Abel Harding's 2011 Plan For Downtown

[Noone]

Ock, Are you going?

Jacksonville Waterways Committee meeting on the Secret FIND list today at 9:30 city hall 4th floor. Open to the PUBLIC and a great Pub Crawl conversation piece as you are crossing our future restricted river.

The Lake Marco/ Marco Lake,  Marco/Polo project needs to be pulled. I haven't even been there and it needs to be pulled.
There is existing money in this new DIA/CRA Zone for that project.

[Noone]

We are so LOST.

Is there any way to be a bigger joke in the state of Florida?

With 100's of 1000's of dollars on the line Nobody shows up. Will have more on this disaster later.

Palms Fish Camp- Who will be getting $2,000,000 for never even opening up the door?

There was a project that was added to the Secret list.

The Historic Promised 680' Downtown Public Pier is not on the list right now.
Did a site inspection after the meeting with someone and it may make the list for the next Waterways meeting.
Special interests are on the list. How special!

[Noone]

2 days out.
Secret FIND list to be announced and advanced to our city council.

[Noone]

Jacksonville Waterways Commission meeting in 3 hours. Have you asked your city councilperson about any Waterway Issue for your district? Any dredging for your creek? There was a special Waterways FIND subcommittee meeting to identify canoe and kayak launches. The meeting was 2 1/2 hours. HUGE ANNOUNCEMENTS coming.

What will we be telling our Regional Partners? JAXCOMMERCE are you excited?

Jerry Mallot lets kayak Hogans Creek. I'm serious.

Boyer, Love, My early picks as being pro active for river access. Just ask for your constituents and you will receive. River Oaks Park......A slam dunk

Redman, Gaffney, Have abandoned their constituents. Pocket Parks- Pocket Piers. It will be 3 years in December when I approached the Commissioners of the Florida Inland Navigation District about the potential of the use of a Waterfront Public Access street end and their guidance to me was that you need a sponsor. A city councilmember. Mike Messiano the Duval County representative has been super. In a city of almost 1 million not one city councilmember has stepped up to the plate.

Jacksonville is a joke. We are about to lose city council oversite Downtown with redistricting and a total Govt. Takeover by a new Authority and that will include Public Access and Economic opportunity to our St. Johns River our American Heritage. River.

Palms Fish Camp? What a disaster.

Has any councilmember asked about a FIND project for their constituents? Does anybody care? 630-1377 call and ask. Don Redman is the chair of Waterways and was at the special Waterways Find subcommittee meeting so he knows what is on the list.  Somebody, anybody, please make a call and report back on this thread. If you are outside of Duval county you will then have a better understanding of how the Public Trust is being just totally crushed in this community. I'm serious.

Anybody want to kayak Downtown?

Commissioners of FIND go to the front of the line.
Regional Partners.

Be concerned. I'm scared to death

Will we be saying

VISIT JACKSONVILLE
          or
DON"T VISIT JACKSONVILLE

Less than 24 hours out from the noticed meeting of the FIND subcommittee chaired by Gary Anderson of the Jacksonville Waterways Commission to make up for the non noticed meeting that would have been a Public forum that didn't happen in identifying projects for the 2013 FIND grant application cycle. Total crushing of the Public Trust.

10 am. 4th floor city hall. Open to the Public. Anyone going?

[Noone]

In less than two hours. Tom Ingram are you going? Was there ever a Public meeting like last year?

Jacksonville Waterways Commission meeting in two days and first on the agenda is SUNSHINE PRESENTATION. This is not good.

Timing couldn't be better because at the last full meeting of the Jacksonville Waterways Commission meeting was a Presentation by Mark Crosely with FIND along with Duval county FIND representative Aaron Bowman.

[Noone]

Tom Ingram was there and dominated again.

Exchange Club Island is number one on the FIND Prioritized Project List for 2013.

Has anyone found out if the the sidewalk next to the new Bulkhead at the Cummer which was never before Waterways is a Public or Private sidewalk? Major Public Announcement if it's Public. Anyone.

Meetings are continuing. We continue to be LOST.

[tufsu1]

what does LOST stand for?

Left On Sidewalk Thinking?

[toi]

The Waterways Commission meeting is tomorrow (Wed, Jan 9) at 9:30am at Council Chambers.  Here are my comments based on yesterday's meeting and the proposals discussed.  If you have comments, please keep in mind that the decisionmakers probably won't see your responses in metrojacksonville.com before tomorrow morning.  Jim Love, John Crescimbeni and Lori Boyer are the Council Members on the Commission.

To:   Members of the Jacksonville Waterways Commission

From:   Tom Ingram

cc:   Tera Meeks, Jodi McDaniel, Kelly Boree

Date:   January 8, 2013

Re:   FIND Subcommittee Meeting on January 7, Recommendations

Members of the FIND Subcommittee of the Jacksonville Waterways Commission met yesterday to evaluate the Administration’s proposed list of projects for funding using the Florida Inland Navigation District’s matching grant program.  According to staff, there is approximately $1.1 Million available at a 50/50 match for projects not involving land acquisition (so up to $2.2 Million total available for such programs assuming that the City funded the maximum amount).  If you have already read the minutes that John Jackson prepared and are short on time, please see my comments beginning on page 2.  For those of you who have not seen the minutes, here is how the subcommittee voted on the project list:

Location    On Motion to Approve   Project Summary (my summary not Admin.)       
Exchange Island   4-0   Design and Permit small boat dock and shoreline area, hiking trail, pavilions with tables and grills

Sisters Creek ICW Dock Redesign   4-0   Design and Permit (incl. survey) for relocating pilings and docks on ICW side

Ortega River Channel Markers   4-0   Install (construct) channel markers on the Ortega River to limit permanent anchoring of boats in navigable channel

County Dock Road Park and Boat Ramp   3-1   Design and Permit removal of rip rap and old boat ramp; pour new launch area for hand-launch boats; remove old pilings; remove parking obstructions

Northbank Riverwalk Bridge (at Geffen Park)   0-4    Design and permit replacement of wooden pedestrian bridge on Northbank Riverwalk

Geffen Park Kayak Launch   2-2   Design and permit kayak launch area

Northshore Park Kayak Launch   3-1   Design and permit kayak launch area

Lighting at 4 Boat Ramps   4-0   Install lighting at 4 boat ramps

Reed Island    0-4   Design and permit boat dock at Reed Island, a peninsula that lacks legal access by land located across from Blount Island

Harborview Dredging   2-2   Design and permit dredging between boat ramp and Ribault River channel

Blue Cypress Boardwalk Extension   4-0   Design extension of Blue Cypress Boardwalk from existing terminus to Arlington Lions Club boat ramp

San Marco Lake Kayak Launch   0-4   Design and permit kayak access and parking plan on Lake Marco.

Dock at Charles Reese Memorial Park (Ribault River)   2-2   Design and permit public dock

Half Moon Island Land Acquisition   2-2   Acquire land having an existing boat ramp at (with a 25% FIND match) on Half Moon Island (note that the City currently owns over 200 acres of Half Moon Island)

Floating Dock at Shipyards   0-4   Install floating dock near pier at the Shipyards, suggested by John Nooney at the meeting

Boating Master Plan   4-0   Seek one-time grant from FIND to revise a boating master plan for Duval County

In addition to these, I suggested three projects: (1) modify the existing permits and agreement with Fidelity to allow for week-long use of the $400,000 floating dock beneath the Fuller Warren Bridge, currently usable only during the Riverside Arts Market; (2) Add a boat ramp or kayak launch (whichever is most expedient and feasible in near term) to the over 16 acres of property that the City purchased adjacent to the Nassau River on Half Moon Island for a park in 1999, and (3) Design and permit a pier and floating dock at Stockton Park in Ortega, along the lines of that which exists at County Dock Road in Mandarin but with a platform for launching kayaks, standup paddleboards and windsurfers.   The consensus of the committee and staff, and I agree, is not to add these to the FIND grant process but to evaluate them further in the coming year.

Comments

Fund the Bridge Replacement on Northbank Riverwalk.  The Northbank Riverwalk extension, between the Acosta and Fuller Warren Bridges, needs to remain a continuous walkway.  Part of this walkway is bridge that was designed as a temporary structure to get this stretch of riverwalk opened before the Super Bowl.  The Administration believes that this bridge needs to be replaced, and has proposed using matching FIND funds to help pay for it.  If the Riverwalk can’t be walked from one end to the other, this affects far more constituents than any of the other projects being discussed.  Please provide necessary funds to repair this bridge or reroute the riverwalk so that no bridge is necessary.

Fund the Geffen Kayak Launch Design.  This is the best site for kayak launching that exists downtown.  Kayaks launch in currents all the time, in places like the Duval County’s own Intracoastal Waterway and the creeks throughout the Timucuan Preserve in Duval and Nassau Counties.  Less-experienced kayakers may find other access points more suitable, like County Dock Road or Stinson Park, but that is not reason to exclude all kayak access in this stretch of the river.

Design and Permitting Cost Estimates.  In general, the subcommittee expressed concern that the estimated maximum design and permitting costs were excessively high.  The staff explained that these are estimates and said that it planned to have additional information available at the full Waterways Commission meeting.   I know that the Commission could spend the entire meeting tomorrow and then some discussing whether the currently estimated maximum design and permitting costs are too high.  I think this is a serious issue, but I would hope that concerns over the Administration’s ability to accurately estimate design and permitting costs does not cause water access projects to be killed entirely.  Assuming this is a concern, please let the projects move forward to begin the grant process, and work with the Administration to refine the estimated maximum costs of these projects. 

Do Not Proceed with Boating Master Plan.  The Assistant Executive Director of FIND explained at the last Waterways Commission meeting that if you do seek funding for a master plan, they would want subsequent funding applications to be consistent with it.  With that caveat, the plan will need to be extremely broad to keep the Administration and Council’s options open, and will effectively render the plan meaningless.  We will also use a lot of time and effort to discuss, debate and refine an abstract plan that does not actually result in increased public access to our waterways.  The process will invite conflict between various user groups who may perceive this to be a zero-sum game.  Going beyond much more than generalities requires a finer level of assessment about the potential sites and available funding -- information that varies on a year to year basis.   Situations change too fast for a detailed master plan to be worthwhile for much more than two or three years.  For example, standup paddleboarding barely existed five years ago, and recent bans on keeping bottom fish caught offshore together with high fuel prices are affecting where and how people fish.  Let us focus our efforts on actually maintaining and improving water access and not generalized plans as to how we might go about it in the future.

Support the other recommendations of the Subcommittee.

Thank you for your consideration.

[Noone]

Less than two hours out. Rules. 2012-728 Waive Competitive Sealed Bids for 10 Years. Next to a FIND Project. Will also be in Finance and RCD. The First Secret FIND list had County Dock with a total cost. $50,000. 30 days later the updated Prioritized list had County dock at $100,000. $50,000 dollar increase and we have had a year to work on this.

Scott Wilson, Don Redman, Tell everyone about the status of the Pottsburg Creek dredge.
How fast will a Mayor Brown kayak launch logo be put up at Palmer Terrace Park Dist.4?
Just give everyone on MJ one bid that you have received for a slab of concrete for the new clock?
Or is the bid going to be wrapped in a 6 figure cost for the marker?

Next meeting Jan. 28. Will go to full city council because of 2012-402

[Noone]

Yesterday at Rules 2012-728 was amended. Still going to Finance and RCD. Jan. 28 costs for projects to be presented for Waterways and then council 2012-402.

[Noone]

3 days out from what should be one of the most interesting meetings as the 2013 FIND grant projects will be discussed and then move forward for Waterways 2/13/13 then city council approval. Meeting is 9:30 am 4th floor city council. Should be packed. Too bad it wasn't in council chambers and then everyone would be able to watch it.

We left $500,000 Ad Valorem property tax money on the table last year. What is the status of the Pottsberg Creek dredge Dist.4 Kayak logo coming to Palmer Terrace Park Dist. 4? What will be the separate cost to remove the pilings at County Dock and Sidney Geffen? Any pre guesses? Field, Tom Ingram would you guys like to meet and see if we could get out one piling at Sidney Geffen out and then report back to Waterways? Of coarse we will see what's discussed Monday but just throwing it out there.

Councilman Redman can you still share just one bid on the slab of concrete for the Jacobs Clock?  Does anybody know? Our city is so broke.

[Noone]

$100,000's and thousands of our ad valorem property tax money will be decided in less than 4 hours on the 4th floor of city hall at 9:30 am. The super duper secret FIND list has now been exposed. And we are so LOST. I'd say park near Chamblin's but are there two hour meters? The other challenge for Downtown is to get Downtown without leaving Downtown with a $15 parking ticket.

Anyone going? Anybody care? Did Palms Fish Camp Vision start off like this? is the Public Trust being restored to our Waterways?
Will there be separate bids for County Dock and Sidney Geffen to remove the pilings?

Does anyone know just one bid price for the concrete slab for the Jacobs clock? That will soon be met with euphoric celebration?

Let's all remember that acting chair of Waterways Councilman Jim Love along with Jacksonville Waterways Commission member Ralph Hodges has directed Jody McDaniel to get a price for a floating dock next to the Shipyards III pier next to the new Riverwalk Bay St. Connection.

Ben Warner - JCCI, we need to kayak Downtown before 2025.

[Noone]

The 1/28/13 meeting of the full Jacksonville Waterways Commission to complete the 2013 FIND Prioritized Grant list for the Jacksonville city council was a 3 1/2 hour meeting that will now continue Feb. 13 at 8 am to complete the list.

Some items made the list and some items didn't and some may be needed to be appealed to a higher court.

There wasn't one person from the media TV, Print, or Radio in attendance.

Props have to be given to the process. Councilman Jim Love, the Chair did an excellent job. First up on the list was Exchange Club Island. Pats on the back to councilwoman Boyer who set a precedent moving forward on this project that set the tone for other projects moving forward.

Exchange Club Island is on the list. With a $200,000 Construction Cost cap.

Jim King Park at Sisters Creek is in.

8 Ortega Channel Markers are in.

County Dock was amended to $175,000

Northbank Riverwalk Replacement is in. Something other than wood.

Geffen Park Kayak Launch is out.

Northshore Kayak Launch is in.

Lighting at 4 Boat Ramps
ICW at Beach Blvd. next to Crazy Fish is in.
Lighting at Jim King Park is in.

Lighting at Arlington Lions Club is out.
Lighting at Wayne B. Stevens is out.

Tom Ingram was there and I hope he shares his detailed analysis. It was a good meeting.

[Noone]

Special meeting of the Jacksonville Waterways Commission meeting 8 days out.
FIND

[Noone]

Floating Dock at Shipyards   0-4   Install floating dock near pier at the Shipyards, suggested by John Nooney at the meeting



In addition to these, I suggested three projects: (1) modify the existing permits and agreement with Fidelity to allow for week-long use of the $400,000 floating dock beneath the Fuller Warren Bridge, currently usable only during the Riverside Arts Market; (2) Add a boat ramp or kayak launch (whichever is most expedient and feasible in near term) to the over 16 acres of property that the City purchased adjacent to the Nassau River on Half Moon Island for a park in 1999, and (3) Design and permit a pier and floating dock at Stockton Park in Ortega, along the lines of that which exists at County Dock Road in Mandarin but with a platform for launching kayaks, standup paddleboards and windsurfers.   The consensus of the committee and staff, and I agree, is not to add these to the FIND grant process but to evaluate them further in the coming year.

5 days out for the 8am start of the Jacksonville Waterways Commission meeting which will continue with the 2013 FIND cycle grant application that will need to be approved by council 2012-402 and then forwarded to the Commissioners of FIND who are     appointed by the Governor representing the east coast of the state of Florida.

The Jim Love, Kevin Kuzel Riverwalk Floating dock compromise near the Shipyards pier and property is Brilliant and was totally misrepresented by (OGC) Office of General Counsel at the last meeting. immediate reconsideration needs to be given by the Administration, Waterways Commission, DIA, and the Jacksonville city council.