Item 3A v~..
August 21, 2006
MEMORANDUM
TO: The Honorable Mayor
and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Jiix~ans
City Manager
SUBJECT: Follow-up eport
AGENDA # 3A
AUGUST 28, 2006
Signage at Plaza Street Entrance to Post Office; The City received several complaints and
~* recommendations from citizens recommending improvements to the signage and street markings
for the new public entrance to the Post Office from Plaza Street. All of the recommendations
dealt with improvements on Post Office property and not on the city right-of--way. Because this
~°* project had been proposed and promoted by the City of Atlantic Beach, and because the Post
Office timetable to get this type of improvements completed was very long, city staff offered to
move one confusing sign and paint some arrows on the traffic lanes on Post Office property.
'"' This work will be completed by the end of August.
Traffic Concurrence; A discussion was held at the last'commission meeting about what rights
~'"' cities have in Florida under the concurrency provisions of the Growth Management Act to
approve or deny new developments that may impact traffic. The City of Atlantic Beach does
have the authority to utilize traffic data in considering the approval of developments in our
"" community that may significantly impact traffic. A memo outlining the powers of Atlantic
Beach under state law and our local Comprehensive Plan from Sonya Doerr dated August 16,
2006 is attached for your information.
Request for Three Way Stop at Plaza/Rose Street; At the last commission meeting a
Commissioner passed on a request from residents in the vicinity of Plaza and Rose Street for a
~" three-way stop to be installed. David Thompson has inspected the intersection and found that the
visibility is fine and that there are sidewalks on the west side of Rose Street. There have not
been many accidents at this location over several years. It does not appear that athree-way stop
'~ is justified. The Police Department will conduct a speed study at this location with the traffic
counter and assign officers to utilize radar equipment to determine if there is a speeding problem.
,~ When the information is complete, it will be reported to the city commission.
Streetlight Police; Another complaint was passed along at the last meeting concerning a request
for additional streetlights, particularly on the west side of Mayport Road. The city created a
policy for the location of new streetlights several years ago to aid in the evaluation of similar
requests. The City currently pays about $5,000 per month for streetlights to the JEA, and new
ones can be installed on existing light poles at the city's request. Generally, the city's policy is
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AGENDA#3A
AUGUST 28, 2006
to install streetlights from 150 to 200 feet apart in developed areas. Additional street lighting can
also be installed where there has been a crime problem or a traffic hazard of some sort exists.
Generally, the procedure upon receipt of a complaint is to have a police officer to look at the area
in question during the night and consider the crime history and make a recommendation to their
~. supervisor. Since this policy was established, many additional streetlights have been added in
Atlantic Beach, particularly in the Marsh Oaks area. Please keep in mind that the purpose of
streetlights is to light the streets and not necessarily to light adjoining property. If it is the
~* citizen's request for lighting is to improve the safety on their own property, they should install a
security light instead. A copy of the city's streetlight policy dated 3/11/02 is attached for your
use.
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City of Atlantic Beach
800 Seminole Road
~,,, Atlantic Beach, Florida 32233
Telephone (904) 247-5800
Fax (904) 247-5805
www.coab.us
MEMORANDUM
TO: Jim Hanson, City Manager
Mayor and City Commission
FROM: Sonya Doerr, AICP
Community Development Director
DATE: August 16, 2006
SUBJECT: Concurrency
AGENDA # 3A
AUGUST 28, 2006
The Florida Local Government Comprehensive Planning and Land Development Act of 1985
(the Growth Management Act) required local governments to develop concurrency
~`" management systems to ensure that public facilities and services, including transportation
facilities, whose purpose is to support new development, would be available concurrent with
the impacts of such development. Most local communities have been implementing
~""' concurrency requirements since their Comprehensive Plans were approved in the early
1990s.
Chapter 163, Section 163.3180, Florida Statutes, established the statutory framework for
concurrency and required six infrastructure systems or urban services to be in place prior to
or soon after new development occurs: roads, potable water, wastewater, solid waste,
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stormwater, and parks and recreation. School concurrency was originally to be part of the
State mandate as well, but the projected cost of this requirement and the issue of how to get
local governments and school districts to work together scuttled this requirement. Rules for
how concurrency management systems were to be implemented and administered were set
forth in Chapter 9J-S of the Florida Administrative Code.
Since 1985, periodic revisions have been made to the State's concurrency provisions.
Significant changes to concurrency law were made by the Legislature in 2005 with the
enactment of SB 360. School concurrency is now required. The 2005 legislation also
mandates that development permits cannot be denied if the developer pays a "fair-share
contribution" of the cost to mitigate development impacts. The 2005 legislation also
introduced broader criteria for determining financial feasibility of new development allowing
local governments the flexibility to rely on developer contributions and other revenue sources
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AGENDA # 3A
AUGUST 28, 2006
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"reasonably anticipated" to be available up to ten years into the future. As a result,
transportation concurrency may be much less of an impediment to development in the future,
,~ although development may be more costly for developers who must opt to pay the fair share
contribution to obtain a permit.
~„ While simple in principle, in practice concurrency has proven very difficult to implement.
Opinions as to the success and failure of concurrency are the subject of endless political,
legal and academic dialogue and writings. Concurrency review and the implications of
concurrency aze dramatically different for lazge high-growth urban areas, counties and rural
areas as compared to very small built-out jurisdictions such as the City of Atlantic Beach.
The City of Jacksonville's fair share program to address transportation concurrency is
~„ extremely complex, and typical to the many varied systems used across the State, highly
criticized.
~,.. In general, the City of Atlantic Beach does not have sufficient vacant land located within
Development Areas, as so designated by the Comprehensive Plan, where development of a
size could occur that would have any impact on adopted level of service standards as
~. established in the Comprehensive Plan. Transportation concurrency legislation also
recognizes and defines some development to have a de minimis impact. For example, a
single-family home on an existing lot constitutes a de minimis impact on all roadways, and a
~. de minimis exception from concurrency is made.
Exceptions to transportation concurrency may also be granted by the local government for
areas that aze designated in the local Comprehensive Plan for: 1) urban infill development,
2) urban redevelopment, 3) downtown revitalization, or 4) urban infill and redevelopment.
~. A Concurrency Management System was included within the City's original 1990
Comprehensive Plan, and updated Level of Service (LOS) standards for the six infrastructure
systems were included in the 2015 Comprehensive Plan. Adequate capacity for
~"' infrastructure systems and urban services has been available for all new development
approved within Atlantic Beach, or new development has been within the de minimis impact
exception as defined by Florida Statutes.
The City will soon begin coordination with the City of Jacksonville and the Duval County
School Board to address the new requirement for school concurrency. The City narrowly
~" misses being categorically exempt from this requirement, as are municipalities with no public
schools within their jurisdiction. Atlantic Beach has a single school, Atlantic Beach
Elementary.
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AGENDA # 3A
AUGUST 28, 2006
7-1 City Adopted 3/11/02
Streetlight Policy for Atlantic Beach
I. Purpose: The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines and procedures for
the installation of streetlights in the City of Atlantic Beach
II. General Observations:
~. There would be some advantage to setting a specific distance between streetlights in
residential subdivisions. With a few measurements, the City could establish, in a fair and
unbiased manner, how many streetlights are needed within a specific area. All of the
lighting would by symmetrical in appearance, and it would look very well organized.
However, this is not practical for a variety of reasons:
1. The roads are not straight and consistent relative to distances;
2. There are existing lights that may not be centered in ideal locations;
3. There are businesses, parks, apartments, drainage ditches, and properties
which have unique characteristics;
4. There are existing businesses that provide lighting for certain areas; and
5. There are trees that restrict the lighting in certain areas.
It should be noted that additional lighting occasionally generates complaints. There are
citizens who do not want additional lighting, and they complain that it keeps them awake
~" or otherwise disturbs them. Although this should not be the sole reason for rejecting
lighting, it is a factor that should be considered in the decision making process.
III. Background:
The Police Department has historically evaluated an area based on a visual evaluation of
the lighting. If the area has a heavy tree canopy, it may need more lighting. In a business
area where lighting is already adequate, no streetlight may be needed. This is not the
most "scientific" method of evaluation, but it has been adequate in the past.
In the past, the police department has taken requests from residents. If a citizen requested
an evaluation of a specific area, a police supervisor performed the evaluation and made a
recommendation for lighting. Most of the existing streetlights in the city have been a
result of citizen requests and police department approval.
IV. Procedures:
Police: Police officers are encouraged to identify locations where lighting is limited and
additional lighting is recommended. Officers may submit their requests through email or
memorandums. Their recommendations should consider crimes committed in that
specific area, high probability or high profile targets, vulnerability of targets, and general
safety considerations including high traffic locations (pedestrian and vehicular) and
identifiable hazards. Officers will forward requests for additional lighting to an assigned
supervisor in the Police Department.
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7-1 City Adopted 3/11/02
AGENDA # 3A
AUGUST 28, 2006
'The assigned supervisor will evaluate the recommendation and communicate the decision
back to the originating officer. The supervisor will coordinate the installation of approved
streetlights with the Jacksonville Electric Authority.
Citizens/Citizen Groups: Citizens are encouraged to submit requests for streetlights to
the Police Department. They may:
A. Call in requests by telephone to the Police Communications Division;
B. Mail a letter to the Police Department; or
C. Utilize email to send their requests.
All requests will be forwarded to an appointed police supervisor to review and
~"' communicate with the citizen. After review, the supervisor will contact the citizen to
obtain more information andlor to advise the citizen of the Police Department's
recommendation. The supervisor will coordinate the installation of approved streetlights
"~' with the Jacksonville Electric Authority.
Community Development: All subdivision and commercial development plans
'"" submitted to the Community Development Director for review, will include an evaluation
of the lighting. This review will include assurances that all codes and ordinances are
being met, and will include safety considerations for people who will be affected by the
~. development and construction. Generally, the Jacksonville Electric Authority
recommends streetlights approximately 150' to 200' apart or every other pole.
~, Lighting on the Oceanfront: Lighting on the oceanfront creates a number of problems
relative to balancing the interests of environmentalist with the interests of crime
prevention. It is the Police Department's goal to seek an appropriate balance between
these opposing interests.
„~, The City of Atlantic Beach does not have an ordinance regulating lighting on the
oceanfront. However, when complaints are received relative to bright lights on the beach
that might create a problem for sea turtles, the Police Department will take steps to
~„ resolve the problem amicably with the citizen at the source of the light. As much as
possible, the Police Department will seek voluntary compliance with homeowners near
the oceanfront.
Complaints should be directed to the supervisor assigned this responsibility, and the
supervisor will handle the communication and interaction with all parties.
V. Costs:
~• The cost to erect a new pole is approximately $500.00. This includes setting the pole,
hanging the arm, head and bulb. Where there is an existing pole, there is no charge for a
new light.
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AGENDA # 3A
AUGUST 28, 2006
7-1 City Adopted 3/11/02
The monthly fee for power to a streetlight is approximately $4.50, depending on the
~"' wattage of the light. As of February 2002, the City of Atlantic Beach was spending
approximately $5,000 per month on streetlights.
~"' VI. Inspections:
On a monthly basis, the designated police supervisor will assign midnight shift officers
to identify the locations and pole numbers of all broken streetlights. The supervisor will
report this information to the Jacksonville Electric Authority to have the lights repaired.
~"" An ongoing log will be maintained to track the streetlight repairs.
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