PB MINS 06-15-04
CITY OF SOUTH MIAMI
PLANNING BOARD
Regular Meeting
Action Summary Minutes
Tuesday, June 15, 2004
City Commission Chambers
7:30 P.M.
I. Call to Order and the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag
Action: The meeting was called to order at 7:35 P.M.
Action: The Pledge of Allegiance was recited in unison.
II. Roll Call.
Action: Mr. Morton, Chairperson, requested a roll call.
Board members present constituting a quorum: Mr. Morton, Mr. Illas, Mr. Liddy, Mr.
Comendeiro and Mr. Mann.
Board members absent: Ms. Yates and Ms. Gibson.
City staff present: Don O’Donniley (Planning Director), Sanford A. Youkilis (Planning
Consultant), Gremaf Reyes (Video Support), and Patricia E. Lauderman (Planning Board
Secretary).
III. Administrative Matters
Mr. O’Donniley stated that since the City Commission approved the amendment to the
LDC, which related to the Planning Board calling for special meetings to take place,
tonight’s meeting was possible due to that action. In addition, he informed the Board that
the next meeting would be held on July 13, 2004.
Planning Board meeting
June 15, 2004
Page 2 of 6
IV. Planning Board Application / Public Hearings
PB-04-007
Applicant: Said Almukhtar
Location: 5850 Sunset Drive
Request: A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF
THE CITY OF SOUTH MIAMI, RELATING TO A REQUEST PURSUANT TO
SECTION 20-3.4(B)(4)(b) OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE FOR A
SPECIAL USE APPROVAL TO LOCATE A GENERAL RESTAURANT
“NATURAL CHICKEN GRILL” IN THE “SR (HD-OV)” SPECIALTY RETAIL
HOMETOWN DISTRICT OVERLAY ZONING DISTRICT SPECIFICALLY
LOCATED AT 5850 SUNSET DRIVE.
Action: Mr. Morton read the item into record and Mr. O’Donniley presented the staff
report. He explained that the applicant is requesting a Special Use Approval to operate a
general restaurant named Natural Chicken Grill in part of the ground floor of an existing
two story building located at 5850 Sunset Drive. A general restaurant is permitted with
Special Use Approval. The proposed use is located in the “SR(HD),” Specialty Retail
Hometown Overlay Zoning District. The proposed use must meet the requirements for
special uses contained under Section 20-3.4(B)(4)(b) General Restaurant and Section 20-
5.8 Special Use Approval of the LDC.
Mr. O’Donniley stated that the first floor was previously operated as a restaurant called
Koo Koo Roo. The space has been vacant for the past two years. The LDC specifies in
Section 20-3.4 (B)(4)(d) that a restaurant in the SR district may only occupy a maximum
of 25% of the ground floor area of the building. Based upon a review of the survey, the
restaurant would exceed the limitation; staff felt that this provision might not be applicable
to this property.
It is also noted that the Hometown Overlay Zoning District Regulating Plan (map)
designates this building as a “contributive building” (having historic / architectural merit),
and therefore it is exempt from providing required parking spaces. (LDC Section 20-7.6
(C)(3)).
Mr. O’Donniley advised staff would recommend approval of the application with the
following conditions: (1) the applicant shall provide a floor plan for the restaurant interior
to be submitted prior to the application being forwarded to the City Commission; (2) If the
subject general restaurant is, in the future, determined by the Planning Director, to be
adversely affecting the health or safety of person residing or working in the vicinity of the
proposed use, to be detrimental to the public welfare or property or improvements in the
neighborhood, to be not in compliance with other applicable Code provisions, the special
use approval may be modified or revoked by the City Commission upon notification and
public hearing.
Applicant: Said Almukhtar 5850 Sunset Drive
At this point, Mr. Morton opened the public hearing.
Planning Board meeting
June 15, 2004
Page 3 of 6
No speakers spoke in favor or against this item. Mr. Youkilis informed Mr. Almukhtar that
he needed to submit floor plans. Additionally, he stated to the applicant that this item could
possibly be in front of the City Commission at the meeting of July 20. Mr. Morton
requested that at the next Planning Board meeting of July 13, the Planning staff provide an
update on this item.
Motion: Mr. Morton moved to recommend for approval, subject to the following
conditions:
1) review by the City Attorney of the special use provision applicable to
restaurants in the SR to determine if it is not in conflict with the code;
2) make a provision for a refrigerated garbage storage, prior to routine pick-up,
and that be coordinated with staff;
3) incorporate both staff recommendations.
Mr. Liddy seconded the motion. The motion was approved by the following vote:
Ayes 5 Nays 0
V. Planning Board Work Program
(A): ADULT ENTERTAINMENT ORDINANCE: Report on the status of
proposed ordinance
Mr. O’Donniley first provided some background information on the issue. He stated that
the City Commission at its June 1, 2004 meeting approved on first reading a proposed
amendment to the Land Development Code that would permit adult entertainment
establishments as a permitted use in TODD (LI-4), Transit Oriented Development District
(Light Industrial-4) Zoning Use District. The ordinance approved also provided for
distance requirements between adult establishments and churches, schools, parks,
playgrounds and residential uses, and between individual adult establishments.
During discussion it was felt that the maximum number of establishments that could be
located in South Miami should take into consideration the location of these uses in
surrounding jurisdictions. Staff was requested to estimate the cost of doing this type of
study including an estimate of the distance from the city, which should be included in the
survey.
Mr. O’Donniley stated that a limited portion of the survey and data collection can be
carried out by in house staff, however, the bulk of the research including field studies will
require an outside consultant to assist. He informed the Board members that the City
Commission accepted a cost of up to $5,250 for the hiring of consultants to assist in the
field and research work. The Planning Department will report the findings obtained by the
consultants, as well as the data gathered from the in house staff and present all the
information to the City Commission.
Planning Board meeting
June 15, 2004
Page 4 of 6
Board member Mr. Mann, on a separate issue, commented about the signage of BT
Gentlemen’s Club. He stated that the sign appeared to him more pronounced and called
more attention to the business. He suggested that the signage be reviewed.
(B): LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE: New Chapter Reviews
Mr. Youkilis stated that the Board at its October 14, 2003, January 27, 2004, March 9,
2004, April 13, 2004, May 11, 2003 meetings reviewed and approved a total of nine
chapters of the new LDC. There are now 2 chapters remaining for review. Mr. Youkilis
explained that for this meeting, the Board would be reviewing Part I of Chapter II “Zoning
Districts / Permitted Uses”.
The special committee of the Zoning Task Force prepared this
chapter. The chapter was presented to the Task Force in January, 2003 at which time the
Task Force adopted the proposed draft. Mr. Youkilis notified the Board that the whole
Chapter II will not be presented tonight. For the meeting in July, the remaining part of this
chapter will be discussed.
Mr. Youkilis stated the major revisions to the chapter being presented. This chapter places
together all of the City’s zoning districts into one chapter whereas, the current LDC has
certain zoning districts as individual chapters (CS-OV, TODD, Hometown). On page 4
Section 20-2.16, he directed the Board’s attention to a new format displaying on one page
the zoning use districts, development standards, and uses permitted. On the following
section (Section 20-2.17), he called their attention to the three different categories of
permitted uses with their respective definitions, as permitted by the Task Force. The three
uses are permitted, conditional, and special. Next, he spoke about the new format being
used for all residential, office, and commercial zones. The new format has the following
headings: district purpose, uses allowed, development regulations, and supplemental
requirements. This new format, for the zoning districts, is found from pages 5-24. At
tonight’s meeting, pages 22-66 were not included in this Part I review. These pages belong
to the Mixed Use-Hometown District and the TODD regulations, which will be reviewed
separately at a future meeting. In regards to regulations for special purpose districts (pp 67-
84): H, PR, PI, PUD, PUD-R, PUD-M, PUD-H, and the CS-OV districts, all were
converted to the new format.
The section that pertained to Historic Preservation Overlay was changed so that the current
preservation regulations that were scattered throughout the LDC, are now consolidated in
one section (pp.85-87). Also new provisions have been added to clearly show that the
designation process is a zoning map change, requiring formal public hearings and Planning
Board review.
On the last pages 88-97 Mr. Youkilis spoke about the changes to the Permitted Use
Schedule. It contained changes recommended by the Task Force, as prepared by the
Permitted Uses subcommittee. The current use schedule format is maintained; uses
permitted in the GR expanded; reduction of uses designated as special uses requiring
hearings; the actual parking space formulas are shown on each page; and a new MU
district is shown for possible placement in area other than Hometown.
Planning Board meeting
June 15, 2004
Page 5 of 6
During the review of the Permitted Use Schedule, Board member Mr. Comendeiro
inquired as to why parks were not required to have required parking available to the
citizens. The Board and staff discussed Mr. Comendeiro’s concern.
Board member Mr. Mann inquired about the permitted use being allowed in the TODD
(LI-4) for public warehousing and storage. He thought that the storage and public
warehouses were not allowed in the TODD (LI-4). Furthermore, he stated that it seemed to
him that having a 4-story wall storage building might diminish the movement of people
and/or development. Mr. O’Donniley responded with the possibility of making the public
warehousing/storage a special use, where it would require City Commission approval.
On a different note, Mr. Liddy asked who handles the on-street parking requirements and
regulations. Mr. Youkilis answered that he believes Public Works along with the Parking
consultant handle those requirements and that they follow the City Code. Furthermore, Mr.
O’Donniley added that that the Planning Board had specified the minimum size for the on-
street parking when the Board reviewed the Parking Chapter of the LDC. Board member
Mr. Illas had a question pertaining to off-street parking enforcement. He asked who
enforces the regulations for a business that has off-street parking spaces but chooses to
park cars outside their designated parking spaces. Mr. O’Donniley responded that the Code
Enforcement Department regulates these issues and if the cars are parked in a public right-
of-way then it is the police who would enforce the law. However, Mr. Illas said that a
concern he has is that much of the businesses are parking outside their designated parking
spaces after the Code Enforcement Dept is closed which is at 5:00 p.m. Finally, Mr.
Youkilis commented if the Finance Department receives a complaint about businesses not
parking in their designated off-street parking spaces, then the Finance Dept notifies the
Parking Consultant to watch the parking spaces to see if they are obeying the regulations.
VI. Remarks
No remarks were said.
VII. Approval of Minutes
Action: The Board voted on and approved the minutes of May 11, 2004, as amended.
Vote: Ayes 5 Nays 0
VIII. Next Meeting
Action: Mr. Youkilis informed the Board the next Planning Board meeting was
scheduled for July 13, 2004.
Planning Board meeting
June 15, 2004
Page 6 of 6
IX. Adjournment
Action: There being no further business before the Board, Mr. Morton adjourned the
meeting at 9:15 PM.
DOD/SAY/pel
K:\PB\PB Minutes\2004 Minutes\MINS 6-15-04.doc