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09-27-2000 .... """'" . c'l.... -. 9- ( J '.c- o ~ I L;I CITY OF EDGEWATER CITY BALL SITING COMMITTEE SEPTEMBER 27, 2000 8:00 A.K. CITY BALL CONFERENCE ROOK KINUTES CALL TO ORDER Chairman Balmer called the Regular Meeting to order at 8:02 a.m. in the City Hall Conference Room ROLL CALL Members present were: Chairman Chris Balmer, Mike Visconti, City Clerk Susan Wadsworth, JoAnne Sikes, and Ferd Heeb. Mike Tanksley was excused. Also present were Department of Environmental Services Director Terry Wadsworth and Deputy City Clerk Lisa Bloomer. APPROVAL OF KINUTES Reqular Meetinq of Auqust 16. 2000 Regular Meeting of Auqust 30. 2000 Reqular Meetinq of September 13. 2000 Ms. Wadsworth moved to approve the minutes from August 16th, August 30th and September 13t\ 2000, second byMr. Negedly. The motion CARRIED 6-0. COMMITTEE COMMENTS There were no comments at this time. STAFF COMMENTS AND REPORTS Department of Environmental Services Director Terrv Wadsworth - Water Plant property Chairman Balmer stated they had asked Terry Wadsworth to come in to discuss the Water Plant property. He referred to the memo from Mr. Wadsworth. Mr. Wadsworth stated he thinks one thing that was not taken into consideration regarding the Water Plant Municipal Wellfield property was the City has six wells on the property. It is a primary well field. The City has a Wellhead protection ordinance that establishes 200 and 900 foot setbacks for uses around the wells. This really restricts it. It is also the only area in the City that is a recharge area for the aquifer. .." ...." Mr. Wadsworth stated they want as much pervious surface that they can have there. Any addition of buildings, parking lots, or slabs is going to detract from that and have an environmental impact on the ability of the wells to recharge. There is 250 feet frontage a long S.R. #442. This is an extremely restricted site. If you were to be able to put a building there you would have a problem because of the retention. A parking lot or an area with a lot of activity, you have cars, oil leaks, gas leaks and transmission leaks that could get into the well field which would render the wells unuseable. They bought that area to protect the wells so nothing could be built around it. The City purchased an additional 38 acres as a wellfield buffer. The Florida East Coast Railroad is a natural buffer on the eastern side of property. One of uses Council spoke about for that part of the property is a BMX trail, where there is no buildings and it could be kept in its natural state. There would be no impact to the recharging of the well fields. There are no plans for sewer. The whole intention was not to build there. He further spoke about the property surrounding the Water Plant. Mr. Heeb stated Mr. Wadsworth mentioned the property adjacent to the Water Plant with the borrow pit. He asked which piece that is. Mr. Wadsworth explained it borders on S.R. #442. It used to be owned by a gentleman named Mr. Porter. McAllister owns an access road on the west side of the pond and 20 acres is owned by Mr. Porter. That land is fairly sandy and fairly high property. He feels fairly comfortable with the wells because there is enough buffer space with the existing FEC right-of-way. It provides protection. He stated that might be something they want to consider if they are still looking at this area as a location. Mr. Heeb stated they could replace the utility property with that piece as a possible location. He asked if it is for sale? Mr. Wadsworth didn't know. He hasn't tracked it but they had looked at the property before. Mr. Wadsworth stated twenty acres fits in with what they are looking at. They have reviewed the 90% plans from D.O.T. for S.R. 442. If they are looking at turning lanes or something to accommodate a fairly high traffic flow for that kind of use they need to know like a month or two ago. Mr. visconti asked about the elevation. Mr. Wadsworth stated it is fairly high property and there are beautiful oak trees back there. Mr. McAllister owns the property in the back. If that wasn't big enough, he would probably make arrangements to purchase there as well. Chairman Balmer spoke of the property owned by Edentown Company to the east. He asked Mr. Wadsworth if he knows anything about that property as far as elevation. Mr. Wadsworth stated it drops off fairly sharply. He thinks it is not bad out by S.R. #442 but it drops off really sharp further to the north. He stated he would be glad to answer any questions about utilities in the other areas. Page -2- City Hall Siting Committee September 27, 2000 ~ ...", OLD BUSINESS Preliminary property ranking Chairman Balmer stated they eliminated the west side of eight and number nine completely because they thought if they are going to go that far west, they would go with property we already owned. They need to discuss the west side of number eight and property number nine and also the section between five and nine. Ms. Wadsworth asked if they would be referring to the new map. Chairman Balmer stated yes but he would be referring back to the old map. He asked the Committee if they wanted to talk about the west side of eight or number nine. Mr. Heeb stated from what he just heard from Mr. Wadsworth is if they were going to add something to the list, they took nine off but it seems it might make more sense to shift number 5 to the borrow pit property, which he feels looks like a more ideal location. You've got the necessary acreage and higher ground. Chairman Balmer stated the only question he would have is that it's not within the guidelines. They don't know if the property is for sale and all properties they have looked at they know are for sale. Ms. Wadsworth stated she would see if is it for sale for the next meeting. Mr. Negedly stated it doesn't look like it is in the city. He wants to see a westerly location put back on the map. Chairman Balmer agreed. Mr. visconti stated he went around this weekend and looked at the sites that were proposed. He came up with site number three. He believes that property is really high and already along u.s. #1. Chairman Balmer asked him if he was talking about the rankings. He informed Mr. visconti they are not there yet. Chairman Balmer entertained a motion to strike the Water Plant property from the list. Ms. Sikes made a motion to remove the Water Plant property, second by Mr. Heeb. The motion CARRIED 6- o. Chairman Balmer stated that leaves them with no westerly option. He would like to see a westerly option for the rankings. Mr. Heeb made a motion to add the borrow pit property, even though it is not in the City, it is adjacent to the City boundary. Once acquired by the City he didn't know if it automatically would be brought into the City limits or whether there is a legal process. Ms. Wadsworth stated there is a legal process to go into annexation. Mr. Heeb stated they talked at the last meeting about whether it is for sale or not, it could be a prime location, second by Ms. Wadsworth. The motion CARRIED 4-2. Ms. Sikes and Mr. Visconti voted NO. Page -3- City Hall Siting Committee September 27, 2000 ..... .."", Mr. Heeb asked Ms. Sikes why she was against it. Ms. Sikes stated it is too far out of the way and she doesn't prefer to go westerly. Ms. Wadsworth stated they are just adding a westerly option as a choice. Ms. Sikes stated she still says no and she has that option. Mr. Negedly agreed with this because they are right next door to each other and it wouldn't change a lot of thinking. Chairman Balmer asked if they have an idea on how they want to do this. Ms. Wadsworth suggested going down the table asking for the choices. Ms. Wadsworth stated her first choice is the McAllister property, number three, because of it being right in the center of all of our growth to the south. She feels it would help bring U.S. #1 more aesthetic and more people would improve their property. It could be a base for our downtown. Mr. Heeb asked Mr. Wadsworth if he has any communication with D.O.T. He asked if there was a bunch of discussion about 6-laning U.S. #1. Mr. Wadsworth stated they have plans where they left off last time. They will be resurfacing from Orange Avenue to Oak Hill. There is no widening right now. Mr. Heeb again asked about discussion on the widening of U.S. #1 from Edgewater to Ormond. Mr. visconti stated it was a little while back. Mr. Wadsworth stated it is not on the table for immediate funding. It maybe still be a conceptual thing. Chairman Balmer stated they are using the new map for the rankings. Ms. Wadsworth stated her second choice would be number 2 for the same reason as number one. Her third choice is the Coronado Horse Farm property 4. Her fourth choice would be by the Indian River Elementary. Her fifth choice would be the borrow pit property. Mr. Heeb suggested they take number one and see what the consensus is to it being number one. He suggested Ms. Wadsworth make a motion to adopt parcel number one as the number one choice. Chairman Balmer stated he would prefer they give their individual rankings. Mr. visconti chose the McAllister property as number one. He believes where the house sits is high. He would assume that would be the approximate location where City Hall would be. He stated there are two ways to get into it, from Coco Palm and from U.S. #1. Ms. Sikes stated there are three ways, also Falcon Avenue. Mr. visconti suggested relocating the medical building in front of the property. They would have a beautiful front on U.S. #1. There would be no fill required and City sewer and water is already there. He feels it is centrally located and easy to get to. His second choice is the Coronado Horse Farm property - #4. Page -4- City Hall Siting Committee September 27, 2000 "W' ""'" Mr. visconti feels there is plenty of room for expansion and being they are going to widen S.R. #442, it is going to be another good location. There is also another entrance from Air Park Road. He didn't consider the other sites because of the cost for the fill that will be needed and the cost for clearing the property. Mr. Negedly stated he is torn between the Water Plant property and the McAllister property. He knows right now hands down the McAllister property is the best. He is thinking for future growth. He ranked the McAllister property as #1. The selling point in his mind was the current Police Department presence and the possibility of a new Fire Department. His second choice would be a western location. His third choice was the Coronado Horse Farm. His fourth choice is the current number three, which is the Southeast Volusia property followed by the A.B. Price property. His listed ranking was number 1, 5, 4, 2, 3. Chairman Balmer stated number five is stricken so they made the property next to it number 6. So Mr. Negedly's choices would be 1, 6, 4, 2, and 3. Mr. Heeb expressed concern with rapidly running out of parcels that would be suitable for a City Hall site. out of the six sites listed he feels only one is acceptable. His number one choice is the McAllister property. If that wasn't available and they were stuck with the other five parcels, he would eliminate the School Board property. He feels building a City Hall adjacent to a school is sheer insanity because of the congestion during school year and the traffic problems. He feels they should rule the Coronado property out completely. He is torn about number six. If he had to force it he would go 1, 2, 3, & 6. Ms. Sikes stated her first choice is the McAllister property. It is accessible and in the middle of town. They have never had a center of town. This would give us a basis to build from for the future. We are talking about future. They are talking about eventually having to move the Fire Department and Police Department. She spoke about McAllister's property being accessible from three ways. Her second choice is to try and stay in this area and to expand land wise not to stay in where we are but to utilize what is here and go westward, if possible, on Park Avenue. Her third choice would have been the area around Silver Ridge - #2. As far as she is concerned that is it. The property Mr. Wadsworth mentioned is 20 acres and quite west of town. That doesn't leave much room to grow as the almost 36 acres in the center of town. She can't see putting City Hall next to the Coronado Horse Farm property. It is too low. There was water standing in certain areas during last rain. If you are going to spend the money to fill property why not spend the money that is already dry. Page -5- City Hall Siting Committee September 27, 2000 ...... ....." Chairman Balmer stated Ms. Sikes added to their list and he wants to make sure everyone else has that option. Ms. Wadsworth stated they have a grant writer now and he has stated he would be more than happy to come and talk to the Committee. She feels the next phase of this would be to look at property that is already developed and take those two particular subjects and then do a ranking from there. Ms. Sikes agreed. Chairman Balmer asked if they want to leave City Hall in this ranking. Ms. Sikes stated absolutely, without any hesitation. Chairman Balmer stated that doesn't fit their criteria of vacant land. Ms. Sikes stated take it out but it is going to come back. Deputy City Clerk Bloomer read Mr. Tanksley's choices as being site 3, 4, and 5 according to the old map. Chairman Balmer stated his ranking would be sites 1, 2, and 3. Chairman Balmer listed his ranking as 1, 6, 2, and 4. That would make the McAllister property unanimous. He is torn between twenty and forty years. In twenty years he feels the McAllister property will be the center of the City. In forty years he has no doubt that S.R. 442 and 1-95 would be the best place. He feels twenty is responsible. Ms. Sikes asked if the twenty acres includes the retention pond. Mr. Wadsworth stated he didn't have the legal on it. Ms. Wadsworth stated they are talking about that particular section of City. Chairman Balmer stated that is his number two ranking. Mr. Heeb stated from a visual perspective it looks like it is almost as large as the McAllister property. Chairman Balmer stated they can get more information on that. That concludes the basics of their vacant property ranking. Mr. Negedly feels the McAllister property is ideal and his number one choice. If the medical supply building could be moved it would be that much sweeter in his mind. He spoke about the frontage, citizen access, roads in and out for emergency access. He asked if it would be possible to tag this in as a possibility. Chairman Balmer stated once they narrow it down to that property, ideally when they want to send someone to check on prices of property and start negotiating, he thinks they need to give them some guidelines that this is our number one choice but it would be that much better for us if they could also buy the medical facility in front. Mr. Heeb asked if the McAllister property has 285 feet frontage on u.S. 1. Ms. Sikes stated 265 or 285. Mr. Heeb stated they could put the Fire Station on u.S. 1 and have an entrance road that curves back into the property with the Police Station on the right and City Hall on the side. You would still have the whole southwest section and you could keep it natural or make it a walkway. They don't need to acquire any more property on u.S. #1. He spoke about the Port Orange complex. It was very well planned and very well done. To him looking at this site, it doesn't make sense for twenty years, it makes sense for 100 years. No matter what you do it is in the center of the City north and south. They are projecting there will be development from the west that might not occur. Page -6- City Hall Siting Committee September 27, 2000 ~ .."., Ms. Sikes stated it is 285 feet according to the map. If you drive by there, the people in that building have taken over part of McAllister's property as a driveway. There is a stake with a small tag. That is McAllister's property. He has never said anything to them about it. Chairman Balmer informed the Committee there were four selections of the number two property - by Silver Ridge. Mr. Heeb made a motion to select number one as their first primary choice, second by Mr. Negedly. The motion CARRIED 6-0. Mr. Heeb made a motion to nominate parcel number two, Silver Ridge, as selection site number two, second by Ms. Sikes. The motion CARRIED 5-1. Mr. Negedly voted NO. Mr. Heeb made a motion for number three on the map to be selected as their site number three, the Roberts Road property. There was no second. The motion DIED. Mr. Negedly made a motion to make number six their third choice, second by Ms. Wadsworth. The motion CARRIED 5-1. Ms. Sikes voted NO. Discuss Site Selection Chairman Balmer stated they originally said they were going to rank five. Mr. Visconti, Mr. Tanksley and Ms. Sikes came back with three or less. He asked if they want to stop at three or continue through the process. Ms. Sikes suggested making these three our beginning and after that they need to look at property that has already been built upon and then have three vacant pieces and top rank three of the other. She would like to see the Grant Writer come in. Ms. Wadsworth stated there may be a chance he can't make it at 8:00 a.m. She asked if she had a problem with changing the time if they have to. Chairman Balmer stated the next meeting will be October 11th. Mr. Heeb and Ms. Wadsworth can't make the October 11th meeting. Mr. Negedly has to work that day. Mr. Heeb suggested doing it next week. Ms. Sikes stated she can't next week. Ms. Wadsworth suggested having Deputy City Clerk Bloomer get a hold of the Grant Writer to see when he can be here. Mr. Negedly asked to get a couple of options. Chairman Balmer stated it gets difficult giving options, but to try and be flexible. Chairman Balmer stated next time they will talk about the developed land and look for a top three ranking there. They only have one on the table. Ms. Wadsworth stated she has gotten some calls from two real estate companies. One stated the property across the street from the Fire Station where the Eatery is and a small house by Eastern Shores and a garage toward the back. All three are for sale. Mr. Heeb asked how large the property was. Ms. Wadsworth agreed to find out more information. Chairman Balmer stated it might be a possibility. Mr. Visconti stated he had the same phone call. Page -7- City Hall Siting Committee September 27, 2000 ~ ..., Ms. Wadsworth stated Ross Sullivan left a message regarding the property across from the existing Catholic Church south of Roberts Road, which she doesn't think is big enough. It is only four acres. Ms. Wadsworth believes they should still go with fifteen acres. Chairman Balmer asked the best way to get an influx of fifteen acres and the major artery. He doesn't see any need to move away from that. He asked the best way to get some properties to look at with the exception of the realtors calling and giving them locations. Mr. Negedly suggested they narrow down areas and entertain the current area, u.S. #1 and S.R. 442 area. Chairman Balmer stated he didn't know if Ms. Plaskett could be of use for occupied land. Discuss Current site Chairman Balmer asked the Committee if they want to start discussing this today or wait until the next meeting. Ms. Wadsworth feels it depends on what their selections are for the developed property as far as what they are going to do with the current site. Chairman Balmer asked if they should conclude their rankings before talking about the current site. Ms. Wadsworth stated she thinks so. Chairman Balmer agreed. NEW BUSINESS There was no new business to discuss. DISCUSSION ITEMS Mr. Visconti also spoke about a site that somebody called him on in front of Edgewater Landings but that is not big enough. Chairman Balmer stated that is correct 15 acres. COMMITTEE COMMENTS There were no committee comments. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to discuss, Ms. Wadsworth moved to adjourn. The meeting adjourned at 8:42 a.m. Minutes submitted by: Lisa Bloomer Page -8- City Hall Siting Committee September 27, 2000