Town Hall: Gas Tax Hike, Hwy 29/97 Traffic Light, And Do Roosters Crow?

February 26, 2013

A gas tax hike, chickens, whether or not roosters crow, 100 mph log trucks and, yes, a traffic light at Highway 29 and Highway 97 were among the topics of discussion Monday night as Escambia County District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry took county government on the road to a town hall meeting in Molino.

Accompanied by numerous department heads, the meeting at the Molino Community Complex was the first for Barry since taking office late last year.

GAS TAX

Numerous citizens questioned Barry about a four cent gas tax hike to fund ECAT mass transit, which was passed the day before he was sworn in. Residents expressed their displeasure, claiming the tax was unfair burden to District 5 residents were there is limited access to ECAT services. “We are being taxed to death,” one resident said, while another claimed the tax would cost her small business $200 per month once it goes into effect in 2014.

Barry responding with a desire, albeit unlikely, that the commission would rescind the tax in light of a Pensacola City Council vote on Monday. [Read more...]

CHICKENS AND ROOSTERS

A few residents addressed the county commission ongoing discussion about regulating chickens. Chickens are currently permitted in agricultural zones, while an ordinance is in the works to allow, but regulate chickens in other zones if the property meets minimum size requirements that are yet to be finalized.

“Changes would actually reduce zoning to allow chickens in additional zones,” Code Enforcement Director Sandra Slay said, adding that reading comments on NorthEscambia.com has shown that the public remains confused on the issue.  She said a new ordinance might require chickens outside agricultural areas to be in a coop, property to be of a certain size, and other “less restrictive” conditions.

“How do you get chickens with no rooster?” a citizen asked, referring to a previously proposed ordinance that would have banned roosters outside agricultural areas.

“I like to hear a rooster crow in the morning,” one citizen said, leading a discussion about roosters and what time of day they might crow.

“I’m confused if they crow,” Barry said, admitting that raising chickens was not his area of expertise. “Perhaps they do.”

HIGHWAY 97 TRAFFIC LIGHT

As the Florida Highway Patrol worked a traffic crash on Highway 97 near Highway 29, less than two miles from Monday night’s town hall meeting, a resident questioned if a traffic light could be installed at the intersection to improve safety.

Assistant County Administrator Larry Newsom said it was a “high hazard intersection” and the county had almost “begged” the Florida Department of Transportation for a traffic light to no avail. “We will not stop until DOT does something,” he said.

90-100 MPH LOG TRUCKS

A resident of Highway 95A asked what could be done about log trucks that speed past her home at “90 to 100 mph”. She said she has never seen a DOT officer or Sheriff’s deputy patrolling for the high speed trucks.

Barry said the question would be passed along to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office for possible followup.

DON SUTTON PARK, CRABTREE CHURCH RD.

A resident questioned why Crabtree Church is being widened, and why the Don Sutton Park is often locked.

Public Works Chief Wes Moreno said plans to widen the shoulders on Crabtree Church Road is completely a Florida Department of Transportation project, with all funding from the state. Parks boss Michael Rhodes said county parks are often locked to prevent vehicular access and vandalism, but a walk-thru gate will be installed to allow pedestrian access to the park.

Pictured top: Escambia County District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry (right) listens as Assistant County Administrator Larry Newsom. Pictured insets and below: A District 5 town hall meeting at the Molino Community Complext Monday night. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

Comments

15 Responses to “Town Hall: Gas Tax Hike, Hwy 29/97 Traffic Light, And Do Roosters Crow?”

  1. jon on February 26th, 2013 6:41 pm

    I can’t believe it yall have elected Oliver Wendell Douglas to be our County Commissioner in District 5.. lol.. (Green Acres)

  2. well on February 26th, 2013 6:11 pm

    Block Hwy 97 on the east side of 29. Eliminates cross traffic.
    Fix 29 so north bound traffic can’t turn back south into the tom thumb.
    Make all tom thumbs traffic come out on Crabtree, they are widening it.

    What ever we think we had better pay attention in the intersection. :-)

  3. sonors on February 26th, 2013 4:26 pm

    Move the driver’s brain from where they sit to their heads,,,true,,,this is much less than the proposed 500 ft ,, but probably harder to get done !

  4. charlie on February 26th, 2013 12:52 pm

    Move the intersection 500 ft. north and the problem is solved.

  5. Walnut Hill Resident on February 26th, 2013 12:31 pm

    Most log trucks have governors on them that they cannot exceed a certain speed. Even though it looks and sounds like it is going a 100mph its not. You cannot judge speed by the sound nor the way it looks.

  6. David Huie Green on February 26th, 2013 12:29 pm

    REGARDING:
    “Huie! I used to work with your daddy. I probably ate some of those roosters….. ”

    He had a better sense of humor than I do.

    David with better parents

  7. 429SCJ on February 26th, 2013 10:28 am

    The problem with the intersection is it’s proximity to the Tom Thumb store.

    The store should have been built further up or down from the intersection.

    We need a zoning and planning board.

  8. doubting thomas on February 26th, 2013 9:41 am

    Simple Build a cloverleaf at the intersectiopn and all problems will be solved.

  9. xpeecee on February 26th, 2013 9:29 am

    Our County Commissioner: “I’m confused if they crow,” Barry said, admitting that raising chickens was not his area of expertise. “Perhaps they do.”

    I had high hopes for Commissioner Barry. Red flags popping up, now. Never thought I would have a Commissioner who didn’t know whether or not a rooster crows. Where did you say you are from???

    You are a hoot, Huie! I used to work with your daddy. I probably ate some of those roosters….. ;)

  10. David Huie Green on February 26th, 2013 8:49 am

    We had a rooster who didn’t crow.
    Unfortunately the other one did.
    After it awakened my father who was working graveyard shift, Daddy lined up both roosters with his shot gun and the non crower died for the sins of the crower.
    (We never did find out where they came from, just that they left two bantam widows behind to mourn.)

    David for better sound-proofing

  11. Nita on February 26th, 2013 7:43 am

    My complaint on 97/29 is there
    engineering on the turn lane is
    not working.
    Pull up to turn right onto 29 and you can’t
    see because of the person on your left.
    You have to pull up into traffic almost to see.
    And hope the one turning left or going straight
    stays back instead of pulling up waiting to go.
    YOU CAN’T SEE OVER OR AROUND
    THE PERSON BESIDE YOU.

  12. Walnut Hill Roy on February 26th, 2013 7:06 am

    All that a traffic light will do is move the accidents further up the road. Picture a car in front of a pack of 25 cars doing 45 mph, people will try passing that car or cars in areas that are not safe and head on collisions will ensue. I agree with the previous writer that people only need to pay attention. I personally have witnessed a girl talking on the phone following another car into a left turn onto 97 from 29 when there was a car coming down 29 that almost hit her. I use that intersection all of the time and have never had a problem, the secret is in paying attention.

  13. Jane on February 26th, 2013 6:56 am

    How can a traffic light make this intersection any worse than it is? It may slow some of the speeders down. There are too many people going in too many directions at this intersection and then you add the people speeding down 29 from the north and up from the south. I can count at least 2 accidents there every week, sometimes more than that. There are school busses and people transporting children there also.

  14. Oak Grove Bud on February 26th, 2013 5:49 am

    Didn’t get to go to the meeting, but I can’t understand why F.D.O.T. hasn’t thought about helping the county with repaving Pine Barren Road north of Breastworks to highway 4. A lot of traffic on this road to Northview High school. Also highway 99 which has traffic to three schools.

  15. Red on February 26th, 2013 4:51 am

    A traffic light at 29/97 will not fix the problem. The problem are drivers not paying attention. We have accidents all over town all day long at intersections with traffic lights. Stop putting bandaids on problems, stop trying to regulate away problems, stop trying to fix the symptoms, and lets start focusing on the casue of the problem, people.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News