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01-27-04 Agenda Town HallDate: Location: Time: Tuesday, January 27, 2004 Crest Theatre at Old School Square 51 North Swinton Avenue 7:00 p.m. AGENDA 7:00 p.m. 7:05 p.m. 7:15 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:45 p.m. Call to order and Welcome - Mayor JeffPerlman Land Use Issues and Trends - Comprehensive Plan Report - Jess Sowards, Planning and Zoning Board Chairperson Community Redevelopment Agency Status Report - ~ Howard Ellingsworth, CRA Chairperson State of the City Report - David T. Harden, City Manager Town Hall Meeting & Infi-astructure Hearing Open Microphone - Public Comments Concluding Remarks by Commissioners, if desired Adjournment The City will furnish auxiliary aids and services to afford an individual with a disability an opportunity to participate in and enjoy the benefits of a service, program, or activity conducted by the City. Contact Doug Randolph at 243-7127, 24 hours prior to the event in order for the City to accommodate your request. 100 NW 1st Avenue, Delray Beach FL 33444 Tel (561)243-7000 - Fax (561)243-3774 TOWN HALL MEETING PRESENTATION TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2004, 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 I~ THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. THE PLAN DESCRIBES HOW THE COMMUNITY LOOKS TODAY, PROVIDES A DETAILED LOOK AT THE ISSUES FACING OUR CITYAND HOW IT IS EXPECTED TO LOOK IN THE FUTURE. IT CONTAINS POLICY GUIDELINES FOR MANAGING GROWTH AND ENHANCING QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE CITY THROUGH I~ SPECIFIC ELEMENTS AS NOTED HERE. 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 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO MAKE SURE IT'S KEEPING PACE WITH CHANGES IN THE CITY. THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE PROGRESS MADE LAST YEAR TOWARD ACHIEVING THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OUTLINED IN THE COMP PLAN. Il CITYWIDE, 394 APPLICATIONS WERE RECEIVED AND 328 NEW PROJECTS WERE APPROVED. THESE INCLUDE RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL AND MLXED USE PROJECTS. THE HOUSING ELEMENT OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROVIDES FOR A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT HOUSING TYPES. ONE OF THE MAJOR DIRECTIVES FOR THE FUTURE VIABLILITY OF THE DOWNTOWN IS TO ATTRACT DOWNTOWN HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS. THE PROJECT APPROVALS FOR 2003 INCLUDED ~1555 NEW RESIDENTIAL UNITS, OF WHICH 291 WERE LOCATED DOWNTOWN. THESE INCLUDE SEVERAL LARGER PROJECTS SUCH AS THE HERITAGE CLUB WITH 57 UNITS AND THE MERIDIAN WITH 59 UNITS AND SMALLER PROJECTS LIKE Il HAMILTON PLACE WITH 16 UNITS AND I~ BANYAN HOUSE WITH 4 UNITS. COMPLEMENTING THE ON-GOING GROWTH IN HOUSING, THE CITY HAS CONTINUED TO ATTRACT NEW BUSINESSES AND BUSINESS EXPANSIONS. IITHIS YEAR OVER 431,000 SQUARE FEET OF NEW NONRESIDENTIAL FLOOR AREA WAS APPROVED. A FEW OF THE MORE NOTABLE MIXED USE PROJECTS INCLUDED amATLANTIC PLACE WITH 43,000 SQ. FT. OF COMMERCIAL AREA AND 24 RESIDENTIAL UNITS, am OCEAN CITY LOFTS WITH 5,200 SQ. FT. COMMERCIAL AREA AND 63 RESIDENTIAL UNITS, AND am THE PINEAPPLE GROVE BUILDING WITH 16,600 SQ. FT. OF COMMERCIAL AREA AND 40 RESIDENTIAL UNITS. THE NONRESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT INCLUDED CIVIC USES SUCH AS THE DELRAY BEACH PUBLIC LIBRARY AND ImTH]~ SOUTH COUNTY COURTHOUSE EXPANSION WITH A NEW 369 SPACE PARKING GARAGE AND COMMERCIAL USES ImLIKE THE SAFE AND SECURE STORAGE BUILDING ON NORTH FEDERAL HIGHWAY. THE 2003 YEAR ALSO SAW THE COMMENCEMENT OF SOME SIGNIFICANT RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENTS INCLUDING THE COMPLETION OF ImTHE FIDELITY FEDERAL BANK BUILDING, ImTHE EXTERIOR RENOVATIONS OF THE SPANISH RIVER RESORT, IICOBRA CONSTRUCTION AND THE ONGOING CONSTRUCTION OF ImTHE CONGRESS COMMERCE CENTER. WHICH WILL ADD OVER 214,000 SQ. FT. OF INDUSTRIAL USE. SOME OF THE MORE NOTABLE RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED OR ARE NEARING COMPLETION INCLUDE: am RENAISSANCE VILLAGE, ImMALLORY SQUARE, IIPINEAPPLE GROVE APARTMENTS, AND ImTHE COLONY SUBDIVISION. RECOGNIZING OUR PAST AS WELL AS OUR FUTURE, THIS PAST YEAR, IITHE AMELUNG HOUSE, A SEARS KIT HOUSE BUILT IN 1937 WAS APPROVED FOR LISTING ON THE LOCAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES. IN ADDITION, II THE CITY COMPLETED THE CREATION OF NEW DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR HISTORICALLY DESIGNATED PROPERTIES USING A GRANT OF MATCHING FUNDS FROM THE STATE DIVISION OF HISTORICAL RESOURSES. TO VIEW THE VARIOUS HISTORICAL RESOURCES THROUGHOUT THE DOWNTOWN AREA, RESIDENTS CAN UTILIZE THE IIARCHITECTURAL WALKING TOUR BROCHURE DEVELOPED BY 2 THE PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT. THE TOUR HIGHLIGHTS THE FIVE LOCALLY DESIGNATED DISTRICTS AND INDIVIDUALLY LISTED HISTORIC PROPERTIES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. THE DOWNTOWN DELRAY BEACH MASTER PLAN ADOPTED IN MARCH OF 2002, amRECEIVED INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION IN 2003 WITH A "MERIT AWARD FOR PLANNING" FROM THE INTERNATIONAL DOWNTOWN ASSOCIATION. THIS FOLLOWS THREE PRESTIGIOUS STATE PLANNING AWARDS THE CITY RECEIVED FOR THE DOWNTOWN PLAN IN 2002. 112003 ALSO SAW THE COMPLETION OF THE WALLACE DRIVE REDEVELOPMENT PLAN WHICH INCLUDES RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ENHANCED CODE ENFORCEMENT, INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, AESTHETIC IMPROVEMENTS AND MARKETING. IITHE REDEVELOPMENT AREA IS LOCATED NEAR LINTON BLVD. & 1-95. THIS AREA HAS GREAT POTENTIAL WITH UNDERDEVELOPED LAND, COMPETITIVE PROPERTY VALUES AND A GREAT LOCATION. amiN 2003 THE CITY WAS AWARDED GRANTS FOR 47 BUS SHELTERS TO BE INSTALLED THROUGH OUT THE CITY. THE COMMISSION RECENTLY AWARDED THE BID FOR MANUFACTURING AND INSTALLATION OF THE SHELTERS TO DAYTECH MANUFACTURING. A SPECIFIC LISTING OF PROPOSED LOCATIONS IS CONTAINED IN THE "PLANNING AND ZONING YEAR IN REVIEW" NEWSLETTER AVAILABLE IN THE LOBBY. AS WITH PREVIOUS YEARS, A LOT OF PROGRESS WAS MADE LAST YEAR TOWARD ACHIEVING THE GOALS AND OBJCTIVES OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, AND ACHIEVING THE CITY'S VISION. AS WE CONTINUE TO BUILD MOMENTUM, WE EXPECT THIS YEAR TO BE EQUALLY EXCITING. IISOME PROJECTS PLANNED FOR 2004 INCLUDE: · WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE CRA ON THE COMPLETION AND ADOPTION OF THE DOWNTOWN DESIGN GUIDELINES. · CONTINUED IIVIPLEMENTATION OF THE DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN; DEVELOPMENT OF THE OSCEOLA PARK NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN; AND. · UPDATING OF THE EXISTING LAND USE INVENTORY DATA BASES. · IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SOUTHWEST AREA NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THESE ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES, I1WE INVITE YOU TO PICK UP A "YEAR IN REVIEW" NEWSLETTER IN THE LOBBY AND VISIT THE PLANNING AND ZONING IIDEPARTMENTS' WEB SITE. IT IS NOW MY PRIVILEGE TO INTRODUCE HOWARD ELLINGSWORTH, CHAIRMAN OF THE CRA BOARD. 4 Town Hall Meeting Tuesday, January 27, 2004 Old School Square Good ev. ening. I'm Howard Ellingsworth, the Chairman of the CRA Board. It is a pleasure to be here tonight and we appreciate this opportunity to share with you a recap of some of the CRA's accomplishments during the past year. Before I begin our presentation, I would like to recognize and thank my fellow board members for doing an outstanding job and for their commitment to serving our community. Our Vice Chairman 1 st Vice Chairman- - Brenda Montague Lamar Shuler Treasurer- Frank Wheat Board member- Tom Carney Board Member- Howard Lewis And Board Member- Chuck Ridley Thank you all for your outstanding contributions to our Board 2003 was a very eventful year for the CRA. The CRA continued its commitment to the redevelopment of the West Atlantic Avenue corridor and provided significant financial and other resources to that effort. We continued our support of a number of Delray Beach a. gencies.and organizations to help them continue their efforts to promote and support businesses within our community and help enhance the quality of life for our residents. The CRA continued and expanded its various grants and subsidy programs to attract and assist businesses in order that they may have an opportunity to become a vital part of our community. We continued our efforts to ensure that affordable housing is available for the citizens of Delray. and We continued to work on implementing the ideas set forth in the Downtown Master Plan. WEST ATLANTIC CORRIDOR REDEVELOPMENT Atlantic Grove With respect to our commitment to the redevelopment of the West Atlantic corridor, we saw our first major project in this area become a reality in 2003 when the first residents moved into Atlantic Grove. A mixed use development, Atlantic Grove has 55 town house units and 46,000 square feet of office/retail space, with 20 condominium units above. We are pleased to hear that the project is almost entirely sold out. NW/SW 5th Avenue Streetscape Project Of major significance was our successful partnership with the City and Palm Beach County in bringing forth the NW/SW 5th Avenue Streetscape Project to begin revitalizing this historically s~gnificant business corridor. This is a prime example of a project that the community was encouraged to participate in and was provided a forum to do so. The improvements to the streetscape will span from SW 1 st Street to Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. The planned improvements will include sidewalks, landscaping, alley improvements, utility and electrical upgrades, additional parking and street furniture such as benches and bike racks. One exciting aspect of this project is that it brought together the efforts and ~nput of a design engineering firm with that of an artist, to incorporate art into the streetscape. Up on the screen on the left is the proposed sidewalk design for the 5th Avenue Corridor. Below and to the right are examples of how art will be incorporated into the improvements using Terrazzo sidewalk patterns and bronze artwork inlays. The inlays will not only provide an artistic element to this project but will serve as historic tributes to the community by identifying areas as they were historically referred to by the settlers of those communities; such as Frog Alley and The Sands. The project is budgeted to cost approximately 1.5 million dollars, with the CRA contributing more than 1 million dollars of the total cost. The improvements are expected to be completed by December of this year. West Atlantic Corridor Ac uisitions As part of the CRA's focus on the West Atlantic corridor, the CRA continued to acquire land for future redevelopment sites. In 2003 the CRA spent nearly $1,800,000 in land acquisitions in the West Atlantic area. The acquisitions included the Bi-Lo Market and Delray Coin Laundry, and several properties in the SW section of the CRA district. Also, in November of 2003, the CRA acquired the La France Hotel on NW 4th Avenue for $425,000. Some of these properties will be redeveloped to provide a combination of market rate and affordable housing, others will be used to attract new business and employment opportunities to the area, and others will become neighborhood parks. Agency & Community Assistance The CRA recogmzes that it takes the efforts of many to achieve the objectives of a redevelopment program--no one entity, agency or person, can do it alone.. There are numer, ous. agencies and..commun, lty. orgamzat~on.s that c .ontnbute their tlm.e, and resources to ~mprov~ng the quality of life for the citizens of Delray, and the CRA is happy to lend its support to those efforts. In 2003 the CRA continued its commitment to these organizations, and contri.buted in excess of $262.000 in financial assistance, as well as made significant in-kind contributions. Some of the recipient organizations were the Downtown Joint Venture, West Atlantic Redevelopment Coalition, Pineapple Grove Mainstreet, Community Neighborhood Helping and the Delray Youth Basketball Boosters; to name a few. In addition to these contributions, the CRA Board voted in 2003 to provide funding to purchase a new set of branches for the City's 100 foot Christmas Tree, so that we can keep this wonderful holiday traditional alive. The total cost of this commitment is estimated at $110,000. The Board also committed to provide one million dollars in financial assistance for the new Library building. Lastly, we agreed to share with the City in the cost of the new Business Recruitment Director w~th the Chamber of Commerce, in order to bring new employment opportunities to Delray. Business & Economic Grants & Subsidies With respect to business & economic assistance, the CRA continues to provide business development grants and subsidies through a variety of programs that are intended to attract new businesses and help existing businesses get started and/or expand within the CRA district. These programs include the Site Assistance Program, the Paint-Up Program, the Subsidized Loan Program and the Rent Assistance Program. During 2003 the CRA contributed nearly $48,000 to a number of businesses under these programs. The CRA also participates in the Palm Beach County Development Regions grant program and matches County funds to support incoming and expanding businesses. This grant program is tied to job creation and is a great source of funds for businesses that are increasing their staff or just starting up and plan to hire additional personnel. During 2003 the CRA provided $13,000 in matching funds to the Amazing Creations Florist Shop located on SW 5th Avenue. As you can see from the before and after pictures, this program is an excellent resource for the businesses in the CRA district. (this shop has certainly brightened up the avenue!) Details of the CRA's various business assistance programs can be found on our website at www.delraycra.org. We encourage all who may have an interest in these programs to visit our website. Affordable Housing Another very important program in the CRA district is the Renaissance program. Under this program, the CRA parmers with the City, the TED Center and the Community Development Corporation to ensure that affordable housing is available for the citizens of Delray Beach. To date the Renaissance program has provided opportunities for qualifying low income ~ndividuals or families to purchase more than 150 new homes in the CRA district. In 2003 the CRA provided $97,500 in forgivable 2nd mortgage subsidies to 5 families. $60,000 of those subsidies went to applicants who purchased homes in the Atlantic Grove project. Downtown Master Plan As previously mentioned, we began diligently working on ~mplementing the first phases of the Downtown Master Plan. We engaged the services of a marketing agency to develop a Public Information Program to get the word out about the plan to the public. That program was rolled out towards the end of 2003 as evidenced by our bright yellow banners, buttons and pamphlets presented at numerous events around the City throughout November and December. Additionally, we continued to work with our architectural consultant and stakeholders w~thin the community to develop Downtown Design Guidelines and the related revisions to the Land Development Regulations. This process has been lengthy; however we are committed to bringing forth the best guidelines as possible, as they will influence all new development and redevelopment within the Downtown. We are entering into the final phases of completing this element of the Downtown Master Plan and expect to deliver the package for City review and approval within the next few months. Green Market Another one of the CRA's ongoing ventures is the Green Market. The Green Market relocated to Worthing Park this past year and is enjoying much success. It is a great way to spend a Saturday or Sunday morning and it really has the flavor of a traditional farmer's market. There is an assortment of fresh, Florida-grown produce, garden and house plants., and a unique assortment of home made goods. Upcoming events at the Market that I encourage you not to miss are the annual chili cook-off on February 28th and the ever-popular Easter Bonnet Dog Parade that ends the Green Market season on April 10th. 2OO4 Looking to 2004, the CRA has established an ambitious set of goals. Along. with continuing our support of local agenmes and organizations, we will endeavor to expand our partnerships in order to further our affordable housing programs. We will continue our lead role in dealing with the structural problems that are affecting numerous homes in the Carver Square subdivision. We will complete environmental assessments and determine how best to assist these residents. The CRA will continue to oversee the implementation of the NW/SW 5th Avenue Streetscape Project and we will begin the design phase of the Downtown Gateway Feature. We will begin gathering community input for the renovation of the La France Hotel. The planning phase to convert the Northeast and Southeast 1 st street bypasses back to two way lanes will also begin in 2004. We will explore opportunities to leverage the City's investment within the CRA district to provide parking and parks. And .we .will be .mov!ng to our new office location in the historic Judge Knott building at 20 North Swinton Avenue to make way for the new Library building. Before I conclude our presentation, I would like to recognize and thank our staff. We truly appreciate their hard work and dedication and we commend them for all the outstanding accomplishments over the past year. Our executive director- Diane Colonna Our assistant director & controller- Juliana Steele Our Administrative Assistant- Lisa Bright Our Green Market Manager- Loft Moore Our West Atlantic Redevelopment Manager - Rosalind Murray Our Urban Designer- Thuy Shutt And Our Development Manager- Mike Simon Thank you for your efforts and keep up the good work. In closing, we want to thank you for your continued support of the efforts of the CRA. We are excited about the progress that's been made to date in improving the quality of life in Delray Beach and we look forward to working together on future challenges. Good evening. We appreciate each one of you taking the time to come this evening. The primary purpose of this meeting is to hear your suggestions on improving the operations and infrastructure of our City. But first, let's review what was accomplished last year. Since 1988 Delray Beach has emphasized strategic 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 Commission began by first looking forward to our vision for Delray Beach in 2020. Our future vision statement was refined to: "Delray Beach is a 'Charming Village by the Sea' with a Great World Class Beach, a Vibrant Downtown and a Community of Quality Neighborhoods. People have an Active Lifestyle and Embrace Cultural Diversity. The city government provides Exceptional City Services." 2 With this Vision Statement as the foundation, our six goals from last year, with five of those having been first set in 2000, were again reaffirmed, with some adjustment in priorities. Our goals for 2008 are: - An Expanded Downtown - Quality Neighborhoods - An Expanded And Diversified Local Economy - Quality educational opportunities - Community unity - And top quality services As this winter's traffic on Atlantic Avenue has shown, our expanded downtown needs more parking and better access. The parking garage being built for the new library and courthouse addition will have over 500 parking spaces. These will also serve evening special events, and the City can add over 250 more spaces in a second phase. East of Old School Square the bond issue approved last Tuesday will fund a second garage with 400-500 spaces. 3 To improve access, we are designing facilities to convert NE and SE 1 st streets back to two-way again. New traffic and railroad crossing signals will allow the conversion in 2005. These improvements should help attract more diverse businesses. The City and the CRA have jointly contracted with the Chamber of Commerce for staff to aggressively recruit business types we need. A better mix will draw more residents and others downtown. Soon, commercial space in Atlantic Grove will open up added new business opportunities. Everyone is working to ensure a culturally diverse mix of businesses in these two blocks. The arcade with businesses fronting on the sidewalk should draw pedestrians. Reconstruction of NW/SW 5th Avenue in 2004 will strengthen existing minority owned businesses and institutions, and provide new locations. Art features included in the design will draw pedestrians further west on Atlantic Avenue and up and down 5th Avenue. To keep our downtown the unique, interesting place it is, everyone has worked hard on the Design Guidelines and other aspects of the Downtown Master Plan. 4 The guidelines will be presented to the public on February 4th at 6 p.m. here at Old School Square, with the adoption process to be completed by May 4th. As we work to grow our Downtown, it must be clean to be attractive, and people must feel safe on the side streets and alleys north and south of Atlantic. A Clean and Safe Committee of City Staff and the Joint Venture is working to identify and make needed improvements in lighting and cleanliness. Our Police are also applying CPTED principles in the downtown area. The neighborhoods north and south of Atlantic Avenue offer many opportunities for infill and redevelopment. In June, the Southwest Neighborhood Plan was adopted by the City to guide further development in that area. The MacArthur Foundation has given us a $150,000 grant to develop implementation and funding strategies with area residents. An Infill Housing Subcommittee has identified lots north and south of Atlantic suitable for housing. They are also reviewing design elements and floor plans appropriate for these neighborhoods. Infrastructure improvements remain a priority. Water, sewer, drainage and street projects continue in the Northwest and Southwest Neighborhoods, with 2" water lines replaced and drainage and sidewalks installed. The Seacrest/Del Ida improvements are in their final phase. Phase I Delray Shores/Sudan enhancements are complete. This year more sidewalks, street trees and street lights are planned. Neighborhood residents continue to take the lead in deciding improvements needed. The Southwest Plan was fully resident driven, and residents are heavily involved in the Chatelaine, Osceola Park and Rainberry Woods Plans. City staff works with the neighborhood on implementation as in Seacrest/Del Ida and Delray Shores/Sudan. All of these neighborhood projects include beautification as well as infrastructure. Additional beautification was done on Palm Trail medians, with projects planned for Tropic Isles entrances and the ends of NE 4th Street and SE 3rd Street at the Intracoastal Waterway. Quality neighborhoods must be safe neighborhoods. 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 have reduced violent crimes by 38%. Seventeen new homes were developed, 33 rehabilitated and 8 slated for demolition. Initiatives like Seed Tech, the Youth Enrichment Program, and the Youth Vocational Charter School are giving young people more positive alternatives to criminal activities and assisting neighborhood residents in bettering themselves. In addition to infill, efforts to make more housing available include Swinton Gardens, an 11 unit subdivision developed by the City for first-time home buyers. In the west, the City acquired 54 acres offBarwick Road and made 44 acres available for development after limiting the unit prices. Over 200 units will be built including single family, townhouses and villas, priced from $130,000 to $290,000. The remainder will be a 10- acre City park. Construction should start this summer. 7 Tuming to our local economy, the Commission took the initiative on Economic Development by creating an Economic Development Cooperative supported by the City, CRA and Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Randy Welker was hired to work full-time recruiting new businesses. He is looking for book stores, gourmet and whole food markets, women's apparel and specialty retailing, needed businesses identified in the downtown cluster study. As these businesses come, we will have a business mix meeting community needs which is less vulnerable to economic cycles. Randy is also working with Office Depot to ensure that reuse of their site satisfies needs of the community in fulfilling its economic development goals. While recruiting new businesses we continue to support local business expansion. Such expansion is the source of most employment growth. This support likewise furthers the Downtown Master Plan goal of redevelopment without displacement. We will work closely with nonprofits like the TED Center and WARC to help them develop and strengthen new, locally owned businesses. These businesses will increase the diversity of our business community and usually meet local community needs. The CRA is also providing rental assistance to several new businesses, and grants to rehabilitate commercial properties in the West Atlantic redevelopment area. An additional focus for economic development will be Northwest and Southwest 5th Avenue. The City, CRA and Palm Beach County are working together to implement Downtown Master Plan recommendations for reviving this historic minority business district, assisting businesses and improving infrastructure. We believe that our economy would be greatly strengthened by attracting additional creative people. Their ability to generate economic growth is documented in the book "The Rise of the Creative Class." We believe that Delray Beach has many of the qualities these people look for in communities, if we can find how best to market ourselves to them. 9 When looking for new businesses we need to offer an educated work force and quality schools. That is why for over 15 years Delray has worked hard to improve its schools. Our most pressing facility need is being met by construction of the new Atlantic High School on Atlantic Avenue west of Congress. Construction is on schedule for opening in the fall of 2005. Some 2,500 students will attend this central community facility. It will help draw the community together. The School Board decided to add vocational "career academies" to the school, achieving our goal of having vocational training readily available for our residents so they can qualify for higher paying jobs. Relocation of Atlantic creates an opportunity for a new middle school and soccer complex on the existing site. The soccer complex is funded in the newly approved Parks Bond Issue. The School Board has allocated the middle school planning funds for 2008 with the school to open in 2010. They have noted that a middle school of the arts would be appropriate to meet South County needs and use the existing auditorium. Construction may be accelerated due to class size reduction requirements. 10 Our Education Committee worked hard this year to save those special programs which are important for the quality and balance of our schools. These include the IB programs at Carver and Atlantic, the Montessori program at Spady and the gifted program at Banyan Creek. These programs, in conjunction with the leadership of our principals and fine support from our teachers resulted in all our schools except Orchard View scoring "A" or "B" on the FCAT. Orchard View received a "C". Our Committee and staff are investigating new strategies our local schools can use to close the gap for our lowest performing students and raise our FCAT scores even further. Another important special program we have is Village Academy. At one point in 2003 the further expansion of Village Academy was put in doubt. But, with strong support from the City and the community, the School Board renewed its commitment for expansion of Village Academy through the middle school. The high school portion is to be included in the proposed school bond issue. 11 Community Unity was emphasized again in October during Unity in the Community Month. Walk a Child to School Day highlighted student safety going to Pine Grove Elementary. Lights on After School focused on the importance of After School Programs for many of our children. And, we held more Community Pot Luck Dinners, each bringing together two neighborhoods who normally have little or no contact. Additional 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 Pedestrian/Bicycle Task Team. Chaired by Mr. Jim Smith, this group gathered information from numerous sources to complete their Final Report, detailing improvements needed to make pedestrian and bicycle travel more convenient and safe throughout our City. This report will give direction and help identify funding sources to make those improvements. 12 Neighborhood residents also worked on planning for Osceola Park, Chatelaine, Rainberry Woods and the Downtown area, as well as for the Southwest Neighborhood as citizens developed a vision and action strategies to address neighborhood needs. Many of our special events highlight the multiple cultures comprising our community. These include the Caribbean Festival and special observances like Cinco de Mayo, Haitian Independence Day, and Columbus Day. Positive communication has been strengthened by our new Public Information Officer. He has greatly increased the number of stories about Delray Beach in the media. He also improved "News for Neighborhoods" and made it more widely available. Our web site now provides a calendar of special events, email accounts for the Mayor and Commissioners and budget and financial information. The entire City Code is also on the web site. Commission Agendas are posted the Friday evening before Commission meetings, with results posted the day after. Minutes are also posted after Commission approval. 13 As we progress, you will be able to conduct more and more business with the City over the Internet and access most City records. Our sixth goal is top quality services valued by citizens. Providing such services requires effective management of our financial resources. Many other cities, including some in Florida, have struggled financially during the recent economic slowdown, deferring capital projects and even laying off employees including police and fire. We are pleased to report that we finished fiscal year 2003 with a small surplus and have continued all our planned maintenance and capital projects. Some of these pressures can be relieved by innovative use of technology to cut costs or increase productivity. This year we are replacing our main computers in both City Hall and the Police Department. Our MIS Division recently completed a new Enterprise Technology Plan to guide them for the next five years as we continuously improve our computer systems with new desktop units, cabling and other hardware and software. 14 As we are able to support and deliver more services over the Internet, we will significantly improve our office staff productivity. All of our services require us to attract and retain a well- motivated, highly trained and professional workforce. Fifty- eight classes were provided to enhance employees' skills and knowledge, and 35 employees pursued college level education, all to develop the capacity of our workforce. Our quality employees received numerous awards, too many to list here. For the second year in a row, one of our police officers, Johnny Pun, was a finalist for National Police Officer of the Year. We know of no other police agency in the country which two years in a row has had one of their officers nominated for this award. Quality services also require well-maintained infrastructure and facilities. Our utilities are in excellent condition, and getting better every year. Within about four years we should catch up on all our deferred utility maintenance. 15 We still need more work, however, on buildings, sidewalks and park facilities, many of which are outdated. The Parks Bond funding will take care of many parks needs. All of these improvements help us to deliver services more efficiently. Whether it is new technology, reliable equipment, or the proper tools to get the job done, we strive to ensure our employees have what they need to serve you. Your City staff continues to work toward the goals you have set with the Commission and through the Visions 2010 process. Much was accomplished in 2003. This year should be even more exciting as we implement the Parks and Recreation Bond Issue and other initiatives. All that was accomplished last year far exceeds what I have touched on. Be sure to read our Annual Report, available today in the lobby after this hearing. (Introduce department heads if they have not been introduced.) 16 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 Perlman for our infrastructure hearing and public comments.