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Agenda Town Hall 01-28-03 City of Delray Beach Annuaf Town Faff eeting Tuesday, January 28, 2003 Crest Theatre at OFdSchoo£Square 51 YVT. Swinton Avenue 7:00p. m. ?:OOp. m. ?:05p. m. 7:15 p. m. 7:30p. m. 7:45 p. m. A GBHDA Call to order and qVelcome - yffayor Oavid ~. Schmidt Land ~)se Issues and Trends Comprehensive Plan Pffport - Jess Sowards, P~ Chairperson Community Pti, development Agency Status P~eport - John Weaver, CP~ Chairperson State of the Oty P4pon - Oavid E Harden, Oty y~lanager Town Hall yffeeting el, Infrastructure Hearing Open 94icrophone for Pu61ic Comments Concluding Pffmarks by Commissioners, if desired Adjournment The Oty wffl furmsh au~ffffmry aufs and semnces to afford an ~ndi~dual ~nth a disabdity an opportumty to partu~pate ~n andenjoy the benefits ora serv~e, program, or actw~ty conducted by the Oty. Contact ~Dong Randolph at 243-7127 (votce), 24 hours pr~r to the event m order for the Oty to accommodate your request. Adaptwe listening dewces are avadabb for meetings m the Comm~sswn Clmmbers. PUBLIC NOTICE 11 City of Delray Beach th Annual Town Hall Meeting DELRAY BEACH 1993 2001 THE CITY OF DELRAY BEACH INVITES RESIDENTS TO ATTEND THE 11th ANNUAl. TOWN HALL MEETING AND INFRASTRUCTURE PUBLIC HEARING ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2003 AT 7:00 P.M., IN THE CREST THEATRE AT OLD SCHOOL SQUARE, 51 NORTH SWINTON AVENUE, DELRAY BEACH. ALL RESIDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS THEIR IDEAS, CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS ON ANY SUBJECT AFFECTING THE CITY. POST. JANUARY 17, 2003 THE PALM BEACH POST ° WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2003 I CITY OF DE[RAY B~CH ANNUAL TOWN HALL M~I'ING AND INFRAS~UCTI'URE PUBLIC HEARING DELRAY BEACH F L O I I D A 1993 2001 The City o~Delrny Be~ invites residers to a~te~d ~e l lt~ An#~d Town H~ M~ng a~ ln~re ~ H~ng on Tuesday, I~u~ 28, 2003 at 7:~ p.m. ~ ~e Crest ~e at Old ~1 Sq~e 51 No~ S~ton Avenu~ De~y B~ The meeting will consist of two parts. The first will be a special presentation of the City's annual report and involves a presentation by the Planning and Zoning Board and the City Administration. The Annual Report will focus on projects and activities implemented in Dekay Beach over the past year and will address the progress made toward implementing and meeting the goals and objectives of the Comprehensive Plan, including improvements to water, sewer, drainage, and street systems; the status of neighborhood assistance programs; the Decade of Excellence program; and the financial status of the City. The second portion of the Town Hall Meeting will be devoted to public comment, including a community-wide public heating on infrastructure needs for the purpose of ~dentifying neighborhoods within the city which are most in need of physical improvements. This input will be considered in the preparation of the Public Improvements work program for the next fiscal year (October 1, 2003 through September 30, 2004). All residents are encouraged to take this opportunity to express their ideas, concerns, and questions on any subject affecting the City. PUBLISH: January 22, 2003 Neighborhood Post r 1 993 2001 The City of Delray Beach invites residents to attend the 11* Annual Town HaH Meeting and Infrastructure Public Hearing on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 at 7:tl0 p.m. in the Crest Theatre at Old School. Square, S1 North Swinton Avenue, Delray ~. The meeting will consist of two parts. The first will be a special presentation of the City's annual report and involves a preseentation by the Planning and Zoning Board and the City Administration. The Annual Report will focus on projects and activities implemented in Delray Beach over the .psat year and will address the progress made toward implementing and meeting the goals and objectives of the Comp ,rehensive Plan, including improvements to water, sewer, drainage, and sweet systems; the status of neighborhood assistance programs; the Decade of Excellence program; and the financial status of the City. The ~:ond portion of the Town Hall Meeting will be devoted to public comment, ificluding a comm~mity-wide public hearing oil infrasllxlcture needs for the purpose of identifying neigh~ within ~ city which are most in need of physical improvements. This input will be coosidered in the preparation of the Public lnlptovemel~ work program for the next fiscal year (October 1, 2003 through September 30, ~04). All residents are encom~ed to take Ibis oppommity to express their ideas, concerns, and questions O~ .stay subject affecting Ihe City. 2002 Annual Report David T. Harden City of Delray Beach Florida -1- Good evening. Thank you for coming this evening. We look forward to receiving your suggestions on how we can continue to improve our City. But first, let me review our progress last year. Beginning in 1988, with Visions 2000, Delray Beach has emphasized strategic, long range planning to identify issues and set future direction for our community. Each Spring the City Commission, with assistance from many of you, has identified shorter range five year goals, as well as targets for the coming year. This year the five goals first set in 2000 were again reaffirmed, and a sixth one added. Our goals for 2007 are, Community Unity, an Expanded Downtown, Quality Neighborhoods, an Expanded and Diversified Local Economy, Quality Educational Opportunities, and additionally, Top Quality Services. -2- The especially challenging goal of Community Unity was highlighted in October, Unity in the Community Month. Comm. Levinson brought Famous Amos for inspirational addresses at the Community Child Care Center, the Community Center and to City employees. Walk/Ride Your Bike to School Day highlighted student safety going to Banyan Creek Elementary. Lights on After School focused on the importance of After School Programs for many of our children. And, we held the first Community Dinner, bringing together two neighborhoods who normally have little or no contact. Two Residents Academies provided information, resources, and tools for residents to become knowledgeable community members and effective neighborhood leaders. Citizens worked together to solve problems on the Elder Ready Task Force. Chaired by Officer Skip Brown, this group gathered information from hundreds of sources to complete the Elder Ready Report Card, detailing our readiness to deal with issues facing our elder population. -3- This report will give direction and help identify funding sources to make us an Elder Ready Community. Neighborhood residents also worked on planning for Osceola Park, Chatelaine and the Downtown area as well as for the Southwest Area Neighborhood as citizens developed a vision and action strategies to address neighborhood needs. Special Events were reviewed and policies developed to manage their impact. Many events highlight the multiple cultures comprising our community. Changes to support Community Unity include moving the main Roots Festival venue to Old School Square, and supporting three family oriented Rhythm and Blues on the Avenue events on West Atlantic this spring. Also, this year Delray Affair will cross Swinton for the first time. Positive communication was strengthened by adding a full time City Public Information Officer. He will use every available means to get information to anyone interested in the City. -4- In June we completed our consolidated Web site. In addition to obtaining information, including agendas and minutes, you can report complaints and get a response from the City. As we progress, you will be able to conduct more and more business with the City over the internet and access most City records. One part of Community Unity is breaking down the mental division between East and West Atlantic, creating an expanded downtown. Downtown will begin at 1-95. We are working with FDOT to determine what they will allow as a gateway feature in the median. The streetscape between West 2nd and 6th avenues will be extended east and west to unify with East Atlantic. This year, access to downtown has been severely affected by construction, both on 1-95 and the Atlantic Ave bridge. The bridge is finished, but closure ofi-95 underpasses will continue into the summer. -5- Parking was improved with the addition of the Gleason St parking lot. A possible joint venture for public parking in a garage at the Residence Inn has been delayed pending construction of the Residence Inn expansion. On West Atlantic, however, the County will begin construction this spring on a garage for courthouse expansion, and the City has the option to add more spaces later. These improvements should help attract more diverse businesses. The types of businesses needed have been identified in a cluster study, and we will begin to aggressively recruit them. The improved mix will then attract more Delray residents to use our downtown. Downtown business will be supported even more strongly by downtown residents. Over 200 townhouses are under construction in downtown. Pineapple Grove Village will add much needed rental units, even though Worthing Place is still tied up in court. Further west, the City has worked closely with the nonprofits involved to facilitate the Atlantic Grove development, the first major private redevelopment on West Atlantic. -6- To keep our downtown the unique, interesting place it is, everyone is working hard on the Design Guidelines and other aspects of the Downtown Master Plan. Meanwhile, we continue to seek funding for implementing the initiatives contained in the Master Plan, using our own capital plan and various grant sources. The Downtown Master Plan also addresses the neighborhoods north and south of Atlantic Ave, including the character of infill development. Overlay districts and other regulatory tools are being evaluated for adoption to ensure the quality and appropriate character of such infill. Neighborhood infrastructure improvements continue as a priority. Seacrest/Del Ida is in its final phase. The Delray Shores/Sudan enhancements are almost complete. Water, sewer, drainage and street projects continue in the Northwest and Southwest Neighborhoods, with 2" water lines replaced and drainage and sidewalks installed. Neighborhood residents are taking responsibility for deciding improvements they need. -7- The Southwest Neighborhood Plan is fully resident driven, and residents are heavily involved in Chatelaine and Osceola Park Plans. The City will then work with the neighborhood on implementation. The next strategic plan will be for Rainberry Woods. Such improvements are worthless unless residents feel safe. So our Police continue to emphasize community and problem oriented policing, aided by citizens on patrol, taking responsibility for each other. Special efforts in the Weed and Seed target area resulted in almost 1,000 arrests last year to improve that area. We also continue to support home ownership as a key component of quality neighborhoods. Just last week we recognized the 150th family to receive assistance through the Renaissance Program to become first time home buyers. -8- Swinton Gardens, an 11 unit subdivision developed by the City, will provide more homes for first time buyers. Faced with a continuing shortage of middle income housing, the Commission decided to exercise our options on 54 acres off Barwick Rd. These options were initially acquired for a potential high school site, but we annexed the land and received proposals for building new middle income housing and a 10 acre City park. Construction should start late this year. Turning to our local economy, the Commission is taking the initiative on Economic Development. Late in 2002 we approved an agreement with the Chamber of Commerce creating a full time position to recruit new businesses. -9- The Chamber is now seeking a person for this position to go after the missing businesses identified in the downtown cluster study, and develop a strategy for filling empty "Big Boxes," like the former Costco and the Winn-Dixie on South Federal, with businesses that will be an asset to the City. The result will be a business mix meeting community needs which is less vulnerable to economic cycles. Our economic strategy will support local business expansion as well as recruitment. Expansion is the source of most business growth. It likewise furthers the Downtown Master Plan goal of redevelopment without displacement. We will also evaluate the effectiveness of nonprofits like the TED Center and WARC to strengthen their capacity for developing new, locally owned businesses. Another source of business development is though FAU and other local colleges and universities. Building positive relationships with them will position us to capture businesses which are created by their research activities. -10- An additional focus for economic development will be West 5th Ave. The City and the CRA are working together to implement Downtown Master Plan recommendations for reviving this historic minority business district, assisting businesses and improving infrastructure. When new businesses consider a community they look for an educated work force and quality schools. That is why for over a decade Delray has worked hard to improve its schools. This year's major achievement was acquiring the new high school site, 43 acres on Atlantic west of Congress. The site was transferred to the School Board on December 2, to the surprise of those who said it could not be done so quickly. The new school will have the full range of facilities. Some 2,500 students are within walking distance, compared to 800 that close to the current site. As a central community facility serving almost all ofDelray's students, it will help draw the community together. Now our students attend four different high schools, which is a source of division. -Il- Relocation of the high school will create an opportunity for a new middle school and soccer complex on the existing site, both of which are needed in our City. The School Board has now added the middle school to the second five years of their capital plan, and is discussing a middle school of the arts. The School Board decided to increase the high school size by 500 students and add a vocational component. This achieves our long time goal of having vocational training readily available for our residents so they can qualify for higher paying jobs. Our Education Committee has taken leadership on improving our schools. We will strengthen their responsibility and give clear direction to save the special programs which are important for the quality and balance of our schools. We need to keep the IB programs at Carver and Atlantic, the Montessori program at Spady and the gifted program at Banyan Creek. We must also ensure that the School Board follows through on its commitment for expansion of Village Academy. -12- Our Education Committee is unusual in that it works with all our schools; public, charter and private. That is because our goal is access to quality education for all Delray students. All types of schools working together can best accomplish that goal. Finally we have the new Commission goal of top quality services valued by citizens. To achieve this goal we must attract and retain a well motivated, highly trained and professional work force. So, we are especially pleased that the Fire Department reduced its vacancies from 15% to 8%, and the Police Department hired 18 new officers while only losing two to other agencies. with the IAFF and NCF&O. New contracts were reached All our pay scales were reviewed and adjusted to be competitive and keep equity between different employee groups. New police officers get 16 weeks of field training. Fire, Police and other employees require ongoing in-service training. -13- Some 79 classes were provided for employees, and 38 employees pursued college level education, all to develop the capacity of our work force. Our quality employees received numerous awards. Detective John Young was a finalist for national police officer of the year. The Fire- Rescue Dive Team received special recognition at the Public Safety Divers National Conference, and NRPA gave Ocean Rescue the Excellence in Aquatics Award. Our Downtown Master Plan process has been recognized at both the state and national level. We must continue to review our service levels and expectations to ensure we do not outstrip our resources. We cannot let personnel costs rise faster than our revenues, yet in the wake of 9/11 public safety salaries are rising rapidly and we must compete with cities like Boca Raton which has a tax base approaching three times ours. Some of these pressures can be relieved by innovative use of technology to cut costs or increase productivity. -14- Public Technology, Inc., is nationally recognizing our Police, who, working with Advanced Public Safety and NETdelivery, have greatly reduced report writing time and will soon both generate citations using a mobile data terminal and printer and submit reports from the field. Computer network backbone improvements increased data transmission speed over six fold, and wireless connections to outlying sites improved speed and reliability. Competitive compensation, investing in technology and providing quality services require careful management of our financial resources. Fortunately, our assessed valuation increase exceeded 10% for the second year in a row. As a result we were able to fund increases in compensation without increasing the millage. We were not able to increase our reserves this year due to the Mervil wrongful death settlement, but we did take advantage of low interest rates to refinance our bonds, saving over $4.5 million in future debt service and freeing up $1.2 million in reserves. In the process we improved our bond rating and released the pledge of Communication Service Tax. -15- In the budget process this year the Commission reviewed in detail the services provided by all our various programs. Considering our financial limitations and capital needed for initiatives like the Parks and Downtown Master Plans, we must identify the City's core businesses and focus our resources on those services. We must have facilities and infrastructure to provide services, and they must be maintained and expanded. Other major projects were reconstruction of the Marina site, Sarah Gleason Park and NW 18th Avenue. The beach was renourished and a Teen Center developed at the Women's Club. Soon we will rebuild the golf course greens, expand the cemetery and build a skateboard park. We continue to invest heavily in water, sewer and drainage improvements, but we are finally catching up on water and sewer needs. Replacement equipment included a 100 foot ladder truck with an articulating arm for the Fire Dept. This year we will replace three EMS vehicles at some $170,000 each. -16- As the City has grown over the last decade, we increasingly find ourselves cramped for office space. The Fire and Police Departments, Parks and Recreation, and others have all struggled with this problem. So, in the near future, we should do a comprehensive space study to see how best to meet these needs. As your City staff, we continue to strive toward the goals you have set with the Commission and through the Visions 2010 process. We made great progress in 2002 and look forward to doing the same in 2003. For a complete report on all that was accomplished last year, be sure to read our Annual Report which will be distributed February 19~h. (Introduce department heads ~f they have not been introduced.) City staff members are available to answer your questions afterwards, or, if requested by the Mayor, during the next part of this meeting. Now I will give the meeting back to Mayor Schmidt for our infrastructure hearing and public comments. TOWN HALL MEETING PRESENTATION TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2003, 7:00 PM AS CHAIRMAN OF THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD OF DELRAY BEACH, I AM PRIVILEGED TO PRESENT THE BOARD'S ANNUAL REPORT. THE MAIN FOCUS OF THE PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT IS TO IMPLEMENT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS THE PRIMARY GROWTH MANAGEMENT TOOL FOR OUR CITY. THE PLAN DESCRIBES HOW THE COMMUNITY LOOKS TODAY, AND HOW IT IS EXPECTED TO LOOK IN THE FUTURE. IT CONTAINS THE POLICY GUIDELINES FOR THE CONTROL OF GROWTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE CITY. THROUGH SPECIFIC ELEMENTS SUCH AS FUTURE LAND PUBLIC FACILITIES, COASTAL SPACE AND RECREATION, AND USE, TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING, MANAGEMENT, CONSERVATION, OPEN INTERGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION, THE PLAN PROVIDES A DETAILED LOOK AT THE ISSUF_~ACING OUR CITY, AND ITS PLANS FOR FUTURE GROWTH. IT~CLSO HAS A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT ELEMENT THAT DEALS WITH HOW THE CITY IS GOING TO FINANCE ALL OF THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE CALLED FOR IN THE PLAN. THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD HAS THE RESPONSIBILTY OF IMPLEMENTING THE COMP PLAN. THE BOARD REVIEWS PROPOSALS FOR NEW DEVELOPMENTS TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE CITY'S GOALS AND OBJECTIVES, AND ALSO REVIEWS UPDATES TO THE COMP PLAN TO MAKE SURE IT'S KEEPING PACE WITH CHANGES IN THE CITY. THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE PROGRESS MADE LAST YEAR TOWARD a:\town hall meeting presentatiol.doc ACHIEVING THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OUTLINED IN THE COMP PLAN. LET'S TOUCH ON JUST A FEW HIGHLIGHTS. PALM BEACH COUNTY BECAME THE FIRST COUNTY IN THE STATE TO IMPLEMENT A SCHOOL CONCURRENCY PROGRAM INTO THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCESS. THIS MEANS THAT SCHOOL CAPACITY MUST BE IN PLACE OR PLANNED FOR IN THE ADOPTED BUDGET AT THE TIME OF DEVELOPMENT OF ALL NEW RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS. THIS IS SIMILAR TO OTHER REQUIRED FORMS OF INFRASTRUCTURE, SUCH AS ROADS AND UTILITIES. THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SCHOOL CONCURRENCY WAS A COORDINATED EFFORT BETVVEEN PALM BEACH COUNTY, THE SCHOOL BOARD, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, INCLUDING DELRAY BEACH. ALL 26 MUNICIPALITIES AND THE COUNTY WERE REQUIRED TO ADOPT AN INTER- LOCAL AGREEMENT AND SUBSEQUENT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENTS WITHIN A REQUIRED TIME FRAME. THE CITY OF DELRAY BEACH ADOPTED COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT DECEMBER OF 2001, AND THE PROGRAM BECAME THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY IN JUNE OF 2002. 2001-3 IN EFFECTIVE THE FUTURE LAND USE PORTION OF THE COMP PLAN CALLS FOR ANNEXATION OF AREAS THAT ARE WITHIN THE DELRAY BEACH AREA, BUT UNDER COUNTY JURISDICTION. a:\town hall meeting presentatiol.doc THIS PAST YEAR 90 ACRES OF LAND WAS ANNEXED INTO THE CITY. THESE PROPERTIES HAVE AN ASSESSED TAX VALUE OF ALMOST 4~ MILLION DOLLARS, AND REPRESENT A CONTINUING EFFORT TO BRING THESE POCKETS INTO OUR CITY. ONE OF THESE PARCELS, THE COLONY SUBDIVISION IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION IS EXPECTED TO HAVE A VALUE OF OVER 32 MILLION DOLLARS UPON COMPLETION. THE BARWICK PROPERTIES WERE SUBJECT TO THE RFP PROCESS (REQUESTS FOR PROPOSAL) AND THE SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL WAS AWARDED TO CONTINENTAL HOMES. THE PROJECT KNOWN AS BEXLEY PARK IS A TRADITIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT PROJECT, WHICH WILL CONTAIN 82 TOWN HOMES, 101 SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, AND 27 TRIPLEX UNITS. THE TWO MOST PROMONENT FEATURES OF A TRADITIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT ARE REAR LOADED GARAGES, USUALLY FROM ALLEYS, AND FRONT PORCHES PLACED CLOSE TO THE STREET. THESE ELEMENTS DEEMPHASlZE THE ROLE OF AUTOMOBILES AND REEMPHASlZE PUBLIC SPACES, LIKE STREETS, SQUARES, AND PARKS AS INTERACTIVE SETTINGS FOR DAILY LIFE. IN 2002 THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT RECEIVED OVER 400 DEVELOPMENT PROJECT APPLICATIONS WITH 348 PROJECTS RECEIVING APPROVAL. THESE INCLUDE RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL AND MIXED USE PROJECTS. a:\town hall meeting presentatiol.doc THE RESIDENTIAL PORTION OF THE COMP PLAN PROVIDES FOR A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT HOUSING TYPES. 493 NEW RESIDENTIAL UNITS WERE APPROVED LAST YEAR. SEVERAL SMALLER PROJECTS WERE APPROVED INCLUDING SAN SABASTIAN (32 UNITS), THE MERIDIAN (22 UNITS), SWlNTON GARDENS (11 UNITS), VILLAGE WALK (10 UNITS), AND DUVALL PLACE (8 UNITS). THERE WERE ALSO FOUR LARGER PROJECTS APPROVED, PINEAPPLE GROVE VILLAGE WITH 160 UNITS, SABAL LAKES PHASE 4 WITH 90 UNITS, LEGACY AT SHERWOOD WITH 72 UNITS AND OLD PALM GROVE WITH 44 UNITS. COMPLEMENTING THE ON-GOING GROWTH IN HOUSING, THE CITY HAS CONTINUED TO ATTRACT NEW BUSINESSES AND BUSINESS EXPANSIONS. THIS YEAR OVER 490,000 SQUARE FEET OF NEW NONRESIDENTIAL FLOOR AREA WAS APPROVED. A FEW OF THE MORE NOTABLE PROJECTS INCLUDE THE CONGRESS COMMERCE CENTER WITH OVER 217,000 SQ.FT., DELRAY OUT PATIENT WITH 70,000 SQ.FT., DELRAY PARK OF COMMERCE WITH 22,500 SQ.FT. AND THE MERIDIAN, A MIXED USE PROPOSAL WITH OVER 23,000 SQ.FT. OF COMMERCIAL SPACE AND 22 RESIDENTIAL UNITS. CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY IN THE NORTH FEDERAL HIGHWAY AREA AND THE CITY'S INDUSTRIAL AREAS INCREASED IN 2002, WITH SEVERAL OF THESE PROJECTS RECEIVING AWARDS FROM THE SITE PLAN REVIEW AND APPEARENCE BOARD. THESE INCLUDED PROJECTS LIKE THE AUTOBAHN MOTORS DEVELOPMENT, THE ZENITH COMMERCE CENTER, MORTON DOWNY FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER AND THE COMPLETION OF THE DELRAY BAY APARTMENTS. a:\town hall meeting presentatiol .doc RECOGNIZING OUR PAST AS WELL AS OUR FUTURE, THIS PAST YEAR, THE O'NEIL HOUSE WAS ADDED TO THE LOCAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES. IN ADDITION, THE CITY AWARDED A CONTRACT TO UPDATE THE CITY'S HISTORIC PRESERVATION GUIDELINES WHICH IS FUNDED BY THE CITY AND A CURRENTLY MATCHING $6,000 STATE GRANT. THE GUIDELINES ARE UNDER DEVELOPMENT AND ARE EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED LATER THIS YEAR. THE CITY AND THE CRA ALSO CONDUCTED THE FIRST ANNUAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION WEEK POSTER CONTEST WITH THIS YEARS THEME "PRESERVING THE SPIRIT OF PLACE" THIS YEARS 1ST PLACE WINNER WAS PAOLA SANCHEZ WHO RECEIVED A PLAQUE AND A $500 SAVINGS BOND FUNDED BY THE CRA. DUE TO NUMEROUS REQUESTS BY BOTH RESIDENTS AND VISITORS THE PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT DEVELOPED AND PUBLISHED A NEW HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE WALKING TOUR IN AUGUST 2002. THE TOUR HIGHLIGHTS THE FIVE LOCALLY DESIGNATED DISTRICTS AND INDIVIDUALLY LISTED HISTORIC PROPERTIES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. THE DOWNTOWN DELRAY BEACH MASTER PLAN WHICH REPRESENTS THE CITIZENS' PLAN FOR UNIFICATION AND FUTURE GROWTH OF THE DOWNTOWN AREA WAS ADOPTED IN MARCH OF 2002. THE PLAN PROVIDES A BLUEPRINT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CITY'S OLDEST BUSINESS DISTRICT AND THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS. a:\town hall meeting presentatiol.doc THE CITY HAS BEEN AND CONTINUES TO BE RECOGNIZED FOR THE PLAN AND IT'S USE OF INCLUSIVE PARTNERSHIPS IN ITS PREPARATION. IN MARCH OF 2002 STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND CITY STAFF GAVE A PRESENTATION ON THE PLAN AT THE "MAKING CITIES MORE LIVABLE CONFERENCE" IN CARMEL, CALIFORNIA AND IN MAY OF THIS YEAR, THE CITY WILL BE MAKING A PRESENTATION AT "THE INNOVATIONS GROUPS" CONFERENCE IN PLANO, TEXAS. THE CITY IS ALSO THE RECIPIENT OF THREE PRESTIGIOUS PLANNING AWARDS FOR THE PLAN. THE "AWARD OF EXCELLENCE" FROM THE FLORIDA CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION; THE "ROY KENZIE AWARD" REDEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION, AND THE REPORT/STUDY AWARD" FROM THE FLORIDA ASSOCIATION. FROM THE FLORIDA "OUTSTANDING PUBLIC PLANNING AND ZONING 2002 ALSO SAW THE COMPLETION OF THE CITY'S FOURTH BEACH RENOURISHMENT PROJECT WHICH PLACED APPROXIMETELY 1.2 MILLION CUBIC YARDS OF SAND ON THE BEACH FROM ATLANTIC AVENUE SOUTH TO ATLANTIC DUNES PARK. THE PROJECT BEGAN IN EARLY MARCH AND WAS COMPLETED IN LESS THAN A MONTH. THE FIRST RENOURISHMENT WAS CONDUCTED IN 1973. THE BEACH IS AN IMPORTANT ASSET TO OUR CITY AND MUST BE PROTECTED. YOU CAN SEE BY THIS PHOTO FROM 1973,WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN THE BEACH IS NOT MAINTAINED. SHORTLY AFTER THE PROJECTS COMPLETION THE CITY WAS RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY FOR ONE OF THE NATION'S TOP RESTORED BEACHES. a:\town hall meeting presentatiol .doc THE AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS IN COASTAL EROSION CONTROL PROJECTS WAS PRESENTED IN WASHINGTON DC BY THE AMERICAN COASTAL COALITION AT THEIR ANNUAL SUMMIT. AS REFERENCED BY THE ACC, THE CITY'S BEACH RENOURISHMENT PROGRAM IS ONE OF THE LONGEST RUNNING AND MOST SUCCESSFUL IN THE NATION. ANOTHER IMPORTANT BEACH PROJECT, THE DUNE REVEGETATION PROGRAM IS ALSO CONTINUING THIS YEAR, PRUNING EXISTING PLANTS AND REMOVING AND REPLACING EXOTICS WITH NATIVE PLANTS. THE TRIMMING IN EARLY 2002 FOCUSED ON AN 800 FEET LONG SECTION OF DUNE BEGINNING 600 FEET NORTH OF ATLANTIC AVENUE. I THINK WE CAN SAY THAT A LOT OF PROGRESS WAS MADE LAST YEAR TOWARD ACHIEVING THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, AND IN ACHIEVING THE CITY'S VISION. WE CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THE MOMENTUM OF PREVIOUS YEARS, AND WE EXPECT THIS YEAR TO BE EQUALLY EXCITING. OTHER PROJECTS PLANNED FOR 2003 INCLUDE: · COMPLETION OF THE DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR THE CBD; · IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS PLAN; · DEVELOPMENT OF THE OSCEOLA PARK NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN; AND, · DEVELOPMENT OF THE WALLACE DRIVE REDEVELOPMENT PLAN; a:\town hall meeting presentatiol .doc FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THESE ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES, WE INVITE YOU TO PICK UP A "YEAR IN REVIEW" NEWSLETTER IN THE LOBBY AND VISIT THE PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENTS' WEB SITE. IT IS NOW MY PRIVILEGE TO INTRODUCE JOHN WEAVER, CHAIRMAN OF THE CRA BOARD. a:\town hall meeting presentafiol.doc Town Hall Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2003 Old School Square Speech for John Weaver Good evening. I am John Weaver, Chairman of the CRA Board. I am happy to be here and to have the opportunity to share with you the CRA' s activities during the past year. 0,2002 was another very busy year for the CRA. We began the implementation of the Downtown Master Plan, began the Downtown Design Guidelines and LDR revisions, saw the ground breaking for the Atlantic Grove project on West Atlantic Avenue, saw Phase I of West Atlantic Beautification Project completed, approved three more Duplex Conversion Grants in the Seacrest neighborhood and assisted many, many downtown businesses through our matching grant and site assistance programs. This presentation will touch on some of the main highlights of last year. L?' In conjunction with the City, the development and Implementation of the Downtown Master Plan has been a priority project for the CRA. (.~'rhe goals of the Master Plan are to: ~ create a framework to facilitate development and investment in private land and public infrastructure; (~ preserve the City's heritage; ~v'. enhance livability and sense of unity; and Lye maintain design quality, both architectural and urban. To this end, the Master Plan Implementation has been through the ~V'hard work and dedication of seven volunteer subcommittees. They are: Design Guidelines, Development without Displacement, Funding and Finance, Infill Housing, Marketing and Promotions, Park, and Transportation. Here's an update on some of the progress those subcommittees have made. (.,~/The Downtown Master Plan called for the "creation of design standards to ensure that future development preserves Delray's character." In order to implement that objective a full time Urban Designer was hired. She works out of the CRA offices and reviews plans for projects that are proposed in the downtown area. In addition, the CRA has cCo~ntracted with an architectural firm from Miami--Correa Vaya Vaya--to work with our Urban Designer and the design subcommittee To aevulop new regulations and architectural standards for the area. We've held numerous community meetings to insure that the public has input into the process. In terms of funding commitments for the Master Plan, they've been quite substantial. In the CRA's 5-year budget we have more than $12 million included for implementation and Downtown Master Plan projects, In addition, we've received a commitment of $450,000 from County Commissioner Addie Green for improvements to the 3 r~. NW / SW 5th Avenue corridor, and a $1 million commitment from the Florida Dept. of Transportation for West Atlantic Ave. beautification. So, less than a year after the plan's adoption, we have a good start on making it a reality. Another exciting plan that is quickly becoming a reality is the Atlantic Grove mixed use development. Atlantic Grove is the first major redevelopment project to take place in the West Atlantic area. The CRA assembled approximately 4-1/2 acres of land and put the property out to bid. Atlantic Grove Partners closed on the property in October and broke ground on the project November 8, 2002. The development includes 46,000 SF of commercial space, 20 loft condominiums and 55 town homes. Almost all of the space has been pre-sold, which shows that there is tremendous confidence in the future of the West Atlantic area. Another big event this year was the completion of Phase I of the West Atlantic Avenue Beautification. The blocks between 1st and 6th Avenue were improved with new wide paver brick sidewalks, decorative street lamps and extensive landscaping. If you drive down West Atlantic at night you can see the twinkle of lights strung on the trees and the glow from the lamps. ('"';Phase I of the beautification project cost just over $1.26 million and was made possible through $934 thousand in grant funds through the Department of Transportation and $328 thousand in matching funds from the CRA. Phase II, w~icL~ will enhance 6th through 12th Avenues, will cost $1.9 million and be funded through $1 million in DOT funds and $900,000 in CRA matching funds. The City and CRA worked together on obtaining the grants and the City oversaw the construction of the project. The CRA has also been active in its support of smaller projects as well. A program that we are particularly proud of is our Duplex Conversion Project in the Seacrest Neighborhood. Since its inception in 1999, the CRA has provided $80,000 in conversion grants for homeowners wishing to convert their duplexes to owner occupied single family homes. In 2002 we had 2 people take advantage of the program. The before and after shots of these homes are absolutely amazing! The CRA also has several successful grant programs targeting different needs in the business community. Last year in conjunction with the Palm Beach County Development Regions Grant Program, the CRA a(-'n~'the County provided over $75,000 in grant dollars and matching funds to Autobahn Motors to assist them in relocating their facility to Federal Highway in Delray Beach. Autobahn has brought ten jobs to the community and their building is a wonderful improvement to the area. The CRA also committed over $15,000 in site assistance grants to assist three businesses with site improvement and exterior beautification. Pictured next to Autobahn Motors is Island Air Conditioning which was approved for a $5,000 grant to assist them with their exterior improvements. Their efforts have made quite a difference! Another important program is the CPA's Paint Up program that assists West Atlantic businesses with the expense of painting their buildings. Pictured here are two recipients, the Wideman Building on West Atlantic and a duplex that participated in the program located at 39 SW 9th Avenue. What a difference a coat of paint can make! In 2002 the CPA provided $10,732 in matching funds to 5 West Atlantic businesses to assist with painting. This program has made such a difference on West Atlantic that the CPA board has recently voted to extend the program beyond the first block off of Atlantic and include any commercial and multi-family structures within the CPA West Atlantic area. 7 Other ongoing projects in the West Atlantic neighborhoods include the West Settler's Advisory Committee and the creation of the SW Neighborhood Plan. The CRA contributes $50,000 each year for historic preservation activities in the West Settlers neighborhood, and last year provided $15,000 along with the City for the completion of a SW Neighborhood Plan to address the area south of Atlantic Avenue between Swinton and 1-95. The CRA has budgeted $100,000 in funding for this year for projects that arise from that plan. r~,L~ Other areas of note - the CRA continues to be proud of the Green Market. It is in full swing now on Saturday mornings in Worthing Park from 8 AM to 2 PM. Upcoming events at the Market are the Chili Cook-off on February 22nd and the Easter Bonnet Dog Parade on April 19th. They are great events so be sure to stop by. The CRA's web site is an excellent source of information on the activities of the CRA, the Downtown Master Plan and the activities of the subcommittees, if you would like to see something on the site that we haven't addressed, be sure to send an email to our webmaster or use the "feedback" function. We would love to hear from you. (..,,X'/And as always, the CRA board meets the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month at 6 PM, all are welcome. has indeed been an exciting year, and we are looking forward to an even more exciting 2003. Thank you for your time.