>>> HELLO, EVERYONE MUCH IF YOU INTEND TO SPEAK THIS EVENING, PLEASE FILL OUT A COMMENT CARD. I WILL NOT START THE CLOCK UNTIL YOU HAVE STATED YOUR NAME AND FULL ADDRESS, INCLUDING THE CITY. PLEASE DO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
LISTENING FOR YOUR NAME, SO THAT MAYOR FREANEY MAY CALL A COUPLE TO BE ON DECK, SO WE CAN KEEP THE FLOW MOVING. THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT.
>> Mayor Freaney: GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE JULY 23rd, 2026 CITY COMMISSION MEETING. I WANT TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER. WE'RE GOING TO START REQUEST AN INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE BY OUR CITY ATTORNEY JEN.
>> THANK YOU. LET'S BEGIN THIS MEETING BY TAKING A BRIEF MOMENT OF SILENCE AND REFLECTION.
AMEN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION, UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
>> Mayor Freaney: OKAY, WE HAVE ONE PRESENTATION TONIGHT, AND IT WILL BE THE PURPLE HEART RECOGNITION DAY, 2026 PROCL PROCLAMATION, AND I'M GOING TO DO THAT ONE MYSELF MILITARY ORDER OF THE PURPLE HEART, ALL
OF YOU COME ON UP IF YOU WOULD. AND I'LL READ THE PROCLAMATION. WHEREAS AUGUST 7, 2026, MARKS THE 244th ANNIVERSARY OF THE
PURPLE HEART, AUGUST 7th 4HAS BEEN OFFICIALLY DESIGNATED AS NATIONAL PURPLE HEART RECOGNITION DAY IN HONOR OF THOSE WHO HAVE EARNED THE PURPLE HEART FOR THEIR BRAVERY AND SACRIFICE.
THE PURPLE HEART IS HONORED TO ANYONE WHO HAS BEEN WOUNDED OR KILLED IN THE CALL OF DUTY. THEY HAVE BEEN NOBODIABLY ENGAGED TO -- NOBLY ENGAGED TO
FIGHT TYRANNY AND OUR FREEDOM. THE CITY OF DUNEDIN BEING RECOGNIZED AS A PURPLE HEART CITY, WE CELEBRATE PURPLE HEART RECOGNITION DAY IN IN HONOR OF
OUR SOLDIERS WHO SACRIFICED. I PROUDLY PROCLAIM FRIDAY AUGUST 7, 2026 AS PURPLE HEART RECOGNITION DAY IN DUNEDIN, AND ASK EVERYONE TO PAUSE AND REMEMBER THOSE EXTRAORDINARY MEN AND WOMEN AND THEIR FAMILIES WHO
MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE TO PRESERVE OUR FREEDOM. AND THOSE WHO WERE WILLING TO MAKE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE AND PRAY FOR THE SAFETY OF ALL THOSE DEFENDING OUR NATION TODAY.
[ APPLAUSE ] >> BEFORE I MAKE A REMARK OR TWO, I'D LIKE TO HAVE OUR STATE COMMANDER INTRODUCED.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR, COUNCILMAN. I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT I CAN BE HERE AGAIN. I AM THE NEWLY ELECTED STATE COMMANDER FOR PURPLE HEART. I WANTED TO REMIND YOU GUYS. EVERY TIME I TALK ABOUT YOU GUYS, NUMBER ONE DUNEDIN, THE
FIRST PURPLE HEART CITY IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. I ALWAYS PUMP THAT OUT TO THEM. AND AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, WE ARE BETWEEN THE 2nd AND 3rd MOST
POPULAR STATE FOR PURPLE HEART. WE WERE ABLE TO GET UP THERE AND GET A LOT OF VOTES IN, AND GEAR OUR NATIONAL CHARTER TO WHERE WE WANTED TO, AND FLORIDA'S LEADING THE WAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I INVITE EVERYONE HERE, AUGUST 7th PURPLE HEART DAY, I WILL BE YOUR GUEST SPEAKER.
WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE. >> Mayor Freaney: AWESOME. ANYONE ELSE? >> MY NAME IS SCOTT DANIELS, I'M ON THE COMMITTEE FOR 18 YEARS, I CAN TELL YOU FOR 18 YEARS, CITY OF DUNEDIN HAS BEEN A LEADER AS
IT IS WITH MANY OTHER THINGS, A RECOGNITION OF WHAT'S GOOD AND WELL AND IMPORTANT IN OUR CITY, STATE AND COUNTRY. I'M ON THE COMMITTEE BECAUSE I ASKED TO VOLUNTEER TO HELP SOMEHOW, BECAUSE MY FATHER RECEIVED A PURPLE HEART WHEN HE WAS IN WORLD WAR II, AND I'M THE
OLDEST OF FOUR CHILDREN, I GET TO KEEP MY FATHER'S PURPLE HEART. I GET TO INTRODUCE OUR GUEST SPEAKER EACH YEAR. I'LL BE INTRODUCING RICHARD AT 10:00 IN THE MORNING DOWNTOWN BY THE PURPLE HEART MEMORIAL AREA. I WANT TO THANK YOU, CITY
COUNCIL STAFF OF THE CITY OF DUNEDIN, PARKS & REC, WHO HAVE MADE IT NICE FOR OUR PURPLE HEART VETERANS, ALL OF OUR VETERANS, CITIZENS IN DUNEDIN TO BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT OUR COUNTRY, FREEDOM, AND RECOGNIZING WHEN GOOD DEEDS ARE DONE. THANK YOU.
>> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. FATHER BOCH? >> AND LET US PRAY. I'M SORRY. WE ARE THE FIRST PURPLE HEART CITY HERE IN THE STATE OF
FLORIDA. AND WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT. THIS COMMUNITY IS ONE OF THE MOST PATRIOTIC COMMUNITIES I'VE EVER RUN ACROSS IN MY MANY YEARS. I CAME FROM ONE UP NORTH, I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE PROUDEST,
THE MOST PATRIOTIC PLACE I HAD EVER BEEN UNTIL I CAME TO DUNEDIN. WE HAVE A SPIRIT HERE OF PATRIOTISM THAT WE SHOULD EMULATE ACROSS OUR COUNTRY. I THANK YOU MAYOR, MOE AND ALL THE COMMISSIONERS FOR ALL THAT
YOU DO IN YOUR LEADERSHIP TO PROMOTE THAT PATRIOTISM. WE NEED IT IN OUR COUNTRY TODAY. AND THE CITY OF CLEARWATER -- CITY OF CLEARWATER. LISTEN TO ME. THE CITY OF DUNEDIN PRINTS OUT
PURPLE HEART RECOGNITION CEREMONY FLYERS AND I'D LIKE TO -- WAS THAT GOD CALLING. I GET VERY NERVOUS EVERY NOW AND THEN. I LIKE TO SHARE THESE WITH YOU FIRST. THEY'LL BE PRINTED OUT AND
PASSED OUT THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY SHORTLY. >> Mayor Freaney: I DO WANT TO SAY, VICE MAYOR WALKER IS NOT HERE TONIGHT, HE'S ON BUSINESS OUT OF TOWN, OUT OF STATE, ACTUALLY. HE'S THE ONLY VET THAT'S UP HERE, HE WOULD HAVE PROBABLY READ THE PURPLE HEART
PROCLAMATION, BUT ALL OF US ARE JUST PROUD OF ALL OF YOU. AND WHAT YOU DO. AND WHAT YOU'VE DONE, SO THAT'S GREAT.
WE'LL GET A PICTURE TOO, AFTER. >> Mayor Freaney: OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO GET A PICTURE.
BEFORE WE GET A PICTURE, DO WE HAVE ROB ON ZOOM? >> WE ARE HAVING PROBLEMS, EVERY TIME WE CONNECT IT DROPS. >> Mayor Freaney: IN THE
MEANTIME LET'S HAVE A PICTURE.
[ APPLAUSE ] >> Mayor Freaney: OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO GO TO CITIZEN INPUT. WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO TRY TO GET VICE MAYOR ON THE ZOOM CALL HERE SO HE CAN BE PART OF THE MEETING. CITIZEN INPUT IS A TIME FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO COME FORWARD TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM THAT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA.
I KNOW A FEW PEOPLE HAVE FILLED OUT CARDS. I DON'T NEED CARDS IF YOU'RE SPEAKING ON AN ITEM NOT ON THE AGENDA. I THINK MOST OF YOU ARE HERE FOR THOR EYE ON THE CAUSEWAY. IF YOU'RE NOT HERE FOR THAT, YOU CAN COME DOWN YOU NOW AND YOU'LL
HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK. DAVID? >> HI, GOOD AFTERNOON, DAVID BALLARD GEDDES JR., I LIVE ON GEORGIA AVENUE IN PALM HARBOR. PINELLAS COUNTY RESOLUTION 95286
SECTION 4C-2, ABSOLUTE BILL OF SALE, FULL WARRANTIES OF TITLE AND RELEASE OF LIEN. THE COUNTY HAS BEEN SOLD TO THE WATER DISTRICT AS RECOGNIZED IN VARIOUS STATUTES. THE AD VALOREM PROPERTY TAX LIEN
PORTION ON OUR AD VALOREM HERE IS NO LONGER VALID. THIS PORTION OF THE BILL AS SOLD HAS BEEN RELEASED. THE COUNTY USING A QUID PRO QUO AGREEMENT RACKETEERED WITH THE WATER DISTRICT IS INTENDING TO
SHAPE SHIFT THE COUNTY AND ITS CITY AND MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT FROM THEIR FORT KNIGHTED STATES MANSHIP, INTO A POLITICAL LAUNDERED WATERSHED OPERATION, LAUNDERING WATER JURISDICTIONS UNDER THE 14th AMENDMENT IN THE
FORM OF A NONAD VALOREM LEVY, GIVING RISE TO THIS PORTION OF THE BILLING PRACTICE, GIVING RISE TO WATER JURISDICTIONS WHEREAS THE CITY WAS ONCE THE SEAT OF GOVERNMENT. THE WATER JURISDICTIONS ARE
RECOGNIZED AS FOR THE IF I INDICATIONS, APPROXIMATE -- F FORTIFICATIONS, BIRTHING A SHIP OF WAR, IN ARTICLE 1 SECTION 10,
INTENT OF LEVYING UPON THE CIVILIAN POPULATION, TAXING US DIRECTLY OUR CURRENT CONSTITUTION IS IN THE STATE OF THE DISSOLUTION OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, STATES TO DISSOLVE OUR CURRENT
GOVERNMENT, AND ASSUME SEPARATE AND EQUAL STATIONS AMONG THE POWERS OF THE EARTH. LEGISLATION IS USING WATER AS THEIR SECOND AMENDMENT WEAPON OF CHOICE. OUR CURRENT GOVERNMENT IS SEEN AS BEING DISSOLVED IN RECLAIMED WATER STATUTE, 153.03, SECTIONS
7 AND 11, RECOGNIZED AS AN INTERAGENCY, SELF-LIQUIDATION PROCESS, IN AND OF ITSELF IN STATUTE 163.01, TRANSFERRING COUNTY FUNCTION AND POWER IN PINELLAS COUNTY HOME RULE CHARTER IN AN INTERNAL SELLING
THE COUNTY TO AN INTERNAL FOREIGN OCCUPIER, REFLECTIVE OF STATUTE 218.415 SECTION 16F, HOPING TO RECONSTITUTE ITSELF IN
STATUTE 3715, THERE BY, NOT ONLY IS OUR COUNTY AND CITY MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS ENGAGE IN RACKETEERING AND PERJURY, THEY'RE GUILTY OF HIGH SEAS CRIMES OF CONSTITUTIONAL CONTEMPT, USING OUR CURRENT CONSTITUTION AS A LETTER OF
MARQUIS, CREATING EX-POST FACTO LAW AND REPRISALS TO INCLUDE TREASON IN THE FORM OF A NONAD VALOREM LEVY. THANK YOU. >> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU, DAVID. WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO COME FORWARD AND SPEAK ON AN ITEM THAT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA?
THIS IS YOUR TIME. SEEING NO MORE. WE WILL MOVE FORWARD, AND WE'RE GOING TO GO TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA. OUR CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE 6/18/2026 REGULAR MEETING. BOARD AND COMMITTEE
APPOINTMENTS. I THINK WE HAVE CAUSEWAY AND COASTAL WATERWAYS APPOINTMENTS. WE HAVE 2C, ADDENDUM NO. 1 FOR CONSTRUCTION PHASE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES WITH TETRA TECH INC., A
DELAWARE CORPORATION FOR THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT EMERGENCY GENERATOR BUILDING, REHABILITATION PROJECT NOT TO EXCEED $54,964. DUKE ENERGY UTILITY EASEMENT FOR TWO 2500 KILOWATT TRANSFORMERS
AT WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, 2E. AWARD BID FOR THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $169,850. 2F, DUKE ENERGY UTILITY EASEMENT
FOR ELECTRICAL SERVICE AT GRAND OAK PARK. 2G, ADDENDUM NO. 2 FOR LIMITED CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT FOR ADDITIONAL SERVICES TO THE CONTRACT WITH ADURA GROUP INC. FOR THE MARINA BULKHEAD REPAIR
PROJECT NOT TO EXCEED $83,726. ARE THERE ANY ITEMS TO BE PULLED? I'M SORRY BUT I'M GOING TO PULL 2E. AND SO EVERYTHING ELSE CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE
EVERYTHING BUT 2E? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> Mayor Freaney: AND IS THERE ANYONE IN THE PUBLIC THAT WISHES TO SPEAK ON ANY OF THOSE CONSENT ITEMS?
YOU CAN COME FORWARD NOW. SEEING NO ONE, I'LL CLOSE PUBLIC INPUT. ALL IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> Mayor Freaney: OPPOSED? THOSE PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. I JUST WILL A QUESTION ABOUT THE BREAKROOM. IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY FOR THE RENOVATION, I WANT TOIC MA SURE I UNDERSTAND IT.
>> GOOD EVENING, CLAYTON WATKINS, UTILITIES AND ENGINEERING. A LOT OF THAT COST CAME INTO EFFECT ONCE WE HAD TO UPGRADE THE ELECTRICAL IN THE SYSTEM, WE HAD TO ADD A PANEL TO THE BUILDING. AND BECAUSE IT'S NOT A RESIDENTIAL KITCHEN, WE HAD TO
ADD A RANGEHOOD FOR FIRE PROTECTION. THAT DROVE THE COSTS UP. >> Mayor Freaney: WHEN IS THE LAST TIME THAT WAS DONE? >> THIS IS THE FIRST RENOVATION SINCE THE BUILDING WAS BUILT. I THINK IT WAS 1991. >> Mayor Freaney: THAT'S ALL I
NEEDED. ANYONE ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS ON THAT? CAN I HAVE A MOTION? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> DOES ANYONE IN THE PUBLIC WISH TO SPEAK ON THAT ITEM? SEEING NO ONE, I'LL CLOSE PUBLIC INPUT, ALL IN FAVOR?
>> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY 4-0. WE'LL GO TO OUR ACTION ITEMS. I THINK THE MAIN EVENT HERE, FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE 26-08, AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE
CITY OF DUNEDIN CODE OF ORDINANCES TO PROHIBIT LAUNCHING VEHICLES FROM THE CAUSEWAY BEACH TO PROTECT THE SHORE LINE. >> ORDINANCE 26-08, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DUNEDIN, FLORDS,
AMENDING THE CITY OF DUNEDIN CODE OF ORDINANCES TO PROHIBIT LAUNCHING MOTOR CRAFT FROM THE DUNEDIN CAUSEWAY BEACH TO PROTECT THE SHORE LINE.
PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY, CODIFICATION AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE. THAT WAS ORDINANCE 26-08 READ BY TITLE ONLY. >> Mayor Freaney: IS IT APPROPRIATE TO TAKE A MOTION AFTER WE'VE HAD THE PUBLIC INPUT
AND GET THE PRESENTATION. >> YOU'RE LOOKING TO TAKE PUBLIC INPUT, HAVE THE PRESENTATION AND THEN TAKE A MOTION? >> Mayor Freaney: I THINK FOR SOMETHING THIS BID, IT'S A GOOD WAY TO DO IT.
ON THAT NOTE, WE'LL PASS OVER THAT, WE'RE GOING TO GO RIGHT TO STAFF PRESENTATION. WE HAVE JORGE, TONY AND NICOLE ALL ON THIS ONE. >> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, CITY COMMISSION, AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
WE'RE HERE TO KIND OF REPRESENT THE INFORMATION THAT WE PROVIDED DURING THE JUNE WORKSHOP DISCUSSING THE LAUNCHING OF MOTORIZED WATER CRAFT FROM THE
DUNEDIN CAUSEWAY. WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BRIEF HISTORY AND BACKGROUND. THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT ON THE CAUSEWAY, BENEFITS TO THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE PUBLIC, PINELLAS COUNTY SUPPORT. THE CURRENT ORDINANCE AND THE
PROPOSED ORDINANCE WITH THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. >> GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COMMISSION, THIS IS NICOLE DELFINO. TOO CLOSE TO THE MICROPHONE. STRATEGY AND SUSTAINABILITY MANAGER, TO GO OVER THE HISTORY
AND BACKGROUND OF THE CAUSEWAY. MANY OF US KNOW THESE POINTS HERE, BUT IT WAS BUILT IN 1963, OPENED FOR RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES, CURRENTLY BETWEEN 5:00 A.M. AND 11:00 P.M.
IN 1990 THE CITY COMMISSION TENTATIVELY BANNED LAUNCHING MOTORIZED VEHICLES OR MOTOR CRAFT FROM THE CAUSEWAY, AND FOLLOWING IN 2025, 2012 AND 2014 THERE WERE A NUMBER OF STUDIES AND TASK FORCE REPORTS THERE
THAT ARE INDICATED. THEN IN 2019, THE COUNTY ORDINANCE, WHICH WE WILL GET INTO A LITTLE BIT FURTHER IN THE PRESENTATION, RESTRICTED USAGE ON THE NORTH SIDE. AND THEN IN 2024 AS WE ALL KNOW, THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE CAUSEWAY WAS CLOSED FOR STORM DAMAGE AND
EROSION. AND THEN THE COUNTY CAME IN 2025 AND UPDATED THE CIRCULATION FOR THE CAUSEWAY TO ONE WAY TRAFFIC DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS. HERE WE ARE NOW IN 2026, PINELLAS COUNTY HAS COMPLETED
THE BEACH RENOURISHMENT EROSION CONTROL REPAIR, AND HERE WE ARE NOW. >> THE CURRENT ORDINANCE
DELINEATES SEPARATE AREAS FROM THE BEACH FOR DIFFERENT ACCESS FOR WATER CRAFT. ON THE NORTH SIDE THERE HAS BEEN NO LAUNCHING OF WATER CRAFT -- OR MOTORIZED WATER CRAFT SINCE THE '90s, ON THE SOUTH SIDE THERE'S BEEN THREE DISTINCT SECTIONS, A SECTION THAT HAS
ALLOWED MOTORIZED WATER CRAFT. A SECTION THAT PROHIBITS ANY WATER CRAFT LAUNCHING AT ALL, AND THERE'S A NONMOTORIZED WATER CRAFT AREA TO THE FAR WEST. THIS IS JUST A DIFFERENT MAP OF
THAT, LITTLE CLEARER ON HOW THAT LOOKS. THIS IS THE LANGUAGE FROM THE COUNTY CODE.
IT'S UNLAWFUL TO CAUSE SEA GRASS DAMAGE. IN DISCUSSION WITH THE COUNTY, THEY'RE SUPPORTIVE OF A CHANGE OF ELIMINATING MOTORIZED WATER CRAFT, PURSUANT TO THIS CODE AND THEIR GENERAL STANCE OF
PRESERVING THE ENVIRONMENT. THE CAUSEWAY ITSELF IS AN ACTIVE RECREATION SPACE FOR MANY FORMS OF RECREATION, PROVIDING WATERFRONT ACCESS TO THE PUBLIC
FOR PADDLE SPORTS, FISHING, SWIMMING, AND MOTORIZED WATER CRAFT CURRENTLY. ALSO A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE GO TO RUN, WALK AND CONNECT TO THE OUTDOORS.
IT'S CONNECTED TO THE PINELLAS TRAILS SYSTEM. IN LATE 2025, THE DUNEDIN CAUSEWAY AND COASTAL WATERWAYS COMMITTEE MADE A RECOMMENDATION TO PROHIBIT MOTORIZED WATER CRAFT ALONG THE ENTIRE CAUSEWAY.
THE CAUSEWAY DOES NOT HAVE A DEVELOPED BOAT LAUNCH ON IT. THIS IS SHORE WAY LAUNCHING THAT IS KIND OF AD-HOC WHERE PEOPLE BACK THEIR TRAILERS UP TO THE WATER'S EDGE AND LAUNCH THEIR
VESSELS THIS LAUNCHING HAS MANY IMPACTS ON THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT. IMPACTS ARE ALSO CAUSED FROM KAYAKS AS WELL AS FOOT TRAFFIC AS WELL. BUT THE MOTORIZED LAUNCH HAS
SHOWN A LARGER IMPACT. MOTORIZED CRAFT PRODUCES MORE WAKE AND STRIPS AWAY AQUATIC VEGETATION AND ERODES THE BANKS, DISTURBS THE BOTTOM.
LAUNCHES IN SHALLOW WATER CAUSE PROP SCARRING AND JET WASH AS WELL. WITH THAT, THERE'S MORE SEDIMENT TAKING THAT OCCURS IN THE WATER,
RESUSPENSE OF THAT SEDIMENT INCREASES WAVE THRUSTS AGAINST THE SHORE LINE. SUSPENDED PARTICULATE WITHIN THE COLUMN, BLOCKS SUNLIGHT AND BLOCKS THE NATIVE FLORA AND FAUNA OF THE AREA.
THE CHURNING OF THE BOTTOM SEDIMENT INCREASES NEW TREE AN THES WITHIN THIS SPACE. AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, CHEMICAL POLLUTION FROM INTERNAL COMBUSTION WATER CRAFT IS PRESENT WITH THE VEGETATIVE
DAMAGE THAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED, AS WELL AS WILDLIFE DISTURBANCE FROM THE NOISE. TURBULENCE DISPLACEMENT. NESTING BIRDS ARE DISTURBED, AS WELL AS STRANDING AND INJURE D FISH.
A PROHIBITION OF MOTORIZED WATER CRAFT WOULD REMOVE SOME OF THE CONFLICTS CURRENTLY PRESENT ON THE CAUSEWAY. THIS EFFORT HAS RECEIVED CONSIDERABLE SUPPORT FROM OUTSIDE GROUPS, INCLUDING THE
AFOREMENTIONED CAUSEWAY AND COASTAL WATERWAY COMMITTEE. THE PINELLAS COUNTY HAS SUPPORTED THIS EFFORT AS WELL AS SIERRA CLUB, TAMPA BAY ESTUARY AND THE WIND LASS. >> I DO BELIEVE THE CHIEF IS
HERE WITH US TODAY, THIS IS SOME INFORMATION HE SHARED WITH US AT THE WORKSHOP. AGAIN, AS HE HAD STATED AT THE WORKSHOP, IT'S A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO SEPARATE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CALLS THAT ARE BEING RECEIVED, BECAUSE THEY'RE CODED FOR THE CAUSEWAY IN GENERAL.
THEY DID AN ANALYSIS FROM PRECLOSURE PERIOD OF JANUARY 1, 2021 UNTIL THAT TIME, THE CURRENT DATE OF MAY 16, 2026, AND YOU CAN SEE THE NUMBER OF CALLS AND RESCUES, AND I KNOW WHEN HE PRESENTED HERE DURING THE WORKSHOP, HE HAD ALSO
MENTIONED THE TWO RELATED DEATHS THAT HAD OCCURRED ADJACENT TO THE CAUSEWAY. AND ALSO, THERESA SMALLING, WHO PRESENTED ON THE PINELLAS COUNTY SHERIFF'S DATA, WE REQUESTED
THEY PUT THIS INFORMATION TOGETHER, EXTENDING PRECLOSURE PERIOD, JANUARY 1, 2022 TO APRIL 30, 2026, CAN YOU SEE THE NUMBER OF CALLS THAT WERE THERE, OF THOSE CALLS FOR THE CAUSEWAY, 80 WERE JET SKI RELATED.
THIS IS ATTACHED TO THE AGENDA ITEM. THE TYPE OF CALLS AND THE INCIDENCES ARE ALL LISTED IN THAT ITEM. YOU CAN SEE PRECLOSURE, MANY OF THE OFFENSES, SO TO SPEAK WERE
IN REGARD TO JET SKIS THAT WERE ON PLANE OR NOT GOING THROUGH THE PROPER WAKE ZONE, AND THEN FOLLOWING THE CLOSURE, MOST OF THE CALLS WERE RELATED TO
UNAUTHORIZED LAUNCHING. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, WE'VE BEEN COORDINATING WITH PINELLAS COUNTY FOR QUITE SOME TIME. THEY SUPPORT THE RESTRICTION ON THE SOUTH SIDE, SIMILAR TO WHAT
THEY'VE DONE ON THE NORTH SIDE. THEY ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT MAINTENANCE EXPENDITURE THAT THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH ON A PERIODIC BASIS. REGRADING, AND RE-ESTABLISHING
MATERIAL ALONG THE BANKS THAT'S CAUSED BY MUCH OF THE VESSEL TRAFFIC IN THE AREA. SO IN ADDITION TO ALL THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS THAT TONY AND NICOLE HAVE MENTIONED, THE
COUNTY IS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF US MOVING FORWARD WITH THE RECOMMENDATION. AND THE ORDINANCE I'LL SPARE EVERYBODY FROM READING IT, BUT
IT DOES RECOGNIZE THE IMPACTS TO THE SEA GRASSES AND DAMAGE TO THE AQUATIC PRESERVE IS IMPACTED BY THE VESSEL OPERATIONS IN THIS
AREA. >> AND JUST SO EVERYBODY CAN UNDERSTAND, WHEN PINELLAS COUNTY PASSED THAT ORDINANCE, WAS TO EFFECT THE ENTIRE PINELLAS COUNTY AQUATIC PRESERVE, WHICH YOU CAN SEE HIGHLIGHTED IN THIS MAP.
AND THEN JUST FOR REFERENCE, WE DID PULL TOGETHER BASED ON MAPPING, THOSE LAUNCHING POINTS THAT WERE CLOSEST TO BOTH THE CAUSEWAY AND TO THE DUNEDIN MARINA, AND YOU CAN SEE THOSE LISTED HERE AS THROWS AVAILABLE SPACES. MOST OF THEM ARE PUBLIC AND DO
COME WITH A COST TO LAUNCH. THERE IS, I BELIEVE, A FEW THAT ARE LISTED THAT ARE PRIVATE AS WELL. AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE -- WHEN WE PRESENTED AT THE WORKSHOP, WE WERE GOING THROUGH WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE AS FAR AS THE
ORDINANCE REVIEW PROCESS GOES. WHEN WE PRESENTED IT, WE LEFT WITH THE CONSENSUS DIRECTION TO DEVELOP THE ORDINANCE LANGUAGE, WHICH WE'VE DONE. WE DID THE PROPER ADVERTISING, AS YOU CAN SEE. AND THIS IS -- MAKES UP THE FIRST READING OF THE ORDINANCE,
TODAY JULY 23rd, 2026, TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD, WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER ADVERTISING PERIOD AND A SECOND READING. >> SO WITH THAT, STAFF DOES RECOMMEND THE CITY COMMISSION
ADOPT ORDINANCE 26-08. AND AMENDING ORDINANCE 14-21 SECTION 54-32, TO PROHIBIT LAUNCHING OF MOTORIZED WATER CRAFT ALONG THE DUNEDIN CAUSEWAY. >> MAY I JUST ADD A FEW THINGS
AND CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO THE STAFF REPORT? >> Mayor Freaney: YES. >> AS DEPICTED IN OUR AGENDA, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF COMMITTEES AND AGENCIES THAT HAVE WRITTEN TO US IN SUPPORT OF THE BAN ON MOTORIZED WATER CRAFT ON THE CAUSEWAY.
OUR CAUSEWAY COASTAL WATERWAY COMMITTEE SENT A RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COMMISSION TO BAN LAUNCHING MOTORIZED WATER CRAFT. PINELLAS COUNTY OWNS THE CAUSEWAY. WHEN I LOOK AT SOCIAL MEDIA, I SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE
MISTAKING THE CITY OWNERSHIP FOR PINELLAS COUNTY. THAT'S WHY THEY'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN OUR DECISION. THEY'RE ALLOWING THE CITY OF DUNEDIN TO MAKE THIS DETERMINATION. WE HEARD FROM THE SIERRA CLUB SUPPORTING THE COUNTY'S POSITION.
WIND LASS WHICH IS OUR OWN SAILING FOLKS IS SUPPORTING IT AS WELL, AS THE CONDOMINIUMS RIGHT NEXT DOOR. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF AGENCIES THAT ARE SUPPORTING STAFF'S
RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COMMISSION. >> Mayor Freaney: OKAY. QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? I'LL START WITH COMMISSIONER GOW. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR. ACTUALLY, KNOW QUESTIONS. >> Mayor Freaney: COMMISSIONER DUGARD? QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? >> NO QUESTIONS FOR STAFF.
>> Mayor Freaney: COMMISSIONER SANDBERGEN, QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? >> I WAS GOING TO ASK WHO OWNS THE CAUSEWAY. THE COUNTY OWNS IT, BUT THEY'VE FLIPPED IT OVER TO DUNEDIN TO MAKE THE DECISION ON WHAT WE WANT TO DO GOING-FORWARD, IS THAT CORRECT?
>> THAT'S CORRECT. >> IS THERE ANY CONNECTION TO THIS HAPPENING BECAUSE OF THE CONDITION OR THE FUTURE REPLACEMENT OR REPAIR OF THE DRAW BRIDGE? DOES THAT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT? >> NO. >> OKAY, I KEEP HEARING -- FOR
THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE HERE, I HAVE 125 EMAILS, I'M SURE TO MY LEFT THERE'S EVEN MORE. ONE OF THEM WENT OVER AND OVER ABOUT TRASH. ARE THOSE CITY OF DUNEDIN TRASH CANS? WERE WE RESPONSIBLE TO GO OUT THERE AND PICK THAT UP? >> YES.
>> OKAY, GOOD. AT THIS TIME, I DON'T BELIEVE THERE ARE ANY BUSINESS OPERATIONS OTHER THAN THE HIGH AND DRY, NO BUSINESS OPERATIONS ARE ELIGIBLE OUT THERE, WHETHER YOU'RE SELLING SUNTAN LOTION OR
T-SHIRTS OR ANYTHING ELSE? AM I CORRECT? >> FOR THE RECORD, THAT IS CORRECT. >> IT'S DUSK TO DAWN, OR DAWN TO DUSK, IS THAT THE HOURS?
>> 5:00 A.M. TO 11:00 P.M. >> WE TALKED ABOUT THE NEAREST LAUNCH SITE, I WANTED TO HEAR FROM THE COMMITTEES, WE HEARD FROM ALL THE COMMITTEES, SO THAT'S ALL I HAD, MAYOR, THANK YOU.
>> Mayor Freaney: TWO RANDOM QUESTIONS, A LITTLE BIT. HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN OPEN, THAT LITTLE SECTION FOR JET SKI LAUNCHING OR MOTORIZED VEHICLE LAUNCH? >> I THINK 2015 THAT ORDINANCE WENT INTO EFFECT, I BELIEVE. >> Mayor Freaney: NO.
>> APPARENTLY THAT'S WRONG, MAYOR. >> Mayor Freaney: HOLD ON, WE'LL WORK IT OUT. I WAS THERE WHEN IT GOT APPROVED, WHICH WAS 30 YEARS AGO. >> I WAS WRONG, I GUESS. >> Mayor Freaney: YEAH, AND I THINK WE COULDN'T FIND THE
ACTUAL DOCUMENTATION OF IT. I'M SURE IT'S BEEN LIKE '820s OR '90s. PROBABLY '90s. I'M SORRY, WE DO HAVE VICE MAYOR WALKER WHO HAS JUST JOINED US. SO WHATEVER, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME. GO AHEAD.
>> MAY I? >> Mayor Freaney: YES. >> IT'S BEEN MANY YEARS, EVEN BEFORE THE COUNTY CLOSED THE NORTH SIDE OF THE CAUSEWAY. IT'S BEEN CLOSED SINCE 2024. >> Mayor Freaney: YEAH, I'M THINKING IT WAS EARLY '90s, I COULD BE WRONG, WE COULDN'T FIND
THE ACTUAL DOCUMENTATION. ANY SENSE OF MOTORIZED VEHICLES, I GUESS SPECIFICALLY JET SKI OWNERSHIPS OVER THE LAST 20, 30 YEARS? PROBABLY AN EASY GOOGLE AT SOME POINT.
>> AS FAR AS THE OWNERSHIP OR USE? >> OWNERSHIP AND USE, REALLY. >> Mayor Freaney: YEAH, I THINK IT'S -- WE'LL GOOGLE THAT. I'M NOT ASKING THE AUDIENCE, BUT
THANK YOU. THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN GOOGLE ON OUR BREAK. OR YOU COME UP AND COMMENT AND YOU KNOW THE ANSWER, THAT'S GREAT. THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS. WE'RE GOING TO GO TO CITIZEN INPUT, OPEN IT UP TO THE PUBLIC. WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO. I WANT TO SET THE TONE HERE.
IF YOU HAVEN'T AND YOU DO WANT TO SPEAK, AND YOU HAVEN'T FILLED OUT A CARD. YOU SHOULD FILL OUT A CARD, AND THEY'RE IN THE BACK? >> YES. >> Mayor Freaney: THEY'RE RIGHT OUTSIDE THE ROOM? >> HEATHER IS HAPPY TO HELP, TAMMY CAN HELP.
THERE ARE CARDS READILY AVAILABLE. >> Mayor Freaney: JUST PUT YOUR NAME AND WHETHER YOU'RE FOR OR AGAINST. I WILL STRICTLY ADHERE TO THE 3:00 MINUTES TONIGHT BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE TO SPEAK.
THIS IS A CLASSIC NIGHT AS TO WHY WE HAVE THESE RULES IN PLACE. WHICH IS, TONIGHT IS ABOUT RESPECT. I'VE GOT CARDS THAT ARE PRETTY MUCH NOT THAT DIFFERENT IN TERMS OF EACH SIDE OF A VERY HOT
ISSUE, IN TERMS OF FOR AND AGAINST. RESPECT. RESPECT IS THE WORD TONIGHT, AND I'M GOING TO ASK YOU, AND I WILL READ MOST IMPORTANTLY THE -- >> EXCUSE ME, MAYOR, I DON'T THINK YOU GAVE THE VICE MAYOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
>> Mayor Freaney: I'M SORRY, VICE MAYOR, DID YOU HAVE QUESTIONS? WE CAN'T HEAR YOU. I'M SORRY, VICE MAYOR, WE CAN'T HEAR YOU.
WE CAN FIX THAT AT SOME POINT, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT END IT'S ON. THE QUESTIONS CAN BE ASKED LATER, THOUGH. >> YES. >> Mayor Freaney: AGAIN, BACK TO RESPECT AND PER OUR RULES, YOU KNOW, DURING THESE TIMES,
ESPECIALLY TRUE, NO APPLAUSE, NO CHEERING, NO BOOING, NO JEERING, NONE OF THAT. IT'S ABOUT RESPECT. SOMETIMES IT'S HARD NOT TO CLAP WHEN SOMEONE SAYS SOMETHING YOU ADEGREE WITH. THE REALITY IS, IT INTIMIDATES EACH SIDE.
IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE A HARD TIME TO SPEAK THEIR OPINION. THEY'RE AFRAID THEN. WE DON'T WANT TO CREATE THAT KIND OF ENVIRONMENT HERE. PLEASE HONOR THAT TONIGHT. ON THAT NOTE, I'M GOING TO START CALLING NAMES.
MICHELLE, HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO THIS? ARE WE GOING TO CALL THREE NAMES? >> YES, I THINK THAT WOULD BE BEST. EVERYONE -- WE'LL CALL THE FIRST PERSON TO COME UP, AND THEN CALL TWO OTHERS SO YOU CAN BE ON DECK, ON STAND BY TO KEEP THE FLOW GOING.
I WILL NOT START THE CLOCK UNTIL YOU STATED YOUR COMPLETE ADDRESS INCLUDING THE CITY. >> Mayor Freaney: FIRST NAME I HAVE IS SUE O'BRIEN. SECOND, JASON HERNANDEZ.
THIRD, LISA WILSON. >> HI, SORRY, DIDN'T EXPECT TO BE FIRST. SUSAN O'BRIEN, 1030 SAN SALVADOR
DUNEDIN, FLORIDA. SUSAN O'BRIEN, 1030 SAN SALVADOR, DINE, FLORIDA. LUCKY ENOUGH TO LIVE IN A GENERATIONAL HOME WITH MY PARENTS. >> Mayor Freaney: CAN PEOPLE HEAR HER NOW THAT SHE'S TALKING
INTO THE MIC? DOES IT NEED TO GO UP A LITTLE BIT OR ARE WE GOOD? >> MY THING IS, I'VE BEEN COMING HERE FOR YEARS, DOING JET SKIS OFF THE CAUSEWAY, AND TO PUNISH A WHOLE BUNCH OF PEOPLE OVER WHAT YOU THINK IS BAD BEHAVIOR
FOR SOME I THINK IS WRONG. THERE WAS A LOT OF THINGS SAID ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT IMPACT TODAY, BUT NOTHING ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE, THE PEOPLE THAT CAN'T AFFORD BOATS, THAT CAN ONLY AFFORD JET SKIS. WE MOVED HERE SO WE CAN BE ON
THE WATER. FOR YOU TO TAKE THAT AWAY FROM US IS NOT COOL. WE'VE HAD A BOAT, WE'VE BEEN IN THE DUNEDIN MARINA, THE ONLY WAY TO GET ON THE WATER IS A JET SKI.
WE'VE BEEN PLAYING $25 AT THE CLEARWATER MARINA JUST TO LAUNCH, AND THAT'S JUST TO LAUNCH. WHY DID WE REBUILD THE CAUSEWAY IF WE CAN'T USE IT. NOT ONLY THAT, WE'RE PROTECTING
A MAN MADE STRUCTURE. WHAT ARE WE DOING TRYING TO KEEP SEA GRASS AROUND IT, WE BUILT IT, WE DIDN'T CARE ABOUT THE SEA GRASS WHEN WE BUILT IT, WHY DO WE CARE NOW. I THINK THE PEOPLE OF DUNEDIN HAVE A BIGGER RIGHT TO THAT WATER THAN THE SEA GRASS.
THANK YOU, THAT'S ALL. >> Mayor Freaney: JASON HERNANDEZ? ON DECK NEXT WILL BE ERIC GRAVES. >> JASON HERNANDEZ, I RESIDE AT
1638 FRANKLIN WAY, THAT'S IN DUNEDIN. ZIP CODE 34698. THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO SAY A FEW WORDS IN SUPPORT OF ALLOWING JET SKIS AT THE CAUSEWAY. I WANTED TO START BY SAYING, HAVE YOU EVER SEEN ANYONE SAD ON
A JET SKI? ME EITHER. >> THAT'S BECAUSE FOR MOST OF US, IT'S A SOURCE OF JOY, HAPPINESS ENAND AN OUTLET FOR STRESS RELIEF. I GREW UP ON THE WATER LEARNING TO SURF BOARD AND WAKE BOARD. WHEN I WAS TOO OLD TO ATTEND THE
CAMP AS A CAMPER, I STARTE WORKING THERE TEACHING THESE RECREATIONAL WATER SPORTS AND LEARNING HOW TO OPERATE THE BOATS AND JET SKIS SAFELY WHILE BRINGING THE SAME JOY TO CAMPERS. I HAVE MY OWN PERSONAL WATER
CRAFT, AND MOVED TO DUNEDIN TO ENJOY IT. THIS FREEDOM IS BEING THREATENED AND IT DOES NOT SEEM RIGHT. I BELIEVE THERE'S A WAY FOR EVERYONE TO PEACEFULLY SHARE THE CAUSEWAY, AND MAYBE THAT CALLS FOR MORE SAFETY REGULATIONS, THE FEW BOAT RAMPS WE HAVE IN THE
AREA ARE BUSY, AND CANNOT KEEP UP WITH THE DEMAND OF JET SKIS AND BOATS TOGETHER. PLEASE CONSIDER US TO LAUNCH OUR WATER CRAFTS AND ENJOY OUR WATER CRAFT PEACEFULLY AS CITIZENS. THANK YOU. >> Mayor Freaney: LISA WILSON I
HAVE NEXT, AND ERIC GRAVES IS AFTER THAT. >> MY NAME IS LISA WILSON, I LIVE AT 2366 RUTLIN LANE, CLEARWATER, FLORIDA. I'M IN -- AGAINS THE BAN FOR
THE JET SKIS. I LIVED IN PINELLAS COUNTY MY ENTIRE LIFE, SINCE 1977, I'VE LIVED IN FOUR DIFFERENT DUNEDIN ADDRESSES AND OWNED A BUSINESS IN DUNEDIN. I CHERISH MY HOMETOWN AS A SMALL
TOWN, WITH THE SIMPLE LIFE AND EPITOME OF AMERICAN FREEDOMS. HOWEVER, LATELY THOSE FREEDOMS HAVE BEEN CHIPPED AT. I DO NOTICE, AND IT BREAKS MY HEART TO SEE MY HOME TURNED INTO SUCH A STRANGE AND UNCOMFORTABLE PLACE.
GROWING UP, THE DUNEDIN CAUSEWAY IS WHERE WE WOULD GO -- ALL GO TO MEET WITH FRIENDS OR JUST CHILL BY OURSELVES. I ENJOYED RUNNING INTO FRIENDS WITH JET SKIS AND GO FOR A LITTLE RIDE. AS I BECAME OLDER IT BECAME MY
ESCAPE, I FREQUENTED GOING AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE. I HAVE MADE MY WAY OUT TO THE SANDBAR AND ISLANDS WITH FRIENDS ON SKIS OR BOATS AFTER MANY YEARS. AFTER THE STORMS, OUR FRIENDS WHO LIVED ON THE WATER SUSTAINED
INTENSE DAMAGE. MY HUSBAND AND I DECIDED TO GET A PADDLE BOARD WITH AN ON BOARD MOTOR. I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH STAGE 4 CANCER AND IT MAKES IT HARD FOR ME TO PADDLE.
I UNDERSTAND WHY WE COULDN'T LOSS DURING THE REBEAUTIFICATION PROCESS, WHICH WAS ONLY SUPPOSED TO BE TEMPORARY. NOW THAT WE'RE BEING THREATENED WITH THIS RIGHT BEING STRIPPED FROM US. PLEASE DO NOT TAKE MY ONE ESCAPE THAT I'VE HELD DEAR MY ENTIRE
LIFE AWAY FROM ME. ACCESS TO THESE AREAS SHOULD NOT BE LIMITED TO ONLY RICH PEOPLE THAT CAN AFFORD BOATS AND HOUSES ON THE WATER. THE CAUSEWAY IS MAN MADE, IT'S NOT A NATURAL BEACH. THE SMALL AREA FOR LAUNCHING
SMALL WATER CRAFT IS FAR FROM A NUISANCE. IT IS THE ONLY PLACE WE CAN LAUNCH TO GET TO THE SANDBAR. AS FAR AS SAFETY GOES, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GET HURT WITH OR WITHOUT JET SKIS. A PLANE JUST CRASHED IN THE WATER LAST WEEK. WE AREN'T GOING TO BAN PLAINS,
ARE WE? MAYBE THERE SHOULD BE MORE ENFORCEMENT FOR WATER SAFETY. THAT WOULD MAKE MORE SENSE. THE PEOPLE BLAMING ON THE TRASH ON THE JET SKIERS, ARE ABSOLUTELY MISTAKEN. THE TRASH INTENSIFIED WITH THE INFLUX OF PEOPLE THAT MOVED HERE.
WE NEED MORE GARBAGE CANS DOWN THERE. IT IS EVERYONE WHO LEAVES TRASH, NOT JUST JET SKIERS. I KNOW THIS, BECAUSE I PICK UP OTHER PEOPLE'S TRASH EVERY TIME I'M THERE. PLEASE KEEP DUNEDIN FREE, THANK YU FOR YOUR TIME. >> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU, LISA. NEXT IS ERIC GRAVES, AFTER ERIC,
I WILL HAVE NATHANIEL COMB I THINK IT IS. >> MY NAME IS ERIC GRAVES, 1413 BAYSHORE IN DUNEDIN. I'M HERE AS A DUNEDIN RESIDENT AND ALSO REPRESENTING THE DUNEDIN BOAT CLUB PADDLING
GROUP, I'M HERE FOR MYSELF AND OUR PADDLING GROUP IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTORIZED BAN AT THE DUNEDIN CAUSEWAY. WHAT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT, SAFETY AND QUALITY OF LIFE WHEN USING THE CAUSEWAY AREA FROM LAND AND ON WATER. I AM AT THE CAUSEWAY A LOT, BOTH
FROM WATER AND LAND, AND REMEMBER THE CHALLENGES CREATED BY THE MANY JET SKIS THAT LAUNCHED THERE, BEFORE THE 2024 STORMS, WHEN LAUNCHING WAS ALLOWED. I ALSO KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON THIS BAN, AND I RESPECT THOSE DIFFERENT OPINIONS.
I ALSO KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY RESPONSIBLE PEOPLE THAT HAVE USED THE LOCATION IN THE PAST. BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT SOME HAVE CREATED THE DIFFICULTIES THAT HAVE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED THE ENVIRONMENT THROUGH THE IMPACT OF THE SEA GRASS AND ALSO SEDIMENT CREATION.
HUMAN SAFETY, INCLUDING FA FATALITIES AND QUALITY OF LIFE, INCLUDING NOISE, TRASH, PARKING CHALLENGES, EXTRA TRAFFIC ON THE CAUSEWAY AND JUST OVER ENJOYMENT OF THE AREA. HISTORY HAS SHOWN THAT EVEN WITH THE ESTABLISHED RULES, MANY
VIOLATE THOSE RULES. ALSO DURING THE LAST ALMOST TWO YEARS WHEN THERE WAS NO LAUNCHING, IT'S CLEAR THAT THE STRENGTH OF THE SEA GRASS AND WATER CLARITY DUE TO LESS CHURNING OF THE SEDIMENT HAS CONTINUED TO IMPROVE. ALSO, I'M NOT COMFORTABLE WITH OUR TAX DOLLARS PAYING FOR
HIGHER LEVELS OF ENFORCEMENT, IF OTHERS SUGGEST THAT AS A SOLUTION. NOR MYSELF AND THE DUNEDIN BOAT CLUB PADDLING GROUP, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND FOR VOTING FOR THE MOTORIZED LAUNCH BAN AT THE CAUSEWAY. >> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU.
NEXT IS NATHANIEL COMB, I THINK. AND AFTER THAT WILL BE STEVE MENKE. >> WILDWOOD LANE, PALM HARBOR. I HAVE TWO PROPERTIES HERE IN DUNEDIN, TOO.
GOOD EVENING CITY COUNCIL COMMISSION MEMBERS THOSE WHO CAME HERE TO VOICE THEIR OPINIONS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE DEBATE. I STAND HERE TO VOICE MY CONCERN ABOUT THE MAN MADE SHUTDOWN OF LAUNCHING FROM THE DUNEDIN CAUSEWAY. WE'RE A FAMILY. AS A FAMILY WE'VE BEEN LAUNCHING
FROM THE CAUSEWAY FOR CLOSE TO 30 YEARS, I'VE RAISED MY SON AND HAD SO MANY GREAT FRIENDS AND FAMILY COME TO VISIT TO SPEND TIME ON THE CAUSEWAY WITH THE JET SKIS. AMAZING IT IS HOW THEY KEEP GOING ON AND ON TO THIS DAY. IT'S A LUXURY WE TAKE ADVANTAGE
OF. I STAND WITH YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS ISSUE, AS I FEEL THERE'S A MASSIVE LACK OF EDUCATION AND ENFORCEMENT WHEN IT COMES TO THE WATER REGULATION AND COURTESIES. MY BELIEF IS THAT BANNING ONE ACTIVITY BECAUSE OF A FEW BAD APPLES IS NOT THE CORRECT
RESOLUTION. I PROPOSE THAT A LAUNCH FEE AND A HIRING OF A LOT ATTENDANT JUST LIKE SUNSET BEACH, WHICH IS BEING RUN VERY WELL, AND A OLLABORATION WITH THE PINELLAS COUNTY SHERIFF AND FWC FOR ENFORCEMENT, PUT RULES DOWN AND
ANYONE WHO CAN'T OBEY THE RULES, CHARGE A LAUNCH FEE. THE FLORIDA RIDERS HAVE BEEN FOR YEARS VOLUNTARILY CLEANING THE BEACHES DOWN THERE AND DO IT TO THIS DAY. WHEN WE'RE DOWN THERE, WE ACTUALLY CLEAN UP -- WE CLEAN UP
CIGARETTE BUTTS, OTHER PEOPLE'S TRASH. THE COUNTY -- THIS IS WHERE I HAVE THE ISSUE WITH THE SEA GRASS. THE COUNTY IS -- EVERYBODY'S SAYING IT'S THE JET SKIS DOING THIS, THE PROBLEM IS, WE TOOK A PICTURE OF THE COUNTY DOWN THERE TWO OR THREE DAYS AGO, THEY WERE
SPRAYING HERBICIDES AROUND THE GUARDRAILS AND TREES, BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO WEED WHACK THE GRASS AND STUFF, WHEN THE RAIN COMES IT GOES RIGHT DOWN INTO THE SEA GRASS AND IT'S DILLING THE SEA GRASS. IF WE COULD HAVE THE MSDS SHEETS
FOR THOSE, THAT WOULD HELP SHOW WHAT'S REALLY HAPPENING THERE, BESIDES THAT. IF YOU BAN THE JET SKIS AND ALLOW THE PADDLE BOARDERS AND KAYAKERS TO DO -- YOU CANNOT GET OFF YOUR BOAT AT WEEK CAN I WATCH WHICH I BECAUSE THEY SAY YOU'RE KILLING THE SEA GRASS
THERE. I UNDERSTAND THERE IS DESTRUCTION. I LOST MY SON A FEW YEARS AGO, AND THIS WAS HIS FAVORITE PLACE TO COME WITH US, AND HE SPENT MOST OF HIS TIME WITH HIS FRIENDS THERE, WHICH KEPT HIM OUT OF TROUBLE.
I'M GOING TO GO OUT WITH THE SKIS FOR THE DAY. THE PROBLEM IS, THE BOAT RAMPS ARE SO PACKED IT TAKES THREE TO FOUR HOURS TO GET OUT. THAT'S IF YOU DON'T GET INTO A FIST FIGHT IN THE MEANTIME. I WAS AT ANTICLOTE A FEW WEEKS
AGO, THERE WERE FOUR FIST FIGHTS IN AN HOUR. HOPEFULLY YOU CANNOT PASS THIS BAN WE'D APPRECIATE IT. >> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU. SORRY ABOUT YOUR SON. STEVE MENKE, AND ADELE CARPENTER
WILL BE AFTER THAT. >> GOOD EVENING, THANK YOU FOR A COUPLE MINUTES UP HERE. I AM -- >> NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. >> 2390 HARRISON DRIVE, DUNEDIN.
GREW UP IN TAMPA IN THE '70s, COMING HERE SINCE THEN, LIVED IN DUNEDIN FOR SIX YEARS. I'M AT THE CAUSEWAY ALL THE TIME, WALKING, BIKING, HAVING A GOOD TIME. I DO SOME KAYAKING, BUT I'M CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT I DO.
AFTER HAVING READ THE ORDINANCE IT, WE'RE CALLING IT, ALONG WITH THE ATTACHMENTS WITH THE AGENDA, AS LONG AS WE'RE WITHIN THE PER VIEW OF DOING THIS NO OTHER APPROVALS ARE NEEDED FROM THE DEP OR ANY OTHER STATE AGENCY.
I'M A PREVIOUS JET SKI OWNER, I KNOW HOW TO OPERATE IT RESPECTFULLY, WHAT I SEE OUT THERE, MANY AREN'T. AND I'M OKAY WITH LEAVING THE KAYAK LAUNCH AREA WHERE IT IS NOW. WE DON'T HAVE TO EXPAND IT. I SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE
INFLUX OF RESIDENTS AND VISITORS INTO THIS AREA THAT'S WEARING THE CAUSEWAY OUT. ALL FOR IT. THANK YOU. >> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU, STEVE. ADELE CARPENTER. AND AFTER THAT, WE'LL HAVE HOLLY ADEMANI.
I HOPE THAT'S CLOSE. >> HELLO. ADELE CARPENTER, 2144 DDRUID RO. THANK YOU FOR HEARING OUR OPINION. NO ONE EVER WANTS TO DEAL WITH THESE.
AS A FLORIDA NATIVE, I GREW UP HERE, I SPENT EVERY SUMMER OF MY LIFE ENJOYING THE WATERWAYS IN FLORIDA, GOING OUT JET SKIING WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY. AS I GOT OLDER AND HAD CHILDREN, I RETURNED TO FLORIDA TO SHARE THOSE JOYS WITH MY CHILDREN.
WE GOT ONE SUMMER OF ENJOYING THE CAUSEWAY AND THEN YOU GUYS CLOSED IT DOWN. I UNDERSTAND A BEAUTIFICATION NEEDED TO OCCUR, IT HAPPENS WITH ALL THE BEACHES AFTER A STORM. I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO GO BACK TO BBQING WITH MY CHILDREN, EJOYING THE SUN AND FUN THAT
FLORIDA IS ALL ABOUT. IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A SAFETY CONCERN, THAT'S THE REASON WE'RE CLOSING THIS DOWN. LAUNCHING INTO A MOTORIZED VEHICLE CAUSEWAY THAT'S THERE FOR PADDLE BOARDERS IS UNSAFE. THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT SHOULD BE
LAUNCHING INTO A MOTORIZED INTERCOASTAL WATERWAY, IS MOTORIZED VEHICLES. I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT IN
REGARDS TO WATER LIFE AND GRASSES, JET SKIS AREN'T CONSTRUCTED TO CAUSE DAMAGE. THEY'RE NOT CONSTRUCTED TO HARMON MALS, THEY HAVE AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION SYSTEM THAT SUCKS IN WATER AND PUSHES IT
OUT. WE DON'T WANT TO CAUSE HARM TO THE SEA GRASS. BEING ON THE SURFACE, FISHNETS AND A VARIETY OF OTHER THINGS DRAGGING IN THE CAUSEWAY, THAT'S
WHAT CAUSES IT TO HAPPEN. SPRAYING, YOU SPRAY ANYTHING THAT CAUSES WEED KILLER IT RUNS INTO THE CAUSEWAY, IT'S GOING TO KILL ALL THE GRASS THAT'S THERE ALSO. I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO OPEN IT, SO EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO ENJOY THE WATTER IN FLORIDA.
THAT'S WHAT FLORIDA IS ALL ABOUT, ENJOYING FUN, AND SUN AND THE WATER. >> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU, ADELE. THE NEXT PERSON IS HOLLY DEMANI. IS THAT RIGHT? HOLLY?
HOLLY ADEMANI. NOBODY? OKAY. I GUESS SHE WAVED SPEAKING AND SAID SHE WAS FOR THE BAN. MAYBE THAT'S WHY SHE SIGNED IT AND LEFT. I'LL HAVE TO MAKE SURE I LOOK AT THAT. >> DOES IT SAY WHAT CITY SHE WAS FROM?
>> HOLLY ON PAULA DRIVE IN DUNEDIN. >> THANK YOU. >> Mayor Freaney: THIS ONE AS WELL MAY BE A WAIVED SPEAKING, REBECCA CABRERA? REBECCA CABRERA?
YOU WANT TO WAVE SPEAKING, BUT YOU'RE AGAINST? NEW PORT RICHEY. THAT WILL TAKE US TO KAREN LOCAS. ACTUALLY WAVING SPEAKING, AND THEY ARE FOR THE BAN, AND THEY
LIVE AS WELL ON PAULA DRIVE, DUNEDIN. THEN WE GO TO WILLIAM CALAVEEN, WHO IS WAIVING SPEAKING BUT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE AGAINST.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE STILL HERE AND DO WANT TO SPEAK. WILLIAM? THEY WERE UNDECIDED ABOUT SPEAKING, THEY'RE WAIVING IT AND AGAINST. THEY'RE GONE, SO I GUESS THEY MADE THEIR DECISION.
TERRY TOZ? TERRY TOZ, LOOKS LIKE THEY WERE OING TO SPEAK. AND I'M GOING TO HAVE JAMES O'BRIEN ON DECK. TERRY TOZ.
TAZ. NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. >> TERRY TAZ, I LIVE AT 1598 NANTUCKET COURT IN PALM HARBOR. FIRST OFF, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SAY, I'VE BEEN USING THE
CAUSEWAY A LOT, SINCE 1969. WHEN I WAS 11 YEARS OLD, I USED TO FISH OFF THE CAUSEWAY, THE TROUTS WERE WAY BIGGER IN THOSE DAYS. THEY WERE SO BIG, WE DIDN'T HAVE MONO FILAMENT.
I HAD 20 POUND, I HAD TO WALK IT TO THE END. AND I FED FIVE SISTERS AND THERE WAS ME. THAT WAS MY JOB, GET FISH. ANYWAY, I'VE USED IT FOR WALKING, FISHING, SWIMMING, A LOT OF WINDSURFING BACK IN THOSE
DAYS, WHEN WE HAD A WINDSURFING SHOP AT THE VERY END, AND SUNSET VIEWING. I'VE HAD A LOT OF BOATS THROUGH THESE YEARS AND DECADES, I USED ALL THE BOAT RAMPS CLOSE BY HAPPILY. I GRADUATED DUNEDIN HIGH, I GREW
UP HERE, AND I'VE BEEN HERE 57 YEARS, USING THAT CAUSEWAY. IT IS MY PARADISE AS WELL. THE EXTRA TRAFFIC ON THE WEEKEND FROM THE JET SKIS AND TRAILERS COMING IN AND OUT MAKE ARY LAXED
WALK OR BIKE -- MAKE A RELAXED WALK OR BIKE RIDE IMPOSSIBLE. IF NOT DANGEROUS. I'VE TAKEN MY GRANDKIDS ON SCOOTERS, AND DURING -- IT'S PRETTY DANGEROUS. I AM NOT -- I AM THE LAST GUY AGAINST JET SKIS, I LOVE THEM.
I'M A WATER GUY, I'M AN OUTDOOR GUY, BUT I'M AGAINST TURNING THE CAUSEWAY INTO A PUBLIC BOAT RAMP, IT'S NEVER BEEN THAT. IT'S ALWAYS BEEN PEACEFUL, QUIET. AND MAYBE -- THAT OTHER GUY'S
SUGGESTION WAS GOOD, MAYBE A PAY -- MAYBE WE TURN ONE PORTION OF IT TO A DEDICATED BOAT RAMP, WHICH IS GOING TO COST MONEY, AND HAVE A GUY SITTING THERE GUIDING EVERYBODY IN AND OUT. OKAY, BUT THE WAY IT IS NOW,
IT'S CHAOS. AND THE JET SKIS ARE OUT THERE, CHAOS. ALONG WITH THE KAYAKERS. THE OCCASIONAL WINDSURFER, YOU KNOW THAT'S TRUE, THEY DO 60, 70 MILE AN HOUR TODAY, THEY'RE NOT DOING 20 AND 30 LIKE THEY DID BEFORE.
IT'S UNCONTROLLED. AND IT'S DANGEROUS. AS FAR AS THE -- BESIDES ALL THE SEA GRASS AND THE -- SOMEBODY SAID THAT THE FOOT TRAFFIC WOULD BE WORSE THAN TRAILERS.
THAT IS RIDICULOUS. THE WEIGHT OF A JET SKI, AND IT'S TRAILER SINKING INTO THE SAND AS YOU'RE -- ISN'T LIKE WALKING OVER THE TOP OF IT, WITH 150 POUND PERSON. THAT'S JUST MY OPINION.
I WOULD JUST SAY FOR NOW THERE'S GOT TO BE ANOTHER SOLUTION FOR THIS, FOR ALL OF US. BUT AS FAR AS THE CAUSEWAY, I WOULD LEAVE IT FOR THE KAYAKS AND THE PADDLE BOARDS, SWIMMERS AND SUN BATHERS, AND WE WON THE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ALL THAT GOING ON.
MY TIME'S UP. >> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU, SIR, APPRECIATE THAT. WE HAVE JAMES O'BRIEN AND NEXT WILL BE ALEX STEPHIE AND MEGAN COLBY. >> HELLO, I'M JAMES O'BRIEN,
1030 SAN SALVADOR DRIVE, DUNEDIN, FLORIDA. I LOVE IT HERE, THIS IS A GREAT TOWN, WHY ARE WE MAKING CHANGES. THE CAUSEWAY IS GREAT, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN GREAT. THE IDEA THAT JET SKIS ARE DIFFERENT THAN ANYTHING ELSE OUT THERE, IT'S NOT TRUE.
THEY DON'T HAVE AN EXTERNAL PROP PROPELLER, THEY'RE NOT OUT THERE TEARING UP THE GRASS. MOST OF THE PEOPLE PUT THEIR JET SKI IN AND LEAVE FOR THE DAY, THEY GO UP TO THE SANDBAR, THEY'RE NOT STAYING IN THE CAUSEWAY ALL DAY. MOST ARE LEAVING.
IF YOU WANT TO CHARGE MONEY AND HAVE -- FOR PEOPLE TO PARK, IT'S FINE. TO BAN THIS WHOLE THING, THAT'S NOT RIGHT. THIS ISN'T WHAT DUNEDIN WANTS, THIS ISN'T WHAT THE PEOPLE WHO VOTED FOR THIS BOARD WANTS. THIS IS DUNEDIN. WE'RE DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER
TOWNS BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT CAUSEWAY, THAT MAKES US DIFFERENT. THAT MAKES US BETTER, THAT'S WHY WE WANT TO BE HERE, LET'S NOT KILL IT. THANK YOU. >> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU, JAMES. NEXT IS ALEX STEPHIE.
AND AGAIN, MEGAN COLBY IS ON DECK. >> 2144 DRUID ROAD, CLEAR WALTER. THE DUNEDIN CAUSEWAY IS A MAN MADE CAUSEWAY THAT WAS SPECIFICALLY CREATED FOR
RECREATION USE. THE AREA BEING DISCUSSED IS THE SIZE OF A FOOTBALL FIELD, LOCATED IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO A BOAT CHANNEL. THIS IS NOT A LARGE OR PRISTINE UN TOUCHED HABITAT. AT THE END OF THE CAUSEWAY, THERE'S A COMMERCIAL BUSINESS
THAT RENTS KAYAKS, CANOES, PADDLE BOARDS. EVERY DAY, PEOPLE WALK-THROUGH THE SEA GRASS, DISTURBING WILDLIFE. IF THE CONCERN WAS TRULY ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, THESE
DISCUSSIONS SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON RECREATION. FLORIDA IS HOME TO MORE THAN 2 MILLION ACRES OF SEA GRASS, WITH THE VAST SEA GRASS BEDS NORTH AND SOUTH OF DUNEDIN. PROTECTING THESE HABITATS IS IMPORTANT, CLOSING THIS SMALL RECREATIONAL LAUNCH AREA IS
UNLIKELY TO HAVE A MEANINGFUL IMPACT ON THE OVERALL HEALTH OF FLORIDA'S SEA GRASS SYSTEM. IN ADDITION, FISHING INCLUDING CASTEN ET FISHING IS STILL PERMITTED THROUGHOUT THE AREA, THOSE ACTIVITIES DIRECTLY REMOVE
MARINE LIFE. YET THOSE CONTINUE WHILE RECREATIONAL BOAT AND PERSONAL WATER CRAFT LAUNCHING IS BEING SINGLED OUT. THE QUESTION ISN'T WHETHER WE SHOULD PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT, WE ABSOLUTELY SHOULD. THE QUESTION IS WHY ONE SPECIFIC
RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY IS BEING PROHIBITED WHILE OTHER ACTIVITIES AND COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS WITH SIMILAR OR GREATER IMPACTS CONTINUE TO BE ALLOWED. IF THE GOAL IS FAIRNESS AND GENUINE CONSERVATION. ALL RECREATIONAL USES SHOULD BE EVALUATED USING THE SAME
STANDARDS. I FEEL LIKE DUNEDIN, AT LEAST TO ME, IT'S A SPECIAL PLACE. I HAVE FRIEND COME IN FROM OUT OF TOWN, I WANT TO BRING THEM OUT, I WANT TO SHOW THEM, I WANT TO SHARE IT, I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO MAYBE FIGURE OUT WAYS TO TAKE BETTER CARE OF IT, BUT NOT CUT
IT OFF COMPLETELY. IT'S EASY FOR A BOATER TO HATE A JET SKIER OR PADDLE BORDER, THEY GET IN OUR WAY, THEY'RE LAUNCHING INTO A BOAT CHANNEL. ON THE SAME NOTE, I KNOW EVERYONE HAS THE SAME EQUAL RIGHTS TO THE WATER, AND I FEEL
LIKE YOU GUYS ARE TRYING TO STRIP US FROM THAT, AND IT'S NOT OKAY. HOPEFULLY YOU GUYS HEAR US, AND DON'T VOTE THIS ORDINANCE IN. THANK YOU. >> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU, ALEX. MGAN COLBY, AND ON DECK WILL BE
HOWARD GRAY. >> HI, MEGAN COLBY, 1269 ROYAL OAK DRIVE IN DUNEDIN. I AM HERE REPRESNTING MYSELF AS A DUNEDIN RESIDENT, ALSO, SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE SUNCOAST SIERRA CLUB. WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE
CITIES COMMITTEES, AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT SHARED THEIR FEEDBACK. IN LATE MAY, WE SUBMITTED A LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR THE PROPOSEDS ORDINANCE, IN CASE ANYONE HASN'T READ IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH, IT'S A LONG ONE. I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THREE KEY REASONS FOR OUR LETTER, TO
DESCRIBE WHY THIS ORDINANCE IS VITAL FOR OUR COMMUNITY. HABITAT RECOVERY AND PROTECTION. SINCE MOTORIZED LAUNCHES WERE TEMPORARILY RESTRICTION, WE'VE SEEN A REMARKABLE RECOVERY OF CRITICAL SEA GRASS AND MARINE
LIFE. BRINGING MOTORIZED LAUNCHES BACK INTO THIS AREA, POSES A HIGH RISK TO THAT AREA. PROPELLERS, AND TURNED UP SILT BLOCKS THE SUNLIGHT SEA GRASS NEEDS TO SURVIVE. THE SHALLOW WATERS ARE PRIMARY
FEEDING GROUNDS FOR THE THREATENED FLORIDA MANATEE NOBODY'S MENTIONED YET. LOW FREQUENCY ENGINE NOISE DROWNS OUT THE SOUND OF APPROACHING VESSELS, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR MANATEES TO SWIM
AWAY IN TIME. SECOND, WE ARE CONSIDERING PUBLIC SAFETY. ON BUSY DAYS, MIXING FAST MOTORIZED CRAFTS WITH SWIMMERS, AND PADDLE BOARDERS CREATES
ISSUES. FINALLY, THE ORDINANCE SAFEGUARDS OUR PUBLIC INVESTMENT. WE ALL MENTIONED IT TOOK A LOT OF TIME FOR THE CAUSEWAY TO REOPEN. AND IT STILL ALMOST HASN'T YET,
IT ALSO COSTS A LOT OF TAXPAYER MONEY. THAT FRESHLY RENOURISHED SAND NEEDS YEARS OF COMPACT NATURALLY. PROPELLERS ACT LIKE UNDERWATER
E EXCAVATORS. USING AN UNCOMPACTED SANDY BEACH AS A MOTORIZED LAUNCH, DIRECTLY CONTRADICTS BEST PRACTICES FOR COASTAL ENGINEERING, ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT, GIVEN OUR PROXIMITY TO HONEYMOON ISLAND AND CALADESI
STATE PARKS. WE THANK THE COMMISSION FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SECURE A SAFER, MORE RESILIENT AND BIOLOGICALLY MORE VIBRANT CAUSEWAY. WE URGE THE COMMISSION TO VOTE YES ON THIS ORDINANCE, ADDITIONALLY, WE ENCOURAGE THE CITY OF DUNEDIN TO WORK WITH
PINELLAS COUNTY, TO ESTABLISH A LONG TERM PLAN FOR A LIVING SHORE LINE AT THE DUNEDIN CAUSEWAY. THANK YOU. >> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU, MEGAN. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS HOWARD GRAY,
ON DECK WILL BE LOUIS RIVERA. [ INAUDIBLE ] >> PARKING GARAGE. >> Mayor Freaney: GOT YOU. THAT'S ONE LESS SPEAKER FOR THIS ONE, HOWARD, THANK YOU.
LOUIS REVERA, AND LET'S PUT SHAWN SPENCER ON DECK. YOU'RE WAIVING SPEAK SOMETHING >> Mayor Freaney: OKAY, WAIVING SPEAKING, BUT YOU ARE AGAINST. AND SAFETY HARBOR, FLORIDA, CORRECT? >> IS THAT LEWIS OR SHAWN?
>> Mayor Freaney: LEWIS RIVERA, THAT WAS. YOU'RE SHAWN. >> LEWIS WAS FOR OR AGAINST? >> AGAIN. >> Mayor Freaney: SHAWN SPENCER
AND ON DECK, LET'S PUT HANK HODDE. >> SHAWN SPENCER, I LIVE IN HOLIDAY FLORIDA.
I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE EVERYONE BACK TWO YEARS AGO, AFTER WE WERE HIT BACK TO BACK STORMS. THE CITY CLOSED THE LAUNCH AREA, YET DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET, FISHERMEN WERE ALLOWED TO ACCESS THE BRIDGE.
THE BRIDGE WAS TOO UNSAFE FOR TRUCKS PULLING JET SKI TRAILERS. YET SERVICE TRUCKS PULLING TRAILERS, DUMP TRUNKS WERE ABLE TO USE THE BRIDGE. LET'S TALK ABOUT SEA GRASS. BEHIND CALADESI ISLAND AND HONEYMOON ISLAND, THERE'S OVER
2,000 ACRES OF PROTECTED SEA GRASS. IT'S CALLED A NONMOTORIZED ZONE MUCH THAT'S WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE, NO MOTORS ARE ALLOWED TO BE THERE. AT ONE POINT WE WERE TOLD THE SEA GRASS HAS MADE A REMARKABLE
RECOVERY IN TWO YEARS, THEN WE WERE TOLD IT TAKES FIVE YEARS TO RECOVER. WHICH IS IT? IF THE PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT IS TRULY THE GOAL, THEN WHY NOT CLOSE HONEYMOON ISLAND TO THE PUBLIC ACCESS FOR TWO YEAR WHERES AND SEE HOW MUCH WILDLIFE AND VEGETATION RETURNS.
WE ALL KNOW THAT'S NOT A REALISTIC SITUATION, BECAUSE PUBLIC ACCESS IN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION MUST CO EXIST. I'D ALSO LIKE TO POINT EVERYONE TO A THIRD PARTY STUDY CONDUCTED BY HERNANDO COUNTY AT THE
WEEKI WATCHIE RIVER. PEOPLE WALKING THROUGH SHALLOW WATERS, GRASS BEDS, DRAGGING KAYAKS ACROSS THEM, AND REPEATEDLY STANDING AND SWIMMING ACROSS THOSE AREAS. IF PROTECTING THE SEA GRASS IS
THE OBJECTIVE, THE SAME STANDARD SHOULD APPLY TO EVERY ACTIVITY THAT IMPACTS IT. OTHERWISE IT BEGINS TO LOOK A LOT LESS LIKE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, AND SIGNALLING OUT A SPECIFIC USER GROUP.
SAFETY HAS ALWAYS BEEN RAISED REGARDING KAYAKS AND CROSSING. THIS IS AN ACTIVE NAVIGATION CHANNEL. BOATS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN LAUNCHED THERE, AND THEY ALWAYS WILL.
THIS SOLUTION ISN'T ELIMINATING RESPONSIBLE USERS, IT'S EDUCATION AWARENESS AND ENFORCEMENT, WE HAVE HEARD THE CLAIMS THAT THE LAUNCH AREA IS CONSTANTLY COVERED WITH TRASH, BUT THERE'S TWO SMALL TRASH CANS, WHEN THEY GET OVERFILLED,
PEOPLE PUT THE TRASH NEXT TO THE CANS. WILDLIFE OPENS THE BAGS AND SPREADS IT FROM THERE. I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THE CLAIM THAT JET SKIS ARE MORE DANGEROUS THAN TRADITIONAL BOATS. PERSONAL WATER CRAFT USE
ENCLOSED JET PROPULSION SYSTEMS. THEY DO NOT HAVE SPINNING PROPELLERS. THAT CAN DISTURB THE >> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU, SHAWN, SORRY. AND HANK HODDE. YOU'RE NEXT. IT'S A CONFUSING RELATIONSHIP ON
THE CAUSEWAY, BUT WHEN THE CAUSEWAY CLOSED, THE COUNTY HAD THE RIGHT TO DO THAT, THE AUTHORITY. WE DIDN'T TAKE THAT AUTHORITY, WE DON'T HAVE THAT AUTHORITY. BUT WE DO HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO
REGULATE THIS AREA. JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLEAR.
[ INAUDIBLE ] >> HANK HODDE, 1618 ST. HELEN DRIVE, DUNEDIN, FLORIDA. GOOD EVENING, I AM THE SERVICE CHAIR OF THE DUNEDIN CAUSEWAY
AND COASTAL WATERWAY COMMITTEE, CO AUTHOR OF THE MEMORANDUM THAT'S BEEN SUBMITTED TO YOU, I'M A BOATER AND USER OF THE CAUSEWAY, I'M HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE ORDINANCE, OF ADOPTING THE ORDINANCE 26-08 PROHIBITING LAUNCH OF MOTORIZED WATER CRAFT FROM THE CAUSEWAY.
THE CAUSEWAY IS NOT A BOAT RAMP, IT'S A GREENWAY. IT'S A VALUABLE PUBLIC SPACE, ONE OF THE BUSIEST STATE PARKS, HONEYMOON ISLAND, THIS IS A
DIRECT CONNECTION. FOR YEARS OUR COMMUNITY HAS HEARD ABOUT THE CONFLICTS BETWEEN THE LAUNCH OF MOTORIZED VEHICLES. WE'VE SEEN SAFETY CONFLICTS, HIGH SPEED MOTORIZED TRAFFIC
MOVING THROUGH WATER, SHARED BY SWIMMERS AND PADDLING. WE'VE SEEN HARM AND SEDIMENT DISRUPTION AND THE SHORE LINE THAT SETS INSIDE THE PINELLAS COUNTY AWE QUATIC PRESERVE.
SOMETHING NOTABLE HAPPENED. MARINE LIFE RETURNED, SHORE LINE DISTURBANCE DROPPED, THE MARINE POLICE NO LONGER NEEDED -- THE COUNTY TOLD US THE CAUSEWAY IS
THE COSTLIEST AREA TO MAINTAIN, SAW THE COST COME DOWN, AKA TAXPAYER FUNDING. THAT WAS NOT HYPOTHETICAL, IT WAS A REAL WORLD PILOT AND IT WORKED. THIS MAKES THAT PERMANENT.
IT DOES NOT CLOSE THE CAUSEWAY, IT DOES NOT BAN BOATING IN DUNEDIN. MOTORIZED WATER CRAFT MAY NOT BE LAUNCHED FROM THE CAUSEWAY BEACH ITSELF. PADDLING, SWIMMING, FISHING AND EVERY NONMOTORIZED USE CAN CONTINUE AS THEY ARE TODAY.
THIS IS GROUNDED IN EED IN THE HOME RULE AUTHORITY. DIRECTLY RESPONSIVE TO YEARS OF COMMITTEE FINDINGS AND TWO PRIOR ADVISORY RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE CITY'S OWN VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE. THE CAUSEWAY BELONGS TO EVERYONE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND TO
THOUSANDS OF VISITORS THAT CROSS IT EVERY YEAR TO REACH HONEYMOON ISLAND. PROTECTING SWIMMERS AND PADDLING IS WORTH ONE NARROW RESTRICTION. I DO WANT TO ADD THAT WE ARE ALL
FOR ALTERNATIVES AND ARE UP FOR HEARING ALTERNATIVES, VERSUS JUST AN OUTRIGHT BAN. BUT AS FAR AS WHAT WE'VE HEARD SO FAR, PROHIBITING LAUNCHING FROM THE CAUSEWAY WILL HAVE ALL OF THE IMPACTS AND BENEFITS WE'VE HEARD TONIGHT, SO THANK YOU.
>> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU, HANK. SORRY I HAD MY COUGHING ATTACK YOU WERE COMING UP. THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO. THOMAS BLACK IS THE NEXT ONE. AND THREE MINUTES, NAME AND
ADDRESS. I HAVE KIM BEGAY AFTER THAT ON DECK. THOMAS BLACK? OKAY. >> Mayor Freaney: HI. >> GOOD EVENING, THOMAS BLACK,
203 LEAF WOOD ROAD, TARPON SPRINGS, FLORIDA. I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING THIS OPEN MIC FOR SOME FEEDBACK. AND APPRECIATE THAT. A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME, I'M A RETIRED COMBAT VETERAN, AND MY
CURRENT JOB, I'M A BUSINESS OWNER AND I TRAIN VETERANS TODAY IN THE AVIATION INDUSTRY. I'VE HAD MY COAST GUARD BOAT LICENSE SINCE 1984ISH. DUNEDIN HAS DONE A BEAUTIFUL JOB WITH THE CAUSEWAY, THE CITY,
EVERYTHING YOU DO. I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF INTELLIGENT PEOPLE AND LEADERSHIP UP HERE. I'D HAVE TO TAKE YOU BACK TO 1992, RODNEY KING, CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG? I WAS AT AN ADVISORY BOARD MEETING LAST WEEK, THE FIRST
TIME I HEARD ABOUT IT WAS ON CHANNEL 8, THE REASON I DIDN'T STAY ON TOP OF THE LOCAL ACTIVITIES IS BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW THIS WAS COMING. OUR UNDERSTANDING, WAS THE CAUSEWAY WAS CLOSED FOR REPAIRS. SO WHEN I SAW THIS ON THE NEWS, I REDID MY WHOLE SCHEDULE JUST
TO BE HERE, THAT'S HOW IMPORTANT IT IS. I HAVE A WAVE RUNNER, FRIENDS, VETERANS, THE LAST GENTLEMAN THAT -- I THINK HE'S THE HEAD OF THE -- THE CHAIR, THE ADVISORY BOARD FOR AGAINST MOTORIZED, ■H SAYS IT'S EVERYBODY.
IT'S RIGHT, IT IS EVERYBODY. WE ALL NEED TO BE ABLE TO USE IT. THERE'S ANOTHER GENTLEMAN AT THE ADVISORY BOARD THAT'S BEEN THERE SINCE THE BEGINNING OF TIME, AND IT USED TO BE A BIGGER LAUNCH ZONE THAT YOU COULD LAUNCH JET SKIS FROM. I'VE BEEN OUT OF TOWN FOR --
EVER SINCE THE LAST MEETING, AND I JUST GOT BACK, I DON'T HAVE ALL THE STATISTICAL FACTS, I CAN TELL YOU WHAT FACTS I DO HAVE. THE WATERWAY IS PARALLEL TO A HIGHWAY, IT'S ALSO A CHANNEL THAT RUNS OFF THE INTERCOASTAL WATERWAY.
FROM THE INTERCOASTAL WATERWAY TO THE OCEAN. IT'S 50 FEET -- MINIMUM -- NO MORE THAN 50 FEET IN THE SHORE LINE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THE SEA GRASS THAT THE PEOPLE LAUNCH THEIR VESSELS OFF OF.
IT'S ALSO .3 MILES FROM WHERE WE USED TO BE ABLE TO LAUNCH FROM. .3 MILES, IT'S A VERY SHORT SPACE. I CAN TELL YOU THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE WAIVE RUNNERS AND ALL, AND EVEN THE BOATS, WE ALL CARE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT. I HEAR THIS, THE ENVIRONMENT'S
COMING BACK. WELL, OF COURSE IT HAS, THERE'S BEEN NO ONE THERE. I CAN GO OUT TO SUNSET BEACH RIGHT NOW, NO ONE'S THERE, IT'S FULL OF BIRDS, I SEE FISH JUMPING. WE COME OUT, THE BIRDS FLY AWAY, THE FISH GO AWAY. AND AT THE END OF THE NIGHT,
THEY ALL COME BACK. TO SIT THERE AND SAY WE'RE HURTING THE ENVIRONMENT, IS THE MOST RIDICULOUS THING I'VE HEARD FOR THAT LITTLE BIT OF PROPERTY. FISH COME BACK AT NIGHT, THE SEA GRASS IS THERE, THE JET SKIS DON'T HURT IT, THESE ARE JUST THE FACTS.
SO EVERYONE'S HARPING ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT, WHAT ABOUT US AND OUR RIGHTS AND THE SANITY WE HAVE, AND THE PEACE OF MIND WE HAVE. >> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. >> Mayor Freaney: APPRECIATE IT, THOMAS. KIM BEGAY IS NEXT, ON DECK WILL
BE JOHN LOBIER. >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS KIM BEGAY, I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT WITH CLEARWATER AUDOBON SOCIETY.
I LIVE IN PALM HARBOR. AS SOME OF YOU KNOW, I HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF FIGHTING FOR ENVIRONMENTAL CAUSES ON THE DUNEDIN CAUSEWAY. I'M REPRESENTING MY CHAPTER OF THE CLEARWATER AUDOBON SOCIETY, WE STRONGLY URGE THE CITY OF
DUNEDIN COMMITTEE TO PASS THE ORDINANCE BANNING THE LAUNCHING OF JET SKIS AT DUNEDIN CAUSEWAY. I'M NOT SURE IF ANY OF YOU HAVE PULLED UP THE LATEST SEA GRASS STUDY CONDUCTED BY SWFWMD,
THERE'S A STARK DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SOUTH SIDE WHERE THE JET SKIS HAVE HISTORICALLY LAUNCHED AND THE NORTH SIDE DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET. THE NORTH SIDE SHOWS DENSE CONTINUOUS SEA GRASS MEADOWS AND
THAT IS SECTION 18060, IMMEDIATELY OFF THE SHORE. AND DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET ON THE SOUTH SIDE, SECTION 19805, SHOWS VERY PATCHY SEA GRASS FROM YEARS OF LAUNCHING.
THE GRASSES HAVE HAD TWO YEARS TO HEAL, AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO ALLOW IT TO DO SO. AS YOU KNOW, SEA GRASS IS WHERE FISH SON, SEA HORSES AND OCTOPY REPRODUCE.
HEALTHY SEA GRASS EQUALS HEALTHY MARINE LIFE AND BETTER QUALITY OF WATER. IT IS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN ANY PLANT IN THE AMAZON RAINFOREST AS EQUESTRIAN CARBON DIOXIDE. IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT PLANT. THIS IS AN ENVIRONMENTALLY
SIGNIFICANT AREA, WITH CALADESI ISLAND, HONEYMOON ISLAND AND THREE ROCKER. WHY SPOIL IT WITH THE EXTRA TRAFFIC, NOISE POLLUTION THAT COME WITH LAUNCHING OF JET SKIS. YOU'RE DRIVING DOWN A CAUSEWAY THAT SHOULD BE NICE TO LOOK AT AND ENVIRONMENTALLY PROTECTED TO
GO TO THESE BEAUTIFUL PARKS. AND WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE THIS SECTION OVER ON THE SOUTH SIDE WITH ALL KINDS OF NOISE AND OBNOXIOUS ACTIVITY. I HAVE WATCHED THE FWC OFFICERS
HAND OUT CITATION AFTER CITATION TO JET SKIERS WHO HAVE ENTERED INTO THE MOTOR EXCLUSION ZONES AT HIGH RATES OF SPEED. WHICH IS A VERY REAL DANGER TO SWIMMERS AND SNORKELERS. THEY DON'T SEEM TO CARE TO FOLLOW THE RULES.
WHEN THE LAUNCHING AREA WAS CLOSED, THEY SIMPLY MOVED WEST DOWN THE CAUSEWAY AND STARTED LAUNCHING IN THE MOTOR EXCLUSION ZONE NEAR THE HONEYMOON OR TIDAL RELIEF BRIDGE. I GUESS THE RULES APPLY TO
EVERYONE BUT THEM. HEALTHY SEA GRASS BENEFIT SHORE BIRDS AND SEA BIRDS. MORE FISH EQUALS MORE BIRD POPULATION, AND THE DUNEDIN CAUSEWAY HAS THE STABLE POPULATION OF THE RARE ST WADI
BIRD, WHICH ONLY FORAGES IN A COASTAL TIDAL FLAT, WHICH IS WHAT THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE DUNEDIN CAUSEWAY BACK IN 1963 PROVIDED FOR THEM. >> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU, KIM. APPRECIATE THAT. JOHN LOBIER IS NEXT, AND ON DECK
WOULD BE MARK CLARK. >> HELLO, I HOPE EVERYONE CAN HEAR ME, MY NAME IS JOHN LOBIE, I LIVE ON HELEN STREET, DUNEDIN. I RISE TO SUPPORT JET SKIING ON
THE CAUSEWAY. I HEAR EVERYBODY TALK ABOUT JET SKIS. THE ORDINANCES FOR MOTORIZED LAUNCHING. ANY MOTOR, RIGHT? OR ARE WE JUST TALKING ABOUT JET SKIS. THEY'RE LAUNCHING MOTORIZED
CRAFT ON THE CAUSEWAY AS WE SPEAK >> Mayor Freaney: MOTORIZED. >> EVERY DAY. SOMEBODY COMES WITH A LITTLE CANOE WITH A MOTOR, FISH, WHATEVER, SO WE NEED TO DECIDE
WHAT THAT IS. SECONDLY. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH SEA GRASS. IT'S ALL ABOUT PEOPLE'S PERCEPTION. I CAN STILL DRIVE THE JET SKI UP AND DOWN THE SHORE FIVE FEET
FROM THE SHORE, THIS ORDINANCE DOES NOT STOP THAT. SO IF I WAS RUINING SEA GRASS LAUNCHING, I'M CERTAINLY GOING TO RUIN SEA GRASS RI RIDING UP DOWN THE CAUSEWAY.
AS OTHER PEOPLE EXPLAINED, IT IS A CHANNEL, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A VERY SMALL AREA OF THE CAUSEWAY. LESS THAN A QUARTER OF THE CAUSEWAY. AND, OF COURSE, IT HAS REBOUNDED QUITE A BIT, BECAUSE NOBODY'S
OVER THERE. THE NORTH SIDE LOOKS SO GREAT, BECAUSE THERE'S NOBODY OVER THERE. PEOPLE ON THAT WEST SIDE, WEST/SOUTH SIDE ARE USING THAT. IT LOOKS EXACTLY THE SAME AS IT
DID YEARS AGO, NO DIFFERENT. THE FISH -- I DON'T SEE ANY HARD FACTS, I SEE OPINIONS. THAT'S WHAT I SEE. AND THE OTHER THING I WOULD
SUGGEST, WE WANT ALL TO GROUP TOGETHER TO SAVE THE CAUSEWAY, HOW DO WE JUSTIFY SPENDING $20 MILLION OF PINELLAS COUNTY'S MONEY TO BUILD A NEW BRIDGE FOR WHAT, THE STATE PARK DOWN AT THE
END OF THE STREET? WHAT 10, 20 CONDOS? 100 CONDOS? PROBABLY AIN'T EVEN WORTH $20 MILLION WORTH OF CONDOS. SO I SAY WE NEED TO JOIN
TOGETHER, BUILD THE CAUSEWAY BRIDGE, ENJOY JET SKIING, ENJOY THE CAUSEWAY AND THE SEA GRASS WILL GROW SOMEWHERE ELSE. >> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU, JOHN.
>> THANK YOU. >> Mayor Freaney: NEXT PERSON IS MARK CLARK, AND ON DECK WILL BE RITA FOLEY. >> MARK CLARK, 2013 WOODWARD AVENUE, DUNEDIN, FORMERLY 22 33
SYDNEY AVENUE, DUNEDIN. I HAVE LIVED THE DUNEDIN DREAM. MY PARENTS MOVED HERE IN 1960, WHEN I WAS 1 YEAR OLD, FROM CLEARWATER, I HAVE BEEN LITERALLY ON ST. JOSEPH'S SOUND AND THE DUNEDIN CAUSEWAY
THOUSANDS OF TIMES. I'M CONSTANTLY IN ST. JOSEPH'S SOUND, KAYAKS, PADDLE BOARDS, JET SKIS, BOATS, WIND SURFERS, YOU NAME IT, I'M ON THE WATER. I FISH, I DIVE, I DO EVERYTHING ON THE WATER. FOR SOMEONE TO SAY THE SEA GRASS
IS BEING DAMAGED IS TOTALLY INCORRECT. THE SEA GRASS HAS REBOUNDED IN THE LAST 10 YEARS, PROBABLY DUE TO CONSERVATION EFFORTS BY STORM WATER RUNOFF BEING CAPTURED, FERTILIZER BANS AND THINGS LIKE THAT YOU GO OUT THERE NOW,
BEFORE THE RAIN STARTED, THE WATER QUALITY WAS UNBELIEVABLE. IT WAS ALMOST KEYS LIKE IN ST. JOSEPH'S SOUND. THE NOTION THAT SEA GRASS IS BEING DAMAGED AND THERE'S NO WISH OR WILDLIFE, THERE'S SO MUCH BAIT OUT THERE, ALL KINDS
OF SCALED SARDINES, THE BIRDS WERE EATING THEM, THE ENVIRONMENT IS FINE. I WAS HERE IN 1990 WHEN ALL THIS STARTED YEARS AGO, NOBODY WANTED THE AREA WHERE WE'RE AT NOW, OR WE WERE. YOU KNOW, NOBODY WANTED TO GO
THERE BECAUSE OF THE ROCKS, AND BECAUSE OF ALL THE SPOILS FROM THE PERSON THAT THE CONDO DEVELOPER THAT WANTED TO DEVELOP DUNEDIN BEACH AS IF WAS CALLED
BACK THEN WHICH MADE CLEARWATER BEACH LOOK TERRIBLE. DUNEDIN BEACH WAS GORGEOUS. I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS THAT THE ENVIRONMENT REALLY ISN'T BEING IMPACTED BY MOTORIZED WATER CRAFT. YOU KNOW, THERE'S PEOPLE THAT
LIKE TO GO OUT THERE ON THE WEEK G DAYS AFTER WORK, GO OUT AND ENJOY WHAT DUNEDIN IS ALL BACK. WE'RE A WATERFRONT COMMUNITY, THAT'S WHAT WE ARE, WE'RE NOT GOING A BEER GARDEN FOR DOWNTOWN
CRAFT BREWERIES, THAT'S A FAD. WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE THE WATER, THAT IS WHAT DUNEDIN IS ALL ABOUT, I THINK PEOPLE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO DOWN THERE AND ENJOY IT. THERE'S MAYBE SOME SOLUTIONS WE CAN COME UP WITH LIKE WE DID
BACK IN 1990. WE WERE TOLD BACK THEN IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE, SO WE TOOK THE AREA WE'RE AT NOW, AND -- BECAUSE NOBODY WANTED IT BACK THEN, BECAUSE IT WAS SO ROCKY AND HARD TO LAUNCH. MAYBE EVEN CONSIDER MAKING A LAUNCH AREA, AN EXCLUSIVE LAUNCH
AREA, RIGHT BY THE BIG DRAW BRIDGE, MAYBE 50 YARDS PAST THE BIG DRAW BRIDGE, THAT'S THE DEEPEST WATER THERE, YOU CAN LAUNCH AND RECOVER AT FRIDAY TIDE AND NOT DAMAGE ANYTHING RIGHT THERE. >> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU, MARK. GOOD TO KNOW YOU WERE THERE WHEN
THIS FIRST HAPPENED. >> ABSOLUTE I, I WAS HERE THEN. >> Mayor Freaney: RITA FOLEY, AND AFTER THAT, WILL BE RANDY CABRERA. >> GOOD EVENING, RITA FOLEY, 700
MEASE PLAZA, UNIT 342, DUNEDIN. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO RESPECTFULLY URGE YOU TO ADOPT ORDINANCE 26-08 TO RESTRICT MOTORIZED LAUNCHING AT THE DUNEDIN CAUSEWAY BEACH.
AS AN ANNUAL PASS HOLDER AND FREQUENT VISITOR TO HONEYMOON ISLAND, I CROSS THE CAUSEWAY SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK. THIS REGULAR OBSERVATION OF JET SKIS ON THE WATER MAKES ONE
THING CLEAR, ALTERNATIVE LAUNCH SPOTS ALREADY EXIST IN THE SURROUNDING REGION. BECAUSE THIS CRAFT HAVE OTHER WAYS TO ACCESS THE WATER, IT'S UNNECESSARY TO ALLOW THEM TO DAMAGE THE FRAGILE SHALLOW WATERWAYS IMMEDIATELY
SURROUNDING OUR CAUSEWAY. IN ADDITION TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES WHICH HAVE BEEN HASHED TO DEATH TONIGHT, THIS IS A MATTER OF CRITICAL PUBLIC SAFETY. THE CAUSEWAY IS A HAVEN FOR FAMILIES, SWIMMERS, KAYAKERS,
SAILORS AND MOTORBOATS. THEY CANNOT SAFELY CO EXIST IN THE SAME NARROW LAUNCH ZONES AS HIGH SPEED MOTORIZED WATER CRAFT. WHEN READING THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE, AND I DID READ IT, AND ALL OF THE SUPPORTING MATERIALS, I WAS STRUCK BY THE REPORT REGARDING PUBLIC SAFETY.
WHICH SAID, DATA PROVIDED BY THE PINELLAS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE IDENTIFIED APPROXIMATELY 80 JET SKI RELATED INCIDENTS BETWEEN JANUARY 2022 AND APRIL 2026. REPORTED INCIDENTS INCLUDED
LAUNCHING IN UNAUTHORIZED ZONES, OPERATION WITHIN SWIM AREAS, VIOLATIONS OF NONMOTORIZED ZONES, SPEEDING AND WAKE RELATED CONCERNS, AND UNSAFE OPERATION NEAR PASSIVE RECREATIONAL USERS. I AM WELL AWARE FROM VARIOUS
POSTS ON FACEBOOK THAT OUTSIDE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS HAVE RALLIED THEIR MEMBERS TO SHOW UP HERE TONIGHT TO VOICE THEIR OPPOSITION VIEWS. THIS INCLUDES OWNERS OF A JET SKI RENTAL BUSINESS IN A NEARBY COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS A GROUP
ASSOCIATED WITH A NONPINELLAS COUNTY AREA CODE, WHO BY THEIR OWN DESCRIPTION ON THEIR OWN FACEBOOK PAGE CONSIDER THEMSELVES ENTHUSIASTS WHO SPECIALIZE IN "ANTICS, THEATRICS AND STUNT SPECTACULARS."
I URGE THIS COUNCIL TO RECOGNIZE THAT THESE AGGRESSIVE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS DO NOT REPRESENT THE MAJORITY OF THE CITIZENS WHO ACTUALLY LIVE IN DUNEDIN. I STRONG YOU URGE YOU TO LISTEN TO THE VOICES OF THE CITIZENS OF DUNEDIN.
I ASK THAT YOU PRIORITIZE THE PROTECTION OF MARINE LIFE, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, PRIORITIZE THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN LIFE. PLEASE ADOPT ORDINANCE 26-08 TO MAKE AN UNLAWFUL FOR ANY PERSON TO LAUNCH OR LAND ANY MOTORIZED
WATER CRAFT ON OR FROM THE >> Mayor Freaney: OKAY, I HAVE RANDY CABRERA AND DONNA LOSSCEE. >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY --
>> Mayor Freaney: NAME AND ADDRESS. >> FIVE GENERATIONS BORN AND RAISED IN DUNEDIN. I LIVE IN NEW PORT RICHEY, 32452. FIVE GENERATIONS BORN AND
RAISED. MY GRANDFATHER S TOOK ME TO DUNN CAUSEWAY WHEN I WAS YOUNGER OFF OF A JOHN BOAT. I'VE RAISED FAMILY THERE. WE HOSTED BEACH CLEANUPS THERE. GENTLEMEN MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT THE EROSION CAUSED BY THE
VEHICLES. I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYBODY FAILS TO REALIZE IT. 50 YARDS FROM THAT SHORELINE IS ONE OF THE HEAVIEST TRAFFICKED AREAS TO AND FROM THE GULF. FROM KAYAKS TO YACHTS TO
COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN. EVERY TIME A BOAT GOES THROUGH THERE, WE HAVE WAVES SLAMMING AGAINST THE COASTLINE THAT IS CAUSING EROSION. A HURRICANE COMES AND IT WILL WIPE OUT EVERYTHING WE'VE DONE TO THAT BEACH. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH JET
SKI. I'VE HEARD IT ABOUT A HUNDRED TYPES. THIS IS NOT A JET SKI PROBLEM OR A VESSEL LAUNCHING PROBLEM. IT'S A COMMUNITY PROBLEM, THAT I THINK WE CAN COME TOGETHER AND SOLVE AND FIX. WE'RE GOING TO USE OUR PLATFORM TO CONTINUE TO GO BEACH
CLEANUPS, INCLUDING DUNN CAUSEWAY, WHICH WE'VE DONE MANY TYPES, ISLAND CLEANUPS, SANDBAR CLEANUPS. WE'VE PARTNERED WITH DIPAK IS AND PROMINENT PEOPLE IN THE INDUSTRY TO HELP US CLEAN THESE AREAS, KEEP THEM CLEAN, AND
CONTINUE TO LET THAT AREA THRIVE. IT'S ALL PROTECTED. I LOVE THAT.
THIS IS ALL MY KID KNOWS. WE WOULD GO ON I RANDOM WEDNESDAY AND CALL IT P.E. CLASS AND THAT WAS AWESOME. NOW IT'S GOING TO BE STRIPPED WEA. THIS IS JEAN RATIONAL. THIS IS NOT A JET SKI PROBLEM. THIS IS AN EDUCATIONAL PLEP. I'LL DO MY PART AS AN ADVOCATE
AND AMBASSADOR TO THIS INDUSTRY. NOT TO JET SKIS. I'M ALL FOR KAYAK BEING. A BOTTOM COMING THROUGH THE
CHANNEL IS CREATING A WAKE. A BOAT GOING 30 MILES AN HOUR CAN BARELY SEE A KAYAKER. THIS IS NOT ABOUT SEA GRASS.
IF AH LOU THAT TO BE A SWIM ONLY AREA, ARE YOU GOING TO ALLOW VEHICLES TO PULL UP THERE AND SET UP THEIR TEN TENTS AND BARBE THERE AND SET UP THEIR CHAIRS? THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC IN THAT AREA IS JUST AS HEAVY AS IT WAS
BEFORE. THEY'RE JUST LAUNCHING FROM OTHER LOCATIONS. THE AMOUNT OF TOURS AND GUIDES, YOU KNOW, JET SKI RENTALS, NOTHING HAS CHANGED. THEY'RE JUST LAUNCHING FROM OTHER AREAS. IT'S RECOVERED FROM THE HURRICANE DAMAGE. >> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU, RANDY. >> THANK YOU.
NEXT IS DON AND ON DECK IS NICK WADDLE, NEXT WILL BE MICHELLE BENBAWN. >> GOOD EVENING.
DONNA LOSSSKI, 1650 KIRK LAFNEDD CIRCLE, DUNEDIN, FLORIDA. THE CAUSEWAY IS QUIET, PEACEFUL. IT'S FOR FAMILIES, KAYAKING, PADDLEBOARDERS AND IT'S JUST PEACEFUL. I'VE BEEN OUT AND I'M AN ANNUAL
HOLDER OF THE BEACH PASS FOR HOHONEYMOON ISLAND. OVER THE LAST TWO MONTHS, I'VE WITNESSED JET SKIS COMING DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO THE SHORELINE ALONG THE NORTH BEACH AND MAIN BEACH. THERE WAS SIX JET SKIS.
A GENTLEMAN STAYED FURTHER AWAY, BUT THERE WAS TWO COUPLES AND IT APPEARED THAT THE WOMEN WANTED TO CHANGE WITH THEIR BOY FRIENDS SO THAT THEY COULD DRIVE THE WAY BACK HOME. THEY CAME DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO THE SHORE AND THEIR JET SKIS WERE WASHING INTO THE BEACH
WHERE PEOPLE WERE SWIMMING. SO, OBVIOUSLY, THEY'RE NOT PAYING ANY ATTENTION TO THE RULES AND IT'S THE NOISE. IT'S NOT A PEACEFUL PLACE TO BE ANYMORE. SO, THEY ARE LAUNCHING FROM OTHER B PLACES.
NO ONE HAS MENTIONED THE DUNN MARINA WHICH IS UNDER REPAIRS RIGHT NOW FOR BOAT LAUNCHES AND YOU CAN ALSO LAUNCH YOUR JET SKIS FROM THERE. I DON'T SEE WHY OR ANY REASON THAT YOU HAVE TO DISTURB THE DDUNN CAUSEWAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU. NICK WADDLE IS NEXT. ON DECK IS MICHELLE BURNBON. >> I'M NICK WADDLE, 219 U.S. HIGHWAY 17 IN CLEARWATER.
I'M NICK WADDLE, THE GENERAL MANAGER OF CYCLE SPRINGS AUTO SPORTS. WE'RE A FOURTH GENERATION AUTOMOTIVE GROUP THAT HAS SERVED PIN COUNTY FOR OVER A HUNDRED YEARS. WE KNOW PEOPLE VALUE COMMUNITY,
RELATIONSHIPS AND SHARED EXPERIENCES. WE'VE SEEN HOW EASILY ISOLATED EXPERIENCES CAN SHAPE PERCEPTIONS OF A MUCH MUCH LARGER GROUP. AS YOU CONSIDER THE FUTURE OF
THE DUNN CAUSEWAY-DWCH MY E-- I HAVEFOUND THE STRONGEST SF COMMUNITY AND CONTRIBUTIONS THAT RECEIVE THE LEAST ATTENTION. DURING MY TIME AT CYCLE SPRINGS,
I'VE PERSONALLY WATCHED MEMBERS TO STEP UP TO SERVE BOTH THE GREATER COMMUNITY AND ONE ANOTHER. WE HAVE HAD CLEANUP RIDES INCLUDING 30-50 WATERCRAFTS, WHERE PEOPLE WOULD SPEND THE DAY COLLECTING TRASH. WHEN GIVEN THE CHOICE, I'LL ALWAYS SUPPORT OPPORTUNITIES FOR
PEOPLE TO LEAD, SERVE AND STRENGTHEN THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY VALUE. SECOND, PLEASE CONSIDER THE VALUE OF SHARED EXPERIENCES. CULTURE FOCUSED ON POSITIVE EXPERIENCES AND THE RELATIONSHIPS THOSE EXPERIENCES CREATE IS IMPORTANT TO THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY. SHARED MOMENTS CONNECT PEOPLE,
FOSTER BELONGING AND CREATE LASTING JOY. PEOPLE WILL FORGET WHAT YOU SAID, PEOPLE WILL FORGET WHAT YOU DID, BUT PEOPLE WILL NEVER FORGET HOW PE YOU MADE PEOPLE F. PLEASE CONSIDER THE TULG IMPACT
OF RESPONSIBLE ACCESS. I RECOGNIZE CONCERNS ABOUT SAFETY, CONGESTION AND THE CONDUCT OF INDIVIDUAL RIDERS, THOSE CONCERNS DESERVE CONSIDERATION. AT THE SAME TIME, THE ACTIONS OF A SELECT FEW SHOULD NOT GIEN AN
ENTIRE COMMUNITY. PERSONAL WATERCRAFT PROVIDE A MEANINGFUL BENEFIT. LAST YEAR, WE GENERATED MORE
THAN 9.6 MILLION IN PERSONAL WAWATERCRAFT REVENUE. THOSE TRANSACTION IS PRODUCED SURTAX AND COUNTY FEES THAT SUPPORT PROGRAMS, INCLUDING MARINE TURTLE PROTECTION AND THE SAVE THE MANATEE TRUST FUND.
WE'RE INVESTING IN MORE THEN A 30,000 SQUARE FOOT OF RETAIL AND SERVICE FACILITY ON U.S. 19, SUPPORTING JOBS, WORKFORCE, PROPERTY TAX REVENUE, LOCAL FEES, AND SURROUNDING PROPERTY VALUES. THE ISSUE BEFORE YOU EXTENDS
BEYOND THE SALES AND SERVICE ON WATERCRAFT. IT'S ABOUT RIDERS THAT BUILD COMMUNITY. IF YOU TAKE ONE THING AWAY FROM MY COMMENTS TONIGHT, I HOPE IT'S THIS. SUPPORTING RESPONSIBLE ACCESS STRENGTHEN IS COMMUNITY, FOSTERS --
>> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU, NICK. >> THANK YOU. >> Mayor Freaney: MICHELLE BURNBON IS NEXT. BEFORE YOU START, MICHELLE, I'VE GOT TWO -- CHRISTINA CRTER IS CS
WAVING SPEAKING, BUT SHE'S AGAINST AND SHE'S FROM TAMPA. THEN, I HAVE LEWIS CARTER, WHO IS ALSO FROM TAMPA WHO IS WAVING SPEAKING. SO, NOW I GO TO MICHELLE.
>> AND WHAT WAS LEWIS? >> Mayor Freaney: AGAINST. SORRY, AGAINST. >> HI. GOOD EVENING. MICHELLE BURN BS BON 330 PROMENADE DRIVE, DUNN. THE REASON I'M HERE TONIGHT IS
THE WHEN I MOVED TO DUNN, I FOUND THIS COMMUNITY TREASURED ITS WILD PLACES. AND ONE OF THOSE FIRST WILD PLACES THAT I SAW HAD BEEN RESCUED WAS HAMMOCK PARK.
HAMMOCK PARK IS AN INCREDIBLE ENVIRONMENTAL TREAT WHERE YOU CAN WALK THROUGH GIANT OAK PATHS WITH THE MOSS RINGING. YOU DON'T HEAR THE CARS OR THE NOISE SURROUNDING.
OF I IT'S THE ONLY PLACE WHERE E
BUSHES GROW IN ANY SIGNIFICANT YOU SEE THE CLOUDS AND THE BIRDS, AND YOU TRY TO IDENTIFY EACH SPECIES OF BIRD THAT YOU SEE THERE.
YOU WALK THAT CAUSEWAY AND YOU MEET OTHER PEOPLE AND THEIR FAMILIES, WHO ARE ENJOYING THAT SPIRITUAL JOY OF THAT PEACEFUL, BEAUTIFUL PLACE. IT'S A REFUGE FOR PEOPLE TO
RECOVER AND EXPLORE THAT WORLD SOMEWHERE YOU DON'T SEE ANYWHERE ELSE IN THIS AREA. SO, PRESERVING WHAT'S THERE ON THE CAUSEWAY IN TERMS OF THE
PEACEFULNESS AND THE PLACE WHERE WILD AN MELS CAN THRIVE, I THINK IS IMPORTANT AND SOMETHING WE
NEED TO PRESERVE. WHEN WE PRESERVED HAMMOCK AND GLADYS DOUGLAS, WE KNEW THAT WAS A PART OF A FUTURE THAT DIDN'T STOP THE DAY THAT WE MADE THAT DECISION. WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING ALONG THE CAUSEWAY AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SEA GRASS,
IT'S MORE THAN SEA GRASS. WHAT IF WE WANT TO IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT IN MORE BROADER WAYS SO WE CAN BRING OUR CHILDREN THERE SO THEY CAN SEE AND FEEL WHAT THAT SORT OF ENVIRONMENT SHOULD BE LIKE.
YES, THE CAUSEWAY WAS CONSTRUCTED, BUT GUESS WHAT? WE CAN PLANT NATIVE PLANT SPECIES. WE CAN ADD MANGROVES, WHICH ARE VERY GOOD AT PRESERVING LAND FROM DAMAGE OF HURRICANES.
>> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU, MICHELLE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. STEPHEN GARDENIA AND THEN MIKE PAP PAPIANO IS ON DECK, AND
AFTER THAT, CAVITY KATHLEEN SEA. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. STEPHEN GARDENIA, I'M FROM CLEARWATER, FLORIDA. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY MY EXPERIENCE. MY MOTHER MOVED ME TO DUNN,
FLORIDA, IN 1993 FOR A BETTER LIFE. THE DUNN CAUSEWAY WAS ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WHY WE MOVED HERE. I LEARNED HOW TO RIDE MY FIRST JET SKI WHEN I WAS 15 YEARS OLD IN 1995 AT DUNN CAUSEWAY.
I'VE GONE THERE FOR FISHING. I'VE GONE OUT IN FOR JUST HANGING OUT AND ENJOY THE TIMES OUT THERE. YOU KNOW, THE JOY IT'S BROUGHT ME AND MY FAMILY FOR THE WEEKENDS WHEN I CAN BRING MY SON, MY SON'S FRIENDS, MY MOTHER, MY STEPFATHER, MY
SISTER, WE GO OUT THERE, WE BARBECUE, BRING SOME SANDWICHES, RIDE THE JET SKI MANY IT'S A .IT'S A GREAT SPOT. IT'S W WHAT ATTRACTED ME AND MY FAMILY TO DUNN.
NOT EVERYBODY CAN AFFORD A BOAT. THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE OUT THERE ARE RESPECTFUL, THEY DO CLEAN UP THEIR TRASH, THEY DO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHEN THEY'RE OUT-OF-LINE. WHEN THEY'RE DRIVING THROUGH WAKE ZONE, THEY LET THEM KNOW
THEY CAN'T DO THAT IT'S A MANMADE CAUSEWAY, IT'S MAIN FOR RECREATION, AND IT'S MADE OF CONCRETE AND BLOCK. YOU CAN WALK 10 FEET OFF OF THE SHORELINE AND DIG DOWN PROBABLY SIX INCHES AND THERE'S CONCRETE UNDER THERE. SO, I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW
SEA GRASS IS GOING TO THRIVE WHEN THERE'S LITERALLY CONCRETE AND BLOCK UNDERNEATH IT. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LESS THAN 10% OF THE CAUSEWAY. LESS THAN 10%. IT'S A THREE MILE CAUSEWAY, IT'S .3 MILES OF THE SECTION, AND IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BOTH SIDES,
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FIVE PERCENT OF THE CAUSEWAY. DREDGE IT AFTER THE HURRICANES, THE DREDGING ON HONEY MOON HONEN ISLAND, THAT DIDN'T GET HURT.
I HAD TO WALK ALL THE WAY TO A TRASH CAN ON A WEDNESDAY. IT WASN'T EVEN A WEEKEND. THOSE TALKING ABOUT THE TRASH, THAT'S THE ISSUE, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH TRASH CANS OUT THERE. JET SKIS HAVE INPELLERS.
I CAN'T SEE HOW THEY CAN SERIOUSLY HURT THE SEA GRASS AS THEY DID. BUT ALSO, THE ECONOMY. PEOPLE COME OUT THERE AFTER THEY LEAVE THERE, THEY GO TO RESTARESTAURANTS IN DUNN, THEY O SHOPS IN DUNN, THEY USE THE GAS STATIONS IN DUNN. ALL OF THAT IS GOING TO GO AWAY.
I AM FOR IF WOULD BE A SOLUTION AS A REGISTRATION PROCESS. IF I HAD TO PAY TO GO OUT THERE'S I WOULD DO IT, THEN IF YOU HAVE A REGISTRATION PROCESS, YOU CAN ALSO TRACK THE INDIVIDUALS THAT AREN'T FOLLOWING THE RUIZ AND THE LAWS, AND YOU KNOW KNOW WHAT THEY'RE
DOING. THERE'S CONSEQUENCES INVOLVED. I JUST FEEL THAT T THE MAJORITYF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIVED HERE THEIR WHOLE LIVES ARE FOR THE DUNN CAUSEWAY AND THE ONES THAT DON'T HAVE THE INFLUX OF PEOPLE WHO MOVED HER DURING COVID. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME MEMORIAL
THANK YOU. NEXT IS MICHAEL PA PALPIANO. >> GOOD EVENING.
THANK YOU FOR THE MEETING. GOOD EVENING TO THE COMMISSIONERS AND THE STAFF. >> Mayor Freaney: NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. >> YES. SORRY. MICHAEL PARLPIANO. I LIVE AT 2700 BAYSHORE BOULEVARD IN DUNN. I'VE LIVED HERE FOR 20 YEARS.
I'D LIKE TO COMMEND THESE FOLKS ON MY RIGHT AND ON MY LEFT FOR OUR TERRIFIC PRESENTATION OF THE FACTS.
THEY'RE FACTS. 435 CONDOMINIUM UNITS ON BAYSHORE BOULEVARD. WE'RE ON THE EAST SIDE OF
ST. JOSEPH'S SOUNDS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CAUSEWAY FROM THIS LAUNCH RAMP. LAUNCH AREA, IT'S NOT A RAMP. I'VE HEARD SOME STATEMENTS MADE. I'VE BEEN BOATING SINCE I WAS 14 YEARS OLD, THE DELAWARE RIVER AND THE JERSEY SHORE. WHAT YOU FOLKS ARE DOING ON THE
CAUSEWAY, IF YOU DID IT ON THE JERSEY SHORE, YOU'D BE IN JAIL AND NEVER GET OUT. I'M SERIOUS. YOU TOUCH SEA GRASS, YOU TOUCH THE BEACH, YOU LAUNCH FROM THE BEACH, YOU DO ALL OF THE THINGS THAT THESE FOLKS WANT TO DO HERE AND YOU WOULD BE CRUCIFIED
BECAUSE IT'S A FRAGILE AREA. WE SURVIVED HURRICANE SANDY. THE BEACH DIDN'T. IT'S GONE, BUT THE SEA GRASS SAVED MOST OF THE HOMES THAT WERE ALONG THE SHORELINE IN MOST OF THE AREAS. THIS BEACH IS PRECIOUS ON THE
CAUSEWAY. AS A PERSON, I HAVE A TRAILER AND A TRAILER BOAT, AND I'VE LAUNCHED. I'LL ADMIT, I'VE USED THAT AREA ONCE. ONCE. I HAVE AN 18-FOOT OUTBOARD AND IT TEARS THINGS UP AND IT'S TOO
SOFT. NOW, LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS ABOUT QUALITY OF LIFE. COUPLE OF THINGS WERE SAID TONIGHT AND AGAIN, AS A BOATER, SOMEONE SAID HE WAITED FOUR HOURS AT A LAUNCH RAMP. FOUR HOURS. I HAVE NEVER WAITED AT A LAUNCH
RAMP FOR FOUR HOURS EVER. AND ON TOP OF THAT, ANOTHER GENTLEMAN SAID HE WAS RUNNING HIS JET SKI FIVE FEET FROM THE SHORELINE AND THAT WASN'T A PROBLEM AND IT DIDN'T DISTURB THE SEA GRASS OR WHATEVER. UNFORTUNATELY, ON THE SOUTH SIDE
OF THE CAUSEWAY, THAT'S AN OFFENSE. YOU CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE THERE'S BUOYS THERE THAT DIRECT YOU AWAY FROM AREAS THAT ARE MANNED BY OR USED BY SWIMMERS AND BOATERS AND OTHER THINGS.
ONE MORE THING AND I'M GOING TO CLOSE. I ONLY HAVE 30 SECONDS LEFT. WE HAVE 1,000 FEET OF MANAGE MANGROVEAND BEACH AT MEDITERRANN MANNERS. WE SPEND $89,000 A YEAR TO MAINTAIN THAT.
IT'S REALLY NICE TO SU WATCH THE SUNSET UNTIL SIX JET SKIS RIPPING THROUGH THERE AT SUNDOWN. THIS LAUNCH AREA IS USED BY MANY PEOPLE. IT'S VERY CLOSE TO OUR COVE AND WE HAVE PROBLEMS THERE WITH
THAT. >> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. >> Mayor Freaney: OKAY, KATHLEEN SEAGROVE IS A WAVE SPEAKING, UNLESS SHE JUMPS UP THERE AND SHE'S AGAINST, AND SHE'S A DUNEDIN RESIDENT.
SO, NEXT IS JACKIE NIGRIL. >> I LIVE AT 9 HAGUE PLACE NUMBER 502, DUNEDIN, 34698.
I'M A CAUSEWAY RESIDENT FOR 22 YEARS AND VICE PRESIDENT OF ROYAL STEWARD ARMS CONDOMINIUM COMMUNITY SITUATED AT THE WEST END OF THE CAUSEWAY. WE SUPPORT YOUR PROPOSED
AMENDMENT. STOPPING THE LAUNCHING OF MOTORIZED WATERCRAFT FROM DUNEDIN CAUSEWAY WOULD BE AN ENHANCEMENT TO THE AREA, WHICH WOULD RESULT IN LESS VEHICLE AND TRAILER TRAFFIC AND WOULD ALLOW
FOR CLEANER, OIL-FREE SEA WATER AT BEACH AREAS FOR BOTH SEA LIFE AND VISITORS, AND WOULD REDUCE NEGATIVE AND ENVIRONMENTAL NOISE IMPACT.
ALSO, IT WOULD ALLOW FOR ADDITIONAL BEACH SPACE FOR AN EVER INCREASING NUMBER OF VISITORS AND PROVIDE SAFETY FOR VISITORS, PADDLERS AND SWIMMERS OF ALL AGES AND THE LACK OF AGE.
THE LACK OF NOISE WOULD CREATE A MORE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, THUS, PROTECTING WILD AND WATER LIFE. ADDITIONALLY, THE SHORELINE WOULD BE PROTECTED FROM SAND DISPLACEMENT QAWSED BY HEAVY WATER TRAFFIC BEING UNLOADED AND
RELOADED FROM AND TO TRAILERS. A BEACH IS NOT DESIGNED TO CREATE SAFETY AND HEALTH HAGS DISORDERS WITH THE INTER MINGLING OF VEHICLES, WATERCRAFT, AND VISITORS. NO, A COMMUNITY BEACH IS A
NATURAL COMMODITY TO BE ENJOYED BY ALL ITS VISITORS, NOT A PARKING LOT FOR TRAILERS AND LAUNCHING MOTORIZED WATERCRAFT.
ANOTHER THING, DON'T BUY ICE CREAM ON A SATURDAY OR SUNDAY COMING FROM PUBLIX. >> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU, JACKIE. WORDS OF WISDOM. PRISCILLA. SHE IS UNDECIDED ABOUT SPEAKING.
SHE IS AGAINST. PRISCILLA? YOU WANT TO COME UP? SHE'S AGAINST. >> WHERE DOES SHE LIVE? >> NEW PORT RICHEY. OKAY, DAVE PAULIE WILL BE NEXT, AND BRYAN RODRIGUEZ IS NEXT, AND
THEN JIM LIPPERT. >> MY NAME IS DAVE PAULIE, I LIVE AT 23598 GARY CIRCLE. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE-MAYOR, AND COMMISSIONERS. I'M HERE TO EXTEND MY NORTH TO
26-08 CONCERNING THE LAUNCHING OF WATERCRAFT. DECISIONS, WHEN INVOLVING LARGE
GROUPS OF PEOPLE, I KNOW ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO MAKE. YOU HAVE NOT APPROACHED THIS AS JUST A GOOD OR A BAD ISSUE. YOU SEARCHED FOR FACTS AND LOGIC, AND STAFF HEARD AND PUT
TOGETHER THOSE FOR YOU. YOU DIDN'T RUBBER STAMP THIS ISSUE AS EVIDENCED BY STATISTICS AND FACTS YOU HAD BROUGHT FORWARD AS SUPPORT. I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT I AM MOST IMPRESSED WITH THE TIME
CONSUMING AND CONSIDERATE MANNER IN WHICH YOU APPROACHED AND JUSTIFIED YOUR POSITION. I THINK YOU ALL HAVE MADE EVERY EFFORT TO SUPPORT YOUR FINDINGSS
WITH AN OPEN MIND AND I WANT TO EXTEND MY SINCERE THANKS FOR YOUR PROFESSIONAL AND HONEST APPROACH ON THIS ISSUE. I HOPE EACH OF YOU WILL SUPPORT THIS AMENDMENT. THANK YOU. >> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU, DAVE. BRYAN RODRIGUEZ IS NEXT.
ON DECK IS JIM LIPPERT. BRYAN? OKAY. NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, THREE MINUTES. >> BRYAN RODRIGUEZ, 7421 DONALD
STREET, NEW PORT RICHEY, FLORIDA. I WASN'T GOING TO SPEAK, BUT CALL ANY INSPIRED. I'M LEARY THOUGH. ALMOST EVERY PERSON ON THIS SIDE OF THE SPECTRUM WHO IS AGAINST THIS ORDINANCE HAS CALLED FOR COMPROMISE AND NOT ONE OF THESE PEOPLE ARE CALLING FOR COMPROMISE.
I GREW UP IN NEW YORK CITY. I'VE BEEN AROUND SOME MAJOR FIGURE HE HE HEADS IN SEPARATIOD I PERSONALLY SPOKE TO NELSON MANDELA IN THE UNITED NATIONS. EVERYTHING CAME WITH A COMPROMISE. THAT'S HOW AMERICA WORKS. WE HAVEN'T THAT FROM THIS SIDE
OF THE SPECTRUM. WE SIT HERE AND SAY, OKAY, THINGS NEED TO GET DONE, THINGS NEED TO CHANGE. I UNDERSTAND IT. I WAS A DUMB-DUMB ON A SKI MOVING FORWARD AND FROM THAT POINT FORWARD, I TALK.
WE MESS UP, WE LEARN AND WE FIX IT. THAT'S HOW I TEACH MY CHILDREN. YOU MESS UP, YOU OWN UP, AND YOU MOVE FORWARD THE PROPER WAY. THAT'S WHAT WE'VE GOT TO DO HERE. IT'S NOT RIGHT TO CUT EVERYBODY OFF OF THAT ACCESS TO A MANMADE BRIDGE.
IT DOESN'T MAKE SINCE. SEA GRASS IS NOT IN EFFECT THERE ANYWAY. IT'S 200 FEET. THEY HAVE A LOT OF FOOT TRAFFIC ON THE OTHER END OF THE BRIDGE. THE TRAFFIC IS NOT GOING TO STOP. THEY'RE BUILDING MORE AND MORE CONDOS ON THE OTHER END ANYWAYS. I'S NOT GOING TO GET ANY
BETTER. THAT'S THE PRICE OF MOVING TO FLORIDA IS. IT'S OKAY THAT THIS HAS COME TO ATTENTION. WE DO NEED TO BE, I WANT TO SAY, MORE RELIABLE IN CLEANING UP THE
TRASH BECAUSE WE'VE ALL BEEN A PART OF IT AND I TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AS WELL. I'M NOT SAYING IT'S PERFECT, BUT IT'S GOTTEN WAY BETTER. THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE I HAVE TALKED TO AND MET HAVE OPENED MY EYES AS TO WHAT LIFE CAN BE
SINCE I MOVED FROM NEW YORK CITY, AND IT DOESN'T MAKE SINCE THAT THERE'S NO COMPROMISE. IT DOES MAKE SENSE TO HAVE A TOLL THIS TO BRING MONEY INTO THE COMMUNITY SO THAT THINGS LIKE THIS CAN BE ADDRESSED IN FUTURE AREAS. WE DO THAT AT SUNSET BEACH ALL THE TIME. IT'S A HUNDRED BUCKS FOR THE
WHOLE YEAR. NOBODY WILL ARGUE ABOUT THAT. IT'S A GOOD INVESTMENT FOR THE COMMUNITY. WE ALL FOCUS -- IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT JET SKIS, IT WENT FROM MOTORIZED VEHICLES TO JET SKIS.
THE TOPIC HAS CHANGED SUBJECTS ABOUT 50 TIMES NOW TO JET SKIS. I SAVE SAVE BOATS. IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ARGUE. WE HAVE TO BE A COMMUNITY.
THIS ISN'T ABOUT BUILDING WALLS. IT'S ABOUT BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND BRIDGES. WE CAN COME TOGETHER OUT OF THIS BETTER. WE DON'T HAVE TO BE SEPARATED ON IT. THERE CAN BE A COMPROMISE. THANK YOU. >> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU, BRYAN.
JIM LIPPERT AND ON DECK WOULD BE RICH MASTERBERNIE. THIS IS JIM. ARE YOU JIM? >> I'M RICH. >> Mayor Freaney: DO WE HAVE JIM HERE? NO, OKAY.
HE IS DUNEDIN AND HE IS FOR. LOOKS LIKE HE'S FOR. THAT'S TO BE INTERPRETED. HE'S DARKLY MARKS ONE AND LIGHTLY MARKED AGAINST. SO, THAT'S IN THE NOT SURE PILE. RICH?
SO I DIDN'T DO TOO BAD? >> MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU. >> Mayor Freaney: NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD SO YOU CAN TELL ME HOW I SHOULD HAVE SAID IT. >> RICH MASTERBERNIE, 1020 MARSHALL DRIVE, DUNEDIN, 34968.
THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. I SUPPORT THE PROPOSED PROHIBITION OF LAUNCHING MOTORIZED WATERCRAFTS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF DUNEDIN CAUSEWAY. BASICALLY, THE REASONS ARE I HAVE TWO, MAYBE THREE.
WE TALKED ABOUT SEA GRASS. WE TALKED ABOUT MARINE HABITAT, SO I WON'T GO INTO IT. I DID A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH ON IT, BUT I THINK ANYBODY WOULD BE DISINGENUOUS HERE THAT THEY DIDN'T ADMIT THAT SOME KIND OF DAMAGE IS BEING DONE BY HAVING
THESE WATERCRAFTS BEING PUSHED INTO THE WATER JUST AS WE ARE WALKING ON THE BEACH AND ALL KIND OF THINGS. SO, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE TO MITIGATE ANY TYPE OF DAMAGE THAT MIGHT BE DONE THERE. THE OTHER TWO REASONS ARE TO
IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY AND TO REDUCE CONGESTION. WE'VE ALL SEEN THE CROWDS. WE'RE GETTING CROWDED. I THINK REINTRODUCING THE MOTORIZED LAUNCHES FROM THE
SHORELINE COULD RESULT IN MORE CONGESTION, POTENTIAL CONFLICTS, COLLISIONS, ALL KI KINDS OF THI. JUST LOOK AT NEW SMYRNA BEACH, LOOK AT OTHER PLACES WHERE THIS KIND OF STUFF GOES ON.
BUT HERE'S THE RUB, AND I UNDERSTAND THIS. NOT EVERYBODY AGREES WITH THE ORDINANCE AND I UNDERSTAND. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT DECADE OF DOING SOMETHING, BRINGING UP YOUR FAMILIES. I GET IT. BUT I REMEMBER A TIME WHEN I
WENT TO THE AIRPORT AND THE TSA WAS NOT NECESSARY. I REMEMBER IT. I ALSO REMEMBER GETTING ON AN AIRPLANE AND ROWS ONE THROUGH 5 WERE NON-SMOKING AND ROWS 26
THROUGH 50 WERE SMOKING. WE DON'T DO THAT ANYMORE EITHER. AND WE DON'T DO IT BECAUSE FOR THE COMMON GOOD, FOR THE COMMON SENSE, FOR THE QUALITY OF LIFE. YOU KNOW, I HEAR PEOPLE SAY, I GUESS THERE'S ABOUT WHAT, 16
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE BOAT LAUNCHES WITHIN 10 MILES OF DUNEDIN. AND I KNOW THEY'RE CROWDED, BUT SO THE PUBLIX PARKING LOT, AND SO IS THE GYM I GO TO ON MAIN STREET, BUT I DON'T EXPECT
ANYONE TO SAY, LOOK, YOU CAN GO OUTSIDE IN THE PARKING LOT AND WORKOUT BECAUSE IT'S TOO CROWDED IN HERE. I FIND A WAY TO WORK AROUND IT. AND SO, THE RUDE REALITY OF THIS IS THIS. TIMES CHANGE AND THINGS CHANGE,
AND WE BECOME -- I MEAN, THERE'S JUST SO MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING FROM OUTSIDE, THAT ARE LIVING INSIDE AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. SO, I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD NOT HAVE THAT. >> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE, IT RICH.
THANK YOU. THE NEXT SPEAK SER ER IS KEITH SEAGRAVE, AND RICK IS ON DECK. >> MY NAME IS KEITH, I LIVE AT
1932 BARCELONA DRIVE IN DUNEDIN, FLORIDA, 34968. I THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO ABOUT WHY I'M SPEAKING AGAINST THIS ORDINANCE. THE ORDINANCE WE'RE DEBATING, THERE'S LANGUAGE THAT SAYS IT WILL REDUCE NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT. AND THERE'S A LOT OF TALK ABOUT
DISTURBANCE TO SEA LIFE AND SEA GRASS AND SHORELINE, BUT AS REFERENCED MANY TIMES HERE, COME ON, MAN, THE CAUSEWAY, IT'S A MANMADE STRUCTURE. MAKING THAT STRUCTURE HAS DONE MORE DAMAGE TO ST. JOSEPH'S SOUND THAN THAT WATERWAY THAN ONE JET SKI CAN DO.
SO, WHAT ARE WE REALLY TALKING ABOUT HERE? THE ACT OF BUILDING IT GOOD MORE DAMAGE. IT'S NOT NATURAL BY ITS OWN MAKING MANY ADDITIONALLY, JET SKIS ARE NOT THE ONLY GROUPS THAT ARE USING THE CAUSEWAY THAT HAVE AN AFFECT ON SEA LIFE. ANYONE OR ANYTHING THAT GOES IN THAT WATER CAN DAMAGE GRASS AND
PEOPLE HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT AND SAID THAT. THERE'S STILL GOING TO BE TONS OF BOATS THAT GOES THROUGH THAT CHANNEL. THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT. AND THERE'S GOING TO BE PEOPLE SWIMMING, KAYAKING. ALL OF THAT HAS AN IMPACT. IF YOU TRULY WANT TO RETURN TO THAT NATURAL STATE, IF IT'S REALLY ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT, IN
MY OPINION, YOU CAN DO ONE OF TWO THINGS. PREVENT ALL PEOPLE FROM GOING INTO THE WATER OR TEAR DOWN THE CAUSEWAY. I KNOW THAT SOUNDS ABSURD, BUT THAT ABSURDITY IS HOW ABSURD ACAITIS THAT YOU ALL ARE SINGLIT
ONE GROUP THAT HAS A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE THAT FIND ENJOYMENT USING JET SKIS ON THE CAUSEWAY. THERE WAS TAI GENTLEMAN THAT WAS TALKING ABOUT THIS, BUT THERE'S STUDIES THAT ARE PUBLIC RECORD THAT SHOWS YOU CAN FOCUS ON REDUCING MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF HERBICIDES AND PESTICIDES THAT
GOES INTO THE WATERWAYS THAT HAVE A BETTER IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT. YOU KNOW WHAT, WE DID BUILD THE CAUSEWAY. WE DID IT AND IT'S A CAUSEWAY, NOT A BEACH. >> I A MANMADE ROAD TO ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BEACHES IN THE WORLD AND I THINK WE WOULD
ALL AGREE ON THAT. THE BENEFIT IS LISTED THAT THE PURPOSE OF HAVING A CAUSEWAY IS IT'S CRITICAL TO THE RECREATIONAL WELL-BEING. IF THAT CAUSEWAY IS CRITICAL TO
RECREATIONAL WELL-BEING, THEN IT SHOULD BE FOR ALL PEOPLE THAT COME HERE AND SUPPORT. NOT TO PEOPLE WHO THINK PEOPLE SHOULD BE WALKING, KAYAKING, SWIMMING OR IT SHOULD BE QUIETER. IT SHOULD BE FOR ALL PEOPLE. I THINK THERE'S CLEARLY A REASONABLE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT WE GET EN
JOIMGETENJOIMENT OUT OF IT. SINGLING OUT A GROUP OF PEOPLE AND LET'S BENEFIT THE WALKERS AND THE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO SWIM AND KAYAK AND IT'S NOT FAIR.
ME PERSONALLY, I FIND ENJOYMENT. I FIND PEACE LAUNCHING FROM THE CAUSEWAY GONING TO THE ISLAND. I'VE TRIED IT FROM CLEARWATER SINCE 2024, I'VE DONE IT ONCE BECAUSE IT'S A LONG DRIVE AND THE CAUSEWAY IS THE ONLY WAY TO GET THAT ENJOYMENT. THANK YOU. >> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU,
KEITH. RICH S.
>> I'M RICH, LIVED AT 212 EDGEWASTEWATER DRIVE, DUNEDIN, ON THE CAUSEWAY. I'M A 35 YEAR RESIDENT ON THE CAUSEWAY AND IN THE TOWERS. I SUPPORT YOUR BAN, BUT THAT'S THE EASY PART. HOW DID WE GET TO THIS POINT
WHERE YOU HAVE TO BAN THOSE PEOPLE? BEING ON THE CAUSEWAY THAT LONG, I NOTICED THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN JET SKIERS JUST BEGINNING WITH COVID. A LOT MORE PEOPLE CAME INTO DUNEDIN TO USE THE CAUSEWAY, BUT
YOU GUYS LET IT HAPPEN. IT WENT ON IF HE FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AND YOU PEOPLE DIDN'T WATCH THEM. I THINK TO A CERTAIN EXTENT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. IT'S TOUGH ENOUGH TO LET THESE
PEOPLE AND THE FOLKS THAT LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD DEAL WITH THE TRAFFIC. THAT'S PART OF THE PROBLEM. THE OTHER PART OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE CAUSEWAY, EVEN WAY BEYOND JET SKIS IS THE INLET ITSELF, THE LACK OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE LACK OF A SPEED ZONE, THE LACK OF A WAKE ZONE
THAT TEARS UP THAT CAUSEWAY. THAT'S ONE PART OF THE PROBLEM. THE OTHER PART OF THE PROBLEM AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THE CITY OF DUNEDIN AND PINELLAS COUNTY SHARE THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THAT CAUSEWAY. THE QUESTION IS, FOR THE LAST
NUMBER OF YEARS, I THINK IT'S BEEN PINELLAS COUNTY, CONSTANTLY REPAVING BOTH SIDES OF THAT DAWES WEIGH. WE HEARD ABOUT THE WATER AND JET SKIS CAUSING A PROBLEM. MAYBE. BUT I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU, EVERY TIME WE PUT THAT DIRT ON THAT CAUSEWAY ON BOTH SIDES, GUESS
WHERE IT WINDS UP? IT WINDS UP IN THE WATER DUE TO THE WINDS AND THE RAIN. IF THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH SEA GRASS, THE JET SKI GUYS AREN'T THE ONLY ONES CAUSING IT. WE'RE NOT DOING A VERY GOOD JOB MANAGING THAT CAUSEWAY IN ITS EN
TIGHTER. ENTIRETY. JET SKIS WERE POSSIBLY PART OF THE PROBLEM, BUT THERE'S A LOT MORE GOING ON OUT THERE. IF YOU TALK ABOUT SAFETY. WHEN IS THE LAST TIME WE LOOK AT WHAT HONEYMOON ISLAND DOES OUT THIS WITH THE LICENSE?
I WAS A 35 YEAR BOATER. MY BOAT WAS IN PIRATE'S COVE, HOMEPORT ALL OF THOSE YEARS, DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE I PULLED IN FROM THE CHANNEL THAT WERE RENTING THE KAYAKS BECAUSE THEY FELL IN THE WATER FOR DIFFERENT REASONS?
MAYBE A JET SKI WENT BY THEM. PROBABLY A BOAT WENT BY THEM. THERE'S NO COMPLETE OVERSIGHT OR PLAN FOR THE CAUSEWAY. WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS JUST A SYMPTOM OF THE CAUSEWAY, NOT THE CAUSE OR THE ILLNESS, NOT AT ALL. THIS PLACE HAS TO GET MANAGED
BETTER UP THERE AND I SEE IT EVERYDAY. I'M ON THAT CAUSEWAY EVERY MORNING, EVERY MORNING FOR THE PAST 35 YEARS, AND IT'S GOTTEN DANGEROUS. IT REALLY HAS. WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT HERE IS JUST ONE OF THE SYMPTOMS. IT'S NOT THE COMPLETE DISEASE OUT THERE.
SO, I'LL BACK THE BAN, BUT THERE'S A LOT MORE WORK TO BE DWUN AND IT'S GOT TO BE DONE IN ITS ENTIRETY. >> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU, RICH. APPRECIATE IT. OKAY, DEB SHAW?
DEB SHAW? NO. OKAY, THEY ARE AGAINST AND FROM LARGO. TIM HUGHES WOULD BE NEXT. AND ON DECK WILL BE RICHARD OWENS.
>> HELLO. TIM HUGHES. I'M LIVE AT 17 SOUTH CIRRUS AVENUE, CLEARWATER. THANK YOU FOR THIS PUBLIC HEARING. THIS IS EXCELLENT.
I'M IN FAVOR OF THE BAN FOR MANY REASONS. AS THE CONSERVATION CHAIR FOR SUN COAST SIERRA CLUB FOR ONE REASON. WE HELPED DRAFT THAT POSITION
PAPER, SIERRA CLUB THERE. I'M VERY MUCH SUPPORTIVE AS IT RELATES TO THE SCIENCE. WE HAVE A WONDERFUL PIECE OF PARADISE HERE.
HONEYMOON ISLAND, CALADESI ISLAND, AND THAT CAUSEWAY IS CONNECTED ECOLOGICALLY TO THOSE ISLAND. SO, THE THINGS THAT WE DO TO PROTECT THE CHANNEL, THE SHORE
HEADLINE AND MAKE IT MORE RESILIENT IS SMART. I WOULD ALSO ADD THAT YOU HAVE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY HERE. THE OPPORTUNITY IS TO CREATE A
LIVING SHORELINE WITH MANGROVES AND OYSTER BEDS. SO, SOME OF THOSE AREAS, IF YOU CREATE THE LIVING SHORELINE, YOU MAKE IT MORE RESILIENT, YOU REDUCE EROSION FROM WAVE ACTION
FROM BOATS THAT COME THROUGH THE CHANNEL AT HIGH SPEEDS. SO, THE GENTLEMAN TALKED ABOUT SYMPTOMS. YEAH, YOU ARE FIXING A SYMPTOM. SO, I THINK A LIVING SHORELINE
IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY HERE. THE SWIMMERS, THE KAYAKERS, THE PADDLEBOARDERS CAN STILL ENJOY AND COEXIST WITH A LIVING
SHORELINE. SO, I WOULD SAY THAT WHEN IT COMES TO THE JET SKIERS, I RESPECT THEM, I RESPECT DESIRE TO ENJOY RECREATION.
HOWEVER, YOU GET MORE EXERCISE KAYAKING. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. >> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU, TIM. APPRECIATE THAT.
OKAY, NEXT IS RICHARD OWENS. IS HE HERE? OKAY, I GUESS NOT. OKAY, RICHARD IS AGAINST AND HE IS FROM DUNEDIN.
OKAY, NEXT IS RICHARD SCOTT. HELLO, MAYOR, COUNCILMEMBERS. I'M REQUIRED SCOTT. I'M A VETERAN. I'M AT 1825 -- ODESSA, FLORIDA,
33056. I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED THEY CLOSED THE CAUSEWAY. I'VE BEEN COMING SINCE THE '9s. '98s. I SEE THE DEMOGRAPHICS IN THIS ROOM ALONE. IS SHAMEFUL THAT YOUR PARENTS, YOUR GRANDPARENTS DON'T THINK ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES WE'VE
HAD TO TAKE OUR CHILDREN OUT TO THE CAUSEWAY, TEACH THEM HOW TO SWIM, TEACH THEM HOW TO JET SKI, BOAT SAFETY, AND THERE OUGHT TO BE A COMPROMISE. IT'S A VERY SMALL AREA THAT WE'RE ASKING TO BE UTILIZED.
I WAS JET SKIING BY HONEYMOON ISLAND. TWO INDIAN BOYS WERE SWIMMING AND GOT CAUGHT IN A CURRENT. ONE HAD NO LIFE JACKET AND I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO JUMP OFF THE ZEE AND I HAD HAD AN EXTRA JACKET. BY THEN, WAS ABLE TO SAVE HIM
AND PINELLAS COUNTY HAD SENT OUT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS THE COAST GUARD CAME OUT. BY THEN, WE GOT HIM TO SHORE. SO, THERE ARE ADVANTAGES TO HAVING A JET SKI, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE GO IN BETWEEN THE ISLANDS. WE DO SEE PEOPLE THAT VEN
HUVENTUREOUT TOO FAR AND DON'T L ENOUGH, AND MAYBE NOT SUPERVISED WELL BY THEIR PARENTS. HOPEFULLY YOU'LL CONSIDER AT LEAST LETTING US HAVE THIS SMALL AREA. I'VE ALSO HELPED CLEAN UP OUT THERE MANY TIMES.
LIKE THESE PEOPLE SAID, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH TRASH CANS AVAILABLE FOR US TO UTILIZE TO CLEANUP THE AREA. SO, YOU KNOW, THERE JUST NEEDS TO BE MUCH MORE EMPHASIS AND STOP BLAMING, AND US WORK TOGETHER. IT'S A SMALL AREA.
YOU'RE ONLY ASKING FOR US TO USE A SMALL AREA OF THE BEACH. YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, I THINK WE DO MUCH BETTER BY TRYING TO COMPROMISE RATHER THAN JUST SHUT IT DOWN. SO, THANK YOU. >> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OKAY, WE HAVE -- ALMOST CALLED YOU AGAIN, RICHARD. MATT NORMAN AND ON DECK WILL BE AMANDA CONSENTRA.
>> I'M GLAD I MADE IT. MY NAME IS MATT NORMAN, I LIVE ON 2 2373 MANGROVE DRIVE IN DUNEDIN. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.
I'M A DUNEDIN RESIDENT, A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, AND SOMEONE WHO HAS SPENT THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS READING ABOUT EVERY PUBLIC DOCUMENT I COULD FIND RELATED TO THIS ORDINANCE. I SUPPORT PROTECTING SEA GRASS. I SUPPORT IMPROVING PUBLIC SAFETY. I SUPPORT RESPONSIBLE
STEWARDSHIP OF THE CAUSEWAY. I RESPECTFULLY DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE CITY HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT PERMANENT ELIMINATING MOTORIZED LAUNCHING WILL REACH THESE GOALS. IF MOTORIZED LAUNCHING HAS BEEN CAUSING UNACCEPTABLE DAMAGE FOR
YEARS, WHY HASN'T THIS PROPOSAL BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD IN 2022 OR 2023 WHEN LAUNCHING WAS ACTIVELY OCCURRING? INSTEAD, IT WAS PROPOSED AFTER HURRICANE DAMAGE CLOSED THE LAUNCH AREA. THAT TIMING TELLS ME IT DESERVES A MORE THOROUGH, EVIDENCE-BASED
REVIEW BEFORE MAKING A TEMPORARY CLOSURE PERMANENT. I SEARCHINGED THE PUBLIC RECORD FOR MEASURABLE ANSWERS TO BASIC QUESTIONS. HOW MANY DOCUMENTED ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE CAME FROM LAWFUL LAUNCHING WITHIN THE CORRIDOR? HOW MUCH MEASURABLE SEA GRASS ACTIVITY HAS OCCURRED IN HOW
MUCH OF THE PARKING IMPROVEMENT -- VERSUS MUCH OF THE CAUSEWAY HAS BEEN CLOSED SINCE THE HURRICANES. HOW MANY INCIDENTS ACTUALLY LAUNCHED FROM UNLAWFUL LAUNCHING RATHER THAN UNLAWFUL OPERATION ON THE WATER?
I COULDN'T FIND THE ANSWERS. IT'S THE PROCESS USED TO REACH THE OUTCOME. GOOD PUBLIC POLICY DOESN'T BEGIN WITH A PREFERRED SOLUTION. IT BEGINS BY CLEARLY DEFINING THE PROBLEM, GATHERING OBJECTIVE DATA, EVALUATING REASONABLE ALTERNATIVES, AND THEN CHOOSING
THE LE LEAST RESTRICTIVE SOLUTIN THAT ACCOMPLISHES THE PUBLIC'S GOALS. THERE'S A NUMBER OF TOOLS THAT DESERVES OBJECTIVE EVALUATION BEFORE PERMANENTLY ELIMINATING PUBLIC ACCESS. WEATHER MODIFYING THE PERMIT,
FEES, ADDITIONAL ENFORCEMENT, SPEED MANAGEMENT OR OTHER APPROACHES, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE CITY HAS DEMONSTRATED THOSE ALTERNATIVES WERE FULLY EVALUATED. I READ ANOTHER ARTICLE ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN OPEN CONTAINER DISTRICT.
THE CITY'S RESPONSE, TO EVALUATE FURTHER, WHAT HAVE OTHER COMMUNITIES DONE, AND BRING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BACK BEFORE MAKING A ADDITION. I BELIEVE THIS ORDINANCE DESERVES THE SAME LEVEL OF CAREFUL ANALYSIS. I'M ASKING YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT
THE PUBLIC POLICY PROCESS IS AS RIGOROUS AS DECISION IS PERMANENT. PLEASE SLOW DOWN THIS PROCESS, GATHER THE NECESSARY DA TARKS EVALUATE REASONABLE ALTERNATIVES, AND MAKE THE DECISION BASED ON MEASURABLE EVIDENCE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU, MATT.
APPRECIATE IT. NEXT IS AMANDA CONSENTRA. >> I'M AMANDA CONSEN EXTRA, 1101 JACK MARROWED IN DUNEDIN.
I'M IN FAVOR OF THE BAN. I THINK WHAT PEOPLE FORGET IS WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTAL MEETINGS, MANY COMMITTEE MEETINGS. THIS HAS BEEN OCCURRING ACROSS MANY DIFFERENT GROUPS WITH THE
CITY. I'M A SMALL BOAT OWNER. I CAN'T AFFORD A SLIP. THERE'S TIMES YOU LOOK AT WHAT CHANGES THE ENVIRONMENT AND RESILIENT SEE.
RESILIENT SEE. WE MAY NOT HAVE THE CAUSEWAY MUCH WE MAY NOT HAVE WE MAY HAVE
AN ENVIRONMENT WITH PEOPLE OF ALL ABILITIES TO GO UP TO A BEACH, THAT YOU CAN DRIVE UP TO, PARK AND SPEND TIME WITH YOUR FAMILY. I THINK THAT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE INSTANT GRATIFICATION OF ME GETTING OUT THERE ON MY JOHN BOAT OR SOMEBODY ON A JET SKI. WE NEED TO HAVE THE DATA TO BACK
UP WHAT THE CITY AND COMMITTEES HAVE PRESENTED SAYING THAT, YES, THESE VESSEL ALSO DAMAGE THE ENVIRONMENT. I HAVE YET TO SEE SOMEBODY COME AT US AND SHOW THAT THERE'S A GOOD REASON TO HAVE MOTORIZED VESSELS ON THE CAUSEWAY. WITH THAT, I HOPE THAT YOU DO CONTINUE ON WITH THIS ORDINANCE.
>> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU, AMANDA. IT LOOKS LIKE YOU BROUGHT YOUR LITTLE ONE SO THAT THEY CAN LEARN ABOUT CIVIL ENGAGEMENT, SO THAT'S GOOD. >> THANK YOU. >> Mayor Freaney: THE NEXT ONE
IS SALMON NASH. SALMON NASH? UNDECIDED AND I GUESS UNDECIDED ABOUT SPEAKING, SO THEY MUST HAVE GONE HOME, SO I GUESS THEY MADE THEIR DECISION. WE'RE GOING TO GO TO TWO THAT
GOT SUBMITTED. ANDDY HODGEEN. >> THANK YOU. I'VE BEEN LISTENING. I LIVE ON NIKKI LANE IN ODESSA.
I GREW UP IN ST. PETERSBURG, LIVED IN FLORIDA 50 YEARS, FOUR YEARS IN THE BAHAMAS, SIX YEARS IN THE NAVY. I'VE BEEN COMING OUT TO THE DUNEDIN CAUSEWAY FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS. IN THAT TIME, LIKE YOU SAID, IT WAS INITIALLY, COULD YOU LAUNCH
THE WHOLE CAUSEWAY AND YOU SHOWED SOME NUMBERS UP THERE. 2019, I BELIEVE IT WAS, YOU REDUCED THE LAUNCH AREA TO THE EASTERN MOST PORTION OF THE BEACH. IT'S ABOUT 300 TO 400 YARDS. FROM WHAT I COULD OBSERVE DOING
GOOGLE MAPS RESEARCH. THE TWO BIGGEST BULLET POINTS I THINK TALKED SO FAR IS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND THE SAFETY CONCERN. FROM WHAT I LOOKED AT, THERE ARE
TWO MAJOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION EXCLUSION ZONES BEHIND HONEYMOON ISLAND AND CALADESI ISLAND, ABOUT 2,000 SQUARE ACRES. THE DUNEDIN CAUSEWAY IS ABOUT 28 TO 30 ACRES OF SLOW TO NO WAKE
ZONE AND SEA GRASS BEDS. OUR LAUNCH AREA IS FIVE TO SEVEN ACRES. THE SAFETY ISSUE GOING UP AND DOWN THE CAUSEWAY, THAT CHANNEL GOING HURRICANE PASS IS A MAJOR
THOROUGH FARE FOR VESSEL TRAFFIC. YOU'RE EQUATING PEOPLE PADDLING AND KAYAKING ACROSS THE CHANNEL THERE TO TAKING MOPEDS ACROSS THE INTERSTATE.
IT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA, BUT IT HAPPENS. IT'S ALLOWED. SAFETY IS EVERYBODY'S CONCERNMENT IT'S AN INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY. I'VE BEEN BOATING MORE THAN 42 YEARS OF MY LIFE AND JET SKIING AFTER 35 YEARS OF MY LIFE.
AFTER I RETURN SPHROD DESERT RET STORM, I BOUGHT MY FIRST JET SCEE. FISHING, CATCH AND RELEASE. I'VE SEEN THREATS ONLINE FISHERMEN TALKING ABOUT THROWING WEIGHTS ON JET SKIS AS THEY PASS.
I WAS NEVER RAISED THAT WAY. I DON'T KNOW WHY PEOPLE BELIEVE THEY OWN THEIR SPECIFIC AREA OF THE WATERWAY T MUST BE A PRIVILEGE. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT MENTALITY.
THIS HAS BEEN AIRPTD PALLY 30 TO 40 YEARS AN AREA WE'VE ENJOYED TO LAUNCH. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT IS MINIMAL AND SAFETY IS EVERYBODY'S RESPONSIBILITY, BUT IT'S INDIVIDUAL MORE THAN I THINK EVERYBODY ELSE TO SINGLE OUT
JETSIES OR BOATS. YOU HAVE THE WATERWAY THIS. YOU HAVE TRAFFIC CAUSING JUST AS MUCH WAKE. FROM THE BEACH, NOT WAKE ZONE IS 20-30 YARDS. YOU CAN'T GO OUT OF THERE AT HIGH SPEEDS. >> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU VERY
MUCH, ANDY. THE NEXT ONE I HAVE IS TAMMY FOUNTAINS, THEN DAVID BELT.
>> I'M TAMMY, COLONIAL BOULEVARD, PALM HARBOR, FLORIDA, 346783. I WASN'T GOING TO SPEAK TODAY, BUT I CHANGED MY MIND BECAUSE THERE'S SOMETHING THAT HAS NOT BEEN BROUGHT UP.
YEAH. I'VE LIVED IN THIS AREA FOR OVER 50 YEARS. WE GREW UP ON THE WATER ALMOST EVERY WEEKEND, FISHING, SKIING, BOATING. I CAN'T REMEMBER WHEN MY FAMILY NOT OWNING A WATERCRAFT. OUR BEST TIMES WITH FAMILY WAS ON THE WATER.
FATHER'S DAY, MOTHER'S DAY, FOURTH OF JULY, ON AND ON. I LOST BOTH MY PARENT THE A FEW YEARS BACK. MY DAD HAD UNEXPECTEDLY, MY MOM TO DIM DEMENTIA.
IT WAS EASIER FOR HER TO GET ON THE BOAT THAN ANY OTHER BOAT RAMP. I'M ASKING TO YOU CONSIDER THOSE WHO ARE PHYSICALLY OR MENTALLY UNABLE TO USE A BOAT RAMP BECAUSE OF SAFETY CONCERNS BUT STILL WANT TO ENJOY THE ACTIVITIES THEY LOVE TO DO.
TAKING AWAY THE CAUSEWAY WILL TAKE AWAY FAMILY TIME THAT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO THOSE WE LOVE THE MOST. ANYONE WHO HAS EVER HAD A FAMILY MEMBER WITH DEMENTIA WILL UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT THOSE MOMENTS ARE FOR THEM TO REMEMBER
AND ENJOY THEMSELVES. THANK YOU. >> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU, TAMMY. DAVID BELT? >> GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS. DAVID BELT, 2377 INDIGO DRIVE IN
CLEARWATER, UNINCORPORATED PINELLAS COUNTY SURROUNDED BY THE CITY OF DUNEDIN. MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT. I COME BEFORE YOU AS AN ANGLER, A BOATER, AND SOMEONE WHO PREVIOUSLY OWNED A JET SKIMENT I EVENTUALLY SOLD IT BECAUSE ACCESS HAD BECOME INCREASINGLY
DIFFICULT. I'M NOT HERE TO DEFEND EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENED AT THE CAUSEWAY, THE TAKEOVER EVENTS, CONGESTION, BREVARD COUNTYLESS OPERATION AROUND BOATS, AND CONFLICTS WITH REAL USERS ARE REAL PROBLEM. I'M HERE BECAUSE I BELIEVE THIS PROPOSAL SOLVES THE WRONG PROBLEM.
THE GROUPS THAT ORGANIZE THESE TAKEOVERS NEED TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBLE. THEY MAY ARGUE THAT THEIR MEMBERS OPERATE RESPONSIBLY AND THAT MAY BE TRUE, BUT ORGANIZING LARGE SCALE EVENTS IS IRRESPONSIBLE IN AND OF IT SELF. THOSE EVENT HAVE MADE IT
DIFFICULT FOR ANGLERS, FAMILIES, BOATERS AND EVERYBODY ELSE TO ENJOY A PUBLIC RESOURCE. PUBLIC WATERWAYS SHOULD NOT BE THE EXCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND FOR ONE USER GROUP. WHAT CONCERNS ME AS MUCH IS HOW WE GOT HERE. FOR MORE THAN A YEAR, RESIDENTS WERE TOLD THE CAUSEWAY CLOSURE
WAS DRIVEN BY STORM DAMAGE, MAINTENANCE AND COUNTY ISSUES. THE CITY REPEATEDLY APPOINTED THE COUNTY. TODAY, HOWEVER, IT'S CLEAR. THIS IS REALLY BEEN ABOUT MANAGING USER CONFLICTS AND CERTAIN TYPES OF RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY. IF THAT WAS THE REAL ISSUE,
RESIDENTS DESERVE TO HEAR THAT FROM THE BEGINNING. PUBLIC TRUST DEPENDS ON TRANSPARENCY. RESIDENTS MAY DISAGREE ON THE SOLUTION, BUT THEY DESERVE AN HONEST EXPLANATION OF WHY DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE AND WHAT ALTERNATIVES WERE CONSIDERED. THIS ALSO ISN'T SIMPLY A DUNEDIN
ISSUE. THE WATERS ARE STATE OF FLORIDA RESOURCE AND THE CAUSEWAY IS SUPPORTED THROUGH STATE, COUNTY AND LOCAL FUNDING. RESTRICTING ONE OF PINELLAS COUNTY'S ACCESS POINTS DOESN'T MAKE DEMAND DISAPPEAR. IF SHIFT SHIFTS IT.
IT AFFECTS PEOPLE WITH ALL DIFFERENT BOATS. AND EVERY OTHER PUBLIC RAMP IN THE COUNTY. THESE DECISIONS HAVE REGIONAL CONSEQUENCES AND SHOULD BE APPROACHED WITH REGIONAL PLANNING. INSTEAD OF A BLANKET BAN, I ALSO YOU TO TARGET THE PEOPLE
CREATING THE PROBLEM. BAN ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THESE TAKEOVER EVENTS, INCLUDING RENTALS, LIMIT LAUNCHING TO TWO VESSELS PER VEHICLE, AND CREATE COUNTY RESIDENT ACCESS PERMIT TO THE PEOPLE WHO FUND THESE
FACILITIES JEN KEEP ACCESS WHILE GENERATING REVENUE. IT SAFETY IS THE STANDARD, IT NEEDS TO BE APPLIED CONSISTENTLY. I HAVE PERSONALLY ASSISTED IN RESCUES IN THAT INLET AND I HAVE RESPECT FOR HOW DANGEROUS IT CAN BE, ALMOST DROWNING THERE MYSELF
AS A SWIMMER. INEXPERIENCED KAYAK AND PADDLEBOARD RENTS CROSSING THAT CHANNE DESERVE THE SAME SECURITY KNEE AS MOTORIZED VEHICLES. AS A ANGELLER, I CARE ABOUT PROTECTING OUR SEA GRASS AND FISHERIES.
THE ANSWER IS -- JET SKIS OPERATING RECKLESSLY BEHIND CALADESI ISLAND. >> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU, DAVID. OKAY, I DO NOT HAVE ANYMORE CARDS. IF THERE'S ANYONE OUT THERE THAT STILL WISHES TO SPEAK, YOU MAY
COME FORWARD. NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. THREE MINUTES. >> DAVID BALLARD, JR.. I LIVE ON GEORGIA AVENUE IN PALM HARBOR. IT APPEARS TO ME THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE REDOING THE BRIDGE ON DUNEDIN CAUSEWAY. WITH THAT, THE LENGTH OF THE
BRIDGE AND THE HEIGHT OF THE BRIDGE WILL BE EXTENDED PROBABLY INTO THAT AREA THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHERE WE'RE CURRENTLY DISALLOWING THE JET SKIS TO LAUNCH. THE CAUSEWAY WILL BE SHORTENED AS A RESULT OF THE EXTENSION OF
TIS NEW BUILDING OF THE BRIDGE. THEREFORE, WITH THE POPULATION BUILD UP AND MORE PEOPLE THAT ARE WANTING TO ACCESS THE WATER, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ACCOMMODATE FOR THAT IN SOME WAY, IN SOME FASHION, AS MUCH AS
I DON'T LIKE DREDGING AND AS MUCH AS I DON'T LIKE AFFECTING THE ECOSYSTEM ANYMORE THAN WE ALREADY HAVE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO EXTEND SOMETHING NORTHWARD PARALLEL WITH THE
INTERCOASTAL WATERWAY THAT PROVIDES BEACH ACCESS FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO ACCESS THE WATERWAYS, RECONFIGURING THE CAUSEWAY IN EFFECT, TURNING IT
SIDEWAYS WOULD -- AND SOMEHOW THROUGH ALL THAT PROVIDE SOME SORT OF CAPACITY FOR BOAT LAUNCHING SOMEWHERE IN THAT AREA
THAT'S REGULATED TO A REGULATED TO A DEGREE. THIS COULD BE SAYING IS IMPORTANT, BECAUSE IT'S EXPANSIVE AND WILL INVOLVE A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION GOING ON OUT THERE, WITH THE BUILDING OF THE NEW BRIDGE.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SHARE, AND I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD ADD TO -- IT'S JUST THE BEGINNING OF A VERY BIG DEVELOPMENT, AND A REGIONAL CONCERN. THANK YOU. >> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU DAVID.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT HAS NOT SPOKEN? LOOKS LIKE I HAVE A CARD COMING UP.
OH, WAIVE SPEAKING, DAVID BRAGG, DINE. AGAINST. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE? SEEING NO ONE, I'M GOING TO CLOSE PUBLIC INPUT.
AND I THINK FELLOW COMMISSIONERS, WE HAVE -- I THINK WE STILL HAVE IS IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS NOW THAT THE CITIZENS HAVE PROVIDED THEIR INPUT WE'RE GOING TO NEED A MOTION AND COMMISSION COMMENTS.
AND WE CAN HAVE DISCUSSION AS WELL. SO BUT IN THE MEANTIME, I THINK IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO TAKE A SHORT BREAK.
AND WE WILL BE BACK SHORTLY.
>> Mayor Freaney: WE'RE GOING TO CALL THE MEETING BACK TO ORDER. [ GAVEL BANGING ] >> Mayor Freaney: IF WE CAN GET THE LOBBY IN ORDER TOO OR CLOSE THE DOORS, WHICHEVER THEY WANT.
THAT WAS A LONG TIME, A LOT OF COMMENTS, AND I KNOW MOST PEOPLE ARE HERE, BUT THEY MIGHT BE TUNING IN TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED AT THE END, IF THEY WENT HOME. I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE I ASKED FOR RESPECT IN THE BEGINNING, AND EVERYBODY GAVE IT.
EVERYBODY ON BOTH SIDES GAVE IT. RIGHT. [ APPLAUSE ] >> Mayor Freaney: IT WAS ALSO BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION BECAUSE WE HAD KIDS HERE, WHAT A GREAT EXAMPLE THAT IS. NO MATTER WHICH WAY THIS GOES, IT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE OF CIVIC
ENGAGEMENT. LET'S GO BACK TO OUR ITEM, AND I'M GOING TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOLLOWING THE INPUT THAT ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO ASK STAFF. I'LL START WITH COMMISSIONER SANDBERGEN FIRST. >> TONY, THIS WILL BE FOR YOU.
IT CAME UP A COUPLE TIMES ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF MAKING THIS INTO A REVENUE STREAM. I EVEN HEARD ABOUT A GUARD HOUSE. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU COULD THINK OF, ANYWAY WE COULD MAKE IT WHERE THESE GUYS CONTINUED,
BUT WE WERE ABLE TO COLLECT MONEY? >> THANK YOU. TONY WILKE, PARKS AND REC DIRECTOR. I THINK IT WOULD TAKE MORE INVESTIGATION. YOU WOULD HAVE ACCESSIBILITY
STANDARDS, POTENTIAL CORE REVIEW, BECAUSE YOU ARE LAUNCHING INTO THE NAVIGATABLE -- >> IT'S NOT AS EASY AS JUST, COME ON IN, PAY ME, AND GO LAUNCH? THERE'S A LOT MOOAR TOO IT? >> CORRECT. IF WE FORMALIZED A BOAT RAMP
PROCESS, IT WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH A LOT LARGER PLANNING PROCESS. >> THERE ARE MULTIPLE VACANCIES IN THE MARINA. COULD SOMEONE RENT A SLIP FOR A JET SKI? IS THAT LEGAL OR NOT? >> FOR A JET SKI, I DON'T
BELIEVE SO. I BELIEVE YOU HAVE TO HAVE A MINIMUM, AND IT HAS TO BE A VESSEL THAT STAYS IN THE WATER. >> WHEN I WAS DOWN THERE TODAY, I WAS PICTURNG SOME OF THOSE SLIPS, IF A FAMILY HAD 2 OR 3 JET SKIS, IT WOULD -- THAT'S NOT
SOMETHING WE WOULD CONSIDER? >> I DON'T BELIEVE SO, BUT I WOULD HAVE TO REVISIT IT WITH THE STAFF. >> THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAD, MAYOR. >> MAYOR, MAY I ADD? >> Mayor Freaney: SURE, GO AHEAD. >> IN REGARDS TO A RAMP, AN ATTENDANT AND CHARGING A FEE.
THE RAMP WE HAVE NOW IS NOT FULL COST RECOVERY, AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO LIMIT ACCESS TO THAT. AND WE'RE HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME, WE'RE STRUGGLING WITH THAT, IS IT AN ARM, TO HAVE A FULL TIME ATTENDANT THERE TO COLLECT A FEE, WHATEVER IT IS,
WE WOULD HAVE A REALLY HARD TIME RECOUPING WHAT WE SPEND ON IT. >> OKAY. THANK YOU. >> Mayor Freaney: YOU'RE GOOD? >> YES. >> Mayor Freaney: COMMISSIONER GOW, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS?
JUST TO PIGGYBACK ON WHAT THE CITY MANAGER JUST MENTIONED. I DON'T WANT TO ASSUME ON THE COST RECOVERY. AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE SOME FURTHER DISCUSSIONS TO MAKE REGARDING THE RAMP, BUT IF WE
CAN INCORPORATE THE JET SKIS AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, AND IF -- I DON'T KNOW THAT THE RESIDENTS OF DUNEDIN SHOULD BEAR ANY COST TO THAT THROUGH TAXPAYER MONEY, BUT IF WE CAN ENSURE A COST RECOVERY AND JUST BE HONESTLY BE
ABLE TO TELL THE PUBLIC, THIS IS TRULY WHAT IT COSTS TO MANAGE THE RAMP. AND IT IS WHAT IT IS, AND LET THEIR FINANCIAL SITUATION GUIDE THEM. >> A POINT OF CLARIFICATION, PLEASE. >> SURE.
>> COMMISSIONER GOW, YOU MEAN, THE DUNEDIN MARINA RAMP OR A RAMP -- >> YES, MA'AM. THAT'S AT THE DUNEDIN MARINA. >> YES, THANK YOU. GOT IT. >> Mayor Freaney: WELL, THE THING -- MAYBE I MISSED IT. JUST ARE WE TALKING ABOUT --
BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO DO IT FOR RESIDENTS, POTENTIALLY. >> YES, YES, OUR INTENT AS DISCUSSED WITH THE MARINE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WHEN WE REOPEN THE RAMP, IT WOULD BE RESTRICTED -- SIMILAR TO THE MODEL WE HAVE IN THE MARINA RIGHT NOW, RESTRICTED TO
RESIDENTS ONLY OR IT WOULD BE -- IN THE MARINE IN A RIGHT NOW, THE RESIDENTS HAVE A SLIP FEE THAT'S VERY FAVORABLE ECONOMICALLY FOR THEM, AND THE NONRESIDENTS PAY A HIGHER FEE. IT WOULD BE A COMBINATION OF THE TWO, THE RESIDENTS WOULD DEFINITELY GET PRY ORDER OR THE
ON THE RAMP, THAT PRIORITY WOULD BE FOR ALL WATER CRAFT, THAT WOULD INCLUDE JET SKIS AND THE JOHN BOATS AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. >> IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THERE'S ONLY LIKE 12 OR 13 PARKING SPOTS.
ACROSS THE STREET. >> NO, ACROSS THE STREET, THERE ARE MORE PARKING SPOTS. IN THE SEASON, I DON'T SEE IT FILLING UP. IF I MAY CIRCLE BACK, COMMISSIONER GOW, MAYOR, WE HAVE ALL THOSE FIGURES FOR THE RAMP,
BEFORE IT CLOSED DUE TO THE HURRICANE. WE CAN DIG THOSE UP AND TELL YOU. >> THE COST RECOVERY FOR ME, WOULD INCLUDE THE RENTAL OF THE PROPERTY FROM THE CHURCH. >> YES. >> OKAY.
>> Mayor Freaney: ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? >> NO, I THINK I GOT THEM ALL. >> Mayor Freaney: COMMISSIONER DUGARD, QUESTIONS. >> I NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR CAPACITY IS AT THE CAUSEWAY FOR LAUNCH.
IF WE WERE IN A FULL USE SITUATION, HOW MANY JET SKIS AND PARKING FACILITIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT ARE LAUNCHABLE FROM THE CAUSEWAY -- >> WE DON'T HAVE AN ACTUAL COUNT, BUT THE LENGTH OF THE AREA OF THE CURRENT MOTORIZED
MOTOR CRAFT LAUNCH IS ABOUT 1,000 FEET. DEPENDING ON HOW PEOPLE PARK IS DEPENDENT ON BEHAVIOR A LITTLE BIT, IF PEOPLE WERE ALIGNED, AND ABLE TO PARK ON BOTH SIDES. >> COULD YOU GIVE ME A ZONE WHAT
YOU THINK WOULD BE THERE. >> MAYBE 150 VEHICLES. >> SO THAT WOULD BE, IF THEY HAD 2 BOATS THAT WOULD BE 300 JET SKIS, POTENTIALLY IN THE SOUND? >> THAT WOULD BE ACCURATE. >> ALL RIGHT.
WHAT IS -- WE'VE HAD SOME FATALITIES IN THE SOUND, ONE JET SKI THAT I KNOW OF. BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE A GOOD RECORD OF THE NUMBER OF INJURIES THAT HAVEN'T BEEN REPORTED TO OUR SAFETY DEPARTMENT. DO WE HAVE ANY FEEL FOR SAFETY
FACTORS FROM JET SKIS, THAT KIND OF THING. I WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE SAFETY ISSUE. >> WE ASKED DUNEDIN FIRE RESCUE, TO GIVE US THEIR -- THERE YOU GO, TO GIVE US THE NUMBER OF CALLS, NOT NECESSARILY -- JUST ACCIDENTS RELATED TO MOTORIZED
CRAFT IN THE AREA, NOT JUST JET SKIS. IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT, THE CALLS COME TO 911 FROM A NUMBER OF DIFFICULT PLACES, WE CAN'T IDENTIFY EXACTLY WHERE THE INCIDENT OCCURRED, SO WE CAN'T GIVE YOU AN ACCURATE ACCOUNT. BUT WHAT WE GAVE YOU WAS THE OVERALL ON THIS SLIDE.
>> DO WE KNOW OF ANY JET SKIS HITTING KAYAKS, PADDLE BOARDS, ANYTHING LIKE THAT? >> WE JUST KNOW THE ONE THAT HIT THE COMMERCIAL VEHICLE, AND THE OTHER -- THERE WAS A FATALITY OF THE JET SKI RIDER, AND THE OTHER
ONE, HE HIT SHALLOW WATER AND WAS EJECTED. >> WE HAVE THE RESTRICTIONS OF TIME, CLOSING AT 11:00. WHAT WAS THE OPENING TIME? >> 5:00 A.M. >> 5:00 A.M. TO 11:00 P.M.
DO WE HAVE ANY PROBLEMS GETTING PEOPLE OUT OF THE WATER AND THEN OFF THE CAUSEWAY AT THE 11:00 HOUR? HAVE WE HAD EXPERIENCE -- >> WE WOULD DEFER TO PINELLAS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, THEY ARE HERE.
>> DO YOU HAVE SOMEONE TO SPEAK TO IT? [ INAUDIBLE ] >> I'M SORRY? >> THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR RIGHT NOW, MAYOR.
LET'S SEE. SUNSET BEACH CAME UP A COUPLE TIMES, I WAS CURIOUS WHAT THAT IS, DO YOU KNOW? >> I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF KNOWLEDGE ON IT, NO. >> IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT IT WAS. I WAS JUST CURIOUS.
AND THEN IS THERE IN ADDITION THAT'S AN OPTION ON THE -- ON YOUR SHEET THAT IS NOT A BOAT RAMP, IT'S SOMETHING DIFFERENT? >> OH, ON THE LAUNCH AREAS?
>> YEAH, LAUNCH AREAS, I'M JUST CURIOUS. >> WHILE YOU'RE DOING THAT I'M GOING TO ASK IF WE CAN TURN UP THE MAYOR'S MIC A LITTLE BIT, THEY'RE HAVING TROUBLE HEARING YOU. >> I'LL PULL IT CLOSER.
THEY PUSHED IT BACK AT ONE POINT, I LEFT IT BACK. >> MAYOR, FROM THE INFORMATION THAT WE GATHERED, THEY'RE ALL BUILT OUT RAMPS. >> WELL, I JUST -- IT'S JUST INTERESTING. WE HAVE PEOPLE FROM TAMPA AND FROM NEW PORT RICHEY AND ALL
THESE PLACES COMING DOWN TO US, ARE WE THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN THAT'S NOT A BOAT RAMP? IS THAT THE CASE? >> I DON'T KNOW.
>> SORRY FOR THE SIDE TALK. >> Mayor Freaney: THAT'S OKAY, I'M JUST KIND OF CURIOUS. I BELIEVE THERE'S A LOT OF PROHIBITIONS ON A LOT OF THE CAUSEWAYS. IF YOU GO THROUGH THE COUNTY CODES, THERE'S A LOT OF RULES ON MANY OF THE OTHER CAUSEWAYS AND
THE DUNEDIN CAUSEWAY IS ONE OF THEM THAT'S VERY LIMITED ON THE RULES. >> Mayor Freaney: WHY SOMETIMES THEY SAY, IT'S THE WILD WILD WEST. >> MAYOR, IF I MAY, YOU ASKED ABOUT SUNSET BEACH, THERE'S TWO REFERENCES TO SUNSET BEACH IN
PINELLAS COUNTY, THERE'S ONE IN TREASURE ISLAND. BUT I BELIEVE THIS ONE IS IN TARPON SPRINGS. >> Mayor Freaney: I WAS CURIOUS TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT. NOT SAYING IT'S COMPARABLE AT ALL. I'M NOT LOOKING TO BE THE JET SKI CAPITAL OF ANYBODY.
OKAY, I DON'T THINK I HAVE -- I DO HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION FIRST. SEVERAL TIMES, PEOPLE HAVE SAID, THE AREA HASN'T BEEN USED, SO THAT'S PART OF WHY IT'S COME BACK.
AND THEN THE COMPARISON OF, YOU KNOW, MOTORIZED WATER CRAFT VERSUS JUST THE VEHICLES THAT GO DOWN THERE ON THE CAUSEWAY. THE PEOPLE THAT GO DOWN THERE ON THE CAUSEWAY, THE TENTS THAT GET PUT UP ON THE CAUSEWAY.
IS THERE A -- I'M JUST ASKING, WHAT IS THE REAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE TWO THINGS? >> I THINK IT'S A MAGNITUDE OF IMPACTS ON SOME OF THAT. YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO SEE IMPACTS FROM ACTIVITIES. HUMAN ACTIVITIES ARE GOING TO
HAVE IMPACTS ON THE NATURAL WORLD. I THINK IT'S A MULTITUDE OF FACTORS WITH THE NOISE, THE CONGESTION. WE HAVE A LOT OF USES OUT THERE. AND THE MOST IMPACTFUL USE FROM
WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS THE MOTORIZED WATER CRAFT. THERE IS IMPACTS FROM EVERYTHING LIKE I SAID. BUT THE HIGHEST IMPACT IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. >> Mayor Freaney: AND I DON'T THINK ANYBODY HERE HAS THE
ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION. WHEN THEY ORIGINALLY DID THE MAN MADE CAUSEWAY, I WOULD ASSUME THAT THEY JUST DID IT TO MAKE A WAY TO GET TO CALADESI,
HONEYMOON ISLAND AND ROLLING OF ARMS TOO. >> THE CAUSEWAY WAS ORIGINALLY A DOT CORRIDOR, IT WAS FUNCTIONALLY RECLASSED AND HANDED OVER TO THE COUNTY. I BELIEVE THEY WERE ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL AT THE TIME.
SO THEY BECAME OWNERS OF IT. IT WAS ORIGINALLY A DOT CORRIDOR, I SUSPECT, A TRANSPORTATION CORRIDOR, PRIMARILY. >> Mayor Freaney: AND IT'S STILL NOT CONSIDERED A PARK BY THE COUNTY, IT'S CONSIDERED A ROAD. AND SO IT'S BECOME SO MUCH MORE.
OKAY, I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, AT THIS POINT I'M GOING TO ASK FOR A MOTION. I'M SORRY. SORRY, COMMISSIONER DUGARD? >> DO WE -- I'M LOOKING AT A NUMBER OF ROADS THAT CROSS BODIES OF WATER IN THE AREA,
COURTNEY CAMPBELL. THESE KIND OF ROADS, DO THEY ALLOW LAUNCH OFF OF THERE. >> COURTNEY CAMPBELL ON THE TAMPA SIDE HAS A BOAT RAMP THAT'S ATTACHED TO THAT, A SIGNIFICANTLY SIZED ONE.
>> AND THEY LAUNCH OFF OF THERE? >> THEY DO. >> IT'S A RAMP. >> IT'S A RAMP, THOUGH, IT'S NOT JUST OFF A BEACH? >> CORRECT THE. >> HAVE WE ANY HISTORY ON THIS ISSUE IN OTHER COMMUNITIES WHERE THEY'VE DECIDED NOT TO ALLOW BEACH LAUNCHES ON JET SKIS?
DO WE HAVE ANY KNOWLEDGE ON THAT? >> I DID COME ACROSS THAT, AND I NEED TO DIG IT OUT HERE. I DON'T HAVE IT RIGHT AT MY FINGERTIPS. [ INAUDIBLE ] >> Mayor Freaney: NO, WE'RE PASSED COMMENT. THANK YOU, THOUGH. >> THANK YOU.
>> Mayor Freaney: ANYONE ELSE? QUESTIONS? OKAY, SO I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE 26-08 ON FIRST READING. >> SO MOVED. > SECOND. >> Mayor Freaney: OKAY.
I'M GOING TO GO TO -- I HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER GOW, A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER DUGARD. AND I'M GOING TO GO TO COMMISSION COMMENTS, STARTING WITH THE MAKER OF THE MOTION. COMMISSIONER GOW? >> THIS IS WHAT I GET FOR MOVING THE MOTION.
>> Mayor Freaney: YOU DO. >> I'M NOT SURE WHERE TO BEGIN. AND I'M NOT FULLY CONFIDENT IN MY MOTION FOR EVERYBODY. BUT WHAT I WILL TELL YOU, IS
I'VE NEVER HAD THE LUXURY OF FINDING SOMEWHERE ELSE TO LIVE THAT YOU LOVE SO MUCH THAT YOU'RE WILLING TO MOVE THERE. BECAUSE I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE. SO WHEN I SEE IT TIME AND TIME AGAIN, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY PACK UP AND MOVE,
CHANGE THEIR LIVES TO COME HERE, IS JUST PHENOMENAL TO ME. IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT HISTORY, JUST FOR THE RECORD, MY FATHER WAS DUNEDIN'S FIRST DIRECTOR OF PARKS & REC IN THE
'60s, AND IF YOU LOOK AT -- CAN YOU BRING UP THE HISTORY, I THINK IT WAS LIKE SLIDE 2. WAY AT THE BEGINNING. THERE WE GO. THE BRIDGE AND CAUSEWAY BUILT IN 1963.
AND ONCE IT WAS BUILT, THEN YOU HAD PRIVATE DEVELOPERS THAT WANTED TO DEVELOP, AT THAT TIME, DUNEDIN BEACH INTO AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY BUT THAT WENT BANKRUPT. AND IT DIDN'T WORK, THAT'S HOW WE GOT DUNEDIN BEACH AND THEN HONEYMOON ISLAND.
WE HAD POWER BOAT RACES IN THE MID '60s OUT THERE ON THAT SIDE OF THE CAUSEWAY, BACK IN THE '60s, SO IT GOES TO THE GENTLEMAN'S CONVERSATION, THAT WE USED TO DO A LOT OF THINGS. YOU HEARD IT SPOKEN EARLIER, I GUESS WE WERE ON BREAK, IN HIGH
SCHOOL, WE WOULD HAVE BONFIRES ON THE CAUSEWAY. FOR A LOT US, THAT'S WHERE YOU HAD YOUR FIRST TASTE OF ALCOHOL OUT THERE. THAT WAS THE DAY WHEN WE WERE ALL KIND OF RAISEDER ERFERAL,
WHEN WE HAD HURRICANES, MY MOM WOULD DRIVE US TO DUNEDIN BEACH, AND LET THE WIND BLOW US DOWN
THE BEACH, AND SHE WOULD DRIVE BACK AND PIKUS UP. ALSO FOR THE RECORD, HONEYMOON ISLAND TODAY IS THE NUMBER ONE VISITED STATE PARK IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. SO IT GETS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC. A LOT OF TIMES IF YOU'RE NOT ON
THE ISLAND BY 10:00, A.M., IT'S 2:00 P.M. BEFORE YOU CAN GET OUT THERE, AND IT'S AMAZING. SO PART OF THE -- WE'VE HEARD RESILIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY, AND THE ECOSYSTEM, AND THAT IS,
IF YOU KNOW ME, THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. BUT THERE'S SO MUCH MORE GOING ON THERE, AND THERE ARE LOTS OF THINGS THAT I USED TO DO AS A KID, THAT I CAN'T DO ANY MORE, AND A LOT OF THE REASON I CAN'T DO THEM IS BECAUSE THERE'S TOO MANY PEOPLE.
I USED TO RIDE MY BIKE EVERYWHERE, I CAN'T DO THAT ANY MORE. AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON ON THAT CAUSEWAY FOR ME. ESPECIALLY SINCE COVID, YOU HAVE A HUGE INCREASE IN PEOPLE WANTING OUT SIDE IN GENERAL, BUT
YOU HAVE WALKERS, PEDESTRIANS, BICYCLISTS, KAYAKERS, PADDLE BOARDS, JET SKIS. THE MOTORIZED -- AND EVERYTHING IS FOCUSED ON THAT CAUSEWAY, AND TO ME, IT GETS TO THE POINT, IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE, AND IT'S
TRYING TO FIT 10 POUNDS OF MUD IN A 5 POUND BUCKET. AT SOME POINT, WHAT'S GOING TO GIVE AND WHAT CAN WE DO, THE IDEA IS NOT JUST TO SAY NO TO ONE GROUP OR ONE SUBGROUP, IF WE CAN'T LET THEM HAVE IT THERE, WHERE CAN WE TELL THEM?
AND BEFORE I CONTINUE ON THERE, I DO WANT TO GO BACK TO MY BEGINNING COMMENT AND LET YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN AMAZING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JUST BEING THIS INCREDIBLY REPRESENTATIVE OF WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE, YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN
RESPECTFUL, YOU'VE BEEN CONFIDENT IN YOUR WORDS IN LETTING US KNOW HOW YOU FEEL. AND THAT -- AS A STANDING COMMISSION, WE CAN'T ASK FOR MORE THAN THAT SO THANK YOU. BUT IT GOES BACK TO -- THERE WAS
A TIME WHEN THERE'S -- SHE'S WELL KNOWN IN DUNEDIN, SYLVIA EARL. SHE'S A VERY WELL KNOWN MARINE BIOLOGIST. SHE TALKS A LOT ABOUT THE OCEANS, AND SHE OPENLY TALKS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A TIME WHEN WE HAD NO IDEA THAT WE
COULD POLLUTE THE OCEAN. IT WAS JUST UNFATHOMABLE. IT WAS SO VAST AND SO DEEP, THAT THERE WAS NO WAY WE COULD DAMAGE OUR OCEANS. AND NOW WE KNOW THAT'S NOT TRUE. WE CERTAINLY CAN BE. OFF OUR COAST, WE HAVE A HOPE
SPOT, AND YOU HAVE DEAD ZONES THROAT THE WORLD. SYLVIA CAME UP AND SAID, DEAD ZONES ARE WHERE NOTHING LIVES BECAUSE IT'S ALL POLLUTED. SO WE HAVE HOPE SPOTS WHICH COUNTER THAT. OUR ENTIRE COASTLINE FROM THE
PANHANDLE DOWN TO 10,000 ISLANDS IN THE SOUTH IS A HOPE SPOT, AND DUNEDIN IS THE HOMETOWN FOR THE HOPE SPOT. AND IT'S ALL ABOUT BRINGING THAT WATER BACK TO LIFE, SO THAT WE CAN ALL ENJOY IT. WE'RE STARTING TO RECOGNIZE THAT
WHILE THERE'S A LOT OF FUN IN THE WATER, THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF MONEY IN THAT WATER. AND THE MORE ATTENTION WE PAY TO THE QUALITY OF THE WATER AND THE ESTUARIES AND THE SEA GRASSES AND THE OYSTER BEDS, TRULY WHAT
THERE IS TO BE MADE OUT THERE. WE JUST DID A PROCLAMATION FOUR MONTHS AGO ON THE RICIS WHALE WHICH LIVES IN THE GULF OF
MEXICO, AND TRYING TO SAVE THE RICIS WHALE. THERE'S MORE VALUE, AND BECAUSE WE STARTED TO PAY ATTENTION TO THOSE SEA GRASSES AND ECOLOGICAL POINTS OF THE WATER, PEOPLE ARE NOW STARTING TO SEE IT AS WELL. SO WE HAVE MORE AND MORE PEOPLE
WANTING TO SEE THOSE SEA GRASSES, MANGROVES, OYSTER BEDS, TAKE PASSIVE WALKS THERE, AND WE ARE TRYING TO ACCOMMODATE EVERYBODY. BUT WHEN IT COMES BACK TO PUTTING 10 POUNDS OF MUD IN THAT 5 POUND -- POPULATION,
CONGESTION ALONE IS GOING TO DRIVE DECISIONS. WE JUST CAN'T DO THAT ANY MORE. THAT'S THE REASON TODAY, RIGHT NOW, I'M FOR THIS BAN. BUT THANK YOU FOR ANYBODY WHO HAS COME OUT AGAINST THIS BAN. BECAUSE IT'S MAKING US THINK. AND IF WE CAN'T DO IT ON THE
CAUSEWAY, WHERE CAN WE DO IT? I DO FIND IT INTERESTING, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE RESIDENTS THAT CAME ALL THE WAY FROM ODESSA. THAT'S CRAZY. THANK YOU FOR COMING. FROM NEW PORT RICHEY. YOU HAD TO DRIVE ALONG THE COASTLINE HOW MANY MILES?
AND YOU'RE UPSET ABOUT 1,000 FEET IN DUNEDIN? WHERE ON THAT COASTLINE UP TO NEW PORT RICHEY ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES THAT AREN'T THERE. I LOOKED AT THE CLEARWATER CAUSEWAY, YOU CAN'T LAUNCH THERE. NOBODY'S COMPLAINING ABOUT THAT.
AND THE CLEARWATER CAUSEWAY IS BEAUTIFUL. AND SO -- WHETHER OR NOT THE CAUSEWAY IS MAN MADE OR NOT, TO ME IS IRRELEVANT, IT'S THERE. YES, WE DESTROYED SEA GRASSES BUILDING IT. THAT WAS A TIME WHEN WE DIDN'T KNOW WE COULD DAMAGE THE WATER.
WE WEREN'T FOCUSED ON THAT. SO THOSE ARE JUST MIEN THOUGHTS AND COMMENTS ABOUT WHY TODAY I'M SUPPORTING THIS. YOU'VE HEARD OTHER CONVERSATIONS ABOUT OUR BOAT RAMP AND WHAT WE COULD DO, SO I WOULDN'T JUST SAY
STAY TUNED, WAIT AND SEE, BE ACTIVE, REACH OUT TO US EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE. HEY, WE HAVEN'T FORGOT ABOUT YOU, WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT JET SKIS. I THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT, AND THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS, MAYOR. >> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER DUGARD WAS SECONDER
OF THE MOTION. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE I COULD ARGUE EITHER SIDE EASILY. I'M ABOUT PERSONAL FREEDOMS AND THE ABILITY TO ENJOY LIFE, THAT'S WHAT JET SKIS ARE ABOUT.
THEY'RE AN EXPRESSION OF HAVING FUN, ENJOYING YOUR LIFE, FULFILLING YOURSELF A LITTLE BIT. AND I HATE WHERE I'M SITTING. ON THE OTHER SIDE, THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT WANT A PRISTINE
COMMUNITY IN WHICH THEY CAN LIVE AND ENJOY A WALK WITHOUT THE NOISE, WITHOUT SPEED BOATS GOING -- OR JET SKIS GOING UP AND DOWN. THERE'S TWO SIDES TO THIS, AND BOTH SIDES HAVE TO BE RESPECTED.
I TRIED TO DO AN ANALYSIS OF HOW MANY OF OUR CITIZENS MIGHT OWN JET SKIS. I CAME UP WITH A NUMBER OF ABOUT 300 OR SO. THAT'S USING SOME VERY SPITBALL MATH. SO I THINK THE CROWD ALSO SHOWED
US THIS IS A GRAVITATION POINT FOR PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE REGION THAT WANT TO BE ON JET SKIS. THAT'S A VALUE. IT'S A VALUE THAT THEY'RE HERE, THAT THEY'RE COMING HERE. THE PROBLEM IS, WE'RE SUFFERING
FROM COMPRESSION. PINELLAS IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULOUS COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULOUS STATES IN THE UNION. AND ONE OF THE REASONS WE HONOR OUR PARKS SO MUCH HERE, IS BECAUSE WE WANT FREE AND OPEN SPACE.
SO THAT OUR CITIZENS, EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY LIVE CLOSE TOGETHER, CAN GO INTO A PLACE, WALK-THROUGH THE WOODS AND ENJOY NATURE. I'M AFRAID THE BALANCE FOR THOSE NOT LIVING IN DUNEDIN AS OPPOSED
TO THOSE LIVING IN DUNEDIN IS MORE FOR THOSE LIVING IN DUNEDIN, AT LEAST FOR ME, BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT PUT ME IN THIS SEAT. AND THAT IS WHY I SECONDED THE MOTION. >> Mayor Freaney: COMMISSIONER SANDBERGEN?
>> RIGHT OUT OF THE BLOCKS IT WAS BROUGHT UP ABOUT HOW LONG IT'S BEEN JET SKIS. I WOULD NEVER BE VOTED FATHER OF THE YEAR, BUT I REMEMBER MY 3-YEAR-OLD BEING STUFFED IN A PACK AND PLAY WITH AN UMBRELLA OVER HIM, AND THAT WAS ABOUT
1995, BECAUSE I USED TO BE PART OF THAT JET SKI CROWD, AND IT WAS A HECK OF A GOOD TIME. WHOEVER TALKED ABOUT FAMILIES, HEY, RANDY, YOU DID A HECK OF A JOB. DAVID. AND MY NAMESAKE BACK THERE, STEVEN.
IF I EVER WANTED SOMEBODY TO GO ADDRESS A CROWD, WHICH I DO A LOT OF TIMES, I'D HAVE YOU RIGHT NEXT TO ME, BECAUSE YOU'RE GOOD. I NEVER MET YOU BEFORE, BUT I MET YOU TONIGHT. AND YOU GUYS ARE PASSIONATE. AND IT'S -- IT'S MORE THAN A HO
HOBBY, I SEE THESE KIDS SITTING HERE, I CAN TELL, IT'S WHAT YOU DO. IT'S WHAT BRINGS YOUR FAMILY TOGETHER. I WILL BET THAT IF YOU'RE OUT HERE AND YOU'RE IN THIS ROOM AND YOU TOOK THE TIME TO COME IN HERE TONIGHT, YOU'RE NOT THE ONE THAT WAS OUT THERE CAUSING
PROBLEMS, I HAVE 125 EMAILS, AND NOT -- I DON'T THINK ANY OF THEM SAID THEY'RE THE MOST POLITE TIDY BUNCH OF PEOPLE IN THE WORLD. AND I KNOW WE -- I THINK ONE OF THEM EVEN TALKED ABOUT, I'LL CLEAN UP THE TRASH.
THAT'S REALLY GOING OUT OF THEIR WAY. BUT THIS IS -- POWER TO THE PEOPLE. I MEAN, WE HAVE BEEN -- AT LEAST I HAVE -- I'M NOT SURE EVERYBODY ELSE. BUT I'VE BEEN INUNDATED BY DUNEDIN RESIDENTS THAT ARE
AGAINST THIS. AND I REPRESENT AND WORK FOR THE CITIZENS OF DUNEDIN. SO I HAVE TO GO ALONG WITH WHAT THEY'VE ASKED FOR. AND I WILL BE VOTING IN FAVOR OF THE ORDINANCE. AND I KNOW THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU WANTED TO HEAR, BUT I HAVE TO
REMEMBER THAT I'M A DUNEDIN CITY COMMISSIONER, AND WORK FOR THE CITIZENS OF DUNEDIN. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY, MAYOR. >> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU. SO I'M ALSO GOING TO VOTE FOR IT, JUST TO BE CLEAR. I DO APPRECIATE THE RESPECTFUL
WAY EVERYBODY HAS PRESENTED THEIR CASE, THERE'S CERTAINLY BEEN SOME THINGS THAT HAVE GIVEN ME PAUSE. I HAVE SOME DUNEDIN RESIDENTS THAT SAID, CAN'T YOU FIND SOME PLACE, CAN'T YOU -- IT'S NOT THAT BIG OF A SPOT. BUT I HAVE ALSO BEEN OVERWHELMED BY PEOPLE THAT DON'T AGREE WITH
ME ABOUT ANYTHING UP HERE, BUT THEY'RE LIKE, IT'S SO UNSAFE THERE. THANK GOD YOU GUYS ARE DOING THIS. SO IT'S TOUGH, I MEAN, EVEN TONIGHT, THE NONRESIDENTS ARE ABOUT EQUAL TO RESIDENTS.
AND BY FAR, IN NONRESIDENTS, OVERWHELMINGLY DID NOT WANT THIS BAN, BUT RESIDENTS WERE THE MAJORITY, THEY WANT THE BAN. BY OUR EMAILS, THE LATEST TABULATION WE HAD WAS 64 FOR THE
BAN, 18 AGAINST THE BAN. BUT THAT'S JUST A SMALL PIECE OF ALL THE OTHER EMAILS AND COMMENTARY WE'VE HAD FROM OUR RESIDENTS. I THINK THEY'RE CLEAR. I THINK THIS STARTED WITH ONE OF OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEES, WHO
FELT VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT IT, THEY BROUGHT IT FORWARD, AND I THINK SOME OF OUR OTHER COMMITTEES SPOKE TO, AND AS WE PULLED DATA, SOMEBODY TALKED ABOUT, DID WE GET DATA? WE DID, YOU SAW A LOT OF THAT DATA INCLUDING THE SAFETY ISSUES, THAT GOT BROUGHT UP.
I MEAN, BUT YOU KNOW, WE ARE A COASTAL CITY, AND THAT'S NUMBER ONE. SOMEBODY SAID THAT THAT IS NUMBER ONE WHAT WE ARE. WE ARE NOT ANYTHING ELSE OTHER THAN THAT IS NUMBER ONE. AND -- BUT I THINK THAT -- AND I
THINK ACCESS TO THE WATER IS REALLY IMPORTANT. I THINK IT'S A COUNTY WIDE STRUGGLE TO MAKE SURE WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE WATER. WE'RE LUCKY THAT WE ARE ONE OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT PROVIDE VISUAL ACCESS TO THE WATER ALONG
OUR SCENIC CORRIDORS. WHICH IS A GREAT THING, MANY COMMUNITIES DID NOT DO THAT. AND I -- I CERTAINLY -- I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF IT, I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. FOR ME, MORE THAN THAT, THIS IS
ALMOST A SAFETY DECISION BEFORE IT'S ENVIRONMENTAL. THERE'S A LOT GOING ON OUT THERE. THAT IS THE REASON IT LITERALLY IS COINED AT TIMES THE WILD WILD WEST, BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT GOING ON OUT THERE. AND HONESTLY, WITH THE
OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF RESIDENTS THAT WANT PEACE, I FEEL THAT I SHOULD GIVE THAT TO THEM. AND I THINK IT'S A SAFER WAY TO GO. AND I THINK IT'S JUST A HARD SELL WHEN DUNEDIN HAS SO MUCH, AND WE DO. WE HAVE SO MUCH.
I ALWAYS SAY, DUNEDIN RESIDENTS WANT EVERYTHING. IT'S OUR JOB TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT AND KEEP THINGS AFFORDABLE. THE REALITY IS, WE CAN'T BE EVERYTHING. AND SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT DON'T WANT THE BAN ARE COMING FROM OTHER PLACES, AND I'M SAYING TO MYSELF, WHY ARE YOU
COMING HERE? WHY AREN'T YOU GOING TO WHERE YOU ARE. BECAUSE THEY MUST NOT HAVE IT. BUT WE HAVE A LOT, AND WE DON'T NEED TO BRING THE WORLD IN TO OUR DUNEDIN CAUSEWAY. WE NEED TO MAKE IT WHAT WE WANT IT TO BE. I'M SYMPATHETIC, I AM.
BECAUSE THAT IS WHY WE'RE ALL IN FLORIDA IS FOR THE WATER. THE CLOSURE, BECAUSE OF HURRICANE HELENE I THINK JUST GAVE EVAN OPPORTUNITY TO THINK ABOUT IT. AND I THINK IT WAS THE DRIVE OF THIS COMMISSION TO NOT LET IT BE
REOPENED WITHOUT MAKING THIS DECISION. BECAUSE LET'S SET THE PACE NOW, AND PEOPLE OBVIOUSLY HAVE FOUND SOMEWHERE ELSE TO GO FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, SO IT SEEMS LIKE THE PERFECT TIME TO MAKE THIS CALL AND KIND OF CHANGE THE PATH. I DID LOOK UP ON AI I ADMIT,
ABOUT INCREASED JET SKIS AND MOTORIZED VEHICLES,ING AND THEY HAVE INCREASED DRASTICALLY. AND I WILL CERTAINLY LOOK THAT UP A LITTLE DEEPER BETWEEN NOW AND THE SECOND READING. BUT IN THE LAST 30 YEARS, I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT'S CHANGED.
THAT'S TRULY WHAT'S CHANGED. IT'S A MATTER OF JUST THE SHEER NUMBERS OF IT. AND THIS CAUSEWAY CAN'T BE ALL THINGS TO ALL PEOPLE. SOKIND OF TO SUMMARIZE, SAFETY, COMPATIBILITY, QUALITY OF LIFE,
GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND TRAFFIC ON THE CAUSEWAY. AGAIN, WE HAVE ENOUGH ISSUES JUST WITH OUR -- LIKE PEOPLE CLOSE TO US, RATHER THAN ADDING MORE TRAFFIC ON THE CAUSEWAY, BY INCENTIVIZING OTHER USES FOR LOTS OF PEOPLE TO COME.
SO I AM IN FAVOR OF THIS. I AM APPRECIATIVE TO THE COMMITTEES AND THE CITIZENS THAT HAVE SPOKEN OUT, AND I'M APPRECIATIVE OF EVERYBODY'S POINT OF VIEW, I RESPECT IT. AND IT IS -- I DO GET TORN, BECAUSE I THINK BOAT RAMPS ARE
PROBABLY A LITTLE TRICKY WITH SOME OF THESE VEHICLES, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE ANSWER TO THAT IS. AND WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT THAT, I JUST DON'T THINK THIS IS THE PLACE TO HAVE IT. SO THAT'S MY VOTE, ON THAT NOTE,
WE WILL GO TO A ROLL CALL VOTE. >> COMMISSIONER SANDBERGEN? >> AYE. >> COMMISSIONER DUGARD? >> AYE. >> COMMISSIONER GOW? >> AYE. >> MAYOR FREANEY? >> Mayor Freaney: AYE, AND THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY, WITH A 4-0 VOTE. THANK YOU, EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR COMING, AND APPRECIATE IT.
THE SECOND READING WILL BE ON SEPTEMBER 3rd, 2026. THAT'S ABOUT A MONTH AWAY. THANK YOU.
>> Mayor Freaney: OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO WAIT FOR ONE MINUTE AND GO ON TO THE NEXT ITEM.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE A BREAK.
>> Mayor Freaney: WE'RE GOING TO GET STARTED. OUR NEXT ITEM IS FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE 25-02, AMENDING CHAPTER 111 OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE HISTORIC PRESERVATION. CAN YOU READ 25-02 BY TITLE ONLY? >> SURE.
ORDINANCE 25-02. AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DUNEDIN, FLORIDA, AMENDING CHAPTER 111, HISTORIC PRESERVATION OF THE CITY OF DUNEDIN, LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE TO PROVIDE FOR MORE COMPREHENSIVE REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES FOR PROPERTIES AND STRUCTURES TO BE DESIGNATED AS
LOCAL HISTORIC LANDMARKS. DEVELOPMENT APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE CITY OF DUNEDIN LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE TO PROVIDE FOR APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS FOR LANDMARKS. AND CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS FOR LANDMARK
SITES CONSISTENT WITH THE LANGUAGE OF CHAPTER 111 AMENDING TABLE 104.1.2, NOTICE AND REQUIREMENTS OF THE CITY OF DUNEDIN HISTORIC LANDMARK CODE
CONSISTENT WITH THE AMENDED LANGUAGE OF CHAPTER 111 AND AMENDING SECTION 104.1, CREATING CHAPTER 109 ADMINISTRATIVE
AGENCIES, HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE, TO CODIFY THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE AS A BOARD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OVERSEEING OF THE VARIOUS PARTS OF CHAPTER 111, PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY, EFFECTIVE DATE.
THAT WAS ORDINANCE 25-02 READ BY TITLE ONLY. >> Mayor Freaney: CAN I HAVE A MOTION? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> Mayor Freaney: AND I'LL GO TO STAFF PRESENTATION, WHICH APPEARS TO BE FRANCES, GEORGE,
BLAIR NIGHTING WITH KIMLEY-HORN. GEORGE IS IN THE BACKGROUND. >> GOOD EVENING MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, I'M FRANCES LEONG SHARP PLANNER 2 FOR THE CITY.
I'M HERE WITH BLAIR KNIGHTING WHO IS OUR CONSULTANT FROM KIMLE KIMLEY-HORN. WE HAVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION OF THE ORDINANCE, I'LL LET BLAIR TAKE IT AWAY. >> I PROMISE IT'S BRIEF. WE'RE HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION ORDINANCE CHANGES, THE
RECOMMENDATION. TODAY WE'LL RECAP ON EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENED, AND TALK ABOUT THE FINAL CHANGES, AND THEN WE WILL ASK FOR A MOTION. RECAP, ESSENTIALLY WE'VE HAD A SERIES OF WORKSHOPS WITH THE LPA AND CITY COMMISSION.
WE ALSO HAD SOME HEARINGS IN THE SUMMER OF 2025, WE ALSO COORDINATED WITH THE STATE AND THE NATIONAL PARKS SERVICE. WE'VE BEEN AT THIS A WHILE. SO A COUPLE SLIDES, I'LL JUST QUICKLY TALK ABOUT THE
RECOMMENDED CHANGES WE'RE SUGGESTING. WE DID ADD LANDMARK SITE TO THE ORDINANCE, TO THE DEFINITIONS, SO WE CAN CLEARLY DEFINE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SITE AND A BUILDING. SO YOU CAN EITHER LANDMARK THE ENTIRE SITE OR JUST A FEATURE OR
A BUILDING. THOSE PROPOSED CHANGES ALLOW THE OPPORTUNITY TO DESIGNATE JUST THE ASSET, AND SIMPLIFIES THE COA PROCESS. AND THEN WE ALSO CLARIFIED THE NOTICE SECTIONS FOR ALL APPLICATIONS. WE CLEANED UP INCONSISTENCIES IN
HOW THE HPC PROCESSES APPLICATIONS. AND THEN WE DID MAKE SOME CHANGES TO THE COA PROCESS. COA'S NOW REQUIRE PRE-OP WITH STAFF. WE CLARIFIED HOW THE COA'S ARE PROCESSED, IN TERMS OF THE MATRIX, ADMINISTRATIVE VERSUS
HPC AND CITY COMMISSION. WE REMOVED THE MAJORITY OF THE CL OA'S THAT THE CITY COMMISSION WERE REVIEWING, IT WAS A LITTLE ONEROUS ON THE APPLICANT AND YOU HAVE PLENTY OF THINGS ON YOUR AGENDA, YOU DON'T NEED TO REVIEW THINGS THE HPC CAN REVIEW.
WE KREEITED AN EASIER FLOW CHART FOR THE CITY STAFF. THE MATRIX REVISIONS, IT WAS A LITTLE ANTIQUATED, COPIED AND PASTED A COUPLE TIMES. THE CURRENT MATRIX USES CHANGES
ON HOW YOU HANDLE EXTERIOR CHANGES TO LANDMARKS THROUGH THAT PROCESS. WHAT OUR REVISIONS SUGGEST IS JUST ALTERING THAT TO PUT A LITTLE MORE ON STAFF REVIEW, AND
THEN THE HPC, SO YOU GUYS REALLY WILL SEE THE BIG THINGS, LIKE DEMOLITION, RELOCATION, THINGS LIKE THAT. I'M GOING TO HAND YOU OVER TO FRANCES TO CATCH YOU UP.
>> WHERE WE LEFT OFF SINCE APPROXIMATELY ALMOST A YEAR AGO, WE HAVE DISCOVERED THAT STAFF WE WOULD NEED TO SUBMIT THE DRAFT ORDINANCE TO HAVE THE STATE AND THE NATIONAL PARKS SERVICE TO REVIEW.
AND SO THAT IS THE PRIMARY REASON THERE WAS A DELAY IN BETWEEN THE LAST TIME YOU HEARD THIS AT FIRST READING, BEFORE MOVING FORWARD TO THE SECOND READING, AND FROM THERE WE DID RECEIVE COMMENTS FROM BOTH THE
DEPARTMENT OF STATE AS WELL AS THE NATIONAL PARKS SERVICE. AND WITHIN THAT TIME FRAME, STAFF HAD WORKED WITH BOTH THE NATIONAL PARKS SERVICE AND THE STATE TO RESOLVE THOSE COMMENTS. AS A RESULT OF THAT, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE BULLET POINT, THE
ONE KEY CHANGES YOU SEE FROM THIS CURRENT DRAFT YOU HAVE HERE THIS EVENING IS THAT WE HAVE REMOVED THE PROVISION TO CREATE HISTORIC DISTRICTS BASED AS A RESULT OF THE COMMENTS FROM THE NATIONAL PARKS SERVICE.
PARTICULARLY AS WELL AS THE RISING CONCERNS WE HAVE SEEN EXPRESSED FROM THE CITIZENS. SO FROM THERE. WE REVISED THE DRAFT ORDINANCE. AND BROUGHT IT IN FRONT OF THE
HISTORIC PRESERVATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WHICH WILL SOON BE CALLED HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE ON MAY 14th, AND RECOMMENDED APPROVAL. AND WE ALSO HAVE BROUGHT IT IN FRONT OF THE LOCAL PLANNING AGENCY ON JUNE 10th, AND THEY ALSO TOO HAVE RECOMMENDED
APPROVAL OF THE DRAFT ORDINANCE. >> AND WE'RE HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. >> Mayor Freaney: QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? I THINK I STARTED OVER HERE FOR THE LONG ONE, I'LL GO OVER HERE, COMMISSIONER SANDBERGEN? >> I KNOW THERE WAS A QUESTION
BEFORE ABOUT WHO CAN INITIATE, AM I RIGHT? >> YES. >> IS THAT -- HAS THERE BEEN CHANGES TO THAT, IS THAT ALL CLEARED UP? >> AS FAR AS WHO CAN INITIATE A HISTORIC DISTRICT? >> YES, THAT'S BEEN ELIMINATED.
>> THE PROVISION OF THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, JUST TO TALK ABOUT THAT, IT'S BEEN COMPLETELY ELIMINATED, THAT IS THE BIG CHANGE YOU SEE FROM THIS DRAFT, FROM THE PREVIOUS DRAFT THAT YOU HAVE HEARD ALMOST A YEAR AGO. AND I THINK THE ONE PART THAT WE
ALSO STILL HAVE IS THE LANDMARK DESIGNATION IN TERMS OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS HAS NOT CHANGED. >> THAT'S ALL I NEEDED, THANK YOU. >> IF WE DID JET SKIS AND HISTORIC DISTRICTS IN ONE NIGHT. FIRST OF ALL, WE'D BE IDIOTS,
AND SECOND OF ALL, WE WOULD NEED TWICE THE BUILDING. QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER GOW? >> THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WILL SAY, THAT HISTORIC PRESERVATION IS A LITTLE PTSD FOR ME. FOR ALL OF US.
WE SEE, WE WANT TO RUN. >> LIKE PAID PARKING. >> MY QUESTION IS ABOUT SITE VERSUS BUILDING. AND JUST SO THE RESIDENTS UNDERSTAND THAT AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE DO YOU HAVE ANY LITERAL EXAMPLES?
THIS PLACE IN DUNEDIN, D.A. D.A. D.A. D.A. D.A. >> WE CAN USE THE MARINA FOR AN EXAMPLE. IF YOU WANT YOUR ENTIRE HISTORIC SITE TO BE DESIGNATED, YOU CAN
INCLUDE THE BUILDING, THE LANDSCAPE, MAYBE THE HISTORIC WALL AROUND YOUR SITE. IF YOU WANTED TO JUST DO THE BUILDING, YOU COULD DO A LANDMARK. SO YOU WOULD WHY FOR A LANDMARK DESIGNATION. THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE. THE LANDMARK SITE IS THE WHOLE
ENCOMPASSING AREA, AND THE LANDMARK IS THE BUILDING OR THE FEATURE. IT COULD BE A WALL TOO. >> SO THERE COULD BE -- LIKE PART OF THE SITE MAY NOT BE HISTORIC? >> EXACTLY. >> IT MAY BE NEWER? >> YES, SIR. >> BUT THERE'S A HISTORIC
BUILDING OR SOMETHING OF VALUE ON YOUR PROPERTY THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO HAVE? >> YES, SIR. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> COMMISSIONER DUGARD, QUESTIONS? >> DO WE SEE IN THE FUTURE COMING BACK AND LOOKING TO CREATE HISTORIC DISTRICTS IN THE
AREA? >> OKAY, I WILL GO -- PLEASE HAVE THAT UP FOR NOVEMBER. >> Mayor Freaney: YEAH. >> COMMISSIONER, MAYOR, THERE IS NO PLANS IN THE FUTURE TO BRING BACK HISTORIC DISTRICTS. >> NO MORE QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU. >> Mayor Freaney: I DO NOT HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM. AND SO I'M GOING TO OPEN IT UP TO PUBLIC INPUT AND SEE IF THERE'S ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WISHES TO COME FORWARD AND SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE.
NOT EVEN FORMER VICE MAYOR DEBORAH KYNES? [ INAUDIBLE ] >> Mayor Freaney: I'LL LET YOU COME UP AFTER. >> THAT'S THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE. >> Mayor Freaney: THAT'S WHY I DIDN'T WANT TO LET HER COME UP NOW. ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE WISH
TO SPEAK ON THE ISSUE? CLOSE PUBLIC INPUT, I'LL GO TO FINAL COMMISSION COMMENTS, STARTING WITH THE MAKER OF THE MOTION. COMMISSIONER SANDBERGEN? >> WE'VE WORKED THIS BACK AND FORTH, I HAVE NOTHING MORE TO ADD. >> Mayor Freaney: COMMISSIONER
DUGARD? >> IT IS DISAPPOINTING THAT WE DO NOT HAVE DISTRICTS INSIDE THIS ORDINANCE. WE WANTED DISTRICTS IN A CERTAIN WAY HERE, SO THAT IT WAS MORE UNANIMOUS ON THE PART OF THE CITIZENS, THAT WAS NOT AGREEABLE
TO OUR GOOD FRIENDS AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL, AND THEREFORE, BECAUSE OF THAT DISAGREEMENT, WE COULD NOT FIND A WAY TO SHOE HORN THIS. IF WE EVER DO, I'LL BE RIGHT HERE READY TO VOTE FOR IT, BECAUSE I THINK HISTORIC DISTRICTS ARE IMPORTANT. BUT SO IS THE CONSENT OF THE
PEOPLE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> Mayor Freaney: COMMISSIONER GOW? >> YOU KNOW, I DO ECHO MY COLLEAGUES' COMMENTS WITH THE DISTRICTS, BUT IT HAS TO BE THE RIGHT ORDINANCE, IT HAS TO BE THE RIGHT TIME, AND THE
RESIDENTS NEED TO BE INVOLVED. AND ACCEPTING IT. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> Mayor Freaney: ALL THAT SOUNDS GOOD, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ADDITIONAL. I'M GLAD WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE IN HERE. IT'S A REALLY GOOD THING, AND SO I'M GOING TO GO TO ROLL CALL
VOTE. >> COMMISSION GOW? >> AYE. >> COMMISSIONER DUGARD? >> AYE. >> COMMISSIONER SANDBERGEN? >> AYE. >> MAYOR FREANEY. >> Mayor Freaney: AYE, THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY 4-0. AND NOW IF THE FORMER VICE MAYOR
AND CURRENT CHAIR, RIGHT? STILL OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION, COMMISSIONER, VICE MAYOR DEBORAH KYNES? >> I'M ALMOST 100 YEARS OLD NOW, BUT I'VE BEEN -- ANYWAY, THANK YOU. IT'S MUCH MORE USER FRIENDLY.
IT'S MUCH MORE EXPLAINABLE AS A VOLUNTARY ACTION OF OUR CITIZENS, AND WE'RE GOING TO DO ALSO SOMETHING THAT IS ON US, AND WE WANT TO DO -- WE WILL BE DOING MUCH MORE EDUCATION TO PEOPLE. IT'S AN INTRICATE SUBJECT.
YOU OUGHT TO KNOW THAT, BECAUSE WE HAVE -- YOU KNOW, WE HAVE AN EXPERT HERE. FRANCIS HAS BEEN AMAZING. SO ANYWAY, THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE IT. >> THANK YOU. >> Mayor Freaney: DEBORAH THANKS
FOR ALL YOU DO, WE LOVE YOU, GIRL. BELOVE WHAT YOU DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY. THANKS TO STAFF AND EVERYBODY INVOLVED. SECOND READING WILL BE HELD AUGUST 6th, 2026. WE'RE GOING TO GO TO 3C. >> MAIN, IF I MAY?
I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE THAT 3C IS TABLED UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION. I DON'T SEE THAT IT'S TIME SENSITIVE. I THINK WHATEVER HAPPENS AT THE ELECTION WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON THIS VOTE. SO I DON'T SEE A REASON WHY IT
CAN'T BE TABLED. >> Mayor Freaney: IS THERE A SECOND? >> I'LL SECOND THAT. >> Mayor Freaney: OKAY. WELL, DO YOU WANT TO TELL US THE IMPACT OF THAT, IF WE DO? >> ABSOLUTELY, THANK YOU. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS AND LES TYLER IS AT THE STAFF
TABLE AS WELL. LES, WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT THE IMPACT WOULD BE OF TABLING THIS RESOLUTION? >> I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S ANY IMPACT PERSONALLY, AS LONG AS WE HAVE THIS RESOLUTION APPROVED BEFORE CONSTRUCTION BEGINS, ASSUMING THE PARKING GARAGE
MOVES FORWARD, WE'RE FINE. >> Mayor Freaney: SO THERE'S NO IMPACT IF WE DELAY? >> YEAH, NO IMPACT TO DELAY. >> THE FUNCTION OF THIS RESOLUTION IS TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE REIMBURSED FOR EXPENSES WHEN WE ISSUE THE DEBT FOR THE PARKING GARAGE.
AND SO AS LONG AS WE ISSUE IT BEFORE WE START CONSTRUCTION, WE CAN RECOUP ALL OF THAT. WE'RE FINE WITH WAITING UNTIL AFTER NOVEMBER. >> Mayor Freaney: OKAY, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO TABLE. ALL IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> Mayor Freaney: ANY OPPOSED?
MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THAT'S OFFICIALLY BEEN TABLED. AND THAT IS THE CORRECT TERM, CITY ATTORNEY, TABLED? >> THAT'S FINE, YES. BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT CONTINUING IT TO A DATE CERTAIN, YOU'RE
TABLING IT. >> Mayor Freaney: MAKING SURE YOU'RE KEEPING US ON THE PATH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. >> YES, WHEN THE TABLING, IS THERE A REQUIREMENT WHEN IT COMES OFF THE TABLE IN TIMING? >> THERE IS NOT. >> THANK YOU. >> Mayor Freaney: THERE WE GO,
WE ARE DEFINITELY ON THE PATH. I THINK THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A FAUX PAS EARLIER. OR MISUNDERSTANDING, I WANT TO GO BACK TO IT, HOWARD GRAY, WHO IS STILL HERE WAS WANTING TO
SPEAK TO 2C, WHICH IS ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA, APPARENTLY. >> I WANTED TO SPEAK TO THE PARKING GARAGE. >> Mayor Freaney: OKAY. WE TABLED IT. IT'S 3C.
SO WE TABLED IT, TO BE CONTINUED NOW. THANK YOU. SORRY. YOU KNOW WHAT, IF YOU WANT TO COME UP AND SPEAK, YOU WAITED SO LONG. COME UP. COME ON, HOWARD, COME ON. YOU KNOW, EVEN I THOUGHT THAT WAS MEAN WHEN I WAS SAYING IT.
>> OKAY, FIRST OF ALL, IT'S TOO COLD IN HERE. I SAY THAT, BECAUSE I HAVE FOUR FUSIONS IN MY NECK, AND I CAN HARDLY WALK WHEN I GET COLD. I WORE LONG PANTS IN HONOR OF JEFF. >> Mayor Freaney: NAME AND
ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, AND THREE MINUTES. >> HOWARD GRAY, 1617 BROOKE DRIVE, DUNEDIN. THE BEAUTIFUL DUNEDIN. SO I'M GOING TO TAKE THIS TIME, DON'T KNOW IF IT EVEN APPLIES TO
WHAT YOU'RE DOING TODAY. BUT YOU GUYS WILL KNOW, I DON'T KNOW. WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS COMPLICATED. IF YOU HAD COME UP WITH THIS PROPOSAL FOR A PARKING GARAGE FIVE YEARS AGO, I'D HAVE
PROBABLY BEEN IN FAVOR OF IT, BUT NOT ANY MORE. BECAUSE I THINK THESE NEW AUTONOMOUSLY DRIVEN CARS, THEY DRIVE THEMSELVES, IN OTHER WORDS, FOR TAXIS. THAT'S GOING TO BE A HIGHLY PREFERRED METHOD OF GETTING TO
WHERE YOU WANT TO GO. THAN A PARKING GARAGE. SO JUST PLAY THROUGH THE SCENARIO. I WANT TO GO TO A RESTAURANT IN DUNEDIN. SO I GET IN THE CAR, AND I PUT IN THE ADDRESS FOR MY
DESTINATION. A PARKING GARAGE. THAT'S NOT WHERE I WANT TO GO. I WANT TO GET TO THE RESTAURANT. BUT IF I GET ONE OF THESE SELF-DRIVING CABS, I JUST PULL OUT MY PHONE SAY, I'M AT HOME, I
WANT TO GO TO A RESTAURANT PICK ME UP AT 6:30. AND THEN THAT HAPPENS. AND IT PULLS UP IN FRONT OF THE RESTAURANT AND IT DROPS ME OFF. I DON'T LIKE GOING TO PARKING GARAGES.
I LIKE PARKING MY CAR THERE DURING THE DAY WHEN IT'S HOT, BUT OTHERWISE, I'D RATHER STAY AWAY FROM A PARKING GARAGE. SINCE YOU'RE PLANNING ON SPENDING, WHAT WAS IT, 10, $11 MILLION, THAT SOUNDS IMPORTANT
TO ME. IF IT'S NOT NECESSARY, AND I DON'T THINK IT IS, WE DON'T NEED TO SPEND THAT MONEY. I GOT TIME FOR A STORY.
>> Mayor Freaney: IT HAS TO BE PERT FAN THE TO THE AGENDA ITEM. >> MAYBE YOU GIVE ME EXTRA TIME HERE. >> Mayor Freaney: NO, WE WILL NOT. >> THAT WAS TEN SECONDS RIGHT THERE. SO IN 1900, THERE'S A STRAIGHT PICTURE OF 5th AVENUE IN NEW
YORK CITY, AND IT IS FULL OF HORSES AND BUGGIES. THERE'S ONE GASOLINE POWERED CAR IN THERE. AND THEN YOU GO FORWARD TO 1913, SAME ANGLE, AND NOW YOU SEE
NOTHING BUT GASOLINE POWERED CARS AND ONE HORSE AND BUGGY. THAT'S HOW FAST THAT TAKES OVER. THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THESE AUTONOMOUSLY DRIVEN VEHICLES. THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE OVER A LOT FASTER. MORE LIKE THE IPHONE THAT TOOK
OVER IN THE PERIOD OF JUST A COUPLE YEARS. SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT, I KNOW YOU'RE ITCHING TO SPEND THAT $11 MILLION >> Mayor Freaney: WELL, IT'S TABLED FOR NOW, HOWARD. >> THAT MEANS I CAN COME AGAIN.
>> Mayor Freaney: 3D, RESOLUTION, 26-11, ESTABLISHES A MAXIMUM MILLAGE RATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027. JEN CAN YOU READ RESOLUTION 26-11 BY TITLE ONLY. >> YES, RESOLUTION 26-11. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY
COMMISSION OF DUNEDIN, FLORIDA, ADOPTING THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE FOR AD VALOREM TAX REVENUE FOR 2026-'27 AT A RATE NOT TO EXCEED 4.1543 MILLS OR $4.13 PER
$1,000 OF ASSESSED PROPERTY VALUE. PROVIDING FOR EFFECTIVE DATE. >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND.
>> Mayor Freaney: STAFF PRESENTATION. >> LES TYLER FROM THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT. ALSO HERE WITH JEAN OUR BUDGET MANAGER. THIS RESOLUTION IS TO ESTABLISH THE PROPOSED MAXIMUM MILLAGE RATE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR '27 BUDGET FOR THE CITY.
STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THE APPROVAL AT THIS RATE, WHICH ALLOWS THE COMMISSION TO APPROVE THIS RATE OF 4.13 MILLS OR ANY RATE LOWER THAN THAT. THIS IS NO INCREASE FROM THE PRIOR YEAR. THIS RATE HAS BEEN THE SAME SINCE FISCAL YEAR '26. THIS WILL BE THE CITY'S 13th
YEAR AT THIS MILLAGE RATE. FOLLOWING THE ADOPTION, THE ATTACHED FORMS IN THE STAFFING REPORT AND FIRST PUBLIC HEARING DAYTIME AND LOCATION WILL BE CERTIFIED BY THE CITY AND RETURNED TO PROPERTY APPRAISERS BY JULY 28, 2026 AND BE INCLUDED
IN THE TRIM NOTICES. THE TOTAL GENERAL FUND REDUCTION IN REVENUE, IF THE CITY DID THE ROLL BACK RATE, 2.72%, EXCUSE ME. WOULD BE A REDUCTION OF APPROXIMATELY $776,000 IN 2027.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR COMMENTS AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. >> IF WE LOOK AT THE
CLARIFICATION OF TAXABLE VALUE, CAN YOU CLARIFY LINE 1, 2, 4 IS THAT THE TOTAL PROPERTY IN DUNEDIN? >> TOTAL TAXABLE VALUE, 4.9
BILLION. >> IN DUNEDIN. >> YEAH. >> WOW! AND WILL THAT NUMBER, THAT'S FOR 2026. DOES THAT GO UP BASED ON A PERCENTAGE EACH YEAR? >> THAT GEEZ UP BASED ON THE
ASSESSED VALUE GROWTH EVERY YEAR. >> AND THEN THAT 80 MILLION NUMBER, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT THE OTHER DAY. IS THAT NEW PROPERTY, NEW CONSTRUCTION, AND PROPERTIES COMING BACK ON THE TAX ROLL POST HURRICANE? >> THAT'S CORRECT, AND WE'RE
GOING TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION AT THE NEXT WORKSHOP, BUDGET WORKSHOP, IT WAS PRETTY MUCH, WE'RE VERY CLOSE TO HALF AND HALF. HALF THAT AMOUNT WAS PROPERTIES BROUGHT BACK, AND HALF WAS NEW CONSTRUCTION. >> I THINK I MAY BE CAUGHT IN -- IS THERE ANYTHING ABOUT THE
PERCENTAGE OF -- I KNOW WE HAVE A DELINQUENCY EVERY YEAR, WAS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OF THAT? >> YEAH, WE BUDGETED A 95% COLLECTION RATE. WE ASSUME THE 5% COLLECTION RATE. AND WE ALSO BUDGET EVERY YEAR, 150,000 ON THE AVERAGE FOR
DELINQUENCIES ON ON ANNUAL BASIS. WE GENERALLY COME IN PRETTY CLOSE TO THAT, AND SOMETIMES SLIGHTLY OVER. >> THAT'S ALL I HAD MAYOR, THANK YOU. >> Mayor Freaney: COMMISSIONER GOW, QUESTIONS? >> THANK YOU, MAYOR. LES, JUST FOR THE RECORD, BECAUSE I THINK I HEARD A DIFFERENT DATE, HOW LONG HAVE WE
HAD THE MILLAGE RATE? >> SINCE 2016. >> I THOUGHT I HEARD A DIFFERENT DATE. I WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT FOR THE RESIDENTS. THE ROLL BACK AMOUNT WAS 770,000? >> YEAH, 776,000.
>> AND IF POSSIBLE, FOR OUR NEXT WORKSHOP, COULD YOU ALSO PROPOSE WHAT SERVICES WOULD HAVE TO BE CUT IN ORDER TO REACH THAT 776,000?
>> IF I MAY, MAYOR. THE NEXT WORKSHOP IS COMING RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER, IT MIGHT BE DIFFICULT TO QUANTIFY THAT SPECIFICALLY. WE ARE WORKING ON THE C CONTINGENCY PLAN, AND IT'S DIFFICULT GETTING YOU THE INFORMATION FOR THE CONTINGENCY PLAN IN THAT TIME PERIOD, WE
COULD EQUATE IT TO NUMBER OF POSITIONS ACROSS THE BOARD, AND THAT TYPE OF A THING. BUT TO -- VARIOUS CUTS WE RECOMMEND, I CAN'T DO THAT. >> OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. >> Mayor Freaney: COMMISSIONER DUGARD?
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. GIVE ME A SENSE OF THE GROWTH AND OUR REVENUE UNDER THIS BASIS AS OPPOSED TO PRIOR YEARS? CAN YOU GIVE ME A PICTURE ON THAT? >> OUR GROWTH THIS YEAR WAS
4.53% YEAR OVER YEAR. AND THEN LAST YEAR WAS LIKE 5.23, I BELIEVE IT WAS, SO -- AND THEN YEARS PRIOR TO THAT, IT WAS MORE THAN -- IT WAS MORE THAN THAT, I WOULD SAY, THE 5-YEAR AVERAGE WAS PROBABLY 8.2%
ON THE AVERAGE. 8.1 OR 2%. >> SO THIS IS SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN THE AVERAGE FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS, AS FAR AS GROWTH? >> DEFINITELY LESS. YEAH. >> THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MAYOR. >> Mayor Freaney: I DON'T HAVE
ANY QUESTIONS. THIS IS THE MAX WE CAN DO, AND WE CAN DO ANYTHING BELOW THAT? >> I DON'T LIKE THE WAY I ANSWERED COMMISSIONER GOW'S QUESTION. WE DO HAVE THE CONTINGENCY PLAN
ON THERE, AND WE WILL BE DISCUSSING SOME OF THE THINGS LES AND I HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING, WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO GET WITH THE DEPARTMENTS, TRYING TO FIGURE SOMETHING OUT IN TERMS OF EQUIVALENT OF. >> THAT WOULD BE FINE, AND I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THAT. ESPECIALLY, YOU'RE COMING UP
WITH THE CONTINGENCY NOW, IF I UNDERSTAND THAT, THE CONTINGENCY IS IT GOING TO BE FOR 3 AND 6 OR IS IT GOING TO BE 9 AND 6. I KNOW THE MAYOR WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SECOND YEAR. AND THE BIG HIT. YOU CAN'T GET TO THE SECOND YEAR
WITHOUT THE FIRST YEAR. >> THE PLAN WE'RE GOING TO PUT BEFORE YOU TO BE APPROVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION. IF THE REFERENDUM PASSES IN NOVEMBER, WILL BE THE CONTINGENCY PLAN. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO INCLUDE IN THAT, AS PART OF THAT, YOU KNOW, THE BEST WE'RE ABLE TO DO
RIGHT NOW, IS A GOOD ESTIMATE OF WHAT YEAR 2 WOULD LOOK LIKE, IT'S GOING TO TAKE US THREE OR FOUR MONTHS TO SAY, SPECIFICALLY, THIS IS WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. IN TERMS OF THE CONTINGENCY PLAN TO PUT IN PLACE, WE'LL HAVE THOSE DETAILS FLUSHED OUT. AND THEN AFTER THAT, WE'RE GOING
TO HAVE -- WE'RE GOING TO NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME. >> Mayor Freaney: WELL, WE DON'T HAVE TIME, WE HAVE TO HAVE OUR CITIZENS UNDERSTAND, IF WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A 6 1/2 MILLION
DOLLAR HIT, WHAT IS THAT GOING TO LOOK LIKE, I GET THAT THE CONTINGENCY PLAN WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON IS WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN, IF IT GETS APPROVED, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT FACT SHEET, TO SAY, THIS IS OUR BEST SHOT, WHAT'S GOING AWAY IN
THAT SECOND YEAR, IF IT PASSES, OTHERWISE, I JUST THINK THAT PEOPLE THINK IT'S JUST CREATIVELY MANAGED, AND NOT REAL, AND, YOU KNOW, HEY, I HOPE -- AND THAT EXERCISE IS CRITICAL TO ALL OF US. >> LES AND I HAVE HAD THAT
CONVERSATION. GO AHEAD. >> WE TALKED ABOUT THIS YESTERDAY. I THINK WITH -- WE'LL HAVE A FORMAL DETAILED PLAN LIKE YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT, AND THEN WE CAN HAVE ANOTHER PLAN THAT WOULD GET TO THAT SECOND NUMBER.
THAT $8 MILLION NUMBER ROUGHLY, AND THAT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE 3 MILLION AND THE 8 MILLION WOULD BE -- WE COULD DEFINITELY TELL BY DEPARTMENT, WHAT THE REDUCTIONS WOULD BE, WE CAN GIVE STAFFING AMOUNTS AND STAFFING REDUCTIONS, WE CAN GIVE AT A
HIGH LEVEL, SOME OF THE REDUCTIONS AND SPECIFICALLY WHAT THEY MIGHT BE AS WELL. >> SO IN THAT PARTICULAR PLAN, LES IS TALKING ABOUT $8 MILLION, BECAUSE WE WILL HAVE -- WE'LL LOOK AT EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING TO BE ROLLED DOWN FROM EMS, THE LIBRARY, AND EVERYTHING ROLLED
INTO THAT IN YEAR 2. >> Mayor Freaney: OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM ANYBODY? I'M GOING TO OPEN IT UP TO PUBLIC INPUT? ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE. I'M GOING TO CLOSE PUBLIC INPUT.
YOU LOOK LIKE YOU MIGHT BE LEAVING, YOU GET AN AWARD TONIGHT. YOU WERE HERE EARLY AND LATE. SHE CAME IN DURING CRA. NO, NOT THIS ONE, NOT THIS ONE. >> IS SHE FROM THE CITIZENS ACADEMY, IS SHE HERE TO GET POINTS?
>> I AM GOING TO BE IN THE CITIZENS ACADEMY. >> THERE YOU GO. >> Mayor Freaney: ARE YOU SELECTED? BECAUSE IF YOU'RE NOT, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND -- >> I'LL ENDORSE HER. >> Mayor Freaney: THAT'S ABOVE
AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY. FINAL COMMENTS BY THE COMMISSION, STARTING WITH THE MAKER OF THE MOTION, COMMISSIONER SANDBERGEN? >> NOTHING TO ADD. >> Mayor Freaney: COMMISSIONER DUGARD? >> THIS IS TANGENTIAL.
IF YOU SEE THE MORNING PAPER FOR TAMPA BAY TIMES, IT TALKS ABOUT THE $12 BILLION THAT IS PROSPECTIVELY TO BE LOST BY MUNICIPALITIES ACROSS THE STATE,
IF THIS REFERENDUM PASSES. AND IN PINELLAS COUNTY, IT'S $153 MILLION, THAT'S IN THE FIRST YEAR, THAT'S NOT EVEN THE WORST PART OF THE HIT. THE LAST PART OF THAT ARTICLE SPEAKS TO WHEN THE PUBLIC IS
FULLY INFORMED, AS TO WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. THE VOTES CHANGE. THE VOTES CHANGE. IT DOESN'T -- IT'S NO LONGER -- IT CAN'T PASS AT 60%, IT ONLY GETS 50.
SO THAT'S HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT WE, THE CITY, KEEPS OUR CITIZENS AND EVERY MUNICIPALITY KEEPS THEIR CITIZENS INFORMED AS TO WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO LOSE IF THIS PASSES. AND IT WILL BE SUBSTANTIAL. THANK YOU, MAYOR.
>> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU, AS WELL. OKAY. COMMISSIONER GOW, FINAL COMMENTS? >> NOTHING FURTHER, MAYOR. >> Mayor Freaney: AFTER ALL THAT, RIGHT? >> THIS IS ABOUT THE MILLAGE RATE, SO I'M TRYING TO STAY IN MY LANE. >> Mayor Freaney: IT'S ALL GOOD, I DON'T HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL
COMMENTS, THIS IS THE MAXIMUM MILLAGE WE HAVE, AND WE'LL GO FORWARD FROM THERE. ROLL CALL VOTE? >> COMMISSIONER GOW? >> AYE. >> COMMISSIONER DUGDUGARD? >> AYE. >> COMMISSIONER SANDBERGEN? >> AYE.
>> AND MAYOR FREANEY. >> Mayor Freaney: AYE. THAT PASSES 4-0. 3E, AWARD OF BID 26-2613 FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, RETURN
ACTIVATED SLUDGE TO TLC DIVERSIFIED INC. IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,955,810. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SLUDGE AT THIS HOUR OF THE NIGHT? I LIKE THE BOW TIE BY THE WAY. >> EVERYONE'S FAVORITE TOPIC.
END ON A HIGH NOTE. >> ALEJANDRO GONZALEZ, ALONGSIDE ME, BRIAN TULLIAN, GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COMMISSION AND STAFF. I'M HERE TO PRESENT AWARD OF BID
26-2613 FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT'S RAS, WAS AND FILTER FEED REPLACEMENT PUMPS TO TLC DIVERSIFIED. THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT
HAS THREE CRUCIAL PUMPS TO CIRCULATE THROUGHOUT THE PLAN THE. THE RAS PUMPS CIRCULATE ALL THE HEALTHY BACTERIA, THAT GETS RID OF ALL THE CONTAMINANTS, THE WAS
REMOVES THE BAD SLUDGE, SO IT CAN BE HAULED AWAY. AND IT BECOMES RECLAIMED WATER IS DISTRIBUTED TO THE PUBLIC. IN 2024, OUR PUMP MANUFACTURER TOLD US THE PUMPS WERE SLOWLY
BEING OBSOLETED OUT, AND THEY CANNOT BE REPAIRED, SO THEY ARE FACED WITH A REPLACEMENT, THESE PUMPS HAVE BEEN IN SERVICE THE LAST 15, 20 YEARS. >> SINCE 2014 WAS THE LAST TIME WE REPLACED THESE THREE.
>> 12 YEARS, SO WE GOT AN ENGINEER ON BOARD, AND WE WORKED THROUGH THE DESIGN, AND WE BID OUT THE PROJECT IN MARCH. WE RECEIVED 8 COMPETITIVE BIDS, AND THESE -- WE FOUND THAT THE LOWEST PERSPECTIVE --
RESPONSIBLE BIDDER WAS TLC DIVERSIFIED IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,955,810. AND WE FOUND THEM TO BE RESPONSIVE AND RESPONSIBLE. WE'RE HERE TO RECOMMEND THE BID
OF AWARD 26-2613 AS SUCH FOR THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT RAS AND WAS TO TLC.
>> Mayor Freaney: YOU COULD GIVE LESSONS TO STAFF ON SPEAKING QUICKLY AND CRISPLY. THAT WAS GOOD. QUESTIONS FOR ALEX? OR FOR EITHER? I'M GOING TO START WITH COMMISSIONER GOW. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR. YOU MIGHT HAVE SAID IT, AND IT'S
LATE IN THE NIGHT. WHY DO WE NEED THIS? THE NEW PUMPS? >> THESE PUMPS ARE VERY CRUCIAL, IF THEY DO NOT OPERATE, WE DO NOT PROVIDE PROPERLY TREATED WASTEWATER.
TWO YEARS AGO, THESE PUMPS WERE IDENTIFIED AS BEING OLD AND OBSOLETED. SO WE CAN'T KEEP BUYING REPLACEMENT PARTS ON EBAY, THEY CAN ONLY LAST SO LONG. WE'RE LOOKING FOR A COMPLETE
REPLACEMENT OF THESE 8 PUMPS IN TOTAL. >> AND DO WE KNOW HOW OLD THESE PUMPS ARE, THE OLD ONES CURRENTLY? >> YES, COMMISSIONER, WE'VE HAD THESE PUMPS, ORIGINALLY -- THIS MANUFACTURER WAS FROM 1990, IN
2014 WE REPLACED THESE PUMPS. IN 2023, 2024, THEY TOLD US THE MANUFACTURER DISCONTINUED THE PUMPS. THE CITY HAD TO RETAIN AN ENGINEERING FIRM TO DESIGN A REPLACEMENT WHILE FITTING WITHIN
THE EXISTING SPACE AND STRUCTURE. >> THANK YOU FOR REPEATING THAT FOR THE C STUDENTS. I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. >> Mayor Freaney: COMMISSIONER DUGARD? >> DO WE HAVE ANY WORK HISTORY WITH TLC? >> YES, WE DO. >> ALL FAVORABLE, I PRESUME? >> YES.
>> ALL THINGS BEING EQUAL AND IT BEING THE LOWEST BIDDER, I CAN SUPPORT THIS. >> YES, THEY WERE THE LOWEST BIDDER IN A VERY CROWDED FIELD. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR, THAT'S ALL I HAVE. >> Mayor Freaney: COMMISSIONER SANDBERGEN, QUESTIONS? >> I UNDERSTAND THERE'S THREE
PUMPS? >> THERE IS THREE PROCESSES. IT'S A TOTAL OF 8 PUMPS, THREE RAS, THREE FILTER FEED, AND TWO WAS PUMPS. ANY CONCERN ABOUT THE CONDITION OF THE OTHER ONES?
>> WE KEEP AN EYE ON THOSE TWO. THOSE ARE ACTUALLY THE OTHER PUMPS AT THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, THEY'RE CHEAPER, AND THEY FALL WITHIN MORE OF OUR R & R BUDGET. BECAUSE THESE ARE THE BIG PUMPS.
I MEAN, JUST THE PUMP THEMSELVES IS $1.5 MILLION, THESE PUMPS ARE BIGGER THAN MYSELF. THEY DO ELEVATE TO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PLAN, WHICH IS WHY THEY COST SO MUCH. >> OKAY, THAT'S ALL I HAD, MAYOR. >> Mayor Freaney: OKAY.
WELL, I'M NOT GOING TO SLOW DOWN SLUDGE. I DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, BUT OKAY. I'M GOING TO OPEN IT TO PUBLIC INPUT. IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WISH TO COME FORWARD AND SPEAK ON THIS ITEM?
I SEE ONE PERSON OUT THERE. DAVID, COME FORWARD. >> DAVID BALLARD GEDDES JR. WHAT IS THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF THESE PUMPS, AND THE CHANGING OUT OF THESE PUMPS, IS THERE
ANYTHING THAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG THAT YOU WOULD FORESEE. >> Mayor Freaney: THANK YOU. WE'LL ANSWER THAT. >> ALL THESE BUMPS RUN 24/7, THIS IS A 24/7 FACILITY. THESE PUMPS RUN NONSTOP, A LIFE
EXPECTANCY OF 10 TO 13 YEARS IS QUITE NORMAL FOR THESE CONSTANTLY RUNNING PUMPS. >> Mayor Freaney: ANYONE ELSE WISH TO COME FORWARD AND SPEAK TO THIS ISSUE? SEEING NO ONE I WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND ASK FOR A MOTION.
>> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. MARRIAGE DUGARD AND GOW. FINAL COMMENTS? STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER DUGARD? >> I HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO PROCEED, THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> Mayor Freaney: COMMISSIONER GOW? >> NO COMMENT. >> Mayor Freaney: COMMISSIONER SANDBERGEN? >> NOTHING TO ADD.
>> Mayor Freaney: I HAVE NOTHING TO ADD EITHER. SO ALL IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES, UNANIMOUSLY, 4-0 VOTE. WE ARE CLOSE TO 10:00, CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO GO PAST 10:00. >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND.
>> Mayor Freaney: ALL IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> Mayor Freaney: ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. WE'LL GET TO CONTINUE THE MEETING, HOW EXCITING.
3F, AWARD OF BID 26-2614, WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT GENERATOR BUILDING REHABILITATION PLAN IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $1,082,203.10. STAFF PRESENTATION, BACK TO
ALEX. >> ALEJANDRO GONZALEZ, THANK YOU MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COMMISSION AND STAFF. I'M HERE TO PRESENT THE RECOMMENDATION OF AWARD BID, 26-2613, EMERGENCY GENERATOR
BUILDING REHABILITATION PROJECT TO THE MALI CONTRACTOR. IN THE EVENTS THAT WE LOSE ELECTRICAL POWER DURING MAJOR STORMS AND OTHER EVENTS, THE EMERGENCY GENERATOR KICKS ON, SO
IT IS THE -- IT'S THE AED OF THE WASTEWATER PLANT, IT'S ALWAYS THERE, IT PROVIDES CRUCIAL BACKUP. HOWEVER, IN TERMS OF HARDENING AND PROVIDING RESILIENCY TO THE
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT. THERE IS DEFICIENCIES WHEN IT COMES TO THE BUILDING, WE NEED TO TAKE THE RADIATOR OFF THE ROOF. THERE'S PENETRATIONS THAT GO THROUGH THE ROOF, NEED TO GO OUT THE SIDE, THAT MEETS THE CURRENT STANDARDS OF IT, AND WHILE ALL
THIS IS GOING ON, THE EMERGENCY GENERATOR CANNOT BE OPERABLE, SO WE HAVE TO RENT A VERY LARGE EMERGENCY GENERATOR ON A TRAILER MOUNTED UNIT THAT PROVIDES POWER TO THE PLANT IN CASE.
SO WE PROVIDED -- WE GOT WITH AN ENGINEER TO PROVIDE A DESIGN TO PROVIDE THE RESILIENCY AND HARDENING CONCEPTS TO OUR EMERGENCY GENERATOR BUILDING. WE GOT THE DESIGN TOGETHER AND BID THAT OUT IN APRIL. IT WAS COMPETITIVELY ADVERTISED,
WE RECEIVED THREE BIDS. AND THE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BIDDER WAS MALI CONTRACTING GROUP, IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,082,203.10. STAFF RECOMMENDS AWARDING THE
BID TO THE MALI CONTRACTING GROUP OF TAMPA, FLORIDA, AND THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $1,082,203.10.p STAFF, STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER SANDBERGEN?
>> I GUESS I RECOGNIZE THE NAME OF THIS CONTRACTOR. DOING THE PARK DOWNTOWN? >> CORRECT. >> SAME PEOPLE FOR THE PARK. >> IT SEEMS LIKE QUITE A DIFFERENCE THIS PROJECT, VERSUS THE PARK.
I MEAN, ARE WE COMFORTABLE WITH THEM? >> WE'RE COMFORTABLE, THE WORK DETAILED IN THIS PROJECT IS MORE OF A GENERAL CONTRACTING, MORE CONCRETE WORK AND MORE VERTICAL BUILD. THEY WILL NOT BE TOUCHING ANY OF THE PROCESSES OF THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.
>> THAT'S FINE, THANK YOU. >> Mayor Freaney: QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER GOW? >> AND THIS CAN'T BE FIXED WITH DUCT TAPE, IS THAT WHAT I'M HEARING? >> SOME FLEX TAPE. >> YEAH, I'M -- I DO HAVE
CONCERNS OVER THE MALI GROUP, AND I -- THEY'RE HAVING TROUBLE WITH GRAND OAK PARK, AND WE'RE -- WE WANT -- IT JUST SEEMS TO ME, WHAT -- WE DO, WE HAVE SOME ISSUES WITH GRAND OAK PARK, I KNOW WE'RE WORKING
THROUGH THEM WITH THEM, WHAT ARE THOSE SAFEGUARDS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE -- I WON'T SAY SIMILAR OR THE SAME PROBLEMS, BUT PROBLEMS WITH THEM. >> I AM GOING TO PASS THAT OVER TO CLAY WATKINS, BECAUSE -- >> COME ON.
I HEAR FROM CLAY ALL THE TIME. >> CLAY IS INVOLVED A LOT MORE, WITH THE GRAND OAK PARK. HE'S FAMILIAR WITH HOW MALI IS CURRENTLY PERFORMING ON THAT PROJECT, I AM NOT FAMILIAR. I WILL PASS IT OVER TO CLAY. >> WE UNDERSTOOD THERE WOULD BE SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS, THEY
WERE THE LOWEST RESPONSIVE BIDDER. >> I COULD HAVE PUT A BID IN FOR 1,000. >> I DON'T KNOW. BUT TO SAVE TIME, WITH THIS SETUP, WE FEEL THAT WITH THE ENGINEERING SET OF PLANS WE HAVE, WE HAVE THE ENGINEER ON SITE DOING INSPECTIONS
CONSTANTLY, OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT IS THERE 24 HOURS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO ANY QUESTIONS AND TRY TO KEEP THE PROJECT MOVING ALONG. >> SO WE HAVE TO BABYSIT THEM. >> NO, I'M SAYING, WE HAVE THOSE
SAFEGUARDS IF WE DO HAVE ANY IRISH YOU. >> DO WE HAVE ANY FINANCIAL TEETH? >> WE ALWAYS HAVE LIQUIDATED DAMAGES ON ALL OF OUR CONTRACTS. >> AND THE CONTRACTS ARE BONDED? >> HE WYES, AND THE CONTRACTS AE
BONDED. >> IS THIS TIME SENSITIVE? IF WE WERE TO HOLD OFF ON THIS PROJECT, WHAT WOULD BE THE RESULT OF HOLDING OFF. >> I'LL LET BRIAN ANSWER THAT ONE.
>> WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO HOLD OFF A LITTLE BIT OF TIME. THIS IS A CRITICAL ASSET TO THE WASTEWATER PLANT.pTHIS IS AN EM GENERATOR, WE HAVE STORMS COMING THROUGH, WE RUN THIS THREE TO FOUR DAYS CONTINUOUS, NO GENERATOR, YOU HAVE NO SERVICES FOR THE WASTEWATER, THAT IS A
HIGH PRIORITY FOR US, WE DO WANT TO MOVE FORWARD, BUT I HAVE NO PROBLEM DISCUSSING FURTHER IF ANYONE HAS ANY CONCERNS. AS CLAY MENTIONED, WE HAVE STAFF ON SITE, WE HAVE MYSELF, CITY
EVERYT ENGINEERS. WE KNOW HOW VULNERABLE THIS PIECE OF EQUIPMENT IS. >> I FEEL LIKE WE'RE REWARDING -- I DON'T WANT TO SAY BAD ACTORS, BUT NOT GREAT ACTORS. GIVING THEM ANOTHER PROJECT,
IT'S SCARY FOR ME. >> WE UNDERSTAND THAT, AND ALSO, THE OTHER THING, WITH THE WEATHER AND IMPORTANCE OF THIS, MOST OF THESE -- THESE TWO PROJECTS AWARDED TODAY, THEY WILL NOT START CONSTRUCTION UNTIL AFTER HURRICANE SEASON. WE WERE NOT LIKE, WE'RE RUSHING TO GET THEM AND HAVING THEM ON TWO PROJECTS AT ONE TIME.
>> OKAY, SO THIS IS GOING TO WAIT UNTIL AT LEAST AFTER -- >> THIS WON'T HAPPEN UNTIL NOVEMBER, YES. >> AND SO IF -- IS THERE A NEED
TO HOLD OFF ON THIS? TO SEE HOW THEY CONTINUE TO PERFORM AT GRAND EKE PARK, THAT DOESN'T HINDER THE ABILITY TO MOVE FORWARD ON THIS. >> NO, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT A DIFFERENT SET OF SUBS TO HAVE
THEM DO THIS WORK? IT'S THE SAME CONTRACTOR THAT YOU'RE AWARDING THE AWARD TO, BUT THEY HAVE DIFFERENT SUBS DOING THE WORK FOR THEM. >> BUT IT'S THE CONTRACTOR THAT HOPEFULLY OVERSEES THE SUBS. >> ABSOLUTELY, THAT IS CORRECT. AND SO ARE YOU SAYING THE SUBS
THEY GOT FOR GRAND OAK PARK AREN'T -- >> NO, I'M MORE SAYING -- I'M NOT SAYING THAT, IT'S A DIFFERENT GROUP, IF THERE WAS A TIME CONSTRAINT, IT'S DIFFERENT GROUPS DOING DIFFERENT WORK. >> OKAY.
>> I'M NOT SAYING ANYTHING POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE ABOUT THE SUBS AT THE CURRENT PROJECT. >> THANK YOU, THAT'S ALL I HAD, MAYOR. >> Mayor Freaney: COMMISSIONER DUGARD? >> THANK YOU, MAYOR. AS WE'VE NOW LINKED MALI IN THIS PROJECT TO THE PAST PROJECT
THAT'S CURRENTLY UNDERWAY. WHAT IS OUR SATISFACTION LEVEL WITH THEM NOW WITH WHAT THEY'RE DOING AT GRAND OAK. >> GRAND OAK HAS PICKED UP SOME PACE, WE'RE DOING WELL, WE ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO THEM, AND THERE WERE CONVERSATIONS. WE HAD THE ADD ON FOR THE
SIDEWALK, THE BRICKS ARE IN, THEY'RE LOOKING TO WRAP UP MID SEPTEMBER. THAT'S WITH THE ADD ON OF THE EXTRA WORK WE HAD. THEY DID ANOTHER PROJECT FOR US LAST YEAR, ON LOCK LEE, THEY
REPLACED THE BRICK PAVERS THERE, AND THEY WERE EXCEPTIONAL ON THAT PROJECT. >> I'M A LITTLE WORRIED ABOUT
DEFERRING THIS ONLY IN AS MUCH AS THIS SOUNDS LIKE A CRITICAL A1. I KNOW WE'RE NOT PROTECTING OURSELVES IN A STORM SITUATION, WE'RE GOING TO LIVE WITH WHAT WE'VE GOT UNTIL NOVEMBER, AT THE VERY LEAST. THE WORST THING THAT I THINK WE
CAN DO IS DEFER CRITICAL A1s, THAT'S OUR JOB AS A CITY. I'M NOT INTERESTED IN DEFERRING THIS PARTICULAR ITEM. I'LL GET THAT IN THE COMMENTS. >> Mayor Freaney: I DON'T HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE CONTRACTOR AS WELL. AND UNDERSTOOD WE DID SOME DUE DILIGENCE TO TRY TO MAKE SURE WE'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT, BASED ON THE FACT THAT THEY WERE THE LOW BID, AND THEY HAVE PICKED UP THE PROJECT, I SEE THAT, SO I DON'T HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
I'M GOING TO OPEN IT TO PUBLIC INPUT. IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WISHES TO COME FORWARD AND SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE? WE DO HAVE SOMEONE, HERE WE GO. NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. >> NAN BENNETT, 1990, SADDLE
HILL ROAD NORTH, DUNEDIN. SOME THINGS I CAN'T KEEP QUIET ABOUT. THE NEXT LOWEST BID IS $300,000 MORE, AND YOU HAVE A LIMITED TIME IN YOUR CONTRACT THAT THE BIDS ARE VALID FOR, I THINK IT'S
60 DAYS TYPICALLY, SO THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH DELAY >> Mayor Freaney: CITY MANAGER? >> THE CURRENT BID WILL EXPIRE IF WE DON'T AWARD.
>> RIGHT, I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THAT. >> WE ARE COMING UP TO THE LAST -- THEY PROBABLY NEED TO AWARD THIS BID. >> Mayor Freaney: I'M NOT GOING AGAINST YOU, YOU WERE MY PROVIDER OF COUGH DROPS TONIGHT. OKAY, GOT IT.
ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE WISH TO COMFORT AND SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE? SEEING NO ONE, WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC INPUT AND ASK FOR A MOTION. >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> Mayor Freaney: COMMISSION COMMENTS STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER SANDBERGEN.
>> ONE WEEK AFTER I WAS ELECTED, A LONG TIME RESIDENT SAID, DON'T EVER BE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF A VOTE THAT INVOLVES WASTEWATER. I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THIS >> Mayor Freaney: SECONDER OF THE MOTION?
COMMISSIONER DUGARD? >> I COULDN'T AGREE MORE. I AM IN SUPPORT. THANK YOU. >> Mayor Freaney: COMMISSIONER GOW? >> I CERTAINLY CONCUR WITH ALL THAT. YEAH, I -- IT'S PART OF OUR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE.
BUT BECAUSE OF THAT, IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT THAT IT BE DONE RIGHT, AND ON TIME. AND WE NEED SERIOUS PEOPLE DOING SERIOUS WORK, THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS. >> Mayor Freaney: I COULDN'T AGREE MORE. I THINK I HAD BIG CONCERNS, BUT
I FEEL BETTER, AND WE'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO KEEP AN EYE ON IT. AND WE NEED SERIOUS PEOPLE DOING SERIOUS WORK, THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT PROJECT. ALL IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> Mayor Freaney: ANY OPPOSED?
>> NEY. >> Mayor Freaney: OKAY, 3-1. THE PROPOSED AGENDA OF AUGUST 6, 2026. ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONS? >> YES, WE HAVE AN ACTION ITEM.
LETTER OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF DUNEDIN AND 968 MAIN STREET, OUTLINING THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE
DELIVERY OF ITEMS FOR THE MAIN STREET EXCHANGE AND DOUGLAS PARKING GARAGE. THAT'S MY ONLY CHANGE OR ADDITION. >> Mayor Freaney: ANYONE ELSE SEE ANYTHING ON THERE? IF THERE'S NO OTHER ADDITIONS OR
DELETIONS, I NEED A MOTION. >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> ALL IN FAVOR? >> AYE. AND NO NAYS? >> NO, I WANTED TO SAY, I WILL BE ABSENT FROM THAT MEETING TO ATTEND A FAMILY WEDDING.
>> Mayor Freaney: SO WE'LL DELEGATE A BUNCH OF STUFF TO YOU. >> BRING US BACK SOME CAKE. ALL IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> Mayor Freaney: ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY 4-0.
WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE PROPOSED AUGUST 4th, 2026 BUDGET WORKSHOP AGENDA, WHICH WE DON'T ACTUALLY APPROVE, WE JUST -- SEE I CAN LEARN. I CAN LEARN. BUT IT IS TO LET US KNOW.
I DID HAVE ONE QUESTION ON THIS. HOW ABOUT THE BENEFITS? >> THERE HAVE BEEN 2 ADDITIONS, MAYOR. HEALTH FUND UPDATE, AND CITY COMMISSION FISCAL YEAR 2027
CIVIC PARTNERS TO CIVIC/CULTURAL ORGANIZATION. >> YES, AND WE ADDED A CONTINGENCY PLAN. THIS AGENDA CAME OUT EARLY, BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO DISCUSS IT, AND BEFORE THE LAST WORKSHOP.
OR WE HAD UPDATED IT BEFORE THE LAST WORKSHOP. SO WE HAVE THOSE THREE ITEMS AND THERE MAY BE MORE. >> Mayor Freaney: THAT'S THE LEGISLATIVE ASSIGNMENT WE WERE GOING TO MOVE, RIGHT? >> NO, THAT'S A LITTLE LATER IN THIS AGENDA. IT'S NOT TO THIS WORKSHOP.
>> Mayor Freaney: I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO MOVE THAT. >> YOU ASKED ME FOR A REPORT ON WHEN YOU LAST VOTED ON THOSE, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE THE LEGISLATIVE ASSIGNMENTS, OBVIOUSLY NOT TONIGHT. BEIHL MOVE THEM SOMEWHERE. YOU START IN OCTOBER.
>> Mayor Freaney: OKAY, GOT YOU. WELL, THAT'S JUST INFORMATIONAL, WE'LL MOVE ON. CITY COMMISSION DISCUSSION AND COMMENTS? I WILL START WITH -- LET ME
ASK -- THE 2026 LEGISLATIVE POLICY COMMITTEE SELECTIONS WE'RE GOING TO MOVE? >> YES. >> WE'RE NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT THOSE HERE? >> WE WERE GOING TO MOVE IT TO THE 6th, BUT IF COMMISSIONER SANDBERGEN IS NOT GOING TO BE THERE, WE WILL MOVE IT TO SEPTEMBER SEW CAN BE ON THE DISCUSSION.
>> THE FIRST THING IS, WE WERE ON BEFORE, AND -- OKAY, WE'LL JUST MOVE IT FORWARD. >> Mayor Freaney: COMMISSION COMMENTS, I'LL START WITH COMMISSIONER GOW? >> I GOT NOTHING RIGHT NOW, I'M
GOOD. >> Mayor Freaney: NOTHING? COMMISSIONER DUGARD? >> I HAD ABOUT 8 COMMENTS, I'M GOING TO CUT IT DOWN TO ONE. WE WERE ABLE TO VISIT ONE OF THE
MOST IMPORTANT FRANCHISES TO THIS LITTLE BURG WE CALL DUNEDIN THIS LAST WEEK, AND IT WAS AN EXCITING TIME VISITING WITH THE TORONTO BLUE JAYS IN TORONTO. I DON'T THINK IT IS POSSIBLE TO
CALCULATE THE BENEFITS OF WHAT THAT RELATIONSHIP IS. THEY VALUE IT, WE VALUE IT, AND IT WAS IN FULL DISPLAY IN TORONTO THIS LAST WEEK. THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MAYOR, THANK YOU. >> Mayor Freaney: COMMISSIONER SANDBERGEN? >> I SORT OF WANT TO ECHO WHAT
COMMISSIONER DUGARD SAID, YOU KNOW, IT'S -- AND I SAID IT UP THERE, IT'S MORE LIKE A FAMILY AND I NEED TO REMEMBER THAT, I SIT AND TALK TO THEM AND JOKE WITH THEM LIKE FRIENDS. I REALIZE, THEY'RE OUR LARGEST
TRADE PARTNER, AND IF -- I THINK YOU GUYS CAUGHT WHAT I SAID, THAT WINNIPEG'S SON SAID DUNEDIN CONGRATULATIONS, THE TORONTO
BLUE JAYS MADE YOU AN OASIS. I SAID, THAT'S $70 MILLION AND A LOT OF JOBS, THAT'S A HELL OF AN OASIS. I APPRECIATE EVERYONE, INCLUDING VICE MAKER WALKER, JEN AND JORGE, IT WAS GREAT REPRESENTATION, AND WE GOT
EVERYTHING ACCOMPLISHED WE NEEDED. >> IF I COULD PIGGYBACK ON THAT, MAYOR. SORRY ABOUT THAT. >> Mayor Freaney: I HAVE IT WRITTEN AS BIG AS LIFE HERE, WE HAVE TO REMEMBER, SINCE THERE'S BEEN SOME UNFORTUNATE
DISCONNECTION HERE, VICE MAYOR COULD NOT GET ON BY ZOOMP P THE CONNECTION CONTINUED NOT TO WORK. I KNOW HE'S NOT HAPPY ABOUT THAT, HE WANTED TO BE HERE, AND I KNOW HE'S BEEN WATCHING, BUT HE COULDN'T GET THROUGH TO GIVE HIS POINTS OF VIEW.
EVERYBODY PLACE SETTER, AFTER WE GIVE OUR COMMENTS, WE NEED TO BASICALLY VOTE ON HIS EXCUSED ABSENCE. I APOLOGIZE. GO AHEAD. >> NO, TWO THINGS. ONE, CAN SOMEBODY REMIND ME OF THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE TORONTO BLUE JAYS TO DUNEDIN
>> Mayor Freaney: $200 MILLION IN THE 2025 STUDY FOR THE YEAR, COUNTY WIDE IMPACT. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT. STEVE, YOU MENTIONED OUR LARGEST, BUT I WANTED TO PUT A NUMBER TO THAT, SO THE RESIDENTS UNDERSTOOD THE VALUE OF THAT RELATIONSHIP, THAT PARTNERSHIP, AND ALSO TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE
NUMBER OF CANADIANS YOU WOULD TALK TO WHEN YOU WERE THERE THAT KNEW DUNEDIN AND WERE VERY PROUD TO SAY THAT TOURISM IS DOWN EVERYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES BUT DUNEDIN. AND THAT IS INFORMATION COMING
FROM THEM. SO I THINK THAT IS REALLY REALLY IMPRESSIVE, THAT STRANGERS THAT YOU DON'T EVEN REALLY KNOW, THEY HAVE NO DESIRE TO LIE TO YOU, SO THEY'RE JUST TELLING YOU WHAT THEY KNOW. THAT'S NICE. IT'S A WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIP.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> Mayor Freaney: WERE YOU DONE? >> I WAS DONE. >> Mayor Freaney: GOOD, I THOUGHT YOU WERE. I'LL PIGGYBACK ON THAT TOO, THE TORONTO TRIP WAS AMAZING, THEY'RE AMAZING PARTNERS, THEY DO A LOT FOR THIS CITY, NOT JUST
BY BEING HERE, AND THE ECONOMIC IMPACT TO BUSINESSES, THEY SPONSOR A LOT OF THINGS AND DO A LOT OF THINGS FOR OUR KIDS IN THIS COMMUNITY. A GROUP OF THEM WENT TO COOPERSTOWN, AND IT'S A REALLY
GREAT RELATIONSHIP, I THINK MY FAVORITE PART OF THAT TORONTO TRIP EACH YEAR, IT'S A CHAMBER TRIP, SO BUSINESSES GO. AND IT'S JUST GREAT, AND SOME NEW BUSINESSES WENT THIS YEAR, AND IT REALLY MEANT A LOT TO THEM, AND IT FUELLED THAT GREAT
PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE BUSINESSES AND THE BLUE JAYS AND JUST THAT INTERACTION AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ECONOMIC IMPACT TO OUR RESTAURANTS, TO OUR SHOPS TO JUST EVERYTHING. I'M GLAD YOU REMEMBERED TO BRING THAT UP, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER DUGARD.
I DID WANT TO SAY, I LOVE THE SONG ABOUT DUNEDIN. WHO IS IT THAT DID THAT? >> IT'S A GUY I KNOW. I WOULD CONSIDER HIM TO BE A FRIEND. >> Mayor Freaney: HE ACTUALLY WROTE THAT? >> SOMEBODY BROUGHT UP THE NIGHT AFTER -- THE FIRST SWEARING-IN
OF OUR NEW COMMISSIONER, IF I COULD GET PERMISSION FROM HIM. DID YOU GET A CHANCE TO LISTEN TO IT, JENNIFER? >> YEAH. >> HE REALLY POINTED OUT A LOT OF THINGS. HE HINTED HE'S GOING TO WRITE ONE ABOUT THE COMMISSION.
I HOPE IT'S GOOD. >> Mayor Freaney: THAT'S KIND OF SCARY. >> A SONG ABOUT DUNEDIN. >> Mayor Freaney: I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE HIM DO SOMETHING. I'M NOT SURE AT THE SWEARING-IN, BECAUSE I WANT TO HAVE THE HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS THERE. >> I'LL GET PERMISSION SO WE DON'T STEP ON ANY TOES.
>> Mayor Freaney: LASTLY, I WAS GOING TO MENTION THAT THE CITY MANAGER AND I BOTH DID THE MORNING ROTARY AND THE AFTERNOON ROTARY YESTERDAY ON THE PROPERTY TAX REFORM BILL THAT'S GOING TO THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER, AND I
THINK IT WENT VERY WELL, WE HAD SOME ISSUES WITH THE POWER POINT FOR THE FIRST ONE, BUT WE IMPROVISED, AND THEN WE HAD THAT RESET FOR THE SECOND ONE, AND -- BUT IT WAS GOOD, WE GOT A LOT OF GREAT QUESTIONS, PEOPLE THAT REALLY WANT TO UNDERSTAND, AND I
THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE OUT THERE DOING THAT, BECAUSE EDUCATION, EDUCATION, EDUCATION. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY. AND WHAT WE WANTED IT TO LOOK LIKE. BEFORE WE GO TO CITY CLERK
UPDATE, BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY IT DIDN'T WORK WITH THE INTERNET CONNECTION, IF I COULD HAVE A MOTION TO EXCUSE VICE MAYOR WALKER? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> Mayor Freaney: ALL IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> Mayor Freaney: MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. AND VICE MAYOR, IF YOU'RE STILL
WATCHING, WE'RE SORRY FOR YOU NOT BEING ABLE TO CONNECT. WE MISS YOU HERE. CITY CLERK UPDATE? >> NOTHING NEW TO REPORT, MAYOR. >> CITY MANAGER? >> NOTHING NEW. >> CITY ATTORNEY UPDATE? >> NOTHING NEW. >> Mayor Freaney: YOU GUYS ARE EASY.
THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.