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    • New temporary landscaping start time in Palm Beach is 7:30 a.m.
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    New temporary landscaping start time in Palm Beach is 7:30 a.m.

    Harry Posted on

    As traffic overflows Palm Beach’s roads, the City Council unanimously approved a temporary change that will allow landscaping and public works to begin 90 minutes earlier.

    The decision on November 12 will increase the working hours granted to landscape architects from 9 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. on weekdays, starting at 15:30 instead of 17:00 and finishing at 15:30. City Manager Kirk Blouin will have the authority to terminate the new program. if it does not ease traffic or lead to an increase in complaints.

    “We are entering a really busy time of year; Thanksgiving weekend is upon us. So I want to send a message to residents,” said Council Member Ted Cooney.

    This came after members of the Palm Beach Gardeners and Landscapers Association, a group of gardening companies that say they operate the gardens of about 40% of single-family homes in the town, met with town staff and Palm Beach Police officials to reach an agreement. Call initiated by one of the leading members of the groupAccording to a Nov. 4 memo sent by the group to the council.

    As a result of that discussion, the group would draft an outline of policies the town could adopt to normalize regulations for gardeners under a new “lawn care” section in the town’s zoning code, while also giving town staff more control over gardening companies.

    Scott Lewis of Scott Lewis Gardening told the council the best short-term solution would be to give landscapers an earlier start and finish time, while the rest of the draft could be sent to the town’s Bylaws and Rules Committee.

    Botanica Landscaping’s Colin Goldsmith said the council could limit the schedule change to one month, whereby the council could extend or terminate the temporary change depending on its impact and resident response.

    Traffic eased somewhat when President-elect Donald Trump implemented an earlier cutoff time for the town’s landscapers during his first term in office, Police Chief Nicholas Caristo said.

    “It’s not a lot, but it has eased the pressure of getting in and out of the island,” he said.

    Council Member Julie Araskog and Mayor Danielle Moore considered whether it would be better to set the start and end time later.

    “Would it have been better if it had happened later? So, would it be better if we said between 22:00 and 18:00 in the evening? asked Moore.

    Public Works Director Paul Brazil said a later date could make the situation worse.

    “Going later in the day causes you to get stuck in traffic because you’re bouncing from one place to another,” Brazil said. “You’re going to see more people trying to get from this house to that house during rush hour.”

    He told the municipality that, like private gardeners, Public Works crews were also caught up in morning traffic because they had to wait until 8 a.m. to get to the island.

    “The best way is to relocate as early as possible and get them off the island as early as possible,” Brazil said.

    However, Araskog argued that residents would not accept a 7 a.m. start time either.

    He also said that the 7.30am to 3.30pm schedule preferred by Brazil and GALA representatives was not enough to ease afternoon traffic.

    “Is traffic bad after 3 p.m.? Absolutely, but it’s worse at 4 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.,” Blouin said.

    Goldsmith emphasized that GALA members will be on the island at 7:15 a.m. and prepare to leave the site at 3:15 p.m., so their trucks will avoid much of the island’s morning and afternoon rush hour traffic.

    Councilor Lew Crampton was skeptical about taking strong immediate action.

    He argued that the gardener’s draft should be handled through the town’s normal policy-making process of sending the draft to the Business Committee or Bylaws and Rules Committee so that it can come up with solutions that the council can then vote on.

    “I’m sorry, but we don’t have time for such a complicated process, everyone is at boiling point,” Cooney said. “Two North Side residents told me they are faced with this situation. They are selling their homes because they don’t like living here anymore.”

    Blouin said passing the planned temporary change would be a notable improvement compared to the current situation.

    The council voted 5-0 at the Dec. 10 meeting to adjust operating hours on a temporary emergency basis for one month; This period will be extended or terminated.

    During this time, Goldsmith said GALA members will collect data on their practices and then send it to town staff. He also stated that he would spread the news to landscape architects who are not GALA members.

    After the meeting, Araskog told the Daily News that although he was skeptical about the impact of the change, “something needs to be done.” He also noted that Blouin’s ability to terminate the project if it received significant backlash gave him the comfort to move forward with the experimental change.

    Diego Diaz Lasa is a journalist. Palm Beach Daily NewsPart of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at: [email protected].

    Harry
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