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06/17/1998 (2) ,."' . ~' .j ~~t(:::\;;;i:~;i' .:\-<::':i, ;;:!j\f~~:':r,::"\J~:fi;:~it'~,;':" . ,:v', I~.'" ffl!~:'::~~", J;';';"J~:' . "~~. :" : I ,;;/.i": . " .')J,',' :', . "::' , \ '"I. t:";, .:~\ " "~~'I: ~ ' ,\YJ ':,:':. ::;:;~. \~ ' ':, ,!X':~;;~", ,~i;~~' ":~~~".~'" '1.- ,+ '.' " ,.' ",'I.. _.... " K:~: .',: ,. f.;;\;~. ',':, ' :;'c~:~':C~~, ' ~ .,'; , \\ . . t~;;'\';':;:, ,,' " /,0",' ',>, '.',... ~~/:'~,',;\ " uh...". ~~:"~~'.~' :.,.'" , .. ;.',Fe", ~'I \~:; . {\',; )", i-- -:.. ,'j ,Ii ~ " !:~;:;;: " ~)(: . \t~. ./ '1. , , "l',: :"c, , I.~, . .' ' ".' , ;. j I . c, ,.. , f. ", , " ',.,. ,.... , .. F1 ": '. .,~ I , .. . I'. ", "",:0. ;~'EIlYlronmental :A~visory I~,oard Minutes , " ! ! ,( ,I ,\ JJm~ 17 J I' , , ',," , "., .: . , ,) l CfTlt " > ,I , " ,:~:,,<.:'./ ... ,< '+ "c,. "L ~i './: D'ate '.' . .1, I, ". .,. , " ." "c", ", H, , " , \ " '1. :, " , I' ;jgC, ,.' f"'4-.' " ..... ..,..,.... ....1... . ,... '. .".,....... .... ., :'>~, ...... '. '. ~_\ ,", ~. ,~:- .... . :': 'r:.' ..:.:.,..:~.I.,~.:,:,;:,'.:~:: I , ' , 'c. 'It " ,I ',{h EAB ,l , ' " ,\ " ,,, .': " ,'''., .. " , .~ ,.. . ~ " " 'I, , , ,). , " ". , ' 1': o " " , ' ::; !"}.=-.r...............,' T . "~';. ' '.., ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY BOARD MEETING CITY OF CLEARWATER June 17, 1998 Present: Whitney Gray Alan Smith Jill Melkonian Anne Garris David Rhame Rich Baier Leslie Dougall-Sides Tom Miller, Assistant Director Gwen Legters Chair Vice Chair Board Member (left 5:45 p.m.) Board Member Board Member Public Works Administrator Assistant City Attorney Eng Ine ering/Envi ronmenta I Board Reporter To provide continuity for research. items are in agenda order although not necessarily " discussed in that order. A. Call to Order and Approve Minutes The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:00 p,m. at City Hall. Approval of May 20, 1998 minutes was continued to the next meeting. B. Commission Liaison Report Member David Rhame reported he learned through Commissioner Robert Clark that City Manager Mike Roberto feels the' EAB will continue existence as a separate board. Importance of keeping communication lines open was stressed. It was indicated the consultant rewriting the City's land development code may have a finished draft by, end of this summer, with the final document ready by the end of 1999. ' C. City Correspondence , 1. June 12 e-mail from Whitney Gray to EAB via Tom Miller, reminding members to bring Penny for Pine lias priority materia's tor discussion at the next meeting. General discussion ensued regarding correspondence in the sunshine. D. Monthly Site Plan Assessment Review Summary Mr. Miller reported there are no longer concerns that jurisdictional wetlands exist on the Encore Senior Living site. General review of project status to date ensued. Mr. Miller 'noted a Tampa Bay National Estuary Program resolution is going forward to the City Commission. E. Confirm Agenda 1. Consent Agenda ~- None 2. Old Business , mea069S 1 06/17/98 ~ >f&~'''. t~J .,_..:..- .. ,~ _h".. ' a. Penny for Plnellas Information Board members expressed concerns that the majority of, projects no longer considered high priority for Penny for Pinellas funding are projects with environmental impact. Public Works Administrator Rich Baier explained, over several days, a number of City employees viewed presentations and ranked projects to be funded by Penny for Pinellas. Priorities were based on three main criteria: 1) quality of life; 2) financial impact (cost and/or return) to the City; and 3) compliance with One City. One Future. A question was raised why the Kapok Recreation & Stormwater Retention project (#40) was demoted in priority, if quality of life was a ranking factor, as the project was to correct flooding at the Friendly Village of Kapok, Mr. Baier responded revenue from the Stormwater Utility Fee was intended to pay for these sorts of projects without an ad valorem property tax increase, but those funds had' been borrowed to relieve the City's General Fund obligation to clean out and maintain retention ponds, etc. The stormwater utility fee is bringing in about $600,000 per year now. The City will recommend a fee increase to fund the $13 million Kapok project, Referring to a May 27 draft of the City's Stormwater Utility System Revenue Sufficiency Analysis, Mr. Baier discussed alternate rate scenarios. He said the Stormwater Utility Rate Study is going to the City Commission in July, and he hoped for EAB support, as all projects affect the environment. Mr, Baier responded to questions and general discussion ensued regarding rationale for ranking Penny for Pinellas projects. Board members expressed strong concerns regarding consequences of pushing so many environmental improvement projects "below the line" in favor of more politically acceptable "causes." Concern was the ranking shows the City's lack of environmental emphasis. Mr. Baier stressed the City needs to be fairly assertive in collecting the storm water utility fee, because it is revenue from that fee, not Penny for Pinellas dollars, that was intended to fund the environmental projects in question. Concern was expressed with reference to tax increases. Discussion ensued regarding merits of going forward with the new Memorial Causeway Bridge, as one-third of the City's redevelopment packet, versus delaying bridge construction in favor of more sensitive environmental items. In response to questions, Mr. Miller discussed budget constraints and the need to divert funds to maintain failing infrastructure because significant pipe failures are occurring City-wide, Discussion ensued regarding what recommendation to give the City Commission regarding EAB's position on the Penny for Pinellas ranking. The board reiterated strong concern that the focus of One City. One Future. is mainly economic, with environmental issues below the line, or not on the list. Board members were reluctant to issue recommendations concerning the Pennies for Pinellas ranking, or the Stormwater Utility Fee increase, except as they relate to projects before the EAB. Member Garris moved for the EAB (Environmental Advisory Board) to advise the City Commission that, as their advisory board, given the task of being concerned for and paying attention to the environment of the City of Clearwater, the EAB recommends funding items #40 (Kapok Recreation & Stormwater Retention), #41 (Stream Channel Protection), #21 (Cliff Stephens Parkl, and #14 (Land Purchase-Magnolia Falls Property) directly from Pennies for Pinellas. The EAB feels these projects are as important, and perhaps more mea0698 2 06/17/98 I .'. <' l; . ~ .... '," . ~..~. " ..~", ~ ,4 ;' '. ~ '. -: .. .. ...., ~ .'....; 'j, '. I , t' .."" r. : . :... ...... ".' :.':...., 1. ~ .'. b. TBEP Clearwater Action Plan .. Postponed " ~ 'important~ than some of the projects recommended for funding. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. Mr. Miller suggested, if the City Commission agrees doing these projects through the Penny for Pinellas could provide either the opportunity to reduce the amount of Storm water Utility Fee increase, or could maintain the increase at the recommended level and fund other worthy projects. One member did not want the EAB to be attached to a recommendation for a rate increase, and said she would vote against any such recommendation. While supporting the need to do the environmental projects in question, she felt fiscal responsibility with existing funds is more important than raising rates. Mr. , Miller reiterated the rationale for recommending the rate increase, ~o fund infrastructure projects and relieve the General Fund the burden of infrastructure maintenance, 3. New Business a. Stormwater Utility Rate Study - Continued to the next meeting , The board did not wish to further discuss the Storm water Utility Rate Study at this time. Consensus' was to work on the issue at the July 15 EAB meeting, and send a representative to address the City Commission on July 1 6. ""lItl.,) ( , ..~C:. b. Solutions to Avoid Red Tide, Inc. (START) Member Garris read from a flyer regarding a grass~roots movement encouraging coastal cities to support, financially and legislatively, research and action to prevent red tide blooms that jeopardize tourism dollars and torment coastal residents. START has asked Clearwater to commit at least $5,000 annual dues and appoint one Council member as representative on the group's "action now" coalition. Mr. Miller received direction to investigate our participation, with a view toward protecting Clearwater's tourist industry from red tide impacts. He said the City's Legal Department determined paying such dues would serve a public purpose. Mr. Miller has budgeted the City's share subject to budget approval. In response to questions, he said the City probably spent nearly eight times that amount to clean the beach after the last red tide bloom. He felt there is merit in what 8T ART is doing and hoped they can pressure Tallahassee to address the red tide problem which the State seems to be ignoring. Member Rhame moved to endorse to the City Commission budget approval of $5,000 dues, payable to Solutions to Avoid Red Tide, Inc. (START), on ,the condition that START provides a fiscal accounting and reports progress to the City. The motion was duly seconded. Members Gray, Garris, and Rhame voted "Aye"; Member Melkonian was not present. Motion carried. Consensus was to invite START President/CEO, Rob Haglund, to address the EAB a year from now, to disclIss the benefits START was able to achieve with the City's contribution. "J F. Citizens Agenda - None mea0698 3 06/17/98 ~'..' : 1,' " ,:\.Jt<.~ :/,/> '}"<~''':I}'.':':'::\~: ,:".:::t+.'".',!: "....,~.) .,;.l~',:,; ,,: 'c,: ., . " R~l!n\!t '..,',.. '." ,..... :., .', ','",',' ,'" ." ," ' " '>, ~~r\,,~!(~~f:1iy,,~1i':';F: ::,,; .';;}':', ,;' ,", .. ~~~~'. . J '. ',l.A,:,\-" ' 1i~ :.,: . , ~):;, ': 'Jl,~ .'~, h:',' c ,. ii,:i;iJ,',~: ' '.; \ ,..'.' " , , ' ~ , ' , . ' , . . ., . ;?', '~.:. " " 'I. ' :' ,\ ' ',:, " J ' "~~"j Il'~ :,. , " ,.,j, c[ ,'., ,c c-'-' ' ,~ ' ,,' G.. Establish A,genda for July 15, 1998 , " '.1. TBEP Clearwater ~ction Plan (if ready) . 2. ' Tampa Bay Watch 3. Rate Study and Board Recommendation 4. 'PD&E Program (if ready) Mr. Rhame reported he will not be able to attend the July 1 5 me~ting. H. ,Adjo'urnment The meeting adjourned at 5:55 p.m. 80 'I, , , 'J" '." ' J' , ',I 'I. .. " " " ' , , , ~ " ,'I' mea0698,' Chair , ' Environmental Advl " .4 [ ~.T .. .. " " ':1 06/17/98 , +. '., ."T' ',' . , '., , .' I,' . '.' ....... I ~ ,,0[';' " T ,.'\'