Cape Council to revisit regulations for impervious surfaces
The Cape Coral City Council will consider a revision of the city standards for impervious surfaces on Wednesday during its regular city council meeting at 4:30 p.m. at City Hall.
City staff brought this forward to clarify the calculation of the city’s impervious surface calculation rule and to codify staff’s administrative interpretation of the rule, according to the staff presentation.
In 2019, the city council adopted the Land Development Code, which included new language limiting impervious surfaces to a maximum of 60 percent of a property in the Single-Family Residential (R1) and Residential Multi-Family Low (RML) districts.
However, the building industry raised concerns about the new regulations. Representatives from the industry met with staff and discussed the issue.
It was determined that impervious areas — through which rain water will not pass — should include building area under roof, driveways, walkways and pool decks.
It should not include area under roof overhangs, pervious driveway and walkways pavers or the surface areas of pool decks which slope away from the pool to a drainage system. Impervious areas also do not include roof areas where gutters and downspouts discharge into an aboveground infiltration system or surface exfiltration system.
In other businss:
• Council will consider amending the existing regulations for Planned Unit Developments (PUD) and adding new provisions to the Land Development Code to allow existing Planned Development Projects (PDP) to be amended.
The city allowed PDPs until 2019 and has approved more than 300 PDPs and amendments. The proposed amendments will provide flexibility for developers wishing to change, modify, extend or even abandon their projects, officials said.
Proposed changes to PUDs will provide for greater clarity, predictability and consistency in administering the LDC, according to the presentation by city staff.
• Council’s consent agenda includes three final judgments on eminent domain action for properties that will soon become Festival Park in the northwest Cape at 2615 N.W. 14th Ave.
The city owns all of the 517 parcels it wanted to acquire for Festival Park. Assemblage began in 2003 however, the city still needs to resolve compensation on 34 parcels with the majority of the property owners represented by counsel.
With the 2018 GO Bond approval, city staff notified property owners within the Festival Park area of the city’s desire to complete its acquisitions within the park boundaries.
In 2019, Council adopted a Resolution of Necessity (Res. 187-19) authorizing staff to make unconditional offers to purchase a remaining property in the amount of $24,000. Some property owners did not accept the city’s offer and filed eminent domain action.
• Mayor John Gunter is expected to bring forward a discussion on remote participation t Council meetings.
• Council will get updates on water quality and the progress on the bubble curtains and on EnerGov.
City Hall is at 1015 Cultural Park Blvd.
To reach CHUCK BALLARO, please email news@breezenewspapers.com