Floating day dock is coming to The Bay

When promoters of The Bay park describe the $200 million, 53-acre city-owned project as “a park for all,” they mean the local boating community as well.

A key component of that inclusion is the addition of a floating day dock in the 10th Street canal separating the parking lot of the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall and the boat launch Centennial Park, which is being incorporated into The Bay. 

To achieve that objective as part of Phase 2 development of the park, the Bay Park Conservancy by separate unanimous votes, secured a Government Zone waiver and a major conditional use permit to the 2018-approved site plan for The Bay. 

At its Feb. 3 meeting, the City Commission considered the Government Zone waiver that would permit pilings and a seawall at heights that exceed the zoning restrictions. By statute, development in the G Zone must not exceed standards of the nearest residential zone. To build a storm-resistent floating dock, the pilings must be as high as 14.5 feet above the mean high water mark, 4 feet above the permitted height, and the seawall along the canal up to 6.1 feet as opposed to the zoning code limit of 5 feet.

The extra height of the piles is needed to help the dock remain intact during 100-year storm events per FEMA specifications.

“The existing regulations are geared more toward what we think of as a standard dock typically tied to a single family home or use, and not a 53-acre park with significant boater presence,” said Danielle Stewart of project consultant Kimley-Horn.

The applications received unanimous recommendation for approval by the Planning Board on Jan. 8.

Photo by Andrew Warfield

Photo by Andrew Warfield

“The important aspect of these docks is that they do float so they are able to rise and fall with the storm surge, which is the key reason why the piles being requested are so tall,” said Michael Herrman, coastal engineer at Moffatt & Nichol of Tampa. “That is to accommodate 100-year storm event and prevent the docks from floating off of those piles. The piles are also designed to be resilient to the lateral forces, the wave forces that come along with those winds and storm surges to keep the docks in place, so that they don't break away and leave that the canal area.”

The Bay Park Conservancy is approaching completion of its design for Phase 2, which includes installation of a resilient shoreline along the bayfront, the floating day dock to accommodate as many as 18 boats, and expansion of the boat launch area on the north side of the canal to include an additional ramp, all in what is called the Canal District. Phase 2 also includes building restorations and new green space along U.S. 41 in the Cultural District. 

Plans for later work in the Canal District include locations for three small waterfront restaurants in Centennial Park and future retail possibilities along the south side of the canal. The site plan also shows a pedestrian bridge shown crossing over the mouth of the canal, providing a connection between both sides. 

While planning continues, some work is already underway, said Bay Park Conservancy Founding CEO AG Lafley, including dredging the canal. That work yielded far more material than was removed from the Mangrove Bayou in Phase 1.

“We’re analyzing what we took out of there, but we took more than two times as much debris and pollutants and have had it all hauled away,” Lafley said. “The next piece is to repair, reinforce, rehabilitate and improve the sea wall on the south side (of the canal).”

Courtesy image

Commissioner Jen Ahearn-Koch questioned how the day docks will survive severe weather conditions, citing unsuccessful attempts at installing floating docks in Whitaker Gateway Park just four blocks to the north of the canal. 

Herrman explained the extra tall piles and the location of the day dock — inside a somewhat protected canal versus facing the open waters of Sarasota Bay as in Whitaker Gateway Park — will provide extra resiliency.

“We did extensive numerical modeling, computer modeling, of the wave conditions and the significant difference is the level of protection offered by the orientation of the canal and the location of these docks compared to Whitaker Park, which is more open shoreline,” Hermann said.

Damage could still occur, he added, but the intent of the tall pile design is to prevent the dock from breaking away and drifting out of the canal. 

Ahearn-Koch said she would normally oppose variances of such scale, but trusts the judgment of the park planners.

“My concern expressed about the floating docks and their viability and the city's liability I think are very real,” she said. “However, The Bay up to this point has shown to exceed any expectations, and they're doing due diligence for sustainability and resiliency. They have dotted all I’s and crossed the T’s."