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09/08/2010 MARINE ADVISORY BOARD MEETING MINUTES CITY OF CLEARWATER September 8, 2010 Present: Tim Trager Chair F. David Hemerick Board Member Tom Calhoun Board Member Paul E. Lightfoot Board Member David J. Napoli Board Member Eric D. Spaulding Board Member Donald O. McFarland Board Member Also Present: Camilo Soto Assistant City Attorney 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 – Minutes Approval – June 9, 2010 Member Calhoun moved to approve the minutes of the Marine Advisory Board meeting of June 9, 2010, as submitted in written summation to each board member. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 3 – Old Business 3.1. Proposed marina on Brightwater – update from Planning requested Marine & Aviation Department Director Bill Morris said the DRC (Development Review Committee) is reviewing plans for upland development at the Tropicana Resort site on Brightwater. CDB (Community Development Board) approval also is necessary. It appears that changes to the docks will not be submitted until upland development is complete. Additional parking would be required if more slips than units are proposed. If the canal is not sufficiently deep, the developer would be responsible for dredging. 4 – New Business 4.1. Super Boat Race – October 1 - 3 Mr. Morris discussed activities, including an offshore poker run, planned for the weekend of the October 3, 2010 Super Boat Race on Clearwater Beach. The southern turn of the course will be relocated south of Pier 60. Race proceeds will be donated to local charities, including Make a Difference and the Sailing Center’s Sailability program. Marine Advisory 2010-09-08 1 Race promoters have requested permission to use City boat slips overnight. A block party on Cleveland Street is planned for Friday. The Sheriff, Sheriff Auxiliary, FWC (Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission), and Coast Guard will keep spectator boats out of the safety zone and maintain traffic in Clearwater Pass. Concern was expressed that Parks & Recreation plans to fence off the downtown boat slips will ruin the image of the boat slips as a public marina where citizens are welcome to stroll, particularly on the promenade. It was felt this event presents a good opportunity for the public to visit the boat slips and may help fill slips. Member Calhoun moved to recommend that the City keep the area around the downtown boat slips open during the Super Boat Race Event to encourage residents to visit the boat slips. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. At the same time, boat slips are needed for the filming of the movie “A Winter’s Tale.” Also, the City is receiving boat slip reservations for Jazz Holiday. Items not on the Agenda Mr. Morris said the June 2009 survey showed shoaling in channels leading to the marina. Dredging is especially needed where the main channel intersects the Intracoastal. Some shoal areas provide only 7 feet of clearance where 10 to 12 feet is needed. The Army Corps of Engineers has denied the City’s request to dredge the channels. The City will decide how to appeal that decision. He estimated the project would cost $2.5 million. Mr. Morris said hotels along Clearwater Pass want dredged sand to renourish their beaches. While one hotel has opted out, the large hotels have proposed splitting costs with the City to dredge the short cut channel to the marina and use the sand on their beaches. The bottom sand will need to be tested for quality. Costs to dredge the short cut channel are estimated at $500,000 to $600,000. He suggested that canal entrances with high quality beach sand, not sea grasses, could be dredged on an ongoing process. The fleet of six dredgers operated by the City of Cape Coral Public Works Department operates year round. It was suggested that the diminished tax value of property due to a loss of beach would pay for the project. Regarding the parasailing accident, Mr. Morris said the vessel was impounded. The company, a member of the Professional Association of Parasailing Operators, is cooperating with the investigation. The Coast Guard does not regulate the industry. Other operators had shut down operations before the accident occurred. At the time of the accident, the boat was approximately 50 feet off the shore with 100 feet of line. Parasail boats generally operate between ½ mile and ¾ mile off shore. In response to a question, Mr. Morris said the City has 38 deposits for downtown boat slips. Some owners are waiting for boat parts. Due to lower prices, people are purchasing larger vessels that require larger docks. Beach marina slips are being reconfigured to accommodate larger boats although owners prefer the downtown location. The beach marina is barely operating in the black, with occupancy at 72% to 74%. While dock boxes were not planned for the downtown boat slips, one design could fit on triangular ends without impeding Marine Advisory 2010-09-08 2 walkways. Discussion ensued with comments that dock boxes would not block vistas when boats are present and boat owners would prefer to have dock boxes available. Consensus was to support the provision of dock boxes at the downtown boat slips. 3ory Board Marine Advisory 2010-09-08 3 5 - Agenda for next meeting on December 8,