04/26/1984
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STATE OF FLORIDA
OIVISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS
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Respondents.
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JAMES R. GRAY,
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potitioner,
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CASE NO.' 84-0773
CITY OF CLEARWATER and
MARY G. REALTY, INC.,
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ORDER
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Pursuant to notice, the Division of Administrative
Hearings, by its duly designated Hearing Officer, K. N. Ayers,
held a public hearing in the above-styled case on April 2,
1984, at Clearwater, Florida.
APPEARANCES
For Petitioner: George N.' Greer,' Esq.
302 South Garden Avenue
Clearwater; Florida 33516
For Respondent! Patrick T. MCGuire, Esq.
Applicant, 1253 Park Avenue
Mary G.' Realty: CleaL~ater, Florida 33516
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For Respondent,
Ci ty of.
Clearwater:
Thomas A. Bustin, Esq.
Post Office Box 4748
Clearwater, Florida 33518
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By letter dated February 17, 1984, James R. Gray,
Petitioner, appeals the decision of the City of Clearwater,'
Board of Adjustment and Appeal on Zoning's grant of variances
'of 11-l/2 feet on the west, 6 feet on the south, and 5 feet
on Mandalay Avenue for setback lines: a variance of '32 parking,
spaces: and a variance (waiver) of the 3-foot landscape
buffer requirements both for Mandalay Avenue and Baymont
Street t~.Mary G., Rea1ty to build an office/retail ,store'
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.", building and three apartments ~n its property, on ClearWater
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proceodings and ovidonco submittod at the board hearing was
admitted into evidence. Thereaftor, the City of Clearwater
called one witness, Respondent Mary G. Realty called two wit~
nesses, Petitioner callod five witnasses, including the city's
witness, and ton exhibits wore admitted into evidence.
Proposod findings submitted by the parties, insofar
as thoy aro included horoin, arc adopted, otherwise, they are
rejectod as unsupported by the evidence, immaterial' or unneces-
sary to the results reached.
FINDINGS OF FACT
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1., Mary ,G. Realty owns Lots 57-63 and the 'north 10.25
feet of Lot 64, Clearwater Beach Park, which occupy the south-
west cornor of Mandalay Avenue and Baymont Street on Clea~7ater
Beach. For many yeara this property was operated as a gaSOline
service station until the death of the owner-operator and .its
purchase by Mary G. Realty in December, 1983.
2. The property is zoned CG and has been so zoned
for many years without change to the present.
3. The gasoline station building is still located
on the property and the proposed development will include
use of that structure, which is approximately 40 feet by 60
feet. Applicant proposes to construct and operate a two-story
office/retail store building with three large apartments on
the second floor. The proposed addition would add l6 feet to
the south side of t~he e,dsting building extending 80 feet
eastward from the west li.ne of this building, with the eastern
40 feet ,of this' extension 25 feet wide. It is also propos~d :
to add an additional 70.7 feet to the north side of the existing
building. As proposed, the first floor ,would occupy 6,680
square feet and the second floor would contain 5,870 squar.e,feet.
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4. Variances approved by the zoning board include
a 3.5-foot setba~k on the rear property line to allow t.he
property additions to follow the line of the existing structure,
a 6-foot setback on the south property line, a IS-foot setback
on 25 feet of the proposed addition from Mandalay Avenue1 no
buffer zone between parking and street right-of-way on both
Mandalay Avenue and Baymont Street1 and a variance of 32 park-
ing spaces. Applicant's proposal approved by the board is
to provide 25 parking spaces, a variance of 32 in tha parking
space requirement for the structure proposed.
5. petitioner's property abuts the property owned
~ by Mary G. Realty and the structure on that property, which
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was built before t,he present 20ning laws became effective, is
nonconforming with the zoning regulations.
6. In its application for the variances here under
review. Mary G. Realty requested a zero setback from the north
property line, which was withdrawn: a 3.5-foot setback at
the rear of the property in lieu of the lO-foot requirement
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for commerical general, and the board approved 3.5 feet~
a one-foot setback on south property line in lieu of the
lO feet required, and the board approved a 6-foot setback;
a l5-foot front setback in lieu of 20 feet required by the
code, and the board approved 15 feet: a variance of 48 parking
spaces, which was reduced by applicant's withdrawal of zero
CIt: setback for north property line, resulting in a smaller size
structure requiring less parking spaces and the additiQnof
parking spaces from this same reduction, and the board approved
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a variance of 32 parking spaces; and a zero bUffering require-
. me~t' .~butting M,andalay Avenue and Baymont Street, which the
~oard granted '.
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7. This, property is unique only in "that.; i~ is located
in an area in wh,ich a large percent.age of the buildings are non-"
conforming. The property is a trapezoidal shaped parcel.
having the following dimensions: south property line 100.47
feet, west property line l67.52 feet, north property line lOO.77
feet, and east property line 17S.55 feet.
S. One of the principal factors at issue here is
~he ~equested variance in parking spaces required. Applicant
purchased the property due to the pending expiration of its
existing business lease and intends to move its business to
the' ne~~ location and provide additional office and shop space
with apartments on the second floor, thus having a combined,
commerical and residential structure. There are no shopping
facilities on Mandalay Avenue north of state Road 60; the
area is mostly built up with motels, hotels, apartments, and
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restaurants; and the shopping customers are generally the
same people who walk along Mandalay. Accordingly, there is
~ess need for parking to accommodate a shop in this area than
would be required in another. part of Clearwater, although
the magnitude of this difference has not as yet been determined.
9. witnesses testified to the need for additional
shopping facilities north of State Road 60; to the fact that
few people. in automobiles shop on North Clearwater Beach;
and, while functioning as a service station, no parking spaces
were provided on this property.
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lO. This property was purchased by Mary G. Realty
for $295,000 and evidence was presented that less building'
space., than proposed would not make ~he purchase economically
feaB~~le. However, insufficient evidence was presented to
support this conclusion. This factor is given little'weight
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because the purchaser knew, or should have kn<?wn, of the zoning ,/.'> '.,
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L,<:, .'...... . ,':1', .restrictions before the p~operty was purchased. \ \' '..~\6.:i,-:;'..'
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Il, t10st of the property in the vicinity was developed
long before the current,zoning regulations were adopted and the
structures thereon ~re gen~rally nonconforming both with respect
. to setbacks and parking, even though they offer rooms to transients
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who arrive in automobiles. These nonconforming struct.ures '.,
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result in some of the buildings in the vicinity baing built
right to the property line.
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CONCLUSIONS OF LAW
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The Division of Administrative Hearings has juris-.:
diction over the parties to, and the subject matter o~, these
proceedings.
Section 13l.0l6, Clearwater Building and zoning
Regulations, provides a variance from ,the terms of this chapter.'
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shall not be granted unless and until:.
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(I) A written application for a
variance is submitted stating substanti-.
ally that certain of the following exist:
a. That special conditions and circum-
stances exist which are peculiar
to the land, structure or building
involved and which are not applicable
to other lands, building or struc-.,
tures in the same district.
b. That'literal interpretation of the
provisions of this chapter would
deprive the applicant of rights ,
commonly enjoyed by other properties
in the same district under the terms
of this chapter.
c. That the special conditions and
circumstances referred to in sub-
section a. above, do not result
from the actions of the applicant.
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d. That granting the variance requested
will not confer on the applicant any
special privilege that is denied by
,this chapter.to other lands, struc~
tures or dwellings in the 'same district.
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No nonconforming use of neighboring lands,'
'structures or ~uildings in the same'dis-,
~rict" and no, permitted use' of land',' '.
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Granting the variances requested will not confer on
the applicant any special privilc~e that is denied to other
lands in the Bame ,district wh~,ch were deyeloped before the
code provisions came'into being. However, Section 131.0l6
specifically provides no existfng nonconforming u'se shall be "
considered grounds for the issuance of a variance.'
Insufficient evidence was submitted to show the
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requested variances are the minimum variances that will make
possible the reasonable use of the land.
It clearly appears that the application of these
code provisions will create difficulties for th?se wishing to,
upgrade their property or rebuild structures needed to be
~ . replaced. This factor was obviously considered when these
code provisions were enacted. ~fuile 'it will take many years
of code enforcement to eliminate nonconforming buildings,
unless these code provisions are followed in difficult cases'
such a~ this, they will never be eliminated. By enacting
this code, they City of Clearwater obviously intended to
Ultimately bring all developments into compliance with the
code.
But for the code requirements for setbacks and parking,
the construction of the proposed building, as approved by the
board, will not be injurious to the neighborhood, or otherwise
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detrimental to the'public welfare. However, the applicant
has not shown that the requested variances are the minimum
~ necessary to make possible the reasonable use of the land.
It is therefore
ORDERED that the application of Mary G. Realty, Inc.,
for variances at Lots 57-63 and the north lO.25 feet of Lot 64
~~(.':r".;..'::' ':".::~:t Clearwater Beach, Florida, .be denied.
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~ t~ CASE NO. 84-0773, ,
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ENTERED this ~ (. ~ay of April, 19 84, at Tallahassee,' -,
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ear ng Off cer . ~
Division of dministrative' Hearingsl,
Oakland Building
,2009 Apalachee Parkway-
Tallahassee, Florida. 3230l
904/488-9675
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FILED with the, Clerk of the" .,: ....'.:.\,. :,-:"'~t',~
Oivision of Administrative He'arin'gs ,'.:.\/ i;:...
this .,.~rt.. day of Apr~l,. "19,~,4~: ",~ '. ,.,. ".',: ,':;',
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Copies furnished to:
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George W. Greer, Esq.
320 South Garden Avenue
Clearwater, Florida 33516
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Patrick T. McGuire, Esq.
1253 Park Avenue
Clearwater" Florida 33516
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Thomas A. Bustin, Esq.
Post Office Box 4748
Clearwater, Florida 33518
Ms. Lucille Williams
City Clerk
Post Office Box 4748
Clearwater, Florida 33518
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