05/11/2007 - Special Meeting
BUILDING/FLOOD BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT & APPEALS SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES
CITY OF CLEARWATER
May 11, 2007
Present: Edward H. Walker, Jr. Acting Chair
Gary Richter Board Member
Arthur Shand Board Member
Absent: John H. Logan, Jr. Chair
Pankaj Shah Board Member
Also Present: Bill Wright Building Construction Inspector
Neil Legters Building Official Assistant
Patricia O. Sullivan Board Reporter
The Acting Chair called the meeting to order at 2:00 p.m. at the Municipal Services
Building.
To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not
necessarily discussed in that order.
A - Approval of Minutes:
Member Richter moved to approve the minutes of the September 13, 2006, meeting as
motion
submitted in written summation to each board member. The was duly seconded and
carried
unanimously.
B – Continued Requests - None
C – New Requests:
1) Case #BAA07-01 – 160 S. Gulfview Blvd, Owner – City of Clearwater – Engineering, 100 S
Myrtle, Clearwater 33756. Request: Determination that a prefabricated portable parking
attendant booth to be located at the Pier 60 parking lot on the beach is not a permanent
structure subject to the requirements of Chapter 51, Clearwater Code of Ordinances. Located
on Gulfview Boulevard at the end of SR 60, just south of the Roundabout. Parcel 08-29-15-
15606-000-0010
Since 1990, the Pier 60 parking lot has operated as an attendant lot where customers
are required to pay the parking fees upon exit. The approved Beach Walk plans for the Pier 60
parking lot required the relocation of the two existing parking attendant booths, approximately
30 feet to the north. Costs associated with relocating the booths and equipment exceed the
cost of purchasing a new booth by approximately $20,000. Therefore, the City determined it
was more feasible to purchase a replacement booth. During the last 17 years, the City has
operated the Pier 60 parking lot as a cashiered facility and the lot has never flooded nor
sustained any damage to the existing attendant booths.
Staff is proposing to use one 6.4-foot by 4-foot and 7.6-foot by 5.6-foot ADA (Americans
with Disabilities Act) compliant portable booth as manufactured by Porta-King Building systems.
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The booth meets State requirements (130 mph wind load) and will be anchored to a 4-inch deep
concrete slab. The booths will be staffed from 7:00 a.m. to 1 :00 a.m. daily. The booth will be
relocated whenever a tropical storm/hurricane watch is issued.
The booth is in a FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Association) velocity zone
with a BFE (Base Flood Elevation) of 16.0 NAVD. The ground in this area is elevation 5.0. If
the booth were to be considered a permanent structure, elevation of the floor to elevation 16 .
would make it impossible for the booth to serve its intended function.
With regard to the specific factors to be considered in granting a variance as outlined in
Code Section 51.11 (3): 1) The danger that materials may be swept onto other lands to the injury
of others - booth to be removed during tropical storm events; 2) The danger to life and property
due to flooding or erosion damage - booth to be removed during tropical storm events. In case
of unforeseen tidal events, booth would not be occupied; 3) The susceptibility of the proposed
facility and its contents to flood damage and the effect of such damage on the owner - booth to
be removed during tropical storm events. Attendants will remove all tickets, money, etc. at the
end of each day. Should booth become significantly damaged, it would be replaced.
Replacement costs are minimal; 4) The importance of the services provided by proposed facility
to community - booth is integral component of operation of City parking lot; 5) The necessity of
facility to a waterfront location - by its nature and area topography, operation must be located
on beach; 6) The availability of alternate locations not subject to flooding or erosion damage for
proposed use - due to approved Beach Walk plans, no alternative location would work or be in
a different elevation; 7) The compatibility of proposed use with existing and anticipated
development - booth is integral part of beach development plan; 8) The relationship of
proposed use to comprehensive plan and flood plain management program for area - proposed
parking plan consistent with Comprehensive Plan Objective 19.3 - "Public Access to the beach
shall be maintained or improved through parking and multi-model transportation
enhancements"; and 9) The safety of access to property in times of flood for emergency and
non-emergency vehicles - booth will not impede emergency vehicle access.
Discussion ensued with consensus that the request meets the intent of the law.
Member Shand moved that the Board of Adjustment and Appeal on Building/Flood
Control has determined that a prefabricated portable parking attendant booth, to be located at
the Pier 60 parking lot on the beach, is not a permanent structure subject to requirements of
Chapter 51, Clearwater Code of Ordinances, with a condition that the power connection be a
quick disconnect design. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 2:08 p.m.
hair - Board of justment &
Appeal on Building/Flood Control
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Board Repo er
Building - Flood Special 2007-05-11
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