Park Avenue Downtown District (PADD) Density Workshop (2024-10-19)

Lake Park Town Commission, Florida Park Avenue Downtown District Workshop

Commission Chamber, Town Hall, 535 Park Avenue, Lake Park, FL 33403 October 19,2024 10:00 A.M.

| Roger Michaud | | Mayor | | --- | --- | --- | | Kimberly Glas Castro | | Vice Mayor | | Michael Hensley | | Commissioner | | Mary Beth Taylor | | Commissioner | | Judith Thomas | | Commissioner | | Bambi McKibbon-Turner | | Interim Town Manager | | Thomas J. Baird | | Town Attorney | | Vivian Mendez, MMC | | Town Clerk |

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE AND BE ADVISED, that if any interested person desires to appeal any decision of the Town Commission, with respect to any matter considered at this meeting, such interested person will need a record of the proceedings, and for such purpose, may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based. Persons with disabilities requiring accommodations in order to participate in the meeting should contract the Town Clerk's office by calling 881-3311 at least 48 hours in advance to request accommodations.

CIVILITY AND DECORUM

- Those persons addressing the Commission or its advisory boards who wish to speak shall first be recognized by the presiding officer. No person shall interrupt a speaker once the speaker has been recognized by the presiding officer. Those persons addressing the Commission or its advisory boards shall be respectful and shall obey all directions from the presiding officer.

- Unauthorized remarks from the audience, stomping of feet, clapping, whistles, yells or any other type of demonstrations are discouraged.

Public comment shall be addressed to the Commission or its advisory board and not to the audience or to any individual member on the dais.

- A member of the public who engages in debate with an individual member of the Commission or an advisory board is discouraged. Those individuals who do so may be removed from the meeting.

- All cell phones and/or other electronic devices shall be turned off or silenced prior to the start of the public meeting. An individual who fails to do so may be removed from the meeting.

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CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL

10:07 A.M.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Ms. Patricia Leduc led the pledge.

SPECIAL PRESENTATION/REPORT:

1. Park Avenue Downtown District (PADD) Workshop.

Community Development Director Nadia DiTommaso provided an overview of the workshop and why we are here this morning. A presentation was used to discuss all the elements being brought forward to the Commission. See Exhibit "A". Town Attorney Thomas J. Baird provided his personal professional background and history with the Town. He discussed the Town's Code and Comprehensive Plan. Town Planner Karen Golonka discussed the PADD density. Town Planner Anders Viane discussed the height & height waivers.

Vice-Mayor Glas-Castro asked what the current average density and Floor Area Ratio (FAR) based on the information provided in the presentation. Community Development Director DiTommaso reviewed the current density of one story, quad units and two-story residential. She would run the calculation and report back. Vice-Mayor Glas-Castro asked that the information be provided in the future so they are aware where they are starting from. She asked about traffic. She asked if the traffic studies look at how long a person has to sit at a traffic light with the added traffic. She understood that the traffic signal timing could be adjusted, however, with the train tracks being at the same intersection, are those movements considered. She then asked about the lift station. She asked why the Town would consider a lift station on our property versus the lift station being on the proposed project property. She was concerned with town property being used for this purpose.

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Commissioner Hensley appreciated the presentation, but would like to hear from the residents. He asked how the traffic flow would be handled.

Commissioner Thomas thanked staff for the presentation. She asked the designation of 10th Street, Park Avenue, and Old Dixie Highway. Community Development Director DiTommaso stated that 10th Street and Park Avenue were local roads and Old Dixie Highway was a County road. She asked for the update on the 10th Street road improvement project. Community Development Director DiTommaso explained that Public Works was working on two segments of the roadway. One segment was from Silver Beach Road and Park Avenue on 10th Street and the second segment was from Park Avenue to Northern Drive. Commissioner Thomas asked if there was any discussion of expansion to the roadway at Northern Drive on 10th Street. Community Development Director DiTommaso stated that to her understanding there was no proposed expansion. Community Development Director DiTommaso explained that an additional turn lane was recommended as you are approaching Park Avenue southbound. The traffic engineers are also reviewing the intersection of Park Avenue and 10th Street due to the traffic light queuing issues.

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Mayor Michaud thanked staff and Town Attorney for the presentation. He agrees with the traffic pattern concerns expressed by the other Commissioners. He expressed concern with the total density of the area being used by the proposed project and nothing left for future development. He wanted to hear from the public. He felt future discussions were needed.

PUBLIC COMMENT:

1. Karen Sjoholm, 815 Magnolia Drive, thanked staff for the presentation. She expressed concerns with additional traffic and was opposed to proposed density.

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2. Glen Spiritis, owner of 918 Park Avenue, gave a brief history of how he began his development project in the Town. He has been working on the proposed project for the past two years and has invested millions into the project.

3. Sue LaFontaine, 545 Evergreen Drive, thanked the Commission for this workshop. She stated that the Comprehensive Plan does not align with the proposed projects in the PADD. She stated that the projects would negatively impact parking, affordability, and increased taxes.

4. Camille Swanson, 105 Lake Shore Drive, representing Insite Studio, Land Planners for the project. She discussed how common it is to use the first-come-first-serve approach regarding the density. She pointed out that the PADD comprises of two sub-districts. She provided a bit of history with regards to how the proposed project was developed, based on the workshops and Code regulations adopted by the Town Commission. She explained that they have been working on this project for the past two-years.

5. Zechariah Cesani, owner of 914 Park Avenue. He expressed his support for the projects and the increase in density for the community.

6. Brady Drew, 538 Sable Palm Drive, thanked staff for the great workshop. He spoke in support of the projects.

7. Amy Angelo, owner of 1301 $ 10^{\\mathrm{th}} $ Street. She spoke in support of the projects and the revitalization of the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA).

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10. Sam Bauer, 105 Lake Shore Drive, thanked the Commission for the workshop. He discussed the location option of the lift station (see Exhibit). He explained why a train station would not be created in the Town without density.

11. Brian Kelley, Traffic Engineer with Simmons & White. He spoke of the traffic concerns at the specific location in Town. He explained that density promotes mobility and micro mobility. He stated that the traffic data has shifted as a result of the Covid pandemic. He explained that the general impact of the project to Park Avenue and $ 10^{\\mathrm{th}} $ Street was less than 5%.