Good morning everyone and welcome to day two of our winter workshop. >> Madame clerk, can you please call the role? >> Councilman Picket, >> yes ma'am. >> Mayor Martin, >> here ma'am. >> Councilman Bana. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Vice Mayor Carbalo. >> Okay, ma'am. >> And let the record reflect that Councilman Councilwoman Morgan is not present. Please stand for the pledge. To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Do we have anyone who would like to speak at public to be heard? Seeing no one, I'll close public to be heard. We're going to start our morning off with our public works department high impact plan. Good morning, Colt. >> Good morning. Um, glad to be back here again and presenting our high impact plan for public works. Um, I will try and make this quick so that we can try and get back on schedule and get through a lot of important items on the agenda today. And as you can imagine with how Polaro was very heavily involved yesterday, >> you've heard a lot of these updates. So again, I'll just try and summarize and go over it quickly. Um, oh, there we go. All right. So, I'm not going to obviously read this word for word and verbatim. You all have had it and we can digest and discuss and have questions, but I got some major key points that I want to go over that your public works department truly works on the city's seven strategic plans and goals on a daily basis reoccurring. Um we can name off how we work on every single one of them but you know obviously first and foremost would be high quality infrastructure which also leads into safe clean and beautiful and then it also ties into the strategic growth for resilient future and high performing government organization. Um, and part of how we're going to be meeting these, and as you heard yesterday, we do have the traffic signal preeemption that we are going to actively get installed and completed as soon as humanly possible. Um, as it was mentioned, the major corridors have been coordinated with the fire district and they like to approach and corridors that we're going to be attacking first and that coordination will continue throughout installation and inspection and getting them implemented throughout every traffic signal in the city. Um, as you know, kind of another appetizer I was given yesterday, we are doing traffic signal coordination improvements. We're going to be working with our consultants. As referenced, uh the next corridors that we're going to be looking at is All of Village Parkway, Cross Town Parkway, and Gatlin Boulevard to see if we can't help relieve some congestion by doing some better timing throughout the entire day instead of just peak hour timing andor adaptive signals when the adaptive signals may not work efficiently during uh peak demands. >> Colt, do we already have it on Becker? Yes, we did the uh time of day signal coordination where that is and don't correct me if I'm wrong, we have it so five different signal coordinations implement throughout the day depending on the traffic that the consultant saw. And when that happens, this consultant literally sits down and has access to our traffic signals and cameras and is literally counting the traffic and cars to try and best determine the signal coordination, the timing. Um, from there, you know, we've seen a lot of demand for the residential driveway replacement loan program. So, we're looking forward to keeping that going. Um it's important that we can try and keep this going because even though the residential driveways are the responsibilities of the homeowners, it is critical to make sure that we have proper drainage conveyance for the entirety of the city. Um we also have the major Okamic drainage improvement projects and we also heard the direction yesterday given. So we have started working with the procurement department project team to find ways to either maybe change the type of design process that we're going through or work out phasing programs to get actions and items moving quicker and faster. Then we also want to look at doing some other what I called yesterday silent winds where we talked about the Becker road signal coronation. Um Mr. Lewis Johnson brought a nice innovative way of geo tube bank stabilization and we were able to do this on the Sagamore waterway just east of Aroso Boulevard. And essentially what that is is they take a geo tube fabric and we had spoil areas and sedimentation built up where you could see it above the water every day. They were able to dredge that material, put it into the geo tubing and reestablish the canal banks and reinforce it. It was an extremely efficient process. We were able to get in and out of there. No one hardly even knew we were doing it and it was an efficient and cheap process. So, we're going to keep looking for areas where we can do that and try and strive to make the dollars work for as much as we can everywhere. Um, obviously we have lots of development coming on. So, our coordination is going to be non-stop with P&Z as it has been and will continue to be to make sure these developers are building the roadways are obligated and obviously making sure we're following the direction given yesterday with the new policies and making sure the east west connections stay in place. Uh, another one that I know is top of mind for a lot of residents and staff and pretty much everybody for the whole community is discovering community traffic signal. We are on schedule. FPL Power is already in place, ready to go. So, we are doing everything we can to make that happen sooner. Completion schedule for April, but again, we're going to do what we can to make it happen sooner. Major critical items is waiting on the mass arms to be delivered. our contractor is ready to go that when they're delivered they're going to be out there installing them ASAP. Sorry. Um another major intersection St. Lucy West and Peacock. We know it's under construction right now. We are working and diligently coordinating with the contractor to get this moving and staying moving. Um they are aware of spring training coming up and the restrictions on the MOT and making sure that that is open the entire time. Also aware that PD has a nice operation where they help direct traffic. So that coordination keeps going and we're going to get that completed as soon as possible. Um another major aspect that we're going to be finalizing is the next 10ear sidewalk master plan. We're doing the coordination homework with all the schools, the neighborhoods, the residents and trying to figure out and we heard the um suggestion on St. Piper area and that will definitely be in there. One of the top priorities in the sidewalk master plan to get that those missing pieces taken care of. Sorry. Uh still getting overhead cold here. Um, with all these CIP projects you saw yesterday, we have been diligently looking at project management software and that is needed for many reasons to help staff out with efficiencies, help out with communications, and to help out with reporting. So, we are hoping to get to a pro a time where we can make a decision, pull the trigger on getting that project management software. A key piece of that project management software is making sure it works with our project tracker and that way the information can still keep filtering up. Another key aspect of it is last year you gave us direction and we greatly appreciate it to implement an asset management program called open gov. We need to make sure this project management software will work with that program. And so we're actually meeting with Caroline and some of the other groups to look at implementing this and getting that process going. >> Cole, is that a external software or is that something that we do are going to do in-house with it? >> Uh right now with the timing we're looking at external software, the leading candidate with all the due diligence we've been doing is actually an open gov platform which there's many reasons why we're considering that one. user ability and also the user limits where a lot of them have yet to buy so many user licenses. >> With this platform, it is an unlimited user license. Therefore, we can start having our CIS and consultants work in that platform alongside of us to maybe help us streamline the communication, project deliverables, maybe reduce some emails because I know myself, I get 100 plus, I know a lot of our project managers 100 plus a day. >> It's hard to keep up with that. So, any ways we can try and streamline this will greatly increase efficiency for us. Now, another software that we're going to be looking at is refocusing on our public works permitting processes and trying to streamline that. So, we're going to be re-engaging it, seeing if we can get the uh fusion platform up and running um or if we have to look at out of the box permitting uh programs. Some of the biggest issues and I don't want to say issues but some of the biggest demand that we have right now is our rightway permits. They have increased significantly. Um we used to get 300 to 400 a year. We're getting well above that. And we have certain consultants that have 200 300 permits alone just themselves for these fiber connections. >> Wow. >> Right. Um, another fun aspect that we're going to do to try and help out with efficiencies is finalize the uh, public works review fees study that has been underway with the finance department and bring that to you shortly. And that will also tie in with how we had the joint meeting with St. Lucy County and discuss the rightway permit where currently it's a free permit. And so there's no resources to help provide for all the staffing. and rightway permit will be part of this. But it's important to look at these because they have not been updated since 2012. We know costs of everything have skyrocketed since then. And as of now, the fees that we have are not even covering half of the cost that it takes to review, inspect and permit projects in the city. Um, another big aspect that we are going to be doing and this is tied to, we know revenue streams are short. We got to be fiscally smart and constraint. So, we're going to do another deep dive into our level of service. And I'm talking level of service for every aspect that public works does. That's our one PSL calls, our timelines for that, our swale cleanings, our repaving operations. This has not honestly had a deep dive since 2018. So, it's time to get moving on that again. That will help provide guidance to city manager's office, us, and also help realign programs. So, by that, we're going to be revisiting our operation and maintenance program. So, we know we have the paving program that is very successful and is very communicative and upfront. We want to do that with all of our aspects of public works. If we don't give you the information, how can you know what we are and are not doing? And that also directly ties into our asset management open gov software that I briefly mentioned. That company, I got to give them some props. It was a huge hurdle that normally takes years to get to the baseline that we're at. They got it done in nine months. But now comes the hard work. We got to make sure the staff buys in, uses this that will directly tie into the level of service. A lot of these key performance indicators with this kind of a platform once we get it truly up and running, it will give the real live daytoday operations and where are we meeting these measures? Because right now what we're doing is we're bringing it in, analyzing it on a monthly basis and then printing out reports. This will allow it to happen up to date daily. Uh then with reviewing all of our level of service and always we have to review and analyze our staffing levels. You um as you see we have a lot of work going ahead of us. I want to make sure that our staff is not burnt out. We have some of the most dedicated, capable, awesome staff. But if the capacity is too much then there's going to be issues. So we we definitely need to dive into that. One aspect we're looking at doing and exploring is we have some major projects coming up Okamik. So as part of the CIP and that help provide some project management that we would need to help really focus in on that. So those are some of the items that we're looking at but we also have some more major ones that are even fun. April we have APWA reacredititation. I'm happy to say we are in a much better shape than I can ever recall us being in. >> Awesome. >> And I would I'm not sure if she's here, but Miss Valerie Delgado has really kept her eye on the ball with this. We haven't just been doing what we did in the past where was like, "Oh, reacredititation is coming up in 6 months. We've been focused on this for two years. It will happen." And then most exciting thing the public works groundbreaking for the building that will be happening this year. >> Hallelujah. >> Uh so with that any questions you may have always here. >> Thank you. Any questions? >> No. Go ahead. >> Cole. Thank you um for the presentation and it's and it's interesting because of course we're responsive to the public. So you know safety is important, parks are important but you know traffic has always been important but it's really risen to uh the top of the level where the public is engaging in in that department and um you know your track record has shown that you are we are more than trying to achieve what the public's expectations are. Um, couple of things. I do have a question. Uh, Kate, when we deal with our high impact plans as well as our full business plans for each department, is that on the website? Our high impact plans. Um, actually, I don't believe even the high impact plans are on the website. They really have been treated more as internal documents and planning documents. We at one point did have the full um, plans online, but in conversations because we we've just made them more internal planning documents. >> And I don't know how you and they're large. So, I wouldn't necessarily want the full document in the sense because it it's better to be abbreviated. I think people won't appreciate the level and I mean it's public record. They could always ask for it. >> Um but with the conversation that's occurring with the um public in regards to the importance of local governance, the service level that's being provided, um I do think that it might be time to figure out how to package something that would communicate Oh, Caroline, go ahead. >> Good morning. Thank Good morning. >> Um, when you mentioned abbreviated, uh, Kate, as a reminder, we do have the abbreviated version in the, uh, budget book. Yes, >> the budget book is adopted. That is posted online. So, as you're referring to transparency, communicating our performance, we do have the KPIs also in the budget book, right, following the abbreviated um, high impact plan. So, I wanted to remind Kate of that. >> Absolutely, Mr. is correct. I know with the high impact plan like what you're seeing today, it's not quite in the budget book because it's separated by fund in the budget book. So, it's not as I think easy for the public, right, in some ways because of the fund difference. We consolidate for the winter workshop. But I think one solution could be is for every department's high impact plan to be on their department web page because the high impact plan, it's a public document and that's something that maybe would be an additional resource in addition to the budget book. So, it's reiterated a few different places the information. Yes, >> that would be amanable to the council. I just think it's it's one of those we we have the ability to review this and um have these conversations. Um but again, as this this conversation about local government, how it serves the public, the value of the tax dollar, this isn't going to end after a ballot question. And we need to realize that this is not going to end after a ballot question. We're going to continue to have the public push on what is their dollar going to and then is there a value to that and I know that there is but we are going to actively have to pursue communicating how that value transitions into their daily life. Um question for you Col is the coordination of public works and other departments that you spoke to when do you think that um we will transition into that more streamlined process? I know you're meeting with Caroline, but what's your end date? Like what's your goal date to get transitioned? >> Um, can I get some clarity on that? Are you talking about project management software >> that I want to get started as soon as possible? >> Um, the current proposal we have is a four to five month implementation time frame once contract is executed. So ideally by October, I want to have something robust in place and have staff trained up and ready to go with it. Okay. And then um again speaking the language of of the times I think that whenever we do these things we also need to begin to equate savings. So for example when you present this program we need to start speaking in terms of how this equates to savings but more importantly how those savings transition to us keeping our FTEEs low and that would have also equate to those savings annually. Um >> and I smile because I think you have it. So go ahead. >> Yes. Um Miss Emily was very diligent on that and the proposal that we shared with uh Caroline and the team, it gives a rate of return and how this translates into those savings. And one other avenue I want to mention briefly is uh with the city manager's office and Caroline, we have accelerated our coordination between the departments for CIP. We were meeting quarterly. Now, we're going to start meeting bi-weekly, relook at all of our reporting structures and efficiencies. The bi-weekly may not continue into the future, but as we get our new processes in line, it's going to be bi-weekly. >> And I think too, it's it's recognizing that that's the first thing we need to talk about because that's the end of the day when we're speaking to the public and even our council meetings, the first thing they want to hear is how how it's saving them money or more importantly, how efficient it is for their tax dollars. Um, so it needs to be front of mind, I think, for anything that we talk about that's, uh, financially related outside of policy stuff, um, for the public. Um, and then I had something else on that and I lost my train of thought. Give me one second. Um, speaking just I don't remember now. Um, also thinking about speaking the language that everyone is understanding right now. So, for example, when you said that we're going to look at uh performance levels and level of service, I think we just call it what it is. It's a public works department audit. People people are relating with that word audit. It's, you know, we audit our departments. This isn't something new. I mean, the public doesn't know this. You guys audit your departments annually. I've been I've been talking about these high business plans and I've been talking about the business plans the last couple months because I'm trying to explain to the public we audit ourselves regularly. Correct. >> Especially annually with our strategic planning documents that extend into the departments that are required to do it annually as well. >> Um, and we're doing it. I just think it's not in the verbiage that is is kind of, you know, it's the 67. Even our guy, our economy guy said 67. That's what people are saying. We need to relate with the public of what they're hearing and how that equates to what we're currently already doing. If that makes sense. >> Yeah. And vice mayor, I think those comments are very helpful to us as we think about continuing to because this is, you know, a tool we've used for a while. And I've really we're trying to take a fresh look every year and see is there a better way to communicate. So I think we can we can most definitely um develop um better approaches and and get the the message across because there's so much um rich work. One thing we did with department strategic planning workshops this year as um the mayor mentioned yesterday not only is every department going through like human center design training and innovation training as they innovate a lot of these ideas came from the departments kind of having that time to really focus and innovate together as a team. This year we even um asked every department from your perspective what is working in the terms of the strategic plan and everything you do maybe the office of management and budget has worked in on every goal and telling us what's working well what's a rose thorn bud. So, we actually kind of had an organizational X-ray this year to be able to see how our systems even interconnect. So, really going deeper with our um design process as a team and seeing how our team can better um align and work together. And we have some great insights we're going to be working on with the leadership team over the next few months. >> Yeah. And if I can add on to that, in my opinion, the level service and framing of that, it's not just for external communication, it's internal communication within the department as well because level service somewhat has a stigma to it. And what I need to get across to our team is this is a good way to tell our story, get the information out there about what we're doing. It's not a negative thing. We got to be better at our internal communication with telling that as well as our external because if we can adopt and get comfortable with internally, it'll help us out with the external. >> Yeah. And I think and I think you can I think you could have an internal lingo because this is what we're comfortable in the government space of how we speak to each other. But then we have to also be cognizant of how people are also internalizing information and you know I think of even what you said about the human design and innovations what that is to me as a general citizen is streamlining we're streamlining our organization that speaks to the resident if we start speaking like they're going to be like why what is human center like and it is even I said what is human center design what is that Kate what does that mean um you know and and I want to make sure that we're we're being relative to what they hear so I think The internal stuff is important, but ensuring that when we speak about it, we're we're speaking to the external as well and how they're hearing information today, especially after, you know, some of the conversations we heard yesterday and how things are being explained and portrayed to the public as far as service to local government. I think it's really key. Thank you. Anyone else have comments, questions? I think it was a great presentation. Um, I'm really happy to hear about all the um different efficiencies we're looking to go to to streamline all the processes. >> It's a heavy lift on top of all the other things that you guys are already working on on a daily basis. So, but um I really do appreciate the fact that um you're looking to do all these different um efficiencies and uh streamline processes and um get to a level where you're really comfortable with all the project management and and all that. So, thank you very much for that. >> Thank you. >> Um and I know I don't know if there's anyone more excited than you besides me for this public works building. I'm sure your entire team is, but having been here as long as I have and wanting that building to get done is just been a long wait as we all know and it's kind of like you know how we celebrated for cross town and it was that at last this is a even bigger to me a big even bigger at last. So so looking forward to that. So if you can you just remind us of timeline? >> Uh yes. So by the end of this month, we are going to be submitting the advertisement for construction. That would put us in around June to end of June for bringing to city council for approval >> and then by the end of this calendar year, hopefully sooner for the groundbreaking. Great. >> It was kind of fitting that you mentioned cross town because this is where it's going to be at now is on cross town, >> right? And with the building, we really listen to leadership and the Harvard Bloomberg initiative and we are doing everything we can to lead by example on how private development should work in the city. >> Awesome. Great. Thanks so much. >> Thank you. >> All right. BMX operations update. We're getting closer and closer. There we go. >> Oh, look at this. >> Woohoo. >> The the official unveiling. >> All right. >> Good morning, Madame Mayor, City Council, >> Mr. Manager, City Staff, and the viewing public. My name is Brad Keane, parks and recreation director. This is an exciting moment. We are going to stand before you this morning and present the latest update on our BMX all-wheel inclusive track that is currently under construction. There's a lot of exciting things that you'll hear this morning. Uh our agenda will uh focus on the facility highlights and our programming potential. We'll show you an organizational chart, proposed organizational chart with proposed scheduling, uh the proposed operation hours, potential revenue streams, proposed fee structures, proposed rental inventory, proposed point of sale and concession solutions, and construction and branding update. As you can see, it's not just the physical construction of a track coming out of the ground. There's a lot of things involved behind the scenes, anticipating what the operations are going to be like. And I'll be perfectly frank and honest with you, I knew nothing of how to run a BMX track when we first got into this. But one of the smartest things we did is we knew we needed somebody that knew the community, knew the BMX community, was well aware of track operations, had experience, and we were very, very fortunate, smart, but also very, very fortunate to advertise and bring on Mr. Todd Berdick as the BMX track manager and with his experience, uh, I think we're going to literally hit the ground running. >> Awesome. >> So, our update this morning, we're going to, uh, let you remind you that we had a previous update to council in August of 2025 and whereby we provided an early look at the project and the potential avenues of operation. Uh, city council provided us significant insight on the fees, operational models, and staffing. And our department is providing this presentation to provide key updates in these areas and more. And we're also going to give you a quick update on the agreement that we have and we are finalizing with USA BMX. So, some of the facility highlights that if you'll remember, PSL's BMX track will be the only one of its kind to offer scheduled and free public access. most tracks that we have either visited uh contacted for information uh Todd's experience in in his uh professional life. Just about every track that we've come across uh does not necessarily have free access to the public. There there's they the public can access it, but it's usually with a charge or a membership, some type of fee. Um we have an all-inclusive destination. This facility will accommodate bikes, scooters, skateboards, inline skates, and electric RC cars on selected nights. It will have an all-wheel adaptive surface also provide which also provides for lower maintenance leading to higher usability. And we'll have open access during nonsanctioned hours. By that I mean yes we are affiliated or will be affiliated with USABMX but outside of their scheduled practices and races all those time slots uh on the calendar uh we'll be able to program ourselves in which we anticipate offering youth clinics after school programs and even private rentals. And we're also very excited to inform the council that by virtue of the design of PSL's BMX track, we are als we also have a track that meets the eligibility requirements for the United Cycling International uh organization. So that could be two uh either national or international groups that uh will have access to our our facility. And with that, I'm going to turn it over to Mr. Todd Berdick and he will give you the specifics of our new track. >> Hey, >> good morning. >> Good morning. Um, want to introduce myself again. Uh, Todd Berdick. Um, I wanted to say thank you for letting me be here and present what is a truly exciting day for myself. I think this is a really exciting day for the city of Port St. Lucy and also a really exciting day for the sport of BMX because we are literally doing something that has never been done before. Um I want to thank uh my team because I certainly have not done this by myself. Um there was a lot of work that went into um preparing, getting things set up, finding the right people. So much stuff that's happened before I got here that has allowed me to literally step into what I consider to be a dream job for myself. Um, this is a very surreal situation that I'm standing in this format to speak about BMX and I and I'm telling you it's uh it's a dream come true. So, I really appreciate what everybody has done. I want to thank all of you guys for having the forethought and the vision and the open-minded mindedness to take on a project like this. You guys did a fantastic job in hiring what I feel is literally beyond the best track builder I've ever witnessed. the the tech the technology and the mind that he has is literally beyond anything I've ever seen before and I've been around the sport a long time. So I want to really thank you for that because I wouldn't be standing here if you guys hadn't done all that work. So let me start with that. Um going into this uh we were going to talk a little bit about the guiding goals that you guys set forth in the last meeting. Um, one of those being the maximizing use by residents and Brad touched on that with the um, all wheels adaptive surface. Um, that surface and the design uh, type of the track is going to allow us to get far more users on the track and um, and make it a a very inclusive um, facility versus other BMX tracks that have in the past just been available to BMX racers. So, that's a that's a great thing. We I do want to mention that because of this, we are a trailblazer. Um there will be some trial and error and some challenges to solve as we move forward. We're going to be setting precedents for tracks to come in the future. And I truly believe this is going to be an evolution of the sport because this has never been done before. Lots of exciting um possibilities. Um, we did, uh, provide some open ride sessions that are not, like Brad mentioned, not necessarily normal to BMX tracks. Um, providing more accessibility to the public and more accessibility to our citizens. Um, we also provi are providing um, some free access within that so that we can also promote um, help accelerate the program, get more people involved. Um we're going to capitalize on on that by by the fact that we are more inclusive and um being that the revenue potential revenue that we can make from the track is based upon the number of people using it. Those types of uh features that we have built into the program will will generally and and definitely help accelerate that. Um we are making sure that we through um some extensive research and and my experience um are making sure that we're aligned with the best national practices um the way that other tracks have operated. USA BMX operates and um and then just uh experience through um what I've done in the past which is been involved with BMX. I also owned a skate park, so I'm very familiar with uh things that come along with that as well and how to operate those. Thanks, Brad. Um, moving on, we did some extensive research. Um the team also did some research prior to me arriving, but we have had our eyes on uh or I have worked at um all of these particular tracks um and including um our information that we've gotten from our builder um with Action Sports Design, Mike McIntyre, who um like I said, great job on hiring this guy. He is uh his his extensive work in action sports design of tracks, skate parks has gone far beyond um anything that I could have imagined. His his roster of people that he knows. I looked in his phone contacts yesterday and was blown away by some of the people that he calls good friends that are in the industry. Very very influential person and I take his information um greatly and also very appreciated. Uh we also stopped at several other tracks um influential what we consider some of the bigger tracks in the nation to help research and understand and figure out ideas and make sure that everything we're doing um aligns with with what other tracks are doing but also keeping in mind that we are a unique facility in that we are different and we are going to have to make some changes in those uh in those plans. Our organizational chart that we have created um I feel was created out of the need to best fit our unique facility. Um you can see that we have Brad there at the top um uh Kelly underneath Brad and then myself and then we have a track operator. We're looking at um an assisted track operator. And then now this third position is a created position that is specifically for our track due to the necessity of having um for safety measures, for operational measures. Um creating this new position that will be a big part of of how the track operates. Um and then also lastly, our volunteer base. Um there's really no BMX track in the nation that operates without a a decent level of volunteers. Um however, I am trying to staff our track so that we have less of a need for volunteers than other tracks. And one of the things that we're looking at doing that will be really cool um and kind of just play into our whole being uh a a trend setter is that we're looking at doing um 100% timing scoring. So that will eliminate upwards of three positions that we would need as volunteers and be able to do completely 100% digital scoring. That would put us the first track in the nation to do so. And I'm hoping to incorporate and I have been pricing some digital info boards that we would be able to take and take our finishes and put them right on the board in real time right after the races, which is not anything that's been done before. So that's exciting. And um I've spoken with USA BMX. They're supportive of that as well. And like I said, would be nice because it will eliminate a few needed volunteer positions that we have weekly at the track. Um proposed operations schedule, we're looking at um 7 days a week. Um Mondays 12:00 to 9, Tuesdays, Tuesday through Saturday 9 to9, and Sunday 12 to 7. um providing a um a schedule that represents best national practices. Um it does allow for our typical USA BMX schedule. Um also some um maximum usage, some free accessibility will allow us time for for proper maintenance, which there won't be a lot due to the surface of the track, but just facility maintenance in general. And then also capitalizing on um all the potential revenue that could be made by using the track. >> Oh yes. And the and then also we have um the synthetic grass so there won't be any uh mowing that has to go on which I am greatly h happy to hear about that if anybody knows about where I came from. There was lots of grass. Um so uh the operating hours that we're looking at I feel like are are solid and they're proposed if if it's something that you guys agree upon. and I see those staying pretty standard. Um the scheduling the with the programming will be something that I I foresee constantly evolving and changing due to necessity and um demand. So we will we will see where we need to expand programs, where we need to add programs based upon what our public tells us. Um because we have never done this before. Um we don't know exactly what we're going to be looking at as far as participation. However, I feel like from what I'm getting from everybody involved, it's going to be a lot. Um, so moving on to this is a proposed staffing schedule. Um, just to kind of show how we would spread out. Um, the staffing. Uh, this staffing example does not include an assistant to, but uh, because we hadn't originally approved that. Um, and so I would say that by adding that assistant co, we just will have some extra coverage because we have to be in basically three areas at the same time. Having uh registration, having somebody at the track and also having somebody with rentals. So those uh positions will cross. I do plan to have uh lots of cross trainining so that everybody kind of knows what to do. You know, everybody has a can do everything at the track so that we can all change places. potential revenue streams. Um, we did touch a little bit on that, but uh, USA BMX programming, track rentals, which, um, as stated there shows that you can do pro clinics, private lessons, uh, you can rent out the track to race teams, and also birthday parties. Um, our rental program, which I'll touch on a little bit more on another slide. Um, obvious uh, revenue potential there. um additional programming which I think this is probably going to be bigger than we expect. um additional programming outside of USA BMX which involves involves what like what Brad said the RC cars um potential live music after school and summer camps coaching lessons um skateboard border cross inline cross are all possibilities on this particular track with this particular service and uh all falling under our all wheels adaptive ability to be able to allow virtually any rolling wheels on this track um outside of electric bikes. Um, next would be um concessions. Um, and we are still in the process of figuring out exactly where which direction that's going to go. Um, RFP is a is a strong possibility. We also are going to be selling track merchandise potentially. The jersey that you see here, um, and other types of, uh, merchandise that will support some sales for, um, also promoting the track as well. And then sponsorships. Um, sponsorships are a big part of the revenue generating machine for BMX tracks. We'll touch on that on the next slide here. Um, lots of possible sponsorship uh, avenues. Um, you can see here that we we can name the track itself, a title sponsorship, which we saw that um, Rock Hill as our when we did our trip up there for um, research, we found that they do have um, a title sponsorship name. That's a that's something we can definitely look into. Um you have the ability to um name certain parts of the track uh by with different um types of potential sponsors. Um but there uh obviously like looking at the map here, there are a lot of possibilities as far as being able to get sponsors. And I will say that from my experience at Durango BMX, that was literally one of our largest um revenue generators was sponsorship. So that's something we'll definitely want to look at down the road um and and take advantage of. >> So does that have a question. So does that typically happen when does that typically happen in your experience with other parks and with the sponsorships coming in? And the reason why I'm asking is is because should we have this program set up so that when we do open and when those when we get interest we have information to put out about what that sponsorship program looks like. >> Absolutely. I think it would be a good idea to have some sort of a structure. And basically what my experience was in the past is that we had several different tiers levels of sponsorship. um whether it be from a small banner to a large banner to a a corner naming and potentially a banner behind that corner and then all the way up to a title sponsorship, you know, what those potentially might cost um and what they might look like look like as a contract, you know, going forward >> because um we don't want to I would want to be in a position where we're making people or entities, companies wait six months before we have a program in place. You know what I'm saying? I agree. >> We need to say, okay, you want to be a sponsor, here's our full package of what that looks like and let's talk about how we can make that happen. >> I I agree with you 100% on that. >> So, do you think that will be ready by the time we open this spring? >> Absolutely. Yes. >> Yes, mayor. And that's the next part what we're working on and that's why we wanted to show you all of the possibilities even just with the track of where we can actually get a sponsor. So that's the ne next big task list for us to be working on to bring forward and present to the city manager that these are opportunities and then work on putting that out there. >> Dave, go ahead. >> Well, I was going to I was going to say that you know you said you worked at other tracks, correct? >> Correct. >> So certainly you're familiar with the way they they did their sponsorships and naming rights with with those tracks. >> Yes. >> So exactly. >> Just take what you've learned from from everybody else and bring it here. I would pull it from de directly from my experience at Durango >> because I agree with the mayor. We should have that in place before uh but that's very important. If I if I'm if I'm putting up money for for my company to sponsor something, I want to know what I'm getting, >> not just speculating, oh, we might put your banner over here. We might put your your sign here. I I want to know upfront where where my money's going. >> Yeah. I honestly wouldn't consider putting forth that plan without the backend being set up. I mean, I think that's that's 100% understandable. >> Yeah. >> Thank you, >> Madame Mayor. Councilman Picket, um, thank you, Christina, for what you said. She I was going to say exactly what Christina said, and that is now that we're we're focusing on we can see light at the end of the tunnel in terms of completion of the project. Now, we need to start focusing on these revenue type sponsorship type uh elements of the project and we will be focused on that going forward. Okay. Um, talking about our proposed fee structure, um, I've been working on um, coming up with with this, we're looking at um, multiple different ways of of doing this. One of the things we've talked about as a proposed idea is a tiered membership along with a standard entry fee. Um, and then this tiered membership would provide an increased level of benefits based on the membership level. Um, initially I put two different tiers and those are those are, you know, dependent upon the how much they cost. $100 for one, $500 for another. We haven't um finalized that yet obviously, but I like the idea of a tiered membership and that seems to be the standard that I've come across with a lot of the parks in the area. Um, and that's something that I think that would be put us kind of in that best um national practices. Um but based upon the membership level there would be um level of benefits including uh discounted entry fees, free track merchandise like shirts, hats, discounted nonBMX events, anything that we would do out of the uh outside of the USA BMX umbrella. They would potentially have um some discounts uh going forward with that. Also based upon the level of membership and then also some free passes for family and friends based on the level of membership. So, you're getting a perceived value um that allows you to not have to pay as much as the general public and some other things that come along with it as well as having uh a standard entry fee that aligns with what I've seen and what we've researched uh around the country and in Florida. Um the fee structure for USA BMX track coaching lessons and clinics again are based on um national research and experience. Um most of those fee structures are pretty set in generally set by what the rest of the country does as far as um all that USA BMX programming. Um proposed rental inventory. Um I have uh accounts set up. We are ready to purchase. We wanted to make sure that we are providing the top-of-the-line equipment to match the top-of-the-line track. Um, we're going to have a full size uh size range of children for children to adult bikes to rent. Um, including the ever popular and um, always loved Strider program where we will get uh, as many little ones on non-pedal bikes as possible. And that's just been a great feeder program for the rest of the uh, BMX. And and people really love watching it. It's uh, it's one of the more exciting things at the track for sure. The the little guys are fun to watch. I love the trike for us old people. >> Yes. Now that that is >> I want to see you on that. If only you do it with me. >> I'm calling that an adaptive BMX >> and David. >> But I think it is a great idea. It makes total sense. And um Mike McIntyre, the builder, has assured me that we will we could even be able to put a recumbent bike on this track successfully. So, um I'm I'm excited to see that happen for sure. Um the rental program does a lot for us. Um it's as well as a revenue generator. Um it adds to the inclusivity of the track and boost rider count. I've seen this directly from my experience at other tracks. Um it's something that you really need to have and will provide the ability for parents who aren't quite willing to completely jump into BMX right off the bat and want to see their kid have some um some initiative. And that will allow them to be able to, you know, try it out without having to go out and purchase an expensive bike to start. That's funny. I think we should have an inaugural council trike ride when >> I think it'd be fun. >> That would be pretty cool. Um the the rental program is set to outfit customers from toddlers to adults. Um like I said, it's a revenue builder and increases in our rider base and that I've seen 100% directly from my experience. >> Okay. Along with helmets, we will provide a full size range of helmets as well. And I'm going to one of the best manufacturers in the um industry to provide those helmets so that we look uh top of the line across the board. Um, next is our uh construction update video. Um, so I I will I'd like to just update I was out at the track yesterday and um we have there's even some more progress that we uh that was out beyond this video. Um all three all four of the straightaways are completely done. Um we have rebar in two of the corners. Um the pump track is almost completely rebarred and ready for concrete. Um in the meeting yesterday, we were discussing things like fencing and um and landscaping and so the the everything is moving very fast. I've been very impressed with the speed at which these guys have been building this track. In fact, where we are right now is barely 30 days from just over 30 days from the day they actually started the construction on the track itself. Um, so the the speed at which they're having this thing come out of the ground is pretty impressive. Um, few features I'd like to touch on just with the track. Um, obviously the concrete service surface um is uh is something that's brand new. It'll be the first of its kind in the United States and probably with the all wheels adaptability is the first of its kind in the world. um that it's first ever computer completely computer-designed and built BMX track which g which gives it a perfection level that is far beyond anything I've ever witnessed in BMX and I have been around two of the Olympic track builders and watched their um build process and this build process is light years beyond anything that's ever been done. So again, kudos to you guys for finding Mike McIntyre because his his forethought and his ingenuity and his brain is absolutely phenomenal when it comes to designing skate parks and BMX tracks. Really really impressive. Um, as far as uh what's left to do, obviously there's a lot left. We're we're working into, like I said, we're talking about landscaping and fencing, and we've got a building to construct. And um like I said, everything is moving forward and I'm really excited about the way everything's turning out. We we went through about eight or nine different versions of our uh our rental/conession/off bathroom building. Um we're at a point now where I think we've got what is the best design of that. And fortunately through the process is it's even though it took a little longer, it turned out to be better than we ever expected to start. Next proposed branding. You can see as I'm wearing our uh new BMX logo jersey, um communications has been hard at work providing um a new logo. Um and also some ideas, some really exciting branding ideas going forward. One of being the fact that I am going to have all of our track employees outfitted in PSL BMX race uniforms. then a matching helmet um so that we will with a staff on the back so that we will all be very recognizable but also very respected on the track as people who look like they know what they're doing and um I think that's going to be a big step to help bridge the gap between community BMX community and municipality run facility um so I think that's a great thing um along with the raceear um we're going to be doing some other branding ideas and go to the next one some more branding ideas that involve um things of the nature of like a flag. We're uh the wind sock flags. We're also going to be doing a really cool um outdoor building wrap that will be facing when you walk in. Um that should cover the whole side of that building. I'm really excited for that. I think that's going to be super cool and just kind of give you a really good exciting idea of what you're stepping into right when you get to the track. Uh moving on, communications also has been working hard on creating our social media presence. Um we have uh created uh a a domain name and that has been purchased as pslbmx.com. We are going to be uh having a landing page on our USA BMX website. uh their micro site allows us the ability to take registration to post motos um up-to-date BMX USA BMX information membership information all kinds of things that are provided on their site that would be difficult if not impossible to provide outside of their site so we're definitely going to be um taking advantage of that and providing what is pretty much the standard for all tracks use this same site and because of its uh its userfriendly BMX X community is very used to it, very aware of it. Um, also looking at doing Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Um, Instagram tends to be the best for your weekly activity, photos, videos. Um, anything that's fun and exciting. Um, Facebook also is now being used and and within the BMX community kind of the best for weekly information, calendar events, weather updates. So, uh, having a diverse, um, social media presence, it it fits a bunch of the needs and also will help get information to the public that is vital to them and also to the operation. >> And who's going to be running the social media for this? Is this communications? Is it Moren going to be doing it? >> Moren's in charge, but she'll be working very closely with Todd and his team. Todd's had experience running um providing Facebook comment and content and social media content. So, he's got a really good idea of what we need and Moren will be working hand inand with him. >> Okay. >> And I actually did include it into my job descriptions that um all employees will be responsible for get providing some sort of content. um anybody who's at the track on a regular basis and knows what they're looking at will be easily available to provide pictures, commentary, whatever it is. It's it's it's the people that are there daily that can provide that that type of content the best. So, they'll be aware of that. Just pick out your pull out your phone and take a picture. Most people are pretty good at that. Um next, we move on to point of sale. So, we've um we've been looking at the ability to be able to incorporate the track programming, um race and practice fees, camps, clinics, lessons, facility entrance, our rental program, fees, and asset management all through our um existing rec track program that we're all familiar with and um have used and it's a uh what I understand to be a tried andrude um product that will obviously help us integrate directly into point of sale for the track. And that's all I have at this point. If you guys have any questions, feel free. Otherwise, I uh again, thank you. And I could not be more excited about where I'm standing right now and the potential of what we're about to embark on is going to be very exciting. >> Thanks so much. It's definitely very exciting. It's a first. And to use some old terminology, it's great to be on the vanguard of this. um can you walk us through the differences between what BMX is going to be doing versus what we're going to be doing and allowing that public access? So, for example, what is what does that look like? >> So, so um the USA BMX programming typically um and I think we're going to start out a little on the lighter side of what we could what what is a full what we consider a full USA BMX schedule. And um part of that is because I want to see the potential and what the growth of the program will be. And then secondly, we want to have an ample amount of time for what we feel like is going to be could potentially be as big of of of a contributor to the track in this outside programming like RC cars, um skateboard racing, inline racing, um just open accessibility to adaptability. So if if we have somebody with a handicap that wants to come and use the track, having this open ability to be able to have the track open and provide that access to people is not what is the normal in in uh most BMX tracks. Most BM BMX tracks operate with the USA BMX program and then they're closed for the rest of the time. Right. >> So, um we have as we go and I will be developing pro uh programs based upon necessity and demand. Whoever shows up and wants to use this thing, we'll get you on there and if we have enough people that are wanting to do it, then we'll take it to the next level and we'll create a race program or um you know, whatever it is that is is needs to be provided for those particular users. >> So, then you'll be doing the day-to-day, right? Correct. with your team, but then if BMX wants to come in and provide tournaments and racing, then they'll coordinate with you to figure out how to make that happen. >> Exactly. Yes. And we and I've even um started looking at um some outside sports associations um that could potentially be user groups of of the track and bringing those in. And we'd like to even see some of those at our grand opening, you know, to kind of just show what what the possibilities are because I think there's going to be people out there that just don't know because it's never been done. So, >> so then as far as concessions, your team will be doing that. As far as the rentals, your team will be doing that. So, our our team here will be doing all of that except for whatever BMX does separately. Correct. >> Yes, Madame Mayor. There is a possibility depending on which route we take with concessions, we may through the RFP process go with a uh vendor that they would operate the concession stand. But yes, it would be Todd and his staff that operates the rental uh barn, bike barn, uh manning the front registration desk, uh doing the track operations, manning the corners and the turns of the track for safety, all of those things. And typically, and Todd, please correct me if I misstate something here. Typically, as as what I have come to learn is that a typical USABMX type schedule would be two practice nights a week and a race night, whether it be a Friday or Saturday night. All the other hours outside those three nights would be open and available for uh local programming. >> Okay. And then we are providing um the three additional free blocks that we're going to do um that we will do weekly. So that will include a Monday and this is subject to change and I'll propose but basically like a Monday evening, a Wednesday evening and then Sunday we were looking at doing free accessibility to the track as well um outside of outside of our normal um operation hours. And and mayor, if I may, also very important to to mention coaching as well too. Todd can coach himself, but he will be also working with coaches for the clinics and and bringing those type of programmings in in as well because that's a big thing for for those that that want to learn or have never used it or are just beginning and to get them interested in it so it continues them through the life cycle of BMX. A lot of those clinics and coaching. >> Absolutely. And I I plan on having uh having all all if not most I would like to have at least half of my staff as certified USA BMX coaches so that we have the ability to do that coaching inhouse through our own programs versus which we will also do but have outside pros come through that do camps and clinics as well to give a diverse um programming coaching ability uh for for all types of riders from beginners all the way up to advanced riders. Okay. And the other question I have, Brad, maybe you can answer this. So, at a council meeting where we discussed this previously, we talked about parking. We talked about trailers coming in for these tournaments and these these races and things. What have we done to make sure that we're facilitating enough parking? Because, as we know, with every park that gets built, you know, there's always that question of do we have enough parking? And we were just talking about parking yesterday, you know, at the port district. So, have we addressed the trailer parking issue? >> I would say we are in the process of addressing the trailer issue. We have an area that is appears on the conceptual master plan for Tradition Regional Park that was always viewed as a future parking lot uh primarily to facilitate the three grass uh soccer or multi-purpose fields. Uh however under phase one of tradition regional park development that area was not included in the phase one development. We are in the process of exploring how we can at least get that area stabilized so that it can be used for RVs and trailers um on the event or in the event that uh our programming would require that use. >> All right. So, that really needs to happen because here's what's going to happen. We're going to open it. Those things are going to start happening. The races are going to start getting scheduled, especially with the fact that it's new park. Everyone's going to want to come and be here. And then we're going to get complaints about there's not parking for trailers, there's not parking for this, the the trailers are taking up too two spaces. So, I mean, I'm a little disappointed that we haven't figured this out already because in my view, we should have, especially since we brought it up several months ago about our concern, and it wasn't just my concern, it was a consensus concern about the parking. So, mayor, >> I hope that can be accelerated. >> If if I may, um, we are in the process of working potentially with someone on site right now that may be coming to you shortly on the agenda to get this done. So, we are on it. It will it will be ready >> by the time that it's open. Um, we're just finalizing which method we're doing that with, but it should be and staff has been on it. And so, our goal is to make sure that that is stabilized and ready at the opening of the park. >> Okay. >> Madame Mayor, to um your question, yes, we did hear you. We took that in consideration. We were trying to work with a contractor that was there um working through Madame. They said no. So basically, we're having to go on our own to make sure we get that accomplished before the track opens. So that is in process. >> Okay. >> One other side note to that. Um just from from my experience and also from talking with USA BMX, um the types of events that we would have that would require us to have the parking for RVs will only be a state or a national event. Um, we would not be having one of those within the first year of operation just because of the way they they want tracks to have some some footing. They want us to get the program going. So, the potential for these larger events really wouldn't surface until um in in in my experience and what I'm envisioning until 2027 would would be the the first opportunity for us to be on that schedule because they literally will have to um change the state race schedule now because they alternate two different schedules for to get to all the tracks. So, they'll have to redo their schedule to incorporate us, which I know they're expecting to do. um everything that we've done and that they've done to to build this track was with the intent of having state and national races. So, um yes, obviously absolutely important that we do that, but we do have a little bit of time before we have one of those major events. >> Yeah, I appreciate you bringing up the RVs. I wasn't even really focused on that, but that's an excellent point. My thought was the trailers because even, you know, there are people that just have trailers and they prefer that some of their kids have more than one bike, >> right? So they need they bring them in anyway. Um and so just to make sure we had that parking. Dave, did you have something? >> I'm glad you brought the the parking issue up because I was sitting here looking at the picture and I distinctly remember the last conversation that we had. We we brought up parking and parking I I know it's going to be an issue. Um I wouldn't want to spend thousands of dollars on a BMX bike and throw it in the back of my pickup. I'm sure I I I know my personal bike I don't put in the back of my pickup. it goes in a trailer. So, that was my concern. Um, I'm glad it was addressed. Um, the other the other question that I have, um, if if we're going to have BMX competitions, have we considered, um, where TV cameras are going to go and stuff like that? Have >> we thought about that at all? >> So, what typically happens is USA BMX brings in their own filming crew for that. Um, and basically, um, they set up on site. I know that's that's something that is taken into consideration from the builder. Um, but as far as actual specific locations set up for for for filming, no. Um, but like I said, um, my experience is that USA BMX when they come in and do a larger event, they have their own crew. They find they typically set up in kind of the same areas because one day they only film the first half of the track. They don't show the whole track until the main events on the last day. Um, so they kind of have a process in the way that they do that. Um, outside of that, um, I have not had, uh, the experience of being at an event where there was additional, um, coverage, so to speak, unless it was a a news team or something along those lines, and they just basically set up wherever they feel like is the best vantage point to get the shot that they're looking for. >> Yep. >> Comments. >> Hi, Todd. Hello. >> Um, just out of curiosity because I obviously we don't get to talk about the stuff unless we're here. Have I'm assuming Dave, you've been to a BMX race before it sounds like because you seem like you know a little bit more than I even did. >> I'm sorry. >> Have you been to a BMX race before? >> Yes. >> Okay, cool. I figured I was like from what you did. Have you, Madame Mayor? Yeah. >> Okay. It was my first one. Bonn, have you been to one? Okay. So, I never I've never seen it. And part of me as a mother is looking at that really high track because you know when we were discussing um bringing on a BMX track or a skate track um when I was new when I was new on the council we the conversation kind of was all happening at the same time. I got to see Rock Hill, South Carolina and I remember standing at the prefaces of the top of that long um ramp down and I was like there is no way in the world would I ever let my child do something like this. I was terrified of it when I saw it. And when we were going to go back to Rock Hill, South Carolina, and part of that was because of the gold standard of what they do in the BMX um world. They are like the top place to go um to meet with their staff. I I was told Todd's like, "We're going to go watch a BMX race." And I'm like, I okay. I was and I was I had to say I had some apprehension getting ready to watch these kids go around this track. And then Todd's telling me about how slurry is made and how it's like concrete. And basically, we're going to have a concrete track, but if you fall down, it's like concrete. And you know, first of all, I was so so excited when I saw the little kids, like I don't think unless you've seen that that experience, these kids going over these ramps, I mean, was just they were having so much fun. And watching the parents, I mean, I'm talking like three-year-old, four-year-old kids going over the ramps, mom and dad catching them. It's like taking their first steps. It was like the sweetest thing ever. And then you had these other kids that were like 8 years old like flying around the track. And I'm like, "How many people am I going to see get hurt today, Todd?" And Todd's like, "You're probably not going to see." I mean, it's rare, Jolene. It's really rare. And it's amazing how these tracks are constructed, how safe they are, how these kids were taking hard turns, and a couple even fell, got right back up and kept on moving, and they were fine. I mean, so if any parent is afraid of letting their child try USA BMX, I would say go watch a race. Go watch one of our races when it happens. Um, and invite your kids. This is going to be a whole new um just world for the city of Port St. Lucy and our and our ability for our children to diversify their sports. I love baseball. I love football. I love soccer. All great sports, but kids deserve to try this and I think kids deserve to see if they're talented in it. Todd, talk about your championships because you've never talked about that. So, when they say coaching, why should you be coaching, Todd? >> Well, um I am a former world champion. Um I'm also in the Texas BMX Hall of Fame. Um I've been doing this my entire life. Literally since I was seven years old, so well over 40 years now. I won't disclose exactly how old I am, but uh this has been my life. Um and I have raced at well over a 100 BMX tracks. Um, I have been involved in the sport for, um, almost since its inception. So, um, again, kudos to you guys for hiring myself and the experience. >> Oh, thank you. >> We're happy you're here. >> Yeah. And I and I and I uh again I just uh am this is such a surreal situation and I couldn't have ever imagined as a small kid racing BMX in Texas that I would be standing in this kind of a forum with this kind of a job uh in BMX. It's really it's really amazing and kind of full circle moment for me for sure. >> Oh, you better never screw up. >> So or else >> Yeah. >> City manager is going to have a have an issue there. >> Exactly. So the USA BMX portion is like the portion I was the most familiar with, but then the UCI portion is what Todd was explaining to me that's even larger than UCA the USA BMX because it's international. It's worldwide. And when he speaks to the type of racing that's going to be available, what's fascinating and what I was learning from Todd was that UCI UCI is looking at adding the other types of um wheels outside of just biking potentially into their programs, which I thought was really cool. >> Yeah, just at this point is just USA BMX UCI that um that size that international governing body hasn't taken that step yet. Um, it will be interesting to see that there's a possibility that we may see a track like ours in the next Olympics. Um, and I think that with what we're doing here, like I said, we're setting a precedent and this is literally an a step in evolution for the sport of BMX. And I think there's going to be a lot of eyes on what we do here. And um, going forward, there are going to be more tracks like this for sure. And then talking about the track and I think because going now to the numbers which I know everyone is concerned about the residents will be asking about the way that this this track was constructed and learning about how number one current BMX tracks are maintained and constructed. Um when you look at the slurry having to re-slurry the tracks um maintain the lawn all of these things and the reoccurring maintenance that comes with that. Um, it's it's a definite challenge whenever you're trying to at least break even when you create something like this for the public. This track, the way that it was constructed, not only was it constructed in a way that the maintenance would be minimal, the changing of the track is interesting because essentially what I was learning from Todd is if we decide to modify this track and let's say we're going to do something new to it. You literally just cut a section of the track out, pull it out, put the new piece of the concrete track in. the cost to change the track and to make these changes is going to be minimal in comparison to what it cost us to change a a regular dirt BMX track. So, I mean, kudos to the team to public to parks and wreck with the design with working with Todd with kind of thinking that long range of what is that going to look like? How are we going to make sure that, you know, it stays fresh when we do have to change elements and stay affordable? Um people, I'm going to tell you, we were standing there watching the the race um and Todd had his Parks and Wreck jacket on and it said PSL and we had people coming out of the audience coming up to us and being like, "Are you from Port St. Lucy? We've been watching that track. We've been on your website." I mean, people are already coming from out of state to see this track. Um it is a really big deal to the BMX community. Uh, also it looks like your staffing levels, which I think is important to note, Rock Hill, I didn't count how many staff were in the room that we met with, but just by looking at the numbers, we have less staff and we're going to be running this track even with less staff than what they have. Correct. >> I I believe so. Um I it will be close because I I I think they had they had those junior uh employees that that um were part of the staff there um that we have incorporated into our our regular staffing plan. Um but I do it's pretty similar. It it may be just a little less but similar. >> Yeah, I think it's a little less. And then what I loved about it was, and we do this a lot internally that we do need to talk about, but as we're as we're talking to the staff, those staff all perform all types of different jobs. There is not a job that they don't do on that track. So this conversation where people say, "Oh, well, that's all they do and that's all they're getting paid for." you know, they're literally running from having to run concessions to having to run tent city to having to it's it's they they literally run from top to bottom everything. Um sponsorship, I agree with the mayor with the mayor and with um Councilman Picket and I I also think that u Mr. Varios, if you can make sure that your team is working handinand with uh Todd to make sure we get to the legal specifications of how that sponsorship is going to work, I'd really appreciate it. >> Um and then besides the challenge of the RV parking, which I 100% was it was interesting. It was an issue over there too. >> They didn't they did not foresee that, >> right? >> Um so they had to readapt to that. What I loved is their multi-purpose fields were also being utilized for tent city. So, they were able to um host people for those um for those events, which is amazing. The other challenge that we're going to have is that building in the future. And I asked Todd if we're able to um if we had to do a second story to it to go up, we could. The one in Rockill has two stories. Part of that is for track visualization and to be able to see the track. um and the property. But the other thing too is we're going to need a we're going to need tickets, concessions. Um Brad talked about whether we do it or whether we do an RFP. I really as we go down the line, I really want to continue discussing the model of Rock Hill in regards to how they handle parks and wreck. I'm hoping we have been talking about fees. I know and Stephen is also working on to see if there's something we can do with the hospitality uh type of tax. I will tell you they run all their programs and do all their capital improvements based upon this hospitality tax that they're able to collect and they use almost no taxpayer funding to build their CIP out for for parks which is absolutely incredible. But they also do national and state events. Their rec centers are national and state events and they they basically generate their revenue. Um a lot of it is from the fees that they charge. They were telling me they can charge up to I think it was what $1,000 for the weekend for an RV parking space >> um >> at a at a large event what like a world cup or a world championship. >> And to me those are the things that I really want to make sure that we are looking at because the goal is just like we're doing with the Saints that this should pay for itself. >> Yes. and um generate enough revenue to pay for itself. And I think it can, especially since the maintenance component isn't going to be there. I have so much to say on this. Food trucks, I don't want to forget about food trucks. That was a big component too over there that they use for rental revenue. Um this is going to be bigger than what we think. I'm glad that the other the other portions of tradition we still have time to reimagine if necessary. >> Yeah. because this may change the whole game for that particular area. And I didn't realize that until I got to see it in action and how big and what and and the people's response. I mean, even Rockill, which I said is the gold standard was going up to Todd and being like, "So, what are you doing with the track? You're doing concrete. When can I come and ride that track?" like it was just like people were impressed and very curious of how this is going to transition the sport. >> So, >> one of the other things I'd like to mentioned that we um that we took away from Rock Hill that fortunately doesn't cost us anything was their level of hospitality. Absolutely remarkable from the ground up. Everything we experienced there was a level of hospitality that I think is something we should definitely strive for. Um, that's something I took away that I felt like was very important. And again, that's something that doesn't cost us anything. That's something we can do. Um, just by being good people and and having good management and making sure our employees understand that that's that's what we're going to do. >> Here's what's crazy. What's their motto? >> This is where competition lives. >> That's theirs. But what's Rockill's motto? Do you remember? >> I don't. >> Always on. >> Always on. That's right. >> I mean, so their motto is always on. And I will tell you, their staff, the mentality, the hospitality, the focus was we're always on. I I I was I was beyond impressed not just with the BMX, but the organization as a whole and the way that their parks department um attacked the challenge of parks in in the city. That's awesome. >> Mad Madame Mayor, just um >> I'm sorry. Go ahead. Um, as far as the hospitality tax, um, I asked Stephen to start looking into that and we're probably going to be getting a presentation the near future on that. >> Okay. >> And the other part that was not mentioned was that u we all here stand a chance to actually race. So, um, we're going to put a little competition on who can finish first. So, we're going to be looking forward to all of us doing a little race. >> Who's all of us? >> All of us. >> All of you. >> All of us. I'm not racing anyone. I'll I'll do it for a ride, but I ain't racing anybody. >> I'm out of town that weekend. >> No, you're not. >> You are doing the trike ride whether you like it or not. I want to see baby Anthony when he starts, you know, running. >> But what was impressive? You had people in the 60s, 70s, 80s racing out there. That was so impressive. So, you know, I'm just looking around the room here. I'm like, you know what? We stand a chance. >> Exactly. >> There were He's serious. There was Motos. That's another thing I learned was motos was is a different races. Correct. Is that right? >> You had a person doing a moto with an eight-year-old or like say a 13-year-old 14-year-old that was in their 40s. >> I mean, so it it really does. I mean, to see a dad that could be racing with their child in the same race is it's so cool. It really was. It is like it was a real family sport. And that's where I was. >> You see it on TV, you see the pictures, you think it's these rough and tough young kids that are just running around, flying around a track. It's more of a family sport than people would actually imagine. >> Right. >> Madame Mayor, I I was going to thank you, Vice Mayor, for saying that. That was going to be my comment is the one thing that uh I think the the four of us that went to Rock Hill pulled away from there knowing or seeing and understanding is that how the BMX community is truly a familyoriented sport. you to the vice mayor's point, you had kids that were three, four years old on strider bikes and they do their races and they'd pull right around and there's the mom in the women's uh level competition and then the dad would come strolling in and it was amazing. They were all in jerseys and they literally made that night and that was just a Friday night and they literally made that Friday night their family activity and it was really impressive to watch. That's awesome. So, when we're talking about the future with Tradition Regional, and we know that there's a good section of the park that's under the power lines, and we know that FPNL does not allow anything really except for parking under the power lines, and I understand that it may be a little bit further out, but I want to just make sure that um if we can utilize that area for more parking because I don't want to give up other space that we can be using for future ball fields or other types of recreation. You know, that's an excellent point. And if it and if it's that it's far, then we have to plan for getting people to and from that parking area to to this area, the area where the BMX is. Also, our focus is very heavily on BMX. That's what this con um you know, whole conversation has been about. But I don't want to forget that this is supposed to be an adaptive all-wheel park. >> And we we have the skateboarding community. >> Yep. >> And so we have other inline skate we have the inline skating community. So I I don't want to make it seem like this is just for BMX because we've been touting all along. This is an adaptive all-wheel park. So >> surfers >> surfer. Oh god. Don't So So uh let's not forget that as we're having these conversations. um because we want everyone to be able to use it, whoever wants to use it and and whatever types of wheels that they have. So >> 100% agreed and I think you've you've seen a glimpse of that in Todd's proposed scheduling where he has each day, >> right? >> And of course that's very flexible. We can adjust that based on demand. Um another point, excellent point on using the FPNL uh area of tradition for for parking. Uh the vice mayor mentioned it at Rock Hill. And keep in mind Rock Hill was designed as a national and international drawing facility. >> We're state and and local. So we're not quite as big as them, but still we can anticipate having large crowds. >> Correct. They use their soccer fields which are next door, but it's still a couple hundred yards away when they set up their tent city that they call it for for all of their uh uh participants to come in. And >> to your point, Madame Mayor, uh using FPNL rightway for for parking, trailers, RVs, it's not that far of a of a way, a distance away. So that could that's an excellent >> u idea. Thank you. >> All right. Thanks so much. It's been great. Great conversation and I know we're all looking forward to opening day. >> Me, too. >> All right. We are at our break point, so we're going to take 15 minutes. Okay, we are back from break and we are going to get right into our police department high impact plan. Good morning, Chief. >> Good morning. I think we'll roll right into my favorite topic, traffic, bicycle, and pedestrian safety. >> Yay. >> Very, very broad topic with a whole lot to cover. So, I really just wanted to kind of get council up to date on the approach and strategy that we've moved into this year. So, when I took over as chief in late 24, it was very obvious and apparent that we um had issues with the way we were addressing traffic. And my favorite saying is that if you always do what you've always done, you will always get what you've always got. So, uh it was clear that we needed to make some changes. So first change was to get our traffic unit out of side streets and residential areas and into high visibility uh locations where the community would see what they were doing and see the enforcement. So we benefit from enforcement two ways in that regard. One, not just the people who are being educated and stopped, but also the community is observing that enforcement is occurring. And that was that was one step and it was a cultural shift that uh I'm still kind of navigating. You know, the traffic unit is prone to want to be in locations where they can write a lot of tickets because the number of tickets that you write, generally speaking and traditionally, has been the benchmark for gauging performance. And I would argue that point that it's not how many tickets you're writing, it's the quality tickets and the effect that they're having. And I would say not just the tickets, but the interactions with the community, right? So they were prone to go to locations where they knew they could write a lot of tickets. But those locations weren't necessarily areas where we were having a problem, where we weren't having high number of crashes, we weren't having a high number of injuries. But why are we focusing our attention in those areas? So the next thing I did is I brought in um the Santoses last year as you recall on a consulting deal and we upgraded our accountability and our data and evidence-based policing model and uh that allowed me to bring in some new staff members because we had some leave and uh I was started working with our new uh director, training and analysis director and uh planning analysis director and we said Why aren't we applying the same principles to our traffic problem that we do with our crime? Because we've been very very successful at reducing crime, right? And the way we do that is stratified model. So we started trying to say, okay, well, let's figure out how do we apply a stratified model to our traffic issues. So we also at the same time last year realized that we were seeing fatalities on our roadway at a higher rate than we had in the prior few years. So at the end of 2025, we totaled 18 fatalities versus tw uh 12 in 2024. So early on, the driving component that was consistent in our fatalities were right angle crashes and DUI. So if you want to try to reduce your fatalities, you focus on those components. So the right angle crashes were pretty easy. Okay. Intersections that have the highest level of right angle crashes. So we did a lot of research on that as well as we were preparing for the camera program, right? So we said, okay, well, where do we need to be focusing our enforcement, right, where we want to reduce the right angle crashes. So we started assigning intersections as part of our accountability process. And that was a little tough because intersections are very busy. There's a lot of activity and it's hard for a traffic officer to focus their enforcement on just an intersection. So then we did some more research and realized that intersections are influenced by the roadways that flow into them. And instead of focusing on just an intersection, we focus on a corridor, right? And these corridors contain these intersections but influence them heavily. So, we identified the uh most dangerous corridors in the city and we assigned them to the captains over those regions and we began holding our patrol officers as well as our traffic unit accountable for those corridors. And we found that it was a lot easier to get the enforcement in the location that we were directing it to be. And it was really uh improved productivity without demanding productivity be improved. Uh the whole department seemed to really take to it and the early results are very promising. In the last couple of months, we've seen a reduction in right angle crashes in the city. So that being said, we ended up with 26 more crashes in 2025 than in 2024. Considering the number of people that moved into the city, I'd say that's not horrible. but we want to tilt it in the other direction. So, we're going to continue this strategy and approach as we move through uh 2026. We'll keep our accountability model in place and we'll see how that plays out. Traffic unit, I'm continuing to uh redesign how that's operating with the increase in traffic fatalities and my analysis of the what the unit was producing. I recognize that, you know, our long-term investigations, our fatalities were being handled by the traffic unit. Traffic unit is our greatest enforcement component, and they're spending a lot of their time on long-term investigations as opposed to being on the street where I needed them. So, I took a hard deep dive on that. I looked at how other agencies are doing that and I recognize the opportunity to reassign those investigations to criminal investigations division which that's what they do work long-term investigations. So that is currently in the works. We've reassigned a sergeant to criminal investigations. We are now posted for the ths to be assigned. So, I was initially going to add FTEEs to the traffic unit was my first instinct, but then I recognized improving their uh performance would be better served by taking some of the things that they're assigned away from them so they can focus on their mission. So, probably within the next month, we will have the long-term investigations removed from the traffic unit. Additionally, I am moving the traffic unit out from under the district support division in the police department. Reason being is the district support unit provides a wide variety of services to the city and the agency and they have a great number of responsibilities and they have a tendency to grab all their available employees and put them on different missions. So, I noticed that the traffic unit would often be taken and removed from their task and diverted to other places. So they're going to be moved onto the special operations division and neighborhood policing bureau which is completely operational and mission focused. So I think that'll greatly improve their productivity this year as well as in the correct places that we should see the greatest return. So I'm really excited about it. Very simple concept, basic, but you know, again, just thinking outside and taking the opportunity to not assume that the way we've done it for the last 20 years is correct. >> Make sense? >> Yep. >> Uh down here there are some crime stats. I would just add that for 2025, we did see an overall reduction in crime of 3%. In the city, so national level crime is trending down. Uh the crime is amazingly low in the city of Port St. Lucy to this to the point that my two biggest problems greatest opportunities right now to reduce crime are focusing on retail theft and domestic violence. >> Retail theft is the biggest property crime and the biggest crime driver we have in the city right now. when I talk to my counterparts and interact with them across the country and especially in Florida, most of them are focused on reducing homicides and street robberies. So, I consider myself very lucky that retail theft and domestic violence are my biggest crime challenges. Uh, retail theft and specifically our three Super Walmarts in the city are responsible for 25% of all crime reported in the city. >> Wow. And that's something that, you know, we really focused in on this year and something that we are really trying to come up with a strategy. We've done an awful lot of work on it. We focused, you know, if you've gone to one of the super Walmarts recently, you probably came across a police officer. We're doing a lot of directed patrols, a lot of presence trying to deter crime. Walmart is hyperfocused on managing their shrinkage. So they are very actively seeking shoplifterss resulting in a number of arrests because every time they apprehend they call us we come respond we make an arrest our crime stats climb. It is what it is. So we're working with with corporate trying to look at ways to harden the targets within Walmart to make it less attractive, less appealing. But that's an ongoing process we're focused on this year. >> And yes, >> real quick question. And does Walmart prosecute shoplifterss? >> They do. They do. And they do, but they have a threshold that right now they're working on threshold of $25. So anything below. They don't prosecute. They're currently not prosecuting juveniles. So which is okay. You know, we we use the diversion program through the state. So, but it it is what it is. I don't think that the prosecution is the issue. I think the issue is make hardening the target and making it less attractive. So, we're focused on how we can do that. I think that we've proven that the directed patrols are not giving us the results that we wanted. >> So, we're trying to refocus and figure out what that's going to look like. >> No, I appreciate that because, you know, obviously as we see retail theft increase around the country in certain areas, I think there's this discussion of nonprosecution and and I'm and that might I think some people might think they can go in there and probably not get prosecuted, but I think I think that's a good statement. And I hope I hope that that's part of their model is to tell people or you know publicize that they will prosecute if you shoplift. >> So that's one avenue I think we're going to end up having to do for them because I don't think they're going to do that. But locally, you know, within the city at least, it's something that we're going to have to bring awareness to. >> Do we have entities within the city that do not prosecute shoplifterss? >> We do. Target's known for for that. And a lot of them simply look the other way. they won't approach uh Home Depot. I know there's a good amount going on, but they don't aggressively address it either. So, the fact that Walmart's on the radar, it's because they aggressively attack it. >> Mhm. >> Right. But that doesn't mean that the other ones don't have a problem. It's just these are the ones that are being brought to our attention. >> I think that um you know, it's important for retail corporations to partner with police and um and if It's an it's affecting the criminal nature of of communities and they need to be better partners if they're not. So >> yeah, I find it interesting because if you go into a Walmart restroom, you see they have signs on the doors that say if you shoplift, you will be prosecuted. So um >> they will. >> Yeah. >> Domestic violence would be the other that we're really planning to ramp up this year. our approach, you know, how how do you combat domestic violence is something that knows no socioeconomic boundaries and as the community grows, we have more people, we have more incidents. >> So, we're focused on repeat offenders. We're focused on having conversations when we make arrest with our offenders and following up with them, trying to prevent them because they tend to progressively get worse. >> So, you tend to go from simple batteries to aggravated. Uh so they get worse over time. So it's really important to intervene and provide services early on. So there'll be some focus on our um victims advocates this year and some of the things that we're doing with them. And our advocate section hasn't grown in a very long time despite the growth of the city. So it's something I'm hoping to address this upcoming year. It's so difficult because you never know what's going on inside someone's four walls until something happens as evidence of like what happened yesterday. So, um it is is a huge challenge to try to regulate that and then also address human behavior similarly to trying to address human behavior with you know bad drivers just disobeying the law and speeding and you know cutting people off and you know how do you regulate that right? unless you catch them and then you give them a ticket. Um but you know and then mental you know mental health plays a huge factor and it's it's very difficult for government um to regulate that and police departments to regulate that. So it's it's a huge challenge for sure. >> It's difficult but we have to care and absolutely and I think all too often you know government doesn't necessarily care and I know we don't have that problem here. I firmly believe no problem can sustain the assault. uh of con continued thinking. And I think if you just focus on it long enough and engage your staff and engage the community, which is another aspect that we're we're launching, we're going to get community partners involved in our approach. I think uh I think we'll figure out how to reduce that problem. >> Awesome. Madam Mayor, to to your point, I think too, it's interesting because >> is it me? I mean, a lot of times people think of domestic violence, think of a husband and a wife, but a lot of the violence I'm seeing right now is not necessarily spousal. >> It's children and their parents. I'm seeing a lot of other types of domestic violence in the home versus just the the husband and wife. >> Dating violence as well a few years back was added to the statute. So, >> what was it? >> Dating. >> Dating violence. >> So, you don't have to be married. You don't have to live together if you're in a dating type relationship. that's considered domestic violence as well. So, >> yeah, >> I just wanted to touch on that because it's a it's a much broader category than just a husband and a wife. >> Um, and I do agree that mental health is a huge issue. Um, I just got through leadership, which I know all of us have done up here and um, you know, there are there's still not enough resources though and I think that's in our county conversations um, in the future. I think getting an update of the efforts that they're doing to um to help I think is important because I know they work with New Horizons and um other entities because it's it's a big problem. It's a nationwide problem. It's a human problem. Um >> and we're not immune. >> We're not immune. And I think that's the biggest thing is is getting that message out. Just because you're having a challenge in life doesn't make you weak. >> And you know, everyone should find a way to seek help. But the question is, do they know how to seek help and where can they seek help? And I think we could probably do a better job communicating that as a as us as a council, as a city, and I think it's important. >> Agreed. So that's going to be part of the multi-tered approach that we're going to take to it. >> Awesome. Thank you, Chief. >> Pleasure. And then I have the training facility, which Roger really touched on in great detail. I'll answer any questions if there are any regarding it, but we're on we're on track. We're on target and I expect the building to be turned over to us late March and we're looking forward to hopefully a ribbon cutting in June sometime, late June. By that point, we should be able to have it furnished and all the equipment up and running and it'll present nicely. Real time uh public information center is already underway. The location is the old training room in building B. We have worked with HJ High to utilize savings from the training facility project to plan that room and do the actual construction. And we are in the process of working on a contract to purchase the hardware that needs to go in it to run it. So, we're hoping that this summer we should be having that coming online. It's already coming online, just not necessarily in that location. and the software is up and running. Uh we're working with it. We're in the process of connecting cameras throughout the city to it. Uh we have the air docks for the DFR drone as a first responders being delivered as we speak. We should have two to three of them online in the next few weeks and we'll start training pilots on those uh on the operation of those. So the project's very much moving forward and on track. Chief and Mayor, if I may mention, um, we want to thank Representative Overdorf for his support and it is in the in the House budget, funding for the expansion of the drones first responder program. So, we're very grateful for that and hopeful to get to the full funding amount through the budget negotiations. We actually have four active projects in the budget, the most I've ever seen. So, we actually have four between the House and the Senate. So, we really want to thank our delegation for their support. Thank you. >> Awesome. >> That's great. It is. >> I want to say I think that's all I've got. There we go. I knew there was something hiding there. Recruitment and retention. We've been very successful. We are currently fully staffed counting our current academy class. We've got a class built out for August to meet the upcoming year's needs. Simply put, now that we're caught up each year, we monitor the budget process, determine how many FTEEs, if we're adding to the agency, determine how many retirements we're anticipating. They're not surprised now with the drop. So you have everybody's end dates and you build a class to fit the need for the agency each year. >> Awesome. >> Uh pilot red light camera. Where are we at with that? >> So you should see on the agenda sometime in March the uh contract with Vera Mobility to install those cameras and uh do a lot of the work on that project for us. We've also got two contract employees in the process for implementing and operating that program. So I think the July August window should be realistic for having that project up and running as well. >> All right. Awesome. Any comments or questions for the chief? >> Yes, I do. >> See a big smile. >> Vroom vroom. Um ebikes and golf carts. You know, I'm going to say it. Oh, I thought you were going to throw it at me. >> No, I I need some water for that topic. That one's >> um I'm I'm noticing and I'm sure I'm not the only one. Uh ebikes are much more prevalent now and I don't believe we have any local ordinances in place. Um, which I have noticed that throughout the state more and more cities are putting local ordinances in place in regards to the ebikes. I'm noticing young children, of course, everybody is young to me, riding around on those on the sidewalks at a fast rate of speed. Now, I know that people think that if a car is speeding, it's doing 85 down your road. It's not. is doing probably maybe 30 or 25, but it just seems like they're going extremely fast. They're on the sidewalks. They just jet out at a stop sign when a car is coming up and it it's just like it happens all of it. They don't stop. They just keep on going. Not they some don't, some do. I don't see any helmets. um the ages and then I'm seeing more and more golf carts especially going to the schools to pick up children and taking them home and they are not road ready and I'm wondering are we doing anything with that or be are we being proactive and can even the SRO's assist because they're the ones that are seeing them picking them up but >> think yeah I know >> um you know I meant to touch on this when I was talking about traffic because it it lends to the conversation I had about fatalities because late in the year we did start seeing a tick with fatalities with ebikes. Okay. mostly because they're operating on sidewalks at about 28 to 30 m an hour and failing to make navigate turns and they slide out into the roadway and we've had a couple late in in the year with that and Christmas came and then it was like overnight the number of ebikes in the city tripled >> and it is a very large problem. Yes, we're proactively enforcing but we can barely scratch the surface to be honest. We're heavily outnumbered there and there's just way more of it than we can go out and enforce. But what do you enforce, right? Because the vast majority of them are legal. They're being operated legally. They're just not safe. Our sidewalks aren't designed for vehicles that travel 30 miles an hour. Yet, they're legal on the sidewalk. So, what do you do? Yes, you mentioned an ordinance. I've spoken to other police chiefs who are managing situations where they had the ordinances. What it did is pushed the bikes off the sidewalks and into the street and they're getting killed at a higher rate. So, I don't know that I know what the answer is. We're in the process of navigating that, evaluating it, and trying to figure out the best approach to take, but I I can't honestly say I know what the answer is at this point. It's a big problem. We know the golf carts have been a problem. They're a problem because the people that don't have them are furious with them, and the people that have them are angry when we enforce it. Well, we just have to enforce the law that exists, right? And that's the approach that we take. Again, there's a whole lot more of them than there are of us. And the we've done a lot to communicate to the community, you know, what the laws are because a lot of people just simply don't know. You know, they don't understand why they can't run their golf cart across across town parkway. It just it baffles you, but it's true. So, we've done a lot to educate and we've done all the enforcement we can. We've adopted a zero tolerance model, but the problem persists. So, if we always do what we've always done, we're always going to get what we always got. So, we have to come up with a game plan, >> right? I I think it's real critical and it's going to get worse before it gets better. I'm sure like you said at Christmas um I'm seeing a lot more of them uh on on the sidewalks which personally I don't think they belong on the sidewalks but like you say then you push them to the road and we don't have bike lanes in certain areas and it's going to increase the fatalities. So it's it's darned if you do and darned if you don't. Um, but it's just something to to keep the finger on the pulse and I'm sure you're doing that and I know that there is I was just looking up there is something in House Bill at session this year on it, but it just seems like we need to be really um keeping our finger on the pulse and watching because other cities are doing the ordinances and we don't want to fall behind the eightball. I think we need to be proactive about it. So, thank you. >> I agree with you. We'll keep working on it. >> So, yeah, I agree with with regard to ordinances, but what we always have to keep in mind is that we have ordinances, but but how much enforcement can you really do? Because if you're not out there and an officer is not seeing it and they don't have that discretion to see it, then you have a trouble holding those people accountable, right? Because by the time it gets called in, those people are already long gone. So there's always that that challenge of you put the laws in place, but if you don't have the means to really enforce it, it's just paper on the books, but it really doesn't mean anything. So what does that line look like? Um, and I know um, and I'm really grateful for um, Officer LGrega. He is out there in district support educating the communities on a regular basis on golf carts. I know he was just in Del Webb. I know he was recently in in Riverland. And so one of the things is um it's great cuz he has the ability to get out into those communities and they provide the people, but it would be great if there was like a general one held where we can invite the general public in and maybe not do it so much in I mean keep doing it in the gated communities, but have him be able to invite the public in to give a presentation to, you know, the general community and say, "Hey, we're doing uh educational component on golf carts." Right. That's that's a great point. Um, and I get with the gated communities where I live, >> it's the it's the neighbors. It's the neighborhoods and they don't have the benefit of having that. But it's also maybe partnering with all of these golf cart companies >> that it's all about the almighty sale that may be partnering with them for safety. >> Yeah. Well, if that's you know, anything's possible. So, >> Right. for sure. >> Everything's possible to consider all the opportunities we have to improve the situation. It's >> haven't found the answer yet. And you know what I've seen is it's a delicate balance that everybody's trying to navigate and I haven't seen anybody come up with the answer yet. >> Right. >> But it's something that all municipalities in the state are navigating heavily in Florida and I imagine most of the country, but here the golf carts are a big issue. So, >> and now with the e- motorcycles, >> you know, it just took it to a whole another level. We have children on vehicles that can travel up to 80 plus miles an hour. >> And then what happens if you try to stop them? They run. >> Mhm. >> And they run on those from a police officer. >> Yep. >> So, we won't pursue them. >> Right. >> And of course, there's no helmet law in Florida either, >> which for motorcycles, >> right? But >> if you have insurance, >> right? But how many people are voluntarily putting on helmets? People don't like them. So >> I certainly don't want them to run from us and get killed, >> right, >> without a helmet because it's a problem, too. >> So you you you mentioned a great thing with the helmets. So I know that on an ebike, if they're under the age of 16, they're supposed to be wearing a helmet. How how how do you know how old they are? Right. >> They're going to tell you, "Oh, I'm 16." And they're 12 >> because I can't tell. >> You usually have to call their parents. >> Yeah. It's a It's a >> It's hard. >> It's combo. It's very difficult. I understand. >> When when they're violating and we can get in touch with them and stop them, then we generally bring their parents out and and with the e motorcycles, we're we're seizing them because they're unregistered vehicles that require registration. and we're educating, but that's about the best tools we have at the moment. >> Right. Filling that. Thanks. Um, thank you, Chief. And, uh, Council Morgan, I think you you bring up an excellent point and I know I've witnessed the same thing with the ebikes and the different modes of of travel, but I do think that we do have an answer. It's just not right now in the sense of how our plan works with our mobility plan. I we need to continue to make sure that we have where we can that motorized path with that non-motorized path. Um and I've seen it in many cities. I know I'm sure everyone that's gotten to go to different cities has traveled and seen the areas that have like a bike path or a scooter and they have like a little scooter sign on the thermoplast or a walking pedestrian. And where I've seen it and I've experienced it, I I haven't really seen at least I haven't experienced an issue. People tend to follow those directions. If it's a pedestrian path, they're on the pedestrian path. If it's a bicycle path, they're on that path. If they're on the motor path, they're on that path. Is it 100%? Probably not. But having the availability of the pathway and where people can go is critical. And so my my thought is is if it's not happening now, I think it'd be amazing, Chief, as we continue to see these challenges and you're so good with picking finding the hot spots. Are there hot spots where we see more of this? And is it an opportunity for public works to potentially maybe put um a higher um prioritization on creating those pathways or is there temporary pathways that we can create while we're waiting for the full buildout of the road since we're trying to do a complete street? Um, you know, I there may not be solutions for all areas because some areas don't have appropriate w right away, but you know, we can at least start to attack it if you know it may not be you like I'm thinking of even I've been to certain areas where they have they've put asphalt down next to the sidewalk temporarily until they do their complete street and they have their motorized pathway there. Is there something we can do like that, Cole, as we start to have more and more of these challenges? >> We can definitely look into that. Um, one thing that we have to consider though is the cost because doing some of these temporary pathways cost approximately half to 60% of what it would cost to do the permanent. So, it become a funding constraint there. um we can definitely look at it and I've even seen some other newer materials and I'm curious how ADA is going to be looking at them as far as um recycled tires that they're using for pathways and whatnot and you know if they come together like Lego blocks is what the manufacturer selling I'm not sold on them yet but got to you know do some research and see if that is a viable option to look into and then one thing we'd also have to look at for all these different types of pathways as you mentioned with the rideways is we like the complete streets and lush landscaping and street trees. So, if we're going to try and start adding more pathways, some of that might have to be sacrificed for these pathways. But I'm open for all these discussions and willing to figure out what path forward we want to go together with it. >> And that's why I think the data is important because then we can say, you know, we can narrow it down and and pick those sacrifices where we need to. And the other thing that I've seen and I think in West Palm I've noticed it a lot too is they're starting to instead of going next to the sidewalk they are using the roads but they're sequestering a section a roadway whether it's chicanees or other or ballards where it's protected pathway on the road and kind of shifting the lanes a little bit. But >> yeah, to that point, it's in some of the bigger cities and, you know, really out west where you see like dedicated lanes for trolleys and buses, they're essentially converting that and using smaller lanes for, you know, golf carts or I should say low-speed vehicles and electric bikes >> because I think the stuff is here to stay and I think as much as we want to try to enforce um it's going to be used, the question is to Council Morgan's point the safety of it. Um, and I just I feel like I feel like the goal too is to get people off the road. Traffic is so high and people complain about traffic. We can anticipate two things. People utilizing that form of mobility to be able to avoid traffic and then also people that may not have the money to have a car or insurance >> to be able to get to work to need to utilize that type of traffic. And so, um, it's only going to I think it's only going to increase as the city grows and we just need to I think we need to provide the pathways and and try to expedite those, Mr. city manager whenever possible, >> which >> where they make sense. >> And vice mayor, you bring up a great point because these alternate modes of transportation, they're going to keep growing in my opinion, but it also comes at a detriment to the roadways because what helps pay for the maintenance gas tax. >> Correct. Right. >> These alternate modes, they're not paying into that and we're going to have to figure out that hurdle as well, just like with the electric vehicles. >> Yeah. That's why data is so important, too, right? is as that becomes more of a more of a funding issue mechanism and we begin to advocate in Tallahassee to, you know, to modify how they're doing their gas tax or how they're figuring out maintenance for cities. You know, having that data is really important, too, to say we have x amount of thousands of people that utilize this form of transportation. >> So, I I'll just add I really think the crux of the problem is that our laws haven't caught up to these electric vehicles yet. >> True. >> Okay. I do not >> Yes. I do not think that children should be operating motorized vehicles on or around our roadways. I don't think it's safe. I don't think they have the maturity. I don't think they have the experience and training. Unfortunately, lawfully they can. Currently, the biggest area that we get complaints about the ebikes right now is St. Lucy West Country Club Estates, Cascades, Magnolia Lakes because right up Kashmir you have all the schools, right? So they cut through these gated neighborhoods impacts going to schools and it really upsets especially in the elderly communities uh because it interferes with the golf cart traffic. I mean it's it's bizarre but it it's true. And when they do it, they're immature and they are inconsiderate >> and they like to take shortcuts. And you know, they're kids, so if they can cut between two houses and bypass the street, >> that's what they're going to do. They take the, you know, shortest distance between where they are and where they're going. >> Mhm. >> You know, so it really comes down to a maturity thing. And some people say, "Oh, well, they're just kids. Weren't you a kid once?" Yes. But I I didn't have motorized vehicles like this either and and the and the amount of them, you know. So, I really think that it's putting these vehicles in the hands of children who really shouldn't be operating these things at this point is is the biggest problem and I think eventually that's the realization that the state has to come to and deal with. >> Thank you. Yeah. >> So, how it's interesting. I serve on um the board for Safe Kids of St. Lucy County. So, I'm going to bring this up as a topic because they always do bike safety and helmet safety. I'm wondering if we could not partner up with the school district because I've gone by schools and I see the ebikes and their bike racks. >> And it's that's that's where you get them. >> I agree. >> So, >> I'm thinking the same thing. Is there an opportunity to work with the school board there? >> Yeah. Thank you. Good. Great. Any other I think Colt was gonna say something else. >> Oh, go ahead. >> Uh, Council Morgan, I appreciate you mentioning the bike safety and bike helmets. Um, one initiative that our department has done is they've worked with DOT and they've actually gotten uh lease Emily Cider certified to fit bike helmets. And so at the citizen summit, we're able to do that. Um, we've also received some um, interest from other departments to do that and start hosting certifications. And if Miss Cider is able to do another certification training, then she will start being able to train other city staff to be able to do these bike fitting helmet and start spreading that safety awareness. >> That's that's awesome. And of course Rhonda heads up that with Safe Kids and hopefully >> if the safety village ever gets built in my lifetime that is going to be a a main um area of that but I know that she does that too. But thank you. >> Great. >> Thanks Chief. >> Thank you. >> So I know we have some um people from um other organizations here to present. So Kevin, we're going to skip utilities for right now and go to uh Village Green Drive. We'll come back to you. We're not going to forget you. We're just going to come back. So >> Oh, there's Flash. >> Good morning, everyone. How's everybody doing today? >> Um, >> good. How are you? >> I'm doing okay. I'm actually really excited to be here right now with our partners from Co Pepper Interpreting, the design team for the Village Green Drive corridor revitalization. Uh, we're going to get into it after this first little part of the presentation, some of the history and how we've gotten here, but I think this is one of those times where you can celebrate a great win and see some really big things in action. What we have for you to start off with is a rendering of where we are at with the design for the Village Green Drive corridor as it relates to the revitalization and connects to the Walton and one. So without further ado, get ready. >> All right, we're ready. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Well, if you just give us some time here, we'll run you through some information and then if you have some questions and want to discuss along the way, we'd be happy to. >> Sounds great. >> And with that, Steph Matthysse with CNT here to run you through it. >> If I may hop in here real quick. >> Mhm. >> Vice Mayor, you're talking about protected bike. >> Protected bike pass. I saw them. I was like, there you go. I mean, wow. I mean, what a plan. I can't wait to hear more. >> Good morning, Steph. Great to have you here. >> Good morning. Thank you so much. Um, by way of introduction, Steph Matthysse with CPEP Interpreting. Um, I'm here with my design team. Um, and first of all, we want to thank you for being given us the opportunity to partner with the city on the design of this project. Um, what you saw prior to my presentation here really was hopefully to give you some context on where we are with the design process and it may be able to um come up have you come up with some comments or questions as I go through my presentation. Um, what I'll be presenting now is where we are in the design process. Um, we'll also have a couple of locations where we would solicit some uh discussion from the council on some of the design parameters. And with that, let's get into it. So, why does Village Green Drive matter? Um, the St. Lucy County TPO in 2018 ranked Village Green Drive is the number one priority out of 137 Carters to become a complete street project. The key connection is a key connection for residents, businesses, medical, and your new entertainment district. It serves both the original and revised CRA as well as the Walton, the new Walton one vision. It improves safety and mobility for all users with an emphasis on pedestrian and bicycle traffic. It supports economic development, quality of life through the design which actually decreases social, economic and environmental impacts. Little bit of project history. The city commissioned the master plan design in mid to 2020 which of course coincided with COVID. Um, a lot of work was done during that COVID period which included canvasing days, business outreaches, walking audits, documenting the conditions. You had two publicformational meetings. You had a stakeholder meeting. Um, you had a public survey with 318 responses which helped shape and define the actual master plan document. It culminated in the citizen submit summit public workshop which finally culminated in the master plan being approved by both the CRA and this council in July of 2021. The master plan document is the guiding document for the design that we're working on. A little bit of history of where we are now. Um we started with the design phase in June of 2025. We made our 30% design submitt November 25th. It it came right after our first publicformational meeting where we had over 50 people come out and give comments and listen to the presentations. We do ongoing coordination with city staff as well as the high performance public spaces on a monthly basis. Um we are in the process of doing the 60% design which right now is a great time to solicit any comments you may have. Those design plans are due early May. Um upcoming the 90% designs will be due in September. um issue for construction package in late October. Um this all falls within the grant funding requirements and designs where permitting needs to be completed by December 31st, 2026. Let's talk about funding a little bit. The city procured a raise fund grant in August of 2024 to the tune of $2 million to do the design of this. RAIE stands for rebuild America's infrastructure with sustainability and equity. The raise grant has very certain specific requirements that you need to do to implement within your design. We and those include complete streets, safety, and multimodal criteria. Our 30% design plan satisfied every issue of that grand intent. What that did was position the project to compete strongly for future construction grants, which I understand the city's in the process right now putting together. City investments also leverage those and protect those federal dollars. >> Stephen, real quick, I just want to pause here and I think was it was it Marlin the one that helped do the walking >> Marlin? Marlin did Marlin was the the author of the master plan. >> Yeah. So kudos to them because this federal grant is next to impossible to get for planning purposes. It is usually only a construction built grant. Um we were told early on when Kate and I was were meeting with people on the federal side, you're probably going to get construction. You're going to have to pay for the planning. Marlin and you know CNT, I know you all work together. um you provided us a plan that when we presented it to the federal side, we were able to obtain this grant, which is a huge lift. So, thank you so much, >> mayor, vice mayor, by mayor. Um, just thank you for for that because I think that it has been a it's a very challenging um feat to be able to obtain this first federal grant which now and I'm very grateful to the design team and the timing of the most recent build announcement because we actually can now pursue federal construction funds to the tune of about $24 million that really um having that initial grant really allows us to kind of clear a path to construction dollars. So the work of the team really is leading us to really benefit the city and of course reduce the burden on the general fund as well in terms of funding this project. >> And I can't thank Congressman Mass office enough too because their whole team has been behind it as well. So >> So what what allow what were the the impacts that allowed that grant fund to be incorporated and and received by the city? You have gaps in sidewalks. You have bike facilities that go nowhere. You have unsafe crossings. You have crash history and speed concerns. There were over 160 total crashes recorded in this corridor in the last five years. 93.7% of the vehicles exceeded the 30 mph in a speed study that was conducted. You have environmental constraints that the hog pen slew discharged into an impaired water body in the North Fork St. Lucy River. We have new water quality rules that have to be met and and we also have transit stop that lack in amenities or ADA compliance. All those things were contributors to getting that grant. So the project breaks down into three distinct segments. The first segment, the northern gateway, I consider the industrial section runs from US1 to Camino and you saw that you saw all this on on the video. The second segment, which is called the trails connection, really is your transitional zone between your industrial and your entertainment corridor. The third segment runs from Walton to Tiffany, and that really is your recreation entertainment corridor at Walton one. Look at it a little more closely. The northern gateway really is the most constrained segment you have. You have a limited right of way to do work in. Um, we have to find ways to get gate the gateway at US to tie into cross town. We have to provide safer access to the industrial and commercial parcels. We're doing median treatments and an access management plan that is consistent with the master plan. Um, we'll look for opportunities for branding, signage, improved aesthetics, and we're going to introduce bioers exploration systems, which we're going to talk about a little later. Segment two, the trails connection, which I think is kind of a transition zone. Um, we're going to provide protection and enhancement of the Hogpen Slooh and those drainage corridors. Uh, we create a green shaded connection between neighborhoods. Um, we're going to implement a roundabout or some other enhanced intersection at Camino del Andrada for the Spanish Lakes residents. And once again, we're going to provide a bioell in the median. Segment three, the recreational way. This is by far the area that has the most opportunity for imp for improvements outside of the road rightway itself. Um we have we'll be implementing a linear park and a trail experience around the Waltman one and the lake on the east side. Um we'll be able to provide safer access to the event center and the Woodsto Trail. will increase the road capacity to a four-lane roadway in in connection with the expansion that Walton and one is seeing. We're going to provide some flexible event space. We're going to provide improved access and circulation to the ACA hospital entrance as well as the medical offices surrounding it. And again, a bio swell. So, here's a couple of slides that really are kind of showing what these sections will look like when it's done. segment one with the constrained rightaway you see in the top upper leftand corner. We're going to need to use a combined multi-use pathway where the the bikes and the pedestrians have to share the area. It's going to be 12 foot wide, but we don't have enough room to separate them. The bus stop that you see below will have to have on street stopping for the buses as opposed to the bays that we can implement in the other sections. We will be able to provide enhanced safe raised crosswalks and accesses to the Hogpen boardwalk and we're going to provide as much shading as we can for those pathways. The second segment um as you can see in the upper left we now can introduce an actual separated um bike lane that separates bike from pedestrian and roadway traffic. uh we have the opportunity for public art and because we have much more rightaway specifically in in the roundabout for the entrance to um Spanish lakes. We will provide a much more enhanced shaded pathway for the pedestrians to be able to walk to and from places. And in the lower right hand corner you can see a little exhibit of what a bioell median will probably look like. Segment three which is the industrial way. You can see in the upper leftand corner we have the ability to provide an event space and an area as well as an esplanade adjacent to the lake. Um this the big difference in this area is the amount of space and area that we have to use to provide those extra enhanced features. So we talked about a bioell. So what is a bioell? Um it's a landscape storm water treatment area within the roadway median. How does it work? Roadway runoff enters the curb inlets. Water is routed to the bioell in the median. It rises through the soil and plants where underground exfiltration systems allow infiltration as well as root uptake by the plant material. Why we're using it? It helps us meet the new South Florida nutrient removal requirements that came into effect at the end of the year which reduces nitrogen phosphorus before discharge to hog pens and the north fork. very low maintenance, no fertilizer, limited mowing and native lowmaintenance plants are used. The benefits, it improves water quality naturally. It uses existing median space without additional rightaway needs to provide that. It looks like landscaping, but it functions like infrastructure. Once again, stop me anytime you have a question. Um, so marrying the roadway to quality of life is the landscape and streetscape that's going to be provided with the project. We are at a 60% design right now. So, we're in the process of just scratching the surface and how that's going to work, but we do know that there's going to be varying landscaping intensity within each corridor. Segment one will have low intensity with emphasis on shade, user comfort, and buffering. Segment two will be a more medium intensity focusing on protecting the multi-use pathways, separating the linear park characteristics, public art, elevated connections, and storm water improvements. Segment three, a more high intensity featuring the multi-use pathways, linear parks, the flexible event space, connections to Walnut One and Lake Edge activation. Streetscape elements will integrate with landscaping, including benches, public art, waste, and pedestrian amenities. Landscape buffers will be designed to enhance the user experience with separate act which will separate active and vehicular spaces. Solar powered lighting will be coordinated with streetscape landscape features for safety and sustainability. If you remember back the raise grant is sustainability and equity. These are the measures that we're doing to meet those grant requirements. So here's the first um opportunity for council discussion. It it really is centers around the entrance to Spanish Lakes. The master plan called for a roundabout entrance. Um so the what you see here is consistent with the master plan. Um it allows for steady flow of traffic at intersections. It increases traffic coming and it creates public art and gateway opportunities. An option to cons to explore and to consider is a peanut um which is under evaluation to see if it's beneficial. But the benefits we see it allows for steady flow of traffic at the intersection. It imp improves the truck access to the northern industrial area as you can see in this this slide. It increases traffic calming. You have two trafficcoming elements instead of one. And it creates two public art gateway opportunities. Considerations that you got to think about is maybe confusing to some residents because there's not one anywhere here, you know, in the southeast of uh Florida and it needs clear signing and education. So, I'm going to pause here for a minute to see if I have any input or or comments or discussion from the council on a preference on which way you think would be better. >> So, I have a question between the first one and the second one where you say improves truck access to north industrial area. So, to me that seems like it would be important. And so, what is the issue with the first option? How much how much of a detriment does it cause truck traffic? Because if we're talking about mobility, yeah, we want to make sure that we're make all vehicles have ease of travel. So, right, that's important. >> If you take a look at the screen, I went back to the first slide because of the way and the distance that industrial um roadway is in close proximity to the entrance, we have to median. So, we can't have a left turn out of that side street. We can go right in, right out, but it forces any vehicle that comes out of that industrial section to go south. >> Okay. >> Um >> I see that. >> Whereas >> Oh, that's a pointer. I mean, >> oh, look at that >> right there. So, we have to create a median there. If we go with the peanut, it gives those vehicles a better chance of getting in and out at the industrial oops roadway. As you can see, we have median opening here to get a left in and then it can still circumn and go out to cross town. >> So, I'm always about do it right the first time. I agree >> because otherwise we can have a scenario where we say we should have, would a, couldn't, but we didn't. So I say do it right the first time, but hear from everyone else. >> At the bottom part of that peanut where you're talking about the um trucks coming in out of there, is that where the all the movers companies at? >> And and if it isn't, what what is the amount of truck traffic? >> They're actually south of there. Um the amount of truck traffic at that intersection right now is probably 25% of the traffic that enters and exits the the entire industrial area. >> Okay. >> So if if we don't do this then the vehicles coming in from the south will need to go comp a completely different route. Question when you give me the percentage that tells me that that it is needed. So, thank you, >> Steph. >> The I I totally agree with the >> I don't like the word peanut roundabout option. >> Oval. >> There you go. >> Um, but I know that and I don't know how many are familiar with the Oval Roundabout that is located in Port Solerno on Southeast Dixie and St. Lucy Boulevard is very very well done, I would have to say. And I see a lot of heads shaking of people that do live down there or have been down there and it would I think would look better than this. But um just a thought that that because I had seen Oval somewhere and I totally agree with it. But that one's one you may want to look at and kind of follow there. >> Yeah. The the the biggest difference between that and this peanut option is the peanut option introduces an additional level of traffic calming by making a vehicle actually >> drive around a couple of different rather than very straight around what happens down in Port Serno. It it slows traffic down even more. And for all the turning movements that we have there, that's probably a better thing than having a straight oval. I like I like I agree with what you said, the should have, would a, could have, we should have done that and I agree, especially with the truck traffic. I would go for that one >> and as revitalization continues that may we may have more businesses going in. So, comments? >> Um, yeah, I'm I'm leaning towards your uh the peanut option if that's what your evaluation ultimately decides as the recommendation. Um, you mentioned there are none in Southeast Florida. Is there any reason why? Um, >> no. It's just it's it's fairly new. There is there is one that's been implemented in Lakeland. Where is it? >> I found it. >> So, it's on on the in the southwest coast, there is one that's been implemented. And in the very beginning, um, from what I read about it, it was um difficult, but as people understand how to navigate it, it became more and more accepted. >> Where are they most common? >> They're fairly new. Fairly new altogether. >> Fairly new. >> Fairly new all over or fair? >> Fairly new all over. >> Okay. Well, in Europe they do it, but fairly new in the United States. >> Well, there's your answer right there because they have some great roadway systems in in Europe >> as compared to what we have here. So, >> if if you look at the amount of roundabouts and these kind of roundabouts in Europe, it it far exceeds what we have here in the United States. >> Yeah. Um I'm I'm good with number two. I just have a question. So, I think the only when we're using truck traffic, the only concern is is that sometimes these roundabouts, how is it going to be built to ensure that the truck isn't riding on the roundabout? Um, so what you have on the roundabouts is actually the inside, the gray area that you see in the picture, that's actually um an area that the truck wheels can go up on. designed to be able to do that so that the larger trucks can actually go around and circumn it and not disturb disturb the traffic in the other lane. >> Yeah. I just I just want to make sure that that that gray area is is wide enough that way we're not going on the then you're going to have your design and then you're going to have landscaping. Um I'm good with that. The round the oval at Festa um that was just built was you know confusing. and I live in that area was confusing to residents at first. Um, but once they got used to it, they were fine. I think this one though, like when we talk about signage, um, even if it's at first, so people get used to it, we're going to need a lot of signage, just because of the amount of traffic. I mean, Flores has a lot of traffic, but Village Green has a tremendous amount of traffic, daily traffic. Um, but I do like the design better and I'm glad that Spanish Lakes, I'm sure you work with their community, decided instead of a light because I know they pushed very long for a light or or something, they push they went ahead and accepted the roundabout. Um, because I think that's going to really help them get in and out and I know they've been having concerns with safety issues getting in and out of their community. We will be holding another public forum with Spanish legs specifically to go over the design after we have it um nailed down um to make sure they understand and to help teach them how to navigate the roundabout or the peanut. >> Okay. >> All right. You have your answer on that. >> All right. So, the next one is the type of on street parking that we'd like to implement. Um, parallel parking is the triedand-true method that we know. Um, it's a fivestep process. Um, the pros are it's familiar. It's proven. People know how to do it. Um, it has a simpler understanding pattern on how to get into it. It has simpler signage. A couple of the cons are it has fewer spaces because when you have a linear area and you're taking up 20 feet instead of 10, it just you have less spaces you can do. Um it is harder for some users because you know some people have to take instead of five, seven, eight or nine turns to get into it. >> Um it also increases the door hazard zone when you open up your doors. Uh sometime it may be into a travel lane. Sometime it may be into a sidewalk. So there is a option that is starting to gain traction throughout the country is called reverse angle parking. It is a three-step process versus a five-step process. Um, the pros are you get more spaces because you're on a 45 degree angle rather than 90 degrees. Um, you have better exit visibility. It reduces your door zone hazard and it's safer. It's safer for loading or de unloading the trunk of the vehicle. Cons are it is less familiar. It does need some pretty strong signage and the backing movement that you see going on right now. It does require some care to make sure you stay within your space. Um, it is trending. Gainesville, Pensacola, Sarasota, and Tallahassee all have implemented this. So, that's my next question. >> I've seen it in Fort Myers, too. >> I'll add that to my list. >> Comments? I'm good with the reverse angle. >> On the reverse angle. >> Good. Everyone go with that? >> Yep. >> I just have one question regarding that one. And I'm I'm for the reverse angle. Again, signage and let's stay ahead. Um, a lot of vehicles, the pickup trucks, SUVs, they have the big hitches on them. They're backing in. I see in the photo, and maybe it's not, but you're right there at the sidewalk. You don't know how many times I have knocked my shin, but I'm thinking and with all the ebikes and the kids. Um, how how can something like that be prevented or helped or can we >> make a buffer? >> No, the the way you prevent that is you provide a wider sidewalk behind the vehicle. You anticipate the fact that it's going to back up and that you're going to have some overhang. And we do have wider sidewalks within this carter. So you give people the opportunity to be on the outside of the sidewalk rather than being scrunched up very close to the vehicle. >> Great. Okay. Next, >> lastly, I I want to update you on some changes that we've made that are not 100% consistent with your master plan. Um they really are in segment three. Uh and they revolve around the expansion that you're going to have in Walton one. So, we've replaced the master pan's suggested uh on street parking with an actual four-lane design. Um, we've increased the turn lane Q lengths into Walton and one. Uh, we've made sure the intersection is signal capable for future signalization. Uh, we have bus stops at the entrance to support the events. Uh, the complete street access goes into and includes Walton and one. We have been coordinating this with your HPPS as well as the police department on event traffic and how that will be handled at Walton one and we maintain a flexible event space on the east side. So that's really just um an update for you and um are you in agreeance with those changes that we've made? >> I am. Thank you. >> Good. Yep. Yes. >> Awesome. >> So, I'm open to any other questions you may have. >> Go ahead, Steph. >> I'm making up for lost time since I was late here today. Um the sidewalk. Um on the first the first section. >> Yep. >> And I'm only looking at pictures and I don't know, you know, I see different pictures of the sidewalk. I see one that it's right there up against the curb and the road. >> Yep. >> I see another one that it has a little bit of buffer. So, I don't know exactly. The reason I bring it up is because of um episode that happened recently in Palm Beach with um uh everybody knows, I'm sure they've seen it all over the news. And I'm I I don't like the sidewalks right there against traffic. And we know even though speed limit may be 30 35 it feels like it's whizzing by. Is there there's no possible way we could have some type of a >> So here's Miss Morgan. This is Council Morgan. This is what we're doing. Um this picture really doesn't depict what the final product is going to be. Uh we are right now strongly considering a green paved um concrete adjacent to the roadway which will be designated for the bike traffic. So it it does show it in the prison in the in the not in this one but in the in the in the video. Um, but we are looking at the ramifications behind providing a 4 foot wide green sidewalk and then the rest of the eight feet being regular colored concrete and designated it for the bike traffic so that they have a separation for the pedestrians from the travel way. >> But is it going to be up on the curb? >> It is. It's going to be adjacent to the curb. That's where the issue was down there is that they came off the curb, fell down, and got run over. >> Pedestrians, >> bicyclist, >> bicyclist. All right. So, the other thing we're implementing with this is that was probably a F curb scenario where you have the 6 in raised curve five face up against it. We are implementing in this project an e-curb which actually has a slope face that comes down to it which is easier for a bicycle to go down or up. >> Yeah. I just I I just would ask for some type of a small barrier grass something to where >> the grass and I'm just throwing out the negatives behind that. That grass strip is extremely hard to maintain. um it's going to take away from the multi-use path. We have a limit of 100 foot of rightway and there's only so much we can squeeze in there. So the multi-use path really from a operational standpoint appears to be the best option for only this segment of the corridor which is right up against the commercial and industrial uses. We're in process, right? So, >> anything else? >> I give >> I made my piece. >> I had a question about the recreation recreational way. Um, can you pull the picture up, please? Is there going to be any kind of power over there for for people to when they rent booth space to be able to plug in? Otherwise, they're going to have to put generators out there. >> And additionally, Oh, go ahead. Go ahead. >> No. Yes, we will. Our electrical engineer will provide power to certain areas because it makes total sense that if you're going to have somewhere where you can put the tents up and have that that we should have power located throughout. >> Okay. And then additionally, I see down here uh along the the lake or retention pond or whatever, you have some trees depicted there. Are we going to do anything to with that shoreline there making it any kind of uh living shoreline or anything to that nature? >> So, we're still working through that. We will provide a retaining wall and where that retaining wall goes may allow us to put a living shoreline at the bottom of it. Um the retaining wall is there so that we can have an esplanade effect, a 20 foot wide pathway along that waterway. Okay. >> And that is all being part of this design. >> Okay. And I I appreciate the bio swell and the uh and the that's very forward thinking. I I liked when I saw that. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> I agree with that. I think it's great. Further comments? >> Yes. Go ahead. >> Um so the 97 you stated that 93.7% exceeded the speed of 30 miles an hour. So, let's talk about speed. Um, obviously we're coming off across town most of the time heading into the village green corridor. Um, do you think that these traffic improvements are going to help the speed of of the drivers and and get them down that speed? And I think too the other question was I thought there was like and chief you'll know more than me on this is thought there was a law that if people are traveling faster by a certain percentage that we have to acknowledge that in the speed and it essentially the speed is too low. Um, >> do you know I can't remember what that was like? I think it was. That's why sometimes we look at the speed limits and and we do testing to see how fast people are going. But if 97 93.7% exceed 30 miles an hour, is the speed too low right now? >> That's the 85th percentile I think you're speaking to. Correct. >> Yeah. So what 85% of the people are traveling technically you want to enforce within that range? >> Yeah. So I I don't know what it's exceeded to. Do you I don't know if you have those numbers but >> that that actually came out of the mass plan report. Um we are implementing um traffic calming measures throughout that entire with um with the raised mid midblock crosswalks with um different types of median treatments and such. So we recognize that there is an issue with this and as part of the design we are trying to implement speed reduction um enhancements. >> Good. Yeah. Because I think that's going to be key if we want to keep that speed where it's at. Then also I'm excited again with the bio swell and the improvements to the hog pens. Um especially because for those that may not know, this water quality project, >> it's one of the worst areas that we have for um nitrogen and phosphorus um challenges. So those improvements are going to really help the water quality. I can't wait to see what the results are after those improvements are made and what we're looking at. Not a question I need to answer today, Colt, but and I would love to know um what are the future plans because we've done a lot of um it may be a utility question actually. We've done a lot of improvements subject to sewer conversions and we've picked hot spots for water quality and I don't think we've tested them, but I know there's there was always this goal to retest to see the improvements and comparisons um from where we started. Do we do we know if we're going to retest at any point to see if what the improvements have been made? >> Uh thank you uh madame mayor, vice mayor, to answer that question, yes, we we have been talking and working with public works. Uh the original testing was done in collaboration uh with partners at Harbor Branch and uh we did uh request it was funded uh the original testing method. Um we did ask uh current fiscal year unfortunately was was something that we didn't get uh support on just yet but uh there is interest to retest. I will say specific to this area. This is one of the the hot spots um as you recall too through the American Recovery Plan Act funding um and eventually uh through the commercials we did try to focus on these remaining commercial property owners that are on Septic in that area. Um while we did have interest by one, unfortunately uh we were unable to eventually uh get them converted uh with the program we were offering there. Uh staff is kind of re discussing how we get these remaining businesses off specific to that area. But uh so two points. One, yes, we do have interest to retest to see the progress we're making and also on the updates on the presentation, you'll see where we're making on the conversions. But uh and then secondly, how do we how do we get these remaining businesses converted? >> Yeah. And that's going to be part of my next point. But um I agree, Kevin. I think that we do need to try to do that when we think that we have a a good delta of change. That way as we continue to apply for water quality projects, we can really use that data um to show, you know, the difference between when we've done something and and not. And I think Veterans um was one of those locations, too. So, they're going to have some improvements as well. >> Right. One of the things that we are working on too is is residential conversions is one historically we've done. The commercial is a realm we haven't got into, but we're actually working on a project internally right now on a commercial. And so the thought is could that be something different we attempt because the uphill battle on the conversion has been the cost both the design and these are you know people are running businesses they're this isn't their what they do day in and day out. So trying to look at alternative methods on how we can maybe assist get them over the finish line, whether that be utilities helping and providing an option um versus letting you know having them hire a consultant and and such to to carry it out. >> Thanks. And then Shannon, you you brought up yesterday when we were talking about um the expansion to like into Martin County that road and you said something, you know, that I feel also applies here, which is, you know, we only have we have an opportunity and it's a very limited opportunity to make sure that it gets done right and if not, someone else is going to do it right. Y >> and when I look at the village green corridor and then more importantly I look at the uh industrial businesses surrounding it and then knowing what I know the level of of um private investment that's going to incur in Molton and one and then the investment by the infrastructure it is going to make Village Green extremely attractive uh for people that are interested in um whether is continuing the industrial portion, doing something different. Um, it's going to make it a very um a very appealing location, especially because of its age, for individuals who want to come in and um and begin to potentially acquire. So, I really want to make sure that we get into this master plan discussion and discuss is if an overlay is needed um and really begin to think about what do we want Village Green to look like? How is it going to marry on the eastern side to Walton and one um are we going to keep it industrial? Are we like what is that going to look like? And obviously these are all private um owners so they have their property rights. But I I can I cannot imagine with my experience working with some of the individuals in this area specifically in the village green corridor that as this area gets more attractive if they have the opportunity to take advantage of a sale if that's something that they choose to do. I would I I'm I'm sure we're going to have individuals that are interested in that. And I don't want to hodge podge it. I don't want someone to buy a section of property, then come to us and say, "Hey, I want to do this." And then we we're kind of like changing zonings and figuring that out as we go. I really want to have that broader vision of what do we want the finished product to be for Village Grain and what's that going to look like for the east side. So, I don't know where we're at. I know it's something that we're planning that staff's been planning. when when do we think we'll have a discussion of the village green master plan as a whole? >> So, to your point, and I'm really glad that you brought that up because all through this process and talking about what the roadway is going to look like or could look like when it gets done, all that has been going through my mind is that revitalization is not just the roads. And so, we do have those issues with those older buildings out there. And if we're talking about being a true community redevelopment agency, right, we have to start focusing on what do the buildings look like? What can we do to incentivize further to get us where we need to be? Those septic to sewer conversions, what incentives can we provide to make partner with these private business owners to make those buildings look more attractive? It's done all over the country. And we haven't able been able really to get to that place yet because we're doing all the other things that we have to get to right beforehand. But now we're entering that realm where we have to start thinking about true community redevelopment. So I completely agree. We need to have those conversations and we need to start figuring out what's that going to look like as we're focusing right now on you know what's specifically happening on Walton and one it does need to be a broader discussion because it's about the entire agency and not just one section of that agency. So 100% we need to start really focusing on that because you can have all this beautiful street that you want. It could be done, you know, in however many years it's going to take to get these segments done depending on whether it's done, you know, we get funding from the grant, but we know that we can't rely on that. We know we still have to plan ahead and and plan for how we're going to get it done if we don't get that type of funding. But if you have this wall, beautiful, but the rest of it looks like crap, for lack of a better term, what do you really have? So, it is really important. >> I think Jen's wanting to jump in. I don't know if you can see your m and I know the CRA portion's coming up. Um, we'll have to do that right after lunch, but um it's it is it's part of this discussion, but you're absolutely right, mayor. Um, the revitalization portion was, you know, the bigger part of the village green corridor revitalization project is everything around it. Um we're at a point now both financially and and with the status of this project coming into 60% to be able to get into those projects. So it is in our um revised original CRA plan to continue that revitalization. Um we continue to field calls from developers who are looking beyond Walton and one. So just like what you were talking about kind of that spurred development along the corridor. So, we do anticipate a lot of that happening and coming up with some, you know, design criteria that we'd like to see along the corridor um and enhancements not only along US Highway 1, but along PSL Boulevard, too, because that's the other part of um that expansion area. So, you'll be seeing a lot of that coming forward to you with recommendations for moving forward and working with planning department and working with public works. Um, especially interior to um that area, the industrial area, there's roadway constraints. So, we want to work through that with them as well. >> So, sorry, Madam Mayor, how quickly can we anticipate that? Because like you said, there's interest and again, this is my fear. Someone goes in and purchase a property. Now, they're applying pressure to council to have considerations of their application and their planning and their zoning and their zoning change or their, you know, what is what is the plan as far as when that's coming forward. >> You're 100% correct. 100% correct. And we have to be ready to plan for this because we've been hearing a lot of a long time now. We have developer interest. We have developer interest, but we still don't know what that looks like. not asking to know every little detail but I don't think any of us know what that developer interest really looks like and and so in order to understand it and plan for it we have to know what it is number one and number two yes that timeline is absolutely important because as the stalker stadium starts to get built as the RFP which by the way I hope to God that that's finally out for the hotel um at this point because I've been asking about this for several months now. Um, and as we continue to have this interest, things are going to go faster and we want them to go faster. Um, because the promise to the citizens is not just about is not about a soccer stadium. It's about revitalization of the entire area. And I want to make sure that that is our focus truly our focus. So, we do need to know what some of these um definitive timelines are and what this is going to look like so that we can start showing the public that we are implementing finally implementing the master plan that was planned for back in 2020. >> Well, and my fear is and I know Jenny's to jump in, but my fear is is that the city center, the Walton one, I can't I'll get used to it. Walton and one, we control all that. So, correct. we move as fast as we need to move. If we need to pull back and investigate more, we can do that, >> you know, whereas the village green corridor is all privately owned. And at any point in time, I mean, they can just sell a parcel and then we're getting applications and pressure. And that's my fear and I want to make sure that we have there's a desire to do an overlay of any kind that we have that ahead in the planning process. >> So, we'll go ahead and and get on to that piece of it. Provide you a timeline of how we can move forward with that implementation. To answer your question, uh, Mayor, the RFP did go out this week. I'll go into more detail on that, um, in my presentation after lunch. >> Thank you. >> Great. Okay, >> that's really good news. >> All right, we're good. All right. Well, thank you so much, Steph. Really appreciate your expertise and help with all of this. Um, Co Pepper Interpreting has been >> really helping to build the city for many, many, many years. So, we do really appreciate the partnership >> and we hope that continues. Thank you very much. >> I'm sure it will. Shannon, before you break really quick, Stephen, also power on the boardwalk. Thank you, Councilman Picket. If there's no power on the boardwalk, we we probably going to want to put cameras. That's typical out um on the boardwalk. >> We'll make sure that our electrical designer provides power to the stubs for that because we don't we're not doing the boardwalk plans, but we'll make sure that we have the ability for it to be picked up from there and and put on the boardwalk plans. And one more thing, uh, Vice Mayor, we are also planning, um, restroom facilities over on that side of the corridor to facilitate, uh, festivals and events. I know the power was important, but also having, um, the necessary infrastructure in place. So, that's something we're planning for, too. >> Perfect. All right. All right. We're going to break for lunch, and we're going to come back with CRA right after.