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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/20/2002 1225 Main Street U Sebastian, Florida 32958 Telephone (772) 589-5330 ~ Fax (772) 589-5570 City Council Information Letter December 20, 2002 .Comcast Cable Communication Earlier this week, I met with Ms. Joni Kinsley, newly appointed Regional Vice President/General Manager of Comcast Cable Communications, Inc. Treasure Coast Division to discuss various aspects of their operation and anticipated service expansion efforts in our community. Please be advised that arrangements are being made to have Ms. Kinsley and other representatives of Comcast join us during one of your regularly scheduled meetings in February, so as to offer a respective presentation publicly. Such efforts include establishing availability of broadband cable intemet and video on demand programming, both initiatives anticipated to become integral components of existing digital cable services. In addition, as referenced in last week's report, it was also confirmed via my discussion with Ms. Kinsley that Comcast is in fact working with Indian River County to establish an additional governmental channel to offer programming above and beyond what is available via their current Partnership with the City of Veto Beach. The attached letter as compiled and delivered by Indian River County General Services Administrator Thomas Frame further clarifies this position. Direction may therefore become appropriate in the coming months beginning in 2003 relative to the possibility of implementing countywide telecasts of Sebastian City Council meetings, as well as respective arrangements to facilitate the overall effort in this regard. Meanwhile, I look forward to Ms. Kinsley's presentation in February so that interested citizens can learn more about Comcast's plans to comprehensively expand services and operations. Florida East Coast Railroad/Coldwell Banker In an effort to offer a written response to address concerns recently raised relative to rear access issues at Coldwell Banker at Main Street and United States Highway One (US1), please find the attached memorandum City Council Information Letter December 20, 2002 Page 2 compiled and delivered per my direction by Director of Growth Management Tracy Hass relative to the most recent position offered by staff from the Florida East Coast Railroad (FEC) regarding post installation at their property adjacent to the Coldwell facility. In addition to my recent efforts to initiate dialogue with FEC officials relative to the prospect of courteously having posts removed from the location Jn question, staff from the Department of Growth Management spoke with Mr. Craig Olson of Flagler Development Company (the parent company of FEC) about possible arrangements. Essentially, FEC's position for not allowing access to this property are indicative of liability concerns first initially addressed nearly four years ago, prior to the Schlitt family acquiring the old hardware store facility. Since then, FEC officials had been amicably requesting that the property not be used for access to the Coldwell Banker Building/old hardware store. Despite such requests, parking on the property continued, prompting the installation of posts. Additionally, when the Coldwell Banker site plan was approved in late 1999, formal access (both standard and emergency) was incorporated at US 1 in the front of the building. As such, the City of Sebastian does not appear to be in position to legally argue and/or require removal of post to accommodate rear access via private property after the fact. Our only avenue was to request that FEC allow use of the property, in which, as it turns out, both the City and Coldwell Banker were denied on numerous occasions for the aforementioned reasons. Cit Council Plan Review of Ci Hall and Police Station As you recently authorized the next phase of architectural services to govern construction activities for a new/expanded municipal complex, please be advised that City Council members on an individual basis wJlJ have an opportunity to review updated draft plans, so as to be in position to offer applicable ideas and recommendations relative to final planning activities. As such, Executive Assistant Jean Tarbell will be in contact with those of you who are interested in such Participation sometime after the holiday season to schedule individual sessions with Rick Gonzales. Of course, I will provide each of you with updated versions of plans as administration continues progression of respective activities. However, this arrangement will simply afford interested City Council members the opportunity to offer input, as well as receive first hand knowledge relative to the process involving such extensive activities. City Council Information Letter December 20, 2002 Page 3 .Happy Holidays As Christmas Week 2002 begins Monday, please be advised that numerous staff members in various departments, including myself, have made arrangements to utilize vacations days during the holiday season. Skeleton crews have therefore been assigned so as to accommodate business matters as necessary during this time. Although I have no extensive travel plans next week (other than a visit with the in laws in Fort Lauderdale on Christmas Day), I will be out of the office next week. I will report back to City Hall Monday, December 30th Should any of you require speaking with me during this time, I can be coniacted either at home or via cellular telephone. As such, no information letters wJlJ be delivered during the next two weeks (next report to be compiled and delivered Friday January 10th). For those of you who will attend tomorrow evening's Annual Awards Banquet at the Elk's Club, I look forward to seeing you both at the dinner table and on the dance floor. Otherwise, I hope that both you and your families have a happy and safe holiday! Enclosure(s): Letter from Thomas Frame - Countywide City Council Meeting Telecast via New Indian River County Channel Memorandum from Tracy Hass - Coldwell Banker/FEC My Documents/InfoLetter160 BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS December 11, 2002 Mr. Terrence Moore City Manager City of Sehastian 1225 Main Street Sebastian, Florida 32958 Dear Mr. Moore: Rece,ved City Manager's '~..&Z Office Th/s letter is to confirm our phone conversa*: ~ - L,on o~luesaay, December 10, 2002. As I stated ester ' bat in the near furore there may be some Upgrading to the existing cable system here in the s~Yuth c day, it appears Additiunally'thec°tmty, is exploring the Dossibility of an addinonal channel ~em added t tmty area. dedicated for the county s USage. ' g o the system that could be That additional chaunel would be subject to additional bandwidth that would be associated with a system re-build and it would be subject agreement with the cable provider, Comcast Cable TV ' discussions appear to support the possibility of these occurrences. - Prehminary and non-comrrfittal fully implemented, although it might be implemented in phases that would allow for a much shorter period of time to accomplish the ability to Should they occur, it may take a year for it to be provide the broadcasts. It is the opinion of the s~ff that if such improvements occur, we would be more than hap to rec rebroadcast of Sebastian s Council meetin s As ' ' eqmpment to accom,,~;o~- :, ~, . g · I also ~ndlcated it w,,,,~ -~ · - PY ornmend the v ...... t. ~ nat cost ~s estimated to be around ~600 ~"~ mqmre tae purchase of some min/mal In closing, I appreciate your cooperative annro ' . . Ij ~ould anticipate that by the end of the fi~s~,,~ m a~gre,emg to g~ve us the additional time to sol, -~ ueuver on th~s proposal as outlined ,~,,,~er mcaiendar year 2003 to tnore fully de~;~ff]-e m,e~,e, problems. Should you have any questions, please feel free to call me at your convenience. Sincerely, Thomas W. Frame General Services Director cc: James E. Chandler, County Administrator Paul Bangel, County Attorney Joseph A. Baird, Assistant County Administrator Terry Smith, Telecommunications Manager General Services Department 1840 25ta Street Veto Beach, Florida 32960-3365~(772) 567-8000 Ext. 1223~ Fax: (772) 770-5029 E-ma/l: tframe~ircgov.com HOME OF PELICAN ISlAND .1225 MAIN STREET · SEBASTIAN, FLORIDA 329..;8 TELEPHONE (772) 589-55'18 · FAX (772} 589-6209 MEMORANDUM DATE: December 18, 2002 TO: Terrence R. Moore, City Manager~ FROM: Tracy E. Hass, Director of Growth Management SUBJECT: Coldwell Banker Ed Schlitt Building/FEC Property. In reference to the above, Flagler Development Company, parent of Florida East Coast Railroad, recently installed barrier posts on the easternmost property line of their property located adjacent to the Coldwell Banker, Ed Schlitt property at the Intersection of U.S. Highway 1 and Main Street. A complaint has been raised suggesting that installation of the posts has created a public safety issue. In response to this complaint, Jan King contacted Craig Olson at Flagler Development Company to discuss the situation. The following information includes details regarding Mrs. King's conversation as well as a brief outline of the history behind this issue: In 1999, pr/or to the submittal of the Coldwell Banker site plan, it was realized that the existing building (formerly Main Street Hardware) was constructed without benefit of a rear setback, and the parking lot to the rear of the building was actually on Flagler Development Company's property. Upon receiving notice that their property was being used for parking and access to another site, Mr. Olson of Flagler Development immediately notified the Franke brothers, who at the time owned the property at 1209 U.S. 1, and requested that they discontinue use of the Flagler Development Property for parking and access to the Main Street Hardware site (subsequently the Coldwell Banker, Ed Schlitt Realtor's office). The Flagler group was concerned about potential liability caused by this unauthorized use. Subsequently the Franke property went into foreclosure, and Flagler Development then notified Harbor Federal to stop using the property for access and parking. When the property was sold to Steve Schlitt, Flagler Development again notified the owners to stop using the property. As you can see from the above information, Flagler Development has repeatedly advised the property owner(s) to discontinue use of their property for access to the Coldwell Banker Building. Mr. Olson explained that since their letters had failed to stop the access and parking, they installed the bamer posts to secure the property. They purposely installed posts that did not contain sharp edges, and were painted to be visible, but not offensive. The Schlitt building site plan incorporates direct access to U.S. 1. Although access through the Flagler property would be convenient, it is not a code requirement for the site to include an additional access point.