08-01-1939 Special Meeting August -1, 1939
A special meeting of the Miami Shores Village Council and the
property owners of the Village was held in the Village office at
7:30 P. M. , on August 1, 1939.
Present were Mayor Kitson, Mr. Lindsey, Mr. Pruitt, Mr. Milledge,
Mr. Stockdell, the Village Attorney and the Village Clerk. Mr. Julian
B. Frix, Chairman of the Planning Board and Mr. Fred A. Aufford,
Planning Board member were also present.
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Kitson who explained that
this meeting was called for the purpose of discussing with the property
owners of the Village the Recommendations of the Planning Board for the
increasing of the zoning restrictions in the Village.
Mr. Julian B. Frix, Chairman of the Planning Board, was called
upon to go over these recommendations and to familiarize those present
with same. After Mr. Frix had explained these recommendations from
the Planning Board report, Mr. Milledge asked to have Mr. Aufford
illustrate on the map the proposed changes in the various areas pointing
out the minimum contained under the present Ordinance as compared with
the recommendations.
Those present were asked for their views and expressions as to
these recommendations.
Mr. Troy B. Hewett, Real Estate Broker and home owner in the Village,
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stated that several people had asked the Village Manager to contact the
F.H.A. and secure an expression from them as to their opinion of the
+ Village Zoning Restrictions and asked if this had ever been done. The
Village Clerk explained that he had written to the F. H. A. and had
received an answer from the District Director, dated July 12, 1939,
who' s answer was, in part, "we have absolutely no criticism to make of
building restrictions and the type of residential construction that are
prevalent in Miami Shores Villager.
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Mr. Stockdell explained that he had asked some of the leading
builders of the Village to attend and to give those present information
about the Building Code and construction in the Village. He called upon
Mr. Edwin Fitzgerald first.
Mr. Fitzgerald said there should be some way of determining what
is to be put into a house in order to make the houses compare in v8Llue,
and wondered if there was a way of including this in the restrictions
along with the cubic foot restrictions. As an example, a man went to the
` expense of having an architect draw up a set of plans for a nice house
an 100th Street, then he discovered that a property owner next to him
was planning to build a cheaper house, so, therefore, this man scrapped
his plans and gave up the idea of building there. Mr. Fitzgerald said
that houses which comply with the cubic foot requirements do not always
compare in value and a man who builds a nice house should be protected
from a cheaper house going up next to him. He commended the work of the
Planning Board and that of the Builders in the Village.
Mr. Lindsey asked Mr. Fitzgerald whether or not all building
materials are standarized now and, that, if a first class material is
used, isn' t that about as far as anyone could go.
Mr. Fitzgerald replied that building materials are standarized now
but that two or three grades of lumber are stamped "First".
Mr. Lindsey asked if a building inspector could tell which is first
grade material. Then he asked Mr. Fitzgerald how ' ferry building' could be
prevented.
Mr. Fitzgerald answered "The sole chance of overcoming this is a
full time Building Inspector".
When asked if he had seen any scempting on jobs Mr. Fitzgerald
replied that he had never been on another man' s job since he has been
here. Be believed that the Village was entitled to two things, namely, '
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a -full time building inspector and a full time Chief of Police. That
327 houses have been built in the last few years and that they have hopes
of building that many this year.
Mr. Milledge asked if the Building Inspector needed to be
especially trained in building and engineering.
Mr. Fitzgerald said he should be in building but not necessarily
in engineering.
Mr. Stockdell stated that in order to have the proper type of houses
built, the Village must have the right kind of a Building Inspector, that
there must be proper inspection to build right.
Mr. Auff ord stated that be believed there was some confusion as
to what the Building Inspector' s job is. The building inspector's job
is to see that the house is being built right "is it strong or will it
blow away? " He said that "the minimum cost of honestconstruction is a
good house. " It is not the building inspector' s job to see what is going
inside the house as some want plaster and others want sand finished walls,
some people put a lot of money in bath rooms and others do not care to do
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so, some want oak floors and others' do not. The building inspector cannot
tell a man how to finish his house.
Mr. Becker, 9830 N. E. 5th Ave. Road, and connected with the Lindsley
Lumber Company,with experience of figuring F. H.A. loans on houses in the
Village, said in part, "along with the cu. ft. contents we should keep in
mind that building costs are today instead of in the past or in the future. "
He said that a house in the 23000 cu. ft. area can be built for $6000.00
or $6500.00. He thought that the cubic foot basis should be matched up
with the money value. Mr. Becker thought that garages and porches should
not be included at full cube in figuring the cubic contents of a house.
It was explained to him that not more than one enclosed porch and attached
one-car garage could be included in a house up to 20,000 cu. ft. Mr.
� ' Becker explained that a garage containing 2000 cu. ft. @ 309� would cost
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0600.00 and it is not worth that much. He said he knew that a house
„in the 20,000 cu. ft. area could be built for from $5000.00 to $5500.00.
He said that porches and garages are not worth the full cube and that
money value should be worked in with the cubic foot restrictions.
Mr. Kitson asked if he meant that along with the cu. ft. contents
-there should be a based price of $5000.:.0, 5500.00, 6000.00 or what.
Mr. Becker answere "No, because of oak floors etc. "
Mr. Becker said that he was in favor of increasing instead of
decreasing the cu. ft. requirements.
Mr. Milledge asked him how much a 13,500 cu. ft. house would cost.
Mr.. Becker answered "at the cheapest, under $4000.00".
Mr. Becker thought the cu. ft. should be figured a little more
strictly and that a 13,500 cu. ft. house is still too cheap an investment
, for 'this neighborhood.
Mr. Aufford said that the balance of the house, outside of garage
and porch, might cost more than 30�, and porches and garages less than
W and therefore balance itself up.
Mr. Reier, a builder and resident of Miami Shores Village, spoke
in part, `We have a good code and with the amendments that went into effect
on March 1st, we have the best code in the southern part of the country.
If this code is lived up to we will have good construction, it is fine
in every respect, I have examined it thoroughly. I believe if more men
enjoyed that same thing we would have better construction. Mr. Simmons
has always proven to me to be 100% fine and has treated all jobs alike".
Then Mr. Reier described some of the good points in the building code.
He said "We have a fine code and it would be nice if the builders would
get together and have a little more interest and not' lumpwlabor' so much.
There should be a little more honor attached to the job of being a
general contractor".
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Mr. Kitson asked Mr. Reier what he could build a 13,500 cu. ft.
house for at today's price and Mr. Reier answered 1130¢ per cu. ft.
figuring garage and all straight through. "
Mr. John Ritter, a builder and home owner in Miami Shores Village,
said the cubic foot price is low. He talked about competition as being
very keen. He though the code calling for 6-bag cement mix was too
much and said he did not live up to that and he didn' t believe anyone
else did. He said that there is more 312 4,5 bag than 6 bag mix. He;
also said it would be an impossibility for anyone to watch a job all the
time. He thought the cu. ft. basis a very fair way of restricting build-
ing. He said there were houses being built for $2500.00 in this Village
but the costs of financing same brings this price up, but does not put
anymore value in the house.
Mr. Dunning, a builder of a group of houses in Miami Shores Village,
arose and stated that he was using the amount of cement required in
all his houses, that this was certified, he said "to alay the fears that
anyone is getting a pile of junk, I would like for anyone to come and
examine our houses". Mr. Dunning said the Planning Board had done a
good job in making their recommendations. Upon answering Mr. Stockdellt&
question as to what size buildings he constructed here, Mr. Dunning
stated "15000 cu. ft. on the East side of Miami Ave. and from 13000 to
14000 on the other side of Miami Ave. " He had sold one house for $4950.00
and all the others run from X5350.00 to $7500.00. He said the F.H.A.
and also Bessemer Properties have examined his houses and found them fine.
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Mr. Etheridge, 310 N. E. 99th Street, asked if it would be a good
thing to exclude the garage and porch in figuring cubic feet.
Mr. Becker answered that the F. H. A. use to give 1/2 for porch
and garage but now they allow for porch but not for garage.
Mr. Frank Wheeler, home owner and builder in the Village, was called
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called upon to give his views. Mfr. Wheeler said he was highly in favor
of raising the building restrictions in the Village but was not in favor
of lowering them. He said if the City of Miami code was adopted entirely ar
all the amendments done away with one could understand it. He believed
houses being built now should be in keeping with the houses already in
the district. He said in some cases the garage should not be given any
value while in other cases the garage costs as much as any part of the
house, due to overhead doors, inside finish of garage, laundry tubs etc.
He said the porch in some cases cost more than any part of the house, if
it is finished with tile floor etc. In some cases the porch should not
be given any value. When asked why he objected to the lowering of restrict-
ions on 96th street, he brought out that "all the houses on 96th Street
are two story houses and none of them run under 25,000 cu. ft. and
each block should be carried out as it was started, a one story bungalow
should not be built next to a 2-story house. "
Mr. Aufford brought out that if a property owner wanted all his
rooms on the ground floor and complied with all the restrictions of the
Village that the Planning Board could not reject his plans.
Mr. 71illiam Orr, who is in the concrete business, said that the
builders of Miami Shores Village are sticking to the code in using the
6-bag mix concrete. He said that when the new code amendments went
into effect on March 1st, he went to the expense of buying a new machine
to measure concrete. He said the architect does not get enough money
for his plans and cannot spend a lot of time on the jobs. He said it
was not necessary to hire an engineer for a building inspector for, if
the Village has a big job, a store or something, let the owner hire an
engineer. He said It the building code is a good one and it is being lived
up to here".
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Mayor Kitson expressed his appreciation for the kindness and
presence of everyone at this meeting and that the opinions and views
= i expressed would be taken into consideration by the Council, who would
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go to work on this and make what changes that they think should be made.
There being no further discussion the meeting was adjourned.
The Council then reconvened and Mr. H. L. Clark appeared to discuss the
zoning of the property in the Village owned by him who was told to come
back at a later date.
Mr. Stockdell then made a motion that the Council accept the Planning
Boardl,s suggestions as offered but eliminate the entire cubic contents
of porches and eliminate 1/2 of the cubic contents for garages in figuring
the size of houses to be erected.
Mr. Lindsey then made a substitute motion that the Village Attorney
be instructed to prepares, an Ordinance in conformity to the Planning Boardts
recommendations and to conform to Ordinance No. 52 now in existence
as to
except the parts off cubic contents in porches and garages to be
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settled at a meeting to be held on Friday night, August 4th, at 30. This
substitute motion was seconded by Mr. Stockdell and unanimously carried,
after which the meeting adjourned.
Asillage i nage and Cler
AAPP�ROVED:BY THE COUNCIL:
Mayor