First 2017 Council Meeting on Thursday, January 5th at 7PM

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Happy 2017! The next City Council Meeting will be this Thursday, January 5, at 7pm in City Hall. There are quite a few items on the agenda covering a broad range of subjects so be prepared for a lengthy meeting. (Note – Ordinance 3, 2017 and Resolution 12, 2017 should be of significant interest and concern to those running for the Council in the March 14 election).

Announcements/Presentations includes an FDOT presentation on three alternatives for the I-95/Northlake Blvd and I-95 and PGA Blvd interchange modifications.

Consent Agenda includes:

• A Purchase Award for 2017 Model Year Vehicles for the Fire Rescue Department, Information Technology Department, Public Services Department, and Unified Services Department as replacement vehicles. This is a piggyback with the Florida Sheriffs Association (FSA) Contract for the purchase of Model Year 2017 Motor Vehicles and is in the amount of $273K.
• Agreements with the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections to conduct the March 14 elections and as a member of the canvassing board, as done in prior elections.
• Approval of an agreement with the Children’s Healthcare Charity, Inc. for the 2017 Honda Classic PGA Golf Tournament to provide a public safety grant for off-duty Police and Fire Services and related staff services, and the use of specific portions of Mirasol and PGA National Parks for various parking facilities and general operations.

City Manager Report – lists an update on Sober Homes

Public Hearings and Resolutions:

• First readings of Ordinance 1 and 2, 2017 regard Kennedy Homes requesting a Large-Scale Comprehensive Plan Map Amendment to change the future land use designation of a 12.50-acre site from Residential Low (RL) to Residential Medium (RM), capping the gross density of the site to 50 residential units. The property is located on the north side of Hood Road immediately west of Florida’s Turnpike; and rezoning of a 12.5-acre site from Residential Low Density-2 District (RL-2) to Planned Unit Development (PUD) with a Residential Medium District (RM) underlying zoning to allow the development of a 50-townhome residential subdivision for a community to be called Trevi Isle.
• First reading of Ordinance 3, 2017 – This budget agenda item combines several actions. First, it adjusts the starting balance for 2017 to reflect the realities of 2016 – a normal occurrence. Second, and more significantly, it allocates the excess revenue collected last year (1.9M) and the reduction in expenses (2M) to new spending in 2017.  (Note – if the money were to be left in the stabilization fund, it could be used (along with expected sales tax revenue) to reduce millage in the 2018 budget. By allocating it now to new spending, they would deny the Council that will have 3 new members after March 14 the opportunity to decide what to do with the money.)
• First reading of Ordinance 4, 2017 – A request to annex an area of contiguous, compact, unincorporated real property commonly known as Osprey Isles, Carleton Oaks, the Star of David Cemetery of the Palm Beaches, the vacant commercial parcel and the WPB Fire Station #8. The 284.20-acre parcel is bounded on the west by the City of Palm Beach Gardens’ Sandhill Crane Golf Club, to the north and east by Conservation lands (the Loxahatchee Slough), and to the south by Northlake Boulevard. Upon adoption of the Ordinance by the City Council, the City shall forward the Ordinance and referendum language to the Supervisor of Elections to prepare for a referendum of the registered electors within the proposed annexation area. The City shall hold the referendum on annexation at the next regularly scheduled election, March 14, 2017. A majority of votes cast by registered electors residing within the annexation area is required for the referendum to pass.
• First reading of Ordinance 5, 2017 which would dissolve the existing Budget Oversight Committee and replace it with the Budget Oversight Review Board and provide additional powers and duties, including the review of proposed operating and capital improvement budgets, the review of spending plans, the provision of recommendations to City Council, and oversight of the expenditure of the One-Cent Sales Surtax funds. On November 8, 2016, Palm Beach County voters approved a ballot issue to enact a One-Cent Infrastructure Sales Surtax to pay for acquisition or improvements to public infrastructure. The City of Palm Beach Gardens’ estimated share of the tax over ten (10) years is $35.6 million.
• Resolution 4, 2017 modifying the site plan for Gardens Mall for 10,000 square feet of leasable square feet for the Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurant and 940 square feet of outdoor seating space. The tenant space is located on the second floor on the south side of the mall in between the anchor tenants Macy’s and Sears department stores. The proposal includes 202 seats in the interior restaurant and 48 seats on the outdoor patio. The main entrance of the restaurant will be inside the mall.
• Resolution 7, 2017 is a petition by Ascend PGA Midtown, LLC requesting a Planned Unit Development (PUD) Amendment for Midtown PUD to allow the development of a 63-townhome residential subdivision and a 25,344-square-foot specialty grocery. The property is located on the north side of PGA Boulevard, immediately east of Shady Lakes Drive. The proposed tenant for the building is Earth Fare, specializing in health foods. The new residential subdivision is to be called Pointe Midtown. The subject development will also contain a 13-building, 63-unit residential townhome development, and one (1) clubhouse structure.
• Resolution 12, 2017 outlines the Proposed One-Cent Infrastructure Sales Surtax Projects, and recommends funding the projects via the issuance of a Not-to-Exceed $30,000,000 Capital Improvement Revenue Bond, Series 2017. Other alternatives are discussed. (As with Ordinance 3, 2017, the schedule of the actions needed to accomplish the bond is completed by end of February 2017 – denying the new Council elected in March the ability to influence the decision).
• Resolution 13, 2017 Acceptance of the “Annexation Areas of Interest Study” for future annexation areas and directing the City Manager to implement the “Annexation Study” as policy guidance for the annexation initiative that is consistent with Chapter 171 , Florida Statutes.

Check the agenda to see if any additional items have been added before the meeting here.