Courtney Campbell Scenic Highway
Corridor Advocacy Group (CAG)
Minutes
Regular Meeting
Mariner Conference Room,
November 15, 2000
11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
I.
Attending:
a. Mahshid Arasteh, Public Works Administrator, City of Clearwater
b. Ms. Katie Cole, representing the Clearwater Regional Chamber of
Commerce
c. Mr. Joe Feaster, FDOT District 7, Scenic Highway Coordinator
d. Ms. Terri Fox, representing the Tampa Westshore Alliance
e. Mr. Bill Jonson, Clearwater Resident and President, Citizens for a Scenic
Florida
f. Ms. Jeannie Keene, representing the Tampa Westshore Alliance
g. Mr. Tim Kurtz, representing the City of Clearwater
h. Ms. Jerry Noland, representing Jan Platt, Hillsborough Commissioner
i. Ms. Karla Price, representing the Tampa Parks Department
j. The Honorable Linda Saul-Sena, Tampa City Council Member
k. Ms. Gena L. Torres, representing Hillsborough County MPO
II.
Bill Jonson, CAG Chair, called the meeting to order at 11:10. New members
of the CAG introduced themselves.
III.
The minutes of the meeting of October 20, 2000 were reviewed and approved
as corrected on 11/3.
IV.
Update on CAG members:
a. Linda Saul-Sena reported that she had talked to Louis Miller of the
Hillsborough Aviation Authority about joining the CAG.
b. Jerry Noland suggested adding Dr. Richard Garrity, Director Hillsborough
County Environmental Protection Commission to the CAG. Phone: 813272-5960. Address: 1900 North 9th Ave, Tampa, Florida 33605.
c. Suggest adding the legislative delegation from both Hillsborough and
Pinellas Counties. Senator Jim Sebesta is the Chair of both legislative
delegations this year.
d. Katie Cole supplied the name Ken Hess, who is the Registrar at the
Clearwater Christian College.
V.
Discussion of the Draft Letter of Intent
a. Bill Jonson presented the draft Letter of Intent that includes photos of
many beautiful vistas from the causeway.
b. The group discussed the potential name for the corridor. “Courtney
Campbell Scenic Highway” was selected. It is shorter than including the
word “causeway” or “parkway”.
c. The group suggested we brief the Legislative delegations on the project –
the opening line is that “we aren’t asking for any legislative money”.
d. The group identified Clearwater Christian College as a possible source of
cultural information relating to the CCSH.
e. The Hyatt received an award for land restoration. Terri Fox will try to
obtain a copy of this photo for inclusion in the Letter of Intent package.
VI.
Approval process for the Letter of Intent
a. The group decided that the following four governments will be asked to
co-sign the Letter of Intent.
i. City of Clearwater – action by Mahshid Arasteh
ii. City of Tampa – action by Linda Saul-Sena
iii. Hillsborough County – action by Jan Platt
iv. Pinellas County – action by Bill Jonson
b. The target is to obtain these endorsements in December.
c. Bill will draft a letter asking for the endorsement by the above
governments.
VII.
Brainstorming for improving the Courtney Campbell Scenic Highway
(CCSH)
a. Clearwater could possibly make available recycled water for landscaping
from the waste water plant located on the west end of the CCSH.
b. Ms. Price reported that PBSJ did a master plan for the Tampa side of the
CCSH. She will send a copy to Bill Jonson.
c. The City of Tampa maps indicates that CCSH is part of their Greenways
system.
d. Additionally, causeways are not currently an accepted building practice.
Florida Scenic Highway Program Purpose: designate roadway corridors
where we can preserve, maintain, protect and enhance intrinsic resources
for the traveling public’s enjoyment.
e. The CCSH could include pedestrian connections on both sides of the Bay.
f. Linda Saul-Sena will research the history on Ben T. Davis Beach. Leland
Hawes of the Tampa Tribune may be a source for this information.
VIII.
Eligibility Document
a. Joe Feaster reviewed the process after the district approval of the Letter of
Intent by the local Secretary of FDOT’s District 7.
b. Additional training for the CAG will be held on preparing the eligibility
document.
c. The eligibility document is then prepared. This document includes an
assessment of the existing conditions of the roadway, an intrinsic resource
assessment, a comparison of how the corridor meets the ten Universal
Criteria for a Scenic Highway, and includes Vision and Initial Goals for
the roadway. The State Scenic Highways Advisory Committee then
reviews this document.
d. When approved, the Secretary of the Department of Transportation issues
a Letter of Eligibility.
IX.
Future Ideas
a. The group suggested that we invite the State Scenic Highways Advisory
Committee to visit the CCSH and possibly stay at one of the fine hotels
along the corridor so that they may see what valuable resources exist
there.
X.
Next CAG Meeting
a. January 9, 2001
b. Time: 8:15 to 9:30
c. Location: Rocky Point area Terri Fox will finalize the location.
If corrections to these minutes are noted, please notify:
Bill Jonson, CAG Chair
2694 Redford Court West
Clearwater, Florida 33761
727-786-3075
bill.jonson@usa.net