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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Watershore And Beach Advisory Committee - 01/15/2009 A , , EcEAV WATERSHORE AND BEACH ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEE—IfED Regular Called Meeting,Thursday,January 15, 2009,5:30 p.m. Staff Conference Room, City Hall AUG 1 7 2009 1201 Leopard Street, Corpus Christi, TX Members Present Member Absent Staff Present CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE Kyle Garrison, Chair Jake Herring Michele Thomas Jim Needham Tara Mireles JoAnn Gilbertson Neil McQueen Kimberly Lemley Garrett Dorsey Robert Thomas Guy Davis Joanna Mott I. CALL TO ORDER Chair, Mr. Kyle Garrison called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. II. ROLL CALL The recording secretary called roll and announced that a quorum was present. • III.ADOPTION OF MINUTES Regular called meeting December 11, 2008 Mr. Garrison asked the committee if they had reviewed the minutes from the previous meeting and if there were any changes to be made. Dr. Mott requested that the verbiage used regarding the contamination at McGee Beach be revised to state that it did not show high levels of contamination versus any signs of contamination. Dr. Motts request was noted and the adjustment will be made once the recording has been reviewed. Noting the aforementioned changes, Mr. Jim Needham made a motion to adopt the minutes and was seconded by Ms. Kimberley Lemley. The minutes were adopted without opposition. IV. HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC—Mr. Needham made a comment on behalf of a member of the public. He stated that the City has documented 21 cases of properties that have sustained damage following Hurricane Ike. The properties have collected debris and the individual would like to see the City address the matter in order to maintain the City's beaches. The committee took note of the patron's concerns. V. BUSINESS FOR DISCUSSION/ACTION New Business Updates on Packery Channel Construction Staff Liaison, Michele Thomas spoke to the committee on behalf of Daniel McGinn, City Planner for the Development Services Department. Mrs. Thomas was presented with options for Phase II of the Packery Channel Project, which included overlooks to be placed along the channel. She informed the committee that Phase I,which includes the Boat Ramp Parking Lot, has been completed. Phase II will include additional parking on the North Side of Packery Channel with overlooks placed along the way. Mrs. Thomas presented illustrations of the overlooks to the committee. The overlooks will include a bench for those who enjoy bird watching and a picnic table for patrons to enjoy a meal by the water. Construction is set to begin after October 1st and is estimated to last 120 days. Phase II also consists of a new road allowing for a better traffic flow. Questions were asked and answered. The committee urged that the City take the proper precautions to avoid vandalism of any new structures. Mrs. Thomas stated that the City is putting off the construction till October in order to avoid interference with nesting sea turtles and the Piping Plover shorebird. Mrs. Thomas will keep the committee up-to-date on the status of Phase II. Clarification on the Gulf Beach Bollards Mrs. Thomas included the Bollard Resolution in the committee's agenda packet. In the resolution, it states at least 2 areas must be designated for boat launch access and the bollards spaced to allow vehicles through the row of bollards. The City's Legal Department clarified that it includes all types of watercraft and recommended the Beach Operations Division look into purchasing buoy lines for the designated area in the water. The committee commented that buoy lines would not be a practical choice. It was suggested that tethered buoys may be a more sensible solution. SCANNED i4 As regards to the status of the resolution, Mrs. Thomas stated the information was sent to the General Land Office for final approval. Until it is approved, the City has been instructed to refrain from taking any action on the matter. History of Bay Beaches At previous meetings, questions were raised regarding whether or not Emerald Beach was part of the City's bay beaches. After doing some research, Mrs. Thomas discovered that Emerald Beach is in fact part of the Parks and Recreation Department. It is leased by the City who then leases it to the Holiday Inn. Concerning North Beach (Corpus Christi Beach) and McGee Beach, the City has a lease with the General Land Office and is responsible for the maintenance of the beaches. North Beach Improvement Donation Ms. Joann Gilbertson requested some information regarding a$10,000 donation made to provide shade structures along North Beach. Mrs. Thomas looked into the donation but was unable to locate the funds. She asked that the patrons who donated the funds contact her to gather additional information. Old Business The committee questioned the purpose of the committee and whether it would be addressed. They were informed that they would discuss the goals of the committee later in the meeting. VI. Staff Liaison Report CAST Ms. Tara Mireles, recording secretary, gave an overview of the upcoming CAST event. At the previous meeting, the committee was informed the event would be held on February 28, 2009; the correction was made that the event will be held on February 21, 2009 at JP Luby Surf Park. The Parks and Recreation Department is looking for anyone who may be interested in volunteering and has invited the committee to be in attendance. With over$8,000 in donations and 35 children signed up, the City is looking at making this event more successful than it was last year, the details of which were described by Mrs. Thomas. CAST is a youth fishing program that encourages children.with disabilities to come enjoy the great sport of fishing. She stated the City has recently purchased Mobi-Mat, which allows for wheelchair maneuverability on the beach. Should the committee be interested in volunteering, they are able to contact Ms. Mireles or Mr. Derek Herzog, Gulf Beach Lifeguard Supervisor. Mrs. Thomas reviewed the goals for the Beach Division for 2009. Some of which include carrying out a successful 2nd Annual CAST event, avoiding employee injuries, creating a more effective plan for maintaining the beach, and revising the beach page on the City's website. The committee requested an update on the Phases of Emergency Operations for Gulf Beach. Mrs. Thomas stated that it has passed, and the City is in the process of ordering the signage. An update on the Gulf Beach Rules was also given, and Mrs. Thomas stated they would present the proposed rules to Council sometime next month. Chair, Mr. Garrison asked that some of the members of the committee be in attendance at the time it is presented to Council. As far as committee goals, the committee will be developing a plan of action for the year of 2009 and will be submitting it to Council and to the executive staff of the Parks and Recreation Department. Beach Parking Permits Mrs. Thomas announced that the City has exceeded sales from years before with over 100,000 sold. This is a 36% increase from the total sales in 2007. The City is expecting more visitors due to the current economy crisis the country is in. The advertising for the ads will increase this year to target a larger audience. With a new Beach Parking Coordinator in place, the City hopes to sell more permits on the beach itself. A goal was set for this year to sell 105,000 permits. Verbiage was added to the reverse side of the permit advising patrons to"Be Beach Smart"which includes practicing safety first, swim with caution, and obeying all posted signage. The advertising campaign will begin starting in February. A committee member raised a question as to where the revenue from the permits is allocated. Mrs. Thomas stated the County gets 16% of the revenue, the City of Corpus Christi gets 46%, and the remaining percentage goes to the City of Port Aransas. The funds that the City of Corpus Christi receives goes directly back to the beach and is used for beach maintenance and for the lifeguards. Currently, the City is looking into purchasing equipment to assist in maintaining the beach. • VII. Committee Concerns, Request for Information,Agenda Items Identify Items to be placed on next agenda Mr. Rob Thomas noted the importance of water quality in the bay. He would like to see the committee getting regular updates to ensure that they are prepared if action is needed in the future. Dr. Joanna Mott informed the committee that the Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program is in its proposal stage at the moment. There is going to be a proposal for doing some work in the bay. Dr. Mott is trying to coordinate with the City to see what data will be helpful and what testing is needed. She will keep the committee posted with any updated information. The following items will be placed on the next agenda: Structures on the Beach, Updates on Water Quality, Packery Channel TIF, and Committee goals for 2009. VIII. ADJOURNMENT As there was no further business, Dr. Mott made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Mr. Needham seconded. Mr. Garrison adjourned the meeting at 6:31 pm. Michele Thomas, Superintendent Parks and Recreation Department