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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-15-2020 CC IPM WS MinutesOM1 Y SEAT" HOME OF PELICAN ISLAND SEBASTIAN CITY COUNCIL INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS WORKSHOP PUBLIC NOTICE AGENDA WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2020 5:00 PM CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS 1225 MAIN STREET, SEBASTIAN, FLORIDA 1. Mayor Dodd called the Sebastian City Council Workshop to order at 5:00 p.m. 2. A moment of silence was held. 3. Mayor Dodd led the Pledge of Allegiance. Membgm ;regent Mayor Ed bbotld Vice Mayor Charles Mauti Council Member Damien Gilliams Members Absent: Council Member Jim Hill Council Member Pamela Parris Staff Present: City Manager Paul Carlisle City Clerk Jeanette Williams Human Resource Director Cindy Watson Administrative Services Director Ken Killgore Public Works Director/City Engineer Ken Griffin Community Development Director Lisa Frazier Leisure Services Director Brian Benton Procurement Manager Ann -Marie Fraser Golf Course Director Greg Gardner Environmental Technician Kim Haigler Police Captain Dan Acosta Police Officer Ryan Matthews Police Officer Tomas Marine 4. WORKSHOP ITEM A. Introduction by Dr. Duane DeFreese, Ph.D.. IRL Council Executive Director of the National Estuary Proaram. Dr. DeFreese started by saying that we are not the only community wrestling with water quality concerns. It's a statewide issue that is being addressed by cities, counties and the state of Florida. The goal tonight is to begin a discussion in the City of Sebastian about how to move forward with a comprehensive aquatic weed and pest management program. We will look at the options available to the city and the associated costs. Then the Mayor and Council along with the community will work together to build a plan that works from multiple perspectives. B. Discuss Options for Best Management Practices Council Member Gilliams read an article from the Press Journal, written by the Executive Director of Marine Resource Council. The Council was founded 1983 and their mission is to protect the Indian River Lagoon through science, restoration and education. The Lagoon covers one-third of Florida's east coast and generates billions of dollars to our region's economy through increased property values and tourism. People are starting to realize that when our environment goes so does our economy. He emphasizes the fact that individuals can help protect and restore the Lagoon by following local fertilizer ordinances, landscaping with native plants, the use of rain barrels and by expressing their opinions to local representatives and legislators. The article stresses that we all have a role to play in bringing the Lagoon back to health. The City Manager expressed his appreciation for everybody coming and is looking forward to working together with the community to come up with a plan that will bring our waterways into a condition that we all can be proud of. Bob Stephen of 150 Concha Drive thanked the members for having the workshop. He recommends no more chemical control to regulate the Flow of water. Dr. Graham Cox of 1213 George Street explained that we are dealing with three different habitats; the parks, the golf course and the water system. Dr. Cox suggested the following: • An ecological survey to identify the invasive and good plants to provide an ecological base line. The Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program would help us with grants to cover the survey. • An educational program would help the community understand what the issues are. • A website to get the communities feedback on what to do. • A Citizens Advisory Committee made up of stakeholders, residents and golfers. This committee could be also be set up under the Natural Resources Board. • Put together a clear list of alternatives with the pros and cons. • A campaign will be needed for the referendum so the community understands what they are being asked to pay for. • Clear definition of City Council's role must be established. • The hiring of an Environmental Manager to implement the plan. • Focusing more on the management and operation of our Slormwater Park. • Make full use of the ponds and wetlands to clean up the canal system. The objective is to make a goal and an action plan that will make the canal system a natural resource asset to the city's green infrastructure. Julia Held, teacher and a mother, expressed her concerns with our children playing in the Lagoon. It is important to maintain its environmental integrity and safety. The money from the growth in this area can be used to maintain the environmental integrity. Bob Masterson of 106 Blue Herring Way, asked K an ecological survey has already been done of plants? What is the percentage of bad things the city provides to the Lagoon? Dr. DeFreese indicated that if you are going to do an integrated pest management plan, those kinds survey are going to be very specific to the locations and areas that you are managing. There is data out there but it hasn't been assembled with this use in mind, so it is going to take looking at what is available, bringing it together and seeing where the gaps are then developing a plan. The City Manager explained that the areas Council determines we are going do the excavation and dredged to re-establish the canals may not be the best place to do a study because a majority of the material may be removed. Also it depends on whether we dredge or to do littoral shelves because there will be new eco systems that develop with the best plants available to help the water quality. This is why we are looking at the overall program. Every area is different and they will have to be treated as their own system. Dr. DeFreese explained that a contribution to the Lagoon from an individual home may be minuscule but if you multiply it by 1.6 million residents then if becomes significant. The particular segment of the Lagoon in our area has a higher water quality. This is not a dense population like other areas around us. Looking at the projections of growth over the next twenty years, the two fastest growing counties are projected to be Indian River County and St. Lucie County. We have to have the best management practices because we are going to continue to grow. Diana Bolton of George Street toured the newly opened Osprey Acres Stor mwater Park in Vero Beach. They are using water lettuce and other plants as bio filters. Instead of killing these plants we need to use them to work for us. Ms. Bolton suggested the Stormwater and setback ordinance should be amended to include pesticides and herbicides which would prohibit any spraying of chemicals that can drain in the ditches, ponds or swales that lead to our water system. More water testing needs done to see where the hot spots are and to identify where the pollution is coming from. A representative for the Audubon International encourages using pesticides only when necessary for spot treating the golf course as opposed to blanket spraying. He also recommends conditioning the soil. It's a six step training process which can take anywhere from six months to a year to receive certification. Each new product being tested needs a base line study first. It's notjust about the plant base and the green leaves that are on the surface, there is also a main portion in the water that cannot be seen. This is the area that is the base of our food chain. Also keep in mind when removing invasive plants they have to be replaced. The City Manager explained that even if we want change our ordinance to regulate pesticides we are preempted by Florida Statute 487 & 482 which does not allow us to add the pesticide regulation into our stormwater fertilizer ordinance. Ms. Bolton is requesting the setback portion of the ordinance be changed which would avoid poison draining due to gravity from spilling into the waterways. Tim Glover, President of the Friends of St. Sebastian River, expressed the importance of education. The citizens need to understand what the issues are, what steps were taken in the past and what the city intends to take in the future to address the Issues. He said that Indian River County along with Dr. Grant Gilmore did a test to determine how quickly the stonmwater got to the Lagoon. They determined it was only a couple of hours. This is an important connection the community needs to make. Communities are educating their people by putting markers on the storm drains to remind them that all canals and waterways lead to the Lagoon. Dr. DeFreese said there is funding available. The key for the city is to decide how it's going to move forward, what their needs are then target those needs to the funding sources. He offered to help in anyway in finding the funding sources. Charles Stadelman said he has been exploring the mechanical aquatic weed control which involves floating machines. These floating machines cost $80,000 - $125,000. The salary cost of the employee would be $50,000-$65,000 plus the expense to train the employee to operate the machine. This is the cost for only one machine and one operator. This is a project the City would have to budget for. Mr. Stadelman said our neighbors around us are another factor to consider. What affect will what we do here have on everyone around us. If we raise the value of our city it would help with an important goal which is sustainable development. Having a sustainable development would erase poverty. If we raise the value of our city it will make people want to come here. He also said letting homeowners opt out of the spraying altogether is another option. They can put up a marker on their property saying not to spray. We could allow the homeowner to maintain the property themselves. Dr. Bedea expressed the importance that anything we do should be non -toxic and biodegradable. It is also important to decrease the nutrient load in our waters. The City Manager explained the cost share grant for the septic to sewer conversion in the CRA district. He said ERU's are being waived now by Indian River County but won't be for much longer so he encouraged the Community to apply. Bob Stevens said he would like the city to make the residents aware before spaying Dr. Bedea expressed the importance of re-examining invasive plants. They are native to Florida and plants are an important bio filter. The wetlands perform a great function; they are full of plants to clean the water. Dr. Cox volunteered to collect the ecological survey information. He will be in contact with Dr. David Cox, a biologic consultant, who is an authority on this subject. He suggested a short version of the City Managers presentation at the December 12, 2019 City Council meeting should be run on the city website. Dr. Cox introduced a chapter in a book he received a few years ago from the Institute of Food & Agricultural Science that explains Developing a Lake Management Plan. (See Attached) Dr. Cox stated the main active ingredients in the miracle product called (WOW) Whack out Weeds by Ecomight are peppermint oil, potassium sorbate, sodium chloride; most of it is water, soap, potassium benzoin and food preservatives. Larry Mandate, Carnival Terrace, suggested limiting growth to solve the problem. Julia Heard, 718 Wimbrow, shared information about a local advocate who is selling a product called Dr. Kirchner Natural Weed Killer on Amazon. University of Central Florida did a comprehensive 6 month study on the product. This product should be also be looked at for use. Mayor Dodd thanked everyone for attendiny and for their input. He announced the workshop will be on Thursday, January 23 at 1:30pm. He would like everyone to encourage others who are interested to attend and give their input. He said we are in the process of gathering information. Our intent is to take all the information from the workshops and put together the beginning of a plan and apply funding to it. We want to come up with a plan that allows us to do what the city is required to do by the Department of Environmental Protection and the St John's River Management District. Once we make the major investment to clean out the canals we then have to work on maintaining them. It is important to get the community to buy in on this idea because it is going to have a major financial Impact on the city. This plan has to be allocated into our budget next year. The city is committed to this plan. He said we have to look at the canals and the canal walls which are also part of the problem. We not only have to look at how we are going to spray weeds on the golf course we also have to look at how we rebuild the whole canal system. Council Member Gilliams suggested the City Clerk place an eighth page advertisement and run it twice in the Press Journal, Sebastian River and the Hometown News to request people come to the next workshop with issues and solutions. He said there was an article in the January 2n° Press Journal called DonY Let Agriculture Dictate Water Policy. Fellsmere has drainage ditches draining into the C54 canal. The Governor has put a task force together to address these issues. There is a Senate Bill called Clean Waterways Act (SB712). Residents need to get familiar with this bill and contact their representatives and senators to tell them know how they feel about what's going on. Dr. DeFreese said there is a companion House Bill. He will give the City Manager his comprehensive list of all the water bills regarding both the Indian River and the broader bills so he can distribute them. 5. Being no further business, Mayor Dodd adjourned the workshop at 6:23 p.m. Approved at the February 12, 2020 Regular City Council Meeting. Mayor Ed Dodd ATTEST: �JC -City Clerk nette Williams, MMC -City Clerk E Introduction Invasive aquatic plants are a major problem for the management of water resources in the United States. Nonnative invasive species cause most of the nuisance problems in larger waterways and often produce widespread dense beds that obstruct navigation, recreation, fishing and swimming and interfere with hydropower generation. In addition, dense nuisance plants increase the likelihood of flooding and aid in the spread of insect-bome diseases. Invasive plants also reduce both water quality and property values for shoreline owners. Invasive species have a negative impact on the ecological properties of the water resource. They may degrade water quality and reduce species diversity while suppressing the growth of desirable native plants. Invasive species may alter the predator/prey relationship between game fish and their forage base, which results in higher populations of small game fish. Invasive species may also change ecosystem services of water resources by altering nutrient cycling patterns and sedimentation rates and by increasing internal loading of nutrients. The most troublesome invasive plants that cause problems in the United States are listed in the following table. These species and recommendations for managing them are discussed in Chapter 15 of this manual. These exotic weeds are most likely to cause the greatest concerns, but many other native and nonnative species can cause problems as well, particularly in small areas or in ponds. I Common tome xununc name DescHaed m: I H drilla H nlla wrticdlata ChA�jer 15.1 Ovatepndfoil hyl/yn SP(patum Chapter 15.2 i ea pondweed amogefan ntspus Cha er 15.3 Eoem &pm dense Cha er i5A Fanwort and cabomba [abomba camliniana Chap er 15.5 Common name Scientific name Deswlbed in: Waterchestnut Trapa natans Chapter 15.6 Phrnites itesls�ralis Chapter 15.11 1 Purp(e loosesrrife sa rciada I Chapter 15.12 I Flowerinq rush I &domus umbellatus Chapter 15.13 Common name scientific name Descrtbed ln: I Watemyadnth I Eichhomia cmipes Chapter 15.7 I Waterlettuce Pista sirafiotes Chapter 15.8 I Giant and common salvinia Sabina molesta S minima Chapter 15.9 1 Duckweed and watermeal Multiple Chapter 15.10 209 1 Development of a management plan Water resource managers need to have an aquatic plant management plan for long-term management even in bodies of water that have not yet been invaded by these exotic species. An effective aquatic plant management plan should establish protocols to prevent the introduction of nuisance plants, provide an early detection and rapid response program for the waterbody so new introductions can be managed quickly at minimal cost and aid in identifying problems at an early stage. The plan should also assist in identifying resources and stakeholders so that coalitions can be built to aid in the management of problem species. The planning process should include information that is already available and Identify gaps in knowledge where more information is needed. An effective management plan will help water resource managers communicate the need for management of invasive species and provide a rationale or approach for management A comprehensive aquatic plant management plan should have eight components: prevention, problem assessment project management monitoring, education, management goals, site -specific management and evaluation. Prevention The focus of a prevention program is education and quarantine combined with proactive management of new infestations (early detection and rapid response). Most invasive aquatic plants are introduced to a water body as a result of human activity and introductions most often occur when invasive plants are transported on boats, watercraft and boat trailers. Prevention activities can include signage at boat launches and marinas and other educational programs. Successful prevention programs utilize federal and state legislation, enforcement, educational programs in broadcast and print media and volunteer monitoring programs. An early detection and rapid response program should be employed in conjunction with prevention efforts to control new infestations at an early stage. Proactively controlling new infestations before they develop into large populations of exotic plants is both technically easier and less expensive, which results in major cost savings in the long run. The eradication of small populations is much more likely than eradication of large established populations. Early detection and rapid response is a critical component of an exotic species prevention program and is emphasized by federal agencies involved in invasive species management Problem assessment Problem assessment should focus on identifying a problem in a given waterbody and collecting information about the problem. This information can then be used to formulate specific problem statements that define the cause of the problem. Problem assessment is the process of both acquiring objective information about the problem, such as maps and data on plant distribution, and identifying groups or stakeholders that should have input into formulating the problem statement. Problem assessments should also identify the causes of the problem and should increase the understanding of the water resource by reviewing information that is already available and highlighting areas where additional information is needed. A specific problem statement should be developed using the resources identified during problem assessment to aid in refining the concerns of users and the nature of the nuisance problem. Project management Project management is often a neglected aspect of managing invasive plants, particularly when volunteers manage the project. Successful projects are the result of good planning and 1 210 , management of assets, which include financial resources, partnerships, volunteers and other personnel Detailed records of expenses must be maintained, particularly if the project is funded by government entities. In addition, a thorough evaluation of success of the program should include expenditures of both time and labor. Monitoring A monitoring program should include not only an assessment of the distribution of the target plant species, but also a program to monitor other biological communities (including desirable native plant communities) in the water body. Water quality parameters should be recorded on a regular basis to determine whether long-term changes have taken place in the water body and to assess whether management activities have had a positive or negative effect on other aspects of the water resource. Monitoring should also include baseline data collection (as outlined in the problem assessment section above), compliance monitoring involving a permit and assessments of management impacts to the environment at large. Successful monitoring programs often include a "citizen" monitoring component. For instance, citizen monitors have assessed water quality in many water bodies for several decades using techniques as simple as measuring water clarity using a Secchi disk (see page 3). The largest volunteer network in the US is The Secchi Dip -In (http✓/dipin.kent.edu/secchLhtm), though many states also have a statewide volunteer network (e.g., Florida, http://Iakewatch.ifas.ufLedu/; Maine, http://www.mainevolunteertakemonitom.org; and others). Education and outreach Education and outreach should be initiated at the beginning of the program and should continue throughout the project Education initially consists of familiarizing the project group with the problem and possible solutions, which helps to build a consensus regarding the solution. As the program progresses, education efforts should be extended to include the public (in addition to stakeholders in the lake association) and to inform them of the problem, possible solutions and what actions the program is taking to address the problem. It is important to provide as much information as possible to the public and to be forthright and open about management activities. A public web page devoted to the management program can be a very successful tool but the project group should utilize local media outlets, such as newspapers and radio, as well Also, if your project is successful, share your success with others through homeowners associations or your local county cooperative extension service. Plant information and methods The development of a program to monitor invasive plants requires a list of invasive, nonnative, native, endangered and threatened plant species in the waterbody, maps marked with the locations of species of concern or species targeted for management, locations of nuisance growth and bathymetric maps. Quantitative plant data (sampling for plant distribution or abundance using a recognized sampling protocol) should be used for assessment, monitoring and evaluation as often as possible. Quantitative data is more desirable than qualitative data (subjective assessments such as 'a big population' or "heavily infested') because: • Quantitative data is objective and provides hard evidence regarding the distribution and abundance of plants, whereas subjective surveys are based on opinion ratherthan fact 231 J J • Quantitative data allows for rigorous statistical evaluation of plant trends in assessment, monitoring and evaluation • Quantitative data and surveys may eliminate costly but ineffective techniques in a given management approach • Quantitative data allows individuals other than the observer to evaluate the data and to develop their own conclusions based on assessment monitoring and evaluation data Plant quantification techniques vary in their purpose, scale and intensity (see table below). Cover techniques include both point and line intercept methods. These techniques yield the most information regarding species diversity and distribution and can reveal small changes in plant community composition. The best method for measuring plant abundance remains biomass measurement but this is time -intensive and usually reserved to evaluate the effectiveness of management activities. Hydroacoustic surveys measure submersed plant canopies white the plants are still underwater and are excellent for assessing the underwater distribution and abundance of submersed plants; however, this technique is unable to discriminate among species. Visual remote sensing techniques, whether from aircraft or satellite, have also been widely used to map topped - out submersed plants or floating and emergent plants. pver ethnioues: . t intercept Soecies comoosi ion and s{Abufion (,AoleTake) ver jj�chq{gy�s ne mterceat $yecies comoosh;(on andAA stribution (study plot) bundance iechn�i(tues: biomass S� (F{�j �pmoos Z`pn ahr�abundance Hydroacoustic techr y es: SAVEWS D�dbu rf"on and'abundance (no discs*0 attoqq or�p i ies) Remote sensing: satellite, aircraft (plants near the surface only, no drsrnmura among species) Management goals Specific management goals that are reasonable and testable should be formulated as part of the management plan. This set of goals provides the milestones that can be used to determine whether the management program is successful If specific management goals are not established, stakeholders may dispute whether management efforts have been successful since they may lack a clear understanding of the expectations of the management program. Goals should be as specific as possible, including indicating areas that have a higher management priority. Providing stakeholders with a specific set of goats will allow them to evaluate quantitative data to determine whether management goats have been met For instance, if vegetation obstructs recreational use of the waterbody, a goal of 'unobstructed navigation' is vague and may result in unending management. If, however, the goal is to maintain navigation channels in navigable condition 90% of the time, then the success of the management program can be measured, tested and compared to the specific goat Once plant management goals are developed, methods to achieve the goals should be implemented using techniques that are acceptable to stakeholders and regulatory agencies based on environmental, economic and efficiency standards. Management techniques will vary based on conditions within the water body and frequently change over time; this is referred to as site -specific management 212 1 Site -specific management Site -specific management utilizes management techniques that are selected based on their technical merits and are suited to the needs of a particular Location at a particular point in time. Techniques should be selected based on the priority of the site, environmental and regulatory constraints of the site and the potential of the technique to contro. plants under the site's particular conditions. Spatial selection criteria include the identity of the target weed species, the density of the weed, the size of the infested area, water flow characteristics, other uses of the area and potential conflicts between water use and restrictions associated with selected Spatial Selection of Management Hand harvesting of scattered plants enthic barter and uction harvesting near rater intake management techniques. Herbicide treatment le away For example, consider an over t table P from potable water area of nuisance growth intake that is close to a drinking or Lake O'Mlne irrigation water intake. The pwnary use of the water (Le., drinking or irrigation) may preclude the use of herbicides that cannot be applied to waters used for drinking or irrigation; therefore, the most appropriate control method for this area might be the use of a benthic barrier and suction harvesting. Consider another site that is more than a mile from the same intake. Weeds at this site could be controlled with herbicides without restrictions on other uses (provided the label specifies use of the herbicide in the area). Perhaps you have an area that is colonized mainly by scattered plants instead of dense stands. If the goal is to eradicate the plant from the water body and you have volunteers at your disposal, hand pulling may be the best method to prevent the formation of dense beds of the weeds. Management techniques may change over time based on the success (or failure) of Temporal Selection of Management the management program. For example, consider Long Lake in Washington State, a small body of water that was dominatedU lakewide Diver -operated by Eurasian watermilfoil (Chapter 15.2) c Herbicide Dredge throughout more than 90% of the littoral Z _ _ Hand zone. A whote-lake treatment of fluridone _ a Harvest was applied to Long Lake, which reduced 0 the biomass of the weeds by more than 1 909L Small remaining beds in the second year were managed with diver -operated TIME suction harvesting, benthic barriers or spot treatment with contact herbicides. By the third or fourth year, routine surveys found only sporadic Eurasian watermilfoil fragments, which were removed by hand harvesting. Similar treatment programs have been successful in other water bodies as well, which demonstrates that it is appropriate to alter management techniques as weed control requirements change over time. A wide variety of aquatic plant management techniques may be employed and include physical (Chapter 6), mechanical (Chapter 7), biological (Chapters 8, 9 and 10) and chemical (Chapter 11) control methods. Regardless of method, all techniques should be selected based on their technical merits, as limited by economic and environmental thresholds. Evahratfon Evaluation of management techniques and programs is typically lacking, even in large-scale management programs. A quantitative assessment should be made to determine the effectiveness of weed management activities, identify environmental impacts (both positive and negative) of management activities, provide the economic cost per acre of management and address stakeholder satisfaction. Summary It is critically important to develop a management plan to effectively prevent and control invasive aquatic plants in water resources. Planning should be a continuous process that is ongoing and evolves based on past successes and failures. A comprehensive plan should educate the public about invasive species so they can identify and exclude weeds from uninfested areas. Aquatic plant management programs should also provide a concise assessment of the problem, outline methods and techniques that will be employed to control the weed and clearly define the goals of the program. Mechanisms for monitoring and evaluation should be developed as well and information gathered during these efforts should be used to implement site -specific management and to optimize management efforts. The planning process helps to prepare for the unexpected in weed management but resource managers should expect the plan to change as stakeholders provide input and management activities commence. For more information: -Cover techniques: point intercept (species composition and distribution in the whole take) http://eLerdcusacezmy.miVetpubs/pdf/apcmi-02.pdf -Cover techniques: line intercept (species composition and distribution in a study plot) httpV/eLerdc.usacearmy.miVetpubs/pdf/apcmi-02.pdf -Abundance techniques: biomass (species composition and abundance) http://www.hperosstate.edu/pubrcations/dms/2007/02,/3788JAPM 45 31 34_2007.pdf -Hydroacoustic techniques: SAVEWS (distribution and abundance, no discrimination among species) http://www.erdc.usace.army.miVpts/erdcpu b/dots/erdc/images/SAVEW S.pdf -Remote sensing: satellite, aircraft (distribution of plants near the surface only, no discrimination among species) httpV/mLgis.umn.edu/Documents/FS7.pdf -Rockwell HW Jr. 2003. Summary of a survey of the literature on the economic impact of aquatic weeds. Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Foundation, Lansing, Mi. http://www.aquatia.org/pubs/economic_npactpdf Photo and Illustration credits: Page 213 upper. Nuisance growth near a water intake, John Madsen, Mississippi State University Geosystems Research Institute Page 213 lower. Long Lake herbicide treatment John Madsen, Mississippi State University Geosystems Research Institute 1 214