Fort Walton Beach Council agenda — 02-09-2010 Special-BRP, Merrill Lynch lawsuit — reading text

City, attract new business, and obtain business. Mr. Rosales stated his reason for the presentation is to give an existing understanding of how the economy got to where it is today, which will allow an understanding of current and future obstacles. Topics discussed included how money affects business; problems that banks and businesses have encountered during the economic crisis; and what steps are being taken to repair the economy. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Mr. Beedie advised topics for the next meeting will include 1) discussion of the special planning areas being proposed for the FLUE; 2) a draft ordinance will be presented that will change the level of staff approval for replats, streamlining the process; and 3) an invitation to various business owners from the City to come to an open forum with the Panel. The City Manager advised that one of the ideas from the beginning was for the Panel to hear from the business owners. The Panel will coordinate with Mr. Beedie for the invitations. 1g- Business Retention Panel FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ( CONT) Mr. Rice requested information on the various City boards /committees that are involved with the process and their role /impact in the City, and how they are supported by Staff. Mr. Beedie advised if not enough business owners show up for the next meeting, he will prepare a presentation on the roles of the committees and how they are supported by staff; otherwise, it will be placed on a future agenda. Discussion ensued regarding the November and December meetings falling so close to Thanksgiving and Christmas. The City Manager suggested either changing the meeting dates for those two months; or, rolling the meetings into January or February, which would leave a two -month gap between meetings. Mr. Stafford noted the group has to begin to make recommendations and a meeting is needed to compile information gathered the past months and bringing that information together OCTOBER MEETING The next meeting of the Business Retention Panel will be held on Thursday, October 22, at 5: 30 pm in the Council Chambers. ADJOURNMENT As there was no further business, the meeting adjourned at 7: 09 pm. Ive 20-  MINUTES OF THE BUSINESS RETENTION AD HOC PANEL OF THE CITY OF FORT WALTON BEACH, FLORIDA AUGUST 27, 2009 INTRODUCTION The meeting of the Business Retention Ad Hoc Panel of the City of Fort Walton Beach was held on Thursday, August 27, 2009, at 5:30 pm in the Council Chambers of Fort Walton Beach City Hall with the following members present: Barry Stafford, CEO of Emerald Coast Association of Realtors, Chairman; Jane Briere, Services Director, UWF Small Business Development Center; Andy Corbin, President, Technical Laboratory; Tom Rice, Owner of Magnolia Grill and member of the Emerald Coast Bridge Authority, Vice -Chairman; Brian Rosales, Banker, Gulf South Bank; Mark Siner, President and Owner of Choctaw Engineering Also Present: Robert Mearns, City Manager; Michael Beedie, City Engineer; Samantha Abell, Senior Planner; Tim Bolduc, Building Official CALL TO ORDER The Chairman called the meeting to order at 5:30 pm and roll call was taken. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The Chairman led in the Pledge of Allegiance. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Mr. Rice moved to approve the minutes of the July 30, 2009 Business Retention Panel, as amended. Mr. Corbin seconded motion. Mr. Rice pointed out the amended minutes include the names of the members who spoke. The Chairman called for the vote on the motion and carried unanimously with Briere, Corbin, Rice, Rosales, Siner, and Stafford in favor. SUNSHINE LAW BRIEFING Toni Craig, City Attorney, gave a brief presentation on the Sunshine Law which included discussion of sending and receiving a -mails as members of the panel; location of meetings and public access; that business of the committee cannot be held outside of the public meeting; that the panel is free to talk to Staff, the City Manager, or members of other boards or committees; and that meetings must have proper notice. Mr. Corbin received clarification that the City Manager and Staff are not in a decision -making process, which differs from disclosure of conversations among the panel. The City Attorney advised Mr. Rice she serves as the City Attorney at the City's Municipal Planning Board, the CRA, Code Enforcement, and the Board of Adjustment, as well as all of the City Council meetings. Mr. Stafford was advised the panel can send recommendations via e- mail to Staff and it can be sent to the rest of the committee as a position statement, but it is important for members not to respond to it. The City Attorney invited members to contact her if they should ever have questions or need information. VA Business Retention Panel August 27, 2009 DISCUSSION OF THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW AND PERMITTING PROCESS Tim Bolduc, Building Official, gave a power point on the Development Review Process with the goal of providing the panel with as much information as possible for them to come back with recommendations. The four areas of discussion included the personnel, the process, the permit, and the fee. PERSONNEL Mr. Bolduc began by mentioning City personnel who are involved in the process and what their roles are in the City, including the Engineering Services Director /City Engineer; the Senior Planner /Planning Division Supervisor; the Principal Planer /CRA Planner; the Building Official /Building and Zoning Supervisor; and the Fire Marshall. DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCESS Mr. Bolduc began discussion of the process from the levels of review and getting from conception to completion of a project and explained an expedited project, a minor project, and a major project. Mr. Bolduc explained expedited projects are the types of developments that can be reviewed and approved by City staff and include single family, duplex and triplex, renovations /remodeling, signs, and temporary uses. Projects that qualify for expedited review receive approval from the Building Official in the form of a building permit. Minor developments are those that can be reviewed and approved by City staff and include affordable housing, developments up to 2. 5 acres and from 1 to 3 habitable stories, nonresidential renovations /remodeling, change of use, and townhouses of less than 3 units. Projects that qualify for minor review receive final approval from the City Engineer, Building Official, and appropriate Planning staff in the form of a building official. Mr. Bolduc discussed major developments as the types of developments that require review and approval through the municipal boards, commissions, and communities. These include developments of more than 2. 5 acres, buildings over 3 stories, Development Agreements and Developments of Regional Impact ( DRI), planned unit developments, communication towers, plats of 3 or more lots, and townhouses of 3 or more units. Mr. Bolduc continued that projects that qualify for major review receive final approval from the appropriate board ( the CRA if the project is in the CRA area, or the Municipal Planning Board if anywhere else in the City), in the form of a Development Order, followed by a building permit through Staff. Mr. Siner received clarification that projects that go before the MPB and /or the CRA must still be approved by Council, as the MPB and CRA Boards are recommending boards to the Council. Samantha Abell, Senior Planner, explained these projects require ordinances and ordinances must have two reading before the City Council. Mr. Rice was advised that even if a project is denied by one of the recommending boards, it is still forwarded to Council for their consideration, and if a project is denied it can be brought forward to the Board of Adjustment, which has the final say for the City. Mr. Rice discussed that if there is a lack of quorum at a CRA or MPB meeting and an applicant's request cannot be heard it could put a delay on the development. Mr. Bolduc advised the project would be rescheduled to the next month' s meeting, and informed it is very rare when one of those boards do not have a quorum, an there is currently no means for either the MPB or CRA boards to be left out of the process. Mr. Bolduc also noted that if necessary, special meetings can be held to discuss the project as long as it is properly advertised. 22_  August 27, 2009 Business Retention Panel DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCESS ( CONT) Mr. Stafford questioned how long. the process is for expedited and minor projects, and was advised that an expedited project may take anywhere from 3 to 7 days and a minor project anywhere from 7 to 14 days, depending on the project. Mr. Bolduc began discussion on looking at a major project from conception to completion, and conference with the City staff, and Mr. Bolduc that the first step is to conduct a pre -application Mr. Bolduc continued stressed the importance of having this conference as soon as possible. that after an applicant submits a development application to the City Staff, it is reviewed for completeness by Engineering Services and deemed complete, the project is reviewed by the the City Engineer and review staff and a Staff report is prepared by Engineering Services, and application is reviewed by either the MPB or CRA with their recommendation to Council, City Council reviews the application and if approved the Development Order and subsequent permit is issued. Mr. Rice expressed his opinion that some of the boards give a lot of interference in regards to discussing an application and questioned whether there was some sort of book that could be followed. Mr. Bolduc advised that within the Land Development Code, there are several books that dictate the standards. He also stated Staff is in the process of updating the Comprehensive Plan to direct the LDC to provide a required list to make things clearer than in the past. PERMITTING PROCESS Mr. Bolduc next discussed the permitting process and what requires a building permit. He explained that for commercial, any new construction or additions or renovations to a commercial property, fences or other improvements to the site, any electrical, plumbing or mechanical worka For residential, other than services, or any changes to signs, requires a building permit. building permit is required for any construction, additional or renovations to a residential property, fences, pools, and sheds, and any electrical, plumbing or mechanical work other than services. Painting and flooring that are not part of a remodeling project are not required to have a building permit for either commercial or residential. Mr. Bolduc continued with the review process and inspections that are required before a foundation is poured, before walls are covered, and before Certificate of Occupancy is granted. Mr. Rosales questioned who