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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_Miscellaneous_04/06/1993_Finance & Administration Committee tf VILLAGE OF TEQUESTA Post Office Box 3273 • 357 Tequesta Drive Tequesta, Florida 33469 -0273 • (407) 575 -6200 3 4 Fax: (407) 575 -6203 o A 4 f7CH COUTA, F I N A N C E A N D A D M I N I S T R A T I O N C O M M I T T E E M E E T I N G M I N U T E S A P R I L 6, 1 9 9 3 I. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL The Finance & Administration Committee of the Village Council held a Committee Meeting on Tuesday, April 6, 1993 in the Village Hall, 357 Tequesta Drive, Tequesta, Florida. The meeting was called to order at 8:30 A.M. by Chairman Earl L. Collings. Finance & Administration Committee Co- Chairman William E. Burckart was also in attendance. Staff members present were: Village Manager, Thomas G. Bradford; Village Clerk, Joann Manganiello, Finance Director, Bill Kascavelis, and Tom Hall, Water System Manager. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA The Agenda was approved as submitted. III. CONSIDERATION OF REQUEST BY THE BOARD OF REALTORS FOR AN AMENDMENT TO THE TEQUESTA SIGN ORDINANCE FOR OPEN -HOUSE SIGNAGE. Village Manager Bradford explained that the Board of Realtors have asked the Village for consideration of amending the Village Sign Ordinance allowing realtors to have open house directional signs during daylight hours. The present Village Code states: "In residential districts, no more than one sign per lot shall be permitted with an exposed area of not more than four square feet, and advertising only the sale, lease or rental of said lot or improvements thereon. Said sign shall be exempt from any Village permitting requirements." Chairman Collings felt this verbage answered the request of the Board of Realtors. Village Manager Bradford pointed out that the Code would not permit open house signs at locations such as the corner of Tradewinds and Country Club Drive. After discussion, Chairman Collings and Co- Chairman Burckart agreed the Codes should be amended to meet the request of the Board of Realtors, allowing an open house or garage sale sign, limiting the number of signs to one, and to a 2 x 2 size. Recycled Paper Finance and Administration Committee Meeting Minutes April 6, 1993 Page 2 -------------------------- Chairman Collings suggested articles appear in the Village Newsletter regarding open house signs and garage sale signs. IV. STATUS REPORT ON THE WELL 25, 26 AND 27 PROJECT. Bill Blischke of Reese -Macon was in attendance regarding the well project. 1) Project Overview:Village Manager Bradford explained that this project involves the three wells on the western peninsula, two of which are on Turtle Creek property, and the third being on property just west of Country Club Drive as that street makes its turn to the north in Martin County. The total permitted water from the wells is approximately 1.lmgd. The South Florida Water Management District permit has been received and the DER permit is expected any day. Turtle Creek has expressed desires of giving the lot on which well 25 is located to the Village of Tequesta to remove it from the Turtle Creek tax roll. Village Manager Bradford felt that could be possible. Village Manager Bradford explained the problems of the project: o The Village of Tequesta has the power to condemn those well sites and proceed with construction. Village Staff and Turtle Creek Board of Directors have met two times where it was discovered there are concerns about Tequesta negatively impacting Turtle Creek private wells. Turtle Creek residents were not happy with the landscaping proposed for the well sites nor were they pleased with the idea that Tequesta had the power to take their land. Chairman Collings felt the fears felt by Turtle Creek residents have gradually ebbed. o The route of the water pumped from these wells goes up Country Club Drive, into Little Club, and through the very southern boundary of Jonathan Dickinson State Park, crossing through the area leased from the State by the Girl Scouts. Martin County states that the road in that area is deteriorating quickly, since it was poorly constructed. The road was originally built on sand, with no base. The only way Martin County will allow Tequesta to do any work underneath the road is to replace both Finance and Administration Committee Meeting Minutes April 6 1993 Page 3 -------------------------- lanes, rather than just part of a lane as Tequesta intended. Otherwise, Martin County plans to overlay the road with asphalt until it is built up enough to meet specifications. If Tequesta lays piping under the road, Martin County desires that Tequesta pay the cost of doing the road properly to meet specifications, and have threatened that if Tequesta does not soon put their piping under that road, they will not allow Tequesta to put the pipe where it is needed. o Martin County requires a U -2 permit which would allow Tequesta the right to work in their right -of -way. Martin County desires that Tequesta finish their work in the Martin County area by August; otherwise, they will just move ahead with their own plans for the road. o The Girl Scouts will agree to give approval to Tequesta to lay a water main in the easement on the property to which they hold a Revokable Permit with the State of Florida, if: 1) Tequesta will agree to provide the Girl Scouts with water (which would involve approximately $30,000 of improvements). In order to go around the Girl Scout problem, Village Staff requested of DNR a permit to put in an easement. The Village has been informed by DNR that they are willing to grant the easement, without having to go to the Governor and Cabinet, if: 1) the Village will remove all exotic plant species in the easement area; 2) the Village will provide and install at no charge to DNR or the Girl Scout Council an 800 foot 6 inch potable water line extension to the Girl Scout Camp area. The Village will bear all hook -up costs or connection fees (approximately $12,000) for the water line. The cost could go as high as $30,000 to $50,000, or more. (The Village has never waived connection costs for anyone. The Village did agree, in a good faith effort in its permit application, to extend the water main across near Heritage Oaks to abut the Girl Scout property and extend it down, install a fire hydrant, at the entrance road, thereby making water service available to that property for future use.) 3) The Village will make available to the Girl Scout Council, insofar as possible, favored or commercial user rates available to other water customers. Finance and Administration Committee Meeting Minutes April 6, 1993 Page 4 -------------------------- Village Manager Bradford apprised the Committee of the ensuing merger between DNR and DER, stating that DNR has stated they want no political problems right now with outside groups and intend to protect the Girl Scout group. Alternatives available to the Village are: 1) Go on to the Governor and Cabinet to seek overrule of DNR. Mr. Bradford reminded the Committee that the Lt. Governor's law firm represents the Girl Scouts. 2) Grant the Girl Scout's request. 3) The Village could condemn the property of some Little Club condominiums, (approximatly a 12 -foot wide strip, 1300 feet long), at an approximate cost of $10,000, plus attorneys fees; 4) Go straight through Little Club Way right -of -way to place the raw main, at an approximate cost of $75,000 - $100,000. This would have to go underneath the paved road, having to replace the full width of the paved road at Little Club Way, causing the cost to increase because of additional paving and sodding, etc. 5) Go through the southern end of Little Club Way and up to County Line Road. Co- Chairman Burckart inquired regarding the possibility of crossing under the River. Mr. Blischke replied that there is a 20 -foot easement at that location, presently occupied by several utilities. Widening of that easement would have to be sought. Another problem is that the waterway has existing mangroves, the removal of which DNR is opposed, as well as seagrasses further out, which would meet with the same objection from DNR. If approved, however, the timeframe to receive a permit to do such could take 2 -3 years. The cost of working in the water area is very, very high. The Girl Scout route would be the cheapest. Mr. Blischke stated it would be necessary to build a hydraulic model to determine if that would be possible. The building of a hydraulic model could take 2 -3 months. The Committee expressed a preference for crossing under the North Fork of the Loxahatchee River and requested Staff to review all possible crossing alternatives immediately. Finance and Administration Committee Meeting Minutes April 6, 1993 Page 5 -------------------------- 2) Review of Landscape Plans for Well 25 and 27: Village Manager Bradford explained that Village Staff needs to meet with directors of Turtle Creek to present the landscape plan. In the plan, at the entrance to Turtle Creek, two access points have been reduced to one. The well will be completely screened from pedestrians and cars with a hedge buffer along the visible portions. There are two trees in the easement which must be removed. One (Oak Tree) can be replaced elsewhere, but the other tree must be removed and disposed of. The other well site will have added trees for screening, and landscape irrigation lines will be installed. Chairman Collings recommended that an offer for the site should be presented to Turtle Creek at the time of the presentation of the landscape plan. 3) Consideration of Change Order Providing for Raw Water Main to Chaz Equipment Company, Contractor for the Well 24 Project: Chairman Collings recommended that the five alternatives previously listed be prepared, in chart form, showing restrictions and impacts, for presentation to the Village Council and the general public for input. Co- Chairman Burckart concurred, and suggested connecting the three well sites right away, connecting from the northernmost well to the southernmost well, since it must happen anyway. V. ANY OTHER MATTERS. There were no other matters before the Committee. Finance and Administration Committee Meeting Minutes April 6, 1993 Page 6 -------------------------- V. ADJOURNMENT There being no other matters before the Committee, the meeting was adjourned at 10:05 A.M. Respectfully submitted, ...; Fran Bitters Recording Secretary Date Approved: ATTEST: ann Manganie to Village Clerk