Loading...
12/13/2017 Marine Advisory Board Meeting Minutes December 13, 2017 City of Clearwater City Hall 112 S. Osceola Avenue Clearwater, FL 33756 ap m Meeting Minutes Wednesday, December 13, 2017 8:00 AM Council Chambers Marine Advisory Board Page 1 City of Clearwater Marine Advisory Board Meeting Minutes December 13, 2017 Roll Call Present 5 - Chair Edward O'Brien Jr., Board Member Kevin Laughlin, Board Member Ken Marlow, Board Member Wade Carlisle , and Board Member Michael Mack Absent 2 - Vice Chair Letitia Wold and Board Member Michael Grohman Also Present - Camilo Soto —Assistant City Attorney, Ed Chesney, P.E. — Marine & Aviation Department Director, Michael MacDonald - Marine & Aviation Operations Manager, Patricia O. Sullivan — Board Reporter 1. Call To Order The Chair called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m. at City Hall. To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. 2. Approval of Minutes 2.1 Approve June 14, 2017 Marine Advisory Board Minutes Member Laughlin moved to approve the minutes of the June 14, 2017 Marine 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 Welcome new Board Member Michael Mack: Done. 4.2 Introductions of New Marina Director and Operations Manager: Done. 4.3 Review 2018 Marine Advisory Board Schedule The Marine Advisory Board will meet March 14, June 13, September 12, and December 12, 2018. 4.4 Review costs associated with Hurricane Irma damage to Marine Facilities The Clearwater Harbor Marina downtown suffered the most damage from Hurricane Irma. The Fishing Pier and Wave Attenuator were damaged / lost during the storm. Marine &Aviation Department Director Ed Chesney said most Beach Marina docks were constructed in the 1970s and 1980s. While it first Page 2 City of Clearwater Marine Advisory Board Meeting Minutes December 13, 2017 appeared that hurricane damages were cosmetic, docks may be compromised, underwater damages were being assessed. A professional diver assessment was estimated to cost$125,000. Many piles and stringers were lost and electrical utilities already were a problem. Experienced in-house trades persons were repairing hazardous conditions. In response to a question, he said construction of new floating docks was scheduled for 2022. Concern was expressed that repairs appeared tenuous and may not survive another storm. It was stated that beach marina commercial rates were a bargain and an increase would help cover repairs and new construction. Mr. Chesney said the Clearwater Harbor Marina fishing pier was lost and the bottom of the north wave attenuator was damaged when it broke free from 4 concrete pilings, pivoted 90 degrees, and became wedged. Concrete broke away from the cage allowing salt water intrusion and corrosion. Divers were hired to evaluate damages. Estimated cost to remove the wave attenuator and remnants of the fishing pier was $50,000, replacements were $750,000. City insurance will cover approximately 113 of the cost. A FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) claim will be submitted. A City Engineer of Record, Erickson Consulting Engineers, will look after City interests, determine best repair solutions, and approve design cost pricing. The south wave attenuator also will be examined. Mr. Chesney said engineers were reviewing a proposal to attach the attenuator using 8 piles instead of the original 4, and using steel rather than concrete. Steel was subject to corrosion and cheaper and easier to install while concrete was more expensive and had to be drilled into rock. He expressed concern damage could occur during drilling as multiple imprecisely surveyed utilities ran under the marina. A new wave attenuator will take 12 weeks to fabricate before being barged from Tampa. City Council approval of high costs to replace the fishing pier would be necessary. 5. Old Business Item 5.1 Discuss old business items such as Mandalay Channel Mooring Field and Imagine - Clearwater parking concerns for the downtown marina tenants Open discussion on old business items; Mandalay Channel Mooring Field - No update. Imagine Clearwater - Parking concerns for the downtown marina tenants. Mr. Chesney said no action had occurred in the last 6 months re Mandalay Channel mooring field. FDEP (Florida Department of Environmental Protection) approved the only permit issued to date. Army Page 3 City of Clearwater Marine Advisory Board Meeting Minutes December 13, 2017 Corps of Engineers and County permits also would be necessary. In response to a question, Assistant City Attorney Camilo Soto said the FDEP permit had a limited scope and did not consider uplands. The City advised the County re its contention that the proposal lacked upland facilities necessary to support a mooring field. In response to a question re a derelict boat, Mr. Chesney said the City could not get involved unless the boat was on City property. The State was responsible for the abandoned vessel which was reported to FWCC (Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission) and US Coast Guard. Removal of the boat was a long process and could cost up to $35,000. The City had no budget for this action and will apply for State grant money to hire a salvage firm after all due diligence is completed, boat owners were difficult to locate. The City recently was granted the ability to hire a salvage firm to tow vessels to an impoundment facility from City marinas and facilities for nonpayment of rent. Information signs needed to be posted. In response to a question, Mr. Chesney acknowledged many problems were associated with jet skis but said there had been no backlash re the City's inability to accomplish Carlouel residents'request to add a low speed zone. The City was unable to modify any slow speed zones without a full state review, which most likely would terminate many slow speed zones in Clearwater, including the Mandalay Channel recreation zone. In response to questions, Mr. Chesney said the City did not have the ability to permit mooring fields because the use was not in the City Code. The City required marina tenants to carry boat insurance and tracked coverage to avoid City costs associated with mishaps at the marina, such as a sinking vessel. Mr. Chesney said Clearwater Harbor Marina tenants had concerns that Imagine Clearwater would remove parking from the waterfront. The Imagine Clearwater plan was preliminary, conceptual, and evolving. While 25 parking spaces for the marina's 100 slips were recommended, a stop gap plan would designate 15-minute loading spaces at the seawall. Mr. Chesney said the board would have input re the Imagine Clearwater plan. It was suggested that board members express their parking concerns to the City Council. In response to a question, Mr. Chesney said Imagine Clearwater planned restrooms and a dock office at the marina. There were concerns that proposed canoe, paddleboard, and kayak activity would be too dangerous at the downtown waterfront due to heavy Intracoastal traffic and dangerous currents. Designs for the Seminole Boat Ramp Improvement Page 4 City of Clearwater Marine Advisory Board Meeting Minutes December 13, 2017 Project, part of the North Marina District Master Plan, were 60% completed and included plans for a canoe, paddleboard, and kayak launch location. In response to a question re status of Clearwater Ferry, Mr. Chesney said the 1st year of the 2 -year pilot program funded by the City ended this month. Projections and ridership were tracked; ridership numbers appeared to be less than projected. Beach workers were not using it as had been expected, possibly because the schedule was inconvenient. The City had one more year to evaluate the program. 6. Director's Report: None. 7. Board Members to be Heard: None. 8. Adjourn The meeting adjourned at 8:54 a.m. Page 5 City of Clearwater Chair - Marine Advisory Board