Monday night is decision time for harbor plan

Historic City News reminds our readers that a controversial harbor management plan goes to public hearing and final action before the St. Augustine City Commission Monday night.

The issue of establishing mooring fields in the Matanzas Bay and Salt Run tops the agenda for the city commission’s last meeting of 2009.

Three years of study with four public workshops culminate with Monday’s public hearing. Over that time the number of moorings was reduced from 369 to 178, including 80 moorings in Salt Run, 28 moorings north and 70 moorings south of the Bridge of Lions.

The cost is estimated at $2,500 per mooring.

If the measure is approved, city staff will request $109,725 for initial work and anticipates $460,000 for installation of the fields with the required funds to be drawn from city reserves.

General Services Director Jim Piggott said a design and build package would be bid to determine actual installation cost.