Chapter 6. Goals, Objectives, and Policies

The Local Government Comprehensive Planning and Land Development Regulation Act, Chapter 163, Florida Statutes, requires that port master plans include goals, attainable objectives, and specific implementation policies to measure a port's progress in achieving its adopted goals. This chapter presents the six goals, objectives, and policies the Manatee County Port Authority has identified to comply with state requirements and implement this Port Manatee Master Plan Update, 2016 (the Plan), over the planning period in response to market demand and the availability of funding resources.

Underlying these goals, objectives, and policies, which reflect the Port Authority's commitment both to local and regional economic growth and to the sustainability of the surrounding ecosystems, is the Port's mission statement:

Goal 1: Economic development. To expand Port Manatee's important contribution to the economy in Manatee County, the Port Authority shall develop, maintain, and improve the Port as a competitive and viable deepwater port to serve local and regional shipping needs, while providing for the environmental sustainability of Manatee County and the surrounding region.

To achieve this goal, the Port shall implement a phased maintenance and expansion program of facility improvements, property acquisition, and diversification of cargo operations, and shall develop synergies with the Planned Development Encouragement Zone (PDEZ) and Florida International Gateway Overlay District, as described elsewhere in this Plan. Beyond the five-year time frame, the Port will implement the improvements needed to continue its maintenance and expansion, consistent with demand and funding availability.

Objective 1.1: Infrastructure development. Based on the adopted Plan, the Port shall provide adequate Port facilities, consistent with the need for trade, industry, and commerce growth.

Policy 1.1.1: Short-term infrastructure improvements. During the five-year planning period, the Port, guided by the development scenarios, shall implement infrastructure improvements, such as increasing berth capacity and efficiency, expanding cargo-handling areas, acquiring equipment, and pursuing further capital improvements, as necessary to serve forecasted demand and new market opportunities. All improvements are subject to funding availability.

Policy 1.1.2: Tenant and user service improvements. Port Manatee believes its immediate responsibility is to help its existing tenants and Port users better serve their customers, thereby creating new jobs and economic opportunities. To improve tenants' and users' operational efficiencies, the Port shall expand and upgrade dry and cold storage facilities, purchase needed equipment, improve paving to handle heavier equipment, and make other infrastructure improvements, subject to funding availability.

Policy 1.1.3: Infrastructure maintenance. The Port shall provide adequate maintenance and upkeep of its in-water and upland infrastructure to derive the best use from its facilities. Bulkhead rehabilitation is high on the list of Port priorities and will be implemented as funds are available.

Policy 1.1.4: Foreign Trade Zone. The Port shall maintain its designation as a Foreign Trade Zone (No. 169).

Policy 1.1.5: Future Port Expansion: To prepare for long-term expansion, the Port shall pursue the acquisition of additional shoreline and upland properties and expand and improve berths and backlands to provide the supporting infrastructure needed for future Port operations, consistent with this Plan and subject to financial feasibility.

Objective 1.2: Cargo diversification and expansion. Mindful of the inevitability and unpredictability of market changes, the Port shall maintain the diversity of its cargo base to sustain balanced volumes of general and bulk cargo and, in the event of an imbalance or a lack of diversification, the Port shall actively market business types needed to correct the imbalance or lack of diversification.

Policy 1.2.1: Marketing activities. The Port shall maintain the diversity of its cargo base by marketing the Port to shippers and carriers active in the break-bulk, bulk, and containerized cargo trades.

Policy 1.2.2: Private businesses. The Port shall encourage private port-related businesses to construct and utilize appropriate facilities at the Port or in the adjacent PDEZ (see Objective 1.4).

Objective 1.3: Land development and expansion regulation. The Port shall maintain and implement permitted land uses consistent with its Planned Development Port Manatee District designation in the Manatee County Land Development Code.

Policy 1.3.1: On-Port land uses. The Port shall ensure that land uses are consistent with the county's Land Development Code and maximize the use of Port property, and shall allow land uses within the Port for manufacturing, processing, and assembly activities that are customarily associated with ports and Foreign Trade Zones as well as other revenue-generating uses.

Policy 1.3.2: Land use changes. The Port shall coordinate efforts with the Manatee County Planning Department to obtain any land use changes in the Manatee County Comprehensive Plan which may be needed for consistency with the proposed uses of newly acquired or redeveloped Port properties.

Policy 1.3.3: Development consistency. The Port shall pursue development in a manner consistent with this Plan, and with the goals, objectives, and policies in the Manatee County Comprehensive Plan, as appropriate for Port development.

Policy 1.3.4: Guidelines and standards. The Port shall develop, adopt, and maintain development, architectural, and landscaping guidelines and standards that provide consistency, security, and safety in new development and redevelopment at the Port.

Objective 1.4: Port and PDEZ synergies. The Port shall support the development of the adjacent PDEZ, to provide locations for maritime-related uses that would enhance Port utilization, thereby attracting job-creating manufacturers and other employers to the region and leveraging their benefit to the county.

Policy 1.4.1: PDEZ development. The Port shall encourage the development of manufacturing, warehouses, distribution centers, and a range of other light and heavy industrial as well as maritime uses in the PDEZ to provide a diversified tax base and create jobs utilizing local manpower resources.

Policy 1.4.2: Port and PDEZ interface. The Port shall work with property owners in the PDEZ and with local and state agencies to develop the intermodal network that will facilitate the movement of cargo back and forth between the Port and the PDEZ. Among the opportunities being considered is a heavy-haul cargo corridor that would traverse U.S. 41 and connect with a road to be developed within the PDEZ (see Policy 2.3.1).

Policy 1.4.3: Port development options. To preserve opportunities for future Port needs outside of the Port's current perimeter, the Port may explore with the county and current PDEZ property owners options to designate an area immediately adjacent to the Port for Port-specific development.

Goal 2: Transportation efficiencies. The Port Authority shall cooperate with local, regional, state, and federal agencies and with private entities responsible for infrastructure (water, road, and rail) connectivity to ensure that the intermodal transportation system — the intermodal highway — essential to Port operations is in place.

Objective 2.1: Deepwater access. The Port shall pursue maintenance and other dredging activities to provide the channel, turning basin, and berth water depths needed to serve existing and future users. The channel and turning basin connecting to the Tampa Bay shipping lane are Port Manatee's waterway connectors on the state's Strategic Intermodal System (SIS).

Policy 2.1.1: Maintenance dredging. The Port shall undertake maintenance dredging within the berthing and turning basin areas when necessary to ensure safe navigational conditions for the ships calling at its facilities, subject to maximized participation of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the availability of funds.

Policy 2.1.2: New dredging. The Port shall collaborate with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the pursuit of a feasibility study to determine the optimum channel, turning basin, and berth depth needed for Port operations, and may undertake any recommended new dredging required to serve the larger ships that may call at the Port and the anticipated growth described in this Plan.

Policy 2.1.3: Disposal site development. The Port, in coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, shall plan for its long-term dredge disposal needs. These needs may be accommodated either at an upland disposal site or some other disposal alternative agreed to by all the reviewing agencies.

Objective 2.2: On-Port road and rail network. The Port shall continue to improve its internal road and rail network to serve expanded and relocated operations and facilitate on-Port circulation.

Policy 2.2.1: On-Port road improvements. The Port shall construct new roads and upgrade existing roads; improve intersection capacity and circulation; install signs and other traffic control devices; and develop capacity queuing, parking, security processing, and approach areas for trucks, tractors, and trailers, as needed to support Port growth.

Policy 2.2.2: On-Port rail improvements. The Port shall continue to maintain and improve the on-Port rail infrastructure needed to serve Port users. From the Port property to the CSX Transportation (CSXT) line, the on-Port Class III railroad, owned and operated by the Port, is the Port's SIS rail connector.

Objective 2.3: Off-Port access and connectivity. The Port shall collaborate with other governmental agencies and private interests to protect and enhance vehicular access and the flow of commodities between the Port and regional transportation facilities. These entities include the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), the Sarasota-Bradenton Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), and the CSXT.

Policy 2.3.1: Vehicular Access improvements. To maintain and expand the high-speed intermodal access and connections needed for the efficient movement of goods to and from its facilities, the Port shall work with FDOT and the MPO to gain priority funding for needed improvements to roads over which Port truck traffic must travel. Such roads may include the Port's SIS connector — I-275 to U.S. 41 to Piney Point Road to the Port's entrance — as well as a potential cargo corridor connecting the Port with the PDEZ to facilitate the transfer of containerized and non-containerized commodities between the two sites.

Policy 2.3.2: U.S. 41 Corridor. The Port shall pursue contacts with FDOT District 1 access management staff to configure existing median openings and driveways to higher access management standards appropriate for the segment of U.S. 41 from the Port south to I-275. In addition, the Port shall coordinate with FDOT to provide input regarding planning for the U.S. 41 corridor between the Port and I-275 from a freight and goods movement standpoint.

Policy 2.3.3: Direct Port to I-75 Connection. Currently, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)/FDOT Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Study to develop a direct Port to I-75 connector is on hold and, as such, remains in the alternatives phase of the analysis. The project has, however, remained on the MPO's Draft 2040 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). If the study were to be reactivated, it would need to be added back onto the LRTP's Financially Feasible Plan to carry the alternatives forward to be further refined, evaluated, and documented. While the study is on hold, the Port shall continue contacts with the FHWA and FDOT to see that the study is reactivated when anticipated demand warrants and that the reactivated study includes a corridor alignment and design that accommodate the needs of the Port and adjacent landowners, including those in the PDEZ.

Policy 2.3.4: Rail service and connectivity. The Port shall work with the CSXT to identify and pursue improvements to the off-Port rail infrastructure and operations, which could facilitate goods movement by maximizing rail service and interchanges for the Port and its related industries, including access to adjacent PDEZ properties.

Goal 3: Environmental stewardship and sustainability. The Port Authority shall develop and operate Port Manatee according to the goals in this Plan in a manner that avoids and minimizes adverse impacts on the natural environment and mitigates unavoidable impacts to the maximum extent feasible. Port Manatee is committed to preserving and protecting the quality of the environmental resources within its purview and shall conserve and protect those resources, consistent with continued Port maintenance and expansion goals.

Objective 3.1: Natural resource preservation and protection. In carrying out its day-to-day operations and its expansion activities, the Port shall conserve, protect and, where feasible, enhance coastal resources — including wetlands, marine life, and wildlife habitat — and shall cooperate with federal, state, regional, and local agencies in developing sound environmental policies and measures to minimize the environmental impacts of Port development and operations.

Policy 3.1.1: Coastal resources. The Port shall evaluate specific and cumulative impacts on coastal resources before undertaking maintenance and expansion activities and shall take measures to minimize or avoid negative impacts where feasible, and to mitigate for damage that cannot be avoided where feasible.

Policy 3.1.2: Portwide best management practices. The Port shall identify and provide best management practice environmental guidelines for staff and tenants to observe in conducting their operations.

Policy 3.1.3: Proactive mitigation/permitting program. The Port shall initiate a proactive mitigation and permitting process to prepare the way for implementation of both short- and long-term planning scenarios.

Objective 3.2: Estuarine quality. The Port shall maintain and, where appropriate, improve the quality of the estuarine environment to the extent feasible within its boundaries and the surrounding area.

Policy 3.2.1: Habitat inventory and protective policies. The Port shall maintain a current inventory and map of unique and productive terrestrial and aquatic habitats that exist in the Port's vicinity which could be adversely affected by Port activities, and shall implement the environmental policies and statements in this Plan to manage Port facilities in a manner that will protect natural habitat.

Policy 3.2.2: Estuarine water quality. The Port shall limit specific and cumulative impacts on water quality by implementing the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) stormwater pollution prevention plan, providing reasonable assurances that the water standards for the Bay in proximity to the Port will not be violated.

Policy 3.2.3: Tidal flushing and circulation. The Port shall see that tidal circulation and flushing are maintained to appropriate levels as it implements its maintenance and expansion plans.

Policy 3.2.4: Seagrass beds. The Port shall continue monitoring its manatee/seagrass management area and shall conduct necessary dredging in a manner that avoids and minimizes adverse impacts on existing seagrass beds to the maximum extent feasible.

Policy 3.2.5: Mitigation plans. The Port shall implement approved mitigation plans addressing measures to be taken should Port facilities adversely affect productive terrestrial and aquatic habitat existing in the Port's vicinity and, when appropriate, may seek to implement mitigation in advance of anticipated development activities.

Policy 3.2.6: Conservation area. The Port shall continue to use the property designated as a conservation area (the Hendry property) in a manner consistent with the conservation designation.

Objective 3.3: Shoreline Uses: The Port shall prioritize shoreline uses for essential water-dependent operations, preserving shoreline not essential to water-dependent operations for environmental protection.

Policy 3.3.1: Water-dependent operations. Along the shoreline designated in this Plan as Berths 2 through 14 (existing and proposed), the Port shall give priority to port-related water-dependent uses, specifically the temporary mooring of vessels (ships and barges) for loading and unloading cargo, fuel, or ship stores. Within these areas, wetland buffers will not be required. The priority use of uplands associated with these berths shall be the ancillary and support facilities for efficient cargo movement.

Policy 3.3.2: Environmental protection, enhancement, and restoration. Along all shorelines within the Port other than those for existing or proposed berths or ramps, the Port shall give priority to environmental protection, enhancement, and restoration.

Objective 3.4: Coastal High Hazard Areas: The Port shall follow the county's requirements for Coastal High Hazard Areas.

Policy 3.4.1: Coastal Storm Vulnerability Area. The Coastal Storm Vulnerability Area (CSVA), as identified in the Manatee County Comprehensive Plan, shall be designated the Coastal High-Hazard Area within Port Manatee.

Policy 3.4.2: Use of Public Funds. Within the designated CSVA, the Port shall use public funds only to support water-dependent uses and associated ancillary and accessory facilities, consistent with this Plan, and with the goals, objectives, and policies of the county's Comprehensive Plan.

Objective 3.5: Plan execution. The Port shall be proactive in coordinating its development efforts with local, state, and federal permitting agencies and with private stakeholders to ensure development and operations are carried out in accordance with the public interest and regulatory requirements and promote environmental sustainability.

Policy 3.5.1: Agency and stakeholder cooperation. The Port shall continue to cooperate with local, regional, and other governmental agencies and stakeholders, including environmental interests, to ensure that environmental planning and management activities are coordinated. Among the requisite agencies and stakeholders are the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Southwest Florida Water Management District, the Tampa Bay Estuary Program, and the Tampa Bay Pilots Association.

Policy 3.5.2: Interagency Agreements. The Port may encourage implementation of contracts and memorandums of understanding between the Port and the appropriate state agencies with the intent of preventing estuarine pollution, controlling surface water runoff, protecting marine resources, and reducing exposure to natural hazards.

Policy 3.5.3: Port documents. The Port shall see that the form and content of licenses, permits, leases, deeds, easements, other conveyances, and rights are appropriate for the protection of the Port and its environment.

Objective 3.6: Energy conservation. The Port shall be proactive in implementing energy conservation measures that promote sustainability.

Policy 3.6.1: Vehicles and buildings. The Port shall continue efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These efforts may include over time converting Port equipment to alternative fuels, transitioning the Port's fleet of service vehicles to fuel-efficient models, and promoting the use of energy-efficient designs in new buildings at the Port, as feasible.

Policy 3.6.2: Operations. The Port shall continue efforts to implement energy-saving measures in its operations. These efforts may include transitioning mobile harbor cranes to shore power, promoting the use of rail rather than truck to move commodities on and off the Port, and identifying opportunities to reduce idling time for trucks moving through the Port's facilities, as feasible.

Goal 4: Safety and security. The Port Authority shall reduce exposure of human life and property to harm by natural hazards through hazard mitigation and hurricane evacuation measures and shall strive to protect Port employees, tenants, users, and the public as well as the facilities at the Port from acts of terrorism or criminal activities through safety and security programs.

Objective 4.1: Protection from natural hazards. The Port shall implement the measures required by Manatee County and other agencies to protect human life and property from natural hazards, including airborne hazards, and shall work with the county in implementing its Local Mitigation Strategy.

Policy 4.1.1: Flood Zone compliance. The Port shall see that any habitable, non-residential buildings in special flood hazard areas are designed and constructed to reduce the potential for flooding and wind damage. All structures within these defined flood zones (AE and VE) shall be constructed in accordance with the provisions specified in Manatee County's Floodplain Ordinance No. 13-39 and the latest Florida Building Code (5 ^th edition, 2014). Buildings and parking areas shall also be designed and constructed in accordance with the provisions of Rule 62-25, Florida Administrative Code. Under the county's requirements, properties with no direct outfall to the Bay shall be capable of attenuating a 25-year critical duration rainfall event.

Policy 4.1.2: Building Code compliance. The Port shall see that all buildings are designed and constructed in accordance with the Florida Building Code (5 ^th edition, 2014) or as approved by Manatee County.

Policy 4.1.3: Hurricane-preparedness. The Port shall maintain an up-to-date hurricane evacuation contingency plan, ensuring that it is consistent with county and state emergency plans and procedures, and shall encourage all persons within the Port area to be familiar with Port evacuation requirements to ensure the safe evacuation of the Port during times of hurricanes or other disasters.

Objective 4.2: Hazardous materials. The Port, working with other governmental agencies, shall maintain procedures identified in its Hazardous Materials Response Plan to respond to hazardous material spills (see Policy 4.5.1).

Policy 4.2.1: Hazardous spill cleanup. The Port shall comply with appropriate federal, state, regional, and local regulations and procedures for the safe and expedient cleanup of hazardous spills.

Policy 4.2.2: Timely information to public. The Port shall cooperate with governmental agencies to provide timely information to the public in the event of a hazardous material spill.

Objective 4.3: Safe operating environment. The Port shall reduce exposure of human life and property to harm from manmade disasters by implementing a sound safety and security programs for Port employees, tenants, users, and visitors.

Policy 4.3.1: Safety and health measures. To provide a safe operating environment, the Port shall implement required safety and health measures and see that operations are conducted in accordance with those measures.

Policy 4.3.2: Compliance with health and safety standards. The Port shall ensure its operations comply with applicable health and safety standards.

Objective 4.4: Port security. The Port shall strive to protect Port employees, tenants, users, and the public as well as the facilities at the Port from acts of terrorism or criminal activities.

Policy 4.4.1: Port security plan. The Port shall maintain and implement a facility security plan approved by the United States Coast Guard in accordance with the requirements of the Maritime Transportation Security Act, developed with available funding to properly support current Port operations.

Policy 4.4.2: Agency coordination. The Port shall coordinate with the appropriate agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Manatee County Sheriff's office in implementing the Port's security plan and making any changes required by new development.

Policy 4.3.3: New technologies. The Port shall participate in local, state, and federal efforts to implement new anti-threat technologies that will facilitate cargo and passenger movements and help protect the Port and its users.

Objective 4.5: Emergency management. The Port shall endeavor to protect Port employees, tenants, users, and the public as well as the facilities at the Port and the surrounding areas in various emergencies.

Policy 4.5.1: Emergency action plan. The Port shall maintain an Emergency Action Plan to respond to emergencies at the Port and shall see that Port staff and tenants are familiar with the provisions of its Emergency Action Plan.

Policy 4.5.2: Emergency management coordination. The Port shall coordinate with state, regional, and local emergency management agencies to maintain and update emergency management procedures.

Objective 4.6: Post-disaster redevelopment: The Port shall maintain a post-disaster redevelopment plan for resiliency and recovery which provides for the elimination of hazardous conditions, the restoration of Port services, and the reconstruction of facilities. This post-disaster redevelopment plan shall be consistent with the Port master plan, the county's post-disaster redevelopment plan, and the relevant goals, objectives, and policies of the Manatee County Comprehensive Plan.

Policy 4.6.1: Post-disaster redevelopment procedures. The Port shall utilize the post-disaster redevelopment procedures defined in the Local Mitigation Strategy to reduce or eliminate exposure of human life and property to natural hazards and shall provide input to and comment on the document to protect the Port's economic viability and operational efficiency.

Policy 4.6.2: Post-disaster priorities. Following a disaster, the Port Director or his designee shall give first priority to removal of hazardous conditions necessary to protect the public health and safety, second priority to restoring essential port services, and third priority to long-term repair and redevelopment activities.

Goal 5: Intergovernmental coordination. The Port shall coordinate its development, operational, and expansion efforts with appropriate governmental agencies and shall facilitate initiatives to promote economic development opportunities in its extended hinterland, including the Tampa Bay/Central and Southwest Florida regions.

Objective 5.1: Coordination with Manatee County. The Port shall support the plans and programs of Manatee County, including economic development initiatives that expand opportunities in industry, manufacturing, and trade, and shall coordinate its planning and development initiatives with the appropriate county departments.

Policy 5.1.1: Compatibility with Manatee County's Comprehensive Plan. The Port shall coordinate its planning and development efforts with the Manatee County Planning Department to ensure that planned projects and land uses at the Port are compatible with and support the programs and policies contained in the Manatee County Comprehensive Plan. The Port shall also evaluate proposed amendments to the Manatee County Comprehensive Plan, particularly the Coastal Management Element, as to potential impacts on Port activities.

Policy 5.1.2: Infrastructure and utility capacity. The Port shall coordinate with Manatee County to ensure the provision of adequate infrastructure and utilities for Port operations and shall meet adopted level-of-service standards for potable water, wastewater, drainage, solid waste, traffic circulation, consistent with this Plan, and the goals, objectives, and policies of the Manatee County Comprehensive Plan

Objective 5.2: Other agency and stakeholder coordination. The Port shall coordinate its development and expansion program with applicable agencies to promote sound planning and economic growth.

Policy 5.2.1: Local, regional, state, and federal agencies. In addition to county agencies, the Port shall cooperate with the Tampa Bay Florida Regional Planning Council; the Sarasota-Bradenton MPO; the Southwest Florida Water Management District; the Florida Departments of Transportation, Community Affairs, and Environmental Protection; the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Coast Guard; and other applicable agencies in implementing the goals, objectives, and policies of this Plan.

Policy 5.2.2: Local and regional maritime, commercial, and industrial interests. To help achieve its primary goal of economic development, the Port shall cooperate with other Tampa Bay and Southwest Florida interests and stakeholders as they seek to expand the region's commercial and industrial base.

Goal 6: Financial stability. The Port shall implement measures to maintain its financial health and fiscally sound posture as it implements its maintenance and expansion program.

Objective 6.1: Budgetary process. The Port shall continue to follow a budgetary process for long-term planning which balances Port revenues, operating expenses, and capital expenditures needed to satisfy the anticipated market demand and capture new market share.

Policy 6.1.1: Port revenues. The Port shall keep abreast of tariffs and fees charged by other competing seaports and shall maintain a competitive fee structure.

Policy 6.1.2: Business decision criteria. The Port shall base business decisions on revenue, returns on investment, and cash flow trends.

Policy 6.1.3: Expense control benchmarks. The Port shall consult with the financial advisor and County Clerk to establish benchmarks for expense control.

Policy 6.1.4: Annual capital improvement plan updates. The Port shall update its capital improvement plan annually to reflect budgetary and market changes, prioritizing its project implementation to obtain the best return on facility investments, and shall comply with state mandates for the submission of annual capital improvement plan updates to Manatee County.

Objective 6.2: Funding opportunities. The Port shall pursue diverse funding opportunities to accelerate the rate at which it can implement its capital improvement program.

Policy 6.2.1: Legislative and agency awareness. The Port shall participate in ongoing efforts to maintain legislative and agency awareness of the Port's economic impact on the region and the importance of its needs being addressed in the state's budget process.

Policy 6.2.2: State and federal grants. The Port shall actively seek matching grant funds from state and federal sources.

Policy 6.2.3: Public/private partnerships and other funding sources. The Port shall explore opportunities for public/private partnerships, joint ventures, and lease purchases to expedite development of the maritime and industrial facilities needed for economic development and job creation.

Policy 6.2.4: Borrowing power. The Port shall utilize its borrowing power to fund Port growth and/or maintenance projects within the norms of sound financing criteria. Table 6.1 on the next four pages summarizes the above goals, objectives, and policies.

Table 6.1
SUMMARY OF PORT MANATEE'S GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES