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City Commission, Sanford, Florida Spec±al Meeting
July 14
19 94
The City Commission of the City of Sanford, Florida, met in Special Meeting at 6:00
o'clock P. M. on July 14, 1994, at the Sanora Club House, 239 Sanora Boulevard, Sanford,
Florida.
Present: Commissioner A. A. McClanahan
City Manager William A. Simmons
City Clerk Janet R. Dougherty
Absent: Mayor Bettye D. Smith
Commissioner Whitey Eckstein
Commissioner Robert B. Thomas, Jr.
Commissioner Lon K. Howell
City Attorney William L. Colbert
A man called the meeting with the Sanford'City Commission to order at 6:06 P. M.
Remarks from District Commissioner. Commissioner McClanahan thanked the Sanora Homeowners'
Association for the use 'of the clubhouse and stated he is happy to see the number of people
who are present. Commissioner McClanahan reported that as a result of redistricting, most
of what had been City Commission District 4 is now in City Commission District 3; that four
years ago the District 4 voter participation was about 10 or 11 percent, the lowest voter
participation of the four districts; that two years ago the new District 3 voter
participation was about 23 percent, which is close to normal for City of Sanford elections;
and that he hopes District 3 voter participation will be about 50 percent this December.
Remarks from City Manager. City Manager Simmons introduced staff members; reviewed the
information provided with the Agenda; and reported that Sanford Main Street, Inc. and the
Waterfront Master Plan Steering Committee are working closely on the downtown redevelopment,
that a revitalized downtown will be an asset to the entire community, and that this and other
economic development that the city is encouraging, including the Seminole Towne Center Mall,
will have a positive effect on the community and the increased tax base will enable the city
to provide better services. Mr. Simmons further reported there are copies available of a
letter from Mayor Smith to the school board, and that the city government doesn't have much
control over the school board about how they run their business; we try to cooperate with the
school board and continue to work with them to try to make it as easy as we can for them to
deliver quality education in the Sanford area.
Reclaimed Water and the Good Neighbor Utility Fund. Bill Marcous, Program Coordinator,
briefly reviewed the functions of the Utility Department and explained that the Good Neighbor
Utility Fund is a voluntary program that helps residential customers who are facing a
hardship pay their utility bill, that the city does not contribute funds to this program, and
that $205.00 has been contributed since December. Mr. Marcous reported that the reclaimed
water concept started in the early 1980's when the State of Florida required the City of
Sanford to quit discharging effluent from the Wastewater Treatment Plant into Lake Monroe.
Of the various disposal options reviewed, the most feasible was reclaiming the water;
further, in a reclaimed water project, the most feasible disposal option is bringing the
reclaimed water to one site. The city purchased property known as "Site 10" as a disposal
site, and it is able to take about two and a half to three million gallons per day, about one
half of the daily flow. Some reclaimed water is also sent to the Mayfair Golf Course and
some to the City of Lake Mary for Timacuan Golf Course. The system in the city, primarily
designed to bring the water to the city's parks, also includes some residential
neighborhoods. The transmission line closest to this area is at 25th Place and Sanford
Avenue, and it would cost about two and a half million dollars to extend that line the
approximately two miles to this area. Mr. Marcous further reported that two options to lower
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a utility bill where water is also used for irrigation are to have a separate potable
irrigation meter or to have a well.
Sanford Avenue Wideninq. Jerry Matthews, Project Manager, Seminole County, reported that the
Sanford Avenue project, which was started in about 1985 when the Level of Service was a D,
will bring the Level of Service up to a C; further, without the widening project, the Level
of Service would fail by 2005. The limits of the project are from Airport Boulevard to the
expressway. The finished project will be a four-lane divided highway with a 22 foot grass
raised median in the middle; median breaks every 660 feet; two twelve-foot inside lanes; two
fourteen-foot outside lanes which provide roadway for experienced bicyclists; curb and gutter
and sidewalks on both sides; and two traffic signals, one at Airport Boulevard and one at
Lake Mary Boulevard. The road grade will be raised about one foot in some places, and the
Sanora wall will be extended accordingly. The lighting will be on mast arms. The project
will be put out to bid the end of August, 1994, with construction to start November, 1994,
if all the necessary property can be obtained (the county's completed plans for a retention
area had to be redrawn and redesigned when houses were built in the planned retention area
as part of Mayfair Meadows Subdivision) and the contaminated soils are rectified. Other
future projects in this area include Silver Lake Drive between Sanford Avenue and the
airport, which will be four-lane and six lane around the airport runway to 46 and tie in to
415, and this will be a new route for travel to and from Osteen; Lake Mary Boulevard will be
widened between Sanford Avenue and 17-92; and Airport Boulevard will be four-laned between
46 and 17-92 and between 17-92 and Sanford Avenue.
City Parks. Howard Jeffries, Grounds Maintenance Coordinator, reported that the Grounds
Maintenance Division, which has an annual budget of approximately 1.3 million dollars and 19
people, maintains the over 300 acres, worth over 3.5 million dollars, in the city's 30 parks
as well as more than 30 other sites. The division not only mows grass; it also maintains the
ball fields and athletic courts, cemeteries, playgrounds, lakes, public rest rooms in parks,
handles pest control for the city, handles special events, and picks up refuse in the parks.
Further, most of the city's parks were built in the 1960's or earlier, we try to upgrade at
least two parks each year, and last year spent over $20,000.00 to upgrade areas of parks to
comply with ADA requirements. Also, park usage has increased tremendously, including use by
people who do not live in Sanford; and there is a vandalism problem in parks.
Drainaqe. Rick Holloway, Civil Engineer, reported that in the past year the city resolved
some drainage problems, and this year he has received no drainage complaints in this
district.
Crime Prevention. Ralph Russell, Police Chief, reported the Sanford Police Department
presently averages over 5,600 calls for service per month and if the calls continue at this
rate, the department will average over 67,000 calls for service this year. These 67,000
calls will generate over 12,000 hand written reports, and these do not include the additional
reports generated by the officers on the road. The department has 100 personnel, 80 of whom
are sworn officers, 60 of the 80 sworn officers are uniform patrol and 17 are investigators.
Patrol zones are being re-aligned to provide better service. Domestic violence, thefts from
vehicles and property, and auto thefts have increased in the city; and not as much stolen
property is being found, which means it is being sold on the street to individuals. Chief
Russell reported citizens can report crime anonymously on the Crime Stop Hotline. The
department received a request from this community for a traffic sign survey and as a result
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of the survey, will recommend four additional traffic signs here, and some additional signs
in Bryn Haven. Chief Russell reported speed humps are effective in some areas, but have had
to be removed in some areas because they created a problem for emergency vehicles and larger
rescue units.
Chief Russell reported the Police Department Community Relations Division includes
the D.A.R.E. Officers, School Resource Officers, and two individuals who work in the
Neighborhood Watch Program and with senior citizens.
Citizen Participation.
(1) Pete Lee, Bryn Haven, stated they hear a lot of noise from commercial jets,
and asked what the plans are for the airport. The City Manager stated that Steve Cooke,
Airport Manager, is the best person to answer questions about airport planning, flights, and
operations. Further, the airport is managed by an airport authority, the members of which
are appointed by the City Commission and provide county-wide representation. Commissioner
McClanahan reported you can be relatively sure that airport traffic will increase and the
airport is already cleared for international flights.
(2) Benjamin Lopez, Bryn Haven, thanked the city and county for holding this
meeting; asked the city to consider itself first and not sell out, as was done with the
property being used for a retention pond in front of Mayfair Meadows; and complained about
the bumps and ruts in Lake Mary Boulevard during the two and a half to three years it was
being widened and asked that when bids are accepted for this work, that quality contractors,
not particularly the lowest bidder, be accepted. The City Manager reported that the city
and county try to work as closely together as possible on right-of-way to prevent
construction which will be in the way of future road right-of-ways without suitable set-
backs; however, there is some problem with constraining the use of private land which has not
been acquired for road right-of-way. Jerry Matthews reported the county was going to
purchase the retention area property but that the developer purchased it just before the
county was ready to purchase, after the county's plans were completed. Further, in the
future, property will be purchased when 60% of the plans are completed.
(3) Mike Shaddick, Bryn Haven, asked how long it will take to complete the road
between Lake Mary Boulevard and Airport Boulevard, and how much the construction, planning
and design have and will cost. Jerry Matthews stated if construction begins December 1994
it should end June 1996, and will cost $3,600,000.00; right-of-way acquisition cost
$2,400,088.00; design usually is about $220,000.00 per mile.
(4) Lucille Tarbin, Sanora, asked how long it will take to put back the wall after
it is taken down. Jerry Matthews stated it will not be taken down, it will be extended in
height.
(5) Vince Malocha, President, Bryn Haven Community Association, stated that the
children are being bused past Pinecrest Elementary School, which is less than one mile away,
to Midway Elementary School, which has an unacceptable situation; the educational system is
unacceptable and is not working; and they are paying significantly more property taxes and
getting a lot less. Secondly, Mr. Malocha stated that the parkway along Cornwall Avenue,
which is the south side wall of Bryn Haven, has become a dumping ground; and proposed the
area be cleaned up and "No Dumping" signs be posted, and requested routine city maintenance
to keep it clean. Commissioner McClanahan reported the wall is privately owned and that city
staff will work with the property owners to see exactly where the property line is and whose
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responsibility it is to maintain it, and to try to find a solution for upkeep.
(6) Frank Watts, Bryn Haven, asked, regarding the widening of Sanford Avenue, if
the area along Sanford Avenue would be rezoned to commercial or if the homes would be torn
down and what plans have been made for the area; further, what chemicals have been found in
the soil in that area. Jerry Matthews reported that the county will have to buy the house
if it will be within twenty feet of the road; and that fuel contamination was found at
Barry's Appliances, the Cumberland Farms Store, and Oso's Tires. Commissioner McClanahan
stated that if it is zoned residential now, it will be residential when the road is
completed, and there are no plans to rezone it.
(7) Brian Lopez asked what the city's position and prediction is on gambling in
Sanford. Commissioner McClanahan reported the City Coiim]ission is unanimously against it.
(8) A man asked why the city can send reclaimed water to Timacuan Golf Course, but
can not get it here. Commissioner McClanahan reported it was sent to Timacuan because
Timacuan agreed to take three-quarters of a million gallons per day and it was strictly a
financial decision; economics determines where the water lines go; that the cost to get out
of Lake Monroe, as mandated, was forty million dollars; and that no funding was provided with
the mandate. The City Manager reported that the Water and Sewer Utility is an enterprise
fund and that no other tax dollars are used or allowed to be used to support it. The city
considered various alternatives to find the least expensive method to get out of the lake,
and three major factors considered in deciding where to send reclaimed water are soil type,
size of lots, and density of indicated interest (how much water can be expected to be used
in a given neighborhood?) from which is derived the cost to the city to provide the water at
that location on a cost per estimated gallon of estimated daily usage. Further, if the city
had irrigated all the neighborhoods instead of Timacuan and Mayfair Golf Courses and Site 10,
the total cost incurred would have driven sewer rates higher than they are now; retrofitting
neighborhoods is the most expensive alternative; the city continues to review all
alternatives; and he will continue to recommend to the City Commission the alternative that
is the least costly to the overall utility rate system. Bill Marcous further explained the
demand needed to send reclaimed water to a particular area, and the costs and timing
involved.
(9) A man stated that filling out the Reclaimed Water Application is a waste of
· time for residents in this area because the city already knows this area will not get
reclaimed water.
(10) A man agreed with the above statement.
(~6, above) In response to Frank Watts question, Jerry Matthews reported Seminole
County will not take any homes in the Sanford Avenue widening, and will purchase property
from both sides.
(11) A man asked if the center of the new road will be over the center of the old
road, if the county purchased any homeowners' property, and who it was purchased from. Jerry
Matthews reported the new centerline will be over the old centerline, the county has
purchased some property up to the wall in Bryn Haven, but none in Sanora, and that whoever
owned it was paid for it.
Jerry Matthews reported there will be a median cut at Jones Avenue, Fern Drive,
Stenstrom Boulevard, Sanora Boulevard, Hibiscus Drive, Airport Boulevard, and at the entrance
to the Cardinal development north of Sanora.
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City Commission, Sanford, Florida Special Meeting
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(12) A man reported that Sanford has not been spraying for mosquitoes as in the
past and asked why. The City Manager reported that the United States Environmental
Protection Agency will not allow area-wide spraying, but the city can respond to specific
requests.
(13) A man asked if consideration has been given to rezoning the area elementary
schools, and Commissioner McClanahan reported it was addressed and the school board has total
authority in determining school zones.
(14) A man reported the Sanora Homeowners' Association has always taken care of the
city park on Sanora Boulevard, and that the city should take care of the park since the city
owns it, or perhaps the association should send a maintenance bill to the city. Commissioner
McClanahan reported the City Commission is
association regarding the park, and the
technicalities on it.
receptive to working with the homeowners'
city is researching ownership and other
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
Attest:
ff City Clerk
M 'A Y~ R