PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. – In a move to safeguard its vital coastline, the Pinellas County Commission today approved a one-time emergency beach nourishment project, aiming to restore critical protection to coastal communities and infrastructure heavily impacted by last year’s hurricanes.
This county-led initiative, totaling $125.7 million, will address sand loss on Sand Key, Treasure Island, and Upham Beach.
The decision comes after years of stalled negotiations and policy disagreements with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Recognizing the urgent need, the County Commission has authorized Pinellas County Public Works to design, permit, and complete this project using county funds, primarily derived from hotel bed tax dollars paid by visitors, supplemented by state grants.
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Historically, similar projects benefited from a 65 percent federal cost-share through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. However, the lack of easements from all property owners has rendered the County ineligible for federal funding for this crucial undertaking. Despite extensive public outreach by the County and municipal partners on the importance of acquiring these easements for a contiguous and more effective nourishment project, a complete agreement could not be reached.
County Public Works staff have secured emergency construction permits from State and Federal environmental regulators since the devastating hurricanes last year. The county-funded project is slated to begin placing sand on affected areas of Sand Key (encompassing Clearwater Beach to Belleair Beach and Indian Rocks Beach to North Redington Beach), Treasure Island, and Upham Beach later this year. A detailed timeline and additional information will be shared at upcoming public meetings and on the County’s dedicated website, pinellas.gov/signforsand.
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“Our beaches are our most treasured asset, and we’re working with our beach communities to protect them,” stated Commission Chair Brian Scott. “A healthy beach offers protection to property and infrastructure against storm surge, and it’s vital to tourism. But our residents should know we won’t be able to continue to do these projects without the full buy-in of our coastal communities.”
A key challenge for this project has been the acquisition of easements. While County staff developed a temporary construction easement less restrictive than the Army Corps’ requirements, some residents along the beach were still unwilling to sign. As a result, the project will feature gaps where sand will not be placed, or will only be placed seaward of the Erosion Control Line (ECL), particularly on Sand Key where property owners were either unlocatable or opted not to sign.
The County continues to accept easements, and additional properties may still be incorporated into the project depending on the stage of surveying.
Interested parties can contact the County at signforsand@pinellas.gov. However, once construction has passed a property, it will be too late for that owner to sign an easement for this upcoming project. Properties without easements will see a higher beach from the Erosion Control Line west into the Gulf, potentially leaving a lower elevation in the areas for which easements were not provided.
Beach nourishment is a costly and frequently required endeavor, often needed every six years or more due to storm activity, but it is essential for protecting coastal infrastructure. While the County was able to utilize tourist development tax funds for this project, future projects of this magnitude will necessitate exploring other funding sources. County staff and Commissioners remain committed to collaborating with the USACE and local residents to find a sustainable solution, which will likely involve some form of easement agreement with property owners.
To provide further information and discuss the future of beach nourishment in Pinellas County, three public meetings have been scheduled:
- July 9, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Treasure Island City Hall, 10451 Gulf Blvd.
- July 16, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Online: Register at Pinellas.gov/signforsand
- Aug. 6, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Belleair Beach, 444 Causeway Blvd.
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