SAVE THESE DATES….
WED. JAN. 21, 2009….6 p.m…..Round Table discussion…/7p.m. Finish the 1/13/09 Workshop….
THUR. JAN. 22,2009…7 p.m……Finish the 1/13/09 Commission meeting….
THUS FAR…OVERVIEW….
5 p.m. Workshop…
Why oh why can’t we change the ridiculous “habit” of having the public speak first…..it does not make sense…and provides no one to respond to the discussion at hand…but…maybe that is self explanatory after all….HMMM.
Previously posted …up first was public comments…and it was all about “Da Boats”…in the north end of town…suddenly “noticed”…thus becoming “hot button” issue #1…by phone…fax …e-mail..and petition….
The podium speakers this night …..were overwhelmingly for keeping boats…..with a few “stragglers” against…leaving Commissioner Clottey …to fend for herself after inundating her with their calls of “no boats”…but being no-shows…to make their case to the rest of the Commission…
Seemed for a while..at this workshop…..a “chosen” 8 boat owners were going to benefit from the McIntee proposed “pre-annexation “grandfather-in”…to be “fair”…..to be in effect until “they passed away”….passes 4-1 Dodd dissenting…for direction to put together this “plan”…
BC…as previously posted … what this writer thinks went wrong…from promises made by LBTS and Pompano Beach to keep the Broward codes in effect…after the annexation……..to the Florida House final agreement…including a change allowing a town-wide code to be enacted that would overturn the Broward codes……with that change coming in 2003…..but it was ignored and unenforced……until 2008…and the new code sweeps….bringing us where we are today in 2009…
In this writer’s opinion….let the present owners keep their boats…do not allow new buyers to have them….as the Town Attorney recommended on dealing with the revision section concerning the swales….at this very meeting…works for both situations…and while they are at it…. it should work for sheds …the first “code sweep”…as well….
Enactment of many of the new codes to start with a date certain…in 2009….leaving those up to that point …with the status quo…bringing security for the homeowners…and peace for the commission…
They went trough the first 17 code revisions…deletions/additions…and as previously written…it was a mess…..(previous post)….with more to come in the final 10….
A quick synopsis….
site plans…the Mayor wanted to extend it to 24 months..and that “died” …along with a few unnecessary comments from the Vice Mayor about the construction project at Shore Court calling it “a con”……that was the subject of much heated debate over the “giving away” of Town property…a cul-de-sac…that he “made hay” about …a few years back…so the present time 12 months west of El Mar/A1A…and 18 months east..along the water…also to look into other municipalities to check for added information required in the “Arker” clean-up…beyond the staff revision offered…
Parking was discussed…Mayor wanted to include areas for compact cars…”smart growth alternatives”…http://transtoolkit.mapc.org/Parking/Referenced_pdfs/Forinash_SmartGrowthParkingAlternatives.pdf. …she spoke of revenue coming from businesses to the parking revenue fund in order to eventually build a parking garage…
BC…the commission in the future should revisit the idea put forth in years past to possibly build parking garages on the existing lots at the Holiday Inn and the Beach Hotel at either end of El Mar and A1A…
One idea this writer strongly disagrees with …brought up on and off the dais…special rate or fee parking for owners of a “green’ mode of transportation…I feel this is selective and elitist… anyone who needs to parks…pays…
Commissioner Clottey brought up the removal of condos from where it was listed and the change of requiring 2 parking places…that should remain as it…Comm. Dodd agreed…talk of the requirements for restaurant parking and how it thwarts any new establishments in town….
Swales were discussed…and this is when the Town Attorney put forth the idea to legislate authority …delay the effectiveness and either give time for a change…make it apply only to new development or when there is substantial restoration…not to spring it on the people…The Vice Mayor talked of the commission 3-4 commissions ago “that dropped the ball”…about swales being pervious…to prevent puddling”…using the Brady’s as an example …and their retaining wall…(not anywhere near the swale….it’s their side yard)….then went on to talk of paved swales…and those will have to go…Cristie Furth came to the podium to speak about the paved swales on Bougainvilla/Poincianna…and reminded them those were done by the town…and used for parking…(I feel more residents a calling…on their removal…cutting down the parking)…. paved swales being reclaimed and made green by the Town passes 5-0…for direction….”zero scape”…plantings were discussed…as long as the roots do not interfere with the infrastructure…
Gravel driveways were removed for the 2004 date attached…but still appear as not allowed in a later section…hedge heights came up…10 feet allowed…along with types of plants native and non…with Assist. Olinzock explaining county and state rules we must abide and operate under…”right tree, right place”…and South Florida Water District…
.http://www.arborday.org/trees/rightTreeAndPlace/..
http://www.sfwmd.gov/portal/page?_pageid=2754,19862620&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL
Fences were discussed…with chain link now being allowed…within sight…hedges talked about once more…with the Town Attorney saying a variance could be obtained for cases requiring higher than allowable…in some cases…roof overhang revisions will not be changed…will remain along with 2004 original set backs…
Real estate signs…are to go forth as revised…despite attempts to add a few restrictions by the Mayor for open houses etc…passes 5-0
Well Commissioner Silverstone liked the new code for holiday decorations…allowing them up for a set amount of days…so… Mae Gibson/ Rainbow Inn……when and if you and the other hotels get hit with a citation for those lights that are still up…yes…lights are considered holiday decorations per the Manager……call him!…passes 5-0
Air conditioners will remain at 5 feet back from the side lot line…passes 5-0
Lewd ordinance…in response to the well endowed mannequin in the window at the T-shirt shop Commercial by Kilwins…and the T-shirts that were found last year saying some foul things…Comm. Dodd asked what constituted “lewd” saying as only he can..being English…”the display item with disproportionate features” may be subjective to the beholder…direction to check the Broward County code…passes 5-0
Unsightly boats…added a 3 month limit for repair…and a “proper” cover…passes 5-0
Fire Inspection fees…housekeeping is what the Manager called it…changing it from following Fort Lauderdale…to enact from the Town in compliance with Broward …with discussion about annual inspections…special permit fees…
Exempt signs…this was as this writer previously posted …put in to deal with the “adopt our streets” flare-up …that took place…Mayor VS Vice Mayor…with the Town Attorney saying not so fast…it really says the “regulations don’t apply” for government…and will require him to do some research…
“The regulations don’t apply” to our Town government…was the appropriate parting shot …at this workshop thus far….
A SHORT BREAK….
The Mayor was well rested…as she began the evening with tongue- in- cheek portions of her invocation…talking of having open minds…hearts…to see the best in others…not the worst….”even if people are unreasonable…irrational….forgive them”….
Athena was allowed to be included as a new business item…I…despite the Vice Mayor’s flimsy assertions that “we’re breaking the law here”…passes 4-1…McIntee dissenting…
Boats were moved up…and public comments came from the crowded hall…although it almost “faltered” with the Mayor implying a decision had been made …(the workshop “grandfather” in by McIntee)…To his credit the Vice Mayor stopped the notion that these residents should not speak…and they did…as stated above most were for the boats…and as posted previously the Vice Mayor “seized the day”…and changed his stance…to keep the boats… tipping his “hat”… to Commissioner Dodd…
Presentations were made..
Public safety discussion took place…previously posted…(lbts agenda/meetings)…along with some discussion on the drowning that took place and the report Comm. Dodd received from a resident that the VFD showed up in shorts and flip flops on the fire truck….the Chief said any member who gets on the truck not in gear would be immediately suspended…at odds with the new and unknown at this meeting…Deputy Chief/Vice Mayor’s assertions that they may get on in “bunker pants” throwing their gear on board…going on to say he was the 1st responder…speaking as such…from the dais…he was on the ATV…arriving 1st…(did he have the ATV at home?…How did he get there 1st at that time of the morning…after all his “special -arrival status from home to incident is only supposed to be from the north up to Sea Ranch…and this was much further south)…
BC…we hear that BSO had a boat…had this under control…and the VFD sent in the water “sans bunker pants”…were not needed…a request for the BSO incident report has been made…also disconcerting…if true…it is said the Deputy Chief/Vice Mayor was sitting in the ATV lollipop in hand…telling a reporter and photographer from the news to get some “good shots”…YIKES!…
“2 Hats” Silverstone and McIntee went after Commissioner Dodd for asking such questions from the dais…but he stood his ground and said he was correct and would continue …he was not accusing the VFD of anything…he was correctly and rightly asking the Chief to investigate the matter…something ewe all saw ad nauseum from the Vice Mayor toward BSO fire in the past…
Manager’s Report…Open House or Ribbon Cutting…guess we will find out…Monday Feb 2,2009 5 pm…at the Public Safety Complex…
Discussion took place on residential parking…combining it with direction being asked on consent item #12f….new that Wings will get it C.O. in April…the town will get the lot…and at least a t this point in the meeting…all parking in town would be metered with various permits being offered… from the town…this changed later on….
LAP grant…and discussion of the Scenic Highway…we learned it was a go from Broward County Commission earlier in the day…the project will be somewhere in the neighborhood of $600-$850 thousand dollars…with the Town responsible for 50%……and it will be the state that makes the final decisions…after Comm Silverstone/Clottey spoke of the medians on A1A…if made green would certainly increase the present traffic congestion…the commission is behind the project….consent for Chen and Assoc. to begin …will be up at the 1/22/09 meeting continuation…
Minutes were approved…the slew of them…
We then went to public comments…and a major embarrassment….thanks to the Vice Mayor…
A woman was called up…with a Greek last name…as she approached the podium…the Vice Mayor “pounced” had she signed in herself…she said no…then he said she could not speak…(shades of the former Mayor)……she was signed in by one of the “Athena Boys”…and he said she was there to “attack him”….WOW!…
Did the Vice Mayor …do some “profiling” here?…due to her Greek last name…YIKES!…
The woman said she did not even know who he was!…
No vote was taken and she left…
Did the Vice Mayor ask if anyone else was signed in by others?…NO!…
At the break …this writer learned the woman and her husband…are philanthropists…who came to offer support to the VFD and lifeguards…again the Vice Mayor “stepped in it”…
Public comments ran the gamut…from a business owner severely impacted by the Pavilion construction…Pier parking and alley access…the Vice Mayor’s Making a scene incident with Athena…lifeguards and drownings…the temperature in the hall…paving the streets equitably…sidewalks…in other neighborhoods…kite surfing problems…and offers of help….valet parking by 101…The Athena Boys…speaking of the Vice Mayors actions…nightly drive-bys…continuation on the boats…and the “greater good” required by the Commission in making their decisions…”A Pavilion that has mutated”….a doctor who spoke of Pier alley access…and the inadequacy of having the VFD/AMR….a Pier employee speaking positively about the VFD..but saying they too need the alley access..and speaking of his website…tourist…and what the construction Pier problems have wrought…http://www.boatlessfishing.com/anglins.htm
Ordinances…
2009-01…Parking…no bags…meter rates will be included at 2nd reading….passes 4-1 Silverstone dissenting…OOPS…the Vice Mayor was “asleep at the wheel” after all the bags were his “baby”…so he asked for a re-vote…correctly called a “vote to reconsider”…and that was voted on….3-2…the Mayor/Vice Mayor dissenting…HUH?…trouble with the button…next vote…3-2 Silverstone/ McIntee dissenting…WHEW!…
2009-02…”housecleaning”…getting rid of Fort Lauderdale…replacing in town…Broward approved rates…with an expected 10% lowering of the fees due to the VFD on annual fire inspection fees only…(the Vice Mayor/VFD Deputy Chief drove that point home)…also AMR per their contract gives revenue back to the Town after they make a million…passes 5-0
BC…unanswered…at this time and later…EMS transportation charges are included in this ordinance…BUT not included in the ordinance description…one learned friend replied…”Cherof would have never let that happen!”…this writer heartily agrees…
2009-03…false alarm fees…covers police and fire…with much discussion on condos…as a whole by until…and homes with faulty alarms….that would be “appealed” with a letter stating that was the case from a certified alarm company…passes 5-0
2009-04….Campaign financing…from vendors etc…will include unions…and for reasons that do not make sense in this writer’s opinion…cut the amount used by the state of $500 per person to $300…a member of the audience reiterated previous posts…on how to get around it…by having someone else in the same household contribute separately…Hypocritical were those CIC members who spoke from the dais and at the podium…for this practice was used and encouraged during the last campaign!….passes with the union inclusion and $300… 5-0
BC…this “feel good” ordinance…which I do think is good to have on the “books” to be seen as “politically correct” ….will go the way of the Silverstone introduced Town Mission Statement and the VFD Constitution…SOPs…and be totally ignored!…
2009-05….Tennis courts…non-residents can now partake…and the fees will be increased…
Time running out…items were moved up…the 2 Quasi Judicial meetings were tabled…the home on El Mar until 1/27/09…Beach hardware …for a month…while the new Town Fire Marshall looks into this long ongoing fire escape problem…does the Town need to re-advertise?…
New Business 16E…the kites…were a problem by the Beach Hotel at Pine Ave…and “rogue” kite surfers…the “answer”…permits…and only 2 kites allowed per household…and on yes…you cannot learn on our beaches…with his new “BFF” a guy with some knowledge that the Vice Mayor can suck up and claim as his own…and another potential north end vote…the Vice Mayor was “all in”…passes 5-0…
BC…there’s got to be another way…permits…fees…and more rules on the beach…WOW!…We in the beach condos enjoy the sight of kite riders in our waters…
Old Business 15 c…trying to get everything in order for the Feb 1st return to metered parking…this one should not have taken place at the end of the night…although it passed 5-0…incredibly after much previous discussion…they all “caved” to help the Vice Mayor make some chosen constituents happy with beach residential parking!…
The resident he named lives approximately 4 blocks from the Washingtonia Portal…and the “walking town”…the talk of closing the square in the future…saying people can walk…POOF!…all gone because an outspoken CIC member sitting next to the Mc-wife came up and spoke loudly for his parking space…and talk of a petition…..so now we will maintain more residential parking spaces…
BC this one needs to be brought back on 1/22/09…
Also…what is the “deal” with Wings…did they give up the 15 space lot…with 10 in-perpetuity residential permits…to park …as we were told…in the Bougainvilla lot…or was a “fast one” pulled within the development order whereby…they can park …using 10 of the 15 Wings parking lot spaces…with the Town now maintain the lot…in perpetuity?….HMMM…..
More to come……
Tags: LBTS Agendas/Meetings, Local Politics, Scoops
