Amended Item 1C-Minutes of Town Hall Meeting 5-7-16CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH
TOWN HALL MEETING RE: SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL
Minutes
May 7, 2016
IN ATTENDANCE:
Commissioner Jimmy Hill (presiding)
Commissioner John Stinson
Director of Public Works Don Jacobovitz
RESIDENTS IN ATTENDANCE:
AMENDED ITEM 1C
JULY 25, 2016
Commissioner Blythe Waters
City Manager Nelson Van Liere
Deputy PW Director Kayle Moore
Approximately 62 residents in attendance, no sign -in sheet available.
Commissioner Hill opened the meeting at 10:00 am on the 7th of May 2016. Rules of
order were explained to the attendees requesting all comments be confined to the
matters at hand and no personal attacks or comments be expressed.
1) Presentation of the Safe Routes to School by Mr. Rick Carper, former
Director of Public Works for the City of Atlantic Beach
Topics of the presentation were conveyed to the attendees. The topic were
described as follows:
a. The Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is funded through a grant sponsored
by the Federal Highway Administration and the Florida Department of
Transportation;
b. City of Atlantic Beach expenditure commitments to date were
approximately $50,000.00;
c. Application for the grant was approved in 2013;
d. Construction timing FY 2016 - 2017;
e. The grant required the project must serve Atlantic Beach Elementary
School and the surrounding neighborhoods within a 2 mile radius of
the school;
f. Any change to the proposal as presented would increase the
commitment from the City of Atlantic Beach approximately
$10,000.00 for the cost of surveying for an alternate location on the
west side of Seminole Road.
2) Open Discussion
Commissioner Hill opened the discussion to the citizens. Citizen complaints,
concerns, or other questions were noted by Commissioner Stinson and highlights
AMENDED ITEM 1C
JULY 25, 2016
May 7, 2016 Minutes of the Town Hall Meeting- Safe Routes to School Page 2
included in the following list. (The lists are in no particular order. Commissioner
comments will be credited to each Commissioner.)
a. 90% of the students at ABE live within the SRTS defined 2 mile radius;
b. a study was performed to determine where students were coming
from to the school;
c. Commissioner Hill stated "This has been done wrong once before by
the City of Atlantic Beach. Everyone wants to provide a safe route to
school for children."
d. there are no sidewalks in Royal Palms for ABE students;
e. why a bike path on the busiest road in Atlantic Beach?;
f. will the City maintain the ROW owned by the City between the
multipurpose path and the street?;
g. a comment about the dangers of pedestrians giving way to other
users;
h. slow down traffic on the roads adjacent to the SRTS path;
i. concerns about the dangers of children crossing Seminole road
multiple times along the path;
j. what is the minimum width required by the grant?;
k. wider sidewalks allow users to pass each other;
1. please consider an alternate route other than one along Seminole
road;
m. the path is forcing children to be collected where vehicle traffic is the
highest;
n. speeds along Seminole road are excessive;
o. it doesn't feel safe when transiting sidewalks and street intersections,
cars do not observe traffic controls;
p. take advantage of the grant funding;
q. is the SRTS presentation available on the City web site?;
r. this has been done internationally quite successfully along major
thoroughfares;
s. what can the City do to improve other efforts in traffic control?,-
t.
ontrol?;t. newcomers want change, old-timers perhaps do not;
u. Commissioner Stinson commented "my expectation is the City of
Atlantic Beach should abide by the same pervious / impervious
requirements as citizens must." Commissioner Stinson asked Mr.
Carper to provide pervious / impervious calculation for the right-of-
way along the route;
v. Commissioner Hill stated "there is an alternate path through the
park.";
w. this has not been handled openly with the citizens until now;
x. what are the locations of the trees to be removed?;
y. what are the feeder sidewalks to this SRTS path?;
z. maintain Howell Park as a true conservation area;
Minutes prepared by Commissioner John Stinson
AMENDED ITEM X
JULY 25, 2016
May 7.2016 Minutes of the Town Hall Meeting- Safe Routes to School Page 3
aa. Commissioner Stinson commented "some of the proposals would
require the Police Department have more access to additional
resources to ensure pedestrian safety."
bb. Saltair subdivision needs more and wider sidewalks;
cc. Commissioner Waters stated "this is part of a larger effort to get
Atlantic Beach more pedestrian friendly, and please do not derail this
project to consider other choices."
3) Commissioner Hill adjourned the meeting at 12:13 pm to allow
residents to view the maps of the proposed project and ask
questions of City staff.
Commissioner Hill thanked everyone for his or her participation, interest, opinions
and patience.
Attest:
Donna L. Bartle, CMC
City Clerk
Minutes prepared by Commissioner John Stinson
Mitchell E. Reeves
Mayor