Fort Walton Beach Council minutes — 12-04-1990 Workshop — reading text

employees should not be the criteria as much as the potential for growth; that may be where the EDC comes in because they can help evaluate that. Chairman the EDC Sites & I Judy Burn- Riley, of Buildings Task Force, said EDC is in the business to sell economic development in this area and they have looked at the Industrial Park because their first question was, what is available to put on the market. She said they have looked carefully at what is available and what the problems are with what is available; they do not have all the answers yet, but with that in mind they sent a letter to the City Manager to ask consideration and support of the following proposals: 1. The City and EDC conduct an assessment of the remaining available land in the Fort Walton Beach Industrial Park and jointly create a program for marketing and developing that property; 2. The EDC work with the City on a critical review of the development criteria currently governing the Park; 3. The EDC work with the City on a review of the current procedures selling land in the Park, for with particular attention paid to the existing bid process; 4. The City and EDC undertake a serious effort to identify and secure additional industrial land in Fort Walton Beach; and 5. The EDC, City and Community Redevelopment Authority place a special focus on the utilization of downtown Fort Walton Beach as a site for office and business park development. She said the main issues are an assessment of the remaining available land. the a critical review of development criteria. and a review of the current procedures for the bid process. She said they would like to hear Council' s feelings and ideas then perhaps get together to put down a very specific list of recommendations Council will consider. The Mayor Pro Tem commented that is where they are, determining how to make the determination on what is going to grow and what is going to benefit they I so can meet the basic criteria of more jobs and economic growth. Wesley Poole, representing Okaloosa Walton Business Council, said assuming we want to grow and new jobs coming in. wondered if we want clean industry or just any kind of industry. He said as they set policies they need to strive for clean industry, and he felt it would be good if they addressed the environment. 146 Task Force Budget Workshop 12- 4- 90 INDUSTRIAL PARK ( CONT.) Jim Breitenfeld. Executive Director of EDC, and agreed they looking are at industry. clean the He said one of first things they need to determine is how much land is actually available; one of their concerns is that there is some land there that maybe is being misused that is either under option or the City can get back to put to use. He said they are set to market but they need to know the land available and that the criteria is clear. Mr. Jenkins wished to know why some of the lots have different restrictions. The Assistant City Manager reviewed the history since the establishment of the Industrial Park; from 1962 to 1982 there was no firm criteria established in the Industrial Park, there was some deed restrictions which were the basic restrictions put on the original property located in the Industrial Park; on August 10, 1982, Resolution 82- 27 established the Statement of Procedure and Criteria for Industrial Park; April on 26. 1983, Council amended 111 under the Development Criteria on the adopted Resolution 82- 27; on July 22. 1986. Resolution 86- 33 amended again the Statement of Procedure and Criteria for the Industrial Park; then on October 28. 1986, Resolution 86- 50 amended the Statement of Procedure and Criteria for the Industrial Park. Council next reviewed and discussed the list of suggestions proposed by the EDC. In response to the question on how to proceed with enlisting the EDC' s assistance, the City Manager said to go forward with a recommendation to Council and it will be put on the December 11th agenda; he will then acknowledge receipt of the letter and ask for the EDC' s assistance and work with them. Mr. Smith moved to recommend to Council to consider all of the Ene' s recommendations. Motion was seconded by Mr. Wyatt and carried unaniaous1y" with Smith" deVaux" Nicholson" and Wyatt in favor ( Rosenbawn" Maney" and Wyninegar absent). Mr. Jenkins suggested Council survey the companies that want piece of property in the Industrial Park and if a they employed only a few people then sell them a smaller piece of land. He said that is what is hurting. the small companies cannot get in the Industrial Park. Wesley Poole remarked, it isdiscriminatory to tell a business that only has a few employees