City Council Decision, Fell Road, 21 Sep 2022 

City Manager Rhode provided a background on the study that was completed to determine if Fell Road could be extended to Dairy Road given the location of the canals. Options were presented at the August 9 meeting. He noted that the original language in the City’s Comprehensive Plan included a suggestion for this connection. The project has moved up as others projects were completed. He stated that the engineering firm was present.

 

Mayor Rose asked that the engineers present the study.

 

Bill Huffman with Infrastructure Solutions Services (ISS) stated that they had been commissioned by the City to do a study for the extension of Fell Road. The goals was to see if the road would fit in with the available land. The study concluded that it would fit but did not address issues that may come out of the traffic study. He provided drawings of two options for construction of the roadway. 

 

An attorney representing Palm Lake Estates, distributed information to City Council. She stated that Palm Lake Estates was a 55 and over community with 104 homes. Both entrances to the development were on Fell Road. She noted that Fell Road was substandard and did not have curbing or sidewalks. It was bordered by Canal 10, which was very deep. She stated Palm Lake Estates was a proud community with very nice homes with a nice walk way and community center that was not fenced. She also spoke about Clements Wood Park, which was adjacent to Fell Road. She asked that Council protect the residents by taking this out of the Comprehensive Plan. 

 

A resident stated she was from Compass Point Homeowners Association, which was west of Palm Lakes Estates. She stated there are traffic problems now on Fell Road; if it opened to Dairy there would be more traffic stuck on Hollywood. There would eventually need to be a traffic signal at Compass Pointe so that people can get out of the neighborhood. She stated she saw no benefit in extended the roadway. 

A resident stated he agreed with the other speakers. Traffic gets jammed up on Hollywood Boulevard. If Fell Road was open to Dairy, there would be more traffic detouring down Fell Road. He stated he would be opposed to the additional traffic. 

 

A resident stated she has lived in Palm Lake Estates since 2004. It was a 55 and over community. Ninety-eight percent of the residents were opposed to the Fell Road extension. She noted that they have four people in their 90’s that still drive. She stated she could not imagine the impact this would have on the safety for the residents. Residents walk in the neighborhood during all times of the day and night. She also commented on the baseball field and the overflow parking that would create additional traffic and safety concerns. She encouraged Council to consider the value of life and the need to protect the residents. 7A - 5

 

A resident stated he was with the Palm Lakes Estates Homeowners Association and agreed that this was a safety issue. Cars speed down the street and get mad when they realize that it is a dead end. He believed that opening the road to Dairy would create more speeders.

 

A resident  stated she has lived in Clements Woods for over 29 years. She moved there because of the small town community. She had canvassed the area and presented over 200 signatures, which was 65 percent of the homes opposing the extension. The neighborhood did not want the roadway. It would endanger the children in the neighborhood and the officials need to protect them.

 

A resident  stated he moved to Clements Woods because of the small town feel. The roads 14 years ago were not as congested as they are now. There is a great deal of traffic on Dairy Road. The Fell Road extension would take away the joy of living in the small neighborhood. He appealed to the City to rethink their decision to build the extension. He stated his road was next to the canal and he enjoyed the peace and tranquility. The money for this project could be reassigned to other projects with a greater need in the community.

 

A resident  spoke against the extension because there were already through streets on Florida Avenue and Henry Avenue. Fell Road does not need to have a connection to Dairy Road.

 

A resident asked Council to dismiss the project. Speakers have talked about safety issues and it makes no sense to have the road go through their back yards. She stated that she would be directly affected. There would be damage to their back yards, and unwanted traffic and crime. The City has wasted enough money and should dismiss the proposal from the Comprehensive Plan.

 

A resident stated he agrees with all of the comments. He stated he would directly be impacted and opposed the extension. He also mentioned the wildlife that lived in the area. He asked Council to consider the recent amount of rain that had fallen and the impacts if there was a roadway. Money would be better spent looking at the north-south corridors.

 

A resident  stated she rode the bus to school and could not imagine the increase of traffic if the road was extended. She said we do not need anymore insane drivers. The kids walking in the neighborhood do not want to get hit by a car. She believe the road extension would impact a lot of kids.

 

A resident stated safety was very important especially for the kids, many of which ride their bikes to school. There was a 55 and over community across the street and elderly folks are walking and exercising. He believed this would destroy the community.

 

A resident stated he was speaking from the homeowners association for the Fairmont subdivision and represented the majority of the community that was opposed to the road extension. He stated there was a significant increase in traffic and it was perilous pulling out from their neighborhood onto Dairy Road. Too many cars are using the center median on Dairy Road as an exit or entering lane. He asked that Council reconsider and use the money toward something else.

 

Jason Daniels, 750 John Adams Lane, stated he lived in Clements Wood. He grew up on the Platt ranch where it was safe with very little traffic and crime. He elected to live in Clement Woods because of those same reasons. The extension of Fell Road would change all of that. He stated that it was a nice quiet neighborhood and it should stay that way.

 

A resident  stated he had lived for 20 years on John Carroll Lane and they liked their nice quiet neighborhood with no traffic. She had lived in Brevard since 1976 and had seen a lot of growth. The Fell Road extension was not needed and would create many safety concerns. Children ride their bikes and Hollywood Boulevard is a battle in regards to traffic. She opposed the extension and believed the money could be better spent.

 

A resident  thanked Council for their work and for making West Melbourne the best place to live. She loved the City and their home, which was convenient to shopping and health care needs. She understood the Comprehensive Plan presented an idea that the quality of live was the most important. However, the original proposal was to have Doherty Drive connecting to Fell Road and then to Dairy Road. However in 2005 and 2006, the City gave the road back to the developer so that Fell Road could not go through. Now, the City was trying to retrofit the road. There were concerns with the box culvert. She concluded that there was not enough area for the roadway because the City gave the land to the developers when housing was a priority. She requested that Fell Road be dismissed.

 

Mayor Rose thanked everyone for coming and all the research and emails that were sent. He encouraged everyone to get involved in the Comprehensive Plan process. He also encouraged getting involved by volunteering on one of the City’s boards.

 

All of Council thanked those for speaking, noting that the public’s participation at this meeting made a difference.

 

Council Member Dittmore moved to withdraw any consideration for the Fell Road extension in the Comprehensive Plan. Council Member Adams seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.

Extracted from official minutes.