ROTONDA WEST ASSOCIATION, INC
Aquatic Canal System Committee
Minutes
Monday, February 27, 2008

Present: Nick Gizzi (Chair.), Olga Durham, Stan Plizga, Bob Seneca, Richard Stravino, Earl Haas and Bob Winter

Absent: Linda Harrison and Norb Zoltowski

Management: Dianne Brophy, Secretary

Other Members: Art Richards, Bill and Rita Baker, Charlotte Plizga, Donna and Thomas Gleason, George Burger, Lori Johnson, Fred Marchese, John Farren and Jim Roberts

The meeting was called to order at 3:00 pm and roll call was taken.

The Minutes of January 23, 2008, were approved as written.

Chairman Gizzi welcomed a new subcommittee member Lori Johnson. She will be working with Bob Winter. She will be on the Aquatics Habitat subcommittee.

Chairman Gizzi stated he wanted to go over the subcommittee’s chairs and members.

Marine and Aquatic Habitat: Bob Winter as chairman, Dick Stravino, Stan Plizga, Lori Johnson and Norb Zoltowski. Bob Winter stated on this committee I have Lake Watch volunteers. Should they be part of the committee? Nick Gizzi stated they should be a subcommittee of this committee.

Nick Gizzi stated that on Lake Watch Committee I have Linda Crombie and Warren Wykel

Lake Watch Committee: Ted Anderson, Warren Wykel, Earl Haas, Bob Winter and Bob Seneca. Norb and Nick are alternates. Denny McCone was on but would like to quit. Bob Winter stated he needed one (1) more volunteer to do the White Marsh end.

Canal Infrastructure and Storm Water Outflow: Chairman Nick Gizzi, Norb Zoltowski and Richard Stravino.
The Aquatic Trash Prevention and Clean Up: Chairperson Linda Harrison Linda and Don Olson.

Education and Publicity: Co-chairs Olga Durham and Bob Winter.

Chairman Gizzi stated he had a meeting with the Charlotte County Chief Inspector for Code Enforcement Steve Reiger. The 4 to 1 slope is the minimum slope wanted by the County. Nick Gizzi talked about a problem with one of the developers regarding this slope. The developer did comply with the 4 to 1 slope but the next property was much higher. When the County inspected the property they would not give the developer an Occupancy Permit because the abutting lot was much higher. The explanation was even the adjacent property has to be a minimum 4 to 1 slope. He had to put dirt back. One corner was not technically a 4 to 1 slope from the water, but he had to do that in order to abut to the other property. We got a clarification on that.

There has been some correspondence from the DEP and the County concerning what we would like to do with the berm that is leaking on the Rotonda River. I spoke with Tara Musselman this morning, she heads up the MSBU, and Tom O’Kane they are still pointing fingers at different departments as to who is supposed to be helping us with this problem. There is not a lot of progress made at this point. Hopefully by the next meeting I will have something more positive on that. Norb Zoltowski is in the process of putting together bid specifications for the berm. So that, when the County gets their act together we will have something to present them as to what we want there.

Subcommittee Reports:
Marine and Aquatic Habitat: Bob Winter said we have gone over the names of the committee members. An update on our SFWMD grant was in the newspaper. Jay Lyons attended a mandatory meeting by SFWMD. The meeting explained the mechanics of how the money is to be spent and how it is to be disbursed. Chairman Gizzi read the report by Jay Lyons on the SFWMD meeting. The Peace River Basin Board of the SFWMD awarded a 2008 Community Education Grant in the amount of $2,875.00 the Rotonda West Association. The specific project, which the grant is for, is, “Aquatic Planting at White Marsh Memorial Park.” The purpose of this trip was to attend a mandatory project implementation workshop where a purchase order for the project and project procedures, invoicing and final report guidelines. The project will include installation of aquatic plants, building and installing a sign explaining the types of plants utilized and a brochure demonstration box with information for the homeowners on what they can do at their own properties to enhance the water quality in the canals.  The project will be accomplished with volunteers and could include participation from local schools. SWFMD suggested a kickoff event that will assist in establishing a pre and post evaluation process for the project. All printed materials including press releases, language to be used on the project sign must contain the Peace River Basin Board and SWFMD logo and be reviewed and approved by Virginia Sternberger of SWFMD. A sample invoice and sample final report will be posted on the SWFMWD website and invoices and final reports can be submitted electronically. The project must be completed by June 20, 2008 and the final report and invoice is due by July 25, 2008. Reimbursement will follow the final report. Discussion followed regarding the grant. Bob Winter stated there was a meeting at the site. The site is the White Marsh Marina or the White Marsh Memorial Park. The meeting consisted of several committee members and John Farrell along with an aqua-scaping contractor. There was discussion on the plants the committee would like planted. The two (2) big varieties we would like to see are Pickerel Weed and Arrowhead. They are showy and look nice. John Farren will get a price on the installation of the plants and what we will do is have some of our people help with the installation. Installation is not hard to do. At that meeting there was discussion on the type of sign. Bob Winter showed the committee a sign that is at Lemon Bay Preserve and explained what the sign was made of. Bob went on saying that he will investigate a price for the sign and he said he has started language for the sign. It is stated that three (3) logo’s will be put on the sign. They will be Peace River Basin, SWFMD and Rotonda West. Earl Haas asked if the monies for the sign come out of the Grant. Yes. Before plants are purchased we will have to come up with a price for the plaque. Bob Winter said we could have volunteers install the sign and a site was picked for the placement of the sign when we had our meeting. Linda Harrison was going to show the beautification were we would like to see the sign. Bob Winter said the other thing we did to educate ourselves, we had a field trip on Friday February 22, 2008. Ten (10) of our people, there were four or five committee members and others were residents. This was very informative. They are willing to help us any way they can. They will not come and do any physical work but they will advise us. Other meetings can be setup for the residents of Rotonda West. This is a good place to learn what is done with these particular littoral zone plants and their benefits. Bob Winter said that one thing they learned and was impressed with was in a homeowner’s association called Burnt Store Lakes. They had a problem with midges. They are similar to mosquitoes. The lakes in this association had no plantings. The biologist from this County organization suggested they do littoral zone plantings. They put in littoral zone plants around the lakes, and what this did was allow the mosquito fish to eat the larvae. The problem was remedied. Lori Johnson asked if these plantings are native to Florida. Yes. Jim Roberts asked if only two (2) types plants will be planted. Bob Winter said there would be three (3) varieties that have been talked about. We are doing Buck Potato, Pickerel Weed and a rush. Jim Roberts asked after these are planted, would these be no spraying zones. John Farrell said a strip will be left and when the torpedo grass starts to encroach from the bank you will kill that. No fertilizer will be used. There will be no long-term maintenance. There was discussion on water levels, weeds, droughts and freezes.

Bob Winter talked about Lake Watch and gave the committee a copy of his report. An analysis was done and what is interesting if we have more phosphorus and nitrogen going out of our canals than coming in. Discussion followed.

Stan Plizga gave a report about water withdrawal from our canals. We got all the golf course SWFMD permits. What is interesting about this is, if you read the permits, and there are ten (10) of them that I have, SWFMD does a very good job on the permits and regulating the water. There are very good words in the permits that we can use when we start looking at our weir and dam problems. There are ways to protect these facilities. Stan said he would like to give an overview of what types they are, what is in them and who we can use this information. There are three (3) types of permits. They are either recreational, aesthetic or agriculture. These have changed as we went from farming community to residential community. The application types are new, renewals or modified. We have all three (3) types. I see file dates but I don’t see issue dates on some of these and I don’t see any expiration dates. Therefore, I don’t know how active these are. The important contents I find are the use type and they are the golf course, lawn/landscape, crop or citrus and fairways, tees or greens. There are water use tables and they are defined in gallons used per day. There is standard annual average, drought annual average, peak month and credit balance. The tables are interesting but they do not tell us how they arrive at this data. There is an irrigation/allegation rate table and this involves a use type, irrigated acres, irrigation methods, standard irrigation rates measured in inches per year and drought irrigation rates measured inches per year. There is nothing defined how this data was compiled. Also in this information we have is the withdrawal points and quantity table. There is an identification number by district, pipe diameter number in inches and a use figure, which is either irrigation or augmentation. There is an average peak month per gallon, per day usage. There are tables but I don’t know how they were determined. By irrigation or augmentation what is meant is that point is either an irrigation point or an augmentation point, which means pumping from one area to another. There is also a withdraw point location table which is described by a district ID number, latitude and longitude a section township range number. This identified all these withdrawal points within the permits. There is a special condition section, if feel, we get protected from excessive withdrawals by the golf course. There is a timetable in which the golf courses have to report. These reports go to the district. They have to investigate the feasibility of using reclaimed water. There are only two (2) Rotonda Hills and Pine Valley that have a timetable. Rotonda Hills is by July 1, 2008 and Pine Valley is by February 1, 2010. These words are in other permits but there is no timetable. Meter shall be installed at all these withdrawal points for surface water, ground water and other resources. These readings are to be reported to the district. There is a section as to how these meters are to be installed and maintained and all un-metered pre-existing draw services have to be metered. There is a section on management facilities to incorporate best management, limit daytime irrigation, and implement a leak detention and repair program check on the feasibility to change the current system or converting to a new system. These have to be given to the district. They also must submit an irrigation form, which covers crops, citrus, and other things they plan to irrigate besides fairways and tees. One important thing, they shall eliminate the irrigation of roughs by January 1, 2006. I assume they have already done that. There is another section called Standard Conditions and there are nineteen (19) points in this section. There are two that can be used to our advantage. There is a mitigation process that we can go through if we see that these reduction levels impact our water system in anyway. Examples are sinkholes, damage to crop and vegetation; causing damage to habitat and endangered species, wet lands, springs, streams and any other watercourses. If we find that we are being impacted by some of this withdrawal we have means to take corrective action. I have taken all these permits that I could get these withdrawal points and put them on a chart. There are several missing. They are listed by District Number not withdrawal points. I would like to get all the information and put it on one map. I don’t know how far we have to go back to get all the information on the withdrawal points. I would like to meet with someone for SWFMD to go over the alga rhythms they use to determine the usage. Discussion on usage. Stan talked about regulation permit number DC081--- from a long time ago and it says the Rotonda West Utility Corporation has expanded it’s water recovery facilities to a greater capacity and the filtered recovery water shall be used entirely to irrigate the new Pebble Beach Golf Course and Cape Haze Links course now under construction. Nick Gizzi said I don’t know that is in effect. Bob Winter said looking at the permits there is one course that part of their water is reclaimed water. That is White Marsh and everything else is surface or ground water. It was stated Jay Lyons got all the permits from SWFMD. Stan Plizga said he would like to get all the permits so he can get all points on the map. Once this is accomplished we can go to SWFMD and say this is what we know, this is the data we can backup and can you help us. If we find out that the water level needs to be maintained at a certain level, then we can say with the condition of the dams and weirs we cannot support the water usage. Jim Roberts asked when the water levels get to the point where a portion of the canal becomes impassable or we lose fish then we have reached that point. Stan said that Jim could read the paperwork to determine that. There was discussion about residents needing a permit to draw out of the canals. Bob Winter said that it determined by the size of the pipe. Over four (4) inches requires a permit. There was discussion about the residents drawing water from the canals to water their grass. Water is metered on the golf course property. Stan Plizga stated this community offers two (2) big things that are sort after water and golf. If we do not have a good appearance to the community driving to the golf courses nobody will go. It is in the best interest of the golf courses to work with us, instead of butting heads. We need the data to present a reasonable argument, if there is a situation. There was discussion regarding the gray water. Nick Gizzi explained it has not been piped into all of the golf courses. George Burger said Long Marsh was not hooked up to gray water until about two years ago. The Palms has been on gray water for five or six years. The golf courses have signed up for a certain amount of water and they have to use it. Bob Winter said we are trying to get the information so we will understand what is going on. George Burger asked if Pinemoor Golf Course has been approached. It is stated that Pinemoor is not pumping out the canals, unless they are pumping illegally. Jim Roberts stated that in Pine Valley there is a pump there, a pipe in the ground and there is a meter on it. It is on the first canal in from the Brass Bridge. Bob Winter said if anyone knows where the pumps and meters are to get in touch with Stan Plizga. George Burger said there is another on the Palms Golf Course in Pebble Beach. Bob Winter said the permits are good for ten (10) years. Some of the older permits were when there were different owners. There will be a lot of searching. Stan said now that the water level is down if the residents could look into the canals and see if there are any large pipes. If the residents see any pipes over four (4) inches this committee should be notified. At that point, the committee could have someone go out and check on them and see if they are illegal withdrawals. Jim Roberts we should be checking on the larger condo units. Bob Winter said an article could be put in the West Ways on water usage.

There will be no report on aquatic trash as Linda Harrison is not at the meeting.

Bob Winter talked about an article in the West Ways about the fish in the canals.

Bob Winter went on to say that an Educational Meeting is being set up for the March meeting. The date is not set. It will be either Tuesday, March 25 or Thursday, March 27 at 7:00 pm. We are going to have a speaker from CHEC. That is Charlotte Harbor Environmental Coalition. They are part of the national estuary program. I have not spoken to the speaker yet, I spoke with one of the associates and the program will key on what we can do for the canals to help the water quality out to the estuary. Lemon Bay and Charlotte Harbor are the two discharge areas.

John Farrell said he has a quote for the installation of the plants. Earth Balance is a subcontractor who will work with volunteers. They gave a couple of scenarios. The plants will be planted two feet on center. Depending on how they plant it will be $2,279.34 for two feet on center. That is installed. Or you can go with 1,251 units for $1,131.00 and anything in between depending on how much money you have.

John Farrell gave his report regarding the aeration system and spoke about the bacteria he would like to use. Larry will disperse it out into the canals. This is alive and running when it comes out. We will have a water-soluble packet and hope it comes alive and nothing eat it. This need oxygen so an air compressor will be needed. John Farrell explained how this works. The bacteria will take out sulfur, phosphorus and heavy metals. That is what the bacteria does. It is good for the golf courses. Discussion followed on this recommendation from John Farrell. Earl Haas said this could be a schedule we can plan on. Bob Winter said this is an idea.

New Business: Jim Roberts asked if there are any SWFMD grants for the bacterial program or the aeration program. No. There was a possibility that SWFMD may pay half for an aeration system in the outfall areas. Jim Roberts mentioned that one of crew working on the apexes doing the weeding and the mowing. One of the crew is spraying Round Up along the bank of the canal. Nick Gizzi said they have been spoken to. I disagree with the fact that they mow the bridge abutments and all the apexes as much as they do. In some of the steeper apexes they have completely denuded down to the sand and now you have erosion. I think that should be looked at with the amount of mowing in those areas. In some areas you need growth to stop erosion. Bob Winter stated in one of these areas if a hurricane came through with six (6) inches of rain we could lose a road. Discussion followed on the amount of mowing in these areas. Jim talked about the shell by the bridge abutments. The on Rotonda North is to be taken care of. Nick said these have been given to Tara Musselman with MSBU, as that is county land.

Old Business: Nick asked if any assistance was given to the residential who had a problem with his irrigation pump. Earl Haas said he emailed the resident and told him what I did and who I used to correct the problem. I also said that it was not a recommendation from this committee or the RWA. A response was never received.
There was discussion on Pinemoor Golf Course. They are reorganizing and we will be paid for back assessments.

You will be informed of the date for the next meeting.

The meeting concluded at 4:30 pm.

Dianne Brophy,
Secretary