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02/11/2004 . Present: Tom Horne Hank Epstein Paul J. Kelley Edward O'Brien Dick Safirstein Absent: Nick Matsis Denis Sparks Also Present: Bill Morris Bev Buysse Reg Owens Bryan Ruff Catherine Yellin Brenda Moses MARINE ADVISORY BOARD CITY OF CLEARWATER February 11, 2004 Chair Board Member Board Member Board Member Board Member Board Member Board Member Marine & Aviation Department Director Marine & Aviation Department Assistant Director Economic Development & Housing Director - departed 8:30 a.m. Assistant City Attorney Senior Staff Assistant Board Reporter The Chair called the meeting to order at 8:04 a.m. at the Marina. To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. . 2. Approval of Minutes - Januarv 14. 2004 Member Kelley moved to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of January 14,2004, as submitted in written summation to each board member. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 3. Other Business Update from Economic Development & Housina Director Rea Owens Economic Development & Housing Director Reg Owens said Question #2 on the March 9, 2004, ballot would allow the City to proceed with redevelopment of Coachman Park and the waterfront area, including boat slips, dock master's office, an amphitheatre and a parking garage south of Cleveland Street. If approved, the design phase can begin. If it does not pass, then a marina design would need to be developed and approved at another referendum. However, if such details such as the number of slips changes, those changes also would require a referendum, therefore, Question #2 provides more flexibility of design. Mr. Owens said the Cleveland Street streetscape design from Osceola to Myrtle is 30% complete. It includes total redevelopment of Station Square Park. Plans are to put the project out to bid in August, with construction beginning in November 2004. As part of the Cleveland Street improvement project, the City approved construction of a 14 -story 146-unit condominium project adjacent to Station Square Park on the parking lot owned by the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency). That project will include a four-level parking structure. The City would buy back 100 parking spaces in the facility. . Marine Advisory 2004-02-11 1 . As part of the City's development agreement with that developer, they are providing space for a large sit-down restaurant on the ground floor with an outdoor cafe and some additional retail uses. Mr. Owens said there is a company interested in purchasing the Calvary Baptist Church. The potential buyer would build a corporate office building with condominiums. That project would involve tearing down the structure by first tearing down the portion adjacent to City Hall, which is south of Pierce Street, then tearing down the rest of the building for condominiums. There would be a window of opportunity to place City Hall on a referendum for sale. If sold, it may be replaced by another condominium project. Mr. Owens said the vacant CGI building on Cleveland Street and Missouri Avenue might be getting a tenant. This Friday Mr. Owens is releasing a nationwide RFP (Request for Proposal) for a multi-plex theater downtown, with the City assisting in that effort in some capacity, such as with a parking garage. On February 23,2004, a RFP for redeveloping the Jack Russell Stadium site will be released. He expects interest from developers across the country for various uses. The market needs to be tested for the best land use. . Mr. Owens said the Harborview Center would probably remain in its current state until at least 2009. Prior to the Steinmart lease expiring in 2009, the City might do a RFP regarding any redevelopment uses for that site. The AmSouth block across from Steinmart and the new Main Library was purchased last year by a developer who plans to develop that site with two condominium towers. That would result in the first new housing in downtown in approximately 35 years. Concern was expressed that the Harborview Center may interfere with redevelopment in downtown. Mr. Owens said the City feels it prudent to maintain the Harborview Center at this time. In response to a question, Mr. Owens said the Calvary Baptist Church has some historical value, however, some components have been changed or added over the years. Additionally, churches are exempt from historical designations. The church is privately owned and will be sold rather than preserved. The City is in no position to purchase the church. In response to a question, Mr. Owens said the infrastructure would be able to handle the increased capacity created by redevelopment in downtown. He said approximately 10,000 vehicles a day would be rerouted from Cleveland Street and the surrounding streets onto Court and Chestnut streets. The water lines will be expanded as Cleveland Street is redeveloped. Years ago, the sewer system was designed for future increased capacity. Mr. Owens said Beachwalk is moving forward. The Markopoulos project must be a high quality three/four star project. A task force headed by the County and economic development staff in various communities is reviewing the impacts from potential hotel and motel conversions on the beach to condominiums. A consultant also is being hired to perform economic analyses regarding this issue. . In a response to a question, Mr. Owens said the media always inquires and reports on redevelopment and related issues in the City. He said there is tremendous support for a marina in the downtown. Marine Advisory 2004-02-11 2 . In response to a question, Mr. Owens said at some point after completion of the new Memorial Causeway Bridge, the pilings on the old bridge will be cut to bring them closer to the water's edge and left in place for a future concrete promenade that would be one-half the width of the current bridge. The piers would be approximately 30 feet wide, extending out approximately 250 - 300 feet. The piers would form the basis of the floating dock system. The fishing pier would be on the north end of Coachman Park. Marine & Aviation Director Bill Morris said the dock on Drew Street has been leased out to a ferry service operator and has been fairly inactive. In August, the City gets that property back. Plans are to use the dock for a downtown fishing pier with a controlled access point to separate the fishing pier from the marina. A floating wave attenuator also will be part of the design. In response to a question, Mr. Morris said the Commission wants to keep open the opportunity for commercial vessels to enter the downtown marina. No firm designs or plans have been developed. Mr. Morris referred to a chart of the municipal marina and said any areas that are not at eight feet would be dredged. Clean sand will be put back on the beach. Pinellas County letter reoardinq Dunedin Pass dated 11/21/03 from Coast Coordinator Nicole Elko . Mr. Morris said the Island Estates Civic Association has expressed community interest in gaining support for reopening Dunedin Pass. Ms. Elko is the City's Coastal Coordinator for coastal projects. Ms. Elko's letter includes the past history regarding when and why the pass closed, the reason not to open it, and why the County will not open the pass. According to Ms. Elko, the cost-benefit ratio of opening and dredging the pass every two years is extremely low. There also are environmental factors that would need to be considered. The passage of Hurricane Elena in 1985 lead to the eventual shoaling of the inlet, which completely closed in 1988 due to the lack of sufficient tidal flow to maintain the channel. The tidal flows are likely not significantly different today. Continuous two-year dredging cycles would be necessary to maintain a navigable channel that would be more costly than beneficial to people and the environment. Construction would impact sea turtle and shorebird nesting and seagrasses. Frank Dame, Maritime Officer for Island Estates Civic Association, said Ms. Elko's letter does not indicate why the County's permits to remove shoals submitted in 1984 and in 1990 were later withdrawn. In 1992, the Marine Advisory Board supported opening Dunedin Pass. The City funded a study in 1994 to investigate opening the Pass. That study resulted in a recommendation for a $2.6 million project that would open a 335-foot wide channel. The study also stated that frequent dredging at a cost of approximately $500,000 a year would be needed. Mr. Morris said he reviews all multi-family and commercial dock applications as a proactive measure to keep the Board updated regarding marine development projects. Some projects involve zoning rather than marine-related issues. . It was remarked that although additional residential units are being planned in the downtown, many of those residents would not live there full-time and concerns regarding traffic would be less of an issue except during peak times of the year. Concern was expressed that middle income families would not be able to afford higher priced hotels if small mom 'n pop hotels/motels sell out. Marine Advisory 2004-02-11 3 . . . 4. AQenda for next meetinQ on March 10, 2004 5. Adiournment The meeting adjourned at 9:04 a.m. Ib~~tuh-'1nd/'vJ2<J 'Board Reporter Marine Advisory 2004-02-11 Chair Marine Advisory Board v--. 4