Update from Commissioner Bliss

Historic City News receives regular reports from Commissioner Jay Bliss as to the activities at the St. Augustine Port, Waterway and Beach District.

Three important items:

First:
Port meeting this coming Tuesday, May 17th, begins at 3:00 p.m. at the St. Augustine Beach Municipal Building.

Next:
Disaster at the inlet, shoaling at the inlet: Port still is spending $500,000 to remove sand from Porpoise Point off markers 8 and 10. This has nothing to do with the channel–or lack of a channel–off markers 5, 5a and 5b, where severe shoaling occurs. Depending upon the strength of legal arguments from South Ponte Vedra and Vilano Beach residents, that disaster area might get county dredging to compensate for loss of sand to their shore-side properties. Why our US Coast Guard does not have the capability to move the Attractive Nuisance Buoy 5 –which has been surrounded by shoal since November 2010 — remains the bureaucratic boondoggle question. Bouys mark safe entrances. Our #5 creates chaos.

Last:
The St. Augustine Municipal Pilot Program will establish rules for anchoring for all boats, not just the small group of live-aboards. The public input for that meeting is RESCHEDULED: 26 May, Alcazar Room. Time has been shortened: 4-5pm. Clearly your public input opportunity would be limited.

As always, Port official minutes are available at www.staugustineport.com

Jay Bliss, Commissioner, Seat 5

Photo credits: © 2011 Historic City News staff photographer