Campaign Issues

This page features John's positions on issues relevant to our community. A brief synopsis of each issue is presented in the following paragraphs.

Three Corners Project Revised RFP Process

Since the motion to exclude the SuDA Development Team for cause passed in June of 2024, I reviewed the events and documents leading up to this decision. I noted a number of deficiencies and obstacles that provided an avenue to allow the events to occur. Therefore, I presented recommendations to staff and council which were ultimately included in the final RFP approved by council on July 23, 2024. Specifically, the city will retain a Construction Consultant that will review each RFP response for constructibility and market based unit costs. This analysis will supplement the financial review by PFM. Lastly, the responding Development Team is required to provide additional documentation regarding the plan that compares their vision to the approved Three Corners Concept Plan by filing out an attachment to the RFP.

Implementation of the Downtown Master Plan

Council approved the Downtown Master plan dated July 23, 2024. This plan provides a blueprint to the community at large that will transform the area into a major walkable destination with upgraded streetscapes, interesting storefronts with shade awnings, and landscaped medians with side yards. In order to bring this renaissance to fruition, the Vero Beach citizens must first approve the two referendums that are on the November 5, 2024 ballot. Specifically, Referendum #1 Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) and Referendum #2 which increases density in the "walkable downtown core from 17 units per acre to 36 units per acre, while limiting the total units in the walkable core to 1,800 equivalent residential units. The approval of the Referendums will enable the redevelopment of existing properties to provide more residential and commercial uses, while the TDR will provide an opportunity for workforce housing downtown.

it is important to note, the approval of the Referendums will not affect the maximum 50 foot height limit. Therefore, the new developments will have a 3, 4 or 5 story height limit.

The approval of Referendum #2 will revise the current density calculation to better align with successful small downtowns throughout Florida.

City Staff in conjunction with Council will develop a district wide parking plan, wherein each individual lot will not have to provide on-site parking to be approved, but could be assigned parking from the larger pool of unencumbered spaces.

Lastly, Staff and Council must develop a special funding mechanism that will allow the downtown to provide new streetscapes and landscapes, as well as, provide improved maintenance for the area.

Water Reclamation Facility (WRF)

At the July 23, 2024 meeting, council approved the Construction Manager at Risk (CMR) contract with Wharton-Smith, Inc. of Orlando Florida. This is the second contract related to this important project (the first being the process contract with Kabota approved in February 2024. Moving forward, it is imperative that council keep a close eye on the progress of the CMR by requesting updates from Staff on the progress and cost on at least a quarterly basis. This project has been delayed long enough as the design contract was originally approved in the Spring of 2000; four plus years ago. The delay has cost the city residents and it's ratepayers millions of dollars.

Marina Renovation and Expansion

The marina renovation and expansion was delayed by a lawsuit filed by local residents in an attempt to prevent the replacement of the boat storage building. Since the suit was set-aside, the marina has proceeded with the South Dock replacement and just this week received six responsive bids for construction of the the new boat storage building including paving, drainage and utilities.

Last week council approved the Five Year Capital Improvement Plan which includes the subsequent work outlined in the Marina Master Plan. This plan spreads out the marina work for an additional 5 years from FY23/24 to FY 28/29. Since the city is self funding the projects as they happen, I would rather see the timeline be reduced by combining adjacent smaller projects into a larger project which will more likely generate additional bidders. in addition, the city would save money because it would pay mobilization and de-mobilization for as many individual projects.

Airport Operations and Expansion

On August 27 2024 Council reviewed and approved the Airport Master Plan for transmittal to the FAA for review. In my review and discussion with the Hanson Team during the meeting, I noted several concerns that i brought up on the record. The most important is an anticipated future annual deficit of $ 650k after the 71 projects are progressing. Since the Airport operates as an Enterprise fund it cannot operate at a deficit. Therefore, either the project scope mjust be reduced or certain projects recommended cannot be built.

During my two years on council, I have reviewed a number of leases prepared by the Airport Leasing Team. it appears the city is allowing favorable tenant lease terms at the expense of the residents. Some lease terms in contracts approved by council include several years of "rent forgiveness" and are issued at "below market rate". The favorable lease terms must be stopped if the airport is to reach its full potential.

Three Corners Project, Vero Beach Florida

Three Corner’s Development Position

As the majority of you know, I led the discussion to reject the originally selected Development Team because they violated the process and procedures outlined in the original RFP issued in September 2023. Once we had the three vote majority approve disqualification, I presented the process outlined in the RFP to begin negotiations with the second rated Development Team. Unfortunately, the majority of the council incorrectly voted to ignore the contract language in the city issued RFP and "start the process from scratch". This questionable decision set the city back at least a full calendar year based upon the recent updated RFP issued on August 15, 2024. Additionally, the rejection cost the city over a hundred thousand dollars in staff time expended thru the initial RFP preparation. submittal and selection process. Not to mention, the city will be expending the same time and effort to redo the process from start to finish.

Additionally, the four Development Teams that submitted and interviewed expended time, energy a and untold sums of money to answer the RFP and demonstrate not only their ideas but their qualifications.

Commercial Encroachment into Residential Neighborhoods

Protect Our Neighborhoods

As 2019 Chairman of Planning & Zoning, John led a 5-0 vote against rezoning a single-family lot into a parking lot. View the recent presentation at the October 4, 2022 Council meeting. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1f541wgjK0CVw1tyauuRdyFdZP00kPqxH/view?usp=sharing

Implementation of the STEP System to reduce Lagoon Pollution

As a City Council member, we passed an ordinance mandating a June 2028 connection to the STEP system for city residents ahead of the June 2030 State of Florida deadline. Citizens would be required to connect earlier based upon Article III – Sanitary Sewer System of Section 78-62 Administration, and the 8^th Edition of the Florida Building Code with Indian River County amendments that would require the property owner to connect to the STEP system under the following circumstances:

Enlargement of any size affecting the habitable areas of the primary building on the lot.
Relocation/replacement/remodeling of a Kitchen or Bathroom within the primary building footprint on the lot.
Installation of an in-ground swimming pool or spa.
New construction on any lot within the Step Basins.
Sale of a residential or commercial building within the Step Basins.

Sea Level Rise Affecting Eastern Florida Peninsula

A large portion of Vero Beach is located in a Coastal High Hazard Area as defined by FEMA and shown on the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) last updated December 4, 2012.

According to the latest “Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change” report, sea level is projected to rise up to about 3 feet by 2100, 78 years from now. Obviously, many things change over time, but sea level rise is here to stay. This condition is likely to lead to greater flooding, salinization, and erosion in coastal areas such as Vero Beach.

Local ground subsidence is another factor that comes into play. As local municipalities withdraw ground water from the soil, the surrounding soil compresses over time particularly in deltaic material. The resulting sinking of the land makes it more susceptible to flooding during the elevated tide seasons in March and October and even more ominous, storm surge during a western track Atlantic hurricane. Another sea level rise issue is the location and the lowest finished floor and outfall elevations of the public utility service facilities. If the finished floor is below the current 100-year FEMA flood elevation guidelines based upon NGVD data, then the facility could be flooded, and service discontinued during severe weather events.