Agenda Item 1C - Minutes 6-23-14 Special WorkshopMINUTES OF SPECIAL WORKSHOP OF
AGENDA ITEM# 1C
AUGUST 11, 2014
ATLANTIC BEACH CITY COMMISSION HELD ON JUNE 23,2014
PRESENT: Mayor Carolyn Woods
Mayor Pro Tern Mark Beckenbach (arrived at 5:29p.m.)
Commissioner Jonathan Daugherty
Commissioner Jimmy Hill
Commissioner Maria Mark (arrived at 5:19p.m.)
ALSO: Nelson VanLiere, Interim City Manager
Richard Komando, City Attorney
Donna Bartle, City Clerk
Call to order.
The Mayor called the meeting to order at 5:06 p.m. in the Commission Chamber. Mayor Woods
explained the procedures for the Special Called meeting.
1. Presentation by Clemmons, Rutherford and Associates (CRA Architects) on Police Building.
Chief Classey introduced Bill Rutherford and Blakeley Bruce from Clemmons, Rutherford and
Associates, who were in the audience. He distributed a handout to the Commission regarding the Scope
of Work.
Bill Rutherford explained they are evaluating the approach to placing structures and the parking, which
they will put in the report to the Commission. He explained their scope is to identify the land on this site
that would be usable and suitable and efficient to use for the police station. He stated they welcome any
comments the Commission has this evening.
Commissioner Hill stated he would like to limit parking from the police station into the current parking
area by the park. He stated the parking lot in the back of the building will have to be addressed as it is
sinking, breaking and cracking. He would like to keep the service area entrance and, if possible, have
the sally port in that area. He believes it is critical that the building stay here. He suggested doing this
in two phases so they could have a temporary shift from one space to the other and keep the operation
here, avoiding a temporary trailer. He stated the retention issue hasn't come up but they had a lot of
discussion about possibly the authority having jurisdiction and we have some unique things here. He
stated he doesn't know what that is going to entail but would look forward to hearing officially what
they think it is going to entail and what the demands are going to be because it is a piece they haven't
seen in this project. Mr. Rutherford stated he has spoken to Mr. Frye with St. Johns who is in charge of
this area and was told they do not see a problem with us staying at the 500 year plain or above and stated
retention was the question he had. He stated when you can't just dig a hole they can go to under parking
tank retention, because you will have to have the retention or you won't be allowed the square footage.
He stated he believes the walkway is sitting on top of a retention tank.
Blakeley Bruce stated their Civil Engineer was here tonight and he could speak on this. Bobby Baker,
AGENDA ITEM # 1 C
AUGUST 11,2014
DB Civil Works, stated if they exceed a 5,000 s.f. building footprint that would trip the threshold to
require an environmental resource permit, which is the stormwater treatment system that would be
required.
Commissioner Daugherty stated he would be fine with them tearing the Commission Chamber building
down and would also be okay with going vertical. He stated he is in favor of the underground vaults for
water. He also suggested bringing in dirt to raise the building out of the flood plain. He stated he
believes we have adequate parking since not many people go to the police station.
Mayor Woods clarified that they are not designing a building, but are letting the Commission know what
this site can handle. Mr. Rutherford stated their scope is to tell them how many square feet they can
build on. Mr. Bruce added it is how many gross square feet can they add to the existing building.
Mayor Woods asked what is involved in an environmental resource permit. Mr. Baker explained there
are different rules to the Florida Administrative Code and in this case it is a permit through St. Johns
River Water Management District. He stated they do some calculations based on runoff and storm
events, come up with a volume of stormwater that has to be treated that would be stored onsite for a
period of time that would gradually be released either through percolation back into the ground or
through some control structure that would allow it to leach back into the drainage creek. Discussion
ensued.
Commissioner Mark asked if they have considered joining the police and Chamber buildings. She asked
if they will bring back different options with price points. Mr. Rutherford stated he believes they will
come back with an option that is just below the threshold and will have additions to that to show them
where they can go and how large it could be or how much they could add in addition to the 4,000-5,000.
He stated he would like to base this on what they have the opportunity to do rather than a set square
footage because of a rule. He stated he would like to drop the square footage amount and look at the
availability of the space and the best option. Discussion ensued.
Mr. Bruce stated even though they are not looking at floor plans, just from an operational standpoint,
adding on to the building on one or two sides and keeping it all on one level has got to be operationally a
more efficient proposal than having some on a second floor. Mr. Rutherford stated if, down the road,
they just had to have additional square feet and had no other place to go they would have to make a
choice of yes up or no up, but that would be their call.
Commissioner Beckenbach apologized for being late and asked that Mr. Rutherford elaborate on the
5,000 s.f. he was talking about. Mr. Rutherford stated the 5,000 is a number from the Civil Engineer
and asked that he explain. Mr. Baker stated it is just a threshold. He stated ifthey put 5,000 s.f. ofnew
building under roof, it is a threshold that trips the requirement for an environmental resource permit that
is handled, in this district, by the St. Johns River Water Management District. It is an additional permit
for stormwater treatment.
2. Courtesy of the Floor
John Sparks, 2022 Lakeview Ct., stated they need to take it to the high ground and put it on poles so
the Command Central survives that big wave during a Class IV hurricane.
Chris Jorgensen, 92 W 3 1·d Street, related a situation in his past of a building being built that was built
-2-
wrong. Stated he has no problem with the building.
Adjourn
AGENDA ITEM# IC
AUGUST 11,2014
There being no further discussion by the City Commission, Mayor Woods declared the meeting
adjourned at 5:40p.m.
ATTEST
Donna L. Bartle, CMC
City Clerk
-3-
Carolyn Woods
Mayor