City Broke But Finds Money for More Urban Sprawl

[stjr]

To be honest, if it was built, I could see some redirection of traffic from youngerman onto it and then onto the new interchange @ Collins Rd.

It is no different than someone building a new rd @ Baymeadows and 9A and connecting it to Gate Parkway.

Jandar, if an interchange gets built at Collins with I-295 AND this road gets built AND two large shopping centers get built AND the last little bit of infill gets squeezed in on the remaining "virigin" land, you will have a duplicate of the very bottleneck at I-295 and Blanding that is supposed be assisted by this.  What is the point of this project other than to support the developer building the shopping centers?  It certainly doesn't appear to be for real traffic relief.

I do agree that Baymeadows to Gate is more of the same.  But, two wrongs don't make a right.  The madness needs to stop somewhere.  Don't forget, a big issue is the use of City money when it says it's broke for everything else.

As to Clay benefiting, if Blanding dead ended at Youngerman in Duval, I don't think it would be the bottleneck at I-295/Blanding that it currently is.  It is only because Blanding continues into Clay and serves all of its residents that I-295/Blanding is overwhelmed.  So, if this is to relieve that interchange (again, a questionable proposition in itself) then why shouldn't Clay assist?  By the way, isn't Blanding a STATE road?  Maybe FDOT should pay for this project.  Then both counties could party!   

[Charles Hunter]

Help me understand how the "City money" in this.  I will give you the $375,000 "eminent domain" money - not sure I even understand that - what government exercised eminent domain?  Did someone take some land from this landowner?  And, if the good councilman finds $2.1 million to finish the road down to Youngerman, yes, that is City money.  But the $4.4 "fair share" money would not exist if the developer weren't developing something.  Instead of paying into a fund, and the money perhaps being spent elsewhere in the City, the developer is building part of a road (they should build all of it).

Now, don't get the idea I'm endorsing this thing - adding two shopping centers to the end of the brand new exit ramps is not a good idea for traffic.  But, there isn't $6 million of City money in this thing.  The $2.5 is plenty, though.

[thelakelander]

Why isn't the developer on the hook for building the entire thing?  Is the city planning to build this road regardless of whether these shopping centers come or not?

[Charles Hunter]

From the BJP website:

Parramore Road Extension (to Youngerman Circle)
Construct a new, two-lane section with curbs, gutters, sidewalks and bike lanes on both sides.
Budget: $267,600

Looks like just enough for a preliminary study.

[tufsu1]

the 2-lane Parramore extension has been shown in the 5-year TIP as a funded project for at least 1 year...so I guess the answer to Lake's question is yes

[stjr]

But the $4.4 "fair share" money would not exist if the developer weren't developing something.  Instead of paying into a fund, and the money perhaps being spent elsewhere in the City, the developer is building part of a road (they should build all of it).

Charles, let's say the developer intends to build the shopping center or some other development sooner or later and it's really not a must to widen the road.  Then they would owe the City $4.4 million for impact fees.  The City could take that money and spend it as it wishes, say to solve traffic issues on existing roads.

If, instead of paying the impact fees, the developer pays for the new road, then the City gets a road it might not need for any other real purpose than further improving business at the developer's shopping centers.  That's not a benefit primarily serving the community, its a benefit primarily serving the developer.  And, it's the benefit that keeps on giving as the City begins the race all over again to keep up with another self-inflicted traffic headache.  Meanwhile, the traffic issues elsewhere that the City could have fixed with the $4.4 million paid in cash have to be funded with other City dollars.

In my book, this all adds up to a redirection of $4.4 million in dollars due the City to the self interests of the developer, not the rest of us.  I count that as City money lost.

[jandar]

By the way, isn't Blanding a STATE road?  Maybe FDOT should pay for this project.  Then both counties could party!   [/b]

Oh yeah, that would be awesome. I do agree that more feeder roads need to be looked at by FDOT for financing. I see way too many roads with horrid intersections because the FDOT and local DOT had no discussions before hand.

[cline]

If, instead of paying the impact fees, the developer pays for the new road, then the City gets a road it might not need for any other real purpose than further improving business at the developer's shopping centers.  That's not a benefit primarily serving the community, its a benefit primarily serving the developer.

But what if residents in the surrounding community choose to shop at the stores located in the shopping center.  Perhaps they see a benefit in that, then it would be benefitting the community.  Or were you appointed to determine what does and does not benefit the community?