4970 CITY HALL BLVD

NORTH PORT, FL 34286

City of North Port

Meeting Minutes

City Commission Workshop

CITY COMMISSIONERS

Pete Emrich, Mayor

Barbara Langdon, Vice Mayor

Jill Luke, Commissioner

Debbie McDowell, Commissioner

Alice White, Commissioner

APPOINTED OFFICIALS

Jerome Fletcher, City Manager

Amber L. Slayton, City Attorney

Heather Taylor, City Clerk

Monday, June 6, 2022

9:00 AM

Conference Room 244

CALL TO ORDER

Mayor Emrich called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.

ROLL CALL

5 -

Present:

Mayor Pete Emrich, Vice Mayor Barbara Langdon, Commissioner Jill Luke,

Commissioner Alice White and Commissioner Debbie McDowell

Also Present

City Manager Jerome Fletcher, Assistant City Attorney Michael Golen, Assistant City

Clerk Adrian Jianelli, Recording Secretary Amanda Baker, Fire Chief Scott Titus, Police

Chief Todd Garrison, Neighborhood Development Services Director Alaina Ray, Public

Works Director Chuck Speake, and Social Services Manager Janet Carrillo

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

The Pledge of Allegiance was led by North Port resident Joe Justice.

1. PUBLIC COMMENT:

Ms. Jianelli read the following e-comment into the record:

Patrice Matz - supports tiny homes

2. PRESENTATION: TIME LIMIT OF 15 MINUTES

22-2965

Affordable/Workforce Housing Presentation by Jon Thaxton, Director of

Community Investment, Gulf Coast Community Foundation.

Mayor Emrich announced the item.

Mr. Fletcher introduced the item.

Jon Thaxton provided a presentation including definition of "affordable housing", market

responsibility, supply and demand of entry-level homes, affordable housing crisis,

Sarasota County housing inflation, wages vs. cost of living, market-based solutions,

assistance production, reoccurring usage infrastructure, setting reasonable goals and

timelines, identifying a combination of housing options, blueprint for workforce housing,

housing density, reducing government regulations and fees, flexible development codes,

accessory dwelling units, parking and permitting requirements, government surplus lands,

renewable and dedicated sourcing, focusing on the demand of affordable housing,

inclusionary zoning, integrating affordable housing into new-market housing, affordable

housing nexus studies, and imbalance of supply and demand.

Commission questions took place regarding impact on companies purchasing

single-family homes for rent, preventing out-of-state corporations from purchasing

single-family homes, rise and impact of area median income (AMI), elaborating on the

blueprint for workforce housing, limiting housing density, developers building workforce

housing, legality of allowing workforce residents priority for purchasing workforce housing,

managing workforce housing regulations, and maintaining inclusionary zoning fulfillment.

There was no public comment.

3. GENERAL BUSINESS:

22-2973

Discussion Regarding Affordable/Workforce Housing.

Mayor Emrich announced the item.

Mr. Fletcher introduced the item.

Ms. Ray provided a presentation on Housing Attainability including common terms and

definitions, housing spectrum, impacts of attainable housing, housing prices, targeted

industries, actual needed incomes for area housing, current affordable housing and

interactive map, affordable housing summary, State and Federal programs, alternative

housing

options,

inclusionary

and

incentive

zoning,

incentives,

and

staff

recommendations.

Recess was taken from 10:51 a.m. until 11:05 a.m.

Ms. Ray spoke to staff recommendation to bring back development of draft policies and

regulations to allow alternate housing options for Commission consideration.

Commission discussion took place regarding implementing tiny homes and accessory

dwelling units (ADU), staff diligence, including tiny homes and ADUs in the Unified Land

Development Code (ULDC), septic issues on lots with multiple tiny homes and

cottage/cluster developments, zoning tiny home lots, stability for homeownership, and

encouraging rentals with area median income (AMI) limitations.

Mr. Fletcher spoke to

a non-profit home-sharing organization targeted to Sarasota

County, and stated more information would be provided at a future meeting.

Commission discussion continued regarding alternative housing options that would

increase property value, instituting pilot programs, additional information on State and

Federal programs, eviction and compatibility issues, redeveloping older houses for

affordable housing, Community Development Block Grant (CDBU), and land availability.

There was consensus to direct staff to develop draft policies and regulations to

allow alternate housing options for Commission consideration.

Ms. Ray spoke to staff recommendation regarding development of inclusionary zoning

policies and regulations with limitations on where it would be applicable for Commission

consideration.

Commission

discussion

continued

regarding

issues

with

inclusionary

housing

developments, ensuring all amenities are afforded in inclusionary housing, and future

inclusionary housing management.

Ms. Jianelli read the following e-comments into the record:

Patrice Matz - affordable housing and support of tiny homes

PUBLIC COMMENT:

Joe Justice - rehabbing older homes within homeowner's association (HOA) communities,

City requirements, impact fees, and increase in building developments.

There was consensus to direct staff to develop potential inclusionary zoning

policies and regulations with limitations on where it would be applicable for

Commission consideration.

Ms. Ray spoke to staff recommendation regarding development of draft housing incentive

policies and regulations for Commission consideration.

Commission discussion took place regarding incentives that are not tax-based,

inclusionary zoning being considered subsidized housing, considering pros and cons for

all incentives, multiple incentives being afforded to developers, and bringing back potential

policies.

There was consensus to direct staff to develop draft housing incentive policies and

regulations with pros and cons and developer utilization for Commission

consideration.

Ms. Ray spoke to staff recommendation regarding development of draft lot and land bank

policies for Commission consideration.

Commission discussion took place regarding restricting the policies to affordable housing

developments only, acquiring lots specifically for affordable housing, and the City's ability

to foreclose and confiscate properties.

Mr. Golen spoke to a process for the City to foreclose on a property lien.

There was consensus to direct staff to develop draft lot and land bank policies with

legal review, and to include surplus lot discussion for Commission consideration.

Ms. Ray spoke to staff recommendation regarding development of draft policies for

Commission consideration for a Commercial Linkage Fee and explained the Commercial

Linkage Fee method.

Commission discussion took place regarding differences between inclusionary zoning

and Commercial Linkage Fee methodology.

There was consensus to direct staff to develop draft policies for a Commercial

Linkage Fee with scenarios for Commission consideration.

Commission discussion continued regarding development percentage for commercial

properties and the ability to cap the coverage percentage, parameters, incentives, City

Manager with various builders, and Vice Mayor Langdon accompanying the City Manager

and submitting a detailed report at the next available Commission meeting.

There was consensus to have Vice Mayor Langdon join the City Manager at the

June 22, 2022 meeting with various builders and include her detailed report in her

next available Commissioner’s report.

Discussion took place regarding Sarasota Housing Authority and Funding Cooperation,

funds, and home investment partnership program matching.

There was consensus to direct the City Manager to review and provide information

to the Commission regarding the Sarasota Housing Authority and Funding

Cooperation.

Recess was taken from 12:33 p.m. until 1:15 p.m.

22-2614

Discussion and Possible Direction Regarding the Draft Facility Lease

Policy for City-Owned Facilities.

Mayor Emrich announced the item.

Mr. Fletcher introduced the item.

Mr. Speake provided a presentation including review of Facility Lease Policy, process,

definition, statement policy, property criteria, qualified organization criteria, criteria for

public benefit use of space, annual review requirements, terms of tenancy, and

termination.

Commission questions and discussion took place regarding distinguishing responsibility

for repairs and maintenance, response time to complete repairs and maintenance, annual

report criteria in the draft Policy, authority to approve lease contracts, property use

agreements, and organizations being an established 501(c)(3).

There was consensus to keep the lease for 501(c)(3) organizations only and expand

as the City grows.

There was consensus for organizations to be an established 501(c)(3) in order to be

placed into the contract.

Discussion continued regarding available buildings, contract renewals, clarifying

definitions of lease and rental, long-term exclusive use, Section D3 regarding annual

review requirements, and posting annual reports to the website.

There was consensus to post information on the website at year's end for each

organization.

Mr. Fletcher spoke to Section B5 regarding organizations engaging in political or religious

activities.

Discussion continued regarding Awaken Church being grandfathered in, Awaken Church

outreach center and food pantry being at the same location, promoting religious services,

removing religious purposes from the policy, religious organizations providing services to

the community, and legal review of Section B5.

There was consensus to direct the City Attorney to conduct

a legal review of

Section B5 and to direct the City Manager and Staff to research the parameters of

the religious organization's services within the building.

There was no public comment.

22-2818

Discussion and Possible Direction Regarding Options to Prohibit Internal

Combustion Engine Powered Recreational Vehicles on City of North Port

Non-Tidal Waterways

Mayor Emrich announced the item.

Mr. Fletcher introduced the item.

Mr. Speake provided a presentation including previous Commission direction to prohibit

the use of internal combustion engine powered recreational vehicles, City Code Section

82 Article II, enforcement issues, and requested Commission direction.

Commission discussion took place regarding older engines vs. newer engines,

implementing "no-wake" or "idle speed" zones, and community feedback regarding boats

on canals.

Ms. Jianelli read the following e-comments into the record:

Jenifer Gay: opposes boating restrictions

Valorie Stackpole: opposes boating restrictions

Debra Johnson: supports boating restrictions

Renee Bernacki: opposes boating restrictions

Robert Bernacki: opposes boating restrictions

Curt Buiskool: opposes boating restrictions

There was consensus to take no action on this item.

4. PUBLIC COMMENT:

5. ADJOURNMENT:

There was no public comment.

Mayor Emrich adjourned the meeting at 2:29 p.m.

City of North Port, Florida

By: ___________________________________________

Pete Emrich, Mayor

Attest: _________________________________________

Heather Taylor, City Clerk

These minutes were approved on the ____ day of _______________, 20___.