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12-09-1997 ~ ~ CITY OF EDGEWATER BEAUTIFICATION , TREE COMMITTEE DECEMBER 9, 1997 7:00 P.M. CITY HALL MINUTES ROLL CALL/CALL TO ORDER Parks & Recreation Director Jack Corder called the Regular Meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. in City Hall. Members present were: Michael Visconti, Michael Tanksley, and Patrick Conway. Eleanor German was absent. Also present were Parks & Recreation Director Jack Corder and Recording Secretary Lisa Kruckmeyer. APPROVAL OF MINUTES There were no minutes to be approved. OLD BUSINESS There was no old business to be discussed. NEW BUSINESS Appoint Chairman and Vice Chairman Mr. Tanksley suggested waiting until all the members are present to appoint a Chairman and Vice Chairman. The Committee agreed to appoint the Chairman and Vice Chairman at the next meeting. Review By-laws Mr. Corder asked the members if they had any changes. Mr. Conway asked how long the Committee has been working under these by-laws. The Secretary stated the by-laws were adopted March 14, 1995. Mr. Conway asked if it is customary for a new board to have any changes in the by-laws. Mr. Corder presented examples of why the by-laws may be changed. Mr. Conway asked about a member serving for six months and another member serving another six months. Mr. Corder informed him of discussion at a Council meeting and the Interim city Attorney advised them it was not appropriate for the Committee standards for Council. Council opted against that. Discussion re: Future Beautification Projects in Edgewater Mr. Tanksley asked if the City of Edgewater has a Garden Club. Mr. Corder informed him no. Mr. Visconti stated Eleanor German was talking about starting a Garden Club in Edgewater. Mr. Tanksley would like to see if the applicants on file for the Beautification & Tree Committee would be considered for membership in a Garden Club. Mr. Visconti asked how many members they can have. Mr. Corder informed him they could put ad hoc committees together. Mr. Tanksley suggested a Garden Club be an ad hoc committee of the Beautification & Tree Committee. There was a brief discussion regarding how the Beautification & Tree Committee could get a budget. Mr. Corder suggested the Committee send a memo to Council requesting a budget be set up for the Beautification & Tree Committee. He stated in the past they have been trying to run things through his department and he is not budgeted in that aspect. '-" ....",,; Mr. Corder spoke about the grant he obtained to beautify the medians on u.s. #1. The maintenance automatically came with it and that is how he became involved in the beautification side of it. Mr. Corder presented a Mission Analysis of what his department does to the Committee. Mr. Conway asked when a grant is set up, is that a yearly thing or is that on-going. Mr. Corder further elaborated on DOT grants and informed the Committee that DOT grants are 50/50. The City has to match whatever the grant amount. Mr. Tanksley asked Mr. Corder about Riverwalk and how it came to be. Mr. Corder elaborated on the Riverwalk project. Mr. Corder spoke about FIND having money available for grants for water related projects only. Mr. Conway asked when they are supposed to widen Indian River Blvd. Mr. Corder informed the Committee he doesn't think the actual construction will be until the year 2000 or 2001. Mr. Conway spoke about u.s. #1 needing beautification. He feels the palm trees that are removed from Indian River Blvd. should be transferred to u.s. #1. Mr. Corder informed the Committee if anything of any size is placed in the boulevard, they would have to go before Council and get special approval because a liability problem would be created that DOT would not support or back. Mr. Conway questioned how New Smyrna Beach got around it. Mr. Corder stated New Smyrna took on the liability responsibility. Mr. Corder elaborated on the issue of there being no water to the medians on u.S. #1 and the cost to put the water there. He further spoke about putting reclaimed water to the medians. At the time, they didn't have the permit from the State to put it through there. He spoke about jack and boring under the highway and the cost to jack and bore. Mr. visconti listed some goals he has for the Beautification & Tree Committee regarding the beautification of u.S. #1. Mr. visconti showed pictures of the medians in a city in Texas. He feels it is about time something is done. He spoke about the medians in Port Orange, New Smyrna Beach, and South Daytona being beautified. Mr. Corder reminded the Committee of there being no water in the medians. Mr. Conway feels the amount of money the taxpayers are paying for water in Edgewater, it shouldn't be a problem. Mr. Corder informed the Committee he doesn't have the money in the budget to pay premium water rates. Mr. Corder stated on the corner of u.S. #1 and Indian River Blvd. on the northwest corner where the canal runs through that property, Eckerds has bought that property and they plan on developing that property. He informed the Committee of his plans before this property was purchased. He can't do anything until the canal is finished. Mr. Conway stated the fountain has no spray to it. Mr. Corder stated it is just a floating fountain. The water comes out of the top and runs down. He stated over the summer it had to be filled three times a week because of evaporation or the wind blowing it out. Mr. Conway stated so in other words, it was put in the wrong spot. Mr. Corder stated no, not so much the wrong spot, he feels if they had to redesign it, they would make the holding pond a little bit bigger which may have held more water. You can't predict what the wind is going to do. Page -2- Beautification & Tree Committee December 9, 1997 '-" ...., Mr. Visconti informed Mr. Conway of the work and time involved with the fountain. Mr. Conway feels the fountain is not recognizable. Unless you know it's there, you don't notice it. Mr. Visconti spoke of the phone calls he received regarding how nice the fountain is. Mr. Visconti spoke about the businesses in Edgewater helping with beautification. He feels beautification should be a priority in Edgewater. Mr. Visconti spoke about the buildings that have been condemned and knocked down. Mr. Conway feels if a Garden Club is started, there would be that many more people pushing for beautification. Mr. Visconti asked if there is any way to have a water truck water trees if they are able to put them in the medians. Mr. Corder spoke about attempting that in the past and it not working out very well. Mr. Corder feels eventually we can get water to the medians and maybe get the cost reduced but not until the reuse line is put in. There was a brief discussion regarding New Smyrna Beach's medians. Community redevelopment funds were used as matching funds. Mr. Conway doesn't see why it would be so expensive to run a line through the five miles in the City. He doesn't feel this is a big job. Mr. Corder further elaborated on what is involved with getting lines run. Mr. Tanksley suggested using the Gabordy Canal right up to the medians. Mr. Corder stated the only problem with that is getting the reuse lines up there. The Library is the closest reuse lines he's got to the highway. Mr. Tanksley would like to present a prioritized list to Council. until the City gets water and the Committee gets a budget, he feels they can't do a thing. Mr. Conway suggested getting a cost analysis to run the reuse lines. Mr. Corder stated he could speak to Mr. Wadsworth regarding getting a cost to run the lines. Mr. Wadsworth's got a jack and bore machine he is trying to get certified with the State. If he manages to pull that off, it would reduce the cost greatly. Mr. Visconti asked if widening of S.R. 442. is still five lanes. keep the medians. Council approved the last plan for the Mr. Corder stated as far as he knows, it Mr. Visconti hopes they change that and Mr. Corder stated if water lines are put down U.S. #1, he would like to get the line big enough to where he can run a separate electric line at a later date. Mr. Tanksley spoke of widening of U.S. #1. the U.S. #1 corridor. but upgrading. a survey going around concerning the Mr. Corder spoke of a study going on with He doesn't feel it is a matter of widening Mr. Tanksley spoke about U.S. #1 being a historic road and there being federal funds available for landscaping. Mr. Corder stated the DOT grant we applied for is through the State which is funded down through the federal. Page -3- Beautification & Tree Committee December 9, 1997 "-' ......, Mr. visconti read a letter he received from Gretchen Lalonti of Edgewater regarding the appearance of Edgewater. Mr. visconti asked if there is some way to get a cylinder on u.s. #1 removed from Dave McAllister's property. He asked if they could write him a letter asking that this cylinder be removed. There was a brief discussion regarding the property out by 1-95 where trucks park. Mr. visconti spoke about B A B Bedding beautifying their property on U. S. #1. Mr. Conway asked what is being built where the golf place was. He was informed a RV sales business is going on that property. Mr. Conway feels it would be nice if the owner of this business did some landscaping and planted some palm trees. Mr. Corder spoke about the maintenance building he is getting and possibly having a small nursery on the back side of the building. Mr. Conway asked if Edgewater can request landscaping be done. Mr. Corder stated there are some regulations pertaining to that but he doesn't think the guidelines go into specifics. Mr. Conway asked who would push that. Mr. Corder stated that would come out of Community Development. Mr. visconti asked if there is any way they could recommend new businesses plant palm trees and shrubs to beautify the front of their businesses. Mr. Corder suggested sending a memo to community Development asking for the guidelines for landscaping on new projects. Mr. Conway stated he knows Port Orange has landscaping guidelines. Mr. Tanksley stated normally with a City planning department, one of their functions would be to layout a beautification plan or master plan throughout the City. He feels they need to approach the City Council with a master plan. Mr. Corder feels if the Committee puts a master plan together to bring before council, they would have a better chance. Mr. Tanksley feels they need to prioritize. He suggested the Committee take a tour through the City. Mr. Corder informed the Committee he has a van and would be more than happy to take the Committee on a tour. Mr. Tanksley feels if they get a master plan and get a Garden Club, he doesn't feel they could ask for much more than that. Mr. Corder stated once the water lines are in, they could attack the situation with one median at a time. Mr. Corder asked Mr. Tanksley what type of design he would be looking at. Mr. Tanksley feels it is a matter of getting the City Council to think about beautification. Mr. Corder feels the City lost a great opportunity last year on the purchase of a piece of property with an older home on it. The land around it would have made a perfect artery for the 26- acre park. There was a brief discussion regarding this property next to Dustin's. Mr. Tanksley questioned the medians in Port Orange and South Daytona being wider than ours. Mr. Corder stated the curbed medians very well could be. Mr. Tanksley questioned if Mr. Corder felt DOT would work with the City to widen the medians. Mr. Corder stated he seriously doubts it due to it changing the corridor and he doesn't feel they are going to go for that. Page -4- Beautification & Tree Committee December 9, 1997 ,... ......, There was a brief discussion regarding what medians are currently curbed. Mr. Corder stated widening the medians would change the traffic pattern. Mr. Conway feels a problem in Edgewater is the streets are too close together where in Port Orange they are farther apart. Mr. Corder spoke about the streets being closer together creating more turn areas. Mr. Tanksley feels if they could grab the first median at the north city limits and start south from there, they could ease some of the pain of coming from the better part of New Smyrna that looks fairly pretty into Edgewater which looks so harsh with only one palm tree. Mr. Visconti feels they need to put on an agenda what their game plans are. He feels number one should be the master plan, number two should be the first mile of u.S. #1. Mr. Tanksley felt number one should be a budget. There was a brief discussion regarding the found money in the budget and asking for some of that money. Mr. Corder stated he is already asking for some of that money for a gymnasium complex. Mr. Tanksley asked if the Beautification & Tree Committee get a budget, would the money actually be coming out of the Parks & Recreation Department budget. Mr. Corder stated if they decide to give money, it is possible for them to regulate it by running it through a line item within his budget. Mr. Tanksley again mentioned the Garden Club. He feels they would be doing a lot of maintenance work. Mr. Corder mentioned the Future Farmers of America being interested in some of these projects. He spoke about help he has received from them with the medians on u.S. #1. Mr. Tanksley spoke about prioritizing. He feels number one should be the budget, number two would be getting the reuse water lines put in and number three would be the master plan. Mr. Corder stated if he gets any development going on the twenty- six acres, he is going to get reuse water to that park also so we might be able to tap in at Turgot Avenue. Mr. Visconti questioned the beautification awards. He asked how they start awarding these people. The secretary informed the Committee what they would need to do to start the awards again. Mr. Conway questioned if there are any plans to do anything with the pond areas in Florida Shores. Mr. Corder elaborated on last year being assigned to a task force to clean up around the ponds. Mr. Conway clarified he was talking about the retention ponds. Mr. Corder stated they are in the hands of Public Works for maintaining and mowing. He doesn't foresee anything in the near future. Mr. Conway questioned placing benches by the ponds or putting in horseshoes. Mr. Corder stated it was talked about but it was decided against. Mr. Conway stated there are 6,000 children in Florida Shores and not six inches for them to play in. The secretary further explained to Mr. Tanksley what the procedure is for issuing the beautification awards. Mr. Tanksley spoke about when they were putting in the reuse water lines in New Smyrna, they hit human bones. He feels this will happen in Edgewater too. Page -5- Beautification & Tree Committee December 9, 1997 "-" ....., Mr. Corder spoke about when they were building Whistle stop Park they found pottery. He had to call the state to investigate that. Mr. Tanskley stated there is as much down here in Edgewater, archaeologically important, as what has been found in New Smyrna Beach. He feels they have only found the tip of the iceberg. Mr. Corder is curious to see what they are going to find with the FIND project. Mr. Tanksley further spoke about archaeological items they have found and are expecting to find in the future. There was discussion regarding Riverside Drive being a historic area. Mr. Visconti thinks at the next meeting they would vote on a Chairman and Vice Chairman. The secretary asked the Committee to review the applications they were provided and choose someone to recommend to Council to be appointed to the Beautification & Tree Committee. After reviewing the applicants and some discussion, the Committee recommended Rose Hoffman be appointed. The secretary agreed to do a memo to Council recommending Rose Hoffman be appointed. There was a brief discussion regarding the time and effort put in by Ms. Ver Way who had to resign due to a previous commitment. Mr. Tanksley stated he would bring a roughly typed plan of attack to the next meeting and they could decide what they wanted to present to Council. Mr. Tanksley again spoke about being big on Garden Clubs. He has seen them work in other cities. He spoke about some projects he has brought with him from a place he lived in Missouri. He spoke about the City being divided and needing some unification. Mr. Corder again spoke about the 26-acre site and having a nursery behind the maintenance building. Mr. Tanksley spoke about transferring small trees that are cleared from the property for the 26-acre park. Mr. Visconti feels it is a shame when houses are built and the property is cleared, they just rip everything out. Mr. Corder spoke of it being an additional expense to have the trees removed carefully. Mr. Tanksley asked Mr. Corder if he would be able to put trees into a holding area on the 26-acres. Mr. Corder stated he is sure they could design something. Mr. Corder spoke about living in Edgewater before he was hired with the City and being a part of the community. He isn't just here to do his job and take home a pay check, he lives here. Mr. Corder spoke about people coming from allover to use the Riverwalk. Mr. Conway asked about finishing Riverwalk at the south end of the city. Mr. Corder spoke about not being able to obtain easements from the property owners. Mr. Tanksley feels there is still a lot they could do to Riverwalk to make it real exquisite. Mr. Conway asked Mr. Corder if he is in charge of mowing. Mr. Corder informed him he is in charge of the parks, Library, u.s. #1 and SR 442. Mr. Conway asked about cutting undeveloped lots in Florida Shores. Mr. Corder informed him Public Works is in charge of those. Page -6- Beautification & Tree Committee December 9, 1997 -... ...., Mr. Conway feels the City itself is not cutting these lots. Mr. Corder stated when they go on their tour they will look at these areas and address them to the correct department. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to discuss, Mr. visconti moved to adjourn, second by Mr. Tanksley. The meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m. Minutes submitted by: Lisa Kruckmeyer Page -7- Beautification & Tree Committee December 9, 1997