Item 3AAGENDA ITEM # 3A
MAY 14, 2007
May 8, 2007
MEMORANDUM
TO: The Honorable Mayor
and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Jim
SUBJECT: F
Use of Discarded Christmas Trees to Protect the Dunes; A citizen requested at the last
meeting that the City restart the program of placing discarded Christmas trees in the dunes to
promote the build up of sand. This had been allowed in past years.
Staff contacted the Beach Erosion Control Office at FDEP and was told that they discouraged the
use of Christmas trees and other debris as erosion control/sand trapping measures. FDEP
strongly prefers sea oats and sand fence when necessary to rebuild dunes. Rebuilding the dunes
in Atlantic Beach is not necessary because in most locations the dunes were successfully restored
by the sand fences and sea oats planted after the 1991 and 1995 renourishments. The dunes
actually extend farther seaward than planned, reducing the amount of sand that could be brought
in during the most recent beach renourishment.
The City has an agreement with a private firm to harvest sea oats seeds annually and receives sea
oat plants in return that are in areas needing further protection.
Cable TV Franchises; A bill has been passed by both the Florida House and Senate that would
preempt local governments from franchising for cable TV services. Instead, cable providers
would only need to receive one franchise at the state level. At last report, the bill was being sent
to the Governor for approval. The Atlantic Beach City Commission has taken positions on
several occasions in recent years opposing any state or federal legislation that preempts cities
from cable TV franchising. Based upon these positions, a message was left at the Governor's
office on behalf of the City requesting that he veto the legislation.