By Rich Pollack
Traffic issues, pedestrian safety and a familiar subject — parking spots and their abundance — were on the minds of Highland Beach residents as county leaders provided an update on the progress of Milani Park at a public forum last month.
With development of the park certain, county leaders and the team hired to design the park gave about 75 residents a first look at what the site at the south end of town could look like and asked for feedback.
What they got was a list of several dozen questions, many aimed at the county’s commitment to include 100 parking spaces on the west side parcel of the property, which straddles State Road A1A.
While some residents asked if the county would consider scaling back the number of spots, county leaders said they will be proceeding with 100, the number included in a 2010 stipulated agreement between the county and the town.
In his presentation, lead architect Jeffrey Huber told residents that the parking area will be designed with a lot of plants and trees to make it more attractive in hopes of minimizing concerns.
“We don’t want it to look too much like a parking lot,” he said.
Huber said that the parking lot should be “part of the park experience” and that an abundance of shade trees along with natural vegetation would improve aesthetics.
“From above you’re going to see a tree canopy,” he said.
In addition to pushing for a reduction in parking spaces, several residents expressed concern about pedestrian safety. People going to the beach side of the park who have parked in the lot will have to cross A1A, and pedestrians will be in the parking area.
Residents also expressed concerns about cars backing up onto A1A as they wait to get into the parking lot and questioned what the county will do to keep trespassers off private beaches and others from loitering.
Assistant County Administrator Isami Ayala-Collazo said the design team would take a “comprehensive approach to traffic calming to reduce speeds and enhance pedestrian safety both in the park and at primary crossing points.”
Among steps to be taken are raised sidewalks inside the parking area to slow vehicles and improve visibility, consideration of enhanced lighting at key crossing areas, and delineating pedestrian and bicycle paths where feasible to ensure separation from motor vehicle traffic.
Ayala-Collazo said that the pedestrian crossing area is being designed with distinctive pavement markings and landing points at each end.
The county will also have enhanced signage at crossings and make sure landscaping does not impede vision for pedestrians or motorists.
“We want to ensure pedestrian and bicycle safety,” said county Parks and Recreation Director Jennifer Cirillo.
Because A1A is a state road, the county is coordinating with the Florida Department of Transportation on some of the safety issues, including a request from one resident who wondered if an elevated pedestrian bridge would make sense.
Ayala-Collazo said that a pedestrian bridge is not part of the discussions but that the county is open to exploring the idea in coordination with FDOT. So far, however, the focus has been on road level crossings that are minimally disruptive.
To reduce the chances of cars backing up onto A1A, the site is being designed so that there will be room for several cars in a line before any stack up.
The parking attendant on site also will work to prevent traffic from backing up.
“A full-time park attendant will assist with the safe flow of patrons into the park and park closure should it reach capacity which will also contribute to pedestrian safety,” Cirillo said.
There will be a charge to park but the attendant will not collect money.
“The parking area will be staffed but parking fees will be collected via a parking app. This eliminates the need to queue at the main gate and allows visitors to proceed directly to a parking space,” Ayala-Collazo said.
County staff also will be on the east side parcel, with Ocean Rescue personnel and maintenance staff assigned to the area. And Cirillo said that park ranger patrols would help enforce the county ordinance against loitering.
In response to resident concerns about park patrons trespassing on private beaches and adjacent property, Cirillo said the county would keep to the restrictions in the settlement agreement and would have signage on site.
She added, however, that seaward of the mean high-water line along the entire coast of Florida is public beach.
Once design work is completed, the county will submit plans to Highland Beach, which has the responsibility for issuing building permits.
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