Fort Walton Beach Council minutes — 03-28-1972 Regular — reading text

to what else they could pre~ sent that might get Council to see their way; he asked what Co~ ncil would like them to represent to Council. Mr. Hedrick said he fel~ lot of people wanted an' answer, however, the discussion at this point was out of order according to parlia- mentary procedure. He said he had always been able to explain I his vote and he resented any group or any individual saying he had an economic reason to vote for something. He said he had I I studied this thing, saying a man had a I i right to own and sell and zone his prop- erty, and he didn' t think 300 people rep- resented 15, 000 poo_ple living in this area.  89 He said he didn' t like to be insulted and resented it. He said he was doing the best he knew how to do; saying the request had gone through 3 groups, a survey was asked; he said he had many organized phone calls one righ~ after another and said nobody tells Hedrick what ~ do at this Council, 1 no pressure group, 28 doctors, or any- body else. He said he voted his sentiments. He asked whenever they built that town over there, Northgate for 5, 000 people, how many of the group went to the County Commissioners about traffic problems. Mayor commented that Council had voted to rezone this property and unless they had something to add their only recourse was when it comes up again to try to convince Councilmen. Mr. Rigdon said he voted against the thing but commented on pipe. He said it was the a 48" pipe going into a 42" pipe and 1 million gallons of water flowing through there. He said it was aflowing ponp going all the way to the Bay. He said the gentle- man had no rights in flowing water. He asked the gentleman if he didn' t own the new Texaco station. The gentleman indicated he did not but lived aoross the street in the County. Mr. Rigdon commented that the state put the pipe under there. He said the en- gineer Mr. Semmes said_ it would work and he said it would work. Mr. Bull~ck remarked on the right to own property saying his property was in the county and city had no right to dump ex- cessive water on him that was coming all the way from the school on Memorial Drive. Mr. Rigdon said that was a natural drain and that he h~ d been in FWB 30 years. He noted that Ben: Hill- and Early. dug thru there years ago. 1 Mr. away Bullock said he was not provision- to take care right noted pond water was~ clean he had not seen a and felt getting washed the city should make of drainage. fish in there when He built, but since before Christmas. 9J Mr. Clodfelter asked again how they could present more informat' ion. Mr. Clayton bf ~ 07 Marilyn asked Mr. Hedrick if he had heard one comment during the even- ing for the rezoning. Mr. Hedrick said he hadn' t heard one word here, butLthese people didn' t represent all of the people and he could say this with- out f'ear of succe-ssfu- l contradiction. He said he had favorable comments from people t home, but hadn' t had any here at the meet- lng. Mr. Van Buskirk said he was not afraid, to stand behind the motion. He indicated he had people call in favor, and had calls that were ob- noxious saying things that surprised him - phone company would leas,t expect. He noted everybody was not represented here. He noted theY. had 3 privileges to come before council a~d didn' t have the right to call somebody' s house and be obnoxious over the phone. Henry FiSher, 590 Gap Creek Drive, said Mr. Hedrick and some of the other gentle- men had built up negative feeling because somebody was pressuring them. He said 300 people were representing 15, 000 people and the percentage was the same as the primary election. Mrs. Sanders, Barbara and Virginia Drive, asked what the benefits of rezoning this property were. A gentleman who did not give his name but said he lived on Watkins at the end of Destin Dr. mentioned a drainage ditch. Wayne Simmoris, 56 Memorial Dr. mentioned the new Junior High School and the speed limit on Memorial Dr. now and the danger to the chil- dren. Mr. Roadruck, 4~ 9 Adams St. said he was concerned about traffic situation in getting to Eglin and asked what they could do to convince them to change their minds.  91 Larry Goinwoodof Briarwood Circle ( 314) commented that what Mr. Brock said he voted on not the same thing Mr. was Van Buskirk said. He noted Mr. Rigdon' s comment be- fore the vote about how he was going to vote and asked if the bote was pre- arranged. Mr. Rigdon said he read the 1 paper. Gentleman who lives at 349 Lake Dr. ( Mr. Deaver?~ asked who. were the owners of the property to be rezoned. It was read from the request that their. names were Virginia Barr, Dr. Parker, and Dr. Norton. Mrs. Madden of Ewing Court asked why the owners weren' t here. Mr. Rigdon commented that at the last elec- tion 23% of FWB voted and only 11% wanted a change. Mr. Van Buskirk commented " yes" he was put there by majority and would feel like people put him there. 1:6 make decision and he would answer to that decision. He said he had cast his ~ 9te and was willing to accept anything that happens.. He f~lt other people were interested in this property and he was representing them as much as representing those present. A gentleman who did not give his name said he attended the first hearing and they were told they could not bring another' s man' s vote to the meeting - a man who wasnlt able to attend. Mr. Van Buskirk said he must represent all FWB not just the 100 people in the room. Mayor commented that this was not getting anyplace and could go on all night. He said Council had voted and if the people I could there this Mrs. convince were could be Stoner them before parliamentary procedures brought said she would up. the like next to meeting, where see Wright Parkway considered. r 92 Mr. Rigdon asked the- Mayor to ask the City Attorney to instruct the people as to their recourse if the rezoning followed a natural course with 4 votes. City Attorney explained that an ordinance would be brought at the next meeting and would have to pepassed on three separate reading or rules waived and would be effec- tive in 30 days. He noted their recourse, if they did not agree or felt Council' s ac- tion was not legal, and properly would be through circuit court. He said they would J. have to get an attorney independent of the City Attorney in that instance, and seek his advice. Mrs. Harvey of Briarwood Circle asked if there were any way such an issue could be pre- sented to the people as a referendum. City Attorney replied that it could not, and explained how this procedure was set up through State Statur- e.. Millie Williams,