resident Juanita Zwaryczuk spoke and stated that she would like more trees to be put on this property as she can see if from her house. Ms. Love opened the floor to public hearing and with no movement closed the public hearing. Mr. Bossarte is pleased to see this building be put back in its original state. Mr. McKibben recommended approval of the special exemption permit including condition of approval. Mr. Wilkinson seconded the motion. Ms. Love asked for a roll call vote Chair Vice-Chair Roy Casey Eric Rio Courtney Bud Kyra Love Larry Bossarte Wilkinson McKibben Yes McCrystal Colburn Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes The motion passes. 8. Amendment to Chapter 23, Zoning, Land Use, and Development Regulations amending Division 4. Planned Development Project Regulations. Ms. Cochella explained the background of the current PDP regulations. She explained that the interpretation of the current PDP regulations is very open. Ms. Cochella explained that the PDP regulations have been given an overhaul in a direct result of Lake Wales Envision. She presented the Lake Wales PDP PowerPoint presentation that was prepared by the consultants from Inspire, a well-known consultation agency. Ms. Cochella opened the presentation up for discussion with the board. Ms. Love opens the floor for public hearing. City resident Charlene Bennett expressed that the amendment is extremely well written and has great clarity. Her concerns are with the grid look and would like the wording to encourage creativity of design. City resident Catherine Price agreed with Charlene Bennett. Katherine stated that she would like more community involvement with the changes that are being made. Ms. Price express the importance of lighting and believes the regulations are over simplified. Shelton Rice an attorney with Peterson & Myers spoke from a developer’s perspective. He expressed his concern about the lot size requirement with the zoning regulations and the cost it has on developers. Mr. Rice stated that the PDP should have some flexibility within their PDP regulations. Ms. Love asked if anyone else would like to speak in regards to this and with no movement closed the public hearing. She brought it back to the board for discussion. Ms. Cochella spoke in regards to public comment. She will add more linear graphics to the amendment. Ms. Cochella explained that the PDP is a special exception use permit that it behaves as an overlay over the underlying zoning and there is sight plan requirements and residential dimensional standards in regards to lighting standards. Mr. Rio brought up the concern of who will maintain the street trees that are being required. Ms. Cochella explained that the trees will be maintained by the HOA and at a certain point the city will provide operation and maintenance. Mr. Colburn moves that they send this back to staff for rework. Mr. Rio seconded the motion. Chair Vice-Chair Roy Casey Eric Rio Courtney Bud Kyra Love Larry Bossarte Wilkinson McKibben Yes McCrystal Colburn Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes All voted in favor. The motion passed unanimously. 9. Amendment to Chapter 23, Zoning, Land Use, and Development Regulations amending Article IV District Regulations, creating Division 6. Traditional Neighborhood Development Regulations. Ms. Cochella explained what a Traditional Neighborhood Development is and the general purpose of a TND. She presented her PowerPoint presentation. Mr. Colburn and Ms. Love expressed their concerns of the incentives as far as impact fees and public hearings. Ms. Cochella explained that all these ordinances are able to be changed at any time. Ms. Love opens the floor for public comment. City resident Juanita Zwaryczuk stated her concerns in regards to not having a public hearing. Lake Wales Special Projects Administrator, Sarah Irvine explains more about the incentive in regards to the impact fees. City resident Charlene Bennett expressed the lack of public oversight and her concern in regards to the incentive for no public hearing. She has concerns about how the city will make up the difference for waiving the impact fees. Ms. Bennett mentions that the ordinance should explain the alley ways more specifically. City resident Catherine Price has a problem with the increasing density and decreasing impact fees. She concurs that TND’s need to be brought in front of the board for public hearings and expressed concerns about the public hearing incentive. Mr. Rio asked about who is maintaining the alley in the alley loaded homes. Ms. Cochella explained that the HOA would be responsible. Mr. McKibben expressed the fact that incentives are needed for TND’s. He mentions possibly having this ordinance brought before the board annually for review. Mr. Wilkinson motions to approve the TND ordinance with the changes that any waivers would come to the P&Z Board with a public hearing and for there would be an annual review of the TND ordinance by the P&Z Board. Mr. Colburn seconded the motion. Ms. Love asked for a roll call vote. Chair Vice-Chair Roy Casey Eric Rio Courtney Bud Kyra Love Larry Bossarte Wilkinson McKibben No McCrystal Colburn Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 6 yay – 1 nay vote. Motion passes. Ms. Cochella explained that 3 board members are coming up on reappointment and must reapply. The meeting adjourned at 7:45 PM Attest: Recording Secretary Chairperson