Handout-James McCue 7-11-16 Ithtrd
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James R. McCue & Associates. Inc. ', ,r
FL AR11214 GA RA014328 VA 005273
Architects
Commercial, Residential Architecture&Architectural Counseling
May 10, 2016 Modified July 11, 2016
To: Elected Officials, Atlantic Beach, Florida
Tel.: (904)247-6809
Re: a Letter of Opposition to the 23 unit apartment project envisioned for the entrance to the
Aquatic Gardens Basin.
(5-10-'16 Tri-bridge Opposition)
Dear Elected Officals:
I am a Registered Architect and disabled veteran with 48 years of experience in
construction and 33 years as an Architect. I am one of the 35 flood victims who has
resided in Aquatic gardens since 1994.
I Want to loudly express my opposition to this Project!
I have four reasons to object to this project,they are:
1. The illegal use of Public Park land for private Storm water detention.
2. Project requirements by Zoning Codes.
3. What must be required for the site design.
4. The extreme adverse outcome of this Project's construction in the Aquatic
Gardens Basin on our traffic.
The illegal use of Public Park Land for the use of a private Developer's Storm Water
Detention requirement for this Project.
City ordinance E.2.3.5. strictly prohibits such use of Public park land without unanimous
Consent of all Serving Commissioners. Enlarging and making the Dog Park pond deeper not
only removes usable pedestrian use areas but also may force the addition of a fence around the
pond to guard against drowning by a person who could not walk out because of the steepness of
the bank and would prevent swimming by the dogs. A slope of 1:1 is required without a fence.
Many people have Aquatic Dogs and will hate this!
I am often asked to develop Preliminary Site Plans for my Client's projects. I always seek the
lowest 15%of the site to use for On Site Detention of Storm water with the a"Pop-off'escape
path for overflow purposes. If this%of the site can not be alloted because of the project's size,
my Client must either downsize the project or go to an"Under Drain" system of sub surface
vaults to temporarily detain Storm Water. This type of system(which is much more expensive)
not only requires Drop Inlet drains but may also require extensive use of"Grass Pavers"to allow
easy, pervious flow to the vaults. Because the entire site must have the garbage dug out to 7' to
P.O. Box 350007 Jacksonville,Florida 32235
Tel.: (904)646-2777 E-mail:jim@mccuearch.com
8' the vaults could easily be installed! Obviously,this Developer does not want to use this
method of on site detention!
Project Density & Zoning Requirements-
The 23 units probably must be constructed to assure a tidy profit for the Developer! The
following zoning requirements effect this project:
1. Site area required for each unit is typically figured by the number of bedrooms.
A 2 bedroom unit may require 1,500 s.f. and a 3 bedroom unit may require 2,500 s.f.
2.The Percentage of lot coverage by structures and Impervious surfaces is carefully
Controlled.
3.Number of parking spaces is generated by the types of units. On road parking spaces
may not help to meet this requirement!
4. A certain percentage of the site must be delegated for Landscaping and Dumpster.
5.No site drainage from this project may flow to the West on to this Project's neighbor.
6. Last but not least, perhaps most importantly,on- site Storm Water detention must
be Required. Also, only an"Under Drain System"which is very expensive can
replace a Detention basin on site.
My experience with such multi-family projects indicates the number of parking spaces required
by minimal City Ordinances rarely meets the need. Typically two people sign the lease for the
Apartment,however, shortly therafter the boy or girl friends show up and move in. The 46
spaces may have been required becomes a need for 92 spaces which usually flow out on to the
adjacent street!
Needless to say, the%of impervious or semi-pervious surface is a poor addition to the Aquatic
Gardens basin! (As named by NOAH !) Because of the difficulty of getting in to Atlantic
Boulevard,many of the people will drive to the north through our neighborhood to get out at
Penman road. I suggest that the island in the center of Aquatic Drive be extended to allow
only Right in and Right out possibilities from the site! This would also stop trucks from exiting
the Shopping center attempting to go out of Aquatic Drive in to Atlantic Boulevard.
What must be required for the development of this site-
At least 15%of the site probably at the north end must be coupled with an `Under-drain"
System with large areas of"Grass-paver"pervious paving. The"Pop-off' should run under
Aquatic Drive to the drainage ditch next to the West side of"AtlanticVillage'. The Developer
should be required to pay for the replacement of the undersized (8'-0"x 4'-0")culvert under
the West entry to the shopping center and the straightening out of the drainage ditch leading
to the 10' x 4' concrete culverts west of the Wells Fargo Bank and under Atlantic Boulevard.
The Dog park should never be touched and long-time businesses such as"Sal's Marble" should
never be effected.
Adverse effects and conditions caused by increased traffic-
Our neighborhood is the runway for 55 MPH drivers transiting through and giving us"the
finger". Police haul ass through at 60 MPH hoping to head off a criminal north of us. The City
doesn't even install the 20 MPH signs at the required 7'-0"above grade to be legally binding.
The intersection of Aquatic Drive and Atlantic Boulevard is already a"Suicide corner"to turn
P.O. Box 350007 Jacksonville, Florida 32235
Tel: (904) 646-2777 E-mail:jim@mccuearch.com
out to the East or West, and everyone knows a traffic light will never be installed!
Imagine 92 additional autos being added to the mix at peak hours! I suggest that Atlantic Beach
request the FDOT to limit the speed limit from Royal Palms to the Mayport overpass bridge to
35 MPH.
This Project is a slap in the face to the People of Atlantic Beach who live in Aquatic
Gardens and have recently been flooded out by a Storm Water Drainage system which
brings ever more run- off in to our neighborhood.Not only a large amount of impervious
surface but much additional traffic adds insult to injury.We have been duped by past
Commissioners who allowed such a poor drainage system to be so terribly engineered!
Best Regards,.... and please use your intelligence and Common Sense to stop or downsize this
Project to best serve the people of the Aquatic Gardens Basin! Thanks!
James R. McCue,Architect (FL,VA, GA)
P.O. Box 350007 Jacksonville, Florida 32235
Tel: (904) 646-2777 E-mail: jim@mccuearch.com