Subject:
Title
James Road Traffic Calming - District 1
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Fiscal Impact:
Pursuant to the stipulated settlement, Barrera Shores, LLC (now the new developer, Taylor Morrison of Florida, Inc.) will pay for the construction of traffic calming devices (Section 7 of Stipulated Settlement Agreement)
Dept/Office:
Public Works Department
Requested Action:
Recommendation
It is requested that the Board of County Commissioners adopt a resolution in support of the implementation of Traffic Calming measures on James Road; delegate authority to the County Manager, or designee, to execute any related documents, including, but not limited to, permits and associated bonds.
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Summary Explanation and Background:
Beginning in 2004, the County and the City of Cocoa were involved in a dispute regarding the City’s annexation of certain lands located just east of Interstate 95 and directly abutting State Road 528 to the north and south. After years of litigation, on December 11, 2007, Brevard County entered into a Stipulated Settlement Agreement with the City of Cocoa, as well as the then-property owners: Florida Space Needle, LLC, which owned the north parcel, and Barrera Shores, LLC, which owned the south parcel (“Agreement”). The Agreement provides, in pertinent part, that in order for Barrera Shores, LLC, to develop its parcel (267 +/- acres) it needs to satisfy certain requirements. One such requirement was for Barrera Shores, LLC, to “pay for construction of traffic calming devices along James Road.” Section 7, Agreement. The construction of such traffic calming devices was to take place after property owners along James Road were solicited for their opinions on the location and placement of traffic calming devices on James Road. Since the original agreement, the south parcel ownership was transferred to Taylor Morrison of Florida, Inc. (“TM”). Pursuant to “Section 10 - Binding Upon Successors” of the Agreement, TM assumed Barrera Shores, LLC’s obligations under the Agreement. Importantly, the Agreement further states that, “. . . [a]ll traffic calming devices along James Road shall be constructed and completed following land clearing but prior to any further construction or site work being completed.” This agenda, and resulting Board action, is not a referendum on this development nor is it applicable to any other County road. This request is only to approve the proposed traffic calming the County is required to consider under the Agreement and based on the particular set of circumstances that exist on James Road.
A public involvement meeting was held at the Space Coast Convention Center on July 25, 2024. In addition to this public involvement meeting, the County required TM mail a survey to affected property owners in the vicinity of James Road so that citizen input could be reviewed in conjunction with the Engineer of Record’s recommendations. The survey was sent out by TM to all affected property owners on September 20, 2024, and the results were tabulated by County staff on October 28, 2024, based on pre-established guidelines. For the purpose of establishing the list of survey mailer recipients, it was determined that the affected area would include those residents who benefit from the resulting speed reduction along James Road and also those residents who must traverse the speed tables to access their residences off of James Road. A sample survey with instructions is attached to this agenda report for reference.
Following the advertised deadline to return the survey, input from property owners regarding the proposed traffic calming measures was tallied from 62 responses received out of the 101 eligible respondents. With the exception of the proposed reduced lane width, the results indicate that the majority of property owners support traffic calming for the purpose of slowing vehicle speeds and altering driver behavior on James Road. Regarding the proposed speed tables, 84% of the affected area residents who responded support speed tables as a traffic calming strategy on James Road.
The responses were further analyzed to assess the reception of residents that would directly benefit from the speed tables and their resulting speed reduction along James Road, and the results indicate that 86% of benefitted residents who responded agree with this strategy. Regarding the proposed reduced lane width from 11 ft to 10 ft, 50% of residents who responded disagreed with this strategy. However, based on the professional engineering assessment completed by staff and Taylor Morrison’s engineering consultant, reduced lane width is necessary and is supported by engineering design standards, as is the array of other proposed traffic calming measures (i.e., speed tables with guardrails, textured pavement, reduction of travel lane width, and vibratory edge line marking), especially when used in conjunction with one another, due to the anticipated increase in traffic and existing roadside conditions. Furthermore, without implementing traffic calming due to the limited right of way, there are no other cost-feasible alternatives to reduce vehicle speeds and improve the safety of all roadway users along James Road.
The Board may consider the following options:
1) Approve all recommended traffic calming measures (i.e., speed tables with guardrails, textured pavement, reduction of travel lane width, and vibratory edge line marking)
2) Approve only certain traffic calming measures
3) Reject all traffic calming measures
As previously stated, the Agreement provides that TM cannot complete further construction or site activities, until all traffic calming devices are constructed and completed on James Road. If the Board approves Option #3, it is authorizing TM to proceed with its development project without the need for any work to be done to James Road. If the Board approves Option #2, then it is approving for only a portion of the traffic measures to be constructed and completed before TM can receive a certificate of completion for site activities and commence vertical construction. The Board’s action shall also provide for a delegation of authority to the County Manager, or designee, as it pertains to related documents, including, but not limited to, the issuance of necessary permits and approval/release of applicable bonds (performance and maintenance).
Clerk to the Board Instructions:
None