Emergency city council meeting Tuesday March 24th, 2026. Like to invite servant leader Fields for the invocation. May stand. Father God, we just thank you in the name of Jesus for the city council meeting and then later on for the CRA meeting that's coming up. We just
continue to thank you for uh giving us wisdom as the stuff on the consent agenda and for the stuff with the public hearing and the council business and in old business. And I just want to thank you for the police department and fire department and for the city and for what
they've been doing and all the good things that has been happening here coming together as a team for the better for the city and for the people as we do the pledge allegiance to the flag all in the wonderful name of Jesus. Amen. >> Amen.
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. >> May I cl >> Mayor John Eric Hoover
>> here. >> Vice Mayor Chris Mayer >> here. >> Councilman Robert Huard >> here. Councilwoman Lisa Burke >> here. >> Councilwoman Christine Sullivan >> here. >> City Attorney Nancy Meyer >> here. City Manager Don King >> here. Thank you. Uh first we got two
sets of minutes. Uh we'll do both or we'll do one at a time. So need a motion to approve the uh March 3rd, 2026 town hall minute meeting. >> Okay. >> Second. >> Motion second. Any discussion? All in favor say by saying I. >> I. >> I. Opposed. Motion carries. And next up,
I need a motion to approve the March 10th, 2026 city council meeting minutes. >> So moved. >> Second. >> That motion second. Any further discussion? All in favor signify by saying I. >> I. Opposed. Motion carries. Next up is comments from the general public. I have
one sign up. Danny Fields. Welcome. >> Danny Fields 8114 Le Kid. Again, I just want to thank everybody. uh you know and we already know the seafood fest was a good event and uh you know still getting good feedback from that. I just wanted
to say and remind you what the people are seeing and hearing and liking and you know I got to talk about you know some of the stuff that you guys is already planned because everybody don't see the meetings or watch it or come to them they're talking about it saying you know
we got stuff coming up development redevelopment parks and good things that's going to be done in the parks and and and I'm getting good feedback on that so I just want to encourage you in that also So uh with uh somebody cares
uh which is the organization with light of the world and the surrounded churches coming up on uh Saturday April the 4th at 10:00 a.m. to 12 at Waterfront Park 8119 O Post Road. We're having the story of and giving the Easter egg hunt and
we'll tell a story about Jesus there. So it's really good. It's the eggs and all that. will have food, fun, and games and snacks. And of course, the fire department will be there, the police department. And that's them representing again
their departments, representing the city, and representing the people here. So I tell you the feedback that I get. I don't know when you guys go to these events. I know we got a lot on our plate, but when you stand around and talk to each other like me, we we know
each other, but I like to talk to the people and get feedback from them. And I tell you what, they are really happy with what they've been seeing and hearing and development. So, uh, so I just wanted to let everybody know
that if you want to be there, bring your family, bring your friends, advertise it. Uh uh you guys continue to do stuff in the parks yourself and and and events and uh every chance we get to reach out to the public and talk to them and hear
from them as an individual, as a group and putting on events, I tell you, this place will will definitely is on the map now. It's not getting on the map. It's on the map. We're growing. We're moving forward. We got a lot of new development
coming. and I'm looking forward to uh continue to be a part of it. So, be blessed and thank you for all that you do. Okay. >> Thank you, Dan. >> Thank you. >> That's show hands. Anybody like to speak? >> Okay. See, I closed public comment. Bring it back to com city manager. Open
up Mr. King for his comments. >> Um I've got a couple items here that I just want to push out. But I know there's a lot of interest with council, the community, and the residents uh on some of the projects working here, but I just want to make sure that everybody's kind of uh online where we're currently at. Uh first thing I want to bring up is
forbased zoning. Um and this is coding for a waterfront and identified areas of interest that we're looking at uh working on. um sort of me this has been a lengthy process for us and and what I'm trying to do is I'm trying to get us on the table and and forward and at least have a plan on the shelf that we can start providing to our community as
far as our branding of our town to our residents and to um investors that are looking at uh Port for a place to be. And one of the big things that I need to do is I need to start working on a regulating plan that will get us to our our zone coding for the zoning that we
want. So what you guys envision being for the city and what the residents envision is what I need to start working the process for. So the regul uh that's been proposed on the table before I guess Gaia Charlotte Ray from Gaia uh initially had had worked with uh
Richie to do something like that. Um that's GI consult. >> Yeah. So we this I don't know if you get the right turnover on that or not. they had reached out. Um we never I think put a proposal together but we never adopted on council to use them. It started out
as looking at Grand Boulevard um but they actually expanded the area to cover more than that. So very preliminary conversation with them but obviously >> yes they had they had four zoned areas. So I have all their historical paper. Matter of fact, I went back through the entire process just to make sure that I'm up to speed on where everybody's
been for since this thing began its inception. Um, so where I'm at with this is what I'm asking for is approval just just to start ne negotiate with potential vendors for developing the regulating plan that'll get us before our residents before council in order to
determine what it is that we want our city to look like in those areas. And I think all the four areas that were identified are the key areas that we want. So I would say 19 the waterfront and I can't remember what the two other termed items were for the other two because I don't have a document in front of me but uh those were definitely key
areas outlined and those would be the areas that I would go after as far as that form based zoning for the council. Um, but I would just like the opportunity to at least start getting the regulating plan moving so that I can bring you guys at least a scope of potential zoning uh form that you would
be interested in and at least get your guidance from there to go left, right, up or down. And then from there I can get it before the community. Community can vote on it, give some ideas and I can bring back to council. You guys say yes, yay or nay. tighten it here, tighten it there, and then start working the process to getting this in into our
our coding uh ordinance so that we can get this solidified so that in the future we've planned it ourselves and we've got the image and we've got the documentation for those that want to invest. >> Does that need to start in planning zoning for us or >> I planning zoning the process on this? The challenge with planning and zoning
is this is not in their scope and they said this is something that we can't do that you're going to have to go to an outside vendor to do and so that I'm just requesting just the opportunity to start talking with them and then if I find somebody that I think's worthwhile or I can or I I see that there's an opportunity to invest to move forward with this I'll give you guys kind of
where I'm at and then get approval for that and then if if if you are comfortable as a council I'll move forward so that we can get that um approved so that I can get you what you want at the end of the day because I can't get you your by myself. I just can't do it. I tried.
>> I get there, but I just can't get over that road. >> So, you need us to authorize you to go out there and check out what the options are. >> Yes. What options? >> Which is pretty simple. We are not committing to any a massive amount of cash or a contract or a commitment. We're just trying to find out what's out there. >> Correct. >> I'm all for it. Let's do it. Is it not
take the bid or >> not take the bid this time? Okay. >> I just want to see what's available and who I can resource for this so I can develop the the at least the ground rules in which I'm going to use for a bid. if you guys approve a bid moving forward. >> Yeah, we were kind of there before on this has crime why GI was
>> I'm just trying to bring it back because it's there's a lot of voltage that I'm trying to put in one bucket and if I get this bucket together and you guys don't fire me tomorrow, I think I can get this over the rope after tomorrow. >> I mean, you mentioned two areas, >> waterfront and Grant Boulevard, >> right? There's a total of four, but I
just don't have the documentation on on on what those other specific areas were, but I'll bring those back or I'll just I'll send a note out if everybody can concur that yes, that makes sense to us. >> Any objections? Stand looking at that? >> No objections. >> No concessions. Good. >> Uh mangrove contract currently out for
bid. We're within 38 30-day window. Uh we will have an update on 28th April to let you know where we're at with that process. >> And what which process? >> Mangrove uh bid. It's out for it's out for bid right now. So, we're just waiting for the different companies to come back. >> 28th.
>> Pay shop property. The appraisal is still out for assessment. Um, I will return to council hopefully once it's finalized. I'm projecting an update on the 28th. So, give you another hard line of the 28th of April. Uh, just began negotiations with the Florida Police
Association. Um, initial uh negotiations. Not bad. A lot of just just a lot of language in there. But uh when it comes back to everything once again it's going to be salary policy update and leave dates. Those are the only big items on the plate right now. So it's it looks pretty harmless but it
once again it's going to go back to uh negotiating you know the salary portion based on our community size and budget size. >> You could you go into a little bit more detail on that just so there's there's rules. I'm sorry. >> He will he's saying it and I want
>> providing an update of the three topics. So basically once they reach an agreement ten of agreement then they bring it back to council for adoption or >> you'll get all the information. It's just that the rules don't let us talk about it right now. >> Okay. >> Sorry. >> Uh US19 grant update. I don't have anything right now but uh we've we've
we've approved everything moved forward. They haven't given us a final update on where they're at but we should be moving forward. I don't see there aren't any blocks in the road with this project now. I I think it just comes down to timeline with the FBOT the approval process on the grants that we request from them or that the standard is
requested from them and as we move forward where we're at. >> Drainage is not still an issue. >> All right. >> I don't know how do I say it was never really an issue in our discovery of what we were going to do. This became an add-on during the process of developing
their their their concepts and their permits to get the project done. So, this is kind of an add-on that was requested in addition to what we were originally told wasn't needed. >> And so, on that add-on, it been submitted and >> yes, we've given them all the information. So, >> it's a DT's court again, right?
>> Sounds got an update on >> Yeah, I just received an email from them on Monday. They completed the drainage calculations and are nearly complete with drafting the updated grading plan. um they expect to route uh to their to have an internal uh QC this Thursday and then upload the drain connection permit
and associated plans to FDOT's permitting portal next week. So that's where they are as of Monday. So we're looking good. So hopefully that project get up moving here shortly. And then the last item I have, I know this is an item that we're all, you know,
kind of kind of hoping that we can get moving forward a little faster just because it's going to be very beneficial to the uh city as we look at our code enforcement, we look at and how we're kind of enforcing, you know, kind of the rules and the way we do business here in the community. So, special magistrate item right now, uh we're finalizing the
special magistrate contract uh requirements with with Santine Law Firm. Um, initially the contract that we got wasn't really inclusive of what we needed from them because all we really need is a special man match project on it. They put the red light district with red light camera issue in there which we don't need. We've already got that base
coverage. So, this is just strictly for the special magistrate item. So, we corrected that. They sent back a contract. We got her on hold. Uh, we're finalizing the uh resolutions and the ordinance pieces for um the actual um
street item. Uh, one of the big items that we're really looking at as part of our code is the violation fees as far as the award. So, right now we pay county fees whenever we go to county court and you know whatever that entails and cost that entails whereas here it'll be more structured. It'll be more structured in support of the city and it'll be more
structured as far as a program that is that is effective in what we want it to be and that's to deter you know the violations that we're getting. So, we've got to sit down. We'll work that policy out. We'll work those those those costs out for what those fees should be. We're going to have a working group because I
think that's going to be essential to this process that we need to sit down and have people sit down and and agree what we finally come up with a final product. So, as we move forward in presenting at the council that uh what we bring you is is is the finalized best product that we can provide you based on
where we're currently at and and in the direction that we know you want to be in and where you want to be with this because I and because my understanding is we really haven't had a system in place to really enforce this process and and with the county it's been a challenge and I think through this process because we own it we'll have a
better chance at at being responsive and and responsible for the violations we have and being able to hold those those those violations accountable and this will be a great system in place in which we can clean up a lot of the the issues that we have here in the city. So I think this will this will be very effective for us. Nancy, you got
anything? >> No, just said we need to um get the information together to bring forward. Councilwoman Solomon and I have talked about this a few times so you guys understand the pros and cons of the different systems that are available to you um and you can make that ultimate decision and then assuming you want to
continue the special on the the special magistrate track we'll have everything presented that you know exactly what needs to happen to bring that to to a end product >> and I think between myself and Nancy we've got a good idea of what the endstate for the city should look like.
So, we'll be able to move forward with that, especially when we take it into the working group. There shouldn't be a lot of head scratching when we present it. Other than that, those are the big rocks that I'm carrying for the city right now that we're moving forward with. Um, if there's any other items the council has, please throw them at me. Um, I'm willing to track and and and
plug in on them. Uh, but these are the big rocks that I'm carrying right now for you guys as we move forward with the uh things that we're doing for the city and with the city. >> Any annexation update at all or >> annexation? Um, we are in the process of the annexation piece. Um, I'm working
with Veronica and her team over in in the building department and we are in the on the precipice of starting to annex towards the industrial district. Um, we're getting together the last bit of paperwork that we need for it before we present it because what we got to do is we got to go out and start
notifi do notification. Uh I actually started off on a bigger parcel of property and I think uh for realistic terms that we we need to cut that down just a bit because it's it's it'll be a much easier process if we use what immediately abuts the road that that we actually uh are contiguous with as far
as the city. That'll be an easier administrative um process as opposed to if I want to go towards the larger parcel that I'm looking at. And I think the challenge with that would be is because there's going to be some more paperwork and and longer timelines that we need in order to make that execute. So I'd rather go
over the initial piece to show an established annexation and the positive benefits to the to the to the new members that become a part of the city as part of this annexation, what that means to them and what that what that insight will look like and then kind of set the set the the uh the theme or the the tempo or the
time or the the expectations of those that are that are going to be included in the future. So, what I want them to see is why this is such a good thing, and they'll be able to see that with our first drop in the annexation of that area. >> I I I think that the people out there
who were talking to about this are just want us to make that step forward. I think all they're all like ready to to do something >> we are physically in the process of of of providing the the letters process is we're making sure the letters are correct before we send them out. Making sure everything's all the addresses are
correct. And once once I get I should have that by the end of the week. It was something I was supposed to get earlier this week, but unfortunately we ran into some administrative loopholes. So, we're finalizing that now. And we should be able I would say no later than next week. Those those documents should be in
hands and moving forward. So, annexation is big of the top strategic priorities here. Uh waterfront being one, annexation being another as we move forward. And then the other buckets I'm building for you guys as we move forward. But uh annotation is moving forward >> on um is it is the focus just on that
industrial area first and foremost or are are you looking at any enclaves around city hall here? But that's first and then what we'll do is from there we're actually starting to we're looking at those that that that minimize uh not not necessarily the risk but those that
minimize the opportunity of going after it now as opposed to later because some of them we're really going to have to do some work on because once we go up the corridor 19 that's going to take a bit of work >> and as we go towards um little road that you know we may just want to stay up the 19 corridor and west you know I'll I'll
keep pitching you guys and I'll keep you up to date on kind of what the strategic map looks like uh for your approval. But as as we look at certain areas, what you will see and what I'm seeing internally sitting in my seat is that places like Pasco County and Newport Richie are starting to come up and around middle
and up and over. And so what I don't want is I don't want us to get blocked out by other events that are ongoing. So we've got uh engagements as a stakeholder in in meetings here in the near future reference those actual movements by not only by the county but also by uh Newport Richie those areas
that they're going after to you know ensure that you know none of our um none of our investments or what we consider our investments are being you know not being taken but are being yeah being
taken from us at this point. So what we're trying to do is we're just trying to make sure that with our goals and our strategic vision that we're staying there. So we're staying engaged with others. But what I don't want to do is sit on our hands. We sit on our hands, we're going to end up, you know, losing what space we have to to work in. And what we'd like to do is address our
utilities uh zones and stuff like that because we think that's going to be the best approach for us as we work because it's stuff that we already have that we're resourced in that we're supporting with, you know, where we can better provide services. And at the end of the day, that's what it's going to be is how do our services improve those areas that we move into. And that's that's my
objectives. I've got to show that >> as we um obviously focus on the commercial, we want to obviously look at residential as well. If there there's my thought there's a there's a small section right across ridge here. Hardy, what's those streets that Hardy um
there's like three streets right over here. We have >> Hardy for crosses over. Then we have Hardy and then >> I don't know if there's another one. I'd have to look on history. Anyway, we actually have a couple houses on those roads, but the majority of the roads not. >> Um, and it's it's very sparse
residential. Maybe just to kind of go through the process. It's a small group that we could use as test bed as we go forward to kind of use that and try to bring that on. And there's I know there's there's residents over there that um I helped one of them out to the county to get the county out there to do some road work on them because it's
really bad. They they thought it was ours. It wasn't ours. It was theirs. Um and actually I think it was actually a private road. Uh anyway, so if there's something we can maybe do with those groups of folks that just right across from city hall might be something and that's and that's one of the things we're looking I'm looking at where there's opportunity also and and some of the areas of opportunity like that you
mentioned is enclaves. We've got enclaves out there that should be a part of this and for some reason I don't understand why or not. So those are some of the areas that we're looking at also is is bringing those in. I just haven't identified which ones I want to go after right now. Um but we're in the process of looking at what we're going after
when this industrial district becomes you know our success to hey this is how we annex and so as we we continue because what we're going to do is we're going to find improve our process. So as we do this, it becomes kind of second nature in the process in which we're doing it. So that as you guys see where we're going and approve where we're going that it's it's very easy as we
take those steps forward and those steps because they're seen by everybody's like, hey, this is the right direction and everybody can converge, >> especially those neighborhoods and areas like down Bridge where it's in out in out and out. If we can even up those lines, it would be great. >> Great. That's all I have,
>> mayor. Okay. Thank you. Uh next up, comments from boards committees. Is there any board committee comments? by me. Um the event committee obviously hasn't met in a couple weeks since we had the seafood festival. Uh I was going to say Ashley if you could we need to
have a closeout meeting um for that for that festival and and whatnot. And then um uh going forward the rest of events if we could set one for the sixth I guess would be the next Monday available. >> That's up to him to set me
>> up there chair. >> Well, it's up to him to set the agenda based on the resolution. So you guys need to have a consensus on the meeting. So >> consensus for the >> six. Yeah. Okay. Ashley, thank you.
>> Six. At what time? >> Uh, we've been doing six, right? Six o'clock. Yeah, let's do six. >> Calendar. >> Yeah, if everybody's available. I said I can't reach out and talk to him. So, >> I guess technically not you either, but uh >> I can if you remove me from the
>> Yeah. Well, you can I can be more beneficial to you. >> You can you can hire a replacement for sure. >> But yeah, we get we get one back up. I know we need I think at least seven day notice or something on it. And that's why it's very bring up. Um outside that the uh the event was a a large success I
believe. Um a little sparse in the evening. Um you know we went till 9. There wasn't a lot of people there towards the end concert but the music was all good um throughout the entire day. Lots of lots of traffic. I didn't hear any bad feedback from vendors. I think it was uh very successful all the way around. We like to get more people
there obviously in the evening. Um but that um that didn't happen this time but it was a good event. >> Um so we're looking forward to going forward on the the rest of those. I know the fishing tournament was a highly success. Um, >> did you get the video? >> I did get the video. Yeah, there was a video that they did up of the fishing tournament with the kids and stuff. It
was really, really nice and it was really dark when you guys got out there for the shotgun start. Really? It was really dark, I noticed. So, >> four that morning. >> Yeah. >> Wow. >> So, huge sess. And we're looking forward to doing that again obviously next year. Okay. So, I'll close close boards
committees. Moving on to the consent agenda item number two. I need a motion to approve the March 24th, 2026 consent agenda. >> Can we talk about that first? >> We can. >> So, we're getting ready to drop $279,000 on three pickup trucks, F150s, right?
>> Are they in, Jeff? The pickups. >> Are the pickups in the F-150s? >> The the F-150s. Are they in? >> Yeah, they are. Yes. Yes, >> they're here. >> They're they're getting outfitted right now. I have mine. And then the >> So the this this is just the to
authorize the payment that we've already it's already been budgeted and already >> Yeah. This is this is a PO from last year. This is out of last year's budget. So these are the six vehicles you guys voted on back year ago to kind of compensate. >> Three of the six, right? >> Well, three of the six. Yeah. So these are just payments made for those vehicles.
>> Motion to approve. Okay. >> Agenda. >> Second motion. Second. Any further discussion? Any public comment? Seeing I put to vote on favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed. Motion carries. Uh, next up is council business. Item number three,
US19 median landscaping design presentation by Kimberly Horn and Associates Inc. I'll pass it to Mr. King for introduction. >> Okay. This uh US19 media and landscape design presentation by Kimley Horn. As everybody's know, this is part of our city's ongoing uh quarter beautifification and this is one of
those items that we've got that have been granted through the FDOT. So great opportunity for all this. Good to see you. Uh design focuses as as you're going to find out here shortly is it's a lowmaintenance drought tolerant landscaping which will enhance you know kind of the the visuals as we go through the city and they're going to give you a
good overview on that. But tonight uh council is being asked to approve the design concept so we can so we can so it can be submitted to FDOT for approval. >> Good evening. I'm David Flanigan, landscape architect with Kimley Horn. >> Thank you so much for that. uh uh 200 or
200 Central Avenue, Sweet 600 St. Pete and Pedro Lanos from my team with as well. So, if there's any really hard questions, I'm going to defer to him because he's way smarter than I am. Uh we're here, we've been working with Mr. King and and Mr. Lucari to develop some landscape plans for that
beautifification as part of a DOT grant. And we've got uh draft plans ready to go. I don't want to get into great detail with you, but just suffice to say, it's from Ridge Road, the medians from Ridge Road south to the bridge. We do have one small median along the east
area as well, where I I think there's been a previously a sign that's going to be going in. So, we've sort of worked around that. We're a little bit constricted by um DOT limitations on what we're allowed to do from a verticality standpoint. It's all based
on the design speed of a road and our design speed here is 50 miles per hour even though the posted speed is lower than that. So we're li pretty much limited to shrubs and ground covers. And so the pallet that we're proposing basically includes very durable,
droughtresistant, will survive on rainwater after establishment period watering u salt tolerant because we know sometimes we get inundated with that and we did meet with your maintenance staff to really understand what their maintenance needs are. So those type of things. But if you're interested in
specific species, you know, fringe flower, count, dwarf, fire bush, fakahhatche grass, things that are really strong and durable in this roadway type environment. Do we include >> actually share this for the >> I got
yours is already ready to go. >> No, no, no. Share the that screen to the Zoom because it still has the council on here. >> I don't know if anybody's on. I think there's there was somebody. Oh, never mind. It's just >> it's you guys. >> Yeah, never mind. There was an iPhone on earlier, so they just got a question. Yeah, >> we'll but we'll show on the YouTube
video. >> Yes, I've already got the camera pointed to them. Great. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Before we go any further, the um I I see where your plans are to pull the palm trees. That's not popular. That's not a popular
choice, especially those ones down at the end of Washington Street in 19 And at Grandon 19 it from what I can see you're going to pull those palms that are there. >> So we're we were asked by the city to remove those. They're they're going to relocate them within the city. So there
one we're not allowed to do any new palms in the median. So that was just a separate issue along the side of the road. You can't do anything. >> We cannot. As I was describing with the design speed being 50 miles per hour, even though the posted speed is lower
and I know you see palms in the medians south and north of here, not very far, but in in working with the DOT requirements and their staff, we're we're limit basically when our design speed hits 50 miles per hour, you have
to you can do no trees within 24 feet of the the curb. And the medians are only >> 18 feet wide. So by the time you go this >> I'm talking about they're they're on the east side of 19. They're not in the med.
>> So if they're already there, there should not be anything that says you have to pull them. Correct. >> That's correct. That any anything we've shown to be pulled was directed by the city for other reasons less to do with the adjudication. >> Who from the city said says that?
>> Uh Daryl. >> City manager. Daryl. myself and uh Derek sat in with Kimley Horn on talking about the palm trees on both Washington and Grand. Um they are there are maintenance issues because of how tall the trees
have gotten. Um many palm frs have fallen onto Grand Boulevard. Um plus the new sign that we want to erect, especially on the corner of Grand and 19, um the palm trees are going to impede seeing the new sign with the LED.
So that's why we wanted to take the trees out. >> What about the ones at Washington and those those those are fabulous trees. >> But >> the ones at Washington and 19 >> we were considering relocating the trees to a different area possibly Waterfront Park or somewhere else within the city
because of just how you know just because of this this new landscaping that we want to do and beautify the medians. Um we can we can incorporate the Washington Street palm trees um in the design. We can keep them. They look great. >> They look great.
>> Yeah, they can be a lot cheaper than moving them. >> Yes, but there's, you know, there's also, you know, there's also people who pay for the trees themselves just to take the trees. We can, you know, we we talked about that. We're looking Daryl's looking into options right now about where we can what we can do with the
trees themselves, but we we're specifically uh specifically the one on Grand Boulevard. There's issues with keeping those trees and planting the new LED sign that we want to do on that corner. >> That's understandable. But I would hate
to see those ones at Washington 19 go. They look really good. >> We can we can incorporate that. >> The the biggest concern we have at more than anything is safety because what we're concerned about is putting ourselves at risk because I I've sat and talked with Daryl and team and everybody
here. It came back to if we have if we're not maintenance stuff properly, we'll have a significant incident that that we aren't prepared for that's going to occur. Um and and just making sure that we don't ever have that risk, you know, on our plate is is as we're dealing with as we were looking at the
roads and and where we were actually planning stuff. taking an opportunity to address and doing so that where we've seen areas where we may have some risk to vehicles, pedestrians, stuff like that is kind of some of the stuff we've addressed with them is we were looking at like, hey, where where can we
actually clean up some of this stuff to where we're reducing the risk that we currently have for problems that we've had in the past in the palm trees and some of the areas like Washington, there was a discussion like, hey, we might want to address that so that we're not having problems in the future, especially when it comes to the fact that are we maintenancing? we're getting
to them on time. If we're not getting to them on time, you know, how are we going to how are we going to limit that or or minimize that risk to, you know, these areas? So, that's just the biggest concern out of everything, especially for the speed uh in that area. And it just came down to, hey, we really got to
take a a clear look at this, especially through the FOD. It's like, okay, hey, why are they limiting tree size? Because that's one of the first things I asked. Why can't we have trees? because I've saw the same thing you've seen in other areas like in Hillsboro County you see it but in their speed tables are 75 or
higher >> I do understand >> the median is slightly wider but >> the median is slightly wider >> and the median and I do understand why because they hit >> but there Washington now that's not that's not going to be issue they're burning up off the road I don't think
I've ever even if the hurricane seen anything major off those trees at all >> okay >> the same way about the grand >> one one sec. Kristen Chris been waiting. Come back to you quick. Chris, >> I'm gonna take a minute. You want to go ahead and talk? >> Have you ahead?
>> Um I'm looking at in the square here at page 38. There's a little square at the bottom of the page. That is actually Yeah. 38. And it shows the palm trees at Grand. Are we talking about removing those the ones?
Are we are we removing the tall lines and replacing with all the low stuff or will the low stuff be incorporated in with the tall? >> Well, the initial plan should remove them. >> Yeah, I'm not a fan of that idea at all. Especially since we're not going to have trees in the center of the road, I believe those are beautiful. If we need
to step up our maintenance to maintain them and keep them safe, but removing them all together, I don't see that. >> So, it shows the sign there with the trees now. Well, you're saying they're with the trees now. That's kind of what it would look like with it now, >> right? >> We're not able to
>> I think we can save. I I mean, we live in Florida. We want to see those, >> right? >> Um >> Yeah. >> Well, question I have is does that impact our grant? >> Taking the trees out. >> Well, if if we're not meeting the
requirements at DOT for safety as far as the trees themselves, >> those trees do meet the requirements. >> Okay, good. The the only the only place we're not allowed the trees is in the median. So the image you see on the screen now shows enhanced landscape and the trees remaining. Obviously we didn't take them
out of the photo there. So we are allowed to do that and that would not be in violation of DOT requirements. >> Correct. >> I would I would hate to see those trees come down >> especially since we can't add. So >> Right. >> And because we don't have a lot of trees, we're we're lacking trees on 19.
So to remove the big ones that we have, I'm not a fan of that approach. >> So when we started this, okay, and there's a reason the four of us sit up here and we're elected by the citizens because we hopefully speak on what citizens want. We know enough from the
neighborhoods. You know, I've seen multitudes of communities spend money on low stuff, lots of it, throw a whole bunch of stuff in there. Looks great the first couple years and after two years it looks like you need a bush haul to go across because you've just spent 450 grand putting stuff in there that's a
maintenance nightmare that our farm we can't quite get in there and pull every little weed in between it. So I was hoping and I'm not trying to poo poo the whole thing that we could go with something a whole lot more hardcaped you know I mean we're Florida you know our little town of Port Richie has got a bad
b past reputation I want them to drive over that bridge and see paradise in the in the dashboard light. That's what I want them to see. Palm trees, fun stuff, come over here to eat, you know, that's what it's got to look like. And if we create something that's beautiful and we drop a half million dollars on it and
three years from now looks like crap, we need to mow it. That's not going to be acceptable. So, I did mention this the other day when we were talking about this about going some really hardcape stuff, some stuff, you know, literally is rock and lava rocks and some small plants or something we can maintain
versus all this greenery that I'm seeing in this here. So maybe you could help me with that >> if I may. We have included some rock as part of the medians and I'll I'm trying to refer to you an applicable sheet, but in in this sheet for instance, if you see the slight swirl shape that's not on
the very end of the median, but that first area there that is rock. So we haven't introduced some of that. Now there's we can certainly explore expanding the amounts of that. We felt this was an appropriate rhythm of landscape and hardscape intermix. But exactly what you're talking about is is
not making it all green. So that rock would require literally no maintenance and the rest is as low maintenance as you can accomplish >> and and include meeting with your your maintenance team of what they were comfortable with being able to maintain over the course of >> I mean I I specifically went out and
drove from all the way down to Clearwater to here paying attention to all the roads and trees and all stuff on the other side of the bridge here there's brand new landscaping that just went in there and there's trees there's beautiful trees on the same size media as we have in Newport Richie and so now all of a sudden were like, "We're not
going to have a tree over here in Port Rich." And I'm like, "What's that all about?" You know, it doesn't even make sense. Unless they just totally told them to blow it out their tail pipe and do what they wanted to do. You know, >> I cannot speak to that. I can tell you you're you're absolutely right. And no one's more frustrated than I am about
being limited by when you're on this side of the bridge, the design speed is 50 miles hour, and on that side of the bridge, the design speed's 45 design speed is 45 miles per hour. >> Well, it sounds like we need a design speed change, and we need a speed limit change in our city, >> you know? I mean, if we if we change it
to 45 and I can get palm trees, I'm I'm I'm the first guy to say, "Let's change the speed up to 45." >> We don't set the design speed, though. >> We don't regulate that. That's FDOT. >> Okay. So, it sounds like we need to talk called some relationships that we have because if we want to make this place
look like the place that we're thinking it's going to look like, we have to have some palm trees on there. >> Well, I'm kind of confused. Isn't the speed limit 45? >> That's what I was thinking. Yeah, it is. >> It's not 50. >> It's 45. >> Speed limit is 45. designed for >> design speed is 50 miles per hour. They're
>> that doesn't make any sense. It's if you if you're if you're arbitrarily lower than your design >> either, and I tell this to my traffic engineers all the time, the design speeds based on what a car could reasonably do along the roadway regardless of the posted speed. They
could post that as 25 miles 25 miles per hour. The design speed would still be 50. Bas it's it's the radius of the curves. It's the the verticality, etc. >> It could be 80 miles hour. We don't have any curves. It's straight through the whole way through. >> I'm just telling you what type of data go. >> I get it. I'm with
>> um Who's the contact DOT you guys work with? >> Who are we contacting DOT? >> Is it Brian Hunter or >> Yeah, it's it's not Brian, but I can get that for you. >> Yeah, look, if you can get the information, let me reach out those guys, see if there's something I can work with. >> I I would be and and I'm not trying to
be a stick in the mud here or anything like that at all. What I don't want to do is create a maintenance nightmare for us where we got to have like 16 people out there weekly picking weeds out in between these little things here. I I would be adamantly for finding out what our options are to push forward with
some trees, some rocks, some landscape, some hard stuff that's not a maintenance nightmare. That's more like a little bit of weed killer kind of stuff, you know, versus what I see here as being if I planted this stuff in my house, my lawn guy would be like, "Yeah, I'll take care of it for you." The weed whacker, you know what I mean? And that that's you
can't get the little things pulled out between it. So >> really trees provide a a bit of a barrier protection between the the two different lanes ongoing traffic, right? Because if somebody tries to cross over the median, if you just got some bushes there, they're going right over oncoming traffic. >> They do. It's it's actually it's
actually called frangible um impact barrier. That's actually there's a DOT term that they do and it does provide some of that. >> So we need to ask for some frangible. >> Yeah, that's that's interesting. Like I said, >> I can't believe the design speed would would I guess maybe the the thought
process is that at some point we could raise the speed limit to 50 and so they don't want to have landscaping there. It's going to be outside. >> It may have been when they first designed the road. I don't know which which is the case, but you're >> Let me dig in that a little bit. >> We have just to remind council that we have a timeline on this grant. So the
timeline for design was due is is due in May, you know, the first week of May. So we're trying to get this design done within the time frame that that's allowed within the grant. Um, if we're going to start asking FDOT about changing that, that's going to
delay that some bit and I don't know if we'll get authoriz authorized to go that, you know, as long as that delay is going to be. >> Well, they call tomorrow find us to see if there's >> there may be no path, but at least we'll we ask question. >> We don't have another meeting until the
second meeting of the 28th of April. So, >> it has to be done by first of May. Yes, they have to be the the plans were are supposed to be submitted by the 1st of May May. This is why we >> we we moved it move this to get this in
front of you tonight. >> I don't feel good about that. >> I don't feel good about the fact that we're supposed to sit here and just head nod and say okay to something that we're not all in agreement on when it comes to the design and the and the materials going in. >> I'm just relaying the facts. You don't
have to agree to it. I'm just going I'm relaying the facts about our timeline and that fact that it's a grant and we have we have a timeline that we're following. Um this was sat down by Daryl and he he had no issues with the maintenance of this moving forward. Under construction, it'll be uh
guaranteed for one year after the construction is done. So if there's any plans that need to be changed out, that would be handled by the company doing that. Um but you know, personally me, I've talked to previous city managers. I've talked to our current city manager
about center trees in the medians. To me, especially with the hurricanes that we had the year prior. Um, to me, it's a it's a it's a dangerous road hazard. Um, you know, we we I even talked about doing smaller like cabbage palm, you know, like a mediumsiz trees, but per
FDOT, they didn't allow anything. So, we could pursue that question um to ask them about changing that design limit speed and what it will take, but I'm just informing council about our timeline. And this is why we wanted to present this to you tonight. Um that staff, the city manager, we we looked at
we looked over this with the engineer. This was we wanted to make sure that we had plants that were no matter no matter what in a drought condition would live, you know, would survive uh lowmaintenance type of plants, low maintenance covering using stone as opposed to using pine bark mulch because
we pretty much lost all our pine bark mulch in the in the in the last storms. So we wanted to go with something, you know, heavier, more durable. Um, so this was the this was the best formulated formulated plan by the city manager and
staff and our engineer. So if we want to make changes, that's fine. We just we wanted to make, you know, see what kind of design changes you want to make. Um, we can expand the the rock areas, we can expand, you know, some of the coverings and move them around. Um, if you want to ask the question to FDOT, um, like I
said, right now I'm still working with FDOT on our Grand Boulevard in US 19. And you can see how long that's taking. So I just trying I'm just trying to tell you we go we go by their timeline. >> So >> no extensions allowed. >> Uh we've already extended this for
design uh once. I could I could ask for another one and see how they respond to that. So I don't Chris >> I mean I don't I don't want to um I don't want to belittle the people who work here in the city because those people are very valuable to us. But we
live in the city. this is what we want and and we got people who don't live in the city saying making decisions for us on what's going to be in the city and that shouldn't be the way it should be. We should have had an opportunity to look at this. I remember specifically talking about this talking about rocks. I believe palm trees. It's what I
envisioned. I envisioned a Florida lifestyle look versus just any city in the country, you know, Utah, Virginia, whatever. um something a little more Florida like and I don't see it here >> just and so the reality obviously they have a they have a rule that they're
trying to follow and so ideally it would have been better to know about that month or two back a month or two ago >> so that we could have had that conversation before to see again maybe there's no path but I'm happy to make a phone call and it sounds like that we could potentially use the same design we
have here and if they will allow trees or whatever that would just be a a simple change in there. So >> yeah, that's not a big deal big ordeal. I would think if >> So we could have two proposals at the April 28th meeting. One just as it is here or if we want to make some changes
because quite honestly like on page 40 where I see the median um >> page 40, >> right? Page 40. >> So she's looking that up. Could I last >> even that I feel like needs some more work. I that really doesn't
>> Yeah, it's not >> really is not very appealing to me. So if we incorporate our changes tonight, so they could bring that on the 28th as well as one with the trees for the 28th and then Mayor Hoover can look into the
dot the T do D do D do D do D do D do D do D do D do D do DOT it's not T dot it's F dot >> um F dot um restrictions see if we can get those lifted somehow and then we can accept one proposal or another on the 28th and be set without any possible
extension said he could possibly get an extension But I mean we don't need he's not sure. We don't want you already asked for it once. >> You want them to do twice the work to to do all the trees. In fact, we can't go that direction. >> It's a matter of just adding the trees in. I mean, I think we need some
revisions to the to the landscaping proposal that we have in front of us right now. I don't I myself don't find that appealing. >> Well, could he put stones in where we would put trees and we get out of trees? Maybe later we can get this use the money on this now because he may not and
we already asked for an extension. It may not happen and we may lose the grant and then we'll have to pay for all of it. What's the drop dead date? May 1st. >> May 1st. >> Yeah, that's um what's the extension process? Just curiosity. Just ask for it.
>> Basically submitting it in writing and sending it out to them. See if they review it. >> Who's the the one that grants it? Is it FTO? >> FTO. So they have they're they're ones with the grant, they're ones for extension. When I when I reach out tomorrow, I'll ask about that myself. So obviously if
if they're willing to work through that, maybe they would. >> So we have enough time to bring this up in another meeting. >> We can always call a special meeting, too. I mean, >> yeah, we don't mind doing that for this. >> Call a special meeting then go with >> Let me let me reach out to FDOT tomorrow
and um I mean, we still could discuss more stuff in here now, but I I'll get those answers. I I I I and again what I'm trying to do is clearly tell you what's out there right now. 2018 we did the curbs and the medians. I don't know how much we spent back then, but those bushes, you know, look like they've been
like cut down with a chainsaw and they look they're just brutal looking and there's been no maintenance at all on that. And I just if we create something that is much less maintenance requirement to it, then we could be looking at that 20 years from now, you know, and maybe it just requires a little bit of trimming a tree or
whatever it may be versus complete redoing of all these small perennial shrubs and that kind of stuff. >> I have to get to traffic council 19, but I mean there's thousands of people drive this every day. We we don't want to look like crap. So >> this would look good. >> And if you were selling your house and
you were doing this, I'd say rock and roll, baby. Let's do it. But we're not selling the house. We're living here. We're going to look at this stuff for another 10 years. And they're going to like, "Why'd you drop a half million dollars to something only last you five years?" That's all I'm thinking. >> Any thoughts? >> No, man. I don't want to take out the trees that are there.
>> Um, as far as the the next plan, I'd like to see something where if we do any small shrubs like this, they're more intermingled together instead of just a grouping and then a grouping. So if we do have to plan for their next proposal, maybe we should be giving some
direction to you all to make any tweaks, right? I guess. >> Yeah. Can I can I request that everyone on council submit something to the city manager um tomorrow or you know no later than uh no no later than Thursday so we can get them to the engineers. He can take all these points tonight and put
them into action. >> We did the same thing here with the water properties up here with with the parks. We had Florida League of Cities came in here. We took notes. We all gave our opinions. We did all this stuff. None of that happened here at all. It's like here here's the project. If you don't approve it today, we lose the funding. And I don't like that. I don't
think that's right. You know, I don't feel good about that. I don't feel that we planned for it. I don't feel we this is a huge thing. This is our this is our >> Can we have a Can we have a workshop with you all possibly that >> Sure. You'll facilitate that. >> We can do that. Uh, I I I recommend let
me go ahead and submit an extension out for this and we can start planning workshops and and see where we go from there. >> I think that's a great idea. >> You know, get a workshop where we get some out some opinions from the community in here, us the community, and we get some things on the table and that
way gives you some direction, >> right? Absolutely. >> More of a, you know, community-based feel for what we we're anticipating out there because this is a big deal for us. This is this is like we're we're dropping huge money on signage, you know, wayfinding stuff, you know, and
and the the curb appealing like she says, you know, the only palm trees we have, we got the plans to pull them things out and pluck them up and go somewhere else with them. We're and we're a waterfront Florida community, you know. Um anyway, >> no, we're happy to address any >> that's our most offer from a DOT grant
standpoint. If you were to propose, for instance, to put all rock out there, they wouldn't pay for that in a DOT beautifification grant. just there's limitations on what they will do. I'm just >> there's limits on the hardcaping. Very there's a lot of limits on the hardcaping. They don't want us. We could we talked about decorative concrete. We
talked about we talked to them about majority of stone putting in just segments of plants, but they they don't want a lot of hardcaping, you know, because then that's not what the grant is for the Newport Richie. >> I was not >> median designs. >> I was not.
>> I mean, I'd think a call to them to find out, hey, you got trees in your median. How we do that? You know, that'd be a real quick problem solver there. Oh, we had to go around it and do this thing here. Great. Here we go. You know >> what about the idea of continuity between Newport Richie and here and just kind of follow the same design rather
than recreating the wheel. If we like everybody check out what happened in Newport Richie, what their design plan is and if we can >> keep it within the budget, extend it throughout Port Richie if we can get all of our exceptions and fot.
>> Yeah. Obviously, we want to stay within the grant because they're paying for it, right? So, if it's if they limit the hardscape, we I mean, I think we should do that. Um, >> right. >> So, I think the real question is is just some tweaks to whatever the the plants that we put in there and if we have trees or not, just make some, you know,
small reconfigurations. Would 10 days from now be a good time for a working group or seven days from now? So you'd be looking at potentially the looks like >> well something >> seventh
>> something on the seventh and I definitely have to make sure that you guys are available also for that. >> I I think the seventh would work for me. >> Seventh works for me >> works for me.
>> What time? Yeah. Is he doing a day or six? >> But it would be great to be able to do this while the public would probably like >> they would love to be in there. >> But I know but it's a Tuesday and a lot of them can't come Tuesday daytime. So if we could do it in the evening.
>> Yeah. I mean I just ask I don't know what you guys scheduled. Night time. Good. >> I can make that. >> Six is perfect. >> Yeah. >> Six o'clock. Perfect. Yeah. >> Can we send out notice for that? Is that right, Nancy? >> Yeah. 6 p.m. isn't it? 6 p.m.
>> So in that process, we'll get the information back from FD and see what we can do about the speed. We'll get information back on whether we can extend it and then we'll get information back on what adjustments we can be that can be made based on the information we're getting on the adjustments to the
actual median um communication for for stuff that you guys, you know, want in there. So we'll be able to at least be able to define the parameters which we can work within. And I can ask >> I think that's going to be what's big is because you know trying to meet all the all the requirements for what this is to
get what we want is is is kind of the the the niche for me to find with direction that you guys want to go. >> I can see possibly DOT could attend that workshop as well. Just have a representative idea. >> So >> so we get expert opinion on it. >> Yeah. As we work through it >> and if you could call Port Richie >> Newport Richie
>> Newport Richie and talk to them about what their deal is and how they did that' be great. Yeah. We use all the resources we have to try to get this done. And do we want you to do a good job? >> So do I. >> I got anything else?
>> Any questions? >> Thank you so much. Thank you. We'll be in touch for sure. >> Thank you. >> Okay. >> Do we need a motion to table that? I guess probably. Yeah, I'll make a motion to table the uh the landscaping on
Highway 19. Okay, the motion second. Any further discussion? Any public comment? See, I put a vote on favor 65 by saying I >> opposed. Motion carries. Next up, item number four, Florida Department of Environmental Protection grant agreement passed. Mr. King for induction. >> Uh this grant agreement, Florida
Department of Environmental Protection is for $1 million for rehabilitation of uh the three sanitary lift stations. This project is critical to improving the system reliability, reducing for risk during storms, events, and protecting our waterways. There's no requirement match for this grants. Uh
the approval tonight authorizes me, your city manager to execute the agreement and move forward with the project if you approve. >> Okay. Open up for a motion and discussion. >> Motion to allow Don King to sign the grant agreement with the core department of environmental protection for the
rehabilitation of three of the city sanctions. Second. Okay. Motion second. Any further discussion? Any public comment? See, I put to a vote. All in favor signify by saying I. I >> oppose. Motion carries. Uh, next up is
item number five, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Boating Access Program Grant support letter. Pass it. Mr. King. >> Uh, this support letter for the Florida application for the Florida Fish Wildlife Conservation Commission boat access program. This grant uh would support uh improvements to Nicks Park
including modernization of boat ramp for waterfront facilities. Tonight's uh action does not commit funding but demonstrates the council support which is required as a part of the grant application process and you guys will get more information on that um when we go to CRA. >> What is the grant amount? Yeah.
>> Is it >> I uh I I I don't want to say because we discussed it several times today. I know it's roughly the grand amount is probably around a million dollars 1 point something. >> Okay. >> But but the total project that we're
looking at is two 2 something million. At the end of the day, what it what it provides us in Nick's park is a million dollars worth of grant money that helps us develop that park in the direction we want to go in. Motion to approve staff's recommendation
to sign the attached support letter for the Florida fish and wildlife conservation commission voting access program. >> So this actually has my signature on. Is it your signature or mine? Because the letter has mine on it. >> We'll go with you as mayor. >> So I need you guys motion to allow you
John Cooper to sign as I stated. >> Second. >> Okay. At least a second. Any discussion? Any public comment? Seeing I put a vote on favor signify by saying I >> I opposed. Motion carries. Uh that concludes council business. Uh moving on
to old business. Is there any old business discuss? >> Uh actually speed bumps. Do we order those or >> speed bumps? Um, we are moving forward in the process with that. Um, I wish I had the paperwork in front of me that provides you the final piece on it, but
we're moving forward with it right now. The only thing that will wait, I don't think we're waiting on anything because I've already moved forward with the purchase. So, we can go ahead and do that. Okay. We're just waiting on the process of just uh placement and ensuring that uh where there are places where everybody wants them placing, where we think is the best location for
them to make sure that we're reducing the hazard of that location. >> Yes. Good. Okay. Then moving on to uh comments from mayor and council. I'll start to my left with vice mayor. Mayor,
>> um I think I've said enough tonight. Good. >> Okay. Council Burke. Okay. Council Hubbert. >> Uh I'm good. >> Council Sullivan. Uh I don't have anything to till CR. So I'm good too. So look for
a motion to adjurnn. Second. Okay. Motion second. All in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> I. Take five and come back. S.