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July 2017 July 2017 July 4 City Offices Closed July 10 City Commission Meeting 6:30 pm July 2017 Jul 1 Photo Contest Begins Jul 2 Free Yoga – Adele Grage Center 3:30 pm Jul 5 Qigong – Adele Grage Center 9:30 am Jul 5 Mid-Week Market – Bull Park 3-6 pm July 18 Community Development Board Meeting 6 pm July 24 City Commission Meeting 6:30 pm July 25 *Cultural Arts & Recreation Advisory Committee 6 pm August 2017 Jul 5 Free Yoga – Adele Grage Center 6 pm Jul 5 Free Zumba – Jordan Center 6:30 pm C it y C al e n d a r August 10 Pension Board 6:30 pm Jul 5 Meditation Buzz – Adele Grage Center 7:30 pm August 14 City Commission Meeting 6:30 pm Jul 6 Meditation Buzz – Adele Grage Center 8:30 am August 15 Community Development Board Meeting 6 pm Jul 6 Yoga at the Park – Bull Park 7 pm Jul 9 Free Yoga – Adele Grage Center 3:30 pm August 22 *Cultural Arts & Recreation Advisory Committee 6 pm August 28 City Commission Meeting 6:30 pm Jul 9 Songwriters’ Concert – Adele Grage Theater 6-8 pm S pe c i a l E ve n t s J u L Y 2 0 1 7 V o L . 1 3 N o . 7 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 Meetings are held in the Commission Chamber unless otherwise indicated. *These events will be held at Adele Grage Cultural Center, 716 Ocean Blvd. CITY OFFICIALS Mitchell E. Reeves, Mayor Mitchell Harding, Commissioner John Stinson, Mayor Pro Tem Donna Bartle, City Clerk Jimmy Hill, Commissioner Brenna Durden, City Attorney Blythe Waters, Commissioner Kevin Hogencamp, Interim City Manager www.coab.us • (904) 247-5800 ABET Presents…The Year of Magical Thinking Summer Special Event July 8th and 9th / Saturday 8 pm & Sunday 2 pm By Joan Didion, based on her memoir Starring Anne Kraft This award-winning, autobiographical journey takes a poignant look at the shock and denial that have the power to guide us back to ourselves. Jul 11 Kids Yoga – Adele Grage Center 5:30 & 6:30 pm Jul 12 Qigong – Adele Grage Center 9:30 am Jul 12 Mid-Week Market– Bull Park 3-6 pm Jul 12 Free Yoga – Adele Grage Center 6 pm Jul 12 Free Zumba – Jordan Center 6:30 pm Jul 12 Meditation Buzz – Adele Grage Center 7:30 pm Jul 13 Meditation Buzz – Adele Grage Center 8:30 am Jul 13 Yoga at the Park – Bull Park 7 pm Jul 16 Free Yoga – Adele Grage Center – 3:30 pm Jul 18 Wild Child Yoga – Adele Grage Center 5:30 & 6:30 pm Jul 19 Qigong – Adele Grage Center 9:30 am Jul 19 Mid-Week Market– Bull Park 3-6 pm Jul 19 Free Yoga – Adele Grage Center 6 pm Jul 19 Free Zumba – Jordan Center 6:30 pm Jul 19 Meditation Buzz – Adele Grage Center 7:30 pm Jul 20 Meditation Buzz – Adele Grage Center 8:30 am Jul 20 Artist Reception - Adele Grage Center 5-8 pm Jul 20 ART WALK – Beaches Town Center 5-9 pm Jul 23 Free Yoga – Adele Grage Center 3:30 pm Jul 23 Acoustic Night with food truck – Bull Park 6-8 pm Jul 25 Kids Yoga – Adele Grage Center 5:30 & 6:30 pm Jul 26 Qigong – Adele Grage Center 9:30 am Jul 26 Mid-Week Market – Bull Park 3-6 pm Jul 26 Free Yoga – Adele Grage Center 6 pm Jul 26 Free Zumba – Jordan Center 6:30 pm Jul 26 Meditation Buzz – Adele Grage Center 7:30 pm Jul 27 Meditation Buzz – Adele Grage Center 8:30 am Jul 27 Women’s Circle – Adele Grage Center 6 pm Jul 6 Yoga at the Park – Bull Park 7 pm Jul 30 Free Yoga – Adele Grage Center 3:30 pm www.coab.us/recreation Find Us On Facebook Visit us on facebook! www.coab.us/facebook F ro m T he i nt e r i m c it y m an a g e r Dear neighbors, I’ve been around municipal government, for one reason or another, since my freshman year of college. If only I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard the word “budget” at city hall! Still, it wasn’t until I was well into my careers as a journalist and local government administrator that I really understood the full meaning of – and implications of – a city’s budget. And the importance of involving citizens in budget-making decisions. The budget is much more than just an accounting document. It’s a management and planning tool that helps us at city hall – and thecommunity as a whole – determine which objectives have the highest priority and will produce the greatest positive impact in the community. There’s a difference between educating the public about decisions and bringing them into the decision-making process. Involving citizens in the “sausage-making” at city hall is rooted in the Jeffersonian tradition of American governance. By all accounts, good government is dependent upon citizen participation – and key public policies are made during the public budgeting process. Jefferson advocated local-centric, bottom-up government that is responsive to citizens, and he viewed citizen apathy as dangerous to communities. I couldn’t agree more! The City of Atlantic Beach’s budget workshops will be held at 5 p.m. July 12 and July 19 in the City Commission Chamber. Please join us at the hearings, but don’t wait until then to get involved. Rather, please email your thoughts to me (khogencamp@coab.us) and/or the mayor and commissioners. We all want to hear from you! About short-term rentals Vacation rentals can create challenges in communities by effectively establishing commercial activity in residential areas. outcomes of short-term rentals can include noise, inadequate parking, and – potentially – decreased property values in neighborhoods taken over by vacation rentals. Here is how Atlantic Beach’s code of ordinances address short-term rentals: “Short-term rentals prohibited. Private homes including, but not limitedto, single-family homes, town-homes, duplexes, multi-family dwellings including condominiums and the like, shall not be rented or leased for aterm or period of less than 90 days. No person(s) shall offer or advertise a private home for rent or lease for a term or period of less than ninety90 days.” In 2011, the Florida Legislature preempted cities and counties from enacting codes prohibiting or regulating vacation rentals. The legislation included a provision that “grandfathered” Atlantic Beach’s (and other communities’) codes regulating vacation rentals. Today, local governments are now powerless to directly regulate the location of short-term rental properties. Indeed, even “grandfathered” cities are reluctant to amend their ordinance out of concern of losing their “grandfather” status. The City of Atlantic Beach is aligned with the Florida League of Cities in supporting and enforcing home rule – the power for local governments to make legislative decisions. As such, we’re monitoring the Florida Legislature’s deliberations regarding short-term rental regulations. If you have any thoughts about this topic, I’d love to hear from you. Kevin Hogencamp Interim City Manager now is the time to make sure you are registered to vote or your voter registration is up-to-date. The registration books will close on Monday, July 31, 2017 for new voter registrations. Only voters registered to vote and residing in Atlantic Beach may vote in the election. Address changes and other updates may be submitted at any time. Voter registration applications are available at City Hall, any public library, drivers’ license offices, state agencies that provide public assistance, and many other public locations. For more information or to obtain an online application, please visit the Duval County Supervisor of Elections’ website at www.duvalelections.com. Primary Election – Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017 2017 Winning Photo (Scott Thomas Heap) 2nd Annual Photo Contest Under Way The theme this year is “Atlantic Beach Sunsets”. Capture the best photo and be featured on the City’s 2018 Calendar of Events Brochure and the City’s website. The deadline to enter is Aug 14th. Two photos/one entry per email address is allowed. For details, visit www.coab.us and click on the Recreation Department tab. Good luck to all contestants! Hurricane Season is Here – Are You Covered? Property owners with federally backed mortgages and who live in high risk flood zones are required to have flood insurance. Homeowners insurance does not cover flooding or most water damage. The rest of us are not required to have flood insurance, but we all still live in a flood zone, on an island, next to the Atlantic Ocean. We should all consider getting flood insurance. Most homes outside of the high-risk areas qualify for the National Flood Insurance Program’s Preferred Risk Policy at a reduced cost. Flood insurance for contents only is also available. A policy must be in place for 30 days before a claim can be made, so there is still time to get a policy in place before most of the hurricane season. Stop by the Building Department in City Hall to pick up a pamphlet about flood insurance and other flood related information. Finding Your Spot Near the Sand Public parking is an age-old challenge in communities such as ours where we are fortunate enough to have a beautiful beach. And, of course, the conversation really gets going this time of the year, when the weather turns. It’s an annual ritual. In Atlantic Beach, this challenge is amplified because we are uniquely residential, the population in the region is increasing, and the number of the visitors to the Beaches hits a new record each year. As such, people are going to park illegally and the Police Department is going to write tickets, particularly when there is a complaint. So, as always, we’re asking that people call the PD’s non-emergency number at 247-5859 to report illegal parking or other non-emergency matters. People who choose to park on city right-of-way should remember these rules: 1 Always park on the right side of the roadway, unless it is a one-way street; and 2. Parking is never allowed within 20 feet of an intersection. • Otherwise, here are some additional guidelines of where parking is nOT allowed: • on the roadway side of another parked vehicle (double parking). • On crosswalks. • On sidewalks. • In front of driveways. • By curbs painted yellow or where "no Parking" signs are posted. • Within intersections. • Within 15 feet of a fire hydrant. • Within 20 feet of the entrance to a fire, ambulance or rescue squad station. • On the hard surface of a highway where parking spaces are not marked. • Within 30 feet of any flashing signal, stop sign or traffic signal. • In such a way that you block or create a hazard for other vehicles. The beach is here for everyone to enjoy. We ask that visitors be respectful of a homeowner’s property and property owners have patience with our visitors when parking is at a premium. Meanwhile, some residents are considering starting or beefing up neighborhood watches to help us better enforce illegal parking. We think that’s a great idea. That process can get started by calling 247-5859 or emailing tlayson@coab.us.