10/13/2020 Brownfields Advisory Board Meeting Minutes October 13, 2020
City of Clearwater
Main Library- Council Chambers
100 N. Osceola Avenue
Clearwater, FL 33755
m
Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, October 13, 2020
Virtual Meeting
8:30 AM
Main Library - Council Chambers
Brownfields Advisory Board
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City of Clearwater
Brownfields Advisory Board Meeting Minutes October 13, 2020
Pursuant to Executive Order No. 20-69, issued by the Office of Governor Ron DeSantis on
March 20, 2020, municipalities may conduct meetings of their governing boards without
having a quorum of its members present physically or at any specific location, and utilizing
communications media technology such as telephonic or video conferencing, as provided
by Section 120.54(5)(b)2, Florida Statutes.
Roll Call
Present 5 - Chair Joseph DeCicco, Board Member Janelle Branch, Board
Member Eleanore Lyda, Board Member Mark Parry, and Board
Member Julie Phillips
Absent 3 - Board Member Sioux Hart, Board Member Thomas Hinson Jr., and
Board Member Leedrilla Jenkins
Also Present - Denise Sanderson — Economic Development & Housing Director, Chuck
Lane — Economic Development & Housing Assistant Director, Philip
Kirkpatrick - Senior Economic Development Coordinator, and Patricia
O. Sullivan — Board Reporter
Awaiting approval
1. Call To Order— Chair Joseph DeCicco
The meeting was called to order at 8:30 a.m. Chair Joseph DeCicco and
Board Members Mark Parry, Julie Phillips, Eleanore Lyda, and Janelle
Branch attended the meeting using communications media technology. Also
participating in the meeting were Economic Development & Housing Director
Denise Sanderson, Economic Development & Housing Assistant Director
Chuck Lane, Senior Economic Development Coordinator Philip Kirkpatrick,
and Board Reporter Patricia Sullivan. Live participation occurred in Council
Chambers at the Main Library.
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 December 3, 2018 Brownfields Advisory Board meeting.
Member Parry moved to approve the minutes of the December 3, 2018
Brownfields Advisory Board meeting as submitted in written
summation. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
3. Citizens to be Heard Regarding Items Not on the Agenda: None.
4. New Business Items
4.1 Recommend City Council support of Environmental Protection Agency FY21 Brownfield
Assessment Grant Application.
On August 17, 2020, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
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Brownfields Advisory Board Meeting Minutes October 13, 2020
released Request for Applications (RFA) Number EPA-OLEM-OBLR-20-06
and its FY21 Guidelines for Brownfield Assessment Grants.
The City is seeking a Communitywide Assessment Grant of up to $300,000
to address sites contaminated by hazardous substances and/or petroleum. If
awarded, funds may be used for direct costs associated with the inventory,
site prioritization, community involvement, site reuse planning, assessment,
and cleanup planning for brownfield sites, including direct costs associated
with programmatic management of the grant such as required performance
reporting and environmental oversight. There is no matching fund
requirement and staff does not anticipate any general fund expenditures.
The Application must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on October 28, 2020. The
announcement of grant awards is expected in Spring/Summer 2021.
The Brownfields Advisory Board is convening to discuss the proposed grant
application submittal. Following today's meeting, staff will submit a memo to
Council prior to its October 14 City Council meeting and include any
additional information the Advisory Board wishes Council to consider.
A critical component of the EPA's Brownfield Program is to ensure that
residents living in communities historically affected by economic
disinvestment, health disparities, and environmental contamination have an
opportunity to reap the benefits from brownfields redevelopment. The
Program has a rich history rooted in environmental justice and is committed
to helping communities revitalize brownfield properties, mitigate potential
health risks and restore economic vitality.
City staff presented this item to City Council at the October 12 Work Session
to inform them and the public of the grant opportunity. While not asked to
approve the item, the Council unanimously supported the grant application.
Economic Development & Housing Assistant Director Chuck Lane reviewed
the Staff Report. EPA guidelines modified engagement strategy
requirements due to the pandemic; today's meeting provided the public with
information opportunities re the EPA's Brownfield Program. Although the
City has not received a Brownfield Communitywide Assessment Grant for
several years, the EPA has funded more than 100 brownfield projects in
Clearwater including cleanup of the Harbor Oaks Shopping Center site, the
1100 Cleveland Street site, etc.
Chair DeCicco reported the City neared completion on the cleanup/
remediation of the brownfield Car Pro site on Cleveland Street. Mr. Lane
said the City had purchased property abutting the site to improve its
redevelopment potential.
Mr. Lane reviewed a PowerPoint presentation of a proposal to develop 171
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Meeting Minutes October 13, 2020
workforce housing units and public parking on City -owned property at 306 S.
Washington Avenue. An unconditional Site Rehabilitation Completion Order
was issued following environmental remediation of this former brownfield
site. The developers were seeking funding opportunities and proposed to
develop the site to its maximum density and feature green spaces.
Member Parry moved to recommend City Council support of the
Environmental Protection Agency FY 2021 Brownfield Assessment
Grant Application. The motion was duly seconded and carried
unanimously
4.2 Election of Officers
Member Parry moved to reappoint Joseph DeCicco as Chair. The
motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
Chair DeCicco moved to appoint Mark Parry as Vice Chair. The
motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
5. Old Business Items: None.
6. Director's Report: None.
Economic Development & Housing Director Denise Sanderson said the
Brownfields Advisory Board will be more active if the City is awarded the
Brownfield Assessment Grant.
7. Board Members to be Heard: None.
8. Adjourn
The meeting adjourned at 9:00 a.m.
Ch
Brownfields Advisory Board
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City of Clearwater