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09/18/2023 Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes September 18, 2023 City of Clearwater Main Library - Council Chambers 100 N. Osceola Avenue Clearwater, FL 33755 e P y 1 4 Meeting Minutes Monday, September 18, 2023 1 :00 PM Pinellas County, 333 Chestnut Street, Palm Room, Clearwater, FL 33756 Community Redevelopment Agency Page 1 City of Clearwater Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes September 18, 2023 Roll Call Present 5 - Chair Brian Aungst Sr., Trustee Mark Bunker, Trustee David Allbritton, Trustee Kathleen Beckman, and Trustee Lina Teixeira Also Present: Jennifer Poirrier— City Manager, Michael Delk—Assistant City Manager, Daniel Slaughter—Assistant City Manager, David Margolis — City Attorney, Rosemarie Call — City Clerk, Nicole Sprague — Deputy City Clerk, and Anne Lopez— Interim CRA Director To provide continuity for research, items are listed in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. 1. Call to Order— Chair Aungst, Sr. The meeting was called to order at 1:00 p.m. 2. Approval of Minutes 2.1 Approve the August 14, 2023 CRA Meeting Minutes as submitted in written summation by the City Clerk. Trustee Allbritton moved to approve the August 14, 2023 CRA Meeting Minutes 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 Muhammad Abdur-Rahim expressed concern with a land developer purchasing property that has the potential to impede the Stevenson Creek preserve area, which is located within the CRA boundary. He said the North Greenwood community is opposed to the development of the preserve area. Kathy Flaherty said there would be a Hispanic celebration at Crest Lake Park on October 15, 2023. She expressed concern with a property on Stevenson Creek that has been identified as suitable for development in the North Greenwood Plan and opposed the development of the preserve. She submitted emails regarding the Downtown Development Board contract (see page 9). Page 2 City of Clearwater Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes September 18, 2023 4. New Business Items 4.1 Clearwater Urban Coalition Presentation - Marilyn Turman, Director of Communications Ms. Turman said Juneteenth is now a federal holiday and the Coalition was honored to spearhead this year's 4-day event. She reviewed Juneteenth activities and thanked the City Council, staff, and the community for their continued support. 4.2 Provide an update on the Mercado Construction Sr. Landscape Architect/Cleveland Street Streetscape Phase 3 Project Manager Catherine Corcoran said staff received a revised cost estimate last month based on the design changes approved by the Trustees last year. The redesign of the shade structure and the sod represented a scope change that entitled the contractor to provide updated pricing. The rebid came in higher than the original price estimate, which was not within the approved budget. She said the change is significant enough for staff to recommend going back out to bid to ensure the City is getting the most cost effective approach available. The community chose a shade structure with a pinwheel design and added a tun`section underneath the shade structure. In response to questions, Ms. Corcoran said she discussed the procurement process with Legal and Procurement,she said she would like to avoid disclosing the recent cost estimate since the project will undergo a rebid. In October, everything between the sidewalk will be sodded, with the exception of where the permanent light posts are installed. Individuals will be able to sit in the open turf area. She said she would like to post the rebid during the first week of October and bring it back to the Trustees once the pricing is received. The rebid will include the irrigation, landscaping, planters, hardscaping, and the structural base for the shade structure. She said the cost of the concrete was higher than the original estimate. Approximately$90,000 has been spent on the shade structure. The Mercado did not include a contiguous wall but several planters that will include mosaics at the base. An electrical junction box will be installed at one end. She said the tun`area required a massive change for the irrigation system. 4.3 Approve an Interlocal Agreement between the City of Clearwater and the Community RedevelopmentAgency(CRA)to provide staffing and administrative services for the CRA, provided for the rei mbu rsemen t of certain expenses by the CRA to the City, and authorize the appropriate officials to execute same. Page 3 City of Clearwater Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes September 18, 2023 The Clearwater Downtown Redevelopment Plan establishes that Tax Increment Funding (TIF) funds received by the CRA may be used for certain redevelopment activities. As per Section 163.387, Florida Statutes allow that money in the redevelopment trust fund may be expended to support the activities for the Community Redevelopment Agency, including providing for staff. The CRA partners with the City to provide staffing and other administrative services (IT, Legal, etc.) to implement the Downtown Redevelopment Plan. The CRA agrees to provide TIF funding in a total amount not to exceed $982,526 for this contract year. This amount includes $947,324 for staffing and $35,202 for City Internal Services. These amounts are subject to adjustment and approval in the CRA budget each year. The CRA will only pay the City for actual funds spent. Any unspent funds carry over to the next fiscal year and are reallocated as part of an amended budget request. In response to questions, Ms. Lopez said there are five employees associated with the CRA. The employees assist both CRAs. One individual said the CRA staff does not work for the community but for those who manage the Downtown area and expressed concerns that the CRA staff never reached out to the Hispanic community. Trustee Bunker moved to approve an Interlocal Agreement between the City of Clearwater and the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) to provide staffing and administrative services for the CRA, provided for the reimbursement of certain expenses by the CRA to the City, and authorize the appropriate officials to execute same. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 4.4 Approve an Interlocal Agreement between the Clearwater Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) and the City of Clearwaterto provide CRA funding in fiscal year 2023-2024 in the amount of $257,642.91 to underwrite the cost of additional Community Policing services by the Clearwater Police Department in the Downtown CRA to address quality of life issues, drug dealing, and homelessness and authorize the appropriate officials to execute same. Quality of life issues, drug dealing, and homelessness, all negatively impact the redevelopment plan. Additional community policing resources are needed to effectively address these issues above and beyond the level provided by routine Page 4 City of Clearwater Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes September 18, 2023 road patrol functions. An allowable funding source of this active item is the use of CRA Increment Financings funds. Florida Statutes allows for the use of funds for"community policing innovations" in the Community Redevelopment Areas. The CRA and Clearwater Police Department have reached an agreement on a proposed scope of services and terms delineated in the Interlocal Agreement. Included in the proposed scope is the delineation of specific, measurable crime reduction targets by which to monitor the success of the initiative as well as providing clear language required by statute assuring that the resources are applied to the Downtown CRA area. APPROPRIATION CODE AND AMOUNT: Funding for this Interlocal Agreement will be from CRA Project Code R2001 Community Policing In response to questions, Major Nate Burnside said the agreement stipulated, at a minimum, six community outreach meetings. The meetings are an opportunity for staff to review the monthly statistics and engage with citizens. Ms. Lopez said the salary estimate included an error, the salary cost decreased by$8,000. She said amended copies of the agreement were provided to the Trustees. Staff was directed to provide the Trustees with copies of the yearly and monthly reports. One individual questioned if the non-profit organizations would be billed for police services at community events. Ms. Lopez said the six community engagement events are event specific but supported by CRA and CPD through-out the entire CRA. One individual expressed concerns with the lack of street lighting and the two-year street closure. Trustee Teixeira moved to approve an Interlocal Agreement between the Clearwater Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) and the City of Clearwater to provide CRA funding in fiscal year 2023-2024 in the amount of$257,642.91 to underwrite the cost of additional Community Policing services by the Clearwater Police Department in the Downtown CRA to address quality of life issues, drug dealing, and homelessness and authorize the appropriate officials to execute same. The motion was duly seconded and Page 5 City of Clearwater Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes September 18, 2023 carried unanimously. 4.5 Approve the Interlocal Agreement with the Downtown Development Board (DDB) to provide personnel, administrative and management services during Fiscal Year 2023-2024 in the amount of $84,357, refund the CRA Tax Incrementfee of$363,012, and authorize the appropriate officials to execute same. Florida Statutes 163.387 requires all taxing authorities, which includes the DDB, to make an annual appropriation in an amount equal to the incremental increase in the ad valorem revenue within the CRA area. The DDB's increment payment is $363,012 according to the Pinellas County Property Appraiser's office. In a spirit of cooperation to further the downtown redevelopment plan, the CRA Trustees executed the first Interlocal Agreement in Fiscal Year 1999-2000 to provide personnel, administrative and management services to the DDB and to refund the difference between the increment payment and the management fee. Pursuant to Florida Statute 163.01, the CRA and DDB can enter into this agreement in which the DDB agrees to perform certain responsibilities and functions including funding projects and programs consistent with the downtown redevelopment plan. The intent of this agreement is for the DDB and the CRA to work collaboratively on projects and programs that further downtown goals and objectives. The management of the DDB by CRA staff enables the CRA and the DDB to utilize the public dollars more efficiently. The DDB shall pay the CRA$84,357 for the services agreed to in the Interlocal Agreement. The DDB approved the Interlocal Agreement at their meeting on August 2, 2023 One individual spoke in opposition. Trustee Allbritton move to approve the Interlocal Agreement with the Downtown Development Board (DDB)to provide personnel, administrative and management services during Fiscal Year 2023-2024 in the amount of$84,357, refund the CRA Tax Increment fee of$363,012, and authorize the appropriate officials to execute same. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 4.6 Approve the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Community Redevelopment Agency Budget, adopt CRA Resolution 23-02 and authorize the appropriate officials to execute same. The purpose of this item is to adopt the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-2024 Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Budget. The CRA has aligned its proposed project expenditures to facilitate future redevelopment of downtown through the Page 6 City of Clearwater Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes September 18, 2023 implementation of the Downtown Plan. The major highlights of the FY 2023-2024 proposed preliminary budget are: Tax Increment Revenue is$6,094,622 which is an increase of $645,664 over the $5,448,958 Amended 2022-2023 revenue, reflecting an increase in taxable value of both the original CRA area and the expanded (Downtown Gateway) CRA area. CRA Funds are divided between Operating Expenditures and Project Funds. Operating Expenditures include the services, supplies and expense that occur during the fiscal year and are primarily used for conducting the CRA's day to day operations as well as consulting services that will begin and end within the fiscal year. Project Funds include Interlocal Agreements, Capital Improvements, and funding for established programs who work extends beyond one fiscal year. Project Funds carry over from year to year. This year's budget continues the use of project funds that were established in 2020 to distinguish between City and County TIF dollars. Operating Expenditures have increase by $35,369 from FY 22/23. This increase is to account for expenditures related to new full-time staff. Operating Expenditures also includes the pass-through revenues, $363,012, to the Downtown Development Board (DDB). Transfers Out designated the funding this fiscal year that will be allocated to various Project Funds. The costs for Interlocal Agreements with the City and the Clearwater Police Department are found in the General Fund and Community Policing lines for a total of $1,240,169. The remaining City TIF revenue has been allocated to Community Engagement ($250,000); Economic Development ($500,000); Transportation ($100,000); Housing ($1,147,269). County TIF Funds, $2,581,329 for this fiscal year, are restricted to capital improvement projects, housing and land acquisition. The County TIF funds have been allocated to Economic Development ($250,000); Transportation ($250,000); and Housing ($2,081,329). In response to questions, Ms. Lopez said the six-year budget is for the Downtown CRA. The county TIF funds under economic development are intended for facade improvement grants, environmental remediation work, or land acquisition. The project funds are allocated based on the county project descriptions. Staff is looking at using the transportation funds to improve the Pinellas Trail within the Downtown. She said$1 million of the housing funds has been allocated to Archway Gardens; staff Page 7 City of Clearwater Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes September 18, 2023 million of the housing funds has been allocated to Archway Gardens; staff will be presenting another item in October, allocating $1.5 million for 306 S. Washington Avenue. Trustee Beckman moved to approve the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Community Redevelopment Agency Budget, adopt CRA Resolution 23-02, and authorize the appropriate officials to execute same. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 5. Director's Report 6. Adjourn Attest Ms. Lopez said there are 25 N. Greenwood Community Grants; 21 agreements have been executed. She said 15 have been processed for payment to date. She said Lazzario's and Flawless Beauty Loft have recently opened. Nash Keys is currently operating out of a temporary location, pending the issuance of the certificate of occupancy at the permanent location. She said 5:30 Pub and Waxin 1Ilies have closed. She reviewed recent events and the results of a recent survey that identified individuals are interested in restaurants, bars, ice cream shops, and a market, such as Trader Joe's. In response to a question, Ms. Lopez said a survey regarding uses at The Mercado identified interest in weekend festivals, farmers markets, and youth activities. One individual stressed the importance to work with the Hispanic community and stated that several local Hispanic organizations are working together to address the communication gap in the community. The meeting adjourned at 2:00 p.m. City Clerk City of Clearwater ,,,, „,, Cha . ;`�o,,iFz3.�.r.,,��""fT4:"".C9 mmunitY Redevelopment Agency . ..,*(z`:'&••• "-- ... zORPORAre c- 01. J'; SEAL !hyo` /rrrr��� ars ouit0>>�`O Page 8