07-12-04 Workshop v
MINUTES OF THE WORKSHOP MEETING OF ATLANTIC BEACH CITY COMMISSION
HELD IN COMMISSION CHAMBERS, 800 SEMINOLE ROAD, ON MONDAY, JULY 12, 2004.
City Commission Members present were:
John S. Meserve, Mayor
Richard M. Beaver, Mayor Pro Tern
Paul B. Parsons, Commissioner
Sylvia N. Simmons, Commissioner
J. Dezmond Waters, III, Commissioner
Also: Steven Jenkins, Community Development Board member
Jim Hanson, City Manager
Sonya Doerr, Community Development Director
Maureen King, City Clerk
The meeting, which was held for the purpose of discussing topics and options related to the
preservation of community character within neighborhoods, particularly the Old Atlantic Beach area,
was called to order by Mayor Meserve at 5:00 p.m. A memorandum from Sonya Doerr, containing
various options for preserving community character, had been provided to the City Commission prior
to the meeting for discussion and consideration at this workshop. A copy of Ms. Doerr's
memorandum is attached hereto as Exhibit A.
Discussion ensued and it was agreed that most of the problems appeared to have arisen where
property owners wanting to mmaximise their investment, had built very large, 3-story structures with
flat roofs, on 50-ft. lots in neighborhoods where much smaller one-story homes were the norm. It
was agreed that since most of the lots in Marsh Oaks were 50 ft. by 100 ft. that the Marsh Oaks area
should also be included in these discussions.
Issues to be addressed were identified as tree canopy, parking, setback rules, impervious surface
rules, 35-ft. height limit, and fences and walls. It was agreed that positive measures or incentives
could be provided to encourage property owners to build homes that were more in keeping with the
character of existing communities and not the very large homes that destroyed the tree canopy and
overshadowed their neighbors. 35-ft. tall houses with flat roofs were identified as a particular
problem and it was suggested that the City could require structures being built on 50-foot lots to have
peaked roofs that would not block as much light, or the City could prohibit or establish a lower height
limit for flat roofs.
Following further discussion, it was agreed to hold an educational meeting with the public and to
invite Joel McEachin of the City of Jacksonville to make a presentation on ways to protect older
communities, following which the City could conduct an opinion survey to receive suggestions and
opinions from the public .
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Exhibit A -Workshop Minutes
July 12, 2004
Page Two
Minutes -Workshop meeting
July 12, 2004
The City Manager thought that trees planted in front yards presented a more welcoming appearance
and suggested the City Commission give this some consideration. Commissioner Waters pointed out
that many homeowners mistakenly, believed they own the right-of--way in front of their homes. He
thought more trees could be planted in the rights-of--way if the City took better control ofrights-of-
way.
It was suggested that in his next letter in Tideviews, the Mayor inform the citizenry that the City
Commission is addressing the issue of preserving the character of neighborhoods so they will be
informed and more likely to attend future meetings on this subject.
There being no further discussion, the Mayor declared the meeting adjourned at 6:20 p.m.
Maureen King, CMC
City Clerk
't
MEMORANDUM
TO: Jim Hanson, City Manager
Mayor and City Commission
FROM: Sonya Doerr, AICP sib/
Community Development Director
DATE: June 11, 2004
CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH
BUII.DING AND PLANNWG
800 SEMINOLE ROAD
ATLANTIC BEACH, FLORIDA 32233-5445
TELEPHONE: (904) 247-5800
FAX: (904) 247-5845
http://ci.atlantic-beach. fl.us
RE: Workshop topics and options related to preservation of community character
within Old Atlantic Beach
A first workshop has been scheduled for Monday, July 12th, beginning at S:OOpm in the
Commission Chambers. (Other City meeting facilities were previously committed for this time.)
A light dinner will be provided prior to the regulaz meeting.
Following are some options that are anext-step to the information I prepared for the Strategic
Planning sessions based upon comments during and subsequent to those meetings. Clearly, the
challenge is to find a balance between new regulations that have the end effect of maintaining the
special qualities of Old Atlantic Beach, while allowing property owners the flexibility to meet
their personal needs=and-wants, particulazly in light of the incredible cost of property in this area
and the eclectic character that already exists.
As I drive azound the City, I observe that the Mayor is correct. There is no shabby construction
in Old Atlantic Beach. Unique to Old Atlantic Beach, however, are the small size of typical lots,
the narrow streets, and a tree canopy that creates a very different feel and scale from parts of the
City that contain much lazger lots. Old Atlantic Beach and Mazsh Oaks (Section H) aze the two
areas where the 50x100-foot lots are predominant.
Those few projects that have generated objections from some residents aze stazkly different from
their neighbors, mostly because of massiveness and height, or a lack of architectural features that
soften their angles and' break-up their proportions. There aze various approaches, and from what
I have found, they have all been tried -somewhere. Some are rather detailed, complicated and
mandatory, and others are simple and provided in the form of guidelines, such as with the
Naperville, Illinois workbook.
Several approaches are worth discussion. We might consider inclusion of a new section within
Division 4 of Chapter 24, which sets forth the General Provisions and Exceptions of the Zoning
and Land Development Regulations. ...a section entitled Residential Design Standards, or to
that effect, that addresses the following design components. There may be opportunities, with
respect to some issues, to offer incentives that would encourage preferred designs, as opposed to
creating just another regulatory layer. We might also develop a simple, illustrated pattern book
that could be incorporated into the ordinance by reference, to serve as a user friendly guideline,
along the same concept as the Naperville workbook. Establishment of a separate and new zoning
district encompassing Old Atlantic Beach and containing development standards appropriate to
this area is also an option. As we -have broadly discussed this topic over recent months, the
following issues seem most central.
• Height issues. Single and two-story houses remain the predominant height across the
City, but this. is changing more rapidly in Old Atlantic Beach. A 3-story house, with 35-
foot vertical walls, looming above its single-story neighbors dramatically changes the
streetscape and also limits the sunlight and breeze that reaches adjacent lots. Several
options are:
1) Establish a height limit of 27-feet on 5000 square foot lots. As we have discussed,
this will be strongly supported by some, and vehemently opposed by others.
2) Prohibit shed and flat roofs, and require residential roofs to be gable, hip,
mansard or gambrel, or a combination thereof. See attached Figure 62.
3) For 35-foot tall houses, establish a requirement for astepped-back facade or a
Sky Exposure Plane. See attached Figure 68. I realize this sounds complicated, but
it is a fairly common standard, particularly in urban areas. This, in combination with
preceding #2, may be a good compromise that still allows interior space to be
maximized, but gives a sense of more openness around a house.
4) Where a house is by choice designed to a maximum of 27-feet (two-story) in
height, reduce the required rear yard from 20-feet to 15-feet and allow open
front porches to extend 8-feet in to the 20-foot front yard. The 50% Impervious
Surface limit would still apply, but a 5-foot reduction in the rear yazd setback would
provide some flexibility in design, garage placement and tree preservation. We now
allow open porches to extend 4-feet into the front yard, but a 4-foot deep porch is not
deep enough to create a "real" porch. Front porches are very important to engaging a
house with its street front and the neighborhood. This would encourage the
construction of front porches without sacrificing interior space.
• Design elements. Requiring certain architectural elements can break-up the perception
of mass of a building. Porches and roof styles are mentioned above, but dormers, bay
windows, recessed or defined entryways help to relieve the over-powering presence of a
vary lazge house.
1) To encourage bay windows, balconies and similar variations in articulation of
~' the front of a house, allow these to extend into the 20-foot front yard. For
example, on a 50-foot wide lot with the combined 15-foot setback, 35-feet of width is
available for development. If 30%, or 10.5 feet, of that 35-foot building width were
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permitted to extend 5-feet into the 20-foot setback, this would break-up the starkness
of the front of the house, and architects will design to take advantage of that space.
2) Garages. The design of many new houses makes it appear that big giant garages
have eaten the rest of the house. Requiring front-loaded garages to be setback from
the street farther than the rest of the house would allow the house -rather than the
gazage - to engage the street and would also provide more driveway for off-street
parking. Sources that I have reviewed provide for such "step-backs" ranging from 5
to 20 feet.
• Require design review and approval based upon particular architectural styles,
colors and finish materials.
• Trees on public and private property. Require canopy trees (hardwoods) to be installed
at the street edge of residential lots as part of new construction, but also at some defined
level of redevelopment. Also, expand the City's right-of--way tree planting program to
focus on long-term creation of tree corridors within Old Atlantic Beach. We may wish to
consider increasing the financial cost of removing the more valuable and large trees. In
comparison to the cost of most new construction in Old Atlantic Beach, the cost
associated with removing trees is disproportionately low. If the goal is to preserve tree
~ canopy, the cost to remove trees must be such that it is a deterrent, which encourages
designs that save significant trees.
• Parking. Typical to most communities that were platted and developed before the
present extent of automobile ownership and .dominance, adequate parking is an ever-
present issue -further exacerbated by our beachfront location. The current regulations
require two spaces per dwelling unit, but much of the City was developed prior to this
requirement. Few of the existing duplexes provide the now required 4 off-street spaces,
and the condos and multi-family projects do not provide additional parking to
accommodate the lazge number of visitors that are typical to these uses. This shortage of
parking often results in vehicles continuously spilling-over on to sidewalks and to the
edge of pavement. While the City has committed to allow parking along the beach access
street ends (provided no safety issues are created), we may want to discuss prohibition of
parking on right-of--ways along collector and arterial streets, which would include
Seminole Road, Plaza, Beach Avenue and East Coast Drive. A requirement for "guest
parking" on new condominium or multi-family projects may also be appropriate.
• Fences and walls. As the trend towards very large houses continues, construction of
masonry walls and very substantial fences that completely enclose these properties seems
to accompany many of these projects. While property owners are certainly entitled to
privacy and security, the cumulative effect of these features seems to isolate the
community and neighbors within enclosed lots. This does not seem to be in keeping with
the character of Atlantic Beach, and in some instances these can interfere with pedestrian,
,~ bicycle and vehicular safety because of restricted sight distance. Greater setbacks for
fences in some locations, particulazly where right-of--ways are narrow, may be needed to
address such safety issues.
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The current regulations allow a 4-foot high fence - of any type construction -anywhere
on a lot, provided that no obstruction to clear sight distance is created. A 6-foot high
fence is allowed in rear and side yards. Keep in mind that, per Section 24-84, on ocean-
front and double-frontage lots, the beach side and Ocean Boulevard side are designated as
the Front Yards, which in turn makes the opposite Beach Avenue side the Rear Yard,
thereby allowing for 6-foot high fences along both sides of Beach Avenue. If this pattern
emerges, Beach Avenue could, over time, become a narrow corridor flanked on either
side by almost continuous 6-foot high walls.
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nei, between defined banks or walls, with a current that
either may be continuous in one direction or affected by
the ebb and flow of the dde.
RI~R ~~ The total azea drained by a river and its tributaries. See
$AS1N.
ROAD ,See STREET.
ROD A lineal measure equal to 16.5 feet or 5.5 yards.
Comment: This surveyor's measure is no longer used.
Four rods equal one chain. Ten chains by ten chains
equals ten acres. See CHAIN.
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MA-J SARD
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HIP
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R~~GE RIGbE
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GAbLE
GAMP>~E~-- GAP~L>=
SNBD
R.O~F TYPES
Figure 62
The outside top covering of a building- See Figure 62.
ROOF
ROOF, FLAT A roof that is not pitched and the surface of which is.
generally parallel to the ground. See Figure 62.
ROOF, GABLE A ridged roof forming a gable at both ends of the building.
See Figure 62.
232
SKI AREA An azea developed for snow skiing, with trails and lifts,
and including ski rental and sales, instruction, and eating
facilities.
SKI RESORT A ski area that also includes sales, rental, and service of
related equipment and accessories, eating places, resi-
dences, and hotels and motels. See Sxi Ax$A.
S ~IMMIlVG The mechanical removal of oil or scum from the surface
of water.
SKY E.YPOSURE PLANE A theoretical plane beginning at a lo[ line or directly
above a street line at a height set forth in the ordinance
and rising over a slope determined by an acute angle
measured down from the vertical as set forth in the
ordinance. See Figure 68.
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SLOPE'
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5KY l/XPo5U2E PLANE
Figure 68
SLOPE The deviation of a surface from the horizontal, usually
expressed in percent or degrees. See GRaDE. See Figure
41.
Comment: Slope percent is computed by dividing the
257