Treasure Island Beach Trail

Documents presented at the September 12th meeting are also available for public viewing in a large, easy-to-read format in the Commissioner's Conference Room at Treasure Island City Hall, 120 108th Avenue.

The same documents can be downloaded using the links on the right hand side of this page. As the files contain a great deal of detail and information, a high speed internet connection is recommended.

PROJECT HISTORY
In August 1993, an oil spill occurred in Tampa Bay, which led to a settlement which funded a program of restoration projects intended to address the lost access and use of Tampa Bay area beaches and waterways. On August 14, 2001, the City of Treasure Island entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to fund two separate projects from the “oil spill” funding. The first of the projects was the Sunset Vista Trailhead Park. The second project is the “Treasure Island Walkway Extension”, more commonly called the Beach Trail extension. This project is intended to expand the current Beach Trail north approximately 3800 feet from 119th Avenue to 127th Avenue and to the south approximately 4000 feet from 104th Avenue to 97th Avenue. The southern end would connect up to the Sunset Vista Trailhead Park. Funding in the amount of $380,000 has been earmarked for this project. In addition, it is anticipated that City of Treasure Island will be funding portions of the Beach Trail extension and separately funding a project to improve the current Beach Trail. At the February 8, 2005 meeting, the City Commission approved a request for landscape architecture services. When this selection was completed in March 2005, two assignments were initiated related to the Beach Trail. The first was to develop proposed improvements to the existing trail. The second was to develop the “footprint” for the extension of the trail both north and south so that the NOAA funding can be utilized for the construction of this extension. The landscape architectural firm selected was Phil Graham & Company, P.A. During this time, the City Manager and Public Works Director met with NOAA and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to review and coordinate the conclusion of the Sunset Vista project and the Beach Trail extension project.
Also during this time, the Treasure Island Civic Leaders Group held several meetings to discuss the beach trail extension and improvement. In April, 2005, a list of the Civic Leaders recommendations was presented to the City Commission for their review and consideration. Therefore, in July 2005, the City Commission approved the development of the Master Plan for the Beach Trail extension as well as the upgrade of the existing portion of the Beach Trail. A total of $100,000 was appropriated for this project.

DEVELOPMENTAL TIMELINE
Staff began working with Phil Graham & Company in September and October and after several meetings, a public Beach Trail Kickoff meeting was held on October 26, 2005. In addition to the Civic Leaders Group, the members of the Planning and Zoning Board, Beach Stewardship Committee, and Beautification Committee were iinvited to attend. Following this initial community meeting, staff held two meetings with the consultant in November, 2005, and then conducted a trail walk with the consultant on December 8, 2005. During the last week in January, 2006, staff and the consultant held two meetings with the stakeholders (all owners of property west of Gulf Boulevard from the John’s Pass Bridge to the Sunset Vista Trailhead Park) to discuss the idea of the trail upgrades and extension and to get important feedback as well. In April, 2006, staff and the consultant participated in a Beach Trail Regulatory Agency meeting at the NOAA offices in downtown St. Petersburg to discuss the regulatory issues relating to both the upgrading of the trail and its expansion. Then in May, 2006, staff, the consultant, and several regulatory agency representatives met and conducted a field reconnaisance of the entire length of the existing trail as well as the the proposed options for the trail expansion.


PROJECT GOALS
The goal of the Beach Trail is to provide an attractive and functional beachfront trail from the Blind Pass Bridge / Sunset Vista Trailhead Park area to the John’s Pass Bridge for the use and enjoyment of the community’s residents and visitors.The Beach Trail is to be located on City-owned coastal land using available rights-of-way and easements.The City of Treasure Island has an opportunity to provide a unique and functional pedestrian link to set Treasure Island apart from other coastal cities.

BEACH TRAIL BENEFITS
What are the benefits of a Beach Trail System for Treasure Island?

• Increased health opportunities with expanded activities
• Increased quality of life for residents and visitors
• Economic development through increased tourism
• Protecting the environment by moving activity away from sensitive dunes and increasing native vegetation
• Sea Turtle Friendly Design

RECENT MEETING:
nSeptember 12th
Meeting Agenda
nSeptember 12th Meeting Minutes
nProject Background

Note: The files linked below are very large, in some cases greater than 20MB. Even with high speed connections, downloads may take awhile.
We recommend using a 125% magnification on your Adobe Reader.
The original 11x17 pages were scanned in portrait mode; you will have to rotate the images so they appear horizontal.

n Cover Document

n Index of Drawings
n Symbols &     Abbreviations

n North trail extension     aerial & page index
n Present trail aerial &     page index
n South trail extension     aerial & page index


North trail maps
n Kingfish Drive
n Sunshine Beach     Jetty to 125th Ave.
n 124th Avenue to     122nd Ave.
n 121st Ave. to 119th     Ave.


Middle trail maps
n119th Ave. to 116th    Ave.
n Trails End Motel to     Surf Beach Resort
n Treasures Island     Sands to Bilmar
n Bilmar to County     Beach


South trail maps
n South end of present     trail to 102nd Ave.
n 102nd Ave. to 101st     Ave.
n100th Ave.
n 99th Ave, to     Sunset Vista Park


Design documents
nBeach Trail    Elements 1
nBeach Trail    Elements 2


Artist's renderings
n View of Beach     Access from Gulf     Blvd.
n View of Beach Trail     Looking South


Plants, amenities & architecture
n Landscape plants
n Boardwalks, signs     and ramps
n Sidewalks &     retaining walls
n Bike racks, showers,     trash bins, drinking     fountains, etc.

Construction documents
nColumns, accesses,    details
n General demolition     & paving notes

DOCUMENTS & PRESENTATIONS

Beach Trail Questionnaire

Treasure Island Land Use Map

Aerial Map of Treasure Island Right-of-Ways

Slideshow (pdf) of October, 2005 presentation

Slideshow (pdf) of December, 2005 presentation

Slideshow (pdf) of January, 2006 presentation