01/18/2017 Environmental Advisory Board Meeting Minutes January 18, 2017
City of Clearwater
City Hall
112 S. Osceola Avenue
Clearwater, FL 33756
e I
Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, January 18, 2017
4:00 PM
Council Chambers
Environmental Advisory Board
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City of Clearwater
Environmental Advisory Board Meeting Minutes January 18, 2017
Roll Call
Present 4 - Board Member Michael Engelmann, Chair Leann DuPont, Board
Member Jared Leone, and Board Member Ashley Wilson Pimley
Absent 1 - Board Member Mark Wright
Also Present: Laura Mahony —Assistant City Attorney, Ed Chesney — Environmental
Manager, Patricia O. Sullivan — Board Reporter
1. Call To Order
The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. at City Hall and
reported the City Manager had complimented the EAB's (Environmental
Advisory Board's) November 17, 2106 City Council presentation. She
congratulated Board Members and Environmental Manager Ed Chesney
for their efforts.
To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily
discussed in that order.
2. Approval of Minutes
2.1 Approve the minutes of the October 19, 2016 Environmental Advisory Board Meeting
Member Engelmann moved to approve minutes of the October 19,
2016 Environmental Advisory Board meeting as submitted in
written summation. The motion was duly seconded and carried
unanimously.
3. Citizens to be Heard Regarding Items Not on the Agenda: None
4. New Business Items
4.1 Moccasin Lake Park Update - Felicia Donnelly
Administrative Support Manager Felicia Donnelly discussed the 10-year
2013 Moccasin Lake Nature Park Master Plan, which was projected to
be completed 5 years early. She distributed a handout and reviewed plan
accomplishments. The agreement with the Audubon Society to manage the
park's Bird of Prey operation will be submitted to the City Council for
approval. A sanitary sewer lift station will be installed and new restrooms will
be constructed north of the classroom. An increase in offsite stormwater flow
made replacing the washed out bridge in the same location difficult, a new
location by the stormwater weir was identified and the bridge and connecting
boardwalks were redesigned. Boardwalks required replacement.
Construction awaited final review and permits.
Ms. Donnelly said Interpretive Center exhibits were damaged by
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City of Clearwater
Environmental Advisory Board Meeting Minutes January 18, 2017
humidity and needed to be revamped, HVAC and kitchen equipment will
be installed in the center. A nature based environmental play area will
be designed to teach children about the environment. The City was
doing a robust job promoting Moccasin Lake Nature Park: 1) 7 written
reports sent to Friends of Moccasin Lake Nature Park and stakeholder
groups, 2) 12 presentations at public forums; 3) park information and
events posted on the City's website, TBO.com, Tampa Bay.com,
Facebook, and environmental websites' 4) park listed in every
environmental publication, and 5) Allegiant Airlines'current in-flight
magazine article featured Moccasin Lake Nature Park.
Ms. Donnelly was complimented for staff efforts. It was noted Moccasin
Lake Nature Park will be the most technologically advanced park in the
City. Ms. Donnelly said the Aging Well Center's manager had insisted
that a hearing loop be installed, Clearwater had the country's second
oldest population. She recognized 37-year staff member Cliff Norris, the
Environment Land Supervisor who oversaw Moccasin Lake Nature Park
and its programs.
One resident complimented Moccasin Lake Nature Park and offered to
volunteer.
Ms. Donnelly said every City summer camp participants visited Moccasin
Lake Nature Park. For a fee, the park was available for corporate
activities, weddings, birthday parties, etc.
It was recommended that the EAB schedule a visit to Moccasin Lake
Nature Park. Mr. Chesney will forward board members a list of dates.
4.2 EAB Campaign for Single Use Plastic - EAB Members
It was reported Thomas Paterek, Chair of the Suncoast Chapter of the
Surfrider's Foundation had invited the Chamber of Commerce to the
organization's March 7, 2017 meeting on single-use plastic at Chapel by
the Sea. It was stated the Clearwater Beach Association also will be
contacted.
Discussion ensued with a recommendation that the EAB schedule a
workshop after the meeting to develop a presentation for the City
Council and comments: 1) Council, Chambers of Commerce, and
business owner support was necessary for a voluntary program limiting
single-use plastic at beach restaurants and cafes to succeed, 2) it was
important that business owners were made aware that this issue was
important to residents, 3) environmental protection had diverse support,
and 4) straws on the beach were part of a much bigger problem related
to deteriorating micro plastics introducing carcinogens into the food
chain.
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City of Clearwater
Environmental Advisory Board Meeting Minutes January 18, 2017
Assistant City Attorney Lauren Mahony said she and Mr. Chesney would
discuss how best to accomplish the request for a workshop and report to
members. Mr. Chesney will provide members with contact information
for the Clearwater Beach Chamber of Commerce in an effort to send
information to hoteliers and restaurateurs.
4.3 Report on Indian Rocks Beach Meeting - Leann Dupont
Chair DuPont said the major discussion at the Indian Rocks Beach
meeting focused on the CCCL (Coastal Construction Control Line) and
protecting dunes. Mr. Chesney reviewed past dune protection efforts on
north beach and Sand Key and the annual volunteer program that plants
10,000 sea oats in the county's dune system. It was recommended that
steps be taken to stop people from walking on Clearwater's dunes.
A resident recommended installing small educational signs for tourists
that identify flora and explain why dunes should not be disturbed.
4.4 Elect Chair/Vice Chair 2017-2018
Member Engelmann moved to reappoint Leann DuPont as Chair.
The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
Member Engelmann moved to appoint Jared Leone as Vice Chair.
The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
5. Old Business Item
5.1 Mooring Field Update, Mandalay Channel - Ed Chesney
Mr. Chesney said the application for a mooring field in Mandalay
Channel had been resubmitted reducing the number of moored vessels
from 42 to 4, vessels could be up to 70-feet in length. The applicant
owned a large swath of bottom land. The application indicated dinghies
from moored vessels would use the Cove Apartments'dock, currently,
only owners of the motel's 5 units were permitted to use the dock.
Army Corps of Engineers and FDEP (Florida Department of
Environmental Protection) review of the modified application will be
publicly noticed. The deadline for public comment to the Army Corps
was February 17, 2017, staff will send a link to members. The
application was not submitted to Pinellas County or Clearwater.
Concern was expressed FDEP had approved the original application
without proof of upland support or plans for sanitary waste disposal. It was
stated the application should identify the maximum number of people the
mooring field would serve.
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City of Clearwater
Environmental Advisory Board
Meeting Minutes January 18, 2017
A resident said the Bay Esplanade Mooring Field submission indicated
the Clearwater Beach Recreation Center and Clearwater Beach Marina
would provide restroom facilities for moored vessels.
6. Director's Report
6.1 Agenda for April 19, 2017 Meeting
7. Board Members to be Heard
8. Adjourn
Attest:
In response to a question, Mr. Chesney said the City had awarded a
contract for design work for a master plan re City purchased wetlands in
Cooper's Bayou; the plan would take a year to develop. The Clearwater
Christian College uplands property was sold.
The meeting adjourned at 5:05 p.m.
oard Repo er
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City of Clearwater
Chi-' Environmental Advisory Board