N. Cook
09-21-2010, 12:47 PM
Thanks to the Members who came last evening....David Lithgow chaired the meeting.
The presentation that was not made probably effects more of our southern sports community than any other topic.
MOORING BUOY AND MARKER PLAN/ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
BISCAYNE NATIONAL PARK
The part of that presentation that has the most controversy is the plan to place mooring bouys in Sand Cut, a very popular area. As the letter with the presentation states..."over 100 boats gather here most weekends".
The plan states...."we estimate installing approximately 70 pins....."
The reason for the plan is that "others have come to listen to loud music and party"....and family type visitors have complained. "Our intent is to provide safe mooring for as many boats as possible while allowing for compatible visitor use and emergency access.
No tie offs will be allowed.
However you look at this, it is at least a 30% loss of access.....
There were a couple of pertinent items during the rest of the meeting.
The FDEP in Tallahassee had a representative available on speaker phone to answer the questions of several concerned people regarding the leasing of state (public) land to private interests, especially directed toward soverign submerged land and targeted at the LOHA lease at Curry Island. Not a lot of facts were forthcoming and the issue remains at best cloudy. Leasing of public land is common, but the LOHA is different with the marsh adjacent to Lake Okeechobee involved.
Dan Cotter gave the report on current recreation projects and the most important was the Site 1 Impoundment work does include a public boat ramp...but completion is several years out. The L 6 Levee/Sportsmen's Corner bridge and access work continues, but slowly. The new boat ramp at Shady Oaks on the west shore of Lake Kissimmee should be completed about Feb. 2011.
General comments included my notice of the two proposed new National Wildlife Refuges...one the Lake Wales Sand Ridge area and the other all of the Fish Eating Creek drainage (the map of this proposal also includes Curry Island and marshes). The USFWS representatives at the meeting agreed to have a presentation at a future meeting on the projects....
All in all a positive meeting with good news for SFWMD recreation opportunities.
The presentation that was not made probably effects more of our southern sports community than any other topic.
MOORING BUOY AND MARKER PLAN/ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
BISCAYNE NATIONAL PARK
The part of that presentation that has the most controversy is the plan to place mooring bouys in Sand Cut, a very popular area. As the letter with the presentation states..."over 100 boats gather here most weekends".
The plan states...."we estimate installing approximately 70 pins....."
The reason for the plan is that "others have come to listen to loud music and party"....and family type visitors have complained. "Our intent is to provide safe mooring for as many boats as possible while allowing for compatible visitor use and emergency access.
No tie offs will be allowed.
However you look at this, it is at least a 30% loss of access.....
There were a couple of pertinent items during the rest of the meeting.
The FDEP in Tallahassee had a representative available on speaker phone to answer the questions of several concerned people regarding the leasing of state (public) land to private interests, especially directed toward soverign submerged land and targeted at the LOHA lease at Curry Island. Not a lot of facts were forthcoming and the issue remains at best cloudy. Leasing of public land is common, but the LOHA is different with the marsh adjacent to Lake Okeechobee involved.
Dan Cotter gave the report on current recreation projects and the most important was the Site 1 Impoundment work does include a public boat ramp...but completion is several years out. The L 6 Levee/Sportsmen's Corner bridge and access work continues, but slowly. The new boat ramp at Shady Oaks on the west shore of Lake Kissimmee should be completed about Feb. 2011.
General comments included my notice of the two proposed new National Wildlife Refuges...one the Lake Wales Sand Ridge area and the other all of the Fish Eating Creek drainage (the map of this proposal also includes Curry Island and marshes). The USFWS representatives at the meeting agreed to have a presentation at a future meeting on the projects....
All in all a positive meeting with good news for SFWMD recreation opportunities.