Agenda Item 8AAGENDA ITEM # 8A
SEPTEMBER 12, 2011
STAFF REPORT
City of Atlantic Beach
Commission Meeting
AGENDA ITEM: Support for Northeast Florida Regional Council
DATE: August 31, 2011
SUBMITTED BY: David E. Thompson A ss t City Manager
BACKGROUND:
Staff has been contacted by the Northeast Florida Regional Council and asked to enter
into a partnership relative to planning activities in our region. Specifically, the Regional
Council is planning to submit a grant application for a HUD Sustainable Communities
Regional Planning grant that requires partnership agreements with various governmental
entities. The Planning Grant will address housing, transportation, economic
development, infrastructure, and the challenges of climate change.
The Northeast Florida Regional Council has provided a Memorandum of Understanding
and a proposed letter expressing Atlantic Beach's support for the HUD Sustainable
Communities Planning Grant.
Atlantic Beach has participated with the Northeast Florida Regional Council for many
years, and these documents do not commit any additional resources on the part of the
City.
BUDGET: These documents do not commit any funding on the part of the City of
Atlantic Beach.
RECOMMENDATIONS: To approve the Mayor to sign the attached letter to Mr. Brian
Teeple, Chief Executive Officer with the Northeast Florida Regional Council; and to
authorize the Mayor to sign the attached First Coast Consortium Memorandum of
Understanding.
ATTACHMENTS: 1. Proposed letter to Mr. Brian Teeple
2. First Coast Consortium Memorandum of Understanding for the
Northeast Florida Region.
REVIEWED BY CITY
AMNDA ITEM NUMBER:
AGENDA ITEM # 8A
SEPTEMBER 12, 2011
Mr. Brian Teeple
Chief Executive Officer
Northeast Florida Regional Council
6850 Belfort Oaks Place
Jacksonville, Florida 32216
Re: HUD Sustainable Communities Planning Grant
Dear Mr. Teeple:
On behalf of The City of Atlantic Beach, Florida, I wish to express support for the
First Coast Consortium's funding request for the HUD Sustainable Communities
Planning Grant.
We support the creation and implementation a Regional Plan for Sustainable
Development. We also support the program goal of fostering a sustainable
Region that is consistent with the Livability Principles:
• Provide more transportation choices
• Promote equitable, affordable housing
• Enhance economic competitiveness
• Support existing communities
• Coordinate goals and leverage investment
• Value communities and neighborhoods
We hope that the Department of Housing and Urban Development will fund this
important effort.
Sincerely yours,
AGENDA ITEM # 8A
SEPTEMBER 12, 2011
FIRST COAST CONSORTIUM
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
FOR THE
NORTHEAST FLORIDA REGION
I. Purpose
The purpose of this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is to provide a mutual
understanding in support of the signatory agencies, organizations, governments, and
individuals that will be working in cooperation to: 1) prepare a successful HUD Sustainable
Communities Regional Planning grant application; and 2) complete the work funded under
the grant.
II. Background
On July 28, 2011, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released
a Notice of Funding Announcement for the Sustainable Communities Regional Planning
grant program. HUD has partnered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to help improve access to affordable
housing, more transportation options, and lower transportation costs while protecting the
environment in communities nationwide. A set of guiding livability principles and a federal
interagency partnership agreement is intended to guide their efforts in coordinating federal
housing, transportation, and other infrastructure investments designed to protect the
environment, promote equitable development, and help to address the challenges of climate
change.
Three federal agencies have made a commitment to utilize the integrated regional plans or
visions to guide their planning and funding decision - making. Funding to these metropolitan
regions would generally be directed towards programs and projects identified in "Regional
Plans for Sustainability" aimed at increasing transportation choices, reducing combined
housing and transportation costs for American families, improving the quality of life in
communities, and improving the natural and built environment.
III. Agreement
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AGENDA ITEM # 8A
SEPTEMBER 12, 2011
Whereas, there is a recognized need among the signatories for a coordinated, collaborative
regional effort to prepare and carry out a successful Sustainable Communities Regional
Planning grant application and work program; and
Whereas, a Sustainable Communities Regional Planning grant application and work program
will be prepared and managed by the Northeast Florida Regional Council, and an Executive
Committee comprised of North Florida TPO, City of Jacksonville, ULI North Florida, Health
Planning Council of Northeast Florida, Inc., the Regional Community Institute of Northeast
Florida and JaxUSA Partnership for Regional Development, in cooperation with MOU
signatories, including, but not limited to, The City of Atlantic Beach, Florida, with the intent
of establishing a comprehensive regional plan or vision identifying critical projects and
infrastructure to: 1) improve the Region's sustainability; and 2) assist and guide federal
funding agencies in prioritizing and focusing future federal investment in Northeast Florida;
and
Whereas, the signatories agree to the best of their abilities and within the limits of their
budgets to work cooperatively on the grant application and funded project; and
Whereas, any private sector organization, non - profit, academic or research institution,
philanthropic partner, community organization, governmental entity, individual, or
intermediary agency that bears responsibility for or has an interest in the sustainable
development and redevelopment of Northeast Florida may be a partner and signatory to this
MOU; and
Whereas, each of the signatories to this MOU understands communities, growth and
development, and /or the environmental, transportation, social, and economic and community
development implications of a regional plan for sustainable development and its potential
impact on our region and its people; and
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AGENDA ITEM # 8A
SEPTEMBER 12, 2011
Whereas, each of the signatories to this MOU is committed to following the Livability
Principles relating to the sustainable development and redevelopment of Northeast Florida:
1. Provide more transportation choices. Develop safe, reliable and economic
transportation choices to decrease household transportation costs, reduce our nation's
dependence on foreign oil, improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and
promote public health.
2. Promote equitable, affordable housing. Expand location -and energy - efficient
housing choices for people of all ages, incomes, races and ethnicities to increase
mobility, and lower the combined cost of housing and transportation.
3. Enhance economic competiveness. Improve economic competiveness through
reliable and timely access to employment centers, educational opportunities, services,
and other basic needs by workers as well as expanded business access to markets.
4. Support existing communities. Target funding toward existing communities
through such strategies as transit- oriented, mixed -use development and land recycling
— to increase community revitalization, improve the efficiency of public works
investments, and safeguard rural landscapes.
5. Coordinate policies and leverage investment. Align policies and funding to
remove barriers to collaboration, leverage funding, and increase the accountability
and effectiveness of all levels of government to plan for future growth, including
making smart energy choices such as locally generated renewable energy.
6. Value communities and neighborhoods. Enhance the unique characteristics of all
communities by investing in healthy, safe, and walkable neighborhoods — rural, urban
or suburban.
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AGENDA ITEM # 8A
SEPTEMBER 12, 2011
7. Enhance community resiliency to the impacts of Climate Change. Enhance
community resiliency to the impacts of climate change through the development of
mitigation and adaptation strategies.
Whereas, any regional plan document developed under the grant will support these Livability
Principles and should, to the greatest extent possible and where appropriate, be built upon the
foundation of work that has been accomplished and undertaken in the region where existing
plans, partnerships, and processes enhance regional planning, coordination and efficiency,
reduce unnecessary duplication of effort and responsibilities, and add clarity and
accountability to implementation processes.
Now, Therefore, this MOU is established to create a framework for coordinating efforts
related to the preparation of a successful grant application and successfully completing the
work funded under the grant.
IV. Programming, Budgeting, Funding and Reimbursement Arrangement
a. This MOU is neither a fiscal nor a funds obligation document. Any transfer of funds
between parties may take place through existing authorities and procedures.
b. Generally, any endeavor involving the transfer of funds will follow normal
procurement or other appropriate processes and will be affected in writing by
representatives of the organizations involved.
c. This MOU in no way restricts the signatories from participating in similar activities
or arrangements with other entities or agencies.
d. Nothing in this MOU shall obligate the signatories to expend appropriations, obligate
funds or enter into any contract or other agreement.
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AGENDA ITEM # 8A
SEPTEMBER 12, 2011
V. Effective Date
This MOU will become effective upon signature by any two parties. Any Party may
terminate its participation in this MOU upon written notice to the other Parties. The
provisions of the MOU will be reviewed periodically, as appropriate, and amended or
supplemented as may be mutually agreed upon.
VI. Other Memorandum of Understandings
This MOU supersedes one executed in support of a Sustainable Communities regional
Planning grant application submitted in August 2010 on this topic among some of the Parties
hereto.
VII. Signatures
This MOU may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an
original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Each Party
has signed this five -page agreement on a separate page. The original signature pages are on
file at the Northeast Florida Regional Council, 6850 Belfort Oaks Place, Jacksonville, Florida,
32216.
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AGENDA ITEM # 8A
SEPTEMBER l2, 2011
FIRST COAST CONSORTIUM
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
FOR THE
NORTHEAST FLORIDA REGION
By my signature below, my organization/agency becomes a signatory to the First Coast
Consortium Memorandum of Understanding for the Northeast Florida Region, dated
2011. I understand that the MOU will be executed in one or more
counterparts, each of which will be deemed an original, but all of which shall constitute one
and the same instrument. This original signature page will be kept on file at the Northeast
Florida Regional Council.
Signature
Typed Name and Title
Organization/Agency
Date
Please return to:
Northeast Florida Regional Council
6850 Belfort Oaks Place
Jacksonville, Florida 32216
Attention: Margo Moehring
rel