Marine Advisory Board Special Meeting – January 28, 2026: Stevenson Creek Draft Letter and Manatee Protection Zone

The Marine Advisory Board held a special meeting on January 28, 2026, at 8:00 AM in the Clearwater Main Library Council Chambers. The sole agenda item was a draft letter from the Stevenson Creek Advocacy Group addressed to the Clearwater City Council, concerning Stevenson Creek Aquatic Preserve. The board heard public testimony, deliberated on the letter's content, and ultimately decided to revise the letter to focus on establishing a manatee protection zone rather than opposing dock construction.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Tim Hughes (Stevenson Creek Advocacy Group): Expressed full support for the draft letter and emphasized the need for a manatee protection zone extending from the bridge to the headwaters of the aquatic preserve, citing conflicts between boaters and manatees in the narrow channel.
• Mike Foley (Stevenson Creek Advocacy Group, resident at 1809 Apache Shale): Described 30 years of work to restore Stevenson Creek from a polluted ditch to a model urban estuary. He stated the county had already approved the dock act, but the letter could not be used in the appeal process. He highlighted that over 200 manatees were counted in the creek over a nine-month period (preliminary report) and noted six documented manatee deaths in the estuary since 2016, four caused by boats.
• Darrell Lakey (resident at 1792 Overbrook Avenue, boat owner on the creek): Stated that between a 1.2-foot and 3.2-foot tide, he has about five to six hours per day to navigate. He supported the manatee protection zone and noted that the proposed docks extending 80 feet from the north shore would further restrict the already narrow channel.
• Unnamed resident (Clearwater Beach, 855 Bay Way Boulevard): Raised concerns about a hotel development on Clearwater Beach with docks, noting a decline in manatees and seagrass damage in that waterway, and warned of similar future impacts on Stevenson Creek.

Discussion Items

• Draft Letter Content: Board members questioned why the letter omitted key data, such as the manatee count and water depth measurements. Member noted the draft letter lacked mention of depth restrictions under the bridge and in the channel, which could impede manatee movement at low tide. The letter used language like “extraordinary” and “strongly urge,” which some felt was too subjective and would be easily contested.
• Docks vs. Manatee Protection: Debate centered on whether the letter should oppose the proposed large commercial docks or focus solely on a manatee protection zone. Some members argued the docks themselves were not a direct threat to manatees because manatees could swim around pilings and under floating docks. Others countered that the docks (with over 40 pilings and 80-foot extent) would occupy the deepest part of the channel, creating a choke point at low tide and potentially trapping manatees upstream or downstream. The majority consensus shifted to supporting a manatee protection zone as the primary objective, separate from dock opposition.
• Water Depth and Navigability: Members discussed that the average depth in the creek is three feet, as shallow as one foot in places. At low tide, the channel near the proposed docks is only 1.5 to 2 feet deep. The bridge clearance restricts boat size (only small boats like 17-footers without T-tops can pass at high tide). It was noted that many existing docks on the creek are unused because boats cannot be practically kept there.
• Staff Update: A staff member (unidentified by name in transcript) reported that the city had completed a feasibility study for a slow-speed minimum-wake zone and determined the best course is a local ordinance manatee protection zone. Next steps include defining boundaries (between the first and third bridge), drafting an ordinance and letter of intent, submitting to FWC for review, then taking to city council for approval and to the state for a permit. The advocacy group’s citizen science data on manatee counts will support the application.

Key Outcomes

• Letter Revision: The board decided to request that the Stevenson Creek Advocacy Group rewrite the draft letter to focus exclusively on the manatee protection zone, omitting opposition to the docks. The revised letter should include factual data on manatee counts, water depth, and navigational restrictions. The board expressed general support for the revised letter but will need to vote on it at a future meeting after individual review.
• Next Meeting: The revised letter will be distributed to board members individually; they cannot share edits among themselves due to Sunshine Law requirements. The board will reconvene to vote on the letter either at a special meeting called by the chair or at the next regularly scheduled meeting on March 18, 2026.
• Manatee Protection Zone Process: Staff will proceed with drafting the ordinance and letter of intent using the advocacy group’s data, submit to FWC, and eventually bring to city council. A letter of support from the Marine Advisory Board will be included in the package.