A regular MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
December 5, 2017
The Lake County Board of County Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday, December 5, 2017 at 9:00 a.m., in the Board of County Commissioners’ Meeting Room, Lake County Administration Building, Tavares, Florida. Commissioners present at the meeting were: Timothy I. Sullivan, Chairman; Leslie Campione, Vice Chairman; Sean Parks; Wendy Breeden; and Josh Blake. Others present were: Jeff Cole, County Manager; Melanie Marsh, County Attorney; Wendy Taylor, Executive Office Manager, County Manager’s Office; Neil Kelly, Clerk of Court; Kristy Mullane, Chief Deputy Clerk, County Finance; and Kathleen Bregel, Senior Secretary, Board Support.
welcome and introductions
Commr. Sullivan welcomed everyone to the 2017 State of the County and Women’s Hall of Fame Induction ceremony. He recognized elected officials in the audience.
INVOCATION and pledge
Pastor John Blake from Good News Church in Leesburg gave the Invocation and Sherriff Peyton Grinnell led the Pledge of Allegiance.
2017 women’s hall of fame
Commr. Sullivan remarked that the Women’s Hall of Fame was established in 1995 in order to honor outstanding Lake County women whose accomplishments have had an impact on the community. He stated that through the years, these visionary women represented leadership, teamwork, action, excellence and positive change for the county.
Commr. Parks mentioned what an honor it was to be able to present the 2017 Women’s Hall of Fame inductee, Ms. Doris Bloodsworth. He commented that at age 42, Ms. Bloodsworth pursued her lifelong dream to attend college and became a journalist. He said she began her quest for a higher education degree at the University of Central Florida and then transferred to the University of Florida, where she graduated with honors. She then went to work for The Gainesville Sun, The Orlando Sentinel and The Wall Street Journal. He remarked that she became a Pulitzer Prize nominated writer and a nationally certified public relations professional. He noted that while she was a West Virginia native, she has called Lake County her home since 1959, dedicating her time to learning and sharing the stories of Lake County pioneers. He reported that the Lake County Historical Society named her Lake County Historian and Writer of the Year for her three books, Legendary Locals of Lake County, Images of America: Clermont and Images of America: Groveland. He added that her work was placed in a time capsule, dedicated in 2013, as part of the Viva Florida 500, a statewide initiative that highlighted the 500 year anniversary of the state’s founding. He noted that she co-founded the Groveland Historical Museum, started her own public relations company and became the Director of Marketing for the south Lake County Chamber of Commerce. He added that as Clermont’s first Public Information Officer and Communications Director, she helped to rebrand the city as the Choice of Champions. He remarked that she was a dedicated supporter of the Lake County Library System’s Cooper Memorial and Marian Baysinger Memorial libraries.
Commr. Parks indicated that the Women’s Hall of Fame was established two decades ago to spotlight the outstanding women of Lake County who have worked to benefit the county in the area of arts, business, government, health care, education and more. He stated that this year’s State of the County theme, A Positive Vision, was fitting for the 2017 Women’s Hall of Fame honoree because she continued to leave her mark on Lake County by telling the county’s story and the story of its ancestors. He remarked that Thomas Jefferson’s quote, “the art of printing secures us against retrogradation of reason and information,” reminded him of Ms. Bloodsworth. He then thanked her for her passionate efforts to expose everyone to the important history of Lake County and presented her with the 2017 Women’s Hall of Fame award.
Ms. Doris Bloodsworth thanked Commissioner Parks and the Board for the honor. She thanked several family members and friends for their support and for being present at the ceremony. She recognized the south Lake County Chamber of Commerce, Clermont Mayor Gail Ash and the Lake County Historical Society for nominating her and thanked those who sent letters of support for the nomination. She then presented her top 10 reasons on why she loved Lake County as her thank you for receiving the award.
State of the county presentation
Commr. Sullivan stated that journalist Mr. Herb Caen’s quote, “a city is not gauged by its length and width but by the broadness of its vision and the height of its dreams,” was true of Lake County. He said that together the citizens of Lake County share a sense of community, a common vision of safety and security, and a spirit of perseverance no matter the size of the obstacle. He noted that 2017 was a challenging year; however, there was nothing that could not be overcome. He remembered the challenge of Hurricane Irma in September and remarked how Lake County came together to face that challenge and that the county continued to thrive even after the hurricane. He commented that the storm impacted many residents, with some still working to repair their homes, and caused many businesses to experience financial setbacks. He reiterated that county staff was there to support the needs of Lake County by providing expertise and resources to help citizens recover. He specified that elected officials, community stakeholders, residents, business owners and volunteers remained dedicated to a countywide vision of prosperity for all and that Lake County was “Real Florida, Real Close.” He said the lifestyle of Lake County was unique and attracted families to work, live and play here and that each member of the Board of Lake County Commissioners was enthusiastic about sharing what makes the county so special. He then introduced the 2017 State of the County, A Positive Vision, video presentation.
The video started by saying that together the county had built upon a strong foundation of accomplishments and had overcome extreme challenges this fiscal year. It stated that through changes in county leadership and the election of new commissioners, the county continued to work as a unified body to further the county’s collective goals. It mentioned that the vision for the county’s future included enhancing quality of life, strategically planning for growth and improving public safety. The video showed Mr. Jeff Cole sharing that after becoming County Manager, he evaluated the county and looked for opportunities for efficiencies and ways to enhance services provided to the public. He reported that the reorganization in September 2017, allowed for a reduction of $430,000 to the FY 2017-2018 budget without reducing any services. The video then showed Mr. John Molenda, Assistant County Manager, reporting that due to the annual drills that Lake County Emergency Management does to prepare for hurricane season, the county was well prepared for the response to Hurricane Irma and for the recovery after the storm. During the hurricane, the citizen’s information line, managed by county staff, fielded more than 22,000 calls before, during and after the storm. Hurricane Irma caused over $39 million in damage to Lake County and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), supported by the county, opened two disaster recovery centers to help citizens and small business owners with recovery. Lake County managed the 300,000 cubic yards of debris caused by the hurricane by having contracts in place ahead of the storm and by utilizing county resources. Mr. Molenda continued by remarking that in April 2017, Lake County Fire Rescue responded to an 800 acre fire and was able to save 12 homes. He said that they dedicated three new fire trucks, which were National Fire Protection Association compliant and purchased using Penny Sales Tax funds. He also reported that two fire stations were upgraded to advance life support (ALS). The video continued with Mr. Robert Chandler, Executive Director of the Agency for Economic Prosperity, commenting that the Wekiva Parkway and the Minneola interchange would have a significant impact on the economy in Lake County by opening up the county to the Orlando market, by bringing the development of businesses and housing around the interchange and by benefiting existing businesses already there. He reported that manufacturing was a strong part of Lake County’s economy, with over 300 manufacturing companies in the county. He added that 20 percent of Lake County’s economy was tourism, with bass fishing being a major driver of that tourism. He said that the economy had done well in 2017, with unemployment down from 5.1 percent to 4.1 percent, employment numbers up by 4 percent, labor force up over 3 percent, and bed tax up almost 14 percent. He indicated that staff brought on a new, local, marketing and advertising agency, Akers Media, to put together an advertising and marketing campaign that would continue to increase tourism in Lake County. The video then showcased some of the Lake County accomplishments this year as follows: the 2017 USA Canoe/Kayak Spring National Championships were hosted at Clermont Waterfront Park; the county’s Communications and Economic Prosperity staff worked with the Orlando Economic Partnership to host 30 “Obassadors” to share the story of the county’s region; the social media influencers generated over 340,000 impressions to encourage tourists to visit Lake County; the county rolled out its bear-resistant garbage cart program, with over 840 carts available in areas affected by human-bear interactions; 230 Keep Lake Beautiful volunteers collected 184,000 pounds of liter during nine events; the new McDonald Boat Ramp opened and provides public access to Lake Apopka, where visitors can use an ADA-complaint ramp, parking lot and restrooms; and the Lake County Library System’s Career Online High School produced 30 graduates and awarded over 100 scholarships. Mr. Cole then reported on the video that the Lake County Animal Shelter had made great strides in the number of animals that were having positive outcomes by being adopted, going into foster care or rescue groups and therefore reducing the number of animals euthanized. He thanked all the amazing volunteers who help at the shelter. The video concluded with Mr. Cole stating how grateful he was to be the County Manager for such an incredible county and that the county was poised for significant development in the future.
intermission and refreshments
Commr. Sullivan thanked the Communications staff for doing a wonderful job producing the State of the County video. He thanked everyone for attending and wished them a safe and healthy 2018. He invited the audience to enjoy refreshments in the rotunda and mentioned that the special holiday tree in the middle of the lobby was decorated by the Lake County Agency for Economic Prosperity staff and showcased 27 local businesses, educational institutions, governments and tourism partners who donated the items on the tree.
presentation of the vietnamese-american proclamation
On a motion by Commr. Parks, seconded by Commr. Campione and carried unanimously by a 5-0 vote, the Board approved Proclamation 2017-155 recognizing the Vietnamese-American Community.
Commr. Parks commented that he was excited to present this proclamation because he felt it was honoring the American dream, our country’s republic and our sense of democracy. He said it was a chance to recognize the Vietnamese-American community, many of whom fled communism and oppression to live the American dream, and who were freedom loving, hardworking individuals that had contributed to the quality of life and business community in Lake County. He then read and presented Proclamation 2017-155 to Mr. John McKinney, a member of the Lake County Vietnamese-American community.
Mr. John McKinney thanked the Commissioners for this recognition. He stated he came to Eustis in 1965 and that his children, grandchildren and entire family lived in Lake County. He recognized that guests with him served in the Air Force, Marines, and Navy and shared his desire to live in a democratic, free country. He commented that they were proud to live in the United States of America and in Lake County and that they do their best as a group to tell others about freedom and the importance of getting an education, setting goals, and working together. He ended by expressing his love for this country, its people, and for Lake County and thanked everyone for recognizing them.
Agenda update
Mr. Jeff Cole, County Manager, noted that Tab 10 was being pulled from the Consent Agenda and would be rescheduled for discussion at a future Board meeting.
election of chairman and vice chairman
Commr. Campione commented that the State of the County address was a good reminder of what a fine job the current Chairman of the Board had done this year. She stated they were fortunate to have his leadership and steadfastness and that she wanted to have him remain as Chairman for the next year.
Commr. Breeden remarked that the leadership team of Commissioner Sullivan and Commissioner Campione had been very effective this year and it was a pleasure serving with them.
On a motion by Commr. Campione, seconded by Commr. Breeden and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved the reappointment of Commissioner Sullivan as Chairman.
On a motion by Commr. Breeden, seconded by Commr. Blake and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved the reappointment of Commissioner Campione as Vice Chairman.
Minutes approval
On a motion by Commr. Breeden, seconded by Commr. Blake, and carried unanimously by a 5-0 vote, the Board approved the Minutes of September 26, 2017 (Regular Meeting) and October 10, 2017 (Regular Meeting) as presented.
awards
Ms. Jeannine Nelson, Human Resources Interim Manager, announced that they would be recognizing employees who had reached significant milestones in their careers with Lake County, as follows:
BOARD AND COMMITTEE CERTIFICATES
Parks, Recreation & Trails
Advisory Board
Jeff Lotter, for service from 2015-2017 (not present)
Water Safety Advisory Committee
Stephanie Luke, for service from 2015-2017 (not present)
EMPLOYEE AWARDS
FIVE YEARS
Danielle
Larsen, Fire Inspector
Office of
Building Services
Todd Myers,
Environmental Waste Technician
Public Works
Department/Solid Waste Division
Mark
Wrigley, Building Automation & CCTV Technician
Office of
Facilities Management/Energy Management
TEN YEARS
Steve
Greene, Chief Planner
Office of
Planning & Zoning
Maria
Ramirez, Library Assistant I
Office of
Library Services/Marion Baysinger Memorial Library
Richard
Varner, Financial Coordinator
Office of
Management & Budget
FIFTEEN
YEARS
Esther
Catino, Library Assistant I (not present)
Office of
Library Services/Cooper Memorial Library
Lynda
Hogans, Office Associate II (not present)
Office of
Library Services/Cooper Memorial Library
Edward
Luning, Fixed Assets/Surplus Specialist (not present)
Office of
Procurement Services
TWENTY YEARS
Deborah
Kohler, Permitting Supervisor
Office of
Building Services
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS
Patricia
Harker, Right-of-Way Supervisor
Public Works
Department/Engineering Division/Right-of-Way
RETIREMENT-21 years
Ms. Mary Hamilton, Environmental Services Manager,
recognized the retirement of Ms. Kathy Jo Craig, Office Associate III in the
Solid Waste Division of the Public Works Department. She remarked that Ms. Craig started with Lake
County in 1996 in the Solid Waste Division and had been a dedicated worker,
always willing to help out, and adapted well to whatever she was given. She mentioned that she was known for her
customer service skills and her fun sense of humor and that she was admired by
her coworkers and will be greatly missed.
She thanked her for her 21 years of service and wished her well on this
next chapter of her life.
QUARTERLY AND ANNUAL AWARDS
EMPLOYEE OF THE
QUARTER – 4rd Quarter FY2017
Edward Luning, Fixed Assets/Surplus
Specialist (not present)
Office of Procurement Services
ANNUAL EXCELLENCE IN SERVICE - 2017
Robert Richardson, Radio Systems Coordinator
Office of Public Safety Support
Ms. Nelson recognized Mr. Robert Richardson with the Annual Employee Award for Excellence in Service. She mentioned he was receiving the award because he consistently embodied the Lake County values of excellent service, accountability, initiative, professionalism and teamwork. She shared that recently a major hardware and software update for the countywide radio system was delayed due to Hurricane Irma. She said this event required daily coordination and evening, non-peak hour resets and activations and took three months preparation. She reported that Mr. Richardson coordinated the delay expertly without interruption in his normal responsibilities and duties. She thanked him for his exemplary behavior which demonstrated his dedication to providing excellence in service and presented him with the award.
citizen question and comment period
Mr. Vance Jochim, a resident of Tavares and a writer of a blog on local governmental issues, challenged the Board to consider three initiatives in the coming year as follows: to get more involved with the Lake County educational system initiatives; to get together with leaders in lower income neighborhoods in order to find ways to get people involved in their community; and to reduce the number of regulations in Lake County.
CLERK OF COURTS’ CONSENT AGENDA
On a motion by Commr. Campione, seconded by Commr. Blake and carried unanimously by a 5-0 vote, the Board approved the Clerk of Courts’ Consent Agenda, Item 1, as follows:
List of Warrants
Request to acknowledge receipt of the list of warrants paid prior to this meeting, pursuant to Chapter 136.06 (1) of the Florida Statutes, which shall be incorporated into the Minutes as attached Exhibit A and filed in the Board Support Division of the Clerk's Office.
COUNTY MANAGER’S CONSENT AGENDA
On a motion by Commr. Breeden, seconded by Commr. Blake and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved the Consent Agenda, Tabs 4 through Tab 21, pulling Tab 10 to be discussed at a later date, as follows:
Proclamations
Request approval of Proclamation 2017-156 of Appreciation to Lake County businesses for their support of recovery efforts from Hurricane Irma.
Request approval of Proclamation 2017-157 of Appreciation to the Lake County Employees who assisted with the preparation, response, and recovery to Hurricane Irma.
County Attorney
Request approval of Worker’s Compensation claim settlement for James Bell. The fiscal impact is $60,000.00 (expenditure).
Request approval of Worker’s Compensation claim settlement for Christopher Croughwell. The fiscal impact is $140,000.00 (expenditure).
Request approval of Resolution 2017-158 to:
1. Accept Offers to Purchase on Alternate Keys 1504945, 1608945, 3866121 and 1676541, and authorize the Chairman to execute any necessary closing documents.
2. Donate Alternate Key 1606021 to Homes in Partnership, and authorize the Chairman to execute the resolution and County Deed facilitating the transfer.
The fiscal impact is $4,500.00 (revenue). Commission Districts 1, 3, 5.
Request approval of First Amendment to Lease Agreement between the Villages Operating Company and Lake County for the Clerk of Courts and Property Appraiser’s office space located at 902 Avenida Central in The Villages. The fiscal impact is $21,144.96 (expenditure: payments for January 2018 through September 2018). Commission District 5.
Procurement Services
Request approval to declare the items on the list as surplus, authorize their removal from the County’s official fixed asset inventory system records, and authorize the Office of Procurement Services to execute any required title documents. The fiscal impact (revenue) cannot be determined at this time.
Public Works
Request approval to apply for a Florida Department of Transportation Drive It Home grant to benefit the Keep Lake Beautiful program, and authorize the County Manager to execute any implementing documentation, if awarded. The anticipated fiscal impact is $16,000.00 (revenue).
Request approval of a Proportionate Share Mitigation Agreement between the School Board of Lake County, Saw Mill Development, LLC, and the Board of County Commissioners for Saw Mill Cove. There is no fiscal impact. Commission District 1.
Request approval to release a cash surety of $41,211.19 that was provided for the maintenance of infrastructure in the Greater Lakes Park subdivision. There is no fiscal impact. Commission District 1.
Request approval of:
1. Amendment Number 1 of the Economic Development Transportation Fund agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) for the right of way acquisition of the Citrus Grove Road Project from U.S. 27 to Grassy Lake Road to revise the term end date; and
2. Resolution 2017-159 supporting Amendment Number 1 to the agreement with FDOT for the right of way acquisition of the Citrus Grove Road Project from U.S. 27 to Grassy Lake Road.
There is no fiscal impact from this action. Commission District 2.
Request approval of:
1. Amendment Number 1 of the Economic Development Transportation Fund agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) for the right of way acquisition of the County Road 466A Project from Cutoff Road to Sunny Court to revise the term end date; and
2. Resolution 2017-160 supporting Amendment Number 1 to the agreement with FDOT for the right of way acquisition of the County Road 466A Project from Cutoff Road to Sunny Court.
There is no fiscal impact from this action. Commission District 5.
Request approval for the County Manager to authorize continued removal of vegetative debris related to Hurricane Irma from private and non-county maintained roads, and authorize the County Manager to expend a total of up to $1.5 million. Fiscal impact: up to $1.5 million (expenditure).
Community Services
Request approval of Community Development Block Grant Urban County Agreements between Lake County and the City of Leesburg, and between Lake County and the City of Tavares for years 2018, 2019, and 2020. There is no fiscal impact. Commission Districts 1 and 3.
Request approval of an Agreement between Lake County and the Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority (LYNX) for Link 55 transportation services in South Lake County from October 1, 2017, through September 30, 2018. The fiscal impact is $248,854.00 (Grant Funded - expense). Commission District 1.
Parks and Trails
Request approval to award contract 18-0402, Pine Meadows Conservation Area Landscape Maintenance and Related Services, to Tom’s Playground of Central Florida (Sorrento, FL), and authorize the Office of Procurement Services to execute all supporting documentation. The estimated annual fiscal impact is $49,900.00 (expenditure). Commission Districts 4 and 5.
Information Technology
Request authorization for the Chairman to sign the Microsoft Licensing Agreement following County Attorney and County Manager approval. The total fiscal impact is $1,010,467 (expenditure over 3 years).
other business
appointment to Lake-sumter mpo technical advisory committee
On a motion by Commr. Parks, seconded by Commr. Breeden and carried by a vote of 5-0, the Board unanimously approved the appointments of Mr. Melving Isaac, as the Lake County member, Ms. Jill Brown, as the Lake County Transit primary member, and Mr. David Hope, as the Lake County Transit alternate member, to the Lake-Sumter Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Technical Advisory Committee.
habitat for humanity presentation
Commr. Breeden introduced Mr. Kent Adcock, CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter, stating that she invited him to speak because she recently saw a presentation he made to the Leesburg Chamber of Commerce and thought the concept he had presented might be able to assist Lake County with their affordable housing initiatives.
Mr. Adcock stated that Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter appreciated the chance to continue partnering with the county in providing affordable housing solutions. He shared that the Best in American Living magazine, which is the National Association of Homebuilders magazine, talked about strong public-private partnerships and that Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter believed strongly in those partnerships and that they liked to work with Lake County because of these opportunities. He said the magazine also talked about how millennials were increasingly being eliminated from some of the housing opportunities because of their low or entry level income. He then mentioned how the magazine discussed the pocket neighborhood model, which was one that Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter used in the development of Veteran’s Village in Umatilla. He stated that his presentation was on a new concept of apartment size cottage homes used for affordable housing purposes. He reported that Habitat for Humanity was recognized in 2016 as the Harris Poll EquiTrend social services non-profit Brand of the Year, as the number one private builder in the United States and the sixteenth largest overall builder in the world. He added that recently in 2017, it was awarded the top spot on Indeed’s best nonprofits to work for employee rating. He opined that Habitat had been extremely impactful nationally for the last 35 years and that they were in approximately 85 different countries and had been in Lake County since 1989.
Mr. Adcock continued with his presentation by stating that Habitat discovered that 37 percent of Lake County households earned less than $35,000 a year, with 50 percent earning under $50,000 a year. He remarked that according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), an $875 a month housing payment was the most that a household earning $35,000 a year could afford, adding that the average rent in Eustis was $1,121 a month. He opined that this amount was very taxing to these households. He reported that the cost of a baseline new home in Lake County was $160,000, which would require a $15,000 down payment and a $930 a month mortgage payment. He commented that this was over the HUD standard and not affordable for a household making $35,000 a year. He explained that Habitat then looked at four vulnerable population groups in Lake County which included: citizens over age 65, which represented 26.4 percent of Lake County; those who were disabled, which represented 9.5 percent; millennials (between ages 18-24), which represented 23.8 percent; and veterans, which represented 12.4 percent. He indicated that this information led him to innovatively consider alternative models for affordable housing that did not impair the current development needs nor revenue considerations for the county. The idea he presented was to convert existing mobile home parks into affordable housing ownership by building apartment size cottage homes. He elaborated that mobile home parks were a good place to do this because they already had several attributes from a zoning and services perspective that helped make the community affordable. These attributes included the fact that they do not adhere to minimum square feet standards for houses and lots, they already have higher density approvals, and they are exempt from conventional setback standards, carport or garage requirements and impact fees. He disclaimed that this concept was new and that Habitat had not yet voted on this internally. He mentioned that Habitat board members and staff were in the audience hearing it for the first time as well and that the purpose of today’s presentation was to share new thoughts and ideas. He commented that there was a market for this type of affordable housing since impact fees, lot costs, and regulatory and zoning issues drove the cost of home ownership out of the range for four out of ten Lake County families. He suggested that doing a pilot would give the opportunity to test the new product to see how valid the theory was related to this type of housing transition. He stated there would be critical discussion around achieving entry level affordability considering permitting and zoning, the conversion from an existing mobile home community and how to develop high quality, energy efficient apartment sized homes. He specified that Habitat would commit to the pilot as follows: to develop a community that was high quality, aesthetically pleasing and professionally maintained; to provide subsidy for closing cost and principal reduction; to assist families below 80 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI) with education and mortgages with affordable terms, such as no money down and no closing costs; and to attempt to achieve a house payment that was 50 percent of the current rent and ownership costs or basically a little more than lot rent costs in a typical mobile home park. He indicated that Habitat would look for the County to commit to the pilot the following: permit the pilot to transition the mobile home lots into fee simple, single family parcels on a 1:1 ratio for one bedroom cottages and 1:2 ratio for two bedroom cottages; permit redevelopment with no additional encumbrances as it pertains to permitting and zoning, and allow the footprint to support a high density cottage community with minimal front/back/side yard setbacks and a simple parking pad; support the families with State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) funds for down payment assistance; and to waive impact fees, since each unit would be replacing an existing unit. He then showed pictures of apartment style cottage homes. He closed with thanking the commissioners for their willingness to explore different housing opportunities and reiterated that Habitat for Humanity wanted to do whatever they could to make entry level access available.
Commr. Parks thanked Mr. Adcock for his presentation and mentioned he would be supportive of a pilot program. He asked how Habitat addressed the labeling that people give pocket neighborhoods, claiming they are crafted down to every street corner, and how they address the fact that people want larger lots and this was higher density
Mr. Adcock replied that Habitat had taken the approach that if they created a quality house product on a quality footprint and environment and made it affordable through subsidy, then they could create desirable communities no matter what the density. He commented that as the county continued to grow into a more metropolitan, suburban area, then higher density would be a necessity. He shared how the Washington, D.C. area developed inclusionary zoning, which required every large developer to have 13 percent of their development as affordable housing. He opined that was not necessarily the best answer; however, he believed a better approach was to become competitive in the market and provide a quality product. He stated that was what they would do with a transition from a mobile home to a small cottage community. He added that the Veterans Village in Umatilla stands out and many interested people come to see what they have done there.
Commr. Sullivan remarked that the density was already there with mobile home parks. He opined it makes sense to put something that would be there for years to come and fits a need of the community.
Mr. Todd Drennan, Vice President of Architecture with Forefront, an architectural and engineering firm, said that this conversation had been happening for years in architectural circles. He opined there was a broader market for this type of home beyond just for affordable housing. He showed an aerial picture of two local mobile home developments that might be a good example of where this type of housing could be developed. He stated that these communities had amenities that already existed, were in locations that were close to stores, and that these two were on a lake. He remarked that some mobile homes parks were well kept; however, some were aging with no incentive to upkeep the amenity buildings, since new mobile home trailers were longer and did not fit in old development slots. He said this was a great opportunity to take something that was already there and make it better.
Commr. Breeden thanked Mr. Adcock and Mr. Drennan for bringing this creative idea to the Board.
Commr. Blake said that he would be supportive of the pilot as well and would like to discuss it further.
Commr. Campione commented that in regards to the impact fees, depending on the development location, there was a possibility that the infill housing waiver for school impact fees could apply. She stated that if the community remained an age 55 or older community, then there would not be any school impact fees; however, if it was changed and would not be a 55 or older community, residents might have school impact fees, unless they could use an infill housing waiver. She added that depending on income levels, SHIP funds might be able to be used for impact fees. She opined it was a great idea with good possibilities to explore.
Commr. Blake asked what the construction costs would be for something of that quality and size without any subsidies.
Mr. Adcock responded that depending on the cost of the land, it would cost approximately $100 a square foot for a high quality product, with the cost decreasing if subsidy funds were available. He reported that similar houses in the North Carolina Mountains were 370 square feet and were selling for $70,000 to $80,000.
Commr. Sullivan indicated the Board would send the idea to staff to consider as he thought it fit into the affordable housing model they were trying to create.
Commr. Campione remarked that this idea could also help with safety considerations since during extreme storms and hurricanes, residents in mobile homes would have to evacuate to a shelter; however, if these locations were made secure with this housing, that would not have to happen. She added that if the county adapted the Land Development Regulations (LDRs) to allow for this transition, then the county could notify all of the owners of these parcels to let them know that the rules had been changed and to inquire if the owners would want to take advantage of the opportunity to make these changes.
Mr. Cole said that staff would follow up with this and report back to the Board.
commissioners business
commissioner parks – district 2
Vietnamese-American Proclamation presentation
Commr. Parks stated he appreciated the opportunity to present the Vietnamese-American Proclamation and explained that the flag the Board was given at the end of the presentation was the Vietnamese flag, used before Vietnam became a communist country, and is now considered the Vietnamese Freedom flag. He added that most Vietnamese-Americans will display this flag beside the American flag in hopes that one day their country would be restored to a republic with democratic values.
2017 state of the county presentation
Commr. Parks thanked the staff for doing a great job on the State of the County presentation.
commissioner breeden – district 3
Lake technical center
Commr. Breeden reported that on the previous night Lake Technical Center hosted its annual business partner reception and was also celebrating its 50th year of operation.
Commr. Sullivan addressed Mr. Jochim’s concern earlier in the meeting when he requested that the Board get more involved in Lake County educational system initiatives by stating that building the Lake Technical Center was one of the ways the Board supported education.
commissioner campione – district 4
LAke County education internships
Commr. Campione commented that the Agency for Economic Prosperity was connecting the business community to the Lake County School District and providing internships. She said this was also another way that the county was supporting education initiatives.
run off from roads into lakes
Commr. Campione indicated that from the conversations regarding the recent fertilizer ordinance, the concern of run off from the roads and the question of whether it was being addressed was brought to her attention, since it had a large impact on the lakes. She added that the St. Johns River Water Management District has to approve any new construction and address how it affects the water; however, there was concern around older drains that go directly to the lake and was there any treatment of the water coming through these drains. She asked if staff could report an overview on this situation throughout the county and look for opportunities to partner with the cities and the Lake County Water Authority to do a better job of protecting the lakes from the direct run off that comes from the roads. She mentioned that as she saw the State of the County video talking about bass fishing, it reminded her of the great progress the county has made in the realm of lake quality and its importance to the county.
Commr. Parks suggested that the overview be put in terms of pounds or kilograms of nutrients and use the same term across the county. He added that staff should consider the costs to treat the run off as it can be expensive to fix.
Commr. Campione agreed that it was an expensive fix but said she wondered if there was a way to inventory how many drains go directly from the road to the lakes. She remarked that knowing what was in the county could help them focus on fixing the drains that would have the biggest impact.
Commr. Sullivan clarified that it was part of the Lake County Water Authority’s mission and it would be important to coordinate with them.
Mr. Cole mentioned that Commissioner Campione had presented this to him previously and that staff had been looking at the data and had started the process of compiling information. He said they would continue to do that and then follow up with the Board.
commissioner blake – district 5
2017 state of the county presentation
Commr. Blake commended the staff for the great State of the County presentation.
commissioner sullivan – chairman and district 1
Keep Lake Beautiful Event
Commr. Sullivan reported there was a Keep Lake Beautiful event in Sorrento on Saturday, December 9, 2017, at 9:00 a.m. at the East Lake Community Park.
Commr. Campione stated it was a fun event and encouraged others to attend.
commissioners trip to tallahassee
Commr. Sullivan mentioned that the Commissioners were going to Tallahassee the next day to work with the State Legislature on some legislative priorities.
2017 state of the county presentation
Commr. Sullivan thanked the staff for the State of the County presentation and remarked that several citizens had asked if the video was done externally, and he was proud to say it was done by Lake County staff.
Board chairman
Commr. Sullivan thanked the Board for the opportunity to serve again as Chairman.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to be brought to the attention of the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 11:30 a.m.
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timothy i. sullivan, chairman
ATTEST:
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NEIL KELLY, CLERK