[1. CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:07]
>> CALL TO ORDER THE OCTOBER 19, 2021 COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY MEETING. PLEASE CALL THE ROLE.
>> MAYOR LEDNOVICH. COMMISSIONER KREGER.
COMMISSIONER STURGES. COMMISSIONER BEING.
>> PERSONAL DEVICES, PLEASE PUT THEM ON AIRPLANE MODE, SILENCE, VIBRATE. GREATLY APPRECIATE IT.
WE ARE STILL UNDER COVID-19 GUIDELINES, SO, IF YOU ARE WEARING A FACE MASK, PLEASE KEEP IT ABOVE YOUR NOSE.
I KNOW IT IS DIFFICULT WHEN SPEAKING.
JUST BE COGNIZANT OF THAT. AND PUBLIC SPACE, UM, IF YOU FEEL YOU NEED THAT PROTECTION. WE WILL CONDUCT OURSELVES IN A PROFESSIONAL MANNER, A MANNER WITH RESPECT.
UM, THERE IS PUBLIC COMMENT. THIS IS NOT A WORKSHOP, THIS IS A, UM, CRA MEETING, SO WE WILL HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA, BUT I WILLTAKE PUBLIC, FIRST .
BEFORE DOING SO, MR. ROSS, YOU HAD BROUGHT UP THE ELECTION OF A CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR BY THE CHARTER?
>> REQUIRED BY THE ORDINANCE THAT WE PASSED A COUPLE YEARS AGO AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAID B& SAYS THIS IS AN INDEPENDENT BODY. IT CAN BE THE MAYOR AND THE
VICE MAYOR.>> COMMISSIONERS, WHAT IS YOUR PREFERENCE?
>> I MOVE THAT THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR SHOULD BE THE MAYOR
AND VICE MAYOR. >> I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD AN AMENDMENT TO THAT, GOING FORWARD.
SO, THE MAYOR CHANGES. >> OKAY.
OKAY. THAT CURFEW GOOD WITH THE MOTION? LET'S JUST SIGNIFY IT BY SAYING IP IT ALL IN FAVOR. ANY OPPOSE? I HEAR NONE. AT THIS POINT, I WILL TAKE PUBLIC, FOR ANYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK.
OKAY. I DON'T SEE ANYBODY WHO WISHES TO SPEAK, SO I WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.
[3.1 COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY BACKGROUND]
ITEM 3.1, REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY BACKGROUND.WHO IS PRESENTING THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION?
COMMISSIONER ROSS? >> COMMISSIONER ROSS: NO, I JUST WANTED TO ADD MY POWERPOINT AFTERWARDS.
>> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: OKAY. >> THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, FROM AN INFORMAL BACKGROUND, THE CITY DOES HAVE A COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY, COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE CRA.
THE PLAN WAS INCLUDED IN YOUR POCKET THAT WAS ADOPTED IN 2005. THE CRA OPERATES AS A TIP TAX INCREMENT FINANCING DISTRICT, WHICH MEANS THE PROPERTIES, INCLUDING THEIR AND, HAVE A BASELINE VALUE SET FOR THEIR TAXES, AND THEN ANY NEW INCREASED VALUE IN TAXES, INSTEAD OF COMING TO THE CITY, IS REDIRECTED TO THE, UM, COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY, SO, UM, THAT DOES NOT CHANGE THE PARCELS TAXES, THERE ARE NO NEW TAXES ADDED AT PARCEL, IT'S JUST A REDISTRIBUTION OF THE TAXES THAT ARE RUNNING DOWN THAT PARCEL. UM, THE BASELINE YEAR WAS RESET DUETO THE LACK OF, OF GROUPS , UM, SO, IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, UM, IT IS ANTICIPATED, FOR MANY YEARS, THERE WAS MINIMAL, UM, FINANCIAL ACTIVITY IN THE CRA. UM, THE FIRST REAL INCOME STARTED TO COME FROM THE, UM, USE OF, UM, PAYMENT FOR PARKING FOR THE MARITIME MUSEUM ACROSS THE STREET, THAT MONEY WAS DEPOSITED INTO THE CRA FUND. RECENTLY, THE MOST SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TOWNHOUSE IS ADJACENT TO THISPROPERTY. IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, THERE'S APPROXIMATELY $116,000 OF REVENUE .
ABOUT 50,000 OF THAT IS, UM, FROM CITY TAXES, AND THE TIPS DOES COUNT AS COUNTY TAXES, SO THE REVENUE FROM COUNTY TAXES THIS YEAR IS APPROXIMATELY $70,000, SO ACTUALLY MORE THAN WAS COLLECTED ON CITY TAXES. TIP DOES ALLOW FOR THE CAPTURE OF NON-CITY TAXES, THE ONE LINE ON THE TAX BILL, COUNTY TAXES, IS CAPTURED BY THE TIPS. THE CITY DOES RECEIVE EXTRA MONEY THAT, UM, THOSE PARCELS WOULD NORMALLY NOT CONTRIBUTE TO THE CITY. SO, UM, THE CRA ADVISORY BOARD WAS PREVIOUSLY INFORMED. IT WAS NEGLECTED OR DIDN'T MEET
[00:05:12]
DUE TO FAILURE OF ACTIVITY, BASED UPON CONVERSATION WITH FORMER MEMBERS OF THE CRA ADVISORY BOARD.AND SINCE THIS YEAR, INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET, IS THE PROPOSED USE OF THE CRA REVENUES, THAT $116,000 TO PROVIDE AND PAY FOR DEBT SERVICE TO FACILITATE OPENING.
I DID RECEIVE TODAY THE OFFICIAL SIGNED COPIES OF THE STIPULATION OF PARTY SIGNED BY THE RAILROAD, SO THAT PROJECT HAS BEEN AT LEAST 20 YEARS IN THE MAKING, SO SINCE YOU ALREADY APPROVED THE STIPULATION OF PARTIES, I WILL SIGN THAT AND RETURN IT BACK TO THE STATE.
THE STATE WILL SIGN OFF AND THAT DOCUMENT WILL BECOME OFFICIAL AND WE CAN BEGIN, UM, FORMAL PREPARATIONS IN THIS FISCAL YEAR. SO, THE PROPOSED USE OF THE CRA MONIES IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET IS FOR DEBT SERVICE ASSOCIATED
WITH THE REOPENING. >> THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER.
[MUSIC] >> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: I'M GOING TO BACK UP, YOU CAN BEGIN YOUR PRESENTATION.
I DO WANT TO OFFER THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
>>. [COUGHING] MY APOLOGIES FOR BEING LATE, I WAS LISTENING ONLINE AND I THOUGHT I HAD ACTUALLY MADE IT, BUT I MISSED IT.
BUT THANK YOU GUYS FOR HAVING THE CRA MEETING, I THINK THAT'S A HUGE FIRST STEP. OUR COMMON SENSE GROUP, UM, WROTE TO YOU SOME QUESTIONS AND SOME ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION TODAY. A LITTLE BIT BEYOND JUST WHAT ARE WEGOING TO DO WITH THE MONEY ? BUT MAYBE SOME OTHER IDEAS. I WANTED TO SHARE THOSE WITH YOU. FIRST OF ALL, I WANTED TO ASKB.
>> I'M SORRY. SAY YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS,
PLEASE! >> MY BAD.JACK NOKIA, 2809 OCEANVIEW COURT, FERNANDINA BEACH.BUT I WAS CURIOUS AS TO WHETHER YOU GUYS HAVE READ THE WATERFRONT AREA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN FROM 2004 FOR EXTENSIVE PLAN FOR A DETAILED, AND IT IS KIND OF THE REASON WHY WE ARE HERE AS A CRA, NOT MUCH HAS HAPPENED SINCE THEN. AND, UM, THE CITIZENS THAT I'M WORKING WITH IN TOWN ARE VERY CURIOUS AS TO WHAT THE CRA CAN DO TO HELP WATERFRONT BECOME FROM POLITE TO ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT IS USEFUL TO THE SYSTEM.
>> I AM CURIOUS AS TO WHETHER THE FUTURE LAND USE HAS BEEN ADDRESSED TO ENCOURAGE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT.
I MEAN, THIS WAS DEVELOPED IN 2004.
SOME THINGS HAVE CHANGED. I HAVE TALKED TO PEOPLE WHO WERE HERE IN 1972 AND HAVE SAID MY MOM WAS ASKING ME, WHEN ARE WE GOING TO DO SOMETHING ON WATERFRONT? IF WE LOOK THERE NOW, WE SEE IT'S THE SAME THING, SO, UM, IT'S CURIOUS, UM, AS TO WHAT WE NEED TO DO, AND THE CITY WITH THE PLANS AND THE PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN DESIGNED, TYPICALLY HAVE FOCUSED AROUND THE CITY PROPERTY.
AND MY SUGGESTION IS LET'S LOOK AT A WIDER VIEW OF THE CRA.
HAVE YOU GUYS MET WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS, ESPECIALLY ON THE NORTH SIDE WHERE THERE IS A LONG STRIP OF PROPERTY OWNERS, OUR GROUP HAS. AND THEY WERE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF GETTING TOGETHER AS A GROUP TO TRY TO CREATE A SINGULAR MESSAGE, AS OPPOSED TO GOING IN INDIVIDUALLY TO TALK TO THE CITY. UM, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD THING FOR THE CITY TO DO AND TO HELP WITH THAT AS WELL.
YOU'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO HELP THE CITY WITH THINGS.
WE WANT TO BE SOMEBODY WHO HELPS THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
UM, AND CONSISTENT WITH THAT THOUGHT PROCESS, MY CURIOSITY IS WHEN WE DESIGN A WATERFRONT BOARDWALK, IS THERE ANY CONVERSATION WITH ANY OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS ON EITHER SIDE OF IT TO SAY LET'S EXTEND THIS FOR THE WATERFRONT, NOT JUST FOR THE CITY. AND SEE IF SOME OF THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS MAY WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN SOME WAY, UM, AND COORDINATE WITH THE CITY. THAT'S ABOUT ALL I HAVE TODAY.
>> OBVIOUSLY, EVERYBODY HAS A COPY OF WHAT I HAD SAID, THERE'S LOT OF DETAIL AND THERE, I AM HAPPY TO TALK TO IT ONLINE OR IN THE MEETING OR HOWEVER YOU'D LIKE.
>> WHAT WAS THE SYNOPSIS OF YOUR MEETING WITH THE PROPERTY
OWNERS? >> THEY WERE VERY INTERESTED IN ACTUALLY SITTING TOGETHER AS A TEAM AND TALKING COHESIVELY ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO WORK WITH THE CITY, AS FAR AS THE, UM, ZONING ISSUES, UM, THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THEM TO DEVELOP, WHETHER IT BE B& PARKING WAS AN ISSUE, I DON'T THINK PARKING IS ON THERE NOW, BUT I THINK THEY WOULD LIKE TO, UM, CREATE SOMETHING POTENTIALLY COHESIVE FOR THE WATERFRONT.AND THERE ARE ALSO QUITE A FEW DIFFERENT IDEAS, YOU KNOW, ONE GROUP MAY WANT TO BUILD A RESTAURANT, THE OTHER
[00:10:04]
GROUP HAS A GAS STATION AND MAY WANT TO DO SOMETHING WITH THAT.ANOTHER GROUP MAY WANT TO DO A MUSEUM OR SOMETHING FOCUSED AROUND THE SHRIMP INDUSTRY. THERE'S SEVERAL PROPERTIES THAT WERE A PART OF THE SHRIMP INDUSTRY THAT THEY WANT TO DO SOMETHING ELSE ALONG THOSE LINES.
SO, I THINK THAT THERE IS SEVERAL IDEAS, AND IT WOULD BE GREAT TO ACTUALLY PUT THEM INTO A COMMON IDEA SHED AND SAY, HOW CAN WE DO SOMETHING THAT COULD HELP THE PROPERTY OWNERS REALIZE THE VALUE FROM THE PROPERTY AND ALSO CREATE SOMETHING REALLY COOL FOR THE CITY THAT IS A DESTINATION?
>> WERE THERE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT CURRENTLY ZONED BUT WANTED
TO CHANGE TO COMMERCIAL? >> I THINK YOUR HUSBAND
DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT, YES. >> COMMISSIONER ROSS?
>> OH, I WOULD ADDRESS ALL THOSE ISSUES WHEN HE IS DONE.
>> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: I DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER YOU HAD A QUESTION. THANK YOU, SIR.
APPRECIATE IT. MR. ROSS, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR,
SIR. >> COMMISSIONER ROSS: LET ME, LET ME JUST ADDRESS A FEW OF THE ISSUES MR. NOT BE MADE.
HAVE I READ THE CRA? I HAVE READ THE CRA A COUPLE TIMES, I HAVE BEEN READING IT FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS, I READ THE FINDINGS AND NECESSITY AND I HAVE LOOKED AT ALL THE DESIGN GUIDELINES AND MEMBERS OF OTHER CRA'S AND A NUMBER OF OTHER DOCUMENTS POINT AS FAR AS THE ZONING GOES, THERE'S TWO KINDS OF ZONING DOWN THERE, IW, WI, AND THERE'S REALLY NO ADVANTAGE TO GETTING COMMERCIAL ZONING IF YOU GO THROUGH THE ZONING CHART. YOU CAN SEE ALL THE THINGS YOU CAN DO ON THE WATERFRONT, AND THERE'S REALLY NOTHING THERE THAT YOU CAN'T DO. SOB& I THINK THAT IS A NONSTARTER. OR LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, THE BIGGEST THING TO PREVENTING DEVELOPMENT THERE IN ONE OF THE THINGS THAT LIMITS DEVELOPMENT IS THE BUILDING HEIGHT.
THE BUILDING HEIGHT IS 30 FEET ABOVE FLOOD ELEVATION, WITH TWO FEET. SO, YOU CAN BUILD A 28 FOOT HIGH BUILDING AND IT HAS TO BE, UM, THE BASE FLOOD ELEVATION THERE IS NINE FEET, SO IT HAS TO BE 11 FEET ABOVE FLOOD ELEVATION. AND FOR INSTANCE, AT THE LOWEST POINT THERE, IT'S ABOUT FIVE FEET.
SO, IF YOU PUT A BUILDING THERE, IT HAS TO BE SIX FEET ABOVE THERE. AND IT CAN BE 28 FEET HIGH.
THERE IS ALSO A 15 FOOT SETBACK ON ALL THESE VIEW CORRIDORS ON ALL THESE PROPERTIES. SO, ALL THOSE MAKE A VERY SMALL, UM, ENVELOPE OF DEVELOPMENT.
IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT. THE PAST FEW YEARS, WE TRIED TOB& I PROPOSED RAISING THE HEIGHT LIMITATION WITH THE LAST COMMISSION AND THAT WAS BROUGHT DOWN.
SOB& UM, LOOKING AT ME LIKEB&. >>.
[LAUGHING] >> WHAT I DID, I WENT THROUGH, I TOOK THE CRA PROGRAM, AND THEN I TRIED TO, I TOOK A BUNCH OF PICTURES OUT OF IT, THEN TRIED TO GO STAND IN THE PLACE WHERE THOSE PICTURES WERE TAKEN, SO THIS IS THE CRA, IF YOU TALK ABOUT THESE PARCELS, THIS FIRST PARCEL HERE IS DEPARTMENT, MR. COOK OWNS IT, THIS IS OWNED BY THE STATE, AND THAT IS MARSH THAT CAN'T BE DEVELOPED.
THIS PARCEL RIGHT HERE IS MARSH, IT CANNOT BE DEVELOPED.
>> CAN WE BLOW THAT UP PLEASE? THAT'S VERY TINY.
>> YEAH, I'M NOT SURE. >> COMMISSIONER ROSS: ANYHOW, THESE NEXT PARCELS ARE OWNED BY THE CITY, THEN THE PROPERTY WHICH IS A SUBJECT OF EARLIER TONIGHTND THE CITY OWNS ANOTHER PARCEL . IT'S REALLY NOT VERY MUCH WATERFRONT THAT CAN BE BUILT UPON.
I HAVE TALKED TO ALL THESE PEOPLE MULTIPLE TIMES OVER THE YEARS. MISALIGNMENT LIVES THERE NOW OCCASIONALLY, DOESN'T WANT TO SELL TO ANYBODY, ACCORDING TO THELAST TIME I TALKED TO HER ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO.
MRS. CAVANAUGH'S PROPERTY . THE NEXT ONE IS A WORKING FUEL DEPOT.THE NEXT ONE HAS A CHAIN-LINK FENCE IN FRONT OF IT, THERE'S HARDLY NO PLACE, THE NEXT PARCEL IS ZONED BY THE OCEAN HIGHWAY PORT AUTHORITY. AND THE NEXT ONE IS AN ACTIVE SEAFOOD PROCESSING PLANT. THE OCEAN HIGHWAY PORT AUTHORITY HAS DESIGNS ON THIS PARCEL AND THIS PARCEL.
SO, UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, ALONG THE WATERFRONT, THERE IS NOT A WHOLE LOT OF DEVELOPABLE PARCELS, WHICH ADDS SIGNIFICANT RESERVATIONS. THE OTHER THING THAT'S OFTEN BROUGHT UP IS THAT YOU CAN FILL IN THE PIT OUT HERE.
THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS BASICALLY SAYS, YEAH, YOU CAN DO A PERMIT FOR THAT, BUT WE HAVEN'T PERMITTED THAT IN THE LAST 20 YEARS, SO, IT'S EXTREMELY DIFFICULT.
I HAD LONG TALKS WITH THE ARMY CORPS AND WE COULD TRY IT, BUT
[00:15:02]
I THINK THAT IS AN EFFORT THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE PARTICULARLY FRUITFUL. SO, IF YOU GO ON THE NEXT SLIDE, SO, THERE ARE CURRENTLY 78 PROPERTIES FOR WHEN IT STARTED OUT, THERE WERE 58 PROPERTIES BUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IS THEY ARE SUBDIVIDING THE PROPERTIES LIKE CRAZY, THAT'S WHY THERE'S NOW ACTUALLY 79 PROPERTIES.12 ARE ACTUALLY OWNED BY THE CITY, AND TWOARE OWNED BY THE OCEAN HIGHWAY PORT AUTHORITY, AND THERE IS NO TAX , NO TAX INCREMENT ON THIS PROPERTY. THIS IS THE WAY, THIS COMES FROM THE CRA, THAT'S THE WAY, LOOKING DOWN THE STREET, BACK IN 2004, AND LOOKING DOWN THE STREET, NOTHING HAS CHANGED SINCE 2004. IT LOOKS ALMOST IDENTICAL.
AND THIS IS WHERE THE LUMBERYARD USED TO BE.
AND, UM, THE AERIAL SHOT OF THE LUMBERYARD.
AND NOW, THAT HAS CHANGED INTO ALL THESE, UM, I FORGET HOW MANY TOWN HOUSES. AND THIS IS WHERE B& WHAT WE AR GETTING NOW ON THE TAX PAYMENT. THE NEXT ONE, THIS IS THE WAY, THE END OF THE PARKING LOT OR TOP WHERE IT IS NOW LOCATED, LOOK BACK IN 2004, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THOSE ARE.
AND YOU GO NOW, WE NOW HAVE DEVELOPMENT.
AND THERE IS OFFENSE THERE AND BEHIND THAT FENCE, WE ARE PUTTING IN THE RIVERWALK, SO ALL THAT HAS BEEN CLEARED.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT ONE, THAT IS THE SHEET FINALLY BEING PUT IN, THERE'S GOING TO BE AN 8 TO 10 FOOT SIDEWALK ON THIS SIDE AND SEWALL WILL BE ALONG THIS SIDE, THIS WILL EXTEND ALL THE WAY FROM THE CORNER BACK THERE ALL THE WAY TO ATLANTIC SEAFOOD, AND THERE'S NO REASON, AND IT SHOULD GO ALL THE WAY TO ALACHUA STREET. NOW, CAN IT GO NORTH OF THERE? SURE. IF THOSE PROPERTIES ARE GOING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE END PAY FOR IT, BUT, UM, THIS IS RATHER EXPENSIVE AND THOSE ARE PRIVATE PROPERTIES.
SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT.
THE NEXT ONE, THAT IS THE WAY THE BACK OF ATLANTIC SEAFOOD LOOKED BACK IN 2004. AND WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THAT, IT STILL LOOKS THAT WAY TODAY, SO NOTHING WHOLE LOT HAS CHANGED THERE. THIS IS LOOKING AT ATLANTIC SEAFOOD BACK IN 2004, AND NOTHING HAS CHANGED.
THIS IS LOOKING DOWN, UM, THAT WAY TOWARDS THE NORTH, STANDING AROUND GAS STREET, AND NOTHING HAS CHANGED SINCE 2004.
WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE THING.
WE WILL GET TO THAT. AND THIS SIDEWALK WAS PUT IN, HOW LONG AGO WAS IT? TWO YEARS AGO? THIS IS A GREAT IMPROVEMENT. THIS IS ON THE BOOKS FOR LIKE 30 YEARS. IN THE CITY MANAGER AND, UM, EFFORTS, THIS CITY SIDEWALK WAS PUT IN, AND IT'S HEAVILY USED.
THERE USED TO BE A PATH THERE, AND IT'S A GREAT ADDITION.
THAT'S ONE POSITIVE THING. EXT.
AND THIS IS, AGAIN, JUST LOOKING NORTH, AND AS YOU CAN
SEE FROM THE NEXT SLIDE, >> THIS IS LOOKING SOUTH.
>> EXCUSE ME, LOOKING SOUTH. >> THAT'S SARAH STREET.
>> COMMISSIONER ROSS: ON THE SIDEWALK IS THERE, BUT NOTHING ELSE HAS REALLY CHANGED. GAIN, I COULDN'T GET UP HIGH ENOUGH FOR THE NEXT PHOTOGRAPH, BUT ESSENTIALLY, NOTHING HAS CHANGED. GO BACK ONE.
SOMETHING HAS CHANGED, THIS SIDEWALK WAS PUT IN.
THIS WAS PUT IN BECAUSE OF A LAWSUIT ABOUT DISABILITY AND THAT HAS BEEN PUT IN. NEXT ONE.
UM, THESE ARE THE TWO TELEPHONE POLES THAT ARE STILL THERE, THIS IS THE CITY PARKING LOT EIGHT RIGHT NOW, SO THAT PART HAS CHANGED. THIS PART IS THE OC SIMMONS PROPERTY, WHICH WE ARE GOING TO DO DOMAIN AGAINST, AND YOU LOOK AT THE NEXT SLIDE, NOTHING HAS CHANGED.
LOOKS EXACTLY ALMOST LIKE IT DID IN 2004.
WITH THE EXCEPTION B& NEXT SLIDE, NOTICE, THIS IS RIGHT OUT OF THE UNSANITARY AND UNSAFE CONDITIONS, THAT WAS THE POSTER CHILD FOR THAT, IT WAS THE ARTICLE THAT WAS PUT IN THE FINDINGS IN NECESSITY, AND THAT'S THE WAY IT LOOKED THEN.
AND IT'S WORSE NOW. AND THIS IS JUST ANOTHER VIEW FROM THE OTHER SIDE. SAME PROPERTY.
SO, THIS PROPERTY CONTINUES TO DETERIORATE WITH NOTHING BEING DONE.HE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. ACTUALLY, THE CITY OWNS THIS, THIS IS IN FRONT OF THE OC SIMPSON PROPERTY.
WHEN THE CITY BOUGHT THE VENTURA PROPERTY, PART OF THAT WAS BUYING, ACTUALLY, WE HAVE THE RIGHTS TO THIS BOARDWALK HERE. AND WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO PUT IT BACK IN. AND SO, THE CITY BOUGHT ALL THE, UM, DESPITE WHAT THE, THE B& THE AUDITS, NOT AUDIT, BUT
>> COMMISSIONER ROSS: THE APPRAISAL.
[00:20:01]
THANK YOU. THE CITY HAD BOUGHT ALL THE RIGHTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROPERTY OVER HERE, SO THE CITY CAN PUT THIS, IF WE SO CHOOSE, CAN PUT AND MAYBE SHOULD PUT THIS BACK IN. BOARDWALK.NEXT, PLEASE. AND YOU CAN SEE THAT TODAY, IT'S DETERIORATED WORSE. THIS WALL USED TO BE IN HERE AND THERE WERE BOATS HERE, AND IT'S JUST FALLING APART.
UM, THIS IS THE WAY THE BUILDING LOOKED BACK IN 2004.
AND THIS IS THE WAY IT LOOKS TODAY.
I HAVEN'T BEEN INSIDE THE BUILDING, IT'S IN TERRIBLE SHAPE. BUT THE RATE OF HOPE, IT WAS JUST BOUGHT BY SUMMERHOUSE ABILITY, JUST BOUGHT THIS PROPERTY AND HAVE GREAT PLANS FOR IT, AND HOPEFULLY, THAT IS A RAY OF HOPE, AND THEY WILL REPAIR THIS TO ITS FORMER GLORY. THIS IS LOOKING DOWN, WE ARE STANDING ON THE STREET ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE RAILROAD TRACKS AND LOOKING ACROSS, THIS IS THE VENTURA BUILDING, AND IF YOU LOOK AT IT TODAY, THAT BUILDING IS GONE AND THERE IS NOTHING THERE. UM, THIS IS BRUCE STREET, LOOKING FROM WEST TO EAST. AND TODAY, IT HASN'T CHANGED AT ALL. UM, THIS WAS B& THIS IS ON THE PROPERTY THAT IS JUST NORTH OF, UM, THE LINEMAN PROPERTY.
IT HAS A CHAIN-LINK FENCE AROUND IT THAT WAS PUT UP BECAUSE IT WAS REPORTED THERE WAS A CODE ENFORCEMENT ACTION THAT WAS TO FIX ALL THIS, AND INSTEAD OF FIXING IT, ALL THEY DID IS MAKE THEM PUT UP A FENCE.
AND SO, YOU CAN SEE THAT NOTHING HAS CHANGED, IT'S ACTUALLY GOTTEN WORSE, AND YOU CAN SEE THE CHAIN-LINK FENCE HERE, AND SO, THAT'S THE WAY THAT IS TODAY.
PTHIS IS A SMALL LITTLE PIECE O PROPERTY, I CAN'T REALLY FIGURE OUT WHO OWNS IT. [LAUGHING] BUT IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT ONE, IT HASN'T CHANGED AT ALL.
THIS IS, UM, THIS IS WICKED VOWEL RIGHT HERE ACTUALLY, THIS IS LOOKING NORTH OF CALHOUN STREET, SECOND STREET ISRAEL.
THIS IS THE WAY IT LOOKED BACK IN 2004 WHEN THIS WAS WICKED DAVIES, WHICH WAS A BAR. AND IF YOU GO BACK AND LOOK TODAY, IT HASN'T CHANGED AT ALL FOR WHAT HAS CHANGED, UM, NEXT SLIDE. IS WICKED DAVIES IS NOW VERY SUCCESSFUL, GOOD RESTAURANT RIGHT HERE, WITH THE LOT OF ACTIVITY GOING ON HERE. AND DOWN THIS STREET HERE, YOU GO TO THE NEXT ONE, THIS IS, AGAIN, LOOKING DOWN THE STREET, THIS IS NORTH SECOND STREET, THIS IS THE PORT WAREHOUSE, AND THIS IS WICKED VOWEL. AND IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THESE UNITS, WICKED RIGHT UP THERE, AND THESE UNITS ARE BEING PUT IN AS WE SPEAK. AND THEN ARTISAN HOMES IS PUTTING IN HERE. SO, THESESPOTS ARE ALL GOING TO ADD TO THE CRA , TO THE TIP AS WELL.
THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE COMMERCIAL ON THESE FIRST FLOORS, AND THEN RESIDENTIAL ON THE SECOND FLOORS.
BUT I WILL POINT OUT THAT THEY BASICALLY TOOK ALL THE TREES OFF THE LOTS. AND SO, THE BARRIER THAT USED TO BE HERE IS. GONE.
UM, SO, UM, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT, GET A CONSENSUS, IS I CAME UPB& THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE OVER THE YEARS THAT HAVE COME UP WITH A LIST OF THINGS THAT ARE ALL INFRASTRUCTURE, TO MAKE THIS WALKABLE, ENJOYABLE. AND I PROVIDED THE LIST AHEAD OF TIME, YOU HAVE THE LIST IN FRONT OF YOU.
AND I WAS JUST WONDERING, UM, IS THERE ANYTHING ON THIS LIST THAT ANYBODY THINKS IS INAPPROPRIATE AND MAYBE WE SHOULDN'T BE PURSUING? AND AS A CRA, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD, THESE ARE ALL INFRASTRUCTURE THINGS.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY DISAGREES WITH THE FIRST THING.
THE VEHICULAR CROSSING, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT.
IF YOU LOOK AT ALL THE PREVIOUS, UM, PLANS, PUTTING A PEDESTRIAN CROSSING ON BRUCE STREET, ALL THOSE PLANS, BECAUSE IT GIVES CIRCULATION. THE NEXT ONE IS A COURT ORDER, UM, GOING ALL THE WAY UP FRONT STREET WITH A CORRIDOR THERE, SO YOU HAVE LANDSCAPING ON THE SIDEWALK AND THE WHOLE THING THAT GOES UP TO BROOME STREET. THE OVERHEAD UTILITIES WE ARE WORKING ON, EXTEND THE CURRENTLY BUILDING RIVERWALK ALL THE WAY TO ALACHUA STREET, AND ESTABLISH A PEDESTRIAN CROSSING AT THE LIGHTING ALL THE WAY UP SECOND STREET TO ALACHUA. AND THEN THESE WERE UTILITY THINGS THAT WERE PROPOSED BACK IN THE ORIGINAL PLAN THAT STILL HAVEN'T BEEN DONE. THIS IS ONE THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT, THE MARINA, AND THE CITY ENGINEER WILL TELL YOU, IT NEEDS A FLOW STUDY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MANAGE THAT.
AND THAT'S ABOUT 30, $40,000, AND I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD SERIOUSLY CONSIDER. ND THEN THE MAJOR QUESTION
[00:25:01]
THAT ALWAYS COMES UP IS HOW MUCH PARKING ON THE EAST RAILROAD TRACKS? AND I WILL ACTUALLY B& THAT SHOULD BE WEST OF THE RAILROAD TRACKS.AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE CRA FINDINGS, THE FINDINGS AND NECESSITY, WHAT THEY RECOMMEND IS ELIMINATING AS MUCH PARKING ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE RIVER TRACKS.
SO, THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS AND I JUST WONDERED, WHERE DO YOU
WANT TO GO FROM HERE? >> MR. STURGES?
>> COMMISSIONER STURGES: THANK YOU,MAYOR.
SO, TO , I THOUGHT WE DID HAVE A BUDGET ITEM NOT ONE TIME TO
DO THE POWERB&. >> THAT'S BEING DONE.
>> COMMISSIONER STURGES: I THOUGHT THAT WAS A PROCESS.>>
NORTH FRONT STREET. >> COMMISSIONER STURGES: OKAY.
AND THEN THE SIDEWALKS, UM, THEY ARE ESTABLISHING THE SIDEWALK ACROSS BROOME AND FRONT STREET, THAT SEEMS LIKE MINING METAL TO ME, LIKE THAT'S A BIG DEAL.
AS FAR AS PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC AND, I MEAN, WHEN I SAW THIS POINT OUT EARLIER, WHEN I GOT IT, I WONDER HOW COME WE HAVEN'T BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT, OR AT LEAST I B& I AM NEW TO THAT SITUATION, SO WHY I HAVEN'T HEARD ABOUT IT OR KNOWN
ABOUT IT. >> CAN I ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? IF YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT ALL THE PLANS, THEY ALL HAVE THAT IN THERE.ND THAT WOULD GIVE YOU CIRCULATION TO PEOPLE, YOU COULD WALK DOWN ALONG THE RIVER IF YOU CAME ACROSS THE PARKING LOT. AND YOU CAN ALSO PUT YOUR
PARKING LOT THERE ON THE BRUCE STREET PARKING LOT.>> THE COST OF THAT IS LESS THAN $100,000.
THE MAJOR COMPETITOR BEING THE RAILROAD.
>> THANK YOU. >> RIGHT, WELL, I THINK THAT IS A VITAL THING, ESPECIALLY IF WE ARE ALREADY DOING ALACHUA, WE HAVE THE PARKING LOT, IT'S JUST ON THE OTHER SIDE THAT WOULD MAKE IT A GOOD THOROUGH TRAFFIC.
>> JUST MAKING IT PERFECTLY CLEAR, IT'S FOR PEDESTRIANS AND
BIKES. >> CORRECT, NO VEHICLES, BUT YOU COULD PARK IN THE PARKING LOT, AND THEN WALKED TO WHERE YOU NEEDED TO GO. CURRENTLY, ALL THAT IS KINDA
BLOCKED OFF. >> COMMISSIONER ROSS: WERE NOT
TRYING TO BLOCK THAT OFF. >> COMMISSIONER STURGES: I KNOW, I'M JUST SAYING, IT'S BLOCKED OFF, SO THOSE ARE VITAL THINGS. UM, JUST TO RECIRCULATE, I KNOW THAT THE MAYOR MIGHT SPEAK ABOUT THIS, BUT HEARING JACK SAY IT, HE SPOKE WITH CERTAIN PEOPLE, THE OWNERS, AND THEN HEARING CHIP SAYING, AND I HAVE HEARD OTHER PEOPLE SAY THE SAME THING, THAT THEY DON'T REALLY WANT TO DO ANYTHING, THEY DON'T WANT TO SELL THEIR PARTY OR DEVELOP IT BY ANY MEANS, I THINK WE SHOULD PURSUE THAT FURTHER.
I'M JUST VOICING THIS TO THE REST OF THE COMMISSIONERS, I THINK WE SHOULD PURSUE THAT FURTHER.
AND I KNOW THAT DEVELOPING THE WATERFRONT IS EXPENSIVE, ESPECIALLY SIDEWALK AND/OR SEAWALL.
SO, SURE, GO AHEAD. >> COMMISSIONER ROSS: ACTUALLY, MY CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE OVER THE YEARS, ALL THESE THINGS ARE THE THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO MAKE THEIR PROPERTIES DEVELOPABLE. [LAUGHING]
>> COMMISSIONER STURGES: I WAS JUST SPEAKING, YOU JUST TOOK MY
WORDS OUT OF MY MOUTH. >> COMMISSIONER ROSS: ONE OTHER THING IS, UM, STORM WATER. AND WE ARE WORKING ON THE STORM
WATER.>> COMMISSIONER STURGES: [LAUGHING] YOU GOT ME, YOU GOT ME TONIGHT, BECAUSE THOSE ARE ALL THE THINGS THAT I AM JUST POINTING OUT. LIKE MOST OF THESE THINGS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ARE ALL INFRASTRUCTURE, AND SO, FOR ANY DEVELOPMENT TO GO ON THESE PARCELS, WHATEVER DEVELOPMENT IT IS, THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE ALL THIS INFRASTRUCTURE LAID OUT OR IT IS REALLY NOT GOING TO BE DEVELOPABLE.
UNFORTUNATELY, ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO, I REMEMBER THAT ONE PROPERTY WITH THE CHAIN-LINK FENCE WAS UP FOR SALE FOR TWO TO $300,000. CORRECT, SO IT WAS A HECK OF A DEAL, AND AS A CITY, WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT IT BACK THEN, BUT THAT WAS THE ONLY COMMENT I WANTED TO MAKE, I REMEMBER THE RANGE THAT IT WAS AT.
I LOOKED AT IT, I ALMOST BOUGHT IT MYSELF, UM, BUT I THINK THESE ARE ALL GOOD THINGS FOR THE CRA AND I THINK THAT, UM, ULTIMATELY, THE WALKING AND OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE IS A BIG DEAL AS FAR AS EVERY TIME I GO OUT THERE, AND SEE THOSE BIG POWER POLES AND I SEE ALL THE POWER RUNNING ACROSS THE AREA, IT KIND OF HINDERS THE LOOK OF OUR WATERFRONT.
UM, ANYWAYS, THAT'S ALL I HAD TO SAY.
>> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: VICE MAYOR? >> VICE MAYOR KREGER: GENERAL, I AGREE WITH THESE, I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT WE HAVE COMMITTED TO THAT, WE HAVE COMMITTED TO THAT IN OUR GOAL, WHICH I THINK WE REFER TO IT, SEQUENCE SIX AND SEVEN, AND WE ARE DOING TO $0.5 MILLION. AT THIS AND, AT THE SOUTH END, WHICH WILL BE NICE, BUT IT DOESN'T REALLY DO MUCH ON THE VULNERABILITY, SO WE HAVE COMMITTED TO THAT.
WE HAVE ALSO COMMITTED TO ASK FOR $1 MILLION ON THAT FROM THE STATE, AND I THINK THAT'S KEY. WHAT WE HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT, TO
[00:30:01]
MY KNOWLEDGE, IS HOW WE ARE GOING TO GET PAST MR. SIMMONS PROPERTY AND ON THE OTHER SIDE. NOW, THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATE FOR THAT WAS LIKE $19-$26 MILLION IF I REMEMBER RIGHT, SO I THINK THAT IS SO CRITICAL DEVELOPMENT THAT ONE OF THE REASONS WE DECIDED TO START IT WAS TO PROCEED.PROBABLY 8 TO 10 YEARS AGO, I TALKED TO MRS. LIEBERMAN ABOUT THE AMERICAN EDUCATION CENTER THERE, SO THIS HAS BEEN GOING
COMMISSIONER BEAN? >> COMMISSIONER BEAN: THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE CITY MANAGER. SO, SEEING THAT THE OCEAN HIGHWAY PORT AUTHORITY PARCELS THAT ARE IN THE CRA, AT THE TIME OF THE BASELINE, THEY HAD NO TAXES, PROPERTY TAXES AGAINST THEM.IF THEY EVER HAD TO PAY TAXES AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE, WE WOULD, THE DIFFERENTIAL WOULD BE ALL OF IT, BECAUSE IT WENT FROM NO TAX TO ALL THIS.
>> ACTUALLY, WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO THE COUNTY APPRAISER BECAUSE SOME OF THE TIP DISTRICTS THAT I'M FAMILIAR WITH, EXACTLY AS YOU SAY, IF THE PROPERTY DIDN'T EXIST IN THE BASELINE YEAR, EVERY SINGLE PENNY WOULD GO TO THE TIP DISTRICTS THAT APPARENTLY IS NOT THE CASE.
>> WHAT IS THE CASE? >> MAYOR LEDNOVICH:
COMMISSIONER ROSS? >> COMMISSIONER ROSS: IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE ASSESSED VALUE, ALL THOSE PROPERTIES HAVE AN ASSESSED VALUE. SO, IF THEY WERE TO GET IT, AND THAT PROPERTY BECAME MORE VALUABLE FOR WHATEVER THEY DID ON IT, IT'S ON THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE BASELINE VALUE BACK WHENEVER IT WAS, AND WHATEVER IT IS NOW.
AND THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN IT.
WHEN THEY TOOK THE LARGE PARCEL, THE LUMBERYARD AND TURNED IT INTO THE SOVIET STALL BLOCK HOUSING, THEY, UM, TOOK THE WHOLE PARCEL AMOUNT, AND THEN THEY DIVIDED IT BY THE NUMBER OF LOTS, AND THAT WAS THE BASELINE.
AND SO, THEN THEY USED THAT FOR WHAT IT IS VALUED AT NOW, AS
THE DIFFERENCE. >> THANK YOU, MR. ROSS, I APPRECIATE THAT POINT WELL, WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS THEY MAY PAY TAXES IN THE FUTURE AND THAT WOULD BE IN ADDITION TO THE CRAWHEN THAT COMES IN. LSO, THERE ARE MANY PARCELS , AND THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION, AS YOU HIGHLIGHTED, THERE ARE MANY PARCELS, ESPECIALLYALONG SECOND STREET BY WICKED BOWEL, THAT ARE COMING INTO THE CRA , UNDERTAKING IT, NO REVENUE CRA TO A VERY LUCRATIVE CRA THAT IS COMING FORWARD AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT POINT CLEAR TO EVERYBODY. I DIDN'T MEET WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER NEXT WEEK ABOUT, WHO IS PUTTING IN THE MIXED-USE, AND HE ENVISIONS WALK ABILITY. WHEN I WENT DOWN THERE AND LOOKED AT IT, YES, I SEE THAT, TOO.
I SEE THE FUTURE IS COMING AND IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY WALKABLE CORRIDOR, AND WE NEED TO BE READY FOR THAT.
I SEE ON THIS LIST A LOT OF GOOD BULLET POINTS, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS. IN FACT, THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS AND SO MANY POSSIBILITIES THAT THIS SUDDENLY EXTRAPOLATES OUT AND BECOMES JUST AS COMPLICATED AS IS WATERFRONT RESILIENCY PARK, AS I WOULD SAY.
WHERE IS THE SIDEWALK GOING TO GO, WHAT IS THE FINAL LOOK GOING TO BE? I WOULD FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE MAKING THOSE DECISIONS, JUST US UP HERE.
I WOULD FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE DOING SUCH A THING, BECAUSE ANYTHING WE DO HERE, THIS WILL IMPACT THE FEEL OF OUR DOWNTOWN AND OUR WATERFRONT JUST AS MUCH AS ANY WATERFRONT PARK THAT WE WANT TO PUT IN. I, I FEEL WE NEED CITIZEN INPUT IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS MET, BUT IT MEANS THAT WALK ABILITY LOOKS RIGHT AND HAS THE RIGHT FERNANDINA FEEL.
SO, FOR THE MOST PART, WHAT I AM ASKING IS LET'S NOT JUST KEEP THIS WITHIN US, LET'S GO AHEAD AND RESTART THE CITIZEN ADVISORY BOARD FOR THE CRA. I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE CITIZENS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT ARE READY TO HELP AND READY TO BE A PART OF IT, SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND RESTART IT, LET'S HAVE THEM RUN DOWN ALL THESE BULLET POINTS, INSTEAD OF HAVING IT GO, UM, STRAIGHT TO KNOW CITIZEN INPUT. LET'S HAVE THEM RUN DOWN, AND MAYBE THERE'S A WAY WE CAN NEGOTIATE, UM, WORKING AND HAVING A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT WITH ALL THESE PRIVATE PROPERTIES. MAYBE THEY WOULD WANT TO BE ON SUCH A CRA BOARD. THE REASON WE SUNSET IT IN THE FIRST PLACE IS BECAUSE WE HAD NO MONEY IN IT.
BUT NOW, I THINK IT IS CLEAR THAT WE DO, WE HAVE PLENTY OF MONEY COMING IN.ND I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE GOOD CHOICES WHERE WE SPEND IT, SO I WOULD FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE MOVING FORWARD WITHOUT INPUT FROM OUR CITIZENS.
>> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: SO, I, TOO, LIKE TO COME ON AFTER THIS QUESTION OF THE CRA ADVISORY BOARD.
AND I LIKE TO CLEAR THAT ISSUE FIRST.
OKAY. SO, WHERE YOU GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT COMMISSIONER STURGES?
>> COMMISSIONER STURGES: I WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO TALK MORE ABOUT JUST THE STRUCTURE.PIN OKAY, I WILL COME BACK TO YOU.
>> COMMISSIONER STURGES: GO AHEAD.
>> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: COMMISSIONER ROSS, IF YOU'RE
GOING TO COMMENT? >> COMMISSIONER ROSS: IT WASN'T SUNSET IT. THE CHAIRMAN JUST NEVER CALLED ANOTHER MEETING. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED.
AND I TALKED TO HER ACTUALLY YESTERDAY, AND I TALKED TO TWO
[00:35:03]
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, AND THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT HAPPENED.>> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: SO, BEFORE US IS A RECOMMENDATION TO REFORM THIS GROUP. IN ONE SHAPE OR ANOTHER.
SO, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS, GENTLEMEN, ABOUT DOING THAT?
VICE MAYOR? >> VICE MAYOR KREGER: WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE INTERESTED AND I AGREE, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH INPUT. ALTHOUGH, I WILL SAY THAT MANY OF THESE THINGS ARE INFRASTRUCTURE, WE DON'T NEED INPUT ON SEAWALL AND THOSE THINGS WE ARE MOVING FORWARD ON. ON WHERE WE GO, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT. IF THAT'S WHAT THE COMMISSION WANTS TO DO. I WOULD SUPPORT THAT.
>> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: OKAY, I HAVE TWO YESES.
I HAVE THREE. COMMISSIONER ROSS, WHAT ARE
YOUR THOUGHTS? >> COMMISSIONER ROSS: LET'S GO THROUGH THESE, PREVENT FLOODING, I MEAN, IF YOU WANT TO HAVE ANOTHER ADVISORY BOARD, THAT'S FINE, BUT ALL THESE ARE INFRASTRUCTURE THINGS AND THERE'S NOT B& LET'S GO THROUGH THEM. PREVENT FLOODING ON FRONT STREET, THAT'S AN ENGINEERING PROBLEM.
ESTABLISHED A VEHICULAR CROSSING, WE ARE WORKING ON THAT. ESTABLISHED, THAT'S REAL SIMPLE DESIGN, IT'S GETTING THE WILL TO PUSH IT THROUGH.
CONSIDER THE SIDEWALKS, LIGHTING, SO ON.
I MEAN, IT IS PRETTY DIFFICULT, I MEAN, WE ALREADY HAVE ME, UM, MAIN STREET WORKING ON THE SIMILAR THING FOR SECOND STREET IN THE CITY, AND ALL YOU'RE GOING TO DO IS CONTINUE THAT UP ALONG THERE. I MEAN, THE SIDEWALKS ARE ALREADY ON SECOND STREET. DOCTOR PAGES PUTTING IN HIS BUILDINGS, I ASSUME THEY HAVE SIDEWALKS AND ALL THAT.
SO A LOT OF THAT STUFF IS ALREADY SET.
OVERHEAD LINE OF UTILITIES ON FRONT STREET, I DON'T THINK THERE'S MUCH THERE. EXTEND THE CURRENTLY B& RIVERWALK, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT GOES ALONG WITH THE PREVENT FLOODING, THEY GO HAND IN HAND.
PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY. NO INPUT ON THAT, THAT'S FINE.
CONSTRUCT THE WATER MEAN, THESE ARE ALL UTILITY ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE HELPED BY THE UTILITY DEPARTMENT.
WE NEED A STUDY IN ENGINEERING. AND IF YOU WANT TO HAVE AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE, IT'S JUST US.
OUR OKAY, BUT PART OF THE PROBLEM IS I USED TO GO TO THOSE MEETINGS AND THEY ENDLESSLY TALK AND TALK AND TALK. WHAT I WANT TO DO IS COME UP WITH AN ACTION PLAN AND I WOULD LIKE TO MEET TWO MONTHS FROM NOW AND SEE WHERE WE ARE ON EACH ONE OF THESE ISSUES.
AND MOVE FORWARD. INSTEAD OF TALKING IT TO DEATH.
WE'VE BEEN HAVING MEETINGS NOW FOR 30 YEARS, 20 YEARS.
I DON'T NEED MORE MEETINGS, WHAT I WANT IS AN ACTION PLAN.
>> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: VICE MAYOR? >> VICE MAYOR KREGER: WE ARE MOVING ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE, SO, IF THE ADVISORY BOARD, IF THEY HAD TALKED TO ALL THESE PEOPLE ON THE NORTH END, THEY WANT TO COME AND TALK TO THEM, WE STILL MOVE FORWARD WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THAT'S FINE. AND WHAT YOU ARE SAYING, TOO, THE LIVABILITY OR WHATEVER. BUT BASICALLY, NONE OF THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN UNTIL THIS HAPPENS.O, BUT IF THERE IS A BOARD AND PEOPLE WANT TO SHARE IT, LET'S GIVE THEM A SHOT AND
SEE WHAT THEY CAN COME UP WITH. >> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: CITY ATTORNEY, WHAT ACTION WITH THIS GROUP NEED TO TAKE TO REFORM THAT GROUP? WHAT IS THE PROCESS?
>> I THINK YOU HAVE TO APPOINT THROUGH A RESOLUTION.
UM, THE BOARD MEMBERS. I MEAN, WE HAVEB.
>> THERE IS A RESOLUTION POINT. >> THERE IS A RESOLUTION.
ASK SPECIFIC CATEGORIES, I MEAN, IT'S RESOLUTION, I HAVE
IT RIGHT HERE SOMEWHERE. >> BUT THERE STILL NEEDS TO BE BOARD MEMBERS AND IT IS JUST A GUESS, BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A NUMBER OF YEARS, ALL OF THOSE TERMS HAVE EXPIRED, WOULD BE MY GUESS. BUT THERE IS AN ENABLING LEGISLATION, A RESOLUTION THAT FORMS THE BOARD.
IT WAS NEVER SUNSET IT, SO I THINK THAT WE NEED TO GET B& AN COMMISSIONER ROSS WILL KNOW HOW MANY MEMBERS ARE ON THE BOARD.
>> COMMISSIONER ROSS: THERE WERE SEVEN.
>> SEVEN, HE NEEDS TO APPOINT SEVEN FOLKS.
>> BUT THEY HAD SPECIFIC CATEGORIES.
>> YOU MEAN, THE MEMBERS HAD TO HAVE SPECIFIC SKILL SETS?
>> COMMISSIONER ROSS: YES. >> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: OKAY, MY QUESTION ISB& REACTIVATED IN ORDER TO GET VOLUNTEERS SPOON.
>> YOU JUST SOLICIT APPLICATIONS LIKE WE DO FOR ANY
OTHER BOARD. >> WHAT DOES IT REQUIRE?
>> IT REQUIRES, I THINK YOU ANNOUNCE IT, HE MAKE SURE THAT THE CLERK CLEARLY KNOWS YOUR CONSENSUS, YOU WANT THIS BOARD REFORM, SHE WILL PUT IT OUT THERE, WE WILL HAVE IT ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE. UM, AND OTHERWISE AT PUBLIC MEETINGS, WE WILL CONTINUE TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE HAVE SPOTS
AVAILABLE. >> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: OKAY, THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THAT.
[00:40:03]
>> I CAN GIVE MY INPUT. THANK YOU.
SO, BASICALLY, I WAS SPEAKING TO BRADLEY, AND MOSTLY, WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY FOR THIS BOARD, IT WOULD BE KIND OF THE FURNISHINGS AND HOW THEY WANT TO SEE IT LAID OUT, BUT IF WE ALREADY HAVE MAIN STREET, THAT'S SOMETHING OMTHAT POPPED UP. THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO SPEAK ABOUT WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE MAIN STREET, IT SHOULD BE COMING UP WITH THE CHARACTER AND THE FEEL AND THE CHANGE OF OUR DOWNTOWN, AS FAR AS THE SIDEWALK, THE STREETLIGHTS, UM, I WOULD ASSUME WE WOULD BRING THAT SAME TEXTURE AND THAT SAME FEEL ALL THE WAY TO THE WATERFRONT.
AND THAT IS AN ASSUMPTION, BUT, AS WELL AS WITH KELLY IN PLANNING OR SO IN HDC, WOULD HAVE INPUT AS FAR AS WHAT APPROPRIATE THINGS FOR US TO USE IN SIDEWALKS, STREETLIGHTS, THE BUSHES, AS FAR AS THE FEEL THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR.
BUT THE INPUT FOR THE CITIZENS WOULD BE GREAT AS FAR AS WHAT OTHER THINGS THAT THEY THINK THAT WE COULD BRING TO THE WATERFRONT OR HOW WE COULD IMPROVE THE WATERFRONT.
AND IT'S ALL ABOUT IMPROVEMENT, SOB& THAT IS ALL MY INPUT.
>> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: COMMISSIONER ROSS?
>> COMMISSIONER ROSS: THE RESOLUTION IS 2012 Ã118 ON PURPOSE, THE CRA ADVISORY BOARD IS CHARGED WITH THE TASK OF ADVISING THE COMMUNITY BE DEVELOPMENT AGENCY, THAT WOULD BE BEST, ON ISSUES INCLUDING IMPLEMENTATION THE CRA PLAN, BY PROVIDING RECOMMENDATIONS AND ASSISTANCE AND IDENTIFYING AND PRIORITIZING PROJECTS TO BE UNDERTAKEN AS CONSISTENT WITH THE CRA PLAN, FOCUS OF THIS GROUP IS ECONOMIC DEPARTMENT OF PROPERTIES IN THE CITY'S ESTABLISHED CRA, AND THE ADJOINING CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT WITH SPECIFIC CONSIDERATION ON ATTRACTING AND RETAININGBUSINESSES , MEMBERSHIPB& BLAH BLAH BLAH. SEVEN MEMBERS, THREE WILL BE LEGAL, PROFESSIONAL, FINANCIAL, MARKETING, ADVERTISING, A WHOLE LIST OF PEOPLE. TWO WILL BE CITY RESIDENTS OR
PROPERTY OWNERS. >> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: BUSINESS OWNER OR PROPERTY OWNER, THEIR AGENT.
ONE RESIDENT OF THE AMELIA RIVER WATERFRONT CRA WITHIN ONE MILE RADIUS. AND THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS.
>> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: OKAY, DO WE AGREE THAT THOSE ARE STILL VIABLE? YES?
>> I THINK IT IS DEAD ON. >> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: OKAY.
SO, MY TAKE ON THIS IS THAT IF WE RECONSTITUTE THIS BODY, THAT MUCH LIKE THE BEACH WALKOVER'S, THERE SHOULD BE SPECIFIC GUIDELINES AND OBJECTIVES. UM, AS YOUR SHOW POINTED OUT, NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED. AND THIS GOES BACK TO 2006.
>> I WOULD DISAGREE WITH YOU, SOME THINGS HAVE REALLY CHANGED. BECAUSE WE ARE NOW PUTTING IN A RIVERWALK AND THAT WASN'T DONE. WE NOW HAVE THE ALACHUA.
WE MADE SOME HUGE CHANGES. AND I WILL GIVE CREDIT TO THIS BOARD AND THEPREVIOUS BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS , BECAUSE IT'S ALL HAPPENED IN THE LAST THREE YEARS.
I MEAN, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME SIGNIFICANT THINGS THAT I THINK WE ARE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
IS THERE A LONG WAY TO GO? ABSOLUTELY.
>> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: SO, THE POINT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IS THAT, UM, THIS BODY WILL BE CHARGED WITH , FIRST OF ALL, UPDATING THE PLAN. I DON'T THINK THIS PLAN HAS BEEN UPDATED IN I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG.
THERE'S ITEMS ON HERE, UM, THAT WERE WRITTEN BACK IN 2006.
UM, THAT ARE NO LONGER VALID. THERE ARE PROBABLY ITEMS THAT NEED TO BE ADDED. UM, THE NUMBER TWO, SET OBJECTIVES, UM, TO US, WHAT ARE THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS GROUP? AND THEN WHAT SPECIFIC TIMELINES OF DELIVERABLES AROUND THOSE OBJECTIVES? SO, WITH THOSE PARAMETERS, I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF RECONSTITUTING THE GROUP.
COMMISSIONERS, YOUR THOUGHTS? >> I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT, I THINK THAT WE WILL PUBLISH THAT AND WE SOLICIT PEOPLE, AND THEN WE SEE WHERE WE ARE GOING. I AM MORE INTERESTED IN THOSE ELEMENTS OF THIS NORTH AND AND WHAT THIS GROUP B& I WOULD LIKE TO SEE B& WHAT ARE THE RESULTS OF THAT, WHAT CAN WE REALLY DO ON THE NORTH END. AND I THINK B&.
>> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: I AGREE WITH YOU, VICE MAYOR.
FLOODING ON FRONT STREET. I MEAN, OUR PLAN ONLY GOES TO THE PROPERTY. AND EVEN THEN, WE HAVE A WHOLE.
>> ACTUALLY, THE PLAN GOES ALL THE WAY UP TO THE PORT.THE
ORIGINAL PLAN THAT WAS PASSED. >> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: HOW CAN YOU
[00:45:05]
DO THAT ON PRIVATE PROPERTIES? >> MR. MAYOR? ACTUALLY, THE PLAN ACTUALLY, AT ALACHUA STREET, THE PLAN ACTUALLY ORIGINALLY HAD THE WALL CROSS OVER TO THE WEST EAST SIDE BETWEEN THE RAILROAD TRACKS AND FRONT STREET, THEN GO NORTH TO THE COURT, SO WE DID NOT GO ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.
NOW, TWO OTHER POINTS TO RAISE ABOUT ENGAGING THE PROPERTY OWNERS. IN 2018, THE CITY DID APPROACH EVERYSINGLE PROPERTY OWNER , PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNER NORTH, ACTUALLY SOUTH, NORTH OF CENTER STREET.
BECAUSE THERE'S A PROGRAM CALLED WATERFRONT GRANT, AND THAT PROVIDES STATE FUNDING FOR CITY TO ACQUIRE PROPERTY FOLLOWING ONE OR TWO APPRAISALS DONE BY THE STATE IF THAT PROPERTY IS GOING TO BE REDEVELOPED TO SUPPORT WORKING WATERFRONT, AQUACULTURE, CIVIC PROPERTY, SO ON, SO FORTH.
THE CITY SENT A LETTER TO EVERYTHING A PROPERTY OWNER AND EVERY SINGLE PROPERTY OWNER REJECTED IN THAT REGARD.
UM, WE WILL SEND OUT LETTERS AGAIN TO SEE IF THE STATE IS GOING TO FUND THAT GRANT AND BECAUSE THE OWNERS HAVE TO SIGN A LETTER SAYING THAT, YES, I WILL AGREE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT IF THE PROPERTY IS VALUED OVER $500,000.
THE STATE WILL HAVE TO GET TO APPRAISALS TO DETERMINE THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY THAT THE STATE WILL PAY FOR THAT PROPERTY. IF IT'S UNDER $500,000, THE STATE WILL GET ONE APPRAISAL. WE CAN'T USE EXISTING APPRAISALS, WHETHER IT WAS THE CITY'S PREVIOUS APPRAISAL ON THE PROPERTY OR A MORE RECENT APPRAISAL DONE BY THE PRIVATE PROPERTY, THE STATE IS THE ONE THAT CONDUCTS THE APPRAISAL! THE SECOND, ABOUT THE DESIGN OF SIDEWALKS AND STREETLAMPS AND ALL THAT, YES, MS. FINKELSTEIN AND MAIN STREET HAVE BEEN DOING A LOT OFWORK ON THAT, BUT WHAT IS GOING TO BE PLAN, AND THIS MAY GO FASTER , DEPENDING ON HOW FAST THE PROPOSED ADVISORY BOARD OPERATES. WHEN WE REOPEN ALACHUA STREET, THE PLAN IS THAT THE STREETSCAPE ELEMENTS THAT WE PUT IN ON ALACHUA STREET, WHATEVER BRICK PATTERN OR STREETSCAPE OR TREES ARE ALL THAT, THAT IS THEN GOING TO BE THE NEW STANDARD FOR THE REST OF DOWNTOWN.
SO, WE ARE ON THE CUSP OF PREPARING TO GO OUT FOR BIDS FOR THOSE PROJECTS, SO, IN SOME WAYS, WE MAY BE FURTHER AHEAD IN DETERMINING BASED UPON SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WILL BE FORTHCOMING FOR MAIN STREET THEN B& ARE WE GOING TO WANT TO SLOW DOWN AND WAIT FOR THISGROUP'S INPUT? OR ARE WE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH , WHEN MAIN STREET GIVES CITY STAFF AND CITY STAFF GIVE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE COMMISSION, ARE WE GOING TO BE READY TO MOVE FORWARD OR ARE WE GOING TO SAY WE NEED MORE CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT? SO, JUST BE AWARE OF THE FACT THAT WHEN WE ARE READY TO GO FORWARD ON ALACHUA STREET, WE WILL BE BRINGING FORWARD A RECOMMENDATION FOR MAIN STREET AND THE STAFF AS TO WHAT THAT STREETSCAPE LOOKS LIKE, AND THAT WILL SET THE STANDARD FOR STREETSCAPE GOING UP SECOND STREET, IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH REDEVELOPING CENTER STREET, IT WILL BE REDOING THE SIDEWALKS IN THAT SAME PATTERN, SO THAT DECISION, WE ARE ALREADY GOING DOWN THAT PATH. OR AT LEAST MAIN STREET IS, THANK YOU TO MAIN STREET FOR THAT EFFORT.
>> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: COMMISSIONER ROSS? I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER STURGES.
>> COMMISSIONER STURGES: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
MAIN STREET, MORE IN MY VISION IS, AS FAR AS THE PROPERTY OWNERS, AND NOT JUST THE LANDSCAPE, IS HOW TO BENEFIT THEM, AND IF THEY ARE WANTING TO COOPERATE, PART OF THIS GROUP WOULD HELP OUT AND MAYBE MAKE COOPERATIONS, AS FAR AS MAKING IT MESH, SO THE PRIORITY PROPERTY OWNERS WILL WANT TO DEVELOP AND WANT TO PROMOTE OUR WATERFRONT, SO WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL WALKING WATERFRONT THAT IS WORKING WATERFRONT.
UM, SO THERE'S ALL THESE DIFFERENT GRANTS, AND I REMEMBER HEARING ABOUT THE GRANT, BECAUSE WE SPOKE ABOUT IT. IF THE STATE OFFERS IT AGAIN, I THINK IT IS A GREAT IDEA. WHETHER ANY OF THESE PROPERTY OWNERS WILL TAKE US UP ON IT OR WHETHER WE CAN DO SOMETHING ELSE, THAT WILL BE IT, YOU KNOW, SEEN IN THE FUTURE.
BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT WE WANT TOSTOP THE WHOLE TRAIN , UM, WE DEFINITELY NEED TO APPROVE ALACHUA STREET, WE'VE APPROVED THAT, AND WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT, SO THAT MIGHT BE A DISCUSSION. IF THIS GROUP GETS CRANKED UP FAST ENOUGH, IF THERE'S ANY INPUT THEY CAN PUT ON THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN HELP. BUT I DON'T WANT TO STOP IT AN
MEANS, SOB . >> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SO, WE HAVE REACHED CONSENSUS ON RECONSTITUTING THE CRA ADVISORY COMMITTEE? CORRECT? ALL RIGHT, SO, CITY CLERK, YOU WILL TAKE NOTE OF THAT, AND, UM, WORK WITH STAFF TO NOTIFY THE PUBLIC ON B& THE QUALIFICATIONS AND POSITIONS
[00:50:02]
THAT ARE OPEN. OKAY, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ONCRA? >> COMMISSIONER ROSS: YES, THAT
WE MEET AGAIN IN TWO MONTHS. >> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: GOOD
QUESTION. >> COMMISSIONER ROSS: I WOULD LIKE TO MEET AGAIN. I WILL PUT THAT AS I WOULD LIKE
TO MEET AGAIN IN TWO MONTHS. >> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: DO YOU HAVE A DATE?OMEONE HAVE A CALENDAR? TWO MONTHSB& WHAT DATE THAT WOULD BE? PLEASE? PROBABLY DECEMBER, ISN'T IT?
>> COMMISSIONER ROSS: >> DECEMBER 21.
>> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: GENTLEMEN? >> MR. MAYOR, IF IT'S OKAY, CAN WE MEETB I THINK IT WOULD BE MORE USEFUL FOR US TO MEET AGAIN AFTER THE CRA ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THE FIRST TIME.
IF WE MEET AGAIN B WE ARE STILL APPOINTINGB&.
>> THEY CAN MEET WHENEVER THEY'VE GOT TO MEET, BUT I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO DO IT THROUGH THIS LIST AND TALKABOUT CERTAIN THINGS THAT ARE ON HERE AND SEE WHERE WE ARE ON TRACK.
THE CRA , THAT IS AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
WE ARE THE COMMITTEE AND THINK WE SHOULD MEET EVERY TWO MONTHS GOING FORWARD. THIS IS A BIG PROJECT AND IT'S ONE MEETING EVERY TWO MONTHS. I THINK THAT WE DESERVE IT.
THIS HAS BEEN OUR VISION PLAN NOW FOR YEARS, AND I THINK THAT THERE IS PLENTY TO TALK ABOUT IN HERE.BECAUSE BY THEN, WE WILL HAVE THE ENGINEERING DRAWINGS FOR BUILDING CENTER STREET. AND A NUMBER OF OTHER DRAWINGS, SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF PARKING AND A NUMBER OF OTHER ISSUES, SOB&.
>> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: VICE MAYOR? >> VICE MAYOR KREGER: YEAH, I AGREE, WE SHOULD MEET EVERY TWO MONTHS.
WE WILL SEE HOW THE COMMITTEE AND THE BOARD FORMS UP, AND HOPEFULLY, THEY WILL HAVE A REPORT READY IN TWO MONTHS.
>> ALL RIGHT, IF I COULD JUST PASS IT BACK, IT SEEMS LIKE WE JUST WENT FROM 0 TO 60 ON THE CRA.
WHEN I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSIO , WE JUST FORMED A COMMITTEE THAT WILL MEET EVERY MONTH ON THIS AND TALK ABOUT THESE ISSUES. BECAUSE AGAIN, WE HAVE A LOT ON OUR PLATE, AND WE CAN'T DIVE DOWN ON EVERY TINY LITTLE THING, SO THIS CRA ADVISORY COMMITTEE WILL MEET EVERY MONTH AND WE COULD MEET LESS OFTEN ABOUT IT AND RELY ON OUR CITIZENS TO GIVE US THAT INPUT. IF WE DO BOTH, IF WE MEET BIMONTHLY, AND ALSO FORM A COMMITTEE, I THINK THAT'S JUST REDUNDANT. I DON'T WANT TO HAVE REDUNDANT MEETINGS.> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: COMMISSIONER?
>> WE CAN AGREE TO DISAGREE. >> MAYOR LEDNOVICH:
COMMISSIONER STURGES? >> COMMISSIONER STURGES: WHY DON'T WE AGREE TO DO IT EVERY THREE MONTHS?QUARTERLY INSTEAD OF BIMONTHLY. AND EVERY THREE MONTH, THAT IS
>> COMMISSIONER STURGES: JUST A THOUGHT, JUST A THOUGHT.
>> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: MY COMPROMISE WOULD BE, LET'S HAVE OUR NEXT CRA MEETING IN JANUARY.
AND THEN WE WILL KNOW THE STATUS OF OUR ADVISORY COMMITTE.WE ARE GOING TO KNOW THE STATUS OF ATLANTIC SEAFOOD, AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A MUCH CLEARER PICTURE ON THE WATERFRONT AND WHAT'S GOING ON.
>> SO, THE FIRST MEETING IN JANUARY?>> YES, SIR.
ALL RIGHT. WE AGREE? ALL RIGHT, ANYTHING ELSE? SO, THE NEXT CRA, UM, AGENCY
NEEDED WILL BE THE FIRST MEETING IN JANUARY.>> JANUARY
ANYTHING ELSE ON THE CRA? NONE? WE ARE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.