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02/28/1978 ,'; < ,,:.'-<.-. :~~ ':: ~.;; \t'" ',' .--.,~ .~', " .' . . ; , '., ' ':. ~. "~ ,- ....~.. ./ \ ',' .' " '., . CLEARWATER DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT BOARD MINUTES February 28, 1978 MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE: Leon Hammock, Chairman Aaron Bilgore, Vice-Chairman Rose Phifer William Nunamaker Bronson Thayer Dale Warren NON-MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE: Sam Casella, Executive Director Mr. & Mrs. Arlos Ogg Mr. & Mrs. Norman Bie John Chesnut Tom Brown William MacKenzie Harrison Robertson Lin Howard Ann Greigg Mayor Gabriel Cazares Darwin Frank Charles Finton Wi 11 i am Kravas Annette Baker . The monthly meeting of the Clearwater Downtown Development Board was called to order at 3:00 p.m. by Chairman Leon Hammock who welcomed the members and guests in attendance. The invocation was given by Mr. John Chesnut. Chairman Hammock called for introduction of guests. Mr. Chesnut intro- duced Mr. Harrison Robertson of Baltimore, a Downtown property owner. Mr. Nunamaker introduced Annette Baker of Island Estates. . Mr. Hammock invited Mayor Cazares to address the Board. Mayor Cazares praised the Board for its efforts and good work and thanked the Board on behalf of the citizens of Clearwater for those efforts and he urged the Board to continue moving ahead. Mr. Hammock asked if anyone wished to speak on matters not on the Agenda. Mr. Bi1gore invited Board members to the movie opening at the Carib Theatre on March 18, 1978, and the party to follow atop the Bank of Clearwater, a benefit for the Girls Club of Pine11as County. Mrs. Phifer requested that, in the future, space be provided on the Agenda for unfinished business and correspondence yeceived by the Board. Mr. Hammock asked Mr. Thayer to give a report on his trip to Atlanta with Mr. Casella two weeks ago. Mr. Thayer reported that he visited Mr. Bill Johnson of Johnson Properties, owners of Holiday Inns. Mr. Thayer said that the visit was very encouraging and that Johnson Properties expressed a continuing interest in a hotel facility. Mr. Thayer said several other groups have also expressed interest in the Downtown Clearwater area and wish to be kept abreast of developments. .:., " ~ \;J . . ) . .', <', ." . C'r:.~ I. t::''' 1:__ .~.. ;: (' ...--r.._llf;!~,\'~~~~::.. -2- Mr. Darwin Frank stated that the Downtown Development Board should endorse or rein~urse the efforts of the Friends of the Library to have a new main library built. Mr. Hal111lock asked Mr. Casella ,to report on the visit to Clearwater of Mr. Ted Baker of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Mr. Casella said that Mr. Baker visited Clearwater at the invitation of the Downtown Development Board to consider possible designation of Downtown Clearwater as a new town in town. Mr. Casella explained that the new communities program has been under a moratorium for several years, but it is believed that the moratorium will soon be lifted. Mr. Casella said that he introduced Mr. Baker to Mr. Hammock, Mr. Bilgore and Mr. Shoemaker, the City Manager. Mr. Casella said that, if the moratorium is lifted and the new communities program is reactivated, then Clearwater is in a posi- tion to be considered because of the existence of the Plan for Downtown Clearwater and it is possible that Federal help could be forthcoming to implement the Plan. Mr. Hammock advised the members of the Board that meetings of the Board and Workshop Sessions are taped and we have approximately six months of used tape. The Board Members agreed that tapes can be reused after they have been transcribed and are three months old. Mr. Hal111lock moved to Item #7 on the Agenda and introduced Mr. William MacKenzie to the Board. Mr. MacKenzie, an attorney, represents the First Church of Christ Scientist which has been experiencing problems with un- authorized use of its parking lot. Mr. MacKenzie said that property owners can call a towing service to remove the unauthorized vehicle from the premises but the property owner will have to pay to have it towed away. He advised that he is requesting the City to adopt an ordinance making it illegal to park in reserved space in an rmauthorized manner. Mr. Hamnock introduced Mrs. Ann Greigg of ~he Pinellas Citizens Dispute Center and Mr. Hammock stated that the Center might be helpful in solving the problem. Mrs. Greigg said the Citizens Dispute Center has been set up to handle claims as mediators and might be able to help. Mrs. Greigg stated that the Center has forms similar in appearance to a court notice which could be placed on the unauthorized vehicles. Mr. MacKenzie thanked Mrs. Greigg but stated that he believes the Dispute Center is best able to solve disputes where the parties know each other and that he feels a City Ordinance would be a better solution. Mr. MacKenzie said that he intends to keep prodding the City and asked for the Board's support. Mr. Bilgore moved that the Bo~rd write to the City Manager and Mayor re- questing that they endorse the concept of the proposal set forth by Mr. MacKenzie to permit the Police Department to ticket cars parked in spaces reserved by the property owner for his own use. Mrs. Phifer seconded the motion. A vote was taken and the motion passed. '!t'.~'$~'P{\ ....,~^'d"J,.;.'1.i:.rl...~;-;;. I ...~.t~,~..t!~.:'.~~..".~ ~ I. '.'~ .'.. ., !~i \r,.~"";h1.~~l~:.:-.,l.;.....~,~.~:..~l........-;" f~'';'~'~'~.~'''':''/';. " :j., ',...".;._ l ..' ~ff;~\~?~~~.~,:tt'~~~~'J~t'I:-;~,~:'r~,~'.~?;-:I:'::':',:{.,-:.. , :' : ". 01'" J., . ..' . ,', . " ~" ", -. .. . . .' -~/' , ., '; , :', @D'''' !:.:'l:(',-: ""~' -3- Mrs. Phifer requested that Mr. MacKenzie's matter be placed on the next City Commission Agenda. Mr. Nunamaker said he would ask to have this matter placed on the City Commission Agenda either in March or April. Mr. Hammock asked that the Minutes of the Meeting of January 31, 1978, be approved. Mr. Thayer moved to approve the minutes. Mr. Bi1gore seconded the motion. A vote was taken and the motion passed. Mr. Hammock asked for approval of the Financial Statement for the month of February, 1978. Mr. Bi1gore moved to approve the Financial Statement. Mr. Thayer seconded the motion. A vote was taken and the motion passed. Mr. Hammock asked for a report from Mr. Bi1gore on the activities of the Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Bi1gore gave the floor to Mr. Thayer. Mr. Thayer advised that on April 15, 1978, there will be a future planning retreat to identify 10-year goals of the Clearwater community and th~t it is hoped to get approximately 75 people from various fields to participate. Mr. Thayer said that he expects Downtown Clearwater will get a good hearing from the future planning task force. Mr. Hammock moved to the next item on the' Agenda, the proposed zoning ordi- nance. Mr. Nunamaker said he would like some input from the Board and asked if the Board favors the concept of rezoning and asked what items the Board is not in favor of. ,a,e w Mr. Hammock said the Board is in favor of the general concept but that Mr. Renando is still working on the ordinance and it would be about 3 months before the specifics would be known. Mr. Bilgore said he would like to have this matter put on the Work Session Agenda and to discuss Nos. 5, 6, 7, 9 and 10 on Mr. Casella's memorandum. Mr. Norman Bie requested that the opinion of property owners be solicited on the question of zoning amendments. Mr. Hammock said that property ownel~S are advised of the meetings and could attend our meetings to make their input and suggested the possibility of moving all the meetings to the Chamber of Commerce building to allow more sitting space. Mrs. Phifer said that the Board should send out-of-town property owners a notice that rezoning is being considered and get their input before the Board goes into discussion. Mr. Bi1gore said he does not agree and believes the Board should first de- termine what the proposed ordinance is and then gather input from property owners. . Mr. Hammock stated that the zoning matter would be considered at the Workshop Session. ~w. ~~~~k~rf:~:~~~tlt~i;:j:/}:\jM~?fI.~f~Z:::;'~$:j".,;~;.;,~'" ,," . ,',' '"" ..' '" t' ...... ~ . ',. ,. . \ ' \' ~" , , , , .' ~ ." . . j' . . ' , . : I. :. ',' ..; .~: ~, " :., '~'l"" :.~ . , . J: .. f , ',' "'9' """,:' ,;;.',{',::."',:"'; , .,".'.1'" ',.t.:" :' .,' "" ,,',,' . " , , . , .' I ,'. J. " " ,;:~>:~ L' p, I, , ......, .~. I, ' I ,'j 'I,:, ' ',.," ,',,' , . '~ _~~"Sl,<1J"~SlJ2Xlll1.~.mr:l'~;'''',~\l~rrn~~.f!J1l'-~~~~t~~~~fii~~.'' ~ ~ -4- . Mr. Hammock introduced Mr. Tom Brown to report on State Road 60. Mr. Brown stated that he is expecting a response of the Florida Department of Transportation momentarily. Mr. Hammock moved to the next Agenda item, adoption of goals. Mr. Hammock said that discussion of goals would continue at the Workshop Session. Mr. Bilgore suggested that Mr. Casella arrange the goals in order of priority for discussion at the Workshop Session. Mr. Hammock asked Mr . Casella to report on ongoing matters. Mr. Casella reported that the Downtown Clearwater Association voted to sponsor the Farmer's Market and that matter will be on the City Commission agenda on March 2. Mr. Casella reported that the City of Clearwater has submitted three elements of its Comprehensive Plan to the Pinellas Planning Council. Mr. Casella said that the Land Use Plan submitted by the City contained a statement that the entire Plan for Downtown Clearwater was being submitted to the Pinellas Planning Council as an appendix to the Land Use Plan. Mr. Casella said that, in fact, only 30 pages of the entire Plan was included. Mr. Casella said that he believed that the Pinellas Plannlng Council would prefer to receive the entire Plan for Downtown Clearwater and that he had written to the City Manager so stating. Mrs. Phifer raised the question of whether the Board wished to implement the Plan for Downtown Clearwater exactly as RTKL did it, or whether modifications would be necessary. Mrs. Phifer raised a question concerning relationship between the Plan and the Zoning Ordinance. Mr. Casella stated that, in his opinion, it is critically important that the Plan for Downtown Clearwater be adopted. Mr. Casella said concerning the relationship of the Plan to the Zoning Ordinance, that the City is required by law to submit elements of its Comprehensive Plan to the Pinellas Planning Council and to the Department of State Planning. Mr. Casella said that the Pinellas Planning Council and the Department of State Planning have the responsibility to hold a hearing and to make input concerning their recommendation to the City of Clearwater. The City then has the responsibility of adopting the Comprehensive Plan. Mr. Casella further explained that all regulations, such as a zoning ordinance, must be consistent with the Comprehensive Plan as adopted. Mr. Casella pointed out that any plan is necessarily a guide, but any ordinance is neces- sarily very specific and very clear as to exactly what ;s and what is not permitted. Mr. Casella suggested that the Board Members review Page 43 of the Plan for Downtown Clearwater which is the Land Use map and be prepared to discuss it at the next Work Session. Mr. Hammock stated that this matter would be the prime subject at the next Work Session. Mr. Casella advised the Board that he had been visited by Mr. William Turnbull of the Florida Downtown Development Association and had been advised that tax increment-tax gbatement financing had been approved by the Constitutional Revision Commission and would be on the ballot for inclusion in the new Consti- tution. Mr. Casella advised the Board that, according to the Supervisor of Elections office, the last time tax increment-tax abatement financing was on the ballot in November, 1976, as a Constitutional Amendment, Pinellas County . '- ';1 '~,':'." .\'. :;....l'.r::', , ',' .:' ',. ':,' '.' . "',''i.. . -5- voters approved of the amendment by a vote of 102~870 Casella said he had also been advised by Mr. Downtown Development Association is planning a relationship between Downtown development and historic Casella said that Mr. Turnbull had asked for his participation as a of the panel and also asked for a wide representation of the governmental cornm~nity at the seminar which will be held in date to be announced later. to 79,994. Mr. Turnb~ll that the Florida seminar to highlight the preservation. Mr. member business and Orlando at a In response to a question by Mrs. Phifer, Mr. request that the City Commission assign a box in City Hall of provid~ng information to the Downtown Development Board City Commission Agenda. Nunamaker said that he would for the p~rpose concerning the Mr. at 3: 00 p.m. at 3:00 p.m. Hammock stated that the next Work Session will and that the next regular meeting will be on Friday, March 10 be on Tuesday, March 28 The meeting was adjourned at 5:00 p.m. Respectfully submitted, ,to . ~ Sam ca~xecut;ve Director SC/db I ., ::.1 Ie " l;t>.:,- '.