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MEGAN SCOTTA plan takes shape: better trash removal, more greenery and parking and a boat ramp at Honeymoon Island.
DUNEDIN - Blue seas.
Sandy beaches.
And trash.
Residents along the Dunedin Causeway are worried that refuse is ruining their paradise.
"We need more and better trash cans," said Marvin Stone, president of the Dunedin Civic Beach Association. "Another Dumpster. Maybe another restroom."
As Dunedin leaders map out the first plan ever for the Dunedin Causeway, residents who live on the 21/2-mile stretch are making sure their concerns are heard. More than 40 came out to a meeting last month to tell officials about the problems.
Also on the list:
Better enforcement of the hours of operation.
The need for a recycling center.
And more parking.
"Safety at night and keeping people away," Stone said. "It does need some kind of barrier reef. And it needs some sand."
The Dunedin Causeway is a gateway to Honeymoon Island State Park, one of the most picturesque recreation areas in Pinellas County.
But never before has Dunedin created a plan for the causeway. The city has even hired an architect, Robert Resch III, for assistance.
"There's so many different recreational activities going on that require a little bit more coordination," said Resch of Dunedin. "This is really the first large scale project that examines the problems with the causeway as well as addressing concerns of the causeway residents."
Since June 2001, Dunedin has been responsible for the maintenance of the causeway. Pinellas County is responsible for the actual road and the Pinellas trail.
Resch has worked to include all of these jurisdictions into a master plan. He has sent out more than 600 questionnaires to causeway users and interviewed several city and county parks staff members.
"We want to have it to have more green," said Dunedin parks superintendent Art Finn."We'd like to get more grasses growing on it to help with the erosion problems, maybe some shaded areas. I'd like to have more maintenance out there."
One of the issues that makes the plan more complicated is that the Dunedin Causeway is multipurpose.
It is home to more than 1,500 people, most in townhomes and condominiums. And on any given day, you can find windsurfers, sunbathers and even people worshiping at the New Purpose Community Church. The one concession, Sail Honeymoon, rents kayaks and sailboats and serves food.
"There's so many different recreational activities going on that require a little bit more coordination," Resch said. "What we're trying to provide more of (is) a linear park where activities are promoted in areas that don't conflict with each other."
The intent of the plan is not to regulate any of those uses, he said.
So far, the chief complaint from residents seems to be trash.
In the past month, an increasing number of residents have complained that the 28 cans on the causeway are overflowing, said Harry Gross, director of leisure services. Because of that, some people place their garbage in front of the cans.
"There are a lot of people who use it on the weekends," Finn said. "You'll find debris on the flower beds, aluminum cans, plastic bags from people eating lunches."
One complaint that goes beyond the Dunedin Causeway is the shortage of boat ramps in Pinellas County.
That is one of the reasons the county has asked the state for permission to build a boat ramp at Honeymoon Island State Park. The location would be right near the place where the ferry leaves to take people to Caladesi Island.
"That would be great idea," Finn said. "You would have boats going in and out and that would not really affect people on the causeway."
More than 15 years ago, the county asked state parks officials to foot the bill for a boat ramp on Honeymoon Island. But the state said no.
This time, the county is proposing that it pay for the ramp.
The main issue is finding the best location.
"It's not that the ramp is so much the issue, as is the parking," said Lyle Fowler, parks and recreation manager for Pinellas County. "You must have associated parking, so visitors can launch their boat."
In June, county leaders presented the idea for a boat ramp in Wall Springs Park, but because of public opposition and environmental concerns, the ramp probably won't make it into to the master plan.
Another proposed location in Pop Stansell Park has parking problems.
"One of the big comments up there was find a place that is not as environmentally sensitive as this one, such as Honeymoon Island," said assistant county administrator Jake Stowers. "The comments up there were not, "Don't have a boat ramp.' They were "Don't have one here."'
The state has received a letter from the county, but Matt Mitchell, a spokesman for Florida State Parks, said he didn't know when the county might get a response.
"There's a huge need to preserve the environment in the state," he said. "Our mission is to store and preserve natural resources. We have to look at whether this is the best place."
County officials are waiting on a response from the state before they move forward with design and construction plans and public input meetings.
The ramp will cost about $2-million. The money would come out of the capital budget for the parks department. The county is hoping the state would agree to pay for the maintenance.
Stowers said there could be boat ramps in the park before next summer, depending on what the state decides and how soon.
-- Megan Scott can be reached at 445-4167 or mscott@sptimes.com