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New Port Richey Online
City CouncilTue, Jun 19, 2018

Council tabled the food truck ordinance (2018-2134) after pushback it was too restrictive, advanced first reading on drug paraphernalia rules, and reviewed a library renovation assessment.

21 items on the agenda · 12 decisions recorded

On the agenda

  1. 1Call to Order – Roll Call0:00
  2. 2

    Pledge of Allegiance

    Pledge of Allegiance and moment of silence honoring servicemen and women.

    ▶ Jump to 0:21 in the video
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    [00:00:21] Thank you. [00:00:22] I would ask you all to stand, join me in the Pledge of Allegiance and remain standing for [00:00:23] a moment of silence in honor of our servicemen and women at home and abroad. [00:00:28] I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for [00:00:34] which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

    This text was generated automatically from the meeting video. It is not a verbatim or official record. For exact wording, consult the video or the city clerk.

  3. 3

    Moment of Silence

    The council observed a moment of silence as a procedural part of the meeting opening.

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    [00:00:46] Thank you. [00:00:47] You may be seated.

    This text was generated automatically from the meeting video. It is not a verbatim or official record. For exact wording, consult the video or the city clerk.

  4. 4

    Approval of June 5, 2018 Regular Meeting Minutes

    approved

    Council approved the June 5, 2018 Regular Meeting Minutes with an amendment requested by Councilman Bill Alton to clarify his prior statement regarding golf carts—specifically that there had been misuse of golf carts by event organizers in the past and that he had requested Council consider allowing some golf cart use at special events.

    • motion:Approve the June 5, 2018 Regular Meeting Minutes as amended to clarify Councilman Alton's statement about golf cart misuse by event organizers. (passed)
    ▶ Jump to 0:53 in the video
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    [00:00:53] Next item on the agenda is the approval of the June 5th Regular Meeting Minutes. [00:00:58] Move for approval. [00:00:59] We have a motion. [00:01:01] I have a request for a modification. [00:01:09] Can I make an amendment to them? [00:01:11] Sure. [00:01:12] How would you like me to do that? [00:01:13] By amendment? [00:01:14] Tell us what it is. [00:01:16] Okay. [00:01:17] On the issue of the golf carts, there's a comment in there that indicated that I, let [00:01:24] me find it again here, it's on the second page, the second line, it says Councilman [00:01:37] Alton stated there's a lot of misuse by golf carts in the past. [00:01:42] I'd like to try to restate that to what I believe was the gist of the commentary, which [00:01:48] was that I stated that there had been misuse of golf carts by event organizers in the past [00:01:56] and requested that the Council consider allowing some golf cart use at special events. [00:02:04] That was what I had recalled you of saying as well. [00:02:07] Is that okay with the maker? [00:02:08] Sure. [00:02:09] Okay. [00:02:10] Do we have a second? [00:02:12] Second. [00:02:13] To accept the minutes? [00:02:14] Second.

    This text was generated automatically from the meeting video. It is not a verbatim or official record. For exact wording, consult the video or the city clerk.

  5. 5

    Proclamation - Independent Retailers Month

    approved

    Council read a proclamation declaring July as Independent Retailers Month and encouraged residents to support local independent businesses in New Port Richey. The proclamation was to be delivered to Jeff Wright and the independent business owners group, as none were present to accept it.

    • vote:Approve proclamation declaring July as Independent Retailers Month. (passed)
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    [00:02:15] Okay. [00:02:16] Any further discussion? [00:02:17] All those in favor, please signify by saying aye. [00:02:21] Aye. [00:02:22] Opposed? [00:02:23] Like sign. [00:02:24] Motion passes. [00:02:26] I don't see Jeff Wright. [00:02:28] Do we have any of the other independent business owners here tonight? [00:02:33] We have a proclamation defining Independent Retailers Month as the month of July and reminding [00:02:46] everybody to please go out and support your local independent businesses here in New Port Richey. [00:02:54] And I will pass this down to the clerk so she can get it over to Mr. Wright and the [00:02:59] independent business owners group.

    This text was generated automatically from the meeting video. It is not a verbatim or official record. For exact wording, consult the video or the city clerk.

  6. 6

    Presentation by Williams Associates Architects, Ltd RE: Library Space Needs Assessment

    discussed

    Andy Dugan of Williams Associates Architects presented the findings of a library space needs assessment commissioned in March 2018. The 42-page report concluded the building has good bones but needs interior renovation to address aging finishes, technology infrastructure, lighting, sound transmission between floors, more meeting/study space, and better second-floor utilization. A final presentation with concepts and cost estimates is expected in August or September 2018.

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    [00:03:03] Next we have a presentation by Williams Associates Architects regarding library space. [00:03:07] Ms. Vance? [00:03:08] Thank you, Mr. Mayor. [00:03:10] For some time now there have been expressions in the community and by the library board [00:03:17] that the library services may have outgrown their current facility, which they have been [00:03:23] in since 1991. [00:03:25] In March of 2018, in order to determine if any type of project should be planned for [00:03:33] improvements to the facilities, the city entered into an agreement and commissioned with Williams [00:03:38] Architects to conduct a needs assessment and space planning study. [00:03:44] The study was based on an objective analysis of the building as well as national trends [00:03:50] in library services and community needs. [00:03:55] All of those activities set forth some informed recommendations, which Mr. Andy Dugan of Williams [00:04:04] Architects, who is before you now, is prepared to present for your consideration. [00:04:10] Thank you, Andy. [00:04:13] Thank you, Debbie, and thank you all for having us here tonight. [00:04:16] Once again, my name is Andy Dugan. [00:04:17] I'm the Director of Library Design and a partner with Williams Architects. [00:04:22] We do work on a national basis for public libraries and really appreciate this opportunity [00:04:29] to work with the City of New Port Richey on this engagement. [00:04:33] So we've been working with the city for about three months now and part of our process is [00:04:41] to get a lot of good informed background information based on our own observations, based on speaking [00:04:49] with library staff, based on a number of focus groups and some community input to really [00:04:56] get a good understanding of how the library is being used, how it could potentially be [00:05:03] improved, and all of that starts to form the basis for some preliminary recommendations [00:05:09] that we make that we'll be discussing with you tonight. [00:05:13] I emphasize this is the first part of our effort. [00:05:16] The second part of this effort, once we have consensus on recommendations and a general [00:05:21] direction, is to start to take a look at what this may actually mean. [00:05:27] So doing just a little bit of concept design to understand not only what a renovated or [00:05:33] reconfigured library might be for the community, but also to get an understanding of ranges [00:05:39] of construction costs for capital planning purposes. [00:05:42] So that work has yet to be done and I imagine we'll be back before you within the next couple [00:05:48] months with more information in that regard. [00:05:54] So I'm going to do my best tonight to distill a couple months of study and a 42-page report, [00:06:00] which I believe you all received, into just a few minutes and try to touch on the highlights [00:06:04] and answer your questions. [00:06:05] But in general, we've been doing a number of different things to help inform our recommendations [00:06:10] tonight. [00:06:12] First of all, a very thorough analysis of the building, the condition of the building [00:06:16] and just what is going on physically before we make any sort of recommendations for programs [00:06:22] or new features or anything of that sort. [00:06:25] We want to make sure that we understand that the building is viable and worth investment [00:06:33] in and we do strongly feel that it is. [00:06:35] We also take a look at compliance with accessibility codes, both on a federal and state level. [00:06:42] We do an operational review based on not only conversations with staff and other key library [00:06:48] users, but based on our own experience working with libraries across the country to understand [00:06:53] how the library is working, what's working well, what could potentially work better. [00:06:59] Community engagement is a very important part of our process. [00:07:02] Just a few weeks ago, we held two open houses on May 30th and 31st, a couple community forums [00:07:07] at the library to really get feedback from as many interested folks in the community [00:07:12] as possible and learned a lot of interesting things there. [00:07:16] Also found that the community, at least those who came out, do really support looking at [00:07:22] some meaningful changes in the library facility. [00:07:26] We also had some more focus groups with a number of folks in the community where we [00:07:32] dove into the library's mission and goals and ideas in a little bit more detail. [00:07:37] We had five such focus groups on the 30th and 31st of last month. [00:07:42] All of that information together has sort of crystallized into a series of recommendations [00:07:47] that we'll be talking about this evening. [00:07:50] Then we'll finally talk about next steps in the process and certainly want to take the [00:07:55] time to answer any questions or comments you may have. [00:07:59] So with regard to the condition of the building, as I'm sure you're all aware, the building [00:08:04] that the library is housed in was not originally the library. [00:08:07] It was renovated in 1991 into the library. [00:08:12] What's very good news is the building has very good bones structurally. [00:08:16] It's in great shape. [00:08:17] The major mechanical systems have some life left. [00:08:21] There's absolutely nothing that we see that indicates that there would be a real problem [00:08:25] with investing in this building further. [00:08:29] We see mostly very good things about the building's condition. [00:08:34] The roof was redone very well, I think not even three years ago. [00:08:39] The things that we are seeing that could be improved just from a physical plant perspective [00:08:44] are things that are really indicative of any building that's approaching 30 years of age. [00:08:49] Flooring, carpeting, furniture, restrooms are really getting to, if not already are, [00:08:55] beyond their expected service life. [00:08:58] This building was built as a library or reimagined as a library long before the internet. [00:09:04] So the infrastructure to serve computers and internet technology has been sort of retrofitted [00:09:10] into the building. [00:09:12] But that's something that becomes more and more important to address as libraries have [00:09:16] evolved into centers of information and learning as well as their traditional roles as a place [00:09:21] for books and other materials to check out. [00:09:26] The lighting throughout the building is below recommended levels that we would see, that [00:09:31] we would expect for a library today. [00:09:33] There is some really wonderful daylight and some nice windows in the facility from when [00:09:36] it was a school, but the artificial lighting is a little below what we would recommend. [00:09:42] And the other thing we look at, just in terms of codes, is that everything was compliant [00:09:46] with codes at the time that the facility was built. [00:09:49] Codes change over time. [00:09:51] There are minor issues that would require attention if a renovation were to take place, [00:09:56] but everything we saw is just completely what we would expect within a facility of this [00:10:01] age. [00:10:05] So following that condition assessment, we also did our own review of the library operations [00:10:12] Two things that really became apparent right away that don't really have much to do with [00:10:16] the building, but are very important, is that there's a very helpful and caring staff throughout [00:10:21] the library. [00:10:23] And this is a library that really, really depends on, or a community rather, that really, [00:10:28] really depends on the library as a place to access technology, to get on the internet, [00:10:34] and to learn and connect with others. [00:10:37] So that's a wonderful basis for what the library is trying to accomplish. [00:10:42] Some operational things we noticed, there's a very, very large service desk on the first [00:10:47] floor. [00:10:48] The trend in libraries is to make those smaller, just so staff can have a more direct relationship [00:10:54] with patrons, and also just be able to get up and help them a little bit better. [00:11:02] Shrinking the desks also has the effect of creating more space for other items. [00:11:07] Sound transmission between the two floors is certainly an issue right now. [00:11:10] There's a photo in the slide there of the open stairway between both floors, right in [00:11:16] the middle of the library. [00:11:18] And while that might be a nice architectural feature, it also has the effect of making [00:11:22] sure that everything that happens on the second floor is heard on the first floor, and vice [00:11:27] versa. [00:11:28] So that's certainly a concern in many ways. [00:11:31] A distinct lack of meeting and program space is something we noticed, though there is a [00:11:35] meeting room on the second floor, and a couple smaller rooms. [00:11:39] They're frequently booked, as libraries throughout the country put on more and more programs, [00:11:45] those spaces become even more important, and they're already in very high demand. [00:11:51] Generally a lack of youth and teen space, compared to other libraries of this size, [00:11:56] and libraries of New Port Richey's peer throughout the country. [00:12:01] And one thing we do note, as New Port Richey does continue to grow and develop, we do want [00:12:07] to note that there is strong potential for expansion at some point, as the community [00:12:12] continues to grow. [00:12:18] So a lot of sort of objective assessment and talking to folks about the library within [00:12:25] the library, it was also very important for us to reach out to the community and see what [00:12:30] their thoughts were about the library. [00:12:31] So as I mentioned, we had two community forums on May 30th and 31st, two identical formats [00:12:39] where we made a presentation on library trends, asked people what they were looking for and [00:12:44] what features were most interesting to them. [00:12:48] First of all, we found that there was just a very strong consensus for improvement. [00:12:52] We didn't hear it from anybody at any of the meetings that this library is fine the [00:12:57] way it is, why do you want to do anything here, which is great. [00:13:00] We don't always hear that. [00:13:03] Of the items that the attendees of the community meetings identified as things they would like [00:13:10] to see, are elements that we are really seeing more and more of in our library design throughout [00:13:17] the country. [00:13:18] One of the most often requested or liked feature was a tech help desk. [00:13:24] So in addition to being the place where library staff would supervise computers, they would [00:13:29] also be able to provide help with somebody's phone or somebody's Kindle that a grandson [00:13:36] might have gotten them for Christmas. [00:13:39] That is becoming more of a function of library staff throughout the country and libraries [00:13:44] everywhere. [00:13:45] More group study rooms or quiet rooms for students to study after school, for tutoring, [00:13:53] and also even for somebody to come in and do a video conferencing or a Skype job interview. [00:13:58] Just having those kinds of spaces become really important, especially in a community, in any [00:14:04] community where people are using the library as a resource to find and continue employment. [00:14:12] A digital media lab and sound studio was indicated as interesting. [00:14:18] And what this is, is just a multi-purpose space that allows for a lot of different functions. [00:14:22] One of the things that's most interesting about that kind of space is giving people [00:14:26] the ability to take an old VHS movie and convert it to a digital format so they can put it [00:14:33] up on social media. [00:14:34] So not having to go to CVS and spend $30 on that service, do it at the library for free. [00:14:40] As well as many other uses. [00:14:42] More meeting rooms and program space was highly desired. [00:14:46] And then more power throughout the building and internet connectivity was very highly [00:14:52] ranked in what people presented. [00:14:55] One of the things we notice when we work with libraries across the country is that [00:15:00] people tend to sit where they can find a place to plug in their device or charge [00:15:04] a laptop or charge a phone. So as we improve the availability of power, as we [00:15:11] improve the quality of internet connectivity, it also has the effect of [00:15:17] getting people to sit where the library wants them to be, which has good [00:15:21] implications for service and supervision. In addition to those open [00:15:28] houses, we also held some focus groups that just talked about a number of [00:15:32] subjects. Again, we found that there's very strong support throughout the [00:15:37] community for what the library is trying to do and very strong appreciation for [00:15:41] the library staff. We find that there's a real sense of pride in this library and [00:15:46] the community in general, which again we don't see everywhere where we work with [00:15:51] libraries across the country. There's a very strong belief in this community [00:15:55] from the folks that we talked to that the library's role is truly a resource [00:15:59] for everyone in the community and a place where everyone in the community is [00:16:03] equal. We talked and heard numerous times that the library is seen as a very [00:16:09] important resource and way to attract new families and new people to come and [00:16:15] live and put down roots in the city of New Port Richey. And we heard across the [00:16:20] board some very strong support for improvements in general. So all of those [00:16:27] items, all of those things we heard, all of those things we observed, have sort of [00:16:31] crystallized and coalesced into a series of general recommendations that we're [00:16:36] making tonight. First of all, there are some just very minor exterior condition [00:16:42] items. The seat wall in front of the building outside of Main Street, the sign [00:16:46] which I understand is planned for replacement later this year. Just a [00:16:50] couple other minor items we would certainly recommend that those be taken [00:16:55] care of. They're just items that have outlived their expected service life. [00:16:59] We're recommending that the interior of the library really be renovated or [00:17:04] reimagined, as we better call it, to address several things. Certainly the [00:17:09] condition of finishes and furniture, just things that are nearing 30 years in age, [00:17:14] to bring them up to date, to make them clean, to make them bright, to really make [00:17:20] the library an exciting, vibrant, and bright place to be. Upgrade the [00:17:25] technology and the power and lighting infrastructure throughout the building [00:17:29] to better reflect how people are using libraries today. Get the lighting to a [00:17:34] level that not only is the right level of lighting that's appropriate for [00:17:38] library use, but also looking at switching out the fluorescent fixtures [00:17:44] that are there now with LED fixtures to really lower energy consumption and [00:17:49] improve quality of lighting. We'd like to take a look at addressing that large [00:17:55] desk, looking at how we can make the service points of the building smaller [00:17:59] and in so doing improve the sight lines throughout the building for staff. We'd [00:18:05] like to see if there's a way to address that sound transmission between the [00:18:09] floors. Is there something we can do with that existing stairway? Does the stairway [00:18:14] move all together? Do we infill part of that stair to create more space? We're [00:18:18] not quite sure what the answer is, but we know that that's an issue that needs to [00:18:22] be addressed. Certainly looking at more ways to get space for meetings and [00:18:27] groups throughout the building, and then really looking at ways to better utilize [00:18:32] space on the second floor of the building. Those of you who are familiar [00:18:35] with the building know that there's a big open stair that comes up into a big [00:18:39] wide hallway, and that hallway down the middle of the second floor represents [00:18:44] about 15% of the area on the second floor that really can't be used for any [00:18:48] services or collections. So looking for ways to make that more efficient and [00:18:53] doing all this within the footprint of the existing building we think is really [00:18:58] important in a good use of community dollars. And then we certainly want to [00:19:06] consider the possibility of future expansion and anything that we recommend [00:19:10] and plan now as the community continues to grow. Is this a plan? Is this a process [00:19:16] that makes sense if the library were to expand in some way in the future? So [00:19:23] that's where we're at now. I believe you've all received a copy of the report [00:19:27] that we've just summarized just to talk about some next steps very briefly. We [00:19:33] are continuing to seek additional community input. We have both a print [00:19:38] and a web version of the survey that we gave at the open house. I believe that's [00:19:43] posted on the city's website now and available at the library. So we're [00:19:49] certainly interested in everybody's inputs. Those are things that we really [00:19:53] take into consideration as we finalize our recommendations and the direction. [00:19:57] We're really taking a look at how space is being utilized throughout the [00:20:02] building. What I really want to be able to say to the cities in the library I [00:20:07] work with is not something like, I think we need some more study rooms, but I want [00:20:13] to be able to say the one study room you have is utilized 82.4 percent of the [00:20:18] time that the library is open. I want to be able to give you those objective [00:20:22] numbers so that analysis is in process. As I said we're moving forward and [00:20:27] looking at alternative concepts to address these recommendations. We'll be [00:20:32] putting together some cost estimates for those and some different options to [00:20:36] address these recommendations moving forward. Certainly want to keep the [00:20:41] feedback loop going with the community. Look at what that looks like and [00:20:45] re-engage in whatever sense or way makes sense to the library in the city. [00:20:51] And we'll be looking to make a final presentation of our findings with some [00:20:56] concepts, some recommendations, and costs in August or September of this year. So [00:21:06] with that, I'd love to open it up to any questions or comments you have. I want to [00:21:10] emphasize how much we're enjoying this process and appreciate the opportunity [00:21:14] to work with you. Any questions? Just a couple of comments. You're concerned [00:21:23] about the youth in the neighborhood, but our demographics is very elderly, you [00:21:27] know, so I, you know, there's a mix there. I think you need to investigate that a [00:21:31] little bit more. And I think you're talking about growth in New [00:21:37] Parish and I mean we've got 170 units coming in the next couple years, but [00:21:42] beyond that I don't really see a lot more growth. You know, rental units which [00:21:47] could be one to three people, maybe four people. So we're talking under a thousand [00:21:51] people, you know, maybe even 500. So I don't really see the growth coming to [00:21:57] New Port Richey, but maybe you know, maybe you see more than I see. We've, just to [00:22:02] address that, we've seen some projections to 2030, 2040 that indicate a higher [00:22:07] degree of growth, but what the confidence level in those projections are is not [00:22:12] something I'm prepared to speak to. Any other questions? Maybe just a comment. As to [00:22:20] the two elements of what you've said, but first I have to say that I didn't [00:22:26] realize that the Internet had not been invented, hadn't been in use in 1991. So [00:22:31] I thought Al Gore had already invented it by then. And as to the meeting [00:22:41] rooms and the meeting space, I don't know if we took an inventory as a city of our [00:22:46] meeting space. We've got the Peace Hall, which is more of an event meeting hall. [00:22:54] We have decisions to consider related to the old post office, which had been an [00:23:00] incubator, and that leads me to have noticed the last time we had an event [00:23:07] there, which was a presentation through the redevelopment offices, that the [00:23:13] pretty substantial studio with studio setup and filming and all of those [00:23:20] sorts of things had been developed and left behind by the last tenant, I guess. [00:23:24] So in your experience, is this multimedia film, has that been a big component of [00:23:34] the progression of the use of libraries and as we go from books to video to... [00:23:45] It certainly has been, yes. And it varies from community to community, but just to be [00:23:51] able to provide the resources to be able to do those kinds of things creatively, [00:23:56] whether it's high school students or even middle school students who need to [00:24:00] put together a homework assignment, or just providing resources for people who [00:24:05] are, for example, trying to put together a video of their experience to look for [00:24:09] a job or something of that nature. Those are facilities and resources that are [00:24:15] increasingly becoming part of what public libraries are doing throughout [00:24:18] the country. So my request would be to maybe back up a little farther, look at [00:24:21] the overall services offered by the city with respect to meeting space and in [00:24:27] particular for the multimedia type demands in the city, and perhaps there [00:24:33] are some immediate opportunities that we could make that available. Our city, after [00:24:40] all, was to be the Hollywood of the eastern United States, and so film and [00:24:45] those kinds of artistic, creative uses are, I guess, widely proclaimed as being [00:24:54] supportive of the strong community and helping the education level, which [00:25:00] may be the one of the roots of our problems with our city has been the [00:25:05] poor grades of the schools in our area, which may be more related to the transit [00:25:11] nature of the population. But nevertheless, when you're looking at [00:25:16] facility, I don't know what the city's staff's position is in terms of silos of [00:25:25] different departments, but as a city as a whole, I think we have a lot of meeting [00:25:30] space and it might be worth thinking about the difference between recreational [00:25:37] needs and library, educational, people's university needs. Particularly, there's a [00:25:44] lot of stuff also goes on at the Recreation Center, which is meeting [00:25:48] spaces for knitting clubs. So, if somebody's going to take their movies or [00:25:54] their old VC, whatever, and turn them into electronic, you know, there might be [00:26:00] other alternatives for that. That's just a thought. Excellent thought. Mr. Murphy, anything? [00:26:07] Just a question about the existing space. I mean, do you feel that that renovating [00:26:12] the interior would solve some of those space issues just by reconfiguring, or [00:26:17] there's no way that's going to be able to happen? I do strongly sense that the [00:26:22] library, first of all, the existing two levels of the building, the space [00:26:27] that's there, I do believe that the amount of space is sufficient to [00:26:31] address commuter need needs. So, looking at how we reconfigure and remodel that [00:26:35] to address some of the recommendations we have is, I think, going to be our charge. [00:26:41] We think a renovated facility within those four walls would address many of [00:26:48] our recommendations and the needs of this city and community for a number of [00:26:53] years to come. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you. [00:27:01] Mr. Myers, do you have that? Thank you. If I could ask Jeff Wright to meet me at

    This text was generated automatically from the meeting video. It is not a verbatim or official record. For exact wording, consult the video or the city clerk.

  7. 7Vox Pop for Items Not Listed on the Agenda or Listed on Consent Agenda27:09
  8. 8.a

    Purchases/Payments for City Council Approval

    on consent

    Transcript fragment does not match the agenda item title; it contains a citizen speaker urging Council not to allow hard liquor to be served at Sims Park, even on special occasions, warning it would set a precedent.

    ▶ Jump to 37:40 in the video
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    [00:37:40] We own several commercial buildings downtown. [00:37:43] It's a beautiful community. [00:37:46] We love it very much. [00:37:48] But I'm respectfully asking you to please do not allow hard liquor to be served, [00:37:53] even on special and limited occasions at Sims Park, because once you do, you set a precedent.

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  9. 9.a

    Second Reading - Ordinance No. 2018-2139: Amendments to Fire Pension Ordinance (Memorializing Contract Changes)

    Second reading of Ordinance 2018-2139 amending Chapter 17 of the Code of Ordinances regarding the Firefighters Retirement System, memorializing contract changes to definitions, contributions, benefit amounts, the DROP plan, and replacing the backdrop section with a Supplemental Benefit Component for Special Benefits under Chapter 175 share accounts.

    Ord. Ordinance No. 2018-2139

    ▶ Jump to 37:55 in the video
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    [00:37:59] And if you have it for one organization or for one event, [00:38:03] then the next thing someone else is going to want it, and then someone else, and someone else. [00:38:08] And there are plenty of places in New Port Richey where people can buy hard liquor, [00:38:12] and I don't think that we ought to be competing with them in Sims Park. [00:38:16] And I'd like to keep the atmosphere as family-oriented as it could be, even on special occasions. [00:38:22] So thank you very much for hearing me, and I appreciate it. [00:38:26] I also appreciate everything you as a council do for this wonderful city. [00:38:30] Thank you. [00:38:31] Thank you very much. [00:38:34] Anyone else? [00:38:37] Seeing no one else come forward, I'm going to close box pop, [00:38:40] bring it back to council, the consent agenda. [00:38:45] Move approval. [00:38:46] Second. [00:38:47] Motion and a second. [00:38:48] All those in favor, please signify by saying aye. [00:38:51] Aye. [00:38:52] Opposed, the like sign. [00:38:54] Motion passes. [00:38:55] Next is second reading of Ordinance 2018-2139. [00:38:59] Ordinance 2018-2139, an ordinance of the city of New Port Richey amending Chapter 17, [00:39:04] Pensions and Retirement, Article 3, Firefighters Retirement System, [00:39:08] of the Code of Ordinances of the City of New Port Richey, amending Section 17-36, Definitions, [00:39:15] amending Section 17-40, Contributions, amending Section 17-41, Benefit Amounts and Eligibility, [00:39:23] amending Section 17-50.17, Deferred Retirement Option Plan, deleting Section 17-50.18, [00:39:32] backdrop, and replacing it with Supplemental Benefit Component for Special Benefits, [00:39:37] Chapter 175, Share Accounts, providing for severability of provisions, providing for codification,

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  10. 9.b

    First Reading - Ordinance No. 2018-2140: Amendments to Chapter 14 Relating to Drug Paraphernalia

    approved

    Council held first reading of Ordinance 2018-2140, which amends Chapter 14 to regulate the sale of smoking devices/drug paraphernalia by requiring warning signs at retailer entrances and storage of displays out of view of minors. After staff presentation and one public comment in support, the motion to approve passed unanimously on voice vote.

    Ord. Ordinance No. 2018-2140

    • motion:Motion to approve first reading of Ordinance 2018-2140 regulating sale of smoking devices/drug paraphernalia. (passed)
    ▶ Jump to 39:40 in the video
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    [00:39:43] repealing all ordinances in conflict herewith, and providing an effective date. [00:39:47] This is a public hearing on this ordinance. [00:39:51] Public comment would be appropriate at this time. [00:39:53] If anyone wishes to address council on this matter, please come on down. [00:39:59] Seeing no one, come forward to bring it back to council. [00:40:02] Move for approval. [00:40:03] Second. [00:40:04] To the maker. [00:40:05] It's a housekeeping thing that we already talked about. [00:40:07] Second. [00:40:09] None. [00:40:10] Mr. Mercy? [00:40:11] Okay. [00:40:12] Councilman? [00:40:13] Good. [00:40:14] In that case, all those in favor, please signify by saying aye. [00:40:17] Aye. [00:40:18] Opposed? [00:40:19] Like sign. [00:40:20] Motion passes. [00:40:21] Next is first reading of Ordinance 2018-2140. [00:40:26] Ordinance 2018-2140, an ordinance of the City of New Port Richey, Florida, amending, [00:40:31] providing for amendment of Chapter 14 of the New Port Richey Code of Ordinances pertaining to miscellaneous offenses, [00:40:37] providing for a new Article VI thereof pertaining to sale of smoking pipes, providing definitions of terms, [00:40:44] providing display requirements, providing for signs, providing penalties for violation hereof, [00:40:49] providing for enforcement, providing for conflicts, severability, and an effective date. [00:40:54] Thank you. [00:40:55] Ms. Manns, do we have anything on this? [00:40:57] Well, yes, sir, Mr. Mayor. [00:40:59] Several months ago, some interest was expressed on the part of establishing an ordinance which would regulate tobacco retailers [00:41:10] as it relates to selling smoking devices. [00:41:14] The ordinance, as presented to you this evening, does two things. [00:41:20] It establishes that a warning sign be posted at the entrance to retailers that are selling smoking devices, [00:41:30] and it requires that the displays be stored out of view of minors. [00:41:36] If you determine that it is appropriate to adopt the ordinance at the conclusion of a second reading, [00:41:45] the effective date of the ordinance will be 90 days from its adoption, [00:41:50] and we would plan to disseminate information about this ordinance to local retailers. [00:41:56] Very good. [00:41:57] Thank you. [00:41:58] This is a public hearing on this ordinance. [00:42:00] Anyone wishing to address counsel on this matter, please come on down. [00:42:07] Please write your name and address. [00:42:33] Good evening. [00:42:34] My name is Claire Odell. [00:42:35] I live at 5202 Corrystone Lane, Tampa, Florida, 33624. [00:42:40] I am a student at St. Petersburg College in the Public Policy and Administration's Bachelor's Program. [00:42:45] Thank you for allowing me to speak tonight about Ordinance Number 2018-2140 pertaining to the sale of drug paraphernalia. [00:42:53] Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the United States. [00:42:59] According to the CDC, nearly 40 million U.S. adults still use tobacco, [00:43:03] and about 4.7 million middle school and high schoolers use at least one tobacco product, including e-cigarettes. [00:43:10] Every day, more than 3,800 youth younger than 18 years try tobacco for the first time, [00:43:15] and nearly half a million Americans die prematurely of smoking or exposures to secondhand smoke. [00:43:21] So this ordinance could help lower that stat. [00:43:24] The part of the ordinance regarding the sign would give parents the information needed to decide [00:43:28] whether they want to bring their underage children into the establishment, under the assumption of more information is better. [00:43:36] The placement of the smoking devices can affect smoking behaviors in several ways. [00:43:40] For example, one study done by the American Academy of Pediatrics used a virtual convenience store to create two scenarios, [00:43:47] one with smoking devices fully visible and another with a display enclosed behind a cabinet. [00:43:52] Recent quitters and current smokers who experienced the enclosed display had lower urges to smoke [00:43:59] and were less likely to buy the devices compared to those who experienced a fully visible display. [00:44:05] Young people who are frequently exposed to these point-of-sale smoking devices are twice as likely to try smoking as those who are not as frequently exposed. [00:44:15] In fact, one-third of teenage experimentation with smoking can be directly attributed to smoking marketing and retail environments. [00:44:26] Our goal as a society should be to lower the use of these products. [00:44:30] I hope you vote in favor of this ordinance. [00:44:32] Thank you for allowing me to speak, and a huge thank you to Judy Mayers for helping me out with this. [00:44:38] Thank you very much. [00:44:40] Thank you for your stats, please. Thank you. [00:44:43] Anyone else? [00:44:46] Seeing no one else come forward to bring it back to council. [00:44:49] Move for approval. [00:44:51] We have a motion. [00:44:53] I'll second. [00:44:54] Second. To the maker. [00:44:55] No, nothing. [00:44:56] To the second. [00:44:58] Oh. [00:45:00] I have to say that I can recall a time a few years ago when someone was selling what appeared [00:45:05] to be a crack pipe keychain, and that's really handy, I guess, when you're driving your car. [00:45:12] It's amazing some of the stuff that people come up with and put out there, and I think [00:45:16] it is perfectly reasonable to expect those to be locked away and, you know, out of the [00:45:23] hands of people that shouldn't have them. [00:45:27] In that case, no one should have had that, but anyhow. [00:45:30] Thank you. [00:45:31] Councilman Murphy? [00:45:32] No. [00:45:33] No? [00:45:34] In that case, if there's no further discussion, all those in favor, please signify by saying [00:45:37] aye. [00:45:38] Aye. [00:45:39] Aye. [00:45:40] Aye. [00:45:41] Opposed? [00:45:42] Like sign. [00:45:43] Motion passes. [00:45:44] Next is first reading of Ordinance 2018-2134.

    This text was generated automatically from the meeting video. It is not a verbatim or official record. For exact wording, consult the video or the city clerk.

  11. 9.c

    You arrived here from a search for “Section 13-569 — transcript expanded below

    First Reading - Ordinance No. 2018-2134: Food Trucks Ordinance

    tabled

    Council reviewed first reading of Ordinance 2018-2134 establishing regulations for mobile food vending (food trucks), including licensing, distancing from restaurants, frequency limits, and operational standards. After extensive discussion citing concerns the ordinance was overly restrictive and duplicative of state regulations, council moved to table the item and send it back to staff for further work.

    Ord. Ordinance No. 2018-2134

    • motion:Motion to deny the ordinance after first reading. (withdrawn)
    • motion:Motion to table the ordinance and send it back to staff for further work. (passed)
    ▶ Jump to 45:45 in the video
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    [00:45:45] Ordinance number 2018-2134, an ordinance of the City of New Port Richey, Florida, providing [00:45:51] for amendment of Chapter 13 of the New Port Richey Code of Ordinances pertaining to licenses [00:45:57] and business regulation, providing for a new Article 12 pertaining to mobile food vending, [00:46:02] providing definitions of terms, providing for licenses, providing for regulations, providing [00:46:07] penalties for violation hereof, providing for enforcement, providing for conflict, severability, [00:46:12] and an effective date. [00:46:15] Thank you. [00:46:16] Ms. Manns? [00:46:17] Thank you, Mr. Mayor. [00:46:18] Some time ago, there was interest expressed by the City Council in allowing for food trucks [00:46:26] in the city. [00:46:28] There was not, at that time, any legislation related to that. [00:46:35] And based on the interest expressed, the staff went forward to draft an ordinance, which [00:46:44] I think is both balanced and thoughtful as it relates to recognizing that food trucks [00:46:50] can be a great addition to civic life while protecting the vestige of local brick and [00:46:57] mortar establishments. [00:47:00] The ordinance before you this evening sets forth that vendors interested in sales on [00:47:07] private property cannot operate on that property more than two times in any 30-day period. [00:47:14] They may not operate in any single-family or multi-family zoning district. [00:47:20] The vendors interested in sales on public property shall not operate within 100 feet [00:47:26] of the property line of any licensed restaurant. [00:47:30] The ordinance additionally sets forth standards for either public or private property on license, [00:47:38] signage, removal of waste, hours of operation, size of sales area, and the location shall [00:47:45] not impede any pedestrian or vehicular traffic. [00:47:51] The ordinance as set forth is provided to you in your packet. [00:48:04] We have had a letter of objection submitted from Mr. Frank Starkey, and I believe that [00:48:12] letter is at your places this evening, where he suggests that the mobile food vending ordinance [00:48:21] is too strict from my perspective. [00:48:25] What he's proposing is more of a free enterprise system, and I don't know if that's fair or [00:48:30] prudent in the city's downtown area to the local business community, so you guys get [00:48:37] to make the tough decisions, and I will redraft it any way you like, but I think that the [00:48:46] most salient parts of the ordinance relate to the distancing requirements and the number [00:48:53] of days that they are allowed to operate. [00:48:57] Thank you. [00:48:58] And with that, I'll accept your direction to go forward. [00:49:01] Opened up for public comment. [00:49:06] Seeing no one come forward, I'm going to bring it back to Council and point out Mr. Starkey's [00:49:14] What appeared to be his biggest comment was on the multifamily, because they would like [00:49:19] to do some food truck events inside their development when they get it, and then also [00:49:29] suggesting that the railroad square should be designated as a food truck zone, which [00:49:37] is interesting from a historical standpoint, since that was originally designed to be the [00:49:42] place where a lot of these little pop-up things would happen. [00:49:49] With that, I'd entertain a motion or discussion. [00:49:52] I'd like to discuss it for a while. [00:49:54] Very good. [00:49:55] Mr. Davis. [00:49:56] First of all, Debbie and I met with a vendor in the Tampa Bay area. [00:50:02] He doesn't have food trucks, but he schedules food trucks, so he has just about every food [00:50:10] truck that's mobile in the Tampa Bay area goes through him to get work. [00:50:16] They're not going to, from talking to him, they're not going to come here and park on [00:50:20] Main Street or Grand Boulevard and open up business because of the cost of bringing it [00:50:26] here and hope that he's going to get some business. [00:50:29] That's not the whole purpose of it. [00:50:31] The purpose of it is at events, and what really brought this up was the Wells Fargo Bank in [00:50:40] Southgate, the second floor is a call center, and the people decided to reward their staff [00:50:47] and bring in a food truck and feed them lunch, which annoyed a local restaurant, and that's [00:50:56] what started this whole thing. [00:50:58] He wasn't selling to the public. [00:51:00] He was a private enterprise, and he got a citation because we didn't have any ordinances [00:51:07] one way or the other, really, other than a hot dog truck that was allowed in town. [00:51:12] So that's what brought this out, and it's been back and forth for a year. [00:51:17] So we went through this with this gentleman, and I want to address some things that he [00:51:22] brought up then that stayed in this ordinance, and the first one is the licensing requirement. [00:51:29] I don't understand why we might have to license this person if he already has a tax receipt. [00:51:36] He's already licensed by the state. [00:51:37] He's approved by the state. [00:51:39] What would be the purpose of us? [00:51:41] It sounds like more government and more man hours just to qualify somebody that's already [00:51:49] qualified by the state. [00:51:51] We don't have a food department or a health department to decide whether he's healthy [00:51:56] or his product's healthy. [00:51:58] That's already being discussed by the state. [00:52:00] So if we could ask that he provide his tax receipt, then that'd be fine with me. [00:52:09] I don't think we need to go through all this licensing stuff. [00:52:13] That's Section 13-581-61. [00:52:23] And then the application, it says you need your full name and your address. [00:52:29] He's got a business. [00:52:30] He's got an established business. [00:52:34] I think it needs to be defined. [00:52:36] Why not just, he's ABC food truck. [00:52:39] He's been licensed as ABC food truck. [00:52:40] He has tax receipt food truck. [00:52:42] I think we're overstepping ourselves there. [00:52:46] Licensing registration on each vehicle or mobile food unit for which sales be made is [00:52:52] required to be licensed to travel on public roads. [00:52:56] He has a driver's license. [00:52:57] He has registered with the state to have a license on him. [00:53:01] Any of these type vehicles aren't fixed. [00:53:04] They're mobile. [00:53:05] So he's going to already have all that kind of stuff. [00:53:09] And this is actually where the insurance would be going. [00:53:11] I think we should demonstrate that he has insurance. [00:53:14] And this gentleman recommended that we have, I think our ordinance says $100,000, but we [00:53:20] want a million dollars liability and $100,000 for, I guess it's per incident, for the automobile [00:53:33] insurance. [00:53:34] So I think we need to put that in there with this food vendor application. [00:53:41] The next one down is the dimensions and scale and size. [00:53:47] He requests somebody to dictate his size of his vehicle. [00:53:51] I don't understand quite why we're doing all this. [00:53:55] If it's on the road, it's legal. [00:53:57] It's going to fit in some parking spots, maybe two parking spots, just as an RV might be. [00:54:03] But I think we're overstepping. [00:54:05] I think we need to re-evaluate that one there again. [00:54:09] Then it says proof current city back. [00:54:13] We've already talked about that. [00:54:14] You want a city tax, I mean a city tax, business tax receipt, you know, we're already dealing [00:54:21] in that in the prior part of the ordinance. [00:54:25] Sign a whole harmless insurance, that's the insurance, that's where we should move that [00:54:30] back up in it with the application. [00:54:33] Now to the next page. [00:54:41] This zoning thing, you know, I think Mr. Starkey had a good point. [00:54:47] I think that if we go downtown, there are certain businesses, I know one right off the [00:54:52] bat is Ordinance One is kind of interested in probably bringing in a food truck maybe [00:54:59] on Friday nights, maybe on Saturday nights. [00:55:02] So give him a chance to bring in food. [00:55:05] Right now he's saying, hey, if you buy food in town and you bring it here, you're welcome. [00:55:09] But he'd like to, you know, promote his own business, keep the people there. [00:55:13] If you've ever seen the show Bar Rescue, they say if you have food that your patrons will [00:55:21] stay there 52 more minutes, which means one or two more drinks. [00:55:25] So you know, have somebody stay an extra hour because he has a food truck out there to try [00:55:29] to help his business go. [00:55:30] I don't think we should handicap him. [00:55:34] The owner's permission, of course, that sounds good. [00:55:37] You're not going to go to some place and we're not going to, this type of ordinance, [00:55:41] which I would like to be part of it, was we don't want, you know, ice cream trucks driving [00:55:46] up and down neighborhoods. [00:55:47] That's not what this is all about. [00:55:48] These people own, this food truck industry only goes to places where they're being hired [00:55:53] to go, where they think there's going to be an opportunity. [00:55:58] You know, and then I'd say if we're going to, if we look downtown and we look at the [00:56:02] restaurants downtown and we say, okay, we've got an event, let's say like the Bike Fest [00:56:08] or Chaska where we close some streets down. [00:56:11] I understand that you don't want to put a place in front of Boulevard Beef and Ale or [00:56:15] in front of the White Herring, but there's, you know, once you say 100 feet, when you [00:56:21] do start doing 100 feet, I think you're eating up all of downtown. [00:56:25] So maybe say 100 feet from the door might be a better place. [00:56:29] You know, so there's, you know, and actually in Mr. Starkey's, I think it was in his comments, [00:56:35] he said, or I've talked to him about this, that, you know, business encourages business. [00:56:40] And I can relate to that because I was downtown one fall when I owned Jilly's and all the [00:56:46] other bars were either closed or renovated and no one came downtown. [00:56:50] There's only one bar down there. [00:56:51] They either went down 52, they went to Ridge Road, they went to 54. [00:56:56] To be there by yourself doesn't promote business. [00:56:58] So to add a little bit more, maybe four times a month, you know, might help them help the [00:57:05] other businesses because, hey, there's stuff going on downtown. [00:57:09] So I think that needs to be addressed. [00:57:17] That's the proximity, okay. [00:57:23] Down here, too, you have an insurance thing where you say the food vendor's license period [00:57:29] without 45 days written notice. [00:57:32] Most insurance companies won't give you 45 days insurance. [00:57:35] So that, you know, right there we're restricting. [00:57:41] This idea of a time frame from 2 a.m. to 8 a.m., if that call center on Southgate happened [00:57:52] to want to feed their people when they came in and breakfasted before they went to work, [00:57:56] might even get them there on time. [00:57:58] I think at 8 o'clock they're probably already working at their call center. [00:58:01] So I think some leeway needs to be there, maybe 6 o'clock, maybe even 5 o'clock. [00:58:06] It's not a regular thing. [00:58:08] And then also, you know, some of these establishments that would want to close up at 2 o'clock, [00:58:14] you know, all of a sudden they have to lock the door. [00:58:16] You know, you might have some leeway there. [00:58:18] I mean, when you own a bar in town, you can't serve after 2. [00:58:22] I mean, everybody has to be out of the building at 2 o'clock. [00:58:24] So if they walk out and there's a food vendor out there that he might want to, you know, [00:58:28] stay open an extra half hour, this doesn't allow that. [00:58:31] Trash receptacle, I mean, that, you know, it's required by the state that they have trash receptacles. [00:58:40] We're over, we're, a lot of this is we're becoming partners with the state. [00:58:48] When a state already is doing this, we're becoming partners with the established brick [00:58:52] and mortar buildings downtown. [00:58:53] We're not in this business, you know, it's almost too much government. [00:59:04] I think this space thing with the 200 square feet, that's got to be a little bit of a gimme. [00:59:10] I mean, it depends on where you're located. [00:59:12] I mean, if Frank's doing this in his apartment complex, [00:59:17] they're going to have a whole big thing going on downtown around this thing. [00:59:20] They probably have a couple of food trucks. [00:59:22] They might even have some games going on, some other kind of events going on. [00:59:26] For us to restrict on how the space, I think that's incorrect, too. [00:59:33] You're saying that you can't, you have to have this truck out of here in two days, three days. [00:59:38] I mean, there was a bull that parked in downtown for years, you know. [00:59:46] So here we're, you know, if it happens to be the person's business that he has a food truck downtown [00:59:51] and he parks it on his own property. [00:59:53] I mean, you know, we didn't chase the bull off. [00:59:55] Why would we chase this guy who happened to have a, you know, food truck? [00:59:58] It's not open, but that's where he. [01:00:00] This one here on 13-569, a food truck vendor, any mobile agent, employees engage in fraudulent and deceptive, unlawful. [01:00:12] I mean, you know, if somebody was selling pot in a bar downtown, we don't take the license, we arrest the guy. [01:00:20] You know, so here we're saying we're going to take the guy's license. [01:00:23] You know, that, you know, I mean, sometimes you're over policing. [01:00:29] You know, we police the guy that made the mistake, not the guy that's trying to do business. [01:00:39] The state already is, already handles all these, you know, employees and that fails to comply with any state or health or any vending regulations. [01:00:48] The state's taking care of that. [01:00:50] Why are we getting into the state's, you know, situation? [01:00:53] If you don't take the health classes, you can't do this business. [01:00:56] That's just flat law. [01:01:00] And I just think that this might be tabled and we need to do more work to get a better handle on it. [01:01:08] Councilman, you had me right up until you said about not allowing ice cream trucks down the streets. [01:01:15] I'm not sure I object to ice cream trucks going down the streets. [01:01:17] No, I mean, just saying you don't want food trucks going up and down like you have ice cream trucks. [01:01:21] OK. [01:01:24] Councilman? [01:01:27] Definitely think there's probably a little room here to try to lighten up a little bit. [01:01:31] I wish there was some local businesses that were here to talk about it a little bit. [01:01:35] I thought they might have concerns and, you know, voice their opinion. [01:01:40] So I'd like to see some of the restaurants here or locals. [01:01:44] But to me, you know, the food truck is more of like an event type thing. [01:01:49] And a lot of times they come for events or do different things set up just for food trucks. [01:01:55] I've been to a few of them and it's kind of the allure. [01:01:58] You know, you get a lot of different flavors of different things that you don't necessarily get locally. [01:02:03] So I think it helps bring new people down. [01:02:06] I mean, it helps bring new people here so they see what's what's locally here. [01:02:10] So I think everybody kind of wins from that. [01:02:12] So, you know, I like the idea. [01:02:15] I just don't want to be so restrictive that we scare them away. [01:02:18] And they look at 75 pages of requirements and rules and they say, oh, my gosh, forget it, you know. [01:02:25] So maybe we can, you know, kind of revisit this and look at some things that we don't have to duplicate. [01:02:30] Councilman? [01:02:31] Yeah, I would make a motion to deny the ordinance after first reading and for to deny it. [01:02:40] I'll second it. [01:02:44] To the maker. [01:02:45] Well, it'll take three of us to approve this motion. [01:02:47] But now that there's a motion on the floor, I would like to suggest that we have an ordinance for the hot dog stands. [01:02:56] We aren't really enforcing it or applying it with any great vigor. [01:03:00] And we have one hot dog stand, I think, or so. [01:03:05] There was a motion that was made different animal, not the bull. [01:03:09] And thankfully, the bull didn't dispense anything. [01:03:12] So it didn't do any damage. [01:03:14] But we had an ordinance for horse drawn carriage that was brought to the city council and denied on the same basis. [01:03:23] I think, Councilman Davis, it was overreaching and too complicated and might inhibit that activity that we wanted to see happen. [01:03:33] And we had diapers on the horse and all the different things that had to be done and restrictions. [01:03:39] It would seem to me that we would allow for some of this usage to occur in the same way that we set that little pop up thing out on Grand Boulevard. [01:03:47] We've got a lot of discussion about how our town is going to be, what kind of register regulations and restrictions we're going to have in the future. [01:03:54] I think this is, you know, putting the cart before the bull, I guess. [01:04:00] I don't see the need for it. [01:04:01] I know you mentioned in your initial comments that this was a council initiated here. [01:04:06] You've got a 50 percent change in council. [01:04:08] So this is the first time I have heard of it or seen it. [01:04:12] And I just don't see this as a priority for us at this point in time. [01:04:15] So for it to be revisited, fine. [01:04:17] For us to turn this into a long discussion and have, I don't see an easy out for this. [01:04:27] But perhaps just to allow it and see how it goes and revisit it at the point when somebody wants to bring it up again. [01:04:34] Question to the city attorney. [01:04:36] If we move to deny the ordinance, does that then put us in a position precluding us moving forward on it? [01:04:48] Would we perhaps be better if there's interest in having an ordinance to send it back to staff for further work and bring it back? [01:05:02] Well, there's no there's really no harm in denying it, but it's also not necessary because in order for the ordinance to take effect, you have to approve it twice. [01:05:11] So you can take no action. [01:05:13] You can direct us to come back with something else or you can vote on this motion that's on the floor and it won't impair your ability to revisit the ordinance or anything in the future. [01:05:23] So it's it's not necessary to have a motion to deny an ordinance in this case. [01:05:28] It's not a quasi-judicial proceeding or anything like that, but it doesn't harm anything either to approve that motion. [01:05:37] Yeah, I just want to say that if we I think we need to work on it and the reason we need to work on it is because the ordinance we do have now allows like a six by eight hot dog truck. [01:05:50] And that's all allows in this town. [01:05:51] And that's the reason the guy was cited over by by Wells Fargo. [01:05:56] So we need to do something to to allow them in town. [01:05:59] We need to. But I think we need to be less restrictive. [01:06:02] And so I would like it to go back and be worked. [01:06:05] I call withdraw my motion. [01:06:06] If you withdraw your second. [01:06:08] Yeah. And what would your motion be, sir? [01:06:11] I'd like them to get us to continue working on this. [01:06:14] We have some excellent help from the gentleman that, you know. [01:06:23] When is the second schedule? [01:06:26] Well, we would bring it back to you for our first reading if if you don't approve it tonight on first reading. [01:06:32] So you're going to need two readings of an ordinance unless you approve this one tonight. [01:06:36] So the options are approve it on first reading and make the changes for second reading or take no action and then have to advertise again. [01:06:43] So if the council wants to do this ordinance, they ought to go ahead and approve it today. [01:06:48] I don't want I don't want to prove it anywhere near like this. [01:06:51] I would like it to go back and be reworked. [01:06:52] Advertise again and go through all that. [01:06:55] Only because if you make significant changes, I'm concerned about not having two full readings and having a legal issue that you probably won't. [01:07:03] But why have that issue and why have to deal with that issue? [01:07:07] I'd rather you review it again twice as amended. [01:07:11] I would entertain a motion that we table this and send it back to staff for further work. [01:07:15] Yeah. And I'll second it.

    This text was generated automatically from the meeting video. It is not a verbatim or official record. For exact wording, consult the video or the city clerk.

  12. 9.d

    First Reading - Ordinance No. 2018-2137: Rezoning for 6450 Sea Forest Drive - Sanctuary at Sea Forest

    discussed

    First reading of Ordinance 2018-2137 to rezone approximately 4.1 acres of a 12.36-acre property at 6450 Sea Forest Drive from R1 Residential to PDD Planned Development District, to allow a 124-bed assisted living and memory care facility called Sanctuary at Sea Forest. Multiple neighbors spoke in opposition citing flood/evacuation zone concerns, road inadequacy, wetlands impact, fill dirt elevation changes, property values, and the prior 4-3 denial recommendation by the Land Development Review Board and Pasco County's non-support.

    Ord. Ordinance No. 2018-2137

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    [01:07:17] That was your motion. [01:07:18] Well, I thought he just said I would entertain. [01:07:20] Oh, I'll make that my motion. [01:07:22] Thank you. [01:07:22] That's right. [01:07:23] You can't do it. [01:07:23] Do we have a second? [01:07:24] Yeah, I'll second it. [01:07:26] All those in favor, please signify by saying aye. [01:07:29] Aye. [01:07:30] Post like sign. [01:07:33] All right. [01:07:34] Go forth and work on this some more then. [01:07:37] Next is first reading of an ordinance 2018-2137. [01:07:45] This is ordinance 2018-2137. [01:07:47] An ordinance rezoning approximately 4.1 acres of a 12.36 acre property generally located east of Seaforest Drive and south of Green Key Road from R1 residential district to PDD planned development district as further described herein and in Exhibit A, providing for development standards in Exhibit B and providing for an effective date. [01:08:09] Thank you. [01:08:10] Ms. Manz. [01:08:10] Yes, sir. [01:08:10] Mr. [01:08:11] Mayor, the purpose of this rezoning request this evening is to consider an application to rezone 4.1 acres of a 12.36 acre property located currently at 6450 Seaforest Drive, which is on the east side of Seaforest Drive and south of Green Key Road. [01:08:33] I have the opportunity this evening to introduce Christian Arias, who serves as our senior planner, and he has a presentation for you this evening on the proposed rezoning. [01:08:46] Thank you, Ms. Manz. [01:08:48] Good evening, Mr. Mayor, council members. [01:08:52] Again, my name is Christian Arias. [01:08:54] Pleasure to meet you all. [01:08:55] The applicant has filed an application for rezoning for a portion of the property located at 6450 Seaforest Drive. [01:09:03] As Ms. Manz explained, the subject site is located south of Green Key Road and east of Seaforest Drive. [01:09:11] Subject site is west of US Highway 19, as we can see in this slide. [01:09:19] Subject site consists of 12.36 acres of undeveloped land. [01:09:24] To the south of the subject site are two single family homes in the R1 zoning district, which are in the city's jurisdiction. [01:09:31] To the north of Green Key Road is a vacant property zoned PDD, also in the city's jurisdiction. [01:09:38] The rest of the surrounding properties are in Pasco County's jurisdiction, which consists mostly of residential properties and vacant parcels. [01:09:49] Subject site, the northern portion of the property labeled Parcel A, is currently zoned PDD, which stands for Planned Development District. [01:09:59] Southern portion of the property, Parcel B, which consists of approximately 4.1 acres, is currently zoned R1 Residential District. [01:10:10] The applicant is requesting a rezoning of Parcel B from R1 Residential District to PDD, Planned Development District. [01:10:18] This will put the entire property in PDD zoning district. [01:10:22] Also important to mention that subject property is located within the 8E12 flood zone, which is considered a high-risk flood zone by FEMA. [01:10:35] Here's a rendering of the proposed facility. [01:10:37] The proposal is to develop a 124-bed assisted living facility, which will provide facilities for senior independent living and memory care. [01:10:47] Here is another view of the proposed facility. [01:10:50] The building design will consist of a single-story building with a maximum height of 28.2 feet measured from finished grade. [01:11:00] Here's the proposed site plan. [01:11:02] The proposed project will consist of two single-story buildings with exterior parking areas and circular driveways. [01:11:08] There will be a total of 42 parking spaces, including a single-story building. [01:11:14] There will be a total of 42 parking spaces, including two handicapped accessible spaces. [01:11:20] The project will include a perimeter landscape to meet city code and a retention pond for potential water runoff, as we can see on this slide. [01:11:30] Can you point that out while you're there? [01:11:31] Yes, sir. [01:11:34] Here we have one of the buildings, which is in yellow here, and another building here. [01:11:43] This will be the parking area in the circular driveway. [01:11:47] There will be other drop-off areas here and a retention pond here. [01:11:53] This project is actually going to be developed in two phases. [01:11:58] The first phase consists of this building, highlighted in yellow, with all the mentioned parking areas, retention pond, and landscaping requirements by city code. [01:12:09] The project also has, and it's going to designate, two easements, conservation easements, one on the south and one on the east side, where no development is being proposed at this time. [01:12:22] Again, the second phase will be this building in purple. [01:12:29] The subject property is outlined in red, as we can see. [01:12:32] That's the outer boundaries of the property. [01:12:34] This is the defining line where it divides parcel A and parcel B. [01:12:40] This is currently zoned PDD, and this is currently zoned R1. [01:12:47] The proposed rezoning will be necessary to develop the proposed assisted living facility, as depicted in this site plan. [01:12:55] The proposed project meets the concurrency requirements set forth by city code. [01:12:59] However, the proposed assisted living facility projected needs for fire and emergency medical services are beyond the existing capacity of Newport Ridge Chief Fire Department. [01:13:10] An agreement annual payment, in addition to taxes, will be required in order for the city to provide fire and emergency medical services to the subject site. [01:13:19] Should the council approve this application for rezoning, an agreement has been drafted to provide fire and emergency medical services to the site. [01:13:26] Also, the proposal is consistent with the comprehensive plan, housing element objective, special needs housing, and future land use element policy. [01:13:39] DRC has recommended approval with conditions. [01:13:41] On the May 17th, 2018 public hearing, the Land Development Review Commission voted 4-3 to deny the rezoning request. [01:13:48] Finally, on June 5th, 2018, staff received a comment letter from Pasco County Planning and Development Department stating that it does not support the proposed rezoning. [01:13:58] Finally, on June 5th, 2018, staff received a comment letter from Pasco County Planning and Development Department stating that it does not support the proposed rezoning. [01:14:10] And this concludes my presentation. I'll be happy to answer any questions council may have. [01:14:15] Do we have any questions for staff? [01:14:20] Question to the city attorney. I presume this is a quasi-judicial? [01:14:24] It is. [01:14:25] And as such, we need to declare any ex parte communications. I have received two. [01:14:31] One from a Stella Richard and the other from a Wanda Cook. [01:14:38] Both wrote fairly extensively on why they objected to this and I advised them that I needed to make my decisions based on the evidence that was provided tonight and encouraged them to show up. [01:14:53] And you can place those letters into the record as well. [01:14:56] I've got them too. [01:14:57] I will pass those down for... [01:15:00] the city clerk. With that, is the applicant present? [01:15:06] Would you care to make a presentation? [01:15:12] Good evening, Mr. Mayor, ladies and gentlemen of the council. [01:15:15] My name is Jonathan Shepard, 5901 Seaside Drive in New Port Richey. [01:15:21] I have lived in Seaforest neighborhood for the last 20 years. [01:15:26] My wife and I have been very happy there. [01:15:29] The project that we propose is in my neighborhood, [01:15:35] so I would not suggest anything that would be detrimental [01:15:39] either to the environment or local people's home values, because I'm there. [01:15:47] What we propose is, as you know, assisted living with memory care. [01:15:55] There is great demand for that in this area, or in fact in most areas. [01:16:00] And what we propose will actually, in my opinion, add to the area. [01:16:08] Because right now, I don't know if any of you gentlemen or ladies know the property, [01:16:13] but it is overgrown. It's like a rainforest. [01:16:17] It currently has, on many occasions, vagrants and drug addicts living in there, [01:16:24] which the New Port Richey police have been terrific in trying to stop them, [01:16:29] but they don't have the manpower to have somebody there waiting to stop these people doing that. [01:16:35] So that obviously would go once the project is underway. [01:16:41] We intend to make it a beautifully landscaped area. [01:16:47] It's obviously intended to be a peaceful and restful environment. [01:16:53] There's not going to be any noise or any kind of commercial development on this. [01:16:59] It is residential. [01:17:03] Now, I have with me this evening colleagues, David Ramsey, engineer. [01:17:09] I think he's been an engineer for 140, sorry, 40 years. [01:17:14] And our gentleman who's going to be running it is running the facility [01:17:19] and has run many other facilities and knows how these things can be successfully run [01:17:25] and for the benefits of the inmates. [01:17:27] And we have our inmates. [01:17:31] Sorry, wrong thing to use. [01:17:34] Patients and people living there. [01:17:36] Believe me, I'm probably going to be one of the first people in there if it ever gets built. [01:17:40] So our contractor, Richard Haynes, who's been a contractor in this area for many, many years, [01:17:47] those gentlemen can answer any of the serious questions about how we go about it. [01:17:54] However, we have complied with all the city regulations. [01:17:59] We are complying with SWIFTMUD. [01:18:03] Is there going to be any kind of noise while in construction? [01:18:06] Yes, but we're not building the Empire State here. [01:18:09] It's only going to be one story. [01:18:12] It's not going to be overlooking anybody's property. [01:18:15] And it's going to be an addition to the neighborhood. [01:18:19] So I think that I understand people's concerns about the values of their property. [01:18:24] I would also be concerned. [01:18:25] I'm in the neighborhood. [01:18:26] But I can assure them that that would not be the case [01:18:30] because right now it's overgrown with very unpleasant people living in there. [01:18:36] And whoever moves into that area, if they ever want to look into that, [01:18:40] that would depress the values of people's property. [01:18:43] What we propose is going to be a beautifully designed, well-run facility [01:18:49] that not only is going to add to the area, [01:18:51] it's going to provide more taxes to the city of New Port Richey. [01:18:55] It's going to bring in more jobs. [01:18:59] But what it will not do is bring in huge traffic jams and all that kind of thing. [01:19:05] It's just not that big. [01:19:07] But it's big enough to assist elderly people like myself in getting there [01:19:13] with a very nice living condition, quiet, peaceful, restful. [01:19:18] That will not impact on anybody else in the neighborhood except in a positive way. [01:19:23] So that's what I suggest, gentlemen. [01:19:26] I hope you can agree with me. [01:19:28] But this gentleman here can answer any professional questions that you may have. [01:19:34] Thank you. [01:19:35] Thank you. [01:19:36] Anyone else wish to address counsel on this? [01:19:44] If you could please write your name and address for the record on the sheet up front. [01:20:15] My name is Wanda Cook. [01:20:18] I live in New Port Richey at 4731 Sanctuary Drive. [01:20:22] I am opposing this rezoning. [01:20:25] The Pasco County Local Mitigation Strategy states that we are to lower the cost [01:20:29] and demands on city services. [01:20:31] The proposed rezoning and placing of a, I thought it was 142, [01:20:35] but I think he said 124-bed assisted living and housetimers facility [01:20:40] would greatly increase these demands on our city services in times of storms [01:20:44] and hurricanes and puts us all at greater risk. [01:20:48] It also states any project should consider the impact on the surrounding community. [01:20:53] All the surrounding neighbors who this rezoning would immediately impact [01:20:57] are greatly against the rezoning. [01:20:59] Signatures were given to the board on May 17th meeting to grant this rezoning [01:21:05] goes against the Pasco County Local Mitigation Strategy [01:21:08] that the City of Newport agreed to follow. [01:21:11] This elderly care facility should be built in a safer zone, [01:21:15] on property zoned for its intended use. [01:21:18] The applicant bought R1 property. [01:21:21] It should be used for this zoning with R1 restrictions. [01:21:25] They are for a purpose and for the community. [01:21:28] The roads that service this property, Green Key and Main Street, are not good roads. [01:21:33] They are filled with potholes and patches. [01:21:35] They flood when it rains and are impassable on Main Street. [01:21:40] To facilitate, to have this many beds, plus staff, plus visitors, plus medical personnel, [01:21:46] heavy food trucks that will daily have to bring food to this facility for this many people [01:21:52] will even more tear up these roads. [01:21:54] The R1 zoning never allows major amounts of fill dirt to raise elevations of property. [01:22:01] It would impact the surrounding properties [01:22:03] if you change the zoning and bring the fill dirt, you still damage the surrounding properties. [01:22:08] I believe the site is 2 to 3 feet. [01:22:10] They want to raise it to 13. [01:22:13] In this big of area, there's a huge amount of fill dirt, [01:22:16] which pushes more water off and is a problem. [01:22:21] To build this size facility adds too much freshwater runoff into the canals across Seaforest. [01:22:29] Our ecosystem is already being affected by the added drainage to the county, [01:22:34] then putting more after they redirected the water after Tropical Storm Debbie. [01:22:39] The plant life is changing because too much freshwater is going into the canals [01:22:44] and the silt, the fish and wildlife are being affected. [01:22:47] To add even more runoff would seriously exacerbate the problem. [01:22:52] The applicant mentioned a problem with homeless people living on the property. [01:22:57] I bought six acres of undeveloped property, which my property runs entirely that side of his property. [01:23:04] I cleared the Brazilian peppers off. [01:23:06] The problem was solved. [01:23:08] A simply low-cost solution to trespassing, [01:23:11] not to build an assisted care facility which is not properly zoned for here. [01:23:16] I urge you to support the recommendation of the Land Development Review Board [01:23:20] to deny this application for rezoning. [01:23:23] I also have the signatures if you wanted them into this meeting. [01:23:27] If you could give them to the clerk, please. [01:23:32] Could you go back to the map of the area, and I'd like to see her property. [01:23:43] My property. [01:23:45] I think if I go to this one, it'll give you a better. [01:23:49] That one right there is better. [01:23:51] This is your property right here, right, ma'am? [01:23:55] Yeah, you can plan with that. [01:23:58] My property is all of this right here, all of this. [01:24:02] It completely borders this line right here. [01:24:06] This elevation, if you raise it 13 feet plus 28 feet, will be overlooking my property. [01:24:14] It wouldn't. It does. [01:24:16] The impact of this, the noise, the business, these streets are so poor. [01:24:22] Right here is impassable on Main Street. [01:24:27] I can't see a commercial condition of activity in this area where this is residential. [01:24:36] When you say it won't impact property values, [01:24:39] if my house sits next door to that beautiful building he's going to build, [01:24:43] would you buy your house there? [01:24:45] And all these people along here, their signatures are right there on Fajorn. [01:24:49] They don't want to look at that. [01:24:51] There's many for sale. [01:24:53] No one's going to buy their house at the high rate. [01:24:56] It's going to be reduced because they sit across from a commercial-looking building, [01:25:00] not a single-family home. [01:25:02] We came to the city before we purchased this property [01:25:06] to ask what the zoning was for our protection. [01:25:10] And the zoning people, the city planners that we met with said, [01:25:14] it's R1, you're protected around this area. [01:25:18] If Mr. Shepard wants to build on the part that's already zoned, [01:25:21] he's welcome to do that. [01:25:23] There's a separation there. [01:25:25] And that's what we asked for before we purchased and moved into New Port Richey. [01:25:29] So to then betray our trust in that, which I know you can do it, [01:25:34] but this area does not support that type of building. [01:25:38] The noise, the addition of traffic, it's not going to be good. [01:25:42] And if we do have flooding, which we do often, or a hurricane, I may need to be rescued. [01:25:48] To have 124 patients plus employees from everything right there is going to be a problem. [01:25:54] So I urge you to deny it, as the planning commission did, have already written, [01:25:58] and said it's not a good idea for our city. [01:26:00] Thank you very much. [01:26:02] Thank you. [01:26:03] Anyone else? [01:26:08] Thank you. [01:26:39] Good evening. [01:26:41] My name is Dexter Cook. [01:26:43] My address is 4731 Sanctuary Drive. [01:26:46] I'm Wanda's husband. [01:26:48] I appreciate the opportunity to address this subject, which is very important to us this evening. [01:26:54] So thank you, Mr. Mayor and City Councilman. [01:26:57] At the risk of being repetitive, there are some issues that I think are worth repeating. [01:27:05] As Wanda demonstrated on the map, we have a beautiful home that occupies nine acres adjacent to the subject property. [01:27:13] In fact, it's continuous to the subject property, [01:27:18] so I would say that we are the most directly impacted homeowners in the area. [01:27:24] As the owner of the most directly impacted property, [01:27:28] I'd like to summarize five major points arguing for the denial of the subject rezoning proposal. [01:27:35] Number one, R1 should remain R1 for the protection of the neighborhood. [01:27:40] We relied on the fact that our property is surrounded by either wetlands or R1 [01:27:45] before making a substantial investment in our home and surrounding property. [01:27:50] Zoning laws are there to protect all of us and need to be respected. [01:27:54] Two, I have nothing against the development of an assisted care or nursing home facility, [01:28:00] but this needs to be in an area zoned for it, not in a residential neighborhood. [01:28:05] If you are a developer and desire to develop a facility requiring PDD zoning, [01:28:10] then it only makes sense that you find a site zoned PDD, not R1. [01:28:15] The applicant mentioned several attributes that his project will bring to the city. [01:28:22] I would surmise that those same attributes would still come to the city [01:28:27] if he found an appropriate site zoned appropriately for his facility. [01:28:32] The city would still see those attributes. [01:28:35] Wetlands are very important. [01:28:37] He didn't mention the fact that some existing wetlands will have to be eliminated [01:28:44] to support this proposed facility and provide sufficient building plot to accommodate the facility. [01:28:56] The wetlands are very important. [01:28:58] We need to retain our vital wetlands in this neighborhood for managing water runoff, [01:29:03] particularly since we are in an area that is already flood prone. [01:29:07] Yes, the law allows for wetlands to be mitigated, [01:29:11] but that does not benefit the area that is being impacted. [01:29:15] It only benefits the area where additional wetlands are being created. [01:29:19] Don't make a bad situation even worse by diminishing our needed wetlands. [01:29:25] The other area that I think is important has to do with runoff. [01:29:32] This site currently has an average elevation of 5 feet [01:29:35] and has to be brought to an average elevation of 13 feet, [01:29:39] which means an average of 8 feet of fill needs to be brought in. [01:29:43] I'm 6 foot 3. The extent of my reach is 8 feet 0. [01:29:48] That's the amount of fill that would have to be brought onto this site. [01:29:52] And then a 28 foot structure is going to be built on top of that. [01:29:56] That will be looking over our property. [01:29:58] When it rains, that water has got to go. [01:30:00] somewhere. It's either going to go on to our property and cause erosion, or it's going to go into the streets and ultimately into the canals along [01:30:07] seaforest and exacerbate the silting problem that already exists there. [01:30:14] Lastly and most importantly, I would encourage the city not to proactively do something, i.e. changing the zoning, that will put 124 of our most vulnerable [01:30:25] citizens in harm's way during an emergency. Not only would this be immoral in my opinion, but could create legal consequences for the city should the unthinkable [01:30:35] happen during an evacuation event. Thank you for your time and again, I urge you to do the right thing by upholding the recommendation of the LDRB and the [01:30:45] recommendation of the county and deny this rezoning application. Thank you. [01:31:16] My name is Craig Conrad. I live at 6324 Spoonbill Drive, which is, if you put up that map, it's again very close to where this is. [01:31:27] Put the map up please. [01:31:29] You can point to where I live. So we're on Spoonbill, I believe that's the street up in the upper left-hand corner there. And real close to this. So I'm just very quickly, I just want to say I want to support [01:31:43] Wanda and her husband. We oppose this. I'm a registered nurse. I work at Florida Hospital North Pinellas. If you're familiar with that facility, that has an average daily census of about 80 or 90 patients. [01:31:59] That's a six-story building that takes acres and acres to support. This is going to be 140 beds or 120 beds. Yeah, that's going to just require a lot of support, a lot of maintenance vehicles, employees, food, traffic. [01:32:19] It's just not what we signed up for when we bought our house 12 years ago. We bought it knowing that it was all zoned residential around us. And so I just object to this strongly. Thank you very much. [01:32:32] Thank you. And if I could have my pen back please. [01:32:34] Yes. Which one was it? [01:32:36] That one. [01:32:38] Thank you. Anyone else? [01:33:09] I basically said everything that I wanted to say. My name is Stella Richard. I sent you one of those letters. I think I copied a bunch of the council men and women on it. And I just, I'm not a very good speaker, so I'm just going to read a couple of my basic points here. [01:33:23] Let's see. The parcel in question lies in a mandatory evacuation zone, which is obviously not suited for an elderly assisted living facility. As previously mentioned, the roads that will be utilized to access the parcel in question are single lane roads, specifically Green Key and Sea Forest, as well as Main Street. [01:33:46] As far as Green Key and Main Street are concerned, these roads have no shoulders. These roads were constructed for residential traffic only and not meant to accommodate a high volume of a 124 bed assisted living facility. Such a facility would necessitate the means of constant emergency vehicles, resident transportation vehicles, medical staff, food service trucks, etc., hence impacting these residential roads in a negative and hazardous manner. [01:34:13] And my biggest concern was in the event of a hurricane or flooding emergency, the patients residing in the proposed rezoning facility would need to be evacuated. Keep in mind that should such an emergency arise, the city and the counties will have limited resources to safely evacuate the residents as their resources will undoubtedly already be stressed during such an emergency. [01:34:38] Keep in mind that the proposed rezoning parcel is in a low-lying area and in a mandatory evacuation zone. A major storm could very well threaten the safety of the residents as the roads may become impassable, hence creating a potential liability for the city and the county should the rezoning be approved. [01:34:58] And also with respect to the wetlands, the existing wetlands are absolutely essential to this area and will need to be preserved in order to handle the runoff and surface water. The city and the county should not allow the existing wetlands on the proposed parcels to be reclaimed. The building of such a facility would require a tremendous amount of fill in order to meet the current elevation level required. [01:35:22] This would in turn increase the runoff significantly, not only to our neighborhood, I own the lot directly north of where it wants to be, where the facility is going to be. [01:35:32] This would in turn increase the runoff significantly, not only to our neighborhood, but to the other areas, such as, [01:36:02] such as the canals and gulf harbors. This may also pose a major threat to marine life in the affected areas, hence creating another potential liability. [01:36:12] And also the facility would undoubtedly negatively affect the property values of the residential homeowners in the immediate area of the proposed rezoning parcel. Green Key is an actual key. It is a very valuable and rare asset to New Port Richey and the community. [01:36:31] The area is appropriately zoned R1 and any new structures should solely be restricted for residential occupancy to preserve the value of this rare waterfront key and its beach and boating community. [01:36:44] The proposed rezoning would also negatively impact the neighboring areas such as gulf harbors due to the increase in runoff. Sirens glaring from the frequency of emergency vehicles, medical staff, visitors, caregivers, food and delivery trucks is highly inappropriate for this residential area. [01:37:04] And basically that's all I have to say and I agree with Wanda and Mr. Cook and the other gentlemen. So we obviously oppose the rezoning. Thank you. [01:37:15] Anyone else? Seeing no one else come forward, I'm going to bring it back to council. I have a couple of questions for staff. Is it correct that this base elevation would wind up being increased by 8 feet? [01:37:33] It's going to be based on, yes sir. [01:37:41] We have some questions first, okay. [01:37:44] The base floor elevation is at 12 so it has to be built actually at 13 feet per building code. So that's why it's actually measured from finished grade and once the applicant can actually elaborate on that. [01:37:57] But there's an existing grade there now which will require for grading purposes and has to be elevated from finished grade at 13 feet at finished floor in order to meet that FEMA requirement. [01:38:10] Very good. If I could have somebody from the applicant come up. I'm sure some of my colleagues have questions after these comments were made. You don't need to sign back in. [01:38:23] Questions for? [01:38:26] I'm David Ramsey, the project engineer for the project and I have been around New Port Richey for quite some time. I was actually your first city engineer back in 1970. [01:38:36] I've worked on this property since 1996 when the original developer purchased it from the city. This property was originally owned by the city of New Port Richey. [01:38:48] The area that they were referring to, the wetlands that we're going to eliminate, is an area that was a borrow pit that the owner dug illegally in the property and what I've discussed that was swift mud. [01:39:02] They prefer that to be refilled and also the retention areas incorporated to take care of the water that's in that particular area. [01:39:12] The home that Wanda was referring to, I actually was the contractor for building that house and that is elevated the same. At that time, I think FEMA didn't require 13 and the city didn't require 13, but her house is also elevated and it does meet the criteria that we need to do for the project. [01:39:31] We do not have any runoff going into Seaforest or Green Tree Drive or to Main Street. All the runoff is going through controlled structures through swift mud criteria into the estuary adjacent to the property and a discharge to the east and to the estuary. [01:39:54] Could you put the map back up, please? [01:40:01] The other one, please. [01:40:02] Showing my site plan. [01:40:05] There. [01:40:06] The estuary that we've considered for... [01:40:09] Oh, okay. [01:40:25] We didn't have pointers in 1971 either. [01:40:32] When I first went to Newport, it was when I met Walt Casson when he was working for the city at that time. [01:40:38] Anyway, this is an estuary and this is an estuary. [01:40:42] All of our runoff goes into this project right here for this portion of the project. [01:40:50] This retention area has been enlarged to compensate for the burrow pit that was right in this location right here. [01:40:59] This discharges to this estuary. [01:41:02] This retention area takes care of this little portion right up in here and it discharges to this estuary through the filtration process that is required by swift mud to be able to make sure we maintain good clean water being discharged. [01:41:18] The area right here was originally the property where the individual that was going to build a house and dug the hole put the spoil right here. [01:41:31] That spoil is still there and we're going to put that back in the hole. [01:41:35] This area, I think, is still rezoned in the question of the zoning. [01:41:41] If we did this as residential, we would probably end up having more runoff from it than we have this project. [01:41:48] The project is not covered as much area land-wise and much impervious as if it was residential totally. [01:41:57] The area that's going to be filled is only where the building is. [01:42:03] That is what's required by FEMA to bring it up to the elevation of 13. [01:42:07] Actually, actually 12. [01:42:09] The City of Newport Ridge criteria is one foot of freeboard, which is 13. [01:42:14] We're going to have a slope from the sea forest up to the building, but all the area back and around here will remain the same elevation it is today. [01:42:24] There will be a berm constructed all the way around this property to keep the runoff from going into the estuary, which is part of the SWFMED criteria. [01:42:37] Any other questions I'd like to be able to answer if I didn't cover everything that my opponents did? [01:42:42] Thank you very much. Any questions? [01:42:45] Can you brief us on the Land Development Review Board, LDR, on their 4-3? [01:42:53] Yes, sir. They actually made a motion to deny the project. [01:43:01] Correct me if I'm wrong, Tim. [01:43:04] That motion was to deny the project. [01:43:09] Based on the minutes and the criteria, I mean, I was there also. [01:43:15] Actually, I apologize in advance. [01:43:18] Erica was the one that presented the project, but during that meeting, their concern was for emergency services coming into the site, for example, on a big, major event. [01:43:28] For example, a hurricane evacuation. That was one of their criteria for some of them to deny the project. [01:43:36] Another one was the fill and the water runoff was another concern for the LDRB. [01:43:44] But it was somewhat divisive. [01:43:48] And some of them actually voted based on property rights, which voted in favor of the project. [01:43:54] And the other one was for safety concerns, mainly for emergency services reaching the site. [01:44:00] What's the county's stand? [01:44:04] The county stands on their 4-3. [01:44:07] They actually stated that, based on their comprehensive plan policies, they don't allow these types of facilities in a high-risk flood zone, which is considered a high-risk flood zone in this particular case. [01:44:18] And I don't know if that's true. [01:44:22] Based on their comprehensive plan policies, they don't allow these types of facilities in a high-risk flood zone, which is considered a high-risk flood zone in this particular case. [01:44:36] And I don't know if you have a copy of the Pasadena County letter, but it is. [01:44:42] And I'll be more than happy to read this off to you. [01:44:46] It states, the subject site is located within a coastal high hazard area, which carries a number of development limitations from Comprehensive Plan Policy COA 2.2.3. [01:44:58] According to Policy COA, [01:45:00] The comprehensive plan prohibits the siting and expansion of acute care medical facilities [01:45:06] of any other facilities which house non-ambulatory persons within the coastal high hazard area. [01:45:17] Although the application does not specifically cite acute care facility, assisted living [01:45:21] facilities are similar institutions that can have non-ambulatory persons on premises. [01:45:27] That was their criteria why they were not in favor of this project. [01:45:38] What did you want from me? [01:45:39] A motion? [01:45:40] Well, comments or questions? [01:45:41] No, I have no comments. [01:45:42] Mr. Murphy? [01:45:43] Do we close? [01:45:44] We're in a public hearing motion. [01:45:45] We've got people standing up. [01:45:52] We had actually closed the public hearing. [01:45:54] We need a motion. [01:45:55] I didn't hear you actually close it. [01:45:58] I missed that. [01:45:59] I'm sorry. [01:46:00] Yeah, I did. [01:46:01] I brought it back to council. [01:46:02] Okay. [01:46:03] We did let their engineer come up after I had done that. [01:46:05] I don't have any problem with letting this guy speak. [01:46:07] I understand. [01:46:08] Okay. [01:46:09] Mr. Murphy? [01:46:10] When we talked about the extra fees for emergency services for this location, do we take into [01:46:17] account for a catastrophic event, hurricanes, when we have to apply a lot more resources? [01:46:25] Chief, did we? [01:46:28] Adam, come up front. [01:46:34] Adam Darling, Assistant Chief Darling, serves as the city's fire marshal. [01:46:37] He's been working on this project. [01:46:39] So I invited him to be here tonight in case any of these questions got brought up. [01:46:44] When they came to us during DRC, and Lisa was with me on that, I guess we had done it [01:46:50] a time before when we had a previous nursing home that was coming into the city, and we [01:46:54] did what they call a cost of service and cost of analysis survey. [01:46:59] And basically we've been working on that. [01:47:00] We haven't quite got the exact numbers on what it would cost to be able to provide service [01:47:05] for this facility. [01:47:08] As you all know, we have a lot of nursing home nail lifts inside our city, and they [01:47:12] contribute to a large majority of our EMS calls and causes us a lot of our services [01:47:19] to go there. [01:47:20] So we were more concerned in making sure that we're able to cover the services of day-to-day, [01:47:25] the injuries from falls, the heart attacks, the strokes, any kind of emergency medical [01:47:31] services they might need on that aspect. [01:47:33] As far as the hurricane properties go, we didn't add anything to that. [01:47:37] Each individual nursing home nail lift has to have an emergency evacuation plan, which [01:47:42] gives them their own responsibility to get their people out. [01:47:45] Now, however, we learned with Hurricane Irma that none of that works, and we've kind of [01:47:52] gotten a lot stricter on that to try to make sure that they have their own responsibility [01:47:55] so that we're not going in trying to get everybody out again. [01:47:59] So once I get those numbers put all together, I'm just trying to update it to make sure [01:48:04] I correlate everything with the beds that they're asking for with another ALF in our [01:48:09] city that's equal to the same amount of calls and bed volumes they have so that we can have [01:48:13] the numbers exactly right. [01:48:14] And once we get that, I'll get it to you, which should be in the next few days without [01:48:18] a problem. [01:48:19] Any other questions? [01:48:22] I had some of the same concerns in a previous lifetime. [01:48:26] I was a licensed nursing home administrator, and Heather Hill was up at 25 or 27 feet of [01:48:34] above sea level. [01:48:37] At the time, I would have sworn that would never have been evacuated, but as we saw this [01:48:43] past September, it and everything else this side of Little Road was. [01:48:48] Absolutely. [01:48:49] I mean, if we'd have been here before, we'd have been about 20 feet of water with a storm [01:48:53] surge. [01:48:54] Chief? [01:48:55] Did the applicant have something else they wanted to say before we ... [01:49:04] My name is John Ross, and I've been running assisted living facilities here in Pasco County [01:49:10] for over 20 years. [01:49:12] And I joined them in this project because originally there was going to be townhomes [01:49:16] developed there, which would have, I thought, even more severely impacted these folks' property. [01:49:21] But I was asked specifically about the emergency services part of this. [01:49:25] As he mentioned, as an ALF, under Florida law, you have to have your own evacuation [01:49:29] plan. [01:49:30] Now, if a facility fails to do that, then there's a citation coming from the state of [01:49:35] Florida for them for that. [01:49:37] But any reputable one is going to have a good plan in play to evacuate, and you cannot use [01:49:42] local services for that. [01:49:45] As the governor has stipulated recently, they won't be tolerated anymore, and emergency [01:49:50] services comprehensive plans must be developed better and be able to implement it or facilities [01:49:55] will face revocation. [01:49:56] They're not even going to play games with them now. [01:50:00] The impact to the community of assisted living facility, I happen to have another one that's [01:50:05] equal in size in Tarpon Springs, exact 128 beds. [01:50:09] It averages about three emergency calls a week through fire services. [01:50:17] The interesting thing about it is that the individuals who reside in that facility all [01:50:20] live within the city of Tarpon Springs, and so it wasn't like they left the city when [01:50:25] they joined the facility. [01:50:27] They were still within the city that they're in. [01:50:30] And the average individual who comes into an ALF likes to stay within 15 minutes of [01:50:33] their existing home, and that's why New Port Richey is ripe for assisted living. [01:50:40] The statistics show that there's a shortage of 1,500 beds to this area of assisted living [01:50:47] beds with dementia care in the coming four years, and there's a huge need for it happening [01:50:54] in each of the communities because of dementia. [01:50:58] But that means that those folks would already be within the city, and very few come from [01:51:02] outside of it. [01:51:03] You would be drawing your folks right from local. [01:51:06] One of the biggest draws would probably be the towers there in Seaforth, the independent [01:51:10] living 55 and over. [01:51:11] They're looking for a partnership in order to have a place to move them from that facility [01:51:16] when they age out of it or their care age is out to go to a assisted living and stay [01:51:21] right within the vicinity where they currently live. [01:51:23] As far as food trucks, a facility that size takes about one truck a week. [01:51:27] As far as staff and personnel, it averages about 13 to 15 staff per shift. [01:51:32] It would be less than if someone had townhomes or residential in there and vehicle traffic. [01:51:38] The whole facility would employ about 35 people at full capacity, maybe 40, but they wouldn't [01:51:45] work all at the same time. [01:51:46] They'd be shifted. [01:51:47] I heard the gentleman about North Pinellas Hospital, and that takes 600 people to operate [01:51:52] that 90-bed facility. [01:51:54] Assisted living facility takes 40 to operate a facility even larger than that, and that's [01:52:00] from actual experience and numbers that are actually in the exact same size facility being [01:52:04] done right now in Tarpon Springs in the city there. [01:52:09] Again, I feel that the impact to the assisted living in my own experience, I also own property [01:52:16] here in the city of New Port Richey, would be far less than if they did a townhome community [01:52:21] in there, which could absolutely go in there right now. [01:52:26] This would actually impact the community a lot less, and yet the need is tremendous for [01:52:31] the city of New Port Richey. [01:52:33] Right now, the only thing that's here is sitting right here next to Heather Hill, which is [01:52:36] the Grand Villa, and pretty much other than that, there's nothing else available to someone [01:52:40] who would like to have a little higher or nicer place to live. [01:52:45] It's not available in the city of New Port Richey. [01:52:46] They must go outside of it, and so folks are going outside to Pinellas County. [01:52:51] They don't want to. [01:52:52] They would rather stay close to home, and that's why I got involved in the project, [01:52:55] knowing that people don't want to come down there. [01:52:57] They want to stay up here. [01:52:59] I was working with another group trying to put one together here in the city limits, [01:53:03] and we haven't been able to do it. [01:53:04] When these folks asked me if I would approach and work with them to help them develop a [01:53:09] plan that would make this thing a viable and nice facility for the area, and that's what [01:53:14] we've been working on the design for over a year, to make it something that would be [01:53:17] appealing to the community. [01:53:20] I have friends who all live in Seaforest, and all of them are A-okay with it because [01:53:24] of the homeless factor across the street there in this campment that exists on that property [01:53:30] now. [01:53:32] But if you had any other questions regarding the operation of ALF, I'd be glad to answer [01:53:35] it. [01:53:36] Any questions? [01:53:38] Thank you very much. [01:53:39] Gentlemen, what's your pleasure? [01:53:43] I have a question. [01:53:46] Robert, when's that site, how many years down the road is that site of Main Street on our [01:53:54] pavement program? [01:53:56] I would say it's at least five years. [01:53:58] Five years down the road? [01:53:59] Because it floods right there behind the HES station or whatever it's called now, the Speedway [01:54:05] station. [01:54:06] It does. [01:54:07] The existing system is undersized, and the other thing that contributes to it is Pasco [01:54:11] County owns, they take over the ownership right where the villas start and that concrete [01:54:17] wall is to the west. [01:54:20] And so what we end up doing is every year we end up maintaining it, cleaning it out, [01:54:25] going over to the outfall, making sure that it's flowing freely. [01:54:31] But the problem you have is you're on the west side, and so when Mother Nature wants [01:54:34] to bring a high tide in or when the no-name storm comes in, all that water goes through [01:54:39] the existing drain systems and you get the flooding. [01:54:43] And the pavement management plan that we're talking about is basically an overlay of existing [01:54:48] roadways, not the installation of additional drainage structures. [01:54:55] This was going where I was going next. [01:54:56] I was here. [01:54:57] I was very aware. [01:54:58] I was up in that morning of the no-name storm, and even if you put this place at 13 feet [01:55:05] high, there was no way, there's no way to access the people because the water was up [01:55:09] to 19, and people were using jet skis and john boats to get people out that were flooded. [01:55:16] So I have a lot of reservation about doing something like this on the west side, no matter, [01:55:22] you know, you're not going to have electricity, you're not going to have, you know, a lot [01:55:27] of things when a storm like the no-name storm comes, or a hurricane. [01:55:31] We've got to, yeah, I'm sorry, we can't have discussions from, and I'm going to get a motion [01:55:44] on the floor. [01:55:45] I'm going to move to approve the request. [01:55:48] Do we have a second? [01:55:55] Failing that, I would entertain a different motion. [01:56:01] I don't think the property and the neighborhoods are ready for this, and so I propose that [01:56:07] we deny it at this point, especially with the situation on Main Street. [01:56:11] We have a motion to deny. [01:56:13] Do we have a second for that? [01:56:18] Somebody? [01:56:19] Do we have a second? [01:56:20] Yeah, I'll second it. [01:56:21] Discussion to the maker. [01:56:22] I think we have a lot of property over by the old hospital that would be a great area [01:56:43] for this, and it's well above 13 feet. [01:56:48] Second. [01:56:49] I just have a lot of reservations on the west side there, the flooding, and I know there's [01:57:00] a plan in place, but in those types of situations, you know, the emergency personnel are going [01:57:07] to be involved. [01:57:08] I mean, I just know that for a fact. [01:57:10] I was an emergency responder myself. [01:57:14] You know, you see people struggling or needing help, you're going to help them, and it's [01:57:17] going to, you know, you have to help, you know, and I just, I guess I'm just a little [01:57:23] unclear of how, if everything is flooded around the facility and evacuated, how that's going [01:57:30] to happen, especially with that much notice. [01:57:34] I just made my motion to approve based on what I believe to be the facts presented, [01:57:42] the staff's recommendation, the consistency with the comprehensive plan, all of the things [01:57:46] that the city has in place, particularly that more than half of the property would [01:57:51] already have been subject to the request for a development of this type. [01:57:56] I certainly believe that there's a need for this type of thing, and if we can't rely on [01:58:04] the regulations and the rules and we're going to second guess ourselves, then we're not [01:58:07] going to be approving much of anything. [01:58:09] I know there is a second way out. [01:58:11] I know there's a lot of condos, and particularly to hear the county tell us not to do this [01:58:16] when all of the land west of 19 so many years ago was zoned to such a high degree of density [01:58:24] that there are still many, many unbuilt facilities, unbuilt residential rights west of 19 that [01:58:35] are existing, and it seems, only thing that seems, I think the other thing I want to point [01:58:46] out is that discussions of Gulf harbors and all of the areas west of our city limits, [01:58:51] which are effectively within our city, who use our city services, those who are not in [01:58:57] the city limits, who don't pay city taxes, that are going to argue that, you know, it's [01:59:03] up to the city alone to fix a road like Main Street, which is an access for all of those [01:59:08] non-city properties. [01:59:11] We really need, as a result of this, to come to some conclusion with the county about their [01:59:15] intended development plans, and this is a good example of why we need a partnership [01:59:21] with them. [01:59:22] We've got two different jurisdictions, one telling us not to do something, who has way [01:59:26] more density allowable that is unbuilt west of Highway 19 than the city of New Port Richey [01:59:32] will ever have. [01:59:33] These facilities are quiet, they don't make a lot of noise, they're not going to bother [01:59:37] anybody. [01:59:38] Nine acres of property allows for buffer walls, and it's understandable why people don't want [01:59:45] change, but I'm trying to go with the staff's recommendation on this one, which will fail. [01:59:51] I have a question on the, with the coastal high hazard flood area, there are discussions [02:00:00] I know we've had in the past on the development of rights as far as the density. [02:00:09] Does that come into play with this proposed project? [02:00:14] Not really. [02:00:15] The PD is designed to be flexible as far as densities. [02:00:19] For example, you can build MF10, which is a density of 10 units per acre, 14 or 30. [02:00:29] The location here, it's actually a low-medium density within the comprehensive plan for [02:00:35] future land use and future development. [02:00:38] So it's a mixture between both. [02:00:41] How we regulate the ALFs is based on density times two, two beds per the allowable density. [02:00:50] In this case, it allows them to be at 124 based on that density. [02:00:55] The FEMA flood zone is actually regulated by obviously FEMA, and the regulations as [02:01:01] far as the development to be a certain height is based on those flood zones, which flood [02:01:08] up to that elevation. [02:01:10] So it's a combination of both. [02:01:12] You have one, which is our land development code, and the other one, which is a federal [02:01:17] emergency mitigation act from the federal government stating that you have to elevate [02:01:22] a certain height in order to be safe if a flood or a hurricane comes in that particular [02:01:28] area. [02:01:29] Does FEMA talk to the question of being able to actually evacuate from the area? [02:01:39] FEMA just regulates as far as, I mean, there are certain requirements, which I'm not 100 [02:01:44] percent. [02:01:45] I don't know how we communicate with the federal government in that particular case, but it [02:01:52] communicates with building code as far as how development should be in certain areas. [02:01:57] For example, in this case, that's why they have the elevations to be at a certain point [02:02:03] at a certain high risk flood zone areas, which in this case is 12 feet above finish grade. [02:02:10] So that's the only way we can mitigate and we can actually take upon and review these [02:02:16] types of developments with those recommendations from FEMA at this point. [02:02:25] Any words of wisdom? [02:02:27] Well, FEMA really doesn't get into evacuation plans and all of that. [02:02:31] It's all based on if you're a participant in the National Flood Insurance Program, which [02:02:37] the city is, you have to have a flood management ordinance and then you have to enforce that [02:02:41] ordinance. [02:02:42] And that's where FEMA comes in. [02:02:43] Make sure that, A, you have an ordinance in place and, two, that you're enforcing it. [02:02:48] And that's the end of FEMA's involvement, at least in terms of development. [02:02:53] So it's really up to the council. [02:02:55] This is a request to rezone a property from a lower intensity zoning to a higher intensity [02:03:00] zoning. [02:03:01] So you have discretion within the comprehensive plan, whatever the comprehensive plan would [02:03:06] allow as long as it's consistent. [02:03:08] You have the discretion to grant or deny it. [02:03:11] No property owner is ever entitled to the maximum zoning category in any particular [02:03:17] land use, the maximum intensity. [02:03:19] So you can deny it just based on the determination that you don't believe that the area can accommodate [02:03:24] that intensity of development. [02:03:27] So that's one of your options. [02:03:29] You can certainly look at the flooding and the high hazard area if you think that's a [02:03:32] significant factor in the development of this particular property. [02:03:37] But you have the discretion to grant or deny it based on the evidence that you've received. [02:03:42] And you should make that determination based solely on the evidence, not on the number [02:03:46] of people that sign a petition or anything of that nature. [02:03:49] Certainly. [02:03:51] And I appreciate the need for this sort of facility. [02:03:59] My own mother is 90 or coming up on 90 and not particularly mobile, and my in-laws are [02:04:09] both up there in age also, and one of them does have a memory issue. [02:04:15] She's got Alzheimer's. [02:04:16] So I understand completely the market, and there is definitely a need for it in the area. [02:04:24] I am just very, very troubled about putting at-risk people on the west side of US-19 because [02:04:32] it floods so regularly. [02:04:35] It's only a slight exaggeration to suggest that roads are going to become impassable [02:04:43] if we get a good west wind and a full moon at high tide, because we've seen it. [02:04:48] And that was, in fact, what happened with the No-Name Storm that put a huge amount of [02:04:55] water into that immediate area. [02:04:59] So I'm very uncomfortable with this proposal. [02:05:06] Any further discussion? [02:05:07] Call the question. [02:05:10] All those in favor of the motion to deny, please signify by saying aye. [02:05:16] Aye. [02:05:17] Opposed? [02:05:18] Aye. [02:05:19] Opposed? [02:05:20] Aye. [02:05:21] The motion to deny passes 3-1.

    This text was generated automatically from the meeting video. It is not a verbatim or official record. For exact wording, consult the video or the city clerk.

  13. 10.a

    Special Event Guidelines

    discussed

    Council considered adoption of revised special event guidelines covering tent identification, golf cart parking, resupply trailers, and vendor spacing, with implementation set for October 1, 2018. After public comment from the West Pasco Chamber of Commerce and discussion of evacuation spacing, a motion was made to adopt the guidelines with a change from a 10-foot evacuation space every three tents to every four tents.

    • motion:Motion to adopt the special event guidelines with a change from three tents to four tents between evacuation spaces. (none)
    ▶ Jump to 2:05:22 in the video
    Show transcript

    Auto-transcript · machine-generated, may contain errors

    [02:05:22] It is 9.05. [02:05:24] We've been going for over two hours, so if we could take about a ten-minute break, five [02:05:29] minutes, a five-minute break, and we will reconvene at ten after. [02:05:35] Agenda is special event guidelines. [02:05:40] Ms. Manns. [02:05:41] Yes, sir, Mr. Mayor. [02:05:43] Ms. Smith has been working for some time now with the organizer of special events to [02:05:51] develop some guidelines that can be used in conjunction with special events that protect [02:05:59] the park and support the needs of the event organizers. [02:06:04] In that regard, she has some comments for you this evening in relationship to the agenda [02:06:10] item. [02:06:11] Thank you so much. [02:06:13] At the last city council meeting on June 5th, there was discussion about revisions to the [02:06:19] event guidelines that had been submitted, more specifically, the revisions that were [02:06:23] requested entailed clarification on how to identify tents, and that was to refer to them [02:06:29] as pop-ups framed and staked. [02:06:32] There was also a request for a designation of golf cart parking areas, and the final [02:06:38] request for, excuse me, it's been a long night, revision was consideration of some [02:06:47] resupply trailers to be parked behind the various food vendors. [02:06:51] The recommendation was also to implement the approved guidelines for October 1st of this [02:07:00] calendar year, and that would allow staff time to make the reservations to the policy [02:07:05] and procedure manual, as well as provide ample notification to all event organizers [02:07:11] and the city special event team of the revisions, and those revisions are before you tonight. [02:07:17] Thank you. [02:07:18] I'll open it up for public comment. [02:07:30] Good evening, Chip Wickmanowski, President of the West Pasco Chamber of Commerce, 5443 [02:07:35] Main Street, New Port Richey. [02:07:38] My purpose here tonight is not to be controversial, as I said, my purpose here tonight is to again [02:07:42] just offer, or maybe get you all to answer a couple of questions prior to approving the [02:07:48] guidelines. [02:07:49] First of all, I want to say congratulations, I couldn't be more proud of what you're trying [02:07:53] to do to accomplish and design and protect the beautiful park that you've made and invested [02:07:58] in, and you need to do that, it's very important, and we understand that and we get that. [02:08:04] We do know, however, that event costs continue to rise, and the guidelines as written might [02:08:10] be in fact causing the non-profits that use the park to lose profit. [02:08:18] And so as costs rise, and then the ability to raise money decreases, it does create some [02:08:23] issues. [02:08:24] Specifically, I did want to get a clarification on the tent permits section, what does in [02:08:29] front mean? [02:08:30] I know we have sidewalks and we have parking spaces mentioned there, but getting permission [02:08:36] from a vendor or from a store is sometimes, that's the question, and in front, does that [02:08:44] mean if it's in the parking space? [02:08:46] I've been to many events in many different towns and the sidewalk is open and the storefront [02:08:50] puts stuff out on that sidewalk and is selling it, and that's perfectly okay to draw people [02:08:56] in, so do what you've got to do to draw people to your store. [02:08:59] Vendors in the park, the five foot setback and the ten foot for every three non-food [02:09:04] tents that we understand, that's decreasing the number of vendors that we can have. [02:09:08] It's protecting the park, but it is decreasing the number of vendors. [02:09:11] Signage, no banners or signs on any park shelter or shade structure. [02:09:17] I view those things as during the event only a great opportunity to promote the sponsors [02:09:24] that you may have and provide them some opportunity. [02:09:27] Along that line, I think it says that park shade structures are for public use. [02:09:33] I think that during special events when you've already rented out the entire park to be able [02:09:37] to have the opportunity to say to a sponsor that we're going to have two of the four shade [02:09:43] shelters or one of the four shade shelters might be a way for us to raise a little extra [02:09:47] money to be able to have a special sponsor, private area, whatever the case may be, but [02:09:53] give us some more opportunity to raise some money. [02:09:57] That's all I have to say, except for I'm glad that Bike Fest is coming back on July 1st, [02:10:02] and I did many, many years ago in 1973 in the old library perform upstairs somewhere [02:10:09] around July 1st. [02:10:10] Pardon me? [02:10:11] October. [02:10:13] No, no, no, no. [02:10:14] Bicycle Fest. [02:10:15] Oh, the pedal bike. [02:10:16] Oh, the bicycle. [02:10:17] Pedal bike. [02:10:18] Bicycle. [02:10:19] That type of Bike Fest. [02:10:20] The most bicycle-friendly city in America. [02:10:22] Thank you. [02:10:23] Anyone else? [02:10:24] I'm seeing no one else come forward to bring it back to council. [02:10:31] Discussion or? [02:10:33] I did bring up and, oh, I guess my time's up already. [02:10:36] Yeah, that was, we wanted to keep, get us out of here. [02:10:41] I did bring up the idea of a permanent evacuation, and I don't believe that was addressed. [02:10:48] I think permanent evacuation's important, so every event in the fire department and [02:10:53] police department are aware of the permanent openings in the layout of the tents so that [02:11:01] we have, you know, consistency with every event that comes, and I don't believe that [02:11:06] was addressed. [02:11:08] Mr. Mayor, in response to the comment by Councilman Davis, as I indicated to you in my city manager's [02:11:14] report on Friday, the evacuation route would be, as proposed by the fire department, and [02:11:20] that would be a 10-foot space between every three food events, and that's a middle-of-the-road [02:11:26] standard in terms of the state regulation that they rely on. [02:11:32] It's something we're comfortable with. [02:11:34] In my discussions with the fire chief, he did say we could go up to every four tents, [02:11:40] but he wouldn't feel comfortable with anything any more than that for evacuation because [02:11:49] our events are garnering large crowds. [02:11:54] Thank you. [02:11:56] Other comments? [02:11:57] Entertain a motion? [02:12:02] I'd like to propose that we adopt this with the change from three tents to four tents. [02:12:09] Do we have a second? [02:12:10] Yes. [02:12:11] Do we have a second? [02:12:12] To the maker. [02:12:13] Nothing more. [02:12:15] My emphasis isn't whether it's three or four tents, I just think there should be areas [02:12:19] that we set aside that everybody knows every time the event is, whether it's a certain [02:12:25] corner, whether it's next to the stage, some of these areas. [02:12:30] In the field of soccer, and if you're watching any of the World Cup, the guy carries a paint [02:12:35] can on the side of his belt that he marks a line where the players have to back up to [02:12:44] the 10-yard mark. [02:12:46] That could be laid out, and it doesn't affect, it's environmental-friendly, and it washes [02:12:50] away and when we set the tents up, whether in my proposal, four, that we have areas blocked [02:12:59] off that we know that are going to be evacuation areas, and so they'll last for the day or [02:13:04] two of the event and then they'll wash away. [02:13:07] Thank you. [02:13:08] To the second. [02:13:09] No, the only comment I'll have is we had a pretty extended discussion about the need [02:13:14] for the tents and the spaces and the code and the evacuation. [02:13:17] We had some commentary up there. [02:13:19] It seemed that the response was a bit brief to me. [02:13:23] I know it said that this came out of some code. [02:13:25] I would love to see, if it's possible, the written portion of this guideline that you [02:13:31] have identified as being a requirement. [02:13:35] I know you indicated this was in the middle of the range between low and high, and I would [02:13:41] just like to be aware of the document or the Bible, so to speak, that the fire department

    This text was generated automatically from the meeting video. It is not a verbatim or official record. For exact wording, consult the video or the city clerk.

  14. 10.b

    Rejection of Bids ITB18-015 – Dr. Frederick A. Grassin Bridge LED Lighting Project

    Staff recommended rejection of bids for ITB18-015, the Dr. Frederick A. Grassin Bridge LED Lighting Project. Four sealed bids had been submitted, and the item was being introduced for presentation by Mr. Rivera when the transcript cuts off.

    ▶ Jump to 2:13:44 in the video
    Show transcript

    Auto-transcript · machine-generated, may contain errors

    [02:13:49] works off of. [02:13:50] I don't know if that's something that's available to look at. [02:13:54] That is something that I can obtain from the fire chief, and I'll pass it along to you [02:13:58] in the city manager's report this week. [02:14:00] Thank you. [02:14:01] Very good. [02:14:02] Thank you. [02:14:03] Councilman? [02:14:04] No, I'm definitely good with the evacuation routes and having that, you know, set up, [02:14:07] so it's common and we know what it is each time. [02:14:11] I guess my only question is, going back to the whole signage thing on the structures, [02:14:16] are we talking about just temporary signage? [02:14:19] I'm assuming so, since it would be nothing permanent. [02:14:23] So, at an event, no one's going to be allowed to put any kind of signage up at all? [02:14:28] I think you said we can still do it above the stage like we've been doing, like we have [02:14:32] been doing. [02:14:33] Just not on all the other structures around the park. [02:14:36] The stage is grandfathered or whatever. [02:14:39] Okay. [02:14:40] All right. [02:14:41] Thank you. [02:14:42] Yeah, and I would suggest staff take a look at the layout, incorporating those ten-foot [02:14:52] tents four at a time with a gap, and sort of map out where that evacuation line would [02:15:00] go, so that we see if it makes clear sense to whoever might be [02:15:06] trying to get out of there in the event of an emergency. [02:15:08] I think Councilman Davis's point is very well taken. [02:15:14] And I do like the others, and in response to Mr. [02:15:21] Wickmanowski's comment about the tents and the businesses, it [02:15:27] has been a problem in the past, where tents have gone up right [02:15:32] in the parking places, immediately in front of the [02:15:34] front door of businesses. [02:15:36] And some of us don't care if they go up in front of our [02:15:39] businesses. [02:15:40] Some people that are trying to conduct business, it's an issue. [02:15:44] And a little bit of courtesy and planning on the part of the [02:15:51] event organizers would go a long way towards keeping those sort [02:15:55] of conflicts from happening. [02:15:56] And the one that is most likely to have that issue in the [02:16:03] immediate future, I've already told them if they want to put [02:16:06] tents in front of my business, knock yourself out, we don't [02:16:09] care. [02:16:10] So, with that, any further discussion? [02:16:17] All those in favor of the motion, please signify by saying [02:16:20] aye. [02:16:21] Aye. [02:16:22] Opposed? [02:16:23] Like sign. [02:16:24] Motion passes. [02:16:25] Next is a recommendation to reject bids on ITB 18-015. [02:16:31] Ms. Manns. [02:16:32] Mr. Mayor, this project is proposed, is for a proposed [02:16:41] establishment of an LED lighting system at the Main Street [02:16:45] Bridge, also known as the Dr. Frederick A. Grassen Bridge, and [02:16:51] Mr. Rivera will present the agenda item. [02:16:55] There were four sealed bids that were submitted to the city for

    This text was generated automatically from the meeting video. It is not a verbatim or official record. For exact wording, consult the video or the city clerk.

  15. 10.c

    2015 Madison Street Streetscape/Multi-Use Path Expansion Change Order

    approved

    Council approved a change order not to exceed $277,553.47 with Augustine Construction for additional landscaping on the 2015 Madison Street Streetscape/Multi-Use Path Expansion Project, extending from Main Street north to Massachusetts Avenue. Jim Gilman of AECOM presented the landscape design including Japanese blueberry trees, crepe myrtles, bald cypress, and various ground covers. The total project cost of $941,978.22 remains below the budgeted $1,025,000. (Note: transcript also includes the prior item rejecting bids on a related lighting project.)

    • motion:Reject the bids for the lighting element and add it to next year's Main Street Bridge improvement project. (passed)
    • motion:Approve change order not to exceed $277,553.47 with Augustine Construction for additional landscaping on the 2015 Madison Street streetscape/multi-use path expansion project. (passed)
    ▶ Jump to 2:16:57 in the video
    Show transcript

    Auto-transcript · machine-generated, may contain errors

    [02:16:58] this project, and they ranged from a low bid of $80,525 and [02:17:04] $139,856, all of which were in exceedance of the engineer's [02:17:10] project estimate. [02:17:11] Staff would ask that City Council reject the bids and allow [02:17:15] staff to add this element to next year's proposed Main Street [02:17:20] Bridge improvement project. [02:17:22] Possible savings that occur from approving us that route [02:17:27] would result in what we would call an economy of scale. [02:17:31] Some of those items would include mobilization reduction, [02:17:34] the possible reduction, stormwater BMPs such as silt [02:17:39] fencing and turbidity barriers, direct purchases of some of the [02:17:44] equipment itself, as well as some in-house completion of some [02:17:48] of the elements such as conduit and wire installations. [02:17:53] There is no budget impact, and staff would recommend that you [02:17:57] reject the bids. [02:17:58] Thank you. [02:17:59] I'll open it up for public comment. [02:18:02] Seeing no one come forward, bring it back to Council. [02:18:05] Move for approval. [02:18:07] I second the motion to reject the bids. [02:18:10] To the maker. [02:18:10] Nothing. [02:18:11] To the second. [02:18:14] I'm having a deja vu moment. [02:18:15] Did we not do this already? [02:18:18] We had talked about the prices coming in high on something [02:18:21] else recently. [02:18:23] It wasn't this. [02:18:24] I haven't rejected any bids recently. [02:18:28] I seem to recall discussion about the cost coming in on [02:18:31] lighting. [02:18:32] Maybe I had a moment of forward thinking. [02:18:40] Councilman Murphy. [02:18:41] No, I'm good. [02:18:43] I had recalled when Reagan Weiss originally brought this up, and [02:18:49] it was under the impression that they had spec'd out this thing [02:18:54] as costing somewhere between $10,000 and $15,000. [02:18:57] I verified with Reagan that the number he was working on was [02:19:01] about $10,000, which is an eighth of the low bid price that [02:19:06] we had here. [02:19:07] So something in the way we spec'd this out really blew this [02:19:12] thing out of the water from a cost standpoint. [02:19:16] If we're going to go back and look at doing something for next [02:19:20] year's budget, I think it would behoove us to compare notes [02:19:24] with Reagan. [02:19:24] He'd even had people lined up to write checks to pay for it so [02:19:28] it wouldn't come out of our budget. [02:19:30] But that was at a $10,000 mark, not at a $60,000 or $130,000 [02:19:35] mark. [02:19:36] So I would suggest, if this is rejected, that we reach out to [02:19:41] him and find out how he was in pay for the cost. [02:19:47] If you'll allow me, Reagan did go forward with a fundraising [02:19:56] opportunity to support the expenditure. [02:20:01] He raised $5,000 for the purpose of establishing the lighting. [02:20:06] He did not, though, develop any plans or specifications. [02:20:12] The city did develop plans and specifications so that bidders [02:20:16] would have an equal playing field upon which to respond. [02:20:20] We also programmed in to the specifications an opportunity to [02:20:26] upgrade the system in the future. [02:20:28] That may have been one of the factors that caused it to go [02:20:32] over what we expected would be the case, but we'll be looking [02:20:37] at that over the course of the next couple of weeks so that we [02:20:40] have something to bid out next time that will come in a little [02:20:45] bit more favorable. [02:20:46] Appreciate that. [02:20:47] Any further discussion? [02:20:50] Hearing none, all those in favor, please signify by saying [02:20:52] aye. [02:20:53] Aye. [02:20:53] Opposed? [02:20:54] Like sign. [02:20:55] Motion passes. [02:20:56] Next is discussion regarding amendments to the alcohol [02:20:58] ordinance. [02:20:59] Ms. Manns. [02:21:01] Yes, sir, Mr. Mayor. [02:21:01] I'm going to defer this change order to Mr. Rivera. [02:21:06] What about 2015? [02:21:07] Whoops. [02:21:07] Did we miss something? [02:21:08] Did you miss an item there? [02:21:10] 2015. [02:21:11] Oh, I'm sorry. [02:21:12] I did. [02:21:13] Madison Street. [02:21:13] I'm sorry. [02:21:15] 2015 Madison Street. [02:21:16] I did jump one. [02:21:17] Okay. [02:21:18] I'm still deferring to Mr. Rivera on this one. [02:21:22] And the purpose of the agenda item is a change order on the [02:21:27] Madison Street streetscape multi-use path expansion [02:21:31] project. [02:21:32] The change order is in the amount not to exceed $277,553.47 [02:21:40] from Augustine Construction Incorporated. [02:21:43] The funds for the change order are identified in the city's [02:21:46] current capital improvement program in the amount of $1,025,000. [02:21:52] The total for the base bid and the change order has resulted in a [02:21:56] project cost of $941,978.22, which is still below the budgeted [02:22:04] amount. [02:22:05] This change order was the result of additional landscape installations [02:22:10] of the 2015 Madison Street streetscape multi-use path expansion [02:22:15] project that extends from Main Street north to Massachusetts [02:22:19] Avenue. [02:22:21] On October 17, 2017, City Council approved the low bid of $664,424.75 [02:22:31] and awarded the project to Augustine Construction. [02:22:35] Subsequent to the presentation, City Council expressed to staff the [02:22:39] desire to add additional landscaping quantities similar to what the [02:22:44] newly completed Marine Parkway multi-use project was. [02:22:49] In an effort to meet City Council's direction, staff acquired [02:22:53] additional easements along Madison Street. [02:22:56] If you remember our conversations, there was a reduction in the [02:22:59] landscaping because of the limited amount of right-of-way the city [02:23:03] had for plantings. [02:23:06] In addition to acquiring those easements, staff contracted with AECOM [02:23:12] to perform the additional landscaping design for the project, which [02:23:17] resulted in this change order. [02:23:20] With that being said, I'd like to introduce Mr. Jim Gilman, Senior [02:23:23] Landscape Architect with AECOM, to present the change order design. [02:23:39] Can I borrow your pointer? [02:23:42] This is also the pointer? [02:23:44] Okay, thank you. [02:23:48] The first slide that I'll present to you shows an overall of the [02:23:53] project. [02:23:55] Main Street is upper left, and the project runs left to right and then [02:24:01] top to bottom. [02:24:02] Massachusetts Avenue is on the bottom right. [02:24:06] We have, at direction, increased the amount of landscape along the [02:24:18] project to improve aesthetic appeal and keep it in character with some [02:24:27] plantings elsewhere in the city. [02:24:30] We have prepared some before and after imagery to give you a sense of [02:24:35] the character of what we're proposing. [02:24:39] So I'll run through these and explain as we go. [02:24:46] This is a before image, if you will, at Indiana Avenue on the east side [02:24:53] of Madison Street. [02:24:56] You'll see in the next slide, this was, by the way, prepared by a [02:25:00] previous consultant, but I will show you the after image, which shows the [02:25:08] multi-use trail coming in with the bench and garbage or trash facility as [02:25:16] well. [02:25:18] The rendering does not show our proposed improvements since it was [02:25:26] prepared by the previous consultant, but I'd like to point out to you the [02:25:30] plant materials that we're proposing to use in this area. [02:25:35] These are Japanese blueberry trees, which we propose to place all the way [02:25:43] along this block. [02:25:45] The low ground cover here is minima jasmine, which I suspect you're mostly [02:25:52] familiar with, quite low, evergreen, and easy to maintain, and we would [02:25:56] propose that that be the plant material along the front edge. [02:26:00] This is liriope, an ornamental grass that grows about 15 inches tall, [02:26:06] which would form a second tier of height and a varying texture. [02:26:12] And then this is variegated dwarf Schefflera, which would form a taller [02:26:19] shrub along the backdrop adjacent to the sidewalk back here. [02:26:25] And I'll show you the next area that was enhanced. [02:26:30] This is up by the hospital looking south, and this is the existing condition. [02:26:38] And the proposed improvement showing the multi-use trail along the east [02:26:45] side of the road. [02:26:47] Our additional improvement to what you see here includes placing some [02:26:54] additional holly trees adjacent to this entrance here. [02:26:58] As you'll see, there are three existing holly trees here. [02:27:02] We propose to flank the opposite side of this entrance with the same. [02:27:07] You know, this area didn't require, in my opinion, a whole lot of improvement. [02:27:12] It's quite well maintained. [02:27:13] They have irrigated St. Augustine turf, and they do a pretty good job of [02:27:20] maintaining it. [02:27:21] Our proposed improvements are to fill in a few gaps along the hedgerow here and [02:27:28] there, and to replace in kind with irrigated St. Augustine turf. [02:27:36] And then in selected area to use some minima jasmine, and mostly that's between [02:27:42] the edge of the roadway and the multi-use trail itself. [02:27:48] The next slide I'll show you is the south end of the project adjacent to right [02:27:55] where we're sitting tonight. [02:27:57] This is the existing condition image. [02:28:00] We're looking north across Main Street, up Madison Avenue in this view. [02:28:08] And in the proposed improvement, you'll see here on the left, there are the [02:28:17] magnolia trees that were just installed as part of this facility's recent [02:28:24] improvements. [02:28:25] And we're proposing to enhance that with some bald cypress trees, with a grouping [02:28:32] of three bald cypress trees in this small depressional area. [02:28:36] In addition to that, we're proposing some low ground cover along the edge of the [02:28:41] sidewalk. [02:28:42] Again, this is minima jasmine. [02:28:44] And then to provide a little vertical relief and change in texture, we're [02:28:49] proposing to use some, this is called a dwarf chorissa, which is a shrub that [02:28:54] will grow to about 24 inches tall, evergreen. [02:28:59] And that would flank a proposed bench in this location. [02:29:03] There is also a proposed Japanese blueberry tree in the background that is [02:29:10] more or less in front of the fire station over here. [02:29:14] And on this edge of the roadway where the proposed trail is going in, we have [02:29:19] minima jasmine along the area between the pathway and the roadway. [02:29:26] And then we also added in a group of these taller shrubs here at the [02:29:31] intersection to balance off what's happening on the other side of the road. [02:29:36] In the next slide, we're at the retention facility. [02:29:43] And this is near Central Avenue along Madison Street on the west side. [02:29:48] Here's the fence. [02:29:50] There's some existing plant material here, some sable palms, and this is a [02:29:53] large cedar. [02:29:55] And our proposed improvements portrayed. [02:30:00] Some of the hardscape improvements that were part of the original design and our enhancements as part of the change order include Crate Myrtle along the street. [02:30:13] And these are small trees intentionally because we have some overhead power here that we need to accommodate. [02:30:19] And in the background, on the back side, if you will, of this depressional area, this retention area, we've proposed to put in some Bald Cypress, [02:30:30] and also some River Birch, which are both native species that would enjoy being located in a spot that has some occasional inundation. [02:30:43] And then along the area between the roadway and the sidewalk, on the west side of the road, once again, some Minima Jasmine and some Dwarf Carissa here at the bus stop. [02:31:02] Now we're a little farther north at the Pinellas County School property on the west side of the road. [02:31:12] Pasco School, by the way. [02:31:14] Oh, pardon me, Pasco School. [02:31:18] The existing condition shows the fence here along the back of the sidewalk. [02:31:22] And as Robert mentioned, there was an easement obtained and that allowed us to propose moving the fence back and landscaping between the existing sidewalk and the proposed fence line back here. [02:31:42] And we've proposed, again, for continuity and for ease of maintenance, some Minima Jasmine as the low ground cover here. [02:31:51] Behind that, some Evergreen Liriope ornamental grass, which forms sort of a mid-height transition here, no change in texture. [02:32:03] And then, again, Dwarf Variegated Schefflera to form a background that's a little bit taller and provides some color, since this is a variegated yellow and green. [02:32:16] On the opposite side of the street over here, we found some locations for some additional Crepe Myrtle. [02:32:23] And this is the Lavender Muscogee Crepe Myrtle that is the one that we're proposing in this location. [02:32:33] This is the board that describes all of the plants that we're proposing to use. [02:32:40] And I'll run through them briefly. [02:32:42] We've talked about most. [02:32:43] This is the Lavender Muscogee Crepe Myrtle. [02:32:46] This is the River Birch, which will be planted at the retention area. [02:32:54] This is Kunti, which is a native zamia, which is a good choice for lots of reasons. [02:33:01] It's super easy to maintain and it's also drought tolerant. [02:33:07] Liriope, Minima Jasmine. [02:33:10] This is a hedge material. [02:33:12] This is Sandanqua Viburnum, which we're proposing to do some infill on both sides of the road in some selective locations where hedges are in place but could use a little improvement. [02:33:28] This is called Oyster Plant, and we're proposing to use a little bit of it right at the north end of the project. [02:33:36] And it plays off on some Oyster Plant that's planted at the church that's on the west side of the north end of the project. [02:33:44] We've talked about Dwarf Carissa. [02:33:47] This is the Bald Cypress that we're planting in two locations. [02:33:55] The Japanese Blueberry trees, which are attractive and also very easy to maintain. [02:34:01] This is the holly tree that we're proposing to put at the hospital to complement some existing holly trees. [02:34:10] This is Dwarf Variegated Scheffler once again, and I can't for the life of me remember what this is and I can't read it either. [02:34:17] I'm embarrassed to say. [02:34:19] Thank you. [02:34:20] We do have some existing Buford holly on the project, and so this is intended as an infill. [02:34:31] The project is irrigated, and I think we've prepared a design that is attractive. [02:34:42] It complements plantings elsewhere in the city and should not be difficult to maintain. [02:34:50] We've chosen plants that will tolerate a freeze, that won't require a lot of maintenance, care, trimming, insecticide, or any of those things. [02:34:59] And nothing that's too thirsty either. [02:35:01] But I am glad that it's an irrigated project. [02:35:04] It's difficult to do something in an urban environment without permanent irrigation. [02:35:11] I guess that is all I had to say, and I'd be happy to answer questions. [02:35:17] Any questions? [02:35:21] Lucky you come towards the end of the meeting. [02:35:23] Yeah, really. [02:35:25] I just want to make a comment that last time you were before us was to work on Grand and Main, and there was a lot of pseudo, what are you, landscape architect? [02:35:42] There was a lot of pseudo landscape architects at that meeting, and we decided to go with you, and I really liked what you put together. [02:35:50] Thank you very much. [02:35:51] I appreciate that. [02:35:52] I would echo that. [02:35:54] It's amazing how much nicer the downtown looks, and I am not a fan of palm trees, but it was the right choice. [02:36:00] Thank you. [02:36:01] Open this up for public comment. [02:36:05] Seeing no one come forward, bring it back to council. [02:36:08] Move for approval. [02:36:10] Second. [02:36:11] We have a motion and a second to the maker. [02:36:13] No. [02:36:14] In fact, I just thought he said that if I were God, I would be able to do this, and so we're going to let God do it again. [02:36:23] Mr. Murphy? [02:36:27] No, I'm good. [02:36:29] Councilman? [02:36:30] No, I think, again, at this stage of my three-year term, I'm just watching the projects that previous councils have pushed forward, so I will rely on your collective knowledge of how you came to this. [02:36:44] I think it is important to incorporate the hospital into the downtown, and so I'll support the motion. [02:36:52] I went to have my semi-annual torture treatment at the dentist's office about a month ago, and the dental hygienist commented about the fence that had gone up by the retention fund and how much nicer it looked than the old chain links, so people are noticing. [02:37:18] Did you see the Tim Conway video from the Carol Burnett show? [02:37:21] They got running in there on a loop. [02:37:23] That's the funniest thing in the world. [02:37:28] There's no further discussion. [02:37:30] All those in favor, please signify by saying aye. [02:37:33] Aye. [02:37:34] Opposed, the like sign. [02:37:35] Motion passes. [02:37:36] Now is the discussion regarding amendments to the alcohol ordinance.

    This text was generated automatically from the meeting video. It is not a verbatim or official record. For exact wording, consult the video or the city clerk.

  16. 10.d

    Discussion Regarding Amendments to the Alcohol Ordinance

    denied

    Council discussed a request from Richard Sills to amend the alcohol ordinance to allow hard liquor in Sims Park during special events. The City Manager recommended against the change citing liability, family-friendly environment, and economic concerns. Council moved to deny the request and the motion passed.

    • motion:Motion to deny the request to amend the alcohol ordinance to permit hard liquor in Sims Park during special events. (passed)
    ▶ Jump to 2:37:37 in the video
    Show transcript

    Auto-transcript · machine-generated, may contain errors

    [02:37:39] Ms. Manns? [02:37:40] Yes, sir, Mr. Murphy. [02:37:41] At your last meeting, Mr. Richard Sills presented himself to you, the purpose of which was to ask you to amend the alcohol and beverage ordinance to permit alcohol in Sims Park in conjunction with special events. [02:37:59] And in that respect, I've had some discussion with the city attorney, and the only way in which to allow alcohol is to amend the ordinance, as I indicated. [02:38:14] Hard liquor, as opposed to... [02:38:15] We're talking about hard liquor, Mayor. [02:38:16] Okay. [02:38:17] And from my perspective, I wouldn't be in favor of allowing alcohol in conjunction with special events in Sims Park. [02:38:28] The reasons are threefold. [02:38:31] First, it does increase the city's risk of liability, and that's not something I'm comfortable advocating for. [02:38:38] Additionally, the providence of alcohol beverages may, to some extent, impede the family-friendly environment that we're trying to advance and foster through our special events. [02:38:52] And lastly, I believe that one of the reasons that the city supports special events is because they provide a residual economic benefit to the city. [02:39:05] And in the case of providing alcohol in the park, that may prevent a visit to a downtown establishment in lieu of consuming in the park. [02:39:15] So with that, I'm recommending that you not consider amending the ordinance. [02:39:23] Thank you. [02:39:23] Open it up for public comment. [02:39:27] Seeing no one come forward, bring it back to council. [02:39:31] Mr. Mayor? [02:39:31] Yes. [02:39:32] While I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy, I'll take a shot at an ordinance here, which is a motion to deny the request. [02:39:45] Thank you. [02:39:46] We have a motion to deny the request that we change this. [02:39:51] Do we have a second? [02:39:53] Yes. [02:39:54] Thank you. [02:39:55] To the maker? [02:39:56] I think I've said more than enough. [02:39:58] To the second. [02:40:00] I just, for informational purpose, most of the time they sell 12-ounce beers in the park. [02:40:12] And that is equivalent, alcohol-wise, to an ounce and a half. [02:40:17] So that's more than a drink. [02:40:19] Usually a drink's an ounce. [02:40:20] So they're getting the alcohol that they need if they really want to get a buzz, or more than they need. [02:40:27] With a couple beers from the beer truck. [02:40:31] But I think that also, I talked to some people that were interested in having things downtown, and having alcohol in the park. [02:40:40] And it was more for the vendor wanting to bring in a vendor that has alcohol. [02:40:48] And I just, I told the vendor, I mean, I told the person that wants to bring the vendor in. [02:40:52] I said, they can hand out free drink cards and send them downtown, you know, and let them get their free drink downtown. [02:41:00] And, you know, it's a double winner. [02:41:04] You know, you've gone ahead and advertised your product in the park, and then you sent them down to the establishments downtown to get their free drink. [02:41:11] So that's, you know, they kind of nodded at that a little bit. [02:41:14] So I think that's kind of where we should go. [02:41:16] With that suggestion, I'm reminded of the fact that Tina Farrell, on behalf of Cody River Bike Fest, [02:41:23] did submit a written communication to me earlier today, in which she proposed that liquor vendors give samples in the park, [02:41:35] and then give a ticket to establish, to visit a local establishment. [02:41:42] So it's a variation of what you proposed. [02:41:45] Yeah, and that still has alcohol in the park. [02:41:50] I mean, you know, whatever, you know. [02:41:52] You could buy a t-shirt and get a bottle of liquor, you know. [02:41:55] I mean, that's not what we're looking at. [02:41:58] And she was one of the ones that I talked to, and, you know, I mean, she was like, oh, yeah, I guess we could do that, too. [02:42:05] You know, the vendor can supply the liquor to the bars at a reasonable rate, or even free, if they want to. [02:42:12] Yeah, I'd be more comfortable with the coupon thing, as well. [02:42:16] I just, I don't see any reason for us to expand beyond the beer and wine that's already in the park. [02:42:23] Mr. Murphy? [02:42:24] No comments. [02:42:26] In that case, last call for the question. [02:42:30] Last call for the question. [02:42:32] You can tell it's getting late. [02:42:35] All those in favor, please signify by saying aye. [02:42:38] Aye. [02:42:39] Opposed, like sign. [02:42:40] You can jump to the three-minute report now, if you want.

    This text was generated automatically from the meeting video. It is not a verbatim or official record. For exact wording, consult the video or the city clerk.

  17. 10.e

    Replacement of Storage Array

    approved

    Council approved the replacement of the main City Hall storage array with a Datrium solution, replacing the 2010 HP system that is reaching end-of-life in 2019. Funding is available in this year's budget via Florida State contract pricing.

    • motion:Motion to approve replacement of the main City Hall storage array with the Datrium solution. (passed)
    ▶ Jump to 2:42:44 in the video
    Show transcript

    Auto-transcript · machine-generated, may contain errors

    [02:42:44] We're going to do, very quickly, replacement of storage array. [02:42:48] Yes, sir, Mr. Mayor. [02:42:49] It's the geek thing. [02:42:49] We've got to do that one. [02:42:52] Good evening, Mayor and Council. [02:42:56] This item is before you this evening to seek your approval for the replacement of the main storage array at City Hall. [02:43:01] Our current storage array was put in place in 2010, and we expanded on it in 2014. [02:43:08] HP has announced that that system has reached end-of-life, and support ends in 2019. [02:43:14] The Datrium solution proposed offers additional storage capacity and speed. [02:43:19] The solution offers the ability to work with our existing servers, where other solutions did not. [02:43:25] Funding is available in this year's budget, as pricing is off the Florida State contract. [02:43:30] And I do have Daniel from Datrium in the audience, if you want to ask additional questions. [02:43:34] Very good. [02:43:35] Open it up for public comment. [02:43:38] Seeing no, bring it back to Council. [02:43:41] Motion to approve. [02:43:42] We have a motion and a second to the maker. [02:43:46] Thank you. [02:43:46] To the second. [02:43:48] Mr. Murphy? [02:43:50] In that case, all those in favor, please signify by saying aye. [02:43:53] Aye. [02:43:54] Opposed, like sign.

    This text was generated automatically from the meeting video. It is not a verbatim or official record. For exact wording, consult the video or the city clerk.

  18. 10.f

    Request to Purchase and Install Camera Systems for Police Impound Lot, Property Evidence Section and Police Boat Dock

    approved

    Council approved the purchase and installation of camera systems for the police impound lot, property evidence section, and police boat dock at a cost of $11,944, funded through the capital improvement project budget and abandoned properties fund.

    • motion:Approve the purchase and installation of camera systems for the police impound lot, property evidence section, and police boat dock for $11,944. (passed)
    ▶ Jump to 2:43:57 in the video
    Show transcript

    Auto-transcript · machine-generated, may contain errors

    [02:43:57] That was easy. [02:43:58] Okay. [02:43:59] Next is request to purchase and install camera systems for the police impound lot property evidence section and police boat dock. [02:44:07] Yes, sir, Mr. Mayor. [02:44:08] That expenditure is in the amount of $11,944. [02:44:14] We're proposing that it be paid for through our capital improvement project budget and our abandoned properties fund. [02:44:27] And with that, we're recommending that you approve the purchase of the cameras. [02:44:32] And Chief Bogart is prepared to respond to any questions that you may have related to the agenda item. [02:44:38] Very good. [02:44:39] Open it up for public comment. [02:44:41] Seeing no one come forward, bring it back to Council. [02:44:44] Move for approval. [02:44:45] We have a motion and a second to the maker. [02:44:48] You know, we've got to protect our, you know, our boat, number one, but then the impound lot, we don't need people jumping the fence. [02:44:55] To the second. [02:44:56] We need them. [02:44:58] Councilman? [02:45:00] If we'd have known we were buying these cameras, [02:45:01] we could have done the child swap there, probably, right? [02:45:04] No, that's another set of cameras we did last week. [02:45:07] Right in front of the police. [02:45:08] Oh, okay. [02:45:09] Right in front of the police. [02:45:09] Always coming up with an idea. [02:45:11] I would have figured we'd have had cameras [02:45:13] on the impound lot years ago, [02:45:14] but if not, this takes care of it [02:45:16] and definitely need it for the boat. [02:45:18] So, if there's no further discussion, [02:45:20] all those in favor, please signify by saying aye. [02:45:22] Aye. [02:45:23] Opposed, like sign. [02:45:24] Motion passes. [02:45:25] Now, three minute report from Human Resources.

    This text was generated automatically from the meeting video. It is not a verbatim or official record. For exact wording, consult the video or the city clerk.

  19. 10.g

    Three Minute Report: Human Resources

    HR department gave its semi-annual three-minute report covering 471 applications processed, 19 new hires, a job shadowing day with Gulf Middle School, Take Your Child to Work Day participation, and ongoing health insurance renewal work for FY 2018-19. Upcoming training on a drug-free and alcohol-free workplace policy will be conducted by public risk management.

    ▶ Jump to 2:45:26 in the video
    Show transcript

    Auto-transcript · machine-generated, may contain errors

    [02:45:28] Start the clock, yeah. [02:45:29] Oh. [02:45:30] Good evening. [02:45:33] Since my last three minute report in January, [02:45:36] the HR department has processed 471 applications [02:45:40] and conducted 19 new hires. [02:45:44] On March 29th, the city partnered with Gulf Middle School [02:45:46] to host a job shadowing day [02:45:49] with their student government body. [02:45:51] Activities included a mock city council meeting [02:45:54] and tours of the various city departments and facilities. [02:45:58] In April, the city participated [02:46:00] in Take Your Child to Work Day, [02:46:02] where over 25 children enjoyed the day [02:46:07] touring the city departments and facilities [02:46:09] while playing a photo scavenger hunt [02:46:12] and transportation to the different departments [02:46:15] was provided courtesy of the Kia Trolley. [02:46:18] Plus, we fed on pizza for lunch. [02:46:22] Working in conjunction with the city manager [02:46:24] on our renewal process for the health insurance coverage [02:46:27] for fiscal year 2018-19, [02:46:30] our experience as a group continues to improve [02:46:33] and we are working on a cost containment [02:46:36] with our upcoming renewal. [02:46:38] Staff attended a webinar given by UnitedHealthcare [02:46:42] titled From Wellness to Wellbeing, [02:46:45] and public risk management will be on site [02:46:47] later this summer to conduct the training [02:46:49] that will focus on a drug-free [02:46:53] and alcohol-free workplace policy. [02:46:57] That concludes my report. [02:46:58] I'll be happy to answer any questions. [02:47:01] Any questions? [02:47:03] Hearing none, thank you very much. [02:47:06] Now to my favorite part of the meeting, [02:47:07] communications and reports. [02:47:09] Mr. Murphy. [02:47:13] No, nothing. [02:47:14] Mr. Allman. [02:47:16] Surprise. [02:47:18] Mr. Davis. [02:47:19] I just have two things. [02:47:21] That whole parking thing last night, [02:47:24] I'd like to get their report on the additional 100 spots [02:47:30] that they recognized in the city [02:47:32] that we might make parking spots [02:47:34] and kind of investigate whether they're available, [02:47:39] whether we can use them. [02:47:41] Why not, right? [02:47:43] And then I just want to compliment Robert. [02:47:45] The crosswalks down Madison are like glowing.

    This text was generated automatically from the meeting video. It is not a verbatim or official record. For exact wording, consult the video or the city clerk.

  20. 11Communications2:47:46
  21. 12Adjournment2:50:00