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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Watershore And Beach Advisory Committee - 05/06/2021 WATERSHORE AND BEACH ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING Regular Called Meeting Thursday, May 6, 2021 5:30 pm WEBEX – Meeting Number: 187 083 8393 | Password: HEgExGxM383 Join by phone: 1-408-418-9388 Members Present Members Absent Staff Present Terry Palmer Larisa Ford Lauren Williams Meredith Darden Philippe Tissot Jyoti Patel Daniel Mazoch Mukesh Subedee Harrison McNeil Kevin Johnson Darren Gurley Martha Lawhon I. CALL TO ORDER Meeting called to order at 5:32 pm. ll. ROLL CALL The roll was called, and a quorum was present III. EXCUSED ABSENCES: Jyoti Patel, Daniel Mazoch, Mukesh Subedee, Harrison McNeil Philippe made a motion to excuse last month’s absence, Larissa seconded, unanimously approved. Motion passed. IV. ADOPTION OF MINUTES Minutes from the April 1, 2021 meeting were distributed for review. Philippe made a motion to accept the minutes, Larisa seconded, Motion passed. V. HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC There were 2 people from the public who wished to give comments: Neil McQueen, from the Surfrider Foundation wanted to relay an incident that happened recently at the jetties. He was heading out to surf and encountered a person with a surfboard. He told the person that the area they were in next to the north Packery Channel jetty was not a good spot because of rip currents and suggested that they move to a better location. When Neil looked back, the person was at the end of the jetty and looked to be in trouble. He and a couple of other surfers got the person to a safer spot at the end of the jetty and helped them toward the south jetty, where the current was pushing them. Neil asked someone on the jetty to call the lifeguards. The lifeguards came to help but then detached the victim’s surfboard leash, which almost led to the lifeguard and the victim being run over by the surfboard. The victim was eventually assisted to the beach by the lifeguards and t he incident ended without injuries. Neil had 3 comments; his first was that a lifeguard should be stationed on the jetty. He also thought that the lifeguards needed more ocean training (more drills), and lastly that the lifeguard need to get out of the trucks! Neil’s suggestions would be to have a lifeguard stationed on the jetty. Kevin Johnson (assistant director) asked if there was a record of the incident that Neil was referring to? Darren said yes. Kevin told the group that we will be working on this and if anyone has any suggestions, to please let him know. Neil told that the group that he had used the shower and the south side, and it was great; need one on the north side. Cliff Schlabach spoke and basically wanted to echo what Neil said about the lifeguards, he has watched the lifeguards and is not impressed with the program; it needs to be improved! Cliff also is excited about the showers and he hopes Darren will report on the progress on the shower on the north side. Vl. BUSINESS FOR DISCUSSION/POSSIBLE ACTION 1. New Business a. Je’Sani Smith Foundation presentation This committee is not sure who was going to set this up, Philippe attends some of their meetings and will check with them. Philippe did report that at their meetings, they are discussing broadening their message in the community and outside it. They also discussed what action should be taken when a storm is approaching; like closing the beach? The surfing community is against closing the beach. Philippe believes that the jetty will be closed when storms are approaching. It was suggested that th e foundation reach out to Thelma Garcia (superintendent at Flour Bluff High School) regarding doing a presentation there. He will check with the foundation about doing a presentation for this committee. 2 C:\Users\NormaD2\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Outlook\C1K8JZ51\May.docx Darren let the group know that the Gulf Beach Lifeguards will be doing a presentation on beach safety for the Education Foundation alongside the Je’Sani Smith Foundation. Phillipe will also ask for a legislative update on proposed new state lifeguarding laws. b. Flour Bluff Recreation Council’s vision and plan Shirley Thornton is speaking on behalf of the Outdoor Recreation Enhancement Committee (OREC); she is the chair, and this is an ad hoc committee for the Flour Bluff Citizens Council. Shirley gave the committee a presentation of OREC’s goals. The purpose of the OREC is to be looking at the surrounding public land and come up for solutions for enhancement. OREC has received acknowledgement from many officials that, this work needs to continue. Shirley spoke about plans for the Oso hike and bike trail and the Grove Trailhead, which is adjacent to the former Holly bridge. The OREC would like to have the former rail bridge over Oso Bay between Holly and Division Roads turned into a hike and bike trail, which would connect Oso Wetlands Preserve to Flour Bluff. Next, she spoke of the ponds in Flour Bluff; the plan is to connect the Laguna Shores with Redhead Pond with trails and boardwalks. This will need Federal and State permits due to current ownership. OREC would like the Parks and Recreation department’s help with making Redhead Pond updated and available for educational use. Ideas for the enhancement of Duncan Pond, Dimmitt Park and Waldron Park and Pond were talked about; all these needing restoration and enhancements, to make them better recreational and educational spaces. All of these ideas are in the planning stage and no development is currently scheduled. Shirley asked for a letter of support from WBAC for this project and any ideas anyone may have. Larisa (also a member of FBCC) explained that as a citizen group, they can apply for grant help and is hoping the City will help with applying. They do have some applications pending. Howard suggested that Shirley give a presentation to PRAC and he will get that going. Terry made a motion for WBAC to support the enhancement of the three ponds, in the Laguna Shores, Dimmit Park, and the Grove Trailhead/Oso bridge walkway as presented by FBCC, Philippe seconded, unanimously approved. Motion passed. 2. Old Business a. Packery Channel Repair Darren reported that he has not heard anything. Philippe reported that Diedre will be doing a presentation in a couple of weeks, but he knew nothing new, but if something is heard it will be shared. VlI. PARK AND RECREATION ACTION COMMITTEE – Howard Schauer Howard reported that PRAC was continuing bond work and doesn’t have an update on North Beach. He is going to speak to his committee regarding Shirley’s project and will let them know that WBAC supports it. VlII. ISAC Report Terry attended some of the meeting, and he did get asked questions for Darren. One was, if city staff and lifeguards were alerting visitors if beach flooding was occurring, Darren responded that city staff were only warning campers and not day-use visitors of flood/high-tide dangers. Day-use visitors would only be warned if there was a beach closure, which is an unlikely measure. Philippe reminded the group that there are weather alerts. Philippe said that the flooding is a seasonal happening and will be happening more and more every year. He did say that a request for high water warning could be asked of the National Weather Service. Darren will add this information to text alerts if they coincide with rip current alerts that are already being sent out. There was also discussion at ISAC regarding the location of the beach maintenance service building and the new lifeguard stands platforms on the beach. lX. BMAC Report – Cliff Schlabach Cliff reported that the last meeting on April 21st was hybrid, some attended virtually and some in person. The committee discussed Bob Hall pier parking lot and the GLO not wanting concrete used on the beach. This group is heavily involved in looking at plans (and site tours) for all kinds of stru ctures, it’s a heavy load! X. STAFF LIAISON REPORT Darren reported the shower is in at 3A, and hopefully the one at Zahn by Memorial Day. Details about new beach lifeguard stands that were purchased, and more specifically the construction of platforms being constructed for them to sit upon at the beach are as follows: - The City is allowed 60’ of space for a stand. - There are eight permanent locations for the new lifeguard stands that are roughly the same locations that lifeguard stands have been placed in recent years (see attached map). Three on the north, and five on the southside of Packery Channel. - One stand will be mobile but will mostly be moved around the beach north of Packery Channel. - Each permanent location will have a lifeguard stand sitting on top of an elevated base, that will be constructed on the beach. - Each base will have an area of 15 x 20 ft and a height of ~ 2 ft. 3 C:\Users\NormaD2\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Outlook\C1K8JZ51\May.docx - Each base will contain beach sand and be constructed with wooden walls and a wooden deck constructed from 3 x 12 boards. - Bollards and signs will be placed 15 ft away from either side of the platforms (perpendicular to the shoreline) to allow for the parking of lifeguard and other emergency vehicles. This is less than the distance allowable to be marked off. - Explicit permission for the construction of the bollards and bases was given by the TGLO (recently). - The purpose of the lifeguard stands is to protect the lifeguard stands from being inundated by water during high water events. - The new lifeguard stands are currently located at the seawall parking lot (Michael J. Ellis Beach). Terry requested that this committee get a copy of the lifeguard stand locations and a picture of the new stand; Darren will send. Getting ready for Memorial Day: installing extra trash cans The city is still looking for lifeguards; there are currently 21 vacancies out of the total allowable 44 lifeguard positions. Meredith will post a flyer at Coffee Waves for lifeguards. Philippe asked about the recommendation WBAC made to the City about the lifeguards’ wages and Darren said it is with HR; they are researching the situation. Terry suggested that it would good to have a lifeguard walk up and down the jetty; be proactive. They are picking up trash and doing what they can at North Beach and there will be a lifeguard stand and a mobile lifeguard at McGee. XI. IDENTIFY ITEMS TO BE PLACED ON NEXT AGENDA 1. Je’Sani Smith Foundation presentation 2. Packery Channel Update XlI. ADJOURNMENT As there was no further business the meeting adjourned at 7:17 pm.