09/09/2009
MARINE ADVISORY BOARD MEETING MINUTES
CITY OF CLEARWATER
September 9, 2009
Present: Tim Trager Chair
F. David Hemerick Board Member
Tom Calhoun Board Member
Donald O. McFarland Board Member
Paul E. Lightfoot Board Member
David J. Napoli Board Member
Absent: Eric D. Spaulding Board Member
Also Present: Camilo Soto Assistant City Attorney – arrived 8:28 a.m.
William Morris Marine & Aviation Department Director
Patricia O. Sullivan Board Reporter
The Chair called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m. at City Hall.
To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not
necessarily discussed in that order.
2 – Guest Speaker
– Downtown Boat Slips and Promenade
Environmental Manager Ed Chesney reviewed progress on the Downtown Boat Slip
project. Permitting took longer than anticipated; grant funds were not released until the project
was permitted. The Promenade was completed and furnished before boat slip construction
began. The Promenade will be surrounded by boats and never was intended for fishing. While
construction on the Drew Street fishing pier and Harbormaster office was underway, people
used the Promenade as a fishing pier, leaving behind trash and scarring the furniture, light
posts, and railings while cutting bait. The Parks & Recreation Department removed the furniture
and will reinstall it once upland development is completed, which will include widening the
sidewalk, upgrading parking, and installing ballard lighting, additional crosswalks, and benches.
Mr. Chesney said the seawall is being repaired and riprap added. The two sections of
boat slips are in different basins and will have separate utilities. The south section will be
completed before work begins on the north section. The Drew Street fishing pier is being
extended 100 feet and will feature water, a porter, and railing conducive to fishing. The project
should be substantially complete by February 2010. The City does not want the boat slips to
impact Jazz Holiday and other Coachman Park events. Marine & Aviation Department Director
Bill Morris said public use hours for the docks will be flexed for Coachman Park activities such
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as Jazz holiday and July 4.
Mr. Morris distributed and reviewed engineering plans and discussed permitting delays.
The City has received deposits for 23 slips. While larger slips have been reserved, space
remains available at the marina for large boats. Owners are reluctant to submit deposits before
the project is built. Staff will represent the marina and downtown boat docks at upcoming local
boat shows. Additional interest should be sparked by an upcoming St. Petersburg Times article.
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Once open, the boat slips will be staffed from 6:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. A Police Aide will make
rounds during late night/early morning hours.
In response to a concern regarding the distance from some south basin slips to the
Harbormaster office, Mr. Morris said relocating and centering the office on the site would have
been expensive and required an elevator. The slope accessing the rehabilitated building is ADA
(Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant. Several slips farthest from the Harbormaster office
already are reserved.
3 – Minutes Approval
– June 10, 2009
Member Calhoun moved to approve the minutes of the Marine Advisory Board meeting
of June 10, 2009, as submitted in written summation to each board member. The motion was
duly seconded and carried unanimously.
4 – Old Business
4.1. Downtown boat slips – ACOE and FDEP permit update & slip layout
See Item 2.
4.2 Benches and trash receptacle removal from Downtown Promenade
See Item 2.
5 – New Business
5.1 North Beach resident (Cadi Fung) request for slow speed minimum wake
Mr. Morris reported that the issue of interaction between swimmers and speeding boats
running close to shore on Sand Key was addressed when the City installed pencil buoys with
helix anchors 100 yards apart, 300 feet off shore to delineate a slow speed minimum wake
zone. It is easier for the Sheriff to separate speeding boats from swimmers when buoys are
present. Since the installation in 2006, violations are rare. Only three buoys have had to be
replaced; all anchors were recovered.
Mr. Morris said Indian Rocks and Belleair have had offshore buoys for many years. He
did not know if Clearwater’s installation of buoys off Sand Key had set a precedent requiring the
City to extend them along its entire coast. He reviewed boating limits along the shore. Rules
apply to all vessels, including personal watercraft. A north beach resident has requested
protection for swimmers from speeding boats that is similar to the buoys on Sand Key.
Discussion ensued with concerns expressed that boating limits continue to increase,
installation would be expensive, and the City could be liable for an accident if buoys are not
present. In December, Mr. Morris will report on the cost of installing buoys along Clearwater’s
entire shoreline.
Items not on the agenda
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New State of Florida Requirements
Mr. Morris reported that Florida now requires photos and GPS coordinates for every
State approved waterway navigation devise in Clearwater. The City has 400 signs, buoys, or
private aids to navigation. Some need to be reset; some signage will require replacement.
New Lifeguard Hours
Mr. Morris said beach lifeguards are on duty north of Frenchy's only between Memorial
Day and Labor Day. Staff is working with the legal department regarding new language for
beach signage as designating safe swim zones implies that a lifeguard is on duty.
Super Boat National Championship Festival
It was reported that the Super Boat National Championship Festival is scheduled for
October 2 - 4, 2009. Boats will be launched from the private property side at the Seminole Boat
Ramp. Five classes of boats will race. The finish line will be west of Pier 60.
Wake Zones, Boat Count Survey, Waterway Dredging, Marina Fuel Rates, SandPearl
Docks
In response to questions, Mr. Morris said in December he will report on low speed wake
zones near Island Estates and in the Mandalay Channel. He said the boat count survey should
be updated every five years and suggested that the next one be scheduled for Memorial Day
2010, to gauge the impact of the new boat slips. The Coast Guard has requested that the Army
Corps of Engineers move ahead its schedule to dredge the waterway near the Marina.
Commercial marina boaters and Boat US members qualify for a 10 cent per gallon fuel discount.
Current per gallon charges were forty-five cents below market rate. Permits for the Sand Pearl
dock project are set to expire at the end of the year.
6 . Agenda for next meeting on December 9, 2009
1. Low Speed Wake Zones
2. Cost of installing buoys along Clearwater's shoreline
3. Update on dredging schedule.
7 - Adjourn
The meeting adjourned at 9:05a.m.
. ry Board
Marine Advisory 2009-09-09
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