News Reedy Creek Improvement District and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District

[Smiley/OCD]

I love the Skyliner, what don't you like about it?

First off, every time there’s a rumble of thunder, ALL STOP…excessive winds…ALL STOP…
It’s a nice OPTION, but that’s all it should be, an OPTION…even now.

 

[harry58]

i have not been watching the meeting. Is it over? Seems odd that few are talking about it and as many are talking about the skyline. If it is over, what did it accomplish, if anything?

 

[LAKid53]

Public Comments Section

Rainforest Cafe/T-Rex/BOATHOUSE at the CFTOB meeting! Let's see what their concern is.

ETA: It seems like they're reminding the board that talk of additional taxes, fees, and regulations will impact businesses in the district other than Disney.

Next up are small-business owners from Disney Springs: Splitsville, Homecomin', and Everglazed. Reminding the board that small businesses are impacted by the board. They employ 450 people, according to the speaker, and pay $3M in property and sales taxes.

Wine Bar George (George M and his wife) spoke next. 90 employees. Says changes in "business climate" affect those employees. Labor costs, maintenance costs are up since pandemic. They think they've raised prices as much as they can. Says that if the board makes it more costly or difficult for the business or the employees, it would be bad. Asks for board to look at cost savings instead.

Next is Retail Concepts of Minnesota(?) president Shawna Henniger(?). Owns Basin at Disney Springs, Basin outlet at Grand Flo, and a place at UK Pavilion. 89 employees in Florida, plus suppliers in Florida who are small, family-owned businesses. Concerned about proposed regulations and taxes that the board is talking about. Says Disney has been best partner they've ever worked with. Calls out board for its proposal about tolls - says employees can't afford tolls, and if Basin has to increase pay it'd be an unfair burden on their business. COVID, inflation, and potential of recession is enough worry for them. Taxes and regulations matter to businesses.

Next up is Richard Devler from Palmas Restaurant group. 14 locations in WDW, with 700 employees. Runs Mexico pavilion at EPCOT, plus locations at Disney Springs and Coronado Springs. Challenges include high labor cost, inflation, supply chain - it's not cheap to operate and build in RCID. Wants to see collaboration come back between governor, board, and small businesses.

Next is John (?) from Reedy Creek Firefighters, regarding a firefighter who died in 2017. Apparently there was a dispute with the old RCID about federal firefighter benefits. The board said (as its first speaker asked) that it'll cooperate with getting those forms filled out. Also says that there hasn't been a contract for 4 years, but a tentative agreement is being voted on shortly for the board to consider. Thanks the board, the governor, and the legislature for putting the new board in place.

Next is Debra McDonald, a resident of Osceola County. Says "uncertainty and fear" make it difficult to live now. Says Disney was great during the pandemic when, as a member of a hospital board, she asked them for help. Says the disagreement between governor and Disney is affecting residents.

End of Public Comments

Informational Items

1. Permitting and Regulatory Report
2. Proposed 2024 Budget Calendar

It looks like the audio has stopped on the feed, so I can't hear this part.

Other Items

Daniel Langley, Special General Counsel, says CFTOBD has eminent domain authority. Reminds everyone what that means.

New Business

8.1 Slideshow addressing the exemption from county zoning and regulation, statewide zoning, and other zoning laws.

(Audio is out again, so I can't hear this.) Here's the first slide:
View attachment 712627


Next slide is the act that established Bay Lake.

Next slide is the act that established Reedy Creek (House bill 487), more about zoning.

Argument seems to be that these towns had exclusive authority over comprehensive planning, not RCID. (Len says: And we just noticed this after 50 years?)

Audio is back. Outlining rationale for voiding the developer agreement. Seems to focus on the cities not approving the developer agreement.

Says the cities of Bay Lake and Reedy Creek didn't hold meetings or provide notice. Says the developer agreement is thereby void because it touches lands in Bay Lake and Reedy Creek. Says cities should've been parties do the agreement. Says the district didn't have authority to do planning inside city boundaries. Says in the past the cities and district had acted in unison to adopt same comprehensive plans. Says there's an interlocal agreement between district and cities where the district staff functions as representatives of both, but in some cases that can't happen (and this is one of those situations).

Says the new HB-9 gives the CFTOB district exclusive power over the cities, so this jurisdictional question is no longer relevant. Says the only thing the cities can do is implement more strict guidelines.

Next slide is timeline of notice and reading of comprehensive plan going back to Nov 14, 2018.

That's all I have time for today.

I'm so glad to see local business owners speaking about their relationship with Disney, how it has benefitted their business and employees and the negative impact board decisions will have on their business and staff.

 

[Kamikaze]

i have not been watching the meeting. Is it over? Seems odd that few are talking about it and as many are talking about the skyline. If it is over, what did it accomplish, if anything?

Its in closed session right now.

This board has almost zero power currently - regardless of what they say - so they can't accomplish much, pending litigation and/or trying to pass new laws.

 

[NotCalledBob]

I managed to watch this today. It seemed very well co ordinated from the small business owners. Some were clearly very nervous speaking. I think they did a good job.

They chimed well with Iger's comments about it being anti business, and Florida.

 

[flynnibus]

I'm so glad to see local business owners speaking about their relationship with Disney, how it has benefitted their business and employees and the negative impact board decisions will have on their business and staff.

But what the board heard through their filters...
- Keeping our businesses open was great - So yes on COVID-19 resolution
- Fight Disney land assessments so Disney taxes don't go down
- We keep spending money because Disney forced us to

 

[LAKid53]

I have a feeling that Ron could care less as long as his vendetta against Disney rages on.

Restaurants really suffered during the pandemic. The governor has repeatedly boasted that he kept Florida "open"....which wasn't true. To not care about those businesses his EOs directly impacted and that he likes to say he "saved" is a slap in the face for them. He rails against "big corporations" but doesn't listen to local businesses? Sad.

 

[LAKid53]

DeSantis was married at WDW.

At the Wedding Pavilion near GF, no less.

 

[drnilescrane]

 

[tissandtully]

If they make Wine Bar George cry, we riot

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I'm so glad to see local business owners speaking about their relationship with Disney, how it has benefitted their business and employees and the negative impact board decisions will have on their business and staff.

“Local” looks a lot like Landry’s…

I guess boathouse is an “independent”, third party run restaurant group. Gibsons

 

[LAKid53]

No. I am assuming this is not intentional

How is that not a violation of the public meeting statute? The Legislature doesn't mute live streams of committee meetings or floor debate/votes.

 

[tissandtully]

Finally!

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Jeeze I go down to the cafeteria for 5 minutes and come back to the world exploding.

 

[NotCalledBob]

Wow! I'm pleased. But, I didn't expect Disney to throw the first legal punch.

 

[LAKid53]

During the public comment section, there were 5 speakers in a row from non-Disney small businesses in Disney Springs and the District saying how bad raising taxes would be for them.

But it would be the District raising their taxes.

 

[Slpy3270]

And, here...we....go.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Wait they named John Classe as a defendant?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Restaurants really suffered during the pandemic. The governor has repeatedly boasted that he kept Florida "open"....which wasn't true. To not care about those businesses his EOs directly impacted and that he likes to say he "saved" is a slap in the face for them. He rails against "big corporations" but doesn't listen to local businesses? Sad.

Emperor Ron re-opened the state faster then many other states.

Nobody had the slightest clue what was going to happen?

So it was all a matter of how comfortable they were based on the risk analysis.


It’s been in the news of late: estimated 500,000K preventable Covid related fatalities in the US and longterm costs/cases by amplitude above that.

It’s biology…we’re never gonna “know”…it will always be real time.

Ron did nothing…just guessed as all did…somewhere on the “spectrum”


Glad we can bring this up again

 

[Kamikaze]

How is that not a violation of the public meeting statute? The Legislature doesn't mute live streams of committee meetings or floor debate/votes.

Livestreaming isn't a requirement. So as long as the audio works in the building, they're fine.