Marine Planning Committee Phillip Everingham Coordinator April Key point in

							Marine Planning Committee
                                                            Phillip Everingham, Coordinator
                                                                                           *April 3, 2002




Key point in developing Managed Anchorage and Mooring Fields
A key concept is the financial functionality of the operation of a Managed Field. Existing Fields
(Stuart, Vero, etc.) charge a minimal daily charge and these operations are self sufficient,
including funding for maintenance, operational overheads and future expansion. If allowed, it
can be expected that a “cottage industry” of marina related and support activities and
businesses will begin to operate for the benefit of the Field patrons. The short and long term
benefits of such an operation are clear. By properly managing the existing uses, and providing
needed amenities for a reasonable fee, the potential for hazardous vessel operations & the
expansion of a substandard collection of vessels can be precluded. We feel this advantage
needs to be well underlined for the Administration and Miami City Commission.

Considerations of Stakeholders in Developing a Plan
The Committee evaluated issues of importance to the following stakeholders:
City of Miami
    • Do away with or at least bring under control what is a potential liability (legal,
        environmental and financial)
    • Eliminate an “eyesore”
    • Create a new revenue source
    • Serve the community interests
Anchorage Residents
   • Maintain existing lifestyle (with some latitude for change)
   • Maintain some degree of freedom/flexibility/mobility
   • Acknowledged as “members of the community”
   • Obtain some level of basic services/amenities from the City

Marine Community
   • Need for more vessel storage spaces
   • Desire to create a first class boating area/center
   • Expand types of boats/boaters
   • Expand presence of on-water/water-dependent uses
Public
   • Make area a positive part of the community by creating facility that will bring in people
       and help promote Miami’s waterfront resources
   • Further water & boating as Miami’s image
   • Produce a revenue stream for public benefit

Basic Assumptions
Goal:                          500 total vessels
Two Components                 1. Anchorage
                               2. Mooring Field
Location
After viewing the aerial picture, the consensus for the general locations of anchoring and
mooring fields are listed below. However, the FA Team will analyze the environmental environs
and establish the locations for the boundaries of the Fields.
    • Anchorage – area directly beyond island and offshore from Dinner Key Marina, Coconut
        Grove Sailing Club (if the Sailing Club does not ultimately maintain its “mooring rights”)
        and Peacock Park. Generally speaking, this area would be located more offshore.
    • Mooring Field – area directly offshore from City Hall, Grove Key Marina, Chart House,
        the former Merrill-Stevens, Monty’s, Biscayne Bay Yacht Club and Coral Reef Yacht
        Club. Generally speaking, this area would be located more near shore than the
        Anchorage area.
Note: Coconut Grove Sailing Club currently has 200-220 moorings. Place 80 elsewhere for a
total of 300; add this to current anchorage population of 150-200 boats, and the total becomes
450-500.

Special needs and buoy markers
  • All mooring and anchoring area perimeters should be marked with properly lighted buoy or
     pile.
  • Breakwater or wave abatement should be properly lighted and contain informational
     signage.
  • Shallow, protected and non-anchoring areas should be marked with day markers.

Requirements for Managed Mooring/Anchorage Fields
   • Proof of Ownership and liability insurance
   • Boat/vessel registration
   • Operational Marine Sanitation Device (MSD) or acceptable sewage holding tank
   • Seaworthy: meaning compliance with appropriate federal, state and local regulations
   • Proof of Propulsion, meaning either mechanical or sail power, adequate for propulsion

NOTE: While anchor lights are required by federal and state laws, these would not be needed
within a Managed Field, since the area would be designated as a Special Anchorage Area.

For those boats/vessels that do not comply with these requirements, we recommend granting a
grace period to comply (6 months seems appropriate), with the understanding that compliance
efforts would start within 30 days of that certain date. This is consistent with the opinions of the
other TA Team committees.

Current and Future Needs

  •   Approximately 10% of the mooring should be available to incoming transient boaters
  •   Informational signage, 24 hour response VHF radio communication and directional
      information to be advertised in the Cruising Guides
  •   Dinghy Docks located for ease of access to the Marinas Manager’s Office, restrooms,
      showers, trash receptacles, transportation, and amenities
  •   Landing Dock to take on water, supplies and use sewage pumpout station
  •   Pamphlet outlining general and marine-related information
  •   Affordable mooring/anchoring rates and/or service package rates



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Other Criteria Discussed for Possible Consideration
   • The number of year-round liveaboards within the Anchorage appears to be around 120.
   • Several owners are disabled. ADA considerations should be addressed to meet these
       needs
   • Good citizen considerations
   • Community Service
   • City property ordinances
Dinghy Docks Locations and Needs
Based on 500 vessels in anchorage/mooring field, we’ll need room to accommodate as many as
200 dinghies for daily usage. The existing dinghy dock system may minimally satisfy the short-
term needs. However, it would be best to design the system so that each dinghy dock be a
floating structure with a minimum six feet width, twelve feet length minimum sections and float
no higher than two feet off the water. A ramp should be installed from dock to shore.
Possible locations for additional dinghy dockage include:
  • Seminole Dock
  • Area between the Chart House and the former Merrill-Stevens’ site
  • Coconut Grove Sailing Club

Security for Amenities:
Land Side Amenities:
  • The same Marina security measures should be extended to the Dinghy Dock area. Dock
     check inspections should include dinghies tied or stored at the dinghy dock and racks.
  • Dinghy dock, dinghy racks and bicycle racks should be designed to attach a secure chain
     or cable.
  • Install proper signage for securing dinghies and bicycles.
Mooring and Anchoring field:
  • Daily Boat checks should be done similar to the daily marina dock check.
  • 24 hour radio communication available for emergencies and general information.
  • A vessel should be available for 24 hour service to transport and respond to emergencies.

Amenities Offered to Anchorage Field Patrons:
 • Mooring Field Paid Patrons should receive consideration and allowed the same amenities
    as the marina patron
 • Managed Field(s) patrons and the general public should have access to Marina restroom
    facilities on verbal request of the Mooring Manager.
 • Consideration of offering several service packages to include different amenities

Ship Store
A combination of Fuel Dock, Bait and Tackle, Snack Bar and Ship’s supplies is needed on the
water and in the area.




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Repair Facilities:
There is a great demand for additional services providers ranging from the independent
contractors to additional boat yard facilities. Grove Key Marina is the only repair yard that a
boat under 28 feet can be hauled out of the water for paint and repairs. Besides a length
restriction there are also a draft restrictions. Larger vessels can go up the Miami River to quality
repair yards. Independent contractors offer almost all additional services.

Wind and Wave Energy Abatement Technology
Dinner Key Anchorage is unprotected from wind and waves that come from the northeast, east,
southeast and south. The Committee recommends that the City study the possibility of utilizing
wind and wave abatement technology at a later date to address long term issues. A wave
energy abatement system could be utilized to protect the area when the heavy weather comes
from the northeast and east. The lighter winds and waves come from the southeast and south.
Natural structures can be constructed as rip-rap breakwater to islands (as in Dinner Key) and
south. A good amount of research has been done on Sheet-pile Breakwaters, Riprap Cradle
(as in Bayside Marina) and Floating Wave Abatement Systems.

Other Considerations
  • Security
  • Parking
  • Need to develop Hurricane Plan for both anchorage and mooring field
  • Idea for “overflow” traffic easement for special events in Grove
  • To encourage people to come by boat -- put in floating dockage
  • Creation of a formal yacht storm shelter -- put in buoys on leeward side of the islands




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