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09/03/1997BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE MEETING CITY OF CLEARWATER September 3, 1997 Present: William Baldwin Chair Katherine Merriam Member Delphine Pullar Member (departed 9:06 a.m.) Marcia Blakemore Member Sheila Cole Member Robert Sudalnik Member David Stitt Member Thelma Blasko Member Lt. Jeff Kronschnabl Special Assistant to City Manager (departed 8:55 a.m.) Ream Wilson Parks and Recreation Director Mark Roether Parks and Recreation Nursery Superintendent Brenda Moses Board Reporter Absent: Nancy Aft Member 1. Call to Order The meeting was called to order by Chair Baldwin at 8:00 a.m. at the Municipal Services Building, Clearwater, Florida. In order to provide continuity for research, the items will be listed in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. 2. Approval of Minutes - August 6, 1997 Member Merriam moved to approve the minutes of August 6, 1997, as submitted in writing to each member. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 3. Correspondence None. 4. Ongoing Business A. Bayfront Park Mr. Wilson noted that no further information is available at this time. B. Anti-Litter Campaign Special Assistant to the City Manager, Lt. Jeff Kronschnabl discussed minimum property standards. He noted that the City is attempting to achieve voluntary code compliance through educational efforts. Within the City there seems to be a lack of responsibility on the part of the home owner and business owner. Parks and Recreation Director Ream Wilson stated that Parks and Recreation employees empty trash containers on sidewalks on weekends at approximately 2:00 a.m. The Solid Waste Department empties containers Monday through Friday beginning at 9:00 a.m. Street sweeping is done 3 days a week in early morning hours. There are times when people dispose of litter and some property owners do not take the initiative to clean up their respective areas. Lt. Kronschnabl noted that beautification issues will become the cornerstones to crime if they are not addressed. He referred to a map with color-coded neighborhoods, citing average, poorly maintained and problem areas. In identifying these areas, factors considered included exterior property conditions, general building conditions, landscaping conditions, parking issues, litter problems, and the general overall appearance of the area. Historically, when one area deteriorates, the adjacent neighborhood begins to deteriorate. The reasons for this deterioration include lack of public education regarding litter, and the lack of the work force to find time to maintain their properties. Deterioration of neighborhoods frequently means people move away rather than address and remedy the problems, further aggravating those problems. Discussion ensued regarding specifics that can adversely affect an area. With community support, the issues of maintaining minimum property maintenance standards will be addressed. These issues affect the City as a whole. It was noted that an international property maintenance code was drafted last year which specifies minimum suggested maintenance codes. Lt. Kronschnabl distributed and briefly discussed “A Citizen’s Guide to Code Enforcement” developed by the City of Clearwater’s Community Response Team. The guide explains achieving code compliance through education, communication and cooperation. The Community Response Team takes an active role in clean-ups and youth programs, offering site counseling, conducting door-to-door property inspections, and other services. He explained the details of the code enforcement process and how it directly affects the health, safety and quality of life in the City. It was remarked that the Beautification Committee’s proactive efforts will continue to be vital to the success of the anti-litter campaign and related crime issues. Lt. Kronschnabl will supply a draft of the proposed minimum property maintenance standards to this Committee for their review. It was noted that it takes time to effect change and community support will be necessary to enhance beautification efforts throughout the City. In response to a question, Member Cole noted that in some communities neighborhood homeowner associations are beginning to disband due to a younger residential mix and changing financial situations. Young couples do not have the time to maintain properties or attend association meetings. The irony is that the reason they moved to a particular neighborhood was because it was well maintained. She noted that the Homeowners Association and Community Response Team applied for a County grant and started a VIP Youth Program. In every neighborhood with a recreation center, youth are being asked what they like and dislike about their neighborhood. They are asked to select an item from the list that they feel they can improve upon. As future generations are educated regarding anti-litter programs, perhaps it will encourage more community involvement and improvement. Member Cole reported her findings regarding the disposable litter bags discussed at the last meeting. In the past, the City’s Solid Waste Department, Recycling Department, and Clearwater Gas System have distributed litter bags throughout the community. Discussion ensued regarding whether or not Solid Waste Department personnel could distribute litter bags to every household on their regular routes. Further research will be necessary to determine how to implement such a program. Discussion ensued regarding the property known as Bayview Mobile Home Park. It was noted due to the fact that Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard is a commercial corridor, that property may be developed for revenue generation, rather than as a public park. It was suggested that should the area be developed commercially, preservation of trees and other landscaping to buffer it from nearby homes would be preferable to a concrete jungle. 5. Staff Reports In response to questions, Mr. Wilson indicated that the extension of Landmark Drive relative to the new park is moving forward. There were some regulatory issues to identify which have been completed. Mr. Wilson will update Members at the next meeting. 6. New Business Member Blakemore asked about the mangroves along the Memorial Causeway. It was explained that trimming mangroves weaken them. Mangroves grow from the tops rather than from the bottom as other plants grow. Chair Baldwin suggested placing lighting around the sign at the entryway to the Courtney-Campbell Causeway. Mr. Wilson and Nursery Superintendent Mark Roether will review the electricity requirements and report back to this Committee at the next meeting. It was suggested contacting the Greater Clearwater Chamber of Commerce regarding their participation. Member Sudalnik noted he requested and received a 2-year old Clearwater Downtown Redevelopment Plan from the Assistant City Manager’s office. He will review it and share his findings with this Committee at the next meeting. 7. Adjournment - 9:24 a.m.