[00:00:02]
FEBRUARY 18, 2026. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEAT MR. SALA UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING.
[3. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES]
DOES EVERYBODY HAVE A CHANCE TO REVIEW THE MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING? YES.ANY ISSUES, QUESTIONS, CHANGES? MOVE TO APPROVE IF THERE'S NO DISCUSSION.
[4.1 HDC 2025-0018 - CITY OF FERNANDINA BEACH, 123 FRONT STREET]
WE HAVE A QUASI-JUDICIAL CASE, SO I WOULD LIKE FOR THE BOARD TO SHARE ANY EX PARTE COMMUNICATIONS THEY MIGHT HAVE.I SPOKE WITH STAFF ABOUT ALL THE ITEMS ON THE NIGHT'S AGENDA.
SO MS. PRINCE, COULD YOU REVIEW THE QUASI-JUDICIAL PROCEDURES FOR US? CERTAINLY, MADAM CHAIR.
THE HEARING TONIGHT WILL BE CONDUCTED AS A QUASI-JUDICIAL HEARING.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT IT'S NOT EXACTLY AS STRICT AS A COURT OF LAW.
HOWEVER, IT DOES HAVE REQUIREMENTS THAT A COURT OF LAW WOULD HAVE, WHICH IS EVIDENCE IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THE CASE MUST BE COMPETENT AND SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE, AND THE BOARD MUST MAKE A DECISION BASED ON THE CODE AND STAFF PRESENTATION AND SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE IN THE RECORD.
YOU MAY COME UP AND PROVIDE COMMENT, BUT MERE THOUGHTS FOR OR AGAINST A PROJECT IS NOT CONSIDERED COMPETENT, SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE, AND IN THIS HEARING, STAFF WILL MAKE A PRESENTATION, THE APPLICANT WILL BE AFFORDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD, AND THEN THE BOARD WILL QUESTION AS NEEDED.
AND AT THIS TIME, YOU ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE REPRESENTATION, SO CITY, WITH YOUR APPLICATION, WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE REPRESENTED BY COUNCIL? OR ARE YOU WAVING THAT RIGHT? YOU'RE GOING TO WAVE IT.
FOR THE RECORD, THE APPLICANT HAS WAVED THAT RIGHT.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE QUASI-JUDICIAL PROCEDURES? I THINK WE'RE GOOD.
ANYBODY WHO WISHES TO TESTIFY TONIGHT ON ANY OF THESE CASES, PLEASE RISE, AND THE CLERK WILL ADMINISTER THE OATH.
WHO'S HERE TO SPEAK FOR THIS? EVERYBODY'S LOOKING AT THESE.
WELL, I CAN SUMMARIZE MY STAFF REPORT.
GOOD EVENING, HISTORIC DISTRICT COUNCIL.
THIS IS A RETURNING CASE FROM YOUR AUGUST 2025 MEETING.
IT IS A REVISED APPLICATION CONCERNING A CARVED PIRATE SCULPTURE.
THIS COA IS FOR THE INSTALLATION OF THIS PUBLIC ART AT THE AMELIA RIVER WATERFRONT PARK.
THIS PARK IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
ORIGINALLY THE APPLICATION PROPOSED THIS SCULPTURE BE PLACED AT THE LOCATION OF PEG LEG PETE IN FRONT OF THE TRAIN DEPOT.
THIS REVISED APPLICATION DOES NOT CONCERN THE ORIGINAL PEG LEG PETE AS THAT IS CURRENTLY AT THE AMELIA MUSEUM OF HISTORY FOR SAFEKEEPING AND PRESERVATION.
THIS APPLICATION CONCERNS THE NEW STATUE CARVED BY JET PAXTON.
THE CITY IS PROPOSING A LONG-TERM LEASE OF ONE YEAR OF THE ART TO BE PLACED AT THE WATERFRONT IN AGREEMENT WITH THE FERNANDINA PIRATES CLUB.
ON THE SLIDE YOU CAN SEE ON THE RIGHT IS THE PICTURE OF THE STATUE, AND ON THE LEFT IS A MOCK-UP
[00:05:01]
OF WHERE IT IS PROPOSED TO BE PLACED AT THE WATERFRONT PARK WITH ITS BACK TOWARDS THE WATER TO CREATE A GOOD PHOTO OPPORTUNITY FOR VISITORS AND LOCALS.ON THIS SLIDE I'VE PULLED THE SITE PLAN AND THE PROPOSED EXAMPLE OF A BASE FOR THE STRUCTURE, WHICH IS INCLUDED IN YOUR AGENDA PACKET.
THIS WILL BE PLACED NEAR THE CHILDREN'S PLAY EQUIPMENT, AND ALTHOUGH THIS ISN'T THE EXACT BASE THAT IS GOING TO BE USED, THIS WAS INCLUDED IN THE APPLICATION AS AN EXAMPLE.
SINCE THERE'S LITTLE TO NO GUIDANCE ON PUBLIC ART IN THE CRA OR THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, STAFF DEFERS TO THE BOARD FOR THEIR DECISION.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. ADLER? YOU SAID A LONG-TERM LEASE OF ONE YEAR.
DID YOU MEAN MORE THAN ONE YEAR? ONE YEAR.
THEY'RE JUST DOING THIS FOR A SELECT TRIAL PERIOD? YES, THAT'S WHAT THE DOWNTOWN COORDINATOR AND I HAD DISCUSSED BEFORE THE MEETING.
IF I MAY, MADAM CHAIR, IT'S TEMPORARY ART AT THIS TIME, A TEMPORARY ARTS INSTALLATION, WHICH IS NO MORE THAN ONE YEAR, AND THAT'S TO ALLOW FOR, IF IT WERE A PERMANENT INSTALLATION THE WAY THE CODE IS WRITTEN NOW, THE CITY WOULD HAVE TO OWN IT, AND WHEN THE PRESENTATION IS MADE, THERE'S SOME QUESTION ABOUT HOW IT WILL MOVE FORWARD, AND THEY'D RATHER JUST DO THE ONE YEAR UNTIL IT'S DECIDED.
OKAY, SO THAT'S A REVISION FROM WHAT WAS WRITTEN IN THE STAFF REPORT, BECAUSE I WAS LOOKING AT IT.
IT SAID A LONG-TERM LOAN OF AN ART PIECE, WHICH I HAD QUESTIONED ABOUT BECAUSE...
SO DOES THIS NEED TO BE REVISED TO SAY THAT THIS IS A TEMPORARY? I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU ADD THAT AS A CONDITION.
I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR WHAT MS. NEWTON HAS TO SAY JUST TO CONFIRM ALL OF THAT, BUT IF THE ONE YEAR IS THE DESIRE OF THE BOARD AND THE APPLICANT, I WOULD JUST INCLUDE THAT AS A CONDITION ON ANY MOTION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MS. SADLER? I THINK THE OTHER THING I WOULD JUST LIKE TO BRING UP IS WE ARE NO LONGER LOOKING AT ANY ENGINEERING, ANY SAFETY.
NONE OF THAT IS IN OUR PURVIEW TONIGHT.
THAT'S UP TO THE COMMISSION TO ACCEPT OR DENY.
WE'RE JUST SAYING IF WE BELIEVE THIS IS ACCEPTABLE TO BE PLACED AT THE WATERFRONT PARK IN THIS GENERAL LOCATION, IS THAT CORRECT? YES.
IT'S LIKE THAT GUY THAT DOES THIS.
I THINK I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS MY CONCERNS THAT I DON'T SEE ANY CRITERIA THAT THE CITY COUNCIL WOULD BE APPLYING TO THIS FOR STRUCTURAL OR SAFETY MEASURES.
IT JUST SAYS MEETS ALL APPLICABLE BUILDING CODES FOR PUBLIC PROJECTS.
I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY FOR THIS AREA AT ALL AND THERE'S NO INDICATION OF ANY KIND OF ENGINEERING STANDARDS, SO I JUST QUESTION WHAT'S THE CITY COUNCIL GOING TO BASE ITS DECISION UPON? IF ALL I'M BEING ASKED ABOUT IS THE STATUE ITSELF, THAT'S ONE THING, BUT I ALSO HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PEDESTAL IT'S GOING TO SIT ON AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF, WHICH I THINK WE CAN TALK ABOUT IN A SECOND.
AND MADAM CHAIR, I HAVE SOME MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ORDINANCE AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE THAT AT THIS TIME.
THIS HAS COME THROUGH BEFORE WE'VE ESTABLISHED THE GUIDELINES.
THE ORDINANCE REQUIRES ART AND PUBLIC PLACES GUIDELINES.
THERE ARE SOME GUIDELINES IN THE ACTUAL APPLICATION, BUT TO THE BOARD MEMBER'S POINT, SOME OF THESE THINGS HAVE NOT ACTUALLY BEEN FINALIZED YET.
ALSO, WHERE THEY GO, I KNOW STAFF IS WORKING ON COMING UP WITH LOCATIONS.
THE ORDINANCE REQUIRES THAT LOCATIONS BE ESTABLISHED AND APPROVED BY THE COMMISSION, SO THIS IS COMING THROUGH.
THE COMMISSION WILL LOOK AT IT AND APPROVE THE LOCATION, BUT I THINK IN THE FUTURE STAFF INTENDS TO HAVE APPROVED PLACES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN ESTABLISHED SO THAT WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT, THAT CRITERIA YOU COULD EVALUATE.
AND THEN THERE WILL BE SOME GUIDELINES OTHER THAN THERE ARE SOME GUIDELINES IN THE APPLICATION, BUT EVENTUALLY ART AND PUBLIC PLACES GUIDELINES HAVE TO BE ESTABLISHED AND REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION AS WELL.
IS THAT THE 7153? WELL, LET ME MAKE SURE BEFORE I NOD MY HEAD.
OKAY, SO IN THE PAST, WHEN WE'VE HAD TEMPORARY INSTALLATIONS IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, IT DIDN'T EVEN COME TO US BECAUSE IT WAS TEMPORARY.
LIKE WHEN THEY PUT THE BOWL OUT ON CENTER, WHEN THEY PUT THE STAINLESS STEEL AT THE LIBRARY, SO I GUESS I'M CONFUSED NOW WHY, IF THIS IS NOW TEMPORARY, WHY IS THIS EVEN COMING TO US?
[00:10:01]
BECAUSE IF I MAY, MADAM CHAIR, UNDER 71-151B AS IN BOY, I BELIEVE IT IS, TEMPORARY ART INSTALLATIONS WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE HDC OR THE CRA WILL COME TO YOU FOR COMPLIANCE WITH ESTABLISHED ART AND PUBLIC PLACES GUIDELINES WHILE TEMPORARY ARTWORK LOCATIONS ARE DETERMINED BY THE CITY MANAGER AND ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION, THE PRAC OR THE HDC HAS FINAL APPROVAL OVER TEMPORARY ART INSTALLATIONS.
BOTH BOARDS MAY MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EXTENDING OR RELOCATING TEMPORARY ART TO THE CITY COMMISSION.
SO IS THAT A NEW REQUIREMENT? NO, I MEAN, THE CODE WAS AMENDED IN 2024.
I'D HAVE TO LOOK TO SEE WHICH SECTION, BUT PREVIOUSLY IT WAS ADOPTED IN 2003.
SO I'M NOT SURE HOW MANY OF THE SECTIONS WERE AMENDED IN 2024.
IN 2003, THAT'S WHEN WE HAD THE ART COUNCIL OR WHATEVER THAT WAS THEN SUNSETTED.
YEAH, AND SO THEY TOOK THAT OUT.
THAT'S WHAT THE 2024 AMENDMENT WAS, WAS TO TAKE THAT OUT.
SO DID THAT MEAN THEN THAT WHEN THE BULL AND THE STEEL STUFF AROUND TOWN WERE PUT IN THAT THEY DID NOT FOLLOW THE CORRECT PROCESS? I WASN'T HERE.
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN REQUIRED UNDER THIS CODE, BUT I DIDN'T LOOK INTO THAT.
THE ONE OTHER QUESTION THAT I HAVE BECAUSE I HAVE...
I THINK IT'S A FINE PLACE TO PUT THIS STATUE.
MY QUESTION, THOUGH, IS WE HAD ASKED QUITE A WHILE BACK WHETHER THE CITY WAS GOING TO COMPLETE THE ORDINANCE ON...
AND I DON'T THINK IT'S THE SAME ORDINANCE.
COMPLETE THE ORDINANCE ON BEING GIFTED SOMETHING RIGHT, AND THE ORDINANCE DOES, ON THE PERMANENT ART, DOES TALK ABOUT GIFTING IT TO US.
SO THE ORDINANCE AS WRITTEN DOESN'T APPEAR TO HAVE THE ISSUES THAT MAY HAVE BEEN RAISED.
BUT IF THERE'S PERMANENT ART, IT IS ART THAT'S DONATED TO THE CITY.
IF IT'S THERE FOR GREATER THAN A YEAR, THE PERMANENT ART IS...
IT'S INSTALLED IN COOPERATION WITH THE ARTIST, BUT THE RESPONSIBILITY, ONGOING MAINTENANCE, AND OWNERSHIP SHALL BE THE CITY'S.
SO, I MEAN, THE ORDINANCE, WHEN I LOOKED AT IT, IT WAS PRETTY CLEAR.
SO I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED, BUT...
IT'S MY RECOLLECTION THAT THAT IS FAIRLY NEW.
A FEW YEARS BACK, WHEN DAVID ELY HAD BEEN SORT OF...
PAINTED OVER, THERE WAS NO UNDERSTANDING OF WHO HAD THE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR MAINTENANCE AT THAT TIME.
ALL RIGHT, AND THAT WAS ALSO TRUE OF THE FOUNTAIN IN FRONT OF THE COURTHOUSE.
SO, IN THE TEMPORARY APPROACH, IS IT CLEAR THERE WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTENANCE? MADAM CHAIR, THERE WILL BE A LICENSE AGREEMENT, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, NOW THAT IT IS A TEMPORARY ART INSTALLATION, WHILE WE WAIT TO SEE HOW THE PERMANENT WILL WORK OUT, THERE WILL BE A LICENSE AGREEMENT THAT WOULD ACCOMPANY IT TO THE CITY COMMISSION THAT WOULD DISCUSS MAINTENANCE AND THAT SORT OF THING.
DO WE HAVE ANY FEEL FOR HOW LONG THAT WILL BE? HOW LONG IT'LL BE IN PLACE? NO, HOW LONG IT WOULD BE BEFORE THAT LICENSE AGREEMENT IS DEVELOPED.
WHAT I'M HEARING, AND I MIGHT BE HEARING IT WRONG, BUT WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT THERE'S A DISCONNECT BETWEEN WE'RE LOOKING AT IT NOW FOR APPROVAL, BUT WE DON'T UNDERSTAND THE WHOLE PICTURE YET.
IS THAT FAIR TO SAY? I THINK SOME OF IT'S STILL UNFOLDING, AND YES, BEFORE IT WENT TO THE COMMISSION, THE LICENSE AGREEMENT WOULD BE PART OF THEIR PACKET, YOU KNOW, THE TEMPORARY AGREEMENT.
AS I UNDERSTAND IT, IF WE DECIDE THAT THIS IS APPROPRIATE AND WE APPROVE IT, THE COMMISSION STILL HAS THE FINAL SAY.
SO, IT'S GOING THROUGH BEFORE ALL PROCESS FEES ARE IN PLACE, BUT IT IS GOING TO THE COMMISSION, SO IT'S NOT AS IF THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK AT IT AND APPROVE IT EVEN THOUGH WE HAVEN'T, WE DON'T HAVEN'T GOT EVERY SINGLE THING IN PLACE, BUT THEY'RE THE ULTIMATE APPROVER ANYWAY, SO THEY WILL BE LOOKING AT IT.
HAVING SEEN PEOPLE GET BURNED IN THE PAST, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PIRATES CLUB, WHICH IS THE GROUP THAT IS GIFTING THIS FOR TEMPORARY RIGHTS, IS AWARE THAT WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION.
[00:15:01]
I THINK THAT MIGHT BE WHY MS. NEWTON IS HERE.ARE YOU ASSISTING THE PIRATES CLUB WITH THIS APPLICATION? WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE APPLICANT? PLEASE, MS. NEWTON, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TOO.
DO YOU WANT TO COME AS WELL? HI, I'M KATIE NEWTON, DOWNTOWN DISTRICT COORDINATOR AND CO-APPLICANT WITH JOE BROWN HERE AT THE PIRATES CLUB FOR THIS PROJECT.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH THE BEST WAY TO PRESENT THIS AWESOME PIRATE STATUE WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT, AND THE PIRATES CLUB HAD THIS COMMISSIONED AND THE CITY HAS BEEN LOOKING FOR A HOME FOR IT.
WE SAW THE WATERFRONT PARK AS AN OPPORTUNITY AND BETWEEN THE TWO OF US AND OTHER STAFF MEMBERS CAME UP WITH THIS LOCATION.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT OUR APPLICATION IS HE WILL NOT BE JUST ON THIS BASE.
WE'RE GOING TO, PLANNING TO PUT A PAD SIMILAR TO THE OTHER ROUND PADS THAT YOU SEE FOR THE OTHER ART INSTALLATIONS TO GIVE HIM A BETTER HOME AND A BETTER SENSE OF PLACE.
CONSIDERING THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE A TEMPORARY INSTALLATION FOR ONE YEAR, IT ALSO AFFORDS SOME FLEXIBILITY WITH THE WATERFRONT PARK SPACE TO ALLOW FOR DIFFERENT INSTALLATIONS IN THE FUTURE IF THIS IS NOT DEEMED TO BE THE APPROPRIATE PLACE FOR THE PIRATES CLUB FOR LONG TERM.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? DO WE KNOW WHAT THE PAD IS AT THIS POINT? IT'S A CONCRETE PAD AND IT'S GOING TO HAVE THE COQUINA TYPE FINISH THAT'S SIMILAR TO THE REST OF THE WATERFRONT PARK.
TO MATCH THE REST OF THE PARK.
SO I HAVE NO OBJECTION TO THE STATUE ITSELF OR THE LOCATIONS BEING PROPOSED FOR IT TO BE PUT, BUT I DO QUESTION THE PEDESTAL ITSELF.
DIDN'T YOU JUST SAY WE'RE NOT USING THE PEDESTAL? WE PLAN ON PUTTING THAT ROUND PAD.
THE PEDESTAL IS AT THE REQUEST OF THE PIRATE CLUB WHO WOULD LIKE IT RAISED SLIGHTLY TO PREVENT SOME CLIMBING.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY.
SO THEY WANT IT TO BE VERY, VERY NARROW SO THAT WAY IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO CLIMB AND PUT IT AT SUCH A PLACE TO PREVENT DAMAGE.
THAT WAS ITEM 1 ON MY LIST OF THINGS TO TALK ABOUT.
I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE RAISED.
YOU NEED TO DISCOURAGE PEOPLE FROM CLIMBING ON IT.
THE TAPERED QUALITY OF WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING I THINK IS APPROPRIATE FOR DISCOURAGING CLIMBING.
YOU'RE NOT GIVING THEM ANYTHING REALLY TO PUT THEIR FOOT ON AND GET UP ON THERE.
I WOULD LIKE SOMETHING THAT INDICATES FERNANDINA BEACH OR FERNANDINA WORKING WATERFRONT OR SOMETHING TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE BASE OTHER THAN JUST FLAT CONCRETE.
I'M SURE SOMEONE COULD COME UP WITH SOMETHING CREATIVE EVEN IF IT, YOU KNOW.
SO THE YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL IS WORKING ON THAT.
ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT THIS PIRATE IS HE IS SO FAR NAMELESS AND THE YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL IS WORKING ON A NAMING COMPETITION THE PLAN WOULD BE TO HAVE THE PIRATE'S NAME AND ON A PLAQUE OF SOME SORT INDICATING HIS NAME, HIS BACK STORY AND CREDITING THE CREATOR OF THE ITEMS. SO THAT WOULD BE IN THE PLAN.
SO RIGHT NOW HE'S NAMELESS AND WE HOPE TO UNVEIL THE NAME AT THE OPENING OF THE WATERFRONT PARK ALONG WITH THE STATUE.
MY ONE THOUGHT ON THE PAD TREATMENT, I THINK YOU'RE ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO, AND I THOUGHT I HEARD SELFIES OR GETTING YOUR PHOTO TAKEN WITH HIM SOMEWHERE, IS THAT NOW YOU'RE ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO COME UP AND APPROACH THE STATUE VERY CLOSE.
AND ONE THING THAT I'VE BEEN PRETTY CONSISTENT ABOUT IS FROM SOMEBODY GRABBING ONTO HIS ARM AND PULLING THEMSELVES UP ONTO THE BASE OR ANYTHING, COULD MAYBE THE PAD BE A LANDSCAPING PAD THAT WOULD ALMOST ACT LIKE A POLITE BOUNCER
[00:20:03]
TO THE AREA THAT SAYS, HEY, LET'S ADMIRE THE STATUE FROM HERE, NOT RIGHT UP ON IT.POTENTIALLY IT WOULD BE A WAY TO KEEP PEOPLE A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY SO THEY'RE NOT PHYSICALLY INTERACTING WITH IT, DISCOURAGING THAT KIND OF INTERACTION AND AT THE SAME TIME MAKE IT LOOK NICE AND HAVE A SUBTLE WAY, NOT A FENCE AROUND IT OR ANYTHING, JUST SOME PLANTS THAT PEOPLE MIGHT HESITATE TO STOMP ON TO GET UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH IT.
I THINK BECAUSE OF THE TEMPORARY NATURE OF THIS INSTALLATION, WE FELT LIKE IT WAS MORE VERSATILE TO JUST HAVE THAT PLAIN CONCRETE ROUNDED PAD THAT WOULD BE MORE IN LINE IN KEEPING WITH THE DESIGN OF THE FULL PARK.
I THINK WE'RE SO, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE WORD IS, BURNED FROM PREVIOUS YEARS, THE MORE CHALLENGING IT IS.
I HAVE SCARS TO SHOW THINGS THAT I GOT UP ON THAT I PROBABLY SHOULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN UP ON IN MY YOUNGER YEARS.
I LIKE THAT AS A TEMPORARY NATURE BECAUSE IT'S ALMOST LIKE A TRIAL PERIOD FOR IT.
THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT I WOULD SAY IS, DO YOU REMEMBER FLYING HORSES, THE PEGASUS OR WHATEVER? IN MY TOWN WE HAD THE TOWN TURTLES IN SANDY SPRINGS AND YOU COULD DONATE, CORPORATIONS COULD SPONSOR IT WITH FUNDRAISERS.
SO MY COMPANY WE SPONSORED A TOWN TURTLE AND THEN ARTISTS SUBMITTED THINGS.
I WAS ONE OF THE ARTISTS FOR THAT.
THE CRITERIA THAT WE HAD TO FOLLOW AS AN ARTIST WAS ABOUT SIX PAGES DEEP WITH THE TYPES OF PAINTS AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WAS THE TOP COATING, THE UVA, UVB, NON-YELLOWING, NON-PEELING, NON-FLAKING PROTECTION AND IT WAS NOT CHEAP.
IT WAS LIKE 200 BUCKS A GALLON.
SO IF THERE'S SOME WAY TO PARLAY THAT EITHER TO THE COMMISSION SO THEY KNOW IT OR IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE PUT ON THIS.
IN SIX MONTHS IN THE SUN THEY LOOK TERRIBLE.
SO IF WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING THIS AND IF WE WANT TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF IT LET'S GET OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT AND MAKE SURE IT'S PROPERLY DONE RIGHT FROM THE GET GO.
THEY WERE NOT VERY APPETIZING.
THEY WERE VERY LARGE AND ALL OVER TOWN.
PART OF THE IDEA BEHIND THE ONE YEAR IN ADDITION TO THE PIRATE CLUB NOT BEING READY TO GIFT IT TO THE CITY ENTIRELY IS FOR US TO SEE IF THIS IS AN APPROPRIATE LOCATION, THAT IT'S GOING TO STAND THE TEST OF TIME THERE OR IF WE FIND A BETTER LOCATION FOR THIS IN THE FUTURE.
THERE'S SOME FLEXIBILITY WITH THAT.
SO YOU'RE THINKING, MR. BROWN, IS THAT IF AFTER A YEAR IT SEEMS TO BE A POPULAR SPOT? WE'RE WILLING TO GIFT IT TO THE CITY AND MAKE IT A PERMANENT INSTALLATION IF EVERYBODY ACCEPTS IT AND IT'S WELL RECEIVED.
THAT'S ONE THING WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO THE CITY ABOUT.
WE'RE WILLING TO MAINTAIN THAT.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WILL HAVE TO BE WORKED OUT.
I JUST BE DILIGENT ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THE CITY IN THE PAST HAS...
ONCE WE DETERMINE WHAT'S GOING ON, WE'LL WRITE THAT INTO OUR OWN BYLAWS THAT WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR IT OR HOWEVER IT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
THERE SHOULD PROBABLY BE A MECHANISM SOMEPLACE AS A REMINDER OF WHEN THAT ONE YEAR IS UP AND SOMETIMES THOSE THINGS GO AWAY.
IN 20 YEARS, WHERE DID THAT COME FROM? WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT? SOME KIND OF TICKLER FOR BOTH ORGANIZATIONS.
WE CAN MEET IN A YEAR AND TALK ABOUT IT AGAIN.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? I DID HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE PEDESTAL.
HOW DEEP DOES IT HAVE TO GO? OR DOES IT HAVE TO GO ALL THE WAY DOWN? IT'S GOING TO BE AFFIXED
[00:25:07]
TO THAT CONCRETE.WE DIDN'T WANT TO DO LANDSCAPING.
THE IDEA BEHIND THE CONCRETE PAD IS IN KEEPING WITH HOW THE OTHER MONUMENTS AND SCULPTURES LOOK.
THEY ALL HAVE THAT SAME CIRCULAR PAD AROUND THEM.
THE SHRIMP BOAT MONUMENT THERE AS WELL AS THE ANCHOR.
SO THIS WOULD BE IN KEEPING WITH THAT.
AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEYS HAVE BEEN DONE BEFORE WE DO THIS? BEFORE WE GO IN AND PUT DOWN THE PAD AND PUT THE PEDESTAL IN AND THINGS LIKE THAT? I DON'T HAVE SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE TO THAT.
BUT AS PART OF THE WATERFRONT PARK PLANS I'M HOPING THAT THAT WAS DONE BEFORE MY TIME.
BECAUSE I'VE ASKED THAT QUESTION BEFORE.
THERE'S NOTHING MORE TO BE DUG IN THIS AREA THAN HAS ALREADY BEEN DUG AS PART OF THE WATERFRONT PARK PLANS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? THANK YOU MR. BROWN.
CAN YOU STAY PLEASE? I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE HAVE ANY DECISIONS YET BEEN MADE ABOUT THE BASE THAT PEG LEG USED TO STAND ON AND WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THAT AND THE TIME COUNTS? THE DECISIONS HAVE BEEN HAD BUT NOTHING PERMANENT OR FINALIZED HAS HAPPENED AT THIS POINT, SO WHEN WE KNOW SOMETHING WHEN WE HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS THEN WE WILL LET YOU KNOW.
ANY MORE DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT.
DO I I LIKE THE IDEA OF A POOL.
THAT WILL HELP PROTECT THE STATUE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROPER HEIGHT IS BUT HOPEFULLY THERE IS SOMEBODY WHO IS IN THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS WHO DOES.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR MORE DISCUSSION? DO I HEAR A MOTION? I THINK I THOUGHT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRITTEN DOWN THAT WE WERE GOING TO SAY BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS.
ACKNOWLEDGING THAT IT IS TEMPORARY.
TEMPORARY BECAUSE THE APPLICATION WAS PERMANENT THROUGH THE CHAIR.
YOU ARE GOING TO APPROVE IT ON A TEMPORARY BASIS.
IF THEY WANT TO MAKE IT PERMANENT THEY CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT BEFORE A YEAR.
I DON'T THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE IN THE MOTION.
MY UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THIS BOARD IS APPROVING IS THE APPROPRIATENESS OF THE STATUE AND THE LOCATION I MOVE TO APPROVE CASE NUMBER HDC 2025-0018 WITH THE FOLLOWING STIPULATION THAT IT IS A TEMPORARY INSTALLATION THAT THE HDC IS APPROVING THE STATUE AS APPROPRIATE AND THE LOCATION OF THE INSTALLATION AS APPROPRIATE BUT IS NOT RENDERING ANY OPINION ON ITS STRUCTURE OR SAFETY.
AND I MOVE THAT THE HDC MAKE THE FOLLOWING FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS ALONG PART OF THE RECORD THAT HDC CASE HDC 2025-0018 AS PRESENTED IS SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLIANT WITH THE HISTORIC DISTRICT DESIGN GUIDELINES TO WARRANT FINAL APPROVAL AT THIS TIME.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? PLEASE CALL THE VOTE.
MEMBER SCHORSTAD-SCHALLER? YES.
[6. STAFF REPORT]
AND CHAIR WE HAVE THREE ITEMS UNDER STAFF REPORT TONIGHT STARTING OFF WITH THE STAFF CERTIFICATE[00:30:01]
OF APPROVALS FOR JANUARY.THERE WERE SEVEN OF THEM THAT CAME THROUGH MY OFFICE.
A COUPLE OF REPAINTINGS, REPAIR AND RESTORATION OF WINDOWS.
THERE WERE SOME FENCES THAT WERE INSTALLED THIS MONTH AND ONE FOR THE HOYT HOUSE.
IT SHOWS C DETAILED ATTACHMENT FOR PROJECT DESCRIPTION.
I CAN PULL UP THE MATERIALS OR EXPLAIN THE PROJECT.
THE SECOND ONE IS SIMILAR TO THAT.
DAVID KAUFMAN'S OLD HOUSE ON 10TH STREET.
THE THIRD ONE IS REMOVE AND REPLACE WOOD FENCE.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T GET INTO THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE THAT GETS APPROVED AND WE DON'T HAVE THE BACKUP AND HEIGHTS GET CHANGED.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GOOD ON THAT.
I'LL COVER THOSE CASES SEPARATELY.
IF IT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD, I'M GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M PROVIDING APPLICANTS SIMILAR MATERIALS AT A BOARD LEVEL IS WHAT I EXPECT THROUGH STAFF COAS.
I'M SEEING SITE PLANS, EXAMPLES OF MATERIALS, I'M HAVING DISCUSSIONS WITH APPLICANTS AND I HAVE SURVEYS AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF TO MAKE SURE WHAT I'M APPROVING IS IN LINE WITH THE HISTORIC DISTRICT AND WHAT'S ON THE LIST.
WITH THE HOYT HOUSE PROJECT, THEY RAISED THE FENCE TO SIX FEET TALL ON ALL SIDES AND THAT IS A FLORIDA BUILDING CODE REGULATION FOR COMMERCIAL POOLS.
IT HAS TO BE A CERTAIN HEIGHT SO YOU DON'T HAVE KIDS FALLING INTO POOLS.
AND THEN THEY DID A GENERAL REFRESH WITH THEIR PAVER ORIENTATION AND ADDED LANDSCAPING IN THE HOYT HOUSE, IN THE BACKYARD, KIND OF ABUTTING WHERE THE GRAND OAK PLAZA IS, THEY HAVE THAT PARKING LOT IN THE BACK.
THEY PUT AN ALUMINUM KIND OF GATE THERE SO PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING TO PARK COULD GO THROUGH THAT GATE AND KIND OF SEE, LIKE, OH, I CAN WALK THIS WAY TO GET CHECKED IN AND ALL OF THAT.
SO THEY JUST KIND OF DID A REFRESH AND MAKE IT A MORE USABLE SPACE.
THE WOOD FENCE BACK THERE WAS AGING AND LOOKED IN ROUGH SHAPE WHEN I WENT FOR A SITE VISIT.
SO THEY PUT A NEW WOODEN FENCE ALONG ON THE NORTH SIDE.
IT WAS A CHAIN-LINK FENCE BETWEEN THOSE TWO NEIGHBORS THERE AND THE HOYT HOUSE.
SO THE HOYT HOUSE GOT THEIR AFFIDAVITS FROM THEIR NEIGHBORS TO PUT THE FENCE ON THE PROPERTY LINE.
SO NOW THERE'S A NICE WOOD BOARD-ON-BOARD FENCE ON ALL BORDERS OF THE HOYT HOUSE.
AND THEN WITH THE 112 AND 116 SOUTH 10TH STREET FENCE, THE CARTERS NOW OWN BOTH OF THOSE HOUSES.
AND ANOTHER ONE OF THESE APPLICATIONS WAS FOR THE REPAINTING OF THE WHITE HOUSE AT 112 TO MATCH EXACTLY THE COLOR SCHEME OF 116.
AND I DID HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH THE APPLICANT BECAUSE IN OUR PAINT GUIDELINES FOR THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT DESIGN GUIDELINES, IT SAYS THAT PAINT SHOULD COMPLEMENT THE OTHER STRUCTURES ON THE BLOCK.
AND IN MY OPINION, THE EXACT SAME COLOR PAINT DIDN'T NECESSARILY ACCOMPLISH THAT INTENT.
SO I DID ASK HER IF SHE WOULD CONSIDER A DIFFERENT PAINT SCHEME, AND SHE WAS PRETTY ADAMANT ABOUT HAVING THE SAME COLOR ON BOTH STRUCTURES.
AND THERE WILL BE PROBABLY AN APPLICATION TO THE HCC FOR FURTHER MODIFICATIONS OF THOSE HOMES.
THE FENCE PIECE OF THAT WAS COMPLICATED BECAUSE THE 116 PROPERTY, TWO-THIRDS OF THAT PROPERTY IS OUTSIDE OF THE HISTORIC DISTRICT AND IN THE MU-8 ZONE.
WHERE THE HOUSE SITS ON 116 IS IN C-3, AND THEN 112 IS FULLY WITHIN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT AND IS IN C-3.
SO BASED ON THE ZONING OF THAT PARCEL IN MU-8, THEY COULD HAVE AN EIGHT-FOOT-TALL FENCE AROUND THE SOUTH SIDE, THE WEST SIDE, AND THEY ONLY WENT ON THOSE TWO EDGES.
THEY DID A SIX-FOOT-TALL BOARD-ON-BOARD FENCE WITH TWO FEET OF LATTICE AT THE TOP, SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU SEE HERE ON 30 SOUTH 3RD STREET.
AND THAT FENCE IS CONSISTENT ALONG THOSE LINES.
I'M HAPPY TO INCLUDE APPLICATION MATERIALS FOR STAFF COAS IF YOU
[00:35:01]
GUYS WOULD LIKE TO START SEEING THOSE AS WELL.I ALWAYS LIKE TO SEE THEM BECAUSE THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO ASK YOU SO MANY QUESTIONS.
IF WE SEE ALL THAT IN ADVANCE, THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE UP THAT TIME IF THERE'S NO QUESTIONS.
YEAH, AND MEMBER BURNS DID REACH OUT TO ME ABOUT THAT APPLICATION.
WE SENT HER THOSE APPLICATION MATERIALS AHEAD OF THE MEETING.
SO THAT'S ALSO AN OPTION IF YOU'RE CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT THE APPLICANT USED TO APPLY FOR THAT COA.
I'M HAPPY TO SEND THOSE OUT BEFORE THE MEETING AS WELL.
AND IF IT'S NOT TOO MUCH EXTRA TROUBLE AND YOU CAN JUST AUTOMATICALLY INCLUDE THEM, THEN IT ELIMINATES HAVING TO HAVE ANOTHER BACK-AND-FORTH ASKING FOR STUFF.
AND IF I SEE, WHEN I'M BUILDING THE AGENDA, A COA THAT HAS KIND OF AN AMBIGUOUS TITLE LINE, I CAN GO AHEAD AND INCLUDE THAT.
IF IT'S LIKE REPAINTING AND THEY HAVE THEIR PAINT SWATCHES RIGHT AT THE TOP, I THINK THAT'S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
BUT IF SOMETHING'S LIKE SEA DETAILS, I CAN DEFINITELY INCLUDE THOSE APPLICATION MATERIALS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THAT TOPIC? GO AHEAD.
OUR NEXT ITEM UNDER STAFF REPORT IS AN UPDATE ON THE DOWNTOWN AND OLD TOWN DESIGN GUIDELINES UPDATE.
ON THE SLIDE, I HAVE THE COVER PAGES FOR BOTH OF THOSE THAT ARE GOING THROUGH THE UPDATE PROCESS.
STARTING WITH THE HISTORIC DOWNTOWN DESIGN GUIDELINES, WE HAD A MEETING WITH MARQUIS LATIMER AND HOLBECK ON JANUARY 4TH.
AND WE SAW THEIR EDITS TO THE DESIGN GUIDELINES.
THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN 75% COMPLETE, I WOULD SAY.
AND THEY'VE ADDRESSED EVERY COMMENT THAT THE BOARD HAD.
IN THIS MEETING, WE JUST KIND OF CLARIFIED A FEW THINGS.
WE HAD SOME EDITS THAT HAVE EVOLVED THROUGH MY DISCUSSIONS WITH THE BOARD THAT WE WANTED TO GET NAILED DOWN.
SO WE'RE LOOKING TO BRING A DRAFT OF THAT DESIGN GUIDELINES TO THE BOARD IN APRIL.
OUR MARCH MEETING IS VERY, IT'S QUITE HEAVY.
SO WE DON'T WANT TO BRING THIS DOCUMENT AT A HEAVY MEETING SO YOU GUYS CAN HAVE THE SPACE AND TIME TO REALLY LOOK THROUGH IT AND DISCUSS IT.
AFTER THE DRAFT IS BROUGHT TO THE BOARD, WE HAVE IN OUR CONTRACT WITH THE CONSULTANT TO HAVE ONE MORE ROUND OF FINAL KIND OF TYING UP LOOSE ENDS.
AND THEN HOPEFULLY WE CAN BRING IT TO THE BOARD TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO THE CITY COMMISSION.
AND PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST, THE THING I'M MOST PROUD OF IN THERE IS I WORKED WITH MEMBER PIZZETTA ON GETTING LOCALLY DRAWN BUILDINGS.
SO THIS WASN'T DONATED BY AN ARCHITECT, BUT WE HAVE THE DRAWING OF THE POST OFFICE IN THERE FOR MEDITERRANEAN INFLUENCE.
WE HAD, I'D LIKE TO THANK MIRANDA ARCHITECTS, KOTTNER ARCHITECTS, AND JANE PIZZETTA ARCHITECTS FOR DONATING SOME LOCALLY DRAWN ARCHITECTURAL ELEVATIONS.
AND WE HAVE THOSE IN LINE WITH, THEY'RE KIND OF RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER WITH THE FLORIDA STATE MODEL GUIDELINES.
THAT WAS THE COMPROMISE THAT WAS AGREED ON WITH THE CONSULTANT AS THEY BELIEVE THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE MODEL GUIDELINES IN THERE AS WELL.
SO WE HAVE A LOCAL EXAMPLE AND THEN THE STATE STANDARD.
FOR THE OLD TOWN DEVELOPMENT AND PRESERVATION GUIDELINES, MCKENNA AND I HAVE, WE'RE AN INDESIGN.
AND WE ARE COMBINING, MERGING THE 2013 GUIDELINES AND THE 2021 GUIDELINES TO MATCH KIND OF THE TEXT THAT WE'VE DRAFTED AND THE KIND OF PAGE BY PAGE BREAKDOWN OF EACH OF THE GUIDELINES.
PROGRESS IS BEING MADE, BUT THIS IS ALSO A HEAVY LIFT IN OUR DEPARTMENT.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT DESIGN GUIDELINES, UPDATES? ANY QUESTIONS? GREAT JOB.
LAST ITEM ON STAFF REPORT, I'M GONNA INVITE MCKENNA TORMEY, PLANNING TECHNICIAN, TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE PECK HIGH SCHOOL NATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATION.
WHERE WERE YOU? I'LL JUST SIT FROM HERE INSTEAD OF GOING ALL THE WAY OVER THERE.
YEAH, JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE STATUS OF THE PECK HIGH SCHOOL NATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATION.
WE'VE MADE MEANINGFUL HEADWAY IN THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS AND HAVE GAINED CLEAR INSIGHT INTO THE REMAINING STEPS NEEDED TO MOVE FORWARD.
AS THE BOARD IS AWARE, STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING TO SECURE A QUALIFIED SURVEY FIRM TO BEGIN PHASE TWO OF THIS PROJECT.
THIS PHASE WILL INVOLVE DOCUMENTING NON-HISTORIC ALTERATIONS AND CHANGES TO THE BUILDING OVER TIME, INCLUDING SOME MODIFICATIONS THAT WERE NOT FULLY RECORDED HISTORICALLY.
BECAUSE OF THIS, WE ARE INTENDING TO REQUEST THAT THE FLORIDA DIVISION OF HISTORICAL RESOURCES CONSIDER THE REALITIES OF INCOMPLETE HISTORIC DOCUMENTATION WHEN REVIEWING THE FINAL SUBMISSION.
IN ADDITION TO THE BIOGRAPHICAL CLARIFICATION RELATED TO DR.
PECK THAT I'LL DISCUSS MOMENTARILY, THE DIVISION ALSO PROVIDED COMMENTS FOCUSED ON THE SEVEN ASPECTS OF INTEGRITY, INCLUDING SETTING, LOCATION, MATERIALS, DESIGN, WORKMANSHIP, FEELING, AND ASSOCIATION.
STAFF WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT THESE TOPICS HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED IN PREVIOUS NOMINATION EFFORTS.
HOWEVER, WE INTEND TO PROVIDE THEM AGAIN
[00:40:01]
IN FORTHCOMING APPLICATION WITH ADDITIONAL CLARIFICATION WHERE APPROPRIATE.BASED ON OUR EVALUATION TO DATE, THE BUILDING REMAINS SUFFICIENT IN INTEGRITY TO CONVEY ITS HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE.
WHILE CHANGES HAVE OCCURRED OVER TIME, THE DEFINING FORM AND ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER ASSOCIATED WITH ITS FUNCTION AS A ROSENWALD SCHOOL REMAINS RECOGNIZABLE, AND THE PROPERTY CONTINUES TO MAINTAIN STRONG ASSOCIATIONS WITH BOTH THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY AND THE LEGACY OF DR. PECK.
PHASE TWO OF THE DOCUMENTATION WILL FURTHER SUPPORT AND ORGANIZE THIS INFORMATION IN A CONSISTENT FORMAT WITH STATE REVIEW EXPECTATIONS.
COUNCIL MEMBERS ALSO KNOW THAT THIS REPRESENTS THE FOURTH NOMINATION IN APPROXIMATELY THE PAST TWO DECADES.
ONE OF THE MOST CONSISTENT PIECES OF FEEDBACK THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM STATE REVIEWERS RELATES TO STRENGTHENING THE NARRATIVE AROUND DR. PECK, SPECIFICALLY PROVIDING CLARITY ABOUT HIS CONNECTION TO THE SCHOOL AND WHY THE INSTITUTION WAS NAMED AFTER HIM AND NO ONE ELSE.
THROUGH OUR RESEARCH, WE HAVE FOUND THAT WHILE ARCHIVAL RECORD OF DR. PECK'S PERSONAL BIOGRAPHY IS SOMEWHAT LIMITED, THERE IS SUBSTANTIAL COMMUNITY DOCUMENTATION THAT SPEAKS TO HIS INFLUENCE.
THESE SOURCES INDICATE THAT HE WAS NOT ONLY A PROMINENT ADVOCATE FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN EDUCATION, BUT ALSO PLAYED AN INSTRUMENTAL ROLE IN SUPPORTING THE SCHOOL'S STABILITY AND CONTINUITY EVEN AFTER ITS TECHNICAL PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE.
IN PRESERVATION PRACTICE, COMMUNITY MEMORY AND LIVED EXPERIENCE ARE RECOGNIZED AS LEGITIMATE FORMS OF HISTORICAL DOCUMENTATION, PARTICULARLY WHEN RECORDS ARE LIMITED.
THIS APPROACH ACKNOWLEDGES THAT INSTITUTIONS LIKE PECK HIGH SCHOOL WERE NOT ONLY PHYSICAL STRUCTURES, BUT ALSO A SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ANCHOR WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
IN THE CASE OF DR. PECK, WHILE TRADITIONAL WRITTEN RECORDS ABOUT HIS LIFE MAY BE SPARSE, THE CONSISTENCY OF COMMUNITY TESTIMONY PROVIDES MEANINGFUL HISTORICAL INSIGHT.
ALUMNI ACCOUNTS, LOCAL CORRESPONDENCE, AND INTERGENERATIONAL NARRATIVES COLLECTIVELY DEMONSTRATE HOW HE WAS PERCEIVED BY THOSE DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY HIS LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCACY.
BY INCORPORATING THESE VOICES INTO THE NOMINATION, WE ARE NOT REPLACING ARCHIVAL RESEARCH, BUT RATHER COMPLEMENTING IT, CREATING A MORE COMPLETE AND HISTORICALLY ACCURATE UNDERSTANDING OF HIS ROLE AND WHY THE SCHOOL BEARS HIS NAME.
ANOTHER MAJOR COMPONENT REQUESTED BY THE DIVISION OF HISTORICAL RESOURCES IS THAT THIS NOMINATION BE EVALUATED WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE STATEWIDE BLACK PUBLIC SCHOOLS MULTIPLE PROPERTY DOCUMENTATION FORM, YOU CAN SAY THAT 10 TIMES FAST, OR MPDF.
THIS DOCUMENT PREPARED IN 2003 BY HISTORIANS AND PRESERVATION PROFESSIONALS, AND IT WAS APPROVED BY THE NATIONAL REGISTER AS A FOUNDATION FOR EVALUATING HISTORIC AFRICAN AMERICAN SCHOOLS ACROSS FLORIDA.
IMPORTANTLY, PECK HIGH SCHOOL IS ALREADY REFERENCED IN THE MPDF CONTEXT, AND STAFF INTENDS TO RELY ON AND CITE RELEVANT PASSAGES FROM THAT DOCUMENT TO ESTABLISH A BROADER HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE, INCLUDING THEMES RELATED TO THE ROSENWALD PROGRAM, SEGREGATION, AND DESEGREGATION IN FLORIDA EDUCATION.
AT THIS STAGE, STAFF HAS COMPILED HUNDREDS OF SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS AND RESEARCH MATERIALS.
THE PRIMARY TASK REMAINING IS SYNTHESIZING THIS INFORMATION INTO A FORMAT THAT MEETS STATE REVIEWING EXPECTATIONS.
MUCH OF THE DELAY HAS RESULTED FROM RESPONDING TO ADDITIONAL REQUESTS FROM STATE STAFF, EVEN IN CASES WHERE SIMILAR INFORMATION HAD ALREADY BEEN AVAILABLE IN THEIR RECORDS.
MOVING FORWARD, COMPLETION OF THE NOMINATION WILL DEPEND LARGELY ON THE LEVEL OF DHR ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT.
IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THIS PROPERTY HAS ALREADY BEEN RECOGNIZED AS HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT AT BOTH THE LOCAL AND STATE LEVEL.
THAT RECOGNITION PROVIDES A STRONG ARGUMENT FOR THE NATIONAL REGISTER ELIGIBILITY, AND WE HOPE THAT DHR WILL TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT DURING OUR NEXT REVIEW.
WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO ADVANCING THIS NOMINATION, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP YOU ALL INFORMED AS WE GET CLOSE TO SUBMISSION.
DID YOU SAY THIS WILL BE THE FOURTH TIME IT'S BEEN NOMINATED? YES, MA'AM.
AND DO WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE HITTING IT OUT, YOU GUYS ARE HITTING IT OUT OF THE PARK THIS TIME? I MEAN, HAS IT...
I FULLY INTEND TO MAKE THINGS IN ALIGNMENT WITH STATE REVIEW.
IT HAS CHANGED, THE REQUIREMENTS HAVE CHANGED OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS, AND THE COMMENTS THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED BACK ARE MUCH DIFFERENT THAN THEY DID THE FIRST TIME.
I FEEL LIKE IT'S A MORE COMPREHENSIVE APPLICATION.
YEAH, THERE'S JUST MORE SUBSECTIONS THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR RELATING TO ITS SIGNIFICANCE, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE PLAYING INTO DR.
PECK'S BIOGRAPHY, THEY WANTED MORE ON HIM, MORE THAN THE FIRST TIME THAT WE HAD SUBMITTED THIS.
WHEN DO YOU FIND OUT? SO WE HAD JUST COMPLETED ANOTHER DRAFT OF IT.
YOU ALL HAD SEEN IT'S PRETTY SPARSE BECAUSE WE'RE STILL COMPILING ALL OF THIS INTO THAT FORMAT THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.
OUR GOAL IS FOR THE END OF THE YEAR BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO TAKE...
AS OF NOW, WE'RE STILL SECURING THAT SURVEY FOR THEM TO MAKE SURE WE'RE HITTING ALL OF THE MARKS ON WHAT THE STATE WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
I KNOW MS. SADLER AND I ARE TALKING IN THAT PHASE TWO THAT I HAD MENTIONED, KIND OF COLOR-CODING ALL OF THESE ALTERATIONS BECAUSE THAT'S ALSO
[00:45:01]
A BIG ASK OF THEIRS IS WANTING, LIKE I SAID, DOCUMENTED AND UNDOCUMENTED CHANGES, SO GOING BACK IN OUR RECORDS WITH MAINTENANCE AND, YEAH, COLOR-CODING THEIR ASSOCIATION TO THE BUILDING.AND I'LL JUST ADD THAT SOME OF THE PREVIOUS NOMINATIONS DID NOT INCLUDE CRITERION B, WHICH IS RELATED TO DR. PECK SPECIFICALLY, SO THAT WAS AN ASK OF THE DHR FOR US TO INCLUDE THAT DOCUMENTATION IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATION.
AND SOME OF THE OTHER PREVIOUS APPLICATIONS ONLY FOCUSED ON THE 1927 PORTION OF THE BUILDING, SO THE DHR IS ALSO ASKING US TO DO NARRATIVE DESCRIPTIONS FOR ALL THE SEGMENTS OF THE BUILDING, AND THAT'S PLAYING INTO THE NEED FOR THE SURVEY SINCE THERE HAS BEEN CHANGES SINCE EVEN 2016 WITH THE ADDITION OF THE TRACK AND THE PAVILION.
SO WE'RE NOMINATING BOTH OF THOSE PARCELS, SO WE NEED TO PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE NARRATIVE FOR EVERYTHING ON THE SITE, WHICH HAD NOT BEEN DONE IN THE PAST ATTEMPTS.
SO WHEN YOU SAY THAT YOUR GOAL IS THE END OF THE YEAR, IS THAT FOR THEIR RESPONSE OR FOR YOU TO BE DONE WITH WHAT YOU NEED TO BE DONE? FOR THEIR NEXT SET OF FEEDBACK.
BECAUSE I'M SURE WE'LL RECEIVE MORE COMMENTS.
I DIDN'T THINK THEY HAD ANYBODY LEFT IN THAT OFFICE.
SO YOU GUYS GET IT IN, AND THEN MAYBE WE'LL HEAR BACK.
YEAH, IT TYPICALLY TAKES THREE TO SIX MONTHS.
I THINK I WAITED FOUR MONTHS FOR MY LAST COMMENT.
I DO FEEL LIKE YOU'VE GOT GOOD MOMENTUM, AND NOT JUST ON THIS, BUT ON THE GUIDELINES AND ALL THAT STUFF.
WE HAVEN'T FELT THAT KIND OF ENERGY IN A WHILE, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE EFFORTS YOU GUYS ARE PUTTING FORWARD.
WE HAVE SOME REALLY FANTASTIC AND REMARKABLE HISTORIC PROPERTIES AND RESOURCES HERE, SO IT'S NOT HARD TO DO THAT.
THERE'S A LOT OF REALLY COOL PROPERTY AROUND HERE.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE UNAWARE OF SOME OF THE HISTORY, WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT I WAS SO INTERESTED IN HAVING THIS COMPLETED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER, BECAUSE EVEN THE PEOPLE WHO WERE IN PECK ALUMNI BELIEVED THAT IT ALREADY WAS, BECAUSE THERE'S A MARKER THERE.
BUT THEY DIDN'T REALIZE IT'S TWO SEPARATE THINGS.
SO THERE'S A LOT THAT I THINK THAT WE TAKE FOR GRANTED, BECAUSE WE HAVE ALL THIS HISTORY.
ONE MORE THING BEFORE I PASS IT OVER TO BOARD BUSINESS.
THE FERNANDINA BEACH MAIN STREET DESIGN COUNCIL IS STARTING THEIR PRESERVATION AWARD PROGRAM.
APPLICATIONS WILL BE OPEN THROUGH MARCH AND APRIL, AND I SIT IN WITH THAT GROUP, AND THEY ARE LOOKING FOR JUDGES, AND THEY ASKED THAT A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE HCC, IF ANYONE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN SERVING AS A JUDGE FOR THAT PROGRAM.
I HAVE KIND OF JUST A SUMMARY OF THAT AWARD PROGRAM HERE THAT WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT.
THERE'S A COUPLE DIFFERENT AWARDS AVAILABLE.
THEY HAVE COMMERCIAL RESTORATION, NEW CONSTRUCTION, RESIDENTIAL.
OH, THAT'S REALLY HARD TO SEE.
AND THEY HAVE THE HCC LISTED HERE, AND THAT'S SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
BUT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE HCC, FROM THE RESTORATION FOUNDATION, AND THE MUSEUM.
AND VERONICA WAS GOING TO BRING THIS UP TODAY.
SHE'S GOING TO BE WITH US, SO HERE I AM.
I THINK WE USUALLY STICK THAT ON THE PERSON WHO'S NOT HERE.
VERONICA IS ON THE MAIN STREET, SO SHE CAN BE THERE.
THEY ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO ME TO SEE IF I WOULD DO IT, AND I'D BE HAPPY TO DO IT IF NOBODY ELSE WANTS TO DO IT.
I KNOW YOU'VE GOT A HUGE FULL PLATE, BUT IF ANYBODY ELSE WANTS TO DO IT, THAT'S GREAT, BUT I'LL STEP UP IF THERE'S THE NEED.
[7. BOARD BUSINESS]
ALL RIGHTY.GLENN O'CROMOFF, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER.
SO I'LL UPDATE ON A COUPLE THINGS.
FIRST, WE'LL START WITH THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, AS WE HAVE NEWLY FORMED.
STARTING WITH PLANNING, WE ARE, AS YOU ALREADY RECOGNIZE TONIGHT, WE HAVE SOME MOMENTUM IN PLANNING.
WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK
[00:50:01]
FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT HOW WE'RE DOING, WHICH WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR, SO VERY HAPPY WITH OUR TEAM.OUR TEAM IS DOING FANTASTIC WORK.
WE ARE SEEING AN UPTICK IN APPLICATIONS.
TRC FIRST STEPS ARE REALLY STARTING TO EXPLODE.
ACTUALLY, IT'S A LITTLE EARLIER THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD HAPPEN, BUT IT'S COMING, AND SO THAT'S A POSITIVE FOR MOST.
I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF THAT'S BEING REDEVELOPED.
WE WILL CERTAINLY SEE A NUMBER OF REDEVELOPMENTS IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, I'M SURE, AS WELL, BASED ON WHAT WE'RE HEARING.
WE HAVE ON THE BUILDING SIDE, AND I SHOULD KIND OF THE WHOLE GROUP, WE'VE HAD TWO RETIREMENTS RECENTLY.
OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER RETIRED IN DECEMBER.
WE HAD OUR BUILDING INSPECTION COORDINATOR RETIRED LAST WEEK.
WE ALSO HAVE TWO OTHERS COMING UP, OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT DIRECTOR, AND KATHY RUSSELL, OUR CONSERVATION MANAGER, IS ALSO RETIRING BOTH AT THE END OF MARCH.
SO WE'RE WORKING ON REPLACING THEM.
WE HAVE REPLACED OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT DIRECTOR WITH A CODE ENFORCEMENT MANAGER, AND WE HAVE HIRED SOMEONE, AND THEY START MARCH 16TH.
SO WE'LL HAVE SOME OVERLAP, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT.
WE WILL BRING HIM TO INTRODUCE HIM WHEN HE GETS HERE.
SO ONE OF HIS FIRST MEETINGS, WE'LL BE INTRODUCING HIM TO ALL OF YOU.
SO THAT IS BASICALLY A BRAND-NEW TEAM.
EVERYBODY'S IN DIFFERENT POSITIONS, AND SO WE'RE KIND OF REFORMING THEM.
ON THE BUILDING SIDE, NEXT FRIDAY, THE 27TH, WE'RE HAVING WHAT WE'RE CALLING A BUILDER AND DEVELOPER FORUM, WHERE WE'RE JUST INVITING PEOPLE TO COME IN HERE AND JOIN US AND TALK TO US ABOUT HOW WE'RE DOING, HOW WE CAN IMPROVE.
WE'LL ALSO BE TALKING ABOUT OUR NEW PERMIT SYSTEM, WHICH IS CITYVIEW.
WE ARE STILL ON SCHEDULE RIGHT NOW TO GO ACTIVE ON MAY 11TH WITH THAT, AND THAT WILL DEFINITELY IMPACT OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE IN A POSITIVE WAY, INCLUDING A TON OF EFFICIENCIES FOR US.
IF YOU WEREN'T AWARE, THAT SYSTEM CRASHES MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY FOR EACH USER, AND THEY HAVE TO REENTER.
SO, OF COURSE, THAT'S A LACK OF EFFICIENCY, BUT ALSO A HIGH LEVEL OF FRUSTRATION FOR EVERYBODY.
AND IT'S NOT AS USUAL FRIENDLY AS CITYVIEW IS AS WE IMPLEMENT.
WE ARE IN VERIFICATION STAGE, SO WE'RE CHECKING IT OUT AND TRYING TO BREAK IT RIGHT NOW TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WORKS.
AND THEN PART OF THE NEXT PART OF THE PROCESS IS OUR USERS WHO USE OUR SYSTEM WE INTERACT WITH IN THE BUILDING COMMUNITY, WE'LL INVITE THEM TO COME TRY AND BREAK IT AFTER WE'VE TRIED.
AND THEN WE'LL GET TO GOING LIVE AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
WE'RE STILL WORKING ON WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WITH REPLACING KATHY.
WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF DISCUSSIONS.
THE COMMISSION WANTS A RESILIENCY OFFICER, AND SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DO WE COMBINE THOSE POSITIONS OR DO WE NOT.
HEAD COUNT IS A VERY IMPORTANT FACTOR FOR THE COMMUNITY, SO WE'RE VERY SENSITIVE TO THAT.
SO WE'RE STILL WORKING THAT OUT.
WE CANNOT REPLACE HER IN ONE PERSON, SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO GO ABOUT DOING THAT, BUT THE ENTIRE TEAM IS PART OF THAT PROCESS.
ON THE CAPITAL PROJECT SIDE, WE HAVE TWO HIGH-PROFILE PROJECTS THAT ARE OUT THERE.
ONE IS THE MLK BALL FIELD ENHANCEMENT PROJECT, AND WE ARE WORKING ON GETTING A DESIGNER IN PLACE TO DO THAT, AND WE'LL GET THAT RAMPED UP.
I THINK THAT WILL BE ABOUT A SIX-MONTH DESIGN BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY DONE SOME PRELIMINARY DESIGN WORK, AND THEN ONCE THAT DESIGN IS DONE, WE'LL BID AND GET THAT STARTED.
AND WE'VE WORKED REALLY CLOSELY WITH THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, AND WE NOW HAVE CONSENSUS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THE WAY WE'RE GOING IS WITH A TWO-FIELD CONFIGURATION.
EVERYONE SUPPORTS THAT, SO WE'RE MOVING FORWARD FULL SPEED WITH EVERYBODY ROWING IN THE SAME DIRECTION, WHICH IS REFRESHING.
THE YBOR-ALVAREZ BALLPARK AND SITUATION THAT'S ON THE PROPERTY IS OWNED BY THE AIRPORT IS NOT SO CLEAN, AND WE ARE GOING TO PRESENT
[00:55:02]
ON MARCH 3RD IN A WORKSHOP TO THE COMMISSION ALL THE OPTIONS WE'VE COME UP WITH AND A RANKING OF THOSE OPTIONS AS FAR AS DOLLARS AND SPEED OF IMPLEMENTATION, WHICH ARE ALL CONCERNS FOR THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY THE END USERS OF THAT SITE.YOU WILL HEAR ABOUT A COUPLE OF OTHER PROJECTS WE'VE GOT, YOUR MARCH MEETING THAT WE'VE GOT GOING ON, BUT I DID WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ON THE WATERFRONT PARK.
WE ARE 28 DAYS FROM SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION OR ELSE, AND SO WE'RE PUSHING REALLY HARD.
YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF ACTIVITY HAPPENING EVERY DAY OUT THERE NOW.
WOULD HAVE RATHER SEEN US BE ABLE TO STAGE THINGS BETTER, BUT WE HAVE SUBS WORKING ON TOP OF SUBS RIGHT NOW, BUT WE ARE MAKING REALLY GOOD PROGRESS, AND WE ARE LOOKING AT APRIL 11TH, WHICH IS A SATURDAY, DOING A GRAND OPENING CELEBRATION THERE, AND WE'RE PUSHING.
WE WILL MAKE THAT HAPPEN ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
THE COMMUNITY HAS WAITED A LONG TIME FOR THAT PROJECT TO BE DELIVERED, AND AS IT STARTS TO FORM AND AS YOU START TO LOOK AT IT, YOU CAN START TO SEE WHAT IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE, AND IT'S GOING TO BE AN EXCEPTIONAL SITE TO BE AT.
I THINK THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT I HAVE.
ANY QUESTIONS? DID YOU SAY IT'S THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, WHICH WE HAD YEARS AGO? YES.
IT'S BASICALLY REFORMING OF THAT, WORKING WITH ME AS THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER.
WILL IT BE SO THERE'S NO LONGER PLANNING AND CONSERVATION? NO.
THERE ARE DIVISIONS, SO IT'S PLANNING, CONSERVATION DIVISION, BUILDING DIVISION, AND CODE ENFORCEMENT DIVISION, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE PROJECT MANAGEMENT IN THAT RESOURCE AS WELL.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I HAVE ONE.
CAN YOU TELL ME HOW THE COMMISSION IS DEFINING RESILIENCY? YES.
WE HAVE A RESILIENCY PLAN THAT ACTUALLY HAS WON A COUPLE OF AWARDS, AND THAT IS FOCUSED ON FLOODING RESILIENCY.
SO, OF COURSE, WE'RE GOING TO EXPAND THAT, WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE TALK ABOUT PUTTING IT IN THE CONSERVATION REALM, BUT THE RESILIENCY PLAN HAS A LOT OF DELIVERABLES, AND THEY'RE SPREAD OUT THROUGHOUT ALL THE DEPARTMENTS, AND WE HAD A MEETING RECENTLY, WENT OVER IT, REASSIGNED A FEW BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T MAKE SENSE TO HOW WE'RE SET UP, AND THEN WE'RE CREATING SOME TIMELINES, AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS SOMEONE TO BE THE ADVOCATE FOR THAT PLAN TO START WITH, BUT THERE'S OTHER FACTORS THAT WILL FALL INTO THAT AS WELL.
IS SEAWALL PART OF THAT OVERALL PLAN? WHO'S THAT? SEAWALL? YEAH, IT'S GOT TO BE BECAUSE IT'S PART OF THE FLOODING, AND THAT IS IN THE PLAN.
THAT IS LISTED IN THE PLAN FOR SURE, AND TO HIGHLIGHT THAT IS ONE THING I DIDN'T MENTION THAT REMINDS ME OF IS WE HAVE A HARBOR MASTER PLAN THAT WE HAVE A CONSULTANT FOR.
WE'RE WORKING ON WORKING OUT THE CONTRACT DETAILS RIGHT NOW.
THAT FIRST PHASE IS WHAT IS WORKING WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS, A PROPERTY THAT WE DON'T OWN ON THE WATERFRONT.
WHEN YOU ADD THEM ALL UP, WE'RE THE BIGGEST PROPERTY OWNER ON THE WATERFRONT, WHICH IS HELPFUL IN THIS SITUATION, BUT ALL THE PROPERTY OWNERS WANT TO TALK ABOUT THEIR HOPES AND DREAMS FOR IT, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RESILIENCY WELL IS PART OF THEIR HOPES AND DREAMS, SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER TO DO THAT.
DO YOU ENVISION THE STANCE OR POSTURE TAKEN BY CODE ENFORCEMENT TO CHANGE FROM WHAT IT HAS BEEN? I DO.
I'M A BELIEVER IN OUR GOAL IS ALWAYS COMPLIANCE, NOT ENFORCEMENT.
SO WE WILL, AND I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN DONE A FEW OTHER TIMES IN THE CITY'S HISTORY, BUT WE WILL START FOCUSING ON WE'LL IDENTIFY WHAT THE TOP FIVE ISSUES ARE THAT WE DEAL WITH ON A REGULAR BASIS, TOP FIVE COMPLAINTS AND OR ISSUES, AND THEN WE'LL START AN AGGRESSIVE EDUCATION CAMPAIGN AND START EDUCATING THE GROUP.
[01:00:01]
PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT GOING TO COMPLY, AND THOSE ARE THE ONES WE WANT TO ENFORCE.BUT MOST OF THE TIME IN MY PAST WORKING IN THAT REALM, WHEN YOU EDUCATE AND YOU WORK WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE MORE LIKELY TO COMPLY, AND OUR ULTIMATE GOAL IS VOLUNTEER COMPLIANCE.
THAT'S THE FIRST WAVE OF EVERYTHING.
AND HAVING DONE THIS BEFORE IN TWO COMMUNITIES THAT HAD NO CODE ENFORCEMENT WHEN WE ARRIVED, WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE THAT WORK AND GET PEOPLE TO COMPLY AND HELP THEM UNDERSTAND WHY IT IMPACTS THEIR PROPERTY VALUES AND THE QUALITY OF THEIR COMMUNITY.
SO I'M CONFIDENT THAT THE MANAGER WE'VE HIRED, HE HAS THAT SAME PHILOSOPHY, SIMILAR PHILOSOPHY, AND I THINK IT'S JUST US GETTING A PLAN TOGETHER AND STARTING THAT IMPLEMENTATION.
CAN I ASK A SPECIFIC SINCE WE'RE ON THAT TOPIC? THIS IS SOMETHING I WANTED TO BRING UP FOR BOARD BUSINESS, BUT SINCE YOU ARE IN THE HOT SEAT AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CODE, THE COURT OPERATOR NONCOMPLIANT TENTS ARE STILL IN THERE, NONCOMPLIANT, UNAUTHORIZED SPOTS.
I MEAN, WE ALL KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
AT LAST WEEK'S OPA MEETING, AFTER THEY AGREED FOR THE SECOND TIME ON A DIFFERENT LOCATION, THE OPERATOR SAID, OH, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE WERE MISTAKEN.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO THERE ANYMORE.
THEY STILL HAVEN'T COME BACK TO TRC.
WHEN THEY CAME TO TRC, AT MY BEHEST, STANDING UP AT THAT MEETING SO MANY TIMES, THEY BROUGHT ALL THE OLD ENGINEERING PLANS.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE RIGHT WIND LOADS.
THEY REQUIRE FIRE SUPPRESSION.
WATCHING THE MILLS HOUSE BURN LAST WEEK, ALL I COULD THINK ABOUT WAS THAT TENT THAT IS 20 FEET FROM ANOTHER CAPTAIN'S HOUSE AND THE WHOLE TINDER BOX OF THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
SO MY QUESTION IS, WHEN DO WE START ENFORCING THEM? THEY'RE IN VIOLATION.
TWO AND A HALF YEARS, AND WE'RE NOT CHARGING THEM A PENNY.
WHY? SO HAVING -- I THINK ONE OF THE -- WE HAD A MEETING SCHEDULED, AND THEY CAME TO TRC, AND THEN THAT OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T WORK.
SO WITH ME BEING NEW TO THE ROLE, MS. PRINCE BEING NEW TO HERS, WE HAVE GOTTEN A HANDLE ON THAT, AND THAT IS ON THE SHORT LIST.
I DON'T -- I'M NOT A FAN OF DISHONESTY.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO TRY AND DO SOMETHING, WE WILL, ESPECIALLY IN CODE ENFORCEMENT, AS I JUST SAID, WE'RE GOING TO WORK WITH YOU TO TRY TO GET THINGS MOVING.
BUT THEY CAME TO TRC TO GET US TO BACK OFF.
WE DID BECAUSE, OKAY, YOU HAVE GOOD INTENTIONS, AND THAT HAS NOT WORKED.
SO WE HAD HAD SOME INTERNAL DISCUSSIONS OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS.
MS. PRINCE AND I HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT IT, BUT WE WILL BE IN OUR MONTHLY MEETING ABOUT WHAT WE DO NEXT AND WHAT THE NEXT STEPS ARE BECAUSE THAT'S -- THOSE THINGS CAN'T -- I MEAN, THE THING IS, YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT, BECAUSE THEY'RE EVEN GIVING OPA THE RUNAROUND.
AND JUST FYI, THEY HAVE PUT THE CAPTAIN'S HOUSE ON THE MARKET, THE ONE THAT SITS RIGHT ON TOP OF THE TENTS.
SO THEY ARE LEAVING THEIR OFFICES THERE.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GOING, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE OPERATOR, AND I JUST -- YOU KNOW, I WANT TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE THERE.
I WANT TO PROTECT OUR BUILDINGS THERE.
IT'S A VIOLATION OF THE CODE, AND THAT HAS BEEN MY MANTRA SINCE I'VE STARTED WORKING IN THIS IS THAT WE FOLLOW THE CODE AS IT'S WRITTEN.
AND THEY KEEP COMING UP WITH DIFFERENT EXCUSES.
AND JASON HIGGINBOTHAM, HE SAID IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THEIR WATER PRESSURE IS.
THESE NEED TO BE -- HAVE FIRE SUPPRESSION ON THEM.
SO, ANYWAY, THAT'S -- THANK YOU FOR THAT, AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE THIS PUBLIC AND GET IT OUT THERE AND GET SOMETHING HAPPENING.
AND NOW YOU HAVE A PUBLIC COMMITMENT FROM ME.
ANYTHING ELSE FOR GLENN? OKAY.
MIA, ARE YOU THE -- OR WHO'S GOING TO DO THE SUNSHINE LAW THING? IS THAT YOU, MS. PRATT? THAT'S GOING TO BE ME, MADAM CHAIR.
WAIT, ARE WE DONE WITH BOARD BUSINESS? I HAD TWO OTHER ITEMS. OH, SORRY.
[01:05:01]
NO.THIS IS JUST FOR THIS BOARD AND PERHAPS MIA, AND IT'S ALSO CODE STUFF, BUT I DON'T LIKE TO EVER PICK ON ANY SPECIFIC BUSINESSES, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE NEW BUSINESSES.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE A BUSINESS WITH 11 SIGNS ON 8TH STREET.
I WAS GETTING A TACO, AND I LOOKED ACROSS THE STREET, AND I THOUGHT, WHAT IS GOING ON? AND I TOOK A PICTURE.
THERE'S THEIR APPROVED BUILDING SIGN.
THERE'S A HALF A KAYAK WITH THEIR SIGN ON IT.
THERE'S A VINTAGE VOLKSWAGEN ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VOLKSWAGEN AND A KAYAK ON THE TOP.
THERE'S ANOTHER SIGN ON THEIR ENTRY.
THERE'S THE UNAPPROVED MURAL ON THE FRONT.
THERE'S ANOTHER MURAL ON THE WALL.
THAT'S NOT -- WELL, WHEN THERE WAS FOUR SIGNS, I HAD REACHED OUT TO THE PROPERTY OWNER SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE MURAL SINCE MURALS ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, AND THEN SINCE THEN, THERE HAS BEEN LEGAL DISCUSSIONS.
SO IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE AWARE OF, OR WHAT'S HAPPENING? I MEAN, PEOPLE ASK ME ALL THE TIME, LIKE, HOW COME THEY CAN HAVE ALL THESE SIGNS, AND WE CAN'T HAVE THESE SIGNS? THEY'RE NOT PERMITTED.
YES, AND WE -- SO WE -- LET ME GET -- I WASN'T PREPARED TO TALK ABOUT THIS.
I'M TRYING TO MAKE SURE I DON'T -- THEY HAVE STARTED CODE ENFORCEMENT.
THERE WERE SOME REPRESENTATIONS MADE, SO WE HELD IT IN ADVANCE.
I BELIEVE THIS IS THE PROPERTY WHERE THE OWNER IS AN ATTORNEY.
AND SHE'S REPRESENTING HERSELF, WHICH IS FINE.
AND SO WE DID SOME INVESTIGATIONS.
WE FOUND THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED TO SEND TO THAT OWNER, AND IT HAS BEEN IN MY OFFICE TO GET IT TO HER SO THAT WE CAN ENFORCE IT.
AND I DIDN'T KNOW IT HAD EXPANDED EVEN FURTHER, BUT YES.
WE GAVE HER 30 DAYS BACK, I BELIEVE, IN EARLY JANUARY, AND WE WERE GOING TO JUST KEEP CONTINUING HER UNTIL I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH HER.
WE DID HAVE AN INITIAL CONFERENCE CALL WITH HER, AND MICHELLE HOLSTROM TO GO OVER THE CODE MATTERS.
AND SO WE ARE WORKING ON ENFORCEMENT.
MAYBE YOU PROBABLY TOLD ME THAT, AND I'M JUST NOT REMEMBERING IT EXPANDED EVEN MORE.
BUT WE WILL DEFINITELY -- IT'S LIKE A SOURDOUGH STARTER.
IT'S IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
I THINK THE PARKING SIGNS ARE FINE.
I REALLY DON'T NOTICE THEM BECAUSE THE COLORS BLEND SO WELL.
THE THING THAT BUGS ME IS THE NON-PLUMBNESS OF THEM.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS KATHY'S DEPARTMENT OR WHAT, BUT IT'S IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THEY'RE LIKE THIS, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT A SIGN LIKE THIS.
I THINK SOME OF THEM, WELL, I'VE WALKED AROUND, AND I'VE SEEN THEM TOO.
THE SIDEWALKS ARE SLANTED SOMETIMES.
THAT'S WHY GOD CREATED SHIMS. I CAN PASS THIS ALONG TO KATIE, THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT MANAGER, AND OCTOBER MANAGEMENT, AND SEE IF WE CAN GET THOSE STRAIGHTENED OUT.
BUY THEM A LITTLE PACK OF SHIMS. THANK YOU.
IMPOSITE SHIMS. OKAY, I'M DONE.
WHILE I'M REMEMBERING THIS, MIA, YOU AND I HAD WALKED AROUND DOWNTOWN AND FOUND THOSE TWO SIGNS.
DID YOU GET ANYWHERE WITH THAT? NO.
WHAT TWO SIGNS? THERE'S ONE SIGN.
THE LIBRARY SIGN AND THE ONE THAT SAYS PARKING.
I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THE SIGN BEING THERE FOR THE LIBRARY, EVEN THOUGH IT'S ON THE POST SIGNS.
AND THERE'S ANOTHER PARKING SIGN ON FIFTH STREET, I THINK, POINTING TO A PLACE WHERE THERE IS NOT ANY PARKING.
SO THAT ABSOLUTELY WOULD SEEM TO HAVE TO COME DOWN.
I WILL TALK TO THE STREETS DEPARTMENT ABOUT THAT.
THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS MURALS ARE DEFINITELY ILLEGAL IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
YES, UNLESS THEY HAVE RECEIVED A VARIANCE OR THEIR LEGACY SIGNS, LIKE THE COCA-COLA ONES.
WE HAVE TWO THAT I'M QUESTIONING BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN THERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
AND WHEN WE MAKE EXCEPTIONS, BECAUSE NEITHER OF THESE, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, GOT A VARIANCE.
I COULD BE WRONG, BUT I DON'T THINK THEY DID.
AS LONG AS WE HAVE EXCEPTIONS, THEN YOU END UP WITH PEOPLE GROWING SIGNS INSTEAD OF MUSHROOMS AND MURALS.
[01:10:02]
SO I THINK WE NEED TO BE CONSISTENT AND FIGURE OUT WHETHER THOSE TWO ARE REALLY COMPLIANT OR NOT.THERE IS ONE ON SOUTH SIXTH STREET ON THE BACKSIDE.
I THINK IT'S TRAILER PARK ANTIQUES.
NO, IT'S ON THE BACKSIDE OF RHONDA'S.
THAT RECEIVED STAFF APPROVAL IN 2017.
AND I DID REACH OUT TO THE PROPERTY OWNER TO SEE ABOUT THIS.
AND I INFORMED HIM THAT MURALS WERE NOT PERMITTED IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
AND HE TOLD ME THAT THEY GOT A STATE WAY FOR IT IN 2017 THROUGH STAFF APPROVAL.
ANOTHER THING WE HAVE HISTORY TO THANK FOR.
AND THE ONE THAT'S ON 8TH STREET USED TO BE A BEAUTY SHOP JUST ACROSS FROM THE DRIVEWAY OF WHITE HOUSE ON 8TH STREET.
OH, THAT'S THE ONE THAT MEMBER KOSAK'S TALKING ABOUT WITH THE KAYAK.
SO THE BEAUTY SHOP USED TO HAVE A BUTTERFLY MURAL.
AND I'M NOT SURE HOW THE BUTTERFLY MURAL GOT THERE.
BUT THE PROPERTY OWNER IS SAYING THAT AT TRC, THEY WERE INFORMED THAT THEY COULD PAINT OVER THE MURAL.
AND THERE WEREN'T MINUTES TAKEN AT TRC.
SO THERE'S DISCUSSION ON IS PAINT OVER THE MURAL PAINTED BACK TO WHITE OR IS PAINT OVER THE MURAL YOU CAN HAVE A MURAL STILL PAINT OVER IT.
YOU KNOW, IT NEEDS TO BE SO SPECIFIC.
SO WE DO NEED, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO.
AND THAT'S HOW IT STARTED ME FOLLOWING UP WITH THE HOUSE BEHIND EIGHT FLAGS AND PEAKS AND THE OTHER PROPERTY ON 8TH STREET.
SO THESE TWO ARE THE ONES THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR A WHILE.
BUT I GUESS WHAT I WOULD REQUEST IS FROM A PROCESS PERSPECTIVE, THERE'S SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE CITY THAT TOUCH SOMEBODY COMING IN TO DO SOMETHING TO A BUILDING AT ANY GIVEN TIME.
ALL OF THOSE BODIES OR COMMITTEES NEED TO BE FULLY AWARE OF THE RULES.
SO FOR TRC NOT TO REALIZE THAT THEY HAVE TO SAY, NO, YOU CAN'T HAVE A MURAL.
I JUST WANTED TO ASK, HAVE WE HAD ANY KIND OF UPDATE ON THE STATUS OF STANDARD MARINE BUILDING? THE STANDARD MARINE, JOSE MIRANDA REACHED OUT TO ME TO CONFIRM THAT THEIR COA WAS STILL ACTIVE, AND IT IS.
AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS OF APPLYING FOR BUILDING PERMITS.
MY OTHER QUESTION WAS REGARDING THE UNFORTUNATE, THE ISOLA HOUSE ON 8TH STREET BURNING.
WILL THIS BOARD BE NOTIFIED IF THERE'S THE DECISION TO REMOVE THE HOUSE PRIOR TO THE HOUSE BEING REMOVED? THE HGC IS REQUIRED BY THE LDC TO APPROVE OR DENY ANY APPLICATIONS FOR DEMOLITION.
HAVE YOU HEARD BACK FROM THE INSPECTOR THAT YOU SENT THAT LETTER TO? NO.
EVERYTHING ELSE I KNOW IS JUST RUMORS.
I HAD THAT ON MY SHORT LIST, TOO, BECAUSE THAT IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT BUILDING.
YES, AND I'VE MADE THAT VERY CLEAR TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE ON SITE, TO THE STATE LEVEL INVESTIGATOR, TO UPPER MANAGEMENT.
EVERYONE KNOWS THAT IT'S A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE, THAT IT HAS RICH HISTORY, AND IT'S VERY UNIQUE IN ARCHITECTURAL STYLE.
YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY, THOSE PROJECTS, AND JIM, YOU GUYS PROBABLY KNOW THIS IF YOU'VE DONE ANY RESTORATION WORK, BUT SO OFTEN IT COMES DOWN TO THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER, AND THEY WILL SAY IT'S CHEAPER TO HOLD THOSE AND REBUILD THAN TO TRY TO RESTORE.
SO I THINK IN THAT, YOU KNOW, I WAS GLAD THAT YOU SPOKE WITH THE OWNER TO TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF IT AND SEE WHERE THEY STAND BECAUSE IT KIND OF NEEDS TO COME FROM THEM AND WORK WITH THE INSURANCE COMPANY TO SAVE THIS BUILDING BECAUSE OTHERWISE THEY'RE GOING TO WANT TO JUST TEAR IT DOWN.
ONE OTHER THING I WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP, TOO, WHICH I FIND INTERESTING, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT MINUSCULE ERASURES OF THE HISTORIC DISTRICT OVERSIGHT OR WHATEVER, AND I FOUND IT REALLY INTERESTING WHEN THEY WERE UP THERE CHOPPING THROUGH THE ROOF OF THE TOWER.
[01:15:01]
I WAS LOOKING AT THAT.I WAS LIKE, WHEN DID THEY RE-ROOF THAT BUILDING? YOU KNOW, YOU DRIVE BY IT ALL THE TIME.
YOU DON'T REALLY NOTICE IT, BUT I'M LOOKING AT IT, AND THEY RE-ROOFED IT, AND WHEN THEY RE-ROOFED IT, THEY REMOVED THE TRIANGULAR ARCHITECTURAL DETAIL THAT WAS ON THAT TURRET ROOF.
SO THOSE ARE THOSE LITTLE THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN EASILY OVER TIME, AND YOU DON'T REALLY PAY ATTENTION TO IT.
YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS MIGHT SAY, OKAY, YOU GOT APPROVED, AND YOU GOT THE ROOF UP THERE, AND IT'S DONE, BUT IT HAD A COOL THING UP THERE.
I'VE GOT THE OTHER PIECE IN MY GARAGE.
I'VE CLEANED IT, AND I'M SAVING IT FOR IF WE NEED TO HAVE A MOCK-UP MADE OR A MODEL OF IT.
BUT WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO, IF YOU NEED PEOPLE TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT THE RESTORATION OF IT OR GET A CREW OUT THERE, TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE, REALLY.
YEAH, BECAUSE THERE'S HOLES IN THE ROOF NOW, AND IT STARTS RAINING.
IF IT'S NOT PROTECTED, IT COULD BE GONE REALLY QUICK.
AND THEY DID SUCH A FABULOUS JOB OF WORKING ON THAT PROPERTY WHEN THEY MADE IT THE BUSINESS THAT IT IS.
THEY WERE CAUTIOUS, AND IT WAS WONDERFUL THE WAY THEY DID IT.
SO IT WOULD REALLY BE A SHAME IF WE CAN'T SALVAGE SOMETHING THERE.
BOTH OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE MY CONTACT INFORMATION, AND I'VE MADE MYSELF ABUNDANTLY AVAILABLE FOR THEM IN ANY ADVISORY OR HELPFUL ROLE THAT I CAN OFFER.
I MIGHT TAKE MS. SADLER'S SPOT.
TO DO THE PRESENTATION? MY COMPUTER DOESN'T WORK THAT.
IT GIVES ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE AROUND.
NOW, I DID SEE THAT THIS WAS IN YOUR PACKET, SO I WON'T BORE YOU WITH ALL THE DETAILS.
WE'LL GO THROUGH IT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
I KNOW YOU'VE HAD A LONG NIGHT.
AND WE DO HAVE OUR NEW BOARD MEMBER HERE, SO THE REASON WE'RE DOING THIS IS MY GOAL IS TO, AT THE BEGINNING OF EVERY YEAR, GO BACK THROUGH SUNSHINE LAW, PUBLIC RECORDS, IN CASE WE HAVE ANY NEW BOARD MEMBERS, AND THEN THE QUASI-JUDICIAL PROCEDURES.
OKAY, MIA, I MIGHT NEED HELP HERE.
SO FLORIDA GOVERNMENT AND THE SUNSHINE LAW PROVIDES THE RIGHT TO HAVE ACCESS TO GOVERNMENTAL PROCEEDINGS.
THE PUBLIC MUST BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, AS WE ARE HERE TODAY.
NOTICE MUST BE PROVIDED, AS WE HAVE DONE SO FOR TODAY, AND MINUTES MUST BE TAKEN, WHICH MCKENNA IS WORKING VERY DILIGENTLY ON, AND WE'RE ALSO RECORDING IT.
THE SOURCE OF THE SUNSHINE LAW, GOVERNMENT AND THE SUNSHINE, IS FOUND IN ARTICLE I, SECTION 24 OF THE CONSTITUTION, AND THEN IT IS CODIFIED IN CHAPTER 286.011.
IT DOES COVER THIS BOARD, SO COUNCIL BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, STATE AGENCIES, ELECTED OR APPOINTED BOARDS.
THIS IS AN APPOINTED BOARD, OBVIOUSLY.
WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE FIND INTERESTING IS IN ONE PERSON ACTING ON BEHALF OF A BOARD OR COMMISSION HAS TO OPERATE IN THE SUNSHINE.
SO IF A BOARD DELEGATES THEIR AUTHORITY TO ONE PERSON, THAT PERSON HAS TO ACT IN THE SUNSHINE.
A MEETING IS DEFINED IN THE STATUTE AS ANY TIME TWO OR MORE BOARD MEMBERS OR COMMITTEE MEMBERS TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
AND WHAT WE LIKE TO DO IS GIVE EXAMPLES.
IT'S NOT JUST TALK ABOUT, BUT COMMUNICATE REALLY SHOULD BE THE TERM, ABOUT ANY MATTER THAT COULD COME BEFORE YOU FOR A VOTE.
THAT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU'RE SENDING IT VIA COURIER PIGEON, IF YOU'RE DOING MORSE CODE, IF YOU'RE SENDING SMOKE SIGNALS, ANYTHING THAT WOULD COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR OTHER BOARD MEMBER ABOUT A MATTER COMING BEFORE YOU.
BUT OBVIOUSLY TEXTS, EMAILS, AND OBVIOUSLY PHONE CALLS, ANY HANDWRITTEN NOTES.
STAFF CANNOT BE USED AS A LIAISON, SO WE GIVE THE EXAMPLE OF CHAIR PHILCOFF.
IF MS. SADLER WAS SPEAKING WITH CHAIR PHILCOFF AND THEN SHE WAS TO CALL BOARD MEMBER PAZETTA, THEN SHE'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE, NONE OF US AS STAFF OR CHARTER OFFICERS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE RELAYING TO THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS WHAT WAS SAID BY THE ONE WE JUST TALKED TO.
AND YOU'RE NOT TO DESIGNATE US TO GO TELL THE OTHER ONE.
SO WE CAN'T BE USED AS LIAISONS.
YOU CAN GO HAVE A GOOD CUP OF COFFEE, BUT YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DISCUSS MATTERS THAT COULD COME BEFORE YOU.
THE NOTICE OF GATHERING WE ALSO TALK ABOUT BECAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS DONE
[01:20:02]
BY MANY COMMUNITIES IN ORDER TO LET THE COMMUNITY KNOW, YES, WE KNOW THERE'S MORE THAN ONE OF OUR COMMISSIONERS, ONE OF OUR HTC BOARD MEMBERS, ONE OF OUR BOA MEMBERS PRESENT AT A GATHERING.SO A TOWN HALL MEETING, WE WILL OFTEN PROVIDE A NOTICE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE AND WHERE WE GENERALLY POST NOTICES TO SAY, YES, WE UNDERSTAND THAT TWO OR MORE MEMBERS ARE IN ATTENDANCE.
THAT DOES NOT MEAN YOU CAN DISCUSS MATTERS TO BECOME BEFORE THE BOARD.
IT'S WHAT I CALL A LEGAL FICTION.
IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT COMMUNITIES HAVE CREATED TO MAKE THEIR CITIZENS AWARE THAT WE KNOW IT'S HAPPENING.
BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN DISCUSS BOARD BUSINESS.
IT'S NOT ANYTHING IN THE STATUTE OR REQUIRED BY STATUTE.
AND THAT'S WHAT THAT LAST BULLET IS.
IT DOES NOT MEAN YOU CAN DISCUSS TOPICS WHICH MAY COME BEFORE THE BOARD.
AND THAT, AGAIN, IS SIMPLY JUST IF YOU'RE IN ONE OF THESE TOWN HALLS OR YOU'RE ATTENDING A FUNCTION WHERE WE'RE GATHERING INFORMATION ABOUT MATTERS THAT WILL COME BEFORE YOU, YOU ARE ALLOWED TO SPEAK.
LIKE YOU COULD SAY, I THINK X, Y, Z.
BUT THEN IF ONE OF THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, LIKE MEMBER COSSACK WERE TO GET UP AND SPEAK, AND I WAS ALSO A BOARD MEMBER, I SHOULD NOT SAY, OH, I AGREE WITH MEMBER COSSACK AND MEMBER COSSACK.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD TWEAK YOUR THOUGHT THIS WAY OR THAT.
THAT'S WHERE, IN A NOTICE OF GATHERING, YOU'RE STEERING INTO VIOLATING THE SUNSHINE.
SO YOU ARE ALLOWED TO GIVE YOUR OPINION, BUT YOU'RE JUST NOT ALLOWED TO TALK TO ONE ANOTHER AND COMMENT ON WHAT WAS SAID.
AND, AGAIN, THE MEETING MUST BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AT ALL TIMES, SO WE CAN'T MAKE PEOPLE LEAVE BECAUSE WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING.
NON-DISRUPTIVE VIDEO AND AUDIO RECORDING IS PERMITTED.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MUST BE GIVEN A REASONABLE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD ON ANY PROPOSITION BEFORE THE BOARD.
SO, AS YOU KNOW, WE DO TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.
IN THIS SETTING, WITH OUR QUASI-JUDICIAL BOARDS, THE PUBLIC COMMENT HAS TO HAVE PERTINENCE TO THE APPLICATION, YOU KNOW, AS WE SAID IN THE QUASI-JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS, JUST GETTING UP FOR OR AGAINST.
THEY'RE ALLOWED TO GIVE THAT OPINION, BUT IT WOULD NOT BE EVIDENCE FOR YOU TO WEIGH.
AND WHERE WE POST OUR NOTICES, CITY HALL, PEC CENTER, UTILITIES BUILDING, AND THE REC CENTER, THEY'RE PHYSICALLY POSTED HERE RIGHT OUTSIDE THE STORE ON OUR CORKBOARD.
DO YOU STILL CALL THEM THAT? THAT'S WHAT I CALL THEM.
ONLINE CALENDAR, THERE'S A LINK TO THAT, AND THEN THERE'S A LINK TO THE AGENDAS.
AND THE NOTICES GIVE THE TIME AND THE PLACE OF THE MEETING AND THE GENERAL SUBJECT MATTER OF WHAT WE WILL BE DISCUSSING.
PENALTIES FOR OPEN MEETING VIOLATIONS FOR TAKING ACTION OR DISCUSSING MATTERS OUTSIDE OF THE SUNSHINE.
YOUR ACTION MAY BE VOID AB INITIO, IT'S JUST DECLARED BOARD BECAUSE YOU DID IT IN AN ILLEGAL PROCEDURE.
YOU COULD THEN CURE A SUNSHINE LAW VIOLATION.
YOU WOULD JUST HAVE TO HAVE A PUBLIC MEETING, PROPERLY RECREATE THE DISCUSSION, AND THEN RE-ADOPT THE MATTER.
YOU CAN BE TURNED IN FOR ETHICS VIOLATIONS.
THE STATE ATTORNEY CAN LOOK INTO MATTERS.
IT IS A SECONDARY MISDEMEANOR WITH A PUNISHMENT OF IMPRISONMENT UP TO 60 DAYS OR A $500 FINE.
SUSPENSION, REMOVAL FROM OFFICE BY THE GOVERNOR, FINES UP TO $500 IN REASONABLE ATTORNEY'S FEES IF IT DID GO TO COURT.
AND LET'S HOPE WE'RE NOT SCARING OFF YOUR NEW MEMBER WHO'S SITTING OVER HERE.
AND SO NOW WE'RE MOVING INTO THE OTHER SECTION WHERE WHEN WE CREATE DOCUMENTS, WE PASS NOTES, WE HAVE INFORMATION THAT WE USE FOR SOMEONE OTHER THAN OUR, JUST SOLELY FOR OUR OWN NOTES.
THAT IS ALSO IN THE CONSTITUTION, ARTICLE I, SECTION 24, AND IT'S CODIFIED IN CHAPTER 119 IN THE FLORIDA STATUTE.
IT APPLIES TO ALL UNITS OF GOVERNMENT, INCLUDING MUNICIPALITIES AND OUR BOARDS.
WHAT IS A PUBLIC RECORD? YOUR TEXT MESSAGE IS NOT ONLY AN ILLEGAL COMMUNICATION IF YOU'RE DOING IT WITH A BOARD MEMBER ABOUT MATTERS TO COME BEFORE YOU, BUT THEN IT ALSO BECOMES A RECORD.
SO YOUR TEXT MESSAGES, IF YOU TOOK PICTURES THAT YOU SHARED AT THE COMMISSION MEETING OR ENTERED INTO EVIDENCE, THAT BECOMES A RECORD.
AND THERE ARE A LOT OF ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINIONS.
IF I'M IN A MEETING AND I PASS A NOTE TO MS. SADLER, DO WE REMEMBER TO DO SOMETHING, THAT NOTE WOULD THEN BECOME A RECORD BECAUSE I'VE SHARED IT WITH ANOTHER PERSON IN THE MEETING.
AND YOU ARE REQUIRED AS BOARD MEMBERS TO KEEP TRACK OF THAT INFORMATION, KEEP TRACK OF YOUR E-MAILS, SO THAT IF WE HAVE A RECORDS REQUEST FOR ANY OF YOUR DOCUMENTS, WE WOULD SEND THAT REQUEST OUT
[01:25:01]
TO YOU, AND YOU WOULD EITHER RESPOND THAT YOU HAVE NOTHING TO REPORT OR THAT YOU HAVE SOME E-MAILS, AND WE COULD ASSIST YOU WITH THAT.AND I AM SO NEW, MS. SADLER, DO THEY HAVE HTC E-MAILS, OR DO YOU USE YOUR PERSONAL E-MAILS, OR DO YOU HAVE DESIGNATED E-MAILS? PERSONAL, OKAY.
RIGHT, SO THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO KEEP TRACK OF YOUR PERSONAL E-MAILS IN CASE WE EVER HAD ANY PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS.
HOW DID YOU GET THEM? WELL, NO, I MEAN, I SET UP A SET OF THEM.
YEAH, THE BOARD MEMBERS DO NOT HAVE THEIR OWN.
SO WHEN I WAS INSTRUCTED TO SET UP, LIKE, A SPECIAL, LIKE, I HAVE A TKFBSL.
YEAH, SO THAT WAY I HAVE ALL MY CITY STUFF THERE.
DO YOU HAVE A CITY E-MAIL ADDRESS, OR YOU JUST CREATED ONE? I JUST CREATED IT, SO, LIKE, MY PERSONAL STUFF I KEEP PERSONAL, AND THAT WAY IF I EVER NEED A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST, IT'S ALL IN THAT.
SO YOU CAN, AND I WOULD ADVISE THAT IF YOU'RE ON A BOARD AND THE BOARDS ARE NOT DESIGNATED CITY E-MAILS, THEN YOU WOULD JUST CREATE ANOTHER G-MAIL, ANOTHER WHATEVER YOUR USER IS, ANOTHER E-MAIL ACCOUNT SO YOU CAN KEEP TRACK OF WHAT'S SENT AND RECEIVED FOR PUBLIC RECORDS.
THE PUBLIC RECORD REQUESTS, I DON'T BELIEVE MANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS GET A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST DIRECTLY, BUT IF YOU DID, IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ASSIST THEM THE BEST YOU CAN.
THAT MAY SIMPLY BE, LET ME GET YOU TO THE APPROPRIATE PERSON.
YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO TELL THEM YOU MUST GO TALK TO THE CLERK.
BUT YOU CAN SAY, I MAY NOT BE THE BEST PERSON TO HELP YOU WITH THAT.
LET ME GET YOU THROUGH TO MS. SADLER, MS. MCKENNA.
YEAH, I'M PICKING ON EVERYBODY UP HERE, BUT, YOU KNOW, I CAN CERTAINLY GET YOU TO THE RIGHT PERSON TO HELP YOU WITH THAT REQUEST.
BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT, TECHNICALLY, THEY DO NOT HAVE TO GIVE ANY INFORMATION AS FAR AS PERSONAL INFORMATION.
SO SOMEONE, IT'S AN EASIER EXAMPLE, COULD WALK UP TO THE CLERK'S OFFICE UPSTAIRS AND SAY, HELLO, I WOULD LIKE THESE RECORDS.
IF POSSIBLE, CAN THEY BE READY TOMORROW AT 3 P.M.? THEY WOULD SAY YES.
I HAVE TO GIVE NO FURTHER INFORMATION.
AND THEN I CAN COME BACK THE NEXT DAY AND PICK THEM UP AND LEAVE.
SO THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED TO GIVE INFORMATION, BUT AS BOARD MEMBERS, IF SOMEBODY WAS TO ASK YOU FOR SOMETHING, IF THEY'RE NOT WILLING TO GIVE YOU ANY INFORMATION, THEN YOU REALLY CAN'T HELP THEM, BECAUSE YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET BACK IN TOUCH WITH THEM.
THAT'S WHY IT'S PROBABLY HELPFUL THAT YOU JUST REFER THEM TO THE APPROPRIATE STAFF PERSON AND HELP GET THEM TO THE APPROPRIATE PLACE.
WE USE JUSTFOIA, WHICH IS AN ONLINE RECORDS REQUEST SYSTEM.
YOU CAN GO ONLINE, YOU MAKE YOUR REQUEST, AND THEN IT GIVES YOU A NUMBER.
AND THEN IT NOTIFIES YOU WHEN YOUR REQUEST IS READY.
IT CAN BE PROVIDED TO YOU DIGITALLY.
SO THAT IS ONE OF THOSE SYSTEMS THAT WE USE.
AND IF SOMEONE CALLS OR COMES IN IN PERSON WITH A REQUEST, YOU FILL OUT THE FORM FOR THEM.
AND, AGAIN, THAT'S WHERE I THINK AS BOARD MEMBERS IT'S BEST TO JUST REFER THEM, SO THEY CAN GET THE BEST HELP AND SOMEONE CAN HELP THEM FILL IT OUT.
AND THIS IS, AGAIN, DO SAY HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE THE RECORD.
RESPOND TO THAT REQUEST PROMPTLY.
DON'T SAY YOU'VE GOT TO GO TO THE CLERK'S OFFICE, I NEED YOUR NAME AND NUMBER.
BUT IN THE DO SAY COLUMN, THAT'S WHERE YOU WOULD JUST SAY, PLEASE LET ME GET YOU TO THE RIGHT PERSON AND HELP YOU WITH THAT.
THEY MUST BE RESPONDED TO PROMPTLY.
AND, AGAIN, WE HAVE THE VIOLATIONS, FINES UP TO $500, SUSPENSION OR REMOVAL OR IMPEACHMENT, FIRST DEGREE MISDEMEANOR UP TO ONE YEAR IN PRISON AND $1,000 FINE.
AND THEN IN THIS INSTANCE, ANY PERSON WHO HAS THE RIGHT TO INSPECT A RECORD THAT HAS BEEN DENIED THAT RIGHT CAN BRING A CIVIL ACTION IN COURT.
SUMMARY PROCEEDINGS ARE LIMITED AND USUALLY HAVE TO BE HEARD BY A JUDGE WITHIN FIVE BUSINESS DAYS.
AND THEY'RE USUALLY LIMITED TO INJECTMENTS, GETTING SOMEBODY OUT OF YOUR HOUSE, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO THIS IS ONE OF THOSE SUMMARY PROCEEDINGS THAT TAKES PRIORITY OVER THE JUDGE'S OTHER CASES.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT PUBLIC MEETINGS AND PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS, YOU CAN TALK TO ME.
YOU CAN TALK TO MS. BEST IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE.
THE STATUTES ARE SEARCHABLE ONLINE.
WE DO HAVE GREAT ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINIONS THAT I CAN PROVIDE YOU IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, ESPECIALLY ABOUT TOWN HALLS AND PUBLIC GATHERINGS THAT ARE NOT ACTUAL MEETINGS.
I HAVE A PHYSICAL VERSION OF IT, BUT THERE IS A PDF VERSION ONLINE.
AND THEN THERE ARE SOME TRAINING RESOURCES.
YOU AS A BOARD ARE NOT REQUIRED TO DO THE FOUR HOURS LIKE THE CITY COMMISSION IS.
THEY ARE REQUIRED TO DO FOUR HOURS OF TRAINING.
[01:30:03]
AND I FIND THEM INTERESTING.BUT WE COULD FORWARD THOSE TO ANY BOARD MEMBER THAT WAS INTERESTED.
THEY'RE USUALLY HELD BY THE LEAGUE OF CITIES, AND AN ATTORNEY THAT'S VERY EXPERIENCED IN THIS AREA GIVES LOTS OF GREAT HYPOTHETICALS, AND THERE'S A QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION, AND OTHER BOARD MEMBERS LIKE YOURSELF ATTEND.
SO IT'S A GREAT LEARNING OPPORTUNITY IF YOU'RE INTERESTED.
I THINK THERE'S ONE NEXT WEDNESDAY.
BUT WITH THAT, ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY.
I KNOW YOU'RE AN EXPERIENCED BOARD, SO MOST OF YOU PROBABLY KNEW ALL THAT ALREADY.
BUT WE DID HAVE OUR ONE NEW MEMBER.
I'M KIND OF LOST ON THE BOARD MEMBER AND THE BOARD MEMBER.
SO I HEARD A LOT OF, HEY, CAN YOU GET BACK TO THE TLC FOR THAT OTHER BOARD AND THEN GET BACK TO US? SO ARE YOU USING THEM AS A CONDUIT? NO.
AND, MADAM CHAIR, DO YOU WANT HIM AT THE PODIUM FOR WEEKENDS SO WE CAN HEAR YOU? JUST SO WE CAN HEAR YOU ON THE RECORD.
YOU CAN'T USE STAFF AS A CONDUIT.
AND I KNOW I'M USING THE WRONG WORD.
AND I HEARD DURING OUR PROCEEDINGS TONIGHT, OH, WELL, MIA, OR IS SOMEONE GOING TO GET TO THAT OTHER GROUP OR BOARD OR COMMISSION AND THEN GET BACK TO US? SHOULD WE BE GOING DIRECT TO THAT OTHER BOARD OR COMMISSION, OR IS THAT CONDUIT ALLOWED? IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
IT'S NOT OUR BOARD TO BOARD, BUT IT'S ANOTHER BOARD.
AND THAT IS ONE EXCEPTION OR NOT AN EXCEPTION, BUT THAT IS ABSOLUTELY ALLOWED.
THIS BOARD CAN GO SPEAK WITH ANY COMMISSIONER ONE-ON-ONE AND NOT BE VIOLATING SUNSHINE BECAUSE THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT BOARDS.
THIS BOARD CAN ASK STAFF TO GO TALK TO THE COMMISSION BECAUSE THAT'S NOT A VIOLATION.
IT'S WITHIN THE SAME BOARD AND A MATTER COMING BEFORE THE BOARD.
SO IT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION AND PROBABLY SOMETHING WE SHOULD CLARIFY IN OUR PRESENTATION.
COMMISSIONERS CAN COME SIT THROUGH THESE PROCEEDINGS.
NOW, THEY GENERALLY DON'T TALK BECAUSE SOMETHING COULD COME TO THEM, NOT ALWAYS, BUT THE PIRATE STATUTE WILL BE GOING TO THEM.
AND THEN WITH THE QUASI-JUDICIAL, MADAM CHAIR, THIS BOARD HAS ANY MORE QUESTIONS ON SUNSHINE LAW? I HAVE BEEN TOLD A LONG TIME AGO, YOU KNOW, OCCASIONALLY US BOARD MEMBERS WILL GET E-MAILS FROM CITIZENS.
AND I CERTAINLY DON'T RESPOND TO THEM.
BECAUSE I FIGURE IF IT'S IMPORTANT, THEY'LL COME HERE DURING OUR OPEN SESSION AND WE'LL BRING IT UP THEN.
AND I'VE JUST KIND OF MAINTAINED THAT POLICY TO KIND OF AVOID GETTING IN A STICKY WICKET.
RIGHT, BECAUSE YOU'RE LEADING US INTO QUASI-JUDICIAL.
AND THE STICKY WICKET THAT I THINK YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS UNDER QUASI-JUDICIAL PROCEDURES, YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE EX PARTE COMMUNICATIONS UNLESS YOU DISCLOSE THEM.
SO IF AN E-MAIL CAME IN TO YOU AND YOU WERE TO RESPOND TO IT, YOU WOULD NEED TO DISCLOSE THAT.
SO THERE IS A RECORD EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVEN'T RESPONDED TO IT.
AND IF YOU DON'T RESPOND TO IT, YOU CAN STILL STATE, YOU KNOW, I RECEIVED SOME .
BUT THAT IS WHAT I THINK YOU WERE GETTING AT, IS THAT IS IN A QUASI-JUDICIAL HEARING, ANY EX PARTE COMMUNICATIONS HAVE TO BE DISCLOSED BEFORE VOTING.
SO IF YOU WERE TO RESPOND TO THEM, YOU WOULD DISCLOSE IT.
YOU CAN, IF YOU DID HAPPEN TO READ IT, YOU COULD FORWARD IT TO STAFF IF YOU THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING THEY NEEDED TO SEE, AND THEN YOU WOULD JUST DISCLOSE IT ON THE RECORD THAT YOU HAD THAT EX PARTE COMMUNICATION.
I THINK FOR CLARITY, TOO, SOMETIMES WE GET E-MAILS THAT AREN'T FROM AN APPLICANT.
SO TECHNICALLY IT WOULDN'T BE EX PARTE BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT A PERSON.
BUT OUT OF AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION, I THINK ALL OF US ALWAYS SAY, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE ALL RECEIVED OR MAY HAVE RECEIVED THIS E-MAIL.
IT COULD HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING AT OLD TOWN AND SOMEBODY OVER HERE. IT'S NOT THAT CASE. SO THAT TECHNICALLY ISN'T EX PARTE BECAUSE WE'RE NOT DEALING WITH THE APPLICANT. THAT'S RIGHT, RIGHT? NO. IF IT IS ON THAT CASE, ANY COMMUNICATION THAT YOU HAVE OUTSIDE OF THE APPLICANT OR STAFF WOULD BE EX PARTE. SO IF YOU HAVE A LOT OF CITIZENS AGAINST IT AND THEY'VE E-MAILED YOU, YOU WOULD SAY I RECEIVED A LOT OF E-MAILS. AND THE NATURE OF IT IS THEY WERE IN OPPOSITION OF THIS APPLICATION. BUT, YES, SO THAT'S STILL AN EX PARTE COMMUNICATION. YOU KNOW, AS IF THE JUDGE, IF IT'S ABOUT THAT APPLICATION, EVEN IF YOU WERE THE PLAINTIFF AND I WAS THE DEFENDANT AND THE JUDGE WENT AND TALKED TO SOMEBODY ELSE, YOU KNOW, ABOUT THE MATTER AND ALL THAT, AND THEN WAS COMING FORWARD
[01:35:01]
TO MAKE A DECISION, YOU WOULD WANT TO KNOW THAT.SO YOU JUST STILL WOULD DISCLOSE IT. SO CAN WE JUST SUMMARIZE THAT BY SAYING THAT WE SHOULD ERR ON THE SIDE OF CAUTION AND ALWAYS, YEAH.
ALWAYS. ALWAYS BRING IT FORWARD. AND, MADAM CHAIR, THE OTHER BOARDS DON'T HAVE AS COMPREHENSIVE OF GUIDELINES.
SO I HAVE BEEN DOING TRAINING.
BUT IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE, THIS BOARD ON PAGE SEVEN OF ITS GUIDELINES HAS QUASI-JUDICIAL DISCUSSIONS. AND THEN THERE'S AN ENTIRE APPENDIX C THAT HAS THE QUASI-JUDICIAL PROCEDURES FOR THIS BOARD WITH THE MANNER IN WHICH THEY WILL BE HELD, WHICH IS THE APPLICANT MAKES, OR THE STAFF MAKES A PRESENTATION. THE APPLICANT HAS TIME TO MAKE A PRESENTATION.
PEOPLE CAN CROSS-EXAMINE. THE BOARD CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS.
AND IT'S VERY WELL DETAILED IN HOW THEY WILL BE CONDUCTED IN APPENDIX C. SO IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT QUASI-JUDICIAL. SOME OF MY OTHER BOARDS, YOU KNOW, ONLY HAVE LIKE REZONINGS ARE THE ONLY THING THAT ARE QUASI-JUDICIAL AT PLANNING ADVISORY. ALL THEIR OTHERS ARE LEGISLATIVE. SO UNLIKE YOU AND THE BOA, WE'RE ALMOST EVERY SINGLE THING THAT COMES BEFORE YOU IS QUASI-JUDICIAL.
SO I THINK YOU'RE PROBABLY A LITTLE MORE EXPERIENCED WITH IT. AND THERE ARE REALLY GOOD GUIDELINES FOR YOUR NEW MEMBER. AND I'M SURE THEY'RE GIVEN COPIES OF THESE. I KEEP THEM IN MY HANDY LITTLE. I THINK HIS MEMBER BINDER IS RIGHT THERE.
I'LL PUT YOUR BINDER UP THERE.
WE'LL GIVE YOU A VISUAL. SO, YES. YOU'LL BE PLEASED. FOUR WEEKS. AND SO THAT'S ALL I HAD THIS EVENING. THANK YOU.
ANYTHING ELSE FROM BOARD MEMBERS? NOW WE'VE REACHED THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION OF THE MEETING. IF THERE'S ANYONE HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND HAVE TIME AT THE PODIUM ON SOMETHING WE'VE NOT TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT. SEEING NONE.
WE'RE ADJOURNED. THANK YOU ALL.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.