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01/27/1976 " '....h.:', ' \:-" , <,,",., ,'.," . CLEARWATER DCMNTOWN DEVl.;wt'MENT BOARD MEETING January-'27 , 1976 Chamber of Commerce PRESENT: Darwin Fraank Rose B. Phifer Mayor Cazares Paul Bergmann Charles Galloway Leon Hammock Dale Warren Hugh C. Parker M. E. Palmer Joe R. Wolfe Al Semilow Bill Reed Bob Taylor Mary Ann Lirot Mr. & Mrs. Dick Siple Sam Casella Bob Levison Elmer Shafer Mr. & Mrs. Arlos Ogg Ron Johnson Sorrel Allen Don Minotti The Chairman called upon Mr. Minotti to give the Invocation. The Chairman then welcomed new guests and introduced those attending for the first time. The Chairman asked for approval of the minutes of December 10, 1975. A motion was so made, seconded and passed to accept the minutes as distributed. ~ ~ The Chairman asked Mr. Hammock to give a financial statement as of this date. The copy of this statement is attached. The Chairman then introduced Mrs. Kiefhaber, representing the Florida Gulf Coast Symphony, Inc. Mr. Kiefhaber made a short presentation which included a request for funds from the organization. The Chairman recognized the need for funding of the Symphony effort but stated that we are a tax taxing authority and since we have not budgeted funds for this purpose, the Downtown Development Board is not in a position to make a donation. However, he pointed out many of the people represent- ed by the Board are business people who have, and will make contribu- tions in their own name as \:1e.11 as in the name of their businesses. He invited Mrs. Kiefaber to return to us and at least keep us posted as to the progress she is making with her drive for funds. The Chairman asked Mr. Hammock to comment on the 1975 audit which has been distributed to each of the Board members. Mr. Hammock responded with a short summary of the highlights of the audit report and stated that in his opinion we are in good shape and would recommend adoption of the audit statement by the board. A motion was so made, which was seconded and passed to adopt the audit as distributed. The Chairman called on Mr. Ron Johnson who is the Bi-Centennia1 coordinator for the City to comment in regard to the progress that the Bi-Centennia1 Committee is making in Clearwater. Mr. Johnson responded by saying there is an upcoming meeting to be held on Janu- ary 29th, and he had been asked by his committee to come to this meet- ing and return with whatever information he can get from us in the way of assistance in his efforts. Mr. Johnson said that he primarily is . f'r:'l. v ~ ~ ~ '\ .,..... . .., " " ,I. > ',' .:' \'" \ " , \.:;..:, " . r'_/\~' ~ ,\ . I..~. . , . 'C' ~. . .'. . . ~. I I: , I . - " '. ..' , . . . . ,,' ~--~~~~~~~~" here today for the purpose of following up on a news article which was apparently made by I~. Allen of the United Churches of Florida. This article related to \.,ays and means of improving the appearance of the empty shops and stores in our business district, and hopeful1y to get the consent of the property own~rs to show displays of Bi-Cen- tennial nature in th€8e empty shops and stores. It's his intention that the displays would remain there until the shops were either leased or sold and occupied by new tenants. Mr. Allen responded to the state- ment by Mr. Johnson and said that yes) his group is in the process at the moment of preparing a conceptual plan to improve the appearance of the empty shops and stores, and also in other areas that sUT.'round the downtown of C1earwater. He said that of this date the plan is not com- plete, but that he '~ould be happy to work with ~. Johnson as soon as it is complete so that Mr. Jolmson's comnittee may find ways and means of haVing our groups illustrate various concepts which can be presented to the property owners for thej.:, consideration and hopefully their approval. This plan seems to :be in conformance \'Jith the wishes of the Mayor as well as the Board and \'1ill be followed through. It was added that since there seemed to be some reluctance en the part of property owners to open up their places for this Bi-Centennial display 5.I'rangement that the Mayor would be pleased to write to all the property owners and state reasons for the continuation of this effort and the improvemsnt of the appearance of the City by this means. At a recent Board of Directors meeting Mr. Percy Powell was named Chair- man of the Beautification Committee of the Downtown Development Board and although it was not stated at the meeting. the Executive Director will see to it that Mr. Powell gets together with Ron Johnson and Mr. Allen as soon as concept pl~ns are complet~d. It is felt that ~. Powell's relationship in these contacts would be important to proper follow 1through. The Chairman asked Mrs. Phifer, who is Chairlady of the Land Use Com- mittee, and Vice-Chairrna.~ of the Downtown De\relopment Board) to comment regarding a letter dated January 14th) from Mayor Cezares, addressed to the Chairman of the Board. Mrs. Phifer responded by explaining to those present the objectives of this letter, and the apparent plans of the City to declare as surplus the old fire station on Garden Avenue and some adjoining properties to itewned by the City. It was then the inten- tion of the City to offer the old fire station and the adjoining piece of property for sale following a declaration of surplus by the City Commission. Following some discussion it was pointed out by Mrs. Phifer and others that we are at the moment com~encing upon a $100)000 project redevelop- ment plan for the downtown area. She added that in her opinion at least) and although she has not had time to have full committee m~etir.gs, she has contacted the others who agree that for the city to sell any property, in the central business district, prior to the completion of this plan, would not be in conformanc e with her ideas of what should be done. Mayor Cazares responded to this by saying he agreed that land within the area should not be disposed of prior to tha completion of the redevelop- ment plan, and said that he would support the resolution in this regard. Mrs. Phifer then offered a resolution as follows: "I move that the I Board oppose tile sale of any city-o\'med downtown land until after the redevelopment planning is completed, and further that all proposed sales in the area be deferred until after the planning is completed." p. 2 ~ t. .~ i .J " ,". ;,\ ... "'. . . ,. .'.,' ~ll:>.<:i II.. A......~T . ffI"'~...,y. ~ 3. ~ ~ The motion was seconded and passed. The Chairman asked that the Executive Director prepare a resolution in regard to the above, and forward a copy to the Mayor, the City Manager, and the City Corrunission at the earliest possible date. The Chairman announced a Forum meeting of all candidates running for the City Commission, The Forum will be held on February 3rd, at 12:00 noon at the Fort Harrison. He requested all members to attend. The Chairman asked Mr. Wolfe to discuss contract negotiations to date with RTKL. Mr. Wolfe responded by passing a statement aroun1 to each member which pointed out the areas in which cons ideration should be given by the Board prior to the adoption. During the discussion, Mr. Bergmann was asked to bring the Board up to date as to the present position. He responded by saying that there had been some negotiations continuing this week, but that they are in a position now to finalize their consideration and hopes to be able to put this on the conunission meeting agenda for Pebruary 5th. However, he added that because of some of the changes that are still under dis- cussion it may not be possible to do this but hopes that it can be done no later than February 19th. 84" ;.. '"OJ ,.-;}" Considerabl.e discussion resulted having to do with the creation and formation of a task force of Clearwater citizens to work with the redevelopment consultCl.nt ~ the RTKL people. The Executive DirectoX' was asked to b~ing the Board up to date as to the present position of the composition and formation of the task force, which he did by read- ing the various categories of citizens who will ~ke up the task force. A copy of the task force proposal dated January 23rd, is attached to the minutes of this meeting for your final consideration. Palmer added that fOllowing this board meeting today he will. contact all of the groups who are required under the task force composition category to nominate the pe~son who will represent their particular group. As soon as this can be completed he will get this information in the way of our suggested proposal to the city staff, and hopefully it will be completed and p3.aced on the Pebruary 5th City Commission agenda for adoption by the City. The Chairman stated that the next regular scheduled Ineeting of the Board is February 24, ~976. 3:00 PM, the same room, Chamber of Commerce Building. e, Under New Business he asked if any of tge members of the Board had comments to make in this regard. There were several. The Hayor asked the Chairman to consider an item of new business and proceed~d to state that since the Eoard had today adopted th.3 policy of asking the City Commission to hold off on a declaration of land as surplus and the sale of these properties until after the planning is completed for the down- tovm area d1at perhaps the same policy shOUld be applied ti p~ivate own- ership of land as well. He stated that the people who are the present owners of the Fort Harrison Botel, The Southern Lam Development and ;~"~:~'-'~~~':'~t'.:. :'. .. '){\f~iftf4j,~r~(/;{ :\::,:'P~~~::'W~:W:#;~~:M;;~~~:I ,> .~, ,~\: ,:"'. . 'h';' " , ,~ , 'I, . ". , ":' ': ':', ' , \ ~ .' M. .:' ", , '. . ' , . ,. , . . . '" . ;', " '. , .......... {.' /',,' -. t..", :!:4 ~ I l ,'. '.~. . ~ . . - . i, '." \'" ..; .'" .' J..":;.' "1""; , ' . , ' ,', ,I:: , . . ., . ' ._----.--....~.~.- ...------- ,. .. ',' '.' . .., ,. .....,..- 'N l:au~ ~I".~. ,,: j..,. I.' I I. I'.' Q LeaSing Corp. are in the process of purchasing other areas of downtown Clearwater at this moment. He p~ssed out to all members of the Board photocopies of a recent letter dated January 231'd, addressed to Mr. Picot Floyd, City Manager from himself, in regard to the United Churches of Florida, and the cor1....espondence attached, \llhich indicated thClt the South- ern Land Development Corp. is indeed attempting to buy up other proper- ties in the core area including Prelude Eighty. He went on to state that in his letter to Mr. Allen dated January 21st, he had ask9d fOl' several items which would assist the city in coming to some con~lus~on regarding the intended use of Prelude Eighty should it be sold to ~vuthern Land and Development Corp. The Mayor went on to add that in his opinion the same rules being applied to the City in regard to land sales, should also be applied to private business. Several responses to his proposal we.~e made by members and guests of the Board, and it was pointed out that land owned by the city and paid for by the tax payers of the city is not in the same category as privately owned property, and what rules mj.ght apply to the city, don't necessarily apply to the private ownership of business. The Mayor went on to point out clearly that there seems to be a dirth of conversation going around about that Downtown Clearwater is dead. He pointed out that in his opinion this cannot be true and indicated that several big corporations, several local corporations who sincerely can't believe this or they wouldn't be investing the millions of dollars in the downtown area that are either completed or in the final stages of comple- tion at this time. Another thought expressed \'1as that we should find ways to counter such statements and should certainly at least not be respoLsible for them, should they continue. The Chairman conCluded and summarized the comments by the Mayor and indicated that at this time he would not ask for a motion in regard to the statement by the Mayor as to the application of the same rules to private ownership as to the city. The Mayor also commented that in his opinion, he might recommend that the proposed study to complete a rehabilitation plan for the downtown area be stopped, unless land sales aren't stopped, because in his opinion we will be attempting to plan something we have no control over. Mr. Warren asked for an opportunity to suggest that the Executive Director be instructed to write a letter to Southern Land Development and Leasing Corp. at an address supplied by Mr. Allen to him, and in the letter state that under the recent amendments to our act and changes in our by-laws that corporations are now, for the first time, allowed to vote for membership on the board of directors of the Downtown Development Board. Further, that the Executive Director should ask the Southern Land Develop- ment and Leasing Corp. to nominate one of their people to represent them, and to appear at future board meetings, so that we can become closer together, rather than farther apart. The Chairman stated that a motion to do this was not in order and he would instruct the Executive Director to prepare and forward such a letter when he has the proper address supplied to him by Mr. All.en. The meeting adjourned at 4:30 p.m. ". :. ~ '@J e I " \ '<' .f ~f:t~~~~ii~j~~t:..}~:':~;{~i(>'i/,~\~::;~g\>;~~~?i?'~';;il~:L .~: :', , '. , - ... #'" . "," '" f ..."..' 0... '. .. ..,\-l;..'rt I.. ~~~~::.'l-: ;I".'.r/ ~:"~~:r\"~:':\'..:j-1<'''''':':''' ". .~~}.~.~~'i;(i;" . t ,':fl.< ',: c:~t-~~./';1"'''~'i;'\.~~':::\~'' . ;"r:, :':~~0:Jl:~'>X~ ,:' ',I', -::,.1,': ''1:1,;" ~i " ....,ir.: >:::. ",:.', j~-'.~...~,," 1,.. ";.. ,. . '. ~.., OJ .c~,"" f.>..... (I, C " , :' 7l, ,", I, , ..;', ;,' , i~'k Ii'>" due consideration of a letter dated and signed by Hayor-Commissioner its regular meeting of January 27, 1976, mously approve a resolution, to be directed to Commission and the city Nanager as fo1101l7"8. That after 5, 1976, did at January Gabriel Cazares, unani- the City ", ',' ";<" ' .',' . _~~J!.:._ \ '. "t..( . '.. '. . RES 0 L UTI 0 N ~ \t1HEREAS It is the stated Development Board suitat~~ and which dOvlntown area of in generul; and purpose to have a the city of the Clearwater Downtown recon~end actions deemed n~st beneficial effect on the of Clearwater and the city HHEREAS : special meeting of the city of the Clearwater Downtown held on November 20, 1975, a joint ed which asked the city Staff to co~~nce with RTKL, a qualified-redevelopment ant for the downtown area; and At a membe rs commission and the Development Board, decision was reach- negotiations planning consult- NHEREAS At this point completed, Commission at in time contract with a Staff proposal the reguihar negotiations are to go to the meeting of February about city 5 ; and vlHEREAS It is will expected that start about March downtown redevelopment 1976 . planning 1, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: "The Board of Directors of the CDDE any city owned land within the area the downtown area of Clearwater until opment planning now authoriz2d to be oppose the sale officially knOivl1 after the redevel- underway is completed of as Further, that the district p1ete... II any pending be deferred until sales of city owned after the land within planning is com,!-" BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That and date this resolution be the city Manager of the and prior to February presented ci ty of 5, 1976. to the city commission Clearwater at an early CLEARNA'rER gj~ /~, Cha~rman DOW~~OWN DEVELOPYillNT ~rv~ '- " BOARD ~ ~ /, f Dated F~bruary 21 1976 ,; ,~ -.I ,I ..';,,1 <; .. '~~ .\'