MANATEE -- Officials Tuesday suggested various methods of slowing erosion as part of a long-term management plan for Longboat Pass with an estimated cost of $10 million or more.
Among the recommendations included in a “Longboat Pass Management Plan” were reconstruction and extension of the jetty at Coquina Beach, and construction of a new jetty on the north side of Longboat Key, according to documents handed out during a work session of the county commission.
Also recommended was the construction of two semi-permeable adjustable structures that trap sand, called groins, on the north end of Longboat Key to stabilize shorelines around residential condos in danger of falling into the Gulf; and periodic maintenance dredging, documents said.
Manatee County is partnering with the Town of Longboat Key, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the West Coast Inland Navigation District and other agencies to work together on a regional, comprehensive approach, officials said.
“The whole idea is to walk away with a plan that we can implement, which will address the problems of critical erosion to either side of Longboat Pass, and to maintain the navigation,” said Richard Spadoni, executive director for Coastal Planning & Engineering, Inc., of Boca Raton, which prepared the management plan for the Town of Longboat Key and Manatee County.
The joint management effort is focused on navigation, beach nourishment, how to control erosion on both sides of Longboat Pass and coastal protection, Spadoni said.
Commissioner Joe McClash complained that while all of official agencies have been apprised of the plan’s intricacies, the actual users -- people who enjoy the local beaches -- were left out of the loop.
He was also leery of spending millions on construction “we don’t even know will work,” he said.
County Natural Resources Director Charlie Hunsicker sought the board’s endorsement of conceptual plans and hoped for a directive to finish a final design of inlet study recommendations, he said.
“The Manatee County funding source is the dedicated beach renourishment 1 cent of the 5-cent TDC (Tourist Development Council) “‘bed tax,’” Hunsicker said. It noted the possibility of applying to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for reimbursement of costs.
The department plans a meeting in April to discuss the subject, officials said.
“It’s important to endorse this plan, so the state will know we need funding,” Hunsicker said.
A commission meeting slated for March 13 might be an appropriate time, if the board chooses, to draw decisions from the work session, he said.
Sara Kennedy, Herald reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7031.
