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02/27/1992 MAAS BROTHERS TASK FORCE MEETING February 27, 1992 Members present: Ed Mazur, Chairperson Jim Graham, Vice-Chairperson John B. Johnson Phoebe Moss Hal Ebersole Stephen Saliga Robert Kennedy Wray Register Bob Bickerstaffe David Little Joshua Magidson Gregory Jewell Debra Weible (arrived 4:09) Nancy Simmons (arrived 4:10) Jackie Tobin (arrived 4:04) Also Present: Michael J. Wright, City Manager Cynthia E. Goudeau, City Clerk The meeting was called to order at 4:01 p.m. at the Clearwater Main Library. ITEM #2 - Approval of Minutes Member Magidson moved to approve the minutes of January 9, 1992 and January 23, 1992. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. ITEM #3 - Presentation: Florida Gulf Coast Arts Center - Gil McArthur Mr. McArthur, President of the Florida Gulf Coast Arts Center, stated their proposal is tentative at this point. He reviewed the history of the art museum stating it was originally in Clearwater in the 1940's and they moved to Belleair when a gift of land was made to them. He said over the years, they have considered moving back to Clearwater. They have considered this move in order to make themselves more accessible but due to the waterfront property they currently have and the invitation of Belleair to remain in that city, they have not moved. They have recently started planning to expand the facility. He stated an exhibition area, as well as an education component, are major portions of their operation. He stated they wished to reach out to a broad segment of the public. When they began discussing expansion, they found they needed to address ways in which to develop their existing property as well as address concerns of the Belleair community regarding traffic and congestion. He stated they became aware of the Maas site being available. He stated if it can be found to be mutually agreeable, the arts center would like to move back to Clearwater which would be beneficial for the City as well as reduce the arts center pressure they are now feeling from their adjacent residential neighborhood. He stated the Maas site would afford them an opportunity to attract the large number of people that they need in which to grow and which downtown needs in order to revitalize. He stated they are proposing the Task Force recommend to Clearwater that they investigate the possibilities of the arts center moving to the Maas site. He stated funding would have to be investigated and details would be worked out after it is determined they are able to work with the City. He stated if the arts center's proposal does not work out, the City would still be able to move on to other proposals. He stated currently they serve 200 clients a day and if they were able to locate on the Maas site, he would see multiples of that. The types of classes were listed and it was indicated they have classes for children, elderly, dyslectic and visually impaired individuals. It was indicated some classes have been abandoned due to lack of space at their current facility. In response to a question, Mr. McArthur indicated they would like to own the land and they have plans for open space as well as other facilities. He also indicated the funding for the project would be private, not tax money. A question was raised regarding how large a building is planned and Mr. McArthur indicated this had not been determined, but the plans for the current site contained a building of 53,000 square feet of net usable area. He indicated on the Maas site, they could have the exhibition space as well as special event space for activities other than arts related. In response to question, he indicated they did not come forward during the previously advertised public forums as they had not become aware of the concerns of the Belleair residents regarding their proposed expansion. He also indicated that Florida Gulf Coast Arts Center is non-profit and the property would not be on the tax rolls. He indicated the plans are for the center to be as self-sufficient as possible. In response to a question regarding whether or not the arts center would be able to use the building if it were simply renovated, Mr. McArthur indicated personally, he would not invest money in the current building but that would be a decision of the board. ITEM #4 - Discussion of Goals The Chairman indicated he would like to discuss what the goals of the Task Force should be and what they want to accomplish with the recommendation to be presented to the City. Discussion ensued regarding the need to establish these goals and what they should be. Mr. Mazur stated he felt they need to establish the goals in order to explain why they develop the recommendation that the Task Force will be developing. Discussion ensued regarding whether or not the Task Force should consider more property than the 3.8 acre Maas site. Mr. Graham moved that the Task Force look at the property bounded by Cleveland Street on the south, Drew Street on the north, Osceola on the east and Clearwater Harbor on the west. The motion was duly seconded. Further discussion ensued regarding whether or not the Task Force should consider properties other than the Maas site. Some members stated the recommendation should be just for the site with keeping the other properties in mind while others expressed the opinion that the decision needed to reflect what the Task Force felt should happen on all sites as it is now all owned by the City. Upon the vote being taken: Members Magidson, Weible, Mazur, Graham, Jewell, Moss and Saliga voted "Aye"; Members Simmons, Little, Kennedy, Register, Bickerstaffe, Ebersole, Tobin and Johnson voted "Nay". Motion failed. Member Weible moved to primarily focus on the 3.8 acre Maas site with a second goal being to include thoughts regarding city owned property generally bounded by Drew Street on the north, Pierce Street on the south, Osceola on the east and Clearwater Harbor on the west. The motion was duly seconded. Discussion ensued regarding which properties this would entail and it was stated it would include all city owned properties in that general area. Upon the vote being taken: Members Mazur, Graham, Johnson, Moss, Ebersole, Kennedy, Register, Bickerstaffe, Little, Weible, Magidson, Simmons, Tobin and Jewell voted "Aye"; Member Saliga voted "Nay". Motion carried. Discussion ensued regarding whether or not the Task Force should break up into subcommittees at this time in order to develop pros and cons for particular options. There was some concern that the subcommittees would need to understand the goals of the Task Force prior to being established. Task Force members suggested the following goals and/or objectives: 1) provide as much green space as possible; 2) bring people downtown; 3) have a facility not available in Clearwater; 4) increase the tax base; 5) bring commerce downtown; 6) minimize capital investment by the City; 7) minimize risk to the City; 8) have it as an entity owned by the City to generate profit; 9) maximize view to the water; 10) maintain city control by lease or buy back; 11) minimize or eliminate parking on the waterfront below the bluff; 12) address traffic flow in the area; 13) provide a transportation hub to the beach; 14) create a catalyst for future development of the City, make it a destination point; 15) consider other Task Force and consultant studies; 16) distinguish between bluff and lower lands; 17) address the water, including the coast and harbor; and 18) generate the greatest benefit to the largest number of people. Discussion ensued regarding the proposed goals. A concern was expressed regarding limiting ownership of the property to the City when developers have not had a chance to present their proposals to the Task Force. Further discussion ensued and it was determined the number one objective would be to generate the greatest benefit for the largest number or people. Futher discussion ensued regarding the other goals with it being stated some of them are felt to be "musts" in the consideration of the Task Force while others will be considered secondary goals. Discussion also ensued that some of the goals would occur if other ones were addressed. Consensus of the Task Force was to eliminate the goal regarding it being an entity owned by the City to generate profit as being too limiting on the Task Force. Discussion ensued regarding the need to maintain City control of the 3.8 acres of the Maas site and it was stated that if the City did not maintain control, how could they guarantee the project would generate the greatest benefit to the largest number of people. A motion was made to make maintaining City control by lease or buy back of the 3.8 acres as a necessary component of the objectives. The motion was duly seconded. Upon the vote being taken: Members Mazur, Graham, Johnson, Moss, Saliga, Register, Bickerstaffe, Little, Weible, Magidson, Simmons, Tobin and Jewell voted "Aye"; Members Ebersole and Kennedy voted "Nay". Motion carried. Consensus was to eliminate a facility not available in Clearwater and a catalyst for future development of the City as it was felt these would be strategies to meet the goals, not goals in and of themselves. Discussion ensued regarding why a goal should be to minimize capital investment by the City if it is determined a project needs capital investment. It was the consensus of the Task Force to eliminate this. Members Register and Tobin left the meeting at 5:40 p.m. Member Kennedy moved to approve the generation of the greatest benefit to the largest number of people, providing as much green space as possible, bringing people downtown, minimizing risk to the City, maximizing the view to the water, maintaining City control by lease or buy back of the 3.8 acres Maas site and minimizing or eliminating parking on the bayfront as primary goals of the Task Force and that increasing the tax base directly or indirectly, bringing commerce downtown, addressing traffic flow in the area, providing a transportation hub to the beach, considering other Task Force and consultant studies, distinguishing between the bluff and the lower lands and addressing water, including the coast and harbor as secondary goals. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. Three members, Mr(s). Johnson, Saliga and Kennedy, presented written information on their thoughts regarding the Task Force's mission. Other members wishing to present something in writing to the Task Force are to submit their thoughts to the City Clerk by March 6, 1992, in order for them to be mailed out to the Task Force prior to the next meeting. It was suggested there still be time allotted for the Task Force to hear presentations and it was suggested the Task Force continue to take input throughout the process. It was the consensus of the Task Force to provide time at the beginning of each meeting for presentations, no more than two, 10 to 15 minutes presentations at each meeting. It was also the consensus to invite Mr. Massee, who had appeared at a public forum indicating he would be happy to bring a developer in to make a presentation, and George Athens, who has a presentation regarding Moonbeams, would be scheduled for next meeting. It was stated the Task Force would address all concerns and ideas that are presented to them. ITEM #5 - Adjourn The meeting adjourned at 5:50 p.m.