Remarks by Douglas Lawson
171 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 2 of 7
- Play at 2:29:07
“Yeah, I'd like to see it on that agenda in October, colleagues, if we can, just so that we can work with our CRA, our CDC housing authorities, implement these programs and get them moving. Like I said, this is... Like a repeating record. I want to make sure that we allocate, we define staff, we get it into the, Mr. Chair, if we can't finish the comments, I know we want to get through the budget, but this is one of the most important pieces and the only piece we need to do. So if we can't finish with giving them proper direction, approving the budget and going through the system, because this…”
City Council · Sep 22, 2026
- Play at 2:31:52
“What's your recommendation? If we can bring the resolution before the end of October, that will give us opportunity if we don't make the first meeting in October at least by the second meeting of October to bring those items back to allocate the funds of 2.5 million to allow for creating programs for renaissance and reclaim and to work directly with the CRA staff with legal sufficiency documented saying that we can work with CRA and I think we've already told them that we want them to work with the CDC in executing some of these programs because we're going to be adding on an additional…”
City Council · Sep 22, 2026
- Play at 3:12:14
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
City Council · Sep 22, 2026
- Play at 3:13:11
“And they have to have a special exception for the less than three acres. What does it go down to? So that's what we're proposing today. Is there a minimum acreage that they can qualify for?”
City Council · Sep 22, 2026
- Play at 3:13:27
“Okay. So as long as you can fit it on based upon, based upon the live local Yigby pathway?”
City Council · Sep 22, 2026
- Play at 3:13:44
“Which is three, which is three, which is three stories.”
City Council · Sep 22, 2026
- Play at 3:13:48
“Right. So the general downtown is what type of density would be allowed?”
City Council · Sep 22, 2026
- Play at 3:14:18
“Okay, so as long as they can fit it on their parcel, they can do this project. So with the community threats that were happening before and this actual ordinance that's on first reading, multiple churches will qualify for this?”
City Council · Sep 22, 2026
- Play at 3:14:55
“Okay. And I'm asking these because I did do the agenda review, but there were a lot of residents that were a little confused with this ordinance that was coming on the agenda because they wanted to make sure and see if their church would qualify, if there's going to be additional housing density in their areas. And then what are the parking requirements or restrictions for these type of parcels? Are they going to be the same standard that the city already holds?”
City Council · Sep 22, 2026
- Play at 3:15:42
“You answered that for me in our agenda review, so thank you. But I want to make sure that we had that on the record so we could know how many units, how many parking, what the parking is going to look like. Can the parking be on an adjoining, adjacent, or offsite parking site if they have a lot that's across the street, down the block, or somewhere else?”
City Council · Sep 22, 2026
- Play at 3:16:28
“Because what I've heard is that there are some churches that own adjacent lots, adjoining lots, lots across the street. So they're referencing possibly having the housing project on one and then parking across the street if that's part of the ordinance and allowed for that. So that's why I want to make sure that our ordinance addresses that, that we don't have over parking in our communities and that the church still can accommodate, even though most of them are only occupied on Sundays, except for Sunday. my dear friends who operate seven days a week over there the lewis's do a great job but…”
City Council · Sep 22, 2026
- Play at 3:17:26
“Okay. The reason I ask is there's nothing prohibits us from actually putting additional time. Okay. So board, with my agenda meeting and meetings with the residents, this is something that they desperately want. I think additional community threats are good. They've had a lot of meetings, especially a lot of churches have already met. and had a lot of these discussions so this is an ordinance i really want us to push through and move forward with between first and second reading but also make sure that the churches are updated on this program this policy and we can walk them through the…”
City Council · Sep 22, 2026
- Play at 3:23:05
“Are you done, Vice Chair? Yes, thank you.”
City Council · Sep 22, 2026
- Play at 3:23:08
“Thank you. And I believe my point earlier for the charrettes that was done by the community and the conversations that have been happening was that more of the conversation community charrettes after we approve this item is to educate the church, an educational campaign and a campaign to push forward because these meetings have been happening consistently. I don't think we need additional community charrettes with all the work that these community organizations have been doing to delay this ordinance. I think we need to move it forward as quickly as possible and then allow for us after we've…”
City Council · Sep 22, 2026
- Play at 3:58:26
“Those are the questions, so if you can answer that one, and then I'll ask them. Thank you, Mr. Chair.”
City Council · Sep 22, 2026
- Play at 3:58:42
“okay mayor lawson thank you mr um environmentally impacted what testing what requirements what designates that because i understand the local government council has to designate a brownfield what designates an environmentally impacted site or land”
City Council · Sep 22, 2026
- Play at 3:59:33
“My chair is a mind reader because he's just asking my questions, so I appreciate him. Just two more, Mr. Chair. The county just workshopped this recently. Did we follow up as a staff with what the county workshopped and did we also identify some of their findings and what the Palm Beach County actually found when they workshopped this?”
City Council · Sep 22, 2026
- Play at 3:59:52
“Okay. So I did take a look at it and I actually watched some of the workshops just to prepare for this because this is an item that we've talked about for a while. Once I saw this past, I was very concerned because this identifies a lot of parcels across the state and one that's very comparable to mine here in Riviera Beach with our Lone Pine Golf Course. Are there other projects that qualify for this in Riviera Beach besides that golf course?”
City Council · Sep 22, 2026
- Play at 4:01:02
“Do we have any defined or assigned brownfield areas in Riviera Beach?”
City Council · Sep 22, 2026
- Play at 4:01:11
“Would we be required to define an area as Brownfield?”
City Council · Sep 22, 2026
- Play at 4:01:51
“My question is how they can. does a local council have to define an area as a brownfield under that statute?”
City Council · Sep 22, 2026
- Play at 4:03:34
“I'm not sure if that really identifies, though, the course of action for Brownfield. And that's more of not understanding the process of what it takes to define a Brownfield area or site. Would someone have to submit an application to determine that this is a brownfield and request with testing, with results? I'm just trying to gather, how would we identify or designate this as a brownfield site or area? And are we required to do testing? Does Florida statute say, it says that we can't put any restrictions. But what is the steps of actually assigning something as a brownfield site? And does…”
City Council · Sep 22, 2026
- Play at 4:08:36
“Mayor Lofton. It's real quick, Mr. Chair. I just want to make sure staff that even though it's a new statute, we've got a pre-application. So we may want to get answers quickly, hopefully by the next meeting to be able to address concerns and conversation. It sounds like this is a state legislation that's not going to be much, but we can at least inform, educate, and prepare our residents for what's coming. Because what was also mentioned during this presentation is that there's probably only one site that currently qualifies, and there's a pre-application. So I don't want to be blindsided…”
City Council · Sep 22, 2026
- Play at 4:19:12
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
City Council · Sep 22, 2026
- Play at 4:19:25
“I just want to clarify the record. I know. And in regards to expediting this process, we have to bring in a committee to review the solicitation, then bring it back for the board for approval. We spoke previously, and I mentioned this previously, about a firm that we negotiated with. Is that possible for us to go to that firm? What would be the steps if we went to the firm that did the search for our CRA and our utility district?”
City Council · Sep 22, 2026