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MINUTES
SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING VILLAGE OF TEQUESTA, FL
NOVEMBER 4, 2019 6:00 PM COUNCIL CHAMBERS
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Abby Brennan at 6:00 p.m. A roll call was taken by
Deputy Clerk Mary Ann Grieser
Present were:
Mayor Brennan, Mayor, Council Member Arena, Council Member Brandon, Vice -Mayor
Johnson, and Council Member Stone.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
MOTION: Vice -Mayor Johnson made a motion to approve the agenda; Council Member Arena
seconded the motion. Carried unanimously 5-0.
COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS
Individual communications were notated under their corresponding item numbers.
AGENDA ITEMS
1. ORDINANCE 27-19 - SECOND READING: AN ORDINANCE OF THE VILLAGE
COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF TEQUESTA, FLORIDA, AMENDING THE VILLAGE
CODE OF ORDINANCES AT CHAPTER 78. ZONING. ARTICLE X. OFF-STREET AND
ON -STREET PARKING AD LOADING REGULATIONS, TO CREATE AN ENTIRELY
NEW SECTION 78-707. ALTERNATIVES FOR MEETING REQUIRED NUMBER OF
PARKING SPACES. TO PROVIDE FOR OFF -SITE PARKING, SHARED PARKING
AND REDUCTION OF REQUIRED PARKING SPACES, AND TO PROVIDE
REGULATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR SAME; ALSO CONFORMING EXISTING
LANGUAGE IN THIS ARTICLE FOR INTERNAL CONSISTENCY, PROVIDING THAT
EACH AND EVERY OTHER SECTION AND SUBSECTION OF CHAPTER 78. SHALL
REMAIN IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT AS PREVIOUSLY ADOPTED; PROVIDING A
CONFLICTS CLAUSE, A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND AUTHORITY TO CODIFY,
PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
Attorney Keith Davis read Ordinance 27-19 into the record.
Mr. David Tassell, a representative on behalf of La Via De Dio, LLC, had an issue with
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the language which referenced a vague period of time. He asked that a specific period of
time be notated within the Ordinance.
Village Manager Allen answered a question regarding the radius and distance of five
hundred (500) feet for parking. He determined that anything additional or over five
hundred (500) feet was not necessary.
MOTION: Vice -Mayor Johnson made a motion to approve Ordinance 27-19; Council
Member Stone seconded the motion. Carried unanimously 5-0.
2. SEU 3-19: Application from LIGHTHOUSE ART CENTER, INC. for a Special
Exception Use modification pursuant to Section 78-176. C-1 District (d) (2) Special
Exception Uses, of the Village of Tequesta Code of Ordinances. The Applicant is
requesting approval for a Special Exception Use modification (Shopping Centers)
to build a second -floor addition of 7,564 square feet with a 356 square foot roof
area, subject to site plan related modifications. The subject property is located at
373 Tequesta Dr., Tequesta, FL 33469.
Attorney Davis announced the next two (2) agenda items were quasi-judicial
proceedings. Seven (7) meeting attendees were placed under oath. Council Member
Stone, Council Member Brandon, Vice Mayor Johnson and Mayor Brennan all
announced they had met with the applicant individually regarding the application.
Ms. Marie Etherington, a resident of Jupiter Inlet Colony, spoke as a representative of the
Artists Studio and Gallery in Gallery Square North on Tequesta Drive. She asked that the
Village give full support to the Lighthouse Art Center.
MOTION: Vice -Mayor Johnson made a motion to approve SEU 3-19; Council Member
Arena seconded the motion. Carried unanimously 5-0.
3. SPM 8-19: Application from the LIGHTHOUSE ART CENTER, INC, for a Site Plan
Modification to build a second -floor addition of 7,564 square feet, with a 356
square foot roof area. The subject application includes alteration of the existing
first floor fagade including wall colors and materials, as well as ADA related
improvements. The subject property is located at.373 Tequesta Drive, Tequesta,
Florida 33469.
A powerpoint presentation was offered by Ms. Nancy Politsch, Director of the Lighthouse
Art Center and Scott Hughes, Architect for the Lighthouse Art Center.
Mrs. Pat Watkins of 167 River Drive, conveyed her concerns regarding parking and felt
the applicant might need a larger parcel to accommodate their needs and those of the
other tenants in the plaza.
Mr. David Tassel, a representative for La Via de Dio, LLC, the owner of the remaining
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space in Gallery Square North, addressed Council and related the applicant did not meet
the parking requirements under code, did not meet the offsite parking requirements, there
was not adequate "on street" parking nor was there a parking agreement. Additionally,
he believed there was not a parking study performed on the site, and requested a proper
traffic study be performed.
Father Douglas Scharf of Good Shepherd Episcopal School and Church, addressed
Council and offered his support to the Lighthouse Art Center. Additionally, Good
Shepherd offered support as a neighbor to formalize a shared parking agreement.
Ms. Antoinette Peterson of Marie Antoinette's, in Tequesta verbalized her concerns
regarding empty stores, new tenants and her opinion that the traffic study performed in
September, was inaccurate as it was historically the slowest month of the year.
Mr. Fred. Putney an associate of the Lighthouse Art Center felt the parking had never
been an issue during any month.
Mr. Mark Sapirie of Tequesta Country Club Community opposed the new design and felt
it was aesthetically incoherent, would remove even more green space and trees, and
would negatively impact other businesses and parking.
Mrs. Susan Barton of 90 Fairview East supported the Lighthouse Art Center expansion.
Mrs. Evelyne Bates offered a brief history of the Lighthouse Art Center and was hopeful
there would be a different rendering of the building, although she supported the
expansion.
Mrs. Lisa Hoyer supported the new design and encouraged Council to approve the Art
Center.
Mr. Jeremy Bowerman, a representative of the Applicant, believed the parking study was
competent and substantial evidence which the Council could rely upon. He revealed
there was a legal, "overflow parking" agreement with Good Shepherd Church, in the
works.
Attorney Davis informed Council that the parking lot in question was divided up by one
third and two thirds.
Mr. David Tassel[ addressed Council again and corrected the information regarding the
parking lot. He brought to light the fact that there were three (3) actual owners of the
parking lot.
Council Member Brandon asked if Council could take action on the item, as the parking
lot agreement with Good Shepherd had not yet been finalized.
Mr. Jeremy Bowerman, Attorney for the Applicant, clarified that each of the three owners
had the right to use all of the spaces.
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Ms. Nancy Politch, Director of Lighthouse Art Center gave a brief history of the parking lot
ownership. The third owner had moved to London and had not realized that the parking
lot did not convey with the property during the sale of his interest. Within the next week,
the Lighthouse Art Center was expecting a signature from the third owner of the parking
lot, which would clear up the ownership issue.
Ms. Politch informed Council of the ongoing, monthly, evening -event in which the
parking lot was normally filled. Additionally, the Seabrook parking lot could hold an
additional twenty two (22) parking spaces.
Council Member Arena reminded Council of the "good neighbor" policy the Village has
had over the past fifty years. He felt that parking would not be a problem, due to this
policy, with the expansion of the Lighthouse Art Center.
Council Member Brandon asked several questions of Ms. Nancy Politch, regarding long
term plans, the color of the building, rising membership costs, location of members,
resident comments, and harmony and aesthetics of the building in relation to the rest of
the plaza and the Village. She was opposed to the expansion of the building due to it not
meeting several of the criteria items.
MOTION: Council Member Stone made a motion to approve SPM 8-19; Vice -Mayor
Johnson seconded the motion. Carried 4-1 (opposed: Council Member Brandon).
ADJOURNMENT
MOTION: to adjourn the meeting
Respectfully submitted,
Lori McWilliams, MMC
Village Clerk
Note: These summary minutes are prepared in compliance with 286.011 F.S. and are not
verbatim transcripts of the meeting. A verbatim audio record is available from the office of the
Village Clerk. All referenced attachments are on file in the Village Clerk's office.
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