MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL JOINT MEETING OF THE CITY COMMISSION, COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (CRA) AND PLANNING BOARD/LOCAL PLANNING AGENCY (PBLP) OF AUGUST 8, 2000, AT 6:00 P.M. PRESENT: Commission and Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) : Vice Mayor/Vice Chairman Albert F. Hogle, Commissioners/Members Mollie C. Cardamone, Carolyn J. Mason and Mary J. Quillin, City Manager David R. Sollenberger, and Deputy City Auditor and Clerk Karen D. McGowan Planning Board/Local Planning Agency (PBLP): : Chairman Devin P. Rutkowski, Vice Chairman Robert A. Lindsay, and Members Robert Kantor (arrived 6:55 p.m.), Sandra L. Vaughn, and Lou Ann Palmer ABSENT: Mayor/Chairman Gene M. Pillot, City Auditor and Clerk/Secretary Billy E. Robinson, and City Attorney Richard J. Taylor PRESIDING: Vice Mayor/Vice Chairman Hogle The meeting was called to order in accordance with Article III, Section 9(b) of the Charter of the City of Sarasota at 6:00 p.m. Deputy City Auditor and Clerk McGowan gave the Invocation followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. 1. INTRODUCTION #1 (0030) through (0179) Vice Mayor/Vice Chairman Hogle stated that the Joint meeting of the Commission, the CRA, and the PBLP is to review the Preliminary Draft of the City of Sarasota Downtown Master Plan 2020 (Master Plan Preliminary Draft); that Mayor/Chairman Pillot was in attendance at the August 8, 2000, Joint Workshop of the three agencies, is unable to attend this meeting due to illness, sends regrets, and will be viewing the televised meeting from home. City Manager Sollenberger stated that the public's attendance is appreciated; that public input received from the charrettes concerning the update of the Downtown Sarasota: Master Plan for Tomorrow (May 1986) (CRA Master Plan) has contributed to the success of the process to date; that continuing public participation in the planning process is encouraged and appreciated; that the City's history in redevelopment planning began with the Regional/Urban Design Assistance Team (R/UDAT) Master Plan Preliminary Draft in 1983 which led to the creation of BOOK 48 Page 19910 08/08/00 6:00 P.M. BOOK 48 Page 19911 08/08/00 6:00 P.M. the CRA by the Commission and adoption of the CRA Master Plan in 1986; that the CRA Master Plan serves as the guide for the Downtown redevelopment planning efforts; that the Commission set as a goal 2 years ago updating the CRA Master Plan; that Commission and PBLP discussions concerning the scope of services began approximately a year agoi that a Request for Proposals (RFP) was distributed; that the firm of Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company (DPZ) was chosen; that public charrettes were conducted in May 2000; that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft was received from DPZ; that several hundred copies were made available to and picked up by the public; that ordinarily, the planning process involves receipt of the preliminary plan, Staff review and edit, and return to the consulting firm; however, the current process is intended to be as open as possible to the public; that public comment is sought and encouraged; that the large attendance is welcome; that adoption of the Master Plan Preliminary Draft is anticipated by year end of 2000. City Manager Sollenberger continued that a redevelopment plan is a flexible guideline, subject to amendment with changes in circumstances; that the current CRA Master Plan contains items which have been implemented; however, action has not been taken on all items; that following adoption of an updated CRA Master Plan, actions could be based on modifications to the Zoning Code (1998), changes to the Engineering Design Criteria Manual (EDCM), and implementation of a revised Capital Improvements Program (CIP) or other actions; that the public should be aware adoption of the update of the CRA Master Plan will not result in an inflexible document but rather will serve as a guideline for the redevelopment of Downtown subject to amendment as circumstances dictate. 2. DISCUSSION RE: PROCESS FOR REVIEW AND DIRECTION OF THE PRELIMINARY DRAFT DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN (AGENDA ITEM I) #1 (0179) through (0352) John Burg, Chief Planner, Planning and Development Department, came before the Commission and stated that the current and long- term process for plan adoption will be discussed; that the City of Sarasota Downtown Master Plan 2020 (Master Plan Preliminary Draft) includes concepts developed in the design charrette in April 2000; however, the Master Plan Preliminary Draft has greater detail; that the public is invited to provide input on the detail; that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft is a 20-year plan; that 20 years is not long if measured in terms of the life of a City; that the public is encouraged to measure years in terms of changes which have occurred and will occur during a 20-year period; that actions which appear long range and not likely to occur tomorrow or in the short term may be possible over the 20-year term of the plan; that the public is encouraged to think about long-range planning while considering the larger issues. Mr. Burg continued that during the next month, the basic task is to provide feedback sO the consultant, Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company (DPZ), can prepare the next draft of the update to the Downtown Sarasota: Master Plan for T'omorrow (May 1986) (CRA Master Plan); that meetings include tonight's joint meeting for the purpose of receiving public input; that an Open House is scheduled on August 23, 2000, from 9 a.m. to noon and 2 to 4 p.m. and will be held at the Jack J. Geldbart Auditorium at Selby Public Library; that the public is invited to attend, address questions to Andres Duany, FAIA, Principal, DPZ, and" discuss particular concernsi that a specific time may be established during the Open House to address particular issues if necessaryi that Staff will review, catalog, and include all issues raised by the public, together with issues discussed at the City's Development Review Committee (DRC) meeting on August 9, 2000, and request DPZ provide recommendations on each issue cataloged; that the recommendations by DPZ will be available to the public on August 23, 2000; that in addition, recommendations from the City's project team which includes the City Manager and the Directors of Planning, Engineering, Neighborhoods, and Public Works will be returned to the PBLP and CRA, which will meet on August 23, 2000, at 6 p.m. to receive and review the formal set of issues raised and the recommendations received during the process; that the CRA and PBLP will meet again on at 2 p.m., August 24, 2000, to provide direction and feedback to DPZ to enable the consultants to finalize the plan; that DPZ will return a revised plan comprising the majority of DPZ's work by the middle of October 2000; that the City must conduct a series of public hearings and further refine the plan; that minimum steps required will include a public hearing by the PBLP, a public hearing by the CRA, and eventual adoption anticipated in the middle of December 2000; that adoption will include amendments to the City's Comprehensive Plan, also called the Sarasota City Plan, to assure consistency; that State law requires the City's Comprehensive Plan and the adopted CRA Master Plan be consistent; that amendments are now being written to ensure the City's Comprehensive Plan parallels the adopted CRA Master Plan; that the Comprehensive Plan amendment process is lengthy and requires approval by the State Department of Community Affairs (DCA) scheduled for the middle of April 2001; that if the scheduled events proceed as planned, the adopted CRA Master Plan BOOK 48 Page 19912 08/08/00 6:00 P.M. BOOK 48 Page 19913 08/08/00 6:00 P.M. update will be completed by the middle of December 2000, the City's Comprehensive Plan will be amended and brought into compliance by the middle of April 2001, and the complex process of amending the Zoning Code (1998) will extend into the summer of 2001; that the public is being requested to refer specifically to the portions of the Master Plan Preliminary Draft containing the issue addressed and to indicate approval or disapproval or the changes being requested. 3. PUBLIC INPUT RE: : PRELIMINARY DRAFT DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN (AGENDA ITEM II) #1 (0352) through #2 (1290) Vice Mayor/Vice Chairman Hogle stated that the purpose of the meeting is to receive public input concerning the proposed Preliminary Draft of the City of Sarasota Downtown Master Plan 2020 (Preliminary Draft Master Plan); that the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) met on August 7, 2000, and determined the 3-minute speaking limitation on the entire plan was insufficient; and requested that the Deputy Auditor and Clerk explain the public input procedure. Deputy City Auditor and Clerk McGowan stated that members of the public wishing to speak are requested to complete a Request to Speak form; that speakers have the opportunity to speak on any or all of the five Chapters in the Preliminary Draft Master Plan of: General/Other, Waterfront and Cultural Districts, Downtown, Neighborhoods and Transportation; that speakers will be called in the order of receipt of the Request to Speak forms, will have 3 minutes to speak to each Chapter, and will be timed and advised when 1 minute remains. Vice Mayor/Vice Chairman Hogle stated that public input is welcomed; however, if any of the preceding speakers has addressed the same issue in a similar manner, a statement signifying concurrence with the previous speaker will be appreciated. The following people came before the Commission: General Chapter/Other Diana Hamilton, 312 Julia Place (34236), stated that the City described by DPZ will be a desirable place to live; that traffic will adhere to traffic laws and yield to pedestrian rights of wayi that citizens will walk into crosswalks and across streets without fear and with dignity intact; that vast areas will not be converted into parking spaces; that wide parkways and open skies will not be squandered to plant trees which will be skeletons 6 months of the year; that instead, shade trees will be planted close to parkways to create a cooling canopy as citizens walk down graceful, well-ordered streets; that walking Downtown from the Laurel Park Neighborhood will not be marred by vehicles parked on lawns which arrived by crossing parkways in which street trees could be planted; that the City's outdated codes from 1974 do not allow street parking on many streets in the Laurel Park Neighborhood; that living and working in homes is not allowed; that the desired City will encourage low-impact commerce such as coffee shops or small bakeries in carefully designed areas of neighborhoods; that mixed use will also be allowed, which by definition means a neighborhood; that single- family use, which is defined as district, would not be used to describe the place of residence; that the choice will be to embrace the simple concepts expressed throughout the Master Plan Preliminary Draft and be led by hope and not fear; that endorsement of the Master Plan Preliminary Draft is urged; that a major issue is redesignating US 41 so the fabulous, world- class Bayfront can be enjoyed; that the City should not become mired in complaints and fears; that every complaint and fear should be companioned with a solution and a hope; that hope seeks the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible; that the personal hope is the Commission has the courage and the backbone to endorse the Master Plan Preliminary Draft; that a personal preference is to live in the City DPZ describes. Manny Calvo, 5725 Lawton Drive (34233), Board President and General Manager, WWSB-TV Channel 40, representing the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce (Chamber), and William Couch, Acting President of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Calvo stated that the Chamber consists of 1,500 members and approximately 10,000 employees; that many members attended the workshops and served on several task forces in April 2000; that initially, the magnitude of the project, the composition of the DPZ team and the large financial commitment were concerns of the members; however, the concerns disappeared after meeting with City and DPZ Staff, who are extremely knowledgeable and professional; that the Chamber supports the necessity of long-range planning and many recommendations contained in the report; however, many members have not had the opportunity to thoroughly review the report; that information obtained from listening to others warrants scrutiny of: BOOK 48 Page 19914 08/08/00 6:00 P.M. BOOK 48 Page 19915 08/08/00 6:00 P.M. 1. the Bayfront including US 41 and the willingness to recognize US 41 as the Bayfront barrier, 2. a step-parking garage and shops concept with a small hotel near the Bayfront which should be examined prior to outright dismissal, 3. roundabouts to replace street bumps and if the examples should be the widespread successful use of roundabouts in the great cities of Europe or the failures of Clearwater, Florida, and Massachusetts, and 4. extension of the commercial zone between Orange Avenue and Washington Boulevard to the north which some believe is the only justification for the redevelopment of the area along Fruitville Road recognizing some Gillespie Park residents oppose the extension even though the extension may be the catalyst required, and 5. the immediate appointment of two regular citizens to serve on the CRA and the appointment of a CRA Advisory Board as previously requested by the business community. Mr. Calvo stated that the Chamber commends the Commission for initiating the master planning process and the report which is an excellent beginning; that the Chamber will work with the City and neighbors in the residential areas adjacent to Downtown to implement the Master Plan Preliminary Draft for everyone's benefit. Mr. Couch concurred. Commissioner/Member Quillin asked if the Chamber will form committees to review portions of the Master Plan Preliminary Draft and report back to the Commission? Mr. Couch stated that reports will be provided to the Commission. Philip P. Dasher, 926 Boulevard of the Arts (34236), Chairman, Sarasota County Bicycle/Pedestrian Committee, Tom Blackshear, 719 Wood Lane (34237), Vice Chairman, Sarasota County Bicycle/Pedestrian Committee, Earle Wallick, 1409 Georgetown Lane (34232), representing Sarasota County Bicycle/Pedestrian Committee. Mr. Blackshear stated that the consensus of members who reviewed the Master Plan Preliminary Draft is favorable; that the overall concepts are supported and fully endorsed; that the perception, vision and forthrightness of DPZ are recognized and appreciated; that the comment by DPZ concerning the insolubility of traffic is a good example and amplifies the theme: If you can't solve it, stop worrying about figuring out how to solve it and figure out how best to live with it. Mr. Blackshear distributed and read a handout documenting individual members' recommendations and recommendations of general consensus to DPZ and stated that individuals will find personal solutions to the problem of congestion if traffic is allowed to reach the level allowed by the road spacei that some will choose transit, walking, or biking as a better alternative; that the solution is to offer attractive alternatives. Mr. Blackshear continued that connecting the existing paved path along the Eighth Street right-of-way between Tuttle Avenue and Jefferson Avenue in the Park East Neighborhood into the pedestrian network is suggested; that one indication is the manner in which pedestrians are expected to cross streets at traffic circles is not incorporated in the Master Plan Preliminary Draft; that the comment does not imply opposition to traffic circles. Mr. Blackshear stated further that the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) manual includes recommendations concerning bicycles sharing roadways and indicates motorists must leave traffic lanes to save bicyclists if a travel lane falls below 11 feet; that many streets in the City area, including some designated as bicycle routes, exist with a lane width of less than 11 feet; that a problem should not exist with low speeds and fairly light traffic; that placing obstructions such as medians or trees which reduce the lane width and prevent motorists from going over the center line should be avoided on streets designated as bicycle routes; and distributed a copy of personal comments concerning the Master Plan Preliminary Draft. Robert Bernard, 5840 Country Wood Drive (34232), stated that some general concerns exist regarding the Master Plan Preliminary Draft; that most people will not be living in the City proposed by the Master Plan Preliminary Draft as the proposal is not driven by the market but by central planning; that the problem is the attempt to return Downtown to the past rather than the future; that no proposal can stop, control, or predict the future; that a plan for the future would provide an infrastructure to enable BOOK 48 Page 19916 08/08/00 6:00 P.M. BOOK 48 Page 19917 08/08/00 6:00 P.M. developers and residents to follow the market; that individuals act according to personal interest, which is the reason central planning will always fail. Lorrie Muldowney, 2709 Temple Street (34239), representing Sarasota County Division of Historical Resources (SCDHR), stated that participation in the Master Plan Preliminary Draft is appreciated; that the SCDHR Director serves on the Development Review Committee (DRC) ; that a review of the Master Plan Preliminary Drait brought forth personal memories of participation in City planning in the R/UDAT Study and CRA Master Plan; that the City is commended on the foresight and enthusiasm embodied in the Master Plan Preliminary Draft; that the vision for a new Downtown is exciting; that personal participation in DPZ presentations indicated perception of the issues; that many comments have been received concerning DPZ's remarks concerning the architectural significance of the Sarasota School of Architecture with such examples as the Sarasota Visitor Information Center, designed by architect Victor Lundy, and the addition to Sarasota High School (SHS), designed by architect Paul Rudolph; that the reuse of City Hall in an updated CRA Master Plan should be considered; that reference is made to the move of City Administration to the Federal Building with a general comment regarding the availability of the existing City Hall for community use; that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft should contain specific mention as the building is a wonderful representation of the work of architect Jack West; that DPZ has spoken of the Sarasota School of Architecture; however, discussion of other historic resources is lacking; that a rich legacy exists of buildings in the Mediterranean Revival Style, land boom structures, and wood frame structures from earlier periods. Ms. Muldowney continued that significant discussion and incorporation of resources is suggested; that historic preservation efforts are central to the great livable cities such as Boston, Massachusetts, Charleston, South Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia; however, the Master Plan Preliminary Draft contains little discussion of historic preservation, which is an important incentive for neighborhood rehabilitation and commercial revitalization; that the discussion of Federal Building use proposes a third-story addition; that consideration of historic preservation makes the addition inappropriate; that third stories have been added to historic buildings; however, the stories would typically be set back from the front façade sO as not to be visible; that another inaccuracy is in the existing-conditions map which indicates vacant land providing an opportunity for a liner building between the historic Sarasota Opera House and the next- door Burns and Bell Building at which Munroe's Restaurant is Located; that the two buildings adjoin one another; that both historic structures should be preserved; that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft references another proposed liner building at the north end of the Lemon Avenue Mall; however, the new building is indicated as being affixed to an historical building; that a question is if comprehensive mapping of the entire Community Redevelopment Area with identification of the infill opportunities will be accomplished. Richard Storm, 707 South Gulf Stream Avenue (34236), stated the City is commended for providing the public the opportunity to study the Master Plan Preliminary Draft which holds great promise for the future; that personal general objectives concern the livability of the City which the Master Plan Preliminary Draft is intended to guarantee and improve; that the work of DPZ became personally known while living in Rome, Italy; that the opportunity to work with DPZ was provided while serving on the Board of Seaside Institute in Seaside, Florida; that Seaside is a Florida panhandle city and the model for new urbanism spreading throughout the countryi that a previous speaker commented regarding market success; that market success is a characteristic of Seaside and other resort communities designed by DPZ; that Sarasota is unlike resort communities; that success follows if the principles are applied to the market; that obsession with convenience is apparently growing in the United States; that temporary convenience could condemn the City of Sarasota to a very dismal future; that narrow interests, convenlence and obsession with moving fast should be set aside; that the future of the City should be considered; that the vision shared by all will result in moments to admire the City while in slow-moving traiiic. Kafi Benz, PO Box 2900 (34230), stated that the concept of roundabouts has been personally presented frequently to the Commission; that roundabouts are one of the best solutions for the situations identified by DPZ, which has effectively introduced aspects of roundabouts while removing pedestrian traffic from the area to ensure effectiveness and safety; that the roundabouts proposed were carefully considered; that Michael Wallwork, P.E., Transportation Engineer and President, Alternate Street Design, Orange Park, Florida, developed the roundabout and made Melbourne, Australia, a very walkable, pedestrian-friendly community and then came to the State of Florida as a traific engineer, held numerous seminars throughout the State, educated many people about roundabouts, paralleling the concepts of DPZ, and is easily BOOK 48 Page 19918 08/08/00 6:00 P.M. BOOK 48 Page 19919 08/08/00 6:00 P.M. accessible for a second opinion if necessary; that all the research indicates pedestrians do not use roundabouts but will go to another street to cross; that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft has many creative aspects and should receive general support from the community; that some aspects require adjusting; however, the spirit of the presentation is wonderful. Brenda Patten, 720 South Orange Avenue (34236), Attorney, Law Firm of Kirk Pinkerton, representing Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, stated that the Commission is commended for the foresight and courage to engage in a master planning process for Downtown; that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft is exciting, hought-provoking, and generally supported with the overall will to produce a more vital and pedestrian-triendly Downtown; however, fine tuning of some elements is required. Attorney Patten referred to the graphic illustrating Project T1, Transportation Chapter, Master Plan Preliminary Draft, and stated that the thickness of band width is an indication of the traffic on various streets by denoting lesser or greater traffic volume; that the width of the band does not change on the portion of Gulf Stream Avenue going to St. Armands Circle or Longboat Keyi that the suggestion to consider support of a second bridge to Longboat Key north of the present location may be beyond the scope of the Master Plan Preliminary Draft; however, a review of the Transportation Chapter indicates the major problems in taking traffic off US 41 and Gulf Stream Avenue would be solved; that the Commission is urged to consider and support the suggestion for Downtown; that no opinion is offered concerning a high or low bridge to replace the Ringling Causeway Bridge which is a separate issue. Joyce Mintzer 101 South Gulf Stream Avenue (34236), Vice President of the Coalition of City Neighborhoods and Chair of the Neighborhood Planning Committee, and Craig Noren, 602 North Jefferson Avenue (34237), Vice Chairman of the Neighborhood Planning Committee. Ms. Mintzer stated that a committee was specifically formed to study the Master Plan Preliminary Draft; that the Neighborhood Planning Committee as well as the Coalition of City Neighborhood Associations (CCNA) will provide assistance in any manner or at any time requested; and entered into the record and read a prepared statement indicating that the Neighborhood Planning Committee, a permanent committee of the CCNA, is grateful for the opportunity to provide comments regarding the Master Plan Preliminary Draft, consists of members from various neighborhood associations throughout the City, represents approximately 20 percent of the City's population, and includes all of the districts and neighborhoods affected by the Master Plan Preliminary Draft, and included participation from the following organizations: Bayfront Condominium Association, Inc., Coon Key, Gillespie Park Neighborhood Association (GPNA), Golden Gate Point Association, Indian Beach/Sapphire Shores Association (IB/SSA), Laurel Park Neighborhood Association, Park East Community Association, Ringling Park Neighborhood Association, Rosemary District Association, Siesta Key/Bay Island Association, Southeast Sarasota Neighborhood Association, and St. Armands Residents Association, Inc. Ms. Mintzer continued that specific comments from several neighborhoods are provided; that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft consists of 82 recommendations for development projects in several areas of the Cityi that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft has been available to the public for one week; that conducting a comprehensive review of and reaching consensus from committee members regarding the Master Plan Preliminary Draft has been extremely difficult due to time constraints; that issues regarding specific recommendations can be resolved provided a committee of responsible citizens is appointed to study the Master Plan Preliminary Draft; that rushing to approve any recommendation based on the short review schedule and the intended preparation of the proposed land development regulations should not occur; that accepting recommendations based on inadequate review and incomplete studies is counterproductive and will lead to frustration, disagreements, a stalemate of the process, or total failure of the committee's positive intent to better Downtown and the City in general; that representatives from the Neighborhood Planning Committee and the Downtown Coalition are meeting to review the Master Plan Preliminary Draft; that too many recommendations require additional study and research; that the observation is obvious to many others; that two earlier proposals were to create a CRA Advisory Board and to appoint two citizens to the CRA; that the Neighborhood Planning Committee supports the recommendations; that a CRA Advisory Board, composed of a diverse section of knowledgeable citizens, could review the Master Plan Preliminary Draft and prepare recommendations as a first task; that no other group can handle such a task; that the recommendations could be provided to the Commission for review; that the Neighborhood Planning Committee and the CCNA have reached BOOK 48 Page 19920 08/08/00 6:00 P.M. BOOK 48 Page 19921. 08/08/00 6:00 P.M. a consensus; that the Neighborhood Planning Committee is available to assist the Commission. Mr. Noren stated that the summary statements concerning the Master Plan Preliminary Draft have been prepared by each of the neighborhoods and include page number and other references; that questions arose during the 2 p.m., August 8, 2000, Joint Workshop of the Commission, CRA, and PBLP which should be advanced to DPZ; and read into the record and submitted a prepared statement indicating: 1. A public meeting should be arranged on or about August 24, 2000, in which public comments could be offered and to which the public has access and an opportunity to present written comments not constrained by the 3-minute time limit followed by publicly available written comments by DPZ. 2. Positive standards concerning Downtown density for development for commercial and office use is preferable to indirect incentive proposals The implication has been that the recommended development regulations will only exchange dubious incentives for on-site parking allowing increased building height with equally dubious incentives to remove the on-site parking requirement as an incentive to restrain increased building height. 3. A built-out traffic demand model or plan for other utilities cannot be prepared with any certainty if the recommended incentives occur. Vice Mayor/Vice Chairman Hogle stated that written comments from citizens and residents are accepted at any time; that some written comments have already been received; that a public session is scheduled on August 23, 2000 at the Selby Library from 9 a.m. to 12 noon and 2 to 4 p.m. at which DPZ will respond to public input. Wolf Weinhold, 2560 Fruitville Road (34237), stated that an appearance before the Commission 2 years ago concerned the ongoing bridge problem; that a review of the Master Plan Preliminary Draft prompted the present appearance; that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft appears beautiful on the surface; however, the basic rudimentary issues of infrastructure, utilities and transportation are not addressed; that comments will be made concerning transportation later in the public hearings; however, implementation of the Master Plan Preliminary Draft will conflict with the express goals of bringing the City neighborhoods closer to the Bayfront; that the plan places the Downtown neighborhoods further away from the Bayfront; that building parking garages to replace US 41 is not pedestrian friendly; that a basic community council should be established; that the first focus should be on basics; that the entire community would like a edestrian-trienay Downtown; that the revitalization of Charleston, South Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia, required billions of dollars and considerable time; that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft does not recognize all the problems; that the City should step back, slow down the process, and focus on the issues and the implications of the direction in which the Master Plan Preliminary Draft will take the City in the future; that market forces will occur; that the City should allow for organic growth and not the carefully detailed type of growth DPZ achieved at Seaside and the Disney Company at Celebration; that Seaside and Disney will work well for a few years but then break down; that neighborhoods have been seen to dié; however, neighborhoods have also been rejuvenated. Rico Boeras, 8704 Woodbriar Drive (34238), City resident of 40 years, stated that cities in Europe, South America and parts of the United States have very enjoyable and successful pedestrian zones; that the City does not contain a true pedestrian zone which is defined as an area free of all vehicles; that many cities have one or more pedestrian zones; that the absence of vehicles is an important feature; that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft attempts to draw people to the Bayfront; that a mixture of small restaurants and shops might result in more people visiting the area; however, a large hotel on the Bayfront is not desired; that a hotel across from the Bayfront may be suitable; that roundabouts are easier than a four-way stop and are favored. Waterfront and Cultural Districts Chapter Charles Griggs, Architect, 4708 Pine Harrier Drive (34231), stated that the Commission has an awesome responsibility for approval of the Master Plan Preliminary Drait; that inclusion of the bridge issue in the Master Plan Preliminary Draft is fundamental to the success of the City's future; that the proposed bridge location is in the wrong place; that the issue is a replacement bridge; that the demolition of the existing bridge and construction of a new bridge to the north is not feasible; that the indication is the rerouting of US 41 can take place anywhere between Fruitville Road, Tenth Street, 17th Street and University Parkway; that a large piece of real estate exists between Fruitville Road and BOOK 48 Page 19922 08/08/00 6:00 P.M. BOOK 48 Page 19923 08/08/00 6:00 P,M. University Parkway to connect a new bridge; that the problem with the present location is a 3,000-foot bridge spanning a 2,000-foot waterway makes no sense; that the important factor is the bridge which is built; that anything else is irrelevant. Andrea Griggs, 4708 Pine Harrier Drive (34231), representing the Sarasota Garden Club, stated that the Sarasota Garden Club has been in Sarasota since the 1920s; however, the building and cul- de-sac are invisible on the drawings in the Master Plan Preliminary Draft; that the building may be positioned in error across the street; however, placing the existing building in the proper location on the drawing is requested; that horticulture is one of the arts and forms part of the Cultural District; that everyone is invited to visit the one acre of landscaped, pedestrian-friendly gardens, including the butterfly garden which has wheelchair access and is open to the public at all times; that the gardens are located at the intersection of Boulevard of the Arts and US 41 which is one of the intersections designated for a pedestrian sleeve with possible buildings built to the right-of-way; that a question is if a building is envisioned at the corner at which the gardens are located. Jim Germer, 33 South Gulf Stream Avenue #606 (34236), stated that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft.. contains positive aspect.s overall; that initially, the $300,000 cost generated skepticism and fear of rubberstamping; that one section reflects careless presentation of the waterfront area; that the concept of a parking garage, hotel and shops is ludicrous; that the downtowns of Sarasota and Manatee Counties are growing upi however, a reluctance to grow east exists; that removal of limited natural resources or green areas from the people is being attempted in the waterfront area near Marina Jack, Inc.; that roundabouts are an excellent idea and successful in European Cities. Mr. Germer continued that attention should be focused on Project D1, the Bayfront Proposal; that an alternate proposal, although not illustrated, could include extra shops and stores; that the Commission is requested not to allow commercial enterprises to span the waterfront; that quality of life and not trash as has been constructed in some other cities is desired and required in the City- Virginia Haley, Executive Director, Sarasota Visitor Information Center, 655 North Tamiami Trail (34236), stated that the Sarasota Visitor Information Center, designed by architect Victor Lundy, is currently not on the map in the Master Plan Preliminary Draft but should be included; that the potential of eliminating the world's most beautiful parking lots is wonderful; that to turn the wonderful space at the Bayfront over to asphalt is crazyi that potential uses should remain open to afford functionality and use by different organizations; that the solicitation of bids from private enterprise should remain open and available to benefit the entire community; that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft is terrific with many exciting elements; that the important elements must be implemented; that the waterfront development in the industrial city of Duluth, Georgia, is extremely successful; however, downtown Duluth is empty as no one knows of the existence of a downtown; that a large, busy road separates the waterfront and downtown preventing access to downtown; that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft should be reviewed in its entirety and corrected to promote the pedestrian-friendly areas everyone desires. Thorning Little, 524 Columbia Court (34236), Architect, stated that commercial use of the City's Bayfront, particularly the VWPAH parking lot, is a concern; that Centennial Park north of the VWPAH is devoted to boaters which is an important but limited use; that the large, vast area is utilized as a public parking lot for boats and trailers; that personal studies, including a thesis in 1978, address other mixed uses for the property to which allusion is made by DPZ but not illustrated; that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft indicates the Rosemary, Gillespie and Park East Neighborhoods flowing along Sixth Street across a pedestrian sleeve into US 41 and into the general area of the City's Bayfront; however, nothing specific is noted other than the use of the VWPAH parking lots; that other areas on the Bayfront are available to greater enhancement; that locating a hotel at the City's Bayfront is not preferred; however, several shops similar to O'Leary Coastal Rentals, Inc., and restaurant (O'Leary's) in concept and character offering amenities to individuals walking dogs, riding bicycles, roller skating or strolling could be considered; that St. Armands Circle, which is not on the water, has attracted much attention; that attention should also be focused on the beautiful waterfront. Mr. Little referred to Project D1, the Bayfront Proposal, which incorporates vehicular stacking on Gulf Stream Avenue and Palm Avenue and the creation of two or three echelons of viewers' uses and stated that implementation which was stressed in the beginning of the Master Plan Preliminary Drait is not addressed in the Bayfront Proposal; that the east side of Palm Avenue is zoned for moderate density; that nothing indicates the Future Land Use Map should be adjusted to allow for development of the Bayfront BOOK 48 Page 19924 08/08/00 6:00 P.M. BOOK 48 Page 19925 08/08/00 6:00 P.M. Proposal; that the area along Coconut Avenue was addressed; however, the Theater and Arts District (TAD) Zone District as a whole is not addressed; that many design concepts are wonderful; that a great development for Downtown Sarasota is envisioned; that the City is personally loved; that many changes and detailing in every corner are necessary; that more of an overview was expected instead of the many developed designs contained in the Master Plan Preliminary Draft; that designs were developed for streetscapes, including specific streetscapes, many mixed-use housing, and other infill housing or other housing structures; however, overviews for many areas such as US 301 adjacent to Payne Park, south of Ringling Boulevard to the intersection of US 41, various surrounding areas such as Little Five Points, and many other Downtown areas are necessary; that design is overdressed; however, the intent is understood; , that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft has been utilized to present concepts but should have been presented as more of an overview. Richard Sheldon, 526 South Osprey Avenue (34236), stated that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft is exciting; that the City should proceed or the Master Plan Preliminary Draft will fall by the wayside; that chaos is not the appropriate approach; that a nice, small hotel accessible to Downtown can be envisioned on the City's Bayfront; that the proposed Master Plan for Payne Park contains too many activities; that the green space suggested by DPZ is wonderful; that absentee landlords, fast cars, and front lawn parking should be addressed; that the absentee landlord problem can be alleviated with live/work areas which foster reliable, up- to-date neighborhoods; that as indicated by DPZ, vehicles are not intrinsically dangerous; that a speed of 20 to 25 miles per hour (mph) along the City's Bayfront might solve the problem; that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft was read in a few days and is fantastic. Carl Abbott, Architect, 2846 Riverside Drive (34234), stated that the entire community desires a people-friendly City; however, a plan which promotes the uniqueness of the City and the City's Bayfront in particular is also required; that architects have commented for years and at the April and May 2000 charrettes conducted by DPZ of the necessity to bring the City Closer to the City's Bayfront; that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft contains significant detail of certain sections not expected at the current stage; that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft depicts the City's Bayfront pushed further from the City rather than being brought closer to the City; that applause is offered to any plan which includes the goal of slowing down and rerouting current traffic on US 41 along the City's Bayfront if necessary; that the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) proposed many years ago rerouting some by-pass traffic away from the City's Bayfront; that lessening road size and speed will contribute to easier access to the City's Bayfront; that a parking structure with a high wall behind is proposed; that the City's Bayfront is being pushed awayi that the proposed hotel is a major concern; that the shops will be located in a Government Use (G) Zone District; that the buildings are a major concern; that the shops will be located in a G Zone District; that the buildings will not be one story but must be built up into the air and will block the view; that the current quantity of planting also pushes the Bayfront awayi that pruning could be done or the trees removed; however, shade is desired; that parking can be located in places other than the view side of the road; that additional high-rise buildings along the existing row on US 41 creates another wall to the City's Bayfront; that the approach of the Master Plan Preliminary Draft is a concern with reference to the City's proximity to the City's Bayfront; that the specific design of certain areas in the City sO early in the process is a concern; that a question is if the designs are specifically for Sarasota; that such a complete design would not be expected unless attempting to emulate another city; that the City's legacy of many unique buildings should be preserved and not modified to another design; that the inclusion of a new bridge in a master plan is mandatory. Kerry Kirschner, 1590 Gulf View Drive (34236), stated that the opportunity to present views is appreciated and reminiscent of the R/UDAT Plan; however, the numerous details require a much longer period than the set date of December 4, 2000; that the community is excited about components of the Master Plan Preliminary Draft; that the City's Bayfront feature and other issues require thorough debate; that the community has many creative individuals and architects knowledgeable in specific issues, both of whom have expressed views on issues; that features or concepts which work well in other communities may not be desirable in the Cityi, that the re-establishment of a CRA Advisory Board and possible expansion of the CRA would facilitate progressi that the CRA was created by State Statute and requires adoption by the Sarasota Board of County Commissioners (BCC); that roundabouts on State highways will probably require approval of the Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and FDOT; that stepping back and proceeding in a careful, detailed, systematic fashion to consider the concepts is suggested. BOOK 48 Page 19926 08/08/00 6:00 P.M. BOOK 48 Page 19927 08/08/00 6:00 P.M. Downtown Chapter Renee Pastor, 707 South Gulf Stream Avenue (34236), speaking on behalf of Georgianna Strauss, President of the Bayfront Condominium Association, who was unable to attend, read and submitted for the record a prepared statement indiçating that the Commission's foresight and determination to update the 15- year-old CRA Master Plan and proceed with an open process involving various resident and commercial groups is appreciated; however, the review schedule is extremely aggressive and too short for anyone or any group to thoroughly study the numerous recommendations and provide the Commission with informed comments; that the short review schedule will derail the intent of the entire process due to the extent of the recommendations and the possible impact of implementation; that DPZ's belief is not much time should be allotted between submission of the Master Plan Preliminary Draft and adoption; that DPZ's belief is understood; however, not providing sufficient time to review will jeopardize the Commission's good intentions as well as the process; that the Bayfront Condominium Association is not listed in the Master Plan Preliminary Draft as a neighborhood but forms the Downtown core neighborhood of the periphery stretching from Mound Street (US 41) north to Gulf Stream Avenue and north to the Quay and to Tenth Street; that the members of the Bayfront Condominium Association live in the City and comprise over 1,200 units with approximately 2,000 people; that the hope is the exclusion is an oversight. Ms. Pastor continued that development of public lands was thoroughly discussed before the Commission relative to the Senior Friendship Center; that any new discussion of the development of public lands for civic or municipal purposes such as a parking garage and a proposed hotel development at the Bayfront Park, or the proposed Cultural District near the VWPAH should not occuri that the Commission previously agreed the City would no longer tolerate use of public lands for development no matter the worthy purposesi; that DPZ should be directed to remove all public land developments from the Master Plan Preliminary Draft to diffuse creation of a stalemate and allow review of the worthy recommendations; that removing the current cul-de-sac at the Church of the Redeemer and opening Gulf Stream Avenue to traffic from US 41 to Mound Street would turn Gulf Stream Avenue into a major thoroughfare and is irresponsible; that traffic on US 41 may be reduced; that the traffic would merely be diverted to Gulf Stream Avenue which is the front door of ten primary residential condominiums, including the newest Sarabande Condominium, Tessera Condominium, Marina Tower of Sarasota, Ltd., and over 800 homes; that DPZ should be directed to keep the cul-de-sac and present contiguration as is. Ms. Pastor stated further that the Gulf Stream Avenue and US 41 roundabout is another questionable recommendation; that any roundabout should not be installed until use of the roundabout at such an intensive intersection is fully understood and studies evaluated; however, the roundabout should be located at a site with less potential for error if the Commission wishes to proceed; that many handicap ramps exist in the area; that the Commission is applauded for hearing the cries of the people in need and helping citizens with disabilities and opposing any removal of handicap ramps; that any improperly constructed ramps should be corrected but not removed; that as a whole, the Master a Plan Preliminary Draft is wonderful. Vice Mayor/Vice Chairman Hogle stated that the public can provide written statements, which will be copied for additional review. Ernest Ritz, 1490 First Street (34236), stated that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft contains numerous good ideas; however, the development of the City's Bayfront is not one of the good ideas; that the topic addressed will be the streetscape of Lemon Avenue from First to State Street; that the street in existence today is approximately 18 feet and one lane wider than Main Street; that the sidewalks on Lemon Avenue are approximately 36 inches wide; that the distance to the buildings from vehicles parallel parked in the evening creates an unsafe and unfriendly feeling resulting in people walking in the street; that priority should be given to the completion of the streetscape of Lemon Avenue. Dr. Marilyn Hauser, 1255 Gulf Stream Avenue (34236), was no longer present in the Chambers. Pam Truitt, PO Box 701 (34230), representing the Downtown Coalition, stated that other members of the Downtown Coalition include Linda Holland, Joyce Mintzer, Kerry Kirschner, Patricia Richmond, Paul Thorpe, John Harshman, and others interested in the Downtown area; that the opportunity to address the Commission is appreciated; that efforts to review the Master Plan Preliminary Draft revealed significant information and fine points are included; however, a comfort level does not exist with moving forward with the Master Plan Preliminary Draft as BOOK 48 Page 19928 08/08/00 6:00 P.M. BOOK 48 Page 19929 08/08/00 6:00 P.M. proposed; that issues such as commercial intrusion into neighborhoods, development of the City's Bayfront, and commercial heights in Downtown were discussed by members of the Downtown Coalition; that a determination was made as to the issues the Downtown Coalition felt important; that the hope is for the success of the Master Plan Preliminary Draft in the City; that the Downtown Coalition has recommendations which would assist the City in making the Master Plan Preliminary Draft successful; that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft as a framework could be conceptually approved; that immediate appointment of a CRA Advisory Board is suggested; that many well-qualified people are willing to assist to assure success; that the collective voice of the community is the process is being rushed; that the process should not be placed on hold; that placing the burden on a CRA Advisory Board with a deadline shifts the burden from the Commission to the CRA Advisory Board, allowing a CRA Advisory Board to complete the process and ultimately filter and bring the projects to the Commission within the time allotted; that another suggestion is to appoint two citizens to the CRA which has been suggested by the Coalition of City Neighborhood Associations (CCNA) and the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce; that the Community Redevelopment Area should not be expanded as mixing neighborhood with Downtown issues is nappropriate; that neighborhoods are appropriately linked to Downtown; however, pulling neighborhood issues into Downtown issues dilutes the effectiveness of the Department of Neignborhoods and ongoing Neighborhood Action Strategies (NASs) and places neighborhoods and the Downtown core in an adversarial position regarding Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funding. Patricia Richmond, 2726 Darwin Avenue (34239), President, and Pam Truitt, PO Box 701 (34230), Member, the Downtown Association of Sarasota, Inc. (Downtown Association), stated that the Executive Director of the Downtown Association recently sent a letter commending the Commission for initiating the master plan process and endorsing a swift and successful conceptual approval of the Master Plan Preliminary Draft; that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft is a beginning and will undergo many transformations in the coming years, which hopefully will include a necessary convention center; that many members of the Downtown Association have requested additional time to review the Master Plan Preliminary Draft and request additional time be allowed in the August 23 and 24, 2000, sessions for public input; that the Commission is congratulated for taking the first steps of a long journey. Thomas Peters, 811 South Palm Avenue (34236), representing Marie Selby Botanical Gardens (Selby Gardens), distributed an August 7, 2000, letter to the Commission indicating the concern of Selby Gardens for the safety of the over 6,500 family members and 160,000 visitors annually and stated that the number of visitors is anticipated to triple by the year 2020; that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft is exciting; however, Selby Gardens has a specific request for inclusion in the Master Plan Preliminary Draft for a pedestrian sleeve or some form of access on Palm Avenue and Mound Street; that a busy intersection is the main entrance into Selby Gardens with traffic consisting of bicyclists and vehicles; that the entrance is dangerous due to the lack of vision while traveling around the corner at Mound Street; that the current plan provides for traffic abatement on US 41; that Selby Gardens is requesting continuation of abatement by placing a pedestrian sleeve on Palm Avenue and Mound Street; that Selby Gardens is preparing a master plan during the next 6 months and conducting charrettes; that the schedule will be provided to the Commission to avoid conflict with the City's schedule; that Selby Gardens looks forward to working extensively with the City regarding the process. Brenda Patten, 720 South Orange Avenue (34236), Trustee for Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, stated that the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens is an important and very beautiful walk-to community facility and is the southern anchor of the City's Downtown; that the Trustees are currently working on a master plan which will make available without charge a portion of Selby Gardens for watching sunsets and enjoying views of Sarasota Bayi that planning for the Downtown and Selby Gardens is occurring during the same period; that efforts will be made to coordinate the process, particularly with reference to the pedestrian sleeve, which is requested due to the number of people who walk to Selby Gardens for special events; that normally a police officer is available to direct traffic; that the connection and crossway into Selby Gardens is very difficult and could be made more pedestrian friendly. Thorning Little, 524 Columbia Court (34236), stated that the few issues of conçern relate to Downtown; however, the issue of Selby Gardens as a sunset spot will also be addressed; that a sunset viewing place was never included in the planning for the old or new bridge and could have been placed at the location of the bridge; that many west coast communities afford viewers the opportunity for splendid views; that east coast communities lack the beautiful view; that the beautiful, splendid view is a feature which is not but could be incorporated in the Master Plan BOOK 48 Page 19930 08/08/00 6:00 P.M. BOOK 48 Page 19931 08/08/00 6:00 P.M. Preliminary Draft; that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft does not contain some basic features particularly electric power lines throughout the Downtown area; that the City and the County accept overhead power lines; however, countries in Europe which live on rock formations and not sand do not accept overhead electric power lines; that an independent study indicated a mandate from the governor is required to force electric power utilities to bury electric power lines underground without placing a great economic burden on the community to force the action; that the economic value is noted by the increase in property values; that desirability and quality of life is enhanced; that other elements of continuity throughout the City are necessary; that attempts to walk from one side of the City to the other on a diagonal is not possible; that insurmountable objects appear in the path; that DPZ expressed the desire during the charrettes to change the manner in which codes are written and suggested verbiage slanted to desired ultimate impact on the property as opposed to limitations on development guidelines such as setbacks, height criteria, and massing; that the quality of the end product should be the desired goal; that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft should incorporate suggestions to guide the City in drafting and implementing applicable laws. Richard Sheldon, 526 South Osprey Avenue (34236), stated that the. term reterenced in the elimination of power lines is "wire scaping"; that an individual who performs the service is located in Nokomis, Florida. Neighborhoods Chapter Jennifer Wilson, 435 Seeds Avenue (34237), representing the Park East Community Association, distributed and read into the record an August 8, 2000, letter from the Park East Community Association expressing appreciation for being included in the master plan efforts and indicating a desire to work with the City to assist with implementation of the Master Plan Preliminary Draft in the Park East Neighborhood as well as support of surrounding neighborhoods in the desire to maintain the character of the neighborhood. Ms. Wilson distributed copies of personal remarks made at the Neighborhood Planning Committee of the CCNA indicating the Master Plan Preliminary Draft is welcomed as a pedestrian plan but requires more detail related to the Park East Neighborhood and indicating the following concerning specific projects: Project Comment PE 5 - Trash in the Agree, have trash collected on Mondays Streets PE 6 = Code Agree, establish landlord registration Enforcement PE 7 - Fencing Agree, establish fund to assist people willing to remove chain-link fence and replace with hedges PE 12 - Missing Disagree, sidewalks should be installed Sidewalks on both sides of Eighth Street PE 14 - Curb & Disagree, curb and gutter is required to Gutter Placement help with flooding problem PE 18 = The Agree, the City should purchase the Neighborhood Center community church and surrounding property PE 19 - Housing Agree, lower- and middle-income housing Redevelopment should be dispersed PE 27 - Yield Parking should be allowed on either side Movement of a street to slow vehicular traffic and alleviate parking in yards Jeffrey Oldenberg, PO Box 896 (34230), local resident since 1978, owner of several homes in Gillespie Park, and active in all attempts for rejuvenation, stated that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft is personally supported; that the belief is 75 to 80 percent of the residents in Gillespie Park would vote to support the Master Plan Preliminary Draft; and referred to the General Description of the Gillespie Park Neighborhood, Section V, Neighborhoods as follows: The Gillespie Park Neighborhood is bounded by Osprey Avenue on the west and US 301 on the east. Mr. Oldenberg stated that Gillespie Park is actually bounded by Orange Avenue on the west, which is significant as the recommendation is to allow businesses and home occupations on Osprey Avenue; that some success has been realized in the vicinity; that the police have been fantastic; however, the critical mass required to rejuvenate has not been achieved; that in the past, attempts have been made to chase the negative elements and crime out; that all the bad guys will not be chased out at once resulting in a significant number of vacant homes and BOOK 48 Page 19932 08/08/00 6:00 P.M. BOOK 48 Page 19933 08/08/00 6:00 P.M. good, legitimate people realizing Gillespie Park is a fantastic place to live and move in; that enough legitimate people should be given an incentive to move in while elbowing out the negative elements; that the dilapidated, old homes on Orange and Osprey Avenues can be turned into home occupations or businesses, which is the manner in which the renaissance south of Main Street began in the early 1980s; that no increase in traffic will be encountered once the negative elements which typically generate considerable vehicular traffic have been elbowed out; that any increase in traffic will be insignificant compared to the benefits achieved; that Gillespie Park should be made into an eclectic, safe, vibrant community now; that new people moving in will not believe the transformation; that the bold, new initiative should be seized to provide the 600 people who live in Gillespie Park hope. The Commission recessed at 7:50 p.m. and reconvened at 8:00 p.m. Linda Holland, 617 Gillespie Avenue (34236), President, Gillespie Park Neighborhood Association (GPNA), and 17-year officer of GPNA, Donald Chaney, 403 North Osprey Avenue (34236), and Jim McIntosh, 5627 14th Street West (34207), representing GPNA. Ms. Holland submitted and read a prepared statement into the record indicating the involvement of GPNA since the formation in 1983, appreciation for the time and effort of all involved in the effort to develop the Master Plan Preliminary Draft, and concerns of GPNA regarding several recommendations related to Gillespie Park, specifically: Gillespie Park is a walk-to-town neighborhood and should not be developed into an independent town; Existing residential zoning should remain in place to avoid commercial intrusion; and The theme for Gillespie Park which was adopted with the Neighborhood Action Strategies (NASs) is "Restoring the Past for Our Future,' a i.e., preservation of the built legacy. Ms. Holland stated the recommendations concerning Gillespie Park will be addressed in writing and submitted in the future for the Commission's consideration; that GPNA supports review, discussion and debate of many elements of the Master Plan Preliminary Draft; that more time than currently scheduled is necessary; that the timetable for the process should be adjusted. Mr. Chaney stated that his personal residence at the corner of Osprey Avenue and Fourth Street is being refurbished and rehabilitated; that the residence does not appear on the Master Plan Preliminary Draft; that the Bayfront near Downtown is personally visited frequently and is greatly appreciated; that the only people to benefit from a hotel on the City's Bayfront will be tourists, developers and managers of the hotel; that City residents will not benefit; that the placement of a hotel on the east side of US 41 or north of John Ringling Boulevard would be preferable. Mr. McIntosh concurred with the statements of Ms. Holland and * Mr. Chaney. Alice Paneco, 1937 Eighth Street (34236), as a substitute for Wayne DeLair, representing the Gillespie Park Action Council (GPAC), and Marvin Fitzer, 1740 South Orange Avenue (34239), member of GPAC. Ms. Paneco stated that the City recognized the need for positive growth of the Downtown neighborhoods by contracting with DPZ; that also necessary is openness to new ideas; that progress cannot be made without change; that incentives should be offered for change to occur; that allowing mixed-use and live/work units in Gillespie Park is the incentive; that clarification of definitions of various zoning terms and commercial, mixed-use and live/work uses is required due to misconceptions; that the course of action must be changed if different results are desired; and entered for the record a petition signed by area residents indicating support the Master Plan Preliminary Draft including the following: Mixed-use zoning for the Orange and Osprey Avenue corridors; Live/work zoning throughout the neighborhood; and The updated proposal for Fruitville Road. Ms. Paneco stated that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft should be adopted to benefit the City of Sarasota and improve the quality of life. BOOK 48 Page 19934 08/08/00 6:00 P.M. BOOK 48 Page 19935 08/08/00 6:00 P.M. Mr. Fitzer stated that all monthly GPAC meetings have been personally attended; that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft has been discussed with GPAC members; that many feel the commercial use of Fruitville Road would be advantageous to Gillespie Park; that another part of the Master Plan Preliminary Draft to receive majority approval of the Gillespie Park residents is the creation of a live/work area; that the City has placed signs indicating Gillespie Park is a walk-to-town neighborhood; however, the only people currently walking to town are people who work in town; that the neighborhood will become a walk-to- town neighborhood at the time the Master Plan Preliminary Draft is placed into effect. Ms. Paneco stated. that the logo for Gillespie Park is "Restoring the Past for the Future"; that live/work neighborhoods are wonderful places in which to grow up and mix with neighbors. Richard Sheldon, 526 South Osprey Avenue (34236), deferred from speaking further. - Transportation Chapter Tollyn Twitchell, 1445 Flower Drive (34239), representative of the Citizens' Advisory Committee (CAC) of the Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), stated that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft does not address traffic in the larger context but only in a small area; that major outside traffic is the cause of many complaints concerning US 41 and the Ringling Causeway Bridge; that formerly Bayfront Park did not exist; that US 41 was routed along Main Street; that the City was bold and rerouted US 41 around Downtown; that consideration should be given to removing the bridge landing from the present location in addition to removing US 41 as the Ringling Causeway Bridge is part of the problem; that a long-term consideration could be to place the bridge landing around Tenth Street and not route US 41 along Fruitville Road; that rerouting US 41 should be incorporated in the Master Plan Preliminary Draft as a desirable goal for consideration later due to the controversial nature of the issue at this time. Wolf Weinhold, 2560 Fruitville Road (34237), stated that cities and towns exist due to the requirement for people to interact; that transportation is required to deliver and move goods and services to cities and towns; that solutions to any other problem in the Master Plan Preliminary Draft will not be possible until the City addresses transportation needs and problems; that removal of US 41 from the Bayfront is necessary; that the present location of US 41 is a result of billions of Federal dollars being invested in the road-building plan of the 1950s which destroyed the waterfronts in virtually every major metropolitan city in the country; that billions of dollars have been spent in the last 10 years. tearing down the Embarcadero Freeway in San Francisco, depressing the central artery in Boston, and tearing down a portion of Interstate (I)-16 in Savannah and the expressway along the waterfront in St. Louis; that US 41 was built on the Bayfront from 1964 to 1967 because the maritime industry had died; that the Bayfront contained old piers and was the cheapest, easiest place for the Federal and State governments to rebuild the area; that the City should address. the bridge issue with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to achieve a comprehensive transportation plan designed to move through-traffic from Bradenton to Venice and Longboat Key to I-75 out of the Downtown core; that the City will not be a edestrian-triendy village and no plan will work until the movement of 70,000 vehicles a day to the Gulf Stream Avenue and US 41 intersection is diverted; that Downtown should be a destination to which people want to come to and not a place people are moving through. Richard Sheldon, 526 South Osprey (34236), deferred from speaking further. Vice Mayor/Vice Chairman Hogle stated that 46 individuals addressed the following areas incorporated in the Master Plan Preliminary Draft: General/Other, Waterfront and Cultural Districts, Downtown, Neighborhoods and Transportation; that the comments are appreciated. 4. DISCUSSION RE: INPUT FROM THE PLANNING BOARD/LOCAL PLANNING AGENCY AND THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY/CITY COMMISSION (AGENDA ITEM III) #2 (1290) through (2915) PBLP Chairman Rutkowski stated that the plan appears brilliant based on review and personal familiarity with the concepts, principles and benefit of traditional neighborhood living for 10 years; that Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company (DPZ) is extremely sensitive to the needs of the City; that the City began with the Comprehensive City Plan, Sarasota, Florida, written by John Nolen, City Planner (1925); that the Preliminary Draft of the City of Sarasota Downtown Master Plan 2020 (Master Plan Preliminary Draft) is not a finished document but rather a work BOOK 48 Page 19936 08/08/00 6:00 P.M. BOOK 48 Page 19937 08/08/00 6:00 P.M. in progress which probably will not end during the lifetime of the people in attendance; that the master plan adopted pursuant to the Master Plan Preliminary Draft will continue to evolve, grow and thrive over time; that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft contains 53 implementation and management ideas; that financing is indicated as the responsibility of the City, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), and other responsible parties, which will be interesting; that the cost may be insurmountable; however, the cost should not stop the City from taking the fascinating concepts and ideas and moving forward; that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft is based on the concept of new urbanism; that some speakers were in favor of some of the principles of new urbanism but against others; that new urbanism cannot be accomplished by following some principles and not others; that the principles are either embraced wholeheartedly or are compromised, which will lead to failure. PBLP Chairman Rutkowski continued that DPZ indicated surface parking lots in the middle of a block are like missing teeth; that similarly, an entire walk-to-town neighborhood has been omitted from the Master Plan Preliminary Draft which is reprehensible, objectionable, makes no sense, and will hurt the City in the future; that a reaction from DPZ would be appreciated; that a master plan of the entire Downtown core, the great ideas, the A and B streets, and the frontage. standards stop in the middle of some City blocks, which is difficult to understand and comprehend; that expansion of the Community Redevelopment Area has been discussed; however, personal discussions with members of the Sarasota Board of County Commissioners (BCC) indicate enough votes from the BCC do not exist to expand the City's Community Redevelopment Area in the short term which is unfortunate. PBLP Vice Chairman Lindsay stated that generally the Master Plan Preliminary Draft is incorporates common sense concepts of which most affected persons were aware but which have never been assembled in a logical, systematic manner; that implementation of some recommendations may be problematical; that the opportunity for implementation may not be possible for a long time as funds may not be available, certain property rights may be owned by somebody who is currently making good use but may change in 10 to 20 years which is the timeframe under discussion; that one idea presented with which personal disagreement is expressed is to slow down the process to get more information; that one speaker talked about the virtues of the accomplishments as a result of the Regional/Urban Design Assistance Team (R/UDAT) Study, November 1983; that the current master planning process has been going on for 3 or 4 months and has 3 or 4 more months to goi that the R/UDAT Study was completed in 7 days; that not all of the R/UDAT Study was implemented; however, more was implemented than in any other long-range plan the City has done; that the key is keeping the timeframe reasonably compressed sO the same : people complete the study who commissioned the study and sO everyone does not lose interest and drift away; that every specific implementation idea will have lengthy debate in the future; that changing intersections, land uses, the Zoning Code (1998), existing zoning, etc., will require public hearings; that everyone will have ample opportunity to speak to the details; that the balance of any master plan should not be invalidated if one particular item is not chosen; that a personal view is the City should move forward expeditiously. PBLP Member Kantor stated that the PBLP acts as an advisory board; that the anticipation is hotels or berms will not be built on the Bayfront; that the PBLP is appreciative of citizen input; that a decision must be made as to a long-term plan which will require sacrifice; that more importantly, an agreement as to a future direction and prioritization is necessary; that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft provides an indication of projects accessible and attainable in the Cityi that a committee will not be able to reach agreement; that more problems will result from committees whose members will disagree; that other committees will decide if committees are correct or not; that the idea of more meetings and more committees is not personally favored; that a quagmire of pieces of paper at the end of every meeting can result; that the City must determine which recommendations are accepted and begin to head in a commonly accepted direction; that the only objection is the suggestion to slow down and look back which will result in a guaranteed destruction of progress; that the input of all citizens is appreciated; that the City is headed in the right direction; that additional committees or advisory board acolytes are not necessary. PBLP Member Vaughn concurred and stated that the process should not slow down; that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft is the beginning and not the end; that listening and observing will reveal the next step and required alternations; that to halt the process or form more committees will commit the plan to failure; that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft should be approved; that immediate completion is not required; that completion may not occur in 5, 10, or 20 years; however, the Master Plan BOOK 48 Page 19938 08/08/00 6:00 P.M. BOOK 48 Page 19939 08/08/00 6:00 P,M. Preliminary Draft can be approved and changes made as necessary and desired; that some buildouts may not be desired but will remain unknown unless the City progresses; that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft should be moved forward. PBLP Vice Chairman Lindsay stated that the process should not be stopped to discuss the relocation of the Ringling Causeway Bridge, which is another issue requiring 3 to 4 years or longer to resolve; that the existing conditions today should be placed in proper perspective; that relocating the Ringling Causeway Bridge to another site or the addition of a second bridge in 5, 10, or 20 years will improve the results of decisions now being made; that the unresolved bridge issue should not preclude action on the Master Plan Preliminary Drait; that any change from the present location of the Ringling Causeway Bridge will be an improvement. PBLP Member Palmer stated that the process is reminiscent of the R/UDAT planning in 1883 through 1986 which included the opportunity for public input, organization and a processi that the process was slightly different; however, the mantra is the same; that tonight is the beginning of the process for a 20-year plan and not the end; that slowing down the process will result in the City's being in the same position 20 years from now which is not desired; that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft contains intriguing ideas, common sense, and controversial issues as evidenced by the speakers' comments; that the issues will be brought before the Commission and other decision-making bodies as the Master Plan Preliminary Draft moves forward; that the remarks will be reviewed by DPZ; that the public will have additional opportunity for input; that sufficient time has not been provided to review the Master Plan Preliminary Draft which was received approximately one week ago; however, many issues were addressed by DPZ at the recent charrette; that much information is not new or different from the concepts discussed at the charrette; that community input is welcome; that moving forward is recommended; that the process will not occur overnight or immediately; that the Community Redevelopment Area was created following the adoption of the Downtown Sarasota: Master Plan for Tomorrow (May 1986) (CRA Master Plan); that provisions have been made for the formation of a Redevelopment Department in the fiscal year (FY) 2000/01 budget; that the organization and function of the Redevelopment Department is not totally developed; that an advisory board could be considered; however, the Master Plan Preliminary Draft should be adopted; that a Redevelopment Advisory Board was created upon adoption of the R/UDAT Studyi that the CRA should have a body similar to the PBLP which serves the Commission to help the CRA implement the plan; that an Advisory Board could be formed at the appropriate time; however, delaying adoption of the Master Plan Preliminary Draft rather than moving forward is inappropriate; that the community had positive comments; that individual differences have been expressed in certain neighborhoods and from certain interest groups; that the opportunity exists for the City to move forward into the next millennium with a plan which offers many advantages. Commissioner/Member Quillin stated that no one indicated the process should be stopped; that people indicated the process should.be slowed as the schedule is aggressive; that many groups are reviewing individual elements of the Master Plan Preliminary Draft and felt rushed to speak to specific recommendations; that everyone. did an excellent job of indicating elements requiring further exploration; that the process should not be stopped; that the CRA and Commission met in a workshop to consider the process and determined the public should be able to speak to multiple elements of the Master Plan Preliminary Draft; that at the CRA's and Commission's suggestion, Staff set up the Open House on August 23, 2000, to increase communication through a question-and-answer period; that the public was not heard as wishing to stop the process but rather wishes assurance of being part of the process, which is desired by the Commission and the CRA; that public input is desired; that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft is a blueprint just as the R/UDAT Study was a blueprint and the catalyst for establishing a core plan which established the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District which has been bonded and paid for the Bayfront and Downtown improvements. Commissioner/Member Quillin continued that the comment from a representative of Selby Gardens concerning a pedestrian sleeve was interesting; that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft is to provide ideas which tie the rest of the neighborhoods into Downtown; that the key and backbone to the entire Master Plan Preliminary Draft is the Transportation Chapter; that the citizens in the City and the County of Sarasota have transportation as a main concerni that the entire community must deal with the issue of transportation; that some excellent ideas have been presented; that a personal sense of excitement exists; that in 1986 the City had a CRA Advisory Board; that the Commission sits as the CRA; that a CRA Advisory Board would be able to bring the various elements forward which will be an intricate part of the amendments necessary to the City's BOOK 48 Page 19940 08/08/00 6:00 P.M. BOOK 48 Page 19941 08/08/00 6:00 P.M. Comprehensive Plan, also called the Sarasota City Plan, 1998 Edition; that the Master Plan Preliminary Drait will become a living, breathing document which will be remembered by the community, which needs historical memories every so often. Commissioner/Nember Quillin stated further that updates to the Master Plan, Preliminary Draft, will be required prior to the year 2020; that the relocation of US 41 from Main Street to the Bayfront was personally experienced; that a hotel is not personally desired on the Bayfront; that a much better vision can be developed than trying to add things which detract from the natural beauty of the Bayfront which is part of the City's charm; that other aspects of the Master Plan Preliminary Draft are wonderful; that new projects such as a new civic center and a new City Hall can be contemplated 20 years into the future; that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft is an exciting catalyst for the community to come together and work towards the future. Commissioner/Member Mason stated that everyone's attendance at the meeting and the speakers' sharing concerns about the Master Plan Preliminary Draft are appreciated; that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft contains a significant amount of information to absorb; that speakers exhibit bravery and boldness by presenting opinions to the Commission; that the opinion of the public is required for the Commission to make informed, intelligent decisions about City issues; that more opportunities to speak about the Master Plan Preliminary Draft will arise; that concern regarding the time line of the Master Plan Preliminary Draft is acknowledged; that the process of implementing the Master Plan Preliminary Drait is just beginning and cannot be completed without the public's input; that members of the public are encouraged to continue attending meetings, writing to the Commission, and speaking regarding the Master Plan Preliminary Draft so the Commission can make the best decision for the City; that times are changing; that changes in the City must be made to accommodate the times; however, care must be taken in making the changes; that the Commission desires to continue to hear opinions from the public which help the Commission make decisions for the City. Commissioner/Member Cardamone stated that the Commission has been quiet throughout the meeting; that the possibilities of many nay-sayers and negative comments were dreaded; however, as the evening progressed, relief was felt as people came forward to share excitement regarding the Master Plan Preliminary Draft; that concern was expressed as the Master Plan Preliminary Draft is a topic of serious interest; that the audience came to the Commission in a positive manner; that some speakers discussed history and the events resulting in the problem of the manner in which to redevelop the Downtown; that the City was the victim of so-called urban renewal during which departments of transportation ran freeways through major cities and created the slum and blighted areas by the decisions made; that the City became a victim of urban renewal at the time malls and movie theaters moved south, east, and north, dragging the business district into the situation seen in the 1960s and 1970s; that returning the Downtown to the citizens of the community is a splendid concept which is eagerly anticipated; that the positive comments regarding the Master Plan Preliminary Draft are appreciated; that unanimous feeling exists about moving ahead and not delaying the implementation of the Master Plan Preliminary Draft; that the Commission should continue with the previously approved schedule; that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft consists of recommendations, not a definitive work order of projects to begin immediately; that the Commission will debate some ideas in the Master Plan Preliminary Draft for years; that the democratic process is alive and well in the Cityi that considerable debate regarding the recommendations in the Master Plan Preliminary Draft will occur; that DPZ's new urbanism concepts and the enthusiasm for changes created in the City result in a wonderful way to move to the next level of being a world-class city; that a future may not emerge if not carefully considered; that the farsightedness of the community in trying to move forward in a proactive, positive manner illustrates a significant amount about City government, the advisory boards, and the citizens who support the Master Plan Preliminary Drait; that some projects are revolutionary and require citizens and government to pause and reflect; that a speaker, Richard Storm, summarized the topic by saying a desire exists for a livable City; that the future of the City must be carefully considered, not for the narrow interest of individuals but in a more global fashion; that consideration includes the effects of the Master Plan Preliminary Draft on citizens' futures, especially children, and those individuals who come afterward; that the Commission, the PBLP, and the citizens have an opportunity to leave a tangible legacy for the future of the City. Vice Mayor/Vice Chairman Hogle stated that the public input regarding the Master Plan Preliminary Draft is welcomed; however, responsibility for moving forward will not be deferred to a committee; that the Commission should finalize BOOK 48 Page 19942 08/08/00 6:00 P.M. BOOK 48 Page 19943 08/08/00 6:00 P.M. consideration of the Master Plan Preliminary Draft and move forward to the next step; that after much personal study and contemplation, conflict is noted in some areas of the Master Plan Preliminary Draft, many of which have been discussed; that the City's Bayfront is an example of an area in which conflicts are created between transportation and condominiums, hotels, and garages; that an interest is DPZ's reference to Monte Carlo which is a personal favorite place at which Formula One races were viewed in the past; that a different picture of Monte Carlo than presented by DPZ is seen; that the Sarasota Garden Club is not included on the map in the Master Plan Preliminary Draft; that a question is the location of the boats and the yachting community on the charts and maps; that only Marina Jack, Inc., has been included on the charts and mapi that a different picture for the City of Sarasota than presented by DPZ is visualized; that an opportunity to determine the status of US 41 is presented; that the Master Plan Preliminary Draft does not present a proposed location for US 41; that the traffic counts presented in the Master Plan Preliminary Draft continue to indicate significant traffic on US 41 even if alternatives are adopted; that a concern is the Master Plan Preliminary Draft may not work; that an opportunity is presented to take a dead city from 20 years ago and make the situation worse or create a world-class city; that achieving the latter is important; that the Commission has the ambition and drive required to achieve the goal. City Manager Sollenberger stated that many well considered comments were presented; that one area of concern is the cost of implementing the Master Plan Preliminary Draft; that the current CRA Master Plan was adopted in November of 1986, a copy of which was personally received from the Commission in 1987 upon appointment as City Manager; that the CRA Master Plan was evaluated; that the determination was the City would spend tens of millions of dollars to implement the plan, which has been the case; that $150,000 was provided by the Commission at the time, sO the task of implementing the CRA Master Plan seemed almost insurmountable; that funding strategies were developed to leverage dollars from other sources together with City funds; that some projects do not have a cost as people volunteer time or services; that the best example is Kane Plaza; that the current CRA Master Plan indicates a landmark building at the end of Main Street should be developed; that after the property was acquired by private parties, the owners were advised of the concepts incorporated in the CRA Master Plan; that the owners implemented the ideas of the CRA Master Plan without the City's financial supporti that the Commission is involved in discussions concerning the construction of parking structures by the public rather than requiring parking inside of buildings in the City to reduce the mass; that in the small redevelopment area of the City of Naples, Florida, the CRA built a parking structure and requires new buildings pay $20,000 per space required for parking commitments; that the concept is not necessarily the recommended course of action; however, the cost of implementing the Master Plan Preliminary Draft should not be intimidating; that goals must be examined, allowing a determination of the steps to achieve the goals; that the focus can be achieved in a financially conservative manner, which the City has done in the past; that the same concern regarding finances was overwhelming 13 years ago; that financial matters can be addressed. 3. CITIZENS - INPUT CONCERNING CRA TOPICS #2 (2915) through (3260) The following person came before the Commission, the CRA and the PBLP: Paul Thorpe, 1818 Main Street (34236), Executive Director, Downtown Association of Sarasota, Inc. stated that the glorious discussion presented is enjoyable; that matters discussed are agreeable; however, a word of caution is offered; that the Regional/Urban Design Assistance Team (R/UDAT) Study, November 1983, and benefits were discussed; that the update of Downtown Sarasota: Master Plan for Tomorrow (May 1986) (CRA Master Plan) is not a R/UDAT Study; that the designation of the Community Redevelopment Area is subject to the requirements of Chapter 163, Florida Statutes; that any CRA Master Plan update must also be submitted to the County; that the process should be slowed as considerable steps must be taken; that caution should be exercised; that the R/UDAT Study generated significant excitement at the time presented but was not adopted as an ordinance; that the R/UDAT Study was distributed as a guideline to the CRA; that caution should be exercised even in the stir of excitement; that a PBLP recommendation should be received; that the City Attorney's Office can determine the necessary legal action; that slower steps should be taken. Mr. Thorpe continued that consideration should be afforded to the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District; that the City has been receiving an overpayment of TIF funds for 5 years on the basis of valuations provided by the Property Appraiser's Office BOOK 48 Page 19944 08/08/00 6:00 P.M. BOOK 48 Page 19945 08/08/00 6:00 P.M. and is paying the penalty for lack of caution in reviewing the amount of funds due; that the situation regarding the TIF District in which the City was told to expect a certain level of TIF funds but will receive less hurt the City; that Chapter 163, Florida Statutes, should be carefully examined; that the CRA Master Plan update should be carefully considered. Vice Mayor/Vice Chairman Hogle stated that the comments are appreciated. Commissioner/Member Cardamone stated that Vice Mayor/Vice Chairman Hogle is congratulated on conducting a fine meeting as an inaugural session; that the manner in which the meeting wa: S conducted is admired. Vice Mayor/Vice Chairman Hogle stated that clarification of the schedule of the additional meetings would be appreciated. John Burg, Chief Planner, Planning and Development Department, came before the Commission and stated that the balance of the schedule is as follows: Date Meeting Purpose August 9, 2000 Development Review Staff to review 9 a.m. Committee (DRC) August 23, 2000 Open House DPZ to respond to 9 a.m. to 12 noon questions from the 2 to 4 p.m. public August 23, 2000 Special CRA and The CRA and PBLP to 6 p.m. PBLP hear from DPZ August 24, 2000 Special CRA and The CRA and PBLP to 2 p.m. PBLP provide direction Mr. Burg stated that the Open House will be held in the Jack Geldbart Auditorium at Selby Public Library. Commissioner/Nember Cardamone asked if the 6 p.m., August 23, 2000, meeting is a Workshop or Special meeting with public comment? Mr. Burg stated that the public will have the option of providing input. PBLP Vice Chairman Lindsay stated that the public will have an opportunity to interact directly with DPZ at the Open House. Vice Mayor/Vice Chairman Hogle stated that is correct. Mr. Burg stated that the purpose of the August 24, 2000, Special Joint meeting of the CRA and PBLP is to present the Issues/ Recommendations/ Directions Matrix, which includes a discussion of each issue, and for the CRA and PBLP to provide general directions for DPZ. Vice Mayor/Vice Chairman Hogle stated that the meetings concerning the Master Plan Preliminary Draft on August 23 and 24, 2000, will be broadcast live on AccessSarasota, Channel 19. 5. ADJOURN (AGENDA ITEM VI) #2 (3260) There being no further business, Vice Mayor/Vice Chairman Hogle adjourned the Special meeting of August 8, 2000, at 8:52 p.m. A11 ALBERT F. HOGLE VICE MAYOR/VICE CHAIRMAN ATTEST KAREN D. MCGOWAN DEPUTY CITY AUDITOR AND CLERK 31) BOOK 48 Page 19946 08/08/00 6:00 P.M.