Joint City Council/CRA Workshop (2026-01-21)

Minutes of Joint City Council & Community Redevelopment Agency Workshop held Wednesday, January 21, 2026 - 3:00 P.M. Council Chambers, 11 North 3rd Street Jacksonville Beach, Florida

CALL TO ORDER:

Mayor Hoffman called the meeting to order at 3:00 P.M. followed by introductions of City Council, Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) members, and staff members.

Mayor: Christine Hoffman

| Mayor: | Christine Hoffman | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Council Members: | Sandy Golding | | | | Greg Sutton(late) | Bill Horn | | | | John Wagner(late) | Dan Janson | | | | Bruce Wouters | | | | | Chairman: | Gary Paetau | | | | Board Members: | Meghan Edwards | | | | Kevin Myers | Thad Moseley | | | | Ron Whittington(late) | | | | | Alternates: | Sydney Talcott | Marcus Kampfe | |

Chairman: Gary Paetau

Board Members: Meghan Edwards Thad Moseley

Alternates: Sydney Talcott Marcus Kampfe

Also present were: CRA Coordinator Taylor Mobbs, Director of Planning and Development Heather Ireland, City Manager Mike Staffopoulos, and Police Chief Gene Paul Smith.

Purpose of Workshop

CRA Coordinator Taylor Mobbs presented an overview of the proposed Boardwalk Activation Pilot Program and discussed the existing boardwalk ordinance, which dates back to 1946. Ms. Mobbs explained the pilot program would test activation opportunities, identify operational considerations, and help inform potential long-term policy decisions regarding use of the boardwalk.

Ms. Mobbs explained staff anticipated mirroring the existing special events review process.A boardwalk-specific application would be reviewed by an internal committee consisting of Parks and Recreation, Planning, Police, Fire, and CRA staff. She stated applications would include points of contact, security considerations, insurance requirements, and other operational details.

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A conversation ensued and the consensus of the Council was for staff to draft an ordinance related to boardwalk activation and present it for review at a future City Council Briefing.

Downtown Enhancements - Fence Screening and Code Enforcement

Ms. Mobbs presented an overview of fence screening concepts and referenced prior CRA interest in reducing the visual impact of chain-link fencing within the downtown area. She explained the existing code allows chain-link fencing for safety and security purposes, but the CRA had expressed interest in exploring additional aesthetic standards for the downtown district.

Ms. Ireland explained construction fencing is required only for active construction sites and noted code amendments would be necessary to impose additional screening requirements on property owners. She added the Façade Grant Program could serve as a temporary solution while potential code changes are evaluated.

A conversation ensued and Ms. Mobbs stated staff would coordinate with the Legal Department and Code Enforcement to identify potential code amendments and would present the information for review at a future CRA meeting for further discussion.

Public-Private Partnership (P3) Project Update

Ms. Mobbs summarized the proposed updates to the P3 Request for Proposal (RFP) process and timeline discussed at January 12, 2026, Council Briefing. She explained the proposed changes are intended to encourage a high-quality outcome while maintaining a clear, transparent, and defensible evaluation process.

Ms. Mobbs provided an overview of the Fiscal Year 2026 CRA Capital Improvement Projects including Latham Plaza, art projects, City wayfinding signage, the Pier parking lot, the Low-Speed Vehicle (LSV) lot, the Passive Park, and the Lighting Master Plan.

Following discussion, the Council reached a consensus to increase the number of ADA-accessible parking spaces within the Low-Speed Vehicle (LSV) lot.

Future Capital Projects

Ms. Ireland discussed expanding CRA project reporting to include Public Works projects and permitted private development projects. Ms. Ireland stated staff would revisit the report format to provide clearer and more consistent updates, including updates when there are no changes in project status, and would coordinate internally with staff to determine the most effective reporting approach.

Ms. Mobbs also identified future projects under consideration, including Oceanfront Park improvements, Latham Plaza redesign, and additional urban trail connections.

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Minutes of the Joint City Council & Community Redevelopment Agency Workshop January 21, 2026

Staff agreed to continue coordinating with Public Works, provide more comprehensive infrastructure updates at future meetings, and maintain regular communication with the CRA and Council as projects move forward.

ADJOURNMENT:

There being no further business, in a voice vote, the workshop adjourned at 5:02 P.M.

Submitted by: Jodilynn Byrd Deputy City Clerk

Approval

Christine H. Hoffman, MAYOR

Date: 2/17/26

Approval:

Gunnel Park

Gernard Paetau, Chair

Date: 2.23.26