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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_Workshop_05/22/2003 VILLAGE OF TEQUESTA Post Office Box 3273 250 Tequesta Drive, Suite 300 Tequesta, Florida 33469-0273 (561) 575-6200 Fax: (561) 575-6203 MINUTES VILLAGE COUNCIL WORKSHOP VILLAGE OF TEQUESTA THURSDAY, MAY 22, 2003, 5:02 PM 399 SEABROOK ROAD TEQUESTA, FLORIDA 33469 I. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL The Village Council of the Village of Tequesta held a Workshop on Thursday, May 22, 2003. Village Clerk Miles called the meeting to order at 5:02 p.m. and called the roll. MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Edward D. Resnik, Vice Mayor Russell J. von Frank, Geraldine A. Genco, Joseph N. Capretta, Pat Watkins. Also present was Village Manager Couzzo, Village Clerk Miles and Department • Heads. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Consensus approved the Agenda. III. DISCUSSION OF FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TEQUESTA VILLAGE PLAZA Mayor Resnik read his letter sent in the backup: The single purpose of this workshop meeting is to offer each Council Member the opportunity to relate to their colleagues, in open session, a description (vision) of what he or she believes should be developed in the remainder of the former Tequesta Plaza to provide the most benefit for the Village and its residents. Please provide each Council Member a copy of the Village Code applicable to this property as backup for the agenda. In addition to the meeting minutes, please document the salient points of each Council Member's vision in a separate report for use as a guide in any future matters that come before the Council related to the actual development of the property. Recycled Paper In order to stay focused on the purpose of this workshop and to keep it within no more than sixty • minutes, by copy of this memorandum, I respectfully ask my colleagues on the Council to abide by the following guidelines: Each Council Member will be provided up to 10 minutes to present his or her vision statement without interruption from any other Council Members; Each presentation will be a free standing expression of the Council Member's personal vision for this property. There will be no discussion or consideration of past/present development plans or property ownership at this workshop; Benefits to our Village and residents should be emphasized in each presentation; I thank each of my colleagues on the Council for their cooperation and support in achieving the purpose of this workshop that will contribute to the future development of the Tequesta Plaza property and improve and enhance our Village. He also went on to say he would like to progress with Council Members thoughts, 10 minutes each, and in alphabetical order. COUNCILMEMBER CAPRETTA My future thoughts on the Village Plaza are we know that the voters do not want to build a Village Hall there. We also know they are getting tired of looking at the empty lot, and they want something done now. I also believe • the zoning is not a particular problem to us-we have some restrictions on what is not there, but plenty of opportunity. The source is the marketplace, the reality of what people want and what sells and grows to value is residential property. Every new residential development in town has sold immediately and gone up in value. We know, however, that commercial is a problem. We already voted to sell our lot. These are basically facts. My feeling is that we should sell our lot to the highest bidder. You could put some requirements and restrictions on it. We could very easily do zoning through requiring the buyer of the property to do something, and talk about giving up some of our fees, permitting and review fees, indicating that if they build in one year or some time period we would waive some fees as an incentive. I want to put restrictions and requirements that he has to build within a certain time period. It should be residential. There is another reason that says we also need the money. Many people want to build a City Hall. We were going to do it with cash. My feelings are that I believe the best thing for the Village is to put the lot up for sale. There are several ways to do it. Make sure he submits a plan consistent with the downtown. I think the public would like that, and make sure that they require that the landscaping is consistent with Bridge Road. We could bring in income, make something nice to look at, and bring in money for a Village Hall. When all is said and done, the marketplace determines that. The DiVosta homes sold, went up in value-Centex sold and went up in value. • 2 COUNCIL MEMBER GENCO • I think and believe in order to know where you are now ou need to know Y where you have been. I think the key to developing the future is to take history and develop on that. I wanted to take the Village from where we were four years ago, and one of the visions I have is that our community has the services that we need within reach. When I look at the original concept of the Village Center, it was to increase the business development of the downtown service area, which is dying. One of the things the Village did was to develop the purpose. At that point in time, we had a developer that came in. There were four buildings that were approved for commercial or redevelopment. We ended up owning the property that we voted to sell at the last Council meeting. We should proceed. We should discuss alternatives. The property we own could have been utilized to make a park. If we had put in one of those splash fountains, that would have acted as a draw to all of the families from Centex Homes. We would have a population of about 2500 people. Perhaps a restaurant or a deli would help to revitalize this downtown area. We decided to sell the property without putting any criteria on that. We cannot put wholesale, a warehouse, car wash, fuel station, flea market, kennel, or pet hospital there. The Council does have some leeway if it hasn't been addressed in the code. It has been zoned commercial retail, if you look at that development within the village, you actually have a zero vacancy ratio, if you look at County Line Plaza, you actually only have K-Mart plaza. We have a • need for commercial and retail development. My vision is basically following the footsteps of the past. We can give a 24-month period where we have to have it built. I vote with going commercial and retail. MAYOR RESNIK Sell the property ASAP to the highest bidder. Consider three parcels. I would like to see two of the parcels residential, one of them mixed use-either a professional office building, insurance or stockbroker. We have some vacancies in the current parking lot. I would like to see each enclave or each parcel to have independent or compatible development in terms of look, size, and beauty. Our code allows a building to go up to six stories. I would like to see integrated landscaping between the parcels, walkways, pedestrian-friendly areas, and access to all areas in addition to Main Street. Structural design should be upscale, pedestrian-friendly. I would like it fashionable and attractive, in addition to our tax base, which will be meaningful in the future. I do not believe that we should infuse the three parcels with a large number of business or other type of commercial activities. I think our best approach would be to try and maximize the residential benefit, and put at least one parcel in mixed use. 3 COUNCIL MEMBER VON FRANK I don't think I am qualified to come up with a vision, and I think Mr. Couzzo is better qualified, and Council Member Watkins. I would like to know what our budget is going to be. COUNCIL MEMBER WATKINS From the inception, the idea of a Town Center is appealing, and one of the things we need here in Tequesta is not only going to provide services for our own residences, but for Jupiter. I stopped by Community Development to see the original plan. Interestingly enough, the first thing was for the Town Hall to go back there, second was restaurants, third lower density residential, fourth was the offices-perhaps doctors, physical therapists, and apartments. The splash park seems attractive to those with small children. What I came up with, is that property definitely needs to be sold on open value. I think we need to get the best value we can for that property. I would like to actually do a combination of all these things-sort of in the Vision of Abacoa's Town Center, pedestrian-friendly, that can accommodate boutiques. If you are high enough, you might even get an Intracoastal view. A lot of working people here need places to go for lunch. Mayor Resnik stated when I look back at what we discussed, sell the property, • no more votes. As I understood it, the consensus is to get the property sold on the open market. Secondly the property should be developed in a way that provides for both residential and specific commercial that would enhance the attractiveness of the area. Village Manager Couzzo is going to listen to that tape carefully, listen to all of the remarks, and put out a report that encapsulates all of our views. We want to get a development that we are proud of, that will enhance the Village. There will be residential in there, but there will probably be commercial. The commercial will adhere to the residents' desires. IV. ADJOURNMENT Meeting was adjourned at 5:45 p.m. 4