HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_Workshop_05/22/2003 Verbatim•
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VERBATIM MINUTES OF THE
VILLAGE COUNCIL
WORKSHOP MEETING
REGARDING THE VILLAGE CENTER
May 22, 2003
.7
Mayor Resnik Would you please call the meeting to order?
Clerk Miles Call to Order Workshop of the Village Council, Village of Tequesta. It
is 5:02 p.m. Mayor Resnik?
Mayor Resnik Before we start . .
Clerk Miles I'm going to call the roll.
Mayor Resnik Oh, you're going to call the roll. Well, you never call me first, why did
you call me first tonight?
Clerk Miles Mixing it up a little bit. Mayor Resnik?
Mayor Resnik Yes.
Clerk Miles Vice Mayor von Frank?
Vice Mayor
Von Frank Here.
•
• Village Council Workshop of May 22, 2003
Page 2
Councilmember
Genco Here.
Councilmember
Capretta Here.
Councilmember
Watkins Here.
Clerk Miles Also present is Village Manager Couzzo, Village Clerk Miles, and
Department Heads.
•
Mayor Resnik Am I free to start now?
Clerk Miles Absolutely.
Mayor Resnik Okay.
Clerk Miles (unintelligible)
Mayor Resnik To begin with, I want to read a letter that I sent to the Village
Manager, copy to the Council, that set forth the purpose of this
meeting to keep it clear, concise and to the point, and not too long.
The letter says: [Note: actual wording from the letter is shown in
italics]
The single purpose of this workshop meeting is to offer each Council
• Member the opportunity to relate to their colleagues, in open session,
• Village Council Workshop of May 22, 2003
Page 3
a description or if you call it (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.
1 asked the Village Manager to provide a copy of the Village Code
applicable to this property as backup for the agenda.
In addition to the minutes of this meeting, I have asked the Village
Manager to 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 actual development of the
property. Since we're going to be talking about this in the future,
• want to make it clear that the purpose of this is to allow the Council
Members to talk to each other which they can't do outside of a
meeting to let each other know what they would like to see in the
Village Center irrespective of what went on in the past.
In order to stay focused on fhe purpose of this workshop and to keep
it within no more than sixty minutes, by copy of this memorandum, 1
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. There will be no interruption by any Council Member.
Each Councilmember will have the opportunity to say what he or she
. would like to see.
• Village Council Workshop of May 22, 2003
Page 4
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 pasbpresent development plans or
property ownership at this workshop. That will come later. The whole
purpose of this is to get the Council Members to state what they'd like
to see.
In their statement they should give benefits to our Village and
residents. They should emphasize what they believe benefits to our
Village and residents should be in this presentation.
And 1 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 (you notice I call it Tequesta Plaza that's the old
nomenclature of that particular piece of land and we might as well go
back to it since it is no longer a Village Center) and improve and
enhance our Village.
So that's the purpose tonight. And we're going to do this hopefully in
calm, sequential manner, each Council Member having ten minutes to
state their belief on what they'd like to see. So with that, I think I will
go alphabetically in the, in the, in, in the list rather than any other
way, I think I'll go alphabetically, so, Councilmember Capretta, I would
ask you first to start off.
• Councilmember
Capretta I thought you were going by seniority. [laughter] Okay.
• Village Council Workshop of May 22, 2003
Page s
Mayor Resnik Let me put it this way. By seniority, he stands far above anybody. 16
years.
Councilmember
Capretta Okay, it's 7 after, right?
Mayor Resnik Yeah, you've got 5 minutes, you've got 10 minutes.
Councilmember
Capretta Okay.
• Mayor Resnik Uninterrupted.
Councilmember
Capretta Let's discuss
Mayor Resnik We're not going to discuss.
Councilmember
Capretta My future thoughts on the Village Plaza. Now first, let me say what I
think we know about the Plaza. We know that the voters do not want
to build a Village Hall there. They showed us that by the referendum.
That's a clear fact. We also know by a lot of input we've received,
that they're getting tired of looking at that ugly lot-three lots actually,
but our lot in particular, and they want something done about it, now.
• Not 10 years from now. Three, I also believe that we, that zoning is
not a particular problem to us, in that we have mixed use, and we
• Village Council Workshop of May 22, 2003
Page s
have the flexibility to, to do whatever we want in a zoning sense. We
have some restrictions on what's,. what's not there, but we do have
plenty of opportunity for what could be there. And since the other
source of, of information I have is the marketplace. And by that
mean the reality of the marketplace shows that in this Village what
people want and what sells and grows in value is residential property.
And you can see those people that invested in, in DiVosta have
increased their value; every, every development in town of residential
property, condominiums, has sold immediately, gone up in value, and
its pretty clear there are people that would like to live in the downtown
area of the Village in some sort of residential. We know, however,
that commercial is a problem. Because we have approximately 37%
of the commercial property in this town empty at the moment. Also,
we already voted in a previous meeting to sell our lot. That decision
has also been made. And these are basically facts. Okay. My, my
feeling is we should sell our lot to the highest bidder. Basically.
Okay? That, in other words, put it up for sale and whoever bids on it
and becomes the highest bidder, they get it. Now, we could put some
requirements or restrictions in that thing that I'd like to see, and, that
indicating that, that we want residential, as developers come forward.
We could also want to accomplish one other purpose, that the voters
want something done now. So somebody could buy the lot as the
highest bidder and say he's going to build on it in five years or ten
years, and I don't think we want that. Therefore, we could very easily,
by several alternative methods, through zoning, through requiring the
buyer of the property, that talk about giving up some our fees,
• permitting fees, review fees-we have a whole series of fees that we
charge people when they go to build-- and indicate that if they build
• Village Council Workshop of May 22, 2003
Page 7
within one year or some time period that our Building Department
would work out with the developer that we would waive some of these
fees; in other words it's an incentive to get him to build immediately.
And make sure he submits plans, and there's several ways we could
do that. So, I want to sell it to the highest bidder and I want to put
restrictions and requirements in it that he has to build within a short
time period so that we'll get it built. That, I think, is the best plan and
I, of course, believe we should put, it should be residential. And
there is another reason that, that says that, that we also need the
money. A small item on the list that, most things we don't discuss,
but, since there's many people that want to build a city hall and this
Council agreed that if we build a city hall in the next few years we
• were going to do it by cash, we were not going to borrow money, are
in debt enough, and therefore, that half a million, six hundred
thousand, whatever it turns out the highest bidder bids, would be
available to build a city hall a lot of the people want and they voted to
do. So my feelings in summary are that, I believe the best thing for
the Village, is to put the lot up for sale to the highest bidder, put
requirements on that, that he has to do it in a reasonable time period,
and there are ways to do it, several ways through zoning fees, all
sorts of incentives to get him to do it, and make sure that he submits a
plan that is consistent with the downtown. I tend to believe that it
probably should be some upgraded condominiums, in fact, like we
have done in several other places in town. And I think the public
would like that, and make sure it is required that the landscaping and
all that stuff would be consistent with building up Bridge Road
• someday, so it looks consistent with that kind of landscaping and
idea. So I think we could make the downtown into a nice place to
• Village Council Workshop of May 22, 2003
Page $
look at, bring in a lot of income to the Village, provide the money to
build the city hall, and we would, and it would sell. In other words, a
Council can say whatever they want about what they'd like to see built
someplace and what kind of property we'd like to encourage or
discourage but when, but in the, when all is said and done, the
marketplace determines that. And it is very clear. When we put up
DiVosta they sold like that, and they went up in value. When we put
up Centex, they sold like that, and they went up in value. So
everyplace we do anything like that--Florida Club--it's, it's all selling.
So what I'm saying, its pretty clear that there is a big market for that
kind of property to be built and if we built that kind of property in that
area we would soon fill up that whole area between the two banks
• and we would have anice-looking downtown. Now, I, I think our
plans, are, were along that line.
Mayor Resnik You've got two minutes.
Councilmember
Capretta Yeah. Our, our plans were always along that line and it fits in
consistent with our, with our zoning that, and it fits in with our need for
money, and it fits in with this Council's desire to sell our lot and get
that property developed with the right kind of property and the right
kind of ambiance that fits with the downtown of this Village. That's my
thoughts.
Mayor Resnik Thank you very much. I appreciate that. Ms. Genco?
• Councilmember
Village Council Workshop of May 22, 2003
Page s
Genco There were some handouts that I think the Village Manager has.
Jeff Newell I have them in my car.
Councilmember
Genco [laughs} 1 have them (unintelligible word) in mine, too.
Jeff Newell That was the, it's a colored rendition of the master plan.
Mayor Resnik For what?
Jeff Newell Of,
•
Mayor Resnik the past Village Center?
Jeff Newell Yes.
Mayor Resnik We don't want to discuss that. All we want to know is what Ms.
Genco would like to see.
Councilmember
Genco It's part of my, my vision, and I would like have it.
Mayor Resnik Well, we're not going to, we're not going to discuss that tonight. I'm
sorry but I made that clear. We're not going to discuss past things.
If you'd like to describe what you'd like to see there, that's fine.
I • Councilmember
• Village Council Workshop of May 22, 2003
Page ~ o
Genco I'd, I'd like the picture. So that I can talk about it.
Mayor Resnik I have the picture but I'm not distributing it for, for discussion.
Councilmember
Genco I, I call for a vote for a point of action.
Mayor Resnik No, we're not going to vote on it either.
Councilmember
Genco Roberts Rules and procedures
• Mayor Resnik I put it in my letter and I said we're not going to discuss it. If you have
that as a part of your vision please describe exactly what you'd like
just like Councilmember Capretta, and we'll move on.
Councilmember
Genco Mayor Resnik, I am calling for a point of order on the meeting. I
would like to have
Mayor Resnik You can call for all the point of order you want. I am not going to
distribute that tonight. That's going to be part of our (still speaking
but interrupted so words are unintelligible)
Councilmember
Genco If I had an ombudsman Sir, I would ask that you default then to the
• Vice Mayor.
• Village Council Workshop of May 22, 2003
Page ~ ~
Mayor Resnik No, I'm not going to default
Councilmember
Genco Because you're unable to remain neutral.
Mayor Resnik I'm neutral. I'm abiding by what I put out and asked. And, you know,
If you're going to bring up something that was discussed and go into a
past Village
Councilmember
Genco Sir, you don't even know what I'm going to say.
•
Mayor Resnik I don't know why you're bringing it up.
Councilmember
Genco Because I think its very important for, and I think that our newspaper,
Randall Murray, made a very poignant statement, `In order to know
where you are, you need to know where you've been.' And I think
that part of making a vision, for me includes looking at what we had
and that that way I can explain what my vision is.
Councilmember
Capretta You're got 5 minutes to go.
Councilmember
• Genco This is, this is
Village Council Workshop of May 22, 2003
Page 12
Mayor Resnik Stop the time. Stop the time. Go get one copy of the thing for Ms.
Genco to use and describe her, whatever
Councilmember
Capretta She has a copy.
Mayor Resnik She has a copy?
Councilmember
Capretta She has it. She wants to give it to us. Its what she's talking about.
Right?
. Councilmember
Genco I wanted, I wanted you to be able to see it and 1 wanted the public
also to be able to see it. Because I felt it was important
Councilmember
Capretta She wanted to give it to the public.
Councilmember
Genco for, to have everybody on the same page.
Mayor Resnik What page is that? Past history? Or what you want to see?
Councilmember
Genco I'm not trying to be argumentative, Mayor Resnik.
• Mayor Resnik You are. You really are. You're not abiding by what we asked. But,
• Village Council Workshop of May 22, 2003
Page 13
the clock is stopped. You've still got five minutes after this. We'll
bring it in.
Councilmember
Capretta But Mayor, if you just wrote a letter and told me to prepare a slide
presentation that I, and that I could give the audience,
Mayor Resnik I realize that. I'm not going to get into
Councilmember
Capretta I'm very capable of that, as you wel I know. You just made it very clear
that you just wanted a presentation and no discussion and, and
• Ma or Resnik If Ms. Genco's vision, if Ms. Genco's vision is the same thing that
Y
she's going to present--that's her vision, I don't have any objection.
But if she's going to talk about that and that is not your vision, then
have major objections. If that's your vision, please, we'll, we'll look at
it. If that is what you want to say, that you want to see in the, that you
want to see in the Village
Councilmember
Genco Sir. l've spent close to two days in preparation of this.
Mayor Resnik Okay.
Councilmember
Genco And part of what I did today was go down and make sure I had the
• exhibits to pass out at the Council
• Village Council Workshop of May 22, 2003
Page 14
Mayor Resnik That's not what I said.
Councilmember
Genco and that I had the displays that I could make my presentation.
Mayor Resnik That's not what I said. I said, if that's your vision, that's great.
Councilmember
Genco It's, that is my vision
Mayor Resnik Okay
•
Councilmember
Genco and 1 thought I had a right to it.
Mayor Resnik You've got a right to your vision. If that's your vision, fine, we'll look
at it. And that, that we will do.
Councilmember
Genco If you would like to skip to the next presenter, that would suit me fine
since you are on a time frame here.
Mayor Resnik No, we'll bring it up. We'll bring it up.
Councilmember
• Capretta Now you mean to tell me, she is going to pass out copies of this to the
audience?
• Village Council Workshop of May 22, 2003
Page ~ 5
Mayor Resnik She's got a right to whatever her vision is. If her vision is that then
she's got a right.
Councilmember
Genco Could we bring this
Mayor Resnik But if its just to bring it up for the sake of showing what happened 4
years ago or 3 years ago, no. But if that's what she wants to present
as her vision, that's fine.
Mayor Resnik For those of you that are in the audience, what we have here before
• us is a presentation of what was presented a few years ago, in 1999
it's dated, as the Tequesta Village Center. It was proposed at that
time as a draft concept for the buildings to be put in the Village
Center. And with that, I'll turn it over to Ms. Genco.
Councilmember
Genco Apart of what I had also requested was that we have the zoning,
comprehensive zoning map for this area. I think in making,
developing any vision of the future it is important to pay attention to
history and to take history and to build upon it to develop a sound
pathway for the future. My vision includes a historical point at which
the Village was approximately four years ago and where we are
today. Approximately five years ago when I first moved to the Village
our population was around 5,000 people. Today, our population is
quickly approaching 7,000. By the time the Centex Home
• development has been completed, we are probably going to have a
• Village Council Workshop of May 22, 2003
Page ~s
population closer to 7,000 people. That, may I have the, the
Mayor Resnik Ms., Ms. Genco, this, this presentation is for us. It's not for the
general public. It's to allow us to look at what you want. So put it
where we can see it please.
Clerk Miles It's upside down, want to switch that around, Jeff?
Councilmember
Genco If you look at where the Village Center is, I have to orient myself
here. I can't see without my glasses, I can't see without them.
Jeff Newell Village Center, this is the area you're discussing.
Councilmember
Genco Yes, that's it. So we're looking at this area right in here. When I first
moved to Tequesta, this area was vacant. Tequesta Oaks was not
completed. The Lighthouse Cove was not built. The other Centex
development wasn't completed and The Crossings, which is where
the nursing, the assisted living facility, wasn't done either. Those
areas are going to add approximately 50% to our population. One of
the visions that I have is that our community has all of the services
that it needs within easy reach and we don't have to drive a long way
to get some of those services and some of the entertainment value
that you find in Jupiter. So when I look at the Village Center, which
• unfortunately we do not have a blowup of to show you, the original
concept as you know was to increase the business of the downtown
• Village Council Workshop of May 22, 2003
Page ~ ~
commercial area which was (word is intelligible) and to increase the
traffic pattern. We really did not have an easy way for people to get
through Tequesta Drive to the rest of our commercial district over
here on Bridge Road. So one of the things that the Village did in
order to encourage the development is they purchased in a
roundabout way some of the property here in order to make this Main
Street. Part of the concept was to revitalize the downtown area. At
that point in time we had a developer who came in and who presented
a plan to us which was basically going to (unintelligible words).
There were four buildings that were approved for commercial and
retail development. What ended up happening is the Village had an
opportunity if it wanted to, was to build a Village Hall down there.
• We did not end up building the Village hall there, instead, we've
ended up owning this property which we voted to sell at the last
Council meeting. I agree entirely with Councilmember Capretta that
we should proceed with the sale of that property. However, one of
the things that we didn't do at that meeting was to discuss alternatives
of that property. This property that we own right here could have
been utilized to make the park. I think that if we had utilized that area
to make a park and if we had put in one of those little splash
fountains which I discussed with our Parks and Recreation Director,
Greg Corbitt, who is now trying to get people to build it over here on
the playground, that that would have acted as a drawing to draw all
the families from the Centex Homes, from Tequesta Oaks, from
Lighthouse Cove, and from the other developments which are north of
here. We have a population of about 2,500 people, a lot of them with
• little children. I think it would have brought them in to the area. I
think that that would have created a need for other services-perhaps
Village Council Workshop of May 22, 2003
Page ~ $
a little restaurant or a deli to bring your children to, an ice cream
shop, maybe some clothing or a toy shop or something like that, and
that would have helped to revitalize this downtown area. Well, we
just decided to go ahead and sell the property without placing any
criteria on that. If you look at what our zoning states, there are some
things that you cannot do in this area. Now that we know that we're
going to be selling it, we can't put a wholesale type of commercial
building there, we can't put a warehouse there, we can't put a car
wash there, we can't put a motel, motor vehicle dealer, pawn shop,
full service fuel station, gas services, flea market, automobile repair
facility, a kennel, or pet hospital, or any other structure that is not
specifically or by reasonable invitation permitted herein. In other
words, the Council does have some leeway if it hasn't been
addressed in the code. I don't think that we want to see a fast food
restaurant here.
Mayor Resnik Two minutes.
Councilmember
Genco I think that there are probably some other things we could do with the
area. It has been zoned right now commercial and retail. If you look
at commercial and retail development within the Village of Tequesta
we actually have in the Village Square area, which is off of Federal
Highway, a zero vacancy ratio; in Tequesta Shoppes we have a 14%
vacancy ratio; in the Fashion Mall we have one office available which
is 8%; and if you look at the County Line Plaza which is where the K
• Mart was, we actually only have K Mart Plaza and one other office.
Winn-Dixie is still rented, until they no longer rent it, we can't count it
• Village Council Workshop of May 22, 2003
Page ~ s
as vacant because nobody else can do anything with the property.
So if you look at our blended vacancy ratio it's probably closer to 15%
or less. Which if you look at the Jupiter area, it is actually pretty
comparable. Additionally, if you recall, Palmeri is building a new
commercial warehouse building, we have another one that's been
zoned for that, so I do think we have a need for commercial
development and some retail development. I think that these
homeowners in the area nearby would appreciate us doing that with it
if we decide that we don't want to make a park out of it. That's my
vision, is basically following in the footsteps of the path, the past.
And we also have a lot of incentives that we can give that developer
at, at basically no cost to us and we can give a, say a 24-month
• period where they have to build something. I think once we have
somebody in that building and they have been successful, that that
will help revitalize that whole area, and therefore I vote with going
with what the plan is, which is commercial and retail, if we don't
decide to make it a park.
Mayor Resnik Well, I appreciate what you said. Okay. I, I understand you go with
that plan right here? That plan right there?
Councilmember
Genco Yes.
Mayor Resnik Except that for where the building is, if they could put a park there
that you'd like that better than a building?
• Councilmember
• Village Council Workshop of May 22, 2003
Page 20
Genco Yes.
Mayor Resnik That's fine, I mean, that's a plan. I appreciate that. We're done,
we've got that recorded, we'll move on. That's me, I guess I'm next in
the alphabetical list. I, too, looked at that same, I, too, looked at that
same vacancy distribution that Ms. Genco put up, and it shows we're
not as bad off as everybody says-we don't have a total void of, of, of
commercial. We still have commercial shops that are available. We
still, our vacancies aren't that bad; so its not a dying area. So there
may be some, there may be some benefit. My view for this area: sell
the property ASAP to the highest bidder. Consider the property to
contain three parcels. Two parcels currently owned by a developer,
one parcel may be owned by the developer, or may be owned by
some other developer. But consider three parcels. I would like
personally to see two of the parcels residential, one of them mixed
use. Mixed use being either a professional office building of some
kind like insurance, stockbroker. We already have some vacancies in
the current building, number one park, number one Main Street that
are not rented yet that are, that are for businesses of one sort of
another. I would like to see each enclave or each parcel to have
independent but compatible development with each other and with
number one park place in terms of looks, in terms of beauty, in terms
of size; however, our code allows buildings to go up to six stories. I'm
not advocating that, I'm just saying it does provide that, if somebody
wanted to put an apartment building in for, for sale or for lease of
apartments, or for condos, our code does provide that at the present
time. I'd like to see integrated landscaping between the parcels,
actually walkways, pedestrian friendly areas. I'd like to see access to
• Village Council Workshop of May 22, 2003
Page 21
the area, both areas, from both Tequesta Drive and Bridge Road in
addition to Main Street. The structural design should be appealing to
the eye naturally, it should be upscale, and should be pedestrian
friendly. Basically I'd like to provide a Tequesta Plaza, I'd like to
have a developer provide a Tequesta Plaza that is fashionable,
attractive, in addition to our tax base which will be meaningful to us in
the future, because it will mean more tax roll dollars coming to us, that
will provide social benefit, will be people friendly. All these are big
words but that's essentially what I think I'd like to see there. 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, our
best approach would be to try to maximize the residential benefit that
• we get and put one, at least one parcel into amixed-use category.
And I only took four minutes.
Vice Mayor
Von Frank I'll take less time than that. Quite frankly, I don't feel I'm qualified to
come up with a, a vision. I feel that it would be better if Mr. Couzzo,
would be better qualified, as well as Councilmember Watkins, I think
you would have a better idea as to what we can do with the property,
once we have decided to sell it, so be it. For us to say a vision, I feel
we're jumping the gun. First of all 1 don't know what the budget is
going to be this coming year and what impact will be. There is a
possibility rather than changing it into a park. Considering now the
number of women that have written to the Council members 1 am
surprised that you mention this. So I say, well wait a minute now, I
• say, that's food for thought. So 1 say, I would like to know what our
budget is going to be and what impact this would have as far as the
• Village Council Workshop of May 22, 2003
Page 22
budget if we keep it or if we sell it. But I would like to get
Councilmember Watkins, I think you are better qualified than I as to
what you see as a potential. Thank you.
Councilmember
Watkins Thank you.
Mayor Resnik So, you're, just to capsulize that, you would prefer to defer your
decision, or your vision until you could get some idea of what the
Village Manager and Councilmember Watkins see as a potential for
that area. Are you just talking, are you talking about the lot we own or
are you talking about the whole area? The whole area?
• Vice Mayor
Von Frank Well, about all the area.
Mayor Resnik So, that brings us to you, Councilmember Watkins. Please.
Councilmember
Watkins Well, I appreciate that vote of confidence. I'm not sure I'm well
qualified but I'll give at least my impression of what should happen up
there. Obviously, from the inception, the idea of a Town Center is
appealing to me because that is sort of the threshold when you come
into town up there, and one of the things I think we need here in
Tequesta is we need something that not only is going to provide
services as Ms. Genco said, for our own residents, something that is
going to attract Jupiter over here, make them cross that bridge.
Something we can provide that they don't have. And I think it's
• doable. When I first started thinking about this, as I usually do, I
• Village Council Workshop of May 22, 2003
Page 23
stopped just about everybody I see in the grocery and whatever, and
well, what do you think? And interestingly enough, the comments that
came up, and I'm just going to throw them out there in rank order as
far as popularity. The first was, could town hall go back there, just
because its an easy solution, just build it there. Well, we know that's,
that's not happening. Second, .was restaurants. They really wanted
a nice restaurant. Third was residential, being condo or townhomes,
but definitely with a much lower density than Tequesta Trace,
something that would be open with green space, attractive, and not
just a block of cement. Fourth, was the offices as you suggested,
professional offices. Perhaps the doctors, physical therapists,
something that would compliment the urgent care facility going in, as
. well as all of our assisted living centers that surely need some kind of
medical service provision, as a possibility. And the last was a park.
haven't gotten these letters about the splash park. It is certainly an
attractive thing. I've been asking the, the younger couples that I can
find with small children, because I don't have small children any
more, if that's, you know seems really attractive to them and
apparently it does. They would like it over here because it's a, not as
busy a street for the children to be on getting to the park, but you
know, I, I don't want to let that, that go, that is certainly a possibility.
But what I came up with: that property up there definitely needs to be
sold on the open market. Property values, residential and
commercial, have appreciated at quite a rapid rate as much as 8 to
12% a year and I think we need to keep that in mind and certainly we
want to get the best value we can for that property. We want to get
as much money recouped as we can, and we can't go backwards and
• do it all but we can do the best we can on the open market, I think.
• Village Council Workshop of May 22, 2003
Page 24
would like to actually do what 1 guess I would call a combination of all
these things, sort of in the vision of Abaca's Town Center, where our
bottom floor could be eateries, nice cafe, preferably outdoor seating,
so if you were having your tires done at Budget Tire and you wanted
to walk to get a coffee and donut you could, or, something nice,
pedestrian friendly, but that could also incorporate boutique type
shops. Apparently a lot of these younger women enjoy going to either
the Stuart, downtown Stuart area or down to City Place to do that sort
of shopping and, and, and eating, ice cream shop, whatever it may
be, and then have condominiums above it or apartments above it. If
you go high enough you might even get an Intracoastal view up there
if you're high enough, I don't know if we can get that far. But you
• have to make it something pleasant, because in reality you're
overlooking you know, the tire store, and whatever. To command a
nice price you need a nice facility over some nice shops that would
compliment the residential areas we already have. Those people can
walk to this center and take advantage of what's offered. A lot of
working people here need places for lunch they can go to quickly, and
they like to visit with their neighbors over lunch, and I just think sort of
a compilation of both the residential and the commercial is the way to
go with this property, and that is my idea.
Mayor Resnik Very good. Thank you very much. When 1 look back at what we've
discussed, we've said sell the property--that's number one-on the
open market. No more votes. As I understood--we can't make a
decision here-but as I understood it the consensus is to get the
• property sold on the open market, and that's not a vote, that's just a
consensus, and we can do that here. We've already voted to sell it, I
• Village Council Workshop of May 22, 2003
Page 2s
mean, now is, now is the time to go ahead and sell it. Secondly, the
property should be developed in a way that provides for both
residential and specific commercial, as Councilmember Watkins said,
that would enhance the attractiveness of the area. And, I'm not,
Village Manager Couzzo is going to take, listen to that tape carefully
and he's going to consolidate all the remarks and put out a report that
encapsulates what we've said in terms of our views on development
of this property. We're not developers, we don't develop it. We, we
can encourage, we want to encourage , we want to make sure that we
try to, through whatever means possible, get a development in there
that we're proud of, that we're happy with, that will enhance the
benefits to the Village, the attractiveness to the Village. And so I,
. think we've gotten a pretty good handle on that, but one thing is
certain that there will be residential in there but there probably will be
commercial. But the commercial will be such that it is geared to the
residents' desires if you will, to meet, greet, eat, shop for the things
that they would like to get. I am going to close with one statement,
that I was at the Fire house this Sunday at the EMS
Councilmember
Genco Could I beg you for my other five minutes?
Mayor Resnik Yeah, I'm closed, I closed my five minutes. I'm closing the meeting.
Councilmember
Genco No, I only, I only, I only got five of my ten, may I have my other five?
• Mayor Resnik I'm closing the meeting. I'm done with my five minutes. I've already
said my piece on the development.
• Village Council Workshop of May 22, 2003
Page 2s
Councilmember
Genco Okay
Mayor Resnik I was at a meeting this, this weekend
Councilmember
Genco Since I can't participate, I'm leaving.
Mayor Resnik Goodbye. See you later. I was at a meeting this weekend at the Fire
house which had nothing to do with this discussion, and it was a
. demonstration for kids and for adults on emergency medical services.
And there was a range of residents there of all sorts from young kids
to older people. And one couple made it very clear that there were
not enough shops for young people in the Village. I'm just making
that statement. I think they, they don't like going to Jupiter to buy
things like shoes, like clothes for their kids and so forth. So that may
have some impact, but I don't know. That had nothing to do with my,
my vision at all. Just a statement I wanted to make outside my five
minutes for the vision. With that, I'll entertain a motion to close.
Councilmember
Capretta I make a motion to adjourn.
Vice Mayor
Von Frank Second
•
i Village Council Workshop of May 22, 2003
Page 27
Mayor Resnik So be it. Thank you, folks.
This verbatim transcription has been done to the best of my ability, transcribing only the
words that could be clearly heard. Words that could not be heard clearly due to more than
one person speaking at the same time have been noted in brackets as unintelligible. If any
person questions this transcription they are welcome to refer to the original tape since
there is always the possibility of human error.
~a'-~-~
Betty Laur
~~ f
:~