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THE JULY 27TH, 2026 MEETING OF THE CITY OF FERNANDINA BEACH WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER. 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.
BOARD SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL ROLL.
EVERYONE JOIN ME WELCOMING OUR NEWEST MEMBER, FREDERICK CATES. THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
I GO BY RICK, BUT IT'S ALL GOOD. I MEAN, THAT'S MY NAME. IT'S FREDERICK.
OKAY. GOOD TO HEAR YOUR INPUT ON THINGS.
OKAY. WE'VE GOT SOME SELF-NOMINATIONS UNLESS YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO NOMINATE YOU FOR VICE CHAIR POSITION.
TAKE A MOTION, VICE CHAIR POSITION.
WHEN SOMEONE'S NOT HERE, THEY GET NOMINATED.
OKAY, I WITHDRAW ALAN AND I VOTE FOR MIKE TOO.
[4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
EVERYONE HAS HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THE MINUTES FROM THE LAST MEETING ON JUNE 22ND.ANY COMMENTS ON THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES? IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.
[5. PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA]
ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT.ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISH TO SPEAK ON ITEMS NOT LISTED ON OUR AGENDA, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
[6.1 HARBOR MASTER PLAN ]
OKAY, MOVING ON TO NEW BUSINESS, HARBOR MASTER PLAN.WE'VE GOT REPRESENTATIVES IN PERSON AND ONLINE FROM MOFFETT AND NICOL WHO ARE WORKING ON THE HARBOR MASTER PLAN. WE ANSWERED THEIR QUESTIONNAIRE LAST MONTH, AND THEY ARE HERE TO UPDATE US.
MY NAME IS MARCEL DUPLANCHET. I LEAD MOFFETT NICHOL'S JACKSONVILLE OFFICE, LOCAL IN THE AREA.
BEFORE WE JUMP RIGHT INTO THE MASTER PLAN, I THOUGHT I WOULD JUST GIVE A VERY, VERY BRIEF KIND OF HISTORY AND BACKGROUND OF MOFFETT NICHOL AND KIND OF WHAT WE DO, JUST TO SET THE STAGE.
MOFFETT NICHOL IS A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED LEADER IN MARINE AND WATERFRONT ENGINEERING. FOR MORE THAN 80 YEARS, WE'VE HELPED CLIENTS PLAN, DESIGN, AND DELIVER RESILIENT MARITIME INFRASTRUCTURE BY BRINGING TOGETHER EXPERTISE IN COASTAL PLANNING, MARINE STRUCTURAL, CIVIL, AND COASTAL ENGINEERING. THE THING ABOUT MOFFETT NICHOL IS THAT WATERFRONT ISN'T A THING WE DO, IT'S ALL WE DO.
THAT IS WHAT WE'VE BUILT OUR REPUTATION ON. WE'VE GOT MORE THAN 1,200 PEOPLE ACROSS 67 OFFICES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, SO OUR TEAM COMBINES NATIONAL RESOURCES WITH LOCAL INSIGHT TO SOLVE COMPLEX WATERFRONT CHALLENGES.
WE'VE REALLY ENJOYED BEING A PART OF THE CITY OF FERNANDINA BEACH'S JOURNEY TO CONTINUE TO VISION WHAT THE FUTURE OF YOUR WATERFRONT CAN LOOK LIKE. SCOTT LEGAULT, WHO'S ON THE SCREEN HERE, IS THE DIRECTOR OF WATERFRONT PLANNING AT MOFFETT NICHOL, AND HE'LL WALK YOU THROUGH WHAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED THUS FAR AND WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED IN OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS ALONG THE WATERFRONT. SO SCOTT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU.
AND THEN I'LL KIND OF HELP FACILITATE QUESTIONS AND, AND JUMP IN AS NEEDED. IT'S ALL YOU, SCOTT.
GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. I'M SORRY, I COULDN'T BE IN YOUR COMMUNITY THIS EVENING, BUT I CERTAINLY HAVE ENJOYED MY PREVIOUS OCCASION AND LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THIS BOARD, WITH THE CITY, AND YOUR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT PLAN.
HOPEFULLY, I'M COMING THROUGH LOUD AND CLEAR.
CAN EVERYONE SEE MY SCREEN? YES, WE CAN SEE IT, SCOTT.
I'M GONNA JUST KIND OF RECAP. REALLY, THERE'S 5 MAIN THINGS TO SORT OF COVID THIS EVENING OVER THE NEXT 10 TO 15 MINUTES IN THIS WORK.
1 IS JUST TO START AND UPDATE YOU A LITTLE BIT
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ON THE PLANNING PROCESS AND WHAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED TO DATE. 2 IS TO KIND OF RELAY SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE COLLECTED. WHEN WE WERE ASKED BY THE CITY VERY EARLY ON, IT WAS CRITICAL AT THIS FIRST PHASE TO CONDUCT OUTREACH DIRECTLY WITH PROPERTY OWNERS, AND WE'LL RELAY SOME OF THE FEEDBACK ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.WE WOULD THEN ALSO LIKE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME PLANNING GUIDELINES AND THINGS THAT WE IDENTIFIED FROM OUR SITE ANALYSIS, FROM THE FEEDBACK RECEIVED BY THE PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN THE STUDY AREA, AND THEN MOVE TO YOUR QUESTIONNAIRE. AND WE'VE TAKEN YOUR RESPONSES AND SORT OF AGGREGATED THEM TOGETHER. I'D LOVE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION AND JUST SORT OF ADD TO, YOU KNOW, ANY FEEDBACK OR THOUGHTS ON EACH ONE OF THE QUESTIONS.
AND THEN I'LL CONCLUDE WITH KIND OF 2 MAIN THINGS, HOW THAT FEEDBACK HAS SORT OF SHARPENED OUR FOCUS ON SOME OF THE KEY TAKEAWAYS AND THINGS THAT WE'VE LEARNED THAT ARE GOING TO GUIDE THE ALTERNATIVES THAT WE'RE GENERATING, AND WHAT SOME OF THE NEXT STEPS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROCESS. AND JUST LIKE MARCEL, BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION, I AM A WATERFRONT PLANNER. I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR ABOUT 30 YEARS.
I'M ORIGINALLY FROM SARASOTA, FLORIDA, ALTHOUGH I LIVE CURRENTLY IN THE CAROLINAS TODAY. AND HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR WATERFRONTS AND COMMUNITIES AND OPERATORS, SMALL, MEDIUM, AND LARGE, REALLY ALL OVER THE WORLD, AND CERTAINLY ENJOY AND LOVE WHAT I DO.
ANOTHER COLLEAGUE OF MINE, DAYTON COLLINS, WHO IS HERE IN OUR CHARLOTTE STUDIO.
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA STUDIO HAS ALSO JOINED THE CALL.
HE'S A NATIVE FLORIDIAN AS WELL FROM TAMPA, FLORIDA, AND IS ACTIVELY WORKING ON THE ALTERNATIVES GENERATION AS WELL. SO WITH THAT, LET ME JUST DIVE IN AND I WILL ABSOLUTELY MAKE SURE WE TAKE A FEW PAUSES TO ALLOW THIS TO BE INTERACTIVE AND NOT THIS SORT OF ELONGATED PRESENTATION BY A CONSULTANT ON THE PHONE. SO FIRST, WHAT WE WERE ASKED TO DO UNDER OUR ON-CALL AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF FERNANDINA BEACH IS BASICALLY WHAT'S SHOWN ON THE SCREEN, IS TO UNDER PHASE 1 ESTABLISH A BASELINE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE GROUND FOR A STUDY AREA, WHICH I'LL SHOW YOU IN A MOMENT, BUT IT BASICALLY EXTENDS FROM THE PORT ALL THE WAY TO THE CITY'S MARINA DOCKS, AND LOOKING AT EACH ONE OF THOSE PARCELS JUST TO START TO UNDERSTAND WHAT SOME OF THE POSSIBILITIES ARE.
AND FROM THAT, AND THROUGH INTERACTION WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS, WITH THE CITY AND CITY DEPARTMENTS, AND WITH YOURSELVES, DEVELOP A PROGRAM AND PLANNING FRAMEWORK, WHICH OF COURSE WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT FRAMEWORK A LITTLE BIT TONIGHT, AND GENERATE A COUPLE OF ADDITIONAL WATERFRONT ALTERNATIVES THAT SORT OF GIVE AN EARLY LOOK AS TO WHAT IT COULD POSSIBLY BE, ESPECIALLY AS WE START TO MAXIMIZE THINGS LIKE COMMUNITY OPEN SPACE, WATERFRONT ACTIVATION, A MIX OF COMMERCIAL AND WORKING WATERFRONT ELEMENTS. AND OF COURSE, DOING THAT UNDERPINNED BY WHAT WOULD THE ACTUAL OWNERS OF THESE PROPERTY LIKE TO DO.
OF COURSE, ONE PROPERTY IS ALREADY, YOU KNOW, MOVING DOWN A PROCESS OF DEVELOPMENT, BUT OTHERS ARE SORT OF ON THE SIDELINES AND KIND OF LOOKING TO SEE HOW BEST THEY WOULD LIKE TO ENGAGE THEIR PRIVATE PROPERTY.
AND OF COURSE, THAT'S ALWAYS THE TRICK IN MASTER PLANNING WHEN YOU'RE DOING THAT FOR PRIVATE PROPERTY. WE HAVE ONE KEY SIGNATURE CITY PLOT IN THE MIDDLE, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO GIVE SOME GOOD GUIDANCE AND START TO SHAPE PERHAPS WHAT THESE INDIVIDUALS AND THESE PROPERTY OWNERS WOULD LIKE TO DO WITH THEIR PROPERTIES SO THAT IT HOLISTICALLY WORKS IN HARMONY WITH THE BALANCE OF THE WATERFRONT AND SORT OF THE COMMUNITY COMPONENTS AS WELL. ONCE WE COMPLETE THAT, AT THE CITY'S OPTION, WE WILL ENGAGE IN A 2ND PHASE.
THAT 2ND PHASE WILL EXPAND THE STUDY AREA AND LOOK MORE AT THE CITY DOCKS, THE CITY PARKING LOTS, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO ADDITIONAL PARCELS, WHICH I'LL SHOW YOU IN A MINUTE. AND IT WILL INCLUDE A MORE INVOLVED COMMUNITY OUTREACH ASPECT OF THE PLAN TO REALLY, AGAIN, TAKE THESE INITIAL WATERFRONTS, REFINE THEM, AND FINALIZE A WATERFRONT PLAN THAT KIND OF LOOKS AT BOTH OF THESE AREAS. AND OF COURSE, WHENEVER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PLANNING, YOU KNOW, IT HAS TO BE ACTIONABLE.
SO WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS THROUGH THE CRA, THROUGH INVESTMENT, THROUGH GRANT AVAILABILITY, THROUGH WORKING CLOSELY WITH PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS AND THE PUBLIC PARCELS THAT WE CONTROL? HOW DO WE GET TO ULTIMATELY THAT FOUNDATIONAL VISION THAT THE PLAN STARTS TO, OR SORT OF CERTAINLY ILLUSTRATES.
AND IN SOME CASES WE'LL TRY AND FUTURE-PROOF BECAUSE WE DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW EXACTLY HOW IT'S GOING TO COME ACROSS. SO, YOU KNOW, CAN WE PREPARE FOR A FUTURE WHERE MAYBE THERE'S A FEW
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DIFFERENT OPTIONS THAT WOULD BE EMBRACED? AND SO THAT WOULD KIND OF BOOKEND PHASE 1 AND PHASE 2 TO GET YOU ULTIMATELY TO THE FINAL WATERFRONT PLAN.SHOWN HERE ON THE SCREEN, THIS SLIDE, YOU CAN SEE OF COURSE YOUR COMMUNITY AND THE AREAS ALONG THE AMELIA RIVER THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. SHOWN IN THE RED IS THE PHASE 1 STUDY AREA, AND SHOWN IN THE PINK IS PHASE 2. AND I'LL JUST ZOOM IN REAL QUICK.
PHASE 1 IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. THE PROJECT BOUNDARY, INCLUDING WATER ALL THE WAY UP TO THE INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY, IS ABOUT 18.5 ACRES.
OF WHICH 5 OF THAT IS, OF COURSE, ABOVE THE WATERLINE. AND OF COURSE, IS WHERE WE WOULD DO A LOT OF OUR LANDSIDE DRAWINGS.
AND THEN HOW CAN WE ACTIVATE THAT AREA OF WATER THAT'S WITHIN THE PRIVATE PROPERTY PARCEL LINES THAT ARE DELINEATED ON THE MAP, AND ALSO PERHAPS AS THEY EXTEND TO THE INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY.
AND THEN PHASE 2 BOUNDARY, WHICH INCLUDES THE CITY AND THE COOK PROPERTIES AND OTHERS, IS ANOTHER 30 ACRES TOTAL, WHICH ABOUT 13 ACRES OF OF LANDSIDE IS AVAILABLE.
AND THESE WOULD BE THE 2 AREAS. ONCE YOU LOOK AT PHASE 1 AND PHASE 2, THIS WOULD BE THE TOTALITY OF THE AREA THAT'S REALLY SUBJECT TO THE PLAN IN TERMS OF DIRECT WORK.
NOW, OF COURSE, ADJACENCIES AND INFLUENCE AND HOW DO THESE REACT AND INTEGRATE WITH SURROUNDING LAND USE AND THE DOWNTOWN FABRIC, ALL OF THAT, OF COURSE, IS PART AND PARCEL WITH THE ASSIGNMENT AS WELL.
IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE DIVORCED FROM THE SURROUNDING COMPONENTS. BUT JUST TO SAY, WE FOCUS ON THESE AREAS AND LOOK AT HOW THEY SORT OF INTERRELATE WITH THE SURROUNDING LAND USES AND DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL.
HERE ARE THE 9 PARCELS THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT, STARTING WITH PARCEL 1, THE SIMMONS PROPERTY, WHICH MANY OF YOU OR ALL OF YOU KNOW IS GOING THROUGH AND HAS A CONCEPT THAT IS ADVANCING THROUGH THE HISTORIC REVIEW BOARDS AND OTHERS TO ADVANCE INTO A COMMERCIAL WITH IN-WATER ACTIVATION PROPERTY.
PARCEL 2 IS THAT SIGNATURE PARCEL THAT'S OWNED BY THE CITY AT THE END OF ALACHUA STREET. 3 THROUGH 5 INCLUDE THE GOODSELL PROPERTY, THE CAVANAUGH PROPERTY, AND THE LIEBMAN PROPERTY, ALL OF WHICH ARE REALLY, CERTAINLY NUMBER 3 AND 5, HEARKEN BACK TO SOME OF THE WORKING WATERFRONT SEAFOOD INDUSTRIES OF FERNANDINA PAST.
AND CERTAINLY HOLDS INTERESTING PROMISE. AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH EACH ONE OF THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS.
KIND OF AT THE HINGE POINT AT 5 IS WHERE WE TURN MORE INTO CURRENT WORKING WATERFRONT.
YOU HAVE EXACT INVESTMENTS AND A SMALL PARCEL AT NUMBER 6, HALL INVESTMENTS AT 7 WHERE THE FUEL FACILITIES ARE, THE PORT, OCEAN HIGHWAY PORT CONTROLS 8, AND THEN BEACON FISHERIES IN PARCEL 9. AND SO AGAIN, FROM NORTH FRONT STREET THESE 9 PARCELS ALL THE WAY OUT TO THE INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY IS THE STUDY AREA OF PHASE 1.
IMPORTANTLY, AMONGST ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS RESILIENCE AND ADAPTATION.
AND WE ARE WORKING WITH THE CITY, BOTH THE EXISTING PLANS, WHAT THE GOODSELL PROPERTY HAS PROPOSED, AND WHAT HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY DESIGNED FOR A PORTION OF THIS WATERFRONT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT JUST STUDYING HOW WE CAN ACTIVATE THE RECREATIONAL COMPONENTS, THE COMMERCIAL COMPONENTS, THE WORKING WATERFRONT COMPONENTS, THE IN-WATER ACTIVATION, BUT ALSO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CREATING A RESILIENT FRAMEWORK ALONG THE WATER'S EDGE TO PROTECT THESE PROPERTIES, BUT IMPORTANTLY PROTECT BEYOND THE RAILWAY AND THE CITY AT LARGE. AND WE'LL CONTINUE THROUGH OUR OPTIONS TO LOOK AT HOW WE EXTEND THIS RESILIENCY, WHETHER IT'S FIXED ENGINEERED STRUCTURE OR NATURAL ADAPTIVE RESPONSES ALL ALONG THE ENTIRETY OF THE PHASE 1 BOUNDARY OF THE PROPERTY. I'M GOING TO JUST GO THROUGH REAL QUICK ON SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED IN OUR INTERVIEWS FOR PARCEL BY PARCEL.
AND THEN I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF OUR PLANNING OBSERVATIONS, AND I'LL CERTAINLY THEN MAKE SURE WE TAKE A PAUSE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. AND THEN WE'LL JUMP INTO YOUR RESPONSES TO EACH OF THE 6 QUESTIONS THAT WE CIRCULATED ON THE 13TH. SO, WE MET WITH THE FOLKS WITH SIMMONS PROPERTY, AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, THERE IS A MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT THAT IS PROPOSED FOR THAT SITE THAT INCLUDES RESTAURANT, COMMERCIAL SHOPS, SOME AMOUNT OF PARKING, AND AN EXTENSION
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OF THE WATERFRONT PROMENADE WITH AN INTERNAL SORT OF CORRIDOR LINKING THE RESTAURANT TO EACH OF THE RETAIL AS YOU MOVE NORTH TO SOUTH.THERE IS ALSO AN INTENTION TO PROVIDE SOME TRANSIENT DOCKS AS WELL ON THE WATERSIDE OF THE PROPERTY. WE HAVE NOT SEEN ANY PLANS ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE, BUT IN OUR CONCEPTS, WE ARE ENVISIONING WHAT WE THINK SOME OF THE APPROACHES, GIVEN ACCESS TO THE CITY'S DOCK, GIVEN RIPARIAN RIGHTS, GIVEN WHAT ALSO THE ADJACENCY OF THE CITY PROPERTY, WHAT MIGHT MAKE SENSE.
BUT WE CERTAINLY KNOW BEYOND WHAT THEY PROPOSED ON THE LAND SIDE, WE'VE GOT A GENERAL INDICATION AND WE CERTAINLY HAVE SOME INSIGHTS AS TO WHAT'LL WORK BEST ON THE WATER'S EDGE TO ALLOW FOR TRANSIENT ACTIVATION.
AND IMPORTANTLY, IN OUR DISCUSSION WITH THE SIMMONS PROPERTY, THEY REALLY WANT TO MAKE THIS THE WELCOME CENTER FOR TRANSIENT BOATERS MOVING UP AND DOWN THE INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY. AND THAT IS, YOU KNOW, THAT SORT OF SENSE OF WELCOME THAT ABILITY TO HAVE THAT, THAT ACTIVITY ALONG THE OTHER KIND OF MIXED-USE COMMERCIAL THINGS IS SOMETHING THAT THEY FEEL REALLY DIFFERENTIATES THEIR DESIGN AND THEIR PROPOSAL. REALLY IMPORTANT HERE.
I KNOW THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT. HOW DO YOU INTERCONNECT THEIR RESILIENCY WALL APPROACH WITH WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN PLANNED BY THE CITY? AND THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A GAP THAT WE'RE WORKING TO SORT OF, AT LEAST AT A PLANNING LEVEL, RESOLVE, AS WELL AS THE INTERCONNECTIVITY OF THE WATERSIDE PROMENADE AND HOW THEIR PROPOSAL MIGHT WORK WITH SOME OF THE OTHER FUTURE PLANNING AS YOU MOVE NORTHWARD INTO THE CITY'S PROPERTY AT 2 AND ALL THE WAY UP TO THE LIEBMAN PROPERTY AT NUMBER AND AGAIN, IN OUR OPTIONS, THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE'RE STUDYING AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND. OF COURSE, WE MET WITH THE CITY. WE REALIZED THAT THIS IS, TO ME, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU CERTAINLY CONTROL THE DESTINY FOR MOVING FORWARD.
WE TALKED WITH THE CITY AND STAKEHOLDERS ABOUT A FISHING PIER, ABOUT A PUBLIC PARK AREA, ABOUT SOME ACTIVATED IN-WATER MARINA OR MARINE USES, AND OF COURSE ALLOWING THIS TO BE AN IMPORTANT MOVE FROM ALACHUA STREET UP ONTO THIS PARCEL AND TO THE WATERFRONT PROMENADE THAT IS ENVISIONED FOR THIS PORTION OF THE OVERALL WATERFRONT AS WELL. WE MET WITH MR. GUTZL AND WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT... IN FACT, I MET WITH MR. GOODSELL IN ATLANTA AS PART OF A TRIP DOWN THERE TO SAY HELLO. YOU KNOW, HE DOESN'T GET AROUND AS MUCH AS HE USED TO, BUT JUST AN INCREDIBLY CHARMING GUY. AND OF COURSE, MR. GOODSELL CONTROLLED PROPERTY ON THE CITY SIDE OF THE, OF THE RAILROAD TRACKS. AND WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT HE'S ENVISIONING FOR THE CITY SIDE PARCEL AS WELL AS WHAT HE IS THINKING ABOUT ON THE WATER SIDE.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU, MR. GOODSELL REALLY WANTS TO DO RIGHT BY THE COMMUNITY. HE'S GOT HIS EYES WIDE OPEN AND REALLY IS LOOKING TO DO SOMETHING THAT ESTABLISHES A LONG LEGACY FOR THIS PROPERTY. HE DOESN'T HAVE ANY PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS YET FOR NUMBER 3 AS TO HOW IT DEVELOPS.
I THINK HE'S REALLY KIND OF SORT OF ON THE SIDELINES A BIT JUST TO SEE WHAT THIS MASTER PLANNING EFFORT INITIALLY WILL YIELD, AND WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO KIND OF GETTING BACK TO HIM. BUT HE CERTAINLY SEES WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE SIMMONS PROPERTY, CERTAINLY LOOKS THAT TO MIXED-USE AND COMMERCIAL WITH IN-WATER ACTIVATION, ALL BEING PART OF HIS VISION FOR THE SITE. BUT AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, HE'S SORT OF RIGHT NOW SORT OF LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT SOME OF THESE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE SUGGESTED IN THE PLAN MIGHT HOLD.
WE ALSO MET WITH MR. KAVANAUGH, AND HE TOO IS SORT OF TAKING A LOOK TO SEE WHAT THE PLAN COMES UP. VERY ENGAGING.
ALSO WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN-WATER ACTIVATION, IS A BIG SUPPORTER OF MARINA, AND MARINE USES, RECOGNIZES THAT THERE'S A STORMWATER ELEMENT AS IT EXTENDS FROM THE TOWN TO HIS PROPERTY AND OUT INTO THE WATER THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE CONSTRUCTED AND REDONE AS PART OF ANY PLANNED CONCEPT, INCLUDING DEVELOPMENT OF A RESILIENCY WALL IN THAT AREA. AND AGAIN, IT'S SORT OF LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT THE OUTCOME OF THIS PLANNING EFFORT WOULD BE. BUT WE HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION WITH HIM AS WELL ON HIS PROPERTY WHILE WE WERE ON SITE.
MS. LIEBMAN, ALSO MET WITH HER WHEN SHE HAD FLOWN DOWN FROM LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK, AND WAS IN FERNANDINA BEACH AND HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION. IS PASSIONATE ABOUT HER BUILDING AND HER SITE.
WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT RESTORED. WOULD
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ALSO AND SORT OF APPRECIATES, I THINK, THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT IT WOULD TAKE TO SORT OF BRING THIS BUILDING INTO A LEVEL OF RESTORATION, I THINK, THAT REALLY SPEAKS TO BOTH THE HISTORY BUT ALSO THE FUTURE OF THE SITE.I THINK, AGAIN, SHE TOO IS LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE PLAN AND HAS BEEN WORKING ALONGSIDE THE PLANNING TEAM TO EXPLORE WHAT THE OPPORTUNITIES AND OPTIONS ARE. WHAT'S UNIQUE CERTAINLY ABOUT HER SITE IS THIS REALLY IS PROBABLY THE BEST MOST PRESERVED BUILDING THAT SORT OF SPEAKS TO THE MARITIME PATRIMONY OF THE WATER'S EDGE, BOTH IN TERMS OF MARINE BERTHING, OF THE SLIPWAY THAT'S LOCATED ON THE NORTH SIDE, AND THE 2 MAIN WORKING BUILDINGS.
WE'VE ALSO REACHED OUT TO A COUPLE OF THE PRESERVATION ARCHITECTS IN YOUR COMMUNITY AND THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, WHICH IS WORKING EXTENSIVELY ON HISTORIC PRESERVATION OF COMMUNITIES LIKE CEDAR KEY TO UNDERSTAND THE ABILITY TO TAKE A BUILDING LIKE THIS AND PICK IT UP AND MOVE IT OR ELEVATE IT OR REALLY GET IT OUT OF HARM'S WAY SO THAT IF WE SEEK TO PRESERVE IT, WE'RE ABLE TO DO SO THAT GIVES IT A, YOU KNOW, A LIFESPAN FOR MANY MORE YEARS INTO THE FUTURE.
GIVEN ITS CURRENT STATE, GIVEN ITS CURRENT LOCATION, GIVEN ISSUES OF SURGE, SEA LEVEL RISE, AND RESILIENCY. THE BUILDING IS CERTAINLY IN A, YOU KNOW, IN A MAYBE NOT TENUOUS POSITION, BUT CERTAINLY ONE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED, WHETHER WE KEEP IT IN SITE, OR IF WE PERHAPS ARE ABLE TO LIFT IT UP AND MOVE IT A LITTLE BIT BACK FURTHER ONTO THE PROPERTY AND RECONSTRUCT THE PIER. THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, NONE OF THESE ARE SET IN STONE.
ALL OF THESE ARE IDEAS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT AS A GROUP AND ALSO WITH MS. LEDMAN.
ABOUT THE FUTURE POTENTIAL FOR THE SITE AND YOU'LL HEAR ME REFER TO THAT SITE NUMBER 5 REALLY AS KIND OF THIS IMPORTANT HINGE POINT FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS.
ONE, CERTAINLY IT'S AT THIS POINT WHERE YOU START TO NOW TRANSITION FROM WHAT FEELS MORE LIKE COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITY AND AN EXTENSION OF THE CITY AND THE DOWNTOWN TO WHAT CURRENTLY IS MORE WORKING WATERFRONT, BOTH IN TERMS OF THESE PARCELS ADJACENCY TO NOT JUST THE RAILROAD BUT THE WAREHOUSES ACROSS THE STREET AND ADJACENCY TO THE PORT. AND ALSO BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF CROSS STREETS OVER THE RAILWAY IN THIS AREA AND OUR UNDERSTANDING IT THAT REALLY ALACHUA WAS PROBABLY THE LAST ONE THAT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GET. YOU REALLY START TO GET INTO A ZONE THAT IS NOT AS WELL EASILY ACTIVATED IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, DIRECT PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC MOVEMENT FROM THE TOWN INTO THE SURROUNDING WATERFRONT PARCELS.
UNFORTUNATELY, ON NUMBER 6, WE WORKED WITH THE CITY AND IT'S KIND OF A BIG QUESTION MARK. WE KNOW EXACT INVESTMENTS OWNS THE PROPERTY. THE CITY'S MULTIPLE TIMES REACHED OUT, TRIED TO GET IN TOUCH WITH, TRIED TO UNDERSTAND, BUT SO FAR IT'S BEEN RADIO SILENCE.
SO WE DON'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON INTENT. THE SITE IS IN VERY POOR CONDITION, AT LEAST THE LAND SIDE PORTION.
YOU KNOW, WE COULD CERTAINLY SAY THAT THERE ARE SOME ZONES THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER UNSAFE.
AND ONE OF THE BETTER OPPORTUNITIES IS, I THINK, TO AGGLOMERATE THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY EITHER WITH ACTIVITIES AT 5 OR ACTIVITIES WITH 7. ITS SIZE REALLY NOT LENDS ITSELF TO ANY KIND OF SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT.
IT'S VERY NARROW, HAS A VERY NARROW STRIP ALONG THE STREET.
AND AGAIN, WITH ITS CONDITION, IT'S CERTAINLY UNKNOWN AS TO WHAT WE COULD REALLY DO WITH IT. SO THAT REMAINS A QUESTION MARK IN TERMS OF OUR OUTREACH. HALL INVESTMENTS, WE HAD ALSO NO DIRECT INTERACTION WITH THE SITE OWNERS.
THEY DID NOT PICK UP A MEETING WITH US. WE UNDERSTAND THE SITE MIGHT BE AVAILABLE FOR SALE, AND WE CERTAINLY KNOW THAT AS A FUELING DOCK, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE MARINE ACTIVITIES ALONG THE WATER'S EDGE. AND AS WE DEVELOP CONCEPTS IN THE MORE WORKING WATERFRONT, WE CERTAINLY SEE THAT PRESERVATION OF THE FUELING ASPECT AND ALSO THE EXISTING BERTHING ALONG THE EDGE, BUT ALSO THE BERTHS EXTENDING OUT INTO THE WATER, ARE SOMETHING WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE KEPT AND ACTIVATED AND UTILIZED TO THE GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE.
WE DID TALK WITH A REPRESENTATIVE FROM OCEAN HIGHWAY AND PORT AUTHORITY. THEY ALSO ARE VERY INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS COME OUT OF THE PLAN. THEY'RE VERY FOCUSED ON THE PORT FOR FUNDING FOR RESILIENCE AND OTHER PROJECTS.
AND THE SITE'S CURRENTLY USED FOR SOME STAGING AND OVERFLOW ACTIVITIES. BUT OUR BELIEF IS THAT THEY'RE OPEN TO HEARING
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WHAT OTHER POSSIBILITIES THERE ARE. AND MAYBE USING THIS PARCEL TO LEVERAGE THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO GET ACCOMPLISHED AT THE PORT.AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, BEACON. AGAIN, THIS IS ANOTHER ONE THAT WE WERE NOT ABLE TO MEET WITH, ALTHOUGH WE DID ATTEMPT TO.
WE DO UNDERSTAND THE PARCEL HAS GONE UP RECENTLY, PERHAPS A MONTH AGO, UP FOR SALE FOR ABOUT $6 MILLION.
THE SITE INCLUDES THE SHED THAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN AS WELL AS A SMALLER BUILDING OFF TO THE NORTH THAT HAS A LITTLE BIT OF A HISTORIC FEEL TO IT.
SORT OF AGAIN, THIS SORT OF OLD WORKING WATERFRONT ALONG FERNANDINA BEACH. AND ONCE AGAIN, MUCH LIKE 8 AND 7 AND 6, WE CERTAINLY SEE A WORKING WATERFRONT FUTURE THAT COULD BE RELATED TO SEAFOOD INDUSTRIES, COULD BE RELATED TO MAINTENANCE, REPAIR, AND OVERHAUL ACTIVITIES, MRO ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED WITH BOATING.
OR OTHER TYPES OF THINGS AS WE START TO MOVE TOWARDS THE MORE WORKING WATERFRONT SIDE OF THE PROPERTY. I THINK FROM THOSE DISCUSSIONS AND FROM JUST OUR GENERAL OBSERVATIONS AND INITIAL INTERACTIONS WITH THE CITY, AND OF COURSE YOU'LL SEE LATER, I THINK SOME VALIDATION BY SOME OF YOUR FEEDBACK, THERE WERE REALLY 6 KIND OF KEY TAKEAWAYS THAT WE HAD, PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS THAT WE OFTEN REFER TO. THIS IS THE FRAMEWORK.
SO THE OPTIONS THAT WE DRAW REALLY START TO RELATE DIRECTLY TO SOME OF THESE KEY CONSIDERATIONS AND FRAMEWORK ITEMS. I KNOW IT'S A LOT OF TEXT, BUT LET ME JUST KIND OF READ THROUGH A COUPLE OF THESE QUICKLY. ONE IS THIS IDEA OF A SEAMLESS TRANSITION BETWEEN THE WORKING WATERFRONT AND THE COMMUNITY WATERFRONT.
WE DO THINK THERE IS A FUTURE FOR BOTH TO MOVE INTO IT'S ALL COMMERCIAL MIXED-USE RETAIL OR IT'S ALL WORKING WATERFRONT OR IT'S ALL PARKLAND. WE DON'T THINK ANY OF THOSE ARE REALLY TRUE SOLUTIONS FOR THIS AREA.
WE THINK THAT DIVERSITY AND BALANCE REALLY WILL ALLOW FOR THE BEST ULTIMATE SOLUTION IN PROVIDING DIFFERENT LOOKS FOR THE WATER'S EDGE, LOOKING AT THE PAST AND LOOKING AT THE FUTURE, CELEBRATING THE WORKING WATERFRONT HISTORY AND ALSO FUTURE COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES. AND ALSO BECAUSE THIS IS IN THE CRA, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THINGS THAT PROVIDE ECONOMIC VITALITY AND ACTIVATION, NOT JUST FOR THE RESIDENTS BUT ALSO FOR OUR ABILITY TO FUND THE FUTURE THAT WE WANT. AND WE HAVE THAT ABILITY THROUGH THE CRA SO THAT THOSE INCREMENTS IN TAXES ARE ABLE TO BE LEVERAGED FOR INVESTMENT IN THINGS LIKE RESILIENCY AND AIR, WATER, BOAT USES AND ALL OF THOSE OTHER THINGS.
WE CERTAINLY SEE THE MARINAS THAT EXIST TODAY BUT ALSO THE POTENTIAL OF THE FUTURE IS REALLY CRITICAL.
AND WE CERTAINLY FEEL THERE IS A FUTURE OF RECREATIONAL BOATING THAT MOVES JUST BEYOND WHAT YOU HAVE TODAY.
AND WE ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF WATERFRONT PROGRAMMING, BOATING, AND OTHER USES THAT ARE COMPLEMENTARY TO THE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE WORKING WATERFRONT COMPONENT AS WELL.
AND ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE, WE CERTAINLY NEED TO CONTINUE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THE ABSORPTION WILL BE, BECAUSE YOU'LL HAVE ALL SORTS OF COOL THINGS GOING ON IN TOWN AS WELL. SO WHILE WE'RE NOT DOING A COMMERCIAL MARKET STUDY, THIS IDEA THAT WE JUST GOT TO, YOU KNOW, JUST BUILD WHATEVER WE WANT OUT THERE AND NOT SORT OF THINK ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE REST OF THE CITY AND DEVELOPMENT, WE THINK WE WANT TO BE CAREFUL SO THAT WE DON'T SORT OF OVERBUILD. AND AGAIN, WE'RE NOT BEING PRESCRIPTIVE TO PRIVATE PROPERTY.
BUT WE ALSO DON'T WANT TO HAVE JUST A LOT MORE OF THE SAMENESS ALONG THE WATER'S EDGE BECAUSE THIS IS A REAL OPPORTUNITY TO DIFFERENTIATE, TO CONTINUE TO DIFFERENTIATE THE COMMUNITY OF FERNANDINA BEACH. YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE CRA AND THROUGH YOUR WORK AND EVEN YOUR RESPONSES THAT IT'S CRITICAL TO HAVE AN INTERLINKED ACCESSIBLE FRAMEWORK OF VIEWING, ACTIVITY, RECREATION THAT EMBODIES ITSELF ON A WATERFRONT PROMENADE, BUT ALSO WITH LANDWARD SIDE PEDESTRIAN SPINES. SO WE'VE GOT A VERY NARROW RIGHT-OF-WAY.
IF THERE'S WAYS THAT WE CAN CREATE EITHER THROUGH ONE-WAY OR WORKING WITH PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS TO GET A SIDEWALK AND A PLANTING STRIP, WE'D LIKE TO DO THAT. AS YOU SEE FROM THE SIMMONS, THEY ACTUALLY TAKE A DIFFERENT APPROACH. THEY'VE CREATED SORT OF AN INTERNAL SPINE AS A PART OPPOSED TO ONE THAT REALLY KIND OF WORKS ALONG THE LAND SIDE, THE FRONT STREET ROADWAY.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THROUGH THE WATERFRONT PLANNING THAT WE HAVE THIS WATERFRONT PROMENADE. AND HOWEVER, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH THE CENTER OR ALONG THE ROADWAY, THAT WE HAVE THAT SECONDARY ACCESS SPINE SO YOU CAN CREATE THIS LOOPING SET OF ACTIVITY AND MOVEMENT NORTH AND SOUTH ALONG THE WATER'S EDGE. AND OF COURSE, LINKING BACK TO THE CITY THROUGH ALACHUA AND THROUGH CENTER AND THE OTHER LINKING STREETS.
WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT RESILIENCY. YOU KNOW, WITHOUT QUESTION, THIS PLAN
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WILL FOLLOW AND NEEDS TO FOLLOW IN ALL THE GOOD WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE AT THE CITY PARK AND ELSEWHERE TO IMPLEMENT SHORELINE PROTECTION MEASURES THAT ENHANCE YOUR RESILIENCY AND ADAPTATION, BUT ALSO ENHANCE THE PUBLIC WATERFRONT EXPERIENCE AS WELL. WE CERTAINLY SEE AT THE CITY PARCEL AND ELSEWHERE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OPEN SPACE AND PARKS.BUT WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT BECAUSE OF THE REVENUE GENERATION ASPECTS OF THE CRA AND THE TIF DISTRICT, WE'RE ABLE TO LEVERAGE THOSE TO BE ABLE TO CREATE THE FUTURE THAT WE WANT AND FUND IT. AND ALSO, AGAIN, BEING RESPECTFUL TO PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS, YOU KNOW, WE REALIZE THAT MANY OF THESE PEOPLE WANT TO DEVELOP TO, YOU KNOW, PURELY A PARK AND OPEN SPACE PLAY. SO WE ARE ALSO WORKING TO FIND THE RIGHT BALANCE BETWEEN THE TWO OF THOSE THINGS.
AND THEN FINALLY, I KNOW I SORT OF TALKED A LITTLE ABOUT THE LIEBMAN PROPERTY, BUT THERE'S OTHER WAYS THAT WE CAN TELL GREAT STORIES ABOUT THE HISTORY, ABOUT ART, ABOUT STORYTELLING, ABOUT THE THINGS THAT ARE UNIQUELY DISTINCTIVE IN YOUR COMMUNITY. AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE LAMINATE THAT AND FIND ALL OF THOSE MOMENTS AS YOU APPROACH THE WATER, ON THE WATER'S EDGE, AND INTO THE WATER THAT REALLY ALLOW THAT TO CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
CLEARLY, THIS IS A MASTER PLAN.
THERE'LL BE LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE'LL WANT TO RECOMMEND AND CREATE SO THAT OTHERS CAN PURPOSELY TELL THOSE STORIES, THOSE INSTALLATIONS, THOSE OPPORTUNITIES. WE HOPE WE CREATE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES THERE'S OPPORTUNITY ZONES, SO FUTURE INVESTMENT CAN HAPPEN IN THAT AREA. SO, WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO PAUSE.
THE BALANCE OF THE DISCUSSION IS REALLY, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE FIRST ONE, THE QUESTIONS THAT WE ASKED, AND THEN SORT OF OUR...
FROM LOOKING AT ALL THE NOTES AND KIND OF FLOATING ALL TOGETHER, KIND OF OUR SYNOPSIS OF OUR TAKEAWAYS ON EACH ONE OF THE RESPONSES, JUST TO SORT OF PRESENT THOSE TO YOU AND GET ANY ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK. AND THEN TALK ABOUT HOW YOUR RESPONSES TOOK THOSE 6 BULLET POINTS WE HAD ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE AND EXPANDED ON THEM OR VALIDATED SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE SAYING. SO I'LL PAUSE FOR A MINUTE.
MARCEL, YOU'RE IN A BETTER POSITION THAN ME TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, HELP RECEIVE COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS, AND I'LL LET YOU KNOW IF THERE'S SOMETHING I CAN'T HEAR.
OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS FOR SCOTT? JUST A QUICK COMMENT.
I MIGHT HAVE ACCESS TO THE INFORMATION OF THAT 6TH PARCEL, THE OWNERS OF THAT ONE.
OOPS, I WAS JUST GONNA PUT THE MAP UP.
THAT'S TERRIFIC. SCOTT, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS YET. YOU WANT TO ROLL INTO...
YOU CAN'T SEE FROM HERE. AND I GOT THIS BLARING LIGHT RIGHT IN THE SUN.
IT'S RIGHT HERE. THAT YELLOW LINE, WAS THAT A RESILIENCY WALL OUT INTO THE WATER? THAT WAS THE ALIGNMENT OF THE KIMLEY-HORN-DESIGNED RESILIENCY WALL.
THAT'S WHAT THAT WAS DEPICTING, RIGHT, SCOTT? YES, THAT'S CORRECT. THAT'S WHAT'S IN A PREVIOUS CONCEPT, JUST TO SHOW THAT THE CITY HAS INVESTIGATED, YOU KNOW, PREVIOUSLY HOW IT WOULD EXTEND ALL THE WAY TO THE LIEBMAN PROPERTY.
BUT IT'S A CONCEPT, AND WE'LL CERTAINLY THROUGH THE PLAN BE LOOKING AT THE POSITIONING OF THIS AS TO WHETHER, YOU KNOW, THIS CONTINUES TO BE THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
OR IF PERHAPS WE NEED TO GO FURTHER OUT OR FURTHER BACK. AND YOU CAN SEE THE RED LINE IS WHERE IN THE SIMMONS PROPOSAL THEY BELIEVE THE BEST PLACE TO PUT THE RESILIENCY COMPONENTS ALONG THEIR WATERFRONT. SO YOU CAN SEE THEY'VE SORT OF STEPPED IT BACK A LITTLE BIT VERSUS WHERE THE KIMLEY-HORN PLAN HAS IT CURRENTLY SET.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? KEEP MOVING.
ALL RIGHT, SCOTT, I THINK WE CAN KEEP MOVING.
GREAT. I'M FROM HERE, BORN AND RAISED.
I GREW UP HERE ON THE RIVER MY WHOLE LIFE.
SIR, CAN YOU COME TO THE FRONT? I HAVE TO STEP UP HERE? YES, SIR.
I'M ON THIS RIVER EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE, AND I'M NOT BRINGING A PROBLEM OR A COMPLAINT, NOT AT ALL.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE'S A PLANNED CONTINGENCY TO TOTALLY RESTRUCTURE OUR OCEANFRONT AND OUR RIVER.
IN THIS STUDY, WHO HAS LIKE LOOKED AT EROSION COUNTS AND HOW THE PEOPLE THAT DID IT BEFORE US, THE PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY ENGINEERED THE WHOLE RIVERFRONT AND THE
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OCEANFRONT, THE JETTIES PER SE, THE ROCK COMING FROM THE PORT, TOWARDS THE SHRIMP INDUSTRY.ALL THIS STUFF, WHY DID IT NOT WORK BEFORE? AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO MAKE IT BETTER WITH JUST A WALL, BETTER THAN WHAT'S ALREADY THERE? AND THEN WE JUST WASTE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OUT THE DOOR, AND THEN WHO KNOWS WHERE THAT WENT BECAUSE WE STILL DON'T HAVE A BOAT RAMP 5 GRANTS LATER.
I MEAN, I'M SORRY TO BE THE ONE TO BRING IT UP, BUT SOMEBODY HAS TO, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? OKAY, REAL QUICK, FOR THE RECORD, WHAT IS YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS? OKAY, BOBBY HERNANDEZ.
OKAY. AND THEN I ACTUALLY LIVE ON A SAILBOAT RIGHT OUT THE FRONT, SO I KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
YEAH, AND I RENT FROM THE CITY DOCKS AS WELL. I SEE EVERY BIT OF THIS EROSION COMING IN AND OUT, AND I SEE EVERY BIT OF THE, WHAT'S IT CALLED? THE OCEAN, THE MARINE CORPS OF ENGINEERS AND THE GRANTS THAT GO INTO THIS EVERY YEAR, AND THEY BRING IN BULLDOZERS WITH THEIR BARGES AND THEY SHOOT THE MUD BACK OUT INTO THE RIVER RIGHT WHERE IT CAME IN FROM.
SUCH A POOR DESIGN, YOU KNOW. LOOK AT THE L-SHAPE OF THE DOCKS. THEN HOW ARE WE GOING TO MAKE THAT BETTER? BY JUST RIPPING DOWN BRETT'S AND THEN LIKE A COMPANY COMES IN AND PUTS A CONCRETE WALL.
REALLY WHAT I'D LIKE TO KNOW IS WHERE DID THAT LAST $3.5 MILLION GRANT GO AND ALL WE GOT WAS A GAZEBO AND HANDICAPPED RESTROOM? THESE ARE QUESTIONS AND SOMEBODY HAD TO SAY IT. I'M SORRY.
IT'S JUST REALLY BAD. SORRY TO BE THE ONE TO BRING UP THE TRUTH.
I TALKED TO THE ACTUAL ARCHITECT OF THE LAST PROJECT, BY THE WAY.
ALL RIGHT. I KNOW THAT WE ARE TALKING... I KNOW THAT EROSION IS DEFINITELY, SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY'S MONITORING.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE STUDYING IN ORDER TO DO THIS THIS WALL.
ALL RIGHT, DO YOU GUYS WANT TO PROCEED? YEP.
SCOTT, I THINK WE'RE READY TO SKIP AHEAD TO THE...
WE'LL PROCEED TO THE NEXT PART, MADAM CHAIR.
SO, WE ASKED OF THE WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD 6 QUESTIONS, AND WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE ALL OF THE FEEDBACK THAT CAME IN AS PART OF THAT QUESTIONNAIRE.
AND WE'VE SORT OF TAKEN IT AND SORT OF SUMMARIZED IT JUST TO, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT PUTTING NAMES ON IT AND WITHOUT KIND OF, YOU KNOW, HAVING IT BE, YOU KNOW, THE VERY DETAILED RESPONSES THAT EVERYBODY PROVIDED WAS TERRIFIC. AND WE TRIED TO DO OUR BEST TO SUMMARIZE IT. BUT JUST TO SAY THE THINGS THAT WE'RE HEARING FROM THIS GROUP, WHEN WE LOOK AT YOUR PERCEPTION OF THE COMMUNITY'S TOP 3 PRIORITIES.
MANY OF YOU TALKED ABOUT PUBLIC ACCESS AND VIEWS AND CONNECTIVITY TO PROTECT THE WORKING WATERFRONT, THE MARITIME IDENTITY, AND REALLY AUTHENTIC FLORIDA CHARACTER OF THIS AREA AND OF THE TOWN OR EXCUSE ME, OF THE CITY OF FERNANDINA BEACH. THERE WAS CERTAINLY SUPPORT FOR THOUGHTFUL PRIVATE REDEVELOPMENT THAT ACTIVATES UNDERUTILIZED PARCELS. THERE WAS A LOT OF YOU WHO ALSO WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF REALLY UTILIZING THIS AREA TO IMPROVE MARINA AND MARINE FUNCTIONS AND ACCESS AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE REALLY REQUIRED TO MAKE THAT WORK ON THE WATERSIDE, SUCH AS PARKING AND CIRCULATION AND LOADING AND UNLOADING, ETC.
SECURITY, ALL OF THESE PIECES, AND FLOOD RESILIENCE, OF COURSE, TOO.
AND AGAIN, BACK TO THIS IDEA THAT IMPROVING ACCESS VIEWS, PRESERVING THE SMALL-TOWN CHARACTER, AND AVOIDING OVER-COMMERCIALIZATION WERE ALL THEMES AND A SYNOPSIS OF THE RESPONSES THAT WERE PROVIDED UNDER THAT FIRST QUESTION.
ASKED THAT BECAUSE MUCH OF THE PLANNING AREA CONSISTS OF PRIVATE PROPERTY, HOW DO YOU AS BOARD MEMBERS FEEL THE CITY AND YOUR BOARD AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS SHOULD BE ENGAGED? AND OF COURSE, WE PRESENTED JUST SORT OF THE GENERAL RESULTS OF SORT OF OUR INITIAL OUTREACH TO THESE PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS, THOSE THAT WOULD SPEAK TO US OR WE WERE ABLE TO CONTACT.
AND AS MANY OF YOU SUGGESTED IN YOUR RESPONSES, NUMBER ONE, FIRST AND FOREMOST, TREAT THEM AS PARTNERS, NOT OBSTACLES. AND WE REALLY HAVE TAKEN THAT TO HEART EVEN FROM DAY ONE.
AND WHEN JAKE AND GLENN AND FOLKS AT THE CITY SORT OF ENGAGED US. SO THAT WAS REALLY, YOU KNOW, OBJECTIVE NUMBER ONE IS LET'S TALK TO THEM.
AND, YOU KNOW, EVEN SOME OF THE OTHER ONES LIKE MR. COOK, LET'S TALK TO THEM.
AND I WAS JUST REALLY ENJOYED INTERACTING WITH THEM.
AND FOR THE MOST PART, THEY ALL WANT TO DO RIGHT BY THE COMMUNITY AND HAVE ALL BEEN MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, MANY OF THEM FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. AND THEY SEE THIS AS A LEGACY-BUILDING OPPORTUNITY. AND WE WERE CERTAINLY GRATEFUL TO HAVE THOSE MEETINGS AND TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM THEM ABOUT THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE
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ABOUT THEIR PROPERTY.CERTAINLY WE'VE TALKED WITH THEM ABOUT THE CRA, WHAT THE CRA ALLOWS THEM TO DO, PERMITTING SUPPORT.
AND AS MR. SIMMONS IS GOING THROUGH SORT OF REVIEW OF PROPERTY, WE'VE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS AND WE CERTAINLY, WE WANT TO ALLOW THIS PLAN TO HELP THEM, NOT HINDER THEM, FROM DOING AND MAKING GOOD PRODUCTIVE INVESTMENTS ON THE WATER'S EDGE THAT ARE ALIGNED WITH COMMUNITY VALUES AND GOALS AND THE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING ON ADJACENT PROPERTIES.
AND WE TRY TO BE VERY TRANSPARENT WITH THEM ABOUT SOME OF THE OTHER ASPECTS ASSOCIATED WITH WHAT, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN OR MAYBE CANNOT DO.
WHAT DOES THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS AND FEMA FLOOD PLANNING AND OTHER TYPES OF THINGS THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO THEM SO THAT THEY BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO PUT THEIR WATERFRONT AND THEIR PROPERTY INTO MORE PRODUCTIVE USE IF THAT'S WHAT THEY CHOOSE TO DO. AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO BUILD TRUST WITH THEM.
AND THROUGH EVEN THIS EFFORT TO HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION JUST TO SAY, HEY, HERE'S THE INITIAL NOT FINAL, BUT THESE ARE INITIAL IDEAS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? DOES THIS MAKE SENSE? DOES THIS ALIGN WITH WHAT YOU'RE THINKING? YOU KNOW, AND CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT DIALOGUE AS, YOU KNOW, AS AN ONGOING WORKING GROUP.
WE ASKED WHAT LANDSIDE SERVICES, AMENITIES, OR FEATURES ARE CURRENTLY MISSING ALONG THE WATERFRONT.
AND YOU GAVE US SOME GREAT SUGGESTIONS ON THE LANDSIDE AND THE WATERSIDE.
CERTAINLY, AND I THINK JUST ABOUT EVERYBODY WAS SAID THAT THE COMMUNITY IS LOOKING FOR A CONTINUOUS WATERFRONT WALKWAY PROMENADE. AND AS PART OF THAT, TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S AMENITIZED IN A WAY THAT IS, YOU KNOW, ENCOURAGING USE, WHETHER IT'S SHADE, SEATING, SECURITY, WAYFINDING, ALL OF THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT ARE HALLMARKS OF GREAT WATERFRONT PROMENADES AND WALKWAYS.
ALONG THE WATER'S EDGE AND ALSO SECONDARY CONNECTIVE LINKS THAT GO FROM THE CITY TO THAT WATERFRONT PROMENADE AND OTHER PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION ON THE SITE. AND THEN IN TERMS OF USES, A WATERFRONT RESTAURANT, A MIX OF USES, AND MARINA, MARINE SUPPORTING COMMERCIAL USES WERE ALL THINGS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED.
ON THE WATERSIDE, FISHING PIER.
WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT BRINGING A FISHING PIER SOMEWHERE ONTO THE SITE. AND CLEARLY ONE OF THE BETTER OPPORTUNITIES IS ON PUBLICLY OWNED PROPERTY AT PARCEL 2 TO ENCOURAGE AND CREATE A FISHING PIER. AND THAT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO STUDY AS PART OF OUR DESIGN OPTIONS OR EXCUSE ME, MASTER PLANNING OPTIONS.
WE'VE TALKED WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS ABOUT CREATING BLUEWAY TYPE OF FACILITIES, YOU KNOW, THE WATERSIDE VERSION OF THE GREENWAY WHERE YOU CAN HAVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STAND-UP PADDLEBOARDING, PADDLE LAUNCH KAYAKING, AND BEING ABLE TO MOVE THROUGH SOME OF THE SURROUNDING WATERFRONT AREAS AND ENVIRONMENTAL AREAS OUT INTO THE BAY AND OUT INTO OR UP AND DOWN THE RIVER, EXCUSE ME.
AND YES, CAN WE EXPAND MARINA SLIPS? CAN WE EXPAND TRANSIENT DOCKAGE? CAN WE CREATE PLACES AND SPACES FOR BOATERS TO COME UP, TIE ALONGSIDE, AND UTILIZE SOME OF THE COMMERCIAL FEATURES THAT ARE AVAILABLE ON THE RENEWED WATER'S EDGE. AND TO PROVIDE ALL MEANS AND USERS OF WATERFRONT ACTIVATION WITH BETTER SERVICES, WHETHER THAT'S POWER, WATER, AND OTHER THINGS THAT YOU CAN SEE LISTED HERE.
AND TO DO IT IN A WAY THAT'S SAFE. AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT WITH THE PORT AS WELL AND THEIR ACTIVITIES. WHAT WOULD BE SOME OF THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT MOVING AND CREATING GREATER RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES, MARINE ACTIVITIES, WITH THE ONGOING WORKING WATERFRONT BUSINESSES AND THE PORT.
AND WE GLEANED LOTS OF DIFFERENT INSIGHTS AS TO HOW TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
AND CERTAINLY MAKING SURE THE WATERFRONT IS SAFE IS SOMETHING THAT MEMBERS OF YOUR BOARD AND RESPONDENTS WERE SUGGESTING IS IMPORTANT ON THE WATERSIDE AS WELL.
THIS WAS A QUESTION ABOUT FINDING THE RIGHT BALANCE.
WE KNOW, AND AS I'VE PRESENTED, THERE'S ALWAYS THIS SORT OF PUSH AND PULL OF PUBLIC PROPERTY AND PRIVATE PROPERTY, OF COMMERCIAL AND WORKING WATERFRONT, OF WHAT YOU CAN DO UNDER THE CRA, WHAT YOU SHOULD PRESERVE, WHAT YOU SHOULD DEVELOP, ETC. AND WE ASKED THE QUESTION, WHAT DO YOU THINK? WHAT SHOULD THIS PLAN AND THE CITY LOOK TO, TO TRY AND STRIKE THE RIGHT BALANCE.
AND THERE'S PROBABLY NO RIGHT ANSWER BECAUSE IT IS A CONTINUAL DISCUSSION AS TO HOW YOU MAKE THIS EVOLVE INTO, YOU KNOW, A CONTINUATION OF THIS GREAT EXTENSION OF
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THE CITY AND WHAT'S HAPPENING ALREADY TODAY IN THE CITY. A TERM I LOVED IS THIS IDEA OF USING A GRADUATED WATERFRONT APPROACH. YOU KNOW, MORE URBAN AND COMMERCIAL NEAR DOWNTOWN, AND THEN TRANSITIONING MORE TOWARDS WORKING WATERFRONT USES NEAR THE PORT.AND THAT IDEA OF THE HINGE OF MAYBE THE LIEBMAN PROPERTY BEING MAYBE ONE OF THOSE IMPORTANT PLACES WHERE YOU START TO HAVE AND MEET THE COMMERCIAL COMPONENTS WITH A HERITAGE PIECE IN THE MIDDLE WITH A WORKING WATERFRONT COMPONENT AS YOU MOVE TOWARDS THE PORT, TO ME FEELS LIKE A VERY STRONG, YOU KNOW, PLANNING APPROACH. BALANCING ACCESS WITH PRIVATE INVESTMENT.
BALANCING CURB CUTS AND STREET CIRCULATION WITH PEDESTRIAN MOVEMENTS, MAKING SURE WE PRESERVE VIEWS, ESPECIALLY WHERE THEY'RE THE MOST IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE OVERALL CONCEPT IN PHASE 1 AREA, MEANING AT STREET ENDS, AT THE WATER'S EDGE, THAT MASS AND DENSITY MEETS CRA REQUIREMENTS.
AND THAT WE CAN LOOK TO REALLY KEEP VIEW CORRIDORS OPEN AND ALLOW MARITIME FUNCTIONS TO BE COMPATIBLE WITH THOSE DEVELOPMENT OPTIONS. YOU ALSO TOLD US TO FOCUS PUBLIC SPACE ON ACTIVE FUNCTIONAL WATERFRONT USES, NOT JUST SORT OF PASSIVE OPEN SPACE, AND TO MAINTAIN TRANSPARENCY AND COMMUNITY BUY-IN BEFORE ADVANCING MAJOR PROJECTS.
AND CLEARLY THIS BOARD IS GOING TO HELP US DO THAT, AND I THINK IF WE MOVE FORWARD ONTO PHASE 2, THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSES FOR RESIDENCES AND BUSINESSES AT LARGE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROCESS, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WILL BE A HALLMARK OF THIS OVERALL PLANNING EFFORT TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
HISTORIC STRUCTURES AND CITY SYMBOLS. AND I KNOW I'VE SORT OF TALKED ABOUT A FEW OF THOSE KEY ONES ON THE WATER'S EDGE. AND JUST THE GENERAL SMALL TOWN CHARACTER.
THIS IS, YOU KNOW, REALLY SHOULD BE A CONTINUATION OF THE DOWNTOWN AND THE MIX OF, OF, YOU KNOW, RECREATION, RESIDENTIAL, MARITIME COMMUNITY USES, ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE MAKING YOUR TOWN GREAT AND HAVE THAT SMALL TOWN CHARACTER THAT IS UNIQUE TO ITSELF. AND THEN FINALLY, WHAT ELSE DO WE NEED TO KNOW? YOU CERTAINLY SUGGESTED THAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND PRIOR WATERFRONT PLANS AND WHY THEY WEREN'T IMPLEMENTED. AND JAKE AND GLENN AND THE TEAM HAVE REALLY AVAILED US OF SO MANY, SO MUCH WORK, HISTORIC PHOTOS AND SURVEYS AND PLANS AND OTHER THINGS THAT WE HAVE TAKEN A HARD LOOK AT AND REALLY TRIED TO ALLOW THAT TO BE SOMETHING THAT INFORMS SOME OF THE CONCEPTS THAT WE'RE DEVELOPING AND ALSO SOME OF THE PLANNING FRAMEWORK THAT I DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY.
YOU KNOW, WE, AS I STARTED TO SAY AT THE VERY BEGINNING, WE DON'T WANT THIS JUST TO BE ANOTHER PLAN. IT HAS TO BE ACTIONABLE. AND IF IT'S ACTIONABLE, IT HAS TO BE, YOU KNOW, HAVE FUNDING MECHANISMS THAT HAVE TO BE VALIDATED BY THE PUBLIC.
IT HAS TO BE VALIDATED BY PROPERTY OWNERS AND TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS A ROADMAP TO A FUTURE THAT MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD, MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, AND THE PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE CITY ITSELF WANT TO SEE MOVE FORWARD AND MOVE INTO ACTION. AND THE NICE THING IS THE CRA AND THE TIF DISTRICT ALLOWS FOR A MECHANISM THAT MANY OTHER COMMUNITIES DON'T HAVE. AND THAT COUPLED WITH GRANTS AND OTHER TYPES OF THINGS.
I THINK WE'LL, WE'LL LOOK AT ALL OF THOSE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT ALL THE RIGHT NAILS THAT WE CAN HAMMER INTO THE PLANKS TO MAKE THIS AN IMPLEMENTABLE PLAN.
SHORT-TERM WINS? YES, 100%. AND I THINK ONE OF THE KEY SHORT-TERM WINS IS BEING ABLE TO ADVANCE THE CITY PARCEL PLANNING AND DESIGNS THAT REALLY SET THAT STAGE FOR LINKING WITH THE SIMMONS PROPERTY AS IT MOVES THROUGH DEVELOPMENT AND STARTING TO ACCELERATE WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN AT GOODSELL, LIEBMAN, AND THE KAVANAUGH SITES AND OTHERS AS YOU MOVE TOWARDS THE PORT.
AND TO CONTINUE THIS ENGAGEMENT, I KNOW I PROVIDED A LOOK-SEE AS TO WHAT WE SEE UNDER PHASE 2. IT WILL BE A CONTINUATION OF DISCUSSIONS LIKE THIS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ULTIMATE PLAN IS ONE THAT AGAIN IS ACTIONABLE, AND THAT ACTIONABLE ASPECT IS REALLY ABOUT THE COMMUNITY BEING SUPPORTIVE AND BEHIND THE COMPONENTS THAT ARE WITHIN THAT PLAN OVERALL.
AND SO WHEN WE LOOKED AT THOSE RESPONSES, WHEN WE LOOKED AT ALL THE FEEDBACK, AND AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING US VERY, VERY DETAILED NOTES AND DIRECTION.
AND I KNOW I JUST PROVIDED A SUMMARY. THERE'S SO MANY
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GRANULAR DETAILED THINGS THAT ARE, THAT WE'RE TAKING FROM THAT AS WELL. AND PULLING INTO SOME OF THE CONCEPTS OF THE PLAN, WE WENT BACK AND UPDATED SORT OF OUR KEY PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS TO SHARPEN THEM WITH YOUR INSIGHTS.AND EVERYTHING THAT'S HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW, I THINK, VALIDATES OR JUST ADDS MORE CHARACTER, I THINK, TO SOME OF THE INITIAL CONCLUSIONS THAT WE HAD. AND AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE FIRST ONE, YOU KNOW, I LOVE, AGAIN, THIS IDEA OF A GRADUATED APPROACH WITH MORE URBAN AND COMMERCIAL CHARACTER NEAR DOWNTOWN, TRANSITIONING TOWARDS WORKING WATERFRONT USES CLOSER TO THE PORT. AND AGAIN, THIS IDEA OF THE HINGE, THAT THERE IS A PLACE, WE BELIEVE, ON THE WATERFRONT WHERE THAT STARTS TO MOVE FROM THE MORE COMMERCIAL CITY-FOCUSED TO THE MORE WORKING WATERFRONT EMPLOYMENT AND PORT-FOCUSED COMPONENTS AS WELL.
AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO STUDY WHERE EXACTLY THAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE. WELL, WE TALKED ABOUT LEVERAGING THE MARINA AS AN ANCHOR. WE'VE ADDED TO THAT TO PRIORITIZE WATER-DEPENDENT AND BOATER-SUPPORTIVE USES, INCLUDING DOCKAGE, FISH ACCESS, PADDLECRAFT FACILITIES, AND ESSENTIAL MARINA SERVICES.
I THINK THROUGH MANY OF THE RESPONSES, THIS WAS A VERY LOUD AND CLEAR THEME, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ACCENTUATE THAT EVEN MORE AS WE STUDY AND COME UP WITH SOME ALTERNATIVES.
PRESERVE PUBLIC ACCESS WATERFRONT VIEWS IN EXISTING STREET AND VIEW CORRIDORS WHILE IMPROVING CONNECTIONS ACROSS PHYSICAL BARRIERS SUCH AS THE RAILROAD IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE ADDED TO THIS PEDESTRIAN FRAMEWORK OF THE WATERFRONT PROMENADE AND THE LANDWARD PEDESTRIAN SPINE. JUST TO AGAIN VALIDATE AND TALK WITH MORE SPECIFICITY ABOUT IT'S NOT JUST A PLACE THAT YOU WALK, AND CONNECT, BUT IT'S A PLACE WHERE YOU GRANT PUBLIC ACCESS, THINGS ARE HAPPENING, YOU'RE OPENING VIEW CORRIDORS.
AND WHERE WE CAN, IN RECOGNIZING THAT PROBABLY WE'VE MAXIMIZED ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES TO CREATE A PHYSICAL CONNECTION BETWEEN THE CITY ACROSS THE RAILROAD RIGHT-OF-WAY INTO THE WATERFRONT, THAT WHERE WE CAN, WE'RE DOING OTHER GOOD MEASURES, WHETHER IT'S VIEW CORRIDORS, OTHER SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS AND WHATNOT IN THIS AREA TO MAKE IT WORK IN HARMONY WITH THE CITY AND THE WATER'S EDGE. AND LAST 03, WHEN WE TALK TO RESILIENCE, WE ADDED FROM YOUR FEEDBACK THAT BEYOND JUST INTEGRATING FLOOD PROTECTION, PUBLIC REALM ENHANCEMENTS, AND ECOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE RECOGNIZE THE FLOODPLAIN REQUIREMENTS, THE INFRASTRUCTURE CONSTRAINTS AND THE LONG-TERM MAINTENANCE RESPONSIBILITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE MEASURES. AND AGAIN, I THINK IT JUST ADDS TO THE OVERALL KEY THEME THAT WE HAD ABOUT INTEGRATING RESILIENCE INVESTMENTS WITH PLACEMAKING.
THE QUESTION OF BALANCE, WE'VE ADDED TO OUR APPROACH TO MAKE SURE THAT WHERE ADDITIONAL PUBLIC SPACE IS PROVIDED, THAT WE EMPHASIZE ACTIVE AND FUNCTIONAL WATERFRONT USES. RATHER THAN JUST PASSIVE OPEN SPACE.
THAT WHERE WE DO MAKE INVESTMENTS IN PUBLIC SPACE, THAT THEY NEED TO HAVE ACTIVITIES AND SPECIALIZATION AND NOT JUST SORT OF BE MORE GREEN FOR GREEN'S SAKE, FOR LACK OF BETTER TERMINOLOGY.
AND THEN FINALLY, WE JUST ADDED TO THE PRESERVATION AND INTERPRETATION OF THE MARITIME HISTORY JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALSO SAYING THAT WE WANT TO PROTECT THE WORKING WATERFRONT IDENTITY.
WE DON'T WANT AND DON'T SEE, AT LEAST MY READING OF IT AND OUR IMPRESSION OF THE WORK I'VE DONE UP TO THIS POINT, IT'S NOT A HOMOGENEOUS APPROACH TO THE WATER'S EDGE. WE WANT DIVERSITY.
THAT DIVERSITY SHOULD INCLUDE COMMERCIAL AND USES THAT ARE BENEFICIAL, BUT ALSO THAT WE WANT TO PRESERVE AND ENCOURAGE THE WORKING WATERFRONT ASPECTS OF THE WATER'S EDGE. AND ALSO MAKE SURE THAT CIVIC LANDMARKS AND THINGS THAT ARE BUILDING UPON THE SMALL TOWN CHARACTER ALSO SPEAK THROUGH IN THE PLANNING INITIAL CONCEPTS AND THE ULTIMATE FINAL PLAN ITSELF. AND THE LAST SLIDE, THEN I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO THE BOARD AND TO YOU, MARCEL, FOR QUESTIONS, IS OUR NEXT STEPS.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, WE ARE INTEGRATING YOUR FEEDBACK INTO BOTH OUR FRAMEWORK AND PROGRAM IDEAS FOR THE SITE, AND IMPORTANTLY INTO THE DEVELOPMENT OF PLANNING ALTERNATIVES, WHICH WE ARE WORKING ON NOW. AND WITH YOUR FEEDBACK TONIGHT, WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK ON FOR THE NEXT 2 TO 3 WEEKS.
WITH THOSE PREPARED, WE WILL ADVANCE OUR PHASE 1 SUBMISSION TO THE CITY, WHICH WILL INCLUDE, AS YOU SAW FROM THAT VERY FIRST SLIDE, WILL INCLUDE THE MEETINGS THAT WERE HELD,
[00:55:01]
THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE RECEIVED, THE PLANNING FRAMEWORK AND IDEAS, AND THESE INITIAL CONCEPTS AND SOME INITIAL THOUGHTS ON IMPLEMENTATION FOR CITY REVIEW.AND WE'LL DISCUSS WITH THEM THE PATH FORWARD AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY'D LIKE TO MOVE TO PHASE 2, WHICH WILL LOOK AT COOK PROPERTY AND CITY PROPERTY AND ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY IN A MORE BROADER OUTREACH STRATEGY. AND THAT'S MY PRESENTATION. PROBABLY WENT A LITTLE LONG, BUT WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAD A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING, THE WORK THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S BEEN DONE, THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING, AND HOW YOUR FEEDBACK IS DIRECTLY BEING BROUGHT FORWARD INTO THIS PROCESS OVERALL.
SO WITH THAT, MARCEL, I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU AND MADAM CHAIR TO SEE THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE FROM THIS PRESENTATION.
ALL RIGHT, QUESTIONS, TEAM? NOT FOR ME.
I THINK YOU'VE DONE A GOOD JOB.
MR. CRAIG, WHAT DO YOU HAVE? LOOKS GOOD.
SO, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. IT'S VERY DETAILED.
FIRST OF ALL, MY COMMENT IS, AFTER HEARING IT, LISTENING TO YOU, ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS IS KEY. IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT'S A BIG PART OF THE PUZZLE RIGHT HERE, ESPECIALLY FROM 3 TO 9. SO I'D LIKE TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW YOU'RE ENGAGING WITH THESE PROPERTY OWNERS.
WHAT'S KIND OF THE, YOU KNOW, HOW YOU APPROACH THEM? AND THEN SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THEM SOUND LIKE THEY'RE AT DIFFERENT POINTS IN THEIR LIVES, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS GOING TO BE THEIR COMMITMENT AS FAR AS THE PROJECT? YOU'RE THINKING EXPECTATIONS FOR THEM AS A WHOLE, AND HOW DO WE RECOGNIZE THAT, THAT KIND OF THOUGHT? YEAH, GOOD QUESTION. SO I'LL GO WAY BACK TO THE BEGINNING, I GUESS, AND THEN, SCOTT, I'LL LET YOU JUMP IN.
BUT SO OUR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS WAS ALL VIA JAKE AND GLENN.
SO THEY SET UP THE MEETINGS, WE CAME DOWN HERE SCOTT AND I IN PERSON WITH JAKE, AND WE WALKED THE PROPERTIES WITH MOST OF THESE PROPERTY OWNERS.
AND WE HAD SOME VERY LESS POLISHED VERSIONS OF THESE MAPS AND KIND OF, WE TOLD THEM LIKE, HEY, WE'RE NOT HERE TO TELL YOU WHAT YOU CAN AND CAN'T DO.
WE WANT TO HEAR WHAT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S JUST A LITTLE IDEA OR SOMETHING MORE CONCRETE THAN THAT. MR. COOK COULD VOUCH FOR THAT.
WE WALKED HIS PROPERTY WITH THEM, HEARD LOTS OF STORIES. AND SO WE KIND OF GOT A FEEL FOR BOTH THEIR PLANS, BUT ALSO THE PERSON THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WERE TALKING WITH TO SEE KIND OF WHAT THEIR GENERAL, YOU KNOW, PATH WAS AND WHAT THEY WERE THINKING ABOUT FOR THEIR INDIVIDUAL AREAS.
SO AS FAR AS GOING FORWARD, I THINK, YOU KNOW, IN CONJUNCTION WITH PHASE 2 AND WRAPPING UP PHASE 1, I MEAN, THE FIRST STEP, I THINK, BEFORE THESE PLANS GET LEGS AND GO TOO FAR, WE WOULD LIKE THEM TO SEE THEM.
YOU KNOW, THE PROPERTY OWNERS, WE WOULD LIKE THEM TO SEE THESE ALTERNATIVES.
AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT LIKE ENGINEERED DRAWINGS.
THEY'RE KIND OF SOMEWHERE BETWEEN LIKE A, YOU KNOW, A SKETCH AND KIND OF A DRAWING KIND OF THING.
I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR DRAWINGS, SCOTT. BUT THEY STILL LEAVE A LITTLE BIT UP FOR THE IMAGINATION AND INTERPRETATION.
SO IT'S KIND OF GENERAL OPEN SPACE COMMERCIAL, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST BIG BLOCKS.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE DRAWINGS WE'RE PRODUCING FOR PHASE 1, SCOTT? YEAH, MARCEL, I THINK YOU DID A GREAT JOB. I THINK WHAT YOU'LL SEE ON THE CONCEPTS ARE IN-WATER ACTIVATION.
SO WHERE WE THINK THERE ARE MARINA OR MARINE-RELATED USES, WE WILL SHOW WHERE WE THINK MAKES SENSE AND IT'S LOGICAL TO HAVE LANDSIDE BUILDINGS AND DEVELOPMENT AS A MASSING. YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT ARTICULATED, THEY HAVE NO SORT OF ARCHITECTURAL COMPONENTRY TO THEM. BUT JUST TO SAY THAT, HEY, WE THINK THAT THIS IS A GOOD PLACE FOR A COUPLE OF BUILDINGS, OR THIS IS WHAT MR. SIMMONS AND HIS DEVELOPMENT GROUP HAVE PROPOSED, THAT WE SORT OF BRING THAT FORWARD. JUST SO YOU COULD START TO SEE WHERE THERE WOULD BE DEVELOPMENT, WHERE THERE WOULD BE OPEN SPACE, HOW IT ALL WOULD BE LINKED TOGETHER, BUT ALLOW FOR FLEXIBILITY AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE PROCESS DOWN THE ROAD TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT POSSIBLE OUTCOMES.
AND THEN UNDERPINNING THOSE, THE THINGS THAT WE KNOW THAT ARE ESSENTIAL, LIKE ACCESS, THE WATERFRONT PROMENADE, RESILIENCY AND ADAPTATION, YOU KNOW, THOSE OTHER PIECES THAT ARE REALLY THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO TIE DOWN THIS PLAN.
AND HOPEFULLY MR. COOK WILL VOUCH FOR US AND OTHER PROPERTY OWNERS WE SPOKE TO.
WE TAKE AN APPROACH VERY MUCH OF WE'RE TRANSLATORS.
WE ARE LISTENING AND WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT PROPERTY
[01:00:02]
OWNERS WANT TO DO, THAT WE'RE JUST A CONDUIT FOR THEM TO HELP SEE SOME OF THE POSSIBILITIES AND THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF LET THEM KNOW THAT THE CHALLENGES, WHETHER THOSE ARE PERMITTING CHALLENGES, WHAT THE ARMY CORPS ALLOWS OR WHAT THE STATE ALLOWS, BUT ALSO TO LET THEM HOPEFULLY SEE SOME OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL. IF WE DO ANYTHING, WE WANT TO SERVE IN THAT ROLE AS BEING A TRANSLATOR OF THEIR VISIONS INTO A REALITY.SO WHEN WOULD YOU COME BACK TO THEM? BECAUSE YOU SAID SEVERAL OF THEM, YOU SAID, WELL, WE WANT TO JUST WAIT AND SEE WHAT, HOW IT TURNS OUT, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, RIGHT? IS THERE A TIMELINE? WHEN MIGHT YOU, YOU KNOW, WHEN WOULD YOU WANT A DECISION FROM THOSE OWNERS, OR THE ONES THAT YOU DON'T HAVE YET? YEAH, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY TIME.
YEAH, I WAS GONNA SAY, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY TIMELINES NECESSARILY. I THINK THE NEXT PHASE AS WE START TO ENGAGE THE PUBLIC AT LARGE AND THEN GO PROPERTY BY PROPERTY, I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO ALL HAVE DIFFERENT TIMELINES.
AND SO, BUT I DO THINK THE NEXT STEP, AND IN A FEW INSTANCES WHEN WE'RE MEETING WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS, DISCUSSIONS OF COST SHARING AND WHO'S PAYING FOR WHAT CAME UP AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT WE KIND OF, LET'S HEAR EVERYTHING FOR NOW. AND THEN, SO I THINK THAT IS PART OF THE NEXT PHASE. AND AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE'LL HAVE TO KIND OF GO THROUGH EACH PROPERTY AGAIN ONCE EVERYONE KIND OF NODS THEIR HEAD UP AND DOWN.
YEP, THIS LOOKS ABOUT LIKE WHAT, YOU KNOW, WE THOUGHT, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, MIXED-USE, WHATEVER.
AND THEN FOR EACH ONE, KIND OF START TO DIAL IN A TIMELINE AND SOME OF THOSE GRANULAR DETAILS.
BUT WE HAVEN'T... I DON'T THINK WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THAT TIMELINE LOOKS LIKE YET, AND IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE DIFFERENT FOR EVERY PERSON.
I HAD A QUESTION TOO. JUST, ARE YOU GUYS REALLY, I MEAN, THERE'S 2 DIFFERENT ZONINGS ALONG WATERFRONT, AND YOU GUYS ARE FULLY AWARE OF WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH EACH ZONING. SO SOMEBODY WANTING TO DO RESIDENTIAL, NON-RESIDENTIAL AREAS.
JUST DON'T WANT SOME OF THE OWNERS HAVING UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS FOR THE PLANNING AND ALSO, ASSUMING YOU GUYS DONE THIS A LOT, YOU'RE VERY WELL AWARE OF ALL THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS RULES AND PUTTING THE SEAWALL OUT.
AND GUARANTEED TO BE APPROVED BY THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS WITH YOUR PLAN.
WELL, THAT WAS KIBBLEY HORN'S PLAN, IN ALL FAIRNESS.
BUT I MEAN, I THINK THAT WE DEFINITELY...
YES, WE ARE FULLY AWARE OF THE TIME IT TAKES TO DO SOME OF THOSE THINGS. I MEAN, I THINK WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN MANY COMMUNITIES PERMITTING SIMILAR, YOU KNOW, IN-WATER IMPROVEMENTS.
SOME ARE A LOT FASTER THAN OTHERS DEPENDING ON WHAT THE ALIGNMENT IS, WHICH I THINK IS WHY YOU SEE THE ALIGNMENT AT SIMMONS PROPERTY, IT'S MUCH EASIER TO GO ABOVE THE HIGH TIDE LINE, YOU KNOW, TO PUT THESE IMPROVEMENTS THAN TO GO OUT IN THE WATER.
BUT THERE, I MEAN, THERE'S OTHER ALTERNATIVES YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS DO YOU MOVE THE RESILIENCY WALL INWARD BUT THEN PUT SOME OF THE STRUCTURES OUT OVER THE WATER, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY DO HAVE THE REPAIRING RIGHTS FOR MOST OF THESE PROPERTIES. SO THEY OWN THE SUBMERGED LANDS.
NOT ALL OF THEM, BUT A LOT OF THESE PROPERTY OWNERS DO OWN THE SUBMERGED LANDS, WHICH MAKES BUILDING OUT OVER THE WATER MUCH SIMPLER.
DID YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO, THANK YOU.
TO FOLLOW UP ON RICK'S IS, YOU KNOW, TIMELINE-WISE, I THINK ONE OF THE, THE POSITIVES FOR THESE OWNERS THAT THE CITY HAS, HAS FAILED MULTIPLE PLANS AFTER MULTIPLE PLAN AFTER MULTIPLE PLAN. LAST FEW YEARS THROUGH JAKE'S STAFF, CRA, AND THE MARINA ADVISORY BOARD PUT TOGETHER THE WATERFRONT PARK, THE MARINA REDESIGN, BRETT'S COMING DOWN, MAKING IT AND PUTTING MY MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH IS, SINKING REALLY CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS INTO THE WATERFRONT. AND I THINK STEVE SIMMONS IS A VERY SMART MAN, VERY SMART.
HE CAN SEE THE CITY IS FINALLY GETTING THINGS GOING AND MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, SO TIMING IS RIGHT. AND I THINK ONCE STEVE COMES ON BOARD, THE OTHERS WILL FOLLOW SHORTLY THEREAFTER.
AND GREG'S RIGHT, WE MEANING THE CITY, HAS TO CONTINUE THAT PUSHING FORWARD WITH OUR OWN WATERFRONT LOT TO MAKE IT HAPPEN, JUST LIKE WE DID WITH THE MARINA, BOAT RAMP, AND OTHER ASSOCIATED.
WE KEEP THAT GOING, AND I THINK THAT THE PRIVATE PEOPLE WILL COME SHORTLY THEREAFTER BECAUSE THEY SEE THE PUBLIC INVESTMENT IN THAT. AND I THINK THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'VE LACKED ALL THESE YEARS IS WE'VE HAD PLAN AFTER PLAN, NO ACTION.
[01:05:01]
YOU KNOW, THE WATERFRONT PARK HAS BEEN, AFTER ALL THE HEARTACHES AND MOVING AND STARTS AND STOPS AND STUMBLES, IT'S ONE OF THE PEOPLE THERE EVERY NIGHT JUST ABOUT. SO THEY CAN SEE THE CITY CAN DO IT WHEN WE PUT OUR MIND TO IT.SO MY POINT IS, I THINK FOR RICK AND ALL US OTHERS IS WE KEEP THE CITY'S MOMENTUM GOING, THE PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT WILL FOLLOW.
YEAH, WE HAVE THE SAME SENTIMENT.
ONCE YOU KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING, IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME, RIGHT? THIS IS THE SAYING.
NO, WE HAVE THE SAME SENTIMENT. I THINK THROUGH OUR DISCUSSIONS AND EVERYTHING THAT THE MOMENTUM IS BUILDING.
YEAH, I WOULD JUST ADD TO THAT, MARCEL. I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S AN EXTREMELY VALID POINT OF VIEW.
AND LOOK, I THINK THAT THE CITY HAS REACHED AN EXCITING TIPPING POINT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF SOME OF THESE INITIAL PROJECTS ARE DOING EXACTLY WHAT THEY INTENDED TO DO, TO BE CATALYTIC TO CONTINUED POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT ALONG, YOU KNOW, ALONG THE WATER'S EDGE AND BACK INTO THE CITY. SO, TO ME IS A GREAT TIME TO SEE SOME OF THESE THINGS GET TRACTION AND TO MOVE FORWARD.
EXCITED TO SEE THAT IN 2 TO 3 WEEKS.
YEAH, GREAT. WELL, WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TO THE BOARD, AND WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO, YOU KNOW, WORKING THROUGH JAKE AND GLENN TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REPORT BACK AT A FUTURE DATE.
[6.2 WATERFRONT INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE]
THANK YOU, TAKE CARE.MOVING FORWARD, WE'VE GOT THE WATERFRONT INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE.
MAIN STREET DIRECTOR MISS LULU HUFFMAN IS HERE TO DISCUSS A NEW INITIATIVE AND HOW THE WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD CAN BE INVOLVED.
SO WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE NEW PARK AND ALL THE NEW SIGNAGE.
SORRY, WE'RE SWITCHING SCREENS NOW.
IS IT WEIRD SAYING YOUR NAME ALL THE TIME? YOU'RE LIKE, I'M RIGHT.
WHO'S RUNNING IT? YOU RUNNING IT? YES. OKAY, GOOD EVENING.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TONIGHT. MY NAME IS LULU HUTMAN. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR FERNANDINA BEACH MAIN STREET.
I'M HERE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU OUR INTERPRETIVE SIGN PROGRAM, AN INITIATIVE DESIGNED TO TELL THE STORY OF OUR WATERFRONT.
IN A WAY THAT'S ENGAGING, EDUCATIONAL, AND ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERYONE. SO THIS IS OUR PROJECT OVERVIEW.
THE INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE IS MUCH MORE THAN DIRECTIONAL SIGNS OR HISTORICAL MARKERS.
THEY'RE SIGNS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO CONNECT PEOPLE WITH THE PLACE BY TELLING STORIES THROUGH THE PHOTOGRAPHS, ARTWORKS, MAPS, INTERESTING FACTS AND INTERACTIVE ELEMENTS LIKE QR CODES, INTERPRETIVE SIGNS HELP VISITORS UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY ARE LOOKING AT AND WHY IT MATTERS. OUR VISION IS TO CREATE AN OUTDOOR EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE WHERE EVERY STOP ALONG THE WATERFRONT SHARES ANOTHER CHAPTER OF FERNANDINA BEACH'S RICH HISTORY AND THE PEOPLE WHO SHAPED THE COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY WITH OUR NEW WATERFRONT.
VISITORS ALREADY COME TO ENJOY THE SPACE, AND SO DO RESIDENTS. BUT IMAGINE IF EVERY STOP OFFERED THE STORIES ABOUT THE LUMBER AND CROSSTIES, THE SHRIMPING INDUSTRY, OUR WORKING WATERFRONT, NATIVE HABITATS, AND GENERATIONS WHO BUILT FERNANDINA BEACH INTO A UNIQUE COMMUNITY IT IS TODAY.
THESE ARE OUR 4 PHASES OF OUR PROJECT.
THE FIRST PHASE IS THE RESEARCH AND DESIGN. SO DURING THIS STAGE, OF COURSE, WE WILL BE RESEARCHING TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ALL OUR FACTS STRAIGHT AND DESIGNING THE OUTLINE OF THE STORY AND DESIGNING WHAT THE ACTUAL SIGN WOULD LOOK LIKE. WE'VE ALREADY STARTED TALKING TO THE AMELIA ISLAND MUSEUM OF HISTORY.
ALSO, OUR DESIGN COMMITTEE IS HIGHLY INVOLVED IN THIS.
SO VERONICA, A PART OF OUR DESIGN COMMITTEE, AND ME, WE REACHED OUT, WE SPOKE
[01:10:01]
WITH PHYLLIS THERE AT THE MUSEUM, AND COMING UP WITH SOME ENGAGING DESIGNS.SO THE PHASE 2 IS A FABRICATION WHERE THE SIGNS WILL BE PROFESSIONALLY MANUFACTURED WITH HOPEFULLY WEATHER-RESISTANT MATERIALS THAT WILL WITHHOLD OR WITHSTAND OUR COASTAL ENVIRONMENT. PHASE 3 IS INSTALLATION. WE'RE GOING TO CAREFULLY SELECT LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE WATERFRONT, CREATING A CONNECTED EXPERIENCE THAT ENCOURAGES VISITORS TO EXPLORE.
SO SOME WAY THEY'LL ALL BE CONNECTED. AND THE PHASE 4 WILL LAUNCH THE PROGRAM THROUGH A COMMUNITY EVENT OR EVENTS, MEDIA OUTREACH, TOURISM PROMOTION, EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS, SO THAT RESIDENTS AND VISITORS KNOW THAT THESE STORIES ARE AVAILABLE TO EXPERIENCE. SO WHAT ARE OUR NEXT STEPS? APPROVAL AND SUPPORT FROM YOU, THE WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD.
THIS IS OUR PROJECT TEAM. WE WOULD LIKE THE WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD OR SOME MEMBERS OF YOUR BOARD, MAYBE IF POSSIBLE, TO JOIN US. AS I SAID, OUR DESIGN COMMITTEE IS HEADING UP THIS PROJECT, AND THE AMELIA ISLAND MUSEUM OF HISTORY HAS ALREADY JUMPED ON BOARD WITH US.
THE FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM WILL COME FROM GRANTS AND IN COMBINATION OF FUNDRAISING EFFORTS, SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS.
SO TODAY, I'M ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS COLLABORATION FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
YES, ANY QUESTIONS? DO WE NEED A MOTION? DO YOU THINK WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION? I GOT ONE QUESTION.
DOES THAT SIGN HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY WITH IT BEING DOWNTOWN? THE HISTORIC DISTRICT? YEAH.
BUT WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA KEEP IT THE SAME.
I SHOULD HAVE PUT IT ON THE SLIDE. WE HAVE AN INTERPRETIVE SIGN IN FRONT OF THE STANDARD MARINE BUILDING.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE LIKE A TABLETOP SIGN.
WE'RE THINKING MAYBE ONE THAT YOU CAN KIND OF GO UP TO AND LOOK AT. TO BE DETERMINED WHAT'S APPROVED, WHAT CAN BE APPROVED.
BUT WE HAVE VERONICA ON OUR COMMITTEE WHO IS PART OF THE ACC, SO THAT'S MORE TO OUR BENEFIT TO KIND OF BE GUIDED TO WHICH WAY TO GO.
DO THEY HAVE A GUIDELINE THEN SPECIFICALLY FOR INTERPRETIVE SIGNS? I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY GUIDELINES. THERE ARE SOME SIGN GUIDELINES, BUT I DON'T KNOW, NOT SPECIFICALLY.
YOU'VE GOT THE SIGN THAT MS. HUFFMAN WAS TALKING ABOUT IS THE WAYFINDING SIGN, SO IT'S THE SAME FORMAT AS THAT. I IMAGINE THESE BEING IN THE PARK, THEY'LL PROBABLY BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN THAT, BUT IT WOULD GO THROUGH HDC APPROVAL AND FOR THEIR EDUCATION AS WELL, SO THEY COULD UNDERSTAND THE PROGRAM AS WELL.
IT'LL BE NICE TO HAVE A GOOD TEMPLATE SO WE CAN USE IT, CONTINUE WITH IT ALONG THE WATERFRONT.
SO WE TAKE CARE OF THE WAYFINDING SIGNS, THE ONES ON THE CORNERS AND THE TABLETOP SIGNS THAT NEED SOME VERY BAD UPDATING RIGHT NOW. BUT, SO WE'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE DESIGN THAT THEY REQUIRE FOR THOSE, SO WE'LL PROBABLY KEEP THE SAME OR NEARLY THE SAME.
I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA. I THINK ANYTIME WE CAN KEEP THE HISTORY GOING ABOUT OUR PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE.
I THINK I'D LIKE TO VOLUNTEER DAVID COOK AS OUR MASTER HISTORIAN.
I THOUGHT YOU ALREADY VOLUNTEERED YOU.
THESE PEOPLE HAVE GOT BAD MEMORIES.
I MEAN, IF YOU ALL WANT TO VOLUNTEER, DAVID HAS MORE HISTORY ON THE WATERFRONT THAN I KNOW.
I'M VERY EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT ALL THE HISTORY, AND I KNOW THAT THE WATERFRONT WILL JUST, IT'S SUCH A SMALL PART, RIGHT NOW WITH JUST THE PARK, BUT I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN KIND OF EXTEND IT OVER TIME. SO MR. COOK, JUST ARE YOU STILL GOOD? YEAH, REPRESENTING THE TEAM.
OKAY, YEAH, WE'VE GOT OUR LIAISON.
YAY! AND YOU'LL LET HIM KNOW WHEN YOUR MEETINGS ARE? YEAH.
ANYTHING SPECIFIC YOU WANT HIM TO BRING TO THE TABLE? ALL OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE.
IF WE CAN DO A MOTION, JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE HAVING HIM GOING TO BE OR HAVING HIM REPRESENT THE BOARD AS A WHOLE.
SO, OKAY, BE GOOD. I HAVE A MOTION.
MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE WE SUPPORT THE WATERFRONT INITIATIVE INTERPRETIVE
[01:15:01]
SIGNAGE AS PRESENTED AND THAT MR. DAVID COOK WILL BE OUR REPRESENTATIVE TO THAT PROCESS.ANY OPPOSED? YOU'RE OUTNUMBERED.
THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK ON THAT.
AND DO YOU HAVE A TIMELINE? WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO GIVE MONTHLY UPDATES OR EVERY OTHER MONTH, OR WELL, WHERE'S THE TARGET? I THOUGHT THERE WAS SOME TYPE OF A GRANT FOR THIS ALREADY IN PLAY.
NO, WELL, THERE WAS ONE THROUGH THE STATE THAT WAS DUE EARLY JULY. I MISSED THE DEADLINE FOR THAT, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
WE CAN FUNDRAISE, OR I MAY HAVE A LITTLE EXTRA GRANT MONEY IN SIGNAGE THAT I APPLY FOR GRANTS FOR. PARTS OF IT GO TO SIGNAGE, SO THIS MIGHT BE PART OF IT. I CAN LOOK INTO THAT.
OKAY, IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE TIP MONEY.
THERE ARE NO OTHER GRANTS? WELL, WE ALSO DO FUNDRAISING, SO WE ALSO HAVE THAT MONEY TOO. SO, AND IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE COST OF EVERYTHING.
BUT AS FAR AS, I THINK THERE WAS A $50,000 GRANT THROUGH THE STATE THAT IT...
WE MISSED THE DEADLINE FOR THAT, BUT WE CAN ALWAYS DO IT FOR NEXT YEAR TOO. $50 GRAND STRONG. AND I'LL JUST KEEP LOOKING FOR GRANTS.
I'VE ALREADY TALKED... I JUST GOT BACK FROM A WEEK-LONG CONFERENCE WITH THE FLORIDA MAIN STREET AND I HAD A LONG DISCUSSION WITH HER, MY STATE COORDINATOR, SO, WE'LL BE LOOKING FOR GRANTS FOR THIS.
I THINK THAT KIND OF SETS A TIMELINE, IF WE HAVE A GRANT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. SO MAYBE GET BACK TO US THIS MONTH IF THERE'S ANY OTHERS, OR I MEAN, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF A TARGET DATE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS FAIR? THAT SOUNDS GOOD. I MEAN, 4 MONTHS, 6 MONTHS, 1 MONTH? HOW ABOUT 6 MONTHS? THAT WAY IT'S AT THE END, IT'S THROUGH ALL OF THE BUSY SEASON.
I'M JUST KIDDING, I'LL BE HERE CHRISTMAS DAY.
OKAY, ALL RIGHT, WELL, THANK YOU.
[7.1 TRAFFIC CIRCULATION STUDY]
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.AN UPDATE. OKAY GUYS, WE'VE GOT OLD BUSINESS.
TRAFFIC CIRCULATION STUDY. I KNOW WE ALL CAME SUPER PREPARED FOR THAT.
LAST MONTH STAFF PRESENTED THE TRAFFIC CIRCULATION STUDY FOR OUR REVIEW.
DO I HAVE A MOTION, OR DO WE WANT TO DISCUSS THAT? WE DO NEED TO, THAT'S GOING BEFORE THE COMMISSION THIS NEXT MEETING, SO IF WE WANT ADVISE, NOW'S THE TIME.
ON ASH STREET, YOU'RE GOING TO GO 2 WAYS TO 2ND STREET.
WOULDN'T IT BE BETTER IF WE RAN THAT TO 3RD STREET? BECAUSE 3RD STREET IS THE MAIN CORRIDOR FROM THE SOUTH, AND B STREET RUNS STRAIGHT.
SO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ALL HAS TO COME DOWNTOWN, THEY CAN DO A STRAIGHT SHOT AND COME RIGHT DOWN HERE AND SOMETHING HAPPENS AT THE MARINA OR ANYWHERE AS LONG AS THE WATER FIRM WANTED TO SAVE THE SALTY PELICAN, IF WE GO 2 LANES ALL THE WAY TO 3RD STREET AND THEN JUST GO EASTBOUND FOR EMERGENCY.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY TALKED TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OR FIRE DEPARTMENT, BUT THAT WAY YOU GOT MAIN SHOT STRAIGHT FROM THE FIRE STATION DOWNTOWN.
AND A LOT OF THE TRUCKS IN THE MORNINGS, THE FUEL TRUCKS AND ALL, THEY USE 3RD STREET, AND THEY TURN DOWN THIS WAY, AND THEN THEY FUEL, AS WELL AS THE SUPPLIERS TO THE RESTAURANTS AND ALL.
SO I WAS JUST THINKING WE MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER 2 WAYS ON ASH ALL THE WAY TO 3RD AND THEN GO ONE WAY.
YEAH, NOW THAT'S A GOOD SUGGESTION AND SOMETHING WE CERTAINLY CAN LOOK AT WITH THE DESIGN TEAM.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY TALKED TO THE POLICE AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THEY'LL BE ENGAGED THROUGHOUT THE DESIGN AND UNTIL WE'LL HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
MY COMMENT WAS I WANTED TO CONFIRM IF THERE WAS 140 NEW SPACES, IF THAT WAS WHAT THEY... IS THAT WHAT YOU GUYS GOT OUT OF THAT? IS THAT THEIR PITCH? IT'S NOT THE ONLY PITCH, BUT YES, THIS WOULD BE A NET INCREASE IN PARKING.
THE EXACT NUMBER OF SPACES WE WOULDN'T KNOW UNTIL WE GO THROUGH DESIGN.
MY OTHER COMMENT IS I'M NOT SURE IF WE REALLY NEED AN EMPLOYEE PERMIT PROGRAM. I DON'T KNOW IF WE REALLY... I DON'T REALLY WANT ONLY EMPLOYEES PARKING IN THAT ONE PARKING LOT IF THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE... I WOULD SAY THAT.
[01:20:01]
STUDY, THEY MENTIONED PARKING ALONG, I DIDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT VERY WELL.THEY'RE BLOCKING, OBVIOUSLY, I'VE BEEN BEHIND ONE FOR A FEW MINUTES, SOME OF THE SIDE STREETS. BUT THEN THEY MENTIONED OTHER TIMES COMING HERE.
BUT IF IT'S ONE WAY, THEY'RE GOING TO BE BLOCKING MORE OF THE MAIN STREETS. SO I MEAN, REALLY WANT TO DO ANOTHER FREIGHT STUDY, BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO MOVE THINGS TO ONE-WAY, THEN I SHOULD DO SOME KIND OF A STUDY OF WHICH TIMES WORK BEST FOR PEOPLE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THAT? AND LASTLY, MY LAST COMMENT WAS, HAS ANYBODY OF SPOKEN TO THE ARTS MARKET STAKEHOLDERS ABOUT MOVING TO THE PARK DOWNTOWN? ANYBODY WITH THIS STUDY? OKAY, NO, NOT WITH THE STUDY.
IF WE'RE GONNA MAKE A RECOMMENDATION ABOUT THAT, PROBABLY SHOULD TALK TO THEM FIRST, RIGHT? OKAY, PARKING.
I HAD ONE COMMENT, AND WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT IT AND I WAS LOOKING AT THE ONE-WAY STREETS, AND SO MY THOUGHT WAS, ARE YOU GOING TO TRY TO BYPASS CENTER STREET? BECAUSE ALL THE PEOPLE ARE TURNING LEFT INTO CENTER STREET COMING DOWN 8TH, RIGHT? NOW YOU'RE GOING TO GO PAST THAT AND THERE'S GOING TO BE A ONE-WAY STREET.
IS THAT THE GOAL, TO TAKE THE TRAFFIC? I UNDERSTAND LOGIC TAKE THE TRAFFIC, GET IT TO CIRCULATE IN AND OUT OF DOWNTOWN.
BUT HOW WOULD YOU ACCOMPLISH THAT? BECAUSE THE NATURAL TENDENCY IS GOING TO BE ONE TO STILL TURN ONTO CENTER STREET.
CENTER STREET IS NOT CHANGING. I KNOW, BUT ASH AND ALACHUA IS CHANGING.
BUT ALACHUA, WHAT'S YOUR INCENTIVE TO GO TO ALACHUA? YOU KNOW, THAT'S MY THOUGHT.
YOU KNOW, IF I'M TRYING TO ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE TRAFFIC AND GET THEM OUT TO ALACHUA, TO GET INTO THE PARKING. THAT'S WHEN I WENT THROUGH IT AND READ IT. I WAS LIKE, OKAY, IT MAKES SENSE.
THERE'S A LOT OF PARKING ON THAT SIDE OF THE TOWN.
ARE WE MAKING SIGNAGE TO GO PAST CENTER? YOU KNOW, THAT WAS JUST WHEN I LOOKED AT IT, THAT'S KIND OF MY THOUGHT PROCESS.
I ALWAYS TAKE LACHO. IT'S FASTER.
BUT YOU GUYS ARE LOCALS, YOU KNOW.
WHAT ABOUT COMING IN FROM OUT OF TOWN? GO DOWN CENTER STREET, IT TAKES 10 MINUTES LONGER.
WELL, THEY DID HIGHLY EMPHASIZE WAYFINDING AS THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE THE FIRST 2 YEARS.
SO, BUT IT LOOKED LIKE NONE OF THIS WOULD EVEN HAPPEN FOR LIKE 5 YEARS WAS KIND OF THEIR RECOMMENDATION. OR SO YOU MAKE IT HAPPEN FASTER.
IT COULD HAPPEN FASTER IF YOU REALLY THINK ABOUT IT FROM A DOWNTOWN PROJECT PERSPECTIVE, IF WE'RE STARTING TO REDO ALL OF CENTER STREET, WE'RE GOING TO WANT THIS IN PLACE BEFORE THAT STARTS. SO THIS WOULD ACTUALLY BE KIND OF PHASE 1 OF THE DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT SO THAT YOU HAVE THE ADDITIONAL PARKING ON THE STREETS AND THAT IN PLACE WHILE YOU'RE MOVING BLOCK BY BLOCK REDOING CENTER STREET.
I DO LIKE YOUR IDEA ABOUT 2 WAYS TO 3RD.
I DIDN'T SEE ANY DESIGN FOR CENTER STREET.
YEAH, STAYING THE SAME EVEN AFTER, EVEN AFTER THEY REDO IT.
YEAH, WE'LL SHARE AGAIN THE MOST UPDATED PLANS. THE CURB ALIGNMENT, THE ROAD ALIGNMENT ALL STAYS THE SAME, BUT NEW SIDEWALKS, NEW CURBING, BUT THE LAYOUT, THE GEOMETRY STAYS THE SAME.
I WISH THEY PUT SIGNS DOWN THERE. IT SAYS PEDESTRIAN CROSSING HERE.
THESE INSTEAD OF THESE FOOLS RUNNING OUT THE STREET WITH THEIR CARS.
YOU HAVE THAT PROBLEM TOO? YES, SIR.
HOW CAN WE GET THIS INFORMATION, THESE SUGGESTIONS, TO THE COMMISSIONERS? IN THE MINUTES OR? I'M TAKING THE MINUTES.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS TO ADVISE COMMISSIONERS ON? YEAH, AT LEAST A 2-WAY ALL THE WAY THOUGH.
ASH STREET, JUST LEAVE 2-WAY ALL THE WAY TO 8TH STREET.
YOU COULD PUT THE OTHER ONE 1-WAY AS FAR AS MY PART.
WELL, I MEAN, IF THEY DO IT THE 2 WAYS TO 3RD STREET, THEY'RE NOT GOING THROUGH RESIDENTIAL AREA BECAUSE, I MEAN, THIS IS ALL RESIDENTIAL NOW BEHIND US.
SO, I MEAN, YOU MIGHT AS WELL KEEP THE COMMERCIAL GOING THE SAME WAY THEY'VE BEEN GOING INSTEAD OF CHANGING UP, PUTTING IT THROUGH A RESIDENTIAL AREA.
UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN IT CHANGES.
I'LL ANSWER IN A SECOND. HAS TO SAY TWO-WAY JUST BECAUSE IF THEY EVER BLOCK OFF DOWNTOWN FOR ALL THE EVENTS, PEOPLE COULDN'T GET OUT OF THEIR HOUSES.
WELL, I THINK BOTH OF THEM NEED TO STAY BOTH
[01:25:01]
WAYS THERE SO IT'S EASY IN AND OUT.YEAH, THAT'S THE ONLY ONE YOU HAVE LEFT OVER IS DAVE DOWN THERE TO GO, SO.
OKAY. AND JUST THE OTHER GENERAL IDEA THAT I GOT FROM IT IS IT'S NOT A PARKING PROBLEM, IT IS A PEOPLE DODGING EACH OTHER PROBLEM COMING DOWN THE ROADS, IS WHAT I READ FROM THIS.
AND THE NEED FOR MAKING SOME THESE ONE WAY.
ALL RIGHT, WELL, DO WE NEED TO DO ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT THIS? DO YOU WANT TO MAKE A MOTION FOR RECOMMENDATION OVERALL FOR THE STUDY WITH SOME OF YOUR COMMENTS, OR INCLUDING THOSE COMMENTS? EXCEPT MR. COX. I'M JUST KIDDING.
OKAY, TAKE THE HAMMER, HIT ME. DO A MOTION.
MOTION TO ACCEPT THE TRAFFIC CIRCULATION STUDY WITH THE COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM THE WAB WITH THE CONCEPT OF MAKING ASH STREET 2 WAYS TO 3RD.
WAS THAT A SECOND? ADDIE MAKING SURE IT'S A SECOND, BUT MAKING SURE THAT IT'S 2 WAYS TO 3RD STREET.
[7.2 WORK PLAN/STRATEGIC PLANNING]
I'LL TAKE THE HEAT.OKAY, MOVING FORWARD. WORK PLAN, STRATEGIC PLANNING.
WE GOT THE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMISSION THAT THEY WANT TO SEE A DIFFERENT WORK PLAN WITH TIMELINES, OUTCOMES, AND MEASUREMENTS. SO WE HAVE A NEW DRAFT ABOUT KATIE. SO WE'RE OPEN FOR DISCUSSION.
YOU GUYS REVIEWED THE NEW WORK PLAN DRAFT. WE CAN MAKE CHANGES. I'D LIKE TO SEND THIS BACK TO THEM.
I WILL MENTION BEFORE I FORGET, IT'S MY LAST NOTE OF THE NIGHT. THEY MENTIONED REMOVING THE WORD HISTORIC FROM WORKING WATERFRONT.
THEY WANTED TO KNOW WHY THAT WAS NECESSARY, WHY IT WAS NECESSARY TO PRESERVE IT.
SO JUST HAVING WORKING WATERFRONT.
I'M JUST PASSING ALONG WHAT THE COMMISSIONER SAID.
YOU WANT TO DO AWAY WITH HISTORIC WATERFRONT? WELL, NO, JUST THEY SAID, WELL, WHAT'S HISTORIC ABOUT THE WORKING WATERFRONT? ARE WE GOING TO BRING BACK NOTHING BUT SHRIMP BOATS, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, THE MEETING? SO I DEFINITELY NEEDED TO REMOVE THAT WORD. I MEAN, WORKING WATERFRONT.
IT'S NOT ALL IN THE HDC, RIGHT? NO, WE'RE NOT IN IT.
WELL, THERE'S SOME OVERLAP BETWEEN THE HDC AND THE CRA, AND YEAH, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF OVERLAP. MAJORITY OF IT'S NOT IN THE HDC.
WELL, I'D LEAVE THE HISTORICAL IN THERE. I MEAN, YOU HAVE THE HISTORICAL SHRIMP BOAT MONUMENT THERE, SO, AND TO CONTINUE THE GENERATION, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A DYING INDUSTRY, IT STILL NEEDS TO BE KNOWN, I THINK.
I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT THIS TOWN WAS FOUNDED ON, IS THE SHRIMPING INDUSTRY ALONG WITH THE 2 MILLS.
THAT'S WHAT A LOT OF THESE INTERPRETIVE SIGNS ARE GOING TO BE BUILT TOO, DOING THE HISTORICAL, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, SO WE MIGHT AS WELL KEEP IT THERE.
I THINK IT NEEDS TO STAY THERE.
SO WHAT I DID HERE WAS I TOOK THE OTHER WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD WORK PLAN AND KIND PUT IT IN THESE BOXES TO INCLUDE A TIMELINE AND SOME MORE OUTCOMES BASED ON THAT FEEDBACK. BUT IT'S STILL PRETTY BARE BONES.
YOU'RE WELCOME TO KEEP IT THAT WAY IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU WANT TO FLESH IT OUT FURTHER.
THIS WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT WAS A STARTING POINT FOR YOU ALL.
SO I WORKED ON, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I WENT AND SIGNED PAPERWORK WITH MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, AND I WORKED PRETTY EXTENSIVELY ON OBJECTIVE 1B. IT WOULD PROBABLY TAKE ME A WHILE TO GO OVER IT. I WORKED ON KEY ACTIVITIES AND OUTCOMES AND DEVELOPED IT AND REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MY
[01:30:02]
THOUGHT WAS HOW CAN WE GET MORE PEOPLE AND HOW DO WE BRING PEOPLE IN.AND SOME OF THEM, I HAVE SOME PROMOTIONAL IDEAS AND, YOU KNOW, JUST CREATIVITY AND SOME AHA IDEAS AS FAR AS LIKE WHAT WE COULD DO AS FAR AS PROMOTING DOWNTOWN, PROMOTING OUR WATERFRONT.
AND THE BIGGEST THING THAT CAME OUT OF IT, YOU KNOW, I WON'T GO THROUGH ALL THE DETAILS, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE THAT COME IN WITH BOATS SPEND MORE. AND, YOU KNOW, THE RESEARCH SHOWED THAT, THAT THOSE FOLKS THAT COME IN, THEY'RE BUYING FUEL, THEY'RE BUYING SUPPLIES, DINNER, THEY'RE BUYING ALL KINDS.
AND THEY HAVE MORE DISCRETIONARY INCOME IN A LOT OF CASES. AND SO HOW DO WE GET THEM TO SPEND THE NIGHT? YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE GET THEM TO TAKE A HOTEL ROOM? HOW COULD THEY, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS KIND OF PROMOTIONAL STUFF. AND I'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT I PUT TIME INTO, WAS THAT PARTICULAR ROOM.
SO, OKAY, FOR US TO USE AS WE'RE BUILDING OUT OUR AGENDAS. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE HITTING ON THIS THROUGHOUT.
SO HOW DO I SHARE THAT OUT TO EVERYONE SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO...
DO YOU WANT TO ADD, IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE YOU HAVE TOO MUCH WRITTEN DOWN.
YOU WANT TO JUST SAY WHAT YOUR OTHER KEY ACTIVITY WOULD BE? WELL, I KIND OF WAS LIKE, I CHANGED THE SUMMARY. I SAID PRESERVE AND STRENGTHEN FERNANDINA BEACH AS A VIBRANT WORKING WATERFRONT BY IMPROVING ACCESS FOR RECREATIONAL AND COMMERCIAL BOATERS, WHILE INCREASING THE USE OF THE CITY'S MARINA.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, LAST WEEK, LAST MONTH, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT AND THE WATERFRONT AMENITIES.
AND SO THEN I JUST WENT THROUGH AND I LOOKED, HOW DO WE GET THEM TO THE, TO THE BOAT RAMP? HOW DO WE GET THEM TO USE THE BOAT RAMP MORE? HOW DO WE GET THEM TO USE MORE TRANSIENT DOCKS? I DON'T KNOW IF YOU EVER SAW THAT TV SHOW DRIVE-IN DINERS AND DRIVES. AND SO HERE WAS MY PROPOSAL. DOCK, DINE, DISCOVER FERNANDINA.
CREATE A MARKETING PLAN WHERE WE'RE RECRUITING AND WE'RE GOING AFTER BOATERS FROM THE SOUTHEAST FLORIDA, SOUTH SOUTHERN PART OF GEORGIA TO MAKE FERNANDINA THEIR WEEKEND DESTINATION.
CONSIDER MAYBE 1 OR 2 MARINA PACKAGES, NIGHTS. MAYBE GIVE THEM A DISCOUNT WHERE THEY CAN MAKE SOME... I KNOW THERE'S A SHORTAGE OF SPOTS, BUT RESERVE SOME DOCKETS ONLINE.
AND THEN THEY COME IN, WE GIVE THEM A WELCOME PACKET, AND THEY WOULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, A WELCOME PACKET THAT WOULD HAVE MAYBE THE RESTAURANTS, THE ICE CREAM SHOPS, THE BREWERIES, MUSEUMS, MAYBE GOLF CART RENTALS. IF THEY'VE GOT A BOAT AND THEY TIE UP AND THEY USE THE GOLF CART. AND THEN PARTNER WITH SOME SUNSET CRUISE OPERATORS CREATE SOME WEEKEND BOATER EVENTS WITH LIVE MUSIC.
FARMERS MARKET, WE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THAT, THE SEAFOOD FESTIVAL, FISHING TOURNAMENTS IS ALWAYS POSITIVE.
AND THEN I KIND OF GAVE SOME REGIONAL ADVERTISING WHERE IT MIGHT GO. AND SOME OTHER POSSIBLE SLOGANS MIGHT BE DOCK DINE DISCOVER FERNANDINA, YOUR WEEKEND WATERFRONT ESCAPE, OR CRUISE IN FOR SUNSET, STAY FOR THE WEEKEND. SO JUST A WAY TO PROMOTE OUR DOWNTOWN.
AND THEN THE RESEARCH SHOWED THAT, YOU KNOW, THESE TRANSIENT BOATERS HAVE ALL THESE DIFFERENT PURCHASES MORE SO THAN OTHERS AND THEN I KIND OF LOOKED AT THE SIZE OF THE BOATS. I WAS THINKING ABOUT YOU KNOW, THE DOCKMASTER AND SAYING, HEY, WHAT SIZE BOATS ARE YOU LOOKING AT? YOU KNOW, THE MAJORITY OF THE BOATS ARE GOING TO BE LIKE 20 TO 24 FOOT, AND WE KNOW MOST OF THEM ARE GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA WOULD BE CENTER CONSOLES AND OFFSHORE FISHING BOATS.
BUT THEN THE ONES THAT ARE TRAVELING ARE ROUGHLY 27 FEET. AND SO IN CLOSING, I WAS SAYING, WHY DOES IT MATTER? INCREASING TRANSIT DOCKAGE, ENCOURAGING 1 TO 2 NIGHT STAYS CAN SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE LOCAL ECONOMIC ACTIVITY IN FERNANDINA.
OVERNIGHT BOATERS TYPICALLY SPEND CONSIDERABLY MORE THAN DAY VISITORS ON PURCHASING FUEL, ENTERTAINMENT, RETAIL GOODS, MARINE SERVICES, THEREFORE SUPPORTING BOTH THE MARINE OPERATION AND DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES.
AND THAT WAS SOME OF THE REFERENCES I USED WAS THE FLORIDA SEA GRANT, UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF RESOURCES. I THOUGHT THIS WAS A GREAT SOURCE FOR US, WAS THE NATIONAL MARINE MANUFACTURING ASSOCIATION.
LOOKED AT ECONOMIC STATISTICS RELATED TO IT.
AND THEN NOAA WAS THE OTHER ONE THAT SAID THE ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTIONS OF RECREATIONAL BOATERS WAS QUITE HIGH.
THANK YOU FOR PUTTING ALL THAT INTO THAT.
KATIE, RIGHT? LIKE, IN A SPECIFIC TIME.
SO DO WE WANT TO COME BACK WITH EACH OF US AT TAKING ON AN OBJECTIVE? LIKE, YOU'VE NAILED 1B. SO 1B OR 1A? I THINK IT'S 1B.
AND THEN JUST KIND OF FILL EACH OBJECTIVE IN.
I THINK IF THAT'S ALL WORK YOU'RE WILLING TO DO, AND WE CAN WORK THROUGH THAT TOGETHER IF EVERYONE WANTS
[01:35:01]
TO TAKE AN OBJECTIVE AND GO FROM THERE. I THINK YOU WILL REALLY LIKE THE END RESULT.YOU'LL HAVE SOMETHING, A REALLY NICE FULL DOCUMENT.
ALL RIGHT, Y'ALL WANT TO CLAIM YOUR OBJECTIVES? DO YOU WANT ME TO CLAIM IT FOR YOU? YEAH, GO AHEAD, THROW IT TO ME. WHAT YOU GONNA SIGN UP WITH? ALL RIGHT, THAT'S YOUR COOK KIT.
AH, YOU'RE NOT GETTING TRAFFIC. IT'S GOOD, I LIKE THAT.
I LIKE KEEPING SOMETHING... I LIKE KEEPING THEM SIMPLE.
BUT IF WE WANT TO ADD MORE KEY ACTIVITIES, IS THAT REALLY THE FOCUS, JUST ADDING MORE KEY ACTIVITIES? AND PROBABLY MORE ABOUT THE WHY, YOUR REASONING BEHIND IT, WHY IT'S IMPORTANT.
I'LL TAKE ON 1A. WE GOT 1B, 2A. SO 1A IS I MEAN, THE WATER PARK EXPANSION BOAT RAMP.
WHAT NUMBER IS THAT ONE? THAT WAS UNDER 1, THE SECOND ONE UNDER 1B. IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT? 1B? THAT'S WHAT HE WAS WORKING ON.
YOU'RE WELCOME TO ADD TO IT TOO, THAT RAMP, TO MAKE IT VERY ACCESSIBLE AND GET THEM IN AND GET THEM OUT.
WELL, THAT'S PART OF OUR THING IS TO GET PART OF THE PARKING LOT WHERE ATLANTIC SEAFOOD IS INTO THE EXPANSION OF THE...
WELL, THAT'S 3A? LOOK AT 3A FOR THE WATERFRONT PARK EXPANSION PROJECT.
SO IF YOU GUYS WANT TO FILL IN BETWEEN THERE.
THE CRA, WE WENT THROUGH A LOT OF THIS STUFF. AND I THINK A LOT OF THIS IS ALREADY THERE TO COPY AND PASTE INTO THIS ONCE.
DO YOU WANT TO HELP ME WITH THAT? MEMBER ROLAND, FOR KEY ACTIVITIES? SURE, I CAN HELP YOU WITH IT.
ALL RIGHT, SO WHICH ONE WAS THAT AGAIN? SO I'M 1A.
WHO IS DOING 2A? THAT'S TRAFFIC CIRCULATION AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
WELL, I MEAN, DO WE REALLY NEED TO DO 2A WITH... DIDN'T WE JUST TALK ABOUT IT? WE JUST TALKED ABOUT IT, BUT THERE MIGHT BE SOME ADDITIONAL ITEMS THAT YOU CAN THINK OF TO ADD IN IT.
WHY DON'T WE JUST TAKE WHAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT AND PUT THAT IN 2A? OKAY.
THAT WORKS. ALL RIGHT, CAN WE GO TO...
WHO WANTS 2B? 2B IS REVIEW DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION PLANS FOR SAFETY AND PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIVITY.
WHO WANTS DOWNTOWN? CAN I ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THAT ONE? WHEN I LOOKED AT THE MAPS, IT SHOWED ONLY LIKE 2 CROSSWALKS THAT WERE EXCEPTIONAL AND THE OTHER ONE'S JUST AVERAGE. AND WHAT MAKES ONE EXCEPTIONAL? LIKE THEY WERE COLOR-CODED WHEN I LOOKED AT THE...
THEY PROBABLY HAD THE NEW HANDICAP BUMPS AND THE LIKE ON ASH AND 4TH.
LOOKS GREAT. THANK YOU, KATIE. THE BRIDE WAS VERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
JUST A QUICK QUESTION. WHY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT PEDESTRIAN SAFETY DOWNTOWN ON CENTER STREET? WE'RE THE WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD.
TO GET TO THE WATERFRONT, YOU NEED TO GET THERE SAFELY.
WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD, UNLESS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT INTERCONNECTIVITY LIKE AT BROOME STREET AND PLACES
[01:40:01]
LIKE THAT, YOU COULD OPEN UP FOR PEDESTRIAN ACCESS, BUT THE CROSSWALKS FROM, SAY, EAST OF THE RAILROAD TRACKS ALL THE WAY EAST TO 8TH STREET, I'M NOT SURE THAT'S OUR PURVIEW.WELL, I THINK AND YOU CAN NARROW YOUR FOCUS TO THE PORTIONS THAT ARE IN THE CRA AND THE WATERFRONT.
I MEAN, THAT'S KIND OF... THAT SOUNDS LIKE YOU JUST FALL IN.
I WAS KIND OF THINKING ABOUT WHERE WE SHOULD GO.
THERE'S THE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS ALONG FRONT STREET. ALACHUA IS ALREADY OPEN.
WELL, THAT ONE WOULD FALL UNDER, UNDER THIS ROOM POTENTIALLY AS A PEDESTRIAN ACCESS, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WELL, A LOT OF IT TOO IS RIGHT HERE AT THE BOAT RAMP TOO, BECAUSE THAT WAS A MAJOR CONCERN THAT WE HAD ABOUT MAKING IT WIDER FOR THE PEDESTRIANS TO CROSS AND DO A CROSSWALK.
NOW IT'D FALL UNDER NOT GOING 3A.
I'D LIKE TO SEE 2B NARROWED A LITTLE BIT.
ALL RIGHT, SO YOU WANT TO DO 2B? SURE.
ALL RIGHT, YOU'RE ON 3C, MEMBER STEWART.
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR FROM MEFOR THAT? WHAT'S MY OBJECTIVE? JUST TO KIND OF FILL IT IN, JUST TO TWEAK IT EXACTLY WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR THE WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD? HOW ARE WE GOING TO WORK WITH THE CONSULTANTS TO KEEP TIMELINES GOING AND PROJECTS MOVING FORWARD? OKAY, WE'VE GOT THIS.
ALL RIGHT, I'M GOOD WITH THAT. THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER IN THIS FORMAT, APPRECIATE THAT. OKAY, MOVING FORWARD TO STAFF REPORTS.
[8.1 MARINA UPDATE]
MARINA MANAGER CHRIS FERGUSON. WHAT UPDATE DO YOU HAVE FOR US? YEAH, CHRIS FERGUSON, MARINA GENERAL MANAGER FROM HARBOR MARINA. REALLY JUST GOING TO GO THROUGH SORT OF THE STANDARD FORMAT THAT WE USUALLY GO THROUGH ON A MONTHLY BASIS.APPARENTLY MY EYES ARE GETTING WORSE THAN THEY WERE BEFORE. JUST LOOKING AT TOTAL REVENUE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ABOUT HALF A MILLION DOLLARS AHEAD OF LAST YEAR. I WILL SAY SOME OF THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT WE'VE HAD YOU KNOW, EXCESSIVE FUEL PRICES.
SO THE TOTAL REVENUE THAT WE WERE GENERATING FROM FUEL SALES OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS WAS DEFINITELY ELEVATED. BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BREAKDOWN, TRANSIENT REVENUE, WE'RE $120,000 AHEAD OF LAST YEAR. WE BROUGHT IN, YOU KNOW, THAT'S TRANSIENT REVENUE IS NIGHTLY, WEEKLY, MONTHLY, AND SEASONAL.
SO WE ACTUALLY BROUGHT IN A LOT MORE OF THE LONGER-TERM BOAT BOATS THIS YEAR THAN IN YEARS PAST, WHICH IS WHERE YOU SEE SORT OF THE DRAMATIC INCREASE IN TRANSIENT REVENUE. ANNUAL DOCKAGE, WE'RE 72,000 AHEAD OF LAST YEAR. WE'RE UTILIZING AND HAVE BEEN SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE FISCAL YEAR EDOC MUCH MORE EFFECTIVELY IN LONG-TERM ANNUAL BOATS.
ABOUT 3 QUARTERS OF THAT DOCK, MAYBE 2/3 IS ALL ANNUAL RECREATIONAL, AND THEN THE REMAINDER IS ALL ANNUAL COMMERCIAL. SO WE'VE SEEN A REALLY NICE INCREASE IN OUR TRANSIENT ANNUAL REVENUE.
NET FUEL REVENUE, THE REASON I MENTIONED THE LONG-TERM BOATS IS YOU WOULD THINK $120,000 IN TRANSIENT REVENUE, ALL THESE TRANSIENT BOATS COMING THROUGH SHOULD BE GENERATING A HECK OF A LOT MORE FUEL SALES.
BUT THESE ARE NOT NIGHTLY BOATS. THESE ARE BOATS THAT ARE STAYING A WEEK, A MONTH, 3 MONTHS, 6 MONTHS, ETC. SO WE'RE GENERATING THE REVENUE, BUT THEY'RE NOT GOING OUT AND BACK EVERY SINGLE DAY BURNING AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF FUEL.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE DID SEE FUEL PRICES AND THE COST OF FUEL COME DOWN OVER THE LAST, LAST MONTH.
WE ARE SEEING THAT GO BACK UP, BUT WE DID CLAW BACK A COUPLE OF BASIS POINTS. WE WERE AT 26.5.
WE REALLY TOOK A HIT WHEN, WHEN FUEL WENT THROUGH THE ROOF. WE HAD TO DROP OUR MARGIN IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE VOLUME
[01:45:01]
DURING TRANSIENT SEASON. AS FUEL COSTS CAME DOWN, WE WERE ABLE TO GAIN BACK SOME OF OUR MARGIN.SO WE WENT FROM 26.5 TO 28.6 AND LOOKING TO GET BACK UP TO WHERE WE BELONG, WHICH IS IN IN THAT SORT OF THAT 32 TO 34% RANGE.
R&M REALLY HAVE FOCUSED ON CONTROLLING EXPENSES, JUST TO DELIVER THE BEST NOI THAT WE CAN. SO WE'RE ABOUT $52,000 BELOW LAST YEAR ON TOTAL R&M SPEND. ANNUAL DOCKAGE FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE, WE'RE $12,000 AHEAD OF LAST YEAR JUST ON ANNUAL DOCKAGE JALONE.
TRANSIENT REVENUE ABOUT 95 AHEAD OF LAST YEAR. WE DID 709 TRANSIENT NIGHTS IN JUNE. MOORING REVENUE IN AND AROUND THE SAME BALLPARK, 127 MOORING NIGHTS, $646 AHEAD OF LAST YEAR.
AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING THROUGH, AND I'LL TOUCH ON IT SHORTLY, THE MOORING FIELD PROJECT.
SO WE DID HAVE MOORING BALLS THAT WERE OUT OF COMMISSION.
THE MAJORITY ARE BACK IN COMMISSION. ALL OF THEM ARE BACK IN COMMISSION IN THE NORTH FIELD, BUT THAT DID IMPACT THE NUMBER OF BOATS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE ON MOORINGS.
FUEL REVENUE, $350,000 IN FUEL REVENUE, A TOTAL OF ABOUT 62,500 GALLONS OF FUEL. SO STRONG FUEL.
IT IS THE TAIL END OF TRANSIENT SEASON, BUT AT ALMOST 63,000 GALLONS OF FUEL. IT'S A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF FUEL THAT WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE. AND THEN THE DINGHY DOCK ABOUT $2,100 IN REVENUE FOR THE DINGHY DOCK IN AND OF ITSELF.
SO I WILL SAY WE'VE RECEIVED REALLY SOLID FEEDBACK JUST ON THE OVERALL CONDITION.
YOU KNOW, WE MADE A SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENT IN THE DINGHY DOCK, AND IT IS A MUCH SAFER, BETTER LOOKING BETTER UTILIZED COMPONENT, NOT TO MENTION THE FACT BEING A DIRECT EXTENSION OF THE NEW PARK. SO YEAH, SUPER PLEASED WITH THAT.
AND THEN I'M JUST GOING TO GO THROUGH A NUMBER OF THESE ACTIVE AND COMPLETED PROJECTS. SO IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE FOR ME. I DON'T KNOW, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE BOATERS LOUNGE, WHEN YOU INITIALLY WALKED IN, WHERE THIS KITCHENETTE IS.
THERE USED TO BE AN OLD TABLE WITH A COFFEE MACHINE, AN OLD WATER BUBBLER, AND AN OLD WATER FOUNTAIN.
AND TO SAY IT WAS UNSIGHTLY, IT WAS UNSIGHTLY. SO GOT WITH THE FACILITIES DEPARTMENT, WE TALKED ABOUT JUST REMOVING THE WATER FOUNTAIN, AND AFTER A DISCUSSION WITH KATHY SABATINI AND RANDY IN THE FACILITIES DEPARTMENT, THIS WAS THE END RESULT. THE WATER THAT COMES OUT OF THE TAP IS ALL FILTERED WATER, SO WE'RE ABLE TO ELIMINATE THE EXPENSE OF A MONTHLY WATER BUBBLER EXPENSE.
SO OVER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, THIS WILL END UP PAYING FOR ITSELF BY REMOVING THAT EXPENSE.
THE OTHER THING IS, YOU KNOW, AS EARLY AS NEXT WEEK, WE ARE GOING TO BE MIGRATING OUT OF THE CURRENT DOCK OFFICE INTO THE BOATER'S LOUNGE. SO THE BOATER'S LOUNGE ALREADY HOUSES MYSELF AND MARLEY MURRAY, WHO'S THE BUSINESS ADMIN.
IT NOW BASICALLY HOUSE EVERYTHING IN THE DOCK OFFICE. SO WITH THE BOATERS LOUNGE BEING CONDENSED INTO SUCH A MUCH SMALLER AREA, WE'RE LOOKING TO SORT OF GIVE BACK AND ENHANCE THAT AREA FOR OUR BOATERS AND HAVE RECEIVED REALLY STRONG FEEDBACK FROM EVERYONE.
IN ORDER TO ELIMINATE PEOPLE TYING UP BIKES ON THE BOARDWALK AND CHAINING THEM TO THE RAILINGS, ETC.
AGAIN, WE GOT WITH FACILITIES AND PARKS AND REC. THEY WERE KIND ENOUGH TO PURCHASE, WE ULTIMATELY PAID FOR IT, OF COURSE, BUT PURCHASED A BIKE RACK AND FACILITIES INSTALLED IT FOR US.
SO NOW WE CAN SORT OF GET ALL OF THE BIKES, MARINA, THOSE THAT USE BICYCLES TO GET AROUND TOWN, WE HAVE A PLACE FOR THEM TO PROPERLY STORE THEM, AND ULTIMATELY THAT WILL BE ENHANCED. THIS IS THE NEW PATHWAY BETWEEN THE BATHHOUSE AND THE BOATERS LOUNGE.
IT JUST ADDS TO THAT CONNECTIVITY COMING FROM THE PARK AROUND BY THE BATHHOUSE BETWEEN THE 2 BUILDINGS AND THEN DOWN ONTO THE BOARDWALK, BECAUSE ON THE SOUTH SIDE, I GUESS, OF THIS PICTURE, THE RIGHT SIDE, THE BOARDWALK THAT GOES DOWN TO THE BOAT RAMP, THAT WILL BE BLOCKED OFF JUST FOR PEDESTRIAN SAFETY.
SO THE TRAFFIC PATTERN WILL, WILL WORK ITS WAY THROUGH THIS AREA, AND IT TURNED OUT REALLY WELL. WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF SUBMITTING FOR OUR GRANT REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE PUMP-OUT BOAT, AND THIS IS JUST SHOWING SOME
[01:50:02]
OF THE COMPONENTS THAT WE HAD TO INCORPORATE. WE'VE HAD THE BOAT FOR A WHILE, BUT THERE'S SPECIFIC SIGNAGE THAT WE NOT ONLY HAVE TO HAVE PRESENT THROUGHOUT THE MARINA, BUT THE VESSEL ITSELF HAS TO BE STICKERED IN A CERTAIN FASHION.WE COMPLETED THAT PROJECT, AND WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK TO 2 WEEKS, WE'LL BE FINALIZING THE PACKAGE FOR SUBMITTAL FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE ACQUISITION OF THIS VESSEL, WHICH WILL BE NICE. THIS IS AN INTERESTING ONE.
LIKE I MENTIONED, THE MOORING FIELD, THE NORTH MOORING FIELD IS COMPLETE.
ALL MOORING BALLS HAVE BEEN ALL THE CONNECTION POINTS HAVE BEEN REDONE. YOU CAN SEE WHAT A BEAUTIFUL NEW SHACKLE AND CHAIN LOOKS LIKE. THAT IS ACTUALLY THE ORIGINAL WHEN THE MOORING FIELD FIRST WENT IN.
THE RIG TO THE LEFT IS WHAT WE ARE REPAIRING AND REPLACING AND FIXING AT THIS POINT. YOU CAN SEE SORT OF THE GRAY TUBE ON THE LEFT AND THE RUSTY CHAIN THAT'S COMING OUT OF IT.
THIS IS OUT OF THE SOUTH FIELD. THE SOUTH FIELD IS MUCH MORE SHALLOW AND IN TURN HAS TO USE A LARGE CHAIN THAT RUNS THROUGH THAT PIPE THAT LAYS IN THE MUD. SO, WE JUST RECENTLY GOT THE CHAIN IN, ALL SHACKLES ARE IN, THE DIVER'S WORKING DILIGENTLY TO GET ALL OF THE SOUTH FIELD FULLY OPERATIONAL.
SO WITHIN WHAT WE HOPE WILL BE THE NEXT 2 WEEKS, WE'LL HAVE ALL 16 MOORING BALLS BACK FULLY OPERATIONAL WITH ALL NEW CONNECTING COMPONENTS PROPERLY RIGGED.
AND THEN HOPEFULLY, AS THE DEMAND CONTINUES TO INCREASE AND THROUGHOUT THE NEXT FEW YEARS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO INCREASE THE SIZE OF THE MOORING FIELD BASED ON MARKET DEMAND.
AND THEN LASTLY, I HAD A MEETING WITH SENIOR OFFICER MATTHEW STEWART WITH FWC AND JUST ASKED HIM STRAIGHT UP, I MEAN, WHAT CAN WE DO TO GET RID OF ALL THESE ABANDONED BOATS? AND UNBEKNOWNST TO ME, HE SAID, WELL, GUESS WHAT, I'M THE GUY THAT HEADS UP THE PROGRAM. SO WE HAD A GREAT MEETING. HE WENT OUT, DOCUMENTED EVERY SINGLE BOAT THAT'S OUT THERE, REGISTERED EVERY SINGLE BOAT THAT'S ABANDONED AND IS WORKING DILIGENTLY TO REMOVE EVERY SINGLE BOAT THAT'S OUT THERE.
IT DOES TAKE ABOUT 6 TO 8 MONTHS PER BOAT, BUT THE FACT THAT THEY ARE ALL REGISTERED AS ABANDONED IS A BIG PLUS.
AND THEN THAT WAY THEY CAN COMMENCE ALL THE NECESSARY PAPERWORK AND FILING PROCESS TO HAVE THOSE ULTIMATELY REMOVED NOT ONLY FROM THE SAFETY PERSPECTIVE, IS IT IMPORTANT, BUT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BEAUTIFICATION AND THE ENHANCEMENT OF FERNANDINA BEACH AND THE WATERFRONT, THAT IS NOT THE IMAGE THAT WE WANT TO HAVE WHEN LOOKING OUT OVER THE WATERWAY AND LOOKING AT OUR BEAUTIFUL SUNSETS.
IT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE, IT SHOCKED ME HOW MANY BOATS WERE OUT THERE, BUT TO KNOW THAT SENIOR OFFICER MATTHEW STEWART IS TAKING IT VERY SERIOUSLY AND WORKING DILIGENTLY TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN ON THE COUNTY'S BEHALF, ON THE CITY'S BEHALF, ON OUR BEHALF, IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. SO, AND OUTSIDE OF THAT, THAT'S SHORT AND SWEET. I THINK THAT WAS 6 MINUTES, NOT 7, RIGHT? MAYBE-ISH.
THIS IS GREAT. ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? YEAH, ONE QUESTION OUT.
THERE'S RUMOR ABOUT INSTALLING A GATE ON E DOCK.
IT IS AN OPEN DISCUSSION AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
I MEAN, ULTIMATELY, I THINK THE LONG-TERM PLAN IS TO HAVE CONTROLLED ACCESS TO EVERY SINGLE GANGWAY UNDER THE NEW DESIGN, IS MY UNDERSTANDING.
THOSE WILL BE OPEN DURING THE DAY BUT SECURED IN THE EVENING FOR AFTER HOURS. PRIOR TO THE COMPLETION OF THE WATERFRONT REDEVELOPMENT, THIS CURRENT PHASE, THE 2/3 OF THE RECREATIONAL BOATS, THOSE THAT STAY ON BOARD OVERNIGHT, THERE IS A DISCUSSION TO HAVE A GATE INSTALLED THAT WOULD BE OPEN DURING THE DAY, BUT IN THE EVENING AFTER HOURS, THAT GATE WOULD BE SHUT FOR SECURITY PURPOSES FOR THOSE THAT ARE STAYING ON BOARD THEIR BOATS IN THE EVENING, WHICH IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE CLOSURE OF THE MAIN GATE FOR C AND D DOCK FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE STAYING ON BOARD THEIR BOATS IN THE EVENING.
WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF INCIDENTS WHERE FOLKS HAVE BEEN THERE AT 2 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING FISHING ON THE END OF THE DOCK OR HAVE ACTUALLY CLIMBED ON BOARD A COUPLE OF VESSELS WHEN OWNERS WERE ON BOARD. AND IN ORDER TO PRESERVE THAT OR TO MAINTAIN THAT AFTER-HOURS SECURITY, THE IDEA IS TO PUT A GATE ABOUT A THIRD
[01:55:02]
OF THE WAY DOWN BEYOND THE COMMERCIAL CHARTER BOATS.AGAIN, THE GATE WILL BE OPEN DURING THE DAY FOR FULL ACCESS.
EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, WANTS TO COME DOWN AND SEE THE MARINA, BUT AFTER HOURS SECURITY PURPOSES, IT WOULD BE CLOSED.
WHY WOULDN'T YOU PUT IT ON THE BEGINNING OF THE DOCK TO COVER ALL BOATS INSTEAD OF JUST A PRIVATE BOAT? WELL, AGAIN, THEY'RE GOING TO WALK DOWN HALFWAY, THEY'RE GONNA STEAL SOMETHING OFF THAT BOAT.
WHY WOULDN'T THEY STEAL SOMETHING OFF ANOTHER BOAT? WELL, WITH THE NEW DEVELOPMENT AND THE NEW PROJECT, ULTIMATELY WHEN THE NEW GANGWAYS COME IN AND F DOCK AND E DOCK ARE EXTENDED.
AGAIN, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT GATES WILL BE INSTALLED AT THE HEAD OF EVERY SINGLE GANGWAY IN ORDER TO, YOU KNOW, INCREASE OR CONTROL ACCESSIBILITY IN THE EVENING.
IT'S NOT A FEASIBLE PROCESS WHILE WE'RE UNDER CONSTRUCTION, BUT THIS IS ONE SECTION THAT CAN BE DONE. IF THE PREFERENCE WAS TO MOVE IT TO THE HEAD OF THE DOCK. THAT CAN BE DONE.
THE ONLY THING THAT WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT, AND I HAVE THE CONCERN, AND NO OFFENSE TO ANY OF THE CHARTER CAPTAINS, ETC. BUT IF THERE WERE AN EVENING CHARTER THAT WAS GOING OUT AND CUSTOMERS COME DOWN AND IT'S LIKE, HEY, THE CODE IS XYZ, AND THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW, THAT CODE JUST STARTS GOING OUT INTO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND YOU LOSE CONTROL OF YOUR CONTROLLED ACCESS BECAUSE THE CODE BECOMES PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE.
BY PUTTING IT FURTHER DOWN, YOU'RE BYPASSING THE, THE COMMERCIAL VESSELS AND FOR GENERAL TRAFFIC THAT MAY COME DOWN.
AND THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE BEYOND THAT POINT ARE NOT PRONE TO, YOU KNOW, DISSEMINATE THAT INFORMATION.
BUT AGAIN, WE CAN BRING IT CLOSER AND PUT IT AT THE HEAD OF THE DOCK.
IF THERE'S BEEN A SITUATION WHERE IT'S BROUGHT UP TO THAT, HEY, WE NEED A GATE, HOW OFTEN DO THE POLICE RESPOND TO THESE CONCERNS? I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
YEAH, I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE A PROBLEM.
I SAID JUST ONE ON A COUPLE CRUISES JUST RECENTLY WITH SOME CAPTAINS, AND THE ONUS WAS PUT ON THE CAPTAIN WHERE THEY OPENED THAT FRONT GATE. YOU KNOW, AND THEY WERE LIKE, YOU GUYS BETTER BE ON TIME.
AND THEY WERE VERY ADAMANT ABOUT BE ON TIME WITH THEIR 30-MINUTE WINDOW OR 20-MINUTE WINDOW, ONE OF THEM.
AND THEN THE CAPTAIN SHUT THE GATE, OR HIS CREW DOCKED AND CLOSED THE GATE. BUT THEN IT WAS HIS FOLKS THAT WERE COMING OFF, AND THEY KNEW THAT CRUISE WAS AT THAT TIME. AND THEN AT NIGHT, LIKE YOU'RE SAYING, ALL THE BOATS ARE PROTECTED.
WELL, THAT IS SORT OF STANDARD PROTOCOL, IS THAT A CHARTER OPERATION AND IT'S ONE THING THAT WE ASK THE EVENING CHARTERS TO HAVE A MATE, NOT NECESSARILY THE CAPTAIN OF COURSE, BUT A MATE OR CREW MEMBER MEET THE GUESTS AT THE GATE, OPEN UP THE GATE, LET THEIR PEOPLE COME THROUGH AND THEN PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, THE GATE IS CLOSED TO PRESERVE THAT ACCESS.
CHRIS, YOU MAY NOT KNOW THIS, IS THE GATE GOING TO BE THE SAME TYPE OF GATE THAT WE HAVE NOW? I DON'T HAVE THAT ANSWER.
I HAVEN'T SEEN A DESIGN. I DON'T THINK IT'S BEEN DESIGNED. THE ONE WE HAVE ISN'T REALLY FUNCTIONAL.
IT'S HARD TO SHUT AND IT'S CONSTANTLY OPEN AT NIGHTTIME.
YEAH, I HAVE NOT SEEN THE DESIGN.
BUT I WOULD ASSUME IT WOULD BE AN ENHANCED VERSION OF WHAT WE HAVE TODAY.
I DO KNOW THE POLICE HAVE BEEN DOWN THERE LAST FEW MORNINGS, EARLY MORNING, AND CHECKING AND CLOSING IT.
SO, I THINK THAT IT WOULD SAVE TAXPAYERS MONEY AND LEAVING IT OPEN FOR THE CITY, SEEING HOW IT'S A CITY MARINA, TO BE ABLE TO WALK ON THE DOCK THAT THE POLICE NEEDED TO, IF WE HAVE AN ISSUE, THEY NEED TO BE NOTIFIED AND MAKE THEIR PRESENCE KNOWN.
I THINK THAT THE MINDSET BEHIND THE CONTROLLED ACCESS IS TO PREVENT THE ISSUE AS OPPOSED TO RESPONDING TO AN ISSUE.
ANY OTHER QUICK COMMENTS? QUICK DISCUSSION?
[8.2 CITY PROJECT UPDATE]
THANK YOU.ALL RIGHT, CITY UPDATES. WE HAVE PROJECT COORDINATOR JACOB PLATT, SPECIAL GUEST UTILITIES DIRECTOR ANDRE DESILETS.
WE'VE GOT CITY PROJECT UPDATES. THIS IS MY FAVORITE PART.
YAY! ALL RIGHT, ANDRE DESILETS, UTILITIES DIRECTOR.
KATIE AND JAKE ASKED ME TO ATTEND AND JUST TO KIND
[02:00:02]
OF PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION, SOME UPDATES ON KIND OF OUR STORMWATER OUTFALLS, PARTICULARLY AROUND LATCHAWA STREET NORTH.OBVIOUSLY, ASH STREET'S BEING ADDRESSED AS WE SPEAK, BUT THESE ARE KIND OF ALSO ON THE RADAR.
JUST TO KIND OF PROVIDE SOME CLARIFICATION, AT ALACHUA WE'VE GOT 2, CURRENTLY 2 PIPES THAT ARE UNDER THE RAILROAD. THESE HAVE BEEN THERE FOR QUITE SOME TIME. WE HAVE ONE PIPE THAT'S FULLY FUNCTIONAL, 24-INCH OUTFALL, AND ONE PIPE THAT IS NOT.
WE WERE HOPING DURING THAT ROADWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT TO BE ABLE TO SALVAGE THAT STRUCTURE.
ONCE WE STARTED CLEANING AND TRYING TO DO SOME FURTHER INVESTIGATION, WE FOUND LARGE SECTIONS OF THE PIPE MISSING UNDER THE 101 FRONT STREET PROPERTY. WE HAVE DECIDED NOT TO PROCEED WITH CLEANING THAT DUE TO INSTABILITY CONCERNS.
IF WE START CLEANING UNDER THE RAILROAD, WE GET FAILURES, WE GET COLLAPSES, WE'RE GOING TO BE IN A REALLY BAD SPOT. SO UNFORTUNATELY, IT DOESN'T LEAVE US A LOT OF OPTIONS THERE. WE'RE LOOKING AT LOCATIONS TO REPLACE THAT.
IDEALLY, WE'D LIKE TO USE THAT 111 FRONT STREET PROPERTY THAT CITY CONTROLS.
OTHERWISE, WE'RE GETTING INTO PRIVATE PROPERTY AND, YOU KNOW, DEALING WITH POTENTIAL ISSUES FUTURE DEVELOPMENT.
SO WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY NORTH AND SOUTH ON ALACHUA STREET TO PARTNER WITH THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS TO GET A NEW LINE INSTALLED UNDER THE RAILROAD.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF AN UNDERTAKING TO GET IT INSTALLED, BUT ONCE IT'S IN, IT SHOULD BE NOT AN ISSUE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THOSE PROPERTIES. SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON.
OBVIOUSLY, AS WAS ALLUDED TO DURING THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATION, THE EXISTING OUTFALL THAT'S ACROSS KAVANAUGH PROPERTY IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT UPGRADING IN THE FUTURE, POSSIBLY LOCATE THAT IN AN AREA THAT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE CONDUCIVE TO THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT PROPERTY.
BUT WE'VE GOT SOME WORK TO BE DONE HERE AT IT IS SOMETHING WE'RE CURRENTLY ONGOING. WITH ALACHUA RIGHT NOW, THE BLOCKED PIPE DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE THE LIMITING FACTOR WITH THAT DRAINAGE SYSTEM.
THE MAIN ISSUE THAT WE'RE SEEING IS DEBRIS CLOGGING THE SYSTEM ON ALACHUA STREET, WHICH IS PRIMARILY AN INFILTRATION-BASED SYSTEM.
THERE'S A WHOLE LOT MORE LEAVES AND DEBRIS THAT'S FLOWING FROM UPSTREAM THAN WE ANTICIPATED IN THAT AREA.
AND IT'S JUST A CONSTANT ISSUE. EVERY TIME WE CLEAN IT OUT, THE NEXT RAIN IT'S CLOGGED BACK UP AGAIN.
SO IT'S BEEN A REAL CHALLENGE, AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIND SOME WORKAROUNDS FOR THAT. SO IT'S CERTAINLY A WORK IN PROGRESS. BACK TO ASH STREET HERE, WE ARE NARROWING IN ON THE COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT.
EVERYTHING EAST OF 2ND STREET IS COMPLETE. ALL THOSE STRUCTURES ARE IN PLACE. THE CURBING IS BEING INSTALLED CURRENTLY.
WE ARE FINALIZING PLANS TO GET UNDER THE RAILROAD.
HOPEFULLY THAT'LL HAPPEN FIRST THING NEXT WEEK. WE HAVE A CONFLICT WITH FPU THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH, TRYING TO GET THAT RESOLVED THIS WEEK.
SO WE'RE SETTING THE PUMPS, WIRING THE STATIONS. SO WE'RE GETTING VERY CLOSE ON THIS ONE. IT'S BEEN QUITE A PROGRESS, QUITE A PROCESS, AND I'M SURE EVERYBODY WILL BE HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE DOWN THAT ROAD AGAIN.
WHEN DO YOU THINK THAT'LL BE? OUR DEADLINE IS AUGUST 31ST, BUT I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE'LL BE DONE WELL BEFORE THAT.
COULD YOU GO BACK TO THE LAST SLIDE, PLEASE? SO THESE YELLOW PIPES THROUGH MR. GOODSELL'S PROPERTY...
AN OPEN DITCH? YES. AND THEN THE PURPLE ARE THE PIPES, THE YELLOW IS A DITCH.
AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THIS, THE PROPERTY ON ALASHUA, LOT 16 TO THE LEFT RIGHT THERE? YES.
THEY'RE GOING THROUGH DEVELOPMENT.
I JUST NEED TO KNOW WHAT TO TELL HIM.
YEAH, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WORKING ON A KIND OF A CONCEPTUAL PLAN TO LOOK AT THAT OPTION.
I KNOW THEY'RE PROPOSING A BUILDING RIGHT ON THAT CORNER AND THAT, THAT IS MOVING FORWARD, SO WE'RE GONNA SEE IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY THERE. IF NOT,
[02:05:02]
I DON'T THINK WE CAN STAND IN THEIR WAY OF CONTINUING TO USE THAT PROPERTY. SO IT'S THING WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING ON.WELL, I'VE BEEN ASKING ABOUT THIS PIPE FOR PROBABLY, I DON'T KNOW, POOR JAKE, HE WON'T MAKE EYE CONTACT, VERY LONG TIME. AND SO, I GET IT, BUT I KNOW A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF DEVELOPMENT IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN HERE. SO IT'S LIKE, HOW DO I ENCOURAGE AN ACTUAL TIMELINE FOR THIS? SO IT'S NOT LIKE...
BECAUSE SOME, LIKE, MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ABOUT TO MOVE FORWARD ON BOTH OF THESE PROPERTIES.
SO HOW CAN I ENCOURAGE IT MORE NOW THAN LATER? I DON'T KNOW.
THERE CERTAINLY IS AN URGENCY, BUT OBVIOUSLY IT'S VERY FUNDING DEPENDENT. WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE FUNDS IN PLACE FOR THIS PROJECT.
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF UPDATING OUR STORMWATER RATES, WHICH INCLUDES SOME DEBT SERVICE. SO WE SHOULD HAVE FUNDS SHORTLY, ASSUMING THAT THE COMMISSION APPROVES THE DRAFT ORDINANCE THAT IS SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST 4TH.
SO IT'S A CRUSHED PIPE, BUT THE PIPE IS SMASHED UNDER THE ROAD IS WHAT I WAS TOLD.
IT'S COMPLETELY FULL OF BASICALLY RAILROAD GRAVEL, YOU KNOW, THE BALLAST THAT THEY USE AROUND THE TRACKS. IT'S COMPLETELY FULL. WHEN WE STARTED CLEANING IT FROM THE RIVERSIDE, WE CAME TO A SECTION WHERE THERE WAS 10 FEET OF PIPE THAT WAS NO LONGER THERE.
NO IDEA WHY IT WASN'T CRUSHED. IT WAS JUST NOT THERE. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE WE'RE GOING TO FIND WHEN WE START REMOVING ALL THE MATERIAL.
AND AS SOON AS WE DO, THEN ANY VOIDS CAN, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO SETTLE. IF WE CREATE SETTLEMENT UNDER THE RAILROAD, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A HUGE LIABILITY ISSUE. SO, OUR HOPE WAS TO BE ABLE TO LINE THAT PIPE, DO A CURED-IN-PLACE LINER TO BE ABLE TO REHABILITATE IT.
BUT TO DO THAT, WE'VE GOT TO CLEAN IT, AND WE CAN'T.
IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION. AS SOON AS WE CLEAN IT WE'RE MAKING IT VULNERABLE.
IF THERE'S ANY VOIDS, THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SETTLE. SO UNFORTUNATELY, WE DON'T HAVE A GREAT SOLUTION TO BE ABLE TO REHABILITATE THAT STRUCTURE.
WELL, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S GOING TO SETTLE ANYWAY IF THERE'S NO PIPE UNDER THERE AND IT'S JUST KIND OF A VOID.
WELL, IT'S NOT A VOID BECAUSE IT'S FULL OF DIRT AND GRAVEL RIGHT NOW, SO THERE'S NO PLACE FOR ANY SETTLEMENT TO OCCUR.
BUT AS SOON AS WE CLEAN ALL THAT DIRT AND GRAVEL OUT OF THERE, ANY VOIDS IN THAT PIPE ARE GOING TO INFILTRATE WATER, DRAG DIRT WITH IT, AND CREATE SINKHOLES.
IS THERE ANY WAY YOU CAN RUN A DEVICE THROUGH IT THAT RUNS ALL THE WAY TO WHERE IT STOPS, AND THEN YOU SEE WHERE THAT DEVICE IS SO YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THE BLOCKAGE STARTS? WE CAN SEE WHERE THE BLOCKAGE STARTS AND IT'S IMMEDIATELY INSIDE THE STRUCTURE ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE RAILROAD AND REALLY ABOUT MID-PROPERTY ON THE 101 PROPERTY.
SO IT'S ACTUALLY UNDER THE ROAD AND THE RAILROAD TRACKS IS WHERE FROM ALL THOSE YEARS OF THE RAILROAD RUNNING OVER IT, IT'S JUST ALL COLLAPSED AND ALL THAT.
I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. YOU KNOW, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO CLEAN IT.
IT'S JUST WE CAN'T IMMEDIATELY TURN AROUND AND STABILIZE BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.
AND THAT'S TOTALLY TO THE SOUTH OF WHAT Y'ALL DID A FEW YEARS AGO WHEN YOU WENT UP UNDERNEATH THE BRIDGE AND BUILT A NEW DRAINAGE AND ALL. IS THIS A DIFFERENT PIPE OR JUST A NEW PIPE? WELL, THERE'S 2 PIPES JUST PARALLEL.
IT'S THE 2 PURPLE LINES RIGHT THERE. SO THEY'RE SIDE BY SIDE. ONE IS INTACT AND THE OTHER ONE IS JUST BLOCKED AT THIS POINT.
SO WE'RE JUST WAITING FOR AN EMERGENCY TO HAPPEN? WELL, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK AND COME UP WITH A CONCEPT AND WORK WITH PROPERTY OWNERS AND SEE IF WE CAN FIND A WAY TO FUND IT, FIND A WAY TO GET IT INSTALLED.
HOW DOES IT AFFECT CONSTRUCTION ON THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY? IT SHOULDN'T AFFECT LONG-TERM CONSTRUCTION, BUT IN ORDER TO DO A JACK AND BORE OPERATION SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'VE GOT GOING ON HERE, YOU'VE GOT TO DIG A, YOU KNOW, A LARGE PIT TO BE ABLE TO PUSH A PIPE UNDER THE RAILROAD. SO IT'S A TEMPORARY IMPACT ON BOTH SIDES THAT'S SIGNIFICANT.
I WISH WE HAD DONE THAT BEFORE.
ALL RIGHT, WELL, I HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THAT PERSON,
[02:10:01]
SO IF YOU WANT TO EMAIL ME WHAT...I'LL HAVE SOME INFORMATION TOGETHER THIS WEEK AND HAPPY TO USE YOU AS A RESOURCE.
I WISH I HAD MORE DEFINITE INFORMATION FOR YOU.
I FINALLY AM NOT, YOU KNOW, I'M GETTING MORE INFORMATION SINCE. THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING IT.
WE ARE OUT FOR BID ON THE SEGMENT 1 PORTION OF THE SEAWALL DOWN ON SOUTH FRONT STREET. WE HAD A MANDATORY PRE-BID OPENING WITH, I THINK, 12 OR 14 CONTRACTORS THAT SHOWED UP AND OPENING THAT ON AUGUST 12TH. I KIND OF WENT THROUGH AND LOOKED AT THIS DESIGN BEFORE, BUT RESILIENCY WALL ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE STREET, WATER MAIN RELOCATION.
THEY'RE FIXING OR FINISHING UP THE UNDERGROUNDING OF THE UTILITIES, AND THEN WE'LL BE REGRADING THE ROAD TO HANDLE THE DRAINAGE. ABOUT A 6-MONTH PROJECT ONCE WE GET GOING. THE PROPERTY THE CITY PURCHASED HERE AT 115 SOUTH 2ND STREET WENT TO HDC AND GOT APPROVAL.
THAT BID WILL PROBABLY GO OUT THIS WEEK OR NEXT WEEK FOR THE DEMOLITION OF THE STRUCTURE AND FOUNDATION. SO THAT'LL GO OUT ON THE STREETS FOR BID HERE SOON. MUSEUM'S DOCUMENTING JUST THE HISTORY OF WHAT'S THERE.
THE ORIGINAL WAREHOUSE BUILDING APPEARS TO BE FROM THE '20S. THE HISTORIC DISTRICT STAFF ANALYZED THE BUILDING, WALKED THROUGH THE BUILDING. THERE WERE A COUPLE... THESE COLUMNS THAT YOU SEE HERE IN THE POST ARE HEART PINE COLUMNS, AND IT'S GOT SOME ORIGINAL UNPAINTED BEADBOARD IN THERE THAT THE CONTRACTOR COULD POTENTIALLY SAVE, BUT THERE'S NO REQUIREMENT THAT ANYTHING IN THE BUILDING MUST BE SAVED.
THE AWARD WAS FOR BRETT'S DEMOLITION AND MARINA REDEVELOPMENT WAS AWARDED ON THE 21ST OF JULY TO BAKER DESIGN GROUP. WE'RE HAVING A STAKEHOLDER MEETING TOMORROW AFTERNOON AT 2 PM WITH THE MARINA STAKEHOLDERS.
THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL STAKEHOLDER AND PUBLIC MEETINGS JUST FOR OUTREACH, BUT THIS INITIAL ONE'S FOR THE STAKEHOLDER GROUPS.
WE'RE IN OUR KIND OF PRE-PROJECT MANAGEMENT, PRE-CONSTRUCTION MODE, DOING OUR INTERNAL MEETINGS AND CONTROL CONTROLS TO GET PREPARED FOR A 470-DAY PROJECT ON THE WATER WITH PARKING LOT A BEING CLOSED AND KEEPING EVERYBODY AT THE MARINA AS HAPPY AS WE CAN.
AND THIS IS OPERATIONAL AS WE CAN. AND THEN GRANTS ADMINISTRATOR LORELEI JACOBS SHARED THIS AFTERNOON THAT THE STAN MAYFIELD WORKING WATERFRONTS CAPITAL OUTLAY GRANT PROGRAM IS BEING FUNDED THIS YEAR TO THE TUNE OF $2.5 MILLION FOR THE STATE. STAN MAYFIELD GRANT PROGRAM PROVIDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO ELIGIBLE COMMERCIAL SALTWATER PRODUCT BUSINESS, COMMERCIAL SALTWATER WHOLESALE DEALERS, RETAIL SEAFOOD LICENSE HOLDERS, SEAFOOD HOUSES, AND MARINE AQUACULTURE OPERATIONS TO HELP MAINTAIN, ENHANCE THEIR OPERATIONS WHILE SUPPORTING FLORIDA SEAFOOD ECONOMY. I THINK, SHE SAID IT'S ONLY OPEN THROUGH...
IT'S A SHORT APPLICATION WINDOW, BUT THERE'S A CALL ON THE 3RD.
LOOKING AT ATTENDING, I THINK.
DO WE HAVE A DEDICATED GRANT WRITER? THE CITY DOES.
SO IF YOU KNOW ANYONE WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN THAT GRANT, COME FIND US AND WE'LL GET YOU CONNECTED WITH LORELEI.
NO, I GOT MY SON WORKING ON IT NOW.
IT OPENS ON AUGUST 3RD, CLOSES ON AUGUST 17TH, SO BEFORE OUR NEXT MEETING, EVERYTHING'S GOING TO BE WRITTEN IN IT.
WE USED TO DO THIS AND KIND OF STOPPED FOR A COUPLE MONTHS. I REALIZED I NEED TO UPDATE THE FONT SIZE TO MAKE IT MORE ELIGIBLE TO READ HERE.
SO, WHAT YOU HAVE IS ON THE TOP HERE ALL THE PRIVATE PARCELS. THE COLUMNS OF IT.
IF THERE'S ANY KIND OF DISCUSSION GOING ON, IT'LL BE HIGHLIGHTED HERE.
TRC FROM OUR DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT. IF THERE'S AN HDC PROJECT IN PROGRESS, THIS IS JUST TO SHOW KIND OF TRYING TO TRACK, SHOW YOU WHERE DEVELOPMENT'S OCCURRING WITHIN THE CRA, YOU KNOW, PERMIT STATUS, AND IF THEY'RE UNDER CONSTRUCTION. WE'VE GOT HERE PARKING LOT A, LIKE I SAID, WILL BE CLOSED THROUGH THE DURATION OF
[02:15:01]
THE MARINA REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT.THAT'LL BE ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS, FENCING GOING UP AROUND PARKING LOT A AND BLOCKING THAT OFF. WE ARE MOVING THE 2 TICKET BOOTHS THAT ARE THERE IN PARKING LOT A TO PARKING LOT B SO THAT THOSE OPERATIONS CAN CONTINUE AND WE'LL HAVE A SPACE TO HAVE THE TICKET BOOTH.
SIMMONS PROPERTIES GOING TO HTC IN AUGUST. SO, IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF...
SEE IF THEY CAN GET SUPPORT FOR THAT DESIGN AND MOVE FORWARD THROUGH THE SITE PLAN REVIEW PROCESS.
YOU'LL SEE MULTIPLE CONCEPTS THERE LOOKING AT THE ISSUES THAT WERE HIGHLIGHTED WITH THE BOAT RAMP AND ALL OF THAT. THIS ONE HERE IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE ONES TO HIGHLIGHT. CERTAIN PROPERTY OWNER THAT HAS PERMITS, AND WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE START CONSTRUCTION AT THE 101 FRONT STREET BUILDING.
AND THEN LASTLY, I THINK HERE IS AT THE END OF BROOME STREET. YOU'LL NOTICE THE SILT FENCE IS UP, THE SITE HAS BEEN CLEARED, AND THEY SHOULD BE STARTING CONSTRUCTION THERE ANYTIME NOW FOR THE LITTLE BOUTIQUE HOTEL AT THE END OF BROOME STREET. AND THEN LASTLY, THESE ARE KIND OF PUBLIC PROJECTS WHERE WE STAND.
AS I MENTIONED, BID OPENING FOR SEGMENT 1 IS COMING UP ON THE 12TH.
LIKE I JUST SAID AGAIN, THE PARK EXPANSION IS IN DESIGN. ANDRE TOUCHED ON ASH STREET DRAINAGE BASIN CONSTRUCTION.
DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION IS IN DESIGN, AND THE TRAFFIC CIRCULATION STUDY THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING WITH THOSE DESIGNERS TO SEE IF WE CAN WORK WITH THEM ON THE ASHLAND-ALACHUA DESIGN, MAKING SURE EVERYTHING'S COORDINATED IN. HARBOR MASTER PLAN, IT'S IN ITS DRAFT. ONCE MOFFETT-NICHOL GETS THOSE CONCEPTS IN HAND, WE'RE GOING TO MEET WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT WE MET WITH ON THE NORTH END AND SIT DOWN AND SHOW THEM THOSE DESIGNS BEFORE WE BRING IT TO YOU AND GO PUBLIC WITH MORE OF A FINALIZED DRAFT AND YOUR REVIEW.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? ANY OTHER STAFF REPORTS? EVERYBODY'S SCARED TO TALK, IT'S SO LATE. ALL RIGHT, DO ANY BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ANY REPORTS OR COMMENTS THAT YOU WANT TO BRING TO THE BOARD? WELCOME ABOARD.
[10. NEXT MEETING DATE]
IS THERE ANY OTHER BUSINESS? NEXT MEETING IS MONDAY, AUGUST 24TH AT 6 PM, AND WITH THAT, WE ARE ADJOURNED. THANK YOU.