This discussion item was prepared at the request of Commissioner Richardson.

The City has previously hired an outside market research firm to conduct its 2019 Community Satisfaction Survey, which included both resident and business surveys. The surveys were mailed to a random sample of City residents and businesses. A total of 1,324 residents from the random sample completed the resident survey and a total of 604 businesses completed the business survey. These are statistically valid surveys and reflect community perceptions.

In 2016, FIU conducted a survey to assist the City with its second attempt to develop a convention headquarter hotel project, after the proposed Portman development failed to obtain the 60% voter referendum approval on November, 3 2015. The survey data from the hotel project assisted the City Commission in drafting a new RFP, which ultimately resulted in successfully obtaining 63% voter approval for the hotel project in 2018.

This item would direct the Administration to engage a firm to prepare and conduct an independent professional survey, to assist the City Commission in determining its next steps with regard to the future of the Byron Carlyle site.

Given the importance of the site as a potential catalyst for North Beach, the sponsor would propose that the draft survey questions be subject to the prior review and approval of the City Commission, similar to the approach previously taken with regard to the development of a hotel project in 2016.