11/19/2008NEIGHBORHOOD & AFFORDABLE HOUSING ADVISORY BOARD MEETING MINUTES
CITY OF CLEARWATER
November 19, 2008
Present: Donald F. Brackett Chair
Kip Corriveau Vice-Chair
Peggy M. Cutkomp Board Member
Laurel Braswell Board Member
Josephine Carbone Board Member
Samuel Davis Board Member
Peter Leach Board Member
Nick Pavonetti Board Member
Vacant Seat Board Member
Vacant Seat Board Member
Absent: Lisa Hughes Board Member
Jordan Behar Board Member
Also Present: Geri Campos Lopez
Jim Donnelly
Michael Holmes
Terry Malcolm-Smith
Patricia O. Sullivan
The Chair called the meeting to ord(
Economic Development Housing Director
Assistant Director of Econ. Dev./Housing
Housing Manager
Housing Coordinator
Board Reporter
?r at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall.
To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not
necessarily discussed in that order.
3 - Approval of Minutes - October 28, 2008
Member Carbone moved to approve the minutes of the regular Neighborhood and
Affordable Housing Advisory Board meeting of October 28, 2008, as recorded and submitted in
written summation to each board member. The motion was duly seconded and carried
unanimously.
4 - Local Housing Strategy: Wade Trim - Jose Fernandez & Amanda Warner
Jose Fernandez of Wade Trim presented the Local Housing Incentives Strategy,
reviewed the process and timeline, and summarized board efforts.
5 -Approval of Strategies
Incentive 1: "The processing of approvals of development orders or permits, as defined in
s. 163.3164(7) and (8), for affordable housing projects is expedited to a greater degree than
other projects."
Member Corriveau moved to approve Incentive 1 Strategies: 1.1) Continue to use the
"Notice of Affordable Housing Project" form to fast-track affordable housing projects; 1.2) Create
an affordable housing "One Stop Streamline Permitting Process" overseen by an "Affordable
Neighborhood & Affordable Housing 2008-11-19
Housing Facilitator or “Ombudsman.” This facilitator should be the first point of contact in the
City when submitting affordable housing projects; and 1.3) Improve customer service toward
potential project applicant. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
Incentive 2
: “The modification of impact-fee requirements, including reduction or waiver of fees
and alternative methods of fee payment for affordable housing.”
Member Leach moved to approve the Incentive 2 Strategy: Prepare a study to determine
the financial, legal, and administrative feasibility of reducing, refunding, or redefining (by unit
size the costs), impact fees, and other fees related to the development of affordable housing.
The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
Incentive 3
: “The allowance of flexibility in densities for affordable housing.”
Member Pavonetti moved to approve Incentive 3 Strategies: 3.1) Continue to provide
allowance of density flexibility for affordable housing developments; 3.2) Establish specific
parameters to grant density flexibility for affordable housing projects as allowed in the
Community Development Code with the different zoning districts; and 3.3) Evaluate whether
density allowance for the project could be defined prior to formal submission of the civil/site
engineering requirements. In this case, density will be awarded with the condition to the final
submission of the civil/site engineering requirements. The motion was duly seconded and
carried unanimously.
Incentive 4
: “The reservation of infrastructure capacity for housing for very-low-income persons,
low-income persons, and moderate-income persons.”
Member Leach moved to approve Incentive 4 Strategy: We do not recommend that the
City of Clearwater include the reservation of infrastructure capacity for housing for very-low-
income persons, low-income persons, and moderate-income persons as an incentive for the
provision of affordable housing. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
Incentive 5
: “The allowance of affordable accessory residential units in the residential zoning
districts.”
Member Pavonetti moved to approve Incentive 5 Strategy: Continue to allow for
accessory dwelling units in both nonresidential and residential zoning districts as described
within the City’s Comprehensive Plan and Community Development Code. The motion was
duly seconded and carried unanimously.
Incentive 6
: “The reduction of parking and setback requirements for affordable housing.”
Member Leach moved to approve Incentive 6 Strategies: 6.1) Continue to allow flexible
setback requirements for affordable housing developments; 6.2) Continue to allow for the
reduction of off-street parking requirements based upon the provision of affordable housing
units as per Article 3, Section 3-919 of the Land Development Code; and 6.3) Continue to tie
reductions of off-street parking requirements to proximity and access to alternative modes of
transportation, including transit, sidewalks, trails, or other options. The motion was duly
seconded and carried unanimously.
Neighborhood & Affordable Housing 2008-11-19 2
Incentive 7
: “The allowance of flexible lot configurations, including zero-lot-line configurations
for affordable housing.”
Member Pavonetti moved to approve Incentive 7 Strategy: Continue to allow flexible lot
configurations for affordable housing developments while remaining sensitive to the character
and context of existing neighborhoods. The motion was duly seconded and carried
unanimously.
Incentive 8
: “The modification of street requirements for affordable housing.”
Member Leach moved to approve Incentive 8 Strategy: Because such standards are in
place to benefit public health and safety, we do not recommend that the City utilize the
modification of street requirements as an incentive for affordable housing. The motion was duly
seconded and carried unanimously.
Incentive 9
: “The establishment of a process by which a local government considers, before
adoption, policies, procedures, ordinances, regulations, or plan provisions that increase the cost
of housing.”
Member Leach moved to approve Incentive 9 Strategies: 9.1) The Economic
Development & Housing Department should continue to review all regulations and ordinances
that may affect the cost of housing, and 9.2) Establish a formal process by which any new
regulatory instrument created in the City (Ordinances, regulations, etc.) can be evaluated for its
effect on housing affordability. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
Incentive 10:
“The preparation of a printed inventory of locally owned public lands suitable for
affordable housing.”
Member Leach moved to approve Incentive 10 Strategies: 10.1) The Economic
Development & Housing Department should continue to maintain the inventory of publicly
owned land suitable for the development of affordable housing; 10.2) The public land inventory
owned by the City for affordable housing should be published on the City’s webpage for
prospective developers and non-profit agencies for developing affordable housing; and 10.3)
Design a procedure to make publicly owned land available to prospective developers and non-
profit agencies for developing affordable housing. The motion was duly seconded and carried
unanimously.
Incentive 11
: “The support of development near transportation hubs, and other major
employment centers and mixed-use developments.”
Member Corriveau moved to approve Incentive 11 Strategy: The City should maintain
and enforce policies a.2.2.2; a.6.8.7; and c.1.4.2 of the City’s Comprehensive Plan. The motion
was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
Additional Recommendations
Incentive 12
: Adaptive Reuse.
Neighborhood & Affordable Housing 2008-11-19 3
Member Pavonetti moved to approve Incentive 12 Strategy: Continue to allow “adaptive
reuse” involving the conversion of surplus and/or outmoded buildings including old school
buildings, hospitals, train stations, warehouses, factories, etc. to mixed-uses. The motion was
duly seconded and carried unanimously.
Incentive 13
: Comprehensive Plan
Member Leach moved to approve Incentive 13 Strategy: Establish a policy under
Objective C.1.8 indicating the need to update the City’s Local Housing Incentives Strategy every
three years as indicated by the Florida Statutes (420.9076). The motion was duly seconded
and carried unanimously.
Incentive 14
: Land Development Code
Member Leach moved to approve Incentive 14 Strategy: Create a policy to encourage
developers to address recommended design standards for affordable housing developments.
The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
Incentive 15
: Communication & Marketing
Member Leach moved to approve Incentive 15 Strategy: Improve current communication
channels and marketing materials to reach different stakeholders interested in affordable
housing. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
Incentive 16
: Financing
Member Pavonetti moved to approve Incentive 16 Strategy: Diversify financial strategies
to contribute to the new construction and maintenance of affordable housing. Some actions
include but are not limited to: a) Maximize use of funds from the NSP (Neighborhood
Stabilization Program) and b) Encourage Employer-Assisted Housing Programs. The motion
was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
Incentive 17
: Partnerships
Member Pavonetti moved to approve Incentive 17 Strategy: Develop public and private
partnerships for the provision of affordable housing, including advertising to providers that a list
is being created. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
6 – Comments
Economic Development Housing Director Geri Campos Lopez said additions to the
report are possible before its presentation to the City Council at the December 18, 2008, public
hearing. No action is required before March 2009.
Discussion ensued regarding affordable housing and downpayment and rehabilitation
assistance.
Ms. Lopez thanked the board and José Fernandez and Amanda Warner of Wade Trim
for their participation and efforts.
Neighborhood & Affordable Housing 2008-11-19 4
\:. .'
The next NAHAB meeting is on December 9, 2008, ?t 9,a.m. i~ Council Chambers.
7 - Adiourn
The meeting adjourned at 7:05 p.m.
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Housing Advisory Board
Neighborhood & Affordable Housing 2008-11 YI q
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