Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout08/30/20021225 Main Street [] Sebastian, Florida 32958 Telephone (772) 589-5330 [] Fax (772) 589-5570 City Council Information Letter August30,2002 H~ve a Happy and Safe Labor Day Weekend! Johnson Seaflrass Survey Results As a follow up to a status report offered to you via my August 9th information letter relative to the boat dock construction project in the Riverview Park vicinity, please find the attached memorandum as compiled and delivered by Mike Kiefer, Kimley-Horn and Associates, which communicates the results of the Johnson Seagrass Survey as directed earlier this month. No Johnson Seagrass was observed in the project area. This news is fortunate in that the City of Sebastian can now formally proceed with procurement of modified existing permits from both the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the United States Army Corp of Engineers, as necessary to govern engineering and construction of the floating dock concept as presented, per direction publicly offered during your June 26th workshop. The Department of Engineering was therefore instructed to work with representatives from Kimley-Horn to facilitate the respective permit modification process. We anticipate a response from the aforementioned agencies within the next month or so. Afterwards, final engineering plans will be compiled and delivered for open bid solicitation. Ambulance Unit to the Sebastian Police Department The Indian River County Department of Emergency Medical Services has recently offered the Sebastian Police Department a surplused ambulance unit at no cost to the City. Chief Davis has informed me that this equipment would offer numerous enhancements to law enforcement operations, including service as a mobile command unit, as well as a back up radio unit in the event of power failure in the dispatch center. In addition, this vehicle will be useful in facilitating operations involving special policing assignments City Council Information Letter August 30, 2002 Page 2 over a significant period of time. More information regarding employment of this opportunity will be provided in an agenda transmittal to be delivered to you late next week, providing an opportunity for City Council to consider authorization to accept the unit during your September 12th meeting. Lambert Sebastian Boulevard Triangle Property Sale I recently had the pleasure of meeting once again with Mr. Dick Lambert, owner of Lambert Realty and surrounding property located in the Sebastian Boulevard Triangle, as well as with Mr. Gene Billero of Billero and Billero, a Veto Beach based real estate brokerage firm to further discuss plans for future growth and development in this section of the community. The purpose of this discussion was to essentially facilitate Mr. Billero's final research about the Sebastian Area, as well as respective real estate growth opportunities accordingly. As such, I am pleased to report that Mr. Billero has successfully closed on the purchase of Mr. Lambert's property earlier last week. Mr. Billero will therefore soon meet with staff from the Department of Growth Management to initiate a site planning process to govern modification and improvements to be proposed to enhance the existing structure, to accommodate a real estate corporate office at this location. An interesting acknowledgement by both gentlemen during the aforementioned meeting (paraphrase) -" a convenience store, automobile service garage and car wash do not belong in this area..." Presentation Re.qardin.q Water Table Levels Per interest expressed by Vice Mayor Jim Hill during your August 14th session, please be advised that a water table level presentation will be provided during your September 12th meeting. City Engineer David Fisher is compiling more substantive background information so as to offer a more detailed status report regarding acquifer levels and conditions in the community. Earlier this week after a rainfall, the Department of Engineering took a fifth set of readings on three monitoring wells in Sebastian. Analysis from these readings showed a fluctuation of 2+/- inches at each well. It is therefore imperative that the City of Sebastian collaborates with the St. John's River Water Management District in an effort to assemble additional data to help support a more thorough position relative to water level conditions in our community. Necessary arrangements to accomplish this are being made, including field analysis meetings scheduled to take place next week. City Council Information Letter August 30, 2002 Page 3 September 11th Recent management team meeting discussions included both commentary and recommendations relative to hosting ceremonies, as well as offering public gestures to formally acknowledge the tragedy of September 11, 2001. As numerous churches and other entities in the community have planned various gatherings to pay homage to victims, numerous employees and officials will participate in such activities throughout the day. A number of city officials, including myself, had agreed several weeks ago to participate in a large-scale ceremony to be hosted a St. Sebastian Church on United States Highway One beginning at 7:00 p.m. In addition, all flags at municipal facilities will be flown at half-mast. Discussions will soon be initiated to host a single annual public gathering at Riverview Park to potentially begin next year. Such an event would therefore welcome attendance from anyone regardless of personal and/or group affiliation. More details in this regard will become available in the coming months as plans process accordingly. Enclosure(s): Memorandum from Mike Kiefer, Kimley-Horn and Associates -Johnson Seagrass E-mail from Chief Davis - Surplus Ambulance My Documents/InfoLetter146 08/27/02 10:38 FAX i 581 286 0138 KIMLEY HORN ~00[ Kimley-Ho~n and Associates, Inc, To: Terrance Moore, CityManagcr David Fisher, P.E. From: Michael E. Kiefer, Jr. Date: 8/26/02 Subject: RiverVtewReereational Piers Seagrass Survey Attached is a memo to our file, which summarizes our findings from the seagrass survey wc recently completed. The good news is that no Johnson's scagrass was observed in the project area. However, relatively dense seagrass coverage was observed in the project area, which appeared to be generally consistent with what was previously reported. The aerial extent may be slightly larger in ama, but not much. Based upon these findings, I would recommend the following given the City's desires and the functional aspects of the proposed facility. I would suggest that over time, the use of floating docks would have very much the same impacts to seagrass in the ar~, as would the use of a fixed pier. Given the combination of the structure and moored boats previously approved by the agencies, this would have caused much more shading o£ grasses than that which was currently proposed. The concept of a fixed and floating pier, with a reduction in the number of slips appear to further minimize seagrass impacts. Therefore, I would recommend that the City submit a package to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Florida Department of Environmental Protection reques6ng a modification to the existing permits. It the agencies do not recognize the additional benefit to the Public's interest, then the City can withdraw the request. I really do not believe that this modification should cause thc agencies much concern, if it is looked at in a reasonable manner. Please advise how you would like to proceed. Cc: Muliis S:~04Td}47315003 Seb Matin a~CORKESP~aeba~an Recon~amdaQon.do~ 08/27/02 10:38 FAX 1 561 286 0138 KIMLEY HORN ~002 Kiml,y-Horn and Associates, Inc. Memorandum To; Mike Kief~r and Jeff Mullis From: Craig E Browning Date: 8/22/02 Subject: Rivervtew Recreational Piers, Marine Resource Survey Thc following memorandum summarizes thc results of our field reconnaissance conducted on August 21, 2002 at thc abovc referenced site. Thc purpose of our investigation was to qualitatively identify potential consiruction constraints relative to an assessment of the marine resources. KHA conducted six ~ensects by snorkeling on both the north and south s/de of the existing pier. The transects extended approximately 450 feet from the shoreline. The substrate was silty to mucky from the shoreline out to 30 feet east of the shoreline. It then became sandy with shell fragments from 30 to 450 feet from the shoreline. KI-IA biologists identified three types of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) in the survey area. A dense band of Manatee Grass (Syringodiumfiliforme), uceurred approximately 10' to 35' from the shoreline. Ninety (90) to ninety-five (95) percent of the ~rnaining area consisted of a relatively dense (90% eovorage) bed of Shoal C-r~ss (Halodule wrightiO out to approximately 260 feet beyond the shoreline. From approxmaately 260-300 feet east of sborelme, the density decreased significantly until only sparse eoveraga was observed. Star Grass (Halophila engelmannii), as well as various floating macro algae species v~s also observed during the survey. A single strand of star grass with five erect stalks was observed at approximately 200 t~. east of the shoreline. No Johnson's Seagrass (Halophila Johnsonii) was observed in the survey area. Cc: Lynn Kiefer TEL 561 286 21~ FAX 581 ~ 0138 __ 08/27/02 10:38 FAX 1 561 286 0138 KIMLEY HORN ~003 z SEAGRASS MAP RIVERVlEW PARK .... RECREATIONA~L PIERS kir~tAl~l ~ '~/1:~ t"i'"'illM'l"¥ I:'//"~ r A AUG 200~ [ NTS I 04~046000 I / Terrance Moore From: Sent: To: Subject: Jim Davis Thursday, August 29, 2002 1:20 PM Terrance Moore Surplus Ambulance The Indian River County Emergency Medical Service has offered to the Sebastian Police Department a surplused ambulance. The vehicle is in good condition although not good enough to be used for emergency responses. The Indian River County Commission will be asked to give the ambulance to the City of Sebastian at no cost, The police department plans to use the vehicle in a limited capacity as a mobile command vehicle, allowing us to have a back-up radio system in case of radio failure in our dispatch center. We will also use the ambulance at incidents requiring police presence for an extended period of time. There is enough room to set up maps, charts are other items required in an incident command post. The vehicle can also transport the Emergency Response Team and their equipment should the need arise. I will be requesting The Council to accept the vehicle fmm the County Commission fer no cost and assign it to the police department.