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11/20/2000CLEARWATER BEACH ENTRYWAY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING CITY OF CLEARWATER November 20, 2000 Present: Commissioner Ed Hart Facilitator/Non Voting Chair Herb Brown Committee Member Hoyt Hamilton Committee Member David Hemerick Committee Member Bruce Littler Committee Member Arthur Lupien Committee Member Dan Moran Committee Member Roger Schulman Committee Member Carl Wagenfohr Committee Member Bob Bickerstaffe Alternate Bill Jonson Alternate Absent: Lucile Casey Committee Member Also present: Mahshid Arasteh Public Works Administrator Paul Bertels Traffic Operations Manager Lt. John Slack Police Department Gary Johnson Transportation & Drainage Director Sue Diana Assistant City Clerk Patricia O. Sullivan Board Reporter The Clearwater Beach Entryway Advisory Committee meeting was held at the Clearwater Beach Hilton Hotel, Mandalay Avenue, Clearwater, Florida. The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:05 p.m. The Committee recessed to observe the roundabout from the rooftop of the hotel. The meeting reconvened at 4:25 p.m. in a hotel meeting room. To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. ITEM #1 – Approval of Minutes Member Hemerick moved to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of November 6, 2000, as submitted in written summation to each committee member. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. ITEM #2 – Old Business Fountain Lights Transportation and Drainage Director Gary Johnson was present to answer committee questions related to David Nelson Construction, the roundabout’s contractor and bidder on recommended changes. He reported changing the color of the fountain’s lights would cost approximately $20,000, of which $11,000 is for reusable lenses for the 364 lights. It was felt all of the lights may not have to be changed for a colorful effect. It was suggested area associations may be willing to collaborate and raise funds for related labor costs. It was questioned if the lights can be covered with temporary filters. Mr. Johnson stated the fountain’s warranty would be invalidated if staff makes any modifications to it. Staff was asked to report on the yearly costs to decorate Downtown, the Memorial Causeway, and Clearwater beach for the winter holidays. Lighting the Roundabout Traffic Operations Manager Paul Bertels said Florida Power is providing a cost estimate for increasing the lighting near the roundabout via additional decorative lights and for rooftop floodlights. Re Committee Recommendation to Alter the Roundabout’s Exit to Coronado It was stated the newspaper had published an article regarding plans to modify the Coronodo exit from the roundabout. The City received several calls stating Clearwater’s agreement with FDOT (Florida Department of Transportation) related to the City obtaining control of a portion of SR 60 required the City to maintain two lanes for north beach traffic to exit the beach on the causeway. The Interim City Manager decided to delay implementation and present it to the City Commission for public input. Concern was expressed the recommendation of the committee, which met weekly for almost 3 months, had been ignored and preference had been given to opinions from citizens who had telephoned the City. Frustration was expressed regarding the influence of those who had not worked on the related issues. It was stated committee members are liaisons between the community and City Commission. Public Works Administrator Mahshid Arasteh said staff will contact FDOT to clarify this issue. ITEM #3 – Discussion – Cost Breakdown for Each Modification The Committee reviewed the spreadsheet. It was noted approximately $965,000 from the original project remains available. It was stated that Barry Crown had recommended relocating crosswalks to limit vehicle backups into the roundabout. It was stated the City may face liability issues related to pedestrians crossing the road in front of the Marina. It was suggested sufficient vegetation or a fence could block pedestrian movement. It was noted many pedestrians cross at the roundabout and will not be impeded by obstructing the mediums. It was suggested ticketing pedestrians is not tourist friendly. Mr. Bertels stated modification work will disrupt traffic. Reducing the size of the fountain will require closing the inside lane every day. Concern was expressed some vehicles near Crabby Bills must back up when exiting the Marina parking lot. It was felt PSTA buses are too large to use the Marina for passenger pickup. It was suggested the eastern side of the fountain be painted with white reflective paint to aid drivers at night. Staff was asked to obtain costs for reflective gadgets on the fountain’s steps. It was noted the roundabout would not be resurfaced until the new geometry is in place. Discussion ensued regarding related costs. It was requested staff obtain an estimate of the cost to move the bench in front of the Hilton and to extend the sidewalk to the road for a bus stop. It was suggested State right-of-way law requiring vehicles to yield to pedestrians should be strictly enforced and highlighted in the educational model. Also vehicular speed should be monitored. It was recommended the project to reconfigure Mandalay be incorporated into the Mandalay streetscape project which is under design. Construction of the streetscape project is planned for 2004. In response to a question, Ms. Arasteh reviewed expenses related to repouring pavers, relocating landscaping, and moving electrical conduits. Concern was expressed the intra-beach transit system in the Beach By Design plan would require a lane on Mandalay in the future. Member Brown moved for the Clearwater Beach Entryway Advisory Committee to recommend that the City not initiate any major changes to the roundabout before Spring Break 2001, but to make minor changes the City Commission considers easy to accomplish. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. ITEM #4 – Discussion – Education Model It was requested the Committee review the educational recommendations listed in Roundabouts: An Information Guide, published by USDOT and the Federal Highway Administration for discussion next week. ITEM #5 – New Business - None ITEM #6 – Expanding Spreadsheet Columns - Proposed ITEM #7 – Next Meeting Concern was expressed continuing a weekly meeting schedule will discourage attendance and member enthusiasm. It was recommended the committee meet next week to complete the review of project costs. The next meeting is scheduled for November 27, 2000, at City Hall, at 4:00 p.m. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 5:35 p.m.