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Recommendations made on Madeira Beach marina
By WAYNE AYERS
Article published on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2007 |
MADEIRA BEACH – The city will have a destination marina that is intended to be ecologically sensitive, aesthetically pleasing and provide a positive financial impact on the city’s revenue if the goals of a citizen committee evaluating the municipal marina become a reality.
Dr. Nicole Elko, chairman of the marina committee, presented the group’s recommendations at the Nov. 27 Board of Commissioners meeting.
Elko stressed the importance of creating a master plan to guide the development of the facility in a cost effective manner. Such a plan is needed “to avoid repetitive costs,” she said.
The committee recommended that the marina improvements be accomplished in three phases, with large-scale and more costly projects to be completed longer term.
Near-term improvements include new landscaping similar to the Madeira Beach Park located across 150th Avenue and relocation of the ship store closer to the fuel docks. Mid-term projects are improvements to the boat ramp, creation of additional boat slips and construction of mooring fields. Long-term improvements would include dock expansion and an in-ground swimming pool.
The high-and-dry facility is expected to be the major revenue generator of the marina operation. If the sole objective of the marina operation were to produce income for the city, the city would “devote every inch of the marina to a high-and-dry,” Elko said.
Committee members rated the current marina’s staff and hours of operation as excellent, while deciding that the boat ramp, fuel docks, size of the wet slips and the facility’s overall appearance were “insufficient.”
While the marina redevelopment offers positive benefits for the city, there are obstacles to be faced, Elko said.
Of most concern is a current moratorium on dock construction on Boca Ciega Bay.
“Any facility that will increase the number of boats is being denied” due to manatee protection regulations, Elko said.
The city will need to work closely with the county to be able to move forward with the plans, she said.
Elko is coastal coordinator for Pinellas County.
The marina committee’s recommendations were approved by a 6-2 vote of committee members, Elko said.
One member who had opposed the committee report gave her objections at the meeting.
Catherine Lanshe, noting that she also spoke for member Larry Roelofs, said the committee failed to deal adequately with the financial considerations of the marina projects. She also faulted the group for “regenerating existing ideas that can be easily observed at other county marinas” and ignoring the comments of some members.
“The final report presented tonight is at best, incomplete,” Lanshe said.
Former Commissioner Martha Boos joined in the criticism, saying the committee groups were “all run by city employees.”
Boos accused the committee of “spending an inordinate amount of money and we don’t even know where we’re going.”
Commissioner Steve Kochick, who served as committee liaison, praised the group for “initiating a lot of enthusiasm.” He said the committee members dealt with all of the issues relating to the marina and “was a total success for the community.”
Kochick dismissed some of the comments made by Lanshe as “not in my backyard” issues.
“Their condos overlook the marina,” Kochick said.
Kochick reassured Lanshe and other residents with concerns about the redevelopment plans.
“We are not going to put a dump there. This will be a state-of-the-art marina. When someone walks out to the (new) marina, they will say, ‘This is beautiful,’” Kochick said.
The commission unanimously approved the marina committee’s final report and recommendations.
Solicitation ordinance approved
New and more stringent rules regulating solicitations in the city were approved on second and final reading. City Attorney Michael Connolly summarized the law governing canvassers and solicitors as follows:
• Public solicitation can only occur within permanently enclosed structures in a commercially zoned district. Kiosks and other illegal structures must be removed by Feb. 28. Special events, where permits are obtained, are excepted.
• Door-to-door solicitors must have a permit and cannot solicit any private residence where a “no solicitation” sign is posted.
• Solicitations in public buildings, parks or on the beach are prohibited.
• Solicitations for charitable purposes do not require a permit from the city.
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Article published on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2007
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