[00:00:01]
>> WOULD YOU BE SEATED PLEASE. CALL THE ORDER, THE JUNE 21ST,
[1. CALL TO ORDER]
2022. CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP.PERSONAL DEVICES AS I SAY EVERY MEETING.
PLEASE PUT THEM ON SILENT, AIRPLANE MODE OR TURN THEM OFF COMPLETELY. GREATLY APPRECIATED.
WE ARE STILL UNDER COVID-19 GUIDELINES.
I JUST READ THE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT NUMBERS.
IT MIGHT SURPRISE YOU THAT THE INFECTION RATE HAS INCREASED FROM THE MOST RECENT REPORT FROM 12% TO 17%, AND THE VACCINATION RATE IS 64%. SO ONE THIRD OF THE PEOPLE IN NASSAU COUNTY OVER THE AGE OF FIVE ARE NOT VACCINATING.
PLEASE TAKE WHATEVER MEANS OR MEASURES YOU DEEM NECESSARY TO PROTECT YOUR HEALTH AND SAFETY AND THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OTHERS. AND WITH THAT, I AM GOING TO SKIP DECORUM. I HAVE BEAT THAT HORSE TO DEATH.
[3.1 VISION 2045]
WE ALL KNOW HOW TO BEHAVE APPROPRIATELY.SO WE ARE ON NUMBER 3, DISCUSSION 3.1 IS VISION 2045.
THIS IS PLACED ON THE AGENDA BY CITY STAFF AND THE CITY MANAGER.
MS. ROVIS, I KNOW YOU HAVE A REQUEST TO SPEAK.
WE GENERALLY DON'T ALLOW SPEAKERS.
IN THIS CASE, SINCE THIS BODY IS ASKING DIRECTION.
I WAS AT THE BAB MEETING LAST WEEK AND I KNOW YOU'RE MEETING TOMORROW. I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE TO HAVE MS. ROBBIS ADDRESS US AND INFORM US EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR FROM US. SO IF YOU WILL COME UP, PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU, VICTORIA ROBBIS, CITY OF FERNANDINA BEACH, GENTLEMEN, WHAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED A COPY OF AND WHAT I REQUESTED TO BE SENT TO MY FELLOW PLANNING ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS IN PREPARATION FOR TOMORROW'S MEETING IS WHAT I HAVE PUT PEN TO PAPER TO. IN AN EFFORT TO REALLY WRANGEL THE VISION PLAN TO GET IT OFF THIS, WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT DIRECTION TO GO IN. I PUT A LOT OF IDEAS DOWN THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED THROUGH THE YEAR-LONG EFFORT THAT THE PLANNING AND ADVISORY BOARD STAFF HAS MADE TOWARD DEVELOPING TOWARD THIS VISION PLAN.
A LOT OF GREAT IDEAS. WE HAVE GOTTEN A LOT OF GREAT FEEDBACK FROM THE PUBLIC. WHAT I THINK CAME TO ME IS THAT WHEN YOU TALK TO ANY OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS OR PEOPLE OUT ON THE STREET, WE TALK TO BUSINESS PEOPLE, THEY EXPRESS TO YOU THEIR IDEAS ABOUT THE FEATURE OF THE CITY AND VERY SIMPLE TERMS. THEY LOOK AT IT AS ONE SENTENCE. THEY LOOK AT IT IN A GENERAL VIEW. THEY DON'T GET INTO -- ALL RIGHT IN 2030, WE'RE GOING TO DO A STUDY THAT LOOKS AT GOPHER TORT TORTOISES.
IF ALL THOSE THING THAT WE CHERISH INTO THAT DETAIL.
THEY WOULD JUST SAY, WE NEED TO PROTECT THE WILDLIFE.
WE NEED TO PROTECT OUR BEACHES. WE NEED TO HAVE BEACH WALK OVERS. WE NEED TO HAVE THESE THINGS AND TALK TO YOU IN SIMPLE TERMS. AND I FELT PERSONALLY THAT MAYBE WE NEEDED TO EXPRESS THOSE BIG IDEAS IN OUR VISION, AND THAT THE DETAIL WHICH IS EXCELLENT TO HAVE IS WHAT STAFF CAN USE WHEN YOU SAY, WE NEED TO HAVE A WILDLIFE STUDY.
OR WE NEED TO LOOK AT BEACH ACCESSES AGAIN.
WE HAVE ALL THAT BACK UP MATERIAL.
VOLUMMOUS AMOUNTS OF DATA THAT CAN BE PULLED UP TO SAY, HERE'S HOW WE DO THIS. WE START THIS THIS AND DO THIS AND WE DO THIS. THAT'S WHAT I HAVE SENT TO YOU ALL AS WHAT I HAVE INVISIONED THOSE BIG IDEAS MIGHT BE.
SO WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT WHAT THE VISION AND YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE A DECISION ON A CERTAIN PROJECT THAT YOU COULD SAY, OH,
[00:05:04]
WELL LET ME LOOK AT THE VISION. THIS VISION SAYS IN VERY SIMPLE WORD SAYS, PREVENT FLOODING. THAT CAN BE ANY PROJECT YOU WANT TO THINK OF AND WE CAN EVEN THINK OF ALL THE PROJECTS THAT WILL COME TO US IN THE NEXT 25 YEARS.SO, I HAVE TRIED TO SIMPLIFY THIS.
OBVIOUSLY THIS IS ONE PERSON'S VIEW.
THIS HAS BEEN SENT TO THE PLANNING ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT WE DID HAVE A QUORUM FOR TOMORROW'S MEETING.
HOPEFULLY WE WILL ALL SHOW UP. IF WE DON'T, WE WILL GO OVER THIS IN JULY. WE'RE NOT LEAVING IT ON THE TABLE. BUT THIS WAS MY IDEA AND THAT QUITE FRANKLY THIS WOULD BE ALL THAT YOU AS COMMISSIONERS WOULD BE ASKED TO APPROVE. NOT ALL THE OTHER BACK UP MATERIALS WHICH ARE ADDENDUMS. NOT ALL OF THE PROJECTS, NOT WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO BE DONE AND HOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE DONE AND HOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE FUNDED AND WHAT IS THE PRIORITY.
THAT'S FOR STAFF IN MY OPINION. AND SO I WANT TO TAKE IN THIS A LITTLE DIFFERENT TACK. I DON'T KNOW MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS ARE GOING TO AGREE WITH ME.
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT IN TOMORROW'S MEETING.
I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION AND SORT OF GIVE YOU MY PHILOSOPHY ON WHAT YOU SENT TO YOU.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME?
>> ARE THERE, SO I SEE LIGHTS ON.
>> YES. SO COMMISSIONER ROSS, YOUR LIGHT
SIMPLE DECLARATIVE SENTENCES IN THE BACK.
THAT'S GREAT. MIGHT NEED TO BE TUNED UP A LITTLE BIT. THIS IS WHAT I LIKE.
THANK YOU FOR DOING YOUR >> VICE MAYOR.
>> I AGREE. I THINK THAT WHAT -- VICTORIA DID IS VERY APPROPRIATE AND IS GOOD.
I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT THE PAB SAYS.
THE REASON I THINK THAT IS, I BELIEVE THAT WHEN THIS CAME OUT AND WE DIDN'T COVER IT, THERE'S BASICALLY 199 TASKS IN HERE.
MY CONCERN WAS, YOU KNOW I EXPRESSED THIS CONCERN FOR A LONG, LONG TIME THAT PLANS THAT WE CAN'T IMPLEMENT.
MY CONCERN WAS WITHOUT A PRIORITY, WITHOUT COST, IT WAS A WIDE OPEN AND WE COULDN'T DECIDE WHAT TO MOVE FORWARD.
I ASKED FOR PRIORITIES. SO THAT'S WHAT THE LOGICS OF THAT. THERE ARE THINGS IN HERE THAT ARE, WE WILL NEVER GET TO. THEY WERE THINGS IN HERE THAT ARE FIVE TO 15 YEARS DOWN THE LINE THAT WE LOOKED AT 10 YEARS AGO SEPTIC TANKS. SO I THINK THIS IS A GOOD START.
I WOULD BE INTERESTED. I THINK THIS IS AN EXCELLENT DOCUMENT IN TERMS OF DEPARTMENT AT REVIEW AND WHAT THEY HAVE ON HAND. BUT, IT'S JUST I LIKE WHAT VICTORIA HAS DONE AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME OF THIS FIRMED UP WITH THE STAFF TIME. WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO SO THE CITY MANAGER CAN ACTUALLY DIRECT STAFF BASED ON THE PRIORITIES THAT CITY COMMISSION AND WHAT IS THE PRIORITY OF THE FORWARD. THAT'S IT.
COMMISSIONERS? >> COMMISSIONER BEAN.
>> BEING THIS, I WILL KEEP IT BRIEF.
JUST LIKE THIS DOCUMENT, WHICH IS WHAT I LIKE ABOUT IT.
I LIKE HOW CONCISE AND COMPACT IT IS.
I AGREE WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE GOALS.
THE BEST OTHER PART OF THIS, IT'S EASY TO READ, THE CITIZENS WILL SEE IT. FOR THAT PURPOSE I'M
>> I WILL MAKE IT >> MR. STURGES.
>> YES. I LIKE THIS MUCH BETTER WHEN I WROTE OVER IT, WHEN I READ THE WHOLE DOCUMENT.
IT'S MUCH EASIER TO TOLERATE AND MUCH EASIER TO UNDERSTAND.
>> THE OTHER DOCUMENT HAD SO MUCH -- THE OTHER DOCUMENT HAD SO MUCH IN IT. IT WAS JUST, I DON'T KNOW THAT, IT WAS A LOT OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS THAT MAYBE WE WOULD OR WOULDN'T GET INTO. I THINK IT WENT TOO MUCH INTO SPECULATION. SO, THIS IS MUCH MORE PRECISE AND MUCH CLEARER. THAT'S BASICALLY ALL.
SO YES. I AGREE WITH EVERYBODY.
I WILL WRAP UP WITH THE CONVERSATION I HAD THIS MORNING WITH THE CITY MANAGER REGARDING THE DOCUMENT THAT FROM MY CHAIR, I VIEW IT AS A SCHEMATIC FOR EVERY JANUARY THE CITY
[00:10:03]
COMMISSION MEETS AND SETS ITS VISION AND GOALS.WE DID THAT THIS PAST JANUARY AND WE WERE IN AGREEANCE THAT RESILIENCY WAS NUMBER ONE. WE AGREED THAT TREE CANOPY, INFRASTRUCTURE, THE ENVIRONMENT AND REPAIRING AND MAINTAINING KEY CITY ASSETS, THOSE WERE ALL PRIORITIES FOR THIS YEAR.
AND SO I VIEW THIS AS A GUIDING DOCUMENT FOR WHEN THIS BODY ASSEMBLES IN JANUARY FOR THAT MEETING THAT THIS GUIDES US IN MAKING THOSE DECISIONS. SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR 2.1? NO? SEEING NONE. I SEE COMMISSIONER ROSS HAS A
[3.2 PROPERTY ACQUISITION]
HANDOUT. SO, LET ME PASS THE HANDOUT OUT.AND WE ARE ON ITEM 3.2, PROPERTY ACQUISITION.
THIS ITEM IS PLACED ON THIS AGENDA AT THE REQUEST OF COMMISSIONER ROSS. COMMISSIONER ROSS, I BELIEVE EVERYONE HEARD YOUR COMMENT. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR, SIR.
>> THAT'S THE SECRET SIGN FOR PUT THE POWER POINT.
18 YEARS AGO, BACK IN 2004, THE CRA PASSED A STUDY THAT TALKED ABOUT WATERFRONT. WE WILL TALK ABOUT THE RIVER FRONT AND WATERFRONT TODAY. AND AND PART OF THE FINDINGS OF THAT WAS A LACK OF PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES ALONG FRONT STREET.
FAST FORWARD TO 2016 AND ESSENTIALLY, THE WATERFRONT LONG FRONT STREET FROM PARKING LOT D TO PARKING LOT, UP TO THE PORT, NOT A WHOLE LOT CHANGED. NOTHING REALLY CHANGED.
IN 2016, HURRICANE MATTHEW CAME THROUGH AND THERE WAS SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE MARINA. BACK IN '16 AND '17, IF YOU WERE TO COME TO THE MEETINGS, THE BIG TOPIC WAS FIX THE MARINA.
FIX THE MARINA. FIX THE MARINA.
I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL REMEMBERED THAT.
BACK IN 2017, THE COMMISSIONER CAME UP WITH THEIR NUMBER ONE GOAL WAS TO ADDRESS WATERFRONT ISSUES.
2017 I RAN FOR CITY COMMISSIONER AND THE REASON I RAN WAS FROM 24 REASONS. NUMBER ONE WAS TO TRY TO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS TO IMPROVE THE WATERFRONT, PREVENT FLOODING.
PUT IN A PEDESTRIAN WATERFRONT, PUT IN A PARK AND CONSERVE LAND.
I RAN ON THAT CAMPAIGN AND THAT WAS MY NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
IN 2018, THE CITY COMMISSION SAID THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY WAS THE WATERFRONT, AND COMMISSIONER KREGER AT THAT TIME SAID THAT HIS NUMBER ONE GOAL WAS AND I'M TAKING THIS FROM THE FERNANDINA OBSERVER WAS TO INITIATE THE DOWNTOWN WATERFRONT AND GET THAT FIXED. MAYOR LEDNOVICH IN HIS CAMPAIGN IN 2018 SAID, "HE GAVE HIS THREE MOST IMPORTANT GOALS AND ONE OF THE QUOTE WATERFRONT. WE KICKED THIS CAN DOWN THE ROAD LONG ENOUGH. THE WATERFRONT IS THE CROWN JEWEL TO ATTRACT DOWNTOWN AND SERVING AS A GATHERING PLACE ON THE WATERFRONT." I AGREE WITH THOSE COMMENTS.
IN 2019, SAID AGAIN THE WATERFRONT.
NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. 2020, I RAN AGAIN AND I AGAIN HAD MY CAMPAIGN TO REVITALIZE THE WATERFRONT.
COMMISSIONER STURGES, AT THAT TIME SAID, WORKING TOWARDS THE SPEEDY RESOLUTION TO THE DOWNTOWN WATERFRONT AND THE MARINA ISSUES THAT HAVE PLAGUED THE CITY FOR SO MANY YEARS.
I AGREE WITH THAT 100%. WE GO TO 2021, AGAIN,
[00:15:06]
COMMISSIONER STURGES SAID PRIMARY CONCERN, THE SEA WALL IN ORDER TO ALLEVIATE FLOODING FROM STORMS IN HIGH TIDES.I AGREE WITH THAT 100%. '21, '22.
WE HAD THE SAME PRIORITIES AND WHERE IS THE LITTLE THING HERE? EVEN ON THIS LITTLE THING WE ALL HAVE HERE IT SAYS, THE WATERFRONT IS OUR HIGH PRIORITY. SO, AND I WOULD SAY THAT I DID A LITERATURE SEARCH A LITTLE BIT. THIS WAS FOUND ON THE INTERNET AND I WOULD SAY THE COMMUNITY NOT ONLY HAS AN EXPECTATION THAT THE WATERFRONT IS GOING TO GET FIXED, BUT THAT THEY BELIEVE THEY HAVE BEEN PROMISED THAT BY THE CITY COMMISSION.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. SO, WHAT DID WE ACHIEVE SINCE 2017? I USE THAT NUMBER BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN I GOT INVOLVED IN CITY POLITICS MOSTLY.
AND THE FERNANDINA HARBOR BACK IN '16 WAS PRETTY MUCH TRASHED.
SINCE THAT TIME, WE HAVE REBUILT THE MARINA AND HAVE NEW MANAGEMENT AND A THRIVING NEW MARINA AND WE BASICALLY BUILT IT WITH OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEYS BECAUSE WE USED MOSTLY FEMA MONEY TO BUILD IT. THAT'S A REAL ACHIEVEMENT AND A REAL PLUS FOR THE CITY COMMISSION THEY ACHIEVED THIS.
IF YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE CHAMBERS '15 AND '16, YOU WOULD HAVE HEARD A RELENTLESS MARCH OF WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO GET IT FIXED? THIS LITTLE SIMPLE SIDEWALK.
THIS SIMPLE SIDEWALK PEOPLE USED TO TRUDGE DOWN THERE, TRY TO GO DOWN IN WHEEL CHAIRS, THE MUD AND TRY TO WALK DOWN THERE.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING THAT WAS LOW COST AND HIGH IMPACT. PEOPLE CAN NOW EASILY WALK FROM ASH STREET TO CENTER STREET OR CENTER STREET TO ASH STREET AND THAT WAS $6,000. THAT HAD BEEN ON THE BOOK FOR 20 YEARS. THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP OF THE CITY MANAGER AND HE WORKED WITH THE RAILROAD THAT WAS A SIMPLE PLAN AND IT GOT DONE. I THINK THAT'S A REAL ACHIEVEMENT OF WHAT THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT IMPROVE THE CITY.
THE NEXT ONE. ALL THOSE TELEPHONE POLES UTILITY POLES GOING NORTH FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS IT'S BEEN BUDGETED TO REMOVE THEM, TO IMPROVE FOR STORMWATER IMPACT, TO ALLOW FOR SIDEWALKS AND FOR THE AESTHETICS AND THAT IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF THIS BUDGETED YEAR.
BUT ALSO NOTICE THAT THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO WALK, AND ALL THESE PEOPLE COME WALKING DOWN THROUGH HERE BUT THAT'S AN ACHIEVEMENT BY THE END OF THE YEAR WILL BE THERE.
THE NEXT ONE IS AS WE SPEAK, I THINK THIS PICTURE WAS TAKEN YESTERDAY. THEY'RE DIGGING FOR UNDER GROUND UTILITIES AND PARKING LOT C AND D.
THAT'S ANOTHER ACHIEVEMENT THAT WE HEARD.
THE NEXT ONE, IN 1950, THIS ROAD WAS CLOSED WITH THE RAILROAD BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENED IS THE RAILROAD USED TO BE TO THE WEST.
THEY MOVED IT TO THE EAST. SINCE THE 1970S, IT HAS BEEN CITY COMMISSION HAS GONE ON AND ON ABOUT OPENING ALACHUA STREET.
FINALLY, THESE LAST TWO CITY COMMISSIONS, THIS ONE AND THE PREVIOUS ONE THAT'S ABOUT TO BE OPENED AGAIN AND HOPEFULLY IN THE FALL CONSTRUCTION WILL START ON THE STORMWATER AND THAT SHOULD HOPEFULLY BE DONE IN THE NEXT SIX TO 12 MONTHS.
THAT'S ANOTHER GOAL THAT WE ARE CLOSE TO ACHIEVING.
SO THOSE ARE ALL GOOD THINGS. FINALLY, THE NEXT ONE, IS THE RIVER WALK. AND I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS THAT THE CITY HAS DONE IN A REALLY LONG TIME.
EVERY PERSON WHO I TALKED TO AND I HAVE BEEN DOWN THERE A LOT HAS COMMENTED WHAT A GREAT THING THIS IS.
PEOPLE CAN SIT HERE. THEY CAN WATCH THE SUNSET.
THEY CAN WALK ALONG HERE. AND WHAT THIS IS IS IT PREVENTS FLOODING, IT IS A PARK. IT'S A RIVER WALK.
AND SO THERE'S FLOOD PROTECTION FROM THE SEA WALL.
THERE'S PEDESTRIAN PLACES FOR PEDESTRIANS TO WALK SAFELY AND I THINK IT IS ONE OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE LAST TWO CITY COMMISSIONS. SO, WHERE ARE WE NOW? SO THERE'S THREE ISSUES REMAINING.
ONE IS PEDESTRIAN SAFETY DOWNTOWN ON FRONT STREET.
ONE IS FLOOD PROTECTION, THE SEA WALL WHICH WE ALL TALKED ABOUT
[00:20:04]
AS A HIGH PRIORITY AND THE THIRD ONE IS PARK SPACE.AND ACTUALLY TO ME, THAT'S THE LEAST IMPORTANT.
NEXT ONE PLEASE. THIS IS A PICTURE I HAVE SHOWN BEFORE. BUT I THINK IT'S ICONIC IN THAT IT SHOWS HOW WE DO NOT TAKE CARE OF PEDESTRIAN SAFETY HERE.
THERE'S A LADY WITH A BABY CARRIAGE HERE.
YOU CAN SEE THE FLOODING, THE TRUCK, HOW CLOSE IT IS TO THE RAILROAD. AND THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS. I THINK IT'S HIGH TIME WE NEED TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM. IT'S SAFETY FOR PEDESTRIANS AND I THINK IT'S AN EMBARRASSMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
THE NEXT ONE. AGAIN, YOU LOOK UP HERE THERE'S NO PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO WALK. YOU CAN SEE ALL THESE PEDESTRIANS HERE. THERE'S ALL THESE CARS PARKED HERE AND NO PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO WALK DOWN THIS STREET.
PLENTY OF PEOPLE WALK HERE AND HERE WITHOUT ANY PLACE TO WALK.
WHAT IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN, WHICH IS GOING TO EXACERBATE THE PROBLEM, A HIGH-STEP CURB WILL BE PLACED HERE.
AN 18-EVERYONE CURB. ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO USED TO CUT ACROSS HERE HAVE NO PLACE TO WALK ARE GOING TO BE TRIPPING ACROSS THAT CURB. THE NEXT ONE.
AGAIN, THIS IS A PICTURE OF THE HEARD OF PEOPLE AND THERE'S MANY, MANY EXAMPLES OF THE TRACKS.
THE FIRST PROBLEM IS PEDESTRIAN SAFETY.
NEXT ONE PLEASE. THE NEXT ONE AND COMMISSIONER BEAN HAS SAID THERE'S BEEN SIX PLANS DEVELOPED IN HIS LIFETIME HERE FOR PARKS. THIS IS THE AMOUNT OF LAND WE HAVE FOR PARKS RIGHT NOW. GREEN SPACE.
BUT THAT'S BASICALLY THE GREEN SPACE THAT WE HAVE.
AND YOU NOTICE THERE'S A BIG HOLE RIGHT HERE.
AND THAT'S IT. SO, NEXT PLEASE.
SO, A CONCEPT PARTICULARLY IF WE CAN GET THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY RIGHT HERE, IS THAT YOU CAN HAVE A WATERFRONT PARK THAT EXTENDS LONG HERE AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THAT GREAT SEA WALL, THAT GREAT RIVER WALK IS HERE AND CAN START RIGHT HERE, WALK ALONG HERE.
GO ALONG HERE AND END UP RIGHT HERE.
THAT IS AN AMENITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY WOULD BE FANTASTIC.
CONTINUE THIS SO IT GOES ALL THE WAY LONG HERE.
NEXT. SO LET'S TALK ABOUT FLOODING.
WHICH WE ALL TALKED ABOUT IN THE PAST MANY TIMES.
THIS IS A MAP THAT SHOWS THERE'S A HUNDRED.
I CAN'T READ THE NUMBER. >> HUNDRED YEAR FLOOD PLAIN.
A 1% CHANCE THAT WILL FLOOD. ALL THE PROPERTIES WILL FLOOD IN A HUNDRED YEAR STORM. I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT SEA WATER RISE OR CLIMATE CHANGE. KING TIDE SAYS AND I'M TALKING ABOUT STORMS. AND TO DO WALL THAT WE HAVE BUILT RIGHT HERE THAT SEA WALL AND RIVER WALK WOULD PROTECT AND PREVENT THIS TYPE OF FLOODING IN THE HUNDRED YEAR FLOOD AND THAT'S WHAT IT WAS DESIGNED TO DO.
NEXT ONE. THIS IS ALACHUA STREET.
THIS IS NOT IN A HURRICANE. THIS IS A NOR EASTERN AND IT'S UNDER WATER. IF THE SEA WALL WAS BUILT AND WOULD CONTINUE TO BE BUILT, THIS FLOODING WOULD NOT OCCUR.
NEXT ONE. AND THIS IS THE LOWEST POINT WHERE THE WATER COMES IN. AND THAT FENCE RIGHT THERE, THAT'S THE CITY PROPERTY OVER HERE AND THIS IS A PROPERTY RIGHT HERE UNDER WATER THAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT IN A MINUTE. YOU CAN SEE THE WATER IS UP ALMOST OVER TO THE TOP OF THAT AND THIS IS A KING TIDE.
THIS IS NOT A HURRICANE. THIS IS NOT SEA WATER RISE.
SO, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT IT THIS COMMISSION OR THE PREVIOUS COMMISSION ADOPTED THIS PLAN. AND THIS IS A PLAN TO PUT A SEA WALL IN ALL THE WAY DOWN HERE AND A RIVER WALK ALONG HERE FROM HERE TO HERE AND WE ADOPTED THIS PLAN.
AND WE HAVE NOW BUILT SECTION TWO AND IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR LITTLE THING HERE, SAYS THE NEXT SECTION WE WILL LOOK AT IS SECTION SEVEN WHICH IS RIGHT HERE.
NEXT PLEASE. SO SECTION SEVEN INVOLVES TWO PIECES OF PROPERTY. THIS PROPERTY RIGHT HERE AND
THIS PROPERTY RIGHT HERE >> THE CITY OWNS THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY. THIS IS A PRIVATELY-OWNED PARCEL OF LAND. THE LOWEST PART IN THE WHOLE PLACE WHERE WATER COMES IN, IS IN THIS AREA RIGHT IN HERE.
[00:25:03]
THIS IS WHERE IT FLOODS THROUGH. UNLESS YOU FIX THIS HOLE, FIX THIS FLOODING HERE, THE REST OF THE SEA WALL IS IMMATERIAL.WATER WILL POUR THROUGH THAT PLACE.
THIS PARCEL WAS PURCHASED BY THE CURRENT OWNER 38 YEARS AGO.
NEXT ONE PLEASE. THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE WHEN THE CRA USED IT AS THEIR POSTER CHILD FOR UNSANITARY AND UNSAFE CONDITIONS. THIS HASN'T IN THE SAME OWNERSHIP FOR 38 YEARS. NEXT ONE.
AND THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S THE LAST NINE MONTHS THAT PICTURE WAS TAKEN. SO NOTHING HAS CHANGED IN ALL THOSE YEARS. NEXT ONE PLEASE.
SO, WHAT WAS DESIGNED AS PART OF THE PLAN WE DEVELOPED AND THIS IS FROM PASSERO WAS TO PUT A SEA WALL.
THIS IS WHERE THE SEA WALL IS. EXTEND IT ALONG HERE.
BRING IT OVER HERE AND DOWN HERE.
THIS IS THE NEXT SECTION WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
NEXT ONE PLEASE. SO WITHOUT THIS PARCEL OF LAND, WE CANNOT GO FORWARD WITH OUR PLANS.
AND TO ME IN A RATIONAL WAY IN THAT THIS IS GOING TO FLOOD WITHOUT PUTTING IN A WALL. AND WHAT HAS BEEN PROPOSED IS TO PUT IN A SEA WALL HERE. THE SAME KIND OF RIVER WALK ON THIS SIDE. THE RIVER WALK WOULD BE ON THE WATER SIDE OF THE LAND SIDE OF THE WALL.
TURN THIS INTO A PARK AND TO GET TO PARKING NEUTRAL, USE THIS LAND IN HERE FOR A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO WALK.
PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY AND ADDITIONAL PARKING.
WITHOUT THIS PARKING HERE, THE HOPE UNLESS YOU REALLY CARVE UP THE PARKING C AND D, GETTING TO PARKING NEUTRAL WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT. AND AGAIN, THIS WOULD JUST BE AN OPEN PARK. NEXT.
SO, THIS IS WHERE WHAT DOES ALL THIS COST? FIRST OF ALL, IT'S LAND ACQUISITION.
WE DON'T OWN THE LAND. BUT EVEN IF WE DID OWN THE LAND OR TO DESIGN THIS IS $350,000. EACH SEA WALL SEGMENT ONNISE PARCELS IS $2.4 MILLION. $2.1 MILLION FROM THE CITY ENGINEER'S ESTIMATE. THE ESTIMATE OF THE COST OF THE RIVER WALK ON THESE TWO PARCELS IS $400,000.
THE PARK COST WHICH IS JUST OPEN SPACE AND THAT'S A PLACE HOLDER THIS WOULD BE SIMPLE STUFF, GREEN SPACE, MAYBE SOME JUST A FEW SIMPLE THINGS, BUT NO COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY.
THE SIDEWALKS, A THOUSAND DOLLARS A FOOT IS $180,000.
IS THIS ALL PIPEDREAM? CAN WE AFFORD THIS? IN THE PARKS AND REC IMPACT FEE FUND, THERE'S $3 MILLION.
IMPACT FEES MAKE IT REALLY SIMPLE.
CAN BE UTILIZED TO HAVE TO HAVE TWO CRITERIA.
AND THOSE CRITERIA, HAS TO BE CAPITAL AND YOU HAVE TO EXPAND CAPITAL ASSET AND YOU CAN SIT DOWN, DAYLE.
EXPAND A CAPITAL ASSET TO INCREASED CAPACITY.
WE HAVE MORE PEOPLE LIVING HERE SO WE MEET THAT PART OF IT.
YOU HAVE TO EXPAND THAT CAPACITY.
SO IF YOU WANT TO USE IT FOR A FENCE AND YOU WANT TO REPLACE THAT FENCE AND MAKE IT BETTER FOR THE FIRST TIME AND THE FENCE IS 100 FEET AND YOU WANT TO REPLACE IT, IF YOU REPLACE AT 110 FEET, YOU CAN USE IMPACT FEES FOR THE 10 FEET AND THE REST HAS TO COME FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE.
SO THAT'S WHAT IMPACT FEES ARE USED FOR.
IMPACT FEES CAN BE USED TO BUY LAND.
THIS WOULD BE FOR A PARK. SO IT CAN COME FROM THAT AND THEY CAN BE USED FOR SEA WALL, EXCUSE ME, RIVER WALK BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF THE PARK. SO, IF YOU LOOK AT THAT, THE RIVER WALK AND THE LAND ACQUISITION AND PROBABLY PART OF THE PARKING BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE FOR THE PARK CAN ALL BE PAID FOR WITH IMPACT FEES. THERE'S CURRENTLY $3.1 MILLION IN THERE. WE HAVE A GRANT FOR THE DESIGN OF THIS SEA WALL FOR A MILLION DOLLARS.
THAT THE DESIGN FOR THIS WOULD BE THREE 50 THOUSAND.
THAT'S COVERED. WE HAVE CURRENTLY COMMITTED OR POSSIBLY COMMITTED COVID MONEY TO $2.2 MILLION FOR RESILIENCY SO THERE'S THE SEA WALL. SO, WE'RE SHORT ABOUT
[00:30:04]
$2 MILLION. BUT THAT CAN ALL BE FOUND THROUGH GRANTS AND OTHER MEANS TO PAY THAT.SO I BASICALLY BELIEVE THAT IF WE GO FORWARD IF WE HAVE THE LAND, WE CAN GO FORWARD NOW AND BEGIN THIS PROCESS PARTICULARLY BECAUSE WE HAVE THE DESIGN MONEY.
SO, THE WAY FORWARD. WHAT I WOULD PROPOSE IS THE CITY ATTORNEY PRESENT AN OFFER TO BUY THE PROPERTY, THE PROPERTY WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE OWNER'S APPRAISED PRICE OF $2.9 MILLION CONTINGENT ON A CLEAR TITLE. THE CITY PAY FOR THE TITLE SEARCH AND INSURANCE AND PART OF THE CLOSING COST AND FUND THAT WITH THE PARKS IMPACT FEE AND THIS WOULD ALLOW THE USE OF THE PROPERTY FOR OPEN PARK SPACE, RIVER WALK, PARKING FOR THE PARK, PEDESTRIAN ACCESSIBILITY, WATERFRONT AND WOULD ALSO HAVE THE BENEFIT OF FLOOD PROTECTION. I THINK THIS IS A WAY FORWARD WE HAVE ALL TALKED ABOUT WE WANT TO DO THIS, AND I SEE NO OTHER WAY WITHOUT THAT PARCEL OF PROPERTY. SO WHAT IS THE ALTERNATIVE? DO NOTHING AND ABANDON THE EXPANSION OF THE WATERFRONT PARK AND SEA WALL RESILIENCY IMPACT. THE CITY DOLLARS ARE AVAILABLE TO FUND THE CONTINUATION EFFORT. I THINK WE SHOULD BE TRANSPARENT AND INFORM THE PUBLIC THIS CITY COMMISSION WILL NOT ACQUIRE THE LAND TO COMPLETE THE WATERFRONT FOR FLOOD PROTECTION.
IT WILL REMAIN IN THE CURRENT RATE OF DISREPAIR K SINCE THE YEAR 2000 AND THE HISTORIC DOWNTOWN WOULD BE NOT PROTECTED FROM FLOODING. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A DISCUSSION AND WE HAVE HALF AN HOUR TO COME UP WITH THAT'S MY WAY FORWARD. DOESN'T MEAN IT'S THE BEST WAY AND PEOPLE HAVE OTHER IDEAS OR BETTER IDEAS, I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO HEAR THEM. THANK YOU.
>> OKAY AND JUST A POINT OF ORDER.
THE SLIDE SHOW THAT YOU SUBMITTED HAS BEEN ADJUSTED.
FROM -- >> IT'S ALL STUFF THAT HAS BEEN PRESENTED TO THIS COMMISSION OVER THE YEARS.
>> COMMISSIONER ROSS, I UNDERSTAND.
BUT OUR RULES AND I JUST WANT TO GET COMMON GROUND HERE, IS THAT WE SUBMIT MATERIALS A WEEK BEFORE.
I HAD A SLIDE I WANTED TO SUBMIT BUT THE DEADLINE HAD PASSED SO I DIDN'T SUBMIT. AND I'M NOT, WHAT I'M SAYING IS, WE NEED TO FOLLOW THE RULES. THEY WERE SLIDES IN YOUR PRESENTATION IN WHICH I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO SEE IN ORDER TO
>> AND THE PUBLIC DESERVES TO SEE THEM.
>> BUT IN REALITY, MOST OF THIS STUFF --
>> EXCEPT ONE -- >> THIS IS ALL RERUNS WERE
THAT'S WHY I DID IT. >> I UNDERSTAND.
I'M JUST SAYING IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A RULE.
LET'S FOLLOW THE RULES. THAT IS MY ONLY POINT.
>> BUT I WAS GOING, I SUBMITTED IN THE PAST RULE.
>> OKAY. PLEASE DON'T DO THAT AGAIN.
OKAY BECAUSE MY MEMORY IS NOT THAT GOOD.
OKAY. >> I SUBMITTED IN THE PAST RULE.
>> IF YOU WOULDN'T DO THAT, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT.
COMMENTS VICE MAYOR. >> WELL, FIRST THING I WANT TO DO IS CLARIFY A COUPLE ISSUES FROM MY POINT OF VIEW.
I HAVE SAID THIS MANY TIMES, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GOALS AND ESTABLISH A GOAL, THEY DO NOT TRUMP THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CITY TO MEET LEVELS OF SERVICE IN OTHER STANDARDS.
AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE ISSUES WITH OTHER FACILITIES AND OTHER BUILDINGS. I HAVE SAID THAT MANY TIMES.
I'M DONE SAYING THAT. I DON'T NECESSARILY DISAGREE WITH THIS. WHEN THE ACTUAL GOAL IN 2021 WAS TO DO SEGMENT 6 AND SEVEN, THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIRST.
WE COULDN'T DO THEM FIRST BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THE PROPERTY. THAT IS THE LOWEST AREA ON THE WATERFRONT. THAT IS NOT THE MOST VULNERABLE PART OF THE CITY. WE WILL GET TO THAT WHEN WE DO THE REQUIRED VULNERABILITY STUDY.
I AGREE THIS IS AN APPROPRIATE USE OF IMPACT FUNDS AND THIS WOULD BE A WAY FORWARD. I DON'T DISAGREE WITH MOVING THAT WAY. I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THEY WERE DISCUSSIONS BEING MADE WITH MR. SIMMONS AND I BELIEVE MR. KAVANAUGH BECAUSE I DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS OF THAT SEA WALL BEYOND THE SIMMONS CITY PROPERTY AND THAT BLIGHTED AREA.
[00:35:04]
THAT'S FURTHER DOWN THE LINE. I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW AND I DON'T WANT TO PUT ANYBODY ON THE SPOT IF THE CITY MANAGER CAN'T ADVISE US ON CONVERSATIONS WITH MR. SIMMONS AND MR. KAVANAUGH.REMEMBER WE HAD THAT OTHER LETTER WENT OUT IN FEBRUARY I
BELIEVE. >> THE INSTRUCTIONS I HAD INVOLVED MR. KAVANAUGH'S APPLICATION TO THE DEP TO PUT IN A BALL CAD. I DON'T THINK THAT'S BEEN ADDRESSED. I BELIEVE THERE'S BEEN ADDITIONAL CONVERSATION THAT OTHER PROPERTY OWNERS IN THAT AREA ARE FOLLOWING WITH INTEREST HOW DEP IS GOING TO RULE ON MR. KAVANAUGH'S AND WHETHER THAT WILL BECOME A VIABLE OPPORTUNITY FOR OTHER NEIGHBORS, MRS. KAVANAUGH, MR. SIMMONS AND
OTHERS. >> ONE MORE COMMENT, WHEN WE DEALT WITH THE ORIGINAL PARK PLAN.
WE REJECTED THE PARK PLAN AND THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION.
THE REASON FOR THE PARK PLAN AND I WAS OPPOSED BECAUSE WE WERE PROCEEDING WITH A PLAN WE DIDN'T HAVE 13 PERCENT OF THE PROPERTY AND THAT'S HOW IT FELL THROUGH. SO ALL THAT SAID, I HAVE NO
PROBLEM WITH MOVING FORWARD WITH >> OKAY.
I WOULD LIKE TO RESPOND TO WHAT HE SAID.
>> NO, SIR. WE WILL GO IN THE ORDER.
COMMISSIONER STURGES. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I HAVE NO PROBLEM SPENDING IMPACT FUNDS OR I THOUGHT WE GOT APPROVED FOR A MILLION DOLLAR GRANT FOR RESILIENCY AT SOME POINT. I THINK WE HAVE FUNDS TO GO IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. I WOULD RATHER SEE WE STOP THE LAWSUIT WITH MR. SIMMONS. I WOULD RATHER SEE US POINT OUR DILIGENCE TO INCORPORATING THE HOMEOWNERS, PROPERTY OWNERS TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS AND GET OUR SEA WALL AND WALK WAY.
THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.
SO IF THAT CAN HAPPEN, THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING AND THEN ONCE WE GET THAT, THEN THROUGH THIS SECTION, WHAT WE HAVE OTHER THINGS THAT WE HAVEN'T ADDRESSED OUR LETTER TO MS. KUNRAD AND WHAT IS GOING ON THIS END OF SEA WALL AND OUR ISSUES DOWN TOWARDS BRETT'S AND THE FOLLOWING PROPERTY AT THE END. SO, MY MOST BIGGEST CONCERN IS FINDING A WAY TO INCORPORATE THE SEA WALL.
WE DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO OWN THE PROPERTY TO GET THE SEA WALL. I THINK THAT THE PART AND THE PARKING PART MIGHT JUST BE OUT THE WINDOW.
OUR MAIN CONCERN SHOULD BE THE SEA WALL FIRST.
THAT'S ALL MY CONCERN IS. >> ALL RIGHT.
COMMISSIONER ROSS, YOU'RE IN CUE.
>> CAN WE GO BACK ONE SLIDE? >> SOMETHING I FORGOT.
>> OKAY. I DON'T WANT TO HIT YOU WITH MY LASER POINTER. SO RIGHT HERE ON THE WELL YOU CAN SEE THE WIDTH OF THE PAVEMENT.
IS THE CITY ROAD ENCROACHES ON THIS PROPERTY.
WE CANNOT ALL TRY TO PUT IN PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY, THIS IS -- I HAVE SAID THIS MANY TIMES. THIS IS A SANDWICH.
THERE'S THE SEA WALL, HERE'S THE PARK WHICH IS THE BREAD HERE AND THE BREAD HERE IS THE ROAD. ALL THIS PEDESTRIAN PROBLEMS CANNOT BE FIXED WITHOUT OWNING THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY.
OR AT LEAST HAVING AN EASEMENT. THE CURRENT WHAT HAPPENS DOWN HERE IS IMMATERIAL, IS NOT IM2R8 MATERIAL, BUT THE NEXT STEP IS HERE. I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
IF THEY WANT TO WORK WITH US, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
THIS IS A PROBLEM RIGHT HERE. TO FIX THIS, TO PUT IN THE SEA WALL HERE IS FOUR POINT, $2.4 MILLION FOR WHOEVER OWNS THIS PROPERTY. WE DID SEND A LETTER TO ADDRESS COMMISSIONER KREGER'S THING, TO THE PROPERTY OWNER AND NEVER HEARD BACK. SILENCE.
SO, WHAT I'M SAYING IS, AND WE CAME UP WITH THE APPRAISED PRICE THAT THE PROPERTY OWNER CAME UP WITH.
IT WAS AN APPRAISED PRICE. HIS APPRAISER.
I WOULD OFFER HIM THAT MONEY. THERE'S NO GUARANTEE HE WILL
[00:40:04]
TAKE THE OFFER. IT'S A WAY TO TRY TO PUSH THIS PLACE FORWARD. I DON'T THINK ANY PROPERTY OWNER, I DON'T THINK YOU'RE GOING TO PUT IN, IT'S BEEN 38 YEARS. THEY HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING.HISTORY LOOK TO PAST WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE.
IT'S BEEN 38 YEARS. BUT, THE PROBLEM WITH THIS AND SO ONCE YOU PUT ALL THIS IN, YOU PUT THIS IN, YOU REALLY CONTRADICT DOWN WHAT YOU CAN DO HERE COMMERCIALLY.
AND BECAUSE YOU NEED A 10-FOOT THIS HERE.
THERE'S A VIEW CORRIDOR THAT GOES THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THIS AND A VIEW CORRIDOR OVER HERE. SO, IT'S ON THE LOT LINES.
SO ALL THAT CONTRADICTS COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
FOR US TO GET A WALKING PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY CITY, AND GET A RIVER WALK TO GO THROUGH HERE, WE, THE CITY NEEDS TO CONTROL THAT PROPERTY. WE ASK TO DO EASEMENTS AND WE NEVER HEARD ANYTHING. I WOULD LIKE TO TRY AND MAYBE IT WON'T WORK BUT MAKE AN OFFER BASED ON THE APPRAISED PRICE HIS APPRAISER CAME UP WITH. THANK YOU.
I ACTUALLY, I WAS QUESTIONING WHETHER YOU WANTED YOUR
>> YES, I WILL GO BACK. >> COMMISSIONER BEAN.
>> GOT TO GET THE LIGHTS. >> I JUST WANT DO MAKE SURE.
>> MR. MAYOR. CAN WE GO BACK ONE MORE SLIDE, ONE MORE ACTUALLY. ONE MORE THAN THAT.
I'M GOING WITH THE SECTION, THE ONE WITH THE COLOR.
NO, I THINK IT'S BACK A LITTLE FURTHER.
BOOM. SO, COMMISSIONERS, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT WITH THIS PLAN WHICH I HAVE SEEN BEFORE, THE PRIOR COMMISSION THAT PUT THIS TOGETHER.
WHAT I DON'T LIKE IS SECTION 8 AND 9.
I DON'T LIKE HOW THAT'S ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE LINE.
THAT'S CUTTING OUT THE PROPERTIES AND TO ME, WHAT IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT IS THE RIVER WALK.
WE ALL LOVE HOW YOU'RE ABLE TO WALK ALONG THE RIVER AND OUR CITIZENS ARE ABLE TO ENJOY LOOKING AT THE WATER.
THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO HAVE UP AND DOWN THE FULL HISTORIC DOWNTOWN IS THAT ASPECT. A BULK HEAD THAT CAN DEFEND FROM THE NEXT BIG STORM BUT ALSO THE OTHER 364 DAYS OF THE YEAR WE'RE ABLE TO USE IT TO WALK BACK AND FORTH AND ENJOY THE RIVER WHICH I THINK EVERYONE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ENJOY TOGETHER.
WHAT VICE MAYOR KREGER BROUGHT UP.
RIGHT NOW, THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION IS LOOKING AT AN APPLICATION FROM A PROPERTY OWNER IN SECTION 8 TO BE LOOKING AT PUTTING IN THEIR OWN BULK HEAD.
IF WE GET THIS APPROVED. IF THIS IS APPROVED BY THE DEP, THAT WILL ENABLE ALL THESE PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS TO BUILD BULK HEADS SIMILAR. I DON'T WANT TO GET AHEAD OF OURSELVES. I WOULD CALL THAT THE DEFINITION OF A PRIVATE-PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP. THE CITY, WE UPHOLD OUR END AND WORK WITH THESE PRIVATE OWNERS AND HAVE A JOINT PERMIT.
THE SIMMONS PROPERTY WOULD WANT TO BE PART OF SUCH A PLAN.
THAT WAY WE HAVE A GREAT RIVER WALK THAT DEFENDS AGAINST THE STORM. CAN GO ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE SHORE. CAN DO EVERYTHING WE NEED IT TO DO. WE CAN SAVE ON IMPACT FEES LETTING THE PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS PITCH IN AND BUILD THEIR SHARES OF THE WALL WHICH I BELIEVE THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO DO. I DON'T WANT TO GET AHEAD OF OURSELVES WHEN THAT MIGHT BE WHAT HAPPENS IN THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER STURGES.
I AGREE WITH BRADLEY. ONE MORE POINT I WANT TO MAKE IMPORTANT IS IF THEY CAN BE COMBINED AND THE PROJECT CAN BE DONE AT ONE TIME, IF IT GSZ TO THE DEP, THERE'S A HIGH LIKELIHOOD IF THE CITY IS BEHIND IT AND SAYS WE WANT THE SEA WALL. WE DO WANT THIS AREA AND ARE WILLING TO COMPROMISE TO SOME EXTENT HOW WE GET IT ON THE WATER, IT WILL HOLD MORE WEIGHT WITH THE DEPP.
NUMBER TWO. AS CONSTRUCTION COSTS GO, IT'S GOING TO BE CHEAPER IF IT'S DONE ALL AT ONE TIME.
SO, I SHOULDN'T USE THE WORD CHEAP.
IT'S GOING TO BE MORE REASONABLE IF IT'S DONE ALL AT ONE TIME.
MOBILIZATION AND CONSTRUCTION COSTS WHEN YOU COME OUT MULTIPLE TIMES IS NOT WORTH T. I JUST THINK WE NEED TO FOCUS ON WHAT WE CAN DEAL WITH NOW AND WE CAN'T FORCE PROPERTY OWNERS.
I HEAR WHEN YOU'RE SAYING, CHIP, ABOUT SENDING AN OFFER.
[00:45:01]
BUT WHEN I SPOKE TO MR. SIMMONS LAST TIME WHICH WAS NOT RECENTLY, HE WAS VERY ADAMANT HE DOES NOT WANT TO SELL HIS PROPERTY. SO, I HIGHLY ADULT EVEN IF WE SENT HIS OFFER, THE PRICED AMOUNT, HE'S INTERESTED IN SELLING. SO, WE JUST NEED TO FIND A WAY TO WORK AND FAST AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, CHIP. THE SIDEWALK ON THE STREET SIDE IS NOT AS IMPORTANT AS THE RIVER WALK AND SEA WALL.THAT'S WHAT I THINK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS.
>> CHARLIE, CLARIFY, MR. KAVANAUGH IS ASKING TO PHIL, ACTUALLY EXPAND AND FILL IN. I DON'T KNOW HE'S JUST ASKING FOR A BULK HEAD. SO, I DOUBT THAT THE DEP IS GOING TO APPROVE IT. WE HAVE ASKED FOR THAT IN THE PAST. I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT FITS IN.
SO, AS I SAID, I THINK BEYOND SIX AND SEVEN, THAT IS THE FUTURE OF THE SEA WALL. IT SHOULD BE BEYOND THE WATERFRONT AND BULK HEAD. I THINK EVERYBODY AGREES WITH THAT. I BELIEVE SO.
I THINK BY GOING FORWARD AND ASKING MONEY, WE HAD THE PARK PLAN. THE PARK PLAN INCLUDED THAT.
THAT WAS GREEN SPACE. I DO THINK IT WOULD BE AN APPROPRIATE MOVE. I THINK THE REST WOULD FALL OUT.
EVEN IF IT DIDN'T. WE WOULD HAVE A MUCH BETTER SITUATION ON THE WATERFRONT. SO, AND WE DO HAVE A MILLION DOLLARS. THAT'S IN THE STATE BUDGET FOR DESIGN. AND THE OTHER MONEY I STILL AM A BIT RELUCTANT ON GRANTS. THIS BETTER BE THE YEAR ON GRANTS. STATE IS WRITING THE RULES AND WILL BE MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO GET MONEY FOR GRANTS.
SOUTH FLORIDA IS WHERE THE MONEY WILL GO
>> THE RESILIENCY MONEY. SO IT'S THE TIME TO MOVE IF
COMMISSIONER ROSS. >> ALL RIGHT.
LET'S TALK ABOUT MR. KAVANAUGH'S PROPERTY SINCE YOU BROUGHT IT UP. WHAT MR. KAVANAUGH ASKED FOR AND I REVIEWED THE GRANT APPLICATION IS THAT HE WANTS TO MOVE HIS PROPERTY HERE IS THE PROPERTY WHERE PEOPLE PARK THEIR CARS AND THERE'S A LITTLE BEACH THERE. WHAT HE WANTS TO DO IS GOING 15 FEET FORWARD AND BACK FILL THAT WHOLE THING AND PUT A RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL PROPERTY. ONE HOUSE AND ONE WITH A RESIDENCY ABOVE IT. HE'S PERFECTLY CAPABLE AND MADE THE APPLICATION. AND I THINK AS COMMISSIONER KREGER POINTED OUT, THAT FIRST OF ALL, IT'S NOT JUST DEP, IT'S THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS. I PROBABLY GOT, A FAIR AMOUNT OF TIMES AND I HAVE TALKED TO THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS AND THE WATER DEPARTMENT ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS AND MADE IT CRYSTAL CLEAR, BACK FILLING. THIS IS TIDAL WATER IS NOT SOMETHING THEY USUALLY ALLOW. THEY WILL NEVER SAY NO UNTIL YOU GO THROUGH THE WHOLE EXERCISE. BASICALLY THEY SAY, YOU CAN DO IT. YOU CAN ASK FOR IT BUT YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE WHOLE EXERCISE AND WE NEVER APPROVED IT.
WHAT I CAN SEE LOOKING AT THE PERMITS.
IT'S ALSO BEEN TALKED -- THE PROBLEM WITH THE SEA WALL ON THIS SIDE ALONG HERE IS REMEMBER THERE'S BUILDINGS HERE? AND IF YOU BULK HEAD, YOU'RE GOING TO TEAR DOWN THE HISTORIC BUILDING THAT MS. LIVEMAN OWNS, THAT'S IN THE WAY OF PUTTING IN THE SEA BALL. MR. COOK'S BUILDING, NOT MR. COOK. MR. GOOD.
GOODSAL'S BUILDING AND ALL THAT. ALL THAT STUFF WOULD HAVE TO COME TUMBLING DOWN. THE COST OF PUTTING A SEA WALL ON THIS SIDE, EACH PARCEL IS TWO TO $3 MILLION.
ON THIS SIDE, IT'S ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS.
THAT'S WHY IT WAS JUMPING ACROSS THE STREET.
BECAUSE FOR THE PUBLIC AND -- I HAVE NO OPPOSITION TO PUTTING IT ALONG HERE. BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE FOCUSING ON RIGHT HERE. THIS IS THE PROBLEM WITH THE WHOLE PICTURE. THE SEA WALL DOESN'T WORK AND THE FLOODING DOESN'T WORK. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO MAKE AN OFFER. MR. SIMMONS REFUSES, THE PROPERTY OWNER REFUSES IT. THAT'S UP TO HIM.
[00:50:02]
WE GO ON RECORD WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE THIS FORWARD.YOU WANT TO COME BACK LATER AND DO ALL THIS, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT. THIS IS WHERE I'M FOCUSING NOW BECAUSE THIS IS THE NEXT STEP. THIS IS TO COME LATER.
BEFORE I COMMENT? >> SO, I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL IDEA. I DON'T DISAGREE WITH ANYTHING THAT YOU SAID. OTHER THAN OVERPAYING FOR THIS PROPERTY IN WHICH MY COMPUTER WAS TURNED OFF.
IT'S $2.3 MILLION WAS THE APPRAISAL AND GENTLEMEN, LET'S REWIND TO OUR IMMINENT DOMAIN MEETING IN MR. JACOB'S OFFICE IN WHICH WE DISCUSSED THIS APPRAISAL AND HOW FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, BOGUS IT WAS. BECAUSE THE APPRAISAL INCLUDED THE RIPARIAN RIGHTS ON THE WATER WHICH HE DOESN'T OWN AND THE CITY OWNS. SO FIRST TO OVERPAY, THE CITY'S APPR APPRAISAL OF THE PROPERTY WAS $775,000. HE COMES IN AT 2.3.
THAT'S 800. THAT'S $1.5 MILLION.
WE'RE GOING TO BECAUSE WE FEEL WE'RE BEING HELD HOSTAGE, WE'RE GOING TO OVERPAY BY $1.5 MILLION FOR THIS LAND.
AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PAPER -- TAXPAYERS I CAN'T AGREE.
LET'S SAY OUR APPRAISAL VALUE IS 50% OFF.
LET'S SAY IT'S WORTH $1.4 MILLION.
WE'RE STILL OVERPAYING BY $800,000.
THAT'S POINT NUMBER ONE. SO, WE WOULD BE OVERPAYING AND I WOULD NEVER VOTE TO OVER PAY BY 800 GRAND.
IN THE SECOND POINT IN THE SLIDE I WOULD HAVE SUBMITTED IS THE MARCH, COMMISSIONER ROSS' SLIDE FROM THE MARCH FIRST, 2022 WORKSHOP WHERE WE DISCUSSED THIS VERY LAND AND THIS VERY ISSUE.
AND COMMISSIONER ROSS PUT UP A SLIDE IN WHICH WE BUILT THE CITY SEA WALL AROUND HIS PROPERTY WITH AN ENTRANCE GATE.
>> CAN YOU GO TO THE LAST SEG SEGMENT. HERE IT IS.
YOU PRESENTED THIS AS A SEVERE OPTION BUT IT IS AN OPTION.
BUILDING THE SEA WALL. >> YOU COME
SO, WE ALWAYS HAVE ALTERNATIVES. SO THAT WAS ONE ALTERNATIVE.
YOU ALSO WROTE AND PRESENTED TO US, STAFF REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR PRIVATE-PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP FOR 101 NORTH FRONT.
THAT WAS AN ALTERNATIVE. PROCEED WITH DESIGN OF OTHER OPTIONS OR OTHER PORTIONS OF THE PROJECT.
YOU WROTE IMMINENT DOMAIN ONCE AGAIN AND YOU WROTE FURTHER ATTEMPTS TO ENGAGE THE PROPERTY OWNER.
WHAT I'M HEARING FROM MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS IS HE DOESN'T WANT TO ENGAGE OR IS UNWILLING TO ENGAGE.
AND THEN YOU WROTE OTHER, QUESTION MARK.
AND I ADDED. BROWARD COUNTY, MIAMI BEACH AND FT. LAUDERDALE HAS ALL ENACTED ORDINANCES REQUIRING PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS TO IMPROVE OR CONSTRUCT SEA WALLS TO PREVENT THE FLOODING OF OTHER PROPERTY. ALL OF THOSE ORDINANCES HAVE BEEN UPHELD, CHALLENGED. YES, IS IT RUNNING SMOOTHLY? NO. AS COMMISSION ROSS POINTED OUT IN MARCH. BUT, WE ARE NOT SITTING UP HERE WITH THIS AS OUR ONLY OPTION. WE DO HAVE ALTERNATIVES.
SO THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS ABOUT THIS APPROVAL.
COMMISSIONER ROSS HAS PUT IT FORWARD.
I THINK HE'S LOOKING FOR THE FOUR OF US.
HOW DO WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD? YES, SIR, YOUR LIGHT IS ON.
>> YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. >> SO, LET'S TALK ABOUT TWO
[00:55:02]
ISSUES. NUMBER ONE IS OVER PRICED.THE MARINA RESTAURANT WHICH WE ALL KNOW IS A TINY PARCEL WITH A BUILDING THAT NEEDS AN INCREDIBLE A LOT OF WORK JUST SOLD FOR $3 MILLION. UP BY THE PORT, THE SEAFOOD FACILITY JUST SOLD FOR $3 MILLION.
SO, WHEN YOU SAY WHAT'S THE PROPERTY WORTH? APPRAISALS AND IT WASN'T THE RIPARIAN RIGHTS WHICH WAS THE ISSUE. THEY MADE AN EXTRAORDINARY ASSUMPTION THIS DIRT WAS WORTH THIS AND YOU COULDN'T BUILD OVER HERE. THAT WAS THE EXTRAORDINARY ASSUMPTION AND I POINTED THAT OUT.
TO ME, IN THIS CASE, THE PROPERTY IS WORTH WHAT SOMEBODY IS WILLING TO PAY FOR IT AND WHAT SOMEBODY IS WILLING TO SELL FOR IT. AND YOU'RE RIGHT, THE PROPERTY OWNER HAS YOU OVER BOUND AND THE DEVELOPERS, YOU CAN TALK TO THIS, MR. STURGES. THEY PUT TOGETHER PARCELS AND IT'S THE LAST PARCEL YOU NEED TO GO FORWARD.
THAT PERSON HAS INCREDIBLE LEVERAGE.
I'M NOT DISPUTING THAT. FOR OUR DOWNTOWN, NOT TO FLOOD, THOSE 180 PROPERTIES NOT TO FLOOD, INCLUDING ALL OUR HISTORIC BUILDINGS, IT DEPENDS ON THIS PARCEL RIGHT HERE.
AND US GETTING THAT PARCEL. I'M WILLING TO PAY MORE AND I THINK THAT IS A GOOD USE OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO PREVENT FLOODING OF THE HISTORIC DOWNTOWN.
AND CREATING A RIVER WALK, THAT SAME RIVER WALK THAT EVERYBODY LIKES ON THE OTHER SIDE. HAVING A PARK.
I THINK THAT'S WORTH THE EXTRA MONEY AND I'M WILLING TO BUY.
AND SO THE OTHER ISSUE ABOUT, ABOUT SEA WALL FT. LAUDERDALE AND THAT LAW, I CALLED THEM DOWN THERE.
I TALKED TO THE PEOPLE. AND YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAID? WE'RE FIGHTING IT ALL THE TIME IN COURT.
WE'RE SPENDING OUR LIFE IN COURT TRYING TO DO THIS.
THIS IS A GROUP NOT JUST THIS COMMISSION BUT EVERY COMMISSION IS RISK ADVERSE. DOESN'T WANT TO GO TO COURT AND YOU THINK THAT, AS A PROPERTY OWNER PUT A SEA WALL IN, HE'S NOT GOING TO FIGHT US IN COURT, WE WILL BE THERE FOR 20 YEARS, 10 YEARS. I GOT TWO YEARS LEFT ON THIS COMMISSION. I LIKE TO SEE THIS HAPPEN.
I WILL GUARANTEE YOU WE PUT AN ORDINANCE IN, WE WILL NOT EVEN HAVE GOTTEN INTO THE COURTROOM. WE'RE STILL WAITING ON COURTROOM FOR PRESS. THE LEGAL SYSTEM JUST GRINDS ON EVEN SLOWLY THAN ANYTHING ELSE. THERE ARE OTHER ALTERNATIVES.
BUT I THINK THE BEST ALTERNATIVE AT THIS POINT AND IT'S NOT AN UPGRADE. IT'S NOT SAYING IT'S GREAT.
I THINK THE BEST ALTERNATIVE NOW IF YOU WANT TO GO FORWARD IS TO MAKE AN OFFER AND IF HE DOESN'T GO FORWARD, THEN THAT, WE NEED TO REGROUP AND SEE WHERE WE CAN GO FROM THERE.
AND THAT'S WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO BE TO GO FORWARD.
MR. SIMMONS MAY NOT. THE PROPERTY OWNERS MAY NOT AGREE TO SELL IT. BUT WHEN SOMEBODY HANDS YOU A CONTRACT FOR X AMOUNT OF MONEY AND IT'S GOOD MONEY, IT CHANGES AMOUNT OF PROPERTY OWNERS' MINDS.
I HAVE BOUGHT A LOT OF PROPERTY OVER THE YEARS AND PEOPLE SAY THEY WILL NEVER SELL, YOU HAND THEM A CONTRACT AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU OWN THE PROPERTY. SO, THAT'S WHAT I HAVE TO SAY.
IF WE'RE NOT WILLING TO DO THIS, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE NEXT STEP IS. BECAUSE WE HAVE ALL AGREED, ON UMPTEEN OCCASIONS, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO NEXT? I WOULD LIKE TO PUT THIS BACK ON THE AGENDA IF YOU WANT TO THINK
ABOUT IT TO THE NEXT WORKSHOP. >> I'M JUST LOOKING HERE.
ARE YOU YIELDING YOUR TIME? >> YEAH, I'M DONE.
>> VICE MAYOR. >> JUST BRIEFLY, I WANT TO SAY, TO EVEN DISCUSS BUILDING A SEA WALL AND ISOLATING ONE PIECE OF PROPERTY AND NOT PROTECTING THAT CITIZEN AND PROTECTING OTHERS, IS CRAZY. SO I THINK THAT'S THE THING.
THE OLD RFP WE DID FOR ORIGINALLY, WHAT MAIN STREET, THAT ACTUALLY MORPHED INTO THE SEA WALL THING.
I SUPPORT WHAT CHIP IS SAYING RIGHT NOW.
IF WE DON'T WANT TO, LET'S JUST ASK EVERYBODY TO BUILD A SEA
[01:00:01]
WALL. IT PROTECTS THE WHOLE TOWN.IF YOU LOOK IT GOES TO SECOND STREET AND EVERYBODY SAID FIVE YEARS AGO, IT WOULD TAKE FIVE YEARS.
WE'RE STILL SITTING HERE. THAT'S AN OPTION WE CAN DISCUSS IF WE DON'T WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS.
>> ALL RIGHT. SO GENTLEMEN HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO PROCEED? DO YOU WANT TO PURSUE MAKING MR. SIMMONS AN OFFER? OR ENGAGING HIM? HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO PROCEED? I THINK THAT IS THE QUESTION.
>> COMMISSIONER BEAN. >> THANK YOU MR. MAYOR.
THE NEXT THING I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS WHAT THE DEP SAYS THE APPLICATIONS COMING THROUGH. IF THERE'S GOOD NEWS.
YOU MIGHT SEE THE PROPERTY OWNERS BANDING TOGETHER AND COME
>> I WOULD SAY I WOULD LIKE T. CITY STAFF TO DETERMINE WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO ASSESS EVERYBODY DOWNTOWN TO BUILD THAT SEAWALL. AND THEN DO A SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT.
>> I HAVE ONE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT. I HAVE ONE WAIT.
COMMISSIONER ROSH, YOUR LIGHT IS ON. VICE MAYOR, YOUR LIGHT IS ON.
>> ACTUALLY, THE NEXT CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT SPECIAL ASSESSMENT. I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO.
THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT YOU HAVE TO CHARGE ALL OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS IS ASTRONOMICAL. IT'S NOT GOING TO COVER IT HERE.
ANYWHERE NEAR. UNLESS YOU WANT TO PUT THEM IN BANKRUPTCY.
I WOULD -- I WOULD MAKE THE OFFER, IF THE CONSENSUS IF WE WANT TO WAIT FOR THE DEP, THAT WOULD BE MY FALLBACK PLAN. I HAVING HAD MULTIPLE TALKS WITH THE DEP AND THE CORPS OF
ENGINEERS AND KNOW WHERE SANGUINED AS YOU ARE. >> COMMISSIONER STURGESS, WHAT
IS YOUR PREFERENCE? >> I THINK WE SHOULD WAIT. I'M NOT AS OPTIMISTIC AS CHIP.
I DON'T WANT TO OVERPAY. I DO REALIZE, THE PROPERTY IS PROBABLY WORTH THAT.
I'M NOT AN APPRAISER, BUT I WOULD -- IF I WAS SERIOUSLY GOING TO OFFER THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY, I WOULD GET A SECOND APPRAISAL, FOR THE PROPERTY. BUT VERY CONFIDENT THAT THIS OWNER IS NOT INTERESTED IN SELLING AT ALL COSTS. SO THAT IS WHY I WOULD NOT -- I JUST ASSUME WE WOULD WAIT FOR THE DEP BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO DO ANY GOOD.
BECAUSE I'VE SPOKEN WITH HIM PERSONALLY. IF I HADN'T SPOKEN WITH HIM PERSONALLY, I WOULD NOT FEEL THAT WAY. SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE PROJECT GET MOVING AND AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, IF IT WAS A PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP WITH THESE -- I KEEP SAYING HOMEOWNERS, BECAUSE I'M SO USED TO THAT, SORRY.
WITH THESE PROPERTY OWNERS, I WOULD EVEN SEE IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT THE CITY WOULD HELP PAY FOR THE SEAWALL, LIKE THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY FOR IT ALL.
IF WE HAD AN AGREEMENT OF HOW MUCH WE WERE GOING TO PAY AND HOW MUCH THEY WERE GOING TO PAY. FOR THESE PARTICULAR OWNERS ON THE WATERFRONT.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE WOULD FOOT THE WHOLE BILL. I'M JUST SAYING AN AGREEMENT OF SOME AMOUNT. AND IF THAT WOULD SPEED THE PROCESS UP, BECAUSE IT IS EXPENSIVE TO PRODUCE A SEAWALL. AND WE ARE CONCERNED WITH OUR CITIZENS AND THE WHOLE DOWNTOWN AREA AS FAR AS FLOODING. SO NOT TO TAKE THIS TOO MUCH WOULD LIKE TO DO. IS WHAT I -
>> I HAVE TWO WAITS. I HAVE A SPECIAL ASSESSMENT. AT THE VERY LEAST, I WOULD SAY WE NEED -- WE WOULD NEED TO GET OUR OWN APPRAISAL OF THE PROPERTY.
COMMISSIONER ROSS, WE'RE OVER TIME. BUT PLEASE BE BRIEF.
>> WHY DO WE NEED AN APPRAISAL? IT DOESN'T MATTER. APPRAISAL IS SOME GUY COMING IN OR GIRL, COMING IN AND I CAN MAKE AN APPRAISAL AND SAY ALMOST ANYTHING Y'ALL WANTED IT TO SAY. I MEAN, I'VE READ HUNDREDS OF APPRAISALS IN MY LIFE.
GETTING ANOTHER APPRAISAL, IT DOESN'T MATTER. IT'S WHAT HE IS WILLING TO SELL FOR. THAT IS WHAT IT BOILS DOWN TO AND WHAT YOU'RE WILLING TO PAY.
I THINK FOR THE CITY NOT TO HAVE SEAWALL PROTECTION AND NOT TO HAVE A WALKABLE DOWNTOWN, AND HAVE THIS EMBARRASSMENT STAY THERE IT'S WORTH THE MONEY.
THAT IS WHAT IT'S WORTH. IT DOESN'T MATTER TO ME A NICKEL'S WORTH WHAT AN
APPRAISER SAYS. I DON'T CARE. >> CITY MANAGER, HOW MUCH DOES
[01:05:08]
AN APPRAISAL COST? WE JUST COMPLETED A COUPLE OF APPRAISALS, 3 TO $5,000>> WE OWE IT TO THE TAXPAYERS AND DO DUE DILIGENCE, SPEND 3 TO $5,000, WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO OVERPAY A MILLION AND A HALF? REALLY. SO THAT IS WHY WE NEED AN APPRAISAL. SO WE HAVE A BENCHMARK IN WHICH TO NEGOTIATE.
NOT JUST CAPITULATE TO THIS APPRAISAL. WHICH WE ALL AGREED IN BUDDY JACOBS'S OFFICE WAS NOT VIABLE. WE ALL AGREED, IT'S UNANIMOUS. TO MOVE US ALONG, YOU HAVE TWO WAITS, YOU HAVE AN ASSESSMENT, THERE IS NO AGREEMENT TO MOVE FORWARD ON THIS.
HOWEVER, IT CAN BE REVISITED. >> OH, IT WILL BE. >> CAN I GET ONE LAST COMMENT
ON APPRAISALS. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> I'VE BOUGHT PLENTY OF PROPERTY OVER THE YEARS, I NEVER GOT AN APPRAISAL. AN APPRAISAL IS ONE PERSON'S OPINION OF WHAT SOMETHING IS WORTH BASED ON OTHER THINGS. WHAT DOES IT MATTER WHAT THE APPRAISAL IS, WHETHER YOU'RE GETTING A GOOD DEAL BECAUSE YOU'RE GETTING A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT IS GOING TO PROTECT THE CITY. WHAT IS THAT WORTH? CAN YOU PUT THAT INTO THE APPRAISAL? NO. CAN YOU PUT IN THE APPRAISAL THAT THE CITY FLOODS IN THE NEXT BIG STORM AND ALL THE BUILDINGS GO UNDER WATER BECAUSE WE DIDN'T DO OUR JOB? CAN YOU PUT THAT INTO THE APPRAISAL? NO. I THINK AN APPRAISAL IS ANOTHER FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS DOWN THE DRAIN AND WHAT DOES IT MATTER. IT'S WHAT WE'RE WILLING TO PAY AND WHAT HE'S WILLING TO ACCEPT. THE PROPERTY OWNER IS WILLING TO ACCEPT.
REALLY ALL THAT MATTERS IN THIS CASE. >> COMMISSIONER ROSS, THE APPRAISAL MATTERS BECAUSE IT'S TAXPAYERS. YOU WERE SPENDING YOUR OWN MONEY. WE OWE IT TO THE TAXPAYERS TO DO DUE DILIGENCE, PRESENT TO THEM WHEN WE MAKE A DECISION. ESPECIALLY ONE THAT INVOLVES THREE MILLION DOLLARS.
SO WE OWE THAT TO THE PUBLIC AND THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE. THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE.
OKAY. WITH THAT, WE ARE ADJOURNED UNTIL 6:15.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.