Tallahassee City Commission Briefs: August 23, 2023

Below are the news briefs from the Tallahassee City Commission that took place August 23, 2023.

The Commission voted unanimously for the approval to submit a grant application for $5,047,500 for the Capital Cascades Trail Segment 4 project. This project will reduce the impacts of flooding towards Pineview Elementary and a number of homes in the Callen Neighborhood.

The Commission discussed on an item brought by staff requesting approval to proceed with an invitation to bid (ITB) for the sale of city-owned land located in the University Urban Village. The parcel is adjacent to the historic Warehouse on Gaines St, which is included in a developer’s plans for demolition for construction of student housing. The Council on Culture & Arts has requested exploring ideas to preserve the Warehouse as part of the ITB. The Commission decided to pause the ITB in order to let the developer and COCA potentially find ways to preserve the Warehouse as part of the land sale.

The Commission voted to approve a number of revisions to the Citizens Police Review Board Policies and Procedures, including a clarification of the requirement for members to be “unbiased”. However, the Commission did amend one proposed revision to allow the Board to meet more than once a month.

The Commission voted unanimously to authorize staff to apply for a Springs Restoration Grant though the Northwest Florida Water Management District and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection in the amount of $1,752,207 to support the construction of 3,600 feet of sanitary sewer pipeline.

The Commission voted unanimously to award a three-year contract for lawncare services for the Electric Generation Stations to TLC Lawn Care Services, and authorize the City Manager, or designee to execute a contract.

The Commission voted unanimously to approve the Clean Energy Plan. Staff gave the Commission a presentation on the Clean Energy Plan, noting that it follows the Commission’s 2019 resolution to guide the City into a clean energy future. There are 3 primary categories under the Clean Energy Plan, including, clean renewable energy, energy efficiency and conservation and transportation.

The Commission voted to move forward with establishing a Charter Review Committee process with Bylaws to be approved at the October meeting and appointments to the Committee to be done at the December meeting.  Each Commissioner will appoint two members to the Committee. One of the issues being considered is whether to increase the size of the Commission from 5 members to 7, and if so, whether they would represent a district or be at-large commissioners.

The Commission voted unanimously to initiate an out-of- cycle small-scale map amendment to the Tallahassee Leon County Comprehensive Plan to change the Future Land Use designation for parcels located on the south side of Tennessee Street and west of N. Copeland Street.

The Commission voted unanimously to approve the update provided by the City Manager concerning the Planning, Land Management and Community Enhancement (PLACE) director hiring process.

The Commission voted unanimously to accept a grant from the Department of Juvenile Justice in the amount of $61,500 and authorize expenditure funds by the Palmer Monroe Teen Center.

Gil Ziffer, who was previously a City Commissioner, asked the Commission to carve out a large portion of 400 acres of City-owned land near the Canopy development to create a permanent conservation easement or something similar. He noted that the remaining portion of the land could be used for affordable housing, a cemetery, commercial development and a health care facility. The Commission unanimously passed a motion for staff to bring back an item for the next meeting that would give information on what using the land would entail.