Safety Harbor outlines July 7 start for pier and marina reconstruction; boat slip renters press for more time

City staff told the Safety Harbor City Commission on June 16 that reconstruction of the city pier and marina will begin with contractor mobilization on July 7, 2025, and is expected to finish Dec. 29, 2026, and that marina slips and the boat ramp will be inaccessible when construction fencing is installed.

The reconstruction contract with Shoreline Foundations Inc. was approved by the commission on May 19, 2025, staff said; permits for the pier and marina were received in June 2024, construction bid documents were posted March 28, 2025, and bids were received May 2, 2025. City staff and the contractor agreed at a June 5 preconstruction meeting on a July 7 start to allow time for vessel removal and avoid conflicts with July 4 activities.

The work plan calls for the contractor to work on the pier and the marina simultaneously, which staff said is intended to shorten the schedule and preserve eligibility for FEMA and other grant reimbursements. Public Works Director Renee Cooper said the larger work zone is needed to move a large crane and barges, and that leaving boats in the marina or staging events in Veterans Memorial Lane would hinder the contractor and could produce delay claims.

Slip renters were notified by email on June 6 and given 31 days to remove vessels. Several boat owners urged the commission to ask the contractor for extra time. Kent Reynolds, a slip renter who addressed the commission, said owners face practical limits: many boats are not trailerable, require outgoing tides to depart, rely on shore power for bilge pumps and may need time to find alternative mooring or storage.

"We're not asking for six months. We're asking for 30 days," Reynolds said during public comment, adding that moving sailboats and large vessels can be logistically complex.

Commissioners and staff acknowledged the request but warned that postponing the start carries risks. Commissioners noted that the contractor has mobilized labor and equipment for the agreed window and that delays could increase costs or cause the contractor to redeploy resources. One commissioner said permitting an extra 30 days could create an "unacceptable risk" to the schedule and reimbursement timelines.

Staff said the city will review the existing docking permit and present future options to the commission; because the marina is city property, any long‑term allocation of slips will be decided by the commission. Community Development Director Carol Strickland said a formal review of docking permits is planned while the marina is vacated for construction.

The commission and staff also addressed other waterfront‑area projects that will overlap with the pier and marina work: boardwalk repairs, bollard lighting replacement (32 of 35 bollard lights were nonfunctional after recent storms), living shoreline reconstruction, and a private parking‑lot project for the Safety Harbor Resort & Spa that will use a temporary construction entrance on Veterans Memorial Lane. Cooper said the resort's construction access will be coordinated with the city to allow contractor staging and, where feasible, pedestrian access around active work zones until fencing is installed.

Engineering Director Michelle Giuliani presented the living‑shoreline emergency reconstruction contract. That shoreline—originally built in 2019 and permitted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Southwest Florida Water Management District—failed after storm damage in 2024. Staff recommended an emergency award to PetroTech Environmental Services to restore the living shoreline and armor stone; the city counted the project as eligible for FEMA public‑assistance cost share and indicated it expects 75 percent reimbursement for eligible costs. Giuliani presented a contract total of about $124,515 (including contingency) for reconstruction; the commission approved that emergency contract 5‑0.

Staff repeated that federal and state reimbursement rules (including time limits in 44 CFR for FEMA public assistance) make timely completion important. Cooper and Giuliani also said work in tidal waters requires stopping work if protected species such as manatees are present and can be delayed by weather or regulatory hold‑ups.

Staff said they have been providing regular updates to slip renters, event organizers and park users by email and social media. Commissioners asked staff to continue outreach and to collect specific vessel details from renters so the city can assess individual relocation needs. The commission did not make a final decision on prioritizing current slip renters for post‑construction allocation; commissioners said such a policy decision will be considered later when a redevelopment plan and docking‑permit options are presented.

The commission advised slip renters to prepare for the July 7 mobilization date while staff will continue to seek any feasible accommodations with the contractor and to report back if the contractor can offer limited flexibility.