A follow up assessment by Kimley-Horn, whose exhaustive examination of the Brett's Waterway Cafe substructure in March 2022 determined the building was unsafe to the public, will be restricted to a drone only inspection because of safety concerns.
"Due to the reported safety concerns and recommendations that access to and beneath the building structure be restricted from other structural engineers previously involved with separate evaluations of the structure on behalf of the City, Kimley-Horn will limit its assessment to a visual review only with the aid of aerial drone photography. Based the recommendations of the structural engineers involved with prior investigations and assessment of the substructure, Kimley-Horn will be unable to get close enough to the substructure to perform any new destructive or non-destructive testing," said Kirk Drost, Senior Project Manager in a letter to the city on May 4.
As part of previous evaluations, experts conducted destructive or non-destructive testing of the concrete and rebar pilings. Destructive testing involves physically extracting samples from the Brett's concrete pilings to evaluate their strength and quality. Non-destructive testing procedures allow assessment of the pilings without resulting in any significant damage to the pilings. This testing is usually used for initial assessments, periodic inspections, and quality control.
City Commissioners at tonight's meeting will vote on a $19,600 contract to have Kimley-Horn conduct the follow up inspection of the restaurant absent any testing of the support pilings and caps concrete integrity.
At its March 7, 2023, regular meeting, the City Commission approved Resolution 2023-35, requiring mandatory
annual visual inspections of the substructure under Brett’s Waterway Café to be performed by the City and mandatory
post-storm event inspections required to be performed by Center Street Restaurant Group.
In July 2021, Fernandina Beach city engineer Charlie George sent a letter to Brett’s Waterway Café, informing the restaurant it had 60 days to begin repairs on structural deficiencies or the city would order the property vacated. That determination was based on findings in a report by an engineer with Hanson Professional Services.
In March, the City Commission voted 3-1 to allow Brett's to remain open until its lease expires in 2024.
We really need to consider impeachment for these city council members!
Just more proof of where most of this Commission stands. Motto for Fernandina, "Let it stay until is falls down since we don't care about maintenance or the citizens safety"!!
Do something Bradley Bean. Ball's in your court, now.