City Council Meeting

>>> I ASK THAT YOU SILENCE YOUR PHONES. IF YOU END UP HAVING TO HAVE A SIDE CONVERSATION, DO TAKE IT OUTSIDE. I DO APPRECIATE THAT. WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE WILL START WITH THE INVOCATION BY COUNCILLOR EARLEY, FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. >> THIS QUOTE IS FROM HARRY TRUMAN. IT'S AMAZING WHAT YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH WHEN YOU DON'T CARE WHO GETS THE CREDIT. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. >> CITY CLERK, ROLL CALL, PLEASE. [ ROLL CALLED ] >> THANK YOU. SO TONIGHT WE'RE GOING TO START OFF, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF PRESENTATIONS. OUR FIRST ONE IS GOING TO BE -- OH, MAYBE THE FIRST PRESENTATION AS CHIEF, I'M NOT SURE, CHIEF MARY FARRAND IS GOING TO ADDRESS FIREWORKS FOR US, PLEASE. >> HELLO, EVERYONE. >> WELCOME. >> THIS LOOKS NEW. IS IT NEW? >> NO. >> ALL RIGHT, SO NORMALLY FIREWORKS THAT GO UP IN THE AIR OR GO BOOM ARE ILLEGAL. HOWEVER, THE STATE OF FLORIDA HAS SAID THAT ON THREE DAYS DURING THE YEAR YOU CAN LIGHT THEM OFF. THAT IS JULY 4th, DECEMBER 31st AND JANUARY 1st. SO WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE --THERE'S NO TIMES IN THE LAW, HOWEVER WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE THAT SAYS THAT YOU MUST STOP SETTING THEM OFF AT 11:00 P.M. ANY QUESTIONS? SO YOU'VE TOLD US THAT THEY CAN SET THEM OFF UNTIL 11:00 P.M. SO I THINK MY TWO QUESTIONS WOULD BE, NUMBER ONE, IF IT'S 12:00 MIDNIGHT AND THEY'RE STILL GOING OFF, WHAT DOES THE PUBLIC DO? AND NUMBER TWO, WHAT ARE THE RAMIFICATIONS? >> YOU CAN BE CITED UNDER THE ORDINANCE FOR VIOLATING THE ORDINANCE, BUT FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE NEED A COMPLAINANT, SO WE NEED SOMEONE TO CALL TO COMPLAIN AND BE WILLING TO USE THEIR NAME. >> OKAY. AND WHEN YOU SAY THEY CAN BE CITED, EXACTLY WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? AND, ALSO, IF THEY CAN GO OFF UNTIL 11:00 P.M. , HOW EARLY CAN THEY START ON THE FOURTH OF JULY? >> THERE IS NO TIME, ACTUALLY. SO THE FOURTH OF JULY UNTIL 11:00 P. M. , AS FAR AS THE STATUTE AND THE ORDINANCE ARE CONCERNED. AND THEY CAN BE FINED. I BELIEVE IT'S A CLASS 5, $88 FINE. >> $88, YOU SAID? >> YES. >> FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND FROM PAST YEARS, YOU GUYS DO DRIVE AROUND AND KIND OF WATCH FOR IT. >> YES, WE DO. >> BUT IT'S VERY HARD WHEN YOU JUST HEAR IT TO KNOW WHERE IT'S HAPPENING? >> THAT'S CORRECT. >> AND WHAT IS THE BEST PHONE NUMBER TO CALL TO REPORT ILLEGAL FIREWORKS? >> THAT WOULD BE THE NONEMERGENCY NUMBER, UNLESS OBVIOUSLY THERE'S SOME MEDICAL ISSUE. 727-582-6177. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? >> NO. >> THANK YOU. >> HAPPY TO BE HERE. ALL RIGHT. OUR SECOND PRESENTATION TODAY WILL BE FROM HEATHER WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT. AND IS IT WYBLE? WYBLE. >> WYBLE, PLEASE, THANK YOU. >> GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR LOVE. >> YOU HAVE TO TURN IT ON FIRST. >> YEAH, YOU TOLD ME THAT. SO THIS IS JUST AN UPDATE ON THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE GOING. AS YOU KNOW, WE STARTED IT A FEWFEW AGO, AND IT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL, I BELIEVE. SO WITH THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS THAT WE'VE HAD, WE'VE HAD A TOTAL OF 52 COMPLAINTS. 18 OF THOSE HAVE COMPLIED, 10 WERE UNFOUNDED, AND 8 HAVE WENT TO A MAGISTRATE HEARING. CURRENTLY I HAVE 16 ACTIVE CASES THAT WE MONITOR. SO RIGHT NOW THE NUMBER OF REPORTED CODE ENFORCEMENTENFORCEMENT COMPLAINTS SINCE LAST YEAR OF JUNE 1st ARE 16 AND THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE CURRENTLY ACTIVE. SO WE WILL BE MONITORING THEM. >> 16 SINCE LAST JUNE 1st? >> UH- HUH, AND THOSE GET MONITORED, SO EVERYONE IS AWARE, WHEN THE VIOLATION GOES OUT, THE WAY THE ORDINANCE READS, IT'S 12 CONSECUTIVE MONTHS THEY HAVE TO STAY IN COMPLIANCE. SO I MONITOR THESE FOR A SOLID YEAR AFTER THEIR COMPLIANCE DATE TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE IN COMPLIANCE. >> OKAY. >> SO CURRENTLY THIS IS THE NUMBER OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS. THESE ARE CURRENT ACTIVE LISTINGS THAT HAVE BEEN ACTIVE IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS, SO CURRENTLY WE DO HAVE 250 RENTALS OUT THERE. >> THAT DOESN'T SHOW THE MARINA AREA, BUT IT'S INCLUDED IN THE TOTAL? >> IT IS INCLUDED IN THE TOTAL, YES. AS YOU SEE, THERE'S ALL LISTINGS ON HERE, WHEN IT SAYS SHORT AND LONG-TERM, AND THEN TOTAL SHORT- TERM RENTAL LISTINGS. THOSE ARE THE COMBINATION OF SHORT- TERM RENTALS, BEING ADVERTISED LESS THAN ONE MONTH, AND THEN RENTALS THAT ARE MORE THAN ONE MONTH. AND THEN THE COMBINED LISTINGS, 414, IF THEY'RE GOING ON AIRBNB, VRBO, THAT'S THE COMBINED NUMBER. THAT'S WHY THAT NUMBER IS HIGHER THAN WHAT YOU SEE ON THE TOP. AND THIS IS THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL DEFINITION, WHEN A VIOLATION IS SENT OUT, THESE ARE THE TWO THAT WE USE, CITING THE NUMBER OF TIMES THAT THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, HAVE A SHORT-TERM RENTAL, LESS THAN ONE MONTH, WHICH IS THREE IN 12 CONSECUTIVE MONTHS. ANYTHING BEYOND THAT IS A VIOLATION UNLESS YOU'RE IN A ZONED AREA FOR THAT, AND THE MAP IS ON THE NEXT SCREEN. AND THEN THE NEXT SECTION IS NOT PERMITTED USE IN THAT RESIDENTIAL AREA. AND THIS IS THE ZONE MAP. SO THIS MAP, WE'VE CIRCLED WHERE IT'S EITHER PERMITTED USE OR CONDITIONAL USES. PERMITTED USE IS GOING TO BE THE SLASHES, WHICH, YOU CAN SEE DOWN ONSHORE AND BEACH BOULEVARD, AND THEN ACROSS GULFPORT BOULEVARD IN THE PINK AREA THERE, KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MAP. THOSE OTHER AREAS ARE THE CONDITIONAL USES. THOSE YOU WILL HAVE TO APPLY FOR SHORT-TERM RENTAL IN THOSE AREAS, AND THAT DOES COME TO COUNCIL. SO I THINK THAT IS IT. >> ALL RIGHT. >> DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? >> LET'S GO IN SPEAKING ORDER. >> HOW DO YOU MONITOR? YOU SAID YOU MONITOR FOR A FULL YEAR. HOW DO YOU DO THAT? SO EVERY MONTH I GO IN, AND ANY OF THE ACTIVE SHORT- TERM RENTALS, I GO AND USE OUR GRANICUS SOFTWARE, AND THAT HELPS IDENTIFY IF THERE'S BEEN ANY UNDOCUMENTED STAYS. >> THANK YOU. >> YOU'RE WELCOME. >> THAT'S GOOD. >> AND I KNOW THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ANOTHER TIME, BUT WHILE YOU'RE HERE, IF WE WANTED TO --WELL, ADUs, IF THEY'RE NOT IN THE ALLOWED AREA, I MEAN, THEY COULDN'T BE USED FOR A SHORT-TERM RENTAL, ANYWAY, BECAUSE IT WOULD BE ILLEGAL? >> CORRECT. >> BUT IF WE MADE IT A CONDITION OF THEM BUILDING IT THAT THEY DIDN'T DO -- DIDN'T MAKE THEM SHORT-TERM RENTALS, WE COULD MONITOR THEM EVEN IF THERE WASN'T A COMPLAINT, COULDN'T WE? >> WELL, EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW IS COMPLAINT DRIVEN. I KNOW. BUT IF WE MADE IT A CONDITION OF THEM BUILDING ONE AND GAVE YOU A LIST OF WHO HAS GOTTEN PERMITS TO BUILD ONE, THEN THEORETICALLY, YOU COULD MONITOR THEM ON YOUR SYSTEM TO MAKE SURE THEY DIDN'T BECOME ONE EVEN WITHOUT A COMPLAINT? >> I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE DISCUSSION YOU'LL HAVE WHEN YOU HAVE THE ADU DISCUSSION. >> WE'RE GETTING AHEAD OF OURSELVES. >> OKAY. BUT PHYSICALLY IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO MONITOR THEM? >> THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING WE COULD TALK ABOUT. COUNSELOR SHAW? >> YEAH, DO YOU FIND THAT IT IS PRIMARILY NEIGHBORS THAT MAKE THE COMPLAINTS BECAUSE THERE'S A PROBLEM? >> IT'S BEEN A MIX. IT REALLY TRULY HAS. PROBABLY A MAJORITY OF NEIGHBORS, YOU KNOW, THAT HAVE THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT IT. THERE ARE A FEW THAT, YOU KNOW, LIVE IN THE CITY, OR SOME THAT HAVE LIVED OUT OF THE CITY OR OUT OF STATE, EVEN. >> SO ANYBODY CAN MAKE A COMPLAINT, NO MATTER WHERE THEY LIVE, IN STATE OR OUT OF STATE, IN TOWN OR NOT, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? YEAH, SO IN ORDER FOR THEM TO MAKE A FORMAL COMPLAINT, THEY DO HAVE TO LEAVE THEIR NAME AND ADDRESS WITH US. THAT WOULD BE THE FORMAL COMPLAINT PROCESS OF THAT. AND THAT'S BY STATE STATUTE. >> AND THAT'S NOT CONFIDENTIAL THEN? >> OH, NO. NOTHING IN THAT REALM IS CONFIDENTIAL. ANY COMPLAINT THAT'S MADE, WHETHER IT BE SHORT-TERM RENTALS OR NOT, IF SOMEONE ASKS, IT'S BY LAW I HAVE TO GIVE THAT INFORMATION, BY LAW I HAVE TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION FOR A COMPLAINT. >> AND DO THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE ANY KIND OF EVIDENCE OR ANYTHING? >> NOPE, THEY DON'T. AND I WILL SAY THE GRANICUS PROGRAM HAS HELPED WITH THAT, BECAUSE PREVIOUSLY IT'S BEEN LEFT ON THE RESIDENT TO TAKE PHOTOS AND STUFF, AND IT JUST MADE THEM VERY UNCOMFORTABLE. WHERE THIS IDENTIFIES IT AND IDENTIFIES, YOU KNOW, THE PROPERTY AND IF THERE'S BEEN ANY DOCUMENTED STAYS. AND IT'S NOT LEFT ON THE RESIDENT TO DO SO, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT THERE ALL THE TIME TO KNOW WHO IS COMING AND WHO IS GOING. SO THE PROGRAM HAS REALLY HELPED. IT'S DEFINITELY MADE IT MORE EFFICIENT. OKAY, THANK YOU. >> YOU'RE WELCOME. >> COUNSELOR JACKSON? >> I HAVE NO QUESTIONS. THANKS, HEATHER. THAT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE. >> MY QUESTION THEN WOULD BE, YOU SAID EIGHT WENT TO MAGISTRATE. WHAT HAPPENS THEN? WERE THEY FINED? HOW DO YOU EFFECTIVELY SHUT DOWN --I GUESS I ASKED A QUESTION, I SHOULD LISTEN TO THE ANSWER. >> THAT'S OKAY. SO, YES, DURING THE MAGISTRATE HEARING WE AS THE CITY SEEK, YOU KNOW, COSTS FOR THE HEARING AND ANY ADDITIONAL COSTS IF NEEDED. THE MAGISTRATE ATTORNEY GIVES THEM A DEADLINE, USUALLY IT'S IMMEDIATE WITH SHORT- TERM RENTALS THAT-THE-TO REMOVE OR UPDATE THEIR LISTING TO BE IN COMPLIANCE. >> AND THAT'S WHY WE SEE MORE AND MORE ON THE 30 DAYS PLUS. >> UH-HUH, AND THAT IS SOMETHING I TRY TO ENCOURAGE, BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO DO COME IN TO TRAVEL, MEDICAL PERSONNEL DEFINITELY GET USE OF THAT. AND I'VE HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT HAVE GONE THAT ROUTE WHERE THEY'VE CHANGED IT FROM THREE TO SIX MONTHS RENTALS TO HELP WITH THAT. >> AND FOR THOSE THAT DO NOT KNOW HOW, HOW DO YOU REPORT AN ILLEGAL SHORT-TERM RENTAL? >> THEY CAN DEFINITELY CALL CODE ENFORCEMENT, THEY CAN GIVE ME A CALL. MY NUMBER IS 727-893-1106. OR THEY CAN EMAIL ME AS WELL AND THAT IS HWYBLE@MYGULFPORT. >> I DO CALL AND I DO REPORT AND I'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR PROBABLY FOUR OR FIVE YEARS. FOR ME, THE ONES THAT I'M MOST LIKELY TO REPORT ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE CARS PARKED ACROSS THEIR DRIVEWAY AND IT'S A DIFFERENT CAR EVERY WEEKEND, SO THAT TENDS TO BE THE ONES THAT I CALL IN AND I REPORT TO YOU. AND I APPRECIATE THAT WE'VE BEEN GETTING SOME OF THESE OFF THE MARKET AND GETTING THEM INTO LONGER-TERM RENTALS, WHICH WE DESPERATELY NEED IN THIS CITY. THANK YOU. >> YOU'RE WELCOME. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? >> WHAT'S THE FINE? IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T COMPLY, WHAT'S THE FINE? >> SO IT WOULD BE A REPEAT VIOLATION, AND AS SOON AS THEY ARE IDENTIFIED THEY'RE IN VIOLATION, IT'S $500 PER DAY. >> UP TO $500 PER DAY. >> RIGHT. >> REPEAT VIOLATION, THE MAGISTRATE HAS TO APPROVE THAT AMOUNT, BUT --I'M SORRY, IT STARTS RUNNING AS SOON AS IT'S SEEN AS A REPEAT VIOLATION VERSUS GOING BEFORE THE SPECIAL MAGISTRATE AND HAVING TO PROVE UP THE CASE AND THEN GIVING HIM TO COME IN COMPLIANCE. SO THAT'S WHY THOSE FINES WILL ESCALATE RELATIVELY QUICKLY, BECAUSE IF THE TESTIMONY IS THEY WERE OBSERVED ON THESE TEN DAYS AND YOU JUST SAY TO THE MAGISTRATE, THESE TEN DAYS AND THE MAGISTRATE DETERMINES $500 A DAY, WHICH WAS PROBABLY WHAT WE WOULD ASK FOR IN A REPEAT VIOLATION, IT ESCALATES PRETTY QUICKLY. >> THANK YOU. >> YOU'RE WELCOME. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU. HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. AND I DON'T SEE CARON HERE. AM I MISSING CARON SCHWARTZ? NO, YOU'RE RIGHT. >> YEAH, OUR THIRD PRESENTATION TONIGHT WAS GOING TO BE FROM CARON SCHWARTZ WITH THE SENIOR ADVISORY COMMITTEE. SO LET'S HOPE THAT SHE'S SAFE AND SOUND AND WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT WHEN WE SEE HER NEXT. YEAH, I HOPE SHE'S OKAY. SHE'S USUALLY HERE. THIS IS UNUSUAL. >> I KNOW SHE HURT HER ARM, BUT I THINK THAT'S NOT WHY. >> WELL, WITH THAT THEN, WE'LL MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENT. AND I SEE A COUPLE NEW FACES TONIGHT. SO LET ME JUST BE CLEAR. PUBLIC COMMENTS, YOU CAN COME UP AND SPEAK ABOUT ANYTHING THAT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA. YOU HAVE UP TO THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK. AND WE DO ASK THAT YOU GIVE YOURYOUR NAME AND THAT YOU LET US KNOW IF YOU'RE A GULFPORT RESIDENT OR NOT. IF YOU WANT US TO GET BACK TO YOU, YOU WANT TO GIVE US MORE SPECIFIC CONTACT INFORMATION, AND WE DON'T NEED TO BE SHY. IT'S WELCOMING HERE. EVERYBODY IS WELCOME TO SPEAK. SO LET'S SEE A SHOW OF HANDS. WHO HAS SOMETHING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT TONIGHT? GOOD EVENING. ROBERT RUBEN ON 51st STREET SOUTH. I THINK WE'VE MADE GREAT HEADWAY AND WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED SO MUCH IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS WITH REPAIRS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THE QUESTION I HAVE IS, HOW MUCH MONEY HAVE WE SPENT TO DO THIS IN THE LAST NINE MONTHS? HOW MUCH MONEY HAVE WE GOTTEN BACK IN AND HOW MUCH ARE WE GOING TO GET BACK IN? THOSE ARE, YOU KNOW, PRETTY IMPORTANT THINGS. I ALSO WANT TO KNOW WHERE WHERE STAND WITH SOME OF THE CONTRACTORS THAT HAVE BEEN DOING SOME BUSINESS, ONE BEING DIVE. COM WHO ARE TAKING CARE OF THE BOATS THAT ARE OUT THERE. THERE'S STILL A LARGE NUMBER OF BOATS THAT ARE RIGHT OFF OUR BEACHES AND THEY'RE GOING TO COME WASHING IN. AND I'VE SEEN A LOT OF BOATS RECENTLY --I'M A BOATER --THAT HAVE RED STICKERS BUT NO ONE IS DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THEM, THEY'RE JUST SITTING THERE. AND THESE ARE RIGHT OUTSIDE IN THE CHANNEL BY THE MARINA. SO THE NEXT BIG STORM, THERE'S TWO OF THEM THAT WILL BE COMING IN. SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING BE DONE WITH THAT. I ALSO WANT TO KNOW WHERE WE STAND WITH THE PIER REPAIR PEOPLE. THEY WERE THERE BACK ON MEMORIAL DAY, I SAW THEM WORKING DILIGENTLY, AND THEY WERE PUTTING UP THE NEW RAILINGS. BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN THEM IN THE LAST THREE WEEKS. SO I'M WONDERING WHERE THEY STAND. THE OTHER PEOPLE, I THINK THERE WERE DIFFERENT CONTRACTORS WHO DID THE RAILING ALONG THE WALKWAY BETWEEN THE CASINO AND PIER, FINISHED THAT UP, BEAUTIFUL. REALLY, REALLY SWEET. I DON'T KNOW IF THE RED THING CAME DOWN YET. LET'S GET IT OUT OF THERE. PEOPLE CAN WALK UP THERE. IT'S SPECTACULAR. AND THAT'S WHAT'S REALLY GOING TO SHOW US THAT WE'RE MAKING SOME HEADWAY. ONE OF THE OTHER QUESTIONS, WE HAVE A CREDIT LINE AT THE BANK OF AMERICA, I BELIEVE. HAVE WE USED THAT? I WOULD LIKE TO FIND SOME MORE FINANCIAL STUFF, WHERE WE'RE AT AND WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO AFFECT OUR TAXES AND EVERYTHING ELSE. SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEESEE THAT. THE OTHER REALLY QUICK THING IS, FOUR WEEKS AGO, I BELIEVE, WE HAD HEARD IN HERE THAT THERE WERE TEMPORARY PERMITS GIVEN BY THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS FOR THE REPAIR ON THE END OF 54th STREET BY THE PIER AND ALSO TO THE RIGHT OF THE CASINO. THEY PUT SOME SILK FENCES UP, BUT NOBODY HAS BEEN THERE SINCE THEN. AND WE ALSO GOT A MASSIVE HOLE THAT NOW HAS BECOME A POND NEXT TO THE BOCCHE COURT AND THAT'S MY FAVORITE AREA. IF WE HAVE A TEMPORARY PERMIT, LET'S GET SOME SAND IN THERE, BECAUSE THE REST OF THE BEACH IS GOING TO GET WASHED AWAY. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. AND WHO IS NEXT? >> I'M SORRY, I DON'T KNOW YOUR NAME. >> HI, I LOVE YOUR COMMUNITY OF ALTHOUGH I'M IN ST. PETERSBURG. I COME HERE BASICALLY JUST ON THE SHORT-TERM RENTALS, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR A LOT OF YOU THAT DISDAIN OR DO NOT LIKE THE SHORT TERM. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO LOOK OUT A DIFFERENT WINDOW AND UNDERSTAND. I'VE BEEN AN AIRBNB FIVE STAR PERSON FOR PROBABLY ABOUT THREE YEARS NOW. IT'S BEEN AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE. I'VE HAD NO LEGITIMATE COMPLAINTS. I HAVE HAD MANY RESIDENTS STAY AT MY PLACE, INCLUDING FLORIDA, AND OUTSIDE OF FLORIDA. AND I LOOKED AT IT, I WAS EXCITED ABOUT IT. MY HUSBAND AND I RETIRED FROM INDIANA AND WE WERE EXCITED TO HAVE THIS INVESTMENT PROPERTY TO BE ABLE TO OBVIOUSLY FUND OUR LIVING. AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN BOMBARDED WITH HURRICANES, HIGH TAXES, DOUBLING HOAs, EXTORTION OF INSURANCE. IT GOES ALL OVER THE BOARD. AND SO WHAT IT FEELS LIKE, WHEREVER THIS GOES, IT FEELS LIKE US ENTREPRENEURS THAT HAVE PUT OUR HEART AND SOUL INTO THE LOVE OF THESE AIRBNB s, NOW IT'S COLD-COCKED AGAIN. MOST LIKELY MY AIRBNB IS GOING TO BE SHUT DOWN. I DON'T HAVE A CHOICE. A SHORT TERM IS NOT 30 DAYS. AND YOU PUT THE NUMBERS TOGETHER, IT DOESN'T WORK. 90 DAYS, ESPECIALLY, DOESN'T WORK. SO YOU CAN SAY, WELL, I'VE GOT A SOLUTION, WHY DON'T YOU RENT IT ONE YEAR. WELL, WE'RE GOING THROUGH AN EVICTION ON ANOTHER PROPERTY, SO IT DOESN'T WORK QUITE SO WELL ON A YEAR EITHER. THE AIRBNB PLATFORM, I WANT TO BRAG ABOUT IT, IS THE MOST AWESOME CAPITALIST VENTURE THAT I THINK --JUST LIKE UBER, THAT WE'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY MAKE MONEY TO SURVIVE, PAY OUR TAXES. I DON'T KNOW HOW I'M GOING TO PAY MY TAXES. MY AIRBNB IS SHUT DOWN, I'VE GOT TO FIND A DIFFERENT RESOURCE. THAT'S WHY WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE TO SELL. I WANT YOU TO KNOW THE COMPLAINTS ARE NOT LEGITIMATE AT ALL. THERE'S BEEN A GROUP OF WOMEN THAT HAVE TARGETED ALL OF THE AIRBNBs, WE ALL KNOW THAT. AND IT'S REALLY SAD TO SEE BECAUSE OUR NEIGHBORS DON'T --THE PEOPLE THAT COMPLAINED WERE ON THE NORTH SIDE. SO IT REALLY DIDN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE, YOU KNOW, IT WAS JUST A COMPLAINT DRIVEN WITH --AND TO SAY A NEGATIVE WAY, MAYBE THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE DOING SOMETHING GOOD BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT IT WAS ABOUT THE HOUSING CRISIS. IT'S NOT ABOUT THE HOUSING CRISIS. THE HOUSING CRISIS HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE SUPPLY AND THE LACK OF GOOD WORKERS. THERE'S A LOT OF REASONS WHY. AND SO NOW WHAT DO WE HAVE? NOW WE HAVE TROUBLE SELLING. NOW WE HAVE A PLACE UP FOR SALE AND NOW WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET THE MONEY THAT WE WOULD TYPICALLY BECAUSE NOW, WITH ALL THE DEVASTATION GOING ON IN FLORIDA, NOW IT'S TIME THAT WE CAN'T SELL, EITHER. SO I HAD TO CANCEL ALL MY RESERVATIONS IN ST. PETERSBURG. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. WE GOT IT. ALL RIGHT. WOLFGANG? >> THANK YOU, MAYOR. WOLFGANG, BEACHWAY. I AM WITH GULFPORT GRASSROOTS AND I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT WE HAD A BEYOND THE BEACH CLEANUP ON JUNE 14th. IT WAS A SMALLER TURNOUT THAN NORMAL. WE HAD 11 VOLUNTEERS AND WE ONLY PICKED UP 44 POUNDS OF TRASH, WHICH IS LOW FOR US. BUT, STILL, THAT'S 44 POUNDS, THAT IS NOT IN OUR BAY. WHAT WE ALL NOTICED WAS THE DIMINISHED QUANTITY OF CIGARETTE BUTTS, AND A BIG, BIG DIFFERENCE. THANK YOU. WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT, HAVE WE MADE THE ORDINANCE FOR THE PARKS YET? >> YES. >> OKAY. THE NEXT BEYOND THE BEACH CLEANUP IS GOING TO BE JULY 12th. THEY'RE ALL RIGHT NOW FROM TO 10:00 A.M. AT PORT 4. WE SUPPLY EVERYTHING EVERYBODY NEEDS. AND IF ANYBODY IS JONESING FOR A CLEANUP BEFORE THEN, WE DO HAVE ANOTHER GRASS MOB COMING UP THIS WEEKEND ON THE 21st, WE'RE GOING TO BE MEETING AT 43 50th STREET, AND THERE IS A HOME THERE THAT DESPERATELY NEEDS THE GRASS CUT. WHY IT'S NOT CUT, WE DON'T CARE. WE'RE GOING TO GO IN AND MAKE IT LOOK NICE. >> OUR COMPLAINT WAS ACTUALLY A FOURPLEX NEXT DOOR, BUT THAT COULD BE DANGEROUS FOR OUR VOLUNTEERS. THERE'S TREE LIMBS HANGING, DANGLING, AND 2 BY 4s WITH NAILS IN THEM. SO WE CHOSE TO DO THE HOUSE JUST SOUTH OF THERE. AGAIN, THE NO SMOKING BAN IS WORKING. I'M VERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT. AND THAT'S ABOUT IT FOR GRASSROOTS. I DID HAVE A QUESTION AS FAR AS FIREWORKS GO. I HATE FIREWORKS. I DON'T LIKE THEM UNLESS THEY'RE CONTROLLED AND BLOWN OFF BY THE FIRE PEOPLE OR TRAINED PERSONNEL. AND I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE FIREWORKS. CAN THEY JUST BE SHOT UP ANYWHERE, YOUR BACK YARD, YOUR DRIVEWAY, OUT IN THE STREET? ARE THERE NO RESTRAINTS? I DON'T KNOW. THERE SHOULD BE SOME KIND OF RESTRAINTS, JUST BLOWING OFF THESE THINGS IN THE AIR AND THEY COME DOWN AND LAND ON PEOPLE'S ROOFS, LAND ON HOUSES, LAND IN OTHER PEOPLE'S YARDS. >> I'M SORRY, OUR STATE GOVERNMENT HAS STATE THEY'RE LEGAL THREE TIMES A YEAR. >> THE QUESTION WAS, NO RESTRAINTS, YEAH. >> EXACTLY. WHO IS NEXT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. YES, KATHERINE. >> MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU CAN TELL ME IF THIS IS NOT ALLOWED DURING THE PUBLIC PART OF THIS. THIS IS NOT RELATED TO THE CITY OF GULFPORT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, IT'S MORE ABOUT THE ROLE OF THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO ASK FOR CLARIFICATION REGARDING THE ROLE OF THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD AS OUTLINED IN THE CITY CHARTER AND CODE. WE UNDERSTAND THE BOARD IS ADVISORY AND THAT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THE CHANGES CURRENTLY UNDER REVIEW ARE DRIVEN BY STATE REQUIREMENTS THAT MAY TAKE A NUMBER OF MONTHS, THERE ARE SEVERAL MEMBERS, INCLUDING MYSELF THAT HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR RESPONSIBILITIES AND HOW THEY ALIGN WITH THE CITY CHARTER AND ORDINANCES. SO SECTION 22 1603 IN THE ORDINANCES OUTLINE SEVERAL DUTIES WHERE THE BOARD IS EXPECTED TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS. IT'S ON THE MASTER PLAN FOR CITY DEVELOPMENT. ZONING MAPS, LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS, THE REPLANNING AND RECONSTRUCTION OR REDEVELOPMENT OF ANY AREA OR DISTRICT, WHICH MAY BE DESTROYED IN WHOLE OR IN PART BY NATURAL DISASTERS, PARTICULARLY RELEVANT NOW. AND THE OVERALL EFFECTIVENESS OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. LOOKING AT THE RECORD, THE FEW MEETINGS THAT HAVE OCCURRED PRIOR TO MY APPOINTMENT, THERE WERE TWO MEETINGS IN 2024, THREE IN 2023, AND ONE IN 2022. THE BOARD'S ROLE SEEMS TO BE MORE PROCEDURAL THAN SUBSTANTIVE, PARTICULARLY WITH MATTERS APPEARING PREDETERMINED OR LIMITED IN SCOPE. THEY'RE SIMPLY SEEKING CLARITY ON WHETHER OR HOW THE BOARD MIGHT PROACTIVELY PROVIDE INPUT OR RAISE PLANNING CONCERNS, PARTICULARLY OUTSIDE OF ITEMS DIRECTLY REFERRED BY CITY COUNCIL OR STAFF. OPERATING IN THE WAY THE BOARD WAS ORJ IGINALLY STRUCTURED TO SUPPORT THE CITY, I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHAT THE HISTORY IS, SO I'M ASKING FOR THAT CLARIFICATION. I'M ASKING FOR TRANSPARENCY AND SHARED UNDERSTANDING SO BOARD MEMBERS CAN SERVE EFFECTIVELY IN THE INTENT OF CITY CHARTER AND ORDINANCES. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. WHO IS NEXT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? AMY? >> AMY COSTA WITH THE MIDTOWN BUSINESS COLLECTIVE, WONDERWORKS AND A FEW OTHER THINGS. THANK YOU, MARLENE FOR FOLLOWING UP ON THE TRAFFIC REGARDING GULFPORT BOULEVARD. I PLAN ON FOLLOWING UP WITH REQUESTS FOR TRAFFIC INCIDENTS IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS TO SEE HOW THE SPEED PATTERN IS AFFECTING. THE BIKE RACKS, I UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE IT IS A COUNTY ROAD, WE CAN'T PUT BIKE RACKS IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY. I WAS CURIOUS IF SOME OF THE BUSINESSES IN BETWEEN 29th 48th AND 58th WOULD HOST. IF THERE'S ANY PLANTS THAT WE CAN GET, WE'LL DO THE LABOR IF WE CAN GET SOME PLANT SUPPORT. THE MIDTOWN COLLECTIVE HOSTED A MONTHLY MEET AND MINGLE ON JUNE 14th. IT WAS --ON JUNE 11th, IT WAS VERY WELL ATTENDED. WE HAD A GREAT TIME. OF COURSE, APRIL WAS THERE, AGAIN. AND WE PLAN ON HAVING THOSE EVERY SECOND WEDNESDAY. EVERYONE IS INVITED. BUSINESSES, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, ANYONE WHO WANTS TO SEE MORE GROWTH AND LOVE HAPPEN IN MIDTOWN. WE ALSO HOSTED A DAD'S DAY MARKET AT WONDERWORKS ON THE 14th, SO WE TIMED THAT IN THE MORNING TO END JUST AS THE MERCHANT CHAMBER EVENT WAS HAPPENING TO KIND OF SHARE THE FLOW AND KEEP THAT MOVING. AND BOTH EVENTS WERE VERY WELL ATTENDED. ANOTHER THING I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT, I'M ON THE COMMITTEE FOR FUSION 49 AND WE HAVE SOME MEETINGS WE'RE TRYING TO REGROUP. I KNOW THERE'S SOME MONEY IN THE SYSTEM EARMARKED FOR THAT ORGANIZATION AND I WAS WONDERING, IS THAT FOR THE ACTUAL STREET PROJECT OR IS THAT MONEY THAT WE COULD APPLY FOR PROJECTS THAT ARE COMING UP THERE. SHORT-TERM RENTALS, I WAS CONFUSED ABOUT THE COMPLAINT PROCESS. IT SOUNDS LIKE ANYONE ANYWHERE CAN JUST CALL AND COMPLAIN IF THEY THINK SOMEONE HAS A SHORT-TERM RENTAL. SO I WASN'T SURE IF THAT WAS ENOUGH TO MAKE A COMPLAINT OR IF THERE HAS TO BE A DISRUPTION, THE SHORT-TERM RENTALS CAUSING US DISTRESS BECAUSE OF THIS. SO SHAKING THE HEAD, OKAY. AS A BUSINESS OWNER AND CO-FOUNDER, I KNOW HOW VITAL TOURISM IS TO OUR SMALL BUSINESSES. I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK UP AND SUPPORT THESE BUSINESSES. EACH TIME CODE ENFORCEMENT TARGETS A RESIDENT WITH AN ILLEGAL RENTAL THE CITY IS HARMING RESIDENTS, TOURISM AND SMALL BUSINESSES. FOR MIDTOWN, THE SHORT-TERM RENTALS ARE NOT PERMITTED REALLY ANYWHERE NORTH OF GULFPORT BOULEVARD, AND CONSIDERING THE BOULEVARD IS BECOMING A DESTINATION AREA, IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO ALLOW SHORT-TERM RENTALS IN THE SURROUNDING AREAS TO HELP SUPPORT BUSINESSES ON GULFPORT BOULEVARD AND 49th STREET. AND I WAS ALSO WONDERING MAYBE THERE COULD BE SOME POLL OR SURVEY GIVEN TO ALL RESIDENTS AND CONSTITUENTS TO SEE HOW WE ALL FEEL ABOUT SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND IF THERE'S ANY WIGGLE TO HELP US SUPPORT OURSELVES ECONOMICALLY AND OUR CITY GROWTH. THANK YOU. JONATHAN? >> GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY. A COUPLE OF QUICK THINGS. FIRST, I WANTED TO THROW MY WHOLE HEARTED SUPPORT BEHIND COUNCIL'S PROPOSAL ON PADDLEBOARDING DOWN ON THE BEACH. I THINK IT'S AWESOME AND THE MARINA IS A WONDERFUL PLACE TO STORE BOATS. IT'S REALLY GOOD FOR THAT. IT'S TUCKED IN A QUIET, RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, NOT A GREAT PLACE FOR WATERSPORTS DOWNTOWN WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE. I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA. I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT ADUs FOR A SECOND. I THINK AS AN ADU FRIENDLY VIBE HERE, I SHARE IT, AND I'M GOING TO --HERE ARE JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS ABOUT ADUs. SORRY IF THIS IS REDUNDANT FOR A LOT OF YOU. THEY INCREASE AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITHOUT CHANGING THE NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER, USING EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE, MAINTAINING THE LOOK AND FEEL OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND ADDRESS THE HOUSING SHORTAGE AT A RELATIVELY LOW COST. THEY SUPPORT AGING IN PLACE IN MULTIGENERATIONAL LIVING, EXTRA INCOME FOR HOMEOWNERS. A LOT OF TIMES ALLOWING SOMEONE TO STAY IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT HAVE TO BE --MIGHT HAVE TO SELL AND LEAVE. ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE GROWTH USING EXISTING DEVELOPED LAND AND UTILITIES, EXPAND OPTIONS FOR SMALLER, MORE FLEXIBLE UNITS FOR SINGLES, COUPLES, SMALL FAMILIES, TEMPORARY TRANSITIONAL HOUSING FOR CAREGIVERS, STUDENTS, SEASONAL WORKERS AND SO FORTH, A MORE IN CLUES COMMUNITY FOR PEOPLE AT DIFFERENT LIVE STAGES. SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE THE IDEA GOT PLANTED THAT THOSE WHO LIVE IN FLOOD AREAS SHOULD NOT HAVE THESE BENEFITS, OKAY. I'M NOT REALLY CLEAR WHY THAT IS AS SOMEONE WHO LIVES IN ONE OF THOSE AREAS, AND IS PRETTY FAMILIAR WITH HOW FLOODING LOOKS FIRSTHAND. WE'RE BUILDING A FEMA COMPLIANTCOMPLIANT REALITY ALONG THE COAST. WHAT WE SAW IN '24 WILL NOT BE WHAT WE SEE IN '26. THERE WILL BE --ALL THE GROUND LEVEL HOMES ARE JUST GOING TO GO AWAY. THERE WILL BE NO CONVERTING A GARAGE TO AN ADU. AN ADU BUILT TO BE FEMA COMPLIANT I THINK SHOULD BE ALLOWED. I DID ASK MRS. FISHER ABOUT THE WORDING IN THE COMP PLAN THAT SAYS DON'T INCREASE DENSITY IN FLOOD ZONES, AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT DOES NOT APPLY TO ADUs, OKAY. SO I HOPE WE CAN ALL RECONSIDER THAT WHEN YOU'RE CONSIDERING ADUs AND ALLOWING FOR EVERYBODY. THANK YOU. >> WHO ELSE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? YES, PLEASE. >> GOOD EVENING, KAREN HUBERT, TIPTON STREET. CAME IN LATE TONIGHT, TO SORRY ABOUT THAT. THERE'S A SHORT-TERM RENTAL ISSUE GOING ON. I CAN ONLY SPEAK AS A SINGLE MOM. HAD I NOT HAD SHORT-TERM VACATION RENTALS AVAILABLE TO ME AND MY THREE DAUGHTERS, WE WOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO VISIT THE FLORIDA KEYS. THANKS TO THE SHORT-TERM VACATION RENTALS, I WAS ABLE TO TAKE MY DAUGHTERS DOWN, EXPERIENCE THE BEAUTIFUL CORAL REEFS, TEACH THEM ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS, CORAL, FISH, BIRDS, ANIMALS, EVERYTHING. I COULD NOT AFFORD TO STAY IN THE NICE LUXURIOUS HOTELS AND OTHER THINGS OFFERED. I WISH I COULD. BUT BECAUSE OF THAT, I WAS ABLE TO TEACH MY DAUGHTERS AND TODAY THEY'RE ABLE TO BE STEWARDS OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND FIGHT FOR THE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT FOR US. I DON'T KNOW ALL THE LOGISTICS. I CAN TELL YOU MY EXPERIENCE, I COULD GO DOWN FOR A WEEK, PAY $1,000, COMPARED TO PAYING $500 A NIGHT. I STAYED FOR A WHOLE WEEK. AND MY CHILDREN BECAME BETTER PEOPLE BECAUSE OF IT. MY NEIGHBORS, I KNOW, HAVE DONE SHORT-TERM RENTALS, I'VE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM. I THINK ONE TIME IN SIX YEARS I WAS ABLE TO PICK UP THE PHONE AND SAY, HEY, THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT LOUD. OTHER THAN THAT, I'VE NOT HAD A PROBLEM. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE -- YOU KNOW, ALL THE SURVEYS ARE OR COMPLAINTS, BUT I CAN ONLY SPEAK BY MY EXPERIENCE, I WAS GRATEFUL TO BE ABLE TO GO DOWN THERE AND TEACH MY CHILDREN ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT AND STAY WHERE I COULD AFFORD IT. OTHERWISE, I COULD NEVER AFFORD THE VACATION THAT I DID FOR MY DAUGHTERS AND THEY THANK ME TO THIS DAY. THANK YOU. >> YOU'RE WELCOME. ANYBODY ELSE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? SEEING NONE, PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED. AND THAT BRINGS US TO THE CITY MANAGER REPORT, PLEASE. >> YES, MAYOR. MAYOR, I'LL ADDRESS SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I CAN AND THEN I'LL ASK MR. NICHOLS AND SHANNON TO GIVE US AN UPDATE ON PROJECTS AND SUCH AND ALSO OUR MONEYSMONEYS IN AND OUT THROUGH FEMA AND OUR INSURANCE CARRIERS. IN REGARDS TO THE IDEA THAT WE HAVE BORROWED MONEYS FROM BANK OF AMERICA, WE HAVE NOT. WE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN SECURING FEMA FUNDING, A LOAN, BUT WE HAVE NOT ACCESSED IT. THAT WOULD NECESSITATE CITY COUNCIL TO BORROW THE MONEY AND IT WOULD AUTHORIZE THE DRAW AGAINST THE LOAN. IN REGARDS TO THE VESSELS THAT ARE THE DIVE COM ISSUE, THE DIVE COM ONLY REMOVES THE VESSELS ASHORE. THE STICKERS ON THE VESSELS ARE ABANDONED PROPERTY AND HAVE TO BE REMOVED WITHIN A CERTAIN TIMEFRAME, SO THEY ARE BEING ADDRESSED. BUT THAT'S A POLICE ACTION THAT THE PROPERTY HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED THAT THERE'S NO FL NUMBERS, THINGS TO THAT EFFECT ON IT. THAT'S WITH THAT ISSUE. IN REGARDS TO THE PROJECT, WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET AN UPDATE FROM MR. NICHOLS. I HAVE SOME GENERAL KNOWLEDGE OF THOSE, BUT HE WOULD GIVE YOU A BETTER ANSWER. IN REGARDS TO FIREWORKS, UNFORTUNATELY, WE ARE PRE-EMPTED BY THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND WE'RE PRETTY LIBERAL WITH THE INTERPRETATION OF THAT. HENCE, YOU SEE ON EACH STREET CORNER THE SALE OF THEM. I'M TRYING TO GO THROUGH MY LIST HERE. I MADE SOME NOTES. A QUESTION IN REGARDS TO THE RIGHT-OF-WAY AND THE CROSSWALKS, WE HAVE CONTACTED PINELLAS COUNTY, WE'RE AWAITING A RESPONSE TO THEM IN REGARDS TO ADDRESSING THE CROSSWALK ISSUE AT 54th STREET AND ALSO ANY ISSUES, IF ANYONE WANTED TO PLANT. AND I KNOW THE VICE MAYOR IS WELL AWARE OF THIS, ANY PLANTING OR ANY ACTIVITIES IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY WOULD REQUIRE PINELLAS COUNTY PERMISSION. >> I HAVE TALKED TO THEM. AND AS LONG AS YOU DON'T DIG MORE THAN 6 OR 10 INCHES. OKAY. AND THAT'S KIND OF -- I'M TRYING TO LOOK. >> THEN I HAVE SOME OTHER ITEMS. >> WHAT ABOUT BIKE RACKS? >> THE PROBLEM, YOU'RE GOING TO PUT THEM ON PRIVATE PROPERTY. YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE AWAY BIKE RACKS TO A PRIVATE PROPERTY. >> SO LET'S GO IN SPEAKING ORDER IF WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR OUROUR MANAGER, IF WE NEED TO CLARIFY ANYTHING. LET'S GO IN SPEAKING ORDER. >> ARE YOU DONE WITH YOUR -- >> WELL, I HAVE SOME OTHERS, BUT I CAN ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT. >> OKAY, THANK YOU. THE FUSION 49 MONEY. >> THAT MONEY IS STRICTLY FOR CONSTRUCTION. THAT'S A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT THAT ARE MATCHED TOWARD THE GRANT WITH THE SAFE STREETS AND THE MODEL PROGRAM THAT THEY WILL BE -- >> THANK YOU. >> THEY WERE THINKING THEY WOULD PAY FOR THEM IF WE WOULD HELP THEM BUY THEM IN BULK FROM SOME PLACE THAT WE COULD GET A BETTER DEAL THAN THEY COULD. >> WE CAN WORK WITH THAT. I MEAN, IT WOULD BE THE -- >> I UNDERSTAND. >> IF YOU WANT TO EMAIL ME WITH WHAT YOUR INTENTIONS ARE, WE'LL GO FROM THERE. >> AND I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY NICE, BECAUSE I'VE HEARD THIS BEFORE ABOUT PLANTING AND ZONING. I THINK PERSONALLY THEY SHOULD BE DOING A LOT MORE. MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE A PRESENTATION ABOUT WHAT REALLY IS THEIR ROLE AND, YOU KNOW, NOW PRETTY MUCH THEY WORK ON THE COMP PLAN AND ONLY STUFF WE ASK THEM TO LOOK AT, WHERE SOMETIMES THEY MAY, YOU KNOW, BY THEIR OWN INCLINATION OR HEARING ABOUT THINGS, THINK OF THINGS THAT MAYBE WE SHOULD LOOK AT DOING HERE AND BRING THAT TO US TO DECIDE. I MEAN, THEY DON'T MAKE ANY DECISIONS THEMSELVES, ANYWAY. BUT THEY COULD BRING US IDEAS AS WELL AS US ASKING THEM TO LOOK AT THINGS. SO MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE A PRESENTATION ABOUT THAT. >> IF I CAN FINISH, I'LL DEFER TO THAT QUESTION TO THE CITY ATTORNEY. >> AND RIGHT NOW, JUST IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT HE SAID THAT WE WANT TO CLARIFY, WE'RE NOT ASKING ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, BUT YOU CAN DO THAT UNDER COUNCIL COMMENTS, FOR SURE. >> THE OTHER ITEMS I HAVE THIS EVENING -- >> ANYBODY ELSE? >> OH, I'M SORRY. >> ARE YOU GOOD? >> I'M GOOD. >> THE OTHER ITEMS I HAVE THIS EVENING IS VICE MAYOR THANOS AND I MET WITH A RESIDENT THIS PAST WEEK IN REGARDS TO THE LEVEL OF CODE ENFORCEMENT RELATED TO UNLICENSED CONTRACTORS, NON PERMITTED WORK, SUCH ISSUES RELATED TO STOP WORK ORDERS. WHAT WE INTEND TO DO, AND I WANTED TO MAKE COUNCIL ADVISED OF THIS, THAT WE WILL NOW GO TO A ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY. THAT IF SOMEONE HAS A STOP WORK ORDER OR PERMIT ISSUE, THEY WILL NOW BE RESPONSIBLE, THEY WILL BE VIOLATED AND ALSO THEY WOULD BE NECESSARY FOR THEM, IF THEY DON'T COME IN COMPLIANCE , TO APPEAL BEFORE THE SPECIAL MAGISTRATE. IT WILL BE UP TO THE PROPERTY OWNER NOW, USE WE'VE TRIED FOR THE LAST EIGHT MONTHS TO TRY TO HELP THEM, CAJOLE THEM, REACHED OUT WITH COURTESY LETTERS, ALL THOSE TYPE THINGS. WE ARE NOW REACHING A POINT WHERE THAT WILL BECOME CODE ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THEM. THEY WILL BE BROUGHT TO THE SPECIAL MAGISTRATE IF THEY DON'T BECOME COMPLIANT. WE WILL START WITH THE FIRST STEP, WE'LL BE DEALING WITH INDIVIDUALS THAT RECEIVE STOP WORK ORDERS WHO HAVE NOT APPLIED FOR PERMITS. THE SECOND LEVEL WOULD BE PROPERTIES THAT WE'VE BEEN IDENTIFIED THAT DID WORK WITHOUT PERMITS. WE'LL MAKE OUR WAY THROUGH IT. WE HAD ABOUT ROUGHLY 127, 128 THAT WE SENT COURTESY LETTERS TO. OF THOSE, WE ONLY HAD SEVEN RESPONSES. OF THOSE --EXCUSE ME, NINE SEVEN THAT WERE LESS THAN 50% AND TWO THAT WERE GREATER THAN 50%. SO YOU'VE EXTENDED THE COURTESY, NOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO ANOTHER LEVEL WHERE IT WILL BE THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO DISPROVE IF WE HAVE A SITUATION WHERE WE'VE ACKNOWLEDGED THE AREA HAD X AMOUNT OF INCHES OF WATER, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PROVE TO US THAT, ONE, YOU HAD NO DAMAGE, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. IT WILL BE THE ONUS NOW, THE TRANSITION IS PUTTING THE ONUS --PRIOR WE TRIED TO HELP AND WE WENT OUT AND DID INSPECTIONS, EXTRA INSPECTIONS. NOW THE ONUS WILL BE STRICTLY ON THE PROPERTY OWNER. JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU. >> AND MY QUESTION ON THAT, I UNDERSTAND, AND I DO ALSO UNDERSTAND THIS IS DEFINITELY RESIDENT DRIVEN, BUT I'M NOT ASKING FOR EXCEPTIONS, I'M JUST WONDERING, WILL FOLKS WHO HAVE BOUGHT HOMES WHO DIDN'T DO THEIR DUE DILIGENCE AND THEY HAVE BOUGHT A HOME AND SOME OF THEM ARE SOMEWHAT O OBLIVIOUS AND DO NOT KNOW THEY PURCHASED A HOME THAT NEVER GOT PERMITS, ARE THEY GOING TO BE TREATED THE SAME WAY IS MY QUESTION. >> YES, YES. UNFORTUNATELY, ONCE WE MOVE IN THIS DIRECTION, THAT'S --IT'S OUR POSITION, BECAUSE THEN I'LL BE GETTING STORIES ABOUT SITUATIONS THAT I DON'T WANT TO BE THE ONE THAT SAYS, WELL, COUNCIL MEMBER --WE HAD A CONVERSATION THIS WEEK WHERE SOMEONE PULLED AN OWNER/BUILDER PERMIT AND THEN SAID, YOU MEAN I CAN'T SELL MY HOUSE NOW? WELL, THEY CLOSED ALL THEIR PERMITS, THEY DID ALL THEIR WORK RIGHT, BUT NOW THEY'RE SITTING IN A SITUATION THAT THEY HAVE TO WAIT ONE YEAR PER FLORIDA STATUTE TO SELL THEIR HOUSE. SO, I MEAN, THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE EXCEPTIONS TO EVERY SITUATION THAT WE COME UP WITH. SO I WOULD RATHER LET THE MAGISTRATE MAKE SOME DETERMINATIONS. IF SOMEONE TRULY HAS A HARDSHIP, THEY CAN PLEAD THAT IN THE CITY ATTORNEY. THAT'S A GOOD POINT. >> THEY CAN GO TO THE MAGISTRATE. >> I'M SORRY, WHAT? >> GO AHEAD. >> I HAVE NO QUESTIONS. I WAS JUST MENTIONING IT WAS A GOOD POINT. TWO THINGS. ONE, I SPOKE TO THE SPECIAL MAGISTRATE, JUST HAPPENED TO RUN INTO HIM ON THE STREET, AND ASKED HIM WHAT THE PROCESS WAS. AND HE SAID THAT IT KIND OF DEPENDS ON WHAT THE CITY ASKS FOR IN TERMS OF A PENALTY FOR THESE KINDS OF THINGS. AND SO I WONDER IF THERE'S A NEED FOR US TO MAKE SOME KIND OF ORDINANCE THAT ADDRESSES THAT, BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THE PENALTY FOR IT ISN'T VERY GREAT AND THE CONCERN OF A LOT OF US WHO GOT PERMITS AND WAITED AND PEOPLE WHO ARE STILL WAITING IS THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN WAY CHEAPER TO DO ALL THIS WITHOUT A PERMIT, PAY THE PENALTY, AND HAVE SAVED OURSELVES HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS. AND SO, YOU KNOW, HE SAID THAT WAS UP TO US AS A CITY THAT WE COULD IMPOSE, YOU KNOW, BY ORDINANCE, IF EVERYBODY AGREES, OF COURSE, IMPOSE STRICTER OR HIGHER FINES. SO I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE. AND THE OTHER THING WAS, WHEN WE MET WITH YOU, WE FOUND THAT THERE WAS SOME PRETTY GRIEVOUS ERRORS FROM THE PEOPLE WE HAD HIRED. >> WE FOUND ONE. >> WE FOUND ONE. IT WAS PRETTY BAD. WE DIDN'T LOOK AT ANY OTHERS. MY QUESTION WAS, HAVE YOU GONE BACK AND CHECKED FOR THE OTHER PERMITS THEY'VE ISSUED THAT THEY WERE CORRECT? >> WE'VE TALKED TO THEM AND EXPLAINED IT. WE HAVEN'T GONE THROUGH EVERY PERMIT THEY'VE ISSUED, BECAUSE THEY'VE ISSUED -- WE HAD 1,000 OR SOMETHING PERMITS THAT WERE ISSUED. WE DIDN'T GO BACK THROUGH ALL OF THEM. >> AND I WOULDN'T SAY ALL OF THEM. I WOULD SAY THE ONES IN THE FLOOD ZONE THAT HAD SUB STANTIAL DAMAGE. >> WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW, IF YOU HAD AN ISSUE, WE'RE CROSS-REFERENCING THAT WITH ALL THE PERMITTING THAT WAS ISSUED TO THAT PROPERTY, IF YOU'RE VIOLATED, OKAY. IF YOU HAVE A COMPLAINT THAT YOU HAD UNPERMITTED WORK OR SOMETHING, IF IT'S BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION, WE'LL GO THROUGH THAT. I'M NOT GOING TO GO BACKWARDS AND START RE-CHECKING SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED SIX MONTHS AGO. IT WOULDN'T BE SIX MONTHS AGO. WE ONLY HAD THEM FOR A FEW MONTHS. SO WHAT I'M ASKING IS, THE ONES THAT WERE -- THAT THEY WORKED ON A PERMIT THAT WAS IN THE FLOOD ZONE, SINCE THEY STARTED WORK, NOT THE ONES THAT WE DID OURSELVES, AND IF THEY PUT IN A PERMIT FOR $5,000, CLEARLY THEY DIDN'T DO THE WORK THEY SHOULD HAVE. SO THOSE WOULD BE PRETTY OBVIOUS. YOU COULD JUST GO DOWN THE LIST BY HOW MUCH THE PERMIT WAS. IF IT WAS UNDER PROBABLY $50,000, THEN SOMETHING WAS WRONG. AND I THINK WE SHOULD CHECK THAT, BECAUSE IT'S NOT FAIR TO THE REST OF US. >> LET ME LOOK AT IT. >> NOT PEOPLE GETTING FENCES IN WARD 4. THAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT BALL GAME. OR WARD 3. OKAY, CONTINUE WITH YOUR REPORT. DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? NO. >> THE NEXT ISSUE IN REGARDS TO PERIODICALLY YOU GET ASKED ABOUT APPLICATION --IN THE COMP PLAN ABOUT PURCHASING THE PUBLIC --PURCHASING PRIVATE PROPERTIES AND CERTAIN POLICIES OR OBJECTIVES. UNDERSTAND THAT THOSE POLICIES THAT WERE QUOTED PREVIOUSLY ARE SPECIFIC TO THAT GOAL. THE COMP PLAN HAS GOALS IN IT. THOSE ARE THEN SUPPORTED BY OBJECTIVES, WHICH ARE SPECIFIC TO THAT POLICIES THAT SPECIFIC TO THAT GOAL. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE COMP PLAN, PRIMARILY IN THE COASTAL AREA, THEY'LL TALK ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS, WETLANDS, THINGS LIKE THAT. ONE OF THE POLICIES RELATED TO THAT TO SUPPORT THAT GOAL IS RELATED TO PURCHASING PROPERTY. IF THE COUNCIL IN THE FUTURE --THE COUNCIL HAS NEVER BEEN IN THE POSITION. WE'VE PROTECTED OUR WETLANDS, DONE ALL THE THINGS NECESSARY. OBVIOUSLY WE BUILT THE BAYOU WITH THE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA MANAGEMENT DISTRICT AND WE'VE BUN WATER QUALITY PROJECTS THAT ARE ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS. SO I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT THE SCOPE OF --WHEN SOMEONE SAYS, THIS LINE IN YOUR COMP PLAN SAYS YOU'LL BUY --THE CITY SHOULD, THAT'S TO SUPPORT A SPECIFIC AREA. IT DOESN'T SET THE POLICY FOR THE WHOLE CITY, BUT IT SUPPORTS THAT -- WHAT COULD YOU DO -- DOWN THE POLICY LIST, WHAT COULD YOU TO SUPPORT THAT GOAL, WHICH IS ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP TYPE QUESTION, WHICH WOULD BE RELATED TO PURCHASING PROPERTY. THERE'S NO MANDATE THAT SAYS YOU HAVE TO, IT WOULD BE TO SUPPORT THAT ASPECT OF THE PLAN. THE OTHER ITEMS I HAVE THIS EVENING IS ONE RELATED TO PERMITTING AND BUILDING, PINELLAS COUNTY IS STILL EMBARKING ON THEIR STORM RECOVERY PROCESS, AND THEY'VE DECLINED TO ENTER INTO AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH US. THEY'RE JUST NOT THERE YET BECAUSE THEY WOULD BE HAPPY TO TALK TO US IN THE FUTURE ONCE THEY GET CONTROL OF THE ISSUES. THEY HAVE SIMILAR ISSUES AND YOU'VE READ ABOUT THEM THAT WE HAVE OR HAVE HAD. WITH THAT SAID, WE'LL BE EXPLORING SOME OTHER OPTIONS TO BRING TO YOU. AND THE LAST ITEM I HAVE IS WE HAVE PUT OUT A REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS FOR FIRMS TO DO AN EFFICIENCY STUDY TO LOOK AT WHAT NEEDS WE MAY HAVE IN THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AREA OR BUILDING DEPARTMENT, AND THE OPENING IS SCHEDULED TO END NEXT MONDAY, I BELIEVE IT IS. TERESA, IS THAT NEXT MONDAY? NEXT MONDAY. AND ONCE WE DO THAT, WE'LL EVALUATE THE PROPOSALS AND WE'LL BRING BACK TO COUNCIL WHAT WE RECOMMEND. >> OKAY, IN SPEAKING ORDER, DO WE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE REGARDING WHAT OUR CITY MANAGER HAS JUST TOLD US? >> I WAS JUST CURIOUS, TERESA, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN THE EFFICIENCY EXPERT. >> I'VE BEEN CONVERSING WITH TWO DIFFERENT COMPANIES AT THIS TIME. THAT'S GREAT. THANK YOU. >> AND I NOTICED IN THE RFP THAT WE ASKED THAT THEY BE FAMILIAR WITH FLORIDA BUILDING CODES. BUT THAT DOESN'T SEEM REALLY A NECESSITY, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT WORK FLOW AND PROCESS, YOU DON'T REALLY NEED TO KNOW THE DETAILS OF THE FLORIDA CODE TO DO THAT. I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT PART OF IT. THE PREMISE WOULD BE THAT THEY HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT. >> BUT THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN FLORIDA CODE. >> THERE'S THINGS IN THE FLORIDA STATUTE THAT APPLY TO THE BUILDING CODE. SO THEY HAVE TO BE FAMILIAR WITH -- LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT THAT YOU HAVE TO SIGN AN AFFIDAVIT --YOU HAVE TO APPEAR --HERE IS A GOOD ONE. IN THE FLORIDA LAW, IT SAYS AN OWNER/BUILDER HAS TO APPEAR TO SIGN AN APPLICATION, HAS TO APPEAR. THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT WHY CAN'T THEY USE THE PORTAL. SO THOSE ARE THINGS NECESSARILY THEY WOULD NEED TO KNOW. >> SEE, I STILL DON'T SEE THAT. BECAUSE IF THEY'RE TALKING TO EMPLOYEES ABOUT WHAT THEY DO AND HOW THEY DO THAT, THE EMPLOYEE WOULD TELL THEM THAT, THAT THAT'S PART OF THE PROCESS. ANYWAY, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I JUST DIDN'T SEE THE NEED FOR, BECAUSE YOU COULD LOOK AT ANY BUSINESS AND SEE HOW THE WORK FLOWS AND WHERE THE SNAGS ARE AND ASK THE STAFF THE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHY AND HOW IT GOES. SO I JUST THOUGHT MAYBE WE SHOULD CONSIDER THAT MAYBE THAT'S NOT AS IMPORTANT AS SOME OF THE OTHER PARTS OF THE RFP. >> OKAY. >> COUNSELOR SHAW, ANYTHING FOR OUR CITY MANAGER? >> NO, OTHER THAN I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHERE THE RFP IS SO I CAN READ IT. >> IT'S ONLINE, TERESA. >> IT'S UNDER THE CLERK'S PAGE, THERE'S A BIDS TAB AND IT'S RIGHT THERE. >> EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. >> NOTHING. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. AND I HAVE NO QUESTIONS FOR YOU. I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT I KNOW THAT A LOT OF THE THINGS YOU ADDRESSED TODAY WERE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP BY US BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN BROUGHT UP FROM THE PUBLIC IN THE LAST COUPLE MEETINGS. SO WE'RE LISTENING AND WE'RE ASKING FOR FEEDBACK. AND SOME OF YOU ASKED QUESTIONS TODAY, SOME WERE ADDRESSED, AND I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO FIND MORE WILL BE ADDRESSED BEFORE YOU LEAVE HERE. SO JUST HANG IN THERE WITH US, OKAY? THAT BEING SAID, THEN IF THE CITY MANAGER IS DONE WITH HIS REPORT, WE'LL TURN TO THE CITY ATTORNEY FOR HIS REPORT. >> MAYOR, COUNCIL, THE QUESTION WHICH AROSE ABOUT P&Z, THE POWERS AND DUTIES, THEY'RE LAID OUT IN THE ORDINANCE. THEY'RE SOMEWHAT RESTRICTIVE IN THAT IT'S AN ADVISORY BOARD THAT ACTS AS YOUR LOCAL PLANNING AGENCY AND THEN MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE SEVEN CRITERIA THAT I BELIEVE WERE RAISED. THAT'S KIND OF HOW IT IS. FROM THAT STANDPOINT, THE PAST HISTORY IS CORRECT, THEY DIDN'T MEET VERY OFTEN. THEY MET AT WHAT PAST COUNCILS HAVE GIVEN THEM DIRECTION TO DO, WHICH IS NOT UNUSUAL. THAT'S THE NORMAL PROCESS OF IT. IT'S JUST A QUESTION OF WHERE THE CITY IS IN THAT CRITERIA. THEY ACT AS YOUR --THEY DO THE LEGWORK FOR COUNCIL. THEY GO THROUGH THE ISSUES, THEY LOOK AT THEM. THEY ASK FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT'S NECESSARY TO GIVE YOU RECOMMENDATIONS SO THAT YOU CAN MAKE THE ULTIMATE DECISIONS THAT YOU NEED TO DO. BASED ON THE WAY THE ORDINANCE IS, IF YOU ARE ASKING THEM TO DO ADDITIONAL THINGS, WE WOULD PROBABLY NEED TO AMEND THE ORDINANCE TO SOME EXTENT, BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF INTERESTING HOW THIS WAS WRITTEN, BECAUSE IT BASICALLY SAYS IT SHALL BE REQUIRED TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO CITY COUNCIL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS CHAPTER AND STATE LAW REGARDING THE FOLLOWING. SO USUALLY YOU MIGHT SEE SOMETHING THAT SAYS AND OTHER THINGS. NOW, THAT BEING SAID, I THINK IF YOU GAVE THEM DIRECTION FOR OTHER THINGS, IT WOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM. WE JUST MAY WANT TO EXPAND THE ORDINANCE TO MAKE SURE THAT NO ONE COMES BACK AND SAYS WE'RE DOING THINGS THAT ARE VIOLATING SOME DUE PROCESS. BUT THAT BEING SAID, IT'S YOUR DIRECTION. THEY'RE ACTING ON YOUR BEHALF IN DOING THOSE THINGS THAT YOU NEED. ULTIMATELY THEY COME BACK WITH THE RECOMMENDATION AND COUNCIL DECIDES WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANT TO ADOPT THOSE THINGS OR SEND IT BACK TO THEM OR WHATEVER YOU ULTIMATELY CHOOSE TO DO. BUT IT'S ALWAYS BEEN USED AS AN ADVISORY BOARD. >> DO THEY VOTE ON THINGS THAT THEY WOULD BRING BACK TO US? SO IF THEY'RE VOTING THEN, ARE THEY UNDER SUNSHINE LAWS AS WELL? >> ALL OUR BOARDS THAT HAVE ANY KIND OF POWER ALONG THAT AS OPPOSED TO A COMMITTEE ARE SUBJECT TO SUNSHINE LAW. IT DEPENDS ON THE MAKEUP OF THE BOARD. BUT THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT, PLANNING AND ZONING, ARE ALL SUNSHINE LAW BOARDS, ABSOLUTELY. >> OKAY. DO WE HAVE THY QUESTIONS FOR THE --DO YOU HAVE MORE ON YOUR REPORT? >> NO, MAYOR, THAT'S IT. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? >> NO. >> SO EVEN WITH THAT, I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES THERE'S BEEN FRUSTRATIONS THAT THEY CAN'T CALL A MEETING, WHOEVER IS THE CHAIR OF THAT BOARD CAN'T CALL A MEETING. AND SOMETIMES SOME OF THEM MAY HAVE AN IDEA OF SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO PURSUE, NOT THAT THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, MAKE A DECISION ABOUT IT. THEY CAN ONLY MAKE A DECISION TO BRING IT TO US. >> RIGHT. >> BUT THEY MAY HAVE THINGS THAT THEY THINK WOULD BE GOOD IDEAS OR THAT THEY HEAR OTHER CITIES ARE DOING OR WHATEVER THEY READ IN THE NEWS, HOWEVER THEY GET THE INFORMATION. BUT THEY DON'T FEEL THAT THEY HAVE A WAY TO CALL THEIR OWN MEETING, AND SO THEY COULD BE BRINGING US IDEAS THAT WE HAVEN'T EVEN THOUGHT OF. AND WHAT I WOULD SAY TO YOU --I'M NOT TRYING TO MAKE IT CUMBERSOME, WOULD BE FOR THEM TO COME TO THE MEETING AND SAY, WE WOULD LIKE TO --OR I RECOMMEND THAT WE LOOK INTO THIS, CAN COUNCIL GIVE US AUTHORITY TO DO THAT. >> OKAY. >> BECAUSE THEY'RE WORKING FOR YOU. AND I ABSOLUTELY UNDERSTAND THEY MIGHT FIND THINGS WE WANT TO LOOK AT. BUT I DON'T WANT TO SAY IT'S --YOU'RE MAKING THE DETERMINATION AS COUNCIL THE USE OF TIME, OF HOW YOU WANT YOUR ADMINISTRATION TO HANDLE THINGS. WE HAVE PEOPLE AT THE MEETINGS, WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE PLANNING AND ZONING, WE MAY HAVE SOME EXPERTS WE HAVE TO GET. SO IT NEEDS TO BE DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL. SO IF SOMEBODY COMES UP AND SAYS, I WOULD REALLY LIKE US TO LOOK AT THIS --SOMETHING, A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THEY'RE DOING IN ANOTHER CITY AND IT'S IN THIS AREA, COUNCIL, IS IT OKAY, CAN YOU GIVE US DIRECTION TO DO THAT AND THEN WE'LL CALL A MEETING ON THAT. AND THEN WE HAVE PEOPLE AVAILABLE TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND AND GET THAT INFORMATION TO THEM SO THAT WHEN THEY DISCUSS IT, THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT. >> AND AS THE CITY ATTORNEY SPOKE OF, MAYOR, I WOULD NEED TO THEN, OF COURSE, LOOK AT WHAT RESOURCES ARE GOING TO BE NECESSARY. BECAUSE IF WE'RE GOING TO EXPAND THE ROLE BASED ON WHAT THE BOARD DECIDES OR ASKS YOU TO LOOK AT, I DON'T HAVE --I HAVE NO PLANNERS, I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT BRINGING RESOURCES ONBOARD TO ADDRESS SOME OF THEIR ISSUES. IT'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO HAPPEN ALL THAT MUCH, BUT -- >> BUT, ALSO, IT'S ONE OF YOUR BOARDS, RIGHT? >> UH-HUH. >> SO YOU DIRECT HOW YOUR BOARDS --THE REASON WHY THEY DO THINGS ARE TO ADVISE YOU ON SUBJECTS THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN. SO I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE --IT BECOMES A LITTLE MORE CUMBERSOME DOING IT THAT WAY, BUT THAT WAY YOU KNOW WHAT RESOURCES ARE BEING USED FOR AND WHY YOU WANT --THERE MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN AND THAT YOU ALL GO, YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT IDEA, BUT FINANCIALLY WE CAN'T DO THAT FOR A YEAR, YOU KNOW. >> AND THAT'S THE ONE THING I WANT TO STRESS, THAT WE DO APPLY THE NECESSARY RESOURCE FS THAT'S GOING TO BE THE MODEL THAT YOU'RE GOING TO ENTERTAIN. OKAY, THANK YOU. LET'S SEE, COUNSELOR SHAW, SORRY. >> THANK YOU. I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO THIS AND I'VE BEEN CONSIDERING WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM SOME REPRESENTATIVES THAT HAVE SERVED ON PLANNING AND ZONING IN THE PAST. AND WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO BE ASSURED OF IS THAT --THE IMPRESSION I WAS GIVEN WAS THAT STAFF BRINGS INFORMATION TO THEM AND THERE WAS AN ELEMENT OF EXPECTATION THAT THEY WOULD JUST GO ALONG WITH THAT. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO BE ASSURED THAT THEY TRULY DO HAVE UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR FUNCTION ON THAT BOARD AND, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY ARE ADVISORY AND THAT THAT INFORMATION DOES GET INTEGRATED IN WITH WHAT STAFF IS RECOMMENDING. >> SOME THINGS ARE BROUGHT BACK BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS. AND THEY SAY YOU HAVE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. IT MIGHT BE A NOTHING FOR US AND COME BACK AND SAY YOU JUST NEED TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. IT IS AN OBVIOUS ISSUE, KIND OF THING. I CAN SEE THAT HAPPENING. COUNCILMEMBER, YOU ARE RIGHT. WE CAN TALK TO THEM AND GO THROUGH THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES AND EVERY TIME WE HAVE A CHANGE IN BOARDS THAT IS A GOOD IDEA TO DO. THAT WOULD BE EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER SHAW? >> I MEAN JACKSON? >> NO QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, THANK YOU. I LIKE HOW IT CONCLUDED. IT WAS, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. WHAT I JUST HEARD UP HERE IS THAT THEY HAVE NOT ROUTINELY OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS MET MANY TIMES. BEING THAT WE HAVE MANY CHANGE THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT AND FACING BECAUSE OF STORM CHANGE THAT THERE WILL BE A LARGER ROLE FOR THEM TO PLAY BECAUSE WHEN WE ARE TRYING TO HASH THINGS OUT THERE ARE TIMES I BELIEVE THIS COUNCIL WILL SAY GEE, MAYBE WE CAN TURN IT OVER TO THE BOARD AND LET THEM DIG IN ON IT AND COME BACK TO US. I THINK THERE WILL BE TIMES WHERE THEY ARE GOING TO BE DOING MORE THAN JUST SIGNING ON THE DOTTED LINE, I GUESS I AM SAYING. >> MAYOR, IF I MAY. >> YES, PLEASE CHAPTER 22, IF YOU MAKE CHANGES TO CHAPTER 22, WE HELD OFF ON CHAPTER 22, YOUR ZONING CHAPTER, CHAPTER 22 IS YOUR PLANNING AND ZONING CHAPTER. WHEN YOU START THE ADU DISCUSSION AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THOSE WILL BE CHANGES THAT WILL TAKE PLACE IN CHAPTER 22. THEY WOULD SEE THEM. ANY NECESSARY CHANGES THAT YOU WOULD BRING. THERE WOULD BE MORE FREQUENCY OF TASKS RELATED TO CHAPTER 22. ESPECIALLY WITH ADUs. IT WILL TAKE MULTIPLE AREAS TO BE ADDRESSED. SO, THINGS LIKE THAT ARE COMING FORTH. BUT, I MEAN, SO THAT, I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT ON THE RECORD. THERE ARE THINGS AS YOU CHANGE CHAPTER 22 THAT THEY WOULD SEE. >> SO, IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE COULD NOT EVEN ATTEMPT TO CHANGE CHAPTER 22 UNTIL WE DID WHAT THEY DID THE OTHER NIGHT, WHICH WAS WORKING ON THE COMP PLAN, WHAT IS REQUIRED BY THE STATE, THEN IT GOES BACK TO THE STATE AND A SECOND READING FOR US TO PASS A SECOND TIME AND THEN AFTER THIS DATE SAYS OKAY THEN WE CAN START WORKING ON CHANGES AND THAT IS WHERE OUR PLANNING AND ZONING COMMITTEE WOULD REALLY COME INTO PLAY AND COULD TAKE SOME OF THE WORKLOAD OFF OF US, DO I GOT THAT PRETTY GOOD? >> YES. >> OKAY. GOOD. THANK YOU. >> BEFORE WE MOVE ON, CITY ATTORNEY, I HAD ONE MORE QUESTION FOR YOU. KIND OF ALONG THE SAME LINES. THERE ONE HAS TO DO WITH CHAPTER REVIEW. I THINK, BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW FACES UP HERE AND OUR CHAPTER REVIEW, A LOT OF NEW COMMITTEES. THERE IS, SOMEWHAT, QUESTIONING THEIR ROLE, TOO. I WANTED TO SEE IF I AM CLEAR ON THAT IN MY, FROM MY POINT OF VIEW WE GAVE THEM, I BELIEVE, FIVE SECTIONS THAT WE CAME TO CONSENSUS. ALL OF US SAID GEE, THESE ARE THE ONES WE WOULD LIKE MOST LOOKED AT. THAT IS WHAT WE PASSED TO THEM. IT IS MY AROUND STANDING THEY, AT THIS TIME, --MY UNDERSTANDING, THEY AT THERE TIME SHOULD NOT BE LOOKING AT OTHER SECTIONS OTHER THAN WHAT WE GAVE THEM? >> THAT IS A GOOD POINT, MAYOR. THAT IS ONE THING WE WANTED CLARIFIED. IT CAN BE JUST THOSE SECTIONS THAT YOU ARE REQUESTING. OUR CHAFTER IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT ON THE REVIEW. YOU ALL ARE ULTIMATELY MAKING THE DECISION VERSUS A CHARTER REVIEW FOR THAT WOULD BE SEPARATE AT WHICH SOME CITIES HAVE. IT IS A REALLY A DIRECTION DO YOU WANT THEM LOOKING AT EVERY SECTION OR JUST LOOKING AT THE SECTIONS THAT YOU HAVE SUGGESTED? BECAUSE WE ARE AT . >> WE JUST COMPLETED SECTION 305, WE WILL BE ON THE LAST SECTION AT THE NEXT MEETING. >> WE HAVE GONE THROUGH ALL OF THE ONES THAT YOU GAVE US DIRECTION ON. >> SO I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR WHAT THE REST OF THE COUNCIL HAS TO SAY ABOUT THIS, MY THOUGHT WOULD BE THAT I WOULD BE THINKING IN TERMS OF THEM BRINGING BACK TO US WHAT THEIR SUGGESTIONS ARE AND THEN AND THEN AT THAT POINT WE SAY, WELL, GEE, THE NEXT COUPLE --WE KEPT RECORDS OF WHO ASKED FOR WHAT TO BE LOOKED AT. IF THE COMMITTEE IS WILLING TO LOOK FURTHER, HERE ARE THE NEXT FOUR OR FIVE WE AGREED UPON. IF THEY CAME BACK WITH MORE IDEAS AND WE LIKE THAT THEN WE MIGHT SAY, WHAT DID YOU THINK NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT AND MAYBE OPEN TO RECEIVING THAT INFORMATION? I HEARD IT THE SAME WAY, I UNDERSTOOD IT THE SAME WAY. >> AND I THINK, HOPEFULLY, THEY WILL LOOK AT EVERYTHING. I THINK THEY MAY HAVE, I MEAN, SOME OF THE SECTIONS THEY MAY READ AND HAVE NO ISSUES WITH, NO-BRAINER, BUT I THINK THEY SHOULD DO THE THINGS THE PRIORITIES THAT WE SET. THEN I THINK THEY SHOULD LOOK AT THE WHOLE THING. WE MAY OF MISSED SOMETHING. THEY MAY HAVE A GOOD IDEA ABOUT SOMETHING THAT WE DID NOT THINK ABOUT. >> I CAN TELL YOU IT HAS BEEN A GOOD BOARD. GOING THROUGH EVERYTHING THOUGHTFULLY. WE WILL BE BRINGING BACK SOME OF THE CHANGES FOR THEM TO REVIEW. AND THEN WHEN WE FINISH THIS ONE WE WILL BRING IT ALL BACK TO THEM TO LOOK AT. ONCE THEY ARE OKAY BRING IT BACK BEFORE YOU, THAT IS THE DIRECTION WE ARE PROCEEDING IN. >> IF THAT IS THE ORDER EXPECTED OF THEM TO PURSUE. I HAVE NO OBJECTIONS WITH THAT. ULTIMATELY I WOULD WELCOME THEM LOOKING AT THE WHOLE DOCUMENT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. >> I AM SORRY. YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER YOU ARE GOING TO REACH A POINT WHERE YOU HAVE TO BE TIME SENSITIVE. AND WE ARE AWARE OF THAT. >> PAYING ATTENTION TO THAT. GREAT. >> TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE REFERENDUMS ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT >> CORRECT. >> CORRECT. >> YES. >> COUNCILMEMBER JACKSON? >> I AGREE WITH THE PROCESS OF GOING THROUGH THE LIST AND THEN IF THEY HAVE EXTRA TIME AT THE END TO CONTINUE TO LOOK THROUGH MORE. THAT WOULD BE GREAT. ONE THING THAT I WANTED TO MENTION IS THAT IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE TOLD THE PUBLIC THAT THIS IS WHERE TO GO AND MAKE A LOT OF THEIR SUGGESTIONS THAT WE MAKE SURE THEY HAVE ADEQUATE INPUT FROM WHEREVER FROM THE PUBLIC. >> I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ATTENDING THE MEETINGS. >> WE ONLY HAD TWO PEOPLE ATTEND THE MEETINGS. >> RIGHT. I UNDERSTAND THAT. WE ARE ACCEPTING PUBLIC COMMENT BUT WE ARE PUBLIC COMMENT ON WHAT IS BEING DISCUSSED AT THAT MEETING, NOT DISCUSSING PUBLIC COMMENT OR ACCEPTING PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY ON WHAT MIGHT BE DISCUSSED AT THE NEXT MEETING >> THAT IS CORRECT. >> WE ARE ALL CLARIFIED ON THAT NOW, RIGHT? >> YES. >> OKAY. READY? WE CAN MOVE ON? EVERYBODY OKAY. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> THANK YOU. >>> CITY CLERK? >> JUST THE ONE BRIEF ITEM. I LEFT AN ITEM AT EACH OF YOUR DESKS AT THE MAY 20th MEETING YOU HAD PRESENTATION FROM THE TAMPA BAY REGIONAL COUNSEL REGARDING THEIR RESILIENCY ACTION PLAN. A CONSENSUS OF COUNCIL TO BRING BACK A RESOLUTION TO YOU ALL. UPON MY RESEARCH, DOING THAT FOR YOU I DID FIND THAT WE ENTERED INTO AND ADOPTED SUPPORTING THE RESILIENCY ACTION PLAN. I JUST WANTED TO SAY WE ARE INCLUDED IN THAT. SO I DID NOT KNOW IF YOU WANTED ME TO DO ANOTHER RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT. WE HAD, THE CITY HAS ADOPTED THOSE ITEMS. I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT IS WHY I HAD NOT BROUGHT IT BACK TO YOU YET. OKAY, THANK YOU. >> ANY QUESTIONS? >> NO, I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO DO IT AGAIN. >> ALL RIGHTY. SUPER. >>> WITH THAT WE WILL MOVE ON TO COUNCIL COMMENTS AND REPORTS AND WE WILL START IN SPEAKING ORDER. COUNCILMEMBER EARLEY. >> I WILL GIVE YOU MY EXPERIENCE. WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES BECAUSE WE WERE SEPARATE FOR TWO DAYS BUT TOGETHER. THERE WERE 37 PEOPLE INCLUDING THE THREE OF US AT THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES. IT WAS FOR A NEWLY ELECTED MUNICIPALITY FOLKS, RIGHT. IT WAS AMAZING. 7:30 IN THE MORNING TO 5:00 AT NIGHT TWO DAYS. AND SOME OF THE TOPICS THAT THEY HIT WERE EXACTLY WHAT WE NEEDED TO HEAR, I BELIEVE. FOR EXAMPLE, EFFECTIVE COUNCIL TECHNIQUES. MUNICIPAL FINANCE AND BUDGETING, VERY IMPORTANT. NAVIGATING GOVERNANCE, STANDARDS OF GOVERNANCE. IT WAS A GREAT MEETING. I LOVED IT. I AM IN TOUCH WITH SOMEONE NOW TO BE INTERVIEWED TO BE A REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE INTERGOVERNMENT RELATIONS MOBILITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE SO THAT I CAN COME BACK HERE TO GOLFPORT WITH ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT I LEARNED AND ADD VALUE THERE. IT WAS REALLY FANTASTIC. THANK YOU, TERESA, FOR THE OPTION TO DO THAT. >> APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. >> THAT IS ALL I HAD. >> ALL RIGHT. >> THE FIRST THING I HEARD FROM THE ETHIC'S COMMITTEE AND THEY DISMISSED THE COMPLAINT AGAINST ME SAYING THAT EVEN IF I HAD DONE WHATEVER THEY SAID I HAD NOT VIOLATED ANY STATE LAWS AND BECAUSE NOTHING WAS FOR MY PERSONAL BENEFIT THEY DISMISSED THE WHOLE THING. THAT IS A MUTE POINT RIGHT NOW. [ APPLAUSE ] >> SO, AND I AM HAVING A TOWN HALL NEXT WEDNESDAY THE 25th. IT IS ABOUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED AT THE LEGISLATURE. I SAW THEY PASSED THE BUDGET. STILL THE GOVERNOR CAN VETO THINGS. WE WILL HAVE SOMEONE FROM THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES. THEY WILL TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT PARTICULARLY EFFECT CITIES BUT ALSO THINGS. ESPECIALLY A LEGISLATION THAT YOU HEARD ABOUT OR HAVE QUESTIONS THEY WILL KNOW ABOUT MOST OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT WENT ON. I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO COME AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER AT 6:00. WE WERE GOING TO TRY TO VIDEO THAT SO PEOPLE CAN SEE IF THEY CAN NOT BE THERE. I THINK YOU CAN PROBABLY BRING KIDS, SEEING KIDS IN THE AUDIENCE. NO, SHAKING YOUR HEAD. OKAY. [ LAUGHTER ] >> AND THEN, I WENT TO TAMPA BAY REGIONAL PLANNING. THE MAIN THINGS THAT CAME UP THERE WERE THAT THEY GOT AN EMERGENCY TRAILER, HAZMAT TRAILER TO COME AROUND TO DIFFERENT CITIES AND GIVE TRAININGS TO PEOPLE. SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN PARTICIPATE IN IF WE WANT TO. AND THEN THEY WERE TALKING A LOT ABOUT BROWN FIELD STUFF. WE HAVE HAD BROWN FIELD SITES, THEY ARE SITE THAT HAVE HAZARDOUS STUFF. COULD BE A SITE WHERE THERE WAS A DRY CLEANER, MANUFACTURING PLANT OR SOMETHING. YOU NEED TO MITIGATE THE SOIL OR WHATEVER THE SITUATION IS. WE HAVE HAD SOME. RIGHT NOW I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANY. IF I MAY -- WE DID 49TH STREET CORRIDOR. THE TROLLEY MARKET SQUARE IS REMEDIATION PROJECT. THE FDP AND THE CITY. WE RECEIVED A $400,000 GRANT. WE DID AN ASSESSMENT OF ALL OF 49TH STREET AND COMMERCIAL AREAS AND ALSO VETERANS PARK AND TALKED ABOUT REUSE PLANNING AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE FDP PROVIDED MONEYS TO REMOVE ALL OF THE DIRT RELATED TO THE SQUARE THIS WOULD ONLY COME UP FOR US IF, IF A GAS STATION DECIDED TO GO OUT OF BUSINESS AND CHANGE IT TO SOMETHING USE. JUNKYARDS CAN BE ANOTHER ONE BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY. AND THEN THERE WAS A REPORT ABOUT THE HURRICANE. THEY HAD THE SAME METEOROLOGIST THAT WE HAD AT OUR HURRICANE THING. HE BROUGHT UP SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT. SAME NUMBER OF STORMS, ACTIVE SEASON BUT HE SAID THAT LAST YEAR HOWEVER IT WAS THAT THE CURRENTS OR THE SITUATION IN THE GULF WAS IT WAS CLEAR FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF THAT SEASON THAT THINGS WERE GOING TO COME UP THE GULF. AND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN HIT. THEY COULD OF GONE TO LOUISIANA BUT THE GULF WAS GOING TO BE ACTIVE. THIS YEAR THE SAME THINGS ARE NOT IN PLAY. SO, THAT DOES NOT MEAN WE CAN'T HAVE A HURRICANE BUT MAYBE IT WILL BE A LITTLE BETTER THAN LAST YEAR. BUT, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT HE DID NOT MENTION AT OUR SEMINAR. BUT AGAIN, IT ONLY TAKES ONE. >> THOSE WERE THE MAIN THINGS FROM THERE. AND THEN I ALSO WENT TO PORT PINELLAS. THEY WENT THROUGH ALL OF THE TRAILS AND THE ROADS THAT THEY WERE DEALING WITH WHICH, NONE OF THEM ARE RIGHT HERE. AND THEN THEY ARE TRYING TO GET TWO CROSS BAY FERRIES. THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT A HOUSING REGULATORY ACTION PLAN. WHEN WE HAVE OUR TALK ABOUT THE ADUs, LINDA FISHER WHO IS HERE, WILL TALK ABOUT THAT. IT RELATES DIRECTLY TO THAT. SHE WILL GET MORE IN-DEPTH ABOUT THAT. THERE WILL BE A HOUSING SUMMIT NEXT YEAR. HOW TO BUILD BACK BETTER. THOSE WERE THE MAIN TAKEAWAYS THAT I HAVE FROM THAT. AND THEN I HAPPENED TO RUN INTO SOMEBODY WHO WAS A THEIR CAREER HAD BEEN HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND REDOING HISTORIC THINGS, I HAVE GIVEN HIS MAIM TO THE CITY MANAGER SO EVEN THOUGH THEY ALREADY HAVE STAFF ON THE COMMITTEE THAT HE WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT RESOURCE, HE WORKED IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AND BIG PROJECTS AND THE GOVERNMENT. HE WOULD KNOW REALLY WELL HOW TO HELP US ON THAT. >> ALL RIGHT, COUNSELOR SHAW. >> WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IT. TALKING ABOUT JULY 4th FIREWORKS. I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE TO PASS THE WORD ALONG THAT GUNFIRE IS REALLY DANGEROUS. PEOPLE THINK WHEN YOU SHOOT IT UP IN THE AIR AND IT WILL NOT COME DOWN, MY NEIGHBOR IT CAME DOWN THROUGH HER ROOF AND ON TO THE COUCH NEXT TO WHERE SHE WAS SITTING ONE YEAR. SO, IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND JUST REMIND PEOPLE ABOUT THAT. AND I WANTED TO MENTION WHEN I WENT OUT WITH TH