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01/19/2000ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY BOARD CITY OF CLEARWATER January 19, 2000 4:00 PM Present: Freda Drake Chair Alan Smith Vice-Chair David Rhame Board Member Allan Stowell Board Member Dennis Kellenberger Board Member Also Present: Brian Flaherty* Chair - Brownsfield Advisory Board Tom Miller Asst. Director Engineering/PD&E Leslie Dougall-Sides Asst. City Attorney Elliot Shoberg Engineer II, City of Clearwater Nina Clark Staff Assistant II Lorraine Basore Citizen Al Bettnor Church of Scientology Pat Jones Church of Scientology *Liaison to EAB for Stevenson Creek Environmental Justice To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:05 p.m in the Commission Chambers of City Hall. ITEM #A - Approval of Minutes - October 20, 1999 : Member Stowell moved to approve the minutes of October 20, 1999 as submitted. The motion was duly seconded by Member Rhame. ACTION: Approved. Carried unanimously. ITEM #B- Approval of Minutes – November 22, 1999 BAB/EAB Joint Meeting: Member Stowell moved to approve the minutes of November 22, 1999. The motion was duly seconded by Member Rhame. ACTION: Approved. Carried Unanimously. ITEM #C – Welcome New Officers: Chair Drake welcomed the new officers. Alan Smith reappointed as Vice Chairman and David Rhame appointed Liaison to Brownfields Technical Advisory Committee for Stevensons Creek. Chair Drake asked if there are any other appointees and Mr. Miller suggested that a liaison for comprehensive planning issues be appointed. Member Rhame moved to nominate Member Stowell as Liaison for Planning Functions. The motion was duly seconded by Member Kellenberger. ACTION – Approved. Carried unanimously. Member Stowell informed the members that he has received a 36 page document from Jack Alvord of Bayview Gardens Association containing proposed amendments to the land development codes that have to go to the Code Development Board. Member Stowell suggested that a meeting be set up with Ralph Stone to discuss these changes. Ms. Dougall-Sides recommended that Ralph Stone attend the next EAB meeting. ITEM #D – EAB accepts Stevenson Creek BAB Appointment from the November 22 Joint Meeting: Member Stowell moved to accept the BAB Stevensons Creek Liaison, Brian Flaherty to the EAB. The motion was duly seconded by Member Kellenberger. ACTION: Approved. Carried unanimously. ITEM #E - Commission Liaison Report for November and December/January: None II Status Reports ITEM #A - Monthly Site Plan Assessment Review Summary of October/November, 1999 and December,1999/January, 2000: - Although there are several projects listed, none met the criteria that would interest the Board. ACTION: None ITEM #B – Stevenson Creek Liaison for Environmental Justice – D. Rhame Member Rhame informed the Board that the Stevensons Creek is a big project with a budget of $7,550,000 and should be completed in June, 2003. Member Rhame then turned the meeting over to Elliot Shoberg. Mr. Shoberg opened his discussion with a visual presentation showing a boundry map illustrating that the watershed is also of interest to Dunedin, Pinellas County and Largo not just Clearwater which makes it difficult in the funding aspect. He further explained how the City is trying to identify the causes of flooding, what habitat loss has occurred and also recommending solutions to help return the system to as natural state as possible. The District Basin Board put $220,000 in their budget to pay for their half of what the initial estimate of the plan was and due to the environmental problems that occurred, it will not be as inexpensive as expected. There is an agreement, viewed by the City’s legal department, going to the February 9th Pinellas Anclote Basin Board and then to the District Governing Board meeting on February 25, 2000. A contract should be back to send to the Commission the first week of March. ITEM III- OLD BUSINESS: – None ITEM IV- New Business Member Stowell suggested that an EAB meeting be held to tour Cooper’s Point. Two former members of the EAB contacted him regarding Clearwater having a water conservation plan using shallow wells and that there is money available for this. He would like to invite them to an EAB meeting for them to speak on the conservation of the use of potable water. Member Stowell suggested to Chair Drake that she be put on the FAX list whereby she will receive a copy of the work session and Commission meetings. Many of the items listed are of environmental interest and he feels that it is the responsibility of the EAB to discuss the issues before they go to the City Commission. ITEM V - Citizens Agenda Ms. Lorraine Basore addressed the Board regarding Stevensons Creek. She advised that she has lived on Stevensons Creek for nine (9) years and has been involved for the past 6 years. Cherry Harris and Willa Carson have been working to get Stevensons Creek cleaned up for 20 years. Ms. Basore passed out a photo showing the creek from the Douglas Avenue bridge down to the bicycle trail. She advised that there was a survey study in 1997-98 by BCI reporting what was contained in the sediment. She suggested that the City purchase the Wolf property for dumping the sediment from Stevensons Creek. Mr. Miller advised that at this time, based on the City’s appraiser, Mr. Wolf is asking over and above what the property is worth. Ms. Basore stated that the citizens in the area of the Stevensons Creek are extremely disappointed and would like something done with the Creek. ITEM #VI – Future Agenda Chair Drake asked the Board members if they would consider changing the time of the EAB meetings from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. It was decided that 5:00 p.m. would be too late for the majority of the members. ITEM #I – Establish February 16, 2000 Environmental Advisory Board Meeting at 4:00 pm in the Commission Chambers of City Hall. ITEM #I – Future Agenda Visit Cooper’s Point in March Water Conservation Plan (Invite someone from Water Management District and Kevin Becotte, Director of Utilities) Friendly Village of Kapok Strategies for Success (Business Plan for Stormwater Utility) The meeting adjourned at 5:45 pm.