Fort Walton Beach Council minutes — 08-13-1974 Regular — reading text

3. MHP: Recommends that ,since the map which prepared by Milo- Smith & Assoc. was for a guideline for rezoning was not adop- ted by the City Council, that request be hereby made to Planning Board and City Council that some type of guideline for rezoning be prepared for the Hearing Pan~ l' s use, since the request for commer- cial property is growing. MPB: does not concur with the Hearing Panel' s recommendation due to the fact that they feel the request is outside the Hearing Panel' s jurisdiction. Mr. Palmer stated that Council did adopt the map asa guideline. Mr. Rigdon stated that [ nuD~~. T to clarify the situation, he moved that the minutes be researched 1 and a copy of the minutes in which the map was adopted as a guideline be sent to the Hearing Panel. Motion was seconded by Mr. Palmer and carried unanimously.  223 RE- SUBDIVIDING tOT I, BLOCK 4'. MPB: recommends that request for B, GILMORE SUBDIVISION re-subdividingLot Block B, I, Gilmore Subdivision be approved relative to lot size of 70' x 125'. The Planning Board recognizes that this is a deviation from the ordinance. The Board also recommends that permission be granted to reduce the I easement on Lots A and B from 30' to 25'. Mr. Brock moved that the request be approved. Mtoion was seconded by Mr. Baughman and carried unanimously. TV CABLE COMMITTEE Mayor presented a memo from TV Cable Committee to City Council recommending that Council adopt the following eight eight recommendations submitted by Mr. E. W. Metz of the consulting firm of Metz and Jarvis, Inc., and also that Council authorize the purchase of a field strength meter with I db acuracy estim- ated to cost $ 425. 00. I. It is recommended that the city take no'action z:egarding the requested rate increase, or amendment of Ordinance Number 439, for at least six months. 2. It is recommended that the city direct the cable company to install ground level test points for the use of the city in making system performance measurements in at least four and pre- ferable six widely separated areas of the city. 3. The city should insist upon the com- pany filing with the city manager a copy of his current as- buil4drawings for the entire system as located within the city limits. Further, the company should be required to update these as- buil~ draw- ings on a, quarterly basis ( or more fre- quently) in order that the city always has current knowledge of the exact loc- I ations of all of the system' s components. The system test points required by the city should also be located on these drawings. 4. Thecity should develop ( or have develop~ d) a complete set of detailed technical operation specifications, 224 together with business practice and sub- scriber service standards. These docu- ments could then become the basis for measuring system compliance. S. The company kkould be given a reason- i~ r~~~ ~;_~~~~~ o (~)) i... ix: J..~ r:~~~~ s~ ac- complish the electronic " clean- upll of . ... the system and ( c) install the test points. At the conclusion of this period of time, ( preferabl~ in the first half of the six month period) the system manage- ment should be called upon to demonstrate the system' s compliance with a set of specifications. This demonstration should be witnessed and certified by members of the Cable Television Committee together with independent consultants if so desired by the city. It is further recommended that the city place the company on notice that it will not consider either the rate increase, or the amendment of Ordi- nance 439, until and unless the cable system services are satisfactory in both quality and quantity, as delivered in their resident' s homes. 6. Many of the subscriber house drop connections are poorly made, in violation of the National Electric Safety Code, and in virtually all cases suffering from the effects of weather. The city should require a complete inspection by, and certification from, the company that each subscriber house drop in the city is in full conformance with the National Electric Safety Code as to clearances, grounding, etc. Further, the actual serviceability of each subscriber drop should at least be virtually checked. 7. In the event company has that the not performed satisfactorily 'in demonstra- ting improved service within the six . month trial period, it is recommended that the city then entertain the decis- ion as to what it will do upon the ex- piration of the current franchise. ,~ 1... 8. The city should require the system to obtain from the local telephone com- pany a " busy study" on each of the sys- tem' s incoming phone lines and require that the system install such telephone  225 facilities ( and personnel) as are recom- mended by the phone company. The city should receive copies of all data and recommen,dations regarding the " busy study". Mr. Baughman moved that Council approve the Committee' s recommendations. Motion I was seconded by Mr. Mr. to Van Van Buskirk. Buskirk stated that he would like encourage the news media to get a copy of the report to let the people know what the committee carne up with. Mr. Baughman stated that he felt the report iasoutstanding. stated that theHe also report good representation of why was a the people have complained about the Cable service. Mayor stated that he would like to commend the whole committee for the report. Motion carried unanimously to approve the committee' s recommendations. BICYCLE ROUTE COMMITTEE Mayor recognized Mr. Baughman, Chairman REPORT of the Bicycle Route Committee. Mr. Baughman presented the following recom- mendation from the Bicycle Committee: The committee recommends that the City Manager acquire the appropriate forms from the Department of Transportation for applying for available funds for bicycle trails for an area along Mooney Road and submit application through County Commis- sioners, in order that the request can be filed prior to the deadline of August 16, 1974. Mr. Baughman stated that the people feel there is really a problem for bicy- that cles on Mooney Road. The City is unable to fund the project of bicycle routes on Mooney Road. Therefore, this is the rea- son the committee is requesting federal I funding. Mr. the was Schweizer moved that Council committee' s recommendation.