August 3, 2007


Village of Tequesta
Planning and Zoning Advisory Board
345 Tequesta Drive
Tequesta, FL 33469

RE: Follow up to Public Hearing for new proposed Commerce Bank building at 215 U.S. Highway One.


Cove Road Traffic flow concerns:

Currently the proposed traffic flow for the drive through tellers is counter clockwise, with customers heading North. Many times customers leave the drive through to go inside the bank for some needed additional service not provided by drive through tellers. Bank customers must then pull onto a public road (Cove Rd) before reentering the front parking lot, therefore increasing traffic on Cove Road. The current Exit Only East exit will be dangerous and noisy.

Suggestion: Change traffic flow to a clockwise flow with two entrances from Cove Road. Drive Through is Entrance Only, instead of Exit Only and move it west to line up with tellers and avoid the dangerous confluence of Cove Road, Seaview Road and Coconut Lane, combined with Palates members and Volcano's customers backing out of their parking spaces onto Cove Road. If customers need to go inside the bank, they can do so without leaving bank property, and slower and quieter than if on a public street. This minor change contains the unneeded risk of entering and exiting a public roadway unnecessarily. It gives customers three entrances instead of two and diverts exiting drive through traffic away from Cove Road. In addition, the traffic entering the drive through will be decelerating and braking as they approach the drive through entrance VS accelerating as they exit. Less noise with an East Entrance instead of an East Exit. Drive through customers will exit on U. S. One offering a safer U-turn than crossing traffic from Cove Road. We also feel traffic will move slower and safer on bank property than on Cove Road.

In addition, since a proposed new sidewalk along Cove Road will likely be passed, it offers Commerce Bank the opportunity to provide outdoor walk up teller services to customers who would rather not enter the bank, ie., if they are jogging, walking a dog or on a bicycle or electric wheelchair. Bank Atlantic provides a covered walk up teller which I use several times a week on my electric wheelchair/scooter. Outside service to disabled customers is not in the current plan.

Only one handicap space has van access with loading area. I suggest adding a loading space next to handicap space #2.

As neighbors within 300 feet we pray the above recommendations will be adopted to the plan before final approval by The Village of Tequesta.

Thank you for including us in this important long term decision.


Cordially,



Six Waterway Village Property Owners within 300 feet of proposed Commerce Bank.
Waterway Village Lots #1, #2, #3, #4, #16, #17


______________________________________
Michael G. Steinbrook, 3383 Cove Road (Lot 17) and  3399 Cove Road (Lot 16)



______________________________________
Linda Emerson, (Lot  1) 3412 Cove Road



______________________________________
Sam Altieri, (Lot 2) 3386 Cove Road



______________________________________
Nancy Johnson, (Lot 3) 3372 Cove Road



______________________________________
Charles Staley (Lot 4) 3356 Cove Road





cc: 	William McCollom, Chief of Police
	Lori McWilliams, Village Clerk
	Mayor Jim Humpage