provide the services that we're asking them to provide. >> I'm more in love with Northport than I've ever been. [Music] >> Hey, Brandon, what are you listening to? >> Just listen to my CPR playlist.
>> What's on that? >> Staying alive. >> I'm Zach and this is Travis from Northport Fire Rescue. >> And I'm Brandon and this is Brett from the Northport Aquatic Center. Did you know a lot of the songs that you listen to on a daily basis follow the beats of
CPR? 100 to 120 beats per minute. >> CPR saves lives. [Music] >> Hey, Northport. I'm here with Ryan from our engineering division in public works and we're in an area that is
experiencing some drainage concerns that were brought to us by some residents. So Ryan, what are some things you do when you get onto a scene like this to see what the issue may be? >> First thing we do is we start at the bottom of the system, the outfall, how it connects into the uh canal. Then we start working our way up. We go through the cross drains, the culverts, the
under drains, and we look at every way the water flows downward, and we look for blockages, uh sumped uh dirt pile up, and even sometimes potentially collapsed uh covers underneath. And you got to remember, you can't report your
uh water being an issue until we have 72 hours of no rainfall. And let's say it rains on Tuesday and a couple days go by and on that second day it rains again. You got to restart your 72 hours. We have to spend time of our water inside the system in order to clean it and in order to slow it down otherwise we're
going to end up washing out our neighbors below us. >> Absolutely. So tell us about what's happening here. >> Right here we have a rather large uh blockage inside the system. This is clearly a um a legal dump of some sort. Uh a tree obviously and this will slow down the water. If we could see on the
north side of it or north as in the upper part of the uh drainage way, it's full of water. But when we look at our footage from down below, it's dry. So this is a huge point of collab collecting water. These systems really fail sometimes with like a a death by a
thousand cuts. you get a um a sump here, a collapsed uh covert pipe, a blockage like this, and it slowly adds up. >> That makes sense. So, if anybody out there is seeing issues like this or experiencing it in your neighborhood, you're welcome to report it um through
our Northreport system, which is at northportfl.gov/northports, or you can give the public works customer service a call. In Northport, families are finding more and more places built just for them. We opened um this past June. We are an
indoor play center for children ages 0 to 7. We do open play sessions, birthday parties, special events, and classes here at the play center. For me, um you know, being a Northport resident, there was really not a whole lot in Northport
for children um besides the local parks. So, it was super important for me to have something in the community to be able to offer to families with young children. You want to have that option to be able to still get out of the house with the kids, get their energy out and not have to hike all the way up
somewhere with traffic. And you can just go to a spot near you and just make those special memories that are close to home. >> Playtime Paradise isn't the only new spot making Playtime local. >> Do the Beach is a immersive indoor adventure park. We are primarily an
inflatablebased attraction. We have over 14 different ride attractions scattered throughout the park. With growing young families pouring into Northport and growing the city, we just knew there was such a need for families to have an outlet and some some good entertainment, active entertainment for children. One
of our core beliefs as a as a company is encouraging kids to get involved in active and social play, getting them away from their screens and using their imaginations. From slides to inflatables, dance classes, birthday parties, Northport is growing and so are the options for young families right
here at home. The community has welcomed us with open arms. >> We are thrilled to be here. >> It shows families that there's a place for them um to grow as a young family in Northport. [Music] While you're watching me run away from
this hurricane, you could be signing up for emergency alerts. Sign up at alertsacount.com today. >> All right, we ready? >> Good morning, everybody. Today is Tuesday, November 4th, 2025. It's 10:00
a.m. We're in city chambers and I call the city commission regular meeting to order. Uh commissioners present. Commissioner Duval, Commissioner Langden, Mayor Stokes, Vice Mayor Emer, and Commissioner Proorum present for this meeting. Also present, City Manager
Fletcher, City Attorney Fuino, Assistant City Clerk Pal, Board Specialist Linder, uh and Captain Gregory. Uh let's see, Mr. Moran, would you be kind enough to lead us in the pledge?
>> Sure. Please join me in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
>> Thank you. [Music] I'm looking for a motion to approve the agenda. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Second. >> If there's nothing else to that, let us
vote. [Music] And that passes 520. Uh, city clerk, any general public comments? >> Uh, we do have one e comment. City employee, I was honestly disappointed watching last week's meeting and the discussion about
commissioner communication. I really appreciate Commissioner Emerich for trying to bring some common sense to the conversation. Calling this a hostile workplace couldn't be further from the truth. For those of us who come to work every day, that's not what we experience. The city manager treats staff with respect and professionalism.
He's fair, approachable, and expects accountability. And that's not hostility, that's leadership. It seems the only hostility occurs from outside influences and previous commissioners. I've spoken with commissioners before about general topics and the work we do. That kind of engagement is healthy, but
when the conversations start drifting into policies, internal procedures or contracts, that's where things cross the line. There's a reason the structure is set up this way. It's not shut anyone out. It's to protect both sides and make sure everyone stays in their lane so we can all do our jobs. This is how
commission manager governments function. everywhere. Northport is not some exception. The city attorney who this commission hired clearly said this comm communication policy is legal and appropriate. That should settle it. At this point, if someone's feelings were hurt, that's something to handle privately, not in a public meeting.
Airing personal issues in front of staff and residents doesn't move the city forward. It just takes time and energy away from the real work we're all here to do. We've got a lot going on in this city. It's time to move on from this issue. Trust the people in place to do their jobs and keep focusing on what
really matters. If Commissioner Duval and Pro can't figure out how to communicate with staff appropriately, maybe ask for help from your fellow commissioners who have no issue following the correct procedures. That is all, Mr. Mayor. >> All right. Uh, moving on to announcements,
city clerk. >> Okay. The current vacancies for the following boards and committees include art advisory board, auditor selection committee, charter review advisory board, citizen tax oversight committee,
environmental advisory board, historic and culture advisory board, joint management advisory board, police officers pens pensen trust fund board of trustees, parks and recreation advisory board, veterans park advisory committee. If anyone would like more information,
please see the city clerk's office. Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh to consent agenda, city manager, anything been pulled from the consent? >> No, mayor, but we did have a condensed week because of the meeting we had last week and then the one meeting this week
and that was due to changing the schedule due to Thanksgiving. So, we weren't able to have an agenda briefing with all the commissioners. Uh some of the the one-on-one meetings got cancelled that were going to include the agenda briefing. So, if you don't mind, I would like just to open up to anyone
on the board they had any of the two. There only two items on consent that may want to be discussed just out of fairness. Thank you, sir. >> Thank you, sir. Anything commissioners to these agenda item or these consent
agenda items? Yes, sir. Commissioner Pedro meeting schedule will not be discussed. [Applause] >> What's your question? >> Are we talking about meetings? >> No, I want to ask you.
>> Oh, no. >> Just the consent agenda A and B or there anything on those two items? Okay, good. >> Okay, next case. You have any public comment on consent? >> No, Mr. Mayor. >> Then I'm uh looking for a motion.
>> I'll make it. I move to accept the consent agenda as presented. >> Second. >> Got a motion by Commissioner Lang and second by the vice mayor to uh approve the consent agenda. Oh, that's folks.
And that passes 5 to zero. Moving on to presentations. City manager, your item, sir. 252984. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. This is Sarasota County tax collector, Mr. Mike Moran, regarding possible long-term facility solution for South County residents. I
believe he has a presentation and discussion. I will turn it over to him. Thank you this morning. >> Thank you, sir. Good morning, chair. Good morning, commissioners. Morning staff. I hope to have the easiest agenda item you'll have all day. Um, there's no big ask here other than uh more
communication on this. First off, thank you for all the one-on-one time that you gave me related to this topic. um which as you know is to bring a long-term modern facility um for your residents and the residents of Sarasota County related to our tax collector
transactions in DMV. Um, with that said, unless legal counsel has any different thoughts, I I believe my ask is here today for you to just direct um, leadership, legal counsel, other staff to work with me and and my crew to come
back to you with a um, host of options and hopefully there'll be many for us to have a much more detailed discussion at that time. But this is just simply to make sure everybody's on the same page. Um, and that's a need and want of this board for me to take this further and and come back to you again with options.
So, with that, chair, I'll leave it to you for discussion or I'm available for any comments or questions. >> Cool. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome, commissioners. I agree. We're >> Commissioner Dval.
>> Thank you, Mayor. Um, thank you uh for making it pretty much simple for us. Uh we here are a governmental agency, city of Northport. Uh you represent the
county of Northport or let me take that back, the county of Sarasota. both entities support the citizens in this county and anything we can do, you know, to help the citizens, you know, I've been down in the offices downstairs
and I've seen the people standing in the hallway. Um, yeah, this is something that should move forward. Thank you. >> Thank you, Vice Mayor. >> Yeah, Mr. Moran, I really enjoyed our chats and we came up with a couple ideas
that may be feasible, may not be feasible. So, I look forward to see what you bring back in the future to where we might have a solid plan moving forward where some things may have not worked, other things may work. So, I look forward to seeing what staff and y'all come up with because it is needed here
in the city and I I do support moving forward. So, thank you very much for all your time and your effort trying to get this accomplished. So, >> thank you. >> Uh, city clerk, any public comment on this item? >> No public comment. Mr. Mayor,
>> do we uh would it be helpful for us to offer up a consensus or do we need a motion? We could do a motion to direct Anybody want to take a swipe at that? Thanks, Commissioner. >> Uh, thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, I move to
direct city manager to work with Mr. Moran and his team to bring back to the city plans for a new Sarasota County tax collection building here on city hall campus. >> Second.
>> Got a motion by the vice mayor, seconded by Commissioner Dval. Um I'd like to make an amendment to that. >> All righty. Vice Mayor. >> How dare you? Um just like to make amendment to include the uh city attorney in these discussions
going forward with with these plans. So to have both of them involved. So I make a motion to include the city attorney in these discussions. >> Second. >> Okay. So we vote on the amendment. >> Yes. >> Uh you want to read the amendment, >> please, sir?
>> The amendment is to include the city attorney in these discussions. We're good. Let's vote on the amendment. I'm sorry about that. Didn't take. >> And that passes 520 to zero. And on the original motion, you want to read that back for us, please, sir.
uh to direct city manager to work with Mr. Moran and his team to bring back for a future discussion regarding a new tax building including the city attorney in these discussions. Good. With that, if there's nothing more to it, if you can clear the board, we'll
vote again. Let's vote. >> And that passes 5. Thank you. angle, sir. >> Moving on to ordinanc's first reading. Um, ordinance 2025-32. I'm going to need a motion to direct
assistant city clerk to read by title. >> So moved. >> Got a motion by Commissioner Langden, second by the vice mayor to uh direct assistant city clerk to read this item by title only. Sir, you are up. Oh, we
got a vote, don't we? Let's vote. And that passes five to zero. Now you are up, sir. >> Uh, an ordinance of the city of Northport, Florida, establishing a schedule and location of city commission regular meetings and workshops for the
2026 calendar year, providing for findings, providing for conflicts, providing for severability, and providing an effective date. >> All righty, city manager, your item. I believe it's my item. >> Actually, it's your item. I am sorry.
I'm so used to saying that. Sure. You don't want to chime in. >> Uh, so this is the 2026 commission meeting schedule. We are looking for feedback and a motion to continue to second reading on November 18th, 2025.
>> Thank you. Commissioners, anything to this item? Go once, twice, and three times. Any public comment? >> No. No public comment, Mr. Mayor. >> All right, then we'll close this public hearing. Requesting a motion.
>> Move to continue ordinance number 2025-32. The second reading on 1118 2022. Do >> I have a second? Second. >> Got a motion by the vice mayor, seconded by commissioner devel to continue
ordinance 2025-32 to second reading on November 18th, 2025. There's nothing more to that. Let us vote. And that passes 5 to zero. Moving on to resolution B 2025-R74.
Uh, assistant city clerk, if you'd be kind enough. Uh resolution of the city commission of the city in Northport, Florida, transferring real property located on Manila Avenue and described as lot 25, block 7341 12th edition to Port Charlotte subdivision, Sarasota
County property appraisal, partial identification number 1144073425 to the Northport Road and drainage district, incorporating recital, providing for filing of documents, providing for conflicts, providing for severability, and providing an effective date. >> Thank you, Sarah. And this one is for
city manager. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. The purpose of acquiring the parcel located on Pilgrim Road is to provide essential access to a storm water pond. This parcel, originally permitted as part of the city stormwater infrastructure, is one of several that were incorrectly sold by the General Development Corporation
residential parcel. The parcel is not eligible for residential development, but is critical for the city's long-term maintenance and operation of the storm water drainage system. Rather than sell their Pilgrim Road parcel, the owners have expressed their preference for a land exchange and they have agreed to convey their property to the city in
return for a city-owned parcel of equal value. The Manila Avenue lot has been identified as a suitable match for this purpose. Uh we ask that you approve this resolution number 2025-R74 as presented which will authorize the transfer. Thank you, sir.
>> Thank you, sir. Commissioners, anything to this agenda item? Seeing none, uh, any public comment? >> No public comment, Mr. Mayor. >> And I am closing this public hearing. Uh, requesting a motion. >> I'll make it. I move to adopt resolution
number 2025-R74 as presented. >> Second. Got a motion by Commissioner Duval, seconded by the vice mayor to adopt resolution 2025-R74 is presented. There's nothing more to it. Let's vote.
And that passes 520. Moving on to C resolution 2025-R84. Assistant city clerk, you are up. A resolution of the city commission of the city in Northport, Florida, granting a non-exclusive permanent and exclusive
temporary construction easements located on a portion of the parcel lying in section 12, Township 40 South, Range 20 East, Sarasota County, Florida property appraiser parcel identification numbers 0793-0000-10 and 0815-0000-10
providing various easements provid providing for incorporation of recital, providing for filing of documents, providing for conflicts, providing for severability, and providing an effective date. >> Thank you, sir. City manager, your item. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. The Peace River, Minnesota Maninnesota Regional Water
Supply Authority requires two utility easements for the construction of the phase 2B pipeline through the city of Northport um deep deep injection well property. Granting of these easements and installation of the 42-inch water man will not have any effect on the existing
city of Northport utility infrastructure on the site. The temporary easement for construction purposes will terminate upon the first occurrence of one of the following actions two years from the date of the signed agreement order by the court granting the entity easements
rights and or the recording of a certificate of completion of the construction by the entity. Although the city commission is scheduled to act on this item before the Peace River Authority, staff recommends that any approval be expressly contingent upon the Peace River Authority granting its
approval at its December 3rd meeting. We ask you today to approve resolution number 2025-R84 as presented. Thank you, sir. >> Thank you, sir. Commissioners, anything to this item? >> Seeing nothing. Any general public
comment? No public comment, Mr. Mayor. Then I'm >> closing this public hearing. Request a motion. >> I'll make it. I move to adopt resolution number 2025-R84 as presented. >> Second. >> Got a motion by Commissioner Langden,
seconded by Commissioner Duval to adopt resolution 2025-R84 as presented. And we're ready to vote. And that passes five to zero. Moving right along to general business A2-
2969. Uh city manager, your item, sir. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. This is discussion and possible direction regarding amendments to charter chapter 58 code of the city of Northport, Florida to provide affordable housing impact fee exemption or reduction, government use
impact fee exemption, amend the impact fee deferral program and process improvements. We do have a staff presentation. I will turn it over to the assistant development services director, Miss Lorie Barnes. Uh, good morning. Lori Barnes, deputy
director, development services department. >> Sorry. >> Quite all right, sir. Quite all right. Things change around here so quickly. >> I knew it was wrong. >> That being prophetic. >> No ma'am. No ma'am. Um so this morning
uh we have a presentation uh regarding discussion and possible direction for changes to our impact fee ordinance chapter 80 58 of the code of the city of Northport. The last time this topic was discussed before the city commission was
May 27th of this year. However, there is a very long history of commission direction to amend chapter 58 going back to April of 2020. Uh staff has made multiple presentations to the commission
and there's been multiple changes in direction over time. Uh at the meeting on May 27th, this commission did decline to proceed with a targeted industries impact fee incentive program. However, the discussion
continued regarding how to approach affordable housing uh impact fee reductions or waiverss. So, we have um brought forward a proposal to provide
for an affordable housing exemption in alignment with Sarasota County. and we've provided you with information that other local governments offer for affordable housing incentives. Um, you
have a number of options available to you for this agenda item as a whole. Um, however, if it pleases the commission to provide consensus on each one of these items uh for staff direction, that would be very helpful. Um, option one as to
affordable housing is to proceed with an ordinance to incorporate affordable housing reductions consistent with Sarasota County. And option two would be commission advises staff of their desired formula
to approach affordable housing reductions. And then option three would be to decline to proceed with any affordable housing reduction or waiver of impact fees in an impact fee ordinance.
So, Mr. Mayor, if it does please the commission to give consensus on each item as we go through this presentation, fine. If not, I can proceed with the balance of the presentation or take questions on the affordable housing section.
How would you like to do this? You want to go one by one? >> I think one by one would be wise. I do have a few questions before we launch into each item if that's okay. >> Yeah, why don't we do that?
Go ahead, Commissioner Lane. >> Thank you, Mayor. Um, how many income controlled? It's not rent controlled, but um, h how many units of income
managed housing do we currently have in the city? >> I don't have that figure for you right at the moment. Um, I'm I'm certain that I can find it rather quickly. Um, we have a number of existing and some that
are just coming online. I would, if I were to venture to guess, we likely have under 20 income controlled units, developments, income controlled developments in the city. The number of
units will take some time to to um gather. I know as of a couple of years ago we had over a thousand um units and I think since then um eco senior
housing has opened up. We just approved 65 67 more um not age restricted units. Uh there are there's at least one um affordable housing development
somewhere in the process on Pan-American. Um also don't most if not all affordable housing projects require a financial commitment
on the part of the city. I think if I'm recollecting anywhere from 50,000 to 450,000 >> that that is a thing of the past. Um the Florida Housing Finance Corporation and
the lowincome tax credit program used to um encourage local governments to provide a contribution and that would increase that project's ranking in the selection process. However, we have not
seen um the majority of our low-income tax credit housing developers ask for this. We had two one or two last year that did request the the funding
from the city which the commission declined. >> Right. Right. Um one final question. Do you think that our lack of incentives
has inhibited the development of affordable housing here in the city over the past many years? >> I have no data to support that assumption. Um, I can tell you that with
the passage of the live local act, um, it has become much easier for affordable housing developments to come into our cities and counties. Um, however, I've no quantifiable data to support the
assumption that without this funding, the projects would not come. It's my >> or um my apologies incentives impact fee incentives without the impact fee incentives that the projects wouldn't come.
>> Um we have several in the in the process right now, right? >> Um that um that have either previously previously been approved by commission. Um we have one that was approved as a market rate housing, but it matters not
whether it's market rate or not. Um, and we have one that we've recently received the forms from Florida Housing Finance Corporation requesting signatures. >> Right. Right. It's it's my general sense if I I may also make a couple of
comments. The city of Northport offers the least expensive land in Sarasota County. And so it has been my general feeling that we've attracted
sufficient affordable housing development here in the city despite the fact that we have not offered incentives in the past. Um number one. Number two,
I have a general belief that the affordable housing should be built where the jobs are. The jobs are not yet here in Northport.
So again in absence of a housing study I don't have any sense of urgency that we need to provide incentives for affordable housing here in the city. Um
and I would not be inclined to do it now. Um, but I'm interested in in what my fellow commissioners have to say. I I think the the only place where I would firmly draw
the line is if any future affordable I if should we approve some incentives if any future affordable housing project preempted commercial land. I would be
vehemently opposed to any kind of incentive. I think that's incentive enough. That's it. >> Well, thank you, ma'am. Commissioner Duval. >> Thank you, Mayor. Um, ma'am, during your presentation, you
mentioned a May 22nd meeting. During that meeting, uh, a motion was made and passed to direct the city manager to schedule a workshop in the reasonably near future to discuss affordable housing and
workforce housing and set in programs. The motion carried on the following vote, 3 to two. Can you tell me what the results of that workshop were? Uh this item is intended to cover that
direction, sir. >> So we haven't had that workshop. >> No, sir. [Music] >> Um [Music] that's all
Commissioner Petra. >> Thank you, Mayor. This time I fully support Commissioner Langden assertion um on two points that the land is fairly affordable in the city and if it's
commercial that's enough of incentive but I also want to add a few things to that. Um I can see both arguments and benefits and drawbacks of this incentives. Um
we have to look at this that you know last time we did uh EOS arbor development we did um and it was a not exactly on that issue but it was similar to that. So I do believe that
case by case approach would be a better and since there's uh the assumption that that there's an absence of impact fee incentive is not supported or if I paraphrase we don't have a study just like you said
we don't have a any record of developers that inhibits them the lack of incentives to develop affordable housing units. So for that
reason I I do propose if anything we come to a consensus that would be case by case ask and if I was a builder you know I would make my voice known if I was a builder for affordable housing
development I would make my voice heard and I would approach the city and ask them listen if I do this consider this. We have not had that from what I hear. >> Um Mr. Mayor, if I may respond, um staff
would not recommend a casebycase basis for impact fee exemptions. Um number one, we'd need to have some kind of provisions in the city code that allowed for the impact fee exemption or waiver reduction for affordable housing. uh
without that there's no authority to reduce or wave an impact fee for affordable housing. Number one. Number two, case-bycase basis um does expose the city to potential legal action. Um we need to be certain that we're
providing for equal protection under the law and choosing one affordable housing developer over another could put the city in a precarious position. >> I understand. Yes. But that does not prevent them from coming to the city or
the commission for that matter to ask whatever they want as far as incentives. Am I correct? >> Without a policy structure as to how to approve or deny incentives. Um the city
commission has has no has no guidance or direction as to deciding who, how much, and what for. And so staff would recommend against that kind of approach um on a case-bycase one-off basis asking
for anything they want. Um, that is precisely why we brought the targeted industry incentive program as directed by commission to you in May so that the commission could make a final determination as to whether they wanted
to incentivize business and at what level. Um, the affordable housing impact fee exemption or reduction is is this is similar. Without that structure, the commission authority to wave impact fees
doesn't exist. And um and not applying that policy um consistently to all who ask um is not something staff would recommend. >> I appreciate it. I want to finish with
this that Florida state statute um requires to make up the waved any impact or if we give them incentives and we wave the fee impact fee by law we do
have to cover the impact fee. Am I correct? >> Not for affordable housing. If a if if the housing meets the definition of affordability per the Florida statutes, the city does not have to use other
funding to make the impact fee funds whole, >> but they have to be certified affordable housing development. Correct. >> Correct. >> Okay. And uh one last thing I want to say is uh from what I learned from Ekos
Arbor Development, they got a federal grant. They got I believe state grant. If I'm not mistaken, they they did a county grant as well. I I might be confusing the Chamberlain apartment
complex that they got a big chunk of a uh grant from the county which I believe was 11 million if I'm not mistaken. Correct me if I'm wrong. I'm not just I'm not in favor of waving
impact fees because the growth has to pay for the growth. So at at this point without a workshop uh I'd like to have more information, more study and more more data. I don't know if my fellow commissioners
agree with that, but this is my stand. >> All right, vice mayor. Thanks, Commissioner. >> Yeah. Um, yeah. One of the biggest gripes out there in the citizens, and I think I said this
the last time, is why are all these apartments coming? This that and the other. They're getting a little disgusted that we're overpopulating, which we may not be, but that's what their opinion is. And if we were to lower the impact fees to incentivize
that, then we're just saying, "Come on in. We're not listening to you. Just come on in, but we're going to give you give it to you at a cheaper rate." And I I just don't think that's very good going forward at this time
right now. The only other thing I wanted to say too, and this is in response to Commissioner Dval's question about the workshop, sometimes we change the mind and city staff and management would rather have a agenda item to where we
can take action rather than spinning our wheels in a workshop. So, we're trying to get down to the fruits of the matter here and and get this conversation either done or approved. One of the two. So,
that's all. Um, yeah. Uh, yeah, I appreciate you saying that, Vice Mayor, cuz cuz that's exactly it. This is this particular item, I believe, you know, has come before us numerous times
in conversation. We've gone round and round. Um, you know, a couple questions I have. Um, we do offer impact fee deferrals, right? >> Are we we presently offer incompat in
impact fee deferrals, correct? >> We do have an impact fee deferral currently. That is a topic of conversation for this presentation as well. the impact fee deferral program that we currently have in place has been ineffective and completely unutilized.
Um so that's why staff had proposed improvements to it which we discussed in May and we'll discuss again today. >> Yeah. See cuz I mean my personal feelings for an awfully long time I mean we've been
little by little this city's been growing. We're about at the point where we're on everybody's radar screen. So that's why I wasn't in favor of incentivizing businesses and and I still feel that way strongly. I I don't
believe they're needed. I believe that the city's growth along and the potential and opportunities for businesses to relocate here are there. I think infrastructure is the biggest obstacle and if you we we were able to address some of those issues and come up
with some good plans, I think the floodgates open for development. So, I'm not supportive on the on on the affordable housing. I mean, it's a little easier because there the city's not obligated to reimburse and
make up the difference. But, you know, live local afforded builders, developers who want to do affordable housing the opportunity to literally grab any land they want anywhere and get away with it and be able to do their projects. There are a
plethora of programs out there that make building affordable housing, you know, available for these developers and some take advantage of them, some don't. Um, I don't see why we should create those
types of incentives. I I I just really don't um I don't think they're needed. I don't think they're needed and I think they cut into the overall revenue of the city. I think that everybody should pay. And as far as government use there I
have a question because you know what const is is it the use of the land or the use of the property like for instance I'll give you for instance an ask out office we know SMH doesn't pay taxes I don't think they pay impact
fees either do they right now? >> No sir. Okay. So, >> yes sir, they do. But no, sir, if you adopted an a government use impact fee, they wouldn't. >> Right. And so then what happens with a
uh sixstory office building that goes adjacent to the hospital owned by SMH or SMH. So they're not going to pay taxes per se, but they're going to pay impact fees unless we have this program in place because then it's a government use
zoning or government. So that would exempt them as well, would it not? >> We can get into some more details on that um when we have the conversation about the government use exemption which is coming up next. Um there are some
intricacies involved as far as determining the government use classification versus oh the hospital owns it. I mean because there's that and there and there's you know any other medical
related or healthcare related that might locate on those campuses depending on how they're zoned. So I'm real concerned about opening up the floodgates. You know, SMH isn't going to decide now that they're not going to build their hotel at Sumpter. And quite frankly, as long
as they've owned the property over there in West Villages, I can't imagine they're not going to with Advent with all the opportunities for healthc care growth here. to me providing incentives of any kind, exemptions of any kind for
any of this stuff after we have waited all these years for the city to grow to the point where it's ready to explode. I I just have a hard time supporting at this point. I got to be a lot more convinced
and I'm not convinced at all that this makes sense in any way, shape, or form. And I've said that consistently. So with that, Commissioner Langden, you're up. >> Yeah, thanks, Mayor. um to to bring the conversation back
specifically to affordable housing. My gut tells me that we do need workforce housing, particularly with all of the medical hospital and medical
office space development happening or on the brink of happening here in the city. But I I think we're at a point where we really need that housing study. I I just
feel like we are flying blind um in terms of what we need to some points my fellow commissioners have brought up. you know, with there's been um a real boom in market rate multiuse
family development and folks are concerned about that and um I'm I'm not able to refer to anything that would give me data to share with people in terms of what our targets are for for
different types of housing and why. Um, so I I see Miss Elena has joined the podium. So, >> good morning Elena to say about a housing study. >> Good morning, Elena Ray, director of development services. So, um, while we
have not done a Northport specific survey, a survey or a study was done within the last year for Sarasota County as a whole and it did include the municipalities and the needs in the municipalities. So we can take from that
uh a look at what it says for South County and specifically Northport. Essentially globally, yes, we need more affordable housing, especially more affordable and workforce housing near the job centers.
Northport does not have a huge job center yet, but we will. Um there isn't I've I've read the study. I've I've looked carefully at it. Um, in in from
my perspective and having done housing studies before, I don't know that we would get a great deal more information by doing our own Northport specific study than what that study already provides. That said, the the the study
while uh providing incentives was one of the things that the study recommended for local governments to do in Sarasota County to encourage workforce housing. We in Northport have not seen a slowdown
in requests for affordable housing even without incentives. >> Right. So, um, one I, as as I said, I don't know that we would get a great deal of benefit from a Northport
specific study that wasn't already given to us in this study that was done separately for the entire county. Two, um, we really haven't seen a slowdown. we are be because of live local because
of the funding that's available at the the state level uh we're we're not seeing a real slowdown um at this point what we really need to know is whether the commission wants to move forward with consideration of incentives for
affordable housing or whether we should put that idea to bed at this point because we have um we've been working on this for three and a half years. Five. >> Five. Sorry. Five. I've been working on it personally and Lori has been working
on it for three and a half years. Um, but we we really just need some solid direction on this. Um, we the incentives that we've provided in this presentation um are sort of a culmination of all of the direction that we've gotten,
consensuses that we've gotten from the commission over that time. Um, but from from um just my professional opinion, my experience, I don't know that a that a housing study that's specific to Northport is going to give
us any great insight that we don't currently have with the study that's been done for Sarasota County. >> Could you please um point me in the direction of that study? And if it was circulated already, I apologize. >> Absolutely. I do believe it was
circulated, but with everything else that you get, um, what I will do is go back to that study, pull it, and I'll provide that to the the city manager and the clerk so that they can get that, um, disseminated to the entire >> Terrific. Thank you very much. >> You're very welcome.
>> Okay, >> Commissioner, >> I'm good. >> All right, Vice Mayor. >> Yeah, one last question sort of popped in my head while the mayor was talking. Now, let's say uh development comes down
and they use the live local act and take away our commercial and want to put up affordable housing. Now, we're going to incentivize them to take away our commercial property and give them a discount. To me, that's not a win situation for the city at all.
>> Am I correct on that? >> Um well, that would remain to be seen. Um, I can tell you that we have development incentives in our unified land development code for affordable housing and it's a it's a density bonus
and that density bonus only applies to affordable housing where the use is permitted by right in the zoning district in which it is to be placed. Now through our outside council that reviewed the unified land development
code, they found that that um limitation on the density bonus to uses permitted by right was um legally sound. Now the question as to whether uh an impact fee exemption for
affordable housing could be framed in the same manner. So only affordable housing developments in R3 zoning districts, um mixed use in activity centers, but not on our commercial or industrial properties, um would be
something that would need to be vetted through legal review. >> Yeah, cuz that to me that's just a little iffy down the road, you know, if we were to get in that weed scenario. I I just don't want to even take a gamble
on that in my opinion. So, thank you, Mr. >> Petra. >> Thank you, Mayor. Yes, I'm in favor of deferred impact fees. Even though it was not utilized, doesn't mean that will not be utilized, but that's something
might be utilized. Anyways, uh but the discussion prompt me to remember one item we were discussing and that is the list of city- owned properties that we have to provide to the state that can be designated
and correct me if I'm wrong um for affordable housing projects. Where do we stand on that list? And how soon are we going to get that list? And when can we discuss how to modify that list? What can we
sell? What can we keep? What can we offer for advertisement to sell, >> right? >> Because we don't want to limit ourselves as a city by giving out commercial valuable land, >> right, >> to those projects to required by the state statute,
>> right? U we do have a draft presentation for commission. Um, unfortunately though, we're down additional staff. So, um, the final review of that is pending. We're also awaiting a response from the city attorney's office as to what
constitutes um or did we receive it? No, we did receive it. We we we recently received the response from the city attorney's office as to what constitutes public purpose. Um, so we are hopeful to have this back to you um by the end of the
year for your review of each property one by one if that's the will of the commission or to receive input from you all as to which properties you feel are not appropriate. >> Okay. Thank you,
>> Mr. Mayor. I I'm wondering if at this point it might make sense to go through the presentation and vote on each one. It's not just affordable housing. There are other >> there are four topics of conversation
for the presentation. So, you know, at the will of the commission, would you like to give me consensus on affordable housing followed by government use followed by the deferral program followed by >> We could actually give you motions, >> right? Followed by the process
improvements one by one or or would you like to um make a motion based on your options for all of the items at the end? >> What's the will? You want to go through them one by one or you want to uh
simply deal with them as a group? >> You can listen. >> Yeah. >> Yeah, I'd like to hear it. >> Okay, then let's go through them. So, >> and m Mr. Mayor, just to throw in there before any motions, we do have public comment when you're ready. >> Thank you.
>> Okay. U next on the agenda is the um possible government use exemption. Um, in your packets, you received a summary analysis um that I drafted and submitted to the city attorney's office on the
question of whether um a government use exemption from impact fees could be supported. Uh the findings are that yes, a government impact fee um exemption, government use impact fee exemption could be supported. Um, you know, the
basis of this, um, is myriad, but one of the one of the issues is the the Florida statutes exempt public schools from from impact fees. Um, government uses city hall, fire stations, police stations actually create less impact in many
instances than a public school does. Um, so we use that for the, you know, the primary basis of our request. Um, if the commission proceeded with a government use exemption, that government use exemption would apply not only to city
facilities, but to county facilities and to other governmental use facilities, including the Sarasota Memorial Hospital because it is a public hospital and our uh upcoming VA clinic that um is
proposed here in the Heron Creek development. Um, I wanted to mention, Commissioner Petro, yesterday you had asked about charter schools and impact fee exemptions. I want to apologize that off the cuff we were mistaken in our
response. Charter schools are handled differently under the statutes for building permits than public schools. They're required to apply for building permits and they're required to pay building permit fees. Traditional public schools are not. However, both public
schools and charter schools are exempt from paying impact fees. So, I wanted to make that correction to make sure that was understood. Um, so the one of the issues with the government uses being charged impact
fees is the impact to this city's budget. Um all of our city facilities that are constructed or expanded pay impact three fees through the building permit process. That increases uh
construction costs in some case substantially and effectually results in double taxation to the citizens. Although those funds are used later down the line uh through capital improvement projects for system improvements and the
various impact fee funds. The use of those funds is restricted and therefore is is held in reserves and not able those funds are not able to be utilized by the city to provide other necessary
services to their citizens. If the commission proceeded with an amendment to allow for the government use exemption, those impact fees for government uses would be exempt entirely. the impact fee funds would not
be required to be made whole and we'd include a clawback provision. So in the event a government building was no longer utilized, the government use ceases, then the impact fees for the new
use would be due and payable in whole. So, um, Mayor, you brought up the question of, um, SMH and their office building. The office building would have to be populated by a government use in order
to be exempt from impact fees. Sarasota Memorial builds a medical office building, fine. They're exempt from advorum. But if the use in that building is not a valid government use, they'll pay impact fees.
>> And that'd be the same thing for SMH, the hospital itself. >> The hospital, if the government use exemption approved, the hospital would not pay impact fees, but only Sarasota Memorial Hospital because they're the only public hospital. Okay. Um I'll give
you an example. the utilities administration building. And this is a small amount in impact fees because the primary square footage is warehouse and warehouse impact fees are the lowest we charge. That was almost $100,000 in impact fees for the utility
administration building. Um, if at some point in time in today's dollars the commission were to proceed with a police headquarters at 100,000 square feet, that's over a million dollars in impact fees that need to be paid and are then reserved for system improvements only.
And those funds can't be used in the budget for other citizen needs. >> Well, I don't know that that's a particularly bad thing. Um, so what if I'm looking at all the eventualities
here, what if, um, so any property that would be zoned government use? Is it the zoning of the property or is it what actually is done in the
structure? It's what's done in the structure. The zoning of the property is irrelevant. So, for example, Mr. Card is here. He is the developer of the VA clinic. So, I'll use his as a good example. They're building on the on the
corner here at Price and Main Street. They build their facility. It's zoned activity center 2. The facility is built. The Federal Veterans Administration moves into that building. They operate
their VA clinic. They will not be required to pay impact fees. Fast forward 20 years down the road, the VA clinic needs more space. They decide they're not going to occupy that building any longer. They're going to
move somewhere else. Some other medical office wants to move in there. they will be required to pay the impact fees when they move in if they are not a government use. That's the way the
ordinance would be structured. That's the clawback. City Hall, if the city were to move out of city hall and this turned into a a multi-tenant office building, whomever purchases the building from the
city will have to pay the impact fees. Well, of course, we already paid impact fees on this, but but if we hadn't paid impact fees with the structure we're proposing for the ordinance, somebody moves, buys it, moves in, they're not a
government use, the impact fees would then be due and payable. So, so basically it doesn't matter whether it's a government use designate, land designation that keeps pretty much everybody from,
you know, other than actual government use buildings and SMH, is that correct? So, SMH regard even if we don't do anything, SMH still doesn't pay impact fees. SMH pays impact fees
right now. >> Right now, SMH would be required to pay impact fees, right? But so is the city. So is the VA clinic. So is the tax collector. So is the property appraiser. So is the post office. >> Why is that a bad thing?
>> Even though the impact fee dollars get restricted to what? to fixing the very things impact fees or replacing or improving the very things that impact fees are supposed to do. So if we exempt them and
and I mean I just don't see the hospitals here, why would we turn around and give a hospital that's already coming here and it's going to be fantastically successful after 65 years of citizens paying the hospital
taxes and finally they come here. Now we want to give them a tax break. I I just can't wrap my head around. Why are we giving incentives to anybody when it's taken 65 years for them to all realize
how incredibly great it is to come to the city of Northport and do business here and now they are and now we're talking about giving them a tax break when the citizens are going, "Oh, what about me?" >> So this topic isn't just about Sarasota
Memorial Hospital. It's about government use in general and government use including city facilities have been a topic of conversation for a long time here as long as I've been here at Northport um because of the impact fees
increasing construction costs for the overall projects. Sarasota waves impact fees for government uses. Venice waves impact fees for government uses. Northport does not because we previously didn't have the support, the
analysis hadn't been done, the legal review hadn't been done to support the position of the commission should they want to adopt that government use exemption. Um, as far as, you know, holding up the impact fee revenues and
specific funds for certain system improvements, yes, those funds are needed. However, sometimes there's shortfalls in the budget to provide those essential services to the cities to the city's citizens that that we can't go to the
impact fee funds to gather those dollars. They're restricted. So, it gives the commission more flexibility in what they choose to fund and what they decline to fund. Whereas once those once those funds are in the impact fee revenue accounts, they can't be touched
for anything but system improvements. >> Thank you. >> She said it. Jason Yo, deputy city manager u uh deputy um director said it uh very well. At the end of the day, you taking um you're increasing the capital
cost for all your projects that you're building and you've got a lot. you've got a half a billion plus of projects you're gonna have to build. And then the second thing is you're taking restricted you're taking unrestricted funds and then you're putting all kinds of restrictions on in the form of impact fees and you have to spend them within
seven years. It's just a lot of u it has some optic problems I think from from a citizens perspective. Not that most citizens know what we pay for impact fees on on our projects, but and then the and the secondary thing being you're taking unrestricted funds and turning it and putting restrictions on in the form
of paying impact fees. >> Well, let me see if I get this then. So, you got right now we can't borrow money. So, how do we get the money to build the projects? We collect those taxes through pretty much since we haven't touched our
property tax rate, what do we do is we increase all our user fees. Okay, which is what we've been doing and we've been saving the money the good oldfashioned way. So >> that money that comes in and for say solid waste, road and drainage,
utilities, whatever, whether it goes into a enterprise fund or whether it goes into the disciplines, can that money be used for the general fund? Can we build parks with that money? Can you build park? >> Can we take that money drainage money? >> Yeah. No. No. It's restricted, right?
And it's restricted to operate that district and also improve, replace or >> build infrastructure that's necessary addressing their CIP projects. So, I don't see how we're taking unrestricted
money and making it restricted money because it's all it's been restricted. We get it. I mean, where else are we going to get it from? >> I got a question for you. >> Yeah, >> we're saving up all this money. >> Do you think the rate of return we're getting on the money as it sits while we
pile it up waiting to do a project is greater or less than the construction inflation cost? Oh, I mean, you're preaching to the choir there because I'm all with you except that, you know, the reality is still the reality. We have no
alternatives but to save that money up. And all I'm saying is that >> the money just gets cycled right around to do the same projects and the same things that it would do anyway. I don't see how this money by exempting
government use is going to free that money up. >> Okay. to to help the general fund somewhere because it's not 100%. >> If I may, mayor, um if
if the utilities administration building doesn't pay impact fees, doesn't pay that $100,000 in impact fees, then that money is available in the general fund for operating for other uses. if they pay into the impact fee funds,
it's only for those system improvements. And as DCM Yarborough indicated, it has to be spent in seven years. Um, we might want to spend it faster, but um, but the point is a million over a million dollars over a million dollars on a
100,000 square foot city building, city office building. Over a million dollars would be then reserved in those impact fee funds for system improvements and not be available in the general fund for operating and
other city commission directed initiatives. Does does that help? >> Yeah. And and on the one hand, you know, one might make an argument that's a good thing. On the other hand, one may make an argument that's a bad thing. You
know, I So, we look at all the government buildings we have and the condition they're in. And if we had had a huge reserve of impact fee dollars that have been collected, wouldn't it make it
easier to be able to do some of those things? So, why would we look to shift this money? I guess what's hanging me up the most is anything discovery. I mean, I I am not comfortable with giving SMH a
tax break. I I I'm just not. And if we do this for government use, we we have no alternative. They have to they qualify which means this hospital >> another example >> and the next hospital they build and any
you know I mean what I still say depending on the type of facility they build on their property they could still take advantage of these impact fee discounts and then if they we say no we're into an argument. I just don't see why we do it. And I'm not convinced that
um you know, we're still not putting this money to good use. I mean, the whole idea of impact fee money is that it serves the purpose it was intended to serve. Why wouldn't we want it to serve that same intended purpose for our city
structures? >> If I may, >> if I may, Mr. one one potential benefit I would see and it goes back to if the money goes into the general fund it's unrestricted if it comes in through impact fees and please correct me if I
don't have this flow correct in my life in my in my head it's not like we can take all of those in impact fees and assign them to road and drainage for example for one of we cannot do it it's a portion bit by bit by bit into four
different funds that are driven by studies that tell us. So we don't have the flexibility to assign that money, that impact fee money to the
projects that we know are so vitally important. So we would have more money. Now, it would might be good to have a conversation of what does happen to that money. I would be less comfortable
having it go toward general unspecified operating expenses in the general fund. But if we wanted to structure it that when um when these these impact fees come in
that they be held in in a fund that's not limited in the way that impact fees are. Well, so let me make sure before I go off halfcocked here is that okay, the impact fees
that come in for government use. We could, you know, if I recall, we got pretty deep list of CIP projects for government facilities, right? We got like a lot of CIP project.
>> Couldn't I mean, so this these impact fees can be used for those. They just can't be used for like road and drainage or something outside, you know? They got to be government. >> Yeah. You can't use impact fees for operational costs, >> right? You got to use them for projects to
rebuild something to improve, >> not rebuild, add capacity >> to add capacity. >> It's got to be ready to go. So, we we know we've got those challenges anyway. Why wouldn't we want that money to stay right where it is and pay for that? We
already have enormous challenges in capacity needs for government facilities. My guess is way more than we have money for. So why are we turning around and not charging oursel for it? Let's do I mean it's a former reserve,
so to speak. We're charging for it. Yes, it increases the cost of project, but it's also forcing the dedication of those dollars for the exact intention, for the exact reason they were intended. I don't want it to be used in the general fund. I don't want it to help
finance growing the general fund in my book. That isn't the solution. It would be if all our buildings were brand spanking new and didn't need a bloody thing. Then I'd say, well, all right, you know, wouldn't go so bad in the general fund, but the truth is it isn't
that way. We need that those and correct me if I'm wrong. If I'm somehow delusional, >> but impact fees can't be used to rehab existing buildings. >> They can be used to add capacity and we have enormous need to increase capacity. No,
>> we have enormous need to maintain what we have. We have so many buildings that are on the verge of >> acquiring care. >> So if we were to do this, how then do we we're saving the government the money?
Okay, we're not going to create impact fees for government use buildings. How can we isolate that money and restrict it to only fix and rehab? Can we do that? Not really. How are we going to do that? Tell me how what government's ever
been able to actually pigeon hole money like that and use it for what somebody or a group of vote you know electeds decided and that didn't get changed and changed and changed and changed and changed. So I'm not buying this so far guys if
>> I can intervene Ireina Kohhareno. So I just want to give you an example uh maybe that will clarify a little bit. So let's take PD headquarters for example and if there were impact fees and it's a general fund um that will be funding uh a portion of it. Um now those impact
fees from the general fund would be then uh be paying the impact fee and those impact fee revenues are then um distributed between different impact fee funds and those impact fee funds like park impact fee, law enforcement impact
fee and others that we have are more restricted where you can only spend it on projects that are growthdriven. you can't spend them on a project that let's say we have another building and we need to um
um update it, right? Um those projects you can't really spend impact fees money on. So you are making them more restrictive by putting those money into impact fee funds. For for example, if we needed to build a
fire station, we needed to build a fire station. we don't have enough money in our fire impact fee fund. We can't then say, "Oh, well, we're going to use some park impact fees to make up the difference for the fire
station." We need to go to general fund. And if we've taken general fund money to pay into the transportation impact fee, the parks impact fee, the law enforcement impact fee, but we need to build a fire station and we don't have
enough money in our fire impact fee fund. Where are we going to find the balance? The general fund is where the balance is found. And if we restricted all of these general fund monies into the various impact fee funds, we've lost
our flexibility to go to the general fund to make up shortfalls on projects that the city needs. >> And here's my question. So we go into the next year and the first workshop for budget comes out and we need $6.5 million to cover union increases,
benefit increases, cost of material increase, expense anticipation, and we say, well, here's the we're going to try to overcome. So now we go into the budget process, right? And we've already like passed this good old ordinance here that's going to like wave impact fees
for government buildings. So now that money's sitting in the general fund pot, right? You think it's really going to go to anything capital improvement related or is it going to go to eat into some of
that cost of operating increase? That's just what it's going to go to, which is where it always goes to year after year because that's what happens. So to me, like
if there wasn't a need for capacity, that's a different story. But I argue there is. And I don't see why that money shouldn't sit there. I mean, I, you know, >> may or may I make a suggestion? By all means.
>> What if instead of collecting it as impact fees, it went into a CIP project fund? That way it could be used to maintain current buildings.
>> And how does it get there? Via an ordinance that we write that automatically charges all government use and that goes into that fund. Can we do that? Or are you going to trust that commissions are simply going to budget it to that category? >> No, I I would see >> how do you do that?
>> You you could also look at uh doing higher reserves. Let's talk about you could potentially like right now we have 20% right is a reserve for general fund. We could talk about setting aside money if that's what you want to do for capital projects.
I I will say, mayor, I um it's a it's a and commissioner Lang, it's a it's a noble idea to to kind of take that money instead of impact fees. I don't know if you will have the legal nexus to collect a fee that isn't impact fee, but put it
into a capital improvement program. I don't I that would that would be that would be a legal research question. >> Yeah, >> it would be interesting to find out. It probably would. Let's let Commissioner Petro weigh in. New new mind, new ideas.
Maybe he's seeing something we're not seeing. >> Thank you, man. >> You got the floor, sir. I guess if I'm following the >> presentation correctly, >> if I'm following the presentation correctly, the topic of discussion is uh
to wave the or exempt the government use designation um purposes to be exempt for impact fees. Am I correct? >> Yes, sir. Do do you want to charge your city projects, firehouses, police
stations, new water plants? Do you want to keep charging impact fees like we do now? And also when SMH comes, do you want to charge them impact fees? >> Yes. So, I just want to clarify this for the record >> and also I'm sorry, the VA the VA clinic
also >> and any government use designations. Well, it was usually >> so the topic is not to convince or make a presentation against the impact fees. It's for the exemption of impact fees. We all know that in Florida impact fees are onetime
charges that local government assess on new development and uh that is that ensures new development pay the fair share for for the cost associated with growth. um nobody argues with that and they are restrictive and if we step back
and look at that it's actually good that they're restricted in a way uh but my point is um if we if we go that route and make that exemption I would be I would be open to to this
dialogue if if it was just the city strictly city projects not talking about SMH or outside entities ities that come they have ability to pay those impact fees and I I don't see why we would do that and just tell them not to pay that I mean that's
outrageous I mean they are meant to maintain the impact fee are meant to maintain level of service standards so that new businesses and roads schools parks uh utilities would be
uh able to maintain that expansion um and also I have uh Florida Law statute 163.31801, the Florida impact fee act requires that impact fees be used for specific growth
related capital improvements for operations, maintenance or debt service on existing deficiencies. We we all cry about the lack of infrastructure and how do we pay that? I mean that's the perfect example. Let let it be
restrictive. I mean they they are restrictive. We cannot go against that. But if we completely eliminate or exempt the government entities from uh paying those impact fees, we are shooting ourselves in the food. I mean and we we
actually suffering from not collecting additional funds from outside entities. And like I said, I would be more open to talk about the our cities projects, but not not not in any shape or form about
the outside projects, outside entities that are government entities that have more than that have ability to pay more than just impact fees. After all, they're coming in to build those structures and operate
within the city limits. Um and it's just to me we we placing the full instead of placing that burden on uh those developments we placing the full burden on existing residents and taxpayers
to expand the infrastructure and I know that you took a great deal of time to convince that they restricted nobody nobody I don't I don't think any of us uh are disputing that they're more restrictive and it might be a good idea that they're
restricted. uh but and they're split among funds which is probably a good idea too because over the projects those funds would be accumulating and you know we will not have discussion or how we're going to fund that park and commissioner
Lendon would not say oh she'll be in favor because of that statute that we have to expand those parks or building the new parks and uh nobody's going to come after commissioner Langden on that point but I I do think that u it's it's
we shooting ourselves in the in our we paralyzing ourselves and isolating ourselves from additional income if you will um I don't want to say income but the revenue for the city to operate as it
should um and it should be restrictive but I I I'm certainly very reluctant for the for common sense purposes and just for the for the sake of our taxpayers money. Why would we give breaks to the
outside entities? If anything, it would be beneficial on your end to bring a presentation and tell us, hey, what about the city projects? What can we exempt them? >> We' probably have to find a different rationale than one we've come up with initially.
>> Yeah, I'm giving you I'm giving you tips. But because well it it's actually unreasonable to to tell SMH yeah come in and don't pay any impact fee which I'm sure they have ability to do. So they would lovely and gladly take that offer
and uh but for the greater uh cause and for the greater good u of our taxpayers and for logical reasoning I don't see any any like I concur with mayor I don't see
any logical conclusion uh to have that exemption for government use designation entities to have them exempt. Thank you for your presentation up to
this point. I I guess there's more >> and we've been interrupting you as far as our questions and but I'm very reluctant because I was elected by the citizens and I have I have to be accountable to those citizens. I'm going to be asked the very same day
why why did you even consider that? uh and accountability counts and I I can't just go along with the exemption on that or waving those fees. And thank you, mayor. That would be all for me.
>> Vice Mayor, >> yeah, I got an off-the-wall question as usual. Now, you had brought up the PD quite a few times at a hund00 million plus dollars and a million dollars worth of impact fees and you said that the impact fees could be used for system
improvements. So, let's say we were able to go get the money for the PD and we wanted to go now this goes into a fund and for system improvements. Could we use that money to uh put into that building for FF&E because we've always
not included that in a lot of our financial questions on we'll just do that later on. Could these impact fee funds be used for that? >> It has to be deemed a capacity improvement. So if the if the project is
increasing capacity, providing additional police offic not not officers but additional law enforcement capacity to serve a larger population or a larger
area then yes it can be used. For example, um I'll throw out the transportation. Transportation impact fees can only be used for capacity improvements. So, we can't use it to repave a road. We can use it to build a
new bridge crossing, but not repair one. we can use it to put in um an expanded roadway but not scrape up the base and repave it. So capacity improvements are
very specific and so to to support FFN that would be a a review through the impact fee administrator and finance to make a determination that yes that is increasing capacity. So, so if I could piggy back on what the deputy director
said of that million dollars, a a small subportion will be police impact fee. I think you can make the argument that that police impact fee could be used on FFN for that building. But you can't take the fire impact fee and use it for
police FFE. You can't take road drainage impact fee, transportation impact fee and use it for police. uh and the police portion of that million dollars is going to be a small portion. Transportation and other impact fees are going to take up the lion share of that million
dollars. >> I just wanted to put that out there just in case just to see how it would work if we were still collecting all these impact. >> Very creative. Very creative. >> And and how we could do that. So thank you very much. That's all I had. Mayor, >> can I can I read the statute?
>> Yeah, sure. uh Florida statute requires that impact fees be used for a specific growth related capital improvements and for operations, maintenance or debt service on existing deficiencies. And I'm sure there's more but uh there's a
lot to unpack in this uh definition. There's and we can direct the legal look into this but there's a wiggle room. We can we can I mean it says for operation maintenance or debt service on existing deficiencies. Yeah,
>> I'm not sure service on existing deficiency does it mean the material stuff or financial? uh but certainly for operations maintenance and if we want to expand an existing building for example that is a capacity but uh it's clear
that it says for operations maintenance um and specific growth related capital improvements. So, just want to point out that >> our our impact fee ordinance also has requirements regarding the use of the impact fees that um that may be somewhat
more restrictive than the statutory language. Um we can definitely look at that if the commission wants us to revisit um our impact fee ordinance um when it comes to um the use of the impact fees.
But that's um not the the topic for today's discussion. But a good point. Nonetheless, all right, Commissioner Langden. >> I'm going to take a pass. >> Okay, >> I'm all set.
>> Well, did we take you off track of the presentation? But, um, moving along, I guess. >> Yes, sir. Uh, next up is the deferral program.
Uh we presented these deferral um the deferral program proposal in May. Um at that time at that time we talked about the current code and how the current code um
specifies what projects are eligible and it's only for commercial projects and only for projects valued at a million dollars. So to open this up and to um provide for some some more options for businesses coming in and not strictly
limit it to commercial. Um the the proposal included allowing office, industrial, restaurant, and all other impact fee categories to qualify for the impact fee deferral program. um as well as expansions and changes in use and
affordable non-residential development. Under the current code, um security for the deferral program can only be made in form of a lean. Um and that lean is on the property. So many of our businesses
occupy lease space and so a prop and and they through their agreement with the property owner pay for their own buildouts and their own impact fees. So the property owner is very unlikely to secure
a debt or a potential debt with a property lean. So, we're proposing allowing a performance fund um to be utilized for those businesses that do not own the property that they occupy.
Um, moreover, the uh lean program is pretty burdensome and collecting on a lean is more difficult than collecting on a performance bond. Uh, the current deferral length is 3 years. Um, the proposal is for five years. um 3 years
is not a substantial um duration. Um I can give you an example of um one project that had looked into the uh deferral program. It was for I believe about a 50,000 square foot um retail
box. and the deferral program for that project at 3 years would only free up $80,000 for that um for that business owner over that three-year period. So, we're proposing increasing that
somewhat. The city will be made whole when the deferral period is up and those impact fees are paid. uh when we talked in May um to my recollection the deferral period three
years versus five years seemed to be the largest topic of conversation at that time. So, we're looking for direction to as to whether to include that deferral program as proposed or um or modify that
deferral program or just eliminate it entirely because having um you know, if the commission doesn't want to have a deferral program or one that is effective and utilized, then there's no sense in maintaining it in the code when
it's not used. Uh the last is process improvements. Um we've made some changes um to align with best practices and ensure consistent application of our impact fee rules. Um and they're just some um exemption
clarifications for accessory buildings. Um changes in use and how those are calculated. um square footage of outdoor dining and how that um is calculated for impact fee purposes and then to have our
definitions refer to the Florida Building Code or the ULDC so we're not changing codes frequently when those other uh governing documents change. Uh so now uh to commission is the
question of which option to pursue. Um you have four options. Um, three of those options are broken down um with a a sub option related to each of the topics we
discussed today. And I'd be happy to answer any other questions that you might have. >> I got one quick question on the process improvements. I mean, what are what are staff looking for us
to do? Just basically approve some tweaking here and best practices >> that is those provisions are currently codified. So, we can't make changes to them without the direction to bring back an ordinance. Okay. So, you've got
several options here. Um, option one, bring back an ordinance, include the affordable housing, include the government use exemption, include the deferral program, and include the process improvements. Your next option
is to >> But what are the process improvements? That's what I'm >> The process improvements. Let me see if I can go back. the process improvements are we we are providing for an accessory building
exemption. So you have a lot of um sheds, guard houses, those type of things that don't create additional impact to our systems. We've received a lot of feedback as to why am I paying an impact fee for a guard house
>> so or for a shed on a golf course. So we've include we in the draft ordinance which would come back to you if you give us direction to proceed. We've outlined what accessory structures are exempt from impact fees. Um we've clarified the
language about how we deal with assessing shell buildings. So if somebody builds a shell of a building and we don't know the end user, we charge one rate and then when the end user comes in, we charge the balance
between that shell building impact fee and what the fee schedule says for their use. And then um outdoor dining. We didn't have a formula really in the past to clarify what qualified as
outdoor dining and when we charge impact fees for a restaurant's outdoor seating area and when we don't. So the draft ordinance included that language and then also the cleaning up of the definition section because if Florida
building code definition changes, we might have to change ours. If ULDC, we might have to change ours. So if we refer to those other documents rather than have independent definitions, it reduces the number of times we might have to bring it back to cleanup
definitions. >> We can deal with process improvements as a separate item. >> Okay? >> We you could deal with all of these as a separate item. We gave you four options. Um the the the
fourth option or my apologies. The the fourth option is don't make any changes at all. Um the third option um is to eliminate the impact fee deferral program and include the
government use exemption and process improvements. you know, we could have had 10 different options here and as as it was the staff summary was five pages long. So, so if if the commission wants to select from one of the four options,
fine. Um, but the commission has discretion to select from or or create another option. um or vote one by one on affordable housing, government use, impact uh deferral program and process
improvements. >> I would like to take them one at a time like that if you ask me and go down them. So, what do we got to Oh, Commissioner Petro, I'm sorry. >> Yes. Uh thank you, Mayor. You did a nice
job outlining the options. My understanding is my question is strictly technical under one option we if we vote for option one we would be voting for option one A B C D or
>> correct >> okay can we make like you said I guess you answered my question we can mix and mix and match them >> yes >> because I would not support option one but then I would I see down the line that I'd like to revision for
like you said putting a shed on a property why why does I want to have to pay the additional impact fee >> right so if commission did not want to proceed with affordable housing government use or the impact fee
deferral program you could direct staff just to bring back an ordinance with the process improvements >> and last question the deferral program you wanted to extend to five years as a recommended option is that because of the three-year is not utilized at all or
it's is what what's the reasoning behind that? >> The impact fee deferral program was not been utilized at all. Um and there's a number of reasons. Um we've heard that it's the three years. it doesn't give us enough time to actually utilize our
savings to yield much of a benefit to the project or to incentivize um um anchors or end users to come in. Um, we've heard that the um the security required to be a lean is a problem
because as I mentioned so many of our businesses hold leases and the property owner will not lean the property to guarantee the impact fee payment for their tenant. Um and we have heard that
um because the impact fee deferral program specifically defines commercial only that there's no clarity that other types of uses are eligible and so it's it's very limited and it's been underutilized as far as we can tell for
those three primary reasons. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Um before I assume You want to try to take a stab at motions here? Before we do, do we have any public comment? >> Uh, yes, Mr. Mayor. We do have one. Eric
Cart. >> Welcome, sir. Thank you. Uh, good morning, Mr. Mayor, commissioners, and city staff. Uh, like you said, my name is Eric Card. I am the CEO of Rise Companies. I also had the honor of serving our country for 23 years in the United States Air Force. uh, Special
Operations Command here in Florida. I'm here today on behalf of our entire team to thank you for your consideration of item 7A regarding the potential amendment to chapter 58, including a government use impact fee exemption and also to share a few thoughts on what
this means for the veterans around Northport. Our company is currently developing a new outpatient clinic here in Northport that will be leased by Department of Veteran Affairs. Uh once completed, this facility will serve hundreds and ultimately thousands of
local veterans, providing easier access to care, reducing ch time travel, and strengthening the support network uh that serves our men and women. This project is a partnership between public and private sector. The financial realities of construction, interest
rates, long-term facility maintenance are beyond challenging. To align with our mission of building up people, buildings, and communities, and also to work with the government budgets allocated to this project, we have offered the government terms that are more than stretch common development
metrics. Your consideration of this amendment would make a meaningful difference not just to developers like us, but to the veterans who will work through walk through the doors for decades to come. It would further demonstrate that Northport truly stands behind his commitment to support those
who served. Regardless of the outcome, we remain honored to work with this city and proud to discuss a project that gives back to those who gave so much. With your support, this partnership becomes even stronger. and the message it sends to our veterans is even
clearer. Thank you for your time, your leadership, and your commitment to serving this community. >> Thank you, sir. Thank you for your service. >> Uh, okay, Vice Mayor, have at it. All right. By going through these comments and the discussions that we've
had on the board, I'll see if this works. I move to direct staff to prepare an ordinance for the city commission consideration, including option 1 C, the pro the proposed updated deferral program eligibility and refined program
requirements and option 1D, the proposed process improvements. That's it. Okay. Do I have a second? >> I'll second. Okay. Got a motion by vice mayor,
seconded by commissioner Langden. Um discussion. Commissioner, >> could could we just read that back? I know I seconded, but >> to second guessing myself here. >> Sure. to uh direct the city manager to
prepare an ordinance for city commission consideration, including option 1 C, the proposed updated deferral program eligibility and refined program requirements, and option 1D, the proposed process improvements, anything. I mean, you know, uh
I'll just say I'm I'm not supportive of any of this except for the process improvement. So, you know, that's where I stand. Um but unless anybody has any more input, I guess we can vote on this motion.
SW passes three to two with Commissioner Duval and myself in the negative. Um, Commissioner reasons No specific reasons. >> I mean, my reason is as as I've said,
just to encapsulize it, I really don't believe we need to provide incentives uh via impact fee um waiverss. I I I just don't um you know, the deferral program
hasn't been taken advantage of. I'm all for killing that. Um, I don't like the government use exemption. So, the only thing I I'm supportive of is the process improvements. So, that's why I voted no
on this one. Um, but no, I voted no. >> Wait a second. >> Oh, >> I thought this passed three to two. >> It did. >> Did. And >> but you said no. You just >> That's correct. I voted against
>> said I'm sorry I didn't notice who said no. >> Yeah, that's why. That is why. So that passes three to two. Um all right. Uh break. >> Yeah, there's really nothing more to do on this one. So yeah, let's take a
break. Um let's take a lunch break. Let's come back. It is 30 minutes enough for everybody? >> It is for me. Quarter after uh quarter after 12. [Music] >> Welcome to the brand new Northport
Podcast Network. We're so excited to introduce you to our revamped lineup of shows created to keep you connected, informed, and inspired about everything happening in our city. >> That's right. With three unique shows under one network, there's something for everyone. >> First up is Northport. Now, Madison and
I will rotate hosting this fast-paced news-driven podcast to bring you the latest city updates, event previews, and important information, all in one quick listen. Think of it as your weekly guide to staying in the know about what's happening in Northport. >> Next, we have Northport Stories. Laura
and I will share heartfelt and inspiring tales from around our community. Stories that showcase the people, places, and moments that make our city special. >> And don't worry, Voices of Northport isn't going anywhere. I'll continue bringing you even more personal stories and interviews with residents who shaped
our city. And last, but not least, Northport Living. Cody and I will also rotate hosting this show, which is all about tips, events, and lifestyle ideas to help you make the most of life right here in Northport. Whether you're looking for family-friendly activities,
ways to get involved, or helpful home and garden tips, Northport Living has you covered. With breaking news, heartfelt stories, or practical tips, the Northport Podcast Network is your go-to source for all things Northport. Make sure to subscribe to the Northport
podcast network wherever you listen and join us as we celebrate and connect with our amazing community. >> Northport Now will be released bi-weekly. >> Northport Stories and Living will be monthly. >> A schedule will be available on social media and our website.
[Music] Hello everyone, Devon Pulis here, aquatics manager. Welcome to my crib. We have fun here at the crib. Programs
included. Become a pass member. Play all year long. Hey, at the crib, we do have rules. We take all payments here at the crib. Apple Pay, Mastercard, Visa, cash. You pay right here to enjoy the crib. So, enter through the gate. Childproof,
most adult proof shade. What's that? Our newly installed sun shade available for rent all season long. Here at my crib, you don't have to worry about a place to find a seat. We've added more chairs than ever here at the
crib. If you're coming to enjoy the cribs and you got little ones, we got the perfect area for them. from our Pelican Playground. Newly painted, fresh floor, fresh palm tree. It's looking clean. Looking for a place to work your upper
body? Take a shot here at our Stingray shuffle. Looking to relax? I got you covered here with our lazy river. Living more on the adventurous side? Check out the slides right behind me. Newly painted, all offer something
individual and unique. Check it out. Check out the main pool kept at a wonderful 84 degrees all year long. I just want you to have a good time. We have safety covered. Lifeguards here, staff all day, every day when we're open
for you to enjoy. Concession is open. Pizza, pretzels, nachos, ice cream. We got it all. My crib is your crib. Looking forward to seeing you here.
>> Duty calls. >> Hello, my name is Jerome Fletcher, city manager of the city of Northport. I'm at the Northport Aquatic Center. I'm on the job today. Let's go. [Music]
Good morning, Jessie. Good, sir. >> Nice to see you. >> Thanks for having me today. >> Of course. Hey, we're going to go through our opening checklist for this morning to make sure that the facility is safe and operational. >> All right, sounds good. Let's do it. Before anything else, the team walks the entire area to make sure everything is
clean and in good shape. >> Our next part of our task is to make sure that our body of water is one clear. The water must remain clean. We must identify any possible materials that shouldn't be in the water. >> Then it was time to check the surge tanks. >> You can see the glistening of the water down there.
>> If the water is too deep and you hear a rushing of water, that means that this needs to be filled before we can begin operations for this. Okay. >> Is part science, part intuition at the relax river. Jesse showed me the digital checklist system, the hydro app. >> As soon as I click yes on this checklist
that let's say the water is clear and I do not identify that the water is cloudy or any sense, that yes goes directly to my manager and lets them know that at this exact time I check that water to make sure it was safe and clear. >> This technology being used at its best
job. Now, our rotations, we have evolved to having our lifeguards into a more of a roving position. >> With the competition pool, we still maintain the chairs for the height eligibility. >> Um, but here we have to have a minimum of five lifeguards just to run this body
of water. >> Wow. >> And we actually have a lifeguard positioned in our catch pool over there to help our guests that are coming out of the slides at a bar and twister. >> I've seen that person there. Then Jesse brought up something that most people might not think about, pool skimming.
>> Pool skimming is the sounds of the water being properly flowed. So with those drains, all the water has to constantly filter throughout our pool at least three to four times a day. So not only is the water continuously being pumped in, continuously flowing out, being
cleansed through our sand filters, then being pumped back into the pool. It's a very long process, but it makes sure that the water stays to clear as possible. Then Jesse taught me about the zones. >> It helps maintain that their body of water is theirs to protect anybody that's in their zone. So lifeguard
Brandon right now is actually scanning red one zone. So red one zone is here. Any part of this body of water that reaches let's say all the way from those stairs to the bulkhead and to the side of the corner. This entire zone is his
right now. to make sure that they are staying healthy and hydrated. We do have a 30 minute a rotation here for all of our lifeguards. And lifeguards are not meant to bypass more than 1 hour of continuous lifeguarding. So after every hour, the lifeguards must take either a
visual break or an actual break. After Jesse's walkthrough, I met up with Matt, one of the pool technicians responsible for keeping the water clean and safe every single day. He started by showing me how they test the water across the park. >> Got comp pool, lazy river, kids pool. >> Each sample is dropped into small disc
and loaded into a device and in just seconds it gives a full readout on the pool's chemistry. >> And before this little machine was created, this was a more of a manual model. >> Yeah. We um a lot of people will use tailored tests. So it involves like little different chemicals. You would
fill up a container and drop them in like a certain amount and basically it'll calculate from there um what your pH and chlorine is. >> And this is the daily task. >> Yeah, this is what we do at the start of every day. >> Inside the control room, he fired up the valves that get the entire water park up
and running. >> When we have everything going, the water level will be back up, but since we're not running everything in the moment, it'll drop it down a couple inches. >> Next, he showed me the daily checklist for the park. Then we have our chemical data sheets. So basically just making
sure like that our comp pool, lazy river, kids pool are all where they need to be. Anywhere between two parts per million or 10 parts and then pH is somewhere between 7.2 and 7.8 for a healthy pool. There you go. Then
came the back washing and wasting process. Flushing the filters to keep the water flowing freely or removing excess water from the system to keep the water levels balanced. And then it'll start coming out in this pit. >> So this this whole pit will fill in about 3 minutes.
>> Really? Over there? >> Yep. >> Next, we changed out one of the strainer baskets which help catch large debris before it can reach the pumps. >> I'll tra that one. Thank you. Then new one goes in just like that. And we usually let those dry out. I'll clean
them later this week. Before joining the team in Northport, Matt worked as a lifeguard in Charlotte County under Trish Sturgis, our assistant director of parks and recreation. >> So, I've known Trish a very long time. So, that definitely was one of the influences of wanting to come work at the aquatic center. Had me go out for an
AFO course recently, which is aquatic facility operator course. Basically, anything and everything relating to a facility, like water chemistry, safety rules, that, this, and that. So, I went there. I just passed that class. So,
it's a little little bit of knowledge under my belt. It was definitely useful. >> Well, Matt, we're we're grateful for your time and your experience and all you put into your career here and congratulations on your certification and you do amazing job here at sir. >> Thank you for joining me today at the Northport Aquatic Center. It's a great
facility. I want to thank Director Sandy Funheller, assistant director Trish Sturgis. I have learned so much amazing things today. I would like to say that the technical expertise that goes to keep the water safe as well as the people safe is an amazing combination. See you on the next job. Thanks for
being here. Hey, city of Northport. My name is Sandra Budro. I am with AECOM and I'm representing the city of Northport on this glorious Price Boulevard project. We are here on Price Boulevard at the Blue Ridge Waterway in which we are
building the box culvert. Um, as we've talked in the past, we're doing a double barrel box culvert here and we are currently pouring the second wall of the structure. That wall's got to cure, the concrete has to cure, and then we can strip form. So, it does take some time
for the walls to cure and then for us to start building the top. After that, we're going to build uh the earthwork and then the roadway. So, at this point, we are currently early on in the process. If you want further updates, you're going to go to the Price Boulevard web page.
[Music] [Music] [Music]
Hello, I'm Jerome Fletcher, city manager of Northport. I'm on the job with the solid waste division of public works. Let's go. [Music]
make yourself at home. >> Oh, I love the duck. Look at that. Yes, >> that got passed down through a few co-workers and then now it's it's ended up in this truck. So, I was like, I want to keep it. So, >> well, well, maybe it's for the uh two-time driver of the year. How about
that? >> Yeah. >> Oh, congratulations. >> I appreciate it. >> Yeah. Two. You You only been here for two years, right? >> Two and a half now. So, >> all right. >> Recognition is nice. But what he really values is the simplicity of the work. Meet Cole Sigley, a solid waste driver
for the city of Northport. >> You can put me on the same truck and same route, leave me alone for 30 years, and I'll it'll be done. You don't have to worry. You don't have to worry about it, >> right? It's very low stress. Let me do my job. Yep. >> I'll do it right. Come back tomorrow. >> Yep. And then you go on to your next
route and then you just keep doing that and then eventually the weekend comes. You enjoy the weekend right back to it. >> Right. That's that's how life should be. >> It's a career he planned for early on right after high school. >> I went and got my CDL after I graduated high school and my goal is to get here
eventually. So >> All right. >> So I sound like a man with a plan. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Well, we appreciate it. We appreciate everything you guys do. He even shared a little bit about where he grew up. Far from the Florida heat >> because we we're from West Virginia. >> Okay. What what part of West Virginia?
>> Uh so it's north central so like Clarksburg. It's about 40 minutes from Morgantown which is where the university and the schools are and all that stuff. >> I've been to Wheeling West Virginia a couple times up in the mountains. >> Yeah. >> I I I'm going to tell you driving up those streets when the streets are like
really narrow >> and you got to wind up those I was like oh my And I was young. And I was like 23. >> Yeah. >> And I was like, man, this is going to be a problem. >> There are some of those mountain roads where it's just we like to call them kiss your butt turns where you're
sneaking through >> and then you got to do that in the winter when it's icy on the road. >> I don't even want to think about it. I don't even want to think about it. >> No, I'll take this over that up there. >> Any day. >> And when the talk turns to hobbies, the trucks don't stop at work. In his spare time, it's all about monster trucks and RC cars.
>> Nice little basketball court right there. My son would like that outside of our house. >> Oh, yeah. >> That's nice. >> Your place to run your little RC trucks, too, >> right? Oh, yeah. >> I got a bunch of those. I like that. >> Do you? >> Yeah. >> Oh, man. Do you have the gas powered ones? >> I have the electric. I don't have the
gas powered. I've seen them. >> I I just want like the ones that go fast. >> Yeah, it can be electric or gas, but how fast can yours go? >> I have So, I have a couple that can go 40 plus. >> Oh, yeah. >> So, they're the brushless motors. So, >> you go race them somewhere like on the track? No, I just race around my yard.
They're monster trucks, so they you just take those things anywhere and >> they can jump over anything. >> Oh, yeah. >> All right. >> I rip them through the sand and the grass, hit big jumps with them. I break them more than I do. >> You take a big jump, you're like, "All right, let's do this." And then you land it and it's like boom, it's done. You just broke the wheel offer.
>> But when the work day starts, the focus shifts to keeping the city running smoothly. Every collection has a plan. And behind the scenes, people like Mario Benditi, planner and scheduler for the city, help make sure it all runs like clockwork. >> So basically, I'll And I will check them one by one.
>> Right. Do you really? >> Oh, yeah. I'll get out at every one and I'll check I might take a section and do like three or four streets, >> right? >> For the entire city. >> Yeah. So, here we have contamination. Our first tote, >> right? >> We have yard waste which does not belong in there,
>> right? and we're going to end up tagging this and they're not going to collect it because of that. >> Okay. But but as I'm familiar with, you write on there exactly what the problem is. >> I can check off. There's a spot for yard waste on there that doesn't belong in there. And I will show you that >> the goal isn't punishment. It's
education. Making sure residents know what belongs in the bin and what doesn't. >> So here we have these are um it's a recycling notice. It's not a violation. It's not it's just a warning. is just saying that, you know, oops, you had something in here that didn't belong. >> Right.
>> So, I'll date this. Today's the 24th. And there's a spot on here. We noticed your recycle container that had something that didn't belong. And there's a spot for yard waste, >> right? >> Any kind of branches, trees, plants, anything like that does not belong in there. It's not recyclable. The
collection center won't take it. So, basically, I just leave this notice on top of the lid like this. Leave it closed like that. Yard waste and that's it. And the driver knows not to collect this. >> And if there's ever confusion, there's
even an app that takes out the guess work. >> So the recycle coach app, it's easy. You just put in your street, your zip code, and it will it will notify you the day before on your phone. You get a notification say, "Hey, tomorrow's your trash day." and you put the tan lid out,
it'll give you notifications so you can't mess it up. >> I like that. >> From drivers to planters, each role shows the same thing. >> Pride in their work and pride in serving the community. >> I do the best I can for y'all. >> Learned a lot today. Had a great experience with the gentleman from solid
waste division of public works. What I learned today was that we have a lot of programs I don't think citizens are aware of to take advantage of. Whether it's cardboard collection, whether it's tote cleaning, or also just the fact that we have one gentleman, Mr. Mario, who goes out through the entire city
making sure that we recycle properly. Please make sure that we recycle properly so that we can get the best, most efficient use of our solid waste throughout the entire city. It was great to be here today and thank you for tuning in. See you on the next job. [Music]
The city wakes before you do. [Music] Quiet work already in motion. [Music] Work continues even after you've gone. The way forward kept ready.
[Music] Every step, every turn, prepared long before you arrive. When your day ends, others begin theirs. Every hour, every act quietly connected. [Music]
Most of us don't think about how our city works. We drive on maintained roads. We call when there's an emergency. We assume someone's keeping it all running. And they are. Northport University gives residents a chance to step behind the scenes, to meet the people doing the work, to see how
decisions are made, and to understand how we, as a community, can be part of it. It's not just about learning the facts. It's about learning where you fit in and how you could shape the city we call home. Uh, the most surprising thing would probably be the opportunity to get
taste, which is really cool, understanding how that feels. Would recommend for everyone unless they have a heart condition. I think another thing would probably be how many people it takes to run everything >> is how well all the departments work together and how well each of the
departments know about other departments. So in the case of a big emergency, they already know what other departments are already supposed to do and they all work together. >> This is always a dance. There's always moving parts. There's always things that
are that can impact a decision whether it's state, local, federal, revenue, all these things come into play and it and it's just amazing all these things that of how how the city is impacted for the variety of things that can occur.
>> I feel more confident in the city in the way it operates. I don't see wet wasteful spending. I see a lot of uh proactive thinking way outside the box of what I thought a city does. >> Well, I was already in love with Northport. Um I think everyone knows
that I got to meet the people who work here, their love for the community, how hard it is to run a whole city, um the intricacies of it, and the why. It answers so many questions about the why
things are done the way they're done. So it does it empowers you to love where you live more and to get more involved. >> And I think the important message here is the confidence that I've really feel now of the people running each each of
these departments. You know, they are running multi-million dollar businesses all separately but coming together with tax dollars that that come through. And that is by far not an easy task. departments that we've been to seem to have improved with the growth in the
city. So, the mere fact that we've grown such a major amount, department has have grown, the staff has grown, the offerings have grown, and the um need for involvement from the residents has also grown. >> I think parks and wreck really showed up
and did an amazing job. They had a bunch of staff people. They kind of brought us around, had different speakers. I think they take the prize for the best uh overall display. >> Places that I didn't think I would enjoy as much. Like I didn't think I'd enjoy public works as much as I did. I loved
it. And it seemed to me that there were the more questions that were asked. >> The economic development council. I think that is just a again it all points to uh live, work, and play within our community. >> I think there's a lot of misunderstanding out there about really
how these departments work, how the city really works. And I think by offering a class like this, you get such an exposure to so many different departments and meet so many different people. You can't help but want to be a part of it. >> If you plan on living here and living
amongst the community and understanding the growth and understanding what we need, definitely join the Northport University. You're going to be pleasantly surprised. >> I would absolutely say do it because you don't know until you know. And you can go online and you can read all these
things, but a lot of it is the experience and sitting across from from whether it's the the chief of police, the the chief of fire, rescue, utilities, all these, you know, administration, all these departments are absolutely you want you meet the
leaders. You can look into their eye and ask pertinent questions that are important to you. to understand of where they're at, where they're going, what are their constraints, and how we can be as residents try and give them the resources they need to provide the services that we're asking them to
provide. >> I'm more in love with Northport than I've ever been. [Music] >> Hey, Brandon, what are you listening to? >> Just listen to my CPR playlist. What's on that?
>> Staying alive. >> I'm Zach. And this is Travis from Northport Fire Rescue. And I'm Brandon. And this is Brett from the Northport Aquatic Center. >> Did you know a lot of the songs that you listen to on a daily basis follow the beats of CPR? 100 to 120 beats per
minute. >> CPR saves lives. [Music] >> Hey, Northport. I'm here with Ryan from our engineering division in public works and we're in an area that is experiencing some drainage concerns that
were brought to us by some residents. So Ryan, what are some things you do when you get onto a scene like this to see what the issue may be? >> First thing we do is we start at the bottom of the system, the outfall, how it connects into the uh canal. Then we start working our way up. So we go through the cross drains, the culverts, the under drains, and we look at every
way the water flows downward. And we look for blockages, uh sumped uh dirt pile up, and even sometimes could potentially collapsed uh covers underneath. And you got to remember, you can't report your uh water being an
issue until we have 72 hours of no rainfall. And let's say it rains on Tuesday and a couple days go by and that second day it rains again, you got to restart your 72 hours. We have to spend time of our water inside the system in order to clean it and in order to slow it down. Otherwise, we're going to end
up washing out our neighbors below us. >> Absolutely. So, tell us about what's happening here. >> Right here, we have a rather large uh blockage inside the system. This is clearly a um a legal dump of some sort, uh a tree obviously, and this will slow down the water. If we could see on the
north side of it, or north as in the upper part of the drainage way, it's full of water. But when we look at our footage from down below, it's dry. So this is a huge point of collab collecting water. These systems really fail sometimes with like a a death by a
thousand cuts. You get a um a sump here, a collapsed uh covert pipe, a blockage like this, and it slowly adds up. >> That makes sense. So if anybody out there is seeing issues like this or experiencing it in your neighborhood, you're welcome to report it um through
our Northreport system, which is at northportfl.govnorthreport /northreports or you can give the public works customer service a call. In Northport, families are finding more and more places built just for them. We opened um this past June. We are an
indoor play center for children ages 0 to 7. We do open play sessions, birthday parties, special events, and classes here at the play center. for me. Um, you know, being a Northport resident, there was really not a whole lot in Northport
for children. Um, besides the local parks, so it was super important for me to have something in the community to be able to offer to families with young children. You want to have that option to be able to still get out of the house with the kids, get their energy out, and not have to hike all the way up
somewhere with traffic. and you can just go to a spot near you and just make those special memories that are close to home. >> Playtime Paradise isn't the only new spot making Playtime local. Do the Beach is a immersive indoor adventure park. We
are primarily an inflatable based attraction. We have over 14 different ride attractions scattered throughout the park. with growing young families pouring into Northport and growing the city, we just knew there was such a need for families to have an outlet and some some good entertainment, active
entertainment for children. One of our core beliefs as a as a company is encouraging kids to get involved in active and social play, getting them away from their screens and using their imaginations. >> From slides to inflatables, dance classes, birthday parties, Northport is
growing, and so are the options for young families right here at home. The community has welcomed us with open arms. >> We are thrilled to be here. It >> shows families that there's a place for them um to grow as a young family in Northport. [Music]
>> While you're watching me run away from this hurricane, you could be signing up for emergency alerts. Sign up at alertsacount.com today. [Music] Welcome to the brand new Northport Podcast Network. We're so excited to introduce you to our revamped lineup of
shows created to >> Welcome back everybody. It's 12:15. Everybody's back in chambers. Um before we get going, Commissioner Langden, you wanted to Yeah. Go ahead. Go ahead. >> Yeah. In the meantime, Commissioner
Langdon, you >> Yes. Uh thank thank you, Mayor. Um I just wanted to make public the fact that my my home, my property was reszoned to commercial corridor when the reszoning
happened. And um I did consult with city attorney last week to make sure that um you know any conversation or voting that I did on this topic would not be tainted. And he assured me that there
was no conflict or issue to my addressing potential changes particularly to the MX1 also known as uh corridor transitional. >> Okay. Um, with that then let's uh move
to the 25-2975. City manager share items. Sir, >> thank you, Mr. Mayor. This item is discussion and possible action regarding the unified land development code section 3.23B non-residential uses in the corridor transitional uh and
corridor zoning districts of operation. I will turn it over again to Miss Deputy Director Lorie Barnes. Thank you, ma'am. Thank you, sir. Got mayor commissioners Lori Barnes, deputy director of development services.
I don't have a presentation on this item. I just like to um provide a little bit of background and our staff recommendation. Uh last year during the unified land development code workshops and the um
first reading and adoption hearing, there were many um commission directed changes to the permitted uses in the CT and corridor districts to ensure compatibility with the adjacent residential districts. Um the list of uh
permissible primary uses, special exception uses and prohibited uses was carefully reviewed by the city commission before adoption. Um at the um during the final um
ordinance readings, uh a commissioner made a motion to restrict the hours of operation in CT and corridor districts to allow no business operations between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. Um that uh commission
direction was incorporated in the ULDC. However, it was not supported by any data or analysis. Um, that hours of operation restriction was um was identical to the hours of operation
restriction in our former zoning district of neighborhood commercial that has been that had been in effect from 2017 until 2024. uh those neighborhood commercial districts existed along some of our
arterial and collector roads uh Price Boulevard primarily. Um and the result of that restriction was from 2017 to 2024 we had one project developed in the neighborhood commercial district and that was the Dollar General.
Uh the primary purpose behind creating these corridor transitional and corridor districts was to uh expand the city's commercial land area available for development and also to transition areas that we knew would eventually not be de
desirable for residential living. Um with that hours of operation restriction, we have found several prospective developments um have not proceeded due to the hours of operation restriction. Uh specifically, we've had
some restaurants, we've had some uh commercial entertainment and uh fraternal organizations that were um discouraged from looking at properties or even proposed developments in these districts because of those
hours of operation restrictions. Uh in June, we brought an item to the community economic development advisory board who did recommend that the city commission revisit these hours of operations restrictions. And in June, we brought that item to you June of this
year. Uh the direction from commission at that time was to bring back some additional information uh which we have. In your packet, you have a listing of uses allowed, prohibited, or allowed by
special exception in the commercial transition, sorry, the corridor transition and the corridor district so that it's user friendly, easy for you to review. Our economic development division also did analysis of business hours of operation for many of the
businesses that are um permissible primary uses in the corridor and also a couple of special exception uses. Um the findings are is many of the uses that are allowed in these zoning districts are by virtue 24-hour operations,
assisted living facilities, animal boarding facilities, hotels, beds and breakfast. And so those businesses regardless of being allowable in those zoning districts are not going to locate in those districts.
Uh without the corridor and corridor transitional zoning districts, the real estate options for commercial development in the city are limited. Um and these districts were not only intended, like I said, to expand the commercial land area available, but also
to provide for goods and services in close proximity to our residential neighbors neighborhoods, reducing transportation trips throughout the city. Uh finally, uh in your packet is an attorney general opinion. um that has
found courts have overturned hours of operation restrictions that are applied arbitrarily and even in some cases those that were supported by data and analysis. The hours of operation restriction in art code is not supported by any data or analysis. It applies
across the board to any businesses in those zoning districts. Um and therefore the city um is subject to potential le legal exposure uh should those hours of operation restrictions remain. Um economic development division staff and
the community economic development advisory board have recommended the commission revisit these and so staff is recommending that the hours of operation restrictions be eliminated from the corridor and corridor transitional districts. and I'd be happy to answer
any questions that you may have. >> Um, I'll ask a quick question. Um, so the actual only proposed change here is to do away with the hours. >> Correct.
>> All right. Um, Commissioner Langdon. >> Um, yes. Could you refresh my memory, Miss Barnes, um on the definition of essential services, major and minor? Sure. Um essential services
um are um water, sewer, power, solar, lift stations. Um major are wastewater treatment plants, water treatment plants. Um any public service that is
roads any public service that is ne necessary to maintain the community >> and the difference between major and minor. Can you characterize that? >> Just a moment and I will give you an exact definition.
>> I appreciate that. I was looking through my stuff, but uh all I have in my office is a way older rev of the ulcer services minor small and mediumcale
facilities serving a local area including police substations, fire substations, power lines, water sewer lines, storm drainage facilities, transformers, pump and vacuum stations and hydrants, switching boxes and structures to serve
adjacent properties. Essential services major uses or structures providing utility services including but not limited to 46 KV transmission substations, power plants, based yards, water and wastewater treatment
facilities not including private individual cesspools septic tanks or individual household water supplies. >> Got it. Thank you for that. So, I'm also looking at um ULDC update chapter 3
and the last couple of pages. Well, the whole document sort of goes through the district's original designation requested change, I'm assuming, by commission. Um, and then staff's opinion of that and
the reasoning. So are we not going to go through the requested change that staff advises against today? >> Those changes were already made last
June, July and August. Right? So the only thing before you now this is the additional information that was requested in June. We wanted you to understand that all of these uses have been reviewed, revisited, modified by city commission, and paired down to
those that the commission felt could be compatible along these corridors. Um, moreover, as a me memory refresher, we have imposed the uh specific um design standards for those properties that have
been upzzoned by ordinance um by the ordinances passed last summer that they need to have additional compatibility standards um including transitional building height, buffer zones, etc. And then I also included the noise
ordinance because the noise ordinance um would affect these businesses despite regardless of any hours of operation restriction. The police department enforces the noise ordinance whereas our code enforcement officers enforce the
ULDC. Our code enforcement officers are not working at 10:00 at night or at 4:30 a.m. >> Okay, thank you for that. Um, just a comment as I look through the non-residential uses for both corridor
transitional which equals MX1 and corridor MX2. Correct me if I'm wrong. um the uses nothing really popped out at me where hours of operation would
be disruptive to the abuing residential um developments. So um I don't have any problem with removing that
else. Commissioners to this item. Commissioner Petra. >> Thank you, Mayor. I'm a visual person. Can you kind of give us a overall picture of the actual streets that are classified as a
CT and CO for example to blade. [Music] So it would be clearly shown which which streets are we talking about. Okay. So the CT is the light green and
the COR is the corridor. So you have CT and corridor districts along Price Boulevard. You have CT, which is the lower intensity corridor districts along all of our north south
collector roads. And uh you specifically want us to remove the total hours of limitation. What about like midnight? Are you considering that as or as an option or
>> uh commission has commission has discretion to direct us to either eliminate or modify. However, staff is recommending that you eliminate and that is specifically because of the case law that's outlined in that attorney general
opinion that we provided um wherein courts have repeatedly struck down hours of operation restrictions. Some in some instances even when there was data and analysis to support that restriction. Um
so staff's recommendation is based on uh protecting the city from legal exposure and to provide for economic development and effective zoning districts wherein the neighborhood commercial was not effective in increasing our commercial
development in the city. So this restriction on CT and corridor is not likely to yield any different results than the neighborhood commercial. So staff's recommendation is to eliminate uh staff will take whatever direction from commission to bring back an
ordinance with whatever hours and with that would be any additional analysis um regarding the um constitutionality of that proposal which um hours of operation restrictions as I mentioned
have um largely been upheld as unconstitutional by the courts in this country >> from economic economic development standpoint and their reasoning
as far as the businesses that you just listed previously, would those be businesses uh would those businesses be okay uh with the hours of operation from midnight to let's say 5:00 a.m.
uh as far as limited uh for example if we move it from 10 to 12 to midnight >> right so the the way the restriction is currently worded it's not operation it's not hours of operation it's no business
activity may be conducted between 10 p.m. and 500 a.m. Okay. So, you have a hotel. A hotel by virtue only allowed in corridor, by the way. Hotel by virtue is a 24-hour operation. An animal boarding
facility by virtue is a 24-hour operation. A restaurant that closes at 10:00 at night is still going to have cash counting, kitchen cleanup, um trash removal. a restaurant that serves breakfast in the morning is going to
have hours of prep time before they open to the public. Um, so there may be some businesses that may be willing to um suffer restrictions on their hours of operation, but the long and short of it is that the restrictions have the uh
potential to impact the fiscal viability of these businesses going into these districts. Um and moreover, the potential for a challenge of a property owner against the city in court for imposing these restrictions with no
basis arbitrarily um applying these hours of operations restrictions with no basis that this is actually tied to the health, safety and welfare of the public. And even if we had that data, um the AGO shows that in
some cases even those were struck down by the courts. So, and that AGO, by the way, was from 1977, I believe. And so, I would venture to assume that if a case were
brought today, it would be viewed even even more strictly than it was in 1977. And currently how's the wording stated? Uh can you repeat or read the exact wording of limitation
non-residential in non-residential uses in corridor districts Business activity and deliveries in CT and COR are prohibited between 1000 p.m. and 5 a.m.
No waivers shall be granted to after hours operations. It's uh fairly straightforward restrictive to some definitely to a lot of businesses. Thank you.
>> Um he makes some good points um as to why we should eliminate this you know time requirement in here. But
you know the whole idea here is that especially in the Carter transitionals I mean we got residential areas here. So, while obviously we're encouraging development and we want to see things happen, right, you know, the concern over um
noise primarily that inconveniences neighbors in and around the area, you know, how much teeth, you know, and and I appreciate you saying that the truth is code enforcement doesn't operate at nights and weekends like the police do.
How much? What's our noise ordinance sound like now? No pun intended, but um you know 10:00. >> It's it's about decibb um past a certain hour and I can look it up um for you. You know, the ordinance
was in your packet. Um, but while I'm pulling that up, while I'm pulling that up, I can tell you that um that in Northport we have multiple commercial districts along 41 that back
right up to residential >> and those businesses are not subject to this same restriction. So, in imposing um imposing this restriction on only businesses in these zoning districts and
not elsewhere um in the city um doesn't provide for equal protection under the law. Um you're giving one business owner rights and not another. [Music]
cuz I'm more inclined I mean while you're looking that up to I mean I I on the one hand I hate the thought of not having these restrictions but at the same times I know deliveries for restaurants take place in the wee hours
of the morning there's all kinds of reasons why these hours don't work. And as Commissioner Petro says, well, if we modified them to say midnight to 5 or however we might modify them, it doesn't it doesn't solve the problem you're concerned about, which is that there's
an inequity in the way this is getting done. And if we do away with it, there's a consistency. the legal exposures disappear and we're looking to police enforcement for violations, coding
violations that inconvenience neighbors, which is perhaps the best place for it to sit. Um cuz after all, code enforcement isn't going to make much of an impact on it. And you
know what's going to happen when somebody breaks a rule? They're going to dial the police and the police are going to come out and if our noise ordinances are what they are, and I know what they are, then they're going to be able to address it after 10:00 at night if it's
too loud. So it does you know when you look at restaurants and you know fraternal development you know development and some of the I mean and commercial entertainment these are all things that go into the evening and that involve music and noise and all that.
But if the noise ordinance is strong enough, then it it should be the method, I think, to enforce this rather than this inconsistency of of operational hours. That that that is an act that's disaster waiting to happen. Sooner or
later, somebody's going to challenge us. They're going to give us a hard time. So, all right. >> Okay. >> Commissioner Duval, >> sir, did you want me to tell you the noise ordinance hours? >> Sure. Thank you. >> Uh, okay. So between the hours of 1000 p.m. and 700 a.m. radios, television
sets, musical instruments, similar devices operating, playing or permitting the operation of radio, television, phongraph, drum, musical instrument, or similar device which produces sound. um is is prohibited between the hours of
1000 p.m. and 7 a.m. in such a manner as creating excessive and unnecessary noise across a residential property line or within a noise sensitive area. Um similarly loudspeakers
um loudspeaker system or similar devices are prohibited between 10 1000 p.m. and 7 a.m. on the weekdays and 1000 p.m. and 7 sorry 1000 p.m. to 10:00 a.m. on weekends and holidays. Um,
and so that would cover your, you know, your outdoor uses, you know, restaurants with outdoor seating, those kind of things. Um, >> barking dogs. >> Thank you. You read my mind. >> Yes. Um, barking dogs is my
understanding is a function of the Sarasota County Animal Control and not our city code enforcement. >> Really? >> Yes. Yes. And as a matter of fact, I had my own instance of investigating that. If you want to file a complaint, then
you have to have two of your neighbors complain with you. >> Two of them. So, a total of three. >> Is that right? And they have to complain to the county. >> Yes, sir. >> God, >> see, we do live in a perfect world. Uh,
>> can I jump? >> Certainly. >> Yeah. So, um, yeah, I do have one question and you read my mind. the barking dogs. One of the permitted uses in the corridors is a kennel, a you know, dog little habitat.
>> If it's a business and it's barking dogs, so not a neighbor, but a business, it's probably not going to hit any decibel levels, but >> can be darn annoying. So, we have specific use standards for animal
boarding and one of those is that kennels for overnight boarding shall not be located outdoors. So, they have to be inside a building um likely concrete block and insulated because that's the majority of our
construction here in Southwest Florida. So, um the barking dogs should not be a significant concern. >> Okay. Thank you. Commissioner Dval. >> Thank you, Mayor.
Basically, I see this issue as two-sided. One is we need commercial development and you know along our north south Fleet Blade Chamberlain Cranberry
you know with price if you go east and west we need that the other side of things is that quality of life that people are looking for you
know and and that's where Wait a But I got a business and gee, tractor trailer just pulled up to their dock and made some noise at 3:00 a.m. and I'm trying to sleep. Um, and I understand finding the
the happy place in between those two wishes is is difficult at best. Um, personally, you know, I would say I wouldn't want to get rid of these time
limits. When you add in the possibility of, you know, case law going against us, um, you know, that that complicates matters. So, um,
overall, you know, I stand at this point where I'd really hate to see this happen, but I I wouldn't mind having this advanced to the ordinance level so that we could discuss it further and, you know, vote
yes or no. Then, um, those are my comments for now. >> Langden. Yeah, just a question and a comment. Um, I live off San Mateo
and I'm three properties in and a very large property and every quarter acre lot surrounding it has been reszoned um transitional corridor.
But in reality, there are some economics behind this. And that is, who in the world would tear down a $400,000 home on a quarter acre lot to make a parking lot?
It's not going to happen. It's just in reality not going to happen. Um, and in all honesty, I think in my five years, I've not gotten one complaint about noise coming from a commercial
establishment from anyone living around it, excepting for a construction noise, but from established commercial businesses, I've not gotten one complaint, but I've gotten several
from our short-term rentals in neighborhoods. hoods, several. So, what leverage because they become party houses, I think, is is the issue. Um, and by the time the police show up,
they've sort of tucked it all away. So, do we have any ability to address that? I know state statute has tied our hands. Beyond our noise ordinance, we are preempted by the
Florida statutes from regulating short-term rentals. >> So, other than police enforcement of the noise ordinance, our hands are tied. Um, as an aside, the noise ordinance does prohibit loading and unloading
um, between 700 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. on weekdays and between 700 p.m. and 10:00 a.m. on holidays within 50 yards of a residential property. So if someone were
to complain about a loading dock during those hours of prohibition, they could call the PD and have noise enforcement conducted. I just I asked that question because I wanted to get the answer out there. I
think sometimes our residents think that we can sort of do whatever we want up here, but we're really precluded from a lot of things. So, thank you for that answer. >> Yes, ma'am. >> I'm all set.
>> Anything else, commissioners, on this one? >> Any public comment? >> No public comment, Mr. Mayor. >> I'm entertaining motions. If anybody cares to make one or not, >> I'll make it.
I move to direct staff to prepare um an ordinance regarding section 3.2.3b of the unified land development code to remove the hours of operation limitation in the corridor transitional and
corridor zoning districts also known as MX1 and MX2. >> Second. Got a motion by Commissioner Langden, seconded by the vice mayor. Um, acting city clerk, would you or
assistant city clerk, would you read it back so everyone hears it? >> Sure. To direct the city manager to prepare an ordinance regarding section 3.2.3.B B of the Unified Land Development Code to remove the hours of operation
limitation in the corridor transitional and corridor zoning districts, also known as MX1 and MX2. >> Thank you, sir, for correcting the staff to city manager. I appreciate that. You have my back. >> With that, if there's nothing else to
this, I guess let's vote. >> I just want to make a little statement here on Sure. [Music] As I said, I have concerns about this, you know, about the noise levels and quality of life for people, but I will support
moving forward with an ordinance with a caveat that when that or ordinance comes along, I may say no. >> Okay, that we ready to vote? [Applause] And that passes 5 to zero.
Moving on to C 25-2806. Uh, city clerk, you want to introduce this item. >> So, this item was requested by Mayor Stokes on September 9th, and I would like to now invite him to speak on the item.
>> Sounds good. Um, I think it's time, you know, we rightsized commission compensation. um it's time to change the formula. My I think you know certainly my opinion was and and I think
it was the general consensus of commission that you know tying this to population may not be the most prudent thing to do going forward now that the base compensation you know salaries are established. So you know I'd like to see us change to something like just a
simple cost of living. Um I think that's appropriate. um you know it'll make a dent. It might not cover all the costs of inflation year after year but it'll make a little dent in it. And I think taking this away from the population
number sort of eliminates the concern that some people have. Lord knows why that we would actually promote development so that we could make more money. I mean but I guess I could see how some people might think that. So anyway, it just doesn't make sense cuz
with the population exploding the way it is in this city, it will eventually push this compensation number out of line and I don't want to see that happen. So I'm all for doing it. I also um you know feel that this is you know can't go into
effect till after the next election. So we can do this. Anything else requires you know charter issues. So I I didn't want to go there. I just felt it was important to like before we get into the 26 election season, let's just resolve
this, we can vote it. If you you all support it and get this done and then it'll kick in and go into effect right after the election, which you know takes it off the table for people to carry on about. So, I'm interested in what everybody else has to think.
Commissioner Langden. >> Uh, thank you, Mayor. Yes, I I agree with your comments. Um, I think we have gotten the the salary for commissioners within a reasonable um level and some type of cost of
living, perhaps the same one we use for city employees would be appropriate. And if at some point in the future, for whatever reason, things get way out of whack and a future commission determines
that the city commission compensation is no longer adequate, then they can figure it out and vote on it. But, uh, I'm satisfied where we're at and some type of cost of living would work for me. >> Sounds good. Thank you, Commissioner.
Commissioner Dval. [Music] Thank you, mayor. I've been waiting for this for a long time. One of the problems, big complaints across the United States,
is that our federal government, our senators, our congressmen, they vote for their own pay raises. They vote for all their own benefits. The average person doesn't get to do
that. I don't believe we should be voting for our own pay increases. I really would like um I really would like to see a charter amendment
that states that as the mayor said um we have kind of rightsized the pay. I'd like to see a charter amendment that says the pay is set at a certain level and
any future adjustments will be cost of living, you know, per the CPI or as Commissioner Langden mentioned uh as our city employees have um with the caveat
that at any time if the commissioners want to bypass a pay raise, they have that option. Also, um the population
part of the formula, the pay raises that we just got last year, this year, um were part of that formula. The population didn't go up. Another part of
the formula was adjusted. And I'm totally against that whole formula. I want to see this. You know, we had referendums that failed due to,
this is just my estimation, you know, lack of trust in the government. And part of that lack of the trust is seeing we commissioners get raises and be asking for more money from the
city. You know, be asking, you know, let's borrow this for this and whatever. Uh that was the wrong message at the wrong time. U so that's my attitude. >> Thank you, Commissioner. Vice Mayor.
>> Yeah. I just want to understand what you're proposing. So, um, are you looking at leaving it at the current salary where it's at right now and then in the future it would be cost of living? >> Yeah. In other words,
>> like CPI or whatever whatever cost of living. >> Yeah. >> Couple percent. >> So, effective. Yeah. commencing with basically the fiscal year subsequent to the election
great elections in November. So you know I mean yeah what I'm not sure what you're asking. >> No no no I just wanted to know >> nothing we do here can become effective until after the election. So that's when
it would become effective going forward from that point. Here's another question though. Um, and this might be city manager, city clerk. Raises go in effect in October. So, would we postpone those raises next
year till after the election or would the raises still be in effect in October and then change in November? >> Come on, somebody. >> That's a It's more a legal question. It would be however you want to write the ordinance. So you could withstand the
raise post October 1, see whatever happened after the election and we could make it November 5th when the raise will go into effect. >> Well, the reason being is it's written in to where we we don't get compensated until the next election when when the
when the raise or the salary changes. So next year when it comes down to it then you wouldn't give a raise unless you put it for October but still it doesn't work until after the election. So the raise
would have to go into effect after the election. So and in October no commissioner would get a raise >> but then they would get their raise effective in November after that election. So there would not be any retroactive going back to October. I
just wanted to get that out there. >> Yep. And that's fine. >> But but it's the legalities of it because I don't want come October next year everybody goes, "Where's my raises?" It's like, >> well, it doesn't go into effect until the charter says,
>> vice mayor is that, and this is section 5.04, paragraph B, is that any ordinance which changes the compensation of commissioners will not take effect until the next general city election. So it would not go into effect until after that. So we would just write it.
>> And I just wanted to put that out informationwise so everybody is on the same page that any commissioner still sitting up here or after the election, new commissioners, it would go in effect after the election >> in accordance with the charter.
as far as you know, Commissioner Duval's um uh desire, you know, I I would suggest that on that piece of it, um if the commission wishes, if the it's the will of the majority of the commission to send this to the charter review board
for review and you know, let them coitate and come back and give us some input as to what they think as to whether or not because I don't see how that works. And I have grave reservations about we as a commission
voting to do something that's going to compromise the rights of future commissioners. And you know, I know it's awkward. It's the weirdest thing. And I don't want us to be able to really vote on our raises. I think that's sort of
weird. That's why I like the idea simply it's a cost of living. But it does leave future commissions the discretion of being able to revisit this if it somehow goes way out of whack. And I'm okay with that, too. Commissions ought to have that right. Um I think um I just don't
see how it practically works if it's in the charter. Once something's in the charter, there's it's it's literally the whole city has to vote on to change it. And I just don't see that as a practical issue. It's just not practical for this.
I I see no reason for it. As long as we're able to address the issue, which is, you know, you want to sort of make this not discretionary. Now that they're right size, let's just, you know, tie it to a cost of living, which is certainly going to be less than what everybody else is making in raises year after year
with merits and union packages and all kinds of other stuff. So, it's not like commissioners are going to get fat and rich on a cost of living going forward. Um, and it's certainly better than keeping it tied to population. So, you know, if I'm okay too with, like I say, the issue of the charter, whether it
should go in the charter and how it will work and how that I mean, that's what the charter review board's for. Send it to them. Let's let them, you know, if we're so inclined to talk it over and come back and give us some input if we want to do that cuz I don't want to, you
know, not address Commissioner Duval's, you know, concern there. He'd like to see this. This has always been a issue for him and rightfully so. He is that right. I think let the charter review board review it and come back and give us some input.
Um so anyway, um anybody got anything else on this subject or uh any public comment out there? >> No public comment, Mr. Mayor. >> All right, then. Uh I'm entertain a motion on this. Anybody wants to take a
swing at it? Nobody gets everything they want in life. I really would like to see it in the charter, but if we could, you know, have a motion to have an ordinance
that says, you know, considering that we have all of our considering that we we have it right size now, if we could have an ordinance to have the future
pay raises per cost of living, CPI, uh whatever city employees get >> per year. Um you know, have it as an ordinance um with the COVID that we can bypass it
if we want, you know, if the commission votes, then I would be okay with that. And so that would be an ordinance that each year any payraises go per. >> But the one thing you have to remember
too, Commissioner, is that even if the commission votes on it to change the pay does not go into effect until the following election again. So let's just say next November the new commission comes up here and says, "We want to change this. We we don't like it. We
want to change it." That's their right. two years later at the next election is when it takes place. >> Yes, >> I understand that. >> That's all. >> Anybody want to craft a motion? >> Come on, Demetri. You've been boisterous
on this one. No, I'm just kidding. >> Want to try? >> Yeah, I'll try. >> Thanks, Vice Mayor. Um, I move to direct the city manager. Is that the proper place to take it? City manager or city clerk or city attorney? >> Attorney. >> Yeah.
>> Say city attorney. >> Wouldn't you? >> It's a jump ball. >> Oh, thank you. >> Oh, new guy is always good for something. >> He'll learn. I move to direct the city attorney to
come up with a U ordinance for commissioner uh compensation. state starting our comp starting the new compensation at what the baseline is right now adding what is comparable for
the city employees um cost of living increases to where we're on the same number. So whatever they get we get um as an increase yearly according to those numbers. So and this
that's the end of the motion. So if there is no increase across the board in the government then we get no increase. >> Right. >> So >> you want to read that back for us >> to direct the city attorney to draft an
ordinance for commission compensation starting the new compensation at the baseline of what it is right now adding what is comparable for the city employees cost of living increased annually. Good job.
>> I'll second that. >> Second. Okay. Uh, anything more to it? >> Oh, city attorney wants to say something. >> It's the button that says speak, sir. >> And as I understand it from the from the
manager, the city has a range of increases that they get from three from whatever it may be. So if we're tying your commissions increase to that range increase, it may or may not be different
by year. So is it >> to the cost of living? >> So do you want to I I mean you could do it a number of different ways. You could tie it to cost of living or you could tie it to I'm sorry. >> Yeah. And I think what they're I think what they're asking I hope I'm understanding is that the cost of living
number is its own separate number outside of ours and they just want to be locked into that going forward. >> Yeah. Basically whatever the national >> Yeah. >> cost of living comes out to you know like CPI whatever.
>> Does I meant to ask does the state actually have a cost of living increase number and I'm not sure that they do. >> Okay. I thought they did. >> I didn't think they did because I'm going by social security. >> I seem to remember a conversation that
we had when we were talking about the cost of projects that go up and there was an indexing we were talking about, but I think at that time it came up that there wasn't really a state cost of living, but I couldn't stand corrected.
>> It says there's a CPI for Florida, Mr. Mayor. >> Is there? >> That's what it says. >> Dynamite. Then we're good. Maybe it was the other thing. There wasn't a state. I think it says it's not statewide. It's um depending on the metro areas that you're at. So you might it's like such as Miami and Tampa. So you might want to
say maybe the Tampa area C uh CPI. >> Well, the city attorney can come up with with those numbers in that ordinance to say this is this is my recommendation. We follow this plan or we follow X plan
>> and bring it back to us for that discussion. >> Do do a Yeah. do a little look see because got to tell you if if the CPI in in the greater Tampa area considerably in advance or in in ahead of the
national, we may want to consider not using it. You know what I'm saying? The idea isn't to make money. The idea is to get this away from the population growth and do some token increases to sort of offset cost of living. That's the goal here,
not to come up with some other cute little formula here that can run rampant. And so, you know, that's why I'm concerned about a localized CPI may not be the right way to go, but you can provide counsel for that. >> That that too and and also we hear a lot
that out there in the citizenry that are on fixed incomes, they say, "Well, we only got this, but hey, they got this." try to try to get it to where it's the setting, you know, as best as possible. >> Our cost of living should be what the
cost of living is for the employees for the rest of the set. I mean, it should be the same in my opinion. That's my opinion. Want to speak? >> Could I add an amendment to that? Just a sentence that says
at any year per majority a vote of the commission they could bypass any raise if they wish. >> Yes, they can they can hold it but you can't change it.
>> What you what you're saying is it's okay if you decide you don't want to take your income. That's really what you're trying is that am I correct? >> Not individ not individually. I'm saying as a commission if the commission, you know, it comes time for cost of living raise and for whatever reason, you know,
maybe the city's broke and can't afford any any money, the commission could vote as a whole to not have a pay raise that year. >> Well, you could do that and that would be a freeze of that salary for that
year. And if you wanted to put that in there, if you're going to give the commission that power, then you may want to ask for a supermajority vote on that being four out of five commissioners instead of unanimous and instead of just
three. So >> yeah, cuz how do you do city attorney an ordinance for a year? If we create an ordinance, it's an ordinance. So you can't not going to vote on it every year to decide if it's an or if if a commission wants to change an ordinance
or get rid of an ordinance. It can always be free to do that. But would you build into an ordinance the specific instruction that this ordinance can be changed at the will of the commission? Isn't that implied? >> I mean is isn't does >> Yes. You'd always have your power to
change your own >> right. I think what Commissioner Deval is getting at, let's say we're in a catastrophic state, they don't want their pay increase this year. Let's see what happens next year. It gets reinstated, but we just do a freeze this year, right?
>> And then the the ordinance is still in effect. So next year it's like, okay, do we want to freeze it again? Are we still in bad times? No. Everything's good now. And it gets re reactivated. So, >> and
and you want that? Well, okay. So, you want that on a super majority vote. >> That's just suggestion. That's the will of the board. I just suggested four out of five instead of three. So I this is just a suggestion for me and I I'll do whatever you want, but is this a better idea to put this on a
separate workshop idea so we can flush these issues out instead of doing it on the fly and directing me to do an ordinance be few different moving parts here and I can come back with some ideas before we actually have the ordinance in terms of
the localized CPI, the issue about freezing salaries and everything else. I don't think any any all those are irrelevant to this issue. The way I see it like the commission already has the right to vote to freeze salaries. It
already has the right to do a lot to change an ordinance. It already has all those rights. Why would we include in a new ordinance the acknowledgment of what is already in the law all the time always regarding every ordinance? That
makes no sense to me. Well, all we're doing here is saying once and for all. I mean, I don't like this floating around. My idea is like, let's get this done. People want to know like there's no more increases that are tied to population, which was a lousy idea. Okay, it made
sense at a point in time, but it doesn't anymore. So, why don't we just say no more cost of living? That is exactly how the employees of the city can get their cost of living increase, right? That's not a nebulous number. It's not pulled out of thin's air. It's not calculated
by any member of the staff. A CPI is the CPI. It's 2.8% going into this next year. That's what all our social security pays are going to going to reflect. Make it that. That's it. It whatever it is, it is. Do
it. What commissions in the future choose to do, that's their business. They got every right in the world to do whatever they want to do. They already got that legal right. You don't need to put it in an ordinance. I don't think. Am I missing something here, city attorney? Or I mean, I don't, you know,
I don't want to kick this to a personally. I don't want to kick this to a workshop to have more conversation over. It's just like we got bigger things to do in this city. Our compensation is the last damn thing I want to spend any more time thinking about. End this formula. That's the whole goal. I don't want to delay that
anymore in my opinion. And that's just my opinion. So anyway, Commissioner Pro, you want to speak? Thank you. >> Quick question. Uh, and that might be directed to the city manager. Do city employees get just a cost of
living adjustment or there's more to that? >> We do get Yeah. Our HR director is going to come up and give you the exact details for that, but yes, we do. For the record, Christine McDade, human
resources director, the employees get a 1 and a.5% CPI right now, and they get an extra 1% because we were keeping uh current with the increases that the state of Florida was adding to their minimum wage, which I believe ends this coming year. So, it's 2 and a half right
now. Um, I, you know, I suspect that's going to change, but it's been generally up to 1 and a.5%. That's that piece of it. So, we I I believe there was language. I have to do some research that commission at one point voted to go
no higher than 1 and a.5% for that piece of it. >> There we go. >> Thank you. >> Good with that. I'm good with the >> 2.8. I mean, >> well, there big difference. >> Yeah, there is a big difference.
>> One and a half to 2.8. I mean, if you wanted to come down and settle on an on a number, then you settle on the 1.5 is what the employees get. You don't go to the 2.8. Take it out of the CPI hand >> and just say, "Okay, commission salary is going to be at the baseline one and a
half% every year moving forward." Um, what I'm good with, >> if the commission wants to change it, down the road, they can. >> That's what I mean. Down the road, commissions can do what commissions do and they got the authority. Whatever the charter tells them they got the authority to do and the law, they got
that authority. So, I'm good with that. Commissioner Lang then >> if if we simply say that whatever the commission would get for a cost of living increase is the same that employees would get with a cost of
living increase. Again, we're not locked in. It can go up and down depending upon that number. And since it sounds as though the the rate we give our employees might be lower, a little
lower, well, a lot lower than the actual CPI. I'm okay with that. Rather than putting in a hardwired number, something that allows it to bounce around a little bit, I think would be preferable from my
point of view. I do have a question though back to comm um commissioner Duval's comment. If we don't put in a phrase that the city
commission can in any given year not take their cost of living increase. If we don't put that in, would the um would the ordinance
have to go through the process to make that change? Whereas if we put it in, is that just an option for the commission at that particular year? Does it give us the freedom to not have to go through the work of >> I think I understand your question correctly. Yeah, commissioner. to
rephrase it a little bit. Right now, the ordinance does say the commission by supermajority vote may forgo an annual increase. So, my recommendation would be to just leave that in there. >> And I think that solves fewer issues on that issue. >> Yeah, that's
>> that might have been where I saw that. I'm just >> So, going back, we do have a motion out there. >> Was it seconded? I for >> it was second. I thought it was seconded. >> It is seconded. Correct. So, you want to read it back, please.
>> To direct the city attorney to draft an ordinance for commission compensation starting the new compensation at the baseline of what it is right now, adding what is comparable for the city employee cost of living increases annually. >> Perfect.
>> Perfect. All right. Are we ready? Is there >> ready to vote? >> Any public comment? >> No public comment, Mr. Mayor. >> And let's vote, folks. That passes five to zero. Well, all right. >> Commissioner, >> let us moving on to Jenn. Any general
public comment you got? >> Uh, no public comments. >> Then let's move to commissioner communications. Commissioner Duval. >> Thank you, mayor. Um, I did a pen 10 this last week. Uh, this Sarasota
Memorial Hospital is celebration of their 100th anniversary. Um, it was a pleasure to go there and meet some of the people that are going to be building the hospital in our city. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Commissioner Langden.
>> I have used my voice way too much already today, Mayor. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Yes, we agree. Uh, vice mayor, >> I got nothing. >> You got nothing. Commissioner Petro, >> not from you. >> And the mayor has nothing. So, with
that, uh, anything from our city manager? >> No, sir. Mayor, >> uh, new city attorney. Anything? >> Nothing for me. >> And acting city clerk. >> Nothing for me, Mr. Mayor.
>> Oh, man. With that, it is 1:18 and let's adjourn this meeting. managers that you and I