COMMISSION MEETS
July 19, 2016
Meeting Specifics
The City of Cedar Key City Commission met on Tuesday, July 19, 2016, at 6 pm at City Hall. Present were: Mayor Heath Davis, Vice-Mayor Dale Register, and Commissioners Sue Colson, Royce Nelson and Diana Topping.
Staff in attendance included: Attorney Norm Fugate, Police Chief Virgil Sandlin, Fire Chief Robert Robinson, and City Clerk Nicole Gill, Crystal Sharp, and Donna Risker. Public Works Director Bill Crandley was not in attendance.
Among those in the audience were: Russ Lowell, Allison Nelson, Margy VanLandingham, Doug Maple, Michael Hancock, Janice Fugate, Mark Berrigan, MoFun’s Frank Wellington and Maureen Dragonetti, Sunset Isle’s Glenn and Gail Gold, Jeri and Bob Treat, and Frank and Mandy Offerle.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
INTERNET OUTAGE COMPLAINTS:
Mayor Heath Davis reported that the city has received many complaints about Internet outages in the past week. He explained that the city does not control that function but the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services does. He offered complaint forms for those who wish to register concerns.
You may download a form and mail it in or file a complaint online at:
CEDAR KEY OYSTERMEN’S ASSOCIATION GRANT:
The CKOA’s Mark Berrigan announced to that the association has received a $20,000 grant from the Conservation Fund in its Big Bend Seed Grant initiative. The grant implements an oyster restoration project to reseed depleted subtidal oyster reefs and increase oyster production. The project should began July 21 and should end on August 15, 2016; oystermen plan to move some 20,000 bushels of oysters in that time.
For more information, click on:
http://www.conservationfund.org/news/press-releases/1154-the-conservation-fund-announces-funding-for-florida-s-big-bend-region
RESTORE ACT UPDATE:
Commissioner Royce Nelson updated commissioners on RESTORE Act funding designated for Levy County. Nelson reported that Levy County received the third least amount of money of all the counties in the state from the Act. The Levy allocation is $187,000 for the next fifteen years. He believes that Cedar Key has a good chance of receiving some dollars for its Marina dredging.
FORMAL QUASI-JUDICIAL HEARING OF MOFUN, INC.
The new owner of the Low-Key Hideaway Motel requested permission from the city to add seven additional recreational vehicle parking places, with water, sewer, and electricity, on the property. The RVs were described as being 10’ wide by up to 52’ long.
Proposed improvements/developments include:
- an eight-foot-wide impervious lime-rock access road parallel t0 State Road 24 to allow RVs to enter and exit the property;
- installation of water, sewer, and electrical lines above or underground;
- installation of RV pads (pervious, impervious, percentage of property coverage);
- development into the fifty-foot protected zone which may not be developed.
The lot sizes, specified as 30 feet wide (no lot depth was noted) on the MoFun application, appear to be approximately 28’ wide by 47’ in depth on the survey submitted. The upland portion of the property averages less than 60 feet in depth. The impervious surface road, along with the seven proposed RV sites would cause storm-water runoff directly into the Gulf near two adjacent clam operations, Southern Cross to the south and the Topping to the north.
Staff reported that the information supplied by MoFun does not indicate where the electrical, water, and sewer hook-ups will be placed, precisely where the road will be placed, nor how much of the property will be covered with surfaces not currently in place.
MoFun spokesperson Frank Wellinger attempted to convince the commission that the request is not “development” and does not need a variance. Cedar Key Building officials require a variance request.
Mayor Davis requested that MoFun personnel bring back a completed, thorough survey with all the requested information on it.
RBEG GRANT BID RESULTS
The discussion on the RBEG bid results was postponed until August 2, 2016.
RESOLUTION 381 FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION PROPOSAL
Commissioners unanimously approved Resolution 381, the Florida Department of Transportation proposal to improve County Road 456 and temporarily use city property while doing it for the purposes of transportation.
MARINA ANNUAL LAUNCH PASSES
A first discussion occurred focusing upon Marina annual launch passes. Staff presented current guidelines and three proposed options. Commissioners agreed upon residents paying $30 per trailer and non-residents paying $180 per trailer. They further agreed to charge $25 for replacement of a stolen or lost pass.
CKWSD AND CITY LAND SWAP
Commissioners approved City Attorney Norm Fugate and Mayor Davis to look into the possible swap of five acres of city property located off the island for the property upon which the water tower now sits. The five-acre property is in the early years of its second 75-year lease from the city to the Cedar Key Water Sewer District. Fugate and Davis will return to the commission with a proposed plan in the near future.
DEPARTMENT HEADS QUARTERLY REPORTS
Department heads Fugate, Sandlin, Robinson, Crandley, and Gill were accepted. Readers wishing to read the reports may click here: http://cedarkeynews.com/index.php/city-news/15-announcements/2356-ck-commission-agenda-19-july-2016 Then click upon the “agenda packet.”
MINUTES APPROVED
Minutes from the July 5, 2016, City Commission were unanimously approved.
The meeting adjourned at approximately 8:25 pm.
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