The Marathon City Council said it is seeking a partner in local projects, not a master.
Members of council told the Florida Department of Transportation's District Director of Operations Gus Pego at Tuesday night's meeting that they had concerns with plans for the Overseas Heritage Trail, slated to come through Marathon, and wanted a say in the design process.
"When it comes to this type of project, we -- the city -- must be a major partner in anything that is done that affects our city and our businesses," Councilman Dick Ramsay said. "And, frankly, I'm not sure that was done. We still have issues. I would suggest the [Department of Environmental Protection], DOT and the city sit down and lay out the issues, and we discuss it so that the city feels like we're partners."
The Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail is a multi-use bicycle and pedestrian facility currently under design and construction by the DEP, Office of Greenways and Trails, according to the DEP Web site. Ultimately, the vision is of a scenic corridor extending from Key Largo to Key West that serves not only as a highway, but a recreational greenway that permits hiking, running, bicycling, in-line skating, sightseeing, fishing and kayaking.
"The Overseas Heritage Trail has been ongoing, in many forms, for many years," he said. "We're trying to upgrade to something that can be shared. Now we're moving through Marathon, and we're ready to start the project in 60 days."
The problem in Marathon, for now, centers around a few businesses in the Old Town portion of Marathon, but officials believe that is just the start.
"The only area that is going to have this type of bike trail is exactly from 37th Street to 35th Street," said Vice Mayor Mike Cinque. "But the DEP is looking for more money to expand this. Eventually, this is going to affect the entire community."
The Heritage Trail is currently designed to brush past both the Stuffed Pig Restaurant and the building that once housed the Overseas Lounge. Both locations have parking spaces where the trail would run.
"You pay taxes to be on U.S.1. You want to be on U.S.1, not access from a side street," Cinque said. "We're going to keep our neighborhoods the way our citizens want them. Most of this Old Town was built before U.S.1 existed.
"This first phase is affecting one of my buildings, so I will recuse myself from the rest of this [discussion]," Cinque, a part-owner of the Stuffed Pig, said.
Richard Warner, representing the estate that owns the Overseas Lounge property and a group called Save Our Spaces, also spoke about the damaging effects of removing the parking along U.S. 1.
"For 50 years we've utilized the parking in front of Overseas Lounge ... for overflow parking in front of the [Marathon Community] Park," Warner said. "There has never been enough parking for city events."
Warner said the Overseas Lounge property could not recover from losing the spaces.
"The estate and our property will be devastated if the trail passes us as is planned. That piece of property would never be sold for more than the outstanding estate tax on the property."
When the federal government eventually took it over, he said, Marathon would be left with another undeveloped blight.
He also pointed out that the Heritage Trail was augmented for businesses in Islamorada.
"If Islamorada is preserved and helped, then shouldn't that be applicable to the city of Marathon? When the local businesses saw they would lose their parking, the state allowed them to not have the built up trail ... but just the designated trail with a couple of paint lines. All I ask if for that same protection."
While Pego promised to send FDOT's lead engineer to Marathon to discuss the project, further compromise on the project didn't seem likely.
"The parking areas are on state right of way," Pego said. "DEP has met with property owners to try to mitigate the loss of space, but I'm here to say, safety is the departments no. 1 priority. We don't want [the trail] too close to the [traffic] lanes."
Pego said he was aware business owners and city officials were upset and staying involved. "I understand the business owners have had someone in Tallahasse to meet with the DEP.
"Sometimes there are a few sacrifices by the few for the great many," Pego said. "I think there's a balance that has already has been stricken."
Aviation traffic
Pego was more willing to find a solution to another problem city officials said needs tackled: the U.S.1/Aviation Boulevard intersection.
While the city has sought a traffic light for the location, Pego said that isn't currently feasible.
"Right now it doesn't meed DOT criteria," he said. "Until it meets that threshold [of traffic]," DOT won't consider a light. Even with increased traffic in the area, a light would come only "after you've done everything else to improve the intersection."
Pego recommended making a separate left turn lane for vehicles coming from Aviation and turning left. The median barrier, he said, would have to be trimmed back.
"That gives people a chance to make a turn by seeking median refuge and continuing on," Pego said.
Ramsay asked for a drawing of the proposal, and if a representative of FDOT could come present the plan.
"The council and public should see what we're discussing."
Pego agreed.