12-09-59SpMtg 287
DECEMBER 9TH, 1959.
A Special Meeting o~ the City Council was held in the Council
Chambers at 2:00 P.M., with Nayor ~eorge Talbot Jr. in the Chair,
City Manager W. E. Lawson Jr., City Attorney Harry T. Newett, Commis-
sioners J. LeRoy Croft, Charles H. Harbison and George V. Warren be-
Lug present.
Also in attendance were Beach Co~mm~ttee Members R. J. Holland,
Chairman, Catherine E. Strong and Messrs. J?e Baldwin Jr. and George
McKay, together with recently elected Councxlmen Col. Dugal G. Campbel~
Glenn B, Sundy and John A. Thayer.
Mayor Talbot oall~d the meeting to order, sta~Lug that same had
been arranged for.consideration of the recent verdict rendered by the
Hon. Judge Knott in connection with the Case of Ocean Ridge vs. City
9f Delray Beach relative to the Beach property on Lot 14, Block "A",
Palm Beach Shore Acres, and the desire of the Council as to entering
an Appeal thereto.
9ityManager Lawson informed the Council of having conferred with
Associate Counsel Att'y. Robert C. Burns who advised of the Summary
Decree having been rendered and his inability to attend this meeting
due to prior commitments. Att'y. Burns further advised the Manager
that the City should take action within 10 days from December 8rd if
it is desired to appeal the findings of the Circuit Court.
City Attorne~ Newett reviewed the history of the 9asa, and the
fact that Ocean R~dge had enacted an Ordinance expressing its intent
to annex the land referred to above, and Associate Counsel Att'y.
Burns, pursuant to Council instruction, having entered, by court action.
protest to such proposed annexation, and that the several delays in
bringing the Case to trial had resulted from exceptionally heavy
Dockets.
The City Attorney further informed the Council that a legal
uestion exists as to whether this parcel, once a part of the tovm of
cean Ridge, has ever been actually excluded from the Town of Ocean
Ridge as a result of Tax Sale Certificate foreclosure many years ago,
and if Ocean Ridge, by virtue thereof, is now free to annex this land
unless a Court order to stay is caused by an Appeal thereto being ent-
ered.
Replying to inquiry of Commissigner.~rren, the Attorney advised
that an Appeal could be called to trial ~n doubtless not less than
three months nor more than six months, depending on the Docket of the
District Court of Appeals, but that an Appeal, if desired, must be
entered by Nonday, December lath, 1959, to be effective, however such
appeal might later be withdrawn if a Council should so determine to
Mr. R. J. Holland, Chairman of the Beach Committee, stated that
it was the recommendation of said Committee that an Appeal be filed
through the proper channels by the Counsel handling the Case.
On motion of Commissioner Harbison and seconded by Commissioner
~-~arren, the Council unanimously agreed that an A~peal be filed within
the 10-day period by the Counsel presently handl~ngthe Case, as
recommended by the Beach Committee.
Mr. George W. Simons Jr., the City's employe~ Planning Consul-
tant, informed the Council of having been in consultation with the
Planning Board and of having reviewed, with Paul S. Knowles, Chaimman
of'~the Board~ the progress made to date on the many phases of the
over-all Zoning and Planning for the future of the City of Del~ay
Beach, and particularly concerning the west sector of the City.
Mr. Simons further advised the Council that a meeting had been
28~
DECEMBER 9th, 1959
held ~ith representative of the west sector of the City, attendsd by
Planning Board 9ha?man Paul S. Knowles, Commissioner Warren, City Man-
ager Lawson, Building Inspector Ralph Hughson and himself, at which
meetin$ the Committee representing the people in the western part of
~y
the Ci had been thoro~ughly informed as ~o a proposed Highwa~ Survey
preparatory to Housing Program 221, the City Government o~ficials be-
ing delighted with the response 9f said Committee which offered to
undertake t~e Survey, necessary in the western part of the City, and
~nder the direction of Bldg~ Inspector Hughson, and who, further, ex-
pressed their desire for being furnished all possible information con-
cerning the Survey and its purpose.
Mr. Simons submitted a map clearl~ indicating the Land Use for
all of Delray Beach and some adjacent (contiguous) land area, request-
ing that said Map.be preserved for Base 8tu~yand future reference, and
advised the CounCil the seriousness of PLANNING NOW for the future~
i~asmuch as the Urban Land Institute of Chicago and Washington has,
within the past two weeks, issue~ its result of a very careful study
of Metropolitan areas which indicate the possible population, and ob-
vious automobile highway and parking problems, to.be expected by the
Ye? 2000: This survey report reflects the ~ikellhood of South Florida
be~ng6th in the list,.which.shows New York City let, Chicago 2nd, Los
Angeles Srd and Detroit a likely 4th, and further, that good Planning
calls for close harmony and interlocking community thinking and plan-
nimg.
Mr. Simons also informed the Council that, nationwide, land use
is indicated by a - Standard of Land Acres pem 100 people. In a sur-
vey of $$ selected cities, by the Institute, the report Shows $.8 ac.
actually used by every !00 people for Residential purposes in West
Palm Beach, $.0 ac. in Orlando and ?.1 ac. for ~very 100 people for
residential purposes in Delray Beach, and, further, that in West Palm
Beach 2.8 ac. per every 100 people are Single Fam'ly residences while
in Delray Beach a survey shows ~.0 ac. for every 100 people in Single
Family residential areas.
For commercial purposes, the Nation, as a wh~le, shows .2 of an
ac. per 100 people - while West Palm Beach, for like use shows .8 ac
Orlando " " ~?$ ac
Deland ;68 ac
Delray Beach .62 ac
all cf which information should be recognized as a guide in providing
.for the future.
Mr. Simons submitted a sketch plan of possible Highway Planning
for the future in this area, and stated that his present over-all
ZOning Study and S~rvey, together with relate~ phases, with the Plan-
ning Board should be well advanced early in 1960.
Replying to an inquiry of Cg~mmissionerWarren, Mr, Simons stated
that he would not recommend any wlde annexation .un~ertaking, but would
suggest it would be well to round out the City limits, not over-looking
some land, now in the County, and lying be~tween S.W. 10th Street and
point of intersection of the Tropic Palm S/D with the westerly right-
of-way line of State Road $ (Fed. Hwy.).
The Council, on motion of Comm~ssionerWarren an~ seconded by
Commissioner Harbison, unanimously agreed, in view of the Committee
from the west sector having agreed to conduct the Survey Analysis of
the western part of th? City for purposes relating to Housing Program
221 and its qualifications for H:H.FoA.~ that the CityManager be re-
queste~ to p~ovlde for full publicity of the program~y all possible
means informing the Public of the Survey to be made, its purpose and
resultant future benefits to all.
Mayor Talbot, on behal~ of the C?uncil, extended sincere appre-
ciation to Mm. Simons for his discussion of the program and most help-
ful and enlightening comment thereon.
DECEMBER 9th, 1959 289
Mr. Paul Knowles submitted a sketch showing somewhat varied
routes for the proposed imprOvement of Atlantic Avenuewestward from
S~inton Avenue to th? Turnpike, and the Council expressed deeR appre-
ciation for the combined efforts of N~, Knowles and the City Ymnager
and their follow-thru on this preliminary but most essential work and
requested both Mr. Knowles and City Manager Lawson to pursus their
program in this regard, conferring again with Nr. Carleton of the SRD
in order that his organization may be fully aware of the preliminary
accomplishments toward a desired goal for improvement which will be
beneficial to the State, County and City in providing for, future con-
trol and alleviation of coming traffic problems.
MEETING ADJOURNED on motion of Commissioner V~arren and seconded by
Commissioner Harbison.
::,90
DECEMBER 9th, 1959.
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