03-25-81 v A
MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL CALL MEETING OF THE ATLANTIC BEACH CITY V V
COMMISSION HELD AT THE CITY HALL ON MARCH 25,1981 AT 7:30 P.M. O 0
T T
PRESENT: William S. Howell, Mayor-Commissioner E E
Alan C. Jensen D D
L. W. Minton, Jr.
Catherine G. Van Ness, Commissioners M S
AND: Bill M. Davis, City Manager 0 E
T C
Oliver C. Ball, City Attorney I 0 Y
Adelaide R. Tucker, City Clerk
NAME OF ONEN
ABSENT: James E. Mhoon, Commissioner COMMRS. N D S 0
Mayor Howell called the meeting to order for the purpose of discussing
the drainage system for Selva Marina Garden. The City Engineer, Mr.
Walter J. Parks, Jr. , and Mr. Bull's engineer, Mr. Allan Potter, were
present. Mr. Parks asked if the proposed plat showing the easement for
the sewer line had been submitted. Mr. Potter answered in the affirma-
tive, and Mr. Davis confirmed that the plat shows the easement. Mr.
Parks then asked Mr. Potter if he had noted on his drawings about re-
lieving the earth pressure on a certain manhole and making a new connec-
tion. Mr. Potter replied in the negative, and stated that it would be
so noted on the final drawings. Mr. Potter also stated that his notes
call for a representative from the City to be present when the existing
water main is tapped, and when new lines are tested. A discussion then
started on the valley gutters, the last item which remained unresolved.
Mr. Potter presented a full-size cross section of a typical valley
gutter that he proposed to use. He explained that the road is planned
to have roadside grass swales on both sides. The soil in the neighbor-
hood is primarily sand. Percolation of rain that runs off pavements and
driveways to the roadside swales, in most occasions, will occur within
the swale area. He added that, in the event complete percolation does
not occur, the streets will be graded, and the swales will be graded to
come downhill to an intersection and traverse across the pavement 5' wide
and 55' long. Mr. Potter demonstrated how the water flow would be
handled by construction of the swales. The swale system was selected
in lieu of underground pipe inasmuch as the area is small (and with poor
soil and with the limited contributing area for run-off there is a
slight amount of water that will flow in a heavy rain, but it is such
an insignificant quantity compared to the minimum flow necessary to keep
the pipes clean). If there is insufficient water flow, the pipes will
fill up with sand and debris. For that reason, due to the low flow,
underground pipe was not selected. Had there been a bigger drainage
area with a greater probable flow of rainfall there would be no question
as to inlets and such. Mr. Potter said there is not a large quantity
of water, and added that an underground culvert system would only create
a maintenance problem for the city.
Mr. Parks coimuented that the proposed swales are sometimes called"Texas
bridges" because there are areas in Texas that are dry for the greater
part of the year, but you may go there some day and be up to your chin
in water. because they carried the water across the road and not under I;.
r 1
PAGE TWO V V
MINUTES Names of
MARCH 25, 1981 Commrs. M S Y N
_ e i.,
Discussion - Parks and Potter - continued
Bigger swales would work all over town but only the water would get
deeper, and you still will have bumps in the streets. Mr. Parks
added that is the reason that he has requested the provision of the
catch basins because the water that comes down has no way to get to
the mosquito control ditch other than to cross the intersection either
by Mr. Potter's proposed device or by the normal method of storm
sewers. He voiced the opinion that if the swales are used now, the
City will still have to put in the catch basins and storm sewers
that should go in now within the next ten years. Mayor Howell asked
Mr. Parks if he had the layouts for the proposed future development
could that possibly change his opinion, and he answered in the
negative. Commissioner Van Ness asked the Chief of Police for his
opinion of the dip in the street and he did not have a comment at
that time. Commissioner Jensen stated that he had no objection to
the dip in the street. After further discussion, Commissioner Jensen
suggested a third independent opinion be obtained as none of the
Commissioners were engineers. Mr. Parks asked Mr. Davis to state
the position the City of Jacksonville takes on such matters. Mr.
Davis said that the City of Jacksonville's engineering department
advised him that they will allow valley gutters if the section of the
street to be served by the valley gutters does not exceed approximatEly
150 feet. The Chair asked if anyone wished to move that the
position of the City Commission taken at a previous meeting in regarcs
to the approval of the plat be changed. No motion was made. The
position stands that the plat cannot be signed or approved until the
city engineer wished to sign off on the engineering for the water,
sewer, and drainage systems.
The Chief of Police asked for a legal opinion on the wooded areas
of the new units in Selva Marina where the streets are not dedicated.
He said that in an attempt to landscape the islands, etc. logs and
posts are being placed in the area which will tremendously reduce
the ability to put fire trucks in the area. He asked what position
the city could take as to removing these obstacles. Mr. Ball answered
this is the same as private property but it is pseudo-public. He
considered the streets to be the same as the Pic N Save parking lot,
and if there is a health or safety hazard, the city has the authority
to employ city employees to remove any obstacles and assess the owners
for the city's cost. A citizen in the audience stated that he lived
in the area and had recently placed logs off the roadway for the
purpose of slowing the traffic down and to avoid the erosion of sand
Mayor Howell suggested that all the owners keep the logs and other
possible obstacles off the designated right-of-way and stay on their
own property and then problems would not arise.
There being no further business, the Mayor declared the meeting
adjourned.
(SEAL)
ATT S • William S. Howell
ATT
Mayor-Commissioner
Adelaide R, Tucker