05/24/2011
2011 Business Task Force Meeting Minutes
CITY OF CLEARWATER
May 24, 2011
Present: Brian Aungst, Jr. (Chair) & Attorney at MacFarlane, Ferguson & McMullen
Joe Burdette, Construction program manager w/various projects in city.
Steve Engelhardt, Hallmark Development Inc.
Steve Fowler, Architect, Fowler Associates Architects, Inc.
Mark Klein, Klein & Hutchens Real Estate
Jeff Kronschnabl, Instructor with St. Petersburg College (retired from city)
Shelley Kuroghlian, President of Clearwater Neighborhoods Coalition
Robert Pergolizzi, Principal at Gulf Coast Consulting, civil engineers, etc.
Alex Plisko, (Vice-Chair) Architect in Clearwater since 1978
P.J.Shah, Cumbey and Fair, Inc.
Also Present: Frank Hibbard, Mayor
Absent: David Albritton, President of David Albritton, Building Contractor Inc.
Alan Bomstein, Creative Contractors Inc.
Katie Cole, Attorney at Johnson & Pope
Alan Ebbert, Frenchy’s restaurants Operation Manager
Gene Gillespie, President of Sand Key Civic Assoc. & Gillespie & Assoc.
Robert Longnecker, Manager of Clearwater Jolley Trolley
Duane Schultz, Code Enforcement Board
Chair Aungst called the meeting to order. Mayor Hibbard was asked to attend to clarify concerns
from the group as to the direction they should take.
Mayor Hibbard reiterated statements made at the first meeting. He wanted a diverse group and
people who deal with the city and to answer questions. He wants the group to identify concerns
about inefficiencies in the city and that businesses think we are “unfriendly” to work with. Make
recommendations to areas that need to be addressed. He wants them to hold a public meeting to
identify problems in the city, such as the Planning Department, the code, any contact that
businesses have with the city, signage, etc.
He does not see this as a year long process but 3 to 6 months. The council will take their
recommendations and make changes where they think improvement will make a difference and
make it better to work with the city. He does not want this group to rewrite the code. The council
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did not give them a specific agenda. They can make recommendations about staff and attitudes
and talk to staff, or look at anything they think needs improving. They can have staff come in
and talk. First they need to clarify their findings.
Chair Aungst hopes to be done by the end of July or early August. The Task Force will have a
meeting where it discuss its non-final recommendations with Mr. Delk and takes public
comment. The Task Force will then have a final meeting to approve final recommendations.
He asked for a motion to amend the minutes as suggested Member Kuroghlian. A discussion
ensued as to what changes should be made to the minutes. Chair Aungst asked if anyone else had
changes and the members voted to approve the changes as stated.
th
Adoption of Non-Final Recommendations Discussed at May 9 Meeting
A discussion ensued regarding the bullet points on the Agenda and topics discussed at the May
th
9 meeting regarding land use, zoning, and the Community Development Code. The Members
decided to strike “narrative” and replace it with “design plan” in the fifth bullet point. The
Member decided strike “variance” from the sixth bullet point and replace it with “flexibility” and
“per the parking code” at the end of the bullet point. The Members decided to completely
eliminate the seventh bullet point. The Members decided to replace the last bullet point with
“Develop reasonable procedures prior to requiring existing multi-tenant properties to be brought
through the development review process.”
A motion was made and seconded to the non-final bullet point recommendations as amended.
The motion was passed by the Members unanimously.
Complete Discussion of Changes Regarding Land Use and Zoning
Member Burdette talked about Level 3 development process and the problem of being asked for
something more at the last minute. Process needs to be changed so that applicants are not
required to fulfill additional requirements at the conclusion of the process.
Regarding the inspection process, the inspectors need to be provided with laptops or mobile
devices like the inspectors at the County have to increase efficiency.
The City should provide a discount or other incentives for applicants utilizing a private plan
review .
Impact fees have been slashed in other municipalities and Clearwater should reduce theirs.
Discussion ensued about other cities fees and what Clearwater requires. A suggestion was made
that the City amend Section 4-202 of the Community Development Code to remove some of the
requirements for Level 3 projects. A discussion was also had about the Public Art Ordinance
and whether it is an impact fee or should be reassessed by the City.
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Chair Aungst asked Members to come up with language for recommendations to be submitted to
the Task Force at the next meeting regarding the topics discussed for the first time at this
meeting. The language will be for development agreements, inspection process, plan reviews
and impact fees. The next meeting will feature a presentation from attorney Roger Larson from
the Clearwater Chamber of Commerce regarding proposed changes to the Sign Code.
Next meeting June 7, 2011 at 5:00 pm, at the MSS room 130.
Meeting adjourned at 6:50 pm
Chair
Business Task Force
Attest:
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Board Reporter
Business Task Force 2011-05-24