[00:00:02] >> THIS MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER. [1. CALL TO ORDER] MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> NANCY SIKES-KLINE. >> HERE. >> BARBARA BLONDER. CYNTHIA GARRIS. >> HERE. >> JIM SPRINGFIELD. JON DEPRETER. >> HERE. >> COMMISSIONER SPRINGFIELD WILL NOT BE WITH US TONIGHT, AND WE WILL BE JOINING SHORTLY BY VICE MAYOR, BLONDER. I'M GOING TO ASK THAT WE OBSERVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. BUT I HAVE A FEW MINUTES. I HAVE A SPECIAL REQUEST TO CONSIDER AS PART OF YOUR MOMENT OF SILENCE, POSITIVE THOUGHTS AND ENERGY FOR THE FAMILY OF MICHAEL DIXON, WHO WAS A HISTORIC PRESERVATION ARCHITECT, THAT USED HIS PROFESSION AND EDUCATION TO SERVE THE CITY CORRIDOR ON THE CITY CORRIDOR REVIEW COMMITTEE, AND ALSO IN THE PEACE CORPS IN UKRAINE. HE WAS A NATIVE OF ILLINOIS AND SERVED AS A COMBAT MEDIC DURING THE VIETNAM WAR ERA IN THE ILLINOIS NATIONAL GUARD. I WILL ASK TO BEGIN THE MOMENT OF SILENCE NOW. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. VICE MAYOR, WILL YOU LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE? >> PLEASE STAND IF YOU'RE ABLE. NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS A MODIFICATION AND APPROVAL OF THE REGULAR AGENDA. [2. ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS] DO WE HAVE ANY MODIFICATIONS, MR. CITY MANAGER? >> NO, MA'AM. STAFF HAS NO MODIFICATIONS. >> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONERS, ANYONE HAVE MODIFICATIONS TO THE REGULAR AGENDA? >> NO. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE. >> I'LL SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> THANK YOU. MOTION CARRIES. WE'RE ON TO SPECIAL PRESENTATION RECOGNITIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS. [3. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS, RECOGNITIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS] TONIGHT, WE HAVE FOUR PROCLAMATIONS BEGINNING WITH PROCLAMATION 2025-07 WITH VICE MAYOR BLONDER, WHO WILL DO THE PRESENTATION. >> IS IT ON? GREAT. I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE ALLISON HASHA AND INEZ STITCH-PEEL TO COME ON UP ON BEHALF OF BETTY GRIFFIN CENTER, AND ALSO MY COLLEAGUES FROM THE CITY COMMISSION. THANK YOU. >> HELLO. IT GOES. THANK YOU. I MIGHT HAVE MISPRONOUNCED YOUR NAME, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. GREAT. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND FOR THE WORK YOU DO. WHEREAS SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH IS INTENDED TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT SEXUAL VIOLENCE IS WIDESPREAD AND HAS PUBLIC HEALTH IMPLICATIONS FOR EVERY COMMUNITY MEMBER OF ST. AUGUSTINE, AND WHEREAS RAPE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY AS SEEN BY STATISTICS INDICATING THAT ONE IN FIVE WOMEN WILL HAVE EXPERIENCED SEXUAL ASSAULT BY THE TIME THEY COMPLETE COLLEGE. WHEREAS WE MUST WORK TOGETHER TO EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT CAN BE DONE TO PREVENT SEXUAL ASSAULT AND HOW TO SUPPORT SURVIVORS, AND WHEREAS STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS OF ANTI-VIOLENCE PROGRAMS AT BETTY GRIFFIN CENTER, I ENCOURAGE EVERY PERSON TO SPEAK OUT WHEN WITNESSING ACTS OF VIOLENCE, HOWEVER SMALL. WHEREAS WITH LEADERSHIP DEDICATION AND ENCOURAGEMENT, THERE IS COMPELLING EVIDENCE THAT WE CAN BE SUCCESSFUL IN REDUCING SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN ST. AUGUSTINE THROUGH PREVENTION EDUCATION, INCREASED AWARENESS, AND HOLDING PERPETRATORS WHO COMMIT ACTS OF VIOLENCE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS. WHEREAS, BETTY GRIFFIN CENTER STRONGLY SUPPORTS THE EFFORTS OF [00:05:04] NATIONAL STATE AND LOCAL PARTNERS AND OF EVERY CITIZEN TO ACTIVELY ENGAGE IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE EFFORTS, INCLUDING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT SEXUAL VIOLENCE IS, HOW TO PREVENT IT, HOW TO HELP SURVIVORS CONNECT WITH SERVICES AND HOW EVERY SEGMENT OF OUR SOCIETY CAN WORK TOGETHER TO BETTER ADDRESS SEXUAL VIOLENCE. NOW, THEREFORE, THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE HEREBY PROCLAIMS THE MONTH OF APRIL 2025, AS SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH IN THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, SIGNED BY THE MAYOR. I WOULD LIKE TO PERSONALLY SAY THAT I HAVE SEEN EVIDENCE OF YOUR GREAT WORK ALL OVER THE CAMPUS AT FLAGLER COLLEGE. I KNOW OUR STUDENTS ARE MUCH SAFER FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO, SO THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> DO YOU HAVE A FEW WORDS? >> YES. THANK YOU. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THE WORK THAT WE DO AT BETTY GRIFFIN CENTER AND THE SURVIVORS THAT WE SERVE. IT REALLY IS IMPACTFUL TO HAVE PROCLAMATIONS LIKE THIS SO THAT AWARENESS IS MORE SPREAD. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. >> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] [BACKGROUND] >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> NO. WE HAVE FOUR. OUR NEXT IS I'M GOING TO ASK KATIE GOLD-APPLE TO COME FORWARD. PLEASE, KATIE, CLAUD, WELCOME. YOU WILL COME AND STAND WITH US. WHEREAS WORLD TAI CHI AND QIGONG DAY IS NOW CELEBRATED IN HUNDREDS OF CITIES IN OVER 70 NATIONS ANNUALLY, AND WHEREAS TAI CHI AND QIGONG TRADITIONAL CHINESE EXERCISES INVOLVE A SERIES OF MINDFUL RELAXED MOVEMENTS AND OR MIND BODY MEDITATIONS INCREASINGLY TO BENEFIT MANY HEALTH ISSUES FOR PEOPLE OF MANY FITNESS LEVELS. WHEREAS TAI CHI HAS BEEN CALLED MEDICATION IN MOTION BY HARVARD HEALTH PUBLICATION FOR THE MYRIAD HEALTH BENEFITS IT OFFERS. NUMEROUS STUDIES HAVE POINTED TO THE BENEFITS OF TAI CHI STRESS RELIEF, IMPROVED BALANCE AND COORDINATION AMONG THE ELDERLY INDICATED BY AN EMORY UNIVERSITY OF SCHOOL MEDICINE IN ATLANTA STUDY, AND IMPROVED BEHAVIOR FOR ADOLESCENTS WITH ATTENTION DEFICIT AND HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER, INDICATED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE STUDY. WHEREAS NUMEROUS OTHER STUDIES RELATING TO STRESS AND IMMUNE SYSTEMS AND GENERAL HEALTH HAVE BEEN REVIEWED BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH AND CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.TCHAIN.COM/TAICHI/ AND WWW.WORLDTAICHIDAY.ORG. WHEREAS TAI CHI AND QIGONG ARE USED AS HELPFUL STRESS MANAGERS AND BEHAVIOR MODIFIERS FOR DRUG ABUSERS AND PRISON INMATES IN PENAL SYSTEMS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF FLORIDA, INCLUDING ST. JOHN'S COUNTY. WHEREAS WORLD TAI CHI AND QIGONG DAY IS MEANT TO BRING PRACTITIONERS TOGETHER AND ALLOW PEOPLE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TAI CHI AND QIGONG, THROUGH THIS DAY OF CELEBRATION AND PRACTICE THAT WE CELEBRATED AROUND THE WORLD ON SATURDAY APRIL 26 IN 2025. NOW, THEREFORE, WE, THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE CITY COMMISSION HEREBY PROCLAIMS SATURDAY, APRIL 26, 2025 AS WORLD TAI CHI AND QIGONG DAY, AND URGES EVERY CITIZEN TO TAKE TIME TO ACKNOWLEDGE OLDER ADULTS AND THE PEOPLE WHO SERVE THEM AS POWERFUL AND VITABLE INDIVIDUALS WHO GREATLY CONTRIBUTE TO OUR COMMUNITY. SIGNED BY MYSELF. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT. YES. >> I CAN SAY THAT MEDITATION IS A WONDERFUL THING, AND PUTTING IT IN WITH BODY MOVEMENTS MUST BE A WONDERFUL THING AS WELL. I'LL HAVE TO TRY IT. IF YOU'D LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS, YOU'RE WELCOME TO. >> SURE. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS' CONTINUED SUPPORT OF WHAT WE DO. WE'VE SEEN IT HAVE NUMEROUS BENEFITS, ESPECIALLY WITH ADULTS OF ANY AGE THAT HAVE ANY CHRONIC PAIN. [00:10:02] IT REALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE, BOTH THE STEADY BREATHING ALONG WITH THE MOVEMENT. WORLD TAI CHI DAY IS A GREAT DAY. FOR THOSE WHO'VE NEVER TRIED IT, COME ON OUT, SEE WHAT IT'S ABOUT. IT'S VERY INVITING AND WELCOMING, AND WE'RE APRIL 26 AT BING'S LANDING. I INVITE ALL OF YOU TO COME. WE APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU SO MUCH AND THANK YOU AGAIN. >> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> I'M SO SORRY. I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. [LAUGHTER] >> SAMANTHA EPSTEIN, ARE YOU HERE TO COME FORWARD, PLEASE FROM ST. JOHN'S RIVER WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT? THANK YOU. >> POLE. >> POLE. THERE YOU GO. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> COME ON OVER. THANKS. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. >> THANK YOU. >> OUR PROCLAMATION TODAY. WHEREAS FLORIDA'S NATURAL BEAUTY, CRYSTAL BLUE WATERS, AND WHITE SAND BEACHES ATTRACT RESIDENTS AND VISITORS FROM AROUND THE WORLD, AND WHEREAS CLEAN AND SUSTAINABLE WATER RESOURCES ARE VITAL TO FLORIDA'S ENVIRONMENT, ECONOMY, AND QUALITY OF LIFE, AND WHEREAS MORE THAN 90% OF FLORIDA'S DRINKING WATER IS SUPPLIED BY UNDERLYING AQUIFERS, AND OUR QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE ECONOMY DEPEND UPON A CLEAN AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT. WHEREAS FLORIDIANS CONSUME MORE THAN 7.9 BILLION GALLONS PER DAY OF FRESH WATER, AND THE FUTURE OF FLORIDA DEPENDS GREATLY UPON THE AVAILABILITY OF WATER. WHEREAS THE STATE OF FLORIDA, WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS AND THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO INCREASE AWARENESS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF WATER CONSERVATION, AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE AND THE STATE OF FLORIDA HAS DESIGNATED APRIL, TYPICALLY A DRY MONTH WHEN WATER DEMANDS ARE MOST ACUTE, AS FLORIDA'S WATER CONSERVATION MONTH TO EDUCATE CITIZENS ABOUT HOW THEY CAN HELP SAVE FLORIDA'S PRECIOUS WATER RESOURCES, AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE HAS ALWAYS ENCOURAGED AND SUPPORTED WATER CONSERVATION THROUGH VARIOUS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND SPECIAL EVENTS, AND WHEREAS EFFICIENT IRRIGATION DESIGN, PROGRAMMING AND MAINTENANCE CAN CONSERVE WATER, AND THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE ENCOURAGES CITIZENS AND BUSINESSES TO EVALUATE THEIR IRRIGATION SYSTEMS FOR POTENTIAL EFFICIENCY ENHANCEMENTS. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED, THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE DOES HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 2025 AS WATER CONSERVATION MONTH, AND CALLS UPON EACH CITIZEN AND BUSINESS TO HELP PROTECT OUR PRECIOUS RESOURCES BY PRACTICING WATER SAVING MEASURES AND BECOMING MORE AWARE OF THE NEED TO SAVE WATER. FOR THIS, THE 27TH YEAR OF WATER CONSERVATION MONTH, THERE WILL BE A SPECIAL FOCUS ON IRRIGATION SYSTEM EVALUATIONS. THIS IS SIGNED BY OUR MAYOR, NANCY SIKES-KLINE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU TOO. >> WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? >> CONSERVATION STARTS AT HOME. I APPRECIATE THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE TAKING THESE MEASURES SO OUR CITIZENS CAN BE AWARE OF HOW IMPORTANT IT IS. CONSERVATION IS THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE AND EASIEST WAY TO REDUCE STRESS ON THE AQUIFER AND TO PRESERVE OUR FUTURE WATER SUPPLY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU. THERE WE GO. [APPLAUSE] >> THANK YOU. OUR LAST PROCLAMATION TONIGHT IS NATIONAL POETRY MONTH. ANNE BROWNING MASTERS, WILL YOU PLEASE COME FORWARD? FOR ANYONE THAT DOESN'T KNOW, ANN IS OUR OFFICIAL POET LAUREATE OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE. SO GOOD TO SEE YOU. WHEREAS NATIONAL POETRY MONTH SEEKS TO HIGHLIGHT THE EXTRAORDINARY LEGACY AND ONGOING ACHIEVEMENTS OF AMERICAN POETS, INTRODUCE AMERICANS TO THE PLEASURES AND BENEFITS OF READING POETRY, BRING POETS AND POETRY TO THE PUBLIC IN IMMEDIATE AND INNOVATIVE WAYS, MAKE POETRY AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION, AND WHEREAS POETRY IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES AFFECTS EVERY ASPECT OF LIFE IN AMERICA TODAY, [00:15:05] INCLUDING EDUCATION, THE ECONOMY, AND COMMUNITY PRIDE AND DEVELOPMENT. WHEREAS POETRY HAS PRODUCED SOME OF THE NATION'S LEADING CREATIVE ARTISTS AND HAS INSPIRED OTHER ARTISTS IN FIELDS SUCH AS MUSIC, THEATER, FILM, DANCE, AND THE VISUAL ARTS. WAS ST. AUGUSTINE SERVED AS THE HOME OR SOURCE OF INSPIRATION OF NUMEROUS LITERARY LEGENDS, INCLUDING RENOWNED AUTHORS, MARJORIE KINNAN RAWLINGS, ZORA NEALE HURSTON, AND PULITZER PRIZE WINNING POET, WILLIAM ROSE BENET. WHEREAS THIS LITERARY TRADITION CONTINUES TODAY THROUGH THE WORK OF LOCAL AUTHORS, SUPPORTED IN THEIR EFFORTS BY ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE ANCIENT CITY POETS, AND OUR LOCAL ARTS AGENCY, THE ST. JOHN'S COUNTY CULTURAL COUNCIL. NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE DOES HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH, APRIL 2025 AS NATIONAL POETRY MONTH IN ST. AUGUSTINE AND ENCOURAGES CITIZENS TO CELEBRATE AND PROMOTE THE LITERARY TRADITIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF LOCAL AUTHORS DURING THIS MONTH AND THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. SIGNED BY MYSELF. [LAUGHTER] [APPLAUSE] >> [APPLAUSE] WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? I HOPE YOU WILL. >> WELL, THIS IS A WONDERFUL THING. NOT ONLY DO WE BENEFIT FROM THE ARTS, BUT I THINK POETRY SOMETIMES INSPIRES US TO LISTEN TO OUR HIGHER ANGELS AND COMFORTS US AND ADDS A DIMENSION TO OUR LIFE THAT WE MAYBE DON'T THINK ABOUT ALL THE TIME. BUT POETRY HELPS US TO DO THAT. I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS VERY MUCH. >> WE GET A PICTURE. THE NEXT PART OF THE AGENDA IS PUBLIC COMMENTS. YES. I'M SORRY. WE HAD INVITED OUR POET TO READ A POEM, AND I'M SORRY IF I DIDN'T CONVEY THAT TO YOU. I DID WANT TO GIVE HER THAT OPPORTUNITY IF YOU DON'T MIND IF WE COULD INVITE HER UP TO READ A POEM I'M SORRY. MY APOLOGIES. >> ABSOLUTELY. I WAS NOT AWARE. HOW APPROPRIATE? >> I DON'T MEAN TO TURN MY BACK TO YOU FOLKS HERE, SO JUST BEAR WITH ME. >> WELL, LET'S DO IT THIS WAY. COME ON BACK UP AND WE'LL STAND WITH YOU AND YOU CAN READ IT TO THE WORLD. HOW'S THAT? >> NOW WE'RE ON. ALL OF YOU IN THE BACK. GOOD. WELL, LET'S SEE. HOW CAN I DO THIS WITH ONE HAND? THE POET WITHOUT A PODIUM [LAUGHTER]. >> I COULD HOLD YOUR BOOK. >> IF YOU CAN. WELL, I NEED BOTH. THIS POEM THAT I'M GOING TO SHARE TODAY IS ABOUT NEIGHBORHOODS. WE HAVE SO MANY NEIGHBORHOODS IN THIS TOWN AND SOME THAT PEOPLE DON'T REMEMBER ANYMORE PROBABLY. SO I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE FOR US AND THE GOOD THAT WE GET FROM THEM. I'LL START BY SAYING THAT THE NAME OF THE POEM IS INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. IT WAS PROMPTED BY SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED WHEN I WAS 16-YEARS-OLD. [00:20:01] IN THE SUMMER OF MY 16TH YEAR, I WALKED HAND IN HAND WITH MY GRANDFATHER IN THE PLAZA TOWARD MY FIRST SUMMER JOB WHICH HE HAD ARRANGED. IT WAS WITH MR. AND MISSES BRONSON WHO OWNED THE BATTLE HOUSE RESTAURANT WHICH IS NOW ATHENA'S RESTAURANT, SO YOU ALL ARE ORIENTED FOR THAT. THEN I HAVE TO GIVE YOU THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT BECAUSE I WRITE HISTORICAL NARRATIVE POETRY. THERE'S ALWAYS A BLURB BEFORE THE POEM. OTHERWISE, YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. THE HISTORICAL BLURB IS THAT THIS IS THE MID 1960S AND THE CHARACTERS ARE PUENTE OUR SPANISH CARTOGRAPHER AND CHARLIE SANCHEZ, WHO WAS A FLORIDANO, RETIRED FARMER, HAMLIN HARDWARE WORKER, AND WHO AFTER HE RETIRED IN HIS MID 60S, DECIDED TO SELL FULLER BRUSH PRODUCTS. WE HAD A FULLER BRUSH MAN HERE IN ST. AUGUSTINE, AND HE WAS THE ONE WHO ARRANGED MY FIRST SUMMER JOB. NOW, ANOTHER STATISTIC I HAVE TO THROW OUT BECAUSE IT'S MENTIONED. IN 1960, MARINE LAND HAD NINE PEOPLE LIVING THERE. IN 1970, THEY HAD 13 PEOPLE LIVING THERE. IN 2020, THEY HAD 15 PEOPLE LIVING AT MARINE LAND. JUST SO YOU KNOW. PUENTE'S MAP WAS LOST ON US. WE CALLED OUR NEIGHBORHOODS PABLO BEACH, VILANO BEACH, NORTH CITY, RABBIT HILL, SANTA ROSA, NEW AUGUSTINE, WEST AUGUSTINE, LINCOLNVILLE, DOWNTOWN, DAVIS SHORES, AND OUT TO RUNNING COUNTRY. TOKI, MOLASSES JUNCTION, ELKTON, MCCASIN BRANCH, ARMSTRONG, HASTINGS. BUT THEIR REAL NAMES WERE, GOT TO BE NEAR BUSINESS. MUST BE NEAR MAMA AND DADDY. CAN'T BE COOPED UP, HAVE TO BE NEAR THE WATER. LOVE MY WOODS. LIKE TO LOOK OVER FIELDS. WON'T LIVE ANYWHERE ELSE. CAN'T AFFORD ANY BETTER AND NOT FOOLING ANYONE. THE FULLER BRUSH MAN EXPLAINED THIS COMFORTABLE GEOGRAPHY TO HIS GRANDCHILDREN, THEN CHARTED TERRITORIES EVERY OTHER FRIDAY TO THE OFF WORLD OF CRESCENT BEACH. A ONE A DOS AND LONG SWOOPS OF PEELICANS. HE BROUGHT HOME REPORTS THAT PEOPLE LIVED AT MARINE LAND. HIS ELDEST GRANDCHILD BURNED TO MAKE HER WAY. HAND IN HAND, THEY WALKED INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD ACROSS FROM THE PLAZA. HE KNEW THE OLD COUPLE THERE COMMANDED A RESPECTABLE CAFE AND HIRED ONLY LOCAL HELP. THEY WOULD NOT LET HER TRAVEL ON TOO FAR. THANK YOU [APPLAUSE]. >> YOU KNOW ALL YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS [LAUGHTER]. THANK YOU. >> NOW WE'RE BACK TO GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS. [4. PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS OR FOR AGENDA ITEMS NOT REQUIRING A SEPARATE PUBLIC HEARING] BEFORE WE HAVE GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS, I'D LIKE TO READ THIS. AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS ON MATTERS THAT ARE NOT SCHEDULED FOR A PUBLIC HEARING. ANY PERSON WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION SHOULD FILL OUT A SPEAKER CARD AND I WILL ASK YOU TO THE PODIUM WHEN IT IS YOUR TURN TO SPEAK. 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. NO PERSON MAY ADDRESS THE COMMISSION WITH PERSONAL, IMPROPER, OR SLANDEROUS REMARKS OR WITH BOISTEROUS BEHAVIOR. MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE WILL REFRAIN FROM ANY CLAPPING OR DISRUPTIVE DEMONSTRATIONS OF APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL OF ANY COMMENTS. [00:25:04] FINALLY, I WOULD ASK THAT ANY SPEAKER WHO USES THE OVERHEAD PROJECTOR TO PLEASE SUBMIT THOSE ITEMS TO THE CITY CLERK TO BE ENTERED INTO THE PUBLIC RECORD. THANK YOU. FIRST SPEAKER I HAVE IS SCOTT YORK. FOLLOWED BY CHRIS FULMER. >> GOOD EVENING, SCOTT YORK, 29 SPANISH STREET, MOST CHARMING STREET IN ST. AUGUSTINE. WANTED TO FIRST THANK ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER RUBEN FRANKLIN AND THIS COMMISSION FOR SUPPORTING THE CITIZENS ACADEMY AND HOSTING THAT. I'VE BEEN ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN IT AND JUST WANT TO TELL YOU HOW REWARDING THAT HAS BEEN. BEING ABLE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW CITY GOVERNMENT WORKS AND NOT ONLY THE CITY GOVERNMENT, BUT THE CITY ITSELF OPERATES HAS REALLY BEEN A BENEFIT TO ME AND TO THOSE OTHERS ENROLLED. THANK YOU. WANT TO QUICKLY JUST ADDRESS THE NOISE ORDINANCE AND HOW WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS. THIS PAST WEEK, ONCE AGAIN, WAS INTERRUPTED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT BY MUSIC COMING ALL THE WAY FROM NO NAME BAR WHICH IS 2.5 BLOCKS AWAY FROM MY HOUSE. INSIDE OF MY HOME, IF I CAN HEAR IT AT 11:45 AT NIGHT, IT'S WAY TOO LOUD, AND IT'S BEEN WAY TOO LOUD FOR WAY TOO LONG. WE'RE ALMOST 18 MONTHS PAST WHEN THE NIGHT LIFE ORDINANCE WAS BROUGHT UP AND VOTED DOWN. PROMISED A NOISE ORDINANCE THAT WOULD BE EFFECTIVE. CITY MANAGER BUT FOURTH ONE, WHICH IS REASONABLE, WHICH IS THE PLAINLY AUDIBLE, WHICH IS USED IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY, USED IN JACKSONVILLE, USED IN MIAMI GARDENS. TALK WITH RODERICK THE CODE ENFORCEMENT DIRECTOR IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY. FIND OUT HOW THAT WORKS SO WELL WITH THEM AND PLEASE RECONSIDER THE PLAIN THE AUDIBLE. OUR CITIZENS DESERVE BETTER AND NOT JUST THE CITIZENS WHO LIVE HERE, THOSE WHO ARE STAYING IN THE BED AND BREAKFAST, THOSE WHO ARE STAYING IN THE HOTELS THAT ARE ADJACENT TO THAT PROPERTY AND TO OTHERS THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THERE WAS NO OFFICER ON DUTY, WHO WAS QUALIFIED TO OPERATE THE DECIBEL METER. WE ONLY HAVE 63 OFFICERS IN THE CITY. THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN OFTEN. OUR NIGHTLIFE MANAGER WAS NOT ON DUTY AND IS NOT QUALIFIED YET TO OPERATE THAT. IT'S IN THE PROCESS, BUT A LONG PROCESS. WITH THE PLAIN THE AUDIBLE, ANY OFFICER COULD HAVE GONE OVER TO THAT BAR AND ASKED THEM TO TURN IT DOWN. BUT ONCE AGAIN, WAS NOT ABLE TO DO THAT. I WOULD STRONGLY URGE YOU TO CONSIDER THAT. I JUST WANT TO SUPPORT THE MOTION THAT IS BEFORE YOU TONIGHT WITH RESTRICTING THE STREET VENDORS. I THINK THAT IT'S A GREAT STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND I WOULD HOPE THAT AFTER TESTING IT AT FOURTH OF JULY AND DURING NIGHTS LIGHTS, THAT YOU MIGHT CONSIDER THIS MAKING A YEAR ROUND ORDINANCE BECAUSE OUR STREETS ARE CROWDED YEAR ROUND NOW. THERE'S NOT JUST DURING NIGHTS LIGHT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. CHRIS FULMER, FOLLOWED BY NANCY MURPHY. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, CHRIS FULMER. I LIVE IN THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE. FOR RESOLUTION 2025 06, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE LAW REQUIRES, BUT I DON'T THINK THERE NEED TO BE ANY NON MOBILE VENDORS IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT DURING NIGHTS OF LIGHTS OR FOURTH OF JULY. THE CHEAP LIGHT UP STUFF THEY SELL IS NOW CARRIED BY ALL THE BROOK AND MORTARS, SO THERE'S NO NEED FOR WHAT THEY DO, AND THEY RESTRICT THE SIDEWALK WHEREVER THEY ARE, NOT JUST ON THE TWO MAIN STREETS. THAT'S MY BABY. WE RODE THE STAR CIRCULATOR ON SATURDAY AFTER THE ARTS FESTIVAL AND IT'S A GREAT ADDITION. I HOPE MORE PEOPLE WILL START TO USE IT. I'D LIKE TO REPORT THAT THE TWO PROBATIONARY EMPLOYEES ARE BACK TO WORK AT THE CASTILLO DE SAN MARCOS. ONE WAS THE LIAISON FOR SCHOOL GROUPS AND ONE IS A STONEMASON IN A STONE FORT. BOTH OF THEM ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE MISSION OF THE NATIONAL MONUMENT THAT IS IMPORTANT TO THE CITY AND ITS ECONOMY. JUST WANT FOR PEOPLE WHO WEREN'T AWARE ABOUT THINGS BEING HAPPENING RIGHT HERE WHERE YOU CAN SEE IT. AT THE MOMENT, THOSE TWO ARE BACK TO WORK. FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW, THE ST. JOHNS COUNTY SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS, VICKY OAKES RUNS THIS AMAZING TOUR OF THE ELECTIONS OFFICE. IT TAKES ABOUT TWO HOURS. IT IS FREE. YOU GET TO GO IN. SHE GIVES A LITTLE LECTURE OF HOW EVERYTHING WORKS, HOW THE OFFICE RUNS, HOW THE ELECTIONS WORK, HOW THE VOTES ARE COUNTED, HOW THEY'RE REPORTED. THEN YOU ACTUALLY TAKE TOUR OF THE OFFICE AND FIND OUT WHERE THE VOTES ARE COUNTED, WHERE THEY ARE STORED. THIS IS WHERE THE MACHINE IS. THIS IS WHERE EVERYTHING GOES. FOR THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT ELECTIONS, NOW WHEN IT'S NOT BUSY IS A PERFECT TIME TO DO IT. GO TO THEIR WEBSITE AND SIGN UP PLEASE. OTHER THAN THAT, BRING IS HERE, [00:30:01] THE WEATHER IS LOVELY. THE FLOWERS ARE IN BLOOM. ENJOY DOWNTOWN WHILE THERE IS FEWER PEOPLE HERE. BE KIND TO YOUR WAIT STAFF, TIP YOUR SERVERS. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NANCY MURPHY, FOLLOWED BY ROBIN THOMAS. >> HI. I'M NANCY MURPHY, 22 ERNES COURT, AND I'M THE LIAISON BETWEEN COMPASSIONATE ST. AUGUSTINE AND THE INTERNATIONAL CHARTER FOR COMPASSION. I WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND AN INVITATION TO YOU, BUT FIRST, I WANTED TO SPEAK TO A SPECIFIC EXPERIENCE I HAD RECENTLY WHEN I GOT TO PARTICIPATE WITH A SMALL COMPASSIONATE GATHERING AT THE HAZEL HENDERSON HOUSE. I STRONGLY SUPPORT ALLOWING THE TRUSTEES OF HAZEL HENDERSON TO MAINTAIN THE PROPERTY FOR HISTORICALLY COMPATIBLE USES AND CONTINUE RUNNING HER BUSINESS, MAINTAINING HER EXTENSIVE LIBRARY FOR RESEARCH AND SCHOLARLY PURSUITS AND KEEPING THE MEETING SPACE FOR COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES THAT ARE RELEVANT. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TO THAT AND I WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND AN INVITATION. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE TRIED TO DO THAT FOR A WHILE. DID I DO THAT? WHAT THIS IS IS AN INVITATION TO ANYBODY AND EVERYBODY WHO'S HERE PRESENT, WHO IS INVOLVED IN COMPASSIONATE WORK. THE INTERNATIONAL CHARTER FOR COMPASSION IS HOSTING ITS INAUGURAL COMPASSIONATE ACTION CONFERENCE MAY 14TH AND 15TH, AND ANYBODY WHO'S DOING COMPASSIONATE WORK IS INVITED AND ENCOURAGED TO SUBMIT A PROPOSAL. THE DEADLINE IS NEXT MONDAY. WITH THAT COMES PERMISSION TO JOIN THE CONFERENCE OR YOU CAN JUST REGISTER FOR THE CONFERENCE. RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE ABOUT 60 PRESENTERS OVER THE TWO DAYS FROM ALL AROUND THE WORLD AND YOU CAN LEARN ABOUT COMPASSIONATE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE OR YOU CAN SHARE THE COMPASSIONATE WORK YOU'RE DOING. THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING THAT. >> THANK YOU. ROBIN THOMAS. >> HELLO. >> I'M ROBIN THOMAS, 147 MARTIN LUTHER KING AVENUE AND 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 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 INEVITABLE 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 CONSISTENTLY AND EMPATHICALLY FROM INFLICTING PAIN. TO ACT OR SPEAK VIOLENTLY, OUT OF SPITE, CHAUVINISM, OR SELF-INTEREST TO IMPOVERISH, EXPECT OR DENY BASIC RIGHTS TO ANYBODY AND TO EXCITE HATRED BY THE INTEGRATING OTHERS, EVEN OUR ENEMIES, 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 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 ENSURE THAT USE ARE GIVEN ACCURATE AND RESPECTFUL INFORMATION ABOUT OTHER TRADITIONS, RELIGIONS AND CULTURES, TO ENCOURAGE A POSITIVE APPRECIATION OF CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY. TO CULTIVATE AND INFORM EMPATHY WITH SUFFERING OF ALL HUMAN BEINGS, EVEN THOSE REGARDED AS 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, DOGMATIC, IDEOLOGICAL, AND RELIGIOUS BOUNDARIES. BORN OF OUR DEEP INTERDEPENDENCE. COMPASSION IS AS CENTRAL TO HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS TO BE FULFILLED HUMANITY. [00:35:03] IT IS THE PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT AND DISPENSABLE TO THE CREATION OF A JUST ECONOMY AND A PEACEFUL GLOBAL COMMUNITY. GENEVA, SWITZERLAND, FEBRUARY 2019, AND COMPASSIONATE ST. AUGUSTINE, WE ARE INFLUENCING INSPIRING AND GROWING A CULTURE OF COMPASSION THROUGH ADVOCACY, AWARENESS, AND ACTION. ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, SEPTEMBER 9TH, 2013. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I HAVE NO I HAVE ONE SPEAKER CARD LEFT. IS ANYONE ELSE HERE WISH TO SPEAK? NO ONE HEARING NO ONE, SEEING NO ONE. THE LAST SPEAKER WOULD BE BJ COLE LADY. >> BJ COLE, WEST CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE. CONSENT AGENDA 8. THE CROSSWALK AT SOUTH WHITNEY STREET AND WEST KING STREET, LOCATED IN THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE'S THIRD SLUM AREA IS PAID WITH CITY FUNDS, NOT WC CRA TAXES. THE STREET RESURFACING BY PUBLIC WORKS OF ISABEL, MEDORA, HOPKINS, AND FIVE OTHER STREETS IN THE WCCRA AREA IS PART OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE'S ONGOING PAVING SCHEDULE FINANCED WITH CITY FUNDS, NOT WCCRA TAXES. WE NEED TO SAY THANK YOU TO PUBLIC WORKS FOR WHAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING. ST. JOHN SHERIFF'S INMATE SEARCH WEBSITE IS STILL NOT AVAILABLE TO TAXPAYERS. IT'S INTERESTING PUTNAM COUNTY SHERIFF SEARCH SITE IS STILL AVAILABLE. QUESTION, WAS THE BREAKFAST FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND 10 STAFF AT THE BAR ON 20 EBNITA MENENDEZ ON MARCH 17TH, 2025, A QUID PRO QUO, SOMETHING FOR SOMETHING, OR DID THOSE ATTENDING PAY FOR THEIR MEAL? QUESTION. IS THIS STILL A YEARLY EVENT? IT'S PAST TIME FOR THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE TO REQUIRE FLAGLER COLLEGE TO MAKE PAYMENTS IN LIEU OF TAXES. QUESTION, HAS THE CURRENT ENDOWMENT FOR THIS 501C3 RECEIVED $100 MILLION? THOSE WHO DONATE TO THE SCHOOL RECEIVE A TAX WRITE OFF SUCH AS PAUL THOMPSON AND HIS ARRANGEMENT ABOUT FISH ISLAND. PICK UP TRASH WHICH YOU MAY SEE ON THE FLOOR. IT MAY BE MONEY. IF ONE RECEIVES A REWARD OR NOT, QUALITY OF LIFE IS EVERYONE'S RESPONSIBILITY. YOU SEE SOMETHING PICK IT UP, SO IT'LL BE A BETTER PLACE FOR EVERYBODY. PLEASE LISTEN TO 9.5 FM FOR HOPE. IT'S BETTER THAN A MOMENT OF SILENCE. MISS DUNN, I'M READY. THIS IS A CARD THAT ANYONE AND USUALLY IT'S FOR THE ELDERLY. THE POLICE HAS AVAILABLE THAT THEY CAN POST THIS IN THEIR HOME SO IF THEY HAVE AN EMERGENCY, THE POLICE KNOW HOW TO RESPOND. ANYONE WHO MAY BE IN THE COUNTY AND LISTENING TO THIS MEETING, THE COUNTY ALSO HAS THIS PROGRAM THAT REACHES OUT TO THE ELDERLY OR ANYONE WHO MAY BE ALONE AND IT GIVES INFORMATION AS TO HOW THEY CAN HELP YOU IF THERE IS AN EMERGENCY IN YOUR HOME. THESE ARE AVAILABLE AT OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THAT'S WHY I PICK THIS ONE UP TODAY, BUT YOU CAN GET IT AT THE COUNTY TOO. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENTS. WE'LL MOVE ALONG TO THE CONSENT AGENDA, MR. CITY MANAGER. [5. CONSENT AGENDA] >> MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, AND COMMISSIONERS, TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA INCLUDES A REMINDER OF UPCOMING MEETINGS FOR THE APRIL 28TH, 03:00 PM COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY MEETING. WE HAVE AN APRIL 28TH, 04:00 PM ADELAIDE SANCHEZ AWARD PRESENTATION TO THE SISTERS OF ST. JOSEPH. ON APRIL 28TH, WE HAVE THE 5:00 PM REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING. WE HAVE THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE FEBRUARY 24TH, REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING AND THE MARCH 10TH REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING. WE HAVE A RELEASE OF LIEN FOR UNIT CONNECTION FEES FOR 946 PEARL STREET, MR. ANTHONY AND MS. PATRICIA DALEY. WE HAVE A PROPOSED PROCLAMATION, WHICH IS PROCLAMATION 2025-21, PROCLAIMING APRIL 2025 AS NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT PREVENTION MONTH SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER JIM SPRINGFIELD. [00:40:02] WE HAVE A NOTIFICATION OF PROCLAMATIONS, INCLUDING PROCLAMATION 2025-17, WHICH PROCLAIMS APRIL 9, 2025 AS EDUCATION AND SHARING DAY IN ST. AUGUSTINE, SPONSORED BY MAYOR NANCY SIKES-KLINE. WE HAVE CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION 2025-01 CR, WHICH CELEBRATES THE RETIREMENT OF CHARLIE ROE BLACE AS GENERAL MANAGER OF THE COLLECTOR LUXURY AND IN GARDENS SPONSORED BY MAYOR NANCY SIKES-KLINE. WE HAVE APPROVAL OF A MAINTENANCE AND HOLD HARMLESS AGREEMENT FOR INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE OF A PEDESTRIAN CROSSWALK AT THE INTERSECTION OF WEST KING STREET IN SOUTH WHITNEY. WE HAVE APPROVAL OF THE USE OF THE CITY CREST IN CELEBRATING THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, APPROVAL OF THE 2025 SCHEDULE OF BUDGET MEETINGS AND WORKSHOPS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET PREPARATION. WE HAVE AN INVOICE FOR THE MARLOW V CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE LAWSUIT. WE HAVE APPROVAL OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE 2025 CITY COMMISSION CITIZENSHIP AWARDS. WE HAVE AN ORDER RELEASING A LIEN FOR 125 SPOON BILL POINT COURT AS PAID IN FULL. FINALLY, WE HAVE APPROVING THE USE OF THE CITY CREST FOR THE RIBBON CUTTING CELEBRATION TO COMMEMORATE THE COMPLETION OF THE NEWLY RECONSTRUCTED FORT MOSE. THAT COMPLETES TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DO I HEAR A MOTION? >> YOU'LL MAKE A MOTION, I PASS UNLESS THERE'S ANY DISCUSSION. >> ANY DISCUSSION? >> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS WE'RE GOING TO SKIP TO EIGHT, WHICH ARE ORDINANCES WITH PUBLIC HEARINGS REQUIRED. [8.A.1. Ordinance 2025-05: Amends the Zoning Designation of 0.34 acres of property from City of St. Augustine Residential Single family-one (RS-1) to City Planned Unit Development (PUD) at 10 Carrera Street. (A. Skinner, Director Planning and Building)] WE DO HAVE ONE ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT. IT IS THE SECOND READING OF ORDINANCE 2025-05, AND MS. SKINNER, YOU ARE WELCOME TO PRESENT. GOOD EVENING. >> THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS AMY SKINNER. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE PLANNING AND BUILDING DEPARTMENT. THIS IS THE SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING OF ORDINANCE 2025-05. THIS ORDINANCE IS A REZONING FOR APPROXIMATELY 0.34 ACRES FROM RESIDENTIAL SINGLE FAMILY ONE TO A PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT AT 10 CARRERA STREET. THIS IS JUST A REZONING BECAUSE THE PROPOSED USES FOR THE PUD ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE EXISTING LAND USE CATEGORY OF RESIDENTIAL LOW DENSITY. THE OWNER IS PROPOSING TO CONTINUE THE EXISTING USES ON THE SITE WHICH INCLUDE A CARETAKER RESIDENCE, OFFICE, RESOURCE LIBRARY, AND SMALL MEETING SPACE. THE APPLICANT SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION TO REZONE THE PROPERTY TO THE PROPOSED PUD, THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD REVIEWED THIS APPLICATION AND MADE A POSITIVE RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COMMISSION AT THEIR MEETING ON MARCH 4TH. THE PZB ALSO RECOMMENDED THAT LANGUAGE BE ADDED TO CLARIFY EXCLUDED USES, THAT THE SIGNAGE FOR THE PROPERTY WOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH THE REGULATIONS OF THE SIGN CODE AND THAT LANGUAGE BE REMOVED IN THE MAINTENANCE SECTION REFERRING TO TRANSFERRING OWNERSHIP. THESE CHANGES WERE MADE TO THE TEXT OF THE PUD. THE CITY COMMISSION REVIEWED THIS REZONING, MADE RECOMMENDATIONS, AND APPROVED THE FIRST READING AT THE MARCH 24, CITY COMMISSION MEETING. THE CITY COMMISSION EXPRESSED SOME CONCERNS RELATED TO THE PUBLIC BENEFIT, POTENTIAL USES, AND FUTURE TRANSFER OF THE PROPERTY. THE APPLICANT HAS REVISED THE PUD TEXT BASED ON THESE CONCERNS, INCLUDING MORE DESCRIPTIVE LANGUAGE OUTLINING A COMMUNITY BENEFIT, ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE THAT MORE CLEARLY STATES THAT THE HISTORIC STRUCTURE WILL REMAIN, THAT THE PUD IS NARROWLY TAILORED AND REFERS TO THE HISTORIC SURVEY OF THE PROPERTY. ADDITIONALLY, LANGUAGE WAS ADDED TO CLARIFY THAT IF THE PROPERTY WAS TRANSFERRED IN OWNERSHIP, THAT THE PROPERTY ZONING WOULD REVERT BACK TO THE RS_1 ZONING CATEGORY. THAT'S MY PRESENTATION. I BELIEVE THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE APPLICANT IS HERE, BUT I'M AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. MR. WHITEHOUSE, DID YOU WISH TO SPEAK? YOU HAVE A BRIEF OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK? >> YES, MA'AM. [00:45:03] FOR THE RECORD, JAMES WHITEHOUSE ST. JOHNS LAW GROUP 104 SEA GROVE MAIN STREET HERE IN ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE OWNERSHIP OF 10 CARRERA STREET, AND WE'RE BACK AGAIN FOR SECOND READING AS YOU KNOW, I'LL JUST GO THROUGH IT REAL QUICK AND JUMP THROUGH THE FIRST PART AND THEN TALK ABOUT THE THINGS WE UPDATED AS YOU ASKED FOR AND THEN WE CAN HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND COME BACK FOR QUESTIONS. OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS LOCATED AT 10 CARRERA STREET AS YOU ALL KNOW, NEXT TO THE METHODIST CHURCH ACROSS FROM FLAGLER COLLEGE. THIS IS SECOND READING AS YOU KNOW, FROM YOUR MEMO FROM YOUR CITY MANAGER. IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY FORWARDED FOR APPROVAL BY YOUR PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD AND RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL BY YOUR STAFF STATING THAT IT MEETS THE GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES OF OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. IT SPECIFICALLY LAYS OUT THE PERMITTED USES WHICH ARE THE USES THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN ON THIS PROPERTY FOR A NUMBER OF DECADES. IT'S NARROWLY TAILORED WE WENT BACK. AGAIN, I'LL TALK ABOUT THE UPDATES IN A SECOND. AGAIN, THIS CAME INITIALLY AS A RECOMMENDATION FOR APPROVAL FOR RG-1 FROM YOUR CITY STAFF STATING IT ABOUT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, ETC FOR THAT ZONING. HOWEVER, THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION FROM SOME OF THE NEIGHBORS THAT WERE CONCERNED WITH SOME OF THE PROPOSED OR NOT THE PROPOSED USES, BUT SOME OF THE USES THAT WERE ALLOWED IN RG-1 AND THERE WAS A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE PZB TO LOOK AT POSSIBLY PLAN UNIT DEVELOPMENT SO THOSE USES COULD BE RESTRICTED AND THE DECADES OLD USES COULD CONTINUE. THAT'S WHEN THEY CAME AND TALKED TO ME AND WE DREW UP THE LANGUAGE FOR THE PUD WHICH EARLY TAYLOR'S THE USES ON THE PROPERTY ITSELF. THEN THEY CAME BACK AND WE PRESENTED THAT PUD TO YOUR PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD. THERE WAS A COUPLE OF UPDATES AS AMY POINTED OUT THAT WE DID IN BETWEEN THAT AND YOUR FIRST READING, CAME FOR FIRST READING IN FRONT OF YOU AND YOU MOVED IN ON THE SECOND READING WITH A COUPLE OF DISCUSSION POINTS. ONE OF THEM FROM COMMISSIONER DEPRETER THAT TALKED ABOUT THE PUBLIC BENEFIT WHICH HE RECOGNIZED, BUT WANTED TO BE ENUNCIATED WITHIN THE TEXT WHICH WE'VE DONE. LET ME GET ONTO THAT REAL QUICK. HERE ARE THE UPDATES AS REQUESTED. NUMBER 1, WE TALK ABOUT THE STRUCTURE HAVING TO REMAIN AND ALLOW THE CONTINUED USE AND MAINTENANCE OF THAT HISTORIC STRUCTURE ITSELF, THAT SPECIFICALLY OUTLINED NOW UNDER PERMITTED USES. IT ALSO TALKED ABOUT NO MATERIAL DEPARTURES FROM THE PLAN ARE PERMITTED WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION OBVIOUSLY. THE PLAN ITSELF IS PART OF THE TEXT AND IS GOING TO BE PART OF THE ORDINANCE ITSELF. WE UPDATED THE PUBLIC BENEFIT STATEMENT WHICH ARE THE FOUR THAT I READ OUT LOUD AT THE HEARING, BUT NOW THEY'RE SPECIFICALLY OUTLINED WITHIN THE TEXT IN THREE DIFFERENT PLACES, TALKING ABOUT KEEPING THE PROPERTY, HISTORIC NATURE OF THE PROPERTY, AND THAT'S A PUBLIC BENEFIT. WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE REVERSION LANGUAGE THAT COMMISSIONER BLONDER HAD SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT, TALKING ABOUT THAT IF IT TRANSFERS FROM THE CURRENT OWNERSHIP TO A PERSON OR ENTITY THAT INTENDS TO OPERATE THE PROPERTY CONTRARY TO THE USES APPROVALS GRANTED HERE IN, THEN IT WOULD REVERT TO RS-1. IT SPECIFICALLY SAYS THAT NOW WITHIN THE TEXT. AGAIN, WE ALREADY HAD THE PROHIBITED USES FROM RG-1 IN THERE, BUT I WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT AGAIN BECAUSE THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS PZB HAD TALKED ABOUT. THE TEXT SPECIFICALLY HAS THAT. BASED UPON ALL THAT, THE FACT THAT IT'S UNANIMOUS RECOMMENDATION FROM YOUR PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD AND YOUR STAFF REPORT WHICH AGAIN, WITH THIS SECOND READING STAFF REPORT POINTS OUT THAT IT FURTHERS THE GOALS OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES OF OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, SPECIFICALLY GOES THROUGH A NUMBER OF THOSE GOALS OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES. WE WOULD ASK FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, OBVIOUSLY, OF PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN APPROVAL UPON SECOND READING AND PASSAGE OF THIS PLAN DEVELOPMENT AT 10 GERT I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. >> ANY QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS? ANY QUESTIONS. >> THANK YOU, MR. WHITEHOUSE. >> YES, MA'AM. >> I'M INCLINED TO SUPPORT THIS, BUT I WANT YOU TO HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE MODIFICATION THAT YOU ALL MADE A LITTLE BIT BETTER, THE VERBIAGE IN THERE. >> YES, MA'AM. >> MY SCREEN JUST WENT BLANK. GREAT. I'M JUST GOING TO READ IT FROM MY HANDWRITTEN NOTES. >> I'LL PUT IT UP [INAUDIBLE] CAN YOU PUT THE [OVERLAPPING] >> THAT INTENDS TO OPERATE THE PROPERTY CONTRARY TO THE CURRENT USE. >> YES, MA'AM. >> CAN YOU GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT WOULD TRIGGER CONTRARY TO THE CURRENT USE? >> SURE. THE PLAN UNIT DEVELOPMENT IN ITSELF, [00:50:02] A ZONING CATEGORY LAYS OUT THE SPECIFIC USES THAT ARE ALLOWED. IT BECOMES LIKE A PART OF YOUR CODE. IN OTHER WORDS, RS1, RS2, RG1, THEY ALLOW CERTAIN USES. IF YOU WANT TO DO A USE THAT'S NOT ALLOWED THERE WITHIN IT, YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DO THAT. THIS PUD LAYS OUT USES SPECIFICALLY. THIS IS JUST TALKING ABOUT THE TRANSFERABILITY OF THE PROPERTY. WE'VE NEVER SAID A CERTAIN PERSON HAS TO OWN THIS. JOHN DEPRETER HAS TO OWN THIS. JAMES WHITEHOUSE HAS TO OWN THIS. NANCY SIKES-KLINE HAS TO OWN THIS, BUT IT SAYS THAT IF IT'S A TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP TO SOMEBODY WHO'S GOING TO DO THE PROHIBITED THINGS OR WANTS TO TRY TO DO SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO OPERATE IN A DIFFERENT WAY. THAT'S WHY WE SAID IT THAT WAY, BECAUSE TO SAY IT CAN ONLY BE ETHICAL MARKETS MEDIA, LLC IS NOT REALLY APPROPRIATE, BECAUSE WE DON'T SAY A CERTAIN PERSON HAS TO OWN THIS BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO THAT COMPANY? WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY HAVE TO CHANGE THE NAME OF THE COMPANY? REALLY, THE OBJECTIVE WAS TO TRY TO ENCAPSULATE WHAT YOU WANTED AND WHAT YOU HAD EXPRESSED YOUR DESIRE FOR, AS WELL AS TO RESTRICT IT TO ONLY THE USES, WHICH IS WHY THE LANGUAGE SAYS, IF THEY TRANSFER IT TO A PERSON OR ENTITY, WE WON'T SAY ONE PERSON. IT HAS TO BE PERSON OR ENTITY THAT INTENDS TO OPERATE THE PROPERTY CONTRARY TO THE USES/APPROVALS GRANTED HEREIN WITHIN THE PUD ITSELF, THEN THE ZONING WOULD REVERT. BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO HAVE A REVERSION CLAUSE WITHIN A PUD ZONING BECAUSE PUDS CAN EXPIRE. THINGS CAN HAPPEN AND THE PUD CAN'T CONTINUE ON, BUT THAT'S WHY WE SAY IT THAT WAY. I THINK FROM A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE AND YOU CAN TALK YOUR STAFF. THE PLANNING STAFF WAS COMFORTABLE WITH THAT LANGUAGE ITSELF, AND I THINK THE REST OF THE COMMISSION IS COMFORTABLE WITH THAT. I HOPE YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH IT TOO. THAT'S WHY WE TRIED TO DO IT THAT WAY. >> THANK YOU. THAT HELPS. I WOULD LIKE OUR CITY ATTORNEY TO WEIGH IN ON THAT JUST TO REINFORCE WHAT MR. WHITEHOUSE SAID OR ADD ANYTHING YOU MIGHT. >> IT MIGHT BE MORE HELPFUL TO PUT IT UP AND I DO APOLOGIZE, BUT I DID NOT REVIEW THIS LATEST VERSION. AS YOU KNOW, I WAS OUT OF TOWN IN THE LAST WEEK. IF YOU CAN PUT THE LANGUAGE UP OR SOMEONE CAN GIVE IT TO ME, I CAN TAKE A LOOK, SEE, AND RESPOND TO THAT. IT SAYS, RESPONSE. IT IS THE LANDOWNER'S UNDERSTANDING AND INTENT THAT SHOULD THIS APPLICATION BE APPROVED AND NOT ACTED UPON TIMELY, THE EXISTING ZONING APPROVALS WILL REMAIN UNCHANGED. FURTHER, IF ETHICAL MARKETS MEDIA, LLC TRANSFERS THE PROPERTY TO A PERSON OR ENTITY THAT INTENDS TO OPERATE THE PROPERTY CONTRARY TO THE USES APPROVALS GRANTED HEREIN, AND THOSE WOULD BE THE USES AND APPROVALS THAT WERE GRANTED IN THE PUD TEXT. THEY'RE ONLY ALLOWED THAT. THEN THE PROPERTY ZONING SHALL REVERT TO RS1. THE INTENT OF THE LANGUAGE AS I READ IT, IS THAT IF ETHICAL MARKETS MEDIA, LLC TRANSFERS, MEANING SELLS THE PROPERTY TO SAY ME OR ANYONE ELSE, JOHN SMITH, AND THAT PERSON TRIES TO OPERATE THE PROPERTY IN A WAY THAT ISN'T ALLOWED UNDER THESE TERMS IN THE PUD, THEN THE PROPERTY WOULD GO BACK TO THE USES OF RS1 INSTEAD. >> THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THAT CLARIFICATION. >> WAS THAT ALL? THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING, SO WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. ANYONE HERE WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS OPEN. HEARING NO ONE, SEEING NO ONE, PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED. WE ARE BACK TO THE COMMISSION. DOES ANYONE WISH TO MAKE A MOTION OR FURTHER DISCUSSION? >> I'LL BE WILLING TO MAKE A MOTION IF THERE IS NO DISCUSSION. COMMISSIONER BLONDER, ARE YOU HAPPY WITH THE LANGUAGE IT WAS? >> I JUST SAID THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION. THANK YOU. >> WELL, I DO WANT TO THANK THE APPLICANT AND THE PLANNING BOARD AND THE STAFF, AGAIN, AND ATTORNEY FOR FOCUSING, THIS IS A GOOD USE OF A PUD IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE BY TITLE ONLY, ORDINANCE 2025-05. >> SECOND. >> ORDINANCE NUMBER 2025-05, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, AMENDING THE ZONING FOR APPROXIMATELY 0.34 ACRES OF PROPERTY LOCATED AT 10 CARRERA STREET, PARCEL ID NUMBER 205-300-0000, AS MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED HERE AND AFTER TO CHANGE ITS CURRENT ZONING CLASSIFICATION OF RESIDENTIAL SINGLE FAMILY ONE, RS1 TO PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT (PUD), [00:55:02] PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINANCES, PROVIDING FOR SEVERANCE OF INVALID PROVISIONS, AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. >> THANK YOU. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> JOHN DEPRETER? >> YES. >> CYNTHIA GARRIS? >> YES. >> BARBARA BLONDER? >> YES. >> NANCY SIKES-KLINE? >> YES. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> WE'LL MOVE ON TO FIRST READING OF ORDINANCES. [9.A.1. Ordinance 2025-06: Imposes restrictions on mobile vendors during Nights of Lights and July 4th Celebrations. (I. Lopez, City Attorney)] WE HAVE ORDINANCE 2025-06. MS. LOPEZ. >> YES, MADAM MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS. BEFORE YOU IS ORDINANCE NUMBER 2025-06, WHICH WOULD AMEND OUR MOBILE VENDOR RESTRICTION AREAS AT YOUR FEBRUARY 10TH MEETING. THE CITY COMMISSION HEARD THE CITY MANAGER'S REPORT ON THE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS. IT INCLUDED A NUMBER OF EXHIBITS AND ANALYSIS THAT INCLUDED AN AERIAL VIDEO FROM THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT DEPICTING THE HOT ZONES WHERE THERE WERE MANY HUMANS PACKED ON SIDEWALKS AND VEHICLES ON OUR STREETS. THE TOTALITY OF THAT INFORMATION YOU RECEIVED AT THAT FEBRUARY 10TH MEETING LED YOU TO INSTRUCT ME TO MOVE FORWARD WITH AN AMENDMENT TO OUR MOBILE VENDOR RESTRICTIONS BASED ON THAT EXTRAORDINARY PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC CONGESTION. YOU ALSO INSTRUCTED ME TO LOOK INTO DOING SIMILAR RESTRICTIONS FOR THE 4TH JULY, BUT FOCUSING MORE ON THE BAY FRONTS, SINCE THAT'S WHERE FOLKS CONGREGATE TO SEE THE FIREWORKS OFF OF THE WATER. WE DID OBTAIN ADDITIONAL DATA THAT WE INCLUDED IN THIS PACKET AS BACKGROUND INFORMATION TO SUPPORT THE FINDINGS THAT YOU'RE REQUIRED TO MAKE IF YOU ARE GOING TO RESTRICT VENDORS ON SIDEWALKS. JUST A QUICK RECAP, PUBLIC SIDEWALKS ARE DEEMED A PUBLIC FORUM UNDER US LAW, AND SO YOUR RESTRICTIONS HAVE TO BE DIRECTLY RELATED TO A SUBSTANTIAL PUBLIC INTEREST, AND THEY CAN BE NO MORE THAN IS NECESSARY TO ADDRESS A SPECIFIC PROBLEM AREA. THOSE ARE THE LEGAL PARAMETERS THAT YOU'D HAVE TO STAY WITHIN WHEN YOU ARE CREATING RESTRICTIONS OR PROHIBITIONS FOR EVEN COMMERCIAL SPEECH. COMMERCIAL SPEECH LIKE MOBILE VENDING IS LESS PROTECTED, I'LL SAY, THAN PURE FIRST AMENDMENT SPEECH. FOLKS WHO WANT TO PETITION OR WALK ON THE SIDEWALKS WITH SIGNS OR PROTESTS, THOSE ARE YOUR PURE FIRST AMENDMENT SPEECH TYPE USES OF PUBLIC FORUMS. COMMERCIAL SPEECH, WHICH IS LIKE YOUR VENDORS, STILL DO HAVE PROTECTED RIGHTS TO THOSE SIDEWALKS, BUT YOU CAN RESTRICT IT IF YOU FIND A FACTUAL BASIS FOR THE NEED FOR THE RESTRICTION. IF I CAN, I'D LIKE TO SWITCH OVER MAYOR AND I'LL SHOW THE COMMISSION AND THE STAFF THE CURRENT RESTRICTIONS AND THEN EXPLAIN WHAT THIS AMENDMENT DOES, IF I MAY, MADAM MAYOR. >> PLEASE DO. >> HOPEFULLY YOU CAN SEE THIS SOMEWHAT CLEARLY. THESE ARE YOUR CURRENT RESTRICTIONS. YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE TOTALITY OF ST. GEORGE STREET, 24/7, 365 DAYS A YEAR IS PROHIBITED TO VENDORS. WHAT I TEND TO CALL THE TENTACLES FROM ST. GEORGE STREET, SO THOSE INTERSECTING STREETS, AS YOU CAN SEE WITH THE CROSS HATCH, ARE ALSO PROHIBITED YEAR ROUND FOR MOBILE VENDING, AND THOSE WERE BASED ON FINDINGS THAT WERE MADE AT THE TIME WHEN WE CREATED THE ORDINANCE BECAUSE OF THE DENSITY. >> EXCUSE ME, VICE MAYOR HAS A QUESTION. >> YOU'RE SAYING VENDORS. YOU MEAN MOBILE VENDORS IN PARTICULAR? BECAUSE WE HAVE VENDORS ON ST. GEORGE STREET THAT ARE IN BRICK AND MORTAR, RIGHT? >> CORRECT. WE'RE ONLY SPEAKING TO MOBILE VENDORS. >> I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLARIFICATION ON THE PUBLIC RECORD. THANK YOU. >> CORRECT. WE'RE NOT SPEAKING AS TO ANY REAL ESTATE OR REAL PROPERTY RIGHTS. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PUBLIC FORM, THE SIDEWALKS. >> THANK YOU. >> THE SIDEWALKS ARE OURS, AND THEREFORE, WE CAN REGULATE IT. [01:00:02] BUT WE CAN ONLY REGULATE IT WHEN WE CAN IDENTIFY AREAS THAT HAVE THAT TYPE OF DENSITY OF USAGE WHERE THERE IS A LOGICAL CONNECTION TO HAVING A REGULATION THAT WOULD PROHIBIT OR RESTRICT MOBILE VENDORS, COMMERCIAL SPEECH RIGHTS ON THESE PUBLIC FORM, ON THESE SIDEWALKS. ST. GEORGE, WHAT I CALL THE TENTACLES, BASICALLY THE INTERSECTING STREETS TO ST. GEORGE STREET ARE ALSO PROHIBITED YEAR ROUND. YOU'LL NOTE A RING AROUND THE ROSY OF THE PLAZA. THOSE SIDEWALKS ARE ALSO PROHIBITED YEAR ROUND. WHAT THIS PARTICULAR AMENDMENT WOULD DO WOULD BE, LET'S SEE IF I CAN POINT AND NOT MAKE A MESS OF THIS. BUT IT WOULD BE TO RESTRICT ON THE WESTERN SIDEWALK OF AVENIDA MENENDEZ, AS WELL AS THE ENTIRETY OF THE NORTHERN SIDEWALK OF CATHEDRAL PLACE WOULD BE PROHIBITED, BUT ONLY FOUR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS AND 4TH OF JULY. IN ADDITION, FOR 4TH OF JULY, THE EASTERN SIDEWALK, THE ONE CLOSEST TO THE CASTILLO, THAT ENTIRE SIDEWALK WOULD ALSO BE A PROHIBITED ZONE, BUT ONLY FOR THE 4TH JULY. THOSE ARE THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS. THEY'RE BASED ON THE DATA THAT WAS PRESENTED AT THAT FEBRUARY MEETING, AND ADDITIONAL DATA THAT I WAS ABLE TO GET FROM STAFF. THOSE AREAS WOULD BE PROHIBITED FOR MOBILE VENDORS, BUT ONLY DURING NIGHTS OF LIGHTS AND THE 4TH JULY CELEBRATION. I'LL GO BACK TO MY, UNLESS YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ON THE MAP? >> YOU HAVE A QUESTION. YOU DO. >> ALL THOSE YELLOW SPOTS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, WHERE YOU GOT THE SQUARE AND GOING ALL UP DOWN THE ROAD, IS ALL THAT PART OF IT OR JUST THAT LITTLE AREA THERE? >> THIS IS THE MAP OF THE CURRENT REGULATIONS. RIGHT NOW, WHERE YOU SEE A CROSS HATCH, THOSE RED SIDEWAYS SYMBOLS, ALL THOSE AREAS ARE PROHIBITED YEAR ROUND RIGHT NOW. WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS WITH THIS AMENDMENT ALONG AVENIDA MENENDEZ FROM ORANGE STREET TILL KING ON THE WESTERN SIDEWALK, AND THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF CATHEDRAL PLACE, THE NORTHERN SIDEWALK WOULD BE PROHIBITED DURING NIGHTS OF LIGHTS. FOURTH OF JULY WOULD HAVE BOTH OF THOSE SIDEWALKS PLUS THE EASTERN SIDEWALK ON THE CASTILLO SIDE, ALSO PROHIBITED BECAUSE FOR 4TH OF JULY WHERE WE WERE SEEING THE PHOTOGRAPHS, THE CONGESTION WAS ON BOTH SIDES OF AVENIDA MENENDEZ BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE TRYING TO GET CLOSER TO THE WATER TO SEE THE FIREWORKS. WE BASICALLY FOLLOWED THE EVIDENCE. WE FOLLOWED WHAT THE DATA SHOWED. DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE MAP? >> THANK YOU. >> I CAN ALWAYS GO BACK TO THE LANGUAGE OF THE ORDINANCE TOO. >> TO THE POINT OF AVENIDA MENENDEZ, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE HEAT MAPPING EVIDENCE OF IT, BUT MY OWN EXPERIENCE ON NIGHTS OF LIGHTS, SEVERAL TIMES COMING INTO THE CITY ON FOOT. THE EAST SIDE OF AVENIDA MENENDEZ WAS JUST AS CONGESTED AS THE WESTERN SIDE, AND I THINK THAT IT MAKES SENSE TO ME ANYWAY DURING NIGHTS OF LIGHTS TO NOT JUST HAVE THE EAST SIDE CLOSED OFF TO MOBILE VENDORS DURING JULY 4TH, BUT ALSO FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS. SAFETY ALONE, JUST PUSHING PEOPLE OUT INTO THE TRAFFIC RIGHT OFF OF THAT SIDEWALK, THERE'S A VERY SMALL CURB. I THINK PUTTING MOBILE VENDORS ON THE EAST SIDE OF AVENIDA MENENDEZ IS A RECIPE FOR TROUBLE. >> IT'S REALLY UP TO THE FINDINGS THAT THE COMMISSION MAKES. IF YOU FEEL THAT THERE'S SUFFICIENT DATA TO SUPPORT THAT FOUR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS, BOTH SIDES OF AVENIDA MENENDEZ, THAT WE ADD THE EASTERN SIDE. THAT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THE COMMISSION CAN MAKE FINDINGS ON, OR YOU CAN INSTRUCT ME TO DO SOME MORE DIGGING AND GET MORE DATA ON THAT. IT'S REALLY UP TO THE COMMISSION. >> IF THE COMMISSION DECIDED THAT WE WANTED TO INCLUDE THE EAST SIDE OF AVENIDA MENENDEZ, DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE SUBMISSION DATA NOW? >> NOT IN THE PACKET THAT I BROUGHT BEFORE YOU. BECAUSE WE WERE FOCUSING ON THE AREAS THAT HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED AS DENSELY PEDESTRIAN, IF THAT'S A WORD. [01:05:01] I'M GOING TO CREATE A NEW WORD IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, AND THE BULK OF THE PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC I WAS TOLD WAS ON THE WESTERN SIDEWALK, ALONG TINI MARTINI BAR AND ALL OF THE OTHER RESTAURANTS AND SO ON THAT ARE ON THAT SIDE AND THAT FOUR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS, THERE WAS LESS OF AN IMPACT ON THE EASTERN SIDEWALK OF AVENIDA MENENDEZ. BUT IF YOU'D LIKE ME TO GO BACK, AND IT WOULD PROBABLY BE SAPD AND SEE WHAT VIDEO OR PHOTOGRAPHS THEY MAY HAVE, OR IF SOMEONE HAS SUFFICIENT INFORMATION THAT THEY COULD SIGN AN AFFIDAVIT AS TO THE CONDITIONS ON THE EASTERN SIDE, I CAN DO THAT. I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE THAT IN THE PACKET BEFORE YOU. >> WELL, IF WE CLOSE THE WEST SIDE. >> COMMISSIONER DEPRETER HAD ASKED TO SPEAK. >> I WOULD SUPPORT LOOKING INTO THAT. WHAT I HAD NOTICED WAS IN A SUBSEQUENT CONVERSATION WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, WE HAVE A RIDE SHARE [NOISE] HUB ON THAT AREA IN THE SIDEWALK THERE SO IF WE AREN'T GOING TO BLOCK THAT OFF FOR THE NIGHT TO LATE, I WAS JUST WONDERING MAYBE A LITTLE EXPLANATION THE RIDE SHARE THERE. I DON'T WANT TO HAVE VENDORS IN THE WAY OF THE RIDE SHARE HUB THAT WE HAVE, WHICH IS LOOKS LIKE IT'S UP THE AVENUE BY THE FORT THERE. IF WE'RE CLOSING, YOU'RE GOING TO ALLOW VENDORS FROM ORANGE STREET ALL THE WAY DOWN FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS, WE WILL HAVE A RIDE SHARE HUB. I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE RUBIN DESCRIBED THAT. WE'LL GET TO IT WHEN WE GET TO THAT THING, SO THERE MIGHT BE A CONFLICT THERE. >> AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW OF. >> I KNOW. I'M JUST BRINGING IT UP. >> NO, THAT'S A GOOD POINT. >> IT'S NOT [OVERLAPPING] NOW BUT IF WE HAVE A RIDE SHARE HUB THERE, I DON'T WANT TO HAVE VENDOR ON THE RIDE SHARE HUB. I DON'T KNOW IF THE RIDE SHARE HUB IS GOING TO BE IN THE PARKING LOT, BE A SIDEWALK, BUT IT'S LIKE A LITTLE EXPLANATION. IT'S A CONFLICT. HOWEVER, IF WE DECIDE TO CLOSE THE WHOLE THING OFF, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A PROBLEM SO I JUST WANT TO BRING THAT UP. >> GOT YOU. >> OTHERWISE, I THINK THE JUSTIFICATION YOU HAVE IS VERY SOLID. YOU HAVE THE DOCUMENTATION, YOU HAVE THE STUFF. IT'S JUST A MATTER WHETHER WE CAN EXTEND IT OR NOT SO THAT'S MY ONLY QUESTION. >> I WAS GOING TO SAY I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH VICE MAYOR BECAUSE IF YOU CLOSE UP ONE SIDE, THE PEOPLE ARE JUST GOING TO HUDDLE TO THE OTHER SIDE SO THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE PROBLEM ON THE OTHER SIDE. I THINK IF WE STOP THE VENDORS FROM BEING ON EITHER SIDE, THEN WE WON'T HAVE AN ISSUE ON EITHER SIDE WITH THE VENDORS, BECAUSE THEY'RE JUST SAY, WE CAN'T GO ON THAT SIDE AND THEY'LL BE ON THAT SIDE, AND THEN THAT SIDE GOING INTO THE RESTAURANTS IS GOING TO GET CONGESTED. I THINK THAT IF YOU CAN GET THE DATA AND SO WE CAN SUPPORT IT NOT BEING ON EITHER SIDE, SEEMS LIKE WOULD BE THE LOGICAL THING TO DO. OTHERWISE, WE'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE ACROSS THE STREET VERSUS CLEARING UP THE TRAFFIC CONGESTION WITH THE VENDORS. >> I'D LIKE TO ADD TOO. I DO SUPPORT THE IDEA OF TAKING THE TIME TO LOOK INTO A LITTLE BIT FURTHER TO SEE IF WE CAN COME UP WITH THE DATA. I HAVE PHOTOGRAPHS ON MY PHONE SOMEWHERE OF VENDORS ON THE EAST SIDE AND COMPLICATING THE MATTERS OVER THERE. I'LL SEE IF I CAN DIG THEM UP AND PROVIDE THEM TO YOU IF IT SHOWS ANYTHING THAT MIGHT SUPPORT WHAT WE NEED. BUT I WOULD THINK IF YOU TRY AND GO BACK, PERHAPS WE COULD EXPAND THAT NOW, IT'D BE WORTH IT. >> THIS ISN'T A COMMENT FOR YOU, SO YOU MIGHT, WITH THE PLEASURE OF THE MAYOR, I'M DONE WITH THAT, BUT I DO WANT TO MAKE AN OVERALL COMMENT ON THIS MATTER. >> WE HAVE, RIGHT NOW, THE WAY WE STAND IS, PROBABLY WE WON'T BE PASSING THIS. WE WILL PASS THIS ON FIRST READING AND MAKE MODIFICATIONS TO GO TO SECOND READING IF POSSIBLE, CORRECT, BASED ON DATA. >> THAT IS CORRECT. YOUR SHORT TITLE OF YOUR ORDINANCE FOR FIRST READING IS GENERAL ENOUGH THAT WE CAN GO BACK AND IF THE DATA SUPPORTS INCLUDE THE EAST SIDE OF AVENIDA MENENDEZ. >> I WAS BANKING ON YOU TELLING US IF IT WASN'T, IF IT WAS TOO TIGHT A LANGUAGE. YOU WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT BEFORE THE MOTION. >> YEAH. THE COMMENT IS, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PUBLIC COMMENT THAT WAS MADE EARLIER ABOUT THE NATURE OF THE ITEMS THAT THE MOBILE VENDORS ARE SELLING. I WILL LET YOU FILL IN THE BLANK ON THE THIRD WORD, BUT IT'S CHEAP PLASTIC BLANK THAT ENDS UP IN OUR STREETS AS LITTER, AS GARBAGE, IN OUR SOLID WASTE, AND IT CAN BE FOUND IN SEVERAL OF OUR OTHER ESTABLISHMENTS, BRICK AND MORTAR. I THINK IT BEHOOVES US TO REALLY FOCUS ON THE PUBLIC SAFETY IN THIS MATTER [01:10:03] AND SO I WILL SUPPORT THIS AT FIRST READING WITH THE MODIFICATION THAT WE HAVE DISCUSSED ON EAST END AVENIDA MENENDEZ. >> EXCELLENT. THEN WHAT I'LL DO IS I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO PASS. >> EXCUSE ME. I APOLOGIZE. I DID NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RECORD REFLECTS THAT WE ARE INCLUDING THE AERIAL VIDEO AS PART OF THE SUPPORT FOR THIS. I KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE BUSINESS IMPACT STATEMENT, NOW WE'RE REQUIRED BY LAW TO HAVE IT IN OUR PACKET AND IN CASE ANYONE HAD QUESTIONS, WE STATE THAT THERE IS NO IMPACT TO ANY BUSINESSES AND THE REASON FOR THAT, AND I'LL INCLUDE IN THE RECORD FROM OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE SUPERVISOR IN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, MR. AUGUSTUS, IS THAT THERE ARE NO MOBILE VENDORS THAT ARE PERMITTED THROUGH THE CITY THAT ACTUALLY HAVE A BUSINESS IN THE CITY LIMITS, HENCE WHY THERE IS NO BUSINESS IMPACT. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS CLEAR AND GIVE IT TO THE CLERK SO SHE CAN HAVE IT IN THE RECORD. I APOLOGIZE FOR THE INTERRUPTION. >> THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE OPERATING ARE NOT ST. AUGUSTINE BUSINESSES. THAT MAKES SENSE. ANTIDOTALLY, THIS YEAR, I DIDN'T SEE AS MANY PEOPLE WITH THOSE ITEMS IN THEIR HANDS, LIKE I DID USUALLY. IT WAS INTERESTING. IT WAS AS MOST OF THE PEOPLE ARE NOT BUYING THEM THIS YEAR. BUT OBVIOUSLY, THEY WERE BECAUSE THEY WERE THERE TO SELL THEM, SO THEY WOULDN'T COME IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE AN AUDIENCE OR CLIENTELE. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTIONS TO PASS ORDINANCE 2025-06 ON FIRST READING. DO I HEAR A SECOND? >> I'LL SECOND THAT ON THE CONDITION THAT WE LOOK INTO THE PUBLIC SAFETY INFORMATION ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE ROAD. >> I WILL ACCEPT THAT AMENDMENT. THANK YOU. >> ORDINANCE NUMBER 2025-06, AND ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, CREATING SECTION 27-512 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, PROVIDING FOR RESTRICTIONS FOR MOBILE VENDORS IN HIGH CONGESTION AREAS, PROVIDING FOR INCLUSION IN THE CODE OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. >> ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> NANCY SIKES-KLINE. >> YES. >> JON DEPRETER? >> YES. >> CYNTHIA GARRIS. >> YES. >> BARBARA BLONDER. >> YES. >> GREAT. ONWARDS. THANK YOU. GOOD WORK SO FAR. WE'RE GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER. MR. FRANKLIN, YOUR NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA RESOLUTION 2025-13. GOOD EVENING. [9.B.1. Resolution 2025-13: Authorizes the City Manager to execute a grant agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation to receive financial assistance for the STAR Circulator. (R. Franklin, Assistant City Manager)] >> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COMMISSIONER. THIS EVENING BEFORE YOU HAVE RESOLUTION 2025-13, WHICH AUTHORIZES THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A GRANT AGREEMENT WITH THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO RECEIVE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE STAR CIRCULATOR FOR AN AMOUNT UP TO $1,000,000, WHICH WILL CARRY US THROUGH APRIL 2028. THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF THE FUNDING WE'VE BEEN RECEIVING FROM THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. WE'RE ONE YEAR AND EIGHT MONTHS IN OPERATING THE STAR CIRCULATOR. LAST YEAR, WE HAD ABOUT 40,000 RIDERS ON IT. THIS YEAR, WE'VE STARTED OFF A LITTLE SLOWER, SO WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON TRYING TO GET OUR NUMBERS UP. WE WANT TO DEFINITELY SEE GROWTH YEAR OVER YEAR IN THE STAR CIRCULATOR. WE ALSO RECEIVE FUNDING AND BUDGET FROM THE TDC OF $100,000 A YEAR RIGHT NOW FOR THE STAR CIRCULATOR. THIS IS JUST A CONTINUATION SO WE CAN KEEP IT OPERATING AND IN THE FUTURE LOOK AT WHAT WE CAN DO TO EXPAND THE SERVICE. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. >> I DO HAVE A QUESTION. IT CAME TO MIND THAT WE MAY NEED SOME FLEXIBILITY IN THE ROUTES WHEN KING STREET IS CLOSED AND I WONDERED IF YOU HAD CONSIDERED THAT AT ALL IN THE FUTURE ROUTES. >> WELL, THE FUTURE ROUTES THAT WE'VE CONSIDERED WOULD BE RUNNING ONE FROM THE BRODY'S LOT WHEN THE GARAGE WAS CONSTRUCTED AND THAT WOULD COME DOWN KING STREET. I HAVE NOT CONSIDERED IT DURING THE CLOSURE OF THE BRIDGE WHEN IT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING CERTAINLY WE COULD. ALL WE WOULD NEED TO DO IS GET DOT'S APPROVAL ON THE ADDITIONAL ROUTE IN THE GRANT AGREEMENT, SO IT'S SOMETHING WE COULD CERTAINLY LOOK INTO. WE'VE ALSO LOOKED AT WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN MAKE A CONNECTION TO THE BEACH TO CONNECT THE TWO CITIES AND PICK UP RESIDENTS AND PEOPLE STAYING IN THE HOTELS IN THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH AND VICE [01:15:01] VERSA TO MOVE PEOPLE BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE TWO CITIES. >> WE DO HAVE A LOT OF SUPPORT AT THE TDC LEVEL FOR THAT BEACH ACCESS AS WELL TOO. BUT IT JUST WAS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT STRUCK ME IS, WHAT CAN WE DO? BECAUSE I'M STARTING TO FEEL THE GROWING SENSE OF DREAD IN THE COMMUNITY OF WHEN KING STREET BECOMES THE SITUATION WHERE IT'S BASICALLY THESE BUSINESSES ARE CUT OFF ON EITHER SIDE OF THE BRIDGE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PERIOD IN ADDITION TO JUST DISRUPTING ACCESS TO THE CITY SO I JUST WONDER IF WE COULD JUST PUT OUR THINKING CAPS ON AND IF THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT WE COULD BE DOING TO MITIGATE THAT. >> YES. THE CITY MANAGER HAS ASKED US TO PUT A TRAFFIC CIRCULATION GROUP TOGETHER TO LOOK AT THE BRIDGE CLOSURE AND COME UP WITH IDEAS TO HELP MITIGATE CUT THROUGH TRAFFIC AND THINGS SO WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK AT AND HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH DOT IF WE CAN GET THE STAR CIRCULATOR INVOLVED IN THAT. >> THAT'D BE WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. I KNOW WE HAD THAT DISCUSSION THIS WEEK ABOUT THAT. GREAT. IT'S A GOOD NEWS. GO AHEAD. >> SOMEONE CONTACTED ME ABOUT THE CIRCULATOR AND THEY ASKED ME TO BRING THIS UP, WHEN YOU DID YOUR PRESENTATION, AND I'M GLAD TO SEE THE GENTLEMEN HERE BACK THERE. THEY SAID THAT THE STEP IS REALLY HIGH GOING ON THE CIRCULATOR. I KNOW WITH FLAGLER COLLEGE WHEN THEY PICK UP PEOPLE, THEY HAVE LIKE A LITTLE STEPS, NOT A STEP TO, BUT IT'S A STEP THAT THE DRIVER PUTS OUT BECAUSE THIS PERSON IS TALL AND THEY HAVE LONG LEGS, AND THEY SAID IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR THEM. I HAVE RODE THE CIRCULATOR MYSELF, AND IT IS A LITTLE DICEY STEPPING UP BECAUSE I HAVE SHORT LEGS, SO MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING, ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE TRYING TO ENCOURAGE THE ELDERLY PEOPLE TO CATCH THE STAR CIRCULATOR THAT WE COULD HAVE THOSE ON THE BUSES. JUST A LITTLE PLATFORM FOR THEM TO GET ON SAFELY AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO STEP DOWN. WE DON'T WANT TO PROMOTE THIS AND SOMEBODY GETS INJURED, FALLING OFF THE BUS OR FALLING ONTO THE BUS. >> OUR OPERATOR IS HERE IN THE ROOM, SO I'M SURE THEY HEARD THAT AND WE'LL GET ON WITH THAT. >> THEY GAVE ME A THUMBS UP. THANK YOU. >> EXCELLENT. IS THAT A MOTION? >> THAT'S A MOTION. >> THAT'S A MOTION. WELL, I WILL SECOND THAT MOTION. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> CYNTHIA GARRIS. >> YES. >> NANCY SIKES-KLINE. >> YES. >> JON DEPRETER. >> YES. >> BARBARA BLONDER. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. NEXT ITEM ARE UNDER STAFF REPORTS. [10.A. Vehicles for Hire (Ch27) and Franchises (Sightseeing Motor Vehicles Franchise, Ch14) Ordinance Update. (R. Franklin, Assistant City Manager)] WE HAVE THE VEHICLES FOR HIRE AND FRANCHISE ORDINANCE UPDATE. MR. FRANKLIN. >> HAPPY TO BE BACK. [LAUGHTER] THE CITY COMMISSION ASKED FOR AN UPDATE ON OUR VEHICLE FOR HIRE AND FRANCHISE ORDINANCE UPDATES SO I'D LIKE TO JUST GO THROUGH WHAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED TO DATE, GO THROUGH THE DRAFT PROPOSED RECOMMENDATIONS AND THEN GET SOME FEEDBACK FROM YOU AND THEN PROPOSE TO BRING BACK FOR FIRST READING IN JULY THE CHANGES TO THE ORDINANCE. BASICALLY, WE'RE LOOKING AT REVIEWING THE ORDINANCES WITH CONSIDERATION TO PROVIDE BETTER ALIGNMENT WITH THE CITY'S MOBILITY PLAN, REGULATION, AND ENFORCEMENT. THE TWO CHAPTERS WE'RE LOOKING AT IS CHAPTER 27, WHICH IS VEHICLES FOR HIRE AND CHAPTER 14, WHICH IS OUR FRANCHISES. THOSE ARE THE SECTIONS OF CODE THAT GOVERN THIS. JUST TO BE CLEAR, SO EVERYBODY IS A VEHICLE FOR HIRE, AND THEN YOU HAVE ANOTHER CATEGORY, WHICH IS FRANCHISE. ALL FRANCHISES ARE VEHICLES FOR HIRE, BUT NOT ALL VEHICLES FOR HIRE ARE FRANCHISES SO WE'LL GET INTO THAT. THE OTHER THING I JUST WANT TO SAY IS WE DO NOT PLAN TO CHANGE ANYTHING WITH THE HORSE CARRIAGES WITH THIS. WE DID FIND WHEN WE REVIEWED IT THAT THE HORSE CARRIAGES ARE SPREAD OUT IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CODE SO WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS JUST PULL ALL THAT OUT AND PUT IT UNDER ONE SECTION TO CLEAN IT UP. BUT WE'RE NOT PROPOSING TO CHANGE ANYTHING WITH THAT. IT'LL JUST BE IN A NEW SECTION. WE DID HIRE A PROFESSIONAL TRANSPORTATION AND ENGINEERING AND MOBILITY PLANNING CONSULTANT, DDEC. THEY PERFORMED AN EXISTING CONDITIONS ANALYSIS, STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT WITH OUR CURRENT OPERATORS. TO DATE, WE HAVE COMPLETED THAT EXISTING CONDITIONS ANALYSIS, AND WHAT I'M GOING TO CALL THE INITIAL STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, [01:20:04] AND WE HAVE A DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS MEMO, SO ALL OF THAT WAS PROVIDED IN THE PACKET, AND IT'S PRETTY THOROUGH AND DETAILED. HIGH LEVEL, THE KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THE EXISTING CONDITIONS ANALYSIS WERE THAT THE HISTORIC DISTRICTS EXPERIENCING A SURGE IN POPULARITY AMONG BOTH VISITORS AND NEW RESIDENTS RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANT CONGESTION ISSUES. I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT. THE AREA EXPERIENCES HIGH PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY, CYCLING, MICRO-MOBILITY, AND VARIOUS MOBILITY OPERATORS, INCLUDING FRANCHISE OPERATORS AND VEHICLES FOR HIRE. OPERATORS, INCLUDING TOUR AND RIDE HAILING SERVICES. THERE'S A DEFICIENCY IN SIGNAGE CLEARLY DEFINING LOADING ZONES AND TIMES AND ENFORCEMENT RULES. THEN THE VEHICLES FOR HIGHER SECTORS EXPERIENCING RAPID GROWTH WITH FREQUENT NEW ENTRANCE, NEW INNOVATIONS BUT THERE'S NO COMPREHENSIVE TRACKING OF THESE SERVICES. LOOKING AT THAT, IT LEADS US TO THAT THIS IS A GOOD TIME FOR US TO REVIEW OUR PROCESSES AND RULES. OUR CHAPTER 14 UNDER FRANCHISES, UNDER EXISTING CONDITIONS, THERE ARE CURRENTLY TWO SIGHT SEEING MOTOR VEHICLE FRANCHISES IN FORCE IN THE CITY. THAT'S OUR RED TRAIN TOURS AND OLD TOWN TROLLEY. >> IN CHAPTER 14 DEFINES A SIGHT SCENE MOTOR VEHICLE REQUIRING TO BE FRANCHISED AS CARRYING NINE OR MORE PASSENGERS FOR SIGHT SCENE. SPECIAL TOURS AND CHARTERS WITH AN OVERALL LENGTH NOT TO EXCEED 60 FEET. YOU HAVE TO BE A FRANCHISE IF YOU'RE GIVING A TOUR OR SIGHT SCENE IF YOU'RE CARRYING NINE OR MORE PASSENGERS. WHEN YOU SEE THE GOLF CARTS GOING AROUND AND THEY HAVE TO ON THE SIDE, THEY HAVE EIGHT PASSENGERS OR LESS, THEN THEY DON'T NEED TO BE FRANCHISED. THEY'RE JUST A VEHICLE FOR HIRE. FRANCHISES ARE LIMITED TO OPERATING NO MORE THAN 15 VEHICLES AT A TIME. I DO BELIEVE WE MADE AN EXCEPTION FOR THE OLD TOWN TROLLEY BECAUSE OF THE NEW STOP THAT WAS ADDED IN LINCOLNVILLE. IN CHAPTER 27 VEHICLES FOR HIRE. THIS CHAPTER ADDRESSES OPERATIONS FOR HIRE PASSENGER TRANSPORT VEHICLES, INCLUDING PROVISIONS THAT ADDRESS VEHICLE DRIVERS, MOTOR VEHICLES FOR HIRE, TRAILER TRAINS, SIGHTSEEING BUSES, AND TRANSPORTATION BY ANIMAL DRAWN VEHICLES FOR PURPOSE OF TORY. DRIVERS OF VEHICLES FOR HIRE MUST REMAIN WITHIN THE VEHICLE OR WITHIN 10 FEET OF THE VEHICLE AT ALL TIMES IN OPERATION. REGISTRATION AND VEHICLE INSPECTIONS ARE REQUIRED WITH THE CITY AND LIABILITY INSURANCE IS REQUIRED. IN CONGESTED AREAS, DRIVERS MAY NOT STOP, PARK, SOLICIT OR LOAD ON UNLOAD PASSENGERS BY WORD SIGN OR OTHER SIGNAL ON STREETS OR PUBLIC SPACES, OTHER THAN DESIGNATED FOR HIRE OR TAXI STANDS. THIS MEANS THEY CAN'T JUST STOP AND SOLICIT PEOPLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. THAT'S CURRENTLY NOT ALLOWED. WE DO HAVE TWO TAXI STANDS SET UP AROUND THE PLAZA, AND THAT IS REALLY WHERE ALL THESE VEHICLE FOR HIRES ARE ALLOWED TO STOP. THEY HAVE TO BE WITHIN 10 FEET OF THEIR VEHICLE WHILE THEY'RE THERE. I THINK ONE THING YOU'LL FIND IN EXISTING CONDITIONS IS FOR THE NUMBER OF OPERATORS WE HAVE, WE DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF DESIGNATED SPACE FOR THEM TO PULL OVER. THERE'S ALSO NO LIMIT FOR HOW MANY OPERATORS ARE ALLOWED TO BE IN THE CITY. CURRENTLY, WE HAVE ABOUT 22 LICENSED OPERATORS REGISTERED WITH THE CITY. IN THE INITIAL STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS, SO THIS WAS IMPORTANT. WE ACTUALLY GOT A LIST OF ALL THE LICENSED OPERATORS AND WE SET UP INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS WITH THEM TO GET THEIR FEEDBACK OF WHAT THEIR CONCERNS ARE AND TO TALK ABOUT WHERE WE'RE THINKING ABOUT GOING TO GET THEIR FEEDBACK ON THAT. THESE ARE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS. THERE IS A NEED FOR DESIGNATED LOADING ZONES WITH CAREFUL CONSIDERATION OF INDIVIDUAL BUSINESS OPERATIONS. THERE'S A PERCEIVED LACK OF COMMUNICATION ABOUT REGULATION AND MOBILITY OPTIONS. THEY HAVE A HARD TIME OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE RULES ARE WHEN THEY'RE OPERATING IN THE CITY. SOME MOBILITY OPERATORS PERCEIVE THE STAR CIRCULATOR AS DIRECT COMPETITION. THERE'S A DESIRE FOR PROTECTION AND SUPPORT OF LOCAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY. THERE'S A DESIRE FOR PROTECTION OF FRANCHISEES, SPECIAL PRIVILEGES. [01:25:03] HORSE AND CARRIAGE LICENSES ARE AVAILABLE, BUT NOT BEING ISSUED BY THE CITY. THIS IS IN REFERENCE TO WE HAVE A POLICY OF 15 LICENSES IN THE ORDINANCE, YOU CAN GO ISSUE MORE BOAT. THE COMMISSION AS A POLICY HAS SETTLED ON 15. THERE'S A NEED FOR IMPROVED ENFORCEMENT OF LICENSING AND OPERATIONS. THERE'S A NEED FOR CLEAR CONCISE AND BETTER DEFINED SPECIFICATIONS REGARDING VEHICLE FOR HIRE OPERATIONS. INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS ARE INADEQUATE FOR SOME AND BURDENSOME FOR OTHERS. VEHICLE FOR HIRES, WE ONLY REQUIRE THE STATE MINIMUM INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS. OUR FRANCHISES, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A HIGHER THRESHOLD THAT WE REQUIRE FOR THEM. THERE'S SOME DISCUSSION OF SO WE INCREASE THAT THE OTHER VEHICLE FOR HIRES, THAT BY INCREASING THE INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS, YOU MIGHT HELP REGULATE THE OPERATORS BETTER. USE OF LITHIUM ION BATTERIES FOR VEHICLES SHOULD BE BANNED. WE HAVE NOT LOOKED INTO THAT, BUT THAT WAS SOME FEEDBACK THAT WE GOT. IMPROVEMENTS SHOULD SERVE THE LONG TERM VISION FOR MOBILITY IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, AND FRANCHISES WOULD LIKE TO SEE LESS ONEROUS RULES WHEN IT COMES TO MODIFYING ROUTES AND FEE RATES. IN GENERAL, WE FOUND THAT MOST STAKEHOLDERS WANTED TO KNOW WHAT THE RULES WERE AND THEY WERE VERY WILLING TO COMPLY WITH THEM. THEY NEEDED TO FIND MORE SPACE ON THE CURBSIDE AS WELL, AND THEN THE INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS. WITH ALL OF THAT, WE DO HAVE SOME PROPOSED RECOMMENDATIONS, AND THIS IS WHAT I'D LIKE TO GET YOUR FEEDBACK ON ALONG WITH ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU HAVE IN MIND. BUT WE WOULD PROPOSE TO INCORPORATE THIS INTO THE FIRST READING OF THE ORDINANCE THAT WE WOULD BRING BACK IN JULY. BUT THE REASON WE'RE PROPOSING TO BRING IT BACK IN JULY IS SO WE HAVE TIME TO GO BACK TO THE STAKEHOLDERS AND WALK THEM THROUGH WHAT THE CHANGES ARE SO THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON. HERE ARE THE PROPOSED RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE ADOPT THE TWO TIER FRANCHISE SYSTEM. TIER 1 INCLUDES THE EXISTING OLD TOWN TROLLEY AND RIPLEY'S RED TRAINS. TIER 1 IS CAPPED TO ONLY TWO FRANCHISES. THEN WE ADD ANOTHER TIER, AND THAT IS A TIER TWO AND THAT INCLUDES ALL THE SMALL VEHICLES INCLUDING GOLF CARTS AND LOW SPEED VEHICLES. TIER 2 FRANCHISES, WE WOULD INCREASE THE PASSENGERS 8-11. THEY COULD HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A BIGGER CART. THEN TWO TIER FRANCHISES WILL HAVE DEDICATED CURB SPACE FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING THAT IS SHARED BETWEEN THE TWO TIERED FRANCHISES. WE'RE NOT GOING TO CREATE INDIVIDUAL STOPS FOR THEM ALL, BUT WE'LL PROVIDE SPACE FOR THEM TO USE TOGETHER. THEN WE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THERE'S A MAXIMUM OF 15 TIER 2 FRANCHISE OPERATORS AND THAT EACH TIER 2 FRANCHISEE WOULD ALLOW TO HAVE TWO VEHICLES OPERATING AT ANY GIVEN TIME. ANY BUSINESS MODEL THAT INCLUDES A TOUR OR SIGHT SCENE MUST BE A FRANCHISE. THAT IS THAT IF YOU ARE A VEHICLE FOR HIRE RIGHT NOW THAT A LOT OF THESE OPERATORS ARE, BUT PART OF THEIR BUSINESS MODEL IS GIVING A TOUR, THEY HAVE TO BECOME A FRANCHISE IN THE CITY OF ST AUGUSTINE. WE RESERVE THE PASSENGER BUS VEHICLE SIZE FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. THERE WAS DISCUSSION. WE ORIGINALLY HAD MAYBE A THREE TIERED SYSTEM. THAT MIDDLE TIER IN BETWEEN THE SMALL OPERATORS AND THE LARGE OPERATORS WAS THAT 20-30 PASSENGER BUS. BUT WHEN WE THOUGHT ABOUT IT MORE, WE REALLY WANT TO RESERVE THAT BUS FOR THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, AND WE DON'T REALLY WANT A LOT OF FRANCHISE OPERATORS RUNNING AROUND GIVING TOURS AND 30 PASSENGER BUSES. THAT'S HOW WE CAME UP WITH THE TWO TIER SYSTEM. WE NEED TO CREATE A COMMUNICATIONS PLAN FOR THE MOBILITY OPERATORS. WORK ON OUR WEBSITE, COME UP WITH A NEW WORKFLOW AND CLEARLY EXPLAIN WHAT THE RULES ARE AND HOW YOU CAN BECOME A FRANCHISE AND VEHICLE FOR HIRE. CREATE DESIGNATED RIDE SHARE HUBS FOR OUR TRANSPORTATION NETWORK COMPANIES, OUR TNCS THAT'S UBERS AND LYFT'S. JUST AN UPDATE ON THIS. WE JUST HAD A CALL THIS MORNING WITH UBER ABOUT DOING JUST THAT, [01:30:05] WHICH IS CREATING THE HISTORIC DISTRICT AS A PROHIBITED ZONE TO ENTER INTO AND KEEPING THEM ON THE PERIPHERY AND ESTABLISHING PICKUP LOCATIONS ALONG THE OUTSIDE OF THE HISTORIC TOWN PLAN AREA. THANK YOU TO DE BROWN, OFFICER BROWN. HE IS THE ONE THAT FOUND THAT CONNECTION BECAUSE I WAS HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING IN TOUCH WITH UBER ABOUT THIS. BUT WE MADE A LOT OF GOOD HEADWAY THIS MORNING, IN FACT, ON THAT ISSUE. >> QUESTION. IS THAT THE GEOFENCING IDEA? >> YES. WHAT THEY'LL DO IS THEY'LL CREATE A GEOFENCE. THEY'LL DRAW A SQUARE, AND NOTHING THEIR UBER OPERATORS WILL NOT GO INTO THE SQUARE, AND IF YOU'RE INSIDE OF THE SQUARE AND YOU HAIL UBER, YOU HAVE TO WALK OUTSIDE OF THE SQUARE TO GET PICKED UP BY THE UBER, SO. UPDATE OR PERMANENT PERMITTING PROCEDURES. >> QUESTION? >> YES. >> THERE IS ANOTHER TROLLEY BESIDES THE RED TRAIN IN THE OLD TOWN. IT'S A LITTLE RED AND THEY WENT TO COURT. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A GENTLEMAN. HE'S LIKE A LITTLE VETERAN, AND HE SAID THAT HE'S THE WHITE, RED, BLUE TROLLEY NOW. HE PROBABLY CAN HOLD ABOUT MAYBE 20 PEOPLE ON HIS TROLLEY. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? IT'S LIKE A SMALLER VERSION OF THE RED TRAIN. >> IT'S A GOLF CART THAT LOOKS LIKE A TRAIN SIMILAR TO THE RED TRAINS. >> IT'S BIGGER THOUGH. IT'S NOT SMALL AS A GOLF CART. IT PROBABLY HOLDS ABOUT 20 PEOPLE. >> YES. RIGHT NOW IF HE'S OPERATING AND HOLDING MORE THAN NINE OR MORE PASSENGERS, HE'S NOT A FRANCHISEE. HE'S OPERATING ILLEGALLY IF HE'S CARRYING MORE THAN NINE OR MORE PASSENGERS? >> YEAH. I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH HIM. HE SAID THAT HE WENT TO COURT BECAUSE THE RED TRAIN WANTED HIM TO CHANGE HIS NAME AND HE WENT TO COURT AND HE WON, AND HE'S CALLED THE RED BLUE TRAIN OR SOMETHING? >> YES. I'M AWARE OF THAT. >> REACH OUT TO HIM SO HE KNOWS ABOUT THESE NEW RULES. BECAUSE HE DOES DRIVE AROUND IN THAT TROLLEY. >> YES, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'LL DO IN THE RECOMMENDATIONS TOO IS WHEN YOU WITH THE TWO TIERED SYSTEM FOR THE FRANCHISES, WE HAVE THEY'LL HAVE TO SUBMIT THEIR LOOK AND THEIR COLORS, SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE NOT COMING UP WITH A DESIGN THAT'S SO SIMILAR TO ANOTHER CURRENT OPERATOR THAT THERE COULD BE CONFUSION WITH THAT. BUT WE'LL REACH OUT TO HIM AND MAKE SURE HE'S PART OF THE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT. THEN THE LAST TWO WERE IMPROVED CURBSIDE ENFORCEMENT AND COMPLIANCE, AND I THINK WITH MR. JABARI WHITE ON THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT, AND THEN IMPROVE THE MOBILITY WAY FINDING SIGNAGE AS WELL. OUR NEXT STEPS WOULD BE TO GET FEEDBACK FROM YOU, AND THEN WE WILL REDLINE THE ORDINANCES AND PREPARE THEM FOR FIRST READING, WHICH I WOULD ANTICIPATE TO BE A MEETING IN JULY 2025. >> I THINK IT'S GREAT WORK, AND I'M HAPPY TO HEAR IT, AND I'M SORRY WE HAD TO DELAY IT. BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT ON A FASTER TRACK THAT. BUT I UNDERSTAND JULY. WELL, VERY MUCH. I PERSONALLY WILL LOOK FORWARD TO IT IN JULY, I THINK IT'S LONG OVERDUE, AND I THINK THAT THE FEEDBACK WAS FASCINATING BECAUSE IT CONFIRMS EVERYTHING THAT WE KNOW. YEAH. WE JUST NEED TO TAKE ACTION RIDE SHARE HUBS, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT FOR A VERY LONG TIME. THE GEOFENCING A LONG TIME, BUT I THINK JUST DESIGNATING SOME AREAS FOR THESE HUBS. I'M NOT SURE ALL OF THEM WILL BE CALLED RIDE SHARE HUBS, BUT GIVING THEM A PLACE TO GO, WE CAN COLLECT THEM THAT WAY. WE CAN COLLECT PEOPLE THAT WAY. WE CAN DRIVE PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS INTO CERTAIN PLACES THAT WAY. I THINK THAT'S IT BE AN IMPORTANT TOOL FOR US. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? >> YEAH. WELL, I THINK THIS IS ALL I'LL BACK UP WHAT THE MAYOR SAID. I THINK THIS IS ALL GOOD. I KNOW I WAS IN WORKSHOPS ABOUT MOBILITY AND A LOT OF THESE THINGS HAVE BEEN FLOATING AROUND FOR A WHILE THE RIDE SHARE HUBS. I'M GLAD TO SEE YOU GET THE GEO FENCING THAT SOLVED ONE OF THE PROBLEMS RIGHT THERE IF WE CAN GET THAT TO WORK. I'M GLAD THAT YOU SEE THAT YOU HAD THE PASSENGER BUS SIZE. YOU LIMITED IT TO THAT BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH WE ARE DISCUSSING, THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT, I DON'T WANT THIS TO BE A SUBSTITUTE FOR A PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM, WHICH IS A WHOLE OTHER THING, BUT RIGHT NOW, I'M GLAD TO SEE YOU MADE THAT EXEMPTION, [01:35:03] SO WE'RE ALLOWED FOR THAT. THEN PETTIT CABS, WHAT'S THE STORY ON THE PETTIT CABS? DID I MISSED THAT, THERE? >> WE HAD THEM AS PART OF THE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT. WE WERE NOT PLANNING TO CHANGE THE PETTIT CABS. VERY MUCH, BUT THAT IS OPEN FOR DISCUSSION. WE DID GET FEEDBACK. FROM OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND MR. WHITE WHO WAS OUT ON THE STREET DURING NIGHTS OF LIGHTS. WE WERE GOING TO LOOK AT MAYBE REGULATING THE PETTIT CABS A LITTLE MORE WITH PROVIDING SOME DESIGNATED PICK UP DROP OFF AREAS FOR THEM INSTEAD OF WHEN WE DID THE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, THE PETTIT CABS WERE VERY ADAMANT THAT THEY NEEDED THE FLEXIBILITY. THEY WERE A LITTLE DIFFERENT, AND THEY WHERE SMALLER SO THEY COULD GET INTO HISTORIC DOWNTIME. THEY BUCKED AT THE IDEA OF CREATING DESIGNATED AREAS FOR THEM, BUT THAT'S A GOOD FEEDBACK IF THAT'S SOMETHING YOU WANT US TO LOOK INTO. STAFF IS GOING TO DO IT BASED ON THE OBSERVATIONS WE MADE OVER THIS PAST NIGHTS OF LIGHTS. >> NO, THAT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME. I JUST WANT TO SO YOU DISCUSSED IT AND YOU MET WITH HIM. I SAW IT IN YOUR EFFECTIVE THIS REALLY WELL DOCUMENTED BY THE WAY. I'M READING THE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS WAS GOOD. I JUST WANTED TO KNOW WHERE WE WERE AT THE PETTIT CABS. I DON'T HAVE A PARTICULAR OPINION. I THINK YOU JUST KEEP GOING ALONG THE WAY YOU WENT TO. >> YEAH, AND THAT'S EXACTLY. OUR OPINION GOING INTO IT WAS WE WERE GOING TO LEAVE THEM AS IS. THEN WE GOT MORE FEEDBACK OVER NIGHTS OF LIGHTS THAT MAYBE WE DO NEED TO DESIGNATE WHERE THEY SHOULD PICK UP AND DROP OFF AS WELL. >> THAT'S ANOTHER PART OF THIS THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT AS WE ARE DOING THE RIDE SHARE. WE'RE DOING THIS, BUT WE'RE ALSO AT THE SAME TIME STEPPING INTO THE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS THING. THERE IS AN ELEMENT OF THIS THAT'S FOR LARGE EVENTS. THIS IS A GOOD STEP, NOT JUST FOR DAY BY DAY, BUT FOR THE LARGE EVENTS WE HAVE. I'M VERY GLAD TO SEE THAT BECAUSE THAT'S A PRIORITY, OBVIOUSLY. THEN IMPROVING CURBSIDE ENFORCEMENT. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THESE RIDE SHARE HUBS. WHAT'S GOING TO STOP PEOPLE FROM DOING THAT. YOU MENTIONED MR. WHITE OR BARRY WHITE OR WHAT'S HIS NEW ROLE. I DON'T KNOW IF I'M I'M REALLY UP TODAY. >> HE'S NIGHT LIFE SUPERVISOR? HIS ROLE IS TO BE OUT THERE FOR NOISE ORDINANCE COMPLAINTS. [INAUDIBLE] A RELATIONSHIP WITH FOLKS, BUT HE'S ALSO BEEN KEEPING AN EYE ON OUR VEHICLE FOR HIRES, UBERS AND LYFT'S DROP OFF. HE'S BRINGING A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE BECAUSE HE'S OUT THERE EVERY SINGLE NIGHT. [OVERLAPPING] LOOKING INTO THESE. THE COMPLIANCE ISSUE AND ENFORCEMENT IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT. WE'LL HAVE TO ISSUE TICKETS. IF THEY'RE VIOLATING THE OTHER THING THAT WILL HAPPEN IS IF YOU ARE A FRANCHISE AND YOU'RE NOT OPERATING CORRECTLY, YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO LOSE THAT FRANCHISE. SINCE YOUR BUSINESS MODEL IS A TOUR, YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GIVE A TOUR BECAUSE THE ONLY THING IF YOU'RE NOT A FRANCHISE, YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DO THE TOURS OR SIGHTSEEING. >> NO, IT'S REALLY GOOD. I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT GOOD DIRECTION. >> GREAT. THANK YOU. QUESTIONS, MORE COMMENTS? >> I HAVE A FEW. I DIDN'T WANT TO JUMP ON TOP OF ELSE. I LIKE THE SUMMARY AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS, ESPECIALLY THE REQUIREMENT FOR FRANCHISING AS A TOUR OPERATOR, SIGHTSEEING, WHATEVER. I THINK THAT'S ESSENTIAL. >> I'M NOT SURE WHERE TO START YET. I GUESS THE FIRST THING I WANT TO EMPHASIZE IS THAT I WORRY ABOUT SAFETY, AND SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE AN APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF INSURANCE COVERAGE REQUIRED. WE KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD SOME MINOR ACCIDENTS. I'M NOT GOING TO NAME ANY NAMES OF ANY OF THE FRANCHISES, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN MINOR ACCIDENTS. WE'VE GOTTEN REALLY LUCKY AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THAT RIGHT LEVEL OF INSURANCE COVERAGE. THEN I GO TO THE EXHIBIT C PROPOSED RECOMMENDATIONS DRAFT WHERE I COULD GET REALLY LOST AND INTO THE WEEDS BECAUSE IT'S SUPER COOL. THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT IDEAS IN THERE. THE SIGNAGE ALONE, I THINK IS A SIGNIFICANT BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WOULD COME WITH GRANTS TO HELP US PAY FOR THINGS LIKE DIGITAL SIGNS AS TO WHEN THE NEXT CIRCULATOR IS GOING TO SHOW UP OR WHERE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE GOING IF YOU'RE A CYCLIST OR WHATEVER TO GET BACK TO THE VIC IN THE PARKING GARAGE, BUT I THINK THEY'RE GREAT, AND I THINK THEY'RE MUCH NEEDED. I'M HOPING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR PARTNERSHIPS AS WE ROLL THESE OUT. CAN YOU COMMENT ON THAT? >> WELL, WE ALREADY HAVE ONE GRANT, THE SMART S AUGUSTINE GRANT THAT WILL HAVE THE STAR CIRCULATOR SIGNAGE AND WE JUST WENT THROUGH OUR HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE REVIEW BOARD AND GOT APPROVALS FOR THE TYPE OF [01:40:04] SIGNAGE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA SO CAN WE CAN BUILD UPON THAT. THE ANSWER IS WE ALREADY HAVE A PORTION OF IT. >> WE HAVE A KERNEL OF IT GOING AND THEN WE WANT TO EXPAND IT OUT, WHICH IS GREAT. THEN AS I'VE TALKED TO YOU PERSONALLY, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WITH THE GEO FENCING THAT PEOPLE KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THOSE PICK UP AND DROP OFF LOCATIONS ARE. AS I TOLD YOU THAT WE HAD TO GO AROUND WHEN WE WERE IN NEW ORLEANS AS PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T KNOW WHERE THOSE PICK UP AREAS WERE, AND THERE WAS NO SIGNAGE AT ALL. WE'LL DO BETTER THAN THAT AND NOT TO DISS ON NEW ORLEANS, BUT TO SAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE KNOW WHERE THEY NEED TO GO. ALL THE ABOVE, I THINK THIS IS WONDERFUL. THIS IS MUCH NEEDED. THE TIMING IS GOOD WITH THE PRESSURES WE'RE FEELING IN TERMS OF THE VISITATION, BUT IT'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENHANCE THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE AND EFFICIENCY OVERALL SO I LOVE IT. >> MAYOR, IF I MAY, JUST TO TOUCH ON THE RIDE SHARE HUBS FOR THE UBER. UBER, THAT MAY ACTUALLY HAPPEN SOONER THAN JULY TO DO THE GEO-FENCING AND THE PICK UP. WE WERE TALKING WITH THEM OF LAUNCHING SOMETHING IN JUNE THAT WOULD SET THE GEO FENCE DOWN SO I COULD COME BACK WITH A MAP OF THAT AND AN UPDATE OF WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT, BUT IT'S REALLY A PILOT. IT'S VERY FLEXIBLE, SO WE CAN ESTABLISH THE ZONES AND IF THEY'RE WORKING, GREAT, BUT IF THEY'RE NOT, THEN WE HAVE A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY WITH UBER. I HAVE NOT MADE CONTACT WITH THE LYFT YET, BUT WE'RE ANTICIPATING WE CAN HAVE SOMETHING SET UP WITH UBER THIS JUNE. >> AMAZING. THAT IS GREAT NEWS THANK YOU. THAT'S HUGE MAKING THAT CONTACT. I KNOW THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN TOUGH. >> IT WAS VERY TOUGH. >> VERY TOUGH. ALL RIGHT WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU SOON. >> GOOD PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. >> ONE MORE, I DIDN'T KNOW I'M SORRY, I APOLOGIZE. I DIDN'T MEAN TO MISS YOU. THEN THANK YOU. THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE REVIEW OF THE PUBLIC ART INSTALLATION. [10.B. Review of Public Art Installation. (D. Birchim, City Manager)] MR. BURCHAM. >> MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS ON THE MARCH 22ND MEETING OUR MOST PREVIOUS MEETING. COMMISSIONER GARRIS INTRODUCED THE IDEA OF MOVING THE PUBLIC ART INSTALLATION FROM THE MAY STREET, SAN MARCO INTERSECTION TO A VACANT LOT THAT THE CITY OWNS RECENTLY PURCHASED ON THE EAST SIDE OF MAY STREET. ON THE OVERHEAD, YOU CAN SEE A RENDERING OF THAT PUBLIC ART PIECE IN WHAT WE LOCALLY CALL THE PEANUT, WHICH IS THE INTERSECTION OF MAY STREET AND SAN MARCO. IT WENT THROUGH A EXHAUSTIVE VETTING PERIOD AND IT IS DESIGNED TO BE LOCATED FACING THAT TRAVEL LANE THAT COMES OFF OF THE VILANO BRIDGE WHEN IT'S GOING WEST BOUND AND GIVES DRIVERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO TURN NORTH OR TO GO AROUND THE ROUNDABOUT AND GO BACK TOWARDS DOWNTOWN. WHEN YOU'RE COMING FROM VILANO, YOU'LL BE DRIVING DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE ART INSTALLATION. COMMISSIONER GARRIS PROPOSED MOVING THAT ART INSTALLATION TO THE VACANT LOT ON THE EAST END OF MAY STREET THAT WE JUST RECENTLY PURCHASED AND WHICH WAS THE SUBJECT OF AN EARLIER DISCUSSION ABOUT SETTLING A LAWSUIT INCLUDING USE OF THE EXTENDED RIGHT OF WAY OF EAST SAN CARLOS AVENUE. THE MEMO THAT I PROVIDED FOR THE COMMISSION FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION SIMPLY OUTLINES WHERE WE ARE WITH THE PROJECT. THE PROJECT IS BROKEN DOWN INTO FIVE MILESTONES, AND WE HAVE COMPLETED OR I SHOULD SAY THE ARTIST HAS COMPLETED THE FIRST TWO MILESTONES BEING THE CONTRACT EXECUTION AND THE DESIGN OF THE ARTWORK, WHICH AGAIN IS ON THE OVERHEAD NOW. THAT CONSTITUTES A TOTAL OF $87,500 WORTH OF WORK. IT'S A $250,000 PROJECT. MEANING THERE'S $162,500 LEFT IN THE PROJECT. [01:45:03] THAT'S WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE COMMUNICATED WITH THE ARTIST AND HE HAS PAUSED THE PROJECT PENDING THIS DISCUSSION TONIGHT. I'VE FOLLOWED UP WITH OPTIONS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. THE FIRST OPTION WOULD BE THE DO NOTHING OPTION WOULD JUST TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT AT THE MAY STREET, SAN MARCO INTERSECTION AS ORIGINALLY DESIGNED, WHICH WOULD BE THIS, ON THE OVERHEAD. OPTION NUMBER 2 WOULD BE TO RELOCATE THAT ART INSTALLATION IN THE VACANT LOT, WHICH WAS SUGGESTED BY COMMISSIONER GARRIS. NOW, THE PROPER WAY TO DO THAT WOULD BE TO INCORPORATE THAT ARTWORK INTO A LARGER DESIGN FOR THAT PUBLIC SPACE. THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE SOME THOUGHT AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, PUT INTO WHAT OTHER FEATURES WOULD BE INCORPORATED INTO THAT PUBLIC SPACE. I KNOW THAT WHEN WE HAD THIS DISCUSSION ABOUT PURCHASING THE PROPERTY, NEIGHBORING PROPERTY OWNERS EXPRESSED A DESIRE FOR A KAYAK LAUNCH AND PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT. WE HAVE NOT REALLY BEGAN THE DESIGN PROCESS FOR THIS PUBLIC SPACE YET SO IF WE WERE TO RELOCATE THE ART INSTALLATION, WE SHOULD INCORPORATE THAT INTO THE MASTER PLAN FOR THE SPACE. THAT WOULD BE THE SECOND OPTION. THE THIRD OPTION IS TO RELOCATE THIS ART INSTALLATION AND ANY OTHER PUBLIC PARK LANDS THAT WE OWN. WE OWN SEVERAL PUBLIC PARKS WITHIN THE CITY. THAT OPTION IS AVAILABLE. THE CONTRACT ALLOWS THE CITY COMMISSION TO CHOOSE WHERE THIS ART WORK WILL BE LOCATED. THE FINAL OPTION IS TO CANCEL THE CONTRACT, WHICH WOULD SAVE THE CITY $162,500. THAT IS THE ANALYSIS THAT I HAVE FOR YOU. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. >> YOU HAVE QUESTIONS. >> YES I DO. SORRY. I GOT A QUESTION. I WASN'T PRIVY TO ALL THIS IN THE BEGINNING. AS I UNDERSTAND THAT IN REVIEWING IT, THIS WAS A BUDGETED ITEM IN A BUDGET THAT WAS DONE LAST YEAR OR SOMETHING? >> YES. IT'S IN OUR CURRENT BUDGET. >> IN A CURRENT BUDGET. IT WAS DISCUSSED DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS AND APPROVED DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS. >> THAT'S CORRECT. >> THE FUNDING FOR IT. THEN I DID WATCH A LITTLE BIT OF THE BACK AND FORTH WITH THE ARTISTS WHEN THEY CAME IN, AND THERE WAS A COMMITTEE THAT WAS FORMED AND THAT COMMITTEE VOTED ON THIS ONE? >> THAT'S CORRECT. >> ALL THE MONEY FOR THIS IS TAXPAYER MONEY, IS IT PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP OR THERE'S NOTHING? IT'S JUST ALL TAXPAYER DOLLARS? >> TAXPAYERS DOLLARS. YES. >> THANKS THAT'S WHAT I NEED TO KNOW. >> YES. COMMISSIONER GARRIS, YOUR THOUGHTS? >> WELL, I STILL FEEL LIKE THAT OBJECT, THE ART IS TOO BIG FOR THE PEANUT AREA. REASON I SAY THAT IS FOR MYSELF PERSONALLY, IT TOOK ME A LONG TIME TO DEAL WITH THAT PEANUT ALTOGETHER. AS A RESIDENT I USED TO AVOID SAN MARCO WHEN IT FIRST GOT ESTABLISHED, AND AFTER A WHILE, THEN I LEARNED HOW TO NAVIGATE THROUGH IT AND SO I THINK WITH NEW PEOPLE COMING AND WE DEFINITELY HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE MOVED TO ST. AUGUSTINE, THE ART DISPLAY ON THAT PARTICULAR LOCATION WOULD BE DISTRACTING AND THEY CAN'T STOP AND LOOK AT IT. I WAS TALKING TO SOMEBODY EARLIER AND THEY SAID, WELL, ART IS JUST TO BE GLANCED AT AND KEEP IT MOVING. I THOUGHT, MY UNDERSTANDING OF ART IS TO EXAMINE IT AND TO LOOK AT IT, NOT JUST TO GET A GLANCE OF SOMETHING AND KEEP MOVING. THAT'S WHAT BILLBOARDS ARE FOR. THAT IS WHY I SUGGESTED THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD, PUT IN THIS ARM OF MONEY FOR THIS, THAT WE SHOULD PUT IT IN AN AREA WHERE SOMEBODY CAN GET OUT THEIR VEHICLE AND WALK AROUND AND EXAMINE THE WORK THAT WAS DONE ON IT BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE AS A CITY NEED TO DO FOR OUR RESIDENTS, THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING OF THIS MAGNITUDE AND SPEND THIS MONEY, THAT PEOPLE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO AND SEE IT INSTEAD OF JUST DOING A DRIVE BY. THAT'S WHY I SUGGESTED THAT IT BE MOVED. I WAS NOT IN FAVOR OF THIS MOVING [01:50:03] FORWARD BECAUSE I THOUGHT WE COULD USE THOSE FUNDS GOING FORWARD, BUT I RESPECTED MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS WHEN THEY VOTED FOR IT. I WAS JUST TRYING TO GIVE A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT TO DO WITH ART DISPLAY. THANK YOU. >> GREAT, THANKS. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? >> YEAH, I'M NOT AN ARTIST, BUT I WORK WITH ARTISTS. I MARRIED AN ARTIST, AND I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR ALL THE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE EMBRACE VISUAL, PERFORMING ARTS, LITERATURE, ALL OF THE ARTS AND THAT'S NOT AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST. I KNOW THAT IN THIS PROCESS WITH THE COMMITTEE, REVIEWING THE DIFFERENT APPLICANTS, THE DIFFERENT ARTISTS, THAT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE ARTISTS THAT APPLIED SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THAT SITE, ON THAT PARTICULAR LOCATION BECAUSE FOR PUBLIC ART, SOMETIMES IT'S SUSPENDED IN THE AIR. YOU CAN'T WALK AROUND. I'VE BEEN TO AIRPORTS WITH BEAUTIFUL PUBLIC ART THAT'S SUSPENDED FROM THE ROOF AND CEILING. IT'S JUST DIFFERENT EXPRESSIONS OF A SPACE AND LOOKING AT A SPACE. FOR 24 YEARS, I HAVE CIRCLED THE LIGHT AT THAT INTERSECTION ON FOOT, ON BICYCLE, ON VEHICLES, AND IT'S FINALLY AT A PLACE WHERE IT JUST HAS NO CHARACTER, ZERO CHARACTER. IT'S THE PEANUT. IT IS ONE OF THE LEAST APPRECIATED AND UNDERRATED POTENTIAL ENTRY WAYS TO OUR CITY THAT HAS NEVER BEEN HIGHLIGHTED. IT'S GOT THE WATERWORKS BUILDING, WHICH IS A CENTER FOR CULTURAL AND ARTISTIC AND COMMUNITY GATHERINGS. IT HAS THE LIBRARY, IT HAS DAVENPORT PARK. IT HAS DUNKIN DOUGHNUTS, BUT THAT'S A GATHERING PLACE TOO. THERE ARE SIDEWALKS ALL AROUND IT. PEOPLE CAN PARK AT THE LIBRARY OR THE WATERWORKS OR THE PARK AND TAKE A LONG WALK AROUND IT SAFELY WITH THE SAFETY CROSSINGS THAT ARE BUILT INTO THAT INTERSECTION. THE INTERSECTION AS IT STANDS NOW IS JUST A WASTELAND. IT SAYS NOTHING SPECIAL ABOUT US. THIS PIECE WAS CHOSEN BECAUSE OF THE CONTEXT OF THE SITE WHERE IT IS BEING LOCATED. I ALSO DRIVE, WALK, RIDE MY BIKE ALONG MAY STREET REGULARLY, AND THAT LOCATION THAT WE PURCHASED IS THE SIGHTLINES ON IT, YOU WON'T SEE THAT PUBLIC ART AND GOING IN EITHER DIRECTION. BECAUSE CARS ARE MOVING FAST AND THEY'RE SLOWING DOWN VERY QUICKLY, TRYING TO AVOID STOPPAGES BECAUSE OF THE BACKUPS. IF WE WERE TO PLOP THAT PUBLIC ART INSTALLATION THAT WE'VE CHOSEN AND APPROVED INTO ANY OTHER LOCATION IN THE CITY. IT WOULD BE OUT OF CONTEXT FOR THE DESIGN THAT IT WAS MEANT FOR. I AM VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF GOING AHEAD WITH IT. WE'VE ALREADY GOT A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN IT. I'D HATE TO LOSE THAT INVESTMENT, AND I THINK THAT ANY OTHER LOCATION THAT WE WOULD MOVE IT TO WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, WOULD JUST NOT BE THE RIGHT PLACE FOR IT. THE RIGHT PLACE IS WHERE WE HAVE CHOSEN TO CITE IT. I THINK IT WILL ADD TREMENDOUSLY TO THAT ENTRYWAY IN THE NORTH PART OF THE CITY. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I'LL GIVE YOU MY COMMENTS. REALLY LISTENING TO YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT THE ARTISTS INVOLVED. THIS IS NOT A ROUNDABOUT. THIS IS REALLY BASICALLY INTERSECTIONS THAT WERE SEPARATED. FEELS LIKE A ROUNDABOUT BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF CURVES IN THE ROAD, BUT THIS WAS TREATED, I THINK BY THE ARTIST WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE ARTISTS THAT PUT THEIR NAMES IN THE HAT AND DID THE WORK WAS TREATED LIKE A ROUNDABOUT ART, BUT THIS IS NOT A ROUNDABOUT. IT'S ODD. IT'S A STRANGE THING. ROUNDABOUT ART IS ROUNDABOUT ART, BUT THIS WAS NOT ROUNDABOUT ART. I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING, BUT IT IS AN ODDITY. I WILL SAY. IT CERTAINLY WASN'T WHAT I EXPECTED TO SEE COME OUT OF THE COMMITTEE. [01:55:04] I WAS LOOKING LIKE COMMISSIONER SPRINGFIELD COMMENTED AT THE TIME, HE WAS THINKING ABOUT GALLOPING HORSES. SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES INSTEAD, WE HAD THIS CONTEMPORARY ART PIECE, WHICH IS INTERESTING. I THINK CONTEMPORARY ART WORKS WELL JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE, FRANKLY. I DON'T NECESSARILY AGREE THAT IT CAN'T BE MOVED. I AM VERY OPEN TO THE IDEA OF LOOKING AT OTHER PLACES FOR IT IF THE COMMISSION DECIDES THAT IT WANTS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT, BUT AT THIS POINT, REALLY, I THINK I'VE HAD A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT, AND I WOULD BE OKAY WITH NOT MOVING FORWARD AT ALL AND JUST TAKING THE REMAINING FUNDS AND SPENDING THEM ON WHAT I SEE IS A CRITICAL NEED IN THE COMMUNITY, WHICH IS PURCHASES FOR CONSERVATION LANDS. THAT SAID, I WOULD REGRET VERY MUCH DERAILING A PUBLIC ART PROGRAM IN THE CITY. >> ANY BUDDING OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAD FOR A PUBLIC ART PROGRAM, I THINK THAT MIGHT STALL THAT FOR A LONG TIME. BUT I DO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF HOPE BECAUSE AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THE COUNTY IS MOVING FORWARD THEIR PUBLIC ART PROGRAM, WHICH WOULD BE REALLY WONDERFUL FOR THEM TO DO. THEY'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT FOR A LONG TIME. THEY'VE TALKED ABOUT IT AT THE TDC LEVEL, AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST THERE FOR A PUBLIC ART PROGRAM. I WOULD TAKE HEART THAT IT DIDN'T DIE ENTIRELY. WITH THAT SAID, JUST SUM IT UP. MY PRIMARY POSITION WOULD BE TO TAKE THE REMAINING DOLLARS AT THIS POINT AND REALLOCATE THOSE TO PURCHASING CONSERVATION LAND. SECOND CHOICE WOULD BE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE OTHER CITY-OWNED PARKS BECAUSE I DON'T NECESSARILY FAVOR THAT LOCATION THERE AT VILANO, I DON'T I THINK THERE MAY BE BETTER USES FOR THAT PROPERTY. IF WE DECIDE TO DO ANY USES FOR THAT PROPERTY LONG TERM. WITH THAT SAID, I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE GO FROM HERE. WE'RE ALL OVER THE PLACE, AREN'T WE? >> WELL, I'M COMING IN THIS A LITTLE BIT LATE. >> YOU ARE AND YOU WERE [INAUDIBLE]. [OVERLAPPING] > >THESE CONTRADICTORY FEELINGS. I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THESE THINGS. PERSONALLY, I'VE DONE ANYTHING QUITE THIS BIG. >> YOU'RE A ARTIST TOO. >> WELL, I'VE DONE PUBLIC STUFF TOO. I CAN TELL YOU A COUPLE OF THINGS. NUMBER 1, YOU NEVER PLEASE EVERYBODY, JUST THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT GOES. SECOND OF ALL, I THINK THAT I'VE BEEN TRYING TO THINK ABOUT THIS, IS IT THE PRICE OR IS IT THE ARTWORK, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS IT THAT'S NOT STICKING WITH THE COMMUNITY, AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT BECAUSE I DON'T REALLY KNOW. NO ONE'S TALKED TO ME ABOUT THIS. I WAS ON MY BIKE, I CAMPAIGNED ALL OVER TOWN, NOT A SINGLE PERSON TALKED TO ME ABOUT THIS. I REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY FEEDBACK, AND I FEEL LIKE I'M A LITTLE BEHIND BECAUSE YOU GUYS WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS, MAYBE PEOPLE TALKED TO YOU ABOUT IT. WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'LL SAY THIS, YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO PLEASE EVERYBODY. I THINK ONE OF THE PROBLEMS IS FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD WHEN I WAS CAMPAIGNING AHEAD OF SOCIAL MEDIA SITES, SO I LOOKED AT IT, THERE WAS SOME NOISE ABOUT THIS ON HOW OFFICIAL THAT IS, BUT PART OF IT WAS THE PRICE, AND IT IS A SIGNIFICANTLY LOW PORTION OF OUR BUDGET. I FIGURE IT'S LIKE A THIRD OF 1% OF THE BUDGET. I'M GETTING TO THE FACT THAT MAYBE IT'S THIS SPECIFIC PIECE THAT MAY BE BOTHERING PEOPLE. BUT I FEEL IT'S THE PRICE TOO. GOING FORWARD, LIKE YOU SAID, I WAS VERY GLAD TO HEAR YOU SAY THAT ABOUT THE COUNTY BECAUSE USUALLY THE WAY THIS WORKS IN A COMMUNITY, IN MY EXPERIENCE IS THERE'S SOME PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP OR THERE'S A COUNTY OR A STATE INVOLVED, AND THERE'S A VETTING PROCESS FOR IT. IF THE CITY, I THINK IT'S A STATED GOAL OF THE CITY FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN TO HAVE PUBLIC ART AND BE A ART AND CULTURAL DESTINATION, SO THE GOAL IS GOOD. MAYBE THE FUNDING IS PART OF THE PROBLEM, AND THEN MAYBE THIS SPECIFIC PIECE. I WOULD SAY FOR MYSELF RIGHT NOW, THAT I WOULD EITHER SAY, AND I DON'T KNOW THIS BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE ANY FEEDBACK FROM ANYBODY, IT'S JUST EITHER INSTALL THE IT WAY IT IS OR TO TAKE THE MONEY AND ACTUALLY LANDSCAPE THAT SITE, AND MAYBE TAKE SOME OF THE REMAINING MONEY AND PUT IT TOWARD THE VAN DYKE PROPERTY, WHAT WAS THE VAN DYKE PROPERTY. HOWEVER, I'M A LITTLE HESITANT TO JUMP IN HERE. FRANKLY, I THINK IT WOULDN'T HURT TO HOLD ON TO HEAR WHAT COMMISSIONER SPRINGFIELD SAYS, BECAUSE WE'RE CLOSE. WE'RE NOT REALLY ON THE SAME PAGE. I MIGHT JUST NEED SOME MORE FEEDBACK FROM PEOPLE. [02:00:02] NOT A SINGLE PERSON HAS BROUGHT THIS UP TO ME. THEY WANT FLOODING, MOBILITY, IT'S NOT AN ISSUE. HOWEVER, I KNOW THAT YOU, COMMISSIONER BLONDER AND COMMISSIONER SPRINGFIELD LIVE IN NORTH CITY, AND I FEEL LIKE IT IS A AREA THING. EVERYBODY HAS THEIR ARE DIFFERENT INTERESTS IN THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOOD, AND I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A BIG ADVOCATE OF THAT. IT'S LIKE PEOPLE HAVE MORE STANDING IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. I THINK THAT IF WE WAITED FOR COMMISSIONER SPRINGFIELD TO COME BACK AND EVERYBODY GAVE IT A LITTLE BIT OF THOUGHT, AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO WORK SOMEWHERE ELSE. I THINK AT THAT POINT WE MIGHT JUST BE FINDINGS ANOTHER PLACE, BUT I WOULD BE OPEN TO THE IDEA. I WOULD DELAY IT UNTIL COMMISSIONER SPRINGFIELD COMES BACK, GIVE IT SOME THOUGHT. THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SAY FOR NOW. >> HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT, COMMISSIONER GARRIS? >> WELL, THE ONLY REASON I SUGGESTED IT BE RELOCATED IS BECAUSE I THOUGHT WE HAD TALKED A LITTLE BIT WHEN WE BOUGHT THE LAND ABOUT WHAT WE WERE GOING TO DO WITH THE LAND, AND I JUST THOUGHT THAT MOVING IT TO THAT PARTICULAR PROPERTY WOULD BE GOOD. I PERSONALLY THINK WE SHOULD TAKE THE $162 AND GO WITH PRESERVATION AS YOU SUGGESTED AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THE REVENUE IN THAT DIRECTION. I KNOW WHEN WE WERE VOTING AND VICE HORVATH WAS HERE, THAT JIM SAID THAT HE ONLY WENT WITH THE SECOND AND PUSHED IT THROUGH WAS BECAUSE HE ORIGINALLY SAID THAT HE WAS IN SUPPORT OF IT, BUT HE WASN'T PERSONALLY, AND YOU CAN GO BACK ON RECORD AND FIND THIS, BUT HE WAS JUST GOING TO GO ALONG WITH IT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HE ORIGINALLY AGREED TO. >> THAT HE HAD SAID THAT'S WHAT HE AGREED TO. >> I GUESS IT JUST COMES DOWN TO ARE WE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND SPEND THE MONEY AND PUT IT IN THIS LOCATION? I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT BEING IN THAT LOCATION BECAUSE IF WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD, IT'S GOT TO GO SOMEWHERE. I WAS JUST SUGGESTING A DIFFERENT LOCATION THAT IT COULD BE USED AT. AGAIN, WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS COMING UP DOWN THE PIPE. THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF GOING ON WITH THE LEGISLATOR. I THINK ANY MONEY THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO HOLD ON TO, WE NEED TO HOLD ON TO, BUT THAT'S JUST MY PERCEPTION. >> I FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO SAY ONE MORE THING IN OUR VISION PLAN. WE DO HAVE AN EMPHASIS ON THE ARTS ON AN IDENTITY AND AUTHENTICITY, AND I KNOW IT'S ABSTRACT ART, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR CALLING OUT THE CONSERVATION FUNDS, I THINK GETTING JUST A QUARTER ACRE LOT FOR $162,000 RIGHT NOW WOULD BE A STRETCH IN A LOT OF PLACES, AND WE'VE DONE REALLY WELL IN THE CONSERVATION PROGRAM, AND I HOPE WE WILL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THAT, BUT I JUST SEE FUNDING FOR SO MANY IMPORTANT THINGS AT FEDERAL AND STATE LEVELS JUST EVAPORATING. I HATE TO SEE A PROJECT THAT WE'VE COMMITTED TO IN THE ARTS BE SOMETHING THAT WE DECIDE TO DO, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE A GOOD RATIONALE TO DO THAT, TO JUST TAKE IT AWAY RIGHT NOW. I VALUE THE ARTS HIGHLY, I'M A SCIENTIST, BUT ARTS AND SCIENCES CREATIVITY AND SCIENCE GO REALLY HAND IN HAND. I HATE TO LOSE AN INITIATIVE THAT WE HAVE MOMENTUM ON THAT WE'VE GOT AN ACTUAL DOLLAR INVESTMENT ON AT A TIME WHEN ALL OF THE ARTS ARE BEING ASSAILED. I JUST NEED TO SAY THAT. >> WELL, I DON'T SEE A GENERAL CONSENSUS HERE AT THE TABLE, SO WE'LL JUST TABLE THIS IF YOU'RE IN AGREEMENT, WE'LL JUST TABLE THIS UNTIL A FUTURE DATE. >> THAT'S FINE. >> THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THE DISCUSSION. MOVING ON THE NEXT ITEM WE HAVE ON THE AGENDA IS ITEMS BY CITY ATTORNEY. [11. ITEMS BY CITY ATTORNEY] >> JUST BRIEFLY, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WAS CONSENSUS OF THE CITY COMMISSION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF OUR OPIOID CLASS ACTION ATTORNEY TO DROP THE ALVEGIN, PUBLIX, TRIS AND WIN DIXIE DEFENDANTS FROM THE GENERAL OPIOID LITIGATION. WE'D BE COORDINATING AND MOVING FORWARD WITH THE GENERAL OPIOID LITIGATION AND THAT SETTLEMENT, BUT THAT THE SPECIFIC DEFENDANTS, WE WOULD AGREE TO WITHDRAW THE CITY FROM THAT PART OF THE LITIGATION. [02:05:06] I DID SEND OUT AN EMAIL, I'M GOING TO SAY A WEEK-AND-A-HALF AGO. BUT OUR DEADLINE IS TOMORROW. I WANTED TO CONFIRM THAT YOU WERE IN AGREEMENT FOR ME TO TELL OUR LITIGATION ATTORNEY, GO AHEAD AND DROP US FROM THOSE SPECIFIC DEFENDANTS, YES? >> YES. >> YES. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> SEEMS LIKE THE WISEST COURSE OF ACTION, IF WE'RE JUST CLOGGING IT UP AND MAKING IT HARDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL, THAT WOULD BE. THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEMS BY CITY CLERK, YES. [12. ITEMS BY CITY CLERK] YOU HAVE SOME ITEMS, DON'T WE? >> GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, AND COMMISSIONERS. I HAVE A FEW THINGS TONIGHT. MY FIRST ONE IS A REQUEST FOR ONE APPOINTMENT TO THE ST. AUGUSTINE POLICE OFFICERS RETIREMENT BOARD. WE HAVE BEEN ADVERTISING THIS FOR QUITE A WHILE, AND WE RECEIVED ONE APPLICATION FROM MR. STEPHEN PETTY. MR. STEPHEN PETTY IS A CITY RESIDENT AND QUALIFIED TO SERVE. STAFF RECOMMENDS APPOINTMENT. >> COMMISSIONERS. >> FOR JUST A ONE, RIGHT? >> YES. >> YES. I WOULD THINK THAT WOULD BE GOOD. >> AGREED. I AGREE. >> YEAH. >> EVERYBODY'S A YES? YOU NEED A MOTION ON THAT OR YOU'VE GOT EVERYBODY'S IN AGREEMENT? >> CONSENSUS IS FINE. >> CONSENSUS IS GOOD. >> MY SECOND ITEM IS A REQUEST FOR APPOINTMENT TO FILL THREE TERM EXPIRATIONS FOR LINCOLNVILLE REDEVELOPMENT AREAS HEARING COMMITTEE. THIS WAS ADVERTISED AND WE DID RECEIVE FOUR APPLICATIONS. HOWEVER, MS. LALATER HAS CHOSEN TO WITHDRAW HER APPLICATION. THAT LEAVES THE THREE FOR THREE POSITIONS. >> YES. TWO OF THOSE ARE REAPPOINTMENT. >> YES. >> WOULD BE POTENTIALLY REAPPOINTMENTS, AND THEN THE THIRD ONE WOULD BE A NEW MEMBER. >> NEW MEMBER. YES. EVERYONE HAVE A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THOSE APPLICATIONS? >> YES. I DID. I WOULD BE MY INCLINATION TO MAYBE, COULD YOU WAIT A MONTH AND SEE IF YOU COULD GET SOMEONE ELSE BECAUSE THE ONE WOMAN DROPPED OUT, I WAS LEANING IN THAT DIRECTION, SO I'D LIKE TO HAVE AN OPTION FOR. I WOULD RECOMMEND WE WAIT. >> CERTAINLY. YES. WE CAN WE CAN CONTINUE TO ADVERTISE. >> I THINK THAT'S FINE, WE READVERTISE. >> READVERTISE. >> EXTEND THE APPLICATION PERIOD. >> HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME AND PERHAPS BRING IT BACK FIRST MEETING OF JUNE? >> YEAH. >> EVERYONE IN AGREEMENT TO THAT? >> YES. >> GREAT. >> AS YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, MADAM MAYOR, THE PASSING OF MR. MICHAEL DIXON ON OUR ACCORD OR REVIEW COMMITTEE, THAT LEAVES THE POSITION OPEN. THIS IS JUST AN OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION THAT WE ARE ADVERTISING FOR HIS POSITION. THE FINAL THING I HAVE IS JUST A NOTIFICATION OF OUR OPEN POSITIONS ON OUR BOARDS, AND OBVIOUSLY, A COUPLE OF THEM HAVE CHANGED, BUT WE'LL GET THAT UPDATED FOR YOU ON THE NEXT TIME. >> GREAT. EXCELLENT. WILL THAT BE IT? >> THAT'S ALL. >> NEXT ITEM, ITEMS BY CITY MANAGER. [13. ITEMS BY CITY MANAGER] >> I DO HAVE TWO ITEMS FOR YOU THIS EVENING. THE FIRST IS, AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE STARTED TO PURSUE THE EASEMENTS ON MARINE STREET PROPERTIES FOR THE LAKE MARIA SANCHEZ DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT. THERE WERE THREE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT WERE HOLDING OUT, AND WE HAVE BEGUN THE PROCESS OF USING EMINENT DOMAIN TO ACQUIRE THOSE EASEMENTS. THROUGH THAT PROCESS, ONE OF THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS HAS MADE AN OFFER TO SELL THEIR PROPERTY TO THE CITY. IT'S THE NA ISLAM PROPERTY AT 160 MARINE STREET. IT'S THE CENTERPIECE. THESE ARE THREE PROPERTIES IN A ROW. THIS WOULD BE THE CENTER VACANT LOT. WE BELIEVE THERE'S A VALUE TO ACQUIRING THIS PROPERTY AS A STAGING AREA FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE LAKE MARIA SANCHEZ DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT. WE BELIEVE THAT AFTER WE BUILD THE FLOOD WALL ON THIS PROPERTY, IT WILL ADD VALUE TO THE PROPERTY, AND THEN WE COULD AFTER THE PROJECT IS COMPLETE, SELL THE PROPERTY. IT WOULD ALSO SAVE US MONEY IN ATTORNEY'S FEES BECAUSE THIS WOULD BE ONE OF THE THREE PROPERTY OWNERS WE WOULD NOT HAVE TO LITIGATE, AND WE COULD MORE EXPEDITIOUSLY CREATE EASEMENTS FOR THE PROPERTY. [02:10:01] IF YOU WISH, WE CAN START THE PROCESS OF EXPLORING THIS OPTION. THEY MADE AN OFFER TO SELL THE PROPERTY TO US FOR $1.4 MILLION. WE HAVE AN APPRAISAL ON THE PROPERTY, ALTHOUGH IT'S OLD. IF YOU WOULD LIKE US TO PURSUE THIS JUST FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, WE CAN ORDER AN UPDATED APPRAISAL, AND I CAN BRING IT BACK TO THE COMMISSION FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION WITH A DRAFT RESOLUTION. THAT WOULD GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONSIDER PURCHASING THE PROPERTY, CONSIDER USING THE PROPERTY FOR THIS PROJECT AS A CONSTRUCTION LAY DOWN AREA, AND THEN SELLING THE PROPERTY AFTERWARDS. THAT'S THE FIRST ITEM I HAVE FOR YOU THIS EVENING. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? >> CAN I GO? WELL, AS WE DISCUSSED, I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA. WHEN I WAS DOWN THERE AND I SAW IT WAS FOR SALE, I GOT MY HEAD THINKING. WE DO SAVE THE FEES, YOU LAID IT OUT PRETTY GOOD. WE ADD VALUE TO THE PROPERTY WHEN YOU DO THE SEAWALL. I CAN'T SAY THAT WHAT THE PRICE IS GOING TO BE, BUT POSITIVE ENOUGH TO HAVE YOU GO AHEAD AND PURSUE THE IDEA. >> EXCELLENT. >> I AGREE. I THINK IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY. LET'S GET A NEW APPRAISAL AND SEE WHAT WE'VE GOT. >> I AGREE WITH THE APPRAISAL LET'S MOVE FORWARD. >> I'M IN AGREEMENT AS WELL. >> WONDERFUL. >> THAT'S A CONSENSUS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE SECOND ITEM I HAVE IS JUST AN UPDATE ON THE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS PLANNING EFFORTS. WE HAVE ACTUALLY MADE SOME CONSIDERABLE PROGRESS AT A STAFF LEVEL. AND I PLAN ON MAKING A PRESENTATION TO THE TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL NEXT MONDAY. THERE HAS BEEN A CHANGE OF THOUGHT IN TERMS OF THE LEVEL OF CONSULTANT SERVICES THAT WE WILL NEED. BEFORE WE TALK WHEN I SPOKE TO YOU BEFORE, I WAS ENVISIONING AN OMNIBUS CONSULTANT TO BE THE LEAD FOR THIS PROJECT. I WOULD LIKE TO PAIR THAT DOWN TO JUST HAVING A TECHNICAL CONSULTANT TRANSPORTATION PLANNER LOOKING AT THE SPECIFIC CHANGES TO TRAFFIC PATTERNS AND PARKING AREAS THAT WILL COME OUT OF A STUDY THAT'S BEING DONE AT A STAFF LEVEL. GIVEN THAT WE STILL PLAN ON BREAKING THE COMMUNITY DOWN INTO STAKEHOLDER GROUPS, VOLUNTEER STAKEHOLDER GROUPS, EVERYONE IS WELCOME. WE'LL HAVE A RESIDENTIAL STAKEHOLDER GROUP AND A BUSINESS STAKEHOLDER GROUP, AND STAFF WILL BE ABLE TO FACILITATE THAT CONVERSATION. WE CAN SAVE A LITTLE MONEY ON CONSULTING, BUT WE'LL STILL HAVE A TECHNICAL CONSULTANT JUST TO PROOF OUR IDEAS ON LANE MANAGEMENT, ONE WAY PAIRS, FOR EXAMPLE, THE CHANGES OF TRAFFIC PATTERNS THAT ARE GOING TO RESULT FROM THE KING STREET BRIDGE CLOSURE THAT CAME UP EARLIER THIS EVENING AND OUR IDEAS ABOUT SOME MORE REMOTE PARKING LOTS OR SATELLITE PARKING LOTS FOR SHUTTLING. I WANTED TO RUN THAT BY YOU AND GET YOUR THOUGHTS TO SEE IF YOU HAD ANY OBJECTIONS TO MY NEW DIRECTION FOR THAT. >> I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE NEW DIRECTION. IT'S A DIRECTION, AND IT'S MOVING FORWARD. [LAUGHTER] WE NEED TO DO THAT. >> NO, I AGREE. I THINK IT'S GOOD. I THINK STAFF CAN HANDLE IT. YOU GOING TO THINK ABOUT MR. PAUL FOR THAT? >> YES. WE'RE THINKING ABOUT JONATHAN PAUL WITH NEW URBAN CONCEPTS. HE WROTE OUR MOBILITY PLAN? >> CORRECT. I KNOW THAT. >> HE WOULD JUST TAKE A LOOK AT OUR IDEAS FOR AGAIN, THE MOBILITY ASPECTS OF THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS. >> I SUPPORT THAT. >> I SUPPORT IT AS WELL. I THINK IT'S IN GOOD HANDS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE MOBILITY CONSULTANT. >> YEAH, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THEM BE IN OPERATION. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> IT'S VERY GOOD. I'D JUST LIKE TO ADD ONE THING: I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, AT THE VERY LEAST, MONTHLY REPORTS ON PROGRESS FOR WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THIS INITIATIVE. IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO US. AND I THINK IT'S VERY COMPLEX AND VERY CHALLENGING, BUT I THINK YOU'RE UP TO THE JOB. BUT I'D LIKE TO HEAR REGULAR REPORTS. I LIKE THAT FROM YOU. THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE? >> THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. >> GREAT. ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE ITEMS BY MAYORS AND COMMISSIONERS, [14. ITEMS BY MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS] AND I WOULD LIKE TO START MYSELF. WE DID HEAR FROM A SPEAKER EARLIER ABOUT THE NOISE ORDINANCE, AND I DO HOPE THAT THIS IS GOING POST-HASTE. I KNOW THAT WE HAD SENT IT BACK, AND WE DID HEAR. I HEARD CLEARLY GOOD REASONS TO LOOK AT [02:15:03] THE PLAINLY AUDIBLE STANDARD BECAUSE OF NOT HAVING ENOUGH TRAINED OFFICERS AVAILABLE TO MAKE THE READINGS, AND IT JUST HAPPENED WHAT FRIDAY NIGHT. I THINK JUST HAPPENED WITHIN THE LAST WEEK WHERE OUR NIGHT LIFE MANAGER, HE IS NOT TRAINED, SO HE COULD NOT DO THE WORK. THAT'S DISAPPOINTING BECAUSE I'D LIKE TO SEE US AND I KNOW THAT'S SEPARATE FROM THE PLAINLY AUDIBLE. PLAINLY AUDIBLE ISSUE, BUT WE NEED TO HAVE TRAINED OFFICERS WHATEVER THE STANDARD IS, BUT I THINK PLAINLY AUDIBLE MIGHT BE MAYBE THE BETTER WAY TO GO FOR JUST A LOT OF REASONS HAVE BEEN STATED, BUT I THINK I'VE SAID ENOUGH ABOUT THAT. DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO IT? >> YEAH. I WAS GOING TO SAY SOMETHING, TOO, BECAUSE WE GOT AN EMAIL ALSO BEFORE HE CAME IN, AND I TOLD HIM I WAS GOING TO SPEAK ON THAT. WE HAD A, ONE OF THE COMMISSION MEANS, I DON'T KNOW THE DATE, BUT THE ASSISTANT CHIEF CAME UP AND TOLD US HOW GREAT JABARI WAS AND HOW HE WAS GOING DOWN THERE AND MONITORING THE SOUND AND ALL THAT. IT APPEARED AT THAT TIME AND SAYING THAT THEY HAD SOME EQUIPMENT TO DO ALL OF THESE THINGS. IT WAS DISAPPOINTING HEARING THAT WHEN HE GOT UP AT ONE SOMETHING AND WENT OUT AND MET THE OFFICER, HE STATED THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THE EQUIPMENT AND NOBODY'S TRAINED, AND THE GUY WAS OFF. THAT'S CONFUSING AS TO IT'S LIKE WE WERE TOLD THAT IT WAS BEING HANDLED, BUT NOW WE'RE HEARING THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO THIS TO, LIKE, CHECK THE METER. >> NO, WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY. >> WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY, BUT THE OFFICER SAID THAT HE COULDN'T DO IT. >> I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE EMAIL THAT WE GOT. IT WAS A PAINFUL EMAIL TO READ. WE DO HAVE A TRAINING PROGRAM FOR OFFICERS TO LEARN HOW TO USE THE NOISE METER, AND WE PLAN ON CONTINUING THAT AND WE PLAN ON ADDING A PLAINLY AUDIBLE STANDARD. MY GOAL IS TO HAVE BOTH STANDARDS AVAILABLE FOR OUR OFFICERS. TO THAT OUR CONSULTANT HAD TO START ANOTHER DATA COLLECTION PHASE TO CREATE THE PLAINLY AUDIBLE STANDARD. THE TRICK THERE IS WHEN WHEN THE OFFICER APPROACHES A PLACE THAT'S MAKING NOISE, A RESTAURANT, OR A BAR, HOW FAR AWAY FROM THAT LOCATION DOES HE DETERMINE WHEN IT'S PLAINLY AUDIBLE, IT'S IN VIOLATION? THAT'S THE TRICK. IS IT 100 FEET AWAY FROM THE BAR? IS IT 150 FEET? IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT LAW EQUITABLE AND FAIR, HE HAS TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION ALL THE MIXED USES DOWNTOWN AND THE DENSITY DOWNTOWN, AND THE AMBIENT NOISE DOWNTOWN. OUR CONSULTANT IS GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS. HE'S ASKED OUR ASSISTANT POLICE CHIEF, ANTHONY CUTHBERT, FOR ADDITIONAL DATA, AND I KNOW IT'S FRUSTRATING, BUT WE ARE WORKING ON IT. AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE ALSO WORKING AT TRYING TO GET MORE OFFICERS TRAINED TO USE THE NOISE METER. JABARI WHITE, WHO'S NOT A SWORN OFFICER, WILL ALSO BE ONE OF THOSE EMPLOYEES THAT I HOPE WILL BE AUTHORIZED TO USE THE NOISE METER, THERE'S TRAINING AND CERTIFICATIONS THAT THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT, BUT MY GOAL IS TO HAVE JABARI TRAINED OFFICERS TRAINED AND TO HAVE BOTH SYSTEMS IN PLACE SO THEY CAN USE EITHER ONE. IF AN OFFICER DOESN'T HAVE A NOISE METER AND HE'S NOT AUTHORIZED TO USE IT, HE CAN STILL USE THE PLAINLY AUDIBLE STANDARD. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? >> YEAH. DO WE HAVE A WINDOW OF TIME WHEN THIS TRAINING IS GOING TO HAPPEN? BECAUSE LIKE MR. YORK SAID, IT'S BEEN 18 MONTHS THAT WE'VE BEEN DANCING WITH THE NOISE ORDINANCE, SAYING THAT WE WERE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD ON IT. WE NEED TO GET A SPECULATION. IS THAT GOING TO BE TWO MONTHS, THREE MONTHS? JUST SO THAT PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE AREA AND ARE ALSO HEARING ABOUT THE NOISE AND JUST HAVEN'T HAD THE LUXURY OF CALLING IN, CAN HAVE AN IDEA WHEN WE CAN A SUGGESTED IDEA. I MEAN, YOU CAN'T STAY IN SIX WEEKS, BUT CAN YOU GIVE A WINDOW OF TIME SO THEY KNOW HOW MUCH LONGER THIS IS GOING TO OCCUR? >> I CAN'T, BUT WHAT I CAN DO IS I CAN HAVE ANTHONY CUTHBERT COME BACK AT THE NEXT COMMISSION MEETING AND GIVE YOU AN UPDATE. >> THAT'LL BE GREAT. >> THANK YOU. IT'S VERY CLEAR THAT THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON A LONG TIME, AND IT'S FRUSTRATING, AND I LIKE YOUR APPROACH, THE TWO-PRONGED APPROACH. THE ISSUE IS THAT WE KNOW WHO'S DOING THIS. [02:20:02] THIS IS A REPEAT OFFENDER. IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG TIME. IS THERE SOMETHING WE CAN DO RIGHT NOW TO TRY TO PUT A LID ON THAT AND GET A HANDLE ON IT? >> WELL, YOU'VE TOUCHED ON THE WHOLE ISSUE, WHICH IS THE NOISE ORDINANCE DOESN'T PREVENT NOISE. IT JUST PUNISHES PEOPLE WHO CREATE NOISE, SO WE CAN'T STOP PEOPLE FROM CREATING NOISE. WE CAN JUST ULTIMATELY FIND THEM OR PENALIZE THEM. JUST LIKE A SPEED LIMIT DOESN'T STOP PEOPLE FROM SPEEDING, IT JUST CREATES A PENALTY IF THEY GET CAUGHT DOING IT. [OVERLAPPING] >> I DON'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT, BUT I UNDERSTAND ALL OF THAT. WE ALL, I THINK, IN THIS ROOM AND IN THE AUDIENCE UNDERSTAND THAT TOO. THE ISSUE IS, WE HAVE A REPEAT OFFENDER, AND THEY KEEP DOING IT, AND IS THERE SOME WAY THAT WE CAN JUST I DON'T KNOW. ENFORCE WHAT WE HAVE MORE CONSISTENTLY RIGHT NOW, REALLY PUT SOME RESOURCES TOWARD THAT RIGHT NOW. >> LET ME MEET WITH THE CHIEF OF POLICE AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO. >> GREAT. THANK YOU. I ALSO HAD A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS. I HAD RECEIVED A LETTER FROM MISS DARBY TAYLOR THIS AFTERNOON ASKING ABOUT A PROCESS TO COMMEMORATE HER MOTHER, WHO HAD OWNED THE PROPERTY THAT WE PURCHASED CALLED THE HUNDRED ACRE MARSH. I DID REACH OUT TO HER AND ASK HER SPECIFICALLY WHAT WAS SHE THINKING, AND SHE SAID SHE WAS THINKING SOME MARKER OR SOME SIGN OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. WITH THE CONSENSUS OF COMMISSION, I WOULD LIKE TO DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER TO REACH OUT TO HER AND TALK TO HER AND THEN BRING BACK TO US WHAT IT IS, FIX IT UP IN A NICE BOW AND A PACKAGE, AND BRING IT TO US AND LET US MAKE A DECISION. >> GREAT. >> GREAT. THANK YOU. IF YOU ALL ARE IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT, THAT WOULD BE LOVELY. THE LAST THING I HAVE IS THE SECOND-TO-LAST THING, A SMALL THING. MISS CLADE BROUGHT UP THE POLICE EMERGENCY CARDS, WHICH ARE REALLY INTERESTING, AND I HAD NEVER HEARD ABOUT THAT BEFORE, BUT I WOULD ASK THAT WE MAKE THAT PUBLIC SOMEHOW, MAYBE ON SOCIAL MEDIA, MAKE A LITTLE PUSH FOR LETTING PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY CAN PROVIDE THESE EMERGENCY CARDS. I THINK IT MIGHT MAKE A REALLY BIG DIFFERENCE IN SOME OF OUR ELDERLIES AND MORE VULNERABLE RESIDENTS. THE LAST THING I HAVE IS THERE'S BEEN AN EMERGENCY LAST-MINUTE PUSH TO STOP A COUPLE REALLY BAD BILLS THAT ARE GOING THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE. ONE IS HOUSE BILL 991. THE OTHER ONE IS SENATE BILL 1242. THESE HAVE TO DO WITH OUR CRAS. THEY'RE MESSING WITH OUR CRAS AGAIN. THIS TIME, WHAT THEY WANT TO DO IS PROHIBIT CRAS FROM INITIATING NEW PROJECTS OR ISSUING ANY NEW DEBT AFTER OCTOBER 1 OF THIS YEAR. THEY ALSO WANT TO PROHIBIT THE CREATION OF ANY NEW CRAS AFTER JULY 1. THERE'S SOME OTHER THINGS IN THERE THAT ARE JUST EQUALLY HORRIBLE, BUT WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS I'D LIKE TO SEND A LETTER. I'D SIGNED BY ME, SUPPORTED BY YOU, TO OPPOSE THIS TO EVERY COMMITTEE THAT GOES FORWARD. JUST A LETTER. >> YOU STOLE MY THUNDER. >> OH, PLEASE LETTER. [LAUGHTER] WELL, VERY GOOD. SOMETIMES, GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE. I WILL WORK ON THAT. WE'LL GET THAT GOING IF I COULD MAYBE WORK WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY, AND WE CAN GET THAT LETTER AND GET IT GOING BECAUSE THERE'S A COMMITTEE MEETING COMING UP VERY SHORTLY THE 15TH, IS THAT TOMORROW? >> THERE'S ALSO ONE ON THE 21ST. >> THERE'S ANOTHER ONE. WE'RE ALL FOLLOWING THIS, EXCELLENT. >> I DID ASK THE CITY MANAGER TO SEE ABOUT SENDING JAMIE PERKINS TO TALLAHASSEE SO THAT SHE CAN SPEAK ON IT BECAUSE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO DO THE WEST CRA, AND THAT WOULD TIRE OUR HANDS FROM DOING ANYTHING MOVING FORWARD. >> YES, IT WOULD. >> ANY STATE FUNDING OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE. >> WE DO HAVE A LOBBYIST WHO WORKS ON THESE THINGS WITH US, TOO. SHE'S ALWAYS THERE AND CAN GO TO THE MEETINGS SO WE CAN BE REPRESENTED. VERY GOOD. THAT WAS ALL I HAD. COMMISSIONER GARRIS, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? THAT WAS IT? [OVERLAPPING] WHAT DID YOU HAVE? >> I DON'T KNOW IF OVER THE COURSE OF THE MEETINGS I'VE BEEN HERE, I'VE BEEN TELLING AND COMMISSIONER COMMENTS USING IT TO TALK [02:25:01] ABOUT I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING FOR THE LAST YEAR SINCE I LEFT THE PLANNING BOARD AND THE PLANNING STAFF HAVE BEEN CONDUCTING WORKSHOPS AND HEARINGS ON RESILIENT BUILDING TECHNIQUES AND FILL AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF. THEY'VE HAD A SPECIAL MEETING WITH HUB, A JOINT MEETING WITH HUB. THEN THEY HAD, I THOUGHT, A VERY SUCCESSFUL MEETING WITH WORKSHOP WITH CONTRACTORS, WHICH I WENT TO, WHICH IS INTERESTING. THERE'S A COUPLE OF CONTRACTORS IN TOWN THAT GOT STRONG OPINIONS, AND THEY'RE RELIABLE GUYS BECAUSE THEY'RE ACTUALLY ON THE GROUND MAKING THESE THINGS. WE HAD THE BUILDING STAFF THERE. WE HAD OUR BUILDING BUDDY WAS THERE, AND THEN WE HAD OUR NEW FLOODPLAIN MANAGER, OF COURSE, AMY AND VICTORIA. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME UP IN THE DISCUSSION IS OUR FIMA COMMUNITY RATING SYSTEM CATEGORIES. I THINK THAT'S A SHARED GOAL THAT WE ALL HAVE IN THIS TOWN IS TO INCREASE THAT RATING IF WE CAN. IN A COUPLE OF THESE WORKSHOPS THAT CAME UP. THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS THE CITY CAN DO TO DO THAT SO I WOULD LIKE WE'RE CURRENTLY A CATEGORY FIVE. UNLESS I'M WRONG, WE'RE GETTING A 25% DISCOUNT ON OUR FLOOD INSURANCE. IF WE CAN GET TO A CATEGORY FOUR, WE CAN GET TO A 30% DISCOUNT FOR RESIDENTS ON THEIR FLOOD INSURANCE, AND ALONG THE WAY, WE CAN DEVELOP GOOD PRACTICES. I WOULD LIKE TO ASK STAFF TO COME BACK TO US WITH SOME IDEAS ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD TAKE FOR US TO GET THERE. I DON'T HAVE ANY FIRM IDEAS. THIS IS NOT MEANT TO RUN COUNTER TO WHAT THE PLANNING BOARD IS DOING ITSELF. I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A HAND-IN-HAND EFFORT, BUT I FEEL IT'S REALLY A SHARED GOAL THAT EVERYBODY COULD GET BEHIND. THAT WOULD BE IT. >> GREAT. THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE? ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, EVERYONE. THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED. [NOISE] * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.