Plans for boat slips at Jaycee Park get first nod
City to look at two design concepts
Marine Improvements COW Meeting (1)
Plans for boat docks at Jaycee Park moved forward Wednesday after Cape Coral City Council advanced two of five proposed designs.
Assistant City Manager Connie Barron said the Jaycee Park boat slips bring the improvements full circle for a project that began at least four years ago. Funding for the design of boat slips along the shoreline of Jaycee Park was earmarked in 2022.
Through other research being done, Barron said they found that they had an allotment for a number of slips, which began the conversation internally of what could be done with that.
“We moved forward with planning the design. During that process, we then asked the question, if we design and build the slips, what will the public be coming to,” Barron said.
The master plan of the park was developed to see what amenities to attract the public and folks using the water.
“Council gave the OK to start looking at the master plan,” she said, adding city staff looked at “activating” the waterfront.
“There are very few waterfronts that were publicly owned. During the permitting of the project, we separated the landward side and marine side. We bring back the boat slips as phase two to discuss where to go,” she said at the council workshop.
Cummins and Cederberg Coastal & Marine Engineering Senior Engineer Geoffrey Parker brought council through a lengthy presentation that discussed water levels, wind conditions, and berthing tranquility analysis.
Council members shared that they liked the fourth and fifth versions of the dock concept, which split the docks into north and south segments for a marginal layout of floating docks. The fifth version would eliminate three vessels and council asked to find a way to add those back for a total of 24 vessels at a 40′ maximum length. The docks are all transient, meaning there are no plans for overnight dockage at the city park at the end of Beach Parkway now being reconfigured and wholly rebuilt.
There were also discussions to include a kayak float into the design.
“I have always been in favor of water access to the park,” Councilmember Bill Steinke said of citizens who have small vessels and want to take their children out. “This is geared more towards family and children.”
A big concern for him was safety of putting boats in the river with the wave action and people getting on and off their vessels. He said he was very happy to see the floating dock design.
“Much of the conversation has been to pull the plug on the whole deal. I don’t think pulling the plug is the right thing to do. Taking one step at a time is the right thing to do,” Steinke said.
Parker said the design of the docks is 40 mph minimum and extends to 145 mph with tides and surge.
He said the dock concepts have evolved since they were first tasked with the plans.
When conducting a new bathymetric survey, it illuminated the exact location of the rim channel, which they are trying to avoid as much as possible. Parker said they wanted to minimize the cost, while also reducing the dredge footprint.
From there the dock was split into two – one in the north and the other in the south, so the middle of the park stayed clear.
“We took the approach of floating docks – considering a dock about 8-foot width for the main portion with a two-foot draft,” he said.
Parker said there are oysters at the south dock location.
“When we started this about four years ago, mitigating for oysters was not a concern with permitting agencies,” he said, which he said at this point they don’t know if permitting mitigation will be needed.
Councilmember Jennifer Nelson-Lastra said they do not have to build the marina right away, as the marine permits are good for five years.
“The government just reopened yesterday, so we don’t know when we are going to get these permits,” she said. “We are not going to pull the plug on building this anytime soon. It will take a while to get the permits. In terms of the original build, the design and permitting were included in the original price. The additional cost of the docks will not come until we pull the plug.”
Barron said they are still in the design portion of the project. The budget of the park does not include the marine-side phase.
“If we are 24 mounts out for completion of permitting, we still have to bid the project, (which is) another year before construction event starts. About three years before anything gets started on that. We designed the landward side to have necessary infrastructure for the boat slip,” she said, adding any construction for the boat slips happens from the water. “We will not be closing the park down. We will start from the waterside.”
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