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Gifford Neighborhood Plan
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Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
TABLE OF CONTENTS
V
INTRODUCTION Page4 N
Planning Process 5 N
EXISTING CONDITIONS 6
Definition of Area 6
Existing Land Uses 8
Future Land Use Designations and Zoning Districts 11
Demographics 15
Housing
Support Services 1624
Economic Development 33
Crime
Infrastructure 3637
ANALYSIS 45
Land Use/Zoning Pattern 45
Housing 47
Economic Development 51
Infrastructure 53
Community Development 58
Community Input& Assessment 59
NEIGHBORHOOD ACTION PLAN (Strategies,Objectives,and Actions) 67
IMPLEMENTATION 82
Evaluation and Monitoring Procedures 88
FUNDING SOURCES 89
Appendix A Adult Education Programs 92
Appendix B Recently Completed Improvements in Gifford Area Parks 95
Appendix C Gifford Paving Projects from 2004-2011 97
Appendix D Gifford Street Lighting District Inventory 99
Appendix E History of Gifford 104
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Gifford Nei hborhood Plan 2014
List of Tables
Page
Table 1 Existing Land Uses in the Gifford Area 8
Table 2 Demographics 15
Table 3 Single-Family Dwelling Units 16
Table 4 Number of Single Family Building Permits 17
Table 5 Major Subsidized Single-Family and Multi-Family Developments 22
Table 6 Summary of Housing Program Assistance 24
Table 7 Support Services In Gifford 24
Table 8 Reported Crime Data for 2000 36
Table 9 Sidewalk Inventory in Gifford Area 39
Table 10 GoLine Customer Profile 41
Table 11 List of Community's Priorities 64
Table 12 Implementation Matrix 83
Table 13 Evaluation Matrix 88
List of Figures
Page
Figure 1.A Gifford Neighborhood Plan Area 7
Figure 1 Gifford Plan Area 9
Figure 2 Future Land Use Designation 12
Figure 3 Gifford Area Plan Zoning Districts 14
Figure 4 Habitat for Humanity Windshield Survey Result 18
Figure 5 Photo- Example of a Substandard Housing Unit 19
Figure 6 Photo- Example of a Substandard Housing Unit 19
Figure 7 Photo- Example of a Dilapidated Housing Unit 20
Figure 8 Photo- Example of a Dilapidated Housing Unit 20
Figure 9 Photo-Example of a Unit With Junk/Debris 21
Figure 10 Photo- Example of a Unit With Junk/Debris 21
Figure 11 Multi-Family Developments in East Gifford 23
Figure 12 Support Services 25
Figure 13 Indian River County/City of Vero Beach Enterprise Zone 34
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Community Development Indian River County 3
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Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
INTRODUCTION v
•J
The Gifford Neighborhood Plan is the culmination of a grass roots effort by the Progressive Civic League of Gifford, Gifford
residents, and Indian River County to improve economic conditions and the quality of life for Gifford residents. Through
considerable interaction with the residents of Gifford, the County has prepared this neighborhood plan which presents a strategy for
utilizing the opportunities and for overcoming the constraints that exist in Gifford.
In July 1999, the Board of County Commissioners created a task force to identify issues that exist in Gifford and to make
recommendations regarding those issues to the County Commission. The County Commission instructed the Indian River County
Chamber of Commerce to appoint task force members representing agencies that contribute to economic development in the Gifford
community.
For the next year, the task force worked on this project. In July 2000, the Workforce Enhancement Task Force presented its findings
and recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners. Based on those recommendations, the Board of County
Commissioners directed County planning staff to develop a neighborhood plan for the Gifford Community. Staff worked with the
Progressive Civic League of Gifford, Florida, Inc. and the Gifford community to prepare the plan and on September 17, 2002, the
Board adopted the Gifford Neighborhood Plan.
The purpose of the Gifford Neighborhood plan is to address problems that are important to the residents of Gifford. While the plan
focuses on one neighborhood within the County, the strategies and actions of this plan are consistent with the policies and objectives
of the County's Comprehensive Plan.
In 2013, the Board of County Commissioners directed staff to evaluate the 2002 plan. On May 21, 2013, the Board considered a plan
evaluation and analysis prepared by staff and directed staff to update the plan. During 2013 and 2014, staff worked with the
Progressive Civic League of Gifford and the Gifford community to prepare an updated plan, known as the Gifford Neighborhood
Plan 2014.
Included in the Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014 is an existing conditions section, an analysis section, a plan section, and an
implementation section. The existing conditions section of the plan presents the most up to date data on land uses, zoning,
infrastructure, and commerce for the Gifford neighborhood. Based on the existing conditions of the neighborhood, the analysis
section identifies opportunities and constraints that exist in Gifford. From the analysis of the data, a plan section was developed that
presents specific objectives and action oriented policies to achieve those objectives. Finally, an implementation section identifies all
actions to be taken, the entity responsible for that action, and that action's completion date.
Community Development Indian River County 4
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
Planning Process
County Planning Division staff prepared the original 2002 Gifford Neighborhood Plan (GNP) as well as the updated Gifford
Neighborhood Plan 2014 in cooperation with the Progressive Civic League of Gifford, Gifford residents, and in coordination with
various County departments, the MPO, the Sheriffs Office, the School District, the Health Department, the Indian River County
Chamber of Commerce, and other organizations. During the 2013/2014 plan update process, opportunities were provided for local
citizens, property owners and other interested parties to participate in the development and update of the plan. Following are steps
taken for updating Gifford Neighborhood Plan (GNP):
• Updated the plan's data section with the most recent available information
• Updated the analysis section based on the new data and input from Gifford residents and participating departments and
agencies
• Identified the community's current issues and concerns through community input
• Identified current opportunities and constraints in the Gifford area through community input
• Drafted new objectives and actions to address residents' concerns, issues, and identified opportunities.
• Submitted the updated plan for final community input and then Board of County Commissioners approval
Following is the list of public community meetings held in the Gifford Community Center to obtain community input into the plan
update.
• Community meeting on July 22, 2013, 6:00 p.m.—Kick-off Community Meeting to identify problems, concerns, issues, and
opportunities
PCLG (Progressive Civic League of Gifford) meeting August 15th, 2013, 6:00 pm—Enterprise Zone
PCLG meeting August 19th, 2013, 7:00 pm—Crime and Law Enforcement
PCLG meeting August 22nd, 2013, 6:00 pm—Academic Achievement
PCLG meeting September 5th, 2013, 6:00 pm- Vocational Training
PCLG meeting September 19th, 2013, 6:00 pm—Economic Development
PCLG meeting October 3rd, 2013, 6:00 pm - Recreational Activities
PCLG meeting October 17th, 2013, 6:00 pm- Housing
• Community meeting on October 21, 2013, 6:00 p.m. - Follow-up meeting to identify and prioritize potential solutions and
opportunities
N PCLG meeting March 3, 2014 meeting- 45th Street Beautification
• Community meeting on June 12, 2014, 6:00 p.m. —Final meeting to review and comment on draft plan update
Community Development Indian River County 5
Gifford Neiffhborhood Plan 2014 0
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Definition of Neighborhood Plan Area
Located in the unincorporated portion of Indian River County, the Gifford Neighborhood area encompasses approximately three and
one half square miles. Specifically, the geographical boundaries of the plan area are 66th Avenue to the west, 41 st Street to the south,
US Highway One to the east and 491h Street to the north. The southeastern boundary stretches east of US Highway One to include the
Geoffrey Subdivision. Also, Gifford Dock Park that is located on the west side of the Indian River Lagoon is considered part of the
Gifford Neighborhood area, although the park is not contiguous to the rest of the plan area. These plan boundaries were established
by consensus at community meetings (Figure LA below).
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Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
Figure LA
Gifford Neighborhood Plan Area
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Community Development Indian River County 7
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
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To better analyze existing conditions within Gifford, the project area was divided into West Gifford, Central Gifford, and East N
Gifford. Figure 1 displays the overall project area as well as the sub-project areas. East Gifford includes the area between U.S.
Highway 1 and 43rd Avenue as well as those properties east of U.S Highway 1; Central Gifford includes the area between 43rd
Avenue and 58th Avenue; while West Gifford includes the area between 581h Avenue and 66th Avenue (figure I below).
Existing Land Uses
Based on data from the Indian River County Property Appraiser's Office, Gifford Plan area contains about 2,011 acres. In 2013,
existing land uses in the Gifford area were divided into seven different categories. Those categories and the number of acres for each
land use are displayed in Table 1, below.
Table 1: Existing Land Uses in the Gifford Area
Land Use Acres
Agricultural 42.34
Commercial 68.30
Government 219.13
Industrial 178.89
Institutional 104.06
Residential 853.06
Vacant Land 545.63
TOTAL 2,011.41
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In terms of area, residential is the largest existing land use category in Gifford. While some uses are clustered in specific areas of \
Gifford, residential uses can be found throughout the plan area. There are, however, differences in single-family residential property
characteristics among the geographic sub-areas in Gifford. For example, the single-family residential properties located east of 43`d
Avenue are much smaller in size, and therefore more densely developed, than the single-family residential properties located west of
43`d Avenue. In fact, development of residential subdivisions in East Gifford has generally been at a density of 4 to 7 units/acre,
higher than most single-family residential areas in the unincorporated County. By contrast, most residential subdivisions in West and
Central Gifford have been developed at a density of 2 to 3 units/acre, the same as most newer single-family subdivisions in the
County.
There are about 459 acres of vacant residential land within the Gifford Plan area. According to the Property Appraiser's office, there
are 2,011 acres of land in the Gifford Plan area. Of that 2,011 acres, 853 acres are developed residential land, 42 acres are active
agricultural land, 68 acres are developed commercial land, 179 acres are developed industrial land, 104 acres are developed
institutional land, 219 acres are developed governmental land, and 546 acres are vacant. Of the 546 vacant acres, approximately 87
acres are commercial and industrial land, while the remaining is residential land. According to the Metropolitan Planning
Organization's (MPO) vacant land analysis report, there is a build out potential of an additional 2,520 residential units within Gifford
Plan Area.
Existing commercial uses in Gifford are concentrated in two places. One of those places is along U.S. Highway 1. Commercial
establishments located on U.S. Highway One include general retail businesses and service related businesses that draw customers
from the entire County. The other places where commercial uses in Gifford are concentrated are along 45th Street (east of 43`d
Avenue), and along a portion of 43`d Street, near U.S. Highway 1. Establishments located within those areas primarily serve the
residents of the Gifford area. Those neighborhood establishments include restaurants, lounges, bars, and convenience stores.
Existing industrial uses are clustered within two major areas in Gifford. One area is west of 43`d Avenue, stretching from the north
side of 45th Street south to 41St Street, while the other area is located north of 45th Street between Old Dixie Highway and U.S.
Highway 1. Scrap metal yards and some manufacturing establishments can be found in the area west of 43`d Avenue. Along U.S.
Highway 1, there are various businesses such as auto repair and warehousing.
The Property Appraiser's agricultural use category (Table 1) includes citrus groves, citrus production facilities, and packinghouses.
The majority of the citrus groves in the Gifford area are located west of 581h Avenue, between 41St Street and 49th Street. Citrus
production facilities are primarily located between Old Dixie Highway and U.S. Highway One, in the area bordered by 45th Street
along the north and by 41St Street along the south.
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Gifford Nei hborhood Plan 2014
Future Land Use Designations and Zoning Districts
The County's future land use map and the zoning map are two of the primary tools by which development within the unincorporated
area of Indian River County is regulated. As part of the comprehensive plan, the future land use map depicts the broad land use
designations, or categories, that are applied to properties in the unincorporated area of the County. Future land use designations
specify and control zoning districts and zoning intensities that may be permitted on a specific piece of property (Figure 2 below).
➢ Future Land Use Designations
Figure 2 below identifies the future land use designations applicable to the Gifford area. Those designations are:
• CA,Commercial/Industrial
• C-1,Publicly Owned or Controlled Conservation(zero density)
• L-1,Low Density Residential-1 (up to 3 units/acre)
• L-2, Low Density Residential-2(up to 6 units/acre)
• M-1,Medium Density Residential-1 (up to 8 units/acre)
• M-2, Medium Density Residential-2 (up to 10 units/acre)
• REC, Recreation
• PUB,Public
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Community Development Indian River County 11
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Gifford Nei hborhood Plan 2014
Approximately 75% of the land in the study area is designated for residential development. Most of that land, especially the land
in Central and East Gifford, is designated for up to 10 units/acre, the highest density category allowed by the comprehensive plan.
Besides residentially designated land, the study area also contains approximately 247 acres of CA designated land, all located in
Central and East Gifford. Most of this C/I designated land is located in the industrial corridor along 45th Street, west of 43rd
Avenue, and along US 1. The comparatively small 45th Street and 43rd Street commercial districts contain approximately 13.85
acres combined.
Zoning Designations
Figure 3 below identifies the fourteen zoning districts that apply to properties in the Gifford area. These districts are:
• CL, Limited Commercial District
• CG, General Commercial District
• CH, Heavy Commercial District
• IG, General Industrial District
• IL, Light Industrial District
• MED, Medical District
• OCR. Office, Commercial, Residential District
• CON-1, Publicly Owned or Controlled Conservation District (zero density)
• RMH-8, Mobile Home Residential District (up to 8 units/acre)
• RMH-6, Mobile Home Residential District (up to 6 units/acre)
• RM-10, Multiple Family Residential District (up to 10 units/acre)
• RM-8, Multiple Family Residential District (up to 8 units/acre)
• RM-6, Multiple Family Residential District(up to 6 units/acre)
• RS-6, Single Family Residential District(up to 6 units/acre)
• RS-3, Single Family Residential District (up to 3 units/acre)
These districts reflect Gifford's broad range of uses, including retail, office, personal service, storage, restaurant, repair, agricultural
businesses, various residential uses, and others.
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Community Development Indian River County 13
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Non-Conforming Uses
A non-conforming use is a use which was lawful prior to the adoption, revision, or amendment of land development regulations, but
which would be prohibited or further restricted under the terms of current land development regulations. In Gifford, mobile homes
located in single-family or multiple-family zoning districts constitute the majority of residential non-conforming uses.
Non-residential non-conforming uses exist along 43rd Street as well as sporadically throughout Gifford. As shown in Figure 3, the
area just west of U.S. Highway 1, along 43rd Street, is zoned CL, Limited Commercial District. Although several bottle clubs operate
in that area of Gifford, such establishments are not permitted in the CL zoning district.
Demographics
The information in this section is derived from the 1990, 2000 and 2010 Census. Most of the Census demographic information is
available only at the Census Tract level. Bounded by Old Dixie Highway on the east, 58th Avenue on the west, 41St Street on the
south, and the North Relief Canal on the north, Census Tract 503.02 has a geographic area that covers most of the Gifford
Neighborhood Plan Area. Consequently, the data for this census tract were used to represent the plan area. Table 2 below identifies
the basic demographic make-up of the Gifford Neighborhood Plan Area (Census Tract 503.02) compared to Indian River County as a
whole. While the 2010 census population for Tract 503.02 was 5,354, using Census block level data, the actual Gifford plan area
population was calculated as 5,815 in 2010.
Table 2: Demographics-Gifford Census Tract 503.02 and Indian River Count
1990 Census 2000 Census 2010 Census
Gifford Indian River County Gifford Indian River Gifford Indian River
County County
Population 4,390 90,208 51123 112,947 5,354 138,028
High School Graduate and Higher - % 39.0 76.5 58.5 81.6 31.0 86.3
age 25+
Median Household Income $14,347 $28,961 $29,437 $39,635 $23,462 $47,341
Per Capita Income $6,782 $17,825 $19,910 $27,227 $15,046 $31,918
%Below Poverty Level-All Persons 30.3 8.7 27.9 6.3 29.1 12.6
Poverty Status,Families 26.3 5.9 19.6 6.3 29.9 8.9
Age and Race Categories:
%Black Population 88.0 8.5 82.3 8.2 69.4 9.0
% 19 years or younger 37.1 21.5 28.8 21.3 33.9 21.0
%20 to 59 years 49.7 43.9 43.4 43.8 51.0 44.4
%60 years or older 13.2 43.9 27.8 34.9 15.1 34.6
Median Age Not available 44.0 39.8 47.0 33.1 49.1
Indian River Coun 15
Community Development t}'
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
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As noted in Table 2, Gifford residents are more likely than other residents of Indian River County to be young, to have low incomes,
and to be Black. Between 2000 and 2010, the percentage of the Gifford population graduated from high school, the median household
income, the per capita income, and the median age decreased, while the poverty level increased. In the same period, County-wide,
the percentage of the population graduated from high school, the median household income, the per capita income, the median age,
and the poverty level increased.
Housing
➢ Single-Family Dwelling Units
According to data from the Indian River County Property Appraiser's Office, in 2013, there were 1,880 single-family dwelling units
in the Gifford area. Of that total, 1,123 units or 60% are owner occupied. For owner occupied single-family dwelling units, the
average lot size is 18,295 square feet, and the average assessed value is $84,670. For renter occupied single-family dwelling units,
the average lot size is 15,682 square feet, and the average assessed value is $51,781. Table 3 breaks out the data into the three sub-
areas of Gifford.
Table 3: Sin le-Famil Dwelling Units
Owner Occuied Renter Occupied
Sub-Area # of Units Avg. Lot Size Avg. Assessed Value # of Units Avg. Lot Size Avg. Assessed Value
East Gifford 569 10,019 $41,808 538 11,326 $26,853
Central Gifford 245 15,682 $88,512 87 22,216 $76,403
West Gifford 309 36,590 $160,550 132 30,056 $137,153
Total/Average 15123 18,295 $84,670 757 15,682 1 $51,781
As shown in the table below, between 2003 and 2012, 531 single-family homes were built in the Gifford area. This represents 5% of
all of the single-family homes built in the entire unincorporated County area during that period. Within Gifford, the central area
gained 89 new single-family homes during the last ten years; the eastern area gained 144 new single-family homes; and the western
area gained 298 single-family homes.
Much of this new single-family development in the East Gifford area is due to the efforts of Habitat for Humanity of Indian River
County, a local affiliate of the national non-profit organization. Incorporated in 1990, Habitat has built 141 homes in the east Gifford
area.
Community Development Indian River County 16
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
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Crime
The Indian River County Sheriff's Office maintains crime figures for unincorporated County crime incidents. Table 8 below lists the
number of incidents by crime categories that were reported in 2012 Countywide, in Gifford. The table also provides the Gifford
incidents as a percentage of the entire unincorporated County for each crime category.
Table 8-Reported Crime Data for 2012
Type of Crime #of Incidents #of Incidents in Gifford %of Incidents for
Countywide Unincorporated County
Attempted Suicide 71 1 1.4%
Auto Burglary 609 4 0.7%
Business Burglary 100 0 0%
Abuse 157 2 1.3%
Drug Incidents 508 17 3.3%
Grand Theft 38 1 2.6%
Recovered Stolen Vehicle 48 1 2.1%
Residential Burglary 683 12 1.8%
Robbery 46 3 6.5%
Sex Offender Registration 18 0 0%
Sexual Assault 1 0 0%
Sexual Battery 61 5 8.2%
Identity Theft 37 3 8.1%
Shooting Incidents 469 8 1.7%
Use of Force Report 47 3 1.4%
Suicide 200 1 0.5%
Theft 82 5 6.1%
Source: Indian River County Sheriff s Office
Note: Gifford has 6.3%of the unincorporated County population
Community Development Indian River County 36
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
According to the County's MPO Traffic Analysis Zone (TAZ) data, there are 1467 persons employed in the Gifford area. Of these
1,467 employees, 660 are employed in the industrial sector, 313 in the commercial sector, and 494 in the service sector. The 7 TAZs
surrounding Gifford have a combined 2,297 employees. In total, Gifford and the surrounding area contain about 3,764 employees.
Community Disadvantage Index (CDI)
The Community Disadvantage Index (CDI) is an index developed by Janet Lauritsen, professor at Department of Criminology and
Criminal Justice at University of Missouri, commonly used to summarize the general socio-economic conditions of an area. It is a
combination of several measures gathered from U.S. Census data at the census tract level and is generally considered to be more
reliable than any single indicator used by itself. The CDI combines three weighted factors: the percent of persons living below the
federal poverty line, the percent of persons receiving public assistance, and the percent of families with minor children that are
female-headed.
CDI scores range from 0 to 10, where 10 indicates that the census tract is among the most disadvantaged in the country and 0
indicates that the tract is among the least disadvantaged. Specifically, 9 indicates that the tract is more disadvantaged than 90% of
other tracts in the country; 8 is more disadvantaged than 80% of tracts:
The 2010 CDI for Census Tract 503.02 that covers Gifford area is 10.
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Community Development Indian River County 35
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
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Figure 13
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Income and Employment
Gifford's central County location puts it in close proximity to several major employers such as Indian River Memorial Hospital, Vero
Beach Municipal Airport, Piper Aircraft, Vero Beach Historic Dodger Town (Sports Village), the Indian River Mall, Gateway
Industrial Park, the County government facilities, and several packinghouses. For that reason, Gifford appears to offer relatively easy
access to several nearby employment centers. In fact, no other area of the County is as close to as many employment opportunities as
Gifford.
Community Development Indian River County 34
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
Economic Development
Currently, the Board of County Commissioners offers various financial incentives to encourage target industries and to attract new
business to the County or help existing businesses to expand. Target industries include manufacturing and other basic industries.
Generally, target industries are businesses that pay wages near or above the County's annual average wage or sell services or products
to areas outside the County. By targeting industries that pay higher than average wages, the County intends to improve the standard
of living and employment opportunities of residents of the County. Selling services or products to area outside of the County will
bring more money into the County.
The County's target industry incentives include local jobs grants, impact fee financing, utility deposit waivers, tax abatement, and
special incentives granted by the Board of County Commissioners on a case by case basis. Additional state funded incentives are
available to target industries locating or expanding within the County. State incentives include a qualified target industry tax refund,
local job training, an employed worker training, and a worker recruitment/assessment. Each of these incentives are available for
businesses in Gifford as well as areas outside Gifford that offer employment opportunities for Gifford residents.
Enterprise Zone
In 2005, Indian River County and the City of Vero Beach jointly established an Enterprise Zone encompassing properties in and
around the City of Vero Beach Municipal Airport and properties within the Gifford Community (Figure 13 below). The Enterprise
Zone is an area designation approved by the state to encourage new economic growth and investment in distressed areas through tax
incentives for residents (building materials sales tax refunds) and businesses located within Enterprise Zones. Those tax incentives
available to businesses located within Enterprise Zones include:
■ Job Tax Credit(Sales Tax and Use Tax Credit or Corporate Income Tax Credit)
■ Sales Tax Refund (Refund of Sales Tax Paid on Certain Business Equipment/Building Materials)
■ Property Tax Credit(Applied to Corporate Income Tax)
■ Electrical Energy Sales Tax Exemption(Sales Tax Exemption on Electrical Energy)
■ Community Contribution Tax Credit(Florida Corporate Income Tax, Insurance Premium Tax, or Sales Tax Refund).
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Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
➢ Recreation Facilities `
There are several publicly maintained recreation facilities in the Gifford area. The main facility is located on a 40 acre campus at the
southwest corner of 43`d Avenue and 491h Street, are Gifford Park, the Gifford Youth Activities Center, and the Gifford Aquatic
Center. The campus includes 2 basketball courts, 2 baseball/softball fields, 2 tennis courts, 1 volleyball court, 1 physical fitness
course, 7 picnic tables, 4 picnic pavilions, 1 playground, outdoor grills, foot trails, and a community center. The Youth Activities
Center contains classrooms, computers, a gymnasium/auditorium, a library, and other facilities. The Aquatic Center features two
pools, one for adults and one for children.
In January 2014, the following improvements were approved to be developed in Gifford Park:
• Two 20' X 30' sheds
• Lighting along entrance drive
• Replacing little league field scoreboard
• Replacing dugouts
• Relocating fencing at the softball field
Other recreation facilities in Gifford include: Hosie-Schumann Park, Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, and Gifford Dock Park. Located
adjacent to the W.E. Geoffrey Subdivision on the north side of 39th Street, Hosie-Schumann Park is two acres in size and consists
mostly of open space. Facilities at this park are limited to one concrete picnic table, one swing set and one basketball court.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Park is two acres in size and is located at the northwest corner of 45th Street and 28th Court. This park
contains the historic Macedonia Baptist Church and Museum. North of the church/museum building is a wooded County-owned site
that has been surveyed for future passive recreational improvements such as walking trails. The MPO has applied for a Recreational
Trails Grant to build a trail at this park.
Gifford Dock Park is located at the east end of 45th Street on the West shore of the Indian River Lagoon. The park consists of a
stabilized parking area, and a dock/pier that is used for fishing.
A number of improvements have been made to Gifford Park in recent years (see Appendix B at the end of this report). Those
improvements have provided and expanded recreational opportunities in Gifford.
Community Development Indian River County 32
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
Centrally located in IRSC's four County service area, the IRSC Main Campus in Fort Pierce offers over 200 program options for
students seeking academic and technical training. Those options include Dental programs; Nursing; Police and Fire Academies;
Electrical and Nuclear Power; Health Services; Radiography; Physical Therapy Assistants; Medical Laboratory Technology;
Respiratory Care; Paramedics; Photonics, Robotics; and others.
For a student who dropped out of High School, IRSC offers two options. The student can work on their GED diploma at IRSC, or
attend the IRSC's Adult High School at the Main Campus in Ft. Pierce. The student can also pursue vocational/technical studies
while completing their GED or high school diploma.
➢ Fire Stations/Emergency Medical Stations
Since adoption of the Gifford Neighborhood Plan in 2002, Indian River County's Emergency Services Department has built Fire
Station 412 in Gifford, located on the north side of 491h Street, west of 31st Avenue. Also, there are two other fire stations that serve
the Gifford area. Those stations are located outside the boundaries of the plan area at 2900 43`d Avenue (near the airport), and at
6568 US 1 (Winter Beach).
➢ Health Care Facilities
The Gifford Health Center is the only health care facility located in the Gifford area. This facility is a primary care clinic currently
serving the adult and pediatric health care needs of the residents of the County and, Gifford residents in particular. All services are
offered on a sliding fee scale based upon family size and income. The facility is operated by the Indian River County Health
Department and is funded primarily by the Indian River County Hospital District and by Medicaid. In the future, the Gifford Health
Center may be used for pediatric care while adult care services may be provided from the Health Department building at 1900 27th
Street.
➢ Law Enforcement
The Indian River County Sheriff's Office maintains one satellite office in Gifford. This satellite office, located on the grounds of
Gifford Middle School, houses the Sheriffs Community Oriented Police Enforcement (COPE) program for the Gifford area. From
this office, deputies may prepare reports, receive complaints from the community and interact with the community. Through the
COPE office, deputies aid in the prevention of crime and the promotion of positive interaction between the Sheriff s Office and the
residents of the Gifford community. The Sheriff s Main Office is located in the Gifford area near the southeast corner of 41st Street
and 43`d Avenue.
N
Community Development Indian River County 31
S ,
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014 J`
• High School Education
As currently structured, students are required to enroll in one of the programs while they are in ninth grade and start the program in
10th grade. Each program continues from 10th grade through 12th grade. These programs are consistent with the Legislative Act
passed in 2007. The purpose of that act was to provide a statewide planning partnership between business and education
communities to expand and retain high-value industry, sustain a vibrant state economy, and provide funding for programs with
industry certification credentials.
The School District also participates with Indian River State College (IRSC), through the Research Coast Consortium, to award
students college credits through completion of AP (Advanced Placement) and IB (International Baccalaureate) programs. High
School Students also have the option of dual enrollment for classes at Indian River State College.
Through the Florida Ready to Work Credential program, students are assessed in Applied Mathematics, and Reading. With a Florida
Ready to Work Credential, a young person can provide an employer with proof that they have workplace skills. The Florida Ready
to Work Credential program is sponsored and funded by the State of Florida, and is administered at Sebastian River and Vero Beach
High Schools.
• Adult Education
The School District also offers adult education programs in 7 health related areas, 2 security areas, and 1 in the area of culinary arts.
Descriptions of these 10 programs are contained in Appendix A at the end of this report.
Indian River State College Academic and Technical Programs
Indian River State College (IRSC) IRSC is ranked as the 4th Most Affordable College in the County by the US Department of
Education. It is also ranked as the 10th Top Public Regional College in the South by US News and World Report.
In Indian River County, IRSC serves students from the Mueller Campus in Vero Beach, the Historic Elementary School in Sebastian,
three locations in Fellsmere, and two locations in Gifford (Alternative Education Center and Gifford Youth Activity Center). Each
year, over 5000 students are served in Indian River County. Among those students, a majority are working on their AA (Associates
of Arts) Degree, planning to continue on toward a Bachelor's Degree.
In Indian River County, vocational/technical programs offered include HVAC (Heating, Air Conditioning, and Ice Machines);
Nursing; EMT; Business; Accounting; Digital Media; Graphic Design; Computer Science; Interior Design; Security Guard Training;
Early Childhood Instruction, Culinary Arts; Drafting; Office Administration; Paralegal; Human Services; and Criminal Justice.
Community Development Indian River County 30
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
➢ Education Facilities and Programs
There are five educational facilities located in Gifford. Those facilities, all located in East Gifford, are listed below:
■ Dodgertown Elementary School
■ Gifford Middle School
■ Indian River County Alternative Education Center
■ St. Helen's Headstart Center
■ St. Peter's Academy
Indian River County School District Vocational Programs
Indian River County School District provides career and technical education in both Vero Beach High School and Sebastian River
high School, the two public high schools that students from Gifford attend. Most of the programs offered provide industry
certification to the students completing the program. Below is the list of career and technical education programs currently offered:
Vero Beach High School Sebastian River High School
Accounting Automotive
Automotive Criminal Justice
Building Construction Culinary
Business Management/Supervision Digital Design
Commercial Photography Digital Video Production
Culinary Entrepreneurship/Business Ownership
Drafting & Illustrative Design GIS Technology
Digital Design Network Support Services
New Media Nursing Assistant
Nursing Assistant Welding
wCommunity Development Indian River County 29 ✓S
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
• April Pool's Day
• Back to School Splash
• Recreational Football, Basketball, Baseball& Cheerleading ti
• Aquatic Center's Annual Pool Fun Day
3. Gifford Community Center
4. Gifford Park Area—Facilities at the Gifford Park:
• Two Tennis Courts, Double Size Basketball Courts
• Several Picnic Pavilions
• Football/Soccer Field
• Two Baseball Fields
• Playground Equipment
• One Hand Ball Court
• Open Space for Gardening, Picnics, and Other Family And Community Gatherings
• Walking Trail
• Exercise area.
5. Old Macedonia Church/MLK Park
6. Hosie-Schumann Park
7. Feed the Lamb Youth Enrichment Program Facility
• Non-Profits Providing Services in Gifford:
1. Habitat for Humanity
2. Every Dream Has a Price
3. Harvest Food Outreach/Austin Hunt
4. Shinning Light Gardens
5. Career Source Mobile Unit at GYAC every Wednesday
6. Treasure Coast Food Bank
7. Numerous Churches/Places of Worship
Community Development Indian River County 28
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
• Annual Events Held In Gifford:
1. Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade & Celebration
2. Manup Event
3. Youth Taking Charge
4. Indian River County Citizens Advisory Support Group Bully Symposium
5. Parents Involved In Education (P.I.E.) Awards Night
6. GYAC Back To School Supply Drive And Back Pack Give Away
7. St. Peters Missionary Baptist Church Back To School Bash
8. Gifford Fun Day
9. April Pool Day
10. Flashlight Easter Egg Hunt
11. Annual GYAC/Lighthouse Foundation Christmas Toy Drive
• Monthly Meetings Held In Gifford:
1. Progressive Civic League Of Gifford,
2. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
3. Community Oriented Police Enforcement (COPE)
4. Gifford Front Porch Revitalization Council
5. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Committee
6. Pastors Association
7. (5) Pillars Meeting of the Five Agency Heads and Associates (Progressive Civic League of Gifford, Pastors Association of
Indian River County, Gifford Front Porch Revitalization Council,NAACP, and COPE)
• Recreational Facilities and Programs in The Gifford Area:
1. Gifford Youth Activity Center
2. Gifford Aquatic Center
• Swimming Lessons: Private, Semi-Private And Group Lessons
• Super Kid Triathlon
• Dolphin Swim Team
• Jr Lifeguard Training & Lifeguard Training for Employment
ti
• Water Aerobics
►� • Master's Swim Clinics
Community Development Indian River County 27
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
Ongoing Activities in Gifford e
There are many activities and support groups in the Gifford Area. Following is the list of the activities and support groups:
• Gifford Youth Activity Center, Gifford Community Center, and Gifford Park activities:
Adult weekly activities:
1. Qi-Gong (meditation)
2. Indian River County Citizens Advisory Support Group
3. Beyond Special K Low Impact Aerobics Exercise Class for Senior Citizens
4. Beyond Special K Beginning and Intermediate Computer Classes
5. Beyond Special K Quilting, Sewing and Arts & Crafts Session
6. Beyond Special K Bible Study Class
7. Beyond Special K Field Trips
8. Blood Sugar/Pressure Check
9. Indian River State College Classes
10. Meals on Wheels Lunch Feeding Program for Our Local Senior Citizens
11. Treasure Coast Food Give-Away- (two times/month)
Youth activities:
1. After School Program (K-12).
2. Summer Camp Program (1-12)
3. IRSC Trio/Upward Bound Program (grades 9-12)
4. Indian River County Citizens Advisory Support Group/Bully Proof Club
5. Gifford Youth Orchestra
6. Gifford Youth Activity Center Music/Band Program
7. Gifford Youth Garden
8. AAU Basketball Program
9. Indian River Elite Track Club - AAU Track Club
10. Gifford Central Little League
11. 4-H Club gardening and science programs
12. Various art, tutoring, computer lab, and counseling opportunities
Community Development Indian River County 26
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State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) Program, Other Housing Programs N
The County has managed several housing programs for the past 20 years. One of those programs is the State Housing Initiatives
Partnership (SHIP) Program. With funding from SHIP, the County assisted 222 households within mainly east Gifford. Of the 222
assisted households 89 received rehabilitation assistance while the remaining received downpayment/closing cost assistance with
either impact fee or rehabilitation assistance. Another program was the Hurricane Housing Recovery (HHR) program. With HHR
funding the County assisted 55 applicants in east Gifford. Of the 55 assisted units, 17 were single-family applicants received
rehabilitation assistance. Also, Victory Park and Orangewood projects (200 Multi-family units) received rehabilitation assistance.
Another program utilized was the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program Housing Rehabilitation/Replacement
Program. With funding from CDBG Housing Program, the County rehabilitated or replaced 26 units in the east Gifford area.
Table 6: Summary of Housing Program Assistance
Total Units Assisted in East Gifford Units that Received Rehabilitation Assistance in East Gifford
SHIP 222 89 Single-Family (SF)
HHR 55
CDBG Housing 24 17 Single-Family (also 200 MF Units)
24 Single-Family
Total 301 130 Single-Family and 200 Multi-Family
Support Services
The table below lists the type and number of support services (schools, parks, government facilities) that currently exist in Gifford.
Figure 12 below displays the location of the various public support services in the Gifford area.
Table 7- Su ort Services in Gifford
Youth ActivityCenter
Type of Support Service Gifford
s
Adult Care Facilities I
Child Care Facilities I
Education Facilities 3
Emergency Medical Stations 5
Fire Stations I
Health Care Facilities I
Places of Worship I
Police Stations/Satellite Offices 25
1
Community Development
Indian River County 24
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➢ Mobile Homes
Approximately 80 acres, all in Central Gifford, are zoned for mobile homes. Property Appraiser's information indicates that 69 lots
in Gifford contain mobile homes.
➢ Multi-Family Dwelling Units
Large areas of Gifford are zoned for multi-family uses. All multi-family zoned areas are located in East Gifford. According to
information from the Indian River County's Property Appraiser's Office, approximately 57 acres in the Gifford area have been
developed for multi-family residential uses. Figure 11 below displays the location of those properties that have been developed for
multi-family residential uses.
➢ Subsidized Housing Developments
Table 5 below lists the six major subsidized housing development projects in the Gifford area. Those projects range in size from 36
to 168 units. Altogether, the six projects total 509 units, 448 of which are multi-family. Two developments were subsidized by the
Farmers Home Administration, now known as USDA, Rural Development, at a time when Gifford was not yet classified as "urban",
to accommodate housing for packinghouse workers and their families. Because Gifford is in an area that is now classified as
"urban," housing projects in Gifford are no longer eligible for that type of subsidy. The other subsidized housing projects in Gifford
were subsidized through the federal government's Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program.
Table 5: Ma'or Subsidized Housin Develo meats in Gifford
Development Name Type of Number of Units Government Subsidy
Housing
Gifford Grove Single-Family 61 Low Income Housing Tax Credit
Lindsey Gardens Multi-Family 168 Low Income Housing Tax Credit
Orangewood Park Multi-Family 100 Farmers Home Administration
Sunset Apartments Multi-Family 36 Low Income Housing Tax Credit
Victory Park Multi-Family 100 Farmers Home Administration
Briar Wood of Vero Beach Multi-Family 44 Low Income Housing Tax Credit
Total Units 509
Community Development Indian River County 22
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
County Code Violation Category
Code enforcement cases were put into one of the following categories:
■ Properties with debris that was visible from the street.
■ Properties with abandoned homes
■ Properties with overgrown weeds/vegetation
Properties with debris were those parcels where junk/debris was stored on the property and was visible from the street. Debris
included items such as old and dilapidated automobiles, household appliances, scrap building materials, or junk. Figures 9 and 10
below are examples of properties with debris/junk.
Most of the code violation cases consisting of junk/debris visible from the street were located in East Gifford.
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Community Development Indian River County 21
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
Dilapidated Housing Category; N
• Buildings that appeared to be in such disrepair that rehabilitation might be more costly and time-consuming than building
new structure.
The windshield survey identified 27 dilapidated housing units existed in East Gifford, Figures 7 and 8 below are examples of
structures that were identified as dilapidated buildings.
z Figure 7 ""
Community Development Indian River County 20
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
Of all housing units in East Gifford 2% are sub-standard housing and 3% are dilapidated housing as defined below. Figures 5 and 6
below are examples of structures that were identified as sub-standard buildings.
Sub-Standard Housing Category;
■ Buildings that appeared in need of substantial repair to the roof, foundation, or siding.
■ Buildings that were boarded up or had damaged windows and doors.
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w Community Development Indian River County 19
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
Figure 4 2
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Community Development Indian River County 18
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
Table 4
Number of Single Family Building Permits
Year Unincorporated East Gifford Central Gifford West Gifford Gifford Total
IRC
2003 1343 22 34 21 77
2004 2270 33 52 100 185
2005 2460 28 1 92 121
2006 2202 41 1 21 63
2007 932 9 1 1 11
2008 508 2 -- 11 13
2009 221 --- -- 12 12
2010 231 3 -- 13 16
2011 223 1 -- 9 10
2012 247 5 -- 18 23
TOTAL 10,637 144 89 298 531
Windshield Survey of Housiniz Conditions
In 2012, Habitat for Humanity performed a windshield survey to collect data on housing conditions in the east Gifford area. During
the survey, housing units were evaluated based on the exterior appearance of the structure. The survey results are shown on Figure 4
below, and indicated that:
• 427 (58%) of housing units were in a good condition
• 220 (31%) of housing units needed minor repairs
• 79 (6%) of housing units needed limited number or major repairs
• 17 (2%) of housing units required comprehensive repairs
• 27 (3%) of housing units were dilapidated and could not be repaired
N
Community Development Indian River County 17
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014 ('
➢ Opportunities
Although significant housing problems exist in Gifford, significant opportunities to resolve those problems also exist. Some
programs that are in place are already making a difference. Foremost among those are efforts by Habitat for Humanity and Every
Dream Has a Price (EDHAP).
With County funding assistance, over several years Habitat for Humanity (HFH) has built 141 new housing units in Gifford,
mentored its clients, and improved sections of Gifford. Those efforts are also having an effect on surrounding properties. In many
cases, the HFH homes are serving as a catalyst for other rehabilitation and clean-up efforts. Currently, HFH is concentrating more in
rehabilitation activities in the East Gifford area. EDHAP (Every Dream Has A Price) is also building housing units in needy areas
and is working directly with Gifford residents.
Any plan to significantly improve housing conditions in Gifford must include a number of activities, including:
• Condemning and razing dilapidated and unsafe structures;
• Rehabilitating salvageable structures;
• Constructing new residences, particularly on vacant platted lots;
• Maintaining existing residences;
• Increasing home ownership; and
• Intensifying code enforcement, where warranted.
A number of these activities can be supported by the County and other organizations, coordinated, and focused in the location, of the
highest concentration of poor housing conditions in Gifford, especially East Gifford.
■ Condemning/Razing Structures
Those structures within Gifford that have deteriorated beyond the point where they can be economically repaired need to be removed
to maintain safety and property values, and to accommodate redevelopment. Condemnation of structures is a County responsibility
and involves action by Code Enforcement and the Building Division. While the condemnation process is slow and time-consuming,
it is effective and provides property owners a deadline for "stepping up" and removing dilapidated structures themselves. By
removing those structures, a community blight is removed and buildable lots created.
Community Development Indian River County 48
Gifford Nei hborhood Plan 2014
• The WGIC overlay regulations should sufficiently address potential conflicts between residents and IG zoned properties situated
between 43`d Avenue and 58th Avenue.
• Generally, Gifford's existing land use and zoning pattern, along with County regulations, allow for and should result in
compatible development and redevelopment.
• No changes to the existing zoning pattern in Gifford are needed at this time.
• The special community contact procedure used by County is effective, needs to be maintained, and needs to continue to be made
available to any new interested party desiring contact.
Housing
While Gifford contains a range of housing conditions, the best conditions are in West Gifford, where most houses are newer. In
contrast, some of the worst housing in the County is located in East Gifford, where many houses are in extremely poor condition.
Not only are structures in poor condition, but junk and debris in some yards negatively affects community appearance.
Generally, poor housing conditions and abandoned housing units adversely affect quality of life and levels of investment in
surrounding property. In such conditions, property values do not appreciate. Based on information provided by the Property
Appraiser's Office, the average assessed value of residential property in East Gifford is less than the average assessed value of
residences in other parts of Gifford. Improving the condition of housing in Gifford, especially East Gifford, will improve property
values and facilitate investment in Gifford properties.
➢ Issues and Problems
The major housing issues associated with poor housing conditions are absentee landlords, abandoned housing units, housing units
needing major rehabilitation, and low rates of home ownership. In Gifford, most of the poor housing conditions are associated with
rental housing units. Rental housing accounts for most of the sub-standard housing, dilapidated housing, and housing with junk/debris
in East Gifford.
Another cause of poor housing conditions in Gifford is low income. Because of the number of low income households, many
residents live in substandard conditions or pay an excessive portion of their income for housing.
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Community Development Indian River County 47
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
regulations, however, also eliminate 15 heavy industrial uses that are otherwise allowed in IG including steel mills, sawmills,
concrete plants, landfills, and tire manufacturing. In addition, the WGIC overlay regulations require special exception review and
approval for concrete batch plants and demolition debris facilities while also establishing special, stringent criteria for new mulch
facilities or mulch facility expansions. None of the 15 uses to be prohibited, and neither of the 2 uses to made special exception uses,
currently exist within Gifford. Through adoption and implementation of the WGIC overlay regulations, the County is addressing
potential land use conflicts between residential and industrial uses in and around Gifford's industrial area located west of 43rd
Avenue.
Generally, Gifford's zoning pattern is appropriate. Although Gifford has some "grand-fathered-in" uses (legally established uses)
that do not conform to current zoning regulations, the County's zoning regulations contain provisions that require the cessation of
non-conforming uses under certain conditions, including substantial damage of non-conforming structures and prolonged cessation of
use. As a result, over time, many non-conforming properties will be redeveloped and upgraded to meet current land development
regulations, including landscaping, buffering, drainage, and access requirements. Those upgraded conditions will increase
compatibility between uses.
Currently, most of east Gifford is zoned RM-10 (Multi-Family Residential up to10 units/acre). Despite that multi-family zoning,
most of east Gifford is developed with single family residences. Because the RM-10 zoning allows single family homes as well as
multi-family uses, such as duplexes and triplexes, the existing zoning pattern will allow single-family or multi-family structures to be
built on lots.
In the summer of 2009, staff initiated an on-going procedure to contact a long list of community leaders and interested parties
regarding every preliminary and formal application filed with the County Planning Division for development within Gifford. In
addition, the County has adopted a policy of notifying community lenders and interested parties (residents) regarding County projects
within the Gifford area. This ongoing contact procedure has proven effective in communicating information and facilitating
community input on various projects.
➢ Summary
• Gifford has a relatively broad mix of uses, and is primarily a residential area.
• There is sufficient vacant land in Gifford for existing and future residential, commercial and industrial uses to accommodate
projected growth and provide for economic development.
• Gifford has a wide range of residential zoning districts and housing development choices.
• Commercial and industrial zoning districts in Gifford are located close to needed infrastructure and are conveniently located for
providing goods, services and jobs for Gifford residents.
Community Development Indian River County 46
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
ANALYSIS
This Analysis section constitutes an assessment of the Gifford neighborhood. Using information from the Existing Conditions
section of the plan and input received from the community, this section identifies Gifford area issues, constraints, problems, needs,
and opportunities.
Land Use/Zoning Pattern
Even with its relatively broad mix of uses, Gifford is primarily a residential area. Approximately 75% of the land in the Gifford area
is designated for residential development. Residential zoning districts in Gifford allow single-family homes, multiple-family units,
and mobile homes, although no single zoning district allows all of those uses. Depending on the zoning district, development
densities ranging from 3 to 10 units/acre are allowed. As a result, Gifford offers a relatively broad mix of housing densities,
residential building types, and housing prices. For that reason, Gifford area residents generally benefit from having the broad range
of housing choices associated with its mix of residential zoning districts.
The residential areas of Gifford are located where urban services (such as roads, water, sewer, stormwater management, recreational
facilities, and schools) are available and access to employment is convenient. Totaling more than 853 acres, the amount of existing
residentially zoned land in Gifford can accommodate projected population growth. In fact, the amount of vacant residential land (459
acres) indicates that Gifford could eventually double its current population. Nearly all commercial and industrial zoning districts in
Gifford have been in place for decades and are located where they are accessible to necessary infrastructure and convenient for
Gifford residents with respect to providing nearby goods, services and jobs. In general, most existing residential, commercial, and
industrial districts are appropriately located.
Between 43rd Avenue and 581h Avenue within Gifford, there are 163 acres zoned general industrial (IG), including about 70 acres of
vacant undeveloped IG zoned land. Within the IG district, various uses are allowed including warehousing, manufacturing, salvage
yards and other heavy industrial uses. Some of the IG zoned properties are proximate to residences, and in some cases there are land
use conflicts and compatibility issues between residential areas and potential development of certain heavy industrial uses such as
sawmills,the manufacturing, concrete plants, and demolition debris facilities, which are allowed in the IG District. Given the historic
land use pattern, existing uses, and property rights issues, however, it is not feasible or practical to simply downzone properties
currently zoned IG. Since 2010, at the direction of the BCC, staff worked with community leaders, residents, and property owners to
develop special overlay regulations for the general industrial zoned properties west of 43rd Avenue. Those regulations were adopted
by the Board of County Commissioners on June 3, 2014.
Those special regulations, known as the West Gifford Commerce and Industrial (WGIC)/overlay regulations, cover all of the 163
r acres zoned IG, allowing most existing IG uses, while adding 39 commercial uses not currently allowed in IG. The overlay
Indian River County 45
t'1 Community Development
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Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
�n
south of 43rd Street, and west of US Highway 1. At this time there is a need for additional outfall ditches from low-lying areas to
41" Street retention pond. y g the
The project was completed at a cost of over $700,000. After hurricanes Frances, Jeanne, and Wilma in 2004 and 2005, no flooding
events within the 46.8 acres served by the drainage project were reported to or observed by County inspectors.
➢ Street Lighting
Most of Gifford lies within the Gifford Street Lighting District. As a result, street lights are provided throughout Gifford, unlike most
areas of the unincorporated County. Based on input from residents, some street lights are not producing enough light for safety and
security purposes. Consequently, there is a need to evaluate certain street lighting improvements to fill-in coverage gaps. Public
Works Department provided list of street lighting locations in the Gifford area (see Appendix D at the end of this report). That
Appendix shows the location of 211 street lights in Gifford provided by FPL and the City of Vero Beach.
Community Development
Indian River County 44
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
➢ Stormwater Management
Most of Gifford lies within the Indian River Farms Water Control District (IRFWCD). The district is the primary entity responsible
for the provision of a stormwater outfall system. That outfall system is made up of sub-lateral, lateral, and outfall canals. The
IRFWCD's facilities in Gifford include:
■ Sub-lateral canal A-6 (along the south side of 41St Street)
■ Sub-lateral canal A-7 (along the south side of 45th Street)
■ Sub-lateral canal A-8 (along the south side of 491h Street)
■ Lateral "A" canal (along the east side of 66th Avenue)
■ Lateral "H" canal (along the western edge of the old coastal dune)
Maintenance of these facilities is funded by an IRFWCD assessment of all landowners within the IRFWCD. Stormwater
Management is occasionally a problem in Gifford, especially due to localized flooding resulting from low areas that have no outfall.
This problem generally occurs in areas developed prior to current stormwater management development regulations. Additionally,
problems can occur when canals, ditches, swales, laterals, and sub-laterals not adequately maintained.
In September 2000, the Board of County Commissioners established the East Gifford Municipal Service Benefit Unit (MSBU) that
includes an area of Gifford that is not within the boundaries of a water control district. Current total annual assessment for this
MSBU is $990.00. The assessment was higher in earlier years when larger projects were ongoing. That area includes approximately
43 acres and is bordered by 43`d Street on the north, 41St Street on the south, the FEC Railroad on the east, and the IRFWCD
boundary (24th Avenue) on the west. Since the area is not within a water control district, poor drainage has been a constant problem
for residents in that area. To eliminate drainage problems, the County Public Works Department uses MSBU funds to make drainage
system improvements and provide maintenance within the 43 acre area. Improvements completed include swales and storm drain
piping to collect and route stormwater into the large stormwater detention pond located at the northwest corner of 41 st Street and the
FEC railroad tracks. The system is primarily for flood control, not water quality treatment.
East Gifford Area Stormwater Improvement Project
The East Gifford Area Stormwater Improvement Project involved construction of a 4.64 acre wet stormwater detention pond and
swales at the northwest corner of FEC Railroad R/W and 41st Street. The project improved drainage in the area by routing
stormwater into the pond with eventual outfall into the canal abutting 41st Street. Before this system was constructed, stormwater
N from this section of Gifford area caused flooding and discharged untreated stormwater into the Indian River Lagoon. The project's
N drainage area is a 46.8 acre watershed lying north of 41st Street, east of the one mile ridge (approximately 26th and 28th Avenue),
Indian River County 43
Community Development
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
In conjunction with the fixed route service, SRA offers a demand response service known as the Community Coach. This service is a
door-to-door service to medical facilities and doctors' appointments for disabled, elderly, and low income individuals. To use the ^�
Community Coach, clients may schedule reservations up to two weeks in advance by calling the Senior Resource association at 772-
569-0903. A minimum of 24 hours advanced notice is needed.
The Indian River County School District also provides student transportation which picks-up and drops-off school children. School
bus routes and stops, throughout the County and Gifford, are determined prior to each school year. School bus stops are not marked
with signs, and do not include waiting area (seats) or covered shelters. School bus service is run by the School District's
Transportation Department.
➢ Potable Water Service
Operated by the Indian River County Utilities Department, the County water system extends into the Gifford area. The North County
and the South County Water Treatment Plants serve the entire system, including Gifford. Installed along major transportation
corridors, main water transmission lines ranging in diameter from 2 inches to 12 inches transmit water from the treatment plants.
From those main lines, smaller lines branch out into residential neighborhoods and commercial/industrial nodes to provide residents
and businesses with potable water.
In the Gifford area, main water lines exist along 58th Avenue, along 49th Street from 58th Avenue to U.S. Highway 1, along 41St Street
from 581h Avenue to U.S. Highway 1, and along U.S. Highway 1 from 491h Street to 37th Street. From those main lines, smaller lines
ranging from 2 inches to 12 inches in diameter serve Gifford residents and businesses.
➢ Sanitary Sewer Service
The Indian River County Utilities Department operates five wastewater treatment plants, each serving a defined area of the County.
The Central Region Wastewater Treatment Plant serves the Gifford area. Wastewater generated by residences, businesses and other
uses is conveyed to the wastewater treatment plant by a network of collection pipes. In Gifford, that collection network comprises
gravity lines with an 8-inch diameter, and force mains with diameters ranging from 6 inches to 16 inches.
There are areas of Gifford where residents utilize septic tanks. However, there are no reports from the Health Department of
significant issues with septic tanks in Gifford.
Community Development Indian River County 42
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 8014
shopping, employment, and recreational destinations throughout Indian River County. Routes 3 and 8 rank third and fourth,
respectively, in terms of the total number of riders carried.
For the twelve month period ending June 30, 2013, ridership on Route 3 was 98,477, an increase of 7% compared to the previous
year. Major stops on Route 3 include Indian River Medical Center, and other medical facilities destinations along 37th Street.
For the twelve month period ending June 30th 2013, ridership on Route 8 was 93,019, an increase of 2% compared to the previous
year. Major stops along Route 8, which travels a more westerly course than Route 3, include Gifford Youth Activity Center,
Orangewood Park, Victory Park, Vero Beach Historic Dodger Town (Sports Village), Indian River Medical Center, Gifford Health
Center, County Administration Building, and Health Department. Of Gifford residents arriving at the main hub, 29% transfer to
route 2 (courthouse, Indian River Mall, Wal-Mart, Ryanwood Shopping Center); 25% transfer to route 4 (probation office, K-Mart,
Pocahontas Park); and 17%transfer to Route 14 (DCF, Harvest Food Center, and Homeless Assistance Center).
In recent years, SRA has implemented a program to construct bus shelters at the 25 busier stops throughout the County. At this time,
bus shelters have been constructed at four bus stops in Gifford. Those bus shelters are located at the Gifford Health Center, Gifford
Youth Activity Center, 45th Street and 401h Avenue intersection, and 45th Street and 33`d Avenue intersection. Additional bus shelters
may be constructed in Gifford as part of future phases of the bus shelter program.
Table 10 below shows the results of an on-board GoLine survey performed by the Indian River County MPO in 2012 that shows the
overall GoLine customer profile in Indian River County.
Table 10
GoLine Customer Profile
Category Profile Response Rate
Gender Female 53%
Age 20 to 29 6%
4
Ethnicity White 46%
Annual Household Income Less than$10,000 56%
Vehicles in Household 0 Cars 55%
Trip Purpose Shopping/Errands 26%
Mode of Access Walked 3 blocks or less 77%
Mode of Egress Walked 3 blocks or less 71%
Frequency of Use 4 or ore days per week 50%
m
Tenure of Use 6 months to 2 years 30%
Community Development Indian River County 41
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Gifford Nei hborhood Plan 2014
On Street From Street To Street Percent of Segments Percent of Segments
with Sidewalks on North with Sidewalks on South
49i'street43`d Avenue or East Side or West Side N
49"'Street Old Dixie Hwy
Old Dixie Hwy U S 1 0 5 \
58 Avenue 41 R Street m 0 5
m 45 Street
58 Avenue 45`"Street 49"'Street 0 0
Old Dixie Hw . 41 n Street 0 50
Old Dixie H �, 45th Street 30
�Y 45 Street 49'n Street0
Old Dixie Hw . 100
U.S. 1 41�'Avenue 0 0
U.S. 1 37th Street Old Dixie Hwy 0
U.S. 1 Old Dixie Hwy 411 Street 100 0
U.S. I 41�'Street 45'Street 100 100
1I 45"St100 100reet 49"Street
Source: Indian River County MPO 15 100
At the MPO's Gifford Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan Update Public Workshop on 2/25/2014 and subsequent follow up meetings,
Gifford residents identified the need for the sidewalks and bike lanes as follows:
1. Sidewalks and Bike lanes on 58th Avenue between 41 st Street and 49th Street.
2. Sidewalks on 45th Street near 33rd Avenue & near 38th Court.
3. Sidewalks on 49th Street from Old Dixie Highway to 58th Avenue (three identical comments).
4. Sidewalks and bike lanes on 26th Street from 43rd Avenue to US 1.
5. Sidewalks on 43rd Avenue from 26th Street to 49th Street.
6. Sidewalks on 43rd Street near the railroad tracks & near 25th Avenue.
7. Sidewalks on 30th Avenue south of 43rd Street.
8. Sidewalks on 33rd Street.
9. Sidewalks on 28th Avenue.
10. Sidewalks on 41st Street.
11. Sidewalks linking Gifford Health Center to surrounding community.
12. Crosswalks and bus stops/shelters on 49th Street at all intersections
Public Transportation
GoLine is Indian River County's fixed route transit system run by the County's transit provider, Senior Resource Association (SRA).
Two GoLine routes have stops in Gifford, Routes 3 and 8. Both of those routes provide service from the main transit hub to the
Gifford Health Center and back. At the main transit hub, riders can connect with five additional routes that provide service to
Community Development
Indian River County 40
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
The County Traffic Engineering Division keeps a list of all accidents at all intersections. If an intersection has 4 or more crashes per
year, Traffic Engineering will analyze ways to reduce the number of crashes at that intersection. According to Traffic Engineering
2012 accident data, the only intersection in Gifford that had 4 or more crashes that year was 45th Street and U.S. 41. According to a
2000 accident report, there were six intersections in Gifford with more than 4 accidents per year. Therefore, there was improvement
based on a significant reduction in the number of Gifford intersections having more than 4 accidents per year.
Sidewalks
Gifford is similar to much of the unincorporated County in that sidewalks generally do not exist along local roads. Even along major
roads, sidewalks are not currently continuous and connected. Those roads with insufficient sidewalk are identified in the MPO's
Bicycle/Pedestrian Plan as needing sidewalks. County policy is to have sidewalks constructed along major roads in conjunction with
development projects and road projects. Table 9 below shows an inventory of the existing sidewalks along major roadways in the
Gifford area.
Currently, FDOT is funding construction of 43rd Avenue sidewalks from 41st Street to the Airport West entrance. In the future,
FDOT will also fund the next extension, from Airport West to Aviation Boulevard. Also, sidewalks along Old Dixie Hwy south of
45th Street will be under construction soon.
Table 9
Sidewalk Inventory in Gifford Area
On Street From Street To Street Percent of Segments Percent of Segments
with Sidewalks on North with Sidewalks on South
or East Side or West Side
10 °
411 Street 66'Avenue 58 Avenue 100 °
n Street 58'Avenue 43'Avenue 5 °
41'Street 43`d Avenue Old Dixie Hwy 0 0
41'Street Old Dixie Hwy U.S. 1 5
U.S. 1 Indian River Blvd. °
41n Street � 100 100
43`d Avenue 41'Street 45 Street 45 50
43'd Avenue 45'Street 49'Street 50 0
451 Street 66'Avenue 58'Avenue 0 5
45'Street 58'Avenue 43`a
Avenue 100 °
45d'Street 50
43`d Avenue Old Dixie Hwy 0
45t'Street Old Dixie Hwy U.S. 1 0 0
491 Street 66'Avenue 58'Avenue 0 40
491 Street 58"Avenue 43`d Avenue
Indian River County 39
Community Development
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• 46th Street from 581h Avenue to 56th Avenue N
• 47th Street from 58th Avenue to 56th Avenue
• 56th Avenue from 46th Street to 47th Street
• 46th Street from 381h Court to 38th Avenue
• 39th Avenue from 45th Place to 46th Place
• 39th Avenue from 47th Street to 47th Place
• 45th Place from 401h Avenue to 39th Avenue
• 46th Place from 40th Avenue to 39th Avenue
• 46th Street from 40th Avenue to 39th Avenue
• 47th Place from 40th Avenue to 39th Avenue
• 47th Street from 401h Avenue to 39th Avenue
• 20th Avenue from 42nd Street to 42nd Place
• 34th Avenue from 47th Street to 491h Street
• 39th Lane from U.S. 1 to 17th Avenue
• 17th Avenue from 37th Street to 39th Street
• 30th Place from U.S. 1 to 17th Avenue
• 18th Avenue from 381h Lane to 39th Street
The only road in Gifford with a ranking of 5 is 19th Avenue from 37th Place to 38th Lane
Appendix C at the end of this report, shows the list of 55 roadways in the Gifford area that were paved or resurfaced during the 2004-
2011 period.
The County monitors traffic volumes and crashes along all arterial and collector roads. Based on that information, the County
determines which roads and intersections may need improvements or maintenance and long-term capital improvement road projects.
The following Gifford area roadways and intersections are included in the County's current Capital Improvement Program:
• 43rd Avenue from 49th Street to 53rd Street (to be paved 2-lane by Waterway Village developer)
• 45th Street Beautification
• 45th Street/581h Avenue Intersection
• 66th Avenue from 49th Street to 81st Street(4 lanes)
• 66th Avenue from SR 60 to 49th Street (4 lanes)
Community Development
Indian River County 38
Gifford Nei hborhood Plan 2014
Infrastructure
➢ Transportation
Streets
Within Gifford, as with the entire County, roads are divided into three classifications based on the function of the road. Those
functional classifications are local, collector, and arterial. By definition, local roads accommodate the smallest volume and the
slowest speeds, and connect the road network to specific developments or land uses; arterial roads handle the largest volume and the
highest speeds; and collector roads accommodate intermediate volumes and speeds while connecting local and arterial roads.
All of the streets in Gifford are classified as local roadways except for the following:
■ Urban principal arterial roadways: U.S. Highway 1 and 581h Avenue
■ Major collector roadways: Old Dixie Highway, 41" Street, 45th Street, 491h Street, and 66th Avenue
■ Minor Collector roadway: 43`d Avenue
Most local roads in Gifford are publically dedicated and are maintained by the County's Public Works Department. Those roads are
paved or graded and generally are in good condition, although some of the roads need resurfacing. There are, however, several
existing streets created prior to current development regulations that are not public, are not within formal rights-of-way, and are the
responsibility of private parties to maintain. Those non-County streets include 32nd Avenue north of 43`d Street, and 35th Avenue
north of 45th Street. These streets are not maintained by the County and are in poor condition.
On an annual basis, the County's Road and Bridge Division performs a visual survey of all County roads, including roads in Gifford,
and ranks roads on a scale from 1 to 5 for future resurfacing projects. Roads that rank a 1 are in very good condition and those that
rate 5 are in poor condition. Streets in Gifford that are determined to be in inadequate condition and ranked 5 will rank high for
future paving projects.
Based on the most recent resurfacing evaluation, the following roads ranked 4:
• 31 st Avenue from 49th Street to 51 st Street (Collector road)
• 34th Avenue from 45th Street to 47th Street
42nd Street from Old Dixie Hwy to U.S. 1
48th Street from 28th Court to Dead End
Indian River County 37
Community Development
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014 "
63. Neighbor's trees growing up into the property at 3986 46`^Street
64. Please remove population of stray cats and dogs from the community
65. 441116-Avenue back yard grass very high with tall trees. Burglars use this house and house at 4411 26'Avenue to hide out with crime,drugs,prostitution. Crimes are
within 1,000 feet
of the Gifford Middle School
HOUSING/PROPERTY MAINTENANCE
• Discussion Comments
66. SHIP(State Housing Initiative Partnership)program concerns:availability of information about where funds go to,program requirements,buying re-sold homes,how to apply/participate
67. Need affordable housing,especially for graduating students returning to Gifford
68. Plan needs to reflect Gifford's level and intensity of need(eg Community Disadvantage Index)as well as program money spent in Gifford
69. Concerns about Habitat for Humanity program:information and dialogue needed
• Comment Card Comments
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT/EMPLOYMENT/EDUCATIONNOCATIONAL TRAINING
70. Need to emphasize hiring local people and Gifford residents for County projects
71. Vocational training for alternative learning center students:re-establish work program opportunities(eg School Board/Piper program was good but now discontinued)
72. Need more employment opportunities in Gifford
73. Contact with Sheriff has been good:budget for Gifford(comparison of spending in Gifford and revenue from Gifford)
74. Gifford residents need County(commissioner)contact information
75. Existing drainage problems and drainage requirements applied to individual development sites constrain(economic)development
76. Chamber of Commerce—no minority owned business has been recognized(eg business of the year)
77. No minority representation in upper management of County Government
78. How will plan address issues identified?What are next steps? Need answers to develop a plan;need bench marks and implementation accountability
79. Need more emphasis on economic development and vocational training:higher priority than zoning and land use items
80. Need more comprehensive approach to education and social services issues not under BCC's purview:participation of education and social services providers needed
a. Look at high school drop-out rate,vocational placement,college preparation,enrichment programs for children
Community Development Indian River County 62
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
41. Guard rails on 45'Street from 3151 Avenue to 43rd Avenue
42. Drainage ditch behind my house needs cleaning:4151 32"d Avenue
43. Gifford park walking trail should be around the play area so that mothers do not have to leave their children unattended to exercise
44. Curb enhancements to prevent cars from going into the ditch
45. How will the County improve flooding for ditches that were not built by the County
46. The canals need to be cleaned along 491 Street and 45'Street
47. The bus routes were recently changed and no longer go to the probation offices on Dixie Highway which has created a hardship for some
48. Drainage problems in Pineview Park:need fixing
49. Basketball and tennis courts need upgrading:tennis court upgrade to tournament grade
50. Why is it that Gifford improvements need a"grant"?
CODE ENFORCEMENT/SAFETY/CRIME PREVENTION/LAW ENFORCEMENT
Discussion Comments
51. Tree preservation—good efforts have been made,trees preserved
52. Nuisance trees(Brazilian peppers)growing over onto a resident's property from a neighboring property
53. Overgrown lots in residential areas creating nuisances:harboring vermin,unsightly
54. Since hurricanes, more recovery help and less code enforcement/demolition action should have been directed toward owner-occupied properties and less help/more enforcement
against
rental income properties
55. 41'Street/32"d Avenue east of St.Helens(Samaritan Center at 3650 41'Street);problem with maintenance of property/overgrowth of vegetation
56. Need to determine degree of property owner responsibility for illegal activity occurring on his/her property;more responsibility should fall on property owner
57. Statistics on crime and driving violation fines need to be presented;need to compare all crime statistics shown in relation to Gifford's population proportion(6%)
58. Sheriff meets monthly with Gifford people:very positive
59. Code enforcement should meet monthly or periodically with Gifford people(relates to COPE meetings already conducted regularly?)
60. 38'Ave/43`d Street—abandoned buildings pose safety and nuisance concerns
61. 31'Avenue—example of demolished building and lack of property maintenance after demolition. Demolishing building solves one issue and then post—demolition overgrowth
and weeds
pose a second nuisance problem
Comment Card Comments
62. North side of my home at 4876 34'Avenue and on east side lot overgrown:house burned down
�J
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Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
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16. 28'h Avenue to 42nd Avenue:provide better drainage N.
17. 40'h Avenue(Pineview):drainage problems
18. 45'Street east between Smith's grocery store and Gifford Middle School:sidewalk not level—needs repairs
19. 35'h Avenue south of 45'Street:bad condition,how did it rate in yearly road condition analysis? Also has drainage problems
20. Lights needed for the Gifford Park ball field and access drive to the ball field;upgrade condition of the ball field
21. Streetlights needed along 49'h Street from 431 Avenue east,including High Ridge mobile home park
22. 33`d Avenue,45'h Street to 49h Street:drainage problems;poorly draining swales in back yards
23. Sidewalks and streetlights needed along 49`h Street from 43`d Avenue to USI
24. 33`d Street and 34'Avenue—too narrow—need to widen streets
25. 43`d Street(west of railroad tracks)condition and safety concerns for pedestrians and motorists especially where street angles/turns
26. 43`d Street—needs sidewalks and bus shelter to serve pedestrians and people without cars
27. Provide brighter street lights along 45'h Street and 49'h Street
28. Need improvements at Hosie Schumann park,especially for children(including swings)
29. Sand and run-off washing on to roads creating hazardous conditions along 41"Street and 45th Street,between 28'h Avenue and 38`h Avenue
30. Need funding for 45'h Street infrastructure improvements(drainage,sidewalks)as well as aesthetic improvements
31. 25'h Avenue—28'h Avenue(Hillcrest and Spruce Park)different elevations between older homes(lower)and newer homes(higher)creating drainage issues
32. Gifford dock improvements needed to encourage public use and spur good development:it's an amenity for Gifford,allow local vendors in park
• Comment Card Comments
33. Need a sidewalk on 45h Street from 43`d Avenue to 58'h Avenue
34. Re-establish recreation committee
35. Need a sidewalk from 43`d Avenue west to 58`h Avenue
36. Recreation move to Gifford like basketball,football,and soccer. Let Gifford people use all fields without fees
37. Drainage on 43`d Court: road floods during heavy rains,limiting access to the street
38. More sidewalks down 45'Street toward 58'Avenue and 43`d Avenue
39. Beautify 45'Street: looks a mess,roads are bad between 50'Avenue and 58'h Avenue
40. 521 Avenue:needs road work or needs a new road that is stable,the road floods and gets deep holes continually as it rains
Community Development Indian River County 60
Gifford Nei hborhood Plan 2014
COMMUNITY INPUT AND ASSESSMENT
To obtain community input on what Gifford residents considered to be the community's major issues, problems, opportunities, and
possible solutions, several community meetings were facilitated by County staff and held in Gifford from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. At
the July 2013 kick-off community meeting, the 80-100 residents who attended identified issues, problems, and opportunities. In
addition, some residents provided comment cards with lists of issues and opportunities. Following is the list of issues identified by
the residents at the July community meeting or by comments cards submitted at or after the meeting:
LAND USE/ZONING/DEVELOPMENT/ILLEGAL AND NONCONFORMING USES/COMMUNICATION
Discussion Comments
1. Expand plan boundaries east to river/river access at end of Gifford Dock Road
2. Development of industrial zoned properties north of 4151 Street:concern about impacts on residential north of industrial sites
3. Land use comparison of vacanUdeveloped sites since last plan—remaining development potential by use category
4. Mr.Scrap looks good:voluntarily replaced fence with wall
5. Reserve enough future residential area for Gifford to grow with good residential development
6. Gifford forever—long term residential growth(quality)to attract/retain professionals who grew up/will grow up in Gifford
7. Rezoning or converting residential property to industrial resulting in decrease in overall residential area
8. Compatibility:concern about development of industrial properties west of 43`d Avenue that are surrounded by residential
9. Timing of West Gifford Industrial regulation changes:when is WGIC(West Gifford Industrial/Commerce District)initiative going to go forward?
10. Concerns about potential concrete plant in West Gifford industrial area
IL Allow mixed use development(residential and commercial)along 45'Street
Comment Card Comments
12. Need more information on developing Neighborhood Associations and Neighborhood Development
13. Need to be informed when heavy commercial development is proposed along 41'Street east of 28'Avenue to the railroad
14. Can acreage used for government facilities(eg along 43`d Avenue/41'Street)be replaced with same(industrial)zoning elsewhere if plan area boundaries are increased?
INFRASTRUCTURE/TRANSPORTATION/DRAINAGE/RECREATION
NDiscussion Comments
15. Guard rails needed to protect motorists and pedestrians from certain canal drop-offs,including along 45`'Street between 43`d Avenue and 3151 Avenue
V Indian River County 59
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Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
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Community Development N
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➢ Community Organizations \
Many civic organizations have a strong presence in Gifford. Those organizations include the Gifford Youth Activities Center, the
Progressive Civic League of Gifford, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Indian River County
Chamber of Commerce, the Habitat for Humanity, Every Dream Has A Price, Indian River State College, the school district,
numerous churches, and others. Existing organizations offer many services to Gifford residents, including training and education,
economic assistance, recreational and artistic activities, and community building. By coordinating and promoting each other's
projects, those organizations can increase their success and reach into the community.
➢ Community Facilities and Centers
Community facilities in Gifford include Gifford Park, the Gifford Youth Activities Center, the Gifford Aquatic Center, the Gifford
Community Center, the Gifford Health Center and others. Those facilities offer numerous educational, medical and recreational
services and resources, including ball fields, playgrounds, outdoor basketball and tennis courts, swimming, classrooms, meeting
rooms, computers, a kitchen, and a gymnasium. Support of these facilities will ensure continued service to the Gifford community
➢ Economic Development Organizations
Several organizations work to bring businesses to Gifford and/or offer services intended to increase the employability of individuals.
Those groups include the Indian River County Chamber of Commerce, Indian River State College, the school district, Workforce
Solutions, the Economic Development Council, Indian River County / City of Vero Beach Enterprise Zone, and others. Those
groups work to match employers and potential employees. They also work with employers to identify the types of skills employers
are looking for in employees. Finally, several of those groups provide a wide range of technical, vocational, and business training to
Gifford residents and others.
➢ Unemployment and under employment
The Indian River County Chamber of Commerce is primarily responsible for the recruitment of new businesses. In so doing, the
Chamber must continue to work closely with those organizations in Gifford that can help match residents with jobs and appropriate
job training. Those organizations include Indian River State College, the school district, Workforce Solutions, Indian River County/
City of Vero Beach Enterprise Zone Advisory Committee, and the Economic Development Council.
Community Development Indian River County 58
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
Gifford by US 1. Therefore, Hosie-Schumann Park is the only park within walking distance of the W.E. Geoffreys Subdivision.
Hosie-Schumann park has been recently improved to make it a functional neighborhood park. (see Appendix B).
Overall, the County maintains and periodically upgrades facilities at Gifford Park, Hosie-Schumann Park, and Martin Luther King,
Jr. Park. As needed, the County resurfaces tennis courts, basketball courts and other facilities in these parks. Also, the old landfill
site located on the south side of 41" Street may be developed as a park in the future. In addition, the MPO recently applied for a
Recreational Trails Grant to build a trail between the Martin Luther King, Jr. Park and the health center.
➢ Street Lighting
Street lighting is important to enhance the safety and security of a community. As such, it is necessary to light those areas of the
community with significant pedestrian activity. Even though most of the streets in Gifford have street lights, there are some streets
that do not have street lights. Because Gifford has a street lighting district, the cost of street lights is paid by residents of the
community. To ensure that street lights are installed where needed, the County needs to identify any gaps in street lighting coverage
and provide the improvements necessary to cover those gaps.
➢ Summary
Although the quality of Gifford's infrastructure has improved significantly since 1980, there are still areas where more work is
needed. Gifford's public roads, as well as its public water and sewer system, work well and have ample capacity to accommodate
future growth. As with all infrastructure facilities, adequate on-going maintenance is necessary to ensure that the roadway and
water/sewer systems continue to function adequately. With respect to other infrastructure, Gifford has adequate facilities and
services. In Gifford, public safety facilities are located such that response times are adequate and minimum service levels are met.
So, no major Fire/EMS public safety improvements are necessary. Compared to other areas in the County, Gifford has exceptional
recreation facilities. These need to be maintained and additional recreation opportunities need to be pursued. While
stormwater/drainage problems have existed in the past, projects have resolved many of those problems, although improvements are
needed in certain areas of East Gifford. Another infrastructure item is street lights. While the Gifford street lighting district ensures
that street lights are provided throughout the community, it has taken time to get new street lights installed where needed. To resolve
that issue, gaps in coverage need to be identified and addressed. Finally, Gifford's "main street" (45th Street aka Martin Luther King
Jr. Boulevard) needs to be improved and beautified as a main street.
N.
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➢ Fire and Emergency Medical Services
In 2009, the County built Fire/EMS station #12 on 491h Street in the Gifford area. Also, two fire stations are located just south and
north of Gifford. Those three stations provide redundancy such that if one station is responding to a call then another nearby station
can respond to a new call in the Gifford area.
Fire service standards are based on criteria established by the Insurance Services Office (ISO). ISO also provides ratings for local
areas based on compliance with its standards. For planning purposes, the standards include a 5 mile distance to a manned Fire/EMS
station and the availability of a fire hydrant within 500 feet of commercial development and 1,000 feet of residential development.
Ratings are on a scale of 1 to 10, with a rating of 1 being the highest. Being within 5 miles of a Fire/EMS station, most developed
areas of the County (including all of Gifford) are rated a 4/6 by ISO. Response times for an area with a rating of 4 are usually less
than 8 minutes. In contrast, most areas outside the urban service area are rated 9 or 10 by ISO. Therefore, Gifford has a good ISO
rating like other urban areas in the eastern portion of the County.
In an effort to improve the delivery of timely emergency services, on May 30, 2014 Emergency Services moved the Advanced Life
Support (ALS) ambulance from Fire Station 5 (6580 Old Dixie Highway, Winter Beach) to Fire Station 12 (3620 49th Street, Vero
Beach) on a trial basis to determine if the change should be made permanent. Based on the results of this trial service change, ALS
ambulance service may be made permanent at the Gifford Station.
➢ Recreation
The County's comprehensive plan calls for 6.61 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents. At that rate, Gifford (with a population of just
over 5,800 residents) should have approximately 38 acres of public parks. In fact, Gifford has 44 acres of improved park land and
additional areas are planned for recreational improvements.
The Gifford Park Campus, at over 40 acres in size, is a Countywide resource located in Gifford. While it serves the entire County, its
location within Gifford ensures that the majority of its users are from Gifford. This park and its facilities exceed County standards
for Community Parks. To maintain that high level of service, minor improvements and continued maintenance of specific facilities
are needed and are being addressed by current park improvements (see Appendix B) as well as future planned improvements.
Neighborhood parks are defined as parks which are 2 to 5 acres in size, containing improvements such as swings, benches, tot lots,
fitness trails, and picnic areas. Like most areas in the unincorporated County, park development in Gifford has focused on
Community Parks, rather than Neighborhood Parks. Gifford has two 2-acre Neighborhood Parks (Hosie-Schumann Park and Martin
Luther King Jr. Park). Hosie-Schumann park is located next to the W.E. Geoffreys Subdivision, which is separated from the rest of
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➢ Sidewalks
Pedestrian and bicycle facilities in Gifford, as in most of the County, exist primarily along arterial and collector roads, rather than
along local roads. Even along arterial and collector roads, however, the sidewalk system in Gifford is not continuous and has gaps.
Those roads with insufficient sidewalks are identified in the MPO's Bicycle/Pedestrian Plan as needing sidewalks. County policy is
to develop sidewalks along major roads in conjunction with development projects. Currently, FDOT is funding 43rd Avenue
sidewalks from 41St Street to Airport West entrance. The portion of Old Dixie sidewalk south of 45th Street will be under
construction soon. Overall, there is a need for continuous sidewalks along 43rd Avenue, 41St Street, 45th Street, and 49th Street.
➢ Utilities
Throughout East, West, and Central Gifford, water and sewer lines are available for development. For potable water, Gifford is
served by the North and South County Reverse Osmosis Plants, which have sufficient capacity to serve the Gifford area. For
wastewater, Gifford is served by the Central County Wastewater Treatment Plant, which has sufficient capacity to serve the Gifford
area. These water and sewer systems can accommodate existing and future residential, commercial, and industrial development
throughout Gifford.
➢ Stormwater Management
In most of Gifford, the Indian River Farms Water Control District (IRFWCD) is responsible for the management and maintenance of
major ditches and canals that provide drainage outfall. Although some ditches are not regularly maintained, the stormwater
management system in Gifford is generally adequate to serve existing and projected development. Overall, the stormwater
management infrastructure of the IRFWCD is designed to prevent flooding in the case of the 25 year/24 hour storm. Local flooding
problems do exist, however, in certain low lying areas of Gifford that have insufficient or no outfall.
A small (43 acre) portion of East Gifford, lies outside the boundaries of the IRFWCD. In that area, a 3 year storm is sufficient to
cause flooding. For that reason, the County established the East Gifford Stormwater Watershed Area Municipal Service Benefit Unit.
Through grants and MSBU assessments, stormwater management facilities in East Gifford have been constructed and maintained.
Resulting improvements include swales and storm drain piping that collect and route stormwater into the large stormwater detention
pond at the NW corner of 41 st Street and the FEC railroad tracks. Those facilities are designed to prevent flooding in the case of the
25 year/24 hour storm, for the area served by the improvements.
For these reasons, the stormwater management infrastructure in Gifford is generally adequate. However, the stormwater management
ti system in East Gifford must be maintained, and where possible improved to provide adequate outfall for certain low lying areas.
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➢ Roads �
Most roads in Gifford are paved and generally in good condition although all County streets need to be continually evaluated for re-
surfacing. County traffic monitoring indicates that roads in Gifford have sufficient capacity to serve existing and projected
development. Overall, the existing grid system in and around Gifford effectively distributes traffic in a manner that reduces the
likelihood of any single road becoming congested. As shown in Appendix C, since 2004 55 roads in the Gifford area were paved or
resurfaced.
One problem in Gifford involves two roads, 32nd Avenue (north of 43`d Street) and 35th Avenue (north of 45th Street), that are in poor
condition and have no public right-of-way. Because those roads are not located within publicly owned rights-of-way, the County
does not have the right to improve or maintain them and does not do so. That type of situation is difficult to remedy, since a remedy
requires the coordination of all affected persons, dedication of rights-of-way, and funding of improvements and maintenance
activities.
In Gifford as well as elsewhere throughout the County, the County Traffic Engineering Division monitors the traffic volume and the
crash rates at major intersections. When warranted, intersections are programmed for improvement and signalization. Data from
2012 accident reports indicate that in Gifford, only 45th Street and US# 1 intersection had 4 or more accidents. That accident data
was a significant improvement for Gifford compared to 2000 report data that indicated 6 intersections with 4 or more accidents in
Gifford. Future signalization of major intersections along 58th Avenue should increase traffic safety and convenience.
Martin Luther King Boulevard (45th Street) Improvements
Beautification of 45th Street (Martine Luther King Boulevard) has been one of the main desires of Gifford residents. That roadway is
the Gifford community's "main street," an east-west collector road corridor that traverses the heart of Gifford and provides access to
a range of institutional, commercial and residential uses. In 2013, the County applied for and received a State Technical Assistance
Grant to develop a landscape/streetscape design for 45th Street between 43`d Avenue and US 1.
The landscape design project is currently being conducted with input and in coordination with County efforts to investigate street
lighting and additional improvements. Currently, the County was budgeted $350,000 for 45th Street landscaping, and more funding
may be appropriated.
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As transit system planners and service providers, the Metropolitan Planning Organization and Senior Resource Association may
continue to explore routes and times of service to provide increased home/work transportation for Gifford residents.
➢ Opportunities
Currently, several private non-profit organizations, as well as government and education agencies, are working to bring businesses to
Gifford and/or offer services intended to increase the employability of individuals. Those groups include the Indian River County
Chamber of Commerce, Indian River State College, the Indian River School District, the Workforce Development Solution, GROW
(Giving Rewarding Opportunities to Work), and others. Those groups work to match employers and potential employees. They also
work with employers to identify the types of skills that employers are looking for in employees. Finally, several of those groups
provide a wide range of technical and business training for Gifford residents and others. Programs run by these organizations address
many of the larger social issues that cause employment and income problems. Those programs, while effective, are limited in scope.
➢ Summary
Despite the fact that Gifford's central County location places it near several employment centers, Gifford residents have lower
incomes and higher unemployment than the County as a whole. This is likely more attributable to social forces, than to locally
controlled issues such as the provision of public facilities and services, or Gifford's land use pattern. Regardless, there is a need to
get Gifford residents into job and vocational training programs and to shape those programs in ways that will enable Gifford
residents to obtain better paying jobs or start-up businesses. In addition, Gifford residents should benefit from County-wide
development initiatives, and a public transit service that provide expanded hours of services between homes, jobs, and
education/vocational training facilities.
Infrastructure
Infrastructure in Gifford is generally adequate. This is largely due to improvements that have taken place during the last 30 years.
Several of those improvements have taken place as a result of implementing comprehensive plan policies for expanding centralized
water and sewer system or by utilizing various grant programs (e.g., expansion of water and sewer service). Nevertheless, several
areas in Gifford are still in need of infrastructure improvements.
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Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
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Young Age
One factor contributing to Gifford's lower income levels is the relatively young overall age of Gifford residents. Overall, the median
age of Gifford residents is 33.1 years old, while the median age County-wide is 49.1. Because younger workers generally earn less
than older workers, Gifford's workers are less likely to be in the higher earnings age range compared to the County as a whole.
Gifford's younger age can be an advantage, since younger workers are generally more flexible and more trainable then older
workers.
Low Educational Attainment
Another issue affecting unemployment and income is the relatively low overall educational attainment of Gifford residents. In
Gifford in 2010, the percentage of residents 25 years old or older who had graduated high school was 31%, while that percentage
was 86.3% for the County as a whole. Because, most higher earning non-service related jobs require a high school diploma, an
increase in Gifford's high school graduation rate should be a primary focus. Generally, incomes are higher and unemployment is
lower for high school graduates compared to non-graduates.
Overall Economy
Another issue related to low incomes and high unemployment involves the County-wide economy. Historically, the County-wide
economy has had an over-reliance on retail and service sector jobs. An over-reliance on those kinds of jobs can be a problem
because retail and service sector jobs tend to be lower paying. Increasing the number of higher paying jobs within the County will
help Gifford. Therefore, County economic development initiatives passed by the County should increase opportunities for Gifford
residents.
Small Business Start-up
A relative lack of successful small businesses and enabled entrepreneurs in Gifford is also cited as a reason for high unemployment.
Part of that problem is the difficulty of obtaining "start-up" funding for business projects, especially without adequate business plans
and equity.
Transportation
Despite being relatively close to several major employers, a lack of transportation to and from work is often cited as a serious
problem in Gifford. Given the lower overall income levels in Gifford and the high costs associated with automobile ownership, that
result is somewhat expected. Even when work is located relatively close to Gifford residents, work sites are usually not within
walking distance. The County's public transportation system, however, provides some home/work transportation relief for jobs
located in the eastern portion of the County. Until recently, the public transit system's time of service did not correspond with many
employment start and end times. Recently however, the transit system extended hours to range from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on most routes.
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Economic Develoument
One advantage of Gifford's central County location is its close proximity to several major employers such as Indian River Memorial
Hospital, Vero Beach Municipal Airport, Piper and various aviation-related businesses, Historic Dodger Town, the Indian River
Mall, Gateway Industrial Park, the County maintenance facility, a Florida Department of Transportation maintenance facility, and
several packinghouses. For that reason, Gifford appears to offer relatively easy access to several employment centers. In fact, no
other area of the County is as close to as many employment opportunities as Gifford. Despite that fact, Gifford residents have lower
median household and per capita incomes than the County as a whole.
Employment opportunities are continuing to increase in the Gifford area. With additional building occurring on the west part of the
airport,jobs are being created adjacent to Gifford's south boundary. Several industrial projects in or around Gifford can be expected
to create higher paying industrial jobs and provide employment opportunities for Gifford residents.
To take advantage of these employment opportunities, Gifford residents must have the skills necessary for the jobs. Currently,
several job training programs exist in Gifford. Even more so now than in the past, these efforts must be focused on the skills needed
for the jobs that will be created. Education, vocational and technical training, as well as job placement, are keys to getting better
paying jobs.
➢ Issues and Problems
Several factors appear to be related to Gifford's lower income and high un-employment rates. Some of those factors include lack of
investors, low high school graduation rate, low skill levels and access to jobs. Those factors are discussed in other sections of this
document. There are issues over which the County has some degree of control or influence, such as improved infrastructure and
certain transportation services. In contrast, the County has little control or influence over other factors such as lack of investors,
overall economy, high school graduation rate, vocational training, and access to better paying jobs, which relate to Gifford's lower
income and higher unemployment rates. Those factors are influenced by other agencies and organizations such as the School
District, Indian River State College, the Chamber of Commerce, and investors. Factors not significantly influenced by the County
are discussed below.
Vocational Training
Lack of vocational training contributes to high unemployment. In the past, there were insufficient opportunities for vocational and
technical training within reach of the Gifford community. However, currently Vero Beach and Sebastian high schools as well as
Indian River State College provide technical and vocational training programs for students and adults. Therefore, Gifford students
and adults need to be brought into those programs and programs need to be made accessible to, responsive to, and shaped for
Gifford residents.
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Even more effective, though, are efforts by community groups such as the Progressive Civic League of Gifford to encourage property
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maintenance. On-going property maintenance is the most cost effective way to preserve property values.
■ Increasing Home Ownership
One effective way to improve housing in a community is to increase homeownership. Generally, owners maintain their property
better and have more pride in their community than renters do. Currently, both the Habitat for Humanity program and the SHIP
program provide homeownership opportunities. Other programs are also available through local lenders. Probably the two issues
limiting homeownership the most are cost and credit. To address these issues, there must be a coordinated effort involving
government, non-profits, and local lenders.
■ Substandard Housing Projects
In the past, affordable housing in Gifford has been provided in part through subsidized housing projects. Those projects created 509
subsidized affordable housing units within the Gifford area or 22% of all subsidized housing project units in unincorporated Indian
River County. Community benefits from subsidized affordable housing units, however, need to be balanced by the fact that a
concentration of such projects may, itself, cause problems, such as the possibility of increased crime and bringing more low income
population into Gifford. Currently, there are no active applications proposing additional subsidized housing projects in Gifford.
■ Neighborhood Associations
Although the Progressive Civic League of Gifford functions as a representative of the Gifford community, there are not many
neighborhood associations in Gifford. These types of associations could facilitate communication within neighborhoods and between
neighborhoods. They could also coordinate "clean-ups", aid COPE and Code Enforcement, and generally look after local needs,
particularly in residential areas.
➢ Summary
Generally, Gifford's poor housing conditions are located in East Gifford and are, to a large degree, caused by absentee landlords and
low income owners that cannot afford to maintain their homes. To improve the housing situation, the County needs to coordinate
COPE and code enforcement efforts to focus on maintenance of residential buildings, especially on properties owned by absentee
landlords. To encourage home ownership, and improve housing conditions in Gifford, several programs need to be expanded. Those
programs include the SHIP Program, Habitat for Humanity, Every Dream has a Price, and the CDBG program, especially in East
Gifford.
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■ Rehabilitating Salvageable Structures
Many housing units in Gifford are deteriorated, but can be economically rehabilitated. Through the State Housing Initiatives
Partnership (SHIP) Program, the County has provided rehabilitation funding for 130 single-family units and 200 multi-family units
for low and very low income owner occupied residents in Gifford. Even with funding available, it is still challenging to get eligible
property owners to apply for funding. Through rehabilitation, the housing stock is being improved and preserved. Rehabilitation
efforts will continue, based on the decision of Habitat for Humanity to expand its housing rehabilitation efforts in East Gifford.
In the past, some Gifford residents have been relatively slow to take advantage of the SHIP Program. There are several reasons for
that lack of participation. The principal reason, however, seems to be a reluctance to encumber a residence with a lien as required by
the SHIP Program. That reluctance stems from a fear of potentially losing the residence as well as a general distrust of government
programs.
Regardless of those issues, it is clear that the participation of Gifford residents in the SHIP Program has been growing. To date,
almost 25% of all SHIP funds in the amount of over $3.1 million have been spent in Gifford. To increase participation of Gifford
residents in the SHIP program, groups and individuals that are trusted and respected in the community (e.g. churches and pastors) are
recruited to help "get the word out." In addition to increased public education activities, SHIP program staff conduct special
informational workshops for Gifford residents.
■ Constructing New Housing
During the past decade, 531 new single-family housing units were constructed in the Gifford (144 in East Gifford, 89 in Central
Gifford, and 298 in West Gifford). Over the past few years, however, Habitat for Humanity has initiated an aggressive sweat equity
housing construction program. With County SHIP funding assistance, Habitat has built housing and provided other services to its
clients. Habitat for Humanity built 141 units in the Gifford area. In the future, Habitat intends to build additional housing units and
also rehabilitate housing units in the Gifford area.
New housing construction not only provides safe, decent housing, it can also stimulate additional housing construction and enhance
community appearance.
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Maintaining New and Existing Residences
To ensure that a community does not deteriorate, housing stock needs to be adequately maintained. In Gifford, that means that
landlords need to maintain their rental units. One way to ensure that units are maintained is to increase code enforcement activities.
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Objective 6. IlleLyal Uses, Non-Conformities, and Land Use Compatibility
By 2017, all illegal uses in Gifford will have been eliminated, and by 2020 all non-conformities will be eliminated or upgraded to be
brought closer to compliance with current codes.
Action 6.1 —Each year, County Code Enforcement will coordinate with the Sheriff's Office, the Building Division, the Fire Division,
and the Health Department to target, plan, and conduct regular enforcement sweeps of suspected illegal uses (use violations) and
violations of environmental regulations in Gifford.
Action 6.2 — County Code Enforcement will initiate or assist in the initiation of appropriate enforcement action against identified
illegal uses.
Action 6.3 — County Code Enforcement will regularly monitor properties against which code enforcement action has been taken to
ensure on-going code compliance.
Action 6.4 — By 2014, the County will revise its Land Development Regulations (LDRs) to prohibit heavy industrial uses such as
sawmills, steel mills, textile mills, landfills, and cement manufacturing plants, to strictly regulate concrete batch plants and
demolition debris facilities, and to specially regulate new mulching operations and mulch operation expansions in the West Gifford
industrial area located between 43`d Avenue and 581h Avenue.
Action 6.5 - By 2015, the County will consider revising its Land Development Regulations (LDRs) to allow food and produce
vendors for weekend markets and special events in designated areas in Gifford, subject to special temporary use regulations.
INFRASTRUCTURE
Infrastructure Background and Strategy: Adequate infrastructure is important for every community. In the early
1980's in Gifford, most of the public streets were paved and a system of water and sewer lines were installed. Street
lighting and sidewalks exist along major roads, although some critical gaps exist. Drainage problems occur in some
areas. Maintenance of existing facilities is needed and there is also a need to construct additional infrastructure in
some areas. Most important is beautification of Gifford's "Main Street" (45th Street aka Martin Luther King Jr.
Boulevard), filling-in sidewalk gaps and gaps in street lighting coverage, road resurfacing, and targeted drainage
improvements. In most cases, the County is responsible for these activities. Some activities, such as road resurfacing,
are being undertaken on a regular basis according to a Countywide schedule. Other activities, such as 45" Street
beautification and sidewalk construction, involve special projects and sometimes special funding. Besides conducting
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Action 5.11 — Each year, the Progressive Civic League of Gifford and other organizations active in Gifford will host a community
meeting with School District staff, parents, and students, to identify ways to improve Gifford's student performance and high school
graduation rate.
Action 5.12—Each year, the Gifford Youth Activity Center (GYAC) will evaluate its computer usage by Gifford residents and ensure
that there are sufficient computers at the GYAC for all potential users.
Action 5.13: - The County and the Chamber will support continuation of the Enterprise Zone and educate Gifford residents and
businesses regarding the incentives available through the Enterprise Zone designation by holding at least one education meeting per
year in Gifford.
Action 5.14: - By 2015, the County will request that the Chamber consider providing chamber membership discounts for Gifford
businesses located within the Enterprise Zone.
ILLEGAL USES AND NON-CONFORMITIES LAND USE COMPATIBILITY
Land Use Compatibility, Illegal Uses and Non-Conformities Background and Strategy: To maintain the integrity of a
community, illegal land uses must be identified and eliminated and non-conformities must be eliminated or upgraded
and brought closer to compliance with current codes. In addition, codes must be periodically evaluated and sometimes
revised to adequately address compatibility. In Gifford, illegal rooming houses and bars disrupt neighborhoods,
reduce property values, and inhibit investment. It is important not only to remove those illegal uses, but also to
prevent their re-establishment. To eliminate illegal uses, address non-conformities, and address land use
incompatibilities, the County will use its regulatory authority. This will involve multi-agency sweeps, code
enforcement action, coordination with local community groups and organizations, evaluation and revision of codes
when warranted, and implementation of codes. To ensure compatibility with surrounding residential areas, the
County must apply and enforce its non-conformities regulations in Gifford, and complete the West Gifford Industry
and Commerce (WGIC) initiative to revise the list of permitted uses in the West Gifford industrial area and
implement those revised regulations. In addition, to promote and adequately regulate the return of a traditional use in
Gifford, the County will consider changing its zoning code to allow temporary fruit and vegetable sales, as well as food
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Action 5.1 - The County will promote appropriate commercial and industrial development by expediting review of permits for ae
commercial and industrial development in Gifford, and by applying for CDBG funds whenever possible to fund infrastructure and N
building improvements to serve commercial and industrial uses in Gifford. N
Action 5.2 —As the City of Vero Beach continues to promote industrial development on Airport property, the County will coordinate
with qualified businesses wanting to locate on airport property and provide economic development incentives for such businesses.
Action 5.3 - The Indian River County Chamber of Commerce will continue to promote Gifford as being part of the Enterprise Zone
and will encourage businesses to participate in job fair and job apprenticeship activities that serve Gifford.
Action 5.4:- The County will continue to provide businesses that expand or locate within the Enterprise Zone with a 10% bonus as
part of the County's job grant program. In addition, the County will continue to provide bonus scoring and associated increased
award amounts for tax abatement applications for businesses that expand or locate within the Enterprise Zone.
Action 5.5 - The County and Chamber will provide technical assistance to minority owned businesses in Gifford by helping business
owners and representatives apply for economic development funding from applicable local, County, state, and federal programs.
Action 5.6 — By 2015, the County will request that the School District and Indian River State College maintain and consider
expanding their technical/vocational programs offered to Gifford area residents.
Action 5.7 — The Career Source Mobile Unit recently has been and will continue to be set up at the Gifford Youth Activity Center at
least one day a week to assist Gifford residents in finding jobs, preparing resumes, and preparing for job interviews.
Action 5.8 — Each year, the Chamber in coordination with the Progressive Civic League of Gifford will host a job/apprenticeship fair
in Gifford. The County, the Progressive Civic League of Gifford, and the Chamber will contact and recruit local businesses to
participate in Gifford job/apprenticeship fairs.
Action 5.9 — By 2015, the County will request that the School District consider coordinating with the Gifford community regarding
the District's recruitment of minority teachers, the District's Zero Tolerance policies, and practices, and other school related issues of
interest to the District or residents.
Action 5.10 - At least once a year, the County will hold a procurement workshop in Gifford and encourage Gifford residents and
businesses to apply for available County jobs. At each workshop, the County will also present its minority recruitment policy and
conduct recruitment activities. The Progressive Civic League of Gifford will assist with informing residents of each workshop.
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Objective 4. Housing Ownership
By 2020, the number of owner occupied housing units in east Gifford will have been increased by 50 units.
Action 4.1 —At least once each year, County staff will coordinate with community leaders and meet with residents in east Gifford to
present information regarding the County's downpayment/closing cost loan assistance SHIP program.
Action 4.2— At least once each year, County staff will assist, and local financial institutions will host a housing fair in Gifford to
inform Gifford residents of available housing loan programs, to provide housing assistance information, and to provide personal
contact information.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT/ EMPLOYMENT/VOCATIONAL TRAINING
Economic Development/ EmploymentNocational Training Background and Strategv: One of the most significant issues
facing Gifford is unemployment and under-employment. Because unemployment and underemployment are contributors to
crime, poverty, poor housing conditions, and other problems, reducing unemployment and under employment can
significantly improve community conditions. Currently, areas adjacent to Gifford have some of the highest concentrations of
jobs in the County. To solve the unemployment and under employment problem in Gifford, more jobs need to be created. In
addition, Gifford residents must be better trained to qualify for jobs and be brought together with potential employers to
have good access to jobs. These solutions will require action by the County Chamber of Commerce with respect to job
creation, and the School Board, Indian River State College, and various work force agencies with respect to providing
vocational pathways and job training, and promoting commercial/industrial development within Gifford area.
Obiective 5. Economic Development/Employment/Technical Training
By 2020, Gifford's unemployment rate will be 2 percentage points lower than the five year average for 2007-2011 (11.10%) by
implementing the following actions. In addition, by 2020, the Community Disadvantage Index for Census Tract 503.02 (Gifford
area) will be lower than the current index of 10, by decreasing the percentage of persons below the federal poverty line and by
reducing the percentage of persons receiving public assistance such as food stamps, through the following actions that will lead to
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Action 2.4 — Each year, the County will target SHIP rehabilitation program efforts for Gifford residents, especially east Gifford
residents.
Action 2.5 — Each year, the County will coordinate with community leaders to identify Gifford residents interested in forming a
voluntary neighborhood association and will assist the residents in forming the association.
Action 2.6—At least twice a year, the Progressive Civic League of Gifford will organize community day clean ups in the Gifford area
and will coordinate with the County Solid Waste District which will provide dumpsters for each clean up day event.
Objective 3. Demolition or Repair of Dilapidated Housing Units and Unsafe Structures
By 2016, at least 10 dilapidated residential units or unsafe structures in east Gifford will have been demolished or repaired, and by
2020, at least 30 dilapidated residential units or unsafe structures in east Gifford will have been demolished or repaired.
Action 3.1 — In 2014, and each year thereafter through 2020, County Code Enforcement, in coordination with community leaders,
non-profit housing assistance organizations, the Health Department, and the Building Department, will identify 5 or more dilapidated
housing units or unsafe structures, notify the owners to fix or demolish the dilapidated units or unsafe structures, and initiate the
County's building condemnation and demolition process when appropriate. Generally, dilapidated wood houses will be demolished,
and concrete block houses will be rehabilitated whenever appropriate.
Action 3.2 — By 2015, County Code Enforcement, in coordination with the Building Division, will prepare and distribute to Gifford
residents and owners of rental properties in Gifford a user-friendly brochure regarding property maintenance rules and how to report
suspected maintenance violations to County Code Enforcement. In addition, the County will provide an informational link to the
information on the County's website.
Action 3.3 — By 2018, the County will apply for CDBG funds for demolition or repair of dilapidated housing units and unsafe
structures in the east Gifford area.
Action 3.4 — By 2015, the County will coordinate with community leaders and identify ways to stabilize post-demolition sites that
include weed-related nuisances through weed removal, weed-control, grass-seeding, or similar techniques performed as part of the
demolition project, and will include such techniques as part of demolition project scopes of work, where appropriate.
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HOUSING
Housing Background and Strategy: One of the most significant and most visible problems in Gifford is poor housing
conditions, especially in the east Gifford area. To address that issue, the County, the Progressive Civic League of
Gifford, Gifford residents, non-profit groups, and private sector interests will need to support or engage in the
rehabilitation of substandard housing units, remove dilapidated units and unsafe structures, and build new housing.
As part of that effort, the County's role will be to provide state and local funds for housing rehabilitation and new
construction, to undertake or support housing rehabilitation with federal funds, to remove dilapidated housing and
unsafe structures using local and other funds, and to assist in establishing viable neighborhood associations to promote
property maintenance and address neighborhood issues. Non-profit organizations, such as Habitat for Humanity
Every Dream Has a Price, and any other recognized housing agency or provider will need to continue building new
homes and rehabilitating existing homes in Gifford and providing pre and post construction mentoring to their clients.
In that effort, community groups, particularly the Progressive Civic League of Gifford, have a vital role. Those
groups need to inform Gifford residents of the various local, state, and non-profit group programs available for
housing ownership and/or rehabilitation, encourage residents to participate in those programs, and bring together
residents and providers of housing assistance.
Objective 2. Housing Rehabilitation/Property Maintenance
By 2018, at least 100 substandard residential units in east Gifford will have been rehabilitated.
Action 2.1 — By 2016, the County will apply for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to rehabilitate 20 or more
substandard housing units in the east Gifford area.
Action 2.2—By 2016, the County will commit up to $250,000 of SHIP funds as a match for CDBG funds.
Action 2.3 — Each year, the County will coordinate with community leaders and, through Gifford civic organizations and places of
worship, distribute SHIP program informational packages that provide information regarding the County's rehabilitation assistance
program to Gifford residents.
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Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
COMMUNICATION & COORDINATION
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Communication and Coordination Background and Strategy: Currently, the County has a general policy of \
maintaining good, reliable, and on-going communication with Gifford residents and interested parties regarding
County-related plans and activities that affect the Gifford area. The County needs to formalize and expand that
general policy by maintaining existing communication/coordination procedures and by broadening information access
and input opportunities for Gifford residents and interested parties with respect to County activities that affect the
Gifford area, and by incorporating those procedures and opportunities into this plan.
Obiective 1. Communication and Coordination
By 2015, an enhanced communication and coordination process will be in place regarding County activities that affect the Gifford
area.
Action 1.1: The County will maintain and continually update its "Gifford Interested Parties" e-mail group, and will add any party that
requests to be added to that e-mail group.
Action 1.2: The County will notify by e-mail every party on the "Gifford Interested Parties" e-mail group of any application for a
proposed development project in the Gifford area scheduled for review by the County's Technical Review Committee, Planning and
Zoning Commission, and Board of County Commissioners.
Action 1.3: The County will maintain a"Gifford" informational link on its website (www.irccdd.com), including items such as this
plan, reports on major projects and development proposals in Gifford, and "report card"presentations (see action 1.5 below).
Action 1.4: The County will hold an information and input meeting in Gifford for any significant development regulation initiative in
Gifford and for any significant proposed County project within Gifford, including roadway and intersection expansions, major parks
and beautification projects, and new County buildings and community facilities. The County will invite any applicant proposing a
significant land use or zoning change in Gifford to conduct a presentation and input meeting in Gifford, with County staff in
attendance.
Action 1.5: Each year, through 2020, the County Planning Division will provide a Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014 action
plan/implementation plan "report card" to the Progressive Civic League of Gifford and will present the report card to the Board of
County Commissioners at a Board of County Commissioners meeting.
Community Development Indian River County 68
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
NEIGHBORHOOD ACTION PLAN
The neighborhood action plan component of the Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014 identifies plan goals, strategies to achieve each
goal, and actions to be taken to implement the plan. As structured, the plan is results oriented, with specific actions programmed for
implementation.
Gifford Neighborhood Plan Goal
The goal of the Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014 is to revitalize the Gifford area as a safe community, maintaining its
traditions ("Gifford Forever"), with good quality housing, adequate physical infrastructure, well maintained neighborhoods
and public spaces, sufficient economic opportunities, and vibrant community activities.
Gifford Neighborhood Plan Strategies
For each major issue identified in the Analysis Section of this plan, an overall strategy has been developed. Each strategy provides a
blueprint for addressing the issue, solving identified problems, and pursuing desired opportunities. Associated with each strategy are
objectives and actions.
While the strategies establish the general framework for addressing each issue, objectives associated with each strategy set reasonable
accomplishments to be met by specified time frames. Related to each objective are actions to be undertaken by appropriate parties.
Those actions, when undertaken, should lead to accomplishment of the objectives.
Because the Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014 is a coordinated effort among a number of groups, there are several
agencies/organizations with responsibility for taking actions identified in the plan. Only through the coordinated efforts of these
agencies/organizations can the plan's objectives be met.
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Categories/Issues Number of Votes N
(priorities) N
9. Boat Ramp on 451—pave road 4 �
10. Implement Ball Park Improvements—Dugouts, lighting, little league agreement,playground equipment 15
11. Maintain/Level Sidewalks and Trails 10
Economic Development/Employment Education/Vocational Training
1. Revise school Zero Tolerance Policy/Practice 17
2. Provide More Role Models for African-American Students in the Classroom 6
3.Apply Uniform Standards to all Groups of Students(and Provide Adequate Resources to Improve Performance Standards 7
4. Don't Overmedicate Kids to Address Behavior Issues 9
5. School District to Better Explain New Curriculum to Parents 5
6. Partner with Business Community for Apprenticeships and Internships 12
7. Youth Connections Partner with GYAC once a week for job/career Coaching 5
8. Provide Computers for the Youth Center 3
9. Workforce Solutions Mobile Unit at the GYAC once a week 6
10. Chamber of Commerce Should Offer Assistance for Minority Owned Business 16
11. Recruit Businesses that Provide On the Job Training 7
12. County Should Offer Procurement Workshops and Use Pre-bid Conferences 10
13. Minority recruitment of Teachers 38
14. Hire Community Residents to Beautify Community 18
Based on the items and priorities that emerged from the October 2013 community meeting, input from a March 2014 community
meeting on the 45th Street beautification project, input from community leaders, input from a June 2014 final community meeting,
and based on the data and analysis reflected in this plan, staff developed a Neighborhood Action Plan. That action plan is the next
section of this plan.
Community Development Indian River County 66
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
Categories/Issues Number of Votes
(priorities)
3.Prohibit concrete plants,demolition debris facilities, and new mulching operations in West Gifford industrial area. Allow 12
existing mulching operation to continue.
4. Redevelop vacant part of old landfill with recreational/park use if environmentally safe. Provide community outdoor 11
marketplace: vendors,flea market
Safety/Crime Prevention/Law Enforcement/Code Enforcement
1. Make Funding Available for Restoration of Structures(v demolition) 2
2. Make Funding for Repairs(v. demolition) 2
3. Establish Safe Gathering Places for Small Children in Neighborhoods 5
4. Create Tax Incentives for Allowed Public Use of Private Property(such as play areas) 1
5. Make Enforcement Against Non-Homestead Property a Priority(homestead v.rental/non-homestead) 1
6. Improve Lighting With Surplus Funds or Refund 2
7.Hold Willful Landowners Accountable for Recurring Illegal Activity on Property 0
8. Educate Community About County Regulations 0
9."Children to school in the AM to Jail in the PM" 1
(SRO should be more tolerant v. zero tolerance with juvenile justice)
10.Review Juvenile Justice Statistics for Equity of Enforcement 0
11.Involve Other Agencies Besides Sheriff's Office in Regular Community Meetings 1
12. Get Owners More Involved 1
13. Hold Periodic Community Day Clean Ups 2
14. Locate Dum sters Temporarily at Non-Obtrusive Locations for Periodic Community Clean-ups 5
15. Enforce County Regulations With some Discretion- situational(i.e. widow, disabled) 1
16. Organize/use/Credit Volunteer Hours for Clean-up(kids within guidelines-High schoolers,or people onprobation) 2
17. Identify Priority Properties for Clean-up 0
18.Prioritize problem Areas for Focused Code Enforcement 0
19. Educate Citizens/Enforce Against Junk Cars in Yard,Not Repairable,Non-Registered vehicles 0
20. Increase Enforcement Against Loud Music after 10 p.m. (or anytime) 22
21. Improve Lighting at 4155/32"d,491 Street 8
Infrastructure/Trans ortation/Draina e/Recreation
1. Fix potholes at source-resurface or rebuild roads 7
2. Inventory Drainage System and Clean and Maintain Where Needed 8
3. Discuss right-of-way for sidewalk with property owners(4511i,4911'Avenue) 5
4. Discuss curbing and sidewalk options with drainage districts 1
5. Safety Barriers at Canals-reflectors, speed bumps,ruble strips, curbs 6
6. Facelift for 451 Street-Paver crossings, landscaping 25
7. School zone safety,more signs, stand-up signs 10
N 8.Turn Lanes/3 lane 45111 Street 2
v Community Development Indian River County 65
4
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
N
October 2013 Community Meeting
At the second community meeting held in October, 2013, the (80-100) residents who attended were divided into five break-out
groups to discuss and provide input on the following issues:
• Land Use/Zoning/Development/Illegal and Nonconforming Uses/Communication
• Infrastructure/Transportation/Drainage/Recreation
• Safety/Crime Prevention/Law Enforcement/Code Enforcement
• Housing/Property Maintenance
• Economic Development/Employment/EducationNocational Training
Each group discussed and developed a set of potential solutions and opportunities to address problems related to the applicable
topics that were originally identified at the July 2013 community meeting. After the break-out groups concluded and presented their
work, the entire assembly prioritized solutions identified by each group. Priorities were expressed by a limited number of"votes"
(dots) given to each meeting participant. Each participant put his or her dots next to solutions and/or opportunities he or she felt were
most important. Following is a list of potential solutions and opportunities identified and priority given to each item solution
developed at the October 2013 community meeting by the Gifford residents.
Table 11 —List of Community's Priorities
Categories/Issues Number of Votes
(priorities)
Housing and Property Maintenance
1. Identify owners of abandoned homes to fix or demolish 14
2. Increase code enforcement and building code enforcement 31
3. Review current rules and regulations to expedite enforcement processes 4
4. Create neighborhood associations 2
5. Increase staff for code enforcement 1
6. Provide residents with simplified information of what the rules and regulations are regarding property maintenance and how 21
to report violations
Land Use/Zonin /Develo ment/Ille al and Nonconforming Uses/Communication
1. Provide an area for food and produce vendors for a weekend market(Thursday-Sunday) 17
2. Providespecial notice/and buffers when an industrial development is proposed next to residential 4
Community Development Indian River County 64
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
81. Need continued involvement of Progressive Civic League in the plan update process and implementation
82. Funds for Gifford;need easy availability of accounting information:where are funds spent? Compare to Wabasso
83. Need job opportunities and incentives for returning students/former residents to Gifford
84. Program to get train ing/education/transition skills for those incarcerated and then returned to the community
85. Need more vocational training to assist our youth in being productive citizens
86. Need a rehab facility to support prisoners and drug addicts to reform then to get back into society and be productive
87. Ensure Gifford name will not change to North Vero,etc.
88. Increase Gifford high school graduation rate:if rate improves,then that alone plays an important role in the development and advancement of Gifford
89. Have someone from education be a part of this panel
90. Add my name to pre-application and corridor requirement notices
91. We need more robust involvement with School Board,Chamber of Commerce,SBA,and Habitat for Humanity to create economic prosperity: these are not technically under the County
92. The education of students in the Gifford community is at an all time low. They need help. Economic development cannot improve if they continue at the bottom of the pile
93. PAL system:County helping local businesses to expand
94. What is the high school drop out rate?How many are in vocational programs?How many are prepared for college?What training and enrichment programs are available for the children?
95. Where did the money that was allocated to Gifford go to?
Comment Card Comments
96. Can Gifford become a Township? If yes,what's the tax base for Gifford and estimated receipts for the year?
97. What is the budget or dollar amount for Gifford community
98. Who is the contact person for people of Gifford?
99. Can we affirm the action we want to work in the community and help make it look good and function good,help us do that please
100.African American County employees,city employees
After the July 2013 kick-off meeting, the Progressive Civic League of Gifford held seven public evening meetings in Gifford on a
variety of topics to provide information to residents and receive input from residents. Various County staff and representatives from
various agencies and organizations attended those meetings.
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Action Type of Action Responsibility Timing Capital
Expenditure
11.6 Monitor Culverts/Ditches and Report Problems Progressive Civic League of Ongoing No
Gifford/IRFWCD
11.7 Develop Scope for Culverting Canal on South Side Public Works/IRFWCD 2017 No
of 45th Street
11.8 Identify Appropriate Safety Barriers At Canals Public Works/IRFWCD 2017 No
12.1 Develop a Plan for Street Lighting Public Works/PCLG 2015 No
12.2 Improve Street Lighting at 41 st Street/32nd Public Works 2016 Yes
Avenue Intersection, and 49th Street
13.1 Make Improvements at Hosie-Schumann Park Parks Division 2015 Yes
13.2 Make Improvements at Gifford Park Public Works 2016 Yes
13.3 Maintain a Security Unit at Gifford Park Parks Division Ongoing No
13.4 Maintain Gifford Park Ballfield Parks Division Ongoing No
13.5 Maintain, Replace, and Repair Gifford Park and Parks Division Ongoing No
Hosie Schumann Park Playground Equipment
13.6 Design Redevelopment Plan for Old Landfill Site Public Works 2016 No
13.7 Ensure Safety of Parks and Schools Sheriff's Office/School 2016 No
District/Residents/PCLG
13.8 Evaluate and Consider Feasibility of Boat Ramp at Public Works/County 2018 No
Gifford Dock Park
13.9 Apply for Grant for Trail at Martin Luther King MPO, Health Department 2014 No
Park
14.1 Consider Community Redevelopment Agency County Attorney's Office 2016 No
(CRA) or Tax Increment Financing
14.2 Consider Safe Neighborhood Improvement County Attorney's Office 2016 No
Districts
14.3 Apply for Transportation Alternatives Funds Public Works 2015 No
14.4 Apply for Recreation Development Assistance Parks Division 2015 No
Program Grants (FRDAP)
14.5 Implement Stormwater Project in East Gifford Public Works 2019 Yes
15.1 Allocate Law Enforcement Resources Sheriff s Office Ongoing No
15.2 Concentrate Code Enforcement on sites With Code Enforcement Ongoing No
Code Violations Contributing to Crime
Community Development Indian River County 86
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
Action Type of Action Responsibility Timing Capital
Ex enditure
7.3 Repair and Connect Sidewalk along 45th Street, Public Works 2017 Yes
from 58th Avenue to U.S. #1
7.4 Provide Sidewalks along 41" Street and 491h Street Public Works 2024 Yes
8.1 Monitor Street Conditions Road and Bridge Ongoing No
8.2 Repair or Resurface Publicly Dedicated Roads Road and Bridge Ongoing Yes
8.3 Resurface 45th Street East of 43`d Avenue Public Works 2020 Yes
8.4 Repair Potholes on Publicly Dedicated Streets Public Works Ongoing Yes
8.5 Seek Right of Way Donations Progressive Civic League of Gifford 2016 No
8.6 Pave 32nd Avenue North of 43`d Street and 35th Public Works 2020 Yes
Avenue North of 45th Street
9.1 Design Improvements and Beautification for 45th Public Works/Planning 2014 Yes
Street
9.2 Improve and Beautify 45th Street from U.S. #1 to Public Works 2016 Yes
43`d Avenue
9.3 Improve and Beautify 45th Street with Partial Public Works 2018 Yes
Culverting and Landscaping (Phase 2)
9.4 Coordinate with Owners on ROW or easement for PCLG 2015 No
45th Street Beautification
10.1 Monitor Traffic Volumes and Accident Rates Traffic Engineering Ongoing No
10.2 Signalize 58th Avenue/45th Street and 58th Avenue Public Works 2018 Yes
and 49th Street
10.3 Identify Appropriate School Zone Safety School District/County 2016 No
Improvements
11.1 Identify all Neighborhood with Drainage Problems Public Works 2018 No
11.2 Maintain Stormwater System, Build Outfalls for Public Works 2019 Yes
the east Gifford area to 41St Street retention pond
11.3 Maintain Canals IRFWCD Ongoing No
11.4 Coordinate with IRFWCD Stormwater Facilities Public Works/IRFWCD Ongoing No
r
11.5 Monitor Stormwater Facilities and Report Issues Progressive Civic League of Ongoing No
t� Gifford/Residents
`D Community Development Indian River County 85
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Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
�o
Action Type of Action Responsibility Timing Capital
Expenditure N
in Gifford
5.2 Provide Incentives to Businesses That Want to Vero Beach/Private Developers Ongoing No
Locate at Airport Property
5.3 Attract Business to Gifford (Enterprise Zone) Chamber of Commerce Ongoing No
5.4 Provide Incentives to Businesses Locating Within County/Chamber of Commerce Ongoing No
Enterprise Zone
5.5 Provide Technical Assistance to Minority County/Chamber of Commerce Ongoing No
Businesses
5.6 Request Vocational Training Expansion County/School Board/IRSC 2015 No
5.7 Set up Career Source Mobile Unit in Gifford Career Source/PCLG Ongoing No
5.8 Hold Annual Job/Apprenticeship Fair Chamber of Commerce/PCLG Ongoing No
5.9 Request Coordination on Minority Teachers School District/PCLG 2015 No
Recruitment, Zero Tolerance Policy, Other School
Related Issues
5.10 Hold Procurement Workshops in Gifford County Ongoing No
5.11 Host Community Meeting with School District PCLG/School Board Ongoing No
Staff
5.12 Ensure Availability of Computers to Community Gifford Youth Activity Center Ongoing Yes
5.13 Educate Residents Regarding Enterprise Zone Chamber of Commerce/County Ongoing No
5.14 Provide Chamber Membership Discounts Chamber of Commerce 2015 No
6.1 Conduct Code Enforcement Sweeps Code Enforcement/Sheriff s Ongoing No
Office/Health Department
6.2 Conduct Code Enf. Action Against Illegal Uses Code Enforcement Ongoing No
6.3 Conduct Code Enforcement Monitoring Code Enforcement Ongoing No
6.4 Revise LDRs Prohibiting Specific Industrial Planning 5/13/2014 No
Operations in West Gifford Area
6.5 Revise LDRs to Allow Food/Produce Vendors on Planning 2015 No
Weekends in Designated Areas
7.1 Determine Funding Opportunities for Sidewalks MPO Ongoing No
7.2 Repair and Connect Sidewalks Along 43rd Ave Public Works 2018 Yes
between 41" and 49th Street
Community Development Indian River County 84
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
TABLE 12
GIFFORD NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN
IMPLEMENTATION MATRIX
All Actions by Action Number
Action Type of Action Responsibility Timing Capital
Expenditure
1.1 Maintain Gifford Interested Parties E-mail List Planning Ongoing No
1.2 Notify Interested Parties of Any Applications Planning Ongoing No
1.3 Maintain Gifford Information link on County Planning Ongoing No
Website
1.4 Conduct Information/Input Meetings for County Planning Ongoing No
Projects in Gifford
1.5 Present Annual GNP Actions Report Card Planning/Public Works Ongoing No
2.1 Apply for CDBG Grant for Rehabilitating Planning 2016 No
Substandard Housing Units
2.2 Commit SHIP Funds for Housing Rehabilitation Planning 2016 No
2.3 Distribute SHIP Information Package Planning Ongoing No
2.4 Target SHIP Rehabilitation Assistance for East Planning Ongoing No
Gifford
2.5 Assist with forming Neighborhood Association Planning/Progressive Civic League of Ongoing No
(Property Maintenance) Gifford (PCLG)
2.6 Organize Community Day Cleanups PCLG Ongoing No
3.1 Identify Dilapidated Housing Units to be Fixed or Code Enforcement/PCLG 2014 No
Demolished in Gifford
3.2 Develop and Distribute user friendly Brochure for Code Enforcement/Building Division 2015 No
Property Maintenance and Code Enforcement
3.3 Demolish and Replace Unsafe and Dilapidated Planning 2018 Yes (CDBG)
Units in Gifford with CDBG Funds
3.4 Identify Ways to Stabilize Post Demolition Sites Planning/Building 2015 No
4.1 Present Housing Information to Gifford Residents Planning Ongoing No
ti 4.2 Host Housing Fair County/Financial Inst./PCLG Ongoing No
n' 5.1 Promote Commercial and Industrial Development Private Developers Ongoing No
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Community Development Indian River County 83
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014 �p
IMPLEMENTATION N
An important part of any plan is its implementation. Implementation involves execution of a plan's identified actions. It involves
taking actions and achieving results.
For the Gifford Neighborhood Plan, implementation involves various activities. While some of these actions will be ongoing, others
are activities that will be taken by certain points in time. For each action in this plan, Table 12 identifies the type of action required,
the responsible entity for taking the action, the timing, and whether or not the action necessitates a capital expenditure.
Overall plan implementation responsibility will rest with the County planning division. Besides its responsibilities as identified in
Table 12, the County planning department has the additional responsibility of ensuring that other entities discharge their
responsibilities. This will entail notifying other applicable departments of capital expenditures to be included in their budgets,
notifying other departments and groups of actions that must be taken and assisting other departments and agencies in their plan
implementation responsibilities.
Community Development Indian River County 82
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
CRIME PREVENTION AND LAW ENFORCEMENT
Crime Prevention Background Strategy: Reducing Gifford's crime rate is an important component in achieving the overall
plan goal. Like most community issues, crime reduction requires coordinated action by various groups and agencies. While
many of this plan's strategies including code enforcement, infrastructure improvements, and improved street lighting, may
help reduce the crime rate, there is still a need for coordinated, targeted, and sustained crime-prevention actions. Those
efforts will involve the Sheriffs Office maintaining its current level of resource commitment to the Gifford area, the County
coordinating and continuing its code enforcement activities, and residents cooperating with law and code enforcement
agencies.
Objective 15. Crime Prevention and Law Enforcement
By 2018, the crime rate in Gifford will be ten percent lower than 2013 levels.
Action 15.1 — Each year through 2020, the Sheriff's Office will maintain its current level of resource allocation for law enforcement
in Gifford.
Action 15.2 — Each year through 2020, the County will coordinate with the Sheriff's Office in order to focus code enforcement
activities on sites with code violations which contribute to or have the potential to contribute to Gifford's crime rate.
Action 15.3 - The Sheriff's Office will enforce all posted speed limits in Gifford.
Action 15.4 - The Sheriffs Office will conduct enforcement actions against noise, including loud music that violates codes, drug
dealing, and traffic violations.
Action 15.5 —Each year through 2020, County Code Enforcement staff will attend one or more COPE meetings as needed in order to
coordinate code enforcement efforts with the Sheriff s Office.
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Community Development Indian River County 81
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
Action 13.8 — B 2018 the Public Works Department will stud th
By p y e feasibility of constructing a boat ramp at Gifford Dock Park and
report its findings to the Board of County Commissioners and the Progressive Civic League of Gifford.
Action 13.9 — By 2014, the County/MPO will apply for state funding to build a walking trail at the Martin Luther King Park, and the
County will commit local matching funds necessary for the state funding application.
Obiective 14. Funding
By 2017, there will be multiple dedicated funding sources in place to fund infrastructure improvements in the Gifford area.
Action 14.1 — By 2016, the County will consider establishing a Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) district or a tax
increment financing mechanism in an area within Gifford to promote economic and community development.
Action 14.2 —By 2016, the County will consider establishing in Gifford a Safe Neighborhood Improvement District(state authorized
program) to reduce crime through innovative design techniques and improvements, and to apply for associated funding.
Action 14.3 — By 2015, the County Public Works Department will apply for funding from Moving Ahead for Progress for the 21St
Century Transportation Alternatives or other appropriate programs such as MAP-21 for bus stops, bike lanes, sidewalks, and traffic
calming improvements in the Gifford area where adequate right-of-way exists.
Action 14.4 — By 2015, the County Parks Division will apply for Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program (FRDAP)
grants for maintaining and improving parks within the Gifford area.
Action 14.5 — By 2019, the County's Public Works Department will utilize funds from the Municipal Service Benefit Unit East
Gifford Stormwater Watershed Area for an additional stormwater improvement project, such as outfall ditches from low-lying areas
to the 41St Street retention pond, for that area of Gifford that is not under the authority of a water control district. [Relates to Action
11.2]
Community Development Indian River County 80
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
Action 12.1 — By 2015, the County's Public Works Department will meet with the Progressive Civic League of Gifford and Gifford
residents and will develop a plan for enhanced street lighting in Gifford, the cost of which will be paid through the Gifford street
lighting district.
Action 12.2 —By 2016, as requested by Gifford residents, the County's Public Works Department will coordinate with street lighting
providers to provide street lighting at 41St Street/32nd Avenue, along 49th Street from 58th Avenue to U.S. Highway#1, and any other
street lighting improvements identified in the Action 12.1 street lighting plan for which adequate funding has been obtained.
Objective 13. Park Improvements
By 2016, parks and public places in Gifford will be improved to increase opportunities for recreational and community activities for
Gifford residents, and by 2018, the County will consider the feasibility of building a boat ramp at Gifford Dock park.
Action 13.1 —By 2015, the Parks Division will clean and remove debris, trim Australian pine trees, repaint picnic tables and benches,
clean and enhance picnic areas, clean and repair playground equipment, and repaint and change nets at basketball courts in the Hosie-
Schumann Park, and by 2016, the Parks Division will build or schedule for construction a pavilion in the Hosie-Schumann park.
Action 13.2 — By 2016, the Parks Division will improve the football field, the senior league baseball field, and the little league field
by adding topsoil, grade and sprigged fields with Bermuda grass, additional irrigation, a new score board, concession stand upgrades
and other improvements within Gifford Park. Parks Division also will install security lights from the park entrance to little league
field.
Action 13.3 - The Parks Division and Sheriff s Office will maintain a Sheriff s Office security unit at Gifford Park, as needed.
Action 13.4—The Parks Division will maintain the Gifford park ball fields play area, dugout, and lighting on an on-going basis.
Action 13.5 — The Parks Division will maintain, replace, and repair playground equipment, as needed, in Gifford park and Hosie
Schumann park.
Action 13.6 — By 2016, the County will prepare plans, seek FDEP/EPA approval, and seek funding for redevelopment of the 41"
Street Old Landfill Site for community and/or recreational uses.
�. Action 13.7- By 2016, the Progressive Civic League of Gifford will invite representatives from the County Parks and Recreation
Division, the Sheriffs Office, and the School District, along with residents to a meeting in Gifford to develop specific actions and
�P assigned responsibilities for each action to ensure that parks and schools are safe for small children.
Community Development Indian River County 79
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
Department will build ditches, canals, or other similar means that provide outfall from the subject area to the 41" Street retention 4�
pond. [Relates to Action 14.5]
Action 11.3 — Each year, the Indian River Farms Water Control District (IRFWCD) will continue to maintain its canals and drainage
system within the Gifford area.
Action 11.4 — Each year, the County's Public Works Department will share its list of locations with drainage problems with the
Indian River Farms Water Control District (IRFWCD) and request any appropriate District maintenance activities or improvements
needed to address drainage problems.
Action 11.5 — Each year, the Progressive Civic League of Gifford will encourage Gifford residents to monitor all canals and
stormwater facilities within Gifford and report any dumping of grass clippings or other debris into stormwater management facilities
to Code Enforcement and to the Progressive Civic League of Gifford. Planning Division staff will provide updated Code
Enforcement contact information to Gifford residents.
Action 11.6 — Each year, the Progressive Civic League of Gifford will encourage residents to notify the County Public Works
Department and IRFWCD of clogged culverts or slow moving water in ditches. Planning Division staff will provide updated County
Public Works and IRFWCD contact information to Gifford residents.
Action 11.7—By 2017, the County Public Works Department will coordinate with the Indian River Farms Water Control District and
develop a scope of work for culverting the canal on the south side of 45th Street, east of 43rd Avenue, in segments and as a whole
project. In addition, after a scope of work for culverting is developed, the County and MPO will seek funding for culverting
improvements.
Action 11.8 — By 2017, the County's Public Works Department will coordinate with the Indian River Farms Water Control District
(IRFWCD), identify any appropriate safety barriers along canals in Gifford that are warranted by accident data and that the District
will allow, and report its findings to the Board of County Commissioners and the Progressive Civic League of Gifford. Findings shall
include an evaluation of culverting improvements associated with Action 9.3.
Objective 12. Street Lighting
By 2017, major streets within Gifford will have streetlighting without any gaps in lighting coverage.
Community Development Indian River County 78
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
• Culverting certain portions of the canal on the south side of 45th Street
• Landscaping improvements along the south side of 45th Street in the culverted areas, where appropriate
Action 9.4 — By 2015, the County will seek any needed right-of-way or easement with assistance from the Progressive Civic League
of Gifford from property owners along 45th Street necessary for the 45th Street beautification project east of 43rd Avenue and for 45th
Street sidewalk improvements west of 43rd Avenue.
Obiective 10. Traffic/Safety Improvements
By 2020, traffic safety improvements in Gifford will be identified and completed, and by 2016 appropriate school safety
improvements at Gifford Middle School will be identified.
Action 10.1 — In 2015, 2017, and 2019, the County Traffic Engineering Division will monitor traffic volumes and crash rates of all
major intersections in Gifford. When warrants are met, a schedule will be developed for signalization. Each report, along with any
schedule, will be provided to the Board of County Commissioners and to the Progressive Civic League of Gifford.
Action 10.2 — By 2018, the County will signalize and/or improve the 58th Avenue/45th Street and 58th Avenue 49th Street
intersections, if adequate right-of-way has been obtained. The Progressive Civic League of Gifford will assist the County during the
right-of-way acquisition process.
Action 10.3 - By 2016, the County will coordinate with the School District to identify appropriate school zone safety improvements
such as improved signing and school drop-off and pick up area improvements at Gifford Middle School, and will coordinate with the
District on providing identified improvements in a timely manner.
Obiective 11. Drainage Improvements
By 2020, there will be adequate drainage systems in Gifford neighborhoods to handle a 10 year/24 hour storm event, where adequate
outfall can be obtained.
Action 11.1 — By 2018, the County Public Works Department will identify all neighborhood drainage system problems in Gifford,
evaluate potential solutions, and report its findings to the Progressive Civic League and the Board of County Commissioners.
r
!" Action 11.2 — Each year, the County's Public Works Department will maintain the stormwater management system that serves the
portion of east Gifford which is not part of the Indian River Farms Water Control District (IRFWCD). By 2019, the Public Works
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O
Action 8.2 — Each year, the County Road and Bridge Division will repair or resurface any publicly dedicated street in Gifford with a
ranking of 5. Priority will be given to resurfacing 34th Avenue north of 45th Street. N
Action 8.3 —By 2020, the County Public Works Department will resurface 45th Street from U.S. #1 to 43`d Avenue.
Action 8.4 — On an on-going basis, the County Road and Bridge Division will investigate all pothole complaints and fix potholes on
publically dedicated streets in Gifford.
Action 8.5 —By 2016, the Progressive Civic League of Gifford will coordinate with property owners along 32nd Avenue north of 43rd
Street, and 35th Avenue north of 45th Street, to obtain commitments for right-of-way donations so that those roads can be considered
for dedication to and acceptance by the County for improvement and maintenance.
Action 8.6 — By 2020, the County Public Works Department will pave 32nd Avenue north of 43`d Street, and 35th Avenue north of
45th Street if needed rights-of-way are donated to and accepted by the County and adequate funding for paving has been obtained.
Objective 9. 45th Street "Main Street" Beautification and Improvements
By 2020, 45th Street will be improved and beautified as Gifford's "Main Street".
Action 9.1 — By 2014, the County will design a phased improvement and beautification plan for 45th Street between 43`d Avenue and
U.S. #1, with input from Gifford residents at a community meeting in Gifford.
Action 9.2 — By 2016, the County will improve and beautify the segment of 45th Street from 43`d Avenue to U.S. #1 with "Phase 1"
improvements consisting of the following:
• Widened shoulders/bike lanes (both sides of 45th Street)
• Street lights, as needed, to fill-in street lighting coverage gaps
• Curbing improvements along certain portions of the north side of 45th Street
• Re-surfaced side street approaches on the north side of 45th Street, where appropriate
• Hardscape and landscaping improvements along certain portions of the north side of 45th Street
• Westbound right turn lane at 28th Court
Action 9.3 — By 2018, the County will improve and beautify the segment of 45th Street from 43`d Avenue to U.S. #1 with "Phase 2"
improvements consisting of the following:
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maintenance activities, the County will provide various infrastructure improvements and enhancements that serve the
Gifford community.
Obiective 7. Sidewalk Improvements
By 2017, there will be continuous sidewalks in place along 45th Street, from 43`d Avenue to U.S. #1 and by 2021 along 45th Street
from 43`d Avenue to 58th Avenue, and by 2021 along 43`d Avenue from 491h Street to 26th Street/Aviation Boulevard, and by 2024
along 41st Street and 491h Street from 58th Avenue to U.S. #1.
Action 7.1 — Each year, through 2020, the MPO will determine if any funding opportunities are available for sidewalks and trails in
the Gifford area, and will apply for any available funds. The MPO will notify the Progressive Civic League of Gifford of potential
funding opportunities.
Action 7.2 —By 2018, the County will repair and connect the sidewalk along 43`d Avenue between 41St Street and 49th Street, and by
2020 the County will construct a sidewalk along 43`d Avenue from 41St Street to 26th Street/Aviation Boulevard.
Action 7.3 — By 2017, the County Public Works Department will repair, connect, and construct the sidewalk along 45th Street, from
43`d Avenue to U.S. #1 and by 2021 along 45th from 43`d Avenue to 58th Avenue, where necessary right-of-way is available (has been
acquired). The County will seek to install segments of a 45th Street sidewalk between 43`d Avenue and 58th Avenue prior to 2021.
Action 7.4—By 2024, the County Public Works Department will repair, connect, and construct a sidewalk along 41St Street from 58th
Avenue to U.S. #1, and a sidewalk along 49th Street from Fire Station 12 to U.S. #1, where necessary right-of-way is available (has
been acquired) and adequate funding has been obtained.
Obiective 8. Street Maintenance
All publically dedicated streets in Gifford will continue to be adequately maintained through resurfacing projects. Adequate
maintenance is defined as a ranking of 1, 2, 3, or 4 on the Road and Bridge Roadway Maintenance Condition Inventory which ranks
road conditions 1-5 from best to worst. Roads ranked in 2014 as a 4 or 5 include 34th Avenue from 45th Street to 491h Street, 35th
Avenue from 47th Street to 491h Street, and 38th Avenue from 45th Street to 47th Street.
Action 8.1 — Each year, the County Road and Bridge Division will monitor publicly dedicated street conditions in Gifford, rank
r projects for resurfacing and/or repair, and schedule resurfacing projects for roadways ranked 5. Each year, a copy of the latest annual
N report and any resurfacing schedule will be provided to the Progressive Civic League of Gifford.
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Year Pro*ect# Se ment Road From To -
�`►
Subdivision
41� Ct,45'°Ln,46"Ln Treasure Coast Villa e
46i1 St.,4011 Ave,4151 Ct. Treasure Coast Village
46-PL,415LCt.,E42 Treasure Coast Village
46'Ln.,B40,43rd Ave Treasure Coast Village
28t1 Ave.,41'St.,45'St. --
42"d PL,B23,28'1 Ave. Hillcrest,Spruce Park
43`d St.,B231 28`^Ave. Hillcrest,Spruce Park
441 St.,25'"Ave,28"Ave. Hillcrest,Spruce Park
27t1 Ave,.42"d St.,44"PL Hillcrest,Spruce Park
26"Ave,B42,451h St. Hillcrest,Spruce Park
25th Ave,B421 45'1 St. Hillcrest,Spruce Park
24t1 Ct.,42"d Ave,43`d PI. Hillcrest,Spruce Park
14"Ave,B42,42"d Pl. Hillcrest,Spruce Park
Source: County Public Works Department
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Appendix C
Gifford Paving Projects From 2004 - 2011
Year Project# Se ment Road From To Subdivision
2010-11 08-014 451"St,43`a Ave,58'Ave
2008-09 09-021 47'"St.,47'"Ct.,50'"Ave. Cavalier Estates
46"St.,471"Ct.,50'"Ave. Cavalier Estates
47" Ct.,45h St.,471"St. Cavalier Estates
48'Ave,45'St.,47'St. Cavalier Estates
491"Ave,45" St.,47h St.. Cavalier Estates
2007-08 04-007 43`a Ave,41'St.,45'St.
07-026A 43`a Ave,45'St.,49"St.
07-032 41n St.,43`d Ave,58'Ave.
08-006 Old Dixie Hwy,U.S.#1,53`d St.
2006-07 06-087 38`"Ave,4151 St.,45'St.
06-064 44'"St.,B361 40°i Ave Carver Colony
44"Pl,38d'Ave,40'"Ave Carver Colony
401"Ave,B44,45'"St. Carver Colony
06-087 47a St.,3"d Ave,35d Ave. Smith Plaza
48`"St.32"d Ave,35°i Ave.EESmith Plaza
34'"Ave,47`"St.,49d St. Smith Plaza
35'"Ave,47"'St.,49'"St. Smith Plaza
06-087 301 Ave,45'St.,47'St. Garden of Eden
06-087 471 St.,28'Ave,30`"Ave. Gifford School Park
47'h Pl.,28h Ave,30t'Ave. Gifford School Park
06-087 441h St.,34u'Ct.,35'Ave N.Gifford Heights
34'Ct.,44'°St..,45h St. N.Gifford Heights
2005-06 06-063 41`St.,U.S.#1,38'Ave.
06-020 45'"St.,U.S.41,43`d Ave.
06-017 40°i Ave,45'St.,49'St.
06-071 33`d Ave,45d'St.,49'St.
06-070 28"Ct.,45°i St.,491 St.
Lincoln Park, Cannon, Jackson, Gifford School, Gifford
06-013-017 33`a Ave,43`d St.,45d'St.
Heights
3 V Ave,41'St.,45"St. Lincoln Park,Cannon,Jackson,Gifford
30'"Ave,4161 St.,45t'St. Lincoln Park,Cannon,Jackson,Gifford
30'"Ave,4151 St.,44'"St. Lincoln Park,Cannon,Jackson,Gifford
29'Ave,4151 St.,43'St. Lincoln Park,Cannon,Jackson,Gifford
28'Ct.,42"d St.,45"St. Lincoln Park,Cannon,Jackson,Gifford
29'"Ave,441°St,45"St. Lincoln Park,Cannon,Jackson,Gifford
42"d St,28'Ave,28h Ct. Lincoln Park,Cannon,Jackson,Gifford
441 St.,28'Ave,315'Ave. Lincoln Park,Cannon,Jackson,Gifford
44'Pl.B29,31''Ave. Lincoln Park,Cannon,Jackson,Gifford
44`"Pl.26`"Ave.,2811 Ave. Lincoln Park,Cannon,Jackson,Gifford
27d Ave,44"Ln.,45"St. Lincoln Park,Cannon,Jackson,Gifford
N 2004-2005 451"Ln,B40,43`d Ave Treasure Coast Villa e
42'-Cir.,45"Ln,E45 Treasure Coast Village
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O
Repainted picnic table
Installed guard rail at North end of Park for safety t�
Installed 4 large truck tires (buried) for kids to play on r4
Installed 2 trash cans on post
I
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Appendix B
Recently Completed Improvements in Gifford Area Parks
Following is a list of recently completed improvements in Gifford area parks.
Gifford Park Improvements:
• Football Field-
Added 6"topsoil to entire field, graded and sprigged field w/Celebration Bermuda grass
Added additional irrigation
2-new 20' x 36' metal sheds for Recreation equipment storage
• Senior League Baseball Field-
Added 12" topsoil to outfield graded and sprigged field w/Celebration Bermuda grass
Added 12' Clay to infield
Added 10' warning track of Coquina/ clay mix
Complete new irrigation installed
2-new dugouts w/concrete floors
2-new bubbler type drinking fountains
Installed safety cap on fencing
• Gifford Little League Field-(Jackie Robinson Field)
Graded infield clay to remove hump
Installed new scoreboard
New hot-water heater for concession stand
Replaced wooden post in dugouts w/metal post
Fabricated and installed 4 new benches for dugouts
Installed new lock-set and deadbolt for concession stand
Replaced broken glass in press-box
Upgraded field lighting to current Little League standards
• General Areas-
Installed 18 Street lights from Park entrance to Little League Field
Hosie Schumann Park Improvements:
r Installed swing-set east side
N
Installed 2 new benches
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Security Officer
The program for the Unarmed "D" class is a 40 hour training program that allows students 18 years or older who successfully
complete the program to apply for a State of Florida Unarmed "D" security license. Topics covered include: Responsibilities of a N
Security Officer, Client Regulations, Protection of Property, Relationship with Local Police, Arrests, Use of Force, Search,
Questioning and more.
The Armed "G" class is for those 21 years or older and who wish to carry a weapon while on patrol. All persons who wish to obtain
an Armed "G" license must also complete the Unarmed "D" class. Students can take the two security officer courses in any order as
long as both classes are completed. The Armed "G" class is a 28 hour program that allows students who successfully complete the
program to apply for a State of Florida Armed "G" security license.
• Culinary Arts
The Culinary Arts program is a hands on program that teaches students basic cooking, knife skills, safety, sanitation and nutritional
information before moving into intensive culinary techniques and dishes. When students successfully complete the program they will
leave with an Adult Education Career Certificate, a State of Florida Food Handler Certificate (valid for 3 years) and a State of Florida
Food Managers Certificate (valid for 5 years). This program covers numerous aspects of the culinary field.
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Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
_. unit dose packaging preparation and delivery of medications, inventory control, legal and ethical responsibilities, clerical skills, and
customer service skills. Upon successful completion, students can expect to find entry-level positions inate in community/
handston
pharmacies, hospital pharmacies, pharmaceutical industries, and other medical settings. ail
All students p p
activities. Students leave the program with a certificate from Adult & Community Education. This program allows successful
students to sit for the National Healthcareer Association's Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam.
Phlebotomy
The phlebotomy program includes: anatomy and physiology, safety precautions, patient's rights, and the correct methods for
collection and storage of blood. This course is for students who have no medical background. Adult Education also offers a 65-hour
urse for students who are already working in the medical field and in a hands-on position such as
continuing education phlebotomy co
via the National Health career Association is available to students after successful
a CNA or HHA. A national exam in phlebotomy
completion of the program.
Medical Coder/Biller
This program teaches students how to determine accurate code for diagnosis, procedures, and services performed by physicians and
providers. Students who successfully complete the course may sit for the Certified Professional Coder (CPC) exam. The exam
consists of questions regarding the correct application of CPT, HCPCS, and ICD-9/1acodes.
well 0 W . The the bil ing portion
eeded to collect funds for
hes students the
necessary skills to bill patients and insurance companies for services rendered
employer. Students may sit for the CPC-P national billing exam as well as the CPC. Upon successful completion, students can
expect to find entry-level positions in hospitals, doctor's offices, long-term care facilities and many other medical settings.
Home Health Aide
Home Health Aides (HHA's) provide personal care in the home setting to patients who need help due to surgery, a chronic disability,
are recovering from an illness or injury, are elderly, and/or homebound. HHA's help their patients with daily activities such as:
getting out of bed, bathing, dressing, exercising, and many more activities. Adult and Community Education's HHA program
includes instruction in support services required to provide and maintain bodily and emotional comfort. Students also learn to assist
patients toward independent living in a safe environment. There is currently no state or national exam for HHA'S; no age or high
school diploma requirement.
N
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Gifford Nei2,hborhood Plan 2014
4
Appendix A 4
Adult Education Programs
Following is a list and description of the adult education programs currently offered:
• Practical Nursing Program
This is a yearlong program and students must be 18 years old with a high school diploma to sit for the NCLEX (National Council
Licensure Examination) exam at the end of the program. Students who pass the program and exam can apply for a state nursing
license.
• Medical Assistant Program
The Medical Assistant Program is a 340 hour program designed for students interested in learning both the clerical and clinical
aspects of the medical office setting. Students learn to properly maintain patient records, medical forms, handle confidentiality,
medical office ethics, how to communicate with insurance companies, pharmacies and other medical offices. Students perform
hands-on activities related to Phlebotomy, injections, vital signs, CPR, first aid, EKG, and other skills. Students who successfully
complete the program may choose to sit for the national exam available through National Healthcareer Association.
• Certified Nursing Assistant/Home Health Aide (PCT)
The nursing assistant program prepares students to become a nursing assistant who, under the direction of a licensed nurse, performs
important basic nursing skills such as: checking vital signs, promoting comfort, personal hygiene, assisting with meals, safety, skin
care, and many more necessary tasks. Class time includes instruction in: basic Anatomy and Physiology, classification of diseases,
nutrition, specimen collection, blood sugar testing, infection control (HIV, blood borne and airborne pathogens, isolation procedures,
and the handling of infectious waste), first aid, domestic violence training, and CPR training. In addition, students receive training in
professional behavior and ethics. Students who successfully complete this program are prepared to take the Florida State
Certification test.
• Pharmacy Technician Program
This program is designed to train students to obtain entry-level positions in the Pharmacy Technician industry. The program teaches
students, basic pharmacology, measurement and calculating techniques, pharmaceutical abbreviations, terminology, preparations of
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➢ Gifford Street Lighting District
Seventeen street lighting districts exist in the unincorporated County. Since such districts are non-ad valorem projects, funds for
installing, operating, and maintaining the streetlights are generated by billing the property owners that reside in each district.
➢ Funding of Recreation Uses
Maintenance and operation of various recreation facilities in Gifford are funded through the County's general fund revenues. Capital
costs for recreation facilities are funded through the County's one cent sales tax. Also, some facilities such as the Gifford Aquatic
Center charges users' fees.
� Assessment
The County paves roads, constructs sidewalks, extends water and sewer lines, and provides other facilities through assessment
projects. In the case of assessments, the majority of the property owners in a given area, such as along a street, petition the County
for provision of a needed facility such as a paved road. The property owners benefiting from an improvement would pay their share
of improvement costs. For the roadway assessment projects the County pays for 25% of improvement costs and the rest will be
shared between benefiting property owners.
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Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
➢ Moving Ahead for Progress forth 21St Century Transportation Alternative (MAP 21)
This federal program focuses on improvements that complement the transportation system. MAP-21 funding is partially controlled \
by the local MPO.
Several projects in Gifford could qualify for MAP 21 funding. MAP-21 funding can be used for bus stops, bike lanes, sidewalks,
and traffic calming.
➢ Florida Recreation Develo ment Assistance Program Grants FRDAP and other Grants
FRDAP Grants and other grants as become available can be used to maintain and improve Parks.
The following are existing funding sources that are used for various projects in the Gifford neighborhood:
➢ State Housing Initiative Partnership (SHIP) Program
The SHIP program is a County sponsored program that provides grants or loans to very low and low income persons to assist them in
obtaining a home or rehabilitating their existing home. The SHIP Program is funded by a Documentary Stamp Tax that is collected
by the State and administered by the County. Individuals that meet the income criteria must apply for SHIP assistance. Upon
approval of the applicant's application, funds will be dispersed for activities that meet the requirements of the County's SHIP
program.
➢ Municipal Service Benefit Unit East Gifford Stormwater Watershed Area
As described in the Existing Conditions Section, the Board of County Commissioners, in September 2000, established a Municipal
Service Benefit District (MSBU) to include an area of Gifford that was not under the authority of a water control district. This
MSBU will enable the County to collect approximately $15 per year per parcel for funding a stormwater improvement project for
that area of Gifford. Stormwater management duties for the rest of Gifford are the responsibility of the Indian River Farms Water
Control District (IRFWCD).
➢ Impact Fees
Traffic impact fees collected in District II can be used for capacity expanding roadway improvements in District II which covers the
Gifford area.
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Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
FUNDING SOURCES
To im lement strategies and actions that are developed through this neighborhood plan, funding sources must be identified. The
p
following are possible funding sources that may be utilized for implementing various strategies:
➢ Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA)
ry
ns and a
A local government may form a CRA following the completion of a study and selinhto conduct studsence of ies; and to const t
plan to address those conditions. CRA's are empowered to buy, assembleproperty;
capital improvement projects. CRA's may raise funds through several means including Tax Increment Financing.
➢ Safe Neighborhood Improvement Districts
A local government may adopt an ordinance that authorizes the formation of a neighborhood improvementtdistr ct. Once t e drlgrant
strict
is created, the local government may levy on that district a ad valorem tax on real and p property
from the Safe Neighborhood Program, created pursuant to s163.517 F.S. unds s Theseactions may include modificthat levy may be ations to to existing
ate actions
deemed most suitable for implementing safe neighborhood improvement plan
street patterns; removal, razing, renovation, reconstruction, remodeling, with relocation, and
as agencies providing relevant informationant of existing structures l,
facilities; addition of new structures and facilities; and coordination with g
educational, and crime prevention services.
➢ Community Development Block Grants (CDBG)
The housing, the neighborhood revitalization, and the economic development CDBG
categories
may be used s e possibrete funding
substandard
sources for
implementing strategies of this plan. Funds received through the housing CDBG category Ynd
housing occupied by income eligible households. Housing CDBG funds may also used
d to defundsh itapidbeaued housing
aide
finance replacement housing for the displaced occupants. Neighborhood revitalization
infrastructure improvements.
Economic development CDBG funds are available to local governments to provide necessary infrastructure or sites for new
businesses or business expansions. Local governments may also lend CDBG funds directly
to the
sin s for ut la eid to cpeate tal s (land,
building, equipment, site development). CDBG funds from the economic development category
bs or
N retain existing jeopardized jobs, primarily for low/moderate income persons.
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Evaluation and Monitoringu, Procedures �
To be effective, a plan must not only provide a means for implementation; it must al N
so provide a mechanism for assessing the plan's N
effectiveness. Generally a plan's effectiveness can be judged by the degree to which the plan's objectives have been met. Since \
objectives are measurable and have specific timeframes, the plan's objectives are the benchmarks used as a basis to evaluate the
plan.
Table 13 identifies each of the objectives of the Gifford Neighborhood Plan. It also identifies the measures to be used to evaluate
progress in achieving these objectives. Most of these measures are quantitative. Besides the measures, Table 13 also identifies
timeframes associated with meeting the objectives.
The planning department staff will be responsible for monitoring and evaluating the Gifford Neighborhood Plan.
I
TABLE 13
GIFFORD NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN
EVALUATION MATRIX
Ob'ective # Measure
I Enhanced Communication and Coordination Timeframe
2 Number of Substandard Units Rehabilitated 2015
3 Number of Dilapidated Units Demolished 2018
4 Number of Owner Occupied Housing Units 2016
5 Unem to ment Rate 2020
6 Existence of No Non-ConformingUses 2020
7 Existence of Continuous Sidewalks Along 41't Street, 45th Street, 49th Street and 43'Avenue 2017, 2021, 2024
8 Adequately Maintained Publicly Dedicated Roads 2017
9 Improved and Beautified 45th Street 2020
10 Traffic Safety Improvements and School Safe Improvements 2020
11 Existence of Adequate Drainage System 2020
12 Continuous Street Lighting along Major Streets in Gifford 2020
13 Improvements to Gifford Parks and Public Places 2017
14 Funding 2016
15 Crime Rate 2017
2018
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Gifford Nei hborhood Plan 2014
Responsibility 30nggniinng
ng Capital
Action Type of Action Ex enditure
Sheriff s Office ing No
15.3 Enforce Posted Speed Limits Sheriff s Office ing No
15.4 Enforce Against Noise Violations No15.5 Attend COPE MeetingsCode Enforcement
� N �
N a r✓
� o
Indian River County 87 S
Community Development
S '
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, FLORIDA
MEMORANDUM
TO: Joseph A. Baird,County Administrator
THROUGH: Christopher R. Mora, P.E., Public Works Director
AND
Christopher J. Kafer,Jr., P.E., County Engine t >,
FROM: David W.Schryver, P.S.M., County Surveyo.
SUBJECT: Public Hearing for Ordinance Establishing an Oslo Park Subdivision Street
Lighting District MSBU (Municipal Services Benefit Unit)
DATE: May 28, 2014
DESCRIPTION AND CONDITIONS
Indian River County received a petition from the Oslo Park Subdivision area residents to install street
lights throughout the Oslo Park area for traffic safety and security reasons. On behalf of the residents,
Indian River County has coordinated the project with Florida Power and Light Company (FPL) and
designed a street light system consisting of 90 street lights to satisfy the needs of the community. In the
past,the Board has established MSBUs to fund similar street light systems. The MSBU would levy the
supporting tax via the property owners' annual ad valorem property tax bill.
The total estimated cost associated with the installation of the street lighting project is$414,000.00.
This estimate includes the cost of the infrastructure improvements such as additional electrical
distribution lines, utility poles and transformers to energize the street lights.
FUNDING
The MSBU would fund the annual street light maintenance and electricity charges,as well as reimburse
Indian River County for the infrastructure improvements. Indian River County would fund the initial
infrastructure improvements. The cost to the typical Oslo Park homeowner would be approximately
$98.00 per year for three years,then $15.00 per year thereafter.
F:\Engineering\David Schryver\Agenda items\07-01-14 Memo BCC Agenda for Oslo Park Lighting MSBU.doc 123
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
But integration proved to be a double-edged sword. On the one hand black students would receive the same education as whites, but it meant
decommissioning the Gifford High School. For a tight-knit community like Gifford, where family, church and school formed a single bond,
losing their community school was to have an impact on their social fabric that is felt to this day, especially when it comes to education.
During the early 1900s, most blacks who came here were employed as railroad and sawmill laborers as well as cooks, dishwashers, bellhops and N
domestic workers. But many black entrepreneurs established businesses to serve their fellow African-Americans. In 1962, Deputy Sheriff Dallas
Yates became the first black law officer in the county. By the 1970s, a few blacks were employed by county government and white-owned retail
businesses. In the late 1970s, Thomas A. Jackson became the first black doctor to open a successful medical practice serving all residents. Blayne
Jennings became the first black lawyer.
Dr. A Ronald Hudson, a well-respected teacher, principal and assistant superintendent in the Indian River County school system recalls an
incident early in his career. "My wife and I were both teachers and went to the bank to borrow money and build a home. We were making a
decent salary between us and had saved money for a down payment. The loan officer told me the bank didn't normally loan colored folks that
kind of money unless their boss came in to sign the note. I told him, `My boss is the Indian River County School Board and I don't think they
have the authority to sign for me.' He called back several days later and we had the loan. Like this situation, I feel the good has overshadowed
the bad and life has improved a great deal from those days."
Piper Aircraft hired a number of blacks in general labor and skilled positions. One of them was Freddie Woolfork, now Director of Public
Relations and Facilities Operations at the Gifford Youth Achievement Center. "After college I came back here and applied for a job at Piper. At
first they said there weren't any openings, but when they realized my father was already working there for ten years,they hired me on the spot."
Woolfork's father ended up working there for 30 years, son Freddie for 20 years and was able to advance to the position of Supervisor of Sheet
Metal and Fabrication before changing careers.
These are but a few situations endured in the black communities of Gifford, Wabasso and the original Carter Hall Subdivision in Fellsmere. The
first black settlers came to this area hard-working and hopeful for a share of the American dream. Thanks to them and the sacrifices of many after
them, that dream is finally being realized.
FACommunity Development\Gifford Plan\2014 update\2014 Gifford Neighborhood Plan.doc
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In the early 201h century, the Gifford School only went through the sixth grade and they could not attend school in Vero or Fellsmere. They also
did not have the resources to send kids as far away as Ft. Pierce or Melbourne. John Broxton, born a slave baby in pre-Civil War south, settled in
the Wabasso area and after sixth grade, sent his kids to Bethune Cookman School in Daytona to complete high school. His daughter went on to
earn her Master's Degree. To help alleviate the transportation problem, Broxton saved up his money to buy a used car and began transporting
black students to Ft. Pierce for high school. In 1931, the Indian River County School Board agreed to pay him $10 a month to take the students to
Ft. Pierce. Then he purchased an old school bus and transported kids from Wabasso, Gifford, Oslo and St. Lucie to Ft. Pierce to attend school.
In 1938, the Gifford School expanded to include high school. Textbooks were donated to the school when they were too outdated and worn out
by the white students. The same was true for furniture and equipment. The school had no heating (no school had air conditioning then), and on
cold days the students would huddle around a fired on the outdoor basketball court. In 1952, a new high school was built, but students and
teachers still dealt with a shortage of equipment. Teachers would spend hours raising money in the black community for materials and supplies.
That school is now the integrated Gifford Middle School.
Joe Idlette, Jr. played a key role in our county's school integration. In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court decision on Brown vs the Board of
Education, declared separate but equal to be unconstitutional. According to Idlette, "In 1962 I wanted my kids to go to Vero Beach Elementary
School and was told they had to attend a neighborhood school closest to home. I said you have white kids coming here from all over the county,
but was still turned down. So I went to the NAACP for help. They sent a lawyer down from Jacksonville and it started a process that would take
seven more years."
During the 1960s' civil rights struggles, reports of Ku Klux Klan activity in Indian River County were documented. According to an FBI report,
"...Agents also opened an intensive investigation after receiving reports that Klansmen were plotting to kill several individuals active in the
integration of the Indian River County school system."
That seems to coincide with comments by Joe Idlette, Jr.: "One day my wife and I were backing out of our driveway to go grocery shopping and a
car pulled in behind me. A man came to my side of the car and told me he was from the FBI and needed to talk with us. He said they had an
infiltrator inside the KKK and White Citizens Council and that my name had come up. He wanted to know if I had any identifying marks on my
body in case something should happen to me.
"After that I told the sheriff I would arm myself since my life was threatened. For a long time my wife and I slept in the front bedroom, with kids
in the back bedroom. But then I decided if you live by the sword you die by the sword and put my weapons away."
Idlette and many others are quick to point out that they had support in the white community, even if it was behind the scenes. The schools were
integrated without any serious incidents in 1969 and the last vestige of legalized racism was eliminated in Indian River County. Joe Idlette, Jr.
was elected to the school board in 1974 and served four consecutive terms.
N
N
N Indian River County 107
Community Development
1
Gifford Nei rhborhood Plan 2014
town. You could only walk on the sidewalk if no white men were around; otherwise you walked in the street. We were allowed to go to the movie
theater at night, but we had to enter from a back alley and sit upstairs."
rA
The late J. Ralph Lundy, a well known and respected activist for the black community described some of the inconveniences for blacks in the
years before desegregation. "We not only had separate schools, but blacks weren't allowed on public beaches. We had separate water fountains
and bathrooms, even a separate waiting room in the doctor's office. Ladies could not try on clothes in Vero Beach stores and seating at
Dodgertown was also segregated until 1963,years after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier."
Separate but equal did not apply to how the Indian River County Sheriffs Department treated blacks, particularly during the term of Sheriff L.B.
Osteen. According the many accounts, in the middle 1940s to 1950s blacks were often brutally beaten by Osteen and deputies for even minor
traffic violations. Blacks were often sentenced to prison over minor violations. Most did not have legal representation facing an all white jury.
Anna Lane, 92, has lived in Gifford since 1929. "We were all poor but accepted our lives and made the best of them. However, we were all afraid
of Sheriff Osteen. He was so mean to black folks. When he walked into a place, everyone got quiet. When he was killed in a car accident, people
were so relieved."
Victor Hart, Sr. is a well know Gifford community leader and civil rights activist. Now age 81, Hart moved to Gifford from the Bahamas in 1952.
"I thought I was coming to live in Vero Beach, but I was told that colored people live in Gifford. Back in Nassau, we didn't use terms like `black'
or `colored.' I could go into any restaurant or hotel. I was Mr. Victor Hart. Here I was told where to live and eat, could only work as a laborer and
at age 37 people called me `boy.' I was not a boy—I was a man.
"One night I was driving along U.S. 1 in Winter Beach where the elementary school used to be. I saw a big fire and said to the guy I was with,
`Let's go see what's going on.' He said we shouldn't go there because that's where the Ku Klux Klan meets. I said what are they and he said, `If
you are a negro and go there, they will lynch you."
Hart would soon start a local chapter of the NAACP. He led demonstrations in front of Vero Beach businesses. He, Ralph Lundy and others
started the Gifford Progressive Civic League in 1961. Their efforts slowly paid off.
One example is that Gifford did not have water or sewer until the mid-70s, nor did they have paved streets, streetlights and stop signs. According
to Victor Hart, he and Ralph Lundy took a jug of water to a county commission meeting and said to the commissioners, "Would you drink this?"
They said of course not, nobody would. Hart said, "Yes sir, someone would—the people of Gifford."
Another Gifford activist, Reverend Leon Young, said, "In 1974 I called CBS in New York and asked them to send someone down to do a
documentary on our water situation. They did and put the report on CBS Evening News. It turns out that back in 1971 the state had offered Indian
River County$19 million to put in central water and sewer for the whole county and the county turned it down."
The Gifford water situation was reported by Morton Dean on the CBS Evening News on Sunday, July 24, 1977 and county water became a reality
within the next year.
Community Development
Indian River County 106
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
NOTE: It is ironic that once the railroad was operating, Henry Gifford's son, F. Charles Gifford, worked at the Gifford station. In 1903, that
station was replaced by one in Vero.
Alvin O. Espy grew citrus and vegetables on his land, built a family store and created the Espy subdivision. He was born in Dothan Alabama and
was attracted here by opportunities with the railroad. In 1896 he quit the railroad and took out homestead papers on 160 acres. His property
extended from the Atlantic Coastal Ridge just west of the railroad tracks to what is now 27" Avenue and in 1908 he purchased another 40 acre
he Hill,"that extended to the northern boundary of the original Vero Beach airport.
tract south of his homestead, an area known then as "T
However, during World War 11,the airport was handed over to the Navy and the surrounding lands to the west and the Espy property to the north
and east were annexed. The Hill was condemned along with Espy subdivision and the government moved out all the residents and businesses.
After the war, the government signed over all airport land to the City of Vero Beach, including what once belonged to entrepreneur, Alvin O.
Espy. There was a lawsuit that was settled on the claims of the Espy family.
Like Espy, William Edward Geoffrey came here to work on the railroad in 1892 from a cotton plantation near Florence, South Carolina and
homesteaded 160 acres. The area's first school was built in 1898, but for white children only. A few years later, William Geoffrey donated some
of his land for the first black school and a park. A small building was constructed and classes were limited to first through sixth grades. It was
initially operated by parents and the local church. The school year lasted three months, when there were no beans to pick. The school for black
kids in the Wabasso area was an old Masonic Hall.
The historic Macedonia Baptist Church was built in 1908 on land in Sebastian donated by a white family, Murray and Sara Hall. It was built
primarily by black workers who had worked on the railroad and lived in "quarters" along the tracks. Six kerosene lanterns lit the church. Other
churches emerged to serve the black community because blacks were forbidden to worship at white churches. In 1994, the Macedonia Church
was moved to its current location in Gifford and completely restored.
John Russ and his family arrived in 1922. They were known for their hospitality. Blacks couldn't stay in white hotels or go to white restaurants,
so the Russ family welcomed them.
As the area developed, black men found work primarily in manual labor and women were limited primarily to domestic work. Thomas and
Hattie Jackson homesteaded in Gifford after moving up from Deerfield Beach. He decided to grow citrus and his son, Walter, eventually owned
300 acres. In 1964,Walter Jackson became the first black man in Indian River County to hold elected office,on the school board.
Joe Nathan Idlette and wife Nancy Cookley came from Sumter County, Georgia in 1923. His son,Joe Idlette,Jr., said in a 2008 interview,"When
my parents came to town, a bell would ring at sundown in downtown Vero Beach and that was the signal for all blacks to leave Vero."
Many Gifford old timers told of the infamous bell that would ring at sundown in Vero Beach, the signal for all blacks to leave town. Reverend
r' Leon Young, long time Gifford resident, said, "In the evening downtown Vero was off limits to black folks. If you came down at six o'clock you
were questioned by law enforcement—why are you here? Who do you work for?They would let you buy what you needed,then escort you out of
Indian River County 105
4> Community Development
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
Appendix E o,
History of Gifford -
By Milt Thomas C-1
The history of African-Americans in Florida was quite apart from the rest of the South. Prior to 1819, when Spain turned over control of Florida
to the U.S., the Spanish offered freedom to black slaves escaping the British southern colonies (as long as they converted to Catholicism). During
the American Revolution, when the British controlled Florida, escaped slaves fought with the British in exchange for freedom. So did the
Seminole Indians. Blacks and Seminoles also fought with the British in the War of 1812, incurring the wrath of General Andrew Jackson. He
would take out his revenge in the Seminole Wars during the 1840s.
Around 1855, blacks began to settle in this area, sometimes as slaves to white landowners, but also as free settlers working land of their own or
on white farms and groves. The Federal Homestead Act of 1862 guaranteed the right to own 160 acres of land as long as the homesteader
cultivated at least five acres and continued to live on the land at least five years. Four black families were among the earliest homesteaders.
The end of the Civil War was also the end of slavery, technically. Although southern states, including Florida, could only be readmitted into the
Union by banning slavery, many states enacted the so-called Jim Crow laws designed to restrict the rights of blacks. This and segregation of the
races would exist well into the 20r'century.
In spite of this, black people learned to live within the system and at times overcame injustice to flash a typically American entrepreneurial spirit.
William S. Brown, born on a cotton plantation in Savannah, Georgia, settled on land around modern day Gifford in November 1890 and received
his homestead grant in 1896. Other black families came around that time including Alvin O. Espy, Willie E. Geoffrey and James T. Gray.* Each
received a federal homestead grant of 160 acres around 1901. All of them farmed their land, Brown also grew citrus.
William Brown was well respected by his neighbors and they all agreed to call their settlement Brownsville in his honor.
* Note: There were actually two James T. Gray- one black and one white. James T. Gray(white) is reported to have named the area we now call
Winter Beach - Woodley. Woodley was changed to Quay in the"teens" for Senator Matthew Quay, and finally changed again to Winter Beach.
During construction of the Flagler railroad between 1890-1896, many job opportunities existed for black workers as work progressed along the
route. Railroad camps and workers quarters grew in what was then Brownsville and Wabasso as progress on the railway reached Sebastian in
1893.
Two years earlier, a white homesteader, Henry Gifford, opened the Vero post office on his land south of Brownsville. When Flagler needed right-
of-way through his homestead, Gifford refused. So Flagler established a station just to the north and named it "Gifford." The black community
then became known as Gifford.
Community Development
Indian River County 104
Gifford Nei hborhood Plan 2014
CITY OF VERO BEACH ELECTRIC
' FROM TO
STREET LOCATION ___
182. 24'"Court North of 42n0 Place
• 45'"Street 42nd Street
183. 251i Avenue 421 Street
184. 26'Avenue 45m Street 421d Street
185. 27th Avenue 451'Street
= 451i Street 41�'Street
186. 28`6 Avenue 415 Street
187. 28'Court 48'Place 471h Street
188. 29'Avenue 47m Place 441 Street
189. 291i Avenue 451'Street
43`d Street 41n Street
190. 291i Avenue 451 Street
191. 30 t Avenue 47'Street
44h Street 41 Street
192. 301h Avenue 41� Street
193. 311'Avenue 451i Street
491i Street 451'Street
194. 321d Avenue 4111 Street
195. 32nd Avenue 44th Street
451i Street 431 Street
196. 33rd Avenue 431d Street
197. 351i Avenue 451'Street
451i Street 41`Street
198. 381i Avenue U.S.#1
199. 4511 Street 32 Avenue 381 Avenue
200. 441i Manor 39m Avenue Canal
201. 441i Lane 31 ri Avenue
m 38`"Avenue
202. 4416 Place 39 Avenue 261 Avenue
203. 441i Place 27'Avenue
391i Avenue 381 Avenue
204. 441i Street 341'Court
205. 441i Street 3Avenue
344`"'Court Dead End
206. 44"Street Old Dixie Hwy
207. 43rd Street 28'"Avenue
28'Avenue 271'Avenue
208. 421d Place m 2411 Avenue
209. 42nd Street 28 Avenue Old Dixie Hwy
1�`
210. 4Street 47`�Avenue
PROPOSED ADDITIONAL COMPLETION DATE TBD At Dead End
211. 47 Place 28'Court
Source: Indian River County Public Works Department
N
N
Indian River County 103
V Community Development
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
FLORIDA POWER& LIGHT JURISDICTION
STREET LOCATION (address) LocationN
140.4645 38'Avenue Location
141.3825 471 Street (1)
142.4556 38'Avenue
143.38'Avenue Corner of 46'Street
144.47'Street West of35'Avenue
145.35"Avenue Corner of 47"Street
146.35'Court North of 49'Street
147.4747 35'Avenue
148.4805 35`"Street
149.4855 35'Avenue
150.4893 35'Avenue
151.4545 35'Avenue
152.4546 35'Avenue
153.4560 35'Avenue
154.4675 35'Avenue
155.4636 34'Avenue
156.4663 34'Avenue
157.4586 34'Avenue
158.4736 34'Avenue
159.4866 34'Avenue
160.47'h Street Corner of 34'Avenue
161.4806 34'Avenue
162.4895 34"'Avenue
163.4568 33`d Avenue
164.4605 33rd Avenue
165.4635 33'd Avenue
166.33"Avenue Comer of 41 n Street
167.4745 33'd Avenue
168. 4825 33rd Avenue
169. 4865 33'd Avenue
170. 33'd Avenue Comer of 40'Street
171. 40i°Avenue Corner of 46'Place
172. 4675 40'Avenue
173. 40'Avenue South of 40'Street
174. 4755 40'Avenue
175. 4765 40i°Avenue
PROPOSED ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS TO BE COMPLETED BY JULY 19,2013
STREET LOCATION FROM
176. 43RD AvenueTO
41 Street Street
177. 49"Street
34'Avenue
43`d Avenue
CITY OF VERO BEACH ELECTRIC
STREET LOCATION FROM
178. 49'StreetTO
3 Avenue
179. 471"Street Coo Old Dixie Highwayrner of U.S. 1
180. 200'Avenue 42"d Place
181. 24d'Court 42"d Street Al"d Street
42"d Place _
Community Development Indian River County 102
Gifford Nei hborhood Plan 2014
FLORIDA POWER& LIGHT JURISDICTION
STREET LOCATION (address) Location Location
92.4675 43`d Court
93.43rd Avenue Comer of 45'Lane
94.4295 461 Lane
5.43`d Avenue Comer of 47'"Place
9
95.43`d Avenue Comer of 48'"Street
97.43`d Avenue Comer of 48d'Place
98.43`d Avenue Comer of 49'Street
99.4225 451 Lane
100.4175 46'Place
101.4260 47'h Place
102.4242 4811 Street
103.459541'Avenue
104.4011'Avenue Gifford Road
5.40Street Corner of 401'Avenue
105.
4511 Street East of 40'"Avenue
107.45'Street Corner of 381 Court
108.3790 45'Street
109.3746 45'Street
110.45th Street Comer of 351 Avenue
111.45'Street Comer of 34'Avenue
112.45'Street Comer of 33`1 Avenue
113.4085 45 Lane
114.4084 46'Lane
115.4145 47'Place
116.4180 48'Place
117.4043 461h Street
118.4043 45'Lane
119.40'Avenue South of 46`h Street
120.3995 45'Place
121.46`"Street 40 s Avenue
122.40'Avenue Corner of Kennedy Court
123.3986 45'h Place
124.4981 46'Street
125.398146'Place
126.3986 47'Street
127.398147'Place
128.3971 45'h Place
129.397147'Place
130.40'Avenue Corner of Washington Terrace
131.3966 46'Place
132.396-547-Street
133.4011 Avenue Corner of Lincoln Drive
134.40`"Avenue Comer of 4911 Street
N 135.47'Street West of 39"Avenue
136.4525 38'Court
137.467138'Court
138.469638'h Court
1 139.4551 38m Court
Indian River County 101
v1 Community Development
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
FLORIDA POWER& LIGHT JURISDICTION
STREET LOCATION (address) LocationrA
44.4126 49'"Avenue Location
45.4230 49"Avenue
46.4880 43'd Street
47.Gifford Dump Site
48.41st Corner of 49'Avenue
49.49'h Avenue
50.4135 48"Avenue
51.4796 42nd Avenue
52.4266 48'Avenue
53.4286 48 h Avenue
Street Corner of 47"Court
55.4555 47'Court
56.45'Street Comer of 4811 Avenue
58.41133 5 4T"Avenue
57.4Street Comer of 515 Avenue
59.4250 47"Avenue
60.4276 46'Avenue
61.45'Street Corner of 571"Avenue
62.4630 451'Street
63.47'Avenue Comer of 42"d Street
64.41 st Corner of 48th Avenue
65.4310 45"Street
66.43rd Avenue Comer of 45 h Str
67.43'd Court eetComer of 45"
68.4520 52'Avenue Street
69.4655 52nd Avenue
70.50'Avenue North of 451 Street
71.4687 51 n Avenue
72.49 th Street Corner of 51 n Court
73.4545 51 n Avenue
74.4566 50'Avenue
75.4686 50'Avenue
76.50'Avenue Comer of 46th Street
77.4535 49'Avenue
78.471"Street Comer of 49"Avenue
79.4556 49th Avenue
80.49'Avenue Comer of 461"Street
81.49'"Street Corner of 51 n Court
82.4546 48"Avenue
83.4654 48"Avenue
84.47'Street Corner of 48'Avenue
85.47'1 Street East of 49`"Avenue
87.46622 5 47`"Court
86.4Avenue Corner of 46th Street
88.47'Street Comer of 47'Court
89.47"Court Corner of 46'1 Street
90.4310 43`d Court
91.4575 43`d Court
Community Development
Indian River County 100
Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014
Appendix D
Gifford Street Light District Inventory
FLORIDA POWER& LIGHT JURISDICTION
STREET LOCATION (address)
Location Location
1.4235 58"'Avenue
2.4285 58'Avenue
3.3975 40ih Street
North of 4151 Street East side
4.58"'Avenue
5.4115 57"'Court
6.4159 57"Court
7.4205 42nd Court
8.4225 57t°Court
9.431d Street Comer of 57" Court
10.45'"Street West of 54'Drive
11.4156 57th Avenue
12.4236 571h Avenue
13.43`d Street Comer of 57th Avenue
14.451"Street Comer of 56"Avenue
15.5686 415 Street
16.57"`Avenue Comer of 42"d Street
17.58°'Avenue Corner of 49'h Street
18.58'Avenue Comer of 47"Street
19.4730 58° Avenue
20.4590 58"'Avenue
21.4650 58° Avenue
22.4720 58"'Avenue
23.4550 57"'Avenue
Comer of 46" Street
24.571h Avenue
25.4650 57°i Avenue
26.47°i Street
27.4565 56°i Avenue
28.4635 56`"Avenue
29.4665 56"'Avenue
30.56'Avenue Comer of 57"'Street
31.45'"Street West of 54" Terrace
32.4125 561h Avenue
33.4145 56'"Avenue
34.56`"Avenue Comer of 42"d Street
35.5616 56'Avenue
36.4111 Street Corner of 47"Avenue
37.5550 41'Street
N 38.45'"Street West East off 52"d Court
52"d Court
39.45'Street
40.5196 45"'Street
• '"Street Comer of 50"'Avenue
41.45
_~ 42.45 h Avenue Comer of 42'Place
W 43.45'"Street Comer of 48th Avenue
Indian River County 99
Community Development
Page Two
Oslo Park Subdivision Street Lighting District
For BCC Agenda July °2014
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends advertising for a Public Hearing to establish the Oslo Park Subdivision Street Lighting
District. The first ad-valorem assessment shall be levied for the tax year 2015-16.Pursuant to statute,
notice of the Public Hearing must be published 4 times(once per week for 4 weeks)together with notice
mailed to affected parties.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Exhibit A—Location map with proposed MSBU boundaries
DISTRIBUTION
1. Jason E. Brown, Director, Management& Budget
APPROVED AGENDA ITEM
FOR:July 15, 2014_/�
a
Indian River County Approved Date
Administrator
Budget
Legal `!
Public Works
Engineering r j
FAEngineering0avid Schryver\Agenda items\07-01-14 Memo BCC Agenda for Oslo Park Lighting MSBU.doc
124
,NOW
AVER �_..._
Oslo Park Subdivision Street Light District
Proposed Municipal Services Benefit Unit (MSBU)
�'LOR1oA
Wuny
vq
�k�eM N elre
Muga. a_ —1 Ep
Ir
� r
- Map Legend
N
_ Proposed Osfo Park
MSBU
Nan-Residential Parcel
Res{dentia!Parcel
----- ---------------------
----------
0 Np Gpp I.tA6
n.yylll`:.�.nu.-w�. _ _ .ns•+.. _.- _. .� Fah
r„�
County Attorney's Matters-P.C.C. 07.15.14
' Off,ce of
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY
ATT09NEY
Dylan Reingold,County Attorney
William K.DeBraal,Depute County,:attorney
Kate Pingolt Cotner,Assistant County Attorney
MEMORANDUM
TO: Board of County Commissioners
FROM: Dylan Reingold, County Attorney�r
DATE: July 3, 2014
SUBJECT: Letter to the Florida Municipal Power Agency Concerning Meeting Agendas
BACKGROUND
On July 1, 2014, the Board of County Commissioners requested the County Attorney's Office to draft a
letter to the Florida Municipal Power Agency (FMPA) concerning their meeting agendas. There have
been numerous occasions in the past several months in which the City of Vero Beach electric utility sale
has been discussed at either a FMPA Board of Directors meeting or at the FMPA ARP Executive
Committee meetings. However, the agendas for these meetings do not reflect the sale as an item to be
discussed. Although the failure of an item to appear on an agenda does not preclude discussion of that
item at a properly noticed meeting, the Attorney General has taken the position that boards should discuss
only those matters of which the public has been properly advised. The Attorney General has even warned
boards that the use of tactics to circumvent or frustrate the Sunshine Law could subject such boards to
appropriate legal action. In the letter attached hereto, Board of County Commissioners requests that all
future agendas reflect any discussions of the proposed City of Vero Beach electric utility sale thereby
properly notifying the citizens of Indian River County when the issue will be discussed.
FUNDING.
There is no funding associated with this agenda item.
Indian River Co. Approved Date
Approved for July 15,2014 BCC Meeting Admin.
County Attorney's Matters Co.Atty.
Budget B
Department
Risk Abnagement
COUNTY ATTORNEY
AI'.GL:1LILiL'11CC'ARcndn.flnimsV�4lY.I Lerrer un;l,�undnc d,K y+��r
126
Board of County Commissioners
July 3, 2014
Page Two
RECOMMENDATION.
The County Attorney's Office recommends that the Chair allow for public comment on this matter and
then have the Board vote whether to accept the letter as drafted or revise the letter.
ATTACHMENT(S).
Proposed letter to Florida Municipal Power Agency
DTR:LAC
df:;GJ-VLM4L'B C C'algenJa,WenmsU'AfP.;Ler-on Agend-dne
127
Nicholas Guarriello
General Manager and CEO
Florida Municipal Power Agency
8553 Commodity Circle
Orlando, FL 32819
RE: Florida Municipal Power Agency Board Meeting Agendas
Dear Mr. Nicholas P. Guarriello,
The sale of the City of Vero Beach electric utility is a critical issue in our community and
the Florida Municipal Power Agency (FMPA) is a significant party in that discussion. As such, I
respectfully request that the agendas for the meetings of the FMPA Board of Directors and the
FMPA ARP Executive Committee and any other FMPA board or committee note this issue on
an agenda if it is to be discussed at a public meeting.
The agendas of the December 12, 2013, January 23, 2014 and April 17, 2014 eetings
of the FMPA Board of Directors and the February 20, 2014, April 17, 2014 and May '15, 2014
meetings of the FMPA ARP Executive Committee make no reference to the proposed City of
Vero Beach electric utility sale with Florida Power & Light. However, the issue of the sale was
raised by the staff of the FMPA at these meetings. It would appear that the FMPA is
intentionally hiding this issue in order to discourage public participation.
Although the failure of an item to appear on an agenda does not preclude discussion of
that item at a properly noticed meeting, the Attorney General has taken the position that boards
should discuss only those matters of which the public has been properly advised. Thettorney
General has even warned boards that the use of tactics to circumvent or frustrate the Sunshine
Law could subject such boards to appropriate legal action.
The Indian River County Board of County Commissioners believes that the ',FMPA's
failure to notify our constituents that this issue will be discussed at a public meeting inhibits their
participation in the open public meeting process thus frustrating the purpose of the Sunshine
Law. We therefore respectfully request that all future agendas reflect any discussions of the
proposed City of Vero Beach electric utility sale with Florida Power& Light.
Sincerely,
Peter O'Bryan
Chairman, Indian River County
Cc: Frederick M. Bryant, Esq., General Counsel
128
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS I
Peter D. Cl'Eirrtrxn �/ V Joseph E. Fl�scher
Chairman �� ': � �, Dish-ietl2
District 4
li Tim zoYc
Wesley S. Danis ti� �� ,�� ;� District
Vice Chairnxan
District 7 '`ORIC>, Bob Sola'�i
District 5
July 15, 2014
Mr. Nicholas Guarriello
General Manager and CEO
Florida Municipal Power Agency
8553 Commodity Circle
Orlando, FL 32819
RE: Florida Municipal Power Agency Board Meeting Agendas
Dear Mr. Nicholas P. Guarriello,
The sale of the City of Vero Beach electric utility is a critical issue in our
community and the Florida Municipal Power Agency (FMPA) is a significant party ini that
discussion. As such, I respectfully request that the agendas for the meetings of the
FMPA Board of Directors and the FMPA ARP Executive Committee and any Other
FMPA board or committee note this issue on an agenda if it is to be discussed 'at a
public meeting.
The agendas of the April 17, 2014 meeting of the FMPA Board of Directors and
the January 23, 2014, February 20, 2014 and April 17, 2014 meetings of the FMPA
ARP Executive Committee make no reference to the proposed City of Vero Beach
electric utility sale with Florida Power & Light. However, the issue of the sale was
raised by the staff of the FMPA at these meetings. It would appear that the FMPA is
intentionally hiding this issue in order to discourage public participation.
Although the failure of an item to appear on an agenda does not prec6de
discussion of that item at a properly noticed meeting, the Attorney General has talken
the position that boards should discuss only those matters of which the public has b en
properly advised. The Attorney General has even warned boards that the use of tactics
to circumvent or frustrate the Sunshine Law could subject such boards to appropr ate
legal action.
9801 27`n Street, Building A
Vero Beach, Ft 32960
(772)226-1490
Nicholas Guarriello Letter
Page 2 of 2
July 15, 2014
The Indian River County Board of County Commissioners believes that the
FMPA's failure to notify our constituents that this issue will be discussed ata public
meeting inhibits their participation in the open public meeting process thus frustrating
the purpose of the Sunshine Law. We therefore respectfully request that all future
agendas reflect any discussions of the proposed City of Vero Beach electric utility sale
with Florida Power & Light.
Socerely,
Peter D. O'Bryan,'Chair, an
Indian River County Board of Commissioners
cc: Frederick M. Bryant, Esq., General Counsel
Governor Rick Scott
Representative Debbie Mayfield
Senator Joe Negron
Senator Thad Altman
Patricia Gleason, Esq
County Attorney's Matter, -B.C.C. 7.15.14
Office of
INDIAN RIVER C LINTY
* ATTORNEY
Dylan Reingold,County Attomev "v— ------ =— -
William K.DeBraal,Deputy Count),Attorney
Kate Pingolt Cotner,Assistant County Attorney
MEMORANDUM
TO: Board of County Commissioners
FROM: Dylan Reingold, County Attorney 1,A"
DATE: July 8,2014
SUBJECT: Alternatives for Indian River County for Future Lobbying Efforts
BACKGROUND
On July 1, 2014, the Board of County Commissioners ("Board") discussed the issue of 'creating and
funding an "Intergovernmental Relations and Grants Coordinator"position. As part of the discussion the
Board requested that the County Attorney's Office create a plan analyzing the alternatives for future
lobbying efforts with respect to obtaining funding and positive legislative results at the state level.
Pursuant to this request the County Attorney's Office is presenting the following alternatives to addressing
this issue.
Alternative 1 - Create and Fund an "Intergovernmental Relations and Grants Coordinator"Position
(the"Coordinator')
Alternative 2— Have an attorney in the County Attorney's Office serve as Coordinator during the
legislative session and other critical times of the year
Alternative 3 - Have an attorney in the County Attorney's Office serve as the point person with one
or more lobbying firms during session and other critical times during the year
Fr
Approved for July 15, 2013 BCC Meeting Indian River Co. Ap MyeCounty Attorney's Matters Admin.CoBudgetDe artmentCOUNTY ATTORNEY FRisk Mangcment
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129
Board of County Commissioners
July 8, 2014
�... Page Two
Alternative I — Creating and Funding a Coordinator
The first alternative would be to create and fund a Coordinator. This person would essentily serve as
Indian River County's (the "County") presence in Tallahassee during session and the other critical times
during the year. This person would not replace the need to hire a lobbyist, but instead would'monitor and
track all budgetary and legislative issues on behalf of the County and work with a lobbying firm when
necessary to protect the County's interests. Martin County and the City of Jacksonville bot have hired
individuals to serve in this capacity.
There are three main benefits to creating and funding a full-time person as Coordinator. Thi first is that
the County would have a person dedicated solely to the County's issues and not have any conflicts with
other clients. Second, this person would be able to focus on these issues in Tallahassee without balancing
other job-related responsibilities. And, third, the County would have a full-time presence in!Tallahassee
during all critical times of the year and not just during the legislative session. The Coordinator would be
in the best position to protect the various County interests in Tallahassee.
The main drawback to the County with this alternative is cost. The Martin County Coordinator pay grade
is roughly $50,000 to $80,000 per year, plus travel costs. I spoke with Mario Rubio, who ',is the State
Policy director for the City of Jacksonville. His position monitors committee meetings between the
months of November and December. During this time he also meets the chairs of the commi tees. Then
from mid-January through May he is in Tallahassee every week, staying Monday afternoon through
.... Friday morning. During the other times of year, he attends the Florida Association of Counties ("FAC")
conference and other FAC legislative conferences. He estimated that the City of Jacksonville spends
between $11,000 and $12,000 per year on travel. Kate Parmelee, who serves as the Coordinator for
Martin County, has indicated that Martin County budgets $6,500 per year for travel for heir, staff and
commissioners to Washington D.C. and Tallahassee. Thus, the total cost in salary and travel eXpenses for
the Coordinator ranges between $60,000 and $90,000 per year, which does not include the costs of hiring
a separate lobbying firm.
Alternative 2— Having an Attorney in the County Attorney's Office Serve as Coordinator
During the Legislative Session and Other Critical Times of the Year
The second alternative would be to have an attorney in the County Attorney's Office se rve as the
Coordinator during the legislative session and other critical times of the year. Instead of hiring a new
person and creating a new position, the County would utilize its current personnel to establish la presence
in Tallahassee during session and other critical times during the year. Like the Coordinator discussed in
Alternative 1, above, this person would not replace the need to hire a lobbyist, but instead would monitor
and track all budgetary and legislative issues on behalf of the County and work with a lobbyingfirm when
necessary to protect the County's interests.
Alternative 2 shares two of the main benefits as are experienced by Alternative 1. The first Iis that the
County would have a person dedicated solely to the County's issues and not have any conflicts with other
clients. The second is that the County would have a full-time presence in Tallahassee during all critical
times of the year and not just during the legislative session. This attorney would be in the best position to
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130
Board of County Commissioners
July 8, 2014
Page Three
protect the various County interests in Tallahassee. An additional benetit would be that this person would
not only focus on legislative and lobbying issues, but would also have an expertise in legal i�sues, which
is important when considering the impact of proposed legislative changes. Finally, the County would not
be facing a financial impact of roughly$60,000 to $90,000 per year, but only $11,000 to $12,000 per year.
The main drawback to this alternative is the impact to the County Attorney's Office. This person would
be expected to be responsible for much of the tasks as undertaken by a Coordinator. As discussed above,
this person would be responsible for monitoring committee meetings between November and December
and meeting with the chairs of the committees during that time. Then from mid-January through May this
attorney would be in Tallahassee every week, staying Monday afternoon through Friday morning. During
the other times of year, this attorney would attend the Florida Association of Counties ("FAC")
conference and other FAC legislative conferences.
If the Board chose this alternative, the Board would be making the policy decision to have only two full-
time attorneys in the County Attorney's Office during significant periods of time. At this time, the
County Attorney's Office in Martin County has five full-time attorneys, the County Attorney's Office in
St. Lucie County has three full-time attorneys and the County Attorney's Office in Brevard County has
eight full-time attorneys.
Alternative 3 - Having an Attorne in the County Attorney's Office Serve as the P int Person
with One or More Lobbying Firms During Session and the Other Critical
Times Durine the Year
The County was successful this past legislative session in accomplishing some of its important goals, such
as preserving funding for beach re-nourishment and authorizing funding for an audit of the Florida
Municipal Power Agency. This past year, each of the three attorneys in the County Attorney's Office was
involved in the state legislative and budgetary process. Deputy County Attorney Bill DeBraal and
Assistant County Attorney Kate Pingolt Cotner both attended the Indian River County 'Legislative
Delegation meeting. Additionally, Mr. DeBraal drafted legislation concerning water and sewer'utilities.
During the 2014 legislative session, County Attorney Dylan Reingold drafted various letters and the
economic impact statements for the local bills pertaining to the electric utility issue. Furthe ore, Mr.
Reingold was in constant communication with the County's lobbying firm and other count attorneys
across the state concerning this issue. Mr. Reingold had also set aside a day to travel to Tal ahassee to
address the utility issue.
Finally, Ms. Cotner attended the FAC Legislative Day in Tallahassee, spent time monitoring'legislation
which would have an impact on the County and coordinated with other groups on issues pertaining to
beach re-nourishment funding.
In order to have a better coordinated ability to protect the various legislative priorities without'sacrifcingle al support to the Board and the County as a whole, Alternative
3 would be to have the Assistant County
Attorney in the County Attorney's Office serve as the point person with one or more lobbying firms
during session and other critical times during the year. Under Alternative 3, although the County would
F UrmrnevfUnJnK;S:4fJL37,V1 CCL7gendo MenraUnlergovernmNal C'an.Jinnnm Ynxiknndnc '.
131
Board of County Commissioners
July 8, 2014
Page Four
not have the benefit of having a person in Tallahassee who is focused on the County's priorities, the
County would utilize its current resources more economically and more efficiently. Under Alternative 3,
the County would be limiting its travel budget to $1,000 to $2,000 per year. Instead of travel, the
Assistant County Attorney would work on coordinating with our lobbyist or lobbyists, other counties and
the legislators and their staff in promoting the County's priorities.
FUNDING
Funding for expenses outlined in Alternative 3 are already included within the proposed bud' et for next
fiscal year. Alternatives 1 and 2 would require additional funding which would be provided flm General
Fund contingencies.
RECOMMENDATION
In a scenario in which the County had unlimited resources, the County Attorney's Office would
recommend Alternative 1, which would provide the County with the best opportunity torotect the
various County interests in Tallahassee. However, understanding the limited nature of resources, the
County Attorney's Office recommends that the Board choose Alternative 3 in which the County
Attorney's Office has the Assistant County Attorney serve as the point person with respect toacking and
monitoring the County's legislative priorities, while still adequately maintaining the levl of legal
assistance to the Board and the various County Departments.
F?A19-1Y1L+ada=,NEML B C C-49"d-U-1..V�rerg——W Ci—dr—r.,P—i—d-
132
Peter D. 0'B an
From: Hubbard, Stephanie(Stephanie.Hubbard@dot.state.fl.us
�- Sent:
Wednesday, July 02, 2014 12:04 PM
Cc: Goins,Andre
Subject: FW: FDOT Quiet Zone Grant Program
Attachments: Packet Intro Information.docx; FRA QZ Documents Package.pdf; SAMPLE (RANT
REQUEST LETTER.docx; JPA Form.doc
Dear Local Government:
Thank you for your interest in information on the Quiet Zones Grant Program. This packet includesFederal
�Application Railroad Administration (FRA) documents and contact information (Attachment A- FRA Quiet Zone
Process)on how to establish a Quiet Zone in your community.
The Department of Transportation (Department)State Grant Funding Program for Quiet Zones requlires a letter of
request (Included in packet as-Sample Grant Request) which must include:
• Complete Notice of Intent to Establish a Quiet Zone package
• Estimated costs to include the percentage to be provided by the Quiet Zone Applicant
• Projected project schedule
Please note, the $10 M State Grant Funding Program for Quiet Zones is to be distributed statewideithin the July
1, 2014-June 30, 2015, fiscal year through a Joint Participation Agreement (Included in packet-Joii t Participation
Agr^ement). This funding will not exceed 50 percent of the total costs of any Quiet Zone capital implrovement
project. The Department will distribute the funds with consideration given to the percentage contributed by the
Quiet Zone Applicant, the number of rail crossing closures submitted within the Quiet Zone corridor to enhance
safety, and the availability of funds within the fiscal year deadline.
We look forward to assisting you in your efforts to establish a Quiet Zone in your community.
Information on the Quiet Zone process can be found at http://www.fra.dot.Rov/search?g=Quiet+Zo es. If you
need clarification on the Notice of Intent to Establish a Quiet Zone process, please contact Tom Drake, FRA, at(770)
251-6186.
For grant funding questions and to discuss any questions or concerns, please contact Andre Goins, FOOT'S Rail
Operations and Programs Administrator at(850)414-4620 or andre.goins@dot.state.fl.us.
Thank you.
Andre 1N. (joins, P.E.
State Rail Operations and Programs Administrator
Operation Lifesaver State Coordinator
Florida Department of Transportation
Office of Freight, Logistics and Passenger Operations
605 Suwannee Street, MS-25
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0450
Office: (850)414-4620
134
..r
Fax: (850)414-4508
Website:www.oli.org
Email: Andre.Goins@dot.state.fl.us
Oyeration Lffesaver
ACways Expect a gain! Look, Listen &Live
2 135
QUIET ZONE DocuMENTS
• CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONs TITLE 49: PART 222.39: How is al
quiet zone established?
• Chart: Creating a New Quiet Zone
• The "Train Horn" Final Rule
• Federal Railroad Administration Locomotive Horn Sounding and
Quiet Zone Establishment Fact Sheet
• "Train Horn Rule" Glossary
• The "Train horn" Final Rule Summary
• Sample Documents: Notice of Intent to Create a Quiet Zone i and
Notice of Quiet Zone Establishment
For further information or assistance, please contact:
thomas.drakep,dot.gov 770-251-6186
136
eCFR— Code of Federal Regulations age 1 of 3
ELECTRONIC CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS
9-CFR Data is current as of August 9, 2033
Title 49:Transportation
PART 222—USE OF LOCOMOTIVE HORNS AT PUBLIC HIGHWAY-RAIL GRADE CROSSINGS
Subpart C---Exceptions to the Use of the Locomotive Horn
§222.39 How is a quiet zone established?
(a) Public authority designation. This paragraph (a)describes how a quiet zone may be
designated by a public authority without the need for formal application to, and approval by, FRA. If a
public authority complies with either paragraph(a)(1), (a)(2), or(a)(3)of this section, and complies with
the information and notification provisions of§222.43 of this part, a public authority may designate a
quiet zone without the necessity for FRA review and approval.
(1)A quiet zone may be established by implementing,at every public highway-rail grade crossing
within the quiet zone,one or more SSMs identified in appendix A of this part.
(2)A quiet zone may be established if the Quiet Zone Risk Index is at, or below,the Nationwide
Significant Risk Threshold, as follows:
(i) If the Quiet Zone Risk Index is already at, or below,the Nationwide Significant Risk Threshold
without being reduced by implementation of SSMs; or
(ii) If SSMs are implemented which are sufficient to reduce the Quiet Zone Risk Index to a level at,
or below,the Nationwide Significant Risk Threshold.
(3)A quiet zone may be established if SSMs are implemented which are sufficient to reduc�the
Quiet Zone Risk Index to a level at or below the Risk Index With Homs.
(b) Public authority application to FRA. (1)A public authority may apply to the Associate
Administrator for approval of a quiet zone that does not meet the standards for public authority
designation under paragraph (a)of this section, but in which it is proposed that one or more safety
measures be implemented. Such proposed quiet zone may include only ASMs, or a combination of
ASMs and SSMs at various crossings within the quiet zone. Note that an engineering improvement
which does not fully comply with the requirements for an SSM under appendix A of this part, is
considered to be an ASM. The public authority's application must:
(i) Contain an accurate, complete and current Grade Crossing Inventory Form for each publ c,
private and pedestrian grade crossing within the proposed quiet zone;
(ii)Contain sufficient detail concerning the present safety measures at each public, private and
pedestrian grade crossing proposed to be included in the quiet zone to enable the Associate
Administrator to evaluate their effectiveness;
(iii) Contain detailed information about diagnostic team reviews of any crossing within the
proposed quiet zone, including a membership list and a list of recommendations made by the
diagnostic team;
(iv) Contain a statement describing efforts taken by the public authority to address comments
submitted by each railroad operating the public highway-rail grade crossings within the quiet zon ,the
State agency responsible for highway and road safety,and the State agency responsible for grade
http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&SID=f8313e4616c4ff175371bade772fO27ac&... /]3/2013
137
e,CFR—Code of Federal Regulations Mage 2 of 3
crossing safety in response to the Notice of Intent.This statement shall also list any objections the
proposed quiet zone that were raised by the railroad(s) and State agencies;
(v)Contain detailed information as to which safety improvements are proposed to be implemented
at each public, private, or pedestrian grade crossing within the proposed quiet zone;
(vi) Contain a commitment to implement the proposed safety improvements within the propsed
quiet zone;and
(vii)Demonstrate through data and analysis that the proposed implementation of these mesures
will reduce the Quiet Zone Risk Index to a level at,or below, either the Risk Index With Horns o the
Nationwide Significant Risk Threshold.
(2)If the proposed quiet zone contains newly established public or private highway-rail grade
crossings,the public authority's application for approval must also include five-year projected vehicle
and rail traffic counts for each newly established grade crossing;
(3) 60-day comment period. (i)The public authority application for FRA approval of the pro osed
quiet zone shall be provided, by certified mail, return receipt requested, to:all railroads operatin I over
the public highway-rail grade crossings within the quiet zone;the highway or traffic control or la
enforcement authority having jurisdiction over vehicular traffic at grade crossings within the qui zone;
the landowner having control over any private highway-rail grade crossings within the quiet zon ; the
State agency responsible for highway and road safety;the State agency responsible for grade
crossing safety;and the Associate Administrator.
(ii) Except as provided in paragraph (b)(3)(1h)of this section, any party that receives a copy of the
public authority application may submit comments on the public authority application to the Associate
Administrator during the 60-day period after the date on which the public authority application was
mailed.
(iii)If the public authority application for FRA approval contains written statements from each
railroad operating over the public highway-rail grade crossings within the quiet zone,the highway or
traffic control authority or law enforcement authority having jurisdiction over vehicular traffic at grade
crossings within the quiet zone,the State agency responsible for grade crossing safety, and the State
agency responsible for highway and road safety stating that the railroad, vehicular traffic authority and
State agencies have waived their rights to provide comments on the public authority application the
60-day comment period under paragraph (b)(3)(1i)of this section shall be waived.
(4)(i)After reviewing any comments submitted under paragraph(b)(3)(ii) of this section, the
Associate Administrator will approve the quiet zone if, in the Associate Administrator's judgment, the
public authority is in compliance with paragraphs (b)(1)and (b)(2)of this section and has satisfactorily
demonstrated that the SSMs and ASMs proposed by the public authority result in a Quiet Zone Risk
Index that is either:
(A)At or below the Risk Index With Horns or
(B)At or below the Nationwide Significant Risk Threshold.
(ii)The Associate Administrator may include in any decision of approval such conditions asl may
be necessary to ensure that the proposed safety improvements are effective. If the Associate
Administrator does not approve the quiet zone,the Associate Administrator will describe,in the
decision,the basis upon which the decision was made. Decisions issued by the Associate
Administrator on quiet zone applications shall be provided to all parties listed in paragraph(b)(3 (i)of
this section and may be reviewed as provided in§§222.57(b)and(d)of this part.
(c)Appendix C of this part contains guidance on how to create a quiet zone.
http://www.cefr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&SID=f83 l 3e4616c4ff95371 bade772f'027ac&... 18/13/2013
138
SAMPLE GRANT REQUEST LETTER
i
Date
Andre Goins, Rail Programs Manager
Florida Department of Transportation
605 Suwannee Street, Mail Station 25
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0450
RE: Quiet Zone Corridor Funding Grant Request
Dear Mr. Goins:
This letter is submitted to request a funding grant through a Joint Participation
Agreement with the Florida Department of Adrttinastratlori, the Railroad{s), and th�
Public Authority/ Quiet Zone Applicant requesting the Quiet Zone.
Please find attached the complete Notice of Intent to Establish a QAAet Zone (Nol)
submitted to and reviewed by the Federal Railroad Administration. The estimated cost
for capital improvements to provide Supplemental Safety Measures for crossings within
the corridor totals $
�-- The Public Authority's Nam=l Quiet Zory Applicant icant is willing to contribute
percent of the Quiet Zone capital ip.rovet'r-tent project total. This percentage ma
include other approved sources.
The project is scheduled to begin and end
Please contact for project coordination. Thank you
for your consideration,
Respectfully,
Authorized Name
Submitted for Public Authority/ Quiet Zone Ap licant
139
BCC AG =NDA
July 15 2014
ITEM 1 .D(1)
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
INTER-OFFICE MEMORANDUM
TO: Members of the Board of County Commissioners
DATE: July 9, 2014
SUBJECT: Indian River Lagoon-National Estuary Program (IRL-NEP)
FROM: Commissioner Bob Solari
The IRL-NEP is considering a major reorganization, which may result in a new
structure and focus. I would like to give a brief update and discuss the direction
that it might be headed
Thank you.
140
,-wool
BCC AGENDA
July 15, 2014
ITEM 14.1)(2)
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
INTER-OFFICE MEMORANDUM
TO: Members of the Board of County Commissioners
DATE: July 9, 2014
SUBJECT: AAF
FROM: Commissioner Bob Solari
Would like to see if BCC will authorize the County Attorney to make Publi
Information requests from all relevant governmental authorities, that the County
Attorney believes will help us to better understand the issues and help th6
�— County to the best possible resolution.
Thank you.
141
...w
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY
",- �%
SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL DISTRICT 1 �
1
BOARD MEMORANDUM
Date: July 8,2014
To: Joseph A. Baird, County Administrator
From: Vincent Burke, P.E., Director of Utility Services
Prepared By: Himanshu H. Mehta, P.E., Managing Director, Solid Waste Disposal District`~
Subject: Request for Approval to Participate in the St. Lucie Feral Hog Challenge
DESCRIPTIONS AND CONDITIONS:
We continue to have a major feral hog problem at the Indian River County (IRC) landfill iI hich is a
safety and a liability issue for both the public and the workers on site. We have been exploring
options on addressing this issue. A potential long term option is to solicit bids tIo hire a
licensed/insured contractor to provide a fee based feral hog removal service to the So id Waste
Disposal District (SWDD). Staff will work with the County's Purchasing department top rsue this
option.
In the meantime, a short term option has emerged. The County/SWDD could provide permission
to use the IRC landfill property in the upcoming Southern Swine 4-H Club Hog Challenge (see
attached flyer). This event was very successful last year and recently received the 2014 National
Association of Counties (NACo)Achievement Award.
The purpose of this agenda is to seek approval from the SWDD Board to use the IRC landfill as a
potential site for feral hog removal in the upcoming Second Annual Southern Swine 4-H Club Hog
Challenge.
ANALYSIS:
The 2014 St. Lucie Hog Challenge is a 24-hour event starting at 4 pm on Friday, September 12th
and ending at 4 pm on Saturday, September 13th. Feral hogs are an invasive, exoticanimal and
this contest is a short term method to control the feral hog population at the IRC landfill. There is
an entry fee of$300 per team and teams may consist of up to three (3) people. The Team Captain
must be at least 18 years old. All state and federal laws and regulations will be observed. All hog
hunting must be done in Florida and hunters are allowed to hunt any area they have permission to
hunt. The scales will open at 4 p.m. on Saturday at the St. Lucie Co. Fairgrounds and there is a
grand prize for heaviest hogs and additional prizes for single heaviest hog, most hogs killed, and
cutter contest. Proceeds benefit the Southern Swine 4-H Club's 'Behind the Seeds' a ricultural
educational fieldtrip.
SWDD Agenda-Request for Approval to Participate in the St Lucie Feral Hog Challenge age 1 of 2 142
,"so,
low
Staff recommends that the SWDD Board allow the SWDD landfill property 1325 74th Ave SW to be
used beginning at 6 pm on September 12, 2014 and ending at 6 am on September 13, 2014. This is
to ensure that feral hog removal will be done during closed hours and that there is no public or
workers on site. Our normal business hours are from 7 am to 5 pm seven days a week. We would
also have a map of the SWDD properties and highlight areas that would be restricted, i.e., near
buildings,flare, etc.
Additionally, Staff recommends working with the County Attorney and County Risk Mnager to
develop the approval process to ensure that legal and liability protection is established prior to any
participation on the landfill property.
We have reached out to Lindsay Black, Indian River County's 4-H agent, and she will helppromote
this event in Indian River County and work with St. Lucie County to establish a similar vent here
next year.
We have also created a network opportunity between St. Lucie County and IRC resi dent Scott
Sanders who hopes to have the event benefit the Harvest Food & Outreach Center in In ian River
County.
FUNDING:
This is a voluntary and limited participation event and does not require any funding.
RECOMMENDATION:
SWDD staff recommends that its Board approve the following:
a) Authorize the use of the Indian River County landfill for limited participation in th 2014 St.
Lucie Hog Challenge beginning at 6 pm on September 12, 2014 and ending at 6 am on
September 13, 2014.
b) Authorize Staff to work with the County Attorney and County Risk Manager to deelop the
approval process to ensure that legal and liability protection is established pri r to any
participation on the landfill property.
ATTACHMENT(s):
1. St Lucie 2nd Annual Southern Swine 4-H Club Hog Challenge Flyer& Rules
APPROVED FOR AGENDA:
Indian River Co. Approved Date
By• Administration
jo—sep4 A. Baird, County Administrator
Legal . 14
Fo : _ a��f Budget `� t
Da SWDD Q
SWDD-Finance :� _�—�
Risk Manager
SWDD Agenda-Request for Approval to Participate in the St Lucie Feral Hog Challenge Page 2 of 2
143
...r
..
2"d Annual
�'" �►�� �� � � � flub .
Recipient of National Awards:
Feral Hog Management Extension Program
o 2013 Innovative Program Award from the Association of Natural Resources Professionals (ANREP)
o 2014 Achievement Award from National Association of Counties (NACo)
September 1:" - 13,E 2_101
Weigh-in at St Lucie County Fairgrounds
Entry Fee: $300 per team
Grand Prize: Heaviest Hogs (2)
Additional prizes: Single Heaviest Hog.,
Most Hogs Killed,
Cutter Contest
'
Feral hogs are an invasive exotic animal and this contest is one method in attempt to control the feral hog population.
Proceeds to benefit Southern Swine 4-H Club's'Behind the Seeds'agricultural educational fieidtril�
www.southernswines.org
144
SOUTHERN SWINES 4-H CLUB
2014 HOG CHALLENGE RULES
1. All state and federal laws and regulations will be observed.Any infraction of these laws and regulations will result in
disqualification of the team. It is the responsibility of the entrants to be familiar with these laws, regulations, and event
rules.
2. Registration and payments must be submitted by Thursday,September 11th, 5 p.m. All registrations are non-
refundable.
3. Tournament hours: Friday, Sept 120, 4 p.m.to Saturday Sept 13th at 4 p.m. The scales will open at 4 p.m. on
Saturday at the St. Lucie Co. Fairgrounds. All entrants must be in line to be weighed by 5:30 p.m. N hogs will be
allowed to enter after this time.
4. Teams may consist of up to three(3)people.Team Captain must be at least 18 years old. You cannot be a member
of multiple teams.Team members are the only ones permitted to actively participate in the hunt.
5. Team Captain for top three teams will be subject to a polygraph test.Any Team Captain with a Mood alcohol
content high enough to affect the outcome of the polygraph test will be disqualified by tournar ient
committee. If team captain is disqualified, another member of the team will need to take the polygrap i test.That
individual must be at least 18 years old. If there is no one else on the team of legal age,the entire tea n will be
disqualified. Failure or refusal of a polygraph test will result in immediate disqualification of the team. C ontestants
found to be cheating, attempting to cheat or in violation of any Florida game laws will cause disqualification of the
entire team and forfeiture of any and all entry fees.The perpetrator and/or team may also be banned I rom future
contests.
6. All hog hunting must be done in Florida. Hunters are allowed to hunt any area they have permission t hunt.
7. Hunters who hunt on private land do not need a Florida-Hunting License
8. NO LIVE HOGS WILL BE PERMITTED. Hogs must be dead before entering the fairgrounds and MUST be Weighed DEAD
9. Hogs may be killed by Bow, Gun, Spear or Knife.
10. Boars, Sow or Bars are all fair game for the tournament.
11. No mutilated hogs and no domesticated hogs.This rule is to be determined by the tournament commi ee.
12. Hogs must have never been knowingly penned. No high fence, road kill, penned or purchased hogs ill be accepted.
13. Any dogs at the weigh-in must remain secured in dog box with appropriate care, water, and shade.Al guns, bows or
other weapons must be secured in a locked vehicle while at the fairgrounds.
14. Each team is eligible for the Grand Prize (Two heaviest hogs), Single Heaviest Hog and Most Hogs K Iled.
A. Grand prize: Two hogs-each team will be allowed to weigh up to two hogs. The team with the eaviest
combined hog weight for their two heaviest hog wins.Winners are determined by the hog's weigh t only.
B. Single Heaviest Hog—each team will be allowed to weigh one hog. Winners are determined by t ie hog's weight
only.
C. Highest Number of Feral Hogs Killed—no size limit. The total number of feral hogs killed during the event will be
recorded at the weigh-in station.
15. In the event of a tie,the prize money for that place and the next place will be split between the teams tied for that
place. For example, if two teams tie for first place,the two teams will split the prize money in half for I st&2nd place.
If there is a tie for 2nd place,the two teams will split the prize money for 2nd & 3rd place. If there is a tie for 3rd place,
the teams will split the amount awarded to third place.
16. Cutter entrants: Separate entry—Each team pre-registered(by 5 p.m. on 9/11) in the Cutter Contest will be allowed
to measure one hog's longest tooth.The longest tooth wins.
17. Winners will be determined at the close of the tournament.The committee will decide on all ties and disqualifications.
18. Awards will be handed out during the Awards Dinner at the St. Lucie County Fairgrounds after theweigh in. Dinner
will begin at approximately 6:30 p.m. Additional dinner tickets may be purchased by contacting
tickets southernswines.2 .
19. Any protest or disputes must be made within 30 minutes of weigh-in to weigh masters must be in writing and be
accompanied by a$100 fee.
20. Anyone behaving in an un-sportsman like or disruptive manner during the weigh-in or awards dinner will be turned
over to Law Enforcement and banned from future events.
21. Official statements made prior to start time take precedence over printed material
By signing below I state that I have read and understand all of the rules of the 2014 Hog Challenge.I understand that it is my responsibility to obey and
follow all rules,State and Federal laws during hunting hours.In consideration of the acceptance of my registration for this event,I t ereby assume all risk
associated with my participation and do hereby release any and all event sponsors and volunteers including any and all their office s,agents,
employees,members,directors,sponsors,and organizers of all responsibility and blame for any injury,harm,loss or inconveniento myself and/or for
the named participant(s)identified as a part of my team as a result of participation in any part of the Southern Swine Hog Challeng .
Team Captain(Name Printed) Team Captain(Signature) Date
145
'Now
L' INDIAN RIVER COUNTY VA�_i
SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL DISTRICT
Lt� BOARD MEMORANDUM
Date: July 7, 2014
To: Joseph A. Baird, County Administrator
From: Vincent Burke, P.E., Director of Utility Services
Prepared By: Himanshu H. Mehta, P.E., Managing Director,Solid Waste Disposal District
Subject: 2014 Master Plan Timeline Update & Request for Presentat ons to
Municipalities
The purpose of this agenda item is to provide a brief update on the master plan timelirhe and to
request presentations to the five municipalities in Indian River County.
DESCRIPTIONS AND CONDITIONS:
On December 3, 2013, the SWDD Board approved Work Order No. 1 with Neel-Schaffer, Inc. (NSI)
in the amount of$148,202 to provide engineering services related to the 2014 Solid Wase Master
Plan Update to the previous master plan adopted in 2007 for long-term management of
�- countywide solid waste.
ANALYSIS:
On May 14, 2014, a presentation was made to the SWDD Board summarizing TM's 1 t ru 3. On
June 3, 2014, a presentation was made to the SWDD Board summarizing TM's 4 and S. On June 27,
2014,Staff received a draft of TM-6 which includes an updated Capital Improvement Plan.
Staff and our consultant team are working to finalize all the technical memorandums and provide
a formal presentation to the SWDD Board in September 2014.
Prior to the presentation in September, Staff is requesting approval to visit and obtain input from
the five municipalities on some of the key issues that the SWDD Board will be considering in
adopting the SWDD master plan. These issues include:
1. The potential change from dual stream recycling to single stream recycling with c rts.
2. The consideration to go to Universal Collection within the unincorporated porton of the
Urban Service Area.
3. The consideration to go from a twice a week garbage collection to a once a week garbage
collection.
SWDD Agenda-2014 Master Plan Timeline Update Request for Presentation to Municipalities PI ge 1 of 2
4. The consideration to close one or more Customer Convenience Centers.
�-- 5. The consideration by the various municipalities to participate in the SWDD Request for
Application process related to our waste collection franchise agreements which expire in
2015.
6. A cooperative effort to update our interlocal agreements with each municip lity as it
relates to the solid waste and recycling services offered by the County.
The tentative plan is to visit the municipalities as follows:
MUNICIPALITY DATE
City of Vero Beach August 19, 2014
City of Fellsmere August 21, 2014
City of Sebastian August 27, 2014
Town of Indian River Shores August 29, 2014
Town of Orchid September 4, 2014
Staff will incorporate the input from the municipalities into the master plan presentation to the
SWDD Board in September 2014.
APPROVED FOR AGENDA:
Indian River Co. Approved Date
By: ,
Administration 1
Josepk A. Baird, County Administrator Legal
FOC: joi Budget
Date T-- SWDD
SWDD-Finance
SWDD Agenda-2014 Master Plan Timeline Update Request for Presentation to Municipalities Fuge 2 of 2 147
JAC
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY
.� ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL OFFICE
Indian River County Environmental Control Hearing Board Indian River County Board of count3 Commissioners
Richard D.Cahoy Sitting as the Environmental Control Board
Dr.Richard H.Baker Peter D.OT cyan,Chairman
Dr.Philip R.Glade Wesley S.Davis Vice Chairman
Patrick Walther,P.F. Jo ph E.Flescher
Bob Solari
Environmental Control officer Tim Zorc
Chzry;L,Dunn,R.S.
MEMORANDUM
TO: Board of County Commissioners
FROM: Cheryl L. Dunn, Environmental Control Officer
DATE: July 1, 2014
SUBJECT: Attorney for Indian River County Environmental Control Hearing Board
BACKGROUND
Florida law provides that the County Attorney cannot represent both the Environmental Control
Hearing Board (ECRB) and the Environmental Control Hearing Board Officers presenting cases
-.WW to the ECRB. For approximately the past three years, Attorney Jennifer D. Peshke was
employed by the Health Department representing both the ECHB and supporting staff. As of
July 1, 2014,the staff support function is shifting to the County Attorney Office. To align the
ECHB with other similar boards such as Code Enforcement,the ECHB is requesting that
Attorney Peshke be employed as the attorney representing the ECHB at a rate of$181 for the
first hour and $100 for each hour thereafter. In addition to serving as the attorney to the E HB,
Ms. Peshke serves as attorney to Indian River Code Enforcement and Indian River Count
Hospital District. With a Master's Degree in Public Health, Attorney Peshke brings adde
knowledge to the position. Ms. Peshke has agreed to serve as the ECHB attorney on a mo th-to-
month basis.
FUNDING
Funds for this expenditure are provided from the Environmental Control Office budget with
estimated expenses totaling approximately $7,033 per year, Account Number 00125229-033190.
RECOMMENDATION
The Environmental Control Officer recommends that the Board sitting as the Environmental
Control Board approve the hiring of Attorney Jennifer D. Peshke to represent the Indian River
County Environmental Control Hearing Board on a month-to-month basis, and authorize the
chairman to sign the attached legal services agreement. ,~wla
r
+ i
1900-27th Street
Vero Beach,Fl,32960 � e— f
Phone:(772)794-7440 -? ( 4
FAX:(772)794-7447 [hep` -
r
Wish Mc!r. ._...
AGREEMENT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL HEARING BOARD
LEGAL SERVICES
THIS AGREEMENT,by and between Indian River County, a political subdivision of the
State of Florida, ("County"), and Attorney Jennifer D. Peshke ("Attorney"), for the provi ion of
legal services to the Indian River County Environmental Control Hearing Board.
WHEREAS, Section 162.05(5), Florida Statutes, provides, "[t]he local governing body
attorney shall either be counsel to an enforcement board or shall represent the municipality or
county by presenting cases before the environmental control hearing board, but in no case shall
the local governing body attorney serve in both capacities;" and
WHEREAS, providing outside counsel to the Indian River Environmental Control
Hearing Board will preserve the custom of providing counsel to the Environmental Control
Hearing Board while enabling the County Attorney's Office to assist environmental health
enforcement staff; and
WHEREAS, Attorney Jennifer D. Peshke is a member in good standing of the lorida
Bar, and has experience concerning public health, environmental control and environmental
control hearing board.
In consideration of the mutual promises contained herein, the County and the A�Iorney
hereby agree as follows:
1. Attorney shall serve as legal counsel to the Indian River County Environmental
Control Hearing Board. As such, Attorney shall attend Environmental Control Hearing Board
meetings, provide legal advice to the Environmental Control Hearing Board and review and draft
proposed orders.
2. In exchange for her services, the County will pay the Attorney $181 forte first
hour of each Environmental Control Hearing Board meeting attended, and $100 for each
subsequent hour or a pro-rated amount for fractions thereof at the same meeting and for follow-
up work attendant to each meeting. However, for attendance at each scheduled Enviro mental
Control Hearing Board meeting attorney will be paid a minimum of $181 in the event the
meeting lasts less than one hour or in the event of cancellation of a meeting for lack of a quorum.
Attorney may submit monthly fee statements to the Indian River County Attorney's Office
following his performance of services pursuant to this Agreement.
3. Either party may unilaterally terminate this agreement at any time for any reason
by providing written notice of termination to the other party at least thirty (30) days prior to the
effective date of such termination. At all times the Attorney shall be considered an independent
contractor and the Attorney shall not be considered an employee or agent of the Count This
Agreement is conditioned upon the Attorney being at all times a member in good standin of the
Florida Bar.
4. The Attorney shall comply with and perform all work in accordance with the
Florida Bar Rules of Professional Conduct.
149
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Environmental Control Board and Attorney execute this
Agreement, as follows:
ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL BOARD,
ATTEST: Jeffrey R. Smith, Clerk of INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, FL RIDA
Court and Comptroller ("County")
By:
By: Peter D. O'Bryan,Chairman
Deputy Clerk
Approved by ECB: ___, 014.
Approved: Approved as to form and legal sufficiency:
septi A. aird, County Administrator ylan Reingold, County Attorney
JENNIFER D.PESHKE ("Attorney")
z
Je nifer D. P shke
Z76-4,f
Dated this , day o , 2014.
WI
541 E.Mitehell Hammock Road • Oviedo,Florida 32765
LAWYEMPhone: 800-633-6458 • Fax;800-781-210
fM%M u c o a l www.flmic.com
Insurance Company,
Created by The Florida Bar,far its members
Lawyers Professional Liabliity Polley
This is a Claims Made and Reported Policy.Please read it carefully.
Declaradons
Policy Number: 20110277
Item L Named Insured. Law Offices of Jennifer D.Peshke,P.A.
Mailing Address: 4733 North Highway AIA,Suite 303
Vero Be" Florida 32963
Item 2. Policy Period: From 11/18!2013 to 11!18/2014 at 12.D1 A.M.
Standard Time at Your Address Shown A bove
Item 3. Limit of Llability: $500,000 Per Claim
$1,000,000 Total Limit
Item 4. Deductible. $5,000 Annual Aggregate
Item S. Premium: $2,240.00 Annual Premium
+ $29.12 Florida Hurrleane Catastrophe Fund
+ $17.70 Florida Insurance Guaranty Associatio
$2286.82 Total Amount
Item 6. Forms and Endorsements Attached at Policy Issuance:
FLPL-101 (8.08/01/2011) FLPG-204R(8.08/01/2011) FLPL-103(8.08101/2 11)
The Policy is not valid until signed by Our authorized representative.
October 07,2013
Date Issued ive
FLPL-100(808/01/2011) Awr*agel2of
151
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152