Board Members MINUTES OF THE MARINE ADVISORY BOARD 100 NORTH ANDREWS AVENUE COMMISSION CONFERENCE ROOM EIGHTH FLOOR FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 2017 6:00 P.M. Attendance Cumulative Attendance May 2016 - April 2017 Present Absent F. St. George Guardabassi, Chair P 6 1 Grant Henderson, Vice Chair P 6 1 Jim Welch (arr. 6:07) P 6 1 John Holmes P 4 3 Joe Cain P 5 2 George Cable P 3 3 Jack Newton A 2 4 Jimi Batchelor A 4 3 Cliff Berry II P 6 1 Bill Walker P 7 0 Zane Brisson P 5 2 Richard Graves P 6 1 Heather Moraitis P 3 0 Duke Siotkas P 1 2 Ed Strobel P 3 0 As of this date, there are 15 appointed members to the Board, which means 8 would constitute a quorum. Staff Andrew Cuba, Manager of Marine Facilities Jonathan Luscomb, Supervisor of Marine Facilities Officer Chris Clemons, Marine Police Staff Brigitte Chiappetta, Recording Secretary, Prototype, Inc. Communications to City Commission None. I. Call to Order / Roll Call Chair Guardabassi called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. and roll was called. II. Approval of Minutes December 1, 2016 Motion made by Mr. Cain, seconded by Mr. Graves, to approve. In a voice vote, the motion passed unanimously.
Page 2 III. Statement of Quorum It was noted that a quorum was present at the meeting. IV. Introduction of New Member Duke Siotkas New member Duke Siotkas introduced himself at this time. He is President of the Riviera Isles Homeowners Association and a longtime resident of Fort Lauderdale. The following Item was taken out of order on the Agenda. V. Waterway Crime & Boating Safety Report / Fire Department Report Officer Chris Clemons of the Marine Unit reported the following activity for the month of December 2016: 3 incidents 7 boating accidents 5 citations 30 warnings 21 safety inspections Ofc. Clemons continued that wake boats, which are designed to create a large wake for surfers, are becoming an issue in the area. Most of these boats are over 21 ft. in length with twin engines; however, if smaller single-engine vessels become common, this may be an item of concern in the future. VI. Discussion Talking Points for Broward County Municipal Marine Summit Wednesday, February 8, 2017 Location to be Determined Mr. Cuba advised that the second Broward County Municipal Marine Summit will be held on February 8, 2017. It is expected to be held in Harbortown at the I.T. Parker facility, although this location has not yet been confirmed. Last year s summit allowed Marine Advisory Board members to sit down with representatives of other boards from throughout Broward County to discuss items of mutual interest or concern. Mr. Cuba requested that the members determine five to six talking points that they would like to see placed on the summit s agenda. Mr. Welch arrived at 6:07 p.m. Mr. Cain stated that he would like to hear discussion of the lack of facilities for large boats in Fort Lauderdale, which often results in large vessels going to Miami instead. He recommended the southwest corner of the 17 th Street Bridge as a sufficiently deep area for docking large boats.
Page 3 Mr. Walker noted that this area may be slated for the construction of a new hotel and convention center. Mr. Cain replied that the area to which he referred would be left open. Mr. Graves advised that while mega-yacht owners may not require additional amenities, there would be a need for amenities for the crews. Mr. Cuba reviewed the topics sent by the Board to the 2016 summit, which included dredging, funding for dredging, loss of waterfront industry, zoning alterations, boater education, and a registered vessel owner survey/meeting. Mr. Walker raised the issue of sea level rise as a possible topic. Mr. Henderson added that discussion of dredging should include the City s inland waterways as well as major channels. The Board briefly discussed changes coming to Port Everglades, their environmental impact on the area, and how they may affect marine traffic. Mr. Cuba advised that he could contact representatives from Broward County to make a presentation on these improvements to the Board. Mr. Welch stated that he felt the loss of waterfront industry remains relevant and could be discussed further at this year s summit. Mr. Strobel suggested that the sale of waterfront industry properties could be addressed through zoning, which could limit the uses to which these properties may be sold. Norbert McLaughlin, member of the public, agreed that other local cities have written ordinances to address the loss of waterfront businesses in the manner Mr. Strobel had proposed. Mr. Cuba summarized the topics as follows: Lack of mega-yacht dockage and potential location of port Sea level rise and response to it City-wide dredging, including funding sources Loss of waterfront industry The Board discussed the possibility of having members attend the February 8, 2017 summit. Mr. Cuba noted that there are no waiver or permit applications scheduled for the next Board meeting. It was determined that the February 2, 2017 Board meeting would be canceled, and members would be encouraged to attend the summit instead. VII. Reports None.
Page 4 VIII. Old / New Business Mr. Luscomb advised that dredging of the Intracoastal Waterway is now complete. He added that Bahia Mar should have permits to begin dredging their access area by February 2017. He has been asked to facilitate grant opportunities for Phase 2 of the Bahia Mar project. Mr. Cuba stated that he would look into the progress of dredging the City s side canals and provide an update at the next meeting. Chair Guardabassi reported that the FEC Railroad is moving forward with plans to repair the New River Bridge. Signs are being placed throughout the City so the public is aware of the work dates. The repair project has been approved by the United States Coast Guard. Mr. Cuba added that a meeting is scheduled between the Mayor, the City Manager, the Marine Industries Association of South Florida (MIASF), and other stakeholders to further discuss the plans. Mr. Cable observed that efforts are being made to postpone the repairs until May 2017, when it would be performed in two phases. He noted that there are also plans to limit navigation on the river for two days in March 2017. Chair Guardabassi recalled that the Board sent a communication to the City Commission regarding the proposed project at their December 2016 meeting. The communication was discussed at a City Commission Conference Agenda meeting. He urged the members to individually email their City Commissioners expressing their concerns with the plans. Mr. Cain suggested inviting a local activist to address the Board on the importance of the marine industry and shrinkage of the working waterfront, as she may have ideas on how to best address the issue and organize the community in response. Mr. Cuba replied that if a Board member wished to reach out to the individual, she may contact his office. Mr. Berry reported that an updated Safe Boating Guide will go to press in January 2017. The guide has been distributed to the public by the MIASF and other agencies in the past. Mr. Strobel commented that the City is considering the establishment of a kayak and paddleboard destination on the New River at Coontie Hatchee Park. He noted that speeding boats are a concern in this area, particularly after dark, and expressed concern for how this might be addressed in a slow speed zone. Mr. Cuba advised that signage listing fines can be requested through the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC). Ofc. Clemons added that signage is also available from the City. It was determined that the issue of signage would be added to the list of topics for the upcoming Broward County marine summit.
Page 5 Mr. Berry stated that the Broward County Marine Advisory Committee has approved $50,000 in Broward Boating Improvement Program (BBIP) grants for the removal of derelict boats by the Broward Sheriff s Office. They also approved $100,000 in matching funds for the city of Hollywood, which plans to build a Boater s Park to the north of the Hollywood Boulevard Bridge along the Intracoastal Waterway. He concluded that funds for a floating dock project in Wilton Manors were denied by the Committee, as the project did not meet necessary criteria. IX. Adjournment There being no further business to come before the Board at this time, the meeting was adjourned at 6:58 p.m. Any written public comments made 48 hours prior to the meeting regarding items discussed during the proceedings have been attached hereto. [Minutes prepared by K. McGuire, Prototype, Inc.]