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>> [BACKGROUND] GOOD EVENING. THIS GENERAL REGULAR MEETING
[1. CALL TO ORDER]
OF THE CITY COMMISSION IS CALLED TO ORDER.MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
>> BARBARA BLONDER. CYNTHIA GARRIS.
>> COMMISSIONER BLONDER WILL NOT BE WITH US TONIGHT.
SHE'S ON A MUCH-NEEDED VACATION.
NOW, WE WILL HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE LED BY VICE MAYOR ROXANNE HORVATH.
>> PLEASE RISE AND JOIN US FOR THE PLEDGE.
>> PLEASE BE SEATED. THANK YOU.
NEXT ITEM IS MODIFICATION AND APPROVAL OF THE REGULAR AGENDA. MR. BIRCHIM.
[2. ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS]
>> MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, AND COMMISSIONERS, I DO HAVE ONE POTENTIAL MODIFICATION TO THE AGENDA AND HAS TO DO WITH ITEM 881, WHICH IS ORDINANCE 2024-05 UPDATING AND AMENDING THE CITY'S PARKING CODE.
WHEN THIS ORDINANCE WAS HEARD AT FIRST READING, YOU MADE SOME SUGGESTIONS TO COME BACK TO YOU.
WE MADE THOSE CHANGES, BUT WE INCORPORATED SOME FURTHER CHANGES WHICH WERE NOT DISCUSSED AT FIRST READING.
THOSE WERE BASED ON INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY AFTER OUR FIRST READING.
BECAUSE THE SECOND VERSION OF THE ORDINANCE HAS CHANGED SINCE FIRST READING, YOU MAY NOT THINK IT'S RIPE FOR CONSIDERATION TONIGHT, AND YOU HAVE FOUR OPTIONS.
THE FIRST OPTION IS TO CARRY ON WITH THE HEARING.
WE HAVE MEMBERS IN THE AUDIENCE, I'M SURE THEY ARE HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT IT, AND WE COULD CERTAINLY HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING, IT HAS BEEN ADVERTISED.
YOU MAY NOT CHOOSE TO VOTE ON IT TONIGHT, BUT WE COULD HAVE A HEARING.
THE SECOND IS TO REMOVE IT FROM THE AGENDA AND MOVE SECOND READING TO JULY DATE AND HAVE THE HEARING IN JULY AND GIVE US TIME FOR MORE PUBLIC OUTREACH ON THESE FURTHER CHANGES.
THE THIRD OPTION IS TO REMAND IT BACK TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD FOR THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONSIDERATION.
YOU ALWAYS HAVE THE FOURTH OPTION, WHICH IS TO REMOVE IT FROM THE AGENDA AND NOT SCHEDULE IT FOR A SECOND READING.
THAT WOULD NOT BE DENYING THE ORDINANCE, BUT YOU COULD INDEFINITELY DELAY IT.
I KNOW THAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED IN THE COMMUNITY.
I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS AN OPTION THAT YOU HAVE, REMOVE IT FROM THE AGENDA AND NOT SCHEDULE A NEW SECOND READING.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COMMISSIONERS, I WOULD JUST SAY THAT I'M IN FAVOR OF ITEM 4, WHICH IS NOT RESCHEDULING IT INDEFINITELY. WHAT SAY YOU?
>> I WAS GOING TO SAY IT SEEMS LIKE WE COULD DO A COMBINATION THAT WE COULD GO WITH ONE AND FOUR.
WE COULD HEAR THE COMMENTS FROM THE PEOPLE WHO CAME OUT TONIGHT.
THAT MAY HELP US A LITTLE BIT.
THEN ALSO GO WITH OPTION 4. I AGREE.
>> I WAS GOING TO SUGGEST THREE BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET PLANNING AND ZONING INPUT.
THEY SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THIS PRIOR, AND HAVING SAT ON THAT BOARD FOR EIGHT YEARS, I KNOW THEY REALLY WORK HARD, SO I WOULD SUGGEST SENDING THEM BACK THERE FIRST.
>> I LIKE FOUR, BUT PEOPLE HAVE COME OUT TONIGHT TO SPEAK ABOUT IT.
I THINK THAT WE SHOULD HEAR THEIR CONCERNS.
>> LET ME MAKE THIS SUGGESTION.
WE HAVE CARDS FOR THIS ORDINANCE FOR COMMENTS TO BE MADE DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING, WHICH IS TONIGHT IS SECOND READING PUBLIC HEARING.
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WE ALSO, IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE PROCLAMATION, WILL HAVE AN OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.THESE SPEAKERS WILL BE GIVEN THEIR TIME TO SPEAK.
IF THAT SATISFIES YOU, THEN I WOULD MAKE A MOTION THAT WE INDEFINITELY REMOVE, NOT RESCHEDULE THIS ORDINANCE.
>> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
>> I AM GOING TO VOTE FOR IT GOING BACK TO ZONING.
>> WE HAVE ONE. WE HAVE 3, 4, AND 1 OPPOSED.
OF COURSE, WE FEEL THE SAME WAY ABOUT PLANNING AND ZONING.
WE DO APPRECIATE THE WORK THEY DO, BUT A LOT HAS BEEN DONE TO THE ORDINANCE SINCE THEY HAD THEIR HANDS ON IT, AND I THINK IT'S PROBABLY BETTER THAT WE ALL JUST GIVE IT A BREATH AT THIS POINT.
IT KEEPS EVOLVING BEYOND THE WORK THAT THEY DID.
WHAT I WANTED TO SAY TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT IS HERE TO SPEAK IS THAT THEY WILL STILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY.
I WILL GO AHEAD AND READ THE CARDS OUT WHEN WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF YOU'RE HERE AND YOU STILL WISH TO SPEAK ON THE MATTER, YOU'RE CERTAINLY WELCOME TO.
BUT JUST TO BE CLEAR, THIS ORDINANCE 24-05 HAS BEEN TAKEN OFF THE AGENDA AND NOT RESCHEDULED INDEFINITELY.
>> CAN I HAVE A QUESTION? IS IT POSSIBLE FOR STAFF TO REWRITE WHAT THEY'VE DONE AND TAKE IT BACK TO PLANNING AND ZONING?
>> ABSOLUTELY. BUT AT THIS POINT, IT IS NOT SCHEDULED FOR SECOND READING, PUBLIC HEARING INDEFINITELY ACCORDING TO US. YES.
>> WE WILL NEED A MOTION ON THE REST OF THE REGULAR AGENDA.
>> YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU FOR GETTING BACK TO BUSINESS.
WITH THAT MODIFICATION IN MIND, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE REGULAR AGENDA.
>> ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
>> OPPOSED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[3. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS, RECOGNITIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS]
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION.I'LL ASK HARLEY HILLIER TO COME AND MEET US IN THE FRONT OF THE ROOM AND COMMISSIONERS IF YOU'LL JOIN ME.
WHEREAS, FLORIDA IS RICH IN CULTURAL HERITAGE AND CAN BE PROUD OF THE SPECIAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE GREEKS WHO FIRST ARRIVED ON THE SHORES OF ST. AUGUSTINE IN JUNE 26TH, 1768, ON THEIR WAY TO ESTABLISH THE COLONY OF NEW [INAUDIBLE] ALONG WITH THE OTHER PEOPLE OF MEDITERRANEAN DESCENT, AND WHEREAS THE SURVIVORS OF THAT COLONIZATION RETURNED IN 1777 TO ST. AUGUSTINE IN SEARCH OF REFUGE, FREEDOM, AND JUSTICE, WHEREAS THOSE AND LATER WAVES OF GREEK SETTLERS TO FLORIDA HAVE MADE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT IN THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE RELIGIOUS, CULTURAL, AND ECONOMIC HERITAGE OF OUR CITY, WHEREAS JUNE 26TH, 2024 MARKS THE 256TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LANDING OF THE GREEKS IN ST. AUGUSTINE, AND WHEREAS THIS EVENT ENDEAVORS TO DRAW ATTENTION TO OUR GREEK AMERICAN CITIZENS WHO CONTINUE TO MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WHO REMIND US THAT OUR CITY'S GREATNESS STEMS FROM THE DIVERSITY OF ITS PEOPLE WHO HAVE DONE MUCH TO ENRICH THIS COMMUNITY.
I NOW, THEREFORE, NANCY SIKES-KLINE, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM JUNE 26TH '24 AS GREEK LANDING DAY IN THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, AND URGE ALL OF OUR CITIZENS TO RECOGNIZE THE VALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS OUR GREEK NEIGHBORS HAVE MADE TO THE UNIQUE HISTORY OF ST. AUGUSTINE.
>> POLLY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS?
>> MAY I PLEASE. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY, YOUR HONOR, AND COMMISSIONERS, AND VICE MAYOR, I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I'VE BEEN HERE 19 YEARS, AND FROM GEORGE GARDNER, WHEN I FIRST BECAME EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO JOE BOLES, TO NANCY SHAVER, AND TO NANCY SIKES-KLINE AND TRACY UPCHURCH, GOD LOVE HIM, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW SUPPORTIVE THE CITY HAS BEEN, BUT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO STATE THIS.
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IN 1965, THE LITTLE HOUSE, THE AVERO HOUSE WAS PURCHASED AT 41 ST. GEORGE STREET.IT WAS THROUGH THAT METAMORPHOSIS TO WHERE IT IS ST. PHOTIOS NATIONAL SHRINE TODAY, WE DO NOT DIMINISH HOW IMPORTANT IS TO REMEMBER THE MINORKANS OF THIS CITY BUT TO UNDERSCORE THAT IT TOOK A PROFESSOR FROM CALIFORNIA WHO DID THE RESEARCH, IT TOOK AN ARCHITECT FROM JACKSONVILLE, WHO MADE THE MOST RIDICULOUS PLAN OF WHAT HE WOULD PUT THERE FOR A HISTORICAL ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD TO BE FORMULATED BECAUSE OF THAT, AND THAT WE HAVE THE PRESERVATION.
I AM SO THANKFUL TO OUR NEIGHBORS ON SPANISH STREET.
I'M SO THANKFUL TO MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO CELEBRATE THE CULTURAL HERITAGE OF OUR CITY AND I HOPE YOU CAN ALL JOIN US THREE O'CLOCK ON WEDNESDAY.
>> THANK YOU, WE'LL TAKE A PICTURE.
[4. PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS OR FOR AGENDA ITEMS NOT REQUIRING A SEPARATE PUBLIC HEARING]
NOW WE MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENTS.CERTAINLY, THE FOLKS THAT WERE HERE TO TALK ABOUT ORDINANCE 2024-05 ARE WELCOME TO MAKE THEIR COMMENTS NOW, AS I SAID EARLIER.
WITH THAT, I'LL START WITH ALI BURCHFIELD, FOLLOWED BY RITA COATES.
>> GOOD EVENING. FIRST, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THAT ITEM OFF THE AGENDA.
THE PARKING IN ST. AUGUSTINE, IT SEEMS, HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PROBLEM.
I CAN'T IMAGINE ANY COMMON SENSE SOLUTION INVOLVES ELIMINATING PARKING SPACES IN OUR DOWNTOWN AREA.
WE HAVE A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESSES.
THIS WOULD BE VERY MISLEADING TO A NEW BUSINESS COMING IN, THINKING THAT THEY COULD THRIVE WITHOUT PARKING.
I KNOW THAT THE GARAGES WORK VERY WELL FOR OUR EVENTS.
BUT PEOPLE WANTING TO VISIT THE BUSINESSES, I HAVE A HARD TIME BELIEVING ARE GOING TO PARK IN A GARAGE AND WALK A THIRD TO A HALF A MILE, ESPECIALLY THIS TIME OF YEAR TO VISIT THESE BUSINESSES.
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT SOMEHOW, THE CITY STAFF HAS GOTTEN INTO THIS LANGUAGE AND THIS ORDINANCE THAT IS PROMOTING BUSINESSES AT THE DETRIMENT TO THE RESIDENTS AS A RESULT.
IN ADDITION, IT IS AN ORDINANCE LIKE THIS THAT IS GOING TO ALLOW MORE DEVELOPMENT MORE DENSELY OVER THOSE PIECES OF LAND, AND THE BUSINESS OWNERS' EYES IS GOING TO INCREASE THE VALUE OF THOSE PROPERTIES, AGAIN, AT THE DETRIMENT TO THE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES BECAUSE THE PROBLEMS ARE MORE AND MORE.
THE RESIDENTIAL PARKING PROGRAM, I UNDERSTAND, AND I KNOW THERE ARE NEIGHBORHOODS USING THEM AND I KNOW THERE ARE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT LIKE THEM.
WHERE I'M AT ON RODY AVENUE, I DON'T LOOK AT THAT AS A GOOD SOLUTION.
ONE OF THE BIG PROBLEMS I HAVE WITH THAT PROGRAM, JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME FEEDBACK ON THAT SPECIFICALLY IS GATHERINGS.
IF I WANT TO HAVE A GATHERING POOL PARTY FOR MY GRANDSON AT MY HOUSE, AND I WANT TO HAVE SOME OF HIS FRIENDS OVER WITH THEIR FAMILIES, AND I'VE GOT ENOUGH FOR TWO CARS, THERE'S REALLY NOT AN OPTION TO DO THAT.
WHEN I POSED THAT QUESTION TO CITY STAFF, I WAS TOLD, WELL, YOU CAN JUST CALL US, LET US KNOW A FEW DAYS AHEAD OF TIME, AND THEN WE'LL JUST LOOK THE OTHER WAY DURING THAT TIME.
WELL, TO ME, THAT REALLY DOESN'T WORK.
WE ARE A COMPLAINT-DRIVEN CITY BECAUSE WE'RE SUCH A SMALL CITY AND SO WHEN WE SEE THINGS GOING ON, WE CALL THE CITY TO GET THOSE PROBLEMS SOLVED.
A NEIGHBOR SEES A BUNCH OF CARS ON THE STREET WITHOUT THE TAGS ON AND WHAT ARE THEY'RE GOING TO DO?
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THEY'RE GOING TO CALL THE CITY.THAT'S REALLY NOT A SOLUTION TO THAT PARTICULAR PART OF THAT ORDINANCE.
I WANTED TO GIVE YOU THAT FEEDBACK ON THAT AS WELL.
AGAIN, I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THAT OFF THE AGENDA. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. THE NEXT SPEAKER IS RITA COATES, FOLLOWED BY STACEY SWAMP.
>> MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSIONERS.
I'M A FULL TIME RESIDENT AT LOK STREET IN THE UPTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD.
>> MAYOR, COULD YOU SPEAK ON THE MICROPHONE?
>> SURE. THERE YOU GO. NOW, CAN YOU HEAR ME? ALL RIGHT.
PERFECT. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE RESIDENTS.
WE DO APPRECIATE THE REMOVAL OF SAN MARCO AVENUE FROM THE ORDINANCE.
THE ORIGINAL VERSION OF THIS ORDINANCE WOULD HAVE BEEN DETRIMENTAL TO OUR NEIGHBOR AND THE LIVABILITY.
AGAIN, I THANK YOU, I'M GLAD YOU'VE TAKEN OFF OF THE TABLE AND DEFINITELY, AND WE STILL HAVE SOME CONCERNS, BUT APPRECIATE YOUR COMMISSION AND CITY STAFF FOR LISTENING TO US. THANK YOU.
STACY SCHRUMP, FOLLOWED BY JUDY GLASBROOK.
>> GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS.
STACY SCHRUMP, 68 WATER STREET.
I AM SO THRILLED TO HEAR OF THIS VOTE AND THE WAY THAT THIS WENT.
AS YOU KNOW, AS YOU'VE HEARD FROM MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS AND ME MULTIPLE TIMES.
WE HAVE DEEP CONCERNS ABOUT ST. AUGUSTINE TOURISM, PARKING, AND THE WAY THAT THE RESIDENTS ALL INTERACT WITH THESE THINGS IN THESE VERY NARROW ROADWAYS.
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR CITY STAFF.
RUBIN AND AMY DID MEET WITH US.
THEY HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH US.
EVEN DAVID, TALKING ABOUT ADJUSTING THIS TO SEE IF THERE WAS A WAY WE COULD MAKE IT REMOVE SAN MARCO FROM THE ORDINANCE.
THE SECOND VERSION PROVIDED SOME SEMBLANCE OF SAFETY FOR SAN MARCO, BUT NOT TO THE DEGREE THAT WE WANTED.
WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL TO SEE THIS TABLED.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR VOTES FOR YOUR TIME, FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING ST. AUGUSTINE GROW, AND WE HOPE THAT WE CAN ALL DO IT TOGETHER. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. JUDY GLASBROOK, FOLLOWED BY MELINDA RECONS.
>> YES, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR TAKING THIS OFF THE AGENDA FOR THE TIME BEING.
LAST WEEK, I SENT YOU A VERY DETAILED LETTER ABOUT ALL THE CONCERNS THAT I HAD.
BUT TODAY, I JUST WANT TO DEAL WITH THE STRATEGY BEHIND THIS WHOLE MOVEMENT.
THE STRATEGY THAT I SEE EMBEDDED IN THE ORDINANCE IS CONCERNING AND A POSSIBLE DANGEROUS PATH TO GO DOWN FOR THE WELFARE OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE.
LIFTING THE PARKING RESTRICTIONS IN ORDER TO ATTRACT LARGER DENSER BUSINESSES AND CRITICAL MASS AND THEN MORE TRAFFIC IS ALARMING.
THEN DOING THIS AT THE EXPENSE OF EXISTING BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS IS BEYOND ALARMING.
UNFORTUNATELY, THIS WASN'T JUST AN ISOLATED PARKING ORDINANCE.
IT'S THE THINKING BEHIND THE ORDINANCE, AND THIS WAS A CLEAR EXAMPLE OF THE CITY RUSHING TO ACCOMPLISH THE GOAL OF SATELLITE PARKING WITHOUT THE PROPER PREPARATION.
THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS AVAILABLE, AND I HOPE THAT THEY START LOOKING AT THESE OTHER OPTIONS IN THE FUTURE.
I'M HOPING THAT THEY'LL START TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC AS TO WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS STRATEGY IS.
TO ME, THIS IS PERMANENT OR I'M SORRY, PREMATURELY INCREASING TRAFFIC IN ORDER TO EVENTUALLY CONTROL IT.
I WANT THEM TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC AS TO THE IMPLICATIONS OF THEIR KIND OF THINKING.
SECOND, I'D LIKE AS OUR REPRESENTATIVES TO THEN FOR YOU TO TAKE EDUCATED THOUGHTFUL MEASURED AND A CONSERVATIVE APPROACH TO THE PASSING OF AN ORDINANCE.
I'M HOPING THAT SIGNIFICANT CHANGES LIKE THIS.
LOTS OF QUESTIONS WOULD BE ASKED, AND IN FACT, I ASKED A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS BACK ON APRIL 23RD, AND TO THIS DATE, I NEVER RECEIVED ANY ANSWERS FROM THE CITY.
THESE WERE IMPORTANT FACTS TO LOOK AT AND I DIDN'T GET ANY KIND OF RESPONSE.
THIRD, INSTEAD OF PREMATURELY FORCING THE CHANGES,
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HOW ABOUT MAKING CHANGES GRADUALLY AND ORGANICALLY, AND WITH LITTLE DISRUPTION TO THE CITIZENS AND THE RESIDENTS AND THE EXISTING BUSINESSES? THEY COULD START PLANNING FOR THE SATELLITE PARKING, BUT DON'T FORCE THE ISSUE, WHICH WAS PART OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING STRATEGY.IMPLEMENT THE SATELLITE PARKING WHEN AND IF IT'S NEEDED.
BUT DON'T DO IT IMPULSIVELY AND PREMATURELY BECAUSE IT ONLY WILL INCREASE TRAFFIC, AND IT'S AN AGGRESSIVE APPROACH TO GET TO THE GOAL.
THE LOGIC AND STRATEGY BEHIND THE PLAN AND THE APPROACH SHOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR CREATING MORE PROBLEMS. THANK YOU. AGAIN.
MELINDA RECONS, FOLLOWED BY ANDREW SCHUMACHER.
>> YES. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS THREE MINUTES WAS FOR THE PARKING AND NOT I'VE GOT ANOTHER THREE MINUTES FOR GENERAL COMMENT. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
YOU CAN CHOOSE, YOU CAN SPEAK ON WHATEVER TOPIC YOU WISH.
>> OKAY. WELL, THEN I'LL SAVE MY COMMENTS.
IF I DON'T GET TO SPEAK TWICE, THEN I'LL SAVE MY COMMENTS FOR THE OTHER THING.
>> THE OTHER THING IS TAKEN OFF THE AGENDA.
THE PARKING CODE ORDINANCE HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THE AGENDA [OVERLAPPING] TONIGHT.
>> I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I HAD SOMETHING ELSE UNDER GENERAL COMMENT THAT I WANTED TO SPEAK ON.
>> UNDER AGENDA, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR THAT NOW.
>> OKAY. LET ME GO GET THOSE COMMENTS.
>> OKAY. WE'LL CIRCLE BACK TO YOU.
>> ANDREW SCHUMACHER. MRS. VOCANSE, YOU CAN COME BACK AFTER ANDREW SCHUMACHER.
>> MY COMMENTS ARE ABOUT THE YELLOW CURBING IN THE ABBOTT TRACT.
I HAD A MEETING WITH RUBIN SIX WEEKS AGO AND ALSO SET THE DESIGNING AND THE STYLE FOR THE YELLOW CURBING AT THE ABBOTT TRACT.
WE HAD ANOTHER MEETING TWO WEEKS AGO AND AMY SKIMMER WAS THERE AT THE SAME TIME WITH STACY FROM SAN BY PRESIDENT.
AT THE TIME, HE SAID HE COULD TALK TO THE BOARD ABOUT THE YELLOW CURBING.
MY FIRST QUESTION IS, DID HE? HELLO.
>> MR. SHERMACHER, IF YOU'D LIKE TO ASK A QUESTION OF STAFF, WE CAN CERTAINLY CONNECT YOU.
>> NO. I DON'T WANT TO ASK THE QUESTION STAFF.
I WANT TO ASK THE QUESTION OF THE BOARD RIGHT HERE BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE HE TOLD ME HE WAS GOING TO TALK TO.
>> MR. SHERMACHER, YOU'RE WELCOME TO MAKE STATEMENTS TO THE COMMISSION, BUT NOT TO INTERROGATE THE COMMISSION. WE'RE HERE TO LISTEN.
>> I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO INTERROGATE ANYBODY.
ALL I'M ASKING, DID HE TELL YOU THAT I WANTED TO GET THE YELLOW CURBING DONE IN THE ABBOTT TRACT? I GUESS HE DIDN'T BECAUSE YOU'RE LOOKING AT ME LIKE YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
>> WE HAVE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH STAFF ABOUT YELLOW CURBING AND ABBOTT TRACT.
>> WHEN IS IT GOING TO GET DONE?
>> WE'LL BE HAPPY TO ASK STAFF ON YOUR BEHALF, BUT IF YOU'LL GO AHEAD AND FINISH WITH YOUR COMMENTS, WE'LL LISTEN TO YOU FOR YOUR THREE MINUTES.
THEN WE'LL CONNECT YOU WITH STAFF AFTERWARDS.
>> WELL, MY COMMENTS ARE BASICALLY ABOUT SAFETY IN THE ABBOTT TRACT WITH THE YELLOW CURBING.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED TO FIND OUT RIGHT NOW.
APPARENTLY, HE DIDN'T TALK TO YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE SITTING THERE AND LOOKING AT ME DUMBFOUNDED, AND I'M NOT HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
>> MR. SHERMACHER, THE PROCESS IS THAT TONIGHT IS THREE MINUTES.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK AS A CITIZEN.
WE'RE HERE TO LISTEN TO YOU, AND AFTERWARDS, WE WILL BE HAPPY TO CONNECT YOU WITH STAFF TO GET THE QUESTIONS YOU NEED TO HAVE ANSWERED.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO US INDIVIDUALLY, RIGHT NOW, YOU'RE TAKING THREE MINUTES OF YOUR OWN TIME TO EXPLAIN YOUR ISSUES BEFORE THE PUBLIC.
>> OKAY. I HAVE ONE MORE THREE MINUTE SEGMENT COMING UP.
>> YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TOTAL.
THE LIGHT IS BACK GREEN, SO YOU DID NOT GET DINGED FOR THE TIME THAT WE HAD DISCUSSING THIS.
>> WELL, ALSO, I HAVE ABOUT THE CHILDREN'S SIGNAGE ON WATER STREET. YOU CAN'T SEE IT.
I DON'T HAVE ANY WAY OF SHOWING IT TO YOU BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU WORK YOUR STUFF.
THE OTHER THING IS THE CITY HAS NOW PUT POTHOLES IN THE ABBOTT TRACT.
BECAUSE WHEN THEY DID THE BLACKTOP, NOBODY RAISED UP THE WATER UNITS.
THERE'S THREE OF THEM. ONE ON LOCUS STREET, TWO ON ABBOTT STREET.
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>> YOU HAVE A WAY OF ME SHOWING IT TO YOU?
>> YES, WE DO. MAREN, CAN WE HAVE THE OVERHEAD? OKAY.
SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED BY THE PERSON WHO DID THE BLACKTOP IN THE ABBOTT TRACT.
WE HAD STREETS DONE, LOCUST MULBERRY, ABBOTT, AND ASIOLA.
ADD TO THAT, WE ENDED UP WITH A PROBLEM.
>> MR. SCHUMACHER, DO YOU HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY. BEAR WITH ME FOR ONE SECOND.
I THINK YOU HAVE SOME QUESTIONS OF STAFF, SPECIFIC TECHNICAL QUESTIONS THAT THE COMMISSION CANNOT ANSWER.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE CONNECTED WITH STAFF, YOU CAN GET ALL OF YOUR QUESTION ANSWERED.
WOULD THAT BE AMENABLE TO YOU?
>> THAT'S AMENABLE TO ME, BUT I WANT TO KNOW SOMETHING.
WHY AM I NOT GETTING ANY INFORMATION? I TRIED TO CALL HIM, I TRIED TO FIGHT THIS THING.
WE'RE GOING TO CONNECT YOU WITH THE PEOPLE THAT CAN GIVE YOU THE ANSWERS, OUR CITY MANAGER, MR. BURCHAM, WILL PERSONALLY TAKE CARE OF THIS FOR YOU SO THAT YOU GET THE ANSWERS THAT YOU NEED.
>> WE'D BE HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU TOMORROW, IF YOU'D LIKE TO TALK TO RUBIN FRANKLIN.
HE'S IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM, AND YOU CAN EXPLAIN YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT THE [OVERLAPPING].
>> I ALREADY SPOKE WITH RUBIN.
>> THAT'S FINE. WE'D BE HAPPY TO SPEAK TO YOU TOMORROW OR WHENEVER YOU'RE AVAILABLE AT THE END OF THIS WEEK.
>> TOMORROW, I HAVE TWO DOCTORS APPOINTMENT. I CAN'T MAKE IT.
>> IF YOU CAN GIVE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION TO RUBIN OR MEREDITH BRIDENSTEIN IN THE BACK, WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTACT YOU WHENEVER YOU'RE AVAILABLE.
MR. SHERMACKER, YOU KNOW HOW TO GET IN TOUCH WITH ME IF YOU NEED FURTHER ASSISTANCE.
>> I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR NEW POSITION THAT YOU GOT WITH THE STATE.
THAT'S VERY GOOD. I APPRECIATE THAT.
>> THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. VERY MUCH.
NEXT SPEAKER IS LESLIE KES, FOLLOWED BY CHRIS FORMER.
>> OH, I'M SORRY. I GOT THROWN OFF A LITTLE BIT.
MELINDA, YOU ARE NEXT, FOLLOWED BY LESLIE KES.
MY GOSH. I GOT TOO MANY CARDS.
>> GOOD EVENING, MELINDA RECONS 86 MAGNOLIA AVENUE.
FIRST, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE REPORT BEING DONE ON 11 BRIDGE STREET.
SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR GILDED AGE HISTORY SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN LOST.
LOOKING BACK ON EVERYTHING, 11 BRIDGE STREET COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED.
THE HOUSE WAS IN SAFE ENOUGH KITCHEN CONDITIONED TO COME BEFORE PCB AND A FEBRUARY 2023 PUD REQUEST TO TURN IT INTO A B AND B, WHICH WOULD HAVE HAD A MUCH HIGHER BUILDING STANDARDS THAN A PRIVATE RESIDENCE.
NO WAY DID IT BECOME A BOLTIC SAFETY RISK IN JUST A YEAR.
GIVEN THE TWO MONTH DELAY IN DEMOLITION, THERE WAS OBVIOUSLY TIME TO TAKE IT TO HARB.
ENFORCEMENT OF THE PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE, WHICH WAS ADOPTED IN 2018, WOULD HAVE PREVENTED FURTHER DAMAGE TO THE HOUSE.
BY [NOISE] NOW IT IS WELL KNOWN THAT THE PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST WAS MADE FOR ALL THE INTERNAL E MAILS ON 11 BRIDGE STREET AND [NOISE] REPUBLIC HAS SEEN THEM.
THESE E MAILS HAVE EXPOSED CONTRADICTORY EXCUSES FOR WHAT HAPPENED.
IT'S ONLY NATURAL TO WANT TO JUSTIFY MISTAKES, BUT LET US LEARN FROM MOST MISTAKES.
I SENT YOU A LIST OF QUESTIONS TO ASK STAFF TONIGHT.
WE, THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE THOSE QUESTIONS ANSWERED PUBLICLY.
[NOISE] EXPERT QUESTIONING BY HARB MEMBERS HAS SHOWN THAT EVEN HOUSES AND DERELICT CONDITION CAN BE SAVED.
IT IS SIMPLY A MATTER OF MONEY, AND THE WILL TO PRESERVE HISTORIC PROPERTIES.
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER, SHOULD OUR BUILDING INSPECTOR HAVE A HISTORIC PRESERVATION BACKGROUND? IF NOT, THEN HOW WILL WE BRING HISTORIC PRESERVATION EXPERTISE TO THE DEMOLITION PROCESS? OTHERWISE, PAID REPORTS CITING PUBLIC SAFETY WILL BECOME A TOOL TO CIRCUMVENT HARB.
WHY HAVEN'T WE ENFORCED THE PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE THAT WAS ADOPTED IN 2018?
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CODE ENFORCEMENT AND HEAVY FINES WOULD HAVE PREVENTED 11 BRIDGE STREET FROM BEING LABELED UNSAFE.THE PURPOSE TONIGHT SHOULD BE TO SET POLICIES THAT WOULD PREVENT SUCH A LOSS IN THE FUTURE.
YOU NEED TO STRENGTHEN OUR CODES AND NO LONGER TOLERATE DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT.
YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE CODES ARE ENFORCED.
YOU NEED TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THE HIGH COST OF RESTORATION IS PART OF INVESTMENT IN HISTORIC PROPERTIES.
AS A CITY COMMISSION, YOU NEED TO SEND A CLEAR MESSAGE THAT ST. AUGUSTINE IS SERIOUS AS SAVANNAH AND CHARLESTON WHEN IT COMES TO PRESERVATION OF OUR HISTORIC RESOURCES.
THANK YOU AGAIN TONIGHT FOR HEARING THIS.
I'LL BE INTERESTED IN SEEING WHAT'S DONE AT THE END OF THE MEETING.
>> THANK YOU. THE NEXT SPEAKER IS LESLIE KEYES, FOLLOWED BY CHRIS PALMER.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. I DID SEND THIS TO YOU COMMISSIONERS EARLIER TODAY, BUT I WANT TO READ IT INTO THE RECORD.
THANK YOU FOR REQUESTING INFORMATION FROM STAFF ABOUT THE ABOVE REFERENCE TOPIC, WHICH IS 11 BRIDGE STREET, THE DEMOLITION PROCESS, AND NEW CONSTRUCTION FOR THAT PROPERTY.
I'VE TRIED TO PERFORM SOME DUE DILIGENCE AND FACT CHECKING AS WELL AND HOPE THAT FULL INFORMATION WILL ASSIST YOU IN YOUR DELIBERATIONS.
AFTER REVIEWING A VARIETY OF DOCUMENTS, WATCHING THE RECORDING OF THE LAST COMMISSION MEETING, MAKING COMMENTS AT THE JUNE 20S HARB MEETING, FOLLOWED BY A MEETING WITH CITY MANAGER DAVID BURCHAM, AND REVIEWING THE MEDIA COVERAGE BELOW ARE SOME THOUGHTS.
IF SOMEONE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A TERMINAL ILLNESS, IT IS LIKELY THAT PERSON WOULD SEEK A SECOND OPINION.
THE CASE OF 11 BRIDGE STREET, THAT OPTION WAS REJECTED.
IN A STATEMENT ON JUNE 17TH FOR FIRST COAST NEWS, THE BUILDING OFFICIAL STATED HE WOULD HAVE ONE REPORT TO TAKE THE HOUSE DOWN, THE OTHER NOT TO DO SO, "STANDARD PROCEDURE TO FOLLOW IS THE MOST RESTRICTIVE GUIDANCE." HE TOOK ONE REPORT AND I GAVE YOU THE LINK TO THE NEWS STORY.
ST. AUGUSTINE HAS REGULARLY ACHIEVED HIGHER THAN STANDARD PROCEDURE TO ENSURE THE HISTORIC BUILDING STOCK IN THE COMMUNITY.
AS THE DEMOLITION CAME THROUGH SOME UNCOMMON PROCESSES, WILL HARB HAVE DESIGN REVIEW PURVIEW TO ENSURE COMPATIBILITY WITH THE CITY'S HISTORIC PRESERVATION STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES? QUESTION THAT I HOPE YOU WILL ALL DELIBERATE.
I'LL REITERATE A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT MELINDA SAID IN 2015, THERE HAD BEEN CONVERSATION AT THE LAST MEETING BETWEEN THE MAYOR AND THE CITY MANAGER ABOUT A FIRE BEING IN THE BUILDING.
I WENT TO SEE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STAFF THIS MORNING, I WILL SUBMIT THAT REPORT FOR INFORMATION.
IT WAS FROM AGAIN, 2015, THE FIRE WAS AN ELECTRICAL OUTLET FOR THE USE OF A WINDOW AIR CONDITIONING UNIT.
DID NOT IN ANY WAY AFFECT THE STRUCTURE OF THE BUILDING.
2016 AND '17, 11 BRIDGE WAS FIELD VERIFIED WITH FEMA TEAMS, WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA AND FLAGER COLLEGE GRADUATE STUDENTS.
A BUNCH OF US WALKED BUILDING BY BUILDING TO VERIFY THE BUILDING.
IT WAS IN DECLINE, IT WAS CERTAINLY UNDER MAINTAINED, BUT IT WAS VERY STABLE.
2018, AS YOU'VE HEARD FROM MELINDA, THE CITY ADOPTED THE INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE, WHICH "ESTABLISHES MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF EXISTING BUILDINGS THROUGH MODEL CODE REGULATIONS THAT CONTAIN CLEAR AND SPECIFIC PROPERTY MAINTENANCE AND PROPERTY IMPROVEMENT PROVISIONS." IT WOULD BE NICE TO KNOW WHEN WE'RE GOING TO START IMPLEMENTING THAT.
WE HAD REPORTS FROM SWANSON STRUCTURAL ABOUT THE CONDITION OF 11 BRIDGE STREET.
ON APRIL 5TH, THE BUILDING OFFICIAL APPROVED THE DEMOLITION REQUEST.
BETWEEN APRIL 5TH AND MAY 22ND, THERE WAS A STATEMENT MADE FROM THE STAFF THAT THE APPLICANT HAD APPLIED TO THE COUNTY FOR A BUILDING PERMIT, NOT THE CITY.
I HAVE DOCUMENTATION PART OF PUBLIC RECORD.
I WENT THIS MORNING AND VERIFIED THAT THAT WAS NOT TRUE.
NEXT SPEAKER IS CHRIS FULLMER.
WE ALL DID I BELIEVE WE ALL RECEIVED A LETTER, SO THANK YOU IF YOU'D LIKE TO LEAVE THE PAPERS WITH THE CLERK. THANK YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING. CHRIS FULLMER.
I WOULD LIKE TO ECHO THE TWO PREVIOUS SPEAKERS.
I HAVE READ THE REASON FOR ALLOWING THE BUILDING ON 11 BRIDGE STREET TO BE DEMOLISHED, AND IT MAKES ME THINK IT'S A BUILDING ON 46 SPANISH STREET BETWEEN THE BED AND BREAKFAST IN BARLEY REPUBLIC.
I'VE MENTIONED IT HERE BEFORE.
IT WOULD SEEM THAT THE OWNERS ARE SIMPLY WAITING FOR THE BUILDING TO FALL DOWN OR BE IN SUCH BAD SHAPE THAT THEY CAN ALSO GET AN EMERGENCY ORDER FOR DEMOLITION.
THERE ARE A FINITE NUMBER OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME CONSEQUENCE FOR BUYING AN OLD BUILDING AND THEN SIMPLY WAITING FOR IT TO DECAY.
THAT IS WITHIN YOUR PURVIEW, SO PLEASE LOOK INTO THAT.
I WANT TO COMMEND THE HOUSE OF PRISM FOR A VERY SUCCESSFUL PRIDE PARADE.
[00:35:05]
THEY COUNTED OVER 650 PARTICIPANTS IN OUR LITTLE TOWN.THERE WERE SOME GREAT SPEAKERS AFTERWARDS AND THE AREA AT THE FORT.
I SPOKE TO THE PEOPLE WHO WORKED THERE AND IT WAS LEFT CLEAN AND THEY LEFT WATER BEHIND THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO DISTRIBUTE TO THE HOMELESS.
IT WAS A GREAT EVENT DESPITE THE DEDICATION OF THE PROTESTERS WHO TRIED REALLY HARD TO DISRUPT AND INSULT PEOPLE.
I HOPE THAT NEXT YEAR, EVEN MORE PEOPLE WILL JOIN IN, AND I'M SURE YOU ALL WILL BE INVITED AS WELL.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HEARD ABOUT THE PUBLIC KERFUFFLE, BUT SOMEBODY CRITICIZED DOLLY PARTON, WHICH WAS A RUDE THING TO DO, BECAUSE SHE SAID, JUDGE NOT LEST YOU BE JUDGED, AND THEY QUESTIONED HER CHRISTIANITY, BECAUSE SHE WASN'T JUDGING PEOPLE.
THE FIRST THING I SAW ON FACEBOOK WAS THIS LOVELY MEME THAT SAID THEY INSULTED DOLLY, TOMORROW WE RIDE.
I WONDER AT PEOPLE WHOSE PURPOSE IN LIFE SEEMS TO BE TO DISCRIMINATE AND HARASS OTHER PEOPLE THAT THEY THINK THEIR RELIGION DISAPPROVES OF.
THEIR INTERPRETATION OF THEIR RELIGION PERTAINS TO THEM, AND NONE OF IT MATTERS IN THE SECULAR LAW OF THE UNITED STATES.
WE ARE FOUNDED ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.
THOMAS JEFFERSON SAID, "IT DOES ME NO INJURY FOR MY NEIGHBOR TO SAY THERE ARE 20 GODS OR NO GOD.
IT NEITHER PICKS MY POCKET NOR BREAKS MY LEG." WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO THE RESIDENTS ABOUT THE PARKING CODE.
THE PEOPLE SITTING NEAR ME ARE VERY HAPPY ABOUT IT.
IT'S SUMMER, IT'S HOT, THE TOURISTS ARE HERE.
NEVER GIVE UP YOUR PARKING SECRETS.
SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESS, BE KIND TO YOUR WAIT STAFF, TIP YOUR SERVERS. THANK YOU.
NEXT SPEAKER IS ROBYN THOMAS, FOLLOWED BY BJ CLADY.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS ROBYN THOMAS, AND I'M A LONG TERM RESIDENT.
>> PARDON ME ONE MINUTE. WE GIVE YOU THE HANDHELD MICROPHONE TO USE AND YOU CAN COME OUT BEHIND THE PODIUM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH SO WE CAN SEE YOU. THANK YOU.
>> I'M HERE TO READ THE CHARTER FOR COMPASSION.
THE PRINCIPLE OF COMPASSION LIES AT THE HEART OF ALL RELIGIOUS, ETHICAL, AND SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS, CALLING US ALWAYS TO TREAT ALL OTHERS AS WE WISH TO BE TREATED OURSELVES.
COMPASSION COMPELS US TO WORK TIRELESSLY, TO ALLEVIATE THE SUFFERING OF ALL FELLOW CREATURES, TO DETHRONE OURSELVES FROM THE CENTER OF OUR WORLD, AND PUT OTHERS THERE AND TO HONOR THE INEVIITABLE SANCTITY OF EVERY SINGLE HUMAN BEING TREATING EVERYBODY WITHOUT EXCEPTION, WITH ABSOLUTE JUSTICE, EQUALITY, AND RESPECT.
IT IS ALSO NECESSARY IN BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE LIFE TO REFRAIN CONSISTENTLY AND EMPATHETICALLY FROM INFLICTING PAIN, TO ACT OR SPEAK VIOLENTLY OUT OF SPITE, CHAUVINISM, OR SELF INTEREST, TO IMPOVERISHED, EXPLOIT OR DENY BASIC RIGHTS TO ANYBODY AND TO INCITE HATRED BY DEINTEGRATING OTHERS, EVEN OUR ENEMIES.
IT IS A DENIAL OF OUR COMMON HUMANITY.
WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE FAILED TO LIVE COMPASSIONATELY AND THAT SOME HAVE EVEN INCREASED THE SUM OF HUMAN MISERY IN THE NAME OF RELIGION.
WE THEREFORE CALL UPON ALL MEN AND WOMEN TO RESTORE COMPASSION IN THE CENTER OF OUR MORALITY AND RELIGION.
TO RETURN TO THE ANCIENT PRINCIPLES, THAT INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE THAT BREEDS VIOLENCE, HATREDS, OR DISDAIN FOR ILLEGITIMATE.
TO ENSURE THAT YOUTH ARE GIVEN ACCURATE AND RESPECTFUL INFORMATION ABOUT OTHER TRADITIONS, RELIGIONS, AND CULTURES.
TO ENCOURAGE A POSITIVE APPRECIATION OF CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY.
CULTIVATE AND INFORM EMPATHY WITH THE SUFFERING OF ALL HUMAN BEINGS, EVEN THOSE REGARDED AS OUR ENEMIES.
WE URGENTLY NEED TO MAKE COMPASSION A CLEAR, LUMINOUS AND DYNAMIC FORCE IN OUR POLARIZED WORLD, ROOTED IN A PRINCIPLE DETERMINATION TO TRANSCEND SELFISHNESS, COMPASSION CAN BREAK DOWN POLITICAL,
[00:40:01]
DOGMATIC, IDEOLOGICAL, RELIGIOUS BOUNDARIES.BORN OF DEEP INTERDEPENDENCE, COMPASSION IS ESSENTIAL TO HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS AND TO BE FULFILLED HUMANITY.
IT IS THE PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT AND INDISPENSABLE TO THE CREATION OF A JUST ECONOMY AND PEACEFUL GLOBAL ECONOMY.
GENEVA SWITZERLAND, FEBRUARY 2009. THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER AND LAST SPEAKER IS BJ CLADY.
>> EXCUSE ME, BJ CLADY, WEST CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE.
EXCUSE ME, I GOT A FEW QUESTIONS.
BJ CLADY, WEST CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE.
MISS BATON HORST AND ROD MEMBERS NEED TO VISIT OYSTER CREEK PARK, US ONE, SOUTH, AND LEWIS BOULEVARD, WHERE THESE BEAR CANS ARE BEING LEFT ALL THE TIME.
CITY POLICE HAVE TO SEE THE BEER DRINKING AT OYSTER CREEK PARK AS I HAVE FOR A CITATION TO BE WRITTEN.
HB 1365, ALSO KNOWN AS HOMELESS CAMP LAW, TAKES EFFECT OCTOBER 1, 2024.
THERE IS DISRESPECT FOR ORDINANCES AND LAWS, WHICH HAS LED TO THE THIRD BLIGHT SLUM AREA IN THE CITY LIMITS OF ST. AUGUSTINE.
PLEASE REMIND INDIVIDUALS FIREWORKS ARE NOT, LET ME REPEAT, ARE NOT ALLOWED AT ANY TIME IN THE CITY LIMITS OF ST. AUGUSTINE.
INDIVIDUALS ON EASTMAN AND OTHER WEST CITY STREETS AS WELL AS OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY CONSTANTLY VIOLATE THIS LAW.
PLEASE ACCEPT THIS AS MY REQUEST TO BE INTERVIEWED LAST AT THE JULY 8TH, CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE MEETING TO SERVE AS ON THE WCCRA STEERING COMMITTEE.
ST. JOHN'S BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS CONTINUE TO ALLOW PRAYING AT THE BEGINNING OF THEIR MEETINGS.
REMEMBER THE DASH POEM THAT MISS DORIS SHARED, AND I WANT TO SHARE SOME OF IT DURING MY LAST COUPLE OF SECONDS HERE.
WHAT MATTERED MOST OF ALL WAS THE DASH BETWEEN THE YEARS OF YOUR TIME ON EARTH.
FOR IT MATTERS NOT HOW MUCH WE OWN THE CARS, THE HOUSE, THE CASH, WHAT MATTERS IS HOW WE LIVE AND LOVE AND HOW WE SPEND OUR DASH.
IF WE TREAT EACH OTHER WITH RESPECT AND MORE OFTEN WEAR A SMILE, REMEMBERING THAT THIS SPECIAL DASH MIGHT ONLY LAST A LITTLE WHILE.
WHEN YOUR EULOGY IS BEING READ WITH YOUR LIFE'S ACTIONS TO REHASH, WOULD YOU BE PROUD OF THE THINGS THEY SAY ABOUT HOW YOU SPENT YOUR DASH, WHICH IS YOUR DATE OF BIRTH AND YOUR DATE OF LEAVING THE EARTH? THANK YOU.
I HAVE NO OTHER SPEAKER CARDS, SO PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED.
MOVING ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA, MR. CITY MANAGER.
[5. CONSENT AGENDA]
>> TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA INCLUDES A REMINDER OF UPCOMING MEETINGS.
JULY 8TH AT 3:00 PM, THERE'S A SPECIAL CITY COMMISSION MEETING FOR THE BUDGET ASSUMPTIONS, AND AT 4:00 PM THERE WILL BE THE WEST CITY CRA STEERING COMMITTEE PRESENTATIONS.
JULY 8TH AT 5:00 PM WILL BE THE REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING.
JULY 22ND AT 5:00 PM, A REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING, AND FINALLY, AUGUST 12TH AT 5:00 PM, A REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING.
WE HAVE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE MAY 13TH, 2024 REGULAR CITY COMMISSION TONIGHT, AND WE HAVE THE MAY 31ST, 2024 FINANCIAL UPDATE.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
>> THANK YOU. ANY MODIFICATIONS OR CHANGES?
>> I MOVE WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
NEXT ITEM IS GENERAL PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS.
[7.A.1. VCB Tourism Update. (M. Wissel, Director Communications)]
WE HAVE ONE THE VCB TOURISM DATE.MISS WHISTLE, YOU'RE HERE TO INTRODUCE MISS SUSAN PHILLIPS, WHO IS HERE FROM THE VISITORS AND CONVENTION BUREAU.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR COMMISSIONERS.
[00:45:04]
SUSAN PHILLIPS IS THE CEO AND PRESIDENT OF THE ST.JOHNS COUNTY VISITORS AND CONVENTION BUREAU.
IT'S MUCH LONGER NAME THAN THAT.
AT A PREVIOUS COMMISSION MEETING, YOU ALL WERE DISCUSSING TOURISM NUMBERS, WHAT DO WE LOOK LIKE TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD? THERE'S NO ONE BETTER TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE AND A SYNOPSIS AND AN EXPLANATION OF WHAT THE VCB DOES, AND OF COURSE, TO ANSWER ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS.
I'M GOING TO OPEN UP SUSAN'S PRESENTATION HERE ON THE LAPTOP, AND THEN I WILL HAND IT OVER TO SUSAN.
>> WELL, I HAVE TO MOVE THIS DOWN JUST A LITTLE BIT.
I'M NOT AS TALL AS EVERYONE ELSE, BUT IT IS A DELIGHT TO BE HERE WITH YOU THIS EVENING.
THANK YOU, MAYOR, THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR, AND THANK YOU CITY COMMISSIONERS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY.
I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT OVER THE PAST YEAR SINCE I'VE BEEN THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE ST. JOHNS COUNTY VISITORS AND CONVENTION BUREAU, WE REFER TO US AS THE VCB.
IT'S BEEN A REAL PLEASURE TO WORK WITH CITY MANAGER DAVID BURCHAM AND TO HAVE COMMISSIONER CYNTHIA GARRIS AND MELISSA WHISTLE ON THE VCB BOARD.
THE VCB IS ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU THIS YEAR TO PROMOTE THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF OUR SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY OF APOLIS AS WELL AS THIS YEAR'S NIGHTS OF LIGHTS PROGRAM AND OTHER PROGRAMS. I'M GOING TO TAKE A FEW MOMENTS, I'M GOING TO TRY TO DO THIS VERY QUICKLY.
I'LL TALK FAST, I'LL SKIP A FEW SLIDES, BUT I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT ST. JOHN'S COUNTY TOURISM AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ALL HAVE THE SAME UNDERSTANDING.
>> NOW, AS FAR AS THE IMPORTANCE OF TOURISM, I WANT TO POINT OUT A FEW THINGS THAT YOU'LL SEE ON THE TOP RIGHT OF THE SLIDE.
TRAVEL IN THE US REPRESENTS $3.1 BILLION A DAY, $128.6 MILLION AN HOUR, $2.1 MILLION A MINUTE, AND $35,700 A SECOND.
THOSE ARE PRETTY IMPRESSIVE NUMBERS.
THEN WHEN YOU TAKE IT DOWN TO SEE WHAT TOURISM DOES FOR ST. JOHN'S COUNTY, THE LATEST ECONOMIC IMPACT REPORT REFLECTS THE TOTAL IMPACT OF 3.8 BILLION.
THAT'S ON AN ANNUAL VISITOR SPEND OF 2.5 BILLION, AND THAT REPRESENTS 32,400 TOURISM JOBS THAT REPRESENTS $854.2 MILLION IN DIRECT TOURISM PAYROLLS HERE IN ST. JOHN'S COUNTY.
NOW, MANY OF YOU PROBABLY ALREADY UNDERSTAND THIS, BUT I THINK IT'S HELPFUL TO GO THROUGH HOW TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IS MANAGED IN OUR COUNTY.
THE ST. JOHN'S COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OVERSEES THIS WITH THE ASSISTANCE AND INPUT AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (TDC), AND OF COURSE, THE MAYOR SITS ON THIS COUNCIL AND GIVES A LOT OF GREAT INPUT.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, THOUGH, THERE ARE THREE AGENCIES, AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS.
THERE ARE THREE AGENCIES THAT WORK ON BEHALF OF ST. JOHN'S COUNTY, AND I WANT TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION REGARDING THAT.
WE HAVE THE VCB, WE HAVE THE CULTURAL COUNCIL, AND THE ST. JOHN'S COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
EACH OF US HAVE A SEPARATE AREA OF FOCUS, AND EVEN THOUGH OUR AGENCIES COLLABORATE AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A SIMPLIFIED HIGH LEVEL VIEW OF WHAT WE DO AS FAR AS WORKING SEPARATELY, BUT ALSO WORKING TOGETHER.
THE VCB'S ROLE IS TO PROVIDE DESTINATION MARKETING OUTSIDE OF ST. JOHN'S COUNTY.
YOU WON'T SEE OUR ADVERTISEMENTS.
I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU A FEW OF THEM IN A FEW MINUTES.
YOU WON'T SEE THAT HERE IN THE COUNTY, BUT IF YOU GO TO OTHER CITIES SUCH AS ATLANTA, CHARLOTTE, CHICAGO, RALEIGH, MIAMI, YOU WILL SEE OUR ADS.
OUR GOAL IS TO FOCUS ON HIGHER SPEND, LONGER STAY VISITORS, AND WE HAVE AT THE VCB, AN INTERNAL TEAM OF 12 INDIVIDUALS, WHO OVERSEE OUR WEBSITE CONTENT, OUR MEDIA RELATIONS, OUR RESEARCH, SOCIAL MEDIA, CREATIVE, AND WE ALSO HAVE A SALES TEAM.
THE SALES TEAM FOCUSES ON GENERATING CORPORATE INCENTIVE AND ASSOCIATION MEETINGS.
THEY WORK WITH WEDDING GROUPS AND SPORTS GROUPS.
THEN THE VCB ALSO OVERSEES AN ADVERTISING AGENCY, A SOCIAL MEDIA AGENCY, A HISPANIC PR AGENCY, A WEB DEVELOPMENT AGENCY, AND A DISTRIBUTION CALL CENTER AGENCY.
ALL OF THIS IS DESIGNED TO HELP US PROMOTE OUR DESTINATION THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
THE CULTURAL COUNCIL HAS A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT ROLE.
THEY PROVIDE ARTS, CULTURE, AND HERITAGE RELATED PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND EVENTS, WHICH WILL HELP THE VCB TO PROMOTE OUR DESTINATION WITH PRODUCTS AND EVENTS FOR THE SOPHISTICATED TRAVELER.
AND OF COURSE, THIS IS ALL TO ENCOURAGE A LONGER STAY.
WE WORK CLOSELY WITH CHRISTINA PARRISH STONE TO PROMOTE THE GREAT WORK.
SHE'S DONE SOME GREAT THINGS IN ST. JOHN'S COUNTY, AND THE GREAT WORK IN THE NEW PRODUCTS AND EVENTS THAT SHE AND HER TEAM ARE DEVELOPING.
[00:50:03]
THE CHAMBER'S ROLE IS TO OPERATE THE PONTE VEDRA VISITOR CENTER AND TO PROVIDE PONTE VEDRA PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND EVENTS, WHICH WILL HELP THE VCB TO PROMOTE VISITORS TO THE PONTE VEDRA AREA.WE ALSO WORK CLOSELY WITH ISABELLE RENAULT AND HER TEAM TO PROMOTE THE PONTE VEDRA NATURALLY PRODUCTS.
NOW, AS FAR AS FUNDING FOR THE THREE AGENCIES, IT COMES FROM A COLLECTION OF BED TAX DOLLARS.
RIGHT NOW, THERE IS A 5% BED TAX SO THAT ANYONE WHO STAYS AT A HOTEL, AN AIRBNB, OR ANY OTHER SHORT-TERM LODGING PROPERTY HERE IN THE COUNTY, THEY PAY THAT MONEY INTO THE COUNTY, AND OF COURSE, THAT'S ALL PAID FOR BY THE VISITORS, NOT BY THE TAXPAYERS.
OF THE MONEY THAT IS COLLECTED, IT GOES FOR FIVE CATEGORIES.
YOU'LL SEE THAT ON THE SCREEN HERE.
THAT'S VCB/DESTINATION MARKETING, ARTS, CULTURE AND HERITAGE, LEISURE AND RECREATION, WHICH INCLUDES BOAT RAMPS AND SPORTS GRANTS, TDC ADMIN AND SPECIAL USES, THAT WOULD BE LIKE YOUR FIREWORKS ON THE MATANZAS, AND ALSO BEACH ASSETS, INCLUDING BEACH RENOURISHMENT.
LAST YEAR FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023, THERE WERE $23 MILLION IN TDT OR TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAXES COLLECTED.
THIS YEAR, WE EXPECT THAT TO END AT ABOUT 24.5 MILLION.
NOW I WANT TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT.
I'M GOING TO TRANSITION TO TALK ABOUT THE ADVERTISING AND WHO WE MARKET TO.
WE PROMOTE OUR PRODUCTS AND OUR DESTINATION TO OUR YOUNGER PURPOSE PURSUERS AND OUR MATURE PURPOSE PURSUERS.
I HAPPEN TO FALL IN THE MATURE PURPOSE PURSUERS GROUP.
YOU GUYS PROBABLY FALL IN THE YOUNGER ONE, BUT THAT'S ABOUT SEVEN MILLION IN EACH SEGMENT.
THEY HAVE HOUSEHOLD INCOMES OF OVER $100,000 EACH.
WE ALSO HAVE SECONDARY AND SPECIALTY NICHE CONSIDERATIONS THAT WOULD BE OUR B2B, WHICH IS OUR GROUP SALES, AND ALSO THAT WOULD INCLUDE OUR BRIDAL, OUR LGBTQ, OUR CULINARY, OUR HERITAGE TRAVELERS, OUR LUXURY, AND OUR MUSIC TOURISM.
NOW, THE THING THAT YOU MOST WANT TO SEE RATHER THAN HEAR ME TALK IS YOU WANT TO HEAR ABOUT OUR CAMPAIGNS.
AGAIN, YOU DON'T SEE THESE CAMPAIGNS IN OUR MARKET, BECAUSE THE JOB IS TO MARKET OUTSIDE OF ST.
JOHN'S COUNTY TO GET FOLKS TO COME HERE AND SPEND MONEY.
OUR MESSAGING ACROSS THE BOARD IS TO HIGHLIGHT THE DIVERSE, VIBRANT, AND TIMELESS EXPERIENCES IN ST. AUGUSTINE AND PONTE VEDRA.
THIS INCLUDES PROMOTING OUR DESTINATION'S ESSENCE AS A PREMIER MUST VISIT DESTINATION.
WE ALSO SHOWCASE OUR EXPERIENTIALLY RICH DESTINATION TO ENTICE VISITORS TO STAY LONGER.
ONE OF OUR TAG LINES IS YOU CAN STAY JUST ONE MORE DAY, AND WE ALSO TARGET DISCERNING, AFFLUENT, AND SOPHISTICATED TRAVELERS WHO WILL INDULGE IN OUR AUTHENTIC AND HISTORICAL OFFERINGS.
OUR BRAND CAMPAIGN IS IT'S ABOUT TIME.
NOW I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU SOME OF THE ADVERTISING THAT FOLKS SEE ON THE OUTSIDE, SO THAT YOU SEE HOW THEY PERCEIVE OUR COUNTY AND OUR CITY.
YOU'LL SEE THESE ARE EXAMPLES OF PRINT ADS, AND THE HEADLINES ARE THESE OR MAKE TIME TO TAKE IT ALL IN.
TIME FOR A TASTE OF THE GOOD LIFE.
LAY BACK AND LET TIME STAND STILL.
THESE ARE DIGITAL DISPLAY ADS THAT STATE MORE THAN 450 YEARS OF EXPERIENCES IN ONE TRIP.
TRAVEL BACK IN TIME WITH UNRIVALED HISTORY.
LAY BACK, LET TIME STAND STILL.
TIME FOR A TASTE OF THE GOOD LIFE.
NOW I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU A 15-SECOND TV AND VIDEO SPORT, AND ALSO A 30-SECOND ONE.
>> ST. AUGUSTINE PONTE VEDRA, YOU CAN MAKE TIME STAND STILL, TRAVEL BACK IN TIME, AND EVEN MAKE TIME TO DISCOVER NEW THINGS ABOUT YOURSELF.
VISIT FLORIDA'S HISTORIC COAST. IT'S ABOUT TIME.
YOU CAN LEARN A FEW THINGS ABOUT TIME IN ST. AUGUSTINE PONTE VEDRA.
AFTER MORE THAN 450 YEARS, YOU BECOME CLASSIC, LEGENDARY.
HERE, YOU LEARN HOW TO MAKE TIME STAND STILL, HOW TO TRAVEL BACK IN TIME, AND HOW TO MAKE TO LEARN NEW THINGS ABOUT YOURSELF.
COME LEARN SOMETHING NEW AT FLORIDA'S HISTORIC COAST.
>> NOW I HAVE A 15-SECOND RADIO SPORT AND A 30-SECOND RADIO SPORT.
[00:55:03]
MAKE TIME TO GET LOST IN HISTORY AND CULTURE, AND TIME TO DISCOVER YOURSELF, SOMEWHERE ALONG 42 MILES OF STUNNING COAST.
VISIT FLORIDA'S HISTORICCOAST.COM TO LEARN MORE.
>> LET'S SEE IF I CAN GET THAT TO PLAY AGAIN.
[OVERLAPPING] WE'RE GOING TO SKIP THAT.
I THINK IT STARTED PLAYING OVER IT.
HERE ARE SOME FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM ADS, AND I'M NOT GOING TO READ THESE ALL TO YOU, BUT I WANT YOU TO LOOK AT THE IMAGERY THAT WE USE.
YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH, INCLUDING MY CHURCH, MEMORIAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, AND ALSO MANY OTHER ASPECTS OF OUR DESTINATION.
THIS IS NOT EXHAUSTIVE OF ALL OF OUR ADVERTISING, BUT I WANT YOU TO GET A TASTE OF HOW WE REPRESENT THE CITY AND OUR OVERALL DESTINATION.
MAY I HAVE A FEW MORE MINUTES?
>> GREAT. THESE ARE AGAIN, THE FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM ADS.
FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM FOR WEDDINGS.
FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM FOR GOLF, FOR CULINARY, AND FOR OUR HISTORY AND CULTURE.
THIS IS A DIGITAL CAMPAIGN FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS, SO I HAVE TO GIVE HATS OFF AND KUDOS TO MELISSA WHISTLE.
THE LOGO ON THE FAR RIGHT, NIGHTS OF LIGHTS, 30TH ANNIVERSARY.
SHE HELPED ME WORK ON THE DESIGN OF THAT.
THIS IS RICH MEDIA DISPLAY UNITS, AND THIS, OF COURSE, SHOWCASES A FEW DIFFERENT THINGS, INCLUDING ARTS, CULTURE, AND HERITAGE AND CULINARY.
THIS IS ANOTHER SET OF ADS HERE SHOWING GOLF, THE BEACHES, AND OF COURSE, THE BEAUTIFUL DOWNTOWN SKYLINE.
THIS IS WHAT WE CALL NATIVO SKINS.
WHAT WE DO IS WE WRITE AN ADVERTORIAL, WHICH IS IN THE CENTER ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE.
THEN ON THE TWO COLUMNS ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT HAND SIDE, THAT'S OUR ADVERTISEMENT, AND IT'S TRAVEL BACK IN TIME WITH UNRIVALED HISTORY.
THESE ARE JUST EXAMPLES OF OUR ATTRACTIONS AD THAT WE DO FOR THE DESTINATION.
THIS IS ALL DIGITAL AND SOCIAL.
YOU SEE THE LIGHTHOUSE, THE ALLIGATOR FARM, THE ST. AUGUSTINE PIRATE AND TREASURE MUSEUM, OUR OLD TOWN TROLLEY TOURS, THE CASTILLO, MARINE LAND, RIPLEY'S, AND ALSO ST. AUGUSTINE SAILING.
THESE HAVE VIDEO COMPONENTS TO IT, ABOUT 15-SECOND VIDEO COMPONENTS THAT SHOW OUR UPSCALE OFFERINGS IN OUR DESTINATION.
THIS IS SOMETHING A LOT OF YOU MAY NOT REALIZE.
WE HAVE A HISPANIC MICROSITE, AND ALSO A LOT OF OUR ADS ARE TRANSCREATED INTO SPANISH AND ARE TARGETING THAT HISPANIC TRAVELER.
THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THIS IS THE LAST SLIDE I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU, WE CONSTANTLY WORK ON A PUBLIC RELATIONS CAMPAIGN.
WE TYPICALLY DRIVE ABOUT 15-17 BILLION IN IMPRESSIONS TO OUR DESTINATION THROUGH REACHING OUT TO JOURNALISTS WHO WRITE ABOUT US.
HERE ARE SOME RECENT PR CLIPS THAT WE HAVE FROM MAY ON FOX NEWS, TWO ON FOX NEWS, AND ONE ON THE WASHINGTON POST.
YOU'LL SEE THAT THESE REPRESENT ANYWHERE FROM 1.6 MILLION IMPRESSIONS TO ABOUT 51 MILLION IMPRESSIONS.
WITH THAT, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
I WENT THROUGH THAT VERY QUICKLY.
WE COULD GO FOR HOURS, BUT I KNOW YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.
THEN COMMENTS. I JUST HAD ONE CLARIFICATION.
>> I KNOW YOU SAID THIS IN THE PRESENTATION, BUT A LOT OF TIMES WHAT PEOPLE SAY TO US IS, WHY DO YOU KEEP ADVERTISING? WE ALREADY HAVE SO MANY VISITORS.
OF COURSE, IN THIS DOWNTOWN, WE DO SEE A LOT OF VISITORS, ESPECIALLY DURING THE PERIOD OF NIGHTS TO LIGHTS.
WE HEAR FROM OUR RESIDENTS ALL THE TIME AND BUSINESSES THAT WE'RE JUST JAMMED UP HERE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL JUST SAY, WELL, WHY DO YOU KEEP ADVERTISING? MY ANSWER TO THAT IS IT'S A STATUTORY REQUIREMENT THAT THE MONEY THAT'S COLLECTED FROM TDC, A PERCENTAGE OF IT IS SPENT ON ADVERTISING.
>> YOU KNOW WHAT THAT NUMBER IS AND WHAT PERCENT THAT IS?
>> RIGHT NOW, I KNOW THIS YEAR, WE SPENT I THINK 2.7 MILLION, AND THERE WILL BE MORE SPENT I KNOW IN THE NEXT YEAR.
ONE OF THE THINGS AND I LOVE THAT QUESTION, MAYOR.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. WE HAVE TO KEEP ADVERTISING ALSO TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE AND RELEVANT.
IF WE STOP ADVERTISING, THEY WILL GO TO THE PLACES THAT ARE ADVERTISING.
I'VE BEEN IN THE INDUSTRY FOR ABOUT 40 YEARS, DON'T DO THE MATH PLEASE, STARTED REALLY YOUNG, BUT NEVERTHELESS, THINGS HAVE EVOLVED, IT CONTINUES TO EVOLVE, CONTINUES TO BE VERY COMPETITIVE.
BUT I THINK FOR US AT THE VCB, ONE OF OUR ROLES IS TO TRY TO LOOK AT HOW TO DIVERSIFY AND ALSO DISPERSE THE VISITORS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
WE LOVE THE DOWNTOWN HISTORIC DISTRICT, BUT I NEED TO FIND MORE WAYS, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE DOING TO DISPERSE THEM THROUGH THE COUNTY.
MAYBE WE SEND THEM OVER TO THE AGRICULTURAL REGION, WE SEND THEM TO THE RIVER REGION, WE SEND THEM TO UNKNOWN PLACES THAT THEY HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED.
THAT WAY, THEY'RE SPENDING MONEY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, BUT THEY'RE ALSO TRAVELING TO OTHER PLACES. IT STILL WILL GET US.
[01:00:02]
IF WE FOCUS RIGHT AND FOCUS ON THE RIGHT TRAVELER, IT STILL WILL BRING THE BED TAX DOLLARS IN, BUT WE WANT TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MANAGE THAT AS BEST AS WE CAN.IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO OVERNIGHT, BUT WE ARE VERY COGNIZANT OF THAT AND WORKING HARD ON IT.
>> WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT WAS A VERY GOOD ANSWER. I APPRECIATE IT.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TAKING YOU YOUR EVENING TO COME.
[7.A.2. Letter of Support Request for Pena-Peck House National Historic Landmark Designation Letter of Inquiry. (J. Courtney, Historic Preservation Officer)]
>> OUR NEXT PRESENTATION IS A REQUEST FOR A LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR THE PENA PECK HOUSE, A NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK DESIGNATION LETTER, AND MS. COURTNEY, YOU ARE HERE TO PRESENT.
>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND VICE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.
I'M THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER.
OVER THE PAST YEAR, CITY MANAGER, DAVID BERCHEM AND I HAVE MET WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE WOMEN'S EXCHANGE REGARDING THEIR DESIRE TO PURSUE A NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK DESIGNATION FOR THE PENA PECK HOUSE.
THE WOMEN'S EXCHANGE HAS COMMISSIONED PRESERVATION CONSULTANT, PAUL WEAVER, PRESIDENT OF HISTORIC PROPERTY ASSOCIATES INCORPORATED, TO ASSIST THEM IN THIS PROCESS.
ONE OF THE FIRST STEPS TO INITIATE THE PROPOSED DESIGNATION PROCESS IS TO SUBMIT A LETTER OF INQUIRY TO THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE.
THIS LETTER MUST PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROPERTY, AND ONE OF THE KEY PIECES OF INFORMATION IS TO INDICATE IF THE PROPOSED DESIGNATION HAS SUPPORT FROM THE PROPERTY OWNER.
SINCE THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE OWNS THE PENA PECK HOUSE THROUGH A DEED OF TRUST, THE CITY SUPPORT IS BEING REQUESTED BY THE WOMEN'S EXCHANGE WHO OVERSEE THE PENA PECK HOUSE MUSEUM AND GIFT SHOP.
BROOKE GAST, PRESIDENT OF THE WOMEN'S EXCHANGE, ALONG WITH THE OTHER MEMBERS PRESENT, AND MR. PAUL WEAVER ARE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR PURSUIT OF THIS NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
A MEMORANDUM LETTER FROM MR. WEAVER, ALONG WITH HIS SUMMARY OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS VERY IMPORTANT PROPERTY, AND SLIDES FROM A SHORT PRESENTATIONS WERE PROVIDED TO YOU IN ADVANCE FOR THIS ITEM IN THE MEETING PACKET.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS BROOK GEST.
I AM PRESIDENT OF THE WOMAN'S EXCHANGE OF ST. AUGUSTINE, AND FIRST I REALLY WANT TO THANK DAVID AND JULIE, FOR ALL OF THEIR ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER, AND GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS AND MAYOR AND VICE MAYOR.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. FOR THOSE WHO MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT US AND OUR MISSION AT THE PENA PECK HOUSE, WE'RE 132 YEARS OLD, AND OUR MISSIONS ARE WOMEN HELPING WOMEN, AND WE MAINTAIN THE HOUSE AND MUSEUM, AND WE DO FREE EXHIBITS ALL DAY, AND EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON THE HISTORY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, THROUGH OUR BEAUTIFUL HOUSE MUSEUM.
WE ARE HERE TODAY AND WE'RE HONORED TO BE HERE TODAY, TO SEEK YOUR ENDORSEMENT OF OUR APPLICATION TO HAVE THE PENA PECK HOUSE OFFICIALLY DESIGNATED A NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK.
I HOPE THAT YOU WILL BE AS EXCITED AS WE ARE TO CO-SIGN THIS EFFORT.
IT WILL HELP US PRESERVE OUR HOUSE, AND IT WILL HELP BRING TOURISM AND NEW GUESTS TO THE CITY THAT WE ALL LOVE SO MUCH.
I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO PAUL WEAVER, WHO'S GOING TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT ALL OF THE RESEARCH THAT HAS GONE INTO OUR APPLICATION.
HE'S BEEN A GREAT FRIEND AND PARTNER.
THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN OVER A YEAR, I THINK AT THIS POINT.
WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO BE AT THIS POINT. PAUL, GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSIONERS.
I THINK YOU'VE BEEN FULLY BRIEFED.
I DON'T WANT TO GIVE AN ELABORATE PRESENTATION, BUT THIS IS A LETTER OF INQUIRY.
IT'S THE FIRST STEP IN THE PROCESS.
THIS PROPERTY WAS EVALUATED BACK IN THE LATE 1960S, ALONG WITH THE GONZALES ALVAREZ, THE OLDEST HOUSE, THE LLAMBIAS HOUSE, THE CATHEDRAL, AND FOR WHATEVER REASON IT WAS LEFT OFF THE LIST.
IT'S IMPORTANT I THINK FOR THE RECOGNITION, AND IT'S NATIONAL-LEVEL RECOGNITION, BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT FOR FUTURE FUNDING.
BECAUSE IF WE GET THIS DESIGNATION, IT'S GOING TO GO IMMEDIATELY TO THE TOP IN ANY SORT OF CONSIDERATION.
AGAIN, ONE OF THE KEY QUESTIONS, DO YOU HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE OWNER? THAT WAS VERY EASY, BECAUSE WE'VE HAD THE SUPPORT OF THE OWNER SINCE 1932.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, THIS BUILDING SINCE 1837, HAS ONLY HAD TWO OWNERS, CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, SINCE 1932.
WORKING WITH A WOMAN'S EXCHANGE, I THINK HAS TURNED THIS PROPERTY INTO ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT AND SUCCESSFUL SMALL HOUSE MUSEUMS IN THE COUNTRY.
[01:05:05]
I HESITATE TO SAY IT'S THE EARLIEST, BUT IT PREDATES THE CARNEGIE PROGRAM, IT PREDATES THE HISTORIC ST. AUGUSTINE PRESERVATION BOARD.IT'S BEEN GOING ON THIS WONDERFUL PARTNERSHIP SINCE 1932.
WE'RE HERE TO ASK YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR THIS, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
>> COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS?
>> NO. I JUST THINK IT IS ABOUT TIME.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT.
WE'RE DOING A LETTER OF SUPPORT TODAY, AND I DON'T KNOW WE MIGHT COME BACK AND ASK FOR A RESOLUTION IF WE'VE GOT A FAVORABLE OPINION AFTER WE COMPLETE THIS PROCESS.
THANKS AGAIN, AND WE DO APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT ON THIS.
>> WELL, MR. WEAVER, WHAT ARE THE FUTURE STEPS, AND WHAT'S THE TIMELINE, DO YOU THINK?
>> THE FUTURE STEPS, I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY HOW MUCH TIME, BUT THIS INITIAL PROCESS I THINK WILL BE ABOUT 2-3 MONTHS.
I HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE WITH THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES, AND TYPICALLY IT'S ABOUT A YEAR TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.
WE'RE GOING TO DO THE LETTER OF INTEREST.
WE TALKED WITH STAFF ABOUT THIS.
WE THINK WE'LL GET A FAVORABLE REVIEW.
THEN WE'LL GO INTO THE FULL-BLOWN NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK APPLICATION.
IT'S PROBABLY ABOUT A YEAR OR SO TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.
>> I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY I THINK IT'S LONG OVERDUE.
I HAD THE PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH JUDY ZAPPERO, I THINK HER NAME WAS, AND DORIS WILES, WHEN I WORKED FOR THE CITY, JUST KEEPING THE BUILDING UPKEEP.
I KNOW THAT IT'S OLD AND IT NEEDS TO BE RECOGNIZED FOR ALL THE PEOPLE THAT IT DOES HELP.
I HAD THE PLEASURE OF GOING IN AND TALKING TO VOLUNTEERS OVER THE YEAR.
I THINK IT WOULD BE A BENEFIT TO THE CITY IF THEY'RE RECOGNIZED MORE THAN WHAT THEY ARE, CURRENTLY.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. I'D SAY TO YOU AND TO EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM, PLEASE COME VISIT US.
WE HAVE TOURS WEDNESDAY-SATURDAY, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO WELCOME YOU.
>> FINALLY, I'D JUST SAY, MR. WEAVER, WE'RE IN GOOD CAPABLE HANDS WITH HIM, FOR CERTAINLY I BELIEVE IT IS WORTHY OF THE NATIONAL LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
HOW MANY LANDMARKS DO WE ACTUALLY HAVE NOW INDIVIDUALLY LISTED IN THE CITY?
>> FORT MOSE IS ONE OF THE MOST RECENT.
[OVERLAPPING] WE'VE GOT THE PONCE [INAUDIBLE] HOTEL.
THE ALCAZAR IS NOT A NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK.
>> THE CATHEDRAL, THE TOWN PLAN.
I DON'T NEED THE CRYPT SHEET. [LAUGHTER]
>> HE WANTS TO DO THIS FOR [INAUDIBLE]
>> THE LLAMBIAS AND THE OLDEST HOUSE, KNOWN AS THE GONZALES ALVAREZ HOUSE, AND THE TOWN PLAN, NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE.
I GUESS IS THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE IT.
THE PONCE HAS BEEN DONE MORE RECENTLY, AND I THINK FORT MOSE, WITHIN THE PAST 20 YEARS OR SO.
THEN WE'VE GOT OF COURSE THE CASTILLO DE SAN MARCOS, WHICH WAS DONE A LONG TIME AGO THROUGH FEDERAL LEGISLATION, AND FORT MATANZAS.
DID I LEAVE ANYTHING OFF, JULIE?
>> VERY GOOD. OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE VERY WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORTED, AND WE ALWAYS APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT THE LADIES DO.
THE WOMAN'S EXCHANGE DO WORK VERY HARD.
I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ACCOMPANY YOU TO THE HEARING IN TALLAHASSEE, IF YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO.
>> ON BEHALF OF THE COMMISSIONERS IN THE CITY, TO SUPPORT YOUR APPLICATION.
>> THIS IS GOING TO GO THROUGH THE NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK OFFICE IN ATLANTA, INITIALLY.
MR. BURCHAM AND THROUGH MS. COURTNEY AND THE STAFF, ABOUT HOW THE PROCESS IS PROCEEDING.
>> THANK YOU. DO I HEAR A MOTION?
>> I MAKE THE MOTION TO DELIVER THE LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR THE PENA PECK HOUSE NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
>> I'LL SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSED? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE'LL BE IN TOUCH.
WE HAVE DELETED 1A, ORDINANCE 2024-05, FROM THE AGENDA.
[8.A.2. Ordinance 2024-18: Extends the non-exclusive natural gas franchise agreement between Peoples Gas System and the City. (I. Lopez, City Attorney)]
[01:10:02]
ORDINANCE 2024-18, MS. LOPEZ.>> YES, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, AND COMMISSIONERS, FOR OUR SECOND READING TONIGHT IS ORDINANCE NUMBER 2024-18.
THIS IS AN EXTENSION OF AN EXISTING FRANCHISE AGREEMENT WITH PEOPLE'S GAS, FOR USE OF OUR RIGHT OF WAY.
THEY'RE PROBABLY BETTER KNOWN AS TECO.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I CAN ANSWER THEM OR OUR CITY MANAGER CAN AS WELL.
>> THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING, PUBLIC HEARING IS OPEN.
DOES ANYONE WISH TO SPEAK? MS. [INAUDIBLE] YOU WISH TO SPEAK.
>> I DO BELIEVE YOU HAVE A CARD FOR ME UP THERE SOME PLACE.
[INAUDIBLE] WEST, CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, ORDINANCE 2024-18.
PEOPLE'S GAS, ALSO KNOWN AS TECO GAS.
SECTION 7 IN THE AGREEMENT, MAINTENANCE.
THE YELLOW STICKS HAVE BEEN DEMOLISHED ON THE EAST AND NORTH SIDES OF OYSTER CREEK PARK.
EXTENDING THE CONTRACT FOR ANOTHER 15 YEARS SHOULD INCLUDE REPAIRING THE STICKS.
THIS PROBLEM OCCURS ALL OVER THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE.
IT LEADS TO BLIGHT ALL OVER OUR COMMUNITY, AND NO ONE IS BEING HELD RESPONSIBLE IN FIXING THOSE WHENEVER THEY ARE DESTROYED AND ON THE GROUND. THANK YOU.
>> ANYONE ELSE HERE TO SPEAK? HEARING NONE, PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED.
COMMISSIONERS. FURTHER COMMENTS OF STAFF? HEARING NONE, I WILL MOVE THAT WE PASS ORDINANCE 2024-18, ON SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING, READ BY TITLE ONLY.
>> ORDINANCE NUMBER 2024-18, AN ORDINANCE GRANTING TO PEOPLE'S GAS SYSTEM INC., ITS SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS A NON-EXCLUSIVE NATURAL GAS FRANCHISE AGREEMENT TO USE THE PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, AND PRESCRIBING THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH SAID FRANCHISE MAY BE EXERCISED.
MAKING FINDINGS, PROVIDING FOR SEVERANCE OF INVALID PROVISIONS, PROVIDING FOR A REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINANCES, AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
>> ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
[8.A.3. Ordinance 2024-19: Amends Chapter 28 of the City Zoning Code to add a definition of a Resiliency Facility and to add a defined Resiliency Facility as a permitted use by exception in the CM-2 and IW zoning districts. (A. Skinner, Director Planning and Building)]
MS. SKINNER. GOOD EVENING.MY NAME IS AMY SKINNER, I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE PLANNING AND BUILDING DEPARTMENT.
THIS IS A SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING FOR ORDINANCE 2024-19.
THIS ORDINANCE IS RELATED TO THE STATE OF FLORIDA PASSING LEGISLATION THIS YEAR, RELATED TO ENERGY RESOURCES.
THERE ARE SEVERAL ISSUES ADDRESSED IN THE LEGISLATION, HOWEVER THE CITY COMMISSION DID EXPRESS CONCERN OVER THIS ITEM.
BASICALLY THIS WOULD ALLOW FOR RESILIENCY FACILITIES IN ANY COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL, OR MANUFACTURING DISTRICT.
THE CITY COMMISSION REQUESTED THAT STAFF TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO PASS THIS ORDINANCE HOPEFULLY BEFORE JULY 1ST.
THE PCB CONSIDERED THIS ORDINANCE AND MADE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COMMISSION TO ADD THE DEFINITION OF RESILIENCY FACILITY, AND TO INSERT THIS USE INTO THE COMMERCIAL MEDIUM 2 AND INDUSTRIAL WAREHOUSING DISTRICTS UNDER A USE-BY-EXCEPTION.
THE CITY CURRENTLY DOES NOT HAVE ANY SPECIFIC MANUFACTURING ZONING DISTRICTS.
THIS ITEM WAS REVIEWED AND RECOMMENDED AND ALSO PASSED ON FIRST READING AT THE CITY COMMISSION.
THIS IS A SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING, SO WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THIS ITEM BE HEARD.
>> THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF BEFORE WE GO TO PUBLIC HEARING? THE PUBLIC HEARING IS OPEN FOR THIS ITEM.
ANYONE WISH TO SPEAK? SEEING NONE, HEARING NONE, PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED, WE'RE BACK TO THE BOARD FOR A MOTION.
>> WELL, I'D FIRST LIKE TO COMPLIMENT MS. BLONDER FOR CATCHING THIS.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY ELSE ON THE COMMISSION DID. I SURE DIDN'T.
THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND I'M SORRY SHE'S NOT HERE TO HEAR THE VOTE, BUT I DO MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT ORDINANCE 2024-19, BY RATING OF TITLE ONLY.
>> ORDINANCE NUMBER 2024-19, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, AMENDING SECTION 28-2 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE,
[01:15:03]
TO PROVIDE A DEFINITION FOR RESILIENCY FACILITIES, TO AMEND SECTION 28-209, COMMERCIAL MEDIUM 2, CM2 ZONING DISTRICT, TO INCLUDE RESILIENCY FACILITY AS A PERMITTED USE BY EXCEPTION, TO AMEND SECTION 28-26, INDUSTRIAL AND WAREHOUSING, IW, ZONING DISTRICT, TO INCLUDE RESILIENCY FACILITY AS A PERMITTED USE BY EXCEPTION.PROVIDING FOR INCLUSION IN CHAPTER 28, ZONING OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINANCES, PROVIDING FOR SEVERANCE OF INVALID PROVISIONS, AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
>> THANK YOU. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS BEFORE I CALL THE ROLL?
>> MADAM SPRINGFIELD? [LAUGHTER]
THE NEXT ORDINANCE IS ORDINANCE 24-20. MS. LOPEZ.
[8.A.4. Ordinance 2024-20: Amends the Police Officer Retirement System pension plan regarding investment of assets. (I. Lopez, City Attorney)]
>> YES. THE FOLLOWING THREE ORDINANCES ARE ALL SOMEWHAT RELATED TO OUR POLICE OFFICERS' RETIREMENT SYSTEM.
THE FIRST ORDINANCE IS ORDINANCE NUMBER 2024-20, AND THIS PARTICULAR ORDINANCE WOULD ALLOW THE FINANCIAL ADVISOR THROUGH DIRECTION FROM THE BOARD TO DIVERSIFY THE POTENTIAL INVESTMENTS TO ESSENTIALLY ANY LEGALLY PERMISSIBLE RANGE OF INVESTMENTS, WHICH IS SIMILAR TO WHAT THE COMMISSION HAS ALREADY APPROVED FOR THE GENERAL EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT BOARD.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS I'M AVAILABLE TO ANSWER THEM.
>> THANK YOU. WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL OPEN A PUBLIC COMMENT FOR EACH ONE INDIVIDUALLY AND MAKE THE MOTIONS AND APPROVALS INDIVIDUALLY.
FOR ORDINANCE 2024-20, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS OPEN.
IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? HEARING NONE AND SEEING NONE, PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED.
WE ARE BACK TO THE BOARD FOR A MOTION.
>> I MOTION THAT WE APPROVE ORDINANCE 2024-20, AND READ BY TITLE ONLY AND PASSED.
>> ORDINANCE NUMBER 2024-20, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, AMENDING CHAPTER 20, ARTICLE 6, SECTION 20-225, OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE REGARDING INVESTMENT OF RETIREMENT SYSTEM ASSETS FOR THE ST. AUGUSTINE POLICE OFFICERS RETIREMENT SYSTEM, PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY, PROVIDING FOR INCLUSION IN THE CODE OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
>> MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
>> PERTAINING TO ORDINANCE 2024-21,
[8.A.5. Ordinance 2024-21: Amends the Police Officers Retirement System pension plan to provide for the restoration of forfeited credited service. (I. Lopez, City Attorney)]
PUBLIC COMMENT IS OPEN ON THIS ITEM.ANYONE HERE WISH TO SPEAK? HEARING NONE, SEEING NONE.
>> DID YOU WANT ME TO JUST EXPLAIN IT A SMIDGE OR NO?
>> I THOUGHT YOU EXPLAINED ALL THREE OF THEM, OR DID YOU WANT TO GO BACK.
>> THEY'RE ALL A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
THE FIRST ONE WE HEARD WAS ABOUT THE INVESTMENT POLICY.
2024-21 CERTAINLY IS SOMEWHAT RELATED AGAIN.
THIS IS FOR THE RESTORATION OF FORFEITED CREDITED SERVICE.
IT PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WHO'VE LEFT THE CITY PRIOR TO VESTING THEIR PENSIONS, OR EVEN AFTER VESTING THEIR PENSIONS, TO COME BACK IN AND BUY MORE TIME, ESSENTIALLY GET BACK THEIR CREDITED TIME THROUGH ACTUARIALLY SOUND POLICIES.
WE DID INCLUDE IN THE PACKET THE NO-IMPACT LETTER FROM ACTUARIAL SERVICES SAYING THIS WOULD NOT NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE HEALTH OF THE PENSION.
OF COURSE I'M HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
>> NOW THAT WE'VE HAD THE PRESENTATION, WE'LL OPEN PUBLIC HEARING AGAIN.
PUBLIC HEARING IS OPEN, HAVING NO CARDS.
ANYONE WISH TO SPEAK? HEARING NO ONE WISHING TO SPEAK, PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS CLOSED.
>> I MOVE WE APPROVE ORDINANCE 2024-21 BY TITLE ONLY.
>> ORDINANCE NUMBER 2024-21, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, AMENDING CHAPTER 20, ARTICLE 6, SECTION 20-226 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE TO PROVIDE FOR RESTORATION OF FORFEITED CREDITED SERVICE UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS FOR POLICE OFFICERS, PROVIDING FOR INCLUSION IN THE CODE OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
>> MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
>> ORDINANCE 2024-22, MISS LOPEZ.
[8.A.6. Ordinance 2024-22: Amends the Police Officers Retirement System regarding the allocation of the Share Plan. (I. Lopez, City Attorney)]
>> THIS IS REGARDING AN AMENDMENT TO THE SHARE PLAN AGAIN FOR THE POLICE OFFICERS.
THIS IS A CREATURE OF STATUTE.
[01:20:01]
IT ALLOWS A PREMIUM STATE TAX, MONEY IS TO BE SPLIT ESSENTIALLY IN A SHARED WAY AS THEY'RE COMING IN FROM THE STATE.FIFTY PERCENT IS USED TO REDUCE THE CITY'S LIABILITY FOR PENSION, AND THEN THE OTHER 50% IS SQUARED AWAY THROUGH THESE PROCEDURES AND REGULATIONS FOR THE SHARE PLAN, FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND THIS IS SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING.
>> ANY QUESTIONS? DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? PUBLIC HEARING IS OPEN.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK? SEEING NONE, HEARING, NONE, PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED.
>> I MOTION THAT ORDINANCE 2024-22 BE READ BY TITLE ONLY AND PASSED.
>> ORDINANCE NUMBER 2024-22, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, AMENDING CHAPTER 20, ARTICLE 6, SECTION 20-236 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE TO CLARIFY AND ESTABLISH THE DETAILS OF THE POLICE OFFICERS RETIREMENT SYSTEM SHARE PLAN PROVIDING FOR INCLUSION IN THE CODE OF THE CITY OF ST.
AUGUSTINE AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
>> THANK YOU. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
[9.A.1. Ordinance 2024-23: Florida-Friendly Fertilizer Use on Urban Landscapes. (I. Lopez, City Attorney or A. Owen, Assistant City Attorney)]
FIRST READINGS FOR ORDINANCES WE HAVE ORDINANCE 2024-23.MS. LOPEZ, WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE?
>> I WOULD LOVE TO INTRODUCE OUR FAIRLY NEW ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY APRIL OWEN, WHO WILL TAKE IT FROM HERE.
>> WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. WELCOME.
>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS.
THIS IS IN RESPONSE TO YOUR REQUEST FOR FERTILIZER REGULATIONS.
IT WAS REQUIRED UNDER THE STATE STATUTE, GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE DO HAVE AN IMPAIRED WATERWAY THAT'S WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS.
IT'S CALLED OYSTER CREEK, AND I'M JUST BRINGING UP THE MAP REAL QUICK JUST TO SHOW.
I'M SURE YOU ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH IT.
>> GIVE IT JUST A SECOND. THERE YOU GO.
>> IF YOU LOOK AT THIS AREA RIGHT HERE, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE AREA WHERE OYSTER CREEK IMPAIRS OUR CITY LIMITS.
BECAUSE OF THAT, WE ARE REQUIRED, LIKE I SAID, TO ADOPT THIS ORDINANCE.
IT'S A WAY TO PROTECT THE WATERWAYS.
THAT'S WHAT THE REGULATION DOES.
THEN IT GENERALLY PROVIDES FOR WIND FERTILIZERS CAN BE USED DURING CERTAIN PERIODS IN CERTAIN AREAS TO INCLUDE STORMS. DURING STORMS THEY CAN'T BE USED, ALSO 10 FEET WITHIN WETLANDS, AND THEN ALSO NEAR CONCRETE SURFACES AND THE LIKE.
WE CAN OF COURSE, ADOPT ADDITIONAL AND STRICTER STANDARDS LATER ON IN THE FUTURE, IF WE HAVE STUDIES TO SUPPORT THE FACT THAT FERTILIZER IS POLLUTING OUR WATERWAYS.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT COMMISSIONER BONDER HAD MENTIONED THAT SHE WAS INTERESTED IN DOING.
THEN FOR THE ENFORCEMENT, I DID KEEP THIS.
DID WANT TO JUST TOUCH ON THIS ROLE BRIEFLY.
COMMERCIAL APPLICATORS ARE REQUIRED TO GET A CERTIFICATION WITHIN 90 DAYS OF THIS ORDINANCE BEING ENACTED.
THEY SHOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH IT.
ST. JOHN'S COUNTY HAS HAD AN ORDINANCE IN PLACE SINCE 2010, SO IT SHOULDN'T REALLY BE MUCH OF A SURPRISE.
WE DO RECOMMEND THAT IT BE DONE BY NON CRIMINAL CITATIONS BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT IT DOESN'T JUST APPLY TO NONCOMMERCIAL OR TO JUST COMMERCIAL APPLICATORS, ALSO APPLIES TO INDIVIDUALS.
WE'RE RECOMMENDING A FINE OF $100 TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN ENCOMPASS ALL THE VIOLATORS POTENTIALLY OF THIS ORDINANCE.
THE REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE IT'S EFFICIENT, IT WOULD BE AN EASIER WAY TO DO THIS AND ALSO AN INEXPENSIVE WAY TO DETER INDIVIDUAL VIOLATORS.
THERE'S ANOTHER OPTION FOR THE COMMISSION THAT YOU COULD USE A SPECIAL MAGISTRATE VIA CODE ENFORCEMENT.
THAT COULD BE A LITTLE BIT HARDER TO IMPLEMENT BECAUSE IT MAY NOT ENCOMPASS ALL OF THE SCENARIOS OF VIOLATORS OF THIS FERTILIZER ORDINANCE.
COULD REQUIRE A FEW MORE RESOURCES, AND IT MIGHT BE ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE THE JUICE ISN'T WORTH THE SQUEEZE.
[01:25:02]
PENDING YOUR QUESTIONS, THAT'S THE FERTILIZER ORDINANCE.>> I WOULD GO FOR THE $100 FINE AND CALL IT A DAY.
BUT I THINK EDUCATION IS A BIG PART OF THIS.
JUST LETTING PEOPLE KNOW PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE.
>> IT'S STRONGLY RECOMMENDED THAT THE INDIVIDUALS GET THE CERTIFICATION TOO OR SOME TYPE OF TRAINING, BUT IT'S NOT REQUIRED UNDER THIS MODEL ORDINANCE.
>> FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, I KNOW MS. WHISTLE, SHE MAY STILL BE IN THE BACK.
I'M SORRY. I CAN'T SEE BEHIND ME.
BUT THE CITY MANAGER HAD ASKED IF SHE COULD HELP WITH ROLL OUT AN EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN.
BY THE SECOND READING, WE'LL HAVE SOME INFORMATION IN THE PACKET TO SHOW YOU WHAT KIND OF EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN WE'LL DO.
>> WHO DOES THAT EDUCATION IFIS OUT AT THE COUNTY OR WHO ACTUALLY WOULD BE DOING THAT?
>> THERE'S AN ONLINE CLASS THAT THE COMMERCIAL APPLICATORS CAN TAKE TO OBTAIN THEIR LITTLE CERTIFICATE.
BUT WHAT THE CITY MANAGER WAS THINKING IS JUST GENERALLY TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW, SO IT WOULD BE USING NOTES.
ALL THE USUAL, OUR WIZARD IN THE BACK WOULD PROBABLY BE ABLE TO ROLL OUT A MILLION DIFFERENT WAYS SHE COULD DO SOME EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGNS, BUT THAT WAS THE CONCEPT.
>> WOULD THERE BE SIGNS POSTED SAYING THAT THEY COULD BE FINED?
>> WELL, IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT JUST BECAUSE IT'S CITYWIDE, AND IT'S APPLICATORS CITYWIDE, SO I'M NOT SURE WHERE WE WOULD POST THE SIGNS, BUT THE IDEA, SAME CONCEPT IS TO ROLL OUT AN EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN, HAVE IT PROMINENT ON OUR WEBSITE AND ALL THE OTHER BELLS AND WHISTLES, SOCIAL MEDIA THAT WE COULD DO.
>> IN THE MODEL ORDINANCE TO, IT DOES SAY THE NAME OF THE COURSE TOO, SO IF YOU GOOGLE IT, IT SHOULD COME UP FOR THE TRAINING.
>> HOW IS THIS GOING TO BE MONITORED? HOW ARE WE GOING TO CATCH ANYBODY?
>> AT THIS POINT, IT WOULD FALL TO SAPD.
>> CITATION NON CRIMINAL THROUGH THE COUNTY.
>> THERE A QUESTION AND [INAUDIBLE]
>> THAT'S CORRECT. WHAT MS. OWEN SAID IS CORRECT.
THEORETICALLY, OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS COULD BE TRAINED TO ISSUE CIVIL CITATIONS.
HOW THAT WORKS OUT IS A LITTLE BIT OUTSIDE OF MINE AND MS. OWEN'S AUTHORITY WHETHER THE WORK EVENTUALLY TRICKLES TO ONE GROUP OF FOLK OR ANOTHER.
BUT YES, THEORETICALLY, IT COULD BE CODE ENFORCEMENT AND IT COULD BE TECHNICALLY LAW ENFORCEMENT.
OBVIOUSLY, IT'S NOT THE HIGHEST PRIORITY FOR OUR LAW.
>> I'M TOTALLY IN SUPPORT OF THIS.
BUT I REALIZE THAT THE TIMES THAT YOU CAN'T FERTILIZE IS DURING A STORM.
THAT'S THE LEAST AMOUNT OF TIME CODE ENFORCEMENT AND POLICE ARE GOING TO BE OUT MONITORING FOR SOMEBODY THROWING FERTILIZER.
I KNOW CODE ENFORCEMENT WORKS OFF A COMPLAINT SYSTEM AS WELL, SO I KNOW WE'LL GET COMPLAINTS, BUT IT'S JUST CAN BE DIFFICULT TO MONITOR.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS, BUT WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE A WAY TO MAKE IT ENFORCEABLE.
>> I THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET MORE OUT OF THE ORDINANCE THROUGH OUR EDUCATION CAMPAIGN THAN THROUGH THE ENFORCEMENT.
>> I AGREE WITH YOU. THANK YOU.
>> I HAVE TO AGREE THE TRUE VALUE AND THIS IS IN THE EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN AND PEOPLE WILL WILLINGLY PARTICIPATE BECAUSE IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
I ALSO AGREE WITH VICE MAYOR THAT THE LIGHTER TOUCH THE BETTER, STARTING WITH A $100 FINE AND MOVING ON, THIS IS A FIRST READING.
IF THERE'S NO OTHER COMMENT, I'LL MOVE THAT PASS ORDINANCE 2024-23 ON FIRST READING.
>> SECOND. ORDINANCE NUMBER 2024-23, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, CREATING CHAPTER 11, ARTICLE 1, SECTION 11-2 RELATING TO REGULATION OF FERTILIZER ADOPTING THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS MODEL ORDINANCE FOR FLORIDA FRIENDLY FERTILIZER USE FOR URBAN LANDSCAPES, PROVIDING FOR ENFORCEMENT, PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY, PROVIDING FOR INCLUSION IN THE CODE OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
>> GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
WE APPRECIATE IT. YOU DID A GREAT JOB.
>> MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
[9.B.1. Resolution 2024-22: Updates the expiration date of the CDBG grant for St. Francis Crisis Shelter. (A. Foschaar, Grants Administration Coordinator)]
WE HAVE A RESOLUTION 2024-22, UPDATING THE EXPIRATION DATE OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS FOR ST. FRANCIS CRISIS SHELTER.
MS. FOCHAR, YOU ARE WELCOME TO PRESENT.
>> GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, AND COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS AMBER FOCHAR, AND I'M THE GRANTS ADMINISTRATION COORDINATOR FOR GENERAL SERVICES.
I'M PRESENTING RESOLUTION 2024-2022.
[01:30:04]
THIS RESOLUTION HAS BEEN REQUESTED TO AMEND THE PREVIOUS RESOLUTION APPROVED ON OCTOBER 25, 2021, FOR RENOVATION OF THE ST. FRANCIS CRISIS CENTER FOR THE HOMELESS FUNDED BY THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT.THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY HAS REQUESTED A REMOVAL OF THE APPLICATION DATE TO KEEP THE GRANT ACTIVE.
APPROVAL OF THIS RESOLUTION WILL ALLOW THE CITY MANAGER TO CONTINUE TO EXECUTE ALL GRANT DOCUMENTS TO KEEP THE GRANT ACTIVE AND FOR COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS FOR THIS RESOLUTION?
>> NO? WITHIN THAT CASE, I MOVE THAT WE PASS RESOLUTION 24-22.
>> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT.
WE'RE MOVING ON TO STAFF REPORTS, ITEM 10A,
[10.A. Presentation for the FDOT Seawall Replacement Project-Commission Input. (J. Beach, Chief Resilience Officer)]
WHICH IS A PRESENTATION BY ON THE FDOT SEAWALL REPLACEMENT PROJECT.MS. JESSICA BEACH, WE ARE WELCOMING YOU TO THE PODIUM.
>> THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, FELLOW COMMISSIONERS.
I'M HERE TO INTRODUCE THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION'S DESIGN TEAM THAT'S GOING TO BE GIVING YOU SOME MORE SPECIFIC INPUT THAT THEY'RE SOLICITING FROM THE COMMISSION ON THE SEAWALL THAT WE HAVE.
IF YOU REMEMBER AT OUR JUNE 10 COMMISSION MEETING, I GAVE AN OVERVIEW, SOME BACKGROUND ON THE PROJECT, LIKE WHY THEY'RE DOING IT, TIMELINE, COST, CONSTRUCTION METHODOLOGY, AND SHOWING THE PROPOSED ALTERNATIVE.
NOW, DOT IS HERE TO TALK SOME SPECIFIC ITEMS IN THE PROJECT TO GET YOUR INPUT ON.
I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND HAVE THE TEAM COME UP HERE AND I'LL GET THE PRESENTATION LOADED TO LAUNCH.
I ALSO HAVE SOME HANDOUTS THAT THEY BROUGHT TO SUPPORT THE PRESENTATION.
I'M GOING TO HAND IT TO THE CLERK TO DISTRIBUTE, AND THEN WE'LL GET STARTED.
>> I'LL BEGIN BY INTRODUCING MYSELF. I AM JAMIE DRIGGERS.
I'M THE PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ENGINEER FOR THE DISTRICT REGION. I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT.
I ALSO HAVE SOME SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS HERE WITH ME AS WELL.
IF THERE ARE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT WE NEED TO DIVE INTO, I'LL DEFINITELY HAVE THE TEAM BEHIND ME TO ANSWER THOSE.
BUT AS JESSICA LAID IN, WE JUST WANT TO MORE OR LESS GIVE YOU UPDATE ON SOME DETAILS AND DELIVERY PATH THAT WE'RE WORKING UP TOWARDS AND WE ALSO WON'T BUY IN COMMUNITY SUPPORT AS WELL TO MAKE SURE WE MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS.
ONCE AGAIN, YOUR COMMUNITY, YOUR VISION.
WHERE IS THE PRESENTATION? I WON'T TAKE TOO MUCH TIME.
I KNOW YOU HAVE HAD A RECENT UPDATE ON THE WHYS BEHIND THE PROJECT.
JUST FOR CONSIDERATION, THIS PROJECT IS A COMBINATION OF OBVIOUSLY, WE UNDERSTAND THE IMPACTS TO THE VIEW.
WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THE IMPACTS FROM A RESILIENCY PERSPECTIVE, THE PEDESTRIAN PUBLIC SAFETY IS IMPORTANT, AND ALSO THE IMPORTANCE OF THE AESTHETICS AND PARALLELING THE CURRENT COMMUNITY VISION.
MOVING ON JUST GIVE YOU A HIGH LEVEL PERSPECTIVE OF THE PROPOSAL.
ON THE RIGHT WILL ILLUSTRATE THE PROPOSED CONDITION, ESSENTIALLY WALKING FROM THE SIDEWALK ADJACENT TO A1 A UP.
WE WOULD BE REMOVING THE SIDEWALK CURB THAT IS ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE SIDEWALK DIRECTLY ADJACENT A1 A.
THAT WOULD LOWER THAT GRASS THRESHOLD.
WE'D ALSO BE LOWERING THE PROMENADE DOWN TO A GROUND LEVEL, AND THEN WE WOULD COME BACK WITH A 42 INCH HIGH WALL.
IN ESSENCE, WE'RE LOWERING TO RAISE THE ULTIMATE HEIGHT WILL BE 42 INCHES.
THE OVERALL INCREASE IN FORM OF SHED IMPACT IS LESS THAN TWO FEET.
TALK ABOUT WHY I'M HERE TODAY.
OBVIOUSLY, ALL OF THESE ITEMS WILL BE SUPPORTED WITH LEGAL AGREEMENTS AND LEGAL EASE, BUT I WANTED TO WALK THROUGH FROM A HIGH LEVEL PERSPECTIVE WHAT TYPE OF RELATIONSHIP AND PARTNERSHIP WE'D WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH.
ONE INVOLVES SPECIFICALLY THE MAINS PARTNERSHIP AND IDENTIFYING THOSE LINES IN THE SAND.
THE SECOND IS THE LANDSCAPE PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY, ONCE AGAIN, STAY TRUE TO THE VISION OF CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE.
THEN LASTLY, I'VE GOT A COUPLE OPTIONS SPECIFIC TO THE EVENT PLATFORM.
UNDERSTAND THE EVENT PLATFORM WILL BE IMPACTED AND HAVE TO BE REMOVED WHEN WE REPLACE THE SEA WALL.
>> WALKING THROUGH THE MAINTENANCE PARTNERSHIP CONVERSATION.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THERE'S MULTIPLE LINES OF OWNERSHIP AND CONTROL IN THIS DOWNTOWN STRETCH.
OBVIOUSLY THE A1A STRETCH TANGENT THERE IS IN THE POSSESSION OF A NON-CONTROL OF DOT.
THE GIBBS PARK AREA OBVIOUSLY IS IN THE CONTROL OF THE CITY.
WE WOULD LIKE TO CLEAN THINGS, THAT'D BE THE DESIRE, AND JUST WALKING THROUGH THE CROSS-HATCH AND THE COLORS, WHAT THAT MEANS.
[01:35:04]
THE 45-DEGREE ANGLE DOWNWARDS, ON YOUR FURTHEST OUT INTO THE WATERSIDE, THAT'S ESSENTIALLY REPRESENTING A TEMPORARY ACCESS EASEMENT FOR DOT.WE INTEND TO WORK FROM THE WATERSIDE FOR THE PREDOMINANT SECTIONS OF THE WALL, RECOGNIZING THAT AS YOU GET CLOSER TO THE BRIDGE OF LINES, CLOSE TO THE MARINA, IT'S TOO SHALLOW TO WORK OFF OF A BARGE, SO WE WILL HAVE TO ACTUALLY UTILIZE PORTIONS OF GIBBS PARK TO CREATE ACCESS.
YOU SAY, WHY DO YOU WANT TO WORK FROM THE WATERSIDE? THE IDEA IS WE WANT TO MAINTAIN PEDESTRIAN FLOW AND VEHICLE TRAFFIC ON A1A TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT POSSIBLE.
THAT HASHED AREA IS ESSENTIALLY A BARGE ACCESS, IT'S A LAYDOWN AREA FOR THE BARGE TO MAINTAIN AND FOR THEM TO STAGE EQUIPMENT.
THE INNER HATCH THERE THAT GOES TO THE 45 TO THAT NORTHEAST LOOK, THAT IS ACTUALLY A PERMANENT EASEMENT. HERE'S THE WHY.
IN THE EVENT THAT WE HAVE A STRUCTURAL FAILURE, STRUCTURAL PROBLEM WITH THE WALL, WE NEED TO GET IN THERE AND DO THE WORK.
THIS WOULD GIVE US A LONG-TERM OPPORTUNITY, OBVIOUSLY THE CONTROLLING INTEREST WOULD STILL BE IN THE CITY, BUT IT WOULD GIVE DOT THE ABILITY TO GO IN THERE AND DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE NECESSARY REPAIRS.
THE GREEN AREA, MOVING JUMPING AHEAD OF THE BIGGER PORTION, THAT'S THE AREA THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE.
IT WAS ESSENTIALLY IDENTIFIED THAT GREEN AREA, FROM A JURISDICTIONAL PERSPECTIVE, WOULD FALL IN THE HANDS OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, IT'D BE SPECIFIC TO MOWING, LITTER REMOVAL, ANY KIND OF VEGETATION MANAGEMENT.
IT WOULD ALSO HELP AS FAR AS TO BENEFIT NOT OF LIGHT, SOME OF THAT COORDINATION, BUT ACTUALLY PUT IT UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE CITY TO MAINTAIN.
THE RED LINE IS THE PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY.
AS I LED INTO THE GIBBS PARK SEGMENT, THAT IS THE CITY OF OF ST. AUGUSTINE'S LEGAL RIGHT OF WAY INTEREST, WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO AS A PARTNERSHIP, WE WOULD LIKE TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT, ESSENTIALLY SAYS THAT AS WE BUILD THIS WALL, DOT WILL CONTINUE TO DO THE INSPECTION OF THE WALL, AND IF THERE ARE STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS, WE WOULD ABSOLUTELY TAKE THE LEAD ON MAKING THOSE CORRECTIVE REPAIRS.
YOU'LL NOTICE IN THE RED AS WELL, AT THE VERY BOTTOM, THAT THE KEYNOTE THERE IS IT SAYS FDOT/COSA PARTNERSHIP.
IN GRAIN WITH THAT GREEN PARTNERSHIP, WE WOULD SAY THAT AESTHETIC LOOK AND APPEAL THE WALL, THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE WOULD TAKE THAT ON AS WELL.
ONCE AGAIN, THAT'S AESTHETICS, THAT'S PRESSURE WASHING, INCIDENTALS, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
WE WOULD CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THE RESPONSIBILITY IF THERE IS A STRUCTURAL ISSUE WITH THE WALL.
THIS JUST GIVES YOU A HIGH-LEVEL REPRESENTATION OF THAT LINE IN THE SAND.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, IF I LAID IT OUT IN THE PUREST SENSE, YOU WOULD HAVE GREEN AND RED AND BLUE.
ONCE AGAIN, WE'RE HERE BECAUSE OF THE PARTNERSHIP, WE WANT TO SOLIDIFY THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BOTH REACHING THE FINISH LINE.
PINGING ON THE LANDSCAPE OPPORTUNITY.
AS I LED INTO THE LITTER REMOVAL, MOWING, ALL THOSE INCIDENTALS, ALSO THAT LANDSCAPE COMPONENT, WE RECOGNIZE THE GRANDER VISION OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE FROM KING STREET ALL THE WAY THROUGH THIS AREA.
WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS EXAMPLE THAT I'D LIKE TO SPOTLIGHT, THE MAY STREET, THAT WAS A PARTNERSHIP WHERE IN LIEU OF DOT, DESIGNING AND INSTALLING THE LANDSCAPE FEATURES, WE ACTUALLY PARTNER WITH THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, VERY SUCCESSFUL PROJECT.
WE WOULD LIKE TO OFFER THE SAME OPPORTUNITY HERE.
ONCE AGAIN, YOUR COMMUNITY, YOUR VISION.
UNDERSTANDING THE DOT FROM A LANDSCAPE PERSPECTIVE, WE ARE LIMITED ON THE TYPES OF PLANNINGS AND MATERIALS THAT WE PUT ON THE GROUND, CONSIDERING THAT WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT LONG-TERM MAINTENANCE, AND A LOT OF MAINTENANCE OF A LOT OF FACILITIES.
WE WOULD LIKE TO OFFER AS PART OF THAT MAINTENANCE RESPONSIBILITY, LAYING LINES IN THE SAND THAT WHATEVER MONEY DOT WOULD PUT INTO THE LANDSCAPE PERMITS THAT WE WOULD PARTNER TO COVER THE DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, NCI COST AS A PASS-THROUGH DELIVERY TO THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE.
STEER YOUR FOCUS TOWARDS THE VIEWING PLATFORM, AND WHEN I SAY VIEWING PLATFORM, THAT'S THE WOODEN DECK THAT'S JUST THERE TO TO THE NORTH, EAST OF THE GIBBS PARK AREA.
WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS ORIENT TO OUR CURRENT DESIGN APPROACH AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, AND JUST PUT IN PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT THE END GAIN IS GOING TO BE.
WHEN I SAY END GAIN, EXPLAINING HOW THE NEW WALL IS GOING TO BE BUILT.
IT'LL ESSENTIALLY BE OFFSET TOWARDS THE WATERSIDE, WHICH IS GOING TO CREATE ADDITIONAL BUFFER SPACE BETWEEN THE EXISTING WALL.
SPECIFICALLY, PROBABLY THE LARGEST GRASS OR LARGEST NEW AD IS THERE AT THE GIBBS PARK SEGMENT WHERE WE HAVE THE SLOPE WALL.
NEW WALL WILL BE INSTALLED AT THE BASE OF THAT TOE WALL, SO ALL OF THAT AREA BECOMES USABLE SPACE.
WE DID NOT WANT TO APPROACH IT WITH JUST ADDING MORE CONCRETE, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A BALANCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL-FRIENDLY AND OF COURSE GREEN SPACE.
THIS PICTURE, ESSENTIALLY WALKING FROM THE SOUTH TO THE NORTH, SHOWS THE DARKER GREEN AREAS, THAT'S THAT ADDITIONAL INCREASE, EVERYTHING IN THE TAN IS ESSENTIALLY A NEW AREA USABLE AREA, THAT'S CONCRETE SOLUBLE, AND THEN THE DARKER GREEN IS THE ACTUAL INCREASE IN GRASSED AREA.
SAME THING ON THE NORTH SIDE THERE, THAT DARKER BROWN IS THAT ADDITIONAL USABLE SPACE AND
[01:40:02]
THE DARKER GREEN IS THAT ESSENTIALLY PUSH OUT FOR THAT SIDE AREA.YOU SEE THE SAME THING PARALLELS, EVEN DARKER ORANGE AS YOU GO TO THE RIGHT.
IT IDENTIFIES THOSE LITTLE BLOCKOUTS THERE ARE ESSENTIALLY PARK BENCHES, AND THEN THE TWO PREDOMINANT AREAS THERE TOWARDS THE CENTER ARE FOCUSED ON THOSE MID-BLOCK CROSSWALKS THAT EXIST TODAY AS FAR AS ACCESS.
IN GAIN, TAKING THE VIEWING PLATFORM OUT OF THE EQUATION, WE'RE ADDING ESSENTIALLY 12,000 SQUARE FOOT OF ADDITIONAL USABLE SPACE AS PART OF THIS PROJECT.
THE PLATFORM IS RIGHT AT 600 SQUARE FOOT.
I WANT TO SHOW YOU A COUPLE OF OPTIONS AND GET YOUR INPUT, UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE AT THE CRITICAL PATH OF DESIGN AND NEED TO CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.
NO PLATFORM, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S PROS THAT, AND THEN OF COURSE A SCENARIO WHERE WE WERE PLACING CAN WITH A TIMBER PLATFORM.
RENDERINGS. WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT BETTER THROUGH THE YEARS OF BEING ABLE TO ARTICULATE THROUGH A PICTORIAL, UNDERSTAND THERE MAY BE SOME SKEWS AND SOME DIFFERENT VARIABILITIES, BUT IT GIVES YOU A PRETTY GOOD PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT THE POST-CONDITION WILL LOOK LIKE.
I'M GOING TO START UP BY SHOWING THE OPTION 1 SCENARIO.
THIS REPRESENTS THE SLOPE WALL, THE VIEWING PLATFORM, OBVIOUSLY THE BRIDGE OF LINES THERE TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE IMAGE, AND THEN GIBBS PARK.
THIS IS THE SCENARIO OF THE NO EVENT PLATFORM.
ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS INCLUSIVE OF THAT 12,000-PLUS SQUARE FOOT OF ADDITIONAL SPACE, IT ESSENTIALLY SHOWS THAT SAME GREEN AREA OF OUTWARDS FOR THE SOD AND IT ALSO SHOWS THE SIDEWALK SEGMENT.
BUT THIS ESSENTIALLY GIVES YOU THAT REPRESENTATION IF WE DO NOT PUT THE PLATFORM BACK, WHAT YOU WOULD SEE AS A POST-CONDITION.
ANOTHER SCENARIO FROM THE WATERSIDE, AN AERIAL DOWN VIEW, ONCE AGAIN, THE EXISTING PLATFORM, AND THEN YOU SEE THE SLOPE WALL THERE.
THIS IS WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE WITHOUT THE PLATING PLATFORM.
REPEAT ANOTHER EXISTING VIEW FROM THE WATERSIDE.
THIS IS A SCENARIO WITH A VIEWING PLATFORM ELEVATED TO GO OVER THE TOP OF THE WALL.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, WHY WOULD WE WANT TO GO OVER THE TOP OF THE WALL AS THIS IS A RESILIENCY FOCUS SOLUTION, ANY BREAK IN THE WALL WOULD CREATE A WEAK POINT FOR US.
WE JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU A REPRESENTATION OF, WHEN YOU GO UP, FROM AN ADA CONSIDERATION, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE RAMPS THAT GO UP TO PROVIDE THAT CONTINUAL ACCESS.
THE GUIDE RAIL ON THE BACK SIDE, THAT'S JUST ESSENTIALLY TO PROTECT THE DROP-OFF CONDITIONS CREATED.
THAT'S THE PERSPECTIVE OPTION 2 FROM THE WATERSIDE.
GIVE YOU THE PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT'S THERE TODAY.
SAME PERSPECTIVE, BUT WITH NO PLATFORM.
ONCE AGAIN, NOTHING EXISTING TODAY.
THEN THAT'S THE PERSPECTIVE WITH THE PLATFORM THAT'S ELEVATED TO GO OVER THE TOP.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, OUR PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE IS OPTION 1 IN THE SENSE OF LONG-TERM MAINTENANCE.
ONCE AGAIN, FOR US TO ACCESS TO REPLACE THE WALL, WE HAVE TO REMOVE THE VIEWING PLATFORM, AND IN THE FUTURE, IF WE EVER HAVE TO COME BACK, WE WOULD BE DEALING WITH THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCE.
WE JUST WANT TO PRESENT THESE TWO OPTIONS TO GET YOUR INPUT: PROS, CONS, THOUGHTS.
ONCE AGAIN, I HAVE EXPERTS WITH ME, SO IF THERE ARE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS BEYOND, WE CAN DEFINITELY ANSWER.
>> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONERS, WE'LL BEGIN HERE.
>> I THINK WE WOULD WANT TO MOW OUR OWN GRASS BECAUSE WE REALLY WANT THAT, SO THAT'S A GOOD THING.
I'M ACTUALLY FOR REMOVING THE PLATFORM, BUT I LIKE THE ELEVATED SIDEWALK WITHOUT THE PLATFORM, BECAUSE IT GIVES A CHANCE TO GET UP ABOVE THE WATER AND HAVE A NICE VIEW WHEN YOU'RE WALKING THAT PROMENADE TO BE ABLE TO SEE UP A LITTLE BIT FARTHER AND WATCH THE BOATS GOING ON THE BRIDGE INSTEAD OF JUST HAVING THE PLATFORM THERE.
BUT I AM DEFINITELY OKAY WITH NOT HAVING THE PLATFORM, THE PLATFORM IS A MAINTENANCE PROBLEM AND IT'S AN ISSUE SOMETIMES FOR STAFF.
>> MY POSITION, AGAIN, IS ALSO NOT TO HAVE THE PLATFORM.
REALLY ONE OF THE REASONS I DON'T LIKE THE PLATFORM IS BECAUSE I SEE THIS RAISED WALL RAMP AS A BARRIER, AND ALSO IT'S ASYMMETRICAL TO WHAT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PARK IS.
I WOULD VOTE FOR REMOVING THE PLATFORM AND SHOWING WHAT YOU DID WITH THE WALL.
>> I LIKE THE WALL BECAUSE OF THE SECURITY FACTOR, BECAUSE THOSE CHAINS ARE ALWAYS BROKEN, AND IT'S A LOT OF MAINTENANCE GETTING DOT DOWN HERE.
[01:45:02]
SOME PEOPLE USE ZIP TIES, ANYTHING, TO TRY TO, AND THAT'S JUST NOT GOING TO WORK.THE WALLS WOULD PROVIDE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF SECURITY FOR THE HURRICANES THAT WE GET AND WATER COMES OVER THAT WALL.
I KNOW YEARS AGO, WE HAD WORKED ON THE SEA WALL, AND I WAS FLOORED THAT IT DIDN'T INCREASE IN HEIGHT BECAUSE THEN WE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS WHEN THE STORMS DID COME, MATHEW AND SO FORTH.
I LIKE THE VIEW THAT YOU HAVE ON OPTION 2, I GUESS, AND THEN YOU HAVE THE SECURITY, LIKE SOME RAILS, THAT'S ON HERE, THIS PICTURE HERE.
I THINK THAT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE JUST DON'T GET CAUGHT UP ON HOW THINGS ALWAYS BEEN BECAUSE LIFE CHANGES, AND I'M MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY THAN SOMEBODY STAYING IN THE WATER IN THE BOATS, BECAUSE THAT'S WHY THEY CAN PARK AND GET OUT THEIR CARS AND GO LOOK AT THE WATER.
I SAW THE PICTURES WHEN JESSICA PEACH BROUGHT THEM, AND THEY SHOWED THAT A CHILD COULD STILL SEE OVER THE WALL WHEN THEY WERE WALKING DOWN THE SIDEWALK.
THE ONLY THING THAT IT PREVENTS IS SOMEBODY DRIVING IN THEIR CAR FROM LOOKING OVER AND SEEING THE WATER, AND THEY REALLY SHOULD BE LOOKING AT THE ROAD VERSUS WORRYING ABOUT THOSE BOATS OVER THERE ON THE WATER.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'M IMPRESSED WITH THE THINGS, AND SHE DID IT LIKE THE LITTLE VIDEO WHERE EVERYTHING WAS MOVING SHOWING HOW THE WORK WOULD BE CONSTRUCTED, AND I WAS IMPRESSED WITH THAT, BECAUSE IT WAS BEING DONE ON THE WATERSIDE.
A LOT OF TIMES WHEN THESE PROJECT STARTS, THEY SAY THEY'RE GOING TO BE DONE IN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME AND THERE'S ALWAYS MORE TIME.
IF IT'S ON THE WATERSIDE, IT WON'T DISRUPTION AS FAR AS THE TOURISTS GETTING AROUND AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
WHEN EXACTLY IS THIS ANTICIPATED TO GO FORWARD?
>> WE'LL RECEIVE BIDS IN SEPTEMBER OF 2025.
TYPICALLY YOU SEE 3-4 MONTHS OF LAY BEFORE CONSTRUCTION COMMENCES, THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST OF 2026, IS WHEN WE COMMENCE CONSTRUCTION.
>> I APPRECIATE YOU COMING AND EXPLAINING MORE DETAILS ABOUT DOT'S PART, SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
>> THANK YOU. I AGREE, I THINK THE MAINTENANCE WOULD BE BETTER IN OUR HANDS, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO A PARTNERSHIP ON THE LANDSCAPING AS ALWAYS, AS YOU POINTED OUT, IT'S BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
I ALSO FAVOR REMOVAL OF THE PLATFORM.
I DON'T LIKE THE AESTHETICS OF THE RAIL AND THE RAISED WALL, ALTHOUGH I'M NOT CONVINCED THAT YOU COULD DO A BETTER JOB OF MITIGATING THAT JUST BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT I'VE HEARD ABOUT THE PLATFORM OVER TIME IN THE MAINTENANCE AND THAT SORT OF THING, AND THIS HISTORY OF HOW IT GOT THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE.
DO YOU NEED A MOTION, MR. CITY MANAGER?
>> YES, PLEASE, JUST TO MEMORIALIZE THIS.
I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT GOING FORWARD, SAME THING WITH THE LANDSCAPE PARTNERSHIPS.
YOU'RE CALLING IT PARTNERSHIPS, I LOVE THAT, PARTNERSHIPS.
THEN THE REMOVAL OF THE EVENT PLATFORM MOVING FORWARD.
>> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
DOES THAT MEAN THE WALL IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN WITH YOUR MOTION?
>> NO. JUST THE PLATFORM. NO PLATFORM. GUESS WALL.
>> I JUST WANT TO KNOW BEFORE I MAKE MY VOTE. YES.
>> MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, AND WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU SOMETIME IN LATE 2025, LET'S HOPE.
IF EVERYTHING STAYS ON TRACK, I KNOW IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO KEEP THINGS ON TRACK, AND THAT GETS POINTED OUT TO ME REGULARLY AT THE NORTH FLORIDA TPO MEETINGS BY SECRETARY EVANS.
BUT WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> BE SURE TO THANK YOUR GRAPHIC ARTIST BECAUSE THAT REALLY HELPS.
>> WE'LL MAKE SURE THE PUBLIC MEETING MATERIALS, AS WELL AS I SAY EVERYTHING WILL BE PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE TO YOU ALL AND FEEL FREE TO USE IT AND SHARE IT.
IT'S THE BEST WAY TO TELL OUR STORY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU. THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS 10B REPORT ON 11 BRIDGE STREET.
[10.B. Report on 11 Bridge Street Demolition. (R. Schauland, City Building Official)]
MR. CITY MANAGER.>> MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, AND COMMISSIONS, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE RICHARD SHALIN, HE GOES BY BUDDY, HE'S THE CITY'S BUILDING OFFICIAL, HE'S GOING TO GIVE YOU A SHORT PRESENTATION.
[01:50:02]
THEN YOU CAN FOLLOW THAT WITH THE DISCUSSION, AND WE'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.>> GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS.
I'M BUDDY SHAW, THE CITY BUILDING OFFICIAL.
I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT EMERGENCY DEMOLITION PERMITS.
THE FIRST I WANT TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY ON BUILDING CODES.
BEFORE THE 1600S, THERE WERE NO BUILDING CODES.
IN 1600S CITIES SUCH AS BOSTON AND MASSACHUSETTS, CREATED BUILDING ACTS TO PREVENT CATASTROPHIC FIRES.
IN 1850S, NEW YORK INTRODUCES PLUMBING DESIGN AND PLAN REVIEW REQUIREMENTS.
IN 1866, THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY, THEY GOT TIRED OF PAYING OUT TO PAINT OUT CLAIMS FOR POOR CONSTRUCTION AND SO THEY CREATED THE NATIONAL BOARD OF FIRE UNDERWRITERS.
IN 1897, THIS BOARD PUBLISHED THE NBFU NUMBER 70, WHICH IS OUR FIRST NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE.
THEN IN 1905, THEY PUBLISHED THE BUILDING CODE RECOMMENDATION BY THE NATIONAL BOARD OF FIRE UNDERWRITERS, WHICH IS OUR FIRST BUILDING CODE, BUT AT THAT TIME WAS JUST RECOMMENDATIONS.
TODAY, WE HAVE THE FLORIDA BUILDING CODE SERIES, WHICH IS UPDATED EVERY THREE YEARS, AND WE'RE CURRENTLY ON THE 8TH EDITION, THE 2023.
IF YOU CAN BREAK DOWN WHAT BUILDING CODES ARE ALL ABOUT, IT CAN BE SUMMED UP IN FIVE WORDS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. THAT'S ALL THEY'RE ABOUT.
INSURANCE AGENTS DIDN'T WANT TO PAY OUT, BUT IT PROTECTS ALL OF US BY CONSTRUCTING TO THOSE MINIMUM STANDARDS THAT WE HAVE.
NOW THAT WE HAVE BUILDING CODES, YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT'S GOT TO ENFORCE THAT BUILDING CODE TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE CONTRACTORS AND THOSE HOMEOWNERS AND EVERYBODY THAT'S DOING WORK IS DOING TO THOSE MINIMUM CODES.
THEY CAME UP WITH BUILDING OFFICIALS AND INSPECTORS AND PLANS EXAMINERS.
IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, THAT COMES UNDERNEATH CHAPTER 468 OF THE FLORIDA STATUTES.
IN IT, IT GIVES OUR RESPONSIBILITIES.
THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT I HAVE, IT SAYS, IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE BUILDING CODE ADMINISTRATOR OR BUILDING OFFICIAL TO ADMINISTRATE IT, SUPERVISE, DIRECT, ENFORCE OR PERFORM THE PERMITTING AND INSPECTIONS OF CONSTRUCTION, ALTERATION, REPAIR, REMODELING, OR DEMOLITION OF STRUCTURES, AND THE INSTALLATION OF BUILDING SYSTEMS WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THEIR GOVERNMENTAL JURISDICTION WHEN PERMITTING IS REQUIRED TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THE FLORIDA BUILDING CODE AND ANY APPLICABLE LOCAL TECHNICAL AMENDMENT TO THE FLORIDA BUILDING CODE.
THE BUILDING CODE ADMINISTRATOR OR BUILDING OFFICIAL SHALL FAITHFULLY PERFORM THESE RESPONSIBILITIES WITHOUT INTERFERENCE FROM ANY PERSONS.
SINCE WE HAVE A WHOLE CHAPTER FOR THAT IN THE STATUTES, THEY ALSO DECIDED THAT WE NEEDED TO BE LICENSED.
WE'RE LICENSED BY DBPR UNDER THE BUILDING CODE ADMINISTRATORS AND INSPECTORS BOARD.
MINIMUM REQUIRED FOR A BUILDING OFFICIAL IS TO HAVE 10 YEARS WITHIN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY AND FIVE YEARS OF SUPERVISORY EXPERIENCE.
I ALSO HAVE TO BE CERTIFIED THROUGH THE INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL AS A CERTIFIED BUILDING OFFICIAL.
MOVING ON TO DEMOLITION PERMITS IN GENERAL.
DEMOLITION PERMIT IS GENERALLY AN OVER THE COUNTER STYLE PERMIT.
WE DON'T ISSUE THEM OVER THE COUNTER ANYMORE BECAUSE EVERYTHING'S ELECTRONIC AND GOES THROUGH THE PERMITTING PORTAL.
BUT USUALLY IF YOU WERE TO GO HOME TODAY AND YOU DECIDE YOU WANT TO BUILD TO GET A DEMOLITION PERMIT, CHANCES ARE IT WOULD BE ISSUED TO YOU THE NEXT BUSINESS DAY BY TOMORROW.
THIS HAPPENS FOR EVERYTHING EXCEPT FOR SOMETHING THAT WOULD NEED A CERTIFICATE OF DEMOLITION FROM HARB.
IN THOSE CASES, WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL WE HAVE THAT CERTIFICATE OF DEMOLITION BEFORE WE CAN ISSUE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT.
AT TIMES, THIS CAN TAKE A MINIMUM OF TWO MONTHS TO BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS WITH HARB.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE YOUR PACKET IN WITHIN 30 DAYS BEFORE THE MEETING, AND THEN IF IT GETS APPROVED ON THAT DAY, THERE'S 30 DAY APPEALS PROCESS.
THERE'S 60 DAYS AT A MINIMUM THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO WAIT, BE ABLE TO GET THEIR DEMOLITION PERMIT.
WHEN YOU GO BACK INTO HARB, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A STRUCTURAL REPORT.
AT TIMES WHEN THEY GET THOSE STRUCTURAL REPORTS FROM THOSE ENGINEERS, THERE COULD BE LIFE SAFETY ISSUES OR STRUCTURAL ISSUES THAT THAT NEED TO BE HANDLED QUICKER THAN A MINIMUM OF 60 DAYS.
IN WHICH CASE THEN THERE'S A PROCESS OF AN EMERGENCY DEMOLITION PERMIT.
WHAT GIVES THE BUILDING OFFICIAL THE AUTHORITY TO BE ABLE TO ISSUE AN EMERGENCY DEMOLITION PERMIT WITHOUT HAVING TO GO TO HARB? WELL, GENERALLY, WE GET OUR AUTHORITY FROM THE FLORIDA BUILDING CODE.
IN THE FLORIDA BUILDING CODE UNDER SECTION 116, IT HAS UNSAFE STRUCTURES AND EQUIPMENT.
BUT IF YOU NOTICE, IT SAYS RESERVED.
EVERY TIME IN THE BUILDING CODE, WHENEVER IT SAYS RESERVED, IT MEANS THAT FLORIDA BUILDING COMMISSION WANTS YOU TO GO SOMEPLACE ELSE TO GET IT.
EITHER YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO TO REFERENCE STANDARD OR YOU HAVE TO GO TO SOMETHING ELSE.
[01:55:01]
IN THIS CASE, YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE CITY ORDINANCES.UNDER CITY ORDINANCE 8-301 IS OUR PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE, WHICH IT STATES THE 2018 INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE PUBLISHED BY THE INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL, AND ALL SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENTS AND REVISIONS IS ADOPTED AND INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE AS THE PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE FOR THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE.
CURRENTLY, WE ARE USING THE 2021 INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE.
IN JANUARY 1ST OF 2025, WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE 2024 THAT HAS BEEN PUBLISHED ALREADY.
WE USUALLY DO IT THE YEAR AFTER.
WITHIN THE INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE UNDER SECTION 113.1, IT STATES THAT THE CODE OFFICIAL SHALL ORDER THE OWNER OF ANY PREMISES UPON WHICH IS LOCATED A STRUCTURE, WHICH IN THE CODE OFFICIALS JUDGMENT AFTER REVIEW IS SO DETERIORATED OR DILAPIDATED OR HAS BECOME SO OUT OF REPAIR AS TO BE DANGEROUS, UNSAFE, UNSANITARY, OR OTHERWISE UNFIT FOR HUMAN HABITATION OR OCCUPANCY, AND SUCH THAT IT IS UNREASONABLE TO REPAIR THE STRUCTURE TO DEMOLISH AND REMOVE SUCH STRUCTURE.
THIS IS WHERE THE BUILDING OFFICIAL GETS THE AUTHORITY TO BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
IT HAS TO BE SOMETHING THAT WILL BE DANGEROUS AND UNSAFE.
THE PROCESS FOR THAT WILL BE A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER REPORT, AND IT'LL GET TURNED INTO ME AND I'LL READ IT AND TRY AND SEE WHAT IT SAYS.
THEN I WILL GO AND DO A SITE VISIT.
MANY TIMES IS WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER AND OR THE ENGINEER, NOT ALL THE TIME BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES I CAN SEE IT FROM THE OUTSIDE, IN THE CASE OF 11 BRIDGE STREET, IT WAS DANGEROUS TO GO INSIDE.
AT TIMES, THERE HAD BEEN ONE TIME REALLY THAT WE HAD A CONTRACTOR ENGINEER THAT CITY CONTRACTED TO DO AN ANALYSIS FOR US BECAUSE THE STRUCTURAL ENGINEER REPORT THAT I RECEIVED, THE ENGINEER DIDN'T WANT TO GO INSIDE THE BUILDING, AND IT WAS JUST A LOT OF INNUENDOS AS TO WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT.
I NEEDED SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE CONCRETE.
THERE HAVE BEEN REQUESTS THAT HAVE BEEN DENIED BY ME.
IN YOUR MEMO FOR THIS MEETING, I HAD A MISTAKE IN THERE.
I SAID THAT THERE WAS FIVE OF THEM THAT I'VE APPROVED.
I FORGOT ABOUT 132 ML KING AND 83 STREET WHO WERE BOTH DAMAGED BY FIRE DAMAGE.
THERE ARE SEVEN ALTOGETHER THAT I'VE APPROVED, THREE OF THEM BEING FROM FIRE DAMAGE.
THE OTHER FOUR WAS FROM STRUCTURAL DAMAGE AND 63 HYPOLITA STREET ACTUALLY HAD A CERTIFICATE OF DEMOLITION ISSUED BY HARB.
BUT WE COULDN'T ISSUE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT UNTIL THEY HAD A BUILDING PERMIT FOR WHAT WAS GOING TO BE REPLACING IT.
BUT THE STRUCTURE WAS TOO BAD TO BE ABLE TO LET IT SIT THERE.
IN ACTUALITY, THERE WAS ONLY THREE THAT DID NOT GET HEARD BY HARB, AND THAT'S IN THE 8.5 TO ALMOST NINE YEARS THAT I'VE WORKED FOR THE CITY.
THE LAST ONE WAS 11 BRIDGE STREET, WHICH IS WHAT EVERYBODY WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT.
ELEVEN BRIDGE STREET HAS A STRUCTURAL INSPECTION REPORT THAT WAS DATED IN FEBRUARY 2ND OF 2022, AND THEN THE ADDENDUM THAT WAS DONE MARCH 29TH OF 2024.
ON APRIL 5TH OF 2024, I ISSUED AN APPROVAL LETTER FOR AN EMERGENCY DEMOLITION PERMIT.
I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE AREAS THAT WERE IN THE REPORTS.
AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE PICTURES, THESE PIERS WERE REPLACEMENT PIERS OR THEY WERE ADDED PIERS, BUT THEY WERE NOT DONE IN ANY CONSTRUCTION STANDARD THAT'S BEEN AROUND FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS.
THERE'S NO MORTAR IN IT, THERE'S NO GROUT IN IT.
THOSE THINGS CAN JUST FALL OVER REAL EASILY.
IF ANYTHING WAS TO HAPPEN IN THIS HOUSE SHIFTS A BIT, THEN THEY WOULD FALL OVER AND YOU CAN TELL BY THE ONE ON THE LEFT THAT HAS ALREADY STARTED LEANING.
THE ORIGINAL COQUINA PIERS, I WANT TO READ STRAIGHT WHAT THE REPORT SAID.
THE ORIGINAL COQUINA PIERS HAS SEVERE SECTION LOSS LIKELY DUE TO CONTINUOUS EXPOSURE TO FLOODS AND TIDAL FLOW.
THE SECTION LOSS OF THE PIERS REDUCES THE COMPRESSIVE CAPACITY AND CAN LEAD TO FAILURE.
A FAILURE TO APPEAR WOULD LIKELY LEAD TO A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE STRUCTURE.
IF SOME OF THOSE STARTED TO FAIL, THEN THE ONES THAT WERE NOT DONE CORRECTLY WOULD AUTOMATICALLY FAIL.
COULD YOU HAVE THE EXPOSED BEAMS AND LOAD BEARING WALLS THAT WERE DETERIORATED FROM MOISTURE AND WOOD DESTROYING ORGANISMS? STRUCTURAL FLOORS JOISTS HAD SIGNS OF ROT AND MOISTURE.
THAT ALL CAME OUT OF THE 2022 REPORT.
THE 2024 REPORT, THE ENGINEER STATED THE COQUINA PIERS IN PARTICULAR, HAVE SUFFERED ADDITIONAL SECTION LOSS IN THE LAST TWO YEARS IN OUR EXTREME RISK OF CATASTROPHIC FAILURE DUE TO SEVERE DETERIORATION OF THE PIERS SUPPORTING THE ENTIRE STRUCTURE.
[02:00:02]
HE STATED THAT IT'S GOTTEN WORSE IN THE TWO YEARS SINCE THE LAST TIME HE WAS THERE.IS A CONCLUSION, BASED ON THE PREVIOUS REPORT, IT HAS BEEN CONCLUDED THAT THE CURRENT STATE OF THE STRUCTURE IS AT A HIGH RISK OF COLLAPSE.
IF IT EXPERIENCES GRAVITY LOADS BELOW THE CODE REQUIREMENTS, EVEN WITH THE PRESENCE OF A SINGLE WORKER OR OCCUPANT STEPPING IN THE WRONG LOCATION.
I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A FIRM BELIEVER THAT YOU CAN FIX ALMOST ANYTHING, AND YOU COULD GO IN AND FIX THIS HOUSE, BUT THE STRUCTURAL ENGINEER IS SAYING THAT THE HOUSE COULD COLLAPSE JUST BY ONE WORKER GOING IN THERE TO TRY TO FIX IT.
IF THAT WAS THE COLLAPSE, IT COULD KILL THAT WORKER THAT WAS IN THERE OR ANYBODY ELSE THAT WAS IN THERE.
BECAUSE OF THIS, I HAD TO ISSUE THE LETTER GIVING APPROVAL FOR THE EMERGENCY DEMOLITION PERMIT.
WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
>> WELL, I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THE DANGER OF COLLAPSE.
I KNOW THAT THE PROPERTY ON HYPOLITA STREET IT WAS THE SAME SCENARIO WHERE YOU COULD NOT EVEN GO IN THE BUILDING TO ASSESS IT.
WE HAD NUMEROUS PEOPLE COME AND CONSULT WITH US.
LIKE SERIOUSLY WITHIN 24 HOURS HAD TO COME DOWN IMMEDIATELY HOUSE.
>> I DO UNDERSTAND THE IDEA OF NOT BEING ABLE TO EVEN SEND ANYONE IN AND TO ASSESS THAT, UNFORTUNATELY.
THAT IS IN A VERY UNFORTUNATE CIRCUMSTANCE BECAUSE YOU CAN NEVER TRULY CONCLUDE THE DETAILS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AS FAR AS TO PROVE THE NEED FOR A DEMOLITION, EMERGENCY DEMOLITION.
I DO HAVE A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS AND MOST OF THEM ARE QUESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN POSED TO US BY THE COMMUNITY.
COMMISSIONERS, IF YOU'D LIKE ME TO GO AHEAD, I CAN DO THAT.
WERE THERE ARCHITECTURAL DETAILS, WERE THERE ANY SALVAGE MATERIALS ABLE, WERE THEY WERE ABLE TO SALVAGE ANY OF THE MATERIALS THAT WE WOULD HAVE LIKED TO SEE SALVAGED ON THE BUILDING?
>> I HADN'T BEEN TOLD THAT THEY HAVE.
>> YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TOLD THEY HAVE?
>> THEY HAVE SO WE DO NOT KNOW IF ANY SALVAGE MATERIAL, WAS THAT A REQUIREMENT OF THE DEMOLITION PERMIT OR?
>> IT STATED IN THERE IF POSSIBLE.
>> THE TERMINOLOGY WAS, IF POSSIBLE.
I UNDERSTAND THERE'S ASBESTOS, WHERE WAS THE DEMOLITION OF WET DEMOLITION OR HOW DID THEY MITIGATE THE ASBESTOS DURING THE DEMOLITION?
>> ALL DEMOLITIONS, THEY GOT TO HAVE WATER ON SITE, AND THEY'VE GOT TO BE SPRAYING IT DOWN BECAUSE WHETHER IT'S ASBESTOS OR NOT, DUST DOES GET INTO THE AIR.
BUT SPECIFICALLY WITH ASBESTOS, YES, THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.
WHETHER THEY DID IT OR NOT, I HAVE NO IDEA, THEY DID IT ON A SATURDAY WHEN I WASN'T AT WORK, AND I WAS ACTUALLY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STATE AT THE TIME.
>> MY CONCERN IS DEFINITELY WITH THE SAFETY OF THE BUILDING, JUST AS YOUR SAME CONCERN YOU HAVE.
WHAT WAS THE STATUS OF THE TENANT ON THE PROPERTY? I UNDERSTAND THERE WAS THE TENANT ON THE STRUCTURE THAT STILL REMAINS ON THE PROPERTY? WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THE TENANT?
>> THAT I DON'T KNOW. THERE WAS SOMEBODY THAT WAS LIVING IN THE GARAGE APARTMENT FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S HOW TRUE IT IS.
IT WAS THE PREVIOUS OWNER'S CHILD.
ABOUT CHILD, I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THEY WERE NOT IN THERE AT THE TIME.
>> WELL, MY QUESTION IS WHAT STEPS DID WE TAKE TO SECURE THE SAFETY OF THAT INDIVIDUAL DURING THIS EMERGENCY DEMOLITION OR THIS PERIOD OF VULNERABILITY OR THREATENED ENDANGERED BUILDING? DID WE DO ANYTHING TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THAT INDIVIDUAL?
>> I DIDN'T KNOW ANYBODY WAS LIVING IN THERE UNTIL AFTER THE FACT. I DIDN'T.
>> WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER THE PROPERTY OWNER DID ANYTHING TO SECURE THE SAFETY OF THAT INDIVIDUAL.
THAT'S A DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR THEM.
I'D LIKE TO SEE US MOVING FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE FOLLOW THROUGH AND DON'T LET THAT HAPPEN.
YOU DID PERSONALLY EXPECT THE HOUSE?
>> YES, MA'AM. FROM THE OUTSIDE.
WHY DID WE NOT SEEK A SECOND OPINION ON THE ENGINEERING REPORT?
>> WE DON'T ALWAYS SEEK A SECOND OPINION.
IF I CAN GO THERE AND I CAN DETERMINE THAT WHAT THEY'RE PRODUCING ON THE REPORT IS WHAT IS ACTUALLY THERE.
AND WITH MY EXPERIENCE WITH CONSTRUCTION, I RELY ON THAT.
IF I WAS NOT ABLE TO TELL, LIKE I SAID, IN THE ONE REPORT THAT THEY DIDN'T GIVE ENOUGH INFORMATION FOR THAT,
[02:05:02]
THEN WE WOULD ASK FOR ANOTHER ONE.IF I WOULD HAVE GOT AN ENGINEER ON THIS ONE, THEY WOULD HAVE FOUND THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT WERE WITH THIS ONE.
THE OUTCOME MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN THE SAME WITH WHAT THEY THOUGHT, BUT THEY WOULD HAVE SAW THE SAME THINGS THAT WERE GOING ON, THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THE STRUCTURE.
>> WAS THERE INVOLVEMENT OF A CITY OF OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLANNER AND WAS THERE INVOLVEMENT OF OUR ARCHAEOLOGISTS?
>> YES. THERE WAS DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN MYSELF AND MISS COURTNEY THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PROCESS, AND DR WHITE DID GO OUT AND DO A PERIMETER LOOK BEFORE THE PERMIT WAS ISSUED.
>> SORRY, I'M JUST LOOKING THROUGH THESE MANY, MANY, MANY QUESTIONS THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS POSED.
>> PROBABLY THE KEY QUESTION FOR ME WOULD BE, WHAT IS OUR AFFIRMATIVE MAINTENANCE PROVISION IN THE CODE? YOU MENTIONED THAT IT IS IN THE 20 WE'RE USING DID YOU SAY THE 2021 VERSION OF THE INTERNATIONAL PRANT PROPERTY MAINTENANCE.
I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN ANY COMMENTS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE ABOUT WHAT MIGHT MAKE OUR ORDINANCE SPECIFICALLY STRONGER MOVING FORWARD.
>> ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THE INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODES, WE HAVE TO SEE IT FROM THE PUBLIC WAY.
UNLESS WE GET INVITED INTO THE HOUSE OR INTO WHATEVER THAT STRUCTURE IS, WE CAN'T SEE WHERE A LOT OF THE PROBLEMS ARE.
IN THIS HOUSE, LOOK AT SEEING IT FROM THE STREET, IT WAS HARD TO YOU COULDN'T SEE ALL THE ISSUES THAT WERE HAPPENING WITH THIS HOUSE.
WE DO USE THE INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE A LOT AND MAJORITY OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS DO COME INTO COMPLIANCE AND SO WE NEVER END UP WITH AN ISSUE LIKE THIS.
BUT THEN AGAIN, WE CAN ONLY SEE WHAT WE CAN SEE.
>> VERY GOOD. COMMISSIONERS, YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS COMMISSIONERS QUESTIONS? I'M SURE YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.
>> I'LL START. I JUST FIND IT STRANGE THAT THEY PUT IN FOR A ZONING CHANGE A COUPLE OF YEARS BEFORE TO GET A AIR B AND B AND EVERYTHING WAS OKAY THEN.
NOW WE DON'T HAVE A BUILDING ANYMORE BECAUSE IT WAS DEMOLISHED.
I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND YOUR PRESENTATION.
ONE THING I WOULD SUGGEST IS THAT THEY NOTIFY IF THERE IS THIS THING HAPPENING, THEY COULD HAVE NOTIFIED YOU THAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO IT ON SATURDAY MORNING AT THIS TIME.
SOMEBODY SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE TO SPRAY IT DOWN, TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS SAFE.
I MEAN, WHO DOES THAT? I MEAN, WHY DO THEY DO IT AND NOT NOTIFY US THAT IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN?
>> WE CAN PUT THINGS IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN?
>> YES. I THINK THAT WOULD BE GOOD.
>> WELL, WHEN THIS HAPPENED, DID THEY BLOCK STREETS?
>> THEY HAD TO GET A RIGHT AWAY PERMIT. YES, THEY DID.
>> WE HAD THE POLICE INVOLVED THERE BLOCKING STREETS OR SOMETHING.
SOME CITY STAFF WERE ON SITE AT THE TIME BLOCK STREETS?
>> I DON'T KNOW IF THIS REQUIRED MAINTENANCE OF TRAFFIC, WHICH WOULD BE SOMEONE ON SITE OR NOT.
WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT THE RIGHT OF WAY PERMIT TO SEE WHAT WAS ISSUED.
AGAIN, MOVING FORWARD, WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THESE DEMOLITIONS OCCUR DURING BUSINESS HOURS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE STAFF ON SITE TO ENSURE THAT MAINTENANCE OF TRAFFIC IS DONE PROPERLY.
WE DEMOLITION IS DONE PROPERLY, AND EVACUATION OF NEIGHBORING PROPERTY OWNERS, IF NECESSARY, WILL BE DONE. THOSE ARE GOOD CATCHES.
>> MRS. GARRIS, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING?
>> YEAH. OF COURSE, WE ALL GOT NUMEROUS EMAILS, BUT I THINK THE ONE THAT STOOD OUT THE MOST TO ME IS LESLIE KEYES, GOING STEP BY STEP ABOUT THE WHOLE PROCESS OF THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY.
SHE TOOK THE TIME TO GET ALL THE REPORTS AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY WENT TO THE COUNTY TO GET THIS AND BUT THAT NEVER HAPPENED.
ALSO, THAT THIS WAS DONE ON A WEEKEND.
THERE'S NO CITY STAFF THAT NORMALLY WORKS ON WEEKENDS.
LOOKING AT THE DEMOLITION THAT MISS MELINDA RICANS BROUGHT IN
[02:10:03]
SHOWS THAT THERE WASN'T EVEN AN ATTEMPT TO SAVAGE ANYTHING BECAUSE IT WAS JUST A PILE OF RUBBLE BASED ON THOSE PICTURES.WITH THIS HOUSE BECAUSE THE NEWS SAID THAT THIS HOUSE WAS BUILT IN THE 1800S, I THINK THAT HARB NOT BEING INVOLVED NOT GETTING A SECOND OPINION FOR A HOUSE OF THAT STATUTE IN 2024, THAT IT WAS PERMITTED TO BE CHANGED COS AND THE HOUSE WAS STABLE THEN.
IT JUST SEEMS RIDICULOUS TO ME THAT THAT HOUSE WAS DEMOED.
I DO APPRECIATE YOU GOING THERE AND I DO APPRECIATE THE BLOCKS BEING SHOWN THAT SHOWED THERE COULD BE SOME POTENTIAL SHIFTING.
BUT WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND IS WHY THERE WASN'T SOME SAFETY MEASURE TO GO INSIDE THE HOUSE TO SUPPORT WHAT WE SAW OUTSIDE OF THE HOUSE BECAUSE THE HOUSE COULD LOOK ONE WAY FROM THE OUTSIDE, BUT BE PERFECTLY FINE ON THE INSIDE AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T KNOW.
HOW IT LOOKED ON THE INSIDE BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY FACTOR.
THESE ARE LEGITIMATE CONCERNS AND AS FAR AS ME BEING ON THE COMMISSION, I WAS APPROACHED ABOUT WHY DID THE HOUSE 11 BRIDGE STREET, AND I'M LIKE, I DON'T KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THAT.
IT GIVES THE COMMISSION TO ME A BLACK EYE THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS AND WE'RE GETTING BOMBARDED WITH E MAILS AFTER THE FACT.
WE CAN'T BRING THE HOUSE BACK, OF COURSE, BUT WE CAN MAKE SURE THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN.
THAT'S MY CONCERN THAT WE NEED TO TAKE THE APPROPRIATE STEPS TO GET A SECOND OPINION SO THAT THE COMMISSION AND THE CITY IS PROTECTED, AND MORE SO IMPORTANTLY, THAT THE CITY STRUCTURES THAT ARE LANDMARKS AREN'T DESTROYED BECAUSE SOME GREEDY DEVELOPER WANTS TO CHANGE THE COURSE OF THAT PROPERTY.
>> REPLACE IN OTHER WORDS, ANY REPLACEMENT STRUCTURE WILL GO THROUGH THE HARB GUIDELINES. YES.
>> IN 15 SECONDS OR SO, IF YOU HAD THE GOLDEN PEN AND IT WAS OF JANUARY OF 19, HOW COULD WE HAVE PREVENTED THIS? THE GOLDEN PEN WRITES NEW ORDINANCES AND IS UNLIMITED IN MONEY.
>> AT THAT POINT. I KNOW THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
ONE THAT I'D REALLY HAVE TO THINK ABOUT BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WE'RE LIMITED, WE CAN'T GO INSIDE.
CODE INSPECTORS CAN'T GO INSIDE UNLESS IT INVITED, AND YOU CAN'T SEE A LOT OF THE STUFF.
I HAVEN'T COME UP WITH A WAY TO DO THAT YET.
>> I THINK THAT WAS A GOOD FAIR QUESTION, AND I THINK THAT IS THIS DOESN'T HAVE TO END TONIGHT.
I MEAN, THAT ANSWER CAN COME AND IT'S NOT GOING TO COME IN 1, 15 SECONDS DEFINITELY.
BUT I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO THERE BECAUSE IT'S GIVING US AN OPPORTUNITY TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WOULD WE HAVE DONE DIFFERENT? THAT'S THE IMPORTANT LESSON FOR US.
WE WANT TO ENSURE EVERY SINGLE TIME THIS HAPPENS.
IT'S SO UNFORTUNATE WHEN THIS THING HAPPENS.
EMERGENCY DEMOLITIONS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES ARE NEVER GOOD.
WHAT MY CONCERN NOW IS, WE HAVE TO LIVE UP TO OUR COMMUNITY'S EXPECTATIONS OF WHAT GOOD STEWARDSHIP IS OF HISTORIC STRUCTURES AND RESOURCES.
IT'S OUR JOB TO COME IN AND FIND WHAT HAPPENED, WHAT WENT WRONG, AND THEN WHAT COULD WE DO NEXT.
WHAT I WANT TO DO IS I'VE HAD A GOOD DISCUSSION WITH THE CITY MANAGER ABOUT THIS, AND WE HAVE A PERFECTLY GOOD HISTORIC PRESERVATION MASTER PLAN AND THERE'S AN ENTIRE SECTION ON WHAT TO DO TO I DON'T WANT TO CALL IT DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT BECAUSE I THINK THE BETTER TERM FOR IT IS AFFIRMATIVE MAINTENANCE, HOW TO GET PEOPLE TO MAINTAIN PROPERTIES, BUT ALSO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE SUGGESTED IN HERE ARE VERY VERY TO THE POINT OF WHAT WE SAW HAPPEN.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS I'D LIKE TO SEND.
>> I CAN SPEAK TO THAT FOR YOU.
>> WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO THAT BECAUSE I THINK MAYBE YOU CAN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION ON WHERE WE GO FROM HERE USING THAT.
>> LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW TO TRY TO MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF HISTORIC STRUCTURES.
IN LINCOLNVILLE, WE HAVE A FIX IT UP PROGRAM WHERE INCOME QUALIFIED HOMEOWNERS CAN GET A GRANT TO FIX UP THEIR HOMES AND THESE ARE THE FOLKS THAT HAVE THE LEAST AMOUNT OF RESOURCES.
[02:15:01]
WOULD BE MOST VULNERABLE IF WE WERE TO TAKE THEM TO CODE ENFORCEMENT FOR PROPERTY MAINTENANCE.THE CITY THROUGH THE CRA IS GIVING GRANTS TO THESE FOLKS TO FIX UP THEIR HOMES THAT GIVES AN EXTENDED LIFESPAN TO THE STRUCTURE, AND IT ALLOWS THE RESIDENTS TO AGE IN PLACE AND LIVE IN THEIR HOMES.
THAT PROGRAM IS SHORTLY GOING TO BE YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT SAME PROGRAM IN THE WEST CITY CRA PLAN.
THERE IS A PROGRAM FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES TO RECEIVE CITY GRANTS. THAT'S POSITIVE.
WE ALSO HAVE AN HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION PROGRAM SO THAT ANYONE CITYWIDE WANTS TO INVEST IN THEIR PROPERTY TO MAINTAIN THEIR PROPERTY, THEY CAN GET A TAX ABATEMENT FOR THE INCREASED ASSESSMENT FOR THOSE IMPROVEMENTS FOR 10 YEARS.
IT'S TAX FREE FOR 10 YEARS, NOT JUST THE CITY'S OVERALL, BUT ALSO THE COUNTY'S OVERALL. THAT'S POSITIVE.
THAT'S A WAY FOR THE COMMUNITY, WHICH WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW TO TRY TO PRESERVE HISTORIC STRUCTURES.
THE MASTER PLAN ALSO GOES FURTHER TO TALK ABOUT CONSIDERING MORE FLEXIBLE USES FOR HISTORIC PROPERTIES.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT IN THE CONTEXT OF 11 BRIDGE STREET.
YOU MENTIONED THAT THE PROPERTY OWNER WANTED TO REZONE THAT PROPERTY TO USE IT AS A BED AND BREAKFAST.
THE PLANNING BOARD DID NOT MAKE A POSITIVE RECOMMENDATION.
SOME PEOPLE THINK THAT THAT WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE DEMOLITION.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS OR NOT.
BUT THE MASTER PLAN SAYS THE CITY SHOULD CONSIDER ALLOWING MORE FLEXIBLE USES FOR HISTORIC PROPERTIES SO THAT THAT ADAPTIVE REUSE IS A INCENTIVE TO MAINTAIN HISTORIC PROPERTIES. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?
>> IT ALSO TALKS ABOUT LET'S SEE., A MITIGATION BANK.
I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS LEGAL AND THIS IS FOR YOUR ATTORNEYS TO DETERMINE, BUT IT'S A PENALTY THAT SOMEONE WOULD PAY IF THEY DEMOLISHED A HISTORIC STRUCTURE THAT FUND THAT PENALTY THAT WOULD BE IMPOSED ON THAT PROPERTY OWNER WOULD GO INTO A MITIGATION BANK TO FUND FUTURE GRANTS OR RENOVATIONS TO HISTORIC PROPERTIES.
WE HAVE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT A PURE HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND THAT THE MAYOR INTENDS TO BRING UP DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS TO DO EXACTLY THE SAME THING, WHICH IS TO PROVIDE MONEY FOR THE RELOCATION OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES OR THE RENOVATION OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES.
THAT DIRECT FUNDING MECHANISM IS ALSO BEING CONSIDERED AND YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT THAT LATER DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS.
THROUGH THIS DIALOGUE WITH THE COMMUNITY ABOUT 11 BRIDGE STREET, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WHY DIDN'T WE GO AFTER THE PROPERTY OWNER FOR LACK OF MAINTENANCE? LET'S HAVE A CANDID CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT.
IF OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS OR THE BUILDING OFFICIAL SAW THAT THERE WAS A VIOLATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE ON THAT PROPERTY AND THEY THEN OPENED UP A CODE ENFORCEMENT CASE AGAINST THAT PROPERTY OWNER AND TOOK THAT PROPERTY OWNER TO THE SPECIAL MAGISTRATE, AND THE SPECIAL MAGISTRATE FOUND THEM GUILTY AND WOULD GIVE THEM A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME TO FIX UP THAT PROPERTY OR THEY WOULD BE FACING AN UP TO $250 A DAY FINE.
THAT'S HOW WE WOULD APPROACH A CODE ENFORCEMENT ACTION RELATED TO THE PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE.
THAT PROPERTY OWNER WOULD THEN BE FORCED TO MAKE THE DECISION TO SPEND A LOT OF MONEY, LET'S SAY IN 11 BRIDGE STREET, $1,000,000 TO RECONSTRUCT THAT STRUCTURE.
WHILE DOING THAT, ALSO FACE A $250 A DAY FINE.
THEN AFTER THE RECONSTRUCTION WAS COMPLETE WITH REVIEW BY HARB, THEN GO BACK TO THE SPECIAL MAGISTRATE AND ASK FOR FORGIVENESS OF THAT LIEN, AND IF IT WAS ALREADY RECORDED, ASK FOR FORGIVENESS OF THAT LIEN FROM THE CITY COMMISSION, BE WITH ME.
IT'S TIME CONSUMING AND THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THAT THEY WOULD GET THAT LIEN FORGIVEN.
STATE LAW CAPS HOW MUCH THE CITY CAN FIND SOMEONE FOR AN IRREVOCABLE CODE ENFORCEMENT VIOLATION OF $5,000.
NOW, THAT PROPERTY OWNER SAYING,
[02:20:02]
THE CITY IS GOING TO FIND ME $250 A DAY.I'M GOING TO SPEND A FORTUNE RESTORING THIS BUILDING, AND IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THEY'LL STILL HAVE A LIEN ON IT.
I CAN GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS OR I CAN TAKE THE BUILDING DOWN WITHOUT A PERMIT, GO BACK TO THE SPECIAL MAGISTRATE, AND THE ONLY THING THE CITY CAN DO IS FIND ME $5,000.
WE CAN'T FIND OURSELF OUT OF THIS PROBLEM.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR TO EVERYONE.
WE'RE IN IT, WE PREFER THE INCENTIVE ROUTE RATHER THAN THE PUNISHMENT ROUTE.
BE THE PUNISHMENT ROUTE IS NOT CONTROLLED BY US, IT'S CONTROLLED BY TALLAHASSE.
HOW CAN WE PROVIDE MORE INCENTIVES? WE CAN DO SO THROUGH THE FIX IT UP PROGRAM, THROUGH TAX ABATEMENTS, THROUGH DIRECT GRANTS, WE'VE EVEN GONE INTO PROPERTIES THAT ARE THAT NEED REPAIR, AND THE CITY HAS REPAIRED THEM AND LEANED THE PROPERTY FOR THAT.
THAT'S ALSO THROUGH A CODE ENFORCEMENT PROCESS.
WE RECOVER THOSE LIENS WHEN THE PROPERTY IS SOLD.
WE HAVE TAKEN DIRECT ACTION TO STABILIZE HISTORIC PROPERTIES WHEN THERE'S OPEN TO TRESPASS.
IN ONE CASE ON SPRING STREET, WE HAD HOMELESS PEOPLE IN THE PROPERTY.
WE RECOGNIZED THAT THE PROPERTY WAS IMPORTANT HISTORICALLY, SO WE TOOK THE INITIATIVE AND STABILIZED THAT PROPERTY AND LINED.
THE CITY COMMISSION ALWAYS HAS WHAT I'LL CALL THE ULTIMATE OPTION.
IF SOMEONE FILES FOR AN EMERGENCY DEMOLITION, THEN THE CITY COMMISSION CAN, THROUGH YOUR AUTHORITY, EITHER PURCHASE THE PROPERTY THROUGH AN ARM'S LENGTH TRANSACTION AND USE PUBLIC RESOURCES TO RESTORE IT OR EXERCISE ITS POWER OF EMINENT DOMAIN TO SEIZE THAT PROPERTY AND USE PUBLIC RESOURCES TO RESTORE IT FOR PUBLIC USE.
THAT'S A LAWSUIT ESSENTIALLY, AND YOUR ATTORNEY CAN TELL YOU WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
BUT THROUGHOUT THAT PROCESS, WE STILL HAVE AN ENGINEERING REPORT THAT SAYS THE PROPERTY IS IN DANGER OF IMMINENT COLLAPSE.
IF AT ANY TIME, THAT PROPERTY COLLAPSES ON THE STREET, WERE ON THE PROPERTY NEXT DOOR, THE CITY WOULD BE LIABLE.
THAT'S THE JEOPARDY WE WOULD BE IN IF WE CHOSE THAT ROUTE.
WE DON'T HAVE GOOD ANSWERS TO THIS.
WE'RE TRYING TO INCENTIVIZE THE RESTORATION OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES, BUT WE CAN'T JUST USE CODE ENFORCEMENT TO FORCE PEOPLE INTO COMPLIANCE.
>> WELL, THANK YOU. I THINK THAT SUMMARIZES, IT'S DEPRESSING, AND WE WOULD LIKE IT TO BE DIFFERENT, BUT WE HAVE A NUMBER OF CHALLENGES.
DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER SUGGESTION?
>> NO. I JUST HAD ONE MORE COMMENT.
WHEN WE GET REPORTS, LIKE THEY SAID, THERE WAS A FIRE IN THE BUILDING THAT WAS ON THE REPORT?
>> THE FIRE WAS AN OUTLET THAT OVERHEATED BECAUSE OF AN AIR CONDITIONER.
WE'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO VERIFY THESE REPORTS.
>> I WAS IN THE BUILDING AND DID SEE THE DAMAGE FROM THE FIRE, AND IT WAS IN THE KITCHEN, AND IT WAS MORE THAN JUST AN OUTLET FIRE.
I DON'T HAVE PHOTOGRAPHS OF IT, BUT IT WAS A SCORCHED EARTH, BLACK, ONE OF THE WALLS WAS CHARRED, AND THE PROPERTY OWNER PAT DUBOIS DID SHOW ME THIS IS WHERE THE FIRE HAPPENED.
EVEN AT THAT TIME, SHE SAID IT'S TOO DANGEROUS TO GO UPSTAIRS.
THIS IS PROBABLY 2017 OR SO, I DON'T KNOW, 2018.
>> THIS IS A REALLY TOUGH PROBLEM.
I KNOW, BUT THANK YOU, DAVID, FOR ALL YOUR RESEARCH AND THANK YOU, BIRDIE FOR YOUR WORK, BUT WE'VE GOT TO STAY ON THIS AND FIGURE OUT A WAY.
>> LIKE I SAID, I'M SUGGESTING THAT WE GO BACK.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEND THIS SECTION BACK TO HARB AND TO STAFF TO WORK THROUGH AND SEE IF THERE ARE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THEY CAN MAKE TO BEEF UP THE CODE THAT WE HAVE, THAT'S AWFULLY THIN.
IT JUST REFERS RIGHT TO THE 2018, THE STATE CODE.
I'D LIKE TO SEE A LIST RIGHT NOW OF STRUCTURES THAT ARE IN IMMINENT DANGER OR THREATENED OR POTENTIALLY COULD ENDANGER LIFE OR OTHER PROPERTY.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THOSE STRUCTURES ARE,
[02:25:01]
AND I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT WE COULD DO TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD.I KNOW OF TWO OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE STAFF GO AT IT.
>> WE USED TO DO CONDITION ASSESSMENT REPORTS FOR EVERY STRUCTURE INSIDE THE CITY EVERY FEW YEARS AS PART OF OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
I'D HAVE TO TALK TO AMY ABOUT WHERE WE'RE AT INTO THE NEXT CYCLE OF THAT, BUT THIS DIALOGUE WE'RE HAVING TODAY, IF THERE'S ANY BENEFIT TO IT, IT DOES CALL INTO QUESTION, WHAT OTHER STRUCTURES ARE SIMILARLY THREATENED.
I'VE ALREADY TALKED TO JULIE ABOUT TAKING A LOOK AT BUILDINGS INSIDE THE CITY THAT WOULD ALSO BE THREATENED BECAUSE OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE, AND MAYBE WE CAN IDENTIFY THOSE NOW AND AT LEAST PAY ATTENTION TO THEM AND CONTACT THE PROPERTY OWNERS.
MY LAST COMMENT, THE HANDCUFF THAT WE HAVE ON OURSELVES BECAUSE OF THE STATE'S LIMITATION TO HOW MUCH WE CAN FIND PEOPLE, THE CITY ATTORNEY DRAFTED LEGISLATION THAT WENT THROUGH THE STATE LEGISLATURE, THIS LAST CYCLE, THEY WOULD INCREASE THE PENALTIES OF THAT VERY SIGNIFICANTLY.
IT DID GET THROUGH COMMITTEES BUT NEVER GOT FAR ENOUGH TO GET TO THE GOVERNOR'S DESK.
WE INTEND TO MAKE ANOTHER RUN AT THAT AT THE NEXT SESSION.
>> THAT IS SOMETHING WE TRIED AND THIS LAST SESSION, WE COULDN'T GET IT THROUGH TO THE FINISH LINE.
WE'LL TRY AGAIN WITH NEW REPRESENTATION.
ALL THE ACTIVISTS THAT ARE HERE TONIGHT THAT ARE INTERESTED IN THIS ISSUE AND THAT ARE WATCHING TONIGHT, I HOPE THAT THEY'LL SUPPORT OUR EFFORT IN PUSHING THIS BILL THROUGH BECAUSE IT REALLY IS A WEAK LINK FOR US WHEN IT COMES TO ANY ENFORCEMENT.
$5,000 JUST DOESN'T MAKE IT, BUT UNFORTUNATELY IT'S GOING TO TAKE AN ACT OF THE LEGISLATURE TO CHANGE THAT.
I COMMEND OUR CITY ATTORNEY FOR CATCHING THAT AND WRITING THAT BILL FOR US AND PUSHING IT THROUGH, SO WE'LL BE WORKING ON THAT AGAIN.
>> A QUESTION OF CLARIFICATION.
IN THAT ORDINANCE, DOES IT SAY $5,000 PER STRUCTURE?
>> [OVERLAPPING] THE ENTIRE PROPERTY, THE LAND INCLUDED.
>> THAT CAN'T BE MODIFIED AND STILL COMPLY WITH THE STATE BY HAVING IT BE EVERY VIOLATION OF CODE? THE REGULATIONS CALL FOR CERTAIN PIERS UNDER THE HOUSE.
THIS HOUSE HAD MULTIPLE PIERS.
IT SEEMS LIKE THERE COULD BE A $5,000 FINE FOR EVERY PIER IF WE WRITE THE ORDINANCE CORRECT.
THEN YOU HAVE 15 PIERS OUT OF VIOLATION.
YOU HAVE FIVE OR SIX WALLS WITH TERMITE DAMAGE.
YOU HAVE FLOORS THAT ARE INAPPROPRIATE.
YOU HAVE WIRING THAT'S INAPPROPRIATE, AND THEY ALL ADD UP $5,000 AND NOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT $150,000 FINE PER TOTAL.
>> THAT IS CORRECT, BUT IF THE PROPERTY OWNER TOOK THE BUILDING DOWN WITHOUT A PERMIT, THEN THE VIOLATION THERE WOULD BE A SINGLE VIOLATION OF DEMOLITION WITHOUT A PERMIT.
IT WOULDN'T BE A MULTIPLE VIOLATION.
WELL, WE'RE GOING TO ADD $5,000 FOR EVERY WINDOW, DOOR, PIER? I'M NOT SURE WE CAN MULTIPLY THEM.
>> THAT'S LIKE THROWING THE BEER CANS OUT OF THE CAR BEFORE YOU GET CAR PULLED OVER.
>> HENCE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PROPOSED BILL, BECAUSE IT WOULD BE 20% OF THE ENTIRE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY, NOT JUST 20% OF THE STRUCTURE, PER THE PROPERTY APPRAISER'S EVALUATION.
>> THE PROPOSAL WAS NOT $5,000 TO REPLACE THE 5,000 FOR 20% OF THE VALUE OF STRUCTURE, WHICH IS MORE REASONABLE.
IF WE ALL AGREE, [OVERLAPPING] WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE HARB TAKE THIS HISTORIC PRESERVATION SECTION ON DEMOLITIONS UP, AND WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THEM MOVING FORWARD.
WE'LL ALSO EXPECT TO SEE A CONDITION REPORT, SO TO SPEAK, AND A HIGH PRIORITY LIST OF POTENTIAL AND ENDANGERED PROPERTIES AS WELL AS EXPECT A FUTURE DISCUSSION ON HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND TO BE SET UP, AND THE IDEA THAT IT COULD POSSIBLY ALSO WORK AS A MITIGATION BANK FOR VARIOUS REASONS. DOES THAT MAKES SENSE?
>> I ALSO THINK NOTIFICATION TO THE COMMISSION ON THESE APPLICATIONS SO WE CAN BE PREPARED SO THAT WHEN BIRDIE WRITES HIS REPORT FOR DEMOLITION, WE HAVE ALL THE DETAILS AHEAD OF TIME.
THEN WE CAN TALK TO THE PUBLIC AND SAY, YES, WE KNEW ABOUT IT.
[02:30:01]
THIS IS WHAT BIRDIE FOUND.WE WOULD KNOW THAT AHEAD OF TIME.
>> THAT'S IMPORTANT, TOO. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR COMING TONIGHT. WE APPRECIATE IT.
[11. ITEMS BY CITY ATTORNEY]
>> OUR NEXT ITEM IS ITEM BY CITY ATTORNEY.
>> AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ONE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS.
THEY ARE THEIR OWN LITTLE FORM OF GOVERNMENT, AND SO THEY ADOPT THEIR OWN BUDGET EVERY YEAR, SIMILAR TO OUR PROCESS, BUT THE STATE STATUTE REQUIRES THAT THEY SEND US THEIR BUDGET IN CASE WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR THE COMMISSION HAS ANY COMMENTS TO SEND BACK TO THEM.
THERE'S NO ACTION NEEDED BY THE CITY COMMISSION.
SIMPLY IF YOU HAD ANY COMMENTS, I WOULD CONVEY IT BACK TO THE MADEIRA CDD.
>> THANK YOU. ITEMS BY CITY CLERK.
[12. ITEMS BY CITY CLERK]
>> MADAM MAYOR, MADAM VICE MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS.
I JUST HAVE A NOTIFICATION OF ONE VACANCY ON OUR PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD WITH THE RECENT RESIGNATION OF MR. JOHN DEPRETER.
THIS WILL BE TO FILL HIS UNEXPIRED TERM, SO WE'LL BE ADVERTISING.
IF YOU KNOW ANYBODY THAT'S INTERESTED OR IF ANYBODY'S LISTENING, THAT'S INTERESTED TO MEET THE QUALIFICATIONS, PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION TO MY DEPARTMENT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ITEMS BY CITY MANAGER.
[13. ITEMS BY CITY MANAGER]
>> MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, I'VE GOT TWO THINGS.
ONE IS JUST A PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT.
THE DOT WAS SCHEDULED TO DO THE KING STREET BRIDGE REPLACEMENT DURING THE SUMMER OF THIS YEAR, BUT HAS DELAYED THAT PROJECT UNTIL THE SUMMER OF NEXT YEAR, SUMMER OF 2025.
WE'RE GOING TO PUSH SOME PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS OUT ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT FOR ALL THE FOLKS THAT WERE NERVOUS ABOUT THE KING STREET BRIDGE BEING TAKEN DOWN THIS SUMMER, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT PROJECT WON'T START UNTIL NEXT YEAR.
>> EXCUSE ME, MR. CITY MANAGER.
ARE WE THEN PUTTING OUR WATER PIPE?
>> OUR WATER MAIN WILL GO UNDER THE RIVER.
>> PRIOR TO THEM STARTING THEIR WORK?
>> WE WERE ALL PREPARED TO DO THAT.
THEIR DELAYS WERE FOR OTHER REASONS.
>> FINALLY, THE 4TH OF JULY IS COMING UP.
THE 4TH OF JULY HOLIDAY FALLS ON A THURSDAY, AND I'M CLOSING CITY HALL ON FRIDAY, JULY 5TH, AS ARE THE COUNTY AND ALL THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT OFFICES IN FLAGLER COUNTY.
WE ENCOURAGE OUR EMPLOYEES TO GO TO THE FIREWORKS AND ENJOY THEMSELVES.
AS YOU KNOW, THE FIREWORKS DON'T START TILL 9:30, SO IT'S AN EVENING CELEBRATION.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT ANNOUNCEMENT.
CITY HALL WILL BE CLOSED ON JULY 5TH.
>> WE WILL BE RUNNING SHUTTLES FROM FOUR LOCATIONS, I UNDERSTAND?
>> YES, MA'AM. ABSOLUTELY. WE'LL HAVE THE WHOLE CELEBRATION IN PLACE. EVERYTHING IS READY TO GO.
[14. ITEMS BY MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS]
COMMISSIONER GARRIS, WE'LL START WITH YOU.>> GOODY. I JUST WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE MAN ANDREW THAT SPOKE ABOUT THE WATER STREET AND THE ABBOT STREET AND THE YELLOW CURBING.
I FELT BAD THAT HE WAS TRYING TO PULL THE COMMISSION AND WE WEREN'T ABLE TO SPEAK TO HIM BECAUSE HE WAS NEW TO COMING HERE AND DOING PUBLIC COMMENTS, SO HE DIDN'T GET THAT.
I HOPE THAT HIS CONCERNS ARE ADDRESSED ABOUT THE POTHOLES AND IF THE YELLOW CURBING CAN BE DONE AFTER TALKING WITH THE FIRE PEOPLE AND EVERYBODY, THAT HE GETS SOME CLOSURE ON THAT SITUATION, BECAUSE I KNOW IT MUST HAVE TOOK A LOT FOR HIM TO COME DOWN HERE AND GO THROUGH ALL OF THAT PROCESS.
I WANT TO THANK THE PEOPLE THAT CAME FORWARD, MELINDA [INAUDIBLE], LESLIE KEES, AND EVEN THE PERSON THAT'S OVER HARB SENT EMAILS ABOUT THE 11 BRIDGE STREET.
I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR BRINGING THEIR CONCERNS TO US SO THAT WE COULD SPEAK ABOUT IT TONIGHT.
I WANT TO THANK MY FRIEND SUSAN PHILLIPS FOR THE GREAT PRESENTATION THAT SHE DID ON TOURISM AND HOW IMPORTANT AND HOW MUCH MONEY IT BRINGS INTO OUR COMMUNITY.
SOME OF THE HOTELS AND THE BUSINESSES WOULD NOT BE STILL ABLE TO BE HERE IF IT WASN'T FOR THE TOURISTS.
GOING TO THE VCB MEETINGS WHEN I CAN, IT'S REALLY GOOD TO SEE HOW THEY PRESENT, HOW THEY DO THE BUDGET, HOW WE GET THE FEEDBACK FROM THE HOTELS AND SEEING MORE BUSINESSES IN THE BLACK VERSUS THE RED.
I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THOSE THINGS. THANK YOU.
>> JUST A HAPPY 4TH OF JULY FOR EVERYBODY.
[02:35:01]
JUST TO LET YOU KNOW ANDY SCHER MICHAEL HAS BEEN HERE MANY TIMES THROUGH THE YEARS, AND WE WILL DEFINITELY FOLLOW UP WITH HIM.
>> THANK YOU. HE'S MANY YEARS.
I JUST WANTED TO REITERATE WHAT YOU HAD TO SAY.
WE HAD A LOT OF COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS COME OUT AND SPEAK AND HAVE LETTERS AND WRITE QUESTIONS AND MAKE PHONE CALLS AND EVERY THING AND THAT JUST SHOWS A LEVEL OF CONCERN ABOUT OUR HISTORIC RESOURCES, WHICH IS EXCELLENT.
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US AT THIS TABLE SHARES THOSE CONCERNS AND TAKES THEM TO HEART DEEPLY. THAT SAID.
>> I HAVE FOUR THINGS. FIRST, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE COMMISSIONER BLONDER AND MAYOR SIKES-KLINE FOR THEIR WIN AND THEIR ELECTION FOR NO EFFORT.
>> THEY WILL SERVE ANOTHER TERM. THAT'S GREAT.
I KNOW THAT MS. KHALEDI ASKED TO BE LAST FOR THE PRESENTATIONS.
I DON'T THINK WE OUGHT TO ALLOW SOMEBODY TO CHOOSE TO BE LAST.
IT'S A BIG ADVANTAGE TO GO LAST.
I THINK THE CLERK OUGHT TO COME UP WITH A PROCESS TO SELECT THAT ORDER.
THE REMOVAL OF THE PARKING ORDINANCE TONIGHT.
I DON'T WANT THE STAFF TO THINK THAT WE DON'T APPRECIATE THE WORK THEY DID AND THEIR PROFESSIONALISM.
IN MY CONVERSATION WITH PEOPLE, I SAID SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO TRUST THE EXPERTS, AND WE DIDN'T TONIGHT.
WE DIDN'T BECAUSE WE DIDN'T TRUST OURSELVES TO BELIEVE THAT THAT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO BE A BENEFIT TO RESIDENTS AND TO BUSINESSES, BECAUSE WE HEARD FROM SO MANY RESIDENTS, FROM SO MANY PARTS OF TOWN, AND SO MANY BUSINESSES.
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU DID.
IT DIDN'T GO UNAPPRECIATED, ALTHOUGH IT DID NOT GET MOVED FORWARD.
I WOULD LIKE TO PIGGYBACK ON OUR SPEAKER TONIGHT AND ASK THAT WE COME UP WITH A PROCESS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING TO REMIND ALL THE SPEAKERS OF OUR REQUIREMENTS TO SPEAK.
WE COULD HAVE SOMEBODY MAYBE READ A CARD THAT SAYS, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
THE COMMISSIONER WILL NOT RESPOND.
BECAUSE I THINK WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE COME THAT ARE NEW AND THEY'RE VERY NERVOUS, AND IT'D BE NICE FOR US AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS TO REMIND THEM.
>> IT'S POSTED IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM.
>> AT THE COUNTY, WHAT WE DO IN THE TDC IS, THE VICE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE READS IT OUT LOUD AND WE COULD DO THAT.
IF WE COULD AT THE BEGINNING, IF YOU'D LIKE TO DO THAT.
>> COULD I FOLLOW ON THE ISSUE ABOUT THE PARKING ONE MORE TIME? WHAT I'M HEARING FROM PEOPLE, WE'VE ALL BEEN CONTACTED MANY TIMES, IS NOT THAT THEY'RE NOT WANTING TO DO IT.
THEY JUST DON'T WANT TO DO IT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE PARKING GARAGE OVER AT BRODY'S PROPERTY.
I THINK WHEN WE GET THOSE THINGS IN PLACE, WE WILL DEFINITELY BE AN EASIER CELL.
>> WELL, SO WHAT YOU DID TONIGHT IS YOU SIMPLY DID NOT ADVANCE THE ORDINANCE TO SECOND READING.
YOU DID NOT DENY THE ORDINANCE.
YOU SIMPLY DID NOT ADVANCE IT TO SECOND READING.
YOU CAN CHOOSE WHEN AND IF TO BRING IT BACK.
>> GREAT. GOOD POINT. THANK YOU.
>> BUT THE INTENT WAS FOR IT TO BE INDEFINITELY KEPT OFF THE AGENDA.
WE WANT TO REASSURE THE COMMUNITY THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO JUST POP BACK UP.
THAT'S WHY I SAID AND SUSPENDED INDEFINITELY.
I THINK IF IT DOES COME BACK, I THINK IT NEEDS TO COME BACK AS A FIRST READING THROUGH PLANNING AND ZONING AND ALL THAT THING.
>> I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE THINKING [INAUDIBLE].
>> I MADE THAT COMMENT BEFORE WE VOTED, THAT IT COULD GO BACK TO PLANNING AND ZONING FIRST, AND YOU'RE SAYING IT SHOULD.
>> IT WOULD BE UP TO THE FUTURE COMMISSION TO DECIDE.
IT MAY BE US, IT MAY BE ANOTHER COMMISSION. I DON'T KNOW.
EXCELLENT. I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS THIS IDEA OF WHO GOES LAST.
IT WAS A COURTESY THAT WAS PROVIDED BY FORMER MAYOR UPCHURCH.
I CONTINUED TO FOLLOW THE POLICY.
I GET A SPEAKER CARD FROM MS. KHALEDI THAT SAYS, PLEASE SPEAK LAST, AND I NEVER REALLY THOUGHT TOO MUCH ABOUT IT AS BEING AN ADVANTAGE OR DISADVANTAGE OR ANYTHING.
>> [OVERLAPPING] SHE'S ASKING FOR THE CRA COMMITTEE THAT SHE GO LAST.
>> THAT'S WHAT SHE WAS ASKING, THAT SHE BE THE LAST PERSON TO PRESENT.
>> THE LAST PRESENTER? I THINK WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE A FAIR PROCESS WHEN WE DRAW STRAWS.
[02:40:02]
>> I GOT YOU. I'M SORRY. I TOTALLY MISSED THAT QUESTION.
>> NO, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH HER ALWAYS BEING LAST.
>> IT'S TRADITION. IT'S OKAY WITH ME, BUT IF THE COMMISSION WANTS TO CHANGE ANYTHING, PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE PROCEDURES YOU'D LIKE TO SEE DONE.
DEFINITELY OPEN TO DISCUSSION. THAT SAID.
WONDERFUL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
SEEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS, THE MEETING IS CONCLUDED. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.