Creating a Better Arlington

[Metro Jacksonville]

Creating a Better Arlington



Despite being one of Jacksonville's most densely developed neighborhoods, Arlington's roadway network continues to prove deadly for its citizens. City leaders struggle to provide answers to improve the community's safety and livability.  Today, Metro Jacksonville illustrates how allowing the mobility plan's fee moratorium to sunset could create a better Arlington.

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2012-aug-creating-a-better-arlington

[Bill Hoff]

The Mobility Plan provides improvements for virtually all of Jax, so it positively impacts every district.

It took years to create, with community, developer, and COJ input, but only a couple months to neuter.

Frankly, voluntarily removing an approved funding source for infrastructure/QOL/public safety improvements in this budget climate is mind boggling.

[gedo3]

You know why this is my very favorite blog?  Instead of complaining and whining, we get to see real life possible solutions!  The thought and research involved are wonderful and much appreciated in this day of online gloom and doom!  Thank you!!!!

[Dog Walker]

If the developers don't pay for new infrastructure improvements needed for their developments guess who will have to do it?

You and me, the taxpayers. It might be cheaper just to pay them NOT to build anything.

The Mobility Plan is just plain brilliant.  We must let it work!

[Jumpinjack]

Thank you for explaining so well what we need in Arlington. Our community is sorely in need of redesigned roads and commercial districts. But why is it fair that developers don't pay anything at all anymore, not fair share, not mobility fee, nada for their road impacts? Council members you voted for this moratorium and left us with the bill.

[mbwright]

You mean, you haven't noticed a HUGE increase in construction since the mobilty plan was shelved?  How about the elimination of DCA review, or the removal of DEP and EPA regulations?  Scott said this was necessary, since this was hindering development, and burden.  I think redevelopment of the Town & Country would be great.  I loved living in Alrington several years ago.  Nice to be close to most things.

[Ocklawaha]

"Hello Arlington? Meet downtown... for WAY less then another Skyway bridge."

[Adam W]

^We just got one of those here and the estimated cost was somewhere in the range of $80 -$100 million. Probably paid too much, but how does that compare to a Skyway bridge.

(Serious question, I don't doubt that you're correct - I'm just curious).

[fieldafm]

There are lots of reasons why the moratorium should be allowed to sunset in October.  Job creation is one of them.  In Tampa alone, over $1 Billion in new development (which doesnt even scratch the surface of the 'development' spurred by the moratorium in the past year, which is in the ten million-ish range) occured from similar infrastructure programs sa those spelled out (and funded by) over the next 5 years in the Mobility Plan. 

Community building is another.  The Mobility Plan quite simply creates stronger neighborhoods.  It took 2 years of public input to determine what type of community we want to be and as such the will of the community is reflected in the Mobility Plan.

But in this day and age of having to choose b/w shutting down libraries, reducing availability of fire stations, cutting police and the failure to do even the most basic things like cutting the grass... this quote really sums it up in my book:

Council members you voted for this moratorium and left us with the bill.

The burden of these future (and necessary) capital expenditures shifts away from the developers who agreed to pay for them (which was a far more fair system to the development community than the haphazard and regressive nature of the previous concurrency fee) and on to the backs of the general taxpayer. 

The Jax Biz Journal just ran a story last week citing that the citizens of Jacksonville lived in the 9th most financially distressed community in the nation.  Is it fair to place the financial burden on the shoulders of those that are already at the breaking point?  Or would it be more fair for this fee to be payed again by those that agreed to it in the first place?  The general taxpayer didn't hold a referendum and vote to have more of a financial burden placed upon them. 

Realize that the Mobility Fee is not a make or break proposition for development.  If that were the case, you wouldnt have half a dozen multi-family apartment complexes currently being built around the Town Center area that are not subject to the Mobility Fee in the first place.  These projects  are in a seperate transportation management area and as such pay a pre-determined trip fee based on the number of vehicle trips that results from the building of that particular project.  This construction has happened (like all projects do) b/c of unmet demand and the availability of cheap money from the banks (construction loans are currently under 4%, which is incredibly cheap). 

You need a minimum of 30% equity into new construction loans now.  The Mobility Fee (which is MUCH lower than the old concurrency system) represents around 2-3% of a development's cost.  If you are searching your couch cushions for change and selling lemonade on your front lawn to make up for that last 2-3% of your project's cost... you quite simply don't have a financially viable project to begin with.

If the Mobility Fee scares off development in Jacksonville, then why is St Johns County (which has an impact fee, which is more expensive than the Mobility Fee) outpacing Duval County in housing permits this year?  Is it b/c their schools are better, thus more people want to live there?

If the moratorium spurred hundreds of millions in new development, I would change my mind.  But it hasn't.  The experiment failed.  It's time to pick up the pieces and move on.  It's time for City Council to stand beside those they serve and continue the good work of making Jacksonville a better place. 

[Tacachale]

Where are we on the Mobility Fee? Have any of the Council weighed in? Have they been contacted?

[Jumpinjack]

We've heard that the council members are hearing from a few developers that it's either jobs or mobility fee.  Sounds like a gimmick (aka gimme) to me.

[Tacachale]

And are they hearing anything from the other side to dispute that?

[thelakelander]

Instead of using shallow threats like "it's either jobs or mobility fee", it's time to present some data showing how the moratorium increased job growth in Jax at a growth percentage higher than the rest of Florida's communities......oh, it didn't!

And are they hearing anything from the other side to dispute that?

Yes, however, we (the community) will need all the help we can get.  Unfortunately, the average Joe Blow doesn't carry the same weight alone, when compared to the influence of some who want you to put more money in their pockets.

[Captain Zissou]

Instead of using shallow threats like "it's either jobs or mobility fee", it's time to present some data showing how the moratorium increased job growth in Jax at a growth percentage higher than the rest of Florida's communities......oh, it didn't!

And are they hearing anything from the other side to dispute that?

Yes, however, we (the community) will need all the help we can get.  Unfortunately, the average Joe Blow doesn't carry the same weight alone, when compared to the influence of some who want you to put more money in their pockets.

I'm down for the cause.  Let me know any way that I can help.  I'll send out some letters to councilmen for starters.  Are there any that I should target?

[fieldafm]

We've heard that the council members are hearing from a few developers that it's either jobs or mobility fee.

Yep.  Basically certain developers are saying that if we collect the fee again, it's going to cost jobs.

It's not like the moratorium spurred a plethora of jobs.  The amount of permits pulled barely moved the needle from the previous fiscal year.  It just made certain projects that were already getting built with tenants lined up, cheaper to build. 

Make no mistake.  Developers that had deals coming online that knew they were going to benefit with lower costs were responsible for this moratorium.  None of their projects were financially unfeasible with the fee in place.  In fact, they agreed to this fee over a year ago during a lengthy and fair two year long process. 

But, hey if you could save $1 million bucks... why not tickle the ear of a giddy council member you gave money to get elected who is glad to return the favor!  The taxpayers really benefit from that type of relationship, right? 

In my area, a fire station that has been around since my father was a child has been forced to reduce their service b/c we have no money.  I'm all for reducing wasteful spending.  I harldy believe a fire station in an area that has been built out since the 40's and is one of the most densely populated areas in the city is considered 'wasteful spending'.  I'm so glad then that my area lost out on $400k this year under the moratorium that my property taxes will have to make up somehow.  That $400k mostly went to the construction of a gas station.  I hardly believe that gas station created the kind of high wage job growth that will ignite our city's future.

Maybe next year, we can finally close down Fire Station 14 for good, do away with that pesky Murray Hill Library and let Memorial Park get invaded with chest high grass b/c we can no longer afford to mow the best park in our city.  That's the kind of city I want to live in!   

We the taxpayers didn't get to vote on whether or not we wanted to have this additional burden passed on to us.  10 developers did.  That's democracy.