HomeMy WebLinkAbout06171996 RIVERCity of Sebastian
1225 MAIN STREET a SEBASTIAN, FLORIDA 32958
TELEPHONE (561) 589-5330 o FAX (561) 589-5570
RIVERFRONT COMMITTEE
REGULAR MEETING
MONDAY JUNE 179 1996
CHAIRMAN COLLINS CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER AT 7:03 P.M.
ROLL CALL: PRESENT: MR. SMITH (VICE CHAIRMAN)
MR. WILD
MR. MOORE
MR. CHAPIN
em's MR. BENNETT
MS. CORUM
MR. THOMPSON (ALTERNATE)
MR. KRULIKOWSKI (ALTERNATE)
ABSENT: CHMN. COLLINS (EXCUSED)
ALSO PRESENT: MR. BOB MASSARELLI, CITY PLANNER
DAWN CORAPI, SECRETARY
DAWN ANNOUNCED THAT MR. KRULIKOWSKI WOULD BE VOTING IN BEHALF OF
MR. COLLINS.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: MEETING OF JUNE 3, 1996.
MR. SMITH REQUESTED THAT DAWN CHECK THE VOTING PROCEDURES TO FIND
OUT IF LEGALLY ALTERNATES COULD MAKE MOTIONS EVEN IF IT WAS NOT
THEIR TURN TO VOTE.
MR. CHAPIN MADE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE MINUTES FROM THE JUNE 3,
1996 MEETING AS WRITTEN.
MR. WILD SECONDED THE MOTION.
A VOICE VOTE WAS TAKEN.
THE MOTION WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.
RIVERFRONT COMMITTEE PAGE TWO ^ftN
REGULAR MEETING OF JUNE 17, 1996
MR. SMITH WELCOMED HIS FELLOW COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND THE FELLOW
CITIZENS IN THE AUDIENCE. HE EXPLAINED THAT THEY WOULD BE HAVING A
PRESENTATION FROM THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND EXPRESSED ITS
IMPORTANCE. HE ALSO EXPRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC INPUT AND
ENCOURAGED THE PUBLIC TO PARTICIPATE IN DISCUSSION.
NEW BUSINESS•
BY: THE SEBASTIAN AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
MR. GEORGE KEYS AND MRS. ARLENE WESTFALL GAVE A LENGTHY
PRESENTATION ON ALL ASPECTS OF THE HISTORY OF THE CITY OF SEBASTIAN
USING PHOTOGRAPHS, MAPS, AND TRANSPARENCIES.
SOME OF THE DETAILS TOUCHED UPON WERE:
SEBASTIAN BECAME A CITY IN 1925 AND BEFORE THAT IT WAS
JUST AN AREA.
FROM 1910 - 1925 SEBASTIAN WAS A FISHING AND FARMING
COMMUNITY AS MOST FLORIDA CITIES WERE.
IN 1925 INDIAN RIVER DR. WAS CALLED RIVERSIDE DR.
ALL OF THE HISTORIC BUILDINGS FALL IN ON LOUISIANA AVE.,
N. CENTRAL AVE., INDIAN RIVER DR., PALMETTO AVE., MAIN
STREET AND SOME OF THE CROSS STREETS.
IN 1882 SEBASTIAN WAS CALLED NEW HAVEN, BECAUSE THERE WAS
A REVEREND THOMAS NEW WHO CAME AND ESTABLISHED A POST
OFFICE AND AFTER HE DIED SYLVANAS KITCHING HAD A POST
OFFICE AND HE APPLIED FOR THE NAME SEBASTIAN IN 1884.
SEBASTIAN WAS A "WORKING SOUTHERN CITY"
- HARDEE OAK WAS PLANTED IN 1891 BY ROBERT HARDEE AND IN
1925 EMMA PROVERA HARDEE, HIS MOTHER, WOULD NOT LET THEM
CUT DOWN THE TREE TO PUT IN THE SIDEWALK.
- PALMETTO USED FOR LANDSCAPING AND XERISCAPE LANDSCAPING
WAS COMMON.
- ALL OF THE BUILDINGS EAST OF INDIAN RIVER DRIVE WERE ONLY
ONE STORY HIGH EXCEPT FOR THE SEBASTIAN INN. IT WAS
LOCATED WHERE THE SPORTSMAN'S LODGE IS TODAY.
- THE DOCKS EXTENDING OUT INTO THE RIVER IS WHAT MADE /1
SEBASTIAN MOST CHARACTERISTIC AS A FISHING VILLAGE.
r� RIVERFRONT COMMITTEE PAGE THREE
REGULAR MEETING OF JUNE 17, 1996
THE ONLY PICKET FENCE WAS AROUND THE HARDY MANSION.
PEOPLE MOSTLY HAD VERY PRACTICAL FENCES.
IN 1955 U.S. 1 WAS BUILT.
THE WILLIAM BRADDICK HOUSE (RED BRICK BUILDING ON U.S. 1)
WAS BUILT IN 1919 AND WAS THE ONLY HOUSE, IN SEBASTIAN,
THAT HAD A BASEMENT AND THE FIRST HOUSE IN SEBASTIAN WITH
MECHANICAL REFRIGERATION.
MOST OF THE ENCLOSED PORCHES SEEN ON THE HISTORICAL
HOUSES WERE ORIGINALLY OPEN PORCHES.
AUGUST PARK WAS THE FIRST SETTLER IN SEBASTIAN IN 1879.
MOST OF THE HOUSES THAT WERE BUILT BACK AROUND 1900 HAD
SEPARATE KITCHEN BUILDINGS AND AS TIME WENT BY THEY
INCORPORATED THEM IN THE BUILDING THEY HAD.
- FRAME VERNACULAR HOUSES WERE COMMON.
A TYPICAL BUILDING ON THE EAST SIDE OF INDIAN RIVER DR.
WAS ONE STORY HIGH, VERY UTILITARIAN, SOMETIMES PAINTED
SOMETIMES NOT, ALWAYS WHITE. LOTS OF TIME WITH THE PAINT
FALLING OFF BECAUSE OF THE HIGH HUMIDITY AND IT WAS VERY
EXPENSIVE KEEPING THINGS UP ON THE RIVER.
- ARCHIE SMITH'S WHOLE SALE FISH COMPANY IS ON THE NATIONAL
REGISTRY FOR HISTORIC PLACES.
A FLAT ROOF WAS OFTEN CHARACTERISTIC OF A BUSINESS.
A PITCH ROOF WAS USUALLY CHARACTERISTIC OF A RESIDENCE.
AT THIS TIME ARLENE ASKED IF THERE WERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE
COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND AUDIENCE.
MR. BENNETT ASKED IF THE INLET ALWAYS NAVIGABLE.
MRS. WESTFALL SAID THAT THE INLET WAS NOT NAVIGABLE UNTIL AFTER
1945 WHEN THEY BLASTED IT. MOSTLY ALL FISHING BEFORE THAT TIME WAS
DONE IN THE INDIAN RIVER AND THE SEBASTIAN RIVER.
MR. SMITH COMMENTED ON THE ARCHITECTURE THAT WAS DEPICTED, IN THE
PRESENTATION, AS NOT BEING ANY ONE PARTICULAR STYLE. REFERRING TO
THE "PRINCIPLES", HE STATED THAT THEY SHOULD MAXIMIZE THE USE OF
WHAT THEY ALREADY HAVE REFERRING TO THE BUILDINGS OF THE '40 - '60
THAT ARE MAKING HISTORY TODAY.
MR. SMITH REITERATED THE NEED TO PRESERVE THE HISTORICAL BUILDINGS
AND SOME OF THE HISTORY OF SEBASTIAN WERE EVER POSSIBLE.
PAGE FOUR
REGULAR MEETING OF JUNE 17, 1996
MR. SMITH ASKED THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY WHAT THEY WANTED TO CONVEY
TO THE RIVERFRONT COMMITTEE AND WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE THEM DO
REALIZING THAT THEY HAVE TO INTEGRATE MANY INTERESTS.
MRS. WESTFALL SUGGESTED TRYING TO FIND COMPATIBLE BUSINESSES FOR
SOME OF THE BUILDINGS TO UPGRADE THEM. SHE SAID THAT BEING
HISTORICAL SHOULD BE AN ASSET, TO THE CITY AND TO THE PERSON WHO
WOULD BE STORING IT.
MR. SMITH EXPLAINED THAT PART OF WHAT THE COMMITTEE WAS TRYING TO
DO WAS PUT OUT A VISION AND ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GO IN A CERTAIN
DIRECTION. HE INQUIRED IF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY WAS AGAINST
RECREATIONS. MRS. WESTFALL SAID AS LONG AS IT DID NOT LOOK LIKE A
MOVIE SET. SHE STRESSED THE FACT THAT SEBASTIAN WAS A WORKING CITY
AND IT IS STILL A WORKING CITY AND SHE SAID THAT IT WOULD LOOK AS
PHONY AS COULD BE IF THEY TRIED TO MAKE IT INTO A MOVIE SET KIND OF
APPEARANCE.
MR. WILD SAID THAT IF THEY, AS A COMMUNITY, TRY TO MAKE THE WHOLE
RIVERFRONT LOOK LIKE AN OLDER COMMUNITY THEN HE THOUGHT THAT PEOPLE
WOULD BE MORE APT TO LEAVE THE OLDER BUILDINGS AND TRY TO DO
SOMETHING WITH THEM.
MRS. WESTFALL SAID THAT THE BIGGEST JOB OF THE RIVERFRONT COMMITTEE
IS TO DECIDE HOW THEY WANT THE STRUCTURES, THAT WILL BE FILLING IN
THE VACANT PROPERTIES, ON THE RIVERFRONT, TO LOOK.
MR. SMITH THANKED MRS. WESTFALL, MR. KEYS AND THE WHOLE HISTORICAL
SOCIETY ON BEHALF OF ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
HARRY THOMAS, RESIDENT OF SEBASTIAN, EXPRESSED HIS CONCERNS ABOUT
THE RIVERFRONT AREA POSSIBLY BEING OVER DEVELOPED WITH TALL
BUILDINGS BLOCKING THE VIEW TO THE RIVERFRONT AND LOOKING LIKE A
"HOLLYWOOD FACADE". HE ALSO EXPRESSED HIS OBJECTION OF THE CAVCORE
PROPERTY BEING MADE INTO A PARKING LOT.
MR SMITH ADDRESSED MR. THOMAS AND THE CITIZENS ABOUT HIS FELLING OF
AN UNDERLYING ASSUMPTION THAT CONCERNS HIM AND THAT IS IF THERE
WASN'T A RIVERFRONT COMMITTEE EVERYTHING WOULD STAY THE SAME. HE
EXPLAINED THAT THEY ARE NOT THERE WORKING AS A COMMITTEE TO DEVELOP
THE RIVERFRONT AREA, BUT TO HELP PRESERVE MANY OF THE THINGS THAT
ARE IN THE "PRINCIPLES". HE SAID THAT DEVELOPMENT IS HAPPENING AS
THEY SPEAK AND WITHOUT SOME TYPE OF TEAM APPROACH HE WAS AFRAID
THAT WHAT HARRY THOMAS SPOKE ABOUT WILL HAPPEN.
HARRY THOMAS CORRECTED THE ASSUMPTION THAT WHAT HE WAS SAYING WAS
DO NOTHING. HE SAID ALL HE WAS SAYING WAS THAT WHATEVER THE
COMMITTEE DOES, AND WHATEVER THE FINAL PLAN COMES TO BE, THAT THE
RESIDENTS OF THE SEBASTIAN GET THE RIGHT TO VOTE ON IT.
RIVERFRONT COMMITTEE PAGE FIVE
REGULAR MEETING OF JUNE 17, 1996
MR. CHAPIN COMMENTED ON THE MENTALITY IN SEBASTIAN THAT REALLY
BELIEVES THAT IF NOTHING IS DONE BY THE RIVERFRONT COMMITTEE, THE
RIVERFRONT WILL REMAIN THE SAME. HE CLARIFIED THAT THEY ARE NOT
ABOUT DEVELOPING BUT ABOUT GETTING SOME KIND OF GUIDELINES IN PLACE
BEFORE DEVELOPERS COME INTO TOWN AND DO DEVELOP BECAUSE IT IS GOING
TO HAPPEN.
ACTING CHAIRMAN MATTERS:
MR. SMITH PROPOSED THAT THE COMMITTEE SLOW DOWN THE PACE A LITTLE
BIT AND PROPOSED THE FOLLOWING SCHEDULE:
- NO MEETING MON. JUNE 24, 1996.
- MEET MON. JULY 1, 1996 WITH THE TREE ADVISORY BOARD.
- ALWAYS HAVE TWO MEETINGS AHEAD PLANNED.
- MEET MON. JULY 15, 1996. (IF AFTER THAT POINT IN TIME
THEY ARE CAUGHT UP AND THEY WANT TO HAVE A MEETING THE
FOLLOWING WEEK THEY CAN DECIDE AT THAT MEETING.)
/"� MRS. CORUM MOVED TO SKIP THE NEXT MEETING, MEET ON JULY 1ST AND
THERE AFTER HAVE TWO MEETING AGENDAS PREPARED IN ADVANCE PROBABLY
MEETING EVERY OTHER MONDAY.
MR. KRULIKOWSKI SECONDED THE MOTION.
A VOICE VOTE WAS TAKEN.
THE MOTION WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.
MR. SMITH CLARIFIED THAT IF THEY GET TO A POINT WHERE THEY NEED TO
HAVE TWO MEETING IN A ROW THEY CAN.
MR. MASSARELLI SAID THAT THEY ARE GOING TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE
PRESS OR THE CABLE COMPANY TO GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT WHEN THE
MEETINGS ARE. HE ALSO ASKED THE AUDIENCE TO LEAVE THEIR NAME AND
ADDRESS IF THEY WISHED TO BE ON A MAILING LIST TO RECEIVE AGENDAS.
MR. SMITH REMINDED THE STAFF TO RESEARCH WHAT THE ROLE OF THE
ALTERNATE SHOULD BE.
MEMBER MATTERS:
MS. CORUM READ TO THE MEMBERS AN ARTICLE FROM AN AMERICAN PLANNING
ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER. SHE SAID THAT IT HAD A LOT TO DO WITH WHAT
THEY ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH AND WHAT COULD HAPPEN AND WHAT HAS
/1 HAPPEN TO AN OLD WATERFRONT TOWN AND WHAT PEOPLE WERE DOING TO
COUNTER THAT. MR. SMITH ASKED MRS. CORUM IF SHE COULD GIVE THE
ARTICLE TO DAWN FOR HER TO MAKE COPIES FOR THE MEMBERS.
RIVERFRONT COMMITTEE PAGE SIX ^
REGULAR MEETING OF JUNE 17, 1996
MR. MOORE COMMENTED ON HOW HE DOES NOT WANT U.S. 1 IN SEBASTIAN TO
LOOK LIKE U.S. 1 IN SOUTH VERO WITH GIANT CAR LOTS AND STRIP MALLS.
HE STATED HE WAS REALLY ENTHUSED ABOUT THE HISTORICAL STUFF.
MR. WILD EXPANDED ON THE IDEA THAT THEY ARE NOT AGAINST BUSINESSES
COMING INTO SEBASTIAN THEY JUST WANT THE LOOK OF BUSINESSES TO BE
COMPATIBLE WITH THE EXISTING HOMES AND THE HISTORIC HOMES IN THE
RIVERFRONT AREA.
STAFF MATTERS: NONE.
ADJOURNMENT•
MR. SMITH ADJOURNED THE MEETING AT 9:27.
* VERBIAGE WAS ADDED TO SOME OF THE MOTIONS TO MAKE THEM MORE CLEAR
City of Sebastian
1225 MAIN STREET o SEBASTIAN, FLORIDA 32958
TELEPHONE (407) 589-5330 o FAX (407) 589-5570
RIVERFRONT COMMITTEE
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD
APPROVED AT MEETING HEL
THOMAS H. COLLINS, CHAIRMAN
DAWN M. CORAPIt SE TARY
RCMAS.WP
City of Sebastian
1225 MAIN STREET o SEBASTIAN, FLORIDA 32958
TELEPHONE (561) 589-5330 0 FAX (561) 589-5570
AGENDA
RIVERFRONT COMMITTEE
MONDAY JUNE 17, 1996
7:00 P.M.
1. CALL TO ORDER.
2. ROLL CALL.
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
MEETING OF JUNE 3, 1996
4. ANNOUNCEMENTS.
5. NEW BUSINESS:
PRESENTATION BY: THE SEBASTIAN AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY
6. PUBLIC COMMENT.
7. CHAIRMAN MATTERS.
8. MEMBERS MATTERS.
9. STAFF MATTERS.
10. ADJOURNMENT.
IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA),
ANYONE WHO NEEDS SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THIS MEETING SHOULD
CONTACT THE CITY'S ADA COORDINATOR AT (407)-589-5330 AT LEAST 48
HOURS PRIOR TO THIS MEETING.
City of Sebastian
1225 MAIN STREET o SEBASTIAN, FLORIDA 32958
TELEPHONE (561) 589-5330 0 FAX (561) 589-5570
PUBLIC MEETING
CITY OF SEBASTIAN
1225 MAIN STREET
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY
THE RIVERFRONT COMMITTEE OF THE CITY OF SEBASTIAN, INDIAN RIVER
/'*l COUNTY, FLORIDA, WILL HOLD THEIR REGULAR MEETING ON MONDAY, JUNE
17, 1996 AT 7:00 P.M. IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
7
DAWN M./C RAPI, SECRETARY
RIVERFRONT COMMITTEE
NOTE: IF ANY PERSON DECIDES TO APPEAL ANY DECISION MADE ON THE
ABOVE MATTERS, HE/SHE WILL NEED A RECORD OF THE PROCEEDINGS, AND
FOR SUCH PURPOSES, HE/SHE MAY NEED TO ENSURE THAT A VERBATIM RECORD
OF THE PROCEEDINGS IS MADE, WHICH RECORD INCLUDES THE TESTIMONY IN
EVIDENCE ON WHICH THE APPEAL IS BASED.
NOTE: IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT
(ADA), ANYONE WHO NEEDS A SPECIAL ACCOMMODATION FOR THIS MEETING
SHOULD CONTACT THE CITY'S ADA COORDINATOR AT 589-5330 AT LEAST 48
HOURS IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING.
RCPUBMTI.WP