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Public hearing number one, which is a public hearing.

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And final assessment resolution for the Coral Gardens Waste Water Municipal Service benefit unit.

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Mr. Repedi.

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Good afternoon.

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We've got a little PowerPoint presentation.

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All right, ready?

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I know say good morning, but good afternoon.

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For the record, Leo Repedi with Martin County utilities on their text services administrator.

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Here's a speech talk about the Col Gardens Waste Water Assessment final public hearing.

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This is a vacuum-based septic-assure program to serve 631 single-family residences in the Col Gardens community.

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Col Gardens community is bounded by U.S. One in Willoughby, just south of Palmer.

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In addition to the MSBU, that's going to be part of the assessment to fund the project.

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The remaining funds come from an $8 million protecting Florida together, water quality grant, and about a million dollars in state revenue sharing funds, about a million and a half of F.P.L. franchise fees, and just over $400,000 in contributions from utilities.

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Here we go.

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The cost associated with this, just over $14 million dollars, when we did this project out, our engineer's cost estimate was $18.5 million.

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So the fact that this came in under the engineering cost estimate was encouraging that prices are stabilizing, and it gives us some hope for the future projects.

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And that we're not continuing this great escalation of construction prices.

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The total project roughly $18.1 million, when you take out the grant and the other contributions, the total assessment for this project is about $7.2 million.

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You take the $6.31 properties, divide into that $7.2 million, and each resident would pay $11,438.46, which is under the $12,000 cap that the board has asked us to provide.

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We have state revolving fund financing at 1.83% and for those who don't do their prepayment, they be put on their tax bill for 20 years.

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So the 1.3% helps keep that number down low.

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The typical modern county utility resident, we have about 40,000 water customers, the average of about 6,000 gallons.

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So if a customer currently connects it to water, which I think all but maybe one or two in coal gardens is connected to water, they would have an increased water bill of about $51.

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That works better.

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A little bit about schedule, we last met with the board back on October 21st, since then in the past six weeks or so.

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We've had two public hearings, one of the community workshop, one to discuss specifically the assessment process.

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We answered questions, we passed out frequently asked questions, flyers.

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And joining the mood was upbeat and positive about having this come into into their neighborhood.

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Today December 9th should this be approved by the Board of County Commissioners.

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Our next step would be to award the construction contract, which is a later item on the departmental and we would then start the process of getting shop drawings and approvals and things like that.

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That bonds what not with the contractor with an anticipated construction start of February of next year.

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And the duration is about 18 months, which puts it early summer of 2027.

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The lump sum payments assessment would be due.

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The August 1st or 15th, I've got two numbers of 2027, and if they choose to spread out over the 20 years, it would be on there November 2027 tax bill.

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So, in closing, staff recommends that the Board adopted the final assessment resolution to create the Coral Gardens Municipal,

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the wastewater municipal service benefit unit, and that the Board authorized the county administrator or designated to execute any documents related to the request.

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And if any questions are be happy to answer them.

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Questions?

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I have two requests to speak forms from the public.

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The first is Mary Gavin. Do you want to speak on this item?

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It's not on this item.

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Okay. What item is it on?

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On the ground field.

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Okay. Then Dustin Bishop.

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Hello, everyone. My name is Dustin Bishop, and I do reside in Coral Gardens.

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They did a wonderful job with their presentation.

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Sorry, I'm a little taller than I think the last person that was here.

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They did a wonderful job coming and presenting to us.

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They did it in the workshop. They answered all of the questions that we had.

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We live at the very end of Coral Gardens.

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So the footprint that comes over will be ends in my driveway.

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So one of our main concerns was with the children, because that's why we bought the house 20 plus years ago.

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And he cleared that up for us.

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You know, there were still e-gates all along there, so the children of still be safe.

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I am for this 100%.

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I could be paying the full amount of it without the grant.

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They wouldn't bother me. I would still be for it.

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But I don't understand why anybody would be against this, knowing that right now,

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there is a grant that offsets a large portion of that amount of money.

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House bill, I think it was 1378.

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Specifies we got to convert anyway by 2030.

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So we can either pay for it.

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Now, at a reduced rate, or in five years, we got to do the same thing at a higher rate.

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It doesn't make any sense.

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I'm 100% for this. Thank you guys for your time.

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I hope this gets approved.

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Thank you for the effort that you put into it.

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He had a few naysayers, but a lot of that was communication that I think the real estate agent

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didn't give to him when they moved into the community less than a year ago.

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We all know this is coming. I've got plenty of documentation stating this.

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I've got plenty of documentation saying when this meeting was.

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When the meeting was for at the college.

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So I hope you guys will approve this.

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It means a lot to us.

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And also, we do care about Indian River Lagoon as well for kayakers.

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It knows us, we're scouters. So we've done this for many years.

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We took many scouts out.

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So looking forward to clean waterways as well, so that we can have a safe time with our friends and family and scouters.

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So thank you all.

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You're a model resident.

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Yes.

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Come back often.

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What are other neighborhoods, too?

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Commissioner Heatherington.

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I was just going to say, this is a long-awaited project.

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And I want to thank staff for, as you just heard Dustin just say,

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you did a phenomenal job in educating and communicating all the different aspects of this project to the community.

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You made my job really easy.

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And the community is, I think, by and large, very much in support and look forward to the project being under construction and completed.

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And then our road paving to be done.

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So I would gladly motion staff's recommendation for approval.

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Just briefly to say, job well done from staff.

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I'm very happy for the folks in Coral Gardens.

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Looking forward to having this exact same conversation about pump city.

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And pump city.

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And pump city.

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That's great that the prices are modulating somewhat.

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Yeah, it really, it surprises.

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You put out your best foot forward as county staff.

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We don't want to be the lowest bitter.

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So this worked out that we got some good pricing.

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And they're pricing between the first and the second lowest bitter.

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We're within a few percent of each other.

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So we got some good tight beds.

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It wasn't an anomaly.

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And the bitter.

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Felix civil construction believe is the same entity that did the north of the shores vacuum project.

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So they have experience.

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And they're a solid qualified contractor to do this work.

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Fantastic.

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That means that we'll get good bids for the next project.

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And I don't mean to discount the folks that financially.

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This is I mean we're happy.

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And I know that most people are happy.

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And I get that not everyone can just easily afford this.

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But I think in the big picture for the neighborhood, the value of the neighborhood.

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And the individual homes.

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It's important to do.

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I know it can be a financial hardship for some.

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But you have to continue to bring these projects forward both environmentally.

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And I think just for the betterment of the community.

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So we get that not everyone is in love with the idea.

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But I think universally it's the right strategy.

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And the the $754 a year and the assessment is about two dollars a day.

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Yeah.

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Yes.

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Commissioner Caps.

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I also want to thank staff.

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I know you guys have been working on this for probably several years.

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Great job.

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And I also want to thank the more senior members of this board for making.

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Sceptic to sewer a priority in Martin County.

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You know.

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I've only been here a year.

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And.

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But this was set as a priority.

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By some of.

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By predecessors.

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And I.

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I think it was a is a very.

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A lot of a goal.

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And it's going to do a lot to help our waterways.

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So thank you.

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To the rest of you.

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Any other questions or comments.

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There's a motion in a second all those in favor.

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I opposed that motion passes unanimously.

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Thank you very much.

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Thank you.

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We will backtrack to.

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Board and committee appointments.

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Shall we to community redevelop an agency.

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Agency chair and vice chair designations.

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We'll take that we'll take that up when she gets here.

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We'll take up something else.

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You okay doing it on your own.

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Sure.

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Oh, you don't want that.

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You're going to pull the microphone.

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You the board of county commissioners will designate a member of the CRA as the chair and a member as the vice chair.

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Okay, current vice chair is Michael Redling.

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Yes.

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And.

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Chairman is Robert Krebs.

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I would make a motion that we elevate the vice chair.

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Michael Redling to become the chair.

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Second.

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There's a motion in a second all those in favor.

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I opposed that motion passes unanimously and vice chair.

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How do we go about this?

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I think we'd have to hear from Susan on like.

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I've always felt that this this in particular, this group.

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Should advance.

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Recommendation to us otherwise we just I see she's coming.

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She's Clyde's plan D.

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You know he's blocking her.

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So we'll give her another minute.

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No, he's he's got about.

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Jim is holding the handle.

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Let's write to the front, please.

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We've already elected a chair.

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We've elevated Michael Redling to chair and we don't know what to do about vice chair.

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So I have a recommendation.

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Susan Cora is office of community development motion.

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Susan Cora has become vice.

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Please.

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So I would recommend Cynthia Hall.

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She has not been a vice chair or chair for years.

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And she does her term does go out to 29.

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Some of them only go to 27.

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Which might make it a little bit dicey next.

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I would make a motion that Cindy Hall become vice chair.

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I know her a long time.

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She's very involved in the community.

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She's very professional.

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Smart person would be an excellent.

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Elevation.

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Second.

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There's a motion and a second all those in favor.

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I opposed that motion passes unanimously.

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Thank you.

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Thank you.

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Yeah.

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We saw Clyde doing trying to like check you out of the out of the position in the lobby.

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And we noticed.

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We'll now go to public hearing number two, which is a public hearing to adopt notice of intent.

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Resolution required by section one nine seven.

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dot three six three two Florida statues for special assessments.

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Good afternoon.

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Good afternoon.

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Mr. Duncan.

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For the record, David Duncan senior project manager with the utilities and solid waste department.

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This is a public hearing to adopt the non-binding resolution declaring the boards intent to use the uniform method of collection for non-advalorum assessments.

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For a proposed series of special assessments that may be imposed.

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Within certain municipal service benefit units.

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To be established for road paving.

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Answer.

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Ancillary drainage, dredging, services, stormwater services facilities and water and wastewater projects.

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Section 197.3632, Florida statute requires that the county holds a public hearing and adopt the

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resolution of intent to use the uniform method of collection for any assessment program in a calendar

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year prior to any such collection.

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The resolution, which does not obligate the county, either to use the uniform method of collection or to impose

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any one special assessment, must be adopted by January 1st, 2026, and send to the tax collector,

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the property appraiser, and the Department of Revenue by January 10th of 2026. Additionally,

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Section 197.3632 requires that the notice of public hearing to adopt the resolution of intent

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be published for four consecutive weeks immediately proceeding the date of the hearing.

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The notice of intent was properly advertised and the affidavit of publication of the

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intent will be part of this resolution. The notice of intent allows the county to meet its statutory

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notice requirements necessary to use the uniform collection method. The resolution to be adopted

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today is a non-binding and the board may reduce the geographic area covered by any feature assessment

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or decide not to impose any special assessment at a later date. By adopting the resolution,

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the board is simply preserving the right to use the uniform collection method beginning in November

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of 2026 for projects implemented prior to such date. Staffs recommendation is for the board

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to accept the public comment and adopt the resolution of intent to use the uniform method of collection

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for non-advalorum assessments that concludes my presentation. Let's just for Mr. Duncan, Commissioner

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caps. So what would be the other option? Not that I am inclined to think that it would be the

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best I just want to know about. Like you have to apparently express your intent to use the uniform

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method of collection is there another way we can go on this that would be based not that's not

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uniform perhaps it would be based on the value of the homes and the community or something like that.

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How would that work?

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Are a method we use? Is there it appears that there might be other options besides this or not really?

242
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I'm not really. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

243
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Okay. We typically use a uniform method because it goes on the tax roll.

244
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Right. There's all the benefiting properties equally in the same rate if you will. Right.

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Same fee and allows us to do it over time. So even a 10 year or 15 year or 20 year assessment.

246
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But that's the typical method that we've used historically.

247
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If there's other methods, not quite familiar with it but this was common for local government.

248
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Right. It would seem to me that maybe if there is an alternative method that it perhaps would be

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based on the value of the houses or something like say say you have a couple of muck mansions on the street

250
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and then a couple of modest homes on the street and a uniform would mean they're all paying the same

251
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and not uniform would probably mean that they're paying a different as says went based upon the value of the property.

252
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Perhaps. Yeah. So Commissioner this is for a municipal services benefit units which is

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the when we're looking at the project the property itself is is calculated as the benefit.

254
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You know whether it's a sewer line or pavement and then there's some or drainage there's a calculation that the

255
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size of the lot might play into it or the amount of front footage or you know we have we develop what's called a

256
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standard unit that you would apply and in order to use to put it on the tax roll.

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This advertisement and this list of projects in order to go on next year's tax roll has to be

258
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advertised this way. So for instance coral gardens which you just heard a few minutes ago

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had was included in our list at this hearing last year in December so that it could be considered to be an

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MSBU project. And so these are all individual where we're assessing the property based upon the benefit

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there are MSTUs which we have in our budget which are derived a taxable unit which is based upon

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a praise value and it has different rules on how you can spend the funds if that's what you're looking at.

263
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Yeah that's kind of what I'm getting at the difference between the MSTU and the MSBU.

264
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Okay that's interesting thank you. Any further questions would anyone from the public like to address this?

265
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There are motionals of staff's recommendation for approval.

266
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Second. There's a motion in a second all those in favor. I oppose that motion passes unanimously. Thank you Mr. Duncan.

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Okay we'll now move on to public hearing number three which is adoption of resolution approving the surplus

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disposition of county on property located at the northwest corner of southwest Martin Highway

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and southwest Palm City School Avenue in Palm City. Good afternoon commissioners.

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Sebastian Fox senior assistant county attorney for the record. This is a public hearing to consider

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adoption of a resolution approving the surplus disposition of county on property located at

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3,500 southwest Palm City School Avenue. A bit of history on this parcel back in March of 24.

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The board directed staff to prepare a request for a proposal for the sale of this property. In January of

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25 the board approved a preliminary RFP to designate the property as surplus and to pursue the sale

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and redevelopment of the property pursuant to CRA guidelines. And on July of 2025 the board accepted

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a proposal from the Middle East building group for the sale and development of the property.

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The properties currently under contract with an anticipated closing date at the end of January.

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This item has been properly advertised per floor statutes and staff would request that the board

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adopt the resolution proving the surplus disposition of this county on property and authorize the

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county administrator or designate to execute all documents related to their request including

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but not limited to the county deed and other closing documents. I'm happy to answer any questions.

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Commissioners may have. Mr. Canby. Thank you. Thank you Mr. Fox for that recap.

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To remind the residents this was a piece of property that was going to have a development on it that was

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really a lot of people felt out of character for that specific portion of Pomp City.

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Our staff along with a handful of others got together and were able to work out. I think a real strong

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opportunity for the residents the county held onto some of it that gave us access to

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Danforth Creek which we were sorely lacking for maintenance. Egress and Egress and now we were able to

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create the deal for the property that's in the works. Again, thanks to real property and legal for putting that together

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and this is just the next logical step in the process. I would make a motion to accept staff's recommendation.

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Second. Would anyone from the public like to address this? Is this a different size of

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than the partial that we approved on July 8th? No. And can you can somebody describe to me

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the map? The partial boundary on page 243 explained the presumably the part that's in

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green is the county's parcel? Yeah, there's a portion to the west of South West Newbury

294
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Court that's going to be conveyed back to the county at closing by quick claim deed. There's some

295
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easements that are going to be running over that property for the benefit of the property east of

296
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Newbury Court and that's sliver right there is what will allow for the maintenance of the creek. That's

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Commissioner reference. Okay. Madam charges to one other question while we hear some residents of the

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neighborhood behind it had mentioned that they had heard that Newbury Court, the Southwest Newbury Court

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has there's a possibility that it would be closed. That's not that's not the thing, right?

300
00:24:20,960 --> 00:24:26,880
If you'm Gordon Public Works Director, no, there's no intent to close Southeast Newbury Court.

301
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There is likely to be a connection from Newbury over to Palm City School, which will allow the

302
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neighbors on Newbury to exit at a signalized intersection, which will make it a lot easier for them to go

303
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east, county road some 14, but there is no intent to close that road. And the future owner of the property

304
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won't have the ability to close that road separate from us, correct? No, they won't have the ability to

305
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be thank you very much. Any further questions? Is there a motion in a second? I think there is.

306
00:24:57,280 --> 00:25:03,600
There's a motion in a second all those in favor. I opposed that motion passes unanimously. Thank you.

307
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We'll now move on to public hearing number four, which is a legislative public hearing to consider

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transmittal of comprehensive plan amendment 25-04, accessory dwelling units, a text amendment.

309
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Good afternoon, Ms. Off and Boc. Hello, again, my name is Amy Off and Boc,

310
00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:33,520
planner with the growth management department. This is comprehensive plan amendment 25-04,

311
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proposed text amendments for accessory dwelling units, otherwise known as ADUs.

312
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This was initiated by the Board of County Commissioners in the furtherance of providing

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affordable housing and proof of public notice was turned in at the local planning agency on December 4th.

314
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So the request is to change chapter two and chapter four of the comprehensive growth management plan,

315
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and this is just a brief overview of the proposed changes and staff would be happy to go into further

316
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detail after the presentation if needed. So in chapter two of the comprehensive plan,

317
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the term accessory dwelling units will be updated and this represents living quarters on single family

318
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lots and a new term employee dwelling units will be added to describe living quarters on non-residential

319
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properties and this term will be replacing an outdated term further in the plan that describes

320
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living quarters on for night watchman's quarters or custodians' quarters.

321
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So in chapter four of the complaint in under goal 4.9, a policy will be added for accessory dwelling units

322
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containing the criteria for accessory dwelling units and this will replace multiple instances

323
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of ADU criteria elsewhere in the plan and also a policy will be added for employee dwelling units

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to represent non-residential properties. Under goal 4.13, a line of text will be added to

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allow ADUs in each future land use designation that allows single family dwellings,

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excluding the mobile home future land use and these are all the future land use designations that will

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allow them. Also under goal 4.13, ADUs will be permitted on non-residential future land use designations

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that have historically permitted night watchman's quarters or custodians' quarters.

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And this is a legislative hearing that requires three public hearings. The first was on December 4,

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2025 at the local planning agency and they voted for to zero in recommendation of approval.

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And this is the second public hearing, December 9, 2025, to consider transmittal to the state and local

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planning agencies and the third will be sometime in January 26 for approval.

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And so staff recommends approval of CPA25-04, accessory dwelling units on the basis that

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the proposed amendments are consistent with the comprehensive plan and Florida state statutes

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and more restrictive or burdens and requirements are not imposed prior to October 1, 2027.

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And lastly, the Affordable Housing Committee, Affordable Housing Advisory Committee,

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where AACC has supported the staff's recommendation. And this concludes the presentation.

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We'd be happy to answer any additional questions. Mr. Caps.

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I spoke to the county attorney about this issue, but I thought perhaps it might be good to mention it publicly.

340
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You know, there are a lot of people in the county who already have a guest house and a guest house

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can be half a size of the main house and it's not supposed to be rented. It's supposed to be used for temporary

342
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living quarters for family and guests. It's a guest house and it doesn't have a separate address

343
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or a separate mailbox or a separate water meter or a separate...

344
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A separate electric bill, it's all kind of the main, part of the main house. And that's the way the guest house works. And there are quite a few of them in the county now. If this were to pass, would those people be able to come in and convert theirs to an accessory dwelling unit, which is different, where you get to rent it out to someone, you can get a second mailbox.

345
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A second water bill, a separate electric bill, and legally rent the place out. And so what happens to the guest houses that perhaps someone might want to turn into an ADU?

346
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Essentially, staff will be bringing forward some proposed tax amendments to the land development regulations and the accessory dwelling units or ADUs will replace the term guest house.

347
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And so these are the criteria that will be included in that land development regulations, which is already in the complaint right now with some additions like compatible with Florida building codes.

348
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But, essentially, we're not taking away any rights.

349
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Right. And other, they will be able to be rented out.

350
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Right. It's supposed to be some procedural process. They would have to come in and fill out papers and maybe pay some fees or something. No. They would just call FBL and say, hey, I would like a separate electric bill and call their water utility.

351
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It's like I would like to water bill separated. Now, you know, and just take this deal directly with those.

352
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Commissioner. I dolin for the record comprehensive planning administrator.

353
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Currently, neither guest houses nor the proposed regulations for ADUs deal with the issues of separate address or separate electrical or separate utilities.

354
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Currently, if you have a guest house, you can have a separate address. If you have a guest house, you could have a separate utility feed from FPL.

355
00:32:15,000 --> 00:32:21,000
These regulations have not in the past nor there are other we planning to get into regulating those specifics.

356
00:32:21,000 --> 00:32:32,000
Okay. So there's nothing really they have to do procedurally to basically treat it as an ADU direct.

357
00:32:32,000 --> 00:32:47,000
And then I was thinking there are some other limitations on how ADUs would apply, you know, they don't, they don't apply and home on our association, right?

358
00:32:47,000 --> 00:33:01,000
Homeowner association has its own regulations and rules regarding that. What we're working on here are the county's comprehensive plan policies and at a future public hearing will be bringing you the regulations for the land development regulations that are applicable

359
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but HOA rules are separate and unrelated. Okay. And then if someone wanted to build an ADU, they would have to honor all of our setback rules and lot size rules and that kind of thing.

360
00:33:17,000 --> 00:33:27,000
Yes. All land development regulations will be have to comply through the building department at permitting on the screen.

361
00:33:27,000 --> 00:33:35,000
Amy has up the some specific requirements for ADUs that are being put into the comp plan with this proposed change.

362
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Only one permitted ADU for each single family dwelling. It shall not exceed one half the square footage of the primary dwelling, which is the same kind of language as we've required for guest houses all along.

363
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And ADUs shall not count as the separate unit for purposes of density and neither of the ADU nor the land is occupied, so we sold or conveyed separately from the primary dwelling since it is an accessory to and it must be a part of it can't be separated from the primary dwelling.

364
00:34:07,000 --> 00:34:09,000
Thank you.

365
00:34:09,000 --> 00:34:14,000
Mr. Vargas. Yeah. I'm familiar with these.

366
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Susry dwelling units. I just have a couple of questions if the primary property is on well and septic. How do you handle that? Is that a health department thing?

367
00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:30,000
Yes. The health department would do the permitting for well and septic.

368
00:34:30,000 --> 00:34:39,000
And what about driveways? You know, people have cars. They have to park them somewhere. How does that work in a neighborhood? That's not deed restricted.

369
00:34:39,000 --> 00:34:47,000
In the same way that it would be dealt with on the single family dwelling because this is really just an extension of and a part of the single family dwelling.

370
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So then they would have to ask for a permit to pave.

371
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Take out grass, put it in a driveway.

372
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If a driveway is needed, if additional driveway is needed, then yes they would.

373
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And they make applications through the county to do that. Okay.

374
00:35:05,000 --> 00:35:12,000
You know, because I can change the character of a neighborhood tremendously.

375
00:35:13,000 --> 00:35:20,000
Yeah. It can. The other thing is, is there a limitation or regulation, the number of people in a home?

376
00:35:20,000 --> 00:35:29,000
I mean, you can have a two bedroom. I understand half the size of the principal residents understand the six people living there. How does that work?

377
00:35:29,000 --> 00:35:34,000
The definition of family is found in our land development regulations.

378
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And then a future public hearing will be discussing a internal consistency or making the definition the same in all of our zoning districts.

379
00:35:43,000 --> 00:35:56,000
But typically it's the definition is any number of people related by blood or marriage and five unrelated persons is the definition of family.

380
00:35:56,000 --> 00:36:01,000
But that's my paraphrase of the definition of course. I'm not reading it verbatim.

381
00:36:01,000 --> 00:36:09,000
Okay. On a single property. Right. So today we're we're not addressing that issue. We're going to have another hearing. Is that what I'm understanding?

382
00:36:09,000 --> 00:36:21,000
Yes. The land development regulations will need to be amended to implement these particular compound policies and additional specificity and detail will be found in the land development regulations.

383
00:36:21,000 --> 00:36:26,000
Okay. So this is just a preliminary. Do we want to allow them in the county?

384
00:36:26,000 --> 00:36:39,000
This is correct. A proposed amendments to the comprehensive plan, which the land development regulations implement. So these are just broad rules basically for land development regulation.

385
00:36:39,000 --> 00:36:48,000
And then once we get to the LDR changes will go into more specific standards for development.

386
00:36:48,000 --> 00:36:53,000
I understand the board will then have a presentation as well. Yes.

387
00:36:53,000 --> 00:37:06,000
Or would say all right. And this will come back to this is just for a transcendental to the state to review and then we'll come back with this one also.

388
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Mr. Kempie.

389
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Thank you madam chair. I'm very pleased that we're here today.

390
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I'd like to thank Robert Neri who's sitting out there who I know he and a group of citizens professionals and stakeholders that I've had the advantage to participate in have been working on.

391
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I'm fearful when we say affordable housing. It has a connotation that people think it's like public projects or government owned.

392
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I'm thinking more of housing that is affordable instead of affordable housing.

393
00:37:41,000 --> 00:37:58,000
We have had issues for many, many years of specifically in Martin County, the way that we have structured our overall sort of residential philosophy had made it difficult for people to build you know housing that's affordable.

394
00:37:58,000 --> 00:38:15,000
We call it essential housing or there's also the concept that the only way you can really make those business decisions work is with density increased density and that's not really something that universally Martin County residents are super interested in to do that.

395
00:38:15,000 --> 00:38:29,000
You would have to create these large scale projects, not that there are not some that are very well done and hopefully in the future we'll be discussing small scale versions of something beyond one at a time.

396
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But when this had originally come up at a joint meeting and I was giving us sort of an analogy of the person that was throwing starfish back into the water if you remember.

397
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There's an old story about this guy is walking on the beach and he sees a kid throwing starfish into the ocean and the beach is littered with starfish and he says what are you doing he's like well I'm trying to save the starfish and the man says well you know it's not going to make a difference there's thousands of starfish on the beach and the boy throws another one into the ocean because well I made a bit I made a difference for that one.

398
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And so I look at what we're doing here incrementally this ADU is just another opportunity we're not going to solve the housing issue affordability issue in Martin County, but for us to look at the issue so large that we say we're paralyzed to do anything.

399
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And I know that it started as a grassroots but the staff and quite often the meetings that we had some I participated in some I didn't.

400
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The staff really embraced it and you know community members can have an idea but staff has to do all the heavy lifting and you did and I know and you'll continue to do it so I really appreciate it.

401
00:39:41,000 --> 00:40:07,000
The advantage is to fold not only are you creating another opportunity for someone that either is working here to live here who grew up here to stay here and work in live here, but it's also an excellent opportunity for homeowners to create an additional income stream by creating this now some people as commissioner cap said some people have guest houses.

402
00:40:08,000 --> 00:40:20,000
All of us know someone there was renting something to somebody else above the garage or a back room or or something and having having to be sort of under the table with that allegedly.

403
00:40:20,000 --> 00:40:36,000
This gives those folks the opportunity to bring those projects forward and legitimize them with FPL with this health department for sanitation with the water with the IRS and whoever else might be wondering how does these things work.

404
00:40:36,000 --> 00:40:47,000
It creates opportunities for folks that are seeing their expenses get bigger and bigger with no especially people on fixed income or retirees which we have a tremendous amount of.

405
00:40:47,000 --> 00:40:58,000
And if in your mind you're thinking well they're going to build something in the backyard it's there's dozens of different variations that an accessory dwelling unit could be.

406
00:40:58,000 --> 00:41:17,000
And so it's not so much that I know that when I was talking to some people that live in hilton head and it's an island and so where do their staff where does the staff do they leave the island every single night that work on the island and they said no we live in frogs.

407
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What's a frog and a frog is a furnished room over garage.

408
00:41:23,000 --> 00:41:35,000
And in hilton head frogs have been a thing forever because that's just how they've solved that issue now for those of us that are leery of development and runaway development.

409
00:41:35,000 --> 00:41:44,000
Imagine if this was an opportunity that went through all of the LDR requirements and got you to the finish line let's say it's.

410
00:41:44,000 --> 00:41:56,000
A couple of thousand people in the whole entire county that's a couple of thousand units that no one will ever see you'll never drive down the street and be like oh my god look at this.

411
00:41:56,000 --> 00:42:12,000
This project it'll just sort of filter in and two thousand people or a couple of thousand people will have the opportunity to live and work reasonably right here I make a motion to accept staff's recommendation.

412
00:42:12,000 --> 00:42:20,000
So these accessory dwelling units don't count as any portion of a unit.

413
00:42:20,000 --> 00:42:40,000
Now and they can be they are separate living spaces they are equipped with kitchen and bathroom and bedroom facilities it can be attached or detached so let's say your land use is one unit per acre.

414
00:42:40,000 --> 00:42:51,000
And you have a three thousand square foot house on your acre and you build an accessory dwelling unit of 1500 square feet minute has.

415
00:42:51,000 --> 00:43:03,000
You know it's a separate unit with two bedrooms two baths and you're allowed one unit per acre on that acre but you've got one and a half houses.

416
00:43:03,000 --> 00:43:09,000
You have two houses yes that's correct.

417
00:43:09,000 --> 00:43:25,000
We're defining this as one house one house but it's not but it's not they're detached and we know that they have separate facilities it's in the desk it's in the definition it says they are equipped with kitchen and bathroom and bedroom facilities.

418
00:43:25,000 --> 00:43:40,000
And it also depends on the development standards if they can fit it within the setbacks and all the open space and if they have septic they have certain limits on that as well so and it doesn't include any.

419
00:43:40,000 --> 00:43:45,000
Any grages or portraits so it's on just air conditioned area.

420
00:43:45,000 --> 00:43:50,000
So look at the at the they're allowed in core.

421
00:43:50,000 --> 00:44:00,000
And the maximum building coverage she'll be 40% minimum that lot size permitted she'll be 10,000 square feet what if you're at that.

422
00:44:00,000 --> 00:44:05,000
What if you're at the max you mean if the existing residences at the max yes.

423
00:44:05,000 --> 00:44:13,000
Then it wouldn't be permitted okay.

424
00:44:13,000 --> 00:44:28,000
So say if you're marine waterfront commercial and you are at 20 units per gross acre it says that 180 you may be permitted as an accessory structure.

425
00:44:28,000 --> 00:44:40,000
It depends on what the property is developed with so marine water 20 units per acre say you're at the max it says that you're allowed an ADU.

426
00:44:40,000 --> 00:44:47,000
Yes that's correct if it's developed with a single family you can have 180 you per even though you're already at the max.

427
00:44:47,000 --> 00:44:56,000
Allow me to to back up just a second the marine waterfront commercial future land use designation that's implemented by the.

428
00:44:56,000 --> 00:45:00,000
The appropriate zoning district allows 10 residents who units per acre.

429
00:45:00,000 --> 00:45:16,000
So if you're doing ten units per acre, you're probably doing multi-family, you're not doing a bunch of single-family because you're not going to fit them all single-family units on there.

430
00:45:16,000 --> 00:45:28,000
And this is only permitted as an accessory to a single-family. So if by some stretch you could get say eight units per acre and they're all single-family,

431
00:45:28,000 --> 00:45:36,000
then yes, you would be able to do an accessory to each of those single-familys, because it is part of the single-family dwelling.

432
00:45:36,000 --> 00:45:50,000
Say you're on your setback as twenty feet. You're right at the your setback. Are you allowed an accessory dwelling in it?

433
00:45:50,000 --> 00:45:56,000
You would not be able to violate the setbacks in order to make this possible.

434
00:45:56,000 --> 00:46:12,000
Okay? If I might jump in, I would say more people that would want this probably will not qualify for one of the reasons that Commissioner heard is mentioning or not, then will.

435
00:46:12,000 --> 00:46:24,000
It's not going to be a floodgate. Like I think some people would like this, but they won't be able to, whether it's parking, setbacks, two thousand gallons per day, using up to more of the property than they're allowed.

436
00:46:24,000 --> 00:46:36,000
So I think it's an idea that people would be interested in, but I think we'll be saying no to as many people as more so then we would be saying yes. You have to have a very unique set of property circumstances for this to work.

437
00:46:36,000 --> 00:46:46,000
And also this provision shall not prohibit employee dwelling units on properties developed for non-residential uses like industrial.

438
00:46:46,000 --> 00:46:51,000
So let's talk about the employee dwelling unit. Commissioner, thank you for bringing that up.

439
00:46:51,000 --> 00:46:59,000
We have certain land use designations like marine waterfront commercial that are currently permitting night watchman's quarters.

440
00:46:59,000 --> 00:47:08,000
And we have land development regulations that implement that. We haven't had real good, you know, the language hasn't been really consistent between the LDR and the compound on that.

441
00:47:08,000 --> 00:47:20,000
And so we're we're cleaning up that language to use the the EDU in both cases and we're keeping the same standards for those night watchman's quarters as we had previously.

442
00:47:20,000 --> 00:47:27,000
In many respects, both on the night watchman's quarter or EDU issue and on the guest house or ADU issue.

443
00:47:28,000 --> 00:47:35,000
We are following very much the same standards, the same provisions that the compound and the LDRs have had previously.

444
00:47:35,000 --> 00:47:42,000
The major differences are in the ADU that the commissioner caps talked about and that is it can be rented.

445
00:47:42,000 --> 00:47:53,000
We're not except in the case like like one unit per acre, we're allowing two units per acre, even though the land use is clearly specifies that one unit is allowable.

446
00:47:53,000 --> 00:48:11,000
But we're now saying, ah, you can you can put two on there and the definition of family is any group of up to six persons occupying a single dwelling unit as a single housekeeping unit and sharing common facilities.

447
00:48:11,000 --> 00:48:18,000
Those people don't have to be related it turns it it allows for a full up house.

448
00:48:18,000 --> 00:48:30,000
So that has been permitted historically for many years and we can't do anything that's more restrictive or burdensome so we kept that language the same.

449
00:48:30,000 --> 00:48:52,000
Yeah, I'm on I'm on comfortable with this with these changes in policy and I know that you're going to have to come back to revise the LDRs in order to make them legal I suppose, but man that there are just way too many loopholes, blue poles in here for me.

450
00:48:53,000 --> 00:49:07,000
Yeah, I was looking here on page 282 and this is under development commercial office residential future land use second the last paragraph at the end and breakfast are other facilities for transient lodging.

451
00:49:07,000 --> 00:49:18,000
This is seasonal residential be permitted kitchen facilities to be permitted to accommodate occupants for visiting for periods exceeding the general motel trip duration of one to four nights.

452
00:49:18,000 --> 00:49:35,000
So what does that mean this is existing text in the comprehensive plan and we also have language in the LDRs that have specific standards for development of bed and breakfast is and so we are we're not making any changes here.

453
00:49:37,000 --> 00:49:47,000
But I see what you're saying chairwoman heard about this it's has a lot of loopholes.

454
00:49:47,000 --> 00:50:02,000
I saw this in another county a lot of residents did not appreciate the fact that there were quite a few individuals living in one unit and it wasn't regulated.

455
00:50:02,000 --> 00:50:17,000
I mean you know when I leave the property I put a regulation how many people could live there and and I don't see this here unless you can point it out to us or you're going to modify or you know.

456
00:50:17,000 --> 00:50:32,000
Make a mandate on this it's all fine everybody wants to live in town but we have to think of our neighborhoods as I say it's going to change the character unless this is is definitely a delineated.

457
00:50:32,000 --> 00:50:36,000
It's it's not prohibited now and so.

458
00:50:36,000 --> 00:50:41,000
If we did prohibit it we would be more restrictive or burdensome.

459
00:50:41,000 --> 00:50:43,000
For the SB 180.

460
00:50:43,000 --> 00:50:46,000
Yeah I'm familiar with that.

461
00:50:46,000 --> 00:50:47,000
I don't know.

462
00:50:47,000 --> 00:50:50,000
Would anyone from the public like to address us.

463
00:50:50,000 --> 00:50:52,000
Back to the board.

464
00:50:52,000 --> 00:50:54,000
Sure.

465
00:50:54,000 --> 00:50:57,000
This wasn't.

466
00:50:58,000 --> 00:51:09,000
Hi Mary Gavin I was formerly a member of the affordable housing committee I did not plan on speaking on this topic today but you know you all know I can't keep my mouth shut.

467
00:51:09,000 --> 00:51:16,000
I'm also landlord and Martin County we have my husband and I have about twenty tenets and.

468
00:51:16,000 --> 00:51:25,000
I actually have a guest house in my home and I have another property with the guest house and I guess a couple things it's not a separate parcel so it's not necessarily.

469
00:51:25,000 --> 00:51:28,000
It's not a separate property that that's the one point.

470
00:51:28,000 --> 00:51:37,000
You can't sell them separately and it would be very advantageous of course to have a separate water and separate electric but the real point is.

471
00:51:37,000 --> 00:51:39,000
Every day.

472
00:51:39,000 --> 00:51:51,000
Every day I get calls from somebody looking for an affordable rental and as an owner living next to a guest or whatever whatever the term is.

473
00:51:51,000 --> 00:52:02,000
I'm not going to have ten people living there and I can't imagine the majority of people that are renting these are giving them to their mother and law or my case I have a disabled son and that's who happens to live in my guest house.

474
00:52:02,000 --> 00:52:05,000
But I do have another one that is rented.

475
00:52:05,000 --> 00:52:17,000
I limited to one or two people and I would think that the majority of people that are going to invest in building this or doing this are going to be extremely consider about who's in their property they're not going to put ten people in their trash and.

476
00:52:18,000 --> 00:52:25,000
I'm afraid to raise my rents I have a raise them in five years because these people have absolutely nowhere to go.

477
00:52:25,000 --> 00:52:33,000
And if we don't have working people in this county but we're really going to be at a loss so I thank you for your time.

478
00:52:33,000 --> 00:52:34,000
Thanks.

479
00:52:34,000 --> 00:52:35,000
Mr. Vargas.

480
00:52:35,000 --> 00:52:39,000
Okay so I and I understand what you're saying about the math on the.

481
00:52:40,000 --> 00:52:48,000
I understand about the math because I have rentals also but what happens if you know they can't make.

482
00:52:48,000 --> 00:52:51,000
Trying to talk to you if they can't.

483
00:52:51,000 --> 00:52:58,000
Make their expenses I mean we're talking about a huge change that potentially is coming down the line next year.

484
00:52:59,000 --> 00:53:00,000
Where in.

485
00:53:00,000 --> 00:53:04,000
How does that work then you know it's your homestead property.

486
00:53:04,000 --> 00:53:06,000
One of them.

487
00:53:06,000 --> 00:53:13,000
With your son living there that's a family but the other one is not so your your taxes are probably going to increase.

488
00:53:13,000 --> 00:53:18,000
This is what I've heard and everybody I've spoken with in other counties.

489
00:53:18,000 --> 00:53:24,000
And certainly what's proposed in telehouse is so so what happens then.

490
00:53:24,000 --> 00:53:28,000
I mean you have raised your rent.

491
00:53:28,000 --> 00:53:32,000
I mean if you if you can make it work that's fine but.

492
00:53:32,000 --> 00:53:38,000
I don't know I just can you homestead an ADU.

493
00:53:38,000 --> 00:53:44,000
I don't know the answer to that I think that's a issue for the property prisoner in the state statute.

494
00:53:44,000 --> 00:53:50,000
That's true I mean you know it's it's fine it's it's an emotional issue but you've got to look at the facts.

495
00:53:50,000 --> 00:53:58,000
That's always dictate and it's not you know fluff and you know style it's not like that.

496
00:53:58,000 --> 00:54:00,000
I mean your business woman.

497
00:54:00,000 --> 00:54:04,000
Based on what you told us so.

498
00:54:04,000 --> 00:54:07,000
I know there's a motion is there a second.

499
00:54:07,000 --> 00:54:08,000
Second.

500
00:54:08,000 --> 00:54:11,000
There's a motion in a second all those in favor.

501
00:54:11,000 --> 00:54:17,000
I opposed opposed that motion carries three to two with commissioners Vargas and heard descending.

502
00:54:17,000 --> 00:54:18,000
Thank you.

503
00:54:18,000 --> 00:54:19,000
Thank you members of the board.

504
00:54:19,000 --> 00:54:37,000
We will now take up round fields.

505
00:54:37,000 --> 00:54:39,000
This is a quasi judicial.

506
00:54:39,000 --> 00:54:44,000
I'm sure is commissioner Vargas any expertise closures.

507
00:54:44,000 --> 00:54:45,000
If I have any.

508
00:54:45,000 --> 00:54:47,000
Commissioner caps.

509
00:54:48,000 --> 00:54:50,000
If I have any they have been filed.

510
00:54:50,000 --> 00:54:54,000
I also I went to the brownfield hearing and hope sound.

511
00:54:54,000 --> 00:54:56,000
I'm not sure calling.

512
00:54:56,000 --> 00:55:00,000
Noted that I think she probably did because I think I'm good.

513
00:55:00,000 --> 00:55:02,000
If I have anything been filed.

514
00:55:02,000 --> 00:55:04,000
I have some and they've been filed.

515
00:55:04,000 --> 00:55:05,000
Commissioner.

516
00:55:05,000 --> 00:55:06,000
I don't have any.

517
00:55:06,000 --> 00:55:07,000
You got any.

518
00:55:07,000 --> 00:55:09,000
I got emails.

519
00:55:09,000 --> 00:55:10,000
I got the emails.

520
00:55:10,000 --> 00:55:11,000
That's right.

521
00:55:11,000 --> 00:55:13,000
And I filed that commissioner.

522
00:55:14,000 --> 00:55:19,000
Anyone who's going to be providing sworn testimony.

523
00:55:19,000 --> 00:55:23,000
Please stand up raise your right hand and be sworn.

524
00:55:23,000 --> 00:55:27,000
Do you swear or affirm the evidence you're about to give will be the truth.

525
00:55:27,000 --> 00:55:31,000
The whole truth and nothing but the truth.

526
00:55:31,000 --> 00:55:35,000
Ms. Nabe, have you provided your information to the clerk.

527
00:55:35,000 --> 00:55:41,000
Yes, Madam Chair, copy of my work history and the agenda item has been turned into the clerk.

528
00:55:41,000 --> 00:55:44,000
Please proceed.

529
00:55:44,000 --> 00:55:46,000
Good afternoon commissioners.

530
00:55:46,000 --> 00:55:50,000
My name is Jenna Nabe senior planner with the growth management department.

531
00:55:50,000 --> 00:55:57,000
And before you today is a request by the palms of hope sound LLC and Oasis development LLC.

532
00:55:57,000 --> 00:56:03,000
To designate a brownfield at nine four five zero southeast Gomez Avenue.

533
00:56:03,000 --> 00:56:08,000
This is the first of two public hearings for this designation request.

534
00:56:08,000 --> 00:56:12,000
And the second public hearing for the adoption of the resolution.

535
00:56:12,000 --> 00:56:20,000
That would designate this property as a brownfield is scheduled to be heard on January 6th, 2026.

536
00:56:20,000 --> 00:56:31,000
Section 376.80 of Florida statutes outlines the Brownfield program administration process and states that the jurisdictional local government.

537
00:56:31,000 --> 00:56:46,000
Shaladopter resolution designating the property as a brownfield if the requesting party establishes that all of the necessary criteria in statute have been met during these public hearings.

538
00:56:46,000 --> 00:57:00,000
Section 376.79 of Florida statutes defines Brownfields as real property the expansion redevelopment or reuse of which may be complicated by actual or perceived environmental contamination.

539
00:57:01,000 --> 00:57:08,000
And this property is located at nine four five zero southeast Gomez Avenue in hope sound.

540
00:57:08,000 --> 00:57:15,000
The site has a future land use designation of residential estate density which allows a maximum of two units per acre.

541
00:57:15,000 --> 00:57:19,000
And there are two different zoning designations over this property.

542
00:57:19,000 --> 00:57:23,000
The R2 and R2B zoning districts.

543
00:57:23,000 --> 00:57:28,000
And we'll go to the area of property.

544
00:57:29,000 --> 00:57:33,000
So this is an area of the subject property.

545
00:57:33,000 --> 00:57:37,000
And on the next page, this is the future land use map.

546
00:57:37,000 --> 00:57:44,000
And the zoning district. So the light blue district is the R2 and then the yellow is the R2B district.

547
00:57:44,000 --> 00:57:57,000
There is currently a minor site plan application that's in review with the growth management department for 38 single family residential units and associated amenities and infrastructure.

548
00:57:57,000 --> 00:58:01,000
So that's currently in review with our county staff.

549
00:58:01,000 --> 00:58:07,000
The Brownfields program is administered by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection or the FDEP.

550
00:58:07,000 --> 00:58:11,000
And they're the state agency that oversees this whole process.

551
00:58:11,000 --> 00:58:19,000
And once a property is designated as a Brownfield formally by the local government, then it's entered into the Brownfields program.

552
00:58:20,000 --> 00:58:29,000
And there are state-based incentives, financial incentives to promote the voluntary cleanup and remediation of these sites.

553
00:58:29,000 --> 00:58:37,000
And so if this property were to be designated as a Brownfield, then it would be eligible to become part of that program.

554
00:58:37,000 --> 00:58:42,000
The way that the statute is written for these two required public hearings.

555
00:58:42,000 --> 00:58:53,000
states that at least one of the hearings shall be held after 5 p.m. on a weekday unless the Board of County commissioners by a majority plus one vote.

556
00:58:53,000 --> 00:58:57,000
It likes to conduct that hearing at another time of day.

557
00:58:57,000 --> 00:59:05,000
So with that, our staff recommendation for this meeting is to.

558
00:59:06,000 --> 00:59:12,000
Move that the board receive and file the agenda item and its attachments including the staff report as exhibit one.

559
00:59:12,000 --> 00:59:21,000
And move that the board hold the second public hearing on the request to designate the property as a Brownfield on January 6th, 2026 at 9 a.m.

560
00:59:21,000 --> 00:59:26,000
or as soon after as the matter may be heard and prior to 5 o'clock p.m.

561
00:59:26,000 --> 00:59:33,000
And I know that the applicant is here to give a presentation and they will go over how this.

562
00:59:33,000 --> 00:59:41,000
The question meets the criteria so that concludes our presentation and we're available for any questions questions for staff.

563
00:59:41,000 --> 00:59:48,000
applicant please present.

564
00:59:48,000 --> 00:59:56,000
Good afternoon Madam chair and commissioners. My name is Michael Shnapps Tyler. I'm an environmental attorney with the law firm of Cobb Cole.

565
00:59:56,000 --> 01:00:03,000
I'll be each Florida here today with my colleague Jessica Gal on behalf of the applicant.

566
01:00:00,000 --> 01:00:07,400
Comments, oasis, development, and the palms at herbsound. I want to thank Jenna and the staff for their assistance

567
01:00:07,400 --> 01:00:12,080
and getting this matter before you have been fantastic to work with. The Brownfield statute has

568
01:00:12,080 --> 01:00:18,220
some very nuanced notice and hearing procedures, such as the item that Ms. Novigis mentioned

569
01:00:18,220 --> 01:00:24,440
about having one of the hearings after 5 p.m. and voting by supermajority to move it. So it's

570
01:00:24,440 --> 01:00:29,240
complicated, but it looks like we're all working well and moving through it.

571
01:00:30,040 --> 01:00:34,040
Ms. Novigis, on some of the key terms about Brownfields, but I am going to just talk a little bit

572
01:00:34,040 --> 01:00:38,360
about it because there was a change in the statutes since you last considered a Brownfoot area.

573
01:00:38,360 --> 01:00:42,040
It does a nation earlier this year. I'll talk specifically about the property and how it

574
01:00:42,040 --> 01:00:46,920
meets that five criteria that Ms. Novigis mentioned. And then we'll talk about the next steps,

575
01:00:46,920 --> 01:00:53,160
because I do know at our community meeting there was a lot of discussion at a lot of input on how

576
01:00:53,160 --> 01:00:58,360
the Brownfield process works and how will move this forward if the final adoption does occur

577
01:00:58,360 --> 01:01:05,240
on January 6th. Again, Ms. Novigis did a great job hitting the change in how the Brownfield

578
01:01:05,240 --> 01:01:10,600
program is defined before. There was only Brownfield sites and Brownfield areas, but effective

579
01:01:10,600 --> 01:01:16,840
January, I mean July 1st, we now have the term Brownfield, which is the old definition of Brownfield

580
01:01:16,840 --> 01:01:21,640
site. It's just a property that's having trouble being redeveloped because of an environmental

581
01:01:21,640 --> 01:01:27,000
contamination issue. A Brownfield area is one of more Brownfields that have been designated

582
01:01:27,000 --> 01:01:32,680
by a local government, like you all, by resolution, and then a Brownfield site, which is the old

583
01:01:33,240 --> 01:01:38,520
definition of Brownfield, is now the property that has moved into the Brownfield program by signing

584
01:01:38,520 --> 01:01:44,760
a voluntary cleanup agreement. Just some nuances there on how the terms and the program has changed a

585
01:01:44,760 --> 01:01:51,560
little bit since earlier this year when you all considered Brownfield. This is the property

586
01:01:51,560 --> 01:01:57,240
as staff had mentioned. It's a little under 19 and a half acres. It's a former flower nursery

587
01:01:57,240 --> 01:02:03,240
as was mentioned during public comment with chemical storage areas and packaging areas. And as

588
01:02:03,240 --> 01:02:10,120
Ms. Novigis mentioned, the proposed redevelopment is for residential uses. This is a figure that we

589
01:02:11,480 --> 01:02:15,880
found from one of our environmental consultants that just kind of shows how the site was laid out.

590
01:02:16,760 --> 01:02:23,560
There were flower packaging and chemical storage areas over here and then areas for growing

591
01:02:23,560 --> 01:02:31,720
of the flowers and plants on this side, a small pond and a small office. Our environmental

592
01:02:31,720 --> 01:02:39,800
investigations to date by our client have done a good job of defining where the extent of the issues

593
01:02:39,800 --> 01:02:45,080
are so that you have an understanding of where the contamination starts and stops. This slide just

594
01:02:45,080 --> 01:02:49,720
kind of shows an example of how they did some of the assessment. There's a little grid here

595
01:02:49,720 --> 01:02:58,520
that shows where the buildings were overlaid, how they tested the green in the legend or sample

596
01:02:58,520 --> 01:03:09,160
locations that previously occurred. The orange locations were sample locations at the time of this report

597
01:03:09,160 --> 01:03:15,000
and then the yellow were proposed additional sampling locations based on the results from that figure

598
01:03:15,000 --> 01:03:20,520
at that time because we have provided staff with some of the environmental reports and information

599
01:03:20,520 --> 01:03:28,760
about the progress. But in a nutshell, the primary constituents of concern at this site are pesticides

600
01:03:28,760 --> 01:03:35,000
and herbicides and fertilizers, arsenic and the aldrin as was mentioned earlier this morning. We've

601
01:03:35,000 --> 01:03:42,440
done a really good job of defining where it is in the soil so that we can have an understanding of what needs

602
01:03:42,440 --> 01:03:48,520
we remove to accommodate redevelopment and clean up of the site. We do need to do some additional

603
01:03:49,240 --> 01:03:53,800
groundwater sampling to determine where the contamination starts and stops. That's really where the

604
01:03:53,800 --> 01:04:00,360
Brownfield program comes in. It provides a regulatory framework for allowing someone to follow

605
01:04:00,360 --> 01:04:05,560
Florida's cleanup rules just like they were the responsible party that caused the issue. It's a very

606
01:04:05,560 --> 01:04:12,520
robust program, very specific policies, procedures, rules and regulations, a very, very dense

607
01:04:12,520 --> 01:04:17,480
part of the Florida Administrative Code is dedicated to assessment and cleanup of contaminated sites.

608
01:04:19,000 --> 01:04:25,560
There was some comments earlier about neighboring properties and all that and I will say the

609
01:04:25,560 --> 01:04:32,280
depth of groundwater ranges from about 17 feet on the western side of the property to six feet on the

610
01:04:32,360 --> 01:04:36,760
eastern side of the property and the groundwater, as you would expect, moves towards the

611
01:04:36,760 --> 01:04:43,000
intercostal from west to east. We don't think there is too big of a concern about contamination

612
01:04:43,000 --> 01:04:48,120
reaching to the north and to the south because the groundwater is moving in a different direction,

613
01:04:49,240 --> 01:04:58,040
but the Florida statutes do require notice when there is offsite contamination issues. The comment was

614
01:04:58,040 --> 01:05:03,560
made earlier that the residents weren't notified. That's because the assessment done to date

615
01:05:03,560 --> 01:05:09,480
has not demonstrated a need to go offsite on to someone's property and test. I'm not saying that that's

616
01:05:09,480 --> 01:05:14,840
out of the realm of possibility. We're still at the very beginning of the cleanup process, but the

617
01:05:14,840 --> 01:05:21,400
regulations and process don't require offsite notice until you have evidence of offsite contamination.

618
01:05:21,400 --> 01:05:26,840
And that applies whether it's a corner gas station cleanup or something like this. But where the

619
01:05:26,840 --> 01:05:32,360
groundwater program does come in and where is we getting to the criteria of how you designated

620
01:05:32,360 --> 01:05:38,200
ground field, you do have to provide public notice. And that's how all of the folks found out about

621
01:05:38,200 --> 01:05:42,200
this issue and what we're working through is because you are required to post the property,

622
01:05:42,200 --> 01:05:46,920
you are required to publish notice, you are required to put a post on bulletins. And the

623
01:05:46,920 --> 01:05:52,680
brownfoil program does require an advisory board to get established to provide frequent updates on how

624
01:05:52,760 --> 01:05:58,120
the cleanup proceeds. So there is a lot of public involvement. There is a lot of transparency

625
01:05:58,120 --> 01:06:03,320
in the brownfoil process, but first you have to get into the program for that to start happening

626
01:06:03,320 --> 01:06:09,320
and moving forward. And that's why we're here today. As far as the redevelopment is concerned,

627
01:06:09,320 --> 01:06:16,680
here's a layout from that minor site plan application that Ms. Navi mentioned. Gomez is here again on

628
01:06:17,160 --> 01:06:22,680
the east side of the property and entrance. It is 38 units which is consistent with the land use

629
01:06:22,680 --> 01:06:29,960
and zoning. Some open space preserve up here, stormwater to the south and the rest of the residential

630
01:06:29,960 --> 01:06:38,680
lots there. And a large community center for the neighborhood with fitness, activities and the like.

631
01:06:39,480 --> 01:06:45,880
Here's some renderings of what the residents may look like, single family residences, one story,

632
01:06:46,280 --> 01:06:51,960
story, and again everything is going to be done consistent with your land development regulations

633
01:06:51,960 --> 01:06:57,720
and all that. There's no proposed rezoning. I did want to touch base on the brownfield area

634
01:06:57,720 --> 01:07:03,320
designation criteria. I know the final hearing isn't going to be until the the 6th of January,

635
01:07:03,320 --> 01:07:09,160
but I think it is important just to show how this application does meet the criteria. And the first

636
01:07:09,160 --> 01:07:16,040
is does the person who owns or controls access to the property agrees to redevelop and rehabilitate

637
01:07:16,040 --> 01:07:21,960
the site. The applicant is the owner of the property and they have every intention to enter into the

638
01:07:21,960 --> 01:07:27,480
brownfield program by signing that cleanup agreement with DEP after the area is designated. So that's how

639
01:07:27,480 --> 01:07:33,880
that criteria is met. The cleanup and redevelopment result in economic productivity in the area and the

640
01:07:33,880 --> 01:07:39,000
creation of at least five new jobs. Re-development for the single family uses from this vacant use

641
01:07:39,560 --> 01:07:47,000
is going to generate jobs. It's going to create increased envelope taxes. It's going to employ

642
01:07:47,000 --> 01:07:52,040
both construction workers and people associated with the community. It is designed to be a luxury

643
01:07:52,040 --> 01:07:59,320
community with security, full-time maintenance, full-time staff on-site to help residents and things.

644
01:07:59,320 --> 01:08:05,080
And again, there is a large amenity center that will have fitness classes and the life. So very

645
01:08:05,080 --> 01:08:12,360
excited and attractive community as well. Is the redevelopment consistent with your complement and

646
01:08:12,360 --> 01:08:19,240
land development regulations? As Nabi mentioned, and as I did, the future land use is residential

647
01:08:19,240 --> 01:08:25,880
estate, which has a density of two units in acre. And we have that split R2, R2, B zoning, which does

648
01:08:25,880 --> 01:08:31,880
allow single family use at the density that's been proposed for this site. The designation

649
01:08:31,880 --> 01:08:40,120
has to be properly noticed and provide opportunity for suggestions on cleanup. And so that is done

650
01:08:40,120 --> 01:08:46,920
three ways. Newspaper advertisement, posting of the property and community bullets and notices. And so

651
01:08:46,920 --> 01:08:51,720
we've complied with all three of those requirements, both for the community meeting that was held on

652
01:08:51,720 --> 01:09:00,440
November 4th that Commissioner Caps had referenced attending. And for this meeting as well, all three

653
01:09:00,440 --> 01:09:05,080
notice procedures have been followed. And we will move forward with those notice procedures as well for

654
01:09:05,080 --> 01:09:12,760
that January 6th meeting. And then finally, the last criteria have you provided reasonable assurance that

655
01:09:12,760 --> 01:09:18,200
you have the financial ability to complete the cleanup. We have provided a memo that outlines

656
01:09:18,920 --> 01:09:24,520
both the redevelopment cost and the cleanup costs for the site, how the applicant intends to meet

657
01:09:24,520 --> 01:09:31,160
that by using traditional lending. The applicant does have a presence in the community already. They do

658
01:09:31,880 --> 01:09:37,400
have a couple units within Hobesown, which is where we hosted our community meeting. It set up as an

659
01:09:37,400 --> 01:09:43,240
office and a design center for the neighborhoods. They already kind of are invested in the community already.

660
01:09:43,240 --> 01:09:51,240
They are the owner of the property as well. So I think, you know, they're committed to this project,

661
01:09:51,240 --> 01:09:58,040
they're all in and they're excited to move forward with the Brownfield program itself. I did just want to

662
01:09:58,040 --> 01:10:02,440
touch base a little bit. I do a lot of Brownfield work across the state so I love to kind of cheerlead

663
01:10:02,440 --> 01:10:07,320
for the program. So I did provide a couple of statistics here from the State Department of Environmental

664
01:10:07,320 --> 01:10:13,880
Protections annual report on how the Brownfield program is operating since 97. There's been over

665
01:10:13,880 --> 01:10:22,120
613 Brownfield areas designated by local governments. 532 voluntary cleanup agreements have been signed.

666
01:10:22,680 --> 01:10:29,160
Over $3.1 billion in capital investment have occurred in Brownfield since the program started in 1997

667
01:10:29,800 --> 01:10:36,360
and 88,000 confirmed and projected jobs since the Brownfield program was enacted.

668
01:10:37,080 --> 01:10:43,880
And then I just wanted to provide another example of a similarly situated property

669
01:10:43,880 --> 01:10:48,520
that has gone through the Brownfield program that we worked on. My colleague Jessica and I represented

670
01:10:48,520 --> 01:10:53,720
the City of Ovido, which is a community in central Florida near the University of Central Florida.

671
01:10:54,440 --> 01:10:59,960
They had a downtown with a major stormwater problem. None of the properties around the downtown

672
01:10:59,960 --> 01:11:04,440
could be redeveloped because there was nowhere for the water to drain. There was a nursery right on the

673
01:11:04,440 --> 01:11:11,080
outside and abandoned nursery right on the outside of that pond. They wanted to redevelop it and

674
01:11:11,080 --> 01:11:16,840
incorporated it into a larger community park. And so they asked us, you know, can we use Brownfields

675
01:11:16,840 --> 01:11:21,240
to do that? And like said, let's find out if they're environmental issues out there. There was a very

676
01:11:21,240 --> 01:11:28,200
significant arsenic impacted soil issue there from the former nursery operations. It took them about

677
01:11:28,200 --> 01:11:33,640
three years to complete the cleanup. They were mainly waiting for some grants from the water management

678
01:11:33,640 --> 01:11:39,320
district to help fund the project. So that's why there was a three-year delay. If they would have

679
01:11:39,320 --> 01:11:43,480
been fully funded when we entered the program in 1998, we probably could have moved a little faster.

680
01:11:43,480 --> 01:11:48,040
But they were able to address the arsenic, the dealger and all of those issues very effectively.

681
01:11:48,040 --> 01:11:53,480
And it's an incredible community park and resource. Now all those developments in the downtown,

682
01:11:53,480 --> 01:11:58,680
if they want to redevelop, they can just pay for credits into the pond instead of taking their smaller

683
01:11:58,680 --> 01:12:03,240
properties and having to put vaults and things like that in there. So a good example of

684
01:12:03,240 --> 01:12:08,280
Brownfield redevelopment by a local government about 30% of the Brownfield redevelopments that occur

685
01:12:08,280 --> 01:12:14,120
statewide are by local governments and nonprofits about 70% are done by private developers like

686
01:12:14,120 --> 01:12:19,880
like our client, the applicant here today. And just to talk about the next steps, because I think the

687
01:12:19,880 --> 01:12:25,480
cleanup and what happens from here is really important. Again, there's a final hearing that's scheduled

688
01:12:25,480 --> 01:12:31,720
for January 6th. Assuming that goes well and you all approved the Brownfield area designation

689
01:12:31,720 --> 01:12:37,480
in 2026, we will execute what's called a Brownfield site rehabilitation agreement with the Florida

690
01:12:37,480 --> 01:12:42,120
Department of Environmental Protection. That is the voluntary cleanup agreement that says,

691
01:12:42,120 --> 01:12:48,280
treat me like I am the responsible party that needs to clean up the site. I am agreeing to comply with

692
01:12:48,280 --> 01:12:55,240
your regulations in 6278 of the Florida Administrative Code. It has a very specific schedule that needs to be

693
01:12:56,120 --> 01:13:02,280
requirements that all reports and all work be done by licensed professional engineers and geologists

694
01:13:02,280 --> 01:13:08,600
a requirement that you lose only certified laboratories to do all the testing that needs to be done

695
01:13:08,600 --> 01:13:14,440
for the sites and that all submittals get reviewed. In this case, by the Florida Department of Environmental

696
01:13:14,440 --> 01:13:19,640
Protection, because in Martin County you don't have a delegated local environmental agency like

697
01:13:19,640 --> 01:13:24,520
Miami-Dade County Broward and Hillsborough County. If you're doing Brownfields in those counties,

698
01:13:24,520 --> 01:13:30,520
you would deal with their county environmental agencies which have their own jurisdiction. So here,

699
01:13:30,520 --> 01:13:35,720
we've got the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. They'll oversee and assign a project manager

700
01:13:35,720 --> 01:13:42,440
to review every single submittal that happens under the Brownfield Cleanup Agreement. And that process

701
01:13:42,440 --> 01:13:47,960
has four general steps. It's really hard to take something as iterative and as big as a

702
01:13:48,040 --> 01:13:53,720
and technical as a Brownfield Cleanup and summarized in foreign steps, but the first is

703
01:13:54,520 --> 01:14:00,360
identify where the contamination starts and stops. Both horizontal, horizontally, and vertically in

704
01:14:00,360 --> 01:14:07,560
all media, soil, groundwater, surface water, marine water if any of that applies. Here, it'll be soil

705
01:14:07,560 --> 01:14:13,560
and groundwater. So we have to determine where the contamination started and where it stopped

706
01:14:14,200 --> 01:14:19,080
if it emanated from our specific property, which, you know, based on the historic use that seems

707
01:14:19,080 --> 01:14:23,960
to be the case because everything around it is residential. Once you've gone through that process and that's

708
01:14:23,960 --> 01:14:30,200
been approved by DEP, you can then move to designing a remedial action plan to address those issues.

709
01:14:30,760 --> 01:14:35,560
Because this site's going to be redeveloped for residential uses, the most likely remedial action

710
01:14:35,560 --> 01:14:40,840
is going to be source removal, digging up all that contaminated soil, taking it to an appropriate

711
01:14:40,840 --> 01:14:46,200
facility that can accept that material and replacing it with clean fill until you've met

712
01:14:46,200 --> 01:14:51,960
those clean points that you've identified. Once that's done, you submit a report documenting how you've

713
01:14:51,960 --> 01:14:58,200
done that, that gets approved by DEP, and then you move into post remedial groundwater monitoring. You set up

714
01:14:58,200 --> 01:15:02,200
a network of groundwater wells.

715
01:15:00,000 --> 01:15:05,300
And you watched the groundwater contamination drop because that source has now been removed.

716
01:15:05,300 --> 01:15:12,000
And after each of those groundwater monitoring events, you submit a report back to the DEP that says we went out to the property on the state.

717
01:15:12,000 --> 01:15:15,000
We tested the groundwater and these are the results.

718
01:15:15,000 --> 01:15:24,000
And then that last step is applying for regulatory closure. Once you've demonstrated you have met all that criteria for closure in Florida.

719
01:15:24,000 --> 01:15:36,000
I mean, you've addressed the soil and groundwater issues to the extent of your regulatory obligations, and then that gets approved and reviewed by the state as well.

720
01:15:36,000 --> 01:15:42,000
And for groundwater monitoring, it's at least one year of quarterly groundwater monitoring, because you're looking for trends, right?

721
01:15:42,000 --> 01:15:52,000
As the water table fluctuates, things can change, so the state does require you to do at least four quarterly monitoring events at a minimum.

722
01:15:52,000 --> 01:16:01,000
So those four reviews, is that pre-construction during construction?

723
01:16:01,000 --> 01:16:12,000
So the requirements don't think of the best way to describe this.

724
01:16:12,000 --> 01:16:17,000
The requirements don't take into account when construction occurs.

725
01:16:17,000 --> 01:16:26,000
They're focusing on as when the source removal occurs, but you can't do anything in the construction of the site to make the situation worse.

726
01:16:26,000 --> 01:16:40,000
And so where that typically happens is in the context of dewatering, right? If you're drawing down that groundwater for your stormwater improvements or something like that, you could be sending the contamination in all different directions of proper precautions aren't taken.

727
01:16:40,000 --> 01:16:58,000
You're typically going to do those groundwater monitoring before construction does occur, but oftentimes in the context of commercial or industrial development, you might do that groundwater monitoring after, because there's not as much of a risk of exposure, as you might have with like residential development.

728
01:16:58,000 --> 01:17:00,000
So, unfortunately, answer is it depends.

729
01:17:00,000 --> 01:17:03,000
I'm only speaking of the residential portion.

730
01:17:03,000 --> 01:17:12,000
Just wondering if you started that in your third quarter in, you realize, wait a second, we are sensing something, but you've already started to build the neighborhood.

731
01:17:12,000 --> 01:17:15,000
You're going to look at us like, well, we've already started.

732
01:17:15,000 --> 01:17:18,000
And you're, this is a slippery slope.

733
01:17:18,000 --> 01:17:23,000
Yeah, and so, again, that's why that assessment is really important.

734
01:17:23,000 --> 01:17:32,000
We're looking for points of compliance before, because you're going to have to do that assessment before you do the removal action.

735
01:17:32,000 --> 01:17:40,000
So, we're going to know where that groundwater network exists before you remove the source and go back after.

736
01:17:40,000 --> 01:17:48,000
So, you're not just monitoring for groundwater for the first time after construction, you're doing it as part of the assessment, as well, at the initial step.

737
01:17:48,000 --> 01:17:50,000
Follow up.

738
01:17:50,000 --> 01:17:57,000
If you guys start doing that, where you're doing the borings to check, and you decide to go beyond that grid that you showed in start.

739
01:17:57,000 --> 01:18:11,000
Because there was a gentleman here this morning who was obviously a close neighbor, and you start to realize that the, that the plume or whatever you're calling it as further out, then you might have originally expected your clients.

740
01:18:11,000 --> 01:18:16,000
What if it becomes financially not feasible to continue the project?

741
01:18:16,000 --> 01:18:18,000
Well, the remediation is massive.

742
01:18:18,000 --> 01:18:21,000
You guys had the ability to just say, we're out.

743
01:18:21,000 --> 01:18:29,000
No, because you are entering into this agreement with the state that says, you're going to address the issue.

744
01:18:29,000 --> 01:18:36,000
You can terminate the agreement, but then you're likely to see DEP's enforcement side come in as a result.

745
01:18:36,000 --> 01:18:49,000
And that's why the brownfield financial incentives are really important, because they kind of provide a recurring source of, I don't want to say revenue, but an ability to fund the cleanup.

746
01:18:49,000 --> 01:18:54,000
Because the tax credits are based on what you spend to do the cleanup, right?

747
01:18:54,000 --> 01:18:58,000
You can only get the tax credits for doing the actual cleanup work.

748
01:18:58,000 --> 01:19:12,000
So if you do $100,000 of source removal just to say, you will get a 50% tax credit back that then you can choose to elect to use those funds to help facilitate your cleanup.

749
01:19:12,000 --> 01:19:16,000
And so that's where this program becomes really important.

750
01:19:16,000 --> 01:19:22,000
You know, there are people who decide to take on a brownfield cleanup without understanding their obligations.

751
01:19:22,000 --> 01:19:30,000
You know, as have you seen from the submittals we've made, our client has done significant testing on the front end to try and get a handle on what these issues are.

752
01:19:30,000 --> 01:19:35,000
We're not, we're not done, but we know enough to know that we have a good handle on it.

753
01:19:36,000 --> 01:19:37,000
And they already own the property.

754
01:19:37,000 --> 01:19:38,000
And they own that property.

755
01:19:38,000 --> 01:19:53,000
Last question, if you didn't do it, if you don't get an approval today and you don't move forward, the project just sits there as it is contaminated with the possibility of leaching into the very close neighbors.

756
01:19:54,000 --> 01:19:55,000
There certainly is a risk.

757
01:19:55,000 --> 01:19:57,000
It's it's it's been there for a long time.

758
01:19:57,000 --> 01:20:03,000
I will say with agricultural uses and contamination, the rules and regulations are a little different.

759
01:20:03,000 --> 01:20:12,000
Then this type of scenario by moving into the brownfield program, you're agreeing to use the regulatory framework that says, you've got to do the full cleanup.

760
01:20:12,000 --> 01:20:22,000
You've got to address the issues to the satisfaction the DEP, whereas with most agricultural operations, the pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, you know,

761
01:20:22,000 --> 01:20:28,000
we're designed to be applied, right, so that the contamination is there as the result of normal agricultural operations.

762
01:20:28,000 --> 01:20:33,000
There's a separate set of statutes that say when you've got ag, it's a little different.

763
01:20:33,000 --> 01:20:41,000
Here, now with brownfields, you're going to go into this complete regulatory framework that says, you know, it doesn't matter that it was an ag site.

764
01:20:41,000 --> 01:20:45,000
You're agreeing to these regulations that say you have to do the more stringent cleanup.

765
01:20:45,000 --> 01:20:50,000
And it's completely surrounded very closely by tons of neighbors.

766
01:20:50,000 --> 01:20:55,000
If you look at the area, I mean, you could you could not be more in the neighborhood than you guys are.

767
01:20:55,000 --> 01:20:57,000
It's it's the whole of the donut.

768
01:20:57,000 --> 01:20:58,000
Absolutely.

769
01:20:58,000 --> 01:20:59,000
Thank you.

770
01:20:59,000 --> 01:21:01,000
Mr. Wong.

771
01:21:01,000 --> 01:21:11,000
Yes, to add a little level of comfort to starting construction, the development orders contingent on two dedications of right away for this project.

772
01:21:11,000 --> 01:21:18,000
And part of that process is having a clean title and phase one environmentals that are also clean.

773
01:21:18,000 --> 01:21:26,000
So I think that's where this whole process started is in that phase one environmental assessment that was done for the right away dedications.

774
01:21:26,000 --> 01:21:34,000
So we wouldn't issue a development order until those were provided as clean and with no contaminants.

775
01:21:34,000 --> 01:21:35,000
Commissioner Vargas.

776
01:21:35,000 --> 01:21:40,000
Yeah, I think this is the second, at least since I've been here.

777
01:21:40,000 --> 01:21:47,000
This type of brownfield cleanup that I think that we've talked about is as I recollect in our conversation.

778
01:21:47,000 --> 01:21:51,000
And I know that it is a state program through EPA.

779
01:21:51,000 --> 01:21:57,000
The brownfields clean up grant and I think it's half a million dollars, isn't it?

780
01:21:57,000 --> 01:22:08,000
So the EPA has a separate the separate brownfields program that provides grants to local governments and nonprofits to do assessment and clean up.

781
01:22:08,000 --> 01:22:14,000
And those can be in upwards of half a million dollars, but this is a state program.

782
01:22:14,000 --> 01:22:19,000
So it's administered by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and they don't issue grants.

783
01:22:19,000 --> 01:22:22,000
They issue tax credits.

784
01:22:22,000 --> 01:22:25,000
So there's no there's no free money.

785
01:22:25,000 --> 01:22:32,000
You've got to actually go out and spend the money on the cleanup and there's a very specific agreed upon procedures.

786
01:22:32,000 --> 01:22:38,000
Process that CPAs do with the application to verify that you've actually spent the money.

787
01:22:38,000 --> 01:22:40,000
You don't just give them copies of checks.

788
01:22:40,000 --> 01:22:42,000
You actually give them the bank statements.

789
01:22:42,000 --> 01:22:44,000
They review the bank statements.

790
01:22:44,000 --> 01:22:47,000
The proposals, the invoices, they sign a certification.

791
01:22:47,000 --> 01:22:51,000
And then your environmental professional has to sign and seal a certification as well.

792
01:22:51,000 --> 01:22:54,000
That's where as an affirms that the work has been completed.

793
01:22:54,000 --> 01:22:59,000
And then that goes up to Tallahassee for a second review by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

794
01:22:59,000 --> 01:23:02,000
So there's a very kind of robust procedure.

795
01:23:02,000 --> 01:23:08,000
It actually, the deadline for 2025 work is the end of January, 2026.

796
01:23:08,000 --> 01:23:19,000
So my colleagues and I get very busy in January taking the whole history of our, I think it's like 20 something sites we're working on right now to submit these applications up to the state.

797
01:23:19,000 --> 01:23:22,000
So that they can review the tax credit applications.

798
01:23:22,000 --> 01:23:23,000
Right.

799
01:23:23,000 --> 01:23:27,000
I think one of our commissioners, one of my commissioner colleagues said,

800
01:23:27,000 --> 01:23:32,000
I was kind of wondering, okay, if you start to open up like buying a house that needs work.

801
01:23:32,000 --> 01:23:37,000
A really good deal, Pandora's box, which I'm always leery of.

802
01:23:37,000 --> 01:23:48,000
But I mean, to take a lot of money to clean up, I noticed here in the study arsenic was found on the property.

803
01:23:48,000 --> 01:23:51,000
And I don't know.

804
01:23:51,000 --> 01:23:55,000
I mean, you can tell us, well, they got deep pockets and they're just going to continue forward.

805
01:23:55,000 --> 01:24:02,000
But we've, we've, in our application materials, you know, we've established a budget of around a million dollars.

806
01:24:02,000 --> 01:24:08,000
For this, I can't guarantee that it's going to be more or less until we really get out there.

807
01:24:08,000 --> 01:24:11,000
But yeah, I mean, this is a significant environmental matter.

808
01:24:11,000 --> 01:24:20,000
You know, it's something we take very seriously and huge investment just, you know, on the front end also just tax credits.

809
01:24:20,000 --> 01:24:21,000
Yes.

810
01:24:21,000 --> 01:24:24,000
That's why the applicant, yeah, absolutely.

811
01:24:24,000 --> 01:24:35,000
But again, you know, from from the materials, you know, we provided there's been over 613 brownfield areas designated throughout the state of Florida.

812
01:24:35,000 --> 01:24:41,000
And I believe we're, you know, in excess of 530 of these brownfield clean up agreements.

813
01:24:41,000 --> 01:24:49,000
That have been executed and parties are doing these environmental cleanups from, you know, the keys all the way through the panhandle.

814
01:24:49,000 --> 01:24:59,000
It is actually Florida's second biggest environmental cleanup program in terms of dollar spent per year by behind the gas station cleanup program, the petroleum program, right?

815
01:24:59,000 --> 01:25:06,000
So if you go to any gas station that's been around since the 80s, you'll see those little monitoring wells all around or you might see some remedial equipment.

816
01:25:06,000 --> 01:25:10,000
You know, that program is funded in the hundreds of millions of dollars a year.

817
01:25:10,000 --> 01:25:18,000
In the last couple of years, the legislature increased brownfield funding to $35 million a year, making it the second biggest cleanup program that our state has.

818
01:25:18,000 --> 01:25:29,000
So let me ask you a question, I know you're going to build residential here. Do you have to make it disclosure to prospective buyers that this is one time was a brown sort of maybe not really.

819
01:25:29,000 --> 01:25:40,000
I mean, I will tell you that I always advise my clients to do that, especially on brownfield redevelopments and that would certainly be the case here as well.

820
01:25:40,000 --> 01:25:43,000
I mean, I don't see and a reason why not.

821
01:25:43,000 --> 01:25:46,000
So for that, I sure would like to know if I put my hard cash down.

822
01:25:47,000 --> 01:25:58,000
I actually, you know, are part of my living writing disclosures for environmental issues on on sites and and again, with this being a single family residential neighborhood.

823
01:25:58,000 --> 01:26:04,000
You know, they're going to make sure that it's it's, you know, done well correctly and appropriately with.

824
01:26:04,000 --> 01:26:10,000
It's examined. I mean, it's not as if we asked all cleaned up like you know, go for a tortoise or you know that.

825
01:26:10,000 --> 01:26:15,000
Again, you know, you have to hire a licensed engineer in geologist to do it.

826
01:26:15,000 --> 01:26:21,000
The labs have to we provide the certification of the laboratories to the Department of Environmental Protection.

827
01:26:21,000 --> 01:26:27,000
And it's not, you know, the applicant who's signing these reports that go in, it's their hired professional team.

828
01:26:27,000 --> 01:26:36,000
So they're putting their professional licenses on the line when they're submitting these reports as well.

829
01:26:36,000 --> 01:26:47,000
I have one request to speak form and that is from Mary Gavin, if you would like to address this, please fill out a request to speak form and get it to the bailiff.

830
01:26:47,000 --> 01:26:51,000
This is what I did come for first of all to staff into the commissioners.

831
01:26:51,000 --> 01:26:55,000
I hope you have the best holiday season. I know I'm going to.

832
01:26:55,000 --> 01:26:58,000
I'd like to start off with a little bit of history.

833
01:26:58,000 --> 01:27:06,000
I've lived in Hobesown in Martin County 30 years and I happen to live right down east of this property.

834
01:27:06,000 --> 01:27:13,000
So I'm the end of the line. I'm in the inner coastal and I don't want to use the S word, but that's what rolls towards me.

835
01:27:13,000 --> 01:27:24,000
So I get a little emotional about this. I will say, and I get emotional also because back in 1993, I was working in a building in Atlanta, Georgia that was poisoned with arsenic.

836
01:27:24,000 --> 01:27:34,000
And I had a son that was born with tremendous health issues because of it. So I just that's why I get a little shaky about this. So I want to start with the owners.

837
01:27:34,000 --> 01:27:40,000
There's two applicants here, so I'm not sure what, but it's the same managing partner. It looks like on Florida sunbiz.

838
01:27:40,000 --> 01:27:45,000
And I'll refer to the documents I gave you in just a moment to clarify that.

839
01:27:45,000 --> 01:27:52,000
But the property was bought from the original farm family for around 3 million plus.

840
01:27:52,000 --> 01:28:03,000
They've had it on the market for 16 million. They took it off right after we acquired why they said they're developing it when it was for sale. So I do want to point that out.

841
01:28:03,000 --> 01:28:11,000
I also want to point out that they have to clean this property up whether there's a brownfield designation or not to develop this property.

842
01:28:11,000 --> 01:28:21,000
It's got to be cleaned up. And if somebody spent $3 million on 19 acres, which was a deal of the century, they certainly had to know why and did their due diligence as far as the environmental issue,

843
01:28:21,000 --> 01:28:28,000
especially knowing that this was a farm for 1,000 years, you know, I'm being a little facetious there.

844
01:28:28,000 --> 01:28:37,000
So anyway, with all that said, now I want you to get to some of the documents I sent. The front page is an unfortunately close up picture of the property.

845
01:28:37,000 --> 01:28:44,000
But there's two parcels on this property. One was a residential or a storage home and the other was all the farm.

846
01:28:44,000 --> 01:28:52,000
When it was sold to the current owners, they literally buried the house into the ground where the majority of this condemnation is.

847
01:28:52,000 --> 01:29:00,000
And you can see it hasn't been mode and when they drop signs with the development signs literally been dropped into 3 foot grass for about 6 months.

848
01:29:00,000 --> 01:29:05,000
So Michael told us that the owners are concerned about the health and welfare of this property.

849
01:29:05,000 --> 01:29:09,000
We should have been notified if they really were concerned in my humble opinion.

850
01:29:09,000 --> 01:29:15,000
And when I see how this property has been maintained, it tells me that it could give you know what about what the community feels.

851
01:29:15,000 --> 01:29:20,000
The homes around this area run half million to $10 million.

852
01:29:20,000 --> 01:29:25,000
Just to put in perspective, it's an extremely beautiful, high-end part of Hobbesound.

853
01:29:25,000 --> 01:29:32,000
With all that said, yes, they have every right in the world to apply for the Brownfield status.

854
01:29:32,000 --> 01:29:37,000
The only real benefit, like I said, they have to develop this. I mean, they have to.

855
01:29:37,000 --> 01:29:43,000
I have one important point that really has to be made. I hope I can continue.

856
01:29:43,000 --> 01:29:46,000
They have to clean it up to develop it doesn't matter.

857
01:29:46,000 --> 01:29:50,000
But if you look at the ownership and this is a moral issue.

858
01:29:50,000 --> 01:29:58,000
It doesn't necessarily preclude somebody from getting a Brownfield status or from getting the tax credits for it.

859
01:29:58,000 --> 01:30:00,000
But the owner that's listed there.

860
01:30:00,000 --> 01:30:07,000
We're also spent 13 months in prison in Florida for Medicare fraud through sober homes, was recently released.

861
01:30:07,000 --> 01:30:23,000
So we're going to, and it's frost my, you know, what to think that is a Florida tax pair, which I have been, because of businesses, that we are going to give somebody tax credits that stole millions of dollars in the state of Florida. Thank you.

862
01:30:23,000 --> 01:30:28,000
Anyone else like to address this?

863
01:30:28,000 --> 01:30:48,000
I see in the DEP information that this was, as far as I can tell, the soil warnings, as early as 2018, detected all kinds of contamination.

864
01:30:48,000 --> 01:31:01,000
Once again, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023, there were all these poisons contaminants that were detected.

865
01:31:01,000 --> 01:31:12,000
Was the owner required to make this information public at any time? Anybody know?

866
01:31:12,000 --> 01:31:24,000
I believe Mr. Schnapps Tyler had said if there was offsite contamination, then there are specific notice requirements for that.

867
01:31:24,000 --> 01:31:34,000
So the requirements for qualifying for a Brownfield designation.

868
01:31:34,000 --> 01:31:40,000
One of them is that at least five new permanent jobs are created. They're full time jobs.

869
01:31:40,000 --> 01:31:46,000
Not associated with the implementation of the Brownfield site rehabilitation agreement.

870
01:31:46,000 --> 01:31:49,000
I don't think that's been met.

871
01:31:49,000 --> 01:31:56,000
There are going to be any jobs full time jobs created with this. This is true.

872
01:31:56,000 --> 01:32:04,000
You also have to...

873
01:32:04,000 --> 01:32:15,000
The person proposing the area for designation has provided reasonable assurance that he or she has sufficient financial resources to implement and complete the rehabilitation agreement and redevelopment of the Brownfield site.

874
01:32:15,000 --> 01:32:26,000
Will the owner wrote a letter to us saying, oh yeah, I have a million dollars for rehabilitation and another forty five million dollars and signed it.

875
01:32:26,000 --> 01:32:33,000
What did we do to proof that claim?

876
01:32:33,000 --> 01:32:35,000
We need the personal letter.

877
01:32:35,000 --> 01:32:43,000
We have staff review the application materials that we receive from the applicant.

878
01:32:43,000 --> 01:32:49,000
So the applicant was the one that was sent to prison for Medicare fraud.

879
01:32:49,000 --> 01:32:52,000
Westerstein, Bay Harbor Islands?

880
01:32:52,000 --> 01:32:57,000
I know that area well. Very well.

881
01:32:57,000 --> 01:33:07,000
So we're going to take his word for it.

882
01:33:07,000 --> 01:33:10,000
Anybody else?

883
01:33:11,000 --> 01:33:15,000
Madam Chair, I'd like to hear some of the feedback from the applicants representative.

884
01:33:15,000 --> 01:33:18,000
Okay.

885
01:33:18,000 --> 01:33:22,000
Madam Chair, commissioners, again for the record, Michael Schnapps Tyler with Cobb Cole.

886
01:33:22,000 --> 01:33:30,000
Madam Chair, address your question about the job creation component and the financial information with respect to jobs.

887
01:33:30,000 --> 01:33:35,000
Full time security on site full time maintenance full time operations.

888
01:33:35,000 --> 01:33:38,000
24 hours a day, seven days a week at that site.

889
01:33:38,000 --> 01:33:44,000
It's going to be at least five full time equivalent jobs out there at at the site forever.

890
01:33:44,000 --> 01:33:47,000
That's that's the plan for for the redevelopment of the site.

891
01:33:47,000 --> 01:33:51,000
And with respect to financial assurances, again, we provided a letter.

892
01:33:51,000 --> 01:33:59,000
The applicant does own and operate a design center facility very close to this site that shows their commitment to the project.

893
01:33:59,000 --> 01:34:04,000
And the area, if there are additional financial information.

894
01:34:04,000 --> 01:34:08,000
We can work on it. We can provide it at advance of the January 6th.

895
01:34:08,000 --> 01:34:12,000
Second reading to to show you that the financial resources are available.

896
01:34:12,000 --> 01:34:14,000
Again, they've completed assessment work.

897
01:34:14,000 --> 01:34:18,000
They've continued to complete assessment work to this point.

898
01:34:18,000 --> 01:34:20,000
Getting back to 2024.

899
01:34:20,000 --> 01:34:27,000
I believe our client was an original investor in the first version of this project.

900
01:34:27,000 --> 01:34:38,000
He bought out his partner to avoid foreclosure in 2024 and is moving forward with the project as was originally intended.

901
01:34:38,000 --> 01:34:41,000
I can't speak to when the property was for sale.

902
01:34:41,000 --> 01:34:47,000
Previously, I do know that there was a rogue listing out there that the the speaker identified it was taken down.

903
01:34:47,000 --> 01:34:54,000
The property was not listed for sale when we had the community meeting on in November out at the site.

904
01:34:54,000 --> 01:34:57,000
It was not listed for sale. Again, it was just a rogue sometimes on the internet.

905
01:34:57,000 --> 01:35:01,000
It's out there. It wasn't on the MLS. You couldn't you couldn't find it.

906
01:35:01,000 --> 01:35:06,000
Commissioner Vargas's client. I mean, comment.

907
01:35:06,000 --> 01:35:13,000
We represent an LLC. There is a managing member who did accept a plea deal associated with an investment he made.

908
01:35:13,000 --> 01:35:16,000
He did not operate the facility.

909
01:35:16,000 --> 01:35:22,000
He did spend some time in a federal facility.

910
01:35:22,000 --> 01:35:30,000
He's paying his debt to society. He still is trying to work and earn a living and provide for his family.

911
01:35:30,000 --> 01:35:37,000
And again, our client is an LLC. There are other people associated with the business and the investment here.

912
01:35:37,000 --> 01:35:46,000
I don't know if any brown-foot area designation criteria that are impacted by what happened previously.

913
01:35:46,000 --> 01:35:52,000
And again, the point of the brown-foot program is to focus on the cleanup and the redevelopment.

914
01:35:52,000 --> 01:36:00,000
There's no indication that any of the appropriate rules and regulations or anything like that are not going to be followed here.

915
01:36:00,000 --> 01:36:03,000
Everything still has to be done by the book.

916
01:36:03,000 --> 01:36:09,000
And that's what we intend to do with this cleanup and redevelopment.

917
01:36:10,000 --> 01:36:17,000
So there are five requirements in order to advance. Two of them have not been met.

918
01:36:17,000 --> 01:36:24,000
And another one says that notice of the proposed rehabilitation of the brown-field area has been provided to neighbors and nearby residents.

919
01:36:24,000 --> 01:36:29,000
Do we know that that's been done and how do we know that that's been done?

920
01:36:29,000 --> 01:36:36,000
The applicant provided their affidavit for posting to the community bulletins.

921
01:36:36,000 --> 01:36:47,000
They provided us photos of the signs that were posted at the property for their community meeting and for this public hearing and the upcoming one on January 6th.

922
01:36:47,000 --> 01:36:56,000
The other notice requirement, the community meeting, affording, neighbors, the opportunity to comment that was held on November 4th.

923
01:36:56,000 --> 01:37:02,000
And then those meetings also had to be announced at a regularly scheduled meeting of the board.

924
01:37:02,000 --> 01:37:16,000
So in October and at the November 18th board hearing that you all had administrator, Don Donaldson had announced the community meeting and the public hearings.

925
01:37:16,000 --> 01:37:22,000
So the notice requirements that are outlined in the statute have been met in those respects.

926
01:37:22,000 --> 01:37:25,000
Commissioner Caps.

927
01:37:25,000 --> 01:37:45,000
Yes, to commissioner heard concern about number five and this letter that was sent reasonable assurance that he or she has sufficient financial resources to implement and complete the rehabilitation agreement and redevelopment of the brown-field site.

928
01:37:45,000 --> 01:38:01,000
You do a lot of these proceedings and the the type of reasonable assurance that we have been given as this common and and as a consistent with what is normally done.

929
01:38:01,000 --> 01:38:05,000
The record again Michael Schnapps Tyler with Cobb Cole.

930
01:38:06,000 --> 01:38:13,000
It is it's consistent with what you all received for your brown-field area designation that happened earlier in the year.

931
01:38:13,000 --> 01:38:30,000
I believe in February but but again if there are additional information if that's the request you you want us to take back to our client advance of the January 6th brown-field area designation hearing we can do that we can work with your staff and provide some additional documentation.

932
01:38:30,000 --> 01:38:34,000
That's I don't see that being an issue.

933
01:38:34,000 --> 01:38:46,000
Okay, I would appear to me then that we've met sufficient threshold thresholds to meet these five criteria and that this is kind of strictly regulated by Florida statute.

934
01:38:46,000 --> 01:38:55,000
I mean, some of the other things that have been talked about are really can't be considered.

935
01:38:56,000 --> 01:39:03,000
Yeah, and it's just these five things right that we can look at when designating a brownfield.

936
01:39:03,000 --> 01:39:14,000
These are objective criteria it's either yes or no, it's not subjective and if you meet the five subjective criteria the statute says.

937
01:39:15,000 --> 01:39:20,000
Right and and light of that.

938
01:39:20,000 --> 01:39:40,000
I would like I would make it a motion to approve the designation but can you phrase that for me one more time about the additional information that we could ask for on the the fifth.

939
01:39:40,000 --> 01:39:42,000
Number five.

940
01:39:42,000 --> 01:39:48,000
Maybe phrase that for me again we're asking for additional information for the next hearing.

941
01:39:48,000 --> 01:39:58,000
If I may we're not designating the brownfield today we are just moving to have the second public hearing prior to five o'clock on January.

942
01:39:58,000 --> 01:40:09,000
I think it's six and moving staff the staff report into evidence you can add the contingency to bring additional financial information if you want but we're not designating today just to clarify that.

943
01:40:09,000 --> 01:40:16,000
Sounds like we can just take this up at the next hearing then okay we'll I would move approval.

944
01:40:16,000 --> 01:40:19,000
Mr. Kampie.

945
01:40:19,000 --> 01:40:23,000
Thank you this is gone into a gray area for me.

946
01:40:23,000 --> 01:40:28,000
I'm interested to hear from our district commissioner which we just did.

947
01:40:28,000 --> 01:40:38,000
If I might ask commissioner caps a question you went to that November 4th meeting it was a residential meeting was it well attended very well attended I would I would guess.

948
01:40:38,000 --> 01:40:45,000
Maybe 30 or 40 people is that sound about right based on your memory.

949
01:40:45,000 --> 01:40:52,000
And a lot of participational a lot of questions that was handled very well by these attorneys from Daytona.

950
01:40:52,000 --> 01:41:07,000
I think to be to know overall mood of the meeting before and after there were just a lot of questions and a lot of clarification given as to what the purposes of.

951
01:41:07,000 --> 01:41:16,000
The Brownfield designation is I think there's a lot of misperception out there about what it is and what it is not and who.

952
01:41:16,000 --> 01:41:36,000
And how what the county's role is in the matter you know there are a lot of folks that initially think that the county's involved with monitoring the actual cleanup and soil testing and and that kind of thing and that's all done all done by the DEP.

953
01:41:36,000 --> 01:41:43,000
And this really is just about these five criteria and whether.

954
01:41:43,000 --> 01:42:02,000
The applicant gets a tax advantage for engaging in the work to get it cleaned up and it's a program to the encourage the cleanup of these sites around the state so it has a good and noble purpose.

955
01:42:02,000 --> 01:42:11,000
And it apparently is achieving a lot of environmental cleanup around the state as it was previously mentioned.

956
01:42:11,000 --> 01:42:14,000
But I it seems to me like.

957
01:42:14,000 --> 01:42:29,000
These hearings are all about those five bullet points and that's kind of all you can really look at and and light of that I think we are satisfied that.

958
01:42:29,000 --> 01:42:32,000
That's what the requirements are fulfilled.

959
01:42:32,000 --> 01:42:35,000
Thank you.

960
01:42:35,000 --> 01:42:37,000
To our staff.

961
01:42:37,000 --> 01:42:45,000
I remember this property came up several years ago and it was a huge uproar of residents that came forward.

962
01:42:45,000 --> 01:42:54,000
I remember because they gave us a stack of petitions individual to each of us that was like 500 pages.

963
01:42:54,000 --> 01:42:57,000
To each of us it was like 3000 pages.

964
01:42:57,000 --> 01:43:01,000
It's like a like a printer's box of paper copy paper.

965
01:43:01,000 --> 01:43:10,000
I've been using I cut them in half and I've been using the back of them for note pads since and I still have probably this many to go.

966
01:43:10,000 --> 01:43:13,000
It was a big deal that project.

967
01:43:13,000 --> 01:43:19,000
It was really controversial and if I remember correctly we voted it down.

968
01:43:19,000 --> 01:43:20,000
Correct.

969
01:43:20,000 --> 01:43:23,000
That's why I'm I'm getting to that point.

970
01:43:23,000 --> 01:43:34,000
I was looking to do something different but when I look at the picture here I can imagine how you could shoehorn in a single extra house onto that property which I get is probably legally permissible.

971
01:43:34,000 --> 01:43:39,000
If it's into we're not even approving yes or no on that.

972
01:43:39,000 --> 01:43:49,000
That's what I mean it looks major to me but I get it's minor and I'm not going to go down that but it looks like a full project.

973
01:43:49,000 --> 01:43:56,000
So it's not a matter so for me I have to take out of my thought process.

974
01:43:56,000 --> 01:44:04,000
Are we going to be approving this development of a neighborhood right there or not because it's not going to come to us.

975
01:44:04,000 --> 01:44:08,000
It's going to be handled at the administrative level and my correct.

976
01:44:08,000 --> 01:44:15,000
Okay so it's not like my decision today will you know make a determination for the neighborhood.

977
01:44:15,000 --> 01:44:18,000
Now I go back to the cleanup.

978
01:44:18,000 --> 01:44:25,000
A carnation farm or flower farm we had one in Palm City on Barry and it was bigger.

979
01:44:25,000 --> 01:44:28,000
Maybe it was about the same it's a neighborhood now.

980
01:44:28,000 --> 01:44:35,000
I don't remember I have a very good memory but I don't remember that it being as it really wasn't a contamination issue.

981
01:44:35,000 --> 01:44:37,000
There was certainly not a brownfield.

982
01:44:37,000 --> 01:44:45,000
I don't remember and some of you will hear then too I don't remember if it was a big contamination situation like this one seems to be.

983
01:44:45,000 --> 01:44:51,000
It also feels like it was a little more spread out than it this one seems to be.

984
01:44:51,000 --> 01:45:01,000
And so the bottom line for my decision making today which with all due respect to my colleague is he's the local he was at that meeting and he's the one who made the motion.

985
01:45:00,000 --> 01:45:14,000
That's first. Secondly, from a financial point of view, a letter saying, I can afford to do this doesn't really jump the bar for me. That's, of course, someone's going to write that.

986
01:45:14,000 --> 01:45:24,000
I don't know what the legal responsibilities or ramifications would be if we found out that that letter wasn't as accurate, who's the arbiter of deciding if someone.

987
01:45:24,000 --> 01:45:44,000
And I don't know the applicants. So I have, I'm not trying to disparage any person. I don't see the names. I don't know those names. I don't know these people. So speaking generally, if I wanted to do a project and all I had to do was type a letter that says, I have enough money to do it. And here's my signature. We don't have a financial arm that's reviewing that.

988
01:45:44,000 --> 01:46:05,000
You're a growth management. We literally were not sending it to the clerk of the court. It's not being reviewed for any kind of accuracy or verifying that that money exists. So if we are going to move from today to the sixth of January, I would need some more of a financial kind of proof.

989
01:46:05,000 --> 01:46:20,000
But it's like you said, it's big money. I mean, remediation and taking that soil off that property. I don't even think there's any remediation sites left in Martin County where you could truck it to correct. We don't have that anymore.

990
01:46:20,000 --> 01:46:28,000
Never did. But then wherever it was going locally, that's not even local anymore. Even if it's out of the county.

991
01:46:28,000 --> 01:46:38,000
Well, it's just that depending on the contamination, you know, it either would have to be landfill, but typically something like this has to go to like an incineration.

992
01:46:38,000 --> 01:46:44,000
And be more in the worst case scenario, it used to get trucked out of the state to a special hazardous waste facility.

993
01:46:44,000 --> 01:46:55,000
Some other state where I don't know what the level is, but anyway, there's various designations of which we've never had a facility that could accept anything other than very minor.

994
01:46:55,000 --> 01:47:13,000
Okay, so you're talking about, you know, remediating soil, which, look, it's not a secret. It's obviously contaminated. They've found some already into Commissioner Vargas's point arsenic, which even those of us that are not chemists would say, sounds like the scary one.

995
01:47:13,000 --> 01:47:24,000
I'm torn. The reason that I would potentially vote today in favor is because if you don't do something, it's just going to continue to just leech in and just get worse.

996
01:47:24,000 --> 01:47:34,000
This seems to me to be the most realistic and reasonable approach to remediation for the existing neighbors that are there.

997
01:47:34,000 --> 01:47:57,000
In this particular case of doing nothing, I just think every rainstorm, every wash is just going your way or, you know, I get that it's going, you know, west to east, but it's also going north and south. It's not, it's unless it's like a swell, which it's not, it's going north and south. And the houses are literally on the property line.

998
01:47:57,000 --> 01:48:10,000
So I'm not opposed to having at least bringing this to January 6th, the other thing, which is more of a personal thing based on, and I appreciate the photograph. I did not get an opportunity.

999
01:48:10,000 --> 01:48:23,000
I've driven past here many times because I have friends that lived down in this neck of the woods. I probably drove past it on my way to the singing Christmas tree, but that being said, I wasn't looking at the property with that eye.

1000
01:48:23,000 --> 01:48:29,000
If this is even an indication of how the property is being maintained, how long is your client owned it?

1001
01:48:29,000 --> 01:48:30,000
Twenty twenty-one.

1002
01:48:30,000 --> 01:48:36,000
Twenty-two-two-two-two-two-four years, for coming up on five potentially.

1003
01:48:36,000 --> 01:48:39,000
I've been the sole owner since 2024.

1004
01:48:39,000 --> 01:48:40,000
Okay.

1005
01:48:40,000 --> 01:48:50,000
Okay, so at least a year, I will drive by before January 6th, shouldn't look like that if you're trying to, like, you know, put your best foot forward.

1006
01:48:50,000 --> 01:48:57,000
Straighten it up. I mean, that sounds like a weird kind of personal request, but five of us have been making a determination.

1007
01:48:57,000 --> 01:49:08,000
I'm close to, I was a no until I heard my colleague say that he, you know, we meet the, he's a lawyer. We have plenty of them, but he's also one of them.

1008
01:49:08,000 --> 01:49:18,000
And so I'm willing to give you guys the benefit of the doubt, based on, I need to see financials that are, I don't know who will eventually verify them,

1009
01:49:18,000 --> 01:49:21,000
but more than a letter from the guy that says, I got enough money.

1010
01:49:21,000 --> 01:49:29,000
And I would like from the neighbor's point of view that it's, you know, it's just neighborly to keep this up, then look like some just, you know, wasteland.

1011
01:49:29,000 --> 01:49:40,000
And, and then I guess we'll take it from there on January 6th, so I will second my colleague, district commissioner colleagues, motion, reluctantly.

1012
01:49:40,000 --> 01:49:42,000
Commissioner Heatherington.

1013
01:49:43,000 --> 01:49:48,000
I would just go back to the five criteria and.

1014
01:49:48,000 --> 01:49:58,000
As far as the jobs, I would imagine that based on all of the reporting documentation that that's verified by.

1015
01:49:58,000 --> 01:50:06,000
By some entity, whether it be the DEP in order for you to get the tax credits, is that correct?

1016
01:50:06,000 --> 01:50:11,000
I mean, you can't, if you don't create five jobs who's, who's monitoring that.

1017
01:50:13,000 --> 01:50:27,000
The DEP is focused on the incentives and on on the cleanup, they don't, I don't know off the top of my head if they actually go out and count the jobs and verify it, but they do report it.

1018
01:50:27,000 --> 01:50:33,000
And that's, but again, that's focused on the redevelopment after the cleanup is complete.

1019
01:50:33,000 --> 01:50:42,000
And then as far as the proof of funds, I, I think you could, this would be like a real estate transaction that you could require either.

1020
01:50:42,000 --> 01:50:57,000
To show a particular percentage or a financial institution would verify that you would, you have the proof of funds, whatever that amount is.

1021
01:50:57,000 --> 01:51:06,000
I would be willing to move it to January six, I think that you have a little work to do before January six, but I would be willing to move it to January six.

1022
01:51:06,000 --> 01:51:09,000
Can I ask one more question for.

1023
01:51:09,000 --> 01:51:11,000
Commissioner Heatherington's point.

1024
01:51:11,000 --> 01:51:18,000
Even if they brought bank statements, it says we got eight million dollars in the bank, there's no verification that they're going to spend the eight million dollars on this is there.

1025
01:51:18,000 --> 01:51:28,000
I remember projects that we've done in the past where people have to put money into escrow or to something is I don't know if we're getting out of our realm, but.

1026
01:51:28,000 --> 01:51:38,000
So we don't have any legal authority to require escrow, we can ask for a certified bank letter or as accounting some from a CPA if the board would like.

1027
01:51:38,000 --> 01:51:45,000
So for this meeting, they're entitled to two hearings, so they're moving forward on January six just to clarify either way.

1028
01:51:45,000 --> 01:51:55,000
This is voting on today is to have it before five, so if there's a no vote today, then we're having the hearing after five, the board can certainly vote no at the next hearing to not designate the Browning.

1029
01:51:55,000 --> 01:52:10,000
Brownfield, but they do have two hearings under the law, so the board can give them direction that, you know, it looks like a no and they should bring some additional financial, but I just want to clarify that there's going to be two hearings and the next one will be after five if there's a no vote today on the motion.

1030
01:52:10,000 --> 01:52:17,000
So everybody understands you're voting on whether to have the hearing after five or before five for the next meeting.

1031
01:52:17,000 --> 01:52:20,000
So but on the six we can vote no if we don't.

1032
01:52:20,000 --> 01:52:22,000
Yes, absolutely.

1033
01:52:22,000 --> 01:52:26,000
If you feel like they didn't meet the criteria, but they are entitled to two hearings under the law.

1034
01:52:26,000 --> 01:52:31,000
I would, I would prefer that the meeting is after five o'clock.

1035
01:52:31,000 --> 01:52:32,000
Really?

1036
01:52:32,000 --> 01:52:33,000
Yeah.

1037
01:52:33,000 --> 01:52:34,000
Why?

1038
01:52:34,000 --> 01:52:35,000
Let the people live.

1039
01:52:35,000 --> 01:52:37,000
What if the meeting gets over at 12 30?

1040
01:52:37,000 --> 01:52:46,000
And I have to come back at five o'clock and have the meeting because I think when you, this is just my suggestion and I know that this goes to daytime meetings versus nighttime meetings.

1041
01:52:46,000 --> 01:52:56,000
This is a contaminated site in the heart of a very specific neighborhood where the houses are very close together and I mean.

1042
01:52:56,000 --> 01:53:03,000
I don't, I wouldn't want any kind of a inference that we created an opportunity where it was harder for people to come.

1043
01:53:03,000 --> 01:53:07,000
This is different than, you know, hey, we're building something next to you.

1044
01:53:07,000 --> 01:53:08,000
This is contamination.

1045
01:53:08,000 --> 01:53:10,000
This is medical issues.

1046
01:53:10,000 --> 01:53:15,000
This is pretty serious and, you know, we have budget hearings that start at 505.

1047
01:53:15,000 --> 01:53:18,000
That's just my personal opinion.

1048
01:53:18,000 --> 01:53:26,000
If we have it during the day, the other thing I didn't hear anyone say is that you put it on a board or you put some signs up.

1049
01:53:26,000 --> 01:53:32,000
Do they have to send out certified letters to the surrounding property owners?

1050
01:53:32,000 --> 01:53:38,000
There's not a mailing notice requirement in the statute.

1051
01:53:38,000 --> 01:53:42,000
Okay, can we ask them to do that in terms of winning favor?

1052
01:53:42,000 --> 01:53:47,000
Well, they have to still have to certify them like everybody else does, right?

1053
01:53:47,000 --> 01:53:51,000
Yeah, we don't have any authority to do that under our coordinate.

1054
01:53:51,000 --> 01:53:54,000
Well, I'm one of five and so I'm just giving you a suggestion.

1055
01:53:54,000 --> 01:53:59,000
I'm going to ask people to show up at this meeting on the sixth and say, how'd you hear about it?

1056
01:53:59,000 --> 01:54:05,000
If you genuinely want a favorable, I'm willing to be very objective.

1057
01:54:05,000 --> 01:54:23,000
If you're client once, you know, to me to give him all of, you know, the potential thoughtfulness in my decision making, you have to prove to me that the local residents were notified, not just putting a sign up.

1058
01:54:23,000 --> 01:54:28,000
Because some people don't drive by that way and if you put it on some websites, some people don't see that website.

1059
01:54:28,000 --> 01:54:38,000
We require everybody else in the world to mail out within a couple hundred feeder yards of a project to say that they got a notification.

1060
01:54:38,000 --> 01:54:41,000
I get that we can't make you do that.

1061
01:54:41,000 --> 01:54:48,000
But if you came back on the sixth and said, look here, we sent certified letters to our surrounding neighborhood ring.

1062
01:54:48,000 --> 01:54:56,000
That's going to go a longer way for me to be favorable in my decision making for you all with your request.

1063
01:54:56,000 --> 01:55:11,000
Just to remind everybody, we're following a state statute for a tax credit for this cleanup and the board will be required to evaluate the criteria by which.

1064
01:55:11,000 --> 01:55:17,000
Each of those five criteria and so it'll have to be an objective reasoning that you determine.

1065
01:55:17,000 --> 01:55:21,000
So I think that's that's important to remember.

1066
01:55:21,000 --> 01:55:25,000
Ms. Gavin, before or after five.

1067
01:55:25,000 --> 01:55:28,000
Then what do you think about your neighbors?

1068
01:55:28,000 --> 01:55:31,000
I think a lot of them are stolen away.

1069
01:55:31,000 --> 01:55:36,000
Then we are the closest straight to the property.

1070
01:55:36,000 --> 01:55:39,000
She has the same thing.

1071
01:55:40,000 --> 01:55:43,000
Ma'am, can you come up? Can you come to this speaker please?

1072
01:55:43,000 --> 01:55:45,000
I'm sorry.

1073
01:55:45,000 --> 01:55:51,000
The majority of neighbors that I have spoken to thought that that sign was for development.

1074
01:55:51,000 --> 01:55:55,000
And we know that it's not, this is very, very different.

1075
01:55:55,000 --> 01:56:00,000
So I, there are a lot of people that aren't here today.

1076
01:56:00,000 --> 01:56:03,000
Just because of the time, I don't know that it matters.

1077
01:56:03,000 --> 01:56:06,000
If we're going back to the criteria, but I would like to add some here.

1078
01:56:06,000 --> 01:56:10,000
If there's five permanent jobs created, I think we need to know what they are.

1079
01:56:10,000 --> 01:56:12,000
So somebody can follow up that they really happened.

1080
01:56:12,000 --> 01:56:14,000
That's the least of it.

1081
01:56:14,000 --> 01:56:16,000
Commissioner Caps.

1082
01:56:16,000 --> 01:56:22,000
So in order if we went with Commissioner campus logic of making it after five,

1083
01:56:22,000 --> 01:56:27,000
then it would be more logically for consistent for me to withdraw my motion.

1084
01:56:27,000 --> 01:56:28,000
Correct.

1085
01:56:28,000 --> 01:56:29,000
Right.

1086
01:56:29,000 --> 01:56:32,000
Because your motion had the hearing before five.

1087
01:56:32,000 --> 01:56:36,000
We would still need for the board to receive the agenda item and the attachments.

1088
01:56:36,000 --> 01:56:41,000
But you wouldn't have to talk about the timing because the statute requires us to have one after five

1089
01:56:41,000 --> 01:56:43,000
clock and that would be the next one.

1090
01:56:43,000 --> 01:56:44,000
Right.

1091
01:56:44,000 --> 01:56:53,000
Oh, I would rather err on the side of making sure that anyone who might want to be at this hearing has that opportunity

1092
01:56:53,000 --> 01:56:54,000
after five or six.

1093
01:56:54,000 --> 01:56:58,000
So I will withdraw that motion.

1094
01:56:58,000 --> 01:56:59,000
You withdrawing?

1095
01:56:59,000 --> 01:57:00,000
Yes.

1096
01:57:01,000 --> 01:57:02,000
All right.

1097
01:57:02,000 --> 01:57:10,000
I would tell you, I don't mind that meetings before five if there was some way for you to notify the affected parties.

1098
01:57:10,000 --> 01:57:13,000
And I'm not trying to give you guys grief.

1099
01:57:13,000 --> 01:57:16,000
I'm trying to give you, like, answer to the test.

1100
01:57:16,000 --> 01:57:25,000
This is the kind of things that, and I get what Mr. Donaldson saying that we're just talking about giving you the opportunity to get a reimbursement of expenses.

1101
01:57:25,000 --> 01:57:31,000
But to me, the advantage for the neighbors is you're going to clean up a site that's been really terrible for a long long time.

1102
01:57:31,000 --> 01:57:33,000
That's for me.

1103
01:57:33,000 --> 01:57:37,000
And if you're legally allowed to build a neighborhood, it looked pretty what you were showing was pretty.

1104
01:57:37,000 --> 01:57:41,000
The five, the five jobs, I get it.

1105
01:57:41,000 --> 01:57:43,000
You know, I get that you could do that.

1106
01:57:43,000 --> 01:57:44,000
It's a small prime.

1107
01:57:44,000 --> 01:57:45,000
How many houses?

1108
01:57:45,000 --> 01:57:46,000
Thirty eight.

1109
01:57:46,000 --> 01:57:47,000
Thirty eight.

1110
01:57:47,000 --> 01:57:49,000
You have a full time garden front of the neighborhood for thirty houses.

1111
01:57:49,000 --> 01:57:53,000
You're talking about the five employees, but who's paying for those five employees?

1112
01:57:53,000 --> 01:57:57,000
The cost of fortune to have a garden front of a house in the neighborhood.

1113
01:57:57,000 --> 01:57:59,000
Even if you have six hundred homes, never mind thirty eight.

1114
01:57:59,000 --> 01:58:01,000
And I get there going to be beautiful.

1115
01:58:01,000 --> 01:58:11,000
So I'm willing to say, just do these things that I'm that are important to me for me to give you the benefit of that out in January.

1116
01:58:11,000 --> 01:58:15,000
So do we need a motion to move that the,

1117
01:58:15,000 --> 01:58:18,000
Hold our second public hearing after five o'clock?

1118
01:58:18,000 --> 01:58:21,000
No, we just need a motion for the board to receive and file the agenda item.

1119
01:58:21,000 --> 01:58:25,000
The item and its attachments, including the staff report is exhibit one.

1120
01:58:25,000 --> 01:58:26,000
Okay.

1121
01:58:26,000 --> 01:58:29,000
I'll make that motion.

1122
01:58:29,000 --> 01:58:30,000
Miss Navi.

1123
01:58:30,000 --> 01:58:39,000
Can I clarify if there was a motion for more financial documents or something in that respect for the January six meeting?

1124
01:58:39,000 --> 01:58:40,000
It's that's for us.

1125
01:58:40,000 --> 01:58:41,000
Yeah.

1126
01:58:41,000 --> 01:58:42,000
It's that's the applicant.

1127
01:58:42,000 --> 01:58:44,000
I think you have a real clear idea of that.

1128
01:58:44,000 --> 01:58:45,000
Yes.

1129
01:58:45,000 --> 01:58:46,000
I expect it on January six.

1130
01:58:46,000 --> 01:58:47,000
Okay.

1131
01:58:47,000 --> 01:58:48,000
Thank you.

1132
01:58:48,000 --> 01:58:53,000
To receive and file the agenda item and its attachments.

1133
01:58:53,000 --> 01:58:55,000
Any further inquiries.

1134
01:58:55,000 --> 01:58:57,000
There's a motion in the second all those in favor.

1135
01:58:57,000 --> 01:59:00,000
I oppose that motion passes unanimously.

1136
01:59:00,000 --> 01:59:01,000
Thank you.

1137
01:59:01,000 --> 01:59:02,000
Thank you.

1138
01:59:02,000 --> 01:59:03,000
Members of the board.

1139
01:59:03,000 --> 01:59:04,000
You have a five minute break.

1140
01:59:04,000 --> 01:59:05,000
Yes.

1141
01:59:05,000 --> 01:59:08,000
We're going to take a five minute break.

1142
01:59:08,000 --> 01:59:09,000
Okay.

1143
01:59:09,000 --> 01:59:10,000
Hi.

1144
01:59:18,000 --> 01:59:20,000
Thank you.

1145
01:59:48,000 --> 01:59:49,000
Thank you.

1146
01:59:49,000 --> 01:59:50,000
Thank you.

1147
02:06:00,000 --> 02:06:28,000
I have to make it up to me. Don't you worry.

1148
02:06:28,000 --> 02:06:38,000
We're on. We are taking up department one which is Office of Management and Budget items which require board approval.

1149
02:06:38,000 --> 02:06:44,000
Ms. Murley. Good afternoon, Stephanie Murley, director of OMB here to present four items today.

1150
02:06:44,000 --> 02:06:56,000
Our first item is a permission to apply for the FY26 Transportation Alternatives Set aside program through FDOT for the Palm Lake Park Sidewalk Connectivity Project.

1151
02:06:56,000 --> 02:07:12,000
Our public works department is requesting a grant application of $769,769,125 dollars for the construction of a proposed six foot wide sidewalk on the perimeter of green space on Northwest Palm Lake Drive.

1152
02:07:12,000 --> 02:07:20,000
There is a local match of $19,500 that will be funded with the FY30 CIP program.

1153
02:07:20,000 --> 02:07:32,000
Item number two is a permission to apply for the FY26 Floor to stay for else to school infrastructure grant through FDOT for the Northeast Rose Tree Drive Sidewalk Project.

1154
02:07:32,000 --> 02:07:48,000
Public works is requesting a grant application of $987,000 for the construction of a six foot sidewalk on Northeast Rose Tree Drive to connect the neighborhood to Johnson Beach Elementary School and there's no cash match required for that one.

1155
02:07:48,000 --> 02:07:58,000
Item number three is a permission to accept the FY2526 state funded emergency management accreditation program or the E map grant.

1156
02:07:58,000 --> 02:08:10,000
Our emergency management division is requesting the acceptance of $45,280 for the purposes of funding and accreditation program for our Martin County Emergency Management Program.

1157
02:08:10,000 --> 02:08:14,000
There's no cash match required for that either.

1158
02:08:14,000 --> 02:08:23,000
And last but not least, we have the permission to accept the state of Florida Department of Health FY26 emergency medical services or EMS trust fund grant.

1159
02:08:23,000 --> 02:08:26,000
This is an annual grant we receive.

1160
02:08:26,000 --> 02:08:31,000
This is for $25,219 dollars to.

1161
02:08:31,000 --> 02:08:41,000
Fund equipment and training to enhance emergency medical services at the local level and there's no cash match required for that either.

1162
02:08:41,000 --> 02:08:44,000
That's it questions.

1163
02:08:44,000 --> 02:08:49,000
Would anyone from the public like to address us seeing none back to the board.

1164
02:08:49,000 --> 02:08:50,000
Move approval.

1165
02:08:50,000 --> 02:08:51,000
Second.

1166
02:08:51,000 --> 02:08:53,000
There's a motion in the second all those in favor.

1167
02:08:53,000 --> 02:08:54,000
Aye.

1168
02:08:54,000 --> 02:08:56,000
Opposed that motion passes unanimously.

1169
02:08:56,000 --> 02:08:57,000
Thank you.

1170
02:08:57,000 --> 02:09:03,000
Next up is Department 2 which is contracts that meet the threshold for.

1171
02:09:04,000 --> 02:09:07,000
Board approve of approval of a million dollars or greater.

1172
02:09:07,000 --> 02:09:12,000
This should look familiar.

1173
02:09:12,000 --> 02:09:13,000
Good evening.

1174
02:09:13,000 --> 02:09:15,000
Christie brother 10 chief procurement officer.

1175
02:09:15,000 --> 02:09:23,000
So I have one item for your consideration which is the construction contract award for the Coral Gardens vacuum sewer system project.

1176
02:09:23,000 --> 02:09:28,000
You approved an item earlier in today's agenda for the same project.

1177
02:09:28,000 --> 02:09:32,000
And staff is recommending that the board award the contract to the lowest responsive and

1178
02:09:32,000 --> 02:09:41,000
responsible bidder which is Felix civil construction in the amount of 14 million eighty six thousand eighty nine dollars.

1179
02:09:41,000 --> 02:09:47,000
And move that the board authorize the county administrator or designate to execute all documents related to this request.

1180
02:09:47,000 --> 02:09:49,000
And that concludes this item.

1181
02:09:49,000 --> 02:09:50,000
Questions from this.

1182
02:09:50,000 --> 02:09:51,000
Brother 10.

1183
02:09:51,000 --> 02:09:55,000
Have a gladly make approval our move approval for this item.

1184
02:09:55,000 --> 02:09:56,000
Second.

1185
02:09:56,000 --> 02:09:59,000
There's a motion in a second all those in favor.

1186
02:09:59,000 --> 02:10:03,000
And opposed that motion passes unanimously.

1187
02:10:03,000 --> 02:10:05,000
Let's see.

1188
02:10:05,000 --> 02:10:08,000
That brings us to the end of our.

1189
02:10:08,000 --> 02:10:11,000
Last meeting of 2025.

1190
02:10:11,000 --> 02:10:12,000
Commissioner.

1191
02:10:12,000 --> 02:10:14,000
Lame sign or something.

1192
02:10:14,000 --> 02:10:16,000
Not yet.

1193
02:10:16,000 --> 02:10:18,000
Commissioner Vargas.

1194
02:10:18,000 --> 02:10:21,000
You were going to model for us how I.

1195
02:10:21,000 --> 02:10:26,000
As a citizen could go and find information on the links.

1196
02:10:27,000 --> 02:10:33,000
So with the chair's permission, I can show them and straight how you can get to the check register.

1197
02:10:33,000 --> 02:10:34,000
Good for.

1198
02:10:34,000 --> 02:10:36,000
Yeah, that'd be great.

1199
02:10:36,000 --> 02:10:39,000
This is ordinary citizen.

1200
02:10:39,000 --> 02:10:41,000
This is Donaldson.

1201
02:10:41,000 --> 02:10:46,000
Muddling his way through all this information.

1202
02:10:46,000 --> 02:10:49,000
Can't work the dot cam, but.

1203
02:10:50,000 --> 02:10:53,000
There it is.

1204
02:10:53,000 --> 02:10:57,000
Okay.

1205
02:10:57,000 --> 02:11:04,000
So, you know, we've we've had the questions regarding, you know, the warrant list in the past.

1206
02:11:04,000 --> 02:11:09,000
And this is the agenda item today that shows the warrant list of.

1207
02:11:09,000 --> 02:11:13,000
Of money spent in the last couple of weeks.

1208
02:11:13,000 --> 02:11:16,000
And on there, there is a.

1209
02:11:16,000 --> 02:11:21,000
Highlighted blue area where you can hit check registry, which takes you to.

1210
02:11:21,000 --> 02:11:24,000
The clerk's office.

1211
02:11:24,000 --> 02:11:28,000
And once that comes up, you can see that.

1212
02:11:28,000 --> 02:11:29,000
Here is.

1213
02:11:29,000 --> 02:11:34,000
And if we want to look at the exact dates that.

1214
02:11:34,000 --> 02:11:36,000
We're in the agenda item.

1215
02:11:36,000 --> 02:11:37,000
Sorry.

1216
02:11:37,000 --> 02:11:40,000
Let me go back to the.

1217
02:11:40,000 --> 02:11:45,000
The agenda item at this was from November 17th to the 23rd.

1218
02:11:45,000 --> 02:11:49,000
You can go back here and you can click.

1219
02:11:49,000 --> 02:11:52,000
The 17th.

1220
02:11:52,000 --> 02:11:54,000
To the.

1221
02:11:54,000 --> 02:11:56,000
The 23rd December.

1222
02:11:56,000 --> 02:12:01,000
There we go.

1223
02:12:01,000 --> 02:12:03,000
And if you hit submit.

1224
02:12:03,000 --> 02:12:06,000
It's going to come up with.

1225
02:12:06,000 --> 02:12:10,000
A list of all of the checks that.

1226
02:12:10,000 --> 02:12:12,000
That were issued during that period.

1227
02:12:12,000 --> 02:12:16,000
Now, you can see that it's just a constant list of.

1228
02:12:16,000 --> 02:12:20,000
Vendor name.

1229
02:12:20,000 --> 02:12:22,000
Accurate systems.

1230
02:12:22,000 --> 02:12:23,000
And now.

1231
02:12:23,000 --> 02:12:24,000
Just scroll through.

1232
02:12:24,000 --> 02:12:26,000
You can see there's just an ongoing.

1233
02:12:26,000 --> 02:12:30,000
Let's all the checks that were that were issued in the preceding weeks.

1234
02:12:30,000 --> 02:12:33,000
Before this agenda item.

1235
02:12:34,000 --> 02:12:36,000
And boundary medical is an example of one.

1236
02:12:36,000 --> 02:12:39,000
It's a medical supplies for fire rescue.

1237
02:12:39,000 --> 02:12:42,000
And for instance, you can.

1238
02:12:42,000 --> 02:12:44,000
You know, take information.

1239
02:12:44,000 --> 02:12:45,000
Oh, you just.

1240
02:12:45,000 --> 02:12:46,000
You just.

1241
02:12:46,000 --> 02:12:47,000
You just.

1242
02:12:47,000 --> 02:12:48,000
You on the right.

1243
02:12:48,000 --> 02:12:49,000
So the view will just.

1244
02:12:49,000 --> 02:12:51,000
I'm just going to bring back.

1245
02:12:51,000 --> 02:12:52,000
So the.

1246
02:12:52,000 --> 02:12:56,000
Before we do that, I'll show that this is like the check number.

1247
02:12:56,000 --> 02:12:57,000
And so you can see there's.

1248
02:12:57,000 --> 02:13:01,000
Lots of different individual items for which one check was issued.

1249
02:13:01,000 --> 02:13:03,000
So if you hit copy.

1250
02:13:03,000 --> 02:13:05,000
You can go back to.

1251
02:13:05,000 --> 02:13:08,000
So this information can be sorted in different ways.

1252
02:13:08,000 --> 02:13:10,000
So we put the check number.

1253
02:13:10,000 --> 02:13:12,000
Uh, in there and hit submit.

1254
02:13:12,000 --> 02:13:14,000
You'll see the total amount.

1255
02:13:14,000 --> 02:13:16,000
That was issued to.

1256
02:13:16,000 --> 02:13:19,000
Uh, boundary medical services.

1257
02:13:19,000 --> 02:13:21,000
Which was $4,000.

1258
02:13:21,000 --> 02:13:23,000
Uh, for for them.

1259
02:13:23,000 --> 02:13:24,000
If you.

1260
02:13:24,000 --> 02:13:28,000
You know, so the the point in the course boundary.

1261
02:13:29,000 --> 02:13:32,000
Is medical supplies for fire rescue.

1262
02:13:32,000 --> 02:13:38,000
So when you approve the budget, there is a line item that has medical supplies and fire rescue.

1263
02:13:38,000 --> 02:13:40,000
That that the board had to approve.

1264
02:13:40,000 --> 02:13:42,000
It's your budget hearing.

1265
02:13:42,000 --> 02:13:44,000
Then fire rescue at some point.

1266
02:13:44,000 --> 02:13:47,000
Time had to do and a bid proposal for medical supplies.

1267
02:13:47,000 --> 02:13:50,000
With Miss brother routine was here earlier.

1268
02:13:50,000 --> 02:13:54,000
Would have issued an RFP or a bid proposal for that.

1269
02:13:54,000 --> 02:13:59,000
That bid award would have been awarded either depending upon the amount.

1270
02:13:59,000 --> 02:14:02,000
Uh, at a board meeting like today.

1271
02:14:02,000 --> 02:14:08,000
Um, then at the which point it becomes you authorize a contract to be executed.

1272
02:14:08,000 --> 02:14:16,000
That contract gets executed and then staff can actually purchase materials from boundary medical.

1273
02:14:16,000 --> 02:14:21,000
They then submit us an invoice saying, okay, you've bought these services.

1274
02:14:21,000 --> 02:14:22,000
And then it goes back to here.

1275
02:14:22,000 --> 02:14:23,000
The other piece of this.

1276
02:14:23,000 --> 02:14:25,000
This is on the clerk's website.

1277
02:14:25,000 --> 02:14:31,000
Part of the clerk court's job Miss Carolyn Timon as our chief financial officer.

1278
02:14:31,000 --> 02:14:36,000
Also verifies that all of these processes were actually done in the proper order.

1279
02:14:36,000 --> 02:14:38,000
And that we expanded them properly.

1280
02:14:38,000 --> 02:14:41,000
Uh, and then they course at the end of the year we have an audit.

1281
02:14:41,000 --> 02:14:50,000
So just wanted to say that the the check registry is a summary of checks that were issued in total amounts.

1282
02:14:50,000 --> 02:14:55,000
In the last um, um, preceding, uh, two weeks.

1283
02:14:55,000 --> 02:15:00,000
But you can also see actually in any date range you want.

1284
02:15:00,000 --> 02:15:29,000
Those types of registries. Now, the information under view, I can, so you go back to boundary. Just to hit view, you're not, it's, the, the information here, just again, just gives you the total of what I showed you before, but you can, you can put in, if you knew the vendors name, you can put it in here, the vendor invoice number, the minimum amount, or if you don't know any of that.

1285
02:15:30,000 --> 02:15:43,000
You can go through the list, you can copy that information and put it back in and sort. You can also sort it by, by different dates, if, if you, if you so desire. So there is a lot of information there.

1286
02:15:43,000 --> 02:16:10,000
But again, the, the consent item that has the list of check registry in order for that to have suspended, it kind of approved many times before they get there. So you're, you've already actually approved the budget, you've approved the contracts and then this is just a way to, to provide the public with a summary of what was expanded.

1287
02:16:10,000 --> 02:16:26,000
And you would expect that given the size of our budget that we're going to be spending anywhere from about a million and a half dollars or to three million dollars every agenda item on contracted services or more.

1288
02:16:26,000 --> 02:16:55,000
So that, that, that's just the nature of the size of our, of our businesses that this is, this is a week basically showing the difference from, from, so every time you see these check, these summaries, you could expect that you're, you're counting in, in check dispersments is going to be exceeding several million dollars every time you see one of these.

1289
02:16:55,000 --> 02:17:00,000
But it's all based upon, for instance, you can see all the F.P. and L. bills.

1290
02:17:00,000 --> 02:17:08,000
So then you each building has a different meter and sometimes there's, we have street lights. And so you could see how much we spend on electricity.

1291
02:17:08,000 --> 02:17:20,000
If you wanted to summarize these every week or through the year. So the information is there. It's not, it isn't in, in this, replaces, but it's, we did try to make it a little bit easier for you to find it.

1292
02:17:20,000 --> 02:17:31,000
And again, you can find the, each vendor that you can, or you can roll through the entire list of the thousands of invoices that we received.

1293
02:17:31,000 --> 02:17:33,000
Question.

1294
02:17:33,000 --> 02:17:35,000
That's it.

1295
02:17:35,000 --> 02:17:40,000
If someone saw, like you used Bountry as an example, if someone went and saw there was $4,000 with a checks.

1296
02:17:40,000 --> 02:17:49,000
If you don't know what Bountry medical is, you wouldn't know what Bountry medical is. Is there a way that someone could then, either dig down or if they had a question, then they could contact.

1297
02:17:49,000 --> 02:17:50,000
Specifically.

1298
02:17:50,000 --> 02:18:01,000
There is, I just don't have it. Again, I'm, my, my, my, it may perhaps that's the next exercise in educating the public when we come down here.

1299
02:18:01,000 --> 02:18:08,000
Be, you know, how do you track Bountry back to their original purchase order and original bid?

1300
02:18:08,000 --> 02:18:14,000
There is a way to do that. I just can't tell you exactly off the top of my head. I know how it gets to this point.

1301
02:18:14,000 --> 02:18:20,000
Going reverse, I would have to, I would have to, I'd like to practice it at least once before I come back to that.

1302
02:18:20,000 --> 02:18:27,000
So for our next episode of Don explains it all. We're going to need you to show.

1303
02:18:27,000 --> 02:18:35,000
I will have Miss Burley here and just simply because I get that you can see the name of the vendor and the dollar amount.

1304
02:18:35,000 --> 02:18:42,000
But certain vendor names, some of them are obvious, FPL, AT&T, but some of them are not as obvious.

1305
02:18:43,000 --> 02:18:46,000
That's very helpful. Thank you. Yes. Thank you.

1306
02:18:46,000 --> 02:18:51,000
We have had in the past. I know there's one person's very specific about this.

1307
02:18:51,000 --> 02:18:58,000
We have every six months or nine months had a review of that the information is there.

1308
02:18:58,000 --> 02:19:07,000
It's not flashing on the homepage, but it is available for anybody that is interested in going to that level to see exactly what we have.

1309
02:19:07,000 --> 02:19:18,000
I think the most important point you made is first it should up in if it's depending on what is a CIP sheet or a line item in someone's annual budget.

1310
02:19:18,000 --> 02:19:29,000
Then the reason I got there is an employee decided then the department had decided then Don looked at it and then financial looked at it and then Carolyn Timon and her team looked at it.

1311
02:19:29,000 --> 02:19:39,000
So it's not like someone can necessarily just start writing checks, not that the system is 1,000% full proof, it's always something.

1312
02:19:39,000 --> 02:19:50,000
But I think overall our system is pretty tight in their award-winning Carolyn Timons and her team wins awards on making this very full proof.

1313
02:19:50,000 --> 02:19:54,000
Yes. They watch it closely, which is what their job is to do.

1314
02:19:54,000 --> 02:19:57,000
She's also the comptroller.

1315
02:19:57,000 --> 02:20:00,000
Anything else Commissioner Vargas?

1316
02:20:00,000 --> 02:20:03,000
No, just my comment earlier.

1317
02:20:03,000 --> 02:20:11,000
I would like to follow up with the CRA building and zoning about the street side tables and chairs.

1318
02:20:11,000 --> 02:20:16,000
So I do have a note here on our appreciate if you could please fold that up Mr. Donaldson.

1319
02:20:16,000 --> 02:20:17,000
Yes.

1320
02:20:17,000 --> 02:20:20,000
And certainly if legal needs to be consulted about that.

1321
02:20:20,000 --> 02:20:24,000
We're in COVID, lots of different things happen. We are long past that.

1322
02:20:24,000 --> 02:20:31,000
And other businesses, they want to put tables and chairs outside and where does someone walk in ADA and all of that.

1323
02:20:31,000 --> 02:20:36,000
So that's critical, I think. That's important. That's public safety too.

1324
02:20:36,000 --> 02:20:38,000
Thank you.

1325
02:20:38,000 --> 02:20:40,000
No, no further comments.

1326
02:20:40,000 --> 02:20:41,000
Mr. Kim.

1327
02:20:41,000 --> 02:20:46,000
Well, I'll just mention that on the Brownfield matter that we just took up.

1328
02:20:47,000 --> 02:20:54,000
There was this is not a subject matter that we've taken up a lot in the past.

1329
02:20:54,000 --> 02:21:00,000
And even before I became a commissioner and I was watching a lot of the YouTube videos of these meetings.

1330
02:21:00,000 --> 02:21:03,000
And Brownfield doesn't come up very much.

1331
02:21:03,000 --> 02:21:07,000
I think this is the second time in Martin County history.

1332
02:21:07,000 --> 02:21:11,000
So it was a learning experience for all of us.

1333
02:21:11,000 --> 02:21:22,000
And with regard to the technical requirements and the five things that we have to look at will be looking at those a lot closer at the next hearing.

1334
02:21:22,000 --> 02:21:32,000
Because I think some of the commissioners here have brought us some really valid points about whether those elements are really being satisfied.

1335
02:21:32,000 --> 02:21:35,000
So we'll look at that closely at the next meeting.

1336
02:21:35,000 --> 02:21:38,000
What you're capable.

1337
02:21:38,000 --> 02:21:41,000
Thank you. Two things. One I wanted to remind everyone.

1338
02:21:41,000 --> 02:21:49,000
Some people watch the morning and don't watch the afternoon on Saturday, this coming Saturday, December 13th, 6 to 8.

1339
02:21:49,000 --> 02:21:55,000
We're having music in the park, which is this time dueling pianos with a sing along.

1340
02:21:55,000 --> 02:21:57,000
It's on map road.

1341
02:21:57,000 --> 02:22:06,000
It's at the patio at Palm City Place, which if you're not familiar is immediately next door to the Palm City Station 21 fire station.

1342
02:22:06,000 --> 02:22:12,000
It'll be a lot of fun. There'll be food truck. You can bring your own food. You can order in or there'll be food and beverage trucks there.

1343
02:22:12,000 --> 02:22:17,000
It's a full family neighborhood kind of event. We'd love to have you come.

1344
02:22:17,000 --> 02:22:25,000
And then knowing that this is our last meeting of the year, I'd like to wish my colleagues a healthy and happy holiday season.

1345
02:22:25,000 --> 02:22:32,000
All of our staff, our residents, the most important gift that I could wish for you is health.

1346
02:22:32,000 --> 02:22:40,000
I wish you all a very happy healthy holiday season, but wish you all a happy healthy 2026.

1347
02:22:40,000 --> 02:22:42,000
Thank you so much.

1348
02:22:42,000 --> 02:22:47,000
Thank you, Mr. Ratherington. I'd just say Merry Christmas and happy new year and we'll see you back on the 6th.

1349
02:22:47,000 --> 02:22:49,000
And to our colleague, happy birthday.

1350
02:22:49,000 --> 02:22:53,000
Well, thank you so much. My husband will make it up to you very well.

1351
02:22:53,000 --> 02:22:56,000
And with that, thank you.

1352
02:22:56,000 --> 02:23:01,000
I just thank you all for a great year. Martin County is the finest of the 67.

1353
02:23:01,000 --> 02:23:03,000
We have a lot to be thankful.

1354
02:23:03,000 --> 02:23:11,000
We also have a lot of great nonprofits who also would ask my staff and everybody to remember those less fortunate

1355
02:23:11,000 --> 02:23:14,000
and do what we can to help those in our community.

1356
02:23:14,000 --> 02:23:16,000
Indeed. Thank you.

1357
02:23:16,000 --> 02:23:17,000
Thank you.

1358
02:23:17,000 --> 02:23:18,000
Thank you.

1359
02:23:18,000 --> 02:23:24,000
And best wishes for a happy and healthy Christmas and a very very happy and healthy new year.

1360
02:23:24,000 --> 02:23:26,000
See you everybody next year.

1361
02:23:26,000 --> 02:23:28,000
Thanks.

1362
02:23:28,000 --> 02:23:30,000
Thanks, Leland.

1363
02:23:54,000 --> 02:23:56,000
Merry Christmas.