June 2010.pdfCode Enforcement Corner
A common aggravation for the City is the proliferation of what our Sign
Code calls Snipe Signs (or more accurately “litter on a stick.”) These
are the small plastic, wood, or cardboard signs placed along streets and
roadways in the public right-of-ways, sometimes in landscaped areas and
even nailed to trees advertising all sorts of items and services.
Any such sign on a public right-of-way or on public property is an illegal
sign and will be removed and discarded as quickly as possible. Almost
all City departments with employees who work out and about
the City are engaged in removing these. You can assist by
removing any of these that might be placed in front
of your property, if you wish to do so. The right-
of-way is not just the paved street; it may extend
as much as five to fifteen feet from the edge of
the street. Our beautiful streets deserve to stay
free of trash and litter in all forms.
If you have any questions regarding the
City’s sign ordinance contact the City’s Code
Enforcement Officer, Eddie Lopez at 247-
5855 or e-mail elopez@coab.us.
J
u
n
e
2
0
1
0
V
o
l
.
6
n
o
.
6
C
i
t
y
o
f
A
t
l
A
n
t
i
C
B
e
A
C
h
n
e
w
s
l
e
t
t
e
r
June 2010
June 8 Code Enforcement Board / 7 pm
June 14 City Commission Meeting / 6 pm
June 15 Community Development Board / 6 pm
June 22 *Cultural Arts & Recreation Advisory Committee / 7 pm
June 28 City Commission Meeting / 6 pm
July 2010
July 5 CITY OFFICES CLOSED
Jul 12 City Commission Meeting / 6 pm
Jul 13 Code Enforcement Board / 7 pm
Jul 20 Community Development Board / 6 pm
Jul 26 City Commission Meeting / 6 pm
Jul 27 *Cultural Arts & Recreation Advisory Committee / 7 pm
City offiCiAls
Mike Borno, Mayor Carolyn Woods, Commissioner
John Fletcher, Mayor Pro Tem Jim Hanson, City Manager
Jonathan Daugherty, Commissioner Alan Jensen, City Attorney
Paul Parsons, Commissioner Donna Bartle, City Clerk
www.coab.us • (904) 247-5800
Meetings are held in the Commission Chamber unless otherwise indicated.
* These events will be held at Adele Grage Cultural Center, 716 Ocean Blvd.
June 2010
June 5 Wild Wonders / Dutton Island Preserve / 11 am
June 6 Songwriters Concert / Adele Grage / 6 - 8 pm
June 17 North Beaches Art Walk / Town Center / 5 pm
June 19 Wild Wonders / Dutton Island Preserve / 11 am
June 27 Acoustic Nights / Bull Park / 6 - 8 pm
July 2010
July 11 Songwriters Concert / Adele Grage / 6 - 8 pm
July 15 North Beaches Art Walk / Town Center / 5 pm
July 25 Acoustic Nights / Bull Park / 6 - 8 pm
Conservation in Your Back Yard
If you want to help the
environment and create a
natural paradise in your own
back yard, you can order a
beautiful book for free.
Backyard Conservation –
Bringing Conservation from
the Countryside to Your
Backyard is available from the Natural Resources Conservation
Service at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/feature/backyard/
index.html.
You’ll learn easy-to-use practices to attract birds and butterflies,
pick the right plants and trees, and irrigate and fertilize in the
most environmentally protective ways.
In addition, the website has tip sheets for everything from
composting to mulching to nutrient management.
Know your DAys:
Irrigate only before 10 am or after 4 pm and only on your days.
odd Addresses – wednesday and saturday
even Addresses – thursday and sunday
non-residential – tuesday and friday
Do you want to live and work in safe
neighborhoods? Of course, all of us do. Atlantic
Beach has an excellent Police Department and
the lowest crime rates in the area. However, keeping the City safe
requires more than a great Police Department; people have to take
some responsibility for their own safety. Atlantic Beach offers three
programs to help people take control: Crime Prevention Through
Environmental Design and the Neighborhood Watch and Business
Watch Programs.
Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) deals with
the design of buildings, landscaping and other practices to make your
home or business a more welcome environment for the public but
less inviting for criminals. People can deter criminal behavior by simply
creating the “right” atmosphere through improved lighting, different
types of landscaping and adopting practices that have been found to
reduce crime.
The Neighborhood Watch Program has been around for many years
and there are quite a number of active neighborhood programs in
Atlantic Beach. Through this program, people learn how to help by
identifying and reporting suspicious activity in their neighborhoods.
For example, if you know your neighbors well enough to know what
cars they drive and when they are at work, you can report a suspicious
or unfamiliar vehicle that is at their house while they are gone. In the
past, neighborhood watch members have not only deterred crime and
helped to catch criminals, but in some cases they have saved lives!
It’s all about watching out for each other.
The Business Watch Program is a newer project that has gained a lot
of interest in the Mayport Corridor. Crime prevention specialists can
help business managers learn how to better handle their cash on site,
take deposits to the bank safely, identify forgeries and spot identity
theft. They can also make managers aware of recent crimes in their
area and provide information about suspects to watch out for.
For information about the Neighborhood Watch Program, citizens can
contact either Sgt Gus Carlson or Lt Tiffany Layson. For information
about the CPTED and Business Watch Programs, call Dale Hatfield.
All can be reached at the non-emergency number (904) 247-5859.
Be part of the solution; get involved. — Mayor Borno
Time to Spruce up the Yard
As summer approaches, here are some helpful tips to minimize the impact of yard
maintenance on our environment.
1. Blow grass clippings back into grass or landscaped areas. Yard clippings or
leaves blown or raked into storm drains or ditches increase biological oxygen
demand due to the decay process, reducing the amount of oxygen available
for fish.
2. Using a mulching mower or composting returns nutrients to the soil and helps
reduce the need for fertilizer. One bag of yard clippings contains 1/4 pound
of nitrogen.
3. Use Native Plants to reduce the need for irrigation.
4. Use pesticides and fertilizers sparingly and in the amounts recommended for
your specific need. Contact the Duval County Extension Service at 387-8850
for additional guidance. Use slow release fertilizers.
5. Do not apply fertilizers or pesticides within 10 feet of a pond or ditch bank.
Blow fertilizers from paved surfaces back into lawns or landscaped areas.
Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Handbook: A Guide to Environmentally
Friendly Landscaping is published by the University of Florida Institute of Food and
Agricultural Sciences (IFAS). This handbook describes how to minimize nonpoint
source pollution from landscapes, especially residential ones. The booklet is an
integral part of the FYN program being implemented in certain parts of the state by
the Cooperative Extension Service. It may be downloaded from the FDEP website at:
http://www.dep.state.fl.us
Right-of-Way Damage Caused by Parking
Parking on grassed areas of the City right of way is causing a significant decline
in physical appearance of our streets. City Code addresses this: LDR 24-161
(b)(3) Parking for residential uses shall be located within paved or stabilized
driveways, private garages or carports or such areas intended for the day-to-day
parking of vehicles. Vehicles shall not be routinely parked within grassed or
landscaped areas of a residential lot or on grassed or landscaped portions
of public rights-of-way adjacent to the lot. If you must park on grassed or
vegetated areas, please rotate where you park so the grass has a chance to
recover. If the area where you park is already bare, please rake the area to
loosen the surface, add sod and water. Don’t park while the sod is getting
established. For questions on what is right-of-way and what is private property,
contact Public Works at 247-5834.
Make Independence Day Safe
and Enjoyable for Everyone
The Independence Day holiday is a fun time to get together with family and
friends to celebrate – and many times this includes fireworks. To make sure
that the holiday is safe for everyone, we would like to remind you of the
City Ordinance adopted in 2004 that makes it illegal to sell, possess or shoot
off any fireworks other than the “sparkler-types” at any of the Beach cities.
The “sparkler-types” of fireworks that are hand held or ground based that
emit showers of sparks but do not explode or propel themselves in the air are
considered legal under the law in each Beach city.
help Keep our City Clean
Be kind to your neighbors and the environment by keeping our City clean and
disposing of all fireworks debris.
Mapping the Risk
Flood Maps Being Updated
Do you live in one of Duval County’s flood zones? What you know now might
be in the process of changing. Using the latest new technology, FEMA and
the Public Works Department have updated the City’s 20-year-old flood maps,
creating detailed, digitized formats that reflect current flood risks.
Property owners are encouraged to visit www.mappingtherisk.com to learn
more about the flood map modernization project and how the changes may
affect their property.
Residents and businesses can use the maps to learn their risk, and decide the
financial steps they need to take to protect against damage and loss. In some
cases, these changes mean affected property owners may need to purchase
flood insurance.
Particularly as we prepare to enter the storm season, residents are also
reminded that flood maps differ from hurricane evacuation maps. Residents
should determine their evacuation status by visiting www.coj.net and selecting
the GIS mapping option.