Dear Cooper Estates Civic Club Members,
We have an exciting boat ramp update! On Tuesday, May 10, the executive board, along with the majority of the boat ramp committee met with two representatives from John Guerry Taylor & Associates (JGT). The purpose of this meeting was to see the survey results as well as learn our next steps in order to keep the process moving forward.
Where we stand at this point is that the survey from Phase 1 has been completed. The critical line has been determined and sent to OCRM for approval. The approval process at this time is usually 2 months. For those unfamiliar with what the critical line is, it determines what areas we need permitted for the ramp and dock and which ones we do not. It is also known as the high tide line. There is an attached file called Exhibit A in your email. It shows our current site survey along with the critical line. Once the critical line has been approved, we will move into the permitting phase. We have been advised to submit our ultimate wish list for the ramp for the permitting process. Let us be clear, this does not mean we will be doing everything on our wish list! We can always take an item off, but to add an item back on that was not initially permitted would mean going through the entire permitting process again. Also, this does not increase the cost of permitting to the club and the permit is good for 5 years. Current permitting review and approval at this time is running around 4-6 months.
The decision facing this membership is whether we replace or repair the boat ramp. Our current boat ramp was built with a slope of 9-10% and ends where the water depth at low tide averages 2ft. Current boat ramps (as in within the past 10-15 years) are built with a slope of 14-16%. Repairing our existing ramp would mean cutting out the portion of concrete that has started to break down, replacing it, extending it further into the creek so that the water depth would be 4-5 feet even at low tide. The slope would remain the same. Replacing the ramp would raise and flatten out the first 40 ft of the ramp. This would allow the new concrete to be put in at a 14-16% slope. The replacement would also extend the length of the ramp into the creek so the water depth is 4-5ft. Exhibit B, also in your email, is a rendering of what the ramp replacement would look like. The rendering also shows extending the floating dock. This is not a decision we anticipate making now. The negative numbers in both Exhibit A and B refer to the water depth at low tide.
We know this information is a lot to take in and we are sure you have many questions. On June 21, at 6 pm we have invited our representatives from JGT to come and speak to all of us. They will have more detailed drawings available to us at this time as well as preliminary cost estimates for both repairing and replacing the ramp. A more detailed agenda of this meeting will be sent out the week before.
Please reach out to us with any questions at board@cooperestates.org. We will answer what we can, and those questions we cannot will be sent to our contacts at JGT. The goal will be to have these questions answered at their presentation on June 21.
We were incorrect in our first email when we said the contract price for Phase 1 was $5,050.00 . After meeting with our representatives from JGT we learned that the Civic Club is contracted for the full contract and scope of work which includes Planning through Construction. The total cost to the club is $23,700.00. Our apologies for this error. In your email you will find the entire contract detailing the scope of work for every phase. Please reach out to board@cooperestates.org if you have any questions regarding this. Thank you for being patient with us as we all work together on this large project.
Finally, last but not least, if you would like to see the current financials of the club, and upcoming expenses, please reach out to us at board@cooperestates.org. With the boat ramp exhibits and the contract, it was too much to include in the email. However, we will absolutely send them out upon request!
Thank you once again for making it through this long email! If you did not receive an email, please reach out at board@cooperestates.org, we may need to update your contact information. We look forward to seeing everyone on June 21 at 6 pm. Don’t forget to email your questions to board@cooperestates.org!
Sincerely,
Joe Pitcavage – President
Anthony Conway- Vice President
John Spence – Treasurer
Katie Heath – Secretary