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Clam Bay Mangrove Subcommittee Minutes 03/18/2009 March 18,2009 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE COLLIER COUNTY CLAM BAY MANGROVE MAINTENANCE AND HABIT A T SUBCOMMITTEE Naples, Florida, March 18, 2009 LET IT BE REMEMBERED, that the Clam Bay Mangrove Maintenance and Habitat Subcommittee in and for the County of Collier having conducted business herein, met on this date at 2:00 P.M. at the Coastal Zone Management Office at 3300 Santa Barbara Blvd., Naples, Florida with the following members present: Chairman: Kathy Worley James Carroll John Arceri ALSO PRESENT: Gary McAlpin - Director, Coastal Zone Management Gail Hambright - Accountant, Coastal Zone Management Pamela Keyes - Environmental Specialist MEETING AGENDA CLAM BAY MANGROVE MAINTENANCE AND HABITAT SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18,2009 - 2:00 P.M. COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT (3300 Santa Barbara Blvd., Naples) I. Call to Order II. Pledge of Allegiance III. Roll Call IV. Appointment of Subcommittee Chairman and Chairman Comments V. Changes and Approval of Agenda VI. Public Comments VII. Approval of Minutes - N/A VIII. Staff Reports IX. New Business I. Review of past successful mangrove maintenance practices and procedures. 2. Recommendation of policies and procedures for mangrove maintenance moving forward for inclusion in Estuary Management Plan. 3. Clam Bay habitat discussion and identification approach. 4. Habitat plan integrated with water quality program. 5. Next Steps/Proposals. X. Old Business XI. Public Comments XII. Announcements XIII. Committee Member Discussion XIV. Next Meeting Date/Location TBD XV. Adjournment All interested partied are invited to attend, and to register to speak and to submit their objections. if any, in \Witing, to the hoard prior to the meeting if applicable. For more information, please contact Gail D. Hambright at (239) 252~2966. If you are a person with a disability who needs any accommodation in order to participate in this proceeding, you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision of certain assistance, Please contact the Collier County Facilities Management Department located at 3301 East Tamiami Trail, Naples, FL 34] 12. (239) 252-8380 Public comments will be limited to 3 minutes unless the Chairman grants permission for additional time. Collier County Ordinance No. 99-22 requires that all lobbyists shall, before engaging in any lobbying activities (including, but not limited to, addressing the Board of County Commissioners) before the Board of County Commissioners and its advisory boards. register with the Clerk to the Board at the Board Minutes and Records Department. March 18, 2009 I. Call to Order Mr. McAlpin, Coastal Zone Management Director. called the meeting to Order at 2:02 PM. II. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited III. Roll Call A quorum was established. IV. Appointment of Subcommittee Chairman and Chairman Comments John Arceri moved to nominated Kathy Worley for Chairperson. Second by James Carroll. Motion carried unanimously 3-0. Kathy Worley expressed concern and perceives a problem with all the different subcommittees and how the subcommittees intertwine. V. Changes and Approval of Agenda Add: IX I. Purpose - Subcommittee Makeup and Integrated John Arceri moved to approve the Agenda as amended. Second by James Carroll. Motion carried unanimously 3-0. VI. Public Comments Ned Renfroe, a Naples native and Seagate resident for 8 years - expressed Seagate is very interested in the health of Clam Bay, the Estuary and the Mangroves. He wants to preserve boating rights and keep the Mangroves and Clam Bay beautiful. It is important to him personally, there are no efforts to proclaim the boating and the mangroves incompatible. He also commented on channel markers; protecting the seagrass and flushing is good for the Mangroves, and noted there is a decline in water cleanliness. Jim Burke - voiced concern on protecting boating rights. He stated boaters tend to be a little paranoid about the possibility of losing their rights but are interested in the health of Clam Bay, the Estuary and Mangroves. VII. Approval of Minutes - None VIII. Staff Reports - None IX. New Business 1. Purpose Subcommittee Makeup and Integrated Kathy Worley distributed "Links between Physical, Biological and Chemical Process" and "Clam Pass Mangrove Maintenance and Estuary Subcommittee. " (See attached) 2 March 18, 2009 She noted the importance of knowing all the plans for the Estuary in order to develop a management plan for the health of the Estuary. She expressed her concern of not knowing what all the other subcommittees were planning to implement and making different decisions. Jim Arceri stated he didn't fully understand "Mangrove Maintenance." In the early 1990's when there was a 50-acre mangrove "die off' a lot of work was done to lowering this level to only I I-acres of mangrove "die off'. Two solutions used to raise the level werc: . Adequate amounts of salt water flushing . Run-off Program He stated, at that time there wasn't any Mangrove "maintenance procedures." He also stated that he could not find any additional information on "Mangrovc Maintenance" and he did not know how much the subcommittee could achieve. The Flushing and Water Quality Subcommittee has the most important role in maintaining the Mangroves. Gary McAlpin, Coastal Zone Management Director noted all the subcommittees intertwine and recommended establishing a set of tasks that need to be done and move forward to make recommendations for the Estuary 1.e. . Fish . Water quality . Management for oysters & clams . Mangrove Flushing . Tasks and Timing . Management for mangroves . Habitat and wild life Discussion ensued on reviewing historical studies on what biological work has been done to date and what insights the documents reveal, and define what the habitat should look like and establish a goal. 2. Review of Past Successful Mangrove Mainteuance Practices aud Procedures Tim Hall, Turrell Hall & Associates stated his firm took over the management and implementation of the Management Plan in 1998. He gave a brief history of Clam Pass including the numerous times the Pass was closed, causes for the die off of 50 acres, permitting and dredging. He stated limited hand cut channels were made from 2001 through 2005 and added plantings. He also mentioned natural components out performed the man made islands and has had tremendous growth over the past 6 years. He broke maintenance into 3-steps. . Aerial Observations - Every year a 200 scale aerial photograph taken of the whole system in color and infrared. The infrared will show the stressed areas. . Twice a year flyover in a small plane and take photographs. 3 March 18, 2009 . V isual Observations of the Mangroves - 8 hours of observation per month throughout the year. During the dry season get the Mangroves ready for the rainy season and storms. Tim Hall answered many questions about flushing, biological planning, monitoring and other problems not stemming from flushing. Jim Arceri stated the 10- Year Master Plan talks about the need to be dynamic and is based on constant monitoring and to revise the plan if necessary. He stated the existing managing plan is doing a good job and recommended continuing with that type of a plan. 3. Recommendation of Policies and Procedures for Mangrove Maintenance Moving Forward for Inclusion in Estuary Management Plan Gary McAlpin recommended the subcommittee solicit a recommendation from Tim Hall on policies and procedures that build on successful practices for Mangrove Maintenance to be incorporated into the Master Plan. Tim Hall stated he was working on a similar plan for the Pelican Bay MSTU. A question was asked if the Pelican Bay MSTU is developing a master plan - how does it fit in with this subcommittee's plan. Gary McAlpin responded the Mangrove Subcommittee needs to have a document on Mangrove Maintenance to insure the continued health of the Mangroves by making recommendations for a productive plan. Speakers Marcia Cravens, Mangrove Action Group stated the subcommittee is missing the point of biological diversity. All the subcommittees are not working together. She talked about misconceptions on flushing. The optimal situation for Mangroves is shallow, slow moving waters and low wave energy. Jim Pelton, a Seagate resident since 1973, stated the neighborhood could not help notice the gradual degradation of the water quality and the foul odor along with the algae mass. They were wondering how much testing and tidal studies are being done in the South. Residents are concerned that there is a real problem and would like to know what the subcommittee's plans are. Kathy Worley responded water quality is a separate issue and a separate subcommittee. Tim Hall also responded that stations they monitor are positioned at the Canoe/Kayak Launch and at culverts at Naples Cay. The quality of the water, in terms of the nutrients, Nitrogen and Phosphorus levels have been good. John Arceri moved that the subcommittee request Turrell Hall & Associates document the Maintenance and Monitoring Program they are presently performing 0" the Mangroves that has been successful a"d provide it to the 4 March 18, 2009 subcommittee for approval including the estimated annual cost of a Monitoring and Maintenance Program. Second by James Carroll. Motion carried unanimously 3-0. 4. Clam Bay Habitat Discussion and Identification Approach Gary McAlpin suggested the subcommittee document: . what biological diversity is . what is in Clam Bay and . what they can expect in the system. The Staffrecommended the subcommittee involve a consultant. Kathy Worley suggested: . Researching and creating a Management Plan . Also, historical studies to see what biological work has been done and what insights the historic documents will reveal . Identify external and anthropogenic drivers of the system . Develop performance measures . Overall goals Discussion ensued on the research required, the time frame, systems, and the value of a having a consultant provide documentation to the subcommittee for review as a starting point to work on the Master Plan; to be submitted to the BCC. Tim Hall stated the historical documentation for Pelican Bay, Clam Bay and Clam Pass could be done short term. Other similar systems, to see differences between them, will take longer. Gary McAlpin recommended using the combination of Turrell Hall & Associates to provide historical documentation, and PBS & J who are knowledgeable on other systems throughout Southwest Florida, to provide system documentation and make recommendations. Speakers Marcia Cravens, Mangrove Action Group stated the work the subcommittee is talking about doing has already been done and is known as the Coastal Zone Management Plan. The Natural Resource Department has completed significant amount of research of what the subcommittee needs. Gary McAlpin responded the study was done a while ago and only covers a portion of the historical information and not systems information. He suggested for the next meeting they compile historical data from the Coastal Zone Management Plan to use as a basis, historical information from the Turrell Hall library and any information on "like systems" from PBS & J to establish a plan. John Arceri moved to request Turrell Hall & Associates and PBS & J to work with the (subcommittee) chairperson to utilize existing information on 5 March 18, 2009 historical data, report back to the subcommittee on what they believe, where they are now, where they can go in different steps, and what needs to be done to get there in various steps. Second by James Carroll. Motion carried unanimously 3-0. 5. Habitat Plan Integrated with Water Quality Program - None 6. Next Steps/Proposals It was noted that subcommittees need to report tomorrow on who the chairpersons are and when assignments will be completed. The committee decided the assigrunents would not be completed by the original estimated date ofJuly 15, 2009. X. Old Business - None XI. Public Comments Marcia Cravens, Mangrove Action Group asked if there was an existing contract with PBS & J. Gary McAlpin responded not on this project. PBS & J has the knowledge and expertise required by the committee. XII. Announcements - None XIII. Committee Member Discussion - None XIV. Next Meeting Date/Location The Clam Bay Mangrove Maintenance and Habitat Subcommittee will meet on Aprill5, 2009 at 2:00 pm. ***** There being no further business for the good of the County, the meeting was adjourned at 4:20 PM. Clam Bay Mangrove Maintenance and Habitat Subcommittee Kathy Worley, Chairman These Minutes were approved by the Subcommittee on as presented or as amended 6