HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-11-2007 Federal Funding Workshop
AGENDA
'har,elap, Janaarp II, 2007
2100 P.M.
FEDERAL FUNDING WORKSHOP
1. CALL TO ORDER - COMMISSIONER CRAFT, CHAIRMAN, BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS
2. FEDERAL FUNDING REQUESTS
· BEACH RENOURISHMENT
· HEATHCOTE GARDENS EXPANSION
· HOMELAND SECURITY
· TRANSIT
· BALANCE OF NEW RUNWAY FUNDING
· WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT (WRDA BILL)
· RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PARK
3. FEBRUARY 14TH _16TH WASHINGTON LEGISLATIVE TRIP - GREG BURNS/BOCC
4. PUBLIC COMMENT
s. QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS
6. BOARD DIRECTION
7. ADJOURNMENT
CONFERENCE ROOM #1
ROGER POITRAS ADMINISTRATION ANNEX
2100 VIRGINIA AVENUE, FORT PIERCE FLORIDA 14.82
NOTICE: All Proceedings before this Board are electronically recorded. Any person who decides to appeal any action taRen by the Board at these meetings will
need a record of the proceedings and for such purpose may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made. Upon the request of any party to
the proceedings, individuals testifying during a hearing will be sworn in. Any party to the proceedings will be granted the opportunity to cross-examine any
individual testifying during a hearing upon request. Anyone with a disability requiring accommodation to attend this meeting should contact the St. Lucie County
Community Services Manager at (m) 462-1m or TDD (m) 462-1428 at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to the meeting.
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MARLOWE & COMPANY
Government Affairs Consultants
Washington, DC
Memo
To: Doug Anderson & the St. Lucie County Commission
From: Marlowe & Company
Re: Preparation for January 11 workshop
Date: January 2, 2007
In preparation for the new appropriations cycle and the new Congress, we are preparing for our
workshop on January 11 in St. Lucie County.
As you may remember, St. Lucie County requested funding for six projects/programs in FY 2006.
These included funding for the County's two federal beach projects (Fort Pierce Beach and a south
County feasibility study), transportation funding for buses and bus facilities, economic development
funding for the St. Lucie County Research and Education Park, Airport Improvement Funding for the
St. Lucie County International Airport, and overall funding for the Everglades. Of the five requests
. that directly affected St. Lucie County, we were successful in securing funding for three of them
(before Congress decided to remove earmarks ITom FY 2007 appropriations bills).
Priorities have shifted greatly in St. Lucie County over the past year. With the recent developments
regarding Torrey Pines, attracting bio-tech and other quality industries to St. Lucie has become more
important. Some Commissioners have also discussed the need to move the Hutchinson Island water
treatment plant off the island. The beach projects, transportation funding, and the airport will likely
remain important to the County. The County may want to consider more formally supporting
construction of the Fort Pierce Federal Courthouse, and there may be other issues that we are not
aware of as well.
As you know, not all of these projects will successfully receive federal funding. The goal of the
workshop will be to discuss what is of most importance to the County for the FY 2008 federal funding
cycle, match those priorities with realistic federal funding availabilities, and decide how we can be
most successful in FY 2008. We will provide you with guidance as to what is realistic, and where you
might want to place your focus after hearing your priorities.
We look forward to the workshop. Please let us know if you have any questions.
1667 K Street, NW . Suite 480. Washington, DC 20006 . (202) 775-1796 . Fax (202) 775-0214
e-mail: marlowe@marloweco.com . www.marloweco.com
ST. LUCIE COUNTY BEACH UPDATE
FOR JANUARY 11 FEDERAL FUNDING WORKSHOP
BRIEF OVERVIEW
St. Lucie County Feasibility Study:
. Based on the planned actions of the new Congressional majority, it is expected
that the Corps will have funding this year to continue work on the St. Lucie
County Feasibility Study, which is studying potential federal solutions to the
erosion issues faced by the southern portion of the County. Because of the
expected spring nourishment of the Fort Pierce project and the severe erosion
along the southern portion of the County, it is suggested that we strongly support
funding for this project in the FY 2008 funding cycle.
Fort Pierce Shore Protection Project:
. Using previously secured federal funding, we expect the Fort Pierce beach
project to be renourished this spring. Our next goal focuses on securing a new
50-year life for the project while also incorporating T -groins into the project plan
so sand will not erode as quickly south of the inlet. This next step doe$ not
require significant federal funding and will merely involve, during the next several
months, a review of the project by the Corps. We will then seek authorizing
language (not funding) in the next Water Resources Development Act.
. Therefore, while we are still unsure of what, if any, funding we may need for this
project in FY 2008, we recommend this be a lesser priority than the St. Lucie
County feasibility study.
Page 1 of 1
MEMORANDUM
To:
From:
Date:
Subject:
Board of County Commissioners
Bill Hoeffner
January 8, 2007
Federal Legislative Request - Heathcote Botanical Gardens
The Heathcote Botanical Gardens Project involves the development of an 850-acre
linear park extending approximately five miles. The park will be immediately adjacent to
the 5,500-acre Savannas Preserve State Park and will extend a greenway that will span
greater than eleven miles. Heathcote Botanical Gardens will be located on a 74-acre
site approximately in the middle of the linear park. When completed, the Gardens will
include a 17-acre lake; gardens; picnic areas; playgrounds; landscaped open space; a
multipurpose pathway for bicycling, jogging, or leisure walks; a 30,000 square foot
building for meetings and social events; an educational building, and an exhibitory plant
nursery. The park is located within the City of Fort Pierce and its northern end will
connect with the downtown section of the City, a community redevelopment area. It is
envisioned the park will contribute significantly to the redevelopment of the downtown
area and to neighboring residential and commercial properties by increasing property
values. It is also anticipated the park will serve as a magnet for tourists and as an
important quality of life factor for corporations seeking to locate facilities within the area.
The project involves a cooperative effort involving the City of Fort Pierce, St. Lucie
County, and Heathcote Botanical Gardens, Inc. Heathcote has secured the services of
two professional fund raisers and will be spearheading a fund raising campaign.
A conceptual plan for the Gardens has been developed. Estimated development costs
exceed $50,000,000. At this time, the County is seeking $1,000,000 for planning, final
design, and initial development.
Community Services
Memorandum #07-101
TO:
Board of County Commissioners
FROM:
Corine Williams. Transit Manager
SUBJECT:
Federal Appropriation Request for Buses and Intermodal
Operation and Maintenance Facility
DATE:
January 11,2007
Due to the significant increase in population and high demand to create additional fixed route
services to transport passengers to jobs, colleges, and medical appointments. Not to mention, the
unending increase in construction material cost, it has become necessary for S1. Lucie County to
resubmit the request for additional funds for the 2008 Federal Appropriation. The request is for
$1,000,000 for the purchase of buses and $8,500,000 for the construction of an Intermodal
facility. At present, the County owned buses are operated by the Council on Aging Inc., and are
housed at the Fort Pierce Housing Authority temporarily.
In the past, due to our ever-increasing transit fleet, parking spaces has become limited. Thus, it
became quite necessary for the County to redirect their focus from utilizing the property located
behind the Juvenile Court on 7th Street to the proposed location on Selvitz Road, which is located
in close access to two of our main Highways: 1-95 and Florida Turnpike. Both locations are
highly regarded on the Florida Strategic Intermodal System (FSIS) and ofrer opportunities to
initiate future regional transit connection to neighboring counties.
The proposed site is located on 27.5 acres, it is estimated that a total of eight acres will be needed
for the housing of the bus parking, maintenance and the operation facility.
The proposed match for the project includes the value of the eight acres of land and $500,000 to
be generated over three years from the Transit Municipal Service Taxing Unit. Since Council on
Aging, the School Board and many businesses has a difficult time hiring drivers with a
Commercial Drivers License (CDL), this site is also proposed to be a CDL training facility.
Due to past partnership with the Indian River Community College that provided technical
training, students could receive classroom instruction at this college campus while gaining their
practical truck/bus driving experience at the proposed Intermodal site. Currently, students are
required to travel to Miami or Sanford to be trained, making it impossible for the average person
to receive this much-needed job-skill. Thus, the proposed site will also help fill this employment
gap, which is also identified by the Treasure Coast Workforce Development Board.
Since the land is already in County ownership, the next step would be to design, engineer and
permit the overall site. A footprint of the maintenance and operation facility will be included at
the permitting stage with greater detail at a later date. The parking area and CDL training area
will be constructed first to fulfill the greatest need of the system.
STAFF RECOMMENDA nON:
Authorize the submission of a Federal Appropriation request for $1,000,000 for buses and
$8,500,000 for an Intermodal Operational and Maintenance Facility.
G:\memos\07\07-101FTA Earmark
Memorandum
To:
From:
Date:
Subject:
Douglas Anderson, County Administrator
Diana Lewis, Airport Director
January 2, 2007
Federal Funding for the St. Lucie County International Airport
The first priority for federal funding of projects at the St. Lucie County
International Airport is to complete the construction of Runway 9L127R. This
new 4,000 foot long runway was estimated in 2004 to cost $11,819,326 to
design and construct. The following table lists the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)
grants that the County has received to date for this runway project.
Fiscal Project FAA Funding FAA FDOT Local Total
Year Source Funding Funding Match Funding
2002 Environmental GA $150,000 $117,425 $117,425 $384,850
Assessment Entitlements
2003 Benefit Cost GA $150,000 $7,870 $7,870 $165,740
Analysis Entitlements
2004 Design Phase 1 Discretionary $527,000 $13,868 $13,868 $554,736
2005 Design Phase Discretionary $673,485 $17,273 $17,273 $708,031
2/
Construction
2006 Construction Discretionary $6,287,855 $188,775 $188,775 $6,665,405
Total $7,788,340 $345,211 $345,211 $8,478,762
The amount remaining of the runway cost that has not been funded is
$3,340,564 ($11,819,326 - $8,478,762 = $3,340,564). The federal portion is
95% of this amount, or $3,173,536.
Airport staff will submit a grant pre-application by FAA's deadline of January 8,
2007, requesting this amount by the end of Fiscal Year 2007. However, since
this is a discretionary grant, the runway project has to compete for these funds
against other airports' projects. Whether we receive the funds to complete
the project in 2007 or have to wait until 2008 to receive the balance of the
funds will not be known until after the FAA issues grant offers in August 2007.
The other issue complicating this grant is the funding mechanism for the FAA
grant program expires in September 2007. Reauthorization of how these funds
are collected may be delayed in Congress, which can affect Fiscal Year 2008
grants.
In addition to the funding for the new runway, there are other projects that
have been programmed to receive grants in the future. Applications for these
funds will have to be completed in the year the funds are requested. A table
describing these projects and the year anticipated to receive the grants is
provided below.
Project Description Fiscal Federal State Grants Loca I Total
Year Grants Programmed Match Amount
Programmed
Security Add fencing 2008, $150,000 $3,948 $3,948 $157,896
Fencing around 2009, $150,000 $3,948 $3,948 $157,896
Airport 2010 $150,000 $3,948 $3,948 $157,896
perimeter
Rehabilitate Reconstruct 2009 $2,147,000 $56,500 $56,500 $2,260,000
RW 9R/27L and overlay
6,500 ft.
runway
Rehabilitate Reconstruct 2010 $2,707,500 $71 ,250 $71 ,250 $2,850,000
TWA&B and overlay
two
taxiways
TOTAL $5,304,500 $139,594 $139,594 $5,583,688
Please let me know if you have any questions.
cc: Faye Outlaw, Assistant County Administrator
2
AGENDA REQUEST
ITEM NO. C-2A
DATE: January 24, 2006
TO: ST. LUCIE COUNTY EROSION DISTRICT
REGULAR [ ]
PUBLIC HEARING [ ]
CONSENT [X]
PRESENTED BY:
SUBMITTED BY (DEPT): PUBLIC WORKS - EROSION 3710
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Richard A. Bouchard, P. E.
Erosion District Manager
SUBJECT: Resolution No. 06-001 supporting our Nation's beaches in 2006.
BACKGROUND: The American Shore and Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA) is rallying local
communities nationwide to show support for our Nation's beaches. They have provided coastal
communities with a draft Resolution and requested we use their document as a guide in preparing
our own. With future funding requests anticipated for both the Fort Pierce Shore Protection project
and the St. Lucie County Feasibility Study, it is important to remind our Legislators not only the
importance of our federal projects locally but also nationally. Staff recommends Board approval of
the attached Resolution No. 06-001. Copies of the final signed Resolution will be sent to our
Legislative Delegation and the ASBPA.
FUNDS: N/A
PREVIOUS ACTION:
Fort Pierce Shore Protection Project and the St. Lucie County Feasibility Study
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends Erosion District Board approval of Resolution No. 06-001 and
execution of said document by the Chair.
COMMISSION ACTION:
["APPROVED
[ ] OTHER:
[ ] DENIED
Do 9 nderson
County Administrator
Approved 5-0
. .~ Coordination/Slanatures
(x]Counly Attorney t,' [ ]Mgt. & Budget [ ]FiscalCoordinator
(, Q,',,",'" D.pl. P,bI~ wo,,~ I JP,,,,h.,,,, Depl.__ I JF1""œ Dep........ (G"""I
RESOLUTION NO. 06-001
A RESOLUTION OF THE ST. LUCIE COUNTY EROSION
DISTRICT SUPPORTING OUR NATION'S BEACHES FOR
2006; SETTING FORTH FINDINGS; AND PROVIDING FOR
AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, America's beaches provide vital economic, recreational, storm damage
reduction, and environmental benefits to the Nation; and
WHEREAS, the devastation caused by recent hurricanes and severe weather underscores
the need to invest in our Nation's water resources infrastructure, including shore protection
projects; and
WHEREAS, nearly sixty percent of all Americans live within 50 miles of the Atlantic and
Pacific Oceans, the Gulf of Mexico, and the five Great Lakes; and
WHEREAS, the Nation's beaches are the leading tourist destination for millions of domestic
and foreign visitors, providing jobs and business profits which in turn produce billions of dollars
of tax revenues for the Federal government, as well as state and local governments; and
WHEREAS, the Federal government has made a commitment to our Nation's beaches by
partnering with state and local governments to fund on-going beach restoration projects,
including periodic beach renourishment, for over sixty years.
WHEREAS, the past half-century has demonstrated that beach nourishment works as a
means of repairing erosion and providing public recreation while producing at least $4 in national
economic benefits for every $1 of Federal money spent.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Erosion District Board of St. Lucie
County, Florida, as follows:
1. 5t. Lucie County Erosion District Board urges Congress to pass the Water Resources
Development Act (WRDA), support adequate funding for beach nourishment, reject all
efforts to withdraw from or limit the Federal government's role in our Nation's beach
nourishment projects and recognize that continued Federal support is critical to the
sustained environmental and economic health of our coastal resources and
communities.
2. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption.
AFTER MOTION AND SECONDED, the vote on this Resolution was as follows:
Chair Frannie Hutchinson
Vice-Chair Doug Coward
Commissioner Chris Craft
Commissioner Paula A. Lewis
Commissioner Joseph Smith
PASSED AND DULY ADOPTED this
ATTEST:
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24th
day of
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EROSION DISTRICT BOARD
ST. LUCIE COUNTY, F~9R1DA
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APPROVED AS TO FORM AND
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BY:
,2006.
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BOARD OF
COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS
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COUNTY'.
FLORIDA ......,
FRANNIE
HUTCHINSON
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COMMISSIONER
January 31,2006
._) 2
The Honorable Bill Frist
Senate Majority Leader
S-230
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 228-1264 - fax
Dear Senator Frist:
Wise investment in our water resources remains an urgent need in our country.
America's communities continue to face the threats posed by flooding and other natural
disasters, and also desperately need the construction of various federal environmental
restoration projects to begin. For these reasons, St. Lucie County urges you to schedule floor
time for the Water Resources Development Act (S. 728) at the start of this session of
Congress..
As you know, WRDA authorizes critical ecosystem restoration, flood control, shore
protection, dam safety, and storm damage reduction projects across the country, including
major portions of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Program. These projects,
subject to appropriations, will restore our fragile ecosystems, provide protection against
severe weather and flooding, and support our nation's vital waterways and ports.
Recent hurricanes and severe storms have taught the nation a tragic lesson: maintain
and improve our aging water resources infrastructure or risk the ruin and destruction of our
communities. This bill moves us in the right direction toward addressing and preventing
these grave threats to public safety while also authorizing important ecosystem restoration
projects that have lagged for too long.
It has been five years since the last WRDA was enacted into law. In contrast, three
WRDA bills were enacted from 1995 to 2000 with an accumulated authorized cost level that
surpasses the current bill. Our communities in southeast Florida cannot wait any 10nger for
JOSEPH E. SMITH. District No.1
. DOUG COWARD. District No.2· PAULA A. LEWIS, DistriCt No. J . FRANNIE HUTCHINSON, District No.4· CHRIS CR\{t Dls I 0.5
Counry AdmintsrroTor - Douglos M. Anderson
2300 Virginia Avenue · Fort Pierce. FL 34982-5652 · (772) 462-1451 \1 G)
FAX (772) 462-2131 . TDD (772) 462-1428 V
www.co.sr-lucie.fl.U5
-
Everglades restoration to begin. We urge you to act expeditiously to bring this important bill
to the full Senate for immediate consideration.
Sipçerely,
7::'~"r:'.,,··y;~.
Frannie Hutchinson, Chair
St. Lucie County Erosion District
cc: Senator Bill Nelson, (202) 228-2183 - fax
Senator Me} Martinez, (202) 228-5171 - fax
Board of County Commission
County Administrator
County Attorney
Public Works
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TCERDA
Treasure Coast Education and
Research Center
The new Treasure Coast Education, Research and Development Park presently
encompasses 1,600 acres and is home to the University of Florida Indian River
Research and Education Center, the state-of-the-art USDA Agricultural Research
Service National Horticulture Research Laboratory, the USDA Natural Resources
Conservation Service Office, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer
Services Division of Plant Industry, the St. Lucie County Cooperative Extension
Service, and the St. Lucie County School District Agri-Science Education Program.
St. Lucie County is currently designing a 10,000 square foot office center that will
house the Treasure Coast Education, Research and Development Authority; which is
responsible for management, growth, and promotion of the park. Office space of
1,000 square feet each will also be provided for the University of Florida, Florida
Atlantic University, and Indian River Community College who will assist the Authority
in incubating new biotech businesses and in providing research and business start-
up services to fledgling biotech businesses. Services will include technical
assistance and consultation regarding research, engineering, technology, product
development, new business establishment, marketing, international trade, and
venture capital formation. The Office Center will additionally provide approximately
4,000 square feet of space for biotech incubation purposes that will be able to be
subdivided into offices or laboratories of up to 1,000 square feet. The estimated cost
to construct this facility is $4,000,000
o Project Cost... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...... $4,000,000
o Funding Request......................................... ....$4,000,000
/3