Fort Walton Beach Council minutes — 06-21-06 special minutes — reading text

243 MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING OF THE CITY OF FORT WALTON BEACH, FLORIDA JUNE 21, 2006 INTRODUCTION A special meeting of the City Council of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, was held on June 21, 2006 at the Senior Center located at 31 Wednesday, Memorial Parkway, SWat 5: 30 p. m. with the following members present: Mayor Mike Anderson Councilmen: Mike Holmes, Bob Campbell, Jim Tucker, Dr. Wayne Pullen, and Mike Minich. Absent: Bill Patterson and Jim Hartwell. Also Present:Joyce Shanahan, City Manager; Finance Director (Position vacant); Helen Spencer, City Clerk; Toni Craig, City Attorney; Department Directors; and Media CALL TO ORDER The Mayor called the meeting to order. The Mayor requested anyone who wished to address Council to approach the podium after recognized, and then state his or her name and address for the record. being PLEDGE The Mayor led in the Pledge of Allegiance. RESPONSE TO LETTER FROM RTA Consideration of response to letter from NW Florida Transportation Corridor Authority. The Mayor briefly explained the purpose of the meeting this evening is to further define the position on im~ roving traffic flow through the City and to discuss the City' s dated June 9t from the RTA. He City' s response to the letter pointed out they are not here to discuss the merits of any alignment for the bridge. Missy McKim, CDS Director, went through a power point presentation which included a brief history on the bridge issue where the ECBA requested the RTA' s comment on a solution to traffic on US 98 in Fort Walton Beach, that Fort Walton Beach sent a letter to TPO on March 16, 2006 stating City position on no support for proposed alignments and ECBA/NFRTCA, the RTA requested clarification on willingness to cooperate with Fort Walton Beach' s preferred alignment: Brooks Bridge or Hollywood, and the City adopted Resolution 06- 19 on 6-bridge 13- 06 requesting the TPO to consider Mary Esther/ Niceville By- pass Route ASAP. Some facts included US 98 with 24. 5 miles in Okaloosa are at LOS F, and 2 miles of the 18. 2 or County, 18. 2 miles in Okaloosa County 11 % are in Fort Walton Beach Walton Beach intersection improvements at US 98/ city limits; the funded Fort Brooks/ Eglin in 2006 and Eglin/ 1 st Street in 2007, the planned Hurlburt Main Gate improvements for a flyover for US 98/ Hurlburt Gate and Hurlburt Gate improvements, and the Military' s willingness to assist with a bypass. The Fort Walton Beach bridge parameters include a no Hollywood Bridge, the proposed alignment must not impact residential neighborhoods, minimal impact to City' s downtown, and no toll bridge. The immediate actions include the City request FOOT to restrict left turn movements on US 98 except at signals in downtown, and to change signal timing to optimize US 98 traffic flow, with a cost of $ 100, 000 and a 30% - 35% decrease in delay. 244 Special Council 6- 21- 06 RESPONSE TO RTA cont. Additional input # 1 is to support HDR Alternative 3 ( 98 250, 000 resulting in Working Group), at an estimated cost of 38-43%decrease in delay which include second signal cycle, FOOT signal timing changes for a 160 improvements to First Street & SR 85, and US 98, SR 85 and US 98 to Ferry Road, Perry Avenue north of 98 to be made one way northbound from US 98 to 1 st and south of 98 to be made ri~ ht in/ Street, right out only, and SR 85 ( Florida Place) to be made one way southbound from US 98 to 1 S Street. Additional input #2 is to replace Brooks Bridge at no greater than minimal height, at grade landing by Perry Avenue, no toll, and minimal impact on downtown businesses. Additional input #3 is to work with the Military/TPO/ Okaloosa County/ Mary Esther/ Niceville to build a by- pass, and to request FOOT to model the impact a by- pass will have on US 98 traffic flow. The recommended City Council action suggested a motion for the Mayor to write a letter responding to RTA' s letter explaining the City's parameters, outlining the immediate actions the City is willing to implement, and describing the three additional inputs. The City Manager requested an additional action item as part of the recommended action, to request that the City Council City send a letter to FOOT restricting the left turn movements on US 98 except at signals under the immediate action. Mr. Tucker moved that the Mayor write a letter responding to RTA' s letter explaining the City' s parameters, outlining the immediate actions the City is willing to implement, and describing the three additional inputs, and that the City send a letter to FDOT to restrict the left turn movements on US 98 except at signals in downtown. Dr. Pullen seconded motion. Dr. Pullen received confirmation that the request to FOOT to continue the modeling of the by-pass would be included. The Mayor mentioned that once the letter is written, he will request to be placed on the RTA agenda to make a presentation at their July meeting at the south Walton Annex at US 98 & 331. Discussion included an exchange of views on the City' s response to the RTA, which included the need for continued modeling and study on the impact of the by- pass. The City Attorney advised if it is the Mayor's intent to make a presentation at the RTA meeting, suggested an amendment to the motion to permit the Mayor to do so or a new motion so that it will be clear that the Mayor will be representing the City' s opinion. Mr. Minich moved to amend the motion to direct the Mayor to present to the RTA at the next possible meeting. Mr. Tucker seconded motion and it carried unanimously with Holmes, Campbell, Tucker, Pullen, and Minich in favor (Patterson and Hartwell absent). II. The Mayor called for the vote on the motion, as amended, and it carried Holmes, Campbell, Tucker, Pullen, and Minich in unanimously with favor (Patterson and Hartwell absent). Mr. Tucker moved to ask the Regional Authority to consider the Wright Parkway/ Liza Jackson Park to the Island Corridor as a potential bridge site. Dr. Pullen seconded motion. Discussion included an exchange of views which included concerns expressed on whether or not Wright Parkway corridor would be the best solution; and the location when the affect of a potential result of offering a bridge by-pass is unknown.  245 Special Council 6- 21- 06 RESPONSE TO RTA cont. The Mayor called for the vote on the motion and it failed by a vote of 2 to 3 with in favor and Holmes, Tucker and Pullen Campbell, and Minich opposed. Dean Covey, 270 Brooks Street SE, commented with the motion six lane US 98 from the approved that FOOT may want to library to across the bridge, and questioned whether or not DOT right- of-way to do that in the has the City. Millie Thrush, 316 Sudduth Circle, thanked Council for their action this evening. Mr. Minich recognized Mrs. Thrush on her active efforts on the bridge issue. Chris Gibson, 249