Planning and Zoning Board - Regular Meeting

To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Good evening and welcome to the Rier Beach planning and zoning meeting. [clears throat] Today's date is October 23rd, 2025. And as I stated, we started at 6:29 p.m. Can we have a roll call, please? Board member Gallen here. Board member Burgess here. Board member Joseph here. Board member Shepard

here. Vice Chair Fernandez here. We have a quorum. Do we have acknowledgement of board member absence notifications? Yes, we do. We have Mr. board member Brown did send an email that he will not be attending tonight. And we did receive a phone call from Chair Wy that he's unable to make it tonight. Perfect. And for the record, we have a quorum. We have an acknowledgement of board member vacant positions.

Yes, sir. Chair, we have for the vacancies. This is for the alternate vacant district 2, vacant alternate position district 4. We have vacant board member district five. And by the chair being unable to attend tonight, he's district three. Mr. Gallon will have voting rights tonight. Thank you. Do we have any additions or deletions to the agenda for tonight?

Yes, Mr. Chair. Um, as was brought to your attention via email, uh, the applicant for agenda items 7A, 7B, and 7 C uh provided a letter requesting postponement of those items so that additional uh, work can be done on them. Staff has no objection to that request for postponement. Uh so we are uh uh supporting of their request to be removed from tonight's agenda.

Okay. Uh your unit's uh recommendation to KMG was also to I don't want to misquote you downsize the project or come back. Are they also addressing your concerns or are they just addressing the utility concern? Are you aware which and the the only information we have at the moment is what was stated in the letter. Um, however, the applicant is here so they can uh clarify exactly um all of the things they would like to uh delve into during the postponement period. Are there any other deletions to the agenda? Any other modifications to the agenda for tonight? No, Mr. Chair.

Do I have a motion to accept the agenda with the deletions noted by Director Sur? Second. It has been properly moved and second.

Excuse me. I'm sorry, Mr. Chair, if I may. staff also has a secondary request. Um we do believe there are members in the audience that may have come to speak on the project. Uh so it may be proper to uh move the public comment section so that those that did come to speak on the project have an opportunity to speak and don't have to wait uh for staff to report on the other items. So if it's the pleasure of the board, we would recommend moving uh public comment to um 6A under unfinished business. or or potentially I'm sorry uh new business under 7A

thank you Mr. Sure. Thank you.

Chicago. Just a reminder on those public comments. Uh we're not hearing PMG on their proposal. I strongly urge those that are here and those that are watching um via YouTube TV to come to the meeting where the topic will be addressed. You're free to speak tonight, but please come to the meeting where the actual proposal will be brought forth before this board. Okay? And the date, we don't have a date yet when it will be brought forth. We do not, Mr. Chair. We don't know when it will be noticed of the date. Would it be online a week before, two weeks before?

We would follow all of our notice requirements, which means that the property would have to be posted 15 days in advance. mailers would need to be postmarked 15 days in advance for whenever this comes back before you. So the sign they have there now they're going to be a new date on that sign. Am I correct? Before the meeting. That's correct. Okay. Thank you, chair. Yes, sir. I believe the motion is still on the floor. It was um moved and seconded. Oh, for the Yes. Are we ready? So, it has to be amended. Are we ready for the vote? Thank you, M. Are we ready for the vote? Yes, ma'am. Board member Gallen, yes. Board member Joseph, yes. Board member Shepard, yes. Board member Burgess,

yes. Chair Fernandez, yes. Unanimous vote. Chair, next is five. Miss Weathers, we have many minutes to approve. Correct. Yes, that is correct. Chair, so we have the meeting minutes of September the 11th, 2025 to approve. Do I have a motion? No, we need a first and a second. I have a second.

Second. It has been properly moved and second. Yes, ma'am.

Yes, it's on the actual agenda. The agenda packet was down, but the agenda itself was there and the meeting minutes were in the agenda. Just you just have to click on it. You're really trying to get rid of that book, aren't you? I'm trying. Miss Weathers, can we We're ready for it? Yes, ma'am. It has been properly moved and second. Are you ready for the vote? Yes, ma'am. Board member Shepard, yes. Board member Joseph, yes. Board member Burgess, yes. Board member Gallon, yes. Chair Fernandez. Yes.

Unanimous vote. Chair, do we have any unfinished business number six? Up from staff, Mr. Chair. Now we're on to 7A. Do you want the uh the public to speak now or wait until AMG presents whatever there is, whatever presentation they have. They have no presentation tonight since they're just Yes. Just an opportunity for the public to speak that came to weigh in on the project. Perfect. Miss Miss Weathers, would you please call the comment cards?

Yes, we have comment card. Mr. Alex Hill. Am I live? Great. Uh, good evening. Uh, thank you, uh, members of the board for your service to the city and opportunity for myself to speak tonight. Uh, my name is Alex Hill. I'm the president of the uh association, Lake Harbor Cove Condominium Association at 3040 Lakeshore Drive. Uh we will be the property just to the south of the proposed waterway project. Um I did want to come to speak tonight even with the project at this point being off the agenda. Just a first note. Um we are not against development. Um we are certainly encouraged by things going on in our small sliver of the city. Um Berkeley Landing just a couple of years ago, the plans for Oculina up the street at the corner of Silver Beach and Lakeshore Drive. But we certainly want to make sure it's responsible development and uh things are kept in a reasonable scale for the area. Um I want to thank uh the group Urbana from KM representing KMG. they came and met with our condominium specifically around uh August 15th and um gave us a presentation an opportunity to speak to our concerns and we have given those specific uh project plan concerns to them. So, I'm not going to really go into that this evening, but um again, we're we're looking forward to the revised proposal that they will have. and uh if there's anything we could learn further about the city's plans or vision specific to that small area, that north uh kind of east corner right along Lakeshore Drive, specifically how increased residential

units in that area, the demands on traffic and potential plans to rebuild and beautify Lakeshore Drive. We're certainly very excited to hear about those in the future. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Hill. The next present comment card, Mr. Joe Duch.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen of the board. My name is Joe Dorer. I'm a relatively new uh resident and owner o on Lakeshore Drive and certainly want to thank you for this opportunity and certainly appreciate the hard work you're doing. I've only been here since August. Uh trying out the area to see if it's a good place to retire. So, uh I live at Dolphin Point Condominiums, uh where the the the low-rise older building on Lake Shore, kind of two doors down from where this would be built. And I've spent plenty of time walking my my little uh French bulldog Boston Terrier mix Louie up and down Lake Shore every morning and kind of getting a feel for the neighborhood and in the evenings. Love it. It's wonderful, wonderful area. looking forward to finding out, you know, what new development and and ideas may be coming forward. The concern is as we go down to the end and we see what's going on in Lake Park and that very very large structure that Nautilus 220 have some concern about that size being into that portion of Lakeshore Drive. Um, again, I'm very very new to the area. um not uh familiar with the the situation, what's going on, what's happened, and what they may have done to talk to our condo complex. Again, we're neighbors two doors down from this, three doors down from this, so not quite sure with the communication there. Just kind of getting my feet wet. The one concern I want did want to bring to the board's attention. This is the second meeting I've come to to make public public comment and listen to what might be said about the project and this is the second time it's been proposed um excuse me postponed. So my concern would be you you're now dealing with two postponements, two big signs that have been up on the street that have had to been taken down. It may mean that again I'm going to be bold here. it would seem that the project is maybe running a little too fast and may need to slow

down a little bit to just to you know address things and be in a a place where it's ready to go. Um and especially for for residents like us, there were a couple other people who wanted to come and speak. Older folks just couldn't make it tonight from Dolphin Point and it just seems like they've tried to come and and they've expressed frustration to me that it's been on the agenda. We've seen the signs up and then we find out it's canceled. So, we're just hoping that, you know, maybe a longer run, maybe, you know, imparting to to the developers, hey, you may want to take a little more time with this. I understand time is money, but from a resident's perspective, um, that radical a change to the area, you know, we we we have concerns, especially the traffic idea because if you look at Lakes Shore right now, Lakeshore is a a very very quiet quiet space and just trying to figure out how all those cars are going to operate in that area. It's a it's a bit of a concern. So, thank you so very much, folks. Appreciate it.

Thank you, sir. Mr. Surmans, I've got a question for you. This is the first time I've seen KMG come before us. Uh the gentleman said there were twice [clears throat] and two postponements. Can you clarify that? I'm not I know this has not been on any planning and zoning board agendas. So I will have to speak with um the the development team to see if any signs went out prior to the one noticing today's meeting to investigate that. So I'm not certain at the moment. Your office follows up when a developer places a sign and a notice. Your office follows up to make sure the right dates are on there. Correct.

When noticing a meeting that they're scheduled for, yes, we follow up to verify that the sign has the correct dates, that the mailers went out with the correct dates in the requisite amount of time. Yes, we do do that. Thank you, sir.

Uh, Mr. Chair, if I could just add, I I believe what happened previously was the applicant put up a sign in anticipation of planning to come to a meeting, but it but it was not yet scheduled for the agenda. So, that may be what the gentleman was referencing. There was a sign that was put up uh on a previous meeting and then taken down. So based on that then let's hope that next time they put up a sign of the dates unified team can get together with the uh KMG team and get on the same game plan. Yes, Mr. Chair. Thank you. Yes, M Shepard,

the applicant team. Right. And and I would need to investigate to figure out exactly what happened, what order, and and how that took place. Um, our standard practice is to notify the applicant, you are approved for this agenda. These are the notice requirements. They must be executed in time in order for your item to move forward. Um, so I do not have all the details at this moment of what took place with the prior sign, but I can absolutely um look into that and and make sure that it doesn't happen in any meetings moving forward,

not only with this developer, any other developer to avoid this this issue. And now that they're here, so the KMG representatives are here, I'm sure they heard us, our remarks and the time frames, and they'll coordinate with their office. We will be absolutely coordinated uh with this project team and any others moving forward, but especially this one as as there has been uh stated tonight that there was some confusion about a previous date. So we'll make sure that there's 100% clarity before this comes back. Thank you, sir. Yes, Mr. Chair.

Yes, Mpher. the first time I've ever right. I I think that in order for us to do things properly, you know, it has to be proper. you know, it's just Thank you, Walter. I knew it was something wrong. Thank you. Um, but it's kind of because it's the second time I've seen something like this happen. Uh, it happened on my street and people were calling me and nobody took um responsibility for putting a sign up. So, I I think it you should really should make it plain that let the city put the signs up. So, because I pass that way all the time and I never saw this sign. Never. So, it's just news to me. This is all news to me.

Understood. Mr. Chair, we will take additional precautions to ensure no confusion in the future. I appreciate you. Thank you, Mr. Sherman. Miss Weather, do we have any more comment cards? [clears throat] No, sir. Chair, at this time, we have any notes or anything that was sent into you regarding this? Any letters or anything regarding this topic? KMG? No, sir. Chair, thank you. Well, I guess the next step is 7D. Am I correct?

7D, reporting of employment conditions added by the planning and zoning board site approval. The presenter will be senior planner Juan Suarez. planning and zoning board. Hope you guys doing well tonight. Thank you, sir.

So, the purpose of this report is to summarize the status of the projects with employment conditions and their site plan approvals. Provide transparency and accountability regarding local hiring efforts. outline next step for compliance monitoring and followup. So background little background of why we're doing this uh in center in certain uh approvals the board the planning and zoning board require an employment condition in the resolutions stating that the developers must actively advertise employment opportunities uh within the city of Riviera Beach. The report is postco 6 months after all um project gets their co and the board requested on a status update on this projects. So this is are the projects that have that condition in the resolution. Uh we can see uh so far uh we have nine projects projects uh status overview. So from all those nine projects, ones that have been discarded, not moving forward, Mariner Marine, Mint Eco, um not yet initiated, K Rain completed. K1 Speedway, they right now are operating under TCO, temporary uh certificate of occupancy. Sunstar Logistic that is Ozinga if not mistaken is the the silo uh the cement silo Eastern Group Amazon and under construction right now we have Eliminate the Marina village save harbor

rival beach uh those were those ones are awaiting uh co is insurance so the ones that uh K1 we did reach out to them uh send in a just a friendly A reminder that as soon as they get the CEO uh we will be expecting uh that report we have we're give them after CO if not mistaken two to three weeks they they have to show us that report so we can present it to the planning and zoning board. Mr. Sman did we not add besides employment also local vendors and

local vendors and suppliers as well as employment. Wasn't that part of the agreement? Oh, do you recall the exact language of the condition? Do you have that with you, Mrs. Suarez? Not with me. Uh, the exact condition, the resolution? No, I don't have it with me. Okay, you can review it for the next meeting. And what happened to Berkeley Landing? I will have to double check if that one had the condition or not. Okay.

I I want to clarify um because these projects, you know, as presented are in various stages. Um I believe it's only two of them that would have been post uh 6 months occupancy. Amazon is one. they provided their post six-month uh report. We did have that the the issue with Amazon is they pivoted on the type of facility uh that they opened here in Riviera Beach. Uh so 6 months postco they had not um activated the center and started running uh logistics out of it. they um changed it to a last mile center as they described it and they added a bunch of different types of machinery and um and pivoted the type of facility. So they gave us the post six-month report. They subsequently did a lot of work, amended their site plan and then eventually opened up fully and staffed the uh facility later. So we have put in additional request for them to provide an update but they did satisfy the uh the um initial requirement of that condition and then the Sunstar Logistics was another older project that had it. Um we are we have made that request to ensure that they come into compliance but the majority of the others that are at different levels of waiting to submit permit or um waiting to get through construction. Um and so we are putting the process in place so that when the building official issues that CO that we start the clock that six months after they need to follow up that way. So we are putting that in place and the ones that are passed to the Sunstar Logistics we will make sure we update this report as soon as we have that from that development.

Thank you. [clears throat] Any questions or from the board comments? Thank you very much for your time. Thank you. Is Mr. Chair? Yes, Mr. Chair. Is there an update on the um what is the skating thing over near the I95? I know they were not using Rivier Beach. Oh, the issue with the uh the go-kart location that was not using they were using West Palm Beach on their advertising and they were told it has to be Vera Beach. Is there an update? That's what Miss Shepards. That's K1 Speedway. K1 Speedway. Yes, if I may, Mr. Chair.

Yes.

Yes, we have uh we followed up on that twice with K1. Uh one right when they were um about to open and then a second time after they finally got open and they did come into compliance. The only issue that um that we did not see as resolved is on websites such as Google. they go more often off of the postal address, the zip code, and that one often defaults to West Palm Beach. But in terms of the advertisements that they are in full control of, like on their web page, we u went to them and even through our code compliance process um addressed them directly with management and they were um apologetic and and got on it right away. Um so they've shown themselves to be a good partner with the city uh since we had to bring that to their attention.

Okay. Good. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Sure. Um, do do you want me to go over what that condition is that that we're You have it.

The applicant shall actively advertise employment opportunities for temporary and permanent positions within the city of Rivier Beach, including participation at community job fairs or hosting specialized recruitment events. The developer shall provide a report to the development services department at six months postcertificate of occupancy uh documenting their outreach efforts to acquire local employees, the number of local employees hired, and the number of local businesses contracted with uh subject to employment and privacy laws um including the percentage of construction costs expended with local vendors.

Good. I'm glad you mentioned businesses because we did make that as part of it and I know we had several meetings where I made sure that we told them we have plenty of plumbing suppliers, electrical suppliers that are in the Riviera Beach to make sure of that. So, we just we just amend the uh amend that as well. So, we're going to get the employment and the business they they utilize u for their project. Thank you. Thank you, Mrs. Suarez for your presentation. Very welcome. Now we're on 7E.

The board discussion request from board member Renee Burges to discuss anti anti gification and suggested tax abandonment program. The presenter will be long range principal planner Sen Simon. Uh good evening uh Mr. Chair, PL members of plans zoning board. Uh this was a discussion item that was uh brought forth by plans me member Burgess. Um and so we put it on the agenda for discussion of anti-gentrification and suggested tax abatement programs as a discussion for the board. Um, want to start with a definition of gentrification, which is the displacement of existing residents, often in older neighborhoods by higher income new residents moving into the area as an area improves or experiences new investment. The associated increase in property values and uh increased taxes as a result of that can often uh contribute to that process. Um again board member Reena Burgess submitted these uh this request and staff has done some research towards that. Um we have identified what existing anti-gentrification policies do we have in our comprehensive plan. Uh we also looked around and identified um a new plan that's been created countywide called the housing for all plan. Um, and then we really want to bring to the board's attention some of the new policies that are in our new comprehensive plan that are specifically looking to help address that. Um, so with that, I would like to

introduce Miss Sun. Good evening. Son Simon, principal planner um of long range planning. Always a pleasure.

Always a pleasure. I'm going to do a little switcheroo if that's okay. Um because I wanted you guys to also have a visual [clears throat] members of the board. Um hello again. So, we looked at um as assistant director Scott Evans says, we looked at what policies we had um here in our plan and then where we're going as you all have been looking working on the comprehensive plan um where we're going with this um in order to address gentrification as we know that um these are the issu some of the issues that we have here in the city. So when we looked at our old policies, we looked at what is what is our plan currently um what are interventions does our plan currently have? Um we had about one policy actually that that specifically address gentrification and then we had several policies that looked at neighborhood stabilization. We looked at assisting and supporting our senior housing and then per and promoting home ownership. Right. um within these policies. Some of it looks at when we're looking from a funding point of view where we're supporting funding um find funding from our housing f Palm Beach County's housing finance authority from SHIP and from home funding in order to provide mortgage assistance as well as other ways for folks to stay in their home. Right? We also started looking at neighborhood stabilization where we said we are supporting programs and projects listed in our neighborhood sector plan. The neighborhood sector plans are plans that were made about a decade or so ago in order to say how do we actually intervene within each individual neighborhood. Those plans before my time have kind of have been addressed in some

ways in other ways they're they're just kind of sitting the same. So, one of the things that we're doing with our comp plan now is that we'll be taking those plans and that we'll be re we're going through them again in order to have as you guys remember um from our comprehensive plan conversation is that we're going to have a neighborhood focus. Within this neighborhood focus, we take these same plans and now we start to say how as a neighborhood we start to address what's happening in our neighborhood. And why is that important? That's important because we're wanting to say that we want to stabilize to preserve our existing communities. Right now, you're looking at new comm community, new buildings that are coming in, which means new communities being formed. But at the same time, how do we preserve our existing communities in order to in order for them to be a place that we want to live in and so and so that way it's also done in affordable manner that we actually are able to live there and stay there. It was also important for us to look at assisting and supporting our senior housing. Um we have we have policies that talk about um housing for special for our special needs population and that special needs population includes our seniors but it also includes other vulnerable groups, right? How do we ensure that everyone has a place to stay? Because what what does that mean? The moment that you that you're forgetting your your senior population, your vulnerable populations, what you're saying is that I'm being priced out, right? So if I'm on a fixed income, how do I continue to afford to live here? And so we have policies that try to protect them in that way. But we felt that some of those policies weren't strong enough. And so in our new for our new policies that we have coming in, we start to talk about um the infrastructure that's in these in our communities, who's who's paying for it, how are we doing that, and at the same time that there's fair treatment and how we all receive this, especially with our senior population. Um and then also we

talk and once again that sector plan that I talked about starts to address how do we make spaces for our senior population to live. maybe we can't live in our same home. Right now, we're looking at adding additional spaces where we can have um accessory dwelling units. We're talking about having smaller homes that if I'm going from my big house where I no longer have my four kids in the house and I just need to make sure I just want to step down a little bit. I don't have to go to another loca. I don't have to go to another apartment place that's across town, but within my same community, I'm allowed to have housing that's able to serve me and my needs in that. So, right now, we're opening and expanding our plan to allow us to be able to have these types of homes within our communities and folks are able to put these mother-in-law suites or other accessories within our backyards in order to do just that. Um, we also look at promoting home ownership. So, our city has been very intentional and very loud in saying that we want to make sure that we can afford our homes. Um our plans have asked to be work to our former policies talk about um supporting private in private companies to come in and put in more single family homes um and put in put in more uh partnerships with our nonprofits to have homes. But we felt that yeah um the way things development is going maybe they're not always coming in to put another single family homes. the amount of land that we have less. We've noticed that people are saying, "I think I want to put uh bigger structures on there." We're looking at plan changes that will number one help support families to afford their own home. Um we're looking at increasing the amount of funding that we have towards that. But my policies are just polished to say that we support them. I don't have the

income, so please don't come looking for me if we don't have the money. Um but we are we are pushing for that to be on our budget annually in order to do that and at the same time looking at other ways to be creative to find the finances and to partner with the right partners um and some of that include creative methods that we have identified in our housing for all plan. So, the county came uh the county with an amazing group of stakeholders throughout the county worked for years on a housing for all plan and everyone here in this room probably voted for, maybe some against. Um, but it did pass for for for us to kind of tax ourselves as a county in order to address housing. So, I think it was like $200 million that were sent towards this and then it created a housing for all plan, but then the city of Riviera Beach um from great leaders um Anita Jenkins pushed us to adopt our own plan. And so we worked with stakeholders across the county and within our own institution and we met um every two weeks um with different committees. those four different committees that were addressing housing here in the city and then in January 2020 I think it was this year 25 yeah I think it was in January we adopted the housing for all plan and this plan is an action plan that's supposed it's to idea is to line up with our comprehensive plan that we are will be adopting in order to do the action work in order to actually address and have programmings toward this that various departments here in the city will work on. Okay. And an example that would come from our department is that we would be looking at planning policies that we feel will

help us to get to um help us to get to some of these some of these um action items. And a huge one was inclusionary zoning. right now ours is very d ours is very divisive and the idea is that within different communities um how do we allow and this also goes when I was talking about the senior housing how do we allow different types of housing types to be within singular neighborhoods um that will not look too different from the homes that are already there but will allow my 18-year-old to live near and not be priced out and I'll allow my myself at my age of 78 to still live in my community so that way I can continue to go to my church and continue to do the different things that I love. Um, oh, and that's that's about it. So, I'm going to review back that the areas that we we're addressing mostly right now is neighborhood stabilization, senior housing, promoting home ownership, and then we have, and I forgot to add this on there, we actually have an anti-gentrification objective that has been included into our new plan. And within that one, we blatantly state that we are um reviewing for the purposes of ensuring that we are not pricing out our community or displacing our community. Um and that is all from my side.

Thank you. Um I wanted to talk a little bit about um some of the other uh discussion items that were mentioned by board member Burgess. um she uh collected collect and it's in your materials um a collection of what we think are very good tax abatement programs uh that are um implemented by other cities in Palm Beach County. Um what we found is many of those cities they fund those programs uh out of their own tax revenue. Um this is partially because the city has control over those dollars and they can implement it um citywide um as a city council determines. Um the department of development services does not develop those kinds of tax programs. Um however uh in doing our research for this uh we did find that there are a lot of existing and upcoming opportunities in which this board both sitting as this board and a combination of also as members of the public will have some opportunities to influence and take advantage of some of the upcoming um initiatives that are happening within the city um and within some of the work that we're doing. Um the city administration does have the ability to enter in discussions with the county. Um and perhaps utilizing that housing for all action pro uh plan would be a good vehicle to in order to to start those discussions with the county. But of course the city still always has the ability to implement some of those programs on our own as long as we use utilize our own tax dollars. Um one of the items that we found was the city's housing trust fund. Uh this is a a ready source of funding. Um the implementation of this fund uh will begin in 2026. Um and implementation of that as we decide how we're going to spend the funds for affordable and workforce housing within the city. there's going to be uh more planning and public input

um uh likely by the public and even possibly by this board as those plans and certainly by the city council as the plans for expenditure of those funds are discussed and decided upon uh by the city. Um the concept of gentrification impact zones uh was uh brought up by uh board member Burgess. Uh we think this is something that uh the board uh could begin to review and consider in 2026. Um identifying the areas that are specifically vulnerable to this um is an opport is something we think feel is very important. Um and we will have an opportunity as we are wrapping up our new comprehensive plan which is getting very close. We're hoping to bring that to you uh next uh next month hopefully and then bring it to city council in December. Uh I think that will be our opportunity uh to follow up on that um with beginning some neighborhood planning and our goal is to do neighborhood planning on a neighborhood by neighborhood basis uh all throughout the city. And as we're doing that, that's the perfect opportunity to identify these neighborhoods that have potentially that are potentially more impacted than others and potentially propose creating impact zones and even potential tax incentives that might address the specific needs of one particular neighborhood or another um as we study those neighborhoods and come up with plans to make those improvements. Another area that was mentioned is community benefits. Uh these are another potential vehicle to direct funding towards anti-gentrification efforts. Um and the city is just beginning a brand new process to work cooperatively with the CRA to develop citywide community benefits that are linked to new development. Uh so anti-gentrification programs can be implemented through this

new effort. And this is a brand new effort that the public at some point uh in the near future will get to comment on as uh the city manager has made it a priority to ensure that we focus on community benefits. So in 2026 that will be a new initiative uh that will be moving forward through the process uh by the city manager's office. Um and then the other uh what we think is a really good idea that was mentioned was uh providing additional opportunities to educate residents uh about existing programs and tax opportunities uh to help our residents. Um, and we we feel that the city's communication department could assist in providing some of this information to our residents, how to take advantage of some of the existing tax programs um from the save our homes changes that were made and uh homestead homestead exemptions and ensuring that they're uh applying for uh the maximum amount that they can get. Um, and we think we could utilize the city's communications department uh to help reach out to our residents and remind them. Uh, so that's the summary of of of staff's uh feedback. Um, and um that concludes our our comments, but I would like to at this point turn it over to the board for discussion uh or perhaps uh board member Burgess if she has uh additional followup uh that she'd like to make.

Sure. Good evening. Thank you so much for that presentation, Mr. Evans. Um really good uh feedback. I, you know, kind of jotted down some of the dates that you were talking about. Um for the one that I think um is the most easiest to kind of implement right away. This the last one you mentioned and um getting that information with the your like public affairs department um getting some of that information out. What do you say would be um some of the expected time frame on that especially since we're getting ready to go into property tax season?

Mr. Chair, if I may, you said the the last program related to community benefit. That was just the existing programs um reaching out to residents maybe like so some type of campaign um to get them to know like you know if if they're staying home, are they getting all of their exemptions? those type of things. Okay. Um how soon the city can begin an education campaign to notify residents of potential um benefits or expirations

if there was a general time frame because he had mentioned some dates you know up in 2026 with some of the other things. I was just wondering if there was kind of like a time frame for this one.

As of uh this report, no, we haven't established a time frame for it. What we um center this presentation around was responding uh to the uh request for research on this. Um we haven't taken steps to create initiatives. Um we do um follow the city manager's lead when it comes to how he wants to utilize his staff and and what initiatives he wants to take on. Um the what we do have um under our jurisdiction as development services is how we inform and prioritize and what we present in terms of um policy considerations for the comprehensive plan that will be before city council very soon. So, this is a a timely conversation in terms of what our policies are going to be towards it, but we would have to um bring this to the city manager's attention and get his feedback on how he wants to proceed and and and if he would like to create such a campaign related to um uh to these uh topics uh through marketing and other uh methods of the city.

Yeah. because some of them could be really simple just like you know retweeting from the property appraiser you know with um expect your trim I know that came out in August like I said you know November 1st the first week of we're going to be sending out property tax bills just so residents have that information they stay on top of it you know because paying November early you get your 4% discount really simple stuff that just can be like retweeted by the city understood Would it be um ideal if I facilitated a conversation between us and the city manager so he can be aware um of this and uh and and do what he what he could with that information?

Sure. Sure. And I mean I haven't been on social media much lately. I've been missing out. Uh I guess I have to get back on. You're not missing much. [laughter] I I I will say that um that the city uses multiple methods um to get information out to residents. Uh so um and and Walter, who you know now leads the um communications department for the city. Um so part of that discussion um if he supports the initiative would be what methods he can and could be used by the city to get to residents on social media and the other um uh avenues that they use to get information out. So I'm sure that could be a part of the conversation as well.

Thank you. And like I said, I really appreciate you guys taking the time to do the research and bring this information back. Um because a lot of the times uh our community, we just don't know, right? We just don't know. And I can attest that I hear those type of stories every day um in the work that I do that people are just not aware of things that are out there and available for them. So I'm a a big proponent of uh sharing and providing knowledge when that's something that you know we can do kind of freely. Board member Burgess Chair. Yes. Yes, ma'am.

Um, one of the things that makes it easier for our team because our communication team is really stretched is whenever anything is ready. Um, I know you said retweet that means that they have to look for it. But if from your office anything is ready and you know that it's um like it's a flyer or any kind of promotion that you know that's coming out, if you could share that with us, that makes it a million times easier for it to be posted. Um, I don't know if you ever see those, but that's helpful for us, too. Yes. I I used to work in that department. I'm in a different department. I was in public affairs. Okay. For many years, but I would most definitely get you that information. That would be awesome.

I got a quick question. Can we piggy back with the county mailings, the trim reports with our own little for beach residents? and we contact the county and maybe when they send out the mailers, we can pick it back with our own little the little notice, a little note, Riviera Beach resins, any questions, please call for homestead exemptions, make sure you're getting your bucks worth, however you want to word this, and maybe piggy back with the county. I mean, I'm I'm just putting it out there. We can ask them. It doesn't hurt to ask. Well, I can I can add to that. Um, Mr. Chair, if I may. Yes.

Um, we do do some outreach separately, like for example, the city's water utility bills. Uh, there are other opportunities. Um, I really appreciate board member Burgess's suggestion to look at there's probably a lot of existing public outreach documents out there, but we don't have to recreate the wheel. We just have to find a way to get them to our residents. So, that's a fantastic idea and we will certainly follow up on that. Um um I would hope that the county is already um if they're sending mail including that information, but perhaps not. Um but any ways that we can explore that would help get the word out for those um we need to do that.

Now, you mentioned initiatives. I know you mentioned some. What initiatives are you talking about that we can get as a board involved in? What do you have any specific initiatives? Are you working on those initiatives and then report back to us? What's the scoop here?

Um specifically when we start doing the neighborhood planning, that's an opportunity to really focus in on each neighborhood and identify and potentially create a designation of an impact area. And then we could also follow that up with recommendations to um city administration, city council that we've identified an impact area and here are some potential uh programs that could address a particular problem in that neighborhood. That one is specifically will be something that the planning and zoning board will be working on in the future. Um and then additionally when the city begins to implement our housing trust fund, it's more of a a general public. I'm not sure if that will return to this to the PNZ board. However, that's that is will certainly go through the public process. Um, and that's an those are funds that are readily available as the city starts to determine next year how they're going to spend those money monies to accommodate to uh towards affordable housing uh and workforce housing. And then the other one I wanted to mention was the community benefits. Um, and I don't have a lot of information because it's a brand new initiative, but it's a very exciting one that's been uh announced um in which the the city is going to actively try and work on uh creating a targeted program, a list of community benefits and and more opportunities for a new development that's coming into the city to make contributions to um identified areas um and community needs uh that the city uh has. And I I apologize I don't have any more information but I wanted to mention it because it's really exciting and it's brand new.

Mr. Evans, I actually do have additional information on that and that is initiative and initiative coming out of the city manager's office. Um there's already a draft ordinance for a community benefits ordinance for the city that would um create certain expectations of projects of a certain scale, especially if they're getting support from uh the city uh to contribute to a a menu of different community benefits. and one of them being um creating a fund to assist uh residents that could be utilized towards um um anti-displacement programs and funding for those types of programs. So that is an ordinance that's already in draft form being circulated. So I do um I would guess that that would be before city council um sometime before the end of the year, but the city manager's office is leading that and this is something that would dovetail with what we're discussing tonight.

Question for you. You're talking about the city housing fund. Is that the same fund where OC the Oculina project I'm quoting this figure. I think it was three million. Is that the fund they're contributing money to? I thought they were contributing money to create housing for for the Riviera Beach. In other words, that funding is going there. Is this a different fund site that we're talking about?

Yes, you are correct. the MIHOP program that Oculina is paying into that fund, those funds go into the housing trust fund of the city. The housing trust fund is different than what would be set up for for the community benefits. Well, depending on how the program is set up, they could say that one of your options is to pay into the house the city's housing trust fund. Right now, the ordinance states that funds in that account are only eligible expenditures are only for the um creation of affordable housing, acquisition of land for it. Um there's limited uses for it. A program to do tax abatement um or tax um uh rebates to residents, that's not necessarily in the scope right now, but depending on how the program is set. There could be a separate fund for that or the MI the housing trust fund could be expanded to include that. But those are some considerations of of um what could take place. But what's in the draft ordinance that I'm assisting city administration and reviewing um does not identify the housing trust fund um currently as where those funds could be deposited and used for that source.

And who's going to control where these funds are spent? Is there going to be a board, a committee, or is it going to be up to the city manager and the council to decide how they're going to do with what they're going to do with the money? I don't have the details on that part yet.

Well, see, from a personal from a personal perspective, and I mentioned it here when the developers are here, oh, we're going to contribute to this fund. And my followup to that has always been, I'd rather have you de do the development so I know that that's going to get built. That's my own humble opinion because there's no way to track where these monies are going. For instance, with that three million that I I'm sure there's some vacant lots somewhere with the other millions we have. Maybe we can build a combination of senior housing with uh workplace housing or affordable housing that we can do, but it's never going to get done because the city, they are not developers. Let's let's face it, the money's going to be there. And I just want to make sure that the monies are there. If it's a housing, it's going to housing, not that they're going to use that money to deviate it and use it somewhere else. So, we have to have some type of checks and balances. So, whatever is presented, since you're helping with the city manager, we need checks and balances built in. And then we need more than one or two people deciding where the money is going to be spent. Is that is that reasonable?

Absolutely. I do know that there is a a committee uh uh for oversight of the program that is being proposed for it, but again there are a lot of details and of course financial oversight that would have to come with that. So again, I haven't gone through all of the details of it yet, but it is in the works though is the main thing that I'm able to report at this point. Um and and I I will just add that the the MIHOP ordinance that was updated at the end of 2022 23 that one added additional guard rails on the housing trust fund. The the MIHOP program has been here for uh decades. Um this um text amendment did add language on what are eligible expenses for it. they did create a oversight component to it and and ensure um that expenditures out of it do have to go through uh city council and there is a oversight committee for it as well. So we did add those uh additional considerations with the Miho program that did come um through the text amendment um this department and the planning and zoning board. Um this new program again is is coming from a different angle as in not through development services but it it does connect at the end of the day. Um, so we are making sure that those types of guard rails are involved.

Yes. And we discussed those when they came for us, but we're an advisory comm uh uh board just like that committee might be an advisory board. I just have to make I just want to make sure that we have some checks and balances that are written into whatever policy they're going to make because we as a committee can said, "Yeah, I want housing there." Okay, perfect. And then somebody else with the authority says, "Hell no." So, we just got to make sure we have checks and balances in place. And this is the same conversation we had way back a couple years ago when we have all these funds created and nobody can ever explain to us uh okay, where can the money be spent? Are there any checks and balances on it? And then, you know, we started working little by little on different text amendments to what we had. So, that's all I'm asking if you don't mind. Anybody else on the on the board have anything to say, please? Okay. Thank you very much for the report. Appreciate it. Any workshop items, Miss Weathers?

No, sir. Mr. Chair, any public comments? No, sir, Mr. Chair. Staff updates. Nothing additional from staff, Mr. Chair. Correspondents.

Actually, can I add one thing? I apologize and I didn't talk to anybody about this. Hagn um I just wanted to add this for everyone and I do apologize. Um the county is up to the county is making a transportation plan. Um and we need everyone to actually go on the website in order to do the survey. Um, as we in our city, we utilize all our roads every day and we use the roads throughout our county. So, I'm telling everyone that is listening to go to P as in Paul, B as in boy, C as in county, moves, m ov.com, to ensure that you take that survey and those that are at home take the survey as well in order for us to get all of our input from residents here in the city.

Thank you. We have a date for the upcoming planning and zoning board meeting. Just to confirm, it's not on here. No. You'll let us know. Yes. Yes. Uh the next date is November 13th. Yes, Mr. B. Um

I want to go ahead and put on the record I will be out of town on the 13th. So would I. I'm going to be out on the 13th, not coming back state side until the 14th. Yes. And then we get close to Thanksgiving and the holidays. All right. If there's nothing else, do I have a motion to adjourn? It is 7:29 p.m. I move. Motion carries. Thank you very much, guys. Great great meeting.