- April 26, 2024
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City officials said the price tag for a fence around Ralph Carter Park could reach $70,000.when the project is completed.
City Manager Jim Landon on April 27 promised residents of the R-section, around Ralph Carter Park, that a fence would be erected to help combat vandalism on Richardson Drive, the first street adjacent to the back side of the park.
More than one month later, city officials are weighing fence style options, and residents of the Richardson Drive are speaking out.
At the May 31 Palm Coast City Council workshop, Carl Cote, the project manager, offered various options to City Council.
One alternative offers a 6-guage metal core and the small 1-inch mesh spanning 1,000 feet and also an additional 286 feet of fencing near the southwest portion of the park — which is backed by wetlands. The price tag: $69,000.
However, Marion Petruzzi, a Richardson Drive resident and leader of the neighborhood watch, thinks the city is trying to find a way out of building the fence by making the price so high.
“The fence needed to protect our neighborhood would not cost $70,000,” Petruzzi wrote in a May 30 email to City Council members, claiming to represent the residents. “However, our safety, peace of mind and quality of life should not have a price tag,” the email continued.
Council members agreed to hear more from the public at the June 7 regular meeting.
Council members discussed various fence options at the workshop, including alternatives that would cost about $15,000 and wouldn’t cover the 286-foot section near the wetlands.
Another option discussed by the City Council was to open the back of the park to the neighborhood — much like the setup at Holland Park. Essentially, there would be a pathway going from the neighborhood into the park. The walkway would include shrubbery. The price for this wasn’t available, but likely will be discussed in more detail June 7.
“People generally take the path of least resistance,” Palm Coast Mayor Jon Netts said. “If my choices are climbing over a 6-foot fence or walking a few feet to a gate ... I’d likely walk through the gate.”
Petruzzi disagrees. She said the idea of a pathway is “ludicrous,” and the whole point of erecting a fence is to force individuals to use the main entrance on Rymfire Drive.
Also in the email, Petruzzi wrote: “Listen ... we residents are fed up with this nonsense. We will not stand for it. Please ... no more games from city officials; let’s get this fence up ... Summer is approaching ... we need protection.”
