Item I07BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
Meeting Date: June 20 — 21, 2001 Division: District 1
Bulk Item: Yes No Department: Commissioner Dixie M. Spehar
AGENDA ITEM WORDING:
Approval of a resolution by the Board of County Commissioners for Monroe County to support the
establishment of the Key West Marine Park.
ITEM BACKGROUND:
The Key West Commission passed an ordinance on March 20, 2001 to create the Key West Marine
Park for the benefit of swimmers and for the protection of the nearshore environment.
PREVIOUS REVELANT BOCC ACTION:
C-.,\E�-�\E CE
CONTRACT/AGREEMENT CHANGES: A Private Non -Profit Membership Organization dedicated to
Preserve and Protect Living Coral Reef Ecosystems
DeeVon Buirolo
Project Director
STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: Post Office Box 430, Key West, Florida 33041
Environmental center: 201 William St., Key West
(305) 294-3100 • Fax: 293-9515 • Email: reef0bellsouth.net
TOTAL COST: BUDGETED: Yes No
COST TO COUNTY:
REVENUE PRODUCING: Yes No AMOUNT PER MONTH Year
APPROVED BY: County Atty _ OMB/Purchasing Risk Management
DIVISION DIRECTOR APPROVAL: A, . /' -7 7 4 f,
(Commissione ixie M. Spehar)
DOCUMENTATION:
DISPOSITION:
Included x To Follow Not Required.
AGENDA ITEM # 1377
Revised 2/27/01
Board of County Commissioners
RESOLUTION NO. - 2001
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF
MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA IN SUPPORT OF THE KEY WEST MARINE
PARK
WHEREAS, the nearshore waters surrounding the island of Key west are home to
abundant sea life that is part of the coral reef ecosystem and many residents and visitors
enjoy swimming and boating and enjoying these waters for recreational purposes; and
WHEREAS, the City of Key West in cooperation with Reef Relief is proposing the
creation of the Key West Marine Park to protect nearshore waters and provide safe
recreational opportunities in city jurisdictional waters that extend 600 feet from shore for
the area on the ocean side of Key West from Duval Street to the White Street Pier; and
WHEREAS, the Key West City Commission will establish a local ordinance providing
several no -motor zones for access by swimmers and non -motorized craft along with access
lanes for existing watersports operators and other motorized craft within the boundaries
of the park; and
WHEREAS, Reef Relief will (1) install demarcation buoys to identify the no -motor
swim zones and the access lanes, (2) install reef habitats to increase sea life within the
no -motor zones, (3) install reef mooring buoys adjacent to the no -motor zones so that
boaters can securely moor their vessels and access the shoreline, and (4) install
educational and informational signage along the shores of the Key West Marine Park; and
WHEREAS, Higgs Beach is an upland property owned by Monroe County that is
located on the oceanside of Key West within the boundaries of the proposed Key West
Marine Park; and
WHEREAS, the permit application for this project requires that a letter of no
objection be obtained from all affected upland property owners; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE
COUNTY, FLORIDA:
Section 1. The Board hereby declares its support for establishment of the Key
West Marine Park along the shoreline of the County -owned property known as Higgs Beach.
Section 2. The Board further supports installation of educational signage on Higgs
Beach describing the Key West Marine Park, its rules and educational tips for education of
the visitors to the beach and park area.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County,
Florida, at a regular meeting of said Board held on the day of June, 2001.
Mayor George Neugent
Mayor Pro Tem Nora Williams
Commissioner Murray Nelson
Commissioner Dixie Spehar
Commissioner Charles McCoy
(SEAL)
Attest: DANNY L.KOLHAGE, Clerk
By
Deputy Clerk
jdreskwmarim
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
By
Mayor/Chairperson
Aat
PROVfD AS TO FORM LEG
SU ►
B Y.
R T OLFE
DATE e.Z_
,��
Rt_
#z
t
The base of the Casa Marina swim platform. (note abundance of red algae covering the bottom). 9/2000
The creation of the Key West Marine Park is a proposal to focus on Key West's near shore water quality
and to show case the most unique marine habitat found in any city in the United States of America.
The habitat found in the area of the proposed Marine Park is often referred to as `hard bottom/soft coral'
and is comprised of soft corals, sponges, small hard corals and sea grasses. This is a nursery area where
small conch, lobster and fish live as they grow to maturity. There are very few places in the world where
you can see such a diversity of marine life snorkeling from a public beach. This natural resource should
not be overlooked as an attraction for visitors, as well as a quality of life feature for those who live here.
The City of Key West is aggressively setting the example for the rest of the world.
Recent milestone achievements in the quest toward improving near shore water quality have already been
accomplished in the City of Key West. The White Street Pier re -build (A Monroe County project), the
scheduled elimination of the sewer outfall, the replacement of the sewer lines and the scheduled re
plumbing of storm water drains, once completed, will be heralded as the most comprehensive attempt to
improve near shore water quality taken by any Island in the world today. The creation of the Key West
Marine Park will be the perfect opportunity to announce to the world that we have cleaned up our near
shore water problem.
(1)
The map above shows the approximate location of the proposed Marine Park. The exact
positions of the entry lanes are yet to be determined. (see conceptual image top page).
(2)
The picture above portrays what the swim zone would look like near the Casa Marina Resort.
Key West Marine Park
The area of the proposed Key West Marine Park, located between the Atlantic foot of Duval St. and the
White Street Pier, is typical of many tourist destinations where swimmers, snorkelers, jet skis, para
sails and fisherman share the same body of water with unrestricted use. In these multiple use areas
swimmers are often put at risk because there is no safe haven free from motorized vessels, especially jet
skis. Designating areas as `swim only' zones and demarking those areas with buoys is a common way
-' of dealing with the conflict between boaters and swimmers.The picture above portrays what the swim
zone would look like near the Casa Marina Resort.
-- Designated swim areas are preferred by boat captains who don't like to navigate around free roaming
swimmers while approaching shore. Creating two well marked entry lanes for vessels to approach shore
would allow the current boating activity to continue. Abundant space would be allocated near the Casa
Marina Dock to provide for safe maneuvering and docking, as well as offering vessel mooring buoys on
the iside perimeter of the entry lanes (see map back page)
Included in this proposal is a request to establish fish habitats within the area of the Park. Habitats are
structures specifically designed for coral reef environments that become home to various species of fish
and provide hard substrate for corals to attach to. These habitat's aggregation of fish populations will
create excellent snorkeling sites within the swim area and improve fishing spots in the nearby area. Reef
Habitats would be strategically placed near the centers of the swim areas in a further effort to congregate
snorkelers'away from the entry lanes. We are encourageing a volutary no harvest attitude be adopted by
snorkelers and divers when visiting the habitats.
w
�.,a J 'MgilM�ha+4Y .tin `!3� ' w� ►§,
Y
M
Se0imeut, ipchpiing the cQr,4- ,�
h Ther s a long�ist of,threats toe s the foremost being seii nentation. Corais
E expo to cnual bbmb of sediment. Rather that expending their""'
healthy, .,, coral ! poo ed s6 ail their energy to clean themselves,. C
" " > nutrient free wa` r in whiVk they generally weaken and die after.prolon
kmuddy and/ bi s. oisr h a habitats vanish, because of w�1
species of al tape a eingad, call
a `phase shift'. In` the near shore
'Phasv shift from `hard bott . ' to `algae 4ominated bottom' has been, e
decades Algae"acre the dome' '% this habitatooday and can be seen
covering many soft corals. R n term water drains so that the
into t *ear sh4'ft"Ahe
ter is the sin g.1 t ' &,figment that can be made that, '
�,xt M Vbhore re plumbu� the storm watt drains in Key West is sc
future. The next three pages illustrate the storm water concerns and why they s
a rain the sediment
ng a halo of brown
MR Storm water run off poses a unique
problem to the island of Key West. It is important
keep in mind that storm drains empty into the sea
and that all of the soaps, detergents and cleaning
products that are swept into the street, eventually
end up in our near shore water.
Locations of several of the storm water drains
that empty into the proposed Marine Park.
soaps, petroleum products and chemicals that were on
y that can be seen flowing around the island.
sea
..."corals are stationary animals and can only be as healthy as the water that
passes over them".
n be seen flowing into the
The following images were taken within the boundaries of the proposed Marine Park.
Each picture tells a story.
1. Thousands of small fish school around the base of the swim platform near the Casa Marina beach.
2. Besides tiny fish there are hundreds of young juvenile fish and an assortment of ornamental fish (like
the two eyed angle fish seen in this image). —
3. Red algae covers the bottom indicating that elevated nutrient levels are present in the water.
4. A Sea Urchin grazing on the sea grass. The cleaner the blades on the sea grass the cleaner _
the water.
5. Sponges can thrive better than corals in water that is turbid and nutrient laden. The presence of so -
many sponges suggests that turbid conditions prevail in this area.
6. However, sponges have thresholds as well. _
7. This soft coral was broken by an anchor.
8. Small hard corals compete for space against the faster growing algae. Notice how dirty the sea grass
blades are in this image, algae is actually growing over some of them.
9. A small lobster peers out of his temporary shelter. —
10. This sea anemone growing near the sponge actually has a small Spanish Lobster, the size of a small
finger nail, on it. See image #13.
11. The small shelves in this area create an excellent lobster habitat. Notice dirty sea grass blade.
12. Small loose hard corals litter the sea floor and would grow very well if attached to a Reef Ball. _
13. See #10.
14. A beautiful red Sea Star glides over the sea grass less than 50 feet from shore.
15. There are dozens of Rose Corals in the sea grass beds. _
16. The dominant features of this area are the large soft corals and sponges.
7. There are many small conch in the sea grass.
18. Sponges growing on the Western Union Cable.
19. More sponges.
20. A small hard coral overturned in the sea grass could be transplanted to a Reef Ball. _
21. A close inspection of the bottom reveals that it is comprised mainly of algae and not sea grass.
22. This particular algae is a sure sign of heavy loads of nutrients in the water column, especially when it
grows so tall.
23. The blades on the sea grass are in modest condition, more conch and fewer nutrients would help.
There is a presence of red algae seen covering sea grass in the background.
24. Large soft corals grace the area.
25. The diversity in this area will rebound with improved water quality.
26. Red algae is covering many soft corals.
V-
XU
ti.
♦ i. 1 l—
:w
i5-
.a.
.� IF
It
~ ..
\ � F
` . `. lam, I �� ✓� y • •:� I
y r
t r
r