Exh 3B.~ a
I r.~s ~ ~ ~ r ~ 1
December 10, 1999
MEMORANDUM
TO: The Honorable Mayor
and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Jim Hanson
City Manager
SUBJECT: Follow-up items from Commission meetings
The following are responses to questions and requests for additional information that
were made at recent City Commission meetings:
Speeding on Seminole Road; A complaint was made at the 11/8/99 meeting of the
Mayor and Commission about speeding on the north end of Seminole Road. The Police
Department placed a traffic analyzer in the 2,000 block of Seminole Road beginning on
November 16 which remained for almost a week. Over 22,000 vehicles crossed that
device and five percent of the vehicles exceeded the speed limit by over 10 miles per
hour. As a result of this finding, special traffic enforcement will be focused on the north
end of Seminole Road for the next few months.
Metal cover in street at David/Pine Streets; This plate was put in the street by the
City utility crews to temporarily cover the meter bax connected to the well in Howell
Park. The City is installing a meter on the v~ell and thy; meter box cover was being fitted
for a touch read metering device. While the cover was in the shop for modifications, the
metal plate was used.
Spanish land rant name for Dutton Island; The original Spanish land grant for a large
portion of northeast Florida including most of Atlantic Beach and Dutton Island was in
the name of "B de Castro y Ferrer." City staff has requested citizen input for the name of
Dutton Island through the Tideviews News Letter. Once names have been submitted,
these will be presented to the Recreation Committee and the City Commission, and the
Castro y Ferrer name will be included.
1
Follow-up items from Commission meetings
December 10, 1999
Page 2
Monthly reports from the Fire Department; Monthly reports from the Jacksonville
Fire Department for responses in the Atlantic Beach district will begin next month.
Dagle,~xard questions; Three questions were asked. The first was about a
proposed swap of property between the City and the junkyard owner. The proposed
exchange described in the chronology of events from Maureen King did not take place.
The second question was whether or not junk had been removed from blocks 110, 139,
and 143. City Code Enforcement Personnel recently issued citations for the removal of
several items from city right-of--way. Additional survey work will be needed to determine
if additional citations will be issued. Third, a question was asked about the continuing
use of the property if ownership changed hands; could the junkyard continue if it were
sold? Alan Jensen has answered this question referencing Section 24-113 in the Code
that the property could legally remain a junkyard if it was continuously used even if the
title were to be transferred between owners. Only if the property ceases to be used as a
junkyard would its status as a special use exemption be terminated.
Roof at overlook at Tide Views Preserve; Apiece was found to be missing from the
roof cap on the overlook structure at Tide Views Park. The contractor has been notified
to get it replaced as soon as possible.
Use of bond funds for "tailwater" improvements for storm drainage A question was
recently raised at a meeting of the Mayor and Commission about whether the bond
covenants allowed for expenditure of bond funds for stormwater improvements outside of
the Core City area. The "Project" as described in the Official Statement of the bond issue
lists the work as "implementation of the Stormwater Master Plan." The Plan referred to
a 1995 report which states that the Project will address the drainage in downstream areas.
Although not specifically addressing the downstream drainage problem as "tailwater" the
Plan does mention the elimination of flow restrictions to the Selva Lagoon.
Consequently, the "Project" authorized by the bond document did intend to address work
of this type and therefore spending bond funds for tailwater improvements related to the
Core City area is authorized.
The estimate of the cost of the project exceeds available bond funds. Therefore, it is
likely that funds for addressing the tailwater portion of the project may in fact not come
from bond funds but from operating reserves of the utility which have been pledged to
this project by the Mayor and Commission in the 1999-00 budget.
Follow-up items from Commission meetings
December 10, 1999
Page 3
Weaving artwork from First Night; After last year's First Night event, the Committee
presented the yearly weaving to the Parks and Recreation Department. It is currently on
display at the Adel Grage Center. It was not placed in the City Commission Chambers as
was the first weaving because the materials for the second were anticipated to deteriorate
quickly.
Pending_park construction projects;
Three parks aze in various stages of construction/upgrade as follows:
Bull Park -specifications were revised and the project was put out to bid
again. Bids were opened on Wednesday, December 1, and will be
presented to the Mayor and Commission at the regulaz meeting of
December 14.
Pine Duttonl Island -the City Commission approved the Master Plan and
authorized David Thompson to negotiate a contract with Landers-Adkins
for construction documents. Negotiations have been ongoing but are not
complete. Callaway Construction Company has been contracted to replace
the culvert. Work is underway and should be completed by the end of this
calendaz year.
Tide Views Preserve -completion of the final portions of this park should
be accomplished by the time of the Commission meeting of December 14.
The park has already been opened for public use.