04/15/2019 Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes April 15, 2019
City of Clearwater
Main Library- Council Chambers
100 N. Osceola Avenue
Clearwater, FL 33755
ap
m
Meeting Minutes
Monday, April 15, 2019
9:00 AM
Council Chambers - Main Library
Community Redevelopment Agency
Page 1
City of Clearwater
Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes April 15, 2019
Roll Call
Present 5 - Chair George N. Cretekos, Trustee Bob Cundiff, Trustee Hoyt
Hamilton, Trustee David Allbritton, and Trustee Jay Polglaze
Also Present—William B. Horne 11 — City Manager, Jill Silverboard — Deputy City
Manager, Micah Maxwell — Interim CRA Executive Director, Pamela
K. Akin — City Attorney, Rosemarie Call — City Clerk and Nicole
Sprague — Official Records and Legislative Services Coordinator
To provide continuity for research, items are listed in agenda order although not
necessarily discussed in that order.
1. Call to Order— Chair Cretekos
The meeting was called to order at 9:35 a.m. in Council Chambers at the
Main Library.
2. Approval of Minutes
2.1 Approve the minutes of the March 18, 2019 CRA meeting as submitted in written
summation by the City Clerk.
Trustee Allbritton moved to Approve the minutes of the March 18,
2019 CRA meeting as submitted in written summation by the City
Clerk. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
3. Citizens to be Heard Regarding Items Not on the Agenda
Bill Jonson said HR&A was paid $125,000 for a conceptual plan of
Coachman Park because the City wanted a plan that would receive the
citizenry's endorsement at referendum. Until recently, the process
welcomed public interaction, he suggested holding a public workshop
regarding the details that will be discussed at the special work session
this afternoon.
4. New Business Items
Page 1
City of Clearwater
Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes April 15, 2019
4.1 Approve the CRA Food and Drink Grant Program for Property Owners Full Application
submitted by Mainstreet Clearwater Development LLC for interior building improvements
at 412 Cleveland Street and authorize staff to negotiate a Loan to Grant Agreement.
At the October 29, 2018 CRA meeting, the Trustees approved a time limited,
grant program for property owners to support the establishment of new food
and drink businesses that are open on nights and weekends in the Downtown
Core and Prospect Lake districts in the Community Redevelopment Agency
(CRA) area.
On November 30, 2018, Mainstreet Clearwater Development LLC submitted
their pre-qualification form with a list of building improvements for preliminary
grant approval to convert their retail space into a restaurant. Property owners
must commit, at a minimum, to matching the CRA's grant funding dollar for
building improvements that will be maintained for a minimum of five years.
Eligible interior and exterior building improvements that were submitted
included; HVAC system, grease trap, hood system, kitchen, bar, bathrooms,
floors, walls, lighting, finishes and walk in wine cooler.
Mainstreet Clearwater Development LLC secured an eight-year lease with
Starson LLC for Roxy's, a food and drink business that will be open nights and
weekends and submitted their full application on March 1, 2019.
On March 29, 2019, the application was reviewed by an internal staff committee
that included the Interim CRA Director, Planning Director, Building Official and
Assistant City Attorney according to the following criteria:
• Consistency with the goals of the Downtown Redevelopment Plan.
• Feasibility of the proposed scope of services and timeline.
• Ability to provide an experience that does not exist in Downtown
presently.
• Ability to meet the legal and financial requirements of the grant program.
The committee found that the application met the criteria and recommends
approval of the application in the amount of$238,110.41.
If this amount is approved, the Legal Department will negotiate a loan to grant
agreement which will be sufficiently securitized to forgive grant over a 5-year
period.
APPROPRIATION CODE AND AMOUNT:
Funds are available in CRA project 3887552-94893, Opportunity Fund.
In response to questions, Downtown Manager Anne Fogarty-France said the
hours of operation will be 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m., Wednesdays through
Saturdays. The restaurant will offer a small plate option for all
entrees, healthy lunch options, a wide selection of domestic and
Page 1
City of Clearwater
Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes April 15, 2019
imported beers, wines from global regions, and online food pickup and
delivery service. The applicant provided all required documentation with
the submitted grant application. Ms. Fogarty-France said the tenant owns
two restaurants, one in Pass-a-Grille and St. Pete Beach, and lives in the
Harbor Oaks area. The restaurants have been open for over 10 years.
Interim CRA Executive Director Micah Maxwell said the grant program
requires the applicant to be open Wednesdays through Saturdays
evenings.
A concern was expressed that the Trustees were not provided a copy of
the supporting documents required of the grant application.
Trustee Allbritton moved to approve the CRA Food and Drink Grant
Program for Property Owners Full Application submitted by
Mainstreet Clearwater Development LLC for interior building
improvements at 412 Cleveland Street and authorize staff to
negotiate a Loan to Grant Agreement. The motion was duly
seconded and carried unanimously.
4.2 Deny the CRA Food and Drink Grant Program for Property Owners Full Application
submitted by Clearwater Tower LLC for interior building improvements at 33 N. Garden
Avenue.
At the October 29, 2018 CRA meeting, the Trustees approved a time limited,
grant program for property owners to support the establishment of new food
and drink businesses that are open on nights and weekends in the Downtown
Core and Prospect Lake districts in the Community Redevelopment Agency
(CRA) area.
On November 16, 2018, Clearwater Tower LLC submitted their pre-qualification
form with a list of building improvements for preliminary grant approval to
convert an office space into a coffee shop/cafe. Property owners must commit,
at a minimum, to matching the CRA's grant funding dollar for building
improvements that will be maintained for a minimum of five years. Eligible
interior and exterior building improvements that were submitted included; update
to HVAC system, plumbing & electrical and build out of a coffee shop on lobby
floor of building which will have outside seating facing Garden Avenue.
Clearwater Tower LLC secured a lease with Clearwater Tower LLC d/b/a Urban
Coffee & Bakery and submitted their full application on March 1, 2019.
On March 29, 2019, the application was reviewed by an internal staff committee
that included the Interim CRA Director, Planning Director, Building Official and
Assistant City Attorney according to the following criteria:
• Consistency with the goals of the Downtown Redevelopment Plan.
Page 1
City of Clearwater
Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes April 15, 2019
• Feasibility of the proposed scope of services and timeline.
• Ability to provide an experience that does not exist in Downtown
presently.
• Ability to meet the legal and financial requirements of the grant program.
The committee found that the application did not meet the criteria. The coffee
shop will initially not be open from Wednesdays to Saturdays from 5 - 10 p.m.
nor does it have the ability to provide an experience that does not exist in
Downtown presently and recommends denial of the application for the grant.
In response to questions, Downtown Manager Anne Fogarty-France said the
applicant was awarded a Fagade Grant. The applicant has not submitted an
Outdoor Furniture Grant application. Interim CRA Executive Director
Micah Maxwell said the applicant is not interested in staying open nights
and weekends. The application period for the grant program has closed,
the Trustees would have to extend the program in order for past
applicants to reapply.
Trustee Cundiff moved to deny the CRA Food and Drink Grant
Program for Property Owners Full Application submitted by
Clearwater Tower LLC for interior building improvements at 33 N.
Garden Avenue. The motion was duly seconded and carried
unanimously.
5. Director's Report
Interim CRA Executive Director Micah Maxwell said Downtown Manager
Anne Fogarty-France met with the individuals who pre-qualified for the
incentive program to discuss the program. They identified the following
obstacles:
• the brokers and tenants were used to working in more suburban areas,
such as St. Petersburg
• the unfinished/vacant spaces received negative comments
• Downtown is an unproven market
• Tenants want free parking
He said staff believes the concerns regarding the tight timelines to
secure the tenants can be extended, the landlords/owners struggled to secure
tenants within the 6-month period. Mr. Maxwell said the program was
created to finish some of the unfinished spaces to a certain extent. If a
new program is created, staff will need several months to build the
program for an October start date. Staff recommends extending the grant
program to those who pre-qualified if a new grant program is pursued.
Staff believes continued marketing efforts will help with the public
Page 1
City of Clearwater
Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes April 15, 2019
perception of Downtown, an incentive program alone will not fix the
perception problem. Mr. Maxwell said the use of CRA funds for r-o-w and
utility improvements to better equip buildings may be possible; he
expressed a concern that improvements beyond the meters could not
occur without the property owner's consent. The Downtown Plan includes
budgeted utility and r-o-w upgrades. Staff will present the final results of
the parking study in May.
Discussion ensued with a suggestion made to extend the existing
program to those who have already applied to see if they qualify and have
staff work on a new incentive program.
In response to a question, Mr. Maxwell said the CRA has incentive
funds available that are not program related, anyone can make a request
of the CRA. Staff would present the request to the CRA who will determine
if it should be funded. The funds are not defined and open-ended.
Information regarding the incentive funds are available on the CRA
website.
It was suggested that a press release regarding the incentive funds be
issued.
Mr. Maxwell said if the program is extended, staff will come back with an
agenda item to extend the program. There is approximately
$520,400 remaining.
There was consensus to extend the Food and Drink Grant Program for
those who have already applied.
Mr. Maxwell said staff is working with the applicant at 115 Martin Luther King,
Jr. Avenue. Because the applicant wants to stay within the footprint of the
building, the project is possible and permissible. Staff is determining
what a deal would look like, staff hopes to present the item to the Trustees
within the next two meetings.
Trustee Cundiff left Chambers at 10:17 a.m. and returned at 10:20 a.m.
In response to a concern, City Manager Bill Horne said staff will bring the
item to the Trustees as quickly as it can. The City Attorney said an
individual Trustee should not meet with the applicant due to the Sunshine
Law, a Trustee should not have access that the rest of the CRA does not
have. Trustees should have access to the application.
Page 1
City of Clearwater
Community Redevelopment Agency
6. Adjourn
Attest
t4-Livi Q
City Clerk
City of Clearwater
Meeting Minutes April 15, 2019
Mr. Maxwell said staff received one response to the Fire Station 45 property
Letter of Interest; staff will present the item next month.
The meeting adjourned at 10:27 a.m.
cLeo,IcA,cre.:{A�
Chair
Community Redevelopment Agency
Page 1