October 13, 2020 Workshop Meeting Minutes _ FINAL with Signature PageTuesday, October 13, 2020
3:30 PM
City of Delray Beach
100 NW 1st Avenue - Delray Beach, Florida 33444
Phone: (561) 243-7000 - Fax: (561) 243-3774
www.mydelraybeach.com
Virtual Meeting
City Commission
Mayor Shelly Petrolia
Vice Mayor Ryan Boylston
Deputy Vice Mayor Shirley Ervin Johnson
Commissioner Adam Frankel
Commissioner Juli Casale
Minutes - Final
Workshop Meeting at 3:30 PM
October 13, 2020City Commission Minutes - Final
Pursuant to Executive Order 20-69 as has been subsequently extended, City Commission meetings
may be held virtually. Members of the public wishing to view City Commission meetings should log into
the City website, https://www.delraybeacgfl.gov/i-want-to/watch/city-meetings, where the meeting will
be live-streamed for the public.
Pursuant to Section 3.12 of the Charter of the City of Delray Beach the Mayor has instructed me to
announce a Workshop Meeting of the City Commission to be held for the following purposes:
WS.1.SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY DISCUSSION
Sponsors:City Attorney Department
The Workshop Meeting was called to order at 3:30 p.m.
The roll call was taken by City Clerk Katerri Johnson. The following were
present:
Present: 5 - Mayor Petrolia, Vice Mayor Boylston, Deputy Vice Mayor
Johnson, Commissioner Casale, Commissioner Frankel.
Others present:
Jennifer Alvarez, Interim City Manager
Lynn Gelin, City Attorney
Katerri Johnson, City Clerk
Lynn Gelin, City Attorney, gave a PowerPoint presentation highlighting
attributes constituting a successful Commission, good governance, and
conflict resolution. Afterward, she provided the following recommendations
for managing social media:
· The Public Information Officer should manage all of the City’s social
media accounts including the Commissioner’s City accounts to
monitor all content before publication.
· Commissioners are to clarify on their private pages that comments
are personal and do not reflect the views of the City of Delray
Beach.
· Amend the local rules to include a Commissioner Code of Conduct.
WS.2.
The Commissioners engaged in a discussion with City Attorney Gelin
about keeping the public informed on the Commission’s decisions.The
Commissioners thanked Ms. Gelin for creating the presentation.
CITY OF DELRAY BEACH COVID-19 TEMPORARY MEASURES
Body:Background:
The purpose of this item is to discuss continuing, sun-setting, and/or
adding to the temporary measures the City of Delray Beach has taken in
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October 13, 2020City Commission Minutes - Final
response to COVID-19 impacts. The City and the local businesses have
been navigating changing limitations and regulations from the State and
County since March. Currently, all businesses are open without expressed
capacity limitations, except for the charge to socially distance patrons.
To date, the City has undertaken the following measures:
1. Temporary Outdoor Use Areas on Private Property (7)
2. Temporary New and Expanded Sidewalk Cafes (9)
3. Designated Delivery/Pick Up Zones in the downtown (12 @ 2
parking spaces ea.)
4. Suspended Special Events hosted by outside promoters
5. Suspended Water Shut Off for non-payment
6. Suspended Parking Fees (Beach area while closures in effect;
Downtown from March to September 18)
7. Currently Limiting Parking Fees downtown to begin at 6 pm for
on-street and parking garages.
8. Delayed Billing residents for Alarm Fees.
9. Delayed Billing businesses for Sidewalk Cafe Permits (Existing and
New)
10. Offered a Temporary Food Service Permit to allow Stand Alone
Bars to open under previous County restrictions (3)
11. Developing Parklet Guidelines
Requests for new considerations related to COVID-19 impacts include the
following:
1. DDA Storefront Activation Pilot Program to improve the
appearance of vacant spaces; the plan exceeds the window
covering limitation in the code.
2. 3 Stand Alone Bars have requested the use of private outdoor
areas, which is currently not allowed by code.
3. Several requests to reduce the Required Retail Frontage standard
on NE 2nd Ave. to allow Office or Tattoo Establishments in the first
story, which are currently not allowed by code.
4. A new request for a restaurant to add an outdoor use area in
parking spaces (the first request since capacity limitations were
lifted.)
Staff is requesting guidance on both the new requests and the measures
currently in place. A determination of when each measure should end (or
be reconsidered) is needed to provide a level of certainty for staff,
residents, and businesses.
Sponsors:Development Services Department
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October 13, 2020City Commission Minutes - Final
Agenda Cover Report
Temporary Uses and Areas List.docx
DDA Storefront Activation Pilot Program 9-24-20.pdf
Attachments:
Jennifer Alvarez, Interim City Manager, requested consensus on behalf of
the staff regarding reopening the City. The following items were discussed:
Suspended Special Events Hosted by Outside Promoters
Samuel Metott, Director Parks and Recreation, discussed planned venues
and explained safety precautions for events.
There was consensus to begin outside events on January 4, 2021. The City
would monitor potential safety protocols and the spread of the virus.
Parking Fees
Anthea Gianniotes, Development Services Director, presented the current
process of handling parking fees.
There was consensus to turn the parking meters back on as soon as
possible.
Jennifer Alvarez, Interim City Manager, agreed to notify the Commission
once the meters are reprogrammed and ready.
Delivery Zones
The Commission decided to continue designated delivery/pickup zones in
the downtown area until December 31 when the Commission will
reevaluate.
When to Bill Temporary and Permanent Cafes
Anthea Gianniotes, Development Services Director, and Missie Barletto,
Public Works Director, gave a presentation about Temporary and
Permanent cafes.
David Weatherspoon, Interim Director of Neighborhood and Community
Services, informed the Commission that staff is seeking advice on how the
City was going to fairly collect fees from all of the businesses. Florida
Department of Transportation (FDOT) billed ten businesses within their
jurisdiction, participating in the sidewalk cafe program. Collectively they
owe $19,000.
There was consensus for the City to forgive businesses within the City’s
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October 13, 2020City Commission Minutes - Final
territory and not to pay the FDOT fees distributed to the ten businesses.
Mayor Petrolia suggested negotiating with FDOT to potentially reduce the
fees for the businesses.
DDA Storefront Activation Pilot Plan
Anthea Gianniotes, Development Services Director, and Laura Simon,
Executive Director of the Downtown Development Agency (DDA), gave a
presentation detailing the Storefront Pilot Plan Program.
Ms. Simon suggested filling the empty store front windows to maintain the
downtown culture.
There was consensus to implement the program.
Temporary Private Outdoor Use Areas
Anthea Gianniotes, Development Services Director, requested guidance
from the Commission regarding Temporary Private Outdoor Use Areas.
Mayor Petrolia suggested temporarily granting additional parking spaces
on private property.
Standalone Bars Outside
Anthea Gianniotes, Development Services Director, clarified the distinction
between restaurants and standalone bars.
Mayor Petrolia indicated the allowance would be for temporary use only
with limited hours of operation.
Utility Billing Payment Plan
Anthea Gianniotes, Development Services Director, informed the
Commission that it was previously decided to not turn off residents’ water
due to the pandemic.
Marie Kalka, Finance Director, reported that staff had already begun
alerting residents that shut offs will begin in January and recommended
they make a payment plan early.
David Weatherspoon, Interim Director of Development and Community
Services, stated that if a resident qualifies, the City could assist with utility
bill payments through COVID-19 relief funds.
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October 13, 2020City Commission Minutes - Final
Ms. Kalka summarized the Commissioner’s decisions. Water shutoffs
would begin in early January to residents who are past due and do not have
a payment plan. Individuals with a payment plan will have their reconnection
fees waived.
Parklets
Anthea Gianniotes, Development Services Director, requested additional
guidance in establishing guidelines.
The Commissioners engaged in a discussion. Due to technical issues, part
of the conversation was inaudible.
Required Retail NE 2nd Avenue
The Commissioners discussed the 11 building vacancies in the downtown
area and considered changing the code to allow offices and tattoo
establishments.
There was consensus to keep the general regulations in place to keep the
downtown connectivity intact.
With no further business to discuss, the Workshop Meeting was adjourned
at 7:01 p.m.
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ATTEST:
The undersigned is the City Clerk of the City of Delray Beach, Florida, and the
herein the Minutesinformation provided is of the October 13, 2020
October 13City Commission Workshop Meeting held on , 2020, which Minutes
were formally approved and adopted by the City Commission on January 19, 2021.
NOTE TO READER:
If the Minutes you have received are not completed as indicated above, this means they
are not the official Minutes of the City Commission. They will become the official
Minutes only after review and approval which may involve some amendments, additions or deletions as set forth above.