05/15/1995 COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
Minutes
May 15, 1995
The City Commission, meeting as the Community Redevelopment Agency with Chairperson Rita Garvey presiding, met in regular session at City Hall, Monday, May 15, 1995 at 9:24 am, with
the following members present:
Rita Garvey Chairperson
J.B. Johnson, Jr. Trustee
Fred Thomas Trustee
Also Present: Betty Deptula City Manager
Peter Gozza Executive Director
Dan Leiter Ex-officio Trustee
David Stone Ex-officio Trustee
Vickie Crouch Chamber of Commerce
Pamela Akin City Attorney
Jacquie DeGroy Board Reporter
Excused: Sue Berfield Vice-Chairperson
Michael Dallmann Trustee
2. Approval of Minutes
A motion was made, seconded and unanimously carried to approve the minutes of April 17, 1995.
3. Unfinished Business
Update/Presentation of Downtown Redevelopment Plan - Prior to the presentation being made by David Taylor of Hanson Taylor Bellomo Herbert and Jim Egnew of Prime Interests, Inc. Peter
Gozza requested to go on record, indicating that contrary to what the newspaper articles had reported on May 15, 1995 that he (Gozza) was in favor of the downtown lake project.
David Taylor started the presentation by stating that no single vision/consensus for downtown Clearwater had manifested itself throughout the research, issues identification sessions,
visual preference surveys or charrette. Accordingly, the Vision Statement:
"The Traditional Town Center"
A small-scale place that meets the needs of Clearwater as the government center with support commercial and retail use; an entertainment district; a new residential focus; and an
amenity structure built around the Harborview Park (Coachman Park) and a new interior lake and park.
Mr. Taylor emphasized repeatedly throughout the presentation that downtown Clearwater should align itself with the beach. Downtown
should be marketed as both a "destination" in and of itself, and a "through" place to the beach.
The recommended goals are:
People Goal - To redevelop downtown Clearwater into a successful "people place" that attracts, retains, and inspires those of all ages and incomes to use and enjoy the town center.
Movement Goal - To redevelop downtown with an efficient, high quality, multi-modal movement system with supportive and visually positive terminal and transition facilities for all
modes.
Activity Goal - To redevelop downtown to provide broad and diverse activity centers that accommodate, stimulate and reinforce residing, working, visiting and purchasing in a great
waterfront setting.
Amenity Goal - To redevelop downtown to create and enhance the "quality of life" that attracts and sustains a diversity of cultural, entertainment, recreation and environmental experiences.
Opportunity Goal - To redevelop downtown to attract and continue a process of value creation action that invest time, dollars, resources and creativity to enhance the value, tax base,
image and quality of life.
As a means of achieving these goals, a concept plan was developed consisting of 5 districts - Bayfront, Town Center, Civic, Park Lake Residential and Eastern Gateway. Within the five
districts 16 projects are recommended. Due to time constraints only a portion of the projects were discussed.
As part of the Harborview Center expansion, Mr. Gozza recommended that the City pursue the issue of Harborview Center being designated as the County's convention site and consequently
be awarded Convention & Visitor Bureau (CVB) funds for Harborview's first floor expansion, additional development or to be used as incentive to gain a hotel near the property.
Mr. Gozza also noted that if the Bayfront District Project was accepted (since all waterfront development projects are subject to referendum) he recommended that the referendum be
placed on the ballot at the next available election.
The consultants recommended that Drew Street be the alignment to the new Memorial Causeway Bridge after all alignment possibilities had been reviewed. Trustee Thomas requested that
the consultants re-visit aligning the Memorial Causeway bridge with the Gulf-to- Bay/Court Street corridor. It was recommended that the proposed rotary on the west end of Cleveland
Street be implemented as soon as bridge construction commences.
Jim Egnew discussed the Clearwater tax increment revenue projections that reflected increases based on the percentage (50%, 75% or 100%) of the recommended projects implemented.
The presentation book submitted is made a part of these minutes.
Peter Gozza reiterated, that prior to instituting the plan, it must be approved by the following: Community Redevelopment Agency Board of Trustees, Planning & Zoning Commission,
Clearwater City Commission (2) Public Hearings, Pinellas Planning Council, County Commission.
Trustee Thomas requested that color copies of the presentation be distributed to City staff and the Trustees.
Dan Leiter, DDB Chairperson, requested that additional public input be solicited. Mr. Gozza responded that the entire presentation was a result of public input - issue identification
sessions, visual preference surveys, citizen letters/phone calls, charrette, etc.
Anne Garris, Vice-President Clearwater Beach Association, encouraged beach participation/input in the plan and asked how this plan will affect the beach.
4. New Business
None
5. Executive Director Verbal Reports
None
6. Other Trustee Business
Following Mr. Gozza's recommendation that the CRA set specific meeting dates to ensure one CRA meeting per month, a motion was made, seconded and unanimously carried 3-0 (Berfield &
Dallmann were not in attendance) to approve the following dates & times that coincide with a City Commission workshop:
1:00 pm June 12, 1995
9:00 am July 17, 1995
1:00 pm August 14, 1995
9:00 am September 18, 1995
9:00 am October 16, 1995
1:00 pm November 13, 1995
9:00 am December 4, 1995
Due to the fact that today's meeting had already exceeded its one hour time limit, Trustee Johnson's items will be continued until the June 12th CRA meeting.
7. Adjournment
Meeting was adjourned at 10:43 am.
Chairperson
Attest:
Board Reporter