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BCC Minutes 05/05/1994 J (w/Lee BCC) RECEIVED JUN 1 199z~ Board of County Co~issicners Norris - Vol pe '/ ~^ ~ Constantine -- /'~fJ~ : M~tthew~ i~ COLLIER COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS LEE COUNTY. BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS JQINT MEETING MAY 5, 1994 Lions Center 10370 Pennsylvania Avenue Bonita Springs, Florida ORIGINAL OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS CARROTHERS REPORTING SERVICE, INC. Building L, Fifth Floor Collier County Courthouse Naples, Florida 33962 ~LEPHONE: (813) 732-2700 FAX: (813) 774-6022 3 4 5 MEMBERS PRESENT COLLIER COUNTY BOARD OF CQUNTY CQMMI$$IQNERS: Chairman Timothy J. Constantine Commissioner Burr L. Saunders Commissioner Bettye J. Matthews Commissioner John C. Norris Commissioner Michael J. Volpe W. Nell Dorrill, County Manager Bill Hargett, Assistant County Manager 2 8 i2 LEE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS: Chairman Ray Judah Commissioner John E. Albion Commissioner Frank B. Mann Commissioner Douglas R. St. Cerny Donald D. Stllwell, County Administrator William H. Hammond, Deputy County Administrator OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 (The meeting was called to order at 9:30 a.m.) CHAIRMAN JUDAH: I think everyone can hear me. First of all, I'm not necessarily going to preside over this meeting. This is actually a neutral site. I believe courtesy would dictate that actually Chairman Tim Constantine would preside over this meeting. I know ! did so at the last meeting. I know it's rather informal and actually, the Bonita Springs Chamber of Commerce will no doubt kind of spearhead the meeting as we go along. But with that, I want %o at least turn it over to Chairman Constantine and Just welcome the Collier County Commission. CHAIRMAN CONSTANTINE: Thank you, Chairman Judah. We are happy to be here. I've had a chance to talk briefly with a couple of the folks from the Bonita Chamber. I want to thank them for helping keeping us moving in the direction of working together, and I'm glad we have a little better turnout than last time. We were short-handed last time around, so it's nice to get pretty much a full house. Why don't we go ahead? I think Dennis Gllkey with the Chamber wants to start out with a few words. CHAIRMAN JUDAH: Prior to Dennis having an opportunity -- only because we have Reverend Yaeger in 3 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 14 l? the crowd today. I know he'd like to give us the invocation. Then we go ahead with pledge of allegiace and then yes, we'll certainly hear from Mr. Gilkey. (The Invocation was given by Reverend Yaeger and the Pledge of Allegiance was recited.) CHAIRMAN JUDAH: Chairman Constantine, also Just to let you know and the rest of the Collier County Commissioners, I know that Commissioner Manning would be here, other than the fact he is not feeling well and he certainly sends his regrets. MR. GILKEY: Morning a~ain. Welcome to Bonita Springs. We are very glad that you are here and you fulfilled your commitment that you made about six months ago to meet on this exact date at your Joint meeting. At the meeting last October, we had three County Commissioners from each county. It was very productive, very informative. We've seen some very positive follow-up since that time and we appreciate the efforts of both County Commissions and their staffs in that regard. Several things have happened in the last six months, that we would look at as things that would effect both counties on a regional basis. I'd like to Just point those out to you, give you a six month recap of things that we see, not Just from the Bonita Springs OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 4 6 16 20¸ perspective, but from a bi-county perspective that are important. First, the local economy has continued, of course, to move forward very strongly. We, in the last six to twelve months, have seen a very strong, stronger than ever indication we are moving with a regional economy. We see it here in most of our businesses. In fact, I would say every single business of our 660 or so members of our Chamber, would say that they serve the Lee and Collier market. Not a single one I think would say the they only serve one county or the other. The other thing we've seen in the last six months is a very strong and probably recordbreaking tourist season due to the recovery of our feeder markets from the midwest, and to some degree, maybe the northeast and the inclement weather we've had up north. We've seen the first transatlantic flight from Germany at the Southwest .Regional International Airport. That's a significant event. Unfortunately, we've also seen a very significant drop in the European tourist market because of the perceived crime problems that we've been tagged with in south Florida. The legislature has approved the funds -- significant funds -- to keep moving forward with the 10th University. That continues to move with staffing, OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 5 1 8 9 10 i? 12 '13 planning, design for the initial facilities at the university. The state legislature also approved partial funding for Lovers Key State Park, which we'll talk a little later about, which I think both counties need to recognize the potential of that as being a real regional resource. Not strictly Bonita Springs, or Lee County, but a real regional resource that has a potential of being a very positive thing for our residents and tourists. There has been very good dialogue in the last six months between the county staffs as it relates to Bonita Beach Road and the widening. As far as we can see, it's still moving in a positive direction. We'll be able to break ground later this year. But I think the good thing is we've seen some good dialogue and trying to work out some of the problems which occurred with utilities and right-of-way. The Joint cooperation between the Lee and Collier Chambers and the various Lee and Collier Chambers has been probably better in the last six months than it's ever been in the history of the Lee and Collier area. We've had several regular meetings with the Southwest Chamber and the Naples Chamber and Bonita combined, and the individual other chambers of each county, as well. 6 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 i·23 So I think the economic industry of the two-county area recognizes that we need to work together to solve common problems and still keep our individuality, because I think that's important for everyone also. I hope you do have a productive meeting today. This is really not the Bonita Springs Chamber's meeting; it's yours, and we wanted to help guide it, as Commissioner Constantine said. But this is your meeting and I would hope that you have your own items you would want to interject into the agenda, things that we can benefit from each other by that discussion. Thank you again for giving us the opportunity to be part of this meeting and helping to help you to move it along. So we'll be talking back with you as we go on, but thank you again. Have a good meeting. Before we start, the aerial in the back is about four years old of Bonita Springs, and the north road is Corkscrew. The very south east-west road is Immokalee Road that's shown there. Immokalee Road in Collier County. Skip **, our President-elect, can show you where we're at. The little red dot -- probably can't see it from too far back -- that's where we're sitting today. The little red line is the Lee-Collier border. Then Skip will show you how we looked at that area of Bonita Springs and how the county line looks to us. OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 Looks pretty much like that. So there will be a quiz later on in the day to see if you can put that red line back on the map. Thank you again. CHAIRMAN CONSTANTINE: Dennis, we may or may not be able to see that red dot. I'm proud to say six months ago I couldn't, but I can now. First item on the Joint items is the update on the West Bonita Beach Road, and I think we have members from both of our staffs would like to give a brief report on that. MR. CRAWFORD: Morning, Commissioner. For the record, my name is George Crawford, Department of Transportation Director for Lee County, otherwise known as Mr. Grumpy. That has to go on the record so they understand who I am back at the Minutes Department. I can give you a short update on where we are with the Bonita Beach Road project. I have a schedule here. The design is completed. The permits for South Florida Water Management, DEP, and Army Corps of Engineers is in hand. We expect the DNR permit and land lease yet this month. We have a design for Collier County Utility and Bonita Springs Water System, which will be completed in 6/94. I think the commission as I remember Just passed yesterday the funds that were given to us by Collier 8 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1'2 17 18 19 21 23 County to increase the fee for our consultant so that he could do the utility design. We are hoping to have all of the, what I call friendly condemnation or voluntary condemnation by June of this year, and we will start right-of-way through condemnation in 9/94. We're going to advertise for bids in July. We intend to award the construction contract in October and we intend to start construction in October, with the completion date of 1/96 to 4/96, depending on how construction goes. We're still looking at a total construction cost of 10 and a half million, and that does include the mitigation that is required by the permitting agencies. Obviously, the construction time will depend on what we run into -- traffic, and so forth -- in the season. Unfortunately, as you can see, we are going to be going through the season for '95 and at least part of the season for '96. So there is going to be inconvenience. I'm sure the telephones will ring, but with progress does come some inconvenience. We will ask the contractor to minimize that. We're going make sure that he does not do anything to impede business any more than he will have to do. We are taking a different stance on this. We're OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 9 5 2O not allowing contractors to Just tear up driveways and leave them and don't care about whether businesses have access, all of those things. Whoever the successful contractor will be, will be told he's going to have to maintain, and our people will see that he does maintain that. So businesses, while they are going to be inconvenienced, we hope we can minimize that. Any questions? COMMISSIONER VOLPE: Mr. Crawford, I have a question. What is the western terminus? MR. CRAWFORD: The western terminus is right around the curve as you go into Hickory Boulevard. I can't think of the street that it goes north of, it tapers back. It's right beyond Bonita Beach Park, Lee County Bonita Beach Park. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: I've heard mention made of the conflict in the utilities. Is the Lee County Commission working to hire -- and is that what you said -- the same consultant that's going to coordinate? MR. CRAWFORD: Yes. We are giving them a supplemental task agreement, which we can do under our contract, so we do not have to renegotiate everything. And that's what the money was appropriated for yesterday and the authority to go with the supplemental task authorization that was passed by the commission 10 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 I I II II III I I I II I I III I IIII III I III I I I III II 4 · : 11 25 yesterday. So it's in progress. We have to get it done. You provided the money -- that Is, you, Collier County -- and we will be proceeding rapidly on that. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: One of the things that you've said is that during the construction phase that you will work with the merchants along Bonita Beach Road. One of the things we've done in Collier County is we've tried to do as much evening construction as possible. Is that one of the things that you've at least talked about? Because there will be not only the merchants but also our seasonal vislturs who will be Impacted by that construction. MR. CRAWFORD: Presently it is not anticipated doing that, but it may very well be -- and I didn't see George Archibald. I tried to see him in the crowd, but I didn't seem him -- we are going to discuss with George the possibility of taking it over a bid for evening, because it's going to be more expensive to do that. And but it may certainly hurry up the process. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: One last question: What are the traffic counts, if you know, on that segment of Bonita Beach Road currently? MR. CRAWFORD: As I remember off the top of my head, about 18, 20,000 in the season, but I may be wrong. Does that sound right? Staff says it's right. OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 11 2 '*8 11 So we are talking about 18 to 20,000 in season. So that means this time of the year, I don't know what the ratio is, but it's probably much lower. CHAIRMAN CONSTANTINE: I know a number of the residents in Bonita Shores are concerned as to the possibility for cut-through traffic during construction. Are there any proactive measures being taken to try to minimize that? MR. CRAWFORD: We will be continuing to look at that. That's kind of an ongoing process. We do something, the traffic does something else to counteract that, then we do something and they do something else. So we're going to have to have an ongoing process. Yes. We will watch that, because we don't want to have traffic have to be cutting through neighborhoods at all. But they will do it and we will have to watch that as we go. We'll have our staff looking at it and consulting with George Archibald where necessary. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: Mr. Crawford, we are in the process of designing -- correct me if I'm wrong -- the four-laning of Vanderbilt Drive from Wiggins Pass Road to the north. Has there been an attempt to coordinate the four-lanlng program of Vanderbilt Drive with the Bonita Beach in that area to make sure, in terms of 12 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 11 ¸12 ~ 16 :22 ~' :23 24 25 those intersections? MR. CRAWFORD: Not to my knowledge. But I'll certainly check and make sure that there is some coordination. COMMISSIONER VOLPE= Mr. Dorrlll -- I don't see Mr. Archibald, either -- do you recall whether we are, in fact, in the PD&E on Vanderbilt Drive? MR. DORRILL: We are involved in that currently. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: It Just seems to me that is going to be a major intersection, that somehow that needs to be coordinated. MR. CRAWFORD: We will certainly make a note of that and make sure that it does get coordinated. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: is West Avenue? MR. CRAWFORD: The other intersecting road Again, staff may be coordinating that · it happens. Thank you. CHAIRMAN CONSTANTINE: the six laning as the two counties adjoin. CHAIRMAN JUDAH: George. CHAIRMAN CONSTANTINE: I'm not aware of it, but we will make sure that The next item is U.S. 41, You may want to stay up there, George Archibald took one look at the agenda and decided to stay home. MR. CRAWFORD: Us Georges are together on this one 13 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 10 '11 12 14 16 3.7 right now. If I had taken a real close look at the agenda, I might have stayed home, too. I think that Norm Feder is here from FDOT to further discuss this issue. I believe, probably to give you somewhat of an update, as you know, the FDOT people are trying to coordinate and get a PD&E study through the entire 41 corridor from actually Collier County line, will actually go south to Collier County line to, I believe Old U.S. 41, all the way up to, believe it may be Alico Road. And we've been in discussions -- we have been ~nd FDOT have been -- in discussions. And Secretary May, District Secretary May, has been personally working with this and personally wants to get it off the ground so that we can get some idea of where we're going. We are willing to do, and recommend to our commission, whatever is necessary to get that PD&E under way. For one thing, we think, as I understand, we think if we can get that, we would probably go to an urban or suburban type cross-section, which will be less expensive, less right-of-way intensive in some ways. And we need to get that under way so that we get the feds locked in to that particular cross-section and get them to approve it so we know where we are going. Even though we may not get the funding for the structur 14 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 12 13 14 15 1'7 "*~ 19 20 24 immediately, at least we have them locked into the cross-section we are going with. Some of the developers have been approaching us about what they could do in terms of advancing impact fee credits or advancing impact fees for credits to go toward that. We are certainly open to that. We feel it's absolutely imperative that this road be defined and that we can proceed forward with the segments of the road as we go, but we know what the cross-section is. I think probably Norm Feder, who is the local representative of the FDOT here at the urban office, can probably give you some more details on that, and I'm sure either he or I can answer specific questions later on. CHAIRMAN CONSTANTINE: Morning, Norm. MR. FEDER: Good morning, George. Thank you. I'm Norman Feder with Florida Department of Transportation. I'm District Director. What I'd like to do is give you a quick overview. I Just saw the agenda when I came in, so I didn't know to stay home. Basically, what we have going on right now in Lee County relative to the Bonita Springs area, is we've got a construction program basically from Alico up to Island Park, Island Park up to Daniels. That is 15 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 11 16 17 2O 2:2 programmed in 96-97, our five-year work program. We also have programmed through the right-of-way phase from San Carlos up to Alico and that project is in right-of-way, as I said through the five years. And we're looking at the possibility of construction based on local priorities come forward on that. Down in Collier County, from Myrtle up to Immokalee, Immokalee up to County Road 887, we have had some considerable discussions. The project costs went up considerably. We've worked with the community; we are evaluating right. Now we'll be going to hearing on some alternate concepts that might allow both of those projects to be brought into the five-year program. Right now, it's programmed with only the portion from Myrtle to Immokalee under construction. The other portion will be right-of-way. It's our hope we can get both of them within the five years. From County Road 887, though, all the way up to the Collier County line and then from the Collier County line up to San Carlos Boulevard. Last cycle development of our work program we added in the project development environment study, the first phase of our process that establishes the alignment, the basic cross-section, and then receives the federal approval to go forward with future federal OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 16 6 8 · .13 16 1'7 19 20 '22 23 '" 24 25 funding. What we've been trying to raise, especially out of our discussions down in Collier County and the good working relationship that we've had with the development community, the county and others, is what opportunities we have to do public-private partnerships to bring issues forward. We recognize the growth of this area, not only the number of DRIs, the major developments, the university, the growth of the airport, the pulling together of the two communities. It's very, very important that we get some of these issues determined out front what is going to be the future improvement, how it's going to be configured, how does that relate to the development that is already here, and many that is coming quickly on its heels. Through that process, we'll also be able to determine what we are going to do as far as access management issues so that everybody knows what the nature of the process is going to be, development can then work with some level of surety as to what the road improvement will be, what the nature of the access options are, and we have something we can all work together from. To that end, what we've thrown out is what we see as an opportunity -- there is always opportunities -- and that is, that if there is a way that either through 17 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 '14 15 16 1'7 18 -19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Collier, Lee County -- we have to work with the county -- we've got these items programmed in our new fifth year '98-'99. That's the PD&E study. If there's a way, as George has already mentioned, to try and advance that, we can go into agreement after July i to be able to reimburse for the cost. The carrying costs we don't cover. I think you're all familiar with our costs in advance for reimbursement in both of these counties. But if we are able to do that, get these issues out front, we do have 200 feet of right-of-way. We'd have to see where the PD&E study went, what the issues are. But there's a prospect of being able to work basically within that 200 feet, especially if, as we experienced in Collier County in our recent discussions, the development community can help address some of the retention needs, there's a possibility of even moving forward without a right of way phase which brings forward the possibility of construction much faster. I understand right now, the only thing we have programmed is the project development environment study. But by bringing that forward, we are in a position to try to address the great growth in the area. We see that as an opportunity. We are Just 18 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 2 ~. 11 12 try£ng to bring it out to you at the county. Obviously, there's monies that come with that opportunity. But there is the ability to pay back, as I said, '98-'99, and we would be obviously very desirous if that was an option to bring this project forward. I think it's very important for both counties for the growth of the area and for the department. There's an important facility in the demands here now. I'd be happy to respond to any questions that you might have. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: M~. Feder, the segment that you're talking about from 887, is that Wiggins Pass Road? MR. FEDER: Yes. From 887 in Collier County up to the Collier County line, then all the way up to San Carlos. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: I didn't understand currently the time frames within which your department is working and what segments, because that's the Bonita area. That's what we're talking about? MR. FEDER: Yes. Exactly. Talking about 887 to the Lee County line in Collier County, and then in Lee County, the continuation of that from the Collier County line, if you will, up to San Carlos Boulevard. We have that red line, so I had to put it in two 19 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 4 .5 6 16 ' 23 sections. But we see that as one study. It is funded in '98-'99 based on our actions last work program cycle. Because of the emphasis placed by Collier County, Lee County placed it a little bit lower, but I think the Issues are coming up greater now, so we are able to place that Into our new fifth year 98-99, for the PD&E. What I'm bringing up is there any way that can be accelerated with an advancement in reimbursement. We need to be moving on that issue well But it's only entered in our program for before. '98-'99. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: Well, help me then. From Myrtle to 887, that is in your current -- MR. FEDER: That is in the five-year work program. Construction on one segment, not on the other. But as you know, we're working to try to bring both of those back in. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: To the five-year program? Would it be San Carlos to the north, then to Alico and then to Daniels? Is that in your five year program? MR. FEDER: The San Carlos to Allco, not the construction. The right-of-way Is ready for construction. In our new fifth year, possibly, if that's the priority, the portion from Allco to Island Park, Island Park to south of Daniels, yes, the 2O OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 ~T, 12 13 · 15 ' 22 24 construction is in the 96-97. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: Okay. Then back it up Just for a second. If you're saying it's not yet but could be in your new five-year program, I'm talking 887 up to San Carlos -- MR. FEDER: No. 887 to San Carlos is only PD&E '98-'99. I do not have the design right-of-way or construction phases, assuming I need a right of way phase. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: So realistically, the construction phase of that [ggment could be when? MR. FEDER: Okay. If we stay with our current programming, '98-'99 is the PD&E. Typically, you have two years for each phase. phase, another two years. If I have to do a design If a right of way phase required, two years, and then finally programming construction about seven years from then, say about 2005-2006. What we are proposing, though, is the ability to advance for reimbursement, that PD&E can be brought into this coming fiscal year, '94-'95, and we are able to proceed forward, there's a possibility, based on priorities, with bringing it forward within the next five years, especially if right of way turns out not to be required. 21 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 11 12 . 13 ]*4 ],5 18 19 :20 21 23 25 COMMISSIONER VOLPE: There are some of us sitting here remember when U.S. 41 was a two-lane facility. That was probably in 1982. Now we're talking about six lanes maybe in 2005. Is there any contemplation to go beyond six lanes? MR. FEDER: No, there is not. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: Okay. Only other question I had, did I read something recently about the realignment of Old U.S. 417 MR. FEDER: That will be something the county staff may have to respond to. Realignment of Old 417 Not to my knowledge. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: Is it being discussed? MR. CRAWFORD: No, sir. CHAIRMAN JUDAH: Norm, what's the cost you are looking at from the county to fast track for the PD&E five-year work program? MR. FEDER: We have programmed, we have some in-house dollars. It's about 2.4, 2.5 million is what we think we are looking at for the PD&E for both the segments, the short segment in Collier and the portion up to San Carlos Boulevard. CHAIRMAN JUDAH: Thank you. CHAIRMAN CONSTANTINE: Anything else on that item? COMMISSIONER VOLPE: That's not very encouraging, 22 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 6 11 i.* 12 13 16 1'7 24 25 frankly, to think about that segment of U.S. 41 not being in the construction phase until sometime around 2006, 2007. I mean that's -- MR. FEDER: We have the same concern. That's why we've tried to raise what we think is an opportunity that might help bring it forward faster. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: There aren't any opportunities within your budget to advance it? Are there other priorities within this district? MR. FEDER: That is correct. Please understand when we draw up our work pro~ram, as I hope each of you are very comfortable with, we work directly with your priorities, Collier and Lee respectively. This last cycle was the first time there was an emphasis was placed on that PD&E study -- actually a very high emphasis placed in Collier County planning process, actually a little bit lower placed in Lee County. That's why we entered it into our new fifth year, as we know we have four years. When I get a priority, I'm programming a new fifth year. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: At least in your same district? MR. FEDER: Yes. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: What's the total amount that your department is allocating for this area in the next 23 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 ! 2 3 5 6 ? 8 9 zo 12 13 14 z5 ].6 18 2o 2]. 22 23 24 25 five-year period? MR. FEDER= general numbers. Total dollars? have approximately -- this is have to get you specifics -- but I have in the vicinity on highway and bridge only -- not counting public transportation -- about 125 million over the five years of our work program in Lee County. About 85 million or so in Collier County. That's based on looking at 50 percent gas tax population, or what they call the statutory formula. We try to keep a fair share in each of the counties over time. We have 12 counties in our district. COMMISSIONER NORRIS: Since about a third of the project is actually on the county line, which county supplies the funds for that7 MR. FEDER= Well, Florida DOT supplies the funds, generally. In answer to your question, we would look for any assistance we could get to bring this forward. Again, what I'm offering though, is to pay back the program. Tgere would be carrying costs, obviously, between the time you do it until the time you get paid back. But generally, we've got a program, we are Just seeing if there is any way of working with us it can be accelerated. In answer to the Commissioner's previous question, we are working with you over priorities. There is OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 24 ! 2 3 4 17 18 other issues that have come before this. This is not to say that there aren't projects under way and going. But this area is growing so fast we hoped there might be some opportunity to work together and we could accelerate it some. CHAIRMAN CONSTANTINE: Anything else on that? CHAIRMAN JUDAH: To Norm Feder's credit, he has been and the department's been very receptive, at least to Lee County, willing to advance funds to try to expedite projects. It's quite a process to go through. State Road 78 was an example actually, where we already had approved to advance money but it turns out we didn't need to and FDOT was able to expedite a section of that road improvement, recognizing this is an important link in the overall U.S. 41 corridor. I see here with what Norm has indicated 2.4, 2.5 million advance to PD&E, we have to balance that with reality. And our staff can correct me if I'm wrong, but we're threatened with about a 5.2 million shortfall with our capital improvement program today. MR. CRAWFORD: It's 7 million. CHAIRMAN JUDAH: Stand to be corrected. what we're struggling with. CHAIRMAN CONSTANTINE: CHAIRMAN JUDAH: That's We have a similar concern. Trying to put it in perspective. OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 25 2 4 13 14 15 16 .i.19 ; 20 i:i?..i:21 22 23 24 COMMISSIONER ALBION: And unfortunately, what makes it even more difficult is the fact we have the Concurrency requirements that have to be completed by 1998, and the payback would actually be after that date. So it's going to be tricky, but I think we all recognize the importance of it. And I Just think the public needs to hear the fact that yes, we have certain mandates -- some funded, some unfunded -- from Tallahassee that we're going to have to try to comply with. MR. FEDER: If I could, Commissioner, I don't at all for a second underestimate the funding issue. We share in that concern as well, obviously. But I will point out to you the statement about the Concurrency issues, of which we don't bring a bond issue. I want to make that clear on the part of the state, that's not our issue. But that being said, yes, while the payback for that PD&E could be in '98-'99, for you to move forward and address your Concurrency issues will require the development of a project development and environmental study in those phases. And to be able to meet those in '98-'99, there needs to be an advancement of those issues. So while you can do a phase, get the program here, we program it, it can be done, the payoff is behind it. OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 26 1 2 3 4 5 13 But to bring the project forward, we need to find a way, if at all possible, to get those moving, and especially as relates to Concurrency issues, if in fact that is something you have to address. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: What's the federal government's participation in this corridor? MR. FEDER: Typically -- COMMISSIONER VOLPE: In terms of dollars? MR. FEDER: Well, some of the portion we have state funded only. But basically under the federal participation is about 80 pgrcent, 20 percent state. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: So when you mentioned 125 and 85, that's Just state dollars? MR. FEDER: No, that is not. That is state and federal combined. And it is not on 80-20, because there is 80 on the federal dollars, 80 percent, 20 percent state match, and there's quite a bit state dollars, as well. I don't have that divided, but what I'm telling you is the state percentage is somewhere around 60, the federal about 40 in overall dollars throughout the state. So the answer to your question on a federally funded Job, we get 80 percent of that dollar, federal; 20 percent state. But the dollar figure I gave you was total state and federal dollars in Lee and Collier 27 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 : 13 Counties over the next five years and the many projects that we don't have federal matching on. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: This is U.S. 41; is that correct? MR. FEDER: That's correct. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: So is there an opportunity beyond where you are as the state DOT to look to the federal government for any assistance? MR. FEDER: No. The federal process comes through the state based on allocation formulas and the like, and federal dollars come through that process to the districts. And then working with your local priorities, the MPO planning process, get programmed into the area. There's not a direct grant program, like there would be with let's say, aviation under the highway and bridge programs. CHAIRMAN CONSTANTINE: Let's go ahead and move on. I know at least one person has to leave by about 11:30 this morning, so let's see if we can cover as much ground as we can. Next item is FDOT 1-75 Corridor Study. MR. FEDER: This is the one I referred to when I said I didn't see the agenda. First of all, we do have a corridor study under way for all of the interstate in Florida, actually. Of course, here the 1-75 Florida 28 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 ! 2 6 14 15 16 1'7 18 study, which is basically from 275 up to Manatee County all the way to the toll plaza in Collier County. The impetus for the study is a number of things, but there's a policy been established by the department to address both fiscal issues and air quality issues is becoming a bigger and bigger part of the process. That the interstate system itself would be a maximum of 10 lanes on maximum build-out overall on the interstate system, with six of those lanes being what we call general purpose and four of them being high occupancy vehicle, and some separatior between those two uses. What this recognizes, as I said, as we looked in Tampa Bay, the plans were calling for something like 32 lanes on the interstate in the Tampa area and the like. And obviously, the sea of asphalt is desired by nobody and air quality can never be met with 32 lanes of asphalt or concrete, I better say, as well. So the policy was put in place. At the same time, the Federal Highway Administration had expressed some real concerns about addressing interchanges one by one, or piecemeal, if you will, and thought there really needed to be a better plan to look at the overall impact with individual interchanges throughout the corridor. That study has already been kicked off. There are 29 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 6 g ].3 14 'is 16 ].'7 ].8 lg f. 20 2'1 · 22 23 24 advisory groups In each area, there are going to be presentations to the Metropolitan Planning Organizations to keep you folks in the loop. The study Is slated to be completed about June of this year. We're inviting anyone that has an issue or item relative to interchanges that they feel need to be looked at to bring that to our ~ttention through the groups or even attendance at the numerous meetings that we've had up and down the corridor. And we'll continue to do that. The issue of interchanges, new interchanges are very, very difficult. They are possible, but I need to make it clear the Federal Highway is not necessarily looking to add interchanges for convenience of development on the system. Rather, they want to understand how it helps the overall operation of the system, and that's sometimes difficult to look at. So we are looking at some additional interchanges. I would assume that out of our plan other interchanges will be proposed and hopefully accepted by Federal Highways. With that being said, I do want to put in perspective that they are looking at expansions or modifications of current interchanges more than they are looking at additional interchanges up and down the corridor. 30 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 '7 8 9 lO 11 12 13 14 15 16 1'7 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Is that addressing what the agenda issue was? CHAIRMAN CONSTANTINE: Yes. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: Just on the 1-75 corridor and apart from the issue of interchanges, what is -- if you know -- the program for the six-lantng of 1-75 between Allco and 16 in Collier County, for example? MR. FEDER: First of all, the Master Plan will be looking at the lane calls. I think you're right. In that area already we're already looking at the need for something beyond four lanes in sections of Lee County, very definitely around the airport, as well. Interstate funding though, and the ability to obtain that funding -- that's one of the reasons also, on the interchange issues, that they are not being funded very well anymore, is that it's going to be some time before we are going to see the additional lanes on 1-75, based on the needs of the overall system and the way the funding is being received from the Federal Highways. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: 10 years? MR. FEDER: At least 10 years. And I would venture probably longer. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: You're kidding. MR. FEDER: No. Not at all. CHAIRMAN CONSTANTINE: Mr. Feder doesn't kid. MR. FEDER: I can tell you 10 years to make you 31 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 12 13' happy, but -- COMMISSIONER VOLPE: International Airport and the 10th State University are one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the United States, and we're looking at possibly more than 10 years before we're looking at six-laning 1-757 MR. FEDER: I make those statements to everybody that will listen to me. answer I can right now. But I'm giving you the best But you're probably talking over 10 years before you are looking at expansion of the interstate in this part of the state. But your points are well-taken. I can use them. CHAIRMAN CONSTANTINE: Anything else? COMMISSIONER ALBION: Actually, I want to point out actually, I think Norm sent up what I thought was a good warning flare a couple months ago. I know, Mr. Chairman, you were also at that Regional Planning Conference meeting. Anyway, but basically, Norm's fears -- and this is really now beginning to come home to roost -- is the fact that 1-75 cannot become mainstream. And that's the reality. And that's why, when we talk about the north-south roads -- I see it's a little bit farther on in the agenda we'll be directly addressing it -- it is definitely therefore going to put the greater burden on 32 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 6 '7 8 9 10 11 1:2 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 our two governments most notably. And I think Norm, the level of concern is very well-founded, because we are going to -- as Commissioner Volpe Just talked about, with the new university coming in and expansion of the airport -- we are going to have to find more alternative routes. And more importantly and a much more difficult scenario, we are going to have to find a way to pay for it. And we may have to try to find other creative opportunities, and I'm not quite sure exactly what they are. And we are going to need help, actually from our public. That's going to be part of it, potential public-private partnerships. And even public-public partnerships are going to become extremely important. And I'm not so sure -- I can tell you in my opinion -- Just the mere widening of U.S. 41 and the widening of 1-75 is not going to solve the problem that's coming at us right now. We are looking potentially at a train that's going to be coming down the track at us and we're standing on the tracks. So we are going to have to somehow, through these meetings, I believe, see if there are other opportunities that present themselves, with the staffs working together. But it is of grave concern, because we have these great opportunities, but they are all 33 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 $ 6 ? 9 lO 11 16 17 19 ~o coming at us at once. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: The frustrating part is the state and federal government is looking at 10 to 15 years, possibly, and we're talking about our respective local governments facing deficits in our own transportation network in the next five years. So I guess that's the challenge, isn't it? And whether it's a public-private partnership? MR. FEDER: If I could, that was the reason I was raising, and the department was raising, the issue on 41. That does not mitigate commissioners pointing out all the issues relative to the other roads that you're going to be discussing soon. But 41 needs to progress, because it is and probably will be there before additions to 75, and they are going to be important to the growth of this area. COMMISSIONER ALBION: If I could ask, Norm, I could be way off base. Is part of this -- and this is clearly not at your level -- you've been extremely helpful in this area, and I think we are -- actually, I'm very pleased and very appreciative for the work you have done, certainly in Lee County. But is part of this timing perhaps to try to put the local governments in a greater position to try to get some of these other south-north roadways done? If they were to widen and OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 34 start solving the problems, perhaps we would take that in their opinion as receiving us of some of that responsibility? MR. FEDER: No. Very honestly, it's not. Right now, we did invite your staffs and you'll be starting to have to develop under the new iced tea -- Transportation Efficiency Act, a federal bill -- you're going to have to develop cost feasible plans, and we're required to provide you some projection of state and federal revenues to help use in the development of your plan. What came out of that was well frightening, is the best way 1'11 characterize it. Is that on the interstate and intrastate is a portlon of that, that the funding that we have received statewide in state and federal dollars is probably about 30 percent of what's needed to build that system over the next 25 years. And so when I look at that and then I also look at demands on the interstate, which is a major portion of that Issue that I Just presented, and I look at it on the I-4 corridor from Orlando to Tampa, and look at it on some portions of the 75 corridor north of here, that is not to minimize our needs. And I will also point out that our needs are greater than anyone else's in the state. And that's my position. 35 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 · 4 1'7 18 20 21 22 ' 23 24 But that being said, I also am realistic in the fact that those demands already preceded us and are probably going to get addressed faster than the demands down here relative to interstate construction. That's why I answered you question the way I did, Commissioner. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: Not to belabor this point, it appears to me to be maybe significant reconstruction that's going on on 1-75 north of here. That facility is not yet 10 years old, I guess, so why the reconstruction that's occurring when we see some other needs? Whose prioritizing those dollars? MR. FEDER: You got two things. We recently did the second stage resurfacing we're going to be doing on the crossroads that was planned. They allowed us to use the 90 percent on interstate, the old interstate program funding for second stage. You built the first stage, you don't put all the surface on it, and then you are able to come back in and resurface that after a number of years, you get that 90 percent construction. It's less federal participation when you're Just taking care of it. The issue you're talking about goes up through the Sarasota-Manatee counties, predominantly. That's where we have an asphalt section with a relatively innovative 36 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 6 9 lO 11 12 13 14 15 16 1'7 19 20 :21 22 23 24 25 design that Federal Highway encouraged us to consider. It was basically two slabs of concrete. What we found was water was getting between them, we had cracking problems and the like. So the actions that you see there are to respond to correcting those issues, as opposed to expansion of capacity. CHAIRMAN JUDAH: Just as an aside, you may wish to hold off any condemnation proceedings for right-of-way for any road projects in Collier County until October 1st, until we actually receive some relief from the legislature this year amend,,ent in some eminent domain reforms. Just to let you know. MR. FEDER: If I could, you've got a big agenda, but I can't resist the opportunity here with that statement. Lee County has passed a variance ordinance on right-of-way acquisition relative to when eminent domain by public entity comes through a nonconforming issue relative to signage, parking and the like. That is something we are going to be bringing forward to Collier County. It's imperative with where the right-of-way corridors are hitting us, and you're going to be hearing more from us on that. Thank you for your time, and we'll be here available for you. Thank you. CHAIRMAN CONSTANTINE: Section 4 is the items 37 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 .3 4 5 6 '7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 ],8 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 placed on by the Lee County Commission. Chairman Judah, if you want to guide us through those, you are welcome to do that. CHAIRMAN JUDAH: Appreciate it, Mr. Chairman. We'll go ahead and ask Mr. Spear to step forward, with an overview of issues concerning Bonita Springs. Morning, John. MR. SPEAR: Thank you, Ray. Thank you, Tim. I'd like to add that to Dennis Gilkey's welcome to the folks here today. We are very pleased that nine out of ten commissioners could mak~ it, and we know John would be here if he could. We're very pleased with what we see here today so far, and I think what we've seen over the last couple of months in terms of the elected officials' interest and concern about our region. As you look at this area here, you see a lot of vacant land. But up where the "L" is, right off the map there, that's where the airport and that's where the university are going to be. And if you think about the increase in traffic, if you think about the fact that 10,000 students and probably half that many or almost as many support people are going to be at the university before the year 2,000, before we're talking about improving 41, way before we're talking about 38 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 '7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 improving 1-75, probably before we're talking about any north-south corridors that we're talking about today, it's really a frightening prospect. All of us came here today by automobile. There is no public transportation here, and I know it's difficult. I know it's difficult for the public to see that there is -- really the urgency of the situation, simply because there's not a real big problem right now. But we are scared to death here in Bonita Springs that Bonita Springs can turn into a parking lot by the year 2,000. It can be gridlocked beyond our wildest imagination. So we need to implore you to really look at these north-south corridors: The interstate, U.S. 41, and the north-south reliever corridors going along 1-75. These things are do-able, but they are only do-able if they're planned. And if you don't start planning now, nothing is going to happen and the costs are going to be astronomical. You folks may be gone as elected officials by then, but you're going to leave a real mess for those that follow you. So it's extremely important to our community simply because we're the ones that are going to have to live with it and fight through it, day in and day out. So we see the urgency. Thank you, Norm, for your OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 39 1 2 3 4 5 6 '7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 1'7 18 19 :20 :21 22 23 24 25 strong words, because it's really heartening, I think, to see the state have the level of concern they have about these problems. The second item, I'm Just here to give a little bit of an overview to these next three presentations. Tom Nichols from Wilson Miller, who is also our Chamber Infrastructure Committee Chairman, is going to talk about the north-south corridors that haven't yet been talked about, the corridor that's east of 1-75 and the corridor that's west of 1-75. The concern, I think, for this Joint group needs to be two-fold. Number one, the planning and coordination; and number two, obviously, the easy question, which is the funding part of it. But we need to start talking. We need to start planning. And in terms of the planning, the one thing I would caution us all to think about, is that if there are funding problems, if there are environmental problems, don't use that as an excuse not to plan. Do the planning in this generation, do the planning in these next few years, and let those whoever that follow worry about the funding, worry about the environmental issues. Do the planning so there will be some corridors there when the crunch comes. The second item is Lovers Key State Park. This OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 4O ! 2 '7 8 9 10 12 13 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 looks like it's going to be the one big issue that's not a transportation issue that needs to be talked about today. I'm going to make a presentation and Marge Ward's going to make a short presentation about That's not a regional park; it's a state Lovers Key. park. It's an opportunity for you folks to support a resolution to ask the state to spend money in our region. This would be the one opportunity. We are not going to ask you to spend money in our region, but we need some local support for that regional issue, simply because there's a gem of a park up there. It's not being utilized. It's been paid for by taxpayer's money, by state money, over 10 years ago. Commissioner Mann was very supportive of that. And so we're going to talk about that a little bit later. Finally, the executive directors of the Regional Chambers of Commerce are going to come and talk to you a little about economic development. So once again, we'd like to thank you all for coming. It's very, very, very important, and pleasing for us to have y'all here. And those of us in the community, both the Chamber and non-Chamber, this community has always been a very interested, active community and we are here to work with you, and help you overcome some of these 41 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 difficult problems. So if you all do your part, we'll be here to help you out and do our part. So thank you. And at this time, Tom Nichols is going to talk about some non-U.S. north-south road corridors. MR. NICHOLS: For the record, my name is Tom Nichols, current Chairman of the Infrastructure committee of Bonita Springs Chamber of Commerce. Dennis has graciously agreed to carry over for me an exhibit we prepared for discussion purposes at today's meeting. We combined the 2010 traffic financially feasible plans for Lee and Collier County -- or at least those portions that neighbor Bonita Springs. And it's clear from looking at this exhibit, that there's an extensive network of roads in the Naples area and in the Fort Myers-Cape Coral central urban area of Lee County. But in between, there is something of a dtrth of transportation corridors, as we've heard a lot of discussion about already. Within that area in between the two communities, of course, are three major public facilities that are existing or proposed, those being the international airport, the new university, and Lovers Key State Park, which have all been discussed, or will be today. They OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 42 ! § 6 ? 9 lo 11 16 17 19 ~o are all important facilities. It's important, certainly, to Collier County that there be good access to each of those facilities. And the absence of good road corridors through the Bonita Springs-south Lee County area has a direct impact on Collier County, as well as Bonita Springs and greater Lee County. In looking more closely -- and I know it's difficult from that distance -- at this ma9, you can see that the Collier County transportation plan shows a total of 28 lanes of roadway up to the county line. North of the Bonita Springs area there are only 12 lanes depicted, those being six-lane U.S. 41 and six-lane 1-75. And as you've Just heard from Norm, it will be some years before either of those improvements are in place. So, for most of the period between now and 2010, we're really dealing only with eight available lanes. It's obvious that there is an inadequacy there, I think. And it also points up that the only major east-west corridor that is near the north end of Collier County-south Lee, is Bonita Beach Road. Now that's programmed for six lanes. But frankly, six lanes is not likely going to be enough long-term to connect 28 lanes together into 12 or 8. I think it's clear from this that there are, in OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 43 1 2 3 4 5 6 '7 8 9 lO 11 12 13 14 15 16 1'7 18 19 2o 21 22 23 24 25 fact, additional corridors needed, and we would encourage both of these boards to do that planning and to encourage your MPOs to provide for that. There is at least two additional corridors that are needed: One east and one west of 1-75. And I thank you, and turn it back over to John. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: What's the corridor that you envision east of 75? MR. NICHOLS: Well, it's generally conceived as a corridor connecting Bonita Grande in some fashion with Corkscrew Road, and perhaps possibly Tree Line Avenue, which will be the road accessing the university. Failing that, perhaps another corridor east of there that could be the southerly access into the international airport. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: Is that something some of your group are going to touch on, or is that part of the discussion? MR. NICHOLS: We have not developed a concept for discussion purpqses today. There's a number of issues associated with that. And rather than get caught up in the environmental and traffic issues associated with it, and landownership issues associated with those potential corridors, we want to focus on, frankly, the need for the corridors. There's a great deal of work 44 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 6 7 9 lO 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 15 19 2o 21 22 23 24 25 that needs to be done to establish where they should be. MR. GILKEY: You might mention, too, north of Corkscrew, Three Oaks Parkway is scheduled for four-laning, and then Tree Line, which is the road that serves the university, will also be four-laned within that time frame. So there would be additional eight lanes north of Corkscrew. It's really the point from Bonita Beach Road or Terry Street, between those two areas, which is about five or six miles. But really, there is the limitation only at U.S. 41, and 75, and that's it, in the 2010 financially feasible plan, which says this is what you can afford to do. MR. NICHOLS: Our committee is doing some work at looking at potential corridors. But again, we are not to a point -- COMMISSIONER VOLPE: I understand where we are looking at the concept and we obviously have been talking about Livingston Road as one of those corridors, but that would be west of 1-75. East of 75 -- 951 had been discussed at some point in time. Is there any discussion occurring at any level having to do with 951 going to the north? MR. GILKEY: I'm not aware of any specific 45 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 '7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 1'7 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 discussion about extension of that corridor. The wetland issues get particularly severe in that particular alignment. It's likely perhaps that 951 connected with the Bonita Beach Road linking over to another north-south corridor, Bonita Grande, perhaps. MR. NICHOLS: I think the issue is the problems you have there are the same problems that Lee County would have with the north-south east of 75. So the problems you have with connecting Livingston, whether it's the environmental or whether it's the Palm River area, It's the same type of problems that Lee County has connecting it north of Terry Street. So I think maybe there could be some sort of a Joint county task force to identify those two corridors -- does that makes sense -- between the two counties. That might be a very productive thing to discuss. Because they are both difficult and they are both really -- you have the same issues north and south of the county line, environmental, developments already approved. If there are no further questions. Thank you. CHAIRMAN JUDAH: John, you want to speak first? MR. SPEAR: I'll speak first. The next item on this agenda is Lovers Key State Park. If you look at the aerial photograph behind you, Lovers Key State Park 46 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 '7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 1'7 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 is that nice little spit of land out there in the far upper left. We've -- our committee has met with all 10 of the commissioners over the last 11 months, and it was rather interesting to find that not all of the people in this room knew where Lovers Key State Park is. There's where it is, and I think from the air you can see what a dramatic and awesome piece of beach front property that really is. That property was bought over 10 years ago by the state. Currently in this legislative session, the house passed a $2 million appropriation to approve that. It was cut back to $500,000 in conference and is sitting on the Governor's desk. The estimated cost of improving that park, with parking lots, and facilities, restroom facilities, et cetera, was estimated several years ago as being over $4 million. It's probably nearer $5 million. In trying to prepare for this little presentation, the lady in our community who's been the most active in pushing for this at the state level has been Marge Ward. And as I started to talk to her yesterday, trying to get her to fill me in on what I needed to say here, I thought maybe it would be easier for Marge to explain a little bit about the proposed state design. And then hopefully, at the end of this -- if it's 47 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 '7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 1'7 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 appropriate, with the two County Attorneys offices -- we might even ask you to consider a Joint resolution and have a little discussion here today to see whether that's appropriate, to support a resolution going to the state to have the Governor sign that $500,000 and to appropriate the remainder of the money later on. So at this time, I'd like to ask Marge Ward to come forward. And I think Commissioner Mann might have a few words to say, given he was very active in acquiring this property while he was in the state legislature many years ago. Marge. MS. WARD: Thank you, John. Good morning, Commissioners. COMMISSIONER MANN: Hi. Are you still mad at us, Marge? MS. WARD: No, I never have been. COMMISSIONER MANN: She wasn't mad at Collier, but she was a little upset with us for a while. MS. WARD: Yes. I know the commissioners know who I am. Anyhow, I am Marge Ward, President of the Citizens Association of Bonita Beach and we are dedicated to the conservation of our sovereign lands, which is our beaches and for public access thereto. Being on a county line, we work in both Lee and Collier 48 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 :2 3 4 5 6 '7 $ 9 lO 11 12 13 14 15 16 1'7 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 counties on the state level and the federal level, where we are opposed to oil rigs In the Gulf. Now Lovers Key State Recreation Area, as is shown on the map, is north of Bonita Beach. It consists of interconnected islands; Black Island, Long Island, Inner Key and Lovers Key. They are on the causeway between the New Pass Bridge and Big Carlos Pass lift bridge. Lovers Key, which itself borders on the Gulf, was acquired in 1983 by the state through the Save our Coast bonds, at a cost of $7,863,700. It consists of 434 acres. It was agreed that Carl Johnson Park could be transferred to the state, which would bring the total up to 564 acres. Combined, there would be a total of 8,000 feet on the Gulf of Mexico of beach and 3,400 feet on Big Carlos Pass. As volunteers, we worked for years selling exotics using our own equipment and supplies and trimming trees to use as barriers for the road in the parking lot, building trails, planting sea oats and manning the toll booth, et cetera. Now, beachgoers can access the Gulf beach by driving three-quarters of a mile on a sand road to the western side of Black Island, and walking across a wooden bridge to Inner Key and then another bridge to Lovers Key. 49 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 8 9 lO 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 We term Lovers Key as quote, the Jewel of the Florida beachfront park system. This state park not only services Lee County, but Collier County as well, in the same manner that Delnor Wiggins State Recreation Area serves -- which is in Collier County -- serves the people of Lee. But It also will be used by people from all over the state and tourists from all over the world, and it will provide publicity to attract tourists here which will help our economy and it will be for the usage of all of Southwest Florida. It's definitely a regional state park facility belonging to not one county but everyone. The estimate on optimum traffic passed in 1986 was 4,920 people daily. The conceptual plans were drawn by the state DNR and it's planned to be used for day use only, which will provide greater capacity. The last estimate to complete the improvements, as John said, was Just over $4 million. Half of those appropriations or what was in the house budget this year would provide -- and Just to give you an idea, things like a shop and storage area for the maintenance of the park equipment, extending utility lines, parking lot expansion with stabilization of both the parking lot and the road, boardwalks where needed, and repairs to 5O OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 $ 6 *7 9 10 11 1:2 13 14 15 16 1'7 18 19 2O 21 22 23 24 25 the bridges, since this is an island complex. A sheltered pavilion, standard ranger station to replace the temporary structure, and residences for on-site park personnel. Because the Senate budget contained no appropriation, a compromise, as John mentioned, will be anticipated in the amount of $500,000 this year. The remaining appropriations to reach this 4 million would provide at a later time picnic areas, visitor center, a tram, as we1! as restrooms in the beach area instead of the temporary ones which are in the parking lot. I have copies for each of you of the plan that was approved in 1990 by the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund, which is the Governor and Cabinet. What we need and request is a Joint resolution from both the Commissioners of Lee and Collier County supporting the appropriation for the Governor to sign into law for the 1994 and '95 budget of $500,000, and for the full appropriations to be forthcoming in the 95-96 state budget, for the state facility for the benefit of all of Southwest Florida region. I'm repeating because someone already said this, but we are the fastest growing area of Florida. And with the Gulf Coast University coming on line, it will 51 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 ? 8 9 lo 11 12 13 14 15 16 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 be a direct line as the crow flies from this beautiful beach. Therefore, it becomes a must. We'll never have enough beaches, and it is an undisputed fact that beaches are our most prized commodity. They provide our economy. And at that, I thank you. And if there is any questions that I can answer, I will attempt to do so. CHAIRMAN JUDAH: Marge, you indicated there was no appropriation by the Senate for any funding, only in the House? MS. WARD: Not -- in the current budget there was not. The Senate had money in their budget for $1 million, I believe it was, for the Imaginarium, which is being sponsored by the City of Fort Myers. And a compromise was reached between the $2 million that the House had in for Lovers Key and the money which the Senate wanted for the Imaginarium. And they took and reduced the amount for Lovers Key to $500,000 and took from the Land Management Trust Fund, which happens to be strictly reserved for state parks. And as it stands -- of course, the Governor hasn't signed anything yet -- but as it stands, that money would be taken out of the State Park Fund to be used for a Fort Myers facility, which is not a state facility. And the DEP has requested that the Governor 52 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 '7 9 10 11 1:2 13 14 15 16 1'7 18 19 :20 2]. 22 23 24 :25 complete a line item veto on that because of where the money is coming from. Not that there's any objection to the project, but because the money is coming from the State Park Fund, and this reduces the amount which is available for the state parks, and it is the money that they depend upon not only to acquire, but to improve and to maintain state parks throughout the entire state. CHAIRMAN JUDAH: Thank you very much. Important distinction. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: I Just wanted to ask Commissioner Judah a question. Maybe you can answer this, or one of your colleagues. In your growth management plan, do you have any deficiencies in your regional parks? COMMISSIONER MANN: No. CHAIRMAN JUDAH: No, we do not. Let me get a clarification and make certain I'm speaking the truth. I don't believe we do. Bill Hammond? MR. HAMMOND: As of right now, we don't. CHAIRMAN JUDAH: We're all set. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: The reason why I ask that question is that we, at one point in our growth management plan, had identified a deficiency in a regional park and we were able to meet that deficiency OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 53 1 2 3 4 5 6 '7 8 9 lO 11 12 13 14 15 16 1'7 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 under a land lease with the state. And we leased five miles of lineal beach within the county and that fulfilled our growth management requirements. We're leasing that for one dollar a year. My thought would be that if there were an opportunity with us coordinating that effort to try to look at this as a regional park, that perhaps if there were opportunities we may be able to use some regional park -- and we have impact fees in regional parks. I assume you have regional park impact fees, as well. If we were to collaborate on that, we may be able to come up with some additional funds. Because I think the polnt's being well made that this is regional. I'm not looking beyond Lee and Collier. I'm not sure how much people will travel from Charlotte County to Lovers Key. There may be some. But we're talking about seasonal visitors, and we're talking about our local population. So maybe that's something we can at least look at if we got -- I think we've met our deficiency -- between the departments you might be able to do something with that regional park impact fees that we are still collecting, and I don't know how much we have right now. But it might be an opportunity to look for some local funding for that type of a facility. 54 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 '7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 :20 21 22 23 24 25 CHAIRMAN JUDAH: Excellent suggestion. Let me have County Administrator Stilwell maybe elaborate on what went on with the Lee County Commission recently with regards to our capital improvement program including regional park impact fees. MR. STILWELL: It's not solidified yet. What has happened, the proposal to the board that we had this last week is it reduce the capital program of the parks by some 30 millions of dollars, $29 million, and will be going back to the board with that on this coming Tuesday. Quite frankly, we don't have the money. That's the problem. CHAIRMAN JUDAH: But to elaborate on what Commissioner Volpe was saying, the concern, of course, is the operation of the thing. If we were to fund the necessary capital improvements to the parks, the utilities, the bathrooms, etc., the parking area, the question then would be the maintenance of that facility. MR. STILWELL: Yes. And there is a proposal of Bill Hammond, the Deputy County Administrator, is working on that. He can tell you better than I, essentially -- Bill, help me out here -- it's a concept to use impact fees monies to go ahead and develop the park and then develop it in such a way that operation 55 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 '7 9 lO 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 and maintenance monies would come out of the operation of the park. And BIll feels confident that we could generate more than sufficient dollars to take care of that park and maybe even spill over into other areas. Bill, is there anything -- MR. HAMMOND: I think that -- Bill Hammond, Lee County. For the last several months we've been kicking around a number of options, and one of the options is that there are some dollars out there that we could put into the park. We've talked with Representative Arnold. We have some tourist tax dollars that certainly could be used to do some of the elements that the state has already planned for. It wouldn't put $4 million into the park, but it certainly would give us an opportunity to open up the park and to expand on parking, wilderness campsites, those types of elements. It comes back to operation and maintenance. And there, too, opens up the opportunity of the possibility of entering into some type of an agreement with somebody for privatization. The park itself, it doesn't matter to us who operates the park, who maintains the park. We think there's a potential that lays there that we certainly for 10 years have believed that we should move on. We still have the Carl Johnson Park open, but 56 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 $ 9 10 11 12 13 14 16 1'7 18 19 :20 21 22 23 24 25 that's -- in the last six months that has been evaluated. And because of the boardwalk and the deterioration of the boardwalks after 20 plus years, we have a problem with maintenance on that. And to repair some of those over the next 10 years is going to be in the millions of dollars, Just to repair what we have. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: I don't know if either of our staffs have been discussing some sort of a cooperative effort as to capital improvements. But I'm going to suggest as to capital improvements, there may be some funding source for the capital improvements. The operation and maintenance might be a state responsibility. I mean that might be where they play a role. MR. HAMMOND: I have to tell you that the state did not execute the contract with us, that we had the agreement to take over the entire Carl Johnson Park-Lovers Key, and that was in 1990. We were in the process of down-sizing. We were in the process of standing down on equipment, on manpower, those kind of That didn't happen in 1990; we kept the park things. open. I don't think the state is willing to do anything Just yet. It gives us an opportunity to work together as a staff and to put the options all on the table, and 57 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 ? 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 see what we can come up with. We have close to a million dollars in tourist tax that could be utilized. We could use some of the elements and some of the planning that has already taken place by the state. But certainly, not go the full blown plan. But it does give us an opportunity maybe to open up the interior park and do some things with Carl Johnson Park as we originally planned to do, and that was close that side of the park and open up the interior for beachgoers. So there are a number of options, but it's a little p_'emature right now. We have talked to Keith Arnold, and I think it's good what you're going to do now, encouraging the state to take off on this. But the operation and maintenance is what is killing us throughout Lee County, and we're finding -- we have seven projects on the board this year to open up and the 0 and M of these facilities is Just a back breaker. And we have to look at every option in every way to see if we can at least offset some of that. So I think we need to get together staff. we can work with -- you know your staff and our staff and put John Yarborough and your people in a room and maybe come up with some options, take a look at the tourist tax, take a look at the Impact fees. I think 58 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 ? 8 9 lO :1.1 12 13 14 15 16 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Definitely, this is a regional facility that everybody will use. COMMISSIONER SAUNDERS: The proposal that's before us this morning is simply to have a Joint resolution whereby the Collier County Commission and Lee County Commission both request funding in the amount of $500,000 for 94-95, for that to be funded next year. And I think it's appropriate for the Collier County Commission to Join hands with Lee County in that effort. Obviously, we don't want to get into a middle of a squabble for funding for the Imaginarium and funding for Lovers Key. But I think the County Commissions can certainly pass a Joint resolution urging that the state legislature recognize Lovers Key as a very important regional facility that will benefit Collier County and Lee County. And I would urge, if the County Attorneys permit us, that we go ahead and get on with that resolution, if it's permissible for us to do that this morning. CHAIRMAN CONSTANTINE: I would agree with you. Our County Attorney Just suggested that we could conceptually approve a resolution today and have official wording come back to us as soon as we possibly can on a regular agenda. 59 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 , , ii III IIIIIII I II I I I I II I IIII I I 1 2 3 4 5 6 '7 9 lO 11 12 13 14 15 16 1'7 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 MR. CUYLER: I think the sincerest objection, we would Just take it in a direction for the respective County Attorneys to work on a resolution to submit to you in your formal sessions. MR. HAMMOND: I'm encouraging you to do that. But what I'm also saying is we should not close the door on the other options. Maybe we should collectively get together and see what the other options really are. Because it's a Jewel and it's something I think that we can come up with some solutions. CHAIRMAN JUDAH: I really do appreciate the statement that Commissioner Volpe mentioned with regards to the possibility of utilizing the regional park impact fees and certainly what you Just mentioned, Bill Hammond, about the tourist tax money for maintenance. That does qualify in the state statute. Of course, we all know that. So there is some opportunities here. It Just all hinges on how the Lee County Commission will address the proposals of our County Administrator regarding our five-year capital improvement program. To keep that intact, maintain those options, we have an opportunity here. MR. STILWELL: well at sometime. CHAIRMAN JUDAH: It will require an agreement as Right. So there's still some 60 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 '7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 opportunities. CHAIRMAN CONSTANTINE: I assume there is no objection to any member of the board bringing that back promptly in resolution form? MS. WARD: Can I make Just one addition to this? I do know that the state park system Is not the least bit interested in giving up any control of this state park to any other entity, state, private or anything of the sort. Because they themselves consider this, as I mentioned before, the Jewel of the beach front state park system. And although ~hey have not had the money to this point, it is looking better all the time as far as getting the money is concerned. And I don't really personally -- and I know there's a lot of people agree with me -- that either the constituents of Lee County or the constituents of Collier County should have to shell out $4 million for something that is going to be a facility for everyone to use, and that the state is perfectly willing to back the money. We might have to wait a little bit longer. But if we could have the support of both of the commissions pushing behind not only a private organization, but the Bonita Springs Chamber of Commerce who has been working for this funding, it would help out very much and would permit you, instead 61 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 of using your funding that is designed for other things -- because I mean, if you pick up the paper, I know both counties have problems financially, and you're having to cut back on certain things. And that causes a lot of trouble with your constituents and also as far as maintenance of those. A lot of them have even been worded in the paper that some places may have to be cut back because you can't afford the maintenance. Why not let the state keep the state facility and everybody in the state has co pay for it, not Just the people of two particular counties down here, which are already oppressed by an influx of people. If we can get the state to come up with the money, even if it is in installments as it is, and keep it rolling, that could be done if you people on both sides of the line would sign some type of a Joint resolution and help us try to push beyond Just what we have up to this time. And if you could and if you would, it would be very much appreciated. MR. HAMMOND: Mr. Chairman, as I said before, I really don't care who manages the park. I do know that the state has told us that they had to stand down on several park facilities throughout the state. I Just think there's a way that we can all collectively get OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 62 1 2 3 4 5 6 '7 8 9 lO 1]. 12 13 14 15 16 1'7 18 19 :20 2]. 22 23 24 25 together and do something positive. I think we have the opportunity to do that. CHAIRMAN CONSTANTINE: The Collier County Attorney has Just said we can probably have that on by this coming Tuesday. I know you folks don't meet Tuesday, but perhaps if he communicates with your attorney we can both have a resolution of identical nature on next week's agenda. CHAIRMAN JUDAH: Absolutely. We bring it on ours next Wednesday. MS. WARD: On behalf of everybody who has ever been there, we thank you. And if you have never seen the park and you'd even like a personal tour, we'd be more than happy to show you what it looks like. Thank yOU. CHAIRMAN JUDAH: Thanks for your dedication, Marge. COMMISSIONER MANN: Your Chairmanships, your plural Chairmanships, Just a thought. I want to tag on something Bill Hammond said about a possible partnership. That's what we're here to talk about between the two counties and the state. We need a three way deal here as it relates to Lovers Key, Black Island, the whole package. For instance, I don't know what is planned for phasing if this half million comes 63 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 ~ll I I II IIIIII I II ! 2 3 4 5 $ ? 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 through, and I think it will. My best information is the Governor's not inclined to veto that, because that's been part of PNR's proposal for years. And it's been in the pipeline, as it were, and it finally got this much money. I think that's going to be pretty safe. But what we need to do now is know what we are going to do with that half million and how we can dovetail our own local efforts with the state's and at least taking advantage of the first phasing of that 500,000. I don't think the ~tate really has a clear idea how that's going to go. So if it's possible for to us come out of here with an agreement that the commissioner from Lee that is closest to this can meet with the commissioner from Collier, and have the staffs of the two begin a dialogue how both the capital funding and the long-term operational funding and the state's role, how they can all come together, beginning immediately with a half million dollars in capital and come down, there is things that can be done here right away. And I also don't understand how the state is planning to charge, what type of an admission fee, and how much that's going to generate. But with the three of us working together. 64 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 ? 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 I can tell you a history -- and y'all know this without my saying it -- is that the state is going to be far more inclined to help with areas where the counties are doing their part, too. The partnership's Just going to work better. So this particular project here really lends itself to a two-county effort alongside the state. I bet we can move this more quickly than any of us might imagine here if we get that dialogue going and maintain it. So I hope that's one of the things that comes out of here. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: Commissioner Mann, Just I think later on in our agenda there is an opportunity to perhaps consider that type of a collaborative effort and not project by project, not Lovers Key and U.S. 41, but rather some sort of an interrelationship between Collier and Lee at a minimum to address these kinds of issues. That's council of local government officials, which I think hopefully we'll be able to at least conceptualize later on in the agenda. I think this is really, as you point out, one of the keys to that. COMMISSIONER MANN: I'm for that. And that general partnership is cried out for. That's why we're here. I'm sorry I missed the last one. But we need to be, I think, also very specific on this one and focused, and we can make something happen here a lot 65 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 '7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2o 21 22 23 24 25 more quickly. While I'm at It, I don't know if we're here for the purpose of passing out kudos. but taxpayers pay for all these things. DeSalvo =here, the little Bonita boy in the white shirt, he was the facilltator in putting this whole purchase together a decade ago. The Irony of this is, we bought that thing -- we, the state in a former life -- knowing we didn't have the money then to provide for the capital improvements and the operational expenses. But we believed that within a very few years, three to four years, the money would be forthcoming for the operations and improvements there. Well, It's a decade later. Fortunately, we have the land, but we're still talking about who's going to pay for it. So time's awasttng, and this could be such a Jewel for Southwest Florida. I'm glad it's part of the agenda today and everybody recognizes what a team work effort could do to bring this thing on more quickly. It's about time. Thank you, Andy. I'm glad you're still alive to watch this rapid progress. CHAIRMAN JUDAH: Okay. We'll hear from the Chamber representative. Morning, Bob. MR. BELLAVANCE= For the record, I'm Bob Bellavance, Chamber of Commerce Executive in Bonita 66 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 '7 8 9 lO 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 :22 23 24 25 Springs. And I'm absolutely delighted to have this opportunity before you this morning to talk with you. how, not only as we see governmental cooperation this morning, is the coordination between the three Chambers of Commerce, being Naples and Southwest Florida and Bonita Springs. Between, with these three Chambers, we represent over 4,000 businesses and probably over 200,000 people that are employed in the Southwest Florida area. The docket item says coordination, but there is really three C's here. Ther6's coordination, there's cooperation and there's communication. And over the last four months or so, this has improved tremendously between the three Chambers of Commerce. It's an absolute pleasure to work with Chamber of Commerce professionals like Allon Fish from Naples and Steve Tyree of Southwest Florida. Some of the things that we're going to be doing over the next few months are enhanced networking experiences between the members of all of our organizations and some economic understanding and planning situations. Well, three of us are supposed to speak, so now I'd like to turn this over to Allon Fish of Naples Chamber of Commerce, who will then introduce Steve Tyree. 67 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 1'7 18 19 2o 21 22 23 24 25 MR. FISH: Thank you, Bob. And I think we want to thank the Bonita Springs Chamber and certainly both the County Commissions for working on and arriving at this day and this agenda that is certainly to benefit everyone that's here and everyone that you all represent. I've had the opportunity over the last five months of hearing Norm Feder speak to groups like you and others, I guess about five times. And I come away from each one of these having learned more than I probably thought I ever wanted to know. But I must confess to you, whether it's from your side of the fence in the public sector or we from the private sector, deal with the various aspects of the state government, it can be at times a very negative experience. And It occurs to me that this man may be one of the best friends that we have in the state government. And I'm continually Impressed with what he brings to the table. There is not time to say all of the things that need to be said, could be said, perhaps should be said about economic development here in Southwest Florida. But to boil it down to its essence, I think that it is Important to recognize that Lee and Collier County are at the heart of an area that we view as an economic region. The ecomonies of the two counties are more 68 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 4 5 6 ? 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 1'7 18 19 2O 21 22 23 24 25 Intertwined each day. And as we both grow, we have more in common than ever before. We enjoy business people who own businesses and operate businesses in both counties, and that continues to grow. There is a regular flubble of people and of commerce back and forth across this Invisible line that continues to grow, and It's something that draws us closer together, whether we like it or we don't. You know, In 1993, the top companies In our nation, the Fortune 1,000 companies basically, downsized by approximately 6~0,000 Jobs in 1993. And if you look at the last 10 years, the downsizing of the major U.S. corporations amounts to nearly 5 million Jobs. And when I was presented with that information for the first time, I asked myself as you must, well, where did all those people go? And where those people have gone is something that we need to pay attention to. Because they have started small businesses, they have Joined small and emerging businesses and medium sized companies throughout our country. And that's where the economic development activity is today and very likely will be in our future. History shows that over the last 20 plus years that 75 to 80 percent of the new Jobs created and the 69 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 ' ' I I II III I I I III 1 2 3 4 5 6 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 new capital forum in this country have come from existing business and industry. And we think of economic development efforts as we know them, and there are over 7500 organizations in this nation that are actively involved in economic development in one way or another. Many of them, maybe even most of them, focused on recruiting major U.S. industries to their communities. Now does that make a whole lot of sense? I think where our focus needs to be and can be and should be in the future is where the action is, and that's at the smaller end, the more focused end. And we have opportunities in that area that we need to pursue. Lee County has a mature and successful program supporting economic development. Representatives of the private and public sector in Collier County are engaged in an ongoing dialogue that is sure to strengthen the future of economic development in Collier County. Between Steve and Bob and myself -- and I was little bit dismayed to realize this -- we represent 64 years of chamber management. ! won't tell you who's the longest nor average ages. And that involves about 12 different Chambers that we have served in, most of those in Florida. 7O OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 $ '7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 As representatives of the business community we three have developed a very close working relationship and a dialogue out of both interest and concern over conunon issues, many of which have been discussed today and more that have not been, but hopefully will be. We cannot help but remember, Commission, in this process that the Business Development Council in Lee County and the Economic Development Council in Collier County are also extremely important partners in the process. I'd like to assure you that our focus is on trying to get things accomplished. It is not on who's going to get the credit. It is on how can we get things done. Because when you focus on that, there will be more than enough credit for everyone to go around. You already understand many of our common concerns. They involve U.S. 4! either side of the county line, the future development of the Regional Airport, that is so critical to our mutual economies, the development this fall of a mutually sponsored economic outlook conference that each of you w£11 be invited to come to. Those are Just a few of many, many things that we are working on together. Cooperation is good for both communities, for both counties, for all of the organization. And we believe 71 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 -- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 that that sets an example of what one cannot achieve, together we may be able to achieve. And so we believe that, we are working on that together. And now I would like to introduce Steve Tyree, who is the President of the Southwest Florida Regional Chamber of Commerce. I didn't get that right, did I? I've still got to learn it. MR. TYREE: Thank you very much. Appreciate that. Good morning. The best chamber presentation can be the briefest chamber presentation, so let's get on with it. Thanks for coming together today. I've heard an important concept discussed at this table that I want to underscore for you today. It's called partnership. What you've heard my two contemporaries talk about this morning is a partnership that we are working on. We encourage you to continue to work on yours. This is evidence of some outstanding effort on your part. Allon talked about some evidence of our partnership that you can look forward to in the next several months. Our last quarter Regional Economic Outlook Conference, which will bring together national and state recognized personalities to talk about the future of our economy. We want you involved in that and we will seek out your interests. Our tri-county or OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 72 1 3 4 5 6 '7 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 trl-chamber network session which will take place in July, we will invite you to and hope that you will participate. You heard Allon talk about the active dialogue between not only Chambers of Commerce but economic development orgnizations. You should know that even today those organizations are working to bring new business and to expand business in your marketplace, and they are working together. Last but not least, some of you are involved in a few days in a project called Leadership Southwest Florida. It is an opportunity to bring together regional leadership and create a regional vision for our community. The focus of that endeavor will include specific dialogue and strategic planning in the area of economic development, education, governance, infrastructure, leadership and quality of life. For those of you who are participating, thanks very much for that commitment. For those of you who are anxiously awaiting the feedback from those sessions, we are anxious to share it with you. We think it will help bring together the public and the private sector in our multicounty area. ! might allude to the fact also that Charlotte County also has representation in that effort. 73 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 .............. ,, ,, , [in, [[[ [[ 11 Ill I II 1[ 1[ [ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Last but not least, let me applaud you for today's effort. This is an outstanding start and that partnership that I talked about is evident at this table today. The frequency of these discussions, in my view, should be increased. What you have started is something that I think we have going between our Chamber of Commerce organizations. And that's the second word I want to leave you with today, and that's synergy. The synergy that you are creating here will have a lasting impact for our citizens and our communities for some time to come. I hope that you will consider increasing the frequency of these opportunities and your working together so that you can accelerate that synergy. Thanks very much to all of you, and thanks to my colleagues for being here today, as well. CHAIRMAN JUDAH: Thank you Mr. Tyree. Dennis? MR. GILKEY= I want to wrap up and I'm going to repeat what Steve said and be very brief. There's a few other items under regional coordination that I think mostly we hit with you and you discussed yourself. A couple things that were hit on last October that you may want to pursue in future meetings or have some direction today on. Collier County, I'm not sure if you have adopted 74 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 5 6 ? 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2o 21 22 23 24 25 your economic element yet. I know you were working on it last October, you were starting to work on it. And at that time, last October, Lee County had Just adopted its economic element. Something you should think about as you go through your periodic updates of the Comprehensive Plan, is to look at those two together and reflect what the Chamber representatives have mentioned to you today. There are certain commonalities and certain individualities as well, in those economic elements. Transportation, one of the other things that's been discussed from time to time, is mass transportation. We talked about the limitations of the north-south corridors, how many regional transit systems or transportation -- in this area, it's probably bus -- that you see In the country. You see a lot of them, probably most of them. So keep that in mind, that it doesn't have to be a county by county system. The 10h University, I think we've hit on that as far as that being something that both counties' Comprehensive Plans should identify and reflect the Impact of that and Regional Airport in your economic elements. The Items of drainage, we did hit on that last 75 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 ? 8 9 10 12 13 14 15 ~6 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 meeting in October. I would suggest -- and there has been a Joint meeting between the staffs since that time to address the drainage in the areas that do have a connection -- very ill-designed connection -- between the Imperial River watershed and the Cocohatchee River watershed. If we're talking about roadway systems that go through those watersheds, and the environmental issues, that's the time, probably, to tie that in with the drainage and environmental purchase issues and those types of things that you also have in common in the area east of 1-75. So I would Just leave that with you. Thank you again for meeting. One thing that you did last October that worked was you set the date, I believe at the meeting, this day of May 5, 1994, as your next meeting. Tentatively you confirmed that. That may be something you may want to do before you leave, is at least have a tentative date and come back, however long you think is appropriate at this point in time. Thank you again very much. (A recess was taken.) CHAIRMAN CONSTANTINE: Chairman Judah, have you concluded the Lee County agenda items? CHAIRMAN JUDAH: Yes. I believe we have. We are all set to go on to public comment and Collier County 76 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 '7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 1'7 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 :25 Commission items. COMMISSIONER ALBION: I didn't know, I can either save some comments for later or I could address them now. What would be your pleasure? I Just had some comments made on earlier presentations and Just a couple of thoughts that come to mind for me. Or if you want me to hold off, ! wouldn't have a problem with that. Which would you prefer? CHAIRMAN CONSTANTINE: those comments. COMMISSIONER ALBION: You are welcome to make Okay. Just some points that I wrote down and I believe that Mr. Fish actually hit the nail on the head. From what we're hearing -- and I looked into a bit about on the economic development side of what is going on, as far as trends go. And there clearly is a desire -- and this is nationally, not Just locally -- towards the entrepreneurial spirit. And that does link itself back to small business growth, and so on, which quite frankly, is what made this country grow up and become great. It was not the Fortune 500 and Fortune 1,000 companies that did that. So we might want to consider -- and I'm a big believer that economic development should be done on a regional basis -- and if you look at the parts of the state that clearly are getting to the front end of 77 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 ? 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2O 21 23 24 25 economic development where they are having successes, it has been more on a regional basis and not on a county by county basis. And I most notably would like to point out the Polk County area where they have seen some real success. I believe that we really have to try to move in that direction if we're going to actually be able to compete. We have an opportunity to the expansion at the International Airport, especially the cargo freight opportunity, because now we can be accessed for supplies by air, not Just b~ ground transportation. And I think we have to seriously look at that. I also believe that we should be looking most notably at environmental and socially responsible companies as an opportunity because the university is going to be based on the environmental sciences. It will also create a more cooperative arrangement with our tourism industry which necessarily would make a lot of sense. Economic development and tourism do not have to necessarily compete with each other. They can actually benefit each other. And I believe that that's one area. And if you look worldwide, you're going to find that most countries are actually moving more towards the socially responsible attitude. And actually, the 78 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 § 6 ? 8 9 lO 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 United States is behind in that. That may create a real opportunl~:y. When you look at that and you look at the positioning of Southwest Florida in that regard, ! think there may be some opportunities there besides. I'd also like to at least throw on the table -- and I mentioned it a couple times in Lee County government and to a couple of different groups -- that perhaps we can look at a public-private type of business group that could try to learn a bit more about some overseas companies or at least overseas countries as to how they do business, ~o that when we do try to perhaps attract certain companies that would be beneficial to this area, that we do not go over there and try to Americanize them, but instead try to deal with them on a basis in which they are more comfortable and familiar, which would be a more attractive element. And I believe by getting the private sector involved in that, will up our level of expertise because they have already operated, of course, in the business community, and that would be a big benefit. And I would personally like to see that done more regionally rather than Just done locally. I also would have you note that I believe in economic development and I think we're already moving in this direction. But the marketing dollars we spent 79 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 '7 8 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 1'7 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 from our bed tax, T.D.C., are really being driven through the research of what's going on economically in other countries. So therefore, they are positioning the dollars to areas that are not in economic depressions or recessions but instead towards countries that have people that will be able to afford to come over. I think from an economic development standpoint we have to be Just as shrewd. That's going to be the best way we are going to be able to compete. So from an economic development standpoint, I'd like to see it done regionally -- personally, I'd like to see it done regionally -- and I believe these are some of the areas that we should be concentrating. The second question or point I'd like to pose would be -- and I don't know if this has occurred -- if perhaps members of the legislative delegation that are directly affected or representing, shall we say, these two counties, if they have been contacted about these meetings and at least be given the opportunity, of course, to appear and listen to what's going on, If not the ability to make presentations if they would so desire. The reason why is, when you look over this agenda, I'm seeing a number of items that we are going to be asking them to promote, and if can get them into the ground floor where they would be willing to 8O OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 '7 8 9 lO 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2O 21 22 23 24 25 participate, I think it would be clearly beneficial. And I would recommend that for the future as an opportunity. So those are a couple points that I would like to bring forward. I would also hope that we would continue meeting like this, but also to try to get, frankly, much more result-oriented. We are being somewhat result-oriented here today, especially when I look at the situation with Lovers Key and the Joint resolution. But I would hopefully like for us to consider either having the btaffs look at a number of areas where we could have Joint participation. We've talked, I will tell you, at a Port Authority meeting of maybe having a couple of non-voting members from surrounding counties, and that's based on the present Port Authority rules, to at least be able to participate in the meeting, so that way we will be looking at our airport on a regional basis, not Just locally. That's Just one area. But I think there should be a number of areas, like economic development, like the environmental situation, where maybe then, when we are doing our budgeting, we will also be able to properly dovetail on a regional basis, not Just on a local county basis. And I think that would be beneficial. 81 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 '7 8 9 lO 11 12 13 14 15 16 1'7 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Therefore, if we can then have these meetings to be able to give greater direction to our staffs and be able to come up with a number of results, it's going to continue to fuel these meetings. So that way, it will continue to keep the enthusiasm level at this high point. I think it will be again, very beneficial to all of Southwest Florida, but most notably to Lee and Collier counties. CHAIRMAN CONSTANTINE: I agree wholeheartedly. There needs to be a regional outlook as far as economic planning and all. There is acually a subcommitee of the Regional Planning Council right now that has community leaders from throughout Southwest Florida participating in that. That may have planted seeds for something we can take advantage of. I know they have been meeting quarterly for about a year now. So we may take advantage of that, and with their assistance be able to not have to start from scratch and reinvent the wheel at this point. COMMISSIONER ALBION: Absolutely. And you're correct. I appreciate that. CHAIRMAN CONSTANTINE: Collier County has Just three brief items. Line. Mr. Dorrill. MR. DORRILL: The flrst is Lee Cares Complaint In a genuine interest of time, we, 82 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 '7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 1'7 18 19 :20 21 22 23 24 25 members of my staff, have been evaluating the Lee Cares program and working with the folks in Don's office. And we've sort of taken what we think are some of the best elements of your Lee Cares program, trying to incorporate them into a community awareness and hot line and logging and follow-up system. And on the 17th of May we'll be announcing to our County Commission a program called "Can Do". And we've even got sort of CHAIRMAN CONSTANTINE: It's going to be a gala event. Don't miss it. MR. DORRILL: We've got a cutsie-pie little mascot. And we're going to be appearing at a government awareness program in the main mall there in Naples, Coastland Mall. And it's part of the Tropicool Festival with our Chamber of Commerce. But I Just wanted to publicly recognize the Lee Cares program and in particular, the assistance we have we received from Don's office in trying to do the same in Collier County. I think historically from time to time we've said that maybe we always didn't want to copy our older brother to the north of us, Lee County. But your Lee Cares program is an excellent one and we commend you for it. And we have swiped some of the better elements of it and incorporated it into it. 83 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 '7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 1'7 18 19 :20 21 22 23 24 25 CHAIRMAN CONSTANTINE: The second item under Item 5 is the council of local government officials. Mr. Volpe. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: This is something that, a product of some of the discussions that we've had with our counterparts from Lee County, as well as the Joint meetings that we have had with the City Council, and my observations about the lack of coordination that exists between those various local governmental entities, including the school boards within certainly Collier County, and also as a result of some of the discussions that I have had with the respective Chambers. And scratching my head and doing a little research -- I'm trained in the law -- I actually discovered a provision in the Florida Statutes that provides what I believe to be the vehicle to bring together all of what we have been discussing to date, and that is this Concil of Local Governmental Officials. It's 163.02 of the Florida Statutes. I brought that item up conceptually with my colleagues at one of our meetings recently, and we dispatched our County Attorney to do a little research on the subject. I have shared with Commissioner Judah, and presumably you have received that communication -- CHAIRMAN JUDAH: Yes. 84 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 '7 8 9 lO 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 COMMISSIONER VOLPE: -- and I have also shared it with the Bonita Chamber of Commerce. For those of you who are not familiar with it, we need to get familiar with it because it is, in fact, in my view, the vehicle. It allows for all respective boards to appoint people to serve on a Concil of Local Governmental Officials with the power to do such things as to study government problems as it deems appropriate, including but not limited to promote cooperative arrangements, cooperative action amongst its members, make recommendations, review and action members and other public agencies, to do things in terms of economic development, which is an issue that I think has been mentioned. So what I would like to suggest to all of us -- I don't know whether Mr. Cuyler has had an opportunity to do any research -- but maybe what we can do is at the very least -- Ray, did you make copies or share any of this with your colleagues? CHAIRMAN JUDAH: Actually, I did not. I was hoping we could hear from you directly. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: Okay. Gentlemen and lady, if you will look at 163.02, I'd like to get some direction from this body to explore the possibility of creating that council. It may be that we would consider a 85 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 3 4 5 6 ? 8 lO 11 11l 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2o 21 23 24 25 council which would be bicounty; someone from Lee County Board of Commissioners, someone from Collier County. It may be important enough to get someone from the Port Authority, as well. Some of you serve on the Port Authority. I don't know who else is on the Port Authority. There may be a reason to include a representative from the South Florida Water Management District. Because what we do is, we meet as committees and a bunch of us, and we have I think conceptualized and we're working a little better than we have in the past. But I think the point has been made we conceptualize, we allow our staffs to follow up on some of what it is that we discuss. But it seems to me that this would provide a continuum to leave this meeting and to have a council work together and then report back to this collegial body, to come up with fleshing it out in our respective commissions. So it's 163.02. Ken, do you have anything to add or not? MR. CUYLER: We're still in the process of looking at it, contacting other areas of the state. I'll be able to provide Mr. Yaeger with a recommendation. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: Ray, if I could maybe ask your County Attorney, as well, and maybe at one of your upcoming board meetings you could at least discuss it 86 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 lO 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 amongst yourselves. Conceptually -- and I only speak for myself; I have learned that over the last six years -- but I think conceptually, we as a body, have thought that it's a good idea. And what I hear discussed today is that it's probably something that is a formal organization that could be used and I think it is being used in areas like Polk County and others, that benefit from it. That's the direction. We've conceptualized it, our County Attorney is supposed to be coming back with Just a little bit more information, and then, maybe if your group feels that it's an idea worth pursuing, maybe the respective Chairs of the boards could bring it back to our bodies and we could look at how we do it, go about creating that Council. CHAIRMAN JUDAH: Fine. CHAIRMAN CONSTANTINE: Meet you at the baseball game. Finally, do you have. CHAIRMAN JUDAH: I was going to say that's fine. I appreciate the suggestion. I think that dovetails in with the concerns about mutually working together, economically in terms of promotion of mutual concerns, drainage, transportation, et cetera. So certainly, I think it's a prudent approach to take. Let me Just say that I'll run it through our 87 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 4 5 6 7 8 10 11 12 13 14 16 1'7 18 2O 2! 22 24 25 appropriate channels, get the feedback from the fellow Commissioners. We'll have a chance to dialogue on this next time we all meet together. But certainly prior to that meeting, I will make co~ents and communicate to your Chairman in advance. COMMISSIONER VOLPE= We're meeting every six months on this. CHAIRMAN JUDAH= Yeah, we'll move on this prior to that next meeting, but we'll have a dialogue at that meeting. COMMISSIONER MANN= Yo?r Chairmanship, if I may, so you don't have to wait and ask me later and risk violating the Sunshine Law if we don't have a chance like this when it's all properly noticed, I think it's an excellent suggestion. We work in the Regional Planning Councils with multiple counties. But realistically speaking, the two counties in Southwest Florida that are on a collision course of expense if we don't adequately coordinate our own efforts, are Collier and Lee County. And all of the activity and growth -- not all of it, but a significant portion of it -- is right here where the two counties come together, the Bonita area. And to the extent that these two counties can work together more closely -- and if we can't, it's going to 88 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 ! 2 3 4 § 6 '7 8 9 lO 11 12 13 14 :1.5 16 1'7 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 be difficult to get five County Commissioners, both sides together, I bet, more than twice a year. But subcommittee types or agency of what you're describing, I think could be very effective in helping us coordinate. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: I like your suggestion as well, but I think it's important enough that we don't wait six months to get it to the next point. And I guess we'll work on our side and maybe, as I say, you and Commissioner Constantine can coordinate it and rather than waiting for our ~ext formal meeting if there is interest, and I would hope that there would be and there seems to be. COMMISSIONER MANN: Well, I'm in favor right now as designating our Chairman as hit man for Lee County. CHAIRMAN JUDAH: I'm in no way implying we wait six months. The point I was making is we'll certainly do the groundwork in advance of that next meeting and we'll have an opportunity -- COMMISSIONER MANN: chomping at the bit. MR. STILWELL: Mr. Stilwell over here is Just What has been suggested is very common on the other West Coast, that being the West Coast of the United States, and it's called Council of Governments, and it's a routine thing. It's very, very 89 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 '7 8 9 lO 11 12 13 14 15 16 1'7 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 common. I think it touches every place you want to go and does include all the various entities, the cities. They will take a representative from each one of the cities -- elected representatives, I'm talking about -- someone from the county, and they combine it over an area of its impact, such as this area here. And it makes a lot of sense and really does work very well. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: My thought process has been that you can make it too big, and we may want to do something within Collier County. But right now for bicounty, I would say if we could get representatives of this body and maybe one or two other, whether it's the Port Authority or whether it's the Southwest Florida Water Management District, and we don't think in terms of other municipalities or municipalities within either one of our counties, for this purpose to address these kind of bicounty issues that we're dealing with. CHAIRMAN CONSTANTINE: Anything else on that item? Final item before we go to public comments, is the ever- popular beach parking fees. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: I guess I put that on our agenda. COMMISSIONER MANN: You did? CHAIRMAN CONSTANTINE: It's not too late to 9O OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 3 4 5 6 ? 8 9 lO 11 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2o 21 24 25 withdraw it. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: Well, since we are only able to discuss these items as bodies in a public forum, I Just wanted to -- since it's an item that we have touched on -- we have found we are experiencing that as a result of your actions in Bonita, that it is impacting upon our community parks within Collier County. Impacting that is, that if there is an opportunity to avoid having to pay a fee to park. As you know, at the north end of Lely Barefoot Beach, we, Collier County, have a parking facility. So you're charging and we are not. And we are probably going to discuss this again. I would like to think we will. If you could -- Just one of you or all of you Just -- we talked the last time that you were directing fees from the beach parking to satellite parking locations? Just a little update as to whether that is occurring. Specifically, I understood at our last meeting that some of the fees that were being collected from beach parking were being used, perhaps, for lease arrangements at Bonita Springs Plaza, or somehow a lease so that you can have remote locations. That's not occurring? CHAIRMAN JUDAH Hammond elaborate. My understanding -- I'll let Bill No, we've had complete cooperation 91 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 '7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 from Summerlin Square for those that use the trolley to Fort Myers Beach and the K-Mart Plaza merchants and the developer of that shopping center. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: CHAI~AN JUDAH: So you don't pay anything for I don't believe we pay anything for the use of the parking. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: How about the trolley itself? MR. HAMMOND: Free trolley. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: Who funds it? COMMISSIONER ST. CERNY: Fort Myers Beach CRA funds a hundred thousand of it. CHAIRMAN JUDAH: They provide a minimum amount of funding assistance. It's not for them, but certainly, when you take in the overall cost to operate the trolley system, the Estero Island Community Development Program does provide 112,000 in fact, to help subsidize the trolley service on Fort Myers Beach. But through our Lee-Tran System, we insure that we provide free trolley service for those folks. And it's a comprehensive network from K-Mart Plaza all the way on up to Summerlin Square in the northern end of Lee County. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: county-wide? Is the beach parking you have 92 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 ¢ § 6 7 8 9 lO 11 12 13 14 15 16 1'7 18 19 2o 21 22 23 24 25 CHAIRMAN JUDAH: Takes in from K-Mart Plaza -- COMMISSIONER VOLPE: No, no. You're charging now -- we read locally in our newspaper about the master meters at Bonita Beach. But I'm asking whether the beach parking program is throughout the county. CHAIRMAN JUDAH: Yes, it is on the major beach parks. Lynn Hall Park, Bowman Beach, Bonita Beach. MR. HAMMOND: Those are the three areas. CHAIRMAN JUDAH: Now, the other more recently developed regional park, Bowdich Point Regional Park, has only minimum parking for handicapped, disadvantaged, service vehicles. We encourage, because of the limited amount of parking, people to take the trolley to get to Bowdich Regional Park. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: So, but you've answered my question, it is a county-w/de program? CHAIRMAN JUDAH: Yes. facilities. Yes, sir. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: For the major beach park That's really it. I Just wanted kind of an update as we begin to contemplate our '94-'95 -- '95-'96 budget. CHAIRMAN CONSTANTINE: COMMISSIONER MATTHEWS: '94-'95. Commissioner Volpe, I've talked with our County Manager about the beach parking problems in Collier County, and we talked about looking 93 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 -- I III II I II IIIIIIII I III IIIIII 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 1'7 18 19 2o 21 22 23 24 25 at shopping centers that are a little distantly removed and the possibility of instituting a shuttle program or involving Dolly the Trolley in moving people from inland parking areas to the beaches. come up with something. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: Hopefully, we'll The only thing, when we first discussed it, I've actually -- and we mentioned other governmental entities, for example, schools. I mean schools don't use their facilities, to my knowledge, on the weekends. So when you take 111th, you get a whole parking lot at Naples Park Elementary School that's vacant, that is a very short distance. So beyond involving the private sectors, I believe there are some opportunities with the public sector. That's something we'll be discussing. But I wanted to get a little input about the experiences that you're having. And nobody is not going to the beach now as a result of having parking fees that you're aware of? CHAIRMAN JUDAH: Only complaint that I have received is there is not enough parking. MR. HAMMOND: Mr. Chairman, I might add it might encourage you to take a look at our park master system that we have at Bowman's Beach, and also Bonita Beach. It's an automated system and it's something that's been able to keep down the operation and maintenance of the 94 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 § 6 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 17 18 19 2O 2! 22 23 24 25 coin operated. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: generally? MR. HAMMOND: What's the cost of it, Just Seventy-five cents an hour. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: No. What's the cost of the master meter, Just generally? MR. HAMMOND: It's about 10,000, 10 to 11,000 for the system. We've had very good success with the maintenance on it and with also the maintenance contract that we have on it, if it does break down. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: I~ there a limitation as to the number of vehicles that it can handle? 150 spaces or -- MR. HAMMOND: It can handle anything you want. It can be programmed to anything. We have 80-plus parking facilities at Bonita Beach and 100 some-odd at Bowman's Beach. COMMISSIONER VOLPE: Thank you. That's all I had, Mr. Chairman. CHAIRMAN CONSTANTINE: The final item on the agenda, and perhaps the most important, public comment. I don't know that we have a formal sign-up process for this today. I don't know if anybody is taking slips. So anyone who would like to comment on virtually any issue, now is your time. 95 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 '7 8 9 lO 11 12 13 14 15 16 1'7 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 I want to thank Mr. Mann for the fine decorations we have. (Discussion off the record.) MR. WYLES: I'm Just a retired proud eight-year citizen of Bonita Springs. I'm not a member of the Chamber. I'm not a business anymore. I Just enjoy my retirement. But I would like to be a little bit more active. We talked about roads and the traditional way of looking for space for new roads. But when you live in an area, you see things, yo~ hear things, and there are some things that I think we can do to better improve the flow of traffic with a very reasonable cost. Norm, I'm going to do a little brainstorming as I was listening here, and I'll give you a couple examples, because I live in the area. Terry Street is roughly a half mile from the Bonita Springs interchange. In order to go from Terry Street to the interchange right now -- and there is huge communities off Terry; you got Citrus Park, you got Southern Pines, you got development all along Terry -- in order to get a half mile, you go roughly two miles to Old 41, two miles to Bonita Beach Road, two miles out to 75. Now these are people that are going to 75 because a lot of people in Citrus Park and these areas, when they come 96 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 lO 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2o 21 22 23 24 25 in with their trailers, they are using 75 to come in and out. And that's a very bulky type of transportation that is Jamming up Old 41-Bonita Beach Road. I'm Just throwing it out for a brainstorm consideration. Up in Canada, they parallel their expressways with feeder roads. You have an opportunity now, probably on the east side of 75 where there is not a large buildup, to use a feeder type road. You would eliminate a lot of traffic on heavily burdened roads right now. Example. Another example, we are looking for north-south corridors, and I know Collier County is coming through with Livingston Road and they are pretty well on their way. It's going to force Lee County into doing something with that traffic that's going to dump out on Bonita Beach Road. In order for Lee County to go north, they are going to go through a well-populated area, which becomes very expensive. I think Mr. Crawford knows the problems they have when they are going through a highly dense populated area. We have Grand Bonita Boulevard sitting out there. It's a straight road, nothing on either side of it, and it ends up -- I don't know where it ends up -- but you can feed -- Just throwing it out as a suggestion -- you 97 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 lO 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2o 21 22 23 24 25 can feed Livingston Road by expanding Bonita Beach Road and swinging it out toward Grand Bonita Boulevard. Or you can use Terry Street. You can come straight through to Terry and do the same thing. You can expand Grand Bonita Boulevard by six lanes if you want to. There is no problems out there. Land acquisition I would assume would be minimal compared to what you're going to try to do by going through and paving Bonita from wall to wall with concrete. You got to do it now. Because this wasn't planned before and now we're going to cause ourselves a problem. But here we got a chance east of 75 to look where there is less population, less buildup of land. And it shoots right down to the university. Just a suggestion. I know -- one other suggestion. I know the state, when they built interchanges, probably because of the loop cloverleaf interchanges, the land necessary for that type of interchange takes a beck of a lot more than what we have in Florida. To me -- and again it was nearsighted, because the type of interchanges we have now not only restrict traffic, but you're crossing lanes to make a turn, but also they are damned dangerous. I don't know how many accidents we've had on Bonita Beach Boulevard because of people crossing 98 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 ? 8 9 lO 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2O 21 22 23 24 25 and cars zooming up Bonita Beach Boulevard. It's probably too late, but it's a good possibility that you could eliminate that somehow. I don't know. I'm not designing anything; I'm throwing out suggestions. It scares me to death. I know when I get off at Pine Ridge Road and 75 and turn to visit people in the Vineyards, I tell you if they don't have major accidents over there within the next whatever, it will be very surprising to me. So and also, when you have -- COMMISSIONER MANN: Three minutes, Carl, three minutes. MR. WYLES: By the way, I am an engineer, so I have some qualification. MS. MAGGIO: Morning, or afternoon. I've lost track of time; don't have a watch. My name is Emily Maggio. I live in Little Hickory Shores. I'm a 25-year resident of the community of Bonita Springs. And I know I say that every time I stand up to speak, but I do so because quite frankly, I love this place. I'm very proud to be a member of this community. I can tell you the rank and file people have always worked together. We play together, we do business together, we party together and it's all worked out fine. We sincerely hope that the two commissions can do as well 99 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 5 6 '7 8 9 lO 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2o 21 22 23 24 2.5 as we have done, for our benefit. I'm here today as a messenger. A large contingent of Collier County residents would like for me to deliver a message to the County Commission and to Commissioner Volpe, in particular. What they would like to say is under no circumstances are we interested in any parking fees at the beach, irrespective of what has happened on the Lee County side of the line. We also feel that because of the resolution passed less than two years ago by a majority vote of the board saying that in the best interest of the public the fees would be eliminated, we feel this is not an appropriate forum to be talking about the fees. We should discuss it at our own public hearing in Collier County. The contingent of people I represent is the property owners of Naples Park, via Vera Fitzgerald, their representative; President of Bonita Shores and Little Hickory Shores President Jane Hayward for her association; Jack (inaudible) for the Willoughby Acres membership; Jerry Brown for Turnbury Membership; (inaudible) for the Naples Park Area Association and their membership; and Beth Erickson of the Pine Ridge Civic Association. We also have the support of Landmark Estates and Isle of Capri Civic Association. None of them could be here today. We found out it 100 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2O 21 22 23 24 25 would be a discussion item very late. However, if it should come before the board, you can expect that we will all be there. I thank you very much for your time. MR. DORRILL: Ms. Maggio, for advance notification reconsideration of beach parking fees will be included as part of the Manager's Tentative Budget, and the board has selected their three line item budget workshop days, and you should probably coordinate with Mr. (inaudible) so that you and members of your affiliated associations will know in advance when that's going to be discussed. MS. MAGGIO: I appreciate that. Thank you. CHAIRMAN CONSTANTINE: wish to comment? COMMISSIONER MANN: COMMISSIONER VOLPE: CHAIRMAN CONSTANTINE: COMMISSIONER VOLPE: Anyone else from the public Well, bring Carl back, then. Mr. Chairman?. Mr. Volpe. I Just was going to suggest before we adjourn -- maybe this is what you were going to do, and I apologize -- maybe we should contemplate when the next Joint meeting would be. My preference would be that it would be sometime before November 8th. CHAIRMAN CONSTANTINE: How about the evening of November 7th? I assume we could. I don't know if we lol OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 '7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2O 21 22 23 24 25 all have our calendars with us but find a mutually convenient date perhaps sometime in mid-or late October. CHAIRMAN JUDAH= Could my office coordinate with your office? CHAIRMAN CONSTANTINE= Yes. COMMISSIONER MATTHEWS: I can tell you right now I would have difficulty with the third week in October, which is what the problem was last fall. But it's kind of a standard week that I'm in Maryland. CHAIRMAN JUDAH: If you would like, let's go ahead with a tentative date, if you can come up with one. MR. DORRILL: The first Thursday for discussion purposes in October would be the 6th. COMMISSIONER MATTHEWS: That's acceptable to my schedule. CHAIRMAN CONSTANTINE: Any objection to October 6th? COMMISSIONER VOLPE= Don't arrange it around my schedule, because I'd like to be here in another capacity, in any event, so. CHAIRMAN CONSTANTINE: obviously, sometime before October. of you would like to add? COMMISSIONER ALBION: We'll confirm that, Anything else any Just think, can we Just 102 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 '7 9 lO 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 conceptually agree that the first Thursday in October and the first Thursday in May is when we'll plan for these meetings so we don't have this discussion on an ongoing basis? CHAIRMAN CONSTANTINE: else, we stand adjourned. Sure. If there is nothing Thank you very much. (The meeting was adjourned at 12:05 p.m.) 103 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 lO 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2o 21 22 23 24 25 CERTIFICATE OF REPORTER STATE OF FLORIDA ) COUNTY OF COLLIER) I, KAYE GRAY, Registered Professional Reporter and Notary Public of the State of Florida at Large, do hereby certify that the foregoing proceedings were taken before me at the date and place as stated in the caption hereto on Page I hereof; that the foregoing computer-assisted transcription, consisting of pages numbered 2 through 103, inclusive, is a true and accuratJ record of my notes taken at said proceedings. Dated this 27thday of May, 1994. Kaye ~ray ~/ Registered Professional Reporter STATE OF FLORIDA ) COUNTY OF COLLIER) The foregoing certificate was acknowledged before me this 27th day of May, 1994, by KAYE GRAY, who is personally known to me. 104 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA 33962