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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_Workshop_5/4/1981 MINUTES OF THE WORKSHOP MEETING OF THE VILLAGE OF TEQUESTA.ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT May 4, 1981 A Workshop Meeting of the Village of Tequesta Zoning Board of Adjustment was held at 7:55 P.M., Monday, May 4, 1981 in the Village Hall, 357 Tequesta Drive, Tequesta, Florida. Board members present were Chairman Head, Meyerowich and Otto. Also present were R. Harp, Clerk of the Board, John C. Randolph, Village Attorney and A. W. Butterfield, Building Official. The Clerk advised that Rinker Materials Corp. had requested the Workshop Meeting to discuss their ideas for improvements to their existing facility on Old Dixie Highway. He also advised that the existing facility is a non-conforming use and that any major improvements would require variances, including extension of a non-conforming use, to be granted by the Board: The following persons were in attendance representing Rinker Materials Corp. : Jerry Jackson and Bill Payne, Attorneys, Karl Watson, North Regional Manager and John Lewis, Tequesta Plant Manager. Jackson advised that Rinker is desirous of making improvements to the existing facility and being a good neighbor of the community. He extended an invitation to the Board members to visit their Lake Worth -facility since it represents the general type of improvements they would like to make to the Tequesta facility. He presented the Board members with a proposed site plan and advised that the overhead conveyor system was not now proposed. He stated they would work with F.E.C. Railroad to bring the railroad track for unloading bulk materials in from the south instead of the north. This would require relocating of the hopper and should eliminate a lot of the blocking of the railroad track at Tequesta Drive. They propose to relocate the office, warehouse and shop on the parcel of land Rinker owns on the east side of Old Dixie Highway opposite the existing facility. This would make a better facility on the railroad right-of-way for the batching plant and storage of bulk materials. Watson said the east property with the proposed improvements could be paved, adequately landscaped, and provided with sprinkler washdown for the lot. The batching plant would probably be moved to the south end of the property with the conveyor in Jupiter. Jackson believes batching plant and silos can be kept on railroad right-of-way. Watson said the steel yard is now in Jupiter. Watson said the purpose of the Board visiting the Lake Worth plant is that is is almost identical to what is proposed for Tequesta. 5-5-81 - 2 Otto asked if the proposed new plant would increase plant capacity. Watson advised that the batching time would be reduced and would cut down on the number of trucks to be run. Jackson said conveyors would be enclosed and noise suppression equipment is available for a new plant. Otto asked why Rinker did not try to find another location with room that they need. Jackson said the Lake Worth facility is approximately 3. acres and that the total available property at Tequesta is approximately 2.9 acres. He said it is critical for the plant to be located on a rail siding for the receiving of materials for the plant. Otto said the Lake Worth facility was in a more industrial area than the Tequesta facility. Watson said their Orlando plant was across the street from a Merita Bread plant and stated that a lot of times the people move to the area of a plant through development instead of a plant moving to the people. Head asked if the bulk materials would be stored in the silos and Watson advised they would and that rock and sand would not be seen. The conveyor would be completely enclosed, better dust collectors would be provided, batching facility would be enclosed and moved to the south decreasing the noise generated, quieter International trucks would be used and dust on the lot on the east side of Old Dixie would be reduced. He estimated plans would probably cost $10,000 or more and take 3-5 months for completion of the final plans. He reiterated he wants the Board to look at their Lake Worth facility. The Village Attorney advised that the Board could not make,any decisions at a Workshop Meeting but believed Rinker's representatives needed to get some feeling from the Board as to the extension of a non-conforming use. Jackson said Rinker was not proud of the existing Tequesta facility and would like the Board members to see the Lake Worth facility.. Watson spoke of increasing capacity in the plant. He advised the existing plant had a capacity of 720-760 yards/day and normally produces about 350 yards/day. The present facility has additional capacity but would probably need 15 trucks instead of 11 or 12 trucks. A new plant would cause less traffic and less equipment on the highways. A new batching facility would be able to take care of peak demands. The Village Attorney reminded the Board that they could individ- ually go to the Lake Worth plant but if they went as a Board or two (2) or more together, the press would have to be notified to conform to the require- ments of the Sunshine Law. Watson said the Lake Worth facility is the nearest to Tequesta and more like the plant they would propose to construct. He estimated the cost of a new facility to be between $750,000 and $1,000,000. 5-4-81 - 3 Jackson said Rinker is not forgetting about trying to improve the existing facility and advised they have quit dumping all over the lot east of the highway and are now using a pit and intend to do new asphalt paving at the existing facility. He advised of having enclosures for building materials and supplies. John J. Giba appeared at the meeting as a Village citizen to express his concerns about Rinker's plant. He stated he does not believe they have used good faith with the Village and advised of a meeting he had in January 1980 with Jackson and other members of the Rinker organization, . to discuss improvements to the Tequesta facility. He asked when Rinker would work on having railroad cars come from the south and Jackson advised F.E.C. has been contacted and shown an interest in this change but Rinker will have to put the funds up to provide for this improvement at such time as they might get approval from the Village for a new facility. Giba said that in spite of what Rinker has said, they want to increase plant capacity to take care of the expected future demands, most of which will be outside the areas of the Village. The Village will not benefit from a new plant, the other areas will benefit. He said the solution is to get the Rinker plant out of the Village. It could move south to south of The Hospital where there is available space. He stated Rinker was not a good citizen of the town. He reiterated that the solution to the existing problem is to get Rinker out of the Village and for the plant to move to the south, closer to the customer source. He stated the conveyors would not be completely enclosed. Jackson said the existing facility can handle more capacity now and that piecemeal .improvements cannot be made to the existing facility. Head asked about Rinker using the new quieter trucks now and was advised that the plant now uses three (3) such trucks and old trucks are replaced with the new quieter trucks. Jackson admitted Rinker has a profit motive but feels a new .facility can benefit the Village. Head asked if a rough detail drawing could be provided for the Board members. Watson said he believed so since they have in-house engineer- ing services. He stated Rinker is a family owned corporation and Dave Rinker is the No. 2 in the company. Rinker is not a big bad bear. He again suggested that the Board look at their Lake Worth facility. The Board members present believed individual visits to the plant would be best for all concerned. Jackson advised the best times would be 7:30 A.M. , 10:30 A.M. and 1:00 P.M. i 5-4-81 - 4 Head asked the Village Attorney what extremes the Board could consider and that the Board could not kick them out of the Village. The Village Attorney advised the Board must consider any requests for variances received from Rinker. Head pointed out that the ordinance allows Rinker to make minor improvements to the facility without getting variances. The Village Attorney said a variance to extend or enlarge a non-conforming use and anything in the plans that would need a variance would have to be acted upon by the Board. Head reiterated that the Board's first consideration would be the extension of the non-conforming use upon application. The Village Attorney advised that the applicant would have to come in and show a hardship to have a variance approved. The Workshop Meeting adjourned at 8:50 P.M. Respectfully submitted, ert Harp v Clerk of the Board RH:jf