After months of negotiating brought on by developer Vlass Temple Terrace’s proposal to build a 214-unit apartment complex in the downtown redevelopment area, the Temple Terrace City Council is meeting tonight to discuss the project and possibly take a final vote.
The meeting will take place at the Lightfoot Recreation Center.
Vlass’ original proposal submitted in February called for several changes to the master development agreement (MDA), a contract between the city and Vlass that dictates what the developer can and can’t do. Had the measure been approved, Vlass would have received approximately 25 waivers in order to complete the residential portion of the project.
The original plan called for no retail space on the first floor of the residential buildings, a concern for council members and residents, who have stated that they want a walk-able downtown. Vlass contended that getting financing for such a building would be impossible.
So, with Councilwoman Mary Jane Neale casting the dissenting vote. The majority said they didn’t agree with the plan but wanted to work with Vlass to come to a compromise.
Since the council denied Vlass’ original proposal, both sides have been meeting to discuss their terms. The conflict centers on three main topics: ceiling heights on the first floor of the buildings that would make up the residences; how long the first floor would be marketed for retail before being converted to residential; and the amount of parking spaces that are adequate.
On Sept. 25, Vlass submitted its third and final proposal. The revision differs little from what has already been discussed in the last few months.
The council has said ceiling heights should be 14 feet; the Vlass proposal has them at 12 feet. The council has said first-floor retail should be marketed for at least one year; the Vlass proposal has it marketed for six months. The council has said there should be shared parking on the west side of the apartment buildings; the Vlass proposal has designated parking there for apartment residents.
In a letter to Temple Terrace Patch and others, Mayor Joe Affronti called tonight’s special meeting “the most important decision that Temple Terrace will face.”
“You must decide if you feel that ceiling height, parking and marketing differences between staff and Vlass are ‘deal breakers,’” he wrote. “I encourage you to make your feelings known to your council members.”
Council members will first meet as the Temple Terrace Redevelopment Agency (TTRA) at 6 p.m. They are scheduled to review and discuss Vlass’ third revision and possibly make a recommendation to the City Council (themselves).
The City Council meeting will immediately follow. The council is scheduled to consider any recommendations from the TTRA and could vote the project up or down.
The city is inviting the pubic to attend the meetings as public comment will be taken.
To share your opinions with Affronti and council members beforehand, email them at the following addresses:
- Mayor Joe Affronti, jaffronti@templeterrace.com
- Councilman Bob Boss, rboss@templeterrace.com
- Councilwoman Alison Fernandez, afernandez@templeterrace.com
- Councilman Ron Govin, rgovin@templeterrace.com
- Councilwoman Mary Jane Neale, mjneale@templeterrace.com
- Councilman David Pogorilich, dpogorilich@templeterrace.com
See also:
Mayor: Impending Redevelopment Vote is ‘Most Important Decision’
City Receives Revised Redevelopment Proposal
Mayor: Redevelopment Project Must Move Forward
Redevelopment Project at Standstill
City Denies Redevelopment Proposal
Developers Give City Ultimatum
Council Postpones Redevelopment Decision
The ceiling heights on the ground floor of the apartment complex to be built at the NE corner of the Redevelopment and the marketing of the ground floor retail space are key to building the citizens' Vision of a walkable Downtown. These are very important factors that will determine whether the first new building built in the Redevelopment is only an apartment complex or if it has retail on the ground floor as prescribed in the MDA. The 24,000 citizens of Temple Terrace want and deserve to have the stores and restaurants that were promised in the Redevelopment.
The council knows the residents of Temple Terrace are not happy with the developer, the changes they have continuously tried to cram down our throats and their complete and utter disrespect shown towards us as residents, including but not limited to the ridiculous Cool-Aid and bullet statements. Any council member that supports the changes proposed and/or Vlass in anyway has no respect for the residents of this great city. In past meetings and public hearings we have turned out to show our concerns, ask the council to back the residents, actually it was stated to council that they need to remember they represent the residents not the developer. Yet here we go again, our concerns are very well known, but tonight we leave our families at dinner time, our children during their homework and bedtime hours to try and defend what is right. I hope our council does not let us down, this is the last chance for our vision to be realized. It is game time, there are no second chances, do or die, the ball is in your court. In regards to our Mayor, I hope every council person is in attendance tonight because it is obvious he is so deep in the pockets of Vlass we will never receive support from him in any way and the residents would be ill to know he would have any kind of vote. To our Council stay strong, bullies are a dime a dozen, but those who are strong and do no fold will be remembered for their actions long after this journey is complete.
I am hoping some citizens asks the pertinent questions: Is the contract with Vlass worth the paper it is written on? And if we pursue legal action, what are the chances we collect one red cent from an LLC set up specifically for this project? Second, if Vlass walks, or is fired, what are the short term and long term "most likely" financial impacts on our city. Does this put us in a possible financial crisis in the future?
- ceiling height of fourteen feet being top of ground floor slab to bottom of ground floor ceiling joist in order to accommodate retail/commercial or other non-residential uses, if we build the first floor too low it will preclude some future commercial and retail from using the space! - marketing 3000 sf of the first floor as retail/commercial for twelve months before converting it to residential or better yet, increase the proposed retail/commercial space on the first floor to 50% of the original retail proposed, or 6000 sf, and leave it as retail/commercial space in perpetuity
I find it interesting though that NO one seems to want to answer the financing questions. It is not hard to see why our nation is in the state of near bankruptcy it is, just look at local reactions. If the city is bankrupt in 5 years we won't have a completed redevelopment. What we will have is the inability to raise money for any projects, a much higher tax bill and likely cuts in all of our other services. This cannot be an emotional decision, it has to be based on facts, unfortunately there just doesn't seem to be any facts shared on Patch, just rhetoric. I hope someone will get them tonight.
We want concrete buildings that will last into the future, we want Luxury Condo's that people will buy with a sense of ownership and investing in our City's Future, we want what we were promised so many years ago when we bought off on this concept, never was there a mention of tiny matchbox apartments if there was we would have said NO. Citizen's need to show up in mass and send a final message to this and the future City Councils, Either build what you promised us so many years ago, or don't build anything at all!!
Again, saying everyone in a meeting said "do you want my check now' is an emotional response to a problem that should be decided on the facts. I have yet to hear a single fact, either from commenters on the Patch or our city leaders. Personally, I would be willing to pay much higher property taxes to see the vision met. How much higher? Thousands if need be, but I sincerely doubt if the vast majority in any voting district would be so happy when that bill comes. Especially when the bill comes without a completed redevelopment, a bankrupt city, and no developer.
My comments do not have the facts either. I can't seem to get them from anybody! Don't personalize and read more into my statement then is there. Your response to my statement is more emotional than factual and we need to move away from that! I would venture to say if the average resident of TT got a new millage on their property tax bumping the bill hundreds to maybe thousands of dollars on a bankruptcy without a completed town center because the developer walked and TT spent several years in litigation the vast majority would not have a smile on their face and say "when do you want my check." Now, no personal offense, but if anyone is (not just Pam lol) making decisions on the future direction of the city without as much of the cold hard facts in your hands than you can get, your making an emotional and not informed decision. We all need to take a deep breath and find out the truth of the present situation. I am not presenting my views on here to slight or degrade anyone (with the exception of our city leaders lol). I want us to NOT make the same mistake twice.
I respect that the council voted unanimously - at least we ended up with one unified voice. Thanks Ashley for covering all this so well.
Despite the interpretation of the Mayor's letter last week, this was never about firing the developer, or letting them walk if we disagree. The Council/CRA was clear that we were not "firing" the Developer, we/they just rejected their request. Everyone is still wiling to work together to make this project a success, just not in the way Vlass has been pushing for the last six months. Thank God! The Council could not have been more clear than they were tonight on what they are willing to accept. It is up to Vlass to present something that is at least a compromise toward that vision. This is the last time the current administration will have input on the future of the redevelopment, and that is a good thing. If anyone thinks the next Mayor and Council will be more willing to settle for Vlass's offer , I think they are fooling themselves. Even the current Mayor seemed to finally see the light on this. His comments during the meeting were not his usual "If we don't approve this the city is DOOMED!!!11!!" offering. It was good to see a unified Mayor and Council vote in accordance with the citizens of TT.
The citizens still have no clear cut idea how strong the contract is with Vlass, whether or not the Vlass Temple Terrace LLC is simply an empty shell, and the possible financial consequences thereof. The list of 'oversights' alone in this deal seems to grow each week. Unfortunately, these are questions that should of been ferreted out and answered by city council and staff BEFORE the thing was signed. If the vote tonight was against a company that has little legal responsibility to respond, no financial gain and little real liability if the don't, it was a vote for nothing. I hope you and all the other citizens are right and I am wrong. Unfortunately, the man who ran against Affronti, Tozier said exactly the same thing when he lost the election. I voted for Affronti. I was wrong, Tozier predictions of this redevelopment debacle have been 100% correct, so far...... I am for a no vote, don't get me wrong, but it is also no surprise that everyone voted no to Vlass a few weeks out of November. Those not up for re-election do not want to face their neighbors, and those who are want to win.
Hi Chase, could elaborate on those options?
I understand that you were busy with workand could not attend the meeting. Basically Vlass agreed to the MDA without any of the proposed changes, therefore he is in a binding agreement with the city for that contract. Yes he can propose as many changes as he would like, but the vote last night assured it would not be for the project he was proposing which is not what he ageed to. So with Vlass he can either finish what he agreed to or he can default and pull out, which his attorney Mr. Smith stated that aren't going to do. If he defaults, then he is in violation of the agreement and would have to deed the property back to the city. Vlass is simply acting as a middle man to sell the project to Inland. Worst case scenario is the City could do the same deal with a developer such as Inland and cut out the middle man, the city would actually make money. Also there are many developers who would take this deal today. Financing this project isn't a problem when you are given 24 million in property. There is no doom and gloom as the city of TT have lost nothing. The project will move on with or without Vlass. Hope this helps.