Rush hour rear ending prompts residents to approach city

Concerns about access to and from their Brandon neighborhood safely led Eagle Creek subdivision residents to approach the city council Oct. 2.

Sandstone Avenue is the only entrance and exit into the Eagle Creek development. A traffic bottleneck at the intersection of Sandstone and Holly boulevards is hindering those residents’ ability to access their neighborhood during the morning and early evening rush hours. 

“We have to mash on the accelerator and jump out in front of 45 mph traffic,” said Matt Henning, who lives in Eagle Creek. The subdivision consists of 153 dwelling units, which include single-family homes on Meadowbrook Trail and Creekside Circle, as well as Eagle Creek Apartments. 

Henning was at city council in June to discuss the traffic troubles, which he said, have been ongoing. The city of Brandon performed a traffic study at the intersection about 10 years ago, said city administrator Bryan Read, and determined a turn lane was warranted.  

The city has installed a flashing do-not-pass sign near the intersection of Holly Boulevard and Heritage Place. Both Read and Henning said many drivers ignore the sign and pass on the right shoulder while Eagle Creek residents wait for a break in rush-hour traffic on Holly to get into or out of their subdivision. 

“Nobody has respect for anybody sitting there,” Henning said. “I’ve lived in this development seven years, and nothing’s been done about it. It’s time to do something.” 

One option is to extend Meadowbrook Trail to meet Heritage Place. However, the developer of that 1,000-foot stretch of land, is unwilling to sell it to the city or develop it. 

In such cases, Read said the city can look at forcible condemnation. 

Condemning the land would allow the city to connect Meadowbrook to Heritage and give the Eagle Creek subdivision a second outlet. 

Henning said he had requested increased police presence in the area to allay speeding, but that presence has fallen off. He said putting in a turn lane wouldn’t do much good, but a turn signal might. 

Mark Rechtenbaugh, who also lives in the subdivision, disagreed. He said a less costly turn lane was all that was needed “so we don’t get rear-ended.”

Most of the accidents that occur at the intersection, Read said, involve drivers getting rear-ended. 

“There’s only going to be more traffic,” Henning said. “I feel now is the time to fix it.”

Councilman Blaine Jones said that while he was not in favor of condemning land, he would continue to push for an extension of Meadowbrook Trail to Heritage Place. 

Mayor Larry Beesley said the city would look at its previous traffic study to determine the next step and revisit the topic at the council’s next regular meeting on Oct. 16. 

Parks and rec

Alderwoman Barb Fish, who is the council liaison to the city parks and recreation board, updated the council on the department’s recent activity. 

Fish said the park and rec board is considering distributing a “public discussion survey” to determine Brandon residents’ priorities regarding recreational projects. Fish said the committee is also evaluating prices for swim passes and swim lessons for 2018 and the cost-effectiveness of installing a vending machine at the pool in lieu of paying staff to sell concessions. 

Fish said the bids for construction of a new concession stand at Aspen Park, which the city is funding as part of the Field of Dreams renovation of diamond A, came in $100,000 higher than estimated. She requested that the council defer the city’s allocated funds for restrooms and shelter to the 2018 budget and apply the 2017 funds to completing the concession stand. The council approved the motion. 

The council also approved a motion to purchase new software for the city pool’s registration process. 

Chris Brown, sponsorship manager for the Brandon Valley Baseball Association, updated the council on progress on First National Bank Field of Dreams @ Aspen Park. The city is helping to fund the project, which began in September, and is expected to be complete in the spring. 

Brown said the BVBA will be partnering with Renner to co-host a Legion baseball tournament over Father’s Day weekend of 2018. Eleven teams have committed to the tournament, and the BVBA is planning for 16 teams. 

Brown said Field of Dreams will be occupied by Brandon’s Legion team and 13- and 14-year-old teams 80 percent of the time, but all age groups will have the opportunity to play on the field, which will have moveable bases to accommodate various skill levels. 

At last week’s meeting the council approved a pay application to RCM Services for construction of the new concession and restroom building at Aspen Park.

The city is also looking at improving the alley behind Brandon’s Pizza Ranch and Family, Floors & Furniture. Part of a previous purchase agreement, the $15,250 project, will include curb and gutter on the east side, removal of old concrete and backfilling black dirt and seed there. D&K Construction is on board to do the work. 

The council also approved an ordinance to re-zone land along Aspen Boulevard where developer Justin Oakland of Oakland Homes is a new residential development, in addition to a change order and a pay application to Soukup Construction for work at the Brandon Park Addition, and a pay application to Soukup for removal of bio-solids at the wastewater ponds.

The city council’s next regularly scheduled meeting is at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 16.