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NOVEMBER 27, 1964.
A special meeting of the City Council of the City of Delray
Beach was held in 'the Council Chambers at 9:30 A.M., Friday, November
27th, 1964, with Vice-Mayor J. LeRoy Croft in the Chair, City Manager
Robert J. Holland, City Attorney John Ross Adams, and Councilmen
Emory J. Barrow, Jack L. Saunders and George Talbot, Jr., being
present.
Vice-Mayor Croft called %he meeting to order and announced that
same had been called for the purpose of further consideration con-
cerning violations of Ordinance No. G-560, relating to accumulations
of debris and spoil, and for any other business which may come before
the meeting.
Mr. Talbot asked that a copy of the telegram sent to Mr. De Rice
by City Attorney Adams be read, and the Council be informed of the
reply to said telegram.
Attorney John Moore, representing Mr. De Rice, informed the
Council that a bulldozer had been ordered to level the debris and
spoil on Lot X, Block 14, Seagate, and said work would be started
this morning. Attorney Moore continued: "That brings up this ques-
tion. Suppose that when it is leveled to the height allowed by the
City, will the City then allow any excess, if such would exist, to be
pushed into the right-of-wa~ of Casuarina Road?"
Vice Mayor Croft informed. Attorney Moore that was.a.policy that
would have to be determined.
CityAttorney Ad&ms informed' %he council that on Tuesday'night
he sent the following night letter to Mr. De RiCe:
"The City Council has instructed me to wire you concerning
your intentions as tO the disposition of accumulation of
spoil which is deposited on Lot X, Block 14, Sea~ate Sub- '~ ~
diviSion'in, this City. The purpose of this wire is t6 '
immediately ascertain whether this'unsightly 6°ndition is
to be remedied no later than December 1 of this year. All
other spoil areas in the area similar to yours were leveled
voluntari.lYby the various owners prior to October first.
The City C0u~cil has beendeluged by'complaints from the
residents in the'vicinity of your property, many of whom
are threatened with rental losses for the season. The
Ci%y'C°u~cii has indicated that your failure to comply
with'the-aba~ement, notices Which you Previously received
will be 'striCtly enfo~ced~~ Please wire collect." ''
City Attorney Adam's reported further: "On WedneSday,.Mr, De Rice
called and said that be'realized he was in the Wrong. That he~ was
go'lng to d° everything he could to comply with the requirements and
abate th~ nuisance just as soon as possible. I suggested that he call
his attorneyand'that ~s.h~"~hi~ meeting came about thismOrning.'Mr.
Moore probablY'has talked to Mr. De Rice since then."
Mr. Talbot said the owner of LOt X. had handled this matter in a
way that is very-embarrassing t~ the Council, and that he, as well as
other Councilmen, had. receivednumerous phone calls with complaints
about LOt X.
FolloWing other comments, Mr. Ta!bo~ m~ved to instrUct'the City
Manager, along with'the City Attorney and City Prosecutor, to proceed
in every jUdicial manner as of December 2nd against the owner, of Lot
K, unless said ndisance'has been abated. The motion was seconded by
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608
Mr. Saunders, .who asked Attorney Moore about his conversation with Mr.
De Rice, and if the Council had any assurance that the nuisance would
be abated.
Attorney Moore: replied: "I can't give you my own word on this,
but Mr. Gulotta, who handles certain matters for Mr. De Rice in hie
absence, called myoffice Wednesday and said that the bulldozer had
bee. n orderedand it would start today, probably this morning. It
shouldn't take a great length of time to bulldoze that down, because
approximately half--between .3'0 per cent and 50per cent--of the spoil
that was on there has been moved. He was unable to sell any more, so
it has come to the point where he has to comply with the City ordi-
nance. It is that simple. That still leaves unanswered however,
suppose after he-levels off, he still has a surplus. I don't think
that he will, but Suppose he does, can he push it over into the right-
of-way of.Casuarina Raod?"
City Engineer Fleming said it appears there will be a surplus
over the top elevation of the seawall, end that.he would not like
-.to,see any or,the surplus pushed north of:the sea wall.
City Clerk worthing reminded the Council, that on October 12th
they had ordered that a 60 day notice be given to Mr.. De Rice, within
which time hewas to abate said .nuisance.
Following discussion~ Mr~ Talbot changed the date in his motion
from December 2nd to December 13th, the change being accepted by Mr.
Saunders. ~,
Attorney Moore informed the Council that Tropic Builders were
the people doing the work on Lot X, and City Manager Holland informed
him the City had a place to store the excess fill, if there was an
excess.
During discussion, it was pointed out there was no existing sea
wall along most of the north side of Lot X, and City Engineer Fleming
said he would not recommend any of the fill being pushed north of the
sea wall or north of where the sea wall would be if it was extended,
otherwise there would be complaints from residents of that area who
use that portion of the waterway.
Upon call of roll on the motion that if the nuisance On Lot X
was not abated by December 13th, the City proceed with legal action,
the motion carried unanimously.
Mr. Talbot said in view of the City Engineer recommending that
any excess fill be removed from the property, and the City Manager i
having stated he had a place to stockpile fill, moved that the surplus I
fill be hauled away from the property and not bulldozed into the right-
of-way of Casuarina Road. The motion was seconded by Mr. Barrow ·
Vice-Mayor Croft asked how the elevation was determined, and City
Engineer Fleming informed the Council that by the recent ordinance the
grade was permitted to be three feet above the crown of the adjacent
road, and in case there was no road the height would be measured from
a grade established by the City Engineer in accordance with what the
city specifications would require if said road had heretofore been im-
proved. Further, the exact elevation has not been established at this
time, but the.grade of the road would be below the top of the present
sea wall, and probably the amount of fill allowed to be placed on said
lot would put it only slightly above the top of ~he existing sea wall.
city Engineer Fleming said he would determine that elevation today.
Upon call of roll that the excess fill be removed from Lot X, the
motion carried unanimously.
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609
City Clerk Worthing presented the following letter from the
Chairman of the Bicycle Committee of the Exchange Club, dated
November 25th~
"Last year at this time the City of Delray Beach turned
over to the Exchange Club of Delray Beach unclaimed'
bicycles which were repaired and painted by the Exchange
Club and donated to needy children. Once again the
'Exchange Club has adopted this project and we request
that the City turn over to 'the Exchange Club all of 'the
bicycles which have been impounded for over six months.
If this request is granted, the bicycles selected will
be repaired and repainted and distribUted on Christmas Eve."
The request of the Exchange Club was unanimously granted, on
motion by Mr. Barrow and seconded by Mr. Saunders.
city Attorney Adams informed the Council that a letter had been
received from Mr. D.' R, Neff, Project Manager of.Russell & Axon> c~n~
cerning an $8,000.00 utility bill from the Florida Power & Light
Company. The City Attorney said he had reviewed the Florida Power &
Light Company Franchise, also the City Charter, and in his opinion,
on most of the utility relocations, there is & possibility that the
Florida Power and Light Company should pay for same instead of the
City. Further, if it was agreeable to the Council, he would write
said Company a letter and set up a conference to start negotiations.
The Council was agreeable to said procedure.
The meeting adjourned at 10:00 A.M., by order of Vice-Mayor
'Croft.
R. D. WORTHING
City Clerk
APPROVED:
/~/~ %7., LeRo¥ Croft
MAYOR
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