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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 01-15-2008 WorkshopCITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING CITY HALL ANNEX 111 Polk Avenue, Cape Canaveral, Florida TUESDAY January 15, 2008 5:30 PM MINUTES CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL: Members Present: Mayor Pro Tern Council Member Council Member Mayor Council Member Others Present: City Manager Recording Secretary City Attorney Building Official DISCUSSION Bob Hoog Leo Nicholas Buzz Petsos Rocky Randels Shannon Roberts Bennett Boucher Mia Goforth Anthony Garganese Todd Morley 1. Redevelopment — Building Better Communities — 8 minute video. Mr. Boucher explained that the video presentation was a lead -in to the discussion about the Community Development Department (CDD). This would inform the Council of some of the issues that are confronting the City, how the CDD is going to be run, and what the City is looking at as far as an individual to fill the position of Community Development Department Director (CDDD). He also pointed out the fact that the City is now 92.3% built out and this necessitates that the City take a look at how it currently conducts business and looks towards the future. He stated the future is going to be redevelopment After the video, Mr. Petsos made a request for Mayor Randels to call roll. Mr. Boucher explained that the video represented a taste of what other communities are doing and not one size fits all. Mr. Boucher recounted different examples that were in City of Cape Canaveral, Florida City Council Workshop Meeting Community Development January 15, 2008 Page 2 of 10 the video as possibly being good ideas for the City such as mixed use and a CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) among other things. He pointed out there is a litany of issues that the City is going to be looking at going forward to help sustain the community and to not let areas become tired and rundown. He continued that the City should stay proactive and have tools in the tool box available to the community and for people who want to come in and do redevelopment. He also stated that as the City finds its path it should be kept as a beachside, residential community and that is very important. Mr. Boucher said the Planning and Zoning Board are beginning to look at different types of mixed use and that is where the City is right now. He stated that he wants to have a dialog with the Council and he wants to make sure the City of Cape Canaveral is on the right path and if it is not, that needs to change. Mayor Randels pointed out that not all of the cities mentioned in the video are at the same stage of their redevelopment. Mayor Randels compared the cities featured in the video, St. Petersburg & Cape Coral, with the City of Cape Canaveral. He indicated that the City of Cape Canaveral falls somewhere in between as far as redevelopment goes. Mayor Randels then stated to Mr. Boucher that he wanted a consensus from the rest of the Council before deciding on anything. He proceeded to ask each of the Council members what their thoughts on the subject were. Ark Mr. Petsos said he liked the idea of Planned Redevelopment and wants to try to encourage it, but wants to look it over thoroughly first. Mayor Randels countered that it helps and hurts the City at the same time because the taxes stay within the same, small redevelopment area. Mr. Petsos added that the Federal Government has certain requirements as well. Because of that he wants to know what the ramifications would be before getting into a CRA. Mr. Nicholas stated he sees where community Development needs to be looked at rather than Redevelopment. He explained there are large sections of the City to be developed yet. He used trailer parks as one example but then said these may be classified as redevelopment. He pointed out whole portions of A1A and large areas of North Atlantic Avenue that are undeveloped. The only area he can see that needs redevelopment is the Avon -by -the Sea area because it is built up and mostly residential. He wondered what would happen to zoning density and if it would in fact change or go away. Mr. Nicholas stated that redevelopment is going to cost money and there must be a return on that investment. He added that development and redevelopment should be spearheaded by a planning and zoning board, not a community and cultural development board. Mayor Randels added that the Business and Cultural Development Board expressed the need for someone to get involved as a community development person. Ms. Roberts clarified that the Business & Cultural Development Board's dialog on this issue centered on the whole city being declared as a CRA area. She stated that personally, having lived in other parts of the country, a CRA enhances the services, programs, livability and quality of life for the residents if it is thoughtfully planned out. City of Cape Canaveral, Florida City Council Workshop Meeting Community Development January 15, 2008 Page 3 of 10 She referenced what came out of the City of Cape Canaveral 2006 Community Survey and one of the points made in the video, was the need to keep residents from having to travel outside of the City for fundamental services like shopping, restaurants and doctors. She stated this is a significant opportunity for the City and it is incredibly timely that the City is doing this. Mayor Pro Tern Hoog agreed with Mr. Nicholas and Ms. Roberts. He greatly looks forward to Mixed Use Zoning if it's planned correctly. He mentioned the blighted areas and the R2 zoned areas of the City have a lot of redevelopment that could take place. Mayor Pro Tern Hoog offered old trailer park areas, those on North Atlantic Avenue for example, as being where mixed use should take place. He also added that personally he would not want to live on top of a commercial building on the stretch of land in the A1A corridor because of the road noise. He said that sort of zoning change should take place on North Atlantic Avenue. Mayor Randels summarized that planned redevelopment, development of vacant land, keeping residents from having to travel outside of the City and mixed use zoning were the key points of each Council Member's opinion. Mayor Randels' opinion is the blighted areas are at maximum density or over capacity for zoning. He continued because of this, if the buildings are torn down, land owners and developers could never put that many buildings in again. He brought the point regarding the cost for the City to achieve any new development. Mayor Randels stated he feels the tax rate is not realistic with what the City is expecting and wants to happen. He continued that it will take a consensus to pay for the long term. He added capital is going to be the biggest challenge. Mayor Randels then asked for the Planning & Zoning Board's opinion from the audience. Chairperson McNeely stated she is not sure what the population is going to be. She recalled when the Space Program was in its heyday people came and went and didn't stay very long. She wondered who will be coming here to live and who will be our neighbors? She asked what the City's goal might be as far as who will come here to live. Mr. Pearson brought up the upcoming primary election on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 and how the City of Cocoa Beach will have a Redevelopment plan on their ballot for their downtown area. He felt it might be interesting to see how the votes go on that issue. Mr. Nicholas pointed out the City of Cocoa Beach can do a redevelopment because they have a centralized commercial area and the City of Cape Canaveral does not. Ms. Roberts recalled eleven (11) years ago, North Atlantic Avenue was supposedly going to be an avenue of retail shops because it was commercial and it still may hold some promise for that. City of Cape Canaveral, Florida City Council Workshop Meeting Community Development January 15, 2008 Page 4 of 10 Mr. Nicholas stated the most logical location was and still is Center Street to convert to mixed usage. He explained the street is limited as far as traffic through it, it's accessible on both sides and there is land area that would be a good potential source for mixed usage. Mayor Randels reminded everyone the Center Street area was C1 zoned and then turned into a C2 zoned area and that presented the opportunity for mixed usage but there was not a lot of interest for it. Mr. Boucher recalled in the late nineties, the Business and Cultural Development Board talked about developing a downtown area and Center Street was one of the areas looked at. He said that Center Street is kind of a crossroads close to city facilities and there could have been opportunities. He tied this instance into his presentation as an example as to why the City needs to think about planned redevelopment going forward and negotiate those types of things, talk to property owners and encourage them to redevelop their properties. Mr. Nicholas expressed that the City is restricted by the property owners themselves. He said until a developer /property owner comes in and says they want to do something, he doesn't think the City should be planning what to do with the property and should not be building it for them either. Mr. Boucher replied the City should have tools in the toolbox. Mr. Nicholas said that is what the Planning and Zoning Board is for. Ms. Roberts pointed out the concern over the workers who live in trailer parks that help support the current businesses in the City. She said she knows there is a lot of concern over what would happen to these individuals when a developer comes in. Ms. Roberts stated it does require some degree of agreement with the developer so that the City can allow for some part of a development to accommodate those individuals and /or possibly provide attainable housing. She continued it would take a proactive role on the part of the City to enable that to happen. Mayor Randels asked Mr. Boucher to continue with his presentation. 2. Community Development Department Emerging Issues • Introduction: ♦ Build out of the City of Cape Canaveral is at 92.3% with only 7.7% vacant land available. ♦ Going forward the City should be focused on redevelopment to improve the quality of life and economy for our City. • Emerging Issues: ♦ Implementation of the City's redevelopment plan: The Business & Cultural Development Board submitted in March 2007, a redevelopment plan that provides for goals, policies and objectives that have been designed to outline for the City, the direction and required capacity needed to continuously and effectively achieve positive economic growth and improved quality of life. City of Cape Canaveral, Florida City Council Workshop Meeting Community Development January 15, 2008 Page 5 of 10 Establishment of a Community Redevelopment Agency: ♦ Recommended as part of the redevelopment plan ♦ Establish Tax Increment Financing (TIF) to fund redevelopment programs and projects A discussion of TIF followed. Mr. Boucher used the possibility of a streetscape along N. Atlantic Ave. as an example of how to use the financing. Mr. Boucher explained that any appreciation of value (and income) from the land that is designated as part of the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) will go to the Agency for projects within that area. Attorney Garganese pointed out that it is not only the tax increment from the City that the CRA will benefit from. He stated that any taxing agency that has the ability to tax within the CRA area will benefit the CRA with some exceptions such as school district taxes. He said those will always go to the school district and they do not get siphoned off and deposited in the CRA trust fund. Mayor Randels inquired if Brevard County's portion of any increase could be used also. Attorney Garganese answered yes, but the City has to get consent from the County to create a CRA. Mr. Nicholas stated that even though this increases value of property, the City's portion of the (tax) increase is frozen. He stated the City still has to provide services for the whole City, so in turn the City would be giving up a funding source. Mayor Randels said the money goes back to the property owner for new facades. Mr. Nicholas stated new facades are fine but among other things, will create more traffic and not provide any extra money for the rest of the City to pay for it. Mayor Pro Tern Hoog asked Attorney Garganese if the City of Cocoa provides matching funds for new facades. Attorney Garganese said the CRA has a lot of authority and fagade programs are popular. He explained the City of Cocoa can take their CRA dollars and give them to a private property owner and the property owner would have to match those dollars. He stated that city has been pretty successful at it for the last ten (10) years. Attorney Garganese used the example of the old office building he used to work in next to what used to be Whitley Bay Marina. He said it's been completely re- painted and re -done and the property owner received a fagade grant from their Downtown and Redevelopment Agency to help them with that. Mayor Randels and Ms. Roberts described other examples of this type of redevelopment, such as Fat Boy's Bar - B-Q in Merritt Island and an area declared CRA along A1A in Satellite Beach. Ms. Roberts stated her perception was this may be a way for the City to get back more of the funds that it contributes if she understood the financial arrangements correctly. Attorney Garganese agreed and explained that to create a CRA you need to have a City of Cape Canaveral, Florida City Council Workshop Meeting Community Development January 15, 2008 Page 6 of 10 declaration of slum -in -play and typically this is an area that is desperately in need of redevelopment. He then explained about the tax money the City and the CRA it creates would receive for earmarked redevelopment expenditures within the CRA. He stated this can be controlled effectively by having the City Council serve as the CRA Board as well. Mayor Pro Tern Hoog inquired about coming up with immediate funding if developers come in the first year, do big improvements and the taxes collected are in the red against the CRA. Attorney Garganese clarified it takes a certain number of years for the CRA to generate revenue. He explained there are ways to seed the CRA with money such as a loan from the City to the CRA or have the CRA pledge TIF dollars for repayment of a bond. He said there is a lot of strategic creativity when you're dealing with a CRA. Attorney Garganese added he represents the Downtown CRA for the City of Cocoa, which is the City Council of Cocoa plus two (2) lay people. Mr. Boucher continued his presentation. ♦ Seek redevelopment & economic development grants. Mr. Boucher commented that right now there is no individual to seek those types of grants and that could be another opportunity. • Comprehensive Plan E.A.R. based amendments: ♦ Provides for Goals, policies and objectives that guide the City's growth for the next seven (7) years. Mr. Boucher mentioned that the DCA (Department of Community Affairs) received the City's plan and will review and comment within the next sixty (60) days. ♦ Requires coordination with the Local Planning agency (P&Z) and the City Council. Mr. Boucher encouraged council that now is the time to implement this type of plan for future redevelopment because the City is at that point of the planning cycle to go forward. • Code Review: ♦ Review of existing chapter 110 ♦ International property maintenance code ♦ Mixed use ♦ Form based codes ♦ Sign code ♦ Resort rental parking ♦ Citizen awareness & participation plan ♦ Affordable housing ♦ Open space ♦ Zoning fees ♦ Height restrictions within the Commercial zoning districts City of Cape Canaveral, Florida City Council Workshop Meeting Community Development January 15, 2008 Page 7 of 10 Mr. Boucher asked if anyone had any comments on these eleven (11) items. Ms. Roberts stated that environment would be the only item she might add. 3. Organizational Structure of the Community Development Department: Mr. Boucher then displayed a Community Development organizational chart which represents his recommendation on the reorganization of four (4) departments (Community Development, Building, Inspections and Code Enforcement) into one. He reminded Council they previously approved a budget for this plan in the amount of $725,000 dollars with the potential to have a Community Development Director. Mr. Boucher stated the Community Development Director is who he envisions would lead everyone through this process of planning. He said the Building Official would still be in charge of the inspectors and code enforcement issues that he's authorized by statute and code to work on. He also explained that in other cities it is typical to have the Community Development Director to oversee what is going on. He stated he firmly believes that, compared to other cities, the City of Cape Canaveral is a small shop and he wants a clear line of communication and direction for the employees. Mayor Randels, Mr. Nicholas and Mayor Pro Tern Hoog relayed opinions on Mr. Boucher's graph and their initial opposition to it. Mr. Boucher then continued with his explanation of the graph with a reading of the Cape Canaveral City Code, Section 110 -88. Duties of the Building Official. He pointed out to Council that the way the code is written and with Council concurrence, he has authority to appoint a Community Development Director to oversee the enforcement and regulation of Chapter 110. Mayor Randels, Mr. Nicholas and Mayor Pro Tern Hoog again voiced discontent with this structure. Mr. Boucher continued with F.S. 468.603 Building Official — Defined. He stated this is their (B.O. and employees) area of responsibility and they are not licensed or trained to review zoning issues. Mr. Boucher continued with Plans Examiner — Defined. He stated they apply technical codes to plans and are not licensed or trained to review zoning issues. Mr. Boucher followed with Community Development Director Duties and stated this individual will be working on the front half of the development process. Processes applications related to: • Concurrency Review • Preliminary & Final Plats • Site Plan Review • Special Exception Review • Variance Rights Review City of Cape Canaveral, Florida City Council Workshop Meeting Community Development January 15, 2008 Page 8 of 10 • Vested Rights Review • Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Amendment Review • Appeals Mr. Boucher explained these are all zoning related issues. He explained at the moment the way the code is written, the Council is asking Todd Morley, B. O., to juggle both what the state is asking him to do and what the Council is asking him to do on the zoning side. Mayor Pro Tern Hoog said years ago there was no such thing as Community Development Directors. He explained that Mr. Morley can be unburdened with this problem. Mr. Nicholas asked what kind of a staff would support this Community Development Director. Discussions followed on possible zoning code changes and the balance of responsibilities and duties between Todd Morley, Building Official, the new Community Development Director and staff. Mr. Boucher continued his presentation. Coordinates the processing of applications, flow of information to: • CITY COUNCIL • PLANNING & ZONING BOARD • LOCAL PLANNING AGENCY • COMMUNITY APPEARANCE BOARD • BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT • BUSINESS & CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT BOARD • CITY DEPARTMENTS Mr. Boucher stated all of the boards deal with zoning issues in the front end of the process. He stated they are all working on the same site plans and projects and he believes a better job of coordinating the information can be done. Interpretation and enforcement of the following codes: • CHAPTER 86 CONCURRENCY • CHAPTER 90 FLOODS • CHAPTER 94 SIGNS — (location and placement) • CHAPTER 98 SUBDIVISIONS • CHAPTER 102 VEGETATION • CHAPTER 106 WATERWAYS / WETLANDS • CHAPTER 110 ZONING CODES • CHAPTER 115 VESTED RIGHTS City of Cape Canaveral, Florida City Council Workshop Meeting Community Development January 15, 2008 Page 9 of 10 QUALIFICATIONS: • Knowledge of Federal Housing and Community Development Block Grant Programs. • Knowledge of the Florida Growth Management Act and Administrative Rules • Knowledge of current construction practices including legislation changes affecting local codes • Knowledge of private sector affordable housing and community development initiatives • Knowledge of Code Enforcement procedures and strategies and building codes • Knowledge of modem management techniques • Knowledge of zoning laws, comprehensive planning and the planning process • Ability to facilitate meetings and guide groups to identify and accomplish goals • Ability to effectively lead and manage the department • Ability to innovate and implement plans and programs • Skill in use of a personal computer and knowledge of GIS applications • Skill in public relations Discussion followed on the workload of the Community Development Director, the workload of the city boards and the possibility of modifying the amount of monthly meetings. EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: • Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master's Degree in Urban Planning or a related field • Five (5) years in land use planning • Five (5) years in a supervisory role • Three (3) years as a municipal department head FULLTIME POSITION: • Provides better onsite customer service • Better coordination of information • City Council Members, Board Members and staff can be briefed on issues before a public meeting • Access, Access, and Access • Timely processing of applications, site plans, etc... Mr. Boucher stated he is looking for a seasoned professional not someone who will be learning on the job. He stated he would like to give board members the opportunity to be briefed on upcoming meetings and be able to have access to onsite customer service on issues. tP City of Cape Canaveral, Florida City Council Workshop Meeting Community Development January 15,2008 Page 10 of 10 GET MOVING TOWARDS THE FUTURE! : • Authorize the hiring of the Community Development Director • Funding for this position is appropriated within the existing budget • Review and approve the structure of the Community Development Department Mayor Randels and Council stated they will need to look at this issue more Ms. Roberts suggested Todd Morley, B.O. might have dual roles working as the Assistant Community Development Director as well as the Building Official. She indicated the CDD and B.O. could work as a team. Mayor Randels pointed out the two positions, CDD & B.O., require different expertise. Mayor Randels stated there is desire to go ahead but Council will reschedule another workshop to discuss these issues further. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, the Chair adjourned the meeting at 6:47 P.M. Mia oforth, - r: g Secretary -2, 'p° C 3