All right, we're gonna go ahead and get started here.

It is 10 o'clock.

Monday, March 23rd.

Welcome to the special committee on the future of downtown.

We're gonna go ahead and start with introductions to the left.

Ray Norris for the administration.

Colleen Hamsey, Council Research.

Carla Schell, Office of General Counsel.

Philip Peterson, Council Auditor's Office.

Good morning, Jimmy Pelusa, City Council District 7.

Ron Salem, group two at large.

Joe Carlucci, District 5.

Matt Carlucci at large group four.

All righty.

So today we've got just basically two things on the agenda.

We're gonna go through what our focus area.

One was Miss Laura Edgecombe's gonna share that with us.

We have Colin Tarbert, CEO of DIA.

We're gonna start with Mr.

Tarbert, since his will be a little bit shorter and we can kind of just take that as it comes right here.

We have it on our desks.

So with that, Mr.

Tarbert, go ahead and take it away.

Tell us what you guys have been up to and how we can help if any helps needed.

Floor is yours.

Sure.

Well, good morning, everyone.

It's good to see everyone.

I think we need to need this to uh change the slides to DIA if that's possible.

If there is someone in the back, can we have which one is it this one?

Yes, sir.

Can you change it to this, Steve?

Oh the man behind the curtain is working.

Or woman, whatever.

Great.

Thank you very much.

Uh so today I'm just gonna give some updates from our uh last meeting.

Uh there's a lot going on at DIA in downtown.

Uh my name's Colin Tarbert.

I'm the CEO of the downtown investment authority.

Um, and so to cover a couple of our uh initiatives, I want to start off um by talking about the financial consultant and incentive study.

Um this was an effort that's been underway for for some time.

We have received uh JPAC approval for the consultants to help support our underwriting and incentive evaluation.

Uh so just to remind the committee, um Mr.

Kelly retired um in uh early January, and Steve was doing most of our underwriting.

We were doing it in-house.

Um even before Steve's retirement, we had discussed the idea of augmenting uh some of DIA's resources with having a third-party financial consultant.

We issued an RFP in um, I want to say either October or November of last year.

Um we received uh numerous proposals and we went through a process and have engaged with three um financial consultants, um, kind of varying different disciplines and background.

Um those were brought to to JPAC, and um we're now negotiating the final contracts, which will also go back to JPAC.

Uh but we have three.

One is CHM Warnick.

Um they uh specialize in hospitality, um, and we have a number of hospitality hotel projects uh we think in the queue.

The second one is a company called BJH uh Advisors with Foresight Street Advisors.

They're out in New York.

Um they have multidisciplined, so doing mixed-use public-private partnership different projects.

Uh, and then the last is PFM, um, which is also already contracted to the city.

Uh, they advise municipalities on financial situation.

So we have three very uh very highly reputable financial consultants, which will help us go through and vet projects and also help you know present to you all um the you know any financial requests uh to the city in addition to the underwriting piece of it, which will have them um essentially on call if you will, project by project.

We'll also be undergoing a full incentive study, um, which we hope to complete by the end of the year just to take a look at all of DIA's current incentives to look at the market to kind of see where we think that everything is headed and a better tailor our tools potentially for for the for the future.

Um so that's kind of the update on the financial consultant and the incentive study.

Uh we also have a number of planning initiatives underway.

Um we have uh we're we're drafting essentially three RFPs, the first two of which um hopefully will go out in the next 30 to 60 days.

So digital twin is essentially like a three 3D model that we'll have in GIS to better plan.

So this will give us kind of real-time assessment of of what we have.

We'll also be able to input uh potential future projects as well as build out a model to be able to determine you know what we want we want to see in the future.

Um so one, this will help us with um policy and planning, but it'll also help us tell the story of of downtown, kind of where it was, where it is, where it's headed.

Um, so that will be out on the street.

In addition to that, we'll have the downtown design guidelines.

Uh, we're looking to update that, modernize it, kind of streamline it.

It it's it's fairly robust and and a little bit dense, and so we'll hopefully update those.

And then both of those two um exercises, along with the financial incentives uh study, will be rolled into an updated overall master plan.

Uh the master plan I think was adopted several years ago.

Typically, it's updated every five years, and so we're hitting that timeline.

So we'll have an RFP for that to kind of come in, pull these different pieces together, and hopefully just kind of update the master plan.

There's a lot of great material there already.

A number of things have been implemented, uh, but a number of things have changed in downtown, like University of Florida's graduate campus coming to downtown that wasn't contemplated in the original um master plan.

All right, let's stop on each slide just real quick because I have a few questions.

If any other committee members have questions, like each slide, let's just kind of pause and get questions answered.

Also, want to welcome uh councilmember Boylan for joining us.

Thank you.

Um, and we just did uh find out Councilmember Arias isn't gonna be joining us today.

Um so uh real quick.

As far as the financial consultant goes, is that going to be kind of the new model going forward for you guys is as far as maybe not necessarily having an in-house like Steve Kelly, it's gonna be more of that third-party financial underwriter, use it as you need it type of thing.

Uh yeah, that's the plan.

Um Alan DeVault and myself will be kind of taking up some of uh Steve Kelly's uh responsibilities, but then we'll be augmenting that with a third party consultant.

Okay, and the target um we were you saying when will you have that when will you have them on board or do you already uh we're we're we have selected them, they've gone through JPAC for the award.

We have to get the contract approved by JPAC.

So we've I think we're in the process of submitting one of the three.

We've got kickoff meetings with two of them already.

We have a kickoff meeting this week.

So hopefully in the next 30 days, we can get everything through JPAC so we can start to uh to utilize them.

Okay, so within like 30, 45 days, you'll have kind of all three of them at your disposal or correct.

Okay, okay, awesome.

Um good to know.

Let's see if there's any other if there's anyone else in the queue.

Let me go back.

Okay, Councilmember Salem.

And go ahead and um Barbie, if you can just yeah, go ahead and put three minutes just for all of us so we can keep um and on track.

Go ahead, Councilmember Salem, you're recognized.

Thank you, Chair.

Through the chair.

So the the position is not going to be replaced, it sounds like at this time uh we're gonna use the financial consultant model and see how that works for us.

Um so that that's the plan, not to necessarily fill that specific position.

Have you done a financial analysis of his salary benefits, et cetera, versus using uh a consultant and how that compares it all?

Uh we haven't through the chair, we haven't done a specific study, but I've looked at it and we also think that there might be the opportunity for cost recovery on the third-party financial consultant.

Uh in my in my prior life, we would typically you know have some type of cost sharing with the applicant, so whether that's an applicant fee or whether they actually just pay the third-party consulting costs.

We're gonna look at that as part of our strategic implementation committee uh next month.

Um so that that'll hopefully offset any additional cost that we would have from using consultants versus in-house.

I think that's a great idea.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Yeah, all right.

No other speakers in the queue, no other questions.

We can go ahead and continue to I guess next slide.

Sure, just to touch on um a couple of the uh development and riverfront progress here, um, residential growth.

Um I know we were we'll be before this committee hopefully in the next uh two months or so with uh what we refer to as N7, which is the public's anchored mixed use project with you know 740 apartment units just to update the the board.

This went through um the DIA or the committee.

This went through the DIA board in December.

Uh we have now uh worked on a redevelopment agreement that's under review by the developer.

Uh and so we do anticipate bringing that um incentive package to uh to the council um in the spring.

Um in terms of riverfront activation, um, a number of things happening.

We have the riverfront plaza restaurant solicitation that closes on Friday, so we'll know if we have any strong proposals for for that.

Uh that's the restaurant parcel that would fit on the CRA parcel kind of next to the Symphony Performance Arts Building.

Um Riverfront Plaza Phase Two, which is the beer garden and other open space amenities is advancing.

So we've been meeting um both with our colleagues at uh parks and recreation as well as with Gateway Jacks, who has the development parcel there to sync everything up.

Uh I think we've done that now.

So the designers are moving, the developers moving, and the goal is to finish up the design.

That the the anticipated construction completion would be the end of 2027 uh to have the the beer garden and the expanded plaza open.

Uh Riverfront um music garden is is on track for spring opening, so hopefully that will happen in the next, I guess, uh 60 days or so.

And then, of course, the shipyards office building, uh, which is one tower court, uh, is opening soon.

I think the Jaguars may have already moved in, um, and there's probably a celebration soon for that project, which is great.

On the South Bank, um, the friendship fountain restaurant operator solicitation closes on March 31st.

Uh so I think that's not this Friday, but Monday, the following Monday, a week from today.

Uh the Mosh demolition timeline.

Uh, we've pretty much finalized what the schedule will be for that.

Uh, we're waiting for a notice of to a notice to proceed, which we hopefully will get this week.

Um, once that notice is issued, uh, they'll do some site mobilization.

There'll be a lot of internal um demolition and removal, so you won't see anything on the exterior for uh several weeks, uh, and then they'll start to take down the building in three phases.

We think the entire process from kind of notice of uh notice to proceed to completion will be about five months or so.

Um and then uh lastly, the related group um on the South Bank, they will begin um pile work very, very soon.

Um they've been in town weekly now, and we've been communicating with them.

So hopefully we'll get a final date for the construction start there, but they're actively working on that.

Okay, excellent.

We have uh two speakers for some questions.

Councilmember Pelusa, you're recognized.

Thank you, Chair.

Um share it uh to Mr.

Tarbert.

I mean, I you and I have talked about this this restaurant ad nauseum.

Um I just to the body, I just do not understand why we want to spend money on you have another restaurant on the river right now when we've got the beer garden coming online, and then we're gonna have um what's likely to be the gateway tower behind it, which is gonna have multiple restaurants and things like that.

Uh either either we need to get rid of the beer garden, I think, and build this, or get rid of this and just go forward with the beer garden.

Like it's just it's it's too much stuff, I think, for a limited amount of space.

Um, and it's it's a decent amount of public money that I think is is already going into it.

So that's that's my opinion.

If I could say let's not entertain this restaurant for at least a while.

Let's let this park kind of grow a little bit on its own.

Um that's been my position.

That's what a lot of my constituents have talked to me about.

So I just want to make sure you guys know that too.

Okay, thank you.

Um my question was uh on the residential growth.

You said anticipated city council action in May.

Was that for the N7?

This is for the seven, it's approximately 28 million dollar centimeter request, yes.

Okay, so that's coming in May.

That's the goal, yes.

Uh, they have the redevelopment agreement, so as soon as they turn it back to us and we're satisfied with it, we'll follow the um the legislation.

Okay, um, awesome.

Just want to double check there.

And then Friendship Fountain Restaurant Operator solicitation closes 331.

So we'll know by the next uh special committee, which is in April, um, who that will be.

Yes.

Okay.

And we should know that for both uh both the North Bank and the South Bank.

Um they're going through two different processes.

So in terms of what is when, so one is going through procurement, the other is going through through DIA.

We would anticipate if we do move forward with the riverfront plaza restaurant, you know, we would anticipate that probably going to the DIA in uh May.

I don't think we'll have enough time to review it and make a recommendation for next month.

And then the um friendship fountain restaurant is going through the city's procurement process.

Okay.

And um just to touch on Councilmember Peluso's point, you know, have there been any use the word study or urban planning or whatever for the North Bank restaurant, the one that's I guess on the front end of Riverfront Plaza to support like that it would be successful there with all the other things that we're gonna have with, I guess the you know, the gateway project, the beer garden, so on and so forth.

Is it is it too much?

Is it I mean that's maybe something we can talk about later, but I I just want to ask the question.

Yeah, I think the I mean the restaurant was anticipated there earlier in the schemes.

Um based on what I've seen, I think we need some activation.

I think once we hopefully receive proposals, then we'll have a better understanding what the private market's thinking and what that might look like.

But it's kind of hard to tell now.

That's why I think we wanted to test the market, see what the opportunity was there.

I do think that having a kind of signature restaurant without you know overbuilding everything, but having a place where people can have you know lunch and dinner and activity right up along the riverfront is something that I've heard um numerous times from folks.

So I think in this case, we want to see what the proposals look like, and then we can determine if it's worth proceeding from there.

Okay, okay, that's fair.

And I know y'all have had a ton of focus groups and you know, uh events where people come and say kind of what they want to see.

Um more speaker and then we'll continue on the slides.

Uh, Councilmember Matt Carlucci, you're recognized.

Thank you.

Uh Ms.

Chair, I you kind of touched on the point I was gonna make.

Uh the DIA uh as a board um as and as an authority has already voted on all these projects.

Is that correct?

Could you say that one more time?

The the authority, your board has voted to move forward with these projects.

Is that correct?

Uh yes.

And uh I assume there's been studies on all these projects as they have come together and so forth.

Yeah, based on what I've seen in terms of all of these projects, they've gone through a lot of vetting.

Okay, all right.

So what we're seeing here is things that have already been approved by their board.

Of course, they have to come back to us.

Uh, and so that's important to know.

But uh just um I think it's important for us to remember that this is an authority that that um that as they lay things out in front of us, it's things that they have vetted, they've put a lot of work into um and they're not just you know bringing them up here willy-nilly.

That's their job.

Their job was when they when when the DIA was put together uh uh and and Colin, this is for your information too.

We we put the DIA together because we wanted a board that would wake up every day thinking, what can we do to make downtown Jacksonville better?

Because we didn't really have a single entity that was concentrating on downtown.

We had a JEDC, and that was like for the whole 840 square miles of this city.

But this was for downtown, and so um I just wanted to make that point.

Thank you.

All right, one more uh speaker, Councilmember Pluto.

Thank you, Chair.

I just kind of want to do a minor retort.

My my position is let's do one or the other, or let's get a timetable on when one can be, and then maybe two years later to do the other one.

Like to do them both around the exact same time.

I just think it's a lot for a limited amount of time when we also have the tower in the background.

Like if we find out that the people that are gonna uh bid on this restaurant are top tier and it's gonna be excellent, then let's just build this restaurant and not do the beer garden uh or at least hold off on the beer garden for a year or two.

And that's that's just kind of my thought on it.

I just think it's a lot all at once.

We still don't even have an operator for the cafe yet, too.

I want to keep that in mind.

Thank you.

Right.

And um, and I would like an I think all of us would like an update on the cafe at some point.

I don't I know that's under parks department.

Um if there's an update now, that'd be great.

But and then I wanted to remind um all the colleagues who are here.

Uh the Jaguars, their grand opening for their office building is this week.

It's Wednesday at 9 a.m.

So everyone should have gotten an invitation for that, but figured I would give it an extra plug since we're talking about it.

All right.

So with that, let's uh move on.

And then uh in terms of development activity and market momentum, uh disposition activity.

So DIA issued a notice of disposition for 330 East Bay Street.

Um, and so we did that closed last Friday.

Uh, we did receive one proposal, and so we will be we anticipate that going to the board in April uh next Wednesday, April 1st.

We will be having an evaluation committee uh where we'll discuss what was proposed, make sure it meets the minimum criteria before we bring that to to the board.

Um in terms of additional project advancements, um our board uh approved 44 West Monroe Street and 231 North Lara Street, um also known as aka the Mags Cafe.

Um those are two kind of joint projects, two different developers, but happening hopefully simultaneously.

Um that was approved in November at our board, and so the legislation has been filed as of last week.

Um so you'll see that coming to the board.

Uh just to remind, while there is a DPRP program incentive um that is being funded by DIA, not by the general fund.

And then on the second project is the Baptist Health Hotel redevelopment that came through the DIA board in January and was approved and recommended for an eight million dollar completion grant.

They brought the design, which you see there to the design downtown development review board.

And so they're they're moving forward with that.

We're working with them on their uh redevelopment agreement, which will also be filed to the council.

And then lastly, in terms of the public realm, uh we're working on the La Villa Heritage Trail markers.

So I think installations begun and hopefully those will be complete by the end of next month.

All right.

Awesome.

I think that's just about the last slide.

And we've got one question from Councilman Palouso.

You recognize chair.

Just real quick, as I'm seeing um the the kind of Fortnite Bay site.

Can we get a quick timeline on what's going on with the hub?

Tansler Marina.

I'll have to defer to parks on that.

That's their project.

I know it was pretty far along in design, but yeah.

Understood.

Thanks.

Mr.

It looks like Mr.

Joseph has something for us.

Good morning, Daryl Joe's Parks Department.

Uh as through the chair to Councilman Peluso, Hans Tanzler Marina.

Uh we actually had find grant funding on that project.

Um so there is a phase of that funding and project will be moving forward.

I don't want to tell you incorrect dates.

Let me get the dates.

I'll email that out to the committee.

Um, but that project is moving forward.

Councilman Palooza.

Through the chair, yeah.

It was my understanding that it was going to start in this fiscal year.

I think we had money in our budget for it as well.

I just want to make sure that it's starting this fiscal year.

From my understanding, that is the plan.

Um there's some bulkhead work.

Um we work coordinating with public work zone as well.

So let me get the exact schedule and I'll send that out.

And then the next question I had.

Sorry, is um Jim Suber and his shop, they're gonna run it, or are we gonna have like an outside third party kind of do the running of it?

Do the chair to Councilman Peluso, yes, that one will be managed in-house uh through our docmaster.

All right, just want to make sure it's it's it's well staffed because it's my understanding that our doc we only got like one docmaster.

So I've heard that kind of criticism in the past that maybe we don't have a lot of folks, and if they're running around with this marina, and I think you know, we're gonna have the one down by the Jaguars too in Met Park.

Um, might need to kind of beef that up or go to a third party.

Yeah, um, but they're very excited for this.

Through the chair to Councilman Peluso.

So previously, Metro Park was managed in-house.

Um, of course, the Jaguars will actually uh go on a will manage that marina.

Um so this will actually free our internal team up to manage uh the new one.

Great, thank you.

All right, Councilman Mac OG.

Uh yeah, I'm just very excited about uh finally having something named after our uh first consolidated uh mayor.

And just to re-emphasize um, and I know Daryl knows this, but for everybody here, it's Hans Tansler Jr.

And um so just want to make sure we get that junior on there.

Thank you.

Yes, yes, sir.

All right.

No other questions.

Yeah.

Okay.

And and one thing um for Mr.

Tarber.

So the Ford on Bay site, that's closing.

It closed on 316, and then you're gonna be reviewing that.

Um is your the consideration for the board is looking at April.

What what date in April does your board look at that?

Uh wanna say it's April, it's either April 15th or 18th.

It's the second Wednesday.

We'll we'll also have an evaluation committee that'll review it on April 1st before it goes to the board.

Okay, yeah, I definitely would just be very interested in in having that uh shared at whenever our next meeting is.

I think we have a date set.

I'll have to go and look at my notes.

But um for what it's worth, if you can just kind of ping that for um our next meeting as well.

So good deal.

All right, was there just that it just a couple good news stories before before we wrap up here?

Uh two grand openings we had the um or ribbon cuttings, we had the green leaf building, which JWB has moved their entire office in from suburban location, uh about a hundred plus employees to that building.

So you can you can see the street life uh activity.

It's it's it's remarkable and it's great.

Um beautiful building, and they've done a remarkable job inside renovating it.

Uh and then last uh the other on the bottom there is the hub, um, which was also a project that uh we've all supported that's open now, and uh that that key corner at Forest and Riverside um with the different food and beverage opportunities is um is a great great thing for the Brooklyn community.

So yeah, awesome.

Okay.

And I guess uh we'll close it out.

Thank you, Chair.

Just based on the these two major projects in general.

If you haven't seen the Greenleaf Building, please go take a tour of it.

It looks incredible.

Um, the work they've done is great.

And I think it really kind of re-solidifies that Laura and Hogan are gonna be our two large, you know, kind of commercial and and business corridors in downtown.

This kind of doubles down on that.

Um so props to them for all their work.

And then if you haven't been to the hub, go to the hub.

The hub is awesome.

Brooklyn really needed something unique and different, and and it's it's it's not only really good food, um, but just a really cool spot.

It's got a great bar too, if if I may, and a good coffee shop, if that's not what you're into.

Um, so very excited for these projects and and you know, obviously, your predecessor, you know, had a large role in this as well, but um glad to see that your early days here as the head of DIA uh you did a couple of ribbon cuttings, so more to come, I hope.

Yeah, can't can't take credit for that.

That was the team and everyone before me, but um, they're great, they're great catalyst.

And I do want to thank uh through the chair to Councilman Pelusa for your support.

We've had a couple conversations on Riverside Avenue and forest in terms of making it a little bit more pedestrian friendly and working with our our colleagues at DOT to make it uh there's a lot of traffic, it's they're large roads, not as conducive to retail.

So hopefully we can make some of those improvements uh in the future as well.

Awesome.

Yeah, no, I'll echo those sentiments.

I mean, yeah, downtown seems like you know, all things, all things considered, it's just moving on a great track right now.

Um you've done an amazing job.

I know a lot of your board members are here.

I attended you know board meeting, I guess, last month or the month before.

You you guys are have incredible um just firepower.

Like you your board is awesome.

You have got all of your ducks in a row, and um, and that's that's very key because our downtown is coming alive very, very quickly.

And if it's if it's not organized, it's gonna it's gonna be chaotic.

But that's that's not where we're at.

So we're able to really just line all of these things up, and um, and I'm happy to have this committee that can kind of help usher things along that need to get ushered along, and we'll hear some of those things from Ms.

Edgecombe coming up.

Um, so yeah, thank you very much, Ms.

Tarbert.

Mr.

Pelusa.

Thank you, Chair.

One final thing.

Um the uh Oh my god.

The uh the thing, market.

She's the growth, the gross firm Brooklyn.

What's the name of it?

Whole Foods, my God, thank you.

I apologize.

Uh yeah, and and the Whole Foods, I believe, is doing a ribbon cutting in May.

Is that correct?

They're looking for a May opening, so we'll get in touch with that developer and make sure we know when that when that day is.

That'll be you know pretty pretty big deal for activation of of that as long along with the river walk, which uh I think um Ms.

Sickler said that that all should be open in that May time frame as well.

And just for the for this body uh and just in general, if you went to like the Emerald Trail opening, the Lavilla link, and you saw the crowds of people there, you're gonna see a near similar crowd for the Whole Foods.

Like it's gonna be a game changer for that area, and and it's a really good conduit between the Brooklyn neighborhood and what we would call traditional downtown.

So I'm very excited about it.

Wasn't sure when the next meeting was, so yeah, May kind of keep that timeline in your in the back of your pocket, guys.

Thanks.

All right.

Thank you very much, Ms.

Charber.

Yeah, do you have anything else?

No, just thank you for the kind words and the partnership.

Appreciate it.

Yeah, absolutely.

All right, Ms.

Edgecombe.

All right, Ms.

Edgecomb's bringing the real work for us.

She's been very, very busy uh sorting through all of the all things downtown.

All things downtown.

Um good morning, everyone.

Laura Phillips Edgecomb um address on file.

Um fortunate enough um to be with y'all to um over the last couple months to really look at um the public realm holistically as well as not only amplifying with the DIA and parks and rack as well as everything else within the city, but then also the P3s and everything they're doing to collectively bring everything forward.

So I'm gonna give a little bit of an update this morning.

Um reminder of the charge and the focus area that specifically that I'm looking at is public space stakeholders and agencies, the mapping, the alignment, and the recommendations for changes and and or improvements.

Um to look just real quickly when I presented back in January.

One of the things that we identified to remind you all, we had a series of meetings and questionnaires that went out to anyone that either um anyone that received city funding and touches public space or public buildings in downtown.

Um and the key gaps that we were able to identify were a lack of clear role definition, who does what, um, a lack of sustainable funding and capacity.

That's either through city dollars or through philanthropy.

Um lack of consistent vibrancy and density.

A lot of the conversations we had, these weren't just done in bubbles.

I had an opportunity to speak with multiple council members as well as we have a lot of stakeholders in downtown that are very engaged and very active.

So that big one, that vibrancy and that density were two really critical pieces that we heard time and time again.

So that one is important.

And then the lack of an overarching downtown marketing and positioning strategy.

The way the DIA explains that is the storytelling, right?

We hear this like how do we tell our story?

We know overall Jacksonville has a very heavy and in-depth story, but downtown, I mean, it's where we started, right?

So we want to figure out a way how do we take everything that we've been doing over the years and bring it forward to really position us as a leader as a major uh major city.

Um I do want to point out real quickly that as I bring forth these recommendations, as PARCS uh presented a couple meetings ago, they gave a really large robust update on all their amazing wins, and then now the DIA able to give their wins as well as let you know what they're doing strategically on planning and looking at a new master plan for themselves and really being nimble in shaping as they go forward.

That right there alone, those two things are absolutely amplifying focus area one.

So, in that it's one of the reasons we all work so closely together.

Um, and out of that, so then over the last two months we've had meetings, and by we I mean downtown investment authority, office of sports and entertainment, parks rec and community services, public works, downtown division, friends of James Weldon Johnson Park, um, and we've had participation from both city council members and the mayor's office.

So we've really been diving in deep, and these um we were focusing specifically on that focus area one.

Um we did mapping of ownership operations, maintenance and programming, we identified redundancies, we looked at gaps, we looked at the development, and what you're gonna see is what we are giving you is some quick ones we can do now, and then what we need to continue moving forward to really tie this all up in a pretty little bow.

Um so we and I say we again because this isn't just being done by me.

There are a lot of people doing a lot of work.

Um, and so I gotta tell them all thank you very much because it's it's a lot.

But what we're recommending um is um a coordinated set of legislative actions intended to strengthen alignment across governance, funding, and operations.

We want those to advance a more integrated and accountable public realm system.

The first of that would be to expand the boundaries of the downtown business improvement district, otherwise known as the bid, um, to match and align with the community redevelopment area, which is the CRA.

Currently, right now, the bid is um it's um operated by downtown vision, and as you know, your CRA is operated by uh the DIA.

This action will build outstanding ordinances, it helps us all be more aligned and working collectively together.

Um, it also has a more uh cohesive and a more cohesive approach to how we are servicing our overall downtown.

Alignment of these geographic areas also helps with some of the confusion on what areas are serviced and what areas are not.

Those who already currently are outside of the bid but are in the CRA, um they do not receive services from the bid.

And so, as those areas are starting to grow, we want to make sure that we're able that that we as a city want to make sure that they are able to receive the same services.

The second would be to amend relevant ordinances and agreements to reflect the transition of operations and management of James Weldon Johnson Park from friends of James Weldon Johnson Park to downtown Vision Inc.

This update formalizes the evolution from a single site nonprofit model to a system-based operating structure.

This will help with standards on programming and activations, protocols, as well as data tracking and performance back to the city where the city dollars are coming from.

And with that, that would then need to have amended legislation to reflect the transition of oversight and efficiency alignment for or of Friends of James Weldon Johnson Park from the city of Jacksonville Parks Recreation Community Services to Downtown Vision.

I want to make it known that for those of you just as a reminder, downtown vision currently we are our contract, our downtown vision's contract is currently underneath DIA.

So there is oversight from an authority, specifically legislated by uh city council.

DIA oversees DVI, and so what we're uh what is being recommended is that within that to streamline those that friends of James Weldon Johnson Park is um put under the umbrella of DVI, and then with that um would assume the overall responsibility for operations and um activation of that space.

Um I'm gonna click to the next slide unless uh uh chair, do you want to answer question specific now or do you want to do questions at the end?

Um how many more slides do you have?

Uh three.

Okay, let's um because I know that there's gonna be a bulk of our questions probably on this slide.

Um but let's okay, let's go through all three.

Okay, perfect.

Thank you.

Um wanna make uh just to let you know I'm at the show where currently the downtown boundary that your CRA boundary is the blue line, um, and the uh business improvement district boundary is the um yellow line.

Just to give you an idea, this would expand west and east.

Um, in regards to sports entertainment working waterfront, um, those conversations would be had in tandem um with the with the agencies in those areas.

Um the only other thing from a legislative standpoint that we would like to make sure that you are aware of is that there is forthcoming legislation coming from the Office of Sports and Entertainment that um is specific to chapter 191 of the Jacksonville Ordnance Code.

As you know, there are conversations and questions around permitting from from uh special event side, how who uses what on public land, um how do you have a party, whether it's a small party, big party.

All of that is um addressed in chapter 191 of the ordinance code, and it's a little outdated and making makes it difficult for access.

It makes it difficult even internally for the city agency to be able to produce events.

Um and so the Office of Sports and Entertainment is working alongside with uh the mayor's office right now to have uh to finalize proposed legislation, and they're hoping their hope and their plan is to introduce it at the next special committee in April.

Um if you have questions on that one, though, I am gonna defer you to Alex Alston.

But I wanted to make sure that you guys knew that that was coming forward.

And then really here we are with the request.

So as you got um, as y'all as a body granted last time was allowing all the agencies and the organizations that I had mentioned earlier to get together and talk.

Well, we're at a critical moment now where we actually have to put forth new operating agreements, making you know, really identifying who does what and putting it in writing.

Um and so the request is for the support of the mayor's office to convene a series of facilitated interagency working sessions, um, including um participation from the agencies that we had discussed.

Um, and we also would um like for the chair of the expansion special committee or his designee to be there.

The intent of this would be to establish that unified public realm, really to do what we said we would do with focus area one, coming together to align funding strategies and resources.

We all know again, I said there's city dollars, but there's also philanthropic dollars that are gonna be critical as we move forward in this.

Standardizing standardizing the processes and protocols, um, shared performance metrics.

Who is it that's accountable for looking at those metrics and who's really holding who accountable?

Um it's really setting a coordinated structure that can be repeatable over and over and over, time and time again, so that we aren't coming back in three years when we've grown exponentially trying to figure this all out.

Um we hear a lot of times people say, well, when when so and so comes, and the reality is everyone's already here, right?

We know that we have um the density coming, we know what our population will look like, and if we don't prepare now, we won't be ready when they come.

Um so the the big request coming out of this one is to help us um all the agencies and those from the city side as well as the P3s get together, have some um operating agreements that have uh that are gonna finalize and codify what we're really doing and be able to come back to you hopefully in April with those answers.

And thank you.

Boom.

All right.

Well, that was a lot, but I know there's uh there's gonna be there's gonna be some questions, and I'll see if what committee members are on here, if any.

Uh all right, we have Councilmember Peluso, and then I'll follow up with a few questions as well.

So go ahead.

Thank you, Chair.

Uh, and thank you, Ms.

Edchcomb for this presentation.

Um I know we've talked about a little bit in the past.

I'm I'm very, very, very grateful that we have both the civic community and downtown vision kind of leading the way on this.

This is this is a big deal.

We we we should be pretty supportive of pretty much everything in here.

From the perspective of like as a 21st century city, we've got to find a way to help make sure that we're properly marketing our downtown and keeping it uh in a in a great condition.

Um so very grateful to you.

I'm very fine with the expansion.

I think it's a good idea.

One of the things about the expansion is it goes throughout the rest of Brooklyn, which is important to me.

There's there's a lot of there's a lot of uh uh pretty pretty tough blocks um north of where the best core property is, north of park.

And so I'm I'm really hopeful that downtown vision, the ambassador program is kind of gonna go up there and really really make sure that they're providing good services up there, just like they do in the rest of our downtown, because it's it's it's pretty it's pretty ugly up there.

It's pretty it's pretty tough.

Um and so I'm um for one, I'm very supportive just from that perspective.

And it's also good for the Emerald Trail because the Emerald Trail kind of kicks up there as well, and we should kind of recognize that with especially when we look at sort of the expansion of this uh of this bid, because we we've got a lot of new businesses that are probably gonna pop up in the next several years based on the trail.

Um I also kind of want to mention or or sort of ask the question.

Uh I assume James Weldon Johnson is on board with kind of this expansion.

Do we have Liz in the audience?

There she is.

She looks happy.

Okay.

Just want to make sure that they were they were at the table too.

It seems like they are.

I would imagine that they would be, but that's kind of important to me.

That's a huge park, obviously, right out right in the front steps of our of our city hall.

Um so the other thing that I want to bring up, and it kind of ties into cleanliness again.

Something I would like to see downtown vision do is just kind of I know I know DOT owns a lot of the right-of-ways.

Um they do entering in our downtown.

I think we just clean them up.

I think screw it.

If DOT is not gonna do it, I mean it's such a you know, council member uh uh Carlucci over here um was really harping on our city when it comes to uh uh the lampposts as you're driving into downtown and how that is a reflection on what our downtown is and what we are as a city.

I think it's the same way for a number of people who just drive into our city.

A lot of folks that are driving in from I-10, myself included, go into Brooklyn, and there's just trash and crap everywhere.

And I'm like, you know, let's let's just have the ambassadors do it.

Let's talk to DOT and see if they'll kick in a couple bucks or something like that to contract to us, but like let's just do it.

It's frustrating the hell out of me that like people tell me that our downtown looks ugly driving into it or driving out of it.

And it's just it's frustrating as hell.

Um because I love this place and I think it's doing great.

Um very very supportive of this.

You know, I'd like to kind of see what we can do to help make sure it gets done as fast as possible.

Thank you.

All right, we have Councilmember Matt Carlucci.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Um Ms.

Edgecombe.

Um I was talking with uh I think you and public works about planters that were going to be has uh flowering uh flowers and and um maybe some trees and some sitting areas, and it was gonna be around the atoms.

We were going there, there's gonna be kind of a didn't have to do legislation.

It was gonna be around the uh Adams Street uh area as a prototype.

Any anything going on with that?

Through the chair to Councilman Carlucci, yes.

So part of what the DIA is working on, as Mr.

Tarbert had spoken to is streetscapes.

That what it looks like is going to be a great part of what we focus on in this next series of meetings.

Who's responsible for that, where the dollars come from?

Um we um as a collective group I understand and totally agree that vacant storefronts that that all changes your perception on what it feels like, especially from a safety side.

So, yes, it's still a critical point.

Um we hope to have some answers for you when we come back in April on what that would look like.

Um and the downtown design guides and those sorts of things that that Mr.

Tarbert spoke to, um, that would address some of those things as well.

Okay, that's super.

Um I I'm gonna mention one thing that everybody's gonna gasp over, but I'm gonna mention it anyway.

Um and uh and I mentioned it to the Times Union when I was running for office uh for the fourth time back in 2019, and that was if we if we raised our our millage rate just a tad, you know what we could do?

We could have an awesome clean city because we could put those dollars towards uh a litter program that would actually be effective because uh council member Peluso is right.

There's so many places in our city, they're just trashed.

And yeah, we can wait on wait on our citizens to get responsible and not do that, but it's been going on since I was a kid, and I ain't a kid no more.

Yeah, and I darn sure won't be a kid come April 9th.

So I I just is a good platform, I think, to mention that.

Uh it it it we we cut the millage by a little teeny amount.

Um saves people maybe a couple bucks a month.

Um and yet for that little bit, we could really do some things to enhance our quality of life here in Jacksonville.

And I just say that while I got some colleagues around.

Um those are the little things that go a long ways towards making Jacksville a really world-class city.

And when I visit, I guess I'm out of time.

Anyway, when I visit other cities, Pittsburgh uh is one, um Charlotte.

They're they're clean, they're very clean.

It's because I they don't worry about um they don't worry about politics as much as they worry about their quality of life.

Thank you.

Councilmember Pelusa.

Thank you, Chair.

God, I love Matt Carlucci.

But all I have to say, I I did want to bring up one more uh item kind of to the point of the cleanliness stuff is public works.

So the relationship with kind of public works, DIA, downtown vision.

We kind of talked about that a little bit too.

You walk down downtown and you just see whether it be a few potholes or missing bricks or paint everywhere.

That's another criticism and commentary that I get a lot from residents, especially those who live and work downtown.

Um and then you know, light poles and and and missing lights.

So right now there's a little bit of a uh it it's it's just a little tough to to make sure that I call you guys and then you call DIA and then they call public works.

Are we gonna streamline that?

Is the new DBI gonna be doing that?

You seem like a shaking or head, yes.

Can you explain that a bit?

Yes, uh, through the chair to Councilman Peluso.

Um that everything you mentioned are on the list of I of items that we would like to identify who's who's on first, right?

It's probably the easiest way to say it because some I mean there are sometimes gonna be more than one one entity that is responsible for something.

Um I do I stand on a platform over the street pole in our arms.

That's like my I'm gonna die on that throne, I think.

But ultimately the point of this coordination is to determine things as simple as, as simple as a trash can, a paver, uh the the markings on the ground because there's laws around how long markings have to be there, but then once they're up, who's making sure that they're being cleaned up.

Um yes, that is one of the most critical parts of this.

Sure.

Yeah, I mean that's phenomenal.

I I would like for DBI to be that that belly button to be that person or group that's called and can do that.

I don't know, you know, I I believe we talked about getting an MOU with public works.

If you guys are able to just kind of execute on those things and just sort of let them know or get it done within 24 hours, letting them know that'd be huge.

Then beautification, it's something else that Councilmember Carlucci has brought up in the past.

I'd love to see planters and flowers and stuff to really just kind of kind of make downtown pop.

And I think DVI should be the ones responsible for that.

Um these are enhanced services outside of just the role of uh uh city government, and these enhanced services can be um can can really kind of make this.

I mean, let's be honest.

Like we need to make downtown look very different than the rest of our city.

We obviously know it's got tall buildings, but there should be more to that.

Um and I think I think those are the things that are really gonna kind of set this place apart when we talk about the other places, Savannah, Charleston, whatever else, that's just what they do.

Uh thank you so much.

I'm very excited for this.

Thank you.

All right.

So Ms.

Edgecombe, if I'm understanding, so James Wolden Johnson Park, they're on board with moving up under DVI.

Mr.

Joseph, you can just give me a head nod, obviously, you're you're good with that.

It's kind of already being handled by nonprofit.

Um so it I'm assuming that has to be done legislatively.

So we need Michelle to help us with that.

Um who would who would be getting with her to iron out exactly all of those details?

Because I figure it's if it's gonna be a little, it's not like gonna be a boilerplate template type of thing.

Um to the chair, it is my understanding um that downtown vision will be hiring outside council to help on the on the DBI side side of things.

Um James Old and Johnson Park already has their council that can work on it as well to make sure that both are equally represented, and then whoever from the mayor's office.

Okay.

Um how quickly do they want that to be done?

I mean, I'm assuming it needs to be done before the budget because that's a line item in the budget that normally comes up.

To the chair.

Um, yes, that I think that that is the part that we will need.

We know how city uh timelines work and and all that we would it is my understanding that everyone would like for that to happen as quickly as possible.

Um whoever's listening out there that's responsible for getting that done, Jake, um Michelle.

Are you gonna be drafting that legislation?

Because uh you're the only one here that can help us with that on OGC.

Well, there are a number of us in ODC that could handle it, but yes, I'll make sure and I'll figure out and coordinate with whoever we need to coordinate to get that done.

Okay, yeah, because that's gonna be the first the first one.

It seems like there's quite a few others.

Um and the DVI expansion to kind of match the CRA boundaries or whatnot.

Um I'm assuming that's legisl legislatively done as well, correct?

Mr.

Peterson shaking his head, yes.

Okay, who needs to coordinate that?

So again to the chair.

Um that would be uh we have council at our DVI has council um that will be able to handle that.

Uh there are certain requirements, legisl uh requirements during a bid expansion, DVI would take care of those as well.

Um, but it would be uh DVI directly um would be able to coordinate.

So DVI needs to get with Ms.

Shell to figure out the James Well Johnson Park legislation and the bid expansion legislation.

Okay.

All right.

Next thing up is, and I and then I will go to the rest of the speakers in the queue.

Sports and entertainment, Mr.

Alston, come on down.

What's talk to me about what what you need?

There were I didn't really understand um what's going on.

Good morning.

Uh my name is Alex Alston, um uh Office of Sports Entertainment.

Uh to the chair, um the special event ordinance uh 191.

We've been working with JSO, JFRD, and APD for a while now on on updating it.

Um there are some sections that are that are very outdated, um, and we'll be bringing that to you all um for um review and approval to go through legislation in probably about April time frame.

Okay.

Um that would be great.

I mean, uh just committee members.

What what I'm trying to do is I I'd love to introduce these legislation this legislation from this body from this special committee.

I think that's appropriate.

Um that's that's what we were tasked to do.

So that's uh so is there legislation existing for this?

Where where is this at?

Uh to the chair, no, well it's it's it's a current ordinance, but there's no legislation for the updates currently.

So we're working on the on drafting some updates to it now.

Um the the reason for the timing now is is we are updating our our permitting software for special event permitting.

So the two need to go hand in hand so that the ordinance will match what the functionality and the new um bells and whistles, so to speak, are gonna be on that new template.

Is there a timeline to where you you like sort of need this done by or um uh to the chair I'd have to double check with um with ITD, but it's um it's supposed to be getting elevated and in the priority order.

Um so we're hoping by the end of this year.

Okay, okay, awesome.

So I guess whoever you or the mayor's office, whatever, Michelle, you're gonna be helping us with this is one as well.

Didn't realize you were uh gonna be having so much work to do here, but this is good.

This is good.

That means we're we're making stuff happen and um making it more streamlined, which is excellent.

Thanks for sharing.

I don't have any other questions.

Um if anyone else does, they'll they'll call you up.

All right, last thing um uh on my on my notes, and then again we'll we'll go to two other speakers in the queue here.

Um there's a meeting.

So Ms.

Edgecombe, there you are.

Okay.

So you're gonna have a meeting.

Can you go?

I don't know.

There's a slide.

Go to the slide.

Yeah, right there.

Oh other that one.

Yeah, yeah.

Okay, so this is gonna be really good.

Um I sort of kind of relate this to like a uh MOU memorandum of understanding.

Um we sort of did one of these in San Marco um when I was the president of the San Mark Emergency Association, we kind of figured out okay, who's doing what here?

Because that was like the crux of the whole thing, right?

Um who takes the trash out of the trash cans, who replaces the trash cans in the park versus the right-of-way, it just became this time waster because everyone's just constantly going in circles, and three months go by, and you're like, okay, we finally found out the answer.

So this is amazing.

This is really, really good, very, very needed.

Um, and again, I just want to reiterate this is not to create more work, this is to eliminate going in circles and making things more organized and efficient downtown.

So I'm happy to go to that meeting um at you know, as whatever the representative for this committee, but I just want to make sure so it's DIA parks, public works, sports entertainment, DVI, this committee, the mayor's office will be there, obviously.

Um then does JR where's JRA fitting into this?

And I don't want to like show I don't want to put them on the list, but I feel like they they might need to understand what's going on with all of these things if they're gonna be a partnership downtown as well.

To the chair.

Um we agree.

Uh just currently right now because they are still in contract negotiations with the mayor's office.

Um didn't want to assume, although we would very much like for them to be in the room.

Okay.

I mean that might help the contract negotiations to an extent, just because my understanding is they're still trying to figure out who does what, and if we don't know what we're doing, who does what over here, then they need to know who does what, and then they can kind of fill the gap that we all want them to fill.

So I think that would be a worthwhile um group to have there as well.

Who's gonna be running the meeting?

To the chair.

Where is it like yeah?

To the chair.

Um so in the past with these meetings that we've been having, just kind of uh a little less structured, but more um they've been facilitated by yours truly.

Um but given that these will be true leading to MOU, we would like, and that's what the request is that the mayor's office is the one convening these.

Um a third party facilitator would probably be in the best interest for everyone.

Um that's also what we're recommending.

Uh again, this is something that I'm handing back over to the city side to figure out.

Yeah, we've talked about that.

Um I think that came up in one of our kind of just one off meetings.

But I think I think a third party running this meeting would be more probably the best way to go, just because if you have one, like if parks were to run the meeting, you know what I mean.

If you have one of those stakeholders on that list running the meeting, it it sort of sets a different stage than hey, let's all get around table.

Someone's it's gonna be more organized and more like you know, everyone has a chance to speak and not feel like you know they're getting shut down or whatever by the person running it.

Um and then the MOU, is that gonna be something Michelle will help us with or be on here.

Yeah.

No.

Who who's gonna create the emotion?

I'm assuming at the end of that meeting, you're gonna have kind of rough notes and who's doing what or whatever, and then legislatively we'll kind of put that into action in some form or fashion.

To the chair, yes, that would be that would be the work product we'd be hoping to have.

Okay.

So we need to have someone from OGC there as well, then.

Michelle, that will be you.

And you get free access to all of our riverfront parks for your work.

Um okay, cool.

That is that is all the questions that I have.

Um for now.

I think we are good.

Um bump bum.

So, yeah, our next meeting in in April, we're gonna have quite a bit to talk about.

So we'll go to the rest of the queue.

You're done with all your slides and presentation, so we're now we're in the question and answer session.

Councilmember Salem, you're recognized.

Thank you, Chair.

I I just heard a comment a few minutes ago.

I believe it was by Miss Hetchcombe about a lawyer for DVI and a lawyer for this person and a lawyer for that person to work with OGC.

Please let's try to save everybody some money.

We've got attorneys.

Okay.

They they can they can put this together with with input from DVI and I'm sure from staff there and and get us to where we need to be without using um.

I love lawyers, but I don't want to give them a lot of business if we don't need to give them a lot of business.

So I would encourage to minimize that and just l allow the OGC to run with this and let them gather the information from these people.

Just a comment.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right, Councilmember Bullen.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Perhaps I should direct all my questions to Ms.

Shell.

I'm not sure.

You would appreciate that.

I I appreciated your raising the issue with respect to JR at Jacksonville Riverfront Alliance.

I met with Ms.

Hott last week at Dave Sweeney and others to uh talk about where they were in the negotiation process.

So I guess my question is Ms.

Edgecombe, you briefly spoke to the uh your support of JRA and the work it's done doing and are looking to do, uh, and I know that you were part of that process as was I.

Uh I understand there's gonna be a subsequent meeting.

I think they're inching closer to a relationship with the city, probably done on a benchmark basis.

Uh I'm hopeful, and I offer this.

I met with Mr.

Weinstein last week on this as well, that uh that that can be codified to a point that they can be an active player in the conversation.

So when is it is is your meeting date and anticipated meetings date set yet or or not?

Uh through the chair to Councilman Boylan, no, because we wanted approval that we could do it.

Um and so now that will be my afternoon is figuring out dates and times that work for everyone now that we're figuring out everyone that needs to be in that meeting.

Um and if it's the will, I'm happy to make sure JRA is including it.

Through the chair, thank you.

And and just also to that to that end, I'm I'm hopeful JRA's really arrangement or relationship with the city is uh partially at least codified to some level so that they can be an active participant in that meeting because I think the integration implementation of programs, which is a key point of what they're going to be doing to bring this uh make this a successful venture.

I think they need to be at the table as part of that conversation.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Right.

Yeah, no, I totally agree.

I think yeah, then being at the table will only, you know, help clarify and codify like what they're doing and what everyone else is doing.

Um look, we know what our riverfront's gonna look like, we know what the interior parks are gonna look like.

We just need to know how it's gonna function and operate day to day because that's ultimately more important than just signing the check for millions and millions of dollars to build it.

So um with that, I mean we have we have no other speakers, no other items on the agenda.

Ms.

Edgecomb, you are extremely valuable.

I can't tell you how much I appreciate all the time and effort you've put into this.

Um and guys and girls up here, just so you know, she has been working on this like hours and hours and hours and hours and hours before she just gets up here and presents this.