TREASURE ISLAND, Fla — Sunset Beach is closing for an emergency restoration even as a long-term renourishment plan for the beach remains in limbo.
This comes after the Army Corp of Engineers announced in September it would stop all beach renourishment projects until Pinellas County provides 100 percent of the easements.
In the meantime, Pinellas County leaders are stepping in to put a temporary fix in place.
But even with the issues facing Pinellas County’s coastline, it won’t stop David Cavender from spending his days at Sunset Beach.
“This is such an amazing beach. I love it down here,” Cavender explained.
But, what he and others love, is vulnerable.
“When Idalia came through, about 60 percent of the vegetation we have here in the dune system, that’s decades old, was washed away,” Jason Beisel, Public Information Officer for Treasure Island, said.
So, for the next 30 days, Sunset Beach, south of Caddy’s, is closed. City leaders said this is to make room for a $6 million emergency project which will bring in about 4,000 cubic yards of sand for the area.
Crews are blocking off entrances to the beach and public parking lots before it’s enforced by Treasure Island police come Friday.
“Most of these units… are rented, and I’m one of the few people that actually live in my unit. If people can’t come to the beach, they’re not going to rent the units,” Cavender explained.
Beisel said businesses will remain open. It’s the beach that will become a safety hazard.
“It is a safety precaution. Some of these trucks may be entering in around the Caddy’s area and maybe driving all the way down the beach. And so we’ve had issues before with equipment out on the beach, and people refused to move sometimes,” Beisel explained.
Beisel said only about 40 percent of easements are signed, and crews will have to work around certain areas.
“Much of the area that we’re starting in has already been signed. So, we’re going to go ahead and start the project,” Beisel said.
Beisel is encouraging people to reach out to the city with any concerns so they can quickly complete this project.
“I think replenishing the sand dunes and the beach itself is a good idea, and it will help,” Cavender added.
But, Cavender said he’s just hoping thirty days won’t turn into three months.
Source : ABC Action News
