OFFICE OF THE CITY COUNCIL
CHERYL L. BROWN 117 WEST DUVAL STREET, SUITE 425
DIRECTOR 4TH FLOOR, CITY HALL
OFFICE (904) 630-1452 JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 32202
FAX (904) 630-2906
E-MAIL: CLBROWN@coj.net
LUZ COMMITTEE WORKSHOP MINUTES
February 4, 2014
4:30 p.m.
City Council Chamber
1st floor, City Hall
117 West Duval Street
Attendance: Council Members Lori Boyer (Chair), Matt Schellenberg, Bill Bishop, Don Redman
Also: Gary Kresel, Folks Huxford and Bruce Lewis – Planning and Development Department; Jason Gabriel – Office of General Counsel; Philip Zamarron – Legislative Services Division; Jeff Clements and Yvonne Mitchell – City Council Research
Chairwoman Boyer called the meeting to order at 4:30 p.m.
Compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) manufacturing facility regulation
Ms. Boyer said that she has asked the Planning and Development Department to look at other jurisdictions that have CNG and LNG facilities to determine what they may have done in regard to zoning regulations and performance standards. She also believes an interpretation is needed as to whether these types of facilities fall under the existing definition of “essential services” if they are owned by a public utility or their product is consumed by a public utility. Council Member Bishop felt that the City should not over-complicate its regulations and instead should treat CNG and LNG manufacturing facilities like any other manufacturing facility that has hazardous materials on site, restricting them to heavy industrial zones. Folks Huxford said that his first impression is that such facilities would be appropriately regulated as manufacturing facilities and not as “essential service” utilities.
Through-lot yard regulation
Mr. Huxford reported that the Development Services Division of the Planning Department is currently encouraging new subdivisions to have a 1-foot non-access easement placed along the side of multi-frontage parcels that face the collector or higher category road so that property owners do not use that roadway to access a side or back yard. He proposed a definition change to specifically address the definition of front, side and back yards on multi-frontage lots that back up to, but do not have access to, a collector or higher classification road.
Elimination of preview workshop process for land use changes
Ms. Boyer reported that the Planning Department has told her that approximately 90% of time no one from the general public attends a land use change pre-application workshop, so the requirement seems excessive in its demands on staff time and resources if it is not meeting a public need. She proposed a mechanism by which the workshop process would be triggered if a threshold number of area residents respond to the mailed notice of the potential land use change with a request for a workshop, thereby demonstrating sufficient public interest to warrant the workshop process. She also suggested that the Code could provide for an alternative forum for a workshop, such as a district council member town hall meeting or a CPAC meeting. Gary Kresel expressed reservations about the value of the workshops, even if only held in limited numbers upon request, because of the element of uncertainty they add to the land use change process and the doubtful utility of the workshops so early in the land use amendment process. Council Member Schellenberg agreed with Mr. Kresel that the workshops add little value so early in the process when the Planning Department has not yet prepared and report and the public may not know what is proposed for the site. Ms. Boyer authorized Jason Gabriel to file the legislation he has drafted for the workshop repeal as an LUZ Committee bill which can be perfected at a later date.
There being no further business, the agenda meeting was adjourned at 4:56 p.m.
Jeff Clements, Council Research Division (904) 630-1404
Posted 2.6.14
9:00 a.m.