Question: Why is it the city can only build to three stories (Institutional zoning) but it can go up to seven stories for “North harbor mixed use?”
Kisela: Different land uses have different rules. Pazevic: So why can’t city build as tall as private developers? Kisela: “After tonight, they may,” referring to talk of revising the Institutional rules.

City has received four applications for voluntary layoffs. There are also four posts that have been left open for a while. “But if we’re looking at a million to million and a half shortfall, we’re not going to be able to balance the budget on the backs of the employees.”

The city’s Youth Council has worked to re-establish an adopt-a-street program. Sam Seevers moves to approve it, with some changes to the signage rules.

Jim Wood: “I think I asked about this two years ago as a citizen–my wife’s been beating me up to adopt a street.” He says he hopes their family can adopt part of Airport.

Unanimous. Adopt a Street lives again in Destin.

Seevers suggests the city acknowledge the students at their high school, to let them be saluted in front of their peers. Barker says he’ll get together with City Clerk Rey Bailey on that.

One volunteer for Town Center CRA Advisory Committee.

Five empty chairs.

She suggests they contact every business in the area inviting them to send someone.

Tom Weidenhamer: “Considering where we are in the project and how much of the project remains and how that funding will be coming in … will there be something of interest for that committee to work on in the near future, or should we consider sunsetting it for a period of time?”

Kisela confirms a lot of the work has been done.

Weidenhamer: Committee work takes a lot of time. “There’s nothing more discouraging in my estimation than going to meetings at which nothing of substance occurs.”

Sandy Trammell: A CRA project is long-term. There will be new residences, new businesses and ‘building a community within that area is a big step … how do we make it bigger and better from here … how do we bring people to the town center … That, in my estimation, is much harder than looking at plans.”

The vote: Unanimous.

Now come some committee appointments. I won’t detail them.

Just wanted to say that I was obviously wrong to say it would take only two hours.

Dewey: A lot of employees are worried about being laid off as the budget tightens. “I want to assure our staff we won’t throw them under the bus to get ourselves out of financial problems … I think we’ve got plenty of room in the budget to make sure our employees …stay on board.”

Kelly Windes reminds everyone that there will be a 6 p.m. meeting tomorrow at the Community Center over the proposed new standards for private artifical reefs. He’s said previously the rules are too stringent and will kill off private reefs in this area.

Sam Seevers: Mayor Barker turned 40 last week! Barker: “I consider it 21 years old with 19 years experience.”

Hollinhead says the Derelict Vessel Fund hasn’t had money in it for five years, probably since the big hurricanes of a few years back. So whatever they do, they can’t remove it.

Barker: “that seems like a complete waste of resources, to have you go to all that work.” So where is the money that boaters put into the fund going?

Hollinhead: He doesn’t know. But now that the county has drafted a policy and set aside funds, we can probably wipe out the remaining derelicts–there’s about $40,000 available. Bagby: $30,000.

Windes: Funding is the issue, right? Hollinhead: Yep. Windes: “Mr. Kisela how much money is in the unappropriated funds balance?” Greg: “Considerably more than $40,000.”
Windes: “I got to tell you folks, we’ve got the most beautiful harbor … but it’s being polluted by these things.”
Kisela: Doesn’t think funding is the problem now–and doesn’t want to discourage the county from spending the money.
Windes: “I want them gone, the whole city wants them gone.”
Wood: So what are we talking about? To remove the ones on the list.
Hollinhead: These are ones now in the judicial system because we found the owners at last. So it shouldn’t be too much longer.

Barker: Brings up a related complaint, boats that tie up around Destin, no lights, no registration, no anything, but they keep tied up.
Hollinhead: Registration isn’t required for non-powered sailboats. And bayous and harbors are meant to be available for safe refuge–but yes, some boats are taking advantage. “As far as the lighting goes, we do take care of that (but) it isn’t a way of having the vessel removed.” But there’s no law at all against tying up in the bayous.
Barker: Let’s say a boat is a live-aboard. Is it still true they can’t be prosecuted for dumping waste unless they’re caught?
Hollinhead: We inspect them several times a year.
This was not an action item, just a report, so that’s it.

Lt. Mark Hollinhead: The reason some vessels are reported and never moved is that there’s no money for moving them. And when they can’t find the last registered owner “We’ve hit a brick wall” because they have to be notified.

Now Okaloosa County has drafted a policy that will improve things. But he’s not talking into the microphone and I can’t pick up any details.

Sam Seevers: Can we increase fines? Hollinhead: It’s a first-degree misdemeanor, that limits how much can be charged.

Bagby: What’s the difference between removing derelict and abandoned vessels?
Hollinhead: An abandoned vessel is one that has been beached. It’s not in the public waters so that changes things: For example, after 60 days the property owner can have it moved and try to get payment for the move from the owner.

Bagby: “So a vessel no-one’s been to for two years but it’s floating, that’s not necessarily derelict?”

Hollinhead: There are some that have been in the bayou that long. “There are no laws that keep a vessel from being anchored down that long.”

Bagby: Thanks Hollinhead and city staff for coming up with the matrix they use to track progress on derelicts–but how soon will they be removed?

Hollinhead responds with specifics about one of the boats. I don’t have the matrix to identify it.

Bagby: Can private owners remove a derelict if you haven’t had any luck finding an owner? “I’ve had several folks come up to me and say they’ll pay the salvage charge to get (a boat) out of here.”

Hollinhead: Once government has exhausted efforts to find the owners, we document that in a derelict vessel report. At that point, the investigation is closed, the vessel can be moved, whether by county or private citizen.

Bagby: There’s a reference on the matrix to one vessel having to be removed by March 21. So can it be removed now? “We’re a month past 3-21-08, I’m wondering if i can go and drag it out.”

Hollinhead: Dang, he’s saying something, but again, I couldn’t make it out clearly.

Wood: “It’s a convoluted process … there’s got to be a more definitive way to end this. They might be private property, but they’re not on private property.”

Hollinhead: A lot of the owners are deceased or live out of state, it’s very hard to find them.

Isn’t the city/county interlocal committee on the airport supposed to handle problems like the ones the Barrs spoke of?

Kisela; “They haven’t met yet.”

This surprises Barker, since the committee was approved last year. Kisela says the county only just picked its share of the members.

Are there best-management practices for the construction industry? He’s also concerned by the slides.

Kisela: There are going to be compatibility issues whenever there’s construction next to an existing home. Just wetting down the sand now and again can eliminate dust. And as harbor redevelopment proceeds, more cases will occur. Kisela suggests committee be assigned to come up with possible solutions.

Mucci: He’s worked in cities of high-quality development where they’re very careful about new development hurting the existing properties. He suggests Destin may be reaching the same point.

Barker: “We do need to start considering compatibility issues during construction.”

Kisela: He believes there are enough good ordinances in other cities that staff can work with the committee and put together some solutions.

Windes on Barr: “if all the committee members worked as hard as she did, the system would work much better.”

Windes: Have staff draw up some ideas.

Trammell: “it’s not just the residences–I had a business where they put a road in and they used one of those packers for three days. We now have cracks we’re having to address. It’s imperative we start looking at those best practices for construction next to anything but a vacant lot.” Redevelopment usually means construction next to older buildings.
So she proposes adding commercial. Kelly Windes agrees.

Unanimous to have staff set to work.

Move to approve the revised work plan: Unanimous.