Friends of Lake Jesup

Chairman Robert King called the meeting to order at 7:10.

Chairman asked for a review of the May 17, 2001 minutes, which were accepted a presented and the letter from Kim Ornberg, Seminole County Stormwater Division regarding stormwater sampling sites.

Chairman King asked that the group discuss any old business prior to the FDOT bridge presentation, which was expected to take up most of the meeting.

Larry Schwartz, Camp Dresser and McKee reported on the status of the stormwater sampling sites.

Carla Palmer, SJRWMD, gave a report on the status of stormwater park sites. She the real estate agent is working on two of the four possible sites that the WMD identified. She said she would like to have some firm decisions made on one of the sites by the end of the year.

Ms. Palmer added that Seminole County, separate from the WMD, is looking for sites, possibly in the Black Hammock area.

Chuck Collins, FDEP, mentioned that he had still not been able to give the $350,000 to Seminole County.

Chairman King said he had spoken to Ms. Ornberg, who has the results of the water samples Tom McCord requested to be taken near Howard Avenue. He said Ms. Ornberg was out of town and might possibly bring the results to the July meeting.

Chairman King asked Ed Hayes, FFWCC, to update the group on the status of the berm removal program.

Ms. Palmer gave an update on the culvert project, and reported to the group that there would be an amendment to the contract to included removal of all or part of the berm that runs parallel to State Road 46.

Mr. Collins reported that the leftover funds from the recent berm removal project were being transferred into a special projects account. He said it would be simple to transfer funds out of that account into the contract Ms. Palmer discussed.

Scott Bear, CH2M Hill, for FDOT, gave a presentation on the updated bridge design alternatives.

Mr. Bear gave a schedule of meetings where the bridge design would be discussed:

• July 25, 10 a.m. - Citizens Advisory Committee, MetroPlan
• July 25, 2 p.m. - Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee, MetroPlan
• July 27, 10 a.m. - Transportation & Technical Committee, MetroPlan
• August 2, 10 a.m. - Municipal Advisory Committee, MetroPlan
• August 8, 9 a.m. - Formal presentation to MetroPlan board

He said he didn't have dates yet on a presentation to the Volusia MetroPlan.

Mr. Bear distributed copies of three new alternatives. He discussed the alternatives and said that FDOT was working off of information from the USACE that the navigational channel should stay at Government Cut and that the bridge height should be 25 feet. He said this is a preliminary determination from the Corps and that it could change after they Complete their study, in about a year.

Bill Daniel made a motion to accept the Alternative 3 bridge design, which includes a bride that is 25 feet high at Channel A and allows for the opening of Channel B & C. Cecilia Height, Sierra Club seconded the motion. Chairman King noted that the definition of treeline still needed to be determined and Tom McCord added the caveat that the bridge be extended as far west as possible. The group voted in favor of this design alternative.

Ms. Palmer said she wanted to clarify part of the earlier discussion on the bridge design and reference to the WMD hydrologic model and go on record saying that the WMD wants to determine whether the model is accurate or whether it is flawed.

Ed Hayes, FFWCC, gave a report on the fish kill that occurred on the lake in June. He said as many as 100,000 fish, of all types, died in the fish kill caused by an algae bloom.

Cecilia Height, Sierra Club and Natural Lands Committee, gave a report on the NLAC discussion on the possible purchase of Bird Island. She made a motion that a resolution in support of the purchase be made by the FLJ. Steve Rich seconded the motion. Chairman King said the FLJ would draft that resolution for review.

Ms. Height also gave a report on a request from the Developers Advisory Board for a change in the County's density/wetlands policy. She said the policy would reduce the minimum acreage needed to subdivide lots and thereby increase densities in the rural areas. Chairman King said he would attend the public hearings and bring back more information to the group for possible action.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:05 p.m.