Regular City Council - February 22, 2022 at 5:30 PM

City Council 

Regular Meeting

February 22, 2022

The City of Titusville City Council met in regular session on Tuesday, February 22, 2022, at Titusville City Hall, second floor, Council Chamber, 555 South Washington Avenue, Titusville, Florida 32796. Mayor Diesel called the City Council meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. 

Those present in the Council Chamber included Mayor Daniel E. Diesel, Vice-Mayor Robert L. Jordan, Jr., City Council Members Jo Lynn Nelson, Joe C. Robinson, and Dr. Sarah Stoeckel. City Manager Scott Larese, City Attorney Richard Broome, and City Clerk Wanda Wells were also present. Assistant City Clerk Donhoff completed the minutes of the meeting. 

Mayor Diesel requested a moment of silence. He then led those present in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. City Clerk Wanda Wells read the procedures for public comment and participation. 

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SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS & PRESENTATIONS

Employee of the Month – February 2022 - No action was requested. Police Department Chief John Lau highlighted the nomination that recognized Police Detective Justin Williams as the Employee of the Month for February 2022. Mayor Diesel presented Detective Williams with a plaque and gift.

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Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Area Plan (NRSA) – No action was requested. Neighborhood Services Director Terrie Franklin gave a presentation on the Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Area Plan (NRSA) and the South Street area community. The presentation provided an overview on the plan, place-based strategies, benefits of the plan, plan assessment and goals, community participation, boundaries, eligibility, demographic criteria, community voice and heritage, etc.  

Mayor Diesel presented certificates of appreciation to several individuals that contributed and participated in the NRSA Plan for the South Street area community. There were other individuals (not present) that also contributed to the plan, for which Mayor Diesel requested certificates of appreciation also be provided to these persons.  

Kirk Davis on behalf of the South Street area community spoke on the many persons involved in the NRSA plan and the importance of the plan leaders to be diligent on planning and executing the plan. He also commented on funding and the importance of persons being involved, providing training for youth, challenges, giving persons second chances, taking pride in the community, and getting results.

Member Nelson commented on individuals completing programs after having prior legal issues and their contributing to their community after-the-fact. She also advised that improvements to Blanton Park work were scheduled to be completed by June 2022. Mayor Diesel was also pleased to see so many persons names listed in being involved with the South Street Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Area Plan (NRSA). 

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Gateway Landscape Project and Entry Signage Concepts - This item was tabled at the regular City Council meeting on January 25, 2022 at 5:30 p.m. No action was requested.

Public Works Director Kevin Cook provided an update on the Gateway Landscape Project and sign design concepts. The presentation provided an overview on tentative costs and improvements at Interstate 95 (I-95) and State Road (SR) 406, as well as I-95 and SR 50. The presentation also provided information on estimated costs for landscape improvements, sign design concepts, the Florida Department of Transportation’s (FDOT) involvement and the order in which requests might be made, etc. 

Member Nelson requested receiving information on the type of plants and their sizes that were proposed for the Gateway Landscape Project. 

Vice-Mayor Jordan and staff discussed his questions and preferences related to the size and colors for the City’s gateway signs. He felt the signs should be consistent in their text and appearance. Discussion ensued on the differences if the FDOT installed and maintained landscaping at the gateways versus the City. The State’s maintenance schedule of gateway landscaping would be every 3-months, versus the City was once a week. 

Discussion briefly ensued on the appearance of gateway signage. Mayor Diesel desired simple, but colorful signage. Member Nelson did not like one of the visual examples with two black posts affixed at each side of one of the sign designs. It was noted sign posts could be redesigned to look anyway that Council desired, such as being fluted like the lamp posts in the historic downtown area, etc. 

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Parks and Open Space Ordinance - No action was requested. Planning Manager Brad Parrish provided a presentation on the draft parks and open space ordinance. The presentation provided an overview on the background and reason for the agenda item and a 2019 subdivision project that stirred discussion on how the City’s Code criteria was applied to the project. In 2019, the Council felt that open space was not well defined. Staff continued and provided information on current related Code definitions and requirements, proposed definitions, current standards, proposed exemptions, standards and categories (containing passive and active definitions or requirements), dedication and phasing, etc.

Council discussed the purpose and benefits of projects having open space areas, varied size requirements based on zoning or land use category requirements, the importance of clearly defining open space, the difficulty with writing broad definitions that would fit all projects, making requirements clear for developers and providing developers options, examples of distinguishing the requirements in areas like industrial versus residential areas, doing away with parking spaces within the definitions of open space, etc. 

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PETITIONS AND REQUESTS FROM THE PUBLIC PRESENT

Kay St. Onge highlighted a prepared statement. She commented on the Gateway Landscape Project and her concern for the lethal bronzing disease that was killing palm trees across Florida (unclear if affected native and non-native trees), palm trees needed lots of pruning and attention, using other trees in place of palm trees, etc. On the parks and open space ordinance, the City would need to apply the requirements in the newly adopted tree protection ordinance for projects and trees. Subdivisions might also consider how other communities required or encouraged tree canopy areas. 

Stan Johnston disagreed with the City’s public comment procedure on presentations. He also disliked the signage designs for the City’s gateways and instead, he recommended using design professionals. Third, Mr. Johnston was concerned with developers that were relocating a dirt access road that had bromeliads and a huge oak tree at the end. Per Mr. Johnston, the tree was not depicted on the project’s site plan. He was also concerned with State requirements as it related to the road. 

Bill Kline was pleased with staff’s information on parks and open space. These concepts would make the City a better place to live. Mr. Kline offered and referenced a prior presentation previously provided by an individual on low impact development (LID) and an opposite example for where a commercial site was almost all concrete. He advised that LID techniques complimented or were intertwined with the current discussion on the parks and open space ordinance. He also desired sending information to staff and assisting the City on these matters.

Sandra Clinger clarified the City’s procedures for quasi-judicial public hearings.  

Mary Sphar read from a prepared statement. She supported the City moving forward with updating the parks and open space ordinance; however, she felt three City ordinances should carefully work with each other, being the tree protection ordinance, the low impact development ordinance, and the parks and open space ordinance. 

Connie Milton clarified the City’s procedures for quasi-judicial public hearings and whether information could be emailed to the Council or distributed at Council meetings.   

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With no further business to discuss, the meeting adjourned at 6:46 p.m.