06/11/2014 MARINE ADVISORY BOARD MEETING MINUTES
CITY OF CLEARWATER
June 11, 2014
Present: Chair Paul J. Kelley, Vice Chair Paul E. Lightfoot, Board Member Tim Trager, Board
Member Eric D. Spaulding, Board Member Tom Calhoun, Board Member Jane Davison Bongo,
Board Member Empty Seat
Also Present: 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.
2 —Approval of Minutes
2.1.Approve the minutes of the March 12, 2014 Marine Advisory Board meeting as submitted in
written summation.
Member Trager moved to approve Item 2.1. The motion was duly seconded and carried
unanimously.
3 —Citizens to be Heard re Items Not the Agenda: None.
4—Old Business
4.1. Permitting for Dunedin Pass Channel, shortcut channel, Seminole Boat Ramp and Marina
Basin dredge update
Marine & Aviation Department Director Bill Morris said City dredging permits expired. Staff could
apply for dredge permits that would be valid for 10 years. Some shoaling was appearing in
channels dredged less than 2 years ago. Recent surveys of maintenance dredging options: 1)
Seminole Boat Ramp; 2) federal cut channel from beach marina to Intracoastal Waterway; and
3) federal cut channel shortcut from beach marina to Clearwater Pass. After Dunedin Channel
and the marina basin are surveyed, the board will be asked to recommend gating locations for
Dunedin Channel.
Mr. Morris said Woods Consulting Services recommended the City submit 2 maintenance
dredge permit applications: 1) marine basin and short cut channel and 2) Seminole Boat Dock
and Dunedin Channel. He discussed annual Super Boat Race benefits to the Sailing Center and
recent City repairs to the Seminole Boat Ramp facility. The first dredge project, estimated at
$45,000, would dredge the Super Boats' launch site at Seminole Boat Ramp to 4-feet mean low
water and would need to be completed before late September. Bids were required.
Mr. Morris said the next"Federal Channel" project most likely would cost approximately
$750,000. Based on the updated survey, the City could "spot dredge" the shortcut channel. The
City could contract locally to save money and dredge more frequently. Woods Consulting
reported the permitting agency's preferred dredge method redistributed dredged sand. If a small
hydraulic dredge is used, the sand could be pumped onto Clearwater Pass properties. Several
of those property owners once aggressively pursued adding groins and obtaining new sand.
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Including plans to pump dredged sand onto nearby beaches in the permit application would help
expedite issuance of the permit. He had not discussed the plan with the subject property
owners.
Mr. Morris said he would discuss with City Councilmembers a proposal to recoup spot dredging
costs by charging Clearwater Pass property owners with T-groins for dredged sand pumped
onto their beaches; T-groins prevent sand from returning to dredged areas.
Discussion ensued regarding Clearwater Pass hotel property owner activities to address sand
loss. It was recommended Clearwater Pass property owners work together to obtain permits
necessary to construct Ts at the ends of their groins.
5— New Business
5.1. New Marine Advisory Board member
Mr. Morris reported Board Member Don McFarland submitted a letter of resignation. Board
Member Tom Calhoun indicated he was moving out of state and would submit a letter of
resignation.
Mr. Morris requested that members encourage residents to apply for vacancies. The City
Council preferred that board members represent a diversity of boaters including sail and motor,
commercial and recreational marina tenants, and Seminole Boat ramp patrons.
Consensus was that Sailing Center Board of Directors member Ted O'Brien was a good
candidate.
Items not on the Agenda
Florida Manatee Management
To meet State Manatee Management Plan requirements, the Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission evaluated manatee protection measures on the east side of Pinellas
County in 2003 and recently on the west side. FWC requested the County to form a LRRC
(Local Rule Review Committee) to review and comment on proposed zones. LRRC members
were volunteers and equally represented the boating/marine industry and manatee/
environmental interests. The Committee began the two-month process on April 22, 2014.
Clearwater was not advised of the committee nor invited to participate.
Mr. Morris said FWC was considering new manatee protection zones, including the Intracoastal
Waterway south of Stevenson Creek. He said any expansion to the slow speed minimum wake
zone north of the marina should be limited to the channel's east side. He said manatee
congregation was seasonal and expressed concern that seasonal zone markers would confuse
boaters.
Mr. Morris distributed a graphic of the Memorial Causeway and noted areas too shallow for
boating. Approximately 18 months ago, the State agreed to expand the slow speed minimum
wake zone near the Harbor Marina and to mark the channel. The subject channel markers were
not installed.
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It was suggested the slow speed minimum wake zone should not extend to the west shoreline
under the bridge. The quality of the manatee study was questioned. Study data was requested
and concern expressed that establishment of a manatee zone would be difficult to rescind in the
future. It was felt that Clearwater representation on the committee was essential due to
significant local familiarity with the harbor. It was stated the Marine Advisory Board was
longstanding and the committee's failure to request input from the board was troubling.
Mr. Morris said only 2 area manatee strikes were documented in the last 15 years. The study
included aerial photos of manatees and a good bit of research. He expressed concern that once
the committee report was finalized, additional input would be disregarded.
Member Trager moved to request that the LRRC share information re its findings, projected
course of action, and proposed changes to manatee areas in Clearwater with the Marine
Advisory Board, which has a wealth of knowledge re Clearwater Harbor and should be included
in committee discussions. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
Chair Kelley offered to attend a future committee meeting.
Mr. Morris will forward to board members west county wake zone maps and recent LRRC
meeting minutes.
Beach Marina
Concern was expressed that enforcement was needed for the slow speed minimum wake zone
near the Beach Marina to protect boaters from large wakes entering the basin.
6 - Agenda for next meeting on September 10, 2014
Update - Seminole Boat Ramp dredge project
Dunedin Channel gating
7 — Adjourn
The meeting adjourned at 8:49 a.m.
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Chair
Attest: t , M- me Advisory Board
Marine Advisory 2014 -06 -11
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