05/15/2002
BROWNFIELDS ADVISORY BOARD MEETING
CITY OF CLEARWATER
May 15, 2002
Present: Brian Flaherty Chair
Willa Carson Board Member
Karen Fenton Board Member
Gary Gray Board Member
Mary Miller Board Member
Thomas Noble Board Member
William Sherman Board Member
Absent: Stephen Fowler Vice-Chair
Renu Khator Board Member
Also Present: Leslie Dougall-Sides Assistant City Attorney
Reg Owens Economic Development Director
Diane Hufford Economic Development Coordinator
Patricia O. Sullivan Board Reporter
The Chair called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. at Ross Norton Recreation
Center, followed by an invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance.
To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not
necessarily discussed in that order.
ITEM #5 – Action Items
a) Approval of Minutes
Member Gray moved to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of April 30,
motion
2001, as submitted in written summation to each board member. The was duly
carried
seconded and unanimously.
b) Establish Meeting Schedule
Consensus was to approve the meeting schedule: August 21 and November 20,
2002.
ITEM #6 – Staff Reports
a) Reappointment of BAB (Brownfields Advisory Board) Members
Miles Ballogg, of Tampa Bay Engineering, reported the City Commission had
reappointed Members Flaherty and Noble.
b) Brownfields Area Expansion
In March 2002, the Brownfields area has been expanded to include the gateway
area, sharing the same boundaries with the Enterprise Zone. Economic Development
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Coordinator Diane Hufford reviewed the Gateway Strategy Action Plan and reviewed the
$124-million in current downtown and North Greenwood projects.
In response to a question, Ms. Hufford said the property at 1180 Cleveland Street
is for sale. Staff hopes a hotel will be constructed on the site.
c) Voluntary Cleanup Tax Credit
The Balk project on Cleveland Street has qualified for a $153,000 voluntary
cleanup tax credit.
d) QTI Brownfields Bonus Program
The bonus program, not yet adopted, will provide job credits for residents with
less than 80% of medium income.
e) USEPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) Grant Award Request
Since the last meeting, the City has been awarded more than $200,000 in
USEPA grants.
f) Request for EPA USTfields
The goal of the proposed USTfields pilot is to recycle/redevelop idle Brownfields
sites. Many USTs (Underground Storage Tanks) are in low income/minority residential
areas of the Clearwater Brownfields Area. If awarded, USTfields funds will be used for
site assessment and general remediation of targeted sites. The City’s top priority is the
Woodlawn/Tioga project at the former Clearwater Sheet Metal and Roofing site. This
property is targeted for affordable housing efforts.
g) Review of Brownfields Projects
Mr. Ballogg reviewed current Brownfields site projects including: 1) Southport
Financial - 408-410 S. Greenwood Avenue - complete; 2) 801 Celery, Inc. - 1425-1429
S. Ft. Harrison Avenue, Phase I & II – complete; 3) Clearwater Housing Authority - 210
Ewing Avenue – Phase I & II – Town Lake - complete; 4) EEI Mod-Tech (amendment) -
703 Grand Central Street – complete; 5) Robert Hope - 609 Pinellas Street, Phase I & II
– complete; 6) Air Master of Pinellas - 1562-1566 S. Missouri Avenue – complete; 7)
Harbor Oaks Shopping Center - 601-613 S. Ft. Harrison Avenue – complete; 8)
Greenwood Apartments LLC - 1001 North Greenwood Avenue; 9) Greenwood
Apartments at West Avenue & Palmetto Street - complete; 10) Largo Development
Corporation & City of Clearwater – Woodlawn & Tioga site - complete; 11) Howard
Jimmie - 609 Seminole Street– complete; 12) Help U Sell – updated –215 S. Myrtle
Avenue – complete; 13) Rare Earth Properties - 1170 Court Street – complete; 14)
Colliers Arnold - 121 North Osceola Avenue & 118 N. Ft. Harrison Avenue – 110 unit
luxury condominiums with retail ground level and 98 unit boutique hotel; 15) Laub
Landscaping - 600 Pennsylvania Avenue – demo of 2,500 square-foot building for
construction of 8,000 square-foot building – new location for company; and 16) Mary
Rogero - 1170 Court Street, Phase I – purchase property for real estate office. .
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ITEM #7 –Committee Reports
a) Update for Paone Property Avenue
Mr. Ballogg said the Engineering Department is evaluating details related to the
cleanup and monitoring of the property at Sweat’s Flower Shop on N. Ft. Harrison
Avenue. Funding for the project will be via the Brownfields revolving loan fund. The
report will be completed in two weeks.
b) Executed BSRA (Brownfields Area Rehabilitation Agreement)
The 100-town home project at the former Dimmitt site is being finalized. More
soil is being removed from the site’s northwest quadrant. The environmental report will
be distributed to the board when complete. The developer is funding additional cleanup
costs.
c) EPA – Brownfields Management Awards
The City’s Waste Management Division, Customer Services Branch, Brownfields
Group was presented awards at the Region 4 Brownfields 2001 Workshop: 1) Winner’s
Circle Award – salute City’s outstanding overall success, accomplishments and stellar
performance; 2) EGMA (Effective Grant Management and Administration) Award - salute
City’s grant management and administration; and 3) Midas Touch Award - salute City’s
“Midas touch” in signing first revolving loan fund commitment letter for fiscal year 2001.
d) North Greenwood Economic Redevelopment Strategy Brief
HDR Engineering is developing an economic redevelopment strategy for the
North Greenwood community, including reuse of the Jack Russell Stadium property. Mr.
Ballogg encouraged interested parties to serve on the board. The study is just
beginning.
ITEM #8 – Other Business – Presentation
a) Bank of America Community Development Corporation
Roxanne M. Amoroso, Vice President, Community Development Banking and
Isay Gulley, of CNHS (Clearwater Neighborhood Housing Services) reviewed efforts
reviewed efforts to rehabilitate the North Greenwood Apartments, which the bank
acquired on November 29, 2001. The 25-building property, constructed in 1950, has
had little maintenance and is an eyesore. Due diligence found asbestos and lead paint.
The structure is solid. The project represents Bank of America efforts to revitalize
community neighborhoods and provide social services. The apartments will be
redesigned to feature two bedrooms/two baths and three bedrooms/two baths. The $14-
million project will cost approximately $73,000 per apartment.
Four buildings are under construction and 36 apartments should be ready for
occupancy in June 2002. Apartment residents now have leases. New apartments are
not being marketed, but will be offered to current residents. The complex will serve low
income, medium income residents and offer 15% of the units at market rates. The bank
worked with CHA (Clearwater Housing Authority) to ensure that all current residents
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qualify for residency based on income. Back rent was forgiven. Long term residents
will have a choice of color palettes.
Additions to the complex will include a leasing office, Laundromat, “Make-A-
Difference” center, computer lab, children’s program, library, social services, including
job creation, counseling, etc. Kitchens and bathrooms will be modernized, plumbing
replaced, optional alarm systems installed, playgrounds constructed, exterior lighting
installed, new stucco applied, and extensive landscaping planted. A ribbon cutting
ceremony will be scheduled this summer.
The efforts of Bank of America and CNHS were commended as the complex is
the gateway to the North Greenwood business district.
ITEM #9 – Public Comment
Laron Barber, President of Le’azon Technology Institute, Inc., distributed a copy
of the community newsletter “Clearwater Environmental,” related to Brownfields and
Stevenson Creek. The organization is working to get the community involved in local
environmental issues. He encouraged resident participation to provide a community
voice regarding issues of concern.
ITEM #10 – Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 7:05 p.m.
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