[00:00:05]
[1. CALL TO ORDER]
THIS MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER.MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
ALL RIGHT. PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER GARRIS.
ALL RIGHT. THE NEXT ITEM IS MODIFICATION AND APPROVAL OF THE REGULAR AGENDA.
[2. ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS]
AND MR. CITY MANAGER, DO YOU HAVE ANY MODIFICATIONS? STAFF DOES NOT HAVE ANY MODIFICATIONS.I BELIEVE YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT ADDING SOMETHING TO PROCLAMATIONS, MAYBE.
YES I DO. I HAVE A PROCLAMATION TO ADD.
AND CONCERNING THE GUARD AND RESERVE SERVICES VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS.
SO I MOVE THAT WE MODIFY THE AGENDA TO ADD THIS PROCLAMATION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
AND WITH THAT, WE WILL HAVE OUR PROCLAMATION.
[3. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS, RECOGNITIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS]
SO I WILL STAND UP.I WILL COME TO THE FRONT, ASK COMMISSIONERS TO JOIN ME.
WE'LL READ THE PROCLAMATION AND INVITE THE ATTENDEES AS WELL.
WHEREAS THE VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS OF THE UNITED STATES, VFW WAS FOUNDED IN 1899 BY A SMALL GROUP OF VETERANS WHO RETURNED FROM CAMPAIGNS ON CUBA AND IN THE PHILIPPINES, BANDED TOGETHER TO CREATE A VETERANS ORGANIZATION THAT WOULD ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF ALL VETERANS.
AND WHEREAS THE VFW IS A NONPROFIT VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZATION COMPRISED OF ELIGIBLE VETERANS AND MILITARY SERVICE MEMBERS FROM THE ACTIVE GUARD AND RESERVE FORCES.
WHEREAS THE VFW MISSION IS TO FOSTER CAMARADERIE AMONG UNITED STATES VETERANS OF OVERSEAS CONFLICTS, TO SERVE OUR VETERANS, THE MILITARY, AND OUR COMMUNITIES, AND TO ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF ALL VETERANS.
AND WHEREAS, SINCE ITS INCEPTION, THE VFW HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION, THE NATIONAL CEMETERY SYSTEM, AND THE CREATION OF EVERY NATIONAL VETERANS MEMORIAL.
AND WHEREAS THE VFW HAS PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN VIRTUALLY EVERY SIGNIFICANT PIECE OF VETERANS LEGISLATION PASSED IN THE 20TH AND 21ST CENTURIES TO INCLUDE HONORING OUR PACT ACT, THE MOST SIGNIFICANT EXPANSION OF VETERANS BENEFITS IN HISTORY. AND WHEREAS ON SEPTEMBER 29TH OF THIS YEAR, THE VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS WILL CELEBRATE THEIR 125TH ANNIVERSARY. THEIR MISSION HAS BEEN TO SERVE OUR VETERANS WHO HAVE ANSWERED THE CALL OF THEIR COUNTRY WHEN CALLED UPON TO DO SO.
[00:05:09]
POST 2391 HERE IN ST.NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ST.
AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, HEREBY PROCLAIMS SEPTEMBER 29TH, 2024, IS VFW DAY IN THE CITY OF ST.
AUGUSTINE AND URGES ALL OF OUR CITIZENS TO PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION DURING THIS WEEK TO OUR CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT AND THE ADVANTAGE OF AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP, AND FURTHER, INVITE EVERY CITIZEN AND INSTITUTION TO JOIN IN THIS NATIONAL COMMEMORATION.
WE HAVE COMMANDER STUART WELLS HERE TO ACCEPT THE PROCLAMATION.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS, COMMANDER? YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU.
ESPECIALLY, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU ON THE NAME OF THE NATIONAL COMMANDER AND FOR OUR POST 2391.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THERE YOU GO. I KNOW YOU LIKE EACH OTHER.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. HAVE A BLESSED DAY.
OUR NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS PUBLIC COMMENTS, AND I HAVE
[4. PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS OR FOR AGENDA ITEMS NOT REQUIRING A SEPARATE PUBLIC HEARING]
A LOT OF PUBLIC COMMENTS THIS EVENING.BEFORE WE BEGIN, I'D LIKE TO READ A STATEMENT CONCERNING PUBLIC COMMENTS.
AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS ON MATTERS THAT ARE NOT SCHEDULED FOR A PUBLIC HEARING.
YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK AND SHALL COMPLY WITH THE CITY'S RULES OF DECORUM.
COMMENTS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE COMMISSION AS A WHOLE AND NOT INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONERS.
COMMISSIONERS WILL NOT ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM SPEAKERS.
FIRST SPEAKER I HAVE IS REBECCA ALLEN, FOLLOWED BY KRISTIN BROWN.
I CALL TWO NAMES AT ONCE SO THAT THE SECOND SPEAKER CAN GET READY TO BE ON THAT.
I THINK THERE'S A COUPLE CHAIRS UP FRONT.
IS IT TURNED ON? YES. WELCOME.
HI. I LIVE AT 39 FULLER WOOD DRIVE AND THE FULLER WOOD NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON THE ENACTMENT TO PUT DOCKS ON THE BACK OF PARK STREET.
THE OTHER ISSUE WITH THIS IS WE HAVE HAD LOTS OF PROBLEMS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD OVER THE YEARS BECAUSE OF THINGS THAT THE CITY HAS APPROVED IN 2005. WE HAD TWO HOMES THAT HAD A LITTLE GARAGE APARTMENTS, AND THE CITY APPROVED FOR THEM TO REDO THEM, AND WE WERE TOLD AT THE TIME THAT THEY WERE GOING TO BE
[00:10:08]
USED FOR ONLY FAMILY MEMBERS WHEN THEIR FAMILY CAME UP FROM MIAMI, AND ANOTHER COUPLE HAD A FATHER IN LAW THAT WAS GOING TO LIVE THERE.WE HAVE CARS PARKED UP AND DOWN THE STREET AND ALL THE PROBLEMS THAT GO ALONG WITH AIRBNBS.
IF THEY BUILD FIVE HOUSES THERE, EACH HOUSE WILL PROBABLY HAVE 2 OR 3 CARS.
AND SINCE THEY'RE MARSH FRONT, THESE ARE IDEAL PLACES FOR AIRBNBS.
THERE'S GOING TO BE WINNEBAGOS AND ALL SORTS OF THINGS.
IT'S GOING TO INCREASE THE TRAFFIC IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THIS IS A NATIONAL HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE CANNOT AFFORD FOR ANY MORE THINGS TO BE DONE TO IT THAT MAKE IT THAT AFFECT IT NEGATIVELY.
AND I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IF YOU WOULD VOTE THIS DOWN.
AND IF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD IS DESTROYED, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO.
SO I WOULD PLEAD, I BEG YOU TO PLEASE NOT APPROVE THIS.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS KRISTIN BROWN, FOLLOWED BY EMILY BELL.
MY HUSBAND AND I LIVE AT 16 BEACON STREET.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT THE 100 ACRE MARSH PARCEL, AND THAT I WAS IN FAVOR OF THE CITY PURCHASING THIS PROPERTY, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT THE CITY WILL LOOK OUT FOR THE BEST INTERESTS OF ITS RESIDENTS.
OUR HOME IS FLOODED FOUR TIMES SINCE 2016.
WE KNOW FROM OUR SITE VISIT FROM THE CITY THAT THE AREA RIGHT IN FRONT OF OUR HOUSE IS ONE OF THE LOWEST POINTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND I BELIEVE THAT THOSE OF US ON BEACON STREET, WE DON'T NEED ANY DEVELOPMENT IN THE MARSH THAT WILL DISPLACE INCOMING TIDE WATERS AND CAUSE US TO FLOOD EVEN MORE.
WE NEED THE MARSH TO ABSORB AS MUCH AS THE TIDE OF AS MUCH TIDE WATER AS POSSIBLE.
SO AGAIN, I SUPPORT THE PURCHASE OF THIS LAND BY THE CITY OF ST.
NEXT SPEAKER IS EMILY BELL, FOLLOWED BY GINA BURRELL.
HI. GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONER BLONDER, MAYOR SIKES-KLINE AND COMMISSIONER GARRIS.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN A NUMBER OF EFFORTS, AND I HOPE THAT FOR THAT TO CONTINUE.
IN PARTICULAR, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF AS A RESIDENT OF THE FULLER WOOD NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO FOR THE PARCEL, THE 100 ACRE MARSH PARCEL.
YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SAYING ANYTHING THAT ANYBODY HERE DOESN'T ALREADY KNOW.
FLOOD RISK AND KNOWN FLOODING IS REAL.
WE EXPERIENCE IT ALL THE TIME IN FULLER WOOD.
I'VE BEEN THERE FOR THREE YEARS.
I KNOW MANY NEIGHBORS THAT HAD FLOODING.
THEIR HOMES FLOODED. WE HAVE FLOOD FLOODED STREETS EVERY YEAR DURING KING TIDES.
SOME FOLKS BROUGHT PICTURES TO SHOW THAT ANY DEVELOPMENT, FURTHER DEVELOPMENT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS, NO QUESTION GOING TO PRESENT NOT JUST AN INCREASED RISK OF FLOODING, BUT INCREASED FLOODING TO MORE PEOPLE AND TO THE PEOPLE THAT ALREADY HAPPENS TO.
THIS PARCEL IS FOUR AND A HALF ACRES ON THE MARSH CONSISTS OF PROTECTED WETLANDS, INCLUDING MANGROVES, WHICH WE ALL KNOW HELP PREVENT FLOODING, AND HOSPITAL CREEK.
HOSPITAL CREEK IS A KNOWN FLOOD ZONE FLOOD AREA.
IT'S ACTUALLY PRINTED ON THE BROCHURE.
THE CITY SENDS OUT ABOUT FLOOD PREPAREDNESS AND MITIGATION EVERY YEAR.
I'VE SEEN IT EVERY YEAR ON THERE I THINK IT WAS DESIGNATED BY THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS.
[00:15:03]
HAVING AROUND 20 BUILDABLE LOTS AND A STREET.TWO YEARS LATER, THERE HAVE BEEN MORE PERMITS TO BUILD A DOCK, A HOME.
MY ASK ALSO TO THE COMMISSION IS JUST KIND OF AN OPEN ONE, WHICH WOULD BE I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE COMMISSION AND THE CITY CONTINUE TO EXPLORE MORE WAYS OF INCREASING THE SUCCESS OF THE LAND CONSERVATION PROGRAM.
HOW CAN IT BE MORE PROACTIVE? HOW CAN WE GET AHEAD OF THESE ISSUES, THESE DEVELOPMENT CONCERNS THAT WE KNOW ARE HAPPENING? WE KNOW MORE ARE COMING.
SO THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND YOUR TIME TONIGHT.
I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE I'D LIKE TO MAKE A NOTE HERE.
THIS IS I HAVE QUITE A FEW CARDS ON THE ITEM TEN A THE CONSERVATION PROGRAM, AND I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT JUST IN CASE PEOPLE HAD CERTAIN EXPECTATIONS ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING TO OCCUR TONIGHT WHAT WE EXPECT IS TO HEAR A REPORT, NOT NECESSARILY A VOTE.
WE DON'T HAVE THE APPRAISALS YET.
SO AND WE HAVE TWO COMMISSIONERS MISSING, SO I JUST WANT TO I DIDN'T WANT TO GIVE FALSE HOPE TO ANYONE? JUST. BUT WE DEFINITELY WANT TO HEAR YOU.
WE DEFINITELY WANT TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY.
GINA BURRELL. 27 SEMINOLE DRIVE IN THE CITY.
I'VE BEEN IN MY LITTLE HOME FOR 30 YEARS, AND I'M JUST A FEW BLOCKS AWAY FROM THIS.
THE LAND CONSERVATION PROGRAM.
I'M HOPING THAT YOU WILL PURCHASE IT, BECAUSE I KNOW IF IT WENT ALONG WITH WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT TO PUT ON THAT PROPERTY, IT WOULD FLOOD THE WHOLE AREA.
SO I'M HOPING I'M SURE YOU'LL HEAR FROM A LOT OF MY NEIGHBORS.
THEY'RE ALL HERE, SO I'LL KEEP IT SHORT.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS LINDA LOUISE KLAGES.
LINDA LOUISE KLAGES AND FOLLOWED BY RUBY REILLY.
CAN YOU PULL THE MICROPHONE UP JUST A TINY BIT? I HAVE A LITTLE VOICE.
I BELIEVE IN CONSERVATION, AND I LOVE WHAT I SEE AT MY BACK DOOR.
AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL BACK THERE, AND EVERYONE SHOULD LOOK AT IT AND COME AND SEE IT.
IT WOULD BE A SHAME IF THAT WAS DESTROYED.
RUBY REILLY, FOLLOWED BY NANCY BERTOLI.
HI. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF US FROM HOLLYWOOD HERE.
YOU KNOW, MANY TIMES WE HAVEN'T BEEN THE LOUDEST VOICE.
WE CERTAINLY WEREN'T THE LOUDEST VOICE AFTER MATTHEW.
BUT MATTHEW PRODUCED SIX FOOT HIGH PILES OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS ON OUR STREET.
WE HAD THE RED CROSS BAND COME AND FEED US EVERY DAY.
IT WAS OVER A WEEK BEFORE POWER RETURNED.
MANY OF MY NEIGHBORS TRIED TO RAISE THEIR HOUSE.
SOME HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET APPROVED ON THE GRANT.
A LOT OF OUR HOUSES ARE AT GRADE LEVEL.
WHEN WE DEVELOP PROPERTY LIKE THE 100 ACRE MARSH, WE CONTINUE THE DOMINO EFFECT OF IMPACTING THOSE WHO ARE ELDERLY, RETIRED OR HAVE A HOUSE THAT CAN'T BE RAISED EASILY.
I ASK THAT WE THINK VERY CAREFULLY ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN, EVEN IF IT IS ONLY A SINGLE FAMILY HOME WITH A 300 FOOT DOCK AND THE LANDFILL NECESSARY TO BUILD.
ALL OF THAT IS GOING TO CHANGE THE FLOW OF WATER.
AND EVEN DURING THE KING TIDE THIS LAST FEW DAYS, WE'VE HAD WATER OVER THE STREETS.
WE'VE HAD WATER IN THE YARDS OF THE PEOPLE WHO FRONT THIS PROPERTY.
THERE IS NO WAY THAT THIS PROPERTY CAN AVOID THE FLOODING.
WE ALL KNOW THAT SEA LEVELS ARE RISING AND WE KNOW THINGS ARE CHANGING.
WE DIDN'T HAVE THESE PROBLEMS BEFORE, MATTHEW.
AND SO WHAT WE CAN BEST DO IS USE THE MANGOES AND THE PROPERTY WELL TO PROTECT WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE, AND TO RECOGNIZE THAT EVERY SINGLE CHANGE IMPACTS THE NEXT PIECE OF PROPERTY AND THE NEXT PERSON.
AND THEN FINALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND THE CITY THAT WE ARE BLESSED HERE IN ST.
AUGUSTINE WITH THE MOST WONDERFUL BIRD POPULATIONS.
WE HAVE GREAT HORNED OWLS, WE HAVE GREAT HERONS, WE HAVE WOOD STORKS, WE HAVE ROSEATE SPOONBILLS.
[00:20:07]
WE HAVE EVERYTHING YOU CAN IMAGINE, AND OSPREYS AND THE MANGROVES AND A REALLY UNIQUE HABITAT.THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER IS NANCY BERTOLI.
I HOPE I SAID THAT RIGHT AND FOLLOWED BY VICKI PEPPER.
I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO USE THE PROJECTOR IF SOMEBODY COULD ASSIST ME.
THIS PICTURE IS THE PROPERTY BEHIND 28 EAST PARK.
THAT IS THE PROPERTY THAT IS THE SUBJECT OF THE CONSERVATION PROGRAM THAT IS HERE TONIGHT.
THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AT A KING TIDE.
AND THIS ISN'T EVEN A VERY HIGH KING TIDE.
YOU CAN SEE THE BIRD TAKING OFF FROM THE WATER.
AND THIS IS BEHIND 19 BEACON STREET ON SATURDAY AT NOONTIME.
AND WHEN I GOT HOME, THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE WHEN I WALKED HOME.
SO I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR THIS PROGRAM TO PURCHASE THE 100 ACRE MARSH.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
VICKI PEPPER, FOLLOWED BY ROBIN THOMAS.
I LIVE ON HARBOR VISTA CIRCLE IN ST.
AUGUSTINE. I'M HERE REPRESENTING MYSELF AND CARE COMMUNITY ADVOCATES FOR RACIAL EQUITY.
WE'RE AN INFORMAL, INDEPENDENT CIVIC ACTION GROUP THAT GREW OUT OF ST.
AUGUSTINE'S ONGOING COMMUNITY CONVERSATION.
EFFORT AND COMMUNITY CONVERSATION IS ACTUALLY WHERE I FIRST MET LAVERNE MARCH SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
SO THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING HER EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF OUR COMMUNITY.
THE FLORIDA AWARD IS A VERY WELL DESERVED.
THANK YOU, CYNTHIA, FOR PUTTING HER IN FOR THAT.
CARES PURPOSE IS TO SERVE BLACK AND OTHER UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES IN ST.
THE SECOND AND FINAL PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE ON THE COUNTY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE IS ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30TH IN THE COUNTY AUDITORIUM AT 500 SAN SEBASTIAN VIEW.
THAT'S WHERE THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETS.
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS A STATE REQUIRED DOCUMENT.
IT PRESENTS A LONG RANGE VISION FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
FUTURE WITH GOALS AND OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES.
AND AS PART OF THE PROCESS TO DATE, AS A RESULT OF COMMUNITY INPUT, THE COUNTY'S CONTRACTORS LEADING THIS EFFORT HAVE IDENTIFIED TWO OF 13 PRIORITIES THAT RELATE TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, INCLUDING ESTABLISHING A HOUSING AUTHORITY.
SO ALL OF US WHO LIVE IN THE CITY ALSO LIVE IN THE COUNTY.
BUT I'D ALSO LIKE TO ENCOURAGE MY FELLOW CITIZENS OF ST.
AUGUSTINE. PLEASE MAKE YOUR VOICES HEARD.
WE ALL LIVE IN THE COUNTY AND I THINK WE CAN.
WE'RE SMALL, BUT I THINK WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IF WE MAKE A CONCERTED EFFORT.
[00:25:09]
AND SO I HOPE YOU WILL PLEASE HEAR THEIR CONCERNS.THE NEXT SPEAKER IS ROBIN THOMAS, FOLLOWED BY JUDITH BOURDAIN.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR BEING COMPASSIONATE.
ST. AUGUSTINE'S FIRST PURPLE BENCH AMBASSADOR.
WITH YOUR HELP, YOU ARE HELPING ST.
AUGUSTINE TO BECOME A COMPASSIONATE CITY.
YOU HAVE ENCOURAGED BUSINESSES, CHURCHES AND RESIDENTS TO JOIN IN TO MAKING ST.
AUGUSTINE A COMPASSIONATE CITY.
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 IMPELS US TO WORK TIRELESSLY TO ALLEVIATE THE SUFFERING OF OUR FELLOW CREATURES, TO DETHRONE OURSELVES FROM THE CENTER OF OUR WORLD AND PUT ANOTHER THERE, AND TO HONOR THE INVALUABLE SANCTITY OF EVERY SINGLE HUMAN BEING.
TREATING EVERYBODY, WITHOUT EXCEPTION, WITH ABSOLUTE JUSTICE, EQUITY AND RESPECT.
IT IS ALSO NECESSARY, IN BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE LIFE TO REFRAIN, TO REFRAIN CONSISTENTLY AND EMPATHICALLY 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 EXCITE HATRED BY DENIGRATING OTHERS, EVEN OUR ENEMIES, IS A DENIAL OF 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 TO THE CENTER OF MORALITY AND RELIGION, TO RETURN TO THE ANCIENT PRINCIPLE THAT ANY INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE THAT BREEDS VIOLENCE, HATRED, OR DISDAIN IS ILLEGITIMATE.
TO ENCOURAGE A POSITIVE APPRECIATION OF CULTURE AND RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY.
WE URGENTLY NEED TO MAKE COMPASSION A CLEAR, LUMINOUS, AND DYNAMIC FORCE IN OUR POLARIZED WORLD, ROOTED IN A PRINCIPLED DETERMINATION TO TRANSCEND SELFISHNESS.
COMPASSION IS ESSENTIAL TO HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS, TO BE FULFILLED.
HUMANITY. IT IS THE PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT AND INDISPENSABLE TO THE CREATION OF A JUST ECONOMY AND A PEACEFUL, GLOBAL COMMUNITY. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MISS THOMAS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JUDITH BURDIN, FOLLOWED BY CATHERINE BUDKA.
JUDITH BURDIN, 21 BEACON STREET.
MY FAMILY PURCHASED MY HOME BACK IN 1978, AND I INHERITED FROM MY PARENTS AND HAVE LIVED THERE FULL TIME SINCE 2003.
OVER THE YEARS, I'VE HAD GREAT DELIGHT IN WATCHING THE WILDLIFE IN THE BACK OF MY HOUSE.
BACK BEYOND THE FENCE IN THE HUNDRED ACRE MARSH.
ALL OF THE THE OSPREY AND THE HAWKS AND THE WATER BIRDS AND THE OWLS AND THE OCCASIONAL VISITORS.
NOW THAT COME BACK THERE, AND EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, THE SOME PEACOCKS FROM THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH SOMEHOW MANAGED TO MAKE THEIR WAY ACROSS MAIN STREET SAFELY AND WIND UP BACK IN THAT AREA.
[00:30:06]
THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF TIMES WHERE I'VE LOOKED UP FROM WASHING DISHES AND SEEING A PEACOCK WANDERING IN MY YARD.BUT AS MUCH AS I DELIGHT IN THE THE WILDLIFE OF THE MARSH, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT FLOODING.
OVER THE ALMOST 50 YEARS THAT MY FAMILY HAS HAD MY HOUSE, I'VE WATCHED THE FLOODING GET WORSE AND WORSE, AND IT WASN'T UNTIL MATTHEW IN 2016 WHEN I HAD WATER IN THE HOUSE.
AND AS HAS BEEN COMMENTED EVERYONE, ALMOST EVERYONE IN THE STREET HAD WATER INSIDE THE HOUSE AND JUST THE SORT OF TRAUMA OF DRIVING DOWN BEACON STREET AND SEEING PEOPLE'S LIVES PILED UP AS DEBRIS TO BE CARTED OFF.
I BECOME MORE AND MORE CONSCIOUS OF THE HUMAN TOLL OF FLOODING.
AND WITH HURRICANES, BUT ALSO THE JUST NUISANCE FLOODING OF KING TIDES.
AND I'M REALLY THANKFUL THAT THE CITY IS COGNIZANT OF THIS AND IS INVESTING MONEY INTO CONSERVATION AND FLOOD MITIGATION.
AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONSIDER THE PURCHASE OF THE 100 ACRE MARSH PROPERTY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
CATHERINE BUDKA, FOLLOWED BY TROY WATSON.
MY NAME IS CATHERINE BUDKA, AND I'VE LIVED IN ON BEACON STREET.
WE BOUGHT OUR HOUSE IN TEN, NO, EIGHT.
AND THIS THING THAT'S GOING ON WITH THE CITY PURCHASING THE PROPERTY THAT'S IN QUESTION, IT'S TWOFOLD FOR ME. FIRST OF ALL, IF YOU BUILD THERE, IT'S JUST GOING TO BRING MORE FLOOD.
WE'RE THREE SIDES ON BEACON STREET.
IF YOU GO OVER A COUPLE BLOCKS, WE'RE ON ALMOST THE PENINSULA WHERE THE WATER COMES IN, AND IF IT'S PUSHED OUT, IT COMES AROUND AND IT COMES AND IT COMES IN THE BACK.
IT'S GOING TO GET US ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO RAISE THEM THEIR SLAB HOUSES SOMETIMES AND THEY SELL THEM.
AND YOU KNOW WHO BUYS THESE HOUSES? INVESTORS. AND WHAT DO THEY DO WITH THEM? THEY PUT IN AN AIR BNB, WHICH IS A WHOLE NOTHER PROBLEM THAT I REALLY DON'T WANT TO GO INTO, BECAUSE I THINK WE ALL KNOW THE PROBLEM WITH THAT.
IT JUST FURTHER ERODES A NEIGHBORHOOD.
NEXT SPEAKER IS TROY WATSON, FOLLOWED BY PATRICIA MARK.
MY HOUSE IS ONE OF THOSE THE CORNER HOUSE THAT THEY SHOWED WITH THE WATER.
I DID RECENTLY RAISE MY HOUSE.
MY MAIN ISSUE HERE IS ABOUT FLOODING.
THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, ANYTHING YOU DO, FLOODS.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, AS BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF OUR TAXPAYING DOLLARS THAT Y'ALL SHOULD YOU KNOW THIS AS FAR AS FLOOD MITIGATION, IT SHOULD BE A NO BRAINER, A NO BRAINER IF WE'RE GOING TO SPEND MONEY ON GOING OUT AND GETTING GET CONSULTANTS TO TELL US WHERE OUR FLOODING ISSUES, THAT THIS IS A FLOODING ISSUE FOR US.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THAT THAT'S MY ISSUE.
I MEAN, IF WE'RE GOING TO SPEND WE SPENT MONEY ON ON VALVES AT THE END OF OUR ROADS.
MY PARTICULAR CORNER, WE DON'T HAVE STREET DRAINS.
EVERYBODY UP FROM I THINK IT'S BEACON OR DOUGLAS.
THEY DO. WE DON'T HAVE STREET DRAINS.
WHEN A TIDE COMES IN AND IT IT DON'T HAVE TO BE A KING TIDE.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS FLOOD MITIGATION PLANS THAT THE CITY IS WANTING TO DO, WE NEED TO TAKE THIS LAND AND PUT IT IN THAT AND SPEND THOSE TAX DOLLARS ON THE RIGHT STUFF.
THANK YOU. PATRICIA MARK FOLLOWED BY STEPHANIE HOLLIS.
[00:35:04]
MY NAME IS PATTY MARK AND WE LIVE AT 53 EAST PARK AVENUE AT THE END OF THE DEAD END OF EAST PARK.IT'S A BRIEF ONE. READ IT QUICKLY.
MY HUSBAND AND I, WE ARE WRITING FIRST TO ACKNOWLEDGE WITH GRATITUDE THE OWNERS OF THE 100 ACRE MARSH FOR ALLOWING THE CITY THE OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE THIS IMPORTANT PIECE OF PARCEL OF PROPERTY.
SECOND, WE PLEAD WITH THE CITY COMMISSION TO SECURE THE PROPERTY FOR PRESERVATION.
IT ALSO FILTERS RUNOFF AND ABSORBS MUCH OF THE HIGH WATER FROM RISING TIDES AND STORMS. ANY IMPERVIOUS SURFACE THAT'S PUT THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE PUT ON THIS LAND, WOULD INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF WATER FROM STORMS AND HARMFUL AND AND INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF WATER COMING FROM STORMS AND HARMFUL SUBSTANCES THAT WILL END UP IN NEARBY PROPERTIES AND IN VULNERABLE HOMES. PLEASE HELP US SAVE THIS BEAUTIFUL AREA IN ANY WAY THAT YOU CAN.
STEPHANIE HOLLIS, FOLLOWED BY WILLIAM DALE CASWELL.
GOOD AFTERNOON. STEPHANIE HOLLIS, 57 BAYVIEW DRIVE.
I HAVE PHOTOS BECAUSE THEY'RE MORE FUN.
BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE WAS ABOUT AN INCH.
AND THEN THIS WAS ALSO ON BAYVIEW DRIVE FOR HURRICANE IAN TWO YEARS AGO.
IN BAYVIEW, MY HOUSE WOULD BE OFF TO THE RIGHT.
SO EVERYBODY KNOWS THE THE TWO STORY BLUE HOUSE THERE.
SO FLOODING, EVEN IN MINOR HURRICANES IS A BIG PROBLEM IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND JUST FOR CONTEXT, THIS IS LOOKING FROM MY HOUSE ON THE CORNER EASTWARD.
AND THAT'S JUST A AVERAGE HIGH TIDE WITH NO WIND AT ALL.
SO THIS WAS NOT THE NORTHEAST WIND THAT WE HAD SEVERAL WEEKS AGO CARRYING AN EXTRA WATER.
THIS IS KIND OF OUR NEW NORMAL THAT WE'VE GOTTEN USED TO, AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
YOU ALL AREN'T VOTING OR OR TAKING ANY ACTION YET.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU ALL WERE AWARE OF THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I ALSO AM EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR THIS CONSERVATION PROGRAM THAT THE CITY HAS PUT IN PLACE.
I THINK IT'S A GREAT CREATIVE OPTION, AND I HOPE THAT YOU ALL CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR CREATIVE WAYS TO HELP US ALL SAVE THE AREAS THAT NEED TO BE PRESERVED TO HELP MITIGATE AGAINST FLOODING, AMONG OTHER THINGS.
WE'VE COMPLETELY REBUILT AFTER EVERY SINGLE HURRICANE THAT'S COME ALONG.
I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY HOUSES THAT GOT ABANDONED AND LEFT TO JUST FALL APART, AND I THINK THAT SAYS SOMETHING RIGHT? WE HAD TO. BEYOND WHAT INSURANCE PAYS, EVERYBODY HAD TO PAY GOOD MONEY IN TO REBUILD AND STAY THERE.
EVEN IF THEY SOLD, SOMEONE ELSE CAME IN AND REBUILT AND THOSE WERE REAL INVESTMENT DOLLARS.
A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE DONE AS MUCH MITIGATION AS THEY CAN.
THEY'VE RAISED HOUSES WHERE THEY CAN GET FUNDING TO DO SO.
SOME HOUSES, I THINK ARE MORE CHALLENGING THAN OTHERS TO RAISE.
WE'VE CONTINUED TO INCREASE OUR PROPERTY VALUE OVER ALL THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE AWARE OF FULWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD, THE HOUSES HAVE CONTINUED TO INCREASE IN VALUE, AND I THINK THAT'S PART AND PARCEL TO ALL OF THE INVESTMENT AND THE LOVE AND RESPECT THAT THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD PUTS INTO THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO AGAIN, THAT'S SOMETHING OUR VALUES GO UP.
THEREFORE THE TAX DOLLARS INCREASE TO THE CITY.
WILLIAM DALE CASWELL, FOLLOWED BY PAMELA MAGERS.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
A LOT OF WHAT YOU'VE BEEN HEARING TONIGHT I CAN TESTIFY TO THAT.
[00:40:03]
ALTHOUGH I'VE ONLY BEEN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, PURCHASED THE PROPERTY A LITTLE OVER THREE YEARS AGO.WE'VE EXPERIENCED A COUPLE OF HURRICANES SINCE THAT TIME, AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD REALLY IS VULNERABLE TO FLOODING AND JUST WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE THE CITY TO HAVE A GOOD CONSCIENCE ON WHAT THEY MAKE DECISIONS ON AS YOU AS YOU SEEM TO DO THAT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT PROPERTY THERE IN 40 ACRE MARSH 100 ACRE MARSH WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT THAT IS, IS NOT TO GO THROUGH BECAUSE THE PURCHASE OF THAT PROPERTY WOULD GIVE A CHANCE FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO BE MADE.
IN PARTICULAR, THERE COULD BE DRAINAGE EASEMENTS THAT RUN THROUGH THAT SAME AREA THAT'S ON THAT MAP, THAT COULD THAT COULD HELP CONVEY DRAINAGE, DRAINAGE, WATER OUT TO ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE FLOODING ISSUES THAT WE'VE GOT.
THERE ARE SOLUTIONS THAT THAT THE THE ENGINEERS ARE LOOKING AT TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO, ACCORDING TO THE FLOOD STUDIES THAT'S BEEN DONE.
AND BEFORE ANYTHING IS TAKEN OFF THE TABLE FOR BEING ABLE TO USE THAT.
IN OTHER WORDS, IF A DEVELOPMENT IS ALLOWED IN THERE, WE COULD SAY GOODBYE TO ANY KIND OF IMPROVEMENTS BEING MADE AND JUST WOULD LIKE THE COMMISSION'S BLESSING ON PURCHASING THAT PROPERTY FOR FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT COULD BE MADE AND THE CONSERVATION THAT IS NEEDED. THANK YOU.
NEXT SPEAKER IS PAMELA MARGARET MEGGERS EGGERS, FOLLOWED BY TONY KERN.
I WAS QUITE SURPRISED ABOUT THIS MEETING TONIGHT.
I'VE JUST MOVED TO THE AREA ABOUT EIGHT WEEKS.
MA'AM, COULD YOU SPEAK? CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? OKAY.
SO I'VE JUST MOVED TO THE AREA ABOUT EIGHT WEEKS AGO.
OF WHICH FOUR WEEKS I'VE BEEN GONE.
BUT I DON'T HAVE PICTURES BECAUSE, INTERESTING ENOUGH, I HAVE THEM ON MY PHONE, BUT MY HOUSE IS JUST ABOUT ON EVERY PICTURE THAT MY NEIGHBORS HAVE USED TO ILLUSTRATE THE VOLUME OF WATER.
I LIVE AT 34 EAST PARK, DIRECTLY BEHIND THIS PROPOSED WALL THAT THEY'RE ANTICIPATING WITH THE SUBMISSION OF THE BUILDING OF THE DOCK AND POTENTIALLY HOME ADDITIONS BACK THERE IN SOME FORMAT OF A COMMUNITY.
I PERSONALLY HAVE SOME KNOWLEDGE ABOUT WATER DIVERSION BECAUSE MY SON IN LAW HAS A MASTER'S DEGREE IN RIVER DYNAMICS, AND I RECENTLY MOVED HERE FROM COLORADO AND WAS AND AM INTIMATELY FAMILIAR WITH WHEN YOU START DIVERTING WATER THROUGH ANY MODE OF CONSTRUCTION OR BEAVER NATURE BY ANIMALS, THE RESIDUAL OF THAT IS VERY, VERY POWERFUL AND DESTRUCTIVE.
I PERSONALLY, AS SEEN EXCUSE ME IN THE PICTURES THAT MY NEIGHBORS HAVE PROPOSED.
I LIVE WHERE THE TWO DRAINS FOR EAST PARK ARE AND JUST AS LATE AS YESTERDAY.
I HAD WATER CLEAR UP TO MY STEP BECAUSE THE DRAINS DO NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY.
BUT IT ONLY ILLUSTRATES THAT ANY FURTHER CONSTRUCTION OR DIVERSION OF WATER WILL NOT ONLY TOTALLY CONSUME MY HOME, AS WELL AS THE NEIGHBORS AND THE LOW LYING AREAS, BUT THERE IS NO CHANCE FOR MY HOME TO BE SAVED BECAUSE THE WATER IS ALREADY FROM THE STREET BUILDING UP AND COLLECTS IN MY HOME, AND IT WILL BE THE RECIPIENT OF WHERE THE WATER IS DIVERTED FROM THE SEAWALL.
THAT'S ISSUE FOR ME PERSONALLY, BUT ON A BIGGER SCALE.
AUGUSTINE FOR THE HISTORICAL INTEGRITY THAT THE CITY HAS SO WONDERFULLY DONE THROUGH THE YEARS AND TO OUR STATE AND OUR COMMUNITY AND INTO THE WORLD, QUITE FRANKLY.
AND I KNOW WE HAVE VISITORS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.
THE TROLLEY CARS COME DOWN THROUGH OUR AREAS AND IT'S A BEAUTIFUL AREA.
[00:45:06]
I PURCHASED A HISTORICAL HOME WITH THE HOPE AND THE DREAMS THAT I COULD HELP ENSURE THE INTEGRITY OF THIS HISTORICAL CITY, AND ALSO FOR THE WILDLIFE.AND I THINK THAT ELEMENT ITSELF TAKES PRECEDENCE OVER EVERYTHING.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS TONY KERN, FOLLOWED BY JESSICA ERCK.
HI THERE. MY NAME IS TONY KERN AND I LIVE AT 23 ALTHEA STREET.
AND I'D LIKE TO START OFF BY THANKING EACH OF YOU FOR STANDING UP FOR LAND CONSERVATION PROGRAM.
I'M A HUGE FAN OF IT, AND I ESPECIALLY WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER BLONDER BECAUSE I KNOW SHE WAS A CATALYST FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN, AND WE NEED IT NOW MORE THAN EVER. AND I'M HOPING THAT THE CITY WILL PURCHASE ALL THREE PROPERTIES THE VAN DIKE, THE 100 ACRE MARSH, AND THEN THE AVERY PROPERTIES. I HOPE YOU CAN FIND MATCHING GRANT FUNDS TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN BECAUSE THEY ALL DESERVE TO BE SAVED.
I KNOW FULLER WOOD A LITTLE BIT MORE INTIMATELY BECAUSE I'VE BEEN THERE SINCE 2005, AND I KNOW THAT IF WE CAN PURCHASE THIS PROPERTY AND CONSERVE IT ON 100 ACRE MARSH, WE'RE GOING TO MITIGATE FLOODING.
WE'RE GOING TO HELP THE WILDLIFE THAT USE THAT AREA.
IT'S GOING TO HELP WITH THE CLIMATE CHANGE THAT WE'RE ALL SEEING AND THE SEA LEVEL RISE.
AND YOU GUYS WILL ALL BE HEROES, OF COURSE, FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN FOR ALL THE NEIGHBORS.
AND, YOU KNOW, FULLER WOOD REALLY NEEDS A BREAK RIGHT NOW BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WAS PRETTY CHILL UNTIL 2016 WHEN MATTHEW CAME IN AND FLOODED US AND THEN IRMA CAME THE NEXT YEAR.
SO WE'VE BEEN THROUGH IT AND IT'S NEVER BEEN THE SAME SINCE.
OUR HYDROLOGY IS DIFFERENT NOW AND IT'S BEEN A REAL JOURNEY AND IT'S SAD TO SEE.
AND I JUST SEE THIS AS A BIG WIN FOR FULLER WOOD.
AND WE NEED A BIG WIN BECAUSE WE DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY WIDE OPEN SPACES LIKE THIS AVAILABLE.
SO FINGERS CROSSED THAT WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN.
HI, I'M JESSICA ERCK 22 SYLVAN DRIVE.
I AM HERE TODAY TO SPEAK WITH YOU ABOUT THE FULLER WOOD PROPERTY AT THE END OF BILLINGS STREET.
WHILE I BELIEVE ALL THREE PROPERTIES IN QUESTION SHOULD BE BOUGHT.
I KNOW PERSONALLY ONLY ABOUT THIS ONE.
I TOOK A NATURALIST CLASS IN 2019.
THE CLASS REQUIRED ME TO FIND A NATURAL SPOT CLOSE TO MY HOME, WHERE I COULD OBSERVE THE WILDLIFE, EXAMINE PLANTS AND TREES, AND WATCH ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES. SANDRA, THE PREVIOUS OWNER OF THE PROPERTY, GAVE ME PERMISSION TO FREQUENT THIS MARSH, SO I SPENT MANY HOURS IN THIS PLACE OVER A PERIOD OF SEVERAL MONTHS.
DURING THAT TIME, I OBSERVED MANY ANIMALS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO FOXES, EAGLES, BOX TURTLES, MARSH BUNNIES, SPOONBILLS, FIDDLER CRABS, SONGBIRDS, OSPREYS, AND ONE TIME EVEN A COYOTE.
THE TREES ARE MOSTLY LIVE OAK, EASTERN RED CEDAR, AND CABBAGE PALMS, ALONG WITH YAUPON.
MANY SEABIRDS SUCH AS HERONS, IBIS AND EGRETS FREQUENT HERE.
PILEATED WOODPECKERS ARE OFTEN SEEN, ESPECIALLY IN WINTER MONTHS.
LARGE MANGROVES GROW ALONG THE MARSH BOUNDARIES, ALONG WITH SALTBUSH AND MANY GRASSES.
THIS AREA IS AN ECOTONE, AN AREA OF TRANSITION WHERE ONE HABITAT MEETS ANOTHER.
IT IS IN THESE ECOTONES WHERE WE SEE MORE WILDLIFE AND PLANT SPECIES THAN ANYWHERE ELSE.
I ALSO STUDIED THE PHONOLOGY OF THE AREA, WHICH IS THE STUDY OF PLANT AND ANIMAL BEHAVIORS THAT ARE INFLUENCED BY SEASONAL CHANGES, CLIMATE CHANGES, AND HABITAT CHANGES.
THIS BRINGS ME TO THE TITLE CHANGES.
I MOVED TO FULLER WOOD 28 YEARS AGO, WHEN THE FLOODING WAS MINOR ON THIS PROPERTY.
AT THE END OF BILLING STREET, I HAVE SEEN THE WATER ABOVE MY KNEES WITH RIPPLES LIKE TINY WAVES.
THIS OCCURRED IN THE LAST FEW YEARS DURING HIGH TIDES IN STORMS. IF ANY PART OF THIS PROPERTY IS FILLED, I BELIEVE IT WILL AFFECT NEIGHBORS WITH MORE AND DEEPER FLOODING.
I KNOW THE VALUE OF THIS PARCEL IN TERMS OF WILDLIFE AND FLOOD PREVENTION BECAUSE I'VE SEEN IT.
SANDRA ALWAYS TOLD ME THAT AS LONG AS SHE WAS ALIVE, SHE WOULD PROTECT AND LOVE IT.
[00:50:05]
SO I ASKED THAT THE CITY PURCHASE AND PROTECT IT, AS SANDRA DID FOR THOSE MANY YEARS.AUGUSTINE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR FOR LISTENING.
MELINDA COUNCIL FOLLOWED BY KELSEY KOLINSKY.
FIRST OF ALL, I'M VERY SYMPATHETIC TO ALL THE FLOODING THAT FULLER WOOD HAS.
AND ELMER HAS IT, TOO, AS DOES WEST CITY.
SO I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO.
BUT I WANT TO MAKE A POINT THAT THERE'S TWO OTHER PROPERTIES AND THERE ISN'T THE PROPERTY.
THE VAN DIKE PROPERTY IS RIGHT NOW RANKED NUMBER ONE ON YOUR LIST FOR GOOD REASON.
THIS LIST WAS DONE BY POINTS, AND WHILE FLOODING IS IMPORTANT, IT'S NOT THE ONLY THING THAT GOES INTO REASON TO CONSERVE LAND. THIS PROPERTY IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT.
FOR ONE THING, AS YOU NOTICE FROM THE SIGN.
UNLIKE THE OTHER TWO, THIS PROPERTY IS THREATENED BY POTENTIAL OF COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
NOW THIS PROPERTY IS ZONED OPEN LAND AND IT WAS ZONED OPEN LAND A LONG TIME AGO.
IN ORDER TO ACT AS A BUFFER BETWEEN HOSPITAL CREEK AND THE RESIDENTIAL LOTS THERE ON MAIN STREET.
HOWEVER AND SO THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT THE OWNER CAN'T DO WITH THIS AS FAR AS DEVELOPING IT, BUT THERE'S STILL A LOT OF THINGS THAT CAN BE DEVELOPED THAT CAN PUT DANGEROUS SPILL INTO HOSPITAL CREEK, ESPECIALLY COMMERCIAL THINGS.
TRIED TO PUT IN A MARINA, A HOTEL, BOAT TAIL, HUGE MARINA THERE THREE YEARS AGO, IN NOVEMBER OF 2021. AND AT THAT TIME, THE OF COURSE, WE COULDN'T BRING IT UP AT THE TIME, WE WERE FIGHTING IT BECAUSE OF ZONING CONSIDERATIONS, BUT ONCE IT WAS DEFEATED, THERE WAS THE HOPE THAT THE CITY WOULD BUY IT AS CONSERVATION AND GREEN SPACE.
LIKEWISE, IT SITS ON HOSPITAL CREEK.
ALL THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN TALKED BY NATURAL HABITAT.
THE BIRDS, THE ANIMALS, THE HABITAT, THIS AREA.
THE OTHER IMPORTANT THING IS THIS IS ALSO ON THE EDGE OF A NATIONAL REGISTER LANDMARK DISTRICT.
IT'S HIGHLY FRAGILE AS FAR AS.
AND YOU CAN SEE, IT'S CLOSE TO THE BRIDGE, THE CAUSEWAY THAT GOES OVER.
THIS COULD SERVE ITS LOCATION IS SUCH THAT THIS COULD SERVE ALL THE RESIDENTS OF ST.
AUGUSTINE VERY WELL, BY EITHER GREEN SPACE OR A PARK.
IT DEPENDS ON WHAT? BUT I KNOW THE PUBLIC'S BEEN WANTING A KAYAK LAUNCH FOR A LONG TIME.
THIS WOULD BE A PERFECT PLACE FOR ONE IF DECIDED.
I MY MAIN THING IS THAT IT'S CONSERVED.
THE OTHER THING IS, IT'S AN ENTRY POINT INTO THE CITY OF ST.
AUGUSTINE. IT'S ONE OF THE FIRST THING OUR VISITORS SEE AS THEY COME IN.
IT'S BEEN A BLIGHTED LOT FOR A LONG TIME.
AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE WHOLE PROGRAM.
NICK, KELSEY, HELP ME OUT HERE.
OH. CLOSE NINE CAUGHT THE OPHELIA FULLER WOOD.
THE 100 ACRE MARSH IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL, QUIET PARTS OF FULLER WOOD.
[00:55:10]
ENTIRE CITY IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER IN THE FUTURE.NEXT SPEAKER IS DEVONA BELL, FOLLOWED BY DEBORAH INGRAM.
HELLO. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HEARING US TODAY.
IT'S REALLY GREAT TO SEE SO MANY OF MY NEIGHBORS COME OUT.
I LIVE AT 38 FULLER WOOD DRIVE.
I BOUGHT THE HOUSE IN 2018 AND HAVE JUST BEEN ABLE TO MOVE INTO IT, AND I'M SO HAPPY TO BE HERE.
AUGUSTINE 20 PLUS YEARS AGO FOR MANY YEARS AND HAVE WATCHED THE DIFFERENT AREAS AND HAVE SEEN WITH MY OWN EYES WHAT MY NEIGHBORS ARE PUTTING FORWARD IN TERMS OF THE FLOODING CHALLENGES.
I AND SOME OF MY NEIGHBORS HAVE SAID, FEEL THAT IT'S A VERY GOOD USE OF OUR TAX DOLLARS, OUR VERY HARD EARNED TAX DOLLARS THAT WE ARE PAYING AS IT PROTECTS SO MANY HOMES, SO MANY PEOPLE, SO MUCH OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND OUR VERY IMPORTANT BIODIVERSITY AND WILDLIFE. THERE ARE BIG FLOODING ISSUES, AS YOU'VE HEARD FROM MY NEIGHBORS EXPERIENCED IN FULLER WOOD.
IT'S THE PEOPLE'S HOMES AND LIVES, AND IT'S THE EXTENSIVE WILDLIFE.
SO I WON'T REPEAT EVERYTHING MY NEIGHBORS HAVE ALREADY SAID.
BUT AS WE ALL KNOW, MANGROVES ARE INCREDIBLY CRITICAL TO MITIGATE FOR FLOODING.
WHEN WE HAVE BUILDING, IT WILL DIVERT THE WATER TO OUR NEIGHBORS HOMES AND IT SEEMS THAT THERE SHOULD BE A CONSIDERATION AND MAYBE THERE ISN'T. I JUST DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT.
OF WHEN SOMEBODY IS BUILDING THAT THEY SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE NEIGHBORS BESIDE THEM, THE NEIGHBORS AROUND THEM, THE NEIGHBORS THAT ARE UP THE STREET FROM THEM BECAUSE IT WILL IN FACT DIVERT THE WATER FROM THEIR PROPERTY ONTO THE OTHERS.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO REQUEST THAT YOU REEVALUATE THE RATING SYSTEM.
SO I'D BE HAPPILY CORRECTED AT ANY TIME, BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IT COULD THE RATING SYSTEM COULD BE REEVALUATED AND ADJUSTED, BECAUSE ACTUALLY, FULLER WOULD GOT DIVERSITY AND HABITAT HABITAT AS A 2.8.
AND WE DON'T FEEL THAT THAT'S ACCURATE.
THE THE POINT SIX FOR BEING LOCATED IN A NATIONAL REGISTER AS HISTORIC.
AND LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO ADD THAT THE DRAINS ARE NOT DRAINING AS MY NEIGHBORS HAVE SAID.
WELL, I WANT TO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.
DEBORAH INGRAM FOLLOWED BY TAYLOR RAINEY.
I BROUGHT SOME PICTURES AND IT'S ALL ABOUT FLOODING.
AND I'M ON 12 AVERY ON THE WEST SIDE IN RAVENSWOOD.
AND THIS IS ONE OF THE FLOODS.
THIS RIGHT THERE IS MY LITTLE HOUSE THAT I AM VERY PROUD OF.
60. WELL, SIX YEARS IN OCTOBER 5TH, I WAS, YOU KNOW, A HOMEOWNER FOR THE FIRST TIME.
AND THIS OLD GYPSY LOVES THE MY LITTLE HOUSE.
AND I CAN SHOW LOTS AND LOTS OF PICTURES OF FLOODING, BUT I REALLY AM FOR PURCHASING IT ALL.
I LOVE THAT IT'S BEING CONSIDERED.
IT REALLY GIVES ME HOPE AFTER, YOU KNOW, JUST WATCHING ALL THE DEVELOPMENT AND ALL OUR GREEN SPACE GOING THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE REALLY HAPPY ABOUT CONSERVING SOME OF THESE AREAS.
AND THEN I THIS IS AVERY AND I KIND OF MADE THIS IMAGINARY WALKING PARK.
ALONG THE SEBASTIAN, I GO UP AND DOWN PALMER AND WEST ON WEST SIDE AND AND MASTERS AND THERE'S NO
[01:00:06]
SIDEWALKS. AND I SEE CHILDREN AND BICYCLISTS AND EVERYBODY HAVE NO PLACE.WE ALL SEE THE LIGHTS ON THE OTHER SIDE.
FROM THERE ON DOWN TO AVERY, I WOULD I WOULD THINK THAT WOULD JUST BENEFIT THE WHOLE TOWN FROM IT.
AND THEN I WANTED JUST TO SHARE THIS LITTLE CARTOON BECAUSE I JUST SAW IT AND I CRACKED UP AND I GO, OKAY, HERE'S THE GUY, AND HE'S CHOPPING DOWN THE MANGROVES, AND THEN HE SERVES THE CONSEQUENCES FOR IT.
AND I JUST GO, WELL, YOU KNOW, I'M GLAD WE'RE THINKING ON IN THIS KIND OF TERMS AND HELP US SAVE IT.
AND IN MY EYES, THEN EVERYBODY ELSE, YOU WILL BE HEROES TO HELP US OUT HERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
EXCUSE ME. FOLLOWED BY SUE ANN WEBBER.
TAYLOR BRAINY LIVE AT 31 COLONY STREET IN FULLER WOOD.
THANKFULLY, MY HOME DOES NOT FLOOD AT THE MOMENT.
HAVEN'T HAD WATER IN MY HOME, BUT THE YARD AND THE GARAGE FLOODS EVERY YEAR AT LEAST ONCE.
AND THEN YOU KNOW THE REST OF THE HOMES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD FLOOD REGULARLY, MULTIPLE TIMES A YEAR.
SO STRONGLY RECOMMEND OR SUPPORT PURCHASING THE 100 ACRE MARSH PARCEL IN FULLER WOOD.
AUGUSTINE, BUT ALSO BECAUSE OF THE BEAUTY OF THE MARSHLAND.
SO STRONGLY RECOMMEND PRESERVING THAT.
AND THEN ALSO BECAUSE THIS PROPERTY WOULD BE PURCHASED WITH TAX DOLLARS, I ALSO SUPPORT ANY WAYS THE PROPERTIES COULD BE USED FOR PUBLIC GOOD, LIKE A WILDLIFE OBSERVATION AREA, ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
LAST SPEAKER ON THIS TOPIC IS SUE ANN WEBBER.
I'M PRIVILEGED TO BE THE PRESIDENT OF THE GREATER FULWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
AND THE PROPERTY WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IS PART OF THIS PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THE PEOPLE YOU'VE ALREADY SPOKEN, WHO HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN HAVE PRESENTED SOME VERY GOOD REASONS AS TO WHY YOU SHOULD CONSIDER PURCHASING THE 100 ACRE SWAMP THROUGH THE CONSERVATION PROGRAM.
SANDRA NELSON, HAD OWNED THIS PROPERTY, IN ADDITION TO FOUR LOTS, ALONG WITH A HOUSE THAT FACED EAST PARK STREET FROM 1980 UNTIL HER PASSING IN 2000 LISTEN TO 20,022.
AND SHE WAS CONTENTED TO HAVE ALL THIS LAND AROUND HER.
FOR SOME 40 PLUS YEARS SHE SERVED AS THE GUARDIAN OF THE 100 ACRE SWAMP.
SHE SHARED THIS PROPERTY WITH NEIGHBORS TO ENJOY ITS WONDERS.
THE LANDSCAPE AS WELL AS THE WILDLIFE.
SINCE HER DEATH, HER HEIR HAS SOLD OFF THE PROPERTIES THAT FACE EAST PARK, AND THIS 100 ACRE SWAMP IS THE ONLY PROPERTY REMAINING. I BELIEVE MRS. NELSON WAS A CONSERVATION PROGRAM OF HER OWN BEFORE ONE HAD BEEN DEFINED BY THE CITY, AND THUS, I THINK IT IS ONLY FITTING THAT THE PROGRAM HONOR HER STEWARDSHIP FOR THOSE 40 PLUS YEARS AND PURCHASED THIS PROPERTY ALONG WITH THE OTHER TWO.
THE LAST SPEAKER IS BJ KALAIDI.
I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY COMING OUT.
THE NEXT WCC CRA STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING IS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10TH, 2024 AT 5 P.M.
[01:05:03]
IT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT SOME PROPERTY OWNERS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO CUT OVERGROWN GRASS OR REPAIR BROKEN FENCE.HOWEVER, THE MILLAGE RATE, ALSO KNOWN AS PROPERTY TAXES, HAVE NOT BEEN ROLLED BACK.
INFLATION AFFECTS TAXPAYERS TO VOTE NO.
SCHOOL TAXES ON NOVEMBER 5TH BALLOT.
TRANSPARENCY WITH TAX DOLLARS SHOULD BE THE PRIORITY IN THE VISION PLAN.
TRANSPARENCY WITH TAX DOLLARS SHOULD BE THE PRIORITY IN THE VISION PLAN.
IT'S WELL PAST THE TIME FOR THIS 501 C3 INSTITUTION TO MAKE PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES, AND THAT WOULD HELP SOME OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND SOME OF THE NEEDS THAT THIS CITY HAS WITH ALL THE UNREST IN OUR WORLD.
PLEASE LISTEN TO 90.5 FM FOR SOME HOPE.
THANK YOU. AND I WANT TO SAY AGAIN, BECAUSE I DO HAVE A SECOND OR TWO WHEN NEIGHBORHOODS COME IN HERE AND GET UP HERE AND SPEAK TO YOU AS OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THE STAFF, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
AND I KNOW YOU KNOW THIS, BUT I WANT TO SAY THIS OUT LOUD.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT SOMETHING BE FOLLOWED UP.
AND WHEN YOU CAN GIVE AN ANSWER, YOU CAN GIVE AN ANSWER AND MAKE AN EXPLANATION.
AND HOPEFULLY ALL THE OTHER TWO WILL BE HERE.
AND THERE CAN BE A DECISION IN A TIMELY MANNER FOR THESE PEOPLE THIS WEEKEND.
I'VE HEARD A LITTLE BIT AT WHAT'S COMING.
SO KEEP TAKING THOSE PICTURES AND BRINGING THEM IN.
THAT'S THE END OF PUBLIC COMMENT.
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
[5. CONSENT AGENDA]
MR. CITY MANAGER, TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA INCLUDES A REMINDER OF UPCOMING MEETINGS FOR THE OCTOBER 14TH, 5 P.M.REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING, THE OCTOBER 28TH, 330 CRA AGENCY MEETING.
REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING AND THE NOVEMBER 12TH, 5 P.M.
REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING TONIGHT.
WE HAVE THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE AUGUST 12TH REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING, THE AUGUST 22ND SPECIAL CITY COMMISSION BUDGET WORKSHOP MEETING, THE AUGUST 26TH REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING, AND THE SEPTEMBER 5TH SPECIAL CITY COMMISSION BUDGET MEETING.
WE HAVE A RELEASE OF LIEN FOR 200 NORTH BREVARD STREET.
MISS CHELSEA MURRAY AND 488 VENETIAN BOULEVARD, MR. TIMOTHY HARRELL.
AND WE HAVE A REQUEST FROM DRIFTERS RENTALS TO USE THE CITY SEAL.
AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR CONSENT AGENDA FOR THIS EVENING.
THANK YOU. I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT ITEM C, A COULD YOU GO INTO DETAIL A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS USE OF THE CITY SEAL? DRIFTERS. IS THE NEW BIKE RENTAL FRANCHISE OR OPERATION THAT WE'RE STARTING BACK UP AFTER OUR FIRST BOLT BY BOLT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
BOLT RENTAL COMPANY WENT OUT OF BUSINESS.
THEY WILL BE COMING BACK TO HARB FOR PERMISSION TO PLACE THEIR BIKE RACKS THROUGHOUT THE DOWNTOWN AREA, AND THEY WOULD LIKE TO USE THE CITY SEAL ON THEIR ADVERTISING.
MOST OF THE BIKE THEY DO OPERATE SOME OF THEIR BIKE RENTALS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, BUT JUST LIKE BOLT OPERATED SOME OF THEIRS ON PUBLIC PROPERTY, THEY'D LIKE TO INCORPORATE THE CITY SEAL IN THEIR ADVERTISING.
COMMISSIONERS, I MOVE, WE PASS THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.
SO MOVED. ALL RIGHT, I'LL SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE NO APPEALS TONIGHT.
WE DO HAVE ONE GENERAL PUBLIC PRESENTATION THAT IS ITEM 7.A1, THE AUDUBON NATIVE PLANT GARDEN.
[01:10:09]
I'M SORRY. WE'VE JUST LOST QUORUM.OKAY, WELL, I DON'T THINK THIS IS A DECISION MAKING ITEM.
IT MAY NOT BE, BUT WE REALLY SHOULDN'T CONTINUE THE PUBLIC MEETING WHEN THERE IS NO QUORUM.
IS THERE A WAY FOR SOMEONE TO GO BACK THERE AND LET COMMISSIONER, WE'LL JUST HOLD ON FOR A SECOND, AND THEN WE'LL MENTION IT TO HER WHEN SHE COMES OUT. DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO HER? I'LL GO SPEAK TO HER.
WHAT'S THE FIBER ON YOUR BRACELET? WHAT? OH, I THOUGHT IT MEANT SOMETHING.
WE CAN TAKE A BREAK IF WE NEED.
I THINK THIS IS JUST A, YOU CAN.
ALSO, I'VE GOT IT ALL SET UP FOR YOU TO PROGRESS THIS.
YEAH. THE SPACEBAR TO BACKSPACE IF YOU NEED TO GO BACK.
[7.A.1. Audubon Native Plant Garden Update. (R. Franklin, Assistant City Manager)]
GOOD EVENING. MAYOR. COMMISSIONERS.I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE AUDUBON LORI GILMORE WITH THE AUDUBON.
SHE'S THE PLANTS FOR BIRDS, DIRECTOR FOR OUR LOCAL CHAPTER.
AND SHE'S GOING TO GIVE A PRESENTATION ABOUT OUR NATIVE GARDEN.
JOHN'S REGIONAL AUDUBON'S MISSION IS CELEBRATING AND PROTECTING BIRDS FROM THE RIVER TO THE SEA.
AND WE FEEL LIKE THIS GARDEN IS FULFILLING ONE OF OUR MISSIONS.
AND I THINK IT'S JUST A GREAT VISUAL TO SEE WHAT THE GARDEN REALLY LOOKS LIKE.
AND WHY DID WE WANT TO PLANT A NATIVE GARDEN? WELL, IT WAS THE VISION OF OUR PRESIDENT, AMY COOK, THAT WE WOULD HAVE A NATIVE GARDEN SOMEWHERE IN THE CITY.
AND SOME OF THE REASONS FOR THAT IS WE HAVE LOST NEARLY A BILLION BIRDS IN NORTH AMERICA SINCE 1970.
A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THIS LOSS IS DUE TO VANISHING HABITAT, AND THE PURPOSE OF THE GARDEN IS TO SHOW RESIDENTS AND VISITORS HOW THE USE OF NATIVE GARDENS CAN RESULT IN BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPES, EVEN IN AN URBAN AREA.
OKAY, THIS IS A LITTLE I THINK.
ANYWAYS, THIS IS I HAD A PHOTO.
I THOUGHT OF WHAT THE GARDEN LOOKED LIKE BEFORE.
SO THIS WAS THE FIRST DAY OF INSTALLATION OF THE GARDEN, WHICH SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED IT.
[01:15:06]
WE HAVE SPENT THE LAST TWO YEARS PLANNING AND WAITING TO INSTALL THIS GARDEN, AND WE HAD TO BE VERY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT HOW WE PROCEEDED WITH WORKING IN THE HISTORIC AREA AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAD THE RIGHT COLOR PALETTE OF OUR SIGNAGE SO THAT WE WERE.IT WAS APPROVED FOR THE HISTORIC COLORS THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY, AND WE ALSO HAD TO FIND THE RIGHT GARDEN DESIGN AND THE RIGHT PLANTS BECAUSE THIS SPACE IS FULL SUN.
SO WE NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD THE RIGHT PLANTS.
THE GARDEN HAS COST NEARLY $35,000 FOR AUDUBON, EXCLUDING THE NEW LIABILITY INSURANCE, AND WAS FUNDED BY OUR MEMBERS AND OUR DONORS. WE HAVE A FIVE YEAR VENDORS AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY TO MAINTAIN THE GARDEN.
THIS IS A PHOTO OF THE GARDEN AFTER INSTALLATION.
AND WHAT I WANT YOU TO JUST THINK ABOUT FOR A MOMENT IS THAT'S HOW SMALL THE PLANTS WERE.
THEY WERE MOSTLY FIVE GALLON PLANTS.
AND IN THE NEXT PICTURE YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A BIG TRANSFORMATION.
BUT WE WANTED TO THANK THE CITY AND HERB BECAUSE THEY WORKED VERY WELL WITH US.
AND WE SPECIFICALLY WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE REUBEN FRANKLIN AND J.B.
MILLER, WHO HAVE BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF US SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING OF OUR TALKS.
HERB WAS WONDERFUL WHEN WE WERE DOING THE APPLICATION AND HELPED US TREMENDOUSLY.
JULIA COURTNEY AND ANDREA WHITE WERE INVALUABLE WITH ALL OF THEIR INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE.
MARK HARTLEY AND JILL AUTRY WORKED WITH US TO ADAPT THE IRRIGATION SYSTEM SO THAT THE GARDEN WOULD BE WATERED APPROPRIATELY.
AND DENISE MEDRANO WAS ABLE TO GET US PARKING PERMITS IN THE VISITOR CENTER, WHICH IS VERY HELPFUL FOR OUR VOLUNTEERS SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY. WE ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR LANDSCAPE DESIGNER, WAKAPUAKA, THE OWNERS, NICK FREEMAN AND TOMMY ROBERTS RICHARDSON, FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND CREATIVITY.
AND THIS IS A PICTURE OF TOMMY.
AND THIS IS SO THE LAST PICTURE WAS IN APRIL, AND THIS PICTURE WAS AT THE END OF JUNE.
SO YOU CAN TELL THAT THE PLANTS ARE JUST VERY HAPPY.
IT'S BETTER THAN WE HAD EVER EXPECTED IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND UNDER THE RENEWABLE, UNDER OUR RENEWABLE VENDORS AGREEMENT, WE WILL MAINTAIN THE GARDEN FOR FIVE YEARS.
WE WILL BEAR THE COST OF THAT MAINTENANCE AND THE CITY IS PROVIDING THE IRRIGATION, AND WE ARE BUDGETING OVER $2,000 ANNUALLY FOR MAINTENANCE, WHICH INCLUDES REPLACEMENT PLANTS REPLACING WHITE PINE STRAW.
THAT HAS TO BE DONE AT LEAST TWICE.
A PRE-EMERGENT USE TO TRY AND CONTROL THE GARDENS AND OUR EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS.
THESE ARE SOME OF OUR VOLUNTEERS.
WE HAVE A TEAM OF SEVEN VOLUNTEERS.
THEY HAVE WORKED WEEKLY IN THE GARDEN SINCE INSTALLATION.
AND AS OF TODAY, WE HAVE PUT IN OVER 300 HOURS WORKING IN THE GARDEN.
I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT WHAT THEY HAVE DONE TO HELP MAKE THIS GARDEN AS BEAUTIFUL AS IT IS.
NO, SOME SAID THEY WERE GOING TO COME, BUT I WAS GOING TO RECOGNIZE THEM.
AND WE INTEND TO HAVE OUR FOCUS BE ON EDUCATION FOR BOTH CHILDREN AND ADULTS, AND TRYING TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO USE NATIVE PLANTS IN THEIR LANDSCAPE AS BEST THEY CAN.
AND FOR CLUB MEETINGS, WE ARE PLANNING ON HOLDING A FEW EARLY MORNING COFFEE TEA GET TOGETHERS WHERE THE PUBLIC WILL BE INVITED, BUT WE'RE STILL IN THE PLANNING STAGES OF THAT. AND I JUST, ON BEHALF OF THE 800 PLUS MEMBERS OF THE ST.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH YOU AND DEVELOP THIS WONDERFUL GARDEN.
IT DESERVES A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
[01:20:03]
ANY QUESTIONS? I HAVE A COMMENT. OKAY, I TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY.I THINK IT WAS. IT WAS LAST WEEK, ONE DAY LAST WEEK.
AND ONCE I HEARD, I TALKED TO JB AND HE SAID IT WAS ALL DONE.
AND I SAID, OKAY, I'D LOVE TO GO SEE IT.
AND SO I TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO WALK THROUGH IT AND ITS SPECTACULAR.
I SAW POLLINATORS ALL OVER THE PLACE, EVERYWHERE.
THE SIGNAGE IS VERY EDUCATIONAL.
AS I WAS LEAVING, THERE WAS ANOTHER WOMAN COMING IN AND SHE WAS VERY CAREFULLY READING THE SIGN.
SO I THINK IT'S SERVING THE PURPOSE IT WAS DESIGNED FOR.
AND I HOPE YOU'LL CONSIDER EXTENDING THE AGREEMENT.
OR MAYBE WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE YOU'RE DOING YOU ALL ARE DOING A GREAT JOB.
YOUR VOLUNTEERS AND YOU. THANK YOU.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS.
I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE A BLESSING TO THE VIC BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY VISITORS THAT GO THERE.
AND EVERY TIME YOU SEE FLOWERS AND PLANTS AND THINGS, IT'S A SOOTHING THING.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR THE HARD WORK.
THANK YOUR VOLUNTEERS ON OUR BEHALF.
THANK YOU. AND IT'S REALLY BEEN REFRESHING WHEN PEOPLE WALK THROUGH, ESPECIALLY THE PATHWAY IN THE MIDDLE AND THEN TALK ABOUT THE GARDEN AND WITH OUR SIGNAGE WITH THE QR CODES ON NOW, I THINK THAT IT LINKS TO A WEBSITE TO TALK ABOUT EACH PLANT.
I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE A REAL WIN FOR OUR VISITORS.
YOU HAVE AN EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT FOR CHILDREN.
AND I HAVE BEEN ADMIRING THE GARDEN AND I APPRECIATE THAT WELL AS WELL.
AND I'M HOPING TO LEARN SOMETHING FROM IT FOR MY OWN GARDEN AS WELL.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO START PLANNING OUR EDUCATION FOR 2025 THIS WEDNESDAY.
AND THAT'S GOING TO BE THE GOAL IS TO HELP RESIDENTS DESIGN GARDENS.
I MEAN, WE REALLY CAN'T THANK THEM ENOUGH.
ALL RIGHT, SO THE NEXT ITEM WE HAVE ON THE AGENDA IS ITEM 8.A1, AND
[8.A.1. Ordinance 2024-30: Amends the existing definition of Historic Structure and clarifies Section 28-89 regarding proposed or partial demolition of existing historic structures. (A. Skinner, Director Planning and Building)]
IT'S ORDINANCE 24-30.IT IS A SECOND READING AND A PUBLIC HEARING.
THIS ITEM AMENDS THE EXISTING DEFINITION OF HISTORIC STRUCTURE AND CLARIFIES SECTION 28 DASH 89 REGARDING PROPOSED OR PARTIAL DEMOLITION OF EXISTING HISTORIC STRUCTURES.
GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS AMY SKINNER.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE PLANNING AND BUILDING DEPARTMENT.
THIS IS, AS YOU'VE SAID, THE SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING FOR ORDINANCE 2024, DASH 30.
THIS ORDINANCE PROPOSES TO CLARIFY LANGUAGE WITHIN THE DEFINITION OF HISTORIC STRUCTURE, AND TO CLARIFY THE CODE STRUCTURE RELATED TO THE DEMOLITION SECTION OF THE CODE.
THESE CHANGES WERE RECOMMENDED BY THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD.
THIS IS A CLEANUP ITEM AS FAR AS STAFF IS CONCERNED TO CLARIFY THE LANGUAGE.
ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE REALIZED THAT THE CODE STRUCTURE NEEDS TO BE CHANGED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S CLEAR WHAT PROPERTIES REQUIRE REVIEW FOR DEMOLITION.
AND SO THESE THE DEFINITION CHANGES AND THAT CHANGE ARE THE TWO CHANGES THAT ARE, ARE CLEARLY OUTLINED IN THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE.
THANK YOU, AND I'M AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
JULIE COURTNEY IS ALSO HERE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
LOVELY. ANY QUESTIONS FROM STAFF? BEFORE WE GO TO PUBLIC HEARING.
OKAY. HEARING NONE. PUBLIC HEARING IS OPEN.
I HAVE NO SPEAKER CARDS ANYONE WISHES TO SPEAK.
CAN SPEAK FROM THE PODIUM AND FILL OUT A CARD IF THEY WISH.
WHAT MORE WOULD YOU OFFER? NOTHING. WE'RE JUST AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
OKAY. IN CASE THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS.
NO, I THINK WE HAD A GOOD, THOROUGH GOING OVER OF IT.
IT'S REALLY SOME TECHNICAL LANGUAGE THAT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED AND ADAPTED SO THAT WE'RE HAVE A GOOD, SOLID ORDINANCE FOR THESE DEMOLITIONS MOVING FORWARD, WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT.
THAT'S CORRECT. I'M READY TO INTRODUCE A MOTION IF YOU.
[01:25:01]
I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT ORDINANCE 2024-30 AT SECOND READING.ORDINANCE NUMBER 2024-30, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF ST.
AMENDING CHAPTER 28, SECTION 2889 CLARIFYING CRITERIA FOR THE REVIEW OF DEMOLITION.
PROVIDING FOR INCLUSION IN THE CODE OF THE CITY OF ST.
AUGUSTINE AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ANY OTHER FINAL COMMENTS? MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
GOING ON TO STAFF REPORTS, WE HAVE THE ITEM TEN A THAT WE HEARD SO MUCH ABOUT EARLIER.
[10.A. 2024 Conservation Program-Nominated Properties Ranking Presentation. (R. Franklin, Assistant City Manager)]
AND THIS IS THE 2024 CONSERVATION PROGRAM NOMINATED PROPERTIES RANKING PRESENTATION BY REUBEN FRANKLIN.GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.
I DID TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT ALL OF THE SCORES ON ONE SHEET SO YOU COULD SEE EACH PROPERTY.
SO I'D JUST LIKE TO TAKE A SECOND TO PASS THAT OUT REAL QUICK.
MAY I MAKE A COMMENT? SURE. IN THE FUTURE, I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO HAVE THIS IN OUR PACKET IN ADVANCE, BECAUSE I WENT BACK AND FORTH A LOT OF DIFFERENT TIMES TO TRY TO COMPARE THEM INDIVIDUALLY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
YEAH, WE WILL MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
SO I THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS AN EASIER WAY TO LOOK AT THE SCORES AND HOW THEY SCORE INDIVIDUALLY AGAINST EACH OTHER. I ALSO THINK IN THE FUTURE IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO ACTUALLY SEE THE INDIVIDUALS AND HOW THEY RANKED THESE. SO NOT JUST THE COMPOSITE SCORE, BUT THE INDIVIDUAL.
YEAH, THE INDIVIDUAL SCORES WOULD BE HELPFUL TOO.
I THINK THAT THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM.
OKAY. WELL, THIS EVENING WE WANTED TO PRESENT OUR THREE NEW APPLICATIONS.
WE HELD A PUBLIC MEETING TO RANK THEM ON SEPTEMBER 9TH, 2024.
EXCUSE ME, MAY I INTERRUPT? WHEN YOU HAD A PUBLIC MEETING TO HOLD THE RANKING AND THAT WAS NOT.
WAS THAT A STAFF COMMITTEE OR WAS THAT A APPOINTED COMMITTEE? STAFF COMMITTEE WAS A STAFF COMMITTEE? YES, BUT IT WAS ADVERTISED AND IT WAS A PUBLIC MEETING.
DURING THAT MEETING, WE HAD COMPOSITE SCORES, THE VAN DIKE PROPERTY, WHICH WAS A 50.2, THE AVERY STREET PROPERTY WAS 45.8, AND THE 100 ACRE MARSH WAS A 41.
THE TOTAL, THE HIGHEST AMOUNT OF POINTS YOU CAN GET IS 75.
IF YOU WERE TO GET FIVES IN ALL OF THE CATEGORIES.
BUT THIS IS HOW THE RANKINGS CAME OUT.
I'M HAPPY TO GO THROUGH THE INDIVIDUAL PACKETS.
THIS WAS JUST AN INFORMATIONAL TO INFORM THE COMMISSION THAT WE HAVE NEW RANKINGS AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE OR DIVE INTO THE PACKETS. THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE TO EITHER HAVE A DISCUSSION ON THE RANKINGS THEMSELVES OR TO GO FORWARD WITH APPRAISALS SO WE KNOW WHERE EACH PROPERTY APPRAISES AT, AND WE CAN COME BACK WITH FUNDING OPTIONS FOR THE PROPERTIES ONCE WE HAVE THE APPRAISALS IN HAND.
THIS IS REALLY AN UPDATE TO SHOW YOU THAT WE HAVE THREE PROPERTIES.
THAT'S CORRECT OR ELIGIBLE AND AVAILABLE.
WE HAVE THREE PROPERTIES THAT ARE HAVE SUBMITTED THEIR APPLICATION.
THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY WILL SELL IT FOR APPRAISED VALUE.
SO YOU SAY, WHAT WERE YOU GOING TO TELL US ABOUT THE OUTCOME OF THE MEETING? THE PUBLIC MEETING OR THE NEXT STEPS FOR STAFF WOULD BE TO MOVE FORWARD IF THE COMMISSION WANTS US TO, WITH APPRAISALS FOR THE
[01:30:03]
PROPERTIES. THAT WAY, WE WOULD KNOW WHAT THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY IS.AT THIS POINT, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR VALUE IS GOING TO BE.
SO THIS WAS JUST TO INFORM YOU OF THE RANKINGS.
IF YOU HAVE ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT THE RANKINGS, WE'RE HAPPY TO YOU KNOW, GO THROUGH THAT.
BUT THE NEXT STEP AFTER THIS WOULD BE TO START THE APPRAISAL PROCESS.
I PERSONALLY THINK WE SHOULD CONSIDER GETTING THE APPRAISAL SO WE KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY IS INVOLVED, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE ALL THAT INFORMATION WHEN WE'RE A FULL COMMISSION AHEAD OF IN FRONT OF US, SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO, HOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THEIR PROPERTIES.
SO IF WE GET THE APPRAISALS, THAT WILL SPEED UP THE PROCESS ON WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.
I AGREE, I AGREE WITH THE APPRAISALS.
I THINK WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING UNLESS WE KNOW WHAT THE APPRAISALS ARE.
AND I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT WOULD CHANGE THE RANKING.
BUT ALSO WE HAVE OTHER CONSIDERATIONS TO MAKE, WHICH IS ACTUALLY HOW MUCH MONEY IS AVAILABLE.
AND THAT'S NOT AS MUCH AS WE WOULD LIKE.
OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE A WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF NEEDS, BUT NOT A LOT OF MONEY TO MEET THOSE NEEDS.
AND IF I MAY, THAT'S A GOOD POINT.
I, I ASKED LAST TIME WE MET TWO WEEKS AGO WHEN THESE WERE COMING IN.
WHETHER YOU ALL FELT LIKE THE THE RANKING CRITERIA WAS WORKING, AND AT THAT TIME YOU DID.
I THINK WE HAVE SOME ISSUES WITH THEM BASED ON HOW THESE RANKINGS TURNED OUT.
SO I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO THOSE ISSUES AS I SEE THEM.
THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME IN TERMS OF THE CONSERVATION ASPECT OF IT.
AND I GET THAT. I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT.
BUT I, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE MAYOR IF WHAT ONE OF THE BIG FACTORS THAT TIPPED THE VAN DIKE PROPERTY OVER TOP OF THE OTHERS WAS THE FACT THAT IT'S IN AND A NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC AREA.
AND IT DOESN'T CONTRIBUTE TO THAT AREA, THOUGH IT'S BEEN A DOT LAY DOWN FIELD, IT'S BEEN AN ERSTWHILE PARKING LOT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING FISHING ON THE BRIDGE.
AND OVERALL, IT'S ITS ECOSYSTEM SERVICES, ITS NATURAL VALUES.
AND I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THAT, THAT, THAT ONE ELEMENT, BUT ALSO THESE OVERESTIMATIONS OF SOME OF THE VALUES AND UNDERESTIMATIONS OF SOME OF THE VALUES IN THE OTHER PROPERTIES THAT ARE HERE.
WE DO HAVE LIMITED MONEY TO SPEND.
AND I JUST DON'T JUST AS WE DID WITH THE PROPERTY THAT WE ACTUALLY USE STORMWATER FUNDS FOR, BECAUSE IT WAS MORE APPROPRIATE THAT THAT PROPERTY LAST TIME WE WERE CONSIDERING HAD MUCH LOWER NATURAL AREA VALUES.
I THINK THIS PROPERTY HAS VERY LOW NATURAL AREA VALUES.
I'VE I GO PAST IT ALMOST DAILY.
I'VE WALKED ALL OVER IT AND IT JUST DOESN'T SING TO ME THE WAY THAT THE HUNDRED ACRE OR AVERY STREET OR THE FLORIDA AVENUE OR FISH ISLAND OR ANY OF THE OTHERS.
AS AN ECOLOGIST, IT DOESN'T COME CLOSE.
IT DOES HAVE WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC ACCESS, A A KAYAK RAMP OR SO FORTH.
I THINK THAT MORE APPROPRIATELY BELONGS WITH THE COUNTY WHO HAVE RECREATIONAL FUNDS.
I THINK THAT THE RANKING WHERE THE THE THE VAN DIKE PROPERTY WOULD IS WAY UNDERESTIMATED IN TERMS OF THE MANAGEMENT AND MAINTENANCE, BECAUSE IF WE ACQUIRE IT, WE'RE GOING TO BE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP IT SO THAT PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO IT.
AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CLEAN OUT THE TRASH CANS AND, AND PROBABLY PUT RESTROOMS ON AND ALL OF THE OTHER EXPENSES THAT I DON'T THINK WE AS A CITY HAVE LOOKED AT IN TERMS OF WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? THE LAST THING I WANT TO SAY IS WHEN WHEN WE DO GET APPRAISALS FOR THESE, I'D LIKE IN YOUR REPORT MOVING FORWARD, WHAT THE THE COST PER ACRE IS, BECAUSE SOME OF THESE PROPERTIES ARE GOING TO BE VERY HIGH COST PER ACRE, LIKE THE VAN DIKE PROPERTY, I ASSUME, AND THE OTHERS ARE GOING TO BE LOWER.
AND I THINK THAT'S A FACTOR IN TERMS OF OUR BUDGETING.
[01:35:04]
I, I COULD UNDERSTAND YOUR POSITION.HOWEVER, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS, SINCE I'M, I'M AWARE THAT A LOT OF THE PROPERTY ALONG THE WATER AND PARTICULARLY IN THAT AREA, HAS CULTURAL RESOURCES.
SURE. TREMENDOUS, TREMENDOUSLY IMPORTANT CULTURE.
AND THAT'S WHY IT RANKS HIGHER ON THE CULTURAL SIDE.
I, I FULLY EXPECTED THAT WE WOULD HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THINGS WORKING.
I DIDN'T EXPECT WE WOULD HAVE THEM RIGHT OFF THE BAT, BUT ON THE FIRST, FIRST TIME AROUND.
BUT I THINK THAT WOULD BE MY ANSWER TO THAT.
AND I THINK I HAVE ONE LITTLE THING I MIGHT LIKE TO SEE CONSIDERED, AND I DIDN'T FIND IT IN HERE, BUT WE PROVIDE UNDER SPECIAL VALUE SOMETHING VERY GENERAL, WHICH IS THE UNIQUE, EXCEPTIONAL UNIQUENESS OR QUALITY.
AND THEN WE ALSO PROVIDE CONNECTIVITY TO AN ADJACENT PUBLIC PARCEL.
WHAT WE DIDN'T WAS CONNECTIVITY TO WATER, PUBLIC ACCESS TO WATER, WHICH HAS IS ALWAYS BEEN.
WE DO HAVE THAT UNDER OPEN SPACE.
RECREATION PROVIDES PUBLIC WATER ACCESS.
OKAY. THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT.
I WAS LOOKING FOR IT AND I COULDN'T FIND IT, SO.
SO I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THAT WOULD HAVE ALL PROBABLY BEEN THE THING THAT REALLY KICKED IT OVER IS BECAUSE IT DOES THAT PRECIOUS.
IT'S A PERFECT THING THAT WE ALL WANT.
YEAH. THAT'S REALLY WHAT, WHAT PUSHED IT OVER WOULD BE THAT.
SO BUT THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
I'M CERTAINLY OPEN TO LOOKING AT THINGS.
I THINK THEY WANTED TO RERANK IT.
AT LEAST ONE SPEAKER SAID THEY WANTED TO.
I HAVE TWO MORE QUESTIONS WHEN YOU'RE FINISHED, BUT I REALLY LIKE I SAID, I'D LIKE TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THOSE PREHISTORIC RESOURCES AND HOW IT PLAYS A ROLE IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER LIST.
SEEMS LIKE JUST ONE OTHER COMMENT.
THE HUNDRED ACRE MARSH PROPERTY IT'S ADJACENT TO A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT, IS THAT CORRECT? IT'S NOT LOCATED WITHIN A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT, BUT IT'S ADJACENT TO ONE.
IF YOU SEE IT IN THE PACKET, WE HAVE THE BOUNDARY OF THE WHERE THE DISTRICT IS.
OKAY. SO IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE WE NEED TO MAYBE DELVE INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT DEEPER.
IS SOMETHING IS THAT, YOU KNOW, LIKE WHEN WE DO OUR NATIONAL WHEN WE DO OUR HP DISTRICTS PROPERTIES THAT ARE ADJACENT TO NATIONAL REGISTER OR TO THE HP DISTRICTS, THEY DO GET CONSIDERATION.
WELL, NOT ONLY THAT, THESE ARE PLATTED LOTS.
RIGHT. I DON'T KNOW WHY IT WAS LEFT OFF, SO I WOULD I WOULD ASK FOR SOME CONSIDERATION THERE.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO LEARN AS WE GO.
BUT I FEEL LIKE THAT THERE MAY BE THAT MAY BE SOMETHING WE MISSED ON THAT 100 ACRE MARSH PIECE THAT WE COULD CERTAINLY INCLUDE IT IN THE DISTRICT BOUNDARIES IF WE DID ACQUIRE IT IN THE FUTURE.
I MEAN, MY QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE NATIONAL STANDARDS, IS ARE THEY IN A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT OR ARE THEY ELIGIBLE FOR NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT? IN THAT WEIGHS HEAVILY ON ME AND HOW WE WOULD TREAT THESE, BECAUSE IN THE EYES OF THE FEDERAL LAW, THEY'RE THE SAME WHETHER THEY'RE ELIGIBLE OR WHETHER THEY'RE IN THE DISTRICT. THAT'S WHAT IT REALLY WHAT I WAS TRYING TO SAY EARLIER, BUT YOU SAID IT WAY BETTER IS THAT THEY'RE CONTRIBUTING, THAT IT'S CONTRIBUTING.
IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CONTRIBUTE OR IT DOESN'T.
THAT'S WHAT I UNDERSTAND. OKAY.
YEAH. OKAY. YEAH, I WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE.
YES WE ARE, WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE.
SO MAYBE THERE ARE SOME ADJUSTMENTS.
SO, WE CAN DIG IN WITH MORE DETAIL.
WE REVIEWED THE PROPERTIES WITH ALL THE INFORMATION THAT'S IN THE PACKET THAT WE PROVIDED.
THAT'S WHAT STAFF GOT TO LOOK AT.
SO WE HAD MISS COURTNEY, OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER, WAS ON THE COMMITTEE.
SO I THINK IF YOU LOOK BACK AT THE BOUNDARY, ITS JUST RIGHT ON THE EDGE OF THE BOUNDARY.
[01:40:06]
AND THAT'S WHAT WE USE TO GRADE IT OUT, SCORE IT OUT.SO I HEAR YOU, WE CAN LOOK INTO SOME MORE INFORMATION ON THE VAN DIKE PROPERTY AND LOOK INTO THIS AS ADJACENT, OR WHY IT WASN'T INCORPORATED IN THE DISTRICT. OR MAYBE IT'S A MISTAKE SO OR IT'S ELIGIBLE.
DOES IT DESERVE THE ELIGIBLE STATUS? SO, THANK YOU. I HAVE ONE MORE QUICK QUESTION.
WITH THE ADJACENCY TO THE ADJACENCY QUESTION IS IT IS THE 100 ACRE PROPERTY NOT ADJACENT TO THE FLORIDA BLUEWAY? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
THERE WAS SOME TALK YEARS AGO ABOUT IT BEING ACQUIRED THROUGH THAT PROGRAM, BUT I'M NOT SURE IF THEY HAD TO LINK OTHER PROPERTIES TO GET TO THIS ONE OR IF IT WAS ADJACENT. WE COULD CHECK THAT.
OKAY. AND IT'S ALSO POTENTIALLY ADJACENT AS THAT FLORIDA BLUEWAY PROGRAM MOVES FORWARD.
SO I THINK THAT RANKING IS ALSO A LITTLE LOW.
YES. AND WE HAD THAT DISCUSSION.
BUT THIS WAS THE THE PARCEL WHERE IT'S AT AND THE BLUE WAY BOUNDARY.
WELL, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT SAID, YOU KNOW, I DEFINITELY HEARD THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THEY WERE VERY ARTICULATE IN DESCRIBING, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE A LITTLE BIT OF PTSD FOR ME WHEN THEY STARTED TALKING ABOUT THEIR FLOODING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE CERTAINLY NOT THE ONLY NEIGHBORHOOD THAT EXPERIENCES IT.
WE HAVE THEM ALL OVER THE CITY, BUT CERTAINLY THEIR POINT WAS WELL TAKEN.
SO THEY GET HIT ON THOSE NORTHEAST WINDS EVEN IF THERE'S MILD ONES.
SO YEAH. EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS THEM.
AND THE OTHER LAST THING THAT I HEARD A COUPLE OF TIMES WAS THAT THE.
IS IT THE CHECK VALVES ARE NOT WORKING.
MAYBE WE NEED TO ASK A LITTLE MORE ABOUT WHAT IT IS.
IT REALLY HAS TO DO WITH THE ELEVATION OF THOSE OUTFALLS.
SO WHEN THE TIDE IS ABOVE THE ELEVATION OF THE OUTFALLS, THEY OVERTOP, THEY OVERTOP.
WHEN THEY OVERTOP, THEY DON'T WORK.
THAT'S CORRECT. BUT THE OUTFALLS ARE WORKING WHEN THEY'RE NOT OVERTOPPED.
OKAY. AND THAT WAS NOT I SPECIFICALLY REMEMBER.
OKAY. I ACTUALLY HAD ONE MORE QUESTION.
I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK THAT WE GET THE APPRAISALS AND GET ALL THE FINDINGS AND THE SCORING.
SO WE HAVE LIKE A COMPLETE PUZZLE.
AND THEN WE HAVE TO GO BACK LATER AND GET THE APPRAISALS THAT THAT ALL COMES TOGETHER.
AND THEN WE COULD SEE ABOUT GRANTS AND DIFFERENT THINGS, AVENUES TO HOW WE CAN GET THIS PROPERTY.
SO WE'RE MOVING FURTHER ALONG.
AND IT'S NOT LIKE A SLOW TURTLE TRYING TO GET TO WHERE WE NEED TO GO.
PERFECT. ONE LAST QUESTION, AND THIS IS FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY, ACTUALLY, IS THE VAN DIKE PROPERTY ENCUMBERED BY A LAWSUIT OF SOME TYPE AT THIS MOMENT? YES. WE ARE IN A NEARLY 20 YEAR LAWSUIT INVOLVING A NUMBER OF THE PARCELS ALONG HOSPITAL CREEK AND INVOLVING THE CITY AT EAST SAN CARLOS.
AND THAT ACCESS TO THE WATERWAY.
AND, YES, THE VAN DIKES ARE ALSO A CODEFENDANT ALONG WITH THE CITY.
WELL, JUST TO CLARIFY THAT THE CITY IS NOT IS NOT ADVERSARIAL TO THE VAN DIKE.
WE ARE NOT SUING THE VAN DIKE.
SO THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO GET AT.
DEFENDANTS. WOULD THAT ALL IN ANY WAY IMPACT OUR ABILITY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE VAN DIKE PROPERTY, SHOULD WE CHOOSE TO DO SO? NO, IT WOULD NOT STOP US FROM PURCHASING VOLUNTARILY FROM MR. VAN DIKE HIS PROPERTY.
BUT IT MAY CHANGE SOME OF THE DYNAMICS OF THE LITIGATION REGARDING OTHER PARTIES.
I JUST WANTED TO GET THAT CLARIFIED.
SO MOVING FORWARD WITH APPRAISALS AND WE'LL DIG INTO A LITTLE MORE DETAIL ON THE BOUNDARY OF THE HISTORIC DISTRICT AND THE ELIGIBILITY FOR THE HUNDRED ACRE MARSH AND ALSO THE VAN DIKE PROPERTY.
[01:45:04]
AND THEN ONCE WE HAVE THE APPRAISALS IN, WE'LL GET BACK IN FRONT OF THE COMMISSION WITH SOME OPTIONS OF MOVING FORWARD WITH ACQUISITION WOULD. I'M NOT SURE.I'M NOT READY TO SAY THAT, PARTICULARLY THE I I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR THE ANSWERS FROM STAFF AND THE QUESTIONS BEFORE WE ACTUALLY DIG HER WITH THE OKAY WITH THE RANKING.
AND OTHER COMMISSIONERS MAY FEEL DIFFERENTLY ABOUT IT, BUT I'M OPEN TO IT.
BUT THAT'S JUST MY MY PREFERENCE.
WE NEED THOSE APPRAISALS AND THINGS LIKE STICK WITH THE ISSUE.
RIGHT. YEAH. BECAUSE WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING WITH THE MONEY'S INVOLVED SO WE CAN KNOW HOW TO PROCEED.
AND THEN THE THE MONEY'S INVOLVED.
AND THEN THAT LEADS TO THE THIRD QUESTION IS, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH MONEY IS THERE? WHAT? IS THERE MONEY AVAILABLE? BECAUSE. YEAH.
THANK YOU. EVEN THOUGH THERE'S JUST THREE OF US.
SO. YEAH. AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO STATE THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS THIS IS A BRAND NEW PROGRAM.
YEAH. AND IT'S VERY MUCH GOING TO BE AN ITERATIVE PROCESS.
BUT WE'RE THESE ARE GOOD DISCUSSIONS I THINK.
WE'LL JUST KEEP MOVING FORWARD.
ALL RIGHT. AND THEN WE HAVE OUR NEXT ITEM IS THE 2016 BUILDING
[10.B. 2016 Building Condition Survey Update. (A. Skinner, Director Planning and Building)]
CONDITION SURVEY UPDATE.GOOD EVENING AGAIN. THANK YOU.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE PLANNING AND BUILDING DEPARTMENT.
THE PLANNING AND BUILDING DEPARTMENT DOES A BUILDING CONDITION SURVEY AT AT EACH POINT, WHEN WE ARE REQUIRED TO DO THE EVALUATION REPORT ON OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THIS BUILDING CONDITIONS SURVEY SHOULD BE DONE EVERY SEVEN YEARS.
AND THERE ARE STANDARDS THAT WE USE TO EVALUATE THE CONDITION OF STRUCTURES.
ALTHOUGH WE SHOULD LOOK AT ALL THE STRUCTURES IN THE CITY, MOST OF THIS INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE THAT IS FOR DISCUSSION TONIGHT IS RELATED TO RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES. IN 2016, THERE WERE 6668 RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS.
THIS IS CONSIDERED OUR BEST AVAILABLE AVAILABLE DATA, WHICH WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF BEGINNING TO UPDATE AT THE WITH THE 6000 STRUCTURES ARE SO 31% OR 2000 ROUGHLY.
RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES WERE BUILT BEFORE 1939.
JUST SOME INTERESTING KIND OF FACTS FOR PEOPLE.
56% OF THE CITY'S TOTAL HOUSING STOCK IN 2016 WAS BUILT BEFORE 1970, WHICH IS ABOUT 3700 STRUCTURES.
SO WE ARE USED TO DEALING WITH A LOT OF OLDER STRUCTURES.
OBVIOUSLY, THESE NUMBERS WOULD CHANGE BASED ON THE NEW NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE COME ONLINE.
AND WE ARE WE WILL ALSO TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT FOR DURING OUR UPDATE TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
SO EVERY YEAR THAT NUMBER CHANGES AND IT GETS MORE PAINFUL TO HEAR.
MAYOR, IF I COULD USE THE OVERHEAD, PLEASE.
EACH PROPERTY IS LOOKED AT, AND WE DO WHAT WE CALL A WINDSHIELD SURVEY.
SO BASICALLY WE ARE JUST SLOW ROLLING THROUGH THE CITY AND WE ARE JUST LOOKING FROM THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY AT WHAT WE SEE AS FAR AS WHAT WE CAN OBSERVE, AS FAR AS THE CONDITION OF THE STRUCTURES.
THE LAST SURVEY WAS DONE BETWEEN 2016 AND 2018.
[01:50:02]
IT TOOK US A LITTLE WHILE TO GET IT DONE.AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE KIND OF HERE TO TALK ABOUT TODAY.
OBVIOUSLY NUMBER ONE IS IN THE IN THE BEST CONDITION.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S NECESSARILY DAMAGED, BUT YOU CAN KIND OF SEE SOME IMPERFECTIONS IN THE, IN THE STRUCTURE WE LOOK AT, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE ROOF, EXTERIOR WALLS, DOORS AND WINDOWS AND WHAT WE CAN SEE OF FOUNDATIONS, FLOORS OR PORCHES.
AND AGAIN, AS WE KIND OF MOTOR AROUND THE CITY, THESE ARE THE AREAS, THE TWO CONDITIONS THAT WE'RE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT.
3A3 IS WHERE WE ARE SEEING SOME DAMAGE OR VISUAL AGING OF THE ROOF.
MAYBE THE WALLS ARE KIND OF LOOKING YOU KNOW, A LITTLE WORSE FOR WEAR IF THERE'S ANY KIND OF HOLES, ANY DAMAGE TO THE PORCHES, ANY OBVIOUS STRUCTURAL ISSUES, IF THINGS ARE STARTING TO KIND OF LOOK LIKE THEY'RE SAGGING OR THEY'RE LEANING OR THE FRONT STEPS, YOU KNOW, ARE OUT OF WHACK, THAT SORT OF THING.
AND THEN IF YOU'RE IF THE STRUCTURE IS CONSIDERED A FOUR, THEN THERE'S ACTUALLY VERY NOTICEABLE PROBLEMS OR CONCERNS WITH THE WITH THE STRUCTURE, SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE AND REALLY IN A, IN A DETERIORATED AND DILAPIDATED STATE IS WHAT WE WOULD SAY DURING THE 2016 SURVEY.
442 STRUCTURES WERE DETERMINED TO BE WHAT WE CONSIDERED A NUMBER THREE OR DETERIORATING AND 42 STRUCTURES WERE CONSIDERED TO BE IN NUMBER FOUR OR ACTUALLY DILAPIDATED.
THIS THIS SUMMER, THIS JUST A MONTH OR TWO AGO, OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT DIVISION HAS GONE OUT AND KIND OF RELOOKED AT THESE THE LIST OF PROPERTIES THAT WE HAVE THAT WERE CONSIDERED A THREE AND A FOUR.
WE HAVE SEEN FOR THE PROPERTIES THAT WERE CONSIDERED A THREE, ABOUT 6% HAVE BEEN DEMOLISHED.
SOME THAT WERE DEMOLISHED ARE STILL VACANT.
LOTS AND SOME THAT WERE DEMOLISHED ACTUALLY HAVE NEW.
AND TO KIND OF REITERATE THE THE CONCERN THE 31% OF THE 42.
THIS KIND OF SUMMARIZES WHAT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS THAT WE OBSERVED THIS SUMMER IN YELLOW.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE ARE STILL SOME THAT WE CONSIDER DETERIORATED.
THESE ARE OF THE NUMBER THREES, SO TO SPEAK.
AS I MENTIONED IN THE IN THE BLUE OUTLINE HERE.
THOSE ARE THE NUMBERS OF PROPERTIES THAT HAVE BEEN DEMOLISHED, AND THEN SOME HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN RENOVATED SINCE 2016 AND SOME HAVE COME INTO COMPLIANCE. MAYBE THEY AREN'T CONSIDERED RENOVATED, BUT MAYBE PEOPLE HAVE KIND OF WORKED ON THEM AND KIND OF STRAIGHTENED THEM UP A LITTLE, AS WE'LL SAY.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE VERY PROUD OF.
SO WE'VE UNFORTUNATELY FOUND SOME ADDITIONAL STRUCTURES.
SO IN IN LOOKING AT THAT IN YELLOW, THERE ARE 101 RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES THAT WE WOULD SAY THAT ARE STILL DETERIORATING IN THESE AREAS THAT WE WENT BACK AND RELOOKED AT.
WE ARE GETTING READY TO GO AHEAD AND AND DO THE OVERALL SURVEY AGAIN, SO WE WILL BE BACK OUT IN THE FIELD IN THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS TO LOOK, LOOK OVERALL AT THE AT THE WHOLE CITY.
[01:55:02]
THESE NUMBERS ARE JUST WHERE WE WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT THE 2016 INFORMATION.EVEN SO, THESE 100 OR SO STRUCTURES IS ABOUT 1.5% OF THE 6000 OR PLUS STRUCTURES THAT WE SURVEYED IN 2016. HERE YOU CAN SEE KIND OF A SUMMARY OF THE STRUCTURES THAT WE IDENTIFIED AS DILAPIDATED IN 2016.
WE DO HAVE SOME THAT WE SHOULD STILL MONITOR.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE FOUND 21 ADDITIONAL STRUCTURES THAT WERE PROBABLY CONSIDERED DILAPIDATED AND SOME OTHER STRUCTURES THAT WE PROBABLY NEED TO MONITOR.
SO WE CONSIDER THAT THERE ARE 33 RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES THAT ARE PROBABLY OF THE MOST CONCERN RIGHT NOW, GIVEN THEIR CONDITION, AND WHICH IS ABOUT 0.5% OF THE CITY'S RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES THAT THAT WE REVIEWED IN 2016.
WELL, YOU KNOW, THE MAIN QUESTION NOW IS WHAT CAN WE DO TO ADDRESS THESE PROPERTIES BESIDES NORMAL CODE ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS? THERE IS A SPECTRUM OF ACTIONS THAT WE CAN DO, INCLUDING LONG AND SHORT TERM OPTIONS THAT WE CAN LOOK AT TO DEVELOP A MORE KIND OF PROACTIVE PROGRAM.
THE GOAL IS TO IDENTIFY THREATENED RESOURCES, EVALUATE AND PRIORITIZE STRUCTURES AND PROPERTIES.
BUT I ALSO WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT AT THIS POINT, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE JUST WINDSHIELD SURVEYS.
WE WE DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW THE STRUCTURAL CONDITION OF THESE PROPERTIES.
WE ARE JUST OBSERVING CONDITIONS FROM THE RIGHT OF WAY.
SO CERTAINLY, WE DO OUR BEST TO TRY TO IDENTIFY THE MOST THREATENED PROPERTIES TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND IT FROM THE RIGHT OF WAY. BUT OVERALL, WE DO WANT TO REDUCE DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT AND STABILIZE AND SAVE THESE STRUCTURES AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
AS I MENTIONED, WE ARE ALSO SET TO BEGIN ANOTHER SURVEY PROCESS.
OUR NEXT EVALUATION REPORT IS DUE TO THE STATE IN DECEMBER OF 2025.
SO ACTUALLY WE REALLY ARE GEARING UP TO GO GET OUT AND LOOK AT THE CITY AND SEE HOW THINGS ARE.
WITH THAT IF YOU CAN, I GUESS, HUMOR ME.
I'VE DEVELOPED KIND OF A LAUNDRY LIST OF OPTIONS THAT KIND OF RANK ON A SPECTRUM OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE PROBABLY THE SIMPLEST AND EASIEST TO THINGS THAT GET MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLICATED.
DO WE HAVE A COPY OF THIS IN OUR PACKET? NO, I APOLOGIZE.
THIS JUST GIVES YOU AN OVERVIEW AT THIS POINT.
AND AT THE TIME WE SUBMITTED THE MEMORANDUM, I HADN'T REALIZED THAT MAYBE WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT FUTURE PLANNING, WHICH IS SOMETHING I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN, BUT WE THAT'S GOOD.
HELPFUL IF WE GOT A COPY OF IT.
YES. AND SO I CERTAINLY I I'M SURE THAT YOU CAN TAKE THESE AS FOOD FOR THOUGHT, AND YOU CAN CONSIDER HOW YOU'D LIKE TO FORMULATE A LOT OF THESE THINGS.
I WOULD SAY THAT WE ARE READY TO MOVE FORWARD AS REGULAR KIND OF EVERYDAY OPERATIONS.
I THINK THE FIRST THING THAT WE SHOULD DO IS MAKE SURE THAT THESE PROPERTIES ARE NOT OVERGROWN, MAKING SURE THAT ANY WEEDS AND GRASS OR ANY TREE ISSUES ARE ADDRESSED, MAKING SURE THAT THESE PROPERTIES ARE NOT OPEN TO TRESPASS AND NOT OPEN TO THE ELEMENTS OR WEATHER.
CERTAINLY, IF THEY'RE VULNERABLE TO THE ELEMENTS, THEN THAT DEF SPEEDS THEIR DETERIORATION.
WE'VE REACHED OUT TO THE PROPERTY OWNERS TO CONDUCT COURTESY INSPECTIONS, TO APPLY BUILDING CODE PROVISIONS TO CORRECT ANY UNSAFE CONDITIONS AND DISCUSS STABILIZING OPTIONS.
[02:00:01]
AGAIN, IF OUR BUILDING CODE PEOPLE AND OUR BUILDING OFFICIAL CAN GET INTO THESE STRUCTURES WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS' PERMISSION, THEN WE CAN MORE EASILY IDENTIFY WHAT THINGS WHAT ADDITIONAL THINGS THAT MAYBE CAN BE DONE TO STABILIZE THESE STRUCTURES.MAYBE THERE ARE CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES THAT PEOPLE ARE IN THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY HOW TO HELP.
THIS ASSISTANCE MAY INCLUDE JUST REDUCING PERMIT FEES AND EXPEDITING PERMIT REVIEWS, DESIGN AND TECHNICAL PRESERVATION RECOMMENDATIONS, INFORMATION RELATED TO ECONOMIC INCENTIVES.
INFORMATION RELATED TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
FUNDING PROGRAMS. ESTABLISHING MECHANISMS TO ENGAGE OUTSIDE INDEPENDENT, YOU KNOW, EXPERTISE TO HELP EVALUATE HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURES.
INFORMATION RELATED TO ANY OTHER LOCAL, STATE, OR FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES, SUCH AS ST.
JOHN'S COUNTY, THE FLORIDA FEDERAL MITIGATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, CDBG FUNDING, OR HELP WITH RESEARCHING GRANT OPPORTUNITIES DEPENDING ON HOW PROPERTIES MAY BE QUALIFIED.
IF ANY STRUCTURES ARE IN THE LINCOLNVILLE CRA AREA OR AND OR THE NEWLY FORMED WEST CITY CRA.
THERE IS A POTENTIAL TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR APPLICABLE FIX IT UP PROGRAMS. ESTABLISH A MITIGATION BANK OR TRUST FUND OR A REVOLVING FUND TO HELP WITH FUNDING RESTORATIONS OR REHABILITATIONS PURCHASES AND ESTABLISHING COVENANTS THAT WOULD BE FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE AND OBVIOUSLY LEGAL IS I'M SURE OUR CITY ATTORNEY WOULD SAY DESIGNATING PROPERTIES AS LOCAL LANDMARKS OR IF THEY ARE OR ONCE WERE CONTRIBUTING TO A DESIGNATED DISTRICT THAT MIGHT QUALIFY THEM FOR FINANCIAL INCENTIVES AND FUNDING MECHANISMS. MAYBE INCLUDE INCENTIVES FOR, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A TRADE OFF FOR LOCAL LANDMARK DESIGNATIONS WHERE THEY MAYBE RECEIVE INCENTIVES SUCH AS ADDITIONAL SQUARE FOOTAGE, REDUCED SETBACKS, ET CETERA, DEPENDING ON WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING TO DO.
USE THE CITY'S TAX EXEMPTION PROGRAM OR THE FEDERAL REHABILITATION TAX CREDIT PROGRAM TO HELP EXPLORE INCENTIVES, INCLUDING POSSIBLE PRIVATE INVESTMENTS. OTHER ISSUES THAT I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT INCLUDE LOOKING AT OUR CURRENT ZONING DESIGNATIONS OF PROPERTIES VERSUS THE HISTORIC USE OF THE PROPERTY TO IDENTIFY INCONSISTENCIES THAT IMPACT THE PROPERTY'S VIABILITY.
MAYBE THERE'S A PROBLEM THERE THAT LIMITS THE USE OF THE PROPERTY AND THEREFORE KIND OF KEEPS THE PROPERTY OWNER FROM BEING ABLE TO INVEST THE MONEY TO IMPROVE THE PROPERTY.
CONSIDER ZONING CHANGES TO PROVIDE INCENTIVES FOR MORE VIABLE USES.
BUT MAYBE POTENTIALLY, IF YOU'RE ALLOWED TO HAVE A MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENCE, YOU CAN INVEST THE MONEY TO FIX IT UP.
AND ALSO CONSIDER ZONING PROVISIONS TO ENCOURAGE ADAPTIVE REUSE AND ANOTHER SUPPLEMENTAL REGULATIONS OR OVERLAY AREAS TO CREATE INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES. OBVIOUSLY, THESE ARE LONGER TERM CONSIDERATIONS.
SO THE FRAMEWORK IS THERE FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD ON, ON, YOU KNOW, ANY OF THESE ISSUES.
AS I SAID, STAFF IS ALREADY PREPARING TO BEGIN THE NEXT FORMAL BUILDING CONDITION SURVEY.
WE ARE CAUTIOUS ABOUT APPROACHING PROPERTY OWNERS TOO AGGRESSIVELY BECAUSE WE DO NOT WANT TO ENCOURAGE DEMOLITIONS OR OWNERS TO FEEL THAT DEMOLITION IS THEIR ONLY OPTION TO RESOLVE.
YOU KNOW, THE POTENTIAL CODE ENFORCEMENT ISSUE OR THE LIKE, BUT WE ARE OPEN TO YOUR DIRECTION AND CERTAINLY WE CAN COME FORWARD AGAIN WITH MORE DETAIL ON THESE ON THESE ISSUES.
[02:05:03]
COMMUNITY. WHY WERE WE FOCUSING ON RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES, OR WAS THAT JUST HOW THE ORIGINAL SURVEY WAS DONE? THAT'S HOW THE ORIGINAL SURVEY WAS DONE.AND IT THE REQUIREMENT TO DO THE SURVEY COMES OUT OF THE HOUSING ELEMENT OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
SO EVEN THOUGH THERE'S SOMETHING LIKE 9000 STRUCTURES IN THE CITY, MOST OF THAT IS ORIENTED TOWARD HOUSING DATA AND ANALYSIS.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE NOTED THAT I THINK MOVING FORWARD, WHEN WE UPDATE OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES AS WELL. A LOT OF THOSE COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES HAVE, YOU KNOW, HAD A HAD INVESTMENT IN THEM.
WE DON'T SEE I WOULD WE DON'T SEE AS MUCH DETERIORATION IN THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES.
SO BECAUSE THEY'RE IN USE, YES, IT'S A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY.
I HAVE A SUGGESTION, I SEE THAT YOU SAID THAT THERE'S 33 PROPERTIES, CORRECT? YES. I THINK THAT WHEN YOU SAY YOU'RE GOING TO REACH OUT TO THE INDIVIDUALS, I THINK IT WOULD BE PROBABLY GOOD TO HAVE A REACH OUT WITH A LETTER AND MAYBE HAVE A MEETING. SO IT SEEMS LIKE YOU'RE REALLY WANT TO HEAR THEIR CONCERNS AND WHAT IS PROHIBITING THEM FROM REPAIRING THEIR HOMES.
AND BASED ON THAT ASSESSMENT, THEN YOU'LL HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING ON WHAT THEY NEED.
BUT IF WE INTRODUCE THIS, THAT WE'RE TRYING TO EMPOWER THEM TO REPAIR THEIR HOUSE PEOPLE ARE MORE LIKELY TO REACH OUT.
I DID ACTUALLY SEE SOMEBODY CALL ME A CONCERNED CITIZEN, CALLED ME AND ASKED ME TO WATCH A RECENT HORROR MEETING WHERE A LADY HAD TRIED TO FIX WINDOWS IN HER HOUSE, AND SHE ALMOST SEEMED LIKE SHE WAS ATTACKED FROM TAKING WINDOWS THAT WERE LEAKING FROM THE COMMISSION, THE GROUP, THE BOARD, WHATEVER FOR TAKING WINDOWS OUT THAT WERE LEAKING INTO OUR HOUSE.
AND THEY TOLD HER SHE KEPT SHE KEPT THE WINDOWS AND PUT THEM TO THE BACK AND SOME NEIGHBORS THAT KIND OF APPEARED TO BE BUSYBODIES SAID THAT SHE CHANGED THE STRUCTURE OF HER HOUSE ON SARAGOSSA, AND THEY WANTED HER TO PUT THOSE WINDOWS THAT LEAK BACK ON HER HOUSE, AND THEY WERE GOING TO GIVE HER A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME TO DO THAT.
BUT WHEN PEOPLE ARE FACED WITH THINGS LIKE THIS OR TAKE WINDOWS OUT OF ANOTHER AREA OF HER HOUSE AND PUT THE SAME KIND OF IN THE FRONT AND PUT THE NEW WINDOWS IN THE BACK, THAT BECOMES A HARDSHIP FOR SOMEONE.
I'M SURE IT TOOK HER A WHILE TO COME UP WITH THOSE COINS TO CHANGE THOSE WINDOWS.
SO NOW SHE HAS TO DO DOUBLE REPAIRING.
BECAUSE SOMEBODY WENT AND COMPLAINED TO HER ABOUT THAT.
WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE PEOPLE COMFORTABLE ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO COME IN AND ASK QUESTIONS.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE PERMIT THAT WAS SUPPOSEDLY SAID THAT SHE CAME IN AND GOT A PERMIT, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT BUY HOUSES DON'T KNOW ALL OF THAT. THEY'RE NOT EDUCATED TO KNOW, HEY, IF SOMETHING'S BROKEN, I'M GOING TO FIX IT.
BECAUSE NOBODY SHOULD BE RIDICULED FOR TRYING TO REPAIR THEIR HOME.
THANK YOU. I'M INTERESTED IN THE 33 STRUCTURES YOU'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON THE 33.
YES. IF THAT IF YOU'RE CONFIRMING THAT DIRECTION, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD DO.
FIRST IS FOCUS ON THE 33, THE INITIAL GROUP THAT WE IDENTIFIED IN 2016, PLUS THE FEW MORE THAT WE HAVE, WE HAVE FOUND SINCE WE WENT BACK RIGHT THIS SUMMER.
RIGHT. BECAUSE REMEMBER, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS REDUCE DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT.
YES. SO BUT I UNDERSTAND WHAT COMMISSIONER GARRIS IS SAYING.
BUT AND I DON'T KNOW VERY MUCH ABOUT THAT CASE, SO I CAN'T REALLY COMMENT ABOUT IT, BUT YEAH.
SO I JUST FOCUSING ON THIS DISCUSSION ON PREVENTING DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT AND FOCUSING ON THOSE 33 IF EVERYBODY AGREES.
YEAH, I AGREE, I JUST I WOULD LIKE MORE TIME TO DIGEST WHAT YOU PRESENTED.
[02:10:01]
AND I KNOW YOU'RE JUST LIKE THE LIST IS HER LIST.YEAH, YEAH. OF ALL THE STUFF THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE IN OUR PACKET AND I FEEL LIKE I ALSO WANT.
AND I'D LIKE TO HEAR SOME CONCRETE MEASURES.
AND I'M STRUGGLING WITH, I THINK, MAYBE SIMILAR TO WHAT COMMISSIONER GARRIS WAS TALKING ABOUT.
I KNOW OF TWO STRUCTURES IN IN CATEGORY THREE THAT ARE IN NORTH CITY THAT I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH, AND IN NEITHER CASE WOULD I THINK THAT THE RESIDENTS, LONG TIME HOMEOWNERS OF THOSE TWO STRUCTURES, WOULD AT ALL WANT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT THEY COULD DO BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO FINANCIAL RESOURCES AT ALL.
AND THAT'S WHY THE STRUCTURES ARE IN THE SHAPE THEY'RE IN, LIKE ZERO.
SO I JUST DON'T I'M JUST STRUGGLING WITH HOW WE HOW WE CAN HOW CAN WE ADDRESS THAT? RIGHT. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
THAT'S PROBABLY OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS TEASING OUT THOSE THAT ARE IN THAT POSITION HAVE A HARDSHIP, AND THOSE THAT DON'T HAVE A HARDSHIP, BUT CONTINUE TO LET THE PROPERTY DECLINE.
SO THAT I BELIEVE THAT'S GOING TO BE THE RUB.
IN ADDITION TO TRUSTING GOVERNMENT TO HELP THEM? YES. WELL, THERE'S ALWAYS THAT.
WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE THAT NO MATTER WHAT WE DO.
SO BUT DOES THAT GIVE YOU ENOUGH TO GO ON? JUST SEND US THE MATERIAL, GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK IT OVER AND THINK IT THROUGH AND THEN COME BACK WITH US.
THE 33. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE KIND OF STRATEGIES SUGGESTIONS? OKAY, CERTAINLY.
AND MAYBE ONE OF THE THINGS I MIGHT ADD TO THAT LIST IS LIKE A MORE OF A FREQUENT MONITORING PROGRAM THAN EVERY FIVE YEARS, ACCORDING TO THE EAR BASED AMENDMENTS.
SOMETHING MORE PROACTIVE THAN THAT.
I WOULD ADD THAT JUST AS MY FIRST THOUGHT.
THANK YOU. I WASN'T SURPRISED.
WERE YOU SURPRISED BY THIS? BY THIS REPORT? THIS IS.
NO, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A LARGE AMOUNT.
IT'S JUST THE ONES THAT ARE THERE ARE JUST GNARLY, YOU KNOW? THEY'RE JUST TROUBLESOME.
SO WITH THAT SAID, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OKAY. WE'RE GETTING CLOSER TO THE KICKOFF.
[13. ITEMS BY CITY MANAGER]
WE ARE MONITORING A STORM IN THE GULF.I'D ASK EVERYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO'S WATCHING THIS TO ALSO MONITOR THIS STORM.
IT IS HEADING TOWARDS FLORIDA.
WE'RE NOT SURE WHETHER IT'S GOING TO BE AT THE BIG BEND OR THE PANHANDLE.
IT SHOULD BE CLOSE TO US THURSDAY AND FRIDAY.
PLEASE GET YOUR EMERGENCY EVACUATION PLANS AND ORDER, AND WE WILL MONITOR THE STORM AND THROW OUT UPDATES ON CITY ACTIVITIES AND INITIATIVES TO ADDRESS THE STORM IF IT DOES THREATEN US.
THANK YOU. EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT.
AND MIND YOUR PETS AND YOUR ELDERLIES ALWAYS HAVE A PLAN FOR YOUR PETS AND YOUR ELDERLIES.
[14. ITEMS BY MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS]
ABOUT THE LAND ACQUISITIONS.IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO COME OUT TO EMPOWER YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE HEARD A LOT OF YOU AND YOUR CONCERNS.
AND I ADMIRE YOU FOR YOUR DETERMINATION TO COME BEFORE THE COMMISSION.
TAKE YOUR TIME TO COME BEFORE THE COMMISSION AND SO WE COULD HEAR YOUR VOICES.
BECAUSE WE DEFINITELY DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING IF YOU DON'T COME BEFORE THE COMMISSION.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE YOUNG LADY AGAIN.
THAT WAS PART OF THE PUTTING THE PLANT, THE PLANTS AND GREEN GRASS AND ALL THAT BY THE VIC.
[02:15:04]
IT HAS BASICALLY CHANGED THE LOOK OF THAT.AND I AM SO PROUD OF THE WOMAN THAT SHE'S BECOME FROM US BEING IN OUR YOUTH.
SO, THE WOMAN THAT SHE IS, THE WOMAN OF GOD SHE IS TODAY.
AND I WANT TO THANK MY FELLOW COMMISSION FOR SUPPORTING MY NOMINATION.
AND JUST IT'S JUST BEEN A GREAT DAY TODAY.
AND IT'S JUST THREE AMIGOS HERE TODAY CARRYING THE COMMISSION.
AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR GREAT COMMISSION MEETING IN SPITE OF TWO MISSING ELEMENTS.
I'M GLAD TO HEAR OUR CITY MANAGER CALL ATTENTION TO THIS FAST MOVING TROPICAL STORM.
I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO JUST CALL ATTENTION TO THE SUCCESS OF THE SING OUT LOUD SERIES.
WE DID BOTH THE BIG THING THE SHOWCASE AS WELL AS A COUPLE OF THE LOCAL ACTS, AND I THINK IT'S BEEN A HUGE SUCCESS. I WANT TO REPORT SOMETHING THAT WAS KIND OF COOL.
I NOTICED ONE OF THE BUSINESSES ON SAN MARCO AS WE WALKED TO AND FROM, AND SO WE COULD SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE ENJOYING OUR LOCAL ESTABLISHMENTS ON OUR WAY TO AND FROM THE CONCERT.
AND ONE OF THE NEW ICE CREAM SHOPS WAS VERY, VERY, VERY BUSY LAST NIGHT, EVEN LATE INTO THE EVENING.
AND I SPOKE WITH A PERSON WHO OWNS A BOUTIQUE UP IN THE NORTH PART OF THE CITY, AND SHE SAID THEY MADE THEIR RENT FOR THE MONTH IN ABOUT AN HOUR OF DOING BUSINESS.
SO THIS I THINK IT'S WORKING IN TERMS OF HELPING US WITH OUR SLOW SEASON.
I'M NO ECONOMIST, BUT I HOPE IT HAS DONE A LOT OF GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY.
I THINK THERE WAS A LOT OF GOODWILL AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD A LOT OF FUN.
AWESOME. I ONLY HAVE ONE THING I READ RECENTLY THAT THE GTM RESERVE IS HAVING A EDUCATIONAL CLASS ON ESTUARINE RESERVES 101, I BELIEVE IS THE NAME OF THE CLASS, AND IT STARTS OCTOBER 1ST.
AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK THAT EVERYBODY SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO GO TO AND PARTICIPATE IN.
AND I THINK IT'S FREE. YES, IT'S FREE, IT'S FREE AND I'M NOT.
AND IT'S, IT'S A LONG MEETING.
SO IT'S LIKE AN AFTERNOON I BELIEVE.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE A TWO HOUR THING.
SO IT'S A COMMITMENT BUT I THINK IT'S WORTHWHILE.
SO WITH THAT SAID SEEING NO MORE BUSINESS.
WE'RE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.