Beautification Advisory Committee

City of Marco Island Florida 51 Bald Eagle Drive Marco Island, Florida cityofmarcoisland.com Meeting Minutes - Final Wednesday, January 10, 2024 3:00 PM Community Room Beautification Advisory Committee Chair: David Leaser Vice-Chair: Shelli Connelly Members: Julie McDonald, Dustin Nesmith, Sharon Watts City Staff: Justin Martin, Jim Kornas, Tara Kosieracki Beautification Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes - Final January 10, 2024 (1) CALL TO ORDER Chair Leaser called the meeting to order at 3:00 P.M. (2) ROLL CALL Present: 4- Vice-Chair Connelly, Member Nesmith, Member Watts and Chair Leaser Absent: 1- Member McDonald Also Present Mr. Justin Martin, Public Works Director Ms. Zurima Luff, Storm Water Engineer Mr. Martin Luna, Audio/Visual Technician Mr. Jim Kornas, Recording Specialist (3) PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Led by Chair Leaser. (4) APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA MOTION by Vice-Chair Connelly, seconded by Member Nesmith, that the Agenda be Approved. MOTION CARRIED BY THE FOLLOWING VOICE VOTE: Yes: 5- Vice-Chair Connelly, Homuth, Member Nesmith, Member Watts and Chair Leaser (5) APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES ID 23-3349 Approval of the Beautification Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes of December 6, 2023 MOTION by Member Nesmith, seconded by Member Watts, that the Beautification Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes of December 6, 2023, be Approved. MOTION CARRIED BY THE FOLLOWING VOICE VOTE: Yes: 5- Vice-Chair Connelly, Homuth, Member Nesmith, Member Watts and Chair Leaser (6) OLD BUSINESS a. ID 23-3350 2024 Marco Nature Night Event Plan Update & Date Confirmation (S. Watts) Member Watts reported that she had identified and confirmed three presentations/speakers for the Committee's forthcoming Marco Nature Night event and, with the Committee's consensus support, confirmed Wednesday, February 21 as the date for the Committee's 2024 activity. The Committee also decided to solicit and accept public donations at this event for its landscape beautification plans to enhance the Island's recently-renovated historical markers and "First Responders Park" as per the previous concept designs commissioned by the Committee. Vice-Chair Connelly volunteered to lead the Committee's effort on this initiative during Marco Nature Night, and she will ensure that appropriate donor solicitation materials (e.g. concept photographs and drawings, informational materials, etc.) are available for members of the public at this event. City of Marco Island Florida Page 1 Beautification Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes - Final January 10, 2024 b. ID 23-3351 Historical Marker Landscape Elevation Sketches & Next Steps (S. Connelly) Vice-Chair Connelly presented the landscape beautification concept photos and recommended plant listings for the remaining six historical marker sites that were not presented at the Committee's December 6, 2023 meeting, and she confirmed that all of the recommended plants are native to southwest Florida and, once established, are salt resistant, require only nature-provided amounts of rainfall to thrive, and do not require regular fertilization. Chair Leaser requested that Vice-Chair Connelly consult with Ms. Stephanie Landert of Landert Landscape Design about potentially identifying one, colorful, common "signature" planting that meets the selection criteria and that can be successfully incorporated into all 13 historical marker concept designs. Vice-Chair Connelly concluded her review by recommending that the Committee post all 13 design concepts, and the Committee's Donation Solicitation Letter, on Committee's section of the City of Marco Island website as it is being updated for 2024. [Editorial Note: the Committee's webpages may be found at www.cityofmarcoisland.com > Our Government > Boards and Committees > Beautification Committee] c. ID 23-3352 “First Responder Park” and Historical Landscape Donations Update (S. Connelly) Vice-Chair Connelly confirmed the Committee's endorsement of her proposed donation solicitation letter, and she requested that her Committee colleagues share it among their circle of friends, family members, and acquaintances to drive awareness and generate support. [Editorial Note: A copy of the Committee's endorsed donation solicitation letter is listed on www.cityofmarcoisland.com under Our Government > Agendas and Minutes > Beautification Advisory Committee 12/6/23 > Meeting Details] Public Works Director Justin Martin visually displayed the Committee's previously-agreed-upon landscape design concept for "First Responders Park", and the Committee briefly discussed other non-landscape elements (e.g. bike racks, benches, commemorative pavers, etc.) that could augment the donation solicitation effort and enhance the overall design aesthetic for this high-visibility area. Public Works Director Martin was asked to include the Committee's "First Responder Park" design concept in the update to its web pages. d. ID 23-3353 2024 Marco-In-Bloom Yard Sign Design Concepts, Online Applications, and Promotional Plans Update (J. McDonald) Given her absence, Member Julie McDonald's report on this topic was differed to the Committee's next meeting. e. ID 23-3354 Citizen Median Improvement Update (D. Nesmith) At Member Nesmith's request during Agenda Item 13 (Other Committee Communications), Public Works Director Martin briefly updated the Committee on the status of communications with the South Heathwood Drive residents who had inquired about restoring the plantings in the narrow median just south of that street's intersection with Winterberry Drive. f. ID 23-3366 Review of Website Recommendations (D. Leaser) Public Works Director Martin briefly presented several of the proposed content/copy modifications for the Committee's web pages as recently drafted by Chair Leaser, and he indicated that the members of the City of Marco Island Florida Page 2 Beautification Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes - Final January 10, 2024 Committee will be emailed the proposed content/copy for their review and consideration in advance of the Committee's next-scheduled meeting. (7) NEW BUSINESS ID 23-3355 2024 Arbor Day Celebration - Initial Approach and Plan (T. Homuth) Committee Member Tiffany Homuth briefly engaged the Committee in determining a target date for the Committee's Arbor Day event in light of known activities planned by other clubs on the Island. The Committee briefly discussed identifying an optimum day of the week, starting time, and how more members of the public might be drawn into attending a ceremonial event to celebrate Arbor Day. Ms. Homuth volunteered to bring a more comprehensive discussion regarding date, location, and ideas for creating more public and local organization awareness in support of the Committee's 2024 Arbor Day plans at the Committee's next scheduled meeting. (8) STAFF COMMUNICATIONS ID 23-3274 Director Justin Martin’s Report During the Committee's review of Agenda Item 6f. (Review of Website Recommendations), Public Works Director Justin Martin briefly updated the Committee on the status of the City's preparations to ensure its readiness to accept and display the Collier Boulevard street banners that the Committee approved at its October 4, 2023 meeting. [Editorial Note: for further insight on the Committee's direction on the Collier Boulevard street banners, see Agenda Item 7a. (Banners Proposals) as outlined in the Minutes for the October 4, 2023 meeting] Director Martin also advised the Committee of right-of-way/swale installation work to install fiber optic cable currently underway by Lumen Technologies, Inc. (formerly CenturyLink), with soon-to-be-followed fiber optic cable installations in the rights-of-way/swales throughout Marco Island by Verizon and NextCity Networks (a subsidiary of NextEra Energy). According to Director Martin, Florida law precludes the City from discriminating between utility companies that wish to utilize the rights-of-way/swales for laying their communications lines. The result of more utility company assets being located in the rights-of-way could add complexity to the Committee's plans to meet its goals under its proposed Ten Thousand Trees Program. Director Martin concluded his report by indicating his intention to bring forward a presentation and discussion to the Committee's February meeting on the subject of refreshing the traffic signal mast arms at the North Barfield Drive/North Collier Boulevard intersection. (9) CITY COUNCIL COMMUNICATION ID 23-3296 New “City Council Communication” Agenda Topic No communication or direction to the Committee from the Marco Island City Council was presented or discussed at this meeting. (10) PUBLIC COMMENT No members of the public came forward to offer comment. (11) NEXT MEETING: CONFIRMATION & ATTENDANCE City of Marco Island Florida Page 3 Beautification Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes - Final January 10, 2024 ID 23-3293 Next Meeting: Confirmation & Attendance The five Committee members in attendance indicated their intention to be present for the Committee's next scheduled meeting on Wednesday, February 7, 2024 beginning at 3:00 P.M. As a result, a quorum is expected to be seated for the next meeting. (12) PROPOSED AGENDA TOPICS FOR NEXT MEETING The Committee identified the following topics for the Committee's February meeting: 1) Relocating the Water Line and Spigot in Support of the Butterfly Garden at Calusa Park (S. Connelly) 2) 2024 Marco Nature Night Event Plan Update (S. Watts) 3) "First Responders Park" and Historical Markers Donation Status Update (S. Connelly) 4) Beach Access Beautification Funding and Timing Update (S. Connelly/M.Carballo) 5) 2024 Marco-In-Bloom Yard Sign Design Concepts, Online Application, and Promotion Plans Update (J. McDonald) 6) 2024 Arbor Day Celebration Plan (T. Homuth) (13) OTHER COMMITTEE COMMUNICATIONS Vice-Chair Connelly inquired about the procedure for identifying locations for, and erecting, Gopher Tortoise Crossing signs on the Island. Public Works Director Martin provided insight on the role and recent activity of the Beach & Coastal Resources Advisory Committee and the City's Environmental Planner in addressing this concern. Vice-Chair Connelly also solicited the Committee's interest in resurrecting a Committee-supported effort to encourage public murals and art displays on the exterior wall surfaces of certain commercial buildings around the Island. Upon receiving favorable feedback from the Committee, Vice-Chair Connelly volunteered to create some public interest and awareness-building information for dissemination at the 2024 Marco Nature Night event. (14) ADJOURNMENT There being no further business before the Committee, Chair Leaser adjourned the meeting at 4:05 P.M. _________________________________________ Jim Kornas, Recording Specialist City of Marco Island Florida Page 4