Community Redevelopment Agency - Regular Meeting

Good afternoon we're gonna call the meeting of the CRA to order call the roll

please chair Burns Here. Vice Chair Marker. Here. Deputy Vice Chair Casal. Here. And Commissioner Carney.

Here. Okay. We will ask for an approval of the agenda. Are there any agenda items anybody would like to approve?

No. So moved.

Can I get a second?

Second.

Vice chair Marker?

Yes.

Deputy vice chair Kissel? Yes. Commissioner Carney?

Yes.

And chair Burns?

Yes. Okay. Moving right along. Let's see. We have public comment time. Okay. Are there any members of the public that are present to for public comment? Okay. Seeing none, public comment closed. Can I get a motion to approve the consent agenda?

So moved.

I'll second.

Deputy vice chair Cassell? Yes. Commissioner Carney?

Yes.

Chair Burns? Yes. And vice chair Margaret?

Yes.

Yes. Okay. Thank you. And moving right along. Old business, Christine, have a presentation?

Good afternoon, commissioners. This item before you is the review of the due diligence studies for the properties located at 3335358 Northeast 4th Street, otherwise known as the Artist Alley Properties, and 242410 North Federal Highway. So just a brief overview of the properties. The Artist Alley properties shown on the map in front of you, generally bounded by the Florida East Coast Railway Railway to the East, Artist Alley to the West, Northeast 4th Street to the North, and the CRA owned Arts Warehouse located at 313 Northeast 3rd Street to the South. The picture does show warehouses, but my having driven by the area, those warehouses have now been demolished and the properties are all currently vacant.

I'm not sure if the fencing has calmed down yet but there's no buildings left on the site. The site itself is approximately 1.91 acres and the Artist Alley properties are all zoned central business district. And the Federal Highway properties seen in the map there generally bounded by North Federal Highway to the East, Old Dixie Highway to the West, private properties to the North and South. There are buildings on these properties currently. They consist of two single story commercial buildings with surface parking lots each with the land totaling 3.04 acres.

The properties are zoned general commercial and have a future land use designation of general commercial. And then these properties do go back a little bit with us. We did get appraisals of the Artist Alley properties starting in 2024, and then the current owner did provide us with his own appraisal in March 2025. You'll see those amounts in front of you.

Bless you. Thank you.

We don't have appraisals for the Federal Highway property, but they are both currently listed for sale. So just brief background. At the 11/30/2025 meeting, CRA board meeting, based on the board's direction, reached out to one of our architects in our consulting pool to get a due diligence scope of service. At the 01/27/2026 meeting, the CRA board approved two work assignments with Peacock Architects to develop the due diligence packages for both these properties, which we'll see. Here, the due diligence overview includes a site overview, zoning and land use review, site capacity and circulation assessment, friction point analysis for traffic and access, though not a full traffic study, by all means, workforce, affordable housing strategy, utilities and infrastructure, and conclusion recommendations and key risks.

Those full packages are included as exhibits to the agenda item, if you had a chance to review those, but we'll go over these. I'm going to read from my notes here so I don't want to miss anything. The due diligence packages were very comprehensive. The analysis conducted by PCAF are intended to assess regulatory feasibility, policy alignment, and planning level residential capacity. They test order of magnitude development potential rather than establish a final development program count ability.

They do provide a summary of the order of magnitude development practical yields of the number of units that could be developed based only on the parking for the site. Sheetecock Architects site a very high items that would preclude component. It was all governed in a cycling facility, support spaces, accounts. So it further reduced the residential units. So you'll see here, and I'll go to the next slide, she's laid out on the 1st Floor there this is just the 1st Floor for the parking.

And she's laid out some of those items that I just mentioned that could take up developable space. But again, she's mentioned a number of items that could further consume a significant portion of the developable area and therefore further limit the yield of units. So general considerations, she has estimated approximately 192 parking spaces, 140, 46 theoretical units based only on the parking spaces. Again, only workforce or a mix of workforce and market rate and then under also the live local scenario was considered. There was no retail mixed use commercial component added to this.

And additionally, at this high level planning scenario, several key factors have not been evaluated that could further reduce the achievable development capacity, including absence of a certified boundary I'll go here. Certified boundary and topographic survey to confirm the buildable area, potential requirements associated with adjacency to the FEC railway, which includes setbacks and safety buffers, coordination with the railroad for site design and access, potential limitations on building placement or circulation, possible fire lane and emergency access requirements that could reduce the parking supply. She does mention that in the table and I can go back. The structural column layout required for underneath the building, which may also further reduce the parking efficiency beneath the building and then further limit the unit count, traffic and access conditions, queuing, circulation. A traffic study would be required to evaluate the traffic and access conditions, and then lack of financial feasibility analysis to economic viability of the development scenario.

So this is just a high order of magnitude and the only constraint that our architect looked at when considering the yield count in the table was really the estimated number of parking spaces on a 1st Floor scenario. To go higher than that, she you would we would have to consider, you know, structured parking. Anything beyond would have to be basically discussed here and then determined so she could do a deeper dive essentially. So then I'll go back to the table there and then if you had any if you want me to go on to the Federal Highway properties before you begin your discussion.

I that will be my subject. Yeah. Go keep going. Okay. Thank you.

So similar for the Federal Highway properties it's the same she did the same high order of magnitude assessment. Of note for the Federal Highway properties this is a general commercial zoning designation. So general commercial allows for residential uses within a mixed use development. We did not consider a mixed use development in this due diligence. It was just all workforce mix of workforce and market rate or live local with the live local requirements.

So there is a note that residential commercial uses. Further coordination with City staff is needed to confirm the permissibility of a 100 residential development at this site which would be a conditional use requiring City Commission approval. So there's her table here and you'll see that the unit count would be 130 to 140 units based on an estimated parking of 175 to 190. And again, the same constraints that I mentioned before with the Artist Alley property that would limit the developable area, vehicular parking and circulation, solid waste and recycling facilities, utility infrastructure, fire pump mechanical electrical rooms, elevators, mail package rooms, bicycle parking, amenities, spaces and required setbacks and site constraints would consume a significant portion of the developable area. And again, in this high level planning scenario, the architect did not consider FDOT access management requirements along North Federal Highway, which may limit or restrict curb cuts and site access location, potential queuing and circulation requirements, access absence of a certified boundary and topographic survey to confirm buildable area and easements, structural building configuration and column spacing may affect parking efficiency beneath the building, traffic impacts associated with additional residential density, which may require a full traffic studying and coordination with city and FDOT requirements, and then a lack of financial feasibility analysis to confirm economic viability of the development scenario.

So here she has a very high level site plan with just taking the estimated parking spaces into account and putting in some of those building systems and operational support items that I'd mentioned with the parking, solid waste, elevator areas. And this is a very conservative planning level concept that just for visualization purposes. And then general conclusions again based off the chart 100 up to maybe 190 based off the chart parking spaces theoretically approximately 130 units again a 100% workforce or market rate under the Live Local scenarios. So three scenarios, but all housing, no mixed use was considered in this due diligence. And then the items that I previously mentioned that were further constraints that we did not look at during this due diligence study.

And then here's a comparative analysis analysis of where we're at right now in terms of the cost, the lot size, the buildable area, the stories that could go that we could go up to based on the due diligence study and the number of potential theoretical units that we could get up to based only on the estimated number of parking spaces that the architect thinks could fit in there based on the space. And there we go. And that concludes the item.

Okay. Thank you. All right. So, yes, Renee?

Hi. Renee Chattzing, executive director. I'll just add in, in addition to the presentation so a big driving force of this is obviously costs and amounts. So this came up as kind of like a how do we increase housing opportunities because land is at such a premium right now in Delray Beach. So where this opportunity threw out there. Like, why don't we assess these? Why don't we take a look and see what can is possible on these lots? But there is a big consideration of the amount. The artist alley properties appraised, like, we'd had the nineteen to twenty million. I believe the property owner is looking at north of 20,000,000.

We don't have that money in our budget at this point. So during the discussions we had last year, that's something that came about is how we would actually pay for this if we wanted to pursue this. Another consideration is even if we do try to shift funds or find money somewhere, if we do put this out or when we would put this out for some sort of a bidding process, the likelihood of having to incentivize it is very high. So that's additional monies that we would have to put into this. And then the federal highway properties, I believe, were just kind also added to the mix because it's more land, less money, but there is a lot of uncertainty there because it is not zoned by Wright.

We'd have to go through this whole conditional process. I know the owner has expressed that he would be interested in developing himself with maybe some assistance later on. Again, this is still a risk that we would take not knowing if they could even do it or not. So I just wanted to put that out there. We were doing the study because we were asked that we're presenting the results and bringing them back. But I think the cost and the amount is a big consideration because we do have a lot of work that we're doing. West Atlantic, there'll be some items coming up in the next coming months about projects that we're working on there. So I just want to keep that in mind as we're looking at this and how to move forward. This is just on the agenda for presentation. Really no voting or anything, unless you all would like to do that later on, but this is just for presentation and discussion.

Okay, thank Well, first I want to thank the staff and the consultant for bringing forward this thorough analysis. This is exactly the kind of due diligence that we need before to help us in in in talking about an investment of this scale. So thank you for that. And then, you know, our executive director have put out the facts, facts. And so we are not here to vote if if we don't see the need to, but, you know, for discussion. So I'll open it up for discussion.

No. I mean, I think we all know that we really don't have the money to move forward. I would never want to move forward even considering look. I from the get go, I thought looking at a property for 20,000,000 was ridiculous. And the only reason why I throw in reviewing the federal was to show that if we're gonna do it, we could probably find a less expensive route.

But even so, both of these, properties are far outside what we should be spending at this point in time. We all know that Pompeii Park has additional considerations and there's other things in the work. And frankly, I would just say if we're going to incentivize incentivize projects we need to make that at a level that is well below that level that 80 to 120 AMI because that does not accommodate the needs of our city so that's my opinion thank

you Okay. Thank you. Commissioner Marker?

Yeah. A couple of things just to throw out. I agree with what Commissioner Casal is saying about the price and the capability of of us handling that that kind of obviously concerns me. The other thing that concerns me, frankly, is the parking. I mean, if anything I've learned in the past two years up here, parking is at a premium in Delray everywhere we go.

And and as I'm looking at what's being proposed here, there's a 100 potentially, you know, a 146 units and a 160 parking spaces. That that math doesn't work. And the other example is kind of the same. I mean, what what are we gonna do when a unit has a husband wife or a boyfriend girlfriend that each have a car? Where are we expecting these people to be able to find parking?

So we're we're not thinking about the long term here. And I I mean, if I was gonna look at something like this, I I I would have to to say to the architects, please go back and maybe there's gotta be less units, but there's gotta be more room for parking because there is nowhere for these people to park. And it's just we we continue to do it. And I I think it's not I don't think we're doing the right thing by approving these these parking situations that we know today aren't gonna work, and then we're gonna be hoisting them on the next generation. I don't I don't think that's fair. So I if we were gonna be voting in this, I'd I'd be driving kinda hard on that one saying, I think we gotta go back and redo this. This this dog isn't gonna hunt. So that's how I would put it.

But I'm

done. Thank you. Mayor. Well, contrary to popular opinion, I do agree with Commissioner Casale and Commissioner Markert on a lot of occasions. And I happen to agree that I mean, both of these properties have exciting potentials, depending on how you look at it. I love the Artist Alley because it's a walkability. You get people working there. They're walking there. They don't need to use it. Traffic is going to be a lot better.

Federal highways, you've the opportunity for cheaper and getting cheaper cost per unit. But at the end of the day, if I had to choose how I wanted to spend my money, I'd rather spend my money on helping redevelop and creating incentives on West Atlantic Avenue and covering what is increasingly a greater shortfall on the Pompeii Park project, which I consider to be a critical project for the city. I mean, we just if we're flush with cash, I'd say, let's buy one of them and make it a parking garage, quite frankly. Because I agree with Commissioner Markert. Mean, biggest problem we have downtown is parking.

So I really thank you for the hard work you've done. Was a great presentation. I actually learned a lot in terms of the number of units we could do. I think you could probably get a fifth floor against the railroad because they've been doing that. But even that doesn't create a sufficient cost per unit to justify kind of going forward. So I I am going to my my recommendation would be this is very good. And when we sell our properties on West Atlantic and we're flush with cash, I hope we revisit, you know, buying a piece of property to do the kind of project that we're we're describing. Yeah.

Okay. Thank you. So I agree with my colleagues. I mean, you know, we there were numbers thrown around of 200 units, and so this is significantly lower than that. However, this is what the due diligence study does for us. It gives us some real facts so that we can make intelligent decisions from those. And, you know, it's been said that we we don't have the funding for this, so to to acquire either property. So we have to do what's right for the CRA. And then we CRA is on shaky grounds with the legislature, so we don't know. You know, we gotta be careful and make the right decisions.

So thank you again for the study and the work that you've done. And at this point, we are concluding this discussion and leaving it right there. Right?

That's it stays right there.

Thank you. Alright. Moving on to our next item, I think, Renee, you are presenting.

Yes. Okay. So, this is the big item. So, we're looking for direction regarding the development of the Southwest 600 Block Of West Atlantic Avenue. Long time coming. So a little bit of background here. In the let's see. Okay. At our April 2025 board meeting, if you recall, we discussed issuing two RFPs, Request for Proposals, for the development of the Southwest 600 Block Of West Atlantic Avenue and a separate RFP for developing the Southwest 7 hundred-eight 100 blocks of West Atlantic Avenue. And we were starting with the grocery store and parking on the Southwest 600 Block Of West Atlantic Avenue.

So since then, there was also discussions about a market analysis to assess the interest of grocers in our sites for a large scale grocery store on any of our parcels on West Atlantic, which we did. So we have the results of that study as well. It's just so that we could have more information for ourselves because we've been issuing RFPs and requests for proposals and things and getting information back from development world. So we were trying to do it a little bit differently to get the feedback directly from the grocer, so we were actually speaking with them directly. So we conducted the study and overall I have a little statement here, but basically there was a comprehensive feedback that demonstrates the path to a successful grocery anchor development on the site is narrow but well defined.

They reached out to several grocers, three responded, two had phone interviews with us and Commissioner was on our panel to have the meeting so he can share his insights, if you like, as well. And we had one additional that just gave comments but didn't actually do an interview. So the focus was really for us to work with a more smaller, different format grocer, as opposed to a larger grocer nationwide chain per se. But it may be something a little bit of a smaller format. And here's just a summary of some of those conclusions and results from that process.

I think it was really helpful for us to see this before doing the RFP and simultaneously, we have been in the process of drafting an RFP since last year. It's been on our agenda several times. The latest, we were bringing on the agenda to discuss development styles and actually limiting some of the design guidelines. So while we were in the process of doing that, we received unsolicited proposal from RH Development Group LLC pursuant to Florida Statutes 255.065 and the City of Delray Beach's purchasing policies and operating guidelines for public private partnerships. So the unsolicited proposal plans to develop a nationwide full service grocer that's over 21,000 square feet, commercial space, on-site parking, and green space on the parcels.

And that proposal is included in your backup. And I will comment Randy Houlihan with RH Development Group is right here. Can you wave? Hello. If you have any questions as we go through this discussion. But he is here representing his company for this item. And here are the parcels that we're discussing. So this is the Southwest 600 Block of West Atlantic Avenue. His proposal included all of the parcels that we have here except for the two in the back, and also this part of the alley. So if you look on the property appraiser, this alley that goes all the way through is one parcel, but it did not include this piece at the back.

So we just highlighted the purple parcels as the parcels that were included in the proposal. And now I'm going to turn it over to San Oz, who can give an assessment of the statute and what options we have at this point.

Good afternoon, everyone. Pursuant to the statute, now that the CRA has received this unsolicited proposal, the I thought I projected my voice a little louder than I might have.

But I heard you with the people at home. There's a problem.

That's okay. Okay. Fair. So

the the action items and the direction as far as the options go really do mirror the statute as far as the options available to the board. Now that you've received the unsolicited proposal, the board has the option of directing the staff to either take action to proceed with the evaluation and assessment of this unsolicited proposal proposal proceed without opening it up to a competitive bid process. Or the statute provides and then there are certain steps that need to be taken. There's got to be notice that's provided, which we've had today. Once the vote and direction is given, if that is in fact the direction, then there needs to be two publicly duly noticed meetings, each one having different criteria, including making a determination allowing for public comment.

So those that would potentially be affected, members of the public entities that are involved, would have an opportunity to come and present. Then the CRA board would ultimately need to make a determination at a second duly notice hearing that certain factors and criteria set forth in the statute that this project is, in fact, for and in the best interest of the public. And the statute sets forth the criteria. And that would be a determination that would need to be affirmatively met by the CRA. Once that is done in compliance with the other statute, if you are going to go ahead and move forward, if things are progressing the right way, we would need to provide notice under a separate statutory provision that would ultimately pertaining to the conveyance of land, leasing of land, any time there's going to be any type of disposition with CRA property.

And that's about a thirty day process, as far as the notice that needs to be given. So step one is really making the determination of, does the CRA board want to direct the staff to proceed with this unsolicited proposal and the evaluation of that to determine whether or not it meets the criteria various factors to be, in fact, determined by the CRA board to be in the best interest of the public. And if so, then the CRA staff can go ahead and schedule the meetings and determine the timeline in which that would need to be done to comply with both statutes. The other option available to the board is to ultimately direct the staff to publish this particular project and open an invitation, so to speak, to allow for competitive and other bids. And that process would essentially there is some flexibility within the statute between twenty and one hundred and twenty days.

And then that would allow you guys to have the opportunity evaluate other projects and then make the determination on steps to be taken from there. Really, for purposes of today, it's the evaluation and assessment on how the board wishes to proceed as far as the next step direction that will be given to staff because those two options are available.

Okay. Any other comment?

No, that's it. So there's a summary slide here that just gives the basics of what we're looking for today, which option we're going with, either option one or option number two. We're recommending to go with option number one. We've been looking for a grocer for a very long time, so we thought this would be at least something to vet it out, to get it to the next step. That's the opportunity where we'll have the full presentation, full public comment from us, from the group, everyone. But unless we get there, we won't really know. So that would be our recommendation, is to go with the two public meeting approach.

Okay. Well, thank you. So I know what my answer is, but we'll hear from the rest of you. Amir.

I have a tainted view because I was actually on the CRA back in the mid two thousands when bought this property, and we promised a grocer. We promised this. I have to say that it's time. I don't want to waste another I mean, everyone knows we want a grocer here. We've got a grocer, you know, ready, willing, and able to do this project. Let's just I mean, I I you know, I normally love competitive bids. I'm the first one to say competitive. But at this point, people have had the opportunity to compete competitively bid on this project for eighteen years.

Absolutely.

So at some point, you pull the trigger and you say, let's go with this. At least try to go with this. Let's see if we can get a contract together with these people. And if we can, wonderful. They can start construction sooner rather than later. We can all up here push the building department to say, let's get those permits issued. But I think at I think at this point, you know, I'm known for kicking cans down the road, but not in this case. I I this this one is this one is it's time. That's my that's my view. That's my view.

It's confession time. Okay. Commissioner Cassell.

Thank you. Yeah. I'm apt to go with one and direct, staff to proceed as well. But I do have one question because and I I was up here last time around and we thought we had that grocer locked in and we didn't. But it's always been part of the full package though. So what happens if someone else comes along in this period of time? Tomorrow, the next day, or what have you. Can they also submit? And then what happens with that? I mean, I'm happy that we're moving forward. And, you know, I agree with you, but I'm just curious in in in that instance what what would transpire?

You've got in going ahead and moving forward with the evaluation and assessment of this particular project, under the statute and specifically 255.065 Yes. We're going forward and performing that evaluation, that assessment. Those duly noticed public meetings are going to give you an opportunity to evaluate it, to get public comment, to make those determinations that it does meet the criteria. If that is being evaluated and another unsolicited proposal is received, that conflicts. I think from the perspective of what the guidelines for the CRA and the city's applicable purchasing policies and procedures manual and as far as the statutes go on what is to be considered, the opportunity would really be once there's notice given, if, in fact, you get far enough where you're ready to execute a contract, which would involve, in this case, the disposition of CRA land.

Under 163.38, you would have to provide thirty day notice. Right. And that would be the opportunity that if someone is going to go ahead and provide some type of response, that would be the forum in which to do so. Perfect. Thank you.

I'm ready to proceed as well.

Thank you. Commissioner Mark?

Well, thank you. First of I have to say, I'll never be able to get as excited as I am. I'm thrilled with the progress that we've made on this. Anybody that comes out of the retail world like like I do, there have been monumental changes that have occurred over the past few years. I mean, CVS and Walgreens are closing stores.

Winn Dixie just closed their last store in Florida today, read. Publix has a lock on this market in many ways. They've been a very good, smart retailer. And the fact that that we've got one or maybe more retailers that are interested in coming into a great piece of real estate that we have in in in Delray that to me will be our anchor tenant there. I I think we should be jumping up and down with joy that that we're here where we are. That said, I I think my vote would be that we proceed proceed ahead. But we don't close things. If if the land changes, then the land changes. But I'm I'm particularly thrilled with where we are. I mean, are so many communities that would love to be getting a quality retailer.

And we seem to be on the map right now. And I I think I think we should feel really good about it. And I'm I'm a yes. Okay.

If I may if I may.

Sure.

I agree with you a 100%. Yeah. We always have the option at the end. Yeah. But, you know, everyone always asks government, are you getting anything done? This would be actually getting something done. Right. And I I am Big term. I am I should tell you, I well, I I you all know I've told this story a thousand times. I was there when it you know, it's I'm happy to be able to vote yay to go forward. That's all I'm saying.

Yay. Well, of course, I'm yay. I don't think the land is moving. It's not going anywhere. So I will be supported today as well. You know, this has been a long standing immediate need in this community. It's been identified as a food desert forever in a day. And the community has consistently asked for this. The many different boards have supported this, and now we have the opportunity to finally deliver on it. So I'm yeah. Let's go let's go forward.

So I'd like to make a motion to adopt position number one that we proceed with entering into the negotiations with the with the unsolicited bid. And I'll

second that.

Move forward.

Well, alright. Commissioner Carney?

Yes.

Chair Burns? Yes. Vice chair Markert?

Big yes.

And deputy vice chair Cassell?

Yes. Alright. I

can't wait till the ribbon cut.

This is big deal. This is big deal territory, guys.

Isn't that something? Got a ward tower and a look at that. Yes.

You're a You're chairman who used to be taking time.

I mean,

this one unbelievable.

What what can I say? What can I say? Next on the agenda. Moving on.

There's more.

There's more. Christine. There's more.

It's like a Ginzu knife commercial. Wait. There's more. You know?

There is more.

There's a second deal.

We got a lot of

momentum right now, Christine. So don't don't

don't do

all this.

So now moving on to the North Side. This is an update on the Northwest 800 Block Of West Atlantic Avenue. You'll remember in November 2025, that's when the this last came before you. Just to remind you of what staff has to accomplish before we draft that RFP and put it out. We are working on the alley abandonment that will be necessary to develop the properties on the Northwest 800 Block.

Sorry. Here it is. There the alley is not shaded in blue there. So additionally, if you look over here let's see if I can get this to work. The properties that are on Northwest 9th, we need to also deed a portion of three of those properties on Northwest 9th for the completion of improvements related to the Northwest infrastructure improvement project.

They are going to straighten Northwest 9th Avenue so that it doesn't do that curb. So a portion of our properties will help with completing those improvements. And then following that transfer, we will need to record a unity of title for all the properties in order to develop the block as one. So those are the three things that we need to accomplish before the RFP gets drafted and goes out for development. In addition, at that November 2025 meeting, we did mention the remediation remediation of 805 Northwest Atlantic Avenue.

You'll see it marked out there in red. We did mention that we would reach out to a consultant, an independent consultant, to analyze analyze the latest quarterly monitoring ports for the remediation site, provide a short summary of what's happening at that site, provide potential pathways forward in the remediation effort, and then also discuss examples of similar development sites for which they've assisted on in developing with similar environmental contamination as that's happening at 805 West Atlantic Avenue. So we contracted with RES Florida Consulting LLC. They provided a written analysis that's attached to this item. But they are also here to provide a presentation of the site so that we all have a better understanding of what's happening there and a pathway to move forward in terms of the development of that whole front of the block there.

So I turn it over to RES right now and they can take it away.

Okay.

Okay. Great. Thank you. We're not here to kill momentum. Okay? We're gonna keep it moving forward. Don't wanna follow all that with a buzzkill here. So, my name is Jeff Peters. I'm a professional geologist with Rez, and Katherine Eisner is also with Rez, and she's a professional scientist also who's been working on this in the CRA here for for quite some time. This property here, to use a a fame a frame term, it's been kicked down the can a long time.

The can's been kicked down the road a long time? Mhmm. Well, it's been kicked so far as now in the DOT right away. So that's how far the can has been kicked on this on this property. But according to the last report that was submitted by the DEP's consultant, the the soil and groundwater are clean.

There are no impairments to the property as of right now. So the off-site issue, if we go to the next slide I'll okay. This is how the d e the DEP's consultant has drawn their the contamination that is still there. You'll see a small portion of it is still on the 805 property, but that's just an interpretation. All of it is now in the DOT right of way, and there are some existing monitoring wells on that property that can be abandoned, gotten rid of whatever needs to happen for development.

There's no reason that development cannot occur on this property as of right now. So the DEP will not issue you any sort of letter saying that it's clean because they're still addressing this off-site issue. And the off-site contamination, because it originated on the property, is still part of the cleanup that they are conducting. They are paying for a 100% of the cleanup. So you don't want to tell them that, you you know, you you don't wanna get out of the program that it's in.

Just work with the DEP and work with their consultant to do whatever is necessary in the DOT right of way. But that should not impact your property and the 805 property at all. They will be there for some time putting in some wells and doing some more sampling, but it's all in the DOT right away. So I guess that's a good thing. Some new monitoring wells are are being installed here.

They're proposed. They're you can see they're in the right of way here. A couple right on the edge of the property that is still considered right of way. It's not on the property. And though they're continuing to do a little bit more assessment, what will typically happen in a situation like this is they'll the DEP will issue what's called a conditional closure, which means you don't have to do any more assessment work. We we recognize the contamination's under the road. It's not a threat to human health or the environment, so we're just gonna monitor it and keep it there. The DEP has what's called a memorandum of understanding with the DOT and MOU that says we acknowledge this. We'll we'll move forward. We'll close it.

We all know that this contamination is here, and we live with it. That's very common.

Can I naive question? Does the contamination level normally stay where it's at, like, right now, or does it does it seismically shift and we can get in trouble? Or

No. The source has been all cleaned up. The source was your property with the old gas station. That's all been cleaned up. You'll see natural attenuation attenuation of the chemicals. They'll degrade Okay. Over time, which is happening here. The levels that are underneath the the road right now are very low.

Not bad.

Very low levels.

Okay.

But it still is above a cleanup standard by the DEP. So they're still gonna want something done, whether it's mon probably just monitoring, and then they'll close it with a condition.

Great.

Thank

you. Condition being the road stays there. Yep. That's the condition of the closure. That's fair. So as of of March 15, the DEP has not issued a purchase order for that new scope of work to the consultant. The good thing about the DEP is that they're paying for it. The bad thing is that they're slow. As you've probably noticed over the last twenty years, it's taken some time to clean this property up. But at the same time, they're paying for it, so, you know, they work at their own pace.

You probably will not get what's called the site real billetation completion order because of a conditional closure status. You may get a no further action with a condition, which is probably what you will get, but you need the DOT to approve that, which I again, they have a memorandum of understanding with the DEP that allows them to do that, so that probably shouldn't be an issue. It like I said, it's slow, but it pays a 100%. You do have the option to go into a Brownfields program if you want, and you could theoretically get closure faster, but you end up paying for it. And then on the back end, you can get a tax credit for, you know, you can sell or or transfer it to somebody else.

I wouldn't go that route if I was you because the DEP is paying for it right now. I'd try to work with the DEP to push for it faster. And if you don't get any push faster and they're not working any faster, you do have one choice and one option that you can replace the contractor that's there. It's a company called Panhandle Industries. They've been working on it for quite some time. You can replace them with another DEP contractor. You might get better. You might get worse. You don't know. You you you you don't know. So my my advice would just be work with them and try to push this faster as fast as you can.

Can I

ask a question? Yes. You have that no further action consideration on the slide before, but it says with conditions.

Yes.

So should we be moving for that and ask one of the conditions to be potential reassessment in the future? Because in other words, we I was up here in 2020 when we were talking about this. We have been working on this.

Yeah.

And we this is property. And by the way, for the record, we did not sorry. For the record, we didn't pollute it. We bought the Right. Exactly correct. It was formerly a gas station, I believe.

Yes.

But the question is, is that something we can do to move this along immediately? The further no further action with a condition and the condition being some something that you recommend at this point in time?

Well, it'll be the most likely outcome and and the fastest, but you don't need that to build on the property.

Right. We don't we can just go out for an RFP and move forward and then just wait to see what happens because it's not on our property.

That's correct.

Yes. That's what we ought to do, though.

Thank you. Are you complete with your report? Pardon? Were you finished?

Just, I guess a few examples here of some stuff that we had some other projects we've worked on. Lakewood Point was an old landfill, and this was in the brownfield program. And Catherine and I worked on this together. We did quite a bit of assessment work. We put in some vapor barriers to protect the residents. We put in a passive gas collection system to collect any methane that might have be collecting under there. That is now complete and finished, and that's gone through with no further action with the condition, and the condition being the parking lot stays there. If they dig below two feet, they have to monitor. But that that was completed through the Brownfields program. The Amelia Court is going vertical right now in Downtown Orlando.

This is a site where it's being contaminated from a a gas station across the street. So contamination is moving onto the property. So we're working with the DEP to help monitor help the consultant monitor the the property as it's being constructed. So there are things such as vapor monitoring, dewatering that's going on down there has to be monitored and cleaned before it can be discharged, stuff like that. Very, very basic stuff. It's not that complicated. And then the last one, Gateway property, that is ongoing right now in Pompano Beach. And and very, very similar to what this site is that you have. The contamination is now off-site. It's it's underneath the road.

But this that property is not in the DEP program. So they're paying for it out of their own pocket, and we're going to get them into the Brownfields program so that at least they can get some of their tax credits, some of the money that they're spent back via tax credit. And we'll probably have a lot of lessons learned between that site and this and the gate and the 805 property because they seem to be parallel tracks that that we're working together on. So we'll be able to use best practices from both sites to help both communities, you know, both CRAs. So we're hoping that we get favorable outcomes with that by the end of the year.

Not an unusual situation in what we're doing in Florida. The longer it takes to clean it up, the farther it goes. So you have to kick the can farther down the road. And if I guess if this goes out too big, we can help with any specifications that might be necessary for developers if they're concerned about developing on a old gas station. Do that

quite a

bit too.

Alright. Thank you. Alright. Thank you. Commissioner, good to questions. Anybody have any further questions? I was

just saying but you're saying the plume is migrated off the property completely now?

It is.

It's migrated. So residential can be built on now on on top of the property. Right?

Yes. It

can. Source

is migrated. Right.

Okay. Sorry. I just wanted to add, you'll see in this map right here that there looks like there's like a monitoring well That's up at the north of actually going to be removed. So there's going to be nothing left on the site except for one monitoring well in the corner here, M W 27. And they have to leave that there as kind of like a control to make sure that when they do monitor, our site stays clean, Yeah.

That's what

you're Right. Okay.

And so if that gets damaged during construction, that can always be reinstalled and put back in. So that's pretty insignificant issue.

Thank you. Sounds good. Okay. Executive director, anything further on that?

Yes. Well, I'll just add that. So what we're looking for today, basically, is direction on preparing an RFP for the development of this site. We are proposing to enter into an agreement with RESS. We have to get a proposal and see the amount. I think it's something that we can do under our staff of authority. But we I think we need help, obviously, putting this RFP together to make sure we have the right information in there. So we would propose to do that. We have a really good, you know, skeleton skeleton of an RFP that we were working on for the Northwest 600 Block. So we would propose to use the same skeleton, change the scope.

I think we can discuss if we want to do some kind of housing mixed use. We can bring that to our April meeting so we can discuss exactly what we want to see there, but we can start with the shell. The other option we have is if we want to enter into a work assignment similar to what we did for the Artist Alley and the Federal Highway properties. If we wanna do it another due diligence study, maybe a scaled back one. Just throw it out options that we can have a package that we're assessing more specifically what we wanna put there. So we're just putting it all out to the board to determine. Regardless, we still would like to enter into the agreement with REST so that we have the environmental consultant helping us along as we go through this process. So these are the two options we have today.

Alright. Thank you.

Thank you.

Well, I am inclined to go with the first option. I think the well, I won't skip because I see you're presenting the next one that the remaining blocks should deserve a fair competitive RFP process. So can I get a we need a motion to move forward with an RFP on this on this block?

I I move that we will go forward

with Wait. An You're talking about force. There's to excuse me, can I ask a question? I want to be clear on what you're doing. You want us to first agree to work with the environmental consultant and then second, you want to go out for an RFP. But we had always talked about this as being a commercial space. Now you're talking about a mixed use. Is that what we're agreeing to here today? Because, I mean, I think we have to start looking at our city and saying, what is the biggest need right now? Currently, our land use is less than nine percent.

Commercial, we really need commercial and potentially more of it. I know we need housing too, but I'm I wanna be con make sure we're we're getting what we need out of all of the space that we have. So what are we looking exactly at here, Renee? Because last we were looking at the container gardens. Now that's off the table. What is it that you're recommending?

So I'm going to jump actually to this slide that has a bigger picture of the entire West Atlantic. So we were looking at the modular container project here when we didn't own as much land. Now we have more complete piece of property which is why we, it opens up more options. So something that we could also look at doing to incorporate housing if we want to put more type of commercial uses here, is including these parcels back here. So there's a piece that we don't own here, but these are residentially zoned properties.

So we could also include those into the RFP so that you have more opportunity for residential and not as much on the actual site itself. And we can look at this at our next meeting. If we wanna kinda digest what we've discussed here and come back and reassess this at our next meeting to discuss if we wanna do more commercial or a mixed use and not decide it today, that's fine too. But I I thought we could probably include at least this piece of property here because it is close to the project site. And then our next item is actually to discuss the 7 and 800 because we're looking for a similar direction about putting out the RFP for these as well.

And are we gonna look for we're gonna look for an abandonment of that center strip through the city commission. Yes. And then we have that one parcel in there, which we are going to look to purchase. And then you could do something pretty substantial.

Exactly. So if we put these together so I think if you look the the south side, there are missing pieces that we've had for so long. So when we were looking at this, we're like, you know, this is also similar where we're missing one piece. Mhmm. And so maybe we could try to put it out altogether so that that may be seeing some development may encourage some better things happening here, or uses here. But either way, we can try to, like, show that we're trying to develop all of our properties and maybe encourage some movement on that parcel as well.

I think that's a great idea. Anyone else has any comments on that? Yes, mayor.

I I think that I I I as I said, I made the motion to go forward with the RFP. I think if any RFP, if you want to include in the RFP That's what is. The preferences for a a project which would include a commercial component. I mean, I certainly would agree with that because we wanna have commercial components on on West Atlantic. And, obviously, I'm I'm I'm ready to vote now in favor of getting rid of that alleyway, but I can't do that at this meeting.

We But Or disclose how you're voting in the That's exactly right.

Like a sunshine vibe.

We'll forget all that.

You're calling time. You're in time.

That's not really no. I'm just saying I'm here. I'm ready to vote here.

If you were or someone else

If I were But someone but anyway, it it it it makes for a really great project. And but, I mean, I I understand. We do we should prop you know, having a commercial component here should get a preference.

Right.

I mean

Big preference.

If it works to have a commercial component there, let's do that because it is a commercial corridor. And

Definitely.

But, I mean, that's that's the only thing I would recommend in the RFP that you want. I wanna go out with the RFP. I don't wanna Right. I don't need another study because every there are so many eyes on this avenue

Yes. Absolutely.

That I'm not really worried about someone missing it.

Well, I think if we're going forward with the RFPs, even for this outside, I'm kinda combining the two. Mhmm. Because we have a really comprehensive draft, I think we can be able to bring back both drafts. We're proposing two different RFPs. So we can have both drafts back to you at the April meeting. So you'll be able to see the whole thing and still make tweaks. So we wouldn't be putting it out without your review before. So then you can comment at the next meeting to then hopefully get this out Right. By May or June. You know, we're having it up by the summertime.

The sooner the better. Yes. I think I agree with the mayor that we can include in the RFP exactly what we want. So when we get a chance to review that before we actually vote on it. So Right. You your motion is on the floor. Second. Okay. Thank you. Second.

Chair Burn. To to the motion to include a a a preference item at the com a commercial component.

Yep. Yes. Right. K. We got a first and a second. We got a motion and a second.

Chair Burns? Yes. Vice chair Marker?

Yes.

Deputy vice chair Casal? Yes. And commissioner Carney?

Yep. Okay. Next. Renee,

you're up. Alright.

Hear all of your news and everything. I'm just I'm I'm sorry.

Had a preview of this, but this is, looking at the Southwest 600 Block on West Atlantic Avenue. So I'm just gonna go back. Okay. So we looked at these blocks already, but so in past RFPs, we've put these all three blocks out, the Southwest 600, 700, and 800. So now we're looking to split that up so that we're putting out a RFP potentially for just the Southwest seven and eight hundred blocks on their own.

And you could see the configuration. We still have those missing pieces. I've tried to contact some of those property owners. Mixed reviews on their interest level, but regardless, we'd still like to try to go forward and issue an RFP for these parcels. And so here's a study that we did a couple years ago, kind of looking at all of our properties on West Atlantic and development potential for them.

So we just included this here because we have done another study, different studies, but we do have something here in addition to the set transformation plan. So that also is included that shows illustrations of what the potential for the Southwest 600 700, 800 blocks could look like. Mhmm. So I believe the Southwest 600, this larger box essentially would be the grocer. And then you'll see the Southwest seven and eight hundred are smaller surface level parking, not having structured parking, but with smaller buildings surrounding.

And then you'll also kinda see over here on the Northwest 800 block, similar style with the building and then parking in the back. So we do have at least these illustrations that we can include in the RFP. We can include this one. We can include the that we conducted. Though it's a line sketch, it could be something to show something of what we're looking for.

And again, here's another view of those two. So it includes commercial and retail around. On Atlantic Avenue, you have to have that. So it will have to have some component of that, as well as we can get some housing in there, that would be great too. And this is just again showing the the West Atlantic Plan Transformation Plan shows this as a key development site to redevelop all of our vacant properties on West Atlantic Avenue, which it seems we're doing that all in this one meeting today.

We're moving right through. And so just also we can include this in the RFP that the West Atlantic Master Plan calls for development that should be attractive neighborhood serving businesses. No physical difference between East And West Atlantic Avenue. Create opportunities for outdoor dining. West Atlantic should be pedestrian friendly, and also should be complementary to the existing neighborhood, residential neighborhood.

So we do have to keep in mind that the residences are so close in this area. So we just want to make sure we're not towering over and having these large buildings that are blocking off and walling the neighborhood. We want to make sure they're all included together. And then here's also an analysis. So some of the key needs that came out of the West Atlantic Master Plan, Set Transformation Plan, also the twenty twelve Needs Assessment was a need for different services such as one was the grocer, that was a huge one.

Also banking, so we had these radius maps done that shows where the banks are. All the RFPs that we've done have included a desire to have banking and other services that we'll see here as a primary use. Not required, the only required was the grocery store, but these were also primary uses that we wanted to try to see. We know what's happening with banking and pharmacy and things like that, but we'll still put them in there as something that we would like to see. So on the left hand side is the one mile radius and then the right hand side is the half mile.

So you'll see the set area is definitely the the missing piece, but at least for the banking, the congregation is obviously very clear. It's on Federal Highway, the main core. And then here we have illustration of the pharmacies. So again, the left side has the one mile radius and on the right hand side you'll see the half mile again, same grouping, Federal Highway and then right along on Congress. And then a little bit here on Linton, but nothing in the center.

And then the supermarkets, we can look at this as well. So you'll same thing. The congregation here now is changed out onto Linton with all the stores that have developed and then a couple stores up here on Federal. So the half mile radius shows the same thing with the missing obviously right in the middle in the set. And then this shows a small market map that you'll see kind of these popping up, which they're scattered around, but the desire obviously has been for a more full service comprehensive market.

So here, which I just mentioned here since the suggested development options that we could conclude in the RFP, housing, office, retail, pharmacy, medical, financial and family entertainment. All of these are suggestions. And we'll package this all up similar to what we just discussed for the other item, but just here's an illustration of what we can include in this RFP as well. So similar to the last items, the direction either to draft the RFP for the Southwest 708 Hundred parcels on West Atlantic Avenue or we also threw in the option if we would like to do diligence study here.

All. Oh, thank you. I was like,

I'm waiting for you to say something. No. No. No. Well, thank

you. Alright. Two of the board. Alright. Thank you. So yes.

Well, as as I said before, I mean, I do think again, going for the or, I mean, you've articulated in the prior screen everything we we know we wanna have there with all the other stuff. So the I don't think we need to have an additional study to tell us what we already know that we wanna have there. That's right. And as I said, there's a lot of eyes on this avenue already. I do think that again, I think that it's important to have a commercial component.

I think it's also important to highlight that we want to have a pharmacy, that we want to have a financial institution. I would also suggest as an additional incentive, maybe if somebody wants to provide an incubator space at some point or another. Because I do think that that that we've always, as a CRA, supported incubator space and, you know, as a true incubator space where the people can hopefully evolve out of that space into another space. But, I mean, I I I just I I think, again, we just need to move forward with what's going on in in in those two blocks as well.

Thank you. Yeah. I'm in agreement with the mayor. Although we do have an incubator space. We have a CRA

incubator space. Know. I haven't forgotten the fifth.

I do think we may ultimately have to be flexible like when you talk about financial institutions now, people are seeing them go away, although for a particular demographic you really need it. So, I'm excited to move forward with this. I was back and forth between whether or not we which option to choose, but I'm I agree we need to just do the RFP and get it moving.

Great. I'm also in agreement. I think we need to move forward right away.

Yeah. I I I think the RFP is the the most competitive and fair way to do it. Agree. And it allows the best ideas to rise to the top. So did you have something

We we we should be prepared to incentivize whoever's gonna go there is all I'm saying. Because it's it's part of the money I talked about earlier, not spending over there. I wanna be able to Mhmm. To right. Okay. Not giving them out. I want a full full RFP, but, you know, I don't want them to think we're giving it to begin with.

Well, we so we have the right proposal.

We have two our programs already. We they're actually on pause, essentially. So we could look at redrafting those. It one of them is a development infrastructure incentive program. So it helps with the cost of the underground infrastructure, which we know is probably going to be substantial So on these I think it was up to $250,000 but that was like from years ago. So we could look at retooling that specific incentive program so that we have it. We include that in all of our RFPs, but I think we need to kind of revamp it and up that amount.

Like

it. Want responsive RFP. Yes.

We do. Yes. Okay. So do we need a motion?

Yes. We do. And just to be clear

I move

that we take option one.

I wanna be

I'm sorry. Clarifying.

So just to show, it's these parcels here. Not these it's all highlighted in yellow, but it's the parcels here. All of our purple here Right. Is what will be included.

I propose the lavender color. I didn't wanna do purple. I make my the the my to cover my motion is gonna cover the the properties which are indicated on the board is in in purple.

Second?

Vice chair Markert?

Was it clear that your motion is for option one to direct

Option one. Yes. Option one. Yes. Before I get distracted with the Thank you. With my color blindness. But yes.

I'll I'll I'll second I'll second that.

Thank you.

Vice chair You're clear on the you're clear on the motion?

Are we clear on the motion? Okay. Thanks. Vice

chair Markert? Yes. Deputy vice chair Cassell? Yes. Commissioner Carney?

Yes.

And chair Burns?

Yes. Alright. Moving right along. We are on item oh, new business.

Yes. We're at

new business. Okay. And I surprise.

Excuse me. Not today.

Miss Jotisan? You're presenting as well.

Yes. Okay. Okay. So this is a discussion and direction regarding a potential revocable license for serial owned property located at 29 Southwest 6th Avenue. So just for background, so in late October, Shared Future Foundation, Inc.

Submitted a unsolicited proposal for the use of 29 Southwest 5th Avenue, which is zoned for RM multifamily. Proposed use would be building or developing a youth led food forest and urban farm to extend existing uses that are taking place at 32 SW 5th Avenue and 34 Southwest 5th Avenue, and also 33 Southwest 6th Avenue, owned by Community Holdings One LLC, Florida Limited Liability Corporation Company. All right. So here's a map that gives you a better illustration of what we're discussing. So Community Holdings parcels are bound in red.

You'll see two parcels here on 5th Avenue and one on Southwest 6th Avenue. The CRA lot that we're discussing is this particular lot right here. And I will add that there is a purple line going down the middle, which is all owned by this Delray Beach Community Baptist Church. And we are actually in the process of purchasing this alley because as you can see, it's kind of connecting to nowhere. So we're trying to clean up this use for them. Our board, we'd previously approved a purchase and sale agreement for this parcel. We had a bit of a delay. They have a unity of title issue that we're working out with them. But we're trying to work with city staff to resolve that so that we're able to purchase this property. But if you'll see, the property goes right through the middle.

It even goes through the two parcels, or four parcels that we're discussing today. So they are looking to potentially utilize this lot. There was an unsolicited proposal, which we returned for not having all the right information. This is also a residentially zoned property. So we thought at one point this would end up being a residential use, because there are a residential right here.

There's residential here. And actually the owner of this parcel, these two parcels, we had appraised these to potentially purchase them. They wanted more than what we were offering for the appraisal, but maybe in the future that could change potentially. But there is currently residential uses going on right here. So what we had proposed potentially is oh, sorry.

This is a excerpt from their proposal of what they were looking at, I guess, the larger vision for this block. So over here, you'll see this is the 5th Avenue, the two buildings that they own, and then it would seem to kind of spill out back here to it looks like, an event stage or event deck, a playground, open lawn space, and then the garden farm from farm uses would be surrounding with the pathway. I believe that that's correct. And there's representative here from the Community Holdings and Shared Future Foundation is here as well, Sarah Selznick. So what we, you know, thought that since that is vacant for right now, if we wanted to use allow a temporary one year revocable license so that they would be able to utilize the property, activate it for a temporary basis, and then and later on, maybe next year, we can put out some sort of RFP to develop housing there.

But at least they can use it for the year to be able to explore this option to see what they can do and build on the property. So it is here for the board to discuss.

Okay. So now for the board, remember this is the property that the children came and gave their application for. So just remember that. But did we want to ask did anyone want to ask miss Selznick any questions? You're you're good?

You're good. No. I'm good.

Okay. So any comment? Any thought on this item? Commissioner Cassell.

No. No comment. But when you and I were discussing this, this has a date certain conclusion in a year and then we assess how that how it worked out, what the benefits were and you but it but it concludes. Concludes. It doesn't it's not something that continues to occur. It stops and if we wanted to, we'd have to reconsider it.

Yes. So it would be we would draft it for one year. And with a revocable license, really, any point, that's the benefit. So you can revoke it. There's no transfer of interest of land. There's no, you know, stake in the land, basically. It's just you're able to use this for the time. If we say it's over before, it's over before. But we're just proposing the one year duration. Because if you see across the street, hopefully we'll have some development going on there. And maybe there would be a house we'd build there. There are also two parcels on the other side of 6th Avenue that we own that we could also put out for bid because they weren't included in the at least the unsolicited that we received. So that could be an opportunity to develop a little bit of a ecosystem or something going on over there with the housing part of it, since it is RM.

Right. Because I do support this, and I think it's exciting for the kids. It was fun to see them here asking and talking about what they would potentially do with it. But we've always had the mission of developing housing. And I just don't want to make sure that they can enjoy the property for the time being. But if it becomes to the point where you have that option to develop, that is really what we're required to do and we need to look to do something else. But for the year, I'm very excited to do this.

Yes. Go ahead.

I I agree with commissioner Casal. I mean, I think we're we're we're retaining the right to look. I love these these allotments in in areas where you can do all this other kind of stuff. But at the end of the day, this may have to be developed into to be more of a comprehensive plan for the neighborhood. So as a temporary thing with a revocable license, maybe it's one year, maybe it's two. I don't know what the eventual plan of development is. But I I agree on a temporary basis. Yeah.

I I think it's a win win solution, so I'm in favor of it.

Okay. So did we get the did the we talked to the organization and the were they agreement with the one year or this is new to them as well?

Well, we sent the agenda item. We discussed the revocable license, so we always knew it was, like, a temporary. I know there's an interest to acquire the land from us. That was in the unsolicited proposal, but that be something for the board to decide if we would want to do that. If we wanted to pursue that, we would have to do some kind of RFP process and invite proposals. I think it's really what we'd want to see in that land. Because again, it is RM, so I believe there would have to be some researcher looking into the utilization for the outdoor gardening farming aspects of it. But it is technically RM. So for us, we would look at that as something we would build housing on. If we want to go a different course, we'd have to get that direction.

So that research for the actual use, that's on our part CRA or is that on No.

Well, for them. I mean, if they're wanting to use it, we're basically, with the next steps would be to draft this revocable license and Right. If it's that and staff, we can do it. We'll have you sign it after. After. It'll be with our attorney's approval, and then we can present it to them to start whenever they'd like. And then they can go forward and Okay. Utilize the space.

Alright. I'm okay with that. I hope they're okay with that.

Do you want a motion? Yeah. Or do we need a motion? I took my glasses off. Motion to direct staff regarding revocable license with shared future foundation.

I'll second the motion.

Thank you. Can I can I hold the the the motion and the second to for December?

Well, Sarah I was

gonna say if Sarah

wants to

Miss Soznick?

Well, first, I would just wanna say thanks for considering it. Yeah. And I'm excited about whatever is decided, so I don't want to seem like I'm, you know, like, we we are excited. But this definitely isn't, the preference just because it costs a lot of money to develop the site. So if we if we you know, it limits what we can do because we can't it it's expensive.

So I'm not gonna, you know, build all that and do all that, and then in a year, stop, you know, shut it down. We we can probably use it, utilize it creatively for the time being. But my you know, either doing something a little longer term or swapping property with me that's in the same the same block, but on the others on the Northwest Side would be my preference. But I, you know,

I'm open

to, obviously, whatever's best for everybody. Okay. And, you know, we're also developing housing. So it's like in exchange for this parcel, we can also develop housing on additional lots that we own too.

Okay. Any other questions? Questions? Okay. So we have a motion, and it's been second.

So Deputy vice chair Cassell? Yes. Commissioner Carney? Yes. Chair Burns?

Yes.

And vice chair Meckert?

Yes.

Okay. Congratulations. Thank you. I had a thought, but it went away. I'll talk to Renee about it later. Alright. Thank you. All right, we are moving right along. Renee, you are presenting something with item 10, the RAC board.

Yes, so for RAC. Okay. So RAC, we determined that RAC would be assessing the parcel that we purchased in Osceola Park. That's 235 Southeast 2nd Avenue. So the chair normally would come to present. She was unable to attend today, so I'll just give the brief presentation. And I'll add that, the chair let us know recently that she did list her her house up for sale. She's the person who lives in Osceola Park. It's not sold yet, so she was resigning. And I told her, no.

Please stay on for a little bit longer because she still owns property here and she's lived there for twenty plus years. But I think it's just she just decided it's time for her to move on. So she's still on the board. She just couldn't attend today. And there are two other members that are on the RAC committee. So I will add if she we'll see what happens. But if she resigned before the end of the term, we said that we had to have at least three people on the RAC committee. We only have two. So we'll have to address that at a later time if she does end up resigning. But in the meantime, we had a really discussion about different options that could be happening at that the parcel.

Right now, we are going through a process with the environmental review. So we're doing a phase two environmental on that site, so we'll see what that comes back with. We did receive a grant from the Solid Waste Authority for $80,000 to demolish the structure that's there. Yes. So we're waiting we're waiting to be able to use that to demolish that site.

So the group has been discussing different options of what could be developed there. I'll kinda highlight a couple of them. Someone threw out there a some kind of entertainment venue, maybe a roller skating rink, but that might not be feasible. Someone also threw out a multicultural corridor or a world showcase inspired by Epcot that would showcase cooking, dancing lessons, and purchasing foods from different cultural heritages. Heritages.

So I think it was good to have the viewpoint of the Osceola Park resident because there's very spirited interest in what happens and doesn't happen in Osceola Park. We tried to get together some of the residents, but they weren't able to attend a meeting. So maybe as this goes forward, I explained to the committee that we'll end up doing outreach meetings as well. This isn't the end all, be all of what happens on that site. This is just to get their individual take.

We just want their opinions on it. So those were some of the the key ones. Someone else threw out trying to attract a destination coffee shop that would wanna use it for event space and for a coffee shop. And someone else threw out there about partnering with a university to build a green space garden, and that could be tied into the annual Osceola Park Mango Festival. So those are the ideas that have come forward so far. I think we have one more meeting, I believe, for the this year, and then we'll conclude this RAC committee group. That is the update. You have the minutes here. If you have any questions, please let me know. A very interesting discussion at our last meeting.

Okay. Thank you. Anyone have okay. We're good? All right.

Thank you for the update.

And so we are other business. Item 11? Okay.

All right. So I just wanted to highlight the ribbon cutting ceremony that was held for Harvey Insurance Solutions. It was great. Thank you to our commissioners who attended and our to be commissioner was there as well. I think she left it, but really well attended. The rain was kinda awful and the parking was pretty bad too, but I think we still had probably over a 100 people. Chris Harvey is very excited to be there. He's in the William Hatcher Building. So this is further developing on, you know, our initiative on West Atlantic. I think it's been small, though there haven't been the large, you know, bigger developments on West Atlantic.

We've been really successful in simultaneously trying to encourage and build on the smaller parcels like the ones we mentioned on 5th Avenue. William Hatcher is a land lease with the CRA that he was able to build and now is supporting other businesses. So the momentum is going. It's a little smaller. You gotta look a little harder to see it, but we're we're getting there slowly but surely. So thank you for coming out. There's still open spaces that are in his building, so there will be other ribbon cuttings hopefully in the future as he fills up his space. Our next meeting so far we have is April 28 at 4PM. We're waiting for the City Organizational Meeting to schedule future meetings. I'll mention that we are planning to do a joint meeting about Pompe Park probably in May with the Joint City Commission and CRA board to discuss some things that are happening there.

So stay tuned for that. We'll try to coordinate that on the schedule. I believe we're going to try to make it like as a CRA meeting and then notice it as a City Commission meeting just for scheduling purposes. But more to come on that very soon. Save the date. So the Florida Housing Coalition's twenty twenty six Affordable Housing Conference is coming up in August. It's the twenty fourth through the twenty sixth. If you're interested attending, please let us know if anyone would like to go. It's at the Rosen Center. I believe one of our commissioners, chair, will be attending as well. If you're interested, please let me know. That's all we have. Thank you.

The mayor's tired of seeing I'm pictures pictures of of me.

With with with our chairman.

She's a manager.

Him in. Yeah. We'll we'll we'll drop you in.

Yeah. He said another another picture with Angela Burns in it. Sorry.

Okay. So con rename it the Angela Burns's Community Redevelopment Agency. I mean, I think that's got a nice ring to it. Oh, no. Naming airports after himself, Kennedy Center's after himself. I mean, I think this is you know?

Oh, yeah. Right. Well, supposed to wait until I'm dead. But anyway, comments by the board attorney? No

doubting. Which one? Yeah. Have

to I don't have any comments. Any comments by the attorneys?

No. No comments.

Comments Okay. About the CRA board.

Sure. Thank you. I'll just say thank you to the attorneys for joining us today. Yes. We appreciate you. And, obviously, to our staff, every time we have these presentations, I get so excited about what we're doing, Renee. It's all under your leadership that it's happening and with your amazing motivated staff. And I I love, you know, that ribbon cutting was exciting because the diversity in that building is pretty amazing. You know, we have tenants in there that we we didn't expect and that's exciting. And it's exciting for the future prospects of our CRA development for commercial. So, thanks again. Thank you. Commissioner and market.

Yeah. I just wanna again reiterate how happy I am about this progress we're making with with grocery retail. That's an anchor tenant there, folks. If we can land that one and get that one done, we are on our way. And that's big news for our community. And like I said, you know, given what I know about the retail industry, for us to be in a position to be able to be attracting a very large retailer right now is amazing and it speaks to the community that we're building and the residents that we have and their excitement about joining our community. So, I'm thrilled about that. That's a really, really big win for us.

Thank you. Commissioner, I mean

I mayor. I want to piggyback on what Commissioner Markowitz said. I think it's a bit it's it's a fabulous thing. I think I think we've made a lot of I I am really happy. We made a lot of progress today. I mean, are really moving forward, And this is a big key and to your leadership, of course. But no, no. But we're finally moving forward on some of these things. I'm sorry to have missed the opening. But as Commissioner Casal pointed out, in which I agree, diversity you've created I was out of town. But the diversity you've created in that building has been exactly what you said it was going to be. We're going to be able to attract, you would say, ba ba ba ba. And guess what? We did. So I want to kudos to staff and you who've done a great job in in that project because it's really it's part of our whole redevelopment mission, and you've done a you've done a great job.

And thank you for attorneys being here. Just, you know, got good name and faces. It's always a good thing. K.

Thank you. And as well, I'm I'm just so thrilled about the progress of the we we have the best you know, Boynton's think they're moving and moving and shaking things. However, I I think we have the best CRA, best city, and I'm just so happy about moving moving these projects forward. I know the community is gonna be ecstatic about it. And and just thank you for all that you do, the hard work. Really appreciate it. And Thank you. That is it. Alright. And I can do the can I do the thing?

Thank you.

Meeting adjourned.