Golf carts crossing Highway 19

1:24:44Um so I was contacted by residents of Gulf Harbors and I've emailed all of you the copy of the state statute. I they feel that the interpretation and maybe that that this is new state statute law about golf carts crossing the highway. If you look at uh and I said it to David I sent it to Karbala and I sent it to Steinsteiner. Um that on two let's see. Okay. Two A. A

1:25:15golf cart may be operated on a part of the state highway system only under the following conditions a. to cross a portion of the state highway system which intersects a county road or municipal street that has been designated for use by golf carts if the Department of Transportation has reviewed and approved the location, design of the crossing, and any traffic control devices needed for safety purposes. So Uh, the golf cart users in golf harbors apparently

1:25:46have been crossing 19 to get to New Port Richey. Um Or And Uh recently No golf cart crossing signs have gone up. Now that's the city of Newport Ritchie. Um saying they're not allowed to. Uh they asked me to bring this up to you and wonder is this new language? Did you know, 'cause you know I've been bringing this up to Secretary Gwyn all the time. At the TMA. And so is this new language and can we petition a D O T?

1:26:17To allow for crossings if

1:26:20It is

1:26:20under certain conditions.

1:26:22It is not new language. Um it was I think originally adopted in two thousand and two thousand or two thousand five, the legislative history shows It was amended in two thousand, two thousand five, two thousand eight. Two thousand ten, two thousand fifteen. That particular section was added at the request of Colony Cove in Manatee County. um for them to crow cross US

1:26:52three oh one.

1:26:54Well can it be used across USB?

1:26:59before that before this amendment to the statute.

1:27:02Well f do you do you see anything in there that would um allow since their golf carts are allowed on one side and golf carts are allowed on the other In a city. Um and this highway's going through the city. Do you see anything there that would allow us to ask DOT to see if they can cross at the intersection?

1:27:24It's D O T's call.

1:27:25Oh I know. Right. But we have to ask them to look at it. That's that's what they say they're interpreting. the language.

1:27:34Is that County proper, it's not within the city limits?

1:27:38It's uh it's it's New Port Richey and New Port Richey on the other. And D O T in the middle. You know, US nineteen.

1:27:45Okay. What's so my get If I And there's a trail on

1:27:49one side

1:27:49and a trail on the other. If I was the DOT secretary, I'd say the request would have to come from the city. From if the city if the city is on i is the is at the point in which they're going to try and cross. But I mean the county commission could ask

1:28:05You already have the ability.

1:28:12Probably would be better if it came from both the county and the city from DOT's perspective. I'll talk with their city manager.

1:28:20And um so Jack, yeah, it's interesting language there.

1:28:23It is.

1:28:24Um

1:28:25let me let me let me bring up another thought. Um because we have we have timing of lights up and down US nineteen plus some of the crossroads where we're going to be able to do Pasco County's got a one timing setup. The city's got another timing set up. And Port Ritchie as well, I believe. And D O T It doesn't control 'em in the cities the cities do at this point. And Mr. Steinsteiner, maybe you know, is there a way we can then petition to actually take control of the highway in the intersections?

1:28:54I'm I'm pretty certain that we we control the majority of the signalization along nineteen in our traffic control center. I can talk with our traffic operations team and find out what the division of responsibility and labor is, but I've been in the traffic operations center and we They they do a pretty good job during peak hours of of moving those vehicles and and timing. I'm not sure where you're going with that, but I can get you an answer.

1:29:21A lot of it depends on time of day and and direction of flow. And that it's really meant to move US US nineteen at the appropriate time. So you could get stuck at a crossroad for a very long time while southbound traffic is is moving. I mean but I I can have our traffic operations give us a more detailed briefing on on the on the uh the approach to to those things.

1:29:46Like I I drive down to New Port Richey Saturday, Sunday mornings continually and during the day a lot of the other times. When you get to sometimes We'll hit our lights and I'll just hit one after the other.

1:29:58Mm-hmm.

1:29:59Sometimes green, sometimes red. I mean it's it's pretty consistent one way or the other. You get to the cities and it's a different flow usually going through. So I can start slow or start fast. I slow down the other way. I think there's a there's a break and I think And I've talked to the Secretary about it because frankly I don't like the red light cameras. In the city's only one have it. And it's just the cities on the west side. And that that costs our citizens a lot of money of insurance. Yeah. I don't think it saves anything as far as n there's no strong data that's all those those things work. A few years ago the city

1:30:29said they were gonna get rid of them. And then when it all died down they haven't done anything. So if we could take the intersections over, I'd be fine with that anyway.

1:30:37Commissioner, do you have soccer in your items?

1:30:40Uh I do not, but go ahead. Okay.

1:30:44Um Is everyone getting hammered by soccer people?

1:30:48Uh I'll can I speak to this? Commissioner Weightman. Our our office is yes.

1:30:55Are you Wesley Chapel? Yes.

1:30:57So you know there's there's issues and then there's youth sports and field issues. It's been a uh

1:31:07Quick study and we have a lot of hours Andy and I. We have we have a lot of hours in this so Before before any anything is made and we've working with parks. Uh I've got to meet with, you know, all I wanna meet with all the stakeholders. And understand the whole picture. And um based on that conversation and talking with Parks team and I asked for some time before we discuss it up up here.

1:31:37So let me and I'll agree with with that sentiment as well. I I will say to Uh everyone that I I've actually met with the Wesley Chapel Athletic Association. I've met with Florida Premier. uh in at Tampa United was in the Wesley Chapel Athletic Association. Uh that Wesley Chapel Chapel Athletic Association does a phenomenal job, coordinated things all the way through. Um New information is coming up from one of the board members from That they didn't know that Could change the dynamic

1:32:07of the whole conversation coming up, so I think if we waited till the following meeting, till the next meeting coming up, we might be a good time to talk. A lot of things may evolve. conversations may happen that may they may help resolve themselves coming up.

1:32:20I think it's it's really important. Um, you know, I was dealing with Wesley W with Wesley Chapel Athletic Association when I was on the school board. Because even you know, way way back then they didn't have the fields they needed for their association. Um I think it's really important Uh that we have Like all the players in the room at the same time. 'Cause I can tell you there's a lot of he said, she said and the facts aren't facts that are being said out there.

1:32:50Mr. Chairman Mariano I think I'll have a meeting next week to have all the players.

1:32:53You mean at the in two weeks?

1:32:55Within two weeks, like next week. So before our next blood meeting.

1:32:58Oh you you are probably going to have to.

1:33:01I already had like two meetings with separate.

1:33:02I I have two. I've had Tampa Bay United, I've had Florida Premier, and now I'm gonna have Wesley Chapel Chapel Athletic Assistant. I

1:33:09don't meet with the team until tomorrow to get an overview of that. So it I like a little time. This is this is our our internal team.

1:33:22I've been through that.

1:33:24When when it comes to this issue, At least from the due diligence and conversation and Big picture that our office has discovered. I

1:33:36I think our our conversation I think will will be broader. So Uh I'm not sure when we meet. I haven't met with WCA yet, but I'm excited to meet with them and meet those folks and from there Uh That could be a good Good conversation to have.

1:33:54I'm meeting with

1:33:55locals.

1:33:55I'm meeting with them also.

1:33:58And I think it's a phenomenal way to go. I mean the Wesley Chapel Group The Athletic Associates have been a phenomenal contributor to the park. Volunteer volunteers, all parents passionate. Just like when you were dealing with the school board. Yeah, all the parents, this is the same type of thing. And Keith what he deals with with everything as well. The great thing is I think everybody wants to take care of the kids and help promote the county in the best way it can. So I think everybody's got the right intentions. It's just a matter of how do we find to get there. So I'm glad we're all having the meetings. I think it's critical that we do and then Not

1:34:28get too excited right now, just let's see how it plays out in a couple of weeks and maybe we'll get everything resolved and Yeah. In a better situation.

1:34:34Yeah, and that's a big issue in our area. Also, Saddlebrook's a big issue on meeting with residents in Saddlebrook also to Uh get the full story on everybody's part. So there's gotta be a meeting of minds and somewhere in the middle we've got to uh come for rest and we all be happy with what we got. So

1:34:53in all my years I try to get information, whatever source I can get it at, take it all in. So when we're sitting up here making decision, you can make a good decision what you feel good about. And I I I always want to say that I want I made the best decision I had with the infation information. Yeah. But again I stress on getting as much information as I can before we get to those points.

1:35:10At the end of the day we have a good problem w because we have a lot of youth that wanna play sports. Yeah. Yeah. And that is much better than not having any youth who wants to play sports. Right.

1:35:20And play sports in Pasco.

1:35:22Yeah.