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10/09/1996MARINE ADVISORY BOARD CITY OF CLEARWATER October 9, 1996 Present: David C. Martens Chair Donald McFarland Vice-Chair David Smith Member David Hemerick Member Edward Dohrman Member Bill Wilhelm Member David Perkins Ex-Officio William Held Harbormaster Terry Finch Environmental Programs Supervisor Brenda Moses Board Reporter Absent: Ernie Cline Member The meeting was called to order by Chair David Martens at 8:00 a.m. at the Marina conference room, 25 Causeway Boulevard, Clearwater, Florida. In order to provide continuity for research, the items will be listed in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. Mr. Held said Member Cline would be absent from this meeting. Mr. McFarland referred to Item #3, sentence #3 of the September 11, 1996 minutes. No one was sure there is a 150 foot rule in place for boaters. He requested it read, “. . . there is no rule to that effect.” Mr. McFarland moved to approve the minutes of September 11, 1996 as corrected. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 1. Boat Ramps Within the City The City currently has boat launching facilities at Seminole launch ramp and the Clearwater Beach Recreation Center. The Sailing Center, with 3 ramps for non-mechanically propelled vessels of less than 20 feet, could be classified as a City boat ramp. Mr. Held referred to a posted chart. Edgewater Drive and other locations were discussed as possible boat ramps. There are inadequate ramps for the number of boaters in the area. It was noted proposed boat ramps would require Commission approval, appropriate funding, and approval by various state agencies. Ms. Terry Finch, Environmental Programs Supervisor, arrived at 8:21 a.m. She said many areas in the county are too shallow for boat ramps or involve environmental issues. She noted there is a park off Overbrook on Stevenson’s Creek that may be used as a boat ramp. The City was looking at a property for sale on the west side of the Bayside Bridge. It was being considered for park and stormwater quality purposes, but the sale price is $1.6 million, putting it at the bottom of the list. One of the most confining issues in construction of new boat ramps is the shallow water depth. Should dredging be required, chances are slim necessary approvals would be obtained. Specific numbers of parking spaces would also be required for each boat ramp. Ms. Finch said the City has not considered purchasing private properties for boat ramps. Mr. McFarland moved to recommend City staff investigate the possibility of constructing additional boat ramps in the Clearwater area including, but not limited to, the area near Stevenson’s Creek, the west end of the Courtney-Campbell Causeway, and the area near the proposed new bridge. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 2. Fishing Pier at Clearwater Pass There is $200,000 this current fiscal year in the CIP (Capital Improvement Project) for construction of a fishing pier or piers at Clearwater Pass. Money in the CIP is retained if not used within the same year allocated. Discussion ensued regarding the depths of water and length of proposed piers. It was noted the permitting process can take 6 to 12 months. Preparing all appropriate paperwork may expedite the process. Ms. Finch said impacts on ecology, manatee concerns, whether the City owns the bottom land, and water depth are some of the major issues when permits are being considered. Navigational lighting would also be required. Mr. Held noted that using wooden piers would eliminate contracting the work and would save money. He said the Marina has design plans for docks which can be adapted to fit various types of piers. He will supply cost per foot on 6, 8 and 10 foot wide piers. It was suggested members visit the bridge location before the next meeting. 3. Wake Zones The Florida Marine Patrol approves wake zones. They check each zone before approval and indicate where signs should be placed. Discussion ensued regarding the wake zones at the Seminole launch ramp and connecting the channel. The wake zones at the Seminole launch ramp and the channel will be discussed at the next meeting. 4. Round Table Discussion with City Commission It was noted the City Commission is offering round table discussions with boards which have special issues they would like to discuss. 5. Magnolia Street Dock Mr. Martens said the owner of the old Harrison home filed suit against the City because the Magnolia Street Dock project was rubber stamped without a public hearing. When the issue came up before Pinellas County Water Navigation, it was considered an old dock re-building. Owners also filed an injunction to prevent the beginning of construction. This matter will be heard at a public hearing by the County Commission in November. Members asked Ms. Finch to keep them informed of upcoming meetings. She agreed to keep members informed of all meetings and departed the meeting at 8:53 a.m. 6. Marina and Pier 60 Business Plans The City Commission approved the Pier 60 business plan. The Marina business plan was approved with amendments to slip rents as submitted last month. 7. Swim Area Pilings A letter was received by a Mr. Martin. He was concerned about the pilings marking the swim area. The Commission discussed the issue and Mayor Garvey sent a response to Mr. Martin. Mr. Held noted due to this past week’s storm, all the buoys and one piling on Sand Key were lost. There are 14 pilings in place to help separate the lines between swimmers and boaters. 8. Memorial Causeway Bridge Meeting - October 15, 1996 - 5:00 p.m. The last meeting regarding the Memorial Causeway bridge replacement is scheduled for October 15, 1996, at the Calvary Baptist Church, Building 4. From 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. recommendations can be viewed. The meeting will commence at 6:00 p.m. 9. Letter from City Manager on Campaign Buttons The City Manager has requested all board members refrain from wearing political buttons at board meetings. Mr. Held briefly discussed other issues. Marina Dock Age Magazine’s cover features the Clearwater Marina and an enlightening article about the new pump-out system and the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) personnel lift. The Marina has received telephone inquires from Maryland and other states regarding these services. A chart, aerial view, and an article on the Marina are in the Coastal Cruising Magazine. Both publications offered excellent exposure for the Marina. Mr. Held will supply copies of both publications to members. The meeting adjourned at 9:08 a.m.