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11/21/2001ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY BOARD CITY OF CLEARWATER November 21, 2001 Present: Sandra Jamieson Chairperson Alan Smith Vice Chair Allan Stowell Board Member Clorinda Gilreath Board Member Absent: David Rhame Board Member Also Present: Tom Miller Assistant Director of Engineering/E&SM Leslie Dougall-Sides Assistant City Attorney Andy Neff Director of Public Utilities Art Kader Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation Elliot Shoberg Staff Engineer II John Loper Parsons Engineering Science, Inc. Joe Callio Public Barbara Short Public APPROVED To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. Unless otherwise noted, no action was taken regarding items. Administration The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:01 p.m. ITEM #1 Approval of Minutes – October 29, 2001 Meeting Mr. Smith moved to approve the minutes of August 15, 2001 as submitted. Ms. Gilreath duly seconded the motion. ACTION: Approved. Carried unanimously. ITEM #2 Citizens to be Heard None. Action Items ITEM #3 – Action Items None. Reports ITEM #4 – Commission Liaison None. ITEM #5 – Stevenson Creek Liaison Deferred as Discussion Item #8. ITEM #6 – City Comprehensive Plan None. ITEM #7 – Potable/Reclaimed Water Deferred as Discussion Item #10. Discussion Items ITEM #8 - Stevenson Creek Watershed Management Plan Final Report Chair recognized Mr. Shoberg to provide a status update of the final watershed management plan for Stevenson Creek, following opening remarks by Mr. Miller. Mr. Shoberg updated the Board on the status of the North Greenwood Corridor Enhancement Project, the USACOE Stevenson Creek Estuary Restoration Project, and the final Watershed Management Plan, completed in August 2001. He provided handouts, and then turned over the discussion to Mr. John Loper, Project Engineer for Parsons Engineering Science, Inc. who presented a PowerPoint presentation of the plan. Mr. Loper reviewed project scope, monitoring locations, model development, floodplain limits, level of service, pollutant load modeling, etc. He concluded with an overview summary of recommended projects and the final project WEB site whereon the final watershed plan may be found in its entirety. Mr. Shoberg noted for the Board that in conclusion, the project was completed ahead of schedule and with at approximately 10% below project budget. Members of the Board thanked and commended Staff for the exceptional manner in which this project was completed. ITEM #9 - Park vs. Beach Ordinance Requirements Chair recognized Mr. Art Kader to provide an overview of City Codes and City Policies related to allowing dogs in City Parks, practical implications of any City decision to designate by zoning or other similar instruments, a coastal City resource as either a “Beach” or a “Park”, and the use of parkland for environmental education, following opening remarks by Mr. Miller. Mr. Kader referred the Board to their handout copies of City Ordinances. He noted that dogs are not allowed in parks unless on a leash and owners pick up after them. Dogs are not allowed on public bathing beaches or from areas excluded by signage. Dogs are allowed on the Courtney Campbell Recreation Area. He also noted that the Parks Master Plan is considering as the first City “Dog Park”, Crest Lake Park as it is heavily used for that purpose today. Mr. Kader reviewed the history of Courtney Campbell Recreation Area and directed the Board to Chapter 22 of City Code of Ordinances. He indicated that when City property is designated as a beach, usage becomes more restrictive and provided examples. Courtney Campbell Recreation Area, by design, is different only to meet the needs of the public. Mr. Kader noted that funding and regulation are important considerations for this area, but because the property is not City property and not budgeted for improvement, the City is only doing what is required by designation and is limited to police enforcement and trash pickup. The Board considered liability issues, implications related to beach and park designation, and project development. Mr. Kader related that the City Manager has asked that Parks and Recreation consider this area in future park planning efforts. ITEM #10 - FDEP Consent Orders for Wastewater Discharges Chair recognized Mr. Neff to provide a status update and overview of the issues related to a recent St. Petersburg Times article (November 12, 2001) entitled Clearwater faces water fines, following opening remarks by Mr. Miller. Mr. Neff related the concerns of the state (FDEP) identified during the summer of 2000 related to trihalomethanes (THM), copper and toxicity test results. These parameters became a concern as a result of regulatory changes and new limits introduced into wastewater treatment permits in 2000. The copper issue appears to be linked to interior house plumbing and perhaps also to septage delivery. The City is presently looking at ways to enhance wastewater treatment plant copper removal while at the same time, considering ways to reduce copper in the potable supply, reviewing internal testing procedures, and finalizing mixing zone issues. The City is also reviewing toxicity testing procedures and conducting a pilot study to disinfect wastewater effluent with chlorine dioxide while reducing the addition of free chlorine to control THM formation. Results of this study won’t be known for a few more months. Wastewater treatment personnel have been very motivated to solve the problems and are reviewing/improving procedures. Further, the City is negotiating Consent Orders with FDEP for all three Wastewater treatment plants for interim limits over a specified period of time to come into compliance. As the article stated, there will be fines associated with the Consent Orders. However, the magnitude of the fines has been greatly reduced due to the proactive stance taken by the City to resolve the outstanding compliance issues. The meeting adjourned at 5:48 p.m.