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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07.25.2024 - CRA MinutesCity of Clermont MINUTES COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (CRA) WORKSHOP July 25, 2024 CALL TO ORDER The Community Redevelopment Agency met in a workshop session on Thursday, July 25, 2024 in the Clermont City Council Chambers. Chair Murry called the meeting to order at 9:05 am with the following Board Members present: Board Members Merrick, Gonzalez, Myers, Pines, Crawford and Howard. Other City officials present were City Manager Bulthuis, Development Services Director Henschel and Deputy City Clerk Wisniewski. Board Member Myers was available via conference call. OPENING COMMENTS City Manager Bulthuis stated that this is a joint workshop with the Community Redevelopment Agency and City Council. AGENDAITEMS The agenda items were not discussed in order of the agenda. 1. Downtown Parking Studv Kittleson and Associates performed the parking study on the downtown area in 2020. With businesses closed due to Covid, the study was theoretical due to the lack of data collected. The Community Redevelopment Agency Board approved a new parking study. The study is complete and the results are back. Stephanie Shealey, Kittleson and Associates, presented a PowerPoint, which reviewed the results of the new study. She reviewed the current availability of parking in the downtown area, utilization of parking spaces and the future needs. The study looked at city owned, city leased and private parking but focused on public access parking. The area covered the three parking lots along Lake Minneola. There are 1,529 parking spaces total, 1,031 are in the downtown area and 823 of the spaces are owned by the city. Different scenarios were analyzed, weekday with no events, Saturday night, first Friday event and Sunday farmers market. The study showed there was sufficient capacity for non-event parking demands. Events had a reduction in parking supply with an increased demand for parking. Looking at the future, redevelopment within downtown has the potential to cause daily parking challenges along with no guarantee the leased lots will be available each year. Chair Murry stated that it seems there is not a parking issue outside of events. If there is redevelopment, we need to consider a parking garage. Board Member Gonzalez questioned the city's plan on renewing the leased parking lots. City Manager Bulthuis stated that both leased lots are year-to-year leases and the owners can revoke at any time. Board Member Howard expressed the need to start looking at a parking structure now. The focus needs to be on redevelopment and reducing the surface parking lots. He also stated that adding golf cart use will make downtown more accessible. I City of Clermont MINUTES COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (CRA) WORKSHOP July 25, 2024 Board Member Pines said that the parking study performed in 2020 included a parking garage, which at that time cost $13 to $15 million. City Manager Bulthuis presented the PowerPoint presentation from 2021. The parking garage concept was for a structure at City Hall. The base option would have 386 parking spots; there are already 100 spots in the surface lot at City Hall so you gain 286 spots. The cost estimate at that time was $12 to $15 million for this design. There have been over 200 surface parking spots added in the downtown area in the last three years. Eliminating surface parking and adding a parking garage will not add the number of spots, it will equal out. Discussion ensued on surface lots versus a parking garage. If the consensus would be to add a parking garage that would mean finding land within the downtown area, having the funds to build and whether those funds come from the General Fund or the Community Redevelopment Agency funds. City Manager Bulthuis presented the option of adding more on street parking. There are some areas that have extended Right of Ways, which if minimized could accommodate on street parking. These would be in residential areas and the residents may not agree with it. Deputy City Manager Davidoff listed potential locations downtown for a parking garage and costs presented to Council in 2021. Minneola and 71 Street was 220 spaces, $8.26 million, City Hall was 386 spaces and $15 million, and Osceola, and 71 Street was 429 spaces and $13 million. The Board discussed the different options for a parking garage and Deputy City Manager Davidoff stated that the previous study showed people want to park close and not have to walk more than 200 yards to their destination. City Manager Bulthuis spoke about the extended Right of Way on Minneola Avenue from the Kehlor building to the Clermont City Center and converting that to street parking. The issue would be the driveways and the residential portion of the street. Finding street parking in the downtown area will depend on how far the Board wants to go along with where the utilities are located. Staff can have an engineer come and study where to place street parking in the downtown area with a consensus to move forward. Discussion took place on converting the city property on Desoto to a parking lot, which would cost $600,000.00. The cost comparison of the lot versus street parking along with what each spot would cost once built. City Manager Bulthuis expressed that the direction was to find more parking in the downtown area. Staff continues to look for opportunities for parking while making it economically feasible. Discussion regarding the option of selling the property along with the economic feasibility of having a parking garage or paying the same amount per spot for a surface lot. Parking is mainly an issue during events. Board Member Howard stated that the events need support, as they are what bring people to the downtown area. Board Member Crawford stated that there is a short-term and long-term issue. The study helps in identifying some of those issues. Is in favor of doing a study for on street parking. 2 City of Clermont MINUTES COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (CRA) WORKSHOP July 25, 2024 City Manager Bulthuis stated that staff looked at the area on Minneola Avenue from 5' Street to 7'h Street. It could potentially fit 86 parking spaces. If the Board would like to have an engineering study to get exact numbers, we can move in that direction. Board Member Merrick stated that she is in favor of seeing the cost comparison from parking lots to street parking. Chair Murry was in favor of the study. Staff spoke about the possibility of having to move utilities for on street parking as well as the estimated cost of $225,000.00 to perform a study. The next Community Redevelopment Agency meeting will be in October where the board will adopt the budget for the year. In the meantime, staff will work on providing a formal proposal to get the cost for the on street parking study. Staff will hold a public meeting to show residents the concept and receive input. Chair Murry inquired about speaking with the residents prior to performing a study. City Manager Bulthuis stated that there could be an informational meeting to provide the concept and receive feedback while getting a proposal for the study. Discussion ensued regarding private property within the downtown area that could be a possibility of purchasing to build a parking garage. Board Member Crawford expressed the need for benchmarks that would trigger needing more parking. The Board discussed the option of offering shuttle service from the outer parking lots and allowing golf carts within the city. Chair Murry opened the public hearing. Patrick Bianchi, Clermont Main Street — spoke about parking in the downtown area and collaboration with one business to utilize their parking lot and shuttle to their events. Inquired where the water from the south side of Montrose Street drains. Public Services Director Brunson stated that the south side of Montrose Street drains to Center Lake. Discussion ensued on developing vacant land where the water drains to the Victory Point basin. Chair Murry inquired about the shuttle Clermont Main Street provides. Gigi Capria, Clermont — there is a walking issue and not a parking issue. It would be beneficial for the city to collaborate with a shuttle company to provide shuttle services from other areas in the city. Clermont Main Street collaborates with one business who own a seven -person golf cart and provides the service. Discussion ensued on collaborating with Main Street for shuttle services. Keith Mullins, Drew Avenue — expressed the need for scattered parking and not one parking garage. Desiree Arana, Clermont — inquired on the study being on a weeknight and not a weekday. Most downtown businesses are open during the day and only a small fraction are open at night. Ms. Shealey stated that they chose nighttime due to the restaurants coming to the city. The numbers during a weekday would be in line with a Saturday, street parking full but parking lots open. 3 City of Clermont MINUTES COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (CRA) WORKSHOP July 25, 2024 Kimberly Grogran, Dash Sports — requested a study on premium parking versus satellite to include the usage of long spots. Otis Taylor, Give a Day Foundation — expressed the need for more parking in the southwest portion of downtown. Chair Murry closed the public hearing. City Manager Bulthuis stated that he needs a consensus if the Board would like staff to move forward with a cost estimate on street parking. The consensus was for staff to move forward with the cost estimate. City Manager Bulthuis informed the Board that staff would do an outreach to the neighbors and schedule an open house for some time in late August or early September to hear their opinions. City Manager Bulthuis asked if the Board wants to do a workshop in late September to discuss the costs or wait until the meeting in October. He also inquired about the parking lot on Desoto, does the Board want to move forward or wait until we do the study on the street parking. Board Member Pines and Chair Murry would like to move forward with the Desoto parking lot. The businesses in the area want the parking lot. Board Member Myers likes the idea of the street parking study and letting residents weigh in. Board Member Howard stated that he would be in favor of using the Desoto property temporarily if the cost lowered. Board Member Crawford left the workshop at 10:47 am. City Manager Bulthuis stated that staff could clean the lot and leave it a dirt lot to use temporarily. To maximize the usage, word does need to be done to the property. Chair Murry recessed the workshop at 10:50 am. The workshop reconvened at 11:00 am. Chair Murry informed the Board that South Lake TV would have to leave in 45 minutes, does the Board want to reschedule the budget workshop or continue without South Lake TV. City Manager Bulthuis stated that the next Council workshop is August 20. 2. Proposed Fiscal Year 2024-2025 CRA Budeet Discussion City Manager Bulthuis stated that the Community Redevelopment Agency receives funds from the City of Clermont and Lake County. The Community Redevelopment Agency operates at 10 mills, which comes from the city's growth. City Manager Bulthuis reviewed the operating costs for the Community Redevelopment Agency. He spoke about the funds that are in reserves and the funds the Community Redevelopment Agency provides to Main Street annually towards their operating costs. The City General Fund has been funding the expense of the Police Department and Public Services during the Main Street events. 4 City of Clermont MINUTES COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (CRA) WORKSHOP July 25, 2024 The recommended budget presented for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 has the Community Redevelopment Agency funding Police and Public Services for events in the downtown area. The loan for Victory Point comes from the Stormwater fund. Should that stay with Stormwater or be an expense of the Community Redevelopment Agency. If the Community Redevelopment Agency continues with the current operating expenses, grants and add Police and Public Services, the budget would break even. The funding for Clermont Main Street would decrease by $10,000.00 in this budget. Mr, Bianchi presented Clermont Main Streets requests for next Fiscal Year. Those requests include police officers for events, funds for murals, community enhancement support, historic preservation funds and funds to support printing and installing business nameplates on all wayfinding poles. Discussion ensued regarding the grants available to downtown businesses and the city's relationship with Clermont Main Street. Board Member Merrick left the workshop at 11:26am. Mr. Bianchi spoke about grants that Clermont Main Street can apply for and the requirements for Main Street City designation. City Manager Bulthuis stated that the Community Redevelopment Agencies revenue is $860,000.00. Based on today's presentation the expenses are $856,000.00. There are no funds to perform the on street parking study. If there is not the Desoto property parking lot then there are funds in the reserves. City Manager Bulthuis asked for direction on moving the debt service for Victory Point to the Community Redevelopment Agency Budget. Board Member Pines expressed her concern with taking $600,000.00 from the Community Redevelopment Agency for parking on the Desoto property. The fees for Victory Point should come from the Community Redevelopment Agency, as it was a downtown project and in the Community Redevelopment Agency Master Plan in 2015. City Manager Bulthuis explained that starting this year there would be $800,000.00 in reserves for the Community Redevelopment Agency. The operating budget as presented is break even. The budget is contingent on the city's millage rate remaining the same, if the millage rate lowers then the revenue will be lower. Board Member Howard stated that with the debt service for stormwater not complete until 2032 that he is not in favor of adding the debt to the Community Redevelopment Agency. Moving the salaries of Police and Public Services for the events to the Community Redevelopment Agency would be a possibility; staff needs to look at each event and the staffing needed. He feels the budget should move forward as it has in the past. City Manager Bulthuis stated that the current expenses for the Community Redevelopment Agency fund are $466,000.00 without the Victory Point debt service for storm water. The budget will come before the Board at the October meeting to approve. 5 City of Clermont MINUTES COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (CRA) WORKSHOP July 25, 2024 3.Other No further comments. CLOSING COMMENTS City Manager Bulthuis informed the Board of a discussion he had with Lake Sumter State College regarding using space at the Black Box Theater. The agreement will go before Council at the August 13 meeting. The lease for the Boys and Girls club will also come before Council at that meeting. Discussion ensued regarding another Council Budget Workshop; do we continue today or move to another time. Chair Murry inquired about the need for another budget workshop. Board Member Pines explained that she wanted to see each budget before the City Manager made cuts and Board Member Myers said she would like to hear more from Fire Chief Ezell. The consensus was to cancel the workshop scheduled for August 20 and have an all day workshop on August 21 beginning at 9:00 am. C. City of Clermont MINUTES COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (CRA) WORKSHOP July 25, 2024 ADJOURN: With no further comments, this workshop adjourned at 12:08 pm. APPROVED: Tim Murry, Chair ATTES / Tracy Ackroyd Howe, MMC City Clerk