March 2007.pdfVOL.3 NO.3MARCH 2007
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Spring is upon
us! While winter-
like temperatures
may linger, it is
time for all to
plan for warmer months ahead.
So too, your Commission has
commenced to refine our City’s
“roadmap” for the coming year
relative to our strategic planning
sessions.
One issue of ongoing importance is
the study being conducted by our
Redistricting Committee. The com-
mittee will ultimately recommend to
the Commission whether or not our
citizens should have the opportunity
to decide what form of government
is best suited for our community.
Your commissioners will study
these findings and determine
whether there is merit for this
question to be brought before our
citizens in a referendum this fall.
Under Governor Crist, the Florida
legislature recently addressed the
concern of affordable homeowners’
insurance. Your local elected
officials are concerned about this
problem and we encourage you to
understand what is at risk, learning
from the insurance debacle in many
communities ravaged by hurricanes
over the past several years.
The 110th Congress is convening
and one of the critical issues to be
debated is the global warming
concern relative to the aggressive
city of atlantic beach newsletter
LIVING GREEN WEBSITE
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The University of Florida has a great website
(http://livinggreen.ifas.ufl.edu/) with videos
on environmental topics such as Landscaping
for Wildlife,Invasive Exotic Plants,and
Conservation Easements.
There’s also a wildlife section with beautiful
photos and information about Florida’s birds,
mammals,reptiles and insects,plus lots of infor-
mation on how to conserve water and energy.
In the “Waste”section,you can learn about
recycling and e-cycling (electronics recycling),
household hazardous waste and composting.
Click the “Landscaping”link for information
on native plants,xeriscaping,fertilizers and
pest management,or review the “Natural
History”page to read about our ecosystems
and fire ecology.
The City of Atlantic Beach and the Cultural Arts and Recreation Advisory Committee are hosting
the second annual “Tour de Parks”event on Saturday,April 21.The first tour will leave at 9 a.m.
and the last tour will leave at Noon.
Participants will enjoy an approximate five-mile bike ride that visits almost all of the public parks in
Atlantic Beach.Anyone wishing to participate can start at any participating park in Atlantic Beach.
Tour guides will be there to assist with the route,and traffic officers will help with street crossing.
Participants are urged to follow Florida law which mandates helmets for anyone riding a bike under
the age of 18. For more information,call the Parks and Recreation Department at (904) 247-5828.
TOUR DE PARKS
Remember – water only two days per week,before 10 a.m.or after 4 p.m.
For more water conservation information,go to www.floridaswater.com.
Hard to find the right person for assistance?
Just click “Fix-It”to get things done.A “Fix-It”
feature has been added to the City’s website at
www.coab.us.One click on the “Fix-It”button
provides the user with a list of common
suggestions and/or problems including
potholes,traffic controls,weeds,road repairs,
abandoned vehicles,animal problems,and
other items that require the City’s attention.
By checking the appropriate boxes and
submitting information relative to the sugges-
tion/problem and details on the location,an
e-mail is sent to the appropriate City staff
member to address and resolve the problem.
WEB BASED COMPLAINT SYSTEM
The City is accepting applications for lifeguard positions for the 2007 season.All interested
parties are welcome to pick up an application at the Atlantic Beach City Hall,or obtain an
application on the Atlantic Beach website www.coab.us.All returning lifeguards should contact
Lifeguard Captain John Phillips at (904) 247-5883.
LIFEGUARDS
city of atlantic beach newsletter
CALENDAR
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 North Conference Room at City Hall,800 Seminole Road.
Donald Wolfson
MAYOR
Jamie Fletcher
COMMISSIONER
J. Dezmond Waters, III
MAYOR PRO TEM
Sylvia Simmons
COMMISSIONER
Mike Borno
COMMISSIONER
Jim Hanson
CITY MANAGER
Alan Jensen
CITY ATTORNEY
Donna Bussey
CITY CLERK
CITY OFFICIALS
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pursuit of safe and viable alternative
power sources for our vehicles. What
greater threat is there to ALL coastal
communities nationwide than the rise
of the sea levels to the levels predicted
by renowned scientists?
While many of us prefer to relinquish
the responsibility for these issues
to a higher authority, residents of
coastal communities have the
most to lose should these higher
authorities act slowly, or not at all.
Following the progress of potential
legislation at the state and national
level is more important than we
may believe.
Closer to home, with the possible
consummation of the wetlands’
acquisition, construction of additional
sidewalks and pedestrian paths, com-
munity beautification, tree ordinance
revision, renegotiation of a compre-
hensive sanitation contract, the
study for upgrading or replacing
our public safety building, affordable
housing shortage, real estate tax
caps/real estate tax portability and
enhancements of our commercial
general districts, your commission,
along with the City’s staff, is commit-
ted to make our city the very best
community to live, work, play, and
to raise a family. Please feel free to
contact your commissioners with
your suggestions, observations,
commendations, and concerns.
YOGACLASSES
Atlantic Beach Parks and Recreation
Department offers a yoga class
from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. every Sunday
in March at the Adele Grage Cultural
Center. Call (904) 247-5828 for more
information.
Mar 1 *Last Day of Art Show |
8 a.m.– Noon.,1 – 4 p.m.
Mar 2 Late Night Skate – Oceanside Rotary
Skate Park | 6:30 – 11 p.m.
Mar 3 “Wild Wonders”Program – Dutton
Island Preserve | 11 a.m.– Noon
Mar 4 *Songwriter's Concert | 6 -8 p.m.
Mar 8 Board Member Review Committee
Mtg | 5 p.m.
Mar 12 City Commission Mtg | 7:15 p.m.
Mar 13 Code Enforcement Board Mtg| 7 p.m.
Mar 14 *Tree Conservation Board Mtg | 7 p.m.
Mar 17 “Wild Wonders”Program – Tideviews
Preserve | 11 a.m.– Noon
Mar 18 *Acoustics Night at Bull Memorial
Park | 4 – 6 p.m.
Mar 20 Community Development Board Mtg|
7 p.m.
Mar 26 City Commission Mtg | 7:15 p.m.
Mar 27 *Cultural Arts & Recreation Advisory
Committee Mtg | 7 p.m.
Mar 28 *Tree Conservation Board Mtg|
7 p.m.
Mar 31 “Wild Wonders”Program – Dutton
Island Preserve | 11 a.m.– Noon
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www.coab.us •(904) 247-5800
MARCH 2007
Apr 7 Easter Egg Hunt – Jordan Park |
11:00 a.m.
Apr 9 City Commission Mtg | 7:15 p.m.
Apr 11 *Tree Conservation Board Mtg |
7 p.m.
Apr 12 Board Member Review Committee
Mtg | 5 p.m.
Apr 14 “Wild Wonders”Program – Tideviews
Preserve| 11 a.m.– Noon
Apr 15 *Songwriters Concert – ABET
Theater | 6 – 8 p.m.
Apr 17 Community Development Board Mtg|
7 p.m.
Apr 21 Tour de Parks – AB parks |
9:00 a.m.– Noon
Apr 23 City Commission Mtg | 7:15 p.m.
Apr 24 *Cultural Arts & Recreation Advisory
Committee Mtg | 7 p.m.
Apr 25 *Tree Conservation Board Mtg|
7 p.m.
Apr 28 “Wild Wonders”Program – Dutton
Island Preserve | 11 a.m.– Noon
Apr 29 *Acoustics Night at Bull Memorial
Park | 4 – 6 p.m.
APRIL 2007
Donald M. Wolfson
Mayor
Yes,it’s that time again.Every political season,
questions arise as to the City of Atlantic
Beach Codes regulating election signs. For
this reason, the Code Enforcement Division
is providing answers to your frequently asked
questions:
Q. HOW MANY SIGNS CAN I HAVE?
A.City Code Chapter 17, Section 17-1.1
does not limit the number of election
signs placed on private property to
announce or advertise a candidate.
Q. HOW LONG CAN I POST AN
ELECTION SIGN?
A.Election signs are permitted once a
candidate is qualified to run for election,
and must be removed 72 hours after the
election.
Q. HOW BIG CAN MY SIGN BE?
A.Your election sign can be no larger than
4 sq. ft. in size.
Q.WHERE CAN I PLACE MY SIGN?
A.It must be placed wholly on your property.
When referring to your property, this
excludes city right-of-ways, medians, trees
and utility poles
Q.WHAT ABOUT POLLING PLACES?
A. Florida Statute 102.031 specifies that no
signs or solicitors are permitted within one
hundred (100) feet of the entrance to a
polling place on the day of election,unless
solicitation is conducted in a separate
marked area so as not to disturb,impede,
obstruct,or interfere with voter access.
ELECTION SIGNS