20th regular city commission meeting.

Um, and I'm calling this meeting to order, and we will ask uh the city auditor and clerks to provide the invitation.

Who can stand, please stand.

Heavenly Father, we affirm our faith in thee, we seek your divine strength, wisdom, and guidance in the deliberations that affect the lives of each of the citizens of our community.

In our name we pray, amen.

And Vice Mayor, would you lead us in the pledge?

Yes.

I pledge the United States.

Thank you.

Are there any changes to the order of the day?

Um sounds like there wants to be, but I we get it.

Okay, so then we're good.

May I have uh a motion to approve the agenda?

So move.

Second.

Moved by Vice Mayor, uh, seconded by Commissioner Aher and Kotch.

May I have your votes, please?

That's okay, they won't show because Miles is out here.

So the motion passes four to what?

Four to zero.

Four to zero, sorry.

Thank you very much.

Um the next item on the agenda is a presentation.

So if you will all join me out front.

Now, therefore, the City Commission of the City of Sarasota, Florida, and on behalf of the citizens of our community, takes great pride in recognizing January 20th, 2026 as JFCS of the Sun Coast 40th Anniversary Day, a special day of importance and worthy of the recognition of the residents of the City of Sarasota.

So congratulations, and please introduce yourselves and say a few words.

I am Helene Lottman, I'm president and CEO of JFCS.

I'm Dr.

Stacey Herrera, and I'm the board chair of JFCS of the Suncast.

And do you have any other message for the citizens of Sarasota?

We are just so delighted to have this opportunity to really celebrate the 40 years of compassionate care and to look forward to 40 plus more years of supporting this great community.

Thank you all very much.

Great, thank you.

And now our commissioners will come up and we'll have two photographs.

Thank you for everybody.

And thank you to the pronunciation lessons.

Thank you, and congratulations so much.

I was getting confused also me.

Thank you.

Did you see me looking one?

Okay.

So we have reached, we have reached the point where we have citizens' input concerning city topics.

But first, uh Ms.

Griggs, will you read the uh Pledge of public conduct?

Thank you, Mayor.

We may disagree, but we will be respectful to one another.

We will direct all promise to issues, we will not engage in personal attacks.

Thank you very much.

And we have two people who wish to speak.

Uh Jim Lampell and Andrea Roncini.

And would you provide your name, indicate whether or not you are a resident of the city of Sarasota and whether you're being paid to appear, represent for somebody represent somebody besides yourself.

And I don't see Ms.

Roncini.

Oh, Mr.

Andrea.

Sorry.

Welcome.

Thank you.

Mr.

Lample.

Good morning, Mayor, Commissioners.

My name is Jim Lample.

I am a city citizen residing at the bottom of Main Street.

I wish to uh talk about a subject that's pretty important to this body, to the city and to the country.

Pocket copy of the Constitution of the United States.

I think you knew this was coming after last meeting.

First Amendment.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof or a bridging the freedom of speech or of the press or of the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

So we have the Constitution and then we have the code of conduct that Miss Griggs just read.

And it starts by saying the Commission believes that wise decisions can best be made in an atmosphere that allows for constructive public debate and therefore adopts the following code for the conduct of its public meetings.

Pledge of public conduct.

We may disagree, but we will respectful of one another.

We will direct all comments to issues.

We will not engage in personal attacks.

So if you use your AI and look up what is the definition of personal attacks, because it seems to be a very cloudy issue around this uh commission table.

Personal attack is abusive remark or criticism directly at a person's character, motives or personal attributes rather than addressing the substance of their argument or ideas.

Last meeting I was interrupted.

I was the second uh citizen interrupted when we were speaking respectfully.

I, for one, was directly quoting a sitting commissioner.

The same thing you would see if I put it up on the Elmo from the recording.

Now I can't expect I would not expect anybody to have shut down that discussion.

I think that in the spirit of Tinkum Olam, repairing the world, we need to start with repairing our commission.

I hope that you would get better guidance.

I hope we can get clarification from the the city attorney and from Ms.

Criggs, and that we can foster an open and sometimes critical discussion, which you all signed up for.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr.

Lample.

Uh Mr.

Roncini.

Rocchini?

Lonchini.

Yeah.

Thank you.

Sorry.

Thank you.

Thank you to allow me to speak.

So I'm here to talk about the Would you give your name again?

And whether or not you're not sure if you're a Lonchini.

I'm um so I live in Bradenton, my business is in Sarasota.

Uh nobody paid me to talk about that.

Um I'm here to talk about the construction site in North Tamyami Trade.

I have a shop there, is wrong.

Uh Donathan Bigel Cafe since three and a half years already.

Since the construction site started, I'm is killing me.

I lost 50, 60 percent of the business.

The regular customer, they cannot pass through anymore, so they are taking other way to go to work, and I lost completely my rush time since from 6 to 10 a.m.

I know it must be done.

I know, you know, but I'm facing for the time uh of the project a loss of around 100, 100 50,000.

I'm not gonna make it.

I'm I mean, I'm going to close the store soon.

The problem is that I'm Italian, as you can see from my name.

I'm here with uh E2 visa, investor visa, legally, obviously.

If I close the business, I also lose my immigration status.

I have to leave.

I have a family, my son is a senior in a high school, he goes to the university, blah, blah, blah, blah.

It's bad.

It's a very, very bad situation.

And so I'd like really I need help.

I need help.

I have some idea.

So I already emailed back and forth because uh since the uh the situation started, I had this problem coming.

Um they are gonna put a sign saying that the business are open.

But the problem is I mean, who is passing through there already see that I'm there.

The problem you is not passing there anymore.

So I need more business, and is not the sign who is gonna solve it.

Uh I again I have some idea if someone once for example because again, uh I need to pay the bills, I need to pay the rent.

The business is not making.

Is not making.

So already this month, I don't know how to get it.

Um I don't know if the city can help me.

Um I'm asking.

One idea could be a let me supply your offices uh with my product.

I don't know.

Catering, whatever.

Uh supporting my business.

The city cannot give me money, at least could you could do that.

Just again asking for help, yeah.

Uh thank you for coming and speaking to us, and I'm confident that we will do something.

Thank you, Mayor.

We did, as the gentleman indicated, we did put signs up.

He's right, it if his business is impacted significantly.

I'm one of those people who change my route to work every morning.

Um so you know, we're happy to sit down with him and and uh have a discussion.

Uh my colleague Mr.

Robinson has volunteered to do that, and uh we can do it when you're finished here today if you like.

Yes.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Thank you for coming.

Okay.

Next up is approval of the minutes.

Are there any changes and corrections?

Move approval.

Wait, wait, wait.

No, I was just going to say I submitted non-substantive correction, but with that I would say.

Okay.

So I I'm go okay.

I'm going to take a motion to approve from the vice mayor.

And since Commissioner A.

Hern Kotch was second at the microphone, I'll accept her second.

How's that sound?

Okay.

Can we have a vote, please?

Just a second, maybe.

All right, go ahead.

There you go.

Is that your vote?

Yes.

Yes.

Pass unanimously 5-0.

Thank you very much.

Next up is consent.

Agenda one.

And the only item and has it been pulled?

Well, I know of Vice Mayor or in Commissioner Aaron Kleise pulled item 6.4.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I'm I'm looking at the wrong line.

Yes, thank you.

So 6.4 has been pulled by Vice Mayor and Commissioner Aher and Kaiser.

I'm not aware of any others to be pulled.

Okay.

So may I have a motion for the balance of consent agenda?

So movement.

Second.

Okay.

A move by Commissioner Batti, seconded by the Vice Mayor to approve the balance of consent one.

And that passed unanimously.

Thank you very much.

And Vice Mayor, do you want to?

You were one of the people who pulled I have one question.

I assume it'd be from Mr.

Hall.

And company.

Good morning, Madam Mayor, Vice Mayor, Commissioners, Vern Hall, Utilities Director.

With me is General Manager Scott Woodard to my left.

And General Manager Mark Dicholas to my right.

Basically, to explain collection systems, how they work, and the lateral lining and mainline lining processes and why we do it.

Thank you.

Good morning.

Morning.

So as Vern was stating, items 6.3 and 6.4 are regarding cured in place pipelining, both laterals and main lines.

So this is just a brief presentation to explain what the process is, how it's done, and why we utilize it.

So why do we rehabilitate gravity pipelines?

So the obvious reason is to extend their useful life.

And the lining process will extend the useful life of these pipelines by 50 plus years.

Another primary reason that we rehabilitate these pipelines is due to infiltration.

We strive to reduce infiltration.

And this groundwater, once it gets in these gravity pipes, it takes up valuable room or space within that pipe, which reduces our capacity.

It also increases our treatment and pumping costs because now we're pumping and treating the groundwater along with the wastewater.

Additionally, uh pipeline rehabilitation can address structural issues and prevent catastrophic failures.

So if you see in the top right photo, there's a significant hole in the top of that gravity main.

And the bottom photo is that same main line once it's been lined and rehabilitated.

So we were able to solve that problem without excavation or uh restoration.

The photos to the left, top and center, those are examples of infiltration.

You can see the groundwater pouring into that line.

Once the liner's been installed in the bottom photo, you can see it rectified that problem.

So what is cured in place pipelining?

Cured in place pipelining is a method of rehabilitating gravity pipes without the need to excavate or restore the area.

Basically, the liner is installed within the old pipe called the host pipe, and it creates a pipe within a pipe.

And I have a sample here of an eight-inch main.

That's your typical eight inch PVC main.

Normally we wouldn't line PVC mains, but this is just for example purposes.

And this is the liner once it's cured.

Now this liner is fully structural, so it doesn't need that hose pipe for support.

So if this were in an old iron or clay line that was deteriorated to the point of collapse, once that liner is installed, it's fully structural.

These liners can be utilized for both main lines and laterals.

And the main line is the pipe that takes in flow from multiple homes.

It's the larger primary pipe.

And then the lateral is a smaller pipe that carries the flow from the home to the main line.

And we can utilize this method and technology for either of those.

If I may feel free to touch that, it's not been an active line.

Simply for demonstration purposes, just so people can handle it safely.

Alright.

So how's a cured-in-place liner installed?

Well, first, the host pipe is cleaned and prepped.

Then appliable polyester tube, also called the liner, is saturated with resin.

The resin is a catalyst, which begins a slow curing process.

In the photo to the left, that's an example of the polyester tube or liner after it's been wet out or saturated with resin as it's being prepared to be installed into the sewer through the main through the manhole.

Once that saturated tube is installed within the host pipe through the manhole, then it's inflated, typically with hot water.

That hot water enacts reacts with the catalyst to speed up the curing process, and now it begins to cure within the host pipe.

Once that pipe is, or that liner is fully cured, then it's the ends are trimmed and it's televised with the robotic camera to ensure quality installation.

And the photo on the right is the gentleman trimming the cured out liner to the proper size because it's protruding out of main.

So why do we utilize cured in place pipelining?

Cured in place pipelining is less expensive than a traditional open cut excavation and restoration.

For your typical eight-inch main line at average depth, six to eight feet, it's less than half the cost.

Additionally, there's minimal disruption to the resonance with lining.

So lining can be done just with a couple large trucks and access to the manholes at either end of the line, typically with flagmen, so it doesn't usually require a road closure detour, and traffic can just continue to flow right around the work site as we re-rehabilitate the pipelines.

That sewer line is only three or four feet deep in that photo, and you can see the amount of impact that that's going to have to the residents on that street.

So that roads closed, there's a detour, there's uh hoses in place to deal with pumping the groundwater out.

Uh your spoiled dirt's piled off to the side.

So there's a lot of impact to the resident.

And then with the lining process, you know, there's one one or two large trucks at either end of the job site and some flagmen to send them through.

So that's why we tend to utilize lining.

Now, however, lining is not suitable for every situation, right?

If we have a catastrophic failure of a pipe, or if we need to change the size, location, or type of pipe, then obviously we'd have to do a traditional you know excavation and replacement.

Um cured in place pipelining is not a cure-all, but it's a very valuable tool that we frequently utilize to improve the resiliency of our collection system.

Thank you.

Commissioner's questions?

Commissioner Ahern Kotch.

Thank you very much.

I really appreciate that.

That was a great presentation.

Um I think it's important for our community to understand that this is about investing 1.4 million dollars to keep those from collapsing from it being more intrusive, more expensive, uh, and that you know you all are working very hard to try to stay ahead of the game, so to speak.

Once you put the liner in, how do you connect to the individual homes?

Because the liner then blocks that connection.

Correct.

So it's really interesting.

This is all done with robotics now.

So there is a robotic cutter that they install in the line.

They call it crawling.

They crawl the crawler down the main line to the location of the lateral and then they cut that opening with the robotic cutter.

And then what if the line connecting to the home is equally failing?

What happens then?

So that is when we do the lateral lining process.

And then the lateral lining process, again, it's utilizes some robotics.

And they send what's called a packer down the line.

They install a T-shaped liner with from within the main that then using air or hot water will invert that liner up the lateral and line the lateral from the main.

So you have a good solid connection to the main as well as rehabilitated lateral when you're done.

Okay.

And how what kind of notification is going to be given to the residents for those three?

I believe there are three streets that it's we're going to start with and a couple of cross streets.

For the folks in the area, what kind of a notification is going to be given to them as far as heads up and so typically there's a there's a couple of different notifications.

At kick off for the project, we'll post to the website and put out notification that way.

And then the contractor will also hand out notices to each individual home, you know, before they do the work.

Like put on the door hanger or a door hanger, yes, ma'am.

Okay.

And why the this area and this location was chosen to start.

So actually, we initially started with the barrier islands in the south end of the city because that's where we had identified the most infiltration.

Um we've been working our way to the north, and now we're working both north and east.

So we're we're just progressing uh in a northwardly fashion.

Okay.

So first north and then east or east and then north.

So both.

Yes.

Okay.

Um I think those are all my questions.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Vice Mayor, thank you.

Uh some of my questions have been answered.

But I wondered how you identify which laterals need to be replaced.

Mr.

Hall, I know you have all those uh images on your computer screen, that great big computer in your office.

Can you see on that if there's a leak or something tells you this is one of them that needs to be replaced?

No, ma'am.

We're we're not quite that sophisticated yet.

Um we have a program where every five years we try to clean and televise the entire collection system in the city.

And it's through that cleaning and televising program that we identify where the areas of greatest need are, and then we prioritize those areas in our CIP program so that we address those issues as we go through the north and east.

Gotcha.

So this is really an ongoing program because all of the laterals at some point in time are going to need some work like this.

Yes, ma'am.

It's it's a a constant battle, if you will, that we are continually out there cleaning, televising, lining, rehabbing manholes where you have to go into the structure of the manhole and clean that up, coat that make sure that the ring and cover are solid and safe that that keeps that inflow from getting in, and it also doesn't have any issues with traffic driving over them.

So this is a constant program in RCIP.

Thank you for the good work that you do, and thank you for your presentation.

Yes, ma'am, you're all welcome.

Thank you.

And any okay, I I do have a quick question.

Um imagining some of the underground piping is older than others, or is everything a hundred years old?

And I'm I'm imagining that some of the issue is age, and then some of the issue is the materials that the pipes are made of.

Yes, ma'am.

And the in the old days they used to use vitrified clay.

They've used cast iron.

Most of the piping that we use now is HDPE, which is high density polyethylene, or PVC, which has a much longer lifespan and is a lot hardier to stand up to those conditions that you find prevalent in the collection system.

And the pipe throughout the system is pretty much all old except the stuff that we've been going through for the last many years, identifying and replacing or using the curved in place to line that pipe and extend its life without having that big impact like people are experiencing on 41.

Unfortunately, you can't line that pipe because it's got to be upsized and replaced.

So that's the only thing we can do there.

So I'm imagining ultimately your plan is to rehabilitate or replace everything that hasn't been already rehabbed or replaced.

Yes, ma'am, eventually we'll be there.

Okay.

Thank you.

Any other questions?

Seeing none, thank you very much.

Thank you.

And uh may I have a motion.

Move approval of uh item uh 6.4.

Second.

Uh moved by Commissioner A.

Hern Koch, seconded by the Vice Mayor to approve one uh consent 6.4.

And your votes, please.

And it's unanimous, thank you very much.

And now we get to consent uh agenda to item number one, and I believe several of us were interested in having that pulled.

Yes, just for the record, um, Commissioner Aaron Koch pulled this item.

I believe um Mayor Trice wanted to pull this item.

So that's all I have for the record.

And it's only one item, so thank you.

So if uh public works director Nick Battel and City Engineer Camilla will come and present.

Um Mayor, if you don't mind, can I do the results of the orange?

Oh, read it.

Sorry.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Resolution number 26R 3373, a resolution of the City Commission of the City of Sarasota, Florida opposing offshore oil and gas drilling in the eastern Gulf of America, affirming the city's commitment to protecting its coastal resources, economic vitality, and environment requesting action from state and federal leaders and providing for an effective date.

Thank you.

Good morning, Mayor, Vice Mayor, say commissioners, Nick Patel, Public Works, Public Works Director for the Record.

Sanjay Kamya, City Engineer for the record.

So I'll turn it over to Sadri to kind of present the highlights of the uh the resolution and we'll kind of get into it.

Thank you.

Sure.

So uh feel free to ask questions as we go.

I'll hit some of the highlights that kind of stood out for me, but feel free to um ask questions as we go.

So um this is uh this item would be a formal document in the city's um uh position response to what we found out um from a November 2025 uh U.S.

Department of Interior draft plan for offshore oil and gas leasing program um to add a new area, South Central Gulf of America, to a planning area.

Um this would have the potential to allow future offshore lease sales and the things that go along with that.

And so uh we saw this as a as an opportunity um to um propose uh an objection to that.

Um and so um other actions, other jurisdictions maybe that might be of importance.

This links us with the area.

Sarasota County, Mantee County, Oklaosa County, City of Destin, City of St.

Peach, St.

Pete Beach, and I believe Pensacola as well also um adopted resolutions in objection to offshore drilling.

Um reasons cited were risk to coastal economies, fisheries, environmental resources, and long-term um community resilience.

Um rationale for city action today would be of course tourism, recreation, fisheries, and then all the related industries that go with that, and then we know that offshore oil and gas drilling does propose several risks, including spills, industrial activity and environmental degradation.

Um, adoption of this resolution would ensure that the City of Sarasota's position is clearly stated, uh formally documented and included in the public record um for the Department of Interior and other federal agencies as they evaluate leasing decisions.

This, of course, aligns with the city with its regional partners and statewide leadership.

And so therefore the staff recommends adoption of the resolution opposing offshore oil and gas drilling in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Commissioners questions.

Commissioner Harancoch.

I don't I don't really have a question, but I did want to say that you know I I had requested this item be put on the agenda, but I know all five of us attend the Florida League of Cities meetings, and all five of us heard the same message.

So this is something that is really important uh you know to to to all, and we all uh I think know that the importance of that.

And um and I do hope that this commission wholeheartedly supports this effort along with other municipalities and other elected officials throughout our state in opposing uh offshore oil and gas drilling leases being opened up.

Other questions, commissioners.

Well, then thank you very much.

Uh appreciate your presentation, and I know the public appreciates your suggestion and recommendation.

Thank you.

Okay, do we have a motion?

I would move approval of resolution 26R-3373.

Second.

Okay, moved by Commissioner Ahern Kodch, seconded by Commissioner Batti.

Uh may I have your votes, please.

Um we'll call Aaron Kotch.

Yes, Albert.

Yes.

Betty.

Yes.

Ulrich, yes.

Price.

Yes.

And that is unanimous.

Thank you all very much.

And moving on to board appointments.

Um we have on the agenda the appointment to the police officers, pension fund board of trustees, and we have one applicant for reappointment.

Thank you.

Um just for the record, so I can state on the record the term of Mr.

Jodie Jody Jody Huggins Hudgens expires January 2026.

Mr.

Hudges holds the seat designated for city resident who is appointed by the city commission.

Mr.

Hudges is eligible and has expressed interest in being reappointed, and he has submitted his application for consideration.

And I just would like to say for the record, Mr.

Hutchins is a great trustee, and I'm on that board with him.

So he does a great job.

So hopefully this commission will consider reappointing him.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Do uh we have a nomination.

Move approval of Mr.

Jody Hutchins.

Second.

Okay.

Um is there consensus?

I think we can go with a consensus if everybody's great with that.

Yes.

Great.

It looks like there's a consensus.

Thank you very much.

And uh welcome back, Mr.

Hudgens.

Uh moving right along.

Are we up to quasi judicial already?

Yeah.

We are.

Okay.

Well, Ms.

Griggs, if you will um do the administer the oath.

All right.

Anyone who plans to speak at its public hearing today, please stand and take a note.

Thank you.

Do you swear or affirm it the evidence or factual representations which you're about to give or present to this commission during any public hearing held this 20th day of January 2026 are truthful?

Thank you.

Thank you.

So the next item on our agenda is uh public hearing regarding proposed ordinance 26-5589.

And Ms.

Griggs, would you read the title of that proposed ordinance?

Yes, Mr.

Bainer, thank you.

Ordinance number 26-5589, an ordinance of the City of Sarasota, Florida to rezone a portion of that certain parcel of real property totaling approximately 4.49 plus-minus acres located at the southwest corner of 21st Street and North Osborne Avenue, with a street address of 1790 21st Street from the residential multiple family to our MF2 zone district to the governmental G Zone District.

Approving site plan application number 25-SP-02 to allow the replacement of an existing plus-minus 21,197 square foot multi-purpose building with a new plus-minus 21,760 square foot multi-pur-purpose building, a covered play area, and a multiple multi-purpose athletic field.

All as more particularly said for hearing and affirming planning board approval of the major conditional use application 25-CU-01 to allow community services uses uses, providing for reading of this title only and providing for an effective date.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I will therefore open this public hearing and uh call upon the city attorney to explain the quasi judicial process, etc.

Thank you, Mayor.

My deputy city attorney, John Shamsy has actually handled this matter, so I'm going to turn it over to him to introduce it.

As you know, this hearing is a quasi-judicial hearing.

A quajicial hearing is a slightly more formal hearing than a legislative public hearing.

There are parties to a quasi-judicial hearing.

Those parties include the applicant, the city, and anyone who has applied for and obtained affected person status under the city's zoning code.

The parties may proper evidence, testimony, expert testimony, and documentary evidence.

Parties have the opportunity to cross-examine opposing witnesses and to present a closing or rebuttal argument.

The decision of the city commission in a quasi judicial hearing must be based on the competent substantial evidence in the record.

And the commission must apply the appropriate standards of review in the city zoning code relating to this type of approval requested.

At the beginning of the public hearing, the commissioners will state if they've had any ex parte communications on this matter.

That is contact with any of the parties outside of the public hearing today.

So we will now ask the city commissioners if they've had any ex parte communications in this matter.

I have had none.

I have not had any.

I, as the liaison, have attended the housing authority meetings where this was presented on a number of occasions.

I also attended the planning board meeting and did a site visit with city staff.

Commissioner, does that in any way prevent you from being objective and partial in the quasi judicial hearing today?

It does not.

Thank you.

Commissioner Albert.

Any export.

No.

Thank you.

So you don't I can read out what I what I have, and you guys can decide if you're good with it.

20 minutes for the applicant, 20 minutes for staff, five five minutes affected persons if there were any three minutes for public comment.

And have we had any requests for affected party status?

Not that we're aware of.

Thank you.

So I guess I'm going to call upon Joel Friedman for a pre as an agent representing the boys and girls club of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties to make a presentation.

Thank you very much.

Good morning.

I'm Joel Freeman.

I have been sworn.

First, I'd like to introduce all the folks up here with me.

Step down there.

Darren Autry architect, I have been sworn.

Jessica Heron, civil engineer, I have been sworn.

Michael Baumier, I'm the owner's representative, I've been sworn.

Matt Dunn, landscape architect, I've been sworn.

Okay.

Thank you.

Mr.

Freeman.

Thank you very much.

If I could have the overhead.

I think we're all familiar with the property.

It's there we go.

Great.

This is 21st Street.

This is the existing boys and girls club.

The hatched area here is the parcel that's being requested to be rezoned from RMF2 to G.

And we just show this to.

This gives a good idea of the surrounding zoning.

RSF 4 is abutting the property, so therefore that's the most restrictive zoning district.

So we had to design the new project in compliance with the RSF for zoning district.

First thing I'd like to do, however, is have uh Mike Beaumier.

I think you were actually a high school student when you started working with the boys and girls club.

He is uh a wealth of knowledge and understands the process that why we got here.

So go ahead, Mike.

Thank you.

Thank you for the commission for having us here today.

I feel like this project has been ongoing for a long part of my life here.

It's pre-COVID we started with this.

Um approximately three or four years ago, we had two major donors come to us and assist us in purchasing two pieces of land adjacent to property that the uh city service sort of housing authority owns.

Um those two parcels of property were were quick claimed over to the boys and girls club.

Um, and they were divided away from the housing authority's property by a vacated a road that we came back in and asked the city to vacate, which was our first step in this process.

There were no utilities in the road.

It was not you could not ever make the roads usable ever again.

Um and we vacated the road as the first piece.

Then the next step we did is we went through and we negotiated with this with the housing authority to take and offer and donate that land that was purchased by our donors to the housing authority at no cost and enlarge our lease with the intention of uh remodeling the existing boys and girls club on the site.

Well, as it turned out, things changed a little bit, and we realized what terrible condition our existing club was in, uh, spent a considerable amount of time and energy trying to figure out how we could fix it and make it stop leaking.

Uh and after considerable effort and discussion, it was decided that the best thing to do is to take it and tear it down.

With the new acquisition of the new property, we have enough land to be able to build a new boys and girls club at the rear of the site uh while the existing club stays in existing operation, which was a big key and a big part of our goal to our services in the new town.

Um if we had not had that ability, we would have had to take and bust the children from Newtown to Fruitville to our other clubs while we were under construction with a new club because we would have had to tear it down.

So essentially what we're presenting to you here today is a revised piece of proposal for us to enlarge our land, which we've already donated to the housing authority.

That's the reason we want to convert it that the rezone it to G, because it is now it now does belong to the housing authority, it is no longer our property.

Um combine the existing vacated road that we've taken and um incorporate a parcel that belongs to Sarasota County, which was another part of our negotiations that they own on a quick claim, uh, that we now have an easement across that we spent quite a considerable amount of time negotiating a lease with them uh to do.

So there's a lot of parts and pieces to this project.

Um essentially, what we get is uh a new club for Newtown and an enhanced uh facility that is far beyond what we have on site today, and um we hope that the commission feels the same way.

Um it's uh it's been a long effort and for us to get to this point, and uh we'd like to actually start construction as soon as we can.

Thank you.

Great, thanks, Mike.

So uh we have three applications before you today.

We have a rezone application 25 RZ02, a site plan application 25 SP02, and a conditional use application 25 CU01.

We need that conditional use because we're a non-government operation on G zone property.

The approvals are going to allow, if I could have the overhead again, the approvals are going to allow for the construction as Mike said of a new facility to the south of the property, allow the existing facility to operate while we're doing all that construction.

It's a 21,760 square feet.

The old facility is 21,197, so it's a few hundred feet larger, but much more efficient, brand new, no more leaks.

So the um the property now is zoned.

If you approve this, all the property would be zone G.

As I mentioned before, their most restrictive zoning district is RSF4, so that's why all the standards that we had to meet, which we did meet, I have to comply with the RSF4 zoning district.

Now, what I'd like to do is have our architect just kind of go over a little bit of what's going to happen on the site.

Darren?

Sure.

Hello.

So the functions in the facility are going to remain uh very, very similar in size and scope, uh, with one exception, the kitchen is going to be a slightly bit larger in the new version than the previous uh club.

Uh but the same functions will happen on the site as currently exist.

The uh it is a one-story building.

There is a uh modest two-story mezzanine structure where all the mechanical equipment is housed, um, but that's only for mechanicals.

Um a great deal of effort was spent uh thinking about the security and function of how the children move on the site for better uh observation and security and uh protection of the children.

And uh I think we'll let the site civil engineers speak to that.

Yeah, you want to talk about the um the circulation and everything that we did?

Say your name and Jessica Heron with Kimley Horn, uh we're the civil engineer on the project.

We've laid out the site as you can see, so that kids are dropped off at the bus sloop on the far north end of the site, and they can be escorted down to the front.

Um there's also circulation, and we protected this grand tree in the center of the site here.

Um that was thoughtfully uh protected and parking, loading space for trucks here.

Um really efficient layout, and I think the big thing about the drop-off of the kids.

Yeah, one of the one of the things that I wanted to say that I didn't touch on that, Jessica.

So the buses stop and back up along 21st Street, and then we take boys and girls club staff and we escort we create a line of staff between 21st Street and our front door, and they're escorted to the front door of our building as they get off the bus.

This new configuration will take and bring the buses on site, actually offload them, offload the children on site and have them walking on the sidewalk, still maintained by our staff to the new front door, which has been flipped over to the opposite side of the building away from the housing authority buildings.

And as part of that process that we didn't discuss, I didn't mention earlier is that there is a section of Osprey that still belongs to the city of Sarasota that we will be using after discussions with staff.

It was decided not to request to vacate that street, but we have agreed as part of the this proposal that we will upgrade that entire section of Osprey consistent with what we do to our own property rather than vacate it.

And the reason we decided not to vacate it was is there's property owners on the front side of that that if we vacated the road that would get 10 feet of that property.

And our concern is 10 years from now someone else owns that and decides they want that 10 feet and our road to get out of our facility no longer exists.

So after speaking with Lucia and other staff, we decided that it was better to just incorporate into our proposal that we would upgrade that road consistent with what we're doing with the rest of the with the rest of the property and let it maintain stay as a city street.

Okay.

So community workshop was held.

Two people did show up from the general public, but again, this was pretty well received, obviously.

The initial transportation concurrency review was completed.

Now a traffic study was triggered because way back when we had been talking to the YMCA about putting a preschool on the site, and that fell through.

So with the get rid of the preschool, then the traffic study wasn't required, and we're de minimis.

I mean, we're building the same thing that we have there today.

So there's uh several sections of the code that we had to address.

Section 4506 is the site plan section.

Uh section four nine oh six relates to conditional uses, and section four eleven oh six is the rezoning.

Now the staff report is very complete, but um I'm gonna go quickly through those criteria to make sure that we all agree with how it was um reviewed.

So 41106 is the rezoning standards.

The first one is to is the proposed change would be contrary to the future land use plan.

We're consolidating the property, so it pretty much is consistent with what's been going on out there.

Uh compatibility with existing land use pattern.

Again, this is an existing facility that's being slightly enlarged.

Um the next one is the creation of an isolated district.

There's G zoning out there, all of the housing authority property is zone G.

Increasing or overtaxing the land uh public utilities.

We've been found to be de minimis on all the all the aspects of that.

Uh any of the utilities that have to be upgraded will be done so during the construction process.

Number six is uh the existing boundaries are illogically drawn.

Well, again, because the housing authority now owns that property, it makes sense to just consolidate it into the G zoning.

Uh change or changing conditions.

As Mike said, we need to build a new facility.

We got a donation, and so therefore the consolidation of the property makes sense.

Uh drainage problems.

I can tell you she knows there's not going to be any drainage problems as a result of this.

Um will it reduce the air flow and light and all that?

Um again, it's still a one-story building, and it's uh it's that's not gonna have any impact on the air flow of air or light.

Will it be in a deterrent to the improvement of the adjacent property?

Continued investment in the area is in is great.

It's going to we've got amherless to the uh west of that that's happening.

I mean, this is gonna be a wonderful addition, and it will just keep people encouraging to live and invest in the area.

Any special privileges granted?

Uh we're following the process, so there's no special privileges.

Um is it out of scale with the needs of the neighborhood?

Again, we're replacing an existing facility with a facility very similar.

And then finally, is uh were there other sites that were available?

Well, this it doesn't make sense to try to relocate the boys and girls club, so uh no, it this is what's good about it.

Site plan uh is uh four five oh six.

Uh there's a few uh standards where we did we meet the standards as I said, RSF4 was the route most restrictive district, so therefore we had to meet those standards, and we did.

Um balance is the design layout compatible with the city plan by meeting all the standards of uh the zoning district.

We are consistent with the comprehensive plan.

Was the required information provided?

We wouldn't be here if it wasn't.

And next one is are there ways the configuration could be changed to improve the situation?

We were able to provide all the buffers.

Everyone explained the benefit of the reconcil uh reconfiguration of the drop off.

I mean, this is really an ideal layout in my opinion.

Uh did we make adequate provisions for vehicular and pedestrian access?

Again, we'd explain that reconfiguration is a vast improvement.

Did we make uh adequate provision for parking and loading?

We meet the standards, and we have the loading zone, it's separated from the circular pedestrian circulation, it's very safe.

And then preserving the natural features.

Uh as Jessica mentioned, we did we did save the big well.

There's there's 15 grand trees on the site.

We're only removing one, and it's in very poor health.

Matt Matt is here if you have any questions about that.

We we incorporated this one grand tree in the entrance area.

It's going to be really dramatic, I think.

Um we are repla we're exceeding the mitigation requirement, so I think we've done a great job there.

Conditional uses.

Um that's section that's section 4906.

Uh is uh is this conditional use consistent with the land use designation and objectives of the plan?

Again, this is an existing facility being slightly enlarged.

We're we're completely consistent.

The character of the existing area, is this going to impact that?

No, we're going to enhance it by having a brand new building.

Um we've preserved the the trees as as we needed to.

There's no designated historic structures.

Umpable with the existing or adjacent residential area.

Again, it's a one-story building replacing an old one.

I think this is going to be completely compatible with the adjacent area.

We've got all the new stuff going on in Amarillo's.

It's very exciting in that area.

Uh, any adverse impacts on the livability or usability of the nearby property.

Again, I think this is uh an enhancement because it's going to be a new building, better drop-off circulation, so we will not be negatively impacting the negative uh nearby area.

Transportation system, we were doing to Minimus, so we definitely can be that can handle it, and actually the improved circulation makes it even better.

We won't be blocking 21st Street.

Uh minimum off-street parking area has been met.

Uh is public health safety and welfare going to be preserved.

It will be, it'll be enhanced.

This is a much needed use up in that area, and it's uh a great addition with the being a new building.

Whether the applicant has demonstrated the financial and technical capacity to operate this, boys and girls club's a solid organization.

Been operating this forever, and it will continue to do so.

And there are no additional standards really being needed.

So we're here to say we're excited about this project, needless to say, and we hope you can agree, and we're here to answer any questions.

Thank you.

First, I will call upon development review planner Jenkins to make a presentation, and then we'll have some other things before we get to ask you questions.

Thank you.

Alrighty.

Good morning, commissioners.

My name is Camden Jenkins.

I'm a planner with development services staff, and I have been sworn.

So this project consists of three numbers: 25 SP02, 25CU01, and 25 REO2.

And it's a site plan with a major conditional use and rezone for a subject property about four and a half acres in size.

The property is located at 1790 21st Street, has a feature land use designation of multiple family medium density, and is split between the governmental and residential multiple family two zone districts.

The property is owned by the housing authority and is leased to the boys and girls club of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties.

The property is also a part of the housing overlay of uh district.

Adjacent land uses to the north and east include single family and multiple family homes.

Land uses to the south include retirement homes, a nursing home, and assisted living facility.

And to the west of the property lies the Amarillis Park Place Housing Project, another property owned by the Housing Authority.

The property currently hosts an existing two-story 21,197 square foot multi-purpose facility.

And this project proposes the demolition of that building and the construction of a new one-story 21,760 square foot multi-purpose building, a 3,600 square foot covered play area, and a multi-purpose athletic field.

The proposed rezone would consolidate the property under the G Zone District.

There were a total of 110 trees on site at the time of the tree survey, and of those, 36 are proposed to be removed.

Of those that would be removed, two are slash pines, and the rest are sable palms.

The applicant has met the tree mitigation requirements and has proposed 100% native tree species and Florida-friendly tree species.

Of the 15 grand trees on site, only one is proposed for removal, citing the poor health of the tree.

A full traffic study was required for this project, and the traffic circulation analysis determined no mitigation improvements were required and no notable circulation issues are projected to occur as a result of the project.

There was a community workshop held in August of 2024, and it was attended by two members of the public.

There were no questions asked about the proposed development.

At the December 10th, 2025 regular meeting, the planning board voted unanimously to recommend approval of the proposed site plan, major conditional use, and rezone to the City Commission with the added condition that the removal of the existing building will occur following the issuance of a temporary certificate of occupancy or certificate of occupancy for the newly proposed building.

We find that the proposed project complies with all required standards for review of site plan conditional use and rezone petitions and recommend approval with the conditions outlined in the staff report.

Thank you, Commissioners.

Any questions?

Thank you.

We there may be some after we get through additional speakers, so hang around.

Sounds good.

Thank you.

Not being aware of any affected persons, I will call upon uh citizens who have requested to speak.

Uh well, you can hang around back there because I'm gonna bring three people up.

I'm just um Bill Sadlow, Carolyn Mason, and William Russell.

Mr.

Sadlow, you may begin.

Thank you.

And thank you, Commissioners, for this opportunity.

I'm Bill Sadlow, CEO of Boys and Girls Clubs of Sarasto and DeSoto Counties.

You've heard the great presentation that our team made, but I just wanted to share with you uh we've been operating in Sarasota County since 1970, all that time serving residents of Newtown and the children of Newtown.

However, in 1995, we made a shift and started a partnership with the Sarasota Housing Authority, started serving children in a little building in Newtown on Orange Avenue.

It was a maintenance building that the housing authority had.

While that was going on, our board was raising money for the new facility that you just heard about at night at 1790 21st Street.

Back then it was new.

So in 1997, we opened the Roy McBean Club and have been operating in Newtown ever since.

Actually, we have a second site at Newtown Estates Park.

So our commitment to Newtown stands firm.

We're very excited about this new facility.

You've heard all about it.

Um but the things you haven't heard about are the impact that this building has in the community.

And we're proud of our partnership with the housing authority, and that's going to continue.

But the kitchen you heard about, it's a larger kitchen.

That's to produce meals for the kids and the families, but also to teach them culinary arts.

So we're going to be producing meals there, not only for the kids in Newtown, but for the at the McBean Club, but the other clubs too, so they'll be getting on the job training.

Um there's gonna be a food pantry built into this facility, so the parents will be able to we operate a food pantry out of there now, but now it's a dedicated space.

So for a food pantry.

And I also want to let you know that since we become really intentional of our education programs, no children at the Roy McBean Club.

Many of them are the most vulnerable to have summer slide, none of them is slid backwards during our summer programming on education.

So that's our partnership with the school board.

So anyway, I just wanted to share that.

I wanted to say thank you, and we really appreciate your support of this project.

Thank you.

Ms.

Mason.

Good morning.

Good morning.

The boys and girls club came to Newtown, and they said they were gonna do this, that, and the other.

And they did in 2026.

They are still there.

They said they were gonna do something, and they did it.

Their um relationship with the housing authority.

And I sit on the housing authority board, but as a resident of New Town.

And having been a resident of the neighborhood surrounding the club as a teenager.

It has done absolute wonders for the children in that community.

You know why there were only two people at the neighborhood workshop?

Because the community supports it.

They didn't see the need to come.

They support it.

They want it to be there.

They have been a good outstanding neighbor for that neighborhood and for all of Newtown.

I'm I've sat, and like I said, I sit on the housing authority board, I've sat on the boys and girls club board.

I didn't even recognize Michael Baumier.

It's been so long since this process started.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And Mr.

Russell.

Yes, good morning.

Good morning.

I just want to again just highlight the fact that this has been a very positive, long-going partnership with the Boys and Girls Club.

For many years, they've scholarshipped, I think 25 of our youth every summer to be able to attend their summer programming.

Which is great.

I also just wanted to highlight the fact that this whole entire campus, okay, we used to have 160 public housing units on this campus.

And the entire campus either has been redeveloped or is in the process of being redeveloped.

So we're actually going to have more families living on that campus.

But right next door now, we're also going to have a new club.

So that whole campus is going to be redeveloped and quite frankly, dramatically improved.

Replacing 80-year-old obsolete housing with modern, very comfortable, energy efficient housing.

Thank you very much.

Thank you for coming and speaking to us.

Next up is uh call for rebuttal.

We didn't have any affected persons.

Uh does Mr.

Jenkins have any rebuttal?

Not at this point.

Okay.

And Mr.

Friedman, any rebuttal?

So we are now at the point where we have commissioners' questions.

Um and Commissioner Batti has chimed in first.

So we'll hear who he wants to ask questions of and ask you to come on down.

Yeah, um, well, I guess uh the only question that I had, if you know if they want to come down and ask, I mean, uh answer it, was regarding the uh preschool and why that wasn't approved.

Uh Joel Friedman, again, um you want to answer it?

I can answer it.

Oh, let me negotiated long and hard with the YMCA.

Our intent was to be able to provide a facility a new facility that was gonna basically be a K through 12 facility on our site.

Um the and we went the the process took longer than the YMCA wanted it to take, first of all.

Um, and as we looked at the at the site and um the large number of trees that we have on the site, um they they said to us, hey, we need a 10,000 square foot pad.

Uh as it turned out at the end of the day, the largest pad we were able to provide them without major tree removal was gonna be about a 7,000 square foot pad.

And it did not work out to be able to provide a standard YMCA K-5 facility that they can get certified with the state and be a regular routine.

We're not uh adverse to it, as I mentioned to Joel previously, and so we'll probably be back here visiting with you guys hopefully in the next 12 months.

Um we have land available uh for other facilities, as uh Bill Sadlow mentioned.

You know, uh a big part of our program nowadays is to make sure that we take care of um not just the younger children but our high school students and providing on-the-job training for those types of things.

This project originally started out prior to having a YMCA site on it with a vocational tech center uh designed on it.

So the board has to discuss it and decide what they want to do and how we can fit it onto the site and make sure that we stay within the guidelines of the of the uh the city code.

But um our intention is is that we'll probably come back to you and look to expand again with with a different rather than the K-312 aspect, we'll come back and say, hey, let's do some other job training and previously we were going to do automotive servicing and that that type of stuff to expose high school students to that option of the if you're not going to go to college, think about SCTI and we and working with our partners in the community to do that kind of thing.

So it's unfortunate we tried very hard to work with the YMCA just at this time it didn't work out on this site.

Excellent.

Uh and thank you for that explanation.

Um, I just wanted to add uh, you know, regarding this this project and how vital it is to our community, particularly as a representative uh of that district of District One.

Um having grown up in the boys and girls club.

Uh I remember when the uh it was just the boys grow up, the boys' club, and then the girls club was right down the street over on Tuttle.

Um and split in time between uh Roberdale Taylor, which when I was growing up and Mrs.

Mason can attest to this was affectionately called the rec and whatnot, you know.

And uh, you know, so the boys and girls club has always uh played a pivotal role, you know, in Newtown and this city in general, and it helped bridge the gap uh in terms of race relations, everything.

I mean, I grew up with with with Bill.

I mean he still calls me Scotty instead of Kyle, you know, but um but um you know the work that you all do is uh is unparalleled and uh and and can't be quantified, you know, to say the least.

And knowing you know, your partnership with the with the housing authority, which also does amazing and incredible work in District One and in Newtown uh is is like I said, you know, you you you can't you know find the the the words to justify it.

But um, you know, Bill Sadlow and his team and everyone there at the Boys and Girls Club, you know, just for the community in the city of Sarasota to understand.

You know, I've I've been over there countless times and in and participated in a number of programs that they have, particularly when it comes to the star leadership program uh there, the food pantry that they have there, the the uh uh technology that that that they're teaching the the the children.

Um I've been over there with Mrs.

Mason before.

Um is is it's incredible.

And and I urge this commission to to uh approve this, as I said, looking at it, they they've met the standards of review, be it the site plan, uh the conditional use and rezone and done everything that they possibly could to bring this this uh project to fruition.

And uh as I said, you know, their investment and their commitment to this community again is unparalleled.

They they've committed to their investment.

And I I I can't say enough, you know, for for what you all done, particularly when it comes to taking care of the youth of of uh our community and not just the youth, the families of our community, you know.

And uh it's amazing work and uh you know wish everyone would uh take notice to to the work that you all are doing there and continue to do there.

I mean, even continuing to grow right there in Newtown.

And uh again, I just uh I I can't say enough.

Thank you so very much, you know, for the work that you all continue to do.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Commissioner Aaron Kutch.

Thank you.

Um Mr.

Freeman, can you put up the site plan with the drop-off pickup portion of it?

Can you just explain to me um the it looks like there's like a double loop there?

So there's the one at the top of the page where uh cars come in and then can loop around, and then there's Osprey Avenue, and then they sort of loop around again.

Can you explain to me the purpose of that sort of double double drop-off?

Well, this is the drop-off for the buses.

Right?

And then the kids walk down here to the thing.

Okay.

This is additional parking.

So if people were coming here to visit, discuss staff, whatever.

There's parking spaces right there.

And is are the parking spaces taking up that whole space there?

No, just right there.

Oh, just uh at the top there.

Okay.

It's just a nice big circular drive.

This is a loading zone, so you know that that could be part of the circulation as well.

Is that um where the sort of the dumpsters and all of that stuff is going to be or the dumpsters are located right there, right?

Yep.

Okay.

Okay.

I was just curious why there was this the sort of the double.

Well, and this is all going to become a par uh playground when that building goes away.

Okay.

It's all going to be green space and playground, open space and all that.

Okay.

Okay.

Um then uh can you explain to me there.

So on the east side, uh, I guess I'm right.

Yeah.

Uh there's that sidewalk that sort of goes um from the east to the west, west to east, and then it goes up a parallel to the Osprey Avenue there.

There's um sidewalk.

Do you see that?

Okay.

Uh just can you explain to me how that's going to work with the road cutting where it is now and the that whole pedestrian access there?

This sidewalk here and all that?

All the way, and then it continues off to this to the east.

Do you see?

It goes from 21st Street all the way down and then it curves around?

Yes.

Oh, okay.

So that whole um sidewalk.

Can you just explain what's going to happen with that?

Well, uh, there really isn't anything happening with that.

That's the that's the county's right-of-that's where the major there's three major 67-inch stormwater pipes that come from 301 down that area.

It's green space.

So that crosswalk coming across there gives you the ability to get across the road, but there is no sidewalk continuing on up past that area.

We have negotiated an easement across the top of that uh drainage structure with with uh with the um with the county.

And so is that Ospreay Avenue?

Will there be cars there?

The purpose of the and one of the points that Joel didn't touch on is this we have a safety and um security committee at all of our clubs that that oversee all of our clubs.

One of the big jobs here that that they've designated to us as part of the construction teams is isolating school buses and cars and children.

We don't want school buses crossing lanes where child where cars are, and parents are driving in to pick up their kids if they're not taking the bus.

So the purpose of the double loops is actually to create that just that separation.

School buses come in off of 21st Street, they stop along the you know, the south the parallel to the existing building.

Um they drop off the children or they pick up children there.

See, generally we don't have afternoon pickups.

Parents come and pick their kids up in the afternoon.

So when a parent is driving in, they drive all the way in down Osprey Avenue, come through the loop, pick up their child at the front door, and get into their car staff releases that child to to the parent.

Um so we have a very high in this day and age, we have to operate our clubs like you'd operate a school today.

And and you know, you no one gets in and out without you know the security doors and one child through the door at a time and being able to acknowledge who they are.

One of the big parts again is making sure the children are safe when they're in the parking lot uh and moving back and forth and the the isolation of school buses and cars and children is very important to us, thus the double system of the school buses never get down the rest of Osprey Avenue to to that loop on the inside where the where the the Grand Tree is to make that circle.

That's where the food uh that that's also the area where where uh our food, our our food bank would the pickup area would be in that area.

So again, we're not out on in the area where the school buses are.

Someone drives in when we're operating the food bank, they come they they pull into there and they pick up what they need, and they drive back around the circle and they drive out.

So that's really the purpose behind uh Darren had something to add?

Yeah, Darren Autry architect um.

So the double system of sidewalks uh the one to the west is primarily for the children and staff to move safely from the school bus drop-off to the front door.

The the one on Osprey is required by a code because that's still public right away.

You have to build this new sidewalk with the roadway.

Oh, so there will be a sidewalk.

So it also allows us to build that future other building on the site.

All buildings are now required by code to connect via a sidewalk back to the public right away.

So we need that other for a future development that might happen on the eastern part of the site.

Where would that be?

Can you just show me where?

Oh, down there.

Okay.

Okay.

So I was I I my question is mostly about um that Osprey Avenue connection and the the sidewalk there, because if I read it right, it's outside of the property line.

And that sidewalk is pretty used.

Um when I did a site visit, we saw people coming from the east, walking up, going back.

It was it was pretty pretty well trafficked for a sidewalk.

Um it was very tiny, and I was hoping for some sort of improved pedestrian connection through there.

It's it w it could be a really nice amenity for the community to have a nice pedestrian connection there.

So I was curious what that was all gonna look like.

Can we bring Jessica our civil engineer down who really has a full understanding of how the site is laid out?

Because it's all it's very confusing about right of way in easements and county and city and I have our site plan right here.

Um are you speaking about the sidewalk along Ospreay here?

The whole it goes all the way from 21st all the way curves around and then it goes east.

Yep.

So we have the existing sidewalk to be maintained.

We're improving the curb ramps and the detectable warnings to make it more accessible where we were required, but as of right now, we're showing existing to remain since it is off site.

And that's is that county property or city property that a portion of it is.

There is this somehow or another, the county ended up owning a piece of land there, fee simple.

Um this is quite a convoluted discussion about what happened.

Back in the early 90s, as Carolyn will be able to tell you that when the county came in and took the stormwater system.

This used to be a large trench, a 30-foot deep trench that took the water from 301 and ran it down to 21st Street and out into the bay.

Um the boys and girls club was there and there was a bench uh a hole there.

Um and through the process of negotiating with the county, the county put that all underground.

Well, while they were in the process of doing it, instead of putting it in the right-of-way, they put it on housing authority property.

So part of the negotiation we had to go through was to get an easement from the housing authority to the county for the location of the piping and to get an easement for ourselves as part of our redo of the project to be able to cross that right away now that that they've got their pipe to and be able to give them access to the pipe, should they ever need to get out and do any repairs to it.

As I said, these these are pipes that are probably the size of this table, three of them side by side, designed to take hundred-year storm water coming down from 301.

And that yet that leads to my other question, which I still want to, I still am unclear about the sidewalk situation uh at the moment.

But um just because we do projects like this, it's nice if we while we're digging things up to improve a sidewalk.

And so I don't know if that's your responsibility, city, county, whose responsibility.

The sidewalk is cracking, it's insufficient, it's not if if uh a mother's pushing a uh um a baby carriage, or if somebody is uh a person is disabled in a wheelchair.

The those sidewalks are cracked, and now's a really good opportunity to improve them.

Again, I know it's okay.

Well, we have no issue agreeing to replace the process.

We have to.

The the engineering design criteria, manual, if we're a buddy in a right-of-way, they make the owner of that property improve up to the half section.

So that sidewalk will be improved.

So it will be improved.

Oh, yeah, it's gonna have to be.

Okay, I thought I thought that you had said that it was gonna remain as a because it was.

I mean, but I'm sure that the city is going to require it to be reconstructed.

Maybe we should have somebody from the city tier to speak to that.

But um also the I had a question about the stormwater because there are these um I don't know what they are, large stormwater things on the property near the current um you know, the where the basketball area is.

There seem to be like three of them.

Right.

And I don't think I've ever seen something like that before.

And I was curious how that's all gonna be upgraded, not upgraded, connected, fixed.

We're not touching those.

Those are Sarasota County owned massive control structures for the right in this area.

This is a channel.

It's like an open ditch, and it turns into an underground culvert where those structures are that you're referring to.

We're not impacting those.

Um and then it continues on north right next to that sidewalk you were referencing.

This is all Sarasota County drainage easement that Mike was referencing as well.

So those are necessary for the Sarasota County stormwater system to function.

It's it's a massive system.

Yeah.

I have more questions.

Well, they'll be around too, I'm sure.

Thank you.

Commissioner Alpert.

Um Yeah, I just wasn't uh clear about a couple of things.

Number one, the the uh the land that was hatched.

I wasn't clear whether that's still now the housing authority, or you you took you bought it from the housing authority or they quit claimed it to you or it was it was money was donated so that the boys and girls club could buy it, and then they quickly to the housing authority and then revised our lease with the housing authority so that it's incorporated into our our master lease with them.

So we bought it and then we we gave it to the housing authority at no cost for a dollar.

You bought it from the housing authority?

No, we bought it from private parties from two individual private parties with via donor funds that were donated to the club.

Okay.

We then we then took that land and deeded it to the housing authority as part of a renegotiated lease with the housing authority that expanded our property to give us the ability to do what we're doing right now.

Um as Jessica and Joel mentioned, we have land available where the YMCA site was supposed to go to do something with.

Uh in order to move this process along since it had been going on so long.

I said to everyone, stop, let's just take the YMCA off of here.

Let's get the first part of this project approved, get everything moving and underway, and we can finalize what we want to do in this area.

But the intention is that as I said, we'll be back to talk about you know expanding and that that's really where we'll be building something new.

It's just a matter of what we can fit in the site.

You bought it, you quit claimed it to the housing authority, but now you're leasing it from the housing authority.

Right.

We have a 40-year lease with the housing authority that's renewable in five-year terms.

I guess I don't understand why you just why why you would give it quit claim it rather than just keep it if you bought it.

Because we would have to pay admiral taxes on it.

The Housing Authority has it, we don't have to pay taxes on it.

Okay.

And then later on you're planning to use that or get it back from them?

No, no, no.

As part of our lease, all we have to do is go to the housing authority.

If we decide to put uh a vocational education center or whatever on it, we would simply go with a plan to the housing authority and say, hey, this is what we would like to do.

We would expand our and obviously we would go through the process with the city, and then we would take that land.

It would stay within our lease.

We would just we've got to find a building that will fit on that site that we can fit within all of the mitigation requirements.

We have so many grand trees on the property that it's it's a difficult site and to to get uh a pad into that will work to uh efficiently to do what we're trying to do.

Okay.

And we'd be back here to modify the site plan that you are approving today.

Yeah, okay.

I think I get that.

And then um when the old building is torn down and you make that green space and a uh playground, is there then still a sidewalk for when the buses come, then there's a sidewalk to get to the new building that that goes to the side of it wasn't clear, but I thought I yeah.

It's hard to see there because it's small, but it goes along the western side.

Okay.

All right, for them to be able to walk set up, go around the the playground area.

And then um the other thing I wasn't clear about on the on the bottom part of the site plan, I know you can't see it or looking at, but to the rear of your new building that goes into that um you know land that's that you are leasing from the housing authority.

What is that?

The hatched area there.

It it it's not it it goes into the hatched area, but it's like you've got your turnaround, and then there's something that kind of dead ends.

It's additional parking.

Okay.

All right.

Yeah, I just couldn't I wasn't clear on that.

All right.

That's that's all my questions.

Thank you.

Okay, thank you.

Uh Vice Mayor.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, my one question is for Mr.

Jenkins.

And there's an empty chair there, you can stay if you wish.

Thank you, kindly.

Right.

So first of all, I'd like to start with a comment from Mr.

Sadlow and company.

Um I didn't grow up at the Boys and Girls Club like Commissioner Betty did.

Uh, but I greatly value and appreciate the services that you provide to the children, the youth, and the families of the community at large, as well as to this specific neighborhood.

So thank you.

My question, sir.

Um our uh agenda request, there's a summary of uh the planning board meeting, and at the bottom of page three, it refers to the condition that the planning board added at their December 10th, 2025 meeting.

I want to confirm that there is only one condition that the planning board added.

Yes, there's only one condition.

And that was one the removal of the existing building will occur following the issuance of a temporary certificate of occupancy.

Yes, Commissioner.

Uh-huh.

And I want to also confirm that that has been included in the ordinance.

I believe so.

Let me take a quick look.

I mean, we didn't ignore the condition that the planning board added.

Yes, that's correct.

Okay.

And how has it not been ignored?

I see planner Webster is coming to join us to point it out.

For the ordinance, that is just the reason, correct?

Is the condition of the site plan?

Yes.

Yeah, the condition relates to the site plan.

So modular.

Sorry.

Rebecca Webster, um, development review chief planner acting.

Um this is a condition for the site plan, so it was added to the agenda request so that the commission may decide if they decide to approve the site plan rezoning conditional use, you would add that condition into your motion today.

Thank you.

So anything else?

No, thank you.

Thanks.

Uh I just had actually my two initial questions have been answered.

I wanted to ask um about what was planned after the current building was removed.

So I'm pleased to hear that it's going to be playground, green space.

Uh and then also I was wondering about the plan for the southeast corner of the plot, and that's where you anticipate planning another building.

But then Commissioner Ahern Kotz's questions about the sidewalks prompted another question.

Is there going to be fencing around the property for the security of the kids?

And if so, where is that fencing, especially in relation to, I guess, the sidewalk at uh osprey.

I guess the first part of the question is is there going to be fenced?

Yes, there is.

The entire site will be fenced and access controlled.

And that sidewalk along Osprey is outside the property, so it will still have free flow.

So it will be Osprey sidewalk fence.

Correct.

Okay.

Okay.

Thank you.

That's where my questions and round two.

I suspect Commissioner A.

Haran Kotch has additional questions.

It just uh just to get more clarity on the sidewalk and the stormwater situation.

Those are my two major um questions.

I just am not understanding how that sidewalk, what it's going, you know, is this going to be widened?

Is it going to be improved?

Is it contiguous?

Is it widened?

That's what the EDCM requires.

It doesn't have to be?

No.

Okay.

Because it's that type of street that that's really small at the moment.

And it's I don't know if that's city-county pro I don't know.

It's the city sidewalk.

It's a five-foot sidewalk right now existing.

Is it five feet?

Yeah.

Is it five feet?

That's what I was going to say.

I was going to offer up if it was three foot wide to take it to a five-foot sidewalk while when we redo it, but it's already a five-foot sidewalk.

I mean.

Is it a five?

Is it a five-foot sidewalk?

Uh I I'd have to take a look at this.

It's per our survey.

I mean, we've had the site surveyed in order for Jessica to do her drawings.

Okay.

It just looks really tiny.

Maybe because it's overgrown and broken and in really bad shape.

Yes.

So it will be improved.

It will.

Okay.

And it will be contiguous.

Correct.

And it will remain open to the public.

It will.

Okay.

And is has the city not looked into maybe improving that sidewalk, making it larger or I don't think I can speak to that.

The city doesn't do that.

I'm sorry.

It's not on a capital improvement program.

It just they wouldn't widen it.

The code requires five feet.

That's what you're going to get.

Okay.

And it will probably be a lot better once it's really remote.

Well, it's hard to make it worse than it is now.

But it it is used, and it is a I think it's a would be a great amenity for the community to have a decent um sidewalk through there.

I don't know who is responsible for for that.

Um then I was going to ask about um flooding.

Was there any flooding in the hurricanes that we had?

Any?

So those stormwater systems are working, those strange things.

Actually, the surface area that Jessica mentioned and jump in.

You're the you're the engineer here.

But those those structures are designed.

While I said we had pipes underground, this the surface area is also designed as retention.

So the retention areas fill, and even with the stormwater that continues to come from 301 through those pipes, when those retention basins fill, that's why you see those structures sitting higher above grade because those those areas fill up with water.

When they overflow, they overflow into this into the disposal system and go out through a pipe.

And it connects north?

It connects west to the water.

It connects north.

Well, actually it connects east to 301 and then comes down, comes across and goes west to the to the bank.

Could you zoom in a little bit for the overhead?

Yeah.

In addition to what Mike was mentioning, the existing site has one dry pond on site.

Right.

And then that Sarasota County system running through the site.

And our proposed, we're going to have three on-site dry ponds.

Ah, okay.

So we will be improving the treatment and attenuation that is up to Swift MUD regulations.

Okay.

So the stormwater will be improved in addition to the flooding that wasn't occurring during the And we have our southwater our Southwest Florida Water Management District permits already.

Okay.

And and are those sites, are those stormwater retention areas, are they regularly, have they been regularly maintained?

They also looked like they were suffering a little bit.

The existing one to the north here, it'll be mowed and maintained.

Um and then along with the proposed ones as well.

So they will be?

Yes.

Okay.

That's great.

That's on the books to happen.

Yes.

Um just curious about the sidewalk.

Can I show us in the middle of the thing?

So just this is the property appraiser.

Umager Christie, would you introduce yourself?

Thank you.

Uh General Manager Alison Christie of Development Services.

And I have been sworn.

So this front portion here is city owned, and the rest here is county owned.

Okay.

So I mean, we don't currently have any plans to update the this front part of the sidewalk, and then the rest of the sidewalk would be sort of county responsibility.

Okay.

And um what would it take for us to upgrade that sidewalk?

We'd need to talk to uh public works about that.

Okay.

Um and then how would that even be coordinated with the county?

Uh I mean how we do coordination with the county every day.

So up asked public works, take a look at the sidewalks there, figure out what the applicant's doing, what if anything we would do, and they know how to coordinate with the county.

I I mean I'm not going to tell them how they do it every day.

Okay, so the this is something potentially we could look into improving that connection in that area there.

I'm asking them to look at it in the context of the development recording.

Okay.

Okay.

And we we can also look into cleaning it up and getting the garbage out of there and mow the area and it's it's it's in it's in pretty serious disfrutation.

And this is not a reflection on you all.

I'm just saying, you know, while things are being done, let's try to the whole idea is to improve the area and the community and all the work that's being done by the housing authority and all the work that's being done by you.

And I I think it would be a shame if the weak link were the city and the county can't talk about a decent sidewalk for the community.

Well, you mentioned the quality of the trash and the issues in the area.

That's part of the reason why we worked with our donors to get a hold of the land, the land was being used and and as a dumping site and other things that were going on.

So we got control.

Once we got control of the land, we fenced it, cleaned it up, and started our process of rezoning and working with the housing authority on it.

But we were having issues with it continuously.

We didn't have control of it, and our donors stepped in to help us get control of that land so that we can clean it up and maintain it on a regular basis and police it from the point of view of saying, hey, you guys can't be here kind of stuff.

Thank you.

Okay.

Thank you very much.

And uh as far as some of those things, we have the whole period of construction to get everything else ironed out and working and looking great.

So I am going to close the public hearing.

And ask the city attorney, do we need more than one motion?

Well, or you let me let me see actually.

John, what do you think?

Um I think one motion to um approve the reset ordinance and site plan, and then a separate motion to affirm the major conditional use resolution for the plan board.

Okay.

Well, with the site plan, though, I believe we needed an amendment to confirm that the planning board recommendation will be followed.

Mayor, I'm ready to make a motion or two.

And approve site plan application number 25 dash SP Two with the condition that removal of the existing building will occur following the issuance of a temporary certificate of occupancy or certificate of occupancy for the proposed building.

So moved.

You mean second?

Okay.

Moved by the vice mayor, seconded by Commissioner Batti to uh approve the uh ordinance twenty-five uh twenty-six-five five eight nine and the uh site plan twenty-five dash sp0 two with the inclusion of the planning board record condition.

Um is there discussion?

Um it's been said.

No, uh I I'd say something, uh Mayor, if I may.

And that is, you know, I urge the the uh the approval of this because one.

This again, as I stated before, this is an investment in the community, the families of the community, and more importantly, the children of the community.

The community like uh wants this.

Um talked about, you know, uh it being on balance, there is a complete equilibrium when it comes to it being on balance or what have you two people, you know, show up at uh at a at a meeting with a community of of um of thousands or what have you, you know, that that speaks volumes.

So um it might I add I used to be uh art teacher at the uh boys and girls club when I was a kid.

Okay.

Oh, so if there's no more discussion Oh, Commissioner Aher and Cotch.

Um yeah, I just wanted to say that um I support the motion because it meets the standards for review.

Okay.

Any other discussion?

Okay, I believe we need a roll call vote in addition to our Yes.

I'm sorry, Aaron Kotch, yes.

Albert?

Yes.

Betsy?

Yes.

Ulrich?

Yes.

Yes.

And Betty's So the vote is unanimous.

Thank you very much.

Now I believe we still need a motion uh regarding conditional use.

Yep.

I have another motion, Mayor.

Uh move to affirm planning board approval of major conditional use application number 25-CU-0.

Oh move.

Is that second?

Okay.

Move by the Vice Mayor, seconded by Commissioner Batti to approve 25-CU-01.

And roll call vote again.

Oh, sorry.

Yeah, I just wanted to take for the record that it meets the I'm gonna support this motion because it meets the standards for review.

Okay.

No more.

Okay.

And I'm also gonna do a little call on this just in case.

Albert, yes, Betty.

Yes.

Yes.

Aaron Codge, yes.

And it's unanimous.

Thank you all very much.

I think we're all excited about what is going to go in that location.

And uh we have an item of new business, and we're getting to the end of the meeting, so I'm going to assume we do not need a break at this point.

Depends on whether you guys are gonna talk this to death or not.

If you are a break.

Exactly.

Let's have a break.

Okay, he's suggesting I guess we're going to talk about this slide.

So um it is uh what time is it?

Apple time.

Uh 1043, shall we take 10 minutes?

Yes.

Come back at we'll say 1055.

Great.

Thank you.

Welcome back.

We are resuming our regular city commission meeting, and we are at agenda item twelve point one new business, and it will be a discussion of updates to various chapters of the Sarasota City Plan, which is the comprehensive plan.

And we'll call upon Planning Director Cover, General Manager Chapdelane, and Manager of Long Range Planning Smith, and I see Mr.

Smith is here already.

He's being abandoned.

And and I'm assuming we don't have anybody signed up to speak.

Okay.

I I think they got my back back.

But uh good morning, I'm David Smith, manager of long range planning.

And I'm here to talk today uh about uh the updating the comprehensive plan.

As you know, the uh last major update of the entire comprehensive plan occurred in two thousand eight, many, many years ago.

Uh we have updated uh various chapters over the years, such as when we updated the uh trend uh you know, the historic preservation transfer of development rights a couple of years ago, uh our density bonus program.

We've updated uh various chapters with some of the evaluation appraisal reports over the years, like in twenty seventeen, uh twenty twenty-two, I believe.

Uh so we have updated some, but for the most part, the comprehensive plan needs a good update.

And uh I remember a couple years ago when I was a I was in front of the commission uh during the density bonus program, I'll let you know that we would be bringing updates a little bit at a time over the next few years.

Uh well, so we've really started working on that, and um we will be bringing forward uh later this year, uh new transportation chapter.

Uh our transportation planners have been working on that diligently with uh a day as queue.

Uh really to bring us into I guess the new century, I guess.

Um but we're also going to be updating some of the population projections at that time, because we're looking at a time period of twenty fifty-five for the comprehensive plan, go out thirty years from now.

Um state does have a requirement of minimum of ten years and twenty years.

Um the C Commission and Planning Board and uh others who are interested in reviewing the plan, uh updates.

Uh, these are what are adopted by ordinance, so that those become law.

So as you uh look at the comprehensive plan, really concentrate on those planned components.

Um the transportation chapter here in a few months and uh some updated population projections uh later this calendar year, we'll be bringing forward uh historic preservation chapter, uh governmental coordination chapter, and the recreation open space chapters.

Um recreation open space, uh you know, it's based upon the 2002 parks and connectivity master plan.

And so we've updated uh our parks planning with the parks master plan in 2019.

So you see that that chapter is really out of date based on a plan from 20-something years ago.

We need to update it.

Um, sometime in 2027, we'll be updating the utilities, housing, environmental protection, coastal islands, uh probably the public schools and capital improvements chapters.

Um we'll also be working on a future land use chapter, probably after the update of the downtown master plan.

There may be some changes that come out of that particular update that we would be looking at.

Uh we're also gonna be looking at updating the neighborhood chapter, and I think it's important that we do uh work with C CNA on that chapter.

Uh it's very important.

So we'll be reaching out to CCNA on that.

Uh staff will be presenting chapters to the appropriate advisory boards, interested parties, and we'll be holding open houses now and then prior to planning board and city commission public hearings.

Uh the schedule that we have, uh kind of breaking up the the uh chapters uh as they come forward will allow for um really more concentration and precise review of each chapter.

So we concentrate on one chapter, two chapters at a time.

You're not stuck looking at 12 chapters and a book that thick with thousands of pages.

Uh we will be going through the state uh expedited review process.

Uh this is uh 30-day review period.

I did talk to our state reviewers a couple years ago and let them know that we're going to be uh working toward this uh with this particular type of uh update to the comprehensive plan.

Uh one thing that we do when we do updates to the comprehensive plan, we do ask the city commission to authorize uh staff to begin preparing the updates and uh to the planned chapters, and that's what we have for our administration's recommendation if you could today authorize us to really go ahead and work on what we've been working on.

So I'll be happy to answer any questions that you may have.

Um do we have any but nobody signed up to speak?

So uh commissioner questions, advice mayors first.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Smith.

Um, you mentioned that we'd be going through the expedited review process.

What does that mean again?

Yeah, it's the state process where we have to hold transmittal hearings uh in the city commission would transmit a proposed amendment to the state for review.

State would have 30 days to review the document and send their comments back, and then the city would have 180 days to adopt those particular amendments.

We there's a state coordinated review, it's a little longer process, it's like 60 days, but that's not the process we'll be following.

And so I'm wondering how that fits the expedited review process, how it fits, or if it has any impact at all on the downtown master plan being reviewed and revised at this time.

Well, we will be holding revisions to the future land use chapter until the downtown master plan is completed.

Um there may be other components of the plan that would be need to be updated as well.

If there are, we would uh work on those at the same time.

So we're looking probably in 27, maybe 28 for the future land use updates.

Okay, thank you.

And then could you just um identify for us uh what you think the timeline will be for this?

I won't hold you to it, I promise.

Yeah, uh it could be a little flexible, but uh we're looking at probably five, four chapters during 2026.

Um five or six chapters, 2027, and maybe some others that we might begin the process like transmitted on 27 have those updates adopted in like 2028.

So probably over the next two years or so, two and a half.

Thank you very much.

You're welcome.

Thank you, Commissioner Aaron Kotch.

Thank you.

Um just to one question uh why the order that you chose of the chapters?

Yeah, well, the transportation chapter, um, you know, it's based on it was the current chapter is through the year 2030.

So that's basically four years away.

So it really needed to be updated.

Um so we wanted to work with that one first transportation is very, very important.

They're all important, but it's it's real really important.

Uh so we wanted to to work with that one.

Uh and we've you know recently had you know various studies completed, like Sarasota in motion, you know, to try to incorporate some of those components into that chapter.

So wanted to work with them.

Uh we also need to do the population projections out to you know 2055 because of that.

Uh the uh recreation open space, as I said, you know, it's based upon the 2002 master plan, is really, really out of date.

Uh so we'd like to work on that one, get it up to date.

Um the housing the historic preservation, you know, that one's out of date as well because it's it was written in 2002, 2003.

I wrote it.

Uh we have support document text of the Florida Master site file in it.

That's 20-something years old.

Now we're doing it on the website.

Uh so when we make any changes to that, we can point to the website and not have this stale, you know, 10, 15 pages there.

So yeah.

So we're just trying to do things a little bit at a time.

Um, you know, not overwhelm people and try to take, you know.

And also with the utilities chapter, uh we have 18 months after the latest regional water supply plan is updated uh to update uh changes to the utilities chapter.

And the regional water supply plan was just updated, adopted last month by the water management district.

So uh we're looking at going out through middle of 27 for that.

Yeah.

So that's some of the thank you on that.

Okay.

Thank you.

Um Commissioner Albert, Commissioner Batti, either of you?

I didn't sign up, no, thank you.

Okay.

Commissioner Batti, anything from you?

Okay.

Um actually you in your presentation pretty much addressed my concerns because I wanted to know if there was a plan to solicit input from the public and from the commissioners as you consider specific areas.

So I'm very glad to hear that you will be involved in CCNA and the neighborhood plan and open houses.

Were there any other ways that you were planning to incorporate public input?

Also, you know, there are various groups out there that have various you know, I guess identified certain items that they're interested in, like the Alliance for Historic Preservation.

They're interested in historic preservation chapter.

I think we should send a copy to them and you know get their comments and have them give us some input.

Um those types of organizations.

Okay, great.

And and then also uh with the ad hoc downtown master plan committee, uh if their report includes some things that might affect the transportation plan that you have already updated, would you then be planning to make you know whatever tweaks are necessary to support their report?

Yes, we would uh look at tweaking it.

Um as part of the I guess the invitation to negotiate, uh we're indicating that the consultant maybe as a second part will help us identify amendments to the uh comprehensive plan and maybe to the zoning code.

Uh so we'll depend on them and somewhat if they think that you know this chapter needs to be updated, this chapter needs to be updated.

So they'll take a look at those various components of the comprehensive plan and give us some guidance on what we should do.

Great.

Well, thank you very much.

Um Vice Mayor.

Thank you.

Um Mr.

Smith, um I just heard in your comment about a consultant.

I don't know that I'd read in my backup materials about a consultant.

Would our authorization for staff to begin this process include hiring a consultant?

No.

Staff's going to work on this in-house.

There are consultants, you know, for the I, you know, the ITN for the downtown master plan.

Uh City Commission did authorize the hiring or of uh consultant for the transportation update.

That was through the budgeting process, I believe, or so a year ago as a budget item.

Great.

Uh where a day as crew, a day as q was hired uh you know it would help on that.

Great.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Anyone else?

Okay.

Well then thank you very much.

And um I guess we are ready for an a motion.

I have a motion, Mayor.

Uh move to authorize staff to begin preparing updates to the comprehensive plan chapters of the Sarasota City plan.

Second.

Okay, moved by the Vice Mayor, seconded by Commissioner A.

Hern Kotch to authorize staff to begin preparing updates.

So any discussion?

No.

Okay.

Let's vote.

Is that your vote?

Yes.

It is unanimous.

Thank you all very much.

And we're down to uh any citizen input, send us in comments.

Thank you.

I think that's a good question.

Ah.

You didn't expect us to get through this quickly, did you?

It's a pretty thin agenda.

I don't disagree.

Oh, you didn't finish really.

I'll finish that in a minute.

Obviously, I I I remain Martin Hyde.

I uh I was actually just at the school board.

Couldn't miss that controversy, a lot more plan on there.

Um the reason I I took a run down here, you're right.

I didn't expect you to be you need to introduce yourself.

Okay, Martin Hyde.

Uh Sarah Sosa.

Uh as I said, I don't live in the city anymore.

I look after my poor mother.

And uh anyway.

The reason I came, and and and we're all Americans, right?

The reason I I came down, uh it's not gonna make a big song and dance of it, as I understand it, and I think with the benefit of hindsight.

Wasn't a very good idea to jump on people's First Amendment rights the other week.

Um I get it.

The guy that stood up and telling you where he was and what he wasn't got my nose too.

Um but when we're talking about codes of public conduct and all that sort of stuff, th there's a certain point.

And I I've come close to that sometimes myself.

Uh sometimes I regretted it, sometimes I just lost my mind for a moment.

But Constitution trumps that.

Um it just does.

And um I think time limits are absolute.

You know, these meetings go on sometimes internally, and uh it's appropriate uh to uh to have a limit.

But as a point of order, I think we've seen this subsequently in the newspaper articles about it.

If anybody, any one of you doesn't like something that's said, the way to go about it is to call a point of order, not to shout out.

Um banging the gavel doesn't terribly bother me.

It kind of makes me feel like I hit the point.

But um it does serve a chill.

A lot of people turn up here and nervous to come before you.

Uh a lot of people here feel very passionate.

They're not necessarily familiar uh with the process.

And I don't believe that any one of you, and I've been grateful because quite frankly, like I said, I've been near the line myself many times that you don't smack down the gavel.

Like I said, it it wouldn't bother me, but I think it it it does bother some people.

And and I don't think it's appropriate.

I don't agree with almost anything you do.

But I say it you know calmly.

As best I can.

Um I think that's why why I come.

Because there's some degree of cordiality, some degree of respect from uh from both sides.

We're not going to agree on everything.

Um but I'd like to think that that was a momentary blip, and that going forward within reason will give everybody the opportunity to say what they feel and what they believe.

And if those hurty words occasionally you don't have to listen.

There's no obligation to listen, but I think there's an obligation to let them speak.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Okay.

So now we're down to remarks of the commissioners, announcements and items for the next agenda.

And Commissioner Albert, would you like to speak?

I don't know.

Nothing.

Uh Commissioner Ahern Cut.

Yes.

Um at the last workshop I had mentioned I had two items, and I forgot when one of the items that I wanted to bring before this commission, and I did remember what it was.

It was um to uh I wanted to know if you all were interested in supporting an agenda item uh for our staff to look into tiny homes, small homes, container homes and make a presentation to the City Commission.

Um I had originally wanted to place it on the agenda, but in talking with Mr.

Bullock about it, it would involve uh staff time and research and preparation, and so I didn't feel that it was appropriate for me to ask for an agenda item if there was no support at this commission for staff to invest time into that.

So just you know your thoughts on uh that item.

Do you want discussion now?

Well, let's give if if we can, let's give some input to Commissioner Aher and Cobb.

Um so I'm wondering if staff could include that and investigate it as the redoing chapters of the comp plan.

Or would that be too much?

I borrow out.

Yeah, I mean, I was just looking into it.

Uh you know, as we talk about affordability and affordable housing and so on and so forth, these are some solutions that we've all seen at the national level and at the state level.

And I don't understand well enough and know uh the reasoning well enough for why we don't and we haven't um had a conversation about those topics.

Um other communities have them.

Um maybe our staff has real good reason not to recommend that we put our foot into that area.

I just don't know.

I don't know what the what the reasoning is.

So curious of the conversation, I don't uh feel strongly one way or the other about it.

Um we've had some people ask and inquire why don't we allow them, and I don't I don't know what the answer is.

Commissioner Batti, Commissioner Albert, you your thoughts.

I don't feel strongly either way.

I'm trying to think of you know, where in the community that they would be accepted that where we could have zoning for that.

I don't know.

I I actually would be interested in including manufactured or partially manufactured off-site.

You know, I am under the impression that that is not permitted in the city.

I could be wrong, but you know one of the things that we saw in Salt Lake City was in this case it was stick-built small homes that were then trucked on onto the site.

And by having them built off-site, it ended up lowering the cost, or in other instances where it was manufactured and then assembled on site, it would potentially lower the cost.

And I don't know that that is allowed in the city.

Um so I would be interested in maybe having a presentation from staff on some of these non-standard types of housing that could be less expensive, more affordable.

Yeah, and and um also with the uh thought of maybe for um ADUs, you know, having container homes as ADUs, I've had citizens reach out and say, why don't we allow that?

And I don't know what the answer is.

So, mayor, I have one more comment on this.

I think it would be valuable for us to hear from staff uh about the variety of small and container and other kinds of housing that we might at some point allow to allow more flexibility in housing in the city.

Um before we can make a recommendation in that regard, we have to have a little bit more information.

So Mr.

Bullet, does that sound like a presentation that we could get at some point?

Yes.

Thank you.

And also I know safety is a really important concern.

So just with an eye towards that as well.

We don't want to do anything that's not going to be safe for this.

Thank you.

You have other ideas.

I do.

For the last uh meeting, we talked about I brought before you the idea of having a joint meeting with the school board, and the request was made to submit agenda items, and I didn't know, I was unsure if it meant everybody would submit or just me submit.

Um and do we have sort of like a deadline or a target date when we would get that submitted?

So I wasn't sure.

I wanted some clarity from the commission on that.

I thought the city manager was gonna talk to us and see if we each had potential agenda items.

Yes, and then I'll I'll bring that combined list back to you.

Okay, great.

So then that will be on our one-on-one, which we were supposed to have this morning at 9 30, Mr.

Bullock.

I was there.

Um I also had outreach uh from some uh members of our community about parking in Burns Court with the construction of that lot which was used for over or was used for parking.

Um there's been communication requesting that the city have a discussion about uh parking in in Burns Court.

I've I've gotten some history on this discussion over the last 20 years.

Um where this item it came up, it went away, it came up, it went away.

It's one of those things that keeps coming back, and um I didn't know if the other commissioners uh uh had any input on that um or any thoughts on this discussion.

So I didn't know if we should uh perhaps put this as an agenda item.

Um I was unsure of what you all thought about this topic.

Uh I've had conversations with the city manager about this, and I thought there was some uh investigations being made into possible temporary sites for parking.

So Madam Mayor, if I may a little update.

Uh for the past two weeks we have been doing uh twice daily uh counts of vacant spots because it's important to understand um the parking situation as it exists today.

So that report uh should be I mean we can produce it almost any day, but I think it's been two weeks now, so we've got some decent data.

We've also been in contact with two potential or two property owners who have potential sites and have been in a um uh significant discussion with one, and I think there's even a draft agreement in the city attorney's office, I believe.

I think there is for which matter?

Uh this is for parking.

Uh there's there's a draft agreement uh for a site uh where we've had discussions with the owner.

So you know, some some things are occurring there.

I can uh I'll have Broxton send out his report to date on the open spaces.

I believe they do a survey of parking in that area.

I think Pat you saw it as well.

I think it's like at 10 o'clock and one o'clock or something along uh in during the day just to see how many open spaces there are.

So you know, give us a little just a little time here.

We'll get that um uh uh draft parking agreement back from the city attorney's office, and um that may be something that I can execute if there's no money involved.

Yeah, I I see it.

It's we just got it on uh the 15th.

We're working on it.

We asked for some additional information, but it's pending.

Thank you.

I'd be interested in the the uh results of that survey that you're doing.

I'll have Broxton send it to the commission.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Um and then I wanted to share with the commission uh the Minnesota League.

Uh I attended the meeting last week or the week before, and I wanted to let you all know that there uh we are or going to be organizing several candidate forums for the state level um offices, and they will be at various locations, obviously for the candidates that are running in the southern um region, then we'll be holding those there, northern, so on and so forth.

So I wanted to just give you a heads up and the community heads up about that.

Um I wanted to thank um Sierra uh Coleman for a job well done on not only the petticoat um exhibition reception, but also the um uh Rhapsody and Bloom, uh, which was the um first public art in District 3.

And I wanted to publicly thank Commissioner former Commissioner Friedland Eddy.

That was one of her initiatives was to for us to use those funds, not just in the downtown, but in other districts of the city.

And that was a a while ago that she made that and we passed it, and I wanted to thank her publicly for that initiative, and I'm sure the neighborhood there as well.

Thanks her.

I attended a Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation event with Renee Fleming, and it was called Music in the Mind.

And it was fascinating, and it was really well done and well attended.

So they have a series of events going on, and I would recommend them to this commission.

It spaces out onto Orange.

If you haven't had a chance to see it, I would encourage you to do so.

Really well done.

And then I wanted to thank the group that organized the MLK breakfast yesterday and the Unity March.

It was a different path this year than every other year.

Made a loop, starting at Robert Ellen and looped right back.

You usually they go to MLK Park, but this year it just looped all the way back around.

And it was really really well done and well attended.

So that's it.

Thank you.

Okay.

Thank you.

Commissioner Batti.

Vice Mayor.

I do have a couple things.

I sent you via the city manager the annual report from the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County.

Have a look at that if you wish.

It's for your information.

Also, I represent the city on the Coastal Advisory Committee.

And at our last meeting, we recommended two grants that were submitted by the SPD Marine Division to move on to the next step for approval.

And lastly, I completed my performance evaluations on the auditor and clerk and the city attorney.

And found great value in their self-evaluations.

I hope we include and attach their self-evaluations to the evaluations that we do.

And regarding that, I also want to confirm that at the meeting we approved that evaluation form that we've been using, that we also approved it for next year.

Can we confirm that somehow by looking at the video?

Yeah, we can go back and look and see.

I don't know if it was confirmed for next year.

I believe it was just for this current evaluation.

But if that's something you guys want to discuss that when you talk about our evaluations, you feel free to say we would like to continue using this form of evaluations.

Yeah, we can confirm it then.

That's fine.

Yeah.

Thank you.

That's it, Mayor.

Anything else?

No.

Yeah.

I actually I didn't have anything but with Commissioner Ahern Kotch mentioning the Rhapsody in Bloom mural dedication.

I did want to say how meaningful and special I thought it was with the artist putting up to some extent it was a paint by numbers for the community to participate in bringing the artist's vision to life.

And I think that when possible should be something that we encourage happening if it's a mural in a neighborhood to encourage involvement of the members of the community to make it happen.

And that's all I had.

So Mr.

Pulzak, do you have anything for us?

Yeah, just briefly uh Shayla and I are going to be working on bringing back to you a revised, modernized, updated rules of procedure with a bunch of changes to that.

So you'll be getting that that shortly.

Um on the February agenda, you're also been we've been working extensively with the procurement department on uh complete overhaul of the procurement code, so you'll have that coming in February.

I modernized what I didn't catch what you said.

Oh, uh sorry, the first part was Shail and I are working on our City Commission rules of procedure.

Yep, updating them quite a bit.

Second part is the procurement code that's coming in February.

Yeah, I got that.

Yep.

Thank you.

Ms.

Griggs, anything?

Um I'll go to Mr.

Robinson next before I go to Mr.

Bullock.

Yes, ma'am.

I've already scheduled a meeting with the gentleman who came and spoke at the prior comment.

Um we'll see what we can do to help him out one way or the other.

Um so that's already he already sent me an email and we'll get that scheduled for tomorrow.

Great.

Actually, may I do have something just in wanted to let you all know Commission I won't be at the February meeting.

I have to go to the pension trustee training and a half mandatory.

So Lori will be covering that meeting.

So I'll just wanted to give you all a heads up.

I won't be here.

Mayor follow up on Mr.

Robinson's comment.

We had another um shop owner who emailed us and is in the same situation as the gentleman who was here today.

Uh I think that's actually the same person.

Oh I'll send you that.

If you've got a different one.

I think it is.

Yeah, I believe it's the same individual.

But but I'm hoping that whatever solution you manage to come up with will be beneficial for everybody on that strip.

We'll see.

And to confirm this is an FDOT project, right?

Correct.

Yes, ma'am.

Well, no, it's I'm sorry, it's a utility.

It's a utility project.

We're replacing the water line, which to Vern and Scott's presentation today is I believe I want to say that water main is between 50 and 70 years old.

So it's reached its ends of life, its end of life for a for a water line.

For a water line.

Uh-huh.

Not a person.

I saw everybody shake their head.

So it's not a and it also has to be upsized due to the development that's gone on along that corridor.

So it's not a matter of whether or not we want it.

It needs to be done, and we'd rather do it in a systematic fashion than do it at failure.

So I know that it's going to be impactful.

I know that our engineering uh department as well as utilities is working on additional signage to let people know when the businesses are open.

Um, this particular business, as Dave and I, uh Mr.

Bulk and I were just talking about, it's a really bad spot because it's right in between phase two and phase three.

So it's going to be affected by both of those time periods.

So right when phase two ends, phase three will start.

So you're either at the tail end of one or at the very beginning of the other.

So we'll see what we can do to uh increase uh traffic flow into the gentleman's business and uh see what other options are available.

So we'll not an FDA.

No, it's no, it is ours.

We will be remilling with FDOT at the end to repave the entire area to make a nice and smooth.

And just just to add to that, the signs went up with the business names on Friday.

So uh, but but the signs aren't, I mean, they'll help a little bit to let people know it's open, but that doesn't help too much.

But uh the F dot connection is since it's a state highway, those all those signs and everything we put up has to comply with FDOT requirements along there.

So we met with them, they gave us their requirements, we produced the signs uh and installed them according to what's required.

And maybe we could give them a little shout out in our weekly newsletter.

Uh the businesses that are being impacted.

I believe we do have a list of impacted businesses that engineering developed, so we'll we'll make sure that we get that or or is it possible to look into an alternate route like uh side driveway or whatever so that people could actually get to those businesses?

They they can get to it now.

The problem is so many people but you have a lot less through cars because so many people bail out and go through the neighborhoods you know to avoid that, or they're in a line, and you know the line can get fairly long and no one wants to go out of the line and lose their spot, you know, or not be able to get back in.

Right.

So people just tend in in that situation, they tend to not leave the highway like they might if they were just gonna stop in for a donut and get back on again.

Yeah.

So anything else, Mr.

Robinson?

No, ma'am, that's it.

Uh Mr.

Bullock.

We're aiming for the second meeting in February to give you an update on the stormwater system.

Um I know that uh we've asked that the county uh Ben Quartermain uh also be there to give you know a coordinated presentation.

So right now it looks like we'll have uh Steve Swab for some background due to his long engagement in stormwater.

Um the county will be represented and our engineering staff as well.

We'll they're coordinating with each other, so it should be a pretty comprehensive um explanation of the stormwater system in the city and how it is um integrated and how it operates in conjunction with the county.

Great.

Thank you.

Anything else?

No.

And I just turning to Ms.

Griggs, just confirming that the agenda for the first meeting in February will come out this Thursday.

Yes.

Okay.

Well, thank you very much.

And with that, I believe we're adjourned.

Thank you.