Possible New Boat Ramp In Pinellas Co.,Florida
 

I just learned about an issue that may be of interest to you.



As you know, there is an increasing shortage of boat ramps throughout the Tampa Bay region, and the entire state for that matter.



Pinellas County wants to work with the Florida Park Service to build a sizable boat ramp at Honeymoon Island State Park, offering quick access to offshore waters as well as the inshore waters of Clearwater Harbor and St. Joseph Sound (prime trout territory). Currently, there is no decent public boat ramp at all between the Anclote ramp in Pasco and downtown Clearwater! I am not counting that makeshift dirt launch area at Pop Stansell Park in Palm Harbor. And you know how crowded Anclote is on the weekends – if you’re not there by 8 a.m., you can’t find a place to park.



Pinellas County has the capital funds right now to do this project, but apparently there are concerns from the state permitting people that may sink the project.



There will be a public workshop on the project next Wednesday, Feb. 9 from 6-8 p.m. at the Hale Activity Center, 330 Douglas Ave., in Dunedin.



Please let others in your network know about this. I think the county really needs people to speak in favor of the boat ramp. Pinellas builds and maintains first-class boat ramps, as evidenced by Fort DeSoto and Bay Pines.



__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ ____________________________________

Official Notice of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection- Authorized Under Section 120.551, F.S. Publication Date-January 7, 2005

PUBLIC NOTICE

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Recreation and Parks announce a Public Workshop to which all persons are invited.

Date and Time: Wednesday, February 9, 2005, 6:00 PM

Location: Hale Activity Center

330 Douglas Avenue

Dunedin, Florida 34698

Purpose: To present the proposed land management plans for Caladesi Island State Park and Honeymoon Island State Park to the public.

Pursuant to the Americans With Disabilities Act, any person requiring special accommodations to participate in this workshop is asked to advise the agency at least 48 hours before the workshop by calling the Bureau of Personnel Services at (850) 245-2511, or by calling (800) 955-8771 (TDD) or (800) 955-8770 (Voice) via the Florida Relay Service.

Re: Possible New Boat Ramp In Pinellas Co.,Florida
 

I'll be there!

Re: Possible New Boat Ramp In Pinellas Co.,Florida
 

Lord knows they need it. That one on Anclote sucks with all the current there. At all the other parks, during the summer, if you're not there by 9am, you can forget a parking place. That's why I always used Ft Desoto. They will let you park as far down that road in the grass as you are willing to walk.

Re: Possible New Boat Ramp In Pinellas Co.,Florida
 

ttt

We could definately use another ramp.

Re: Possible New Boat Ramp In Pinellas Co.,Florida
 

ttt

The meeting is tomorrow...

Re: Possible New Boat Ramp In Pinellas Co.,Florida
 

ttt, the meeting is today!

Re: Possible New Boat Ramp In Pinellas Co.,Florida
 

I went ...... I saw...I didn't say crap. In my silence defense I am pretty much sick as hel% and there was not much good to say. It was a lot of "not in my backyard" types there. It was discuss the states plan for Honeymoon and Caladesse Island for the next couple years. Lots of good things but no boat ramp, I doubt ever in that state park. I was happy to hear the county commissioner (I forget her name) say they are working very hard on locations and budget for new boat ramps. We sure could use them. the one at Fort Desoto is top notch

Re: Possible New Boat Ramp In Pinellas Co.,Florida
 

Commissioner Susan Latvala(Pinellas Co.),David Eggers(City of Dunedin),and myself spoke on the ramp subject.(all in favor)
The park service does not want it but the people do.Senator Mike Fasano has writen the head of the DEP, on our behalf, in favor of the ramp.

WE NEED STRONG SHOWINGS AT THESE MEETINGS,that tells the legislators what we want.

They know that we vote...

Re: Possible New Boat Ramp In Pinellas Co.,Florida
 

ttt

Re: Possible New Boat Ramp In Pinellas Co.,Florida
 

Water access, I am just curious, we you the guide that spoke just prior to the county commissar speaking? Just trying to put a face with the words. I was sitting behind you one row to you left....sniffing away. :-)

Re: Possible New Boat Ramp In Pinellas Co.,Florida
 

That was me.
______________________________________________
Outdoors
State must revisit boat ramp project
By TERRY TOMALIN, Times Outdoors Editor
Published February 13, 2005

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With the start of the spring boating season just a month away, mariners won't find it any easier to get their craft in the water.

Many marinas that once moored the public's boats are going private because the land that serves as dry storage brings a higher price as condominiums. The public ramps, the places where most working folks launch their boats, are crowded and few and far between.

And relief is nowhere is sight.

Pinellas County officials had hoped to build a million-dollar, fee-based, four-lane boat ramp on state land at Honeymoon Island, then turn the operation and profits over to the Florida Park Service.

"After careful consideration, we have determined that construction of a boat ramp at Honeymoon Island State Park would damage endangered mangroves and sensitive sea grasses, which provide important wildlife habitat," wrote Mike Bullock, director of the park service, in a Jan. 14 letter to Susan Latvala, chairman of the Pinellas County Commission.

"A park boat ramp would also increase traffic and road congestion for our neighbors living outside the park."

State park officials held a hearing last week in Dunedin and told the boating public that plans did not include a ramp.

"This has become a very big problem," said Latvala, a boater who is fortunate enough to live on the water. "I don't know how people are going to get access. We are running out of options. Land is just so expensive."

There are some good ramps in the area, such as the modern launching area at Fort De Soto, perhaps one of the busiest in the state. But one big ramp isn't enough to keep up with demand. Tampa Bay, with approximately 2.5-million people, has 131,000 registered boats and 52 public ramps. Boaters come from as far as Okeechobee and Lake City to use Fort De Soto's ramp, according to a recent study by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

State officials estimate that residents and tourists make more than 5-million visits to public ramps each year, with a total economic impact of $1,337,608,855.

According to Lyle Fowler with the county parks department, most of the objections to the Honeymoon Island boat ramp proposal came from environmentalists.

"There was a lot of concern about environmental impact," Fowler said. "More people spoke out against the boat ramp than were for it."

As a boater and fan of the Florida Park Service and Honeymoon Island,I found the state's response to Pinellas County's request disheartening.

The ocean is a public resource which everybody has a right to enjoy. That includes flats fishermen, kayakers, bird watchers, board sailors, kite surfers, pleasure boaters, scuba divers, even personal watercraft enthusiasts.

Honeymoon Island State Park is a fragile environment that needs to be preserved, but it already has a facility to ferry people to nearby Caladesi Island's boat-only park, and Honeymoon has plenty of parking. With a little creative thinking (the state and county have their share of bright-minded people) somebody should be able to come up with a solution that would be a win for both sides.

If it were a wealthy private developer making the request, I'm sure a solution would be found. Why not give "the little guy" the same consideration for a change?

What do you think? Let your elected officials know:

Mike Bullock, Florida State Parks, 3900 Commonwealth Blvd., Tallahassee, FL 32399;Latvala, Pinellas County Commission, 315 Court St., Clearwater FL 33756.

[Last modified February 13, 2005, 01:08:17]