HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Council Agenda 111300 SpecialCity of Palm Beach Gardens
City Council Workshop
Agenda
November 13, 2000
Council Chambers
10500 N. Military Trail
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410
Mayor Russo
Vice Mayor Jablin
Council Member Clark
Council Member Furtado
Council Member Sabatello
CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING
NOVEMBER 13, 2000
6:00 P.M.
I. ROLL CALL
11. LINKAGE PLAN MITIGATION MEASURES
III. PROCESS
IV. PUBLIC COMMENTS
V. ADJOURNMENT
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Florida Statute 86.26,
persons with disabilities needing special accommodations to participate in this
proceeding should contact the City Clerk's Department, no later than 5 days prior to
the proceeding at telephone number (561) 799 -4120 for assistance, if hearing
impaired, telephone the Florida Relay Service Numbers (800) 955 -8771 (TDD) or (800)
955 -8700 (VOICE), for assistance. If a person decides to appeal any decision made by
the Council, with respect to any matter considered at such meeting or hearing, they will
need a record of the proceedings, and for such purpose, they may need to ensure that a
verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and
evidence upon which the appeal is to be based.
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TO JOSEPH R. RUSSO MAYOR OF PALM BEACH GARDENS
Thank you for organizing this linkage meeting. We have heard the DOT
experts. I would like to make a few comments.
First, if there is a plain railroad crossing 500 Feet from our neighborhood,
there is no doubt that the noise level will increase to about 100 decibels, and
it will be from both Northbound as well as Southbound trains. Our quality of
life would be greatly affected.
Second, the proposed ban on train hom has already been in effect once from
the 1984 to 1991 but it was called off because of 195% increase of night
time accidents.
Third, talks about an automated electronic horn system are very far off
because the technology is very expensive. We now have about 10
Southbound trains and 10 Northbound trains. To this community, the
Southbound trains are the noisy one. The Florida Department of
Transportation does not have any proven study of noise. In this incertitude, it
is assumed that automated horns at a crossing 500 Feet from our
neighborhood would make about the same noise than the actual Southbound
trains for the PGA crossing 1600 Feet away. But with the new railroad
crossing 500 Feet away, we would have the automated horns blowing 20
times a day, or double the frequency of the actual 10 noisy Southbound
trains. How much is the train traffic going to increase. In five years it will
probably go from 20 trains to 25 trains a day and the frequency of blowing
horns at the crossing would go to 50 times a day. Is F.D.O.T going to
guaranteed no increase in noise for a railway crossing in parcel 5A.
Four, our most unsafe railroad crossing in Palm Beach Gardens would
probably be the proposed one east of parcel 5A. Why, because if you travel
on Alt Al and want to enter that railroad crossing, you will be facing an
obstacle to a clear view of the tracks, looking North or South. The SW ramp
railroad crossing overpass, will have a wall on each side (north and south)
and therefore makes that crossing very dangerous if the gate or the
automated electronic horn system fails to work. As far as I know, the DOT
has not been able to identify a similar ramp at another location. Will they
guarantee the safety of that railroad crossing or are they just fulfilling the
desire of the City and the property owner.
Five, if the railroad crossing is built in parcel 5A, assuming there is a ban on
the Florida East Coast railway horn trains, there is no guarantee that the
railway crossing would qualify because of the safety I mentioned earlier.
There is also no guarantee that an automated horns system would qualify for
the same reason. Therefore the train engineer would be blowing his horn, at
100 decibels, each time he would go through that railway crossing.
Six, does the City really need to replace the PGA railroad crossing, if so, a
railroad crossing south of PGA Blvd in parcel 5B would qualify for
automated horns because it would be considered a safe railroad crossing.
D.O.T would save $ 500,000 in the construction of the SW ramp.
Seven, if there is a four lane access at Military Trail, not only it will give
more noise to the Winchester Courts residents leaving only 25 feet away, but
the southbound Military Trail approach is very short (only for 2 cars). It will
create an unsafe situation for the Military Trail northbound traffic.
Eight, with no railroad crossing in parcel 5A, general impact fees monies
would not have to be used to build a very expensive 300 foot bridge over a
deep lake, and a 4 lane road through that private property. A saving of at
least $ 500,000 to the City and County.
Finally, the ban on horn train and the automated electronic hom system are
both based on assumption. Nothing is certified. There is no study available
from the F.D.O.T and State legislators would have to take into consideration
a system that would not be safe to motorists at that crossing. If FDOT cannot
guarantee the noise and the safety situation for the proposed railroad
crossing east of parcel 5A, then the City should cancel Resolution 147, 1999.
Thank you,
Roger Blangy (principal representative of Garden Woods)
11658 Hemlock Street Palm Beach Gardens Fl 33410
cc: Rick, Chesser, D.O.T District Secretary. District -4
John D. McPherson, F.E.0 President and Chief Operating Officer
Jolene Molitoris, Federal Railroad Administration Administrator
Jeff Atwater, State Representative
Karen T. Marcus, County Commissioner
Randy Whitfield, Director Metropolitan Planning Organization
Dominic Calabro, Director Florida TaxWatch
Enclosure: Letter of John D. McPherson dated May 22, 2000
Nov 13, 2000
MFEC
JOHN D. MCPHERSON
President and Chief Operating Officer
FLORIDA EAST COAST RAILWAY COMPANY
ONE MALAGA STREET, P.O. BOX 1048, ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA 32085 -1048
904 826 -2209 904 819 -2102 FAX
Mr. Roger Blangy
11658 Hemlock Street
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410
Dear Mr. Blangy:
May 22, 2000
File: MP 290
Thank you for the copy of your petition to stop the proposed crossing identified in
Resolution 147.
I hope you are successful in your efforts.
Sincerely yours,
ohn D. c o
JDM /g