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[1. Call to Order. Roll Call.]
I'M CALLING THIS MEETING TO ORDER.IT IS A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COMMISSION.
PLEASE CALL. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
THIS MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER.
HERE. SO THE MAYOR IS RUNNING IN TRAFFIC AND WILL BE HERE SHORTLY.
I'LL JUST STEP IN FOR A MOMENT.
[2. General Public Comments (Part 1 of 2)]
THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS.DO WE HAVE ANY CARDS? SPEAKER CARDS? YES. IF ANYBODY'S INTERESTED IN SPEAKING THAT HAS NOT FILLED OUT A SPEAKER CARD, YOU CAN RECEIVE ONE IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM.
ELIZABETH SMITH AND FOLLOWED BY MICHAEL GROSSMAN.
IS MS. SMITH IN THE ROOM? WELL, WE'LL JUST BRING WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU.
GOOD AFTERNOON, I LIVE AT 172.
COULD YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE? YES, MICHAEL GROSSMAN, 172 CORDOVA STREET NO.
SO I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE CONDITION OF LAKE MARIA SANCHEZ.
I AM PRESIDENT OF NOT FOR PROFIT, CALLED FRIENDS OF LAKE MARIA SANCHEZ.
AND WE'VE BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF.
WE'RE A FLORIDA NOT FOR PROFIT, AND WE ARE DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF THE LAKE AND PRESERVING IT SOME BIO HABITAT AND BEAUTY.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, I LIVE IN THE CONDOMINIUM BUILDING ON THE VERY NORTH END OF THE LAKE.
THERE'S NOTHING BETWEEN US AND THE LAKE EXCEPT SAINT FRANCIS ROAD.
AND THAT END OF THE LAKE IS SO SHALLOW.
AND SO SMELLY, FRANKLY AT LOW TIDES THAT I THINK TO SAVE THE LAKE BECAUSE SOONER OR LATER THAT. MOUND OF SILT THAT APPEARS AT EVERY LOW TIDE IS GOING TO EXTEND FURTHER AND FURTHER INTO THE LAKE. I KNOW THAT IN CONNECTION WITH THE CITY'S FLOOD MITIGATION PLAN, AT LEAST SOME DREDGING WILL HAVE TO BE DONE.
IN CONNECTION WITH THE CULVERTS.
THAT IS GOING TO BE INSTALLED AND WHICH WILL EMPTY INTO THE NORTH END OF THE LAKE.
I'M HOPING THAT THERE WILL BE SOME SORT OF [INAUDIBLE] ON THOSE CULVERTS TO PREVENT FURTHER DEBRIS FROM THE ROADWAYS FROM SETTLING INTO THE LAKE.
BUT I'VE ONLY BEEN IN SAINT AUGUSTINE ABOUT THREE YEARS, AND I'M TOLD BY SOME OLD TIMERS THAT AT ONE TIME THE LAKE WAS MORE THAN TEN FEET DEEP THROUGHOUT.
THESE ARE REAL OLD TIMERS, AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IT WOULDN'T BE TOO FAR A STRETCH FOR THE CITY TO DO SOME ADDITIONAL DREDGING, SINCE THEY'RE ALREADY GOING TO BE DOING SOME DREDGING IN CONNECTION WITH THE FLOOD MITIGATION PLAN.
I'M ALSO A BOARD MEMBER OF THE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION AND I CAN SPEAK ON EVERY MEMBER OF THE CONDO THAT THEY ARE IN FAVOR OF DREDGING AS WELL.
SO I WOULD URGE THE CITY TO CONSIDER THAT.
THANK YOU. MR. GROSSMAN. ALL RIGHT, MS. SMITH, ARE YOU READY NOW? YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME FORWARD IF YOU'LL STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE.
ELIZABETH SMITH, 955 FISH ISLAND PLACE, ST.
AUGUSTINE. I DO HAVE SOME PHOTOGRAPHS TO SHARE.
IF SOMEONE COULD SET THIS UP FOR ME, PLEASE.
WE REPRESENT THE NEARLY 700 MEMBERS OF THE FISH ISLAND COMMUNITY ALLIANCE, A CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE BASED NONPROFIT WORKING TO PRESERVE 33 ACRES OF CITY OWNED LAND AT FISH ISLAND ROAD. THIS LAND IS RICH WITH NATIVE WILDLIFE, SIGNIFICANT TREES AND ENDANGERED
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SPECIES AND BIRDS OF CONCERN.BUT THIS LAND IS ALSO A CRITICAL COMPONENT IN THE CITY'S RESILIENCE PLANNING FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS.
THE PROXIMITY OF THIS LAND TO RESILIENT PROJECT AREA FOUR IN SOUTH DAVIS SHORES.
SECONDLY, FISH ISLAND ROAD FLOODS.
THE ROAD FLOODS IN SPITE OF WIDE DRAINAGE AREAS RUNNING EAST WEST ALONG THE SAND ROAD, THE LENGTH OF THE PROPERTY IN SPITE OF FOUR DRAINAGE PONDS ON THE PROPERTY.
PHOTOS SHOW FLOODING ALONG FISH ISLAND ROAD PRIOR TO LAST WEEK'S LAST THURSDAY'S RAINFALL. AND IN ADDITION, STANDING WATER A WEEK AFTER A RAINFALL.
FINALLY, THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO THE EAST OF [INAUDIBLE] ROAD, A BUDDING THE CITY OWNED PROPERTY FLOODS AS WELL, WITH WATER INCURSION INTO HOMES DURING HURRICANE MATTHEW AND BACKYARD FLOODING DURING THE NOVEMBER [INAUDIBLE].
AND AFTER HEAVY RAINS OR HIGH TIDES, THE RESIDENTS OF THE FISH ISLAND CORRIDOR AND SOUTH DAVID SHORES HAVE AN IMMEDIATE AND CRITICAL RELATIONSHIP TO THE LAND AT FISH ISLAND ROAD BECAUSE IT PROVIDES NOT ONLY HABITAT FOR BELOVED WILDLIFE, BUT ALSO PROTECTION FROM THE RAVAGES OF STORMS, HIGH TIDES AND CLIMATE CHANGE.
DEVELOPING THIS LAND WOULD ONLY EXACERBATE THE ALREADY EXISTING PROBLEMS WITH FLOODING.
WE AGREE WITH THE 99% OF RESPONDENTS TO THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT IN FLAGLER PROFESSOR STEWART [INAUDIBLE] STUDY.
THE LAND AND WATER ARE FRAGILE RESOURCES THAT I SHOULD TRY TO PROTECT.
WE BELIEVE THAT THE CITY OF ST.
AUGUSTINE SHOULD PROTECT THESE RESOURCES ALSO.
ALL RIGHT. NEXT, WE HAVE MAUREEN LONG.
AND AFTER MS. LONG, WE HAVE MATTIE BRAYFORD [INAUDIBLE].
MAUREEN LONG 1821 CASTILLE STREET, MENENDEZ PARK.
WE'RE HERE THIS WORKSHOP TO CREATE A CREATE SOMETHING OF A MITIGATION PLAN A COMMUNITY DRIVEN DOCUMENT THE CITY OF ST.
AUGUSTINE WORKING WITH US THE COMMUNITY TO INTEGRATE MITIGATION WITH DAY TO DAY DECISION MAKING REGARDING LAND USE PLANNING, FLOOD PLAN, MANAGEMENT, SITE DESIGN, AND OTHER FUNCTIONS, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, TO REDUCE HARM TO EXISTING AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT.
WE BELIEVE THAT 865 FISH ISLAND ROAD, SOUTH OF ANTIGUA WITH ACCESS TO MIZELL ROAD, IS THE PROPERTY THAT CAN ACHIEVE HELP TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL, TO REDUCE HARM TO THE EXISTING DEVELOPMENT AND THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT THAT SURROUNDS THIS 33 ACRES THAT SITS SOUTH IN [INAUDIBLE] ANTIGUA WITH THE ACCESS TO MIZELL ROAD.
LOOKING AT THE SITE'S 6.5 ACRES OF WETLANDS, THREE STORM WATER RETENTION PONDS, ITS LARGE TELECOMMUNICATION TOWER, A THREE ACRE SITE WITH WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY THAT'S NOT IN SERVICE ANYMORE.
AND SO IT HAS AN ESTIMATED 24 ACRES OF PLANTS THAT WOULD CREATE A BUFFER AREA THAT WILL PROTECT NATURAL RESOURCES SUCH AS FLOODPLAINS, WETLANDS AND SENSITIVE HABITATS.
ADDITIONAL BENEFITS TO THE COMMUNITY MAY INCLUDE IMPROVED WATER QUALITY AND RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. WE ASK THAT YOU ADD THE EIGHT 865 FISH ISLAND ROAD TO YOUR LIST OF PROJECTS ALREADY A HABITAT HOME TO A GROWING AMOUNT OF FAUNA AND FLORA.
THE CITY ALREADY OWNS THE LAND.
BY ADDING THIS TO THE LIST OF PROPOSED PROJECTS, IT IS AND WILL BE A NATURAL NATURE BASED SOLUTION FOR THE CITY'S RESILIENCY PLAN.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
MY APOLOGIES TO THE PUBLIC AND TO THE COMMISSION STAFF FOR MY BEING LATE.
OUR LAST SPEAKER DURING THIS SECTION OF PUBLIC COMMENT IS MS. MATTIE [INAUDIBLE].
PARDON ME. WHILE SHE'S COMING UP MAYOR, THE CITY MANAGER REQUESTED ME.
SORRY. OVER HERE. REQUESTED THAT WE SWITCH THE ORDER OF PUT 4 TO 3.
WELCOME. THANK YOU FOR 307 ST.
GEORGE DISREGARDS THE CITY'S ORDINANCE ON TREE CANOPY, CONSIDERING IT AND THE LOSS OF A TREE ON MY STREET AT THE TRINITY EPISCOPAL PARISH CHURCH, CHARLESTON LAST YEAR HAD A REPORT WHERE IT REPORTED THAT SINCE 1992, THEY HAD LOST 10,000 ACRES, ACRES OF TREES SINCE OF BECAUSE THE FLOODING MADE IT WORSE.
AND THE SITTING OF CHARLESTON ITSELF LOST 5% OF ITS TREE CANOPY.
ONE ACRE OF FOREST ABSORBS SIX TONS OF CARBON DIOXIDE AND PUTS OUT FOUR TONS OF OXYGEN.
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A MATURE TREE CAN SOAK UP 40,000 GALLONS A YEAR.PINES, OAKS, AND CYPRESSES PUMP THE MOST WATER OUT OF THE FLOODING ZONE.
THE CITY HAD A CONSULTANT COME AND THEY FOUND THAT THEIR TREES IN THE CITY SUCK UP 569 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER IN ONE DAY ENOUGH TO FILL AT LEAST 860 OLYMPIC SIZED SWIMMING POOLS. SO I WAS VERY SURPRISED TO SEE ON MY STREET A GRAND TREE CUT DOWN BECAUSE IT WAS DISEASED AND THAT THEY THOUGHT THAT IT SHOULD BE REMOVED.
IF YOU GO TO ANY BIG TREE IN THE STATE, YOU'RE GOING TO FIND BUGS AND DISEASES IN THOSE TREES, PARTICULARLY THE GRAND TREES.
SO MY QUESTION HERE IS, HOW DOES SOMEONE REPORT THIS TO BOARDS THAT HAVE GREAT APPRECIATION FOR THIS CHURCH, JUST AS THE COMMUNITY DOES AND THE CITY DOES? SO I HOPE THAT WE HOLD THE CHURCH TO THE REGULATIONS, JUST AS ANY ORDINARY CITIZEN LIVING IN THE CITY WOULD HAVE TO DO REGARDING ANY TREE REMOVAL.
AND I WOULD THINK THAT THE TREE ORDINANCE SHOULD BE CHANGED SO THAT NOT THE SAME ARBORIST IS ALSO ALLOWED TO REMOVE THE TREE.
TO ME, IT SEEMS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I DO NOT HAVE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS CARDS, ANYBODY THAT WISHES TO ADDRESS THE CITY COMMISSION DURING THIS SPECIAL MEETING? SEEING NO ONE.
THE GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION OF THE MEETING IS CLOSED.
MR. REGAN WERE NOW ON THE USA COE PRESENTATION.
[3. USACOE - Back Bay Feasibility Study Presentation and Funding Update (J. Harrah, US Army Corps of Engineers) ]
MR. MAYOR, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.WE HAVE NOT FORMALLY MODIFIED THE AGENDA.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS IMPORTANT.
WE HAVEN'T MADE A CITY COMMISSION DECISION TO MODIFY THE AGENDA.
I WOULD MAKE A MOTION THAT WE MOVE ITEM FOUR, THE CORPS OF ENGINEER BACK BAY FEASIBILITY STUDY PRESENTATION AND FUNDING UPDATE THAT WE MOVE THAT TO ITEM THREE AND THAT ITEM THREE THE SUMMARY OF RESILIENCE WORKSHOP FROM OCTOBER 25, 2021 BE MOVED TO ITEM FOUR.
SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION AND HAVE A SECOND FURTHER DISCUSSION.
JESSICA BEACH, CHIEF RESILIENCE OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF ST.
AUGUSTINE. AND I AM GOING TO INTRODUCE THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS BACK BAY FEASIBILITY STUDY AND AS YOU JUST HAD AMENDED THE AGENDA, WE MOVED THE CORPS PRESENTATION FIRST TO MAKE SURE WE HAD ADEQUATE TIME TO GO THROUGH THE CORPS ARMY CORPS PRESENTATION, HAVE TIME FOR DISCUSSION QUESTION AND ANSWERS ON THAT.
AND THEN WE WILL PICK BACK UP WITH COVERING THE SUMMARY OF OUR RESILIENCE WORKSHOP BACK FROM OCTOBER.
I'LL COVER SOME OF THE INPUT THAT WE GOT FROM THE COMMISSION, JUST AS A BRIEF OVERVIEW AND SOME PROGRAM UPDATES SINCE OUR LAST TIME TOGETHER.
AND FINALLY, WE'LL BE GOING INTO A LITTLE BIT DEEPER DOVE ON SOME OF THE CITY'S PROJECTS AND PRIORITIES AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE'VE RECEIVED TO KIND OF FACILITATE THE DISCUSSION AND DIALOG.
SO WITH THAT, I JUST WANT TO PREFACE THIS TO SAY THE ARMY CORPS BACK BAY FEASIBILITY STUDY HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, IS ACTUALLY INITIATED UNDER FORMER MAYOR NANCY SHAVER.
SHE HAD REACHED OUT TO THE ARMY CORPS TO TALK ABOUT DOING THESE BACK BASED STUDIES.
IT'S BEEN DONE IN A NUMBER OF COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, WE'VE HAD MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, COLLIER COUNTY HAVE BEEN THE TWO PRIMARY FLORIDA ENTITIES THAT HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THIS STUDY.
THERE'S OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, SUCH AS THE CITY OF NORFOLK AND VIRGINIA AND ALSO CHARLESTON IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
SO THE IN A NUTSHELL, WHAT THE STUDY IS, IT'S A THREE YEAR PROJECT WITH A $3 MILLION BUDGET THAT'S COST SHARE BETWEEN THE ARMY CORPS AND THE LOCAL SPONSOR.
AND IT'S A VERY ROBUST STUDY THAT EVALUATES COASTAL STORM RISKS AND IDENTIFY SOLUTIONS THAT WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR COST SHARE FUNDING FOR PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION.
AND SO THE CITY HAD ENGAGED THE ARMY CORPS BACK IN 2018.
AND SINCE THEN WE'VE BEEN SUBMITTING LETTERS OF INTEREST AND WE NOW HAVE FUNDING ACTUALLY IN PLACE FROM CONGRESS TO AUTHORIZES THE ARMY CORPS TO PROCEED AS FAR AS LOOKING INTO THE STUDY. AND SO NOW THAT WE HAVE SOME FUNDING AVAILABLE, JUST SOME BRIEF BACKGROUND ON THAT. IT WAS THERE WAS A COMMUNITY FUNDING PROGRAM THAT WAS REINSTATED BY CONGRESS IN 2021, AND CONGRESSMAN RUTHERFORD'S OFFICE ADVOCATED FOR THE CITY TO GET THE FUNDING IN PLACE THAT ALLOWS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP FORWARD.
SO WE JUST RECEIVED NOTIFICATION ABOUT THE FUNDING.
AND JUST TO REMIND EVERYONE, WHEN WE SPOKE BACK IN OCTOBER, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
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THE BACK BASED STUDY.AND I THINK THE GENERAL THOUGHT WAS, LET'S LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS, LET'S HAVE MORE DISCUSSION. LET'S UNDERSTAND WHAT THE STUDY IS ALL ABOUT SO WE HAD ALREADY ALIGNED UP TO HAVE THE ARMY CORPS TALK TO THE COMMISSION ABOUT THIS STUDY.
AND NOW THAT WE HAVE THE FUNDING IN PLACE, THAT KIND OF FACILITATES THAT DISCUSSION EVEN MORE SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, THIS IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY.
WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR ANY FORMAL DECISIONS TO BE MADE AT THE COMMISSION AT THIS POINT, BUT WE WANT TO ALLOW THE ARMY CORPS TO GIVE AN OVERALL PRESENTATION DESCRIBING WHAT THE STUDY IS, WHAT TO BE EXPECTED, THE TIMELINE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
AND THEN WE CAN TALK WITH THE COMMISSION ON ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE, INITIAL INPUT, SOME THOUGHTS ON THAT, AND THEN WE CAN KIND OF GO FROM THERE.
AND SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO PULL UP THE ARMY CORPS PRESENTATION AND INTRODUCE JASON [INAUDIBLE]. HE'S THE PROJECT MANAGER WITH THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS THAT WE WOULD BE WORKING WITH. AND HE'S GOING TO GO INTO THE FEASIBILITY STUDY PROCESS AND GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW ON THAT. AND SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND LAUNCH THIS AND HAVE JASON COME UP.
WELCOME, MR. [INAUDIBLE]. WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. I APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH.
AND CITY COMMISSIONERS, THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING, AS JESSICA ALLUDED TO FOR MANY YEARS, TO GET THE FUNDING SET UP TO INITIATE THIS STUDY.
WE SAW THE DETRIMENT FROM HURRICANES MATTHEW AND IRMA AND DORIAN, EVERYTHING THAT'S IMPACTED THE CITY, EVEN TO LOCAL RAINFALL EVENTS.
SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO START THE STUDY.
AND I'LL GO THROUGH A PRESENTATION TODAY THAT JUST KIND OF TALKS ABOUT THIS STUDY PROCESS, WHAT'S INVOLVED IN IT FROM THE CORPS, BECAUSE IT IS A VERY COMPLEX PROCESS, BUT WE'RE READY TO GET STARTED THANKS TO CONGRESSMAN RUTHERFORD AND OTHERS IN CONGRESS THAT HELPED MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
SO AGAIN, MY NAME IS JASON [INAUDIBLE].
I'M A SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER IN THE JACKSONVILLE DISTRICT.
I SPEND TIME HERE WITH MY KIDS.
WE ALL LIVE HERE. ALL THE STAFF MEMBERS THAT WERE WORK ON THIS STUDY ACTUALLY LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL. FROM JACKSONVILLE TO ST.
JOHN'S, I HAVE MS. STACEY ROTH WITH ME.
STACEY. STACEY IS A SENIOR PLANNING OFFICIAL FOR THE JACKSONVILLE DISTRICT CORPS OF ENGINEERS. AND STACEY'S ROLE IS AS THE ENGINEERS, THE ECONOMISTS, THE BIOLOGISTS ALL DEVELOP THEIR PARTS OF A STUDY.
IT'S HER STAFF'S RESPONSIBILITY TO PUT THAT STUDY TOGETHER FOR PUBLIC REVIEW AND FOR CONGRESS TO ULTIMATELY AUTHORIZE THE STUDY IN ABOUT THREE YEARS FROM NOW.
SO FIRST OFF, I'M GOING TO DISCUSS WHAT IS A FEASIBILITY STUDY AND WHAT WILL THE CORPS DO AND HOW WILL WE LOOK AT ALTERNATIVES TO ASSIST THE CITY? I'LL TALK ABOUT THE PROJECT LIFECYCLE.
HOW DOES THIS HOW DO WE GO FROM THE INITIATION OF A OF AN ISSUE FROM A SPONSOR TO COMPLETING A STUDY TO DOING DESIGN AND PERMITTING, TO GOING TO CONSTRUCTION, AND THEN ULTIMATELY THE OPERATION OF MAINTENANCE OF WHATEVER THAT PLAN IS.
SO WE'RE GOING TO WALK IN FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END OF THE PROCESS, AND THEN I WILL CERTAINLY BE OPEN TO QUESTIONS.
MS. STACY WILL JOIN ME AS WELL TO ADDRESS ANYTHING.
SO THIS IS A LOT OF INFORMATION.
I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU THE CLIFF NOTE VERSION OF WHAT A FEASIBILITY STUDY IS FOR THE CORPS. AS JESSICA ALLUDED TO, THIS IS A FORMAL THREE YEAR PROCESS THAT WE USE TO IDENTIFY WATER RESOURCE PROBLEMS THAT A COMMUNITY BRINGS UP, I.E.
FLOODING IN THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE FROM STORM SURGE, ETC.
TYPICALLY THESE STUDIES ARE INITIATED BY A SPONSOR VIA WRITTEN LETTER AND THOSE ARE SENT TO OUR COMMANDER IN THE JACKSONVILLE DISTRICT.
WE HAVE A FULL BIRD COLONEL THAT REPRESENTS OUR DISTRICT AND THEY ROTATE IN AND OUT EVERY THREE YEARS. THE CURRENT COMMANDER WE HAVE IS ACTUALLY FROM ST.
JOHN'S COUNTY. HE'S WORKED HIS WAY FROM WASHINGTON THROUGH AFGHANISTAN AND HE'S MADE HIS WAY BACK TO HE JUST STARTED IN THE JACKSONVILLE DISTRICT FOR THREE YEARS.
SO HE'S MADE HIS WAY BACK AND HE'S OUR CURRENT COMMANDER, COLONEL JAMES BOOTH.
THE STUDIES ARE [INAUDIBLE] WITH THE SPONSOR.
AS JESSICA ALLUDED TO, IT'S A 5050 COST SHARE, 50% FEDERAL, 50% LOCAL.
AND I KNOW THERE CAN BE COMPONENTS OF THE LOCAL SHARE WHICH COULD CONSIST OF CITY MONEY, STATE MONEY, ETC.
AND I'M SURE JESSICA WILL PURSUE THOSE PATHS IF ELECTED TO MOVE FORWARD.
BULLET NUMBER THREE SO THERE'S TWO PARTS TO GET A STUDY GOING.
NUMBER ONE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A STUDY AUTHORITY.
SO CONGRESS HAS TO GIVE THE CORPS DIRECTION IN A CONGRESSIONAL BILL TO MOVE FORWARD.
TYPICALLY, WE CALL THOSE WATER RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT ACTS OR WARDS.
THEY COME OUT EVERY TWO YEARS.
AND THAT'S WHAT ALL THE NATION'S WATER RESOURCE ISSUES GET AUTHORIZED AND TYPICALLY, WHICH IS A WATER RESOURCE BILL.
SO ONCE YOU HAVE AN AUTHORITY, YOU HAVE TO HAVE FEDERAL APPROPRIATIONS.
THOSE TYPICALLY COME IN THE ANNUAL PRESIDENT'S BUDGET.
THE PRESIDENT PASSES A BUDGET EVERY YEAR OR WE HAVE DIFFERENT POTS OF MONEY CALLED WORK PLANS THAT COME OUT EVERY YEAR, WHICH USED TO BE KNOWN AS EARMARKS.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE SUPPLEMENTAL BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN TIED TO HURRICANE EVENTS.
THERE WAS A SUPPLEMENTAL FOR HURRICANE MATTHEW, IRMA, ETC.
SO THOSE ARE THE THREE POTS OF MONEY THAT CAN HAPPEN.
THE MORAL OF THAT STORY IS IT TAKES TWO TO TANGO.
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YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN AUTHORITY AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE APPROPRIATIONS.IF NO STUDY AUTHORITY EXISTS, THE COMMUNITY MAY CONTACT THEIR CONGRESSIONAL REPS TO REQUEST AN AUTHORITY ANY TIME.
SO NOT ONLY THIS BACK BASED STUDY, IF THERE'S OTHER STUDIES THAT THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE WOULD LIKE THE CORPS TO LOOK AT OR OTHER ISSUES CONGRESS CAN ELECT TO ELECT US TO DO SO. AND THEN ONCE THE STUDY IS AVAILABLE, THE CORPS WILL START REQUESTING FEDERAL FUNDING TO INITIATE THAT STUDY.
WE SEND UP OUR LIST OF PROJECTS WE'RE COMPETING AMONG ALL OTHER CORPS DISTRICTS IN THE NATION, SOMEBODY IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA SAYING THAT THEIR FLOODING IS AS BAD AS SAINT AUGUSTINE. SO IT'S A NATIONAL COMPETING INTEREST.
AND LUCKILY, CONGRESSMAN RUTHERFORD WORKED VERY HARD TO GET THIS APPROVED.
SO TWO TO TANGO, AS I MENTIONED, YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE A STUDY AUTHORITY AND YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE APPROPRIATION. SO STARTING WITH THE STUDY AUTHORITY, VERY HAPPY TO REPORT THAT CONGRESS DID SOMETHING VERY REMARKABLE IN 2000.
THEY SET UP A HOUSE RESOLUTION CALLED 2646.
AND THIS IS KIND OF AN UMBRELLA AUTHORITY THAT TELLS THE CORPS, WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO EXAMINE THE COASTLINE OF SAINT JOHN'S COUNTY.
WE WOULD LOOK AT WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO LOOK AT AREAS TO PROTECT FROM STORM SURGE, FROM STORM DAMAGE, ETC..
AND NOT ONLY CAN YOU LOOK AT IT INITIALLY, BUT YOU CAN COME BACK UNDER THIS AUTHORITY AND DO NEW STUDIES AS REQUESTED BY THE COUNTY OR THE CITY.
SO UNDER THIS AUTHORITY, WE WE HAVE COMPLETED THE SAINT AUGUSTINE BEACH PROJECT, WHERE WE NOURISH SAINT AUGUSTINE BEACH ABOUT EVERY FIVE YEARS.
AND WE RECENTLY DID VILLANO BEACH, WHERE WE PUT SAND ON VILLANO BEACH, AND THAT PROJECT NOW IS AUTHORIZED FOR 50 YEARS.
SO BOTH OF THOSE PROJECTS DEVELOPED OUT OF THIS AUTHORITY, AND THIS IS THE EXACT SAME AUTHORITY THAT WE'RE USING FOR THE SAINT AUGUSTINE BACK BAY.
SO WE HAVE THAT. WE CAN CHECK THAT BOX.
NUMBER TWO IS STUDY APPROPRIATIONS.
AS JESSICA ALLUDED TO, WE GOT OUR INITIAL SEED MONEY OF 200,000 FEDERAL BACK ON MARCH THE 11TH OF 2022.
SO THAT WAS THAT HAS BEEN APPROPRIATED.
SO WHAT IS A FEASIBILITY STUDY? WHAT IS THE CORPS GOING TO GET INVOLVED IN? SO PREVIOUSLY TO GENERAL SEMINAR, WHICH WAS A COMMANDING GENERAL UP IN HEADQUARTERS A FEW YEARS AGO. SOME OF THESE STUDIES, THE CORPS WAS KIND OF TAKING A HIT THAT THESE STUDIES WERE TAKEN EIGHT, NINE, TEN YEARS, THAT THERE WOULD BE FUNDING GAPS.
AND IT WAS A LOT OF SCRUTINY FOR THE CORPS ABOUT HOW LONG THE PROCESS TOOK.
GENERAL SEMINAR, ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CORPS, DEVELOPED THE NEW PROGRAM CALLED SMART PLANNING.
I MEAN, IT STANDS FOR SPECIFIC, MEASURABLE, ATTAINABLE RISK, INFORMED AND TIMELY PLANNING. AND IN A NUTSHELL, ON THE SECOND BULLET, IT MEANS THAT WE WILL COMPLETE THE STUDY WITHIN THREE YEARS.
THE STUDY WILL COST NO MORE THAN $3 MILLION, AND THAT'S SPLIT 5050 1.5 MILLION FEDERAL, 1.5 MILLION LOCAL.
AND THERE WILL BE THREE LEVELS OF CORPS ENGAGEMENT.
THE THREE LEVELS ARE THE DISTRICT PREPARES THE REPORT HERE IN JACKSONVILLE.
OUR DIVISION OFFICE IN ATLANTA REVIEWS THE REPORT AND THEN THE REPORT GOES TO WASHINGTON.
THE STUDY BEGINS WHEN A SPONSOR AND THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS SIGNED WHAT WE CALL A FEASIBILITY COST SHARE AGREEMENT.
SO ONCE WE RECEIVE OUR INITIAL POT OF MONEY, THE NEXT STEP IS TO SIGN WHAT WE CALL A FEASIBILITY AGREEMENT THAT'S SIGNED BETWEEN COLONEL JAMES BOOTH AND MR. MAYOR. YOU WOULD SIGN THAT AS WELL.
AND IT JUST SIMPLY OUTLINES WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WITH THE STUDY, WHAT IS THE SCOPE, WHAT IS THE COST, I.E., $3 MILLION, WHAT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SPONSOR AND THE CORPS? AND TYPICALLY THAT'S A DOCUMENT THAT'S REVIEWED BY YOUR LEGAL TEAM AND OUR LEGAL TEAM. BUT ULTIMATELY, ONCE THAT IS SIGNED, THAT STARTS THE BEGINNING OF THE FEASIBILITY STUDY. AFTER THREE YEARS OF DOING THE STUDY, WE COMPLETE WITH THE SIGNING OF A CHIEF OF ENGINEERS REPORT THAT IS SIGNED BY WHOEVER THE THREE STAR GENERAL IS IN WASHINGTON AT THE TIME. AND THEN THAT REPORT IS SENT TO THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR THE ARMY AT THE PENTAGON FOR REVIEW.
THEN IT GOES TO THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET, AND THEN IT GOES TO CONGRESS FOR AUTHORIZATION AGAIN.
ONCE THAT REPORT IS COMPLETE, IT GETS AUTHORIZED IN A WATER RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT BILL THAT COMES OUT EVERY TWO YEARS.
SO WHAT DOES THE STUDY PROCESS LOOK LIKE? I'M NOT GOING TO GO TO THIS IN TOO MUCH DETAIL.
IF YOU LOOK IN THE MIDDLE AT THE ARROWS, YOU SEE THERE'S FOUR LAYERS INVOLVED IN THE STUDY. THE FIRST IS SCOPING.
THE SECOND IS ALTERNATIVE EVALUATION.
THE THIRD IS THE FEASIBILITY LEVEL ANALYSIS, AND THEN THE LAST ARROW IS THE CHIEFS REPORT. SO THAT PROCESS FROM THE SIGNING OF THE AGREEMENT THROUGH THE CHIEF'S REPORT TAKES ABOUT THREE YEARS.
THERE ARE FIVE MAJOR MILESTONES SHOWN IN THE CIRCLES DURING THIS PROCESS.
NUMBER ONE IS THE ALTERNATIVE, MILESTONE.
THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING TO DEVELOP.
WE'RE GOING TO THROW THINGS AT THE WALL TO DEVELOP A LIST OF ALTERNATIVES.
SO WE'RE NOT BEING PRE DECISION AND WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT EVERY POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVE TO SOLVE THE ISSUE THAT THE CITY OF ST.
NUMBER TWO IS OUR TSP OUR TENTATIVELY SELECTED PLAN.
THAT MEANS THAT WE HAVE WENT THROUGH ALL THESE ALTERNATIVES.
WE'VE EVALUATED THEM FOR ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS, COST BENEFITS, ECONOMICS, ETC.
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AND WE HAVE NARROWED DOWN TO A PLAN THAT WE THINK WILL WORK FOR THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE. IT'S TENTATIVE BECAUSE IT HASN'T BEEN TECHNICALLY APPROVED YET BY THE HEADQUARTERS LEVEL.ONCE THAT TENTATIVE, SELECTED PLAN IS DEVELOPED, THEN WE SEND OUT THE REPORT FOR PUBLIC STATE AND AGENCY REVIEW.
SO THE PUBLIC GETS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THAT REPORT.
WE'LL PUT HARD COPIES IN THE LIBRARY.
SO EVERYBODY GETS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THAT REPORT, PROVIDE COMMENTS, AND WE RESPOND TO THOSE COMMENTS.
ONCE WE HAVE DONE THAT, WE GET TO THE AGENCY DECISION MILESTONE.
THAT'S WHERE WE PRESENT TO OUR HEADQUARTERS LEVEL AND SAY WE DEVELOP THE TENTATIVE PLAN.
WE'VE ANSWERED THE PUBLIC'S COMMENTS.
WE THINK THIS IS OUR RECOMMEND, OUR PLAN.
THE MINUTE THAT THE HEADQUARTERS SENIOR STAFF ENDORSES, IT GOES FROM A TENTATIVE PLAN TO NOW IT'S YOUR RECOMMENDED PLAN.
AND THEN NUMBER FOUR IS YOU GET TO THE FINAL REPORT MILESTONE.
THAT'S WHEN YOU HAVE EVERYTHING CLEANED UP.
THE REPORT IS READY TO GO UP TO HEADQUARTERS.
AND THEN NUMBER FIVE, THAT IS THE SIGNING OF THE CHIEF'S REPORT.
THAT'S WHERE WE SIGN ON THE DOTTED LINE THAT WE'VE ANSWERED THE MAIL.
AND THIS REPORT IS READY FOR CONGRESSIONAL AUTHORIZATION WITHIN THAT THREE YEAR PERIOD.
THIS JUST KIND OF GOES INTO MORE DETAIL.
I WON'T GO THROUGH IT IN TOO MUCH.
THE SCOPING PORTION IS WHERE YOU'RE IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEMS. THAT'S THE FIRST BAR THAT YOU SEE THERE.
THE SECOND COLUMN IS THE ALTERNATIVES.
THAT'S WHERE WE'RE EVALUATING THOSE ALTERNATIVES.
NUMBER THREE IS THE FEASIBILITY LEVEL ANALYSIS.
THAT'S WHERE WE'RE WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE ALTERNATIVES.
WE'RE ANSWERING THE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
AND THEN LASTLY, AS THAT CHIEFS REPORT AND IT HAS DATES, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE SCOPING IS ABOUT THE FIRST 3 TO 6 MONTHS, THE ALTERNATIVE DEVELOPMENT, 6 TO 13, THE REPORT ANSWERING PUBLIC COMMENTS, ETC.
AND THEN ULTIMATELY THE CHIEFS REPORT TAKES A WHILE TO GET ROUTED THROUGH AND COMPLETED IN THAT THREE YEAR TIME FRAME.
SO WHAT KIND OF THINGS COME IN TO THE ALTERNATIVE EVALUATION? SO THE STUDY PROCESS WILL CONSIDER MANY ALTERNATIVES, AND WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE IN A MINUTE. BUT ULTIMATELY, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS WHAT ALTERNATIVES ARE EFFECTIVE, WHAT ALTERNATIVES IS SOMETHING THE CITY CAN AFFORD OVER A LIFE SPAN OR A LIFE CYCLE COST ANALYSIS? WHICH ONES ARE THE LEAST ENVIRONMENTALLY IMPACTFUL? PUBLIC STATE AGENCY EXCUSE ME? PUBLIC AGENCY AND STAKEHOLDER INPUT.
WHICH ONE OF THESE ARE DRASTICALLY OPPOSED BY THE CITY AND BY THE PUBLIC, ETC.? REAL ESTATE.
IF WE'RE PLANNING ON DOING SOME TYPE OF A FLOODWALL OR SOME TYPE OF FLOODING STRUCTURE, DO WE HAVE THE REAL ESTATE TO DO THAT? SOCIO ECONOMIC ADVERSE IMPACTS, ESTHETICS? DOES IT BLEND IN WITH THE COMMUNITY? WE CAN'T PUT OUT A GIGANTIC CONCRETE WALL THAT DOESN'T HAVE IT'S NOT ESTHETICALLY PLEASING THAT BLENDS IN WITH THE HISTORY OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE.
SO NOW I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH SOME ALTERNATIVES, AND I WANT TO VERY STRONGLY CAVEAT THIS.
SO I HOPE I DON'T SEE THIS ON ANY OF THE FACEBOOKS TOMORROW THAT THE CORPS IS PUTTING A FLOODGATE IN THE ST.
AUGUSTINE INLET AND IT'S GOING TO BE IN WITHIN SIX MONTHS.
THESE ARE STRICTLY ALTERNATIVES.
AND AS PART OF THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT, WE ARE PROHIBITED BY LAW FROM BEING PRE DECISIONAL. SO WE LOOK AT EVERY POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVE.
THERE ARE WAYS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
SO WHAT I'M SHOWING YOU IS JUST SOME ALTERNATIVES THAT HAVE CAME OUT OF PREVIOUS FEASIBILITY STUDIES THAT WILL BE CONSIDERED.
NUMBER ONE IS THE STORM SURGE BARRIER.
YOU CAN SEE THE GRAPHIC TO THE LEFT IS A NICE SUNNY DAY IN THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE.
IN THE EVENT ON THE RIGHT YOU HAVE AN APPROACHING HURRICANE OR A HURRICANE THAT'S SITTING OFF OF OUR RIGHT OFF IN THE OCEAN, RIGHT OFF THE INLET, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO SHUT THESE GATES AND PROHIBIT SOME OF THAT LARGE THREE, FOUR OR FIVE FOOT OF STORM SURGE FROM COMING INTO THE CITY AND CAUSING CATASTROPHIC FLOODING.
ONCE THAT STORM IS PASSED, YOU OPEN THE GATES AND IT'S BACK OPEN TO COMMERCIAL AND RECREATIONAL VESSELS.
THE NEXT ALTERNATIVE IS THE FLOOD WALL.
YOU CAN SEE THE TOP GRAPHIC, NICE SUNNY DAY WITHOUT A FLOOD WALL.
THE STORM SURGE COMES IN ON THE TOP, RIGHT.
YOU SEE WHAT IT DOES? THE WATER OVERTOPPED THE EXISTING FLOOD WALL OR ROCK LEVY, CAUSING FLOODING ON THE INTERIOR OF THE CITY.
AT THE BOTTOM LEFT, NICE SUNNY DAY WITH SOME TYPE OF A FLOOD WALL STRUCTURE ON THE BOTTOM. RIGHT. HURRICANE COMES AND THE WATER LEVEL IS NOT IMPACTED BY THE HEIGHT OF THE FLOOD WALL. WE KNOW THE WATER IS OUT THERE, BUT IT'S NOT WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS CAUSING ZERO FLOODING. NON STRUCTURAL ALTERNATIVES.
WE HAVE A VERY UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY HERE.
WE'VE DONE THIS. WE'RE ACTUALLY PROPOSING THIS IN MONROE COUNTY AND THE KEYS WHERE WE TAKE SOME OF THESE STRUCTURES THAT MAYBE IT'S COST PROHIBITIVE TO PUT A CONCRETE WALL AROUND. AND WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY.
WHAT WE DO IS WE RAISE THOSE STRUCTURES OUT OF THE FLOODPLAIN.
SO AGAIN, ON THE FAR LEFT, NICE SUNNY DAY, MIDDLE COLUMN IS THOSE SAME STRUCTURES ON PILINGS OR ELEVATED OUT OF THE FLOODPLAIN.
AND THEN ON THE RIGHT, YOU SEE THE WATERS DO IMPACT.
THE PEOPLE HAVE LEFT THEIR HOMES, OBVIOUSLY, BUT WHEN THEY COME BACK, THEIR HOMES ARE
[00:30:02]
INTACT WITHOUT ANY KIND OF FLOOD DAMAGE.SO THOSE ARE RAISING OF STRUCTURES.
WE ALSO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR RING WALLS.
WHAT A RING WALL IS A MINI FLOOD WALL.
SO, FOR INSTANCE, THE SCHOOL WITH DEAF AND BLIND, MAYBE IT'S NOT COST EFFECTIVE TO TAKE A WALL FROM DOWNTOWN ALL THE WAY OVER TO THE SCHOOL OF DEAF AND BLIND.
YOU CAN PUT A SMALL RING WALL WHICH WILL JUST ENCAPSULATE THAT, THAT SMALL FACILITY.
AND THEN IF THERE'S AN EVENT, THEY HAVE GATES THAT THEY CAN USE TO SHUT OFF THE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS. THE WATER COMES UP, THE WATER GOES DOWN, THEY REMOVE THE GATES AND THERE'S NO DAMAGE TO THAT FACILITY.
SO THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF A RING WALL ACQUISITION RELOCATION.
ALWAYS IN THESE STUDIES, THERE ARE AREAS THAT IT'S JUST COST PROHIBITIVE TO PUT A RING WALL OR PUT SOME TYPE OF HARDENED STRUCTURE.
WE HAVE AN ACQUISITION PROGRAM WHERE WE CAN BUY OUT THOSE PROPERTIES.
WE WORK WITH THE CITY AND I CAN GET INTO MORE SPECIFICS ON THAT DOWN THE ROAD.
BUT IT'S ESSENTIALLY A BUYOUT WHERE YOU PAY FAIR MARKET VALUE FOR PROPERTIES, MOVE THOSE PEOPLE OUT OF THE FLOODPLAIN JUST BECAUSE THERE'S NO OTHER COST EFFECTIVE SOLUTION TO ADDRESS THAT IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA.
SO THAT WILL ALSO BE LOOKED AT.
NATURAL AND NATURE BASED FEATURES MANGROVE TREES, BREAKWATERS, TIDAL MARSH, LIVING SHORELINES. THESE WORK VERY EFFECTIVE IN AREAS WHERE YOU HAVE TYPE TYPICALLY PULLING WATER THAT'S NOT VERY STRONG CURRENTS.
THE WATER AND THE WATER LEVELS AND THE HURRICANES THAT WE HAVE IN ST.
AUGUSTINE MAY NOT REALLY LIMIT ITSELF TO A MANGROVE TYPE OF NATURAL BASED FEATURE, BUT IT WILL CERTAINLY BE LOOKED AT AS AS I SAID, AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT EVERY ALTERNATIVE THAT WE CAN THINK OF AS WE DEVELOP THIS STUDY.
SO ECONOMICS, I DON'T WANT TO PUT EVERYBODY TO SLEEP.
SO I'LL KIND OF GLAZE THROUGH THIS A LITTLE BIT.
WHEN WE DO THIS ANALYSIS, WE'RE GOING TO DEVELOP ALL OF THOSE ALTERNATIVES AND WE LOOK AT HOW THOSE ALTERNATIVES WILL IMPACT THE AREA OR BENEFIT THE AREA FOR A 50 YEAR PERIOD OF ANALYSIS. SO STARTING THE STUDY IN 2022, WE LOOK ALL THE WAY THROUGH 2072 AND THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT THINGS WE DO.
WHAT IS THE FUTURE WITHOUT PROJECT CONDITIONS? SO IF WE DO NOTHING OVER 50 YEARS, WHAT COULD HAPPEN TO THE CITY? AND THEN WE LOOK AT IT.
IF WE DEVELOP ONE OF THESE ALTERNATIVES, WHICH ONE OF THESE ALTERNATIVES PROVIDES THE MAXIMUM NATIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO BE IMPLEMENTED AND REDUCE DAMAGES OVER THAT 50 YEAR PERIOD THROUGH THE 2070S.
SO WE COMPARE BOTH OF THOSE AND DEVELOP A BENEFIT TO COST RATIO AND THE GRAY CIRCLE.
YOU CAN SEE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
WE CANNOT PUT A REPORT TO CONGRESS THAT DOES NOT HAVE A BENEFIT TO COST RATIO.
IT HAS TO BE GREATER THAN ONE.
FOR EVERY DOLLAR THAT THE CITY AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SPEND, YOU GET AT LEAST A DOLLAR IN RETURN.
SO WHAT ARE THE SOME OF THE TOP PART OF THAT EQUATION? WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS? WE LOOK AT STRUCTURE DAMAGES.
WHAT HAS DAMAGE THE CONTENTS OF THAT STRUCTURE, VEHICLE DAMAGES, LAWN OR EXCUSE ME, LAND VALUE LOSSES, EMERGENCY COSTS, TRANSPORTATION DELAYS, RECREATIONAL LOSSES, ARCHEOLOGICAL CULTURAL RESOURCE, SIGNIFICANT AREAS.
I HAVE NO DOUBT PERSONALLY THAT WE WILL HAVE A VERY STRONG AMOUNT OF BENEFITS FOR THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, ONCE WE START LOOKING AT ALL OF THAT DAMAGES THAT ARE PREVENTED.
THE COST IS INVOLVED IN THE COST PART.
THAT IS THE COST TO CONSTRUCT THE PROJECT, WHAT REAL ESTATE MAY HAVE TO BE ACQUIRED FOR IT. IS THERE ANY ENVIRONMENTAL MITIGATION? DO WE HAVE TO BUILD AN ARTIFICIAL REEF OR SOMETHING BASED ON TAKING LAND OR WORKING OUT IN THE INLET? THERE'S AN OPERATION OF MAINTENANCE COMPONENT.
IF WE DEVELOP FLOOD WALLS, WHATEVER IT MAY BE, THERE MAY BE SOMETHING THAT THE CITY HAS TO DO. YOU HAVE TO PRESSURE WASH THOSE SEAWALLS OR YOU HAVE TO REDO THE LIGHTING ON THOSE SEAWALLS EVERY FIVE OR TEN YEARS.
SO WE WILL HAVE AN OPERATION OF MAINTENANCE PLAN THAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT AFTER IT'S COMPLETED INTEREST DURING CONSTRUCTION, AND THEN THERE'S ADDITIONAL MISCELLANEOUS COSTS AS WELL. SO THAT IS ALL THE ECONOMICS.
WE HAVE A VERY STRONG ECONOMICS TEAM, SEVERAL ECONOMISTS THAT WILL WORK THROUGH THIS AS WE'RE WORKING TO DEVELOP THOSE ALTERNATIVES.
SO WHAT IS THE COST OF THE STUDY? AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, IT'S A $3 MILLION STUDY.
IN THE BEGINNING COLUMN THERE, THE BASE YEAR, YOU CAN SEE MARCH 2022, WE RECEIVED 200,000 FEDERAL. SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS IF THE CITY COMMISSION ELECTS TO MOVE FORWARD, ONCE WE SIGN THE FEASIBILITY COST SHARE AGREEMENT, I WOULD SEND THE CITY A LETTER REQUESTING YOUR MATCHING SHARE OF OUR 200,000.
SO YOU WOULD SEND 200,000 FOR 400,000 TOTAL.
THAT SEED MONEY, AS THEY CALL IT, IS TO GET THE AGREEMENT SET UP TO LET THE ATTORNEYS REVIEW IT, TO GET IT EXECUTED BETWEEN THE MAYOR AND COLONEL BOOTH IN JACKSONVILLE, DEVELOP THE PROJECT SCHEDULE, DEVELOP THE SCOPES AND THE OBJECTIVES.
SO THAT'S REALLY SETTING UP THE STUDY TO MOVE INTO YEAR TWO, WHICH RIGHT NOW I'M THROWING OUT AN ESTIMATE OF ABOUT A MILLION FEDERAL, MILLION NON FEDERAL FOR YEAR TWO IN 2023.
I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT CONGRESS WILL GIVE US NEXT YEAR.
[00:35:03]
WE ASKED FOR SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF APPROPRIATIONS AND THE REASON THAT NUMBER IS SO HIGH, YOU CAN IMAGINE THE AMOUNT OF MODELING THAT'S GOING TO BE REQUIRED TO LOOK AT ALL THE ELEVATIONS. ON THE MATANZAS SIDE, IF WE LOOK AT THE SAN SEBASTIAN SIDE, THERE'S GOING TO BE A HUGE AMOUNT OF DATA COLLECTION THAT WE HAVE TO DO FOR SURVEYING AND BOATS, FOR SURVEYING OF STREETS, ETC., TO BE ABLE TO DEVELOP THOSE ALTERNATIVES.I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THAT YEAR TWO MONEY WILL BE.
THAT'S UP TO CONGRESSMAN RUTHERFORD AND OTHERS TO COME UP WITH.
AND THEN WE WILL HAVE MONEY IN YEAR THREE AS WELL.
SO IN YEAR TWO AND THREE, ONCE I RECEIVE APPROPRIATIONS, I WOULD SEND A LETTER TO THE CITY AGAIN AND SAY, AS PART OF THIS WORK PLAN OR SUPPLEMENTAL, WE RECEIVED $400,000.
AND THAT COULD HAPPEN IF THE PRESIDENT SIGNS A BUDGET.
IT COULD BE ON ONE OCTOBER, WHICH IS OUR FISCAL YEAR OR THE WORK PLANS TYPICALLY COME OUT IN THE SPRING OF EACH YEAR.
SO THAT COULD BE THE SPRING OF 23 WHEN THAT MONEY COMES OUT.
AGAIN, THE OVERALL PREMISE HERE IS THE STUDY IS $3 MILLION.
SO THIS IS JUST THE GRAPHICS SHOW IN THAT LIFE CYCLE OF A PROJECT STARTING AT THE TOP LEFT SPONSOR PROVIDES A LETTER.
THERE'S AN ISSUE. CHECK THE BOX.
WE'VE GOT A LETTER SINCE 2018.
THE NEXT STEP IS GETTING A STUDY AUTHORIZATION.
WE GOT THAT IN THE WATER RESOURCE.
THIS UMBRELLA AGREEMENT THAT WE HAD FROM 2000 NUMBER THREE, WE GET APPROPRIATIONS.
WE CHECK THAT BOX. WE RECEIVE 200,000 IN MARCH, ON MARCH 11TH TO GET THE STUDY STARTED WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW AS THE GOLD STAR THAT'S ABOVE THAT, WHICH IS EXECUTION OF THE AGREEMENT. IF THE CITY COUNCIL OR EXCUSE ME, CITY COMMISSION WOULD ELECT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PROJECT, OUR ATTORNEYS WOULD BEGIN PREPARING THAT FEASIBILITY AGREEMENT.
WE WOULD SEND IT TO YOUR STAFF AND YOUR ATTORNEYS TO REVIEW, AND THEN WE WOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH EXECUTION OF THAT AGREEMENT.
SOME SPONSORS IN A COVERT WORLD SAY, JUST SEND IT TO ME, I'LL ELECTRONICALLY SIGN IT, SEND IT BACK TO YOU. SOME WOULD LIKE TO SET UP AN OFFICIAL MEETING HERE WHERE OUR COLONEL COMES DOWN. YOU HAVE OFFICIAL SIGNING CEREMONY, THE PRESS IS THERE, ETC.
SO THERE'S TWO WAYS TO DO THAT, WHICHEVER WAY YOU WOULD ELECT TO DO IT.
WE MOVED TO THE PURPLE BOX, WHICH IS THE FEASIBILITY STUDY AND CHIEF'S REPORT, WHICH IS THREE YEARS. ONCE WE COMPLETE THAT, WE MOVE DOWN TO THE ORANGE BOX, WHICH IS DOING THE DESIGN AND THE PERMITTING.
BEFORE WE START THAT, WE SIGNED ANOTHER AGREEMENT CALLED A DESIGN AGREEMENT.
SO IT'S VERY KEY FOR THE COMMISSION TO UNDERSTAND THE ONLY THING YOU'RE COMMITTING TO WAS SIGNING OF THAT AGREEMENT IS TO COMPLETE THE STUDY.
YOU'RE NOT SIGNING UP TO DO DESIGN OR YOU'RE NOT SIGNING UP TO DO CONSTRUCTION.
YOU ARE NOT COMMITTED TO THAT UNTIL YOU SIGN THIS FIRST AGREEMENT, WHICH IS A DESIGN AGREEMENT. AND THE ONLY THING YOU'RE SIGNING UP THERE IS WHATEVER THAT COST IS TO DO, DESIGN AND PERMITTING.
ONCE THAT DESIGN AND PERMITTING IS DONE WHILE IT'S WORKING ACTUALLY PARALLEL, WE'RE GETTING THAT NEW AUTHORITY TO GO TO CONSTRUCTION.
WE HAVE AUTHORITY TO DO STUDY, BUT WE DON'T HAVE AUTHORITY FOR CONSTRUCTION.
ONCE WE GET THAT WE SIGN, WHICH IS BELOW CALLED A PROJECT PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT, THAT'S WHERE THE RUBBER HITS THE ROAD.
THERE YOU'RE COMMITTING TO WHATEVER THE COST IS OF THAT RECOMMENDED PLAN, HOW MANY EVERY YEARS IT TAKES TO DO IT.
WHATEVER REAL ESTATE IS REQUIRED TO GET THAT IS THE IMPORTANT AGREEMENT.
WE CANNOT MOVE TO CONSTRUCTION UNTIL THAT PPA OR PROJECT PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT IS EXECUTED. ONCE IT'S EXECUTED, THEN WE GET CONSTRUCTION FUNDING AND GREEN BUILD THE PROJECT. AND THEN THE LAST BOX IS THE OPERATION OF MAINTENANCE AND CONSTRUCTION.
ONCE THAT'S COMPLETE, WE WILL PROVIDE AN O&M MANUAL TO THE SPONSOR, DISCUSS WHO DOES WHAT AS FAR AS OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF WHATEVER THAT PLAN IS, AND THEN MOVE FORWARD AND HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY SLEEPS BETTER AT NIGHT WHEN STORMS APPROACH BECAUSE WE HAVE A SOLID PLAN IN PLACE. SO WHAT ARE KEY FACTORS OF A SUCCESSFUL STUDY? IT'S MY JOB TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SPONSOR, THE AGENCY AND PUBLIC ARE INVOLVED IN ALL PHASES OF THE PROJECT.
WE WILL HAVE MULTIPLE PUBLIC MEETINGS.
JESSICA AND THE OTHER CITY STAFF WILL BE TIED AT MY HIP AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS.
THEY WILL BE INVOLVED WITH US EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
AS WE DEVELOP ALTERNATIVES, WE TALK ENVIRONMENTAL, WE TALK RESILIENCY.
THEY WILL BE WITH US EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
WE WANT TO DEVELOP AN ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND PROJECT.
WE WANT A GREAT POSITIVE BENEFIT COST RATIO.
KEEP IN MIND, THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER STUDIES THAT RECEIVE $200,000, JUST LIKE WE DID IN CALIFORNIA OR OREGON OR WHEREVER.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE COMPLETING THEIR STUDIES IN THREE YEARS AS WELL.
HOW THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH MONEY TO GO AROUND TO MOVE TO DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF EVERYBODY'S PROJECT. SO HOW DOES THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT BUDGET RACK AND STACK, WHO HAS THE HIGHEST BENEFIT COST RATIO, GETS THE MONEY.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A VERY HIGH BCR RATIO TO COMPETE NATIONALLY WHEN THE FUNDING IS THERE. AND THEN WE WANT TO DEVELOP A LIST OF ALTERNATIVES SOFT STRUCTURAL, HARD STRUCTURAL, NON STRUCTURAL, LOOKING AT EVERYTHING THAT'S POSSIBLE FOR THE CITY.
[00:40:02]
SO WHAT IS THE STATUS OF OUR BASE STUDIES? MY LAST SLIDE, NUMBER ONE, WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY.I MENTIONED THAT. NUMBER TWO, WE HAVE OUR INITIAL ALLOCATIONS, I MENTIONED THAT.
NUMBER THREE IS THE SPONSOR'S DECISION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE STUDY.
MR. MAYOR, IF THE CITY WOULD ELECT TO MOVE FORWARD, THEN THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE THE CORPS WOULD INITIATE THAT FEASIBILITY AGREEMENT.
WE WOULD HAVE OUR ATTORNEYS PREPARE IT.
AND THE NEXT IMPORTANT STEP IS WE WOULD SET UP A MEETING WITH YOUR STAFF, ON A WHITEBOARD TO REALLY MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND WHAT IS YOUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY? WHAT AREAS OF THE CITY DO YOU WANT US TO FOCUS ON? ON THE RIGHT GRAPH, YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE THREE MAJOR WATER BODIES HERE.
DO WE LOOK AT THE SAN SEBASTIAN RIVERSIDE? DO WE LOOK AT JUST STRICTLY THE STORM SURGE FROM THE HURRICANE, FROM THE INLET SIDE? DO WE LOOK AT SALT RUN? DO WE LOOK AT DAVIS SHORES? WHERE ARE WE GOING TO FOCUS? AND I WILL CAUTION AS WE DO THAT THE BIGGER THE CIRCLE IS ON A MAP, THE HIGHER THE POTENTIAL COST OF WHATEVER THAT RECOMMENDED PLAN COULD BE.
SO WE'VE GOT TO BE VERY COGNIZANT OF THAT.
SO ONCE THAT AGREEMENT IS COMPLETED, WE WILL EXECUTE THAT EITHER ELECTRONICLY OR IN AN OFFICIAL CEREMONY.
AND THEN WE WILL WORK TO DEVELOP THE SCHEDULE AND THE BUDGET AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THE STUDY FOR THREE YEARS.
IF THE CITY WOULD ELECT TO NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH THE STUDY, THOSE FUNDS WOULD BE RETURNED TO CONGRESS AND REPROGRAM FOR OTHER PROJECTS THAT MAY HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE FUNDING THIS YEAR. THERE WAS SEVERAL THAT DID NOT RECEIVE FUNDING REQUEST, BUT IT DOES HAPPEN.
SPONSORS DO ELECT MAYBE NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH IT AND WE CAN DISCUSS THAT AS WELL.
I KNOW IT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION IN A VERY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.
I HOPE YOU GUYS GLEAN SOMETHING FROM THIS.
I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 20 YEARS.
THE CORPS HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN MANY OF THESE STUDIES.
THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE IS PERSONAL TO ME.
IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS I MOVED TO FLORIDA FROM WEST VIRGINIA MANY YEARS AGO.
SO I'M VERY EXCITED TO GET THE STUDY GOING AND I'M OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
[INAUDIBLE] OR THE QUESTIONS. WHERE DO WE SIGN? I HAVE ONE QUESTION.
IS IT YOU FOLLOW THE NEPA PROCESS ON THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT? EVERY I AND EVERY T.
I'LL JUST SAY THAT ENSURES A LOT OF PUBLIC COMMENT.
YES. AND THAT THE NEPA PROCESS WAS IN THAT GRAPHIC.
I DIDN'T GO INTO IT TOO MUCH DETAIL.
BUT WE'LL HAVE NUMEROUS PUBLIC MEETINGS.
WE'LL HAVE THE PUBLIC HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE REPORT, TYPICALLY 30 TO 60 DAYS TO REVIEW WHERE WE PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THE COMMENTS.
AND THEN ONCE WE GO TO DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION, WE'LL HAVE SEVERAL PUBLIC MEETINGS AGAIN WHERE THE PUBLIC WILL HAVE INPUT.
THANK YOU. FOR THOSE OF US THAT DON'T UNDERSTAND ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH NEPA, NEPA IS THE PROCESS, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT IS THE SAME PROCESS THAT WAS USED ON THE BRIDGE OF LIONS, WHICH EXTENDED A NUMBER FAR BEYOND THREE YEARS.
BUT IT'S THE SAME PROCESS SO THANK YOU.
OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? THREE YEARS IS A LONG TIME THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS.
I'M VERY EXCITED TO THINK THAT WE CAN TAKE IT FURTHER.
YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. I'D BE HAPPY TO.
MY FIRST COMMENT IS, WHEN DO WE SIGN THE CHECK? IF WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT LOOKING FORWARD AND TAKING CARE OF ST.
AUGUSTINE AND THE CITIZENS,[INAUDIBLE] THAT THOSE OF US THAT WILL PROBABLY NOT LIVE TO SEE IT, MANY OF US SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE [INAUDIBLE] YOUNG ENOUGH TO NEED WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, WE NEED TO MOVE AHEAD WITH THIS.
WOULD YOU ENTERTAIN SEVERAL COMMENTS? ABSOLUTELY. I'M REALLY JUST MAKING ALL OF THESE COMMENTS TO MAKE A CASE FOR EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS.
SO, FIRST OF ALL, I SPOKE WITH CONGRESSMAN RUTHERFORD.
OH, I DON'T KNOW, ABOUT A YEAR AGO OR SO, AND I'M SURE OTHERS HAVE AS WELL.
BUT I AM DEEPLY APPRECIATIVE AND I'M SURE THAT REFLECTS HOW YOU ALL FEEL ABOUT THAT.
HIS SUPPORT TO GET US OVER THE HUMP ON THIS.
I KNOW THE STAFF AND YOU'RE BOTH FROM THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS AS WELL AS OUR CITY, HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY TO GO TO THIS SPOT.
SO WE'VE REALLY GOTTEN, YOU KNOW, A LONG WAY AND I'D LIKE TO SEE US CARRY THE BALL ACROSS THE GOAL LINE. THE ENABLING LEGISLATION DOES POTENTIALLY ENCUMBER AREAS OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS.
COULD YOU SPEAK TO HOW MUCH OF A HOW THAT PROCESS WORKS SO THAT WE CAN REALLY FINE TUNE INTO OUR OWN CHALLENGES TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE? YOU'RE SPEAKING, MA'AM, OF THROUGH THE CHAIR, THE POSSIBILITY OF USING THAT SAME AUTHORITY FOR OTHER POTENTIAL STUDIES.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ALLUDING TO?
[00:45:01]
YEAH, YEAH. YEAH.AND SO THERE'S A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR THE CITY.
YOU KNOW, IN ANY OF ANY TYPE OF STUDY OR ANY KIND OF PROBLEM THAT THE CITY COMMISSION OR THE MAYOR OR ANYONE WOULD IDENTIFY.
IT ALL STARTS WITH A LETTER, AND THE CORPS HAS MANY BROAD AUTHORITIES, NOT JUST THIS UMBRELLA AUTHORITY. WE HAVE SOMETHING CALLED A CONTINUING AUTHORITIES PROGRAM OR CAP THAT IS FOR LIKE SMALLER PROJECTS, STORM WATER RETENTION, BANK PROTECTION.
SO THERE'S MANY DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVES.
SO IT ALL STARTS WITH THE CITY IDENTIFYING A PROBLEM TO US AND LET US RESEARCH WITH AUTHORITY VEHICLE THAT WOULD FIT INTO THAT.
MY NEXT COMMENT THEN WOULD BE THAT I REALLY LIKE IT YOUR EXAMPLES THAT YOU PRESENTED AND THEY ARE WE GOT THE CAVEAT.
THEY ARE EXAMPLES INCLUDE NOT JUST REALLY SIGNIFICANT HARD ENGINEERING OPTIONS, BUT ALSO EVERYTHING DOWN TO THE NATURAL AND NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS TOO.
SO IT'S REALLY THE KITCHEN SINK IS YOU'RE GOING TO LOOK AT EVERYTHING.
COULD YOU MAYBE THIS IS FOR OUR STAFF AS WELL.
JUST TO I'M SURE THAT OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN THROUGH THIS PROCESS HAVE LEARNED LESSONS. AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE COGNIZANT OF THAT AND THAT WE'RE COMMUNICATING WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES AS TO WHAT THEY MIGHT HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY AS WE MOVE FORWARD THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
AND NOT JUST, IN OTHER WORDS, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PART, WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL, BUT ALSO TALKING WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH THIS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S MOST ATTRACTIVE TO ME IS THAT THERE'S IT INCLUDES EARLY ON A FUTURE WITHOUT PROJECT CONDITION.
AND THAT IS I MEAN, IF WE DO NOTHING, WE AT LEAST WE'LL KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN TERMS OF OUR ECONOMIC EXPOSURE, OUR SOCIOLOGICAL OR SOCIAL EXPOSURE AS WELL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES. SO I JUST THINK THAT'S WONDERFUL THAT THAT'S PART OF THE PROCESS.
AND LET'S SEE, ANOTHER THING THAT I LIKE IS THAT THE CITY WOULD HAVE SEVERAL BASICALLY OFF RAMPS. SO IF THIS LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING THAT'S TOO EXPENSIVE OR NOT COMPATIBLE WITH WHO WE ARE, THEN WE COULD JUST TAKE THAT OFF RAMP AND SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
MY UNDERSTANDING THAT CORRECT? THAT'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. YES, MA'AM.
GREAT. I WANT TO NOTE THAT THIS ABSOLUTELY ALIGNS WITH OUR STRATEGIC ADAPTATION PLAN AND POTENTIALLY ENABLES SIGNIFICANT FEDERAL FUNDING TO BECOME AVAILABLE TO US TO ADDRESS THOSE CHALLENGES THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE THE COASTAL VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT.
I REMEMBERED ALL THAT WITHOUT WRITING IT DOWN.
OKAY. AND THEN I WOULD SAY THEN THAT I JUST AT THIS POINT, I ECHO MY COLLEAGUE'S SENTIMENTS.
I THINK WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD QUICKLY TO SUPPORT THIS.
AND IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A MOVING FORWARD STATEMENT, I AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO INTRODUCE A MOTION IF THE MAYOR WOULD ENTERTAIN THAT OR AFTER COMMENTS, WHATEVER IS BEST.
NO, I DETECT A BROAD SENTIMENT AROUND THE COMMISSION TABLE THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO PROCEED WITH. MR. REGAN AND SO IS IT CONCEIVABLE WE WOULD HAVE IT ON THE AGENDA FOR OUR NEXT MEETING? WE WOULD HAVE TO THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE AGGRESSIVE FOR THE NEXT MEETING, BUT AT THE MOST EARLIEST AVAILABLE MEETING THAT WE CAN PREPARE AN AGREEMENT.
YES. AND I YOU KNOW, I DON'T IT'S NOT SO MUCH THE FINAL AGREEMENT WITH THE CORPS AS MUCH AS IT IS A STATEMENT OF SUPPORT FROM THIS COMMISSION.
I WOULD SAY THAT BASED ON WHAT I'M HEARING TONIGHT, I'M HAVING TROUBLE WITH MY NEW PHONE.
I'M JUST GOING TO SHUT IT OFF TOTALLY WITH THE RINGER.
BASED ON WHAT I'M HEARING TONIGHT, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE JUST MOVE FORWARD WITH PREPARING AN AGREEMENT FOR EXECUTION.
I THINK THAT'S VERY MUCH THE SENTIMENT.
I AGREE. AND I WOULD ALSO STATE THAT THAT WOULD ENCUMBER US FOR $200,000 TOGETHER WITH THE FEDERAL MATCH. THAT'S LESS THAN THE COST OF A SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE IN THIS COUNTY.
SO I THINK THAT'S MONEY WELL INVESTED.
AND TO DIVE INTO THE FEASIBILITY, LET ME AGREEMENT LET ME MAKE SURE YOU GUYS UNDERSTAND THAT. SO WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR RIGHT NOW IS A SENTIMENT OR AN APPROVAL TO MOVE FORWARD PREPARING THAT AGREEMENT.
YES, I CAN TURN OUR ATTORNEYS LOOSE ON THAT.
ONCE THE AGREEMENT IS PREPARED, I'LL SEND IT TO YOUR STAFF AND YOUR ATTORNEYS WILL REVIEW IT ONCE THEY BELIEVE IT IS SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETE AND WE NOTIFY YOU THAT WE'RE READY TO EXECUTE. TYPICALLY YOU BRING THE AGREEMENT TO YOU, YOU PUT IT TO A MOTION TO VOTE AND APPROVE THAT AGREEMENT.
AND THEN ONCE THAT'S APPROVED, WE'LL DO THE SIGNING CEREMONY OR THE ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE, WHICHEVER YOU PREFER.
ONCE THAT AGREEMENT IS SIGNED, THEN THAT'S WHEN I SEND YOU THE LETTER REQUESTING THE 200,000 FARTHER DOWN THE ROAD.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A SUGGESTION, PLEASE.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS A LONG TIME.
[00:50:02]
AND IN FACT, I RECALL BEING IN WASHINGTON, D.C.CONGRESSMAN RUTHERFORD'S OFFICE WITH YOU, NANCY SHAVER.
YOU WERE ON THE INSIDE OFFICE, SUNSHINE LAW WITH JOHN REGAN AND MIKE CULLUM AND NANCY SHAVER AND YOURSELF TALKING TO CONGRESSMAN RUTHERFORD ABOUT THIS.
AND I THINK THAT SHOULD BE NOTICED AND APPRECIATED.
AND WE ARE GOING TO NEED CONGRESSMAN RUTHERFORD'S SUPPORT IN DEFENDING FUTURE FUNDING FOR THIS. SO IT MIGHT BE NICE TO INVITE HIM FOR THE SIGNING AND MAKE A WHOOP TO DO ABOUT IT, BECAUSE IT'S A WONDERFUL THING.
SO I'D LIKE TO THANK HIM IN THAT WAY.
ABSOLUTELY. SO, MR. REGAN, YOU'VE GOT THE CONSENSUS OF THE COMMISSION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE NECESSARY PAPERWORK, AND WE'LL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO RECEIVING THAT.
THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. ROTH. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. I'M GOING TO PULL BACK UP OUR PRESENTATION AND RESUME OUR DISCUSSION.
[4. Summary of the Resilience Workshop from October 25, 2021. (J. Beach, Chief Resilience Officer). ]
SO THIS PART OF THE PRESENTATION, I WAS GOING TO GIVE JUST A RECAP OF OUR RESILIENCE WORKSHOP BACK FROM OCTOBER, AND I'M GOING TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH A COUPLE OF SLIDES HERE.WE'LL GET BACK THERE. ONE MORE.
THERE WE GO. THIS IS JUST A BRIEF REMINDER OF THE PROGRAM OUTLINED SOME TOPICS THAT WE COVERED AT OUR LAST WORKSHOP AND IN A BROAD SCOPE.
WE WERE TALKING ABOUT POLICY PLANNING NEEDS, PROJECTS THAT WE HAD ON OUR DOCKET TO COMPLETE, AND ALSO GETTING SOME INPUT FROM THE COMMISSION ON PRIORITIES.
AND A BIG PIECE OF THAT IS THE FUNDING.
AND SO FROM OUR LAST WORKSHOP, SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WE GOT FROM THE COMMISSION, JUST A BRIEF RECAP IS GOING BACK TO REDO THOSE COASTAL VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENTS AND OUR STRATEGIC ADAPTATION PLAN BECAUSE MORE DATA IS COMING OUT, SEA LEVEL RISE PROJECTIONS ARE CHANGING AND WE NEED TO REALLY HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING ASSOCIATED WITH THE RISKS AND TIMELINES SO WE CAN MAKE BETTER INFORMED DECISIONS ON PRIORITIES FOR THIS CITY.
AND SO A COUPLE PIECES OF THAT TO HELP US WITH THAT IS LOOKING AT UPDATING OUR STORM WATER RESILIENCE MASTER PLAN.
SO COMING TO YOU LATER TODAY AT THE REGULAR SCHEDULED COMMISSION MEETING, WE ARE REQUESTING THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDING TO HELP FACILITATE THAT STORM WATER MASTER PLAN. WE DID JUST GIVE THE PRESENTATION ABOUT THE BACK BAY STUDY.
AND SO JUST TO CLARIFY, THESE ARE TWO SEPARATE STUDIES AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE GOING CONGRUENT, BUT THEY'RE NOT OVERLAPPING.
WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO LEVERAGE WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE MASTER PLAN, POTENTIALLY WITH THE CORPS STUDY. SO THOSE ARE DETAILS THAT WE CAN WORK OUT, BUT THEY ARE TWO VERY IMPORTANT STUDIES ON THAT.
AND JUST ONE CLARIFICATION POINT FOR THE STORM WATER RESILIENCE MASTER PLAN THAT IS GOING TO BE FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE STATE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ELIGIBLE FOR OTHER PROJECT FUNDING MOVING FORWARD ON OTHER THINGS.
SO ON THE POLICY SIDE, WE HEARD INPUT AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE COMMISSION TO START DEVELOPING A SEAWALL ORDINANCE.
AND IN THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER NATURAL AND NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS SUCH AS A LIVING SHORELINE COMPONENT, BUT ALSO TO ESTABLISH MINIMUM ELEVATIONS AND CRITERIA BECAUSE CURRENTLY WE HAVE NONE IN PLACE.
AND SO WE HAVE STARTED THAT EFFORT.
WE HAD A KICKOFF MEETING JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO, AND WE'RE TRYING TO NARROW IN ON THE SCOPE OF WHAT THAT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
BUT WE ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE OPTIONS FOR LIVING SHORELINES AND OR HARDENED STRUCTURES AND SEAWALLS AND GIVING SOME DESIGN STANDARDS AND GUIDANCE ON THAT TOO. ONE OF THE OTHER POINTS THAT WE HEARD FROM THE COMMISSION IS CONTINUING WITH OUR OUTREACH AND EDUCATION AND THE CITY HAVE BEEN DOING A NUMBER OF PRESENTATIONS AND WORKSHOPS AND MEETING WITH VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS, AND THAT INCLUDES OUR ONE ON ONE FLOOD MITIGATION SITE VISITS THAT I'VE CONDUCTED WITH BUDDY SHORELINE FROM OUR PLANNING AND BUILDING DEPARTMENT, BUT ALSO JUST NEIGHBORHOOD INFORMATION MEETINGS, WORKSHOPS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SO WE WILL CONTINUE THOSE EFFORTS AS A CITY.
WE ALSO ARE GOING TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE NON COMPUTER USER.
SO WE'VE LOOKED AT TO DEVELOPING MAYBE LIKE A MAILER THAT CAN GO OUT A NEWSLETTER, SOME TYPE OF UPDATE THAT WE CAN SEND OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY TO GIVE THEM UPDATES ON WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR SPECIFICALLY WITH OUR RESILIENCE PROGRAM.
AND OF PARTICULAR NOTE, WHEN WE START GETTING INTO THOSE KING TIDE SEASONS, GETTING THOSE CHARTS OUT TO THE PUBLIC SO THEY CAN START MAKING PREPARATIONS IF WE DO GET OUT WITH THE HIGH TIDES AND NOR'EASTERS.
AND ALSO FINALLY, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT OUR WEBSITE.
THIS CAN REALLY BE A CLEARINGHOUSE FOR A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT WE'RE PUSHING OUT TO PROPERTY OWNERS AND PEOPLE THAT CALL THAT HAVE QUESTIONS OR IS WE'RE MEETING WITH INDIVIDUALS. AND SO WE'VE DONE A BIG OVERHAUL OF OUR WEBSITE AND I WANTED TO JUST DO A FEW SCREENSHOTS OF WHAT THAT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
[00:55:02]
AND ALSO, I WANT TO GIVE RECOGNITION TO SEVERAL STAFF MEMBERS THAT HAVE BEEN PUTTING A LOT OF HOURS INTO THIS TO REALLY MAKE THIS POSSIBLE.THE WEBSITE IS LIVE AS OF THIS MORNING.
SO WE'VE GOT ALL THE NEW LINKS AND INFORMATION LINKED UP ON THERE.
IT'S ESSENTIALLY A ONE STOP SHOP.
AND SO CAITLIN [INAUDIBLE] AND OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN WORKING A LOT OF HOURS TO TRY TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE AND RESILIENCE WAS SCATTERED THROUGHOUT OUR WEBSITE.
SO TRYING TO PULL ALL THAT INFORMATION TOGETHER AND KIND OF HAVE IT IN ONE LANDING PAGE WAS A PRETTY BIG EFFORT.
SO SHE WORKED HAND IN HAND WITH OUR COMMUNICATIONS STAFF, CINDY WALKER AND MELISSA WHISTLE, TO GET THAT ALL CLEANED UP AND LINKED AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND SO THERE'S GOING TO BE A NUMBER OF PROGRAM AREAS THAT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO ACCESS INFORMATION FROM ANYTHING FROM OUR PLANNING AND STUDIES, THE FUNDING THAT WE HAVE COMING AVAILABLE FOR DIFFERENT PROJECTS, DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE GOT GOING ON, AND JUST DIFFERENT OTHER RESOURCES AND POLICY UPDATES.
AND WE'VE GOT SOME FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.
IT IS KIND OF A LIVING WORK IN PROGRESS.
SO WE WILL BE MAKING UPDATES AS WE HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON THIS.
BUT THIS WAS A GOOD STOP, A FIRST STOP TO PUT EVERYTHING TOGETHER FOR THAT TOO, AND ALSO RESOURCES THAT MAY BE HELPFUL FOR OUR PUBLIC.
WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF LINKS, QUESTIONS THAT WE GET ASKED QUITE A BIT.
SO WE'VE PUT SOME MORE FREQUENTLY USED LINKS INTO OUR WEBSITE SO PEOPLE CAN ACCESS THAT.
AND SO FINALLY ON THE PROGRAM SIDE, I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT JUST BRIEFLY THE FLOOD MITIGATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
WHEN WE MET BACK IN OCTOBER, WE HAD JUST WRAPPED UP THAT APPLICATION CYCLE AND THIS IS TO ELEVATE PROPERTIES WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO WE STARTED OUT WITH ABOUT 50 INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE INTERESTED THAT WE TALKED TO, THAT WE KIND OF WORKED THROUGH THE WORKSHOPS AND PAPERWORK, AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE HAD 25 APPLICATIONS THAT GOT TURNED INTO THE STATE AND WE ARE HAPPY TO REPORT THAT THOSE GOT THROUGH THE STATE REVIEW PROCESS AND THEN NOW IT'S IN FEMA.
AND SO FEMA WILL BE REVIEWING ALL 25 OF ITS ESSENTIALLY ONE APPLICATION, BUT IT'S FOR 25 DIFFERENT PROPERTIES. AND SO WE EXPECT TO HEAR BACK THIS SUMMER, GET KIND OF A FEEL FROM FEMA IF IT GETS FLAGGED FOR FURTHER REVIEW, WHICH IS USUALLY A STRONG INDICATOR THAT WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO BE MOVING FORWARD TO FUNDING ON THAT, TOO.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE'RE GOING TO GET GEARED UP FOR THIS UPCOMING CYCLE, WHICH, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IT WILL BE HERE BEFORE WE KNOW IT.
THE CYCLE TYPICALLY OPENS UP IN SEPTEMBER, BUT WE'RE GOING TO START OUR WORKSHOPS EARLIER ON. NOW THAT WE'VE GOT A PROCESS IN PLACE AND WE'VE GOT OUR TEAM READY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING CONTRACTOR SPECIFIC WORKSHOPS BECAUSE THEY NEED TO BE AWARE OF WHAT'S COMING BECAUSE WE NEED A LOT OF INFORMATION, QUOTES, ELEVATION CERTIFICATES, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING A CUSTOM WORKSHOP FOR CONTRACTORS SO THEY CAN UNDERSTAND THE FEMA PROCESS AND HOW TO REPORT AND HOW TO DO THE PAPERWORK SIDE OF IT.
AND THEN THAT WOULD ROLL INTO THE PUBLIC WORKSHOPS THAT WE COULD DO IN JULY AND AUGUST TIMEFRAME. AND WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE SENDING OUT SOME MAILERS TO THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE ALREADY ON A MAILING LIST FOR FLOOD MITIGATION ASSISTANCE TYPE STUFF.
SO WE'RE GOING TO BE PUTTING THAT OUT SO WE CAN GET THOSE WORKSHOPS GOING.
THERE'S BEEN A REALLY GOOD RESPONSE, AND I'LL HAVE TO SAY WE GET PHONE CALLS WEEKLY, DAILY WITH REGARDS TO THE SIGNS THAT HAVE BEEN POSTED IN PEOPLE'S YARDS AND SAY, HEY, HOW DO I GET PART OF THIS PROGRAM? SO WE HAVE. WE'VE GO A WORKING LIST OF PEOPLE THAT ARE INTERESTED.
SO WE WILL BE REACHING OUT WITH THEM AS WE START THE WORKSHOPS WITH THAT TOO.
MS. BEACH HOW MANY? WHAT'S THE UNIVERSE OF PRIVATE PROPERTIES THAT ARE POTENTIALLY ELIGIBLE FOR THIS PROGRAM? SO THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS ARE SET BY FEMA.
SO IT IS LIMITED AS FAR AS WHAT FEMA ALLOWS FOR THAT.
AND THE FIRST IS HAVING YOUR FLOOD INSURANCE POLICY IN PLACE AND IT HAS TO BE FEDERALLY BACKED. SO THAT'S KIND OF THE FIRST HURDLE.
AND THEN WITH THAT, DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH FLOOD DAMAGE YOU'VE HAD, THAT THEN DETERMINES YOUR COST SHARE FUNDING POTENTIAL.
SO WE HAVE A LOT OF PROPERTIES THAT HAVE FLOODED AND FOR VARIOUS REASONS, SOME FOLKS HAVE OPTED NOT TO MOVE FORWARD OR THEY WANT TO WAIT ANOTHER CYCLE TO TAKE TIME TO GET THE PAPERWORK AND DOCUMENTS PULLED TOGETHER OR EVEN BUILDING SAVING UP FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO LEVERAGE THAT 25%.
BUT IT'S I DON'T KNOW THE PERCENTAGE OFFHAND OF HOW MANY PROPERTIES, BUT WE'VE BEEN GETTING A REALLY GOOD RESPONSE FROM RESIDENTS ON THAT.
BUT DO WE THINK IT'S 200 PROPERTIES? IS IT 100 PROPERTIES? YES, MR. REGAN. SO THIS IS A DIFFICULT QUESTION TO ANSWER, BECAUSE THE TYPE OF DATA THAT YOU NEED TO ANSWER IT. SO MAYBE WE COULD LOOK AT IT FROM ANOTHER DIRECTION.
SO IF YOU ASKED ME THAT QUESTION, I WOULD SAY IN HURRICANE MATTHEW, I THINK WE HAD ABOUT 800 HOMES THAT WERE DAMAGED IN VARYING LEVELS.
SO I THINK THE UNIVERSE IS PROBABLY MORE CLOSER TO 800 THAN, SAY, 200, BUT PROBABLY NOT 2000. SO 800 TO 1000.
AND KEEP IN MIND, MATTHEW WAS A FAIRLY LOW LEVEL STORM.
AND THIS IS STRICTLY RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES OR COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES AS WELL.
[01:00:03]
COMMERCIAL IS ELIGIBLE AS WELL.AND SO I THINK DIFFERENT TYPES OF ACTIVITIES CAN BE FUNDED ON THE COMMERCIAL BECAUSE THE BUILDINGS ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
I THINK THEY COVER FLOOD PROOFING OF THE BUILDING.
ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE, YOU'RE TYPICALLY LOOKING AT ELEVATING THAT.
BUT FOR THE MOST PART, WE'VE HAD THE MOST INTEREST FROM RESIDENTS THAT WE'RE INTERESTED IN ELEVATING. BUT WE ARE PROBABLY THIS NEXT CYCLE IF THERE'S BUSINESSES THAT ARE INTERESTED, GETTING THAT INFORMATION OUT SO THAT THEY CAN ALSO PARTICIPATE.
WE DID TALK TO A FEW IN THIS LAST CYCLE, BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY APPLICANTS THAT MOVED FORWARD WITH THAT. SO QUESTION.
SO THE THRESHOLD IS THEY HAVE HAD NEEDED TO BE IN THE FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM, WHICH MEANS THEY NEEDED TO BE PAYING FLOOD INSURANCE.
SO I'D BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING HOW MANY WERE NOT BECAUSE WE PROBABLY COULD DO A GOOD JOB IN THE FUTURE THAT IF WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A VIABLE PROGRAM LIKE THIS MOVING FORWARD, ROLLING FORWARD.
SO MY QUESTION WOULD BE, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR GOAL, SO TO SPEAK, OF THIS SUMMER CLASS OF APPLICANTS? AND WOULD YOU, ARE YOU ANTICIPATING DOING THIS, LIKE I SAID, ON A ROLLING BASIS.
SO THAT WE DO WE'VE SIGNED A CONTRACT WITH QUALITY ENGINEERING OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
AND SO WE ARE ANTICIPATING HAVING THIS AS AN ANNUAL PROGRAM.
AND YOU LEARN EACH CYCLE WHAT WORKS AND HOW TO OUTREACH AND KIND OF LESSONS LEARNED ON THAT. AND SO I THINK FOR THIS NEXT CYCLE, GETTING OUT EARLIER WITH THE INFORMATION AND THEN TARGETING RESIDENTS THAT ARE ALREADY HAVE A REPETITIVE FLOOD AND REPETITIVE OR THEY'RE IN THOSE AREAS TO GET THEM NOTIFIED ON THE CRITERIA FOR IT.
WE HAD SOME INTEREST IN RESIDENTS THAT WERE MAYBE PRIVATELY INSURED, BUT THEN THEY HAVE TO WEIGH THAT OUT. IF THEY CONVERT OVER TO THE NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE POLICY, THEY HAVE TO LOOK AT THE COSTS. AND SO THERE'S THINGS THAT THEY HAVE TO DECIDE ON THAT TOO.
OKAY. FIRST OF ALL, 26 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
WELL DONE. I MEAN, REALLY WELL DONE, Y'ALL.
ESPECIALLY AS, YOU KNOW, AS SMALL AS WE ARE AND EVERYTHING ELSE, YOU REALLY MADE A COMPELLING CASE.
SO THANKS TO ALL THE CITY STAFF WHO MADE THAT HAPPEN.
IT'S JUST THE BREADTH OF THE PROJECTS THAT YOU'RE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO LAY OUT HERE ON.
THE GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION IS REALLY IMPRESSIVE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT MUCH WITH REGARD TO WHAT YOU'VE JUST PRESENTED US.
THE WEBSITE AND THE INFORMATIONAL BROCHURES I THINK ARE ESSENTIAL.
PEOPLE DO NEED A ONE STOP SHOP.
WHAT I SAW IS VERY ATTRACTIVE.
NOW WE CAN POINT PEOPLE TO THAT AND JUST SAY, PLAY IN THERE.
YOU KNOW, REALLY YOU CAN DO A DEEP DIVE AND FIND OUT A LOT, LEARN A LOT ABOUT WHAT WE CAN EACH DO IN TERMS OF PROTECTING OUR OWN HOMES AND BUSINESSES.
WITH REGARD TO THE FLOOD MITIGATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, I LIKE THAT YOU ARE APPLYING YOUR LESSONS LEARNED TO THE NEXT ROUND AS ONE OF THE 25 APPLICANTS IN THIS PAST ROUND THAT WE'RE STILL WAITING TO HEAR AND IN LIMBO.
IT WAS A CRUSH OF TRYING TO GET ALL THE INFORMATION TOGETHER IN THE SHORT WINDOW OF TIME.
IT WAS A LOT OF DEMONSTRATING THAT WE DID HAVE FLOOD INSURANCE AND ELEVATION CERTIFICATES AND GETTING THE DIFFERENT ESTIMATES FROM THE CONTRACTORS.
SO I THINK WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING FOR THE NEXT ROUND IS GOING TO MAKE LIFE A LOT SIMPLER FOR THOSE WHO ARE PARTICIPATING.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT AS WELL.
WITH REGARD TO THAT, THOUGH, I MIGHT ADD TO THAT LIST THAT THERE MIGHT BE A CHECKLIST FOR THE HOMEOWNERS THAT'S PREPARED OF, YOU KNOW, LIKE, CHECK IT OFF.
DID I GET THIS? DID I GET THAT TO THE WHEN HAVE I GOT MY CHECKLIST DONE? YOU MIGHT HAVE DONE THAT OR THE QUALITY ENGINEERING MIGHT HAVE DONE THAT, BUT IT WASN'T VERY CLEAR. I JUST CAN'T REMEMBER BECAUSE I DON'T REMEMBER SEEING ONE THAT WAS CLEAR TO ME. AND THEN IN TERMS OF THOSE WHO ARE PARTICIPATING, MAYBE A REACHING OUT EVERY NOW AND THEN IN AN EMAIL OR SOMETHING AND SAYING, HERE'S WHERE WE ARE, HERE'S THE STATUS, BECAUSE WE'RE ALL KIND OF SITTING ON PINS AND NEEDLES, I'M PRETTY SURE.
SO IT'D BE NICE TO JUST HAVE A PERIODIC COMMUNICATION WITHOUT ANY NEED FOR RESPONSE.
THANK YOU. THESE ARE GOOD SUGGESTIONS.
WHEN WE DID THE WORKSHOPS, I THINK THERE WAS A SLIDE ON INFORMATION NEEDED.
AND SO I THINK MAYBE THE CHECKLIST MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT USER FRIENDLY OTHERWISE BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS RELATED TO THAT.
WE WOULD SEND SPECIFIC SLIDES AND PACKETS, BUT WE WERE GETTING QUITE A FEW QUESTIONS ON THAT TOO. SO IT MAY BE TRYING TO MAKE THAT A LITTLE BIT EASIER FOR THE NEXT ROUND.
AND I HAVE HAD SOME FEEDBACK FROM SOME APPLICANTS THAT PARTICIPATE IN THE LAST CYCLE AND JUST GETTING THAT FEEDBACK, TRYING TO GET THE CONTRACTORS ON BOARD BECAUSE YOU DO NEED THREE QUOTES AND SO MAKING SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH CONTRACTORS THAT ARE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE
[01:05:02]
AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SO THAT'S THE INTENT OF THE CONTRACTOR WORKSHOPS IS TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT SO AND BROADEN THAT SO.IF I MAY JUMP IN AND TALK ABOUT CONTRACTORS WHEN THIS WAS GOING ON, WE RECALL BY QUITE A FEW PEOPLE WANTING US TO GIVE THEM PROPOSALS TO LIFT THEIR HOUSE.
AND OF COURSE WE'VE DONE SEVERAL HOUSES SINCE MATTHEW, SO WE'VE BEEN DOING IT.
AND ONE OF THE PROBLEMS YOU RUN INTO WAS THE TIME FRAME IN WHICH WE HAD TO OPERATE.
WE WERE IN A CRUSH ANYWAY AND STILL ARE BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH CONSTRUCTION GOING ON.
WE NEED EITHER TO PUT TOGETHER A PROFORMA WAY AHEAD OF TIME, SO YOU JUST PLUG DIMENSIONS IN OR SQUARE FOOTAGE OR SOMETHING, OR WE NEED TO HAVE MORE TIME TO PREPARE PROPOSALS.
WE TURNED DOWN A TON OF STUFF RELUCTANTLY BECAUSE THERE WAS JUST NO WAY WE'RE GOING TO GET TO IT. AND YOU DON'T WANT TO PUT OUT SOMETHING THAT IS NOT CORRECT.
SO I THINK THAT'S KIND OF THE INTENT WITH GETTING WITH THE CONTRACTORS THEMSELVES BECAUSE I THINK WE THE QUALITY ENGINEERING DOES HAVE AN APPLICATION FORM THAT LIKE A PRE-FILLED FORM TO FILL OUT.
AND I THINK HAVING AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT FEMA NEEDS, WHAT INFORMATION WE HAVE TO COLLECT AND UNDERSTANDING HOW ALL THAT PROCESS WORKS, I THINK WOULD HELP TOO, AND GETTING IT OUT EARLIER SO WE COULD GET THOSE STARTED.
VERY HELPFUL. IF WE HAD A SQUARE FOOT COST, YOU COULD PLUG IN SOME KIND OF COST.
LIKE I'M FOREVER BEING ASKED WHAT'S IT GOING TO COST TO BUILD? HOW MANY, HOW MUCH SQUARE FOOT? SCARY RIGHT NOW. BUT HAVING SAID THAT, IF WE COULD COME UP WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT THAT COULD BE UTILIZED TO TURN THESE THINGS AROUND QUICKER.
THAT'S HELPFUL. WE'LL GET THAT TO QUALITY ENGINEERING AS WE KIND OF COORDINATE THAT MOVING FORWARD. OKAY.
YES. SO I PAUSED ON THE NEXT SLIDE, TALKING ABOUT THE FUNDING AND PROJECT PRIORITIES, AS
[5. Project Priorities and Funding Discussion (J. Beach, Chief Resilience Officer).]
COMMISSIONER BLONDER ALLUDED TO.WE DID GET 26 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS THAT IT'S FEDERALLY FUNDED THROUGH DEP.
AND SO THE TERMS OF THOSE AGREEMENTS ARE GOING TO BE STARTING JULY OF THIS YEAR, AND IT GOES THROUGH DECEMBER OF 2026.
AND SO WE HAD THE BIG BULK OF THE FUNDING WAS FROM THAT $500 MILLION POT OF MONEY IN THE SEVEN PROJECTS THAT WE GOT.
BUT JUST AS A NOTE, WE DID HAVE 11 APPLICATIONS TOTAL THAT WE TURNED INTO DEP.
WE HAD FOUR PLANNING AND SEVEN PROJECTS.
THE PLANNING ARE STILL UNDER REVIEW AND I WANTED TO POINT OUT WE ACTUALLY PUT IN THE BACK BASED STUDY AS ONE OF OUR PLANNING GRANTS TO THE STATES.
THERE'S A CHANCE THAT WE MAY GET FUNDING DEPENDING ON HOW THE REVIEWS GO AND WHAT THEY THEY ALLOCATE OUT.
SO I JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT THAT COULD COME INTO PLAY, BUT TO HIGHLIGHT THE FUNDING THAT WE RECEIVED, WE'VE GOT SEVEN PROJECTS THAT ARE LISTED HERE AND I HIGHLIGHTED THE AMOUNTS. THESE ARE ACTUALLY IN THE RANKING ORDER IN THE LIST THAT CAME OUT FROM DEP AND THIS WAS STATEWIDE.
SO WE WERE COMPETING WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
AND SO SOME OF OUR BIGGER PROJECTS THAT WE WERE VERY EXCITED TO GET CONSTRUCTION DOLLARS FOR INCLUDES LAKE MARIA SANCHEZ AND THE SOUTH WHITNEY WEST KING PROJECT.
BUT WE ALSO GOT FUNDING TO DO MORE TIDE CHECK VALVES CITYWIDE.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT GROUNDWATER MONITORING NETWORK THAT WAS OF INTEREST TO THE COMMISSION AT OUR LAST WORKSHOP, WE HAVE PROJECT FUNDING TO DO INLET DRIVE, SHORELINE RESILIENCY IMPROVEMENTS, SOUTH DAVIS SHORES, FLOOD MITIGATION AND DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS, AND ALSO SOME FLOOD MITIGATION AND DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE [INAUDIBLE] NEIGHBORHOOD. AND AS COMMISSIONER BLONDER ALLUDED TO, THESE ARE SPREAD OUT THROUGHOUT THE CITY. AND SO IT'S FAIRLY WELL DISTRIBUTED.
AND THIS IS JUST A ROUGH MAP JUST TO SHOW WHERE THOSE PROJECTS ARE LOCATED, IN ADDITION TO THE CITYWIDE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO, TOO.
AND SO THE REST OF THE WORKSHOP, I WANTED TO JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE THESE SEVEN PROJECTS, BUT WE ACTUALLY HAVE 30 MORE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE INTEGRATING THIS INTO OUR CURRENT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
SO IN YOUR HANDOUT AND PACKET, A COUPLE OF THINGS TO NOTE.
I HAD LAID ON EVERYONE'S DESK, THERE'S A SEPARATE SLIDE DECK THAT ARE ACTUAL PROJECT INFORMATION SHEETS.
THOSE ARE DRAFT AND THEY'RE NOT FINAL.
BUT IT'S TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF A TEMPLATE THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO WHERE WE CAN START BUILDING OUT THESE PROJECT SHEETS.
SO AS YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ON DIFFERENT PROJECTS, YOU CAN LOOK THROUGH THAT IT'S A IT'S A ONE SHEET PAGE TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT THE PROJECT IS AND THE COST AND THE LOCATION. SO THAT WAS A HANDOUT THAT WE PLACED ON EVERYONE'S TABLE.
THE BIGGER 11 BY 17 IS TO TRY TO SHOW ALL OF THE PROJECTS INTEGRATED TOGETHER.
AND SO THE NEXT THREE SLIDES ARE CHOPPING UP THOSE PROJECTS.
BUT AGAIN, WHAT WE WANTED TO EMPHASIZE IS NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE THE SEVEN, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO INTEGRATE THAT WITH OUR CURRENT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM THAT WE'VE GOT UNDERWAY.
AND SO THIS IS, AGAIN, A SNAPSHOT WITH ALL THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE WHERE THEY STAND AS FAR AS STATUS AND THEN AN ESTIMATED SCHEDULE.
AND SO IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER, I WAS GOING TO JUST GO THROUGH THE SLIDES AND JUST SHOW THE BULK OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF GREAT PROJECTS GOING ON WITHIN THE CITY.
AND JESSICA, CAN WE. I'M SORRY. BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD.
OH, SURE. SORRY. WE JUST WANTED TO SHOW YOU KIND OF THE BREADTH OF EVERYTHING THAT THE
[01:10:03]
PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES DEPARTMENTS WORKING WITH STAFF JESSICA AND CAITLIN.AND EVERYBODY HAS DONE AN AMAZING JOB.
MARIA SANCHEZ IS A FULLY FUNDED PROJECT AT THE MOMENT.
SOUTH WHITNEY IS A FULLY FUNDED PROJECT.
BUT I ALSO WANTED TO SHOW THAT WE ARE A UTILITY AS WELL.
WE HAVE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS AND WE HAVE TO BALANCE ALL OF THESE PROJECTS WITH OUR STAFF, WORKING WITH GENERAL SERVICES TO COME UP WITH A PROCUREMENT SCHEDULE BECAUSE WE HAVE TO PUT PACKAGES TOGETHER TO ADVERTISE FOR DESIGN CONSTRUCTION.
AND THEN FINALLY, THIS LIST THAT YOU HAVE HERE THAT WE PUT TOGETHER IS NOT A COMPLETE LIST. IT'S PRETTY GOOD, BUT WE'LL BE REFINING IT AND BRINGING IT BACK TO YOU.
AND THIS IS ALSO AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IN PREVIOUS MEETINGS, WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE PROJECT DATA SHEETS.
SO EVERY PROJECT ON THIS LIST, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GO TO THIS APPENDIX AND READ A DESCRIPTION OF WHAT THE PROJECT IS.
WE'RE GOING TO EXPLAIN THE ACRONYMS, WHAT WE REFER TO THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT AS THE WTP. THE WASTEWATER IS THE WWTP, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.
SO WE'RE GOING TO CREATE A GLOSSARY THAT HAS ACRONYMS, DEFINITIONS AS WELL TO REALLY BUILD A ROBUST CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN FOR THE PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES DEPARTMENT.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW IN DETAIL YOU WANT TO GET I KNOW WE'RE RUNNING.
WE WOULD LIKE TO WRAP UP AROUND 4:45.
SO WE CAN GET INTO DETAIL ON THESE.
THESE WILL BE COMING BACK AT THE END OF APRIL AT A QUARTERLY AS PART OF OUR QUARTERLY UPDATE AS WELL.
AND WE'LL HAVE ALL OF THESE PROJECT DATA SHEETS FILLED OUT AND PART OF THAT PACKAGE.
SO WE'RE HAPPY TO DOVE INTO THIS UNLESS THERE'S OPEN DISCUSSION YOU WANT TO HAVE.
I THINK WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO LAY OUT TODAY IS EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED AND WHERE WE'RE GOING AND ANY FEEDBACK THAT THE COMMISSION HAS FOR US.
ONE THING THAT WE HAVE CONTEMPLATED IS THIS IS A LOT OF INFORMATION.
IF THE COMMISSION SAYS, YEAH, WE LIKE WHERE WE'RE GOING, THEN MAYBE WE CAN DEVELOP SOME PUBLIC WORKSHOPS THAT WE HAVE EASELS AND DISPLAYS THAT KIND OF GO OVER THE PROJECTS AND THE PRIORITIES, AND WE CAN HAVE MORE OF A PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT COMPONENT OF IT.
AND JESSICA, I'LL DEFER BACK TO YOU.
YEAH, I THINK EXACTLY WHAT RUBEN WAS TALKING ABOUT.
WE CAN GO INTO DETAIL, BUT THE INTENT OF THIS WAS TO GET A BROAD OVERVIEW IN THE BREADTH OF EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING WITHIN THE CITY, NOT JUST THE RECENTLY FUNDED PROJECTS, WHICH ARE HUGE PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN ON OUR LIST FOR AWHILE.
WE JUST NEEDED FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO CATALYST THEM FORWARD.
BUT I THINK AS FAR AS STAFF, WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR FEEDBACK AND INPUT.
I KNOW WE'VE ALREADY GOTTEN SOME FROM THE COMMISSIONERS ON THAT, BUT IF YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH KIND OF WHAT WE'RE DOING SO FAR, WE COULD MAYBE SET UP SOME FUTURE PUBLIC MEETINGS AND MAYBE BREAK IT UP IN A DIFFERENT TOPICS.
AND ANY OTHER GUIDANCE OR INPUT THAT WE THAT WE HAVE WOULD BE GREAT.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR A LONG TIME AND I DO LIKE A FORMAT.
I LOVE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS FORMAT.
IT GIVES YOU ALL THE INFORMATION WELL, YOU KNOW, AT THE HIGHER LEVEL SO YOU CAN GET THE BROAD OVERVIEW. LIKE YOU SAID, THE ONLY THING THAT I COULD SAY IS THAT SOME OF THESE PROJECTS ARE SO MUCH BIGGER, LIKE FUNDING WISE THAN OTHERS, AND IT DOESN'T REALLY GIVE ME THAT SENSE.
I GET A TIMELINE AND I GET THE BACK INFORMATION, BUT IT DOESN'T MAYBE I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT I'M ASKING FOR, BUT IT DOESN'T GIVE ME THAT, THAT THIS IS A $7 MILLION PROJECT OR THIS IS A $2 MILLION PROJECT, BUT THIS IS A $500,000 PROJECT.
THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT I WOULD SAY.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU PUT THAT DIMENSION IN, BUT THANK YOU.
I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT YOU GUYS WORKED REALLY HARD ON THIS.
IT'S A GREAT IT'S A GREAT TOOL.
AND I THINK THE PUBLIC WILL BE ABLE TO USE IT IN THIS FORM VERY WELL.
SO I GUESS TO THAT FIRST QUESTION COMMENT, SO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT INFORMATION SHEETS, THEY DO GIVE KIND OF A PROJECT COST THE FUNDING SOURCES A SCHEDULE AND KIND OF WHERE THEY'RE AT ON THE TABLE.
IT WAS A LITTLE DIFFICULT BECAUSE IT'S LIKE, HOW MUCH INFORMATION DO YOU PUT ON IT? BUT WE DO HAVE IT IN A SPREADSHEET WITH PROJECT COSTS THAT WE COULD ADD TO THAT IF THAT IS OF HELP ON IT, TO KIND OF HELP GIVE A SCALE, IF YOU WILL, ON THAT, TOO.
SO I THINK IT'S MORE OF WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
I WOULD AGREE WITH THE VICE MAYOR THAT AT LEAST SOME SENSE OF THE SIZE OF THESE PROJECTS, I THINK WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
AND SO LET ME SEE IF I UNDERSTAND THE GRAPH.
LET'S LOOK AT DOWN ABOUT A QUARTER OF THE WAYS LAKE MARIA SANCHEZ AND IT EXTENDS THROUGH
[01:15:07]
2016. SO I'M SORRY, 2026.THANK YOU. DOES THAT MEAN WE ANTICIPATE THE PROJECT BEING COMPLETED BY THEN OR IS THE PRELIMINARY DESIGN.
RIGHT. THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
SO WE'RE ANTICIPATING THE ENTIRE PROJECT TO BE DONE BY 2026.
THAT TIES IN WITH THE DEP GRANT FUNDING.
WE HAVE TO HAVE EVERYTHING WRAPPED UP BY 2026, BUT WE'RE SHOWING IN THIS CASE IT'S A VERY LARGE PROJECT, SO IT'S TAKING UP FROM 2022 THROUGH 2026 BECAUSE OF THE SCOPE AND THE SCALE OF THE PROJECT.
SO LET'S JUST GO DOWN A LITTLE BIT FURTHER, ABOUT TO YOU'LL SEE INSPECTION MANAGEMENT, SOFTWARE ANALYST ANALYSIS COMPLETED.
SO THAT'LL ALL BE DONE THIS YEAR, CORRECT? GOTCHA. SO THAT GIVES YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A SENSE FOR THE SCALES OF THE PROJECT WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS SCHEDULE ON IT.
AND SO SOME OF IT WE HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY, OTHERS WE HAVE TO GET DONE.
AND SO THIS THE INTENT OF THIS WAS ALSO TO HELP STAFF TO PRIORITIZE BECAUSE WE ALLUDED TO WE HAVE TO COORDINATE WITH THE DEPARTMENTS AND OTHER PAPERWORK AND SOLICITING.
SO WE NEED TO HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT'S KIND OF COMING OUT OF THE GATE FIRST AND THEN IF IT'S STAGGERED, WE MAY HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME ON SOME OTHER THINGS.
THAT WAS TO HELP WITH RESOURCE LOADING ON OUR END.
OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? YEAH, I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THE WEEDS ON ALL OF THESE, BUT I'M JUST GOING TO BRING ONE UP AS AN EXAMPLE BECAUSE I ACTUALLY HAVE THIS QUESTION FOR THE CITY WIDE TITLE BACKFLOW PREVENTION IMPROVEMENTS.
THAT HAS DEFINITELY THAT BACKFLOW HAS BEEN A SOURCE OF A LOT OF THE FLOODING IN THE PAST AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE SO.
IF WE HAVE ABOUT 103 OF THESE STORM WATER OUTFALLS, WE'VE RETROFITTED 43 AND WE'RE HOPING TO DO 20 MORE.
THAT'S JUST A LITTLE OVER A HALF.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT AND HOW QUICKLY? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. SO THE FUNDING FROM DEP WAS TO DO 20 MORE OVER THAT TIME FRAME.
AND SO WE DO HAVE A MASTER PLAN DRAFT THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH TO HELP PRIORITIZE THE REMAINING LOCATIONS ON THAT.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD NEED TO IDENTIFY AS MAYBE A FUNDING GAP AND MAYBE WE NEED TO SEEK MORE GRANT FUNDING IF WE WERE TO PURSUE MORE OF THAT.
BUT WE DO WANT TO COMPLETE WHAT WE'VE GOT FIRST BEFORE WE START TACKLING MORE SO.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE PROJECTS? YOU DOUBLE CHECK YOUR I THINK.
YEAH. SO JUST TO WRAP UP, THE PURPOSE OF TODAY'S WORKSHOP WAS TO GET INPUT FROM THE COMMISSION AND ALSO JUST A RECAP, EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT FROM BEFORE.
A LOT OF THE PROGRESS THAT WE'VE MADE AND PARTICULARLY WITH THE ARMY CORPS BACK BAY BASED STUDY, THAT WAS A BIG ITEM THAT WE'VE GOT THAT FUNDING FROM CONGRESSMAN RUTHERFORD'S OFFICE. AND SO THAT WAS PROBABLY THE BIG THE BIG TAKE HOME PRESENTATION FOR TODAY.
AND WE HEARD FROM THE COMMISSION THE GENERAL CONSENSUS TO MOVE FORWARD.
SO WE WILL WORK WITH THE CORPS ON THAT FEASIBILITY COST SHARE AGREEMENT ON THAT TOO.
AND I THINK WITH THAT, THAT'S ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT I HAD TO FORMALLY PRESENT.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF IF WE WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN SOME PUBLIC COMMENT NOW THAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH THE PRESENTATION.
CAN I MAKE ONE MORE COMMENT? PLEASE. AND THAT IS THAT THE ALL OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE BY THIS CITY TO GET TO THIS POINT AND ALL OF THE THINGS AHEAD OF US ARE STILL SOBERING IN TERMS OF ARE WE GOING TO GET TO THE FINISH LINE BEFORE SEA LEVEL RISE DOES? AND SO I THINK WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE.
THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO SAY. WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE POSSIBLY CAN.
AND I LOOK IN THIS ROOM AND THIS FRONT OF THE ROOM WHEN I LOOK ALL THROUGH HERE, I'M REALLY PROUD OF THAT. WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE POSSIBLY CAN AND WE'RE GOING TO KEEP TRYING TO FIGHT. AND I THINK THE STAFF SO MUCH FOR ALL THE EXTRA TIME AND ENERGY YOU'VE PUT INTO THIS. THANK YOU.
AT THIS TIME, I AM GOING TO OPEN A SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION, IF ANY SECTION OF THE
[6. Additional General Public Comments Time Permitting.]
MEETING, IF ANYBODY WISHES TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION.IS THERE ANYBODY THAT AFTER HEARING THE PRESENTATION, WISH TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION? THERE ARE CARDS IN THE BACK THAT I'D ASK YOU TO COMPLETE, EITHER BEFORE OR AFTER YOU SPEAK. WELCOME, MS. KALAIDI. BJ KALAIDI, WEST CITY OF ST AUGUSTINE.
[INAUDIBLE] AND I'LL COMPLETE IT IN A MINUTE.
I DO APPRECIATE ALL THAT THE STAFF HAS DONE, BUT MY QUESTION IS, AND IF MS. [INAUDIBLE] COULD ANSWER THIS, JUST TO GIVE EVERYBODY IN THE CITY AN IDEA OF WHERE THE 25 HOMES THAT QUALIFIED FOR RAISING THEIR STRUCTURES BECAUSE OF THE FLOODING AND FILLING OUT THOSE FORMS I'M GATHERING FOR WHAT COMMISSIONER BLONDER SAID SHE WAS ONE OF THEM THAT WAS ABLE TO COMPLETE EVERYTHING AND BE ON THE LIST OF GETTING THAT DONE.
[01:20:01]
BUT JUST SO THE GENERAL PUBLIC WILL KNOW, IS IT EAST OF US ONE, IF IT'S ON THE ISLAND, IS IT IN THE LINCOLNVILLE AREA? DO YOU ANY OF THE STAFF KNOW TO GIVE US AN IDEA WHERE THERE'S 25 WERE? THANK YOU. YEAH. IF YOU COULD JUST DO THAT JUST IN VERY GENERAL TERMS. YES. SO I WOULD NEED TO CHECK WITH QUALITY ENGINEERING.THERE IS PRIVACY LAWS IN PLACE WITH THE FEMA, SO I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH OF THE INFORMATION WE CAN BASICALLY ALLOW OUT, BUT WE DID HAVE A RANGE OF APPLICATIONS THROUGHOUT VARIOUS PARTS OF THE CITY. IT WASN'T NECESSARILY IN ONE PARTICULAR AREA, IT WAS SCATTERED THROUGHOUT. BUT I CAN CHECK TO SEE WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO SHARE, BUT I CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THAT OUT THERE IF WHATEVER WE'RE ABLE TO.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE WISH TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION DURING THIS SPECIAL CITY COMMISSION MEETING? SEEING NO ONE.
I'M GOING TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
COMMISSIONERS, ANYTHING FURTHER BEFORE WE RECESS FOR OUR REGULAR MEETING AT FIVE? YES. IF YOU DON'T MIND.
PLEASE. I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER BLONDER.
THE CITY STAFF AND THE CITIZENS OF ST.
AUGUSTINE. THIS COMMISSION ARE DOING AN AWFUL LOT AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO LOOK FORWARD TO ADDRESS STORM SURGE, HURRICANES SUCH AS THAT.
BUT THERE'S ONE THING WE'RE NOT DOING AS SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE DOING OR SHOULD BE DOING IT STATEWIDE.
ANY STRUCTURE THAT'S BUILT BELOW BASE FLOOD, ANY STRUCTURE IS IN A FLOOD ZONE SHOULD BE BUILT SO IT CAN BE LIFTED OR LATER MOVED.
THIS IS SUCH A LOW HANGING FRUIT, BUT THIS IS GOING TO REQUIRE GOING TO TALLAHASSEE, EVIDENTLY GETTING TALLAHASSEE TO CHANGE THE BUILDING CODE TO ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN.
IT'S INSANE TO ME THAT TODAY, RIGHT NOW, WE ARE BUILDING BUILDINGS WITHIN A MILE OF HERE THAT WILL BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO LIFT OR TO MOVE.
AND IT'S INEVITABLE. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LIFT AND MOVE THEM.
SO WHAT CAN WE DO TO INITIATE THIS CHANGE? THIS IS A LOW HANGING FRUIT.
AND IT'S INSANE THAT WE'RE ALLOWING THIS TO HAPPEN.
SO WHAT CAN WE DO? I WILL SAY THIS ADD THIS TO OUR AGENDA.
BUT I THINK IN TALLAHASSEE, I THINK IT'S ALSO WORKING WITH PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, THE STATE ARCHITECTS, THE STATE BUILDING CONTRACTORS, AT LEAST IN MY TIME, ALL HAD SIGNIFICANT LOBBYING PRESENCE IN TALLAHASSEE.
ACTUALLY. VICE MAYOR SIKES-KLINE STOLE THE POINT I WAS GOING TO MAKE IS TO ADD IT TO OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA FOR THE NEXT YEAR, BUT FOR THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
BUT THAT ACTUALLY STARTS NOW IN TERMS OF HOW WE SET UP THE ISSUE LOBBYING, GETTING SPONSOR SUPPORT SO THAT THAT WOULD DEAL WITH STATE LAW.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE WOULD BE TO COME BACK AND REVISIT WHAT IS LOCALLY UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE CITY. I WILL SAY THIS, THAT, YOU KNOW, TYPICALLY WHEN WE GO IN RULEMAKING, YOU END UP IN YOU END UP WITH COMPROMISE.
AND THAT'S GOOD. BUT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE NEED TO KEEP LOOKING AT OUR OWN CODE AND THOSE THINGS THAT WE CAN CONTROL AT A LOCAL LEVEL.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN VERY CAREFUL NOT TO.
I WOULD SAY WHEN I LOOK AT THE WORK OF THE COMMITTEE THAT WAS LED BY COMMISSIONER VALDES, WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT THERE'S BEEN A FEAR OF CAUSING CONSTRUCTION COSTS TO RISE TOO HIGH, TOO FAST.
AND THAT'S THE BALANCE, IS IT NOT? AND SO, YOU KNOW, THEREIN LIES THE RUB IS AT WHAT POINT DO YOU WANT TO TAKE A HARDER STAND IN OUR OWN LOCAL CODE? YEAH, THE CONSTRUCTION COST IS A FACTOR.
BUT, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER FACTOR, I THINK IT'S JUST I HATE TO USE THE WORD IGNORANCE OR, YOU KNOW, JUST REFUSING TO LOOK AT THE REALITY OF THE FUTURE.
AND FORTUNATELY, SO MANY BUILDERS, SO MANY BUYERS DON'T LOOK PAST WHO THEY'RE GOING TO SELL IT TO AND THEIR LIFETIMES.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S I FIND IT AMAZING THAT THIS HAS NOT BEEN EMBRACED ALL OVER THE STATE OF FLORIDA. AND INDEED, THIS AFFECTS EVERYBODY AND THE COST OF LIFTING BUILDINGS OR TEARING THEM DOWN OR ABANDONING THEM IN THE FUTURE, YOU KNOW WHAT IT COST TO BUILD THEM, RIGHT. THE FIRST [INAUDIBLE] THEM.
SO I JUST SAW THIS THING ON FACEBOOK.
WAYNE WOOD IN JACKSONVILLE HAD POSTED THIS TWO STORY BRICK BUILDING MOVING DOWN THE STREET. I MEAN, HUGE BUILDING LIKE A POST OFFICE OR SOMETHING.
HOW COST EFFECTIVE IS IT? BUT IT CAN BE DONE, YOU KNOW, SO DESIGN THEM AHEAD OF TIME.
SO TO DO IT, BUILD THEM THE WHEELS UNDER THEM.
YES, MR. MAYOR, I'M DESCRIBING SOMETHING IN KIND OF A LAY WITH A LAY DESCRIPTION.
AND, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO WHEN WE CHANGE OUR BUILDING CODE, THAT CHANGES THE STATE LAW.
[01:25:05]
THAT'S WHY THERE NEEDS TO BE LOBBYING IN TALLAHASSEE AND CHANGING A STATE LAW.I NOTICED THAT WE HAVE A FEW MINUTES AND DAVID BERTRAM IS AN EXPERT IN THIS, AND HE COULD TAKE WHAT WE'VE BEEN DESCRIBING AND TELL YOU EXACTLY HOW THIS WOULD WORK.
PLEASE. [INAUDIBLE] BETWEEN THE LOCAL CODE AND THE STATE LAWS AND STATE BUILDING CODE.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND VICE MAYOR, COMMISSIONER.
THE LOCAL CODE DOES NOT DICTATE WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T BUILD.
WE CAN TRY TO MAKE LOCAL AMENDMENTS TO THE STATE BUILDING CODE.
THAT PROCESS REQUIRES US TO GO BEFORE THE STATE BUILDING COMMISSION.
AND IF THEY ALLOW US TO MAKE A LOCAL AMENDMENT TO THE BUILDING CODE, THAT AMENDMENT WILL BE GOOD ONLY UNTIL THE COMMISSION MEETS FOR THEIR ANNUAL REVIEW OF THE STATE BUILDING CODE. IN OTHER WORDS, WE AT ONE POINT TRIED TO OUTLAW ALUMINUM WIRING FOR RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES IN OUR CODE.
TO DO THAT, WE WOULD SAY THERE'S SOMETHING DIFFERENT ABOUT ST.
AUGUSTINE. THAT'S DIFFERENT FROM ALL OTHER COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
AND WE HAVE TO PROVIDE DATA AND ANALYSIS THAT SAYS ST.
AUGUSTINE CANNOT ALLOW ALUMINUM WIRING IN OUR CODE.
IF THEY AGREED TO THAT, THEN THEY WOULD SAY, YOU CAN ENFORCE ONLY COPPER WIRING IN OUR CODE UNTIL THE STATE BUILDING COMMISSION MEETS, WHICH IS AN ANNUAL MEETING TO SEE IF THEY WILL INCORPORATE THAT CHANGE STATEWIDE.
IF THEY DO NOT INCORPORATE THAT CHANGE STATEWIDE, THEN WE CAN NO LONGER ALLOW OR PROHIBIT ALUMINUM WIRING.
THE SAME WOULD BE IF WE SAID YOU CAN'T DO SLAB ON GRADE CONSTRUCTION.
THE STATE BUILDING COMMISSION WOULD SAY, WHY IS IT ONLY SAINT AUGUSTINE CANNOT CANNOT DO SLAB ON GRADE CONSTRUCTION.
AND IF THEY AGREE THAT THERE IS SOMETHING UNIQUE ABOUT US, THEY WOULD ALLOW US TO PROHIBIT SLAB ON GRADE CONSTRUCTION ONLY UNTIL THE COMMISSION MEETS FOR THEIR ANNUAL MEETING TO SEE WHETHER THE STATE WOULD PROHIBIT SLAB ON GRADE STATEWIDE.
SO I DON'T WANT TO HAVE UNREASONABLE EXPECTATIONS ABOUT OUR POWER TO AMEND THE STATE BUILDING CODE. WE REALLY ARE JUST ENFORCING THE STATE LAW HERE.
THAT'S ALL WE'RE DOING. BUT I ASSUME FROM WHAT YOU DESCRIBE, SINCE THIS IS AN ANNUAL PROCESS OF REVISION, THAT THERE HAS TO BE A PROCESS WHERE THE STATE COMMISSION YOU DESCRIBE RECEIVES PUBLIC INPUT.
SO CERTAINLY I'M NOT DISCOUNTING THE POLITICAL.
NO, NO. SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS WE AREN'T LOOKING FOR AN EMERGENCY RULE THAT WOULD TIDE US OVER IN THE INTERIM.
I DON'T THINK AS MUCH AS WE WOULD WANT TO GO TO THE STATE COMMISSION AND MAKE THE CASE FOR THE REVISION THAT MR. COMMISSIONER VALDES SUGGESTS.
AND IS THE STATE BUILDING CODE ADOPTED AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE RULE? YES, IT'S CODIFIED.
I MEAN, WE UPDATE IT THROUGH OUR CODE, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER THE CONTENTS.
OTHER COMMENTS. MR. REGAN ANYTHING FURTHER? WELL, A COUPLE OF THINGS FIRST.
I THINK WHAT WE SAW HERE WAS BEYOND IMPRESSIVE.
BUT I WOULD ALSO JUST LIKE TO.
COMPLIMENT ALL THE AGENCIES THAT HELPED US SHARE THE WORD ABOUT THIS WORKSHOP.
IT'S WONDERFUL TO SEE THE AUDIENCE THAT'S BEHIND US THAT WERE IN FRONT OF YOU.
I GUESS THAT'S A GOOD FEELING FROM A STAFF POINT OF VIEW.
AND SO ON BEHALF OF ALL OF THE STAFF THAT HAVE DONE THIS WORK.
TO THE AUDIENCE, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
WE'RE ADJOURNED AND WE'LL RECONVENE FOR OUR REGULAR MEETING AT 5 P.M.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.