December 2004.pdfcity of atlantic beach newsletter
VOL.3 NO.12DECEMBER 2004
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Mayor’s letter
(continued from back)
In 2005 we will be going
forward with a beautification
project at the 5-corner
intersection at City Hall. It
is hoped that by making the
“spiritual” center of our
community a peaceful and
attractive place, cars and
pedestrians going through
the intersection will be both
uplifted and encouraged
towards politeness towards
others. It’s great to be in
small town America.
––John S. Meserve, mayor
Christmas Toy
Donation Drive
Drop off toys at the Fire
Station on the corner of
Seminole Road and Plaza.
Giving Tree
The Christmas tree at the
Adele Grage Cultural Center
will have ornaments to pick
with information on Atlantic
Beach children to donate a
gift from their wish list.
Songwriter's Concerts
December 5th at the Adele
Grage Cultural Center in the
theater from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00
p.m. Free public event. Come
and listen to your neighbors
perform their original songs.
Town Center Tree
Lighting Ceremony
Saturday, December 4th at
the end of Atlantic Blvd. near
the beach. Free children's
craft activities, Dawson's
Annual Holiday Food Drive,
Balloon Art & Face Painting,
Refreshments, and Live
Entertainment.
Bike Parade 3:00 p.m.
Navy Band Southeast's
"Brass Quintet" 4:30 p.m.
Tree Lighting 6:00 p.m.
Santa Claus Arrival 6:45 p.m.
For more information on
events, please call Parks &
Recreation at 247-5828
904-247-5800
www.coab.us
WATER TESTING RESULTS
As part of the Environmental Protection Agency’s requirement to monitor certain con-
taminants, the City’s water was tested for Perchlorate on June 28, 2004 and October
13, 2004. No Perchlorate was detected in the City’s water.
If you have any questions about the City’s water, check the website at www.coab.us
and click on “Public Utilities” and then on “Water Quality Report.” You can also contact
our Utility Director, Donna Kaluzniak at 247-5834 or by e-mail at dkaluzniak@coab.us,
or our Plants Division Director, Harry McNally at 247-5838 or e-mail hmcnally@coab.us.
AHOLIDAY GIFT OF
PLENTIFUL WATER
It’s important to remember the value of our
natural resources during the holiday season.
Conserving now gives the gift of plentiful
water for our children’s children.
Below are two suggestions to improve
household water conservation from the
Environmental Protection Agency
(www.epa.gov):
•Washers are the second largest water user
in your home. If your clothes washer is old,
you should consider purchasing a model
with EPA’s ENERGY STAR certification.
ENERGY STAR washers use 35 to 50
percent less water and 50 percent less
energy per load.
•The major water use inside the home is
toilet flushing. If your home was built before
1992 and you haven’t replaced your toilets
recently, you probably could benefit from
installing high-efficiency toilets that use
1.6 gallons or less per flush. A family of
four can save 14,000 to 25,000 gallons of
water per year by making this change.
An interesting website to check out is
American Water Works Associations’ virtual
home tour of water conservation at
www.h2ouse.org.
Remember – No watering between
10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
TRAILER & RECREATIONAL VEHICLE
PARKING/STORAGE
How many trailers/recreational vehicles
can you park/store on your property?
Depending on lot size, you can have 1 trailer
or 1 recreational vehicle on a residential lot
that is 5,000 square feet in lot area or less,
and up to 2 trailers/recreational vehicles on
a minimum lot area of 10,000 square feet.
Where can you park/store your trailer/
recreational vehicle? All trailers/recreational
vehicles must be kept 15 feet behind the
front property line. This is known as a
15-foot setback.
Where’s the Front Property Line?The
front property line begins where the City
Right of Way ends, so check your property
survey or call the Code Enforcement Office
at (904) 247-5855 before parking/storing
that trailer/recreational vehicle.
YARD WASTE/GARBAGE/RECYCLING
PICK UPS
Because both Christmas and New Year’s
Day fall on Saturdays this holiday season,
yard waste, garbage and recycling pick ups
will occur on the regularly scheduled days.
Appliance pickup will be on Wednesday and
Friday, but must be called in to Public Works
at 247-5834.
Please note that Christmas trees will be
picked up on Mondays with the regularly
scheduled yard waste pick up.
CAROLING IN THE PARK
Saturday, December 11th from 6:30 pm to
8:00 pm in Bull Memorial Park in Atlantic
Beach next to Adele Grage Cultural Center.
This event is free and open to the public.
Bring the songbook, ‘Songs of the Season’,
found in the Beaches Leader and come join
us. There will be a special
appearance by the
“Jolly Man in a
red suit”.
Presort Standard
US Postage Paid
Jacksonville FL
Permit No. 1645
City of Atlantic Beach
800 Seminole Road
Atlantic Beach, FL 32233
December Calendar
SUN MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT
23
5
4
67 98
1
10
12
11
1615
19
18
20 23
17
24
28 29
*Tree Conservation
Board Meeting
7:00 pm
Tree Lighting Ceremony
Town Center
6:00 pm
Caroling in the Park
Bull Memorial Park
6:30 – 8:00 pm
City Commission
Meeting
7:15 pm
*Songwriters’
Concert
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
13
*Cultural Arts &
Recreation Advisory
Committee Meeting
7:00 p.m.
City Holiday
City Offices Closed
City Holiday
City Offices Closed
3026
CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH
John S. Meserve
MAYOR
Richard M. Beaver
MAYOR PRO TEM
J. Dezmond
Waters, III
COMMISSIONER
Sylvia Simmons
COMMISSIONER
Paul B. Parsons
COMMISSIONER
James Hanson
CITY MANAGER
Alan Jensen
CITY ATTORNEY
Donna Bussey
CITY CLERK
John S. Meserve
Mayor
LETTER
FROM THE MAYOR
31
Meetings are held in the Commission
Chambers unless otherwise indicated
*These events will be held at Adele Grage
Cultural Center, 716 Ocean Blvd.
** These events will be held in the Conference
Room at City Hall, 800 Seminole Road.
252221
14
*Tree Conservation
Board Meeting 7:00 pm
*Atlantic Beach Public
Arts Commission
7:00 pm
*Cultural Arts &
Recreation Advisory
Committee, Special
Called Meeting
7:00 pm
27
As we come towards the end of 2004, a busy
year in many ways, I take this opportunity to
wish everyone the very best of Holidays and a
healthy and happy 2005. Again, I compliment
the Staff of Atlantic Beach for their professional
and courteous handling of both the day-to-day
operations and particularly their response to the
hurricanes of 2004. Hopefully 2005 will be a quieter season!
We had many issues come before the Commission, some con-
tentious like the “Johnston Island” development request where
many emotions came into play, but most handled in a quiet and
efficient way. I am pleased at both how the Commission set
the course for the city in a professional manner and how the
public participates in the process. It is what makes living in a
small town such a great experience. We continue to go forward
with projects that will improve the city. The new bike/pedestrian
path on Plaza Drive is the first evidence of our master plan to
make the city bicycle and pedestrian —
friendly. While we had hoped to be under
construction on the Skateboard Park, we
had to re-think and re-bid the project to
avoid a “Courthouse” like cost overrun.
(LETTER CONTINUED IN CURRENTS SECTION INSIDE)
P ARKING TIPS
The Police Department is asking all residents
and visitors to be courteous and observant when
parking vehicles on public property.
Sidewalks are often the principle transportation
routes for school children, elderly adults, and/or
handicapped citizens. If sidewalks are blocked,
then vulnerable people are displaced into the
streets or onto private property. Additionally,
sidewalks are constructed for pedestrian traffic,
and they are not intended to support the weight of
motor vehicles. When vehicles crack and damage
sidewalks, the sidewalks require expensive
replacements or repairs. For these reasons,
motorists are asked to avoid parking vehicles in a
manner in which they block or damage sidewalks.
Vehicles parked on streets should be parked so
that they correspond with the flow of traffic. When
parking on the streets or roadways, motorists
should pull over to the right side of the roadway.
This prevents the driver from crossing over the
oncoming traffic when parking, and it also provides
other motorists with better visibility at night. The
rear of a car typically has reflectors that are more
easily seen at night, and motorists are less likely
to run into the back of the car when it is properly
parked.
When questions arise relative to parking issues,
the Police Department encourages citizens to call
or come by the station to obtain answers. The
non-emergency business line is 904-247-5859.