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02/17/1994 - 1:00 PM , .' . '. . ' ..'. ' ,..."_4...... ..~ .....__..... __ ~ . - .. . .'.. ,I ~' . . l,j4 " , .', ,T . , . , " ," ., '. T. ,.,,~,.,. ~ ~ ."...,,,.......,.. ,"~,Hu 'R'_.' .. . . c' ." T HEARING ., ,.r I '.' ........... ........' . OFFICER '. ..APPEALS "", '. ..' Date , ))/lye Warflt:3bn d/b/a-, Srn/1h hnce> i~~1 .~~...~_..,., " ~ v~ I . ~._, ~ ' " '. ~,~_ , , ::i. :,':"'.:_.........' .}....;, .,....,:,:.. ..... ....,..'d~,',\:,;':';:ij;::,.',i"",:'\, . '. . . ,"'~~... ,,'3'" "'. 'I ,..". ... , . . "". . ',' ,'" ~.:"."" ....' . .~. ..,..'>.r',< :,":~'.,~'::',. ::".;' .:':...,':':-: ,i..:":. ':.....:....:"."...;.',.,::.,.. :.'. fl' ' .: .. " ","~'",_"""':'._"."_".~."'~'_' "'~...~" . ~. ., I .. "";t .' . r' ", ~ f. .::1 PUBLIC' HEARING BEFORE A HEARING OFFICER February 17, 1994 - 1 :00 p.m. Dave Warrington d/b/a Smith Fence Hearing Officer: J. Lawrence Johnston Also Present: Miles A. Lance, Assistant City Attorney John Richter, Senior Planner Camille Motley, Central Records Specialist Issue: GTE Florida, Inc for a variance of 42 in to allow a fence 72 in in height where 30 in is permitted at 21051 US Hwy ~9 N, Sec 17-29-16, M&B 23.03, zoned CH (Highway Commercial). V 93-80 Appearances: Dave Warrington, Smith Fence Company 14 Ridge Court, Brandon, FL . Jerry Gardner, GTE Florida, Inc. 2435 Madrid Avenue, Safety Harbor, FI 34695 The minutes and tape of the previous DCAB meeting pertaining to this variance request were accepted by the Hearing Officer. . '0 Exhibit 1: Drawing for new fence proposal. Hearing Officer J. Lawrence Johnston called the hearing to order at 1:05 p,m. Mr. Warrington, Appellant stated in his opening statement that he wished to submit a new drawing for a fence proposal different from the one submitted with his initial request for a variance. Hearing Officer Johnston accepted the drawing. He questioned the appellant, Mr, Warrington, to clarify the newly submitted drawing was different than that originally submitted, Hearing Officer Johnston advised the appellant he would not be able to make a ruling on what appeared to be a new request for variance. Hearing Officer Johnston asked Mr. Warrington, appellant, if he wished to take the new fence proposal to the Board for a variance that comports with what the appellant wants to actually build, Mr. Warrington stated that he did, The hearing was adjourned by Hearing Officer Johnston at 1 :30 p,m, 10 M1NHOOi~4 V 93.t10 ~"'~...."......-...-.... . .,... "'" ~.+7'~. '..........,M .-" . ..........._-.......-.-.~-i ~.. <',<;,::;'_' ....,. ........... .'.'..,.;:..:;'....\ ...::.:,'i....,:,:O:',.."..;"..!.;:,:'..,<i..'L.;.t. ....',.';.::.W ':'.'::;:': 2;<;',:/:'.:.!::J.'~:.~.:..,:'i.:~,.)>'.. " ..' . . ,,'d.''',.'''''''., ' "..\~" .....:=J"..''''. "1' . .&::,::....".",..." .' ,....'.. ...\.,...". .',:..':-. : ,,' ':-::..:........>.:. <'.,',.' .':' '.'::.)';.:' :.::.<::.':':'.-:.' ':< ::: i.:::::"'r :...:,::' .':"'::.>',:':'1. ';:':';';.:::~, I.::: ~'\.';,-"'.=f<:'~,::/ ,'.:, <,:.;<.~, :>..~:':':,:. ,~.; ":"::; .: ',::;<<; '. " " . ' ... , . , ~"""",__._,_""""'r+_'" .... ,I ',. , . I,,' '. r I,.. '.:_. ',1' f1 STATE OF FLORIDA DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS RECEIVED MAR 2 9 199~ CITY CLERK DEPT. GTE FLORIDA, INC. , ) ) Appellant, ) ) VB. ) CASE NO. 93-7069 ) CITY OF CLEARWATER, ) ) Appellee. ) ) FINAL ORDER OF DISMISSAL On February 17, 1994, a final hearing was held in this case in Clearwater, Florida, before J. Lawrence Johnston, Hearing Officer, Division of Administrative Hearings. APPEARANCES ,~ For Appellant: Dave Warrington Smith Fence Company 4460 107th Circle North Clearwater, Florida 34622 Jerry Gardner GTE Florida, Inc. 2435 Madrid Avenue Safety Harbor, Florida 34695 For Appellee: Miles A. Lance, Esquire Assistant City Attorney City of Clearwater Post Office Box 4748 Clearwater, Florida 34618-4748 STATEMENT OF THE ISSUE The issue in this case was to be whether the evidence o sustains the decision of the City of Clearwater Development Code Adjustment Board (the Board) to deny the application of the Appellant, GTE Florida, Inc., for a 42-inch fence height variance for a construction of a fence on its property located at 21051 _~t....Io01-_-""'.' . ......_4,. "" I";. ~: "':"~",,~,~,,,ji(Jiof"'tlj..L . '~ I . , . . . :::.::~./..;...":':'>:<"","':'.: '.'.~. .',-.::' ..':.: '.' ..... "'<:.'; .. >.... .~:.<'. \. ..'.......,.. ..:.':..,....,\..:')..,:.:::....,..:.:<...,,:;...:'.;.;..::.:::;:'~.',:'~\.:;~:"<>,:~~::<:;.-:;,:~<..,}..:::...~./;-,;. .: ...- ' '. .' ....\. , ,\. . . . ,,-:, ' . - ;.....,. :\'....b.. " ',"'.".,,',.,,;,' !.."."..'..,"!,' '..,:':.~. .. ..,.....,..\,.,>.~' .' . (-. ? ..':'. .'~~':\ ,";:01 ..':.>::., :.........,::.:...:..>::'.\.,.:..,',:.:.:.::',:.',.;':...:.;.....:;..>. . '. . . ", (' .' , . .... . .\ '. '.. . . .. . ( . \ ..' , . ". . ." . . . , " . ' . _ 1 '! .' .. ,..', .,' J . 'l .." . . I I', ~ " . ; J ~, , . . '. ~ . ~ , ~ I " ~ _......___._.P-,.._1,.,~_."'... . , . -.. ' , ", ." 'I- " " n H U' 1 .~' ....J ' j \.1 \1 ,," ~ ,,,I. '.' tl t"~d ~ ',; )'it\f'i U.S. 19 North, Clearwater, Florida. (The variance was required ,Pl3l1 ifi! UJ Y Tf) as a result of the Appellant's stated desire to extend a six-foot high fence from the front of its building on the property all the way to the front of the property on u.s. 19 North, well within the setback of 175 feet from the centerline of U.S. 19 North, within which the City of Clearwater Development Code restricts fences to 30 inches in height.) r-- PRELIMINARY STATEMENT On or about October 15, 1993, the Appellant, GTE Florida, Inc. applied to the City of Clearwater Development Code Adjustment Board (the Board) for a fence height variance. After staff review and recommendation to grant the variance application, it was considered and denied by the Board at a public hearing on November 17, 1993. A timely appeal was filed on November 30, 1993. Under Section 36.065 of the City of Clearwater Land Development Code (the Code), the appeal was forwarded to the Division of Administrative Hearings on December 13, 1993, along with a copy of the record of the proceedings below. On January 6, 1994, a Notice of Hearing was issued scheduling final hearing for February 17, 1994. FINDINGS OF FACT 1. On or about October 15, 1993, the Appellant, GTE Florida, Inc. applied to the City of Clearwater Development Code Adjustment Board (the Board) for a 42-inch fence height variance for a construction of a fence on its property located at 21051 U.S. 19 North, Clearwater, Florida. The application stated that (uJ 2 . . :',,;:_.... ,....:::. '.:i.' ....:: :\::::~')\./;D'D',:.~<:{T'.::':'''/..J':,'~.:/L:(>:,'''';':':::.;"#,?i\':',,:?;,\',::, .,,:'\,':)\., . .', .... .',. ...,.......,... ..1. . ..' i;~,.. .,::t il.~ ,~. J... ,'. " , . "..' . ." '.. ,.,",' ',~.,:~.I: .:l".':.l..."'~,...':l;,,..~..:l,.':.:'.'.l',:-.. :,..'I,,:l..,..,~,.. ::'.,.,.' C.. \/'.:...~',.~-=t.:,~.'..~'::~~,:':M.:.., .':':':"\~,/:" 't.~, .':";:,"~'.":',:.;:.:.\....::~~.'".::::.<:: ':'."'.''', ::'. ' ",., ... _,t~_'~'__'_H"_'" ....:.._~ .. ' "t . '..' .." . ,I, r ". 1. . ,"'~ , ~ the Appellant wanted to extend a six-foot high fence from the front of its building on the property all the way to the front of the property on U.S. 19 North, well within the setback of 175 feet from the centerline of U.S. 19 North, within which the City of Clearwater Development Code restricts fences to 30 inches in height. ) 2. At the final hearing, it was disclosed that the application was in error. Actually, instead of wanting to extend its fence from the front of its building on the property all the way to the front of the property on u.s. 19 North, as stated in the variance application, the Appellant only wants to extend the fence approximately eight to ten feet from the front of its building. No application for the variance actually desired ever <:J has been presented to the Board for approval. 3. In light of these facts, the Appellant expressed its desire to dismiss its appeal in this case and to re-apply for the correct variance. CONCLUSIONS OF LAW 4. Appeals from decisions.of the Board are governed by Section 36.065 of the Code, which provides in pertinent part: * * * (6) Decision. The decision of the hearing officer shall be based upon the following criteria and rendered as follows: * * * ~ (c) The burden shall be upon the appellant to show that the decision of the board cannot be sustained by the evidence before the board and before the hearing officer, or that the decision 3 .,{,'_'" ", ".".' '. "..:::.':;.:. ....,':'. ..",:'....: .,......;:..... .........-.'......";j;:.i,,,>..:\: ......:;;li,:.:..,:.I".i'::.}:y: .... . ......: '.1\ .',..' ".' .' ';:t,... ,. .::.1. .' .....1..,.. .. B... '.:..... ..... . .', "....J... . .':: '.'''. ' :.:. '.:.: ,.>,. :.. i.' ....'. ,'. \ ":::' :. .":,'. : .: ,C'.:' ':.." :.:.,~.:t. ..<:':<',<<:'. ..:<::;. JZ). ".'>r.:". :':':.". :':,:' :.. . ': ....:. > .:~,~./...;..,: , . . . .' ~ . . " . \ ' . ' , , _, _n__ ,,,~ _..... -... ....... .,'" . ,I . . " .. I' of the board departs from the essential requirements of law. r. * * * 5. Since the Appellant never presented to the Board the variance it actually wants, it cannot be concluded in this proceeding that the Board erred in denying the variance the Appellant actually wants. 6. In addition, the Appellant voluntarily dismissed its appeal. DISPOSITION Based on the foregoing Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, the.appeal of GTE Florida, Inc., from the decision of the City of Clearwater Land Development Code Adjustment Board denying its application for a fence height variance is dismissed. DONE AND ORDERED this 25th day of March, 1994, in Tallahassee, Florida. Hearings Filed with the Clerk of the Division of Administrative Hearings this 25th day of March, 1994. ~ 4 ;:'._'<":'"..<', i'" ..~'. .'t~t~ :.~', '.:.;":,;' ,.,' ,'" 'H , ~ ' .:]. , I" D., I ." ", :'<',.". ;:', : :,\ ,:,-" ',I: ,:"," ',' : .I::"....~. " :=r, ' ", ,:' "" ;;'~':'. .:~";' ',' ~' " '. ." ,. ','., ". '::", ,', ' , . _ .........-... ~ _.I~..._. ........ ,. . ~ " .,' ." , " . , .\ S \. .'c ,I ...... 0< .' i' '. ~ '. . \ , , '. " . c . : " I ' :",' .~ 1 ~ ' :. n < '. (." .~\t;~'~ ,~~ .r...~. '"~'.i~,~!;.:r!:1<~ j'ir~.;~.t-'l'LII!oI..Jf .~"'.o.:''':~lh-~ ..........,~: . ,. . ,,''''. o COPIES FURNISHED: Dave Warrington Smith Fence Company 4460 l07th Circle North . Clearwater, Florida 34622 Jerry Gardner GTE Florida, Inc. 2435 Madrid Avenue . Safety Harbor, Florida 34695 < Miles A. Lance, Esquire Assistant City Attorney . City of . Clearwater' . Post Office Box 4748 Clearwater, Florida 34618-4748 '0 Cynthia Goudeau City Clerk City of Clearwater Post Office Box 4748 Clearwater, Florida 34618;..4748, .', Final Order of Dismissal, Case No. 93-7069 c-c.. ~ &o-f.J. C:;~fl..-r1. V - fife " 5 ......1< c.u.... ~r".'''''lr'lll. ...u.~........",,,,,.,...,. .'...... .........-.....~..-.. ' ...-~..:_..,... ...... :'- '.~' ... .'.-.,<. :.' : ~- .". . . '_~ ' . =:J. l-:'l . l' .. '. 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