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Boat slip plan gets a hearing tonight

By MIKE DONILA
Published December 14, 2006

ADVERTISEMENT [Times photo: Jim Damaske] The city of Clearwater is considering a developer's plan to build boat slips in this inlet on Clearwater Beach where the recreation center is located. Some slips would have free public access.

CLEARWATER - City residents will have a chance in March to vote on the much-discussed downtown boat slips project.

But tonight, the City Council will have a chance to vote on a Clearwater Beach boat slips project that some residents say hasn't been discussed enough.

The council will talk about a lease agreement with developer JMC Communities that would let the company build up to 54 slips off Mandalay Avenue. This would be the first key step to making the slips a reality.

The docks and slips would be built in the small city-owned basin directly behind the massive Belle Harbor condominium complex and a city recreation center's tennis courts. The plan lets the developer keep 33 of the slips, and the city gets 21.

The city's public slips would be free on a first-come, first-served basis and open only during the day.

The privately owned slips would cater mostly to residents of the adjacent Sandpearl, a 150-foot-tall condominium tower set to open this Spring.

JMC, the Sandpearl's developer, would build the docks and slips and cover construction and permit costs.

Under the proposed 30-year lease, JMC will pay the city $5,400 annually in rent. The city every five years can renew the lease or buy the docks. The price would diminish each year, based on the project's initial $1.2-million building costs.

JMC also will pay for maintenance and repair costs for the boat docking facilities, insurance premiums, trash removal and lighting.

At the end of each year, the city will have to cover some of the maintenance costs based on a formula that will be determined once all the slips are operational. This cost, though, cannot exceed the amount of annual rent the city gets.

JMC also must have someone on call at all times to respond to any problems at the docks, but neither the developer nor the city is responsible for onsite security.

A development agreement was initially approved in January 2005, but at the time both parties believed the state owned the submerged basin land. When the two sides earlier this year learned that the city owned the land, they had to restructure the business deal reflecting the change. This is why it has to go before the council again.

"We think this is consistent with the city's intent all along, and we think it's very beneficial to the city, and we look forward to having this heard," said Ed Armstrong, the attorney for JMC. "This honors the original intent of the parties."

Some residents, though, question whether the project is the right deal for the city. Additionally, members the city's Marine Advisory Board say they support the slips but think the project was hurried along and is an undervalued deal for Clearwater.

These members, as well as some residents, say the council should revisit the plan and hammer out a way for the city to build the slips or get more from the developer.

"We've got the crown jewel here, and it's just being grabbed away," said Ken Robulak, 58, a Clearwater Beach resident.

"The public really has no idea what's going on," said Marty Altner, 59, also of Clearwater Beach.

Clearwater leaders, though, say the city cannot afford to fund and operate the project and still provide free slips. They said that even though the slips wouldn't have typical marina amenities like restrooms, security or parking, the city would have to charge prices above market value.

"The numbers are just not that compelling," Mayor Frank Hibbard said. "And we want to provide free slips, so people can shoot over, tie up and go have a grouper sandwich or go to the beach and not necessarily be in their car."

Tonight's meeting is just one of several that JMC will need to go through before building the slips. The developer still needs the Community Development Board and the county to sign off on the project, so development is still months away.

At tonight's meeting, the council could alter the lease, postpone it, sign off on it or reject it entirely.

City leaders say they've heard complaints from residents who say they're giving the developer too much and the city isn't getting the best slips.

But under the current plan, Clearwater is set to get docks in the deepest parts of the water as well as the shallowest, which are typically used for the smaller boats that come in during the weekends.

Boat slips have been a hot topic in Clearwater the past few years.

The city would like to build 129 boat slips, a promenade, boardwalk and a fishing pier just north and south of the Memorial Causeway near Coachman Park.

If voters approve the project in March, the $10.9-million development would be scheduled to be completed in 2009 and be funded mostly through boat slip rentals.

Mike Donila can be reached at 727 445-4160 or mdonila@sptimes.com

[Last modified December 14, 2006, 06:32:18]