Brenna Durden - Today's meetingThank you for sending this to me Mayor Reeves.
Sent from my iPhone
> On Dec 18, 2016, at 8:56 PM, Reeves, Mitch <mreeves@coab.us> wrote:
>
> FYI
>
>
> Mayor Mitch Reeves
> 800 Seminole Road
> Atlantic Beach, Fl 32233
> mreeves@coab.us<mailto:mreeves@coab.us>
> Cell: 904-955-0101
> MReeves@coab.us<mailto:MReeves@coab.us>
>
>
> Begin forwarded message:
>
> From: Chris Lambertson <Chris@elitehomesfl.com<mailto:Chris@elitehomesfl.com>>
> Date: December 18, 2016 at 8:53:18 PM EST
> To: "'DeCandis, Drew'" <adecandis@coab.us<mailto:adecandis@coab.us>>, 'Bruce Andrews' <bruce.andrews@comcast.net<mailto:bruce.andrews@comcast.net>>
> Cc: "'Van Liere, Nelson'" <nvanliere@coab.us<mailto:nvanliere@coab.us>>, "'Reeves, Mitch'" <mreeves@coab.us<mailto:mreeves@coab.us>>
> Subject: RE: Today's meeting
>
> Drew,
>
> "I am sorry I left abruptly, but" is not an apology. Your actions at our meeting were rude, disrespectful and frankly unacceptable for any employee of Atlantic Beach to its citizens
and especially for the position of Planning Director. You have a duty to represent the citizens of Atlantic Beach, which we believe that you have failed to do and then dismissed our
concerns and interpreted the reading of the code when it suits your interest.
>
> Based upon your response you evidently did not pay attention at our meeting. Your restatement of our meeting did not even remotely represent actual events.
>
> * To clarify, you stated in the meeting that we thought the setback variance should go the Community Development Board and should not be under the purview of the Development
Director regardless of how small the variance might be in terms of inches or regardless of the authority granted to me in the code. - We said that section 28-48 of the municipal code
did not give you authority to grant an administrative variance in this case and that the setback variance should go to the CDB. Additionally the actions of the developer create a cause
of concern. We said that the code needs to be rewritten to allow for minor adjustments as needed but not the current 5% and the way you are interpreting it, which is different than
it has ever previously been interpreted.
>
> * It is also my understanding from the meeting that you plan to exercise that right to appeal, even if I move the matter to the CD Board and they approve the variances. We
never said this. We would abide by the decision of the CDB, however, we would appeal any administrative decision to the City Commission.
>
> * Once I have fully reviewed and fully considered your concerns, reviewed my positon on the matter, I will make a final decision on the variance request and how it should be
handled - This was not what we discussed in the meeting. We are going to reconvene the same group with the Brenna Durden, City Attorney and she is going to give us an opinion which
all parties agreed to at that time. We do not want your opinion.
>
> * Keep in mind, as I stated in the meeting, that I am concerned for the neighbors and would like to insure that whatever the outcome of this issue that we disrupt their peaceful
enjoyment of their properties as little as possible - We are friends with the direct neighbors and they do not want the house encroaching on the setbacks as it is already overwhelming
there house.
>
> We look forward to reconvening our meeting with the City Attorney. Due to vacation and travel plans it will need to be in the new year.
>
> Chris Lambertson
>
>
> From: DeCandis, Drew [mailto:adecandis@coab.us]
> Sent: Friday, December 16, 2016 4:19 PM
> To: bruce.andres@comcast.net<mailto:bruce.andres@comcast.net>; Chris@elitehomesfl.com<mailto:Chris@elitehomesfl.com>
> Cc: Van Liere, Nelson <nvanliere@coab.us<mailto:nvanliere@coab.us>>; Reeves, Mitch <mreeves@coab.us<mailto:mreeves@coab.us>>
> Subject: Today's meeting
>
> Gentleman
>
> I wanted to drop you a note on our meeting today. I am sorry I left the meeting abruptly, but frankly I felt that we had each stated our positions on the matters at hand and that
further debating interpretations of the Land Development Code was not getting us anywhere. I do think however we each got our positions out on the table for each of us to understand.
>
> To clarify, you stated in the meeting that you thought the setback variance should go the Community Development Board and should not be under the purview of the Development Director
regardless of how small the variance might be in terms of inches or regardless of the authority granted to me in the code. It is also my understanding from the meeting that you plan
to exercise that right to appeal, even if I move the matter to the CD Board and they approve the variances. I did hear your concerns as you communicated them to me and I am now reviewing
my positon on the matter based on what you stated and what I believe is appropriate.
>
> I will remind you that under Section 24-48, the code gives the Community Development Director the Authority to grant minor dimensional variances. Based on my review up till now,
I believe I should grant the variances in question under the authority given me in the code. Remember that the LCD also gives citizens like yourself recourse by giving you the ability
to appeal my decisions or the decisions of the Community Development Board.
>
> Once I have fully reviewed and fully considered you concerns, reviewed my positon on the matter, I will make a final decision on the variance request and how it should be handled,
I will get back to you and brief you on the final actions I will take on the matter. Keep in mind, as I stated in the meeting, that I am concerned for the neighbors and would like
to insure that whatever the outcome of this issue that we disrupt their peaceful enjoyment of their properties as little as possible.
>
> Thanks for meeting with me today. I will speak with you soon.
>
> Drew DeCandis, AICP
> Planning and Development Director
> City of Atlantic Beach
> 800 Seminole Road
> Atlantic Beach, Fl 32233
>
> Email: Adecandis@coab.us<mailto:Adecandis@coab.us>
> Phone: 904-247-5817
> Web: www.coab.us<http://www.coab.us>
> Fax: 904-247-5845
>