Oakland residents produce petition for street paving

A majority of the residents living on East Henschen Avenue in Oakland have had enough of the dust that fills the air every time a car passes, and they’re tired of the constant layer that settles on their porches and patios.

They have presented a petition to the town asking for their road to be paved, and the Oakland Town Commission discussed the issue at its Aug.22 meeting.

Five months ago, the town embarked on an extensive stormwater and drainage improvements project along Henschen, which had decades-old lines and is historically a low area.

Some residents along that street have complained to the town about the dust, the potholes, the length of time it has taken to finish the project and the abundance of construction equipment in their front yards.

Public Works Director Mike Parker said the summer's heavy rains have contributed to the delay of the six-month project — and have created a mess on the dirt road. The town recorded more than 15 inches of rain in a 21-day period.

Of the 16 homes on East Henschen, 11 homeowners are in favor of paving; the others were either opposed or were not home when the petition was passed around.

The commission debated the charm of dirt roads versus the practicality of paving certain streets. Mayor Kathy Stark said no dirt streets have been paved in more than 20 years, other than a repaving or new construction.

“The value of the town is the roads and the trees,” Commissioner Sal Ramos said.

Residents argue that Henschen was a quieter road until it became a connector street between Winters and Starr streets after the Winters Landing neighborhood was built. Starr will be paved through an agreement with the Oakland Park development when the neighborhood's phases six and seven are built several years from now.

Several Henschen residents spoke at the meeting, including Lana Wilken Gies.

“I don't want paved roads, but the potholes, things breaking off my car, it's dusty,” she asid. “As a resident, I want nothing more than the dirt roads; it's just gotten to where it's not even fun to live on this street.”

Bill Ungaro, another Henschen homeowner, said he doesn't mind the dust but he is opposed to the increase in traffic along his street, particularly during drop-off and pick-up times at Oakland Avenue Charter School.

Engineers will be looking at these issues, Parker said. The commission is waiting for more facts before making a decision but agreed a traffic study is warranted.

Stark said some of the issues mentioned can immediately be addressed but there is no money in the budget to pave this section of East Henschen, which would cost about $20,000.

Parker hopes the residents can be patient a little longer while the project wraps up.

“For a small town, this is a large project,” Parker said. “But it serves two purposes: It minimizes the flood potential for that and other areas, and it provides nutrient removal and treats the stormwater.”

IN OTHER BUSINESS

• Commissioners heard an update from Tony Hairston, senior manager at Raftelis Financial Consultants, regarding wastewater impact fees and wastewater rates.

Several years ago, the town anticipated the wastewater rates would reach $60 for every 5,000 gallons of water used monthly. Now that all the future development numbers are accounted for, Public Works Director Mike Parker said the actual amount is lower, at $49 per 5,000.

This rate takes into consideration the anticipated build-out, which includes 305 homes in Oakland Trails, 150 at Hull Island and 84 single-family and 400 multi-family homes in Pulte Homes’s Longleaf neighborhood.

As more customers are added to the wastewater system, that amount could decrease even more, Parker said.

In West Orange County, Winter Garden residents pay $26.14 per 5,000 gallons, Orange County residents pay $34.58 and Ocoee residents pay $35.12.

Currently, developers pay wastewater impact fees of $678 per residential unit.

“We are going to propose an increase to $990 in the very near future to provide for anticipated capital improvements and expansion of the town’s wastewater system,” Parker said.

Town staff will propose the new rate at an upcoming town commission meeting. This is for new-home construction for connections to the new sewer system.

Existing residents will be able to connect to the system, Parker said, but it could be 15 years or more before the lines are close enough. Those residents will be subject to the impact fees that are in place at that time.

Parker said the current rate was set before staff knew definite costs for the wastewater system.

• Under the consent agenda, the commission adopted the Fiscal Year 2017 budget for Oakland Avenue Charter School in the amount of $4,266,339 and scheduled the following September meetings: budget workshop, 6:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 11, followed by a commission meeting at 7 p.m.; and final budget approval at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26.

Contact Amy Quesinberry at [email protected].