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07/23/2015 CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING CITY OF CLEARWATER July 23, 2015 Present: Brian J. Aungst, Jr. Chair David E. Allbritton Committee Member Jane D. Bongo Committee Member Karen Cunningham Committee Member Leann J. DuPont Committee Member Rosemarie Kibitlewski Committee Member David Loyd Committee Member William Sturtevant Committee Member Absent: Bud Elias Vice Chair Nino Accetta Committee Member Dirk A. Curls Committee Member George Mantzaris Committee Member Also Present: Rosemarie Call City Clerk Nicole Sprague ORLS Coordinator The meeting was called to order at 5:46 p.m. at City Hall. To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. 2. Approval of Minutes 2.1 Approve the minutes of the July 9, 2015 Charter Review Committee Meeting as submitted in written summation by the City Clerk. Committee Member Sturtevant moved to approve the minutes of the July 9, 2015 Charter Review Committee meeting. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 3. New Business 3.1 Guest Speaker: Vice Mayor Jay Polglaze. Vice Mayor Polglaze said he served on the Charter Review Committee in 2003 and was Chair of the Committee in 2007. He said it is important for citizens to participate in the review and be aware of what the charter does. During the economic downturn, the City had to downsize and cutback. The City is now at a point to boost and build the economy. It is important to protect the preserve but Committee Members should keep in mind the unitended consequences of placing charter restrictions. The Charter provisions regarding Coachman Park were placed to protect the open space but have hindered development on the bluff. Vice Mayor Polglaze said the beach development is on auto pilot and the US Highway 19 corridor is underway but Clearwater is still missing its own identity. Coachman Park and downtown Charter Review 2015-07-23 1 development will tie it all together and provide the niche needed for a unique destination. He said uninterrupted transportation with ease of access is a key factor for successful development. The Capitol Theatre and Blast Friday are successful investments and prove that people will come to downtown. People do not care about the Church of Scientology. Vice Mayor Polglaze said the Church is known to clean up areas with drugs and prostitution. The Church does pay taxes on most of the properties they own. He said Cleveland Street could use more greenspace and that a walkable community with diverse destinations is hugely important. In regards to the Coachman Park area, he said the City does not want to sell the land but allow leases and commercial enterprise to come in and operate a kayak, canoe, and boat launch and a restaurant in the library. The park should be utilized 365 days a year with different activities such as car shows, sailboat races, etc, but it will require private investment and flexibility within the charter restrictions. Staff and Council are looking at possibilities for Coachman Park with the help of expert developers and master planners as if the charter restrictions do not exist. He said he does not support a strong mayor form of government. Everything is going good right now and to change the form of government would disrupt the entire system. In response to questions, Mr. Polglaze said the investment community is motivated as witnessed by the Noland Apartments. Investors are waiting on the City to finalize the incentive policy and implement fast track zoning to do what they need to do; when the investors come they want to make sure they are staying and that the City has an interest in the business as well. There are strategic locations in the downtown core for anchor tenants and when they come, infill will follow. A high and dry marina would be an anchor tenant. He said that raising the council salary may improve the odds of people running and the political process will weed out those that may be in it for the money and not for a love of the community. 4. Citizens to be heard regarding items not on the agenda: Liz Drayer requested the Committee consider proposing language to the Council to protect lands zoned preservation in the Charter. She said it is important to protect the remaining land and to add to it if feasible; young professionals looking to relocate are seeking clean outdoor spaces. It is in the City's economic interest to protect the preserved land as eco- tourism is a billion dollar industry. The environmental benefit to greenspace includes natural air and water filtering, flood control, provides habitat for species and it gives space for children to learn about nature. She said if preservation land is protected in the Charter, it would take a referendum to allow development or sale of this type of land. As it stands now, staff and council could make a decision through the ordinance process to change the zoning classification. The meeting was adjourned at 6:55 p.m. Attest: Chair, Charter Review' Co� mitt6 City Clerk Charter Review 2015 -07 -23 2