HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 03-31-1994 Special Workshop•
CITY COUNCIL
SPECIAL WORKSHOP MEETING
March 31, 1994
A Special Workshop Meeting of the Cape Canaveral City Council was held on March 31, 1994,
at the Cape Canaveral Public Library, 7400 Poinsetta Avenue, Cape Canaveral, Florida. The
meeting was called to order at 6:05 P.M. by Mayor Pro Tem Porter.
ROLL CALL:
Mayor Joy Salamone Present
Mayor Pro Tem John Porter Present
Councilmember Arthur Berger Present
Councilmember Leo Nicholas Present
Councilmember Rocky Randels Present
City Manager Bennett Boucher Present
City Attorney John Kancilia Present
City Clerk Faith Miller Present
BUSINESS:
1. Introduction.
Mayor Pro Tem Porter thanked everyone for their attendance and introduced the speakers,
community leaders, City department heads, and various other dignitaries in attendance. He
explained the purpose of the meeting was to explore the possibilities for the redevelopment and
beautification of A 1 A and that it was up to the community to decide if it wanted redevelopment.
He stated that the speakers and community leaders would be presenting their ideas and resources
to the City and that a successful redevelopment project would require input and support from
the community as a whole.
2. Ms. Maria Clark. President of the Economic Development Commission of East Central
Florida (EDC) - Identify existing problems: ways to attract businesses.
Ms. Clark explained that the City had contacted her agency to question how it could work with
the agency for redevelopment and had taken a very proactive stand towards redevelopment. She
defined the purpose of the EDC and explained that the agency kept a database which included
relevant information regarding all commercial buildings available within Brevard County. She
stated that it was imperative to have all properties listed and that most buyers /developers were
looking for existing facilities. She commented that the problem with several vacant commercial
buildings in Cape Canaveral was the ceiling height which had been built to 1960's requirements,
but did not meet 1990's requirements.
Ms. Clark stated that beautification needs could be addressed by upgrading the landscaping along
A1A and in the medians. She described the EDC's campaign for recruiting industries and
promoting Brevard. She stated that the EDC had initiated a targeted market, direct mail
campaign to suppliers of major corporations in an attempt to attract small to mid -size companies
that supply products to the major industries. She commented that one-on -one communicating
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Special City Council Workshop Meeting
March 31, 1994
Page 2
with prospective companies was more cost effective than extensive advertising campaigns. She
described the contents of a personalized book put together by the EDC for a company interested
in relocating to Brevard.
Mayor Pro Tem Porter commented that the redevelopment process would take three (3) to five
(5) years and that it was not a quick fix mechanism.
3. Mr. Kurt Easton, Executive Director of the Merritt Island Redevelopment Agency
Opportunities for redevelopment - the Merritt Island experience.
Mr. Easton described several promotable aspects of Brevard County: 1) space capitol of the free
world; 2) the need to create and maintain a beautiful environment to attract people to come into
the area; and 3) lack of rampant growth and its associated problems.
Mr. Easton summarized the Merritt Island Redevelopment Program which was started in 1987.
The Program required a tremendous planning effort and background work and that the Agency
knew what was happening on each and every parcel of property within Merritt Island as to
structural /physical/infrastructure needs. He stated that the City would need to know what it
strengths were and make plans to build on those strengths. He stated that it had been determined
that Merritt Island had the market capability for a primary retail corridor and that strategies were
developed to capitalize on that capability. He felt that Cape Canaveral had outstanding potential
for redevelopment.
Mr. Easton stated that it would be critical for the City to conduct a market analysis of the area.
He stated that the City could not compete with the Port to attract manufacturing and that Merritt
Island had found its nitch in retail marketing.
Mr. Easton commented that Cape Canaveral had several opportunities for beautification with the
dedicated beautification millage already in place. He felt that the City had the means to generate
enough revenue for beautification through the existing millage. He suggested improved
pedestrian access and safety which would be conducive to attracting families to the area.
Mr. Easton explained that Merritt Island had gone through an inventory process, and had then
created a community redevelopment district that was established in accordance with Florida
Statutes. He spoke in reference to the concept of recycling urban land by turning it into
productive land.
3. Mr. Tom Blair, Chairman of the Cocoa Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau -
Report on committee ideas for A1A redevelopment.
Mr. Blair explained that as Chairman of the Convention and Visitors Bureau it was his
responsibility to promote in -bound tourism in the Cocoa Beach resort area. He stated that the
Cocoa Beach resort area included the Canaveral Port Authority south to Minuteman Causeway
in Cocoa Beach - a total of six (6) miles. He stated that the Chamber had rated tourism as its
City of Cape Canaveral, Florida
Special City Council Workshop Meeting
March 31, 1994
Page 3
number one priority at the highest funding level within the Chamber's budget. He stated that
tourism was the number one industry in the State of Florida and that it was a clean industry.
Mr. Blair summarized the following 1992 Brevard tourism related figures:
• 1.3 million overnight visitors in Brevard
• $375 million dollars spent by visitors to Brevard
• 20,000 Brevard residents directly employed by tourism industry related companies
• 16% of gas sales tax came from visitors; 27% of retail sales tax; 32 % of gift/card shop
sales taxes; and 87% of taxes within hotel industries
Mr. Blair stated that the current trend showed that 70% of Florida's visitors were repeat visitors
who wanted to go to out of the way places away from the main attraction areas. He stated that
the Space Coast enjoyed a very positive image -it was not a crowded area and it enjoyed a good
family base. He described several of Brevard County's assets including: Kennedy Space Center
- fifth largest tourist attraction in Florida; Port Canaveral - second largest cruise port in the
country; beaches, climate and overall atmosphere. Visitors tend to stay longer in a visitor
friendly area such as Brevard.
Mr. Blair listed the following items on the Chamber's wish list for the next 3 -5 years: 1) more
trees planted along the six -mile stretch; 2) more pedestrian friendly areas; 3) street banners
(colorful banners promoting special events of the area itself); 4) boardwalks along the river; and
5) trolleys for transporting visitors along the six-mile stretch. He stated that help was available
to both Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach through the Chamber.
5. Dr. Ellen Rosell,UCF. Assistant Professor /Coordinator - Economic planning opportunity
with UCF.
Dr. Rosell stated that she had heard several good ideas for redevelopment during the speaker's
presentations and she offered the use of student power through a public /public partnership with
UCF. She stated that currently there were 120 students in the Public Administration program
at UCF; several of the students worked on internship programs or special projects for various
communities within Brevard. She explained that for the past two (2) years, she had taught a
survey research class which prepared and tabulated the results of surveys conducted for the
Cities of Titusville and Cocoa Beach.
6. Mr. Fred Fishback. Member of the Cape Canaveral Business Association - Support from
local business.
Mr. Fishback stated that he also currently served on the City's Equity Study Commission which
was reviewing the City's Occupational License ordinances which included 148 different
categories for business - 37% were in use and 60% of those in use were within 10 categories
City of Cape Canaveral, Florida
Special City Council Workshop Meeting
March 31, 1994
Page 4
which showed that Cape Canaveral did not have a large diversity of businesses.
Mr. Fishback stated that Cape Canaveral was a great location for redevelopment. He also stated
that with the amount of downsizing going on within large corporations that many individuals
may be looking to open their own small businesses. He supported the idea of Cape Canaveral
becoming a fertile ground for small businesses.
7. Mr. Porter asked Mr. Bob Kamm, Transportation. Planner for Brevard County, to address
the audience briefly. Mr. Kamm supported looking at SR A1A as eventually becoming an asset
to the community. He stated that SR 520 had become an asset to Merritt Island and that the
Florida Department of Transportation (DOT) had been very cooperative in that project and that
DOT had gradually seen the need for improvements to fit in with the community. He explained
that requests for funding were sent to the Metropolitan Planning. Organization for approval. He
stated that the community needed a vision of what it wanted A1A to become.
He explained that initially the City should not worry about the funding because good projects
attract funding. He supported the need to prepare redevelopment plans to present to the other
agencies for support and he stated that funds were available within various State programs.
After a 15- minute refreshment break, the meeting was reconvened.
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
Mr. Porter asked audience members to express their ideas (not constrained by funds) for A1A
Beautification and Redevelopment or ideas for the City in general. Several members of the
audience expressed the following concerns:
• Clean -up of Avon -by- the -Sea area at the south end of the City; County
Commissioner Karen Andreas stated that County resources were available and
that the County would be glad to participate in a County /City partnership if
needed;
• Safety and ease of access on both sides of A1A;
• Continuation of sidewalks /pedestrian walkways along A1A;
• Identify boundaries - no need to limit the City to redevelopment of A1A only;
other opportunities available within the City to be addressed;
• Need for improved landscaping along A1A from Port Canaveral down to the City
limits at the south end;
• Identify ways to slow traffic down, especially vehicles coming off SR 528 onto
A1A; A1A resembles a highway - consider curbs, landscaping, and other visual
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Special City Council Workshop Meeting
March 31, 1994
Page 5
cues to encourage traffic to slow down along A1A and to make A1A look more
like a suburban street;
• Use xeriscape concept of landscaping with plants that are indigenous to the area
(barrier island);
• Consider development of Long Point Road property as a park;
• Beach renourishment for entire stretch - Port Canaveral to Patrick Air Force
Base;
• Improved response time of emergency services (police and fire);
• Create different atmosphere throughout the City; consider moving commercial
district one block over on each side of A1A;
• Implement an Architectural Review Board;
• Improved communications between the Port and the Cities of Cape Canaveral and
Cocoa Beach;
• Consider an incentive program for businesses to clean-up their surrounding areas;
• Encourage usage of vacant commercial property throughout the City;
• Enhanced street lighting along A 1 A;
• Provide small business incentives to encourage relocation of small businesses to
Cape Canaveral;
• Improvements needed along North Atlantic Avenue as well as A1A - may be
prime area for a "Main Street" concept;
• Consider construction of boardwalk along riverfront; or bikepaths from Jetty Park
to Cocoa Beach;
• Alternative route to using A1A - extension of North Banana River Drive;
• Encourage high quality builders /developers.
Mayor Salamone announced that the Commercial Development Board presently had four (4)
members and the Board needed a quorum of five (5) to begin meeting and had the potential for
nine (9) members for a full Board. She encouraged members of the audience to volunteer to
serve on the Board.
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Special City Council Workshop Meeting
March 31, 1994
Page 6
Mayor Pro Tem Porter expressed his appreciation on behalf of the Council to everyone for their
participation in the meeting.
ADJOURNMENT:
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 7:55 p.m.
Faith G. Miller, CM AAE
City Clerk