Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutDocumentation_Regular_Tab 8B_12/11/1997 C , re, ."3T-11".a VILLAGE OF TEQUESTA i�, Post Office Box 3273 • 357 Tequesta Drive �l� 41 Tequesta, Florida 33469-0273 • (561) 575-6200 1�'m of Fax (561)575-6203 elf CO y VILLAGE OF TEQUESTA REDEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES NOVEMBER 19, 1997 I. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL The Tequesta Redevelopment Committee held a regularly scheduled meeting at the Village Hall, 357 Tequesta Drive, Tequesta, Florida, on Wednesday, November 19, 1997. The meeting was called to order at 8:35 A.M. by Chairman Carl Hansen. A roll call was taken by Betty Laur, the Recording Secretary. In attendance were: Chairman Carl C. Hansen, and Co-Chair Joseph Capretta. Also in attendance were: Village Manager Thomas G. Bradford and Village Clerk Joann Manganiello, and Department Heads. Co-Chair Ron T. Mackail was absent from the meeting. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Chair Hansen made a motion to accept the agenda as submitted. Co-Chair Capretta seconded the motion. The vote on the motion was: Carl C. Hansen - for Joseph N. Capretta - for The motion was therefore passed and adopted and the .agenda was accepted as submitted. Recycled Paper I REDEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES November 19, 1997 PAGE 2 III. COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS There were no communications from citizens. . IV. DISCUSSION RELATIVE TO THE EXTENT AND DEGREE OF (CATEGORY) HURRICANE HARDENING OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITIES Village Clerk Manganiello introduced Gee & Jenson Architect Lisa Lemanowicz, and announced that the Structural Engineer in charge of the hurricane hardening aspect of the project, Chris Pruitt, would be arriving shortly. Village Clerk Manganiello explained that Architects Gee & Jenson had completed approximately 30% of the design. and were at the point where they needed direction regarding the degree and amount of hurricane hardening desired. The Village Clerk commented that Gee & Jenson' s original proposal had called for new construction as well as renovated construction to be built to a category 2 (sustained wind speed of . 96 to 110 mph) ; , and for the dispatch area to be hurricane hardened to category 3 (111 - 130 mph sustained wind speed) at a cost of $30, 000 additional. At a meeting which included Police Chief. Allison, Fire Chief Weinand, Gee & Jenson architects and engineers, and Village Clerk Manganiello, discussion was held regarding the possibility of hurricane hardening the whole western wing of the police department including dispatch, as well as the current apparatus bays and new construction for the fire rescue facility, for which the. cost would be an additional $170, 000. The Village Clerk pointed out that the Village Hall was built at best to a category 2, that when a new Village Hall was built all or a portion of it could be built to a higher category, and that the Village was in a storm surge zone and was very likely to have damage from flooding instead of high wind speeds. Fire Chief Weinand reviewed the storm surge map, and explained that the decision must be made as to how long everyone would stay in the Village during a storm, and indicated that even though the map indicated that the location of the public safety facilities would not experience storm surge, the map did not take into REDEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES November 19, 1997 PAGE 3 consideration wave action, which would most probably cause the whole Village to be flooded in a category 4 or 5 storm. Chief Weinand stated that if it was determined that some people would not evacuate during a category 2 storm, then hurricane hardening should be built to a category 2 or 3; if everyone was evacuated then the Village should no longer provide services; and that a line must be drawn indicating when evacuation would be done. Village Clerk Manganiello explained that residents were being told they should leave the area at the time of hurricane warnings because of the danger of flooding; and that at winds of 60 mph police vehicles would be off the roads and at 70 mph fire rescue vehicles would no longer travel. If areas of the facilities were hardened to a category 3 level, public safety personnel could be housed for a longer period of time, and the public safety operations center would be located there, including a minimum dispatch system. The Village Clerk explained that everyone should leave before the storm reached the category the buildings were hardened to, and that accessibility to roads would be lost when flooded. Fire Chief Weinand commented that the relation between flooding and the degree of hardening was to help determine when access to land would be cut off and at what point in time people would be in town; and explained that the odds must be weighed considering the storm surge and tides and the decision must be made when to do a forced mandatory evacuation, at which time no one should remain in the Village. Services would no longer be provided after residents had evacuated. Chief Weinand commented that the decision must be made whether services would be provided immediately after the storm or a few hours later. Co-Chair Capretta stated that evacuation must be accomplished by a certain time or people must stay because roads would be flooded and they couldn't leave. In the scenario ' of a person who had decided to stay and then realized they had made a mistake, that person would have to decide whether to remain in his home or to go to the Village Hall; if his decision was to go to Village Hall and he could not get there he would call the police to come get him; but. police vehicles would not be operating when winds reached 60 mph. Co-Chair Capretta commented that there was a very 4. REDEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES November 19, 1997 PAGE •4 narrow time of when public safety could help someone who had decided they wanted to go; that the decision of when to leave must be made based on predictions; and that the best plan would be to have mandatory evacuation very early. Mr. Capretta explained that if the decision to leave was not made based on predictions that people might not be able to leave in time because roads would be jammed with traffic. Fire Chief Weinand commented that a Palm Beach County traffic analysis had indicated it would take 56 hours to evacuate in a category 4 or 5 hurricane. During discussion, Co-Chair Capretta commented that the Village should do a much stronger job of forcing people to leave early, to which Chief Weinand responded that at category 2 level roads would be under water and supplies could not get in. Evacuation routes going west or south were discussed, since most people would go north. Co-chair Capretta commented that literature should be sent out to residents indicating alternate evacuation routes; and explained that people were concerned with their homes withstanding wind when flooding was more probable. Chair Hansen expressed concern that services could not be provided after the emergency vehicles and personnel were off the roads, and questioned whether the . standard of construction planned for the building pods would bring the construction to category 2. Village Clerk Manganiello responded that was correct, and that the original proposal called for hardening the dispatch area only; and also clarified that the question before the Committee was whether to spend an additional $170, 000 to harden both pods to a category 3. Architect Lisa Le7manowicz commented that even though public safety personnel might not be in the building during a category 4 if construction was built to the upper limits of a category 3, there would be a building to come back to after the storm even though it might be flooded, and personnel would be able to serve the public after they returned, so the decision needed to be made whether public safety personnel would remain during the upper limits of a category 3, etc. Chair Hansen discussed doing only a portion of the proposal, limiting the additional hardening to the fire department. Village Clerk Manganiello responded that the project could REDEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES November 19, 1997 PAGE 5 be divided so that only a portion was done. Co-Chair Capretta commented that people did not prepare for a flood and that Village equipment should be raised to a certain level to accommodate flood water. Chief Weinand responded that discussions had been held regarding placing radio equipment and computers up to approximately a 4-foot level. Architect Lemanowicz commented that since Village Hall was already 4 feet higher than other buildings, so water would have to rise to 8 feet to reach the equipment. Fire Chief Weinand commented the fire trucks could withstand a lot of water but could not withstand high winds. The problem of where to keep the fire trucks was discussed. Co-Chair Capretta commented that the safest nearby place would be the Jupiter Hills Golf Course shelter. Chief 'Weinand commented on the possibility of leasing ground in that area so that fire trucks could be taken there during a storm, and brought back quickly to the Village after the storm. Co-Chair Capretta discussed the timing issue of making the decision of when to get the equipment and the people out. Chair Hansen questioned how the Village could be assured the construction was actually built to a certain degree of hardening. Structural Engineer Chris Pruitt responded that specifications within the construction documents would require manufacturers of doors, windows, straps, etc., to provide evidence their products could withstand certain. levels. Chair Hansen commented that he was leaning toward hardening the Fire Department to category 3, and asked the cost for that portion of the proposal and for staff recommendations. Chief Weinand responded that dispatch also must pe protected as well as the fire trucks because without communications the trucks would not know where to go. Discussion ensued regarding the cost. Architect Lemanowicz explained that the original estimate had been high; therefore, the present estimate was only $30, 000 to harden the police pod so that it could provide a sustainable environment with restroom and lounge facilities, and that was $30, 000 of the $170, 000 additional cost required to do both pods. REDEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES November 19, 1997 PAGE • 6 Co-Chair Capretta summarized the decisions that must be made: 1. Whether an evacuation center would be provided for the public; 2. Whether facilities would be provided where public safety personnel could stay throughout a storm; 3. Where equipment such as 'ambulances and fire trucks could be kept during a storm; • 4. How much time should be allowed for people to leave, for personnel to leave, and to get the equipment stored for protection; 5. How much to harden facilities so that they can withstand a surge of water so that public safety employees can return. Village Manager Bradford expressed his opinion that building a citizen evacuation center would be a mistake since people would not be able to get there. If there were such a facility everyone would want to go there, and the Village could not build a facility large enough to accommodate everyone. The Village Manager commented that the future new Village Hall could be built to a higher elevation to withstand flooding; but for the present the Village must work with the existing buildings.. Village Manager Bradford questioned what the police would do during a storm, to which Police Chief Allison responded half the police fleet would be moved out of town, two dispatchers and a sergeant would remain in front, and the remaining police personnel would stay in the emergency operations center with the Fire Department; however, in a category 4 or 5 storm no one would remain. Co-Chair Capretta discussed possibilities for equipment storage, and stated that if emergency vehicles were evacuated to Jupiter Hills they could return in approximately 20 minutes, however, if they were evacuated to Indiantown it could take hours to return because there would be trees blocking roadways and roads would be closed. i REDEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES November 19, 1997 PAGE 7 • Chair Hansen inquired what the hurricane hardening category was for the new facilities being built by Palm Beach County. Structural Engineer Pruitt responded that each community decided their own categories and that coastal communities usually built to higher categories. In response to Chair Hansen's question of whether public safety personnel would remain in town longer if the buildings were hardened to category 3, Fire Chief Weinand responded that they would stay longer and that the category decided upon would determine the plan; and if both pods were hardened to category 3 and the rest of the facilities destroyed that public safety could still operate normally. Chief Weinand explained that logistics after the storm would be an important part of the plan, and that the fire rescue facilities had a kitchen and an emergency generator which could be used after the storm, which would be needed to sustain operations for 48 to 72 hours when supplies could be brought in. Chief Weinand commented that one positive was that Tequesta's dune ridge was the highest in the County at 22 feet, which would break up a lot of the wave action. • The cost to harden both pods was discussed, which Architect Lemanowicz estimated to be $170, 000 in additional funds; but which she explained could fluctuate when it went out for bidding. Ms. Lemanowicz commented that if money was saved in another part of the project, then more could be used for hurricane hardening. Co-Chair Capretta inquired whether the Fire and Police departments had a detailed plan of where things would be stored, how high equipment would be raised, and whether different locations had been determined for where data would be stored. Fire Chief Weinand responded that everything had been worked out except a plan for the current Village Hall building, and that an emergency plan could be written to any category chosen for hurricane hardening. Tom Little commented that the Village would not be able to protect people who stayed in town and that people would stay to protect their property from looters. Mr. Little advised that everyone should leave and the residents must be sold on how dangerous it would be to stay; and if people waited too long roads would be jammed and they. would not be able to REDEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES November 19, 1997 PAGE 8 leave. Mr. Little commented that he planned to go south; and a basic fuel evaluation indicated that there would not be enough fuel for cars trying to go north. Chair Hansen commented that the problem of what to do immediately after the storm should be addressed, when looting would begin. Village Manager Bradford explained that Topsail Beach, North Carolina, placed roadblocks on all streets $o that no one could enter, and the Village could do something similar. Fire Chief Weinand commented that Topsail Beach was a coastal community similar to Hutchinson Island and there were only two ways into the community_ During discussion of fuel to operate the generator, Structural Engineer Pruitt explained that there was an open area with a 6-foot wall indicated as a diesel fuel storage area in the plan, which he recommended be protected from the elements because of the problem of debris impact. Co-Chair Capretta made a motion to accept the recommendation to hurricane harden both western pods of the new facilities to a category 3. Chair Hansen seconded the motion. The vote on the motion was: Carl C. Hansen - for Joseph N. Capretta - for The motion was therefore passed and adopted. V. ANY OTHER MATTERS There were no other matters to come before the Committee. VI. ADJOURNMENT Co-Chair Capretta made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Chair Hansen seconded the motion. The vote on the motion . was: Carl C. Hansen - for Joseph N. Capretta - for REDEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE FETING MINUTES November 19, 1997 PAGE 9 The motion was therefore passed and adopted and the meeting was adjourned at 9:47 A.M. Respectfully submitted, b 4-33&--41) 0 Betty Laur Recording Secretary ATTEST: Joann Manganiello Village Clerk DATE APPROVED: