09/03/2003BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE MEETING
CITY OF CLEARWATER
September 3, 2003
Present: Elizabeth France Chair
Sandy Curry Vice Chair
Sally Foote Committee Member
Brooks Hammac Committee Member
Also Present: Leroy Chin Park, Planning & Project Manager
Geri Campos Assistant Director, Community Redevelopment
Bobbie Downs Staff Assistant
Absent: Dagmar Ortiz Committee Member
Rebecca Avrin Committee Member
Allan Dadetto Committee Member
#1 Call to Order – The Chair called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m. at Municipal Services Building Parks & Recreation Conference Room.
To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order.
#2 Approval of Minutes of August 6, 2003 - It was moved and duly seconded to approve the minutes as submitted to members. The motion carried unanimously.
#3 Correspondence – Ms. France thanked Director Kevin Dunbar for sponsoring members to attend Citizen Day at the FRPA meeting at Innisbrook. She suggested ordering a video from NRPA
that could be viewed by future new committee members.
Ms. France reminded members of the "Conversations on the Future of Downtown Clearwater" open forum discussions that will take place every Tuesday in October from 7 to 9 p.m. at Clearwater
High School.
#4 Downtown Streetscape - Ms. Geri Campos, Assistant Director, Community Redevelopment -
Ms. Campos showed the planned streetscape design for Cleveland Street from Osceola to Myrtle, Station Square Park, and Gulf-to-Bay at Hercules and Court. Currently, the architect is
preparing scope of project, and contract will go to city commission October 16 for approval. Project goes out to bid in late summer, 2004, and construction is expected to begin next
fall. However, Wayfaring Signs are expected to be installed downtown in January.
Some comments from members were:
Questioned use of Mejool palms, saying they are prone to disease. Mr. Chin said they are used successfully throughout the city.
Suggested pots of plants/greenery be placed atop walls at Mediterranean Village town houses to make them more attractive from Cleveland Street.
Questioned parallel parking instead of angle parking on Cleveland Street.
Will downtown condos and town houses be pet-friendly, with ample space to walk an animal?
Commented on lack of lawns or small gardens downtown.
Suggested use of more ornamentals instead of Live Oaks.
Expressed concern that trees would block business names.
Decorative pavers at Ft. Harrison and Cleveland intersection could also be used at other intersections.
Discussing Crest Lake Park, Mr. Chin said a re-mastering of trails is being considered. Citizen input would be encouraged. Ms. France suggested a Farmer's Market, which was successful
there last season.
Mr. Chin suggested inviting Ms. Felicia Leonard, Pedestrian-Bikeway Coordinator, to speak to members.
In view of the hour, it was decided to postpone old business and discussion of the Long Center until next meeting October 1.
#6 Adjournment – The meeting adjourned at 9:30 a.m.