Historic and Architectural Preservation Board - Regular Meeting

I see you're good for another three years.

Yeah, I am. Alright. Seeing that it's 09:00, we'll go ahead and call to order the Historic and Architectural Preservation Board, 08/28/2025. It's a roll call attendance right now.

Yes. Chair Bebe?

Here.

Miss Trammell? Here. Miss Derryberry? Here. Mister Stuckety?

Here.

Mr. Watkins?

Here.

Mr. Green?

Here.

Mr. Barrick?

Present. Present. All right, thank you very much. Full house today. All right, we'll go ahead and move to approval of the minutes. Before you, we have minutes for 05/22/2025, and 07/10/2025, the regular meeting minutes. Are there any revisions or adjustments? If not, the chair will entertain a motion.

I move to approve.

All right. Move to approve or is there a second?

Second.

I think I heard John first. John seconds. All in favor? Aye. Opposed? All right. The minutes pass or approved. Any general audience participation this morning?

No, we do not have anyone signed up to speak.

No one signed up. Thank you. All right, we'll go ahead and move to new business. We're going to review the voting results and select a recipient for the 2025 Legacy Award. So if we could have Harry Klinghammer come forward, our Historical Resources Manager.

Good morning, Harry.

Good morning. For the record, Harry Klinkhamer, Historical Resources Manager. So you have before you today both the applications for Legacy Award or nominations for Legacy Award along with the voting tally results from this board voting on the applications. And as you can see from the memo from the city clerk's office that based on the voting, the rankings were first place for Earl Middlum and tied for second place was Ralph Twitchell and the Venice Area Historical Society. So with the nominations and the voting results in hand, staff is looking for, I guess a decision from this Board on awarding the legacy award for this year.

Now I will say this is obviously the first year doing this under the combined Board and the new legacy award guidelines. Historically speaking, there is precedent for awarding an individual and an organization that has been done in the past

or this board can do one or the other or it could do nobody. It's this board's decision on what they would like to do. And whether or

not they want to do one winner or more than one that is a precedent that can be decided by this board.

Okay. All right, thanks. So we need a nomination. If that's what we want to do.

So yes, so I guess what I would be looking for this board to I guess make a motion to nominate any of these applicants as you can see how they were ranked from the voting. Any combination of those applicants, none of those applicants, whatever this board

would like Okay. To you, Harry.

So I would move to nominate Earl Midland as the recipient for, is it 2025 or 2026?

This is 2025. We're running behind schedule. We're We'll behind make sure 2026.

For 2025.

Correct.

I second that motion. Jones, you second? Okay. Well let's vote on that. Let's do a roll call vote.

Mr. Watkins.

I approve.

Can you turn on your mic please?

I

approve.

Ms. Trammell. I approve. Mr. Barrack.

Yes.

Mr. Stuckey.

Yes.

Ms. Derryberry.

Yes.

Mr. Green.

Yes.

And Chair Bibi?

Yes. All right. We have a winner. We have a winner. So Mr. Earl Middlum, well deserved for 2025. Please send that on to the

So yes, so next up is I'll be working to have the legacy award certificate made for Mr. Bidlum and then coordinate to have that presentation done at a City Council meeting. And Chair Bibi, I'll work with you also on your schedule to see that we can do this presentation sometime in the next during upcoming City Council meeting in the near future.

Great. Sounds great. Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Since we're still on this topic, not to just kind of moving forward like establishing timelines so that we're done by preferably the May historic preservation?

Yes. We do have a timeline in place to meet that goal. We were late in getting nominations and then this board asked to solicit for more nominations and then we ran into the summer break. So those were all things that kind of delayed this process.

So that timeline, when does it begin?

Well technically someone can be nominated at any time. The nomination form is on our website. We will start promoting the Legacy Award program. We typically will do that at the end of the year for having then somebody by May of the fall year.

The public notice will be in the paper in December so to speak?

Yes, correct.

Think it's

Back up again. Goal of

this board to keep pushing on to

Yes. Make sure make off the top of my head, we start the solicitations like November, December with the goal of having this board making a decision actually in March so that we have time then to get it on a city council meeting in May. Okay.

Okay. And then another thing was the guess the nomination and then historical society was saying, you know, there's some legal kind of issue there or they couldn't be numb. Like maybe is there a precedent where we set maybe organizations are every five years or is it standard every year?

We have actually known guidelines regarding that. We have not had a group nominate itself a second time before. So this is definitely something for discussion for this board at some point on whether or not you want to establish within the legacy board guidelines any type of limitations or listing frequency for how often an organization can be nominated. Right now there are no guidelines or anything to that.

No guidelines.

Like I said, we've never had an organization nominated itself a second time.

All

right. I mean I think that's a great idea that they can because they're doing ongoing work far more than like an individual for the most accomplish. So I think being multiple recipients makes logical sense to me but as every year I don't want to have to I don't think it's necessarily necessarily right that if they're awarded once maybe there's a gap of time that Before

they could be awarded

nominated So we look at their credentials over time.

Yes, we could do that. I mean we haven't really this is kind of new territory for us there. So at this time, I mean we should probably talk about frequency of the nominations if we want to do this as an annual award or every other year. Anyone have any comment on that? How often?

Seems to me like every other year might be good if we did multiple.

So then we are saying then every other year? Don't know. Yes. So and if somebody went in say 2026, they'd be eligible then in 2028. Looking

at the number of people that could receive this award, is the list still rather long that have not received the award?

In terms of a backlog of candidates, obviously we now have two from this year that didn't get it. In the past, I'd say there is probably I think two or three nominations from previous historic preservation board years that have not been nominated. And for some it could very well be that just they weren't nominated because the board didn't feel that they were deserving of the legacy award. It isn't always necessarily the fact that there is a backlog of good nominations, it's just we've got some on the list that have been nominated and just were not selected.

You have to remember that in the past when it was the historic preservation board, all the nominations came from the board or people who approached member of the board to get these selections. Now suddenly we have switched to criteria so anybody can nominate someone for this recognition. So that's a total change in criteria.

But the ones that have come out for this one, they've all been members or part of that board, right? That submitted the resolution.

No, just now it's open to the

public I this know.

Two out of the three I believe did come from the board.

I guess following up on your comment there, maybe this board sets a standard that we come up with the nominations by January and release our list to the public or however this process is going to work. I'm still not clear, sorry. I think we're developing it. And then that would open it up to the public to add to that list potentially. By the

end of let's say March.

Yeah, whatever so that we can make that May. We make that May deadline every year.

Yes, I think that would be reasonable and then that gives us from January to March for public input.

Yes. And certainly with staff's help is bringing forward a pool

of

candidates to consider I think would be helpful on my part because you guys are on the front line dealing with preservation with the public and have a better understanding likely than each of us individually of what's going on.

So maybe this board brings forth nominees some November or December and then open it up in January to March for the general public. And then we kind of develop a list to vote on in March for a May award.

At this point, we're still leaving something open. Are we going to do this every year or every other year?

It's opened up every year whether or not someone gets nominated is up to us as I understand.

That's correct.

So at this point it's sort of open every year but we'll wait and see what shows.

If you have nominations. The

award does not have to be given but it is eligible or people are eligible to be nominated every year. Now whether or not there's a pool of applicants that you feel there is someone or some organization worthy of the legacy board, you can move forward and if you feel like there are no strong applicants that year, there is no pressure or need requirement to select a winner each year.

Okay. All right. Well, we can develop that criteria. And Harry, maybe from basically what we've said this morning, could you do a little timeline?

Absolutely.

A suggestion of how it might work and dates. And we can mean, we can keep it a little loose because we may not get the applicants.

Yes, I can come back with a timeline and recommendations. It sounds like there's a possibility for nominations, if I'm understanding correctly from three different areas from staff, from the board and from the public. Right.

In regards to the frequency, five years might be too much which I first suggested. So every other year might be too redundant. So maybe we go with three as

far as an award.

That's how often? How often. Like if you're a recipient then you before you can get nominated again, three years would need to pass. Does that seem reasonable?

That seems good to me. Mean it gives you time enough to get

Earn it.

I'm saying two years now because I have it my notes every other year.

That's what March is Yes, were just talking about that. Maybe that's too frequent. Every three would probably give if someone was going to potentially get a nomination twice. I suppose we could change that if we got a lot of applicants one year, we could go ahead an award. Okay, that would be great. Any other comments on this?

In designating the award, are we going to make sure that we explain it that they were the foremost volunteers for this project? Something along that line? Technically speaking, old Betsy was a Venice heritage project. Okay, but we are recognizing Earl and Karen as the volunteers who kind of took the project and ran with it. So do we want to make sure that we specify that was for their volunteer efforts?

Well, yeah, I mean I believe the nominations, it's not just for having old Betsy Museum building completed. I think it's the decades of work on maintaining old Betsy as well.

Yes, think in my mind that's the emphasis. It

was not the continuation, the historical value that they brought to keeping that engine even running. Here in parades and I mean when you driving over the skyway with it. He told me he drove it over the skyway. Can't believe it.

If ever see see it out in public, was you you know, Earl's driving it. You know, so I mean there's some visible and recognizable dedication there.

Correct.

And I will bring back a timeline for this Board as to when we are officially kicking off the program and when we should be soliciting nominations from the public and from this Board and from staff so that we can meet that May deadline for a presentation of the legacy award.

Okay, that'd be great. Thank you, Harry. You're welcome. All right, anything else on that? If not, let's go ahead and review and comment on the draft historic preservation information brochure, which I think we have.

So you have before you today, it was if you recall one of the goals approved by city council for this board to produce a brochure, an informational piece about historic preservation. So staff went ahead and did a rough mock up of what that could look like as a trifold. And so we just kind of threw some information in there to kind of get the discussion started. And for this Board to take a look at it and see what comments you all might have or changes you would like to see so that we can come up with a final layout and then we can go out for design services to do something much better than I do on Publisher.

So someone will take this from the

Yes, someone has a lot more talent than I have in graphic design. Tackle this. But this today's, I mean, if you have ideas about layout, definitely we'll take that. We're looking at primarily here, the content that's in there, is there any information that you would like to see added or you think is on there that's not necessary?

I mean my just journal is too many words right You know a brochures main objective is to spark interest and direct them to a plan of action for the individual to do something else. You know too many words people are just like oh, especially anyone younger than me is would you know. I think obviously the peel really needs to help You know to be concise and then the branding I think is really important as far as you know the archive is, the museum is concerned. I'm not sure you know well that's coming across now. And then do we, is this standalone and then is there going to be another one for the centennial like brochure that people that are coming or attending centennial events, have a different brochure for for the like the Venice timeline explains all the historic preservation that's happened over the last hundred years.

I saw when I was reviewing this, saw a neat one online where older cities that had reached their 100 had a neat timeline that was very graphically appealing, of showed or communicated the history of Venice in a document and then could have maybe forthcoming the timeline so to speak of events that are forthcoming in '26?

I do know that there's an internal Centennial team with the city that is working on all those activities. As far as timeline goes, we have one on the city website. It could probably use a little bit of a graphic enhancement. But we already do have one that is pretty extent. And then as far as more of a visual graphical timeline for the one hundred years, one of the projects that staff is working on is that we are going to be producing a for lack of a better term, a coffee table centennial book that will be picture heavy on modern Venice and sandwiched in there is going to be a very visual timeline that it will include actual description of events and full of historic photographs as well.

But this brochure, its intent was just to be a standalone piece as part of one of the goals this board had received from city council or that city council had approved from this board.

Okay. So things are adding a QR code and links back to the best museum where they can get more information certainly helpful.

Oh yeah we can do that.

That's a good idea.

You have the phone number, website but that should take them with the QR code or you have that there, I see.

Can you go back to that first page again? My only question to that is in the order that you put it, wouldn't you want to put number three being local and then work from there up? You give them you show them the general information and then if people were interested in the local, the last thing is going to be if they are interested in national.

Yes, but it's a trifold and you are opening it up that center spot. That's why they probably Okay.

Higher visibility. Logistics of it, right? No opening them

up. Yes.

I think as an example Sarasota Alliance's branding is really good. It's concise. And it always leads you to somewhere else.

Obviously we need catchy graphics and photographs because that's just people

He already admitted that he's hired.

I know he is but you know that's just And that may change the setup depending on how much space you use to do that but

And perhaps the band of color could be something a little more eye catching. That's a pretty muted, does not catch your eye at all color.

That is actually one of the colors for the Venice Museum. And the others we can incorporate in as well again. This was just kind of to throw something together to start this conversation. Okay.

Yeah, it's a good start.

So step two would be exactly what?

So step two then will be I can go ahead and incorporate these suggestions and changes and then come back with another mock up. Can now probably what I can do at that point too is already start working with our graphic designer. So that there's more of the branding in there and there's more catchy graphics as opposed to Kathy graphics that I put in my notes. And then so I can come back with those revisions for this board then to review.

Is Okay. That for the next meeting or several probably?

I would say because we work with an outside graphic designer. We don't necessarily control her timeline. I would say probably not the next meeting but the meeting after that we should have it.

Okay. Just to give us an idea. Any other comments for Harry on this brochure? Do you have anything else to add? I would

just from a board point of view, if you see something, a model that you think is effective, shoot it over to

to

Harry and staff so that I agree.

That would help. Might see something that you're not thinking about today.

Yeah, no absolutely. I mean we'd love to steal other people's ideas.

Yeah, well nothing new under the sun.

Nope.

All right. Well, thank you Mr. Klinghammer. Anything else for Harry while he's up here? All right.

Okay, we'll go ahead and move to the public hearing. We have a request to seek a recommendation to City Council on placing the home at 500 Nassau Street in the local register of historic places. I think that's Nassau Street South. It's P L A R 25 Dash 00246 Dash 500 Nassau Street South. And Harry is the resource manager, is going to give us a little discussion about that.

This is a quasi judicial hearing, and it has been properly advertised. This is to certify that the public hearing for this petition was appropriately advertised 08/09/2025, as required by the City Land Development Code. Proof of publication is on file in the Planning and Zoning Office. We'll go ahead and open the public hearing. And Daniel, could you give us a little discussion?

First off, I need to ask any of you, does anybody on the board have a conflict of interest with hearing this matter? No. Okay. Please let the record reflect that the board has indicated that there's no conflicts of interest. And second, I need to confirm whether or not anybody on this board has had any sort of ex parte communication that includes email or regarding this application? No. Please let the record reflect that the Board has indicated there has been no ex parte communication.

All right, thank you. Is there anyone offering testimony today other than you? It doesn't look like it.

No. The owners, they do not live in town so they're not here today.

We'll go ahead and have a staff report then on this.

All right. So again for the record here at Klinkhammer, Historical Resources Manager. What you have before you today is a local register nomination from Michael and Alice German, owners of the property at 500 Nassau Street South. So that is the address, date built is we believe it's 1927. As far as architect goes, we actually managed to find this home in a couple of different pattern books.

So this was just a pattern design that was used. We do know that the builder was Graham Walker. He was a builder and contractor salesman out of Tampa, who had actually acquired several properties here in Venice. As a quick aside, Mr. Walker acquired all these properties including that one had that home built.

And then like many people lost all his properties to tax liens in the court in 1935. And architectural style, Mediterranean revival of course at that time they were all promoting it as Northern Italian. So the applicant is proposing nomination under these categories. Keep in mind, only one category is needed to be nominated to the local register. But the applicant has nominated this property based on criteria one, its significance in the city's history, three, associated with the lives of a person significant in the past, four, embodies a different character, distinctive characteristic of a type, period or style, eight, is a contributing structure to a national historic district, and nine are characterized as a geographically definable area possessing a significant concentration of sites, buildings or objects or structures.

Now after staff began reviewing in more depth this application,

well

it would be quite blunt, I was thinking I could find the architect. And so going down that rabbit hole, staff is recommending that actually this property would only be eligible for number one, as significance in the city's history and culture, four embodies the distinctive character of a tight period or style, and eight, that it is a contributing structure to a national historic district. In staff research in trying to verify some of the information and as I said, thinking that a prominent individual in Venice in the nineteen twenties building a house would make the newspapers especially when the paper at the time, not the gondolier, was about a big, was basically a big promotional piece promoting Venice. So somebody famous building a house, it'd be in the paper and it wasn't. And so from there, my research went to finding out that Prentice French actually only lived in the city in season in the years 1928 and we believe 1929.

And from what we have read in the paper, he rented out, he stayed at the house of Mr. Frank Warren who was with the Venice Company. And his home, when it was built, was described in the paper and it was at 429 Nassau Street South. And that's the house that Prentiss French and his newly wed when they came out for the honeymoon, that is the house that is mentioned that they stayed at when they were in Venice. And by 1930, they moved and bought a house in Sarasota and were living there.

So the one piece of evidence that we found where the idea of that home at 500 Nassau Street South being the Prince's French House was based on an oral history that was done in the nineteen ninety's with someone who was a child during the nineteen twenties. And she was asked specifically about if the house with the statue was the Prentice French house, which she said yes. However, she then went on to describe the house because she said when she grew up, she always wanted to buy it. And the house that she describes is the one at 429 South Nassau Street. So obviously this property, and I can get into the architectural design and detail of the home, you

all can

probably read that better than I can, but it is pretty classical Mediterranean revival. There have been some changes and additions done to the home, the garage is new, that was done I believe in 1980s. There was that addition that was put on in front of the house. I know that you all will seeing an application regarding this home that the owners are looking to actually do a restoration back to the original layout and design of the home. But this is still eligible under the significance, it's one of the first homes built in the city.

It is distinctive characteristic representation of Mediterranean revival architecture and it is a contributing structure to the Vizier Park National Historic District. So those categories in and of itself, staff believes worthy enough or eligible enough for nominating this property. But staff does not recommend nominating it under category three or category nine which is really more about defining a regional area, not so much two buildings. So that just is not an adequate category for that type of nomination. And staff can take any questions the Board might have.

All right, any questions for you? Harry,

would it be if we nominated at this point, would it be necessary for them to show us the intent of what they're going to do rather than just saying we're nominating us and they're going to do it. But don't we need something that shows us what is going to happen? Because if they decide not to you know in five or six months into it.

This is the better way. This by far is the better way because the nomination and and designation come first before design that will require them to restore it properly versus not. So this is the much better path and they should be commended for doing it.

Today this board is nominating the structure as is. Now the intent of the owners, what actually happens, we'll have to wait and see. I know that there is an application that's going through the channels that will be coming before this board regarding work that they will be doing to the property. But as for today, this nomination is for the House as it is today in the condition it's in based upon this criteria that staff feels meets, that this property meets in terms of the guidelines for the local register.

So once it's nominated, it's on there forever?

Once it's nominated, it is on there unless there's reason to take it off. Such as it's been demolished, obviously don't need to keep a demolished building on the local register. If through time somehow alterations have been made that take away from its integrity and distinctiveness of the architectural style that would be caused to remove it. If for some reason it is no longer considered a contributing structure to the Unity Park National Historic District, that would be caused to consider delisting it. And delisting a property, it's the same process as listing it.

So there would be a public hearing with this board to do the delisting and it would be a recommendation then to City Council to delist the property.

My

concern is the house next to it is beautiful. It's been redone and it's absolutely beautiful. And my concern is I don't want this to sit there for a long time and so on and not do anything because it Mark would know this is gonna be a lot of work.

Well, it is. I mean, it's currently been presented. So you will this Board will be seeing the proposed renovations for this house in the very near future as soon as it can get on the schedule. So that's I can't speak for the owner, but that is the intent at this point. Understand that that will be

And I would just say again, since this is a quasi usual hearing, the board can only vote on what's What in front of happens with neighbors or applications down the line. It's speculation at this point and we can't go off of what potentially could happen. So it's kind of whether or not what's in front of you today meets the criteria and whether or not the board wants to make a recommendation or not to send it to City Council.

Any other questions? I have a question. Assuming that this is approved by City Council, the guidelines that we have in our district will prevail over the ruling of whether it is accepted by for CAC or not. Is that correct?

Yes. So well, if I understand correctly with the code, properties that are on the local register but of the John Nolan era still follow the Venice historic precedent design guidelines. So that will still be in effect regarding reviewing any future applications that come in. Right.

All right. Any other comments for Mr. Klinghammer with regard to this proposal? No? All right. We'll go ahead and is there any audience participation? There's no audience participation today?

No, there's not.

No staff comments from staff.

Just final comment again that staff recommends that if this board elects to recommend this nomination to City Council, staff would recommend that criteria three and nine be removed. And I can work with the applicant to update their application to not have three and nine on there.

So here we are, are we if as according to the motion we're about to ask for, we be using the criteria that you set out as a revision. That's what we'd be approving to send to City Council.

I'm sorry, I didn't quite hear that last part.

We would be sending, I can't remember the numbers. One, four, and eight.

One, four, eight are all criteria that this nomination is meet or is eligible for.

Okay. Well, then we would expect those to be part of the motion.

Okay.

All right. Any other questions for Mr. Klinghammer? No? All right. We'll close the public hearing. And then I will request a motion, to recommend or not this approval.

So I'll motion to nominate on the local historic register the property at five hundred Nassau Street South based on the applicant and follows the staff's recommendations for the criteria of nomination to be one, four and eight.

I'll second that motion.

Right. All in favor? Aye. Opposed? No opposed. All right, passes.

Chair, do need a roll call vote.

Oh, do need lunch. Okay. I'm sorry. All right, let's do a roll call vote on that please.

Mr. Stuckey? Aye. Mr. Barrack? Yes. Ms. Dereberry? Aye. Ms. Trammell? Yes. Mr. Green?

Yes.

Mr. Watkins? Aye. And Chair Bevy?

Yes. All right. Thank you very much. It's approved. Let's send on to City Council and see if they approve it as well. Thank you, Board. All right, Mr. Roger. How are you doing?

Good to see here.

Been too

long, right?

It has been a

while, yes.

For the record, Roger Clark, Planning and Zoning Director. On behalf of staff, I want to welcome Mr. Green to the Board. We appreciate your willingness to serve and I look forward to working with you and as I'm sure the rest of the Board does as well. So we're glad to have you here today. We did get with Mr. Green, gave him kind of an onboarding little information on what the Board does and everything. And so he's I think he's ready to go. So that's great. Couple of things I wanted to bring up today.

One is, I know that had a lot of discussion in the past about some code changes, especially working from Mr. Barrick's guidance on some of the code changes that we looked at bringing forward possibly, but I want to mention Senate Bill 180, which has been in place for a while and was just recently extended by the governor, Had a lot to do with hurricane recovery. However, it has also pretty much spread into any area of our code or comprehensive plan. And through that bill and that legislation, we are not able to draft any more prohibitive or burdensome code or comp plan language at this point until I believe 10/01/2027. It was just extended from 2026.

So what that brings forward is I know some of the code changes we're looking at was going to take something that would typically be in staff's hands and make it required to come to the board which would obviously be more burdensome for any applicant. So our hands are kind of tied by that legislation at this point and not only in this arena, but throughout, like I said, throughout the code and the comprehensive plan. It's a difficult bill and there are a lot of groups in the state that are challenging it. Whether that will make any difference, we'll wait and see. But it does kind of tie our hands if we wanted to increase standards in our code to protect health safety and welfare at this point.

We if it's a more burdensome or a more prohibitive code then we cannot do it until that date. And like I said, that could be extended as well. So there is a lot of discussion in the planning community and then the state overall about this. So we'll see what happens with that. So wanted to let you know that.

Wanted to ask, has everybody been to the museum? This is kind of probably a dumb question. I assume most all of you have been there but I just wanted to make sure you have all been there and have you been there lately to see the old Betsy Museum and display because it's really an awesome display and a great part of our history here in the city of Venice. So certainly want to promote that to folks as much as you can. Harry is trying to build the attendance at the museum and get more people there and more people to understand that we have a museum and that it's a very integral part of the city.

So make sure promoting that when we're out there in the community and we certainly are as much as we can here as well. So I wanted to make sure that's going on. And the last thing I have here was kind of part of a discussion with the City Clerk's office and it was discussion of possibly, if you want to put that on the overhead, Harry, possibly reducing to one meeting a month for this Board. Harry is putting on the Board here or on the overhead, the meetings and how they've gone. You're going to have to slide that down a little bit.

We in 2024, there were 20 meetings scheduled and there were 10 canceled. And right now in 2025, we would typically have 20 meetings scheduled and there's been at this point, there's been eight canceled. So it looks like we're running about one meeting a month rather than the two meetings a month. You go. Look at that.

Clear now. It is a lot of work for staff, especially the clerk's office to be all prepared for meeting and ready for the meetings and then have to cancel it. So we're thinking it might be more efficient to just go to one meeting a month. Obviously, we can call a special meeting if the Board desires at any time. So we can always add in meetings.

But at this stage, we're thinking it would be a good idea to go to either. Right now we're the second and fourth Thursday of every month. I would certainly leave it up to you whether you wanted to do the second or fourth, whichever one works for you all. So our next meeting and I think it might be a good idea to start this maybe in October because we do have two meetings scheduled for September and I believe we do have applications for at least one of them. So we could start this in October. So I'm looking for the Board's input on this and if you're in favor of it or what comments you might have.

Well, I think is clear that we are canceling more meetings than having. So I think this is a good suggestion. I do think we should have just with just the general public design professionals working on projects. There's a lot of time involved with application, advertisement and all that. So I do think we should hold out for a special meeting.

I think we're all local, I think for the most part. So we could do that if need be to help an applicant out. But I think this is a good idea starting in October once a month. I don't know if anyone has any preference on the frequency or what I mean, second week of the month.

Good thing is we don't have to make any code changes for this year. You're pretty much the code indicates you meet when you need So there's no code changes we have to do. It's just a decision of the board and Yes. Move

I have a question on meetings held and meetings that weren't held. Which one of those were where did you put the meetings that were canceled due to lack of quorum?

I'm not sure. I think I can't remember at this point. I know our last meeting was canceled for lack of a quorum. There may have been a couple more prior to that, but I can't remember how many there were. We did have some. Was a couple.

We had some in spring. I remember that we had a gap.

Okay. So there have been some meetings. We do our best to get word out to you and call you as well. But I know last meeting we didn't have a quorum. So that was an issue. But I think maybe if we reduce the number of meetings that might be helpful for all of you.

I will also add if I may. Doing so, we will still be in compliance with the certified local government program. Okay.

If we have something that we do that has to go before city council, how much time do you need? In other words, I'm saying if we had second or the last Thursday of the month, would you have time to get it to council or would it be better to put it behind the council meeting to give you time to do the process to send it to council?

That's a good question. I don't I think it would be okay either way, council meets twice a month anyway and they're I don't know that they're ever cancelled those meetings. So they always meet. So whether it's first Thursday, second Thursday, we've got time to get it to the City Council.

Okay. I'd like to support the idea of doing one meeting a month with possibility of a special meeting if needed. I think that puts more on a practical course for the meetings.

Makes sense. Does anybody have a problem with the second week in the month?

Second Thursday or first I

would suggest first Thursday.

First Thursday,

we can all remember that?

I'll write it down.

How would the special session, so an applicant comes in, they have a project that would automatically trigger assuming they once they apply that would trigger a special session and how would that be scheduled accordingly? Would it reside on the dates that we already have established as either the second or the third? Like I don't want it pop I guess my concern is I don't want it popping up on another day that we're not normal to or used to.

That's good guidance. Think if we have an applicant that submits something, we will be working since it has to go through processes to get to you, we will be working towards a meeting that is a scheduled meeting. So I don't think that would be an issue. If we were to set a special meeting, think we would probably try and stick with Thursday at least and more than likely a second or a fourth of Thursday. So something that in your normal schedule you would be used to. I don't think it would pop up on a Monday or a Wednesday unless it was a real emergency and I don't think we're going have any real emergencies. I think we could keep it consistent with your typical understanding of when meetings would have been. Okay.

All right. I think this is a good idea. Do you want us to vote on this or? Sure. Right.

Entertain a motion.

I would make a motion. I'll make a motion that we change our schedule now to the first Thursday of each month, deleting if you wanted and deleting the second one unless it's necessary. Starting in October

this year? Okay. Starting in October.

Okay. In October.

Second.

Ruth Ann seconds. I'll second. All in favor? Aye. Opposed? All right. Okay, great. We'll start doing that. You. Appreciate that. Suggestion. Don't need

to get

confused with what was canceled and what wasn't canceled.

Yes. And it all depends on the how often we get applications or we have something historic like today to move forward to. It doesn't happen as quickly as like planning commission, they have something almost done every meeting and capital So I appreciate it and I appreciate the City Clerk's office indicating that this was kind of a situation we need to address.

Thank you. Anything else for Roger Well? Hear Okay.

Roger, while I've got you here, I'm kind of the update person,

okay. I have a list

of things that we have approved and that I haven't seen anything, Okay, for instance, the Hanneman Building downtown. Is there any change in that, anything? People ask me what's going on?

I can update you to some extent. Obviously, it has been for sale for quite a while. I've heard of different folks that are interested in that property. They do have site development plan approval after you guys approved the architectural. They did receive approval from planning commission for site development plan and that was in June 2024 and so that approval is good for two years.

So that's good until June, I can't remember the exact date, but June '26. So that and that's extremely important. And I'll tell you why in a minute. Your approval on the design of the structure actually was only good for a year. So that will have to come back to you for the architectural portion of that site.

But like I say, the site plan is good for two years. Now the reason that's pretty crucial because you guys spend an awful lot of time on the architectural. Remember, I don't know how many meetings we had, I think if they brought back the same thing, probably would be okay with it and hopefully that would happen, but not necessarily. But the importance of the site development plan is the fact that our new code does not allow you to build out over the sidewalk. And they have that ability now with their approval.

So it's very important that they don't let that expire if they still want to do that that because if it does expire, they're going back to Square 1 and that's going to be a significant redesign obviously and they won't be able to build out over the right of way. So that's kind of where we're at with that. There's a lot of interest in it. I've met with folks about it, explained to them just what I told you today. So we'll just have to wait and see what happens at this point.

Now there was the other property also that was in the back. That one didn't require site development planning commission because it was only exterior improvements. You guys reviewed all that, you approved it, but that was also only good for a year. So if somebody comes back with that property that will have to come back to you.

That one you. Next one is the Circus. Circus property,

there is some activity on that property recently. Obviously, we've gone through the process with you all regarding the tent and we did you did come to an agreement that the tent would be okay. And there was some significant delay. They did they still have to go to planning commission, okay, for any site improvements. They haven't from my understanding been at that point yet and we haven't seen that move forward.

But I have been in recent contact with the professional that they are working with and I do believe I do anticipate something coming something that's forthcoming. So we are hopeful that that will be coming soon. Okay. My last question is one that we approved at

well, the Miami one was a Verizon building. Right. That one we approved, that's one that he discussed. The last one I had is the condominiums on the corner by the steak house. We approved those about

eight, nine months ago. You're talking about one just north of Prime? Yes. Yes. That one also has site at the moment plan approval. And at this point I really don't have any update on that for you and I'm not sure when that expires. The site development plan approval, I have to look that up. But it is site development approval good for two years. Within that timeframe you need to pull a permit which would stop the clock to move forward. So I'm not sure exactly what the date on that one is. Thank you. Harry,

both of you, the beach pavilion, where is the status on the council's approval of that?

That has been approved so it's on the local register. We've already acquired the plaque on waiting on public works to create a concrete slab to mount it on and then we'll have a designation ceremony. But it's already been approved by city council and it is in the local register.

Just to follow-up on that as far as renovations to it, could you give us an idea of the schedule of that? Do you know?

That I do not know. That falls under public works and I don't know what their timetable is for doing any work there.

Pretty sure they have I believe they have a capital improvement project for that in the upcoming budget, which won't be determined or approved until October 1. So But I believe they do plan on that for next year of course between now and October 1, anything can happen in the budget. But I do believe that is the schedule. Obviously, there'll be a lot of work to do after they if they get that approved, the budget gets approved with that in there to move forward and get a contractor and all the things that we have to do for procurement. So yes, that will be upcoming.

Brittany just informed me, I think the motion said first Thursday, which will be the second it's actually the second Thursday of the month. So I want to make sure that that's clear. Okay. It's the first meeting opportunity that we would have typically had, but it will be the second Thursday of each month. Okay.

Would probably sense

just to clarify on the record, would want you to redo the motion just to say the second Thursday of the month just so that's clear. So just a motion to vote to revise the one meeting a month on the second Tuesday of every month.

Second Thursday.

Second Thursday.

Thursday. Motion to vote to put one meeting a month on the second Thursday of the month.

You like to read your motion? What

did I say? Tuesday?

Want it on the second Thursday. Mic?

Your mic. All

right. I would like to make a motion that we have one meeting a month and it will be on the second Thursday of the month. If it is necessary, let's just leave it at that. In October,

keep it simple. Right.

I'll second it.

Ruth Ann seconds it. All in favor? Aye. Opposed? All right. Thank you. Motion passes. All right. Anything else for staff? If not?

One other last comment from staff.

Yes.

Just so you know that at this past week's City Council meeting, city council authorized the mayor to sign the contract agreement with the state of Florida regarding the grant for doing the survey of the Edgewood and Seaboard area. So I've just picked that up and we will be sending that off to Tallahassee. So once it's got their signatures on it, then we can start putting together the RFP and start soliciting for contractors to do the survey.

Okay, great. So with consistency you'll just likely go back to the same consultant that did?

We're going to put it out to bid as part of our procurement procedures and we'll see applications we get in. I know that the company that we use, there has been a lot of turnover and the staff that we work with are all, actually now a different company is reaching out to me about working on this project. We will go ahead and just do the regular solicitation and see what bids we get in.

Okay, very good. Anything else? All right, if not, we are adjourned.