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BCC Minutes 05/08/2003 W (The State of the Coast)BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS THE STATE OF THE COAST WORKSHOP The Marriot Marco Island 8:30 AM May 8, 2003 May 8, 2003 LET IT BE REMEMBERED, that the Board of County Commissioners, in and for the County of Collier, having conducted business herein in WORKSHOP SESSION, met on this date at 8:30 AM in The Marriot, Marco Island, with the following members present: Board of County Commissioners: Frank Halas Donna Fiala Fred Coyle Jim Coletta Collier County Staff: Jim Mudd, Roy Anderson, Bill Lorenz, Mac Hatcher ***The "State of the Coast" workshop presentation was conducted by the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and the Coastal Training Program. The presentation was given in the presence of the BCC and various members of the Collier County Staff. *** Page 1 May 8, 2003 State of the Coast Workshop - May 8, 2003 This attendance sheet may not include all attendants and does not include press representatives. Name Title Organization Elected Officials & Supporting Staff Patricia Carroll Board Member Big Cypress Basin Board, South Florida Water Management District Mary Ellen Hawkins, Board Member Big Cypress Basin Board, South panelist Florida Water Management District Alicia Abbott Board Member Big Cypress Basin Board, South Florida Water Management District John Boldt Board Member Sammy Hamilton, Jr Robert Robinson Mawr Citizen Mike Minozzi Council Chair John Arceri Council Member Big Cypress Basin Board, South Florida Water Management District City of Everglades City City of Everglades City City of Marco Island City of Marco Island Mawr Heyward Boyce Council Member City of Marco Island Bonnie MacKenzie Vice Mayor City Manager Gary Galleberg Kevin Rambosk Jon Staiger Natural Resource Manager City of Naples City of Naples City of Naples City of Naples Tom Henning Commission Chair Collier County - District 3 Donna Fiala Commission Vice Chair Collier County- District 1 Frank Halas Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner County Manager Public Utilities & Engineering Director Environmental Services Director Environmental Services Fred Coyle Jim Colletta Jim Mudd Roy Anderson Bill Lorenz Mac Hatcher Collier County - District 2 Collier County - District 4 Collier County- District 5 Collier County Collier County Collier County Collier County Page 2 May 8, 2003 John Johnson Commission Chair Collier Mosquito Control District Robert Boyer Commissioner Collier Mosquito Control District Jeanne Brooker Commissioner Collier Mosquito Control District Robert Geroy Commissioner Collier Mosquito Control District Commissioner Collier Mosquito Control District Frank Van Essen Executive Director Collier Mosquito Control District Jeff Stivers Research Director Collier Mosquito Control District Michael Ramsey Supervisor Chair Collier Soil & Water Conservation District Stan Weiner Supervisor Collier Soil & Water Conservation District Michael Urbanik Supervisor Collier Soil & Water Conservation District John Cochrane Supervisor Collier Soil & Water Conservation District Joy Duval Staff Collier Soil & Water Conservation District Tony Polizos Natural Resources Conservation Service - Collier Soil & Water Conservation District The Honorable Mike Representative Florida House of Davis Representatives John Norman Legislative Staff Office of David Rivera, Florida House of Representatives The Honorable Dudley J. Representative Florida House of Goodlette Representatives Jessica Kardas Legislative Staff Office of Dudley J. Goodlette, Florida House of Representatives Mike Hensen Legislative Staff Office of U.S. Senator Bob Graham Christy Vogt Legislative Staff Office of U.S. Congressman Porter Goss Additional Workshop Page 3 May 8, 2003 Attendants John Donahue Carol Clarke Damon Doumlele Big Cypress National Preserve Big Cypress National Preserve Big Cypress National Preserve Nicole Ryan The Conservancy of SW Florida Liz Donley The Conservancy of SW Florida Gary Davis The Conservancy of SW Florida Alfred Gal Barbara Williams Linda Columbo Charlette Roman Greg Tolley, speaker Michael Savarese, speaker The Friends of Rookery Bay, Board President The Friends of Rookery Bay The Friends of Tigertail Beach The Friends of Tigertail Beach Florida Gulf Coast University Florida Gulf Coast University Ricardo Zambrano Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission Beverly Roberts, speaker Florida Marine Research Institute Michael Hawkins Marine Industries Association Paula Robertson Paula Robertson & Associates Gary Lytton, speaker Brian Badgley, speaker Mike Shirley, speaker Daphne Hawkins Dave Graft Renee Wilson Randy McCormick Naomi Crews Pat O'Donnel Thomas Shaw Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve Rookery Bay NERR Rookery Bay NERR Rookery Bay NERR Rookery Bay NERR Rookery Bay NERR Rookery Bay NERR Rookery Bay NERR Rookery Bay NERR Standing Watch Mike Bauer, speaker South Florida Water Management District Page 4 May 8, 2003 Ananta Nath Akin Owosina, panelist Carla Palmer, panelist Clarence Tears Layne Hamilton Kim Dryden Taylor Stein, speaker South Florida Water Management District South Florida Water Management District South Florida Water Management District South Florida Water Management District Florida Panther & 10,000 Islands National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service University of Florida School of Forest Resources & Conservation Nola Theiss Sanibel Island Citizen Page 5 May 8, 2003 COLLIER COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AGENDA May 8, 2003 8:30 a.m. JOINT WORKSHOP MEETING Tom Henning, Chairman, District 3 Donna Fiala, Vice-Chair, District 1 Frank Halas, Commissioner, District 2 Fred W. Coyle, Commissioner, District 4 Jim Coletta, Commissioner, District 5 NOTICE: ALL PERSONS WISHING TO SPEAK ON ANY AGENDA ITEM MUST REGISTER PRIOR TO SPEAKING. SPEAKERS MUST REGISTER WITH THE COUNTY MANAGER PRIOR TO THE PRESENTATION OF THE AGENDA ITEM TO BE ADDRESSED. 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), REGISTER WITH THE CLERK TO THE BOARD AT THE BOARD MINUTES AND RECORDS DEPARTMENT. REQUESTS TO ADDRESS THE BOARD ON SUBJECTS WHICH ARE NOT ON THIS AGENDA MUST BE SUBMITTED IN WRITING WITH EXPLANATION TO THE COUNTY MANAGER AT LEAST 13 DAYS PRIOR TO THE DATE OF THE MEETING AND WILL BE HEARD UNDER "PUBLIC PETITIONS". ANY PERSON WHO DECIDES TO APPEAL A DECISION OF THIS BOARD WILL NEED A RECORD OF THE PROCEEDINGS PERTAINING THERETO, AND THEREFORE MAY NEED TO ENSURE THAT A VERBATIM RECORD OF THE PROCEEDINGS May 8, 2003 IS MADE, WHICH RECORD INCLUDES THE TESTIMONY AND EVIDENCE UPON WHICH THE APPEAL IS TO BE BASED. ALL REGISTERED PUBLIC SPEAKERS WILL BE LIMITED TO FIVE (5) MINUTES UNLESS THE TIME IS ADJUSTED BY THE CHAIRMAN. 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, FLORIDA, 34112, (239) 774-8380; ASSISTED LISTENING DEVICES FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED ARE AVAILABLE IN THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS' OFFICE. State of the Coast Workshop for Elected Officials 8:30am - 12:00 Noon May 8, 2003 Marco Island Marriot 400 S. Collier Blvd., Marco Island, Florida 34145 1. Greetings from the Coastal Training Program at Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve: To be in compliance with Florida State Sunshine Laws, all portions of the State of the Coast Workshop, including the luncheon and afternoon boat trip, will be open to the public, please see below for details. 2. Luncheon: Lunch is being supported by a generous contribution from the Friends of Rookery Bay. However, that support is intended to cover the target audience of elected officials and associated staff, plus workshop parmers. For other people interested in joining us for lunch, a limited number of lunches will be available for sale in the morning at the workshop registration table at a cost of $18.00, payable by cash or check, to the Friends of Rookery Bay. All elected officials who do no wish to accept a donated 2 May 8, 2003 lunch can also pay for their meals in this fashion. Overflow seating will be available for all who would like to stay through the lunch session without purchasing food. 3. Boat Trip: The boat trip will be departing at 1:45 PM from Cedar Bay Marina, located at 705 E. Elkcam Circle, Marco Island, Florida 34145. Although we live in beautiful Florida, we will be out on the water where the weather can always surprise us. Please be prepared with whatever you need to be comfortable for the duration of the trip (sunscreen, hat, shoes & clothes that can get damp and handle salt spray). We will have bottled water available. May 8, 2003 Welcome and Introductions - -The meeting was called to order at 8:30 AM. A) Gary Lytton, Environmental Administrator - Rookery Bay NERR, introduced himself and welcomed the audience to the State of the Coast Workshop. This was the first effort to bring together elected officials and constituents to discuss the state of the coast in Collier County. Studies have shown that 80% of the decisions made that effect the coastal environment are made at the local level, which is the reason for this workshop. The goals of this workshop were to increase the awareness and understanding of science and coastal resources, to illustrate the benefits of science- based research as a tool in the decision making process, and to promote shared stewardship responsibilities between science and decision-maker communities. Mr. Lyton asked the audience to consider, throughout the meeting, the relationship of the economy to the coastal environment, how science and technology effect decisions, what is the use of land use technology in the decision making process, the role of education training, and the role of the coastal training program. Rookery Bay is part of a national network of research reserves. The mission of this system is: Providing a basis for informed coastal decisions by communities in Southwest Florida, through an integrated program of coastal stewardship, research, and education. The staff members of Rookery Bay are state employees. Rookery Bay manages 110,000 acres in Collier County. There is a new facility at the Rookery Bay Reserve, which is a closed, 17,000sq ft facility with an environmental learning center and a marine research laboratory. The facility includes a two-story visitor center, four marine research labs, an education and training facility, an auditorium that can seat 140 people, and two classrooms. The new facility will open in January 2004 to the public. 20,000-50,000 people per year are anticipated to use this facility. The university will be placing their marine lab facilities next door to Rookery Bay in 2006-2007, which will assist the partnerships of coastal management. B) Brian Badgley, Coastal Training Program Coordinator - Rookery Bay NERR, explained that the training program was the educational/outreach program of Rookery Bay. He reviewed the goals of the workshop; to provide relevant coastal decision makers with the best available science based information, tools, & techniques, to Page 6 May 8, 2003 maintain knowledge and flexibility by addressing newly emerging issues, and to increase regional networking and collaboration efforts. The purpose of the workshop was to raise awareness and come to a common ground in regards to coastal management concerns and promote stewardship. Mr. Badgley then reviewed the agenda for the workshop. Mr. Badgley stated that they were looking for feedback from the audience and to promote the coastal training program as a resource. In the packets were an evaluation for the workshop and a survey for the audience to complete and return. Mr. Badgley added that state representative Dudley J. Goodlette would be the keynote speaker over lunch. After lunch there was a boat trip at the Cedar Bay Marina. The friends of Rookery Bay helped support the cost of the lunch. I. Basics of SW Florida Estuarine Ecology A) Gary Lytton discussed the resources, values, and issues of the coastal areas in Collier County. Photos were displayed throughout the PowerPoint presentation to display the landscaping of Collier County. People tend to think of themselves as separate from the environment, but 5,000 years of history in Collier County show people as a part of the landscape; interacting with it and living within it. People have a tendency to change landscapes and with the possibility of the tripled population in the coming years, the coastal areas face significant challenges. Estuaries are coastal bays where freshwater from rivers mixes with the saltwater from the ocean. Healthy estuaries are considered to be among the most healthy, productive ecosystems. There are a number of estuaries along the Coast of Collier County. In Collier County the freshwater comes from seasonal rains, which are captured in watersheds; rain basins that capture and direct sheet flow through the watersheds to the coast. Flow-ways can be identified by viewing the system of rainwater into watersheds. Three things to consider when thinking about estuaries are water quality, timing, and volume of freshwater into the estuaries. Barrier Islands and beaches are important for estuary environments. Physical energy along the coast has an impact on these barrier-beach environments. The beaches collect energy and behind them are low-physical energy environments. There is also a lot of energy to consider when you look at plants that serve as a basis for the food web. Mangroves serve as a vital component to healthy and functioning coastal environments. There are three kinds of mangroves: red, Page 7 May 8, 2003 black, and white. The mangroves provide shoreline stabilization, decomposed plant materials create energy used for productivity in the estuary environments, the plant materials also feed smaller animals, and the mangroves provide a good refuge environment. Seagrasses are rooted, vascular plants that live submerged under the surface of the water. They need sunlight to survive, therefore anything that penetrates the surface of the water, blocking out the sun will have an effect on the ability of the seagrasses to grow. Collier County has lost seagrass environments due to the degradation of water quality blocking the sunlight. Seagrasses serve as a refuge and spawning grounds for fish. Another example of biological communities along the coast is oyster bars. Oysters are filter feeders; filter material throughout the water. Oyster bars create a substrate community for small crabs, fish, shrimp, etc... They also act as indicators of estuary health, since they act as filter feeders. Barrier Islands are another key element to the coastal environment; they create a physical buffer, protect estuaries from harsh elements, and are breeding grounds for shorebirds and sea turtles. Mr. Lytton then discussed the biological diversity in Collier County. Collier County has 150 species of birds, 227 species of fish, and 461 species of plants. Other values of healthy coastlines are economic value. Boating, commercial fisheries, recreational fisheries, and tourism are examples of this economic benefit. In 2002 over $200 million dollars where generated from boating in Collier County. In 2001, seagrass communities in Florida supported an estimated harvest of $117 million in shellfish and finfish. In 2001, Florida anglers spent $4.1 billion on fishing expenses and Collier County sold 53,443 saltwater fishing licenses totaling $600,362. Tourism generated $859 million in Collier County for 2002. Ecotourism is also a growing economic benefit in this county, which is also directly dependent on healthy coastal environments. Coastal development has resulted in a loss of wetland habitats. Tampa Bay was used as an example of an estuary system that has been severely impacted by coastal development. Federal, state, and local interest are spending millions of dollars in an attempt to restore their coastal environment. Mr. Lytton then reviewed altered flow-ways within the estuary environments. Research has shown that the estuary salinity slowly decreases in the wet season and increases in the dry seasons. Life cycles and spawning cycles on wildlife have adapted to this over Page 8 May 8, 2003 millions of years. Agriculture, urban development, roads, canals, and a variety of other things have changed the way that water flows across the landscape, which can disrupt the cycles of estuary wildlife. In the future, we can utilize the primary flow- ways to re-establish the surface flow; this would be a managed system. Water quality degradation is also a serious issue in this county, especially in more urbanized systems. Stormwater runoff is one of the challenges we face in the future. Another serious issue that coastal management is now facing is the invasion of non-native plants and animals coming into Collier County and displacing the plant and native wildlife communities. Boating impacts have affected the county as well. Over 173,000 acres of seagrass beds in Florida have been damaged by propellers. Also, six manatees died in Collier County due to boat collisions in 2002. Another factor that affects the coastal environment is catastrophic storms, such as Hurricane Georges. Mr. Lytton pointed out that healthy coastal environments rebound quickly from catastrophic storms, whereas stressed environments do not. II. Science to Management A) Connecting Science to Management -Dr. Michael Savarese, Florida Gulf Coast University, discussed coastal issues related to science and management. He explained that in order to make well-formed decisions about the coastal environment, decision makers needed to consider the best science practices, constituency opinion, economic limitations, and legal constraints. Science is a process through which the natural world is studied; pose and test a hypothesis by making predictions/conducting experiments, collecting and analyzing data, and then using the data to see if the hypothesis is supported. Before science is made public it goes through a peer review process. Ultimately science provides an objective, unbiased, and critical method that helps us get closer to understanding the natural world. Nature is complex and provides challenges to studying the environment; natural systems are dynamic, multiple interactive factors need to be considered, nature is historically contingent, it requires study over long periods of time, and is not easily studied experimentally because of this complexity. The consequences of doing environmental science and management are that even the best science can result in high levels of uncertainty, hypotheses can often require Page 9 May 8, 2003 additional testing, sometimes the only thing that can be done is to show correlation rather than cause/effect, and science is not necessarily a panacea due to its limitations. Despite the limitations science gets the job done. The implications for managers and management decisions are: to make use of the best science available, when the level of uncertainty is low then the management alternative should be clear, when the level of uncertainty is high then the decision should be conservative and err on the side of social benefit. Dr. Savarese used harmful Algal Blooms as an example and reviewed the scientific process to show how science and the limitations of science could affect management decisions. B) Mosquito Control Example of Adaptive Management -Michael Shirley, Research Director - Rookery Bay NERR, discussed how science is used to positively affect a management change; mosquito control was used as an example of this process. Adaptive management is an issue that demands research, which results in the recommendation of management action and the implementation of the recommendations. This process is a cycle; after the implementation, the original issue is researched again to see if an effect has occurred. The effects of mosquito control pesticides have been researched for the last ten years. It began in 1991; when reviewing the decolonization of a restoration site, dead and dying Fiddler Crabs where noticed. Based on information about mosquito control spraying, the possibility of mosquito control pesticides killing fiddler crabs was discussed. Mr. Shirley coordinated with the Collier County Mosquito Control Unit and explored the cause of Fiddle Crab deaths. The research linked the drift and deposition of mosquito control sites to the death of Fiddler Crabs. This caused a new technique for applying pesticides; the use of offset when wind is moving the pesticide towards the reserve. After this change there were a reduced number of deaths to the Fiddler Crabs, but some damage was still noted. After more research was done, modified spray nozzles and a new pesticide called Dibrom were used. This change caused no difference in the mortality of Fiddler Crabs. They did find that the original nozzles were wasting a lot of pesticides and distributing them in the environment. Due to this research, a lot of the districts throughout the state use the modified spray nozzles and new Page 10 May 8, 2003 pesticides, which reduced the amount of pesticide used, the cost, and the effects on the environment. A ten minute recess was taken at 10:05 AM. III. Estuarine Science Panel A) Water Quality Monitoring: Managing for Optimal Diversity -Michael Shirley, Research Director - Rookery Bay NERR, discussed the water quality and biological monitoring program used at the Reserve. They monitor water quality in order to protect natural biodiversity. Salinity, temperature, PH, turbidity, and dissolved oxygen are monitored in the water. A photo displayed one of the tools to monitor these items. The tool collects data every few minutes and daily. The data is then sifted through and summarized. They then look for significant events occurring in the water. The watersheds affect the quality of water, so four of the monitoring sites are set up at four separate bays. Salinity at these bays shows that the inflow of freshwater has changed over the years. This effect will then shift they type of species that thrive in the bay. When changing the amount of freshwater flowing into the bays, you in turn change the biology of the bays. The biological monitoring focuses on species with different optimal niches. Two species of crab that live on oyster reefs were used as an example. When the relative abundance of these crabs is reviewed, one can see what happens biologically in these systems. Data comparisons to healthy environments help to establish what the natural environment should be like when unaffected and point out the current environmental shifts. Rookery Bay also currently does fish, shark, crab, and shrimp monitoring. A lot of the monitoring work is supported by various agencies; acknowledged in the slide presentation. B) Estuarine Health: Habitat and Fisheries -Dr. S. Gregory Tolley, Florida Gulf Coast University, discussed estuarine health related to coastal habitats and fisheries. If considering both intangible and tangible benefits of estuaries, it becomes obvious how important these systems are. Various charts were used to present the comparison of the productivity of various aquatic ecosystems as well as that of selected culture system: Estuaries have very high yields of fisheries. Fisheries are actually related to the amount of habitat present in an Page 11 May 8, 2003 estuary. The animals that live in estuaries have a mosaic of habitats to take advantage of; seagrasses, mangroves, and marsh habitats. Approximately 2/3 of the commercial and recreational species are dependent upon estuaries habitats at some point in their life cycle. In extreme cases, the young of these animals may migrate into fresh water in search of food and protection. Mr. Tolley stated that the most important message he wanted to send out was the importance of maintaining freshwater inflow; not only timing and quantity, but quality. Coastal Fisheries are related to freshwater inflow; increase the rate of freshwater inflow and the rate of crab production, shrimp production, etc...also increases. Too much freshwater can also be a bad thing since it can reduce oyster production. Freshwater washes the landscape with nutrients and food, which is then used by the estuarine dependent organisms, which in mm, are important links in the food chain of commercial and recreational species. This transport of nutrients is now being considered "the coastal conveyer belt". C) Florida Red Tides -Beverly Roberts, Research Administrator - Florida Marine Research Institute, discussed effects of red tide, what is produced, and how it can be managed. Red tide is higher than normal concentrations of Karenia brevis. There is also some level in the water, but when high concentrations are present, the effects of red tide can be seen. Red tide starts offshore and may or may not move in shore. Red tide can cause respitory irritation, sickness or mortality of various animals, human illness associated with neurotoxin shellfish poisoning, and the economic affect. A chart of the effect of red tide in Collier County was referred to. Beverly Roberts explained that they do not believe the frequency of red tide has increased and that the rise in numbers on the chart indicates a rise in the detection of red tide. Once a red tide has begun and been transported in shore, then the bloom may be sustained longer or have higher than normal concentrations due to present conductors of growth, (pesticides, etc...). They do not believe the freshwater influence has an effect on when red tide starts or how often it starts. This is an area of controversy. Websites and other local initiatives that provided information, data, research, and updates on red tide were provided to the audience and are listed in the packet. Research is being done to study the effects on people and animals. A detection test is being created to verify exposure to red tide Page 12 May 8, 2003 toxins. Some are establishing a network that will create technology to predict and model red tide. Satellite imagery has been helpful in providing an overview of red tide occurrences. Some people are looking at clay as a possibility in localized areas and how to collect dead fish. D) Incorporating Recreation Visitors' Attitudes into Coastal Recreation Management -Taylor Stein, Florida Gulf Coast University, discussed the social psychology of people going into natural areas and how best to work with these people. The research Mr. Stein discussed was funded by Rookery Bay. The entire area, including 10,000 Islands into Naples, was studied. A two phase approach was used in the study; nominal group meeting and visitor surveys. During the first phase, they spoke with managers of the reserve to find out who was coming to the reserve, the major impacts of those at the reserve, and what possible management actions were to consider. This information was then placed into a questionnaire, which made up the visitor survey. A total 312 people where surveyed over a year and a half. 157 on-site interviews were done. 155 on-site/mail-back surveys were done, (there was a 46% response rate). The results of the survey showed that the users where mostly Caucasian men. (Due to a lack of translators, the Latino population was not surveyed, which poses an error in the results). Most of the users were fairly well educated and usually traveling with friends/family. The major activities were fishing and boating, but there were a number of people who reported they were wildlife viewing. They came to the reserve to reduce tension and experience nature. Most visitors have a low perception of impacts. The most highly rated impact was pollution. Management is supported; favor of collaboration and education, but they did not favor opening access to the estuary. (Mr. Stein noted that those surveyed had access to the estuary). The implications of the survey are to manage for traditional uses, provide opportunities to be alone and enjoy nature, provide education opportunities, increase collaboration, and limit access improvements. Questions and comments were taken from the audience. Page 13 May 8, 2003 -Mr. Halas asked if any studies were being done to research the correlation between red tide and pneumonia. Beverly Roberts informed him that there aren't any specific to pneumonia, but they are researching respitory problems. One of the obstacles to this study is the confidentiality of health records. IV. Coastal Management - Naples Bay Presentation -Dr. Mike Bauer, Project Manager- SF Water Management District, reviewed the Naples Bay Case Study. The Naples Bay is a shallow estuary and was originally a wetland. Over the years, this area has slowly changed into more urban uses. The size of the watershed has increased due to the construction of the GG Canal System and its connection to the Gordon River. The inflow was altered due to urban infrastructure and the original flow-ways have virtually disappeared. There are impacts to this loss of inflow to the bay; loss of water quality and damages to the biology of the bay. Last fall a group was formed to review the condition of the bay and what might be done to fix the situation. The group consisted of city, state, and county government staff members, environmental groups, and individuals from the private sectors. Past studies were reviewed: 1979 -Naples Bay Study, 1988 -Naples Bay Task Force, 1990 - Bay Management Organization, and 1997 - Naples Bay Project Committee. The 1979 Naples Bay study identified a number of problems associated with the Naples Bay. 1) The Golden Gate Canal discharges freshwater: stratified the water, affected salinity and oxygen, and harmed aquatic life. 2) Sanitation problems: overtaxed septic systems were identified that increased the bacteria levels in the bay. 3) Stormwater runoff increases: More roads created more impervious surfaces, more pesticides, fertilizers, metals, and oil went into the bay. 4) Dredging and canal building: less water circulation and more water interactions with land 5) Mangrove declines: food chain base disrupted and shore stabilization was affected. Recommendations made from this study: Page 14 May 8, 2003 1) Slow summer fresh water flows: improve the weir system, put earth plugs in the GG canals, and re-flood Golden Gate 2) Build a better sewage treatment system. 3) Control the speed of watercraft. 4) Enforce shore-based pollution problems. 5) Improve stormwater runoff: Plug storm sewers & direct water to plant, allow only licensed lawn operators, and remove debris & correct canal depths. The Bay management Organization recommendations in 1990 were: 1) Do a Hydrographic study of the bay. 2) Establish a stormwater utility. 3) Dredge and maintain canals. 4) Replace seawalls. 5) Develop Golden Gate Basin Plan. The Naples Bay Project Committee's recommendations in 1997 were: 1) Control marine vessels. 2) Remove debris. 3) Aerate canals. 4) Perform Bathymetric mapping. 5) Restore mangroves. 6) Create artificial habitats. 7) Connect canals. 8) Implement stormwater master plan. 9) Educate citizens. -Over the years, some of the recommendations from these committees have been used. The successes are that the Golden Gate discharge rate has been slowed, wastewater treatment has been upgraded, stormwater management has been ongoing, the canal depths have been improved, and the vessel speed controls are in place. The 2002 Naples Bay Group identified three major remaining problems, which are the stratification of the water column, stormwater runoff, and the loss of intertidal habitat. At this time, the SF Water Management District approached the group with possible state funding of $25 million for stormwater management plans, stormwater Page 15 May 8, 2003 improvements to the Lely area, modifications to canal weirs, mapping and hydrodynamic modeling, and for the restoration of aquatic vegetation. The SF Water Management District asked the Naples Bay Group to rank their projects in order of importance. The Naples Bay grouped ranked them in this order: 1) Map and model Naples Bay & identify areas impacted by stratification 2) Create Gordon River Basin Plan 3) Modify canal Weirs 4) Document historic habitat distribution 5) Gateway stormwater management plan The final recommendation of the Naples Bay Group was to "establish an implementation team" in order to implement the various recommendations over the years. They recommended that the implementation team be made up of a county commissioner, a city council member, heads of the County and City Natural Resources Departments, the director of the Big Cypress Basin, and the director of Rookery Bay. V. Summary and Closure -Gary Lytton discussed some of the tools for coastal management. The technology for restoration has improved over the last five to ten years. There are also more funding opportunities available for restoration than ever before. Some current habitat and hydrology restoration projects were reviewed. Mr. Lytton stated that monitoring can be expensive, but it is a very valuable tool since it tums data into very valuable information. The technology of restoration science is improving. Land use planning is particularly effective with collaborative efforts, including the private sector. Naples Bay is a good example of collaborative efforts. Discussions on stormwater retention have reviewed possible areas for assistance. Mr. Lytton reminded the audience that education and training are very valuable tools. Questions and comments were taken from the audience. -Mr. Coletta asked about the actions being considered that would further limit the water discharge from Golden Gate City/Estates. He was concerned about flooding in Page 16 May 8, 2003 the area and additional needs for higher flood insurance. He was informed that they are limiting the flow into Naples Bay, but they are still trying to maintain a level of flood protection. They are also trying to accomplish steady-state flow through the structures they are installing; this is an attempt to reduce the peaks and redistribute the surface flow. He stated that "no", there were no additional impacts to the residents of Golden Gate, but he emphasized that all in Collier County are at risk during major storm events. Mr. Coletta stated that he was concerned that the residents of Golden Gate would be stuck bearing the burden of these changes. Mr. Coletta asked if the Golden Gate residents would now be at a higher risk for flooding. He was informed that they would not. Closing Comments from the Panel: -The district can be more of assistance through collaborations. As an example, Charlotte Harbor NAP went to their governing board for the authority to develop a Lower Charlotte Harbor SWIM plan. Once a plan like this is developed on a regional basis, there is an organized approach with a unified voice. The governing board did give approval for this project. In Collier County a SWIM plan could be developed for Naples Bay, but it cannot be initiated unless Collier County expresses an interest. -Emphasis was placed on collaboration, research, leveraging technology, and the people who are willing and capable to do the work. -Rookery Bay is a wonderful resource. Emphasis was placed on having a research & monitoring voice in Collier County. It was asked that elected officials use the resources presented in this workshop. -Thanks were expressed for the attendance of elected officials. -Mr. Lytton stated that one of the challenges he sees is a gap between the decision making community and those doing the work. One of the things they are trying to do is "bridge" the gap. He asked the decision makers to voice their specific needs in the future. He feels that Collier County still has healthy, thriving coastal environments and if collaboration continues and grows then they can avoid problems seen in other coastal areas. In summary, there is a strong link between healthy coastal environments and the economy, science and technology can be important tools if they Page 17 May 8, 2003 are relative to the needs, collaborative land use planning has tremendous opportunities, and education/training involvement can help engage the community. -Brian Badgely expressed thanks for the attendance and participation in this workshop. He added that they are available as a resource to decision makers. He asked that the audience complete and return the survey included in the end of the packet. He then thanked all of those who helped to make this workshop possible. VI. Adjournment -The presentation portion of the workshop adjourned 12:1 OPM. -There being no further business for the good of the County, the meeting was adjourned by order of the Chair at 12:1 OPM. Board of County Commissioners Board of Zoning Appeals/Ex Officio Governing Board(~/~pec~,~stricts U:der Its Control /~n ~-'~-'~/"-'~ _ Chairman Tom Henning ATTEST: DWIGHT E. BROCK, CLERK These minut~ approved by the Board on as presentedw/ or as corrected Page 18