|
Undergrounding surfaces in Indian Rocks Beach
By HARLAN WEIKLE
| Article published on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009 |
|
 |
INDIAN ROCKS BEACH – A decade ago county officials and the barrier island communities began to consider how best to encourage tourism. One broad proposal related to beach beautification.
Intended to unify the Gulf Boulevard corridor running the length of Pinellas’ beach communities and improve the “streetscape” experience, undergrounding overhead utilities became a watchword.
Ultimately $35 million was earmarked for the beautification process. On Tuesday evening, the Indian Rocks Beach City Commission was asked to kick start the process by approving $13,000 for a preliminary engineering study and cost estimate to underground lines from the city’s southern boundary eight-tenths of a mile north to Walsingham Road.
City Manager Chuck Coward told the commission members that the city is ready to contract with the three utility companies whose overhead lines would be affected: Bright House Networks, Verizon and Progress Energy.
“Last year you set aside $25,000 from Penny for Pinellas to fund the project study,” Coward said. “Now we’re asking for $13,000 to get the study and design done.”
At the same time, Coward cautioned that the project may still face hurdles, chiefly from the county.
“This is a complicated project,” Coward said. “The county has already announced a reduction in planned spending of 25 percent. But to date no one has stood in front of the (county) Commission and said, ‘This is a project we want to do and we’re ready to do’ and if we don’t then the county has accomplished what they want – de facto.”
“If we don’t take a risk and dive into this pool now,” Coward predicted, “we lose an opportunity.”
City commissioners voted unanimously to proceed with the engineering bid expenditure. A note from Coward’s proposal indicates that the cost of the bid would in the end be credited toward construction costs.
In other news:
• Sgt. Joseph Gerretz of the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office reported that city crime statistics are down for September, significantly in the reduction of burglary and larceny investigations. Gerretz credited citizen compliance with a campaign urging owners to lock their car doors.
• A general election for at large, qualified candidates to fill the seats currently held by Mayor R.B. Johnson and Commissioners Joanne “Cookie” Kennedy and Daniel Torres was set for March 9, 2010. The candidate qualifying period is January 4-8 beginning and ending at noon respectively.
• The commission adopted in principle the proposals generated by the recently concluded USF “visioning“ study for city growth and development. City Manager Coward recommended the commission authorize staff to begin working with the planning and zoning board and at the same time begin planning for the capitalization of elements of the overall plan.
• Several spending measures were approved: two for routine maintenance of the city’s sewer and waste water system, another pair for resurfacing and recurbing portions of city streets.
• The city authorized spending $47,000 for three additional dune walkovers at First, Second and 24th avenues. With the addition of these three sites, the city will have completed 17 of the 27 access installations in the city. Pinellas County will reimburse the city an amount up to $50,000 for the project cost.
|
Article published on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009
Copyright © Tampa Bay Newspapers: All rights reserved. |
