The cafe atmosphere created by people eating and drinking at outside tables along Lake and Lucerne avenues is part of the charm of the city’s downtown.
But the Florida Department of Transportation says some of the diners and drinkers are too close to the curb, jeopardizing the city’s lease of state right of way and forcing pedestrians to wind through a maze of tables and chairs in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
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22 comments:
Any Amoroso suggested that the city take control of both these streets so that we don't have to comply with FDOT. What a great solution, Andy. Are you for real? With Andy, it's all about his downtown business and making money. Heck with people trying to walk on the sidewalks and heck with people in wheelchairs. They can rot or walk in the gutter. This has to be the most selfish commissioner ever. Is that good for another category here sort of going along with the worst commission ever?
"chairs and tables 6 feet back from the curb".
This really is a doubled edged sword. 6 feet takes away almost all outdoor seating.However, it is almost imposible to walk downtown without stepping into someone's dinner! A wheelchair would have to go into the road! A meeting between the building owners,business owners and the city needs to happen.Hopefully ,we can reach a sensible compromise. Katie
Katie, stepping into someones dinner? That to me, means your talking about the evening and night crowd.I was there at those times on a Friday and never seen a problem.Dave`s is on the corner.It might get a little crowded with an overflow of customers on weekends or a Holiday weekend.No big deal.Patrons will move out of the way for disabled in wheelchairs. Very seldom happens.Then you have the dog problem, lifting his leg while your drinking your beer. Also that picture shows bikes leaning against the trees. Where is the bike rack.
Then you have the problem of Lawsuits if someone leans back in those chairs and falls. Who is responsible?
Where is the Sheriff on foot patrol? Out chasing the drugies and hookers.
There is a problem and the City needs to address it.
Actually, I don't believe there is any compromise...the law is the law.
Does W.P.B. have that problem on Clematis? How do they handle that?
You say the Law is the Law. Then the city should take care of it.
Fine Dave`s or whomever.
Code enforcement?
One of the problems we have had in the city is that code officers don't work on weekends. This is when most of the problems arise, not only in the downtown but throughout the city with illegal yard sales, etc.. It used to be that our LW police would code people on weekends. Now that we pay more with PBSO for policing, they are not involved in our code issues.
As Amoroso's solution is to take back our 2 roads which means the 100% maintenance of them, look to Andy for that answer, anonymous at 11:29am.
What are normal people doing out in the evening, window shopping? Not.Its only a problem to the nit-pickers that have nothing else better to do. I guess they wont be having any parades either. Not possible to walk through the crowd hardly. People in the streets. Different situation? Yes. Roads blocked and you cant get home until its over. To me this situation is not that bad. Most can live with it. Relax and enjoy Life. Be nice to people and it will be returned to you. Respect to others. Our time is short here on Earth.
Take back the roads? Does that mean from the western city limit to the Casino? I think the State has had control of that forever. A thing for the City Attorney to check into.
Parades have to have permits. People have a right to walk on sidewalks that are unobstructed. The disabled have a right to get by in their wheelchairs. To say they are nit-pickers is unfair. This has been a constant problem with some of the downtown restaurants. You give them an inch and they want the entire sidewalk which is not part of their agreement. If the restaurants can't police themselves and just want to be greedy, then the law will have to do it. People come to our downtown to window shop. That is part of the reason why they come here but the other reason why they are walking on our sidewalks is to get to point B from where they parked. Sometimes it is a challenge. I agree with you. Let's respect others not just the restaurant owners.
Andy's solution is self centered and does not respect the public's ability to enjoy a stroll along Lake and Lucerne.
Sometimes it is the business owner who needs to think beyond the dollar to become a better citizen.
You can stroll in Bryant Park, at the new Casino or even go to PB and stroll down Worth Ave. You can still stroll down Lake and Lucerne. Just walk through or around the party people. No big deal.
What does all of that have to do with blocking sidewalks?
If you look at that photo and see the guy standing with the Tuba leaning against the tree. There is still plenty of room to walk between the tree and street. You cant walk every where arm and arm. You adjust to the situations like driving a car and you have to go around a car that is letting a rider off. Geez
"People come to our downtown to window shop".
THERE IS A MINIMAL AMOUNT OF ACTUAL "SHOPPING" IN OUR QUAINT LITTLE DOWNTOWN WITH 50% VACANCIES. 95% OF THE PEOPLE THAT GO DOWNTOWN GO TO EAT AND DRINK.
Delray and West Palm both have tables on the sidewalks and a helluva lot more tourists walking around than Lake Worth ever will and both those cities seem to be doing better than Lake Worth.
I agree with above. This is nothing more than some sour people that want to hear themselves talk.
WPB: West Palm Beach requires 42 inches of clear walking area along its sidewalks.
Delray Beach:Delray Beach requires 40 inches of clear walking area on sidewalks and a 4-foot setback from the curb. Restaurants are required to maintain a 5-foot pedestrian path parallel to the street between the business and the café seating, and at least 2 feet between the curb and the seating. Restaurants can also set up right against the business as long as they keep a 5-foot pedestrian walkway between the café seating and the curb.
Boynton: In Boynton Beach, restaurants with outside dining along Ocean Avenue must keep tables and chairs 4 feet away from the curb.
Thats the LW Trojan highschool band passing through, you sure know how to pick the pictures for this blog to show your side.
Don't forget, we dont want to be WPB, Delray, or Boynton, so why use them as examples?
I didn't pick them as examples--the PB Post did. I was answering the anonymous post before me. I get it. You have a reading comprehension problem.
All you have to do is walk down the avenue anonymous to understand the problem. I also didn't choose to cite LW for a problem--FDOT did.
Stop being so angry...not good for ya.
JESUS H. CHRIST.This city does not belong to the downtown merchants even though Amoroso would love it to be so.
Even the taxes they pay go to the CRA, not the city.They need to operate within our ordinances.PERIOD. GET IT??????????????????????????????? We still have that stupid kava bar down there.
I would say a picture in front of Dave's is a good example of crowding sidewalks although this photo does not show it. In a Dec. 3 letter to the city, FDOT Property Management Administrator Josh Miller notes that Lake Worth is not complying with terms of a 2009 lease. The state found tables and chairs encroaching into the area of the sidewalk 6 feet in from the curb, which is state-owned right of way, during inspections in May and November.
Why doesn't the city do something about it? Is it that Andy would rather cut down a messy tree instead?
@ 217:"I would say a picture in front of Dave's is a good example of crowding sidewalks although this photo does not show it." What are you saying, to funny, and sad.
Another intelligent Lake Worth voter, no wonder we get Golden, McVoy, and Mulvehill elected.
Nice attitude, let's take over ownership of the roads so we don't have to follow the law and make up our own. Remember that when you start seeing his RE-ELECT AMOROSO. Most likely coming soon to a corner near you if he follow the stragedy that got him elected the first time.
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