Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutInformal Minutes 11-25-2008BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ST. LUCIE COUNTY, FLORIDA INFORMAL MEETING Date: November 25, 2008 Convened: 1:30 p.m. Adjourned: 3:30 p.m. Commissioners Present: Chairman, Paula A. Lewis, Charles Grande, Doug Coward, Chris Craft, Chris Dzadovsky Others Present: Doug Anderson, County Administrator, Faye Outlaw, Asst. County Administrator, Lee Ann Lowery, Asst. County Administrator, Dan McIntyre, County Attorney, Millie Delgado-Feliciano, Deputy Clerk 1. ANNEXATION/RESEARCH PARK Com. Grande advised the Board the city of Ft. Pierce is going through an annexation process. The County has assumed the responsibility of developing the research park. He felt having the research park annexed now would be impractical since it would cause two entities attempting to deal with it and trying to stay out of each others way. Com. Beck from the City of Ft. Pierce stated the city is not looking to annex the research park. He did challenge the Board as to finding a way to get where they wish to go and felt the easiest was through the research park. This moves beyond to what was agreed to especially with the annexation issue. Com. Grande recommended continuing to work with the city. Com. Craft commented on the utilities agreement and stated it was only a utilities service agreement and not an annexation agreement. He believes the way it reads it is very clear it is a service area not an annexation area. In his conversation with Com. Beck and Ms. Belcher there was basically the same concerns, they do not want to have dual representation for the research park. Whether it's in the city or not that is irrelevant to him. Com. Craft stated his main objective was to maintain control of the parl~the zoning, permitting and other issues. His understanding is they are going to annex it and they should look for a way to work with them right not. Com. Grande stated his understanding was they were willling to forego the annexation if they could work things out. Com. Coward stated the city has opportunity to grow within the box and the intent was clear from the beginning not to annex outside of Zone A. He believed they are already violating the agreement. Com. Dzadovsky stated most of his district is in the city and he expressed his concerns with what Com. Craft had brought forth as stated in the statute regarding re-writing the code for an annexation agreement. He believes there are many people who wish to be annexed. He has many issues in his district regarding roads, etc .and would like to see some progression rather than it being piece mealed. Com. Coward stated he was reluctant to have an agreemnt with the city he is concerned especially where the roadways are to be paid for by the developers are not being done due to this agreement. Com. Dzadovsky stated he does not wish duplicaiton of management of the park and does not want to see dual jurisdiction. He does not wish to lose site of the issues. Com. Coward stated he would like to broaden the language not just for the Research Park but for a larger area. Com. Lewis stated it has been the policy of the Board to oppose to having utilities where annexation agreements have not been signed. The County Attornet addressed the issues and alluded to a law 171203 that had been drafted to bind cities regarding annexation, service delivery issues in order to avoid piece mealing. The County Attorney stated he would draft a resolution and an agenda and return to the Board. Com. Coward reiterated his position of being opposed to forced annexation. Com. Dzadovsky stated he felt it was not forced since there are many people who wish to be annexed inorder to receive water and roads. The County Attorney stated he would contact the city and obtain their position. CRA EXPANSION/ BRICKENRIDGE AND NEW BERRY DEVELOPMENTS Com. Grande addressed the balance of the Board regarding this issue. He believes the City of Ft. Pierce is taking the position they can waive the fair share agreements required by the County. He has concerns about this issue and does not wish that athe city set this type of a precedence that they can waive fair share requirements for developments . The development of Breckenridge is on the city's schedule for re-zoning however there has not been a change in the city's comp plan and he felt this was moving forward in a very strange fashion. Com. Coward stated he had concerns when developers start shopping around between entities for certain approvals. He does not agree with the city waiving fees for county roads. The County Attorney advised the Board he was not sure of the legal position with regards to the waving of fair share agreements. However he does believe the CRA legal position is good. RFQ PROCEDURE UPDATE The Management and Budget /Purchasing Director addressed the Board regarding the RFQ process update. The evaluation form and the changes were reviewed. Com. Coward asked if they felt they had accomplished what they had set out. He believes this is a "work in progress" project and they need to continue to revise it. He expressed his concerns with section A and B and the loss of points due to the fact these companies do not work in the area. He believes it should come back to the Board have them weigh in and go out into the streets with it. He believes the Board wanted to be involved in it. Com. Coward brought forward various concerns from the businesses regarding the scoring and stated there are RFP's out there with this existing language. He believes it gives preference to the larger companies working within St. Lucie County and also outside the county where smaller ones cannot do so and also having statellite offices. The County Attorney suggested combining certain areas and place this on the agenda for the 9~'. 2 `~ ~~ ~~ Com. Coward stated he did not have a problem with that recommendation however there are RFP's out there . The Management and Budget Director stated there were no RFP's out in the street with the exception of the engineering, road and bridge projects. The County Administrator stated the firm he has did not respond to the RFQ and asked the Board if they wished to reject the RFQ's . It was the consensus of the Board to reject the RFQ's received and go out to re-bid. The County Attorney stated his office had received calls from other counties wondering if St. Lucie County was going to initiate local preference. GOPHER TORTOISE BANK The County's Environmental Lands Manager addressed the Board regarding this item. He advised the Board the state is now getting serious because it is being considered an endangered species and so far he has around 20 of them ready to be relocated in the Ridgehaven area by the Airport. The enclosures are now mandated in order to keep them in one area. The cost is high to enclose large acreage. There are many new rules, they had to be tested previously and now the testing is no longer required except for those who have been in one area for a long period of time. Some people say they will never accept a positive testing tortoise. Game and Fish refuses to acknowlege the fact there is a communicable disease and can infest an entire colony. We can relocate our own. Com. Craft stated he did not have a problem doing (relocating) our own but is not inclined to accept others from other counties. The Lands Manager stated with the new rules kicking in it may cause some problems. At this point the Game and Fish Commission stated all those needing to be relocated will be going to Palm Beach County. The county may be able to make money in the future if we provide a regional bank in the area for other tortoises. Any revenues must go back to the maintenance of the property. The revenue generated can be at least $1,000 per tortoise. However at this point it is slowing down. This item was for information purposes and may be discussed in the future. The meeting was adjourned.