SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Amend City Council Policies 2-21, 3-2, 3-4, 3-5, 5-7, 5-12, 6-4, and 8-2.
Body
SUMMARY:
Staff is recommending the following amendments:
Special Events Fee (2-21) - staff recommends updating event name and timeline.
The Special Events Committee will review applications for use of City beaches, sidewalks, outdoor recreation open space and rights-of-way. Sponsoring organizations will be responsible for the costs of all City services needed in conjunction with the events unless they are City sponsored or co-sponsored events.
The City Council may waive all or a portion of fees and related charges for City sponsored or co-sponsored events, including, but not limited to Jazz Holiday, July 4th, Turkey Trot, and Martin Luther King, Jr. CelebrationParade. There shall be an annual review of City sponsored/co-sponsored events during the budget process. An agenda item confirming co-sponsorship and waiver of fees for those to be submitted in the budget will be brought for City Council consideration and acceptance in March by June of each calendar year. All items accepted by the Council are then to be included in the appropriate department’s budget. Only after the item is passed as part of the approved budget is the item considered to be funded.
In the event additional monies are requested beyond what is included in the approved budget, City Council approval will be needed before said additional funds are appropriated.
Citizen Inquiries- Responses (3-2) - staff recommends adding language to create a process when a member of Council is requested to support a grant application that the City may be considering.
A. Generally responses should be in the same form as received, i.e. letter with letter. However, when deemed to be more appropriate a different form may be used.
B. Inquiries addressed to a specific Councilmember will be responded to by that Councilmember.
C. Inquiries addressed to the whole Council, whether in one letter or duplicate letters to all Councilmembers, will be answered factually by the Mayor using language that indicates that he or she is responding for the Clearwater City Council. When needed, responses will be brought to Council for direction, prior to being sent. Mail will be routed to the appropriate staff to draft a response. Individual Councilmembers are not precluded from responding individually to express their opinion.
D. Inquiries received which are not specifically addressed to the Council or its members will be answered by the City Manager or designated staff member.
E. Inquiries and responses will be distributed, via e-mail, to all Councilmembers.
F. Form letters or emails may be acknowledged but will not require a customized response.
G. Requests to support grant applications will be directed to the Council Assistant who will confirm with staff if a city application is being submitted for the grant application.
Departing Councilmembers’ Gifts (3-4) - staff recommends updating language to coincide with current practice:
Departing gifts shall be chosen in consultation with the outgoing members. The value of the gifts shall be a maximum of $300 for one full term, $500 for two full terms and $600 for more than two full terms.
One full term. Plaque, nameplate, letter, pewter tray with seal, Council pictures.
Two full terms. Plaque, nameplate, letter, City watch, Council pictures.
Three or more full terms. Plaque, nameplate, ring, collage or album, tray with seal, letter gag gift, caricature.
Distribution of Council Correspondence (3-5) - staff recommends updating language with current practice.
All correspondence to the Mayor and the Councilmembers arriving at City Hall received pursuant to the law or in connection with the transaction of official business by the City of Clearwater shall be distributed as follows:
When needed, e-mails will be forwarded to all Councilmembers by the Council Assistant. Councilmembers will receive the original of hard copy items individually addressed to them, whether anonymous or not. Council e-mails and other correspondence will be available on the City’s website through the electronic document management system. Mail will be delivered to the Council once per week, or as needed daily.
Courtney Campbell Causeway (State Road 60) Welcome Signage Program (5-7) - staff recommends adding language clarifying process to replace welcome signs.
4.Installation of a welcome sign will be processed in accordance with the following:
A. Requests for a welcome sign shall be submitted in writing to the Parks and Recreation Department by filling out a Courtney Campbell Parkway (State Road 60) Welcome Signage Program Application. The form is available online at www.myclearwater.com <http://www.myclearwater.com>, or by calling the Parks and Recreation Department.
B. The award to be recognized by the welcome sign must be of national or international significance.
1. Accomplishment of national or international significance is an achievement or completion of an award granted to an organization or to the City in recognition of being the best in the entire nation or the best involving two or more countries that promote and enhance the image of Clearwater.
2. Significant Clearwater historical events are defined as events that are unique to Clearwater and add to the overall understanding of the City and its history.
C. If approved, a welcome sign may be allowed for a period not to exceed two years. If no other request for signage has been submitted, the current sign may continue for an unspecified time until another application is accepted.
D. Requests for a welcome sign may be made by a group or an individual, however written approval to use the event or award to be recognized must be secured from the governing body being represented. In cases where the request is for a group or organization no longer in existence but historically significant to the City, no approval is necessary.
Special Event Street Closure Limitation (5-12) - staff recommends updating language with current practice.
Street closures for special events shall be limited to two (2) per calendar year requested by any one non-profit or for-profit organization. The City of Clearwater and council approved Co-Sponsored events shall be exempt from this limitation. The City shall comply with any Florida Department of Transportation policies regarding street closures of state roads.
Landscaping of City Roads (6-4) - staff recommends adding language that cites recommended resources.
When landscaping is a necessary and integral part of a City road or street improvement/construction project the landscape material shall be selected and located based on ease and frequency of required maintenance. All such material shall be drought resistant. Per Clearwater Community Development Code Sec. 3-1202, all such material shall be native, or a non-invasive plant naturalized to Central Florida. Plants recommended in the Guide of Southeast Florida Water Management District, Florida Native Plant Society, FloridaYards.org, University of Florida or other entity as approved by the Community Development Coordinator shall be used.
Brick Streets (6-2) - staff is not recommending any changes to the policy; format changes are implemented to keep sections together.
Amplification of Sound at City Venues (8-2) - staff recommends deleting paren 3; due to technology changes, the current language was restrictive on how sound should be measured.
2.Amplification of sound including music will not exceed an average of 95 decibel or dB level measured at the house mix over a period of 30 seconds.
3.Amplification of sound during the event will be measured by a city employee or city contractor by using a sound level meter which is an instrument that includes a microphone, amplifier, RMS detector, integrator or time average, output of display meter and the weighting networks used to measure sound pressure level.
3. 4. The city employee or city contractor will measure the sound levels for every group performing at the event.
At the August 17 work session, staff was directed to add the following statements for Council Policy 3-2, Citizen Inquiries- Responses:
H. Media interview requests that are not addressed to a specific council member, will be assigned in the following order (per availability): Mayor, Vice Mayor, remaining council members based on seniority.
I. Council members scheduling individual meetings with the same citizen/group shall coordinate background information through the city manager prior to the scheduled meeting to ensure council members have consistent information.