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07/19/1995 ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY BOARD July 19, 1995 Members Present: Mike Foley, Chair Jill Melkonian, Vice Chair Lisa Lanza Anne Garris Allan Stowell Members Absent: 6th & 7th seats vacant Also Present: Mike Quillen, Water Resource Engineer Tracy Yaskin, Engineering Clerk Gwen Legters, Board Reporter In order to provide continuity, the items will be listed in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. A. Call to Order - 4:00 p.m., City Hall Commission Chambers 1. Minutes Approval - April 19, 1995 Corrections were made as follows: 1) p.1, to reflect approval of the minutes of March 15, 1995; 2) p.3, Item C.1, last paragraph, add Chair's thanks to Mr. Allwood of the Environmental Department for his record keeping and field reports. Member Lanza moved to approve the minutes of April 19 as amended. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 2. Environmental Advisory Board (EAB) Rules of Procedure Member Melkonian moved to approve and adopt the EAB Rules of Procedure as submitted and direct staff to incorporate them into the EAB bylaws. The motion was duly seconded. Member Lanza moved to amend the motion to have the EAB Rules of Procedure wordsmithed by a parliamentarian and brought back for approval. There was no second. Upon the vote being taken, the motion to approve carried unanimously. Consensus was to have the Rules of Procedure wordsmithed before being incorporated into the bylaws. 3. Confirm Agenda - Establish Consent and Regular Agenda Items B. Citizen's Agenda - Items not on the Agenda Jean Flament, representing the residents of Beckett Lake Estates, addressed the Board. They are requesting the City to acquire a 10.6 acre parcel of land southwest of the intersection of Belcher and Montclair Roads for conservation purposes. She presented a packet of information outlining residents' efforts to stop rezoning and development of the parcel and preserve it for a wildlife refuge. An attached study by a wildlife zoologist and a biologist detailed the species of plant and animal life inhabiting the site. In response to a question, Mr. Quillen was not aware of any plans for the City to annex the subject property. It was determined there is time to schedule this item for discussion at the next meeting. Ms. Flament was commended for the amount of work and the manner of the presentation. Consensus was to prepare an item for the August 16 agenda. C. Consent Agenda 1. Ordinance No. 5822-95 2. Allens Creek Experimental Water Quality Treatment Demonstration Project Interlocal Agreement 3. Clearwater Mall Stormwater Treatment Retrofit Project Interlocal Agreement 4. Clearwater Mall Stormwater Treatment Retrofit Project Easement and Maintenance Agreement 5. Urban and Community Forestry Grant 6. Alligator Creek Watershed, Agreement for Consultant Services Member Melkonian moved to approve the consent agenda. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. D. Regular Agenda 1. Old Business a. Undeveloped Properties List It was requested for staff and citizens to be allowed to add to the list once it is established. Mr. Quillen indicated they can. Member Garris moved to approve the Undeveloped Properties List for consideration by the City Commission for the purpose of adding those properties to the Conservation Element of the City Comprehensive Plan, and authorize a member of the Environmental Advisory Board to present the list to the Commission. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. b. Environmental Management Five Year Plan Mr. Quillen introduced Tracy Yaskin, of the Environmental Management Group. They gave a slide presentation which outlined the scope of the project, listed projects continued from the last fiscal year, reviewed new projects and summarized funding. The Group was congratulated for its efficiency in obtaining outside funding. Member Garris moved to accept the Environmental Management Group Five Year Capital Watershed Plan and Water Resource Project Summary Document for fiscal year 1995/96 and endorse the continued acquisition of funding and development of plans and projects proposed by Environmental Management for the City of Clearwater in fiscal year 1996. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. Member Garris moved for the Chair to draft a letter to the City Manager and City Commission commending the Environmental Management Group for their excellent work in finding 52 percent outside funding for the City's Environmental Management projects. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. c. Coopers Point Interlocal Management Agreement In response to questions, Mr. Quillen stated it is hoped to protect the natural ecosystem of the coastal property by removing noxious vegetation. The term of the agreement is five years with the potential for renewal in five year increments. Additional discussion ensued regarding limiting public access and protecting wildlife. Mr. Quillen indicated, under the terms of the agreement, since the County was responsible for two-thirds of the property cost, the City is responsible for property management. Member Melkonian moved to endorse to the City Commission the Coopers Point Interlocal Management Agreement with Pinellas County. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. d. Del Oro Stormwater Treatment Project In response to questions, Mr. Quillen stated this plan was brought before the Del Oro residents. Details of the plan were worked out with Del Oro Association and they indicated they were pleased. Member Garris moved to endorse to the City Commission the Del Oro Stormwater Treatment Project developed by Environmental Management. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. e. Building on Contaminated Soil Discussion ensued regarding a previous motion concerning redevelopment of former gas station sites prior to contaminants being cleaned from the soil. It was indicated the motion had been to request the City Attorney's opinion in this regard. Staff is to investigate the status of this request and report at the next meeting. 2. New Business a. Mangrove Protection Discussion ensued regarding the "Mangrove Trimming and Preservation Act", recently adopted by the State to protect and preserve mangrove resources from unregulated destruction, while preserving the view of those with riparian rights. Concern was expressed that the lack of administration at the local level will serve as a deterrent to planting new mangroves and learning to manage mature ones. The City was urged to request delegation of local authority from the State for all mangrove trimming regulation. Member Garris moved to recommend that the City Commission direct Environmental Management staff to pursue State delegation of local mangrove management and develop a City-wide incentive based mangrove management program for Clearwater that will result in adherence to objectives defined by the Environmental Advisory Board and require staff time in excess of eight hours. The motion was duly seconded and upon the vote being taken, Members Foley, Melkonian, Lanza and Garris voted "Aye"; Member Stowell voted "Nay." Motion carried. Staff was requested to obtain additional information regarding what mangrove management and delegation will allow the City to do, how the change will be accomplished, the cost of implementation, and the role of landscape architects and arborists in mangrove management. Concern was expressed that the City had not been advised of proposed State environmental legislation in a timely manner. Consensus was to invite Clearwater's lobbyist to address the Board. F. Establish August 16, 1995 Agenda Staff was requested to agenda the following items: 1) City-wide shoreline protection; 2) City Attorney opinion regarding soil contamination; 3) Preservation Element of the Comprehensive Plan; 4) Request to purchase the Montclair property; and 5) Status report on the conservation runoff pond at 49th Street Bridge. G. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 5:56 p.m. Chair ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY BOARD