02/21/2007
ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY BOARD MEETING MINUTES
CITY OF CLEARWATER
February 21, 2007
Approved
Present
D. Michael Flanery
Sandra Jamieson
Ron Gregory
Joseph Calio
Nelda Gant
Absent
Also Present
Leslie Dougall Sides
D. Scott Rice
Ed Chesney
Todd Petrie
Glenn Daniel
Tracey Mercer
Councilmember
Veronica Josef
Anna Fusari
Chair
Board Member
Board Member
Board Member
Board Member
Asst. City Attorney
Assistant Director Eng.lStormwater/Env.
Environmental Manager
Asst. Director Public Utilites
Water Superintendent
Public Utilities
William Jonson
Senior Staff Assistant
Citizen
To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in
that order.
Chair Mike Flanery called the meeting to order at 4:00 pm in the MSB Conference Room # 130.
1. APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MINUTES - December 20,2006 & January 17, 2007
The Minutes of December 20, 2006 had a minor change on page 3 of the minutes under
item "FUNDING - EXISTING I COMPLETED & FUTURE PROJECTS" to change the word
from "it is" a consent order to "has" a consent order.
The Minutes of January 17, 2007 was approved as submitted in written summation to
each board member. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
2. CITIZENS COMMENTS: None
3. L1ASON TO THE CITY COUNCIL
Leslie Douaall Sides stated that the EAB Board previously had a designated liaison to the
Council and the EAB Chair should express their concerns to the City Council on behalf of the
EAB Board.
Chair Mike Flanery suggested that the EAB Board members identify on areas of interest e.g.
Building Green, Built In Environment and Energy Conservation and present their concerns to
the City Council.
Member Sandra Jamieson stated that the City should look into more green building
opportunities that are environmentally friendly. The EAB Board should suggest to the Council
that the City's development codes make it easier for private developers to think green.
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, 4. RECLAIMED WATER
Todd Petire - Asst. Director of Public Utilities gave updates on the upcoming changes to
Reclaimed Water Policy. He provided the standard package presented to customers,contained
the following information:
* Reclaimed program overview and areas the system is extending into.
* Provides the benefits of using Reclaimed Water.
Todd Petrie told the EAB if there are any questions to call the office and further explained the
issues of Reclaimed Water.
Member Ron GreQorv inquired if all the projects from the map had been implemented. He also
requested the future expansion plans shown on a map.
Todd Petrie reported on the following Reclaimed Water areas:
Island Estates and Clearwater Beach have been implemented
Greenwood and Harbor Oaks are implemented
Drew and Union - pipes are in place and not utilized at the moment, there is a pump
station actively being connected and will be completed.
Seville Sunset is operational and lot of success on west part of the city
MorninQside is not installed, it is being designed and working with Homeowners
Organization and will be bringing that forward for consideration in April 2007.
Del Oro is installed, connected and in use
Sky Crest is not implemented
Member Ron GreQorv inquired what is the future planned implementation for Reclaimed and
what are the next geographic areas to be completed. Member Ron Gregory requested a map of
the future phases geographically.
Todd Petrie will provide the current proposed map to Scott Rice.
Member Ron GreQorv inquired if anything can be done to reduce portable water?
Todd Petrie stated the proposal is being finalized and will be brought up to the City Council in
March 21, 2007 meeting. Introducing the Integrated Water Management Strategy for the City
that basically entails the following:
i. Maximize local water resources that are cheaper and readily available
ii. Produce more portable water locally, costs less money to draw water locally, treat and
distribute it to our customers, rather than buying water from Pinellas County. This intends
for us to have more control over our own water.
iii. Expand Reclaimed Water as much as possible this replenishes aquifers and reduces our
marine discharges to Tampa Bay and Clearwater Harbor.
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The second Issue is the Irrigation Well Exemption fees.
i. Considering the rebate program by removing people from irrigation wells to reclaimed
situation.
ii. Trying to put together a package in March that makes sense from a budgetary standpoint
for your recommendation and the Council's consideration.
Chair Mike Flanerv inquired on the Reclaimed Water in Countryside area.
Glenn Daniel stated that the existing plan has a proposal to extend Reclaimed Water up in
Countryside. The difficulty faced in Countryside is that SWFWMD required several conditions to be
able to maintain funding. One is connection to the system and the other one is offset credits. To
obtain the offset credits we have to remove lawn meters or the irrigation wells.
Member Ron GreQorv inquired on Coopers Point
Ed Chesney stated that Coopers Point has a master plan approved in 1997. Starting with
restoration and exotic removal program, followed by access bridges to provide access in the
whole of Coopers Point area.
6. STORMWA TER RATES
Scott Rice - Inquired from the EAB Board on the following:
i. If there are any other materials for the Board to begin evaluation and discussion on
stormwater rates, when will the EAB schedule the detailed discussion of stormwater rate
structure.
ii. Per discussion from the City Council the EAB Chair needs to attend a Work Session to
discuss with the Council, directions for the EAB board.
Member Ron GreQorv in response to Scott Rice's inquiry stated that:
~ Would like to go through the Stormwater Financial Management Program Summary Table that
was provided to all the EAB Board Members in the past EAB meeting.
~ All Stormwater projects are built with the use of the impact fee but how are they prioritized.
~ What are we trying to achieve environmentally.
~ What are the benefits from an environmental stand point.
~ The EAB board needs to talk about the stormwater plan and not the stormwater rates like
stormwater solutions:
-+ Flooding for people which reduces their insurance rates
-+ Curtails damages
-+ Improve water quality
-+ Helps overall environment
After discussion it was concluded that the EAB has all the data required for the rate study. Scott
Rice was directed to determine when the Council would prefer to have the discussion with the
EAB. Any further discussions of the rate study will be deferred until after the meeting with the
Council.
Member Joe Calio inquired why is the County cheaper than the City for reclaimed water?
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Scott Rice further concluded that more information will be obtained from Todd Petrie when he
returns in March.
7. ESTABLISH AGENDA
1. Reclaimed Water
2. Direction to have a Liaison with the City Council
3. Role of the EAB Board
8. DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next EAB meeting will be March 21, 2007 and it was moved and seconded by the Board
that the next EAB meeting will be a Work Session and the EAB Board preferred that all future
EAB meetings to be held in the Municipal Services Building.
9. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 6:00pm
~~f
Chair '
Environmental Advisory Board
Date: 5~.3/o7
, ; /
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Veronica Josef
Senior Staff Assistant
Date: 6 I .,:)...'6 [ 07
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