COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL WATERWAY ACCESS

Linking & Leveraging Assets for Trajectory-Changing Industrywide Benefit

Commercial / industrial waterway access initiative

While in the audience at meetings of the Board of Commissioners of the Florida Inland Navigation District, I noticed a pattern. The Board frequently discussed the lack of waterway access for small commercial marine contractors. Funding was available to help increase access through acquisition and development of sites, but local governments didn’t request it. The problem and how to resolve it was immediately obvious to me. Wanting to help them, I raised my hand, and the Board graciously allowed me to speak – even though the public comments portion of the meeting was closed. I was at the meeting to obtain funding for my clients, not to pursue work from this agency, so I was surprised when they asked me for a proposal to help them solve the problem.

That started an 8-year groundbreaking initiative to tackle a critical issue that no one in the industry was thinking about (especially public waterfront property owners) – waterway access for marine contractors.

Without access, marine contractors are unable provide waterway infrastructure that everyone using the waterway needs.

"PSC provides superior performance in all facets of the Commercial / Industrial Waterway Access initiative achieving beneficial waterway access with proven techniques and ideas, as well as innovative methodologies. The district has maintained a long, successful working relationship with PSC through many unique projects."

Mark Crosley, Executive Director

Florida Inland Navigation District

PHase 1

(2015-2017)

PSC established a baseline by identifying potential commercial/industrial access sites in 12 counties along the waterway using a desktop analysis. Deliverables included a user-friendly inventory and interactive database.

desktop inventory
google earth kmz

interactive database

PHase 2

(2017-2018)

PSC conducted 400+ miles of in waterway site assessments and held local conversations with industry stakeholders in all 12 counties.

LOCAL CONVERSATIONS

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county overview maps

county inventory summaries

county site assessment sheets

PHase 3

(2018-2021)

Education & Outreach

The key deliverables in this phase were an educational brochure and video. Planning Solutions Corp, in collaboration with Cover & Content for graphic design and videography, developed all the content, determined who to interview, conducted interviews, recorded all original footage, and produced the video.

Miami Dade developed the first ever Waterfront Recreation Access Plan and Planning Solutions Corp was asked to participate as an expert advisor on commercial / industrial access.

Since the initiative asked other agencies to consider use of their waterfront properties, it was critical that client-owned sites (dredged material management areas - DMMAs) be analyzed and considered for access.