Sign of a Good Life

I was sitting on the Big Green Chair, watching some semi-forgettable TV show, dog at my feet, laptop making my legs sweat.   It was after all, September, and it won't cool down until our two week winter in February.

I hear over the lamp and table separating us:

This is a great quote!
What is it?
Sign of a good life: The place your funeral is held is too small to accommodate the number of people who attend.
Wow, who said that?
Mike D.

Of course, Mike d'Oliviera.  He's a local journalist here in town.   He's also got a knack for telling a story concisely.   I could learn from that after all.  I am greeted by people by "Hey! There's the Rambling Moose" for a reason.

With that, Mike described the Funeral or Celebration of Diane Cline's Life perfectly.   I remembered standing in one of the back rooms of the place for most of the night.  I briefly claimed a chair in the center of the room and thought about the crush of people, both Diane's friends and family, how many there were with the sheer volume of bodies in the parlor of the former Richardson's home that Diane sought to save with the help of the Historical Society.  Seeing my friends on the board of Wilton Manors Development Alliance, the once Wilton Manors Main Street, where Diane was the Chairwoman for Life, yet another group that she had helped to found, I realized how packed the place was.

The rains had started just before the selected hour.  It was as if Diane nudged a cloud over the park in order to get things going.   I heard someone announce it was time to come on in out of the rain.   When the music started to gather us together, the rain suddenly stopped.   Timing was interesting even if that sort of on-off rain is something you become accustomed to here in the almost-tropics of Wilton Manors.

It wasn't me who suggested that we pick up and move to the room in the back next to the kitchen, but I heartily agreed.  Crowds are difficult at best for someone who sticks out above them.  The Japanese have a saying that the Tallest Nail Will Get The Hammer First.  I have quite a few dents on top of my head as a result, hammers and low hanging door closers aside.  I got to observe the crowd from my perch near the back. 

I'll just stick to the back of the hall.   Getting hit in the head with a hammer is fine for a nail, but for a too tall person in a too crowded space, it can be difficult.

This was a not to be missed event.  Even those who Diane would have told off in public arrived, much to our bemusement.  Kremlinology didn't stop with the collapse of the Soviet Union, it moved to public events everywhere where people will ask "what is SHE doing here, doesn't she have a clue?".

Standing there listening to the politicians from our City speak about Diane, followed by the WMDA, then Family, the whole time I was looking at the fruits of her labor.   Ironically I spotted a sign against the butter colored walls proclaiming Capacity 92 Persons, and said I doubt very much that the Fire Marshall would dare count heads in this packed building.

With back against the wall and potluck food on a plastic plate, I found my niche.   A part of the celebration but on the periphery trying hard not to block the walkway or the doorway to the speeches with the too-low ceiling height.  Being where I was, balancing the experience, there were a few things that would float in over the thrum of the crowd.  One story about a commission meeting. then later followed by Diane's favorite admonishment to "Never Trust a Naked Bus Driver".

They didn't repeat my comment that if I ever buy a bus, I'll drive it naked.

We eventually left the hall at the South End of the Drive.  Walking out I commented that most of what you see in this little city was directly due to the work of Diane and some other very committed people.  This is a small city.  Small cities all over the world get things done on the backs of the cadres of volunteers working to make life better.

The shape of the Drive, the character of the sidewalks, the widening to four lanes and our ongoing struggle to narrow it back with the Two Lane Initiative, many other aspects of this City that all look like the normal fabric of life here were at least touched by this woman.  It really is a case of if you didn't know of her, you probably didn't know what was going on in this quirky little island.  The same can be said of some others that I know well who are tireless volunteers.

Speeches are all well and good.  In this sort of celebration, knowing what we did, it was interesting to point out, quietly to each other, the intentional revisions of some very specific historical events, all for good effect.

Actions are better.  The works of anyone's lifetime can rarely be summed up in a single afternoon's event.  Sometimes you can get a better view of that life by leaving the hall and walking down your own Main Street after a September rain.

First Time Bartender at the Island City Art Walk

Last night, Wilton Manors held a party.

It wasn't strictly a "Wilton Manors Party" it was more like a bunch of parties strung together all at once, all along the Drive.  This is the basis for the Island City Art Walk.  It's not an official event held under one official banner. 

Each individual store that decides to participate has artists with their works on display at their store to show off the art.  Some shops are always hosting artists, others drop in and out as time allows. 

It's a great opportunity to meet your neighbors and wander through some shops that normally you would not be able to go to.

Ok so that's basically the gist of how I see things as a resident and sometimes participant.

What happened with me was a bit different, at least as far as my own experience shows.  I'm not a bartender, I have never played one on TV.  I have tried to get a friend up to Wilton Manors so he could get to see it and those plans fell apart early last week so we went to the Wilton Manors Main Street offices to "help out".

Kevin delivered some cheese, chips and salsa from GFS Marketplace, another member delivered some wine and ice, and we set things out for the coming throng.  We were ready.

As time went on, Kevin, Krishan and I were playing host to a steady stream of people.  I was lucky enough to have a conversation with Vice Mayor Tom Green and a number of others as I was standing behind the bar and as time went on, we got our first lull in the traffic.   Krishan excused himself as things were quite under control for a bit of time out on the town. 

As parties go, they always have a lifespan.  Start out slow, build to a peak, then fade out slowly until the last one is kicked off the couch or told that since they crashed there all night it is their responsibility to make breakfast for everyone.

Make mine a sausage and cheese omelette, please.

Just as the party begun to build, a full 15 minutes into it, Kevin's phone rang.  He ran out to take a "quick call" and I was pouring wine and serving cheese.  I'm looking back at it and have to say it was "different in a good way".  I was able to basically host a party on my own introducing people to the artist, and telling them where we are on the Two Lane Initiative for Wilton Drive as far as I knew. 

That quick call was 45 minutes long, so I was on my own for a while.  On the other hand, it was a chance to visit with some friends in the neighborhood that I only partly knew and get caught up.  Funny how time will stretch and compress when you're having fun. 

The salsa was a hit, GFS had some good stuff, and the leftovers will go into the salsa chicken that is today's dinner.  I think we're going to have that chicken on top of chips with a layer of cheese chunks.   Funny how versatile "snack food" can be.  The recipe is simple - add to a crockpot 8 frozen chicken breasts and enough salsa to coat and then press cook.  Shred when done with two forks.   We used chicken from GFS that we picked up last weekend at the Fort Lauderdale store so this meal is all from them.

Considering what I experienced, I would say that the people who came in are expecting some changes in the city.  There was heavy interest in what the Two Lane Initiative was all about and what it's status was.  Basically, we have applied for a grant, and we are waiting to see if the grant application is going to be approved.   In the meantime, the City has a committee made of community members who meet to formulate plans to proceed.  Many questions also were being asked about the businesses that were closing on the drive in this difficult economic downturn.

We are basically waiting to see where we're going, and the people who I spoke with were very happy to hear that it hasn't died.

Once Kevin's 45 minute call was over, Krishan immediately appeared and I was off duty.  I got to enjoy the party by greeting guests from a chair while helping them find the artist and answering still more questions about what went on with the Art Walk and with the Two Lane Initiative and important things like where is the nearest ATM.

Both artists who exhibited their works at Wilton Manors Main Street were well received and were both saying that they'd like to come back.  I would say that the Exhibits as well as the Art Walk was a success.

The experience was a fun one, I did enjoy playing bartender but I'll have to remember next time - softer shoes!

Commission Meeting November 9, 2010 Highlights

Last night's commission meeting was a short one.  After the swearing in of the elected officials and some light refreshments preceding the event, there was the selection of Tom Green as the Vice Mayor for the City. 

Congratulations, Tom and best of luck.

The meeting was a short agenda but there were some highlights.

During the comments from the Commissioners there was a call from Commissioner Scott Newton for the City to "Invest in the closure of the drive for next year's" halloween party.  This is an excellent idea, since it will enhance the event and increase safety.  It fell through last year because of the collapse of the original event's sponsors and by the time that Wilton Manors Main Street was able to pick up the event, it was too late to close the Drive.  The timing was just not right.  With Commissioner Newton's backing, an early closure of the Drive may be assured regardless of which group handles the event.  Since Wilton Drive is in fact a four lane State Highway, Florida DOT is required to be notified and there are costs with closure.  With the Drive closed for an event everyone wins.  According to Commissioner Newton, during the four days of  Wicked Weekend there were only two related police calls with no arrests.  Events here tend to be a very safe affair.

Vice Mayor Tom Green voiced an interest in the City holding a St Patricks day festivity for next year.  Hopefully they will be able to pull something significant together for this as it is already getting late for any plans on a large scale event to fall in place.  Most likely it will be a small community based event instead of a large festival.  Having watched multiple festivals being planned and realizing that a large one with closing of the drive, parades, booths and other public space events would be difficult, I wish them well and would offer my assistance in any way reasonable.  I don't expect that they have much time before they run against logistics problems.

Vice Mayor Tom Green also reiterated his desire for traffic cameras on Wilton Drive.   I see some problems with this.  Washington DC had tried these cameras and began removing them.  The reason is that people would spot the signs at the intersection, jam their brakes on and cause more accidents than would have happened without the cameras.  It would be more effective to enforce existing laws such as speeding and aggressive driving and get the word out that Wilton Manors is not a place to drive through, but a place to drive to.  If you stand on Wilton Drive and watch the intersections for any length of time, you realize that speeding is the real problem and not people running lights or trying to get through on a "Stale Yellow Light".

The real solution to speeding on Wilton Drive is to narrow the drive down to two lanes and proceed with the two lane initiative as discussed by many people and championed by Wilton Manors Main Street.  It is very difficult to speed when you have only one lane, there is parking everywhere, and the speed limit is 25MPH.  It is easy and the norm now with four lanes of traffic plus a turn lane at all intersections.

With the proposed Beer Garden going in on NE 6th Ave just above Wilton Drive planning on using valet parking, the idea of adding parking on the Drive with striping in the first phase is needed.  The idea that there is anywhere to park a vehicle for a new bar is questionable, and it should be a requirement that they provide adequate parking sufficient for peak periods.  A beer garden would be a fun change from the usual noisy bar scene, but if you add to the nightmare of parking in the city, you're going to have problems keeping the business going.  I share Vice Mayor Green's concern that the plan for valet parking for the Beer Garden parking at the Dairy Queen, 1/2 mile away, is prohibitive from the practicality standpoint.

Post Halloween Calm, Pre Election Annoyance

Getting up before the dawn at what I've heard someone call "Insane O'Clock" with the dog, I headed out of the house for the morning mile.

A hint to those who have a dog who is out of control or a nuisance barker - your dog is bored.  Take the dog for three long walks a day.  If you can't see your toes, your waistline will appreciate that.  I have a Border Collie, the number one breed in boomerang dogs - dogs who end up at the shelter for a second or more time because people don't know how to live with such an intelligent animal.   Almost every dog will benefit from more exercise.  Living in these days, almost every human being would benefit from having a dog that requires three walks of a mile a day each.   So go take your dog for a walk, leave this posting up and finish reading when you get back.


There, wasn't that pleasant?

My first walk this day had me out of the house well before 6AM.  I had my headphones on and was listening to an audio book and taking note of what went on after the four day celebration of Halloween here in Wilton Manors. 

For the most part, the central business district was markedly cleaner than I would have expected.  The last four days were slammed with people walking up and down Wilton Drive at some time or another.  Saturday Night seemed to be the peak of it with cars littering front lawns, parked in other people's driveways illegally, and people walking from their cars to the festivities on Wilton Drive. 

I have seen similar celebrations in other cities.  Places that were more conventional tended to have an almost Post-Apocalyptic look about them.  In other cities, I could find bits of the celebration for months after they happened in corners and alleys if I just looked.  Things may have been picked up but they weren't cleaned up for the residents, and for the most part things were only set right after the nearest home owner or business owner went out and "Flea Dipped" their property. 

Wilton Manors doesn't seem to have that problem.  I certainly attribute it to the demographics of the area.  There were no fights that I saw.  People didn't go out of their way to be rude.  There was a festival atmosphere but there's a spirit of camaraderie that didn't have that edge I had seen in some places. 

It was carried through to the way the city looked this morning.  While we played host to some thousands of people, it was an orderly crowd.  Yes, they were there to party but there were no broken shrubs, no upset palm trees, and no street furniture uprooted and placed on top of cars. 

It was a success, although it could certainly have been better.  Next year, halloween will come.   Wilton Manors will have another influx of people.  Expect it.  Wilton Manors is the place to be for a party on most weekends, and Halloween is an amazing time here.   It has been that way for years, and it will continue as long as we have a City Government that will plan for the future Flash Mobs that will show.  With Wilton Manors Main Street assisting the bars to pick up the ball that was dropped by the original planners, we all made the best of a bad situation.  Wilton Drive could not be closed because the Drive is a State Road.  A State Road closure requires permitting that takes some significant amount of time and the deadlines were passed.  There are some significant fees that are required to be paid as well, and that would require some planning so that nobody is left holding the bag for that sort of expense as well as making sure the Police get paid, the liquor is paid for and people are compensated fairly for their efforts, time, and inconvenience.

Keeping the Drive open was a requirement due to all of the above and more.  It wasn't the best situation but it was managed exceedingly well by a coalition of business owners and civic organizations.  

The only situation that I had heard that was unfortunate was that a woman passed out on Wilton Drive.  Perhaps it was too much partying, but she passed out.  The story I was told about the situation was that she went down in front of Current Mayor Gary Resnick and his partner Eric, and Candidate Joe Angelo for Mayor and his friends.   I was told that Resnick and his partner "ran away" and Joe Angelo and his friends made sure that this woman made it into a bar to sit and revive herself.

Thank you Joe Angelo, the City of Wilton Manors should be grateful that good people like you are here to help others in their time of need.

Walking through the drive and turning down the back streets, I noticed that they were generally clean and cared for.  The neighborhood changed from Commercial and High Density Residential to Low Density Residential fairly quickly.  It took the usual South Florida view of tidy yards and plantings within a block of The Drive. 

This being election season there were yard signs in front of people's homes supporting one candidate or another, as I have written before.   I made it down to one particular lot that had been mowed last week and someone had obtained permission to place some election signs there.  It's on a fairly major thoroughfare and people do cross through daily on their way to and from the Drive.

That plot of land eventually collected signs from almost every politician in the county and every one in the City who is running for office.  When the management company came through and mowed it, they picked up all the yard signs and piled them neatly together in one spot.  The next day, someone came through and sorted out three specific signs and placed them in the ground to see.  That morning they were thrown down.  Someone then picked them up again and by the next morning, they were down again.  This has been going on for around a week now.  I'm looking forward to seeing who keeps tossing the signs down because if I do, I'll make it a point to let the candidates know so they can file a complaint with the police. 

They have left mine alone for the last two days. 

So as clean as the drive has been, the neighborhood is being trashed by overzealous supporters of one or more particular candidates who don't think that their candidate has a good enough message to send by trashing a third party's yard.  This is decidedly not in the tolerant spirit that drew me to this City in the first place.

Thankfully Wednesday November 3 is coming soon and we can all go back to living our lives without having to watch for trespassers.

Challenges for the New Administration in November

I should have said as seen by www.ramblingmoose.com and my readers this week.

The reality is that of the top five topics here, a blog that is billed as an open letter to my sister, three of them were strictly about Wilton Manors.

Sure, people like my pictures, and they hit my posting about the Mexican Petunias, but that was not the majority by a long shot.

I am a Project Manager and Web Developer as well as a lot of other things, so my posting on how to stop Hotmail from annoying you by using the delete key to delete emails was even more popular.  I guess I still can write technical documents - That's going to be brought up in my next interview, and I am ACTIVELY looking for work.

60 Percent of you came here for information on what is going on here in Wilton Manors.  I find that to be the norm but a bit of an obvious prediction. 

I am active in the volunteer effort here.  I have met some very interesting people, some are quite capable.  Others like one particular person that I have the misfortune to run into, is dismally incompetent in what she does.   Luckily she is a volunteer and she's getting paid exactly what she is worth.  That is an almost direct quote from a Commissioner here...

We have a lot of people adding their opinions to the discussion, and while some are right and some are wrong, it is always a judgment call as to which one to follow.  We cast our votes around the modern oracle of Delphi, and the best critical path to proceed is chosen.

The problem is that while the critical path has been chosen, the results do not show that the plan has been followed. 

We say we want to do something about the problems at hand, but there hasn't been a lot of vision on how to proceed to get results from the Administration here in Wilton Manors. 

I hear a lot of very good plans from the Volunteer space.   Within the various groups that I have been involved in, I have been a part of fixing one of the problems with those who are on Wilton Manors Main Street and we have presented the plan to the City Commission.  The plan itself is self funding however there has to be seed money.  That is what the whole Tiger II grant discussion is about.  Main Street has taken that original discussion that we brainstormed and with some amazing help from volunteers, the plan has gotten to the point where it can solve the parking problem in Wilton Manors.

The question is why hasn't it been done before?   Things seem to work, after all so why change it? 

That description is incorrect, it doesn't work well.  Parking in Wilton Manors is dysfunctional.  People flow into town to use the bars, they park all over the few spots that are available, and then spill out into every available nook and cranny and use that melted butter to winkle themselves into places where cars should not be.  People's front yards, vacant home's driveways, blocking driveways, and double parking happened - all last Thursday Night and this is the Off Season.  When the Snowbirds arrive, it gets worse.

We all agree Parking in Wilton Manors must be fixed.  The question is when will it happen?

I have only seen three possible reasons for Parking to be fixed in town.

1) The Elephant in the Room is Gay vs Straight.  The Old Guard here wants it to be the way it used to be .. back in 1955.  Sorry, there's no place in the South Florida Sprawl that even remotely looks the way it did in 1955 and it isn't happening.  Mom can't afford to stay home and bake cookies in that perfect Pleasantville way of life.  There is much more equality these days, and we have a horrendous amount of work to do.   This is not a Gay City, and it is not a Straight City.  It is OUR city, we ALL live here and if you are of the mind set that you want them out, let me suggest that I-95 runs just west of town.  Get on it and keep driving until you find a nice backwards place to live - whether you're straight or gay.   Leave it for the vast majority who wants to live here and work together for our best common good.

2) Inaction.  That will have to end in November.  The prior administration has been hand wringing on a number of issues, parking is one of them.  I moved here 4 years ago and I keep hearing about Parking Parking Parking.  There have been a number of steps taken recently, all of which are bandages to keep things from getting markedly worse, but all are temporary.  Meters are to pay for the lots that will have to go in places they aren't while people decide what to do.   You have a plan, you know what to do, budget for it and move forward.

3) Finances.  The market has crashed.  The bubble has burst.  We are in the Great Republican Induced Recession.  Fortunately those who visit here are still coming.  If something hasn't been done substantial to fix Parking Parking Parking, they won't come back.   The temporary lot at Hagen Park is a start.  Striping the Drive for Phase I of the Wilton Manors Main Street should be Priority Number One for who ever gets in to the Commission in November.  We are under what the economists call The Economic Order Quantity for parking revenues.  We don't take in enough to make a large enough surplus or profit to make the business worth going into.  This is called by either too few hours or not enough spaces.  In Wilton Manors, the solution is to add spaces and hours, Both.

The time to act is now.  There are other organic economic problems with the way that Wilton Manors Business functions, but this has gone long, so I'll save that for another day...

Wilton Manors Main Street Party last night

That was fun! 

I'm a member on the board at Wilton Manors Main Street.  The group is here to help give ideas and feedback to the City of Wilton Manors and work with them, and everyone else in the city who lives, works, and plays here, as much constructive input on the way we see things should progress.

Being a Project Manager - I know this process as being "Gap Analysis".  We're here, we want to be there, how do we bridge the gap.

I'm not the only Project Manager type person on the Board, there are at least two others and a fascinating mix of political and business people who are on it as well.  The meetings are fascinating to witness.  There's such a broad scope of personalities and strengths that I find myself listening to some of the plans and hopes and wonder how I can help with what I know.  Then out of left field, Bang! There's the idea and we run with it.

Building anything is a series of steps.  You do that "Gap Analysis" and you start to look where you want to be in the future and form your plans to get there.  You simply can not do it all at once.  If someone sits you down at a table and gives you a toy model and says "build it", that is a very different thing than if that same person sat you at the table with a built model and said "Here, its yours".

One of the big steps was forced by the demolition of Old City Hall.  How do we manage to get ourselves established in a new home and proceed to do our work?  Let me tell you it took a lot of planning and a lot of hard work.  We now have a year in a really very beautiful office.  It was an empty shell when we were given it, so we ended up having to get it painted and furnished. 

Lets thank the Gables Residential company for the office space first off.  Prime commercial space right on the drive where we will be able to see first hand whether what we are doing works!

Then there's Doug Mc Clure who did the painting and headed up the team who finished the fitting of the space.

Once we got the place built, we found that Island City Traders gave us a generous donation of the furnishings in the space. 

So last night to thank the people who aren't on the board, and of course our contributors, we had a bit of a party.  Our best guess was that there were 250 people in and around the office enjoying each other's company and treated to some excellent food from Crema d'Roma just down the block at 2150 Wilton Drive. 

I have never had Roast Beef quite so good! We will be back!

We had our Ribbon Cutting Ceremony last night, dignitaries were there helping us christen the space and welcome everyone.  It was also a volunteer and membership drive and I was told that we did pick up some Corporate Sponsorship.  Once I get the details, that will get posted on the other blog that I contribute to - the Wilton Manors Main Street Blog.  I have a lot of pictures, and I will be putting them up through the next few days to let everyone see.

If you missed the party, I invite you to stop into the offices during the week.  They're almost always staffed weekdays, and sometimes on the weekends during the day as well.  I will be in there from time to time, so if you see me sprawled out there working on the laptop, feel free to pop in and say hi!

Wilton Manors Main Street offices are at
2164 Wilton Drive
Wilton Manors, FL, 33305

Tiger 2 Grant Application Goes Forward

Last night in Wilton Manors Commission chambers, there was a Special Commission Meeting discussing the Tiger 2 Grant application.  The Pre-Application was approved by an Unanimous vote of all Commissioners and the Mayor.

The Gables team with Pasquale Architects presented an interesting plan that would be their donation in kind of $2.5 Million.  What they would need for this is a 65 to 85 year lease on the property to pay for their donation.  Gables would build a Parking Garage with wrap-around residential and ground floor commercial property.

The plot would not effect any existing amenities at the adjacent Hagen park. The existing tennis courts, volleyball court and buildings are safe. 

The plan for the development would be a building that is as tall as the neighboring Gables Wilton Park complex.  The building would be disguised by a raked back frontage on Wilton Drive and the parking garage would be hidden from view by the surrounding ground floor commercial and higher level of residential units.  These would be built to a higher standard than the existing development and would incorporate significant Green Technologies for lighting and construction so they will be as efficient as possible. 

It looks like Gables is here for the long haul and wants to do it right for and by the City of Wilton Manors.

The Specifics are:
120 residential rental units.
5,000 square feet of commercial units.
4,000 square feet of civic space.
175 parking spaces for the City to use as we see fit
150 to 160 parking spaces for Gable to use for the development.
The Veteran's Memorial will be moved to the civic area and an amphitheater and  fountain will be built on site.

An important issue is that Gables intends for this property to be taxable to the proportion that they control.  Wilton Manors will be getting back tax revenue on this property every year that it is there.

The project will take 6 to 10 months for permitting, another 18 months for construction. 

If we do not get the Grant, this project will not bind the City to the agreement. 

This is wonderful news for Wilton Manors.   Basically this project specification allows us to apply for the 10 million dollar grant.  We can then proceed to plan out what we want to do to it.  All improvements are limited to Wilton Drive and adjacent properties.  $10 Million is a lot to spend on a mile of road, but I'm sure we can do it.  A second parking garage at the North end has been suggested.

We have been handed the key to the lock.  Next step is the full application which will be placing the lock in the door.   Getting the grant is not a definite thing.  In the later budget meeting it was described as a being as likely as a lightning strike, but like in the lottery you have to play to win.

Mizner Park, Boca Raton Picture

Why would I be writing about a park in Boca Raton anyway?

Part of it was that I went up there and had a fairly nice time of it.  A pleasant lunch, a bit of a walk under the shade of the walkways, and got off the Island for a change.

The other part of it is that it fits in nicely with all this discussion of parking and reworking what Wilton Manors should look like in the Central Business District of the Drive.

Mizner Park is a large scale New Urbanist Development in Boca Raton.  The development includes shops at ground level, some business offices on premises back from the walk ways, apartments and a rather nice Bandshell and Stage at one end anchoring the development.  There is a wide park in the middle of the development that  separates the two sides and the whole thing was built so you can live work and play in one spot without needing your car.  Should you need a car, there are ample free spots to park in a garage that is set off the central area.   Its there and you don't really need to see it.

Here is a view of the Bandshell from Street view on Google Maps


View Larger Map

The nice thing about it is that this picture is a good illustration of what we should be working towards.  The buildings are all built set back from the parking and streets.  The set back is covered by an overhanging second floor and this results in a shaded place that you can get away from the South Florida Sun.  There are planters on the outside of the walkway along the street to further protect pedestrians from being hit by cars, and the central strip of greenery is chock full of what you'd expect in South Florida, Tall Palm Trees.

One block down you can see the Google Street View of the way that Gables built their on street parking and how far back the buildings are set.


View Larger Map

This development is built by the Gables group.  Gables is the group that built Wilton Park on Wilton Drive, one block up from City  Hall.  These buildings are quality construction, at least outwardly, and they do seem to know what they're doing when you are looking for a development that is mid to upscale in your neighborhood.   In short they seem to be a good addition to our City.

Commission Meeting - Two Lane Initiative Committee

There was quite a lot that happened here in the Commission Meeting on Tuesday night.  So much so that I've still got more to write about.


In this case the discussion of the Committee for the study into the impact of the Two Lane Initiative. 


There is a consensus on the Commission that there needs to be a Committee to study the feasibility and impact of the Two Lane Initiative as put forth by Wilton Manors Main Street.  The plan is complex in that it takes four phases to get to completion, but also in that it sets the City on a course for expansion of the Business District on Wilton Drive and gives the Residents the walkable city that we all want.

When complete, we will have a showcase of New Urbanism that builds on our strengths and erases the biggest weakness that we have, a race course in the middle of town.

Commissioner Ted Galatis raised a question about the need for such a study.  In this down market, the City Manager Joe Gallegos had explained, the City staff is cut to the bone.  In some cases it is so small that the City can not take on the functions that a place of prominence that Wilton Manors has become will need to be done.   There just isn't the manpower within the staff to sit down and study the initiative. 

The idea is that the City will have one member on the committee that will report back to the Commission the results of their finding.  As structured, the committee will be subject to the same laws that the Commission is such as minutes reporting and sunshine law.  I fail to see why this committee needs to be subject to the sunshine law.  The idea of the sunshine law is that it will force all discussions to be held in a formal recorded meeting place in front of the public. That is fine, but it will further limit any discussions between any two or more members on the subject of the Initiative outside of the meetings. 

This will cause a knock on effect of forcing anyone on  the other boards to be careful about what is said in context so as not to violate the law.   It will also slow down the works by forcing any discussions to be held only within the meetings unless a formal sub committee is created.  There is a small pool of people who are active in a city of almost 13,000 and there are just so many volunteers to go around.

The only way around that is to immediately create a subcommittee that incorporates the entire board for the sole purpose of discussion of the Initiative.  I have a feeling that that would violate the law and would certainly make a lawyer smile.

The structure will be that one seat will be from various volunteer City boards and there will be an effort made to be as inclusive as possible to mirror the diversity of this City.  This process will take years, and the intent is as suggested by Commissioner Tom Green to Sunset the Commission after 18 months.

This Committee will be formed in August and immediately set to work formalizing the future of the City. 

Hopefully they will be effective.  There is a lot at stake and it will give us so much back.

Commission Meeting Overview July 13 2010

Sometimes the most important comments to a neighborhood are made in the Comments at the end of the meeting. 

It was announced at the end of last night's meeting that the proposed "G Resort" for the Yawt Property on the east side of town, just over the tracks from Five Points has been withdrawn.  This means that the resort will not be built, the plans have been canceled.  For the owners of the Yawt Property, the liens on the property due to non compliance of code will continue to apply and interest will continue to be charged at a rate of 8 percent. 

Unfortunately for Wilton Manors and the neighbors on the East Side, the Yawt property will continue to be a wart on our city until someone comes in and cleans up that land.   It does not look like the owners will do so.  The intent of the City will be to watch over the plot for additional code violations and to prosecute them fully when they have a chance.   Old violations have been "settled" and can not be expanded, but new ones will be applied.  I would be surprised if Code Enforcement has not already been over there having a look around.

The Planning and Zoning Board (PnZ) has approved an amendment to the specification of the sidewalks for new construction in the city.  It is the intent of the Mayor, the Commission, and City Government to have Wilton Manors become an "New Urbanist" oasis of safely walkable shaded streets and the new PnZ amendment will be a great help to achieving our goals.

Wilton Manors has granted the permit to Wilton Manors Main Street to proceed with the street closing for "Wicked Manors" on Saturday October 30 and into Sunday Morning October 31.  The party has been a Halloween success for our city for the last couple of years, and this year will be no different.  Come in costume or not, you can enjoy our city.  The hours will be announced later.  Alcohol will be served until Midnight when Music will stop, at 1AM the street will be cleared and 6AM on Sunday the Drive will be open for traffic.

The status of Old City Hall is that a workshop was to be held to define what will happen.  The City Staff is instructed to make a plan to be presented to the Commission prior to any action.  The recommendation from the Commission is that any buildings on the corner where old City Hall stands is to have ground floor commercial space.  For now, Commissioner Green is suggesting a temporary paved lot that will be built to last 2 to 3 years that would be up to the minimum of city code.  Mayor Resnick instructed that Lanier be consulted on this matter.  The idea is to place a lot there to hold the space until we can get construction going on any other permanent expansion on that plot.

On top of Old City Hall there is a Fire Siren that was well loved by the residents that were here when we had a Volunteer Fire Department.  If the Siren on top of City Hall went off, it would be so loud that it would stop business in City Hall, including the Commission Chambers until it was done.  This gave us some of that quirky Small Town Charm that a larger city would lack.  There was a discussion of it being given to Fort Lauderdale for their Fire Museum and Commissioner Scott Newton has said that there was no reason why we should give it to Fort Lauderdale.   As the President of the Wilton Manors Historical Society, Diane Cline said, "we have given too much of our history away and lost too much to Fort Lauderdale" in the past to want to lose this.  With Commissioner Newton's insistence, we will find a home for our siren.

There was a long discussion of our park system here in Wilton Manors.  The plan had been presented and the information was well received by the Commission.  There is a list of ten items that should be followed so that the residents will get the most out of the park budget dollars.  In a tight budgetary era, it will be difficult to implement any changes, but now the Commission knows what the people here would want first if they are to improve the park system.

Tying together with the long discussion of the park system, there was another detailed discussion of the Two Lane Initiative and how it fits with the Old City Hall site.   If all the pieces fall together with grants, the majority of the Two Lane Initiative can be done without local taxpayer funding.   There are some grants that the city can apply for that will allow some significant work to happen if we get matching money together.   The minimum amount that we can apply for would be 10 million dollars, and that would require that the city have a matching fund of 2 million dollars.  The Commission has instructed the City to work toward applying for these grants and to do so with the help of Wilton Manors Main Street since there is not enough manpower on the part of the City government to achieve this goal without Main Street's help.

That being a summary of what happened, there are a lot of pieces that got glossed over. I will endeavour to complete these and your knowledge of them over the next few days.  It all ties together nicely.

A Crosswalk at the Beach - Picture

Welcome to Fort Lauderdale's Beach.

I went for a ride in a car a while back and brought the camera with me.  This picture shows a lot that I'm involved with here in South Florida. 

The obvious thing is that I'm sitting in traffic at the beach.  This is at the famous Fort Lauderdale "Strip".  If you ever have a chance to see the old movie "Where the Boys Are", this is roughly where it was filmed.  Connie Francis and the cast are Midwestern College kids who drive to Ft Lauderdale for Spring Break and party for a while in the sun before going home.  This is what many people still do although the "Spring Break" party scene moved away.  Long Story and a great study in how a good thing can get out of hand and killed by people who, depending on your view, either killed the goose that laid the golden egg by trying to Disney-ise the place, or improved the beach by allowing the place to begin a transformation into a new South Beach. 

I'll leave that decision up to you whether its good or not.  I think "Good or Bad" depends on whether you live here or not.  I remember coming down during the 80s as a college kid and it was fun then, but I went home and left the place behind.  Now I live here, and have since 2006.

The other thing that comes to mind is the Two Lane Initiative by Wilton Manors Main Street for the Wilton Drive business district in Wilton Manors.  The idea behind it is to say, OK, We have an opportunity.  Wilton Manors has a certain clientelle that floods in every evening, more in Summer.  How do we as residents and business owners manage it so that we don't Cook our own Goose, and manage to make it the best we can for everyone, Resident and Tourist.

We who live here know that crossing The Drive is dangerous.  It is a four lane highway.  All who are involved in the discussion know something must be done.  We've been through this discussion as well.  I won't beat that drum (too much). 

The picture up top shows what can be done.  This picture is roughly "Phase 2" of the plan.  Once the crosswalks are striped, like on A1A, we put up signs that you can see here saying "Must Stop For Pedestrians in Crosswalk".  Add in as many crosswalks as you can, ticket anyone who fails to yield to pedestrians and ticket jaywalkers.  Make it as easy as possible - mid block crosswalks.

The bottom line is that this works on A1A.  Fort Lauderdale PD has undercover officers writing down license plate numbers when people "blow through the stop" and there are people crossing.  They'll get the gift of a ticket in the mail once the paperwork is finished.   The crosswalks are honored, and people are not dying to get to the beach except in the "Colloquial" sense. 

Wilton Manors has its own "Beach".  It's not water, it is what organically developed over the years.  It is our turn to fix our city the way we all want it.   We have a resource in our tourist trade.  Lets manage it well, and wisely.   Lets manage it safely.  Lets save lives.  Stripe and add Crosswalks on the drive.  If the 800 pound gorilla of Fort Lauderdale can do it, why can't we?

Commission Meeting on the Two Lane Initiative Board

The City Commission on Tuesday night had a Board proposed in New Business by Vice Mayor Justin Flippen.  This Board would be created to help the City wrap their minds around the very complex issues surrounding Wilton Manors Main Street's Two Lane Initiative.

The details of this plan are what are the most interesting.  It is the intent of the Commission to have this Board self fund via donations and grants.  It also is to reflect the complex diversity of those who will be effected by the changes to the Drive.  Since the Board is also subject to the Sunshine Laws, it will be required to actually pay a Board Secretary.

The Board hasn't been created and already is running at a deficit.

They are now drafting a resolution to create this board and the selection of the members therein, which means that the Two Lane Initiative will be delayed again.  The very soonest that this resolution will be presented will be at the next Commission meeting as a First Reading, followed by debate, and a Second Reading.  By the time the Board gets up and running, it may be Fall or Winter before anything actually happens.

The tricky part, and I do applaud the Commission at at least trying to figure out a way to do this, will be to attempt to make the Board accurately reflect the diversity of the people who will be effected by the proposed changes.

The Commission will have a seat on the Board via the City Manager, Joe Gallegos.  Wilton Manors Main Street is proposed to have a seat on the Board of their own selection.  Of the other seats on the Board, it blossomed to as many as 13 and back down to 7.  There will be an attempt to find an Architect or other Technical resource, a resident from the public at large, someone from the Wilton Manors Business Association or Chamber of Commerce, and a member from Planning and Zoning.

The situation is that since the actual selection of the members will be a very complex issue.   I don't see how they will manage to do it in this fashion unless they were to allow each Commissioner and the Mayor to select one member to the Board directly, and then to have that person be of a specific "class" such as a Technical Resource or from Planning and Zoning.  Otherwise they're going to have a large number of people who will apply for specific seats and it will be a long and drawn out affair.

This suggestion was brought up in the Commission meeting by more than one Commissioner.  Since the Commissioners all have their own views on constituency, it seems most appropriate to have specific seats filled by specific Commission appointees.   For example, Commissioner Tom Green was most interested in having an "At Large" person from the residential community on the board who does not live "directly" on the Drive.  He would be the best person to find this At Large appointee.

The Self Funding aspect is another interesting wrinkle.   The Two Lane Initiative can fund itself once it is up and running.  It is expected to create a surplus to the city of $81,000 but that is once Phase 1 has been completed.  It will cost $139,000 to get Phase 1 completed, but that will be paid off within the first year.  The intent of the Commission would be to have people on this Board who are adept at finding Grants and other Funding sources to come up with the money to actually get Phase 1 and perhaps more completed.  This is a challenge to most so your pool of individuals who are able to knock on doors and find a business or governmental entity with deep pockets who actually live in the city may not be all that great.

Just getting this Board established may be the hardest part.  The Two Lane Initiative as presented by Wilton Manors Main Street was to show a framework under which the City could progress with a project to get another 115 parking spaces at a lower price than any other and do so with a surplus.  Getting to that first Phase is a big hurdle, but finding the particular mix of people who can make that happen will be a challenge.

I go to the City Commission meetings twice a month because I am genuinely interested in the goings on in this quirky little city.   I expect to be going to this new board as well because the process is fascinating to me.  I've had my hands in the whole Two Lane Initiative process from the beginning as a Board Member on Wilton Manors Main Street.  Since the public will be allowed to be in this as well, we will also be able to give our input whether a member of Main Street or not.

As such I don't expect to be involved in this Board other than as a spectator.  The reason is that they intend to have this Board to be subject to the Sunshine Law.  I have no problem with a Board being required to be open to the public.  Back room politics have the connotation that they have because of the effect they have on people in the broadest sense of the word.  The problem is that if you are on multiple boards, one with the Sunshine Law and one or more without being under it, your effectiveness on those other boards will be limited.  You end up sending one of the people who are co-board members outside of the chambers while you are discussing these issues.

With a group that is tasked to be as creative as possible in finding solutions for the Two Line Initiative's challenges, being limited by a requirement that gags you outside of the Board's scope is a bit of overkill.

What ever your opinion is of Wilton Manors Main Street, I believe that their impact in Wilton Manors has been greatly positive and would prefer to see that group thrive as long as it remains so, to jeopardize it would be a major loss.  The City of Wilton Manors is proud to have such a strong class of Volunteer workers servicing its needs, the Mayor Gary Resnick and each and every Commissioner has said the same from the Commission Chambers on the Dais.  To limit their work would be unfortunate, whether they be Elected Official or whether they be Volunteer.

Now if we can just find those Seven People!

Wilton Manors Commission Meeting - June 23, 2010

Rather a lot happened last night. 

The City has been instructed by the Commission to look into the deal that we have with Fort Lauderdale for Fire Service.  Their mayor who was once our mayor wants to raise our rates.  Ironically he was the same person, Jack Seiler, who had gotten this deal in the first place and now thinks that Wilton Manors isn't paying enough for protection.  We beg to differ and intend to actually negotiate a proper deal.  

The trash pickup deal with Waste Management has been extended for another three years.  This was written into the contract and was the path of least resistance.  I'll go into greater depth on another posting.

There will be a special election held November for Vice Mayor Justin Flippen's seat.  This is the best time for that to happen.   Justin is running to State Representative for District 92 and the election for that Primary will be in August.  If Justin wins, he will go on to run against a candidate from the republican party in November.  If Justin loses, I believe it is possible for him to run again for the unfinished term in November.  His non-revokable resignation will take effect as of November 1 so there will actually be time for him to do so.  Nothing on that has been announced, so stay tuned!

Planning and Zoning Board picked up a second alternate in Deborah Rockland.  The former holder of the position, resigned and it was moved that we select to the board the person who got the most votes in the prior elections.

The Board of Adjustments will also have new members.  Since the Board's powers were reduced and most passed onto the Planning and Zoning Board, Commissioner Tom Green made a motion to reduced the number of members from 7 to 5.  As such, another motion was made to pass those people present onto the board and select a new member, Scott Herman.  Mayor Resnick also wanted to include a long time Board member Frank Buxton who was not present as he is wheelchair bound.  All selections passed unanimously.

The Recreation Board also had elections where two current members were returned, John Fiore, and Todd De Jesus.  Scott Herman was also selected for that board as a new member.


All of the above happened in short order.  Most evenings, if you get this far on the Agenda, you are looking at being close to done.  We were on the last item and the selection proved to be one for debate.

Vice Mayor Justin Flippen proposed to create a Board to study the Two Lane Initiative as presented by Wilton Manors Main Street.  Everyone understands that this is a very complex issue and needs to be analyzed in great detail.  Justin believed that the best way to do this is via a duly appointed Board that meets under the Sunshine Law which requires it to be recorded by a Board Secretary and meet at times so that the public may be involved.  

This was another very long discussion, and I have broken out this into it's own posting for another day.

There was another discussion about parking.  The owners of the building that houses Acapulco Lindo Restaurant on the North End of the Drive have contacted the City to get the City to demolish the building and lease the land for a large 65 bay parking lot.  Ted Galatis said it well that it is not the business of the City to pay to provide for parking for the businesses.  This sort of thing should be paid for and funded by a private entity.   The cost for this project was proposed to have been paid for by the City and we would not even own the property.  Cheaper to buy the land and put up a Master Metered lot than to have to lease it.  It also seems to be against Code since all properties that are actually on the Drive are expected to have Retail or "Arts and Entertainment" oriented businesses within the A and E District. 

I'd personally prefer to see Retail there with a garage built on top by private funds.  The North End of the Drive needs parking very badly and the City intends to look into this more in the future.

Three short items that came up during closing comments:
1) The G Resort will be closing at the end of July and they intend to move forward.   This resort will be the Jewel in the Crown of their business and is expected to be quite a high end resort.
2) "Wings and Things is Moving Forward" - although no specifics were noted.
3) The Wachovia lot can be used after hours.  The hangup was insurance and indemnity.   Currently it is shared with the funeral home next door, so the details of when you can use it, how much of it is for "open parking" and so forth are not available.

Wilton Manors Town Hall 2010 - Public Safety

At the Town Hall last week, Chief Perez gave a presentation on Public Safety and Noise, I'll write on the Public Safety issues here.


The city has placed crime maps on www.wmpd.org and these maps are refreshed weekly. I would like to see maps on the site in other frequencies, such as monthly and yearly.  I do know that they're generated as the officers who present to the Central Area Neighborhood Association will bring them in on paper.  CANA was trying to keep them on the website, but their links are at this point from October through December of 2008.

The city is divided for police purposes in two districts, East and West.  They will patrol the areas divided by NE 6th Avenue and the South End of Wilton Drive.  The officers that I see patrolling my neighborhood and the Drive do seem to be the same ones all the time.  Nice folks who really do care about our little City.


The facts are that burglary in the city is down.  This is attributed to increased patrol by the officers.  I have seen the same car make more passes down my street during the day, and it seems like every time I am out on the Drive walking the dog, you will see the cruisers.


On the other hand, robbery and calls for service are up.  These would be two different issues.  The Robbery are people coming in from outside and mugging people.   This kind of opportunistic crime is up due to the Republican Induced Great Depression our world economy is experiencing.  People don't have money so they are trying to take ours.  Be aware of your surroundings.  It is pretty easy to know in Wilton Manors when someone just "doesn't belong" or things "just don't look right".

Service calls are people calling into the Police department asking for anything from a real crime in progress call to a "Cat Stuck Up In A Tree" kind of thing.   I'm not really sure what would explain that statistic other than the people here being as involved in the city as we tend to be are comfortable with speaking with our officers.   We have had some important laws passed lately that changed how the quality of life was effected, such as noise ordinances, and the specific peculiarities about parking and people could be reporting and asking for service on those sorts of issues.


The pedestrians that are crossing mid-block are causing more accidents.  This has been a well known problem with Wilton Drive, and I personally have seen this happen on Andrews Avenue frequently.   The blocks here are long and people will just step out into traffic to get to the other side.  All three major North-South thoroughfares are wide and as a result it will take longer to get across. 

FDOT is willing to put in mid-block crosswalks for us when the city approves it.  This can happen with or without taking back the drive.  What would be best in this interim would be to have them put in the crosswalks and signage like is down at the beach in Ft Lauderdale on A1A.  In Florida, just like every other state, the Pedestrian does have the right of way in the crosswalks.  The signage states that you are Required to stop, merely not a suggestion!
 
Wilton Drive especially is a problem.  The block just south of NE 6th Avenue at the end of the Shoppes at Chic Optique seems to be a "Logical Place" for people to Jaywalk.   People are going from the bars on one side of the street to the other and I suspect that there is an urgency that is caused by a certain amount of alcohol.   The light at NE 6th and our four way crosswalk is not all THAT far away.  This will be helped if the City adopts the Two Lane Initiative as presented by Wilton Manors Main Street.  As a part of the proposed plan, the Drive will be narrowed to two lanes, there will be medians with plantings and trees, and there will also be mid block crosswalks.  While you can die being struck from a car at 20mph or 40mph, the slower expected speeds will help lower accidents.   Chief Perez did say that when a pedestrian comes out from behind a tree the driver sees a tree moving.  Don't hide behind a tree when you have the chance, it will only confuse the drivers.


In Wilton Manors, traffic enforcement is done heavily on Wilton Drive.  There are even comments on the traffic stopping websites about it.  So be it, a posted 30mph is not 45. 


Within a five week period, there were:
262 speeding violations,
25 moving violations, and
49 non-moving violations.
ticket production is up 24%


That is a lot of tickets. 





The new message board has been purchased with some of these funds, and they have been used in the past to warn drivers that traffic laws would be strictly enforced, as well as to let them know that there are events and changes due to construction. 

As for the Two Lane Initiative, Chief Perez believes that from a Law Enforcement standpoint, two lames will slow traffic down.  Chief Perez said that "two lanes would be fantastic but we need all the other pieces  to slow traffic too".  Narrowing the Drive is not a one size fits all solution but it is a significant part.

Town Hall 2010 - Take Back Wilton Drive

In the interest of full disclosure, I am a member of the board of  Wilton Manors Main Street.  I personally believe that the Take Back the Drive Initiative is a sound one, and that there are some difficulties with it but the benefits greatly outweigh following the plan.   The plan should be considered an Endowment or an Annuity - you pay in to the plan and get back a profit assuming that the City is able to follow the plan as presented.  It is my belief that the plan can be paid off in the first year and will fund all expenses that will come from the City's ownership of Wilton Drive and all the improvements that we would make to it in the future.

You can take that as an Executive Summary as for the most part the City as presented at the Town Meeting had agreed.   The following are the notes that I had take in the meeting.  I will do my best to present them as stated, however you will see that from my personal standpoint, what presented is in alignment with my beliefs on the matter.


Take Back the Drive Initiative as presented by Dave Archecki. 

In 2006 the City went to FDOT to try to take back Wilton Drive.
Ft Lauderdale and Oakland Park did not want their portions back.  Ft Lauderdale would assume part responsibility for the bridge at the South end of the Drive and Oakland Park would assume responsibility for part of the bridge on Dixie Highway and the portion of Dixie Highway from the Bridge up to Oakland Park Boulevard.

In 2008 there was a traffic study that was received by FDOT warranting that Wilton Manors should take back the Drive as there is no reason why the State needed Wilton Drive on the roster of State Roads.  The statement was made in the presentation that since FDOT was interested in moving people and vehicles, this road did not particularly make sense of being a State Road as it did not particularly go "anywhere" and that it was in the middle of a Central Business District.

From 2007 to 2009 Ft Lauderdale and Oakland Park consulted and stalled the process by dragging their feet.  While this happened, FDOT put crosswalks in on Wilton Drive. The reason that the crosswalks were placed in front of City Hall instead of where they were originally promised was that supposedly the intersection was offset enough that having one at the South End at Tropics Bar at NE 20th St and at NE 21st Street at the Liquor Store would not meet the State's Standards for maintaining traffic flow and visibility.  At NE 6th Avenue the City put in a crosswalk which now upgrades this to four way crosswalk. 
 

Here is a handy map from Google Maps so that you can follow along if you want to consult it.  Those who wanted lights and crosswalks at the above intersections are acutely aware where they should have been, the rest of us may struggle with the specifics... I always have a better time of it when I have a map handy!


In January 2009 the speed limit on Wilton Drive was dropped to 30mph.  It had used to have been at 35mph.  At that time, the beginning of this current discussion of the Take Back the Drive Initiative had begun  and was rejected due to cost.  The discussion was brought back to the City by Wilton Manors Main Street to reinitiate this. 

Currently, FDOT said this week that they are willing to listen. 

The components of the Take Back the Drive Initiative are a plan that occurs in Four Phases:

Phase 1 is to stripe the Drive with paint according to DOT Regulations allowing approximately 115 new spaces and unlit crosswalk.  The quoted price of $168,000 by the presenter was incorrect, and did not reflect the quote from the painting contractor that was brought in by an RFP for $139,000.

Phase 2 would cost upwards of $2.4 Million to $4.4 Million with the addition of trees and drainage.  The comment was made that any time that you make changes to drainage, the price goes up.  As Phase 2 does not happen immediately, the costs would be amortized over the life span of the current plan of the Drive which is expected to be 15 years.  Also, the costs for Phase 3 are included in this estimate - this pushes the amount much higher however the presentation adjusts for this at the closing.

Phase 3 add hardscape to well define the crosswalks and medians, it would also maintain bike lane.  No estimate was given on this Phase's cost but most of the costs listed on phase 2 are included here.

Phase 4 adds a tree canopy which is currently prohibited by County ordinance.  There was no estimate on costs given.  In order to return the Drive to a tree covered state that was enjoyed before FDOT removed the canopy that was there in the 1980's, the City must reclaim the Drive.  "Once the Drive is ours, we can do with it what we want, but none of this can be made permanent until we own the drive".

The Parking that was proposed would be a back in parking.  This adds safety by allowing the parking car to stop traffic behind them, and back in.  It also allows the added safety of when you exit and enter the car, you are herded back toward the sidewalks by your car doors.  When you leave the parking space, you have much higher visibility because you are not looking through a mirror to depart. 

The expected life of the plan is 15 years. 
The annual cost is $36,000 for resurfacing of the roads as needed.
The annual cost for lighting and maintenance of lighting is $8,000.
Bridge maintenance would cost $30,000.
Annual cost for drainage and sidewalk maintenance is $7,500
The total Profit is approximately $81,000 per year.

The expected flow of traffic of people who used to be on the Drive was to flow to NE 15th Avenue and NE 20th St as well as other major arterials such as NE 26th St, Andrews Ave, Federal Highway, and Dixie Highway.

The sources of funding for the project are expected to be from:
FDOT
Grants
Parking meters
Local bus taxes
Property taxes
Local Contributors
as well as other future funding sources.

The conclusion of the presentation was that:
Wilton Manors Main Street has done a diligent job of looking at other areas. 
Wilton Manors Main Street's Initiative has been analyzed by the City's consultant, Chen and Associates, and the finances and the plan has been shown to be financially accurate and sound.
Wilton Manors Main Street looked at how parking will fund plan.
Wilton Manors Main Street is looking to reevaluate once phase one is in effect.

Vision at the Commission

Vice Mayor Justin Flippen said at the end of the meeting last night in his commentary that deciding to send a message to various county, state, and federal level politicians that the City Of Wilton Manors is against any future offshore drilling is making a statement not in what is being done but what vision you want for the future.

Obviously that is a paraphrase, Justin had a brilliant turn of phrase that I wish I had written down. 

It was in response to the Vice President of the Historical Society of Wilton Manors giving an impassioned speech about the same subject saying it is like spending money on greeting cards in a budgetary crunch and expecting them to have any impact.

There are many things that you can do when you are in a position of power but one thing you must is to have the vision to leave the place you are in charge of better than you found it.  I hear many people who are long time residents comment that Bubba's Gone and the Old Boy Network didn't work.  They usually follow up with the impression that those who are here in power at an official or volunteer level have a much clearer vision of where they want the City to go in the future.

There are things you can do and things you can't do.  The cynical would say "I have a vision problem, I can't see myself doing that".  Usually those are the people that should be patted on the head and moved on.  Last night it wasn't a question of saying "I can't see myself doing that", and there were a lot of "that" last night.  Last night was where I felt the Commission were saying "I want to do it, I can't see how, I need a way to do so".

In other words they went past the "Can" and "Can't" to the "Must". 

Must is Vision.   Must is people realizing that in order to move forward, you have to set out on a path and see it to its conclusion.  Must looks at procrastination and nudges it aside because procrastination rarely works.  Must realizes that if you don't progress you end up with a City with an open wound in the middle of it like you could fire a cannon down the business district in prime time and not hit a soul.

I personally believe, and since this is a blog I have the say here, that the Wilton Manors Main Street plan of phased development of parking on Wilton Drive is one very important aspect of the Vision.  It Must be done.  We are at a point where further development of the Drive won't happen without someone doing something about parking.   It will stagnate and the energy we have will get taken elsewhere.

Tennis courts are nice, but the citizens of the city of Wilton Manors deserve a better solution than that.   The Romans called that "Bread and Circuses".  Something to distract us from the fact that the Drive which is the economic engine behind the rebirth of Wilton Manors has hit the equilibrium point.

We Must have the Vision to proceed or we will have the Vision Problem of Decline.

I for one don't want to see Wilton Manors decline.  I don't believe that the Mayor or the Commission or the vast majority of the citizens and businessmen here do either. 

This is the fourth time that this question has come up since 2000.   When something is right, it will not go away.  It is time to act on it.  The fourth time is the charm.