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Clam Bay Committee Minutes 06/01/2021 PELICAN BAY SERVICES DIVISION CLAM BAY COMMITTEE MEETING JUNE 1,2021 The Clam Bay Committee of the Pelican Bay Services Division met on Tuesday, June 1 at 9:00 a.m. at the Community Center, 8960 Hammock Oak Dr., Naples, Florida 34108. In attendance were: Clam Bay Committee Michael Rodburg Susan O'Brien, Chairman Rick Swider Denise McLaughlin Pelican Bay Services Division Staff Karin Herrmann, Ops. Analyst Neil Dorrill,Administrator Lisa Jacob, Project Manager Chad Coleman, Operations Manager Barbara Shea,Admin. Assistant (absent) Darren Duprey,Assoc. Project Manager (absent) Also Present Mohamed Dabees,Humiston& Moore Jeremy Sterk,Earth Tech APPROVED AGENDA(AS AMENDED) 1. Roll call 2. Agenda approval 3. Approval of 03/30/2021 meeting minutes 4. Audience comments 5. Clam Bay a. Update on mangrove monitoring and hand-dug channel maintenance b. Exotic treatment i. Updated proposal for scaevola treatment/removal ii. Treatment in other areas c. Update on osprey platforms d. Canoe trail marker 8 e. Expenses in Fund 111 account 6. Clam Pass a. Tidal ratio results for May b. Bathymetric surveys c. Timeline for maintenance d. Options for Pass maintenance e. Maintenance costs in 2020 7. Water Quality a. Results for January-March 2021 b. Copper results for January-March 2021 c. Draft article for PB Post 1 Pelican Bay Services Division Clam Bay Committee Meeting June 1,2021 d. Update on consultant for water quality (add-on) 8. Beach renourishment a. Timeline for decision-making b. Cost of engineering 9. Boater safety signage a. Update on status of proposed boater safety signs 10. Next meeting 11. Adjournment ROLL CALL All members were present and a quorum was established CHAIR'S OPENING COMMENTS Ms. O'Brien welcomed Mr. Rodburg to the committee and acknowledged Mr. Weir's contributions to the committee over the past several years. AGENDA APPROVAL Ms. McLaughlin motioned, Mr. Rodburg seconded to approve the agenda as amended with the addition of item#7d. The motion carried unanimously. APPROVAL OF 03/30/2021 MEETING MINUTES Ms. McLaughlin motioned, Mr. Rodburg seconded to approve the 03/30/2021 meeting minutes as amended. The motion carried unanimously. AUDIENCE COMMENTS None CLAM BAY UPDATE ON MANGROVE MONITORING AND HAND-DUG CHANNEL MAINTENANCE Mr. Sterk, Environmental Consultant with Earth Tech,provided exhibits which identified this year's areas of recommended targeted maintenance of hand-dug channels. This project will start sometime in June. He also provided a summary of health assessment scores of the 21 monitored mangrove plots. He commented that the overall trend of these plots has been pretty steady, after the recovery from Hurricane Irma. Ms. O'Brien commented that there are four areas of stressed mangroves, as noted in the 2020 Clam Bay Monitoring Annual Report. Mr. Sterk commented that he has established photo plots of these areas which will continue to be closely monitored and diagnosed. He noted that it appears that these four areas have no natural or previously established channels, and in the future, we may need to consider a permit-modification to establish channels in these areas. Ms. McLaughlin commented that there are a fair number of dead-looking trees at South Beach. Mr. Sterk confirmed that this area is one of the four areas being closely monitored. Ms. O'Brien questioned whether standing water has been observed in the mangroves. Mr. Sterk will look into this during June fieldwork. The committee reviewed selected May Clam Bay 2 Pelican Bay Services Division Clam Bay Committee Meeting June 1,2021 aerials,provided by Humiston&Moore,which showed the conditions of the mangroves in several areas. EXOTIC TREATMENT UPDATED PROPOSAL FOR SCAEVOLA TREATMENT/REMOVAL Ms. O'Brien commented that a request for quotes for scaevola removal went out last week, and a copy was included in the agenda packet. Quotes are due back June 10. She noted that at the last Clam Bay Committee meeting, mechanical removal was discussed and considered the most efficient and most cost-effective method. However, in the proposal, vendors are asked to choose their removal method. Ms. O'Brien commented that $75,000 was tentatively included in the FY2022 budget for this project. Mr. Coleman commented that Fund 111 has at least $35,000 available in this year's budget to fund one phase of this project. He noted that we do not know the PBF's participation in this project, at this time. Ms. Jacob commented that this RFQ went out to the five or six exotic vegetation removal vendors on contract with the County. Mr. Sterk commented that he is not sure how long scaevola has been on the State Prohibited Exotic List. Mr. Dorrill commented that the PBSD has never done a scaevola removal project before and he is unaware that this type of project has ever been done by the PBSD in the last 40 years. TREATMENT IN OTHER AREAS Ms. O'Brien provided a copy of bid schedule RFQ118-7459, which describes the 2021 tasks of the ongoing exotic removal program by Aquagenix, for a total annual cost of$115,800. Ms. O'Brien questioned what work is provided under Task 4 (NRPA Exotic Treatment Area— Quarterly Exotic Maintenance) for $36,000. Mr. Sterk commented that a map of Clam Bay with corresponding tasks was provided in the agenda packet, which shows about 12 acres on the west side of the berm, where exotic maintenance work will be completed. Ms. Jacob commented that she will review past invoices to determine the number of hours that are spent on Task 4 each quarter. Mr. Sterk commented that Aquagenix provides a daily report of all work completed. Ms. McLaughIin commented on the exotics, east of the boardwalk, in conservation areas on associations'property. Mr. Sterk commented that some associations have addressed the exotics on their property while others have not. Ms.O'Brien suggested creating a PBSD outreach program on exotic removal for the associations with conservation areas along the east side of the berm. She suggested that staff develop a strategy for this. UPDATE ON OSPREY PLATFORMS Ms. O'Brien commented that two out of our three PB osprey platforms are down. Mr. Sterk has been tasked with replacement/repair of these two platforms, which will be completed within the next few weeks. CANOE TRAIL MARKER 8 Mr. Sterk commented that he continues to coordinate with the County's Coastal Zone Mgt. Division for the repair of canoe trail marker 8. EXPENSES IN FUND 111 3 Pelican Bay Services Division Clam Bay Committee Meeting June 1,2021 Ms. O'Brien provided the FY2022 proposed budget for Fund 111. She highlighted that in FY2020, we did not spend all of the funds available to us in Fund 111. She noted that this year, staff is focused on spending the entire$150,000 available to us in our FY2021 budget. CLAM PASS TIDAL RATIO RESULTS FOR MAY Ms. Jacob provided the May Clam Bay tidal ratio results for the committee to review. Dr. Dabees, Environmental Consultant with Humiston & Moore, commented that ideally we would like to see the measurements to be above .5 for the four active tidal gauges. He reviewed ratios from 2017 to the present, along with the related dredging events during that time period. Dr. Dabees commented that the clogging of Clam Pass is concentrated in the entrance to the Pass, which is caused by the continuing influx of sand from the recent County beach renourishment project,just south of Clam Pass. OPTIONS FOR PASS MAINTENANCE Dr.Dabees reported that we have sent out an RFQ(to marine services contractors)to obtain quotes for both a partial excavation and a full dredge. Quotes are due back on June 11. He suggested that once quotes are reviewed, we can consider these two options in order to make a recommendation. Although we are in turtle nesting season, currently there are no turtle nests in the immediate grading area of the Pass. Dr. Dabees noted that we cannot relocate sand, dredged from the Pass,into any areas containing turtle nests. Dr. Dabees reported that the County is working on plans for emergency hydraulic dredges at Wiggins Pass and Doctor's Pass(to be completed after turtle nesting season). He noted that we have requested that Clam Pass be included in their project. This is a third option available to us. Mr. Dorrill commented that the Pass does not look alarming in the most recent aerial photos. He noted that we will closely monitor conditions in Clam Pass, and that we may be able to delay work until our third option (participation in the County project) becomes available, subsequent to turtle season. Mr. Coleman commented on PBF's concerns on the escarpment at South Beach. Dr. Dabees commented that the flow of water exiting Clam Pass is causing this. He noted that(1)the escarpment can be knocked down, but that it will quickly return at the next high tide, and(2) the spit must be removed in order to solve the escarpment issue. Mr.Dorrill commented that he would be able to rent a trackhoe and knock down the escarpment. Dr. Dabees commented that during turtle season,this would require an approval from FWC. He suggested that it is the responsibility of the County's turtle nesting monitors to determine if and when to knock down an escarpment. Ms. O'Brien commented that it is our responsibility to maintain the health of the estuary. BATHYMETRIC SURVEYS Ms. O'Brien provided the bathymetric survey results of 5/11/2020, 12/21/2020, and 01/05/2021, which were included in the agenda packet. She expressed concern that Section "C" was filled with 3,700 cubic yards of sand in January 2021. MAINTENANCE COSTS IN 2020 Ms. O'Brien provided a summary of 2020 Clam Pass maintenance costs, included in the agenda packet. 4 Pelican Bay Services Division Clam Bay Committee Meeting June 1,2021 WATER QUALITY RESULTS FOR JANUARY-MARCH 2021 Ms. O'Brien commented that we received the January-March 2021 water quality results in late April. COPPER RESULTS FOR JANUARY—MARCH 2021 Ms. O'Brien commented that the latest copper results were added to the table which was included in the agenda packet. She noted just one problem area(a spike over 6) in these quarterly results. Copper results,in general, continue to be very good. DRAFT ARTICLE FOR PB POST Ms. O'Brien commented that Mr. Rodburg provided an edited draft article entitled"Clam Bay Water Quality Shows Continued Improvement" for the PB Post, which was added to the record. Ms. O'Brien suggested and the committee agreed that a photo of Clam Bay and an exhibit of the eight sampling sites accompany the draft article. The committee discussed minor edits. UPDATE ON CONSULTANT FOR WATER QUALITY(ADD-ON) Ms. Jacob reported that the work on Turrell Hall's water quality purchase order has been completed and that Turrell Hall is no longer on the County's list of contracted environmental engineering vendors. She commented that our options include (1) hire the next environmental engineer who is on rotation under the County contract, or (2) hire Earth Tech under the "direct select"process. Earth Tech would be able to subcontract the water quality reporting work either to Turrell Hall or ESA (Environmental Science Assoc.) directly. Ms. O'Brien noted that Turrell Hall has maintained our water quality data for the last 20 years. The committee agreed that the best option would be for Turrell Hall to continue as our water quality consultant, subcontracted under Earth Tech's contract. BEACH NOURISHMENT TIMELINE FOR DECISION MAKING Mr. Dorrill commented that the County will receive the deliverables from the engineer's beach renourishment survey work some time this summer. The exact date is unknown at this time and will be shared as soon as it is known. Ms. O'Brien commented that this information is critical so that reviews and recommendations of PB participation can be made in a timely manner. Mr. Dorrill commented that he expects a November truck haul project. COST OF ENGINEERING Ms. Jacob will follow up on the cost of engineering for PBSD's portion of the County's beach renourishment truck haul project. BOATER SAFETY SIGNAGE Mr. Dorrill commented that at a recent meeting with the County's Coastal Zone Management Division (CZM), he stressed the importance of the installation of our boater safety signs. A CZM representative indicated that he expects the installation of these signs to be no later than year end. 5 Pelican Bay Services Division Clam Bay Committee Meeting June 1,2021 ADJOURNMENT IThe meeting was adjourned at 10:26 a.m. 5CIA/3 a"L- °31.4411-- Susan O'Brien, Chairman Minutes approved [ 14s presented OR [ ] as amended ON ( 0 ( 3/2o a I ] date 6