ROTONDA WEST ASSOCIATION
Aquatics/Canal Bank Committee Meeting
Minutes - January 24, 2007 2:00 PM

Present: Nick Gizzi, Chair, Nancy Marshall, Norb Zolotowski, Bob Seneca, Cleon Kern, Bob Winter, Olga Durham, Jim Roberts, Linda Harrison, Earl Haas, Jack Mahaun

Absent: Jim Roberts

Others: John Carroll, George Krabbe, George Burger, John Eisele, Derek Gilbert, Claudette & Joe Romano, Tom Madsen – Manager

Chair Nick Gizzi called the meeting to order at 2:00 PM. The above members represented a quorum.

Bob Winter moved that the November 7, 2006 minutes be accepted as presented. Motion seconded by Linda Harrison.

Nick filled everyone in on the two field trips.

Field Trips:

(1) Tuesday Jan 16th -(10AM -5 PM) A field trip was held, headed by Norb Zoltowski. Other committee members in attendance were Bob Winters, Linda Harrison, Nancy Marshall and Nick Gizzi. Also in attendance were Earl Haas and Dick Stravino.

We discussed the history of the canal system and reviewed satellite images of our area via Google Earth. We then visited the various locations that affect the Coral Creek Watershed; The Brass Bridge, the Pine Valley/White Marsh weirs, the Cape haze dam, the white Marsh inflow, the Marina in Oakland Hills and the ponds at the end of the 2600ft swale.

(2) Tuesday Jan 23rd -(10AM-12:30 PM) This field trip was again headed by Norb Zoltowski. Other committee members in attendance were Cleon Kern, Bob Winters, Jack Mahoun and Nick Gizzi. Earl Haas and Dick Stravino attended and Florida Aquatic Inc was represented by Steve Allen and owner John Farrell.

We revisited the Coral Creek dam, the Oakland Hills Marina then proceeded to the Buck Creek weir and the breached Buck Creek dam.

Review Committee Charter -The Committee reviewed the Charter used by past Aquatics
Committees, updating and altering it. The following represents the consensus of the Committee.

ROTONDA WEST ASSOCIATION CANAL SYTEM COMMITTEE

Purpose: Understand and oversee the canal system infrastructure/aquatics efforts to assure that adequate canal water level, water quality/cleanliness, weed control, marine life and storm water outflow is being provided. Also members will periodically inspect all canal water control structures and monitor the effectiveness of the aquatic maintenance services hired for vegetation control. Obtain and record water level & water quality and canal depth data; inspect canal bank for required slope enforcement, proper sediment barrier installation, record erosion/washout data, canal fill in problems by utilizing the RWA boat. Create and update annually a 5 yr plan with associated budget (reserve) recommendation for Board consideration.

Focus is on preventing major canal problems and assisting RWA Manager in canal management.


Objectives:

1 . Research and recommend 5 yr Plan/budget for canal system management considering:

a) Aquatic Life-establish good canal water habitat using desirable plants, a vegetative canal bank pollution absorption (littoral) zone. Monitor on an annual basis.

b) Vegetation Control-issue plan/specification to adequately control/monitor weed growth e.g. torpedo grass, valsynaria, pennywort, water hycineas, bladder weed, etc. Attempt to prevent major problems from developing by monitoring nutrient-pollution levels and their significant sources.

c) Marine Life-issue plan for game fish reproduction sites and provides re-stocking as necessary. Improve section marinas as fishing access sites for residents not living on the canals.

d) Stormwater Outflow-Develop plans for improved water outflows; refurbishment & maintenance of all existing water level control structures and outflow paths under flood conditions. This includes operation of the Cape Haze dam for Developer. Also includes ancillary impact areas.

e) Develop a plan to educate the membership

.2. Establish computer/digital storage system to record/archive pertinent system data, significant canal problems and actions taken to correct the problems. Make committee charter and pertinent canal data & activity available on RWA web site as appropriate.

Responsibilities:

1. Assure Purpose/Objectives are being met. Update 5 yr. Plan annually.

2. Review pertinent canal data collected for trends indicative of potential problems. Advise Board/RWA manager of any concerns.

3. Assist RWA Manager as needed i.e. data gathering, data entry, monitoring. Also participate in regular canal surveys by boat.

Recommendations :

1 . Develop Plan for refurbishment/modernization of existing canal outflow control structures which are significantly degraded.

2. Recommend to Board that the Plan developed be followed when prioritizing RWA efforts with outside agencies.

3. Attempt to determine "maintenance entity" responsible for Rotonda outflow path in St. Andrews Preserve, Impoundment & Coral Creek dam. Also determine costs for canal dredging, outflow structures restoration and maintenance if responsibility is turned over to Charlotte County via MSBU funding instead of Developer/RWA

4. Schedule canal survey boat trips. On an as needed basis

5. Establish legality of maintenance entity for outflow areas outside of the RWA

Discuss action to update Canal 5 yr plan - Established a sub-committee of Norb Zolotowski, Earl Haas, Jack Mahaun and Bob Winter to examine the previous 5 year plan published in 2002, fine tune it and suggest updates to the entire Aquatics Committee. The goal is to simplify the entire plan. This sub-committee will hold its first meeting on January 29, 2006. The target date to complete the plan is February. Linda Harrison volunteered to help put the plan together and type it.

Discuss MSBU, RWA , DEVELOPER funding of OUTFLOW restoration required - Tom Madsen spoke about his earlier meeting with representatives of King Engineering concerning SWIFTMUD's RFP 003-07, Coral Creek Ecosystem Restoration Project . The goal of this project is to restore the tidal flow into Coral Creek as far towards the center of Rotonda West as possible. This project will examine the feasibility of removing the Coral Creek dam. If the goals of this study are implemented it will restore the Coral Creek outflow without any action on the part of the RWA and at no identifiable expense to local residents.

OLD BUSINESS

A Clean Up of the canals and streets will take place in RW during the week of Apnl 16-21 in honor of Earth Day. The effort will be a joint venture between Rotonda West residents, Beautification and Aquatics* committees, and the RW Woman's Club. Volunteers will be recruited to serve as pick up points for bags and other supplies used by folks for the clean up as well as people to walk through their neighborhoods or gather trash from the canals. Trash will be taken to dumpsters at the Community Center and/or the Rotonda Park on Parade Circle. A picnic will be held on Saturday, April 21st from 12:00-3:00 at the park for all those hungry folks helping out and to rejoice in a cleaner community. For more information e-mail or phone Kathy Gizzi or Linda Harrison

To date only 4 Lake Watch volunteers have come forward to collect water samples from the canals; Linda Crombie, Connie and Vinnie Volpe and Warren Wykel. We have 26 mile of canals, if we are to continue this important project we need more volunteers. Please spread the word.

NEW BUSINESS

The Beautification Committee has asked the Aquatics Committee to pay $10,500 towards the White Marsh Marina Memorial Park to cover the cost of grading the slpoes and sodding them. Norb Zolotowski moved that the committee pay $10,500 towards the White Marsh Marina Memorial Park. Motion seconded by Linda Harrison and approved unanimously.

Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center's environmental resource manager Bobbie Rodgers stated in an article in the SUN on June 17th that "the water near Buck Creek, located in Placida near Rotonda West Boulevard consistently tests as some of the poorest water in the area." I don't know where the samples are being taken but perhaps we should contact Rodgers and show him the breached dam.

The Rotonda Golf and County Club has applied for a SWIFTMUD permit to use surface water to irrigate their course in Pine Valley. If we have any objections we must respond no later than Friday Jan 26th .

The Charlotte Harbor Preserve is holding a workshop and a public hearing on Thursday evening February 1 and Friday morning February 2. Members of this committee will attend both and will report back to the Committee.

 NEXT MEETING

The next regular meeting will be on Thursday February 28, 2007 at 4:00 PM.

ADJOURNMENT

The meeting adjourned at 4:30 PM