Bruce Andrews - Today's meeting - 1Drew –
Drew -
You had my email address spelled incorrectly so I didn’t receive your
email directly. My email address is bruce.andrews@comcast.net
<mailto:bruce.andrews@comcast.net> .
I look forward to the meeting with the city attorney to discuss her
views on the interpretation of the code. As for your account of the
meeting, I disagree with most of it and concur with Chris’s corrections.
However, at this point, there is no need to debate the details. We can
just wait for the meeting with the city attorney.
Best regards,
Bruce Andrews
From: Chris Lambertson [mailto:Chris@elitehomesfl.com]
Sent: Sunday, December 18, 2016 8:53 PM
To: 'DeCandis, Drew' <adecandis@coab.us>; 'Bruce Andrews'
<bruce.andrews@comcast.net>
Cc: 'Van Liere, Nelson' <nvanliere@coab.us>; 'Reeves, Mitch'
<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