>> [NOISE] CALL TO ORDER HISTORIC DISTRICT COUNCIL MEETING, JANUARY 16TH.
[1. CALL TO ORDER / ROLL CALL / DETERMINATION OF QUORUM]
[00:00:06]
COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL?>> PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT MS. GIBSON WILL NOT BE HERE TODAY BECAUSE SHE HAS WHATEVER.
MR. SABINO IS TRYING TO SHARE IN THE BACK ROOM.
[LAUGHTER] BUT, MARGARET, YOU'RE HERE WITH US TODAY IN THAT CAPACITY.
ARE YOU GOING TO BE PRESENTING THESE THINGS OR IS JEREMIAH COMING?
>> MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT JEREMIAH WAS GOING TO MAKE THE PRESENTATION.
I'M SURE HE'LL BE HERE SHORTLY.
[3. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES]
DID EVERYBODY READ THE MINUTES FROM THE LAST MEETING?>> ANY ISSUES, QUESTIONS, CHANGES?
>> I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
DO YOU WANT ME TO MOVE THAT DOWN?
>> THIS SHOULD BE RIGHT HERE. [BACKGROUND]
>> I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE MR. POOL TO THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW HIM.
SOMEBODY MAY HAVE KNOWN WHEN HE WAS BORN, I DON'T KNOW. [LAUGHTER]
>> THAT'S [INAUDIBLE] [LAUGHTER]
>> DO WE HAVE ANYTHING ACTUALLY ON OUR AGENDA TONIGHT THAT'S QUASI-JUDICIAL THAT NEED'S TAKEN?
>> WE HAVE BOTH 4.1 AND 4.2 ARE LISTED AS QUASI-JUDICIAL.
>> FOR THIS EVENING. WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO GO OVER THE QUASI-JUDICIAL?
>> WOULD YOU EXPLAIN THAT PLEASE? THANK YOU.
>> I'D BE HAPPY TO. FOR THOSE ITEMS THAT ARE QUASI-JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS, WE WILL BE HAVING THOSE HEARINGS CONDUCTED UNDER THOSE PROCEDURES, WHICH BASICALLY AS A SUMMARY, THERE WILL BE EVIDENCE AND TESTIMONY PRESENTED AND HEARD BY THIS BOARD.
ANY PERSON WHO'S WISHING TO GIVE TESTIMONY WILL NEED TO BE SWORN BY THE CLERK'S OFFICE.
EVIDENCE MAY BE GIVEN IN THE FORM OF TESTIMONY, ORAL TESTIMONY OR IN DOCUMENTS.
THE DECISION OF THIS BOARD WILL NEED TO BE SUPPORTED BY COMPETENT SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE IN THE RECORD, AND THAT'S WHAT IS ENTERED INTO EVIDENCE DURING THIS PROCEEDING.
ANY PARTY THAT DISAGREES OR IS AGGRIEVED BY THE RULING WILL HAVE 30 DAYS TO APPEAL THAT TO THE NASSAU COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT, AND THAT STARTS FROM WHEN THE ORDER IS SIGNED BY THE CHAIR, WHICH USUALLY IS WITHIN A COUPLE OF DAYS.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE QUASI-JUDICIAL PROCEDURES IN EFFECT TONIGHT?
>> SEEING NONE. THANK YOU, SIR.
>> BECAUSE I SKIPPED OVER SOMETHING.
DOES ANY BOARD MEMBER HAVE ANY EX PARTE COMMUNICATION TO DIVULGE?
>> I SPOKE WITH COMMISSIONER TUTEN EARLIER TODAY TO GIVE HER A OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE ON THE STREETSCAPE PLANS, AND I ADVISED HER THAT JEREMIAH GLISSON WOULD BE A GOOD PERSON TO TALK TO TO GET A FULLER PICTURE OF WHAT WAS PRESENTED ON THOSE DRAWINGS.
>> I DO. I WAS NOMINATED BY FERNANDINA BEACH MAIN STREET TO BE PART OF THE DESIGN COUNCIL, SO I'M NOW PART OF THAT DESIGN COUNCIL, AND WE MET YESTERDAY.
IT WAS MY FIRST MEETING WITH THEM, AND WE DID DISCUSS THE SCOPE OF WORK AND THE DESIGN FOR THE CENTER STREET STREETSCAPE PROJECT.
>> I SPOKE, JUST JUST AS ENTERED THE ROOM, TO MS. FINKELSTEIN AND TO MR. PLATT ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN DESIGN.
SO 4.1, IS THAT YOU, MR. GLISSON?
[4.1 HDC 2024-0026 CITY OF FERNANDINA BEACH, CENTRE STREET "DOWNTOWN STREETSCAPE".]
>> DO YOU INTRODUCE? SURE. 4.1, WE WROTE IT HERE.
[00:05:05]
THIS IS THE STREETSCAPE AS PROPOSED FOR THE FINAL APPROVAL.AS A COUPLE MEETINGS AGO, WE BROUGHT BACK 90% PLANS TO REVIEW WITH YOU ALL.
WE RECOGNIZE IT'S EXHAUSTIVE DOCUMENT.
WE HAVE A COUPLE HUNDRED PAGES HERE OF ALL THE ENGINEERING CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS FOR THIS PROJECT.
YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF IT'S A BIT REPETITIOUS. [OVERLAPPING]
>> BEFORE WE GET TOO FAR INTO IT, WE WANT TO SWEAR IN, YOU AND ANYONE ELSE WRITING THE TESTIMONY.
>> [OVERLAPPING] YES. I DIDN'T THINK SO EITHER, BUT MR. [INAUDIBLE] CORRECTED ME.
ARE YOU THE ONLY ONE TESTIFYING OR IS ANYBODY ELSE GOING TO SPEAK?
>> ANYONE WHO'S TESTIFYING SHOULD STAND.
>> EVEN IF YOU THINK YOU MIGHT.
>> [OVERLAPPING] RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. [LAUGHTER] DO YOU SWEAR OR AFFIRM THAT THE ORAL AND/OR WRITTEN TESTIMONY YOU'RE ABOUT TO GIVE WILL BE THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH?
>> THANK YOU. NOW, MR. GLISSON, YOU'RE ON.
>> COUPLE OF MEETINGS BACK, WE BROUGHT IN 90% PLANS.
KIMLEY HORN IS THE ENGINEER OF RECORD FOR THE STREETSCAPE HARDSCAPE PLANNING IRRIGATION.
THIS IS JUST THE CENTER STREET CORRIDOR.
WE'RE CURRENTLY IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM ABOUT DESIGN OPPORTUNITIES TO EXTEND TO THE SIDE STREETS BECAUSE THAT'S A NECESSARY PORTION OF THIS PROJECT.
AS MENTIONED, IT IS A VERY HEAVY DOCUMENT.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE TO START FINAL APPROVAL PROCESS, BUT THERE MAY BE AN INTEREST IN CONTINUATION TO THE NEXT MEETING DUE TO THE EFFORT REQUIRED TO LOOK AT ALL THE DOCUMENTS.
I CAN BEGIN REVIEWING A PORTIONS OF THIS, A LOT OF THE CONCERNS THAT WERE ADDRESSED IN THE PREVIOUS MEETING AT THE 90% PERTAINING TO THE PAVERS, THE REUSE OF THE GRANITE CURBING, THE REUSE OF THE BRICK CROSSWALKS, ALL THAT'S BEEN ACCOUNTED FOR IN THESE PLANS AND ACTUALLY ADDING THOSE MATERIALS.
THE 7TH STREET CORRIDOR THAT CURRENTLY DOES NOT HAVE THE BRICK CROSSWALK WOULD BE ADDED USING BRICKS FROM OTHER AREAS, EITHER WHAT'S IN INVENTORY AT PUBLIC WORKS OR WHAT'S AVAILABLE IN THE CROSSWALKS NOW.
THESE CROSSWALKS WOULD BE SHORTENED TO FACILITATE PUMP OUTS FOR PEDESTRIAN SAFETY.
YOU WOULD GAIN BRICKS IN REDOING THOSE CROSSWALKS THAT YOU COULD USE IN CONJUNCTION WITH WHAT'S IN INVENTORY TO ADD THE CROSSWALKS AT 7TH STREET.
THERE WOULD ALSO BE AN INCREASED AMOUNT OF PAVERS, WHAT WE'VE INTERNALLY CALLED THE PAVER PROTECTION ZONE, AND THE COURTHOUSE TO POST OFFICE AREA THERE ON CENTER STREET AROUND 4TH AND 5TH.
YOU'LL SEE AN INCREASE OF PAVERS THERE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF CENTER STREET WHERE THERE'S THE RIVER ROCK THERE NOW.
THE MATERIALS THAT ARE PROPOSED ARE THE EXISTING BRICK CROSSWALKS, A TEXTURED CONCRETE SIDEWALK, AND THEN THE PAVERS WOULD BE THE THREE FLAT SURFACE MATERIALS WITH A COMBINATION OF GRANITE CURBING THROUGHOUT AND THEN REGULAR CURBING WHERE YOU HAVE BINS TO YOUR LANDSCAPE ISLANDS.
I'LL PAUSE NOW SHOULD THERE BE ANY QUESTIONS.
>> I THINK LAST TIME WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PARKING, AND I KNOW AT LEAST ON THIS INITIAL PLAN, THERE'S GOING TO BE A NET LOSS, BUT THERE'S A HOPE THAT WHEN THE SIDE STREETS ARE ADDRESSED IN THE FUTURE THAT THERE WILL BE A GAIN THAT WILL COUNTER THE NET TO BE ZERO IN THE END.
>> THAT HAS NOT, AND YOU'RE CORRECT. THAT'S A GOOD POINT.
THERE IS A NET LOSS OF PARKING ON CENTER STREET [NOISE] PARTIALLY DUE TO THE NEED, WELL, TWOFOLD, ONE, TO ADD ADA PARKING AND THE WIDTH REQUIRED TO DO THAT, WE'RE WOEFULLY SHORT ON ADA PARKING IN THE CENTER STREET CORRIDOR, AND ALSO TO INCREASE THE SIZE OF SOME OF THE LANDSCAPE ISLANDS WHERE YOU HAVE TREES THAT HAVE OUTGROWN THAT ISLAND, AND YOU'LL TAKE A PARKING SPACE TO PROVIDE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO GROW AND ANTICIPATE NOT ONLY WHAT THE TREES NEED NOW, BUT ADDITIONAL GROWTH.
YOU COULD SEE A LOT OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE DAMAGE THAT WE HAVE THERE, WHETHER IT'S THE BRICK KNEE WALLS, THE CURBING.
IT'S AROUND A LOT OF THOSE TREES THAT HAVE JUST OVERLAST SINCE 1977, HAVE GROWN QUITE A BIT, AND THEY'RE AT THE POINT THAT THEY NEED MORE ROOM.
THAT'S WHERE THOSE LOSS OF PARKING SPACES WOULD COME FROM, AND KIMLEY HORN IS CONFIDENT THAT THEY CAN GAIN THOSE ON SIDE STREETS THROUGH IMPROVEMENTS TO PARKING AS WE DEVELOP AND DESIGN THOSE STREETS FOR IMPROVEMENT.
>> HOW LONG WILL PUBLIC HAVE TO WAIT BETWEEN THE TIME THEY LOSE THEM AND THE TIME THEY GET THEM BACK?
>> MEMBER GASS, IT'S REALLY DEPENDENT UPON FUNDING FOR THE PROJECT.
[00:10:03]
ARE AVAILABLE TO DETERMINE HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE TO PHASE THIS PROJECT.INITIAL ESTIMATE WOULD BE THAT THIS WOULD BE A FIVE-YEAR PROJECT, STARTING OFF WITH CENTER STREET AND THEN WORKING ON THE SIDE STREET AS YOU MOVE FORWARD, BUT IT IS FUNDING-DEPENDENT.
THAT'S GOING TO BE A PRIMARY POINT OF FOCUS WITH THIS COMMISSION GOING INTO THE BUDGET YEAR, IS HOW TO FUND IT.
THE LAST THING WE WANT TO DO, AND WE CAN LEARN FROM HISTORY, IS TO START THE PROJECT, RUN OUT OF FUNDING, RUN OUT OF STEAM, AND STOP PARTIALLY THROUGH.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE WORK THAT WENT INTO PLACE IN THE LATE 1970S, WE BEGAN THAT REVITALIZATION PROJECT IN THE LATE '90S AND RAN OUT OF STEAM AT 4RTH STREET.
THAT'S WHY YOU SEE A MIXTURE OF HARDSCAPE MATERIALS, A MIXTURE OF LIGHTING BECAUSE THAT EXACTLY HAPPENED.
I WOULDN'T WANT TO SEE THIS PROJECT MOVE FORWARD UNTIL THERE'S A COMMITMENT TO FUND IT AND FUND IT TO COMPLETION.
>> BECAUSE THAT WILL BE A BONE OF CONTENTION. [LAUGHTER]
>> WHEN YOU SAY, JEREMIAH, THAT IT'S A PHASED PROJECT, CAN YOU GIVE US WHATEVER YOU KNOW AT THIS POINT, WHAT GOES FIRST, TREES, SIDEWALKS, LIGHTING, OR IS IT THAT EASY?
>> WELL, FIRST, AS FAR AS WHAT AREA OF THE DOWNTOWN WE WOULD START, THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO START AT THE WATERFRONT AND WORK EAST.
THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL WAS TO DO THE ENTIRE CENTER STREET CORRIDOR.
THAT SOUNDS GREAT IN A VACUUM, BUT IT'S JUST NOT PRACTICAL TO DO THAT FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.
IT'S A MAJOR OPERATIONAL CHALLENGE TO DO THAT, AND A LOT OF YOUR ELECTRICAL INFRASTRUCTURE EXISTS ON THE SIDE STREETS, AND YOU'RE REPLACING THAT.
TO GO DOWN CENTER STREET, YOU CAN'T DO THAT WITH TEARING UP PARTS OF THE SIDE STREETS TO REPLACE THAT ELECTRICAL INFRASTRUCTURE.
WHEN IT COMES TO THE ACTUAL PROJECT, YOU REALLY NEED TO MOVE EAST ON CENTER STREET AND THEN TURN ON THE SIDE STREETS AND IMPROVE THAT AREA AS YOU'RE MOVING EAST.
TO YOUR QUESTION, WHAT COMES FIRST, THE REMOVAL OF THE HARDSCAPE IS WHAT COMES FIRST.
YOU REMOVE THAT, THAT'S WHEN YOU GO IN TO REPLACE YOUR ELECTRICAL.
THE CITY WILL GO IN AS WELL TO REPLACE AN UPGRADE REPAIR LATERAL SERVICE LINES THAT GO TO THE BUSINESSES.
BEFORE THE HARDSCAPE GOES IN, LANDSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS HAPPEN, AND HARDSCAPE WOULD BE THE FINAL PIECES.
THE FIRST PIECE TO GO, LAST PIECE TO GO IN.
>> YES. TO CLARIFY, THE ELECTRICAL AND THE LIGHTING ARE ONE AND THE SAME.
THE ELECTRICAL IS WHAT'S BEEN IN PLACE SINCE 1970S, AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO GET TO, REPLACING IT, TO TEAR IT UP TO DO IT.
THAT'S WHY IT'S NECESSARY TO ADDRESS THESE OTHER ELEMENTS ALL THE SAME TIME BECAUSE ALL THE ELECTRICALS BURIED UNDER THOSE CONCRETE, IT'S BEEN THERE FOR NEARLY 60 YEARS.
YOU REMOVE THE CONCRETE SIDEWALKS, REPLACE THE ELECTRICAL, THE LIGHTS, LANDSCAPING, AND THEN YOU CAP IT WITH THE NEW MATERIAL.
>> I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. YOU MENTIONED THE LIGHTING.
I MAY HAVE MISSED IT, BUT I DIDN'T SEE IT IN THESE DRAWINGS.
MY UNDERSTANDING, IT MAY BE PART OF A DIFFERENT SCOPE OF WORK.
IS THE STREET LIGHTING PART OF THIS OR SOME OTHER PROJECT?
>> YES AND NO. THE LIGHTING IS PART OF THIS SET, IT'S IN THERE.
IF WE WERE TO GO A BIT OF THESE DOCUMENTS, THAT'S NOT PART OF THE BIT.
THE REASON WHY IS WE'RE IN TALKS RIGHT NOW.
THE LIGHTING TIES INTO YOUR ELECTRICAL INFRASTRUCTURES THERE.
[NOISE] WE'VE BEEN IN TALKS WITH FLORIDA PUBLIC UTILITIES ON JOINING IN ON THIS PROJECT AND LOOKING AT OPTIONS FOR THEM TO PURCHASE, INSTALL THE LIGHTING, AND WE RENT THE LIGHTING FROM THEM, LEASE IT FROM THEM, AS WE DO THE REST OF THE LIGHTING THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
WE'RE ACTUALLY MEETING WITH FPU THIS FRIDAY OR TOMORROW TO FURTHER NAIL THAT DOWN AND SEE WHERE OUR OPTIONS ARE, BUT THEY'RE OUR ELECTRICAL SERVICE PROVIDER.
IT MAKES SENSE IF YOU CAN ENGAGE THEM IN THIS PROJECT.
THERE WOULD BE COST SAVINGS INVOLVED, AND IT'S BETTER THAN BRINGING IN A THIRD-PARTY TO TRY TO BE THE GO BETWEEN FPU, THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE, OUR LIGHTING NEEDS, AND THEN THE EQUIPMENT THAT THEY WILL BE INSTALLING.
>> POTENTIALLY, PHASE 2, 3, WHATEVER THAT HAPPENS TO BE, WILL THAT BE DESIGNED BEFORE PHASE 1 GOES TO BID? I'M MAKING THIS UP, BUT A PHASE 2 IS LIKE THE DESIGN OF THE SIDE STREETS, NORTH AND SOUTH, [INAUDIBLE] OR WHATEVER HAPPENS TO BE.
DOES THAT ALL GET DESIGNED SO YOU INCORPORATE ALL THAT INFRASTRUCTURE IN BEFORE SO THAT YOU CAN WORK WEST, EAST THE WAY YOU'VE DESCRIBED?
>> YOU REALLY DO NEED TO KNOW THOSE COSTS.
WHY WOULD YOU BE GUESSING AT THE COST? THEN ONCE AGAIN, THERE YOU ARE WHERE, WAIT,
[00:15:02]
WE DIDN'T KNOW PHASE 2, 3 IMPORTS ON A COST THAT MUCH.THEN YOU START RUNNING THE FUNDING CHALLENGES.
>> WE REALLY DON'T WANT TO MOVE FORWARD UNTIL WE GET THE COMMITMENT TO FUND IT AND FUND IT TO COMPLETION.
BUT WE'RE CLOSE TO BEING PREPARED TO AT LEAST FROM A DESIGN STANDPOINT AND BE READY TO MOVE FORWARD THAT NEXT STEP.
FULL TRANSPARENCY, WE HAVE REQUESTED OF THE STATE FOR THIS YEAR AS OUR NUMBER 1 PRIORITY IS THE DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION.
>> THAT REQUEST HAS BEEN MADE TO THE STATE.
WE DID IT LAST YEAR, DID NOT RECEIVE FUNDING FOR THAT.
WE DID RECEIVE FUNDING FOR THE SEAWALL, BUT THAT REQUEST HAS BEEN MADE.
I THINK IT'S A MILLION DOLLARS, A MILLION OR TWO FROM THE STATE, AND WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT THE LEGISLATURE WOULD APPROVE, AND THAT WOULD HELP IN THIS EFFORT.
IF NOT, WE'RE LOOKING AT EVERY OTHER FUNDING OPTION AVAILABLE.
>> I HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION, A LITTLE BIT MORE TECHNICAL.
I NOTICED IN THE LEGEND THAT PART OF THE SIDEWALKS ARE IDENTIFIED AS REINFORCED CONCRETE, ANOTHER JUST IDENTIFIED AS CONCRETE.
IS THAT JUST SOMETHING TO DO WITH WHERE THERE ARE TREES OR ARE YOU TRYING TO DEAL WITH ROOTS? IT'S WHEN YOU GET, NOT THE DEMO DRAWINGS, INTO THE DESIGN DRAWINGS WHERE IT NOTES THAT.
THERE'S JUST CERTAIN PATCHES THAT ARE REINFORCED AS OPPOSED TO, I GUESS, POTENTIALLY NOT.
>> DO YOU KNOW WHERE THAT'S AT? I'D HAVE TO LOOK AT IT.
>> THERE IS, SO A LOT OF THE SIDEWALKS, THERE ARE BUNCH BECAUSE OF THE TREES.
A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THIS PROJECT WOULD BE TO RECONSTRUCT IN A WAY THAT PROVIDES ROOM FOR TREE REGROWTH, BUT ALSO A REINFORCED CONCRETE SO YOU DON'T CONTINUE TO HAVE BREAKAGE IN THOSE AREAS.
THERE'S WAYS TO DO SUBTLE BRIDGING OR THERE'S A NUMBER OF PRACTICES THAT COULD BE USED FOR THAT.
ONE OF THE CHANGE ORDERS THAT WE DID IN THIS DESIGN WAS TO MAKE AN ARBORIST, PART OF THE WHOLE PROJECT.
THAT CHANGE ORDER HAPPENED, AND MR. [INAUDIBLE] WORKED WITH KIMLEY HORN ON DOING SOME INVESTIGATIVE WORK IN AREAS TO MAKE A DETERMINATION WHERE WE'D HAVE TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS FOR THOSE AREAS WHERE YOU HAVE LARGE TREES AND THE ROOTS GROWING UNDERNEATH THE SIDEWALK.
THAT'S I THINK THE FIRST PLACE.
IT'S THE GRADING AND DRAINAGE PLANS.
I JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND THIS MY OWN.
>> IF YOU SEE THAT, LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU FIND THERE.
>> [OVERLAPPING] JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY THERE.
THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.
>> JEREMIAH, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
WAS SO MUCH THAT'S GOING TO BE GOING ON ON THE WEST SIDE OF DOWNTOWN WITH THE PARK, AND THE SEAWALL AND OPENING ALACHUA STREET, AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS I'VE HEARD TALKED ABOUT.
SINCE THE LAST REDO OF CENTER STREET, STARTED WEST AND HEADED EAST AND RAN OUT OF MONEY AND THEN HAD TO CONTINUE, WAS THERE EVER ANY DISCUSSION AS TO STARTING EAST AND HEADING WEST? THEREFORE, ALL THIS CAN TAKE PLACE ON THE WEST SIDE, AND WE CAN START HERE AND HEAD TOWARDS IT.
>> THERE WASN'T, SIMPLY BECAUSE THE GREATEST NEED FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS ARE ON THIS SIDE, SO THAT WAS WHY.
YOU'RE RIGHT, THERE WOULD BE A LOGISTICAL CHALLENGE THERE BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF STUFF GOING ON AT THE WATERFRONT, LOT OF STUFF BEING TALKED ABOUT AT THE WATERFRONT.
BUT THE GREATEST NEED IS GOING TO BE IN THE 2ND-3RD, 4TH STREET AREA.
THAT WAS WHERE, AT THE TIME, THE MAIN A RESTAURANT WAS BEING RESTORED, AND A LOT OF THE WORK WAS DONE ON THE RAILROAD.
THAT'S WHERE THE PROJECT WAS POSITIONED TO START AND THEN HEAD TO THE EAST, THOSE CHANGES.
ONCE WE HAVE FULLY DESIGNED SET OF PLANS, YOU COULD WORK BACKWARDS OR YOU COULD WORK BACK TO THE WEST.
BUT AT THE TIME, NO, IT WAS DESIGNED TO MOVE EAST FROM 4TH STREET.
>> JUST TO MY WAY OF THINKING, IT JUST MAKE SENSE TO START EAST AND HEAD WEST JUST ON THE OUTSIDE CHANCE, HEAVEN FORBID, THAT YOU SHOULD RUN OUT OF MONEY AGAIN.
BUT YOU'RE FINISHED UP WHAT WE DIDN'T QUITE GET FINISHED UP, AND THAT AREA HAS GOT LESS BUSINESSES.
THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF IMPACT TO DOWNTOWN IF ALL THIS IS GOING ON AT ONE TIME.
THOSE POOR FOLKS MIGHT AS WELL CLOSE UP AND GO HOME.
THIS WAY, THEY CAN PLAN AHEAD [NOISE] COMING DOWN THE ROAD AND YOU CAN GET READY FOR IT MORE SO THAN IF IT STARTS ON THEM AND HEADS THIS WAY, JUST MY THOUGHTS.
>> PAGE 101. ANOTHER THING TO CONSIDER,
[00:20:02]
I'M GOING TO PULL UP GOOGLE REAL QUICK HERE, IS THAT THE UNDERGROUND UTILITIES WASN'T COMPLETED FROM 5TH STREET, I BELIEVE IT'S FIFTH, LET ME TAKE A LOOK HERE, TO THE EAST.THAT DOES CREATE SOME DESIGN [NOISE] CHALLENGES BECAUSE, DIVING HERE TO CENTER STREET, YOU'LL SEE THAT THE STREETSCAPE THAT WE PUT IN PLACE BACK IN EARLY 2000S ALL SEEM AROUND 5TH STREET, AND THE LANDSCAPE ISLANDS ARE GONE AND THE UTILITIES ARE STILL ABOVE GROUND.
THAT DOES CREATE SOME ADDITIONAL CHALLENGES BECAUSE YOU'D HAVE TO WORK WITH THE UNDERGROUND UTILITIES. I HAVE SOME TROUBLE HERE.
WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? MEMBER GASS, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS HERE? [OVERLAPPING] I'M WORKING FROM A 1980 LAPTOP.
>> SIXTH STREET IS WHERE IT ENDS, AND THEN AS YOU MOVE FURTHER, AS YOU CAN SEE, YOU DO NOT HAVE THE UNDERGROUND UTILITIES HERE ON SEVENTH.
AS TO THE NORTH, OF COURSE, [NOISE] THAT SOMEWHAT IMPROVED SINCE WE CONVERTED THAT TO ONE WAY AND ADD SOME PARKING, AND YOU CAN SEE THE UTILITIES HERE.
THIS IS WHERE YOU MOVE LARGELY INTO A MORE RESIDENTIAL AREA, AND WE DON'T HAVE THE LANDSCAPE ISLANDS OR THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE LIKE YOU DO ON SOME OF THESE OTHER STREETS.
NORTH 6TH STREET TO THE SOUTH IS ANOTHER ONE.
THOSE UTILITIES WOULD HAVE TO GO UNDERGROUND.
IT'S A FACTOR THAT WOULD NEED TO BE DONE.
YOU DON'T HAVE THAT ON THE OTHER STREETS TO THE WEST WHERE EVERYTHING WAS ALREADY PUT UNDERGROUND ABOUT 25 YEARS AGO.
FOURTH STREET THERE, YOU STILL HAVE SOME OF IT.
YOU SEE IT'S A BIT HODGEPODGE, AND THEN 3RD STREET ON DOWN IS WHERE EVERYTHING WAS PLACED UNDERGROUND DURING THE LAST REVITALIZATION.
THOSE ARE JUST SOMETHING TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.
IT'S NOT LIKE THE DESIGN IN SIDE STREETS WILL BE, I HAVE A DESIGN OF ENGINEERING FOR SECOND, FROM ASH TO ALACHUA, LET'S JUST DUPLICATE THAT ON DOWN.
IT'S NOT LIKE A MIRROR DESIGN BECAUSE AS YOU START MOVING WEST, YOU LOSE THAT SECOND EFFORT THAT HAPPENED LATE IN THE EARLY 2000S.
THAT'S WHERE YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE THERE IN THE FOURTH STREET TO 3RD, 4TH STREET AREA.
>> IN RESPONSE TO MS. GASS, DOES IT MAKE SENSE AND HAS THE CITY ALREADY DETERMINED THAT THERE WOULD BE PROJECT MANAGEMENT COORDINATION AMONG THESE EFFORTS SO THAT YOU DON'T NECESSARILY START ONE THAT'S GOING TO INTERFERE WITH ANOTHER ONE?
>> THAT'S CRITICAL. YES, MA'AM. THAT'LL HAPPEN.
>> HAS THERE BEEN DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY WOULD BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THAT?
>> THIS YEAR, FINALLY, ALONG THE WAY TO NEED IS TO STAFF THE DOWNTOWN WITH JUST THAT, A MANAGER FOR THE DOWNTOWN.
THE DOWNTOWN AFFECTS THE ECONOMIC HUB OF OUR COMMUNITY.
OUR TOURISTS COME TO THE BEACHES AND TO THE DOWNTOWN, AND WE HAVEN'T HAD A POINT PERSON POSITION FOR THE DOWNTOWN.
IT'S ONE OF THOSE AREAS THAT ALL THE DEPARTMENTS CHIP IN TO ASSIST IN TAKING CARE OF IT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A DOWNTOWN OWNERSHIP DEPARTMENT OR POINT PERSON.
THAT POSITION HAS BEEN POSTED, AND WE'VE MADE A HIRE, AND THAT PERSON STARTS HERE WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
HAPPY TO SAY SHE'S HERE TODAY.
MS. LISA FINKELSTEIN WILL BE STARTING WITH HERE ON JANUARY 27TH, AND THAT WILL BE AN INTEGRAL PART OF WHAT SHE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR IS THIS PROJECT.
OF COURSE, THIS IS A VERY IN-DEPTH PROJECT THAT REQUIRES MORE THAN JUST ONE PERSON TO MANAGE.
IT WOULD BE OUTSIDE A PROJECT MANAGEMENT IN CONJUNCTION WITH CITY STAFF.
I'M WRAPPING UP SAVING FERNANDINA FOR THE SECOND TIME, AND I'M REMINDED THEN OF THE CHALLENGES THEY HAD WHEN
[00:25:01]
THEY TRIED TO TEAR UP EVERYTHING IN THE DOWNTOWN ALL AT ONCE, AND YOU CAN'T DO THAT.WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM HISTORY IS DON'T DO THAT AGAIN.
>> I GUESS MY POINT IS, THAT POSITION, I'M NOT SURE YOU TOLD HER ABOUT ALL OF IT WHEN YOU HIRED HER, BUT DOES THAT [LAUGHTER] ABSOLUTELY COORDINATE WITH ALACHUA, OPENING WATERFRONT PARK AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT TOUCHES DOWN TO IT?
>> NOT NECESSARILY PROJECT MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL OF THOSE PIECES, BUT SITTING ON TOP OF ALL OF THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE WORKING TOGETHER AND EVERYBODY'S GOING TO LISTEN TO THAT OFFICE.
>> IT'S A HIGHLY COORDINATED ROLE IN BETWEEN THE CRA, THE HDC, THE MARINA, SPECIAL EVENTS.
EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IF FERNANDINA TOUCHES THE DOWNTOWN, IT REALLY DOES.
THAT'S WHY ITS POSITION IS CRUCIAL FOR THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROJECT AND ALL ASPECTS OF DOWNTOWN.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS AT THIS JUNCTURE?
>> I THINK I HAD. THESE ARE SOME SIMPLE ONES.
I SEE THAT WE HAVE SOME DETAILS FOR REINSTALLING EXISTING BENCHES AND THE BRICK SEAT WALLS.
ARE WE GOING TO LOSE ANY PEOPLE-SEATING AREAS TO THE EXPANSION OF SOME OF THE GREEN AREAS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, OR ARE WE GOING TO ADD BENCHES OR SITTING WALLS?
>> THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO ADD, NOT DECREASE.
THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO ADD THAT WHEN WE START RESHAPING SOME OF THESE COMMON AREAS.
I JUST WANT TO SAY, YOU DON'T REALLY NOTICE UNTIL YOU START LOOKING AT DOING A CHANGE TO THE HARDSCAPE THAT'S THERE, WE HAVE SOME BIG EMPTY AREAS AT THE INTERSECTIONS, AND IT'S NOT WHERE THEY SHOULD BE.
THEY SHOULD BE BUMPED OUT A LITTLE BIT FOR SAFETY.
AS YOU NARROW THAT, SOME OF THOSE BIG WIDE AREAS AT EACH INTERSECTION, IT ALLOWS YOU TO MOVE SOME OF THOSE FIXTURES IN DIFFERENT PLACES.
THERE'S DEFINITELY OPPORTUNITIES TO ADD MORE THAN WHAT WE HAVE, NOT LESS.
MATTER OF FACT, A LOT OF THE KNEE WALLS THAT ARE BROKEN UP AND DAMAGED ARE NOT REALLY SUITABLE FOR SITTING ON, UNLESS YOU WANT TO SIT AT THAT ANGLE.
THERE'S IMPROVEMENTS. WE'LL PROVIDE IT TO BE MORE PEDESTRIAN AND USER-FRIENDLY.
THE OTHER THING, I SAW THERE WERE DETAILS FOR BIKE RACKS, AND I DUG INTO DRAWINGS, BUT I COULDN'T REALLY IDENTIFY WHERE BIKE RACKS ARE GOING.
I ASSUME THEY ARE GOING TO ADD SOME BIKE RACKS IN THERE.
>> YES, SIR. WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT MAKING CHANGES TO THE DOWNTOWN, IT'S YOU DO IT VERY CAREFULLY.
WE WANT TO KEEP THE LOOK AND FEEL OF WHAT WE HAD.
THAT'S WHY, SPECIFICALLY THE FIXTURES, THAT ARE ALL APPROVED BY THIS BOARD, WHETHER THE BENCHES, THE BIKE RACKS, THE LIGHTING IS SET, AND WE'RE NOT TRYING TO CHANGE THE LOOK AND FEEL OF THOSE.
YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF THOSE ELEMENTS THAT ARE GOING TO REMAIN, AT LEAST THE LOOK AND FEEL OF THEM BECAUSE WE'RE KEEPING THOSE ELEMENTS IN THIS DESIGN.
ONE THING I WANT TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION IS THE CONCRETE COLOR.
WE'RE LOOKING AT [INAUDIBLE] MIXED CONCRETE, SIMILAR TO WHAT'S AT THE RIVER FRONT.
THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO DYE THAT CONCRETE TO GIVE IT A DIFFERENT LOOK OTHER THAN YOUR STARK WHITE CONCRETE.
WHAT'S IN THE PLANS IS TO PROVIDE FOR A LIGHT BEIGE. DO YOU REMEMBER THE COLOR? FOUR COLORS THAT WE HAVE TO PICK FROM, BUT A LIGHT BEIGE TO TONE DOWN THAT LOOK OF THE BRIGHT WHITE AND TO MORE CLOSELY TIE INTO THAT RIVER ROCK LOOK THAT WE HAVE DOWN THERE NOW.
WE HAVE SEVEN DIFFERENT MATERIALS DOWN THERE NOW, BUT THE RIVER ROCK IS A BULK OF WHAT'S ON CENTER STREET, AND IT'S WHAT'S BEEN THERE THE LONGEST.
THE IDEA IS WHEN YOU HAVE THE SHELL AGGREGATE MIXED IN THE CONCRETE, THAT GIVES IT THAT TEXTURE LOOK, YOU DYE YOUR CONCRETE SO YOU CAN CHANGE IT FROM JUST YOUR CONCRETE LOOK GRAY TO SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE AESTHETICALLY PLEASING TO MATCH WHAT WE'VE HAD.
THE TEXTURE WE LOOK AT WHAT'S AT THE WATERFRONT, SEGMENT 1, THAT SIDEWALK THERE, IT'S A TEXTURED OF CONCRETE.
IT'S MORE THAN JUST YOUR BRUSHED CONCRETE THAT YOU WOULD SEE ON A REGULAR SIDEWALK.
BUT THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO PICK THOSE COLORS.
WE DON'T HAVE THOSE IN THE PLANS, DO WE, JAY?
>> THEY ARE? DO YOU KNOW WHERE? I REMEMBER SEEING THEM, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHERE IN THE PLANS.
>> IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE'D SEE SAMPLES?
>> YEAH. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT AS WE GET CLOSER TO CONSTRUCTION, WE CAN DO TEST SITES TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COLORS, JUST LIKE YOU WOULD DO WITH A WALL WHEN YOU'RE PAINTING YOUR HOUSE, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE IT GIVES YOU WHAT YOUR DESIRED COLOR.
[00:30:06]
WHAT WE CAN DO IS WE CAN SHARE THIS COLOR SEPARATELY WITH THE BOARD.WE DON'T EXPECT FOR APPROVAL TONIGHT, BUT WE CAN SHARE THIS COLOR SEPARATELY WITH THE BOARD SO THAT YOU CAN LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT SHADES OF THAT DYE TEXTURE THAT ARE BEING RECOMMENDED BY KIMLEY HORN FOR THE TEXTURED CONCRETE.
>> ARE THEY RECOMMENDED? THE CONSULTANTS HAVE RECOMMENDED?
>> THEY PROVIDED RECOMMENDATION FOR BASE COLORS CHASE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK MIGHT WANT TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION POSSIBLY IS THE FACT THAT THE LIGHTING OR THE SIGNAGE HAS COCAINA BASES.
WHATEVER GETS DONE HAS TO AT LEAST GET ALONG OKAY WITH IT, IF NOT THE SAME.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? DID YOU JEREMIAH HAVE MORE WORDS YOU WANTED TO SPEAK?
>> NO, MA'AM, OTHER THAN IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE.
DO YOU PLAN TO CONTINUE THIS ITEM?
>> WELL, THAT'S MY HOPE BUT I HAVE MORE TO THE ANSWER. [LAUGHTER]
>> ANYTHING ELSE THAT MAY COME TO MIND, THIS IS AN EXHAUSTIVE DOCUMENT. IT'S VERY WELL DONE.
THERE'S A LOT TO IT, BUT ANYTHING ELSE THAT COMES TO MIND, QUESTIONS, I KNOW WE HAVE SUNSHINE HERE, BUT IF YOU COULD RELAY THAT TO STAFF, AND WE CAN MAKE SURE WE CAN GET ANSWERS TO THAT AND MORE FULLY ADDRESS ANY ISSUES OR ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE US TO PRIORITIZE IN THE NEXT MEETING FOR DISCUSSION.
>> JUST REAL QUICK. I KNOW THIS IS SACRILEGE, BUT TALKING ABOUT TREES.
ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THIS IS THAT THESE TREES HAVE GROWN FROM BACK IN THE '70S, WHICH LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT NOT ENOUGH THOUGHT WAS GIVEN AT THAT TIME AS TO THE ROOT SYSTEMS OF THE TREES THEY WERE PLANTING.
WHILE THEY HAVE PROVIDED A LOT OF SHADE AND SUCH, IT WASN'T A REAL SMART THING TO DO BECAUSE NOW THEY'VE GROWN.
ARE WE TALKING ABOUT PERHAPS REMOVING ANY AND REPLACING THEM WITH TREES WITHOUT SUCH A WIDE REACHING ROOT SYSTEM, SO THEY WON'T CONTINUE? WE WON'T BE DOING THIS AGAIN IN 30 OR 40 YEARS?
>> YES. OBVIOUSLY, THE LABELS WOULD STAY, BUT SOME OF THE OTHER TREES ARE AT END OF LIFE ANYWAY, AND THOSE WOULD BE REPLACED WITH THE ROOT CONTAINMENT BEING TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.
>> I HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS, I GUESS, QUESTIONS.
NUMBER 1, THIS REPORT IS AWESOME, BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
TO ME, THIS REPORT IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY FOR ENGINEERING FOLKS TO LOOK AT BEFORE THEY START ANYTHING AND MAKE DETERMINATIONS BASED ON THAT REPORT.
I THINK FOR THIS BOARD, IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL, AND I'M PUTTING THIS OUT FOR DISCUSSION.
IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO HAVE SORT OF AN OVERVIEW OF THE WHOLE PLAN, AND THEN IDENTIFY THE THINGS THAT ARE CHANGING.
BECAUSE IT IS THAT IMPORTANT, I THINK, JEREMIAH, BECAUSE DOWNTOWN IS THE HEARTBEAT.
I THINK BEFORE WE CAN REACH FINAL AGREEMENT, WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT IT REALLY IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE, I THINK.
>> IT'S SOMETHING MORE SIMPLIFYING.
>> WELL, SOMETHING WE CAN JUST LOOK AT AND SAY, OH, THAT'S WHERE THAT USED TO BE, AND NOW IT'S A HOUSE OR WHATEVER IT'S GOING TO BE.
I THINK IT WOULD MAKE THIS BOARD FEEL BETTER ABOUT MAKING A DECISION BASED ON IT.
YOU TWO PROBABLY UNDERSTAND IT.
I JUST THINK IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND IS, I'M GOING TO PREACH, A LOT OF THINGS THAT WENT WRONG WITH SOME OF OUR HARDSCAPE WAS A RESULT OF THE CITY NOT DOING THE REQUIRED MAINTENANCE.
IS THERE A MAINTENANCE PLAN THAT GOES WITH THIS, A MAINTENANCE COMMITMENT AND PLAN? I REMEMBER IN THE DAYS WHEN I FIRST STARTED DOING MAIN STREET AND REC WAS OUT THERE WITH A SANDING MACHINE SANDING DOWN THE EDGES OF THE SIDEWALKS THAT WERE POKING UP OUT OF THE STREET, THAT IS WHAT I DON'T WANT US TO HAVE TO SEE HAPPEN AGAIN AND THIS WILL BE EXPENSIVE.
[00:35:08]
I DON'T WANT IT TO BE A YEAR OR TWO YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WE FORGOT WE WERE GOING TO MAINTAIN IT, BECAUSE YOU OF ALL PEOPLE KNOW THAT THAT'S TYPICAL HISTORY. RIGHT?>> I'M LOOKING I GUESS FOR WHEN WE COST THIS OUT.
THIS IS NOT THE HDC SAYING THAT.
THAT'S JUST ME PREACHING, AND I'LL ADMIT IT.
BUT I THINK THAT WE NEED TO COST THE MAINTENANCE AS WELL.
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE TOTAL COST OF OWNERSHIP OF ALL THESE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, NOT JUST THE IMPLEMENTATION PIECE.
I WOULD ASK YOU TO CONSIDER THAT.
>> ABSOLUTELY. TO THAT POINT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD RECOMMEND TO THE COMMISSION IS THAT WHEN YOU DETERMINE YOUR FUNDING SOURCE AND YOU GET READY TO ENGAGE IN THIS PROJECT TO MAINTAIN THAT INERTIA GOING FORWARD SO YOU DON'T LOSE FUNDING, YOU CODIFY THE CONSTRUCTION AND THE MAINTENANCE COSTS BY ORDINANCE SO IT BECOMES A PART OF YOUR LOCAL LAW.
IF YOU HAVE A DOWNTOWN, THIS IS WHAT'S REQUIRED TO CONSTRUCT, AND HERE'S WHAT'S REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN, AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT IN A CRUNCH OF A BUDGET CYCLE, YOU CAN PULL IT OUT AND BE LIKE, WELL, WE DON'T NEED TO DO IT THIS YEAR.
IT WOULD BE PARAMOUNT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FUNDING OF THE NOT ONLY OF THE CONSTRUCTION IS THERE, BUT ALSO THE MAINTENANCE OF IT.
OF COURSE, YOU DON'T SEE THOSE MAINTENANCE NEEDS IN THOSE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS, EVERYTHING'S NEW.
BUT AS YOU MOVE ALONG, YOU DON'T WANT TO SAY, WAIT, NOW IT'S BROKE. HOW DID IT GET THIS WAY?
>> JUST FOR YOUR AWARENESS, MY POSITION ON THIS BOARD IS GOING TO BE BIG TIME AROUND CHANGING SOME OF OUR GUIDELINES THAT WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING WITH NOW, CHANGING THEM FROM BEING GUIDELINES TO BEING CODIFIED.
IT SEEMS TO ME TO BE RATHER CONTRADICTORY TO SAY THEY'RE GUIDELINES AND THEN HOLD A QUASI-JUDICIAL SESSION AND ASK PEOPLE TO COMPLY.
THAT WOULD ALSO BE TO THE CITY.
IT WOULD BE MY EXPECTATION, AND I CERTAINLY IF THE REST OF THE BOARD IS WILLING TO ENTERTAIN THIS CHANGE, WHICH WE'VE ALREADY TALKED TO MS. GIBSON ABOUT, IF THE REST OF THE BOARD IS WILLING TO ENTERTAIN IT, I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO PUT IN LANGUAGE THAT SAYS THE CITY MUST DO THE SAME THINGS WE ASK PRIVATE HOMEOWNERS TO DO.
BECAUSE AS YOU SAY, THIS DOWNTOWN IS CRITICAL TO US WHILE WE'RE DOING THIS OR ANY OTHER WORK.
AS I LOOK AT OUR AGENDA, THE ONLY THING THAT KIND OF STEPS OUT OF ALL OF THIS AND IS ISOLATED FROM THIS WHOLE DOWNTOWN DISCUSSION IS THE LIGHTHOUSE.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE FRONT STREET FENCE EXTENSION AND WE HAVE DOWNTOWN UTILITY BOX WRAPS.
IS ALL THAT SEPARATE EFFORTS? IS IT FOLDED INTO THIS? CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND THAT?
>> THOSE ARE SEPARATE EFFORTS.
AS OF NOW, THERE ARE SEPARATE EFFORTS ALL IN THE DOWNTOWN, BUT THOSE ARE SEPARATE PROJECTS.
>> WE'LL TALK ABOUT THOSE WHEN WE GET TO THEM.
YOU'RE GOING TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT IT? ARE YOU SPEAKING TO [OVERLAPPING]. [LAUGHTER]
>> I APPRECIATE THAT. I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR IF THE BOARD IS OKAY WITH CONTINUING THIS UNTIL WE HAVE AN OVERVIEW AND A STRICT IDENTIFICATION OF WHAT'S CHANGED? TELL ME THE IMPACT OF DOING THAT.
YOU SEEM TO THINK IT'S OKAY TO CONTINUE IT.
>> YES, MA'AM. AS MENTIONED, STAFF DOES NOT WANT TO TRY TO PUSH THIS PROJECT FORWARD WITHOUT A COMMITMENT TO FUNDING.
WE HAVE $1.1 MILLION SET ASIDE TO BEGIN, BUT THAT'S JUST IT.
IT WILL JUST BEGIN. WE'RE STILL SITTING DOWN WITH FPU, DETERMINING THE LIGHTING.
WE STILL NEED TO WAIT ON THE DESIGN OF THE SITE SHOOTS TO COME IN.
WE'RE MOVING FORWARD IN A PACE OF WAY.
WE DO WANT TO GET THE FINAL APPROVALS WHERE WE CAN.
IT'S NOT LIKE LET'S JUST NOT WORRY ABOUT IT.
WE DEFINITELY WANT THE FINAL APPROVAL.
BUT THERE'S NO TIME CRUNCH LIKE, HEY, WE NEED TO CONSTRUCT HERE IN 90 DAYS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
[00:40:03]
>> HOW DOES THE BOARD FEEL ABOUT CONTINUING THIS?
>> I'M FINE WITH THE CONTINUING.
I DO THINK WE NEED TO CLEARLY ARTICULATE THE DRAWING OR THE IMAGE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR FROM THEM SO THAT THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE SHOOTING FOR.
>> I WILL TRY THAT AND THEN YOU CAN FILL IN WHAT I DON'T SAY.
>> YEAH, BECAUSE I HEARD CAN WE GET AN IMAGE IT'S EASY TO READ THAT SHOWS US WHAT WE'RE GETTING, AND ALSO SOMETHING THAT SHOWS US HERE ARE THE THINGS THAT YOU ARE GETTING CHANGED, BECAUSE IT'S A GIGANTIC DOCUMENT.
>> WELL, THERE'S A BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURES.
THE BEFORE IS PRETTY EASY TO GET, I WOULD SAY, AND THEN THERE'S THE AFTER AND THAT PART IS WHAT I HAVE THE BIGGEST NEED TO SEE BEFORE I FEEL COMFORTABLE VOTING ON THAT.
>> CHAIR FILKOFF, IF I MAY, FOR CONSIDERATION, WE'RE GOING TO REACH OUT TO KIMLEY HORN AND ASK THEM TO COME AND BE AVAILABLE AT THE NEXT MEETING TO PRESENT ON THIS.
WE HAVE SOME OF THE ORIGINAL CONCEPTS THAT THEY DEVELOPED THAT WAS APPROVED BY YOU ALL THAT THE PLANS WERE GENERATED OFF OF.
THAT CONCEPT IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD LOOK AT AND THEN TALK ABOUT THE PARTICULAR FEATURES OF THAT AND HOW THAT TIES TO THE PLANS.
WE'LL BE PREPARED IF KIMLEY HORN IS AVAILABLE TO COME AT THE NEXT MEETING AND TO DO JUST THAT.
DO WE NEED TO VOTE ON CONTINUING?
>> PERHAPS THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY SINCE SO MUCH OF THE DESIGN NOW UNIFIES CENTER STREET THAT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOME A COLOR SITE PLAN OR SOMETHING THAT THEN YOU'LL BE ABLE TO READ AND IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE THE ENTIRE THING FROM FRONT TO EIGHTH.
BUT IF IT'S A SECTION BECAUSE THEN IT'LL PROBABLY HELP YOU TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE SO MUCH REPETITION WITHIN THE ACTUAL DESIGN ITEMS.
>> IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE THE WHOLE [OVERLAPPING].
>> I THINK IT JUST BE A BLOCK OR A SECTION.
THEN I THINK THE OTHER THING THAT COULD POTENTIALLY HELP BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF THE CONCRETE SAMPLES COULD BE PREPARED SOONER THAN LATER AND LET'S JUST THROW THEM OUTSIDE SOMEWHERE BECAUSE GOING TO BE A LONGER PROCESS.
LET'S SEE HOW THEY WEAR OVER TIME, AND THEN THAT MAY HELP DECIDE ON A COLOR IN THE FUTURE.
>> HOW THEY WEAR OVERTIME [OVERLAPPING].
>> WELL, THE COLOR IS GOING TO FADE.
>> THIS IS A DYE. UNLIKE WHAT WE HAVE HERE NOW, WHICH WAS A SURFACE TREATMENT THAT WENT ON TOP, [OVERLAPPING] IT'S THROUGHOUT.
IT'LL PERMEATE THE ENTIRE CONCRETE.
IF YOU HAVE TO GRIND OR YOU HAVE TO ADDRESS ADA ISSUES, THAT COLOR WOULD BE CONSISTENT.
YOU WOULDN'T GRIND OUR RED, WELL, NOW PINK BRICK TO SEE THE WHITE UNDERNEATH.
>> THEN I RETRACT THAT. THANK YOU.
>> CHAIR, JUST TO BE CLEAR, WHEN WE LOOK AT PICTURES WE'RE LOOKING AT PICTURES OF SAY, AN AREA LIKE OF THE FURNISHINGS, THE BUMP OUTS, SOMETHING THAT WOULD CAPTURE EVERYTHING AS THESE PLANS ARE CHANGING, CORRECT? BECAUSE IF WE WE TRY TO DO RENDERINGS OF EACH BLOCK BECAUSE EACH ONE HAS SUBTLE DIFFERENCES, THAT WOULD BE.
>> IF IT'S SUBTLE DIFFERENCES, IT'S FINE.
BUT I'M LOOKING FOR MAJOR CHANGERS.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF IN FACT, THE KNEE WALLS ARE COMING OUT ALTOGETHER, WE WANT TO IDENTIFY THAT.
THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD REQUEST, AND THIS IS PROBABLY NOT SPECIFIC TO THIS PROJECT, BUT SOMETHING THAT SINCE OUR NEW DOWNTOWN MANAGER IS HERE, I COULD REQUEST ON CENTER STREET, IN PARTICULAR, WE HAVE GIFTS THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO THE CITY.
BUT THE CITY HAS NOT IN THE PAST FULLY ACCEPTED OWNERSHIP OF THOSE GIFTS WHEN THERE IS MAINTENANCE TO BE DONE.
ONE OF THEM IS THE FOUNTAIN IN FRONT OF THE COURTHOUSE WHICH WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE JUDGE FOSTER PAY FOR THE LAST FIX TO THAT, THE LAST REPLACEMENT ACTUALLY.
THE OTHER IS THE STATUE OF DAVID YULEE IN FRONT OF THE DEPOT.
WHEN IT WAS DEFACED AT ONE POINT, I HAD THE PERSON WHO HEADED THE ORGANIZATION WHO GAVE US THAT GIFT, AND JEREMIAH ACTUALLY CLEANED IT TO RESTORE THAT.
[00:45:01]
THERE WAS NOT CLARITY, AND I DON'T THINK THERE IS YET, IS THERE?TO YOUR POINT, NO, THERE'S NOT CLARITY.
IF SOMEBODY'S GOING TO GIVE SOMETHING TO THE CITY, IT'S THEIR EXPECTATION THAT IT'S GOING TO BE TAKEN CARE OF.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S HAPPENING, ESPECIALLY IN THIS HISTORIC CADRE.
DO I HAVE A MOTION FOR A CONTINUATION?
>> I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO CONTINUE THE STREET SCAPE PLAN FOR CENTER STREET TO I THINK WE HAVE TO DO A DATE SPECIFIC TIME SO NEXT MONTHS.
I'M HOPING YOUR MATH IS RIGHT ON THAT ONE.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE VOTE?
>> YES. NOW WE ARE AT SECOND ITEM 4.2.
[4.2 HDC 2024-0033 - CITY OF FERNANDINA BEACH, 215 O'HAGAN LANE]
CITY OF FERNANDINA BEACH 215 O'HAGAN LANE, MEANING THE LIGHTHOUSE.>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. THE NEXT ITEM IS FOR FINAL APPROVAL ON THE RESTORATION OF THE HISTORIC FAMILIA ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
LIGHTHOUSE BEING ONE OF OUR OLDEST FACILITIES IN THE ENTIRE CITY, CONSTRUCT IN 1838.
WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE TO RECEIVE TWO GRANT AWARDS FOR THE RESTORATION OF THIS PROJECT, AND WE ARE PREPARED TO MOVE FORWARD.
THIS WOULD BE A PHASED APPROACH.
THE INITIAL WORK CONSISTED OF A CONDITION ASSESSMENT OF THAT WHITEHOUSE PERFORMED BY WALKER CONSULTANTS.
WE SUBSEQUENTLY APPLIED FOR GRANTS.
WE RECEIVED 125,000 FROM THE LIGHTHOUSE ASSOCIATION, 500,000 FROM THE STATE UNDER THE SPECIAL CATEGORY HISTORIC RESOURCES GRANT, AND WE ARE PREPARED TO MOVE FORWARD.
ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS A PHASED APPROACH.
THE INITIAL APPROACH WAS TO BE FOUR PHASES.
AS THE FUNDING HAS COME IN, THAT'S ALLOWED US TO BUNDLE THOSE PHASES TOGETHER.
WE'RE LOOKING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH PHASE 2, NOT PHASE 1, PHASE 2, IMMEDIATELY.
THAT IS WHAT'S TIED TO THE GRANT FROM THE STATE AND THAT IS THE PRESERVATION OF THE EXTERIOR.
THAT ONE CONSIST OF CRACK REPAIRS, STUCK REPAIRS, AND THEN A FULL MINERAL TREATMENT OF THE STRUCTURE.
THEN THE FOLLOWING PHASES WOULD INCLUDE STEP 1, PHASE 1, AND THEN PHASE 3 AND 4.
THOSE ARE LESS COSTLY THAN PHASE 2.
PHASE 2 IS THE ENTIRE EXTERIOR RESTORATION WORK OF THE LIGHTHOUSE.
PART OF THE GRANT REQUIREMENTS REQUIRES THAT A THIRD PARTY HISTORIC PRESERVATION ARCHITECT OVERSEE THIS PROJECT.
WALKER CONSULTANTS WHO PROVIDED THE ORIGINAL NEEDS ASSESSMENT HAS BEEN AWARDED THAT, AND THE COMMISSION DID APPROVE ENGAGING IN FOR THIS PURPOSE.
THE SPECIALTY PROPERTY GROUP IS THE CONTRACTOR THAT HAS BEEN ASSIGNED TO DO THE RESTORATION WORK, AND WE HAVE BEEN IN CONVERSATIONS, AND WE'RE ON GO TO START WITH THEM VERY SOON.
THIS IS A HIGH LEVEL VIEW OF THAT PROJECT AND STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL.
>> ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. GLISSON?
>> NONE OF THOSE GRANITE TREADS IN THE LIGHTHOUSE ARE BEYOND REPAIR, THEY'RE ALL REPAIRABLE, CORRECT?
>> VERY GOOD QUESTION. FROM OUR NEEDS ASSESSMENT, YES, THOSE ARE REPAIRABLE, AND THAT WILL BE IN THE FIRST PHASE THAT WE DO, WHICH WILL BE THE EXTERIOR, LARGELY, THE BULK OF THIS FOR THAT, AND THEN THE GRANITE RESTORATION OF THE INTERIOR.
YOU'LL SEE FOLLOW UP WILL BE THE ACTUAL INTERIOR WORK.
WE STOP THE OUTSIDE FROM LEAKING, AND THEN THE INTERIOR WORK WILL INVOLVE ACTUAL REPLACEMENT OF BRICK AND REPOINTING OF THE MORTAR THAT'S IN THERE THAT'S BEGINNING TO DETERIORATE.
>> I HAVE A QUESTION, AND THAT WOULD BE GOING BACK EARLIER.
DO WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE COST OF YEARLY MAINTENANCE ON THE LIGHTHOUSE AND IS THERE SOME PROGRAM WHEN WE'RE DONE THAT WE CAN FOLLOW ON A YEARLY BASIS SO THAT OUR HOUSE DOES NOT GET IN THIS POSITION AGAIN?
[00:50:04]
WE AT HOME DON'T WAIT TILL OUR HOUSE LOOKS LIKE THIS BEFORE WE START MAKING REPAIRS.ISN'T THERE SOMETHING WE CAN DO EVERY YEAR TO MAINTAIN?
>> THERE IS. MAINTENANCE IS CYCLIC, SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THE LAST TIME THIS THING REALLY RECEIVED SERIOUS WORK TO THE EXTERIOR WAS ABOUT 25 YEARS AGO SO IT'S DUE.
THE LIGHTED PORTION OF IT IS MAINTAINED BY THE US COAST GUARD.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE FLORIDA'S OLDEST OPERATING LIGHTHOUSE WAS NOT OPERATING FOR QUITE A FEW MONTHS.
WE'RE HAPPY TO SEE THAT THE LIGHTS LIT AND THE WORKING AGAIN.
BUT YES, IT'S A SIMPLE STRUCTURE.
IT'S NOT OCCUPIED, IT'S NOT USED EVERY DAY SO THIS RESTORATION EFFORT SHOULD KEEP IT IN PLACE FOR A LONG LONG TIME.
BUT YES, THERE'S MONIES BUDGETED FOR THE CONTINUED MAINTENANCE ON THAT.
SOME OF IT HAS BEEN DEFERRED IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS BECAUSE OF THESE GRANT OPPORTUNITIES, KNOWING THAT LET'S NOT GO THROW GOOD MONEY, PUT MONEY INTO THE PROJECT WHEN WE KNOW THAT WE REALLY WANT TO LOOK AT A RESTORATION EFFORT FROM THE TOP TO THE BOTTOM IN A FULL COMPLETE FASHION AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE AT.
THE WHOLE ENTIRE PROJECTS RIGHT NOW ABOUT 1.1 MILLION AND THIS FIRST PHASE THAT WE'VE BEEN EMBARKING ON IS ABOUT ABOUT 650,000.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? THE PLAN LOOKS WONDERFUL.
>> THIS BUILDING WAS MOVED, WASN'T IT?
>> YES, MA'AM. FROM [INAUDIBLE].
>> WAS THERE ANY EVIDENCE WHEN THEY DID THE ASSESSMENT TO SEE THAT THAT HAPPENED OR DID THEY JUST DO IT SO BEAUTIFULLY NICELY THAT YOU CAN'T TELL.
YOU CAN SEE THE ORIGINAL BRICK UNDERNEATH.
LIGHTHOUSES JUST BECAME WHITE AND SHINY.
IF WE WERE TRULY GO BACK TO HOW IT WAS, IT WOULD BE A BIG BRICK COLUMN.
THE WALLS AT THE BOTTOM ARE SIX FOOT THICK.
THE CORE TESTING FOUND THAT YOU HAVE ACTUALLY TWO COATINGS UNDER THERE.
YOU'VE GOT WHAT YOU SEE THERE NOW AND UNDERNEATH THAT THERE'S ANOTHER COATING.
PART OF THE EXPENSE WILL BE, WHERE DO YOU GO BACK TO SOUND MATERIAL THAT'S OF A DIFFERENT COMPOSITION LIKELY THAN THE EXTERIOR COATING THAT'S THERE? YOU DO HAVE A MIXTURE OF LIKE PORTLAND MATERIAL THAT I KNOW IS GOING TO CREATE SOME CHALLENGES BECAUSE WE REALLY DON'T WANT TO GO BACK TO PORTLAND BUT YET SOME OF IT IS THAT'S THERE UNDERNEATH.
I DON'T RECALL THIS LATER. ON OR LAYER TWO HAS THAT IN THERE SO THAT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES IN THE INITIAL EXTERIOR WORK THAT'S GOING TO OCCUR.
BUT AS FAR AS ANYTHING FURTHER FOUND IN IT, RELICS OR BONES, I DON'T KNOW, CHAIR.
>> I DON'T KNOW HOW IN THE WORLD I DID THAT THEN.
IS THERE BOARD DISCUSSION? ARE WE READY FOR A MOTION?
>> WHO WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT? DON'T ALL JUMP.
>> I DON'T WANT TO HOG ALL THE MOTIONS TOO.
>> I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WOULD.
>> I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE EMILIA ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE RESTORATION PROJECT.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
NOW, NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS THE OLD TOWN ROAD CONDITION SURVEY.
[6. STAFF REPORT]
WHO PLANS TO SPEAK TO THAT? JEREMIAH, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO LEAVE WHILE WE'RE HAVING THAT DISCUSSION.>> THAT INFORMATION RELATED TO THE RESULTS OF THE SURVEY HAS PROVIDED AS INFORMATION TO YOU.
STAFF IS STILL EVALUATING ALL OF THE INFORMATION AT THIS TIME, BUT IT'S JUST TO PROVIDE THAT TO YOU.
>> COULD YOU TELL ME HOW MANY RESPONDENTS WE HAVE?
>> EACH QUESTION IS DIFFERENT.
>> SINCE WE'VE CONCLUDED THOSE TWO HEARINGS.
[00:55:02]
>> NOT SURE IF MY PRESENCE IS REALLY NEEDED UNLESS.
>> [OVERLAPPING] TO OUR TAXPAYERS.
>> REALLY NICE TALKING TO YOU.
>> NICE TO SEE YOU ALL AS WELL. HAVE A NICE EVENING.
>> IF YOU LOOK AT THE TOP OF THE DIFFERENT QUESTIONS, YOU'LL SEE THE AMOUNT OF RESPONSES.
FOR INSTANCE, THE FIRST ONE, THERE WAS 59.
BUT THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY TOOK THIS WERE MADE TO SKIP THAT PARTICULAR QUESTION.
AS YOU CAN SEE, IT LOOKS ROUGHLY AROUND 61.
>> CAN YOU TELL ME WHERE YOU'RE LOOKING? OH, RIGHT THERE.
>> BUT THAT FILE IS IN THE MINUTES, IT'S NOT LINKED. [OVERLAPPING].
>> WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT HOW TO PACKAGE THESE THINGS SO WE DON'T VOTE DURING THESE MEETINGS AS WELL.
>> ARE YOU CONTINUING TO GET RESPONSES OR YOU THINK IT'S DONE?
>> WE WE FEEL LIKE IT'S DONE AT THIS POINT.
>> NOW, SINCE THE LAST TIME WE DISCUSSED THIS HERE, WE DID AT THE LAST MEETING, HAVE SOME RESIDENTS OF OLD TOWN TALK ABOUT NOT BEING PLEASED WITH THE MATERIALS THAT THEY SAW PUT IN ON NORTH SIXTH STREET, AND THAT IT WAS NOT PERMEABLE.
CAN YOU TELL US, JEREMIAH WHETHER IT IS OR IT ISN'T? BECAUSE AT THE LAST MEETING, THAT WAS LIKE THE ONLY OPTION LEFT TO BE DISCUSSED.
>> THE MATERIAL YOU'RE REFERRING TO IS A DOUBLE CHIP SEAL.
IT'S A SURFACE TREATMENT AS FAR AS PERVIOUS.
PERVIOUS IS VERY RELATIVE AND PERVIOUS.
>> ARE YOU WORKING TO BE A LAWYER?
>> BECAUSE IT'S A SURFACE TREATMENT, IT'S EXEMPT FROM ST. JOHN RIVER WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT REQUIREMENTS, SO YOU DO NOT NEED TO DO THE CURBING AND GUTTER WORK AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT TYPE 1, TYPE 2, 3 ASPHALT WOULD REQUIRE.
AS FAR AS PERVIOUS THE WATER DOES FILTER THROUGH IT BETTER THAN WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE ON A PAVED ROAD, FOR SURE.
OTHERWISE, IT WOULDN'T BE ELIGIBLE FOR A SURFACE TREATMENT.
BUT ONCE AGAIN, PERVIOUS IS RELATIVE, A COMPACTED LIME ROCK PARKING LOT WON'T DRAIN.
MATTER OF FACT, THE FACT THAT WE HAVE EROSION ISSUES IN OLD TOWN TELLS YOU THAT IT'S NOT AS PERVIOUS, DESPITE BEING A PERVIOUS MATERIAL, IT REALLY ISN'T BECAUSE IT'S BEEN COMPACTED, AND WHILE YOU WILT WATER WILL SOAK IN, NOT MUCH, AND THEN IT'LL START RUNNING OFF, WHICH IS WHY YOU HAVE EROSION ISSUES.
YES, IT'S PERVIOUS, BUT I SAY THAT WITH THE ASTERISK THAT IT'S MORE PERVIOUS THAN ASPHALT, AND IT IS CONSIDERED SURFACE TREATMENT.
IT'S A VERY POPULAR IMPROVEMENT FOR DIRT ROADS, THEY USE IT A LOT IN WEST NASSAU AND OTHER AREAS BECAUSE IT'S A WAY TO IMPROVE A DIRT ROAD WITHOUT BRINGING IT UP TO ROAD STANDARDS.
ONCE AGAIN, I SAY THAT PERVIOUS WITH A DEGREE OF HESITATION BECAUSE IT DOES FILTER BETTER THAN A PAVED ROAD, WHICH DOESN'T AT ALL, BUT IT DOESN'T FULLY PERK LIKE A SAND ROAD WOOD OR A DIRT ROAD WOOD.
>> BASED ON SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE'VE HAD RESIDENTS DESCRIBED TO US HERE, IS THE PROJECT TO ADDRESS THESE THINGS BIGGER THAN JUST RESURFACING THE ROADS?
>> CAN YOU SAY THAT AGAIN, PLEASE, THAT WASN'T CLEAR.
>> WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM A LOT OF THE RESIDENTS IN OLD TOWN IS THAT THE PROBLEMS THAT EXIST ARE DRAINAGE UNDER HOMES AND HAVING TO GET HELP FROM THE CITY TO FIX THOSE THINGS.
IN TALKING ABOUT THAT PROBLEM IN PARTICULAR, FOLKS HAVE SAID THAT IT'S NOT JUST THE ROAD BEING CHANGED THAT WILL FIX THOSE PROBLEMS. DO YOU AGREE?
>> TO DO FULL DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS, YEAH, YOU'RE GOING TO COMPLETELY HAVE TO CHANGE A LOT.
WHEN YOU SAID THAT A LOT OF RESIDENTS COMPLAINED THAT WAS THE POINT OF THIS SURVEY IS TO GET A BETTER GAUGE ON HOW OLD TOWN FULLY AND COMPLETELY FEELS.
SURVEYS RESULTS ARE SURPRISING OR NOT,
[01:00:01]
DEPENDING ON YOUR PERSPECTIVE, BUT YOU CAN SEE WHEN YOU GO DOWN, SHOULD A LITTLE BIT, MARGARET, PLEASE, UP A LITTLE.WHAT IS YOUR PREFERRED MATERIAL FOR MAINTENANCE? OVERWHELMING IS TO KEEP WHAT'S THERE.
A LOT OF THE PEOPLE ARE HAPPY WITH WHAT'S THERE.
THEY'RE UNIMPROVED ROADS, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE CHALLENGES.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE DUST, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE EROSION, THAT'S PART OF IT.
THE ALTERNATIVE ARE THE OPTIONS THAT WE PRESENTED, BUT THERE'S NOT AN APPETITE OR AT LEAST NOT A MAJORITY APPETITE TO REALLY MAKE CHANGES TO THE ROADS THAT ARE IN OLD TOWN FROM WHAT WE CAN SEE.
I DON'T KNOW IF HAVE YOU ALL HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE DATA FULLY?
>> WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO THAT NOW, CHAIR, AND START AT THE TOP AND JUST LOOK AT THOSE GOING DOWN?
>> WELL, BEFORE YOU DO THAT, HOW MANY RESIDENTS DO WE HAVE OUT THERE THAT WERE ASKED? DO WE KNOW THAT? WE SENT THE SURVEY TOO. [OVERLAPPING]
>> I THINK WE SENT IT TO THE LOCAL ADDRESS AND TO THE ADDRESS THAT THEY HAD LISTED ON THE PROPERTY APPRAISER, AND I WANT TO SAY IT WAS AROUND 200 SENT OUT.
BUT SOME OF THOSE ARE EMPTY LOTS, SOME OF THOSE ARE OWNED BY THE SAME PEOPLE.
>> SURE, BUT THEY ALL HAVE AN OPINION ABOUT THE ROADS.
>> THE QUESTION I HAVE IS, WE HAVE 69 RESPONDENTS, IS THAT WHAT WE'RE SAYING, OUT OF 200?
>> EACH QUESTION IS DIFFERENT BETWEEN 40 AND 60.
IS THAT REALLY VALID SAMPLING?
>> OF THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE. I GUESS WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW MANY PEOPLE ACTUALLY LIVE THERE.
>> I GUESS, JEREMIAH, MY FEELING ABOUT THIS IS THAT WE ASKED PEOPLE, WE GOT ANSWERS.
WE DON'T KNOW THE QUALITY OF THAT ANSWER BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED, AND I DON'T THINK WITHOUT KELLY BEING HERE, WE CAN'T REALLY GET IN UNDERNEATH THAT.
BUT CERTAINLY, THERE HAS BEEN A DRAINAGE PROBLEM IDENTIFIED BY SOME OF THE OLD TOWN RESIDENTS.
I GUESS WHAT I WOULD REQUEST, IF I WERE AN OLD TOWN RESIDENT, WOULD BE THAT THE CITY TELL US WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO ABOUT THAT.
>> A LOT OF THE DRAINAGE CONCERNS, THEY'RE CYCLIC IN NATURE.
LET'S THINK BACK THAT JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO, WE HAD 39 INCHES OF RAINFALL IN 90 DAYS, I BELIEVE IT WAS, ONCE IN SEVERAL HUNDRED YEAR RECORD AMOUNT OF RAINFALL, WHICH DID PRESENT PROBLEM AREAS.
I DON'T THINK ANYONE HERE HAS HEARD ANY DRAINAGE CONCERNS AS OF LATE.
WE HAVEN'T HAD MUCH RAIN AS OF LATE.
AS YOU CAN SEE THE ISSUES, IF YOU GO UP, MARGARET, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE NUMBER 1 CONCERN IS EROSION.
ONCE AGAIN, THIS SURVEY WAS ON THE TAIL END OF A RECORD AMOUNT OF RAINFALL AND DUST, WHICH IS THE FLIP SIDE.
WHEN YOU'RE NOT HAVING THE RAINFALL, YOU'RE HAVING THE DUST.
KNOWING THAT THE COQUINA SHELL, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS BEFORE, KNOWING THAT THERE'S INTEREST IN PROBABLY KEEPING WHAT'S THERE.
WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING INTO OTHER MATERIAL. YOU CAN'T STOP EROSION.
YOU REALLY CAN'T. WHEN IT RAINS ON A NON PAVED ROAD, THE WATER IS GOING TO RUN, AND IT CARRIES THE MATERIAL WITH IT.
WE DO HAVE SOME NEW EQUIPMENT THAT CAN HELP RESHAPE THE ROADS.
WE HAVE OUR NEW ASPHALT ZIPPER, THAT IS A MACHINE THAT ALLOWS US TO MILL THE ROAD, PLOW UP THE ROAD A LITTLE BIT AT VARYING HEIGHTS.
BY DOING THAT, YOU CAN GAIN SOME OF THAT PERVIOUSNESS, BECAUSE IT'S NO LONGER COMPACTED, AND YOU CAN RESHAPE YOUR ROAD.
ANOTHER THING THAT WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING INTO IS AN ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY POLYMER TYPE MATERIAL THAT YOU COULD MIX IN, WHICH BINDS THE MATERIAL SO THAT IT'S LESS LIKELY TO DUST WHEN IT DRIES OUT.
THERE'S A COUPLE OF PRODUCTS OUT THERE THAT CAN BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE.
AS FAR AS EROSION, YOU CAN'T STOP RAIN AND RAIN FROM WASHING AWAY.
WHAT WE CAN DO IS WORK TO INCREASE MAINTENANCE DURING THE RAINY SEASON, SO THERE'S MORE GRADING.
YOU HAVE EROSION, IF YOU CAN GRADE AFTER, THE EROSION ISSUES ARE ADDRESSED.
BUT SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS, IF YOU KEEP THE OLD TOWN LOOK AND FEEL OUT THERE WITH THE COQUINA ROADS, THESE PROBLEMS WON'T GO AWAY.
IT'LL HAVE TO BECOME PART OF THE CHARACTER, BECOMES PART OF THE ROAD.
JUST LIKE IF YOU WERE TO PAVE THE ROAD, AND EROSION AND DUST WOULD NO LONGER BE AN ISSUE,
[01:05:02]
YOU'D HAVE OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THAT AS WELL.INCREASED TRAFFIC, CHANGES THE AESTHETIC. YOU GOT TO PAVE.
IT'S COSTLY. ANY ACTION THAT WE WOULD TAKE, THERE WOULD BE A PRO AND CON TO IT.
RIGHT NOW, THE MAJORITY PREFERS TO LEAVE IT THE WAY IT IS, AND THERE'S SOME DRAWBACKS, AND THAT'S PART OF IT.
I DON'T REALLY HAVE A WAY TO SAY OTHERWISE, THAN THAT'S JUST PART OF HAVING UNIMPROVED ROADS.
THEY DO REQUIRE MORE MAINTENANCE.
THERE IS EROSION AND DUST CONTROLS, AND THAT'S NOT JUST OLD TOWN.
YOU'LL HAVE THAT ANYWHERE THAT YOU HAVE A UNPAVED ROAD.
>> IF YOU HAD A DIRT ROAD SOMEWHERE IN THE CITY, WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO YOUR DIRT ROAD TO HELP KEEP SOME OF THE DUST AND DIRT DOWN? DO YOU JUST LEAVE IT DIRT, DON'T PUT ANYTHING ON IT OR?
>> WHAT MAKES OLD TOWN UNIQUE IS, IT'S OUR LARGEST MOST TRAFFIC AREA NOW THAT IS NOT PAVED.
EVERYWHERE ELSE WHERE WE HAVE UNIMPROVED ROADS, IT'S LITTLE CONNECTOR BLOCKS.
THERE'S NOT A LOT OF TRAFFIC IN THOSE AREAS, WHICH IS WHY WE HAVEN'T MOVED FORWARD WITH PAVING THEM.
ONE OPTION IS WATER, YOU WATER YOUR ROADS.
THAT'S A COSTLY EXPENSE TO BUY A WATER TRUCK THAT YOU ESSENTIALLY SPRAY YOUR ROADS.
YOU DRIVE DOWN YOUR ROAD AND YOU WET YOUR ROADS AND THAT KEEPS THE DUST TOWN.
BUT THAT DOESN'T ADDRESS THE EROSION ISSUE BECAUSE THAT'S A SEPARATE PROBLEM.
IF THE HDC WANTS TO CONTINUE AND KEEP THE ROADS AS THEY ARE, WE WOULD JUST WORK TO IMPROVE MAINTENANCE AND LOOK AT OTHER OPTIONS TO ADDRESS DUST CONCERNS.
THAT'S ABOUT OUR ONLY OPTIONS IN FRONT OF US.
>> I GUESS PART OF MY QUESTION IS, IT SAYS, YES, HERE, THESE FOUR OPTIONS THAT WERE GIVEN, COQUINA SHELL, ONE OUT OF THAT.
OF THOSE FOUR OPTIONS, I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW THE HISTORICAL DATA THAT DECIDED UPON THE RIBBING IN OLD TOWN, BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING HISTORICAL ABOUT THE RIBBING, AND THE COQUINA SHELL BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING HISTORICAL ABOUT THE COQUINA SHELL.
WHEN THERE WERE FARMS OUT THERE AND CATTLE OUT THERE AND SHEEP AND EVERYTHING ELSE, IT WAS DIRT ROADS.
BUT THEN COQUINA HAD TO COME BECAUSE THAT WAS HUGE.
IT WAS HISTORICAL, MADE EVERYTHING LOOK NICE, EXCEPT THEY'RE NOT WORKING.
BUT THOSE WERE THE ONLY OPTIONS GIVEN.
MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE OUT THERE, THAT'S ALL THEY KNOW.
BUT NOBODY KNOWS WHY WE GOT WHAT WE GOT.
WHO MADE THOSE DECISIONS, AND BASED ON WHAT?
>> WELL, COQUINA SHELL WAS A SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT OVER DIRT.
WE DON'T HAVE DIRT HERE IN FLORIDA [OVERLAPPING].
>> ACCORDING TO WHOM? BASED ON WHAT?
MEMBER GASS, WE HAVE DUST HERE IN FLORIDA, GUYS.
WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A REAL DIRT HERE.
TO THE EXTENT YOU CAN HAVE REAL DIRT, THAT TURNS TO MUD AS SOON AS YOU HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF RAIN.
A TRUE DIRT ROAD, ESPECIALLY WITH HIGH TRAFFIC, BECOMES AN ABSOLUTE MAINTENANCE NIGHTMARE.
THE COQUINA SHELL IS LIKE LIME ROCK, IT IS CONSIDERED A PREFERRED MATERIAL.
IF YOU HAD A DIRT LOT WHEN WE CONVERT IT TO A LIME ROCK OR A COQUINA SHELL LOT, THE COQUINA SHELL COMES IN IN A SHELL BASE, BUT WITHIN A FEW WEEKS OR MONTHS OF TRAFFIC ON IT, IT DOES TURN TO A POWDER AS DOES LIME ROCK.
I WOULD JUST BEG TO DIFFER, IT IS BETTER THAN DIRT, BUT IT'S NOT.
DIRT HAS A DIFFERENT LOOKING FEEL, BUT DIRT AROUND HERE IS LARGELY MUCH DUSTIER, AND WHEN IT RAINS, IT TURNS TO MUD.
>> I GUESS IF YOU WENT ON OVER THERE BY TIM GREEN'S HOUSE, THAT DIRT'S MORE SAND THAN DIRT.
THAT'S WHAT ALL OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD USED TO BE LIKE.
WHEN IT RAINS, THAT'S NOT MUD.
SHORTLY, IT'S BACK TO THAT SOFT SANDY DIRT.
>> WELL, WE HAVE COQUINA SHELL THERE NOW.
IT'S BEEN DOWN THERE FOR ABOUT A YEAR NOW ON WHERE MR. GREEN LIVES.
I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY, MEMBER GASS, THAT WHEN THE DIRT ROADS WERE THERE, THERE WAS NOT THE TRAFFIC THERE THAT YOU HAVE NOW.
>> YES, SO I'M WONDERING IF THAT MIGHT HELP.
>> I HAVE SOME MORE COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE.
>> JUST A QUICK QUESTION ABOUT THE SURVEY.
IT SEEMS LIKE THERE WERE MORE QUESTIONS THAN OUR ANSWERS HERE.
THAT MIGHT HELP JUDGE THE QUALITY OF WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT AS FAR AS [OVERLAPPING].
>> COULD WE REVIEW THOSE QUESTIONS MAYBE QUICKLY? IS THAT APPROPRIATE?
>> LIKE THE ONES ASKING HOW LONG YOU'VE LIVED THERE?
>> YEAH, OR IF THE RESIDENCE, I'D IMAGINE THAT COULD HELP.
>> MS. GIBSON HAS THOSE ANSWERS.
THIS IS JUST WHAT SHE PROVIDED.
>> THAT MIGHT HELP JUDGE THE QUALITY.
[01:10:02]
>> MS. BRYNES, YOU HAVE SOMETHING?
>> SURE. I JUST WANT TO GATHER MY THOUGHTS.
IT SEEMS LIKE, IN NO WAY POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE, THIS SURVEY IS A MANDATE FOR WHAT IS DESIRED.
IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE ENOUGH PEOPLE RESPONDED TO IT.
CLEARLY, IT DOES SEEM FROM THE PEOPLE THAT RESPONDED THAT THEY'RE OKAY WITH THE COQUINA THAT'S THERE.
I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT WE WOULD, AS A CITY OR HISTORIC DISTRICT, WE WOULD WANT TO MOVE BACKWARDS AND GO BACK TO DIRT OR SAND BECAUSE THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME AT THIS POINT.
IT DOES SEEM LIKE A MAJORITY OF AT LEAST PEOPLE WHO ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS ARE HAPPY WITH WHAT'S THERE.
YOU HAVE A MAINTENANCE PLAN IN PLACE THAT SEEMS LIKE THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD BE MOVING FORWARD WITH IT, AND NOT LOOKING TO POTENTIALLY REPAVE OR WHATEVER, CHANGE THE COMPOSITION OF THE ROADWAYS THERE.
MAYBE THERE'S SOME DRAINAGE ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE GENERALLY WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS RIGHT AT THIS POINT OR THE BEST THAT CAN BE DONE.
>> I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THERE'S BEEN ANY CYCLING BACK TO THESE RESIDENTS.
YOU INDICATED THAT STAFF IS STILL REVIEWING THE DATA.
THERE'S NOT BEEN ANY CYCLING BACK TO FOLKS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED, WHAT THE DATA SHOWED, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
>> IF THAT'S THE CASE, I THINK FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND AS THE HDC WHETHER WE REALLY GET TO DECIDE THOSE ROADS OR NOT.
WAS THE COQUINA DETERMINED BY THE HDC IN THE PAST OR WAS THAT A CITY DECISION?
>> THAT GOES WAY BACK, CHAIR. I DON'T KNOW.
>> I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DECIDE ON THOSE ALTERNATIVES, BUT WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO IS TO FACILITATE A DISCUSSION TO ALLOW THE RESIDENTS TO EXPRESS THEIR CONCERNS.
THEN WILL'S SURVEY YOU WAS BROUGHT UP AS A POSSIBILITY.
I'M GOING TO SAY THAT IT FEELS VERY STRONGLY TO ME THAT WE OPENED THE DOOR ON THIS.
THE CITY ASKED FOR INPUT AND WE GOT IT.
NOW I THINK THE BIGGEST MESSAGE IS THAT BETWEEN YOU AND MS. GIBSON, WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO FOLKS AND TELL THEM WHAT THE DECISION IS WHEN YOU MAKE IT ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO UP THERE OR NOT GOING TO DO UP THERE.
IF IT TRANSLATES TO PEOPLE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN THEIR OWN PROPERTY TO HELP ADDRESS SOME OF THEIR DRAINAGE PROBLEMS, THEN I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU PROBABLY NEED TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND.
BY DOING THAT, IF IT IS A BIGGER PROBLEM ON THE SURFACE THAN IT SHOWED IN THE SURVEY, I THINK YOU'LL HEAR THAT.
BUT YOU GOT TO GET BACK TO PEOPLE AND LET THEM KNOW WHAT THE RESULTS WERE BECAUSE THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO WERE ADAMANTLY, IN THIS SESSION, AGAINST COQUINA.
>> THAT MIRRORS WHAT WE OFTEN SEE.
PEOPLE DON'T JUST COME TO THE BOARD AND SAY, "HEY, THINGS ARE GREAT. I JUST WANT TO LET ALL KNOW.".
>> YOU HEAR FROM THOSE THAT AREN'T HAPPY.
THE SURVEY DID POINT TO THAT, IS YOU HEAR FROM THOSE THAT ARE NOT HAPPY WITH THE CONDITION, NOT THOSE THAT ARE OKAY WITH IT, AND THEY MOVED OUT THERE KNOWING THAT THOSE ROADS WERE A PART OF THE AESTHETIC FEEL OF OLD TOWN.
WITH OTHER DEVELOPMENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE HAVE HOAS TO WORK WITH, WE HAVE A PROPERTY MANAGER OR THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT IN OLD TOWN, AND, OF COURSE, OLD TOWN IS IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THAT'S WHERE IT'S BEEN ADVANTAGEOUS FOR THE CITY TO WORK WITH HDC ON GUIDANCE FOR THAT, BECAUSE, AS YOU CAN SEE, OPINIONS DIFFER, AND THERE'S NO ONE CENTER VOICE THAT WE CAN DO.
THEY DON'T HAVE A BOARD WHERE THEY CAN VOTE INTERNALLY.
THEY CAN'T PETITION ON BEHALF OF ANY ORGANIZATION REALLY TO REQUEST SOMETHING OF THE CITY, LIKE WE CAN DO WITH AMELIA PARK OR WE COULD DO WITH OTHER PUDS IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
THAT'S WHERE HDC HAS BEEN HELPFUL IN THAT REGARD TO VET IDEAS AND TALK THROUGH
[01:15:05]
IT TO SEE WHAT WE COULD DO BEST TO BEAT THE HISTORIC GUIDELINES THAT WE HAVE FOR OLD TOWN, BUT ALSO MAKE IT PRACTICAL AND WORKABLE FOR THOSE THAT LIVE THERE.DIRECTOR GIBSON AND I WILL WORK ON CLOSING THAT LOOP AND PROVIDING THAT INFORMATION.
BUT, OF COURSE, YOUR FEEDBACK'S CRUCIAL IN THAT NEXT STEP.
>> MY BIG TAKEAWAY FROM BEING ABLE TO SEE THESE WAS, AT THE MEETING, IT FELT LIKE IT WAS 50-50, COQUINA VERSUS PAVING EVERYTHING.
BUT THEN THIS SHOWN A 70-20 SPLIT BETWEEN THOSE TWO.
IT WAS PRETTY SURPRISING TO SEE THAT.
I THINK THAT SEGUES WITH WHAT YOU WERE SAYING THAT SOMETIMES YOU'RE ONLY HEARING THE REALLY LOUD VOICES, YOU'RE NOT HEARING EVERYBODY.
>> CAN YOU SCROLL DOWN A LITTLE BIT, MARGARET? WHAT THE OTHER QUESTION HERE? OTHER IDEAS?
>> SOME OF THOSE OTHER QUESTIONS, WAS IT WERE TO GET A BETTER DETERMINATION OF WHO LIVES THERE, WHO'S RENTING? IS IT A PRIMARY RESIDENTS.
IS IT SOMETHING YOU JUST COME DOWN [NOISE] FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS DURING THE WINTER, NOT PART OF THE RAINY SEASON, JUST TO GET A BETTER FEEL FOR WHO IS IT THAT IS WEIGHING IN ON THIS DISCUSSION.
THAT'S WHAT THESE FIRST FEW QUESTIONS WERE.
WE DID ADVERTISE THE SURVEY QUITE A BIT.
I BELIEVE A LETTER WAS MAILED TO EVERYONE.
OF COURSE, WE HAD A SIGN THAT WE POSTED OUT THERE.
ALL THE EMAIL ADDRESSES THAT WE HAD ON FILE, THE SURVEY WAS SENT TO.
WE WERE ACTUALLY PRETTY IMPRESSED WITH THE RESPOND THAT WE GOT.
A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF OLD TOWN DID RESPOND TO THIS SURVEY.
USUALLY, YOU SURVEY RESULTS ARE MUCH MUCH LESS, A LOW PERCENTAGE OF THOSE THAT I KNOW, I GET THE PHONE CALL YOU AND PARTICIPATE IN THE SURVEY, WHEN I HANG UP.
I THINK WE HAD A PRETTY GOOD RESPONSE, AND BUT WE'LL CLOSE THAT LOOP, CHAIR.
>> NO DOUBT, PROVIDE AN UPDATE AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING.
NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS WRAPS FOR DOWNTOWN UTILITY BOXES.
>> IT IS. THIS IS REALLY JUST, LIKE AN OPENING THE COMMUNICATION ON THIS PROJECT.
THIS IS SOMETHING THERE WAS A DETERMINATION BY THE DESIGN COUNCIL FOR MAIN STREET, AS WE APPROACHED OUR WORK PLAN FOR THIS YEAR TO CHOOSE PROJECTS THAT WE ACTUALLY HAD CONTROL OVER AND COULD ACCOMPLISH.
ONE OF THEM WAS IN TERMS OF THE APPEARANCE OF DOWNTOWN, AND THIS FALLS UNDER OUR DESIGN COUNCIL THAT WE WOULD WORK ON HISTORICAL UTILITY AP PROJECT.
THIS WOULD INVOLVE THE MORE THAN 24 UTILITY BOXES THAT WE HAVE JUST WITHIN OUR RECTANGLE, AND IT WOULD INVOLVE USING HISTORICAL PHOTOS OR HISTORICAL MAPS.
I MENTIONED MAPS BECAUSE MOST OF THE FPU BOXES ARE LOW AND VERY SQUARE, MORE LIKE A TABLE SHAPE LIKE A THREE BY THREE, AND ONLY ABOUT THREE FEET HIGH.
THEY WOULD NOT LEND THEMSELVES TO A PICTURE ON THE SIDE, BUT WOULD LEND THEMSELVES TO A WRAP THAT INCLUDED LIKE A SANDBORN MAP, FOR INSTANCE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, LIKE A SPA TONE THEME THROUGH THIS SO THAT THEY BLEND INTO WHAT'S ALREADY DOWNTOWN.
ONE OF THE BOXES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AS A PROTOTYPE THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST BOX THAT WE WOULD DO IS THE SILVER BOX THAT'S LOCATED BEHIND THE CENTER STREET SIGN, THE BRICK SIGN IN FRONT OF PILAN BANK.
FOR THAT, WHERE IT'S A LARGER SURFACE, AND IT'S MORE AT EYE LEVEL.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A HISTORIC PHOTO OF THE KEYSTONE HOTEL.
THAT WOULD THEN BE ABLE YOU CAN'T INCLUDE VERBIAGE ON THE WRAP AS PART OF THE FDOT RULES FOR WRAPPING A BOX.
BUT YOU CAN INCLUDE A QR CODE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING THAT, AND THAT WOULD DRIVE PEOPLE TO A PAGE ON THE MAIN STREET WEBSITE, WHICH COULD BE ADDED TO AND WOULD EVENTUALLY INCLUDE, LET'S SAY, ALL 24 BOXES THAT WE HAVE, BUT WE WOULD START WITH THAT ONE AND SAY, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED THERE, WHAT THE KEYSTONE HOTEL, WHAT HAPPENED TO IT, AND THEN HOW THAT WAS A CATALYST FOR THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES, THE DISTRICT BEING NAMED.
PROVIDING SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT NOT AN ART PROGRAM.
THIS WOULD BE HISTORY BASED WITH THE MAPS AND EVERYTHING.
[01:20:03]
I JUST HAVE NOTHING TO PRESENT TO YOU AT THIS TIME.WE'RE IN TALKS WITH THE WRAP COMPANY.
WE'VE GONE OUT AND MEASURED AND CATALOGED ALL OF THE LOCATIONS FOR THE BOXES.
WE HAVE ONE OF OUR DESIGN COUNCIL MEMBERS DOING SOME RESEARCH WITH THE MUSEUM ON THE ACTUAL ARTWORK.
WE WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.
BUT LIKE I SAID, WE'RE GOING TO START WITH ONE BOX AND THEN GO ON FROM THERE.
CERTAINLY WHEN WE GET READY, WE WILL BRING THAT BACK FOR ACTUAL APPROVAL, AND FOR YOU TO REALLY LOOK AT.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THEY'RE WORKING ON AND GET ANY GENERAL FEEDBACK THAT YOU HAD FOR THAT GROUP.
>> THERE IS A UTILITY POLE OF SOME BOX OF SOME KIND THAT'S CYLINDRICAL IN FRONT OF CAFE CARIBOU THAT HAS BEEN OVER ON ITS SIDE. THAT'S WHAT I SAID.
>> I DON'T THINK THAT. IT'S ROUND.
>> BUT IT'S AT&T. CYLINDRICAL, IS IT? AND THEY DON'T TAKE CARE OF IT, I GUESS.
>> I'LL HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT ONE.
>> I WANT TO SAY THAT BECAUSE I HAVE ONE IN MY ON THE SIDE OF MY HOUSE LIKE THAT.
>> OUR INITIAL THOUGHT WAS TO USE NORTH THIRD STREET AS OUR INITIAL PROJECT AREA, AND THAT WOULD BE OUR LOGICAL PLACE WE WOULD MOVE INTO.
BUT THEN THERE WAS CONCERN ABOUT THE REVITALIZATION PROJECT AND HOW THAT WOULD IMPACT THESE ELECTRICAL BOXES, IF IT WOULD.
WE NEED CLARIFICATION ON THAT BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD.
THERE'S NO SENSE DOING A WRAP PROGRAM, AND THEN THE NEXT YEAR, YOU'RE RIPPING UP THESE BOXES.
WE WANT TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING FOR HOW THAT'S GOING TO IMPACT EVERYTHING.
BUT WE FEEL FIRST OF ALL, F DOT HAS A UTILITY WRAP PROGRAM.
AND GUIDELINES AND EVERYTHING IN PLACE, FPU DOES NOT, BUT THEY ARE WILLING TO WORK WITH US.
WE THOUGHT TRY IT OUT WITH THE ONE THAT HAS THE GUIDELINES AND SEE HOW THAT GOES.
THEN WE FEEL PRETTY CERTAIN THAT THAT F DOT BOX ISN'T GOING ANYWHERE.
>> THERE WAS A PROJECT DESCRIBED TO US A WHILE BACK, I THINK IT WAS LAST YEAR ABOUT MURALS?
>> IT IS NOT. NO. THAT WAS REALLY THAT WAS A CVB INITIATIVE CONVENTION OF VISITORS BUREAU INITIATIVE WITH WALDOGS.
THAT WAS A COUNTY WIDE PROGRAM THAT WOULD HAVE IMPACTED THE DOWNTOWN AND EIGHTH STREET.
SOME SITES IN THE CITY, BUT ALSO SITES IN THE WESTERN PART OF THE COUNTY.
EVERYTHING TOOK LONGER FOR THE APPROVAL PROCESS AT THE COUNTY LEVEL WITH THE CONTRACT WITH WALDOGS.
THE TIMING ENDED UP NOT BEING POSSIBLE TO COMPLETE IT IN NOVEMBER WHEN IT WAS PROJECTED TO BE COMPLETED.
WE ALL OF THAT DOCUMENTATION HAS BEEN SHARED WITH MAIN STREET.
THE OTHER PROJECT THAT THE DESIGN COUNCIL IS WORKING ON IS A MURAL PROGRAM STARTING WITH ONE MURAL.
IT WOULD NOT BE IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
WE'RE REALLY NOT LOOKING TO DO MURALS IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT IT AT A MURAL PROGRAM AS A TOOL TO IMPROVE THE APPEARANCE OF EIGHTH STREET.
NOW, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE AGAINST MURALS ANYWHERE IN THE CITY.
>> NO. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THERE'S AN ORDINANCE AGAINST MURALS IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THAT WAS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE HAD TO HAVE BEEN SPECIALLY APPROVED.
I THINK THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT TEMPORARY PANELS THAT WOULD HAVE FIX.
>> WELL, THE TWO THAT I'M THINKING OF ARE IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, AND THAT'S NOT YOUR PROBLEM.
I WOULD LIKE TO REGISTER A QUESTION FOR THE PLANNING STAFF.
ONE IS ON THE SIDE OF A BEAUTY SHOP THAT'S ON EIGHTH STREET.
THE OTHER IS ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE ANTIQUE STORE, 866 LESS?
>> I DON'T KNOW WHY WE HAVE THEM.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT I DON'T WANT THEM, BUT WE HAVE A LAW, AND YET WE HAVE THEM.
I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.
THAT'S ABOUT THE THANK YOU VERY MUCH THERE.
>> LISA, JUST ONE COMMENT FIRST.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS IS THAT THE WRAPS BEEN CONTINUED DOWN
[01:25:02]
EIGHTH STREET AS WELL AND THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET SOME OF THOSE BOXES GOING DOWN THERE.IT'S NOT JUST THAT PART OF DOWNTOWN, IT'LL ALSO GO DOWN EIGHTH STREET.
>> AS YOU ALL KNOW, EIGHTH STREET IS A CHALLENGE JUST BECAUSE OF THE LIMITATIONS WITH THAT BEING A STATE ROAD.
THERE IS NOT A LOT THAT WE CAN DO WITH LANDSCAPING OR OTHER WAYS THAT WE CAN MAKE THAT MORE ATTRACTIVE AND MORE WALKABLE.
WE HAVE LOOKED AT, I THINK THERE'S THREE AT DIFFERENT INTERSECTIONS AS WE GO DOWN EIGHTH STREET OR WITHIN THE MAIN STREET DISTRICT.
WE'RE DEFINITELY LOOKING AT INCLUDING THOSE AS WELL.
>> WHOLE AUTOMOBILE THING ON EIGHTH STREET.
>> RIGHT. THAT'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT.
WHAT WOULD THE SUBJECT MATTER BE? RIGHT NOW, AS FAR AS THE MURAL PROGRAM GOES, WHICH WE'RE REALLY NOT READY TO BRING ANYWHERE IS WE'RE LOOKING INTO GUIDELINES THAT OTHER CITIES HAVE USED IN SPECIFICALLY MAIN STREET CITIES IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND TRYING TO DEVELOP SOMETHING THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE FOR US.
THEN WE CAN PRESENT THAT TO THE POWERS THAT BE TO SEE.
BECAUSE I KNOW THAT CAME UP WHEN THE MURAL THAT WAS RECENTLY PROPOSED AND APPROVED AT MAIN BEACH, WHO'S MAINTAINING IT ALL OF THE QUESTIONS THAT COME UP WHENEVER THERE'S A PROGRAM LIKE THAT.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CREATE SOMETHING THAT CAN BE A MAIN STREET GUIDELINE, BUT POSSIBLY THEN ADOPTED BY THE CITY AS GOING FORWARD, THIS IS WHAT WE WANT TO KNOW.
>> I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME REVIEW PROCESS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
I'M NOT SURE WHERE IT WOULD GO.
>> WE DON'T WANT JUST C KILROY WAS HERE PAINTED ON THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING DOWNTOWN. ABSOLUTELY.
>> SOUNDS VERY COOL. I HAVE SOMEONE WHO LIVES ON SIXTH STREET THAT HAS GOOD NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS OF THE EGMONT HOTEL.
IF THERE'S A BOX ON SIXTH STREET.
>> WELL, THAT IS A CHALLENGE WITH THE OLD PHOTOGRAPHS IS GETTING THE QUALITY THAT YOU NEED IF YOU'RE THINKING OF PUTTING THEM ONTO A RAP.
BUT THE WRAP COMPANY SAYS THAT THEY CAN HELP US WITH SOME OF THAT, SO THAT THEY DON'T APPEAR PIXELATED.
WE'RE LEARNING MORE AS WE GO. NOW MORE TO COME ON THAT.
>> THANK YOU. DID ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE APPROVED STAFF CERTIFICATES OF APPROVAL?
>> I HAD ONE. I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS AND I'VE NEVER ASKED A QUESTION ABOUT A CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL.
BUT THERE ARE 62 SASHES BEING APPROVED FOR REMEDIATION BY AN HDC APPROVED CONTRACTOR.
WHICH I'VE NEVER HEARD OF 9:06.
I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS A WINDOW SURVEY ATTACHED TO THAT OR HOW THAT 62 SASHES IS A LITTLE QUITE A BIT.
I BELIEVE THAT'S THE OLD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
>> WE WEREN'T PROVIDED ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IN THE PACKET.
I CAN GET WITH MS. GIBSON WHEN SHE RETURNS AND AND TRY TO FIND THAT INFORMATION OUT AND PROVIDE YOU, BUT THAT'S ALL THE INFORMATION.
IF THAT'S THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, THE LAST TIME WE HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.
THE GENTLEMAN WAS GOING TO USE.
>> WE REALLY WERE NOT INTERESTED IN SEEING HAPPEN.
IF YOU COULD GET US MORE INFORMATION ON THAT, WHAT WE ACTUALLY INSTALLED.
>> WELL, THAT'S A GOOD POINT, DYLAN, BECAUSE IT SAYS REPAIR AND REPLACE THAT COULD MEAN REPAIR ONE WINDOW AND REPLACE 60?
>> THERE'S NO BACKUP MATERIAL TO REALLY GIVE US ANYTHING TO DIG INTO.
>> IF YOU COULD GIVE US A DESCRIPTION OF WHAT THAT APPROVAL ENTAILS IN BIG MORE WORDS.
>> THIS IS APPROVED AT THIS POINT SO THE CONTRACTOR HAS THE AUTHORIZATION TO PROCEED WITH THE SCOPE OF THIS IS A PERMIT? I SEE LIKE THAT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS POTENTIALLY AN ISSUE.
>> SIGNIFICANT ISSUE TO A HISTORIC.
I WOULD SAY THAT THIS IS A HIGH PRIORITY TO HAVE THIS DISTRIBUTED TO THE BOARD.
>> THANK YOU. FRONT STREET FENCE.
WHO'S TALKING ABOUT THAT? WELL, AGAIN, DOWN EVERYBODY.
>> WHAT'S THE SCOPE OF IT [INAUDIBLE].
[01:30:02]
PRATT. THIS WAY, RIGHT.>> GO DOWN TOWARDS ALACHUA IF YOU DON'T MIND.
THIS ITEM WAS PLACED ON THE AGENDA FOR YOUR AWARENESS, JACOB PLATT, PROJECT COORDINATOR, JUST GO. THAT'S GOOD.
>> FOR YOUR AWARENESS, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE FENCE WOULD BE A STAFF LEVEL APPROVAL.
THIS ITEM IS LOCATED WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN CRA DISTRICT.
THE PROPOSAL IS TO ALONG WITH WHEN WE GET ALACHUA STREET OPEN HERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, WE WANT TO EXTEND THE FOUR FOOT COMMERCIAL ALUMINUM GRADE FENCE THAT YOU SEE THERE FROM THE NORTHERN TERMINUS OF ALACHUA STREET TO THE SOUTHERN TERMINUS OF BROOME STREET.
IT'S A 400 FOOT SECTION THAT WE WOULD WORK WITH THE RAILROAD ON MAKING SURE WE'RE IN THEIR CLEAR ZONE OUTSIDE OF THEIR CLEAR ZONE, WORK WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER.
HE MR. GOODS, HAS BEEN MADE AWARE, AND WE'RE STILL TALKING THROUGH THIS.
BUT JUST WANT TO BRING THIS TO THE BOARD'S ATTENTION.
IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS.
>> WHAT YOU CAN SEE HERE, THIS COLUMN IS ACTUALLY ABOUT FOUR PANELS TOO SHORT.
THIS BLOCK COLUMN WILL BE TORN DOWN, MOVED DOWN, FOUR NEW PANELS WILL BE INSTALLED.
IT'LL BE AN RUSTICATED BLOCK COLUMN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE [INAUDIBLE], THE FOUR FOOT ALUMINUM FENCE, AND THEN A RUSTICATED BLOCK COLUMN AT THE BROOME STREET INTERSECTION.
PRETTY SIMPLE BUT THAT'S BASICALLY THE SCOPE OF WHAT WE WANTED TO BRING YOU UP TO DATE ON.
WE THINK ONCE ALACHUA STREET GETS OPEN, AND YOU HAVE THAT NICE, NEW, PRETTY STREETSCAPE THAT CONTINUING THAT WILL BE A NICE ENHANCEMENT TO THE FRONT STREET CORRIDOR.
IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN DOWN FRONT STREET RECENTLY, THE RAILROAD SURFACE HAS BEEN INSTALLED, AND CITY CREWS ARE WORKING ON THE STORMWATER COMPONENTS.
PART OF THOSE STORMWATER IMPROVEMENTS, WE DID CLEAN UP THAT FENCE LINE.
THERE'S A DITCH THERE SO YOU'LL SEE SOME VEGETATION HAS BEEN CLEANED UP ALONG THAT FENCE LINE, AND YOU'LL GET A BETTER IDEA OF WHERE IT'S GOING TO GO.
I JUST WANT TO BRING TO ALL'S AWARENESS THAT IF YOU ALL ARE OKAY WITH IT AND THE PROPERTY IS GOOD WITH IT, WE'VE GOT A QUOTE TO MAKE THAT INSTALLATION HAPPEN HERE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
>> IS THERE A SIDEWALK THAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT, THAT'S SIMILAR NEAR THE HOTEL AND THE VISITOR CENTER OR IS IT JUST THE FENCE?
>> RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST THE FENCE.
I HAVE MENTIONED, MR. GOODSAW THAT ULTIMATELY, WE WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND THE SIDEWALK.
THE INTENT IS TO INSTALL THE SIDEWALK FROM THE SALTY PELICAN TO ALACHUA AND WE'D LIKE TO TAKE IT TO BROOME STREET WHERE THERE'S SOME MORE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT THAT WILL HAPPEN.
THE DITCH IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN THE SCENARIO THAN YOU HAVE ON THIS STRETCH THAT WE'VE GOT TO KIND OF LOOK AT A LITTLE MORE CLOSELY ON HOW THAT WOULD WORK WITH THE SIDEWALK AND MAKING ALL THAT FIT IN THERE.
BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST THE FENCE.
>> A FUTURE SIDEWALK WOULDN'T IMPACT WHAT YOU'RE DOING WITH THE FENCING NOW?
>> I THINK THAT'S AN INTERESTING QUESTION, AND IT TIES INTO ONE OF THE RESPONSES I SAW IN THE OLD TOWN QUESTIONNAIRE.
I REMEMBER A LONG TIME AGO SEEING A PRESENTATION WHERE OLD TOWN USED TO BE CONNECTED TO DOWNTOWN BY A PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY.
POTENTIALLY WAY DOWN THE ROAD IT MIGHT BE A NICE THING TO CONTEMPLATE MAKING HAPPEN AGAIN.
I KNOW I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO WALK UP THERE.
>> YOU'D HAVE TO GO RIGHT THROUGH THE WOOD YARD.
[OVERLAPPING] I DON'T THINK THAT'S GO TO HAPPEN.
>> I HAVE A QUESTION TO ASK, BECAUSE I WAS GIVEN INFORMATION THAT THE HDC PRIOR TO MY MEMBERSHIP, HAD APPROVED A FENCE DOWN WHERE THIS IS.
BUT WHAT GOT IMPLEMENTED IS NOT WHAT GOT APPROVED.
>> DOES ANYBODY HAVE INFO ON THAT? I THINK YOU MIGHT BE THE ONLY ONE WHO WOULD.
>> MY MEMORY IS WE APPROVED SOMETHING THAT WAS TOO COSTLY, AND THIS IS WHAT WE ENDED UP WITH.
>> DID THIS COME BACK FOR REVIEW AFTER YOUR DISCUSSION? WHEN THEY DETERMINED IT WAS TOO COSTLY, DID THIS COME BACK?
>> I DON'T RECALL FOR CERTAIN.
[01:35:03]
I THINK WHAT WE WERE PRESENTING WAS, THIS IS WHAT WE CAN AFFORD TO DO, AND WE MAY HAVE SAID YES.>> IT'S BEEN DESCRIBED TO ME AS A POOL FENCE.
WHY WOULD WE PUT A POOL FENCE DOWNTOWN?
>> I DON'T RECALL WHETHER THIS PARTICULAR FENCE CAME BACK TO YOU.
THE DESIGN THAT I DO RECALL INCLUDED AT CENTER STREET, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE WERE SOME CMU WING WALLS AT THE ENTRANCE OF CENTER STREET.
I DON'T BELIEVE IT WAS AT ASH STREET, IT WAS JUST AT CENTER STREET.
BUT IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE REVISED DESIGN DID COME BACK, BUT I'M NOT SURE ON THAT PLANNING DEPARTMENT COULD LOOK INTO IT.
I DO RECALL THAT ORIGINAL DESIGN AND IT SAID CENTER STREET ON THE COLUMNS, AND IT WAS VERY NICE, I AGREE.
>> YOU STARTED OUT YOUR STATEMENTS BY SAYING THAT FENCING IS A STAFF LEVEL APPROVAL?
>> I BELIEVE WHEN IN PASSING WITH MS. GIBSON THAT THIS WOULD BE A STAFF LEVEL APPROVAL IN THE HDC MATRIX, I THINK THAT'S CORRECT.
>> I THINK THAT'S TRUE IN THE HDC MATRIX TODAY.
I'M NOT SURE IN OUR REVISION OF THE GUIDELINES, WHETHER IT WILL REMAIN THAT WAY.
WHEN DO YOU PLAN TO START THIS?
>> IF WE CONTINUE ON SCHEDULE AS WE'RE WORKING RIGHT NOW, ALACHUA STREET SHOULD BE OPEN BEFORE SHRIMP FESTIVAL.
>> YOU HAVE TIME FOR US TO REVIEW AND DISCUSS THIS AGAIN?
>> I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH YOU REVIEWING AND DISCUSSING IT AGAIN.
>> GIVING CLARITY ON WHAT THE RULES ARE.
>> YEAH, THIS WILL BE A COUPLE OF MONTHS DOWN THE ROAD BEFORE WE GET TO IT.
>> THAT LOOKS LIKE A POOL FENCE, AND I'M NOT SURE.
>> WELL, ON THAT SAME ITEM OF FENCING, I AM GOING TO REACH OUT TO THE PROPERTY OWNERS ON EITHER SIDE TO TALK ABOUT WHETHER WE EXTEND THAT FENCE BECAUSE WE TORE DOWN THE FENCE ON MR. GOODSAW AND MISS SCHAFFER'S PROPERTY.
I'M SURE THEY WANT THEIR PROPERTY SECURED.
BUT I WAS TALKING WITH OUR UTILITIES DIRECTOR THIS AFTERNOON, ACTUALLY ABOUT THE LIFT STATION, YOU CAN SEE HERE.
IT'S GOT A CHAIN LINK FENCE AROUND IT WITH BLACK SLATS ON IT I WAS EXPLAINING TO HIM THAT CHAIN LINK FENCES AREN'T TECHNICALLY ALLOWED IN THE CRA.
IT WOULD BE NICE IF WE COULD GO BACK WITH SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
I THINK THEY USE A SIX FOOT ALUMINUM FENCE IN CENTRAL PARK, AND HE SAID THAT WOULD GIVE THEM THE PROTECTION NEEDED SO WE WILL PROBABLY AS LONG AS ANDRE MOVES FORWARD, BUT HE SEEMS SUPPORTIVE TODAY THAT WHEN WE GO BACK AND REPLACE THIS SLIT STATION TO GO BACK WITH SOMETHING OTHER THAN CHAIN LINK, SO IT WILL BE MOVING TO CODE COMPLIANCE.
>> I THINK THIS WHOLE TOPIC OF FENCING HAS TO BE CHANGED AS FAR AS STAFF APPROVAL SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK MS. GIBSON NEEDS TO HEAR.
IT'S WHY I ASKED EARLIER, JADE, IS THE FENCING CONSIDERED PART OF THE DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION BECAUSE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ALL THESE BEAUTIFUL LIGHT FIXTURES AND A POOL FENCE AND I'M REALLY NOT INTERESTED IN SEEING THAT.
I THINK WE NEED AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THAT AGAIN, SORRY.
>> YEAH, THAT'S PERFECTLY FINE BY ME.
I JUST WANT TO BRING IT TO YOU ALL'S AWARENESS THAT THIS IS SOMETHING WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT I WILL SAY AGAIN THAT I THINK WILL BE A NICE IMPROVEMENT FOR THE [INAUDIBLE] STREET CORRIDOR IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH SOME FENCING.
>> IS THIS FENCING DIFFERENT THAN THE FENCING THAT'S NEAR THE HOTEL, OR IS IT THE SAME MATERIAL?
>> IT'LL BE THE SAME MATERIAL FROM HERE AT ASH STREET, ALL THE WAY TO BROOME STREET.
YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE HOTEL RIGHT HERE?
>> YEAH, BETWEEN WHAT WAS INSTALLED BETWEEN ASH AND CENTER.
THE SAME EXTENT. I'M IN AGREEMENT THAT FENCING SHOULD NOT BE STAFF APPROVAL.
>> ANYTHING ELSE? ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? I THINK WE'RE DONE WITH OUR AGENDA AS PLANNED.
IS THERE ANYBODY IN THE PUBLIC WHO HAS ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD TO ALL THE PREACHING I'VE DONE TONIGHT? I JUST HAVE A COUPLE MORE I WANT TO DO.
SEEING NONE. ANYBODY UP HERE HAVE ANY MORE COMMENTS?
I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE CENTER STREET, THE STREETSCAPE PLANS, AND I DO REALIZE OR UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S PHASE 1.
I'M HOPING THAT THE PHASE 2 THROUGH, WHATEVER THE LAST NUMBER IS, IT DOES INCLUDE FROM ASH TO ALACHUA, BUT I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE IT EXTEND FOR
[01:40:01]
A BIGGER AREA OF THE HISTORIC DISTRICT AND PERHAPS GO TO THE EASTERN BORDER ON 11TH STREET, WHETHER IT'S ASH OR BEACH.I KNOW WE'VE ALREADY DONE SOME REALLY BEAUTIFUL SIDEWALKS ON BEACH TO CONTINUE THAT ON ASH WHERE APPROPRIATE AND IF IT'S APPROPRIATE TO DO SOMETHING NORTH OF ATLANTIC ON ALACHUA BETWEEN THE CEMETERY AND THE CHURCH, ALTHOUGH I REALIZE IT'S A BIT MORE RESIDENTIAL OR PRIVATE AND NEAR.
BUT IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE THAT AS PART OF A BIGGER PLAN, UNDERSTANDING THAT IT'S FUNDING IS PART OF THAT.
IT SHOULD BE A BIGGER PLAN OF THE ENTIRE HISTORIC DISTRICT, NOT JUST CENTER STREET.
>> MY ONLY COMMENT IS MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MITIGATING THE DISRUPTION TO THE BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND A CLEAR PLAN AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THE BUSINESSES HAVE A CLEAR CONTACT TO HOW THAT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO WORK BECAUSE FIVE YEARS IS A LONG TIME.
>> I'M EAGER TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE.
>> OKAY. I HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS.
ONE IS, WE RECENTLY HAD A WHOLE BUNCH OF OPENINGS ON THE BOARD.
AS A RESULT OF THAT, WE HAD PEOPLE BECOME REGULAR BOARD MEMBERS BEFORE SOME OF OUR ALTERNATES HAD BEEN MOVED UP.
I AM INTERESTED IN YOUR REACTIONS TO THE POSSIBILITY OF DOING AWAY WITH THE CONCEPT OF ALTERNATE.
THAT HAS HAPPENED ON THE PAB, THERE ARE NO ALTERNATES.
EVERYBODY'S A REGULAR MEMBER ON THE PAB.
I'M NOT SURE THE VALUE OF ALTERNATE BECAUSE WE'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO COME TO EVERY MEETING.
WE'RE ASKING THEM TO DO THE RESEARCH IN CASE THEY DO HAVE TO SIT IN AND VOTE.
THEN WE'RE SAYING, WELL, IT'S NICE TALKING TO YOU.
I'M NOT SURE THAT WE NEED ALTERNATES ON THIS BOARD.
I THINK WE CAN EXPAND THE MEMBERSHIP TO TWO MORE PEOPLE AND HAVE NINE INSTEAD OF SEVEN. SEVEN NOW?
>> IT'S FIVE AND TWO, ISN'T IT?
>> IS IT FIVE AND TWO? THEN WE WOULD HAVE A SEVEN MEMBER BOARD INSTEAD OF JUST A FIVE MEMBER BOARD WITH TWO ALTERNATES.
THAT'S AN APPROACH I WOULD LIKE US TO TAKE.
IF YOU'RE ALL IN SYNC WITH THAT OR DON'T HAVE ANY CONCERNS OR ISSUES, DO YOU SEE ANY ISSUES WITH THAT?
>> JUST BEING THAT I'VE ONLY BEEN HERE ABOUT SIX MONTHS.
I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S ANYTHING IN THE CITY CODE THAT LIST SPECIFICALLY, THERE ARE SO MANY MEMBERS AND SO MANY ALTERNATES, WHICH ONE MIGHT HAVE TO BE REVISED BY THE COMMISSION.
THAT'S THE ONLY COMMENT I WILL MAKE.
>> THE PROCESS THAT I WAS TOLD ABOUT TODAY WHEN I ROAMED AROUND CITY HALL WAS THAT WE AS THE BOARD NEED TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE COMMISSION TO HAVE THAT CHANGE MADE THEN THE COMMISSION HAS TO HAVE AN ITEM ON THEIR AGENDA TO VOTE ON IT.
IF YOU'RE IN SYNC WITH THAT, THEN I WILL SEND A LETTER TO THE COMMISSION ASKING FOR THAT.
>> IT'LL STILL BE FIVE, WILL BE A FOUR A QUORUM.
>> YES. BUT THERE'LL BE SEVEN FULL-FLEDGED MEMBERS.
COOL. THE OTHER QUICK THING, I THINK IT IS QUICK.
I'M WORKING ON A COUPLE OF PROJECTS WITH THE MUSEUM IN DOING SO, I'VE STARTED SOME RESEARCH ON PEC AND FOUND THAT EVEN THOUGH PEOPLE THOUGHT IT WAS ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER, IT ISN'T.
THERE'S A LANDMARK SIGN IN FRONT, BUT IT IS THE PAPERWORK AND PROCESS TO GET IT ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER WAS NEVER COMPLETED.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS BOARD SPONSOR THAT WORK.
WHAT WE'LL NEED BACK IF THERE'S AGREEMENT, WE WOULD NEED BACK MS. GIBSON HOW DO WE DO THAT? IS THERE ANY CONCERN ABOUT MOVING FORWARD THAT? THAT'S WHAT WE NEED.
THE OTHER THING THAT I DISCOVERED IN DOING MY RESEARCH IS THAT DR. PECK'S HOME STILL STANDS IN FERNANDINA ON THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF NINTH AND CEDAR.
[01:45:04]
I'D LOVE TO KNOW IF WE COULD GET THAT HOUSE SOME SORT OF RECOGNITION.HE WAS PRETTY IMPRESSIVE GENTLEMAN.
THE OTHER THING THAT I'M FINDING OUT AND THIS IS PART OF THE PROGRAM FOR THE MUSEUM IS THAT MANY PEOPLE IN TOWN DON'T REALIZE THAT PECK WAS A ROSENWALD SCHOOL, NOR DO THEY KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.
THERE'S A LOT OF HISTORY THERE THAT I THINK WE NEED TO ADVERTISE THAT HISTORY MORE THAN WE DO.
WHAT I WAS ABLE TO FIND OUT BECAUSE WHEN A SCHOOL APPLIED TO BE ROSENWALD SCHOOL, THE ROSENWALD FOUNDATION WOULD PROVIDE $20,000 AND THE COMMUNITY WAS EXPECTED TO PROVIDE THE REST.
WHAT I WAS TOLD AND I'M STILL RESEARCHING TO FIND OUT IF IT'S TRUE OR NOT, BUT WHAT I WAS TOLD WAS THAT DR. PECK TOOK IT UPON HIMSELF TO FIND $39,000.
NOW, THAT'S AN AMAZING CHUNK OF CHANGE.
I'M STILL DOING THAT RESEARCH, BUT IF, IN FACT, HE DID DO THAT, THEN HIS HOUSE OUGHT TO BE RECOGNIZED.
>> I DON'T KNOW. I HAVE TO FIND THAT OUT.
I JUST GOT MY RESEARCH OUT OF THE MUSEUM ON FRIDAY, AND I DROVE BY THE HOUSE, SAW IT.
THERE ARE PEOPLE THERE, BUT I FELT LIKE I NEEDED TO HAVE MORE BEHIND ME BEFORE I WALKED UP TO THE DOOR.
>> WHICH CORNER IS IT? WHICH NORTH SOUTHEAST?
>> SOUTHEAST CORNER OF NINTH AND CEDAR.
>> I BELIEVE THE ADDRESS IS 900. ANYTHING ELSE? I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR TIME AND ENTHUSIASM.
MEETING ADJOURNED. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.