02/20/1985
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PUBLIC HEARING
January 23, 1985
10:00 a.m.
~..,.:
Donald D. Conn, Hearing Offioer
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&l8o PNBeIlt:
Paula Harvey, Planning Offioial
Shirley Corum, Representing City Clerk
Iuae:
l~ll.ftt -- Diane Mastrogiovanni for a variance of 700 ft to permit
operation of adult family oare facility 500 ft from another
faoility, at 2878 St. Johns Dr, SaIl's Lake Park, Blk a, Lot 1,
zoned RS-50 (single family).
CUe 110. A--3996
AppeaNDDlIB:
James McDaniel, Attorney, representing Appellant
Thomas A. Bustin, City Attorney, representing the Clt~ ot ClearMater
BJdd.blta aalaltted.:
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By Hearing Officer:
Composite 11 -- verbatim tape and file papers from Board of
Adjustment and Appeal hearing of October 25, 1984
By Appellant:
Exhibit #1
Exhibit '2
Exhibit '3
Appeal Hearing memorandum
letter, dated July 11, 1984, from Paula Harvey to
other adult oare faoility on Sarah Drive
statement from Shirley Hill, geriatrio speoialist
T' .;., , ..;1-
. Paula Harvey reviewed the oiroumstanoes of the oase stating this
property is looated at 2878 St. Johns Drive, is zoned RS-50, and the
proposed use is for an adult oare living faoility. The appellant
"equested verifioation ot zoning in February, 1984, and was told the
proposed use was appropriate. . Before the appellant applied for lioensing
with H.R.S., another adult care facility was lioensed within the 1200
" teet separation required by the zoning. In July, 1984, the appellant
was intormed she would need a varianoe from the Board of Adjustment and
Appeals to operate tho facility. The Board denied her request tor
varianoe at the Ootober 25th meeting.
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STATE OF FLORIDA
G) . ; DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS
DIANE MASTROGIOVANNI, )
Appellant, )
I'
vs. ) CASE NO. . 84-3996
CITY OF CLEAR\'lATER, )
Respondent. )
)
'R'! C~E '1 ,V E-D
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CITY CLERK
FINAL ORDER
Pursuant to notice, this case came on to be heard on
January 23, 1985 in Clearwater, Florida before Donald D. Conn,
Hearing Officer, Division of Administrative Hearings.
APPEARANCES
CD
For Appellant:
James M. McDaniel, Esquire
540 Bay Avenue
Clearwater, Florida 33516
For Respondent:
Thomas A. Bustin, Esquire
City Attorney
Post Office Box 4748
Clearwater, Florida 33518
By letter dated November 6, 1984 Diane Mastrogiovanni,
Appellant, has appealed the decision of the Board of Adjustment
and Appeal on Zoning (Board) to deny her request for a variance
of 700 feet to permit the operation of an adult family care
e
facility 500 feet from another facility.
. At the heari~g the Appellant called three witnesses and
introduced three exhibits into evidence. The Respondent called
one witness and the tape of the hearing before the Board on
October 25, 1984 was admitted into e,ridence. One public witness
testified and two letters received from interested members of the
public were received in evidence.
Proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law
r(~",~~:i,:;,;;".^t:::,:,;:\~,;~u:t?m~tted, by thep~,rties. have been considered and in making the
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~~;:"'.. ~," ,following fin~ings of fact the Hearing Officer specifically
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I~~~r~tii;pro.ves :ppeuant · s proposed firidingBl. 3, 6, 14; 15 and 17,
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and' RespondentJs proposed findings 1 through 7, 9 and 10. The
CJ :~. V j r'emaini'ng proposed findings submi tted by the parties have been
,rejocted as subordinate, cumulative, immaterial, unnQce~sary or
r:"';, ':'not' basad upon competent, substantial ovidence.
.
Fin~ingB of Fact
1. Appellant owns Block H, Lot 1, SallJs Lake Park
SUbdivision which has the street addross of 2878 St. JohnJs
Drive, Clearwater, Florida. The lot is ~oned RS-50 and there is
a single family dwelling on the property. Appellant purchased
this property in late March, 1984 and began making certain reno-
vations in the residence located on the property for the purpose
of operating an Adult Congregate Liv~n9 Facility (ACLF). Appel-
lant's sole reason for purchasing this property was to operate an
ACLF. ~
2. Prior to closing on the purchase of this property
Appellant contacted the Planning Department for the City of
Clearwater and was advised by letter dated February 24, 1984 that
the property was properly zoned for the operation of an ACLF with
a capacity of up to five persons. (Appellant's Exhibit l-A)
3. Appellant applied to the Department of Health and
Rehabilitative Services (HRS) in May, 1984 for a license to
operate an ACLF and received her license in September, 1984.
Appellant has accepted residents at the facility and there are
currently five persons residing in this ACLF.
4. Respondent informed Appellant by letter dated July
11, 1984 that another facility located at 2869 Sarah Drive was
ready for final license approval by HRB and that in order to
operate an ACLF at 2078 Sarah Drive Appellant would have to seek
a variance to the zoning code requirement of a 1200 foot
. , s epara tion between faci 1i ties of this kind. (Appellant I s Exhibit
. :l-.B) Appellant did not receive this let.ter until September since
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. she had moved from her former address in Mayor June, had left a
"':"'~:"':';:I. fOrWardi,ng address but had not, informed Respondent of her new .',~."
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S~ The ACLF at 2069 Sarah Drive applied tor HRS
licenlure bofore Appellant. receivod its license before Appellant
and recoivod 0 notice of zoning, consistency by letter dated July
11, 1984 (Appollant's Exhibit 2).
6. A B~paration of approximately ,500 feot exists
between Appollant's facility and the one at 2869 Sarah Drive.
CONCLUSIONS OF LAW
The Division of Administrative Hearings has
jurisdiction over the parties to, and the subject matter of,
these proceedings.
Section 13l.0l6(e), city of Clearwater Code of
Ordinances, relating to variances provides as follows:
CD
(e) Variances. The board shall have the power
in specific cases. after due notice, investiga-
tion, and hearings on the aforesaid, where' there
are practical difficulties or unnecessary hard-
ships in the way of carrying out the strict letter
of the provisions of this chapter, to determine
and vary any such provisions in harmony with the
general purposes and intent of this chapter so
that the public health, safety and general welfare
toay be secure and substantial justice done. A
variance from the terms of this chapter shall not
be granted by the board unless and until:
(1) A written application for a variance is
submitted stating substantially that certain of
the fOllowing exist:
e
a. That special conditions and circumstances
exist which are peculiar to the land, structure or
building involved and which are not applicable ,to
other lands, building'or structures in the same
district.
b. That literal interpretation of the provi-
sions of this chapter would deprive the applicant
of rights commonly enjoyed by other properties in
the aame'district under the terms of this chapter.
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c. That the special conditions and circum-
stances referred to in subsection a. above, do not
.resul~ from th~ actions of,~he applica~t.
d. That granting the variance requested will
. ,',.' not, ,confer,. on 'tlle 'appl:icanta~y special: privilege
" 'that is', denied by'. this chapter to other lands; ,..,
,structu~eB or dwellings in the same district.
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, -:..N~" nonconforming~' use of neighboring lands, struc~
.:' ,;,' tures or buildings in the same district, and no
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other districts ohall be considered 9r~und8.for'
the issuance of a variance. <, ,
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(2) Notice of public hearingJ
(3) Tho board Bhatl further made a findinq that
tho reaeons sot forth in the application justify
the granting of tho variance, and that the vari-
ance is the minimum variance that will make possi-
ble the reasonable use of the land, building or
structure.
(4) The board shall further make a finding that
the granting of the variance will be in harmony
with the general purpose and intent of this chap-
ter, will not be injurious to the neighborhood, or
otherwise detrimental to the public welfare~
In granting any variance, the board may prescribe
appropriate conditions and safeguards in conformi-
ty with this chapter. Violation of such condi-
tions and safeguards, when made a part of the
terms under which the variance is grantedt shall
be deemed a violation of this chapter and punisha-
ble as provided by thiB chapter. Under no circum-
stances shall the board grant a variance to permit
a use not generally or by special exception per- ~
mitted in the district involved, or any use ex- ..,.
pressly or by implication prohibited by the terms
of this chapter.
Section 131.2056(e) is also applicable to this case and
provides:
(e) Separation. No family or group care
facility shall be located within a radius of
one thousand two hundred (1,200) feet of another family
or group care facility, as measured from
property line to property line at the closest
point. The purpose of this separation
criterion is to further the objective
of deinstitutionalization by preserving
a normal residential environment and thus
to avoid the undue concentration of such
facilities that would adversely impact an
individual neighborhood and Ultimately defeat
the end objective of providing for such
special living facilities.
. .See also Section 131.042(3) of the Code of Ordinances which deals ~
with; permitted uses in the RS-50 District. This provision of the
City of Clearwater Code of Ordinances provides that a family care
, "f~~.~~j.~y:.~U9h as App~~.lan't IS ACLF is .a per~<itted'use in'a RS;"50
zone.
Applying the code prOVisions found at Section
131.016(e), cited ,above, it is clear that no special conditions ,::~.,:'f:;\':'
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Appellant argues for the application of the doctrine of
equitable estoppel based upon her reliance on Respondent's letter
~ dated February 24, 1984 in purchasing and improving the subject
property. This argument is not well-~ounded since the letter
dated February 24, 1984 is not misleading, nor is it incorrect.
It simply states what was, and is, the fact that the zoning of
the subject property is RS-50 and an ACLF operating in this
location is consistent with the ~equirements of the RS-SO zoning
and code provisions relating to special living facilities. There
is no evidence that Appellant asked to be placed on notice of any
other ACLF applications within 1200 feet of the property or that
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Respondent would have known about other applicants until notified
of approval for licensure by the Department of Health and Reha~
bilitative Services. Thus, Respondent did not owe Appellant a
duty to, monitor her property, and properties within 1200 feet,
while she applied for and obtained licensure from the state. The
situation requiring the variance of the 1200 foot separation
requirement arose through no fault of Respondent. Another prop-
erty owner within 1200 feet of Appellant's property simply ap-
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7;~~~i\:;iI(;J;r''','~~~'''~1i'~d ';for a'-rid' 'obtained. a "license' to' operate an. .ACLF dur~ng the
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Copies' furnis~edl
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James 'E. 'McDaniel, Esquiro
5,40' BIlY Avenue
Clearwator, Florida
Thomas A. Bustin, Esquire
'Post Office
Clearw.ater,
" .
Lucille williamEl, City Clerk
Post Office Box 4748
Clearwater, Florida 33510
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33516
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Box 4748.
Florida 33518
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YOU ARE' NOTIFIED THAT YOU ARE
ENTITLED, PURSUANT TO SECTION
120.6B, FLORIDA STATUTES, TO
JUDICIAL REVIEW OF AN ORDER WHICH'
ADVERSELY AFFECTS YOU. REVIEW
PROCEEDINGS ARE COMMENCED BY FILING
,A NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE APPEAL
WITH THE APPROPRIATE DISTRICT COURT
OF APPEAL, AND ARE CONDUCTED ..IN'
ACCORDANCE WITH THE FLORIDA RULES"
OFAPPELLATE PROCEDURE. THE NOTICE
OF ADMINISTRATIVE'APPEAL MUST BE
FILED WITHIN 30 DAYS OF RENDITION
OF THE ORDER TO BE REVIEWED.
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