DRAFT 3-29-2021 Minutes,
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CITY OF OKEECHOBEE
FLAGLER PARK DESIGN REVIEW ADVISORY COMMITTEE
MaRCH 29, 2021
DRAFT MINUTES
I. CALL TO ORDER
Chairperson Robbie Chartier called the meeting of the Flagler Park Design Review
Advisory Committee (FPDRAC) to order on Monday, March 29, 2021, at 3:00 P.M. in
the City Council Chambers, located at 55 Southeast 3�d Avenue, Room 200,
Okeechobee, Florida.
II. ATTENDANCE
Deputy City Clerk Bobbie Jenkins called the roll. Chairperson Robbie Chartier, Vice-
Chairperson Bert Culbreth, Regular Members Susanne Clemons, Regina Hamrick,
Kathy Scott, Jennifer Tewksbury, Denise Whitehead, Alternate Members Greg Maynard
and Bob Burdge were present.
III. AGENDA AND PUBLIC COMMENTS
A. Motion by Member Clemons, seconded by Vice-Chair Culbreth to approve the
agenda as presented. Motion Carried Unanimously.
B. There were no comment cards submitted for public participation for any issues
not on the agenda.
IV. MINUTES
A. Motion by Vice-Chair Culbreth, seconded by Member Tewksbury to approve the
March 8, 2021 minutes as presented. Motion Carried Unanimously.
V. NEW BUSINESS
A. City Administrator Marcos MontesDeOca reviewed the maintenance budget for
Fiscal Year 2020-21 which is approximately $81,500.00 for Flagler Park. Member
Clemons inquired about and received information on the ease of providing
irrigation for future park improvements.
B. The City's Landscape Architect Tammy Cook-Weedon of Calvin, Giordano and
Associates (CGA) provided a presentation outlining design possibilities as well
as available grant funding. Those grants include: Florida Department of
Transportation Small County Outreach Program and Beautification; Florida
Department of Environmental Protection Land and Water Conservation; Florida
Recreation Development Assistance, Recreation Trails and Florida Communities
Trust; Florida Department of State Heritage Education; Florida Department of
Agriculture and Consumer Services Urban Forestry; American Academy of
Dermatology Shade Structure; Home Depot Community Impact; and Lowe's 100
Hometowns grants. It was confirmed that CGA has experienced grant writers on
staff and could provide those services should they be warranted. She further
explained the design process and how each park would evolve basically as
individual projects with each moving through phases.
FPDRAC DRAFT MINUTES, MARCH 29, 2021, PAGE 1 OF 2
V. NEW BUSINESS CONTINUED
Administrator MontesDeOca provided the Downtown Flagler Parks conceptual
plan presented by the Economic Council to the City Council on August 4, 2020.
Discussion followed concerning which block to develop first, and Public Works
Director Allen provided input regarding the current limited electrical and irrigation
related infrastructure. Flagler Park encompasses nine individual blocks
surrounded by paved roadways. The Chamber of Commerce and City Police
Department facilities are located on Block R of FLAGLER PARK; City Hall and
Fire Station One are located on Block A of FLAGLER PARK. The FPDRAC
agreed there needed to be a sense of design cohesiveness throughout the entire
span of the area with each block to feature a different theme.
After a lengthy discussion, the consensus from the FPDRAC was that the City
Council consider a proposal for CGA to create an overall conceptual master
design plan for Blocks F,L,A,G,L,E, and P of FLAGLER PARK (TOWN OF
OKEECHOBEE, Plat Book 5, Page 5, Okeechobee County public records) as
well as create the conceptual design and construction phase documents for Block
L of FLAGLER PARK (also known as Park 5) for the Cattle Drive Sculpture
project. The life size sculptures have been approved by the City Council and is a
project of Okeechobee Main Street Arts and Cultural Alliance Committee with
several years of fundraising and donations from local ranches and families. The
project is tentatively scheduled to be installed in the fall. Member Maynard turned
the discussion to the block designated as the Veterans Memorial Park (Block E
of FLAGLER PARK). Due to a recent vehicle collision, a portion of the memorial
has been damaged. Materials and labor have been donated to make the repairs.
He continued further explaining there is a renewed interest in elevating the
Veterans Park helicopter eight to ten feet off the ground to display it properly and
to prevent vandalism. The welding class at Indian River State College is willing
to assist with this endeavor for free if it could be completed before November. It
was agreed by a majority of the FPDRAC to move forward with elevating the
helicopter, as this has been the intent for several years. However, the Committee
did not want to hamper any conceptual design changes and/or improvements the
landscape architects may propose by moving forward with the elevation project
immediately. The goal would be that the Council receive and adopt the master
conceptual plan, and that it would be done within the time frame to allow the
welding class to be utilized for the elevation project.
C. Administrator MontesDeOca provided a timeline for presenting information for
approve to the Council. The consensus was to set the next meeting for May 24,
2021 and hold a conceptual plan open house for citizen engagement prior to the
meeting.
VI. There being no further items for discussion, Chair Chartier adjourned the meeting at
4:16 P.M.
Submitted by: <��l�� �,z/�.,:y, Deputy Clerk
Approved on:
Please take notice and be advised that when a person decides to appeal any decision made by the FPDRAC with
respect to any matter considered at this meeting, s/he may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceeding
is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based. City Clerk
media are for the sole purpose of backup for official records of the Clerk.
FPDRAC DRAFT M�NUTES, MARCH 29, 2021, PAGE 2 OF 2