Aug 06, 2024 Community Redevelopment Board

[00:00:11]

ORDER. ROLL CALL PLEASE. KEN. PENNY. HERE. VICE CHAIR. BRECHBILL. HERE. BOARD MEMBER.

CLOVIS. BOARD MEMBER. HAWKINS. BOARD MEMBER MCCRYSTAL. HERE. BOARD MEMBER. MOSER HERE. AND BOARD MEMBER. NOBLE OKAY. WE CAN STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEASE. MARK, WILL YOU LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE? SURE I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU. IF YOU WANT. BY THE WAY, NOBLES. RIGHT THERE. I WAS OUT OF THE CAR. I SAW HIM. LET THE RECORD SHOW THAT MR. HAWKINS AND MR. NOBLE HAVE JOINED US, I WOULD

[APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

[4. PRESENTATION OF MAIN STREET BUCK PROGRAM BY CANDACE CALLAHAN]

EVERYONE HEAR ME OKAY. OH IS THAT ON? IS THIS ON? TESTING. ALL RIGHT. GREAT. SO FOR THOSE OF YOU, THERE ARE SOME FAMILIAR FACES UP, UP THERE. BUT WE DO NOT KNOW ME. I AM CANDACE CALLAHAN. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR STUART MAIN STREET, AND I'M ABOUT TO CELEBRATE MY FOURTH YEAR NEXT WEEK WITH THIS WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION. I WANTED TO KIND OF BEFORE I GET INTO WHY WE ARE HERE, I WANT TO LAY THE FOUNDATION AS TO WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO BECAUSE SOME OF YOU UP THERE MAY NOT BE AS FAMILIAR WITH OUR PROGRAM. WE ARE A 500 AND 1C3 NONPROFIT THAT'S BEEN SERVING OUR DOWNTOWN FOR ABOUT 37 YEARS NOW. AND WHAT IS MAIN STREET? RIGHT. SO IT'S NOT, UNFORTUNATELY, A PHYSICAL PLACE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE A STREET NAMED MAIN STREET. BUT WHAT IT IS, IT'S REALLY AN ADAPTIVE FRAMEWORK FOR REVITALIZATION. SO, BASICALLY WE ARE HELPING CREATE JOBS, CREATE CREATING A SAFE PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO WANT TO COME AND HELPING SAVE TAX DOLLARS. AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S MOST IMPORTANT, RIGHT? AND THEN ALSO TO PROTECT OUR HISTORIC ASSETS AND RESOURCES. AND I FOUND THIS IN AN ARTICLE RECENTLY THAT DESCRIBES MAIN STREET PROGRAMS. IT SAYS IT'S A FORMULA USED TO ARTICULATE A FOCUSED, DELIBERATE PATH FOR STRENGTHENING OUR COMMUNITY AND COMMERCIAL DISTRICT. AND I'LL GET TO MORE ABOUT THAT. BUT THE HISTORY AS TO WHERE WE STARTED. SO MAIN STREET AMERICA IS OUR BANNER PROGRAM. IT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1980, AS A CALL OR AN ANSWER TO THE ECONOMIC TIMES THAT WE WERE SEEING ACROSS THE COUNTRY. IT WAS FOUNDED UNDER THE NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION, AND OUR STATE PROGRAM, FLORIDA MAIN STREET WAS ESTABLISHED SHORTLY THEREAFTER. IN 1985 UNDER OUR DIVISION OF HISTORIC RESOURCES FOR THE STATE. AND THEN THE CITY OF STUART BROUGHT OUR WONDERFUL PROGRAM HERE TO HELP THEM WITH THEIR REVITALIZATION IN 1987, A VERY STRONG STATISTIC THAT AT THE TIME, IN THE 80S DOWNTOWN, IF YOU WERE HERE WITHIN, I'M SURE MOST OF YOU HAVE BEEN, BUT THE 80S DOWNTOWN WASN'T GREAT. IT WASN'T THRIVING, A LOT OF EMPTY STOREFRONTS. THERE WAS A 60% VACANCY RATE IN THE DOWNTOWN, BUT AFTER FIVE YEARS OF ADOPTING OUR, OUR PROGRAM, THE VACANCY RATE DROPPED TO 0%. SO THE PROOF IS RIGHT THERE. WE BELONG TO A NETWORK OF OVER 2000 OTHER COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. AND 60 COMMUNITY MAIN STREET COMMUNITIES HERE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. SO THIS HERE IS JUST OUR OBJECTIVES. WE HAVE A FOUR POINT STRATEGY. WE FOCUS ON PROMOTION, DESIGN, ORGANIZATION AND ECONOMIC VITALITY TO HELP WITH THE REVITALIZATION EFFORTS. AND EVERY MAIN STREET PROGRAM IS DIFFERENT. THEY HAVE TO FOLLOW THESE FOUR POINTS AND ALL THE ACTIVITIES WITHIN EACH PILLAR HAVE TO ALIGN WITH ONE ANOTHER

[00:05:07]

SO WE'RE VERY MUCH ALIGNED. NEXT YOU'LL SEE A LIST OF OUR PROJECTS. I WILL NOT BORE YOU THROUGH GOING THROUGH OUR IMPRESSIVE RESUME OF PROJECTS, BUT I WILL SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF LIGHT ON TWO OF OUR MOST SIGNIFICANT CURRENTLY WE HAVE FLAGLER CENTER. WE CURRENTLY HAVE THAT LEASE, WE, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF STUART. AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT THAT IS A HUGE IT HAS BEEN A HUGE AND INSTRUMENTAL PART OF OUR FUNDRAISING WHICH ALLOWS WHICH SUPPORTS OUR MISSION. AGAIN, BEING A NONPROFIT, WE NEED DIFFERENT STREAMS OF REVENUE. SO THAT REALLY DOES HELP TO SUPPORT OUR MISSION. AND THEN WE'RE ABLE TO DO MORE AND MORE FOR OUR COMMUNITY. SO IT'S BEEN REALLY BENEFICIAL. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON THAT.

AND THEN MARKET ON MAIN, WHICH IS OUR FARMER'S MARKET. WE TOOK THAT OVER BACK IN JULY OF 2021.

SO HOPEFULLY YOU'LL GET TO COME AND SEE US ON SUNDAYS DOWN AT FLAGLER PARK. AND LET'S SEE. OH YES, BACK IN 2022, WE HAD APPLIED ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF STUART FOR A GRANT. WE WERE AWARDED A $40,000 GRANT TO HELP THE CITY UPDATE THEIR HISTORIC PROPERTY SURVEY. AND NOW WE'RE IN ABOUT PHASE TWO ON THAT PROJECT. WE JUST GOT AWARDED, ALL I NEED TO GET WITH YOU ON THAT. DON'T LET ME FORGET. WE GOT AWARDED A $25,000 GRANT TO HELP THE CITY ACHIEVE THE HISTORIC DESIGNATION FOR THE DOWNTOWN, SO WE'LL BE STARTING WORK ON THAT HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. ON TO OUR COMMUNITY EVENTS, WHICH WE'RE MOSTLY KNOWN FOR. BUT AGAIN, WE USE THESE TO FULFILL OUR MISSION OF PROMOTION AND ECONOMIC VITALITY. WE PROMOTE THE DOWNTOWN. WE BRING PEOPLE HERE, AND THEN THEY SUPPORT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES. WE HAVE A VERY ROBUST CALENDAR OF EVENTS, THANKS TO SOME OF THESE LOVELY LADIES IN THE AUDIENCE FOR THEIR HELP WITH THESE EVENTS, WE HOST THREE ARTS AND CRAFT FESTIVALS. THOSE THREE EVENTS ALONE SUPPORT OR BRING $1.3 MILLION OF ECONOMIC IMPACT FOR THE SURROUNDING AREA. WE HAVE TWO SIP AND SHOPS, WHICH WE CALL OUR STUART STROLLS. WE HAVE THREE SIDEWALK SALES. WE HAVE AN ANNUAL DOWNTOWN CLEANUP NOW FOR EARTH DAY. WE HAVE OUR ANNUAL HALLOWEEN EVENT, WHICH IS HOBGOBLINS, AND IT'S GOING TO BE CELEBRATING ITS 25TH YEAR THIS YEAR. AND, IT'S, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY. AND THEN WE HAVE OUR CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING, WHICH IS CHRISTMAS ON MAIN. WE HAVE TWO NOW YEAR ROUND WEEKLY EVENTS, WHICH ARE ONE OF THEM BEING ROCK AND RIVERWALK, WHICH IS MOST RECOGNIZABLE. AND THEN NOW, OF COURSE, WE HAVE THE FARMERS MARKET, WHICH I'VE ALREADY MENTIONED, AND THEN WE HOST ABOUT 250 EVENTS ANNUALLY AT FLAGLER CENTER, SO TO SAY THE LEAST, WE'RE BUSY AND WE CONTINUE TO DO MORE. ALL OF THAT THAT I JUST RAN THROUGH VERY QUICKLY ADDS UP TO THIS IMPACT. SO THIS IS OUR CUMULATIVE STATS. UNFORTUNATELY, THE FIRST 12 YEARS OF OUR, EXISTENCE HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO BE CALCULATED BECAUSE BACK THEN, IN THE 80S AND EARLY 90S, TECHNOLOGY WASN'T WHAT IT WAS AND WE WEREN'T ABLE TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT THAT OUR ORGANIZATION HAS. BUT THESE ARE PRETTY CLOSE STILL, SO WE'VE GENERATED SOME PRETTY HIGH NUMBERS HERE OR HELPED GENERATE SOME PRETTY HIGH NUMBERS HERE IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INTEREST, AS WELL AS CREATING NEW JOBS AND NEW BUSINESSES TO THE DISTRICT. AND IN 2023 ALONE, OUR VOLUNTEERS, WHICH WE ARE MOSTLY A VOLUNTEER BASED ORGANIZATION, WHICH SOME OF YOU ALREADY KNOW UP THERE, HAVING SERVED ON OUR ORGANIZATION WITH OUR ORGANIZATION, THAT'S ABOUT $80,000 JUST IN 2023 AND VOLUNTEER HOURS AND OF COURSE, THAT NUMBER IS GOING TO GROW THE MORE WE GROW AND WE CONTINUE TO DO MORE THINGS FOR OUR DOWNTOWN. SO THE REASON I'M HERE, SORRY TO RUN THROUGH THAT PRETTY QUICKLY. OUT OF BREATH, I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT A PROGRAM THAT WAS REALLY BENEFICIAL FOR OUR DOWNTOWN. WE DID THIS AS AN ANSWER TO WHAT WAS BECAUSE OF

[00:10:01]

OUR LEADERSHIP, OUR CITY LEADERSHIP. AT THE TIME, CITY STAFF REALLY ENJOYED THIS PROGRAM AND REALLY ENCOURAGED US TO BRING IT BACK BECAUSE OF ITS IMPACT. HERE'S JUST A SIMPLE LIST OF BENEFITS. I THINK WE ALL UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE THAT SMALL BUSINESSES PLAY IN OUR COMMUNITIES, THEY I READ AN INTERESTING I DIDN'T KNOW THIS, BUT SMALL BUSINESSES ACTUALLY MAKE UP ABOUT 98% CURRENTLY OF EMPLOYEE OF THE. I GUESS I WOULD SAY THE ECONOMY THROUGHOUT THE NATION. SO THEY EQUATE TO 98%, BUT THEY HIRE LIKE 60 MILLION PEOPLE. THAT'S A LOT. SO BUT UNFORTUNATELY, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE SO IMPORTANT, THEY'RE ALSO REALLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO POLITICAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL VARIABLES HURTING THEIR BOTTOM LINE. AND HURTING THEIR PROFITS, SO AS A CALL TO ANSWER THAT, WE WOULD HOPE TO BRING THIS PROGRAM BACK AND BRING THESE BENEFITS BACK TO THE TABLE FOR THESE BUSINESS OWNERS. AND ANOTHER STATISTIC IS 51% OF GIFT CARD HOLDERS ACTUALLY TRY NEW BUSINESSES, WHICH WAS REALLY INTERESTING TO ME. AND THEN THIS IS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THE PROGRAM LOOKS LIKE. SO OUR HOPE IS ACTUALLY TO PARTNER WITH THE THIRD PARTY, PLATFORM. IT'S CALLED GIFT. IT IS NOW CURRENTLY USED BY OTHER 600 OTHER DOWNTOWNS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. AND SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 2020, THEY'VE HELPED GENERATE $30 MILLION FOR SMALL BUSINESSES. AND SO IT'S JUST THE PLATFORM ITSELF, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BECOME ELECTRONIC AS OPPOSED TO PAPER, WHICH WILL HELP IT MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT AND LESS LABOR INTENSIVE FOR OUR TEAM, DID I MISS ANYTHING HERE? NOPE. I THINK WE'RE GOOD THERE. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I CAN DEFINITELY ANSWER AFTER I'M DON. SO WITH YOUR SUPPORT AND THE BUSINESSES IN DOWNTOWN AND OUR COMMUNITY WITH A BY REINTRODUCING THIS PROGRAM, THE BENEFITS THAT BENEFITS BOTH CONSUMERS AND MERCHANTS WILL BE ABLE TO HELP TRANSFORM THE TRUE MEANING OF SUPPORTING LOCAL, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THOSE DOLLARS LOCAL RIGHT HERE IN OUR ECONOMY AND OUR LOCAL ECONOMY, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO GIVE COME BACK EACH YEAR WITH MORE STATISTICS, BECAUSE NOW IT'S ELECTRONIC. WE'RE ABLE TO TRACK CERTAIN DATA, A LITTLE BIT MORE, AND MEASURE ITS IMPACT, AND THEN HOPEFULLY YOU'LL BE ABLE TO JOIN US IN THIS AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW, THE POSITIVE ECONOMIC IMPACT FOR THE DOWNTOWN AND FOR THE SURROUNDING AREA AS WELL, YOU WERE I THINK YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED SOME COPIES OF OUR LETTERS OF SUPPORT FROM SOME OF OUR OTHER ECONOMIC PARTNERS, SO WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE THEM ON BOARD. AND I THINK THAT IS IT. DID I MISS ANYTHING? WE'RE GOOD. YEAH THANK YOU. CANVAS. YOU'RE WELCOME. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, SPECIFICS ABOUT THE PROGRAM. YOU. DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY FIRST? SO JUST TO MENTION, THEY ARE REQUESTING $30,000 IN CRA FUNDS, FOR THIS PROGRAM. SO YOU'RE NOT MAKING A MOTION TODAY. BUT THIS IS SOMETHING YOU'LL SEE IN THE CRA BUDGET IN SEPTEMBER. SO THAT'S WHEN YOU'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE, THIS AMOUNT FOR THIS PROGRAM. SHOULD YOU DECIDE TO MOVE FORWARD. YES. AND WE THIS IS STRICTLY TO WHETHER WE WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS.

RIGHT. WE WANT TO HEAR YOUR FEEDBACK AND, SUPPORT FOR THE PROGRAM, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY THE

[00:15:02]

YES SIR. AND THE PLATFORM ACTUALLY IS FREE TO NON-PROFITS, TO MAIN STREET PROGRAMS. SO WE'RE THANKFUL FOR THAT. YES. YEAH. DO YOU WANT TO SAY, I MEAN, I DON'T HAVE MUCH TO SAY, I ACTUALLY SIT ON THE BOARD OF MAIN STREET, SO I'M GOING TO RECUSE MYSELF FROM VOTING ON THIS. OKAY AND YOU'LL SEE LEE BAGGETT LATER FILED A PROPER FORM. BUT, MARK, DO YOU WANT TO GO, YEAH, JUST A COUPLE THINGS. ONE, WHERE DO WE STAND, CANDACE, RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF NUMBER OF EMPTY BUSINESSES IN DOWNTOWN STUART, THE LAST REPORT I WAS ABLE TO RECEIVE, SHOWED FOUR VACANCIES, BUT TWO HAD CONTRACTS PENDING OR LEASES PENDING, AND WE'VE GOT A COUPLE POTENTIAL THAT HAVEN'T COME TO LIGHT YET, BUT THAT'S CORRECT. ONE UNIT, UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE HEARD IS LESS THAN DESIRABLE BECAUSE OF THE CONDITION OF THE SPACE, SO THAT NEEDS A LITTLE IMPROVEMENT.

SO THAT COULD TAKE A LITTLE TIME. BUT THE OTHER BUSINESSES SEEM TO THEY'RE GREAT LOCATIONS, SO THEY SHOULD BE FILLED VERY QUICKLY. BUT JUST IN TERMS OF HISTORY, WE'RE WE'RE KIND OF AT A POINT WHERE WE'VE GOT MORE WE'VE GOT MORE PLACES OPEN THAN WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST. YES, YES.

AND I THINK WE IF YOU WANT ME TO COMMENT ON WHY I THINK THAT IS. YEAH, I'D RATHER NOT GET IN THE RATHER YOU NOT NEITHER, BECAUSE IT'S NOT TRUE. THAT'S YES. BUT THERE ARE FACTORS THAT ARE, HONESTLY TWO THAT I HAD HEARD JUST WANTED TO RETIRE, BUT THE OTHER LOCATIONS, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT CHEAP TO DO BUSINESS. RIGHT. AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS GETTING A. YEAH. MY CONCERN IS I THINK WE HAVE THIS PROGRAM. I THINK THIS THIS PROGRAM IS A GREAT PROGRAM. AND I THINK IT'S DONE A LOT OF STUFF. AND I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD ABANDON IT AT ALL. BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT THAT WE FOCUS ON WE'RE FOCUSING ON SOME OF THESE TYPES OF PROGRAMS LIKE THIS. AND, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW I'M WORRIED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DOWNTOWN, IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE TO OWN A SHOP IN DOWNTOWN STUART RIGHT NOW. I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING $45 A SQUARE FOOT, WE'RE TALKING 900FT■!S, PAYING 12,000 A MONTH. YEAH. I MEAN, OUR BUSINESSES CAN'T SURVIVE DOWNTOWN WITH THAT KIND OF SUCCESS. AND I'M A LITTLE WORRIED AS TO WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT MAIN STREET IS DOING TO KIND OF UNFORTUNATELY, MAIN STREET. THAT'S NOT THE ROLE THAT WE HAVE SERVED. I HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO BE MORE INVOLVED AS FAR AS BUSINESS STEERING. WE ARE STRENGTHENING OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT BOARD AND OUR LOCAL CHAMBER TO HELP STEER CERTAIN BUSINESSES INTO THE DISTRICT, BECAUSE WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAINTAIN A CERTAIN LEVEL, A CERTAIN TYPE OF BUSINESS IN THE DOWNTOWN THAT'S GOING TO MEET CONSUMER, YOU KNOW, THE MARKET THAT THAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR. SO, AGAIN, HAPPY TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS ON HOW IF THERE'S IDEAS OF HOW MAIN STREET CAN BE INVOLVED. BUT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM THAT'S HAPPENING IN ALL MAIN STREETS THAT I'VE HEARD. SO WE'RE NOT UNIQUE OFFLINE. NO. NOT OFFLINE OKAY. YEAH AS A DISCUSSION ITEM. YEAH. AT A DIFFERENT TIME. WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP THE BUSINESSES HERE. YES BUT I AGREE I WOULD LOVE THAT CONVERSATION. THANK YOU. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR CANDACE, YES. HI I'M GLAD YOU HAVE THAT SLIDE UP. THE, $30,000 INVESTMENT. AND THAT'S THE TAXPAYER INVESTMENT, CORRECT? THAT WOULD BE FROM THE CRA. YES.

AND THEN THE $180,000 RETURN. WHO GETS THAT? THE SMALL BUSINESSES. OH OKAY. THAT SOUNDS FAIR. YEAH. WELL, 100% OF WHATEVER IS RAISED IS GOING TO GO DIRECTLY BACK TO THE BUSINESSES, BUT NOT TO THE TAXPAYERS. WILL THE TAXPAYERS GET A LOVELY DOWNTOWN EXPERIENCE? OH, BOY. OKAY. AND USUALLY ANYTIME I SEE SOMETHING THAT SAYS YOU'RE GOING TO TURN $30,000 INTO $180,000, IT'S TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. SO ISN'T IT? USUALLY IS. YEAH YEAH. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. AND LIKE I SAID, WE'RE HAPPY TO REPORT BACK, ONCE WE HAVE THOSE STATISTICS. AND, YOU KNOW, THE MORE DATA BECAUSE IT'LL BE ELECTRONIC. SO WE HAVE THE ABILITY NOW TO, TO PULL ALL KINDS OF INFORMATION. SO WE'LL BE HAPPY TO BRING THAT BACK TO

[00:20:03]

AND SO I DON'T LIKE THAT EITHER. HOWEVER I COULD SEE THE BENEFIT TO THIS PROGRAM. SO WHILE I MAY NOT LIKE IT, I THINK IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE I WOULD VOTE IN FAVOR OF IT. HOLD MY NOSE, SO TO SPEAK. THANK YOU SIR, IN FAVOR OF IT. SO DO WE NEED TO TAKE A VOTE FOR IT TO PROCEED? BECAUSE OTHERWISE, HOW DO YOU KNOW HOW THE REST OF PEOPLE FEEL YOU'RE GOING TO PUT IT INTO A BUDGET? AND DO WE? DO WE VOTE DOWN THE BUDGET? YOU PULL THAT ITEM OUT. SO IF YOU WERE NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAM, YOU COULD PULL THE ITEM OUT. THE BUDGET IS ALREADY READY, SO IT'S READY TO BE PRESENTED, BUT I THINK YOU SHOULD HAVE A MOTION FROM THIS BOARD THAT THEY DO EITHER SUPPORT OR NOT SUPPORT SO THAT THERE'S NO SECRETS GOING FORWARD. I WOULD MAKE A MOTION THAT WE INCLUDE THIS FUNDING IN OUR IN THE BUDGET. I GOT A SECOND, SECOND. CAN I GET A ROLL CALL? VOTE ON THIS PLEASE. BOARD MEMBER MCCRYSTAL, NO. BOARD MEMBER. MOSER. YES. BOARD MEMBER NOBLE. YES. CHAIR. COMPANY. YES. VICE CHAIR. BRECHBILL. YES. AND BOARD MEMBER. HOPKINS. YOU WERE JUST. EXCUSE YOURSELF. NO. HE'S GOING TO RECUSE HIMSELF. YES. OKAY, SO IT PASSES. SO THAT'S FINE. THANK YOU. CANDACE, THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE THAT. OKAY. SO WE'RE GOING TO TAKE

[3. 710 MARTIN LUTHER KING BOULEVARD - REZONE TO BUSINESS AND MIXEDUSE (BMU) ZONING DISTRICT (RC): ORDINANCE No. 2532-2024; AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, AMENDING THE CITY'S OFFICIAL ZONING MAP, TO REZONE A 2.4-ACRE PARCEL; LOCATED AT 710 MARTIN LUTHER KING BOULEVARD, BEING MORE DESCRIBED IN EXHIBIT "A" ATTACHED, FROM COMMERCIAL PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT (CPUD) TO BUSINESS AND MIXEDUSE (BMU) ZONING DESIGNATION; PROVIDING DIRECTIONS TO THE CITY CLERK; PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF ALL ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.]

SO CAN I GET, MARTIN LUTHER KING BOULEVARD REZONE TO BUSINESS AND MIXED USE ZONING DISTRICT ORDINANCE NUMBER 2532 2024. AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA.

SEE, IT'S VERY NICE WHEN YOU SIT UP HERE. YEAH. AMENDING THE CITY'S OFFICIAL ZONING MAP TO REZONE A 2.4 ACRE PARCEL LOCATED AT 710 MARTIN LUTHER KING BOULEVARD, BEING MORE DESCRIBED IN EXHIBIT A ATTACHED FROM COMMERCIAL PLANNING UNIT DEVELOPMENT CPU D TO BUSINESS AND MIXED USE. THE NEW ZONING DESIGNATION PROVIDING DIRECTION TO THE CITY CLERK, PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF ALL ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT. PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. JODY. WAY DOWN YONDER IN THE PURPLE PATCH. GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS. FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JODY KUGLER. I AM THE DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR. TONIGHT I'LL BE PRESENTING AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO. THIS IS A REZONING REQUEST FOR A PROPERTY LOCATED AT 710 MARTIN LUTHER KING BOULEVARD. THE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PUBLIC NOTICE REQUIREMENTS, IT WAS

[00:25:09]

[00:30:01]

HERE'S A VISUAL FOR OUR PROPOSED UTILITIES THAT WOULD CONNECT TO THE CITY SYSTEM AND SERVE THE PROPOSED SITE. AND HERE IS, SOME MORE PRETTY PICTURES OF THE PROPOSED LANDSCAPING PLAN. THIS ONE IS A FUN ONE TO SHOW TO EMPHASIZE THE PROPOSED SHARED USE PATH, WHICH LINES THE WEST SIDE OF THE SITE FROM NORTH TO SOUTH. THANK YOU JUNIE. AND NOW ON TO THE MORE EXCITING THINGS I'LL BRING UP OUR HOME ARCHITECT REPRESENTATIVE, TO EXPLAIN HIS RENDERINGS. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS SCOTT HUGHES WITH HUGHES ARCHITECTS, KNOWN AS HUM, THIS IS THE FOOTPRINT OF THE BUILDING. BOB ZACCHEO WILL GO INTO DETAILS OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT TAKE PLACE INSIDE. AND IT'S APPROXIMATELY 12,000FT■!S, 200F, 200FT LONG, 60FT WIDE. NEXT SLIDE. THESE ARE THE ELEVATIONS OF THE BUILDING. MAJOR CHARACTERISTIC IS THE DEEP OVERHANG CREATED IN ORDER TO HAVE A POST OFFICE, A PASSIVE SOLAR CHARACTERISTIC. BUT ALSO TO, OF COURSE, PROTECT THE BUILDING FROM, FROM THE SUNLIGHT AND ALSO, PROJECT A WELCOMING CHARACTERISTIC TO THE BUILDING ITSELF ON THE STREET NEXT SLIDE, A RENDERING OF THE STREET FRONTAGE ITSELF WE MADE, TOOK GREAT PAINS TO PUSH THE BUILDING TOWARDS THE STREET TO MAKE IT AS WELL WELCOMING AS POSSIBLE AND TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE GOALS OF THE CRA TO CREATE A STREET FRONTAGE. NEXT SLIDE. THE ROOF ITSELF EXTENDS ON BOTH ENDS, AGAIN TO CREATE SOME COMMUNITY OPENNESS SPACE TO MAKE THE CORNERS MORE ARCHITECTURALLY AGGRESSIVE. NEXT SLIDE. ANOTHER VISION OF THAT. NEXT SLIDE ON BOTH THAT AND THE PARKING AREA IN THE REAR. AND NOW I'LL INTRODUCE BOB ZACCHEO WHO WILL TELL YOU ABOUT THE PROGRAM ITSELF. MY NAME IS BOB ZACCHEO. I'M THE CEO AND FOUNDER OF PROJECT LIFT. THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING ME TODAY. AND I JUST CAN'T THANK THIS TEAM ENOUGH FOR WORKING SO HARD ON THIS, THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BRING TO, TO STUART AND TO THE COMMUNITY ITSELF. AND, AND CERTAINLY SCOTT AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON PROJECTS TOGETHER FOR, FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW. AND, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T BE MORE PROUD OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY OF STUART AND TO BRING PROJECT LIFT, TO, RIGHT INTO THE CENTER OF TOWN. SO, I KNOW I'VE

[00:35:05]

MAYBE WE HAVEN'T HAD SOME PERSONAL CONNECTIONS BEFORE. SO I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT PROJECT LIFT IS, HOW PROJECT LIFT STARTED, WHY PROJECT LIFTS EXISTS. AND YOU CAN STAY ON THIS SLIDE FOR A BIT, YOU KNOW, I'M A LICENSED PSYCHOTHERAPIST. I STARTED PROJECT LIFT 14 YEARS AGO. I WAS VERY FRUSTRATED WITH DOING TREATMENT INSIDE OF A CLINICAL OFFICE. I WORKED PRIMARILY WITH 1415, 16 YEAR OLD, YOUNG MEN WHO WERE STRUGGLING WITH DRUGS, ALCOHOL, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, STRESS, ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY, FAMILY FUNCTIONAL ISSUES, WHICH I'LL TELL YOU 90% OF THE TIME, IT'S A FAMILY FUNCTIONAL ISSUE. AND, SO I'M SITTING INSIDE OF MY CLINICAL OFFICE FRUSTRATED WITH DOING TREATMENT BECAUSE IF ANY OF YOU HAVE EVER SPOKEN TO A 16 YEAR OLD BOY BEFORE AND ASKED THEM HOW THEY'RE DOING TODAY, IT USUALLY IS ONE WORD ANSWER, RIGHT, FRANK? ONE WORD ANSWERS. RIGHT? THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. IT IS. IT'S LIKE, SO HOW ARE YOU TODAY? AND, FINE AND GOOD COMES OUT OF PEOPLE'S MOUTHS, AND WE KNOW THAT THERE'S MORE TO IT THAN THAT. WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A BETTER WAY TO GET INTO A KID'S LIFE. AND I, I CALLED A BUDDY OF MINE WHO WAS AN ACE CERTIFIED MECHANIC, AND I ASKED HIM TO KIND OF MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT, I ASKED HIM IF HE WOULD BE OPEN TO DOING, TEACHING KIDS AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR WHILE I DID PSYCHOTHERAPY UNDERNEATH THE HOOD OF A CAR, BECAUSE THE FRUSTRATIONS INSIDE OF A CLINICAL OFFICE WERE THAT GREAT, RIGHT? I REALIZED QUICKLY THAT THAT SEVEN WEEKS OF TREATMENT THAT WE WERE PROVIDING FOR A KID, 45 MINUTES A CLIP, I'M SURE THAT THERE'S PEOPLE ON THIS PANEL. WHERE MENTAL HEALTH HAS AFFECTED THEIR OWN FAMILY OR THEMSELVES OR DRUGS AND ALCOHOL HAVE AFFECTED THEIR OWN FAMILY OR THEMSELVES, AND WE DO KNOW THAT 45 MINUTES SOMETIMES JUST ISN'T ENOUGH. AND WHAT WE REALLY WANTED TO DO WAS GET A KID OUTSIDE OF THAT CLINICAL OFFICE SO THAT THEY COULD EXPERIENCE SOMETHING, SOMETHING GREATER, AND THAT'S RELATIONSHIP. TRUE RELATIONSHIP WITH TRUE MENTORING WITH TRUE, OPPORTUNITIES FOR, FOR GROWTH. AND THAT'S HOW PROJECT LIFT STARTED. THAT FIRST YEAR WE WORKED WITH 19 KIDS OUT OF. IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, I THINK IT'S SOME OF THE STATS ON HERE, NEXT SLIDE, HERE WE GO. HERE'S OUR A LITTLE BIT OF A TIMELINE OF WHO OF WHO WE ARE, WE FOUNDED PROJECT LIVE IN 2010. ACTUALLY STARTED IN IN CITY IN THE CITY OF STUART, WE OUT QUICKLY OUTGREW GREW THAT SPACE BECAUSE IT WAS FREE AND THEY WERE WILLING TO ONLY DO SO MUCH FOR A FLEDGLING, NONPROFIT.

WE MOVED, WE WERE ABLE TO PURCHASE A BUILDING BACK IN 2014, TO, TO ACCOMMODATE OUR GROWTH BACK IN OVER IN PALM CITY, WE THEN GREW TO RIGHT AROUND 200 TO 200 TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS EVERY, EVERY SINGLE YEAR. THAT FIRST YEAR, 19 TEENAGERS WERE TEENS FROM INDIANTOWN WERE INVOLVED 14 WEEK INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT PROGRAM, WHICH I'LL GO OVER AND HOW THAT WORKS AND HOW THAT TIES INTO JOB READINESS AND EMPLOYABILITY, BECAUSE IT REALLY GREW AND BLOSSOMED INTO SOMETHING THAT I THINK NONE OF US COULD HAVE EXPECTED. IN FACT, I THINK MARK AND I, WE PROBABLY HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS AROUND THEN ABOUT ABOUT WHAT WE WERE DOING, HOW WE WERE DOING IT, AND THE MOVEMENTS THAT WERE GOING FORWARD, WE OPENED OUR SECOND SITE IN BELLE GLADE, WHICH I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU HAVE EVER BEEN OUT TO BELLE GLADE BEFORE, BUT IF YOU WANT TO BE AS CLOSE TO A THIRD WORLD COUNTRY IN OUR IN OUR AREA AS POSSIBLE, THAT'S PROBABLY IT.

AND SOME OF THE AREAS THERE ARE REALLY, REALLY BAD. I WANTED TO SEE IF PROJECT LIVE COULD WORK IN SOME OF THE HARDEST PLACES IN THE COUNTRY. IN 2020 WE OPENED IN FORT PIERCE, THAT WAS OUR THIRD LOCATION. WE SERVED ANOTHER 250 KIDS OUT OF THERE. WE, HAD NOW ARE, ONE OF THE MAIN PROVIDERS OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE, MENTAL HEALTH, JOB READINESS, EMPLOYABILITY IN THE SAINT LUCIE COUNTY AREA. AS WELL, AT YEAR 14, WE SERVED JUST UNDER 530, STUDENTS IN IN OUR IN OUR MARTIN COUNTY PALM CITY SITE. RIGHT. THAT'S AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF GROWTH. A LOT OF THOSE TEENS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTY WERE GOING FROM JENSEN BEACH TO INDIANTOWN TO HOBE SOUND TO STUART. EVERYWHERE ACROSS THE PIECE. SO, AND NOW HERE WE ARE IN IN 2026, WHICH IT IS, IT ABSOLUTELY MOVES ME TO BE STANDING UP HERE AND HEARING A PRESENTATION ABOUT PROJECT LIFT LIGHT AND HEARING AND SEEING WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE, BECAUSE THIS DREAM OF MINE TO SEE SOMETHING LIKE THIS COME AND BE IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR COMMUNITY IS EMOTIONAL. FOR ME. IT'S THIS IS MY COMMUNITY. IT'S WHERE I GREW UP. EASTER. I PLAYED MY, YOUTH SPORTS IN STUART. I WAS A STUART HORNET. I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT. AND WHEN ANYBODY'S READY FOR TO BRING THAT TEAM BACK, I'M READY TO, TO BE A PART OF THAT FOR SURE, BECAUSE IT SAVED A LOT OF KIDS LIVES. SO THAT'S 2026 A FUTURE. LOOK AT IT. SO LET'S GO TO DAY IN A LIFE OF A PROJECT LIFT KID AND YOUNG ADULT,

[00:40:01]

I SEE THE POINTING BACK AND FORTH WITH YOU TO SAY THAT THIS IS JOE, AND I'VE HAD THESE CONVERSATIONS A MILLION TIMES, RIGHT? IT CHANGES PEOPLE. GET THEM INTO THAT POSITION. WAS HE A TEACHER OF YOURS? NO. THANK GOD. COULD I MAKE SURE? THANK GOD, JOE FLANAGAN WAS NOT MY TEACHER. BUT JOE ABOUT WAS SIMPLY THAT IT'S THE FEAR IS MISSING IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.

THAT'S THE PROBLEM. HEALTHY FEAR. THERE'S NO FEAR. THAT'S RIGHT. A HEALTHY FEAR. RIGHT.

AND THAT'S WHAT YOUNG MEN, YOUNG MEN ARE ANIMALS. THEY USE THEIR NON-CONSCIOUS BRAIN. A WHOLE LOT MORE THAN THEIR CEREBRAL PART OF THEIR BRAIN. AND THERE HAS TO BE A FEAR FACTOR TO ESTABLISH DISCIPLINE. AND IT'S MISSING. OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT'S WHAT I MISSED ABOUT YOU, NOT THE.

HERE'S THE THING. YOU'RE RIGHT. YOU'RE RIGHT. IT'S. AND I'LL CALL IT A HEALTHY FEAR. RIGHT.

THE HEALTHY FEAR IS THESE YOUNG MEN. WHEN I WAS A KID, I COULD CLIMB TO THE TOP OF THE TREE, RIGHT? I'D CLIMB TO THE TOP OF THE TREE AND MY MOM WOULD BE YELLING AT ME, GET DOWN, GET DOWN, GET DOWN! I'D FALL, BREAK MY ARM, AND SHE'D BE LIKE, OH, I YOU KNOW, I TOLD YOU NOT TO CLIMB THE TREE. AND I GET THAT CAST ON. AND GUESS WHAT I WAS DOING THE NEXT DAY? CLIMBING THE TREE RIGHT WITH ONE ARM. RIGHT. BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE DO, RIGHT? THAT'S THAT'S YOUNG MAN.

YOU PUT THAT HEALTHY FEAR IN PLACE AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS. AND IT ALSO FOSTERS GOOD MENTORING. RIGHT. THAT KID HAS TO TRUST THE VOCATIONAL TRAINER OR THE VOCATIONAL MENTOR BECAUSE HE HAS NO IDEA HOW TO USE THAT MACHINE. AND OH, BY THE WAY, YOU KNOW, AN OXY ACETYLENE TORCH IS THE MOST POWERFUL TORCH IN ANYBODY'S IN ANYBODY'S SHOP, RIGHT? IT DOESN'T MATTER. YOU CAN GO ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND THAT IS YOUR MOST POWERFUL TOOL IN ANYBODY. SO. SO NOW YOU FOSTER TRUST WITH THE MENTOR AND YOU FOSTER TRUST WITH THE KID. IT GOES BACK AND FORTH. AND THAT'S HOW RELATIONSHIP BUILDS, SO HANDS ON HIGH TOUCH VOCATIONAL TRAINING, THEY GO INTO, MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING ONE ON ONE. THEY ALSO DO GROUP GROUP THERAPY SESSIONS. WE HAVE A FAMILY STYLE MEAL TOGETHER WHERE WE ALL SIT DOWN, STAFF AND KIDS AND BREAK BREAD. WE SIT DOWN AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL EATING TOGETHER. THAT HAPPENS AT EVERY ONE OF OUR FACILITIES. TWO TIMES A DAY FOR ONE, THE FIRST ONES AT LUNCH. AND. OH BY THE WAY, THAT'S USUALLY THE BIGGEST MEAL OF THE DAY. I THINK. ANYBODY KNOW THE FARMER METHODS, RIGHT? THE FARMER IS. EVERYBODY SAT DOWN AND ATE A BIG MEAL AT LUNCHTIME. RIGHT. YOUR LIGHTER MEAL WAS IN THE AFTERNOON. SO IT KIND OF FOSTERS THIS KIND OF WAY OF BEING THAT GIVES THAT CONNECTIVITY, THOSE RELATIONSHIPS ARE CONTINUED TO BE BUILT BECAUSE YOUR MENTORS ARE THE ONES THAT ARE OUT THERE ADVOCATING FOR YOU ALL ACROSS THE LINE. BY THE WAY, WE HAVE A REALLY PHENOMENAL GRANT THROUGH, THROUGH THE STATE OF FLORIDA. IT'S A MENTORING GRANT. AND THAT ENGAGES, ADULT MALE ROLE MODELS TO ENGAGE WITH YOUNG MEN. RIGHT. IT'S STRICTLY FOR, FOR, FOR YOUNG MEN. WE DO HAVE A GIRLS PROGRAM AS WELL, WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT IN A MINUTE, WE HAVE OUR FAMILY STYLE MEAL. THEN THEY GO INTO OUR, HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA PROGRAM. THE MAJORITY OF THE TEENS THAT ARE WORKING IN OUR CAREER RISING PROGRAM IN THE MORNING, HAVE DROPPED OUT OF

[00:45:02]

THEY'D GO TO GET A JOB. AND THE FIRST THING THAT THE HR DEPARTMENT ASKED THEM IS SAY, DO YOU HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA? AND THEY GO, NO, I HAVE A GED. THE WORD NO WOULD COME OUT OF THEIR MOUTH, RIGHT? IT ALREADY PUT A NEGATIVE CONNOTATION INTO THE INTO THE SYSTEM WHEN LIKE I SAYS, 2024, THERE'S A MILLION PLATFORMS AT A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMAS. AND THAT'S WHAT WE DO AT LIFT, THEY THEN GO HOME RIGHT AROUND 230 IN THE AFTERNOON, GO BACK INTO THE THEY GO BACK INTO THEIR WORK ENVIRONMENT. THEY GO HOME AROUND 230 IN THE AFTERNOON. IT IS A PAID APPRENTICE STYLE PROGRAM. SO THEY ACTUALLY GET $15 AN HOUR FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO WHILE THEY'RE AT PROJECT LIFT. SO THEY'RE EARNING A PAYCHECK. THEY'RE GETTING THEMSELVES OUT OF GENERATIONAL POVERTY. THEY'RE LEARNING A SKILLED TRADE. THEY'RE GETTING RELATIONSHIPS BUILT. THEY'RE EARNING THEIR HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA. THEY'RE GETTING HIGH, HIGH QUALITY MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELING IF THEY NEED IT. BECAUSE, BY THE WAY, THESE COMPANIES, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HIRE YOU IF YOU'RE POP, POP HOT ON A DRUG SCREEN, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HIRE YOU. IT DOESN'T MATTER. MARIJUANA. I GOT MY MARIJUANA CARD. I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW I DON'T HAVE MY MARIJUANA CARD. BE CLEAR. I DON'T HAVE IT. I'M VERY AGAINST IT. IS IT? HERE'S THE DEAL. IS THEY COME IN AND THEY GO, WELL, I HAVE A MARIJUANA CARD. I CAN DO WHATEVER I WANT AND I'M SURE ANY, DOCTOR WOULD, WOULD CONFER ON THIS WITH HER HHS EXPERIENCES ON IT. RIGHT. IS GO. WELL, GUESS WHAT? THE COMPANY'S NOT GOING TO HIRE YOU. THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR CARD. THEY CARE ABOUT WHAT'S IN YOUR SYSTEM. RIGHT. AND WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO OPERATE MACHINERY. SO I'LL PUT OUR KIDS UP AGAINST ANY, ANY CURRENTLY EMPLOYED, PERSON. RIGHT NOW TO, TO COMPARE ON THAT AREA, SECOND PROGRAM WE HAVE IS OUR, OUR TEENS COME TO US RIGHT AROUND 3:00 IN THE AFTERNOON. THEY'RE 14 AND 19 YEARS OLD, AM I ON A TIME CRUNCH? YES YOU ARE. THANK YOU. TOM THANK YOU. I GOT SOMEONE JUST HAS TO TELL ME. TOM THAT'S ALL RIGHT. THEY, WE GOT OUR 14 AND 19 YEAR OLDS, THOSE ARE THE TEENS THAT COME TO US THAT HAVE BEEN ADJUDICATED THROUGH THE COURT SYSTEMS. THEY, THEY GO THROUGH THE SAME EXACT SYSTEMS THAT PROJECT LIVES, CAREER RISING GOES THROUGH. THEY GO HANDS ON, HIGH TOUCH VOCATIONAL TRAINING. THEY DO MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELING. THEY DO THE FAMILY STYLE MEAL GROUP THERAPIES AND THEN TRANSPORTED HOME AT NIGHT. WE TRANSPORT ALL OF THE TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS TO AND FROM OUR ORGANIZATION, WE THEY ARE ALSO PAID APPRENTICE STYLE PROGRAMING. AND THEN THE THIRD PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE THAT GOES FROM 530 AT NIGHT, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF AN OVERLAP ON THE, ON THE, THE, THE, THE KIDS THAT ARE STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL. SO THEY GO INTO ABOUT 630 AT NIGHT, BUT OUR THIRD PROGRAM IS 5:30 P.M. TO 10:30 P.M. AND THAT'S A FULL ELECTRICAL APPRENTICE PROGRAM. WE HAVE 24 YOUNG ADULTS AND, RISING TEENAGERS IN THAT PROGRAM. IT'S A FULL PROGRAM. THIS IS FOUR YEARS OF COMMITMENT WITH EMPLOYMENT. THIS IS REAL DEAL CONNECTIVITY TO A FULL APPRENTICE, PROGRAMING WITH CONSTRUCTION. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE PLANNING ON BRINGING TO BRINGING TO STUART. THIS IS THIS IS A LONG TERM INVESTMENT. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT MY HEART AND SOUL HAS BEEN IN STUART FOR MY ENTIRE LIFE. THERE IS NO BETTER PLACE THAN I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS PROGRAM GROW AND THRIVE THAN IN MY HOME TOWN. AND WHERE I'VE RAISED MY CHILDREN, WHERE I WAS RAISED AND GET, BE ABLE TO PUT AN EXPERIENCE INTO THE EAST.

STUART COMMUNITY THAT REALLY HAS DIRECT ACCESS TO INDUSTRY PARTNERS, ALL THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL. AND OH, BY THE WAY, WE'RE NOT HOLDING THEIR HAND, RIGHT. WE'RE JUST STANDING NEXT TO THEM AND TELLING THEM WHAT THEY COULD DO IT. ANY QUESTIONS? WELL, LET'S SEE. AND THESE WOULD BE QUESTIONS FOR EITHER BOB OR PINNELL OR FOR JODY. SO IF THAT WAY WE CAN KEEP ON MOVING. KAREN IT SOUNDS LIKE A REALLY GOOD PROGRAM. I LIKE. I LIKE THE IDEA OF IT. I JUST SO WHAT VOCATIONAL TRADES DO YOU GUYS, SPECIALIZE IN? WHAT ARE YOU ACTUALLY WELDING? CARPENTRY, WE DO BOAT BUILDING, BOAT RESTORATION, WE DO SMALL EQUIPMENT OPERATION, PLASMA CUTTING. SO MIG TIG STICK AND PLASMA CUTTING. WE ACTUALLY HAVE BIG PLASMA TABLES WHERE WE'RE TEACHING, TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS TO DO MANUFACTURING. SO MANUFACTURING LOGISTICS AND DISTRIBUTION. WE HAVE A CDL SIMULATOR THAT TEACHES THEM HOW TO DRIVE A TRACTOR TRAILER, WHICH IS REALLY AWESOME. AND I ENCOURAGE ANY ONE OF YOU TO COME DOWN AND DRIVE THE TRACTOR

[00:50:05]

THERE'S A LOT MORE. THAT'S GOOD, YOU MIGHT HAVE MENTIONED AUTOMOTIVE, I FORGOT ABOUT AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR. THAT'S HOW WE STARTED THE PROJECT, RIGHT? AUTOMOTIVE AND MARINE TECHNOLOGY. MARINE TECHNOLOGY IS A BIG ONE AS WELL, WE PARTNER WITH CHAPMAN, OVER AT PROJECT LIFT IN BOTH COUNTIES, ACTUALLY, IN MARTIN AND SAINT LUCIE COUNTY. YEAH, I'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT YOU GUYS IN THE LAST, LIKE, YEAR. SO THIS IS EXCITING. WHAT, SO YOU GUYS WOULD TAKE UP THE WHOLE, SPACE THAT WOULD BE REBUILT THERE? YES, SIR. OKAY. I'M SURE YOU DO, BECAUSE. YEAH.

NOT FOR BOB NECESSARILY, THOUGH. NO, SIR, FOR I, I JUST I WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THE. I ALWAYS GET CONFUSED ON THIS. SO THE ZONING SITUATION SO WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT WE'RE MOVING FROM AND WHAT WE'RE MOVING TO AND, AND WHAT'S ALLOWED ON THAT PROPERTY. AND THEN, ALONG THOSE SAME LINES, WHAT TYPES OF THINGS, FOR THE, WHAT DO YOU CALL IT, THE MAJOR FOR THE CODE CHANGE. WHAT WHAT DIFFERENCE IS THERE TO CAN YOU CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT? SURE.

THAT'S ACTUALLY THE NEXT PRESENTATION WHERE WE'RE ASKING DEVIATIONS FROM THE CODE, WE'RE REQUESTING REZONING FROM PUD TO, TO, BMU, WHICH IS A BUSINESS MIXED USE, AND WE'RE COMPLYING WITH MOST OF THE CODE REQUIREMENTS THAT THAT WE ADOPTED THROUGH FORM BASED CODE, THERE WERE A FEW DEVIATIONS THAT WERE REQUESTING, AND THAT'S PART OF THE NEXT PRESENTATION. WHAT WAS THE OLD ZONING WAS KPD. IT WAS JUST A KPD, SO THAT WAS JUST SPECIFIC EXEMPTIONS TO THE EXISTING LAND USE. RIGHT OR CODE. RIGHT. SO IF WE WANTED TO DEVIATE COMPLETELY FROM THE FORM BASED CODE, THEN WE COULD HAVE JUST KEPT WITH THE PUD PROCESS. BUT WE REALLY WANTED TO SHOWCASE HOW THE FORM BASED CODE REALLY WORKS, SO WE WERE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, JUST DO REZONING AND SHOW THE COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY APPLYING THE CODE. OKAY. SO. YES. SO THE CITY OWNS THE LAND? YES THE CITY OWNS THE LAND. WHO'S WHO'S BUILDING THE BUILDINGS? WHO'S PAYING FOR THE PROJECT? IT'S ALL THROUGH THE GRANT THAT THE CITY RECEIVED. OKAY CRA IS PROCESSING THIS APPLICATION ON BEHALF OF THE CITY. SO THE CITY IS NOT PAYING FOR THE CONSTRUCTION. IT WAS ALL PAID THROUGH THE GRANT. THE ACQUISITION, DEMOLITION AND CONSTRUCTION AND AT THE NEXT PRESENTATION, YOU'RE GOING TO TELL US WHAT WAS THE REAL PURPOSE OF THESE ZONING CHANGES, RIGHT? OKAY ALL RIGHT. THANK YO, I THINK MOST OF MY QUESTIONS WILL BE IN THE NEXT ROUND, BUT I DO JUST WANT TO SAY I HAD A, YOUNG ADULT WHO WAS IN FOSTER CARE, WHO WENT THROUGH THIS PROGRAM AND THE LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE THAT IT GAVE HER WAS REALLY SPECIAL. SO, I'VE SEEN WHAT IT DOES FIRSTHAND IN MY HOME, SO THANK YOU. MY FAVORITE STORIES, MY FAVORITE. I HAD A MOM WALK UP TO ME, JUST THE OTHER DAY, AND I WAS SITTING THERE EATING LUNCH, AND I AND I, OUR DINNER AND WITH MY FAMILY. AND I GOT TO TELL YOU, I GO THROUGH THIS A LOT WHERE, LIKE, I KIND OF DON'T WANT TO GO OUT TO LUNCH IN STUART AND, YOU KNOW, I LIKE A LOT OF YOU, RIGHT? YOU UNDERSTAND? LIKE AND THIS MOM WALKS UP TO ME AND SHE'S JUST LIKE, I WANT YOU TO LET YOU KNOW THAT ONE OF YOUR MENTORS SAVED MY KID'S LIFE, RIGHT? AND IT WAS SO NICE OF HER BECAUSE SHE GOES, DO YOU WORK AT PROJECT LIFT? AND I USUALLY DON'T GET THAT. LIKE, I USUALLY GET. OH, ARE YOU, YOU KNOW, THE, YOU KNOW, FOUNDER OR WHATEVER. HE WAS LIKE, DO YOU WORK THERE? AND IT WAS IT JUST MADE MY HEART FEEL SO GOOD. BUT OUR GIRLS PROGRAM IS AMAZING. IT IS AMAZING. AND IN FACT, LAST YEAR WE SERVED 51% FIRST TIME EVER. MORE GIRLS THAN BOYS. SO ANY QUICK, QUICK COUPLE QUESTIONS ONE, VERIFYING YOU'RE YOU'RE A 500 1C3. YES, SIR. OKAY, JUST CURIOUS MORE. SO WHAT WHAT ARE YOUR PRIMARY SOURCES OF FUNDING FOR YOUR OPERATIONS? YEAH, SURE.

I LOVE TALKING ABOUT IT IN DETAIL. JUST KNOW I'LL JUST GIVE YOU THE FIVE CATEGORIES. AND THEN IF YOU WANT TO JUMP IN AND I WILL GIVE YOU DETAILS IF YOU WANT. SO, INDIVIDUAL, CONTRIBUTORS, THAT'S, FAMILY FOUNDATIONS AND REGULAR FOUNDATIONS. SO CORPORATE CONTRIBUTIONS MAKE A BIG PORTION OF WHAT PROJECT LIFT RECEIVES, LIKE, BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATE COVERAGE, THAT KIND OF THING, WE HAVE QUASI GOVERNMENTAL DOLLARS. CHILDREN'S SERVICES COUNCIL. SO

[00:55:01]

RIGHT? SO WE HAVE A LOT OF JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES 12 MILES FROM HERE, WHICH IS SUPER CLOSE. AND SUPER, SUPER GOOD. SO WE HAVE, A HIGH LEVEL ON THIS IS, MY, MY BELIEF IS THAT WE IN THE NEXT TEN YEARS, WE COULD BE IN 60 CITIES, 120,000 PEOPLE OUT OF POVERTY AND 30,000 TEENS SERVED.

AND I BELIEVE OUR STUART LOCATION WILL BE THE FLAGSHIP. WE WANT PEOPLE TO COME HERE AND SEE HOW THIS CHANGES THE COMMUNITY AND HOW THIS CAN BE, AFFECT SOMETHING NATIONALLY AND BE ABLE TO USE IT AS A, AS NOT ONLY A PLACE FOR THE TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS OF EAST STUART, YOU KNOW, AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS. I CALL IT NORTH OF COVE ROAD, KIND OF THING, BUT ALSO AS A TRAINING GROUND FOR OTHERS TO BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN BRING TO THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES. GREAT. YEAH. I MEAN, I KNOW YOU FOR, I DON'T KNOW, I MET YOU, OKAY, I THINK I MET YOU WHEN ROB RANIERI BROUGHT ME OVER WHEN YOU WERE IN STUART, I SAID TO MYSELF, WHAT A DUMP.

POOR KIDS HAVE TO WORK WITH NO AIR CONDITIONING. THANKS, TOM. NOTHING THEN I SAW YOU A FEW WEEKS LATER IN DRUG COURT. YEAH, AND YOU WERE RUNNING AROUND TRYING TO GET THESE KIDS INTO YOUR PROGRAM. TRYING TO. YOU AND THE JUDGE. IT WAS AMAZING. AND I'VE BEEN A FAN OF YOURS EVER SINCE. AND I'M GOING TO TELL EVERYONE ON THIS DAIS, IF YOU WANT TO GO TO A FUNDRAISER THAT'S WORTH EVERY PENNY, YOU GO TO HIS CLAMBAKE. THANKS IT IS WONDERFUL. THANKS FOR THE ENDORSEMENT. ANYTIME YEAH, SO I REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. I'VE KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROJECT FOR QUITE A WHILE NOW. AND SO, BEFORE I TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT, I'LL TAKE. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. SO MOVED. THAT DOESN'T TELL ME ANYTHING. MAKE A REAL MOTION. MOTION TO A MOTION TO APPROVE THE, THE, GRANTING OF THE FUNDS TO PROJECT LIFT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT, FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND EXPANSION GRANT FUNDS. I WANT YOU TO MAKE THE MOTION TO SAY I MOVE APPROVAL.

I'M NOT READING THIS THING. I'LL MAKE ME READ IT. BUT I'M. NO, NO, JUST MAKE THEM MAKE THE MOTION THAT SAYS I APPROVAL. I MAKE AN A MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE 25, 32 2024 TO REQUEST THAT THE CITY COMMISSION APPROVE THAT ORDINANCE. OKAY. THAT'S THAT'S WHAT I SAID. SECOND, SECOND. SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY MARK. A SECOND BY ANDY. DO YOU HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? WELL, YOU'RE NOT NO, WE DO NOT. DO YOU WANT TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT? SURE. COME ON UP. AND THEN YOU HAVE TO FILL IN A GREEN CARD AFTERWARDS. GOOD EVENING. GOOD AFTERNOON, EXCUSE MY VOICE. MY NAME IS JAMES CHRISTIE, THE THIRD. AND, I AM FROM EAST STUART, I LIKE YOU. I PLAY WITH THE HORNETS, PLAYED FOOTBALL THERE. HAD A STORY IN THAT PARTICULAR PLAZA FOR ABOUT A YEAR, AND I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN STUART. BUT I WANT TO TELL YOU, THERE IS OPPOSITION TO THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT BEING IN EAST STUART AND BEING ON THAT SITE. FIRST OF ALL, IT HOLDS HISTORICAL VALUE, BEING ONE OF THE BIGGEST SHOPPING CENTERS IN EAST STUART LOCATED THERE. WE SUPPORTED IT FOR MANY YEARS AND TO SEE IT CHANGE, THERE'S OPPOSITION TO THAT. ALSO, WE TALK ABOUT YOUNG MEN, NEEDING COUNSELING AND DIFFERENT THINGS. BUT IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY, WHAT WE NEED IS ECONOMIC, AN ECONOMIC ENGINE. THE WILL OF GARY PLAZA WAS PART OF THAT ECONOMIC ENGINE. AND WE NEED TO REALIZE THAT WHEN THIS PROPERTY IS BOUGHT BY THE CITY AND THEY DETERMINE WHAT WAS GOING TO BE PUT ON IT, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH ANY MEETING REGARDING GETTING

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I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY MEETING, BUT I'M HERE TODAY TO GET ON RECORD AND TO TELL YOU THERE IS OPPOSITION FOR THIS PROJECT. CURRENTLY, WE HAVE RESIDENTS OF THE COMMUNITY PUTTING TOGETHER AN ALTERNATIVE PLAN AND THAT WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THE BOARD. OH OKAY. I THIS GENTLEMAN BEHIND ME, WHAT HE'S DOING, I LOOKED AT HIM BECAUSE I WAS ADDRESSING HIM BY THIS STATEMENT. HE'S DOING THE GREAT WORK. THAT'S GREAT WORK. YOU'RE DOING. AND, I'M IN SUPPORT OF IT. BUT LIKE I SAY, IT'S DIFFERENT FROM SOMEBODY COMING INTO THE COMMUNITY BUYING THE PROPERTY, SAYING, WHAT'S GOING TO BE ON THE MANDATE AND WHAT'S GOING TO BE ON THERE SAYING THAT, OKAY, WE TALKED TO THE COMMUNITY AND THEN GOING AHEAD AND PASSING IT, I'M IN OPPOSITION TO THAT. AND SEVERAL PEOPLE ARE WE'RE GOING TO PRESENT SOMETHING FORMAL, PROBABLY AT THE NEXT MEETING REGARDING THE OPPOSITION, BUT OPPOSITION. BUT I DON'T WANT TO TAKE A LOT OF TIME, AND I JUST WANT TO GET THAT ON RECORD. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. OKAY DO WE TAKE A VOTE? SURE. KEN. PENNY. YES VICE CHAIR. BROOKVILLE. YES. BOARD MEMBER. NOBLE YES. MOSER.

YES. BOARD MEMBER. HAWKINS YES. AND BOARD MEMBER MCCHRYSTAL. NO WE HAVE A51 WITH MR. MCCHRYSTAL VOTING NO. SO CAN I CAN I ASK A QUESTION, TOM? SURE I GUESS IT'S MORE OF AN ALL OR WHOEVER.

BEFORE WE GET INTO THE DISCUSSION, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ON THIS SITE WITH PROJECT LIFT DOESN'T PRECLUDE US FROM SUPPORTING A DEVELOPMENT OF ANOTHER SITE, FOR WHATEVER TYPE OF ALTERNATIVE IS OUT THERE. RIGHT. SO THIS WAS FOR SPECIFICALLY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND WE HAVE TO CREATE 50 JOBS ON THIS SITE AS PART OF THE APPLICATION. RIGHT, SO AND WHEN WE INITIALLY APPLIED FOR THE GRANT, WE HAD A PUBLIC MEETING REQUESTING WHAT TYPE OF PROPOSALS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE ON THIS SITE, SO WE'VE HAD PUBLIC MEETINGS ON THIS PROJECT THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS. EVEN APPLYING FOR THE GRANT, ACCEPTING THE GRANT, YOU KNOW, PARTNERING WITH PROJECT LIFT. SO ALL THAT HAS BEEN THROUGH, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC HEARING. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I JUST HAD THAT QUESTION AND, JUST WANTED TO KNOW, OKAY, MR. CHAIR, YES, I'D LIKE TO QUALIFY MY NO. CAN I TAKE JUST 30S. SURE. MR. CHRISTIE'S COMMENTS RANG TRUE WITH ME, AS AS AS MUCH AS THE GOD'S WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING, I'M ALL FOR IT. IT SOUNDS AWESOME, BUT THIS I CAN I CAN EMPATHIZE WITH MR. CHRISTIE IN THE SENSE THAT IT REALLY FEELS LIKE, SOMETHING IS BEING MANDATED IN OUR COMMUNITY, IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY, WITHOUT A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM THEM. AND MAYBE, MAYBE IT FEELS LIKE A REALLY A REALLY SORE THING TO THESE TO THE PEOPLE OF EAST STUART. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. NOW LET'S MOVE ON. YOU CAN SAY WHATEVER YOU WANT TO. SAME

[2. 710 MARTIN LUTHER KING BOULEVARD MAJOR CODE CONDITIONAL USE - PROJECT LIFT (RC): RESOLUTION No. 75-2024; A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, CONSIDERING A MAJOR CODE CONDITIONAL USE APPROVAL TO THE CITY OF STUART COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (CRA) FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 710 MARTIN LUTHER KING BOULEVARD, CONSISTING OF 2.4 ACRES; TO ALLOW THE USE OF VOCATION TRAINING FACILITY, RELIEF FROM ON-STREET LANDSCAPING, RIGHT-OF-WAY THOROUGHFARES, AND OFF-STREET PARKING REQUIREMENTS FOR PROJECT LIFT; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE; PROVIDING FOR A TIMETABLE OF DEVELOPMENT; PROVIDING FOR CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.]

JODIE AGAIN, THANK YOU AGAIN. MY NAME IS JODIE COOGLER. I'M THE DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR PRESENTING THE MAJOR CODE CONDITIONAL USE FOR 710 SOUTHEAST MARTIN LUTHER LUTHER KING BOULEVARD AND, FOR PROJECT LIFT AGAIN, THIS PROPERTY WAS THIS PROJECT WAS NOTIFIED AND WITHIN 300FT, SIGNS WERE POSTED ON THE PROPERTY. AND, THERE'S AN AFFIDAVIT ATTESTING TO THAT. AGAIN, THIS IS THE PROPERTY, THE LOCATION, THE EXISTING ZONING. I'M JUST GOING TO GO THROUGH THESE BECAUSE WE DID GO THROUGH THEM AT THE PREVIOUS ONE, THE MAJOR CONDITIONAL USE, THE PURPOSE OF

[01:05:02]

[01:10:03]

WITH THE NATURE OF THE SITE, BOB SPOKE TO THIS BRIEFLY, THESE STUDENTS ARE TYPICALLY BUSSED IN TO FROM THE SITE. SO WE ARE PROVIDING PARKING MAINLY FOR THE STAFF THAT ARE THERE TO TRAIN AND FACILITATE THE COUNSELING WE ARE PROPOSING IN LIEU OF THE ONE SPACE PER 300 SQUARE FOOT, ONE SPACE PER 450 SQUARE FOOT. DUE TO THE SIZE OF THE BUILDING, WE HAVE A PARKING STATEMENT THAT WAS REVIEWED BY THE CITY OF STUART THAT JUSTIFIES THIS, THAT CAN BE MADE AVAILABLE AS WELL, BUT GOING BACK TO THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE STAFF THAT ARE THERE, WE'RE TYPICALLY LOOKING AT ONE TIME AT THE BUILDING, 14 STUDENTS AND 16 STAFF. OH, I THINK I SAID THAT BACKWARDS. 16 STUDENTS, 14 STAFF AND THOSE ARE THE THREE MAIN ITEMS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR PROPOSED WAIVER TABLE AVAILABLE ON THE BOTH THE SITE PLAN SO THAT WOULD BE STAMPED APPROVED AS THE SITE MOVES FORWARD. AND OUR JUSTIFICATION LETTER AS WEL. I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

I DO HAVE ONE, THE CONDITIONAL USE ABOUT THE TREES ALONG MLK. ARE THERE SHADE TREES IN THAT PORTION OF THE STREETSCAPE PLAN ON THE SIDE OF THE STREET? YEAH THERE ARE OKAY. HOW MANY PARKING PLACES ARE OH I'M SORRY FRANK. OH, SORRY. OKAY SO FROM A 30,000 FOOT POINT OF VIEW OF FORREST GUMP. EXPLANATION PLEASE. SO YOU'RE GOING TO GO FORWARD WITH THIS PLAN SO THAT IT JIVES WITH THE FUTURE PLANS FOR MARTIN LUTHER KING BOULEVARD AND WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO NOW WOULD, WOULD HOLD WATER WITH THE NEW MARTIN LUTHER KING BOULEVARD, BUT NOT NECESSARILY MARTIN LUTHER KING BOULEVARD RIGHT NOW. IS THAT A FAIR ASSESSMENT? SO WHAT FRANK IS ASKING WHAT YOU'RE DOING NOW, LET ME TEXT YOU WHAT YOU'RE DOING NOW. WILL. WILL BE OKAY ONCE THE OTHER PART OF MARTIN LUTHER KING, ONCE WE DO THE STREETSCAPE OF MARTIN LUTHER KING, THAT'S CORRECT. YES.

ANTICIPATING WHAT'S GOING TO BE DONE IN. YES. DOING IT IN SUCH A FASHION AND JUST DUE TO THE NATURE OF THIS PROJECT BEING NOW AND THE FUTURE PROJECTS WITH THEIR OWN TIMELINES THAT JODY TOUCHED ON, WE JUST WANT TO ENSURE THAT THE CITY IS AWARE THAT FOR NOW, WE'LL NEED THIS.

THESE WAIVERS APPROVED UNTIL THE FUTURE PROJECTS ARE. AND THE 33% REDUCTION IN PARKING REQUIREMENTS, IS ASSUMING THAT BUILDING WILL BE USED ONLY FOR THIS PURPOSE FOREVER AND EVER.

AND EVER. YES. CORRECT YES, IT WOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING CENTER. USE DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, I, I HAVE SOME COMMENTS ON THE PLANS SO I CAN DO THOSE LAST IF ANYBODY WOULD. OKAY, I'M REALLY EXCITED THAT YOU ALL ARE EXPLORING THE FORM BASED CODE, ON THIS PROJECT SITE. AND I WANT TO COMMEND YOU WITH THE, BUILDING FRONTING THE STREET THE WAY IT IS, I THINK IT IT WILL MAKE MLK A STREET THAT CAN BE ECONOMICALLY DEVELOPED. WELL, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO FEEL, APPROPRIATE FOR THAT STREET. AND FOR THE USE, I REALLY LIKE THE RENDERING OF THE ARCHITECTURE. I WONDER IF THE COLOR SCHEME IS, IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE DESIRES

[01:15:10]

THIRD, I TOOK A REALLY DEEP DIVE IN YOUR, PLANTING PLAN, AND THE RED MAPLE. I DEFINITELY LOVE IT, BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN THEM SUCCESSFULLY LIVING WHERE THEY'VE BEEN PLANTED ON PROJECTS IN MARTIN COUNTY RECENTLY, SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO WORK WELL IN THE PARKING LOT. THAT'S IT. OKAY I CAN SPEAK TO A FEW OF THE CONCERNS, WE ARE IN COORDINATION ON THE BRANDING OF THE BUILDING. SO THE COLOR SCHEME IS PROBABLY SOMETHING THAT WE COULD LOOK MORE INTO REGARDING THE DRY PONDS CONCERN. WHAT'S KIND OF EXCITING ABOUT THE SHARED USE PATH THAT WE PROPOSE IS THAT IT IS IT'S FOLLOWING THE EAST SHORE NEIGHBORHOOD CODE, AND IT'S LINED WITH, TREES AND PEDESTRIAN LIGHTING. SO WE'RE KIND OF HOPING THAT THE PUBLIC IS ALMOST KIND OF SHIELDED FROM SOME OF THOSE DRY RETENTION POND ASPECTS, SO I HOPE THIS THIS HELPS WITH THAT. THERE'S QUESTIONS FOR ANYBODY WHO CAN ANSWER IT FROM THE CITY. SO THIS PROJECT IS BASED ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE MARTIN LUTHER KING BOULEVARD PROJECT IS FULL STEAM AHEAD. IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN NO MATTER WHAT. IS THAT TRUE, YES. SO WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE FINAL DESIGN PHASE, SO WE'RE ALREADY AT 60% DESIGN, AND IT'S SLATED FOR, CONSTRUCTION IN 27, 28. IT'S IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS LIST THAT YOU USUALLY SEE AS PART OF THE BUDGET. SO IT'S A DONE DEAL. IT'S HAPPENING. IT STILL HAS TO GET APPROVED. IT'S IN THE CIP, BUT THE ACTUAL APPROVAL WILL HAPPEN PROBABLY IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 BUDGET YEAR. SO IT'S THE BOARD HAS BEEN SEEING IT. WE'VE ALREADY SPENT OVER $400,000 ON THE DESIGN. THE BOARD APPROVED THAT BUDGET FOR THE DESIGN. SO IT'S BEEN COMING TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL, NOW IT'S JUST A MATTER OF FINISHING UP THE DESIGN AND GOING TO CONSTRUCTION PHASE. AND I WOULD SAY THERE ARE ELECTIONS EVERY TWO YEARS, YES. AND THAT THE RED MAPLE THING, THE ONLY PLACE I'VE SEEN THE RED MAPLE SURVIVING ON THEIR OWN IS WHEN THEY'RE PLANTED AROUND THE SAME SPOTS AS THEY PLANT THE CYPRESS. VERY WET, WET CONDITIONS. YEAH, THAT WAS MY CONCERN. IS, IS. WE'RE PRETTY SANDY HERE IN THE DOWNTOWN STUART AREA, AND SO I JUST DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE IT. WE WILL LOOK INTO THAT. OKAY I DON'T HAVE ANY, YEAH, I JUST HAD I THOUGHT I JUST HAD A QUICK COMMENT ABOUT THE PROJECT, I LIKE THE IDEA OF PROJECT LIFT BEING THERE, AND, BUT I DO, AND I THINK THIS IS THE RIGHT CHANGE TO THE CODE GOING FROM A CPA TO A BUSINESS.

MIXED USE, I THINK IS A GOOD IDEA FOR THE SITE, THAT'S WHY I'M VOTING. YES ON IT. BUT I HAVE THE SAME CONCERN AS FRANK AND THIS GENTLEMAN ALSO ABOUT WHAT THE ULTIMATE USE OF THE OF THE SITE IS GOING TO BE. THERE WERE TALKS, ABOUT HAVING LIKE A BUSINESS INCUBATOR TYPE THING THERE. AND I THINK THAT THEY WANTED WHEN PEOPLE, WHEN THEY REWROTE THE CODE FOR MARTIN LUTHER KING BOULEVARD TO ADD THE FRONTAL, I THINK THE IDEA WAS TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, RETAIL FRONT WAS TO HAVE BUSINESS THERE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT PEOPLE COULD, PATRON. SO I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. I, I UNDERSTAND WE'VE ALREADY SPENT A LOT OF MONEY ON DESIGNS. I'D LIKE TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S A WAY WE CAN FIGURE OUT A WAY TO FIT THOSE TYPE OF ASPECTS INTO THIS, BUT THAT'S THAT'S JUST WHAT I WANTED TO COMMENT ON. OKAY YEAH, A COUPLE

[01:20:05]

BUT A PROJECT LIFT PULLS OUT AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WE'VE GOT A HIGHER USE, FROM A PARKING STANDPOINT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A MUCH BIGGER PROBLEM THAN WE HAVE RIGHT NOW. AND ONCE THIS PROPERTY IS CHANGED AND ONCE WE DO WHAT WE DO, THEN, YOU KNOW, IT'S SUBJECT TO SOMEBODY ELSE COMING IN AND TAKING THAT SPOT AND, AND, AND, AND CAUSING PROBLEMS THERE WITH PARKING ALONG THOSE LINES. I HATE TO SAY STUFF WITHOUT A SOLUTION. KEEP IN MIND, WE'RE BUILDING A PARKING GARAGE NOT VERY FAR FROM THIS LOCATION. IT WOULD BE REALLY NICE IF WE LOOKED AT SOME PARKING EXEMPTION THEN FOR PROPERTIES THAT ARE BEING DEVELOPED THAT CLOSE TO THE PARKING GARAGE, FOR THAT FOR THAT REASON. THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD SAY, AND I APPRECIATE WHAT PROJECT LIFT DOES AND ITS MARKET AND WHAT IT GOES AFTER AND HOW IT DOES IT. YOU KNOW, BOB, FROM THE VERY BEGINNING I'VE BEEN A SUPPORTER, BUT I WILL SAY THAT A FRIEND OF MINE FROM EAST STUART ONCE TOLD ME THAT THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS IN EAST STUART UNTIL YOUNG BLACK MEN SEE OTHER BLACK MEN GOING TO WORK WITH A SUIT AND TIE AT A HIGH PAID JOB. AND SO I THINK WE WANT TO, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE WANT TO LOOK AT THAT'S WHY I HAD THE QUESTION FOR PANEL. YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T PRECLUDE US FROM DOING OTHER TYPES OF THINGS. THERE TO ENCOURAGE JOBS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AT ALL LEVELS, NOT ONLY TRADES, BUT, YOU KNOW, AT A, AT OTHER LEVELS, PROFESSIONAL LEVELS AND OTHER LEVELS. SO BUT THE MY CONCERN IS THE PARKING AND ALLOWING THE PROJECT TO GO THROUGH BASED ON THE EXISTING PARKING, BUT NOT ALLOWING FOR WHAT COULD HAPPEN AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO THERE. SO AS AS PART OF THE MLK STREETSCAPE PROJECT AND ALSO, WE ARE PROPOSING THAT THERE WILL BE SOME IMPROVEMENTS ON TARPON AND EAST EAST STREET IN THE FUTURE. THAT'S GOING TO GENERATE ADDITIONAL ON STREET PARKING, PLUS, ALL ALONG, MLK BOULEVARD, AS PART OF THE STREETSCAPE PROJECT, THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT MORE PARKING. AND YOU KIND OF HAVE TO THINK OF THIS AS LIKE A MIXED USE CORRIDOR. SO THE CONCEPT IS YOU CAN PARK ONCE AND VISIT MULTIPLE PLACES. SO ONE SITE DOES NOT HAVE TO PROVIDE PARKING SPACES TO, YOU KNOW, TO JUST SERVE THEIR BUSINESSES LIKE IT. CAN WE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, A WHOLE CORRIDOR WITH MIXED USE IN THE FUTURE AS REDEVELOPMENT HAPPENS ON THAT CORRIDOR AND SOMEBODY CAN PARK BY, YOU KNOW, A CONVENIENCE STORE AND THEY CAN STILL VISIT, A PROJECT LIFT OR VICE VERSA. SO IT'S NOT THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE ALL THE PARKING ON SITE. NO, IT'S FINE. I'LL JUST MAKE MY COMMENTS AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON. IN GENERAL, WE SPENT SO MUCH TIME TALKING ABOUT PARKING THAT WE KILL PROJECTS. THAT'S IDIOTIC. LOOK AT ANY PARKING LO.

HALF OF THE SPACES AT BEST ARE EMPTY. SO WHILE THIS MAY CONCERN SOME PEOPLE, IT DOESN'T CONCERN ME AT ALL. THERE IS PLENTY OF PLACES TO PARK, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'VE LOOKED AT THE MLK DESIGN AND YOU'VE. I DON'T KNOW, I THINK YOU HAVE LIKE OVER 100 SPACES ON MLK WHEN THAT'S ALL SAID AND DONE. SO YES, I JUST SO TIRED OF US TALKING ABOUT PARKING AS IF PARKING IS PARKING DRIVES. WHAT KIND OF BUSINESS WE PUT IN WHERE PEOPLE LIVE, IT'S STUPID. WE NEED TO START TALKING ABOUT BUILDING THINGS FOR PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES, NOT BUILDING THINGS FOR CARS SO THAT IT DOESN'T BOTHER ME AT ALL AS. TO THE FIRST TIME I TOOK A LOOK AT THIS, NOT THIS PROJECT, BUT THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY WAS WAS JIM CHERNESKI IN 2012, AND WE HAD A MEETING WITH THE GARY'S TO SEE WHETHER THEY WOULD EVER FIX IT UP. AND I HAD A MEETING WITH THEM, AND I HAD A MEETING IN 2014, AND I HAD A MEETING IN 2015, AND I HAD A MEETING IN 2016. IT IS AN EYESORE. IT HAS BEEN AN EYESORE SINCE I CAME TO STEWARD IN 2004. THIS IS A GOOD PROJECT AND WE COULD SAY, LET'S WAIT TILL WE GET SOME OTHER PROJECT, BUT I DON'T. IT HASN'T ARRIVED IN ALL THOSE YEARS, SO

[01:25:03]

SO I SO I, YOU KNOW, I JUST DON'T BELIEVE THAT WAITING FOR THE PERFECT PROJECT IS THE WAY WE SHOULD GO. SO I'LL TAKE A MOTION IF THAT SAYS SURE. YEAH. I THINK, TOM, I REALLY STRONGLY AGREE WITH WHAT TOM'S SAYING, AS A FORMER DEVELOPER MYSELF, I MEAN, ON THE ISSUE OF WHETHER THE PARKING IS GOING TO IN THE EVENT THAT PROJECT LIFT LEAVES, THAT SITE CHANGES, WE CAN ALWAYS CHANGE THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS AND COME BACK AND MODIFY THAT FOR A DIFFERENT USE. IF THAT WERE TO HAPPEN. BUT, YOU KNOW, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THIS GENTLEMAN COMING FORTH HERE AND PRESENTING WHATEVER CONCERNS HE HAS. YOU KNOW, I THINK WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO, SIR, YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE A COMPETING PROPOSAL FOR THIS. WELL, RATHER THAN TALK ABOUT COMPETITION, WHY DON'T YOU COLLABORATE? WHY DON'T YOU COMMUNICATE? AND IF THE TWO PARTIES, IF LYFT GETS TOGETHER AND FINDS OUT WHAT THIS GENTLEMAN'S CONCERNS ARE IN THE COMMUNITY, EVERYBODY WINS IN THAT DEAL, RIGHT, NO, JUST A THOUGHT. IT'S A THOUGHT. HE MADE IT. THIS IS AN OPINION. YOU GUYS COULD TALK OFF THE RECORD. BECAUSE, BY THE WAY, MR. CHRISTY'S DAD WAS A CITY COMMISSIONER FOR HOW LONG? 2000. SO MR. CHRISTY HAS THE RIGHT TO SPEAK FOR THAT? FOR IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD OR IN THE ENTIRE CITY, BECAUSE HIS DAD WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN CREATING THAT WHOLE 10TH STREET. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THAT'S BEFORE MY TIME. BUT IT WASN'T BEFORE MY TIME BECAUSE I TOOK HIS SEAT ON THE COMMISSION WHEN HE RETIRED.

SO I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR MR. CHRISTY. I SPOKE AT HIS FUNERAL. AND SO, YES, YOU DO HAVE A RIGHT TO SPEAK OUT AND TRY TO MAKE THINGS BETTER. OKAY. SO I'LL TAKE A MOTION IF YOU DON'T MIND. I WILL MOVE TO WHATEVER YOU GIVE ME THAT I CAN READ IT SO I'LL MOVE. JUST READ THE TITLE. I'LL MOVE. RESOLUTION NUMBER 75. DASH 2024, RELIGION. RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA. CONSIDERING A MAJOR CODE CONDITIONAL USE APPROVAL. I GOT A SECOND, SECOND. CAN I GET PUBLIC COMMENT? COME ON UP, MISS BRINKLEY. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR BRINKLEY, I'M A MEMBER. WE WAS IN A MEETING FOR 4 OR 5 YEARS AGO. AND YOU CAME UP WITH THIS BASS FARM CODE AND THE CHANGING OF, MARTIN LUTHER KING TO PARALLEL PARKING FROM OF WHAT IT IS NOW. AND THE COMMUNITY AT THAT POINT SAID WE DIDN'T WANT THAT. BUT US ANYWAY. YOU US. ANYWAY, WE SAID WE DIDN'T WANT THAT. WE WANTED TO LEAVE IT AS IT IS. BUT YOU DON'T HEAR US. YOU DON'T GIVE A ABOUT IT BECAUSE WE WENT AGAINST IT. IT STOOD IS A COMMUNITY. IT'S NOT A BUSINESS DISTRICT WHERE YOU WANT TO CONNECT US TO CANOE CREEK AND ALL THAT TO A BUSINESS. WE ARE A COMMUNITY, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP AS OUR COMMUNITY.

WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO TAKE OUR COMMUNITY FROM US, WE OWN HOMES IN THERE. WE WORK HARD TO GET THEM AND EVENTUALLY YOU COME IN THERE WITH THIS TAX THING WHERE POOR PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD THE TAM UPSET WITH YOU HEARTLESS PEOPLE. MONEY, MONEY, MONEY. AND THAT'S ALL YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT.

PARALLEL PARKING IS NOT WHAT WE WANTED. WE LIVE OVER THERE. YOU DISREGARD US AS HUMAN HUMAN BEINGS. YOU WANT TO TAKE US BACK TO JIM CROW, WHERE WE HAVE NO KIND OF SAY IN 2024 OR WHAT WE WANT IN OUR COMMUNITY. PLEASE THERE'S A NEW DAY IS TIME OUT FOR JIM CROW. HEAR US? WE DONE

[01:30:08]

LIVING IN THE SAD THING. WE HAVE A WE HAVE A MOTION. WE HAVE A SECOND. FOR NOW, IF YOU CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE. I MEAN PANEL. SUZANNE, IF YOU COULD CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE. BOARD MEMBER HAWKINS. YES VICE CHAIR. BROOKVILLE. YES. BOARD MEMBER. NOBLE YES. MEMBER. MOSER. YES MEMBER MCCHRYSTAL. NO CHAIR. PENNY. YES. PASSES FIVE ONE WITH MR. MCCHRYSTAL VOTING NO. DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER BUSINESS? TOM, I DO HAVE ONE COMMENT. OKAY CLOSING AND A CLOSING AND IT'S LIKE A IT'S LIKE A CLOCK. THAT'S RIGHT. JUST I YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNY. I DO APPRECIATE WHAT MISS BRINKLEY IS SAYING. WHAT, MR. CHRISTIE IS SAYING IN THAT I THINK THAT, WE DO HAVE TO BE CONCERNED TO SOME OF THESE ISSUES, YOU KNOW, THEY LOSE THEIR COMMUNITY IF ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE PRICED OUT OF THE COMMUNITY, I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT. AND I THINK WE HAVE TO BE CAUTIOUS OF THAT. BUT MORE THAN ANYTHING, I THINK WE DO NEED TO. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US GET THE WORD OUT, WHETHER IT'S A WORKSHOP OR WHATEVER, ON WHAT SOME OF THESE CODE CHANGES MEANS MEAN IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS. I DON'T THINK ANY OF US FULLY UNDERSTAND THEM YET, AND I DON'T I DON'T KNOW FULLY WHAT YOU CAN DO IN THAT, IN THAT CODE CHANGE. I'M NOT SURE EVEN WHAT I CAN DO IN IN URBAN CENTRAL OR URBAN GENERAL THAT I HAVE A ZONING ON SOME OF MY PROPERTY. I DON'T I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I CAN DO OR WHAT I CAN'T DO. I APPRECIATE FORM BASED CODE, BUT I JUST THINK THAT WE SHOULD HAVE SOME SORT OF A WORKSHOP PROGRAM AT SOME POINT WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN GO OVER THESE CODES, MAYBE OVER A SERIES OF A COUPLE, TWO, THREE TIMES TO EXPLAIN EXACTLY WHAT THEY, WHAT YOU CAN DO IN THERE, WHAT IT'S DESIGNED TO DO, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IT TO DO, THAT KIND OF THING. SO THAT'S MY COMMENT, NOW HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE WORKSHOPPED THIS FORM BASED CODE WAS A YEAR LONG WORKSHOP. IT WAS A WE'VE HAD MANY, MANY MEETINGS WITH NEIGHBORHOODS, BUSINESSES, WE I DID TALK TO JESSICA FROM TREASURE COAST REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL AND, MAYBE IN THE NEAR FUTURE SHE CAN KIND OF GIVE AN UPDATE AS WHAT HAS COME FORWARD USING THE CODE SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT'S WORKING AND WHAT'S NOT WORKING. SO THAT IS SOMETHING I DID DISCUSS WITH JESSICA. I MEAN, I REMEMBER ONE TIME SOMEBODY SAID THAT WE HAVE TO PASS IT TO SEE WHAT IT IS, AND THAT'S KIND OF RIGHT. EXACTLY. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING. IT IS WHAT HAPPENED. AND WE DIDN'T JUST PASS IT. IT WAS DISCUSSED. I KNOW IT WAS DONE OVER AND OVER. COME ON. NOT THE TRUTH IS THE TRUTH. IT WAS DISCUSSED. IT WASN'T SOME SECRET. NO I THINK THERE WAS AT LEAST FOUR MEETINGS. YEAH THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. IS THAT THAT NOW THAT WE'VE IMPLEMENTED IT, I THINK A LOT OF US DON'T FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANT. YOU KNOW? AND I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT ON THAT POINT. I THINK IT'S ONLY BEEN A YEAR. AND SO WE ARE WAITING FOR MORE STUFF TO COME FORWARD SO WE CAN SHOW YOU WHAT HAS COME FORWARD WITH THOSE CODES. I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA. YEAH OKAY. IF THERE'S

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.