NSBNEWS.net video by Sera Frederick. Flare Elliott of Friends of Historic Canal Street, Inc. speaks to the City Commission earlier this month about the potential for passenger rail service through Florida East Coast tracks.
Editor's Note: The following news blog was written by Flare Elliott of the Friends of Historic Canal Street, Inc. and was sent to NSBNEWS.net by Elliott:
NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The Florida Department of Transportation has applied for $268 million dollars in federal stimulus (ARRA) funding to restore Amtrak passenger rail service on the existing 326 miles of FEC railway between Jacksonville and Miami by 2012.
The Cities of St. Augustine, Daytona Beach, Titusville, Cocoa/Port Canaveral, Melbourne, Vero Beach, Fort Pierce and Stuart have been working with State officials for the past five to nine years on this project, and if the ARRA grant is awarded, those cities will receive money to build new stations for the service, and assume post construction maintenance costs.
Although New Smyrna Beach has not been involved in those long term planning efforts, the city recently began station planning initiatives in order to qualify for a station from a "second round'"of funding that will be available if the initial $268 million grant is received.
FDOT and ARRA Grant Coordinator Dr. Kim Delaney have issued a call to East Coast Residents to write and email their Florida legislators to express voter enthusiasm for the project. The NSB Community Redevelopment Agency , the SVAA/Visitor's Bureau, the Southeast Volusia Chamber of Commerce and the Marine Discovery Center have already sent letters of support to Gov. Charlie Crist and FDOT officials.
The New SMyrna Beach City Commission will vote on a resolution of support for the FDOT project at the Tuesday, Feb. 23 meeting (6:30 p.m., City Hall.) Review details of the resolution and station plans at cityofnsb.com -agendas; (the Resolution is under 'Special items of Business' L. 5. Resolution 08-10; check pp 334-343 of the pdf file for details). Although the meeting begins at 6:30 PM, this item is unlikely to be discussed prior to 7:30 p.m. Share the excitement of this project and join us. For a copy of the official FDOT project summary and information on how to voice your support, please e-mail flare32168@att.net and request the 'FDOT INFO PAK.'
Restoring passenger rail service on the FEC Line not only makes "economic sense" for today, but is a great opportunity to utilize our fabled Railroad Heritage as a tool to return economic prosperity to 21st century Florida.
Mayor Adam Barringer's Valentines present to NSB with unveiling of his Economic Development Plan
Mayor Adam Barringer's Economic Development Strategy unveiled Feb. 14.
The mayor identified key growth components as annexation, hiring an economic development director, building our tourism economy, maintaining existing businesses and growing new ones. The plan will be discussed at the Feb 23 City Commission meeting and the full text of the Mayor's initiative is available (as a Word pdf) at NSBNEWS.net (Thank You Mr. Henry Frederick!)
(Insiders Tip to decision makers, IMPLEMENTING the wayfinding signage system the business community has persistently requested during the past ten years, is the fastest, single most important factor that will help existing businesses NOW! )
CRA Notes
* Master Plan; Originally scheduled for completion in July of 2009, the final draft has been rescheduled for the March 3, 2010 CRA MTG.
* West Canal Streetscape: ATT has slowed construction with delays in removing overhead lines; if their work is completed ASAP, the sidewalk and lighting on the south side of West Canal will be completed prior to Bike Week. (info: mmartin@cityofnsb.com)
* Dunn Lumber: The buildings on site will be demolished to facilitate the remaining environmental cleanup required. Brownfields funding will be used for cleanup. FEC Corner: Landscaping tabled indefinitely due to lack of funding. (Perhaps if the behemoth coquina arch at Myrtle and West Canal had been just a tiny bit smaller we could have budgeted at least a few dollars for plants and a little sign at the only entrance to the Downtown from a major intersection..)
Friends of Canal Updates
* Off-Market Properties ( Badcock Building, Fox Firestone)-Impact on Downtown Growth: Friends, Inc. met Feb 10 with the mayor, city manager and Interim CRA rirector; the primary focus was abandoned properties at Badcock and Fox; a preliminary report from Code Enforcement indicates structural and other potential code issues; the City Manager has requested a Code Enforcement report by Feb 26.
* Other issues discussed were increased police presence on Canal, monthly CRA sponsored meetings for Canal, expanded business incentives and questions about the '501' gaming business. Follow up meeting with Interim CRA Director A. Otte is scheduled for Monday Feb. 22.
* If you have any Canal St. issues you would like on the agenda, email Janet at jgsb@cfl.rr.com .
Events, Etc.
* Feb 27-28 Art Fiesta! Old Fort Park 10-5 PM! Crafts Galore! Live Entertainment & Food! March 1 - Informal MEET & GREET for Downtown Business & Property Owners! Jason's Corner, 5:30 PM.
* Welcome new business owners of Grandma's Cookies (on Canal) and from Orange Street, the owners of Panheads Pizza and 'BE WELL' Chiropractic.
* March 6 - Gallery Walk - Visit Galleries on Douglas, Riverside Drive and Canal. Refreshments 4-7 PM
* March 7 - Salute to Stan Kenton by 20 piece Big Band, Don Scalleta and the Jazz Project! Brannon Center, 2PM. Tix, $17.50 advance, $20. At door. (See Lorraine at B. Center for tickets) To sponsor a qualified senior, call Marc 423-9760.
* March 7 - EPIC SPRING FLING! 11AM-6PM, 107 N. Orange St. Sponsored by Tresses Salon; 100% proceeds to benefit Cambodian Missions : Kids Activities, Car Wash, Free Blood Pressure Check, Music, Food and Pampering (hair, nails, massage) by apt-Call Sandy (423-9838).
* March 13 -Cruise Night on Canal! Splashy Cars, Classic Rock and Roll and Great Eats! Indie Biz - please place recycle bins and extra trash can on curb to help Cruisers with litter!
* EVERY SATURDAY! FARMER'S MARKET! Chamber Parking lot and Sams Avenue 8AM-1PM!
"No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new heaven to the human spirit." -- Helen Keller.