Council Debates Noise, Water Quality

Noise complaints and differing perspectives on the need to improve wastewater treatment sparked ongoing debates with Marco Island City Council during their meeting on Monday, June 2. Both topics will continue to be discussed at upcoming public hearings, with a noise ordinance being drafted and an upcoming public workshop, scheduled for 1:00 PM on July 7, considering advanced wastewater treatment and to address water quality issues overall. 

The majority of public comments made Monday were from neighbors living next door to noisy neighbors, short-term rental managers and advocates, and wastewater, reclaimed water, or water pollution comments.

In the meantime, Council did take action Monday on several items, including: 

Electronic Government Information Signs

Council approved, 7-0, on second reading, an ordinance that allows for electronic signs as large as 48 square feet in public parks to make government announcements. 

Street Resurfacing

Council approved 7-0 to award a $1.47 million contract to Preferred Materials, Inc. to repave approximately three miles of roadway on Marco Island, including along South Heathwood, west Winterberry, and Century drives.

Water Meter Replacement 

Council approved 7-0 a contract in the amount of approximately $11.6 million with Tampa-based Johnson Controls, Inc. to replace 11,500 water meters, improve communications from those meters, and replace service lines. Due to meters not working and being slow, the average bill may increase by approximately 16 percent following the replacements, according to reports presented by Marco Island Water Sewer General Manager Jeff Poteet. 

Parks Construction Changes

Council unanimously, 7-0, approved a contract with Rycon Construction in the amount of $570,000 for the demolition and replacement of the airnasium at Mackle Park. Since the project cost came in over budgeted amounts, Council approved a re-appropriation of $130,586 from the Racquet Center budgeted plans, which were not previously approved. The remaining Racquet Center funds could be used to remove the current building and make way for more courts, including perhaps pickleball courts and sound panels in the future, said Joseph Parrilli, the city’s fleet and facilities manager. 

Wastewater Odor Improvement 

Council approved 7-0 a contract with Wes Industries, Inc. for the South Water Treatment Plant Odor Control Rehabilitation Project in the amount of $884,433.

Wastewater Concerns

Clean Marco Waters, which has a website, CleanMarcoWaters.com, shared that Marco Island canals contain sucralose and caffeine, reiterating concerns made during the May Council meeting. 

Sucralose and caffeine are evidence that a more effective wastewater treatment program is needed and that the current reclaimed water system may need review to ensure it does not allow the reclaimed wastewater to leech into groundwater or for it to leak into canals, said Drew Tyler of Clean Marco Waters, who is educated in analytical chemistry. 

“We are meeting all the state rules and regulations,” Poteet said. “We have a very advanced wastewater treatment plant,” he said. 

“You probably shouldn’t drink it. It probably wouldn’t have good flavor to it,” Poteet said. 

“But other than that, as long as you’re not ingesting it, it’s very good to use for irrigation purposes,” Poteet said. 

Councilwoman Tamara Goehler’s request to consider bids on an advanced wastewater treatment project opened up the multi-year-long debate even further. 

Councilman Rene Champagne said such a request should be staff-initiated, not from a Council member. Champagne’s concern was echoed to varying degrees by other members of Council, including Chairman Erik Brechnitz. Councilman Darrin Palumbo and Councilwoman Bonita Schwan, who also said they believed the discussion on bids should be had during or after the public hearing scheduled July 7.

Councilman Stephen Gray said he appreciated having the discussion made publicly because there is conflicting information not only shared among residents but also in reports by two city-contracted consultants, Harvey Harper, dubbed the Harper Report, and later a Jacobs Engineering Report. Both reports are based on water quality tests and data that led to Marco Island being on the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s 2019 impairment list for nutrients and pollution in the canals. The city is still attempting to be removed from that list. 

The Landmark canal continues to test poorly for some water quality standards, residents reported. Other water parameters have shown improvement based on ongoing efforts, staff has said.

“We all read the same thing, we come up with totally different things. It boggles my mind,” said resident David Crain, who said the advanced wastewater treatment upgrade may not be necessary. 

“We have a lot of problems in our canals. That Jacobs’ report tells you how to do it,” said Crain, adding that there was no statement in any of the thousand pages of reports stating the problem was the reuse water and to get rid of it.

Goehler said she wanted to discuss the matter Monday to put some points on the record ahead of the public hearing. 

“I just want the citizens to know, we do need to discuss this at great length,” said Palumbo. “It’s not going to be pushed under the rug,” he said. 

Noise Complaints

Gray addressed noise complaints made by several residents, including neighbors to short-term rentals, as well as neighbors of venues with outdoor entertainment, among others. Residents said police sometimes found such complaints to be a nuisance for them, and residents next door to noisy neighbors who sought help were targeted for complaining. Residents and Council members also expressed concerns about little to no follow-through in terms of fines, property liens, or other enforcement mechanisms. 

Councilwoman Deb Henry received immediate pushback for saying, “If people want to retire quietly, then don’t retire in a city, live in an HOA.” 

Members of the audience groaned. 

Schwan said she was concerned about the topic because the state has prohibited short-term rental restrictions. 

City Attorney Alan Gabriel said a noise ordinance that applies to the entire city would not violate the state mandate. 

Palumbo described Marco Island as including a “tremendously entitled community that complains about everything, combined with some real challenges.” 

Gray is working on drafting an ordinance that will be considered by Council in the future.