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02-10-1998 "-" ...", CITY OF EDGEWATER BEAUTIFICATION & TREE COMMITTEE FEBRUARY 10, 1998 7:00 P.M. CITY HALL CONFERENCE ROOM MINUTES CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Chairman Visconti called the Regular Meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. in the City Hall Conference Room. Members present were: Chairman Mike Visconti, Mike Tanksley, Patrick Conway and Rose Hoffman. Eleanor German arrived at 7:30 p.m. due to having another meeting. Also present was Recording Secretary Lisa Kruckmeyer. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Regular Meeting of January 13. 1998 Van Tour - January 27, 1998 Mr. Tanksley made a motion to approve the January 13, 1998 and January 27, 1998 minutes, second by Mr. Conway. The motion CARRIED 4-0. OLD BUSINESS Chairman Visconti informed the Committee the pictures he took on the tour did not turn out so he would go around and retake them. Mr. Tanksley informed Chairman Visconti he and JoAnne Sikes would be marking historical trees and homes and volunteered to take the pictures. Mr. Tanksley informed Ms. Hoffman that JoAnne Sikes is the City Historian. Chairman Visconti spoke about the excellent job Ms. Sikes did on the tour. Establish Districts - Beautification Award The secretary informed the Committee of previous districts used by the Committee. There was some discussion regarding what is involved with choosing a business or home for the award and how the award is given. The secretary agreed to provide the Committee with a list of the Beautification Award Winners at the next meeting. Mr. Conway suggested using the Voting Districts as the districts to be used for the beautification awards. The Committee agreed this would be a good idea. Mr. Tanksley suggested giving the Beautification Award to Glenn & cindy Jones at 346 N. Riverside Drive. This is a home that was seen by the Committee on the Van Tour at the corner of Rio Vista and Riverside Drives. The Committee agreed to give this home the Beautification Award. Chairman Visconti would like the media to be present when the award is presented. The secretary agreed to send a letter to the Jones' and get the phone number for Chairman Visconti to contact them. The Committee agreed to vote on giving the award to 346 N. Riverside Drive when Ms. German arrived. .... "WI Mr. Tanksley is anxious to get a sign in the ground. The committee was informed there is a Beautification Award and a Restoration Award for businesses that restore their business. After a brief discussion, the Committee decided to give the Restoration Award to All Florida Plumbing & Electrical at 1103 S. Ridgewood Avenue. Mr. Tanksley would like to see Ms. German take on the Garden Club and go with it. Master Plan Mr. Tanksley showed a map he had of a typical median on SR 442. The Committee discussed how wide the sidewalks are going to be. Ms. Hoffman asked if this is what the new medians will look like after the road is widened. Mr. visconti explained DOT wants to eliminate all of the medians. They want to put medians in from 1-95 to Air Park Road and eliminate them to u.s. #1. Chairman Visconti spoke about the 36 palm trees that currently exist in the medians. Mr. Conway questioned if anyone has spoken to the City Council to see if they agree with what DOT wants to do. Chairman Visconti would like to be placed on the agenda and make a proposal to the Council stating the Beautification Committee would like to see the medians left when SR 442 is widened. Ms. Hoffman spoke of the appearance of the entrance and exits for 1-95. Mr. Tanksley explained it was the previous City Council that approved the current plan with no medians. He feels the new City Council may feel the same way the Committee does. Mr. Conway feels every City in Florida has a main street except Edgewater. Mr. Tanksley feels they should send a memo to the Council in favor of keeping the medians. Chairman Visconti feels they should be placed on the agenda. Ms. German arrived at 7:30 p.m. Ms. Hoffman spoke about the Welcome to Edgewater signs needing to be repainted. Chairman Visconti informed her this is something the Committee has discussed. Ms. Hoffman spoke about moving the Christmas displays that are put in the medians to the City parks and having functions also going on at the same time. Ms. Hoffman asked who maintains everything. Chairman Visconti explained once the medians are done, Parks & Recreation would maintain them. Chairman Visconti informed Ms. Hoffman of this idea of adopting a median. Ms. Hoffman explained where she came from they had beautiful medians and they had community service workers and people in jailor in half way houses that would take care of the medians. Chairman Visconti suggested giving the projects to the Boy and Girl Scouts. Ms. Hoffman feels outreach programs could be part of this. Page -2- Beautification & Tree Committee February 10, 1998 ~ ..., Mr. Tanksley asked the secretary to find out where the palm trees came from and whose property they are. One of the state people told him they are their trees and they would take them if they chose. He would like to see the trees taken up and relocated. Ms. German stated she has a piece of property and agreed to give the dozen or so she has to the Committee. These trees are seven and eight feet tall. Ms. Hoffman asked if there is an Earth program in the schools. She feels they should get the kids involved regarding what trees are really for and this being good for science programs in schools. Chairman visconti spoke of the City being a member of the Tree City USA but losing its status due to there not being a Beautification Committee. Mr. Tanksley suggested relocating the palm trees under the large power poles on SR 442 if there is no other use for them. The Committee briefly discussed the retention ponds that are going to be put in with the widening of SR 442 and 13 homes on Evergreen Drive and Fern Palm Drive being eliminated. Chairman visconti spoke about the DOT meeting and the citizens not having a chance to speak. DOT informed the public what they would be doing. Ms. Hoffman asked if there is any way they could get a copy of DOT's plans. Chairman visconti thinks the City Engineer has a copy of the plans. Mr. Tanksley stated people have told him the plan is to widen SR 442 with connecting it with SR 415 and U.s. #1 with a bridge that will go to the beach side. There was some discussion regarding the meeting DOT held on February 4th. Mr. Conway feels they should take 2 ~ the road and keep a five foot median. the land and eliminate the sidewalks. is following federal specifications on provide a sidewalk. There is no trade feet off of both sides of He feels they should buy Mr. Tanksley explained DOT this. They have to off option. Mr. Tanksley feels this is a lost cause. It is going to happen the way the State wants it to happen. Ms. Hoffman feels if they do strike out with keeping the medians, they could beautify the corners of the streets. Chairman Visconti stated they are talking about beautifying between the large poles but they would have to get with FP&L because that is their right-of-way. Ms. Hoffman asked how many Garden Clubs there are in Edgewater. Ms. German stated there are none in Edgewater right now but she is working on it. Chairman Visconti introduced Adelaide Carter, Economic Development Board. There was some discussion regarding the trucks that park out by 1-95. This parking area will be eliminated when SR 442 is widened. Chairman visconti suggested designing a new Welcome to Edgewater sign and presenting it to council. The Committee briefly discussed different types of signs. Ms. Carter spoke of a man who applied to serve on the Economic Development Board who is a sign maker in Edgewater. Page -3- Beautification & Tree Committee February 10, 1998 ~ ~ Mr. Tanksley asked if there is a book of previous efforts done by previous Committees and guidelines they should follow. The secretary informed him Mr. Corder is going to provide a copy of the DOT guidelines. As far as what has been accomplished by the Committee, there really isn't much due to them not having any money. Mr. Tanksley would like to get the guidelines from the state of Florida that would be useful to the Committee. He spoke about brochures they may be able to get. Chairman visconti stated he spoke with Congressman Mica and he is going to mail him some information. Chairman visconti feels there would be people in Edgewater willing to make donations but they have to approach them in the right manner. There was a brief discussion regarding grants. Ms. Carter informed the Committee there are people who are retired that have been grant writers that will do it on a volunteer basis. Ms. Hoffman feels they should get with the media regarding starting a Garden Club. She feels there are a lot of retired people that would love to get involved. Mr. Tanksley spoke about getting reuse water lines in place before getting a Garden Club involved. Mr. Conway asked if the Fire Department has a water truck. Chairman visconti doesn't see why they can't buy a tank and put it on one of their trucks and water the plants. Chairman visconti feels they should present the Master Plan and the media idea to the Council at the same time. The secretary informed Chairman visconti they may want to have figures and facts before presenting anything to Council. Mr. visconti stated he went to Lindley's Nursery and got prices on trees. Mr. Tanksley feels they may be able to get help from the County. Mr. Tanksley would like to present to Council a typical median drawn out. He agreed to do the drawing if someone else worked up the figures. He would work it out several different ways and let Council see which one is most tempting. The Committee went on to discuss SR 442 and some of their concerns they would like to present to Council. Chairman visconti asked if they should have a workshop before they go before Council to finalize their plans. Mr. Tanksley agreed to make slides of his drawings. Chairman visconti spoke about a comment made in the newspaper by Ron Carwile regarding Edgewater never being a Boca Raton. He feels they need to make Edgewater a second to none to Boca Raton. Chairman visconti feels each member needs to take a district and visit the businesses in that district to see if they would be interested in beautifying their businesses. Ms. Hoffman feels they need to contact the local civic organizations and have them beautify a specific area. Mr. Tanksley feels if they are going to encourage businesses to try and win the beautification award, they need to figure out how they are going to help them do that. The Committee discussed obtaining picture identifications for the Committee. Page -4- Beautification & Tree Committee February 10, 1998 ~ ~ Ms. Hoffman feels they need to do a cover letter and mail it to every community service there is informing them what the Committee wants to do. Mr. Tanksley feels they need some guidelines that have to do with what areas of ground are available for beautification. Chairman visconti spoke about putting something in the newspaper. Ms. Hoffman suggested doing a survey to find out if businesses are interested in beautification. Mr. Tanksley spoke about a project that was done in Kansas City by the Garden Club that pulled the whole city together. Mr. Tanksley would like to have a workshop to get the final plans done to present to Council. Ms. Hoffman suggested submitting blue prints to three businesses and get quotes on them. The Committee decided to hold a workshop on February 17th at 7 p.m. in the City Hall Conference Room to finalize their presentation to go before Council. Ms. Hoffman asked for a list of local organizations. Chairman visconti suggested going to a meeting of the Boy Scouts to let them know what the Committee wants to do. Mr. Conway feels they should get a water truck because if they wait for the reuse lines they will be waiting five or six years. Ms. Hoffman suggested targeting one project at a time. Chairman visconti feels they should make SR 442 a priority and then go before Council regarding the City sponsoring the beautification of u.S. #1 for the first mile north and the first mile south. Chairman visconti feels the Fire Department should help out with watering for a couple of months until the plants are established or the City should purchase a water tank. Mr. Tanksley stated the reuse water line is priority number one. Failing that, there are already water lines out there. If the City Council would authorize it, they could tap into those and it would come from the general fund, at the City limit entrances where it is important. Ms. Hoffman stated if there is plumbing that is needed, she feels local businesses would make donations instead of hiring someone to do it. Mr. Tanksley feels once the reuse water lines are approved and going, then they can look at the Garden Clubs. He doesn't feel they are going to need help from the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. Ms. Hoffman feels they are still going to need to contact local organizations because the Garden Club will not be able to keep up with all of the medians. Mr. Tanksley stated they can not just have Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts wandering up and down the medians because of the liability issue. Chairman visconti stated once the medians are all done, the City will maintain them. Ms. Hoffman stated they only have so much time to take care of stuff too. Chairman Visconti spoke about information he got from the Chamber of Commerce, when you adopt a highway it is only cleaned up twice a year, in March and September. There was a brief discussion regarding local nurseries. Page -5- Beautification & Tree Committee February 10, 1998 ... ...." Mr. Conway asked if it would be possible to have a price on a sign by the meeting next week. Ms. Carter stated she would try to get the information to the gentleman. Chairman Visconti stated they would need some type of design first. Mr. Conway feels if you come up with a size of the sign, they would be able to get some type of estimate. Mr. Tanksley made a motion to give the Beautification Award to Glenn & Cindy Jones at 346 N. Riverside Drive and to give the Restoration Award to All Florida Plumbing & Electrical at 1103 S. Ridgewood Avenue for the month of March, second by Ms. German. The motion CARRIED 5-0. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to discuss, Mr. Conway made a motion to adjourn, second by Mr. Tanksley. The meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m. Minutes submitted by: Lisa Kruckmeyer Page -6- Beautification & Tree Committee February 10, 1998