FRDAP Grant/Nance Park: An application for FRDAP monies was sent to FDEP September 5, 2006, which was approved. Project improvements, costing $50,000, include redecking the boardwalk area between the restrooms and crossover #3, redecking access #4, providing additional sidewalks in the southern end of the park to better move pedestrians and avoid conflicts with vehicles, paving a portion of the parking lot drive-thru area, and providing additional play equipment. The executed agreement was received from FDEP on July 23, 2007. Sidewalks were constructed along the west side of the park entrance and along the south side of the park. The Town has been reimbursed for these expenses. Access #4 and the boardwalk east of the restrooms have been reconstructed. Sidewalk portion installed connecting restrooms with Wavecrest Ave. sidewalk. Swing seats have been replaced and new spring toys installed. Parking area resurfacing has been completed and the Parks & Recreation Committee selected play items to be added to the park. (7/15/08)
Comprehensive Plan/School Concurrency: The Public School Facilities Element was approved by the Zoning & Planning Board on April 22, 2008 and by Council on May 20, 2008. Changes are consistent with the School Concurrency Inter-local Agreement approved by Council on February 19, 2008 (agenda item V-B). The Florida Department of Community Affairs (DCA) provided the Objections, Recommendations & Comments (ORC) Report to the Town which is being addressed by the Town’s planning consultant. A revised Interlocal Agreement is to be provided for Council consideration. (8/19/08)
SR-A1A pedestrian crosswalk: FDOT recently installed a pedestrian mid-block crosswalk on SR-A1A at Second Avenue. Staff was notified that FDOT was proposing to make this improvement in December, 2007. However, the Town did not receive any plans to review or other information after the December, 2007, notice. FDOT did not mention that the pedestrian mid-block crosswalk, the Town has three of them on Fifth Avenue, would prohibit SR-A1A motorists from turning west onto Second Avenue or prohibit eastbound Second Avenue motorists from turning north onto SR-A1A. (8/19/08)
Union Negotiations: The current agreement with the PBA for police officers and dispatchers expires September 30, 2008. The PBA has notified the Town of it’s desire to negotiate a new agreement to take effect October 1, 2008. (8/19/08)
Pedestrian Signs: FDOT was requested to improve the pedestrian crossing signs on US-192/SR-500. (8/19/08)
Orlando Park: The seesaw was repaired and replaced. A new set of chin-up bars was ordered and installed in the park. (8/19/08)
Melbourne Causeway: FDOT has included in the Tentative Five-Year Transportation Plan replacing the easternmost relief bridge (bridge number 700037) and the parallel pair of relief bridges (bridge numbers 700173 & 700175), which are east of the Ernest Kouwen-Hoven Bridge on US-192. The plan includes monies in FY-06 for design and monies in FY-10 ($8.223 million) for construction. For the tentative FDOT Five-Year Plan the construction cost has been projected at $15.7 million. The Brevard County Causeway Vulnerability Study will impact this project but it appears that the Indian River Lagoon North Restoration Feasibility Study will not. A temporary bridge will be constructed south of the existing bridge, which will protrude about 45 feet south of US-192 along Douglas Park. Staff has requested that a separated 10-foot bike path be constructed on the bridges for traffic moving in both directions and four-foot bike lanes along the outer lanes of the new bridges. It is expected that the current pedestrian and bicycle traffic thruways will be maintained during construction. Preliminary plans provided by FDOT’s consultant on 2/28/07 reflect six-foot wide temporary bike/pedestrian bridges along the south side of the causeway south of the westernmost relief bridge and the easternmost relief bridge. The project proposes to have a five foot wide protected sidewalk along the north side of the westernmost relief bridge and an eight foot wide protected sidewalk along the south side of the easternmost relief bridge. A public meeting was held 6/11/07 at Eastminster Presbyterian Church from 5 to 7 pm. The FDOT Proposed Five-Year Plan for FY-09 through FY-13 reflects no change in year or amount for replacing these three relief bridges. (6/17/08)
Nance & Sunrise park leases: Staff has requested that the County extend the leases that it has with the State and follow-up with extensions of the County leases with the Town for the properties that the Town operates as Nance Park and Sunrise Park. Both properties have leases that expire in 2037; however, FRDAP requirements stipulate that the Town, when applying for FRDAP grants, have control of the property for at least 30 years. The County is in the process of securing new leases with the State for the two properties. State personnel note that the leases are being reviewed by State legal staff after which they will be sent to the County. (8/19/08)
Comprehensive Plan/Evaluation & Appraisal Report (EAR): A workshop for the public and Zoning & Planning Board to provide input for development of the EAR to meet State requirements was held on February 27, 2007. On August 28, 2007, the Zoning & Planning Board authorized transmitting the EAR to DCA for informal review and to Council, which adopted the EAR on November 20, 2007. DCA has found the EAR sufficient. The Town has 18 months from 11/20/07 (i.e. May 20, 2009) to adopt the EAR based amendments to the Comprehensive Plan. (6/17/08)
Mitigation Grant: The County granted approval for the Town to apply for $53,000 in non-local (FEMA) funds for shutters and an emergency generator for Town Hall. The local share is $17,667. The application was sent to the Florida Department of Community Affairs on May 2, 2005. DCA noted that the emergency generator was ineligible for funding; however, approved $17,042 in non-local funds requiring $5,681 in local match for shutters. An executed copy of the agreement was received by the Town on May 25, 2007. Staff costed out the improvements and requested that the State allow the Town to install armor shield fabric roll-up shutters at the sets of French doors and install the fabric instead of shutters over the front windows. An updated list of costs was provided to DEM. (8/19/08)
Trees for Parks: The Town received grants from both the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to install trees along the south side of the Melbourne Causeway. The FDOT money was used for this purpose making the Urban & Community Forestry grant monies available to provide additional trees (i.e. 65 Sabal Palms, 3 E. Palatka Holly trees, and 8 Silver Buttonwoods) in Sunrise, Nance, Douglas and Orlando parks. The programmatic change was requested on March 22, 2007, and approved on May 7, 2007. Council approved a contract with Florida Green, which was fully executed June 27, 2007. Trees were planted August 1 through 6, 2007. The U & CF representative inspected the trees October 3, 2007, and authorized reimbursing the Town. Some trees that have died have been replaced under warranty. The Town Attorney has communicated with Florida Green’s attorney. (7/15/08)
a. The Town was notified on August 7, 2008, that some of the dead palm trees had Ganoderma Butt Rot. It was confirmed that 12 dead palms have this affliction. Approval was secured by the County from FDEP to allow these trees to be disposed of in a lined landfill as recommended. (8/19/08)
Turtle lights: A grant application was submitted to replace the industrial type lights along the east side of Wavecrest Avenue south of Access #8 with bollard lights. The tag monies application was denied. A grant pre-application was submitted for National Fish & Wildlife Foundation monies. A full application was submitted on June 10, 2008. NFWF notified the Town that the grant request has been approved. The Town needs to submit a phasing schedule. (8/19/08)
SR-A1A outfall: The County is working with FDOT toward lessening the volume of water that leaves SR-A1A onto the beach at Watson Drive. The Town may need to provide some financial assistance. The improvement is needed to ensure that the Town will be eligible to have sand placed on the beach in future years. (6/17/08)
Sidewalks: The South Beaches Technical Advisory Committee for the Transportation Impact Fee Trust fund approved $36,425 for a sidewalk along the west side of S. Palm Avenue from Fifth Avenue to Eighth Avenue and along the east side of S. Palm Avenue from Eighth Avenue to connect with the existing walk in Tradewinds Park. (7/15/08)