Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout05011996 RIVERf4"N City of Sebastian Riverfront Study Committee Monday, May 1, 1996 Meeting A. City Manager Thomas Frame called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM. Stated purpose of meeting was to formally meet for the first time as presently constituted and to decide on the leadership of the committee, time and length of meeting, procedures and agenda format and committee to give staff directions for future meetings. Bruce Bennett Ken Chapin Tom Collins Carolyn Corum Ed Moore Don Smith Steve Wild J. W. Tommy Thompson (Alternate) COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT Stanley Krulikowski (Alternate) STAFF PRESENT City Manager, Thomas Frame City Planner, Bob Massarelli Deputy City Clerk, Sally Maio Clerk, Ann Rousseau GUEST PRESENT John Hill, Craven Thompson & Associates, Inc. Mr. Frame introduced himself and gave a brief background of his experience and at his suggestion each member of committee and staff introduced themselves and gave a brief background of their experience and interest in the committee. r' Ci Nverfront Study Committee Meeting May 1, 1996 Page Two Election of Chairperson and Vice -Chairperson Mr. Frame called for nominations for the position of Chairperson. Tommy Thompson proposed that the policy as defined in Section 20A 11.3 A. I of the Sebastian Land Development Code regarding alternate members (alternate members to be included in discussion but have no vote unless a regular member of committee is absent) also become the policy of the Waterfront Study Committee. It was a consensus of the committee to follow this policy. Ed Moore nominated Don Smith Steve Wild nominated Tom Collins 7:08 - No other nominations for Chairperson - Nominations Closed Don Smith initially sought to decline nomination and to support Tom Collins - Carolyn Corum asked that he not turn nomination down because of Mr. Collins position and ownership in riverfront area. A brief discussion followed and Don Smith agreed to let his nomination stand in order that continuity of the committee could be maintained. Roll Call - Don Smith Ken Chapin - nay Carolyn Corum - aye Tom Collins - abstain Bruce Bennett - nay Ed Moore - aye Don Smith - abstain Steve Wild - nay FAILED 2 - 3 (with 2 abstaining) 2 Nverfront Study Committee Meeting May 1, 1996 Page Three Ken Chapin - aye Carolyn Corum - nay Tom Collins - abstain Bruce Bennett - aye Ed Moore - aye Don Smith - aye Steve Wild - aye Mr Collins elected for Chairperson 5-1 (Corum - nay/Collins - abstained) Mr. Frame turned meeting over to Chairperson Collins to proceed with election of Vice - Chairperson. Mr. Collins addressed concerns of Carolyn Corum discussed during nominations for Chairperson. Mr. Collins called for nominations for Vice -Chairperson Ed Moore nominated Don Smith followed by roll call: Ken Chapin - aye Carolyn Corum - aye Tom Collins - aye Bruce Bennett - aye Ed Moore - aye Don Smith - aye Steve Wild - aye Don Smith Elected as Vice -Chairperson 7-0 Discussion followed with Mr. Collins recommending meetings be held as frequently as possible and suggested a weekly basis. Ken Chapin and Carolyn Corum agreed. Availability of chambers and notice to public of meetings discussed and after further concerns were mentioned it was decided to hold meetings on Monday at 7:00 PM with the exception of the first Monday of each month when C eoft� Riverfront Study Committee Meeting May 1, 1996 Page Four Tree Advisory Board meets till 7:30 PM. The Riverfront Study Committee will then begin their meeting at 7:30 PM and this change will be so noted on the Agenda. F. - MAXIMUM LENGTH OF MEETINGS Open discussion followed with decision of limiting meeting to two (2) hours unless unanimously agreed to extend if necessary. G. GENERAL MEETING PROCEDURES Mr. Frame suggested staff to come back and present a standard rules of procedures to operate under. Roberts Rules of Order typically being how meetings are to be conducted but other things that committee may want to do so far as procedure and suggested staff come back with a proposal and then committee can modify or accept it. Mr. Collins questioned if proposal could be made available at next meeting and Mr. Frame said an attempt would be made. It was generally agreed to keep it informal but to have the meetings somewhat structured, such as operating under an agenda. H. AGENDA FORMAT Mr. Collins asked Mr. Frame for his input on this matter. Mr. Frame advised that he needed input from committee as to how they would like agenda formatted to meet their needs. Mr. Collins advised that each committee member should be able to submit items for agenda by filtering through Mr. Frame's office and sending him a copy and hopefully most matters for future meetings will be known so as to make them a part of upcoming agendas. Mrs. Corum asked who would be staff liaison. Mr. Frame said that he intends for Mr. Massarelli, City Planner, to be staff liaison as he is the key resource person because of the issues committee will be dealing with and that committees' comments or requests should be filtered through Mr. Massarelli. Mr. Frame indicated that he thinks the City Manager should be in attendance as often as possible to relay happenings to City Council and also stated that he planned to be in attendance as often as he can. A discussion followed Mr. Thompson's suggestion that members can put items on agenda at time of meeting. It was a general consensus that majority should decide what to discuss and come to consensus and then put it on next agenda for formal action. Public input discussed and decision was made to put items on agenda when committee is approached by public and subsequent action would occur as procedures outline. It was generally agreed that public input is important but that in the beginning public input should be limited to (perhaps) once a 4 Riverfront Study Committee Meeting May 1, 1996 Page Five month so that the committee can get their act together before inviting public input.. Mr. Collins advised that previous items discussed have indicated what they would like to have such as cooperation and availability of city planner, someone to keep minutes of meeting and agendas and do basic paperwork. Discussion followed and Ken Chapin suggested that all committee members should read "Vision for the Riverfi-ont" prepared by the first Riverfront Study Committee's. Carolyn Corum referred to information supplied by John Hill on land use and zoning and suggested it may be beneficial to use this information as a starting point for the committee. Mr. Collins skipped new business and moved to member comments. 0.1 _: NO ollll_\ Mr. Collins said that he agreed with Ken Chapin's suggestion that all material they were given be thoroughly reviewed. Steve Wild stated he sees the committees objectives as the development of the riverfront and what City can do to promote development. Don Smith says he thinks the committee has to establish what the desired outcome is - what is the "product" that is to be produced. He also thinks that a collective vision is important - where do we want to go. Committee is a sub -sect of Sebastian and that riverfront development fits into the overall plan for Sebastian. Also stated he thinks citizen in -put is important. Mr. Collins advised there was a great deal of public in -put during first committee's tenure and that this information is available for members to look through. Mr. Moore thanked everyone for putting packages together and commented on there appeared to be a lot of public input during first committee's study. Asked what obstacle surfaced that stopped the implementation of first study. Wants to ensure that no obstacles occur this time around and that 5 Riverfront Study Committee Meeting May 1, 1996 Page Six committee knows what end product is to be and to be able to say it's done. Mr. Bennett commented that the overall image of the riverfront be one that the community can be proud of and that it encompasses everything with the businesses and the natural beauty of the riverfront and that it remains that way. Mr. Thompson commented that the first thing that should be done is to establish "What is the Riverfront Area" and what zoning you want in the riverfront area. Referred to John Hill's report and the tabulation of zoning areas 7:45 PM -End Side I of Tape I and planning and zoning's recommendation of what should be in the riverfront area. Ken Chapin stated that when committee was formed that it is time to start implementing some things for the riverfront that have already been discussed. Doesn't feel that nothing can be implemented until there is some kind of master plan that we know what's going to fit where on the riverfront /40*1�N district. Along with a master plan there has to be some type of special zoning there. Carolyn Corum said her thoughts of what committee wants is uniform architecture, landscaping, roofs, colors, signs are only part of objectives of committee. Feels that professionals should then come in and write a master plan (not sure if we should hire or if City Planner is to be involved) after committee feels they have done all they could do. Mr. Frame spoke about council previously allocating $10,000.00 to hire someone. John Hill had offered, as an alternative, to be go between with the local chapter of the AIA and have group work and provide a gratis product. Mr. Collins addressed the committee on what had occurred previously. Report of first committee was dropped on all concerned parties desks but feels that it was so grandiose that the easiest thing to do was to do nothing. He said changes in City Manager and no longer having a planner and political pressure caused study to be dropped. Referred to completion of Wabasso Corridor Plan being completed within one (1) years time by the County, Royal Palm Plan by Vero Beach, and the City has to acknowledge the riverfront is the key amenity to everyone who lives in Sebastian. Not only the businessman there but to everyone who lives in the Highlands who wants a place to put his boat in the water, where his kids can go fishing or whatever. Hoping City Council has open mind to see that committee goes forward. T Riverfront Study Committee Meeting May 1, 1996 Page Seven Mr. Frame indicated that City Council has not said anything to him, have only commented that they wanted to ensure the committee had all information available so that they did not spin wheels reinventing the wheel and that why the package was made up to bring some of the past forward. I need to know what is needed in order to approach Council and need affirmation of what your vision is. Mr. Collins agreed and said that a great deal can be accomplished by using the material and the staff available at the present time to move forward. He then had John Hill introduce himself and fill committee in as to how he would be able to assist committee. Mr. Hill said his reason for being at meeting was to help out in any way he can. Mr. Hill said his involvement began in November or December when council told city manager to put out an RFP to get a master plan done for riverfront. Budget in mind of $10,000.00 and Mr. Hill suggested that based on experience with lots of planning projects that $10,000.00 was not going to go very far and that perhaps they could get some volunteer help. At time they were working with Peter Jones who suggested that the AIA would be willing to develop the elements of master plan like landscaping codes, sign ordinances, planning open space, etc. but they weren't really interested in getting involved in extensive meetings and the political situation nor negotiating anything, just to get on with their work. The notion was to use the $10,000.00 to do some nice graphics and brochures to help develop investment in the riverfront and maybe some of it could be donated to a honorarium of their scholarship committee. Use of the $10,000.00 was not a condition, only a suggestion. Mr. Hill stated his firm is only doing this if committee wants them to do it. His presence is for guidance and interfacing with AIA. The fundamental thing is to establish a program of land use, i.e. zoning, should be one of the first things committee considers. Committee members were then given the opportunity to comment and question Mr. Hill and his comments and ideas. Mr. Frame indicated there are two times a year that land use changes can be made and to capitalize on these windows of opportunity. He also advised he would check on these time periods. Mr. Massarelli advised that a draft of the vision statement had been done and he would see that it was given to each member. He also mentioned the boundaries of the study. He proposed matters to be dealt with in next two meetings. Mr. Thompson brought up the matter about what is already in the works for the riverfront so far as bike paths, etc. Mr. Collins stated that it is also one of his concerns and that committee needs to know what is progressing. Riverfront Study Committee Meeting 7 May 1, 1996 Page Eight Mr. Frame indicated that there are a couple of things. One being a bike path. He advised he would have Mr. Richard Votapka at the next meeting to detail and tell committee what is going on. Also a Citizen Advisory Task Force is in operation as required by federal guidelines of a community development block grant. There is also a parking lot in the planning. He will try to have a synopsis of all on-going plans available for the committee at the next meeting. Mr. Collins asked for discussion regarding boundaries, the product, the vision, and the theme. Geographic boundaries were reaffirmed as the city limits north to south and from the river west to the railroad tracks. Discussion followed and Motion made by Carolyn Corum/Ed Moore seconded to reaffirm boundaries ROLL CALL: Bruce Bennett - aye Steve Wild - aye Tom Collins - aye Ed Moore - aye Ken Chapin - aye Carolyn Corum - aye ' Don Smith - aye MOTION CARRIED 7-0 Mr. Collins then asked for input on theme and after discussion "Old Florida Fishing Village" was decided on. 8:30 End of Side 2, Tape I Mr. Collins asked members, staff and John Hill to look at Item 6 of the Vision of the first Riverfront Study Committee. Mr. Massarelli brought up the fact that the theme title itself probably brings different images to each member and suggested that members bring in a pictorial of sorts to next meeting and then discuss it once again. Al concurred with suggestion of Mr. Massarelli. Mr. Collins asked about the possibility of having an architectural review board legislatively. Mr. Frame advised that it was possible and it could be looked into. The article regarding the use of the old Utilities Building by the Historical Society and the Chamber of Commerce generated discussion. Mr. Frame said he noticed the roof may require repair and he 8 Riverfront Study Committee May 1, 1996 Page Nine would like to keep it within the theme the committee selects. He stated he would report matter to City Council and ask them to hold off for a short time but doesn't want it to deteriorate to the point of further damage occurring. Mr. Collins advised he would contact a member of the Historical Society and discuss matter with them and the decor of the area the committee plans. Mr. Collins suggested taking a few minutes to talk about the next meeting of May 6, 1996. Agenda items will be: Mr. Votapka's input - Mr. Massarelli's input on theme and how it should read. Al members to work on theme concept and what it means to each. Review list John Hill composed and review vision statement. Mr. Massarelli suggested items for the May 13, 1996 meeting include discussion on the zoning/land use, tools available, i.e. site plan, flood zone criteria and existing rules. He further suggested items for the May 20, 1996 meeting include AIA input, other cities implementation and/or ideas used as tools, also architectural review board, etc. (Oor*) It was also agreed that Les Solin would receive a copy of all minutes of meetings and Bob Massarelli will interface with Les Solin and committee. 0• ,k Mr. Collins adjourned meeting at 9:07 PM �'~ 1996. Approved as written at Riverfront Study Committee Meeting of /►'ifs Cp , \ ti 9 flo� City of Sebastian RINTRFRONT STUDY COMMITTEE AGENDA MAY I, I996 Purpose: To formally meet for the first time as presently constituted and decide on leadership of committee, time and frequency of meeting, procedures and agenda format. The committee should give staff suggestions or directions for future meetings. 7-600 Ptit Agenda: A. Call meeting to order (City Manager) (ffl,L,*N B. introduction of Committee :Members and staff C. Election of Chairperson and Vice -Chairperson D. :Determination of meeting frequency E. Time of meeting F. Maximum length of meetings G. General meeting procedures H. Agenda Format I. Staff directions J. New Business K. Member comments L. Staff comments Adjourn