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Marina plan afloat, but not ready to sail

An expansion proposal would add 26 slips. Safety Harbor officials seek cost estimates, plus advice from boat owners.

By EILEEN SCHULTE
Published June 25, 2005

SAFETY HARBOR - The assignment was formidable: Add room for more boats at the city's 44-slip marina.

But don't touch the delicate sea grass, mangroves and oyster beds surrounding it.

Dave Gildersleeve and Chris Logan of Wade-Trim, the company that Safety Harbor hired in February to conduct a feasibility study on expanding the municipal marina, floated five plans to city commissioners last week.

The design that commissioners liked best would create 26 additional slips, two fishing areas and not destroy the marine environment.

The plan calls for a total of 14 35-foot slips and 56 30-foot slips. However, the plan would also expose some boats to weather and wakes, encroach on the channel, require two more parking spaces and may require the creation of boat lifts to protect the vessels.

The commission agreed Monday to have Wade-Trim investigate the cost of the project, find out whether grants could help pay for it and look at expanding the pier. They were also asked to explore parking fees and where to locate boat trailer parking.

"We asked them to come back with prices," said Mayor Pam Corbino. "And I'd like to show the plan to the boat owners at the marina and see what they think."

One boat owner at the meeting said the plan was acceptable, but was cautious about the proposed floating docks, which would cost between $18,000 and $20,000 each. He said people casting their lines from the docks could damage sails.

He also wanted the city to ensure that people could not access private boats without permission.

Corbino said she wanted to ask the Safety Harbor Resort and Spa if its property could be used to accommodate parking.

Norman Krone, chief operating officer for Olympia Development, the company that plans to expand the spa, said that could be arranged.

"We do have an informal agreement with the city that we could make that available," said Krone, adding that he has not seen any definitive plans from the city. "We would provide the land for the boat trailer parking."

But he said it would be up to the city to provide insurance and upkeep.

Work on the marina will not start until the area is dredged. At the same meeting, commissioners accepted a proposal from Subaqueous Services Inc. to dredge the area at a cost of $89,069 with one caveat: that the company ask the state for permission to dredge to 6 feet rather than 41/2 feet.

Eileen Schulte can be reached at 727 445-4153 or schulte@sptimes.com

[Last modified June 25, 2005, 00:34:16]