Dennis - official notices and info

[sunsetdunes]

-----Original Message-----
From: Sara Comander
Sent: Wednesday, July 13, 2005 9:52 AM
Subject: FW: Hurricane Dennis News Release 25 Please note correction

Correction: The beaches are reopening on Thursday, July 14, 2005


-----Original Message-----
From: Sara Comander
Sent: Wednesday, July 13, 2005 10:45 AM
Subject: Hurricane Dennis News Release 25

For Immediate Release

The Walton County Board of Commissioners will hold a Special Meeting on
Thursday July 14, 2005 beginning at 11:00 AM at the South Walton
Courthouse Annex located at 31 Coastal Centre Blvd, Santa Rosa Beach,
Florida.
The purpose of this meeting will be to discuss the issue of sand
coloration on the beach.

The beaches are reopening on Thursday, July 14, 2005, but double red
flags are flying and water activities are prohibited until the water
clears.

Representatives from U. S. Senator Bill Nelson will hold office hours on
Friday, July 15, 2005 from 9 to 10:30 am at the Walton County
Courthouse, 571 Highway 90 East in DeFuniak Springs.

End of release



Sara Comander
Public Information Coordinator
Events Coordinator
312 College Avenue, Unit B
DeFuniak Springs, Fl 32435
(850) 892-8065, ext 262 (EOC)
Fax: (850) 892-8069 (EOC)
Email: comsara@co.walton.fl.us
Office phone: 850-892-8530

 

[Kurt]

We have completed our assessment of beach damage due to Hurricane Dennis. All 56 dune walkovers are damaged and we?ve suffered severe beach erosion. Current estimates show we lost 1.5 ? 2 million cubic yards of sand, which is comparable to 75,000-100,000 dump truck loads. We lost approximately 3-5 feet of beach in vertical erosion and the lost dune width up to 35 feet in some places. On-going dune erosion should be expected as the cliffs begin to form a gradual incline. The dunes become a blessing and a curse as they did their job in protecting the upland infrastructure but now are steep cliffs and limit visitor?s and resident?s ability to access the beach.

Our beaches are open effective 7 am, Thursday, July 14. A double red flag condition remains in effect to advise beachgoers to stay out of the water due to floating storm debris that may still be washing ashore. The beaches will re-open for swimming when conditions permit. The flag poles that advise on water conditions were destroyed by the storm, so we must advise beachgoers about beach conditions through other means including the local media and visiting http://www.swfd.org/.

WHAT NOW?
Access to the beach:

Since one of the biggest concerns is access to the beach, the TDC is approaching an existing contractor to expedite repairs to dune walkovers. Regional beach accesses will be repaired first. Repairs will be limited to stairs only. ADA ramps can not be repaired at this time due to the extensive vertical erosion, which prohibits construction. Miramar Beach Access will not be rebuilt until after the upcoming renourishment project slated to begin this fall.

In the meantime, we will be directing visitors and residents to accesses that do no require a walkover to reach the beach including Grayton, Ed Walline, Dune Allen, and Walton Lake Shore Drive at Eastern Lake.

We understand this is not an ideal scenario, however, living in a coastal community we must be prepared for the impacts of Mother Nature. We ask for your support in guiding visitors to appropriate beach accesses, while we work diligently to repair walkovers.

Repairing the Beach:
For individual restoration efforts, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has issued an emergency order regarding which repairs are permissible, which includes bringing in sand from inland quarries. A DEP field agent will be at the Walton County Planning office in the South Walton Annex this Thursday ? Saturday (July 14-16) to answer specific questions. All projects require DEP and Walton County permits. For permits and additional questions, please contact the Walton County Planning Office at 850-267-1955.

The county met with FEMA and DEP to determine what restoration activities will be permitted on a county wide basis. Walton County has requested permission to conduct beach scrapping once beach levels begin to restore. At this time, it is not permissible.

Sand will be replaced along Scenic Gulf Drive to protect the road from future storms. The TDC continues to work with the state for the large scale renourishment project for a 4.8 mile stretch of critically-eroded beach in Western Walton County. Since Hurricane Ivan and recent storms, new DEP-recognized, critically eroded areas have been identified and the TDC continues to explore options for additional large scale renourishment projects throughout the county.

Debris Removal:

A debris contractor has been hired by the County to remove beach and roadside debris. Debris removal will begin at regional accesses and will then proceed from the west to the east end of the County. The contractor will be conducting three passes through Walton County beaches within 30 days.

 

[dusty]

Quote: Walton County has requested permission to conduct beach scrapping once beach levels begin to restore. At this time, it is not permissible.

Scraping: I thought this was part of the problem?

 

[Kurt]

Quote: Walton County has requested permission to conduct beach scrapping once beach levels begin to restore. At this time, it is not permissible.

Scraping: I thought this was part of the problem?

It depends on who you talk to.

 

[Kurt]

Thursday, July 14, 2005

11:00 AM Board of County Commissioners Special Meeting

The purpose of this meeting will be to discuss the issue of sand coloration on the beach.

South Walton Courthouse Annex, 31 Coastal Centre Boulevard, Santa Rosa Beach - Dede Hinote, Administrative Assistant, 892-8155
Topic of discussion is relaxing the White Sand Ordinance Standards for Sand on the Beach.

 

[JB]

Quote: Walton County has requested permission to conduct beach scrapping once beach levels begin to restore. At this time, it is not permissible.

Scraping: I thought this was part of the problem?

BIG mistake, IMO. There is nothing left to scrape.

 

[katie blue]

i obviously don't get it. how can you scrape hard pack and peat? would it not take years for the sand to replenish itself enough to scrape a dune together? one post just said the DEP says there's "no sand for dregding" ...again, could that be true, didnt it just go offshore just a bit?

what a crazy catch-22 this is. to save gulffront properties from falling, dredging & shoring up the dune may be the only short term option. but in the long run, these measures only seem to promote future erosion. i'd love to be party to an informed debate about this issue. i wonder if the county will be holding any symposiums.

 

[Kurt]

The State reps are here now evaluating the beaches. The county wants to do as it did after Opal, which was to scoop sand from just beyond the water's edge, creating a 3 foot parallel trough and then taking that sand back to the dune line. In the following 24-72 hour period the trough filled back in and was scooped again several times.

 

[Kurt]

The BCC just approved a variance in the white sand ordinance, allowing homeowners to bring in sand that is considerably less white than is normally allowed.

This sand is from intracoastal dredging and is about 1/3 the cost of white sand. There apparently is not enough white sand available for the large need.

Brad Pickel's recommendation was that all the white sand should be used first, rather than use the darker sand.

 

[Kurt]

At the regular board meeting of the Walton County Commissioners on
Tuesday, July 12, 2005, the board approved a contract with Crowder-Gulf
to pickup trash and debris resulting from Hurricane Dennis. The contract
is for sixty days and started on July 12, 2005.

The debris pickup by Crowder-Gulf will be south of the Choctawhatchee
Bay and south of the intercoastal waterway. Four crews will be removing
debris. Two will work east to west and two will work west to east. They
will be picking up debris along county roads and private roads but
cannot enter private driveways.

The contractors can be identified by a white 2x2 sign on the driver's
side of the truck or trailer. The sign will be marked "CG" and a number.
A county truck will also be following the Crowder-Gulf vehicle.
Motorist and pedestrians are urged to use caution when approaching
and/or passing these vehicles.

The crews will make three passes down each road and the public will be
informed again before the second and third passes are made.

Residents living north of the bay can call Walton County Public Works at
892-8108 to have storm debris removed.

To facilitate the removal process residents must place piles of debris
next to the curb but away from electric poles and mailboxes. Trash
should be placed in three separate piles: One for limbs and debris from
trees, another for metal objects such as appliances and another for
shingles, carpet and other construction debris. Debris will be picked up
from along the side of roads only. The trucks cannot come on private
property or private driveways.