Davis Islands Neighborhood Planning Task Force

Meeting was called to order at 6:40 pm. Quorum noted.

Minutes for approval:

A number of the members had not read or received the minutes via email, therefore it was suggested that we postpone voting on the minutes until next meeting.

New Business

Jim Hosler explained that Terry Cullen suggested to him when he found that he was meeting with the Chamber to do a Marketing Research study for the businesses that it should be incorporated into the Neighborhood Planning Process with the focus on Business. Jim wanted to meet with 3 or 4 business people and 7 or so residents. I suggested that he could meet with the Task Force since we had those requirements in the membership and we had been working on the community for 3 years.

He explained that he felt that if he was going to look at the businesses why not look at the residents that have home-based businesses and see if the residents needed any services here on the Islands. Or other unmet needs – Three categories of businesses: Business Services; Personal Services; Health Services. When the planning commission did a survey for downtown, they included Davis Islands because of the Hospital.

What he visualizes as the survey: Property Owners, Business Owners, and registered voters – Apartment address – He explained that it’s really not a survey he would do but rather a “point-estimate”.

Ask on the estimate 3 or 4 demographic questions to see how well the results we get back match the general characteristics of Davis Islands. What he was thinking about was to have two separate surveys with the residents addressing unmet needs, distances they drive to get various services; and then ask some of the basic planning questions that you would ask for this whole neighborhood planning so we’d have an overall view. The Business Survey would have more of the traditional things like: Sales per sq. foot – actual sales being generated by these businesses and in general what is your property worth? One of the problems they found in Ybor City was that the sales were not supporting the rents that were being asked.

His idea for the survey is that DI is not only a neighborhood where people live but it is also economic business that goes on here too.

We will get a 20 – 25% response which is a good response.

Discussion centered on Downtown and was brought back to DI issues. But ended on independent business – and asked if there was a way that property taxes could be down sized for independent businesses. A reason that property owners are charging more because they think they can. Is there anyway that we could put into the survey to persuade the local government to “encourage” independent business growth in Tampa? He responded that there has been some movement in that direction. Occupational license taxes were increased – so there is still more work to be done there. What excited Jim about coming here to do the survey was the large number of independent businesses here on the Islands. He feels that as a demographer and an economics person he feels that that is where the greatest portion of wealth comes from in this country.

It was suggested that Jim get a copy of our VISION statement and pull some questions from that for the survey. Jim stated that he’d come back again sometime mid- or late November to get input on the survey that he’d put together for review before he sent it out. He made a statement of fact that was interesting. He stated that no one was going to help clean out the canals – the only way to do it would be create a taxing district for that and get it done.

Reports

Charner reported on DICA’s response to the edited VISION presented to them. At the Board meeting she presented the edited versions and they liked it very much. They didn’t vote on it. She requested that they endorse it. She went over with them what was done. How we addressed their concerns – they all clapped afterwards so she felt that they were happy. They said that at their next meeting they would take it up for a vote. They requested that we be at their next meeting in November and have a display there to answer any questions participants might have. VISION Map, blow-up of the Process; a blow-up of the VISION summary. Charner suggested that the Planning Commission tweak the Concept map with the VISION Summary and the VISION Map side by side and the Process where we’ve been and where we are going. They thought it would be very helpful. Charner thought it would be another effort to get the word out to the community.

The Chair had brought the hard copy of the DI News to the meeting for the members to review. This was not what Charner had sent as she only sent verbiage and we worked together to get the before and after “pictures” included at the last minute. The Chair, putting on her Publisher hat, stated that what we had so far ready for the November Issue, was not going to be acceptable to the community as the “pictures” included were values that were the most controversial. The Publisher of the newspaper had made editing changes in the verbiage that Charner had written, not to be considered as final, but rather to be looked at as a format – less verbiage and more pictures. The Publisher explained that for an additional printing “plate”, we would have 2 more Newspaper size pages, back and front (16 newspaper pages now; add one more plate which gives 4 more newspaper pages) – 8 ½ x 11 inch pages put horizontal on them would give us 8 (81/2 x 11) pages of input – she suggested that for the most part, it should be pictures of “as is” and sketches of “could be”. Important questions: How are we going to present this; how much verbiage; what format?

Primarily what should be in the newspaper should be these pictures. The Chair suggested that we get more people involved in the sketching of “could be” visions. Charner suggested that we give the 1-page summary vision in the newspaper. We are looking at “how” we are going to present it; “if” we are going to present it in the paper’s December issue; and completing what we have to do before November 15 th, which is the submission deadline for the December issue. It was agreed that we would shoot for November 15 th deadline for the December issue of DI Community News. How are we going to get the rest of the sketches completed? - Gary suggested that it would be nice if Andy could do them – Charner was asked by the Chair if she thought she could get what she needed by the 15 th - …

Unfinished Business

The Chair suggested that we “practice” what Terry suggested and pull out statements from the VISION and check with the individual sections to see if they all had covered it. Charner suggested “themes” from the VISION – The Chair stated that the big “Themes” from the VISION were Recreation, Transportation, Commercial and Residential. Gary brought up a statement from the VISION: “Public access to and views of the water of public lands rights-of-way are important parts of the community’s identity.” Looking at what parks and recreation, have they done that: The section shows a public linear park that enhances public water view without the access part… small town comfortable… etc; “tree-lined streets” – have we addressed it? Having tried what Terry had suggested we found that we had not addressed the “feeling” or all the values of the VISION.

Lisa agreed when asked, that she would call all the members on the Task Force and ask them to bring their portions of the plan so far accomplished. The Chair asked if Lisa would make up an agenda for her for the next meeting then so we all would know what it would be. All present were asked to call Jeffrey to bring and/or send via internet his portion of the plan.

Rose had brought examples of other neighborhood plans. She will bring them again for our perusal as we didn’t have time to look at them.

Schedule of Next Meetings: Changed scheduled meetings to November 11, Thursday to hear results from the DICA. The meeting will be held at Pipo’s at 6:00 for a supper/meeting – We’ll eat between 6 – 6:30 pm with the business meeting starting at 6:30. Thursday Nov 18 th semi-annual meeting DICA, Garden Club 7:00 pm. The Task Force will have a display in the lobby area. Members are asked to be present. Monday Nov 22 nd or Nov 23 rd (Discuss Dec in the month of November).

Meeting was adjourned at 8:35pm.