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08/19/2002COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY MEETING CITY OF CLEARWATER August 19, 2002 Present: Brian J. Aungst Chair/CRA Trustee Hoyt P. Hamilton CRA Trustee William C. Jonson CRA Trustee Frank Hibbard CRA Trustee Absent: Whitney Gray CRA Trustee Also present: William B. Horne II City Manager Garry Brumback Assistant City Manager Ralph Stone CRA Executive Director/Asst. 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 9:11 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 Hamilton moved to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of June 17, 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 – Presentation - Downtown Strategic Program CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) Executive Director/Assistant City Manager Ralph Stone reviewed the Downtown-Gateway Strategic Action Program. A partnership of the CRA, DDB (Downtown Development Board), Main Street Committee, and Greater Clearwater Chamber of Commerce participated in walking and van tours and brainstorming sessions to identify short- and long-term items and develop a program matrix. Current fiscal year downtown projects, such as the new Main Library, Town Lake, Memorial Causeway Bridge, Publix, Laura Street Townhomes, Balk Development. etc., total $128.8-million in public/private investment. Plans for Year 1 include assisting the private sector with redevelopment strategies for the Calvary parcels, the Arnold/AmSouth super-block, and Cleveland Street properties and updating the Downtown redevelopment plan. The CRA district, which has been proposed to expand to the Gateway, will feature wayfinding signage and streetscape. The Downtown/Bluff parking study, recently completed, indicated current downtown parking is adequate, but relocating parking from the bottom of the bluff will be a challenge. The City Manager’s Vision Fund is financing $37,000 in downtown streetscape maintenance, to include repainting benches and light poles, repaving Ft. Harrison Avenue, and landscape maintenance three times weekly. Private improvements include recent approval of 2 façade grants, two restaurants opening in June, and landscaping improvements. Plans are to market downtown residential opportunities, retail and office space, and offer financial incentives. An annual report to the CRA, DDB, and Main Street partners is planned. Landscaping on Cleveland Street soon will feature fall colors. Work with the Police Department and private sector is developing strategies related homeless issues. Also planned are support of Phase II of a Guideway and evaluations of a bluff marina, model block, crosswalks, and multiplex opportunities. Plans for Year 2 include identifying a parking garage location, Myrtle Avenue reconstruction, Pinellas Trail connection, and on-street parking enforcement. Also planned is defining marketable properties, identifying developable sites, assisting developers with land assemblage, scheduling a storefront workshop, and providing a quick response team. Connections will be developed between the City, County, downtown businesses, and downtown churches. Regarding Main Street, plans are to create a theme for retail signage, create a downtown publication, and assist with the reactivation of a merchants’ association. Also planned are participation in Charter Review, creation of a design for the bluff, and establishing downtown as a destination and economically viable place with development opportunities visible from the bridge. Plans for Year 3 include design of an amphitheater, removal of industrial properties, consideration of Station Square Park development, public art projects, identification of development opportunities and strategies for key real estate, initiation of a Drew Street corridor study, and the evaluation of alleys for pedestrian connection and long range options related to the Harborview Center. The three-year matrix will define a work program and funding, network, advocate, and celebrate. Participants will include the City Commission, CRA, City management, DDB, Main Street Committee, Greater Clearwater Chamber of Commerce, property owners, tenants, and citizens. The project begins now. In response to a question, Mr. Stone said FY 2002/03 is year one for the program. The Planning Department will develop a redevelopment plan by combining an updated downtown plan, with the plan to expand the CRA to the Gateway, and the Periphery Plan. Public Works staff works daily with FDOT (Florida Department of Transportation) to fine tune the construction wayfinding program. Frank Bellemo, the City's consultant recommends the plan weave the history of the area into downtown to define the unique character of the community. In response to a question, he will identify the façade grants. Staff was complimented on their efforts. It was recommended the downtown plan be interfaced with nearby neighborhoods. In response to a question regarding the guideway, Mr. Stone said staff will review economic details, ridership projections, and rough cost estimates. There may be an opportunity for this project to serve as a demonstration for Pinellas County, which is involved in a major investment study on mass transit. He said it is important to keep estimates related to the project fresh as the guideway may connect with proposed high- speed rail service in the future. He estimated the sea grass study, related to a downtown marina, will be completed by the end of the month. ITEM #4 – Approve release of consent of sale restriction on property known as Atrium building and retaining certain restrictions on the transfer of the property. On July 14, 1983, the City entered into a development agreement with the Clearwater Redevelopment Agency and J.K. Financial Corporation regarding certain property in the City. Section 11(c), sentence 1 of this agreement states that property conveyed pursuant to the agreement will not be sold without the consent of the City or Agency. The City consented to the conveyance of the property to BSF III-B, LLC in the Third Amendment to the Development Agreement. On March 25, 2002, BSF III-B, LLC conveyed the property to the Wilder Corporation. On April 18, 2002, the City Commission consented to, confirmed, and ratified the sale of the property to Wilder Corporation. Wilder Corporation’s Lender, American Express, will not close the loan on the property with the current restriction in place. Wilder Corporation is requesting that the restriction requiring the City and Agency’s agreement to any sale of the property be released. The remaining restrictions of paragraph 11(c) will remain. In response to a question, the City Attorney said the City will receive no compensation for this action. Mr. Stone said the agreement allows the property to be sold and provides assurance the property will not become tax exempt. In response to a recommendation, Mr. Stone opposed linking public use of the parking garage with this action, noting security and liability issues may be of concern. It was reported the subject parking garage is open to the public on weekends. In response to a question, Mr. Stone said the property owner has not indicated an intent to sell. The subject release was recommended by the mortgage company when the owner refinanced the property. Commissioner Hamilton moved to approve the release of consent of sale restriction on property know as the Atrium building and retain certain restrictions on the transfer of the property. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. ITEM #5 – Adopt the proposed FY 2002/03 Community Redevelopment Agency budget The 2002 Estimates of Taxable Value for the CRA District increased 2.5%; therefore, Tax Increment Revenues increased $44,522 from the previous year. The details of the proposed budget are: 1) Operating Revenues - Other Revenues - Rental Income reflects a $6,000 increase as recommended by the Parking Facilities Manager using the formula-based agreement for the Station Square Parking lot as to the amount of revenue the Parking System is to pay to the CRA; 2) Transfers In – DDB Administration reflects a $1,747 increase (4%). This change is contingent upon the approval of an Inter-local agreement between the DDB and CRA for the administration of the DDB; 3) Other Operating Expenses; a) Professional Services - reflects an increase of $40,000 in anticipation of the approval of the CRA boundary expansion into the Gateway area that will increase the need for various professional services; b) Payments to Other Agencies - DDB has increased $3,521 to equal to the TIF dollar amount the DDB pays to the CRA; 4) Transfers Out – a) General Fund – Administrative reflects an increase of $12,812. This is due to salary increases for the 2.5 positions funded by the CRA; b) Parking Fund, Saturday Downtown, and Parking Fund - Harborview both decreased $15,000 and $6,360 respectively. These expenditures were required during the period of time that the Parking System was paying off revenue bonds. The bonds are now satisfied and these funds are no longer necessary; c) Parking Incentive Fund reflects an increase of $21,360. The funds previously earmarked for Harborview and Downtown Saturday parking are being used to fund a Parking Incentives Program for downtown redevelopment and investment; d) Economic Development Incentive Fund has been decreased $94,492. This fund currently has adequate resources and does not require additional funding at this time; e) IMR Landscaping Fund reflects a decrease $11,882. The IMR Development Agreement required a three-year commitment and FY02/03 is the last year of this commitment; f) Mediterranean Village Project Fund reflects an $85,483 increase. The $115,483 will be used to fund the second year commitments to pay impact and permit fees associated with Phase 2 of the project as outlined in the Development Agreement; g) Cleveland Street Maintenance Fund is a new project fund opened in FY01/02. $10,000 has been earmarked to pay for a change out of plant material in the planters along Cleveland Street and other maintenance needs that may arise in FY02/03; and h) Redevelopment Projects Fund reflects an increase of $1,647. This fund is used for redevelopment projects within the CRA boundaries. Concern was expressed budget expenses for staff are higher than for downtown improvements. Mr. Stone said staff expenses make up one-fourth of the budget. He said the benefit of staff commitments is significant. Without staff, a consultant would need to be hired. In response to a question, Mr. Stone said the IMR agreement required the City for three years to use the increment generated by the firm to landscape the vicinity near IMR. The subject funds have been set aside. It was recommended the funds be used as a match with FDOT for landscaping the right-of-way. Commissioner Jonson moved to adopt the proposed FY 2002/03 Community Redevelopment Agency budget. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. ITEM #6 – Executive Director (Assistant City Manager) Verbal Reports – None. ITEM #7 – Other Business – None. ITEM #8 – Adjourn The meeting adjourned at 10:01 a.m.