From the Walton Sun
The Board of County Commissioners dealt with ongoing beach issues at the July 26 meeting.
The Tourist Development Council requested the BCC prepare and release a request for a proposal to lending institutions to secure additional funding for the Walton County Beach restoration project.
Kriss Titus, Director of the TDC, estimated the county would need approximately $20 million to complete the restoration. Four million dollars is currently available in the restoration fund.
The board approved the repair of 21 of the 56 beach accesses destroyed during Hurricane Dennis, which made landfall July10.
?We need to get 20 boardwalks up to get visitors to the beach,? Titus said.
Titus explained the necessity of the repairs was due to a large number of properties that cannot be rented without beach access. Titus estimated the repairs will cost the county approximately $400,000.
Commissioner Cindy Meadows suggested sand as an alternative measure, considering the walkovers are damaged in every storm.
?To put compatible sand down is way, way expensive,? Titus responded.
Titus said the TDC would investigate alternative boardwalk technology for the future.
Brad Pickel, Director of Beach Management for the TDC, informed the Board that the permit for multiple scrapings from the DEP will be arriving soon.
?It?s nice to get the response we wanted,? he said.
Pickel also said it may be possible to scrape the beaches over a foot in certain places with permission from the DEP. He added the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service were supportive of the process.
In addition, the Board approved the addition of two off-duty beat patrollers six days a week to ensure safety on the beaches around construction sites.
The Board of County Commissioners dealt with ongoing beach issues at the July 26 meeting.
The Tourist Development Council requested the BCC prepare and release a request for a proposal to lending institutions to secure additional funding for the Walton County Beach restoration project.
Kriss Titus, Director of the TDC, estimated the county would need approximately $20 million to complete the restoration. Four million dollars is currently available in the restoration fund.
The board approved the repair of 21 of the 56 beach accesses destroyed during Hurricane Dennis, which made landfall July10.
?We need to get 20 boardwalks up to get visitors to the beach,? Titus said.
Titus explained the necessity of the repairs was due to a large number of properties that cannot be rented without beach access. Titus estimated the repairs will cost the county approximately $400,000.
Commissioner Cindy Meadows suggested sand as an alternative measure, considering the walkovers are damaged in every storm.
?To put compatible sand down is way, way expensive,? Titus responded.
Titus said the TDC would investigate alternative boardwalk technology for the future.
Brad Pickel, Director of Beach Management for the TDC, informed the Board that the permit for multiple scrapings from the DEP will be arriving soon.
?It?s nice to get the response we wanted,? he said.
Pickel also said it may be possible to scrape the beaches over a foot in certain places with permission from the DEP. He added the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service were supportive of the process.
In addition, the Board approved the addition of two off-duty beat patrollers six days a week to ensure safety on the beaches around construction sites.