I have read the ordinance in your Email (Sightseeing Tours) and I am pleased to see that it says the term says Not More than 10 years. That I can live with, however:
-I think that this needs to require use of earphones instead of loudspeakers on vehicles.
- The ability to control the frequency of trips per hour down a street
- The ability to control the hours of trips (ie) 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
I am wondering what others think about the ordinance and what they are concerned about as it is currently written. All this is VERY important to us in the 600 block of Frances St. as for certain ALL the tours will want to go by the cemetery and are unable to turn until at least Southard Street. Recently between 10:00 and 1:00 we had 12 Trains go by our house, and this was only HTA!!
More important I think, is that there is also scheduled the First Reading of Ordinance A - Cityview Franchise. The time to act is on the 1st reading by acting now, not reacting as we are having to do with the ordinance. It can be printed out from the agenda. It is listed as First Reading Ordinance A (708 kb) and it calls for:
- A term of 20 years
- No ability to conform it to a revised ordinance in 2015 when HTA franchise expires and major adjustments can be made without problems from either HTA or
Cityview Tours.
- No requirement of earphones instead of loudspeakers on vehicles
- No control of the frequency of sightseeing tours down a street per hour or hours of operation.
I do not see anything about the Duck tours. What does anyone know about their status?
Phil Wheeler
623 Feances St.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Sightseeing Vehicle Ordinance - Meeting on Thursday, December 3rd
Rudy Molinet requested that we distribute this message to our neighbors –
City Commissioners take our presence at the meetings very seriously. Additionally, if you would like to have input into this matter, but cannot attend the meeting, you can email the commissioners directly (or call them!). Their email addresses are at the end of this email for your convenience.
Dear Neighbors:
The next Key West City Commission meeting will be held on December 3, 2009 at 6:00pm at Old City Hall located at 510 Greene Street. The second reading of the ordinance for the sightseeing vehicles will be held this evening.
I have spoken with several commissioners and they each mentioned how much our presence was felt at the last meeting. If you can make it to the meeting to express your concerns and opinions, that would be great. We need another show of force like we had during the last meeting to make sure that when these vehicles operate in our neighborhoods there are ample controls in place to assure our safety and quality of life in Old Town.
The item is number 10 b on the agenda. The meeting starts at 6pm. If you don’t want to sit through the whole meeting, have dinner first and try to arrive at City Hall by 7:30. It is hard to say what time they will get to this item but if you arrive by this time we should be OK. If you want to speak, please sign up when you arrive using the clipboard located behind the city clerk on the handrail.
Thanks and see you there!
Rudy Molinet
510 Frances Street
Key West, FL 33040
Mobile: 305-240-1090
Office: 305-295-6565
Fax: 305-768-0808
rudy@rudymolinet.com
www.RudyMolinet.com
If you are interested in reading the revised ordinance you can find it at this link: http://www.keywestcity.com/egov/docs/512691259171281.pdf
City Commissioners emails:
Commissioner Jimmy Weekley: jweekley@keywestcity.com
Commissioner Mark Rossi: mrossi@keywestcity.com
Commissioner Billy Wardlow: bwardlow@keywestcity.com
Commissioner Barry Gibson: bfgibson@keywestcity.com
Commissioner Terry Johnston: johnston@keywestcity.com
Commissioner Clayton Lopez: clopez@keywestcity.com
Mayor Craig Cates: ccates@keywestcity.com
City Commissioners take our presence at the meetings very seriously. Additionally, if you would like to have input into this matter, but cannot attend the meeting, you can email the commissioners directly (or call them!). Their email addresses are at the end of this email for your convenience.
Dear Neighbors:
The next Key West City Commission meeting will be held on December 3, 2009 at 6:00pm at Old City Hall located at 510 Greene Street. The second reading of the ordinance for the sightseeing vehicles will be held this evening.
I have spoken with several commissioners and they each mentioned how much our presence was felt at the last meeting. If you can make it to the meeting to express your concerns and opinions, that would be great. We need another show of force like we had during the last meeting to make sure that when these vehicles operate in our neighborhoods there are ample controls in place to assure our safety and quality of life in Old Town.
The item is number 10 b on the agenda. The meeting starts at 6pm. If you don’t want to sit through the whole meeting, have dinner first and try to arrive at City Hall by 7:30. It is hard to say what time they will get to this item but if you arrive by this time we should be OK. If you want to speak, please sign up when you arrive using the clipboard located behind the city clerk on the handrail.
Thanks and see you there!
Rudy Molinet
510 Frances Street
Key West, FL 33040
Mobile: 305-240-1090
Office: 305-295-6565
Fax: 305-768-0808
rudy@rudymolinet.com
www.RudyMolinet.com
If you are interested in reading the revised ordinance you can find it at this link: http://www.keywestcity.com/egov/docs/512691259171281.pdf
City Commissioners emails:
Commissioner Jimmy Weekley: jweekley@keywestcity.com
Commissioner Mark Rossi: mrossi@keywestcity.com
Commissioner Billy Wardlow: bwardlow@keywestcity.com
Commissioner Barry Gibson: bfgibson@keywestcity.com
Commissioner Terry Johnston: johnston@keywestcity.com
Commissioner Clayton Lopez: clopez@keywestcity.com
Mayor Craig Cates: ccates@keywestcity.com
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Public Comments on Key West Ordinance re: Sightseeing Franchise Ordinance
My name is Rudy Molinet. I live at 510 Frances Street.
I represent the Frances Street Neighborhood Association. It represents 150 households in Old Town. Last evening 40 of us met to discuss the impact of the ordinances before you tonight.
Old Town will suffer the greatest impact of any additional tour vehicles and routes. A professional traffic and environmental impact study and, then, a comprehensive, well-planned ordinance, should be in place before the Commission considers licensing any new tour operator, any more tour vehicles, or any new kind of tour vehicle.
The purpose of municipal franchises and licenses is to regulate the quality and efficiency of businesses engaged in a certain service, in order to guarantee the quality and delivery of that service, and to protect the residents of the neighborhoods in which it operates. That’s why you limit the number of taxies, cruise ships, hotel rooms, liquor licenses, and street vendors. Past lawsuits have in no way diminished the Commission’s right, power and obligation to control traffic safety, traffic congestion, visual pollution, and noise pollution in our neighborhoods – all of which would be affected by adding unvetted tour operators and more and new types of tour vehicles.
At the first reading of this ordinance Key West was compared to Boston, Savannah, and Washington, D.C. These cities have larger tourist areas, more regulators, and more police. Increasing the number of tour vehicles here will increase neither the number of tourists who come here or who use its tour vehicles. Thus, adding more tour companies and vehicles won’t increase the City’s income. It will increase the mass of tour vehicles, traffic danger and congestion, noise and visual pollution, and the taxpayers’ expense of controlling and regulating them.
We respectfully ask the Commission first to conduct a professional impact study and then, to amend the proposed Ordinance to require of any applicant:
1. Personal, financial and business background checks of all its principals.
2. Credible safety and courtesy training programs.
3. Limiting advertising on tour vehicles and requiring ear phones instead of loudspeakers.
4. Florida registration of all tour vehicles.
5. A public hearing and the written approval by a majority of impacted homeowners of any new tour route.
6. Limitation of leases to no more than 6 years.
7. Minimum passenger load of 25% on each vehicle.
We deserve an ordinance that will preserve our quality of life.
(Note: Also see the comments by Mary Haffenreffer below.)
I represent the Frances Street Neighborhood Association. It represents 150 households in Old Town. Last evening 40 of us met to discuss the impact of the ordinances before you tonight.
Old Town will suffer the greatest impact of any additional tour vehicles and routes. A professional traffic and environmental impact study and, then, a comprehensive, well-planned ordinance, should be in place before the Commission considers licensing any new tour operator, any more tour vehicles, or any new kind of tour vehicle.
The purpose of municipal franchises and licenses is to regulate the quality and efficiency of businesses engaged in a certain service, in order to guarantee the quality and delivery of that service, and to protect the residents of the neighborhoods in which it operates. That’s why you limit the number of taxies, cruise ships, hotel rooms, liquor licenses, and street vendors. Past lawsuits have in no way diminished the Commission’s right, power and obligation to control traffic safety, traffic congestion, visual pollution, and noise pollution in our neighborhoods – all of which would be affected by adding unvetted tour operators and more and new types of tour vehicles.
At the first reading of this ordinance Key West was compared to Boston, Savannah, and Washington, D.C. These cities have larger tourist areas, more regulators, and more police. Increasing the number of tour vehicles here will increase neither the number of tourists who come here or who use its tour vehicles. Thus, adding more tour companies and vehicles won’t increase the City’s income. It will increase the mass of tour vehicles, traffic danger and congestion, noise and visual pollution, and the taxpayers’ expense of controlling and regulating them.
We respectfully ask the Commission first to conduct a professional impact study and then, to amend the proposed Ordinance to require of any applicant:
1. Personal, financial and business background checks of all its principals.
2. Credible safety and courtesy training programs.
3. Limiting advertising on tour vehicles and requiring ear phones instead of loudspeakers.
4. Florida registration of all tour vehicles.
5. A public hearing and the written approval by a majority of impacted homeowners of any new tour route.
6. Limitation of leases to no more than 6 years.
7. Minimum passenger load of 25% on each vehicle.
We deserve an ordinance that will preserve our quality of life.
(Note: Also see the comments by Mary Haffenreffer below.)
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Frances Street Neighborhood Association - Meeting: Monday, November 16, 2009
Dear Neighbors:
Dick and Norma Klein have graciously offered to host our meeting this month. It will be held next Monday, November 16th at 5:30 at their home at 524 Frances.
Mary Haffenreffer will give us a brief overview of the meeting she attended regarding the new potential franchise agreements for sightseeing tour vehicles. She has also posted information on our blog regarding that meeting, which you can read below.
If anyone has an issue they would like addressed this month, please let me know by Thursday, if possible, so we can do any necessary information gathering prior to the meeting.
We begin promptly, so please arrive a couple of minutes early to get settled – and bring a neighbor!
See you next week.
MaryBeth McCulloch
Dick and Norma Klein have graciously offered to host our meeting this month. It will be held next Monday, November 16th at 5:30 at their home at 524 Frances.
Mary Haffenreffer will give us a brief overview of the meeting she attended regarding the new potential franchise agreements for sightseeing tour vehicles. She has also posted information on our blog regarding that meeting, which you can read below.
If anyone has an issue they would like addressed this month, please let me know by Thursday, if possible, so we can do any necessary information gathering prior to the meeting.
We begin promptly, so please arrive a couple of minutes early to get settled – and bring a neighbor!
See you next week.
MaryBeth McCulloch
Monday, November 9, 2009
The City Sightseeing Franchise Ordinance by Mary Haffenreffer
Hi Neighbors,
I attended the City Commission’s November 5th hearing on the proposed sightseeing franchise ordinance. The ordinance passed on its first reading. The second reading will be held November 17th. Our Old Town neighborhoods will suffer the greatest impact of any new twenty-year franchises. The right ordinance can save Old Town from being overwhelmed with sightseeing vehicles. A well-planned ordinance should be in place before the Commission considers licensing any new tour operations.
How many more sight-seeing operations will be allowed? How many tour vehicles will be added to our streets? Before a new tour operation is franchised, will the City conduct a study by independent consultants of the operation’s impact on traffic congestion, traffic safety, and noise, and pay the study’s cost with application fees? Will financial and business background checks of the applicants be required? Must applicants submit credible safety and courtesy training programs? Must they have sufficient insurance to indemnify the City for the company’s operations? Should they be required to hire most of their employees locally? Will the City need another department to regulate all these sightseeing operations, necessitating more City employees, offices, salaries, benefits, and taxes?
The purpose of a franchise is to limit the number of businesses engaged in a certain service in order to guarantee the quality and delivery of the service, and to protect the residents of the neighborhoods that it serves. That is why we are served by one electric company, one water company, one trash company. And that is why the City limits the number of taxies, cruise ships, hotel rooms, liquor licenses, and street vendors, among others.
At the Commission meeting Key West was falsely compared with Boston, Washington and Savannah, whose larger tourist areas can accommodate two or more tour companies. Key West has a much smaller and more residential tourist area than such larger cities. Increasing the number of tour vehicles on our narrow streets will not increase the number of tourists: it will increase traffic congestion through more neighborhoods as at least twice as many and larger tour vehicles traverse new routes, creating more noise and hazards.
We have all gotten behind a Conch Train or a pedicab or several ill-driven scooters. Has it really been that bad? YES. But not as bad as getting behind a Conch Train, a pedicab, several ill-driven scooters, an out-of-town trolley, a mammoth Duck tour vehicle, and a double-decker sightseeing bus.
Visitors are being adequately served by the two existing franchise companies. Doubling the number of franchise companies immediately – and who knows how many others in the future – is not something to be done hastily and without proper impact studies and neighborhood input.
We deserve an ordinance that will preserve our quality of life. Please attend the next reading of the sightseeing franchise ordinance at Old City Hall, on November 17th at six o’clock, and let your voice be heard.
Mary Haffenreffer
I attended the City Commission’s November 5th hearing on the proposed sightseeing franchise ordinance. The ordinance passed on its first reading. The second reading will be held November 17th. Our Old Town neighborhoods will suffer the greatest impact of any new twenty-year franchises. The right ordinance can save Old Town from being overwhelmed with sightseeing vehicles. A well-planned ordinance should be in place before the Commission considers licensing any new tour operations.
How many more sight-seeing operations will be allowed? How many tour vehicles will be added to our streets? Before a new tour operation is franchised, will the City conduct a study by independent consultants of the operation’s impact on traffic congestion, traffic safety, and noise, and pay the study’s cost with application fees? Will financial and business background checks of the applicants be required? Must applicants submit credible safety and courtesy training programs? Must they have sufficient insurance to indemnify the City for the company’s operations? Should they be required to hire most of their employees locally? Will the City need another department to regulate all these sightseeing operations, necessitating more City employees, offices, salaries, benefits, and taxes?
The purpose of a franchise is to limit the number of businesses engaged in a certain service in order to guarantee the quality and delivery of the service, and to protect the residents of the neighborhoods that it serves. That is why we are served by one electric company, one water company, one trash company. And that is why the City limits the number of taxies, cruise ships, hotel rooms, liquor licenses, and street vendors, among others.
At the Commission meeting Key West was falsely compared with Boston, Washington and Savannah, whose larger tourist areas can accommodate two or more tour companies. Key West has a much smaller and more residential tourist area than such larger cities. Increasing the number of tour vehicles on our narrow streets will not increase the number of tourists: it will increase traffic congestion through more neighborhoods as at least twice as many and larger tour vehicles traverse new routes, creating more noise and hazards.
We have all gotten behind a Conch Train or a pedicab or several ill-driven scooters. Has it really been that bad? YES. But not as bad as getting behind a Conch Train, a pedicab, several ill-driven scooters, an out-of-town trolley, a mammoth Duck tour vehicle, and a double-decker sightseeing bus.
Visitors are being adequately served by the two existing franchise companies. Doubling the number of franchise companies immediately – and who knows how many others in the future – is not something to be done hastily and without proper impact studies and neighborhood input.
We deserve an ordinance that will preserve our quality of life. Please attend the next reading of the sightseeing franchise ordinance at Old City Hall, on November 17th at six o’clock, and let your voice be heard.
Mary Haffenreffer
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)