HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_Special Meeting_02/26/2015 MINUTES VILLAGE OF TEQUESTA SPECIAL MEETING �- FEBRUARY 26, 2015 Call to Order and Roll Call The meeting was called to order at 7:00 a.m. A roll call was taken by Assistant to the Village Clerk Mayo. Present were: Mayor Abby Brennan, Vice Mayor Vince Arena, Council Member Steve Okun, and Council Member Frank D'Ambra. Council Member Tom Paterno arrived at 7:02 a.m. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION Council Member D'Ambra moved approval of the agenda, seconded by Vice Mayor Arena; motion carried unanimously 4 -0. Vice Mayor Arena proposed a way of adding trees along the highway without putting in a curb by adding a half circle in the turning lane in certain areas extending only halfway out, which would not affect new turning lanes. 1. Discussion and Approval of the MPO Grant Application for the US Highway 1 Corridor Village Manager Michael R. Couzzo, Jr. presented developments to the US Highway 1 Corridor plan. He explained that the next day at noon was the deadline for the application for the transportation alternative program grant. That grant would be reviewed and administered by Palm Beach County Metropolitan Planning Organization. With $3.1 available for the entire county, any municipality could get up to $750,000. Once the application and design criteria were submitted, the Village would be technically committed to the project. Whatever the costs were, estimated at possibly $805,000 above the $1.67 million for the State to do basic resurfacing and striping, that would have to be paid by the Village if no grant money was awarded. If successful, the grant would pay $550,000 and the Village would pay costs of approximately a quarter of a million dollars and above, local sharing costs for lighting, landscaping, certain engineering, and contingency. This was a reimbursable grant which required the Village to front all monies in advance through construction, final approvals, acceptance and inspections - -the same as happened with the bridge where it took about a year to get the money back. Mayor Brennan commented if the Village got nothing, they could still pull out and just get painting and striping. Manager Couzzo noted the numbers were estimates —it could be better or worse. In response to Council Member Paterno's question about what was different now from the previous day, Mayor Brennan explained she had spoken to the director by phone the previous evening who said the State would bill the Village and include this in their costs for doing US 1 restriping and repainting. Manager Couzzo responded to Council Member Paterno that the Village was committed to the design and committed to move forward regardless of the outcome of the MPO decision on the grant Minutes — Special Meeting 2/26/15 Page 2 funding, and Mayor Brennan was now indicating if the Village got zero they could pull out; if they got anything they were committed. Village Manager Couzzo explained the plan had been altered with all curbs removed, landscaping significantly reduced, and lighting significantly reduced to get to these estimates. The concrete sidewalk in front of the specified property would be expanded to ten feet, which was a significant component according to Kim Delaney at the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council because it tied in the bike paths and other corridors in a wider area to the park — significant to the application. Mayor Brennan explained this would include the Lighthouse Museum, which was important; Tequesta could just do the pretty things for the Village and might get the dollars, but doing something very important to this process by adding one of only three parks like this in the country and including the Lighthouse Museum as an educational facility could make a big difference. Ms. Delaney had suggested if the Village did not do this they would not have a strong application. Council Member Okun asked if the Village's application would be piggybacked onto Jupiter's application; Mayor Brennan answered no, and that was good because the Village would not have to share any money with Jupiter. Jupiter's project would not happen until 2020 because they had to replace the bridge, and Tequesta's project would be in 2018. Wendy Harrison, an MPO member and a Jupiter Council Member, could be an advocate for Tequesta since Jupiter's project was not at the same time. Village Manager Couzzo described other features of the plan. At Bridge Road the median and cut would be adjusted to accommodate travelers making the turn onto Bridge Road. He felt the most significant part of the project was Tequesta Drive/Waterway Road/US 1, which would become a central corridor as an identification piece for the Village, with stamped concrete /asphalt pavers, 24 decorative light standards, plus approximately a dozen Royal palms. This would be the model for later possible improvements to the south or north ends. The other pieces had been eliminated due to prioritization and the amount that might be received from the grant. More could be done but the Village would have to cover the cost. Council Member D'Ambra asked what more could be done if the grant was increased to $750,000; Manager Couzzo suggested additional crosswalks, additional lighting and landscaping, signature signage, etc. Council Member D'Ambra asked if the Village should add enhancements to be able to go for the maximum of $750,000. Manager Couzzo explained then additional costs would have to be added to match requirements. He felt that of the 20% contingency that was included only 5 % -10% would be needed because the project was simple, with no utilities or drainage. Also, by asking for $550,000 instead of the maximum and if the whole $1.3 million was not awarded, then applications could be made later for additional funding for other projects. Increased participation in the application process could mean less likelihood of getting what was wanted. Regarding a formula in the budget to pay for this, the Village Manager noted it was three years out so there was time to start saving, putting aside an amount each year, or to plan for short-term financing, or to fund it by using reserves for that period of time. He recommended tying financing for this project with the Tequesta Drive project. Council Minutes — Special Meeting 2/26/15 Page 2 Member D'Ambra suggested a possible bond issue. Manager Couzzo expressed his opinion that with current rates so low, a straight 20 -year loan might be better in order to .avoid the costs and obligations associated with a bond. Council Member Paterno suggested considering the life of a road versus the term of a loan. Council Member Paterno asked for information by Monday when the Public Safety loan would be due. Council Member Okun asked if changes to the plan could be made such as adding bike lanes; Mayor Brennan clarified there would be six lanes with no bike lanes —the lanes would stay exactly as at present. Council Member D'Ambra felt this was a chance to upscale the roadway and make significant improvement to the functionality of the transportation system and a nice step forward for the Village. Council Member Okun felt the Council needed to be able to provide rationale for those who would be critical of the project, and noted Council had been quoted in the newspaper as saying no dollars would go into this outside the normal capital coffers of the Village. Council Member D'Ambra responded that was one Council Member who had been quoted; there had been no consensus of Council. He commented Council was looking at a plan which he believed was defendable and he had spoken with many who were in favor of it. Council Member Paterno advised he agreed with Council Member D'Ambra to tie into a capital project and if the State did not pay then the Village would; he also agreed with Council Member Okun that Council had said they were not going to add any dollars, and if they were they needed to clarify that to the public. Council Member Okun expressed his opinion they could express their position to move forward because of the great benefit to the Village, but should wait until it was known whether any grant funding came about. Discussion ensued regarding Bridge Road. Council Member Paterno commented there was no reason to go down Bridge Road except to turn into CVS or walk a dog at the park. He suggested extending the turn at the main intersection; he thought a turn at CVS without a light was dangerous. Discussion regarding extending the turn lane took place; Kim Delaney would be asked if FDOT would allow that to be done. Different scenarios were considered, referring to the plan drawings. Comments included traffic calming, safety, making the area more walkable, increasing walk time at lights from 20 seconds to 30 seconds, reducing cuts into businesses, hazardous turn into Sunoco. Attorney Davis was asked to research the Sunoco turn. Council Members Paterno and D'Ambra expressed favor for the expanded concrete. Mayor Brennan commented when she met with the Director in Ft. Lauderdale she talked about the issue with Alternate Al A and Old Dixie and about Alternate Al A and US 1. Village Manager Couzzo would be going to a meeting with Treasure Coast on Monday to talk about those locations. They were not part of the corridor project but would be doing this at the same time. They were coming to fix striping at Tequesta Drive and US 1. Council Member Paterno suggested taking the lower landscaping back so drivers could see the road and curb there. Village Manager Couzzo agreed that would be done. Consensus of Council was to add stamped concrete at the intersection at County Line Road, and talk to Martin County later about paying their share. Minutes — Special Meeting 2/26/15 Page 2 Council discussed going forward with Tequesta Drive, and with looking at connectivity in the Village in a five year capital improvements plan, which would help with the application. That would be in the application but would not be considered since the Council had not voted to do it. Council Member D'Ambra noted in making a substantial investment everything needed to be done right — sidewalks, street lights, making things safe and attractive, and if the decision was to move forward he would be willing to look at a tax increase to specifically go towards this work. Other items discussed were creating a bottleneck if work on Old Dixie took place at the same time as the work on the bridge; the unsafe situation at Village Boulevard, keeping employee costs controlled in order to have money for future capital improvements, and using capital funding for Tequesta Drive. Improving Tequesta Drive and US 1 would be a signature project and an opportunity to take back the Village. Mayor Brennan expressed her opinion this grant was a gift from the State, and small modifications could be done later. Council Member Okun suggested asking for a sign to identify the location of Tequesta Park. Mayor Brennan complimented the Village Manager for his invaluable input on this project. Village Manager Couuo suggested when the Village got the money they take responsibility for Old Dixie. MOTION Council Member Okun made a motion to move forward with the application submittal including changes to the plan as discussed, seconded by Council Member D'Ambra. During discussion of the motion, changes mentioned were a cross walk at County Line Road eliminating the cut through at Bridge Road and substituting with lengthening the turn at Tequesta Drive, with clarification that if the lengthened turn lane on US 1 to go left onto Tequesta Drive could not be approved that Council still wanted the cut through at Bridge eliminated. The meeting was recessed from 8 :42 a.m. to 8 :46 a.m, to formulate the language for the motion. During the break, Mayor Brennan spoke with Kim Delaney by phone and reported she would get the engineers to pull back as much as possible for the turn lane and eliminate the cut at Bridge Road, that she liked adding County Line Road because it established connectivity, and would immediately begin work to get that in. Council Member Okun requested Mayor Brennan and Village Manager Couzzo meet with Jupiter to get them on board, Mayor Brennan reported that was already happening. The final motion was as follows: MOTION Council Member Okun made an amended motion to approve submitting the TAP grant application for the US 1 Corridor with the following amendments: (1) add crosswalk on a portion of County Line Road, (2) eliminate the Bridge Road median modification and substitute, if possible, with extended turn or stacking lanes for Tequesta Drive; and (3) review the engineering for curbs and turn lanes at the US 1 and Tequesta Drive and Waterway Drive intersection to provide safe pedestrian crosswalks and turning lanes; seconded by Council Member D'Ambra; motion carried unanimously 5 -0. Minutes — Special Meeting 2/26/15 Page 2 ADJOURNMENT Vice Mayor Arena moved to adjourn the meeting; seconded by Council Member Okun. The motion to adjourn carried unanimously 5 -0; therefore, the meeting was adjourned at 8:57 a.m. Respectfully submitted, Deanna Mayo, CMC Assistant to the Village Clerk Note These summary minutes are prepared in compliance with 286.011 F.S. and are not verbatim transcripts of the meeting. A verbatim audio record is available from the Office of the Village Clerk. All referenced attachments are on file in the Village Clerk's office.