City Hall 112 S. Osceola Avenue Clearwater, FL 33756 Meeting Minutes Monday, July 13, 2015 1:00 PM City Hall Chambers Community Redevelopment Agency Page 1
Roll Call Present 5 - Chair George N. Cretekos, Trustee Doreen Hock-DiPolito, Trustee Jay E. Polglaze, Trustee Bill Jonson, and Trustee Hoyt Hamilton Also Present William B. Horne City Manager, Jill Silverboard Assistant City Manager, Rod Irwin CRA Executive Director/Assistant City Manager, Pamela K. Akin City Attorney, Rosemarie Call City Clerk, 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. Unapproved 1. Call To Order Chair Cretekos The meeting was called to order at 1:15 p.m. 2. Approval of Minutes 2.1 Approve the minutes of the June 15, 2015 CRA meeting as submitted in written summation by the City Clerk. Trustee Jonson moved to approve the minutes of the June 15, 2015 CRA meeting as submitted in written summation by the City Clerk. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. Chair Cretekos reminded the Trustees, as stressed in the required ethics class for elected officials, the minutes are a record of what was done and not what was said. Members of the collegial body should not worry about wordsmithing unless it is associated with a motion that was made. 3. Citizens to be Heard Regarding Items Not on the Agenda None. 4. New Business Items 4.1 Approve Project Template for ULI Bluff/Coachman Park/ Waterfront Master Plan Development Page 2
Provide direction concerning the form, timing and structure of the process to develop a Bluff/Coachman Park/Waterfront Master Development Plan, pursuant to the ULI Advisory Services Panel Report recommendation and CRA Board direction at the June meeting. The ULI Advisory Services Panel Report recommended development of a Bluff/Coachman Park/Waterfront Master Development Plan to define and further delineate the components of the recommendations of the Report. At the June CRA meeting, the Board discussed alternate formats to accomplish this recommendation and directed staff to further define the hybrid approach delineated in the staff presentation. The attached Program Template is intended to provide that delineation, and to serve as the outline around which staff will develop the Master Development Plan process and RFP(s). Staff seeks Board feedback as to whether this outline meets Board expectations before developing the formal RFP documents. PLEASE NOTE: This cost estimate does not include any cost for retention of a fee-based developer to participate in the process. Such participation is unusual and staff is discussing the availability, form and cost of such an engagement with the developer community, and will update the Program Template when details are clarified. However, it seems likely that the developer fees could equal or exceed the stated Master Plan consultant fees in the Program Template. The reason is that for a developer of the quality sought to commit time and effort into the process, there would be an opportunity cost calculation regarding whether their time could be more profitable in a private development venture, and he/she would need to be compensated accordingly. The rebound in the economy for development at present provides investment opportunities not seen in Florida over the past eight years of recession. The ULI Report and the Redevelopment Plan recommend a master development plan that focuses on generating private investment along the Bluff, integrated with the Park and Waterfront to achieve the redevelopment of Downtown. Thus, the ULI report emphasizes engaging a developer at the outset to be intimately involved in the process and ensure economic feasibility and market reality in the Plan design and components. Staff will continue to explore alternatives to achieve this developer/ economic feasibility component and advise accordingly. One alternative may be to restructure the process and select a developer firm to lead the process, who would then assemble a team to address park design, waterfront and other component parts of the Plan. Staff looks forward to discussing these issues with the Board and receiving direction on how to further proceed. Page 3
Planning and Development Director Michael Delk said the objective of the Bluff Master Plan is to formulate a master development for the Bluff and the Coachman Park waterfront property to facilitate the recommendations of the ULI Panel. Staff estimates it will take approximately 22 months at a cost of $200,000 to $250,000. Mr. Delk reviewed the proposed timeline: 60-90 days to prepare and issue the Request for Proposals, 2 months to engage the consultants and refine the scope of work, 1 month to establish a stakeholders advisory group, 12 months for analysis/public engagement process and prepare draft of key component of work, and 1 month for a special work session to review the draft plan. CRA Executive Director/Assistant City Manager Rod Irwin said the process may take 3 years to complete as there will likely be changes to the Downtown Plan and the City Charter. Economic Development and Housing Director Geri Campos Lopez said the ULI panel did not recommend the piece-meal approach. ULI suggested taking an integrated approach that knitted the waterfront park and private investment on the Bluff into the Downtown core. The public engagement component is critical for the vision buy-in, which provides prospective developers the comfort needed when anticipating a future referendum. Staff has contacted developers and development consultants throughout the state regarding the market study component. Ms. Campos Lopez said developers are responding to the market and currently interested in pursuing deals that can be developed within a year. The challenge in Clearwater is creating the desired market. Staff is identifying projects with the desired components and activities to identify the developers and processes used for those projects. Staff needs more time to conduct research; and anticipates refining the information by the end of August. In response to questions, Ms. Campos Lopez said she did not discuss the visioning process with the ULI consultant she has contacted, but discussed the recommendation to develop a master plan for the Bluff. The planning consultant would lead the community outreach component. Identifying the desired projects would allow staff to approach the developers with experience and determine if the developers were willing to work with the City. The developer and master planner consultants would be on-board when the public engagement begins. Mr. Irwin said the developers would also have the ability to assemble a team of consultants. Ms. Campos Lopez said developers are not keen to responding to an RFP that hits their desk given some of the City s charter restrictions. The department's real estate brochure does not identify the Bluff area, but does describe the Page 4
ULI recommendations and development opportunities. Mr. Irwin said direction will be needed regarding how intricate the public engagement process is desired by the Trustees. The Master Plan will identify how to better activate and support the waterfront, the commercial component along the Bluff, and a robust Coachman Park master plan. Ms. Campos Lopez said the amenities, such as the park, are place-making tools in urban design; the commercial component must complement the park to give individuals a reason to stay. Staff will be looking at national projects to identify potential developers. The Bluff Master Plan encompasses the Harborview and the City Hall sites. Mr. Irwin said the City controls the Harborview and City Hall sites, as well as the parking area between the Harborview and the Main Library. The current charter restrictions are challenging; the market will be hot when the restrictions will be addressed through a referendum. Discussion ensued with support expressed to proceed with the proposed process outline. A concern was expressed with the proposed timeline to issue the RFP may be too long. It was suggested that the template discuss the real objectives, rather than referencing two documents, and outline the anticipated deliverables, as the master plan would have several components. Trustee Jonson moved to reference the template as a conceptual document, rather than a literal document, subject to review and drafting by the staff. Motion failed for lack of a second. Trustee Hamilton moved to approve Project Template for ULI Bluff/Coachman Park/ Waterfront Master Plan Development. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 4.2 Approve the Purchase Contract for acquisition of real property located at 1356 Park Street, Clearwater, by the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Clearwater (CRA), with a purchase price of $51,300 and total expenditures not to exceed $65,000 including environmental assessments, closing costs and demolition expenses and ongoing maintenance; authorize the appropriate officials to execute same, together with all other instruments required to affect closing; and, approve a transfer of $65,000 from CRA Project 388-94714, Downtown Redevelopment, to a new Project 388-94884, Property Acquisition 1356 Park Street, in the amount of $65,000 to fund the acquisition and attendant expenses. Page 5
In 2010, the CRA acquired property located at 1359 Cleveland Street for the purpose of environmental remediation and future redevelopment. In 2014, the City acquired 14 S. Evergreen Avenue for redevelopment purposes. The parcel proposed for acquisition is contiguous with both CRA and City parcels and will square off what is otherwise an irregularly shaped tract. The parcel is approximately 5,775 sq. ft. and contains a small storage structure that will be demolished. This acquisition will provide for a total tract of 24,150 sq. ft. (0.55 acres) in the East Gateway District that may be used for future redevelopment purposes. City staff conducted an in-house appraisal to determine current market value of the property as if assembled with adjacent CRA land holdings. Staff s value conclusion is $9.00/sq. ft. or $51,975. In addition to the acquisition costs, $3,250 is requested in the CRA project code for any miscellaneous/ongoing maintenance costs of the site. Funding for this acquisition will be provided by a transfer of $65,000 from CRA Downtown Redevelopment line item into a new project code (388-94884), Property Acquisition 1356 Park Street. APPROPRIATION CODE AND AMOUNT: Funding for this acquisition will be provided by a transfer of $65,000 from CRA Downtown Redevelopment line item into a new project code (388-94884), Property Acquisition 1356 Park Street. 388-94884 $65,000 Trustee Hock-DiPolito moved to approve the Purchase Contract for acquisition of real property located at 1356 Park Street, Clearwater, by the Community Redevelopment Agency of the (CRA), with a purchase price of $51,300 and total expenditures not to exceed $65,000 including environmental assessments, closing costs and demolition expenses and ongoing maintenance; authorize the appropriate officials to execute same, together with all other instruments required to affect closing; and, approve a transfer of $65,000 from CRA Project 388-94714, Downtown Redevelopment, to a new Project 388-94884, Property Acquisition 1356 Park Street, in the amount of $65,000 to fund the acquisition Page 6
and attendant expenses. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 5. Director's Report CRA Executive Director Rod Irwin thanked those involved in the recent East Gateway code sweep, which generated results with some of the property owners. 6. Committee Members to be Heard Trustee Jonson questioned when the project status report would be provided. CRA Executive Director Rod Irwin said the project status report will be provided at the August 3 CRA meeting. The information will be provided to the Trustees after July 21, which will include all funds expended, funds committed to the ULI project, and objective status. Trustee Jonson said he wants to ensure the minutes are understandable. Chair Cretekos said the comments made earlier regarding the minutes were directed for all meetings; Robert's Rules specifies that minutes do not have to include verbatim reports of what is said or ideas expressed, only the motions are required. 7. Adjourn The meeting adjourned at 2:17 p.m. Chair Attest Community Redevelopment Agency City Clerk Page 7