Fort Walton Beach Council agenda — 01-23-2007 regular agenda — reading text

800 SF) for the as an auxiliary Emergency use Operations Center in the event that the City is unable to utilize its primary EOC. The space will have sufficient generator capacity, phone and cable drops for use during an emergency. 6. The City and County would develop an interlocal agreement to continue to utilize the Judicial Center parking area as an Page 2  emergency operation staging area for large trucks and supplies in the event of an emergency. CONCLUSION: Staff believes that the location of the Judicial Center on the Lewis Turner property is a win- win for the City and County; and is an excellent way to continue our ongoing local government partnership addressing issues that are important to all of our residents. Therefore, Staff respectfully requests that City Council authorize the City Manager and City Attorney to develop an interlocal agreement to transfer the interest in 16. 3 acres of the 1958 Lewis Turner Property, identified in the attached Schematic D- 3 ( labeled B- 1 by HLM Design, dated 2 November 2006) in the amount of $ 2, 000, 000, subject to the conditions and terms as outlined in this staff report. If staff is authorized to develop the agreement, it will come back to City Council for final approval. Respectfully Submitted, Attachments: Schematic D- 3 ( labeled B- 1 by HLM Design dated 2 November 2006) Page 3  c: 9. r"' 7 v S~  CITY COUNCIL MEETING January 23, 2007 Regular Agenda Consideration of request from the FWB Chamber of Commerce representing Historic Downtown FWB Businesses to approve the use of CRA funds to hire a firm to develop plans for Main Street Streetscape CDS Director) Council Action 1 st 2nd Vote: Agenda Item Number: RG - 16  CITY OF FORT WALTON BEACH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM Date: January 4, 2007 To: Joyce Shanahan, City Manager From: Missy McKim, CDS Director SUBJECT: Request from the Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce representing the Historic Downtown Fort Walton Beach Businesses to approve the use of CRA funds to hire a professional firm to develop the design and construction plans for the Main Street Streetscape project REQUEST The Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce representing the Historic Downtown Fort Walton Beach Businesses is requesting that the City Council approve CRA funds for the using development of the Main Street Streets cape Project for both sides of Miracle Strip Parkway SE US 98) from Brooks Street on the west to the Brooks Bridge on the east. This project will include the following: Underground utilities Replace the existing street lights with decorative lights compatible with the lights on Brooks Street Replace the Bradford Pears with Sabal Palms Providing lighting and irrigation to the Palms Decorative sidewalks between the Palms Street furniture Landscaping around the palms BACKGROUND: In November 2002, City council approved the development of a tree replacement plan to remove the Bradford Pears. William H. smith & Associates was awarded the bid and the contract was signed in June 2003. In August 2003 the City asked for input from the affected property owners, requesting that they choose their preference from a palette of trees similar to those found on Brooks Street. The preferred tree was the Sabal Palm, which is the tree which lined Miracle Strip Parkway in the 1950' s. A final tree replacement plan was provided to the property owners and to City Council in April 2004 at which time the City Council agreed that the street tree for Main Street would be the Sabal Palm, however they did not choose to move ahead with construction drawings. DISCUSSION: When the tree replacement project was presented to the City Council, the property owners had llijJ expressed the desire to install decorative lights and underground the utilities. In order to complete the streetscape and to include the decorative lights, the utility poles and lines must be placed underground. However, the project was approved but not funded, so no further action has occurred. In order to move ahead at this time with the Main Street Streetscape project, schematic design, design development and construction drawings need to be developed that include all aspects of this streetscape project as listed above. If City Council decides not to move ahead with the Brooks Bridge parking lot project at this time, there would be $ 83, 000 that could be used to pay for the design and construction drawings for the Main Street Streetscape project. RECOMMENDATION: At the CRA meeting January 3, 2007, the CRA recommended ( 5/ 2 Bobo and Covey opposing) that the City Council consider funding the design and construction drawings for the Main Street Streetscape project using the funds from the Brooks Bridge parking lot capital improvement project. Submitted by: ~ 1 l f;vL J Reviewed and Concur: IJJvJL,  BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE FORT WALTON BEACH COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY JANUARY 3, 2007 INTRODUCTION A regular Meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the Fort Walton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency was held on Wednesday, January 3, 2007, at 5: 30 p. m. at the Council Chambers of City Hall with the following members present: Dr. Joyce Gossom, Chairman; Lee Bobo; Dean Covey; Bill Garvie; Vice- Chairman; Chuck Kennedy; Paul Kieszek; and Millie Thrush Also Present: Missy McKim, CDS Director; Toni Craig, City Attorney; Peggy Fowler CALL TO ORDER The Chairman called the meeting to order. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Mr. Covey moved to approve the revised minutes of December 6, 2006. Mr. Garvie seconded motion. Discussion ensued by Mr. Bobo regarding the status of excused/ unexcused absences and he cited Ord. 1713, recently adopted by Council that states ' An absence shall be excused tor only reasons of death in the immediate family, serious illness, or out-ot-town business.' Mr. Bobo explained that the December 6, 2006 minutes state his absence was unexcused, when in fact he advised he did call the City stating he was having eye surgery on that day. He requested that his absence be changed to an excused absence. The City Attorney explained the ordinance allows City boards and committees to determine how to define absences, and that the CRA Board has not yet adopted those procedures. The Chairman requested that on the February 7 agenda, an item be placed to discuss excused absences and a clarification on the ordinance. The Chairman called for the vote on the motion to approve the revised minutes of December 6, 2006, and it carried unanimously with 80bo, Covey, Garvie, Gossom, Kennedy, Kieszek and Thrush in favor. NEW BUSINESS-MAIN STREET STREETSCAPE PROJECT Ted Corcoran, representing the Chamber of Commerce and the downtown merchants, advised that in August of 2006 Council elected to join with the Chamber in the promotion of downtown businesses to rejuvenate the downtown area. He advised the Chamber and merchants have been working closely with Staff, and they are requesting that funds in the amount of $83,000 be used in the enhancement of the downtown area. Missy McKim, CDS Director, explained the project would include undergrounding utilities; replacing the existing street lights with decorative lights compatible with the lights on Brooks Street; replacing the Bradford Pears with Sabal Palms, providing lighting and irrigation to the palms; decorative sidewalks between the palms; street furniture; and landscaping around the palms. She advised that CRA funds in the amount of $ 83,000 have been set aside for the Brooks Bridge Parking Lot project, which Council has yet to vote on. She explained if this project does not move forward, these funds could be used for the design and construction drawings for the Main Street Streetscape project, whereby an RFP would be developed, reviewed by the CRA, and forwarded to Council.  CRA 01- 03- 07 MAINSTREET PROJECT ( CO NT) It was noted the Brooks Bridge Parking Lot is an expensive endeavor considering the small number of parking spaces that would be obtained, plus access to the bridge is difficult, and perhaps there is a better use for the funds. Discussion ensued regarding the expense of undergrounding of utilities, and that it would be difficult for the City to undertake the project unless there is a with the State and Gulf partnership Power. Mr. Bobo moved to recommend to City Council the use of CRA funds in the amount of $ 83, 000 from the Brooks Bridge Parking Lot Capital Improvement Plan, to hire a firm to professional develop the design and construction plans for the Main Street Streetscape project. excluding the undergrounding of utilities, but to include the following: 1) replacing the existing street lights with decorative lights compatible with the lights on Brooks Street; 2) replacing the Bradford pears with Sabal Palms; 3) providing lighting and irrigation to the palms; 4) decorative sidewalks between the palms; 5) street furniture; 6) landscaping around the palms. Mr. Covey seconded motion. Further discussion included the only way to move forward is to determine how much each individual project will cost, and the only way to do that is