January 1, 2014 by author

When we first discovered the hidden gem of Neptune Beach, over 21 years ago, my wife and I were amazed by the variety and beauty it had to offer. From the pristine coastline to the rich marsh life, and all the different neighborhoods in-between, we knew this was a place that deserved to be protected and nurtured.

Preserving Quality of Life / Character

Preserving our quality of life cannot be overstated. I believe our unique character is one of our great strengths, and soon after moving here, I volunteered to join the Planning Board to help our community manage growth responsibly. Then I continued my public service when the city transitioned to a Community Development Board.

But I saw that our community was entering a time of fast-moving changes that could drastically alter the character of Neptune Beach. I voted against the proposed Walmart. I spoke against the apartments at 500 Atlantic. I opposed increasing the scale of commercial signage. And when I joined the City Council, I co-sponsored moratoriums on PUDs and lot-splits that could negatively affect our density.

I am not against development, but I am against out-of-scale development that ignores our character and goes against the spirit of our code.

Planning for the Future

My hope for Neptune Beach, if you vote to keep me in office, is to continue planning for the future without forgetting the past. There is so much to love about our community, and I want to set us up for success by getting ahead of the changes and controlling our own destiny.

Serving on the CDB has shown me the difficulties with working with our code and its impact both on the community and on homeowners hoping to renovate their properties. I will work towards streamlining the code, making it more user-friendly, and updating it, so everyone can realize the best potential of their beloved homes.

I will also work towards improving our infrastructure. Many neighborhoods in our city still have clay sewer pipes. We are entering a cycle of increased weather instability, and the flooding from each heavy rain is putting enormous stress on our aging system -- I myself have witnessed the effects on our homeowners. Although we have already initiated projects for sewer plant upgrades, and initial engineering for stormwater improvements are in the pipeline, that is only the beginning. Much more needs to be prioritized. Every expense now is not only to protect us, but also to preserve Neptune Beach for our children and our children’s children.

Pedestrian & Bicycle Safety

We are a small city, and we should be a safely walkable city. Our children attend at least three major schools in our area, play at Jarboe Park, and go to the beach, and their safety should be paramount in our city planning.

I will encourage focusing on pedestrian and bicycle safety as we continue to move forward. Whether it is to press FDOT or COJ for more safety lights and other improvements at crossings, or to brainstorm new streetscape profiles that promote safer passage for people and bikes, I want to make sure it is always a part of the conversation.

My dream is to provide our residents the ability to safely walk, jog, bike, skate, or even race their dogs, from one end of our city to the other.