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03/09/2022 Marine Advisory Board Meeting Minutes March 9, 2022 City of Clearwater Main Library- Council Chambers 100 N. Osceola Avenue Clearwater, FL 33755 m s Meeting Minutes Wednesday, March 9, 2022 8:00 AM Main Library - Council Chambers Marine Advisory Board Page 1 City of Clearwater Marine Advisory Board Meeting Minutes March 9, 2022 Roll Call Present 7 - Vice Chair Michael Grohman, Board Member Kevin Laughlin, Board Member Wade Carlisle, Board Member Maranda Douglas, Board Member Deena Stanley, Board Member Steven Voras, and Ex Officio Phil Henderson Absent 1 - Board Member Julie Battaglia Also Present— Michael MacDonald —Marine & Aviation Operations Manager, Patricia O. Sullivan — Board Reporter 1. Call To Order The Vice Chair called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m. at the Main Library. To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. 2. Approval of Minutes 2.1 Approval of December 8, 2021 Member Carlisle moved to approve the minutes of the December 8, 2021 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 Presentation by Moffatt & Nichol Nicole Pauly with Moffatt & Nichol presentation on Marina Master Plan Draft & Market Analysis Marine &Aviation Operations Manager Michael MacDonald said Moffatt & Nichol was awarded the contract to develop the Clearwater Beach Marina Master Plan and market analysis through a competitive RFP (Request for Proposals) process. Nicole Pauly, Moffatt & Nichol design lead, provided a PowerPoint presentation reviewing project goals and the market study. She anticipated completion of Geotech engineering in June, 30% design in fall, and construction documents next winter. She said the market study determined new marinas have larger slips and higher-end marinas primarily feature floating docks. She said at the beach marina, all slips are waitlisted, rates are below market average, fuel sales provide a significant portion of marina revenues, amenities are consistent with comparable marinas, utilities are outdated, and slips are narrower than industry standards, the market is trending to 50- Page 2 City of Clearwater Marine Advisory Board Meeting Minutes March 9, 2022 to 70-foot boats. Ms. Pauly said surveyed commercial tenants indicated they want their slips to be close to points of sale and storage, highly visible and preferably to the west with higher pedestrian traffic. She said parking is not part of this master plan, the project will eliminate 41 marina parking spaces. Ms. Pauly said the master plan will consider wind and weight when orienting the 108 recreation slips and provide visibility and accessibility for the 50 commercial and 2 PS TA (Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority) ferry slips. She said lining the marina's perimeter with commercial slips may not be the best layout. She said the fuel dock building will be relocated a bit to the south with 5 slips for day visitors or transients. Ms. Pauly said kiosks and limited storage options for commercial boats'bait and ice will be housed in an open air plaza featuring a promenade, multi- tiered walkways, shade structures, seating areas and entrances to the docks and fish cleaning stations. She said part of the plaza will resemble a fishing village and draw pedestrians to the east with seating, public art, and a sidewalk connection to the Causeway bike trail. She said underwater lighting at night will attract fish and pedestrians. Discussion ensued with recommendations to grandfather rates for small boats over time, reopen Causeway parking, widen the pedestrian walkway on the seawall for commercial operations, require new fishing boat owners to continue fishing operations if a "fishing village'is created, that any zoning restrictions be flexible as deep sea fishing demand, for example, could decline and to consider that commercial operations function better on fixed docks. Ms. Pauly said fixed docks cannot be constructed with utilities in the flood plain, her firm was hired to design a resilient floating dock facility that adapts to tidal changes. She said plans are to group water sports and sightseeing dinner boats together. She said most fishing boats will remain in current slips. In response to questions, she said an RFQ (Request for Qualifications) will be released for a Construction Manager at Risk to phase construction. She said most slips will have utilities throughout the project. She said alternative fuel arrangements will be made when the fuel dock closes for several months. She said a mooring field is not planned. She said the 2 aging seawalls are not part of the project but staff is considering long and short term options, new seawalls must be 18-inches taller than current ones. She said staff is pursuing a FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) match for new seawall. She said platforms can be raised later. In response to questions, Ms. Pauly said the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) did not recognize overwater structures and never permitted the existing kiosks, a landscaping variance may be possible to reduce loss of parking spaces, edge protection along the water will meet Code, and Page 3 City of Clearwater Marine Advisory Board Meeting Minutes March 9, 2022 wayfinding signage is planned. Concerns were expressed that cleaning stations will attract birds and must meet federal mandates that allow FWC (Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission) surveyors to measure and verify catches, railings will disconnect floating docks from the promenade, strong currents affect large sailboat access to the marina, the basin lacks turning space, and it may be difficult for some passengers to walk on floating promenades. Recommendations were made for commercial docks to have brochure holders and nearby freezer space for dinner boats, that wood, not concrete, poles be installed to allow boats to pivot more easily, that transient slips be moved to the south, and that consideration be given to: 1) accommodating commercial businesses during the project, 2) strong marina currents affecting large boats, and 3) a parking garage. Four marina commercial boat representatives expressed concerns re sidewalk congestion, crowded ramps, customer access to commercial boats blocked by crowds viewing cleaning stations, liability when small boats offload fish, the need for a parking garage, limited access to planning meetings, importance of a successful rehab project, floating docks worsening wind, tidal, and current effects on commercial boats, wooden pilings essential to pivot during windy weather, and higher sea walls disadvantage low profile boats. Recommendations were made to consider weather impacts, to not relocate commercial boats, to allow businesses to determine the type of marine experience they provide, and losing parking should not be an option. Support was expressed support for locating large boats, tour boats, and ski jet slips to the east, encouraging pedestrians to walk the full marina and boost smaller boat business. Discussion ensued with support expressed for higher sea walls and floating docks to prepare for sea level rise. Concern was expressed that all tenants should have an opportunity to provide input at project meetings. It was suggested a parking garage at Coronado Drive and Devon Drive could reserve spaces for marina use. It was suggested charter customers could park on the mainland for free and receive ferry discounts. In response to questions, Mr. MacDonald said the beach and marina parking lots are monitored separately. Three project meetings have occurred, only vested owners could attend due to limited space. It was noted Ex Officio Henderson had been attending meetings on behalf of the board. Consensus was for Member Laughlin to represent the board at future project meetings. 4.2 Elect 2022 Chair and Vice Chair Page 4 City of Clearwater Marine Advisory Board Meeting Minutes March 9, 2022 Member Laughlin moved to appoint Michael Grohman as Chair. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. Member Carlisle moved to appoint Kevin Laughlin as Vice Chair. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 5. Old Business Items 5.1 Update on "Slow Speed Minimum Wake Zone" for Stevenson Creek Mr. MacDonald said the City Attorney is drafting an Ordinance for a Slow Speed Minimum Wake Zone for Stevenson Creek, State approval is required. The creek is being surveyed. The Police Department will be contacted re patrolling the creek beyond the bridges too low for patrol boat passage. A resident said the State did not own Stevenson Creek. He said reassessment of the Creek should be done in the next year, 7 years after the dredging project. He said nuisance boaters endanger the public and wildlife. Mr. MacDonald said designating the creek as a manatee zone is a more complicated process than instituting a Slow Speed Minimum Wake Zone. He expressed concern the State may deny the request due to Clearwater's multiple zones. It was noted that creekfront residents were prohibited from constructing seawalls unless an abutting property has one. Concern was expressed the creek will require future dredging if high speed watercraft continue to erode creekfront properties. It was stated that boat docks will not be permitted near the creek's entrance. Concerns were expressed a Slow Speed Minimum Wake Zone designation would be insufficient to protect breeding manatees and increased creek boat traffic will endanger manatees in the creek and nearby intracoastal waters. Recommendations were made for additional Manatee Protection Zone signage, for the City's website to warn boaters of manatees in this area, and for the Manatee Protection Zone to be extended north. 6. Director's Report Mr. MacDonald said Police District Chief Eric Gandy, an experienced boater and pilot, was appointed Marine &Aviation Department Director. Mr. MacDonald reported 3 Clearwater Harbor Marina wave attenuators would be replaced this spring. The marina will continue its master plan maintenance and replacement schedule. Mr. MacDonald requested board approval to increase Clearwater Beach Marina rates in May. Page 5 City of Clearwater Marine Advisory Board Meeting Minutes March 9, 2022 Mr. MacDonald said wholesale fuel prices are increasing rapidly. The marina is trying to maintain lower prices than nearby marinas. Only commercial tenants, the ferry, Clearwater Marine Aquarium, and Clearwater Police Department qualify for fuel discounts. Mr. MacDonald said the Parking Manager is working on a feasibility study re beach marina parking. A marina parking garage would require a drive thru for fuel truck and dinner cruise supply deliveries. It was recommended the City Council approve a marina parking garage. Mr. MacDonald said he would check progress on the request for a Slow Speed Minimum Wake Zone near the Clearwater Yacht Club. 7. Board Members to be Heard New Board Members Stanley and Voras introduced themselves. 8. Adjourn Attest: The meeting adjourned at 10:20 a.m. ./-73/1A-- Chair - Marine Advisory Board City of Clearwater Page 6