2008 Holiday Boat Parade Schedule

Island Estates: The 34th annual Memorial Holiday Boat Parade has been set for Friday December 13th. The area's largest and most popular boat parade is being organized by the Island Estates Yacht Club. Boats will gather at the South Bridge in Mandalay Channel at 6 pm, and then proceed east into the basin by Island Way Grill and the, meander through several canals before heading to Coachman Park around 8 pm, then head back following the causeway to maker 7, finally heading south to Clearwater Yacht Club. Prized will be awarded, there is no entry fee. Registration forms will be available the first week of November. Call Captain Wayne Millington 727-462-81006

Indian Rocks Beach:Holiday Lighted Boat Parade December 20, 2008 at 7:00pm. Big or small, all boats are welcome. Vessels tour the IRB fingers via the Intracoastal Waterway, beginning at Holiday Inn Harbourside, near the Walsingham Bridge, up to the northern IRB city limits and returning to the Holiday Inn Harbourside.Visit www.IRBHOME.com for more information.

Tierra Verde Lighted Boat Parade: Dec. 10. Begins at 6 p.m. from Pass-a-Grille Channel, passes under the Tierra Verde bridge, heads south along the east side of Tierra Verde, then returns by the same route to Pass-a-Grille Channel. Best viewing is from the Tierra Verde bridge or the vacant lot next to Billy's Stone Crab. To enter your decorated boat, register by Dec. 9 at Billy's Stone Crab. $500 prize awarded. For information, call 458-8512.

St. Pete Beach Holiday Boat Parade and celebration: Dec. 12. Begins at 6 p.m. at the St. Pete Beach Yacht and Tennis Club, 94th Avenue and Blind Pass Road, along the Intracoastal Waterway through Boca Ciega Bay and ends at Pass-a-Grille Way. Also holiday tree lighting, boat parade viewing party, an appearance by Santa and holiday music by the Boca Ciega Jazz Band at the Community Center. For information or to participate in the parade (sign up by Friday) call 363-9245 and check the Web for a detailed route at http://www.stpetebeach.org/.

Boca Ciega Yacht Club Christmas Boat Parade: Dec. 13. Begins at 6 p.m. at the Gulfport Marina, passes in front of the Gulfport Pier, into Town Shores, and into the Broadwater canals. For more information and a detailed route check the Web at www.sailbcyc.org or call 321-7295. To participate in the parade call 572-1356 or e-mail david.tarbox@yahoo.com.

Madeira Beach Holiday Illuminated Festival of Lights Boat Parade: Dec. 13 (rain date Dec. 20). Begins at 6:30 p.m. The boats will gather just north of the Tom Stuart Causeway and travel parallel to the causeway, around the City Hall Complex then travel back under the causeway in the Intracoastal Waterway, around the perimeter of the island and end at John's Pass. For a map of the route and more information check www.madeirabeachfl.gov or call 391-9951, ext. 231.

St. Petersburg: Bruce Watters Jewelers Illuminated Boat Parade: Dec. 13. Activities from 3 p.m.-10 p.m., Dec. 13, with activities at Spa Beach, 615 Second Ave. NE. Chili cook-off, food and beverage, live entertainment before and after parade. Best viewing is from the Pier and along the Vinoy Basin. Grandstand seating at Spa Beach, $10. Proceeds benefit The Children's Dream Fund and Rotary Charities. To enter your decorated boat, or for information, call 896-6661.

Treasure Island: Christmas Boat Parade and Holiday Celebration: Dec. 14 (rain date Dec. 15). Begins at 6:20 p.m. leaving the Treasure Island Tennis and Yacht Club basin then passing through the Treasure Island toll bridge at 7 p.m. and finishing at John's Pass between 8 and 8:30 p.m. The parade includes the islands of Paradise, Palms and Capri. To receive a pass to watch the parade from Treasure Island Tennis and Yacht Club and to attend the holiday party bring a new toy to the Recreation Department at City Hall or Treasure Bay on Paradise Boulevard from Monday to Dec. 12. Activities include holiday music and complimentary hot dogs, chowder, hot cider and cookies served poolside plus Santa will make an appearance. Toys will be donated to the Christmas Toy Shop Project Inc. Call 367-4511, ext. 236.

Indian Shores and Redington Beaches Christmas Boat Parade: Dec. 14. Begins at 5:45 p.m. on the north side of Tom Stuart Causeway and heads north through the Intracoastal Waterway, arriving at the Pub restaurant in Indian Shores about 9 p.m. Public viewing areas are Del Bello Park, 17925 Gulf Blvd.; the Pinellas County Boat Launch at Park Boulevard; and the Estelle Harper Park behind Indian Shores Town Hall, 19305 Gulf Blvd. Call 391-3875.

Tierra Verde Annexation Approved

The St. Petersburg City Council voted Friday to annex 18 acres in Tierra Verde, allowing a former resort and marina to be torn down and replaced by a high-rise condo complex.

Many residents from Tierra Verde showed up to protest, saying the high-rises would ruin the gateway to their community, blocking views and causing traffic problems.

Owners of the former Tierra Verde Resort Marina want to redevelop the property, although no plans have been submitted. Under agreements with the city, nothing taller than 8 stories would be built as long as the annexation isn't challenged in court. If challenged, the height could increase to 15 stories because St. Petersburg ordinances could be applied. The legal limit under St. Pete law is about 15 stories, which is triple the height of Tierra Verde's 50-foot limit.

Critics have said St. Petersburg's Mayor and other city leaders want the tax revenue the development of the annexed land would generate - up to $1 million annually.
Baker on Friday defended the annexation, saying the increased revenue would help spread the tax burden among the residents of St. Pete.Baker also said he thinks the annexation is legally sound and will withstand any challenge in court.

An attorney for one of the potential developers, said property owners such as his client have the right by law to ask to be annexed.

Tierra Verde is an unincorporated area of Pinellas County and home to about 4,500 people and several businesses. The annexed land is on the north tip of the island, just south of a bridge to the Pinellas Bayway, and it includes, in addition to the now-vacant resort, a strip shopping center of small businesses and two boat-storage facilities.

Island Estates Civic Association Members Learn How To Help Prevent Red Tide

During their annual meeting in November, Island Estates Civic Association members heard a discussion on what homeowners can do to help prevent Red Tide.

According to scientists, Red Tide is an algae that feeds on nitrogen and phosphorus. When the algae reaches excess proportions it produces a toxin that kills fish and other sea creatures; emits a gas that causes respiratory problems and eye irritation; and damages tourism by making our waters unusable, often at the peak of the tourist season.

Cathy Harrelson, Task Force Chairman of the Suncoast Sierra Club, told the Island Estates citizens that homeowners can help by making sure their lawn service does not place fertilizer near the sea wall. Other suggestions were to provide a buffer zone where fertilizer would not be needed, between the lawn and the water, and not to over fertilize. The Sierra Club is working on an ordinance to require a 6 foot wide low maintenance zone beside the water to protect it from algae growth.

Florida's problem with Red Tide comes from agricultural fertilizers, mining, and sewage discharges, but also from excess fertilizer on lawns and gardens adjacent to our waterways.

New Statewide Anchoring and Mooring Rules Proposed

It 2006 a concerned Dade County waterfront homeowner called about a sailboat anchored in the bay for a long time. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC), there were no regulation of boats stored on the state's waterways. 2 years later ,the FWC is proposing statewide legislation for enactment in 2009. The proposed legislation, addresses several waterway management issues in addition to unregulated anchoring.

This has some local governments concerned about their "Home Rule" right to establish regulations based their own situation. While the proposal continues to prohibit anchoring of unattended vessel within a 500-foot buffer zone around public mooring/marina facilities, it limits the ability of a county or city to regulate the length of time a vessel would be allowed to anchor.

The 30-day limit would supersede Clearwater's 3-day limit. The City of Clearwater currently limits overnight anchorage to no more than 3 days within a 30-day period conflicting with the proposed legislation, which would allow municipalities to pass an ordinance prohibiting vessels from overnight anchoring for more than 30 consecutive nights or for more than a total of 120 nights per year.

Another concern is that live-aboard boaters would be able to anchor for 30 days each in various cities (for example Belleair, Clearwater, and Dunedin) and repeat the cycle indefinitely – complying with the legislation but never moving more than a few miles in the process. There could be an unintended consequence small radius live aboard communities being established in local waters, exposing waterfront homeowners to uninvited neighbors in larger numbers for longer periods of time.

The FWC will have a final hearing on the issue before the 2009 legislative session on December 3rd in Key West. Comments can be sent via email to Anchoring.Mooring@myfwc.com. The proposed legislation can be read at http://myfwc.com/boating/Docs/Boating2009.pdf