by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
For nearly two decades, the Jacksonville Waterways Commission has been the “governing” body of the Duval County portion of the St. Johns River and its local tributaries. The committee is usually comprised of citizens appointed by the mayor with genuine interest in the access to and health of Jacksonville area marinas, docks and waterways.
However, the Commission has remained — for the most part — an advisory agency, one with little-to-no regulatory ability. A recent study conducted by the Jacksonville Community Council, Inc. has suggested that status be changed.
On Wednesday, Waterways Commission members Jim Bailey and Carter Bryan met with Property Appraiser Jim Overton — who chaired the JCCI study — Jason Teal of the City’s Office of General Counsel and Capt. Ron Gay, USGC Master, Navy League of the United States. Bailey is chairing the group, which is the quasi-regulatory agency subcommittee of the Waterways Commission. Steve Nichols of the Waterways Commission is also on the subcommittee, but did not attend.
“This [issue] has cropped up several times over the last two decades,” said Bailey.
Over the course of the next several weeks, the subcommittee — through legislation penned by Teal — will seek to gain strength as an official regulatory agency. That would make the Waterways Commission capable of making legally-binding recommendations and decisions on everything from no-wake zones to new dock construction to the health of the St. Johns River. Presently, the Waterways Commission is an advisory group that makes suggestions and recommendations to City Council.
“The JCCI study deemed the Jacksonville Waterways Commission should have some authority,” said Bailey.
The Waterways Commission has no official authority and, as commissioners have said, often finds out about projects after the funding has been approved.
Overton said there are two themes to the study’s recommendations: access and protection.
“There is no place in City government to address the access issue,” he said. “The idea is to make the Waterways Commission quasi-regulatory like the DRC [the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission’s Design Review Committee] or the Jacksonville Historical Commission.”
The DRC is responsible for everything from building facade materials and colors to Downtown sidewalks. The Waterways subcommittee would like to be involved in the approval process for Downtown, marine-based events and the funding of waterfront developments.
Teal said the next objective for the subcommittee is to determine the exact purpose of the committee as a quasi-regulatory agency and understand it will only have jurisdiction over local issues and laws.
“This body could be the mouthpiece for the City,” said Teal. “It could review applications and make recommendations for grants.”
The subcommittee plans to meet again Feb. 6.