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10-14-54SpMtg OCTOBER 14, 1954 A Special Meeting of the City Council of the City of ~elray Beach was held in the Council Chambers at 3:30 P.M. with Mayor Catherine E. Strong in the Chair, City Manaser W. E. Lawson, City Attorney Nell MacMillan, and the following Uouncil members present: Glenn B. °Undy, Mrs. Alma a. ~oehle, and ". Cottingham Allen, a quorum being present. Mayor Strong expressed her desire, as well as that of the entire Council, that definite action be taken at this meeting toward effecting an immediate program of street repair. Mr. nobert Blake, Chairman of the Planning Board, expressea the feeling of all members of said Board that the City Council should take immediate steps toward creating a Master Plan, in- corporating necessary engineering surveys, to establish an over-all plan of street levels with respect to future planning of drainage as well as sewerage disposal, to specifically eliminate the many current grades which today are causing the many serious street con- ditions. Mr. Blake further referred to the original recommendation 'of the Planning board as submitted last April. Councilman Allen discussed an initial group of 21 blocks of streets which should receive immediate attention and asked Mr. Blake if he did not agree therewith. Mr. harry McKean called the attention of the Council that much valuable data should be obtained from a costly survey of this area made by the Gillespie organization a few years ago, amounting to approximately 925, 000. O0. Mr. Blake further pointed out the possibility of future drain- ing the NW side of Delray Beach in the direction of Lake Ida. Mr. Charles Chevalier, City Engineer, addressed the Council wi't~ a report based on his careful study of the serious situation relative to the street conditions in Delray Beach and possible recommended corrections thereof. The report was as follows: "The basic problem resolves itself in the following way: First, the-determination of the class of street which is to be constructed. A consideration to the extension of the sanitary sewer system before other operations if the street is to be of a rela- tively high type. Provision for the disposition of storm water in a system separate from sanitary sewage. Relocation of utilities where necessary. Construction of ~he streets. In financing the work there are two choices - ~ither borrow and accomplish the results in a short' period of time - or improve within the frame of a long-range plan. Of course a combination of these can sometimes be desirable. If the work is extended over a period of years it must be considered that present conditions must not be permitted to depreciate. Many of the streets are presently surface4 with a light coat of asphalt on a limerock base. They are badly broken up and should be patched and salvaged with another surface appli- cation, or they will soon be lost entirely. This program in itself will mean additional rather large expenditures and is, at best, temporary as surface treatments must be made every few years. Once water is permitted to enter or rise into the base material immediate break-up is the inevitable result as is so obvious on Swinton Ave. and in many other.':areas. 14, 1954 The present system of streets I would estimate to be approximately 50 miles. Of this approxi~tely 30 miles has received some form of treatment in the past. A small percentage, perhaps 5 to 6 miles, has been surfaced with an application of bituminous concrete. The remaining 25 miles is in relatively poor shape. It will be appreciated that the problem is a major one. No longer should streets be constructed to follow the small devia- tions in the contour of the ground nor be built at a grade which is such that storm water is diverted to abutting property to be dissipated there. It is rather to be expected that the streets will be the means of collection of storm water from adjacent pro- perty and from there carried on the surface or underground to disposal as conditions permit~ Costs of construction are extremely variable depending on the quality of street desired varying from ~20,000 per mile for 24' pavement with no curbs, sidewalks, or storm drainage, to $200,000 or more per mile f~r high type stabilized base, street with curb, sidewalk and adequate storm drainage facilities, ex- clusive of expenditures for relocating other utilities. 'l'hus it can be seen that a realistic~'~ program of street Construction can mean the eventual expenditure of funds in the millions." Councilman Holland referred to his urgent appeal of three years ago that action should t~en have been ta~een tc~ ard repair- ing and maintaining city streets to ~reserve what then remained the original construction, as rains and improper or lack of drainage was rapidly deteriorating all city streets. Councilman Holland further stated at that time he believed a bond issue of ~l,000,000 should be provided for an over-all street program. Council member Woehle expr~essed concern of the present deplorable condition of SE 3d Avenue, first block, which received considerable re-surfacing attention only a year ago. Mrs. Woehle further desired to know a cost estimate for repairing the 21 block group identified by Councilman ~llen. Mr. Blake again called the attention of the Council to the major Secondary Street program as outlined by the Planning Board in their April report, and further agreed that a good patch and seal coating Job at this time with all possible attention to ~emporary drainage should hold to from two to three years, and Mrs. Wpehle expressed her endorsement of such a proEram. Mr. Blake further stressed the importance of the need to ~ake n$cessary steps preliminary to creating a Bond issue for a major street program, especially toward encouraging favorable subscription to such issue. Mr. Blake also mentioned that valuable aid could be obta~ined from State and County Highway Boards who should have on file plans and p~ofiles of this area which they have compiled from past surveys. Mr. Blake stressed particular attention to the possible easement of the present heavy traffic over Atlantic Avenue~ by diverting all possible east and west traffic over NE and SE 2nd Street s. Mr. Charles A. Crane expressed doubt that this is the proper time to attempt ~o create a ~l,000,000 Bond Issue. Councilman ~llen requested that definite action be taken at this meeting toward effecting an immediate repair program for the streets itemized in his 21 block Schedule and Councilman Holland moved that the City Manager obtain specifications, plans and cost estimates by advertising for bids, to c~ver patch and seal coating of said streets within the 21 Block plan, and further to include NE 1st Avenue from Atlantic Avenue to NE 1st Street OCT~ ER 14, 1954 in first class condition, and insofar as possible, to allow drainage from the paved portion of the streets thereby elimina- ting the greatest cause and factor in their present condition. The motion was seconded by Councilman Allen and unanimously carried. Councilman Holland motioned that the City Manager and City Engineer be instructed to take early steps toward obtaining plans and specifications and a possible over-all estimate of cost for the major Street Program as outlined in the Ap~ril report of the Planning Board, in each of the three phases contained therein. The motion was seconded by Councilman Allen and unanimously carried. Mr. Kenneth Jacbbsen called the attention of the Council to the fact that it is of paramount importance to obtain all necessary and proper surveys to establish an intelligent over-all cost covering the major Street Program in its three phases. Mr. C. W. Garner addressing the Council mentioned the necessity of an educational program with regard to Special Assessment or Bond Issue relative to said major street program. The meeting adjourned following anexpression of appreciation from Mayor Strong for the attendance and interest shown in this urgent need of street repair by the following - Planning Board members, Financial Advisory Committee, Mr. Harry McKaan, the Press, and all others in attendance. APP ROV ED MAY~R ATTEST: City Clerk