Avondale Property Owners Attempt to Close Public River Access

[The_Choose_1]

Not sure if living under the Ortega Bridge constitutes living on the Ortega River?

No I don't live under a bridge nor in a boat but I do live on the Ortega River. So why don't you sit and spin on your flat head?

[Know Growth]

The Ortega River is Haunted.

[The_Choose_1]

The Ortega River is Haunted.

So is 99.9% of Jacksonville Florida!

[bencrix]

Paul Harden drafted the MOU to benefit his clients.  Neither RAP nor the City participated in drafting it and RAP did not even receive a copy of it.  Setting the record straight. 

An important clarification. I am unaware of any position taken on the MOU by RAP or COJ.

[The_Choose_1]

MOU = MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

So has the city accepted the MOU as filed or is it just a standard procedure to get things rolling now that the original legislation was denied?

The bullet points that you posted seem like a good compromise, even in if give the owners an additional 15' of property along LVW, but there is one thing that concerns me:

- Creates "resident-only" parking on Richmond Street with permits to be provided for the Richmond Street residents [Harden MOU, Paragraph A(5)]

Because once the ball gets rolling on this little gem, what's to stop the rest of the neighborhood from filing their own requests that would essentially create a permit only parking zone in R/A.  This was mentioned before in one of the many Mellow threads.  IMO, it sets bad precedence and opens the door for more of this NIMBY BS.  What's next, closing off the many thru-streets and gating the access to the river at Edgewood?

[The_Choose_1]

OMG I agree with something you said "IMO, it sets bad precedence and opens the door for more of this NIMBY BS.  What's next, closing off the many thru-streets and gating the access to the river at Edgewood?" This would set a bad precedence and shouldn't happen. If these Richmond St people want a gated residents go to Sawgrass or another gated community.

[finehoe]

Nor does it have anything to do with parking.

Yet....

- Eliminates the existing parking along the stub end of Little Van Wert [Harden MOU, Paragraph A(3)]
- Bans parking in front of the homes located at 3672, 3680, 3681, 3693 and 3700 Richmond Street [Harden MOU, Paragraph A(5)]
- Creates "resident-only" parking on Richmond Street with permits to be provided for the Richmond Street residents [Harden MOU, Paragraph A(5)]
- Prohibits painted parking stripes on Richmond or any of the bordering cross rights-of-way [Harden MOU, Paragraph A(12)]

[bencrix]

...these Richmond St people...

As defined by the MOU, "these people" include the two adjacent property owners only. The rest of the street / neighborhood / etc. is not party to the proposed agreement.

The bullet points that you posted seem like a good compromise

I recommend reading the full MOU. It grants an unusual degree of private control over public infrastructure and property (in addition to giving ~ .15 acres of public waterfront property away for essentially $0) in exchange for very little. You already noted the bad precedent regarding parking.

Note that there is now a neighborhood-based non-profit advocating for conversion of the property to a park and offering support for maintenance. They are not party to the MOU.

Long term, there is an opportunity to set a precedent for improving river access amenities throughout Riverside / Avondale.

[The_Choose_1]

...these Richmond St people...

As defined by the MOU, "these people" include the two adjacent property owners only. The rest of the street / neighborhood / etc. is not party to the proposed agreement.

The bullet points that you posted seem like a good compromise

I recommend reading the full MOU. It grants an unusual degree of private control over public infrastructure and property (in addition to giving ~ .15 acres of public waterfront property away for essentially $0) in exchange for very little. You already noted the bad precedent regarding parking.

Note that there is now a neighborhood-based non-profit advocating for conversion of the property to a park and offering support for maintenance. They are not party to the MOU.

Long term, there is an opportunity to set a precedent for improving river access amenities throughout Riverside / Avondale.

What about these parking rules? Eliminates the existing parking along the stub end of Little Van Wert [Harden MOU, Paragraph A(3)]
- Bans parking in front of the homes located at 3672, 3680, 3681, 3693 and 3700 Richmond Street [Harden MOU, Paragraph A(5)]
- Creates "resident-only" parking on Richmond Street with permits to be provided for the Richmond Street residents [Harden MOU, Paragraph A(5)]
- Prohibits painted parking stripes on Richmond or any of the bordering cross rights-of-way [Harden MOU, Paragraph A(12)]

[Kay]

Last I heard, Harden's MOU has not been accepted by Councilman Love or the City.

So has the city accepted the MOU as filed or is it just a standard procedure to get things rolling now that the original legislation was denied?

The bullet points that you posted seem like a good compromise, even in if give the owners an additional 15' of property along LVW, but there is one thing that concerns me:

- Creates "resident-only" parking on Richmond Street with permits to be provided for the Richmond Street residents [Harden MOU, Paragraph A(5)]

Because once the ball gets rolling on this little gem, what's to stop the rest of the neighborhood from filing their own requests that would essentially create a permit only parking zone in R/A.  This was mentioned before in one of the many Mellow threads.  IMO, it sets bad precedence and opens the door for more of this NIMBY BS.  What's next, closing off the many thru-streets and gating the access to the river at Edgewood?

[The_Choose_1]

Today in The Florida Times Union Wednesday August 26th 2015 in the CURRENT section of the paper. Front page is has two photos & a story called "RIVER ACCESS STILL OPEN" thanks for doing this FTU!