CAC Minutes 06/13/2024June'13,2024
Meeting Agenda and Notice
Coastal Advisory Committee (CAC)
Thursday, June 13, 2024- 1.00 p.m.
Collier County Board Chambers
Collier County Government Center
3299 Tamiami Trail East, Third Floor, Naples, FL
Sunshine Law on Aoenda Questions
2024 CAC MEETING DATES
l. Call to Order
ll. Pledge of Allegiance
lll. Roll Call
lV. Changes and Approval of Agenda
CHANGES AND ADDITIONS
Motion approved for phone listeners to call in
Andy is requesting item 8A to add plants to the dunes (berm).
Motion caried
V. Public Comments
V.a Seagate/Clam Bay Natural Resource Protection Area By: Ray Bearfield from Collier
County Water Keeper
Comments with full discussion will follow presentation.
The Clam Bay National Resource Protection Area was established in 1 995 due to degradation
of Estuary caused of 80 years of development.
As a conduit for information about this system, for people coming into Collier County, the
purpose is to create public consciousness of the decline in Clam Bay, Clam Pass and outer
Clam Bay and Seagate.
Their role is public awareness in education and advocacy in Collier County.
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Packet Pg. 64 Attachment: 09.19.24 - Signed Minutes (29966 : Coastal Advisory Committee - September 19, 2024)
Clam Bay Estuary Management is now the responsibility of Pelican Bay Service Division
Solution is to open a public discussion on how to proceed with managing
1. Tidal exchange
Mangrove die off because of lack of tidal action within the bay
2. Resilience
Dead mangroves effected by Hurricane lan on the berm
3. Water Quality
Landscaping and storm water runoff contributing to water quality
4. Stakeholder agreement
Pelican Bay Services District is bound to protect including dredging and advisories on
managing the reserve
Trecker - Comments
Maintenance excavation starts June 17th to cut through sand spit or the Clam Pass entrance
to open the mouth and grade the Clam Pass inlet bank.
Hydraulic dredge is scheduled for November and being carried out by PBSD. Bids are now
under review for this dredge.
Assistant County Attorney indicated that BCC transferred sole responsibility to PBSD in 2013.
CAC no longer has the responsibility for Clam Pass, Clam Bay.
Colleen of BCC concurred.
Brechnitz - Comments
Mr. Barefield, about how long has this area has been impaired, and what are the current levels
of phosphorus and nitrogen.
Mr. Barefield replied that the phosphorus and nitrate levels are unknown, but the DEP put
Clam Pass on the impaired list in 2023.
Penniman - Comments
What should the CAC do?
Colleen of BCC advised that the CAC could make recommendations to TDC and BCC after
hearing from the Stakeholders.
Bob Roth, Councilman via Zoom - Comments
lf the CAC is going to consider and make recommendation it should have a study to evaluation
aspects. Other stakeholders could possibly be called to assist PBSD. Dave Tracker suggested
that the PBSC give background information on this and give a presentation as to where they
are.
Colleen - Comments
She recommends that information be requested by Stakeholders before making a
recommendation to the TDC and BCC.
Burke - Comments
The County is reimbursing some of the work that being done, and the exact information will be
obtained by Colleen, BCC.
Cathy Worley, Conservancy of SW Florida, Director of Science - Comments
There is a mechanism recommended for communication with PBSC and the CAC should get
on their agenda. There is a management plan for Clam Pass that is revisited on a cycle.
Stakeholders have the opportunity to participate.
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Packet Pg. 65 Attachment: 09.19.24 - Signed Minutes (29966 : Coastal Advisory Committee - September 19, 2024)
Neil Doral, Administrator for the Pelican Bay Services Division - Comments
Mr. Doral was the County Manager of Collier County the last 10 years of his time with Collier
County.
Responsibility for Clam Pass over the past 30 years has been vesled in the Services Division
Tasking District. Surface water management in Pelican Bay is award winning and has become
a model for the South Florida Water Management.
Bay Colony is in Basin 6 and has features called beach dune swale where the water runs north
and south to a center point (swale existing for hundreds of years) before it goes out into a
spreader wateMay and goes into the upper reaches of the Estuary.
This was one of the first of several Natural Resource Protection areas. The original
management plan in 2000 was driven by Stakeholders not just the people of Pelican Bay.
The most recent management plan shows return of seagrass beds in the upper reaches of
outer Clam Bay and has been positive after lrma.
Pelican Bay Foundation nor the Services Division is responsible for Beach renourishment. They
are responsible to reimburse for beach renourishment that is the requirement of the nearest
public parking area.
Penniman - Comments
Suggestion that the PBSD advise the Committee when their meetings are and if the Committee
cannot attend then the Water Keeper should attend.
Mr. Doral advised the Committee that PBSD meets the 2nd Wednesday of every month at
1p.m. at their community center. lt is open to the public, is televised and is an open discussion
format such as this meeting today.
VI. APPROVAL OF CAC MINUTES
Mav 9. 2024
CAC Minutes were approved with markup done by Dr. Hushon to correct grammar and
misconstrued words.
Meeting minutes approved
VII. STAFF REPORTS
Extended Revenue Reoort
Andy presented the Revenue Report which was the same as last month. Revenue graph shows
March and April are up and heading towards the peak. We have 50.2% revenue above our
budget. Dave Trekker said the Fund balance is not known at this time. An email was requested
for this information.
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Packet Pg. 66 Attachment: 09.19.24 - Signed Minutes (29966 : Coastal Advisory Committee - September 19, 2024)
VIII. NEW BUSINESS
Dune Restoration
Miller - Comments
The emergency berm was built and performed well through Hurricane ldalia. One million plants
are scheduled to be planted to stabilize the berm. Funding was approved.
Motion was passed
Miller - Comments
Planting is scheduled for end of summer during rainy season.
Hushon - Comments
We should hold off planting if they are not planted during rainy season.
Miller - Commented
The contractor uses gel caps planted with roots and soil mixture and offers a wananty.
Roth - Commented
Cancer ofthe contractor's warranty regarding watering and suggested that there be a watering
schedule and a contingency plan.
Hushon - Commented
Send the motion forward with a caveat that the wet and dry seasons be taken into
consideration on the planting to ensure the success of the plantings and the Committee's
watering concerns be addressed by Andy.
Miller - Comments
Agreed.
Hushon - Comments
ldentify locations of offshore reefs where we are not affecting hard bottoms that are near to the
coast instead of far offshore.
Miller - Comments
There may be an opportunity to explore this, and he agreed to incorporate it into the report to
the Committee.
Burke - Comments
The annual report shows the hard bottom locations. A copy ofthe report will be requested
when it is ready in September.
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Packet Pg. 67 Attachment: 09.19.24 - Signed Minutes (29966 : Coastal Advisory Committee - September 19, 2024)
IX. OLD BUSINESS
Water Qualitv Subcommittee Update bv Bob Roth
The Committee made recommendations to the BCC that existing wastewater plants in the
County, which is reclaimed water used for irrigation, be upgraded to AWT standard.
Bob Roth, Andy Miller, Robert VanHule, and Matt Mcclain - zoom meeting at Collier County's
Public Works last Monday.
Concerns that the nutrients in the reuse irrigation, which are not stripped out in current
treatment process, are leaching into the water in some fashion.
This Committee and Collier County's own Pollution Control Department in its 2022 report made
the same recommendation to upgrade to AWT standard. ln their 2021 report the Pollution
Control Group found saccharin in freshwater bodies.
There is a growing concern, and it is encouraging to hear that DPW has been proactive in
keeping up with environmental issues including PFAFS in drinking water. Discouraging was that
there is no movement toward regulation on a state level that requires AWT for the purpose of
the County uses for wastewater irrigation and it is allowed to contain contaminants.
The typical reuse quality of Collier's wastewater. The AWT would have an operator lower the
nitrogen concentrates to 3ppm and lppm of phosphorus. That's not the best technology.
Collier's normal process goes down to 5.2ppm of nitrogen and phosphorus 1.5-1.gppm which
is close to AWT standard. CAC had recommended to BCC to upgrade. Collier County Sewer
District is funded by the user fees.
Maybe reformulate our recommendations and send it to the Sewer District instead of the BCC.
We are possibly not talking to the correct arm of the government.
Miller - Commented
Concurred and said He remembered hearing some talk of an upcoming Pilot project studying
PFAFS, pharmaceuticals, nitrogen and phosphorus in the water. Andy's impression is although
it seems that they are not doing anything, they are looking into AWT.
Roth was asked what would be involved in approaching Sewer District.
Roth - Comments
A phone call to find out their schedule and process for taking in outside input. Maybe Andy
could reach out to the Sewer District.
lf the Pilot project indicates that they could be doing something better, they don't have to do it.
They just have to follow the State regulations.
Colleen, BCC - Comments
The governing body of the Water Sewer District. lt is the same governing body just wearing
different hats.
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Packet Pg. 68 Attachment: 09.19.24 - Signed Minutes (29966 : Coastal Advisory Committee - September 19, 2024)
Brechnitz - Comments
A recommendation to the BCC that an engineering study be done to determine adverse
reactions of PFAFs in the wastewater as a recommendation to the BCC.
Marco lsland had the same issue and hired Jacobs Engineering that did the study and it a de
minimis effect on surrounding bodies of water. We measure injection water daily that goes into
the underground waterways, and it is a de minimis effect. An engineering flrm needs to
determine to what degree it will help.
Hushon - Comments
What the County numbers.
Andy can call to get them.
How much is it costing us because ofthe contaminants e.g. dead fish, red tide, blue green
algae blooms and effects on tourism. There is a report by The Conservancy studying the
effects of contaminants regarding loss of tourism dollars. A more complete study needs to be
done, that shows the cost of bad water quality.
Roth - Comments
We have to recognize that reuse is only one source of nitrogen and phosphorus. We may need
to follow the leads of some other counties like Lee County planning to upgrade to AWT.
Sarasota converted its plant to AWT. Others are doing it around us, and it is good risk
management.
Penniman - Comments
Do AWT plants deal with saltwater intrusion?
The answer, no.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Linda Penniman has returned to the Committee.
Brechnitz - Comments
What about Dredging of Collier Creek which is in 2 years of waiting.
Miller - Comments
We are waiting on the Army Corp. permit.
We have had some communications from our liaison from the White House recently and a
petition is in.
Brechnitz - Comments
Tiger Tail was requested and has been completed already. lt is becoming a boat safety issue.
Burke - Comments
Third draft of position paper that would go the Army Corp of engineers was edited by Burke
and presented at this meeting.
Hushon and Tracker conferred on comments and resolved their
differences. The draft is now ready to send.
Damage was eliminated.
Motion passed to approve sending our position paper to BCC on the USC'I project
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Packet Pg. 69 Attachment: 09.19.24 - Signed Minutes (29966 : Coastal Advisory Committee - September 19, 2024)
Burke - Comments
Do we need to respond to an emailfrom Environmental Defense Fund?
Several members did not receive a copy.
Miller- Comments
I willforward the email to upper management and will copy the email and attachment to all
Committee members. Andy also agreed to supply the Committee with the final copy of the
position paper.
September 13th is the next meeting.
Meeting adjourned
Collier County Coastal Advisory Committee
Joseph B Chairman
i
These minutes were approved by the Committee ," 1 ll"1 f Z''l (check one) as presented,
or as amended I
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Packet Pg. 70 Attachment: 09.19.24 - Signed Minutes (29966 : Coastal Advisory Committee - September 19, 2024)
10/31/2024
Please find attached meeting minutes from the Coastal Storm Risk Management Feasibility Study Advisory
Committee meeting that occurred on 11/08/2023, in addition to the meeting documents from the most current
Coastal Storm Risk Management Feasibility Study Advisory Committee that occurred on 10/30/2024.
ATTACHMENT(S)
1. CSRM News Release 10.22.2024 (DOCX)
2. CSRM Agenda 10.30.2024 (DOCX)
3. CSRM Committee Sign-In 10.30.2024 (DOCX)
4. CSRM Public Sign-In 10.30.2024 (DOCX)
5. CSRM Ad Hoc Presentation-10.30.2024 (PDF)
6. 11.8.2023 CSRM AD Hoc Minutes Signed (PDF)
8.B
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