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Clearwater officials outline marina reconstruction, FEMA-driven bidding and repair timeline
Summary
City engineers and marine staff updated the Marine Advisory Board on storm-related damage, a FEMA-driven low-bid procurement, permitting milestones and a phased schedule for marina repairs and floating-dock installation.
City of Clearwater engineers told the Marine and Aviation Advisory Board on March 6 that work to repair hurricane damage at the Harbor Marina and to complete the Beach Marina project is moving forward, with bids being solicited and key federal and local permits in hand.
Kelly Petrich, project manager and engineer in the city of Clearwater’s engineering department, said damage to cables and other infrastructure from recent hurricanes requires immediate “chaining” work at the North and South ends of the harbor. He said the city is soliciting bids for that work and hopes to begin the emergency chaining process in April or May after a contractor is selected. Petrich said the chaining work is a priority to reduce risk before the next storm season.
The city plans to use a low-bid procurement for the South End wave-attenuator project to comply with FEMA regulations tied to disaster funding; Petrich said that change from a construction-manager-at-risk procurement required adding scope and updated specs. He said additional design work on the North End is under way and will be put out to bid after designs are completed. “We’re still in the process of evaluating all the damage,” Petrich said, and estimated that construction on the North End could begin “within six months to a year” after designs are finished.
William Hudson, division manager for the Marine and Aviation Department, reported that the commercial fleet has completed a relocation to the repaired east dock so construction could continue elsewhere in the marina, and thanked tenants for cooperating with a short-notice move over a holiday weekend.
On the Beach Marina, city staff reported the project is on schedule. Petrich said phase 1 is scheduled to end Sept. 26 and the overall project is currently scheduled for substantial completion in June 2026. He said floating-dock deliveries are expected beginning in June and that the city has secured Army Corps of Engineers permits and local flood-board approval for the floating-dock design. The city still needs a final permit for a temporary kiosk and is coordinating with the building department on a removable kiosk design that can be taken in advance of storms.
Board members pressed staff on procurement and durability. When a member asked whether the city is “going for the contractor that offers the cheapest price,” Petrich replied the contract will go to the lowest qualified bidder and that the city will review qualifications and line-item bids to ensure apples-to-apples comparisons. He said product specifications and line items will be used to ensure comparable proposals.
Hudson and Petrich also discussed fuel and pump-out service. Hudson said the city is investigating temporary pumping systems and aims to begin pumping from city tanks within about a month; he said one gasoline and one diesel dispenser would be installed and meters certified for public use.
Board members asked about piling height and storm resilience for the new floating-dock system. Petrich said the floating docks and associated piling lengths are designed to accommodate extreme tide events and noted the city had reviewed performance footage of similar systems during storms. He said the city also raised the height of some fixed elements as part of the design updates.
Permitting and funding remain significant constraints: Petrich and Hudson said FEMA-related procurement rules drove the low-bid requirement, and that the wave-attenuator procurement and North End repairs will proceed once bids and designs are complete. Hudson noted the Army Corps permit and flood-board approval were major hurdles already cleared.
The board did not take formal action on reconstruction at the meeting; staff said procurement and design work will continue and construction timing depends on contractor selection and completion of the design work.
Ending: City staff said they will return with bid results, contract awards and further schedule updates as the projects advance. For now, the immediate priority is emergency chaining of harbor cables before the next storm season to protect slips and dock structures.
