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Planning Matters continued

the Country Club or the finger canal area east of Bayview
could be included. Our neighborhood is large in
comparison to the neighborhoods currently signed up,
making a partial program possible.

2. City prepares 90% design plans. The cost of the plans,
currently estimated at about $550 per property, will be
billed to residents over a 24 month period at about $25
per month only if neighborhood does not elect to proceed.
3. A cost estimate for the project will be prepared. The
cost includes the following:
• The preliminary estimate for the cost of Preliminary Plans
and final Plans and Specifications and Contract Documents
provided by FP&L and the Other Utilities or such other
consultant capable of providing such documents.
• Estimated construction cost. 6. Once approved and a cost is determined, the City will
• Estimated right-of-way restoration costs including work out an affordable payment mechanism that will allow
repaving of the rights-of-way and restoring sidewalks, homeowners to repay the cost of the special assessment to
landscaping and drainage within the rights-of-way. bury the lines (probably about $25,000 per property),
• The estimated cost of laying the required conduit leading over a long period, most likely 20-30 years.
from the public right of way and ending at the meter box
located on the Parcel if Owner has agreed in writing to 7. Construction.
permit City’s Contractor to construct the conduit on the Parcel. Of note is that the Florida Public Service Commission
• The estimated cost of restoration of Parcel damage as a recently approved a petition from FPL to eliminate the cost
result of the installation of the conduit on the Parcel if of removal of overhead lines and poles, from the cost FPL
Owner has agreed in writing to permit City’s Contractor to will charge to convert from overhead to underground
construct the conduit on the Parcel. service. This could substantially reduce the project costs.
• Estimated costs of obtaining any required Easements or The CRCCE Board has received a number of inquiries from
other conveyances or Agreements. residents who have expressed interest in all parts of the
• Estimated cost of a Coordinating Consultant to neighborhood pursuing undergrounding utility lines in the
coordinate all activities and prepare all documents neighborhood.
necessary to bring the UULA to the City Commission for a
public hearing to consider adoption of a Final UULA If you are interested in this program, please email either
Assessment. myself or Jason Ulbrich at the addresses below:
• Estimated terms for payment of the special assessment. Jason Ulbrich jbonz@bellsouth.net
4. Once the design plans are complete, a vote of property Tim Hernandez timhernandez@bellsouth.net
owners will be held in which approval of 70% of property If we get enough interest, we’ll take the necessary steps to
owners in an area who return a ballot–not 70% of property initiate the application process with the City.
owners--is required to proceed. All individual property
owners within the improvement area will have a number of Timothy L. Hernandez, AICP, is an urban planner, builder and
opportunities to express their support or concerns during developer and a member of the American Institute of Certified
the course of the entire process. Planners. He is co-founder of New Urban Communities, a
Delray Beach based development firm specializing in urban
5. If the 70% threshold is reached, the City Commission
infill, redevelopment and custom homes and a 25 year
will hold a public hearing to authorize the burial project to
proceed. Once approved the program becomes mandatory resident of Coral Ridge Country Club Estates. He can be
reached via email at timhernandez@bellsouth.net.
on all homeowners in the assessment area.

18 The Landings & Bay Colony