Marsh Oaks Neighborhood Association

April 7 Minutes

May 05, 2001

MONA MINUTES for April 7, 2001 meeting

Correction for March minutes: The property at Levy and Main streets, which
MONA members suggested would be a good site for a playground, has been
reduced by half as the result of construction of storage units on the south
end of the lot. The north end, which previously was occupied by Willie's
Towing, still appears to be vacant and available.


REPORTS FROM MEMBERS

Maureen Shaughnessy
Mo attended the most recent meeting of the Mayport Road Corridor Study group.
The group has embarked on a long-term project that is concerned with
landscaping, lighting, and upgrading the type of businesses along Mayport Rd.
from Atlantic Blvd. northward to NSMayport and to the village of Mayport.
MONA members urged her to push for a pedestrian-friendly environment.

Mo also has joined the Town Center Agency as a member. That group has been
responsible for planning and locating funding for improvements made over the
last few years to the area at the foot of Atlantic Blvd.

Mamie Hurd
Mamie is a member of the city's Code Enforcement Board, which has as its task
the implementation of city zoning rules. As a member of the Board she cannot
initiate zoning complaints as that would be a conflict of interest.

Sally Clemens
Sally has been attending AB city commission meetings. She brought to the MONA
meeting the news of a proposed referendum on the at-large system of
representation that is used to elect city commissioners.

Michael Hoffmann
Michael has been in contact with various AB officials in regards to concerns
expressed at previous MONA meetings.
1) The Rose Park playground for younger children is on schedule, according to
city recreation officials. May is the target date for completion.
2) The AB city manager (Jim Hanson) has communicated to MONA that the budget
for the next fiscal year will include funding for a sidewalk along Levy Rd.
from Mayport Rd. to Main St.
3) Mr. Hanson also communicated that the city has closed the deal for the six
lots on the north side of Plaza Rd., and that the property now belongs to the
city. This land was purchased for the purpose of building a playground for
older children.
4) Mr. Hanson also said that negotiations continue with the manager of
Singleton's Trailer Park and the city's garbage contractor in regards to the
growing pile of trash on West Second St. near the corner of Main St. The
dumpster that previously was located near the trash pile has been relocated.
5) David Thompson, Director of Public Safety, will be MONA's guest at our
June meeting. Chief Thompson will address traffic problems related to the
Flyover; community policing, including bicycle patrolling; security at the
new park at Dutton (or Pine) Island; continuing safety problems reported by
MONA members regarding school buses, and other issues raised by residents of
Marsh Oaks. We want to encourage all interested residents and businesspeople
in the neighborhood to attend.

Chief Thompson has requested that MONA members record the day, time, and
location of tractor-trailers spotted in Marsh Oaks. This will make easier his
assessment of the problem -- and possible solutions.


NEW BUSINESS

Members requested that the following concerns be forwarded to the city
manager's office:
1) What, if anything, can be done about the junkyard located on West Tenth
St. and Orchid St.?
2) There is a corner intersection that is hazardous to auto traffic and
pedestrians because of being overgrown with vegetation. This corner is the
northwest corner of W. 3rd and Main streets.
3) Members requested a copy of the RS&H traffic access study that was to be
presented to the commission at their April 9 meeting. (Maureen will photocopy
and distribute copies of this report before the next meeting, assuming the
report it not too lengthy.)
4) In light of the apparent lack of available land for a traditional-sized
playground in Marsh Oaks, members suggested that the city might want to
consider a strategy of smaller "pocket parks" scattered throughout Marsh Oaks.
5) Members reuested the city manager and planning director consider what
means could be used -- lanscaping and fencing, for example -- to make a
clearer distinction between commercial and residential properties on the
blocks that run westward from Mayport Rd.


MAY 5 MONA MEETING
This meeting will be devoted primarily to MONA's response to the RS&H traffic
access study. Among the items previously discussed: upgrading the Plaza
Rd./Mayport Rd. intersection; even streetlighting on Main, Orchid, and W. 9th
streets as well as on the short blocks from W. 9th to W. 14th; sidewalks on
Orchid and Main streets from Levy to W. 1st; streetlights and sidewalk on
Plaza Rd. from Mayport Rd. to Orchid St.; additional stop signs (for example:
Plaza at Orchid); a truck turnaround from Levy to W. 14th, and more buffering
between commercial and residential.

Our goal is to have a prepared list of suggested remedies for access problems
associated with the Flyover so that we can get Chief Thompson's input at our
June meeting, and then submit our list of potential remedies to the city in
time for inclusion in the budget for the next fiscal year.

MONA's website address is: www.neighborhoodlink.com/atbch/mona. This site
also can be accessed through www.jacksonville.com.


Submitted by Michael Hoffmann
MONA Steering Committee
April 15, 2001