[1. CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:08]
READY TO GO. OKAY THEN. ALL RIGHT. THIS MEETING OF THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY IS CALLED TO ORDER. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. NANCY SIKES KLEIN HERE. BARBARA BLONDER HERE. CYNTHIA GARRIS HERE. JIM SPRINGFIELD HERE. JOHN PRATER HERE. THANK YOU.
[2. ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS]
OKAY, SO WE HAVE ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES. AUGUST 28TH AND APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES, SEPTEMBER 9TH. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY MODIFICATIONS OR CORRECTIONS ADDITIONS. OKAY. I MOVE THAT WE PASS BOTH SETS OF MEETINGS, ITEM A AND B, SECOND.ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING I. I THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT ITEM IS
[3. GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT]
GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT. I HAVE NO SPEAKER CARDS. IS ANYONE HERE WISH TO SPEAK DURING GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT? MISS BJ KOLODY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BJ WEST, CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE.CAN YOU TELL ME CAN YOU SEE I'M NOT A TECH PERSON? PENCIL AND PENCIL. GET ME EVERYWHERE. OKAY.
INSTEAD OF PROPERTY TAXES AND THE THREE CRAS GOING INTO THE GENERAL FUND, THEY STAY IN THE THREE CRAS, ALSO KNOWN AS BLIGHT SLUM DISTRICTS. TIF OF CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE.
HOWEVER, THE UPKEEP, MAINTENANCE OF PARKS, STREETSCAPES AND OTHER PROJECTS IN THE CRAS ARE MAINTAINED BY CITY EMPLOYEES WITH PROPERTY TAX DOLLARS, WHICH ALL RESIDENTS PAY INTO THE GENERAL FUND. REMEMBER, 501 C THREE, SUCH AS FLAGLER COLLEGE, DO NOT PAY PROPERTY TAXES, WHICH EQUALS 967.5 MILLION IN LOST REVENUE TO THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE. CODE ENFORCEMENT, ALSO KNOWN AS CITY EMPLOYEES, NOT WEST CITY. CRATIF. ALSO KNOWN AS PROPERTY TAX DOLLARS, PAY FOR ENFORCEMENT OF THE ONGOING TIRE BLIGHT AT US ONE AND WEST KING STREET SINCE 2024. QUESTION. MISS DUNN. THANK YOU. QUESTIONS. WHAT ARE THE THREE PROJECTS COMPLETED IN THE WEST CITY? CRA WHAT ARE THE FOUR NEW APPLICATIONS? AND DON'T FORGET TO VOTE. AND IF YOU DO VOTE YES ON AMENDMENT THREE. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. I HAVE NO OTHER SPEAKER CARDS. ANYONE HERE WISH TO SPEAK? SEEING NO ONE PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED. WE ARE BACK
[4. TIF EXPLANATION - STAFF REPORT]
TO THE BOARD, TO THE AGENCY, AND WE HAVE. ITEM FOUR IS THE TIF EXPLANATION BY MISS PERKINS.GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR. MADAM VICE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS. JAMIE D PERKINS, COMMUNITY SERVICES DIRECTOR FOR THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE. WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU, WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU THIS AFTERNOON IS A REQUEST FROM THIS BODY ASKING ACTUALLY, IN A PRIOR COMMISSION MEETING, ASKING FOR CITY AND CRA STAFF TO DEVELOP A GUIDELINE OR A REFERENCE SHEET THAT HIGHLIGHTS TAX INCREMENT FINANCING INFORMATION AND PROVIDES YOU WITH ANY IMPACTS THAT MAY OCCUR SHOULD AMENDMENT THREE BE ADOPTED. SO MYSELF AND ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER MEREDITH BRIDENSTINE, WHO IS ALSO AVAILABLE IN. TO ANSWER ANY TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL QUESTIONS RELATED TO TIF, DEVELOPED THIS REFERENCE SHEET TO KIND OF GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT TAX INCREMENT FINANCING IS AND WHAT POSSIBLE IMPACTS WOULD BE IF AMENDMENT THREE IS ADOPTED. SO THE REFERENCE SHEET IS PRETTY, PRETTY DETAILED. IT IT GIVES JUST GIVES THE INSIGHT AS THE TAX INCREMENT FINANCING IS IT IS A PORTION OF THE PROPERTY. THE PROPERTY'S INCREMENTAL GROWTH IN REAL ESTATE TAXES. A PORTION OF THAT MONEY IS DESIGNATED TO THE SPECIFIC CRAS THAT WE HAVE IN THE HISTORIC AREA CRA,
[00:05:05]
LINCOLNVILLE, CRA, AND OF COURSE, WEST CITY. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT FROM THE SHEET IS THE POSSIBLE IMPACTS WITH THE HISTORIC AREA. CRA BEING A PREDOMINANTLY COMMERCIAL DISTRICT, WE SEE WE ANTICIPATE VERY LITTLE IMPACTS TO THE CRA. TIF IT'S ABOUT 4% HOMESTEAD PROPERTIES IN THE HISTORIC AREA. CRA SO THE IMPACTS OF AMENDMENT THREE WOULD BE MINIMAL. LINCOLNVILLE IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. IT IS 31% HOMESTEADED, STILL LESS THAN HALF. BUT SO IMPACTS TO THE LINCOLNVILLE CRA, BASED OFF OF AMENDMENT THREE, COULD BE A LITTLE MORE CRITICAL THAN WHAT WE SEE IN THE HISTORIC AREA, WITH IT BEING A MAJORITY COMMERCIAL DISTRICT. AND THEN WHAT CITY HAS THOSE SIMILAR IMPACTS AS WELL, WITH IT BEING 34% HOMESTEAD, IT DOES HAVE A VERY THRIVING COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR THAT COULD HELP TO CONTINUE TO INVEST INTO THAT TIF TRUST FUND. BUT THE 34% OF HOMESTEAD EXEMPTED PROPERTIES WOULD WE WOULD SEE A DECREASE. OR ACTUALLY, IN THIS CASE, WE WOULD NEVER EVEN SEE THE INCREASES FROM THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT REALLY BEGUN TO SEE THE TIF GENERATE ANY REVENUE IN WEST CITY. SO THAT'S KIND OF MY SPIEL OVER THE IMPACTS. I'M NOT SURE IF YOU HAD TECHNICAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE. WE DID A KIND OF AN ILLUSTRATION OF, OF A CALCULATION, A HYPOTHETICAL CALCULATION CHART HERE THAT MISS BRIDENSTINE IS HAPPY TO PROVIDE ANY INSIGHT ON, IF YOU'D LIKE, AND I'M AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS. I DON'T HAVE A I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS. WELL, I DO HAVE A QUESTION. SO THIS INDICATES THAT EACH INDIVIDUAL CRA HAS TO DEAL WITH THEIR OWN LOSS AND THAT THE CITY WILL NOT LOSE OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND BECAUSE OF THE CRA DEFICIT. CORRECT? CORRECT. SO.NOT NECESSARILY AS KIND OF THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION. IT DEPENDS ON THE CRA, THE BASE YEAR AND THE CRA. THE WEST CITY CRA, AGAIN, ONLY ESTABLISHED IN 2024 AS ITS BASE YEAR. IF PROPERTY TAXES ARE REDUCED BECAUSE OF THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, YOU'RE GOING TO GO FURTHER THAN JUST THE INCREMENTAL INCREASE THAT WE'VE HAD ON JUST THIS ONE YEAR, WHICH MEANS IT WILL AFFECT THE GENERAL FUND. THE WEST CITY CRA DOESN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIF QUITE YET, RIGHT, TO ABSORB WHAT THE REDUCTION WOULD BE. WHEREAS THE HISTORIC AREA AND THE LINCOLNVILLE MAY ONLY AFFECT CRA REVENUES BEFORE THEY AFFECT GENERAL FUND REVENUES IN THOSE COMMUNITIES. OKAY, THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YEAH IT DOES. SO TAKING THE HISTORIC CRA AS AN EXAMPLE, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE HURT, AND WE CAN'T TRANSFER THAT MONEY INTO THE GENERAL FUND. WE STILL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO SEND THE TIF MONEY TO THE CRA LIKE WE HAVE. WE DO NOT THINK THEY WILL BE AS IMPACTED BECAUSE THERE ARE FEWER HOMESTEADED PROPERTIES. SO THE IMPACT WILL BE VERY SMALL. YES, FOR THE HISTORIC AREA. SO THOSE THOSE PROJECTS IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT CAN CONTINUE REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS TO THE CITY BUDGET OR TO THE OTHER CRAS. WE'RE STILL COMMITTING THOSE FUNDS TO THE HISTORIC AREA. CRA YES. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE LEGALLY GENERAL FUNDS DO NOT HAVE TO SUBSIDIZE A CRA. THEY CAN IF IF YOU ALL CHOOSE TO, BUT THEY'RE NOT LEGALLY REQUIRED TO SUBSIDIZE ANY CRA. CORRECT. RIGHT. I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT THE TIF FUNDS GENERATED AN HISTORIC AREA CRA, NOT ADDITIONAL FUNDS FROM THE GENERAL FUND IN THIS EXAMPLE.
ALL RIGHT. QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? YEAH. I JUST WANT TO DO LIKE A THOUGHT EXPERIMENT. SO THE WAY I UNDERSTAND THIS, THIS IS A TRUST FUND WHICH WHICH PAYS FOR THE PROJECTS THAT WE'VE GOT IN THE PIPELINE AND IN VARIOUS STAGES OF COMPLETION FOR EACH CRA. AM I RIGHT? YES. I MEAN, IN ADDITION TO GRANTS, THIS IS THE MAIN FUNDING MECHANISM, CORRECT. AND WE DO OUR BEST TO LOOK FOR OTHER WAYS TO FUND PROJECTS BECAUSE HONESTLY, OUR TIF IS VERY SMALL COMPARED TO OTHER COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCIES. SO IT IS IN OUR BEST INTEREST TO SUPPLEMENT OR SUBSIDIZE FUNDS FROM GRANT FUNDING. BUT THE TIF IS OUR MAJORITY FUNDING MECHANISM.
OKAY, SO LET'S TALK ABOUT, SAY, SIDEWALKS AND LIGHTING ON WEST KING. IF THIS AMENDMENT THREE PASSES. WE WOULD HAVE TO PRIORITIZE AS A COMMISSION. COMING FROM SOME ALTERNATE
[00:10:09]
FUNDING SOURCE, SAY GENERAL FUND IN ORDER TO GET THESE PROJECTS DONE, AM I RIGHT? THAT WOULD BE UP TO THE COMMISSION'S DISCRETION HOW THEY WOULD WANT TO FUND THOSE. BUT YES, BUT WE'VE BEEN GOING ALONG IS AS FOR ALL THE TIME THAT WE'VE HAD A CRA PROGRAM, WE'VE BEEN GOING ALONG AND FUNDING MANY OF OUR PROJECTS AT LEAST PARTIALLY WITH THESE TIF FUNDS, AM I RIGHT? THAT IS CORRECT. OKAY. SO WOULD BE A HEAVY IMPACT ON OUR CRAS IS WHAT I'M GETTING AT.YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? SIMPLE. ONE FOR THE WEST CITY, YOU HAVE A THRIVING COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR. ARE YOU REFERRING TO KING STREET? YES. NOT MASTERS. OH, OKAY. THANKS.
AND THERE ARE MASTERS DRIVE IS ALSO INCLUDED IN THE WEST CITY CRA BOUNDARIES. I DID SEE THAT.
YEAH, BUT IT IS NOT AS I DON'T WE'RE NOT SURE OF THE IMPACTS OF THAT PARTICULAR COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR HAS AS OPPOSED TO WEST KING DISTRICT. YEAH. WEST KING IS DEFINITELY GOING TO AND IT'S GOING TO EXPAND QUICKER PROBABLY THAN MASTERS. OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO KNOW. IT'S JUST A QUESTION. YES. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER. I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE JAMIE. SHE JUST GOT AN AWARD FOR THE CITY WHEN SHE WENT DOWN SOUTH CHARLOTTE HARBOR. I WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO BRING IT UP TO YOU ALL DURING STAFF REPORT, BUT. YES, MA'AM. VERY EXCITING. YES. HER AND HER TEAM GOT AN AWARD DOWN THERE, AND I SAW IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND SHE REPRESENTED US VERY WELL, HER AND HER TEAM. SO IT WAS VERY GOOD TO WITNESS THAT, BECAUSE I WASN'T AWARE OF IT UNTIL I SAW IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. I APPRECIATE WHEN WE SAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON MASTERS DRIVERS, THAT ON THE SIDEWALKS AT SOME POINT, BECAUSE I KNOW WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT BEING THE CITY MANAGER AS FAR AS AFTER WE GET FINISHED WITH OLD DIXIE, WHICH IS COMING ALONG VERY NICELY OVER THERE, SEEING THE ROAD, THE SIDEWALKS COMING IN, I BELIEVE THAT'S CERTAIN SECTIONS, IF NOT IN IN ENTIRETY. MASTERS DRIVE IS A COUNTY ROAD, BUT WE WE HAVE BEEN TALKING THROUGH IN OUR PROJECT DEVELOPMENT DISCUSSIONS OF IMPROVING THOSE SIDEWALKS AND MOBILITY PATHWAYS, NOT ONLY ON MASTERS, BUT PALMER STREET, EVERGREEN, ESTABLISHING THOSE THOSE PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIONS. SO YES. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. JUST A FOLLOW UP ON THAT. THE MASTERS DRIVE. I ASSUME THAT WOULD IS NOT IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN. ANY SIDEWALKS THAT ARE PROPOSED FOR MASTERS. PALMER. IT IS NOT BECAUSE IT'S NOT A CITY RIGHT OF WAY. OKAY. WE COULD ENTER INTO AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY TO PAY FOR SIDEWALKS IN THEIR RIGHT OF WAY. THERE'S A THERE'S A, A WAY FOR US TO PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY IF WE WANTED TO DEVELOP SIDEWALKS ON THEIR RIGHT OF WAY, BUT IT'S CURRENTLY NOT IN THE CIP. I KNOW THAT. OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT WAS THE MAIN QUESTION THAT I HAD WAS. BUT I KNOW THAT WHEN WE DISCUSSED IT YEARS AGO, AFTER THE LITTLE BOY GOT KILLED ON THE BICYCLE, THERE WASN'T ENOUGH RIGHT OF WAY ON THE COUNTY SECTION OF MASTERS TO DO IT. AND THEN IT'S ALSO THE OWNERS OF THE PROPERTY ON PALMER WERE NOT EXACTLY COOPERATIVE AT THE TIME. MAYBE THAT'S CHANGED NOW. SO BUT MY MAIN QUESTION WAS. IT'S NOT IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
THEN THAT MEANS YOU'RE GOING TO BE TRYING TO FUND IT THROUGH THE CRA. IT MEANS THAT WE CAN FUND IT THROUGH THE CRA. NOT. SO AGAIN, TO MR. BERTRAM'S OUR CITY MANAGER'S POINT. IT'S NOT A CITY ROAD. SO WE WOULD HAVE TO WORK WITH SAINT JOHNS COUNTY. AND THERE HAVE WE DURING OUR WORK. I MEAN, I'M TAKING I'M TAKING THAT PART OUT OF IT. LET'S JUST NOT TALK ABOUT WHETHER WE CAN OR THE FEASIBILITY PART. OKAY? THE FUNDING PART IS THE PART I'M CONCERNED WITH IS IF THE CRA ISN'T EARNING ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY FOR INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE SIDEWALKS, AND THEN YOU DON'T AND YOU CAN'T PUT IT IN THE CIP BECAUSE IF YOU PUT IT IN THE CIP, YOU CAN'T FUND IT THROUGH THE CRA. CORRECT. HOW DO YOU HANDLE THAT? YOU CHOOSE WHETHER YOU WANT TO FUND IT THROUGH THE CRA AND BUILD MONEY INTO THE TRUST FUND OVER SEVERAL YEARS TO PAY FOR THAT COST, OR YOU PUT IT IN THE CIP AND PULL THE MONEY FOR THOSE SIDEWALKS OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND. YEAH. WELL, THAT'S GOING TO BE A DECISION FOR THE FUTURE, I THINK. AND THERE'S THE ADDED WRINKLE THAT TYPICALLY WHEN YOU'RE PUTTING SOMETHING IN YOUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, IT IS YOUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT. THIS WOULD BE THE COUNTY'S CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT.
SO REALLY IT OUGHT TO GO ON THEIR CIP. AND THEN WE PARTICIPATE IN SOME FASHION.
[00:15:02]
WELL, WE HAVE UP TO A POINT WE CAN DO THE WE CAN DO A SIDEWALK, BUT AT SOME POINT WHERE IT BECOMES THEIR ROAD, THERE'S. THAT'S A WHOLE NOTHER ANIMAL. SO I THINK WOULD JUST BE UP TO THE CITY MANAGER STAFF TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO WORK THROUGH THAT. BUT THAT'S A GNARLY THING.AND IT'S NEVER, NEVER, NO ONE'S EVER BEEN ABLE TO SOLVE THAT. WELL, WE ARE WITHOUT TRYING TO EXTEND THIS CONVERSATION, WE ARE PLANNING ON REVISITING THE MOBILITY PLAN BECAUSE IT IS REQUIRED TO HAVE AN UPDATE, AND THAT UPDATE WILL START IN THE SPRING. AND THAT PLAN UPDATE WAS ENVISIONED. LOOKING AT THE WEST SIDE MORE CAREFULLY, AND PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIVITY AND SIDEWALKS AND BIKE LANES. AND SO THAT MIGHT BE THE IDEAL TIME TO HAVE A BROADER DISCUSSION ABOUT SIDEWALKS ON MASTERS DRIVE AND PALMER STREET AND EVERGREEN. THAT'S THAT'S VERY GOOD NEWS. SO, SO ALL RIGHT, WE DID. YES, YES, WE'RE MOVING RESTAURANT. BUT I DO RECALL WHEN WE DID THE WEST SIDE CRA, WE DID ALLOCATE CONSIDERABLE MORE MONEY FOR MOBILITY. SO I THINK WE RECOGNIZED IT. WHETHER IT'S ENOUGH TO PAY FOR IT, I DON'T KNOW. BUT SO THERE IS THAT. IF I COULD SAY ONE MORE THING, I JUST THINK IT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO SAY EARLIER. AND I'M I'M GOING TO REITERATE BECAUSE I THINK IT BEARS DOING UNDERSCORING THE EXAMPLE THAT YOU USED ON MASTERS DRIVE THIS THIS AMENDMENT THREE WILL DEFUND THE CRAS. THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. AND ALL OF THESE WONDERFUL PROJECTS THAT MISS PERKINS AND HER STAFF AND THIS COMMISSION AND THE STAFF HAVE WORKED ON AND THOUGHT ABOUT REALLY CAREFULLY AND LISTENED TO OUR COMMUNITY AND SAID, WE NEED THESE THINGS. THEY ARE GOING TO GO INTO A TRIAGE LIST AND WE'LL ONLY GET A FEW OF THEM DONE. AND SO I'M, I'M, I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE PASSAGE OF AMENDMENT THREE. I THINK A LOT OF US ARE. BUT THAT'S THE REALITY OF WHAT HAPPENS IF IT PASSES. WE ARE NOT GOING TO GET TO DO THE THINGS THAT ARE SO IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY WITHIN OUR CRAS AND OTHERWISE. OKAY. WELL SAID. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS. LET'S GO FORWARD THEN. SO THAT COMPLETES MY THE AGENDA ITEM ON THE TIF.
UNLESS YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR MYSELF OR MISS BREIDENSTEIN. OKAY. THANK YOU.
[5. CRA PROJECT UPDATE]
SO YES, LET'S LET'S KEEP MOVING. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU WEREN'T HAVING AN ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION. SO THIS ACTUALLY IS A GREAT CAVEAT INTO THE PREVIOUS CONVERSATION IS A GREAT CAVEAT INTO THIS PRESENTATION, AS THIS IS A PROJECT UPDATE ON ALL THREE CRA AREAS. AND I WANTED TO JUST USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME OF THE GREAT WORK THAT WE ARE DOING IN OUR CRAS THAT WE'RE, THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO NOW.SO I'LL, I WON'T SAY QUICKLY, BUT I'LL GO THROUGH EACH AREA OF. THE HISTORIC AREA HAS ABOUT FOUR ACTIVE PROJECTS. YOU'LL SEE IN LINCOLNVILLE. THAT'S SEVEN PROJECTS AND A PROGRAM IS LISTED HERE. AND THEN THE WEST CITY CRA, WITH ONE ACTIVE PROGRAM AND POTENTIAL FOR A. A NEW FUTURE PROJECT THAT I'LL DISCUSS WITH YOU AND THE HISTORIC AREA. CRA. WE HAVE ONGOING THE DOWNTOWN LANDSCAPE MASTER PLAN, WHICH IS AT 100% DESIGN IN OUR BUDGET. YOU'LL SEE ALLOCATED $1.3 MILLION. ONE OF THE AREAS OF MOST CRITICAL CONCERN IS OUR PLAZA. WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO ADDRESS IT BECAUSE IT IS A VERY CRITICAL ARCHEOLOGY ZONE. SO ONCE WE GET THROUGH OUR ARCHEOLOGY STUDIES AND MAKE SURE THAT WE, OUR STAFF IS PREPARED TO BE ON SITE, AS WE BEGIN THE LANDSCAPING, WE'LL BE ABLE TO KICK THAT PROJECT OFF. THE MASTER PLAN DOES ALSO INCLUDE AREAS IN FRONT OF THE LIGHTNER, AS WELL AS AVENIDA MENENDEZ AND AREAS NEAR OUR DOWNTOWN PARKING GARAGE FOR LANDSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS. FRANCIS FIELD, WHICH IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PROJECT TO THIS COMMISSION. WE COMPLETED THE CONCEPTUAL PLAN.
WE HAVE A LITTLE OVER $1.5 MILLION ALLOCATED IN THIS CURRENT YEAR'S FISCAL BUDGET TOWARD THE CONSTRUCTION AND DESIGN. WE ACTUALLY WILL BE REVIEWING OUR PROPOSAL FOR DESIGN THIS WEEK SO THAT WE CAN GET THAT PROJECT MOVING FORWARD. AND WE HOPE TO START A PHASED CONSTRUCTION IN THE SUMMER OF THIS UPCOMING CALENDAR YEAR. ALSO IN THE HISTORIC AREA CRA, WE HAVE THE CORDOVA STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENT WITH THE CONCEPTUAL DESIGN COMPLETED LAST AT THE
[00:20:05]
LATTER PART OF LAST FISCAL YEAR, AND WE DID NOT ALLOCATE ANY NEW FUNDS, BUT THERE IS $174,000 IN THE BUDGET TO MOVE INTO DESIGN. WE WOULD LIKE TO START THE DESIGN PHASE OF THIS PROJECT IN THE EARLY PART OF THE CALENDAR YEAR. WE DID WANT TO BE MINDFUL AND THOUGHTFUL TO THAT DOWNTOWN AREA FOR WITH ALL THE ALL THE OTHER CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS THAT ARE HAPPENING. SO WE WERE KIND OF MOVING SLOWLY ON CORDOVA STREET, WHICH IS ALSO A CRITICAL ARCHEOLOGY ZONE AND A PART OF THE CITY'S HISTORY. SO WE WANT TO BE VERY MINDFUL AND THOUGHTFUL WITH THAT PROJECT.SOMETHING THAT IS HAPPENING NOW THAT IS KIND OF A SMALL PROJECT, BUT I WANT TO SHARE IT WITH YOU ANYWAY. IS THE SIGN DIET WE HAVE ON THIS THAT WE ALLOCATED 1.3 MILLION, BUT THAT'S ACTUALLY INCLUSIVE OF THE MASTER PLAN. THAT'S NOT JUST FOR THE SIGN DIET, BUT WE ARE LOOKING TO MOVE INTO ACTUALLY REMOVING SOME OF THE SIGNS. AND I'LL JUST GIVE A BRIEF UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT A SIGN DIET IS WHEN WE WHEN WE STARTED THE LANDSCAPE MASTER PLAN REVIEW, WE NOTICED THAT WE HAD AMPLE SIGNAGE DOWNTOWN. SOMETIMES YOU MIGHT HEAR PEOPLE CALL IT SIGN POLLUTION, WHERE WE HAD JUST A LOT OF THE SAME SIGNS, KIND OF IN A, IN A, IN SEVERAL OF THE AREAS YOU SEE A SIGN MAYBE EVERY 15 OR 20FT. AND SO WE DID A STUDY TO DETERMINE HOW MANY SIGNS WERE ACTUALLY NECESSARY. WE ACTUALLY WORK WITH OUR MOBILITY DIVISION AS WELL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE ALL ON BOARD AND ON THE SAME PAGE WITH THE, WITH THE NUMBER OF SIGNS THAT WE COULD REMOVE THAT WERE DEEMED UNNECESSARY. AND SO WE'LL BE WORKING WITH A ONE OF OUR CONTINUING CONTRACTORS AND VENDORS TO GO AND START REMOVING SOME OF THOSE ADDITIONAL SIGNS THAT ARE THERE. AND WE'RE NOT THESE ARE NOT HISTORIC SIGNS. THESE ARE LIKE SIGNS THAT SAY, YOU KNOW, NO, RIGHT TURN HERE. AND THEN THE VERY NEXT BLOCK IS THE SAME SIGN. AND I WON'T SAY WHERE, BUT THERE'S A PLACE WHERE IT SAYS NO PARKING LITERALLY RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER. SO WE'RE JUST GOING TO REMOVE ONE OF THOSE BECAUSE IT DOES INDICATE THAT IT PROVIDES THE INFORMATION ALREADY. SO SO WE'LL BE REDUCING THE NUMBER OF SIGN POLLUTION IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA. AND WE LOOK TO HAVE THAT COMPLETED AHEAD OF OUR KNIGHTS OF LIGHT SEASON. LINCOLNVILLE BEING ONE OF OUR MOST ACTIVE CRAS WITH THE MOST ACTIVE PROJECTS, WE ARE HAPPY TO DISCUSS THE HAYLING AND VICKERS PARK IMPROVEMENTS. WE KIND OF COMBINED HAYLING AND VICKERS PARK AS ONE LARGE PROJECT, AND THEN CHERRY PICKED SMALLER PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THAT RECREATIONAL AREA. SO OVER 25 ACRES OF RECREATIONAL SPACE IN LINCOLNVILLE, SOME OF IT PASSIVE, SOME OF IT ACTIVE. WE ALLOCATED $1.7 MILLION TOWARD THE HAYLING VICKERS PARK IMPROVEMENTS. THERE IS ALSO SOME GRANT FUNDING INCLUDED IN THAT FOR THE KAYAK LAUNCH, WE ARE 100. WE HAVE 100% DESIGN DOCUMENTS FOR THE ENTIRETY OF BOTH PARK AREAS, AND WE'RE JUST KIND OF GOING THROUGH EACH AREA AND SELECTING PROJECTS BASED OFF OF THE NUMBER OF DOLLAR AMOUNT OF FUNDS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE. AND OF COURSE, WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO THE CITY AND LINCOLNVILLE COMMUNITY. HALEN PLAZA IS ANTICIPATED TO BE COMPLETED THIS NOVEMBER. WE LOOK FORWARD TO A AN UNVEILING CEREMONY ON NOVEMBER 24TH, WHICH YOU ALL WILL RECEIVE FORMAL INVITATION TO. WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE SOLICITATION PHASE FOR THE KAYAK LAUNCH, WHICH WILL BE. HOPEFULLY GO INTO CONSTRUCTION EARLY NEXT YEAR, IF NOT TOWARD THE END OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR. THE PLAYGROUND AT EDDIE VICKERS PARK IS CURRENTLY BEING INSTALLED. WE DID RUN INTO SOME WEATHER DELAYS OVER AT EDDIE VICKERS PARK, BUT THE PLAYGROUND IS BEING INSTALLED NOW AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THAT COMPLETE WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS TO 30 DAYS. AND WE'RE ALSO HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THE GAZEBO AT EDDIE VICKERS PARK HAS GOTTEN A LITTLE REFRESHED. WE TALKED ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT DURING BUDGET HEARINGS, BUT WE PAINTED IT. WE HAVE SOME NEW LIGHTING FIXTURES. WE ADDED TWO NEW CHARCOAL GRILLS AND EIGHT NEW PICNIC TABLES, AND IT IS NOW AVAILABLE IN OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR ANYONE TO GO AND ENJOY. BUT THERE IS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO RESERVE THAT SPACE FOR, IF YOU LIKE IT, LIKE TO HAVE IT FOR YOUR SOLE. USE. THE SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENT PROJECT $588,000, WHICH IS NOT ONLY FOR SIDEWALKS BUT OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS AS WELL, HAS BEEN ALLOCATED. AND WE ARE IN THE DEVELOPMENTAL PHASE AND PLANNING WITH CONTRACTORS TO START GOING THROUGH LINCOLNVILLE AND IMPROVING CERTAIN SECTIONS OF THE SIDEWALKS THERE. STILL IN LINCOLNVILLE, THE MLK STREETSCAPE PROJECT, WE ARE AT 90% DESIGN, $1.7 MILLION HAS BEEN ALLOCATED TOWARD MLK STREETSCAPE. WE ARE STILL IN THE REVIEW PROCESS OF EASEMENTS, AND I'LL BE QUITE TRANSPARENT WITH THIS BOARD. IT HAS BEEN A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT THROUGH
[00:25:03]
THE EASEMENT PROCESS, SPECIFICALLY FOR THE UNDERGROUNDING OF UTILITIES.WE'VE RECEIVED SOME BUY IN FROM IMPACTED OR POTENTIALLY IMPACTED RESIDENTS AND HOMEOWNERS ALONG THAT CORRIDOR, BUT IT HAS NOT BEEN THE EASIEST PART OF ACCOMPLISHING THIS PROJECT. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS TO EITHER MOVE FORWARD THROUGH THE EASEMENT PROCESS OR REDACT THE UNDERGROUNDING OF UTILITIES, WHICH WOULD REALLY CHANGE THE, THE, THE ESTHETIC AND THE SCOPE OF THAT, THAT PROJECT. IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE ANTICIPATED COST OF IMPROVING MLK IS AROUND SIX AND A HALF, $7 MILLION. AND WITH AGAIN, WE TALKED ABOUT JUST EARLIER OUR VERY SMALL TIFF AND THE POSSIBILITY OF LOSING SOME TIF FUNDS. IT COULD BE VERY DETRIMENTAL TO THAT PROJECT MOVING FORWARD. IF YOU DROVE IN TODAY, YOU PROBABLY SAW THAT TRINITY INDEPENDENT. THE BELL TOWER IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION. THAT'S ONE OF OUR INSTITUTIONAL REHAB PROJECTS THAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET OFF THE GROUND SINCE 2017, WHICH PREDATES MY TIME HERE AT THE CITY. VERY HAPPY TO HAVE PASTOR ANDERSON BACK AT THE TABLE. WE HAVE DECONSTRUCTED THE BELL TOWER, AND WE'VE ALLOCATED THIS FISCAL YEAR, WE HAVE ABOUT $1.2 MILLION IN THE BUDGET FOR THAT IMPROVEMENT. ONLY A PORTION OF THOSE DOLLARS WILL GO TO THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE BELL TOWER. WE DO LOOK FORWARD TO GOING INTO A PHASE TWO FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE RESTORATION OF THAT INSTITUTION. SAINT PAUL PARSONAGE REHAB. THIS PHOTO IS ACTUALLY FROM WHEN WE COMPLETED THE ROOF SEVERAL YEARS AGO, AND NOW WE'RE MOVING INTO A SECOND KIND OF PHASE OF IMPROVING THE SAINT PAUL PARSONAGE. UNDER OUR INSTITUTIONAL REHAB PROJECT, WE HAVE $735,000 ALLOTTED FOR THAT IMPROVEMENT, AND IT IS CURRENTLY IN THE DESIGN PHASE.
BETHEL INSTITUTIONAL REHAB IS CURRENTLY UNDER DESIGN AS WELL, WITH 600,000 ALLOCATED TOWARD THAT IMPROVEMENT. THEY. BETHEL IS VERY PRONE TO FLOODING AND THEY PROBABLY EXPERIENCE SOME OF THAT TODAY, POSSIBLY WITH WAKES ON RIBERIA STREET. SO OUR. WHAT WE LOOK TO PROVIDE IN THAT SCOPE IS TO IMPROVE THE. THE FLOODING, SOME MITIGATION OF FLOODING FOR BETHEL. STILL IN LINCOLNVILLE. HERE'S JUST A KIND OF A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF OUR LINCOLNVILLE CRA PROJECTS. I'M SORRY. OUR LINCOLNVILLE FIX IT UP RESIDENTIAL REPAIR PROJECTS IN LINCOLNVILLE. WE SPENT 216,000 ON OUR. ON SOME OF OUR MOST RECENT PROJECTS, MOST OF THOSE. TOWARD THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, WE HAVE 440,000 ALLOCATED FOR FUTURE PROJECTS. AND RIGHT NOW WE ARE PROCESSING FOUR ADDITIONAL APPLICATIONS OF PEOPLE WANTING TO MATRICULATE THROUGH THE FIX IT UP PROGRAM.
AT LEAST ONE OF THESE APPLICANTS IS A IS A BRAND NEW APPLICANT, AND TWO OF THESE PHOTOS ARE FROM RETURNING APPLICANTS THROUGH THE FIX IT PROGRAM. GETTING THAT LAST BIT OF THE GRANT THAT THEY ARE WERE APPROVED FOR. IN WHAT CITY WE HAVE THE REVIVE AND RESTORE RESIDENTIAL GRANT PROGRAM. WE HAVE COMPLETED THREE PROJECTS. PROUD TO SAY THAT OF THE $25,000 GRANT SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT, WE DO HAVE FOUR APPLICATIONS IN THE PIPELINE THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING REVIEWED AND HOPEFULLY APPROVED. WE HAVE $296,000 OUT. I NEED TO CHECK THAT NUMBER ALLOCATED FOR REVIVE AND RESTORE. I DO NOT HAVE I HEARD MISS KHALIDI'S QUESTION. I DON'T HAVE THE DETAILS OF WHICH APPLICANTS WE. WE TRY NOT TO PROVIDE THAT UNLESS IT'S A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST. AS FAR AS THE INDIVIDUALS NAMES, JUST TO PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS GOING THROUGH THE PROGRAM. BUT IT CAN BE REQUESTED THROUGH A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST. BUT WE DO HAVE A LOT OF TRACTION WITH REVIVE AND RESTORE, AND WE HAVE ALSO PARTNERED. I DON'T KNOW IF THE CORRECT TERMINOLOGY IS PARTNERED, BUT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE COUNTY WHO ALSO HAS A SIMILAR PROGRAM, AND THEY HAVE MORE DOLLARS. SO FOR PROJECTS WHERE OUR $25,000 IS JUST NOT ENOUGH, WE ARE ADVISING CLIENTS TO ATTEMPT TO GO THROUGH THE COUNTY'S PROGRAM, AND THEN WE WILL WORK WITH THE COUNTY TO INVEST OUR 25,000 ON A SMALLER SCOPE FOR THOSE SAME APPLICANTS. SO WHEN YOU SAY COUNTY, DO YOU MEAN THE SHIP PROGRAM? I BELIEVE THAT THEY DO HAVE THE SHIP PROGRAM AT THE COUNTY, AND IT'S THROUGH THEIR HOUSING DEPARTMENT, DEPARTMENT OR DIVISION. THANK YOU. AND AND THAT IS IT. ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT I WANTED TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION IS NOT ON THE SLIDES, BUT WE WE DO HAVE THOSE ADDITIONAL DOLLARS THAT COMMISSIONER PRATER POINTED OUT THAT WE MOVED OVER TO THE MOBILITY, THE MOBILITY LINE ITEM. I THINK VICE MAYOR BLONDER WAS ALSO A HUGE PROPONENT OF ASKING FOR THOSE DOLLARS TO BE MOVED FOR MOBILITY AND PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIVITY. I'M NOT SURE IF WE HAVE QUITE ENOUGH DOLLARS IN OUR BUDGET TO START A A KIND OF A MASTER PLAN OF WHAT CITY, BUT THAT IS USUALLY THE FIRST STEP
[00:30:07]
THAT WE TAKE IN OUR CRAS IS DEVELOPING A MASTER PLAN. SO WE ARE GOING TO BEGIN LOOKING INTO THAT SO THAT WE CAN START THE WORK IN ESTABLISHING OUR PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIVITY IN WEST CITY AND MOBILITY EFFORTS. AND I'M AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS.I HAVE I HAVE QUESTIONS I HEARD FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE. I'M SURE WE ALL DID FROM RAVENSWOOD, WHICH IS THEY SEEN THAT THE SIDEWALKS ARE BEING DONE ON OLD DIXIE. AND THEY WERE ASKING, COULD THEY COME ACROSS PALMER AND GO DOWN LIKE PALMER IS IN TWO PARTS INTO THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS? NOT SO MUCH MASTERS DRIVE, BUT THEY JUST SAID THAT WAY IF THEY LEFT THEIR HOMES, THEY COULD WALK ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE WINN-DIXIE, WHICH WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO GET PERMISSION. AND THAT IS ALSO IN THE WEST CITY. I USED TO LIVE OVER THERE ON PALMER, AND I LIVED ON NEESMITH THAT ARE BOTH IN RAVENSWOOD, AND THE KIDS HAVE TO WALK TO THE BUS STOP IN THE STREET, SO THAT WOULD BE A GOOD PLACE TO IT WOULD BE A SMALLER AREA, AND MAYBE THE DOLLARS WOULD HAVE AN IMPACT IN THAT PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD. DULY NOTED.
ALRIGHT. OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU. EXPLAINING SIGN DIET. I SAW I SAW SIGN DIET AND I WAS OKAY, I HAVE TO ASK ABOUT THAT. BUT YOU WERE A STEP AHEAD OF ME. IT'S PROFESSIONAL JARGON. SORRY. YEAH, I LIKE IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU'RE WELCOME. YES. OKAY.
EXCELLENT WORK. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. GOT SOME GREAT PROJECTS ON THE BOOKS AND COMPLETED ALREADY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT RECOGNITION. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS ON THE AWARD. THANK YOU. GREAT JOB FOR US AND WE APPRECIATE IT. THIS IS BEEN A REWARDING EXPERIENCE TO SEE THESE CRAS FLOURISH OVER TIME.
AND I DO HOPE THAT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO WORK ON THE SIGNS, NOT JUST ON THE DIET, BUT ALSO, I GUESS, THE HISTORIC SIGNS. YOU SAID IT DIDN'T INCLUDE THE HISTORIC SIGNS. IT DIDN'T INCLUDE REMOVING THOSE. I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL KNEW THAT WE WEREN'T TAKING ANY HISTORIC SIGNS DOWN. BUT THERE IS A PLAN THROUGH OUR MOBILITY DIVISION TO IMPROVE WHAT I BELIEVE THE BROWN SIGNS THAT YOU'RE. YES, WE ARE WORKING ON THAT IN THE MOBILITY.
IT'S NOT A CRA PROJECT, BUT MOBILITY IS WORKING ON THAT. WE'RE WORKING ON THAT. SO THOSE ARE ALSO PART OF IT TOO. SO YES, WELL, I HOPE SOMEDAY THAT WE'LL ACTUALLY WORK ON A ROAD DIET, BUT I LIKE THE SIGN DIET. IT'S A GREAT START. IT'S A GREAT START. A CAR DIET, ROAD DIET, LET'S GET THESE CARS OUT. AND MORE PEOPLE ON FOOT, LESS PEOPLE IN CARS. HOW IS THAT? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT. WELL, I DO HAVE ONE. WHAT IS THE AWARD? WE DIDN'T HEAR WHAT IT WAS. OH I'M SORRY. WELL, I HAD ASKED MR. BERTRAM IF I COULD COME BACK DURING, I THINK, STAFF REPORT, BUT I'M HAPPY TO SHARE IT NOW WHILE I'M HERE. DO IT. LET'S COME BACK AND DO IT DURING STAFF REPORTS. IF THAT'S WHAT YOU PLAN, LET'S DO IT THAT WAY. IT'S VERY SIMPLE. OKAY, THERE WILL BE MORE PEOPLE HERE. WELL THAT'S TRUE. OKAY. NO, NO STAFF REPORT STAFF ON THE CRA AGENDA. NOT NOT CITY AND CITY. IT WAS JUST THE ANNUAL REPORT. IF YOU DON'T
[7. ITEMS BY CITY STAFF]
MIND, MADAM MAYOR, I CAN JUST SHOW YOU NOW. IT'S VERY SIMPLE, AND I DO APPRECIATE YOU, COMMISSIONER GARRIS. I DID. THERE WAS A POST MADE ABOUT IT, AND WE'RE VERY PROUD IN THE CRA.SO THIS IS OUR SECOND ROY F KINSEY AWARD THAT WE RECEIVED THROUGH THE FLORIDA REDEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS THE PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT. AND DURING THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE DOWN IN CHARLOTTE HARBOR THIS YEAR, JILL AND I WENT. AND WE ALSO TOOK TWO MEMBERS OF THE LINCOLNVILLE STEERING COMMITTEE, MR. KIM MCLEAN AND MR. EAMONN DORAN, WHO'S A NEW MEMBER. HE ALSO HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND AND SIT THROUGH THE CRA BOARD TRAINING, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT I LIKE. I'LL CRA STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO SIT THROUGH SO THEY LEARN WHAT THEY'RE DOING. AND DURING THAT TIME, THE CRA WAS AWARDED THE ANNUAL REPORT SMALL CITY AWARD FOR OUR CRA ANNUAL REPORT REDEVELOPMENT 25, WHICH HIGHLIGHTED ALL OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE LAST 25 YEARS IN THE CRA. AND THEY MARY, CAN YOU SHOW THE OVERHEAD. THEY DO PROVIDE A WHAT WE CALL A BEST BOOK EACH YEAR, AND ALL OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE SUBMITTED ARE INCLUDED IN THIS.
BUT THEN THEY ALSO INCLUDE, OF COURSE, THE WINNERS. AND SO THERE WE ARE. SO THERE IT IS.
SO VERY EXCITING. AND THEY ONLY GIVE OUT SO MANY OF THESE AWARDS EACH YEAR. AND, AND SO
[00:35:02]
WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO REPRESENT THE CITY IN THIS WAY AND TO BE RECOGNIZED. SO THANK YOU. WELL, CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN ON THAT BEST BOOK AWARD. AND LIKE I SAID, WE'RE VERY PROUD. IT'S VERY REWARDING TO SEE THESE CRAS DO THE WORK THAT IS INTENDED. WITH THAT SAID, ANYONE ELSE IS THIS WE GO ON TO THE CITY ATTORNEY. MADAM CITY ATTORNEY REPORT, CITY STAFF, ANY OTHER CITY STAFF, REPORT ITEMS BY BOARD, CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS, ANY OTHER ITEMS? ALL RIGHT THEN. WITH THAT SAID, WE* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.