DEEPHAVEN BOAT COMMITTEE

Wednesday, August 10, 2005

Minutes

 

 

Call Meeting to Order

Vice-Chairman Pete Onstad called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m.

 

Members Present

Pete Onstad, Oliver Arrett, Larry Parkhurst, Steve Pavek, Ed Towey, Darel Gustafson, Marc Anderson, Council Liaison Keith Kask, Administrator Dana Young

 

Members Absent

David Paulson, John Gresens

 

May 11, 2005 Minutes

The Committee approved the May 11, 2005 minutes on a motion by Marc Anderson, seconded by Ed Towey.  Motion declared carried.

 

Chris Struble Request for Reinstatement

Chris Struble, 3658 Therese Street, was present to request reinstatement on the revised waiting list.

He stated that he had intentionally not signed up to be on the shore space waiting list because of the mistaken belief that you were only allowed up to a 24’ boat on shore space, the same length as was allowed on a dock slip.  He stated that since he was already signed up on the dock waiting list, he thought he would give up the shore space waiting list since he mistakenly believed that both spaces limited the length of boats to 24 feet.  He stated that it was only after he realized that you are allowed up to a 34’ boat on shore space that he had made a mistake in taking his name off the shore space waiting list.

 

Ed Towey stated that the City is moving in the direction of eliminating shore space at St. Louis Bay.  Pete Onstad stated that the Committee might want to consider not acting on this request until we decide what to do with shore space.  Marc Anderson stated that it would be fine with him to return Mr. Struble to the shore space waiting list since it was an honest mistake.  Darel Gustafson stated that he also had made a mistake several years ago in regards to the waiting list and as a result had fallen down the list.  He stated that the individuals behind Chris Struble’s original spot on the shore space waiting list might be really annoyed when they found out they’ve been moved down one spot.  He added that there is no sense in having rules if you’re not going to follow the rules.  Oliver Arrett stated that Mr. Struble made an honest mistake due to misinformation and he would be willing to overlook his mistake.

 

Marc Anderson moved to reinstate Chris Struble to his original spot on the shore space waiting list.  Seconded by Oliver Arrett.  Ayes: Marc Anderson, Oliver Arrett.  Nayes: Ed Towey, Steve Pavek, Darel Gustafson.  Obstain:  Pete Onstad, Larry Parkhurst.  Motion failed on a 3-2-2 vote.  The Committee recommended that Mr. Struble present his case before the City Council on August 15th.

 

Sharon Morgan

Shirley Morgan stated that she and her husband were told when they moved to Deephaven two years age that they shouldn’t expect to get a boating resource for many years.  Much to their surprise, they were notified in late May that they have received a slide.  She stated that they were trying to obtain a boat for the slide when they were notified in late July that they had received a buoy.  She stated that they are new to sailing and don’t want to make a mistake with the purchase of such a large investment.  She requested that she and her husband be given additional time to find a sailboat.

 

Steve Pavek asked whether there was much demand for buoys at this point in the season.  Dana Young stated that there were already two buoys open in Carson’s Bay due to late cancellations and that they unlikely to be filled this year. 

 

Steve Pavek recommended that the Morgan’s be given until next year to purchase a boat for their buoy since there is a very small possibility of the City being able to rent the Morgan’s space along with two buoys that are already open in Carson’s Bay this late in the season.  Seconded by Oliver Arrett.  Motion declared carried 7-0.

 

Jack Braun

The Committee reviewed a letter from Jack Braun complaining about the location of a dock shared by Gerald Hennessy and Cynthia Paul that projects about 18 inches into Cynthia Paul’s space, resulting in his concern that his boat and Paul’s boat are moored too closely together.

 

Dana Young stated that there is a problem with both the Hennessy/Paul dock and the Braun/Arrett dock in that both docks appear to be located almost totally within the space leased by Cynthia Paul and Jack Braun.  As a result, both Paul’s and Braun’s boats are moored very close together.  He stated that there is nothing in the City Ordinance that grants him the authority to require the two parties to move their docks if their dock and boat are contained within their leased space.

 

Darel Gustafson moved to drop the issue since there was no violation of any one of the parties leased spaces.  Seconded by Steve Pavek.  Motion declared carried.

 

Comprehensive Dock Plan for Carson’s & St. Louis Bay

Council Liaison Keith Kask stated that he does not believe that the City Council wants a major fight with the public such as that which occurred during the St. Louis Bay application a couple of years ago.  For that reason, he believes the Council wants the increase in the number of boat storage units to be minimal.  He stated that he believes that a plan for St. Louis Bay needs to be presented along with the Carson’s Bay plan so that it would not be presented in a piecemeal approach.  He added that the Council also appears willing to increase the number of slips at the expense of slides as long as the overall number of BSU’s would not be increased.

 

Ed Towey stated that the plan for Carson’s Bay is substantially completed which would only leave the development of a plan for St. Louis Bay.  Larry Parkhurst stated that he continues to favor Wayzata’s configuration where boats are actually moored in the water.  He stated that this would be a substantial improvement to our slides by allowing longer boats.  Darel Gustafson agreed and stated that more people want slips and we need to develop a configuration that would allow for longer boats.  Keith Kask agreed and stated that people don’t really want 15’ boats anymore.  Darel Gustafson stated that the Committee needs to develop a plan that takes in account the type and size of boats that people want.

 

Steve Pavek stated that his plan for St. Louis Bay included cleaning up the shore space area by relocating some of the shore spaces to both Carson’s Bay and St. Louis Bay.  Keith Kask asked what would be the visual impact on St. Louis Bay by removing the shore space?  Steve stated that St. Louis Bay would be improved by cleaning the shore space docks.  Ed Towey asked if removing the shore space was so important?  Keith Kask stated that it might be an improvement to the beach area and it would be important that the plan have some selling points.

 

The Committee decided to hold a special worksession at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 16th at City Hall to brainstorm ideas on a comprehensive plan for St. Louis Bay.   

 

2006 Marina Fund Budget

Dana Young presented the 2006 Marina Fund Budget for Committee review.  Further discussion was held on the need to increase rates in order to fully fund the capital improvements to the buoys and docks that have been discussed over the last year.  Pete Onstad stated that one of the major tasks of the Committee over the next several months would be to develop a much more comprehensive capital improvement schedule for the marinas.

 

Change in Meeting Date to the First Wednesday of the Month

Discussion was held on whether to change the date of the Boat Committee’s regularly scheduled meetings from the second to the first Wednesday of the month in order to enable members to attend LMCD meetings, which are also held on the second Wednesday of each month.  Oliver Arrett moved to change the Boat Committee meetings to the first Wednesday of the month conditioned upon the approval of the Park Committee.  Seconded by Larry Parkhurst.  The motion was defeated on a 7-0 vote.

 

Adjournment

Motion to adjourn by Oliver Arrett, seconded by Larry Parkhurst.  Motion declared carried.  The meeting adjourned at 8:33 p.m.  The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Boat Committee will be held on Wednesday, September 14, 2005.