(A) Allow del Corral to build the restaurant without any additional parking spaces
(B) Come up with a ruling that ensures the restaurant will be built without the parking
(C) Take a special interest in the project, following it through to its conclusion, making sure the parking issue never presents a problem
(D) All of the above
(E) None of the above
EXPLANATION: Genuardi's subtle ingenuity in attacking the Victor's project illustrates why he's a zoning administrator and most other people aren't. Del Corral's original plans, approved by the zoning division, called for the exterior walls to be left intact while the interior and roof were to be demolished. During the demolition, sections of exterior walls were torn down, due to their poor condition. With everything proceeding smoothly, an old-timer in the Public Works Department suddenly recalled that part of the Studio was built on city-owned land. As if that weren't enough, Public Works was entitled to even more land on the site. In Miami, if more than 650 square feet of a project are renovated, or if construction costs top $25,000, Public Works can take possession of "zoned right-of-way" - land along public thoroughfares that the department has earmarked for future expansion of streets or sidewalks. Two exterior walls would have to come down and be rebuilt outside the limit of the right-of-way. Arguing that code requirements would be met, Genuardi continued to classify the project as a "reconstruction." (By this time, portions of two exterior walls were all that was to remain of the original structure.) One zoning division employee who requested anonymity recalls: "A lot of people thought that was a serious error in judgment. But everyone just laughed it off. The word going around was that it was communicated to this department by someone of importance - whether it was from the city manager's office or the City Commission, I don't know - that we should be of assistance to the owner of this property. It seems the zoning administrator responded in a way those people wanted." Genuardi counters that his decision was reviewed by Assistant City Manager Sergio Rodriguez (head of the Planning, Building, and Zoning Department) and by the city attorney's office. During one commission meeting, Miami Mayor Xavier Suarez commented that the project "sounds like the most creative grandfathering of a building in the history of Miami." Give yourself partial credit for (A), (B), or (C); but the correct answer is (D).
STOP!
PUT YOUR PENCIL DOWN
SCORING: For every correct answer, award yourself ten points. For answers that were mentioned in the explanations as plausible but incorrect, give yourself five points. For any other answer, you receive no points.
85-90: Congratulations! You probably don't need the Genuardi Short Course at all, except perhaps as a refresher before interviewing for a zoning administrator position. Fill out the attached coupon, and we'd be honored to send you a FREE copy of "All About the Genuardi Short Course."
25-85: If your score falls within this range, the Genuardi Short Course in Zoning Administration is tailor-made for you. Fill out the coupon and send for your FREE information packet today!
0-20: Obviously your current standards are far too rigid for a career in zoning administration. But don't be discouraged. Just relax a little! Many Genuardi Short Course graduates started out just like you, ignorant of the finer points of code interpretation. Send for your FREE information packet right away!
