PFT Media

Transcript of episode 12:

The Community Redevelopment Agency did a sloppy job procuring new downtown holiday decorations. These decorations were sorely needed – the current ones are 20 years old and according to the agency in a state of disrepair. However, they waited until October to ask City Council for permission to buy $197,858 in new holiday decorations in time to have them hung by Thanksgiving Day, their self-created due date. No reason was given in City documents for their delay.

Due to the inaction by the agency, they had to ask for what’s known as a negotiated procurement. It prevents the agency from doing the work of putting together the pieces to execute a formal competitive solicitation process for businesses to bid on getting the chance to get paid by the city to provide the decorations. That’s not fair to those businesses. Shame on you Community Redevelopment Agency. Sounds like you handed the gig to a company and didn’t do a lick of work and blamed the universe for your shoddy behavior.

The City of Orlando is contributing $35,000 to increase the depth, range and frequency of Orlando Tech Association‘s current programming and initiatives. No other co-working company is getting money from the City. Mess.

The Orange County Public Library submitted a Request for a Major Certificate of Appearance Approval October 19th during a meeting of the City of Orlando Appearance Review Board. The Certificate would go to install new colorful landscaping, ornamental metal gates and four to six feet high metal and custom fencing system around the exterior of the downtown public library. The intent is to make remote and hidden areas around the library perimeter more secure. I’ve seen the renderings and the plantings are colorful and will spruce up the graveyard grey the building throws up all over downtown. However, the planting include palm trees and THAT I cannot abide. We need shade. Oaks please. Ok keep the damn palms then when the oaks get mature shave the palms to a pulp.

In 2009 we asked why there was no Parramore Farmers Market. Last year the City announcedthere’d be one thanks to a USDA $250,000 grant. Well it’s finally here! The Parramore Farmers Market will open January 6th, 2018 and run on Saturday mornings from 8am – 1pm at Orlando City Soccer Stadium (MAP). If you think this market is for the current residents you’re right… until the onslaught of apartment buildings and condos and gentrification arrives like a bullet train and THEN it will seve the folks buying and renting those buildings. Gentrification – it’s as gross as you think!

A grocery store in Montreal has constructed a 1.5 acre garden on top of its roof. It’s the largest in Canada. All 30 types of vegetables are grown on the roof then sold as certified organic produce inside the store. Not only does the rooftop garden provide fresh local produce for locals to buy, it cools the city’s heat islands. Compared to a tar or gravel roof, the green roof doesn’t emit as much heat.

The owners were inspired by a 2015 city of Montreal policy forcing all new construction projects’s roofs to be 50% white or green.

What’s a green roof? According to Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, “Green roof development involves the creation of “contained” green space on top of a human-made structure. Green roof technologies not only provide the owners of buildings with a proven return on investment, but also represent opportunities for significant social, economic, and environmental benefits, particularly in cities.” BRING TO ORLANDO!

AND FINALLY, Sunbridge is a new, 24,000-acre master-planned community in Central Florida from Tavistock Development Company with build out expected over the next 30 years and construction anticipated to begin in 2018. It has 1,100 acres of lakes. Nearly 13,000 acres will comprise preserved conservation space that includes preserved wetlands and upland buffers. It’s surrounded by 15,000 acres of conservation area, more than half preserved within a conservation network.

Sunbridge comes with:

1. outdoor trail system

2. large-scale farms

3. untouched Florida wilderness

4. preserved farmlands

5. community gardens

6. access to community parks

7. biking, hiking, walking, running

8. sailing, boating and watersports

Our slogan is “stop trying to make downtown happen” so we approve of this project. Just kidding. Sunbridge is a huge awful project that takes advantage of the state, disrespects the residents by telling them they need a neighborhood and kills deer and alligators. Go to hell Sunbridge.”