On the agenda

1. 1Call to Order - Roll Call▶ 0:00
2. 2

   Approval of November 17, 2020 CRA Meeting Minutes

   approved

   The CRA Board approved the minutes from the November 17, 2020 CRA meeting.

   • motion:Approve the November 17, 2020 CRA meeting minutes. (passed)

   #November 17, 2020 CRA Meeting Minutes

   ▶ Jump to 0:31 in the video

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   [00:00:31] Next item is the approval of the November 17th minutes. [00:00:34] Move for approval. [00:00:35] Second. [00:00:36] All those in favor, please signify by saying aye. [00:00:39] Aye. [00:00:39] Opposed, like sign. [00:00:41] Motion passes.

   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

   ↳You arrived here from a search for “4927 US Highway 19” — transcript expanded below

   Commercial Real Estate Redevelopment Grant Award - Widow Fletcher's

   approved

   The CRA Board approved a Commercial Real Estate Redevelopment Grant for Widow Fletcher's at 4927 US Highway 19, raising the standard $100,000 cap to a $400,000 appropriation paid over three years ($100,000 in the current fiscal year, $150,000 in FY21, and $150,000 in FY22) based on the project's $2,450,000 total investment.

   • motion:Approve the Commercial Real Estate Redevelopment Grant award for Widow Fletcher's of $400,000 paid over three fiscal years ($100,000 / $150,000 / $150,000). (passed)

   📍4927 US Highway 19🏢Applicant Insight🏢Frank's Place🏢Hacienda🏢Main Street Lannings🏢Rice Nutrition🏢Widow Fletcher's👤Charles👤Director Altman👤Director Peters👤Mr. Davis#Commercial Real Estate Redevelopment Grant Program

   ▶ Jump to 0:42 in the video

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   [00:00:42] Next, commercial real estate development grant [00:00:44] award for Widow Fletcher's. [00:00:46] Yes, sir, Mr. Mayor. [00:00:47] We have one of the business owners in attendance [00:00:49] this evening. [00:00:52] As you're aware, Widow Fletcher's [00:00:55] has redeveloped their property at 4927 US Highway 19. [00:01:04] Our current real estate redevelopment grant program [00:01:09] has a cap on it, and if I misspeak, [00:01:13] Charles, help me out, of $100,000. [00:01:19] And in this case, the application project total cost [00:01:27] was $2,450,000. [00:01:32] Based on the amount of their investment, [00:01:35] and to be consistent with the way [00:01:37] we've treated other catalytic projects [00:01:42] and other restaurants, based on percentage of investment, [00:01:46] we thought that the cap should be raised in this case. [00:01:50] And what the staff is recommending that you consider [00:01:54] is an appropriation of $400,000 to be paid over a three-year [00:01:59] period of time. [00:02:01] The first year of the program, which is the current fiscal [00:02:05] year, would be $100,000. [00:02:08] The second program year, fiscal year 21, [00:02:12] would be $150,000, and then another $150,000 [00:02:17] in fiscal year 22. [00:02:21] That's our recommendation. [00:02:23] Thank you. [00:02:23] I'll open it up for public comment. [00:02:26] Seeing no one come forward, bring it back to ACRA. [00:02:29] Move for approval. [00:02:30] Second. [00:02:31] To the maker. [00:02:34] They did a lot of work, and I was in there before, [00:02:37] and I've been in there now, and I'm [00:02:40] surprised it's only $200,000, $2.4 million. [00:02:45] To the second. [00:02:47] Yeah, they've invested a lot, and they [00:02:49] took an area that needed to be cleaned up and revitalized, [00:02:53] and made it into something really, really cool. [00:02:55] So I appreciate all the work they put into it. [00:02:59] Director Altman. [00:03:02] I'll follow the recommendation. [00:03:05] Director Peters. [00:03:07] Yeah, I don't know. [00:03:11] Yeah, I don't have the history. [00:03:13] I should have done maybe some homework [00:03:14] to see what our history had been as far as awards of this size. [00:03:20] I don't know that we've had that size capital investment [00:03:24] in a city for some time. [00:03:27] They got Hacienda, Main Street Lannings, and Frank's Place [00:03:35] Rice Nutrition in that whole building. [00:03:36] Yeah, but we haven't had a restaurant, so. [00:03:41] And I'm trusting that the staff's reviewed that, [00:03:46] and it's in a comparative zone or range there. [00:03:52] I think that particular property is right there in front. [00:03:57] As you come into the city, it's a prominent spot. [00:04:00] It took how many years did that property [00:04:03] sit there vacant and just deteriorating and so forth? [00:04:06] So I was really pleased to see them come in and go out [00:04:11] on a limb and make this type of investment for the community. [00:04:15] So I support it. [00:04:17] Mr. Davis. [00:04:18] Just one other thing I want to say [00:04:19] is that they have just under 100 employees, [00:04:21] and I don't know very many private industries [00:04:27] in this town that have 100 employees. [00:04:28] In fact, I think there's only one. [00:04:31] No, there's a couple. [00:04:33] What's the call center? [00:04:35] They've probably got close to 100, right? [00:04:37] Applicant Insight has more than that, but there are a few. [00:04:41] I'm not talking about private. [00:04:43] I'm not talking about public ones [00:04:44] like school and the hospital, you know what I mean? [00:04:48] But, yeah. [00:04:51] Yeah, I don't have a problem with this. [00:04:53] Any other discussion? [00:04:55] Hearing none, all those in favor, [00:04:57] please signify by saying aye. [00:04:59] Aye. [00:04:59] Opposed, like sign. [00:05:01] Motion passes.

   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

   Consideration of the Purchase of 5432 Acorn Street

   tabled

   Staff requested that consideration of the purchase of 5432 Acorn Street be tabled to allow additional time to work with the property owner before bringing back a recommendation.

   • direction:Item tabled at staff's request to allow additional time with the property owner before a recommendation is brought back. (tabled)

   📍5432 Acorn Street

   ▶ Jump to 5:02 in the video

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   [00:05:02] Next is consideration of the purchase of 5432 Acorn Street. [00:05:07] Mr. Mayor, we're going to ask that you table [00:05:10] this matter at this time and allow the staff to spend [00:05:15] some additional time with the property owner [00:05:18] before we come back with a recommendation. [00:05:20] We'll pull that item then.

   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

   2021 Railroad Square Improvements - Engineering Services

   approved

   The CRA Board approved Task Order 2102 with Wannemacher Jensen Architects for engineering services (design, bid, and construction) for the 2021 Railroad Square Improvement Project, in an amount not to exceed $63,985. The project includes converting overhead utility lines to underground, hardscape improvements, landscaping, and cafe lighting. Board members discussed extending similar improvements (especially burying power lines) to other parts of the city such as Gulf Drive.

   • motion:Motion to approve Task Order 2102 with Wannemacher Jensen Architects for engineering services for the 2021 Railroad Square Improvement Project, not to exceed $63,985. (passed)

   📍Gulf Drive📍Main Street📍Marine Parkway📍Railroad Square🏢Duke Energy🏢Wannemacher Jensen Architects Incorporated👤Director Alden👤Dr. DeLong👤Mr. Murphy👤Robert#2021 Railroad Square Improvement Project#CRA#Hurricane Irma#Task Order 2102

   ▶ Jump to 5:21 in the video

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   [00:05:21] Next item is 2021 Railroad Square Improvements. [00:05:25] Dr. DeLong. [00:05:30] This request is for council to consider for approval task [00:05:35] order number 2102. [00:05:37] This is from Watermaker Jensen Architects Incorporated [00:05:41] for the engineering services in the amount not to exceed $63,985. [00:05:49] The deliverables in this task would be included [00:05:52] would be design, bid, and construction services [00:05:55] for the 2021 Railroad Square Improvement Project. [00:06:00] The deliverables or the elements that [00:06:03] are included as those deliverables [00:06:05] in the construction phase would be [00:06:07] the conversion of the overhead service lines [00:06:10] to underground, hardscape improvements [00:06:14] such as state stamped pavement, seating areas, planters, [00:06:18] and shade structures. [00:06:21] Landscaping would be included, as well as [00:06:23] cafe lighting overhead throughout the area. [00:06:28] With that, we would recommend that you approve the task order. [00:06:31] Thank you. [00:06:32] I'll open it up for public comment. [00:06:34] Seeing no one come forward, bring it back to the CRA. [00:06:37] Move for approval. [00:06:38] Second. [00:06:39] To the maker. [00:06:40] Nothing more. [00:06:40] Looking forward to the second. [00:06:44] Yeah, as well. [00:06:45] Looking forward to it. [00:06:48] Question, Robert. [00:06:49] How much of this total project cost [00:06:51] is the relocation of the power lines? [00:06:56] I'll have to get that dollar amount for you. [00:06:58] It's a fairly significant part. [00:07:00] It is. [00:07:02] I don't recall either. [00:07:04] Director Alden? [00:07:07] I think that one of the things that I've heard from the public, [00:07:10] and I've heard it for 20 some years, [00:07:14] is that we're spending all of our effort and time [00:07:16] in the downtown, and we need to do things [00:07:18] throughout the rest of the town. [00:07:21] I think I also share the desire to bury the electric lines [00:07:28] on Gulf Drive. [00:07:29] I still believe that the traffic is already [00:07:32] piling up on Main Street. [00:07:33] We're going to need that Gulf Drive to get to Madison, [00:07:36] and we need to control giving these alternatives. [00:07:39] We have very few alternatives for East-West. [00:07:42] And so I think that it was suggested, [00:07:46] who else are we burying electric lines for? [00:07:48] I think that if this is something, [00:07:50] we need to choose some very other nodes [00:07:54] and areas of our city to continue to improve it. [00:07:57] We're doing it on Marine Parkway. [00:08:00] So one solution may be that we're [00:08:03] going to have to think about dividing up [00:08:06] the CRA's functions into different sections of town. [00:08:11] We've got the Highway 19, we've got the Main Street, [00:08:13] we've got some of the old hospital area. [00:08:16] And while we don't have individual CRA's for each one, [00:08:20] I think it's probably we're getting [00:08:22] to the point with the revenue coming in and all the strategy [00:08:25] that we have to make, we're going [00:08:27] to have to show some future evidence of where [00:08:33] the money's coming from and how this investment hopefully [00:08:38] will follow it. [00:08:39] This particular project we've talked about for a long time, [00:08:42] I don't know what new investment it's going to bring, [00:08:44] but we're certainly going to support the folks that [00:08:46] put investment in before on that road. [00:08:51] And as a side note, we've been blocking that road off. [00:08:54] I think we could stop doing it now, [00:08:56] because I really don't see much usage in the back end [00:09:01] for much longer. [00:09:03] It's until you remodel it and make it a place to stay. [00:09:12] Even the events are now starting to move back out [00:09:14] to Main Street to get that visibility. [00:09:17] Well, too, we've got a couple of places closed now, too. [00:09:22] Mr. Murphy. [00:09:24] Nope, no progress, looking forward to it. [00:09:28] I appreciate your comments about doing [00:09:34] some stuff in different areas, and also [00:09:37] the burying the power lines. [00:09:40] Not only Gulf, but we ought to take a serious look at that. [00:09:48] I don't know that that's necessarily a community [00:09:51] redevelopment project, but it may well [00:09:54] be a resiliency item. [00:09:59] And I can tell you, in my neighborhood, [00:10:03] when Irma came through, we were without power for six days. [00:10:08] And we wouldn't have been out of power [00:10:10] at all if the lines had been buried. [00:10:15] And I've had people from other parts of New Port Richey [00:10:21] that have essentially said the same thing. [00:10:23] They've got real concerns about the reliability of the Duke [00:10:28] Energy power, because we're a tree city, [00:10:32] and there are trees everywhere. [00:10:34] And during a wind event, tree limbs come down, [00:10:41] trees come down, and power lines come down. [00:10:45] And we're sitting in the dark, sweltering. [00:10:49] So I support this, because we've [00:10:54] got to do something to get Railroad Square where it's [00:10:57] actually functioning. [00:11:00] But this can't be the be all, end all. [00:11:07] So any further discussion? [00:11:11] Hearing none, all those in favor, [00:11:13] please signify by saying aye. [00:11:15] Aye. [00:11:16] Opposed, like sign. [00:11:18] Motion passes.

   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. 6Communications▶ 11:19
7. 7Adjournment▶ 16:59