Oct 07, 2025 Community Redevelopment Board

[00:00:02]

SAY IT'S NOT OVER YET. ALL RIGHT. I THINK WE SHOULD GET STARTED. YEAH. WE'VE GOT A QUORUM. OOPS. MAKING ALL THAT NOISE. ALL RIGHT, LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL HERE. VICE CHAIR MOSER HERE. BOARD MEMBER. JAMES HERE. BOARD MEMBER. LAUGHLIN HERE. BOARD MEMBER. HERE. BOARD MEMBER. SCHEER. BOARD MEMBER. WHALEN, HERE. ALRIGHT, IF WE CAN STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG IN 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. ALRIGHT. ALRIGHT. DID EVERYBODY HAVE A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE

[APPROVAL OF AGENDА]

[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

OPPOSED? ALRIGHT. THE NEXT SECTION IS COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC. THIS IS ON NON AGENDA ITEM. SO IF YOU'RE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER TWO THEN JUST HOLD OFF A MINUTE. BUT IF YOU'RE HERE ON ANOTHER MATTER NOW IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO STEP FORWARD AND SAY SOMETHING. SO

[COMMENTS BY BOARD MEMBERS (Non-Agenda Items)]

WHAT'S WHAT'S THE ADVANTAGE TO THE CITY FOR THAT? SO WE THE WHOLE POINT OF THE PROGRAM IS TO HELP WITH THE REHAB OF THE EXISTING HOUSING STOCK. THAT'S WHY WE APPLIED FOR THE PROGRAM, BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF OLD HOUSING STOCK IN THE CITY OF STUART. AND WE DID A HOUSING STUDY BACK IN 2018, AND IT RECOMMENDED THAT WE SHOULD APPLY FOR GRANT TO ASSIST THESE HOMEOWNERS TO REHAB THEIR HOMES BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO GET LOANS TO, TO MAKE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS. SO THAT'S WHY THE CRA APPLIED FOR THIS, FOR THESE GRANTS SO THAT WE COULD ASSIST THE HOMEOWNERS. SO FAR, WE'VE ASSISTED NINE HOME HOMEOWNERS. UNFORTUNATELY, WE DID RUN INTO SOME ISSUES WITH COUPLE OF THEM, BUT OVERALL, IT'S BEEN A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM. THE THE OTHER THING I WONDER IS, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THE ONE THAT'S OUT THERE THAT IS THAT THE THERE ARE SOME PROPERTIES THAT ARE HISTORICAL AND SOME AS TRULY HISTORICAL PROPERTIES.

YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE ANY THAT ARE FILED WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION, BUT SOME IT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT BUILDING PROCESS FOR AN OLDER HISTORIC HOME THAN THAN A HOME IN SOME COMMUNITY SOMEPLACE. AND I'M WONDERING IF WE SHOULD HAVE SOME DISTINCTION. MAYBE WE SHOULD STAY AWAY FROM THOSE THOSE TYPE OF GRANTS BECAUSE OF THE JUST BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE CONSTRUCTION THAT'S INVOLVED. WHEN WE DO AN

[00:05:04]

ALL RIGHT. WELL, I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT UP. WE HAD ONE WHICH WAS. YEAH, YEAH, BUT BUT BUT ANYWAY. SO ALRIGHT, THAT'S ALL I HAD. SO IF THERE'S NO OTHER ITEMS OR QUESTIONS OR

[2. THE SPICE AND TEA EXCHANGE REQUESTING A MAJOR URBAN CODE CONDITIONAL USE LOCATED AT 39 SW OSCEOLA STREET. (RC) RESOLUTION No. 98-2025, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THЕ CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, TO APPROVE A MAJOR URBAN CODE CONDITIONAL USE TO GLENN AND KIMBERLY GORDON WITH GORDON ENTERPRISES STUART. LLC ALSO KNOWN AS THE SPICE AND TEA EXCHANGE, TENANT AT 39 SW OSCEOLA STREET; TO ALLOW A FORMULA BUSINESS TO BE LOCATED WITHIN THE FORMULA BUSINESS AREA AND TO WAIVE THE REQUIRED 300 FOOТ SEPARATION BETWEEN FORMULA BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENTS; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.]

FIRST THING WOULD BE TO READ THE TITLE OF THE RESOLUTION. OKAY, YOU CAN DO THAT OR I CAN DO IT. IT'S UP TO YOU. OH, I'LL, I'LL READ IT BECAUSE I WANT TO SHOW PEOPLE THAT I ACTUALLY CAN READ. OKAY. NOT WELL, BUT I'VE BEEN ACCUSED OF ANYWAY. SO THIS IS THE THIS ACTION ITEM IS THE SPICE AND TEA EXCHANGE, WHO IS REQUESTING A MAJOR URBAN CODE CONDITIONAL USE. LOCATED AT 39 SOUTHWEST OSCEOLA STREET, RESOLUTION NUMBER 90 8-2025, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, TO APPROVE A MAJOR URBAN CODE CONDITIONAL USE TO GLENN AND KIMBERLY GORDON WITH GORDON ENTERPRISES. STUART, LLC, ALSO KNOWN AS THE SPICE AND TEA EXCHANGE TENANT AT 39 SOUTHWEST OSCEOLA STREET, TO ALLOW A FORMULA BUSINESS TO BE LOCATED WITHIN THE FORMULA BUSINESS AREA AND TO WAIVE THE REQUIRED 300 FOOT SEPARATION BETWEEN FORMULA BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENTS, PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. ALL RIGHT, LET'S FIRST ASK IF IF ANY OF THE MEMBERS HAVE HAD ANY EX PARTE COMMUNICATIONS UNDER THIS, THAT'S WITH EITHER THE APPLICANT OR WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS OR WITH BUSINESSES OR WHATEVER. IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST WHETHER YOU'VE HAD ANY KIND OF CONTACT. BOARD MEMBER. JAMES. NO CONTACT. BOARD MEMBER. WHALEN. NO CONTACT. NO CONTACT.

BOARD MEMBER. NO CONTACT. BOARD MEMBER. LAWSON. NO CONTACT. FREEMAN. OKAY. AND I HAVE HAD I HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF MEETINGS AND DISCUSSIONS WITH SOME LOCAL RESIDENTS. LOCAL BUSINESSES BRIEFLY TALKED TO THE APPLICANT, ALTHOUGH NOT IN ANY GREAT DETAIL AND HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY. BUT I'M HERE WITH AN OPEN MIND, SO. THE SO AT THIS POINT, ANYBODY WHO IS GOING TO BE GIVING TESTIMONY, IF YOU COULD PLEASE STAND AND RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND AND BE SWORN IN. YOU AFFIRM THAT THE TESTIMONY THAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO PROVIDE IN THIS HEARING WILL BE THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH, SO HELP YOU GOD. THANK YOU. MAY BE SEATED. OKAY. AT THIS POINT, WHEN IT WHEN IT IS TIME TO GIVE TESTIMONY, MAKE SURE YOU LET THE CLERK KNOW AND YOU KNOW, GET YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS ON THE RECORD. SO WE HAVE THAT.

ALL RIGHT. FIRST, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A STAFF REPORT. CORRECT? YES. GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR, VICE CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS. FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS MICHELLE ARBOR, PLANNER ONE WITH THE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. TONIGHT I WILL BE OR THIS AFTERNOON I WILL BE PRESENTING AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO, SUBMITTED BY GLENN AND KIMBERLY GORDON WITH GORDON ENTERPRISES STEWART LLC, PROPOSED TENANT AT 39 SOUTHWEST OSCEOLA STREET FOR A MAJOR URBAN CODE CONDITIONAL USE REQUEST TO ALLOW FOR A FORMULA BUSINESS. THE SPICE AND TEA EXCHANGE, TO BE LOCATED IN THE FORMULA BUSINESS AREA, AND TO WAIVE THE REQUIRED 300 FOOT SEPARATION BETWEEN FORMULA BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENTS. THE .39 ACRE SUBJECT PARCEL IS LOCATED AT 39 SOUTHEAST OSCEOLA STREET AND DESIGNATED BY THE URBAN CENTER ZONING DISTRICT.

THE PARCEL HAS A DOWNTOWN FUTURE LAND USE AND IS WITHIN THE FORMULA BUSINESS AREA AND IS SITUATED WITHIN THE CITY OF STUART COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AREA, THE CRA. THE APPLICANTS ARE AWARE THAT THE SPICE AND TEA EXCHANGE IS CONSIDERED A FORMULA BUSINESS. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PUBLIC NOTICE REQUIREMENTS OUTLINED UNDER SECTION 11.02 .05 OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE ON SEPTEMBER 20TH, 2025, THE APPLICANT MAILED NOTICES TO 88 PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN 300 FOOT OF THE SUBJECT PARCEL TO PROVIDE DETAILS OF THE REQUESTED MAJOR

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ADDITIONALLY, THE APPLICANT POSTED ONE PUBLIC NOTICE SIGN ON THE SUBJECT PARCEL FRONTING SOUTHEAST OSCEOLA STREET. THE SUBJECT PARCEL AND PARCELS TO THE SOUTH, EAST AND WEST ARE ZONED URBAN CENTER. THE PARCELS TO THE NORTHWEST ARE. THE PARCEL TO THE NORTHWEST OF THE SUBJECT PARCEL IS ZONED URBAN PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT, AND THE PARCEL NORTHEAST IS ZONED URBAN WATERFRONT. THE SUBJECT PARCEL, AS WELL AS PARCELS TO THE NORTH, THE SOUTH, EAST, AND WEST ARE ALL DESIGNATED WITH A FUTURE LAND USE OF DOWNTOWN. OUTLINED IN BLUE ON THE MAP IS A BOUNDARY OF THE CITY OF STUART'S FORMULA BUSINESS AREA. IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHAPTER 12 OF THE CITY OF STUARTS LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, A FORMULA BUSINESS IS A RETAIL BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENT, INCLUDING A RESTAURANT THAT HAS SIX OR MORE SIMILAR ESTABLISHMENT LOCATED ELSEWHERE, WHICH AS A GROUP SATISFY TWO OR MORE DEFINED CRITERIA. THE SPICE AND TEA EXCHANGE SATISFIES FOUR CRITERIA. AS A FORMULA BUSINESS, THEY SHARE TRADE NAME AND LOGOS.

MERCHANDISE IS SOLD. THEY HAVE COMMON ADVERTISING AND SIMILAR SIGNAGE. A FORMULA BUSINESS IS NOT PROHIBITED IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA. A FORMULA BUSINESS REQUIRES APPROVAL BY A MAJOR URBAN CODE EXCEPTION. IT REQUIRES THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT BOARD CONDITION CONSIDERATION, AND THE FINAL ACTION IS MET BEFORE THE CITY COMMISSION. THE MERITS OF THE EXCEPTION ARE TO BE EVALUATED BASED UPON THE FORMULA. BUSINESS CRITERIA REFLECTED IN SECTION 2.0, 6.1. C OF THE CITY'S LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE. IF THE BOARD APPROVED APPROVES THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST, THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS WILL BE ADDED TO THE RESOLUTION. THE APPLICANT WOULD PRESERVE THE DISTRICT'S UNIQUE IDENTITY AND CHARACTER, ENHANCE DIVERSITY AND COMPLEMENT EXISTING BUSINESSES. FITS WITH SURROUNDING USES AND LOCAL AMBIANCE. OPERATES UNOBTRUSIVELY, MEANING NO STREET SOLICITATIONS. THE APPLICANT WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO EXPAND IN THE FORMULA BUSINESS AREA AND IS LIMITED TO THE SPACE AND FRONTAGE THAT IS PROPOSED TO BE OCCUPIED. DRIVE THRUS ARE NOT ALLOWED, AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL OUTDOOR SIGNAGE OR VISIBLE VISIBLE CORPORATE ADS. THE FACADE AND SIGNAGE MUST FOLLOW THE URBAN CODE REGULATIONS, AND THE DESIGN MUST HARMONIZE WITH THE BUILDING ARCHITECTURE. THESE CONDITIONS WILL BE WILL BE REFLECTED IN THE RESOLUTION.

ACCORDING TO THE CITY OF STUART LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE SECTION 2.0, 6.12 POINT D, A FORMULA BUSINESS SHALL NOT BE LOCATED WITHIN 300FT OF AN EXISTING FORMULA BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENT.

THERE ARE TWO FORMULA BUSINESSES WITHIN 300FT OF THE LOCATION. YOU HAVE DUFFY SPORTS GRILL AND KILWINS CHOCOLATE. THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A WAIVER OF THE 300 FOOT DISTANCE REQUIREMENT. THE CITY OF STUART DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, UTILITIES AND ENGINEERING ARE FIRE DEPARTMENT, BUILDING DEPARTMENT AND COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY HAVE REVIEWED THE MAJOR URBAN CODE CONDITIONAL USE PETITION AND RECOMMEND THE APPLICATION BE FORWARDED TO THE CITY COMMISSION FOR FINAL ACTION OF APPROVAL. THIS CONCLUDES STAFF PRESENTATION FOLLOWING THE APPLICANT'S BRIEF PRESENTATION. STAFF AND THE APPLICANT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE. AND YOUR. GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS MARCELLA CAMPBELL, PRINCIPAL OF MARCELLA CAMPBELL AND ASSOCIATES, ASSISTING THE APPLICANT WITH THIS PROCESS. THEY'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH WHAT IT IS TO OPEN UP A RETAIL STORE. IT'S JUST THAT IN THIS CASE, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THEY HAVE ENCOUNTERED GOING THROUGH A MAJOR CODE CONDITIONAL USE TO OPEN THEIR RETAIL STORE, AS STAFF HAS GIVEN YOU A REALLY GOOD PRESENTATION, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR YOU ALL TO HEAR FROM THEM, JUST SO THAT YOU CAN SEE HOW THIS USE IS GOING TO BE COMPLEMENTARY. IT'S ACTUALLY OFFERING MORE OF AN EXPERIENCE TYPE OF RETAIL THAT WILL BE VERY GOOD FOR THE

[00:15:01]

IT WAS SHORT.

NO. OKAY. THANK YOU. HOLD ON ONE SECOND. WE'RE HAVING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES. THAT'S ALRIGHT. WE'LL JUST TAKE A QUICK NAP. IT'S GOOD. OH, GOSH. I HAVE TO DO THAT GRADUALLY. THERE IT IS. PROGRESS. YEAH.

YOU CAN. YES. OKAY. WELL I HOPE YOU. THAT GAVE YOU A LITTLE GLIMPSE INTO WHAT WE DO. WE KNOW WHAT WE DO AND WE LOVE IT. WE'D LOVE FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO WALK IN ONE OF OUR STORES, BUT THAT GIVES YOU A LITTLE BIT OF AN IDEA OF WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE. BUT THE ONE THING THAT YOU DIDN'T GET TO EXPERIENCE AND THAT'S THE SMELLS. SO WHEN YOU WALK INTO SPICE AND TEA EXCHANGE, THEY'RE RICH IN SPICES. WE HAVE FRAGRANT TEAS, WARM AROMAS THAT IMMEDIATELY DRAW YOU IN. IN FACT, WE DON'T EVEN SHUT OUR DOOR BECAUSE WHEN THE GUESTS

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IT HAS A NAUTICAL AND ANTIQUE FIXTURES. IT'S VERY OPEN, AIRY, LIKE A FRESH MARKET FEEL. AS YOU WALK THROUGH AND EXPLORE THE SHELVES AND DISPLAYS. AS YOU PROBABLY GOT A GLIMPSE THERE. APOTHECARY JARS ALL THROUGHOUT THE STORE. AND THEN WHAT? WHAT WE LOVE THE MOST IS THE EXPERIENCE. AND SO IN ONE PART OF THE STORE, WE'LL HAVE A SPICE MASTER THAT WILL BE CREATING ALL OF OUR BLENDS. AND THEY'RE DOING THAT AS A DEMO. SO THE GUESTS COME UP, WE GET TO TALK ABOUT WHAT'S IN THE BLEND, AND YOU KIND OF SAW THEM MIXING A BLEND. AND THEN ALSO YOU PROBABLY SAW ALSO SOMEONE PEELING LEMONS. SO WE MAKE A VERY POPULAR SPICE BLEND CALLED FLORIDA SUNSHINE. IT'S OUR MOST POPULAR SPICE BLEND. AND SO WE PEEL LEMONS, LIMES AND ORANGES.

WE ACTUALLY DEHYDRATE THE RIND RIGHT IN THE STORE. AND WE PUT THAT WITH A BRAZILIAN ATLANTIC SEA SALT. IT'S GOT A LITTLE GINGER, GREEN PEPPERCORN AND ROSE PETAL AND IT'S FABULOUS.

SO OUR STORE IS BASED A LOT TO DO WITH JUST THE EXPERIENCE. ALSO, AS YOU MAKE YOUR WAY AROUND WE HAVE A TEA BAR. SO WE HAVE GOSH OVER 80 TEAS. AND YOU CAN PICK FROM ANY OF THE TEAS THAT WE SELL AND GET A CUP OF TEA TO GO EITHER HOT OR ICED. AND WHAT'S NICE ABOUT THIS EXPERIENCE IS YES, YOU GET A GREAT CUP OF TEA TO GO, BUT THE TEA MASTER THAT'S GIVING THE DEMONSTRATION AND MAKING THE GUEST TEA, WE'RE TEACHING THEM ABOUT TEA AND THERE'S A LOT TO KNOW ABOUT IT. TIME, TEMPERATURE AND AMOUNT. HOW TO STEEP A PROPER CUP OF TEA SO THAT IT TASTES AMAZING. BECAUSE OVER HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, WE THINK WE KNOW HOW TO MAKE TEA. BUT THERE'S A SPECIAL WAY TO MAKE IT SO THAT THAT TEA TASTES FABULOUS. SO AS I MENTIONED, THROUGHOUT THE DAY, WE'RE GIVING DEMOS. IT'S NOT FORMAL, JUST ENGAGING. IT'S A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. AND THAT MAKES PEOPLE FEEL A PART OF SOMETHING SPECIAL. AND THERE'S NOTHING BETTER TO DESCRIBE WHAT WE DO THAN OUR MISSION STATEMENT. OUR MISSION STATEMENT IS CREATING AND SHARING THE EXPERIENCE OF A MORE FLAVORFUL LIFE. SO WE'RE NOT JUST A RETAIL SHOP. THAT'S THE HEART OF WHAT WE DO. WE INVITE EVERY GUEST TO COME INTO THE STORE. WHEN THEY COME IN, WE THE FIRST THING THAT WE TELL THEM IS FEEL FREE TO OPEN THE JARS AND SMELL THE SPICES. IT'S A TRULY AN EXPERIENCE THAT MAKES OUR SHOP SPECIAL. FROM THE CINNAMON CINNAMON AROMAS TO CITRUS HERBS AND SMOKY BLENDS, WE CREATE AN ATMOSPHERE THAT'S COMPLETELY UNIQUE. IT'S INTERACTIVE, IT'S ENGAGING, AND IT APPEALS TO EVERY SENSES. AND I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE TASTE OF WHAT THAT'S LIKE. SO GO AHEAD. SO THIS IS OBVIOUSLY ON A MUCH SMALLER SCALE THAN WHAT WE DO. OUR JARS IN OUR STORE ARE MUCH LARGER, BUT WE YOU FEEL FREE TO OPEN THE JARS AND SMELL. THANK YOU. AND THIS IS THIS IS TYPICALLY WHAT AN EXPERIENCE WOULD KIND OF BE LIKE IN OUR STORE. YOU CAN GO THROUGH OUR STORE. WE HAVE OVER 100 SPICES. WE HAVE OVER 130 SPICE BLENDS JUST TO TAKE. YOU KNOW. THIS IS IN TROUBLE. THIS.

AND IF YOU DIDN'T GET THE ONE THAT YOU WANT, YOU CAN SHARE. AND THERE'S A SPOON SOMEWHERE.

IF YOU WANT TO TASTE IT, YOU CAN TASTE IT. YEAH, BUT SOMEONE UP THERE HAS THE BACKWOODS HICKORY AND I SELECTED THAT ONE, BECAUSE THAT'S ONE OF OUR FAVORITE BLENDS THAT WE USE AT HOME FOR GRILLING. ANOTHER BLEND UP THERE IS ONE OF OUR MOST POPULAR BLENDS. IT'S CALLED OUR TUSCANY BLEND, AND WE USE THAT A LOT IN OLIVE OIL FOR DIPPING BREAD. IT MAKES A NICE CHICKEN RUB AS WELL. AND THEN WE BROUGHT YOU ONE OF OUR MOST POPULAR TEAS. IT'S CALLED OUR GREEN TROPICAL TEA. ALL OF THE TEAS IN OUR STORE ARE LOOSE LEAF. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON IS EDUCATION. SO WHEN THE GUESTS COME IN, YOU KNOW, MOST OF US HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, IF YOU TRAVEL ABROAD, THEY'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH LOOSE LEAF TEA.

BUT A LOT OF US IN AMERICA, WE WE TYPICALLY WANT THE TEA BAG. SO WE DO A LOT OF EDUCATING. WE

[00:25:03]

AND THEN I THINK, GLEN, WE MADE UP LITTLE BAGS FOR YOU GUYS SO THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY TAKE IT HOME AND ACTUALLY TASTE A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT WE DO. SO FROM THE 100 SPICES THAT WE HAVE, OVER 130 CUSTOM BLENDS THAT WE ACTUALLY MAKE IN THE STORE, WE HAVE OVER 80 LOOSE LEAF TEAS, 30 PLUS SALTS AND SUGARS, A TEA BAR, AND GOURMET ITEMS LIKE WE HAVE FUZED OLIVE OILS, WE HAVE HONEYS AND SIRUPS. WE HAVE A SELECTION OF GRAINS, PASTAS, AND WE ALSO HAVE CANDLES. AND WE'VE INCLUDED CANDLES OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS BECAUSE ALL OF OUR CANDLES, WE MAKE THEM. THEY'RE SOY BASED AND WE USE ALL OF OUR SPICES AND OUR HERBS AND ALL OF OUR INGREDIENTS TO MAKE THE CANDLE. AND THEY'RE CLEAN. THEY BURN CLEAN. AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT NOWADAYS. SO BASICALLY, OUR STORE INVITES THE GUESTS TO EXPLORE, TO SAMPLE AND TO DISCOVER. IT'S NOT JUST SHOPPING. IT'S TRULY AN EXPERIENCE. AND I'M GOING TO PASS IT OVER TO MY HUSBAND TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAILS ON THE STORE DESIGN, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, AND WE FEEL THAT WE'RE GOING TO ADD TO THE UNIQUENESS OF STUART DOWNTOWN. YEAH, LIKE WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, WE ONLY WANT TO ENHANCE WHAT'S ALREADY GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY. A LOT OF THESE STORES ARE IN HISTORIC DISTRICTS, SO WE DON'T WANT TO DISRUPT THAT. WE WANT TO COME IN AND YOU CAN SEE HERE'S SOME EXAMPLES OF JUST ENHANCING WHAT'S ALREADY THERE, FROM SIGNAGE TO MAYBE AWNINGS TO PUTTING OUT SOME SOME FOLIAGE OUT FRONT. SOME OF OUR STORES, LIKE IN SEDONA, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A PATIO OUT ON THE SIDE THAT YOU CAN SIT WITH UMBRELLAS AND ACTUALLY ENJOY THE TEA YOU JUST ORDERED, SO ENJOY THE WEATHER AND THAT KIND OF STUFF. SO SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE ON THE OUTSIDE. AND THEN THE INSIDE YOU SAW IN THE VIDEO, EVERY STORE IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT. IT'S GOING TO PULL IN SOME OF THE LOCAL DECOR OF THE AREA. SO IF YOU'RE IN A COASTAL COMMUNITY, WE MIGHT HAVE SOME OF THAT COASTAL FLAIR GOING ON. IF YOU'RE IN A MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY, YOU'RE GOING TO BE MORE RUSTIC, BUT IT REALLY JUST DEPENDS ON OUR BUILD OUT TEAM. AND REALLY THEY DO EACH STORE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. IT DOES. IT'S NOT A COOKIE CUTTER TYPE STORE. EVERYONE'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, A LITTLE DIFFERENT SHAPE AND SIZE AND WHAT'S INSIDE. BUT AS FAR AS THE PRODUCT, THE PRODUCTS ARE ALL THE SAME. IT'S JUST HOW THEY'RE DISPLAYED. AND THEN KIM'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY, BUT BEING PART OF THE COMMUNITY IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO US. AND I'LL LET HER SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT. WELL, I KNOW IN SMALL TOWNS, BECAUSE WE'RE IN SMALL TOWNS, THIS IS REALLY WHAT MATTERS, YOU KNOW, IS BEING A PART OF THE COMMUNITY. WE LOVE THE TOURISTS TO COME, BUT OUR LOCALS, THAT'S WHERE WE JUST LOVE TO GET INVOLVED AND PARTICIPATE. SO AND WE DO HAVE A SLIDE. I KNOW YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO READ ANY OF THIS, BUT IN OUR WE DO, YOU PROBABLY READ PRIOR TO US COMING. WE PERSONALLY HAVE A STORE IN MOUNT DORA, FLORIDA. WE HAVE ONE IN SAINT ARMANDS CIRCLE, SARASOTA, AND WE HAVE ONE IN PUNTA GORDA, FLORIDA, WHICH IS IN FISHERMAN'S VILLAGE. AND THEY'RE SMALL AND LOCAL. AND SOME OF THE THINGS YOU WANT TO GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE GET INVOLVED IN, LET ME SEE WHERE AM I AT OUR WORKSHOPS AND TASTINGS AND WE DO CLASSES, EVERYTHING FROM TEA AND SPICE BLENDING TO COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS. SO THIS IS JUST FISHERMAN'S VILLAGE. AND THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT WE'RE INVOLVED IN. I MEAN, THERE'S PAGES OF THIS, AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT FUN FOR US BECAUSE WE LIKE TO PARTNER WITH THE OTHER RESTAURANTS, WE LIKE TO PARTNER WITH THE OTHER BUSINESSES. WE WE PARTICIPATE UP IN MOUNT DORA IN A WINE WALK. AND IT'S TWO TIMES A MONTH. WE DO POP UPS LIKE WE HAVE A LOCAL RESTAURANT THAT COMES IN OUR STORE AND USES OUR SPICES, AND THEY DO A POP UP EVENT, LIKE, THERE'S JUST SO MANY THINGS THAT WE GET TO PARTICIPATE IN, AND THEY'RE SUPER FUN. THAT'S COLLABORATING WITH THE COMMUNITY. ANOTHER THING THAT WE'VE DONE THAT THAT'S REALLY FUN AS FAR AS LIKE EDUCATION IS WE HOLD CLASSES. SO THOSE OF THE LOCALS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN LEARNING ABOUT TEA, MAYBE THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT TEA.

[00:30:06]

WHAT DOES THAT ACTUALLY MEAN. IS THAT WHERE ONLY FORMULA BUSINESSES ARE ALLOWED TO TO LOCATE. IS IT IS IT WHERE WE DON'T WANT THEM TO LOCATE? IS IT WHAT'S WHAT IS THE PURPOSE.

ALL RIGHT. SO THERE'S TWO ISSUES BEFORE YOU. THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THERE UNLESS THEY GET PERMISSION THROUGH A CONDITIONAL USE PROCESS OKAY. SO THE FIRST THE FIRST QUESTION BEFORE YOU IS ARE YOU GOING TO ALLOW THIS FORMULA BASED BUSINESS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA THAT WAS POINTED OUT, WE HAD A SLIDE ON ANYWHERE GOES ALONG COLORADO AND THE ACTUAL HISTORIC DOWNTOWN AREA. THE SECOND ISSUE IS, WILL YOU ALLOW IT BE WITHIN 300FT OF ANOTHER FORMULA BUSINESS? WE'VE ALLOWED THEM IN THE PAST, DUFFY'S AND KILWINS WERE MENTIONED AS BEING WITHIN 300FT OF THIS PROPOSED STORE, BUT THEY'RE ALSO WITHIN 300FT OF EACH OTHER. SO IN THE PAST, WE HAVE GRANTED THAT. EXCEPTION AS WELL. SO THERE'S THOSE TWO ISSUES, WHETHER OR NOT IT CAN BE IN DOWNTOWN AREA. AND NUMBER TWO, WHETHER IT CAN BE WITHIN 300FT OF ANOTHER FORMULA BASED BUSINESS. OKAY. APPRECIATE THAT. I MEAN, THE THEORY BEHIND HER WAS TO NOT HAVE WALMART AND MCDONALD'S DOWNTOWN. AND SO YEAH, THAT'S I REMEMBER WHEN THEY I REMEMBER WHEN THEY DID THIS, THE FACT, YOU KNOW, BEING OLD AND I REMEMBER THE PURPOSE OF IT WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT LOCAL BUSINESSES WERE PROTECTED IN, IN THE DOWNTOWN. AND I KNOW THAT WAS AND THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION AS TO, YOU KNOW, IS A BIG BOX ACTUALLY GOING TO COME IN DOWNTOWN STUART AND, YOU KNOW, SO THEY USED TO SAY BOYD BRADFIELD, WHO OWNED AND I USED TO ALWAYS SAY, JUST LET IT GO. IT'LL FIND ITS PATH. BUT BUT IT'S ALWAYS BEEN AN ISSUE OVER THE TIME, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF WHAT WE DO. THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE HAD THE FACTORS THAT MICHELLE HAD UP ONE OF THE SLIDES. SO IF YOU WANT IT, IT'S IT WAS IN THE AGENDA. BUT IF YOU WANT TO HAVE HER BRING THEM BACK UP, I THINK IT WAS 6 OR 7 FACTORS THAT YOU GO THROUGH AND MAKE YOUR DECISION ON WHETHER OR NOT TO ALLOW IT IN. YEAH. WELL LET'S GO THROUGH THE QUESTIONS WE'LL START DOWN WITH. I'LL START WITH WILL. I LIKE WILL'S QUESTIONS. HE'S HE'S OKAY I'M GOING TO BE LEAD OFF TODAY. YOU GET TO BE THE LEAD OFF. BUT BUT WE'LL IF WE'LL JUMP IN IF WE GOT YOU KNOW OKAY. YES. IT WOULD BE OKAY. IS THIS COMPANY

[00:35:06]

YEAH, YEAH. OKAY. SO THAT WAS ONE OF MY CONCERNS. I DON'T SEE ANYTHING HERE REALLY. THAT WOULD BE IN DIRECT COMPETITION. SO YOU WOULD BE COMPLIMENTARY. THAT WAS ONE OF THE CONCERNS I HAD. DO YOU COMPLIMENT THEN. SO I GUESS IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO JUST FOR ME, THE LAST QUESTION.

WELL, THE ISSUE IS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU IF YOU'RE THE OVERALL PARENT COMPANY BECOMES THE NEXT BIG COFFEE COMPANY OR I WON'T MENTION THAT NAME, BUT BUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THEN THAT MIGHT BE A CONCERN THAT RAISES EYEBROWS LATER. NOW, IF YOU WERE THE ORIGINAL PIONEER STORE OF THIS THING, OH, WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, OH, LOOK, WE'RE THE PIONEER STORE OF THIS GREAT.

YOU KNOW, THIS GREAT, YOU KNOW, MULTINATIONAL. BUT THAT'S IT FOR MY QUESTIONS I THINK AT THIS TIME. OKAY, JEFF. GO AHEAD. YEAH I'VE GOT A COUPLE. DO WE HAVE ANY RENDERINGS OF WHAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY ANTICIPATING THE STUART LOCATION TO LOOK LIKE? I MEAN, THE SIGNAGE AND THE INTERIOR. I MEAN, YOU SHOWED SOME REALLY, REALLY NICE FROM OTHER LOCATIONS, BUT HAVE YOU DONE ANY RENDERINGS OF WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING HERE? NO, WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT YET BECAUSE WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS. OKAY. BUT OUR BUILD OUT TEAM, HE THEY THEY'RE BROTHERS THAT DO IT. THEY, THEY ACTUALLY COME UP WITH A INTERIOR DRAWING AND THEY LAY OUT EACH SECTION WITHIN THE STORE. AND THEN WE ACTUALLY HAVE PEOPLE ON OUR SIDE THAT DO THE SIGNAGE. SO IF IT CAN'T HAVE SIGNAGE ON THE WALL OUT FRONT, THEY DO WINDOW VINYLS THAT ARE REALLY NICE LOOKING FOR THE STORE. SO WE HAVE WE HAVE THOSE OKAY. YEAH, YEAH.

THE BUILDING IS IN THE PROCESS OF GOING THROUGH PERMITTING FOR A FACADE RENOVATION. THEY RECEIVED FUNDS FROM THE CRA AND THE FACADE IS THE FACADE. SO I MEAN, THEY'LL HAVE THE SIGNAGE THAT MEETS CODE. AND THEN INTERIOR IS REALLY WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO GET IN THIS CASE, OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ALLOW THEM TO WORK A LITTLE BIT MORE WITH THE FRONTAGE. BUT IN THIS CASE, IT'S PART OF A BUILDING THAT ALREADY HAS AN APPROVED FACADE. OKAY. AND THE LAST THING I WAS GOING TO ASK ABOUT IS, I MEAN, YOU'VE NAMED A NUMBER OF THINGS YOU MAY DO, THE CLASSES AND ALL THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF THOSE I HAVEN'T REALLY DUG INTO IT. IF ANY OF THOSE MIGHT INTERFERE WITH, WITH ANY OF THE OTHER TENANTS NOW, OR MAYBE COULD CONCEIVABLY BE A THREAT TO THEM IN THE, IN THE NEAR FUTURE AS FAR AS THE SCOPE OF WHAT THEY DO AND WHY, THAT WOULD MAYBE BE A REASONABLE EXTENSION OF WHAT THEY DO. SO THAT'S JUST SOMETHING I DON'T. I'D LIKE TO SEE A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION ON. YEAH. AND WE'VE NOT EXPERIENCED THAT IN WHAT WE HAVE PARTICIPATED IN. AND OUR GOAL IS ALWAYS TO COMPLIMENT.

SO IF THERE WAS EVER A CONFLICT WE WOULD WALK AWAY. I MEAN, THAT'S JUST THAT'S JUST WHO WE ARE AS PEOPLE. BUT IT'S JUST A GREAT BUSINESS PRACTICE. YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO COMPLIMENT WHAT IS ALREADY HAPPENING HERE IN STUART AND COME ALONGSIDE OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS AND JUST BE AN ADDITION. OKAY. THANK YOU. OH, CAN I SAY SOMETHING TO THAT. SO IN FISHERMAN'S VILLAGE WE OPENED THAT. YEAH WE OPENED THAT STORE AND THERE'S AN OLIVE OIL STORE JUST DOWN THE WAY

[00:40:06]

WE JUST TOOK THEM OUT OF THE STORE. SO WE DIDN'T WANT TO CAUSE CONFLICT OKAY. AND ALL THAT. SO YEAH. THANK YOU. FRED, I WANT TO GO FIRST. I'D LIKE TO THANK STAFF FOR ALL THE INFORMATION, WHICH MADE IT EASY FOR MY DECISION. ONCE I LOOKED UP WHAT THE FORMULA WAS, THE BUSINESS TYPE THAT THEY WERE ASKING TO APPLY FOR, ALL THAT WAS IN THAT INFORMATION, THAT WAS IN THE AGENDA. AND SO I THANK STAFF FOR THAT INFORMATION. I'M PRETTY WELL UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOU'RE OFFERING TO THE CITY OF STUART. AND I JUST WELCOME AND I HOPE THE COMMISSIONERS FEEL EXCITED ABOUT IT AS YOU ARE. THANK YOU. I HAVE A FEW. HAVE YOU HAD ANY PUSHBACK YET FROM ANY OTHER BUSINESSES? NO, NO. AND LILLIAN IS HERE ALSO FROM ARGENTO.

WE'VE WE'VE GOTTEN TO MEET A FEW DIFFERENT BUSINESS OWNERS AND JUST LET THEM KNOW WHAT WE DO AND THAT WE'RE COMING. AND FOR THE MOST PART, EVERYONE IS, YOU KNOW, THRILLED AND LOOKING FORWARD TO US COMING. IF IF THIS ALL GOES THROUGH. HAVE YOU HAD YOUR OTHER BUSINESS SINCE 2013 IS THE FIRST ONE AND THEN. IF THIS GOES THROUGH, HOW MANY DO YOU PLAN ON EMPLOYING LOCAL PEOPLE? WE USUALLY RUN BETWEEN 6 TO 8 PEOPLE, MAYBE MORE. IT'S USUALLY ONE ONE, 1 OR 2 FULL TIME. AND THEN WE HAVE PART TIMERS. AND A LOT OF LITTLE THINGS WRITTEN DOWN HERE. SO DO YOU. YOU DON'T LIVE IN STUART CURRENTLY, SO YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE LOCAL TO HERE TO THIS STORE. RIGHT. YOU'LL BE TRAVELING TO YOUR OTHER. YEAH. WE LIVE ABOUT 2.5 HOURS AWAY.

WHY STUART DO YOU WANT TO SAY I CAN? I MEAN, WE'VE BEEN COMING TO STUART FOR YEARS, SO WE JUST WE LOVE THE CHARM OF STUART. WE LOVE THE SMALL TOWN OF STUART. WE LIKE THAT IT'S COASTAL.

WE'VE KIND OF WHEN WE'VE COME WE'VE PARTICIPATED IN THE FESTIVALS. IT'S JUST A VERY QUAINT AND UNIQUE SMALL TOWN IN FLORIDA. WE THINK SO TOO. I GUESS IT GOES BACK TO WHAT WE LOOKED AT, BUT I LOOKED IT UP TOO. IT'S THAT WHOLE. FORMULA BUSINESSES, THEY WANT TO KEEP THIS UNIQUE, RIGHT? UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS OF STUART IN BUSINESS. DIVERSITY I THINK IS THE BIG THINGS FOR ME. AND YOU GUYS ARE FAIRLY UNIQUE. AND IT'S VERY DIVERSE. I LIKE THE FACT YOU EMPLOY PEOPLE FROM THE AREA. YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU GUYS. THANKS, BONNIE. I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. I HAVE SOME COMMENTS. SHOULD I CAN I SAVE THOSE UNTIL AFTER THE PUBLIC COMMENT? SO DO I NEED TO DO IT NOW. IT'S WE'RE DOING DOING THAT. GO AHEAD AND DO IT NOW SO THAT THEY HAVE A CHANCE FOR REBUTTAL. IF THEY'VE GOT SOME COMMENT TO MAKE. WELL, I FIRST WANTED TO SAY I'M I'M REALLY CONFLICTED HERE. I, I NOTICED THE INCREASED NUMBER OF VACANCIES ON OSCEOLA STREET IN DOWNTOWN. SO THAT'S SIGNALING TO ME THAT WE'VE GOT SOME SORT OF PROBLEM. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S AFFORDABILITY OR IF TOURISM IS DOWN, BUT I DON'T LIKE TO SEE THAT IN OUR DOWNTOWN. ON THE OTHER HAND, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE CARE THAT WAS PUT INTO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE THAT PROTECTS OUR DOWNTOWN. YOU KNOW, FROM CHAINS AND FROM FRANCHISES AND HELPS US TO BE UNIQUE. AND I JUST KEEP COMING BACK TO THIS ONE PORTION OF THE CODE WHERE IT SAYS THE PROPOSED FORMULA BUSINESS WILL NOT ALTER THE IDENTITY OF THE URBAN DISTRICT IN ANY WAY, WHICH DETRACTS FROM ITS UNIQUENESS OR CONTRIBUTES TO A NATIONWIDE TREND OF STANDARDIZED DOWNTOWN OFFERINGS. I WOULD USE YOUR BUSINESS IF IT WERE HERE IN DOWNTOWN. I'M NOT A COFFEE DRINKER. I'M A TEA DRINKER, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I. I WORRY THAT WE SAY YES HERE AND THEN WHAT COMES NEXT AND WHAT COMES NEXT. AND AT WHAT POINT DO WE DRAW THE LINE OR HOLD THE LINE FOR OUR DOWNTOWN, THAT WE'RE NOT SEEING THE SAME THING HERE, THAT WE'RE SEEING IN OTHER CITIES IN FLORIDA THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. SO NO QUESTIONS. THAT'S SORT OF WHERE I'M AT RIGHT NOW. OKAY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I HAVE A FEW. THE THE FIRST THING I THINK. SO WE'RE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THERE ARE 98 OF THESE NATIONWIDE.

THEY'RE FRANCHISES. CORRECT. AND YOU OWN HOW MANY FRANCHISES FOR FOUR. AND THEN YOU SAID

[00:45:04]

AND BUT IT'S NOT A HUGE PERCENTAGE OF OUR BUSINESS. BUT IT IS. IT IS PART OF THE BUSINESS. YEAH. WE WANT TO WHEN, WHEN THEY LEAVE, IF THEY'RE NOT LOCAL, WE WANT TO TOUCH THEM.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WHEN IF THEY COME BACK EVERY TWO MONTHS, EVERY THREE MONTHS, ONCE A YEAR, YOU KNOW, SOME GUESTS DON'T COME. BUT ONCE A YEAR WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'VE BEEN TOUCHED BY US SO THAT WHEN THEY COME BACK, THEY REMEMBER US. AND THAT'S TYPICALLY HOW IT WORKS. A LOT OF THE GUESTS WILL GET HOME, AND IF THEY GET OUR EMAIL, WE MAKE SURE THEY HAVE OUR PHONE NUMBER AND THAT THEY CAN CALL US DIRECTLY. IF THEY CALL US DIRECTLY, WE SERVICE WHATEVER THEY WANT OUT OF OUR STORE, SO WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THAT. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A WEBSITE AND IT IS THAT'S KIND OF THE WAY A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE TO ORDER NOW. IT'S EASIER FOR THEM TO PICK UP A PHONE AND PLACING A CALL. THERE IS AN OPTION FOR THEM JUST TO ORDER RIGHT THROUGH THE WEBSITE. SO WHAT? WHAT IS THE PERCENTAGE, SO TO SPEAK, OF, OF THE ACTIVITY THAT OCCURRED OCCURS IN SEASON FROM A SALES STANDPOINT VERSUS OUT OF SEASON. AND WHAT IS YOUR SEASON? WELL, IN FLORIDA, WHAT WE FIND IS IT'S ABOUT THIS TIME OF YEAR WHEN YOU SEE YOUR NUMBERS START TO GO BACK UP. SUMMER, AUGUST SEPTEMBER IS THE SLOWEST KIDS BACK IN SCHOOL, PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, GETTING BACK INTO YOUR ROUTINE. NO MORE VACATIONING, THAT TYPE OF THING. BUT THEN OCTOBER KICKS IN. THEN ALL THE SNOWBIRDS AND PEOPLE ACTUALLY FROM EUROPE COME OVER HERE IN THE FALL AND THEY LOVE TO VISIT THESE AREAS. AND SO THEY'LL, THEY'LL, IT'LL PICK UP ALL THE WAY THROUGH OUR OTHER STORES. IT'S THROUGH THE END OF MAY AND THEN SOME PART OF JUNE A LITTLE BIT. AND THEN AROUND YOU GET THE HOLIDAYS LIKE 4TH OF JULY AND ALL THAT. YOU GET THAT A LITTLE SPIKES AND THEN IT JUST STARTS TO GO DOWN, THEN IT COMES BACK UP. SO IT'S NOT A BIG SHORT, YOU KNOW, SLOW SEASON. IT'S IT'S THE SEASON IS LONGER. WHAT WHAT DO YOU EXPECT YOUR HOURS TO BE AT A LOCATION LIKE STUART. DURING THE WEEK.

[00:50:01]

SO NOW OUR HOURS ARE JUST TILL NINE. WHEREAS UP IN MOUNT DORA DURING THE SUMMER WE'VE BEEN STAYING OPEN TILL SEVEN. AND THEN DURING SEASON WE'LL EXTEND THOSE HOURS TILL TO EIGHT OR EVEN NINE. SO WE, WE KIND OF JUST FOLLOW, YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO FOLLOW WHAT THE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE CITY. BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE WILL PROBABLY BE THE ONES THAT IF SOMEBODY'S OPEN LATER, WE WILL BE OPEN WITH THEM. JUST BECAUSE IT'S ALL ABOUT GUEST EXPERIENCE AND AND WHO'S COMING TO YOUR CITY. SO THAT'S TYPICALLY HOW WE, WE RUN IT. AND DO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT THE PERSON WHO'S GOING TO MANAGE THIS LOCATION IN STUART WILL HAVE HAD PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WITH YOU GUYS, OR IS IT SOMEBODY YOU'RE GOING TO PROBABLY HIRE FOR THAT POSITION? IT WOULD BE SOMEBODY THAT'S LOCAL HERE THAT WE WOULD, YOU KNOW, ATTRACT THROUGH OUR CORE VALUES. THAT'S ANOTHER THING I DID WANT TO MENTION, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE MORE THAN ONE LOCATION.

WE WHEN WE STARTED, WE WORKED THE STORE THAT IT WAS ALL US. AND THEN WHEN WE HAD ANOTHER STORE, WE IT WAS ALL US. AND THEN WE WE LEARNED. WE'VE LEARNED OVER THE YEARS HOW TO ATTRACT REALLY GREAT TALENT AND A PART, A SIGNIFICANT PART OF HOW WE'VE DONE THAT IS WE HAVE TEN CORE VALUES THAT REPRESENT US, AND THROUGH THOSE CORE VALUES, WE ATTRACT GREAT PEOPLE AND THEY'LL BE LOCAL, AND THEN WE'LL BRING THEM IN AND WE WILL TRAIN THEM HERE ON LOCATION, AND WE MAY EVEN TAKE THEM OVER TO OUR OTHER STORES AND TRAIN. WE DO WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER WORKS FOR THEM TO TEACH THEM ALL ABOUT OUR PRODUCTS. AND AS YOU NOTICE THROUGH OUR PRESENTATION, THERE'S A LOT OF PRODUCTS AND WE DO FOCUS A LOT ON EDUCATION. SO EVERYONE THAT WORKS HERE WILL BE, YOU KNOW, ATTRACTED FROM THIS LOCAL AREA. OKAY. I HAVE A I HAVE A QUESTION I GUESS FOR, FOR STAFF. WELL, LET ME ASK YOU ONE MORE QUESTION HERE. JUST AS YOU'VE GOT FOUR LOCATIONS, DO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT THIS LOCATION IN STUART WILL BE THE MOST EXPENSIVE FROM A LEASE STANDPOINT? NO, NO. SO THIS IS THIS IS IN YOUR BAILIWICK. THIS IS THE KIND OF RENTS YOU NORMALLY WOULD BE PAYING. IT'S COMPARABLE TO MOUNT DORA. IF YOU'VE BEEN TO MOUNT DORA IT'S COMPARABLE OKAY OKAY. SO AND SO I'VE GOT A QUESTION FOR STAFF.

DID I KNOW THAT THERE'S AN ANALYSIS AN ANALYSIS IN HERE. AND LET ME JUST SAY MY COMMENTS AT THIS POINT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR PLACE. I THINK YOUR PLACE IS FANTASTIC. IT'S GREAT. IF IT WAS HERE, I'D VISIT IT. I'M JUST TELLING YOU, I MEAN, I WOULD, SO IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT. IT ACTUALLY ALL HAS TO DO WITH PROTECTING OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES.

BECAUSE IF YOU WERE HERE AND STARTED HERE, YOU'D WANT US TO PROTECT YOU TO SOME DEGREE.

RIGHT. AND SO THAT'S THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. THAT'S WHAT THE FORMAL FORMULA BUSINESS DISTRICT IS ABOUT. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I KNOW THE ANALYSIS. AND BONNIE MENTIONED IT AND IT'S TRUE. WE'VE GOT SOME VACANCIES ON THE STREET AND THE PRICES ARE HIGH.

AND OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES ARE HAVING A HARD TIME PAYING THOSE PRICES. AND IN FACT, THIS STORE IS AT A LOCATION THAT WAS OUR LOCAL, WAS A LOCAL BUSINESS THAT HAD BASICALLY A LARGER LOCATION AND HAS CONTRACTED. SO MY QUESTION IS, HAVE WE TAKEN INTO THAT? HAVE WE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION THE IMPACT THAT A MULTIPLE LOCATION FRANCHISE WOULD HAVE ON EXISTING LEASE PRICES HERE IN TOWN? YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT MORE LOCATIONS TO GENERATE A PROFIT TO, TO COVER THOSE COSTS. SO THAT'S MY CONCERN. IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE PRODUCT BECAUSE YOUR PRODUCT IS REALLY UNIQUE. AND AND MY SON WILL GO NUTS IF YOU OPEN. BUT BUT ANYWAY, I JUST SO I ASKED THAT QUESTION, HOW MUCH DID WE FACTOR THAT IN IN TERMS OF THE EFFECT THAT THAT COMPETITION WILL HAVE ON OUR LOCAL, OUR LOCAL STORES? SO THAT IS NOT PART OF THE ANALYSIS WITHIN OUR CODE. WHEN WE ARE REVIEWING A FORMULA BUSINESS, THE ANALYSIS IN OUR STAFF REPORT, THAT'S THE ONE THAT'S BEEN SUBMITTED AND PROVIDED FOR YOU. I'M SURE IF THERE'S ANY CHANGES THAT ARE NEEDED, WE'LL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE RIGHT AVENUES FOR THAT. BUT JODY, OUR DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, WILL BE ABLE TO ANSWER MORE. SO MISS CYBER IS

[00:55:03]

MY MY CONCERN IS, LIKE I SAID, FOR THE EXISTING BUSINESSES WHO DON'T HAVE REVENUE SOURCES COMING FROM OTHER LOCATIONS OTHER THAN THE ONE IN DOWNTOWN, LET ME ASK IF IS IS THIS LOCATION THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT? I KNOW IT WAS PATTI'S OLD OFFICE FOR THE FOR GUMBO LIMBO KIDS. I'M AN OLD STORE FOR GUMBO LIMBO. KIDS DO WELL. DOES IT HAVE A DOES IT HAVE AN INTEREST ENTRANCE ONTO SEMINOLE ON THE BACK, OR IS THIS JUST FRONT? SO WE'RE JUST TALKING.

WE'RE WE'RE TALKING JUST THE UNIT ITSELF. THERE WON'T BE ANY THERE WON'T BE ANY CONNECTION TO SEMINOLE STREET AT ALL. CAN I ADDRESS, MR. CHAIR, A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT THE BOARD HAS SAID TO US, AS STAFF CORRECTLY POINTED OUT, OUR ZONING CODE, OUR LAND USE CODE, OR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DOES NOT REGULATE BUSINESS MODEL. IT IS WHAT DOES NOT REGULATE AND IS NOT IN PERMITTED TO REGULATE BUSINESS MODEL. RENTAL VERSUS SALES PRICE POINTS. WE JUST CANNOT DO THAT LEGALLY. AS SOMEONE WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE ORIGINAL STUART CHARRETTE IN THE 1998 CHARRETTE IN, YOU KNOW, IN THE 2004 CHARRETTE, I WAS VERY FAMILIAR AS TO WHY THAT POLICY GOT PUT IN THERE. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN HERE AS LONG AS I HAVE, YOU REMEMBER THESE WERE ALL ANTIQUE STORES THAT WEREN'T REALLY SELLING ANTIQUES. YOU KNOW, IT WAS ALMOST LIKE A GARAGE SALE. AND AND MOST OF THESE STORES, THE ONES THAT WERE NOT CLOSED UP WHEN IT STARTED TURNING AROUND, THERE WAS A CONCERN. AND THERE WERE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS FOR STARBUCKS WHEN IT WAS THE HOT THING TO TO ALSO COME INTO TOWN. AND THAT'S WHY THE CODE WAS ALSO WRITTEN, TO ANALYZE THEM ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS, TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE THAT CAME IN WOULD STILL STILL BE COMPLIMENTARY, AND THAT WE WOULDN'T GET ALL OF THE SAME. I THINK WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT THIS IS YES, THEY HAVE 98 STORES. NO ONE HERE LOCALLY HAS EVER BEEN TO ONE. I, I GO TO THE WEST COAST. MAYBE YOU HAVE. I'M, I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR ALL OF YOU, BUT I DO HAVING A BUSINESS DOWNTOWN. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY YES, THE PRICES HAVE GONE UP FOR ALL OF US. THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY OWNER WAS STOPPED FOR SEVEN MONTHS DURING THE. YES, I WAS TRYING TO FIND A GOOD NAME FOR IT DURING THE ZONING AND PROGRESS OVER A FACADE RENOVATION. NO EXPANSION, NO FAR, NO CODE CHANGE. NOT BRINGING A FORMULA BUSINESS, JUST RENOVATING A FACADE. ALL OF OUR FEES TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS, TO GO THROUGH UTILITIES, TO GO FOR EVERYTHING IN THE CITY HAVE INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY. COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TAXES THIS YEAR ARE PROPOSED TO GO UP BY 10%, AFTER THE 10% THAT WENT UP LAST YEAR.

[01:00:01]

THERE'S SOME OF THEM ARE KIND OF THEY'RE NOT QUOTED EXACTLY UP HERE, BUT THEY THEY ARE IN YOUR THEY ARE IN THE CODE. AND SO YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO APPLY THESE FACTORS TO IT. I MEAN IT'S AS MARCELLA MENTIONED, IT'S ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS IN THIS DOWNTOWN AREA. AND ONE OF THE STANDARDS ARE IS. BOARD MEMBER MOSER BROUGHT UP IS THE PROPOSED FORMULA. BUSINESS WILL NOT ALTER THE IDENTITY OF THE URBAN DISTRICT IN A WAY WHICH ATTRACTS FROM ITS UNIQUENESS OR CONTRIBUTES TO A NATIONWIDE TREND OF STANDARDIZED DOWNTOWN OFFERINGS. YOU NEED TO. YOU'VE HEARD TESTIMONY FROM THE APPLICANT. I CAN'T MAKE THIS DECISION FOR YOU. YOU GOTTA APPLY THAT STANDARD TO THIS CASE INDIVIDUALLY. ARGUABLY, MCDONALD'S COULD COME DOWNTOWN UNDER AN EXCEPTION. THEY CAN'T PUT THEIR BIG GOLDEN ARCHES UP, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THE RULES DOWNTOWN AND THEY PROBABLY WOULDN'T. SO I MEAN, IT'S. I WANT TO GO THROUGH BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE THEY'RE NOT THEY'RE KIND OF SUMMARIZED UP HERE, BUT NOT IF YOU HAVE THEM UP THERE OKAY. SO IF YOU SEE STANDARDS SEE YOU RIGHT THERE. IF YOU CAN MAYBE ENLARGE THAT A LITTLE BIT. LET ME SEE THAT. WE NEED TO HEAR. I WAS JUST LISTENING. I JUST READ THE FIRST ONE. SORRY, BUT YOUR JOB IS TO APPLY THESE, THESE STANDARDS TO THE FACTS THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED TO YOU. DOES THE PROPOSED FORMULA BUSINESS, WILL IT CONTRIBUTE TO THE DIVERSE AND APPROPRIATE BLEND OF BUSINESSES IN THE URBAN DISTRICT? THE PROPOSED FORMULA BUSINESS WILL COMPLEMENT THOSE BUSINESSES ALREADY IN THE URBAN DISTRICT AND HELP PROMOTE AND FOSTER THE LOCAL ECONOMIC BASE AS A WHOLE. I DON'T WANT YOU TO GET SIDETRACKED ON. SOME OF YOU ARE KIND OF GETTING OUT OF THE LANE, BUT THESE ARE THE STANDARDS YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO APPLY TO THIS APPLICATION. THE LAST ONE, PROPOSED FORMULA BUSINESS WILL BE COMPATIBLE WITH THE EXISTING SURROUNDING USE. THAT'S NOT THE LAST ONE. I APOLOGIZE. SO I GOT TWO MORE. THE PROPOSED FORMULA BUSINESS HAS BEEN DESIGNED AND WILL BE OPERATED IN A NON OBTRUSIVE MANNER TO PRESERVE THE COMMUNITY'S CHARACTER AND AMBIANCE, AND THE PROPOSED INTENSITY OF USES ON THE SITE IS APPROPRIATE, GIVEN THE USES PERMITTED ON THE SITE AND ADJOINING SITES. YOU HAVE TWO OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS LOCALLY WHO ARE NOT OBJECTING TO IT BEING OBTRUSIVE, AND THEN THE LAST STANDARD HAS SUB STANDARDS. THE PROPOSED FORMULA BUSINESS

[01:05:01]

OBVIOUSLY, IF YOU BRING IN A BIG CHAIN, THEY COULD TAKE UP THE WHOLE DOWNTOWN. YOU DON'T WANT ONE STORE TAKING UP THE WHOLE RIGHT? RIGHT. YOU KNOW, THE FIRST FLOOR STREET FRONTAGE OF THE BUSINESS SHALL NOT EXCEED 35FT IN WIDTH. I THINK IT'S 24. RIGHT. SO ARCHITECTURAL STYLE, DESIGN, EXTERIOR, FACADE. I DON'T THINK THEY'RE THEY'RE NOT EVEN CHANGING. IT'S WHAT ALREADY HAS BEEN APPROVED. AND CORPORATE STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS AND SIGNAGE WILL BE DESIGNED TO BE IN HARMONY WITH ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES AND ELEMENTS OF THE BUILDING AND NEIGHBORHOOD, AS APPROVED BY THE DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR. YOU'VE HEARD TESTIMONY FROM THEM ADDRESSING THAT ISSUE. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A. THE LAST ONE IS NO DRIVE THROUGH WINDOWS. I DID NOT HEAR ANY EVIDENCE OF A DRIVE THROUGH WINDOW. SO THOSE THOSE FACTORS AND STANDARDS ARE WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO APPLY. WHAT WAS WHAT WAS THE FIRST ONE? AGAIN, LEE, WHAT'S THE ONE ABOUT THE IMPACT ON THE DOWNTOWN? CAN YOU READ IT OR.

NO, NO. I'M OLD. I CAN'T SEE THAT. YOU GOT IT. I COULDN'T READ IT WITHOUT MY GLASSES. I'D HAVE TO GO RIGHT UNDERNEATH IT. TAKE THEM OFF TO READ THEM HERE. THE PROPOSED FORMULA BUSINESS WILL NOT ALTER THE IDENTITY OF THE URBAN DISTRICT IN A WAY WHICH DETRACTS FROM ITS UNIQUENESS, OR CONTRIBUTES TO A NATIONWIDE TREND OF STANDARDIZED DOWNTOWN OFFERINGS.

THAT WAS THE ONE THAT OKAY, BOARD MEMBER MOSER BROUGHT UP. YEAH. SO THOSE ARE THE AGAIN, THOSE STANDARDS. YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO TAKE, THE FACTS YOU'VE GIVEN AS FAR AS THE TESTIMONY FROM THE APPLICANT AND THE CITY STAFF AND APPLY TO THOSE. YES. OKAY. IN YOUR DECISION. ALL RIGHT. LET'S DOWNTOWN. LET ME LET'S SEE IF DO WE HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT? OKAY. SO AT THIS POINT. DOES THE STAFF HAVE ANY OTHER RESPONSE TO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SAID? DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING SPECIFIC? NO, WE DO NOT. OKAY. THANKS. AND DOES, YOU KNOW, AS THE PETITIONER, YOU GET THE LAST WORD. SO DO YOU HAVE ANY ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT TO SAY, ANY ANY COMMENT THAT YOU WANT TO MAKE RELATIVE TO REBUTTAL TO ANY OF THE TESTIMONY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? OKAY. I. WE KNOW WHAT TO THE MIC. I'LL JUST SAY WE KNOW SO PASSIONATELY ABOUT WHAT WE DO. AND SO WHEN I READ THROUGH THOSE, I JUST THINK, OH MY GOODNESS, WE WOULD BE SUCH A GREAT ADDITION. BUT OBVIOUSLY IT'S YOUR DECISION. SO NO REBUTTAL. BUT I, I DO FEEL VERY STRONGLY THAT WE WOULD BE. AN ADDITION TO THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT AND ALSO REALLY WELCOMED BY ALL THE OTHER BUSINESSES BECAUSE OF OUR COLLABORATIVE APPROACH AND THE WAY THAT WE PUT OURSELVES OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND ARE SO INVOLVED. SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. AT THIS POINT, WHAT HAPPENS IN THE PROCESS IS THAT THE BOARD WILL DISCUSS THIS OUT LOUD IN, YOU KNOW, SO THAT WE CAN AIR THE DISCUSSION IN PUBLIC AND THEN AND, AND KIND OF HANDLE IT THAT WAY. AND THEN ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO SPEAK FROM A COMMUNITY STANDPOINT WILL HAVE THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO, TO COME UP AND GIVE THEIR 2 OR 3 MINUTES OR WHATEVER, THREE MINUTES OR WHATEVER THEY CHOOSE. SO I WILL I WILL GO FIRST AND LET YOU GUYS PICK ON ME. OKAY. SO I YOU KNOW, I LOVE THE KIND OF BUSINESS THAT THEY'VE GOT. I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S ANOTHER BUSINESS IN TOWN THAT'S THAT'S SIMILAR TO THAT. BUT IT IT BOTHERS ME GOING BACK TO THE ONE, THE ONE ITEM, THE FIRST ITEM ON THAT LIST IS THAT A CORPORATE FRANCHISE HAS GOT TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON OUR DOWNTOWN. WE CAN'T COMPETE. I DON'T I DON'T SEE HOW I DON'T SEE HOW OUR DOWNTOWN COULD COMPETE WITH THAT. AND THE OTHER THING THAT BOTHERS ME AND THESE GUYS ARE GREAT. IF THEY START THEIR OWN PLACE, I'D BE 100%. BUT BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN CORPORATE SAYS, HEY, UNDER YOUR FRANCHISE AGREEMENT, YOU GOT TO DO SUCH AND SUCH, ARE THEY GOING TO COME BACK TO US AGAIN NOW AND SAY THAT'S AN EXCEPTION, YOU KNOW, SO CAN THEY EVEN BECAUSE THEY'RE A FRANCHISE, CAN THEY EVEN, YOU KNOW, TELL US FOR SURE THAT THAT THEY WON'T HAVE TO ASK FOR ADDITIONAL VARIANCES OR THEY WON'T CHANGE THEIR OPERATION. AND SO AND I AM CONCERNED BECAUSE WE HAVE SEEN THE ECONOMIC IMPACT RIGHT NOW. WHAT'S GOING ON GOING ON DOWNTOWN. OUR SMALL BUSINESSES ARE ARE BEING ARE REALLY BEING FORCED OUT FROM A ECONOMIC STANDPOINT BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD THE REVENUE. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE IF I PAY $4 MILLION FOR A BUILDING, YOU KNOW, I GOT TO GET THOSE RENTS UP THERE. YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO BE AT 50. I HAVE TO BE AT $48 A SQUARE FOOT. BUT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, FOR THE SMALL

[01:10:04]

BUT WE'VE GOT A COUPLE BUSINESSES WE'VE LET IN THAT ARE GRABBING PEOPLE OFF THE STREET AND FORCING STUFF DOWN THEIR THROAT. AND, YOU KNOW, SO I'M NOT SAYING THAT THAT WOULD HAPPEN, BUT YOU'RE A FRANCHISE OWNER AND SOMEBODY COULD BUY YOUR FRANCHISE. AND WHAT CONTROL DO WE HAVE OVER THAT AT THAT POINT TO TO CONTROL THAT BUSINESS AND, AND WHAT THEY MIGHT DECIDE TO DO THERE. WE'VE GOT A CODE. BUT YOU KNOW, WE MADE EXCEPTIONS. SO AND THEN THE LAST THING I WOULD SAY IS THAT I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS. EITHER WE'RE GOING TO EITHER WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A FORMULA BUSINESS CODE. WE CAN'T MAKE EXCEPTIONS TO IT ALL THE TIME OTHERWISE. AND WE MAY ALREADY BE AT THAT POINT, BUT WE CAN'T MAKE EXCEPTIONS TO IT ALL THE TIME. AND THEN AND EXPECT TO KEEP OUT DUNKIN DONUTS OR WHOEVER ELSE. AND AND I AGREE.

YOU KNOW, I MENTIONED BOYD BRADFIELD EARLIER. HE WAS INVOLVED. HE WAS A LAND PLANNER HERE, I MEAN, A REALTOR HERE. HE WAS INVOLVED A LONG TIME AGO WHEN WE DID THIS. AND I REMEMBER THE ARGUMENT ALWAYS COMING UP IN 98. I REMEMBER THIS IS HE ALWAYS SAID, YOU KNOW, THE MARKET WILL FIND ITS BALANCE. YOU JUST GET OUT OF THE WAY. WELL, THAT'S TRUE, EXCEPT THAT THAT BALANCE MIGHT BE CRUSHING SMALL BUSINESSES IN STUART. SO, YOU KNOW, SO I UNDERSTAND THAT HE SAID WE'D NEVER HAVE A VICTORIA'S SECRET'S DOWNTOWN. I WAS DISAPPOINTED, BUT HE SAID THAT AND AND I'M SURE THAT THAT HE WAS RIGHT. BUT BUT I, I KNOW, I KNOW. SO ANYWAY THAT'S THAT'S I'M JUST LAYING IT OUT THERE. THAT'S THAT'S WHAT MY CONCERNS ARE. I LOVE THESE PEOPLE. I LOVE THE PRODUCT AND EVERYTHING ELSE. AND MY CONCERNS ARE BROADER THAN THAT. AND AND THE EXAMPLES THAT WE MIGHT SET. OKAY. SO ANYBODY COMMENT GUYS AGAIN I I'M TORN. I THINK THE WHOLE REASONING FOR THE FORMULA BUSINESS WAS TO STOP THIS, NOT YOU STOP THIS FROM HAPPENING. FOR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS IN THE TOWN. I'M NEW TO THE TOWN.

I'VE BEEN HERE FOR NOT A LONG TIME, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I'M SEEING RENTS GO UP, SKYROCKETING THAT NOW FRANCHISEES ARE ALMOST THE ONLY ONES WHO CAN AFFORD TO COME HERE. AND ONCE OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS ARE NOT BUSINESS OWNERS BUT LANDLORDS, THEY FIND OUT THAT, HEY, THIS IS THE PRICE THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO PAY. LET'S GET ONE MORE UNIQUE PERSON COME IN HERE, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO SEE THEM HERE AGAIN AS A FORM OF BUSINESS GOING, WELL, IT'S BEEN SITTING VACANT NOW AND THEY'RE TRYING TO GET $65 A SQUARE FOOT. AND HERE COMES ANOTHER KIND OF UNIQUE SPOT. AND LET'S GO FOR ANOTHER ONE. ANOTHER FRANCHISEE.

THE WHOLE POINT OF THIS FORMULA IS, IS NOT TO HAVE FRANCHISEES. THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT OF IT.

SO IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE IT, YOU DON'T HAVE IT, I DON'T UNDERSTAND. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

DOWN THIS WAY JEFF I FEEL THE SAME WAY. ALL CONFLICTED I MEAN, I LOVE YOUR STORE. IT'S WONDERFUL. I WISH YOU HAD A CLOSE ONE. I COULD GO VISIT, BUT I AND I AGREE COMPLETELY WITH THE CONFLICT. THE PURPOSE OF THESE, YOU KNOW, OF THESE RULES AND THE NATURE OF DOWNTOWN AND HOW OUR, OUR LOCAL PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING. AND LIKE YOU SAID, THE RENT FREE. IF THIS KEEPS PUSHING IT UP, WHEN YOU GET SOMEBODY THAT GOES IN AND JUSTIFIES THE HIGHER RENT, THEN IT MAKES IT THAT MUCH EASIER FOR THE NEXT TENANT TO COME IN AND KEEP THE CYCLE GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. BUT AGAIN, I LOVE THE STORE. I THINK IT WOULD. IT WOULD BE A POSITIVE DOWNTOWN. SO IT'S IT'S IT'S CONFLICTED. FEEL CONFLICTED. YEAH. IT'S A SLIPPERY SLOPE. YEAH IT IS. YEAH I APPRECIATE THAT. BONNIE. DO YOU HAVE A I KNOW YOU MADE A COMMENT EARLIER. DO YOU HAVE ANY. YEAH. I MEAN WE WENT THROUGH THE CRITERIA AND REALLY THE ONLY STICKING POINT FOR ME IS NUMBER ONE, WITH THE NATION TRYING TO STANDARDIZE DOWNTOWN OFFERINGS, I HAVE BEEN TO THESE STORES BEFORE. THEY'RE USUALLY IN HIGHER END, BUSTLING, VERY FREQUENTLY VISITED DOWNTOWNS, LOVELY PLACES THAT WE ALL WANT TO BE IN. AND THAT'S WHY YOU WANT YOUR STORE HERE. STUART IS AWESOME, JUST LIKE DELRAY IS AWESOME, AND SO MANY OTHER TOWNS, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY SUCCESSFUL HERE. I JUST I DON'T. MY HUSBAND AND I BOTH WORK FROM HOME. WE CAN LIVE ANYWHERE THAT WE WANT TO AND STUART IS WHERE WE WANTED TO LIVE BECAUSE IT'S SO UNIQUE AND SO. I DON'T I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE LINE IS. I WOULD, I WOULD USE YOUR STORE, I WOULD LOVE YOUR STORE. BUT I ALSO I FEEL THIS NEED TO PROTECT MY

[01:15:03]

OKAY. GOOD COMMENT. ALL RIGHT. WELL YEAH JUST CONFLICT. I, I SEE HOW THIS COUPLE WORKS TOGETHER REAL WELL. I MEAN, YOU'RE THE PEOPLE, THE KIND OF PEOPLE THAT I NORMALLY AM POUNDING THE TABLE FOR. I COMPLAIN ABOUT MARGIN COMPRESSION, HOW THE MOM AND POP BUSINESSES ARE GETTING SHELLED BY FORCES OUT OF THEIR CONTROL. OKAY. SO THIS, YOU KNOW, CREATES A TREMENDOUS CONFLICT TO ME. SO AND IT REALLY CAME DOWN TO THOSE TWO POINTS I MADE EARLIER. AND REALLY NUMBER ONE, AND AS I READ NUMBER ONE, THE PROPOSED FORMULA BUSINESS WILL NOT ALTER THE IDENTITY OF THE URBAN DISTRICT IN A WAY WHICH DETRACTS. I DON'T THINK YOUR FACILITY WOULD ALTER AND DETRACT. SO THAT IS GOOD. OKAY.

DETRACT FROM UNIQUENESS CAN CONTRIBUTE TO A NATIONWIDE TREND OF STANDARDIZED DOWNTOWN OFFERINGS. OKAY. SO I KNOW THERE'S THE WEBSITES AT 85 AND THERE'S OVER 90. SO THEY'RE GROWING ENTERPRISE, BUT THEY DON'T SEEM TO BE FROM THE LITTLE LIMITED RESEARCH I DID.

THEY DON'T SEEM TO WANT TO DETRACT. THEY RECOGNIZE AND HOPEFULLY APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THEY'RE IN THESE DOWNTOWN AREAS. SEEMS TO BE A PRETTY COMMON THREAD. AND THEY'RE THERE BECAUSE THEY'RE GREAT. AND THE PEOPLE THERE ARE SMALL TOWN, THEY LOVE IT. THEY WANT TO KEEP IT. SO, YOU KNOW, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S ABOUT MARGIN COMPRESSION. FOR ME, THIS IS THE THING THAT'S REALLY BEEN A BUG UNDER MY SADDLE OR BURR UNDER MY SADDLE FOR A LONG, WELL, 4 OR 5 YEARS, I SEE IT. WHAT'S GOING ON AND HOW THEY'RE PRICING OUT SMALL BUSINESSES. AND THE ONE GUY MADE A POINT ABOUT THE 10% COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TAX INCREASE. YOU KNOW, I, YOU KNOW, RAN A SMALL BUSINESS. AND THAT WAS THE THING I JUST SAID, SELL WHEN YOU CAN, NOT WHEN YOU HAVE TO DUMP IT BECAUSE THE STUPID TAXES KEPT JACKING UP OVER 10% EVERY YEAR. THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS. SO I'M CONFLICTED. SORRY, BUT YEAH, I WANT TO HEAR WHAT THE PUBLIC HAS TO SAY. YEAH, LET'S SEE SOME FOLKS HERE. SO I'M REALLY CURIOUS TO SEE WHAT THE OTHER FOLKS HAVE TO SAY. IS THIS IS THIS BEEN CONVENED PRIVATELY ON OVER TIME? MAYBE.

YEAH, WE GOT THE THE COMMISSION IS GOING TO VOTE ON IT NEXT WEEK. SO UNFORTUNATELY AND YOU CAN SEE IN THE AUDIENCE CAN SEE THAT THAT WE'RE ALL CONFLICTED BY THIS. SO THIS IS AND YOU GUYS ARE GREAT. AND MARCELLA ALWAYS BRINGS REALLY GOOD LOCAL TYPE PROJECTS. SHE TRIES TO MAKE HER PROJECTS LOCAL AND I APPRECIATE WHAT SHE DOES. I'VE SEEN HER STUFF. SHE ACTUALLY HELPED REDESIGN THE THE SEMINOLE STREET ADDITION BACK THERE THAT THAT WE'RE HOPING FOR. THAT'S WHY I ASKED YOU THE QUESTION ABOUT SEMINOLE STREET. BUT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, SO SO THAT'S THAT'S KIND OF IT. SO LET'S DO WE HAVE DO WE HAVE ANYBODY THAT IS WANTING TO TO COMMENT. YES, WE DO. AND IF YOU IF YOU STILL DIDN'T GET A CARD IN, YOU WANT TO COMMENT. YOU JUST GET A LITTLE BLUE CARD AND, AND FILL IT OUT AND, AND THEN BRING IT UP THERE AND THEY'LL GET YOU TO BE HERE. SO THREE MINUTES IS NOT MUCH TIME BECAUSE SO MUCH IS GOING THROUGH MY HEAD RIGHT NOW. YOU KNOW, AS A FRANCHISE OWNER, BILL MOORE, OWNER OF KILWINS DOWNTOWN FOR 25.5 YEARS, I'VE WATCHED DOWNTOWN CHANGE DRAMATICALLY. I'VE WATCHED MY RENT DOUBLE, YOU KNOW, AND BUT 25 YEARS, YOU KNOW, NOT HORRIBLE. YEAH. COSTS ARE THROUGH THE ROOF. I JUST GOT MY INSURANCE BILL FOR NEXT YEAR. $13,500 TO HAVE PROPERTY AND LIABILITY. RIGHT. IT GOES UP EVERY YEAR, 1,020%. SO MINIMUM WAGE JUST WENT UP TWO DAYS AGO TO 14, BLAH, BLAH BLAH. SO ANYHOW, SO I JUST WROTE A COUPLE NOTES HERE BECAUSE I SAID FIRST THING I SAID IS THIS FREE MARKET THING, THIS CAPITALISM THING, IT'S MESSY AND IT CAN AFFECT YOU REALLY NEGATIVELY OR REALLY POSITIVELY. I MEAN, I WOULD SAY IT'S BEEN GREAT FOR ME. WE GOT IN AT GROUND LEVEL OF A FRANCHISE, PUT FOUR KIDS THROUGH SCHOOL, STILL GOT A COUPLE IN COLLEGE. IT'S BEEN PHENOMENAL. GREAT COMMUNITY, LOVED IT. MY EXPERIENCE WITH DOWNTOWN STUART IS, YOU KNOW, IT JUST CAN'T BE MUCH BETTER, RIGHT? SO WHEN I SEE OTHERS WANTING TO COME IN AND DO KIND OF WHAT WE DID, I MEAN, THEY'RE AT A DIFFERENT

[01:20:05]

I LOOKED AT THAT. I'VE TALKED TO A COUPLE ATTORNEYS IN TOWN, SPENT AN HOUR ON THE PHONE WITH ONE. SHE SAYS YOU TRY TO BAN FRANCHISES UNCONSTITUTIONAL. NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN. FORMULA.

BUSINESS ORDINANCE IS THE BEST THING WE COULD HAVE TO TRY TO HAVE A LITTLE EFFECT ON WHAT WE DO IN OUR TOWN. WE HAVEN'T BEEN CHALLENGED YET. NO ONE SUED US YET OVER IT. SO IT SEEMS LIKE IT IS THE TOOL FOR YOU GUYS AND FOR THE TOWN TO TRY TO SHAPE IT A LITTLE BIT, BUT SOME OF IT'S JUST KIND OF OUT OF OUR CONTROL. THIS, YOU KNOW, THE RENTS AND INVESTORS AND WHAT THEY WANT TO SPEND AND HOW THEY WANT TO CHARGE. AND ALSO, I MEAN, MY OLD SPACE HAS BEEN EMPTY FOR OVER TWO YEARS. THE GUY THAT OWNS IT, HE WANTS $12,000 A MONTH IN RENT. HE HAS HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS THAT HIS DISPOSAL JUST DOESN'T CARE. EMPTY. IF HE DOESN'T GET RENT, HE DOESN'T CARE. THAT'S CRAZY TO ME. YOU KNOW THAT MONEY I SEE THAT'S LIFE CHANGING. BUT FOR HIM, IT'S PENNIES. SO. BUT THE ORDINANCE LETS US HAVE, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT WHAT PEOPLE WANT TO BRING IN HERE AND GIVES YOU GUYS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY NO. OR DOES IT KIND OF FIT? DOES IT MAKE SENSE? IS IT COMPLIMENTARY? IS IT GOING TO COMPETE WITH OTHER STORES THAT ARE ALREADY DOWN HERE? WE ALREADY HAD A SPICE AND TEA EXCHANGE HERE. WE HAD THIS FRANCHISE IN DOWNTOWN STUART 0508 KILLED IT. IT WAS HERE FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS. ANNA OWNED IT. SHE WAS A SWEET LADY, VERY INVOLVED IN HER COMMUNITY. IT JUST DIDN'T WORK THEN, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE HERE TO, YOU KNOW, BUY SPICES. AND IT WASN'T ON MAIN STREET. IT WAS A LITTLE BIT. IT WAS OVER WHERE CREW IS. SO IT'S ALREADY BEEN HERE. WE HAD IT FOR LIKE 3 OR 4 YEARS.

WE'VE HAD IT. DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, KILL DOWNTOWN. IT DIDN'T AFFECT IT NEGATIVELY. YOU KNOW, I SHOPPED THERE. IT WAS FUN. I LOVED FOOD AND COOKING AND SPICES AND FLAVORS. SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ONE POINT I WANT TO MAKE. WE'VE ALREADY HAD SPICE AND TEA EXCHANGE. WE HAD A KITCHEN STORE. IT DIDN'T MAKE IT. IT WAS PART OF THAT OH NINE MELTDOWN. RIGHT? IT WAS A GREAT KITCHEN STORE. THE DAUGHTER HAD WORKED FOR ME WHEN SHE WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL. HER MOM STARTED REALLY CUTE, COOL KITCHEN GADGETS, BUT IT WAS JUST TIMING WASN'T GREAT FOR THAT. SO. BUT I THINK THE FORMULA BUSINESS APPROACH IS THE BEST WE CAN HAVE WITHOUT HAVING NOTHING.

AND WE NEED TO MAKE IT WORK AND TRY TO UTILIZE IT. AND I THINK IF WE CAN CRITIQUE WHAT COMES IN AND LOOK FOR THE RIGHT FITS AND WHAT'S COMPLIMENTARY FOR OUR DOWNTOWN AND OUR LITTLE OLD DOWNTOWN DISTRICT, I THINK WE CAN, YOU KNOW, DO THE RIGHT THINGS FOR DOWNTOWN. SO THAT'S WHAT I HAVE TO SAY, GUYS. THANK YOU. AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM TOO. SO WHO ELSE WE GOT? ANYBODY ELSE WHO WANTS TO MAKE A COMMENT? DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER CARDS? NO WE DON'T. THAT'S OKAY. YOU CAN YOU CAN FILL IT OUT. ALL RIGHT. SO I'M MAX DUCHARME. I'M WITH THE OWNERSHIP GROUP THAT OWNS THE BUILDING. I THINK MY TENANTS WILL ATTEST THAT WE'VE BEEN GOOD LANDLORDS. FRANKLY, WITH RESPECT TO THE TWO VACANCIES.

READING OUTFITTERS, THEY JUST MOVED NEXT DOOR WITH RESPECT TO PATTY'S SPACE. SHE JUST CONSOLIDATED HER OPERATIONS. I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK IT'S A FUNCTION OF RENT EXCLUSIVELY THAT'S CAUSING PEOPLE TO WANT TO CONTRACT. FRANKLY, SALES ARE DOWN AND THERE AREN'T A WHOLE LOT OF PHONE CALLS FROM SMALL BUSINESSES IN A RUSH TO SELL T-SHIRTS AND SOUVENIRS. THAT'S A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE. AND AS YOU ALL SAID, THESE OPERATORS HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. THEY HAVEN'T CHANGED. THEY'VE MOVED AROUND. THERE AREN'T NEW PEOPLE IN LINE TRYING TO TO DO EXACTLY THAT. TO MY POINT BEFORE ABOUT THERE BEING ABOUT OUR BEING GOOD LANDLORDS, TWO OF MY TENANTS ARE HERE TODAY, LILY AND BILL. THEY BOTH WERE HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE GORDONS, WHO ARE A BEAUTIFUL COUPLE AND WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE DOWNTOWN, FRANKLY. AND WE'RE LOOKING TO IMPROVE THE BUILDING, NOT CONTRACT FROM IT. THE ROOF IS IN DISREPAIR. IT HAS LEAKS. IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THAT'S EXPENSIVE. WE WANT TO MAKE THE FACADE BETTER. IT'S FALLING APART. LILLIAN CALLED ME OVER LABOR DAY WEEKEND. SHE SAYS I'M AT RISK OF MY MY FACADE FALLING DOWN. IF THERE ISN'T A FORM OF RENT, THERE IS NO MONEY TO PAY FOR IMPROVEMENTS. WE'D LIKE TO IMPROVE THE BUILDING. OTHERWISE IT'LL LOOK LIKE PRETTY, PRETTY BAD. AND FRANKLY, TO YOUR POINT BEFORE ABOUT VICTORIA'S SECRET AND DUNKIN DONUTS, I DON'T THINK THEY KNOW ABOUT THIS CODE. THEY'RE NOT CALLING. THEY'RE NOT TRYING TO BE HERE. IF THEY WANT TO BE HERE, THEY THEY BE IN HERE WITH THIS APPLICATION. THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT. I HAD A LAST POINT, BUT IT'S ESCAPING ME NOW. THAT'S IT. OKAY. THANKS, MATT. ALRIGHT. I DON'T HAVE A YEAH YOU CAN THEN YOU CAN FILL THE CARD UP AFTERWARDS. YOU CAN JUST GO AHEAD. SO I JUST HAVE A FUNKY MONKEY GET UP UP HERE ON THE MIC. SO BECAUSE THEY'RE RECORDING IT OKAY. THANK YOU.

FUNKY MONKEY ON OSCEOLA BY SIGNATURE SUITES AND MATILDA'S AND WE'RE A MOM AND POP STORE.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW ONCE YOU BRING IN ONE FRANCHISE TO FRANCHISE, THEY'RE ALL GOING TO

[01:25:06]

STUART. YOU KNOW, THE CHARM OF DOWNTOWN STUART. IT'S JUST IT'S NOT WHAT WE WANT HERE. IT'S NOT WHAT I WANT HERE. AND AND I THINK THAT OTHER SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WOULD AGREE WITH ME.

IT'S NOT WHAT WE WANT. IT'S NOT WHAT WE NEED. YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW AS IT IS. WE'RE STRUGGLING EVERY DAY. AND YOU BRING THESE FRANCHISES IN THE LANDLORDS, THE THEY'RE GOING TO WANT MORE AND MORE AND MORE MONEY FOR RENT. AND YOU KNOW AMAZON'S PUTTING US OUT OF BUSINESS AS IT IS. AND THE FRANCHISES, THE LANDLORDS ARE JUST GOING TO GET GREEDY AND THEY'RE GOING TO GET INCREASE OUR RENT. AND WE CAN'T AFFORD THAT. IT'S GOING TO DESTROY DOWNTOWN. STUART. MY IT REALLY IS. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. WHAT WAS YOUR NAME, PLEASE? ROBIN PETERS THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY COMMENTS? ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY COMMENTS. LET ME GO AHEAD. THAT'S ALRIGHT. YOU CAN FILL IT OUT AFTERWARDS. WE'LL LET YOU. WE KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE. WE KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE. LILLIAN PETERSON I OWN A GENERAL JEWELRY AND ANA CAPRI HERE IN DOWNTOWN, AND I HAVE CONFLICTING THOUGHTS ON THE WHOLE THING, BUT I FEEL THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, LIKE WHEN THEY MENTIONED THE RENT PART, THAT THE CORPORATE CORPORATE IS NOT GOING TO PAY THEIR RENT. I DON'T THINK IF THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY THEIR RENT, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY, THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR RENT, RIGHT? THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GO AND ASK PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU PAY YOUR FRANCHISE FEE TO ARE THEY GOING TO PAY YOUR RENT. NO. SO THEY HAVE TO DO THE BUSINESS TO PAY THE RENT. RIGHT? I MEAN, I, I PAY THE RENT, IT GOES UP EVERY YEAR. I GET IT. AND YOU, YOU KNOW, SUMMERTIME YOU STRUGGLE AND I, AND I GET THE PART THAT, YOU KNOW, THE FRANCHISE SHOULDN'T BE HERE, BUT I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT'S A BIG CORPORATE STORE. I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT'S A, YOU KNOW, A BIG FRANCHISE. IT'S A SMALL T THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE LOCAL PEOPLE. THEY'RE MOM AND POP, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, BECAUSE THEY'RE HUSBAND AND WIFE. THEY OWN A SMALL BUSINESS.

THEY WANT TO CONTRIBUTE TO OTHER, YOU KNOW, HELP US IN OUR DOWNTOWN, YOU KNOW, CONTRIBUTE TO MAKING IT A BETTER DOWNTOWN. I THINK THAT THEIR STORE HAS A GOOD CONCEPT. I THINK THAT IT WILL BRING OTHER PEOPLE DOWN, MAYBE WOULDN'T COME DOWN. YOU KNOW, AFTER DINNER, YOU MAY WELL, LET'S GO HAVE A LITTLE TEA OR GO IN HERE AND SIT. AND, YOU KNOW, IT SMELLS NICE, MAKES PEOPLE FEEL GOOD. I THINK IT'S JUST I THINK IT COMPLEMENTS OUR STREET IN OUR DOWNTOWN. I DON'T I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S GOING TO BE LIKE, OH MY GOD, IF CHANGE IS THERE, OH WE CAN GET THERE. LET'S, YOU KNOW, LET'S GO THERE BECAUSE THEY GOT THERE. I DON'T I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S REALLY GOING TO BE THE MOTTO OF IT ALL, BUT I MEAN, I JUST THINK THAT IT'S A I GET IT, LET THEM IN. OTHERS WILL WANT TO COME. I GET THAT AND I DON'T WANT THAT. I'VE BEEN HERE 23 YEARS. YOU KNOW, WHEN I HAVE A JEWELRY STORE AND I LOOK AROUND AND GO, OH, YOU KNOW, MAYOR'S COMES OR JAY'S OR WHATEVER, THESE BIG PLACES, I'M GOING TO BE IN THE, YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO GO DOWN, RIGHT? I DON'T KNOW, BUT I DON'T WANT THAT. BUT THEY'RE NOT LIKE A, A BRAND CORPORATE NAME IN MY VIEW. I DON'T THAT'S THE WAY I FEEL. IT'S JUST THEY'RE MORE OF A SMALL BUSINESS MOM AND POP THAT JUST WANT TO MAKE, YOU KNOW, OUR DOWNTOWN A LITTLE BETTER, GIVE IT A LITTLE DIFFERENT FLAIR. SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. OKAY. ALRIGHT.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION. AND THEN WE CAN ASSUMING WE GET A SECOND WE CAN WE CAN DO A FINAL DISCUSSION AND VOTE MOTION ON WHICH MOTION YOU WANT TO DO. WELL I THINK PROBABLY THE PETITIONERS I SO IT WOULD BE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE IT'D BE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE THE REQUESTED CHANGES. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION BY ANYBODY. WE'LL HAVE WE CAN DO THAT AFTER WE HAVE A FIRST AND A SECOND. WE'LL WE'LL THROW IT IN BEFORE WE. SO DO WE HAVE A DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MR. CHAIR, I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION OF STAFF AND THE APPLICANTS REQUEST. OKAY. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND SO WE CAN DISCUSS. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

I WILL. I THINK WE KIND OF KIND OF HEARD EVERYBODY, BUT I DO WANT TO YOU KNOW, I DO WANT TO THROW IT OUT THERE ONE MORE TIME AND SO THAT WE EACH CAN HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, KIND OF TELL PEOPLE WHERE WE'RE AT. SO, FRED, WHY DON'T YOU GO FIRST? I'M A RIGHT HANDED PERSON TODAY, EVEN THOUGH I'M LEFT HANDED. I NOTICED THAT AGAIN, I, I COMPLIMENT STAFF FOR THE PRESENTATION AND IT HELPED ME TO UNDERSTAND THE PETITIONS

[01:30:02]

AGAIN, BACK TO THE CODE. ONE OF YOU, I DON'T REMEMBER WHO SAID WE HAVE THE FORMULA BUSINESS SO THAT WE DON'T ALLOW THIS, AND IT'S ACTUALLY NOT THE CASE. WE HAVE A FORMULA BUSINESS SO THAT WE CAN ANALYZE THESE ONE AT A TIME, SO THAT WE DON'T VIOLATE THE DORMANT COMMERCE CLAUSE, WHICH I DIDN'T TALK TO HIM ABOUT THIS BEFORE. AND WE DON'T MAKE THINGS LEGAL UNLESS LEGALLY LEGAL LANGUAGE NEEDS TO COME UP. BUT THERE'S A STRONG CASE IN ISLAND SILVER VERSUS ISLA MORADA. AND THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS THE CITY HAS THIS LANGUAGE HERE. AND YOU HAVE, AS THE ATTORNEY TOLD YOU, YOU KNOW, TEN CRITERIA THAT IF A BUSINESS COMES IN AND AGAIN, IT'S NOT A NATIONAL CORPORATION THAT IS APPLYING FOR THIS, IT IS THEIR OWN CORPORATION. THE MOM AND POP WITH THEIR OWN FOR SMALL BUSINESSES COMING IN, THIS IS HOW MONKEYS CAME INTO US AS WELL. EXCUSE ME. THIS IS HOW WE HAVE HOFFMANS WHO ARE OUT OF PALM BEACH. THIS IS HOW WE HAVE KILWINS. THIS IS HOW WE HAD MULLIGANS, WHICH HAD SEVEN RESTAURANTS, YOU KNOW, AND HAPPENED TO END UP DOWNTOWN IN A CORNER AS WELL. WE HAVE HAD MULTIPLE OF THESE HYBRIDS. AND AGAIN, OUR CODE HAS IT BECAUSE LET ME REPHRASE IT. UNDER THE DORMANT COMMERCE CLAUSE, A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CAN'T JUST SAY NO BECAUSE YOU'RE A FRANCHISE. SO THE CITY OF STUART WENT AHEAD AND ESTABLISHED CRITERIA. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE THESE TEN. EVERYBODY'S IN 100% AGREEMENT THAT NINE ARE PASSING WITH FLYING COLORS. AND THEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT WHETHER THE FIRST ONE CHANGES OR NOT. THE CHARACTER. WE'RE NOT CHANGING THE FACADE. THEY'RE BRINGING A BUSINESS THAT IS GOING TO BRING MORE PEOPLE DOWNTOWN TO SPEND TIME. I WANT TO BE DOWNTOWN AND NOT SPEND MONEY IN A RESTAURANT MOST OF THE TIME, YOU KNOW, AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE BUSINESSES

[01:35:01]

ALL RIGHT. WELL, I WANT TO ADDRESS THAT WITH QUESTIONS, BUT I'LL MAKE MY FINAL COMMENT BECAUSE I'M LEFT ON THE I'M THE ONE THAT'S LEFT, FIRST OF ALL, 98 LOCATIONS IS LARGE. THAT'S CORPORATE. RIGHT. AND I'VE DEALT WITH FRANCHISES FROM A BUSINESS STANDPOINT. I'M A CPA.

I KNOW FRANCHISES CHANGE IN A WHIM AND WE'RE STUCK WITH IT. AND THAT'S A THAT'S A BAD SITUATION FOR US THEN. AND AND IT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE HAPPY. BUT THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO. THEY'VE SIGNED A FRANCHISE AGREEMENT. AND THAT FRANCHISE AGREEMENT HAS RESTRICTIONS AND LIMITATIONS AND THINGS THEY HAVE TO DO. AND THEY HAVE TO FOLLOW. AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE STUCK WITH THAT. WE'VE APPROVED THEM, SO WE'RE GOING TO BE STUCK WITH THEM TOO. SECOND OF ALL, IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO WITHHOLD, IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO UPHOLD THE FORMULA BUSINESS DISTRICT, AND YOU TELL ME IF I'M COMING IN HERE AND I'M THE HATED STARBUCKS, WHAT'S STOPPING ME FROM COMING IN HERE? YOU KNOW, HOW AM I DIFFERENT? CORPORATE? I'M A FRANCHISEE. I GOT A FRANCHISE OWNERSHIP. LET'S SAY, YOU KNOW, HOW IS THAT ANY DIFFERENT? SO WE CONTINUE TO MAKE EXCEPTIONS. IF WE'RE MAKING EXCEPTIONS, ONCE YOU GET TO A POINT, IT'S GOT TO BE A POINT WHERE YOU CAN'T, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T MAKE THEM ANYMORE BECAUSE THEY'VE BECOME INSIGNIFICANT. THEY BECOME IMPOSSIBLE TO DEFEND. SO IF WE'RE IF WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO GO DOWN THIS PATH AND EVERY EVERYBODY THAT COMES IN, HOW MANY OF THESE BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN TURNED DOWN IN THE LAST 8 OR 10 YEARS? I DON'T THINK YOU CAN NAME ONE. DO WHAT? NONE OF THEM TURNED OUT. YEAH. NOBODY'S BEEN TURNED DOWN. AND SO SO AT THIS POINT, SOMEBODY ELSE COMES IN. HOW'S IT FAIR TO THEM THAT THEY DON'T GET APPROVED? WELL, NOT SO, YOU KNOW. SO I THINK IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO KEEP A FRANCHISE OUT THAT HAS 98 LOCATIONS, BECAUSE THAT TO ME IS GOING TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON DOWNTOWN.

IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT, THEN LET'S JUST GET RID OF THIS BECAUSE IT'S JUST A GAME WE'RE PLAYING AND WASTING EVERYBODY'S TIME AND A LOT OF MONEY. IF PEOPLE ARE COMING IN HERE THINKING, YOU KNOW, SO AGAIN, YOU KNOW, EITHER EITHER YOU'RE JUST GOING TO LET THAT MARKET GO, BUT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT. AND SO, YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S THAT'S MY COMMENTS. AND THAT'S THAT'S WHERE I'M AT. LET'S LET'S TAKE A VOTE. WE'LL HAVE A ROLL CALL. MAYOR. NO. BOARD MEMBER I ABSTAIN. NO. I CAN'T I KNOW YOU NEED TO VOTE BY LAW OKAY.

CAN I ASK FURTHER QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT. THAT WOULD BE THE ATTORNEY.

TECHNICALLY, THE EVIDENCE HAS BEEN CLOSED, BUT IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A MOTION, HAVE IT SECONDED.

I ASSUME THAT THAT COULD BE ALLOWED IF I JUST HAVE A BRIEF QUESTION ABOUT THE. WE'RE ALREADY IN THE MIDDLE OF VOTING, THOUGH. THAT'S THE PROBLEM. SO MR. BURKEVILLE CAN'T BE CAST HIS VOTE. SO I WOULD PROBABLY SAY JUST YES VOTE IF VOTE. BUT IF YOU WANT, I THINK YOU COULD MAYBE DO A MOTION TO HAVE IT OPEN BACK UP. WHO MADE THE SECOND? MISS MOTION? FINE. ON

[01:40:06]

YOU'RE NOT THE FINAL VOTE. IT'S GOING TO GO TO THE CITY COMMISSION. I'M VOTING NO.

BOARD MEMBER. WHALEN. I'M GOING TO VOTE NO. BOARD MEMBER. JAMES. I'M GOING TO VOTE YES. VICE CHAIR MOSER. NO. THAT CONCLUDES THAT WILL VOTE, THOUGH WE GET A VOTE. YOU'RE GOOD TO GO. YOU'RE GOOD TO GO. I'M SORRY. BOARD MEMBER LAWSON. I'LL VOTE YES. ALL RIGHT. THAT'S. WHAT DID THAT END UP? I CAN'T I DIDN'T GET MY SHOES OFF FAST ENOUGH TO COUNT MY TOES. SO. FOUR, TWO.

THAT'S RIGHT. FOUR, TWO. OKAY, SO FOUR TWO. MOTION FAILED. I DO WANT TO SAY WE REALLY APPRECIATE. AND IT HAS NOTHING. AS YOU CAN TELL. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO AT ALL WITH YOUR STORE.

YOU AS PEOPLE. AND YOU WANT TO COME INTO TOWN. AND IF YOU WERE IN HERE AS A, AS A BUSINESS OWNER, WE WOULD LOVE YOU, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THAT'S THE EXACT TYPE OF THING THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR. BUT BUT THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT. SO ANYTHING ELSE I NEED TO DO, LEE, BEFORE THAT? OKAY. I GUESS THAT'S IT. ON THE AGENDA. STAFF UPDATE, THE STAFF HAVE ANYTHING TO TELL US ABOUT? WE DO NOT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WELL, I, I REALLY, TRULY AND AS I SAY THIS EVERY TIME, BUT I REALLY MEAN IT. I APPRECIATE THIS BOARD THAT SHOWS UP ALL THE TIME.

DELIBERATES, DELIBERATES AND INDEPENDENTLY, AND COMES UP WITH GOOD QUESTIONS AND GOOD ANSWERS. I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE EVERYBODY THAT CAME IN HERE TODAY TO MAKE COMMENTS.

I TRIED TO GET AROUND TO THE PEOPLE LOCALLY, YOU KNOW, TO TALK TO THEM, BUT IT'S HARD SOMETIMES. THE OWNERS AREN'T ALWAYS THERE. SO, YOU KNOW, BUT I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS COMING IN AND I APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR APPLICATION AND AND I MEANT IT. MARCELLO, YOU DO BRING GOOD PROJECTS AND YOU'RE A BIG ASSET TO OUR COMMUNITY. SO I HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE JUST IT'S IT'S AN ISSUE WE HAVE. SO. BUT ANYWAY, SO I GUESS IF THERE'S NO OTHER, IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE,

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.