board meeting start times and evening public hearings

1:23:55approved. Second. Motion is second. All in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion passed by vote. Okay. That'll do the public hearing. And now we're gonna move back. Wanna go to R forty eight? Commissioner Weightman Yes.

1:24:18Do you have a presentation? For the staff person

1:24:21a second. Go ahead and pull that up, please.

1:24:26You wanna you wanted something to do till 515? I'm not gonna uh I'm not gonna sleep at

1:24:32night.

1:24:35Good afternoon, Commissioner Yeah. Connor Donovan with County Administrator. I was really Yeah, we have a title slide. I was really hoping to go in the morning so I could steal Adam's credit for the cups. I was gonna say they were for both of us. There you go. That didn't happen, but at least my title is short. B C C meeting time review. Absolutely. So this is just gonna be a brief presentation that outlines some high level alternatives to our current meeting times. The first thing we did when the board tasked us with this earlier

1:25:05this summer was look at what our surrounding counties in the Tampa Bay area were doing for their meeting times. And so just as a note before we dive into it, we did merge some terminology for the sake of this summary. So in some instances where you see public hearing, that might be more focused on land use only or vice versa. Ultimately, if you guys wanted to move forward with any of the alternatives we're going to talk about today, we would come back to you with more concrete language. So don't get bogged down with the legal jargon. Uh

1:25:35the first county we're gonna go over is ourselves. I think just something interesting to note is that we are the only county in the Tampa Bay area to have our regular meetings in two different locations to accommodate residents on both sides of the county. So most other counties just kind of pick a central-ish location and they operate out of there full time. Obviously we have our east side and west side meetings. Additionally, not all counties have a time certain for public hearing that you can always count on. Some of them they're just gonna roll their meetings

1:26:06and whenever it happens happens. So I just thought that was kind of two interesting things we did to try to maximize accessibility in our current meeting state. So Pinellas is a little bit more uh complex. They're gonna have two regular meetings, just like we do, in one location. One of them is going to begin at 9 30 AM, and that's intended for all regular business other than contentious public hearing. Their second meeting of the month is going to begin in the

1:26:36afternoon. They're gonna break at five, and then they're gonna come back in the evening for public hearing items and particularly anything they deem possibly contentious as far as public hearing go. What makes Hernando unique is that they have three meetings per month. So rather than mess with an evening meeting or different meeting times, they just say, hey, let's have one meeting additional, typically like when we would do a workshop or a work session in the middle of the month, just

1:27:06focused on public hearings. And as I go through these, I know I'm moving a little quick, we'll kind of get into the pros and cons. Of each of these in a little bit.

1:27:16Moving on to Hillsborough, very similar to what we just talked about with Hernando. Uh they're gonna have three meetings per month. They're all gonna start at 9 a.m. Um there's not typically a break, right? They afford their chair and the board that kind of flexibility to determine, hey, based on the amount of stuff we have at the meeting, we may not break for lunch, we may break for lunch. Um When it comes to Polk, very straightforward. We're getting to two meetings per month, just like us, but they're all gonna start at 9 o'clock, and that's for all business. Again, no

1:27:46break in there. Um Citrus County, very similar to us, but starting in the afternoon. So rather than starting at 10 a.m., they're gonna start at 1 o'clock. And then occasionally if they need to break they can, but typically there's no break and then at five o'clock they're gonna dive into their public hearing. So that's kind of their way.

1:28:08They have no lunch?

1:28:10Typically th I think they would say one o'clock you're having an early lunch. You're getting the early bird uh you know, brunch or something like that. Um because they start at one. We would bring stacks.

1:28:22That's fine.

1:28:22We'd bring stacks. Uh and then Manatee County. Manatee County, uh again, three meetings a month. They're all gonna start at nine AM, but they do have that additional month or uh additional month, sorry, additional meeting, just like Hillsborough and Hernando do, kind of dedicated to land use.

1:28:43So what we have before you today, very similar to kind of what we saw in those other counties, we have five options for you. Um we labeled them one A, one B, two A, two B, and three, 'cause I can't count to five. Um but based on the alternatives we talked about Um that's kind of where we derived these. So option 1A, that's really the same thing we do now, but starting an hour earlier to ensure that we get through our regular business in the morning session. So today was kind of a good example where you know

1:29:13we had our resolutions, you had public comment, you kind of ran out of time right before lunch. The logic here is what some of the other counties do starting at 9 a.m. in order to make sure, hey, in the morning we're covering everything other than public hearings. So the advantage of that is that it aligns with our current model. Disadvantage of that is that really the genesis of this presentation was trying to make things more accessible. Doesn't really change a whole lot for working residents and families.

1:29:45Option one B earlier start times roll into public hearing. So that's kind of the same thing I just described, but you lose the set standard time of when public hearings are gonna be, and you gain the flexibility of determining as a board when you want those breaks to be. So again, you look at today as an example, you guys could say, hey, let's take a later lunch, let's work through the entire budget presentation. and then break a little bit later. Again, part of the disadvantage with the 9 a.m. meeting, in addition to

1:30:15not really addressing the working residents, 9 a.m. meetings are going to cause some significant traffic issues for somebody trying to get over here from Dade City or Newport Ritchie to Dade City and vice versa.

1:30:30Option two A. So we actually had a a public commenter address this today, um, and that would just be holding public hearing in the evening, right? And so We see it in a couple different county examples in our area where they're holding their public hearing or particularly contentious public hearing at five PM or later. The obvious advantage of that is that it better accommodates working residents and families that may not get off work until five o'clock. Um Disadvantage of that is that for every

1:31:00person we accommodate with a new start time, you're probably creating another schedule conflict for somebody else. Because then it's it's not work, it's I gotta make dinner, I gotta go to soccer practice and all that other stuff.

1:31:16Option two B, add a separate third monthly meeting for public hearing. So again, we saw that with three counties in the area where they say, okay, instead of you know having different meeting start times or anything like that, let's just add a dedicated meeting to public hearing or to land use. Um and so the nice thing about that is that it does provide a focus for each meeting, right? You know you're gonna talk about regular business, it would provide more time for presentations um and clarity for the residents on what's going to be talked

1:31:46about when. Um disadvantage is that once you add that one monthly meeting, then you're only having one opportunity for public hearing to move forward. And so you're kind of losing maybe some speed of that process because you just have that one opportunity. And then also there's kind of a geographical fairness concern being that is the one meeting a month gonna be over here? And then if I'm in Dade City I gotta wait, you know, forty five days to have a public hearing near me. And so that

1:32:17could be a potential issue.

1:32:22Option three, monthly meetings with different start times and structure. This was the second example we talked about in Pinellas, right? So we would have this is just an example. We could have any variation you guys would like, but in this example you'd have one monthly meeting. You would begin at 10 a.m. It could look very much how we do it now. And then the second monthly meeting would begin in the afternoon, and we could either roll into public hearing in the evening, take a break at five, come back at six, or something like that. again were allowing one meeting

1:32:52a month to kinda guarantee some after work participation. Um Disadvantage there is that it is a little bit confusing to have two set standard meetings a month, but the second one is gonna start at a completely different time and the breaks are gonna be different.

1:33:10Last but not least, this is just for awareness, our city meeting schedules. I think we want to be mindful no matter how we move forward not to step on the toes of any incorporated municipal residents that also pay taxes into the county and then put them in a position where they have to decide which meeting they want to attend. Um so this is more just for awareness. I'm not gonna dive into each one, but this is when our cities currently meet.

1:33:36And with that, I'm gonna turn it over to the board for discussion, unless you guys have any questions.

1:33:43Question discussion? Commissioner Weightman, you brought it up.

1:33:45Yeah no uh Connor, thank y'all for taking a look and see what what's going on around. Um just coming on the board out and thought the ten o'clock start time was a bit late. I mean we all go to meetings from seven A. M., eight A. M. in the morning and try to have, you know, efficient use of time. I'm also not a fan of the hour and a half recess either. Um you know we often don't get enough work done in the morning when you know everybody's might think firing on

1:34:15all cylinders and coffee's flowing and we're able to get get some good work done. So I I like the idea of starting earlier, cutting lunch down to an hour. Um and also not opposed to having an evening meeting for land use. I mean we we're seeing due process in in in certain instances being eroded away from Tallahassee and we hear folks all the time, hey, I wish I could come to the meeting, but you start at 10 o'clock in the morning, right? So

1:34:47this whole exercise is about finding the best best way to balance due process and access for folks and also becoming uh more efficient with the board's day. Um I've been consistent about Those at least the start time and the lunch time since joining the board. Um, but uh I think folks are becoming more engaged and they're enjoying Citizens Academy and joining uh Leadership Pasco, Leadership Tampa Bay, and

1:35:17they want to be able to be a part of our meetings, especially with land use items, right? And uh sometimes I don't think we see um the full s the the the full temperament of folks and neighbors. I mean it's folks have to really work to get here. So uh our job is to be, I like to think, as as accessible as possible. and allow folks the the due process to to be able to speak to an item that impacts them and uh you know comment on on

1:35:48like the good neighbor policies that we're bringing up here today which is a great step forward and in quality of life here in our county so So grateful for your work on this, Connor, and your team and bringing it up for discussion of the board. May what have been done how it was done in the past uh in the county, I don't I don't know, but um it's great to see these options and See what everybody else thinks.

1:36:13Perfect. And it's that's closure.

1:36:18Well, um I have a couple thoughts. Um and I personally think we should wait and wait on two two different things to finish. Um one is the comp plan changes because I think we'll have a lot less public hearing once our comp plan is updated and we won't have all these comp plans. amendments um see what that looks like and two I'm just I drive 52 to get to the meetings I sure Commissioner Oakley does and

1:36:48um I I personally do not want to be driving 52 in the dark back and forth and nor do I want my constituents driving and fifty two in the dark. So I would say let that road get built and be less dangerous. It's terrifying when I drive home i in the dark on that road. And um And keep everybody safe that what these other some of these other counties don't have is the ability to join remotely. And

1:37:18we do. So that helps in that situation. So that's where I am. Thank you.

1:37:23Chair. I had a suggestion. So if we if we did a third monthly meeting That's Commissioner Starkey's concern. Could we use the central where we have our board workshops for our land use meeting? So then it's a central location for east and west?

1:37:42Talking at the utilities building. Yeah. I mean I don't see why not. I mean we're able to have and record, I would probably make sure the clerk's operations uh could be done. Otherwise you could do them anywhere. It's a public forum. It's publicly accessible accessible.

1:37:57My concern is If you're not going to be able to

1:38:03I I'd want it to be like a pilot program, like the gentleman said earlier. Let's see what our what our numbers are, right? I mean we could do it for six months, a year, whate you know, whatever, but um I just think something centrally located, so the east so i if it's on the west then the east side people aren't waiting a month to come over here, et cetera. So I think something mid-county, A, would be good. And B um I would just say only land use items if you guys agree because that's what really

1:38:33people are concerned about. The other things, you know they just leave after that. So the place is empty. So we'd be literally holding our meeting for nobody. So That's just my two cents. Thoughts on that?

1:38:49Um I'd look at I pretty well like the way we have it set up with our meetings. I see quite a few times, seems like lately, that it takes a little bit longer than the two hours. to lunch to finish the early morning the morning events. I think if we started at like nine thirty then we could but I don't I like I believe other commissioners have meetings prior to the meeting of that day for people

1:39:20that are staff that need to talk to you before you see a uh some item come up before you and and a lot of times I use that nine to ten to uh see those folks but I also could do that in thirty minutes. I could do that from nine to nine thirty and start meetings at nine thirty instead. Then you wouldn't run over we've ran over I'm sure this year it seems like we've run over I know four or five times into the afternoon public hearing, which interferes

1:39:51with that a little bit. But it's been that just that little 30-minute period we needed to finish that morning. So, but the hour and a half for lunch, a lot of us have I think we have meetings during lunch a lot of times and it's hard to get in and out of restaurants and get back in time. You know, when you're having that. So don't public hearing always being at 1 30, I think, gives our public the awareness that it's gonna happen. It's gonna be at 1

1:40:2130. So when we delay it, it it kind of interferes with it. But there's people that take can take off and be there for that public meeting that afternoon. afternoon. So I see people doing that. Uh I'd rather do have them do that than nighttime meetings 'cause definitely I don't want to drive at night and um Same with my staff. They don't need to be, you know, driving at night. It's just late. You spend a lot of time, but I've heard in the past when they did

1:40:51have night meetings, they ran so late that it actually cost staff like a day and a half Of time. Because you prepare for the night meeting, which you're using all for that. So then you stay there and sometimes it would last 12, 1 o'clock in the morning. The next day.

1:41:15Staff might come in at eight, but they're not gonna be very well that day 'cause they they haven't got any rest. So you end up losing time. And and we're in a sense that we're going to uh be tightening up our belts and watching how we spend money. We don't need to be wasting staff time on that type of thing, but we need to tighten up our belts and do the right thing and make sure that every move that's made by staff is working toward the end result of helping the

1:41:45public get their developments and ordinances done for them. I think we're doing it a good way and I I see I know every now and then you'll hear that somebody can't come to the meeting 'cause of work. But the gentleman that said he couldn't ever come to the meeting and work, he got off work today to come because it was very important for him to be here to say what he said today. But he got off. And was here. So it's hard to, you know, change a lot of things to night meetings when Everybody

1:42:17has a possibility of of getting off work. So I I think what we do normally, if anything, I'd I'd change to 9 30 in the morning or something like that. But keep the hour and a half for lunch. And then our two meetings separate with East West saves all of our citizens the long drive for a project that's in their area and in their neighborhood. You hear it right locally where you where you're at, rather than you having to drive from east. to pass go

1:42:47all the way to west side to hear an item that actually affects east side. So I I think we do a good job at separating our stuff by four four forty one or fourty one at separate the different east-west part of the procedures. Okay?

1:43:07No, years ago with the land use decisions, we did 'em twice a year. You'd have like twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen items and you'd do it a day.

1:43:17Oh yeah.

1:43:18And then you do it again. And those were like there were big, big deals. And we changed all that. And and I'm gonna say it's it's actually weakened the public debate to it, knowing what was going on. Um I I like the ten o'clock start reason is um If you come in from one side to the other makes it easier.

1:43:40Oh yeah.

1:43:41Number two, and then if you're gonna schedule meetings and a lot of times like you know, I tried a conversation with Brandford this morning and 9 30 might have been a little bit tight, but to to make it happen. But I think you know we we get our interviews if uh they're Fridays with Mike. Um you got the weekend to review a little bit more, dig a little bit more, then Monday morning you're gonna make some calls and you may not get the answers. It may take till Tuesday, so I think the the later time at ten o'clock I'm I'm I'm fine with that. The amount

1:44:11of times we go over Um I'd say it's probably fifty fifty. Yeah. But it's okay. I mean if we're doing the things and we w generally speaking I don't I don't think there's too many nights around here after after five thirty. Right. So I don't think it's outrageous in in any way at all. So I wouldn't change that dynamic. That's better for the work schedule for the you know, for our staff as well. Uh and you did bring up some good staff things about the night meeting. So Let me just talk to the night meeting. I think you could do it and I like having the land use on one side of the county. For easter forty one, the other

1:44:41side west of forty one. That's that th that's mandatory. Now, there may be some times you might be dealing with let's say Heritage Springs where they got something coming in there. That doesn't have to be at night if it's pretty much at that. So you could find a way to make exceptions to have it in the morning if that's the problem. So those seniors don't have to drive. But for the m majority of these decisions it's usually involving families, it's involving younger people as well that just can't get the work off.

1:45:12I mean this is a tough state to work when we're going to be able to do No unions pretty much and you gotta show up when you gotta show up and you're not gonna give your time up 'cause they want you there, etcetera. And it's hard for someone who's not making a lot of money to be able to force their way through. The executives can do it a lot easier. But the the the the middle class and and the poor They're gonna have a tough time making those meetings, but it may be very important too them. We could be talking about, you know, you know, what's gonna come in, whether it's gonna be fields and parks and libraries, et cetera. That's important. They're not gonna be able to make it in the morning.

1:45:42They may have to miss you know, a soccer game. They may have to miss a baseball game, but when they're dealing with their neighborhood and it's gonna be no more than Yeah. For that one big hearing of the neighborhood, et cetera. If it's important to 'em they're gonna show up and you give 'em the opportunity. Right. Now Beacon Woods was one before I even got on here, but I heard we're here until like eleven o'clock at night. When Walmart was coming in, et cetera? I don't think there was another one that I can remember that went anywhere near that late. Sometimes they do. But pretty much I

1:46:13think Six o'clock probably a good time to start it. Um and if you do it every other side of the county in the same buildings we're doing right now, it's strong, it's predictable. And I don't think it's a problem for the development community to wait an extra thirty days to hear it from one side. but I think it gives our citizens a better participation. And I would much rather Deal with citizens right in front of me with all the information. They can see the presentation, they can see our dialogue. And then the developer gets to hero too. And you

1:46:43know how hard it is to get the votes to do anything. Right? Until they feel pressure. But when they feel the pressure? They react. And we're taking that away not only from the citizens, but from us to get I think what's the best developments we can get. So I think we should stick with the ten o'clock to add the extra meeting. Every month, one side the other side, started at six o'clock. And just for the land use. Because the land use is the one thing we can just say we don't like it. And we're done.

1:47:14We have a lot of flexibility with that.

1:47:18That's my

1:47:18thought.

1:47:20My thought is to have the third meeting Central County so then people's projects aren't being held up waiting the extra month. And then it's centrally located for everybody. East and west, knock it out.

1:47:35I I like I personally like the mid county idea using the utility building. You're saying don't have the afternoon meetings? What I'm

1:47:44saying is no, have our night or evening meeting. So but so our afternoons are the land use meetings. So we would just have the ten to twelve meeting in Dade City?

1:47:55Just once a month all of our land use for east and west would be at that one meeting. What and what would be in the afternoon and the other

1:48:01two meeting other

1:48:03two meetings? Nothing. Right?

1:48:07You have to

1:48:08finish your morning.

1:48:10Which means you wouldn't need an hour and a half lunch break. I

1:48:13I don't know why uh to me it's not broken.

1:48:17But again, Clark, you can make a do a pilot. I mean you could

1:48:22When would that night meeting be? Would it be if you wouldn't have anything in the afternoon, you mean you're gonna get there like if y'all go to the east side, you're gonna wait all afternoon to have the night meeting for your public hearing? I think the way it's set up is the way it keeps people from having to drive. so much and actually you're there so

1:48:44We've got a pretty good setup.

1:48:47Okay. Thank you. I appreciate the opportunity to talk because it does affect my team as well. Yes. Uh so um We don't right now budget for overtime, so I would have to uh ask for amended budget for overtime if we went to evening hours. And um while I was not here when there were evening hours, um we our supervisor that was here at the time, who now is retired, said that they would go as As Mr. Oakley had said on until like one and two AM in the morning. It

1:49:18got it got rough. So um if there's parameters around it to make it not do that, I think that would be good. But it was a struggle. Um the my team uh not my team, but Jet Pittman's team would be there until the wee hours of the morning to come back into the office and start the day. So that was very challenging. um and and difficult for the team. The other thing that is available to public, which was not available at that point in time, was virtual attendance, which

1:49:48I just don't know if that's advertised enough because I don't think the public takes as much ad advantage of that. Um, and maybe to have that more out there so that they know that that is an option. And it's so easy to you know be at work and just jump on when you're ready to go. is called rather than to take the time off of work to come. And I think that employers might be more accommodating for that, but I don't know if the public is very much aware of our virtual option. that started because of COVID and we and you have kept it and I think that is a a great option.

1:50:20And that's what these other counties don't have

1:50:22that we

1:50:22have. Right. I agree. Yeah.

1:50:27If you're if you're a painter, a plumber. It's not gonna be the wait for your time to be called. You could be in the middle of a job, you could be talking to a customer, et cetera. You could be doing retail stuff. And to be able to say I'm gonna be able to take the break as well. It's one thing if you're working an office job. And you you you're just sitting there doing your stuff and you're gonna listen to it as it's going on. But that's not a good one. Twenty percent of the population. So for those people. Um

1:50:54So I think a comment I or question really. Um This is obviously a decision for the board and I'll show up wherever you tell me to show up but um I just want to clarify when you say land use agenda because you there's a lot that's on your public hearing agenda that is not rezoning. You have C D D petitions, you have right of way vacations, you have Land Development Code amendments. There's a lot of things that are on your public hearing agenda that are not what I would call typical land use. So

1:51:26are you saying that all of those things would go to this? Just land use.

1:51:30I'm hearing you say land use, so to me that would specifically be comprehensive plan amendments and rezoning.

1:51:35And conditional uses. So it's you're just talking about rezoning, conditional uses, and complan amendments. No. No. Just land use, period.

1:51:44Well those would be land use. But for instance today Mr. Thomas got up and spoke about a DMO. That would we would hold that.

1:51:51Well some some people would argue some people would argue that your land development code amendments are land use. That's why I'm asking the question. Like you had like you had a land development code amendment today to talk about construction route traffic. Well that affects land use. So if somebody could argue that's land use. So I'm that's why I'm asking for clarification. When you say land use, what do you mean? Do you mean that's a good idea?

1:52:16Just rezoning the complaint amendments or do you mean everything that would be on your public typical public hearing agenda in the afternoon?

1:52:24That's what I think it'd be uh everything on the public hearing agenda would be that tonight.

1:52:30I mean I guess I would if I could offer this, I mean typically what at least the premise that Commissioner Weightman started out as is is usually these are dealing with land use, adjacent properties, and the development of property. And so what I'm hearing him say is those are the types of items that these night meetings would be helpful for. While LDC amendments are technically land use, yes, they affect development, yes. Yes, but we rarely get any public comment uh when it when it sits for that.

1:52:57It's ironic because the only one the statute tells you that you're supposed to have after five o'clock is Land Development Code Amendments. It's not it's not the other ones, which is I find ironic.

1:53:08And budget.

1:53:13Chair. Mr. Connor, what time does you said Hillsborough has a third meeting? What time is there Their

1:53:19BOCC starts at nine and that third meeting is at what time?

1:53:23I don't believe there's a difference in time. They

1:53:24all

1:53:24start

1:53:25at nine?

1:53:25Hillsborough, they all start at nine. Yeah, they start at

1:53:27nine and they roll.

1:53:35So back to the land use. I don't consider what we

1:53:40pretty much look at for land use being insane. I'm looking at the comprehensive plan amendments. Those are the ones we're talking about where I think The benefit of the night meeting is fine. And I think If you've got one. That you could say is uncontested? There's n then no objections to it? Then let it stay regular? Um But that's the only thing I think we need to hear at night. I don't think the others matter to the same degree. Because you got flexibility with that land use. People can make a difference. When someone's got zoning

1:54:10already and they're looking for little changes, conditional uses, etc. I don't I don't think you need that attention. and to sh to shift the whole thing.

1:54:19The thing that comes to mind is the fact that you've got public hearing item, it's not land use but it's public hearing. And you're gonna have two public hearing. And the public hearing that you're going to hear in the afternoon is still one that a citizen can't be at unless it was at night. So that that gets to be an issue if you put part of the public you don't keep some of the public hearing items in the daytime.

1:54:44They'll never make those. Alright, so let's look at the one we just had in Hudson. They w first came in for a land use change, the one on on Denton and Mattis. They came in for a land use change and they were going to go to sixteen hundred homes, right? There was enough affluent people that were able to come out and speak to it. What you had happen from that point Is you took that whole item. from 1600 and they realized they can't get all they wanted and they backed

1:55:14it down to sticking within their land use that was already there to be granted. That's the type of one you can affect. When you get a a zoning coming in, like in like the ALF we just had, coming right through, they're perfectly entitled to come in there. We can work on conditions we got them. But you don't I don't think you need the night for that. That can be something, but less it's it's it's less significant. Land use is big. There's a reason they had these things only twice a year. What

1:55:45we've gone to is gone to a commonplace thing where it's every month you get to g go do it. And we've been had some way to try to do on the other side of the galley, but they can't grow one. Heard over there when it should have been over here. Right? And I thought the two guys were there was on consent because I thought they had worked out the de details. Now it's ironic those people were able to show up but they did. But again, just the the the comprehensive plan land amendments, those are the ones we have the missile flexibility and people can affect it. The others they don't have as much.

1:56:15So Mr. Chair, to be clear, I don't know that you can separate Complant Amendments and rezoning because As you know, you have a number of applications, particularly PDs, where they're coming to you on the same agenda. The Comp Plan Amendment and the zoning. And I'm not sure you want to make the public have to show up two different meetings.

1:56:34So I'm okay with those being heard at the same time like we do. That that that I'm okay with because it's the same thing. They have to be. Yeah, I'm I'm good with that. Yeah.

1:56:46Sorry, I was conferring with Connor. What w what were you good with, sir?

1:56:50So on when we do the comprehensive plan amendments, a lot of time an MPUDs coming with it. We hear them usually at the same time. I think we should do that. So

1:56:57if there's a companion, yes. Okay. So what I okay. So

1:57:01what I'm hearing you say is that the ones that you would want to go tonight would be either comp all comp line amendments. I understand that, but I'm just understanding what his request to his Yeah.

1:57:17Yeah, they're companion MPUDs or or whatever they are.

1:57:20But if it's n if it's not related to a comp lent amendment. You'd be okay just being on a normal half one eight thirty AM, one thirty PM agenda.

1:57:31Do you want to do one thirty or were we gonna have that meeting roll? Cause that makes a difference when you advertise. So a couple of things. Connor, can you summarize what you've heard so so far?

1:57:41Yeah, so what we've heard so far is we're gonna keep our two regular meetings starting at ten AM. In between those, we're gonna have a separate third meeting dedicated to comp plan updates and their companion items in the evening. We'd have to determine what day of the week we want that to be standard as far as the month goes. Um I think I heard three as far as consensus goes, obviously to Commissioner Starkey's point you'd want to vote on it.

1:58:07Yeah, I've got lots of board commitments and stuff and I don't

1:58:11Well well to be clear, when we start this could also be discussed. So we're we're putting the we've we've punted the board next year's board calendar on purpose, waiting for the board to kind of discuss this. I do have it teed up for October sixth, but I may have to look at that. So how we start this, if this is the will of the board, you know, that's completely up to you. We could we could push it out a little bit further because there's going to be noticing requirements. I don't know what we have in the queue in terms of of of other items.

1:58:42So there's you you still retain some flexibility on that to Commissioner Starkey's concerns. It doesn't have to start January 1. It could start June of next year for example.

1:58:54Commissioner Oakley. I would uh I would appreciate us all thanking about it again and and bringing us back and and really hashing out some more after we we've we've said our piece about each one of us, but feel what really works for each of us and then could bring it back and and discuss it for a final vote. So

1:59:15Um. Um I do wanna ask you about overtime and what's the impact on the budget because I didn't know we had extra money laying around.

1:59:25I I'd have to I'd have to take a look at that. Um most of the people I see here are salaried, uh, with with some exceptions. I guess we'll put Gina on salary too. We'll fix that problem. No, I'm kidding. We'll we'll take a look.

1:59:37Okay.

1:59:38Chair.

1:59:39Chair, if I may. Do

1:59:41it

1:59:41all. I I I I do want to um point out a couple of things. Um I think it's important, particularly if we're looking at the land use or or some version of the land use in the evening, is that the comp plan primarily deals with future land use changes. And so that that occurs when when the proposed use is not compatible with with the current future land use in the comp plan. And I think our goal with the the the PASCO 2050 is to reduce the

2:00:11number of future comp plan amendments, um, at least in the short term. Um I think I think that you know further that you get away from the adoption of that likelihood that those may start creeping up because you know you're ten years out or or or eight years out. But I do want to note for the board in particular is when we're talking about rezoning, um, and I I think uh Mr. Goldstein was mentioning this, is that as we look at MPUDs, these could be projects where The future land use

2:00:43or the MPUDs consistent with the current future land use, and therefore Comp Plan amendment may not be required. And many times these are the large projects, these larger MPUDs are the ones that potentially have contentious issues with neighbors and and and the community. And so I think that for for our purposes, for staff, it would be real helpful. to really provide that distinction between these larger projects versus like a more simple rezoning like we saw this afternoon from an AR AC

2:01:13to an AR.

2:01:14Yeah. Well I think commo Commissioner Oakley brings up a good point about uh waiting to c waiting to go through this. This is a great dialogue we've had. Um appreciate you bringing this forward, Commissioner Weightman 'cause it's something that uh I've always felt that our people aren't getting enough time with us and we don't have enough push for the developers to get the stuff we me need because of the different uh regulations from the State. So I th I think it is good for us to wait. Uh Nicky says for in budget hearings as well. Um Amendment three might be a factor as well w

2:01:44what we look at, but I think the dialogue's good and maybe some more thought from everybody about what they think 'cause I will tell you uh I was very pleased with every little idea. that came through 'cause a little bit different, a little twist, a little twist. So I think it's good to let all these things gel a little bit. Let's think about a little bit more and maybe bring it back in December or something and see where see where we go from there.

2:02:05Yeah. Chairman it it's important, you know, there there's folks that take off work. I mean if you're working hourly And they take off their pri you know, they're taking off three, four hours to to come and share how you know the government's going to impact their life. And uh they'll feel that. Or sometimes it may take all day. And it shouldn't cost people money to have to come here and speak. us and um

2:02:36so I I think it'd be good of this board to figure out a way to to make it work for folks and not have to take off work and be retirees or salaried people I you know a little bit different but folks who are working hourly um or you know So even if you know they're a salaried project or person, they may have big projects that day they have to get done. They can't be here. So I think evening an evening conversation is important.

2:03:05Okay.

2:03:06I I think in the meantime, until we t uh take this up again that we take um

2:03:13your suggestion of really getting the word out there? um doing a a big social media push of saying, you know, can't be there. Join us online, come virtually. Um You know, maybe and Not that we could make appointments or placeholders but maybe, you know, we could say develop something that says, Hey Which I know would be hard 'cause of discussion and stuff like that. But when it comes to public hearing, they sign up for a time slot. So then if they are at work That they know that they're not gonna have to be on hold

2:03:44forever. I mean, I don't know. I'm just throwing it out there. But a social media push definitely until we pick this back up.

2:03:50I have a related comment too. I'm sorry, go ahead. Go ahead.

2:03:54Uh one thing that's very important, I think we need to stress this a little more to our citizens, that if they will direct their emails or their calls to their district commissioner who knows the area they're in and they cover like I do. I know if they make a call to me, I know where to tell them how it can be fixed or what to attack on it to help that citizen. But if if you're in New Port Richey

2:04:24on the coast over here somewhere? And you give me that email and that call? I don't have a clue because I'm not aware of the the way that the land lasts in that area. But I can handle my district. And if more people will do that, they'll get the answers they want quicker than even waiting for a public hearing or a meeting. And we'll know prior to those public hearing. how our citizens feel when they reach out to in their district like that.

2:04:52So it's half the county taken care of?

2:04:54Yeah.

2:04:59You know,

2:05:00uh someone sent us an email, I think we all got it, about structure and emails. And um I don't think we have the capability now. I'm hoping one day we'll get smarter using AI for some of the things that we do. But um P part of the suggestion in that email was that that emails that come in somehow get categorized and compilated for that issue for that day.

2:05:26And

2:05:26I think I thought that was a good idea. So then they then they don't get lost in the shuffle. um and that we you know we're we're seeing what our public's saying if they can't be here. So Um I don't I don't think we have the ability to do that now. Um unless you're having our staff category.

2:05:44I mean I think we manually I think if we get emails, I believe they are attached to the record if we have email opposition that we're able to

2:05:50You attach attach it?

2:05:51I I've seen them attach that land use items.

2:05:54We don't we don't see that. I mean I don't see a compilation of emails that come to me before either the day the day of a hearing or anything like that. I mean I see 'em when they come in. Randomly. But I thought that was a good idea. And I think that would also help our citizens think they are make sure they know their voices are getting heard. If there's some way to

2:06:16Well nothing being in person and hearing folks is so much stronger than an email. Emails get lost into outer space. To have somebody physically take their time and show up and care.

2:06:30Brings so much more value into the decisions that we all have to make. When someone takes time out of their day to do something that they don't want to have to do, they only reason they're coming to the g government is because there's a problem and they're impacted. They're not here because they're happy to be here. And There's an email, AI, none of that will ever replace having a human

2:07:00being in front of each other, eye to eye, sharing their feelings or their thoughts on a matter. It it that will it will there's there's no comparison there.

2:07:13Okay. Dude, I think the social media for the virtual option is a good idea, but the way most applicant the way most neighbors find out about these hearings is the mailed notice from the applicant. So I think that if you really want to get the word out, then staff needs to have the applicant start putting the virtual option somewhere in their mailed notices. is to the neighbors. Um because otherwise I mean that's the main way that most of them find out. So I don't know

2:07:43if David heard that or one of the Davids heard that, but if you it's it's probably how you're gonna have to get the word out, I think. Or maybe even on the sign that gets posted. Because that's how most neighbors f find out about this.

2:07:56Yeah, there's a lot of opportunity that I think we could we can exploit on that one.

2:08:01David.

2:08:01Um Mr. Chairman Mariano, Planning and Economic Growth Director. I I just want to like indicate to you we don't lose emails. They don't go missing. Emails come in, uh if it's direct from a citizen or it's through a commissioner's office or the county administration. It's part of the official w record. Yeah.

2:08:22I I was saying this gentleman suggested to do a compilation.

2:08:27I didn't I didn't say you said it. Um but somebody said oh yeah you could lose an email. We we don't lose the emails. Now is that part of the actual presentation? No, it's just part of the actual official record that the board has access to. So we could do a compilation, sure.

2:08:42We could have a um

2:08:45They do that like at the

2:08:46order that we can access or something.

2:08:49It's actually I I can show you, it's actually in the agenda record. It's it's online as an attachment to the agendas. I know some of you have hard copy agendas that your staff uses. If you access through the board portal, uh those the there are a lot of items that are in there that I would scan.

2:09:04I review all these items in Civic Clerk and I often see compilations of Correct. Email objections in civic work.

2:09:12You know, Amazon has a solution. Um if you try to buy a popular item and they have like a thousand people giving it four stars, if you go down, AI goes through all the comments and they extrapolate and summarize. So you wouldn't be acting on it but would tweak your interest and you could look into it. We could do that. Are

2:09:32you

2:09:32guys?

2:09:33Alright, I'm gonna look and see. I'm on the online agenda.

2:09:38Well to be clear, not everyone has email comments, but you'd have to you'd rather have to look at one where there's a lot of objection to it. You would typically see email comments.

2:09:47So what I'm hearing is come back in December. You said December. Uh that'll give us some time. Um I'm seeing us narrowed from five options to maybe two, um, one and a half. But we'll we'll we will we will look at that and I think what we'll we'll come back with are some uh some options for how to do that third meeting. Location would be an option.

2:10:13Because I do think if we do go to a different location, there would be some technology upgrades that would be necessary in order to do what we do in these in these in these areas. So we'll we'll be sure to pull all those together and um we can have a more focused conversation because now we're we've narrowed it down to what it is. In the meantime, however, I am going to push forward. Yeah. Next year's calendar as we're currently doing business. And then if the board decides to adopt and do something different, we can amend that calendar um at

2:10:44the appropriate times so they don't conflict with existing published public hearing.

2:10:49Sounds good.

2:10:50Sounds good? Alright. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, team, and thank you, board, for Brainstorming here. Yeah,

2:11:00good brains.

2:11:00I don't think the plane's landed, but