Below are the Tallahassee City Commission news briefs from the August 21, 2024, meeting.
Appointments
Item 10.01: The City Commission voted 5-0 to confirm Mayor Dailey’s recommendation of reappointment for Katherine Maiorana for Seat 5, and Aynalem Markos for Seat 6, on the Council on Culture & Arts (COCA). COCA serves as the designated local arts agency for the City and the County.
Policy Formation
Item 12.01: The City Commission voted 5-0 to approve the Special Events Committee’s recommendations of co-sponsored events for FY 2025-26. The cost is approximately $270,000. The events include the Bicentennial Festival (FY25 only), Downtown Improvement Authority Concert Series, Experience Asia, Filipino Festival, Harambee Festival, KidsFest, Lemoyne Chain of Parks Art Festival, Southern Shakespeare Festival, Springtime Tallahassee, Tallahassee Pridefest, Veterans Day Parade & Festival, and Word of South.
Item 12.02: The City Commission voted 5-0 to approve resolutions to rename Automotive Way to Weems Road, Professional Park Circle to Wellness Way, and Municipal Way to Major James Morgan Jr. Way.
Item 12.03: The City Commission voted 5-0 to approve a request by Lamar Advertising to remove five existing double-faced static off-site advertising signs (billboards) in exchange for a digital variable message sign split onto two single-faced sign structures.
Item 12.04: The City Commission voted 5-0 to approve a request for $1,150,000 in funding for ECG Lake Bradford, LP for Lake Bradford Apartments. The financial assistance is in the form of a 55-year loan to the project. The loan carries a 0.01% interest rate.
Item 12.05 The City Commission voted 5-0 to adopt a resolution for the sale of real estate from the City of Tallahassee to the FDOT for improvements associated with Capital Circle SW in the amount of $887,407.
Item 12.06 The City Commission voted 5-0 to approve the sale of real estate from the City of Tallahassee to Blueprint for improvements associated with the Airport Gateway segment of Springhill Road in the amount of $133,000.
Item 12.07 The City Commission voted 5-0 to initiate an eminent domain lawsuit in order to acquire private property owned by 3512 Maclay Blvd., LLC, for the construction of the Maclay Boulevard and Maclay Commerce Drive Roadway Improvements.
Public Hearings
Item 14.01 The City Commission voted 5-0 to change the zoning classification for a 2.68-acre parcel located at 3055 Elmwood Road from the Leon County Residential Preservation (RP) zoning district to the City of Tallahassee Residential Preservation-1 (RP-1) zoning district.
Item 14.02 The City Commission voted 5-0 to approve an application for an amendment to the Planned Unit Development (PUD) Zoning District located on the south side of Capital Circle SE. The proposed project is a 109.36-acre private sports and recreational campus that will include sports fields, golf facilities, gymnasiums, associated retail, office, medical, and short-term lodging, as well as open space and walking trails.
Item 14.03 The City Commission voted 5-0 to hold the first of two public hearings on August 21, 2024, concerning the FAMU Campus Development Agreement, and schedule the second and final public hearing for September 25, 20
A 55 year loan at 0.01 percent is proof the City should not be in the banking business.
What I find shocking is, everyone of these were met with 5 to 0 Votes……. EVERYONE AGREED ON ALL OF THEM.
Item 12.01: Why not add the “Natural Bridge Reenactment?
Item 12.04: 55 Year Loan for Lake Bradford Apartments at just 0.01% Interest? With that Interest, it should be a 15 Year Loan which would make the Monthly Payments at just $6,389.
Item 14.01: Let them change the zoning classification for a 2.68-acre parcel located at 3055 Elmwood Road IF they run Tal-Tran to Amazon. But my question is, WHY do they want a 2.68-acre parcel of land in the middle of that area?
Item 14.02: You all Voted to approve an application for an amendment to the Planned Unit Development (PUD) Zoning District for Charley Ward’s project, that should be enough help from the City and County Commissions. Maybe help them on the Permitting but that should be it.
Item 14.02 needs a very close look… particularly the “short-term lodging” aspect. Short-term lodging for who, why, and to what end?
It’s too bad FDOT isn’t buddies with the commissioners, if they were, the commission would have just given the property to them and saved the taxpayer $887,407.00