HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Council 111300CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING, 11/13/2000 1
CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS
CITY COUNCIL
WORKSHOP MEETING
November 13, 2000
The November 13, 2000, Workshop Meeting of the City Council of the City of Palm Beach Gardens,
Florida, was called to order at 6:00 P.M. in the Council Chambers of the Municipal Complex located
at 10500 North Military Trail, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida; and opened with the Pledge of
Allegiance to the Flag.
ROLL CALL: In attendance were Vice Mayor Eric Jablin and Councilmember Carl Sabatello.
Others present were Patrick Glas, Project Manager for Florida Department of Transportation,
Matthew Thys, Assistant Public Transportation Manager for Florida Department of Transportation,
Steve Cramer, Principal Planner, Beth Ingold -Love, Assistant to the City Manager, and Dan Clark,
City Engineer.
LINKAGE PLAN MITIGATION MEASURES:
Vice Mayor Jablin explained the necessity for the proposed roadway; and recommended mitigating
the train whistle, explaining that quiet zones could be declared so that the train whistles would not
be blown in those neighborhoods. Patrick Glas reviewed the grade separation project for the
intersection of PGA Boulevard and State Road 811, which would eliminate the railroad crossing at
that location. Vice Mayor Jablin, Councilman Sabatello, and Mr. Glas responded to a suggestion
by a resident to use Hood Road instead of the proposed roadway. Mr. Cramer explained that a
roadway had recently been eliminated from the City's comprehensive plan. The Vice Mayor
explained that the upland preserve for Legacy Place project was proposed as a 10 -acre buffer for the
north end of the proposed road, which would mitigate many of the concerns expressed. Realignment
of the proposed roadway was suggested by a resident. Resident Alex Perez, an engineer, explained
the meaning of the CRALLS designation, which he stated was the issue to be discussed. Discussion
ensued regarding the CRALLS designation. It was noted that a 10 -acre lake planned for drainage
purposes would also provide a buffer. The length of time it would take to get quiet zones instituted
was discussed. Matthew Thys explained that the automated horn system had only been tested in
Boca Raton for one day and that more testing and approval by Congress was required. Past
legislation and new gating systems were reviewed. Vice Mayor Jablin commented there were many
alternative safety measures including 4- quadrant gates, paired one -way streets, medians or
channelization devices, temporary night closures, use of photo enforcement technologies, etc. The
Vice Mayor proposed application of quiet zones from Hood Road to Lighthouse Drive, and
explained he was asking for the residents' help in getting this done. Roger Blangey, Garden Woods
resident, discussed the noise effect of train whistles on this development which would result from
placing the railroad crossing 500 feet away. Vice Mayor Jablin proposed a task force made up of
residents impacted by the FEC train and tracks. The proposed road, which a resident commented
would only be used by plat 4, was discussed by the Vice Mayor, who commented that many others
would use the road. Turn lanes were discussed. A plan presented by residents was identified as an
old conceptual plan, which would not be approved. Councilman Sabatello, former resident of Plat
4, explained that roadways were not planned to benefit current developers but had been in the City's
comprehensive plan for many years; and traffic was controlled by the County rather than the City.
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING, 11/13/2000 2
Councilman Sabatello urged the residents to remain a part of the process to make the outcome the
best solution possible. City Engineer Dan Clark explained the lake was a part of Northern Palm
Beach County Improvement District's drainage system. Ownership of the lake was discussed.
Councilman Sabatello explained that it was the responsibility of the City to provide the best roadway
system possible for traffic flow. A resident proposed 5 lanes to eliminate the flyover. It was
explained that it would be very costly to have DOT eliminate the flyover. Residents interested in
serving on the proposed task force were asked to leave their names at tonight's meeting. The Vice
Mayor explained that new Catalfumo headquarters would be built on land marked "sold" on the
presentation map, and that residents would have an opportunity to attend the public hearing for the
project to provide their input at that time. City Engineer Dan Clark responded to a resident's
comments regarding alternative roadway alignment. Discussion ensued, including stacking
situations. Other residents made comments and asked questions. It was explained that the roadways
were being planned for the future and all the new developments must be considered in the planning.
The option of closing the railroad crossing at night was discussed. New FRA rules to be instituted
next year were discussed and it was noted that then quiet zones could be established and that the
FEC Railroad would have to comply. Putting a road south of Kyoto Gardens Drive was discussed,
for which the private property would need to be acquired, and staff was directed to look into the
possibility. It was explained that acceptance of the plan would approve the right -of -ways but
alignments could still be moved. Vice Mayor Jablin noted that a snapshot of the City today was not
the same as one would be five years or ten years from now. The Vice Mayor commented that while
he wished the City could do everything the residents asked, the City must comply with County traffic
standards. Developers who did not comply with the City's requirements were discussed, and it was
explained that the City was very strict in dealing with such situations. Rules for placement of traffic
lights were discussed in response to a question from a resident. To assure that the dead end of
Banyan Road remained a dead end with no access, Principal Planner Cramer explained it would be
shown as a dead end on the Comprehensive Plan and the change would be made in early 2001. The
Vice Mayor asked the residents to continue to be a part of the process and help the City make their
neighborhood a better, safer place to live by attending all the meetings and working with the City.
The Vice Mayor commented that the City could not deny developers their rights to build projects,
but could shape those projects to be the best they could be for the City. A suggestion was made that
a model of the flyover be created as an aid to all the meetings on that subject. It was noted that a
blind spot resulting from using solid walls on the southwest ramp railroad- crossing overpass had
been eliminated by creating an opening for sight. In response to a resident, the Vice Mayor
commented the City must work with the County and the Commissioner for this area in order to
accomplish the City's goals. Councilman Sabatello commented the lower numbers were to be used
and revisited in a year to see if changes would be needed, to which the Commissioner had agreed.
Moving a specific linkage in the linkage plan farther south was discussed by a resident, to which
Mr. Weisberg, Traffic Engineer from Palm Beach County, responded that different alignments other
than those in the proposed linkage plan had not been studied, but making configurations that were
more circuitous or lengthy generally increased the traffic numbers. Mr. Weisberg noted there was
not time to rework the numbers before the adoption date on Thursday. Mr. Weisberg indicated that
the Board of County Commissioners would have to answer the question of whether linkage
modifications could be made after adoption, and explained that changes to the comprehensive were
only made twice a year. Mr. Weisberg explained the traffic analysis had been done without the
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING, 11/13/2000 3
linkage system and with all the linkage system, but not using various plans for the system. Mr.
Weisberg noted the Regional Center was a huge draw for the area and a road feeding directly into
it would be of more benefit than a road up from it, and the demand was 90,000 cars crossing the
interstate at PGA Boulevard, and the more alternate routes that were provided would remove more
traffic from PGA Boulevard, and linkage roads which were to relieve that traffic worked together
as parts of the overall relief but would not stand on their own. Mr. Weisberg explained that the
intent was to develop interior linkage roads as each development came in, and no time limit had been
established for those. Discussion ensued. The Vice Mayor explained that traffic engineering was
an art and predictions were made that might or might not work, and responded to a resident that this
plan was not being done to service any individual developer. A resident suggested a second flyover.
Councilman Sabatello asked how long it would take to run the model with a specific change,
considering staff backup and input time, to which Mr. Weisberg responded it, could probably be
done in 30 days. Based on the time it took a consulting firm to get the current figures, it was
estimated by staff that it might possibly be done in two weeks by that same firm. It was noted that
the intersection of the new southwest connector road and PGA Boulevard would be the new
congestion point along the corridor. City Engineer Clark expressed his belief that specifically not
having the connection between Kyoto Gardens Drive and having that connection somewhere else
had not been investigated. Vice Mayor Jablin and Councilman Sabatello proposed to the residents
that if the full City Council agreed, and if the present plan was approved by the full City Council and
accepted by the County, that subsequently a southern linkage would be investigated and if it could
not work the fallback would be the present plan, and that the train whistle mitigation would continue
to be investigated. The Vice Mayor commented the City was trying to help the residents in any way
they could, and asked residents to sign up for t s for an attend other meetings.
ADJOURNMENT: There being no further is s , the meeting was adjourned at 9:40
p.m.
APPROVAL:
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COUN -WVo -- MAN LA1 REI�FURTADO
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CAROL GOLD .
CITY CLERK