Transcript
SOURCE TRANSCRIPT
This transcript is downloaded from the source you provided but we haven't reviewed it for accuracy. Treat it as a starting point, not a verbatim record. You can also request an AI-transcription of the audio file with the button to the left.
[10:02]
All right. Welcome, everyone. Welcome to City Hall here in
[10:04]
the City of Hollywood. Today is Wednesday, August 26th, 2026.
[10:08]
And we are here for a City commission meeting. Of course,
[10:11]
every meeting of the City Commission has important items
[10:14]
on the agenda and important recognition, and today will be
[10:18]
no different. And in fact, today will be really
[10:20]
exceptional in what we're recognizing today. But before
[10:24]
we get on with the agenda, we do always start the meeting
[10:27]
with a moment of silence, followed by the Pledge of
[10:30]
Allegiance. And at times when a member of the City Commission
[10:33]
wishes to ask for a moment of privilege to remember someone
[10:36]
in the community or in their personal life that was lost
[10:40]
during since we last met as a city commission, then we, of
[10:43]
course, extend that opportunity for the community to think of
[10:46]
someone as we rise for the moment of silence. So at this
[10:49]
time, I'd like to recognize Commissioner Quintana, who
[10:52]
would like to extend her remembrance of a friend. Go
[10:57]
ahead, Commissioner Quintana. Thank you very much, mayor.
[11:01]
Today I'd like to take a moment for us to remember Steve
[11:05]
Werthmann. Steve's enduring legacy is in South Florida,
[11:10]
where he was a beloved community activist, a devoted
[11:15]
husband, son and friend. He was a Broward County resident from
[11:19]
the age of two, where Steve witnessed tremendous change
[11:24]
over his lifetime and helped bring about some of the best of
[11:27]
it. For more than four decades, he served as Broward County,
[11:31]
Broward County through his work in environmental conservation,
[11:35]
affordable housing, mental health, and homeless services.
[11:40]
While some people measure their lives by personal success,
[11:43]
Steve measured his by the difference he made in the lives
[11:46]
of others. In the late 70s, Steve co-founded Environmental
[11:50]
Coalition of Broward County. In 1982, he became the first
[11:54]
executive director of the Florida League of Conservation
[11:57]
Voters. He later served as site supervisor for specialized
[12:01]
Urban Ministries Urban Garden Program in Broward County, and
[12:05]
in the late 80s, he became Broward County's first outreach
[12:10]
case manager for people experiencing homelessness and
[12:13]
mental illness at Henderson Mental Health Center. He went
[12:17]
on to manage the county's first transitional shelter for
[12:21]
homeless families operated by Salvation Army, and later he
[12:25]
opened the Miami Rescue Mission Broward Outreach Center, right
[12:28]
here in Hollywood. He ended his formal career as chief
[12:33]
operating officer for Hope South Florida. Above all, Steve
[12:39]
cherished the life he shared with his beloved wife, Kathy.
[12:42]
They met in 1991 when both worked for the
[12:50]
And they married at Trinity College Chapel in Hartford,
[12:53]
Connecticut. Together, they enjoyed a life centered on love,
[12:58]
friendship, music, faith, family, and community. Their
[13:04]
partnership reflected the same compassion and generosity that
[13:07]
defined Steve's life. I'll remember Steve always for his
[13:10]
passion for being barefoot everywhere he went, so I. Every
[13:14]
time I'll. Barefoot, I'll remember Steve. Thank you.
[13:19]
Thank you, Commissioner Quintana as well. You all might
[13:22]
have heard that the community lost a a member. His name was
[13:27]
Larry Davis. Larry was an attorney that lived here in the
[13:31]
city of Hollywood. Practiced here on Harrison Street at his
[13:34]
law office for decades, served a lot of people again as an
[13:38]
attorney. Began his career, as I later learned, in social work
[13:42]
and in behavioral health, when that was first really starting
[13:46]
to bud here in Broward County, back in the 1980s and 90s was
[13:48]
very close with Bob Butterworth, the former attorney general who
[13:51]
still lives in Hollywood and has a lot of close friends that
[13:55]
will miss him dearly, a lot of colleagues in the professional
[13:58]
legal world that will miss him. He was someone who was very
[14:01]
well known in in the Broward County courthouse, by every
[14:06]
bailiff, by every clerk, and was a real, real great person.
[14:10]
We're all going to miss him. And it really is a great loss.
[14:13]
So think of Steve and think of Larry. Mayor. Yes. Go ahead
[14:19]
Commissioner. Just also, if we would just remember all of the
[14:22]
lives lost in the earthquake in Venezuela and the lives lost in
[14:28]
Colombia. Yeah, indeed. Well, thank you all. Let's be
[14:32]
thankful for our for our blessings and for the moments
[14:34]
we've had with people that we care about. Please rise for
[14:37]
that moment of silence, followed by the Pledge of
[14:39]
Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United
[14:57]
States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.
[15:02]
One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and
[15:06]
justice for all. Thank you so much. We also take an important
[15:12]
moment to recognize our veterans, active service
[15:14]
personnel and their families. So if you are a veteran of the
[15:17]
US Armed Forces, family member thereof, active duty, please
[15:19]
rise. We'd like to recognize you. Thank you. All right,
[15:31]
let's go for roll call. Pat. Commissioner Quintana. Yeah,
[15:37]
here. Commissioner Shuhan here. Commissioner Hernandez here.
[15:42]
Commissioner Kalari here. Sorry. Vice mayor Kalari. Commissioner
[15:47]
Gruber here. Commissioner Biederman here, mayor Levy here.
[15:52]
All right, before we get started with our agenda, there
[15:54]
is also a special recognition that I certainly feel
[15:57]
responsible and happy to extend. Commissioner Shuhan from
[16:01]
district one in Hollywood was just elected to be our new
[16:04]
district six South Broward County Commissioner. She'll be
[16:13]
with us until she's sworn in as county commissioner. I believe
[16:16]
it's November 17th. So congratulations, Commissioner
[16:18]
Shuhan. All right. On to the consent agenda today. These are
[16:22]
items five through 22. These are items that don't usually
[16:25]
require individual discussion. However, if a member of the
[16:27]
body or the public submits a comment card, we are happy to
[16:30]
remove it for discussion later in the agenda. Pat, are there
[16:33]
any speaker cards on consent item 13, item 13. Okay, let me
[16:42]
put that into the regular agenda. Any any requests from
[16:47]
the dais for 16, please? 16 anything else? Otherwise I'll
[16:54]
accept a motion to move items. Five through 22, -13 and 16.
[17:00]
Second. We have a second from Commissioner Quintana, motion
[17:03]
from Vice Mayor Kolody. All those in favor say aye. Aye.
[17:06]
Any opposed? Hearing none. Those items carry unanimously.
[17:11]
All right. 1 p.m. presentations, proclamations and awards. I
[17:15]
would like to begin and extend an opportunity to invite our
[17:19]
fire chief, Jeff Levy, up. He would love to recognize the
[17:23]
recipients of the Meritorious Service Award for the fire and
[17:29]
beach safety, and, of course, the life saving Award chief
[17:32]
mayor, Vice mayor, commissioners, city manager and
[17:34]
staff. Thank you, Jeff Levy, Fire Chief, we're going to be
[17:37]
presenting a few awards today, and every one of these awards
[17:40]
were presenting are all life saving heroes from a doctor and
[17:43]
a physician who are doctors and physicians at Memorial, but
[17:47]
also oversee the Hollywood Heroes program, who teach CPR
[17:50]
to our residents and business owners. We're also going to be
[17:53]
recognizing two of our fire rescue and ocean rescue
[17:56]
personnel, one for his deployment to Venezuela for the
[18:00]
earthquake as part of the Urban Search and Rescue team. And
[18:03]
then another one, our hero Ocean Rescue lifeguard. That
[18:08]
was you'll hear the story in a minute. That saved his family
[18:11]
while on vacation in Aruba. So Chief Moser is going to read
[18:15]
the, the, the the, the descriptions and recognize
[18:21]
these wonderful individuals. Thank you, thank you. Thank you
[18:26]
chief. Good afternoon, mayor, Vice Mayor and commissioners
[18:28]
and city staff. Today, we're honoring several different
[18:32]
employees. As Chief Levy mentioned. I'd like to first
[18:34]
ask Doctor Bassan and Nurse Caitlin Iles to come up. So as
[18:46]
they come up today, we're honored to recognize Doctor
[18:48]
Eric Bassan and registered nurse Caitlin Iles for their
[18:51]
dedication to improving cardiac arrest survival throughout the
[18:54]
community. Together, through their leadership of Memorial
[18:58]
Health Care Systems and Hollywood's Heroes program,
[19:00]
they have helped provide hands only CPR and AED training to
[19:03]
more than 700 citizens and City of Hollywood employees. Their
[19:08]
work has strengthened the chain of survival by preparing
[19:10]
bystanders to act during critical moments before EMS
[19:13]
arrives. Doctor Bassan is also advanced hospital based
[19:17]
resuscitation care. By creating the Memorial Regional Hospital
[19:21]
Resuscitation Committee and helped establish Florida's
[19:23]
first comprehensive resuscitation center. Caitlin,
[19:27]
as co-director of the Heroes program, has been instrumental
[19:30]
in coordinating and expanding its lifesaving education
[19:33]
through Hollywood. Their partnership with Hollywood Fire
[19:36]
Rescue has helped connect community education, emergency
[19:39]
response, and advanced hospital care into a seamless continuum.
[19:43]
These efforts have contributed to survival rates with good
[19:47]
neurological outcomes that exceed state and national
[19:50]
benchmarks. Doctor Bassan and Caitlin exemplify leadership,
[19:54]
collaboration and service. We are proud to recognize them
[19:58]
with the Citizen Award of Merit and sincerely thank them for
[20:01]
their commitment to protecting the lives of those in our
[20:04]
community. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank you.
[20:19]
At this time, I'd like to call Lieutenant Chris Garcia to join
[20:23]
me at the podium. We are honored to recognize Lieutenant
[20:31]
Chris Garcia with the Meritorious Service Award for
[20:35]
his extraordinary courage, selfless service, and
[20:38]
unwavering commitment to preserving human life.
[20:40]
Lieutenant Garcia deployed to Venezuela as a member of
[20:44]
Florida Task Force two following the catastrophic
[20:46]
earthquake. During this international urban search and
[20:49]
rescue deployment, Lieutenant Garcia spent eight consecutive
[20:52]
days conducting search and rescue operations in unstable
[20:55]
and collapsed structures, assisting victims who were
[20:58]
trapped beneath earthquake debris. Throughout the
[21:02]
deployment, he willingly operated in an environment of
[21:05]
extreme personal danger. He faced compromised buildings,
[21:09]
shifting rubble and hazardous conditions. Despite these risks,
[21:13]
Lieutenant Garcia repeatedly placed himselfn harm's way to
[21:16]
locate reach and rescue survivors. His actions
[21:20]
demonstrated exceptional bravery, professionalism and
[21:22]
dedication to the mission of this fire service. Working
[21:26]
under physically demanding and emotionally taxing conditions,
[21:30]
Lieutenant Garcia remained focused on saving lives. Every
[21:33]
rescue required calculated risk, exceptional skill, and
[21:37]
extraordinary courage. His willingness to perform
[21:40]
dangerous rescue operations in the aftermath of a devastating
[21:43]
earthquake exemplifies conduct that is clearly above and
[21:47]
beyond the ordinary. Call of duty. Lieutenant Garcia's
[21:50]
courage and unwavering devotion to protecting human life
[21:53]
embodies the highest traditions of the fire service for his
[21:56]
extraordinary courage, selfless service, and dedication to
[21:59]
saving lives. Lieutenant Chris Garcia is receiving this
[22:04]
Meritorious Service award. Lieutenant Garcia, on behalf of
[22:07]
Hollywood Fire Rescue and the City of Hollywood, we thank you
[22:10]
for your courage, your service, and your unwavering commitment
[22:13]
to helping others in their greatest time of need.
[22:16]
Congratulations. Thank you. Thank you so much. I would next
[22:30]
like to call Ocean Rescue lifeguard Marcelo Lorenzo. For
[22:41]
this award. I want to receive. I want to read the email that
[22:44]
we got from his grandparents, which obviously led us to to
[22:47]
recognizing him today. On August 11th, 2026, members of
[22:50]
our family were on vacation in Aruba and decided to take a
[22:54]
speedboat towed tubing excursion. Three members of our
[22:57]
family daughter, son and granddaughter were on one two,
[23:00]
while Marcelo and other family members were on a second tube
[23:03]
alongside. The boat. Pilot unfortunately took a wide turn
[23:07]
and caused the tube with our daughter, son and granddaughter
[23:09]
to collide at high speed with an anchored, ocean going
[23:13]
catamaran. The entire incident was captured on video. The
[23:17]
impact was at high speed and extremely violent, and
[23:20]
catapulted all three riders onto the catamaran. Others
[23:24]
excuse me. Other than Marcelo Lorenzo, there were no other
[23:27]
first responders in the area. Marcelo saw our granddaughter
[23:32]
face down and unconscious in the water. He also realized
[23:35]
that his severely injured father was underneath the
[23:39]
catamaran, holding on to the netting without hesitation and
[23:43]
putting himself at risk. Dove into the water, rescued our
[23:47]
granddaughter, started CPR to evacuate water in her stomach
[23:50]
and lungs. Within minutes, he was back in the water and
[23:53]
pulled his father to safety. Marcelo continued life support
[23:57]
until relieved by local first responders. As a result of this
[24:00]
catastrophic incident. Our granddaughter has spinal
[24:03]
injuries and severe head trauma and must be medevaced out by
[24:06]
air ambulance. Marcelo's father has two broken ribs and a
[24:11]
bruised and punctured lung. Our daughter's arm was broken in
[24:14]
three places and needs immediate surgery. As severe as
[24:18]
these injuries are, they would have been far worse if Marcelo
[24:21]
was not on the scene. His actions speak volumes and
[24:24]
reflect positively on your agency, which provided him with
[24:27]
the necessary training and professionalism to demonstrate
[24:31]
command, presence and take the necessary actions in the face
[24:34]
of extreme danger and mental duress. Lifeguard Marcelo
[24:38]
Lorenzo acted with remarkable courage, quick thinking and
[24:42]
selflessness. His decisive actions not only safeguarded
[24:46]
lives but also prevented further harm to members of his
[24:49]
family. Learning of such dedication was both humbling
[24:52]
and inspiring, and it serves as a powerful reminder of the
[24:56]
extraordinary commitment that your agency upholds every day
[25:00]
in the training of your personnel. Congratulations!
[25:47]
I'd like to extend a moment of
[25:49]
privilege for Vice Mayor Callery, who would like to make
[25:52]
a comment. Well, first of all, that is amazing. God bless you.
[25:55]
And I'm sure your family is just so pleased to have you
[25:58]
representing them. And we're so pleased that you're
[26:00]
representing the city of Hollywood with your amazingness.
[26:02]
So congratulations again. Thank you. I would also, I'd be
[26:06]
remiss if I didn't point a point of privilege for a moment
[26:10]
of silence for Battalion Chief Michael O'Donnell, who passed
[26:13]
away during our summer break. And so if you can keep his
[26:17]
family and the entire fire department in their in your
[26:19]
prayers as well, that's all I have. And it's great to see
[26:23]
everyone here. The Chiefs for Fire and Beach Safety and
[26:26]
Rescue, and to recognize Lieutenant Garcia and lifeguard
[26:31]
Lorenzo for both, you know, exercising their training and
[26:36]
their instinct and for the courage that you've displayed,
[26:39]
both in the earthquake aftermath, which I'm sure
[26:41]
wasn't easy of seeing what you saw. And then for, of course,
[26:44]
the, the, you know, instant trauma and the instant, you
[26:48]
know, occurrence that happened. Lifeguard Lorenzo, with your
[26:53]
family, that must have been, you know, a terrifying moment.
[26:57]
But your instinct was, was I'm a lifeguard and that's special.
[27:01]
So congratulations. Appreciate it. And thank you to the doctor
[27:04]
and Katie Lyons for both. I worked with you guys alongside
[27:07]
of CPR training. You guys got to continue doing it because
[27:11]
that one person you make a difference in can save a life.
[27:14]
It's the most I don't know if you trained, you know,
[27:17]
lifeguard Lorenzo, but whoever did did a good job. So if you'd
[27:20]
like to say a few words, we're happy to hear from either of
[27:23]
you. Maybe tell us, you know, Venezuela, we saw a lot of
[27:28]
heartbreak and a lot of significant damage there on TV
[27:31]
screens. But you saw it in person. Yes. Just like. Chief
[27:37]
Moser described. Everything was was true. The emotional. Damage
[27:46]
that out to me was probably the hardest part. I'm bilingual,
[27:51]
speak Spanish as well, fluently. So I was a translator for most
[27:56]
of our team and dealing with that, talking to those families
[28:04]
that were just holding on to the little bit of hope that
[28:09]
their family member was still alive. That made all the
[28:15]
difference. I am proud to say that FEMA Task Force Team two
[28:22]
did make a remarkable rescue of a gentleman, a security guard,
[28:29]
Hernan. He was wedged three floors below the street level
[28:36]
in a parking booth when the earthquake happened, and it
[28:43]
took us 53 hours of nonstop around the clock work,
[28:48]
tunneling through debris, as well as putting ourselves in
[28:53]
danger. Because every single structure there that I saw was
[28:58]
unstable, it could have collapsed on us it almost a
[29:02]
couple times. Thankfully, we we were able to stabilize it and
[29:07]
shore it up and work together as a team. There were over 40
[29:13]
other teams from around the world in Venezuela. We were all
[29:18]
working side by side with each other, but it was a great
[29:22]
experience. It had its highs and its lows. But overall, I am
[29:27]
forever grateful for the opportunity that you guys were
[29:31]
able to provide and allowing me to go and support Hollywood,
[29:37]
the city departments, the people, everybody. Thank you,
[29:43]
thank you, thank you. Hello. I just want to say thank you for
[29:52]
having me here. I'm very appreciative for this award.
[29:54]
It's an honor. And I just want to give a huge shout out to the
[29:58]
Fire Rescue and Ocean Department for giving me the
[30:00]
best training and allowing me to help my family. Thank you,
[30:03]
thank you, thank you. Well, we wish a quick recovery to the
[30:08]
members of the Lorenzo family. Wishing the best for your
[30:11]
family members to recover safely. And thank you,
[30:14]
Lieutenant Garcia, for representing Hollywood in the
[30:16]
best way possible. We're proud of you guys. Proud to have you.
[30:19]
Thank you, thank you. Yeah. But before you before you go, I've
[30:24]
got commissioners Truman Biederman. Go ahead
[30:26]
Commissioner, I well, to all three I mean, thank you all so
[30:31]
much for the incredible work and for, you know, having
[30:35]
Hollywood be reflected throughout the world in such an
[30:38]
incredible way. My question, Lorenzo, it sounds like your
[30:42]
family, in addition to the, you know, horrible incident and
[30:47]
injuries, it sounds like there's probably significant
[30:50]
costs that have been incurred via medevac and things like
[30:53]
that. And I just wanted to know if there's a place that people
[30:56]
who are listening might be able to assist your family in any
[30:59]
way. No, everything. Yeah. All good. Okay. Thank you.
[31:07]
Appreciate it. Thank you. Great. Commissioner Biederman, just
[31:12]
wanted to make a shout out to our fire rescue and our two.
[31:18]
Team members here and the training that they got. And I
[31:21]
mean, this just shows why why Hollywood is a class one
[31:25]
department. And the training that we give. And I think this
[31:28]
just demonstrates what we do here in Hollywood. And I
[31:32]
commend you both for what you did. And as far as the hero
[31:37]
program, I don't know if anybody else got to witness
[31:40]
what they do, but Boulevard Heights had them, and it was
[31:43]
well embraced by all the attendees and what they do and
[31:49]
commend them too, for helping to teach others on how to save
[31:54]
lives. Thank you. Thank you all. Thank you. Well, I feel like we
[32:03]
can adjourn the meeting now because that was so special.
[32:06]
But from one case to another. Thank you all so much. Thank
[32:10]
you all for everyone from Hollywood Fire Rescue. Who's
[32:12]
here? Hollywood Police Department, if you're here to
[32:15]
support these award recipients, thank you so much. You. You
[32:19]
would. Happy for you to stay until 5:00 if you like, but
[32:22]
otherwise family as well. You're free to go. Good job.
[32:29]
Appreciate you. Thank you. All right. Thank you, thank you.
[32:46]
Yeah, sure. Sure. Is that one of our classes? I know Tracy,
[32:50]
know CPR, but do you guys know? I should think I should take
[32:55]
your class. Thank you. These are my daughters. I don't know
[32:57]
if I know CPR, but I got a certificate that says I do.
[33:01]
Thank you. Hello? Hello. Thanks, doctor. No, I was at the
[33:07]
Boulevard Heights thing. Oh. You were? Yeah, yeah. Thank you.
[33:09]
Yes. Thank you. Yes, I've seen you twice. Bye, guys. Thank you.
[33:15]
Bye, Beverly. Come on. Everybody, that was beautiful.
[33:23]
Great. Senator Sharif. Yes. I know, I didn't realize. I had
[33:38]
no idea until now. Yeah, I probably saw it on social media.
[33:45]
Actually. I saw it on the news. Yeah. All right. Well, thank
[33:48]
you all so much. Now on to more ordinary business. But nothing
[33:53]
is ever ordinary, right. Senator Sharif, Senator Barbara
[33:56]
Sharif is here with us. She would like to and we've invited
[33:59]
her to speak to us regarding the 2026 legislative session.
[34:04]
And so we're happy to have her and thank her, of course, for
[34:07]
representing us so well in Tallahassee. And here we go
[34:10]
again with another session coming up. Senator, I know it
[34:13]
seems like it just it starts and it ends and then it starts
[34:17]
again. But it is always a privilege to be here in the
[34:20]
great city of Hollywood, one of my favorite cities that I
[34:24]
represent. You know, one of the most rewarding parts about
[34:29]
representing district 35 in the Florida Senate is listening to
[34:33]
the needs of this community. And you guys do that so well by
[34:36]
advocating in Tallahassee. And I want to say thank you for
[34:39]
always coming up, thanking you for keeping me informed about
[34:42]
your issues. And congratulations, Commissioner
[34:46]
Shoham, I know you're going to do a great job. I'm especially
[34:51]
proud to be here today to present the 170 zero zero $0
[34:55]
state funding for the Boulevard Heights Community Center senior
[34:59]
program expansion. Right. As you know, you know, no
[35:09]
appropriation is possible without a partner on the other
[35:12]
side. And we've got a great partner. And Representative
[35:15]
Hilary Cassell, who's here with me as well today. So our
[35:21]
seniors have spent decades building our neighborhoods,
[35:24]
supporting our families, and contributing to the communities
[35:26]
we call home. They deserve opportunities to remain active,
[35:31]
connected and engaged and supported. I was proud to
[35:34]
advocate for this funding during the state budget process,
[35:36]
and I look forward to seeing the impact it would have right
[35:39]
here in the city of Hollywood. This investment was also part
[35:42]
of a broader effort this year to bring state resources home
[35:45]
to district 35. Altogether, these successful appropriations
[35:49]
represent more than 5.3 million in investments in public safety
[35:52]
and infrastructure education, senior services, veterans,
[35:55]
families and community programs. But my work in Tallahassee went
[35:59]
beyond the state budget this year. I was proud to say that I
[36:03]
received I well, I put forth five bills and I had five bills
[36:07]
signed into law, SB 42, which addressed specific medical
[36:13]
diagnosis and child protective investigation, and its
[36:16]
companion, HB 47, passed the legislature and became law.
[36:22]
This revamped portion of the DCF program, where children who
[36:26]
are removed from their parents care as a result of medical
[36:30]
diagnoses that mimic child abuse, now have a way to get
[36:33]
their kids back through a legislative process that
[36:36]
improves their ability to defend themselves. This is
[36:40]
great to keep families unified and to also fix an issue that
[36:44]
has been plaguing us for many, many years. I also carried
[36:48]
legislation strengthening Florida's Veterans dental care
[36:50]
program. As you know, veterans who do not have injuries to
[36:54]
their oral area as a result of combat do not get dental
[36:58]
coverage. Therefore, veterans are going without dental care.
[37:01]
And so this program created a well added to and made a $1.5
[37:07]
million per year veterans dental grant program that will
[37:11]
keep veterans healthy. We had a uterine fibroid database. We
[37:18]
did the. In the Department of Health, they address issues
[37:22]
that affect the community's health. Uterine fibroids is
[37:26]
something. And women's health in general is something that we
[37:28]
don't really address most of the time. And there's always a
[37:31]
deficit where it concerns women's health, women's health.
[37:34]
And so our uterine fibroid, uterine fibroid research and
[37:38]
database bill will allow for us to collect data and also
[37:41]
educate women on the side effects and the possible issues
[37:44]
that they could face with if they have uterine fibroids. We
[37:49]
also have this year, we're planning to continue to work on
[37:51]
women's health issues, the impact of perimenopause and
[37:55]
menopause on our female community. Many people are
[37:59]
experiencing these issues, and they don't understand that the
[38:04]
anxiety, the palpitations, the memory fog and all the other
[38:07]
things that they're experiencing as a woman have
[38:12]
absolutely nothing to do with anything. For a long time. We
[38:16]
in the medical profession, yes, men, listen up. We in the
[38:21]
medical profession have been taught through our training
[38:24]
that prescribing bioidentical hormone replacement therapy for
[38:27]
women was not a good idea, because there were side effects.
[38:31]
About a year and a half ago, the FDA released a study and
[38:34]
said, listen, we've been wrong on this all this time. And so
[38:36]
there's a retraining effort going on with all professionals.
[38:40]
I'm 34 years in practice, and there's many others of us out
[38:43]
there that have been out there and were told out of school,
[38:47]
listen, we don't prescribe these therapies for women
[38:49]
because they can be at risk for high blood pressure, clots and
[38:53]
strokes. Well, that's just not true. And so I have a bill that
[38:56]
I'm working with the Department of Health on that will address
[38:59]
that and to help to get some help to the women. And also it
[39:03]
will help the men because, you know, we're pretty ornery when
[39:06]
we're going through menopause. Just saying, I got mad. I mean,
[39:10]
I have road rage now. Oh, was I supposed to say I'm sorry, I
[39:15]
don't have road rage to keep that air conditioning on, right?
[39:19]
Yeah, yeah. Oh, my thermostat's possessed, you know, I have
[39:25]
personal summers. Again. You know, one of the other things
[39:31]
that we addressed this year was the property taxes. I know
[39:34]
during the special session, the legislature advanced an
[39:38]
amendment three, which you'll see in November. And we're
[39:41]
doing our very, very best job to really inform people on what
[39:45]
that means for them and what that means for cities and
[39:48]
counties. And so we will, throughout this district and
[39:52]
throughout this, the rest of the year leading up to November,
[39:54]
we will have educational seminars within the community
[39:57]
so that we can give everybody as much information as possible
[40:01]
so that they can vote in an informed manner. If approved by
[40:06]
voters, the proposal would increase the homestead
[40:08]
exemption for taxes other than school district taxes levied up
[40:12]
to $150,000 for the year of 2027, and then $250,000 for
[40:19]
2028. It also would lower the annual cap on increases in
[40:23]
assessed value for non homesteaded property from 10%
[40:27]
to 5% beginning in 2027. We recognize that there's
[40:33]
challenges with this proposal, and I wanted to let you all
[40:36]
know that after the vote, if it does pass, we will go back for
[40:41]
an implementation session. And that implementation session
[40:45]
would involve the House and the Senate and the governor's
[40:49]
office working on ways to minimize the impact to local
[40:53]
governments. That will mean, at some point in time, that some
[40:57]
cities or counties that only fund through property taxes may
[41:02]
end up being annexed into others around them so that they
[41:07]
can continue to function and that those those governments
[41:12]
will be continue to, you know, be in place. Let's see. So on
[41:22]
November the 3rd, they'll it'll be a required to pass by a 60%
[41:25]
approval. Additionally, the other thing that we're going to
[41:29]
handle this year, we had a two year pushback on property
[41:34]
insurance. So as you know, the governor and the Office of
[41:38]
Insurance Regulation allowed for admission of about 21
[41:42]
additional insurance carriers to come into the Florida market
[41:46]
to write insurance. What they were hoping to gain is that
[41:52]
property insurance premiums would decrease by somewhere
[41:56]
between 30 and 40% for the residents that are paying them.
[41:59]
What we've seen is that that has not occurred. And part of
[42:04]
what the plan was, is that brokers would have
[42:07]
opportunities to reprice through three quotes through
[42:11]
all of these new carriers and decrease the rates for property
[42:14]
insurance. So some people are doing it, some people are not.
[42:17]
That's what we've seen. And then the other thing that we've
[42:20]
seen is that the the rates have not dropped substantially like
[42:23]
they thought by flooding the market with more carriers. So
[42:26]
this is our two year end to the wait. And I believe that this
[42:30]
session we're going back again. And so we'll be dealing with
[42:33]
property insurance and property tax. And I'm answering that
[42:37]
because every time we go to one of these homeowners meetings,
[42:39]
people ask, when are you going to do something about property
[42:42]
insurance? And then the last thing is that. We are going to.
[42:53]
Okay, so we're going to give a check. Yes. So we're done.
[42:57]
Thank you so much, doctor. Thank you. All right. Why don't
[43:07]
we join Doctor Sharif down below for photo.
[43:31]
Of her bank account. Clearly the Senate
[43:34]
gets a little bit more money than the House. And you see can
[43:36]
you see my check. And I'm a lefty. She has much nicer
[43:40]
handwriting than I have. The only thing you'll get with this
[43:44]
check is that it'll never balance. I've never bounced a
[43:46]
check, but I wouldn't. This one directly. This one. This one.
[43:54]
You can't go to bed. Because he's in a little bit. There you
[44:02]
go. That's great. Yes. I'm going to take one now. That.
[44:51]
Doctor Sharif. Thank you so much. I can tell you that the
[44:54]
Boulevard Heights Senior program is so well attended and
[44:56]
serves so many seniors week after week. It's really a
[45:00]
special program. And so thank you so much for helping to keep
[45:03]
it going. A lot of seniors just rely on it. And so thank you so
[45:07]
much for fighting for us up there and as well,
[45:09]
Representative Castelli, thank you. Thank you. All right. At
[45:18]
this time, we have a presentation by Representative
[45:20]
Hillary Kissel regarding the 2026 Florida legislative
[45:24]
session. On the House side, of course, Senator Sharif is in
[45:27]
the Florida Senate. And representing us so ably is
[45:31]
Representative Cosell. Please. Thank you, mayor. And you
[45:34]
brought a check with you as well. I did also bring a check,
[45:38]
yes. Yes. Thank you. Thank you, mayor, vice mayor,
[45:42]
commissioners, obviously, it's always such a pleasure to be
[45:44]
able to present in front of you a little bit of a summary of
[45:47]
what occurred during the 2026 legislative session. The House
[45:50]
and Senate are two very different chambers. So I like
[45:54]
to always start off my presentation is with really
[45:57]
talking about the work that we get to do together as a chamber
[46:00]
in the House. I don't think we hear about it often enough. So
[46:04]
one of the things I always like to focus on, what work did we
[46:07]
do together? And overall, 1896 bills were filed in both
[46:14]
chambers. 237 of them passed. This was not a year where there
[46:19]
was a lot of policy that actually passed, but 237 bills
[46:23]
did get passed. 83% of those bills were passed with
[46:27]
bipartisan support, meaning 83% of the time your legislator,
[46:31]
Republican and Democrat, are working together in the best
[46:34]
interest of Floridians to make sure that we are tackling the
[46:38]
problems that Floridians are facing. I have the honor and
[46:41]
privilege of serving on several committees in the legislature.
[46:44]
I serve on the Judiciary Committee. I serve as vice
[46:46]
chair of insurance and banking. As you all know, my favorite
[46:49]
place to be. I serve on the health care, budget, housing,
[46:52]
AG and Tourism subcommittee in the Health Care Facilities
[46:56]
Subcommittee and the Information Technology budget,
[47:00]
and I had the opportunity to serve on the Select Committee
[47:03]
with Property Taxes, which is actually a committee that we
[47:06]
served on for over a year in the House. Working on tackling
[47:11]
this issue. I had the chance to meet with all five cities that
[47:14]
I represent. I spent a significant amount of time with
[47:17]
your staff. As we were talking about the conversation, knowing
[47:22]
that at some point we would see some type of property tax
[47:26]
reform. I think when it originally started, we were all
[47:28]
thinking that reform was going to look like a complete
[47:31]
elimination of property taxes. I will say, over the course of
[47:34]
that year, working in the House chamber with our speaker and
[47:37]
then with our Senate partners, we were very adamant that an
[47:41]
elimination of complete a complete elimination of
[47:43]
property taxes was never going to be sustainable. And ensuring
[47:46]
that we protected our public schools was a high priority for
[47:50]
both the House and the Senate. And I think that's why you see
[47:53]
the proposal that voters will have an opportunity to pass or
[47:56]
fail in November. But at the end of the day, we have given
[47:59]
them that choice. I passed several pieces of legislation.
[48:04]
I was actually the only legislator to pass anything AI
[48:07]
related. Unfortunately, it did not make it to the governor's
[48:10]
desk. But as everybody knows here, I'm a big insurance
[48:13]
advocate, a big consumer advocate. And we know that when
[48:17]
it comes to AI and denials that insurance companies have a high
[48:22]
error rate when utilizing AI in either denying underpaying
[48:26]
claims, and that's across all types of claims, whether it be
[48:28]
health insurance, property insurance, etc. So we were
[48:33]
successful in passing that off the House floor, but it got us
[48:36]
it got the conversation started about AI and consumer
[48:40]
protections. And I look forward to bringing that in the next
[48:43]
legislative session. I also pass legislation that was
[48:45]
actually brought to me by constituents of district 101,
[48:49]
which dealt with expanding access to schools. So we
[48:52]
focused on expanding access to micro schools, schools that can
[48:56]
provide facilities for children that need additional assistance,
[49:01]
whether they have disabilities, or to provide additional
[49:04]
support for our religious schools. So schools that serve
[49:07]
150 students or less have the ability to operate in mixed use
[49:11]
spaces, which we know since Covid have really been vacant.
[49:15]
As businesses return to working at home and leaving sort of
[49:19]
that retail space open, we're going to have the ability to
[49:23]
utilize those spaces for schools of 150 students or less,
[49:27]
but ensuring that cities have the ability to utilize their
[49:31]
traffic concerns and making sure that they work with those
[49:34]
schools on those issues. So we don't have we don't run into
[49:38]
traffic issues. And then my other project that I love to
[49:42]
support are issues related to mental health. Two years ago,
[49:46]
we successfully successfully passed legislation that was
[49:48]
signed into law that dealt with collecting data on our school
[49:53]
resources when it comes to mental health. Since the
[49:56]
tragedy that occurred at Marjory Stoneman Douglas, we've
[49:59]
spent almost $1 billion on providing resources to our
[50:03]
students all across the state. But nobody's actually
[50:06]
collecting any data to determine whether or not our
[50:10]
students are getting any better. Our is the dollars that we're
[50:13]
spending even reaching these children, and are they getting
[50:16]
the help that they need? So we pass legislation two years ago
[50:20]
that is starting to collect that data, so we can make a
[50:23]
determination as the legislature, to actually make
[50:25]
sure that our dollars are being used in the right space, and
[50:28]
most importantly, that our children are getting help. But
[50:31]
we also, when we looked into that, realized that that's also
[50:34]
happening in our vulnerable population, in our community
[50:37]
court system. So our mental health court, our veterans
[50:40]
court, our drug court, same scenario. We're funding these
[50:44]
programs in an effort to get these people the help that they
[50:47]
need, so they can not continue to go in and out of the system
[50:50]
and get back to being and serving their communities and,
[50:54]
and, and being, you know, back to being healthy. That's our
[50:58]
goal. But nobody's tracking that data. So this, this
[51:02]
legislative session, I successfully passed that
[51:04]
legislation as well. So we'll begin to really take a good
[51:07]
look at our overall mental health system here in the state
[51:09]
of Florida, and make sure that the dollars that we're spending
[51:13]
are actually getting the people the help that they need when it
[51:17]
comes to the legislative budget, we, once again, for the fourth
[51:21]
year in a row, reduce the state of Florida's budget. The budget
[51:25]
that passed this year was $117 billion. I was successful in
[51:30]
securing $41 million, 21 million of that specifically
[51:35]
serves districts 101, which is anywhere between Hollywood,
[51:39]
Hallandale, Dania, Davie and from $7 million to helping our
[51:45]
veterans health clinic at NSU to dollars. Going to build a
[51:49]
nursing program, help build the nursing program at Broward
[51:53]
College to. Obviously, my work with Senator Sharif and
[51:58]
Commissioner Gruber, I know a project that you and I have had
[52:01]
the pleasure of working on for the last two years is
[52:04]
specifically funding this incredible project that you
[52:06]
brought to me in honor of your father, to provide our seniors
[52:12]
with who are suffering from Alzheimer's and dementia,
[52:15]
access to a center where they are going to be able to provide,
[52:19]
get the care that they need and give their loved ones respite.
[52:22]
My grandmother had dementia and moved in with my parents and I
[52:27]
when I was in high school, and I witnessed firsthand the toll
[52:30]
that that can take on those caretakers and how it can truly
[52:36]
impact a family and the respite that caretakers need, and a
[52:39]
safe space that you can send your loved ones to be able to
[52:43]
get out and get some arts and crafts or, you know, to
[52:47]
socialize or to get some exercise and to have a safe
[52:50]
place here in the community of City of Hollywood to use one of
[52:54]
our facilities specifically for that purpose is a project that
[52:57]
is near and dear to my heart. So thank you for trusting me
[53:00]
with that the last two years. It's an honor to present to you.
[53:03]
I don't know where Connie went. Again. The Senate must get all
[53:08]
all of the dollars to make these nice checks, but. So we
[53:12]
secured another $250,000 this year. So thank you. For a total
[53:21]
of $500,000 over the course of the last two years. And I know
[53:25]
it's my understanding that come November, we are looking at a
[53:28]
grand opening, and I'm sure you might address that when we when
[53:31]
I close my remarks. But the last thing I wanted to comment
[53:34]
is similar to what Senator Sharif said. It's truly a
[53:36]
pleasure to represent this city I have called Hollywood,
[53:40]
whether it be my actual home or where my business home is
[53:44]
located for over 20 years, and it's truly an honor. You guys
[53:47]
are such incredible advocates for the people that live here
[53:51]
and the type of lifestyle that we want people to be able to
[53:54]
enjoy. And I enjoy spending time with you in Tallahassee
[53:57]
and getting your phone calls and hearing what your concerns
[54:00]
are. And I hopefully answer. Answer that call to the best of
[54:04]
my abilities as well. So thank you for allowing me to work
[54:07]
with you and serving this great city. Commissioner Gruber. Yes.
[54:19]
Representative Cassel, I, I from the bottom of my heart, I
[54:22]
can't thank you enough for getting behind this initiative.
[54:25]
You know, it's it's going to provide a much needed service
[54:30]
for respite care and for quality of life for people that
[54:34]
suffer with dementia and Alzheimer's. And the goal here,
[54:38]
and I can't John Strader, who brought this to me from the
[54:41]
National Alzheimer's Association, worked tirelessly
[54:43]
for this cause, is to really have this be the first of many
[54:48]
throughout Florida, throughout Hollywood, throughout the
[54:50]
country, where we can use underutilized community centers
[54:54]
that aren't being activated Monday to Friday, 9 to 5 and
[54:57]
bring these centers. So the business pencils out that
[55:01]
operators are able to do it, and we can provide this service
[55:03]
for respite care. And I just can't thank you enough for
[55:07]
getting behind it. Thank you so much. Thank you, thank you.
[55:12]
Thank you, Representative Cassel. We're certainly
[55:14]
grateful for all the work that you do up in Tallahassee. We we
[55:17]
we are we have great confidence when we know you're there
[55:20]
advocating because you do like us, know the needs of the
[55:23]
community and especially your work on property insurance is
[55:26]
coming back to being very, of course, important because after
[55:29]
the discussion, property tax. There was, of course, this
[55:32]
other large bill that we, you know, we all recognize maybe it
[55:35]
doesn't need to be as large, never used to be as large, and
[55:38]
that hopefully the legislature can help, you know, rein in the
[55:41]
market. I know you have some proposals that you've set forth
[55:44]
before the legislature years ago that they're just now
[55:46]
talking about saying, hey, this might be a good idea. And so go
[55:50]
ahead. Both both candidates running for governor. Talk
[55:53]
about two of my proposed pieces of legislation. So. All right.
[55:56]
Well, it's finally making its way. It takes some time for
[56:00]
people to start to listen, especially when you talk about
[56:02]
overhauling very large systems that have been in place for a
[56:05]
very long time. But both of them see the need to reform
[56:09]
both our catastrophic fund, which will have a huge 30 to
[56:12]
40% decrease in premiums, as well as moving citizens back to
[56:16]
a wind only policy, which is what it was always meant to be.
[56:20]
So exciting times. Well, let's hope for good things in this
[56:22]
upcoming legislative session in that regard. Thank you. Let's
[56:25]
do that photo. Thank you. All the time. Connie. Oh. Okay. A
[56:57]
little darker for the check to be seen. Thank you everyone.
[57:03]
Okay, just a moment. Oh thank you. Okay. Can we recycle and
[57:16]
reuse. So we're going to keep this one.
[57:42]
So far we've had a lot of good news with all these
[57:45]
presentations. And we're going to continue that trend because
[57:47]
there are also good things happening right here on the
[57:49]
ground in Hollywood and that. So I'm proud to ask Shannon
[57:53]
Hunter, who's the mother of Marquis Brown and the chairman
[57:57]
of the Hollywood Brown Foundation. I see Commissioner
[58:00]
Linda Anderson here as well, to thank them for and recognize
[58:04]
them for the. They like to recognize the city support for
[58:07]
the Marquis Brown football training camp. So welcome,
[58:10]
Commissioner Anderson. Good to see you. And thank you, miss
[58:13]
Hunter. Hi, I'm Shannon James. I am Marquis Brown's mom. Good
[58:19]
afternoon. Mayor, vice mayor, members of the city commission,
[58:24]
city staff and everyone here today on behalf of Marquise
[58:27]
Hollywood Brown, his family, and the entire Hollywood Brown
[58:31]
Foundation. We want to thank. Take a moment to thank you on
[58:35]
behalf of Marquis Hollywood. Brown day is incredibly special
[58:40]
to us because Hollywood is home no matter where Markie's
[58:46]
journey has taken him from. Growing up right here in the
[58:50]
community to college football and now playing in the NFL. And
[58:54]
now he's with the Philadelphia Eagles. He has remained
[59:00]
committed to to coming back home and give giving back to
[59:04]
the community that helped shaped him. And for the for
[59:07]
that reason, it means so much to us. The year after year
[59:13]
after year, the mayor, the vice mayor, the city Commissioner
[59:19]
and the city of Hollywood continue to stand beside
[59:22]
Hollywood Brown Foundation and support our vision for
[59:26]
Hollywood Brown Day. This year. We were blessed to celebrate
[59:32]
five years our fifth annual Hollywood Brown Day, once again
[59:37]
bringing the community together and creating a day centered
[59:40]
around youth and families. Through this event, we've been
[59:43]
able to provide book packs. Hollywood. I'm sorry. School
[59:48]
supplies, groceries to families, youth activities, football
[59:53]
programing, food, entertainment, and most importantly, a
[59:57]
positive environment where our community can come together.
[1:00:01]
But one of the things we're especially proud of is that the
[1:00:06]
impact. Hollywood Brown Day. Doesn't stop when the event
[1:00:12]
ends. For this past three years, we have also had the
[1:00:17]
opportunity to award a college scholarship to a graduating
[1:00:20]
high school student, helping them take the next step toward
[1:00:24]
higher education and their future. That has become one of
[1:00:29]
the most meaningful parts of the Hollywood Brown Day for us.
[1:00:33]
Because giving back isn't only about what we can provide today,
[1:00:37]
it's also about investing in what our young people can
[1:00:42]
become tomorrow. And none of this happens without
[1:00:47]
partnership. Mayor, vice mayor, and commissioners, we sincerely
[1:00:53]
thank you for your continued support, not only this year,
[1:00:57]
but every year that you have welcomed us back and helped us
[1:01:01]
continue to grow this event. Thank you for believing in what
[1:01:06]
we're doing. Thank you for helping us create opportunities
[1:01:10]
for our young people. Thank you for helping us support families
[1:01:13]
throughout the community. And thank you for allowing Marquise
[1:01:17]
the opportunity to continue coming home and showing our
[1:01:21]
young people that success doesn't mean forgetting where
[1:01:24]
you came from. It means remembering where you came from
[1:01:28]
and reaching back to help someone else move forward. We
[1:01:32]
also want to recognize Hollywood Pal city staff, our
[1:01:37]
sponsors, community partners, volunteers, and everyone behind
[1:01:40]
the scenes who continues to help make Hollywood Brown Day
[1:01:44]
possible every year. So many people give their time,
[1:01:48]
resources and energy to make this day special, and we truly
[1:01:52]
are grateful for each and every one of you. As the Hollywood
[1:01:55]
Brown Foundation continues to grow, we hope this hope that
[1:02:00]
Hollywood Brown Day continues to grow with with it allowing
[1:02:04]
us to provide even more resources, awards, and more
[1:02:07]
scholarships, create more opportunities for our youth,
[1:02:10]
and make an even greater impact right here in the city of
[1:02:15]
Hollywood. And also, I would like to thank our very own
[1:02:18]
former commissioner, Miss Linda Anderson, because I first came
[1:02:23]
to her with this idea about giving back, because I once was
[1:02:27]
a young mother that did it by myself, and my kid wanted to
[1:02:32]
play ball and I didn't have the funds. And someone came and
[1:02:36]
supported me. And so I wanted to move forward. My son had
[1:02:40]
this opportunity being a mother, a single mother of two that
[1:02:44]
suffered kidney failure at the time, was on dialysis for five
[1:02:47]
years and was able to stand beside my kids. And I talked to
[1:02:52]
Miss Anderson and she said, sure, I'll help you with
[1:02:55]
whatever you have to do. And so I just want to just thank each
[1:02:58]
and every one of you for the opportunity. Now, with the
[1:03:02]
awards, we had a little mishap inside. We on the day, we had
[1:03:07]
all the awards for all of you. Commissioner, you received your
[1:03:13]
you received yours. But for some kind of way, somebody
[1:03:17]
disappeared. But I'm going to tell you, we will have your
[1:03:20]
plaques here in hand. Okay. So our award is your success, and
[1:03:24]
the success that Marquis and the Foundation are bestowing
[1:03:26]
upon the kids. That's that's the award. So thank you so much.
[1:03:30]
Yeah. Thank you. And I truly appreciate each and every one
[1:03:34]
of you. Thank you, thank you. Commissioner Anderson, you are
[1:03:40]
in green because of the Philadelphia Eagles or just
[1:03:42]
because it's a nice color. Hey, money. I just like to say thank
[1:03:49]
you all for your support. And remember, always remember that
[1:03:53]
the Marquis day is always the 2nd July, second Saturday in
[1:04:00]
July. And after you all leave and change up, I still want you
[1:04:05]
all to support him. That's why I don't live here anymore. But
[1:04:08]
I still come back and support. And I still love Hollywood.
[1:04:12]
Okay. Thank you, thank you, thank you Commissioner. Thank
[1:04:19]
you all. Well, we have one final presentation. It's item
[1:04:23]
28. It's a celebration. A celebration, is it Andrea
[1:04:29]
Winget? She's the director of development services along with
[1:04:31]
Russell Long. He's of course, the chief building official
[1:04:33]
here in Hollywood about the successful launch of phase two
[1:04:36]
of the Acela permitting software, a large undertaking.
[1:04:40]
Andrea and Russell, congratulations on on this
[1:04:42]
launch. Thank you. So good afternoon, mayor, vice mayor,
[1:04:45]
city commissioners. Andrea Winget, director of development
[1:04:48]
services. We have several staff members in the audience. You're
[1:04:51]
welcome to please come up. Come on up building here,
[1:04:54]
development services. You know, as the mayor said, this is a
[1:04:58]
celebration, not just a Cela. And, you know, we're we're
[1:05:02]
really here today to celebrate a huge milestone, not just for
[1:05:07]
the Department of Development Services, but for the city, for
[1:05:10]
the residents, and for all of the other departments who
[1:05:14]
helped make this happen. For us, this has been a multiyear
[1:05:19]
project that incorporated two phases that has taken a
[1:05:23]
significant amount of staff time from a variety of
[1:05:27]
departments and resources within the city. And, you know,
[1:05:32]
we have gone live with Acela, which is our new building
[1:05:35]
permit process management for from a variety of not just
[1:05:40]
permits, but from items that public utilities takes in,
[1:05:44]
zoning takes in and everybody and we're here today to
[1:05:48]
celebrate that. We're here to expand our digital services and
[1:05:53]
look at how we manage paperwork between departments and between
[1:05:58]
our customers. And. You know, what this represents is truly a
[1:06:07]
true digital platform for, you know, we have been taking
[1:06:11]
things in via email, but we have not had a portal where
[1:06:16]
customers can be directly responsible for their papers
[1:06:21]
and their permits and their processes that they need to
[1:06:24]
come through the city in a regulatory manner for. And this
[1:06:28]
really is a true digital service that the city is
[1:06:32]
launching holistically across multiple departments. It
[1:06:36]
increases our ability to communicate across departments,
[1:06:39]
to be able to see the same thing real time by everybody,
[1:06:42]
whether you're in the field or you're in the office, and just
[1:06:47]
creates better workflows and process improvement for
[1:06:50]
everyone. And so now our building official, Russell Long,
[1:06:52]
is going to take us through a couple other portions of this,
[1:06:56]
and then I'll wrap it up at the end. Thank you. Andrea, you
[1:07:04]
already went on this one. How to create and access your
[1:07:09]
account. A simple, straightforward process. In the
[1:07:12]
Acela platform, you can create your username, your password,
[1:07:16]
your email. The benefits of having an account in Acela is
[1:07:19]
that you can monitor your permits, your properties,
[1:07:23]
schedule inspections, upload documents. You can control the
[1:07:26]
activity that you are directly involved with. Customers with
[1:07:32]
or without an account. Can search permits, can look up
[1:07:36]
properties records using address folio numbers or
[1:07:42]
contractor or owner's name. These simple tools create a
[1:07:44]
more convenient, transparent and accessible experience while
[1:07:50]
reducing the need to contact staff for basic information.
[1:07:56]
This is an address based search that displays the information
[1:07:59]
associated with the property entered in the search bar. The
[1:08:03]
search results include. Certificate use BSIP which is
[1:08:08]
your building safety inspection program. History code violation
[1:08:12]
history permitting history for the property. That's that's in
[1:08:15]
the search. We also know that Acela is also streamlining the
[1:08:22]
process, the certificate use and the zoning verification
[1:08:25]
letter process clearly demonstrates the operational
[1:08:28]
value of phase two automation with a seller. Both are high
[1:08:33]
volume processes that previously required significant
[1:08:36]
manual intake, additional time spent for research, routing and
[1:08:41]
tracking, and processing by staff. Phase two automates
[1:08:45]
these key steps, including application intake, Review
[1:08:49]
routing and reducing staff touch points and administrative
[1:08:53]
delays. Overall, the automated workflow provides a greater
[1:08:57]
efficiency, consistency and visibility throughout the
[1:09:01]
review process. Before processes that took weeks now
[1:09:04]
takes minutes. Automation is also tied to the GIS system
[1:09:08]
that verifies whether an application complies with the
[1:09:12]
city zoning ordinances. In a cellar. We also have a GIS
[1:09:19]
mapping. If you go to the city's website under permits at
[1:09:24]
the bottom of the screen, you'll see where the red arrow
[1:09:27]
showing you to find the GIS mapping for a cellar. This is a
[1:09:35]
GIS map where you can view permits related to the
[1:09:39]
information by location. As you can see, the City Hall is
[1:09:42]
selected here. If you click on any of the blue dots, it will
[1:09:45]
tell you the information under that property. I do have a
[1:09:56]
speech I want to write. Before I do that, I'd like to make a
[1:09:59]
statement to the mayor, commissioners, city Manager's
[1:10:02]
office. I want to take a moment to thank each of you for your
[1:10:07]
support, your continued support, and your vision during the
[1:10:11]
implementation of the city of the permitting software system.
[1:10:16]
But today, I want to recognize sincerely thank City of
[1:10:22]
Hollywood staff that have worked tirelessly, tirelessly
[1:10:26]
for the past two and a half years to test, develop, and
[1:10:30]
implement our newest permitting software system. Two and a half
[1:10:34]
years. That's just since we started with the seller. We
[1:10:38]
actually started this three years ago and it's been a
[1:10:42]
process. This has been a tremendous team effort
[1:10:45]
involving departments across the city, including building,
[1:10:49]
planning and zoning, engineering, public utilities,
[1:10:53]
fire code, compliance, treasury information, Information
[1:10:59]
Technology, CMD and the city's clerk's office. Over the past
[1:11:04]
two and a half years, our staff spent countless hours testing
[1:11:07]
the system, identifying problems, working through the
[1:11:11]
challenges, retesting and helping ensure that the system
[1:11:15]
works for our residents, the businesses, contractors and the
[1:11:19]
employees and staff did this while continuing to perform
[1:11:23]
their regular responsibilities. Many of many of the staff
[1:11:30]
stayed late. They worked many hours beyond what was expected
[1:11:33]
of them. They went above and beyond because they. They
[1:11:37]
understood how important the project is to the city and to
[1:11:41]
the people we serve. This accomplishment is not the work
[1:11:45]
of one department or one individual. It is the result of
[1:11:49]
teamwork, dedication, patience for perseverance and shared
[1:11:55]
commitment to improve the service to our community. So to
[1:11:59]
every employee who contributed to these to these over the past
[1:12:03]
two and a half years, I want to say thank you for your hard
[1:12:07]
work, your professionalism and dedication to the city of
[1:12:10]
Hollywood. Your commitment has made a difference and it
[1:12:12]
deserves recognition and appreciation. So on behalf of
[1:12:15]
the City of Hollywood, I want to thank you. Building. I want
[1:12:19]
to thank you. Planning and zoning. I want to thank you
[1:12:22]
engineering. I want to thank you, Public Utilities. I want
[1:12:25]
to thank you. Fire. I want to thank you. Code compliance. I
[1:12:29]
want to thank you, Treasury. I want to thank you. ITI want to
[1:12:33]
thank you seemed and I want to thank you. City clerk's office.
[1:12:37]
And most importantly, I want to thank each and every employee,
[1:12:41]
manager, supervisor, project team member in the department
[1:12:45]
representative who contributed to this effort. The success of
[1:12:49]
this project is a reflection of your professionalism, your
[1:12:53]
teamwork, and your dedication to the City of Hollywood. Two
[1:12:58]
and a half years of testing, preparation, problem solving,
[1:13:01]
and implementation is a remarkable commitment. The
[1:13:05]
hours you invested, especially the hours your normal
[1:13:09]
responsibilities, demonstrate something that cannot be
[1:13:13]
purchased or programed into into a computer. A genuine
[1:13:17]
commitment to public service. I hope each of you understand how
[1:13:22]
much your work is appreciated. Today we are recognizing more
[1:13:29]
than just the implementation of a new software system. We are
[1:13:33]
recognizing the people behind it, the people who gave their
[1:13:35]
time, their knowledge, their energy, and their dedication to
[1:13:39]
move the city forward. Thank you for your work of the extra
[1:13:43]
hours. Thank you for going above and beyond. Thank you for
[1:13:46]
your patience and perseverance. And most importantly, thank you
[1:13:51]
for for caring about the city of Hollywood and the people we
[1:13:55]
serve. This accomplishment accomplishment belongs to all
[1:13:58]
of you. Congratulations and thank you for extraordinary job.
[1:14:01]
Well done. Good job. So everything that Russell talked
[1:14:21]
about really, you know, couldn't, you know, couldn't
[1:14:25]
happen without the team who's here today. And it was really
[1:14:29]
about when we kind of look back over time and we look to where
[1:14:32]
we've come from to where we've gone, it's really about the
[1:14:35]
impact and the innovation, the process improvement, our
[1:14:39]
customer service and the technology that we're bringing
[1:14:44]
to to the residents. Is that why? So, you know, there was
[1:14:51]
countless trainings that were done internally and externally.
[1:14:55]
There have not only been trainings on how to use this
[1:14:58]
software, but customer service training and learning how to
[1:15:03]
adapt to change. We specifically had targeted
[1:15:06]
trainings within all of the users for the departments that
[1:15:09]
are using this. And with that mayor, vice mayor, and city
[1:15:16]
commissioners, it's I ask that you please come together, if
[1:15:20]
you can, on the dais. For me, it's time to celebrate. And so
[1:15:25]
if we can accelerate, accelerate excella for our new
[1:15:30]
permitting software system. So if we can all gather together
[1:15:34]
for that. And and you're, you know, this represents us
[1:15:40]
turning the system on and moving us forward at the city
[1:15:43]
into a new digital era for all of us. So if you can all lean
[1:15:47]
in and mayor, we're going to ask you to please, with your
[1:15:52]
colleagues, turn the button on. I'm going to count down. Are
[1:15:55]
you counting down, mayor? Yep. Five. Four. Three. Two. One.
[1:16:14]
Okay. Wow. That's amazing. Thank you. Okay. Good enough.
[1:16:29]
And so the video that's playing represents the amount of papers
[1:16:32]
in our prior processes. That is now going away as we flip the
[1:16:37]
switch and we accelerate into our future together. Okay.
[1:17:00]
Congratulations. Well, on behalf of the City Commission
[1:17:05]
and the residents and business owners, Russell and Team Andrea,
[1:17:10]
Jim, everybody, thank you so much. We know when we charged
[1:17:14]
the city manager, city managers ago as well to help expedite
[1:17:19]
the permitting process, we knew a lot of it would require new
[1:17:23]
software, simultaneous review from the various disciplines,
[1:17:27]
and just overall process improvement. And through those
[1:17:31]
years, we've not only invested in Acela first phase, second
[1:17:35]
phase, but also built the brand new development services
[1:17:39]
department and divisions up over the library and on the
[1:17:42]
second floor. And we also added a lot of new team members to
[1:17:47]
the building division to help get things processed. So all
[1:17:50]
that together, it really is a new moment in time, a new,
[1:17:53]
modern moment for the city of Hollywood. And we know we have
[1:17:56]
aspirations to even continue to migrate additional customer
[1:17:59]
touch points to Acela to both give the staff and of course,
[1:18:03]
the residents and businesses first and foremost, an easier
[1:18:07]
time transacting with the city and, you know, getting their
[1:18:10]
building permits processed and their approvals and their
[1:18:12]
business licenses process as quick as possible. We all know
[1:18:16]
all the hopes and dreams that we have for the city. I always
[1:18:19]
say, even those that we talk about with our own capital
[1:18:22]
improvement projects that we talked about this morning
[1:18:24]
during the workshop, all need to flow through the building
[1:18:27]
division and building permit review and approval. And so
[1:18:30]
your accelerated momentum now and your your new processes
[1:18:34]
will help serve both what we do internally and of course, every
[1:18:37]
other hope and dream for Hollywood business owners and
[1:18:40]
residents here in the city of Hollywood as they look to
[1:18:42]
improve their property and in the end, grow our tax base and
[1:18:45]
make us more self-sufficient through our own internal growth
[1:18:49]
that we help support out there in the community. So thank you
[1:18:52]
all so much. Really proud moment, and we look forward to
[1:18:56]
continuing to help you and give you the tools needed to be the
[1:19:00]
best building division and best development services that we
[1:19:02]
can be in the state of Florida. So thank you so much. All right.
[1:19:11]
Now, I really feel we can adjourn the meeting, but no,
[1:19:15]
thank you all to everybody from Development Services.
[1:19:18]
Appreciate it. Congratulations. Congratulations, Russell. I
[1:19:23]
hope you have some fresh fruit for them or something. Some
[1:19:25]
kind of celebration. The celebration must continue. All
[1:19:30]
right. All right. It is a little bit past 130. So let's
[1:19:41]
head head through our agenda in order of the the agenda here
[1:19:44]
130 time certain items. This is an ordinance on second reading
[1:19:48]
advertised in conformance with state statutes and city codes
[1:19:51]
as a public hearing. No changes since the first reading from
[1:19:54]
the Department of Utilities. Item 29, An ordinance of the
[1:19:56]
City Hollywood amending chapter 51 of the Code of Ordinances,
[1:19:58]
entitled water to update the current regulations relating to
[1:20:01]
accounts and procedures providing for severability
[1:20:03]
clause, Repealer provision, codification and effective date.
[1:20:06]
Of course, you all remember before the break we had a long
[1:20:11]
first reading that where utilities had gone through, you
[1:20:15]
know, all the details of this new ordinance that provides a
[1:20:18]
lot of opportunity to streamline, even in the case of,
[1:20:22]
of, of utilities. The process is for our residents and for
[1:20:27]
our customers. And so are there any speaker cards on item 29?
[1:20:33]
And Ralston, please come on up. Just. Okay. There you go. This
[1:20:50]
was from the meeting before for the. And they were actually 29
[1:20:54]
and 30 on the last agenda, I think, or 29 and 30, 31 I think
[1:20:59]
could be exact. That was what was printed, what I printed for
[1:21:02]
the meeting right before break. This is what is the backup for
[1:21:08]
today's on second reading. I don't know why they're
[1:21:11]
different. This is the update. The rates don't make sense to
[1:21:15]
me. From what I remember on these. These rates were going
[1:21:22]
up 25% each year for three years on water and sewer. That
[1:21:29]
was back then. This was from a report done in 25, which is the
[1:21:34]
backup now. It shows us. As number four in the highest in
[1:21:41]
water sewer rates. I am now paying instead of $93.72
[1:21:46]
because I don't use enough. That's my base rate whether I
[1:21:49]
use it or not. So I don't I don't conserve well, I try to
[1:21:54]
conserve, but I pay for non use is now $100. So we're still at
[1:22:00]
fourth. But when you approve these you are going to really
[1:22:05]
hurt residents water and sewer bills. And I don't care how you
[1:22:10]
want to spin it. I'm sorry but the well gets dry on fixed
[1:22:15]
incomes, especially when you talk about senior citizens and
[1:22:19]
taking care of people. This is your you're feeding us to death.
[1:22:25]
So please be very careful when you do this. Thank you. So this
[1:22:32]
item is the the ordinance update with regards to the
[1:22:37]
regulations and the accounts and procedures. And so I'd like
[1:22:40]
to entertain a close the public hearing that was open and close
[1:22:43]
the public hearing. I'd like to accept a motion on the item. We
[1:22:48]
have a motion for Commissioner Biederman and a second from
[1:22:51]
Vice Mayor Clary to approve item 29. City attorney, please
[1:22:55]
read the ordinance and let's read the get the call, the roll
[1:22:59]
call vote on an ordinance of the City of Hollywood, Florida,
[1:23:03]
amending chapter 51 of the Code of Ordinances entitled water to
[1:23:07]
update the current regulations relating to accounts and
[1:23:11]
procedures providing for severability clause and
[1:23:14]
Repealer provision, codification and an effective
[1:23:17]
date. Commissioner Quintana yes. Commissioner Shuhan. Yes.
[1:23:23]
Commissioner Hernandez yes. Vice mayor. Kolody. Yes.
[1:23:27]
Commissioner Gruber. Yes. Commissioner. Biederman. Yes.
[1:23:31]
Mayor. Levy. Yes. All right. Let's show the ordinance
[1:23:34]
passing unanimously on second reading. And I know Phyllis is
[1:23:37]
here, and she would be prepared to provide a quick update. But
[1:23:41]
this particular ordinance change really helps to relax a
[1:23:44]
lot of the leak reviews and the extends opportunities for
[1:23:49]
residents to have better recourse with the city and very
[1:23:53]
many across many different areas. And so it's a it's a
[1:23:56]
helpful provision. I'm sorry. Right. Yeah. The next item is
[1:24:01]
the rates. Item 30 is an ordinance of the City of
[1:24:05]
Hollywood amending section 52.5, three of the Code of Ordinances,
[1:24:08]
entitled Rates and Charges for the use of the system, updating
[1:24:11]
the current regulations relating to accounts and
[1:24:13]
procedures and providing for severability codification
[1:24:15]
effective date. This is also an ordinance on second reading
[1:24:18]
advertising conformance with state statutes and city codes
[1:24:20]
as a public hearing without any changes since the first reading
[1:24:24]
from DP, you. I'll go ahead and open the public hearing. Are
[1:24:27]
there any speaker cards on 30. And Ralston, please come on up.
[1:24:38]
We'll just skip out on him. It's the same. It's basically
[1:24:46]
the same thing. I said, there's no need to repeat myself, but
[1:24:50]
just be careful sometimes what you wish for. Also, I do
[1:24:54]
believe that this is a sneaky little way for the residents on
[1:25:00]
sewer to pay for separate septic to sewer. So we're going
[1:25:04]
to keep an eye out. Public hearing is now closed just for
[1:25:09]
the public record. I just want to clarify for those watching,
[1:25:11]
of course, the city is responsible and we have the the
[1:25:16]
the role and the responsibility to provide clean drinking water
[1:25:19]
and treat wastewater in the city of Hollywood. We have
[1:25:22]
regional plants in the wastewater plant. We have, of
[1:25:26]
course, the water treatment plant. And those plants are
[1:25:30]
aging and are 70 plus years old and need a lot of work. And so
[1:25:35]
our staff brought forward to us a plan where across the board,
[1:25:39]
both the water plant and the wastewater plant will be
[1:25:43]
improved and modernized and practically rebuilt and brought
[1:25:47]
to the modern era, like the Acela did for the building
[1:25:50]
division. And unfortunately, that costs hundreds of millions
[1:25:53]
of dollars. And so these rate increases. None of us enjoy
[1:25:58]
having to increase anything in the city, but we do have to pay
[1:26:02]
for the plants in order for them to continue to provide the
[1:26:05]
service, to treat wastewater and to provide clean drinking
[1:26:08]
water. It's an obligation of ours. There's we're going to
[1:26:12]
look for every efficient way to undertake those hundreds of
[1:26:15]
million dollars of projects. And so part of that, of course,
[1:26:18]
is going to be born on the on the ratepayers. And so we did
[1:26:23]
come up with a plan that was smooth to be as as as efficient
[1:26:28]
as possible. Even from an affordability standpoint,
[1:26:30]
though, I do not disagree, these are significant rate
[1:26:33]
increases for the next 3 or 4 years. And then they're going
[1:26:37]
to it's going to continue to be high. And so that's just the
[1:26:40]
reality of, of repairing and updating very old water
[1:26:45]
treatment and, and water plants. City. City manager. Yeah. Mayor,
[1:26:49]
I just want to make sure, you know, you're absolutely right.
[1:26:53]
We have had extensive presentations regarding the
[1:26:57]
needs at our water and sewer treatment plants and within the
[1:27:02]
overall transmission system for water and the collection system
[1:27:06]
for our wastewater plant. And we've presented those rates,
[1:27:11]
you know, and adopted them back in July. And I know that that
[1:27:14]
was very challenging for the commission. This particular
[1:27:18]
these particular two items are actually designed to update our
[1:27:22]
code of ordinances as to how sewer credits and water credits
[1:27:27]
are applied when there are a leak, and when we have a
[1:27:32]
situation where we need to look back where maybe a meter has
[1:27:35]
not been functioning properly previously, we would be able to
[1:27:40]
look back 36 months, and that was a really long time, maybe
[1:27:44]
actually even longer. Five years. Sorry, five years. Like
[1:27:47]
that's not the right number. And now we're really, we've
[1:27:51]
limited that to a 12 month look back. So it actually, these are
[1:27:56]
customer service enhancements that you're voting on today.
[1:27:59]
Absolutely lutely. We have needed to look at significant
[1:28:04]
rate increases. And those were attached to this agenda item.
[1:28:07]
So people are aware of that. But really as it specifically
[1:28:12]
relates to these two ordinances that are before you today, the
[1:28:17]
concept is really just to make it more customer friendly. When
[1:28:21]
you do have a leak and you need to apply for a credit, or when
[1:28:25]
you do get that estimated bill or you have a meter problem,
[1:28:29]
how that gets resolved more quickly. So that's just wanted
[1:28:33]
to clarify that. Thank you. This at this time, no, this
[1:28:37]
time I'll invite members of the body to make a motion or for
[1:28:40]
any comment. Commissioner Hernandez thank you. Mayor, the
[1:28:45]
question that I have is I wanted to make sure that what
[1:28:48]
we talked about, where we can have to fix the meters within
[1:28:51]
the three months, is this part of this ordinance or is that
[1:28:54]
something that it's. No, it's not part of this ordinance, but
[1:28:57]
it you know, that is our commitment that we are working
[1:29:00]
to be able to fix those right away. Do not believe. And the
[1:29:04]
reason why was because there was support from the commission
[1:29:06]
in order for that to be established, how does how is
[1:29:09]
that going to be established if it's not going to be part of
[1:29:12]
the ordinance? And don't we can we can absolutely look at that.
[1:29:15]
And if we need to further, if the desire of the Commission is
[1:29:19]
to further codify that, we are obviously. We had a budget
[1:29:22]
workshop this morning, and a big part of that was, how do we
[1:29:25]
create the staffing that we need to make sure that when we
[1:29:28]
have those meter transmission unit issues, that we address
[1:29:32]
them. This is looking at if we have a situation where we are
[1:29:38]
needing to where we've estimated a bill and we're
[1:29:41]
doing a lookback, it limits the time frame. I understand what
[1:29:44]
this is and I think it helps the residents, period. But my
[1:29:47]
point is, and some of my friends kind of joke with me.
[1:29:51]
Yeah, trust, but verify because I ask a lot of questions when
[1:29:54]
it comes to this. And I do not distrust the staff, but the
[1:29:59]
support from the commission and the commitment was that you
[1:30:02]
would only go back three months. Now, this is 12 months. And if
[1:30:05]
there's a broken meter, I'm getting calls on a regular
[1:30:09]
basis. And some of the staff have said, well, you're not
[1:30:11]
getting 40,000 calls. I may not, but we haven't gone through all
[1:30:15]
of the meters yet. I just want not only the commitment, but I
[1:30:18]
want to see it, whether it's a resolution or whether it's part
[1:30:21]
of this ordinance that within 90 days, the meter issue will
[1:30:25]
be addressed. I don't want customers to continue to get,
[1:30:28]
oh, we're going to estimate back 12 months. And that's just
[1:30:31]
not fair to our residents. And if if we're looking to put
[1:30:36]
another 57 individuals to be able to work with us for the
[1:30:40]
City of Hollywood and the underground utility department,
[1:30:42]
we ought to be able to give that commitment to our
[1:30:45]
residents. That's all I'm saying. Yes, we we absolutely
[1:30:48]
we it is an operational process, and we are working on that
[1:30:53]
three month time frame. We as soon as we detect that there is
[1:30:57]
a problem, that is what we are doing. Can we have it as a
[1:31:00]
resolution? Was that not what we talked about? We could. Okay,
[1:31:03]
I would prefer to have a resolution. I'm okay passing
[1:31:05]
this and comments Peter, and we'll. Well, it's already has
[1:31:08]
support so. Okay. Good. Thank you. Okay. All right. Motion to
[1:31:14]
approve. All right. We do have a motion and a second from
[1:31:19]
Commissioner Biederman, second from Vice Mayor calorie on on
[1:31:25]
on the ordinance item 30. Let's go ahead and read the ordinance
[1:31:28]
and call the roll call vote. An ordinance of the City of
[1:31:31]
Hollywood, Florida, amending section 52.53 of the Code of
[1:31:36]
Ordinances entitled Rates and Charges for Use of System to
[1:31:40]
update the current regulations relating to accounts and
[1:31:43]
procedures providing for repeal, severability codification and
[1:31:46]
an effective date. Commissioner Quintana. Yes, Commissioner.
[1:31:52]
Yes. Commissioner. Hernandez. Yes. Vice mayor. Kolody. Yes.
[1:31:57]
Commissioner. Gruber. Yes. Commissioner. Biederman. Yes.
[1:32:01]
Mayor. Levy. Yes. All right. Let's show the ordinance
[1:32:04]
passing unanimously on second reading. All right. On to item
[1:32:09]
31. This is a resolution of the City Commission. City of
[1:32:12]
Hollywood accepting the Washington Park Industrial Area
[1:32:15]
Redevelopment Program recommendations, providing a
[1:32:16]
policy direction regarding phased implementation of the
[1:32:19]
recommendations, providing for certain limitations and
[1:32:22]
providing for an effective date. This is advertised as a public
[1:32:25]
hearing. This is a resolution before we open the item. I just
[1:32:29]
do want to put something on the record. There's been question
[1:32:31]
as to whether or not I would need to abstain from this item,
[1:32:35]
because I have family that owns property within Washington Park
[1:32:37]
Industrial Park. And so as required and as proper protocol,
[1:32:41]
I asked the city attorney the question. She researched the
[1:32:44]
matter and found that I have an obligation to participate on
[1:32:47]
the item. And because there is not a conflict of interest as
[1:32:50]
defined by Florida law. And so, city attorney, if you could
[1:32:53]
just summarize for the public record in regards to this
[1:32:56]
specific item in the vote today as a threshold consideration in
[1:33:00]
the analysis, we looked at what the item actually sought to do.
[1:33:03]
This item is a nonbinding policy guidance and therefore
[1:33:08]
confers no specific benefit to any property in the area, and
[1:33:12]
any benefit that is conferred is remote and speculative.
[1:33:17]
Further, the mayor has no personal ownership interest,
[1:33:19]
though his brothers do own land in the area. However, there is
[1:33:23]
no special economic, private gain or loss to the mayor or
[1:33:27]
any relative. The mayor is not required to abstain from
[1:33:31]
today's vote, as he mentioned, but this analysis does not
[1:33:34]
extend past today's vote. All right, so that resolves that.
[1:33:38]
Thank you. All right. Andrea, please go ahead. Good afternoon,
[1:33:40]
mayor, vice mayor, City Commissioners Andrea Winget,
[1:33:43]
director of development Services. And while we're
[1:33:46]
bringing up the presentation, we're we're here today to talk
[1:33:50]
about the comprehensive redevelopment program for
[1:33:54]
Washington Park. This has been a long time coming. And before
[1:33:59]
we get started, I would like to also thank. I know today is a
[1:34:02]
lot about a. Celebrations and things, but I really do want to
[1:34:06]
take a minute to thank the other departments who also
[1:34:10]
contributed to creating this vision for this area of the
[1:34:14]
city, and that extends far beyond development, services,
[1:34:19]
planning, engineering, building. It extends to the fire
[1:34:24]
department to code, compliance, parking, communications,
[1:34:29]
marketing and economic development. Because we could
[1:34:32]
never do anything independently or alone. It always takes a
[1:34:36]
team, especially when we're creating visions and master
[1:34:39]
planning certain areas of the city. And of course, I would
[1:34:42]
also like to thank the residents and those community
[1:34:45]
members and the commission for participating in your
[1:34:49]
contribution to this as well. So we started we started this
[1:34:53]
project in 2025. And at that time, the commission directed
[1:34:59]
city staff to come up with a comprehensive redevelopment
[1:35:06]
program for approximately 160 acres of the city, which we
[1:35:10]
generally know as Washington Park. The program looks
[1:35:14]
holistically at the future land use, zoning, urban design,
[1:35:19]
infrastructure, environmental economic development, and
[1:35:23]
opportunities for reinvestment in the area and the physical
[1:35:27]
improvements. It's not a document or just a collection
[1:35:31]
of recommendations. This is actually a vision and a
[1:35:36]
framework for the future of this area. It's a living
[1:35:39]
document. It's iterative. It will probably change over time
[1:35:43]
as we start to bring forward and implement portions of this
[1:35:48]
map, this vision or this master plan for this area, there's
[1:35:52]
individual initiatives that will require further commission
[1:35:55]
action and consideration by all stakeholders. What this
[1:35:59]
document is not is it does not change the zoning in this area.
[1:36:04]
It does not approve anything site specific for this area. It
[1:36:08]
does not change the land use. It is going to be a shared
[1:36:12]
unified vision so that staff can start to program different,
[1:36:18]
different items to move this area forward. And those items
[1:36:22]
are identified through the challenges, the risks and the
[1:36:26]
potentials of this area. This is a this has been, as I
[1:36:37]
already mentioned, this has been a comprehensive exercise
[1:36:40]
that was undertaken. It. It's a. It serves as an important model
[1:36:46]
to allow for intentional planning and reinvestment and
[1:36:50]
visioning of this area. It's been a long time since the city,
[1:36:53]
since our planning Division has brought forward any type of
[1:36:56]
visioning. So I know it can be, you know, it's a little
[1:37:00]
different from some of the things that we've recently
[1:37:03]
brought forward. But this is a common item that we used to do
[1:37:06]
quite often in various parts of the city. And it's a, it's a
[1:37:10]
normal planning exercise when we're looking to have a shared,
[1:37:12]
unified vision for how we can move parts of the city forward
[1:37:16]
with challenges that we're experiencing today. And with
[1:37:19]
that, I would like to turn it over to Juan Mueller, who's
[1:37:23]
going to walk us through the the program. Thank you. Thank
[1:37:32]
you very much. And good afternoon, mayor, vice mayor,
[1:37:36]
commissioners, it's a pleasure to be here. It's been a year.
[1:37:39]
You probably don't remember me anymore. I was the one that was
[1:37:42]
stuck in traffic on 95 a year ago, and I am I was still stuck
[1:37:46]
in traffic today, so some things don't change. But the
[1:37:49]
beauty of of the work that I do is that things eventually
[1:37:53]
change. And this is one of the reasons why we're here, to
[1:37:56]
envision how things may change. The I think this was your slide.
[1:38:03]
It's been a year since we put a team together,
[1:38:07]
multidisciplinary team to tackle some challenging work.
[1:38:13]
Washington Park presented some challenges that were unique to
[1:38:16]
the area. So we work together, our firm, plus Serbia, we are
[1:38:21]
specialists in visioning with business flair who does market
[1:38:26]
studies and, and and economic studies, as well as expe
[1:38:31]
experienced and engineers and mobility experts. We've done
[1:38:36]
this before. And coincidentally, I was at a public hearing
[1:38:41]
yesterday in in the city of Miami, where we were talking
[1:38:45]
about Little Havana. Little Havana started over ten years
[1:38:48]
ago, where when we established a vision, and this is exactly
[1:38:51]
what we're doing here today, presenting to you a vision that
[1:38:55]
will take a long time to get implemented. So as, as it was
[1:38:59]
just said, this is not something that changes tomorrow.
[1:39:02]
This is looking to the to the long term future and seeing
[1:39:06]
what actions you guys can do today to start that, that
[1:39:11]
evolution and how things may change in the future. So I
[1:39:13]
commend you for that vision because as again, it's not just
[1:39:16]
Hollywood that doesn't do it. Most municipalities are working
[1:39:20]
with zoning and direct policies without really understanding
[1:39:23]
what the long term vision may be. And this is what this
[1:39:26]
project establishes, something that can help you see things
[1:39:30]
through and ensure that you have north right up there and
[1:39:35]
you understand where you're going in the long term. So the
[1:39:39]
project goals, other than creating a long term vision,
[1:39:42]
we're very simple. It was to to see what exists there today, to
[1:39:47]
listen to the community. And I thank you for coming to the
[1:39:51]
workshops that we had some months ago. It feels like
[1:39:54]
forever ago. And listen to the community, understand what
[1:39:58]
their needs and wants were and are, and maybe in the future,
[1:40:02]
and then establish a cohesive and holistic document that
[1:40:07]
again, can guide you and also help your residents understand
[1:40:11]
where the city is going. And hopefully in and through this
[1:40:16]
document, mitigate some of the anxiety that people have,
[1:40:19]
because change creates anxiety. Again, this vision plan does
[1:40:23]
that, and it creates that guiding document that can help
[1:40:27]
you now and in the future. So why Washington Park? Very
[1:40:32]
simple. It's it's a it's a challenging neighborhood. It's
[1:40:35]
a challenging community, a district. It's at the southern
[1:40:38]
edge of your of your city. And it creates a gateway. One of
[1:40:43]
the reasons why it is challenging is because it is a
[1:40:47]
very interesting land use area or area based on land use,
[1:40:54]
because it's not just the residents that live there, but
[1:40:57]
the people that work there. It's a great engine for your
[1:41:00]
business community, not just for Hollywood, but also for the
[1:41:03]
county itself. So respecting and understanding how to evolve
[1:41:07]
the community over time and ensuring that we not just
[1:41:10]
protect the neighbors, but also the businesses that are there
[1:41:12]
and that we continue to provide an area where people can
[1:41:17]
service their cars and service and provide services for the
[1:41:21]
rest of the community, not just now, but in the future. So
[1:41:24]
those things were challenging. And then I'll introduce Maria
[1:41:28]
Maria, if you want to come up again. It's been more than a
[1:41:31]
year. I think it was said that it was just shy of a year. It
[1:41:35]
was more than a year. And, and it's been a pleasure working
[1:41:38]
with you, working with the community. And hopefully this
[1:41:40]
project, this, this, this document guides and helps you
[1:41:43]
understand how to evolve the community for, for its future
[1:41:47]
success. Maria. Thank you. Good afternoon, mayor, vice mayor
[1:41:52]
and commissioners. My name is Maria Benfield. I'm project
[1:41:56]
manager for Serbia Design. So as Juan mentioned, we've been
[1:42:03]
working over a year on this project. During that time, we
[1:42:08]
conducted an extensive community outreach through
[1:42:12]
surveys, workshops, open houses, walking, audit, and we listen
[1:42:16]
to the community. We refined the vision, we confirmed the
[1:42:21]
priorities and shaped the final plan. The project website was
[1:42:24]
the central hub for announcements, surveys, updates
[1:42:27]
to the community, feedback and all the summaries. All the
[1:42:31]
documents reports are posted on the website as well. So what?
[1:42:35]
What did we hear? So we gathered more than a thousand
[1:42:40]
comments from the community outreach process, and five
[1:42:43]
priorities emerged, preserving the industrial character,
[1:42:48]
improving the district appearance, addressing parking
[1:42:51]
and mobility challenges, investing in infrastructure,
[1:42:55]
neighborhood serving uses and green spaces. Also investing in
[1:43:00]
infrastructure and plan for the future redevelopment of the
[1:43:04]
area and protect the residential neighborhoods. You
[1:43:07]
can see a complete community outreach and background
[1:43:10]
analysis reports on the project website as well. So what is
[1:43:14]
this document? I think Andrea already summarized it, but I
[1:43:17]
want to reiterate. So this is a framework for of
[1:43:22]
recommendations based on technical analysis and the
[1:43:25]
community input. It's a vision. It's a roadmap. It's a tool to
[1:43:29]
help a plan, future improvements. It sets a shared
[1:43:34]
vision and recommends next steps. It's not a final design
[1:43:39]
or a fixed schedule, or a promise to build everything all
[1:43:42]
at once, or required spending plan. This action plan serves
[1:43:49]
as a roadmap for turning recommendations into actions.
[1:43:54]
Each recommendation of the plan identifies responsibilities,
[1:43:58]
suggested timelines, potential funding sources, and measures
[1:44:01]
of success. The recommendation action steps are are sorry.
[1:44:08]
They're. Divided in short, mid and long term. The short term
[1:44:15]
recommendations focus on organization, safety,
[1:44:19]
appearance, and branding. The mid-term recommendations focus
[1:44:24]
on infrastructure, mobility improvements and redevelopment
[1:44:28]
tools, and the long term recommendations. Focus on major
[1:44:32]
investments and corridor build out. So what can change? First,
[1:44:38]
the short term recommendations focus on visible improvements
[1:44:41]
that can be implemented relatively quickly and can have
[1:44:44]
a big impact. One of the ways to incentivize visible changes
[1:44:50]
fast is the creation of a facade improvement program,
[1:44:54]
specifically for Washington Park. It's a simple step that
[1:44:57]
can have a big impact, and the city already has successful
[1:45:01]
matching grants, programs that encourage private investment
[1:45:05]
and improve properties and neighborhoods. Little River is
[1:45:08]
another example in the city of Miami that has been very
[1:45:11]
successful. The goal is to create a cleaner, safer, and
[1:45:15]
more attractive district while maintaining its authentic
[1:45:18]
industrial character. The recommendations include simple
[1:45:23]
design criteria to help guide improvements. There are
[1:45:28]
examples that are provided that can help the city staff and the
[1:45:33]
applicant with clear examples that can help them understand
[1:45:37]
the design expectations of the improvements. The
[1:45:42]
recommendations also suggest establishing a strong district
[1:45:46]
identity through branding, wayfinding, gateway features
[1:45:50]
and business promotion initiatives. These can help
[1:45:53]
improve the appearance of the district without disrupting the
[1:45:56]
existing businesses and operations. Through our
[1:46:01]
workshops and further refinement, we define the role
[1:46:04]
of each street in the industrial area to create a
[1:46:10]
clear framework for future improvements. Recognizing that
[1:46:14]
each street serves a different function within the district.
[1:46:18]
So an example is like some street might prioritize
[1:46:21]
business frontages and pedestrians, while other
[1:46:24]
streets focus on the industrial, industrial access and local
[1:46:27]
traffic. Loading. The result is a framework that helps guide
[1:46:32]
future improvements related to mobility, safety, parking,
[1:46:38]
streetscape investment and future development. So parking
[1:46:43]
was one of the biggest concerns raised by all stakeholders
[1:46:47]
during the community outreach phase. So some recommendations
[1:46:51]
include improving parking enforcement compliance,
[1:46:56]
education about parking rules, clearly defining parking areas
[1:47:00]
to improve organization and traffic flow, better management
[1:47:04]
of existing parking, exploring standards for temporary gravel
[1:47:08]
lots and shared parking specifically for the primary
[1:47:10]
study area, with the goal to make parking work better for
[1:47:15]
businesses, employees, customers and nearby residents.
[1:47:19]
And this is an example of the short term recommendations that
[1:47:24]
suggest installing clear pavement markings to define the
[1:47:29]
parking areas, the pedestrian crossings, the areas where
[1:47:32]
parking is not allowed, all within the public right of way.
[1:47:37]
These are conceptual ideas that will require refinement with
[1:47:41]
staff and the community. These suggestions can help create a
[1:47:46]
safer and more organized conditions for all users. Like
[1:47:49]
I mentioned before, and while continuing to support the
[1:47:53]
industrial operations, a key priority through the
[1:47:57]
development of this plan was to protect and respect the
[1:48:00]
residential neighborhoods, and short term recommendations
[1:48:05]
suggest reducing truck and commercial vehicle traffic on
[1:48:08]
residential streets through a traffic study to evaluate the
[1:48:12]
feasibility for doing that, managing parking, spillover,
[1:48:17]
temporary gravel lots like I mentioned before, and
[1:48:20]
implementing traffic calming strategies like speed pumps to
[1:48:24]
reduce speeds on residential streets, for example. So what
[1:48:29]
can change next? In the midterm midterm recommendations focus
[1:48:33]
on infrastructure, mobility improvements and redevelopment
[1:48:36]
tools. This example shows South 56th Avenue, which was
[1:48:42]
designated as an eighth Street that prioritizes business
[1:48:47]
frontages and pedestrian comfort. This is an example of
[1:48:51]
how improvements can be tailored to each street's role.
[1:48:55]
This shows improvements that can include traffic calming
[1:49:00]
measures, parking management, swale restoration to improve
[1:49:03]
water permeability, enhance pedestrian crossings and
[1:49:08]
sidewalks, improved transit and bicycle access, and and even
[1:49:13]
district branding and street streetscape upgrades. As you
[1:49:17]
can see on the right hand side. Another suggested strategy was
[1:49:22]
to help create better transitions between the
[1:49:26]
industrial core, the major corridors and nearby
[1:49:29]
residential areas by encouraging neighborhood
[1:49:33]
serving businesses such as cafes, small restaurants, food
[1:49:37]
trucks and everyday services in strategic locations. Using the
[1:49:42]
street hierarchy to guide investment to the streets.
[1:49:44]
Where these uses make the most sense, and supporting flexible
[1:49:48]
building types that can accommodate small businesses.
[1:49:52]
Live work units, flex spaces, workshops, etc. In the mid-term.
[1:49:59]
The plan also recommends guiding redevelopment
[1:50:02]
opportunities to the key corridors. The identified a
[1:50:05]
street such as 441 and adopting guidelines for consistent
[1:50:10]
building frontages. So what can the long term future look like?
[1:50:18]
Long term recommendations focus on resilience, economic
[1:50:22]
competitiveness and a larger capital improvement projects.
[1:50:28]
So the long term recommendations suggest
[1:50:31]
evaluating the feasibility for converting some streets into
[1:50:34]
one way. Using the street hierarchy framework. The goal
[1:50:38]
is to balance movement, enhance safety, increase parking
[1:50:42]
opportunities and ground permeability, and support
[1:50:45]
business operations, and ensure that emergency access and
[1:50:49]
neighborhood connectivity are maintained in the long term.
[1:50:54]
The plan encourages redevelopment to be focused
[1:50:56]
along major corridors and opportunity sites, where new
[1:51:00]
investment can deliver the greatest public benefit. As I
[1:51:04]
mentioned before, an essential principle throughout the
[1:51:08]
development of the plan was to protect the residential
[1:51:10]
neighborhoods, and this means preparing for future
[1:51:15]
redevelopment and encouraging transitions between land uses
[1:51:18]
and avoiding drastic scale shifts. And the plan suggests
[1:51:22]
strategies to direct growth to appropriate corridor locations
[1:51:26]
while gradually transitioning to established residential
[1:51:29]
neighborhoods and still respecting the existing
[1:51:33]
development rates. So the result is a balanced balance
[1:51:36]
between growth and neighborhood protection. And in the long
[1:51:41]
term, the plan suggests policies and incentives for
[1:51:44]
future projects that could also contribute through a public
[1:51:50]
benefit program. For example, to get a more improved or more
[1:51:55]
or improved open spaces connectivity, streetscape
[1:52:00]
enhancements, gateway features and community amenities such as
[1:52:05]
new fire station that was mentioned throughout the
[1:52:11]
community outreach and meeting with the different departments.
[1:52:14]
So this shows the matrix of all the short term recommendations
[1:52:21]
that are available at the end of the vision plan. You can see
[1:52:26]
here 2023 suggested short term recommendations that staff can
[1:52:31]
take, study, and bring forward to you when feasible. And I
[1:52:35]
think Cameron can take this slide over to further discuss.
[1:52:41]
Thank you. Good afternoon, mayor Commission Cameron Palmer,
[1:52:45]
assistant director, development services, assistant director,
[1:52:49]
development services. I want to take a moment to, as we bring
[1:52:53]
the presentation home, to talk about next steps. You know, the
[1:52:56]
document outlines, as Murray says, a collection of
[1:52:58]
recommendations and a sequence roadmap. And as Andrew said
[1:53:00]
earlier, it's intended to be a living framework. And what that
[1:53:03]
means is as we go through, we organize, we test, we calibrate,
[1:53:08]
we prioritize, and we invest. And understanding that the city
[1:53:12]
has already made investments in Washington Park and site
[1:53:15]
specific or content specific investments. Through this
[1:53:18]
process, we've evaluated and realized that Washington Park's
[1:53:21]
challenges and opportunities need to be viewed holistically
[1:53:24]
as a district, meaning that we can leverage the opportunities
[1:53:27]
to overcome the challenges using the roadmap that's been
[1:53:29]
presented to us. So the question then becomes, what can
[1:53:32]
we do today? What small wins can we achieve to have big
[1:53:37]
impacts? So what staff has done on the screen, you'll see the
[1:53:40]
tangible next steps outlined in four recommendations. And these
[1:53:43]
are what staff have distilled from the short term
[1:53:46]
recommendations that the applicant the consultant has
[1:53:48]
put forward. The first being coordination. It's really
[1:53:51]
important that staff is able to coordinate among the internal
[1:53:54]
divisions and departments, along with our partners, to
[1:53:57]
create a working group for Washington Park. This working
[1:53:59]
group will be responsible and the project manager to enact
[1:54:02]
this action plan and to see through the different time
[1:54:05]
horizons. But more importantly, it allows departments and the
[1:54:08]
city to align budgets, resources, staffing, existing
[1:54:12]
plans and future plans to ensure that we are now
[1:54:15]
calibrated with the action plan. Once we are all aligned
[1:54:18]
internally, we can start tackling some of the more
[1:54:21]
operational and obvious issues that face the district include
[1:54:23]
number two, which is organized parking and curb management
[1:54:27]
mapping, existing parking locations, future parking
[1:54:30]
locations, striping where feasible, and also establishing
[1:54:33]
standards that we as a city can create to enable interim or
[1:54:36]
temporary parking solutions are really tangible elements or
[1:54:40]
things that the city can do to impact make functional changes
[1:54:44]
to Washington Park. That leads us to number three, which is
[1:54:47]
advancing safety and traffic circulation. This includes low
[1:54:51]
cost elements such as signage, crosswalk markings, and more in
[1:54:56]
more in depth looks at traffic movements, such as where
[1:54:59]
traffic is moving in and out of the site, where goods are
[1:55:02]
moving, where people are moving and where pedestrians are
[1:55:05]
moving. Lastly, recommendation number four, again, within the
[1:55:08]
short term scope is advancing the facade gateway and code
[1:55:14]
improvement tools intended to create the. This was the. The
[1:55:17]
facade improvement. The painting. The numbering that
[1:55:20]
was discussed by Maria. This allows the district to be more
[1:55:24]
attractive, cleaner, more recognizable. Creates a brand
[1:55:29]
that that can easily access and easily implemented through the
[1:55:32]
renovation, which is a natural course of business development.
[1:55:35]
But most importantly, it becomes more inviting for
[1:55:38]
investment. The important takeaway today is that this is
[1:55:40]
not just a collection of recommendations that are
[1:55:43]
aspirational. They're specific, they're tailored, and they're
[1:55:45]
sequenced on purpose. They're intended to build on one
[1:55:48]
another and are not intended to come all at one fiscal year, or
[1:55:51]
all at one time. One time. If we organize, we test, we
[1:55:55]
calibrate, and we invest. Then each of these small actions can,
[1:55:58]
can, and will ultimately lead to the Washington Park that we
[1:56:02]
are looking to achieve with that staff. Myself, the
[1:56:06]
consultant, Nicole, the project manager for this project, is
[1:56:09]
here to answer questions. Thank you Cameron. Thank you to the
[1:56:12]
consultants. Pat, are there any speaker cards on this item?
[1:56:23]
Thank you. And Ralston, followed by Michael Seltzer.
[1:56:35]
Mike, I don't know why they turn them off. It was stated
[1:56:42]
that it's going to be a unified, unified vision for the area. To
[1:56:49]
me, a unified would be all the citizens kind of agree 50 plus
[1:56:55]
one agree to this. I heard that there was a thousand comments,
[1:57:02]
but it didn't say whether they're for or against. I know
[1:57:06]
the beach community doesn't want 1301, but gee, it's
[1:57:10]
getting unified in our in our faces. The lakes didn't want
[1:57:15]
them. Plenty came out to speak again. It's. But gee, that's a
[1:57:20]
unified vision for. I guess the area. Regardless of what the
[1:57:25]
residents think. So because when I read the report, I only
[1:57:30]
saw Nadine McRae's name on there. Everything else was.
[1:57:34]
Thank you to someone else, not the citizens that participated
[1:57:38]
in this quote study. I'd also like to know what did this
[1:57:43]
study study cost us? If it's just something visionary. So
[1:57:51]
pretty pictures everything. It doesn't mean anything. And you
[1:57:55]
can't change the character of a neighborhood unless they want
[1:57:58]
that change. So I don't know if if the residents want it, but I
[1:58:04]
don't see anyone here from them. I don't know if they, like most
[1:58:09]
people, work, so maybe they can't be here. Maybe they've
[1:58:13]
written in, I don't know. But here's another problem with
[1:58:17]
this infrastructure. And just like the sewer plant that you
[1:58:20]
wanted to tell me how this is for infrastructure that's been
[1:58:24]
ignored, that is very true. The an infrastructure throughout
[1:58:29]
the city has been ignored for years. And until there is a
[1:58:33]
crisis and it costs the citizens twice as much or more
[1:58:38]
to fix it, there is not a regular maintenance program
[1:58:42]
that finally, I think maybe a year ago, started to get
[1:58:46]
implemented in the budget and that's for landscaping,
[1:58:50]
anything. So you can make pretty pictures and you can put
[1:58:53]
trees and stuff. But if they're not willing or the city cannot
[1:58:56]
afford to maintain it, it's not fair to put it upon the
[1:59:00]
resident. To maintain that, we have to trim those trees that
[1:59:03]
the city wants to plant. We have to do the sidewalks.
[1:59:07]
Although now I think you're doing sidewalks. I'm going to
[1:59:09]
run out of time, but please make sure when you want to
[1:59:13]
change a neighborhood this drastically. And the last thing
[1:59:15]
I'm going to say, I am sorry, but the look of impropriety on
[1:59:20]
your family's business owning a lot, whether technically it's
[1:59:24]
not illegal to do. I think the look of impropriety makes us
[1:59:28]
not trust whatever you do. Josh. Thank you. Michael Seltzer,
[1:59:35]
your turn. I have to follow that. So here we go. I think
[1:59:48]
it's a wonderful opportunity for the city of Hollywood.
[1:59:52]
Somebody called me a few weeks ago and told me I should go
[1:59:57]
take a drive there. I had no idea where it was, told me the
[2:00:01]
mayor was involved and something with the connection
[2:00:03]
to the sewer and all this nonsense garbage. This is a
[2:00:09]
wonderful opportunity for this city. And if you guys don't
[2:00:13]
figure it out, shame on all of you. I sold 220 acres in West
[2:00:19]
Melbourne right off of I 95. I brought the developer, paid
[2:00:25]
100,000 an acre, a ten acre offer from the leading health
[2:00:30]
department health hospital in the community. They wanted to
[2:00:35]
build doctors offices and an emergency room, and he wanted
[2:00:41]
$1 million. What he paid yesterday for 100,000. And they
[2:00:45]
took a walk for five years. It sat vacant because the guy
[2:00:52]
didn't have a catalyst to start the whole thing, because that
[2:00:55]
would have brought other doctors offices, a Publix or
[2:00:59]
this or that and the whole thing. And we should not make
[2:01:03]
that mistake. All that being said, we should go after a
[2:01:10]
hospital campus. We should go after an industrial campus, an
[2:01:15]
office campus, or we should go. I can't read my writing. A
[2:01:20]
university, God knows there's enough people moving to Florida
[2:01:24]
today that we should take a step back and we should hire
[2:01:28]
somebody. And I'm too old to get hired, and we should send
[2:01:32]
them out to these places or these companies and see if we
[2:01:35]
can find somebody that's interested in coming here and
[2:01:40]
eat up 50, 40, 30 acres and move an entire operation here
[2:01:48]
that creates jobs, creates taxes, and creates a business
[2:01:54]
and something we can be proud of. The idiot mayor in Saint
[2:01:58]
Pete who is going to lose the election because the guy's an
[2:02:02]
idiot. I brought him 50 acres, 26 sellers. My time's almost
[2:02:07]
running out. And the developer said we should make this a
[2:02:12]
museum center. Well, that's all I had to say. I was on a plane
[2:02:17]
to Naples. I met Murano glass. They wanted to come. I went to
[2:02:21]
New York. I met the Hermitage people for the Hermitage Museum
[2:02:25]
in Saint Petersburg, Russia. They wanted to come, but it
[2:02:29]
wasn't good enough for this guy. I don't know what he was
[2:02:32]
looking at. Now he's going to get kicked out in his. So the
[2:02:37]
bottom line is there's 160 great acres there. Before we
[2:02:42]
decide what we're going to do with it, we should explore a
[2:02:46]
university, a hospital campus, and a company. Thank you
[2:02:50]
Michael. Good luck. Thank you. All right. Let's hear from
[2:02:54]
commissioners about the presentation, beginning with,
[2:02:57]
of course, Commissioner Quintana. Thank you, mayor. I,
[2:03:03]
I, I just want to first of all, just be grateful for the fact
[2:03:06]
that we're having this conversation. I've got a long
[2:03:11]
history with the neighborhood that is Washington Park. I've
[2:03:15]
been participating in their homeowners association meetings
[2:03:19]
for the past 12 years, and I live about five minutes away.
[2:03:25]
So that was long before I was a city commissioner. And
[2:03:28]
certainly since becoming one. I hear from residents and users
[2:03:33]
of the industrial park on a regular basis. This actually
[2:03:36]
this conversation is happening because when George Keller was
[2:03:43]
about to become our city manager, I asked him to drive
[2:03:48]
out there with me to see what was going on in the industrial
[2:03:52]
area and to better understand how it is that the conditions
[2:03:57]
there were what they were for, as long as they were without
[2:04:01]
anybody ever saying anything about it. And so I'm not going
[2:04:06]
to talk long. I'm just grateful to be able to hear what my
[2:04:10]
colleagues think about this. And then I'll just say that my
[2:04:14]
focus, there's so much information that this study has
[2:04:18]
put out on the website that it can be really overwhelming. I
[2:04:20]
mean, I've been chipping away at it for months now, and
[2:04:23]
there's still parts of it that I haven't gotten to, but my
[2:04:27]
comments are going to focus on the implementation matrix. And
[2:04:32]
just a couple of thoughts I have about the sequence of
[2:04:34]
things. But beyond that, I'll just be quiet and listen to
[2:04:37]
what others think. Thank you, Commissioner Hernandez. Thank
[2:04:44]
you mayor. I may not be so kind. And with all due respect to
[2:04:49]
everyone here today, who where can somebody point out to me
[2:04:52]
with this intersection is on that neighborhood, the
[2:04:57]
hypothetical situation in that. And that's the problem that we
[2:05:00]
have hypothetical. It's not reality. And like I said, I'm
[2:05:05]
not going to be so kind because we're trying to fix a problem.
[2:05:08]
And all I have is ideas. And the idea doesn't say, you need
[2:05:12]
to do this there, you need to do this there. These are all
[2:05:15]
hypothetical and with let me finish before you, before you
[2:05:18]
say anything. This is beautiful. So anyone that looks at this
[2:05:22]
that says, oh wow, they're going to fix this problem. And
[2:05:25]
then you look at the reality of what's there on the ground.
[2:05:28]
There is no room. There is no intersection like this in that
[2:05:31]
neighborhood. So that's the that's what I see as a problem.
[2:05:36]
Is everything you're saying in your report is correct? Where
[2:05:41]
is the ability to fit that with the constraint that the area
[2:05:46]
has that's missing? Unless you can correct me if I'm wrong,
[2:05:50]
which I would love to be able to do that because that would
[2:05:53]
fix the problem. But the constraints that we have in
[2:05:56]
that neighborhood, we have businesses that are overrun
[2:06:00]
because of the vehicles that they have, because of the trade
[2:06:02]
that they have. It doesn't address that one way. Yes, it
[2:06:07]
would solve some of the problem. It doesn't address how we're
[2:06:09]
going to get parking. I look at this easily in that picture.
[2:06:13]
It's a five foot six foot sidewalk. I see green space,
[2:06:16]
and then I see parking on the other side. I see parking on
[2:06:19]
the other side and a sidewalk. We don't have enough right of
[2:06:23]
way to do anything like that. So please, please enlighten me
[2:06:26]
if you don't mind. And the reason that I like to be able
[2:06:29]
to be enlightened is because I have another area just north of
[2:06:32]
Johnston Street, on the east side of 21st Avenue that would
[2:06:36]
be able to be helped by something like this if we have
[2:06:39]
an innovative way of doing it. But right now, just even this
[2:06:43]
picture right here, tell me where this is in order to be
[2:06:46]
able to get something like that done, I would love to hear
[2:06:49]
these two reflect the existing right of way. And what we did
[2:06:53]
is that we took existing conditions and we, instead of
[2:06:57]
being specific on a particular intersection, we took
[2:07:01]
conditions, existing conditions for multiple ones. So if you
[2:07:04]
see, for example, there. And then we have another example,
[2:07:07]
okay, no, go back, go back to that one because yes, I know
[2:07:10]
you. I'll wait till you get there. That one. That's the
[2:07:15]
long term vision. The vision. Where is that intersection that
[2:07:19]
well, that like I said, this is a compilation we did respect.
[2:07:23]
We did show the existing right of way of all, most of the east
[2:07:27]
west streets are 50 foot right of way. So that does reflect
[2:07:31]
the 50 foot right of way. And it does show existing
[2:07:36]
conditions that we saw in different locations, with
[2:07:39]
suggested implementations and improvements that can be done
[2:07:43]
at, at, at different places. Our study does suggest to
[2:07:46]
conduct a proper study specifically for each street,
[2:07:52]
determining what the street and what priorities they need, and
[2:07:55]
what improvements can be done in the ground. Right now, our
[2:07:58]
study suggests some ideas for improvements, but it's not
[2:08:02]
specific to a specific intersection or location. It
[2:08:05]
just suggests specific recommendations for
[2:08:09]
improvements. I understand that, and I can tell you that before
[2:08:12]
we had the study and before we actually went and got the
[2:08:15]
comments from everybody in the area and the residents and
[2:08:18]
people at large, we knew that. We knew that those issues need
[2:08:21]
to be addressed. What we were looking for, at least from from
[2:08:25]
my perspective, is how can and and by the way, this is not an
[2:08:30]
attack on on you or the company we need. We needed this. But
[2:08:33]
what we're looking for is clear light of what needs to be done,
[2:08:38]
where, how to achieve that. It would be up to us, but we don't
[2:08:42]
have that information because please take. Good. Let's go
[2:08:45]
back to the other one. Yes. Sorry, but let's go back to the
[2:08:49]
other one. We we have a specific examples on page 48 of
[2:08:55]
the full report that do show each one of the, you know,
[2:09:00]
identified street types that we defined. And we do have
[2:09:05]
examples of each one of them. It's like, I, like I said, it's
[2:09:09]
not specific to like a specific intersection, but it does guide
[2:09:14]
you to improvements to blood streets, which are, sorry, to
[2:09:23]
blood streets, the short term, mid-term and long term, how
[2:09:26]
they can build up. It has examples of you rehashing the
[2:09:31]
presentation. I got it, I saw it, and I agree with your
[2:09:34]
presentation. I'm just saying I you're correct, Commissioner.
[2:09:38]
And all we're asking is for something how to resolve the
[2:09:41]
problems that we currently have. The presentation addresses the
[2:09:44]
issues, addresses what can be done, but where can we do it?
[2:09:47]
And the the intent of the master plan study was not to.
[2:09:52]
And I used the word site specific. It's probably the not
[2:09:55]
exact right term, but it's not to give specific details on how
[2:10:01]
to solve each of the items identified in the matrix, It's
[2:10:08]
to pull together a holistic matrix of everything that has
[2:10:12]
to be done, and then staff will move forward with each of those
[2:10:16]
items. It's an intent of the master plan. Wasn't to say this
[2:10:20]
should be 50ft, two feet, five feet. It was identifying all of
[2:10:24]
the collective risks, visions and way to move them forward
[2:10:30]
holistically for the area at once. Because we know that
[2:10:33]
we've tried some individual items out there to address some
[2:10:38]
of the concerns, and independently, those items have
[2:10:42]
not worked. And you and I understand that, and I get it.
[2:10:45]
And I'm not trying. Like I said, I'm not bashing the information
[2:10:48]
you're bringing forth because it's forth. But I'm going to
[2:10:51]
give you a an example of what I would be looking for. If you
[2:10:58]
give an engineer a space and you need, I need to be able to
[2:11:02]
put this here. They drove up and they engineer a way to be
[2:11:07]
able to put whatever it is that you need in that space, which
[2:11:10]
is, I thought that what we were looking to do, we have a
[2:11:14]
constraint in an area because of the business and the quality
[2:11:18]
of business or the type of business that are there. And
[2:11:22]
yes, you have brought up a study that says, these are all
[2:11:26]
the problems that are wrong. These are the problems how to
[2:11:29]
fix it, but it doesn't tell us how to fix it. That's correct.
[2:11:32]
And so my my point is, I thought that the study would be
[2:11:36]
to be able to tell us how to fix you. We have very smart
[2:11:39]
individuals who work for the city. They know that that area
[2:11:42]
was a problem. The whole elected body knew that the area
[2:11:44]
was a problem. We all knew what we would like to see. This is
[2:11:48]
what we got here. How do we see that? That's what's missing
[2:11:51]
here. So we spend all kinds of money for something that we
[2:11:54]
already know. That's how I see it. And so again, we need to be
[2:12:00]
able to be site specific as to what we can do in certain areas.
[2:12:05]
It talked about gravel lots. Yes. I understand that gravel
[2:12:09]
lots currently are illegal. We don't allow them. We can maybe
[2:12:13]
we can do asphalt millings. We can. Where can we identify one?
[2:12:17]
Because one of the things that we would like to do from the
[2:12:20]
commission, and I'm speaking from the Commission and please
[2:12:23]
correct me if I'm wrong here, is to be able to identify areas
[2:12:26]
where we can improve that particular district. And that
[2:12:29]
means if there's a particular corner that it's empty or a lot
[2:12:32]
that it's empty somewhere, it could be identified and maybe
[2:12:36]
on a private setting, this lot may need to be purchased for
[2:12:40]
the city, for parking, for the people that work in that area
[2:12:43]
so that everybody can park there. And this way, maybe the
[2:12:46]
parking department can go purchase that and charge those
[2:12:49]
individuals to work there to be able to park in that lot. Those
[2:12:52]
are the ideas that I thought that this study was going to be
[2:12:56]
able to bring back to us, not something that we already
[2:12:59]
recognize. And like I said, no disrespect, you guys were given
[2:13:01]
a task and you brought up a task. And I get it. And it may
[2:13:05]
be more cumbersome than, than what you guys have been paid.
[2:13:08]
Because this is tedious in nature. You're going to have to
[2:13:11]
go block by block, business by block, and identify what needs
[2:13:14]
to be done. And that may be our job to do with staff. Overall,
[2:13:18]
I love what I saw. What is disappointing is the fact that
[2:13:22]
you have pictures of some of the residents are looking at,
[2:13:25]
oh, that's what it's going to look like, and there's no way
[2:13:28]
to get that picture because we don't have the space in the
[2:13:31]
roadway. Even though we may have 50ft, we may have 50ft of
[2:13:34]
right of way, which is ten feet of swale. On each side you have
[2:13:38]
the road that is 12.5ft or something like that. So you may
[2:13:41]
have the the space, but you don't have the space to draw to
[2:13:45]
do what it's actually there. Overall, I love the
[2:13:48]
presentation. I think the ideas are great, but how do we get
[2:13:51]
there is the part that I would like to hear. And, and that was
[2:13:54]
the on the end where Cameron summarized our our action items
[2:13:59]
staff will be putting together those action items collectively
[2:14:02]
and bringing those individual tasks forward. And what and
[2:14:05]
what I'd like to see more of is maybe working with engineering
[2:14:09]
as well to identify which roads, which streets, the street
[2:14:13]
hierarchy you would like to see to be one way. Because in order
[2:14:17]
to alleviate some of the issues that we have, there is going to
[2:14:21]
be the design of the road to have where they're going, and
[2:14:25]
also working with code enforcement to do the
[2:14:28]
enforcement that it's needed because some of the residents,
[2:14:31]
they are there, they have to traverse through there are
[2:14:34]
going insane because they can't do it because some of the
[2:14:38]
operators don't care. They're parked in the middle of the
[2:14:40]
road. And then there's some business owners that are
[2:14:42]
related with tow truck companies. They tell you right
[2:14:45]
on the wall, no parking here. And if you park on there as
[2:14:49]
well, which is public property, and they're not paying for it
[2:14:52]
within three minutes, you have a tow truck there trying to tow
[2:14:55]
your car. No. Lift it, I seen it. So these are the things
[2:15:00]
that we love to be able to fix. And like I said, this is the
[2:15:03]
area that was picked first. But there's an area just north of
[2:15:07]
Johnson Street, east of 21st Avenue in my district that has
[2:15:11]
very similar problems. So whatever we learn here, we
[2:15:15]
would try to implement there. And the business sector, I'm
[2:15:18]
trying to do something similar on the south side of Jackson
[2:15:23]
Street in downtown Parkside, and you guys are helping me
[2:15:26]
with that, and I'm grateful for it. In order to try to one way
[2:15:29]
and generate more parking, we all learning on this thing, but
[2:15:32]
I see beautiful pictures and I say, well, how do we get there?
[2:15:35]
And I just can't, I can't see that. And that, and that is one
[2:15:39]
of our short term items that we'll be working on. So we
[2:15:42]
could program it, fund it, and prioritize and program the
[2:15:44]
projects within the staff workloads and tasks. And by the
[2:15:47]
way, for the comment with the mayor's family owns property
[2:15:50]
there or not, I don't think that unless they own 90% or
[2:15:55]
more than 50% of the property there, it's relevant. I think
[2:15:59]
that we have a problem in a business district that needs to
[2:16:04]
be addressed. So whatever it takes to address it, I'm in
[2:16:08]
support of do that. And that may be why I'm coming off a
[2:16:11]
little harsh and critical, because I want to make sure
[2:16:13]
that that area survives and thrives, because I see the
[2:16:18]
commercial areas in the city of Hollywood has been minimized
[2:16:21]
and minimized, making way for residential. And the business
[2:16:25]
people in the city of Hollywood don't have a place to go, and
[2:16:28]
they need to have a place to go, and they need to have a place
[2:16:32]
to operate. And the better we can do it, the better business
[2:16:35]
that they will have. And in the long term, the better tax base
[2:16:38]
that the city of Hollywood has to approve. Motion to approve.
[2:16:42]
Second. This is just a presentation, but I don't know
[2:16:45]
if you know, we're asking for a motion to approve so that staff
[2:16:48]
will work forward with the short term, medium and long
[2:16:50]
range items like the ones you've discussed. I'll move to
[2:16:53]
approve. And that way we can work with Mr. Hernandez budget
[2:16:56]
and departments, who has also cued in to speak next
[2:16:59]
Commissioner. Second, it for the record. Okay. Vice Mayor
[2:17:02]
Cleary. Sorry, not that I wouldn't, but I just don't want
[2:17:06]
to take credit for something I didn't do. So I agree with part
[2:17:11]
of what Commissioner Hernandez had brought up. I didn't see
[2:17:17]
some of the things that I was expecting to see in this report.
[2:17:21]
Maybe I just missed it, maybe I was, but I thought we were
[2:17:29]
going to. Improve this industrial area through change
[2:17:38]
in zoning and abandonment of uses, but I didn't see ideas on
[2:17:46]
different zoning changes and stuff like that. In the
[2:17:52]
presentation. AM I was I expecting something we didn't
[2:17:55]
have that one of the one of the long term items is to evaluate
[2:18:00]
the land use and zoning for some of those areas, but it we
[2:18:04]
have to start somewhere. And right now we were looking to
[2:18:08]
start on the short term, immediate wins that we've
[2:18:12]
identified in the task list, which is starting to get
[2:18:15]
excitement around the area, visioning, bringing the the
[2:18:20]
businesses together more so that they're. We're bringing
[2:18:25]
placemaking and identification to the area and also looking at
[2:18:29]
the, the street hierarchy, working within the existing
[2:18:32]
pavement boundaries to identify if there could be one way if
[2:18:36]
additional on street parking can be captured long term,
[2:18:39]
would be. Do we need to look at the land, use the zoning. Do we
[2:18:43]
need to look at those other items and work outside of the
[2:18:47]
existing pays paved asphalt. But. So the specific
[2:18:53]
recommendations on rezone from this to that that is not in
[2:18:58]
there. And that was not what the intent of this was. So I'm
[2:19:01]
not an urban planner, but I thought that we should be
[2:19:08]
adjusting the uses before we start to come up with one way
[2:19:15]
streets or how much more parking we need, because long
[2:19:21]
term, as you put it for zoning changes, requires long term. It
[2:19:27]
requires abandonment of uses. And so the sooner we do that,
[2:19:32]
the sooner we get the change in uses. And then we can work on
[2:19:37]
the one weighing of streets and additional green spaces or
[2:19:42]
additional parking. Because unless we because people could
[2:19:46]
speculate and start buying properties, as has been alluded
[2:19:49]
to, based on the current zoning and current land uses. And if.
[2:19:57]
And then we are faced with Bert Harris. If we are improving a
[2:20:03]
neighborhood, stimulating interest in the area and
[2:20:09]
speculators, and then we change zoning and we're stuck with the
[2:20:13]
zoning that we have now instead of zoning that we want. So
[2:20:18]
while I don't have a problem with approving this today, I
[2:20:20]
think we need to bring back a zoning and land use changes as
[2:20:26]
soon as possible before we start losing the opportunity to
[2:20:30]
get those zoning and land use changes. I mean, unless you
[2:20:33]
could explain to me why I'm wrong, which I'm perfectly
[2:20:37]
acceptable. Commissioner. Thank you. And and yes, it is pretty
[2:20:43]
rare that we don't touch a zoning. The reason why you
[2:20:46]
don't see it specifically there is because you already had a
[2:20:50]
very well written economic study previous to this, and
[2:20:56]
with the help of our economist, we also saw how important this
[2:20:58]
area is for as an economic engine for both the city and
[2:21:02]
the county. So what we did is we established a long term
[2:21:07]
vision that would allow for the study of the land use evolution.
[2:21:12]
But building on on the success that you currently have and
[2:21:15]
seeing how things trickle over time, because changing land use
[2:21:19]
right now would had potentially, as you alluded to, a negative
[2:21:24]
effect on both the, the land values and potentially having,
[2:21:31]
having businesses go out of business. And I'll tell you, I
[2:21:36]
promised that I wouldn't bring it up, but I worked on the
[2:21:39]
master plan for Wynnewood. And I can tell you there's a lot of
[2:21:42]
successes there, but there's a lot of things that happen very
[2:21:46]
rapidly that we could not foresee. One of the things that
[2:21:50]
we wanted to make sure with this project is that we would
[2:21:53]
protect through land use and through through a long term
[2:21:57]
evolution of land use and implementation of
[2:22:00]
infrastructure. Over time, the protection of your businesses
[2:22:03]
and the evolution of of the businesses themselves. But
[2:22:06]
building on what they are today and seeing how they can evolve,
[2:22:10]
you know, slowly and in a, in a, in a healthy way. Does that
[2:22:15]
answer your question? Because I don't want to I don't want to
[2:22:18]
tell you, I don't want to, I don't want to mislead you,
[2:22:21]
first of all. And number two, I believe working with your with
[2:22:25]
your staff that the what the report does, it establishes
[2:22:30]
something in a very careful and very well thought manner for
[2:22:34]
that evolution of your uses. Okay. And and I'll go, I'll,
[2:22:40]
I'll do one more. Yes, we could have been more specific with
[2:22:46]
the rights of way and the areas and the distances. Yes. We
[2:22:50]
could have proposed zoning changes. I love your your
[2:22:54]
comment on on well, if you ask an engineer how to do something,
[2:22:58]
they'll give you this very specifics. I'm an engineer. No,
[2:23:02]
no. Well, and you're absolutely right. They might have. The
[2:23:06]
thing is, when you ask an engineer to find a recipient
[2:23:12]
for water, they'll give you the most efficient thing. And it'll
[2:23:16]
probably be something cylindrical. What this project
[2:23:20]
does is it begins to try to understand why are you what are
[2:23:25]
you using the water for? What options do you have? How does
[2:23:30]
that recipient fit within the context of Hollywood? So yes,
[2:23:34]
you could have gone over the first step of understanding why.
[2:23:38]
And yes, you could have gotten all those answers. And yes, you
[2:23:41]
could have gotten all the zoning changes that we could
[2:23:44]
potentially propose because trust me, I could propose a
[2:23:46]
bunch of those. But first you needed to understand, and first,
[2:23:49]
we needed to establish what was needed and give you a path
[2:23:53]
forward that then your staff can take little by little,
[2:23:57]
carefully and understanding what the. Both context and
[2:24:00]
reality of the time are. And again, I, we have a lot of
[2:24:06]
ideas on how to change those roads. And yes, I can imagine
[2:24:09]
here, you know, many other things. But I think that what
[2:24:12]
we've put forward for you is a menu of options and a path
[2:24:16]
forward that you can work with your staff, not with us
[2:24:20]
necessarily, but with your staff, and take it apart and
[2:24:24]
ensure that whatever steps you take are very meaningful. And
[2:24:28]
they, they, they approach the problem that you have in front
[2:24:31]
of you, not necessarily an overhaul of the whole thing. I
[2:24:35]
hope that that I am not an engineer. I am not an engineer,
[2:24:41]
but my daughter is a mechanical and an aerospace engineer. And
[2:24:44]
some of the questions that you talked about, an engineer may
[2:24:47]
give you where the space goes. They actually look at first
[2:24:51]
what that space is going to do, and what they're installing in
[2:24:55]
there is going to help to make that happen. So they are very
[2:24:58]
thorough when it comes to that. So I try not to argue with my
[2:25:01]
daughter because of just that. So but yes, I have nothing
[2:25:05]
against them. Takes it out on us. It's nothing against
[2:25:09]
engineers. It's just that we came at this with the guidance
[2:25:12]
and help of your staff from from from 30,000ft. Right. And
[2:25:17]
I think that's the right approach. You look at it from
[2:25:19]
the big picture and try to be holistic, and then help you
[2:25:22]
begin to narrow things down to the solution that you need,
[2:25:25]
that that was the purpose of the of the project. So I'm
[2:25:29]
going to, I'm going to finish with just a couple more points.
[2:25:32]
Anybody can answer if you're available. But I love the idea
[2:25:38]
of one weighing and creating some diagonal parking along
[2:25:41]
these streets, because that will cure some of the parking
[2:25:44]
issue. It doesn't cure the flooding issue. So and what I'm
[2:25:53]
going to propose is going to be expensive, but can we do
[2:25:56]
somewhat like the downtown area on these streets if we one way
[2:26:01]
them and do paver parking so that you have that permeable
[2:26:05]
area and then we pay for it through creating a C, D, D. Or
[2:26:11]
turf block. But you know, I don't, I don't I'm going to
[2:26:15]
reiterate, I don't agree with gravel parking anywhere. I
[2:26:20]
think it's just it's going to not improve the esthetics of a
[2:26:24]
neighborhood by allowing gravel parking. But can we do what the
[2:26:30]
city attorney can we create a C, D, D or do we need voting by
[2:26:33]
the property owners or. I mean, we didn't do it for we did a
[2:26:39]
voluntary vote for the North North Emerald Hills Improvement
[2:26:45]
safety Improvement District. Like we we did the voting just
[2:26:50]
so that we can get shade for making the decision. But don't
[2:26:54]
we have the ability to create a C, D, D, or some kind of
[2:26:58]
improvement district for Washington Park industrial area?
[2:27:00]
We're very happy to look into that and let you know what
[2:27:03]
we're able to find. We're I'm happy to to have my office look
[2:27:08]
into that. You don't need support. We'll look into it.
[2:27:11]
Okay. Thank you. And that's it. Thank you. So, Damaris, the way
[2:27:22]
in which the discussion is going on with the City
[2:27:25]
Commission, and they're talking about concepts and they've gone
[2:27:28]
beyond the envelope of this particular master plan
[2:27:31]
presentation, even though I'm not required to abstain from
[2:27:33]
voting on this. I think I just want to avoid even the
[2:27:36]
appearance of a conflict of interest. And I'm going to just
[2:27:39]
step down. I'll pass it to step pass it to Vice mayor to
[2:27:42]
complete the item. And this way they can have their discussion
[2:27:45]
because they're going beyond just the vision plan. And so
[2:27:47]
I'd feel more comfortable just erring on the side of, of.
[2:27:51]
Absolutely. The appearance of, of any conflict allows you to
[2:27:54]
abstain. Thank you. Thank you. Of course. Tracy. Who's up next?
[2:28:02]
Okay. Go ahead, Commissioner Shuhan. Oh, Lord have mercy. He
[2:28:08]
exited the meeting. Yeah. Thank you, I got it. I don't need you
[2:28:18]
much of what I was going to say. Commissioner Hernandez said. I,
[2:28:23]
I agree very much that I think it looks good. I think it
[2:28:29]
provides direction. I guess my wish or my disappointment is
[2:28:34]
that we don't have something today to say yes for the next
[2:28:38]
step. I mean, we have we're going to approve this, it
[2:28:41]
sounds like. But is there money that you need? Is there more
[2:28:47]
direction that you need? I feel like these surrounding
[2:28:51]
residents have been living with unacceptable conditions for
[2:28:55]
decades, and we should be doing more faster. And so this is the
[2:29:01]
exact this is the kind of the the uncomfortable part here is
[2:29:06]
we haven't done master planning, you know, in a little while.
[2:29:09]
And so the intent of this is to identify the items that we need
[2:29:14]
to work together to program within the departments, whether
[2:29:18]
it's funding, staffing or just within our workload to bring
[2:29:23]
them forward. So what we have on the screen now is our four
[2:29:26]
next steps, where we're going to start to move the short term
[2:29:29]
recommendations forward, and then evaluating some of the
[2:29:32]
medium and long range. The intent of this isn't there's
[2:29:35]
not going to be change overnight, but the intent is
[2:29:39]
how do we have change over time so that we start to see
[2:29:42]
tangible results? And what are the quickest, fastest items we
[2:29:45]
could do. And that is what has been identified and laid out in
[2:29:49]
the implementation matrix. Okay, so we will be coming back to
[2:29:54]
you with funding and prioritizing and putting those
[2:29:57]
together. Okay. And I understand that your department
[2:30:00]
has been extraordinarily busy. So a concern is and you know, I
[2:30:05]
don't want this to sound disrespectful for any master
[2:30:11]
plan that's ever come through. But we have a lot of plans. We
[2:30:13]
have a lot of plans that don't get implemented. And this one,
[2:30:17]
I think it sounds like and we'll see how the vote goes,
[2:30:20]
but it sounds like we're all in favor of this as a good thing.
[2:30:24]
But it it has to start happening. And then my only
[2:30:28]
other comment is, is code. And I think that much of the
[2:30:33]
predicament that this community and this area finds itself in
[2:30:37]
is over a very long number of years, there has been lax code
[2:30:43]
enforcement. And so things that are not allowed, have been
[2:30:46]
allowed to the point that we're afraid to not allow them
[2:30:49]
anymore. I'm not an expert in the neighborhood, but that's
[2:30:51]
what it feels like. Like people just abuse the situation
[2:30:54]
because it's never been forcefully enforced. And so I
[2:30:58]
think that one, the one thing that we can do today is not put
[2:31:03]
these businesses out of business with enforcement, but
[2:31:07]
come to some agreement with the business owners that we're
[2:31:10]
going to enforce things. I mean, I only hear about residents
[2:31:14]
that can't get through these streets, and they're concerned
[2:31:18]
that emergency vehicles can't get through these streets. I
[2:31:20]
mean, these are real worries, right? If somebody's trying to
[2:31:23]
get their kid to school or get their kid to the doctor and the
[2:31:27]
streets are blocked. I mean, we're not doing our job as a
[2:31:30]
city. So I think I appreciate what Andrea's saying about
[2:31:33]
starting on this. But in the meantime, we have to come up
[2:31:36]
with some enforcement that allows the businesses to
[2:31:40]
operate and allows the residents to live peacefully
[2:31:44]
and successfully to be able to get where they need to go
[2:31:47]
without the concern. So like I said, I'm not an expert in the
[2:31:51]
area, but the one thing I hear about are these block streets
[2:31:54]
business owners not giving up any care to the residents that
[2:31:58]
surround it, feeling like they have the priority over these
[2:32:02]
streets versus the residents when really, you know, the
[2:32:05]
residents are are very, very important and their concerns
[2:32:09]
have to be addressed. So that's my request, I guess, Giovanna,
[2:32:12]
is to maybe have some sort of meeting with these businesses
[2:32:15]
and say, this is what we're doing and we're going to really
[2:32:18]
enforce this. Now, in between when our planning department
[2:32:23]
keeps us moving through these next steps. And until then, the
[2:32:26]
burden is really on on code to keep the residents safe in this
[2:32:31]
in this area. So that's it for me. Thank you. Next in the
[2:32:37]
queue is Commissioner Quintana. Do it. Okay. Okay. Yeah, I, I
[2:32:44]
was actually sticking to what was in the plan. So thank you
[2:32:47]
for all of those of you who have come up with ideas about
[2:32:50]
how to fund the future. And I was really focusing much more
[2:32:55]
on the short term and mid-term actions that are in the
[2:33:01]
implementation matrix. So, I mean, that said to the
[2:33:08]
conversation about code, believe me, Roger and I speak
[2:33:15]
every day. I don't know how else I can say how much was
[2:33:19]
spent on the sidewalks that are on the linear park on State
[2:33:24]
Road seven on fDOT that is currently being used by the car
[2:33:30]
dealerships to to drive their cars over the landscaping and
[2:33:38]
onto the sidewalks, and then taking pictures from State Road
[2:33:42]
seven to sell their cars. And so I want our small businesses
[2:33:48]
to continue to operate the community. The surrounding
[2:33:54]
community does not want to lose its identity as a working class
[2:34:01]
community. They want to continue to have blue collar
[2:34:05]
workers be able to be in the Washington Park community. They
[2:34:09]
don't want that to change, nor do I. What I was seeking was
[2:34:15]
coexistence, mutual respect between the heavy auto uses
[2:34:22]
that are going on in the industrial park and the other
[2:34:27]
business types that are in there. I'm talking about
[2:34:30]
business to business, mutual respect that does not currently
[2:34:35]
exist. And then certainly the big trucks that come through
[2:34:41]
delivering the vehicles from the dealerships that drive
[2:34:45]
through the residential neighborhoods, that no sooner
[2:34:48]
does Joseph Kroll's department catch up a road that within two
[2:34:53]
months, big holes are there again, because you've got these
[2:34:56]
huge trucks that are using them daily for delivery of vehicles.
[2:35:02]
I was just looking for a way that we could have mutual
[2:35:06]
respect happen within that industrial area. And I also
[2:35:13]
want to then point back to what in The matrix, it seems to me
[2:35:17]
like the most intractable parts of this challenge. So this area
[2:35:21]
was unincorporated Broward until 1963, when Hollywood then
[2:35:26]
took on the area. What was there before was a trailer park
[2:35:31]
and it became it took away housing, but it then became
[2:35:36]
industrial and commercial use. This has been this way for an
[2:35:43]
awfully long time, since 1963. And if this was an easy to
[2:35:49]
solve problem, I would think by now somebody would have solved
[2:35:53]
it. It's an intractable problem. The parts that are most
[2:35:56]
difficult are in that those three center blocks that if you
[2:36:01]
could bring the map back up, guys, that has the hierarchy of
[2:36:06]
streets, that interior part, it seems to me like the most
[2:36:12]
challenging part. So the thing about painting the the thing
[2:36:19]
about painting the facades, not all the stuff that's in the
[2:36:23]
short term, under vision and identity, none of it would cost
[2:36:26]
anything. In addition, and I know that that's part of what
[2:36:29]
staff took into consideration is what can we do without money
[2:36:33]
to get it going? And I think that's all fine and dandy. I
[2:36:37]
kind of get the sense that unless the property owners
[2:36:40]
there take an interest in improving their facades and
[2:36:44]
having a cleaner environment, it isn't going to happen. Right.
[2:36:48]
And so I'm kind of deemphasizing all that part
[2:36:51]
because obviously they haven't done it yet. And it's not like
[2:36:55]
they're not making money that they could clean up their
[2:36:58]
properties as it stands, but they haven't done it yet. I'm
[2:37:02]
deemphasizing all of that. Of your vision and identity
[2:37:06]
recommendations, the one that I think we should follow through
[2:37:09]
on is managed change at the edges, not the core. So there's
[2:37:14]
an easy win if you focus on 56th Avenue, on Washington
[2:37:21]
Street, on State Road seven and Pembroke Road. As a first step,
[2:37:26]
what can we do about improving that outside core, how that
[2:37:29]
looks? That's where I think we could get some quick wins. It's
[2:37:35]
still going to be ugly in the middle unless we get property
[2:37:38]
owners in there to care, but at least the outside core won't
[2:37:43]
look so bad. I would like to suggest in the section that
[2:37:47]
says Street Design, Mobility and Infrastructure, I would
[2:37:51]
like to see us focus on. You already said it. Adopting the
[2:37:59]
street hierarchy framework and considering initiating a
[2:38:05]
traffic study to assess limiting truck and commercial
[2:38:09]
vehicle traffic on residential roads. I'd like to move from
[2:38:14]
mid-term to short term, where it says develop a comprehensive
[2:38:21]
street condition and needs assessment so that you can
[2:38:25]
prioritize the repair and repaving of residential streets.
[2:38:29]
Again, I mean, Joseph is patching them, but we're not
[2:38:33]
actually repaving them. And I guess we'll see how long they
[2:38:38]
last with the big trucks driving over them if we spend
[2:38:42]
the money on that. But I'd like to move that into short term,
[2:38:45]
because those roads are in terrible condition where it
[2:38:48]
says, prioritize sidewalk improvements and repair.
[2:38:53]
Referencing the proposed street hierarchy. So we'd be putting
[2:38:57]
sidewalks in repair, emphasizing it on the four
[2:39:00]
green areas in the map. I don't know that it's worth trying to
[2:39:05]
fix sidewalks in the interior core right now. When all the
[2:39:08]
cars are parked over the sidewalks and anything and
[2:39:11]
everything else they can park over. So again, I'm not even
[2:39:17]
touching the long term. I was just focusing on the short term
[2:39:20]
and mid-term so that you guys could know where to get started,
[2:39:25]
where under street design and mobility infrastructure, again,
[2:39:29]
please move to short term developing and adopting
[2:39:34]
strategies to increase water permeability in the public
[2:39:38]
right of way. So this is a prone to flooding area. When
[2:39:48]
public Utilities did the. Sewer and new water lines, there was
[2:39:58]
not really a vision to improve the drainage. And because of
[2:40:02]
all of the hoopla that that was raised, they somehow managed to
[2:40:07]
improve some areas of drainage in there. But it's still really
[2:40:11]
bad. I go through there at least three times a week, and
[2:40:16]
the flooding is I mean, I have video, I'm not going to show it,
[2:40:19]
but it's like waves in a place with heavy auto uses where
[2:40:26]
there are auto chemicals. Okay, so I think that proper drainage
[2:40:33]
should be a priority. So whatever we can do in the
[2:40:36]
places where we know the water puddles, I think that should be
[2:40:40]
a priority. And then I guess I'll stop with that because
[2:40:45]
wait, is there another one? Yeah, I made reference to it
[2:40:49]
this morning as the last thing I'll say. I made reference to
[2:40:52]
it this morning. If we can somehow encourage in these
[2:40:57]
outer core the things like maker where people are
[2:41:05]
manufacturing, making something, it can be in a small setting,
[2:41:09]
but some some place where people can. I know of places
[2:41:16]
where they have something that's called repair clinics,
[2:41:20]
DIY repair clinics, so that people could come to a
[2:41:23]
storefront and learn how to repair lamp, learn how to
[2:41:26]
repair a sewing machine, learn what they can do to change
[2:41:32]
their own oil. Perhaps even so, things that would encourage
[2:41:37]
that, that identity as a blue collar, hands on kind of
[2:41:42]
environment. But we could create businesses that are
[2:41:45]
consistent with that in the outer core. So I'll stop. I
[2:41:49]
don't want to monopolize the conversation, but I again, I
[2:41:51]
want to say I'm grateful that we're even thinking about this
[2:41:56]
because what I was told when I first brought this up, this
[2:42:01]
will never change. It's been like this for decades. Nobody's
[2:42:06]
figured out a way to do it. It's going to take a long time,
[2:42:10]
I said, but if we never start, we never will. And if you just
[2:42:14]
say it's never going to change and throw up your hands and say,
[2:42:18]
forget it, that's how we got to where we are now. So I'm not
[2:42:21]
expecting it to be overnight. I don't want to throw any
[2:42:24]
business owners into a panic. I don't want to throw the the
[2:42:27]
neighborhood around it into a panic that they're getting
[2:42:30]
gentrified and kicked out of their neighborhood. I don't
[2:42:32]
want that to happen, but I do want us to know that it doesn't
[2:42:37]
have to be this way. There are other ways that we can do this,
[2:42:42]
and we should not give up on the opportunity. I'll stop.
[2:42:46]
Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner Quintana. It's
[2:42:50]
your district, so you should speak up about it so no one is
[2:42:53]
monopolizing your time. If you have more to say, go for it.
[2:42:56]
Thank you. I'm good for now. So I was in the queue, but I'm
[2:43:00]
going to go ahead and take the privilege. I know that
[2:43:03]
Commissioner Hernandez is up to speak after, but I think a lot
[2:43:06]
of know Kevin done. He's done. Yeah. So I think that we have
[2:43:15]
talked about in a micro vision years about this area primarily,
[2:43:22]
as Commissioner Shoham said, code, code, code, because that
[2:43:25]
seems to be the biggest issue. And we got nowhere for a long
[2:43:28]
time. It was an unsafe area. It was a police haven, if I'm not
[2:43:33]
mistaken, to go in there because there were a lot of not
[2:43:38]
so friendly usages going on in that area as well. So it was
[2:43:43]
almost like a micro type of addressing and starting just
[2:43:47]
with code. But this to me is a macro because it shows a vision.
[2:43:54]
It shows a way that we can get where we need to be. My only
[2:43:59]
critique, I guess, would be and not disrespectfully, but we
[2:44:02]
have so much advancement with AI and technology that if you
[2:44:07]
go back to the slides that you showed the streets and it
[2:44:11]
reminds me of, I'm kind of going backwards, but you bring
[2:44:14]
it forward, right? You have this what it is now you have an
[2:44:18]
overlay to show what the future will look like. So, you know,
[2:44:21]
it's like the, the process. So you see where it is now, like a
[2:44:25]
current time photo and then what it could be with an
[2:44:29]
overlay showing the underneath and then vibrant appearance of
[2:44:33]
how that would be because it's very hard if you're not a
[2:44:36]
picture, like I need to see it to believe it. And right now,
[2:44:40]
this is wonderful ideas, but it's not reality for me, that
[2:44:46]
would be my only suggestion. And, and it's great for the
[2:44:49]
public to see what the future could bring. I don't think we
[2:44:52]
want to push out the small businesses in that area either.
[2:44:55]
It's very important that we actually have the pips and the
[2:44:59]
hips and the ships and all the type of projects that we have
[2:45:03]
to help generate these businesses to give them an
[2:45:06]
opportunity to enhance their businesses, make them more
[2:45:11]
appealing. Curbside appeal. I think that that's an
[2:45:14]
opportunity that we can seek. Don't we have that right now
[2:45:17]
available? And maybe we have to do some outreach and and really
[2:45:22]
get them involved to make sure that the improvements are made
[2:45:25]
as well. But I think that there is light at the end of the
[2:45:28]
tunnel. I think that this is a really great start, and I think
[2:45:32]
that this is something we've needed for a while. So thank
[2:45:34]
you, Commissioner Quintana, for being the squeaky wheel, which
[2:45:37]
we always say is so important. But now we have to put the
[2:45:40]
rubber to the road and make sure that we move it forward.
[2:45:43]
And so I know that there's a motion on the floor. I'm going
[2:45:46]
to go ahead and allow Commissioner Hernandez and then
[2:45:48]
Commissioner Gruber, and I guess we'll go ahead and take a
[2:45:51]
vote. Commissioner Hernandez. She's not on yet. She's here.
[2:46:01]
There. One more. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Vice Mayor.
[2:46:04]
Actually, it the door has been open for us to look at the
[2:46:07]
outer versus the inner. As a business owner and someone who
[2:46:13]
don't have any property in this particular area, I can tell you
[2:46:17]
that my idea is completely contradicting to yours, rather
[2:46:21]
than to eliminate the business and have the residential thrive,
[2:46:26]
give the people from the residential the ability to make
[2:46:29]
money out of their property and make that a business district
[2:46:33]
so that you don't have both. You don't have we? Well, you
[2:46:37]
said that you would rather focus on the main street and
[2:46:40]
the outer cause as a start. As a start, I understand my, my,
[2:46:43]
you, it won't work that way because, for example, Pembroke
[2:46:47]
Road, I've been after the department for years to do
[2:46:51]
something to change the zoning of Pembroke Road. Pembroke Road
[2:46:54]
has mostly 25 foot lots, and then you have to amass so many
[2:46:57]
of them. Then you don't have the depth to be able to have
[2:47:01]
any business that can sustain, because it doesn't have the
[2:47:03]
ability to create the parking necessary for the business that
[2:47:06]
you have there. So you have a conflict no matter what you do.
[2:47:10]
Now, if you take a block behind that, some of the residential
[2:47:14]
block and you create a buffer, then you can have a larger
[2:47:18]
business doing on Pembroke Road, similar to what Pembroke West
[2:47:22]
Park has done. They've actually rezoned two blocks south of
[2:47:29]
Pembroke Road to be commercial in nature in order for them to
[2:47:32]
be able to allow larger development to take place. It's
[2:47:36]
not anywhere near where they want to go, but they've taken
[2:47:39]
the step zoning wise to be able to do it this way. There's a
[2:47:42]
buffer before it gets into the residential. In this particular
[2:47:46]
district, you have a great deal of commercial that has taken
[2:47:51]
over some of the residential. And I can tell you the by
[2:47:55]
firsthand experience, what happened with the regional
[2:47:57]
activity center with Iraq that took place on east of 21st
[2:48:02]
Avenue, west of Federal Highway, where you had a mixture of both.
[2:48:07]
When we rezone every all of that to a regional activity
[2:48:10]
center. If you had a commercial use that you were using and you
[2:48:14]
sold it and you stopped using it for that for more than three
[2:48:16]
months, you lose your ability to do that similar to 24th
[2:48:20]
Avenue. And it created a stagnation of some of those
[2:48:22]
lots because people didn't pay the money that they paid for
[2:48:26]
commercial, supposedly, and then find out that it was
[2:48:29]
residential. We have worked through some of those kinks,
[2:48:32]
but working on a 1 to 1 basis is time consuming, painful for
[2:48:38]
both for the property owner and the staff in order to be able
[2:48:41]
to achieve something. So if we're looking to see what the
[2:48:44]
long term vision is of that particular area with the
[2:48:48]
density that you have on commercial uses, I would say I
[2:48:52]
would rather have, since the shrinking, the commercial
[2:48:56]
properties in the city of Hollywood's have shrunk,
[2:48:58]
particularly with the regional activity center. I would
[2:49:01]
venture to say I would rather see this as a commercial
[2:49:04]
district. And the properties that are residential in nature
[2:49:07]
right now, and the people have the ability to sell cash in on
[2:49:10]
a higher value. Those properties. Let's draw up what
[2:49:15]
we really want to see with the proper parking, with the proper
[2:49:19]
drainage and the proper business model. So then them
[2:49:22]
can actually thrive. And then we can work backwards on this
[2:49:25]
one that we have, which is smaller property. And they're
[2:49:28]
actually abusing their, their, their stay, if you would,
[2:49:33]
because they're parking in the middle of the road. And if
[2:49:35]
you've been there, as I have, when a flatbed tow truck is
[2:49:38]
unloading two cars, because they got one on top and one on
[2:49:41]
the back, and you tell them, hey, I got to get around you, I
[2:49:45]
whatever, no, whatever you would want to hear from a
[2:49:49]
sailor, you would hear from this. I have and and so have I.
[2:49:52]
So my point is. And then you you have to test your patience.
[2:49:56]
So we need to address that and code and police because I
[2:50:00]
wouldn't suggest just to send a code officer out there without
[2:50:03]
having the police nearby, because those people get nasty.
[2:50:07]
And yes, the truck driver may have the ability for 15 minutes
[2:50:10]
to do this, but sometimes they're really smart. They park
[2:50:14]
right next to the other guy who is on the other side of the
[2:50:17]
street, and they block the road. And when they're unloading cars
[2:50:20]
and they're blocking the road, God forbid that any emergency
[2:50:23]
vehicle has to go through there. It ain't happening without them
[2:50:27]
having to move that. And that's time that it takes away from
[2:50:31]
somebody's potential life threatening situation. So we
[2:50:34]
need to address this. But I think that the larger picture
[2:50:36]
is I love what they presented, but we as a commission need to
[2:50:40]
address this. What do we really want to have a residential area
[2:50:44]
in the middle of a commercial district that will be in
[2:50:48]
conflict for years and years to come, or do we want to change
[2:50:51]
this to a commercial district? And that's more than the
[2:50:54]
presentation that it's here. But that's the long term vision
[2:50:57]
as to what we want to do. And if you want Pembroke Road along
[2:51:01]
that area to thrive, we need to be able to change the zoning
[2:51:04]
because I've been here since 1974 and even since back then,
[2:51:10]
the city of Hollywood had a growth management department.
[2:51:13]
That's what it was called. Because we're landlocked, we
[2:51:15]
can't grow anymore, and nobody was willing to take that on. At
[2:51:20]
some point, we have to, if we want the city with that
[2:51:23]
particular area to prosper. Otherwise, you're encouraging
[2:51:26]
the same thing to happen. And no matter what we do with the
[2:51:29]
street, no matter what we do with code, no matter what we do
[2:51:32]
with those businesses, they will still live in conflict
[2:51:34]
with those residential area. That's how I see it. And I and
[2:51:38]
I appreciate what you're trying to do, but I think we need to
[2:51:41]
maybe look at it from a different perspective, allow
[2:51:44]
this to take place, and then bring it back to us and see
[2:51:46]
what we really want to do with the whole district, with the
[2:51:49]
whole area. Because basically from 56th Avenue, that's 56th
[2:51:54]
Avenue and Washington Street for 41 Pembroke Road. That box
[2:51:59]
right there, that area right there is what we're talking
[2:52:02]
about. And if you look at it and you count, there's a heck
[2:52:05]
of a lot more businesses in business zoned areas and
[2:52:09]
properties than there are residential just food for
[2:52:12]
thought, something to talk about. So that was my question
[2:52:15]
to Andre is how many residential properties are
[2:52:17]
within that area? I asked her that, but I'm not sure. I'm not
[2:52:21]
sure I understood the answer because it didn't I didn't
[2:52:24]
think it was very much. But we're going to let's come.
[2:52:27]
Let's go ahead and stay in the queue and give Commissioner
[2:52:30]
sorry. And then we can come back to you. Okay. That's fine.
[2:52:33]
You're absolutely right. Thank you. Okay, Commissioner Gruber,
[2:52:35]
go ahead. Thank you. I was under the understanding like so
[2:52:40]
I went to one of the one of the outreach meetings. I think,
[2:52:43]
Commissioner Quintana, you were there with me and it got really
[2:52:46]
heated. I mean, the residents, you know, they're dealing with
[2:52:49]
what they're dealing with with the the impact of the
[2:52:52]
businesses, especially a lot of the automotive ones that are
[2:52:54]
that are, you know, taking up the streets and whatnot. And
[2:52:57]
then but some, you know, the business owners were there too
[2:53:00]
passionate about their family owned business with their kids.
[2:53:03]
And, you know, at, at the meeting. So, you know, it's,
[2:53:08]
it's one of those unique situations where you have a
[2:53:11]
residential neighborhood kind of embedded in this industrial
[2:53:15]
commercial area. And I guess the challenge is to figure out
[2:53:19]
a way for it to be a cohesive, you know, kind of marriage over
[2:53:26]
there. I was under the understanding that code has
[2:53:28]
cracked down pretty hard. I know personally, I've gotten
[2:53:32]
calls from business owners there that they said, you know,
[2:53:37]
they've been parking in the Swale for years. They have
[2:53:39]
automotive and all of a sudden they're getting towed, they're
[2:53:42]
getting violations and what's going on. So I thought we were
[2:53:45]
kind of already we've already on step one of doing that has
[2:53:48]
that has that improved the situation there? I don't know
[2:53:51]
which who on staff would be able to answer that, answer
[2:53:54]
that question. So for the last 3 or 4 years now, we have been
[2:53:58]
cracking down on the Washington Park area between code parking
[2:54:01]
and the police department, basically. So, you know, we
[2:54:04]
have made a tremendous progress in our opinion. You know,
[2:54:07]
everybody every comment that the Commission has made is
[2:54:09]
accurate. Where there is every use is within that area. And my
[2:54:12]
apologies, I also forgot Hollywood Fire also has gone
[2:54:15]
out there with us. Also, in the last six months, we have taken
[2:54:20]
a different approach where we did put down some some lines to
[2:54:24]
kind of encourage folks to park within the lines, had them keep
[2:54:27]
outside the lines. And in addition to we recognize that
[2:54:30]
some of the, the tenants there are, are the ones that are
[2:54:34]
causing some of the issues basically, you know, so we try
[2:54:37]
to find a different way to, to give those or encourage those
[2:54:40]
tenants to, to behave appropriately. And in addition
[2:54:43]
to working with HPD, I believe that we're, we're changing some
[2:54:46]
habits out there. But again, you know, there are a few of
[2:54:49]
them that are not, you know, compliant so well, and we have
[2:54:52]
to change our tactics. So I believe with this study, it is
[2:54:55]
a combination of efforts and approach that we kind of have
[2:54:58]
to do out there in that area. It is a systematic area that's
[2:55:01]
been there for decades. And, you know, I believe the team
[2:55:04]
that's here now at the city are the right team to be able to
[2:55:07]
tackle this, this, this systematic issue that's been
[2:55:09]
there, you know, so I believe the study does identify some
[2:55:12]
short term short term plans, some long term plans. And, you
[2:55:15]
know, with the team that's all behind me. I think we're all
[2:55:18]
trying to work towards that short term plan. While the long
[2:55:21]
term plan vision is being worked out right. I, I'd like
[2:55:24]
to hear that that, you know, you can do you can enforce so
[2:55:27]
much, but there's also to educate and then to meet with
[2:55:30]
business owners like this specific business owner, he's
[2:55:33]
30, 40 years he's been in business. He's always parked a
[2:55:35]
few cars on the swale, not in the road. And then to all of a
[2:55:39]
sudden out of the blue, you know, have it where you can't
[2:55:42]
park there. And I get it. You were never supposed to. But
[2:55:45]
these business, these businesses had their businesses
[2:55:47]
succeeding that way. And that's not to say parking in the
[2:55:51]
middle of the road. So I like the fact that we're engaging
[2:55:54]
with them. It seems to be moving in the right direction.
[2:55:56]
So I would hate to give there's, did we say 458 businesses there
[2:56:00]
and almost 2000 employees. So a lot of them are small
[2:56:04]
businesses. I wouldn't want to change use. I would, you know,
[2:56:07]
I wouldn't want to give anyone the impression that we're going
[2:56:10]
to put them out of business. These are the small business,
[2:56:13]
the backbone of our city. We want we want these these small
[2:56:16]
businesses to succeed. I also would like to try to be able to
[2:56:19]
keep the residents there. So I think on a long term, I like
[2:56:23]
the vision and a short term, it sounds like we're moving in the
[2:56:26]
right direction from what you just said. Yvonne. So I'm in
[2:56:30]
favor of this. It is a work in progress. It's a work in
[2:56:34]
progress. It takes a long. You got to change some really old
[2:56:37]
habits and business models that that rely on those habits. So,
[2:56:39]
you know, we got to be creative to figure out how how we can
[2:56:43]
help them succeed. Yes. So thank you. You know, I'm just
[2:56:46]
kind of hearing the, the discussion amongst the, the
[2:56:51]
commission and as you said, you know, this area didn't develop
[2:56:55]
to this point overnight. It took a long time to get here,
[2:56:59]
and it's going to take a little while to reestablish the vision
[2:57:03]
and move it forward. I think what I'm hearing is there is
[2:57:07]
support for about six of the items to be reprioritized, so
[2:57:11]
that staff now knows what we need to focus on. And then the
[2:57:15]
last item was correct, correct? Yes. Because the motion was
[2:57:20]
made, there was some discussion, but it sounds like, you know,
[2:57:24]
the focus on. The priorities back up. The focus was to the
[2:57:31]
the to manage the edges, to focus on that area in terms and
[2:57:37]
de-emphasize a little bit of the vision and the identity,
[2:57:39]
and to look at the edges in terms of the zoning and what
[2:57:43]
could be done there. It was to look at the street design and
[2:57:46]
move that up in terms of looking at the water
[2:57:50]
permeability, and it was to prioritize some of the sidewalk
[2:57:53]
on the four green areas on the outer edges, look at the street
[2:57:58]
conditions and needs assessment, the framework, the traffic
[2:58:01]
study for the mobility. And I think that will give staff the
[2:58:05]
ability to look at programing, look at funding and see what
[2:58:08]
things we can also do without that to start to move some of
[2:58:12]
these initiatives forward. The. This is not a. I understand
[2:58:14]
it's not an easy conversation, you know, for this, but we
[2:58:20]
understand the direction that it sounds like where we're
[2:58:23]
going for this. And that's exactly what we needed here
[2:58:27]
today. Commissioner Shuhan. It's okay. I'll take it, since
[2:58:36]
that way I'm doing it. Sorry. Two things I want to. So that
[2:58:41]
was my exact question. So there was a motion Commissioner
[2:58:45]
Quintana had there was a motion and a second to approve it as
[2:58:48]
is. And then it sounds like, you know, if you want to tweak
[2:58:52]
to some of the things I've talked about, we will
[2:58:54]
incorporate that into it so that we know where we're
[2:58:57]
focusing and where we should be focusing our resources on. So
[2:59:00]
procedurally, what do we need to do to put those tweaks into
[2:59:03]
the motion? A motion to amend the original motion would need
[2:59:07]
to be done, but it would have to be agreed upon by the person
[2:59:11]
who made the original motion. I'm going to interrupt for one
[2:59:14]
second, and there was a late if it's okay, since the mayor had
[2:59:17]
to step out because of the process, I did watch some
[2:59:22]
movement and there is a speaker card that is pertaining to this
[2:59:25]
item. If you guys are okay that we'll listen to that because it
[2:59:28]
may add some light onto whatever we're discussing. And
[2:59:30]
that way we don't have to. Okay, Yaron, you. Again, my name is
[2:59:41]
Yaron. I'm actually a I own around, I'm sorry. I own around
[2:59:46]
30 properties in that exact same location. Yeah.
[2:59:51]
Pinpointing location a these surveys or inquiries with the
[2:59:56]
residents and business owners. I have not got any notice of
[3:00:01]
anything. And I'm there literally every day. And all my
[3:00:04]
tenants have not got any communication with any
[3:00:07]
companies to ask them any opinions. Again, I'm not to
[3:00:10]
judge any companies that are doing this, but I, we we as
[3:00:14]
business owners and the property owners have a little
[3:00:16]
say of opinion of what's going on. And the main here, the main
[3:00:20]
issue here is not only the parking. It's the biggest issue,
[3:00:24]
the drainage and the flooding. Basically, if there's any
[3:00:27]
customers coming to that area, they have nowhere to park.
[3:00:30]
Usually it rains, I don't know, an hour during the day and they
[3:00:34]
park everywhere because they're not going to get into a two
[3:00:37]
foot puddles. It's a disaster starting from the flooding of
[3:00:42]
that area, then going into, again, people coming from out
[3:00:45]
of the out of the city, coming into that little area. And what
[3:00:49]
happens is they don't know the rules, the regulations, if
[3:00:52]
there's any enforcement in in violations or fines to the
[3:00:55]
specific people coming not to the business owners or to the
[3:00:59]
property owners, because the property owners basically, at
[3:01:02]
the end of the day, have to work with the city people to
[3:01:05]
basically comply and put everyone in order. But we as
[3:01:10]
owners get hindered, get violations, and instead of
[3:01:14]
working with us hand to hand to solve the problem. And the
[3:01:17]
problem is the drainage, the parking, and these third
[3:01:21]
parties that are coming in, maybe huge signs for these
[3:01:23]
truckers not to not no trucks going coming through or huge
[3:01:28]
violations to third parties, because everything at the end
[3:01:30]
of the day falls on the property owner. And it's not
[3:01:33]
fair because we're trying to work with the, with it. And
[3:01:36]
again, no, no questions have been done to any property
[3:01:38]
owners. And I know a lot of them, maybe around 60% of all
[3:01:41]
the owners in the area, and they're all on my side, and
[3:01:44]
none of them have been approached for any inquiries of
[3:01:47]
what can we do to, to make things better in the area? I
[3:01:51]
have a question. Since you're here, you're saying that the
[3:01:54]
parking is mainly the parking issue that's in that area is
[3:01:57]
mainly because of the flooding. It it's mostly about the
[3:02:01]
flooding. There's no designated. I mean, the again, the
[3:02:06]
businesses comply because at the end of the day, the the
[3:02:10]
property owners tell them these are the regulations. And if
[3:02:13]
it's a business that is out of norm and they're creating a
[3:02:16]
havoc. Me as a property owner, they're not my tenants anymore.
[3:02:19]
But we're not responsible for third parties. And that's part
[3:02:23]
of the city's reinforcement, you know, to protect us because
[3:02:26]
at the end of the day, it falls back on us. Now, the city
[3:02:30]
should work more closely with the property owners on how to
[3:02:34]
repair the issues, our opinions, because we're on a daily basis.
[3:02:38]
They're they're not there. We are the ones that, you know,
[3:02:40]
see it every day. So I guess our opinions matter on priority
[3:02:45]
because if there's any way to solve it, you know, we can, we
[3:02:50]
can give opinion to. So I okay, so I don't know why you haven't
[3:02:53]
been notified. I think we have a list of who, what companies
[3:02:57]
and we've had outreach. So I don't know where the missing
[3:03:00]
link is at, but I'm glad that you're here today. I think I'm
[3:03:04]
sorry to interrupt. I own seven properties. And within the
[3:03:07]
seven it's 47 companies within those seven companies, 40
[3:03:11]
properties in that exact same area. Perfect. Not even one
[3:03:13]
letter did I get. Because we have people here that are not
[3:03:16]
even one letter, not even one phone call. Zero. Yeah. I'm
[3:03:19]
going to have you meet with code and, and the businesses, I
[3:03:23]
mean, the, the code enforcement knows me very well because I'm
[3:03:26]
there and proactive to solve issues. But there it isn't in a
[3:03:31]
point where they're working directly with us to find a
[3:03:34]
solution. It's there to hinder us because at the end of the
[3:03:37]
day, we have deep pockets. We're going to pay the fines.
[3:03:40]
That's not working out, you know. Okay. Thank you. Okay.
[3:03:44]
I'm going to I know he may call you up, but I have to say thank
[3:03:47]
you and end the time. Okay. Commissioner Hernandez, mayor
[3:03:51]
Levy, you're in big trouble. Oh. Thank you. Could could you
[3:03:55]
please come back up because. After this, vice mayor, could I
[3:04:01]
just speak for a moment? I wanted to clarify my the
[3:04:05]
question on procedural. Yes. You own seven properties and
[3:04:10]
you have 40 tenants. Did I hear you correctly? Yes, exactly.
[3:04:13]
Okay. And you and you said that nobody from code enforcement or
[3:04:17]
the planning department has reached out to you as to what's
[3:04:19]
going on in the area. No, they reach out when they give me
[3:04:24]
violations. I'm sorry. They reach out when they give me
[3:04:26]
violations. It's not. Come. Listen, how can we solve. What
[3:04:29]
can we do? They're not again, I don't I get that just just for
[3:04:35]
brevity, just answer yes or no and what have you. But so you
[3:04:38]
said that planning department has not reached out to you to
[3:04:41]
see how we could fix any of the problems. No, no. And the
[3:04:45]
individuals that are doing the presentation did not reach out
[3:04:49]
to you, sir. And actually, one more thing. You have 2 or 3
[3:04:52]
diagrams there. And I identify exactly what where they took
[3:04:56]
those pictures and they eliminated chunks of buildings
[3:05:00]
for for little parks. What's going to happen to the owners,
[3:05:03]
you know, when they have these spots that they took out? I'm
[3:05:06]
just saying the diagrams don't reflect reality. So I have an
[3:05:10]
issue with some of the drawings either. But here's a question
[3:05:13]
that something that I don't agree with you with. Okay. You
[3:05:15]
said that the issue that the parking is because of the
[3:05:18]
flooding, right? No, as well, on top of that as well. No, no,
[3:05:22]
no, no, no, if I understood you correctly and the vice mayor
[3:05:25]
ask you a question. Not only that, I'm sorry. No, no, let me
[3:05:28]
refrain. Not only that, that you said that the reason the
[3:05:31]
parking is a problem is because of flooding. And I'm going to
[3:05:34]
quote you, people don't want to go through two feet of water in
[3:05:37]
a puddle to get to their right. So this is South Florida and it
[3:05:41]
rains a lot. But you know what? There's a lot of sunny days and
[3:05:44]
I go by there 2 or 3 times a week. So I don't own property
[3:05:48]
there. I don't live there. I don't have a business, but I'm
[3:05:51]
very familiar with it. And even on those sunny days, they still
[3:05:54]
park there. Parking is a huge issue. So you 40 tenants, I'm
[3:05:59]
I'm not going to pick on you or your tenants. I don't know
[3:06:03]
where they parked their vehicles. But the problems that
[3:06:06]
I see there is that the car operating businesses that are
[3:06:11]
there use their designated parking spaces as storage.
[3:06:17]
That's incorrect. That's no, no, I'm not incorrect. You're right,
[3:06:21]
100%. We're just going to say no, no, that's that's, that's
[3:06:24]
also a main issue and 100% correct. No, no, I'm just
[3:06:27]
telling you what I see. Yes you could if you tell me otherwise.
[3:06:30]
You are right. I believe my lying eyes. I believe 100%
[3:06:35]
correct, 100% correct. If the problem is that those
[3:06:39]
individuals using the designated parking for storage,
[3:06:44]
quite frankly, if you have a customer, what do they expect
[3:06:50]
that customer to park so they don't foresee the forest for
[3:06:53]
the trees. So some of the issues is maybe maybe is the
[3:06:58]
tenants own generated problem, right. And we're trying to fix
[3:07:03]
that. And when I have solutions. No, no. Well, when it rises to
[3:07:08]
this level, sometimes we just impose things, right. Because
[3:07:13]
they're abusing that. They're not they're not leaving any
[3:07:16]
spaces for their own customers to park. Correct. So their
[3:07:19]
customers have to park on the street or the guy down the
[3:07:22]
street. I go by there and I see something that I can't believe
[3:07:25]
the code allows, and that is I see property owners that keep
[3:07:29]
their swell very nice, but they have railroad ties blocking for
[3:07:34]
nobody to park on their right. And that's not allowed. But you
[3:07:37]
know what? They got fed up with fighting with everybody else
[3:07:40]
and some of the fights that take place on that thing.
[3:07:43]
People take baseball bats, people take weapons out. People
[3:07:47]
take anything out to protect their little turf. So when it
[3:07:51]
rises to this level, we may have a disagreement up here as
[3:07:55]
to how to fix it. But we all Agree here that it needs to be
[3:08:00]
fixed. And so if the staff has not reached out to you, shame
[3:08:05]
on us. But while you're here, they're going to talk to you
[3:08:08]
and they're going to take your information and they're going
[3:08:10]
to want to sit with you. And do not be surprised. Thank you.
[3:08:14]
And do not be surprised if we ask you, your properties and
[3:08:17]
some of your and see how we can bring those tenants into
[3:08:20]
compliance. So we can use that as an example. And I appreciate
[3:08:23]
you being here. Yes, sir. Yes, but but the key is you come
[3:08:26]
here to communicate. We want to fix the problem. We want your
[3:08:29]
business to be successful. You want your properties to
[3:08:32]
continue to grow. But we also need to do it in a way that the
[3:08:36]
guy down the street can do business as well. You're
[3:08:39]
correct. So I just want to say thank you so much. Thank you.
[3:08:42]
Coming up, I watched the little interaction. Annie. Thank you
[3:08:45]
for thank you for allowing him to speak. And I think that this
[3:08:49]
was a good a good segue to creating a cohesive working
[3:08:54]
environment and to succeed this area, Commissioner Quintana and
[3:08:58]
all of us have strived to do for so long. So God bless you
[3:09:01]
for being up here. Thank you, thank you. And I'm and I'm
[3:09:04]
going to address and don't leave without getting with the
[3:09:07]
people. Of course, I'm here and I'm going to get with the
[3:09:10]
mayors and whatever amendment you may want to do regarding
[3:09:12]
this. I'm in agreeing with trying to change some of those
[3:09:15]
things. But the key is one of those things in particular,
[3:09:18]
which is the changing zoning. It's going to hold everything
[3:09:20]
else up. So that's a concern that I have because, well, no,
[3:09:24]
you said to work on the outer rims, the outer perimeters. And
[3:09:29]
if you well know, if you're going to do anything about
[3:09:31]
Pembroke Road, it's going to require changing the zoning
[3:09:35]
because what's currently out there now, it's not fixable. So
[3:09:39]
I want to ask you before I accept the the amendment here
[3:09:44]
is are you looking to change the zoning to expand the
[3:09:48]
commercial footprint or you want to keep Pembroke Road the
[3:09:51]
way it is? If you look at Pembroke Road, half of the
[3:09:54]
block is commercial and the other half behind it is
[3:09:57]
residential. That doesn't work. If you don't want to address
[3:10:00]
that, then I'm not going to support the amendment. If you
[3:10:03]
want to address that, then I will support the amendment. I
[3:10:05]
just want to talk to you before the amendment comes forward,
[3:10:08]
because I don't want to get into get staff to be into a
[3:10:13]
quagmire where what do they mean, what did not? I want to
[3:10:16]
make sure that we do that. And look, sometimes if you want to
[3:10:19]
make an omelet, you got to break an egg. And my point is,
[3:10:22]
hang on a second, vice mayor. And my point is I want to I
[3:10:26]
want to, I want to support what you're looking to do because I
[3:10:29]
think it's the right thing. But in order to for me to support
[3:10:32]
it, you need to give a little bit and say, okay, you know,
[3:10:36]
from Pembroke Road to the next block over, let's consider a
[3:10:38]
zoning change. And yes, you may affect some of those residents,
[3:10:41]
but you know what? Otherwise you're going to continue to
[3:10:44]
have what you have and you outer perimeter is not going to
[3:10:47]
change. I'm sorry to put you on the spot, but this is I just
[3:10:50]
want to say something, if I can, before you do that, because of
[3:10:53]
past experiences. It's going to be challenging. And I think you
[3:10:59]
need before we make a decision on that, maybe we have to do
[3:11:02]
community outreach. Well, no, no, the zoning goes with the
[3:11:06]
community outreach. We're not voting for any of that right
[3:11:09]
now. But my point is, would you consider that in order for that
[3:11:12]
to take place? Because right now we're hypothetical here.
[3:11:16]
And I think that's the reason why the mayor left, is because
[3:11:18]
we're going outside of the scope of the presentation. I
[3:11:21]
think it's a good idea. And so my point is if if you consider
[3:11:25]
something like that to talk to those individuals whenever
[3:11:28]
they're ready for it, I don't want if you don't do the zoning
[3:11:32]
change on that particular block, I'm not interested because it's
[3:11:35]
not going to change anything. Pembroke Road will continue to
[3:11:37]
be the same thing for the next 40 years. Commissioner, could I
[3:11:41]
ask that if I understand that you're trying to figure out
[3:11:45]
what the amendment might look like, and I think that might be
[3:11:49]
helpful to to stay on the record, how you would frame the
[3:11:53]
motion. And that way everybody knows exactly what it is they
[3:11:57]
would be voting upon, because sometimes we go back to the
[3:11:59]
record afterwards, and I just want staff to know exactly what
[3:12:02]
it is that I'm more than happy to do that after she answers me.
[3:12:06]
Go ahead. Okay. I'm on, I'm on. Okay. Yeah. I am thinking about
[3:12:12]
the individuals that I know personally who live on the
[3:12:15]
backside of Pembroke Road, and that I would not want to make a
[3:12:19]
decision like that without speaking to them first. So, I
[3:12:24]
mean, do we need to amend it? Go ahead. Andrea, please help
[3:12:27]
me out. So so the the item that we're talking about with
[3:12:31]
regards to the zoning along Pembroke Road is actually one
[3:12:33]
of the midterm items to look at. It sounds like in general, the
[3:12:37]
commission has a consensus to move that up, to be looked at a
[3:12:40]
little bit sooner than midterm. I think the parameters of
[3:12:44]
exactly where the line falls for what that is needs to be
[3:12:48]
evaluated as part of that request. I don't the intent for
[3:12:51]
today isn't to be drawing those lines. It's just to say, hey,
[3:12:55]
we all agree. We want to look at the zoning along Pembroke
[3:12:59]
Road and move that up a little bit further in the process. So
[3:13:03]
bright. And that's basically the solution. We hear you. Yes.
[3:13:06]
You bring that towards the forefront. I'm okay with that
[3:13:09]
because then we would deal with that. No, no I'm serious. No.
[3:13:12]
Then we would deal with that in sooner rather shorter term than
[3:13:16]
midterm. Yes. Yes. We okay. Okay. So just to make sure that
[3:13:19]
I'm I'm going to go ahead and refresh my motion. And my
[3:13:23]
motion is to adopt the conditions or the suggestions
[3:13:27]
that Commissioner Quintana has made for that district, as it
[3:13:31]
was stated. And, Andrea, since I know you were taking copious
[3:13:35]
notes over there, can you tell us what that is, including the
[3:13:39]
rezoning of the Pembroke Road to be moved from the midterm to
[3:13:43]
the short term? So it sounds like the commission. Andrea.
[3:13:47]
Just one second, though. Maybe you want to consult with them
[3:13:50]
behind you, because there seems to be some friction going on
[3:13:53]
first before we we. Commissioner. It's also it
[3:13:56]
sounds like a possible solution here may be to keep the current.
[3:14:01]
Oh no. If you keep the current motion. But if the Commission
[3:14:04]
wanted to give direction as to the priorities within. Like how
[3:14:08]
they would like staff to approach it, that's also
[3:14:10]
another way to do it. I want to see what they have, the notes
[3:14:14]
they made, and if that's part of it, it should be, yes. Are
[3:14:18]
you are you popped in? Yeah. Okay. Go ahead. Okay. It sounds
[3:14:21]
like we have a motion and a second on the floor. So
[3:14:24]
anything happens. Now we have to have a either a motion to
[3:14:27]
amend or we have to erase what's on the floor, which it's
[3:14:30]
already on the floor. It belongs to the floor. Yes. So
[3:14:33]
there has to be a motion to amend. Yeah. Just for
[3:14:38]
clarification. My two my $0.02 is in addition to accepting the
[3:14:42]
presentation today. I think that the motion would be
[3:14:48]
whatever the terminology would be for zoning and progress now.
[3:14:53]
Or is that two or is that too severe? Can we just back up for
[3:14:57]
one second here just because I think that we're getting a
[3:15:00]
little bit, you know, ahead and it's very great because that
[3:15:04]
shows that there's general enthusiasm for looking at the
[3:15:08]
recommendations of this study and and trying to move things
[3:15:12]
along. So that is, you know, obviously the purpose of a
[3:15:15]
study is to then take action on it. So what we have before you
[3:15:20]
is a study that you all are considering adopting this study,
[3:15:26]
this, these, this redevelopment program, what Commissioner
[3:15:31]
Quintana has suggested is that there are several items that
[3:15:34]
are in the midterm category of recommendations that she feels
[3:15:40]
should be moved up to the near term, the short term
[3:15:44]
recommendations, am I correct? Correct. And so then there is a
[3:15:47]
little discussion of of the specifics of one of those items
[3:15:52]
that relates to the rezoning of Pembroke Road. Absolutely. What
[3:15:57]
Andrea said, we are not rezoning Pembroke Road. We are
[3:16:00]
not proposing any rezoning of Pembroke Road right now. What
[3:16:03]
you would be doing is just taking some recommendations.
[3:16:07]
The the amended motion. If you all decide you would like to
[3:16:11]
amend the motion, would be that you would be adopting the
[3:16:16]
redevelopment program with an amending it to move some of the
[3:16:23]
midterm recommendations to near term recommendations, and then
[3:16:28]
specifying which ones you think are appropriate to do that. So
[3:16:32]
if I could, I think we should just vote on the motion that's
[3:16:35]
on the floor without amendment, because I think it muddies the
[3:16:39]
waters. And then at the direction of the commission to
[3:16:42]
look into priority priorities. So we're going to go ahead and
[3:16:45]
just take the vote. Now, if that's okay with everyone. Can
[3:16:48]
we just restate the motion? Yes. The motion was to adopt to
[3:16:52]
approve the way it was, the way it is. I seconded the motion.
[3:16:55]
And then once we take that vote, then we can redirect the
[3:16:59]
conversation as direction for the staff to look into, and
[3:17:01]
they can come back with us, which is the best fit needs
[3:17:04]
based on our priorities. Sound good? Okay. And that's and
[3:17:07]
that's what the city attorney thinks we should do. Yes, that
[3:17:10]
we shouldn't. Okay. So we're going to give direction after
[3:17:12]
this. Yes, yes. Yeah. As far as everything else. Okay. I think
[3:17:15]
that's the cleanest way to do it with the vice mayor
[3:17:18]
suggested. There we go. So do I do all in favor? Do you have
[3:17:23]
the roll call? So all in favor, say aye. Aye. Any opposed? No.
[3:17:29]
And I want to vote on the amended version. Well, now now
[3:17:33]
now now we're going to give direction to vote no. And then
[3:17:36]
we're going to come back now and give direction. Okay. And
[3:17:39]
that's not going to be amendment. It's going to be
[3:17:41]
direction of priorities like you stated earlier. But that's
[3:17:44]
not going going to be in the motion to adopt this. Okay. Yes,
[3:17:48]
yes. Okay. So motion passes six zero. And now we can buzz in to
[3:17:55]
add your priorities. Now you can give the directions and we
[3:17:58]
can support it. There you go. Okay. Do I have to go back and
[3:18:04]
read again the which one. Absolutely. And maybe the first
[3:18:10]
one is we want to continue to work with code compliance and
[3:18:14]
educate the the businesses and everyone in the area. I think
[3:18:17]
that sounds like an overarching first priority to continue to
[3:18:22]
look at. And then the second one, yes, okay. One would be
[3:18:28]
the outer perimeters. I think you had mentioned Commissioner
[3:18:31]
Quintana, recommendation 1.6 manage change at edges. Perfect.
[3:18:37]
Thank you. Recommendation 2.1 in street design and mobility,
[3:18:46]
it states consider adopting a street hierarchy framework to
[3:18:50]
improve street function. Yes. I would like to change the let's
[3:18:59]
see. Recommendation 2.5 A traffic study to assess
[3:19:04]
limiting truck and commercial vehicle traffic. I would like
[3:19:11]
to move. Recommendation 2.7 from mid-term to short term. It
[3:19:19]
states develop a comprehensive street condition and needs
[3:19:24]
assessment to prioritize the repair and repaving of
[3:19:28]
residential streets. I would like to move recommendation 2.8
[3:19:34]
from mid-term to short term. Consider prioritizing sidewalk
[3:19:39]
improvements and repair, referencing the proposed street
[3:19:43]
hierarchy framework. And I'd like to move recommendation
[3:19:56]
2.13 from mid-term to short term, it states consider
[3:20:01]
developing, adopting, and adopting strategies to increase
[3:20:06]
water permeability in the public right of way. That's
[3:20:09]
number. That should be number one. And I believe that was all
[3:20:13]
of the changes that I was hoping for. I'm already turned
[3:20:17]
on, so I don't have to buzz in so I can see the queue because,
[3:20:21]
well, if I buzz in, you gotta get turned off. And this way
[3:20:24]
everybody else is already on Commissioner Hernandez. Go
[3:20:26]
ahead. Thank you. One of the the one of the ones you
[3:20:29]
mentioned was 2.7. If I correctly, if we could put the
[3:20:32]
items here so we could see which one we're talking about.
[3:20:34]
If you have the clicker, you can put those on. Yeah. So that
[3:20:38]
we can all see it at the same time. What was it. Oh you
[3:20:42]
passed it really small. Yeah. It's tiny. No we have we have
[3:20:45]
them at the end. So a little bit larger in case we needed to
[3:20:49]
go there. Well we we're there. Okay. Sorry. If you want to
[3:20:54]
just give us one minute. Yes. I'm okay with most of those.
[3:20:59]
There's one that I'm not quite sure of. Because if we decide
[3:21:03]
to go a different route than that, it would be a waste of
[3:21:06]
time for the staff to be looking into that. Is it 2.7?
[3:21:09]
That's one, I believe. So 2.7 says consider developing a
[3:21:11]
comprehensive street condition and needs assessment to
[3:21:14]
prioritize the repair and repaving of residential streets.
[3:21:18]
Correct. Because that doesn't that only goes to the
[3:21:20]
residential street when we just we need them all. Okay, so
[3:21:24]
change it from residential to all. Okay. Which is, which is
[3:21:28]
fine. I just want to be able to do something like that. And
[3:21:31]
that shouldn't be a big deal. The implementation is expensive,
[3:21:35]
but to have the information should not be a big deal, right?
[3:21:38]
If you drive by, you can see where the potholes are. I just
[3:21:41]
wanted to see that it wasn't just 2.7 change to all and well,
[3:21:44]
correct. Got it. So what was it mentioned though was the
[3:21:47]
rezoning the the questioning about the rezoning, the
[3:21:50]
questioning about the rezoning. I believe that was 2.8. 2.8.
[3:21:56]
Consider prioritizing sidewalk improvements and repair,
[3:22:00]
referring to the proposed street hierarchy framework, if
[3:22:05]
I may. I don't want to make this any longer. I just want to
[3:22:08]
make a recommendation. Having been through this several times
[3:22:10]
with several municipalities, I would highly recommend that you
[3:22:12]
let your planning department take a look at it all and come
[3:22:15]
to you with some recommendations of what may
[3:22:17]
change. The reason why I'm saying that is because some of
[3:22:20]
these, the way that they are planned, they're kind of
[3:22:22]
sequential and they have trickle effects. And so it
[3:22:25]
would be beneficial, from what I've seen, to just let them
[3:22:30]
propose something to you and then have a workshop with you.
[3:22:34]
And I'm okay with that. But some of what Commissioner
[3:22:38]
Quintana has mentioned, which is the prioritization of the
[3:22:41]
Pembroke Road, I think that should be I shouldn't be waited
[3:22:45]
on level of hierarchy, should be something that the community
[3:22:48]
needs to be start talking about and giving her feedback as to
[3:22:51]
what they would like to see. Some of these other stuff. The
[3:22:55]
sidewalk. This is all staff is going to be recommending, and
[3:22:58]
I'm sure that the workshop will come to us and discuss it. At
[3:23:02]
the end of the day, I don't have a problem with all of that,
[3:23:06]
except just to change the 2.7 to count all of them. That's
[3:23:09]
all because the same truck that it's tearing up the residential
[3:23:13]
street is tearing up the commercial street. And the one
[3:23:17]
thing that you don't want to have is a truck that needs to
[3:23:20]
go someplace, that gets a citation because he's going
[3:23:24]
someplace and somebody doesn't believe that he's going there.
[3:23:26]
So in the truck, this is the reason why if you minimize the
[3:23:32]
residential to commercial, then the residents are able to cash
[3:23:36]
in on their property and some may not want to sell. And I'm
[3:23:39]
okay with that. But if you make it residential, then you are
[3:23:43]
starting to infringe in the little commercial space that
[3:23:46]
the city of Hollywood have. And City Hollywood needs to have
[3:23:49]
some commercial places for the small business. Small business.
[3:23:53]
Thank you. Hold on. Okay. I support what you were doing. I
[3:23:58]
think you need one more in order for the staff to be able
[3:24:01]
to. I support to the only the only thing I just want to add
[3:24:05]
to that little bit of of terminology is like the RAC,
[3:24:07]
they don't have to sell. But then they're the little, the
[3:24:10]
little house amongst the big sea of. But they don't have to.
[3:24:14]
It just creates some chaos that we've seen already with the RAC
[3:24:18]
adjustment. So you have three to support. You have direction.
[3:24:21]
I think we can call it a day. The mayor can come back and I'm
[3:24:25]
out of the hot seat. Thank you. Thank you. Is he somewhere in
[3:24:32]
the building? Somewhere close. Hey, let's refresh the long
[3:24:39]
discussion. All right. All right. Let's take up. We have a
[3:24:49]
2 p.m. time, certain item, item 32. It is just after 2 p.m.
[3:24:55]
Let's go ahead with item 32, its resolution of the City
[3:24:57]
Commission, the City of Hollywood approving a loan
[3:25:00]
commitment in the amount not to exceed 1.8 million and change
[3:25:03]
consisting of 1.2 million and change in Neighborhood
[3:25:06]
Stabilization Program funds 135,000 in home program funds,
[3:25:10]
half a million home program income funds for the
[3:25:12]
redevelopment of the Hollywood Village. Affordable housing
[3:25:15]
development into Hollywood Vista. Affordable housing.
[3:25:18]
Housing development. This is from the Office of Housing and
[3:25:21]
Community Development. Welcome. Ryan Kohut, the director.
[3:25:24]
Definitely an exciting opportunity for a long time
[3:25:26]
derelict site. So go ahead, Ryan. Thank you mayor, vice
[3:25:31]
mayor, commissioners, city manager, city attorney. We have
[3:25:33]
an opportunity today to take a development right now that is
[3:25:37]
currently abandoned, an affordable housing development,
[3:25:39]
and turn to something that's going to be bring tremendous
[3:25:42]
value to the city. We are asking right now for the city
[3:25:45]
to reinvest one point, approximately 1.8 million in
[3:25:50]
federal NSP neighborhood stabilization dollars and home
[3:25:53]
dollars into the redevelopment of the Hollywood village into
[3:25:57]
Hollywood Vista. Currently, the building is abandoned because
[3:26:03]
it's unsafe. It was abandoned. It was vacated by the Housing
[3:26:06]
Authority and our city building department. The initial loan
[3:26:09]
that was given to the Housing Authority back in 2010 included
[3:26:13]
a $2.5 million loan, which is 1 million in NSP dollars, 870,000
[3:26:18]
NSP and 135 000 in home dollars for the acquisition of the
[3:26:22]
property back in 2010. For approximately 12 years, it
[3:26:27]
fulfilled its commitment to the loan by providing affordable
[3:26:30]
housing for residents that were 50% and below of area median
[3:26:34]
income. Unfortunately, because these dollars come with rent
[3:26:38]
restrictions, the rents are really low. It's an older
[3:26:41]
building that was built in 1967. The cost of maintenance repairs
[3:26:45]
with the low rents led to the building falling into disrepair,
[3:26:48]
and over a period of time, the building deteriorated, became
[3:26:51]
deteriorated, deteriorated over a period of time. The housing
[3:26:54]
authority took several steps to do assessments to determine
[3:26:58]
what it will cost to redevelop this property. In 2001, they
[3:27:03]
hired a company that conducted a thorough assessment to
[3:27:06]
determine what the cost of rehabilitation was at the time,
[3:27:09]
it was deemed unfeasible to rehabilitate this building
[3:27:12]
because of the cost it would take. At that time. They went
[3:27:16]
through several steps, several different iterations, and what
[3:27:18]
happened was they hired a company that relocated the
[3:27:22]
residents that were there within HUD guidelines into
[3:27:24]
other areas, and the building was subsequently closed in 2023.
[3:27:29]
Once the building was officially vacated. What we're
[3:27:34]
asking the proposed development brings new life to a structure
[3:27:38]
right now that is currently underutilized because it's not
[3:27:41]
being utilized for its intended services. So technically
[3:27:43]
speaking, we are technically out of compliance because of
[3:27:46]
HUD regulations. We are still within the 20 year covenant for
[3:27:50]
those HUD dollars that are invested in the property, and
[3:27:53]
it's not being used for its intended purpose. So right now,
[3:27:56]
we need to make a decision to move forward by reinvesting
[3:27:59]
those dollars that are already tied to the project and adding
[3:28:01]
more money so they can achieve this. The proposed development
[3:28:04]
will include eight stories of 118 affordable units, 89 more
[3:28:11]
than we had before, while maintaining the 29 units that
[3:28:14]
are at 50% in the development, you're going to have units at
[3:28:18]
30%, 60%, and 80% of Ami. They're going to be partnering
[3:28:23]
with Htg to make this happen. HTC has already received a sale
[3:28:28]
loan. They've been approved for sale loan to move this project
[3:28:31]
forward. And what it's going to provide us with now is a longer
[3:28:35]
affordability period, an additional 30 years. These are
[3:28:37]
all good things for the city. The federal investment and the
[3:28:43]
public benefit will allow us to potentially resolve compliance
[3:28:50]
issues with the federal dollars that are tied to the project
[3:28:53]
right now, it's not going to be an easy lift, but we have been
[3:28:56]
working closely with Htg in the housing Authority to develop a
[3:29:00]
pathway to really make sure that we fall back into
[3:29:02]
compliance with these dollars. Hctz also work closely with the
[3:29:06]
housing Authority, where they will also reinvest in funds
[3:29:09]
into the development of this project. And on top of that,
[3:29:12]
they need another $500,000 from the city, which would be home
[3:29:16]
program income. To move this project forward. It's important
[3:29:19]
to note that we're using program income, the money
[3:29:21]
that's already tied to the project right now, because the
[3:29:24]
housing authority did pay down their loan. All they owe right
[3:29:27]
now back to the city is about $1.3 million, approximately
[3:29:31]
$1.3 million. We're going to add another 5 million on top of
[3:29:34]
that to help them get there. We're using program income so
[3:29:36]
they can avoid certain federal regulations that could cost
[3:29:39]
this project to go to, to, to that could potentially increase
[3:29:42]
the cost of the project. So the program income aspect of it is
[3:29:45]
important. So reinvesting these dollars and using home program
[3:29:48]
income. On top of that, they've worked closely to work closely
[3:29:51]
with the housing authority for them to also have some skin in
[3:29:54]
the game, to invest some dollars to, to move this
[3:29:56]
project forward. So as we stand here right now, we have an
[3:29:59]
opportunity to turn something right now that's abandoned, not
[3:30:02]
being used for its intended purpose. That's really out of
[3:30:04]
compliance for the city and turned into something that can
[3:30:07]
move the city forward and provide much needed affordable
[3:30:09]
housing. Thank you. Thank you. Ryan. I'll take public speaker
[3:30:17]
cards. And Ralston. Withdraws. Okay. Thank you. Members of the
[3:30:25]
board, Commissioner Biederman. So, Ryan, just to clarify, is
[3:30:32]
the housing authority giving the property to HCG or are they
[3:30:36]
selling it or are they retaining ownership in some way?
[3:30:39]
No, they're selling the property to HCG. Correct. And
[3:30:42]
what are they doing with the proceeds from it. So they are
[3:30:44]
going to reinvest $2 million of those proceeds back into the
[3:30:47]
project. The team is here from HCG and the Housing Authority.
[3:30:50]
They can give you some more information about that deal,
[3:30:52]
but from their purchase sale agreement, they are reinvesting
[3:30:55]
some of those dollars back into the project as a loan. As a
[3:30:58]
loan? Yes, sir. Okay. As a loan. Ours is a loan too, so our
[3:31:02]
money will always be alone because of the federal mandates.
[3:31:05]
But they're reinvesting back as alone as well. Okay. Yeah.
[3:31:07]
Rodrigo, can you clarify? Hello. Good afternoon. Thanks for for
[3:31:11]
considering this item. I just wanted to explain. Yes. The
[3:31:14]
housing authority, the Rodrigo Housing Trust groups, or so the
[3:31:20]
housing authority's land price was $2 million, and they're
[3:31:25]
putting that $2 million back as a loan. So they're not really
[3:31:27]
making money right now, but they're partners of the
[3:31:30]
development. So they're going to get some income during the
[3:31:35]
the development, like the the proforma, the 30 year proforma,
[3:31:38]
they get some income out of that. And we are also investing
[3:31:42]
in money. And the state is investing money and the county
[3:31:46]
is investing money. And the federal government is kind of
[3:31:49]
university like everybody's investing money. It took a
[3:31:53]
village to do this as well. And, you know, we're glad to be able
[3:31:57]
to get everybody out of the problem of noncompliance and
[3:32:03]
provide more housing at affordable, provide much more
[3:32:05]
housing. Okay. Thank you. Elderly. No, it's family. It's
[3:32:10]
family. Youth out of foster care as part of the special
[3:32:15]
needs. Yeah. Just add to Rodriguez point on the. Sorry,
[3:32:22]
just to add to Rodrigo's point on the $2 million purchase
[3:32:24]
price, we're also helping to take on a portion of the
[3:32:27]
outstanding loan balance per our purchase and sale agreement
[3:32:31]
to pay that down. So just an added benefit. And what about
[3:32:34]
the dispute with the city and the housing authority on some
[3:32:37]
of the past due dollars? Sorry, what was that? No. To my staff.
[3:32:44]
Can you repeat the question? And in the past I was made
[3:32:48]
aware that there are there was a dispute between dollars owed
[3:32:51]
to the city with the previous loan and the housing authority
[3:32:54]
as part of this going to be an action where that either gets
[3:32:57]
repaid or it's being waived. Just to clarify, part of this
[3:33:00]
is the actual the actual. Yes, you're right, there was a
[3:33:04]
dispute a while back about what was really owed. After some
[3:33:08]
extensive digging and research, we've identified the actual
[3:33:10]
amount that was loaned to the housing authority, what they
[3:33:13]
paid off, what the city actually owed them to in
[3:33:16]
maintenance fees. We deducted that. We deducted what they
[3:33:18]
paid off. And the actual amount owed to the city is the one
[3:33:22]
point, approximately 1.3 million. That's the actual
[3:33:26]
amount. Yeah. Motion to approve. Yeah. Commissioner Shuhan, just
[3:33:32]
a quick question, Ryan, on the original 29 units and the
[3:33:38]
amount of time that they had to stay at 50%, is that now being
[3:33:46]
extended? The original agreements were for 20 years
[3:33:49]
each. Those that funding required them to maintain
[3:33:52]
housing for 50% or below for 20 years, right? When the building
[3:33:57]
became abandoned, the time clock on that stops. And how
[3:34:00]
many years were we into it at that point? You were into it.
[3:34:03]
We were into it for approximately 12 years. Okay.
[3:34:06]
Right. So we still technically, as per HUD, have eight years
[3:34:09]
left to go on that. Correct. We're going to have to do here
[3:34:13]
to move this forward. And this is where this is a very
[3:34:16]
complicated deal. This is not going to be something easy,
[3:34:18]
because we're going to have to make sure we cross our T's and
[3:34:21]
dot our eyes to make sure we meet every federal mandate.
[3:34:24]
We're going to have to remove the existing Laura, put on the
[3:34:27]
new Laura once they go to construction, closing to add
[3:34:30]
the additional 30 years. So we're stopping it at this point.
[3:34:32]
And then we're going to add another 30 years, not
[3:34:35]
compounding this 30 more years. So you're based on 42 years? No,
[3:34:39]
only 30. Only 30. Yes. So at the end of the only 30 will the
[3:34:44]
rest of the building will still be within their 30. So you're
[3:34:47]
going to have a situation where the 50% complete their 30, 12
[3:34:51]
or so years earlier, then what happens? No, because we're
[3:34:55]
removing the existing. That's a good question. But because
[3:34:57]
we're removing the existing restrictions and guidelines
[3:34:59]
that are governing the current dollars right now and the
[3:35:02]
actions you make today, reinvest those dollars back as
[3:35:05]
program income. They come with a new set of guidelines and a
[3:35:10]
new law for 30 years, starting from the day it opens up. I
[3:35:13]
think so, yeah. Okay. That's and that's, that's the dance.
[3:35:16]
That's what we have to be very careful because you can do what
[3:35:19]
we've been using. We've been relying on our consultants who
[3:35:22]
are very good. By the way, our HUD technical consultants
[3:35:25]
advise us through this deal because it is a very
[3:35:27]
complicated process. The federal side of this is what
[3:35:29]
makes this deal so tricky, because those dollars are NSP
[3:35:31]
dollars and they only have a certain there's certain things
[3:35:34]
you can only do with them the home dollars we could work with
[3:35:37]
because you're allowed to do certain things, but the NSP
[3:35:40]
dollars make it complicated. So we have to make sure that in
[3:35:43]
order for them to close that Laura has to be removed. We
[3:35:46]
have to remove the law. But once you remove the Laura, all
[3:35:49]
those restrictions go away. HUD may frown on that, but. So they
[3:35:52]
have to see what we're going to do after the law is removed to
[3:35:55]
put back in some kind of restriction that protects those
[3:35:58]
federal dollars. And what they're doing actually protects
[3:36:00]
those federal dollars for 30 years. Okay. It looks like HTC
[3:36:02]
wants to add to that, just to clarify. And Ryan, he's not so
[3:36:06]
involved in the Fefc portion of this, but during our
[3:36:08]
application to Fefc for the sale funds, we actually
[3:36:11]
committed to affordability and perpetuity, which means 99
[3:36:14]
years. So all of the units will be restricted, affordable at
[3:36:18]
their different Ami levels for 99 years at the current that
[3:36:21]
what we're seeing now, that 50% Ami level. So we have units, we
[3:36:26]
have a mix, right? So 29 at the at the 50% for 99 years. For 99
[3:36:31]
years. Yeah. Right. All of all of the units, all of the 118
[3:36:34]
units restricted to their, to their levels of affordability
[3:36:38]
for 99 years. Okay, let's vote. And this includes 30%. This
[3:36:42]
includes the private parcel on, on federal highway. Yeah, yeah,
[3:36:45]
yeah, we bought that parcel to make feasible this development,
[3:36:49]
which already owned by us. And it's just great. We have
[3:36:51]
different lures. One lure is going to be with with you guys
[3:36:54]
for the 30 years. But then with Florida housing is for 99 years.
[3:36:58]
And then we have other lures with us with Broward County.
[3:37:02]
Bottom line, it is going to be 99 years with different levels,
[3:37:05]
which is ideal, right? You don't want to be everybody at
[3:37:07]
the same level. You're going to have the 30% Amis, the 50%, 60%,
[3:37:13]
70%. Okay. So you have a first and a second, a motion and a
[3:37:16]
second. Alright. Do we have a motion in a second? You have a
[3:37:19]
recorded. All right. We do. All those in favor, say aye aye aye.
[3:37:23]
Any opposed. Hearing none. Item carries unanimously. Thank you
[3:37:25]
all. Thank you all so much sir. Yeah yeah. All right. Well that
[3:37:30]
helps resolve a derelict building and introduce a new
[3:37:35]
affordable development. So that's great. Hey, Ryan, if I
[3:37:40]
could. What's what's the outlook on where this goes? Now,
[3:37:45]
obviously they have to go through site plan approval,
[3:37:47]
right. Well the Or has that already been done just so
[3:37:50]
they've already been through site plan approval with
[3:37:53]
planning. They've already gone through the actual esthetics
[3:37:56]
portion of it, the art design with with the planning team.
[3:37:58]
And I think they've already went through DRC, if I'm not
[3:38:01]
mistaken. Correct. Yeah. Utilities. Yeah. Yeah. And then
[3:38:04]
you're going to planning Development Board for a site
[3:38:06]
plan approval. Yeah. So they're moving along fairly quickly
[3:38:08]
because they have to, because they do have that sale loan. So
[3:38:11]
there's a timeline that they have to meet. This is why it's
[3:38:14]
important. So it's go go go. What about demolition of the
[3:38:17]
existing building? We should be closing on construction
[3:38:19]
financing for all the sources by February March. So you know
[3:38:25]
as is until then. Yeah, we have to we don't we really don't
[3:38:29]
want to make an alteration to the building until it's
[3:38:32]
actually approved by HUD. I gotcha okay. All good, all good.
[3:38:36]
We are going through we are getting our demolition permit
[3:38:39]
now in anticipation of that because. Okay, I got you. All
[3:38:42]
right. Thank you everyone. We had two items onto our regular
[3:38:46]
agenda today. There's only one item. Before we get to that,
[3:38:49]
let's just go ahead and take care of items 13 and 16 which
[3:38:52]
were pulled from consent. Let's go ahead with item 13. It's a
[3:38:56]
resolution of the City Commission authorizing payment
[3:38:58]
of attorney's fees to Greenspoon Marder, and an
[3:39:01]
additional amount up to 175 K for the fiscal year 26,
[3:39:03]
bringing the total amount for that year to 275 000. Who was
[3:39:09]
the requesting party speaker card? And Ralston and Siobhan
[3:39:15]
McLaughlin. Thank you. I understand this is paying the
[3:39:27]
lawyer meal for 1301 representation on us in
[3:39:32]
appealing to the county as many of the residents who have
[3:39:37]
spoken quite against this. What's it called? Proposal to
[3:39:46]
give away. Public land to a private developer? For what? I
[3:39:53]
will get zero benefit from that. My tax dollars are going to be
[3:39:56]
paying. Not only is that it's insulting that I'm paying a
[3:40:00]
lawyer against the wishes of most of the citizens that have
[3:40:04]
spoken, that my tax dollars, along with other fees, I
[3:40:08]
realize it's only 35% tax dollars pay your salaries, but
[3:40:12]
it's still part of it that we are literally. I don't want to
[3:40:20]
pay for this. I don't want to pay to give away public land.
[3:40:25]
And this is what you're doing. And it's being rushed all the
[3:40:28]
way through. Don't know why, but it all keeps coming back.
[3:40:33]
So we're up 93000 to date, according to the attorney. I
[3:40:38]
don't know when it's going to end now that there's another
[3:40:41]
lawsuit going on with it. I'm sorry, but, you know, beating a
[3:40:46]
dead horse, the horse is not going to get up. Mr. Von. Still
[3:40:50]
here. There she is. By the way, Siobhan, is it Siobhan
[3:40:55]
Mcglocklin or McLaughlin? I known you for many years, but
[3:40:58]
if you're from Brooklyn. But. McLaughlin. All right, so I
[3:41:01]
said it, right. I didn't want to like, you know, some of the
[3:41:04]
Boston people say it kind of funny. Siobhan McLaughlin, 1409
[3:41:06]
Rodman Street. I don't mean to disparage or attack Mr. Meli's
[3:41:12]
very, very accomplished legal talent, but if I'm not mistaken,
[3:41:17]
and he has been very, very kind, he is such a good lawyer. We
[3:41:21]
have actually asked him on a couple of residential things,
[3:41:24]
and he has always been generous and with his time. But if I'm
[3:41:27]
not mistaken, the former city attorney had said that any
[3:41:31]
litigation money fees would be paid by related. So I'm not
[3:41:36]
really sure why the city is on the hook for Mr. Meli and his
[3:41:41]
law firm's attorney's fees and costs. It seems to me that
[3:41:46]
again, he is very accomplished, but he should probably be
[3:41:48]
billing the Perez group related at all and not the city. And so
[3:41:52]
I think you can understand why residents are not happy about
[3:41:56]
paying a law firm or an accomplished attorney as Mr.
[3:42:00]
Meli, but against the interest of many, many citizens. And
[3:42:06]
that we were told when this debacle started that related
[3:42:10]
would be paying the legal cost if something came up. So I hope
[3:42:14]
you will consider that and suggest to Mr. Meli and his law
[3:42:18]
firm that they go to related first. Thank you. Thank you,
[3:42:23]
Commissioner Shuhan. Thank you. Mayor. So as I understand it
[3:42:29]
and I'm going to ask Damaris to the city attorney to explain
[3:42:34]
this to us, I think there's at least four buckets of
[3:42:38]
attorney's fees that have been or will be spent on this
[3:42:41]
project. The first we had, Mr. Zelkowitz, early in the project
[3:42:47]
helping with the contract negotiations, and then I'm sure
[3:42:50]
there's something I'm missing in between. But then we had the
[3:42:53]
issue that I think this is part of, which was the Lupa and the
[3:42:57]
appeal to the county. And then based on our conversation
[3:43:01]
Monday, we have the. Coordination between the
[3:43:08]
existing GU zoning versus the new live local act. So that's
[3:43:13]
three. And then of course, we're engaged in litigation
[3:43:17]
with an outside private entity. So. That my concern is that all
[3:43:26]
really adds up. And we're just seeing this one piece of it. So
[3:43:30]
roughly, do we know what the total expenses have been for
[3:43:36]
outside counsel to date on this parcel? So just so that it is
[3:43:41]
clear the initial contract negotiations were handled by Ed
[3:43:46]
Dion at Nabors. Giblin so that is the first. And also Steve
[3:43:51]
Zelkowitz assisted with that. There has been, as you note,
[3:43:55]
the Bcpc appeal that Mr. Mealy and his firm are handling. And
[3:44:01]
we have asked for assistance in coordinating how we are going
[3:44:05]
to do the hybridization for the process to bring forward to the
[3:44:10]
Commission the site plan and design and these things which
[3:44:14]
have not been done before. So we have sought counsel from Mr.
[3:44:19]
Miley's group, all of that, and the litigation that you
[3:44:25]
mentioned that has been brought most recently is actually being
[3:44:27]
covered by our insurance carrier. So that is not out of
[3:44:31]
pocket funds from the city. So all of that, as currently we
[3:44:37]
can determine, is approximately 160,000, $65,000. It certainly
[3:44:45]
has not exceeded 200. But now we're you're seeking 275,000
[3:44:52]
additional. I am seeking authorization for that amount.
[3:44:56]
We are still in. Currently, in the process of appealing the
[3:45:01]
Bcpc situation, and so I do not know how much that will take.
[3:45:07]
And so I am asking for authority to have that money in
[3:45:12]
case it does take that much to complete the appeal. Okay, so
[3:45:16]
to date, you're saying you've spent 160 000 roughly and that
[3:45:21]
the process we were looking ahead, you want to have the
[3:45:25]
authority to go up to that. 275 yes. Okay. And I also recall
[3:45:31]
very specifically the related group saying that they would
[3:45:34]
bear legal fees. It doesn't really make me feel better that
[3:45:37]
our insurance company is paying that. When there was a
[3:45:41]
commitment on the part of the related group for me, I don't
[3:45:45]
know about all the other stuff, but certainly any litigation,
[3:45:48]
if I remember correctly, that was exactly what they were
[3:45:50]
saying because part of it was based on the the deed
[3:45:55]
restriction. And he stood here and said, if there's any
[3:45:58]
challenge to the deed restriction, we've got you. And
[3:46:00]
so what's going to happen with that? Why should our insurance
[3:46:03]
company pay that? I am very happy to commit my office to
[3:46:08]
looking into that, to seeing if there is a way to recoup any of
[3:46:11]
the monies there. As of right now, that term is not in the
[3:46:16]
contract, though. As you note, that was something that was
[3:46:18]
stated here at the Commission, so we will look into seeing if
[3:46:22]
there's any way to recoup any of these monies. Excellent.
[3:46:25]
Thank you. So for me personally, obviously, I did not support
[3:46:29]
the idea of making this project a live local act, and I don't
[3:46:34]
support spending even more attorneys fees to figure out
[3:46:36]
how to make it a live local act. But I will agree with the
[3:46:41]
comments of miss McLaughlin that I think Dennis Malley is
[3:46:45]
an excellent lawyer, and so it's nothing personal, but it's
[3:46:47]
not something that I would support. So thank you. I also,
[3:46:53]
when this first came up and the city elected to select its and
[3:46:59]
refer this to the carrier, maybe it's obligated to because
[3:47:02]
of certain insurance policies. I also expected the the partner
[3:47:07]
to cover the legal fees, but the city said once the
[3:47:11]
insurance company, you know, is advised of a of a claim, then
[3:47:16]
they have to or they choose to assign counsel. This way they
[3:47:20]
can, you know, ensure that there's adequate representation,
[3:47:25]
you know, looking out for their own interests. So that's what I
[3:47:28]
was told when I, when I inquired myself. And so I left
[3:47:31]
it at that, because that's what apparently was represented in
[3:47:34]
terms of what the insurance policies would expect from an
[3:47:38]
insurer to, to refer. But nonetheless, we still have to,
[3:47:41]
in my opinion, you know, move forward with the item because
[3:47:46]
that's what we've decided to do. And there's a lot of, you know,
[3:47:50]
terms like give away and all that. There's so much hyperbole
[3:47:53]
in there. They use a Joe Biden term that's, you know, so
[3:47:56]
loaded and wrong. And to sit here and rebut every, every,
[3:48:00]
you know, inaccuracy is not something I'm going to do. But
[3:48:03]
certainly this is going to generate for the city
[3:48:06]
significant dollars like nothing else. And today we
[3:48:08]
talked about how the city needs a significant dollars. It takes
[3:48:11]
a few dollars to get to that point. And in this case,
[3:48:15]
there's going to be potentially additional attorney's fees that
[3:48:18]
need to be invested into the ultimate result, which will
[3:48:23]
yield, you know, a significant revenue stream for the city not
[3:48:27]
to repeat every, every, every line item in that. So, so I'll
[3:48:33]
leave it to any others to make a motion litigation. And that
[3:48:38]
is I would like to go back to that video because if there's
[3:48:43]
an opportunity for our insurance company to subrogate
[3:48:47]
that that should happen. I mean, we all know if your insurance
[3:48:50]
company goes out of pocket, it affects your premium. And then
[3:48:53]
to your other point, I mean, we heard this morning from the
[3:48:56]
city manager that, you know, this is and we are not in
[3:49:00]
financial urgency. These are not dire times. So I take
[3:49:03]
exception to the need for this project. I just want to put
[3:49:06]
that on the record. Thank you. All right. Vice Mayor Kolody so
[3:49:13]
so just help me better understand if we have the
[3:49:17]
insurance, it's really no cost to the city. So why are we
[3:49:19]
increasing the amount? Is it because our premiums are going
[3:49:22]
to go up in anticipation? That's a that's a different
[3:49:26]
situation. Greenspoon which is the subject of this particular
[3:49:29]
Reso. And my request for an increase is specifically for
[3:49:32]
the appeal to the county on those issues that came before
[3:49:37]
the Broward County Planning Council. And the litigation was
[3:49:41]
the litigation filed by Keep Public Lands Public. I believe
[3:49:46]
they're called LLC, and a resident of the city, and that
[3:49:52]
is a separate matter. Greenspoon is not is not
[3:49:56]
advising as to that. And they have no part of that litigation.
[3:49:59]
So Greenspoon is is advising to the county's rebuttal, or
[3:50:06]
they're advising the city as to the appeal of BC PCs initial
[3:50:12]
determination, which is now going before the County
[3:50:15]
Commission. And also we have asked them to advise us in
[3:50:20]
crafting the item that will, in the future come before this
[3:50:25]
Commission regarding site plan and design approval and the the
[3:50:31]
concurrence between the Live Local Act and that property
[3:50:34]
being a Goo zoning. So I definitely, I definitely think
[3:50:38]
that we need to revert back to the video and the comments that
[3:50:42]
were made because any type of litigation costs funding, I
[3:50:47]
will tell you, I'm in favor of the development. I was the one
[3:50:50]
who pushed it through. And with any type of legality that has
[3:50:54]
created from that, it needs to be settled. So I just want to
[3:51:00]
make sure that related and their representative
[3:51:06]
representatives hold true to what they said as well, because
[3:51:11]
we shouldn't be spending another penny. This is
[3:51:13]
something that's going to benefit the city in the long
[3:51:15]
run, and it's delay tactics that continue, and it's costing
[3:51:19]
money left, right and center, and we should not be
[3:51:22]
responsible for that because we have done our due diligence and
[3:51:25]
moved it forward. So if we can just please re revisit it, look
[3:51:28]
into it and clarify that before any further movement is made. I
[3:51:33]
I'm not willing to approve the funding today. Okay. Until I
[3:51:37]
have that that solidified as far as who's going to be
[3:51:42]
responsible for the costs. Okay. Thank you, Commissioner
[3:51:46]
Quintana, I was wondering if the in order for me to vote yes,
[3:51:52]
can we find some kind of way to amend the motion so that we can
[3:51:56]
include the contingency of of potentially reimbursing the
[3:51:59]
city for the additional expense? So that I could vote? Yes. Is
[3:52:07]
there a motion or no motion currently? No. But go ahead and
[3:52:11]
answer the question. So can we incorporate in in the motion
[3:52:15]
the language that would seek to find reimbursement from the
[3:52:22]
partner? Yes, you may do that. I don't know how to word it. So
[3:52:26]
you make a motion to approve on conditions of reimbursement
[3:52:29]
from the provider. I make a motion on conditions seeking
[3:52:34]
reimbursement. I'll second your okay, so I'll make a motion on
[3:52:38]
on stipulation that the. Provider, as said at a
[3:52:45]
commission meeting, will cover the cost if it's so, duly
[3:52:49]
represents it. Otherwise we're not I'm not going to approve
[3:52:52]
this today. In other words, come back. In other words,
[3:52:55]
you're approving the item subject to the city seeking
[3:53:00]
reimbursement by the P three partner. Correct. Which was
[3:53:03]
stated. Now if it wasn't stated then it'll have to come back to
[3:53:06]
us and we'll have to think about it that way. But it was
[3:53:10]
stated any legalities. All right. So that's a motion. It's
[3:53:12]
understandable. I'll second that. Okay. There's a motion
[3:53:14]
and a second. Let's continue down the queue with
[3:53:17]
Commissioners Biederman and Hernandez, Commissioner
[3:53:18]
Biederman. So while I understand the importance of
[3:53:26]
getting reimbursed because there was a promise made, I
[3:53:31]
think ultimately the financial burden should be on the county
[3:53:36]
because they're the ones road blocking. They are the ones
[3:53:38]
that are arbitrarily changing maps. So do we in this whole
[3:53:46]
process. I know that with the lawsuit, the plaintiff will
[3:53:52]
ultimately be responsible for our legal fees. If we are
[3:53:57]
successful, because that's the way the law works in Florida.
[3:54:02]
But I think the same thing should be true here. What if we
[3:54:07]
were to be successful in this whole process with the county?
[3:54:11]
The county should be responsible for our legal fees
[3:54:13]
because they're the ones that arbitrarily changed language in
[3:54:17]
the maps. This is currently an administrative process, and
[3:54:22]
attorney's fees for success would not be available in that
[3:54:26]
case. Okay, so basically our attorney's fees would be an
[3:54:28]
investment in the hundreds of millions of dollars that we're
[3:54:31]
going to get to help our neighborhoods. Theoretically.
[3:54:36]
Okay. All right, Commissioner Hernandez, thank you, mayor.
[3:54:41]
And I hate to be technical, but the mayor, as you just answer
[3:54:45]
the question just to answer all those people that don't want to
[3:54:48]
vote because this is an expense. And somebody said, if we get
[3:54:52]
sued, we got you. Well, we haven't been sued by the county.
[3:54:56]
They just made an administrative decision. And
[3:54:58]
based on that administrative decision that actually replaces
[3:55:04]
a legislative body decision that we're challenging. So
[3:55:10]
therefore, nobody has sued us. So if you're going by what you
[3:55:15]
claim or you said that it was there, I wasn't here at the
[3:55:17]
time that the person said, if you get sued, we got you. We
[3:55:21]
haven't been sued. The one time we're being sued. They're
[3:55:25]
representing themselves in that process, if I understand it
[3:55:28]
correctly. So there is nothing for us to be reimbursed when it
[3:55:32]
comes to this particular litigation, if I understand it
[3:55:35]
correctly. Can you correct me if I'm wrong or am I down the
[3:55:38]
right? Thank you. This is not a litigation. This is currently
[3:55:41]
an administrative process that Mr. Mealy is representing us
[3:55:44]
for. Okay. So basically, we're just defending ourselves based
[3:55:47]
on the decision that we didn't think was proper, correct. And
[3:55:50]
I am happy to go back and ask, no, no, no, look, I'm just if
[3:55:54]
anything else, I'm okay, but I'm okay with us defending
[3:55:56]
ourselves when it comes to our turf and the decision that
[3:55:59]
somebody made administratively, that it was supposed to be done
[3:56:03]
legislatively, that's what you call the workaround. You make
[3:56:06]
an administrative decision, then you punt it to the
[3:56:09]
legislative body, and the legislative body says, oh, they
[3:56:12]
made the right decision. Now we're going to table it. And
[3:56:15]
therefore, when you table it with at a time certain, it
[3:56:17]
basically like killing the item. So now we got to go back and
[3:56:21]
ask them, oh, by the way, oh, we want to be heard when it
[3:56:25]
comes to this item because the legislative body needs to make
[3:56:28]
a decision rather than to uphold by paralysis the
[3:56:35]
administrative body decision. But at the end of the day, if
[3:56:37]
somebody said, if you get sued, we got you, we'll pay for
[3:56:41]
litigation. We haven't been sued. We're just defending an
[3:56:43]
administrative process. I just want to make that clear. So I'm
[3:56:46]
okay with voting for this because it's we're defending
[3:56:50]
our our process. That's number one. And if there is a there is
[3:56:54]
a lawsuit, which I know that there is by an individual who
[3:56:57]
feels wholeheartedly because what they think that they're
[3:56:59]
doing is correct. God bless them. I'm okay with it. But
[3:57:01]
that's between them too. I don't believe that we're in the
[3:57:04]
midst of that, even though we're the one who's being sued
[3:57:07]
is being handled by the other side. Is that not correct? We
[3:57:10]
do have our own counsel in that case. We are being represented
[3:57:15]
by Dan Abbott from Weiss Sirota. However, the codefendant in
[3:57:19]
this case is related group, and they are taking the lead on
[3:57:24]
most of the motion drafting and those things. And we are
[3:57:27]
reviewing that and agreeing where it makes sense. Okay. And
[3:57:31]
at the end of the day, if we do not prevail and there's a cost
[3:57:35]
to that, then we can go through what we're going through right
[3:57:38]
now and saying, you said if we were sued, you take care of it.
[3:57:41]
So we would expect for them to take care of it at that time.
[3:57:45]
I'll withdraw my motion. Withdraw. Okay. All right. So
[3:57:49]
was there a second? Yeah. All right. Okay. So I'll make a
[3:57:56]
motion that we actually pay to give you this up to $275,000 in
[3:58:01]
order for you to have the amount of money needed in order
[3:58:05]
to defend ourselves when it comes to the administrative
[3:58:08]
process. Thank you. All right. We have a motion. And second to
[3:58:11]
approve the item, as is Commissioner vice mayor, can
[3:58:14]
you give us an update of where this is at? Because last I
[3:58:17]
heard was supposed to be heard at third last Thursday's county
[3:58:23]
meeting, and it was deferred again. Correct. And so where
[3:58:28]
are we at now? It was brought back on the August 20th meeting,
[3:58:33]
County meeting, as you as you state at that time, it was kind
[3:58:38]
of tabled indefinitely. I know that our city manager has been
[3:58:44]
in contact with some of the county people at the county to
[3:58:49]
see about perhaps putting this back for getting this heard at
[3:58:54]
a time certain. And having spoken with our counsel, that
[3:58:58]
is that is the recommendation at this time that we work
[3:59:02]
through those channels to get this item back onto a county
[3:59:05]
agenda. And the reason why it's going back on the county agenda
[3:59:08]
is because, because at this point in the administrative
[3:59:12]
process, the appellate body that hears our our issue is the
[3:59:17]
county Commission. And by the way, just to answer your
[3:59:20]
question, Robert's rule of orders procedurally, if you
[3:59:24]
table an item indefinitely, that means you kill the item.
[3:59:27]
The item is dead. It's like it never happened. So that's what
[3:59:31]
I mean by the workaround by the county where they actually an
[3:59:34]
individual from the county said, I want to do it on indefinitely.
[3:59:38]
And they did that on purpose for the item to die, which
[3:59:41]
means that it would automatically uphold the
[3:59:46]
Broward County Council's decision to change the zoning
[3:59:49]
that they did administratively. So that's why it's imperative
[3:59:52]
that us ask the county commission to actually hear the
[3:59:57]
item and make a decision. Good, bad or indifferent. It can't.
[4:00:01]
It cannot just be thrown out without giving us a due process.
[4:00:05]
Right now, what they've done is eliminated our due process to
[4:00:09]
be able to defend ourselves. And so therefore, that's why I
[4:00:12]
feel that we need to ask and give direction to the city
[4:00:15]
manager and the city attorney to continue with the process
[4:00:18]
for the item to be heard in front of the county commission
[4:00:21]
and let them make the commission their their
[4:00:23]
administrative body, their the legislative body. So two
[4:00:27]
questions then. One being that it is now being considered live
[4:00:32]
local. Does it even have to go to the county? My understanding
[4:00:35]
is that's the state law. So does it have to go through the
[4:00:38]
county? There are certain there are certain reasons that we
[4:00:42]
feel between staff conversations and legally, that
[4:00:45]
it would be best to to seek the the approval of the maps, which
[4:00:51]
is what our initial ask is here. Request before the BCC, PC was.
[4:00:59]
So we believe that it is in the best interest of the city to
[4:01:02]
continue this matter. There. No. You are correct, though, that a
[4:01:06]
live local action does not necessarily require that this.
[4:01:11]
Go before the County. However, to leave the most options open
[4:01:14]
for the city and put the city in the best position to further
[4:01:19]
negotiate and further determine what is going to happen with
[4:01:22]
that site and on the beach. We believe that it is best that
[4:01:26]
this go back for determination before the County Commission.
[4:01:31]
And who makes that decision? You guys make that decision
[4:01:35]
through the Comprehensive Development Agreement. That
[4:01:39]
decision is on appeals and things like that have been
[4:01:43]
delegated to the city manager through that agreement. Because
[4:01:49]
this is the first time I'm hearing of it. That's why I'm
[4:01:52]
questioning it. I knew that it was tabled, but now I'm hearing
[4:01:56]
additional information. So I'm just kind of taken back for a
[4:02:00]
second that now we're going back to ask for another date
[4:02:03]
for them to hear it to. So I just want to make sure I'm
[4:02:07]
hearing what you're saying. So we're asking after it was
[4:02:10]
indefinitely tabled, which I believe is a violation of some
[4:02:13]
sort, because it kills it. Now we're going back to the county
[4:02:16]
and we're going to ask them to hear it in some certain time
[4:02:21]
frame. And it's all to protect the city because of why?
[4:02:28]
Because this leaves the most options open for the city to
[4:02:31]
move in regards to the site and what we ultimately decide to do
[4:02:37]
there. I mean, we made a decision, though I don't
[4:02:40]
understand that though. We've made the decision, we agreed
[4:02:42]
upon it. We we took a lot of heat, but we felt it was the
[4:02:46]
best decision for the city. So I'm just a little taken back as
[4:02:49]
to how we're back at the county again after it was tabled
[4:02:55]
indefinitely. Like this is just we didn't table it indefinitely.
[4:02:58]
They did. That's what I'm saying. So what's to prevent
[4:03:01]
them from tabling it more what they're doing in what I support
[4:03:04]
and them doing. So I mean, I have nothing to say when it
[4:03:07]
comes to this, but we have to defend ourselves. They just
[4:03:11]
said down the road for you, and I don't think that's proper. So
[4:03:15]
all we're doing is defending our position in front of the
[4:03:18]
county. That's all. And the insurance company is paying for
[4:03:21]
it. Do we have a date of when this will be heard? We do. We
[4:03:25]
do not. We're we would be requesting that it be put on as
[4:03:31]
an item, because it was continued indefinitely. And we
[4:03:36]
have the right to have the item heard. It is my understanding
[4:03:40]
from legal counsel, outside counsel, that if we don't
[4:03:46]
finalize this, it's it's sort of in no man's land, it's just
[4:03:51]
out there. And if at some point we felt that there was a need
[4:03:55]
to appeal this, we would we would then have nothing to
[4:03:59]
appeal because it hadn't actually been decided. So there
[4:04:03]
is a need for some finality, true finality, meaning a
[4:04:07]
decision rendered one way or the other to preserve our right
[4:04:11]
to then appeal. And as you know, there are a lot of different
[4:04:15]
things at play. And when we talk about 111 residential
[4:04:19]
units that were on the land use map, we believe that those 111
[4:04:24]
units are an important piece in the overall conversation. So
[4:04:28]
we'd like to have a decision on that. If the decision goes
[4:04:32]
against the city, then it is a decision and that there is some
[4:04:36]
legal value to having that decision. So, you know, that is
[4:04:40]
the finality of it. And that's we did try to you know, I have
[4:04:45]
tried to reach out to some of you and have this conversation.
[4:04:48]
I think I well, it wasn't in clarification. So here's here's,
[4:04:52]
I guess, you know, for the, the, the opposite side, I guess we
[4:04:58]
should say. So here's where a definitive line comes in, where,
[4:05:03]
where there's a question of the amount of money that the
[4:05:06]
developer was supposed to pay this city. And we've made
[4:05:12]
changes or exceptions or not even exceptions. I guess we're
[4:05:16]
following state rule and law that because of the hurricane
[4:05:20]
impacts that they are deferred the name for it. But I have had
[4:05:25]
several individuals comment or make a statement that out of
[4:05:29]
the goodwill of the of the developer, they should be
[4:05:32]
paying because they believe in the project and the money
[4:05:35]
should come in. But but then here, now on the opposite side,
[4:05:39]
it's not the city that's causing the problem that we
[4:05:41]
should receive the money. It's the county that's causing now
[4:05:44]
the delay and the lawsuits and everything that's involved in
[4:05:46]
it. So I just want to put that on the record. However you guys
[4:05:50]
go, listen, I did what I was supposed to do. I feel
[4:05:54]
comfortable in my decision. I felt it was the right thing for
[4:05:57]
the city. It's going to be at the hands of the. This is
[4:06:00]
playing politics at its fullest capacity right now. I'm very,
[4:06:05]
very, very disappointed. So as much as the opposite side is
[4:06:10]
very disappointed on the project, we have to find that
[4:06:14]
common ground and all we're doing is two separate sides are
[4:06:18]
battling against each other and we are delaying the process.
[4:06:22]
And so I do not feel that the developer should have to pay a
[4:06:25]
penny even by this. A lot of goodwill, especially with these
[4:06:29]
type of tactics, regardless of what they are, good, bad or
[4:06:32]
indifferent. Let the county come up with a date. Good luck
[4:06:36]
to everybody. Hopefully it will get built and it will be a
[4:06:40]
benefit to the entire city, the community center, the, the, the
[4:06:44]
entire thing. And if it doesn't, so be it. But you have to
[4:06:47]
believe in what you do. And I, and I really hope that at the
[4:06:51]
end of the day, all of this just gets settled and we stop
[4:06:55]
with the, the 2000. They should be paying a month and all of
[4:06:58]
this rhetoric because it's all parties involved that are
[4:07:01]
creating such chaos. So hopefully it gets approved. We
[4:07:05]
move forward and just let me know the date that the county
[4:07:08]
will be there, because I will be there. Thank you. All right.
[4:07:11]
We have a motion and a second to approve the item. Last word,
[4:07:14]
Commissioner Quintana. I just wanted some clarification about
[4:07:18]
is it still an administrative bodies decision? When the
[4:07:22]
Planning Council voted to uphold the administrative
[4:07:28]
department's Decision. So by administrative process, I refer
[4:07:32]
to any process that is at the municipal or county level. It
[4:07:38]
is not judicial. This has not been this is there's no suit in
[4:07:42]
state or federal court. This is purely the administrative
[4:07:46]
process. Though these planning staff at the county made the
[4:07:50]
initial determination. Then it went to BC, PC and they made
[4:07:55]
their determination. This is all still part of the
[4:07:58]
administrative process. Now. Our appeal of the BC PC
[4:08:01]
decision is at the county commission level, so that
[4:08:05]
remains administrative. I see. Okay. Thank you. Commissioner
[4:08:09]
Hernandez. Thank you mayor. And this is maybe a rhetorical
[4:08:13]
question. Should a county employee and a county
[4:08:17]
commissioner elect be voting on this particular item? Since
[4:08:21]
we're talking about furthering the legal issues with the
[4:08:27]
county, and I don't mean to put you on the spot. And if the
[4:08:31]
answer is I don't know, let everybody. It's just a question
[4:08:34]
that somebody asked me earlier on today. So far, as a county
[4:08:39]
employee goes, there's no specific financial gain to that
[4:08:43]
county employee in voting here. It is my determination that
[4:08:46]
there's before you say that it is the employee of the city
[4:08:52]
commissioner who has asked the county Commission to table this
[4:08:57]
indefinitely, which practically nullifies the item. So it is
[4:09:04]
their direct employee. And I don't know this to be true or
[4:09:07]
not, and I've asked that person and they haven't answered me.
[4:09:10]
They are an at will employee of that particular commissioner.
[4:09:14]
So it is not landscaping Joe Blow from down the street. It
[4:09:19]
is somebody in a position of of such and I don't care which way
[4:09:23]
it happens. I'm just wanted to put it on the record. Okay.
[4:09:26]
That's all. All right. We have a motion, a second to approve
[4:09:31]
the item. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Any opposed?
[4:09:35]
Opposed. Motion carries. Four, three calorie shoe. And
[4:09:40]
Quintana opposed. All right. Thank you so much. Let's go
[4:09:43]
ahead to citizens comments. It's 510. I'll take the cards.
[4:09:47]
Pat. If you're here for citizens comments that's Pat.
[4:09:50]
She's going to stand up and you can give her your speaker card.
[4:09:53]
You're welcome to speak on any city business. And Ralston,
[4:10:00]
followed by Michael Seltzer. Some really happy good news. I
[4:10:13]
have to thank. Yes. Fall out, but I don't sue. Thank you to
[4:10:21]
every single employee in this city, to staff, to the
[4:10:25]
commission, to top ranking. We actually had parking during
[4:10:32]
early voting. I drove up here ready to battle, trying to find
[4:10:38]
a place to park and by God, there was parking everywhere.
[4:10:41]
It was heaven. So I want to thank. I want to well know it
[4:10:45]
made it much easier for the voters, which it should be. For
[4:10:50]
years I have said, please, why don't you promote the city of
[4:10:53]
Hollywood with upcoming events? They actually did. When you
[4:10:57]
walked into the voting area, there was a thing on the Holly
[4:11:01]
trolley. So it's a start. I'm very grateful that it's a start,
[4:11:06]
but you should be promoting city events, upcoming things
[4:11:10]
well and there and have a table of water. Be proactive. We want
[4:11:16]
participation in voting. So that was wonderful and I
[4:11:19]
appreciate it. The second thing is I couldn't be happier that
[4:11:22]
miss. You are now officially my county commissioner, which I'm
[4:11:27]
quite happy about. So thank you very much. Now let's get to the
[4:11:32]
ugly stuff with the Planning and Zoning department debacle
[4:11:38]
on now overloading the September 8th planning and
[4:11:43]
zoning with, I'm going to say 5 or 6 issues, especially all
[4:11:47]
controversial, mainly 1301 that you've just been discussing.
[4:11:51]
Whether it's tabled or not doesn't matter. The we're going
[4:11:55]
to have a vote in November to see what happens. So I'm I'm
[4:12:02]
sorry, but everything seems to be just getting shoved down our
[4:12:05]
throats whether we want it or not. It's not misinformation.
[4:12:09]
People just don't like the project. I'm sorry. People
[4:12:12]
don't like the project on public land. Okay. The grand
[4:12:16]
old lady. And here's part of the problem with this overlay
[4:12:19]
district for history. Everything I've read. Now, when
[4:12:23]
you do the mitzvah house, the grand old lady, all of a sudden,
[4:12:27]
well, it wasn't deemed historical, so therefore we can
[4:12:31]
do what we want with it. Why then do the rest of us? 840
[4:12:36]
Hollywood Boulevard. 1345 Hollywood Boulevard. They had
[4:12:40]
to jump through hoops to for those properties because they
[4:12:44]
were in an overlay district. They were not declared historic,
[4:12:48]
but their historical properties. That is unfair and not correct.
[4:12:53]
So if we're not going to follow the rules or or all of a sudden
[4:12:57]
claim, well, it's not historic. And so we can now tear it down
[4:13:03]
because they let it go to hell in a hand basket, which is what
[4:13:07]
they did with the grand old lady. I'm sorry. Then get rid
[4:13:10]
of the historic district. I have no problem with that.
[4:13:18]
Michael Seltzer. We got to have. I got to give you a second. I
[4:13:25]
gave you a I got to give you a middle name like Michael
[4:13:28]
Seltzer or Canada Dry Seltzer, or. Come on up, Michael. This
[4:13:33]
doesn't count for my three minutes. But years ago, when I
[4:13:36]
was home sick, I got a call from a man. He said, it's
[4:13:42]
Bromo-seltzer. And I said, you must be kidding. He says, no,
[4:13:46]
I'm your uncle from Cuba. I just got here from Cuba. I said,
[4:13:51]
what? No. And he was actually my grandfather's brother that
[4:13:58]
escaped from Cuba. Wow. Bromo-seltzer. Anyways, wow.
[4:14:03]
This is for Pat. You have to start his time again. Yeah,
[4:14:07]
that was a family moment. A family moment first, thank you
[4:14:12]
for the Acela. It's one more thing that I won't be able to
[4:14:15]
figure out. When I first came to the city, I came to the city
[4:14:20]
hall to change utility stuff and other things, and I walked
[4:14:23]
into the office after I couldn't find it, and I said,
[4:14:27]
what a mess. And then I was here at a presentation, and you
[4:14:32]
had some real estate company with some plans to do a new
[4:14:36]
city hall. And then I said to myself, we need a new city hall,
[4:14:44]
a new city hall, and we need to redevelop this. So I brought
[4:14:50]
you who I felt was the best candidate or client to develop
[4:14:56]
this property. And I brought them not only because of their
[4:15:01]
worldwide talent, but something more important. They have the
[4:15:08]
money. And a grand old guy from Montreal, my friend I bloom,
[4:15:13]
who's a mortgage broker of the of the nth degree, always told
[4:15:18]
me money's important. Then I saw the grand old dam that had
[4:15:23]
to be redeveloped, and I heard that you wanted a five star
[4:15:28]
resort and a five star hotel. And trust me, I know all the
[4:15:34]
developers in South Florida and most of them in New York. In
[4:15:38]
fact, I sold some of them properties, and I reached out
[4:15:41]
to a chap who I thought, and I still think is going to be the
[4:15:48]
man capable of developing that five star property, the hotel
[4:15:53]
and the condo. And then I read, or I tried to read a 500 page,
[4:16:00]
whatever you want to call it, and I stopped at page 30 or 35
[4:16:05]
because I had better things to do with my life, like play with
[4:16:09]
my grandchildren. But there's lots of things there that
[4:16:12]
really disturb me, and I'm meeting with staff in the next
[4:16:16]
few days to get some clarification. So I wrote this
[4:16:20]
to you, and I gave you a few extra copies to give to the
[4:16:24]
staff, so they should be somewhat prepared because what
[4:16:29]
I read really disturbed me and what disturbed me the most of
[4:16:34]
all had to do with a chap named Gary Jaffe in the parking
[4:16:38]
garage. And if you take the time to read it and understand
[4:16:44]
it, at least the way I was told was pretty disgusting in my
[4:16:50]
opinion, and I have no stake in the game with Gary Jaffe, and I
[4:16:56]
might not have a stake with my client, but I brought you two
[4:17:01]
people that are more than qualified. And Michael Seltzer
[4:17:05]
will never do anything to hurt the city, because I always want
[4:17:08]
its best, because this is the place where I think I'm going
[4:17:12]
to die. Well, we all go, right? Have a great night. All right.
[4:17:23]
Started out inspirational with Uncle Rommel, but how quickly
[4:17:28]
we digress. All right. Mr. Is it Yaron Gabay? Yaron, who
[4:17:36]
lives on Dewey Street? Okay. All right. Is that the business
[4:17:41]
owner? Yeah. All right. Okay. Siobhan McLaughlin. McLaughlin.
[4:17:50]
Do you have a story about Rome? Tell us about it. You're from
[4:17:53]
Brooklyn. You can go. Siobhan, I first want to echo Miss
[4:17:58]
Ralston's comments. And congratulations to Commissioner
[4:18:01]
elect to him. It's really a wonderful, wonderful job that
[4:18:04]
you've done. And to say thank you and congratulations. I'd
[4:18:08]
also like to mention that today the 19th amendment was ratified.
[4:18:12]
So it is Women's Equality Day. And I haven't heard a mention
[4:18:15]
of it today yet, but I've been in and out. So we'll
[4:18:18]
celebrating the Women's Equality Day. I am also here to
[4:18:22]
ask that you direct, ask, suggest whichever word you
[4:18:26]
would like to use that the September 8th planning and
[4:18:30]
development item that will deal with the beach overlay be moved
[4:18:34]
to a different date. It is a very controversial. A lot of
[4:18:40]
time was placed by staff, I know, but people are concerned
[4:18:44]
about it and it is not right. Correct. Fair optics, whatever
[4:18:49]
words you want to use, it should be to a separate date
[4:18:52]
with a discreet agenda to discuss that item. You saw what
[4:18:57]
happened at the last planning and development meeting. It was
[4:18:59]
a disgrace. And people stayed after to talk about it. And I
[4:19:04]
think adding 1301, which I think is number six on the
[4:19:07]
packed agenda. So I am urging you to please direct staff to
[4:19:12]
change it. Ask. You were also given, I believe, the
[4:19:16]
instruction that Robert's rules, the maker of a of a motion
[4:19:21]
needs to approve an amendment, and I do not believe that is
[4:19:25]
true. Once a motion is made and seconded, it belongs to the
[4:19:29]
floor and does not need the maker's approval to change it.
[4:19:33]
What you do, then, if I am not mistaken, is you vote down the
[4:19:37]
amendment or you do not second it. So just just a process
[4:19:41]
question. And then finally, some of Commissioner
[4:19:44]
Hernandez's comments seem to want to socialize the loss and
[4:19:48]
privatize the gain. It does not seem fair that the residents
[4:19:51]
are not able to use every tool that is available to them to
[4:19:56]
protest the 1301 project or other projects that they don't
[4:20:00]
like. It seems to me that the administrative process,
[4:20:03]
according or suggested by Commissioner Hernandez, should
[4:20:06]
only be available because it would help the city as opposed
[4:20:11]
to the residents. So this is going to be a fair process. The
[4:20:15]
city can play dirty, talk to the people they want to, and
[4:20:18]
you don't have to like it if we're the residents. But on the
[4:20:22]
other hand, if the residents want to appeal to the county
[4:20:26]
commission, they want to outreach to the planning board,
[4:20:29]
then they should be able to do so and see where it gets you. A
[4:20:33]
lot of this could have been avoided if, as a commission and
[4:20:36]
a body, you had put this to a vote of the residents. So thank
[4:20:39]
you. And again, congratulations, Commissioner Shuhan. Thank you,
[4:20:44]
Rebecca King. And the last speaker is Sylvia Spencer. Good
[4:21:01]
evening. So as you mentioned, my name is Rebecca King and I
[4:21:05]
am a resident of South 24th Avenue between Funston Street
[4:21:10]
and Pembroke Road. I'm here tonight to respectfully ask for
[4:21:14]
continued action regarding speeding, traffic and
[4:21:17]
pedestrian safety along this corridor. First, I want to
[4:21:21]
sincerely thank Commissioner Hernandez for listening to my
[4:21:24]
concerns and bringing the issue forward during today's
[4:21:27]
commission meeting. I also appreciate Sergeant Jonathan
[4:21:31]
Fiala of the Hollywood Police Department Traffic Unit for
[4:21:34]
following up with me and explaining that increased
[4:21:37]
enforcement is taking place and that traffic engineering is
[4:21:41]
conducting studies along the corridor. Over the past year,
[4:21:45]
my family and I have witnessed three major accidents within
[4:21:48]
approximately a two block area. These accidents caused
[4:21:53]
significant property damage and resulted in injuries. One
[4:21:57]
incident was especially concerning. A child and parent
[4:22:00]
had just entered their home when a vehicle crashed into the
[4:22:03]
front of their property. The child had been outside moments
[4:22:07]
earlier. Thankfully, they were inside when it happened, but
[4:22:10]
the outcome could have been tragic. I also have a father
[4:22:15]
who is a senior citizen who likes to take walks, and I
[4:22:19]
regularly see other older residents walking along South
[4:22:22]
24th Avenue. I'm always concerned about their safety as
[4:22:26]
well as the safety of the children, pedestrians and
[4:22:29]
everyone who lives along this road. I understand that
[4:22:33]
accidents happen and that the city needs traffic, data and
[4:22:36]
engineering studies before determining whether measures
[4:22:38]
such as speed humps or other traffic calming solutions are
[4:22:42]
appropriate. I'm not asking for a particular solution without
[4:22:46]
proper evaluation. I am just asking for follow through. I
[4:22:51]
respectfully ask the city to complete the traffic studies.
[4:22:54]
Consider the entire stretch from Funston Street to Pembroke
[4:22:57]
Road. Communicate the results to residents and if the data
[4:23:01]
supports it, move forward with permanent traffic calming
[4:23:04]
measures. Increased enforcement is appreciated, but I believe
[4:23:08]
we should also address the underlying safety concerns
[4:23:11]
before another serious accident occurs or, God forbid, someone
[4:23:15]
is seriously injured. Thank you to Commissioner Hernandez.
[4:23:19]
Sergeant Fiala, the traffic unit, traffic engineering and
[4:23:23]
city staff for listening and taking these concerns seriously.
[4:23:26]
I look forward to hearing about the next steps and when
[4:23:29]
residents can expect them. Thank you. Thank you, Miss King.
[4:23:35]
Miss Spencer. Good evening. My name is Sylvia Spencer and I
[4:23:45]
live in 1540 or 50 sixth Avenue. And I'm here because I'm very
[4:23:49]
disappointed with the water bill from last month to this
[4:23:52]
month. You know, it was increasing with $30, with not
[4:23:55]
even any knowledge. I came to the water department and, you
[4:24:00]
know, they have they said they just estimated, well, my income
[4:24:06]
is not estimated. It is what it is. So everything counts. So
[4:24:12]
it's better to be fair. And you know, they just I found them. I
[4:24:15]
want to do, you know, whatever I have to do. And they came
[4:24:18]
home and unexpectedly two times in a matter in weeks I found
[4:24:21]
them on my property, changing the meter, working there and
[4:24:25]
blame one another said I said they just changed like a 2 or 3
[4:24:28]
weeks ago. Oh, but did you know what? He doesn't know what to
[4:24:32]
do. When I came to complain to the water department, they said,
[4:24:35]
oh, in computer is just one time. That's not my problem.
[4:24:38]
But I don't like to have that surprise every month, you know,
[4:24:41]
to be increasing, increasing, increasing and their discretion
[4:24:45]
because they estimate it. Another thing is I, my
[4:24:49]
neighbors, they did a fence and I have to do, you know, like to
[4:24:53]
protect and you know, the some improvement with the fence. And
[4:24:57]
when I came to speak with someone like the code
[4:25:00]
enforcement used to come in our area, used to be able to talk
[4:25:04]
with someone, ma'am, go online, not even let you to go in to
[4:25:10]
talk with someone so totally disrespectful online cannot
[4:25:14]
come to your property. You need a life person to be there to
[4:25:18]
see exactly what it is. So I know you need a blueprint, you
[4:25:22]
know, whatever. But I'm saying somebody to know exactly you
[4:25:25]
are doing the right things according to the code. I have
[4:25:29]
that house from 92 and always I follow the rules. So how come
[4:25:33]
now it's no. No help from nowhere. Also, you know, like,
[4:25:38]
and I'm talking about in the behalf of all my neighbors
[4:25:41]
because everybody is so disappointed with what's going
[4:25:44]
on. And they said we are very neglected. Now, another thing
[4:25:48]
is they used to be meetings in our area time by time, no more.
[4:25:55]
How come you're in Hollywood Hills? No, no, 1540 North 56th
[4:26:01]
Avenue. Yes. Is that excuse me, is it Playland Estates? No. 15?
[4:26:08]
No. Hollywood Hills? Yeah, it's Hollywood Hills, yeah, yeah,
[4:26:12]
yeah. Hi. You you used to go to, you know, do the whole fliers.
[4:26:17]
I know, but now it's not anymore. I don't want to. I
[4:26:22]
know, so that's what I'm saying. And that will be helpful
[4:26:25]
because you don't have to come just here. You know, we can
[4:26:28]
make, like, a small time, but I'm on the west side of 56.
[4:26:32]
Okay. Yep, yep. There are civic likely. Are you done with your
[4:26:38]
questions? Well, I'd just like to make it short because I'm
[4:26:41]
saying, you know, like, I'm so disappointed to everything, you
[4:26:45]
know, read the bill. Just increase it and their
[4:26:48]
discretion. No, you have to be the correct one. We have we
[4:26:53]
have proper individuals here that can speak with you about
[4:26:56]
that. But also as far as civic associations, I don't know
[4:26:59]
about the district if they have it, but you can also attend
[4:27:02]
Hollywood Hills Civic Association that meets on the
[4:27:04]
third Wednesday of the month at David Park and then
[4:27:07]
Commissioner Gruber's, which is down the street in Lakeland
[4:27:11]
Estates. And they. When do you guys meet? It's not it's not
[4:27:15]
Playland. It's it's south of Taft Street, south of Taft on
[4:27:19]
the west. And he could attend, of course, but I'd like to know
[4:27:22]
when and what. So I'll tell you, Hollywood Hills is probably
[4:27:25]
your closest. And they're the third Wednesday of every month
[4:27:28]
at David Park at 7 p.m. we have code, we have police. We always
[4:27:33]
have guest speakers. We used to. One thing that they used to do.
[4:27:36]
So come to Hollywood Hills. Well, she was the best, but
[4:27:39]
she's not anymore. I know, like, you know. So come to Hollywood
[4:27:42]
Hills and we can we can take you in. We don't have closed
[4:27:46]
doors. And you can express your concerns and talk with
[4:27:48]
individuals and get updates. And we would love for you to
[4:27:51]
join because like my neighbor, you know, usually they work,
[4:27:53]
they come from work late, they go early in the morning and
[4:27:56]
they come and they have little children at 7 p.m. they can
[4:27:59]
bring the kids. We have donuts. We have no, no, I understand,
[4:28:02]
but I'm saying, you know, that we are just talking because we
[4:28:05]
are like family. So then, you know, I speak on behalf of
[4:28:08]
everybody because. And also with a family like, so who is
[4:28:12]
in charge of that? Because just them city have nothing to do
[4:28:16]
because they give you like it's no light street month really,
[4:28:22]
really one month. Okay. So we can maybe right now, another
[4:28:27]
thing with the voting card, what you have to go with a
[4:28:30]
voting card because they do a lot of, excuse me, the
[4:28:33]
expression stupid things with the voting card. That's the
[4:28:35]
supervisor of elections. I called them and there's no
[4:28:39]
solution. So I have to go for the Hollywood Hills and we'll
[4:28:41]
try to help you. Did you know what they did? They put the
[4:28:45]
name, the address and the birthday and everything is open.
[4:28:48]
It's not even sealed. Envelope. Put your Social Security there.
[4:28:51]
I said, here is what else we have to be a little bit like,
[4:28:58]
Commissioner, I'm going to give you my cell phone. You're in my
[4:29:01]
district and we I can spend I spoke with you a while ago.
[4:29:05]
Yeah, I know, that's okay. So yeah, I will be more than happy
[4:29:09]
to have your cell phone. Yeah. Here. You can. Come on. Call me
[4:29:15]
because I need more than three minutes. That's it. Yeah, yeah.
[4:29:18]
Okay. Okay. Give you way more. Thank you. Yeah. All right.
[4:29:23]
Thank you so much, all of you. Apologies for for your
[4:29:28]
disappointing experience with the different city departments.
[4:29:31]
Commissioner Gruber is going to help you. Yes, but you should
[4:29:33]
have received better care than you're describing what to do.
[4:29:36]
Every month we expect increasing. So $30 is like a
[4:29:41]
significant. Unfortunately, I hate to tell you that we have
[4:29:43]
hundreds of millions of dollars that need to be invested in the
[4:29:46]
city's wastewater and water plants, and there's going to be
[4:29:49]
a 25% increase in the water bill. I know from November, I
[4:29:52]
get that the civic is happy to hear that, because the income
[4:29:57]
is increasing like 2.8 and inflation was 4.5. How about
[4:30:01]
this year will be zero, will be under the Playland State Civic
[4:30:06]
Association is tomorrow night at Oak Lake Park at 6 p.m. and
[4:30:12]
I'll be there. That and definitely swing by. It's the
[4:30:15]
neighbor Oak Lake Park. It's between Sheridan and Sterling
[4:30:19]
on the west side of 56th Avenue. Okay. Yeah, there's a little
[4:30:22]
community center there, right? Definitely come by. And that is,
[4:30:26]
I don't remember which Thursday of each month it might be
[4:30:29]
different this time because we're getting back from summer,
[4:30:31]
but it's tomorrow night at 6:00 because in the community, you
[4:30:34]
know, like it's a lot of problems sometimes, you know,
[4:30:37]
they don't care about that property. You know, it's a lot
[4:30:40]
of garbage. Nobody cares about it. Or it's different kinds of
[4:30:44]
pops up. Definitely come out there tomorrow night because we
[4:30:48]
always have somebody from code, from police, from fire and a
[4:30:52]
different rep from the from the cities. And you can ask all
[4:30:55]
kinds of questions and you'll get more time. And I'll, and
[4:30:58]
I'll, and I'll be there. Thank you so much. Thank you, Mr.
[4:31:01]
Spencer. Okay. All right, ladies and gentlemen, item 16.
[4:31:03]
That concludes citizen comments. Item 16 is resolution of the
[4:31:06]
City Commission authorizing the appropriate city officials to
[4:31:08]
accept and if awarded, the fiscal year 2627, Broward
[4:31:12]
Cultural, Cultural Division, Arts and Cultural Festival and
[4:31:15]
Special Events sponsorship program. Grant. Oh, that's a
[4:31:18]
mouthful for the Hollywood Jazz Festival at Arts Park at Young
[4:31:21]
Circle event, and the amount of $50,000 authorizing 1 to 1
[4:31:25]
matching funds to be paid by the Department of Parks and Rec.
[4:31:28]
Pat, is there a speaker card? Was this pulled from the dais?
[4:31:31]
I pulled it, so go ahead, Commissioner. I just have a
[4:31:34]
question on the entire thing. As far as the costs for the
[4:31:37]
event. We've already proved that we've sent it through, but
[4:31:40]
I want to know the additional costs for police security and
[4:31:43]
stuff like that. How is that going to be handled and who's
[4:31:46]
taking the responsibility? Because I don't think that that
[4:31:48]
was added in the total figure. I know we discussed it, but I
[4:31:56]
just want to make sure. Good. Good evening. At this point,
[4:32:01]
mayor, vice mayor, commissioners, city manager,
[4:32:03]
city Attorney Rick Engle, parks and recreation director,
[4:32:06]
cultural Arts. It will be covered under the $150,000 the
[4:32:13]
police costs, so there won't be any additional fees for
[4:32:16]
coverage. If there's any additional staff costs, there
[4:32:19]
would be Parks and Rec staff, which was would be part of our
[4:32:21]
budget. It wouldn't be any additional expenses. Thank you.
[4:32:24]
Motion to approve. Commissioner Hernandez. Thank you. Mayor,
[4:32:29]
this is one of the events that I I've spoken with staff about.
[4:32:35]
By their own admission, I think it brought in 3000 people, and
[4:32:38]
we're looking to spend up to $150,000. I just don't and.
[4:32:42]
Well, yes, the grant is 50,000. We're putting 100,000 out of
[4:32:48]
pocket for an event that brings 3000 people to downtown and
[4:32:51]
don't come to eat in the downtown restaurants. I just
[4:32:54]
don't think it's equitable. I'm going to vote against it. I'm
[4:32:56]
not going to belabor this anymore, but I just don't think
[4:32:59]
that when you add a dozen pencils, some of my colleagues
[4:33:02]
would say, I just want to add that there was discussion with
[4:33:05]
the downtown stakeholders on how to integrate the jazz
[4:33:08]
festival with downtown after the the picnic basket idea was,
[4:33:13]
was, you know, passed on. And so I don't know what the
[4:33:18]
ultimate plan is through Rhythm Foundation and staff in terms
[4:33:22]
of how they planned on executing and, and producing
[4:33:25]
the event. I'm not looking for that detail now, but thank you,
[4:33:29]
Mrs. King, for coming out. All right. So go ahead.
[4:33:32]
Commissioner Gruber will tell us all about it. I understand
[4:33:34]
happy, happy to hear. My understanding is that the event
[4:33:37]
was kind of tweaked to have more activations downtown and
[4:33:43]
incorporated downtown stage and entertainment downtown. So it's
[4:33:45]
going on not just at Arts Park, that people are also immersed
[4:33:49]
in the downtown area, street performers and whatnot. So, so
[4:33:52]
that was the I remember the discussion. Yeah, yeah. So
[4:33:56]
we're originally it was just going to be contained at Arts
[4:33:58]
Park, right? Yeah. And is that still the direction? I want you
[4:34:03]
to give us an update if you have one. That's where I know
[4:34:06]
the discussions left off. So I just. So the the event will
[4:34:13]
include the main acts being at Arts Park, but prior to the
[4:34:17]
main acts and following the main acts, there will be a
[4:34:20]
stage downtown. We're trying to incorporate like a wine tasting
[4:34:25]
with some of the downtown businesses, and there will be
[4:34:27]
street artists performing both on Hollywood Boulevard and
[4:34:31]
Harrison Street to try to attract people to the
[4:34:34]
businesses as well. Can you just refresh our recollection
[4:34:37]
on the date? If you know it, it's November, Friday nights,
[4:34:42]
the tree lighting, I believe it's November 20th and then
[4:34:45]
Jazz Festival is November 20th, November 21st. So that's what
[4:34:48]
about what, two, two months from now, roughly September,
[4:34:52]
October about three months. Yeah. Let's start promoting
[4:34:56]
Joanne Rhythm Foundation. Like send us the promotions. Yeah.
[4:35:01]
Like right away. Yeah. We got to start building up the hype.
[4:35:04]
Yeah. It's coming up quick. All right. Commissioner Hernandez,
[4:35:09]
thank you. Based on the update, I'm willing to support it and
[4:35:12]
see where it goes from there. And then I'd like to give
[4:35:15]
people the benefit of the doubt and have the ability to prove
[4:35:18]
me wrong. I have no all those in favor say aye. Aye. Any
[4:35:21]
opposed? Hearing none. Item carries unanimously. All right,
[4:35:24]
ladies and gentlemen. Life, liberty and the pursuit of
[4:35:28]
happiness and full effect. Let's go to comments by the
[4:35:32]
City Commission. City attorney, item 34. Oh, okay. Thank you,
[4:35:36]
thank you, thank you. Item 33 is the last item resolution of
[4:35:43]
the City Commission authorizing the city to execute a purchase
[4:35:46]
and sale agreement, special warranty deed, and required
[4:35:48]
closing documents and fund all related expenses for the
[4:35:52]
purchase of property located at 1101 Diplomat Parkway in an
[4:35:56]
amount not to exceed $2.575 million. Amending the fiscal
[4:35:59]
year 2026 Capital Improvement Plan. Although we've received a
[4:36:04]
briefing on on the value of the property for purposes of
[4:36:07]
implementing the Stormwater Master Plan VIN, for the sake
[4:36:11]
of the public's understanding, why don't you go ahead and
[4:36:14]
explain and run through it, you know, as needed? Certainly
[4:36:19]
there's. You yell at you if you don't do it. So, okay, so
[4:36:27]
there's the presentation. I was just waiting for the
[4:36:29]
presentation to come up. You're going to miss us. I mean,
[4:36:32]
you're going to miss it. Go ahead. No she's not, because
[4:36:35]
it's all going to follow you up there. It's okay. So this is
[4:36:40]
the the purchase of this property is essential to the
[4:36:43]
solution of the flooding at Moffett Street and 14th Street.
[4:36:46]
We we need a an outfall to discharge the water. The
[4:36:50]
stormwater from the location is highlighted there on the map
[4:36:54]
slide. So the situation is this. This is the most heavily
[4:37:00]
flooded neighborhood in the city. It was a priority
[4:37:05]
identified project in the master plan. You can see there
[4:37:09]
the. That's the a graphic of the model showing that the
[4:37:13]
extent of the flooding. There are two stormwater stations
[4:37:16]
that that are interconnected for that area. Stormwater eight.
[4:37:20]
Stormwater seven. The solution is to provide additional
[4:37:27]
outfall to deconflict the connection between the two pump
[4:37:31]
stations, and that will greatly alleviate the flooding by first
[4:37:35]
providing an additional outfall, and secondly, by allowing us to
[4:37:41]
increase the size of the pump stations. I can hear my my own
[4:37:50]
echo. So. So I don't need a microphone on my outside voice,
[4:37:57]
I can shout from. At any rate, we've been actively looking for
[4:38:03]
properties for the outfall since 2023. We've been denied
[4:38:09]
by various owners. We found that other properties are being
[4:38:14]
reserved for development use, so this is a unique property
[4:38:19]
that is close to the pump stations and well suited for
[4:38:23]
the solution. So this will this property will allow us to
[4:38:29]
install an outfall and provide adequate capacity for
[4:38:32]
stormwater pump station eight, which is located near Moffett
[4:38:36]
and 14th Street, and for stormwater seven, which is on
[4:38:39]
Wiley Street. This is a picture of the property here. It's a
[4:38:43]
vacant lot, so it's not like there's an economic loss where
[4:38:47]
we're buying a perfectly good home and destroying it. It's
[4:38:51]
it's already been raised and ready for construction. The
[4:38:54]
purchase price is 2.55 million. There are additional closing
[4:38:58]
costs. I want to thank seemed real estate section for
[4:39:03]
basically conducting the transaction and bringing it to
[4:39:05]
this point. We have the stormwater funds available, and
[4:39:09]
this is the first of several properties across the city that
[4:39:13]
will be buying as part of our solution. Thank you. We do have
[4:39:17]
a speaker card. Let's go with Ann Ralston. Maybe she's going
[4:39:22]
to offer her house. Yeah, I offered my house. You could
[4:39:28]
have bought that for 2.5 million and made a pump station.
[4:39:31]
What the hell? Yeah. Let's go. And then I wouldn't be here.
[4:39:36]
That that is. I mean, that would have benefit to you. Buy
[4:39:39]
that one. Tear the damn thing down. There was a house on that.
[4:39:43]
It was probably about a $2 million house that was taken
[4:39:46]
off the tax roll. The vacant land is on the tax roll that
[4:39:50]
now you're going to use lose and you're talking about you
[4:39:53]
got to build build, build for all these tax dollars. You're
[4:39:56]
taking vacant land that you could build a condo. No no no
[4:40:01]
no no no no not on. Oh diplomat. You'll probably not approve
[4:40:05]
that. You could build the little mini McMansions for
[4:40:10]
about 1.5, 1.8. And then you'd have about a $2.5 million house
[4:40:14]
that you would put on the tax roll. The assessment for this,
[4:40:18]
quote, vacant land is $1.345 million. You're willing to pay
[4:40:25]
1.229 500 000 over that above price. I have absolutely no
[4:40:30]
idea why why the house got torn down. I retired in 21, so I
[4:40:34]
don't know. But it used to be my area. I still offered my
[4:40:38]
house, but I'll give you the bargain price of 1.5 million
[4:40:42]
and and it's only assessed at 6.59. So you can take your pick.
[4:40:50]
Anyway, will that help? And by the way, Vince, it's 14th
[4:40:54]
Avenue, not 14th Street. That's driving me crazy. It is going
[4:40:58]
to help Moffitt, but will it help Van Buren, Jackson, Monroe
[4:41:05]
where a regular rain. I can be stepping out my front door and
[4:41:10]
I need hip boots up to my. You know what? So I don't know if
[4:41:15]
it's going to help me. He hasn't explained that. I'm
[4:41:17]
still waiting to find out where my stormwater drain is. I
[4:41:20]
haven't seen it yet. Okay. All right, Commissioner Quintana,
[4:41:29]
thank you. Mayor. I don't know. I, I. I think this is an
[4:41:37]
unnecessary investment because so many people's properties and
[4:41:43]
lives are being affected by all the flooding they're
[4:41:46]
experiencing unnecessarily on an ongoing basis, including
[4:41:49]
Annie. I know how much she's come and talked about the
[4:41:52]
flooding at her house. And I think this is an effort to try
[4:41:55]
and address that. It is a lot of money, but I think we all
[4:42:01]
got to get ready for having to spend a whole lot of money to
[4:42:04]
keep our low lying parts of our city afloat. You're going to
[4:42:08]
see a lot more money spent for that purpose. So, you know, I
[4:42:13]
am a Broward County employee, and I got from the Resilience
[4:42:19]
Department, the 2025 Resilience Plan, which I hope that
[4:42:26]
everybody here is considering, because that is going to give a
[4:42:30]
guide to us where resources are to help pay for keeping our low
[4:42:35]
lying areas afloat. And I hope that the resilience plan will
[4:42:40]
help us make decisions about development where it can and
[4:42:44]
can't go, and what kind of development. So I hope our
[4:42:46]
development department is well familiar with what's in here,
[4:42:49]
because this is where our money, this is where we can get help
[4:42:53]
to get to pay and to make wise decisions about where we invest.
[4:42:57]
So that's why I'm, you know, I brought a copy for everybody up
[4:43:00]
here on the dais, and I have a copy for everyone in
[4:43:05]
administration because it's got a lot of important information
[4:43:09]
for us in there, because we are going to have to spend a lot of
[4:43:12]
money to keep ourselves afloat. So that's it. Thank you. Thank
[4:43:16]
you, Commissioner. Vice mayor. So I'm sad that Annie left. It
[4:43:23]
must be happy hour. But I am concerned because the amount of
[4:43:30]
money, the cost and that's just to purchase land. How much is
[4:43:33]
the money to erect the pump station? The the total solution
[4:43:40]
for the. I'm sorry. Can you hear me? The total solution for
[4:43:42]
the. That storm water basin is probably in the $40 million
[4:43:46]
range. Pump stations, pipes, infrastructure all together.
[4:43:51]
One thing to consider is that you know what's unique in
[4:43:55]
advantageous for about this particular parcel is it's close
[4:43:58]
to the pump stations. And you have to consider for the size
[4:44:01]
of infrastructure that we're putting in these pipes for
[4:44:04]
every thousand feet of pipe that we would have to lay to
[4:44:07]
get to a more distant lot would cost us 1 million to 1 million.
[4:44:13]
Five just for just just to get to the more, you know, for
[4:44:16]
every thousand feet. So when you have a property that's
[4:44:20]
close to the pump stations, you have to factor that savings in
[4:44:24]
to the cost of the property. And it seemed, you know, did
[4:44:27]
you know what the appropriate process was for evaluating the
[4:44:31]
cost and arriving at a an agreed sale price? Can you
[4:44:33]
bring up the map for me then of where the location, the
[4:44:37]
surrounding areas? There. So it's going to be right there on
[4:44:44]
the canal. Yes. It needs to be on the water. It has to be on
[4:44:48]
the water. Yeah. How many homes is this ultimately affecting
[4:44:55]
that is going to that we hope to see improvement on? I guess
[4:44:58]
I don't have a count on the number of properties. Is it
[4:45:02]
just south of Washington or off hand? It would it would have to
[4:45:05]
be from, I'd say, Washington Street down to. Atlantic Shores,
[4:45:11]
drive down to Moffat Street because that whole basin. It's
[4:45:16]
the low point of the entire area. Moffat Street, Moffat
[4:45:20]
Street is, is that's where all the flooding is just north of
[4:45:23]
it. I'm trying to see where that's. Oh, it's not on this.
[4:45:26]
Let me see if I can. Yeah. Okay. So so if you go back to the
[4:45:31]
other side, so it looks as if it's going to affect several
[4:45:36]
homes, not just a certain allocated area of, of
[4:45:41]
individuals. Correct. Oh, it'll be close to a hundred homes.
[4:45:45]
Okay. So this is one of our hot spots. What I'd like to see, if
[4:45:49]
possible, before my time is up is the other areas of interest
[4:45:55]
for putting pump stations that we've talked about acquiring
[4:45:59]
properties. You said there are a couple others that you're
[4:46:01]
looking into. No, that what the slide was that we had looked at
[4:46:05]
several, several properties that were unavailable. Mostly
[4:46:08]
these were trying to put a pipe between an existing house,
[4:46:13]
trying to, you know, if somebody has a house that's
[4:46:15]
already on the waterfront and talking to them about it,
[4:46:18]
putting a 72 inch diameter, a six foot diameter or 248 inch
[4:46:24]
diameter pipes on the side of their house with a big outfall
[4:46:27]
that would belch out storm water during a rain event. It's
[4:46:32]
just an impossible sale or concept to sell. Okay. All
[4:46:37]
right. I hope we continue to look at other hot spots that
[4:46:41]
obviously are affected as much as this is, because granted,
[4:46:44]
it's so much needed, but there are other areas. My concern
[4:46:48]
mainly is the area that we're addressing. You found a
[4:46:53]
property which I think is great. I'm going to advocate for my
[4:46:57]
area and the hospital because people from this area need to
[4:46:59]
get to the hospital, and the flooding is just as important
[4:47:02]
and as as concerning. And if we can find an area on the roadway
[4:47:08]
to the hospital for safety purposes, I think that that
[4:47:12]
would be the next point of approval. This just happens to
[4:47:15]
be the first property. There is a list of of property and
[4:47:19]
they're not specific properties. I want to be clear, there are
[4:47:22]
drainage basin areas and there are solutions that require
[4:47:26]
outfalls or easements. This requires and this is just
[4:47:29]
happens to be one. But that list is with seemed real estate.
[4:47:34]
And we are diligently working through the list and, and
[4:47:37]
identifying property owners doing appraisals. And we'll be
[4:47:41]
coming back with more, more of this type. And just, just for
[4:47:47]
lesson of burden on staff and commission, have we done a
[4:47:51]
community outreach to the surrounding neighborhoods to
[4:47:53]
make sure that there's not going to be any pushback with
[4:47:55]
placing that there, or is it just something that we do
[4:47:58]
choice consideration because of the need it it is such a finite
[4:48:02]
solution. It's just something that has to be done. But I
[4:48:04]
think community outreach would be just give them a heads up.
[4:48:07]
Yeah. So, so just in terms of, of the sale price, I just want
[4:48:13]
to comment that I took a look at the, you know, recent sales
[4:48:16]
on the property Appraiser's website and comparable lots are
[4:48:20]
selling for an equivalent or higher amount. So if we didn't
[4:48:24]
have the good fortune of, from what I understand, this vacant
[4:48:28]
land already been been made vacant and the property being
[4:48:32]
listed for sale for 2.9, then I understand CNN negotiated a
[4:48:38]
2.52.5 and change. I just want to make the point that as the
[4:48:42]
market value, there was no other way to purchase
[4:48:47]
waterfront necessarily property, which is required here for the
[4:48:49]
outfall to go for a any any lesser figure. And as Vince
[4:48:54]
said, you know, if you look south, you know, there's even
[4:48:57]
larger lots of the larger homes. And so there really weren't
[4:49:01]
going to be a lot of options in an eminent domain of an
[4:49:03]
existing home with people would have been way more. So I think
[4:49:06]
there's, it's, it's an opportune, you know,
[4:49:09]
happenstance that this lot became available and that the
[4:49:12]
city noticed it and has the contract in front of us. So I
[4:49:16]
certainly support this land is expensive here, but it's
[4:49:20]
certainly critical for this basin. The Moffat Street area,
[4:49:24]
we all know, is some of the worst hotspot. This is a little
[4:49:28]
more north than I think ideal, right? Or is it or are you
[4:49:33]
comfortable? Very comfortable with the location. Yeah. Okay.
[4:49:36]
All right. So I'm certainly in favor of it. Let's go ahead and
[4:49:42]
let's go to Commissioner Shuhan. Thank you mayor. Then it's it's
[4:49:47]
a lot of money. But you know, it is it kind of is what it is.
[4:49:51]
We have the two appraisals. There's no reason to think the
[4:49:55]
appraisers are doing anything other than giving us a
[4:49:58]
confirmation that the price is fair and reasonable. I think it
[4:50:02]
is fortuitous that it's available. You know, these are
[4:50:07]
residents that have really suffered some some of these
[4:50:11]
families have lost four and five cars over the past few
[4:50:13]
years. So it's so desperately needed. My question is, when
[4:50:18]
you talk about the $40 million pump station that's not
[4:50:21]
physically going on this quarter acre, is it? It's not a
[4:50:26]
$40 million pump station. The the infrastructure for the
[4:50:29]
entire basin pipes and pump stations together. What we're
[4:50:33]
going to do next is there's quite a detailed math and model
[4:50:39]
that needs to be done for the area. We have to figure out
[4:50:42]
pipe alignments. That's just a fancy term for pipe routes down
[4:50:46]
which streets, whether we're going to increase the capacity
[4:50:50]
of the existing pump stations where they are. That represents
[4:50:55]
certain problems, such as now you're raising the flow through
[4:50:59]
old pipes. So that's a risk of fracturing those pipes. So then
[4:51:04]
the alternate solution is to put a smaller pump station on
[4:51:07]
the far end to draw the water. And but then that introduces
[4:51:12]
the risks of hydraulic transients, which is pressure
[4:51:15]
waves trapped inside the pipe. So all that needs to be studied
[4:51:18]
and evaluated for the most cost effective blend of solutions.
[4:51:22]
So there will be a pump station. I don't the cost 40 million.
[4:51:27]
Okay, I understand, thank you. And then my only other comment
[4:51:30]
which we talked about during our agenda review with the city
[4:51:35]
manager and director of public safety, is, I mean, it's a
[4:51:38]
gorgeous lot and a gorgeous location. So if there is any
[4:51:42]
way when we're placing equipment there to make it
[4:51:46]
serve a dual purpose, whether it's a public dock or a dock
[4:51:49]
for police boat or something, I mean, just hate to see that,
[4:51:54]
you know, not be used for another more recreational use.
[4:51:57]
GPU has already communicated with DCM, and we're planning to
[4:52:02]
leverage the maximum value out of the property as open space
[4:52:06]
after we've put in our infrastructure. Fantastic.
[4:52:09]
Thank you so much. Hey, I don't know. I don't know if it's who
[4:52:13]
who the question would be, but this is a residential lot that
[4:52:17]
we have to jump through any hoops with regards to using it
[4:52:20]
for utility, or we just have our police powers that let us
[4:52:23]
do what we need. But does this need a zoning change or I just
[4:52:27]
don't know. I'll just leave it at that. Maybe if you guys,
[4:52:30]
whatever, can look into that and give you the answer, but we
[4:52:33]
don't believe so at this point. Okay, let's go to Commissioner
[4:52:36]
Gruber. I think you kind of just answered my question.
[4:52:39]
What's the what's the size of the lot quarter acre and what's
[4:52:43]
the footprint of the equipment that's going there? We don't
[4:52:47]
know the exact footprint because we have to do that.
[4:52:50]
Modeling the math part of it, where we figure out the size of
[4:52:53]
the pumps, if we're putting pumps there, and then that'll
[4:52:57]
dictate the footprint of the station. But we could possibly
[4:52:59]
have a little bit of green space there with maybe some
[4:53:02]
park benches. Absolutely. Okay. So that'd be great. Okay. Yep.
[4:53:06]
Thank you, Commissioner Biederman. While I understand
[4:53:16]
and I hate taking stuff off the tax rolls. I know that these
[4:53:25]
are necessary things and it's going to provide drainage and
[4:53:31]
stuff like that for the surrounding areas. And just to
[4:53:35]
clarify, this is different and separate from the pump that
[4:53:40]
we're putting on 14th Avenue and the easement that we're
[4:53:45]
already talking about. So this is a secondary pump system for
[4:53:48]
the same area this. So that that pump station that's
[4:53:52]
located at 14th Avenue and Moffat is what they're putting.
[4:53:56]
There is a generator. That's what we'll be putting in place,
[4:53:59]
not a, not a pump. That's an existing pump station. But to
[4:54:03]
your point, the outfall that will be placed at this property
[4:54:07]
will. That this pump station at 14th Avenue and Moffat will
[4:54:11]
pump to. Right now it's interconnected with another
[4:54:14]
pump station on Wylie Street, and that's causing a hydraulic
[4:54:18]
transient. That's not. That's interfering with the dewatering
[4:54:22]
of the basin. All right. And secondly, I appreciate this
[4:54:26]
resiliency plan. But if we're going to believe part of the
[4:54:30]
resiliency plan and we're going to believe part of what the
[4:54:34]
Resiliency Office tells us, I think we need to believe all of
[4:54:37]
what the Resiliency Office tells us, not just pick and
[4:54:41]
choose what we want to believe. Anyway, nothing further. Thank
[4:54:45]
you, Commissioner Hernandez, and then we'll take the vote.
[4:54:49]
Thank you mayor. A couple of concerns that I just heard from
[4:54:53]
my colleagues. And by the way, I spoke with the city manager
[4:54:56]
and staff at length about this. And one of the things that I'm
[4:55:00]
kind of not 100% happy with is the process is more important
[4:55:05]
than the means. And in this case, you have X amount of
[4:55:09]
money for buying purchases property because of the needs
[4:55:13]
for the stormwater plan that we approved. I would wish that
[4:55:19]
those properties would have been talked about and
[4:55:23]
negotiated and brought up at the same time, in order for the
[4:55:27]
people not to get smart and says, oh, I want this because
[4:55:30]
you guys need it. That to me is, is something that I wish we
[4:55:33]
would have done prior to this. But I got, I got a couple of
[4:55:37]
questions because going back in time, my understanding is one
[4:55:41]
of the issues that that area floods is because there's a lot
[4:55:45]
of water that coming from Hallandale when it comes to
[4:55:48]
that area and sheets of. Is that not correct? That is
[4:55:52]
correct. Okay. So in, in my, in. So my other issue is, and I
[4:55:58]
like to thank Commissioner Quintana for bringing in the
[4:56:01]
resiliency. Is there any grant money available for Broward
[4:56:04]
County? Because we're actually dewatering not only our area,
[4:56:08]
but we help them with the storm water from a nearby city. So,
[4:56:13]
you know, I'd like to be able to see if we can tap into
[4:56:16]
something like that in order for us to be able to address
[4:56:19]
that. That's number one, is they did announce $25 million
[4:56:23]
of available dollars. Correct. So I'd like to see if we can
[4:56:26]
tap into that, because we're helping drain Hallandale as
[4:56:29]
well. And that is an area where they flood and we get flooded
[4:56:33]
because of their their sheets of water coming into our area.
[4:56:38]
I'm okay with this, but I got to tell you something. If I am
[4:56:41]
the guy that lives next door on any one of those properties,
[4:56:46]
I'll be hating life and you as well. Not you personally, but
[4:56:49]
I'm just saying. Or if you're the person across the street,
[4:56:53]
you know, and the island. So I want to make sure that if we do
[4:56:58]
spend this money, we don't get pushback where we get stuck
[4:57:02]
with a lot. I mean, I, I like for, for the commission to
[4:57:06]
realize that this individuals are not somebody who's worried
[4:57:10]
about a water bill going up. This individuals have the
[4:57:14]
wherewithal to say, wait a minute, this was residential,
[4:57:18]
not well. Yeah. Correct. So this is a need and I'm okay
[4:57:22]
with this. I mean, I understand, I wish we would have had other
[4:57:26]
properties or we would buy them all at the same time and go
[4:57:29]
like this. But the commission needs to have the fortitude to
[4:57:32]
be able to say, hey, this is a need and this is what we're
[4:57:35]
going to do, period. If we're well, okay, good. If we're
[4:57:39]
willing to do that, I'm going to know we have a choice. I
[4:57:43]
understand that, but I would still ask the staff, look for
[4:57:46]
some grant money when when it comes to the county, because
[4:57:50]
that's a good point about the, the regional kind of or the
[4:57:54]
dual impact here. This is a regional approach. And we're
[4:57:57]
helping Hallandale drain because they're actually
[4:57:59]
dumping into our area because we're lower. And so in that,
[4:58:02]
that's the reason why we have such a flooding in that
[4:58:05]
particular area. So having said all of this motion to approve,
[4:58:09]
I think we already have one, right? No, I don't believe we
[4:58:12]
do. No. All right. Motion from Commissioner Hernandez, second
[4:58:15]
from Commissioner Shoham. All those in favor, say aye. Aye.
[4:58:19]
Any opposed? Hearing none. Item carries unanimously.
[4:58:23]
Congratulations, everyone, on completing the agenda. Aside
[4:58:26]
from comments, does anybody want to take a five minute
[4:58:31]
break. Five minute break. Recess. Who?
[5:09:17]
Just a couple of things I want to. I think Public Works is the
[5:09:20]
greatest department. We have to be honest. And I know I've said
[5:09:25]
this before, but every time you send a request into public
[5:09:28]
works, it's amazing how there's a response and the work gets
[5:09:33]
done like it's true. Joseph, we love you. I mean, Joseph, you
[5:09:37]
need to, you need to do our gateway signage. It would have
[5:09:41]
been done. Sidewalks, lights, all kinds of things. I mean,
[5:09:46]
I'm amazed that you put something in to Hollywood
[5:09:50]
connect that there's a broken sidewalk somewhere. And in like
[5:09:53]
ten days, two weeks later, they're tearing up that whole
[5:09:57]
street, replacing all the sidewalks. So I my hat's off to
[5:10:02]
you. It's amazing. Secondly, I'm very excited that state
[5:10:09]
legislature, you know, approved funding. It didn't get vetoed
[5:10:11]
by the governor for the enhancement of our senior
[5:10:16]
services at Boulevard Heights. And I'm very appreciative of
[5:10:21]
that. We've been working on that for a couple of years. And
[5:10:24]
thank you very much to our state legislator, Marie Watson.
[5:10:28]
Keep fighting for us. Thank you. Nothing further. Thank you, sir.
[5:10:34]
Commissioner Quintana. Thank you. Mayor. So I just wanted to
[5:10:43]
say thank you for everyone who participated in our last
[5:10:47]
storytime in the park for the summer. We're going to take a
[5:10:50]
little break. We'll start back up in after daylight savings
[5:10:55]
time is over and we can be back outside. Special thanks to
[5:11:00]
Officer Brian Rodriguez, who was there with us and fully
[5:11:05]
participated with the families and their children. He didn't
[5:11:07]
just sit in his car and watch us. He actually came out and
[5:11:11]
was part of everything, helped, helped give away books and
[5:11:14]
everything. So just thank you to him and wanted to make sure
[5:11:17]
we recognize that. I want to thank our fire rescue and all
[5:11:21]
of the work that they're doing to collect donations for
[5:11:27]
Colombia and all of the fire stations. I don't know how much
[5:11:30]
longer you'll be doing that, but thank you for doing that
[5:11:34]
and working with our community partners to get those resources
[5:11:38]
to where people need it. Thank you, Chief Levy. I want to ask
[5:11:44]
for support from my colleagues. The, the there's a little park
[5:11:48]
that came in to State Road seven on Johnson Street.
[5:11:52]
Actually, it's on Glenn. It happened as part of the road
[5:11:56]
widening. And it really parks Department just called it
[5:12:00]
linear Park, but the entire length of the 441 Greenscape is
[5:12:06]
the linear park. And so when people are wanting to join,
[5:12:09]
come there or meet there and they look it up on the GPS, it
[5:12:14]
doesn't it doesn't take them to where this park is. So I want
[5:12:18]
to give it a name. And I'm learning about the naming
[5:12:22]
process. So I'm asking for your support. If we call it seven
[5:12:27]
Skies Park. So it's on the seven seven Skies Park. And if
[5:12:32]
I have support from you, then hopefully staff can move it
[5:12:36]
forward. I like it, I like it. Thank you so much everybody.
[5:12:41]
And there's a lot of big open skies. So it's nice. Yeah. And
[5:12:44]
it's got seven. So it goes with our on the seven branding. That
[5:12:47]
was my thinking. And I got some, you know, got some feedback
[5:12:50]
from people in the community and they were good with it. So
[5:12:54]
you waive, waive the process, give support to waive the
[5:12:58]
process. And as a commission initiated, I'm asking for
[5:13:01]
support to waive the process as a commission, a commission
[5:13:05]
initiated request. You got it. Thank you man. Thank you
[5:13:08]
everybody. And then that's it. Thank you. You got it. I'm
[5:13:12]
losing it. I'm already just starting to be funny. All right.
[5:13:17]
I'm skipping that one. Commissioner Shuhan. Go for it.
[5:13:21]
Thank you. Mayor, I just wanted to agree with Commissioner
[5:13:25]
Biederman and give our accolades to Joseph. You know,
[5:13:29]
it's nonstop in that department. And whether it's somebody that
[5:13:34]
didn't get their garbage cans or whatever it is, it just
[5:13:37]
seems like it's taken care of very promptly. So thank you,
[5:13:40]
Joseph. I actually happen to agree with some of the comments
[5:13:45]
we received from residents about the agenda on nine eight
[5:13:50]
between the for the P and D board. It just seems like it's
[5:13:54]
so much for those volunteers. The P and D board is a
[5:13:57]
volunteer board. We've really loaded them up and on nine
[5:14:02]
eight they have six items, one of which is the 1301, but the
[5:14:06]
other is this beach overlay, which is huge. And I just, I, I
[5:14:12]
guess I'm asking for support to, to follow up with, I don't
[5:14:16]
remember who said it. Maybe Siobhan to give that its own
[5:14:19]
night for the ND board itself. They were there the last time.
[5:14:24]
It didn't work out, had its own night, and now we've put it as
[5:14:28]
part of an agenda with six other significant items. So I'm
[5:14:32]
looking for support to make the beach overlay review before the
[5:14:37]
ND board its own independent night, so they can really dig
[5:14:41]
into it. So I don't support that, principally because a P
[5:14:46]
and D board sometimes have long agendas, but B more importantly,
[5:14:50]
the board itself was asked to choose a date, and they
[5:14:53]
discussed the fact that it would be on a big agenda. And
[5:14:56]
they discussed that it would be September 8th, and some of them
[5:14:59]
would be out of town. And they resolve together that that
[5:15:02]
would be the date. And they made comments. 1301 on it at
[5:15:05]
that point. Yeah. The agenda they knew they would be on. So
[5:15:08]
I don't support changing it, but go ahead and that's it. But
[5:15:11]
anyone else, I'll say vice mayor. So I, I actually, I
[5:15:14]
don't know if I should say my comments and we could re I'll
[5:15:17]
bring up a motion and you could appeal it, but I actually have
[5:15:21]
Steve Welch's letter that I feel was written in such a, a
[5:15:24]
very shocking but professional. I want to stay on this topic.
[5:15:29]
So I don't support that motion. And I have reasons to as why I
[5:15:34]
don't know if I should answer them or talk about it in my
[5:15:37]
comments, because I just if there's no support, then we can
[5:15:40]
wait. Okay. Yeah. And then and the only other thing is I just
[5:15:43]
wanted to talk about the election a little bit.
[5:15:45]
Obviously, I'm very excited and I want to just thank so many
[5:15:49]
people who helped. It was a long race I filed two years ago.
[5:15:54]
I had tons and tons of support, tons of volunteers in the
[5:15:57]
community and tons of individual donors. Just it was
[5:16:01]
an amazing experience and a very gratifying. So I also want
[5:16:06]
to just congratulate other people who won the races. In
[5:16:09]
particular, I want to single out Maura McCarthy Bowman, our
[5:16:12]
school board rep. She's been a great school board member for
[5:16:15]
these past two years. She only had half a term. So now she's
[5:16:18]
been reelected for a full term. And I'm very grateful because
[5:16:23]
immediately after the election, they started talking again
[5:16:25]
about closing schools. And we have a fighter representing
[5:16:30]
district one. So I'm gratified about that. For everybody who
[5:16:34]
ran, win or lose. I just want to thank the candidates who ran
[5:16:38]
positive campaigns and congratulate those who ran
[5:16:42]
positive and honest campaigns, because it's just important to
[5:16:46]
the community as a whole to have people running. And we had
[5:16:50]
two candidates here earlier, but they're gone now. But
[5:16:53]
people that are running for the right reasons, that respect the
[5:16:56]
voters, that bring a positive message, you know, that bring
[5:17:00]
different backgrounds and experiences and priorities to
[5:17:03]
the voters. So anybody that ran that type of campaign, I just
[5:17:06]
want to say thank you. I have spent the last really two years
[5:17:11]
now just talking with so many residents throughout district
[5:17:15]
six. And I'm very grateful that I did it because once sworn in
[5:17:20]
as a county commissioner, I have so much insight now into
[5:17:23]
the things that are important to the residents throughout
[5:17:26]
district six. And that's County District six, which includes
[5:17:31]
several other cities besides Hollywood. But I just want to
[5:17:34]
say also that, you know, it's fabulous that the election is
[5:17:39]
over. But the most important thing and about the whole
[5:17:44]
experience was just meeting so many great people and just
[5:17:49]
having the opportunity to interact and learn so much
[5:17:53]
about our community. And I just really want to give a gigantic
[5:17:57]
shout out to Commissioner Beimfohr. You know, he's still
[5:18:01]
there. We have him until November, but he's made such
[5:18:04]
amazing contributions to our community. First 12 years here
[5:18:08]
as a city commissioner and now 12 years as a county
[5:18:12]
commissioner. So it was a privilege for me to be able to
[5:18:16]
run my race with him by his side. And I just want to
[5:18:19]
acknowledge now, and I'm sure I'll do it again in November,
[5:18:23]
all the amazing contributions he's made. And and finally, I
[5:18:27]
just want to say, you know, it doesn't matter if you voted for
[5:18:32]
me or you didn't vote for me. It didn't matter when I was
[5:18:36]
elected as a Hollywood commissioner. And it does not
[5:18:38]
matter as a county commissioner, I will always listen to every
[5:18:41]
single resident, every business owner, everyone who has any
[5:18:47]
sort of interest in Broward County. And I will just work
[5:18:51]
really hard to meet the needs of my constituents. And I
[5:18:55]
encourage anybody to reach out to me between now and November
[5:19:00]
and thereafter. So really looking forward to starting.
[5:19:04]
But yes, I will miss you. So thank you. Thank you
[5:19:08]
Commissioner. All right, Commissioner Hernandez. Thank
[5:19:15]
you. Mayor, one of the concerns that I have, I'd like to thank
[5:19:19]
all of the departments, police department, the fire department,
[5:19:25]
public Works, the utility department, the Parks
[5:19:28]
Department seemed, even though we don't always agree. But I
[5:19:31]
love the work that you guys do and the financial department.
[5:19:34]
So. And you. City Manager, it's been an interesting few weeks
[5:19:39]
off work more than I thought I would, but nonetheless. I was
[5:19:47]
driving a dusk east on Fillmore Street, just past the railroad
[5:19:52]
track east of the tracks. All of a sudden the lights turned
[5:19:54]
on. So all the small poles that we put on, they've been on,
[5:19:59]
they're on. We haven't seen them on before. On the opposite
[5:20:02]
side, on the south side of Hollywood Boulevard, we still
[5:20:06]
need help. Lighting is an issue. I know we're doing the
[5:20:08]
initiative with the one where we're doing the concrete
[5:20:11]
walkway, but lighting is still an issue. If we could help with
[5:20:14]
something like that would be great. The small lot on 441 in
[5:20:21]
the Boulevard Mayor that you brought up earlier that it
[5:20:24]
sometimes it collects a lot of trash. It's not the property
[5:20:27]
owner that's bringing the trash is the individuals that are
[5:20:29]
actually dumping trash out their window and winds up there.
[5:20:33]
And I know as I speak to some of the police officers, they
[5:20:37]
hate that. They hate when any when they see anybody throwing
[5:20:39]
trash out the window. Can we pick up enforcement when it
[5:20:43]
comes to that so that people know not to throw trash out in
[5:20:46]
the city of Hollywood? You know, I yeah, you know, it. I've seen
[5:20:51]
people actually stopped at a traffic light and they just
[5:20:54]
throw their McDonald's or Burger King or they throw
[5:20:57]
everything out the window. I don't know if I need support
[5:21:00]
for that. I think the PD would just ask him, please. You know,
[5:21:03]
if somebody like that, just give them the, the the
[5:21:05]
violation and let them go to court and fight it out. Because
[5:21:08]
I got a feeling that the judges don't like to see something
[5:21:11]
like that as well. And for the most time, you guys are busy
[5:21:15]
doing something else. But this is a quality of life for the
[5:21:18]
residents of the city of Hollywood. If you guys can't,
[5:21:20]
please. Because if I was the owner of that lot, I would just
[5:21:23]
put chain link fence around it so the garbage would stay on
[5:21:26]
the, on the on the public side. And I wouldn't have an issue
[5:21:30]
when it comes to that. But I do agree that that particular site
[5:21:33]
serves a purpose for the city of Hollywood for something,
[5:21:35]
whether it is our signage, whether it's something that we
[5:21:38]
may want to do, whether it's to put the name of the park that
[5:21:41]
we're looking to name on. 441. But that site is important for
[5:21:44]
us. And unless the gentleman wants to put a hot dog cart, as
[5:21:48]
it used to be years ago, we're selling that. I don't think
[5:21:52]
it's useful for much of anything else. So I support
[5:21:55]
whatever you guys want to do with that. But I would
[5:21:58]
encourage the PD to start enforcing the people throwing
[5:22:00]
trash out the window. And I'd like to thank my residents for
[5:22:04]
coming out. Mrs. King reached out to us regarding 24th Avenue,
[5:22:08]
and this is the reason that I'm fighting very hard on on the
[5:22:11]
south side of Washington to Pembroke Road to be able to
[5:22:15]
have some speed tables. We have had, in particular, an
[5:22:20]
individual who was clocked doing 87 miles an hour and 22nd
[5:22:23]
Avenue. The rest of the people may not be. But any. Anything
[5:22:26]
like this, it would be almost impossible to do if you had
[5:22:29]
speed tables. And they've been asking for years. I'm talking
[5:22:31]
about seven, eight, ten years that they've been asking. So
[5:22:35]
whatever you can do to prioritize that, please. And
[5:22:38]
that's basically the last thing that I'd like to do is I'd like
[5:22:42]
to remind everybody, because my wife will tell me you didn't do
[5:22:45]
it on October 10th, the Hispanic Heritage Month is
[5:22:48]
going to be having a celebration in the downtown.
[5:22:50]
And if anybody would like to sponsor, I believe that the
[5:22:53]
deadline is deadline for the logo is tomorrow. The money
[5:22:58]
doesn't have to come in right away, but just reach out to the
[5:23:01]
Hispanic Affairs Council to do something regarding that. Thank
[5:23:04]
you so much, Peter. We had a lot of discussion today about
[5:23:09]
speed tables, and I just want to take the pulse of the City
[5:23:12]
Commission for the benefit of city management, the speed
[5:23:15]
table designs that have been put in through the Go bond have
[5:23:17]
been very, I guess you could say harsh when you drive over
[5:23:20]
them. Really harsh. I think you all would agree that any future
[5:23:24]
speed tables need to have a different, different product,
[5:23:27]
different design, different element to them. They cannot be
[5:23:30]
the same harsh, very large speed tables that we've had to
[5:23:33]
date. Would you all agree? Who agrees is there? I mean, speed
[5:23:38]
humps, the speed tables that have been put in. That is a
[5:23:41]
very harsh like with your car. It's a approach and the angle
[5:23:45]
is way bad if you drive some other speed tables in the city,
[5:23:48]
like older ones that have been put in like on 28th Avenue
[5:23:51]
between Sheridan and Taft, it's a much smoother rollover. These
[5:23:54]
are super harsh, and they also cause the cars to have to slow
[5:23:57]
down to like 15. So you're also congesting traffic because
[5:24:01]
people have to slow down, like to like way below the speed
[5:24:04]
limit to even get over them without a really harsh, you
[5:24:07]
know, going over them. So on 28th Avenue, when we redid the
[5:24:12]
water infrastructure, the first set of speed humps that they
[5:24:15]
put were very aggressive. They were very. And then we asked
[5:24:18]
the contractor if they could do it. And I believe that there is
[5:24:22]
a format for them to follow for them to do it. So you may want
[5:24:27]
to check if the ones they install actually meet that
[5:24:29]
format. If not, maybe they can adjust that. And we've already
[5:24:32]
had this contractor do that. But the design that I that is
[5:24:35]
much better is a lot more rounded. And the car rolls over
[5:24:38]
it as opposed to boom, boom, like really hard. And honestly,
[5:24:42]
people with back issues, you know, or even our ambulances
[5:24:45]
have an issue when it comes to stuff like that. But yeah, it
[5:24:48]
just may be, it may have to make it a little wider rather
[5:24:51]
than so short and high. But yeah, I don't know. The design
[5:24:54]
is really bad. Commissioner Quintana, on this, I don't know,
[5:24:56]
I just kind of feel like it's supposed to be uncomfortable.
[5:25:00]
Otherwise they're going to go fast. If we make it easy for
[5:25:02]
them to go over it, they're going to speed. They don't want
[5:25:05]
to slow down. And I mean, then we're going to get all kinds of
[5:25:08]
complaints about people speeding. I mean, the design of
[5:25:11]
the speed, unless you're the one writing in the ambulance
[5:25:13]
and the ambulance actually goes to one of these and you go
[5:25:16]
airborne. As you know, we ride on some of the rescue units.
[5:25:19]
And that's one of the things that concerns them when it's
[5:25:22]
just if we're going to put them in, I mean, if we're if we're
[5:25:25]
not going to make them a deterrent to, to speeding, then
[5:25:29]
let's not put them in. No. Well, you still have to slow down,
[5:25:31]
but you don't have to slow down to like 15 and it's still an
[5:25:35]
aggressive go up, go down. I don't know if you've driven
[5:25:38]
them, but go ahead. I have a recommendation. I'm sorry. Oh
[5:25:40]
you got to turn on you here. Press the button. See three go.
[5:25:44]
It may go along with supporting but and I know that there's
[5:25:47]
been a lot of talk back and forth, but there's the, the
[5:25:50]
they're drilled in. And I don't know how Josef feels about this,
[5:25:53]
but they're the plastic or the. No, those things don't really
[5:25:56]
work. But you can relocate them if the area is not. Well, okay.
[5:26:01]
I'm sure you you have your own feedback. I know that you've
[5:26:04]
heard. So I don't know if you have an opinion on this or.
[5:26:07]
Well, I think, you know, as, as we discussed briefly earlier,
[5:26:11]
the, you know, we understand that a lot of times if people
[5:26:14]
feel concerned about speeding in their neighborhood, their
[5:26:17]
fallback right away is some type of speed table. But then
[5:26:22]
we, you know, if we get to the point where we have speed
[5:26:24]
tables on every single street, it really does become a little
[5:26:28]
problematic for emergency response and, and other issues.
[5:26:33]
So, you know, we, we believe this requires a little bit more
[5:26:37]
of a holistic approach. And, you know, some, some maybe
[5:26:43]
different parameters for where we're putting them. I to the
[5:26:47]
mayor's point, I think this, you know, as we permitted the
[5:26:50]
last round of speed tables, I know that there were specific
[5:26:55]
things that are now required, you know, from a drainage
[5:26:58]
standpoint that kind of make the tables a little more
[5:27:01]
aggressive on the outer edges as well. Whereas that used to
[5:27:04]
sort of taper down into the swale area. Now that area is,
[5:27:09]
you know, harsher too. So if you hit it the wrong way, it
[5:27:12]
can be a little different. It could be that over time, some
[5:27:15]
of these sort of soften, you know, and get a little less,
[5:27:20]
you know, harsh. Yes. And so, you know, I think, you know,
[5:27:26]
these are this is good feedback and we can take it. The idea of
[5:27:30]
a speed table, my understanding is you should be able to safely
[5:27:34]
traverse it at the speed limit for a speed table. Now a speed
[5:27:39]
hump or a speed bump rather. Excuse me. You do have to slow
[5:27:43]
down for a speed bump to a lower than the posted speed
[5:27:47]
limit in order to, you know, get over it without having
[5:27:51]
wrecking your your cars. I support looking into it because
[5:27:55]
even those little, you know, like if you go to Oakwood Plaza
[5:27:58]
ripples the ripples, it makes you so aware of stop signs and
[5:28:03]
speed. I think you make it an arrow. It's a little bit
[5:28:06]
different than just the speed. So I support that. All right.
[5:28:09]
Well look into it. And that's probably a more comprehensive
[5:28:12]
conversation. Yeah, I support it. All right. Who's next.
[5:28:15]
Commissioner Hernandez, you finished right? Yes, sir. All
[5:28:19]
right. Vice Mayor Kolody please. Thank you. So a couple of
[5:28:25]
things. I just want to confirm from earlier during our
[5:28:29]
workshop that we all are in a in a agreeance to look at the
[5:28:35]
Rotary Park improvements and see if there's any funding. I
[5:28:38]
think we took the vote, but I just want to clarify it because
[5:28:41]
it was so much going on as far as looking into allocating
[5:28:44]
additional funds, if need be, to make that Rotary Park the
[5:28:47]
best that it is. Yeah, I have support on that, explain. I
[5:28:51]
think Jose had explained that it's going to take the existing
[5:28:54]
project plus more, and everybody nodded that we
[5:28:57]
understand that we need we need to do what we need to do. So I
[5:29:00]
support are we on the same page? I just want to clarify because
[5:29:03]
nodding and actually making it happen, we took away from that
[5:29:06]
is it was a workshop you requested support to have us
[5:29:10]
bring back the full cost of that project. Okay, perfect. So
[5:29:14]
that you all could consider as part of the budget process and
[5:29:18]
the capital improvement budget, whether you wanted to allocate
[5:29:21]
those additional funds. Awesome. Thank you so much. Just wanted
[5:29:24]
to clarify that and that'll be before my term ends. Correct?
[5:29:28]
Yeah. Thank you. Parking at Stan Goldman. We're going to be
[5:29:32]
having a meeting just for the residents, because I've been
[5:29:34]
getting a lot of complaints, along with other colleagues of
[5:29:37]
mine, regarding what was there and what is there now and the
[5:29:40]
whole outreach. So we'll be talking about that soon. We
[5:29:44]
have a meeting scheduled. Thank you, Yvonne and oh, Jose and
[5:29:49]
Rick. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Today there was
[5:29:52]
something mentioned and I don't want to go too elaborate, but
[5:29:55]
just put your thinking caps on. It was mentioned about from
[5:29:58]
from Senator Sharif regarding if the property tax does
[5:30:02]
actually pass, there is going to be some cities that are
[5:30:06]
going to suffer. So just think on your radar as far as
[5:30:09]
annexation, that meant that word was mentioned today. Do a
[5:30:11]
little bit of history and see what's surrounding us. I think
[5:30:14]
that it would be very beneficial to the city of
[5:30:17]
Hollywood and to those surrounding cities that might
[5:30:19]
be impacted by the property tax if it passes. Correct. I'm
[5:30:32]
going to skip that one. I'm going to skip that one. This
[5:30:36]
the I wish Susan was still here, but maybe raelyn you can answer
[5:30:39]
it. The area that is surrounding that, we had our
[5:30:43]
signage supposed to go in on Sterling and a one a. That
[5:30:46]
roundabout though is that City Hall, Hollywood owned grass
[5:30:50]
area or is that fDOT? Well, the big Hollywood sign on the the
[5:30:56]
Dania Beach Boulevard ramp. However, we had a big design
[5:30:59]
there. We I don't I just want to know. I know we were looking
[5:31:04]
at trying to get the right approvals for that signage and
[5:31:09]
honestly, I don't know the answer right now, but we'll get
[5:31:12]
back with you on that. To me, and the only reason why I was
[5:31:15]
approached at a an event recently, and I think you also
[5:31:19]
have been spoken to. And so it's all new, but I'm going to
[5:31:22]
set up a meeting. I've been asked to set up a meeting with
[5:31:26]
Nova Southeastern University regarding the Marine Biology
[5:31:28]
Center that's in the park, and signage so that people know
[5:31:32]
that it's there and also partnerships. So I think that
[5:31:35]
that would be a really positive discussion and a way to help
[5:31:40]
enhance and waive finding signs. Since we talked about them
[5:31:44]
earlier, Lincoln Road, we talked about purchasing of
[5:31:48]
homes. Lincoln Road is a huge issue that we have in 29th
[5:31:52]
Avenue. I've talked about it many, many times, and this is
[5:31:56]
an area that I think VIN, you should look into and and no
[5:32:02]
deed goes undone. They built four houses in the end of
[5:32:06]
Lincoln Road, right up against 95 many, many years ago before
[5:32:09]
I was even Commissioner. Wrong place, wrong development, wrong
[5:32:13]
everything. And since then, that really has been the
[5:32:16]
culprit of a lot of the flooding in that area, because
[5:32:19]
that used to be very as we talked about, Rotary Park being
[5:32:21]
a runoff. So I think that's an area to investigate because it
[5:32:25]
is a hot spot. It is a lot of flooding in that area. And most
[5:32:29]
particular, we have one resident who lives there now
[5:32:32]
who is trying to put a driveway that has been deteriorated from
[5:32:38]
the flooding and also wants to do enhancements. And she's
[5:32:42]
getting a lot of pushback. So I don't want them to invest the
[5:32:44]
money. If there's an opportunity for us to maybe
[5:32:47]
look into possible stormwater drainage. Yes, sir. Yes. Jose,
[5:32:52]
if the address is f dot, we just checked it, it's F dot
[5:32:56]
that the entire curve. So we couldn't even put a Hollywood
[5:32:59]
Beach sign in there if we wanted to. They agreed. Well,
[5:33:02]
we have we have some permits that are pending with fDOT and
[5:33:05]
we are we do have infrastructure on fDOT property.
[5:33:09]
I do believe that that was identified as a location for a
[5:33:12]
sign. I'm just not sure if they agreed to it or not, because I
[5:33:15]
know we were having some back and forth on that. Okay.
[5:33:19]
Lincoln Street, Lincoln Street, sorry. And my last. Will you
[5:33:22]
get the address to Vince so he can. Yes. Talk to the owner?
[5:33:25]
Yes. And if and if the stormwater plan, you know,
[5:33:28]
finds that that's a perfect, you know, property to to hold
[5:33:31]
water then. Yeah. And so. I'm going to talk about common
[5:33:39]
ground. And so I just, I agree, you know, I know Commissioner
[5:33:43]
Scheuermann brought this up and the mayor had also brought it
[5:33:46]
up. And and first, I believe, you know, you provide respect
[5:33:50]
and, and gratitude where it's available. And over the last
[5:33:56]
probably five years, we've received very negative toned,
[5:34:01]
aggressive emails damning the commission, to be frank. And I
[5:34:07]
actually was quite respectfully and pleasantly surprised by the
[5:34:13]
most recent email that we received from Mr. Welsh. My
[5:34:18]
last encounter with him was out in the lobby after the
[5:34:23]
commission meeting, where the word poor doors was brought up,
[5:34:27]
and the narrative became extremely uncomfortable for
[5:34:30]
some. And it was a very terrible confrontation in the
[5:34:36]
lobby. And I don't think anybody deserves I'm not a
[5:34:38]
doormat, nor is anybody else here, nor is our residents. So
[5:34:41]
mutual respect and balance is so important. So this email
[5:34:45]
that we received, I thought, was really written in a very
[5:34:49]
respectful way. I want to give accolades to Mr. Welsh for
[5:34:53]
writing the letter, although I do understand the concerns that
[5:34:57]
were brought up. The board did. The board did agree to have
[5:35:03]
this put on the agenda, knowing that it was a full agenda? I
[5:35:07]
don't believe that anything is being pushed through. And why
[5:35:10]
do I say that? You know, a lot of the information was said
[5:35:17]
about meetings not being publicly informed. I. Five last
[5:35:24]
bit of information, please. And so I requested because I know
[5:35:29]
that there's been a lot of dates. So I did request from
[5:35:32]
city the dates that we have done public outreach. And this
[5:35:35]
has been going on for a while. So this is nothing new being
[5:35:38]
rushed. And I just want to put it on the record out of total
[5:35:42]
respect and transparency. March 30th Chamber of Commerce
[5:35:47]
presentation. April 1st. General Membership meeting
[5:35:50]
presentation. April 29th. First public engagement in-person
[5:35:54]
meeting April 30th. Second public Engagement in-person
[5:35:58]
meeting April 30th after April 30th. Online community surveys
[5:36:05]
and public engagement meetings. August 19th was the first
[5:36:09]
in-person public open house. August 20th second in-person
[5:36:13]
public open house. You can we can do so much outreach, but
[5:36:19]
the fact that we are not being transparent and we are not
[5:36:22]
involving our community narrative is completely wrong.
[5:36:25]
We talk about it today, about reaching out to the residents,
[5:36:28]
about all the topics that we made. We had residents come and
[5:36:31]
speak about the 441 issue. You can do so much. It's like the
[5:36:36]
saying you could lead a horse to water, but you can't make
[5:36:39]
them drink. We can provide opportunities for engagement,
[5:36:42]
but if the residents don't engage, we can't force them
[5:36:46]
until all of a sudden a narrative goes out and then it
[5:36:49]
becomes a bigger problem. This is something to protect the
[5:36:52]
city. The overlay. We can agree to disagree, but because of
[5:36:57]
pending lawsuits and because of decisions that have been made,
[5:37:01]
this is an opportunity for us to put hard stops and protect,
[5:37:05]
but also allow the city to grow. So I am not in favor of
[5:37:09]
preventing it from coming to the board meeting, even though
[5:37:12]
it is a packed agenda, because they did agree to have it on
[5:37:15]
that date. Now, if they want to adjourn and move forward on
[5:37:21]
certain topics after if it's too late, I'm assuming that
[5:37:25]
they can do that. But there I know there's been there's been
[5:37:29]
planning and development board meetings where they've been
[5:37:31]
here until one, two, 3:00 this morning before. So that's part
[5:37:35]
of volunteerism. And we've been here till one, two, three. So
[5:37:39]
when you sign up for something like that and you know, these
[5:37:42]
are topics that need to move the city forward, and actually
[5:37:45]
it's going to be a benefit to the residents who say they
[5:37:48]
can't make it because they're working at whatever time they
[5:37:51]
can come, and they're going to be able to have their voices
[5:37:54]
heard, and a decision will be made. And we can kind of, I
[5:37:57]
think, already know it will come back to the commission.
[5:38:00]
And I think more information will come out to support the
[5:38:04]
reasons as to why, through the 500 page pages, the staff did
[5:38:08]
an amazing job here in the lobby. We got the letter from
[5:38:15]
Mr. Seltzer. I responded, I think that was a very negative
[5:38:19]
tone and I expressed that to him as well. You're damned if
[5:38:22]
you do and you're damned if you don't. But we got to find the
[5:38:25]
common ground and we have to be able to balance that properly
[5:38:28]
and do what's best for the entire city of Hollywood. Yet
[5:38:31]
again, I'm saying this and I will not say stop saying it
[5:38:34]
until my last day sitting up here. So my goal is to welcome
[5:38:38]
Mr. Welsh for the positivity and to continue to move forward,
[5:38:42]
because that's where you find common ground and I am willing
[5:38:45]
to do the same. We have to formulate and masterfully
[5:38:49]
create respect because right now we are all on opposite ends.
[5:38:54]
So with that being said, that is all of my comments. Thank
[5:38:57]
you very much and have a great day. Thank you. Thank you, Vice
[5:39:00]
Mayor. Sure. Go ahead. I just want to clear up one point.
[5:39:05]
When we had all of that public outreach, which I agree, staff
[5:39:08]
did a good job. That was getting information to go into
[5:39:12]
what's been being presented to the board. The the public has
[5:39:16]
not had any presentations other than, I believe the night where
[5:39:20]
the P and B more meeting was canceled. But the heights and
[5:39:25]
things like that were not available in the August
[5:39:29]
meetings. That was gathering information, as I understand it.
[5:39:32]
So I'll tell you, since the meeting was continued from the
[5:39:36]
special set, was it August or July, August, August 4th, or
[5:39:40]
whatever it was? The staff had put together a number of
[5:39:44]
sessions that a lot of those same folks attended. So there
[5:39:47]
has there has been good utilization of the past 30 days
[5:39:50]
or so already to have additional input. And so for
[5:39:54]
all those folks who were already, you know, clamoring
[5:39:57]
and advocating for the board even before the hearing to
[5:40:00]
continue the item. No, no, we need more time. Well, because
[5:40:03]
of the issue with the notice, they got the extra time staff,
[5:40:07]
thankfully had, you know, taken advantage of that and actually
[5:40:10]
reached out to the community more and presented the heights
[5:40:12]
and everything else. So now by the time you get to September
[5:40:16]
8th and P and no one can really, you know, reasonably say, oh,
[5:40:18]
we need more time because they've had, you know,
[5:40:21]
practically 60 days at that point with the package. So and
[5:40:24]
same with the Planning and Development board members. So,
[5:40:26]
you know, they wanted more time and by, by mistake, they got
[5:40:29]
more time. So good thing it's all good. Everybody can now be
[5:40:33]
educated on it and speak on it. So yeah, go ahead. I didn't
[5:40:38]
finish stating my I got distracted and I apologize, but
[5:40:41]
the, the poor door statement that was made here at the
[5:40:44]
commission meetings and the comments that were made. And I
[5:40:47]
know it was a very challenging thing. I just want to put on
[5:40:50]
the record. I do not and I will not. And we are as a body, have
[5:40:54]
the opportunity to prevent poor doors from ever happening. And
[5:40:58]
so I just want that to be on the record. I would never
[5:41:01]
support that. And to be accused that I was in support of it is
[5:41:04]
completely taken out of narrative, and I hope that all
[5:41:08]
of us are cognizant of what we say, because it just festers
[5:41:11]
and it becomes a bigger issue. And I think that that should
[5:41:14]
come to a cease. Thank you. All right. Let's go for
[5:41:17]
Commissioner Groover. You could wave if you like. No, no, I
[5:41:22]
have a few things I want to just real quick, I want to
[5:41:26]
thank staff for PD and fire also and FOP for donating the
[5:41:32]
ice cream to the Ice Cream social. It was actually one of
[5:41:35]
the most well attended things that I've been to with that
[5:41:39]
type of thing that we did. We gave away 400 ice creams, 400
[5:41:43]
ice creams. Yeah. And thank FOP for, for they had purchased
[5:41:47]
that ice cream for the kids. Yeah. I think some of some
[5:41:49]
parents might have got an ice cream or two, but it was
[5:41:52]
amazing. We had a fire truck out there with, with the hose
[5:41:55]
attached to the fire truck and kids were able to shoot at, you
[5:41:58]
know, shoot the hose at a cone. And, and police were out there
[5:42:02]
with K9 and Swat and really, really was a nice time. So
[5:42:05]
thank you to everyone that was involved in that. Sorry to
[5:42:09]
throw this out there because I didn't bring it up in my Monday
[5:42:12]
meeting. I was just thinking about it last night. And I kind
[5:42:15]
of want to think, see what my colleagues and staff think
[5:42:18]
about this is there's a lot of chatter that I see on social
[5:42:21]
media about paying for parking downtown and people thinking
[5:42:25]
that that's why some people aren't going there. I don't
[5:42:28]
necessarily agree with that, but I think it could be the
[5:42:30]
right time of year. Are we doing dine out Hollywood?
[5:42:33]
Joanne. We are September. October. Okay. But September is
[5:42:38]
typically the slowest time of the year. What about my idea?
[5:42:42]
Adam is going to hate me for this. Adam. Free parking in our
[5:42:47]
garages from Monday to Thursday just to see if it does have an
[5:42:53]
impact on businesses. We don't have to hire a consultant to
[5:42:55]
figure out, you know, should we charge this? Should we not make
[5:42:58]
a couple of weeks in September, maybe the full month of
[5:43:01]
September? Start it September, Monday, September 1st on Monday
[5:43:05]
it just listen. If if we're if we're going to pay $100,000 for
[5:43:09]
a jazz festival, right. To bring boots on the ground.
[5:43:13]
Right. So, you know, or, or we did, we had an event where we
[5:43:16]
gave free parking where we knew it was going to be packed
[5:43:19]
anyway. Why not take the slowest days of the week and
[5:43:22]
the slowest weeks of the year and sample it and see, and we
[5:43:25]
can talk to our businesses and say they can say, hey, you know
[5:43:29]
what? There was no difference. Hey, we had, you know, much
[5:43:31]
better sales. You know, I'm throwing it out there. I don't
[5:43:34]
know the exact amount of income we bring in on a Monday. Maybe
[5:43:37]
we can just do Mondays. But I like to test it just to, to see
[5:43:41]
because we can quantify it. And I'm just, I don't know if I
[5:43:46]
need support. I, I kind of want to Adam maybe, maybe you can,
[5:43:49]
you know, I apologize for throwing that out here, not
[5:43:51]
bringing it out Monday. I thought, what's that? So I
[5:43:54]
would just say in Miami Beach right now, they have a, instead
[5:43:57]
of like 5 or $6 an hour on their paid meter parking for I
[5:44:01]
think it's August and September. They have it for like a dollar
[5:44:04]
an hour. That's on the beach on Miami Beach. Yeah, yeah. City
[5:44:07]
of Miami Beach. So just to give you an example, they, they also
[5:44:11]
are trying to do something for the slow time of year. So we
[5:44:14]
charge it, right? So no, so what I'm saying is for downtown,
[5:44:17]
not on the street for our parking garages. And maybe they
[5:44:20]
don't make too much money during that month. Monday
[5:44:22]
through. Yeah. If the commission will allow me to
[5:44:24]
interject a little bit. Yes. Sorry. Go ahead. Yeah. I think
[5:44:27]
we should probably just do an analysis before we make that
[5:44:30]
type of decision. Yeah. I'm bringing something back to the
[5:44:33]
commission based on that recommendation. Okay. And
[5:44:36]
because because our parking right now in the garages is a
[5:44:38]
dollar an hour. It is it's not a big impact either. Yeah, it
[5:44:42]
is. It's a massive impact. But, but, but it is, it is economic
[5:44:46]
and affordable for, in my opinion, for those residents.
[5:44:49]
But allow us the opportunity to I agree with you, and I don't
[5:44:52]
know if it's going to make a difference, but there's a lot
[5:44:55]
of chatter. I don't know if anyone else sees it on social
[5:44:58]
media saying that the reason people aren't coming out, and I
[5:45:00]
don't necessarily agree with that thought process, is that
[5:45:03]
they have to pay for parking. So if the time to maybe, you
[5:45:06]
know, try, it would be the Deadest. I bless you. So yeah,
[5:45:11]
if you if you guys want to bring it back, but I don't want
[5:45:14]
to do it in December, you know, if we're going to do it, I'd
[5:45:17]
like to. So before I get before I get to Commissioner Hernandez
[5:45:20]
to give his feedback publicly here, I just want to mention
[5:45:23]
that if we want to thank that if we have a dine out Hollywood
[5:45:26]
throughout the month of October, maybe that's the month to do it
[5:45:29]
and really go all the way for Dine Out Hollywood and pair it
[5:45:33]
with free garage parking. And then you're really getting the
[5:45:35]
word out. Let's go to Commissioner Hernandez. Mayor,
[5:45:37]
I gotta tell you, there is a concerted effort right now to
[5:45:40]
attack the parking in the downtown, not because they're
[5:45:43]
going to come. They're just going to say we don't go
[5:45:46]
because we got to pay for parking. But now that you're
[5:45:48]
going to tell them we get free parking, but it's got to be in
[5:45:51]
the garage. Well, I don't want to go into the garage. So, so I,
[5:45:55]
the, at the end of the day, if you guys. And I don't support
[5:45:59]
it, by the way, but if you guys are willing to do something
[5:46:02]
like that, I'm more than happy to do it in conjunction with an
[5:46:05]
event or with a month that we're having to try to see
[5:46:08]
something like that. But I really do not support the issue
[5:46:11]
because this is just a concerted effort by a few
[5:46:14]
people, and they're loud when they come to tell you this
[5:46:16]
thing, just like I heard in you probably heard it from
[5:46:19]
Commissioner Blattner, which is the person who's telling us,
[5:46:22]
well, the people that come to Cinema Paradiso don't come
[5:46:26]
because they don't want to pay for parking. I'm looking at it
[5:46:29]
like, you know, no good deed goes unpunished. Here we are.
[5:46:33]
We we're we're putting money out of the resident's pocket to
[5:46:36]
have Cinema Paradiso actually be there. And then they also
[5:46:40]
want you to give them free parking. Do you want free ice
[5:46:43]
cream and a hamburger too? I mean, in popcorn. I mean, at
[5:46:46]
the end of the day, I spoke about we had free ice cream. No,
[5:46:50]
no. You know, and the you may. But at the end of the day,
[5:46:53]
we're we're we're subsidizing Cinema Paradiso. Now, the
[5:46:56]
people that want to go there want to have their parking
[5:46:58]
subsidized. Everybody else has to pay. I don't believe that if
[5:47:01]
if they have a problem paying a dollar an hour, really, I get
[5:47:06]
it. I, I've gone to different places and I just got back from
[5:47:09]
Seattle. You park, you pay in $7, $8 an hour to park on the
[5:47:14]
street. And if you get a ticket because you park in the wrong
[5:47:17]
day on the street, it's $225. So let's be real. So I don't
[5:47:23]
support it. But if you guys want to do it, I will
[5:47:26]
reluctantly go away, do it in a month that we're actually doing
[5:47:29]
something so that we can quantify. But I would I would
[5:47:31]
like to hear the analysis. I'd like to hear the analysis first,
[5:47:35]
I guess, and then and I would do it during dine out. And for
[5:47:38]
those people who continue with that narrative, we can then say,
[5:47:41]
well, we tried it and the effect was hopefully X, Y, and
[5:47:44]
z. I mean, hopefully it'll be a great month. But yeah,
[5:47:47]
Commissioner Biederman, go ahead and then we'll be done.
[5:47:49]
So I'm glad you brought this up because I was thinking about
[5:47:52]
this the other day, and I just didn't like I've had a rough
[5:47:55]
afternoon. Has anybody used the park mobile app here other than
[5:48:01]
me? Yeah, I use it. All right. So when you use the park mobile
[5:48:05]
app or pay by phone, it always pops up these stupid ads on
[5:48:10]
sign up and you get $25 off. I spoke to Susan about this, and
[5:48:17]
I told her to touch base with Lisa because the CRA, just for
[5:48:22]
historical information. So the CRA, before all you guys time
[5:48:28]
except for maybe Ray Lynn, used to give people these tokens for
[5:48:33]
like $5 or whatever it is, and they would give them away like
[5:48:37]
water just to spend money in the businesses in downtown.
[5:48:40]
Right. And, and, and, and the city would redeem those tokens.
[5:48:46]
So it's all about messaging to the businesses. It's a digital
[5:48:53]
age. If people park in a parking garage and they're
[5:48:56]
paying their 2 or $3 for parking, we could pop up a QR
[5:49:00]
code or, or a barcode of some sort that is scannable at a
[5:49:05]
business that they get $10 off of the business, and they could
[5:49:08]
spend $2 in a garage, but they get $10 off in the business.
[5:49:11]
But it gives us the ability to bring people into downtown with
[5:49:15]
a 5 or 10 or whatever it is, dollar coupon. And who's going
[5:49:19]
to pay the $10? The business? No, they could redeem them to
[5:49:22]
us. Oh, okay. We're not paying $10. But I mean, we've done it
[5:49:25]
before. Dinner subsidies? No, but we've done it before.
[5:49:30]
Whatever it is, the idea is there that we could do some
[5:49:33]
kind of digital thing and you could flip it on like a switch
[5:49:36]
only for ice cream. All right. I think we've we've talked I
[5:49:40]
think we've talked it out. We've you've heard some ideas.
[5:49:43]
We're going to hear what the something next week with the
[5:49:46]
financial impact would be. But Joanne was supportive of the
[5:49:51]
dine out Hollywood, the dine out Hollywood alignment. Now
[5:49:55]
Joanne, if you want to get up here and talk downtown, we're
[5:49:58]
happy to invite you. But that's not on the agenda today. All
[5:50:02]
right, Commissioner Gruber, thank you. You said, you know,
[5:50:06]
you had an idea and look what happened. I know have another
[5:50:09]
idea, but I think it's going to take too much time now. Yeah.
[5:50:12]
So so actually, going back to Commissioner Shuhan, you
[5:50:14]
brought up this morning about the golf balls. And I was
[5:50:17]
speaking to a resident that lives on the golf course, and
[5:50:21]
he was telling me it's his car gets hit, his house gets hit,
[5:50:24]
which is what you expect if you live on a golf course. But he.
[5:50:28]
What's that? Yes. No, which is what you expect. But he said
[5:50:31]
that one of his neighbors went to put a pergola. I believe he
[5:50:34]
said it was a pergola, and he had to get a variance and
[5:50:37]
different things. What about looking into making it a little
[5:50:40]
bit more seamless for people who live on a golf course to
[5:50:45]
protect their property, like their cars, to be able to put
[5:50:48]
some type of canopy that they don't have to get a variance, I
[5:50:51]
think. Is it something we could look into? I mean, it seems
[5:50:54]
reasonable. Yeah. It seems reasonable that, you know, they
[5:50:57]
should. It shouldn't be some crazy path to pay for a
[5:51:01]
variance and this and that. Maybe look into the options of
[5:51:04]
what people can put in front of their homes when they're facing
[5:51:07]
a golf course. And this could not this could be city wide, an
[5:51:10]
ordinance. If you're living on a golf course and apply to
[5:51:13]
those those homes, I don't know if I need support for staff
[5:51:16]
text. Amendment to the zoning code for setbacks just sounds
[5:51:19]
like for pergolas. Well, well, and also there's there's
[5:51:23]
different things you could put to protect your, your property.
[5:51:27]
And there you go. An interceptor, an interceptor, a
[5:51:32]
laser interceptor, automatic weapons. Yeah. So smart city
[5:51:36]
technology. Anyway, I think it could be something to look into.
[5:51:40]
Right. Yeah. Do I need that one's a little reach, I don't
[5:51:43]
know. Yeah. I just don't want the emails anymore. No. And you
[5:51:48]
and you put it out to the people who live on the golf
[5:51:51]
course. Is that your how about this staff feedback on the idea.
[5:51:54]
Not a motion to bring back an ordinance, but correct support
[5:51:57]
to bring back feedback, whether it's in the Tuesday memo or and
[5:52:00]
what, what options could exist that that you'd recommend
[5:52:03]
asking for support to look into possibly options for homeowners
[5:52:08]
that live near a golf course for them where they wouldn't
[5:52:11]
have to go through a variance and this and that and whatever,
[5:52:14]
something seamless for those homeowners protecting Clusia
[5:52:17]
plant, areca palms. What else? No. All right. Yeah, yeah.
[5:52:24]
Sidewalks and in the road. So for my comments, ladies and
[5:52:27]
gentlemen, I just want to express my excitement about
[5:52:30]
tomorrow and the Hollywood Police headquarters ribbon
[5:52:34]
cutting and opening to the public, excited for HPD and for
[5:52:37]
the city at large, for this new headquarters to be open and for
[5:52:41]
all that, it's going to serve the city. It's at 4 p.m.
[5:52:44]
tomorrow at. Is it address North Park Road? But I don't
[5:52:48]
know the number, 401 401 North Park Road. Parking is on
[5:52:53]
Entrada. Enter through Entrada Drive for this particular event.
[5:52:57]
All right. Thank you all so much. Excited about tomorrow.
[5:53:00]
Good to be back and get into the weeds. Let's get to city
[5:53:04]
Attorney. Welcome back everybody. Normally I wouldn't
[5:53:08]
have any comments, but I did ask two of my new attorneys to
[5:53:11]
stay. And I just wanted to introduce them to you. All
[5:53:14]
right. Varosha is yeah, you can come up to the mic and tell us
[5:53:20]
about you too. She's not here. You're an attorney. Come up to
[5:53:23]
the mic. Right? She's not that new, but it has been a little
[5:53:26]
busy and so I have not done it earlier. But Varosha, if you
[5:53:31]
want to, you want me to. Okay. I thought you had a little bio
[5:53:34]
prepared for me. Yeah, but I guess, I mean, no one knows
[5:53:37]
more about you than myself. My name is Feroz Shah, and I came
[5:53:40]
here from the city of Miami Beach, where I was a
[5:53:43]
legislative attorney for the city commissioner for about
[5:53:45]
eight years before starting my journey in Hollywood. I don't
[5:53:49]
live in Hollywood, but I'm a very, very frequent visitor as
[5:53:52]
my partner lives here. So I'm here pretty much every week for
[5:53:56]
work and also every weekend for recreation. I really love the
[5:53:59]
city. I'm very excited to be here. Originally, I was born in
[5:54:04]
Turkmenistan. It is located in Central Asia, but I moved to
[5:54:09]
America with my family when I was 12 years old, and we
[5:54:13]
actually ended up in West Virginia. So it took me a bit
[5:54:16]
to make my way to Florida, but I moved to Florida, I believe
[5:54:19]
in 2014 for law school, and I fell in love with the state. I
[5:54:24]
fell in love with South Florida, and I've stayed here ever since.
[5:54:27]
Propecia works with our development services team, and
[5:54:31]
she's really. That's the most important part. Yes, she'll be
[5:54:34]
staying late on September 8th. Yes, yes. Yeah, we'll be
[5:54:40]
watching. All right. Thank you very much. Thank you for Russia.
[5:54:42]
Welcome. Also, Amy Dreaver is our newest attorney. Amy is
[5:54:47]
working with our PD fire code and parking departments. And
[5:54:51]
Amy, if you want to say a little bit about yourself. Good
[5:54:53]
evening. Nice to meet you all. I, I most recently came from
[5:54:57]
the Broward OIG where I worked for the last three years with
[5:55:02]
Jody Breeze. Before that, I was a prosecutor in Miami Dade for
[5:55:06]
nine years, kind of pretty much working the the full gamut
[5:55:10]
there. Very excited to be here. Part of the team fire, police
[5:55:13]
code and parking still very new and learning the ropes. But
[5:55:18]
it's been exciting so far and seems like a great city to work
[5:55:21]
for. Awesome. Thank you. Welcome. Thank you all so much.
[5:55:25]
All right. That's on deck for all of us. Yeah. A lot of
[5:55:31]
modernizing needed on those. All right. City Manager. Well I
[5:55:37]
also want to just say welcome back. I hope all of you enjoyed
[5:55:41]
a little downtime over the last several weeks, although I know
[5:55:45]
it was still very busy for for most of you. Just a couple of
[5:55:52]
things. I want to highlight a couple of items that were on
[5:55:55]
the consent agenda that I think were noteworthy. Our law
[5:55:58]
enforcement forfeiture funds. We dedicate a pretty
[5:56:01]
significant portion of those each year to funding various
[5:56:05]
nonprofit agencies that are working in our community.
[5:56:08]
That's right around $140,000. That's going to help things
[5:56:12]
like the Boys and Girls Club, our Police Athletic League,
[5:56:17]
Hispanic Unity, you name it. So we have quite a it's just
[5:56:21]
noteworthy and a great source of help to those nonprofits.
[5:56:25]
Also, I would like to highlight that we had the Highland
[5:56:29]
Gardens Sidewalk Project. This is one of the projects that our
[5:56:33]
engineering team and DCM have been working on, and it is a
[5:56:37]
grant funded project. All of those grant funded projects you
[5:56:40]
have to get in the cycle early. It takes a long time, but it's
[5:56:44]
finally, you know, coming to fruition. And that's a
[5:56:47]
significant investment of about $720,000. So as you heard
[5:56:52]
earlier today, Deputy City Manager Adam Reichbach is going
[5:56:56]
to be doing behind the budget community meetings. Really,
[5:57:01]
this is an opportunity for our residents. We're trying we've
[5:57:05]
we've you know, we have budget hearings, and sometimes we
[5:57:08]
don't have a tremendous amount of participation from our
[5:57:11]
residents. But we do think it's very important that they
[5:57:14]
understand the budget. And and so Adam is going to be doing
[5:57:20]
three separate sessions for folks to attend, will be also
[5:57:25]
touching on the impacts of amendment three. But I think
[5:57:30]
this is really just hopefully what will become a standard
[5:57:33]
process for us, where we will try to get out into the
[5:57:37]
community to allow them to ask questions about the budget
[5:57:40]
process. So September 1st at the Hollywood Beach Culture and
[5:57:43]
Community Center at six, September 9th here at City Hall
[5:57:46]
at 6 p.m. and that one will be recorded. And then September
[5:57:50]
10th at the Boulevard Heights Community Center, again at 6
[5:57:54]
p.m. And then just if people do feel so inclined, after they've
[5:57:59]
learned about the budget to actually come and participate
[5:58:01]
in the hearings. Monday, September 14th, here at City
[5:58:05]
Hall is the first budget hearing that's at 6 p.m. The
[5:58:09]
second one is Wednesday, September 23rd at 6 p.m. and
[5:58:13]
that will be followed immediately by the CRA budget
[5:58:17]
hearing. As you heard earlier from Commissioner Quintana, the
[5:58:22]
collection of supplies is still underway by our fire Department
[5:58:26]
for the Columbia Earthquake Relief. Please go to the
[5:58:30]
website www.hollywood.org. There is a list there of the
[5:58:36]
priority needs. And really, you know, while we love all
[5:58:40]
donations, it really is most helpful if people take a moment
[5:58:44]
to look at that list and bring the things that are most needed.
[5:58:48]
And then finally, I want to actually, I have two more
[5:58:52]
things. Sorry, sorry, sorry. One is we heard earlier today
[5:58:55]
and this one's been sitting for a little while, so I apologize.
[5:58:57]
I got it right before the commission recess, and I just
[5:59:01]
want to take a moment. We get a lot of complaints, and
[5:59:05]
sometimes we don't really hear when we do things right. And so
[5:59:08]
from time to time, I'm going to try to share how much we
[5:59:11]
appreciate when we do get letters from folks saying that
[5:59:14]
we did something right. This was a letter to VIN Morello in
[5:59:18]
our utilities department. It was from a man who had reached
[5:59:22]
out. He had a problem that his water service that required his
[5:59:26]
water service to be cut off for a couple of hours. And he says
[5:59:30]
after the service trucks had left, I turned on my hose
[5:59:33]
spigot and found very dark water in the line that even
[5:59:36]
after what I thought was a reasonable amount of time,
[5:59:39]
still appeared cloudy. So I contacted your office. The
[5:59:42]
utilities office spoke to a very nice person named Danny,
[5:59:45]
who told me I would be contacted by a supervisor. Very
[5:59:49]
shortly thereafter, Supervisor Lucas Kelly was at my home and
[5:59:53]
explained to me how this condition is sometimes caused
[5:59:55]
by a valve that had not been operated in a long time. He
[5:59:58]
also offered to flush my line, and within a few minutes the
[6:00:01]
water was flowing again, perfectly clean. Supervisor
[6:00:06]
Kelly was so professional, professional, affable and such
[6:00:09]
a great representative of the city's workforce that I wanted
[6:00:12]
to share my experience with you. So we don't always hear when we
[6:00:16]
do things right, but we do appreciate our staff when
[6:00:18]
they're doing those things. And then finally, our CMD team has
[6:00:24]
won four Telly awards, the Telly Awards honor excellence
[6:00:28]
in video and television production across all screens
[6:00:32]
across the city. And I think they're coming out with a
[6:00:35]
couple of the tellys. So Nikki is our chief videographer, and
[6:00:46]
Ray Macaluso also is a very capable videographer in our CMD
[6:00:52]
team. The team won two silver trophies and two bronze
[6:00:57]
trophies for our Aerospace economic development commercial.
[6:01:01]
Our fire recruitment promotional video and the
[6:01:05]
Centennial celebration. So we certainly want to congratulate
[6:01:09]
them for some excellent work. Thank you. And that is all.
[6:01:19]
Well, that is great. I was looking to see if I could find
[6:01:22]
a great email from a resident who was appreciative of a crew
[6:01:25]
from Public Works that came timely and quickly to remove a
[6:01:28]
tree that had fallen into the roadway. It was a glowing email
[6:01:31]
that I sent and shared with with with Joe Kroll and team.
[6:01:36]
But certainly we hear a lot of good things too. So I know
[6:01:39]
sometimes we all get the beat down and it's deflating and it
[6:01:42]
should be uplifting, and sometimes it's deflating, but
[6:01:44]
that's what we have to overcome. And also, you know, know that
[6:01:47]
we do great things. And sometimes we do hear it from
[6:01:50]
people who are so appreciative. And that helps motivate you to
[6:01:53]
keep going forward. So thank you all so much. Let's keep
[6:01:55]
rocking Hollywood. This meeting is