1-11-16 Handout- Public Meeting w Stakeholder - Cloister South Gate CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH
PUBLIC MEETING WITH STAKEHOLDERS IN THE CLOISTER SOUTH GATE AND
COMMISSIONER STINSON
January 7,2016
IN ATTENDANCE:
Commissioner John Stinson City Manager Nelson Van Liere
Director of Public Works Doug Layton Chief of Police Michael Deal
RESIDENTS IN ATTENDANCE PER SIGN_IN SHEET:
Mr.Joe Romero Ms. Susan Carr
Mr. Kirk Hanson Mr.John Mahler
Ms.Joan Waits Ms. Danetta Mahler
Mr. Butch Toney Mr. Richard Reichard
Mr. Chris Jorgensen Mr. Ron McBride
Ms. Mary Reed Mr.Austin Reed
Ms.Jenn Lagner Mr. Charles Vermillion
Mr. Phil Corp Ms. Polly Bell
Mr. Chuck Pitts Ms. Pat Pitts
Ms. Luly Rady Mr. Robert Hines
Mr. Lovell Farris Ms. Caryn Farris
Mr.Alan Gleit Ms.Joan Toney
Ms.Julie Reichard Ms. Mary Ulrich
Mr.Sasioata Roy Mr.Jeff Weil
Ms. Loretta Weil Ms.Alison Brown
Ms. Meade Coplan
Commissioner Stinson opened the meeting at 6:30 pm on January 7, 2016. Rules of
order were explained to the gallery requesting all comments be confined to the
matters at hand and no personal attacks or comments be expressed.
1) Topics
Topics of the Forum were conveyed to the attendees.The topics were described as
follows:
a. 10th Street (Beach access to Ocean Blvd.)
b. Plaza (Ocean Blvd.-East Coast Dr.)
c. Club Dr. (Beach Ave.-Ocean Blvd.)
d. Cloister Condominium south access gate use
e. Impact of a solution
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2) Open Discussion
Commissioner Stinson opened the discussion to the citizens. Citizen complaints,
concerns,or other questions were noted by Commissioner Stinson and City staff in
attendance and documented by topic below. (The lists are in no particular order.)
Discussion regarding concerns ensued until approximately 7:50 pm.
a. 10th Street(Beach access to Ocean Blvd.)
i. Congestion at the beach access and surrounding the Cloister
main gate
ii. Vehicles backing out of the 10th St beach access opposing traffic
iii. The width of 10th St. is not conducive to on-street parking
iv. Parking is not clearly defined,nor enforced
v. Traffic is opposing in a narrow driving lane area
vi. High level of pedestrian use requires better-defined walkways,
etc.
vii. Consider changing the parking
b. Plaza (Ocean Blvd.-East Coast Dr.)
i. Plaza between Ocean Blvd. &East Coast Dr. is too narrow
ii. Vehicle speed on Plaza between Ocean Blvd.and East Coast Dr.
is excessive
iii. No stop signs on Ocean Blvd. or East Coast Dr.at the Plaza
intersection for north or southbound traffic
iv. Pedestrian and bike use is heavy
v. Traffic intensity is high for a short narrow street with little
setback from homeowners
c. Club Dr. (Beach Ave. -Ocean Blvd.)
i. Consider changing Club Dr.to one-way westbound
ii. Parking on Club Dr.is not clearly marked,enforced and
contributes to congestion and pedestrian safety
iii. No sidewalks contributes to pedestrian safety
iv. 8th St.between Beach Ave. and Ocean Blvd. experiences the
same congestion as Club Dr.
v. Traffic entering Beach Ave.from Club Dr.
vi. Pedestrian and bike use is heavy and there is no beach access
to distribute some of the pedestrian use
d. Cloister Condominium south access gate use
i. The gate has been opened without the proper authority or
approval
ii. The original PUD as per City Commission meeting minutes
indicate the gate was approved for emergency access only
iii. Why push traffic from this area into other adjacent congested
areas
iv. Concern about the impact to property values if the gate isn't
authorized for use
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v. Visibility when departing the Cloister Condominium is
restricted,especially if vehicles are parked along the north side
of the street
vi. Does the City have the authority to control the use of the gate
3) Solutions
Commissioner Stinson ended open discussion on complaints and concerns at
approximately 7:50 pm,at which time Commissioner Stinson restated the five topics
and chose to begin with Item B.Plaza(Ocean Blvd. -East Coast Dr.). Discussion
ensued. Due the high level of energy demonstrated by residents and stakeholders,at
approximately 8:10 pm, Commissioner Stinson ended open discussion on solutions.
Commissioner Stinson restated the objective of the forum to come to a reasonable
compromise to present to the City Commission on January 11, 2016. Commissioner
Stinson stated his reluctance to share his proposal with the group to prevent
predisposing anyone in the audience to considering his recommendation and
hopefully allowing the group to naturally reach a general consensus.Due to
emotions running very high, Commissioner Stinson then detailed his proposal to the
group.
Commissioner Stinson's proposal is detailed as follows:
a. The Cloister south gate would be agreed to be utilized as an entrance
only and authorized by the City for such use pending City Commission
approval.This action, due to the Cloister residents having incurred
significant expense to install the gate for exiting traffic,may cause the
City of Atlantic Beach to incur expense for reversing the gate.
Alternatives to changing the configuration of the gate might include
providing infrared remotes to residents to allow opening of the gate
as approaching from the south along Beach Ave. This change may also
generate a request from the Cloister residents for City staff to restripe
internal parking spaces immediately adjacent to the gate due to the
spaces being configured for inbound traffic from the south gate.
b. Designate Club Dr. as a one-way street,westbound from Beach Ave.to
Ocean Blvd.,clearly marked at the intersection of Club Dr. and Ocean
Blvd.to prevent incorrect access to those unfamiliar with the
direction of traffic along Club Dr. Evaluate parking along Club Dr.
(north or south side of the street),and clearly mark all public parking
and increase enforcement of parking violations.
c. Designate Plaza as a one-way street,westbound from Ocean Blvd.to
East Coast Dr. clearly marked for all traffic transiting north or
southbound on either Ocean Blvd. or East Coast Dr.and for eastbound
traffic on Plaza arriving at the intersection of Plaza and East Coast Dr.
Additionally restrict parking along Plaza between Ocean Blvd. and
East Coast Dr.
January 7,2016 3 Cloister
v. Visibility when departing the Cloister Condominium is
restricted, especially if vehicles are parked along the north side
of the street
vi. Does the City have the authority to control the use of the gate
3) Solutions
Commissioner Stinson ended open discussion on complaints and concerns at
approximately 7:50 pm, at which time Commissioner Stinson restated the five topics
and chose to begin with Item B. Plaza (Ocean BIvd. -East Coast Dr.). Discussion
ensued. Due the high level of energy demonstrated by residents and stakeholders, at
approximately 8:10 pm, Commissioner Stinson ended open discussion on solutions.
Commissioner Stinson restated the objective of the forum to come to a reasonable
compromise to present to the City Commission on the 11th of January 2016.
Commissioner Stinson stated his reluctance to share his proposal with the group to
prevent predisposing anyone in the audience to considering his recommendation
and hopefully allowing the group to naturally reach a general consensus. Due to
emotions running very high, Commissioner Stinson then detailed his proposal to the
group.
Commissioner Stinson's proposal is detailed as follows:
a. The Cloister south gate would be agreed to be utilized as an entrance
only and authorized by the City for such use pending City Commission
approval.This action,due to the Cloister residents having incurred
significant expense to install the gate for exiting traffic, may cause the
City of Atlantic Beach to incur expense for reversing the gate.
Alternatives to changing the configuration of the gate might include
providing infrared remotes to residents to allow opening of the gate
as approaching from the south along Beach Ave. This change may also
generate a request from the Cloister residents for City staff to restripe
internal parking spaces immediately adjacent to the gate due to the
spaces being configured for inbound traffic from the south gate.
b. Designate Club Dr. as a one-way street,westbound from Beach Ave.to
Ocean Blvd., clearly marked at the intersection of Club Dr. and Ocean
Blvd.to prevent incorrect access to those unfamiliar with the
direction of traffic along Club Dr. Evaluate parking along Club Dr.
(north or south side of the street),and clearly mark all public parking
and increase enforcement of parking violations.
c. Designate Plaza as a one-way street,westbound from Ocean Blvd.to
East Coast Dr. clearly marked for all traffic transiting north or
southbound on either Ocean Blvd.or East Coast Dr.and for eastbound
traffic on Plaza arriving at the intersection of Plaza and East Coast Dr.
Additionally restrict parking along Plaza between Ocean Blvd.and
East Coast Dr.
January 7, 2016 3 Cloister
d. 10th Street
i. Reconfigure angled parking for resident and beach access east
of the Beach Ave./ 10th St. intersection angled from northeast
to southwest to be angled from northwest to southeast to
eliminate vehicles backing out toward the 10th St.entry to the
beach access. Consider steepening the angle of parking to
increase distance from the back of vehicles and the 10th St.
parking.
ii. Redesignate beach access parking and resident parking,
placing beach access parking immediately adjacent to the
Beach Ave.and 10th St.intersection which allows beach visitors
to recognize the availability of parking for beach access prior
to entering the beach access area. Designate resident parking
to be immediately adjacent to the actual beach access,
understanding that residents will understand the utilization of
parking better than visitors and will more quickly recognize
any hazards introduced by visitor traffic,whether vehicle,
bicycle or pedestrian. Evaluate the installation of LED lighting
at the 10th St.beach access entry,similar to parking garages at
airports that via sensors determine the existence of a vehicle
and clearly alert incoming drivers to the number of beach
access parking spaces available.
iii. Using existing City right-of-way, construct and clearly mark a
turn-around at the end of 10th St. adjacent to the beach access.
It is likely the available City property will not accommodate a
full radius turn,and may require a three point turn to complete
the reversal of traffic at the east end of the street.
iv. Restrict parking along 10th St.between Beach Ave. and Ocean
Blvd.to improve vehicle movement east and westbound along
the street.
4) Closing Comments
Commissioner Stinson provided his justification and explanation for the changes
and answered questions about the proposal and other questions about the
jurisdictional control of the gate,the documents he had reviewed on the City web
site detailing the long history of the gate and estimated cost to implement the
recommended changes.
It was suggested a straw vote be taken about acceptance and or rejection of the
proposal presented by Commissioner Stinson.At the time of the straw vote,some
guests had departed. It is estimated there were approximately 35 guests remaining
of the approximately 50 guests initially in attendance. Note,some guests either
chose not to vote or chose not to sign the sign-in sheet.
The straw vote was taken.
January 7,2016 4 Cloister
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The vote was:
20 ayes;
6 nays.
Commissioner Stinson thanked everyone for his or her participation,interest,
opinions and patience. Commissioner Stinson concluded the meeting at
approximately 9:15 pm.
January 7, 2016 5 Cloister