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PARAB Minutes 03/27/1996 • • PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD MINUTES March 27, 1996 Collier County Racquet Center 1275 San Marco Road, Marco Island, Florida PRESENT: Joseph Zaks, Chairman Gil Mueller Max A. Hasse, Jr. Elaine Wicks Gayle L. Stan ABSENT: Timothy Blackford, Vice Chairman ALSO PRESENT: Steve Brinkman, Parks and Recreation Director Murdo Smith, Parks and Recreation Operations Manager Gary Franco, Parks Superintendent Barbara L. Johnson, Senior Secretary Reginald Boucher, OCPM Project Manager George Parker, OCPM Senior Project Manager Norma & Jake Paulson, Marco Island Resident Charles Cox, Marco Island Resident Julie Began, Marco Island Resident Jeffrey Street, Gulf Coast Skimmers Mark Barr, Beach Vendor Ron Hagerman, Beach Vendor Lisa Gorman, Chairman of Committee to Control Jet Skis Mr. Gorman I. CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order at 2:20 p.m. II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG III. INVOCATION: by Max Hasse, Jr. IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: February 28, 1996 meeting. Motion by Max Hasse seconded by Gayle Stan. Passed 5/0. V. NEW BUSINESS/PRESENTATIONS a. Summer Food Grant - Mr. Murdo Smith stated that the Parks and Recreation Department runs a summer camp food program for children throughout Collier County. This item was placed on the agenda to let the board know that the Department will apply for the summer food grant again. Mr. Jim Thomas was up in Bradenton to get the particulars as to which areas that the County will qualify 1 • for the grant. An executive summary will be prepared and presented before PARAB before going to the Board of County Commissioners. This program is under the Athletic Department and Jim Thomas has been running this program for the past 10 years. Jim Thomas serves thousands of lunches per day throughout the county and 60 thousands sacks. Mr. Mueller requested that Mr. Smith explain the Summer Camp Food Program to the audience. Its a Federal grant that the Parks and Recreation Department receive to provide lunches to disadvantaged children throughout the County during the summer months while out of school. Usually, it ties in with the Summer Recreation Camp that runs from mid June to mid August. At various locations, such as the Immokalee Community Park, the children would come between 11:30 am to 1:00 p.m. and they are served a lunch. The School Board prepares lunches for the program. There are several vans that pick up the lunches and transport from the schools, like Barron Collier and Pine Ridge, that have cafeterias and distribute to the various summer camp sites. The program is very good and successful. Mr. Mueller inquired how much money are we talking about? Mr. Smith stated that its completely funded by the federal grant and this year it is budgeted for approximately $200,000. There are certain guidelines that the Department has to meet, which are the Health Department requirements. The juices have to be 100% juice. The nutritional value of the sandwiches has to be met. This is the reason why we go through the School Board, because they have the same criteria for the schools. b. Lisa Gorman, Controlling Jet Skis - we are a group of citizens who have become alarmed at the increasing numbers of personal water crafts in our water ways. A particular concern today as you know is personal water craft in the Marco Island Beach front. Mrs. Gorman brought a petition with 827 signatures. Most of the 827 people live on the beach front. There are perhaps 50 or 100 citizens who do not live on beach front property that support no motorized engine powered vessels on Marco Island. Jet skis are like an alien invading the beaches and water ways that come upon us suddenly like a dangerous virus. You need to know that its getting worse and its happening rapidly. We come to you today because we trust that you 2 want what is true and best for our beaches. We've been told that you care and this is the reason why we came to you, as a stepping stone to the commissioners. What we hope to accomplish today is to have you understand that there is really a problem with jet skis. Our request to the commissioners. Local control for jet skis is needed. Dear, Collier County Commissioners boats including jet skis do not belong where children play on the beach and people swims, just as swimmers do not belong in boat launching sites. We do not want the hazard, the pollution of irritating noise, the smell, and the gasoline leakage in the sand. We request you do not allow concessionaires of motorize or engine powered vessels including jet skis on the Marco Island beach front. Proven solutions can be used such as restricting all beach concessionaire and resorts with limited amount of catamarans and kayaks. These solutions have been legally tested and worked at the City of Naples, County Parks and other places. Because of the increasing number of jet skis that take our tranquil beach experience with urban problems we further asked that you not allowed motorized engine powered vessels, including jet skis, to land on or launch from our beach. In the interest of safety and to control noise, we ask for an extension of the 500 foot out to sea no wake zone to 1000 foot. Chairman Joe Zaks requested for copies of the different petitions. Mr. Gorman stated that there are currently 6 licensed vendors who are renting out jet skis at the beach of which 3 are hotels and the others are time shares. Chairman Joe Zaks said to Mrs. Gorman that in order to allow some rebuttal Mr. Zaks would like for Mr. Brinkman to define exactly what control his Department has. Mr. Brinkman stated that the Parks and Recreation Department do have control over the beaches that are on the County Parks. The area that Mrs. Gorman is referring to Park Rangers used to patrol and inspect. However, we no longer patrol or inspect these areas. Mr. Gary Franco stated that a couple of years ago the Parks and Recreation Department did have a Ranger staff person patrol these areas. The rangers were responsible for the enforcement of the vendors operation and it was approximately 14 vendors at that time. It was funded through the Marco Island Beach Renourishment Committee. 3 The Beach Renourishment decided that they no longer need the rangers and that the vendors would police themselves. Once a year the rangers would issue permit and inspect the vendor's facilities. Mr. Brinkman stated that the Code Enforcement Department is responsible for inspecting and any kind of enforcement. It was discussed that the Parks and Recreation Department do not enforce the ordinance. The Parks and Recreation Department only inspect and permit the operation. Mr. Mark Barr stated that he has been a water concessionaire at the Mariott Hotel for 15 years. Mr. Barr stated that there is in part of the county ordinance that idle speed be maintained within 500 feet of the beach for all vessels. One of the biggest problem is that this 500 foot is not clearly marked and this is why Mr. Barr is curious as to how Mrs. Gorman knows where the 1000 foot mark is. Mr. Barr stated that he thinks the real issue here is that the County or the State Department needs to do some surveying and place a 500 foot marker and enforce it. If the enforcement was there and if the vendors knew were this 500 foot marker was then one can tell if the ordinance is working. Mr. Barr stated that vendors rented thousands of wave runners. Also, condo owners own their own personal water crafts. These personal water crafts are not allowed to be launched from the beach. They have to go through a boat ramp such as Caxambas or 951 ramp. Mr. Barr said that he thinks this can be resolved if the are markers placed properly and with some enforcement before going through any drastic measure. Concerned citizens (Julie Begman, Jake & Norma Paulson, and Charles Cox) attended PARAB meeting and discussed some of the problems they were experiencing with jet skis. Mr. Mueller's explained that he spoke to a number of people and the vendors are not the problem. There are a number of people throughout the Island that own water crafts and utilized them in a careless way. Mr. Mueller also stated that he has been in boats were the water crafts almost crash into the boat. Mr. Barr also stated that the machines that the vendors used are made by Yamaha, these machines have the smallest motor, smallest horsepower, and the slowest speed. All the vendors have zones off shore as designated areas where customers ride or they are taken with a guide on a group 4 . tour. Mr. Barr stated that his operation is very heavily policed. Mr. Barr has a very strict ruled sheet that everyone initials and signs. One has to be 16 years old by Florida Law to operate the water craft. Anyone in question is carded. One of the concerned citizens stated that if Parks and Recreation are issuing permits why is it that the department has no control. Mr. Brinkman stated that Code Compliance Department enforces the ordinance. Mr. Jeffrey Street stated that the proper name for the water crafts is Personal Water Craft (PWC) . Mrs. Gorman said that if the term PWC is used no one knows what you are talking about. Tom Palmer County Attorney advised her to use the term jet skis because people understand what she is talking about. The term jet skis have to be be used in order to sign the petition. A video tape was shown. Let me explain the process. This Board is an advisory board to the Board of County Commissioners. We make a motion, going in the form of an Executive Summary, to the Board of County Commissioners, they review and that prepares them in the effort to take whatever action is necessary. MOTION: 1st part We review the licensing process and that we pay particular attention to the number of vehicles licensed. If any additions, at a given point - say six month period prior to season - they can come in for a revision of that license if they are planning to buy additional vehicles. That is the County Parks and Recreation Department's jurisdiction. 2nd part: Is that we determine who the proper policing authority is and gives them the responsibility of taking care of it. Seconded by Max A. Hasse, Jr. Passed 5 to 0. c. RFP Pelican Bay Tennis Operations - a meeting of the selection committee (Murdo Smith, Joseph Zaks, Tom 011iff, Jim Thomas, Gwen Butler, and Steve Brinkman) will be scheduled in the near future. Mr. Smith briefly discussed that the Board of County Commissioners request that a proposal for operation and management go out for bid to a private contractor. 5 , r � VI. REPORTS/UPDATES a. Funding for South Naples Community Parks: Mr. George Parker and Reginald Boucher of OCPM presented master plans of South Naples Community Park. A discussion took place regarding various funding methods and master plan schematics were shown regarding the various funding methods. Motion by Gil Mueller that the Parks and Recreation Board support scheme 3 concept of borrowing $2.5 million in order to develop phase 1 immediately with phase 2 being develop over the next two (2) years. Seconded by Max A. Hasse. Passed 5 to 0. b. Lake Avalon Grant Status - Mr. Steve Brinkman stated that the Board of County Commissioners did approve the grant. The $850,000 will be placed into the project to bring the total funds available to $1.3 million. The Ground breaking for Lake Avalon took place on Sunday, March 24, 1996. c. Transporting Baseball children status (Jolen Mayberry)- It was reported that the group was directed to Community Transportation Service and the Park Department has not heard anything else. Ms. Gayle Stan stated that she understands that the group got a bus. It was donated to the group. d. Max A. Hasse, Jr. Community Park Dedication Status - Mr. Hasse stated that it was a wonderful ceremony everything went well. e. Parks Adoption Report - Max Hasse reported that he visited East Naples Community Park is in good condition. Golden Gate Community Park is always in good condition. Golden Gate Community Center is kept clean and operated well. One complaint is that children are still hanging around the pay phone booth. The kids can no longer receive phone calls. Mr. Murdo Smith stated that the Parks and Recreation Department are working with the Sheriff Department on that situation. They are fully aware of what the Parks department is trying to accomplish. It is also a possibility that the phones will be removed. 6 111 Max Hasse will adopt the Max A. Hasse Jr. Community Park. Next meeting is schedule at Vineyards Community Park at 2:00 p.m. f. Mr. Brinkman noted that Veterans and East Naples Community Park playground are progressing. Both of them will be done in another week. VII. Adjournment Meeting adjourned at 4:55 p.m. Motion by Max A. Hasse. Seconded by Elaine Wicks. Passed 5/0 7