04/01/2002COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY MEETING
CITY OF CLEARWATER
April 1, 2002
Present: Brian J. Aungst Chair/CRA Trustee
Whitney Gray CRA Trustee
Hoyt P. Hamilton CRA Trustee
William C. Jonson CRA Trustee
Frank Hibbard CRA Trustee
Glenn Warren Ex-Officio
Mary Rogero Ex-Officio
Also present: William B. Horne II City Manager
Garry Brumback Assistant City Manager
Ralph Stone CRA Executive Director/Assistant City Manager
Pamela K. Akin City Attorney
Cynthia E. Goudeau City Clerk
Patricia O. Sullivan Board Reporter
The Chair called the meeting to order at 9:03 a.m. at City Hall.
To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order.
ITEM #2 – Approval of the Minutes
Trustee Jonson moved to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of March 18, 2002, as recorded and submitted in written summation by the City Clerk to each Trustee. The motion was
duly seconded and carried unanimously.
ITEM #3 - Approve $30,000 to fund CRA portion of a design and transportation planning services contract to update the Downtown Redevelopment Plan and to add the Gateway area to the Downtown
Plan.
In 1995, the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) prepared a Downtown Redevelopment Plan for an area that extended east from Clearwater Harbor to Frederica Avenue. Staff will merge
the “Our Downtown” Plan, the Downtown Periphery Plan, and the Downtown Redevelopment Plan, and add the “Gateway” area, east to Highland Avenue between Drew and Chestnut streets. Design
services are required for the Downtown and Gateway areas.
The CRA portion of the $60,000 contract for design services within the CRA district is $30,000. The City will fund the additional $30,000. Design services are related to: 1) streetscape;
2) wayfinding signage; 3) waterfront park on bluff; and 4) general urban design elements for the Downtown and Gateway.
Support was expressed for cooperation between the DDB (Downtown Development Board) and Main Street Committee to identify needs and move forward in an orderly fashion to address those
needs. It was stated a general urban design element is important, and should be done first. Support was expressed for returning a historic character to Cleveland Street and Ft. Harrison.
Concern was expressed a historic designation could limit use of the property.
CRA Executive Director/ Assistant City Manager Ralph Stone said a number of projects identified in the 1995 plan are underway. The 1995 plan focused on the area west of Myrtle and plans
to dead end Drew and Cleveland streets did not exist then. That change has enhanced the importance of the Gateway area. The consultant’s work will be available in early summer.
Ex-Officio Glenn Warren endorsed enhancements to the downtown plan to include the Gateway, which will be the normal drive pattern for downtown traffic.
Trustee Hamilton moved to approve $30,000 to fund the CRA portion of a design services contract to update the Downtown Redevelopment Plan, and to add the Gateway area to the Downtown
Plan, and that the appropriate officials be authorized to execute same. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
ITEM #4 - Executive Director (Assistant City Manager) Verbal Reports - None.
ITEM #5 - Other Business - None.
ITEM #6 - Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 9:15 a.m.